by Hunt, Jack
“You got IDs?” Matthews asked.
“Yeah,” he turned.
“Sir, keep your hands on the steering wheel.”
“Martin, can you get it?”
“It’s just in the glove compartment.”
“Slowly,” Matthews said. He got back on his radio. “Rigby, you got anything about Boeing doing any work on the missiles?”
“Nope,” he replied.
They brought out IDs and handed them over and Matthews flashed a light over them. He’d seen a couple before as some of them had come out and been introduced to the crew so they would be familiar with those who’d be doing work.
“Why’s Boeing working on the missiles in a power outage?”
“Got to protect our investment. It’s our heads on the line.”
“That’s commitment,” Matthews said handing over the IDs. “Last thing, what have you got in the back?”
“Just equipment, tools.”
“Step out and open up.”
“All right but there isn’t much to show you.”
They came around the back and he unlocked the doors. The windows were tinted so he couldn’t see in. Matthews placed his finger on the trigger and backed up ready for the unexpected. The guy pulled back the doors and sure enough there was nothing inside except for racks of tools, wire and several cardboard boxes. “Told you.”
“All right. Close it up. I’m afraid, though, I can’t let you in.”
“Oh come on, man. We just came all the way out here.”
“Without authorization no one gets in.”
“Would it help to speak to our boss?”
Matthews looked over at Brunson and he shook his head.
The guy continued rattling on about how it was going to set them back even more days and they really couldn’t afford to…
“Matthews!” Rigby’s voice bellowed over the radio disrupting his train of thought. “It’s a setup.”
He put a finger up to his ear. “Rigby, repeat.”
Unknown to them but visible to Rigby, who had eyes on them, were two men emerging from underneath the van. Brunson’s back was turned. He didn’t stand a chance.
A sudden eruption of gunfire and he dropped.
Before Matthews could react a second flurry of bullets were unleashed taking him down. He coughed and spluttered, blood spilling out the corner of his mouth. He struggled on the ground, reaching for his rifle, when a heavy boot pinned it to the dusty ground. He twisted in time to see the barrel of a gun.
Crack!
Then darkness.
Chapter 8
The neighbors have better stuff? A frown appeared on Sam’s forehead as he read the latest homemade sign that Chase had tapped into the ground near the front of the driveway.
“A deterrent is better than no deterrent, right?” he replied.
“Where is the deterrent in that, Chase?”
He stared back at it. “Well, it lets them know that…” He trailed off realizing how absurd it was. It was the kind of thing that might be bought from a gag store.
Both laughed and Sam patted him on the back. “You have a long way to go, grasshopper. C’mon, give me a hand,” he said before walking down the driveway.
Over the past few hours he’d been attaching window bars to the front of the home, a job that Anna was meant to do but she’d got sidetracked with helping out at the emergency shelter. While other residents in Breckenridge in the first ten days were focusing on the basics like food and water, Sam had set about seeking out companies in the town that offered hardware that could be used to secure the home. Over the past few days they’d already been out to gather items that would be useful for fortifying the property like barbed wire for the top of fencing, reinforced locks for the windows, striker plates for the front and rear doors, and cameras that would operate off the generator.
As Sam screwed in the last bar, he stepped back and admired their handiwork.
The property was beginning to look like Fort Knox but that was the whole point. He didn’t want to stay up at night, and work a rotating shift just to protect themselves from intruders, and he didn’t want to come home to find the place stripped bare.
Sam’s mind circled back to the chief.
He’d given a lot of thought to the request; he knew that it wasn’t a large department. They couldn’t have had more than twenty-five sworn officers and those that were on shift at any given time would fluctuate based on vacation, court duties and days of the week. They only worked four, ten-hour shifts a week but with the situation, the entire department would be working overtime.
He’d seen the way Anna had stepped up to the plate to help. Helen had definitely instilled good traits in her. For someone who had been living away from home for many years, she didn’t act self-entitled like what he might have expected from someone who came from a wealthy family. She was grounded, grateful for what she had and thoughtful just like her mother. He hadn’t got around to speaking to her about Helen’s death. In the days after discovering she’d passed away, he’d heard Anna at night crying but when morning came and he tried to speak to her she would brush it off and change the subject. She was doing what he was good at, hiding how he really felt. It was easier that way. At least it had been in his line of work. He couldn’t fall apart out in the field. He had men that relied on him, families that expected to see their husbands come home. Sam had learned earlier in his career to push down his emotions and control them. Emotional reactions led to mistakes and mistakes got people killed.
Mason slapped him on the back. “Not bad. Not bad at all. I certainly will sleep better tonight. Which reminds me, are we going to the town hall meeting?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, I want to find out what’s happening.”
“You know he’ll be there.”
“Of course.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
He gave a broad smile. “Mason, he might be at the helm of this town but he isn’t in control. That’s all an illusion.” Sam turned and looked off into the horizon. The sun had all but set leaving only a few bands of light filtering through black smoke that billowed high and drifted over pines. “Take a look for yourself. The wheels are already in motion. I’m interested to know how they plan to respond to it.”
“I think it’s obvious. They want folks like you and me out there risking our necks. You given much thought to what he asked?”
“Yeah,” Sam replied. “I want to speak with Chief Sanchez directly, not when Richard is around. The guy is like a leech.”
“Speaking of the leech. Heads up, we got company.”
Sam turned to see Eric Porter with his arm wrapped around Richard who was holding a hand up to his head; his fingers were gloved in blood. Sam made his way over. And got a closer look at his head. There was a large gash, and his lip was busted up. “What happened?” Sam asked.
Eric was first to respond, “A home invasion. They beat him pretty bad and tore up his place. I arrived minutes after and managed to scare them off. I found him in the kitchen.”
Richard latched hold of Sam, smearing blood on his jacket. “They’re still out there. They headed north through the woods.”
“Have you contacted the police?” he asked.
“No.”
Sam turned to Mason. “Take him inside, I’m going to head over to the department and…”
“No,” Richard said in a very stern tone.
“Are you serious?”
“They’ll be gone by the time you get back.”
Eric nodded. “He’s right.”
“How many were there?”
“Two guys, at least that’s what I saw. There could be more.”
Sam headed over to the house. “I’ll get my rifle and we’ll head out.”
He hadn’t made it within ten feet of the door when Anna came bursting out. “Grandfather!” She hurried over and gave Eric a hand bringing him inside.
“I should go with you,” Eric said. “Show you where they went.�
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“All right. You know how to fire a weapon?” Sam asked.
Eric nodded.
“Mason, you think you can hold down the fort here?”
His brow pinched. “You want me to stay?”
“I’m going with you,” Anna said. “Amanda, can you take care of him?”
“It’s too dangerous,” Eric added quickly. For once Sam was pleased that someone else said it and not him. Anna had come a long way in a short time and he was confident that she could handle herself but the thought of her getting hurt would have been too much. Besides, he was keen to have a conversation with Eric and find out what the situation was like between him and Helen prior to her death. It had been many years since he’d seen him. He didn’t look the same. Years ago he was tall, and wiry but now he’d filled out, the result of good living. There were a few crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, and some strands of silver at his temples but that was about it.
Back when they were married he’d often heard that Eric was hanging around Helen, helping her out. He’d asked a neighbor of his to keep an eye on him and because nothing had ever given him cause for concern he didn’t read much into it. Besides, it gave him some peace of mind to know that Helen had someone she could rely on. It was only when he heard that Richard was responsible for Eric seeing Helen that the pieces started to fall together. From that day forward he put his foot down.
The last conversation he’d had with Eric was after returning from an operation in Saudi Arabia. He’d waited until Eric was done working and approached him outside the lawyer’s office. Although he remained composed, he made it clear in no uncertain words that he didn’t want him hanging around Helen while he was away. At first Eric was caught off guard, nervous even. Then he became all defensive.
“What are you accusing me of?”
“I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just telling you. It stops today.”
“Look, Sam, I’m not stepping on your toes. Helen and I are just friends.”
“Oh I’m well aware that Richard has a way of making arrangements. I’m just letting you know that when I’m not around, I still know what’s going on, if you get my drift.”
“Fine. But I think Helen should be the one to decide.”
“Helen is well aware of our conversation today. Just back off. Okay?”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be.”
With that said, Sam turned and walked off into the crowd
Now, as he came out of the house with a rifle slung over his shoulder, he glanced at Eric and saw a different man. There was an air of confidence to him that could have only come from not having Sam around, and the approval and support of Richard.
Sam gave a wave to Mason and then hopped into the derby car.
He fired up the engine and was about to pull away when Anna slipped into the back. Sam twisted in his seat.
“Anna, what the hell are you doing?”
“I’m going with you.”
“Like hell you are. Get out.”
“You might as well drive on as I’m not getting out until we’re at the house.”
Eric looked back. “Your father has a point.”
She shrugged. Sam knew there was no point fighting it. “You can stay at the house while we’re in the field.”
“Not happening.”
He slammed the gearstick in drive and tore out of there. Richard’s home was within walking distance but they wanted to get over there fast. If whoever had been behind the beating was out in the forest, they wouldn’t get far. The terrain around the properties was rocky, and steep in areas.
“Were they armed?”
“Carrying rifles,” Eric said.
“With the sun going down, there’s a good chance they’ll be using flashlights. Shouldn’t be difficult finding them.” He looked in his rearview mirror as they pulled into Richard’s driveway.
Anna leaned forward between the two front seats, her eyes widening. “Holy shit.”
The headlights on the car washed over the building and they took in the sight. It was a complete mess. Shattered glass scattered all over the driveway, furniture rolled out.
The first thing Sam did before heading into the woodland behind the house was to secure the house and make sure they hadn’t returned to finish whatever they’d set out to do. It didn’t take long. Flashlight beams bounced off the doors and walls as they made their way to the rear. It was even worse in the yard. The large concrete water fountain had been upended and was on its side and half of the living room furniture was outside. “They really went to town on this place. Did you see if they took anything?”
“I think I spooked them. I was packing,” Eric said removing a Glock 22 from a holster around his waist.
“Okay, which way?” Sam asked.
Eric pointed and led the way. Anna followed; she was in the middle while Sam hung back at the rear to watch their backs. It was very possible they were still out there biding their time and waiting for another opportunity to return. He’d noticed that the two neighbors’ homes were still intact which meant someone had targeted Richard. He’d seen the message sprayed on the wall.
“Whoever did it must think he’s planning on taking people’s weapons or preventing the community from carrying. What’s the deal with that?” Sam asked.
Eric trudged through the gloomy dark forest pushing branches out of the way. The sound of the stream bubbling nearby could be heard.
“At the last town hall meeting, there were a number of people that objected to the curfew. With the increase in crime, Richard’s in talks with Chief Sanchez to invoke some kind of law whereby residents will have to give up their weapons.”
“Best of luck with that,” Sam said. “Americans won’t give up their guns, and they certainly aren’t going to listen to some pompous asshole.”
“Dad,” Anna said.
“Sorry, Anna but it’s true. The man is a nuisance to society.”
Eric scoffed. “He can be a pain in the ass but he gets things done in the city. He’s a man of his word. That’s for sure.”
The smell of pine lingered in the air, and a cool breeze made the branches sway under a dark sky. Sam scanned the hilly, densely forested landscape. They continued walking for several miles, crossing over the creek before it became clear that they weren’t going to find them.
“They could be anywhere,” Anna said. “We should probably go back.”
“No,” Eric said. “Not before I check Valley Brook Cemetery.”
“Why there?”
“I was speaking with an officer earlier today about the fires that had been lit across town. Apparently a group of teens on bikes were responsible. He managed to give chase but he lost them over on Breckenridge Terrace. A couple of the neighbors reported seeing them heading into the cemetery.”
“The same ones I ran into?” Anna asked.
“Could be,” Eric said.”
“So did he check it out?”
“Who?” Eric asked.
“The cop,” Sam said, noticing that Eric seemed a little nervous.
“Yeah, he did. They weren’t there but that was earlier today.”
“Then what makes you think they’ll come back again?”
“After I dropped off Gene Landers I swung back around to the spot where he was attacked. I saw a kid on a dirt bike. He’d returned there.”
“Did you approach him?” Anna asked.
“Hell no. I wanted to see what he was up to. I parked down the road. I think he must have dropped something because he was searching the ground. Anyway, he took off and I followed him.”
“To the cemetery,” Sam said.
He cast a glance over his shoulder. “Yep. I figure they must have some kind of hangout there.”
“Odd place to congregate.”
“Ah you know how these emo types are,” he said. Sam stayed alert for trouble as they came out into a clearing and passed through a sparse area of trees before reent
ering heavy woodland again. “It’s just beyond here,” he said pointing forward.
Only the sound of their boots could be heard, and the occasional bird squawking in the trees.
“Were you there the day Helen died?” Sam asked.
Eric slowed his pace and glanced back, nodding.
“Were you seeing her?”
He scoffed. “Is that all that matters to you, Sam?”
“Just answer the question.”
“No I wasn’t. Richard had other ideas but Helen… she wasn’t interested.”
“Because she was dating someone else?”
“Wow, you really were out of the loop. No, Sam, Helen hadn’t dated anyone since you left. Eleven years she had remained single. I…” He trailed off as if he was about to say something. When he spoke again they came over a rise and saw lights, and heard the sound of engines. “Looks like we have them.”
Chapter 9
The attack on the two airmen occurred simultaneously with Thorn’s crew descending upon the launch control center. Unlike some of the military establishments in the 1960s and ’70s era, the building didn’t have bulletproof windows or reinforced walls; it was nothing more than drywall and glass, a building designed to house security. They stormed in, his men caught the other three airmen off guard, while Thorn entered the security control center, gun drawn and aimed at the remaining alert response member.
“I would advise you to put that radio down,” Thorn said.
The security manager lowered it nice and slowly.
“That’s it.” Thorn grabbed it and tossed it to one of his men. Six of them had taken charge of the place while the others handled business. He could hear a commotion out in the hall as some of his team dragged out the remaining security members.
“Thorn,” Dmitry called out. “All secure.”
Thorn tapped Hector on the shoulder and pointed to Airman Rigby to make sure he kept an eye on him.
“What do you want done with them?” Dmitry called out.
“What do you think?”