“Like wise, Colonel,” he said, shaking the man’s hand and then relenting as he embraced his daughter.
“I was so worried about you,” the officer told his daughter.
“Dad, the Army trained me, and you trained me, I’m your daughter. I’m fine,” she asserted.
“Jerry, she has been instrumental in our little militia,” Ian lobbied in a thin attempt to shield the girl from the consequences of a father who happened to be her commanding officer…he knew what that would be like.
Horn looked up at Ian. “She’s all I have.” Tears glistened in his eyes.
“I understand,” he looked back at his family, before pushing the plan he had for the militia. “Look, Jerry, the world has gone to shit, and our guys are still on their backs. I have a plan, and I think our group can at least help in this region. Raven can be a part of that, if she wants.”
She looked back at Ian and pulled away from her father to stand on her own. She then looked at her father and could tell that he was mulling the idea over.
“Ian, what do you have here, a couple of vehicles and some guns? How is that going to help?”
Ian thought about that for a second. So much water had traveled under the bridge in the last few weeks that it was almost hard to quantify. What did he have here? He had a plan, and a close bond with a core of people that can only be cast in the heat of battle.
“I have two families that are committed to protecting each other against those that want to do us harm. And, I have groups of Americans that want to take their country back. I have…”
“Shit, Ian!” Horn said, cutting him off. “You sound like a damn recruitment poster for preppers united, or the Tea Party.” He looked over the man’s shoulder at the rag tag group standing twenty-five yards away. Leah nodded at him, and he breathed in deeply and paused before speaking. “What are you asking of me?”
That was the opening Ian was looking for. “Support, Jerry. I need support, and equipment, and intelligence. We have a freaking foreign country that has eliminated half of our population and invaded our Home Land. I am asking for your help in letting me fight them.” Ian really didn’t know what he was asking for or needed, but the words just seemed like the natural ones to say.
Horn rubbed his head at the idea of giving up supplies, especially when he was so regulated. He saw one of his soldiers break away from the group and walk over to join the discussion. The colonel knew who the solder was. Raven straightened up a little more, and Ian followed the man’s eyes and looked back to see Reed walking over, with his chest held up high and his uniform looking better than it had earlier. Shit, man, not now!
“Son, I will have a Court Marshal hanging around your neck, if you take one more step forward,” Horn warned. Reed stopped his advancement about five feet from the group and came to perfect attention. He saluted. It took a second, but Colonel Horn returned the salute.
“Sir,” Reed said, his voice firm, “I have respectively been the watchful guardian over your daughter, Private First Class Horn.” Colonel Horn moved his mouth to say something, but stopped. “Private First Class Horn has executed herself with dignity, fighting off the enemy during firefights and other stressful situations.” Horn’s eyes rotated away from burning holes in the soldier to look at his daughter. “She has successfully reunited a family in a time where families are being torn apart,” Reed continued. “Sir, if you require that I return for disciplinary proceedings, then I will accommodate such a request, but I respectively request that Private First Class Horn be excused from such action, as she has performed above and beyond the call of duty and saved the lives of many Americans. Sir.”
“And,” Ian jumped in the discussion before Horn could retaliate. “I will vouch with my commission that Specialist Reed has displayed acts of courage and valor beyond those associated with a soldier of his stature. If anything, I would endorse a field promotion for both Private Horn and Specialist Reed.” Col. Burrows said, with a smile to his brethren.
Horn nodded at Ian. “I bet you would, Burrows. You’re not making this easy for me! This is my daughter, the soldier that deserted with her, and my two doctors!”
“I am aware of the circumstances surrounding how they left Georgia, but, to Specialist Reed’s point, these two soldiers have made a very real and positive impact on the lives of many people.” Ian leaned towards the fellow officer. “Let me fight for you with this group,” he said, lowering his voice. “I’m not bound by the same regulations and bureaucracies that are holding our forces back. Jerry, we can make a dent in these assholes…I just need some horsepower to do it!” He leaned back. Ian was asking for help to fight a proxy war, and he needed help doing it. It was now up to the commanding officer of the Georgia Guard to decide.
“Let’s walk,” Horn said, pivoting to his right to get out of earshot from everyone. Ian fell in step next to him as they slowly meandered towards a section of the track.
“First off, I’ll do it,” Horn said, “but this might not be the fight you’re needed for.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Washington wants you. They thought you were dead; something about an attack at a farm. They saw the entire thing from a satellite, but they didn’t see you escape, so they thought you and Leah were dead.”
“They want me to kill Senator Payne.”
“And so you should! That turncoat jack-off has practically sunk our country!”
“So, you will support our militia?”
“Ian, we are days away from a counter invasion. I think a big part of the plan is you cutting the head off of their mouthpiece. I don’t know that for sure, but that has to be the reason they want me to bring you back.”
Ian had not expected that. He shook his head and looked over at his family. They were all watching the two men talk.
“Look, Burrows, you can stay here and make dents in their armor, or you can strike a blow to the top. I’ll support you either way,” the colonel relented.
Ian smiled, knowing that he just got support for his militia. “Okay, I just need to clear some things up with my family before we leave. What can you get them?” he asked, nodding to the group.
“Let’s talk on the ride back,” Horn said, turning back to the Blackhawk.
“Sir,” both Reed and Horn said to the approaching colonel.
Horn stopped in front of both soldiers.
“Specialist.”
“Sir,” Reed responded, at full attention.
“I hereby grant you a field promotion to Staff Sergeant.” He held his hand out to Reed. Reed took his hand and shook. He pulled the junior NCO close to him and whispered. “Don’t hurt my daughter.”
“No, sir! Thank you, sir” Reed responded and saluted.
Horn returned the salute and moved to stand in front of his daughter. “Private First Class Horn, I grant you a promotion to full Sergeant.” Raven tried to contain her smile, but was unsuccessful. “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered and then saluted.
He returned the salute and headed towards the group.
“Colonel, it is good to see you,” Leah stepped up and hugged the man. “I think about Dolly often. Raven has a lot of her attributes,” she offered.
“Thank you, Leah. Keep an eye on her. She is going to be staying with you for awhile.” He then moved onto the two doctors. “I guess I should have seen that coming.”
“Colonel, we are sorry about leaving you the way we did, but,” Seth pulled his daughter a little closer. “I think you understand.”
Horn had let go of any anger about the two doctors leaving with his daughter, once he saw that she was all right. He nodded at the doctors. “But, it looks like we will still be working together. I will need a forward M.A.S.H unit around here, and having combat experienced doctors…that I can trust…will help me help others. More to come later,” he finished and turned back towards the helo.
“Yes, sir,” they both said, as he turned.
“Leah, Grace,” Ian said and steered them away fr
om the group so that he could talk to them. Daisy, a little beat up, limped with her masters to the meeting.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Leah asked, her voice soft and understanding.
“Yes, but I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Why?” Grace asked, tears forming at the rims of her eyes. “We all just got back together.”
Ian pulled his daughter and wife into a hug and talked into their hair. “Washington wants me to kill Senator Payne,” he said flatly.
“Can’t they get someone else?” Grace asked.
“Yes, I guess they could, but I figure that they think I am the best qualified.”
“Why?” Grace asked.
“Because, like I told you earlier, I have a history with the man, and the Agency doesn’t have too many more people they can call on to do the job.”
“What about the militia?” Leah asked. She pulled her head back to see his eyes. His eyes would tell the truth…she could see through the spy crap.
“We’re still going to build it. America still needs us. It’s just that we need a big win right now, and taking out Payne will do that. Washington is going to let Horn play ball, but I have to do this first. I’ll have details about building us up when I get back.” He squeezed them again. “I love you both with all of my heart.”
“I love you, Daddy,” Grace said in between sobs.
Leah reached up and pulled his head down to kissed him. “Be careful. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he whispered and then bent down to rub the dog behind the ears. “Keep protecting them. You’re a good girl.” Daisy wagged. Ian turned to look them in the eyes one more time and then turned to walk back to the helo, leaving his family when he thought they might need him most. He had made his decision, this decision would alter life for the area and possibly the war…it was something he would have to do.
Horn waved for the pilot to start things up, hugged his daughter, and then climbed into the Blackhawk.
Reed and Raven stiffened to attention and saluted as Ian walked by. Ian smiled at them and returned the salute. “Watch out for them, sergeants,” he commanded.
“Yes, sir,” both responded.
Ian climbed into the bird and put on a set of intercom earphones. He watched his family disappear from sight as the Blackhawk nosed over, accelerated, and sliced through the air in route to Georgia.
“Burrows,” Horn, said nodding at the open door, “do you have a name for this militia of yours?”
“Yeah, it’s called the War Dawgs.”
Captain Cho watched the entire sequence of events from the security of his mobile command center. He had a drone stationed 25,000 feet in the air with incredible optics. He was clearly able to make out Ian and Leah Burrows, and his database found the man that emerged from the Blackhawk as United States Army Colonel Jerry Horn.
Once the giant helicopter departed with Agent Burrows, he tracked it, trying to listen in on any transmissions, but they were too smart for that. Instead, he followed the rest of the team that Burrows had assembled. But, there was one member that was of particular interest, and at his own computer screen, he zoomed in to follow her.
“You are an oddity, bred for a purpose, like someone would be from our culture. You are deadly and clever with instincts that rival professionals three times your age. You will make for a fine prize and something to be replicated. I would like to know more about you, Grace Burrows.”
To be continued…
The Worst Case Scenario Series
Book 6: War Dawgs
Winter 2015
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Acknowledgments
My family has always supported my habit of ‘having to write.’ Thanks, guys for letting me do what I love.
Also, I’d like to thank the fans of the WCS series. The feedback and responses have been stellar! I love reading your reviews and your comments on FB.
So, with that being said, please let me know your thoughts…about these books or who your favorite character is…whatever! I’d love to hear from you – The fan page on Facebook is a great way to stay involved…LIKE it for clues to what is next! Or sign up for the newsletter. http://eepurl.com/4_AQ1
Thanks, again, to Mellessia Mathis, for her editing prowess! She elevates my game!
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More books by G. Allen Mercer
Worst Case Scenario Series:
This brand new action adventure series follows Ian, Leah and Grace Burrows after the unthinkable has happened; a foreign country has detonated nuclear bombs on US soil in and has launched an invasion force.
Their family is prepared for almost any emergency, but they never imagined that they would actually face their worst case scenario; a massive attack on America while the family is spread apart from each other.
Worst Case Scenario: Book 1
Worst Case Scenario: Book 2 Bug Out
Worst Case Scenario: Book 3 Invasion
Worst Case Scenario: Book 4 The State
Worst Case Scenario: Book 5 Militia
Look for Worst Case Scenario: Book 6 War Dawgs soon. Sign up for the newsletter and be the first to know when it goes on pre-order!
Collapsing World Series: (Based on the Worst Case Scenario world)
Teen brother and sister, Jack and Lucy, are trapped under the Atlanta airport after a nuclear bomb has been detonated in downtown Atlanta. Join them as they fight to survive what comes next.
Collapsing World: Book 1 (October 2015)
Underlying Grace Series
Have you ever questioned what God might have in store for your life? In this work of fiction, Neil Abrams and his family find themselves in the crossroads of this very question. The Underlying Grace series is action, questions and belief all rolled into compelling stories about the will to survive…and thrive!
Book 1: Underlying Grace
Book 2: Mighty To Save (Christmas, 2015)
Worst Case Scenario - Book 5: Militia Page 10