by Robert Boren
“Ivan not tell us,” Mr. Black said.
Sam moved closer to one of the people watching, a woman of about fifty. “What happened?”
She looked at him and smiled. “Ivan the Butcher just asked for citizens to help with a battle in El Cajon. I love that man.”
Sam smiled. “Thanks.” He turned to the others. “Let’s go.”
They got outside, heading for their vehicles. “We’re just parking in the main lot, correct?” Sid asked.
“Park in launching-ramp parking lot,” Mr. Black said. “We have ice chests in car. Put long guns in, then we wheel towards dock. Other commandos already in place. Watch for UN Peacekeepers. We know they here.”
“Roger that,” Sam said. They got into their cars and drove back onto Dana Point Harbor Drive, then turned left on Embarcadero, taking it to the launching ramp, parking next to each other. Mr. White and Mr. Black pulled one large ice chest out of the massive trunk of their Lincoln, another from the back seat, pushing one towards Sam and loading the other one with their machine guns, ammo, and grenades.
“Big ice chests,” Sid said as he and Sam quickly moved their guns in from the back of the Jeeps, Erica and Yvonne standing in front to obscure the view.
“We go,” Mr. White said. “You set up past boat slip. We stay on this side. Then have full control of area.”
“Put on Bluetooth headsets,” Mr. Black said. “Meeting up. Just got text from boss.”
“Let’s be careful not to hit each other in the cross-fire,” Sid said.
They moved forward as the trawler came into view, heading for the same slip the prior enemy boat used.
{ 8 }
Harbor Mayhem
I van walked into the intel room, sending a text to the team as he walked towards Robbie and Morgan. Seth, Kaitlyn, and Ben joined them from the next room.
“What’s up, boss?” Ben asked. Jules rushed in with Shelly.
“Thanks for coming,” Ivan said. “We have a complex situation starting. We’ll have to be careful how we divvy this up.”
“The Dana Point operation starts, no?” Jules asked.
“Yes, but we’ve also got the operation in El Cajon to support. They need our eyes in the sky for that. Since the battle here is over, I think we can push monitoring of the Dodge City video cameras to somebody else.”
“I can do that, if you’d like,” Shelly said.
“Thank you, that’s what I had in mind,” Ivan said. “We need the battle-hardened intel folks on the remote locations with their experience.”
“Shall I stay with the battle wagons?” Seth asked.
“Yes, but let’s have Kaitlyn keep the history program humming along, so Islamists can’t sneak up on us here or elsewhere,” Ivan said.
“Will do,” Kaitlyn said. “I should keep a window open for the Mexico operation too, right?”
“Please,” Ivan said, “and watch those small craft coming up the coast from Mexico. We think those boats are the main reason for the National City diversion they’ve got planned.”
“Who’s on the Dana Point operation?” Ben asked.
“Let me do that one,” Morgan said. “I used to spend a lot of time there. I know it like the back of my hand.”
“Good, thank you,” Ivan said. “Robbie, could you continue on with the El Cajon operation?”
Robbie nodded. “Will do. I’ve already got a good understanding of that battlefield.”
“How about me?” Ben asked.
“I need you and Jules to help me with another broadcast, as soon as the operation starts in Dana Point. It will be a media event.”
Ben laughed. “Love it.”
“Great, then you two can come with me,” Ivan said, glancing at Ben and Jules. Everybody else went back to their stations.
“Hope I don’t screw up,” Morgan said.
“You won’t, trust me,” Robbie said.
Elmer and Clem came in. “Hey, guys, we finished up with the ethernet outlets in the other room. Why don’t you move in there?”
“Now?” Morgan asked.
“Yeah, you’re on laptops so you don’t have to shut down,” Clem said. “When you plug into the ethernet you’ll get faster response.”
“We should do it, then,” Robbie said. “I’d like to be next to Seth and Kaitlyn anyway. These operations are all tied together.”
“Okay, makes sense, but let’s do it now,” Morgan said.
“We’ll help,” Elmer said. They picked up the equipment and rushed it into the next room.
“Good, I was hoping you guys were coming in here,” Kaitlyn said as they walked in. “You’ll like the ethernet. It’s blazing, compared to the Wi-Fi.”
“As long as we’re back up in a few seconds,” Morgan said. “Sam’s team is walking towards the target area right this minute.”
“When it rains, it pours,” Elmer said, behind the row of desks now, plugging in ethernet cables. “There, you should be up.”
“Yep, my connection icon just changed from Wi-Fi to ethernet,” Robbie said. “Damn, this is faster. I already notice it.”
“Told you,” Kaitlyn said with a grin. “It’s really helping with this history program. The screen re-draws much faster.”
Shelly came in with her laptop. Elmer motioned her over, and plugged her in.
“Hey, Shelly,” Kaitlyn said. “Glad you could join us.”
The two smiled at each other, then locked eyes on their screens.
“That trawler just pulled into the slip at Dana Point Harbor,” Robbie said. “Things are gonna happen fast. Let’s be ready.”
***
Sam and Sid each had an end of their long ice chest, heading towards the slip where the enemy trawler had just pulled up. Mr. Black and Mr. White carried the other one, setting it against the wall of the Whale Watching office.
A middle-aged woman wearing a Whale Watcher t-shirt poked her head out the door. “You can’t leave that there.”
Mr. Black smiled at her. “Not worry, we load on our charter in a minute.”
She looked the two men up and down, then nodded. “See that you do.”
“No problem. Maybe we take your tour next.”
The woman smiled. “Come see us any time.” She disappeared back into her office.
Mr. Black grinned. “I like to see her. Fill out t-shirt just right.”
“Mind on business, my friend,” Mr. White said. “Look, Sam and others in position.” He nodded towards the far end of the dock lined with slips. Fishermen were showing up for the half-day boat, which had the last slip. The enemy trawler was two slips in from that end.
“Can you guys hear me?” Morgan asked over the Bluetooth headsets.
“Yes, we hear,” Mr. Black said.
“Us too,” Yvonne said. “We’re in position, waiting for the enemy to leave the boat.”
“Great. We have a good view of the area. There are several white vans parked off Golden Lantern, in the yacht dealership’s parking lot.”
“Saw them as we were coming in,” Sam said. “Also saw two bobtail trucks from Smiley’s Rental Yard. That’s how they’ve been bringing the Peacekeepers to their base.”
“Two trucks?” Morgan asked. “Isn’t that more than they were using before?”
“Yes, and the UN vans bother me,” Sam said. “Haven’t heard they were here before.”
“That correct,” Mr. White said. “Maybe they expect hit. We need to watch out.”
“We brought more commandos than need,” Mr. Black said.
“Hope so,” Erica said. “Morgan, have you seen any activity around those vans?”
“Nope, they were parked there when I got on the drone feed.”
“Don’t worry about them now,” Sam said. “Get into position and watch that boat. Wait until there is a group of Peacekeepers on the dock, and then we mow them down.”
“First man coming on front deck,” Mr. Black said. “Now several more. They look around.”
“I see where they’re loo
king,” Sid said. “Peacekeepers on patio in back of Whale Watching office. Opposite side of building from Mr. Black and Mr. White.”
“I see them too,” Yvonne said. “They’ve got light machine guns. Just saw one.”
Mr. Black chuckled. “Good, you hide your little guns. I shoot you with M60.”
“Hey, guys, there’s several men getting out of the vans in the parking lot,” Morgan said. “They’re coming towards you.”
“When they get on dock, I waste them,” Mr. White said. “Then we rush through Whale Watching office and blast men on patio.”
“Who’s in that office?” Sam asked.
“Middle-aged lady with nice chest,” Mr. Black said.
Sid laughed, Yvonne glancing at him and shaking her head.
“Men getting on back of Trawler, lifting big ice chest onto dock. Looks way too heavy.”
“We attack when they get men out on dock, begin to carry,” Mr. White said. “Stand by. I ready to blast men from van. Timing might not be perfect.”
“I can see the men on that patio, and my sniper rifle is in the ice chest,” Yvonne said.
“How much cover do you have?” Morgan asked. “You’re where the blue awnings are, next to the water, right?”
“We’re just under them,” Sid said. “Yvonne is on the edge next to the dock walkway. She has a good view of that patio in back of the Whale Watching joint.”
“Here they come,” Sam said. “Six guys just got onto the dock next to that big ice chest.”
“Men from van on dock now too,” Mr. Black said. “Open fire. Hit men on patio and men on dock first. We nail Peacekeepers from van when they try to flee.”
“They might flee this way instead of back to the lot,” Sam said.
Yvonne fired her sniper rifle several times, knocking down three men, then firing again, wounding a fourth man as the other three rushed back into the Whale Watching office. There was a scream from inside. Mr. Black grinned, slipping into the office, dispatching the Peacekeepers with his hand gun.
“You okay?” he asked the woman, who was looking at him with wide eyes.
“Who are you?” she asked. “And who were they?”
“I work for Ivan. Dead men UN Peacekeepers. Stay down.” He slipped back outside to join Mr. White, who had his M60 out and was waiting to see where the Peacekeepers from the vans were going. Just at that moment Sam opened fire on the men surrounding the big ice chest on the dock, killing all but two who dived into the water. Sid rushed to the side and fired when they came up for air, as more men poured onto the deck of the trawler with AK-47s.
“Watch out!” Sam yelled. Mr. White and Mr. Black opened fire, killing the men from the vans in an instant, the men on the trawler deck dropping, but still visible to Sid and Yvonne, who opened fire, hitting all of them. Erica was on the run now with Sam, sprinting onto the dock, weaving between cover as they both fired, peppering the windows of the trawler. Two more men ran onto the back deck and dived into the water, Yvonne and Sid ready to blast them when they came up for air.
“Those UN vans are trying to back out of their parking spots,” Morgan said.
“We see, on it,” Mr. Black said as he and Mr. White rushed onto the lot, firing their M60s, bullets ripping through the sheet metal walls of the vans and taking the tires out too. The door on one of them slid open, several men rushing out, blasted before they got more than a few steps.
“We got enough bodies on the dock for the media event?” Sam asked.
“There and at Whale Watching place, yes,” Mr. Black replied.
“Good,” Sam said, shooting a glance at Erica and pulling a grenade out of his pocket. She grinned and grabbed one out of her pocket too, and they set down their machine guns, sprinting down the dock towards the trawler. “Cover us, guys!”
Somebody broke out one of the trawler windows and opened fire, not getting a clean shot at either Sam or Erica, and then Yvonne and Sid opened fire, forcing the shooter back inside as Sam made it next to the boat and tossed a grenade through the open window, Erica tossing her grenade right through the pilot station window. There was screaming inside, and then both the grenades blew, sending shards of glass flying, one side of the boat blowing out.
“It’s taking on water,” Sam said, leaping onto the boat.
“Be careful on there, dammit!” shouted Erica. He nodded and slipped into the back door with his pistol, coming back out after a moment.
“All dead inside,” Sam said. “They were huddled right where the grenade went off. It’s a bloody mess in there.”
“Camera men heading down. Don’t shoot them. We come, string up bodies. Peacekeepers in vans all dead.”
“I’ll watch the area from above,” Morgan said. “No new vehicles have arrived. Nobody’s walking around now other than your team and the camera men. Everybody’s taken cover.”
The camera crew was at the trawler now, taking pictures of the bodies on the docks and the deck, one of them going inside while the others panned the area for a moment.
“There’s dead Peacekeepers in the Whale Watching office,” Sam said, pointing.
“Kip, go shoot video in there,” one of the cameramen said to the other. The third came out of the boat, shaking his head.
“What?” Sam asked.
“You guys made a real mess in there. I took video, but I doubt we can broadcast it. Way too grisly.”
Mr. White was on the dock next to the boat now. “I hear. That up to Ivan. Upload before something go wrong.”
“This is recording to a remote server real time,” Kip said as he walked past them, heading for the Whale Watching office.
“Uh, guys, five more vans just drove onto the lot,” Morgan said. “Get ready.” Gunfire erupted in the parking lot that instant.
“Where are they?” Erica asked, her eyes scanning.
Mr. White smiled. “Commandos watch parking lot. They handle. No problem.”
“That’s it. Mahoney here. Three vans try to rush in, followed by two more. We iced the three, the other two turned around and got back on the street.”
“Yep, I see them,” Morgan said. “They’re already a few blocks down Dana Point Harbor Drive. Should we be sending somebody?”
“No,” Mr. White said. “We want them to alert leadership. We want them to turn armada from Mexico around.”
Mr. Black saw Kip heading into the office and followed him. “Dead bad guys there and in patio on back. Careful, some might be alive.”
The woman rose from behind the counter, tears washing mascara down her cheeks. “Is it over?”
“Yes, it over. So sorry this happen at your place. What name?”
“Sandra. Are you really with Ivan?” she asked.
“Yes. Many stories to tell. Maybe we have dinner, I tell?”
She smiled. “I don’t know…”
“Think about. Almost done here.”
“What, are there more coming?” Sandra asked, her eyes darting around.
“Any more come and we take out. Camera crew get material for Ivan. He go on TV soon. Warn of armada coming from Mexico. Small boats beach on San Diego coast, try to attack. We warning population.”
“Oh, dear. I thought this war was almost over.”
“It is almost over,” Mr. Black said, “but sometimes ending most dangerous.”
Mr. White appeared in the doorway. “Come, we string up bodies for video.”
“String up bodies?” Sandra asked, looking horrified. Then her face morphed into a grin. “Good. I’ve had it with these goons.”
“My kind of girl,” Mr. Black said to her, flashing a rare smile.
“Make time later,” Mr. White said. “Work to do.”
“Sorry, back to work,” Mr. Black said. They rushed through the office to the patio, dragging men out to the front one after another.
***
Ted was sitting at the wheel of the battle wagon, in between buildings at the Bonita High School, watching the drone and satellite feeds. Bryan was in
the passenger seat, Brianna and Haley sitting on the couch behind them, watching their phones as well. Some of the other battle wagons were also at the High School, hidden from the street. The rest were at the Middle School, which was north a couple blocks on Otay Lakes Road.
“Uh oh,” Ted said. “Look at the Country Club. I see vehicles and men heading towards Willow Street.”
“Yep, there they are,” Bryan said, looking up from his phone. “Still think they’re gonna take Sweetwater Road to the channel?”
“Yep,” Ted said. “Maybe we’d better get back on the meeting. Everybody’s Bluetooth headsets ought to be charged up again.”
Ted’s phone dinged. “Message coming in from Jules.”
“We’re about to get into it again,” Bryan said.
“He said to get on I-805 and take it to National City. We can get to I-805 on EH Street.”
“Perfect, that’s right close by,” Haley said, looking at her phone. “He broadcast that already?”
Ted smiled. “Yeah. Look, Ted got the message. He just started his coach.”
“Then let’s go, boss.”
Ted chuckled, starting his coach. “I’m not your boss anymore, kid.”
“I know. Habit.”
The line of coaches got onto EH Street from both campuses. Ted and the others put on their headsets.
“Ted’s on. Who we got?”
“Seth at the intel room.”
“Tex is on.”
“Justin and Katie, in Tex’s coach.”
“Sparky and Dana.”
“Trevor and Kaylee.”
“Megan and Angel.”
“Allison and Cody.”
“Good, that’s everybody,” Ted said.
“Where are we getting off, partner?” Tex asked.
“Don’t know yet.”
“We’re watching,” Seth said. “We expect the enemy to take Sweetwater Road, going under I-805 and then onto 30th Street. We’d like to set you guys up along there someplace.”
“Look at the Sweetwater River,” Allison said. “What if they bring their boats into there instead of running them up on the beach?”