Innocent Shadows

by Warren Ray

  He started the meeting by telling everyone his thoughts.

  “Meeks, my boy,” said Taylor, “I got to hand it to ya, that’s a brilliant analysis.”

  “Thanks, Badger.”

  “You’re gonna need to think about an ambush site then,” said Nate.

  Meeks gave him a firm nod and then dug into his satchel full of maps and found one of Port Huron. Amber took some medical tape and hung it up on the wall.

  Meeks turned to Hadley. “Don, point out where Scar launched and landed.”

  Hadley took a red marker and made two circles.

  Nate moved to the map. “Question is though, which way will the cops cross into Canada, Detroit or Port Huron?”

  The room remained silent for a few moments before Amber spoke up. “Port Huron.”

  Everyone turned to her.

  “The Sarnia cops would be able to control things on their home turf, maybe even bribe the border guards. They can’t just be letting American cops come and go without proper authorization.”

  Meeks stared at her for a second. “Amber, you’re no longer just a hot looking chick.”

  “Finally,” said Amber, throwing her palms up in the air. “I’ve been waiting forever.”

  Meeks shot her a kudos nod.

  “You need to set up a position right here,” said Nate pointing to the last exit before the bridge. “Get Nordell’s friend, Hollis, to man a sharpshooter position.”

  “He’s a hell of a shot,” said Hadley. “The way he took out those spot lights from the lake was amazing.”

  “You’ll need look outs along the route,” said Nate.

  “Meeks,” said Elliott trying to get his attention from his bed.

  Everyone quieted down to hear Elliott speak.

  “You also need to get back to that garage and wait for them in case they escape. And check the river downstream as well in case they swim across.”

  Meeks nodded. “Okay, how many guys are we gonna need?”

  “At least twenty,” suggested Nate. “Eight at the ambush site, four more for backup and then you got the lookouts to spread around. Another waiting at the garage and some along the river bank.”

  “Whew, that’s a lot of vehicles to take and a lot of gas,” said Meeks.

  Nate put his hand on Meeks’ shoulder. “Yeah, well, it’s what you need.”

  “I wanna go,” said Reese.

  Everyone turned to Reese as Meeks scrunched his face.

  “Don’t deny me this. My leg’s better, and besides, I can at least baby-sit the garage. You might as well let me cause if you don’t I’m gonna be burning through more fuel around here anyway.”

  No one had said anything to her about using the precious fuel because everyone saw how it had improved her overall attitude.

  Meeks gave it some thought. “Okay, but the garage is yours.”

  Amber put her hand out and gave Reese a fist-bump.

  “Alright, it’s done. We need to leave right away, so let’s meet in the parking lot in one hour. Badger, can you get five vehicles fueled? Oh, and we need to monitor the cops’ communications, so make sure one of them is a squad car. And we’ll need supplies, no telling how long we’ll be out there.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “Eddie, round up some guys,” said Meeks, counting the bodies in the room. “We need fourteen more. Hadley, go find Hollis.”

  Meeks waited for everyone to leave the room and turned to Nate and Elliott, who would be staying behind. It was never easy to go on an operation without these two because they were original members and an important part of the group.

  “Good meeting, Meeks, you did good,” said Elliott.

  “Thanks, I just hope we can find them.”

  “You’ll find ‘em. Just trust your gut,” said Nate, “and keep your six clear. Always have an exit.”

  “I hear ya. You guys gonna be alright?”

  “Well, I don’t know,” sighed Elliott, “you’re taking the two prettiest girls away from nursing me back to health.”

  “I could order them to stay,” offered Meeks.

  Nate let out a scoff. “Yeah, that’d be like telling them not to go shopping.”

  Meeks burst out laughing. “Damn, Nate, you are sexist.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m sexy too.”

  “Sexy enough to tend to your friend while we’re gone?”

  “Please, he’s just milking it for all it’s worth, aren’t cha buddy?” asked Nate, with a sly smile.

  “I won’t deny I like having Amber hovering over me.”

  “I’ll be sure to tell your wife next we see her,” kidded Nate.

  “Oh, I don’t think Amy would be too worried about me getting some TLC, you know, being in the shape I’m in and all.”

  “Don’t worry, buddy, I won’t tell her.”

  “Yeah, it’s probably best you didn’t.”

  Meeks let the two lifelong friends continue to pull each other’s legs as he left the room hoping he’d be able to find his friend. He and Scar had been through thick and thin over the years and even more so over the past few months. It would suck not having him around even more so than Winters.

  Chapter 50

  Washington D.C.

  Green tried to stay busy and keep his mind off what was coming next. His skin was crawling as he tried to get through his paperwork and make a few phone calls. He looked at his watch and saw he had only had another hour before most everyone went home, and then an hour after that when Reed would leave for the day. He still needed to turn the security cameras off, but couldn’t do that until the building was vacated enough to minimize the chance of being detected.

  He thought about the two guys they had kidnapped earlier. It was a spectacular operation and he was pleasantly surprised by how well Stormy had performed. He had to admit he wasn’t expecting much from her. She seemed too beautiful to be anything but a china doll. Green let out a laugh at how wrong he’d been about her. Her biggest asset was her looks and how she was underestimated because of them. You wouldn’t even imagine someone like her could kick your butt? He rolled his eyes because he’d never think that about her again.

  His thoughts moved back to the two guys and how they were going to die for them. It was brutal but this was war and war was hell. He’d begun to accept the idea of this new kind of war in which he was now involved. The battlefields were different and most often were underhanded, but then that was Washington D.C. now and always had been.

  He tried to visualize what was going to happen tonight and how he could most effectively contribute to their success. He would enter the underground parking garage at the right moment and save Reed from certain death. Besides his looking like a hero, Reed would be convinced Perozzi was targeting him. Green drummed his hands on the desk at the thought of Reed having complete trust in him. No telling what he’d be able to accomplish with that trust.

  Green looked at his watch again and decided to grab his stuff as he was going to head to the room where the security cameras recorded all movement at the entrances. He offered his secretary, Grace, an early time off, of which she took advantage and shut down her computer before grabbing her purse.

  After she left, he shut the office door and started down the stairs where he noticed some of the staff in the offices below had begun to leave. The bankers typically left when the markets closed, which cleared out the majority of the offices. The building didn’t have any other form of security staff, but then it wasn’t an important target. This place paled in comparison to the many highly desirable targets in the district.

  The security closet was just ahead and no one was in the area, so Green approached the door and slipped on a glove before opening it. He rolled his eyes having expected to force the door open. A good shove would have done the trick, but it was unlocked. He entered the small room and shut the door. The room was dark with the monitors providing the only light. He sat down in the chair to observe all the entrances and watch the people leave. He looked over at the p
ower strips and figured out which buttons to switch off per Jacob Gibbs’ instructions. He started flipping switches until the green lights turned red. The cameras continued to run, which he needed to monitor the garage, which weren’t too far away. At a quick pace, he could be there in seconds.

  Thirty minutes later, the parking lot was empty with the exception of a vehicle here or there. Then he noticed his van come in and park by the entrance to the building. Blood rushed to his head knowing that inside the van, bound and gagged, were the two men they had kidnapped. He rocked back and forth in the swivel chair while staring at the monitors waiting for Reed to leave. He looked at his watch again to see that time was fast approaching. He grabbed his Beretta M9 and pulled out the magazine again to make sure it was full. He then pulled the spare mags out of his jacket and gave them the once over.

  His pulse skipped a beat when Reed’s bodyguards came into view on the monitors. They were escorting him down the hall toward the exit. Neither man looked too concerned as they approached the double glass doors. Both figuring it was just another day of getting the paranoid Lawrence Reed home.

  Green got up and left the security room just as popping sounds echoed in the background. He bolted down the hall to the glass doors. Both guards were bleeding on the concrete floor. “Nice shooting,” thought Green. He found Reed cowering behind a car. He rushed over to him just as a shot hit the gray painted concrete wall just above his head.

  “Stay down, Mister Reed,” yelled Green, as he fired his pistol.

  “Major, please help me,” Reed cried out in a shrill voice.

  “Just stay down! I’ll get you out of here!”

  Green raised his head as Jacob Gibbs slid open the van door. He manhandled one of the unconscious men out and stood him up. Green took careful aim and pulled the trigger twice. Both rounds exploded into the man’s chest. Kyle then pushed the other one out onto the garage floor. He and his dad, Jacob, picked him up and leaned him on the front of the van. Green took careful aim before shooting him. The body crumpled to the ground.

  Gibbs gave him a thumbs up before they both fired the dead man’s pistols a few more times and then dropped the guns by the corpses. They both then ran out of the garage where Stormy was waiting out on the street.

  Green looked at Reed. “I got ‘em both, sir.”

  Sweat poured down Reed’s face to his double chin. “Are, are you sure?”

  “I’m sure, sir. We should get you out of here.”

  “They’re dead?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Green rose up and helped Reed up off the concrete floor. Reed’s hands trembled and his pale complexion turned back to red as he looked at the scene. “I want to see them.”

  Green bit his lip to contain his satisfaction with the operation. He needed to keep focus and get Reed out of there to follow through with their charade. He kept his gun at the ready as Reed regained his composure and moved to the carnage. He bent down and took a good look at the first one he killed. Reed then went over to the other and pushed him over with his foot. Reed shook his head a couple of times but stayed silent. This didn’t surprise Green because Reed always kept his cards close to the vest.

  “Get me home,” ordered Reed.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You’ll find the keys to my car on one of them,” said Reed pointing to his two dead guards by the glass doors.

  For show, Green continued to hold his gun out as he escorted Reed to his car. He then got in and asked for directions to his house. Of course, he already knew where Reed lived but needed to continue the ruse. He took note on Reed’s demeanor as the man called his security team leader and in a calm matter, told him what had just happened. He never once mentioned whom he suspected to have made the attempt. After hanging up on him, he stayed silent all the way home.

  Green pulled into Reed’s driveway and four of his bodyguards rushed to the car to protect Reed.

  “Major, I cannot thank you enough for your bravery.”

  “Sir, I only wish I could have been there soon to help your security team.”

  “You’ve served honorably tonight, Major, and I shall not forget it,” said Reed, as he opened the car. “You can take my car home and bring it to the office in the morning.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Green watched the security team hustle him inside and then let out a deep sigh of relief. He didn’t dare say anything in the car since he didn’t know whether or not it was bugged. However, he couldn’t help but pump his fist in the air at the success of their mission. Without a doubt, Reed recognized the two supposed assassins. Reed’s world changed in an instant and Green planned to be involved in that new world.

  Chapter 51

  Sabine Iowa

  Winters gobbled down the food Ashley had prepared and was on his way to regaining his strength from last night’s mission. Now that there were no more bad guys to control the town, they discussed getting everyone back home. Ashley offered to stay until they could move Finley.

  Winters left to go into town as he wanted to check on the status of the stores of food sitting in the bank vault. He got into his van and made the short trip. In front of the bank, mothers and children, along with a few elderly people, had formed a line that extended out into the parking lot. Almost everyone had a smile on their face and they chatted amiably with each other. They all turned their heads when Winters pulled into the lot.

  A wave of excitement swept through the line and everyone started clapping as he exited the van. His body stiffened as he didn’t like accolades and would never get used to having them bestowed upon him. He always tried to shy away from notoriety if he could, but it was too late as a few of the mothers left the line and rushed over to him. He recognized the first as a friend of his late wife, Ellie. She had a couple of sons and a daughter who had been a friend of Cara’s.

  “Cole, Cole, thank you,” said Gail, as she came in to give him a hug. “Cole, you’re a life saver.”

  “Gail, please, there’s no need.”

  “Nonsense. You’re our hero.”

  More came over and began shaking his hand and cheering his presence.

  “You saved my little girl,” said a mother who Cole thought looked familiar. “Those filthy bastards are all dead now thanks to you.”

  Not wanting to be rude, Winters spent a few minutes greeting everyone and accepting their gratitude. After about five minutes with everyone outside, he entered the bank where more handshakes and hugs greeted him. Winters’ heart began to melt as mothers broke down in tears while expressing their gratitude. He hadn’t taken the time to consider the affect it had on them, but he now understood. There had been a darkness in Sabine and it weighed down everyone involved, but now a new found joy was released and it overwhelmed them.

  “Okay, everyone, let the man breathe,” said a male voice from the back.

  Michael Grant was at least in his seventies and had a portly build. He had been the mayor here in Sabine some years ago, and he reminded Winters of Mayor Simpson back in Jackson. His wisps of white hair flew about as he greeted Winters.

  “Cole, is it really you?”

  “Yes, Mike, it’s really me,” said Winters, shaking his hand.

  “I always knew those media reports about you were bogus. How the hell are ya? Oh, that’s a stupid question, hell, look what you’ve done for us. We can’t thank you enough.”

  “Well, you’re welcome, Mike. So, how’s it going here? Tell me about the food situation.”

  “C’mon, I’ll show ya,” said Grant, who led him to the back.

  Winters' eyes grew wide looking at the bounty before him. The vault wasn’t big but it was stuffed with all kinds of food, from freeze-dried packages to canned goods. Bags of wheat stood off to one side next to boxes of rice.

  “Whoa,” said Winters.

  “Yes, it’s literally all the food in the area and plenty for everyone.”

  “And then some,” said Winters.

  “Yes. Listen, Cole, I don’t want
you to think too badly of us, but we…”

  Winters interrupted him. “Mike, you don’t need to go there, I understand.”

  The man frowned and shook his head in a sad manner. “It’s just that we tried to stand up to them, but they killed those of us who did. And our poor girls, it’s just sickening what they had to go through.”

  Winters put a hand on his shoulder. “Mike, everyone did what they had to do to survive. Believe me, I’ve seen much worse over the past few months.”

  Grant gave him a blank stare and Winters decided the man needed a boost to his morale.

  “Mike, I’ve seen whole towns executed because of a lack of food. Girls put into chains and forced to perform day and night. In some ways, everyone here is very lucky.” The fog started to lift from the man’s eyes. “And from what I’ve seen, your daughters and granddaughters are the bravest girls I’ve ever encountered. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t have done what I did last night without their help.”

  “You mean that?”

  “Absolutely, which reminds me, one of those brave girls is sorely in need of medical attention.”

  “Finley? I heard. How’s she doing?”

  “Running a fever and needs proper care. Is there anyone around to help her?”

  “Everyone left town long ago.”

  “Okay, well, I’m going to need to take her somewhere and I’m going to need fuel.”

  “Oh, that won’t be a problem. Billy had stores of gasoline stashed away as well, right across the street at the old quickie mart. He put the gas down in the underground tanks and covered the access with a bulldozer.”

  Winters walked out into the lobby and looked through the big glass window at the bulldozer. “Not a bad way to guard against theft.”