I climbed inside and looked at the controls. I had no idea how to drive the thing. Apache climbed up next to me and gave a chuckle at my lost look. She rolled her eyes and pushed me out of my seat. Apache sat down and reached out pulling the door closed. She turned the keys and mashed the clutch in. The truck started right up, the engine rumbling to life. I gave her a confused look.
“I drove a couple of semis as a kid when my pop used to drive log haulers, and you thought you knew me well,” Apache stuck her tongue out at me and blew a raspberry in my direction.
“Try and not to kill us,” I rolled my window down and stuck the upper part of my body and the barrel of my mini 14 outside into the cool air. I was scouting for trouble before it snuck up on us. Even with the attack helicopter above us giving us air cover and safety, I was not about to let my guard down.
Apache drove straight down the middle of the highway. She worked her way around stalled traffic or pushed the vehicles right out of the way. I think she was enjoying herself, the big grin on her face spoke volumes.
“Take the next exit and head left,” I shouted.
“Left sounds so exact. Are we dropping the compass?”
“Shut up woman and do what your told.” I poked my head back inside the cab and gave her a smile to let her know I was joking.
Apache reached over slapped my butt, “Shut up, inferior gender,” she took the exit I had directed her to and soon we were coming up on my ranch. I pushed a button on my little remote and the gate swung open. As a precaution I had started the generators before we left the house, providing power for the gate and security systems.
I directed Apache to back up the big semi between the house and garage. I jumped out and opened the gate to the field with my own cattle in it. I had her pull to the opening of the corral and opened the back of the trailer. The cattle just stared at me, they seemed scared. Right then the Apache helicopter dropped from the sky and hovered over the trailer. The cattle spooked and charged at me, I leapt to the side and climbed up to the top of the four-foot fence just in time. I was inches away from being trampled to death.
The pilot of the Apache saluted me from his canopy and moved over to the next field behind the red barn and slowly landed on the grass. The massive blades slowed as they continued to spin, bleeding energy away.
The gunner’s cockpit opened, and she climbed out. Once her feet touched the ground she bent over and touched her toes. I could tell she had been in that thing for a while and had to have cramps. The pilot was next, he opened his cockpit and slid out landing on his feet and looking around. He was taller than the gunner, so tall that I was amazed he could fit inside the helicopter. I closed the gate and jumped the fence, heading over to the helicopter crew. On the limits of my peripheral vision I saw three people come around the barn and head toward me, guns up and tracking. I turned and found Bri, Athena, and Heaven coming toward me. I placed my hands out palms up to slow them down. I turned again and made my way to the Pilot and Gunner from the Apache helicopter.
I held my hand out to the Gunner. “Master Sergeant Dan Welko, medically retired.” I said in greeting.
The gunner smiled at me and took my hand. She pumped it up and down twice with a firm grip to show she was tough enough for the job. “I am Chief Warrant Officer Phyl Lamattina.”
I pulled her in a little closer, still holding onto her hand. “Phyl? Were you named after your grandfather? Or did your family not like you much?”
Phyl rolled her eyes and let out a small sigh. “My pops wanted a son, what he got was a kickass fire breathing Army Warrior with great tits.” She let go of my hand and stepped away.
The pilot who was much taller than me, and slender, like he had missed too many meals, stepped up and offered his hand. The English accent threw me off balance for a minute. “Mate, my name is Captain Ryan Bilbo Colley. I was employed by the Queen in Colchester, in the county of Essex, East England mind you. I married a beautiful American woman and immigrated with her to join you Yankees.”
I took the man’s hand and gripped it firmly. “I don’t like the Yankees mate, more of a Dodgers fan.”
“Aw, a Baseball joke. I found a fondness for the Baltimore Orioles myself.”
“I think I am gonna like you Captain.”
“Please mate just call me Bilbo, I have a feeling ranks don’t mean much right now.”
“You look hungry Bilbo; can I offer you and your gunner a good meal?”
Phyl’s eyes grew larger at that statement. Bilbo gave her a sideways glance and smiled. “We would like that very much; we’ve skipped our morning meal and had nothing in that chopper to nibble on.”
I turned sideways and motioned them to move toward the garage. “Right this way then. Maybe you can answer some questions as you eat?”
“Sounds like a fair-trade mate.”
As we stepped into the garage my radio went off. “I need to beg off for a minute got a call coming through,” I motioned to Johnson and then at our new friends. “I promised our new friends you would make them lunch. Get to it!” Johnson flipped me off but motioned for the chopper crew to join him.
I stepped back outside and answered the call. “Go for Welko. Over.” I called out on the radio.
“It’s Chun, this is our third call tonight, I thought maybe you forgot about us. Over””
“Sorry was on a side mission. Did Bri or Johnson help? Over.”
“Yeah that big hairless Sasquatch took our last couple of calls. We found your truck, it was dented up fiercely, the door open. Lots of yellow fluid and eight 9mm casings all over. No bodies though. Over.”
I scrunched up my brow and then smiled. “She did as I trained her to do. If the truck runs bring it back, anything else to report? Over.”
“We surveyed the park and found out how the Collectivus transport people to their realm. A bright flash goes off and then a large troop like ship appears. It lands and then those soldiers load people in it, another flash goes off and the ships are gone. Over.”
“Have you found their command center? Over.”
“Hootie and Blakk are watching over the National Guard Armory. There is a lot of Collectivus activity going on in there, as well as the hospital. I put Lupo and Pico on that location. All roads in and out of town are blocked, anyone trying to get past the roadblock are being either killed or taken hostage. Over.”
“Let me know when you guys need relief. Over.”
“We once did a forty-five-day patrol without re-supply. I think we will be fine. If you need my help with planning, shoot me a call. Over.”
“Roger, I haven’t had much sleep in three days. I am gonna sack out, call if things change or you need me. Over.”
“Got it, out.” Chun broke the call.
I yawned deeply and stared up at the darkening sky. I walked back inside and moved over to Apache. “I need to sleep; I am about to fall apart.”
She looked me up and down. “No problem boss, I’ll come and get you if the situation calls for it.”
I nodded and moved toward the house.
Day 4
I woke up not knowing where I was. This happened a lot when I was on duty and away from home, but when I opened my eyes sun flooded in from windows in front of my turned face. I squinted as if I had a hangover and moved to a sitting position. I was in the bed I shared with my wife. I couldn’t figure out why I was home, my body felt like I had been on a week patrol back in Afghanistan. I rolled my head on my shoulders and cracking it. I turned in the bed and sat at the edge of it. I looked down and only saw my one foot. I didn’t remember removing my leg before I had passed out last night. I only slept without my prothesis when I was off duty and home. I pushed myself up on my leg and hopped to the bathroom.
I used the toilet and hopped to the shower. I turned on the water and waited for the water to turn hot. It never did, I sighed and jumped into the shower anyway. I had taken plenty of cold showers in my life, this was just one more. I eased down on the small seat I had constructe
d with the same tile as the surrounding. I washed my body and rinsed off quickly. I turned off the water and hopped out of the shower and dried off using the extra-large, white, absorbent spa towel.
I looked in the mirror and stared at my reflection. I looked tired and worn out. My body was covered in scars. Three puckered half-inch scars rose up my left side from my waist. Those were from my first deployment, when we came under fire from the Taliban. When I got shot, I just ignored that it hit me as I moved sideways, and my shitty armor shifted to open the vulnerable spot. I fought on ignoring the hot searing pain and warm fluid that moved down my side. I dropped down on one knee and leaned to my right to ease off the pain. I burned through three magazines returning fire on the Taliban soldiers moving in on us. I pushed them back and directed our fire onto their position as our medic came up and placed her hands on my shoulders.
“Sit down, you’re wounded.” Sergeant Sarah Kamasz pushed me down to a sitting position on the ground.
“I ain’t got time right now Kamasz, I need to get the men moving and push back these Tangos.”
A Major came up behind the medic and looked down at me. “Sergeant Welko, our men have already pushed back the Taliban and right into crossing fire from Lieutenant Coomey’s squad. We got this under control. You let Sergeant Kamasz plug your new holes. That is an order.”
I nodded my head and sat back against a beam that used to hold up the ceiling. The ceiling was now missing. I winced as the adrenaline flushed out of my system and the pain of the bullets came roaring in. Kamasz cut my straps free of my armor and pulled it off, then cut off my blouse underneath. She caught my wincing and pained expression as she took it off and tried to hide a small smile.
“You find something funny Sergeant?” I asked through hisses of pain.
“No Sergeant,” she said with a smile.
“Just plug my holes and bandage me up. I need to get back to my men.”
“Sorry Sergeant Welko, I think the rounds may have nicked the descending colon. If it did, then you could be leaking poisonous bile into your system. I am going to stabilize you and get you transported back to the rear for the docs to check you out,” Kamasz hit me with a vile of morphine, which flowed through my system giving me a warming sensation. I immediately relaxed and the pain was almost instantly forgotten. She moved me forward and craned her neck to look at my back. She sighed at the sight of the damage the 7.62mm rounds had done to me. The rounds that hit me plowed right through and out my back. She placed gauze pads against my wounds and then wrapped me and them with white bandages around me. She turned and looked back at the men standing around.
“Rogers and Ruiz get over here and bring the litter. I need you to transport Sergeant Welko to the rear,” As she said that she took a bag of saline and stuck an IV in me.
I stayed in the rear for two days as they ran a couple of tests on me. I found out that fortunately the rounds had missed everything except skin and some muscles. It still took a little while to heal up.
I hopped back to my bedroom as I came out of the flashback. I cinched my leg on and then quickly dressed in a pair of black fire-hose cargo pants, a white Under Armour moisture wicking compression shirt, and over that a button up denim shirt. I slid on my combat boots and tied them tight, next I took out my roll of duct tape and wrapped it around the top of the boot and over the extra laces securing them in place. This was a procedure I had been doing since boot camp. It takes away the chance of my laces coming undone and tripping me. It also stops the chance of my boots being sucked off as I trudge through mud or marshes.
I had just come out of my bedroom when a voice yelled in my head. “Dan, can you hear me?”
I grabbed onto the door frame to stop myself from falling. I felt like the sound was about to overcome me. I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on my heartbeat. “I hear you Quashay,” I answered the voice in my head.
The voice dialed back on the volume. “I have been having problems contacting you. I have news for you.”
I moved over to my easy chair in the living room and sat down, closing my eyes and relaxing. “What problems have you had contacting me?”
“The distance to your realm is so far away compared to the others that the Collectivus have invaded. I needed help from another abhorrent to boost the power on my implant.”
“Is this other abhorrent you befriended trustworthy?” Operation Security, or OPSEC was a very important thing to me.
I could feel Quashay smile at me over the link we shared. “Yes, very trustworthy. He is called Shuggin, and he works in the Science Division of the Collectivus. He says he has been looking for someone like me to help him escape our master’s clutches.”
“Excellent, so now we have two of you on our shared cause.”
“Shuggin, has already helped me find Kell. She is in the DNA division awaiting classification and assignment. She is in hibernation as she awaits her turn. We are planning to get her out as soon as we can.”
“If you know where she is, just bust in grab her and get out,” I growled. I was getting very frustrated.
“It is not as easy as breaking in and getting her. The DNA division is heavily guarded by the Faquids. Shuggin and I would not make it past the entrance before they would destroy us. This is going to take finesse and brains to pull off. It has been nearly a month here, as you would sense it.”
I shook my head and tried to push aside my aggravation. If I had been there, I would’ve kitted up and barged into the facility and kicked ass. Kell and I would be together right now, but Shuggin and Quashay were not trained as I was. I had to rely on their specialties to come up with a plan to save Kell. I had to concentrate on my guerilla war against the Collectivus here in my own realm. I concentrated on putting my thoughts together and assigning my priorities. I opened my eyes as I came to a decision.
“Quashay, I put my full trust in you and your fellow abhorrent. I will concentrate on what I can do here.”
“Excellent. Let me share some information with you then. The Collectivus is technically superior to you, but they have not fought a war against a race like yours. Hit them as much as you can, sow fear and destruction anywhere you can.”
“The Collectivus have never fought a war like the one I am about to wage on them. Keep checking in and let me know if you hear any news of the battles here.”
“I will Dan, good luck my friend. Stay alive, and rest assured I will sacrifice my life if it is called upon to free your wife. I vow this to you.”
“I promise to tear the Collectivus down my friend.” And with that the communication channel we had been using closed and I could no longer sense him.
I stood up and made my way into the kitchen. I had to contact Chun and his merry band of killers. It was about time we started to kick the Collectivus’ ass. I opened the back door and strode out to the garage, as I entered, I found all my people alert and standing over a large rough constructed table. I pulled a Karambit from its sheath and moved up between Bri and Apache. I looked down at the map searching for my target. When I found it, I lifted my arm up and plunged the Karambit into it. The knife made a “TWANG” sound as it vibrated with the force I delivered, burying three quarters of the blade through the table.
Apache stood on her tiptoes and looked over the map concentrating on the point I shoved my knife in. She studied it, cocking her head and nodding her head. “Are we ready to hit them Boss?”
I smiled a shark’s grin, all teeth. “We are gonna start a campaign of destruction that the Collectivus will speak of for a century.”
“No, they aint, we aren’t going to leave enough of them alive to speak of their failures.” Bri growled.
I turned and looked over my pilot and gunner for the Apache. “Either of you know where I can find more fuel and armaments for your dragon out there?” I hooked a thumb toward the back of the barn.
Ryan unfolded his long lanky form off the couch and stood. He scrunched up his lips and tilted his head to the side as he thought. “
Aye, there is a base nearby. But when our Colonel ordered us to move out alone, he said the base had been over run.”
I turned my head and yelled. “Sasquatch, and Apache front and center.”
The big man and small woman moved toward me. “What do you need Boss?” Sasquatch enquired.
“I need you two to follow me and our friend Phyl here over to their base and see if we can secure it. I have a bunch of plans for stinging the Collectivus, but I need their bird.” I explained.
Apache looked up at Bri and punched him in the side, a wicked smile on her lips. “Sounds like fun Boss, as long as I get to take the bullet catcher in with me,” she indicated Bri at her side. “Are we going old school sneak and peak? Or are we gonna go in and kick their fucking teeth in?” She asked.
“We start with some sneak and peak and whatever we discover we adapt and overcome,” I turned looking for my friend Johnson. He was leaning against a wall loading a magazine with .556 rounds for his M4, from an open box on the table next to him. “Johnson, think you can go down in the bunker and bring up eight LAWs, a box of Willie Petes and frags, oh and some claymores.”
Johnson put down the magazine he was loading and took a moment to stare at me. “I’ll bring enough for four people.”
I screwed up my face and looked around the room. “The pilot can’t come with us, so no need for so much equipment.”
“I was counting me little man. No reason for me to sit around.” He gave me a pissed off look, that could peel paint off a WWII destroyer as he turned and stalked toward the bunker and one of my weapon caches.
I shrugged and shook my head in exasperation. “So, who is going to stay and defend the property and man the radio?” I yelled to his retreating back.
“I will plebe,” a man’s accented voice answered from behind me.
Quantum Theorem Page 9