by J. T. Baier
Riker gave his friend a long look. “You’re still that guy, same as you ever were. You’re still the kid who stood up to those drunks who wanted to kick my ass at the gas station the day I left. You may have lost your way for a bit, but you’re here now.”
Luke slowly nodded, not meeting his old friend’s eyes as the emotion threatened to overtake them both. “I’m glad you came back, Matt. And if this is the end, I’m glad it’s with you.”
“We’re not dying today. Coach would kick both our asses in the afterlife.”
“True that.” Luke suddenly tensed, his eyes on the horizon. “Right on schedule.”
Riker followed his friend’s gaze and saw a large truck rolling down the country road, its silhouette barely visible in the early-morning sun. Another vehicle quickly followed.
“Showtime. Better get to your station. And remember what we talked about. Trust Donnie on the route. He knows these woods better than any of us.”
Luke gave a quick nod, his gaze still fixed on the approaching vehicles. Then he left the house and headed towards the front gate.
Riker drew a deep, cleansing breath and reached for his weapon. Once the battle started, this would all happen very quickly, but he knew from experience that the time between now and the first shot would drag on for what felt like an eternity. Waiting for battle was always difficult, even for a man who had once borne the codename Scarecrow.
The M24 SWS sniper rifle had come straight from the Kingsport Police Department weapons stock where it had sat unused for the past ten years. Riker had spent an hour with it the previous night cleaning and oiling it and sighting it in, making sure it was ready to function. It was a solid weapon but he was taking no chances today. With the odds stacked this high against them, he needed to make sure every shot counted.
From his vantage point on the upper floor of the house, he could see the entire farmyard along with the road past the fence. Since the barn was leveled nothing obstructed his view. He watched the approaching trucks through the open window. He could see all five of them now, and when he looked through the scope he could make out the individual men in the first vehicle. All male. Looked Columbian to Riker. He could have put a bullet through the driver at this distance, but that would throw their plan into all sorts of chaos. He needed to wait.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and tapped a number on his contact list.
“Riker, how’s it going there?” Officer Alvarez sounded stressed but not near the breaking point. He had a feeling she was going to make it through this if any of them were.
“It’s like they read our plan. They just showed up at the farm. Coming from the west too, so the sun will be in their eyes.”
“All five trucks?”
“Yep, all five.”
“Damn it, I should have stayed out there with you.”
“No,” Riker insisted. “We need you and Chief Myers at the station. Could be a smaller team coming to take out Doc Hanson, or it might even be another large team we haven’t spotted yet.”
“I hear you. Waiting isn’t my favorite.”
“I understand that. Just stay frosty. I’ll let you know as soon as we have things cleaned up here.”
“Thanks. Good luck, Riker.”
“Same to you.”
The first truck reached the closed gate. Luke stood in front of it with an AR slung over his shoulder. He approached the drivers’ window and nodded at the driver. The window rolled down and a Columbian man glared at him.
“Open the gate. We want to make this quick.”
Luke watched as the other trucks lined up behind the first. “We’re all ready to get you loaded up and back on the road. Head around the right side of the barn. They are waiting for you at the silos.”
Luke pushed open the gate to the farm and the trucks went through. As the last one passed, he hopped into the bulldozer that was parked just inside of the fence. He moved the large piece of equipment into the opening of the fence. With the dozer parked there it was impossible to get a vehicle around through the entrance. Luke got out and ran along the outside of the fence.
Riker watched from his vantage point in the house. The room that he was positioned in was on the southwest corner. There were several windows facing south and west. He watched Luke move along the outside of the fence and disappear into the woods.
The caravan of trucks followed Luke’s instructions and drove towards the silo. When the lead truck reached the side, the ground gave beneath the front tires and the front of the truck dipped down into a ditch. Luke had spent the previous night digging an impressively deep ditch with the excavator. Once he was done, they covered it with sheets of plywood and then dirt. The driver never even slowed down before the truck crashed.
The other four trucks stopped and the driver of the second truck got out to see what had happened. Riker watched through the scope of his weapon and forced himself to wait. Men started to climb out of the back of the first truck. The driver and front passenger attempted to climb out of the eight-foot-deep pit.
The men that excited the truck were armed with assault rifles. They scanned the area and tried to determine if this was an accident or attack. One of the men looked back at the gate and pointed at the bulldozer that was blocking the exit. Riker took that as a sign to start the attack.
He fired a single shot through the driver’s window of the truck at the end of the line. The bullet made a small hole in the window and a large one in the side of the driver’s head. The men outside of the trucks crouched and looked around the farmyard for the source of the shot.
Riker fired again. This time the driver of the third truck met his maker. Shouts came from the men around the trucks and they were able to determine that the report of the weapon came from the farmhouse. The men exited the back of the other vehicles and took cover behind them. Riker continued to fire his weapon killing three more men before the first round of return fire sprayed the side of the house.
He ducked back into the house and crouched low to the floor. The men who were firing at him were in motion looking for cover. Their shots were wild, but bullets still managed to shatter windows. Riker moved to another window and shot twice more.
The men on the ground moved to the far sides of the trucks using them for cover. A few men dared to peek around the ends of the truck looking for the sniper. As they set up, automatic fire came from behind them.
Donnie and Luke watched the events happen just like Riker explained they would. The trucks were stopped in the open and when the men took cover from Riker they were exposed to Donnie and Luke who were waiting in the woods on the south-side of the property.
Luke was the first to fire. He fired rapidly hitting three men. After a few shots he stopped firing and ran to a new position ten feet away. As soon as he stopped shooting Donnie started to fire. He shot a few bursts and then moved his position while Luke fired. From their cover in the forest, it seemed as if a large force was attacking.
A dozen men were down before the panic firing started. Bullets tore into the forest. The shots were wild and Donnie and Luke ran through the woods to their next position. The Colombians started to charge the farmhouse. They fired as they moved and advanced their position towards the only structure that could shield them from the attack.
39
Almost thirty men survived the initial assault. Riker had hoped that the men sent for the drugs would be little more than hired help. Just warm bodies to load the drugs onto trucks, these men were much more than that.
They were caught off guard with the ambush, but now their training and skill showed through. Four men would lay down cover fire on the farmhouse while four others watched for attacks from the rear. The others would move as a group. Then their leader would call out a command and the shooters would charge. The result was quick movement and a relentless stream of bullets tearing into the farmhouse.
Riker was forced to army crawl out of the room. Bullets were cutting through the walls and windows. The o
bjects in the room shattered around him as he crawled through splinters and over broken glass. Riker had planned to escape through the rear door of the house, but he was pinned down by the fire. He knew that he needed to exit the home before the remaining men entered.
Luke’s voice spoke through the radio on Riker’s belt. “You need to get out of there. They are almost to the house.”
Riker hit the button as he continued to crawl. “If you could get me any kind of distraction it would be greatly appreciated.”
“Roger that.”
Luke followed Donnie through the woods. They were on a path that was hardly more than a game trail. Branches snapped against Luke’s arms and face as he ran. Luke could see glimpses of the farmhouse through the trees and brush; some of the men were already at the front of the house and the others were approaching quickly.
“We need to draw some fire,” Luke said as he slowed down and moved towards the fence. Donnie followed his lead and the two fired in unison at the men. They were a few hundred yards from the house and the distance was greater than their skill with the weapons. The fire drew the attention of the men approaching the house, but instead of stopping they moved faster towards the building.
“We need to get closer. Follow me,” Donnie yelled as he ran back into the woods.”
Riker reached the top of the stairs when he heard the front door crash open. They made it inside before he even got to the first floor. Half of his plan had worked. He had lured the men into the farmhouse. The part where he escaped before they got inside didn’t go as planned. When he heard the men rush into the house, he knew there was only one escape possible. He just needed to be sure the remaining men entered the trap before he left.
Riker lay prone at the top of the stairs. He tossed the sniper rifle to the side and gripped his pistol. In the close quarters, it would be a better weapon. He waited and listened as more and more footsteps entered the house. Riker watched the barrel of a rifle slide around the wall at the base of the stairs. Riker waited with pressure on the trigger of his 9mm. Above the barrel, an eye peeked around the corner. Before the man with the rifle got a view of the top of the stairs a bullet tore through his skull.
Riker yelled out, “Alpha team, they are in the house. Cover the exits.”
He heard a man yell in Spanish from the first floor. “The first floor is clear. They are all upstairs. Clear the level but take one alive if you can.”
Riker moved back from the stairs to a room at the end of the hallway. He shut the door and moved to the window. If he could get out of the back of the home, it was only twenty yards to the fence and his escape in the forest. He pulled back the curtain to see if the area was clear. At that moment, bullets tore through the window. Riker hit the deck and glass rained down on him. It seemed that the attackers had reached the back of the home and were ready for anyone trying to escape. He accepted his fate and hit the button on his radio.
“Are all the men in the house?”
“There are a few guarding the exits, but most of them are in,” Luke said.
Riker heard a creak on the stairs. Some poor soldier was making his way up to the second floor. “Blow it.”
“Are you clear?” Luke asked.
“Sorry man, it looks like I’m going to be taking hell from Coach today.”
“Screw that. I’m not blowing it while you’re in there.”
“I’m not making it out of this one. Don’t let me go down for nothing. Take these guys out.”
Donnie and Luke continued to move closer to the back of the house while Luke spoke.
Donnie turned back to Luke, “Don’t you dare push that fucking button.”
Luke stopped in his tracks and grabbed a remote detonator from his belt. “You heard the man; we can’t let him die for nothing.”
“We’re not going to. Git ready to blow that thing. I know how to get him out. As soon as we’re clear hit the button. Let him know I’m coming.”
Luke stood with his finger hovering above the button of the detonator. He moved through the forest until he could see the farmhouse. “Riker, Donnie is coming your way.”
“That’s a negative Luke, it’s too dangerous. Just hit the button.”
“He’s already on his way. I can’t stop him.”
“Make him stop.”
Before Luke could respond Riker heard gunfire from outside of the house. There was immediate fire returned. Riker didn’t hesitate he jumped through the broken window. For the brief moment that he was in the air, he saw Donnie firing at the four men outside of the rear of the house. Donnie was on the other side of the fence, but he had no real cover. All four men were returning fire.
Riker used his forward momentum and rolled once when he hit the ground. The moment he came to a stop he fired his weapon at the men shooting at Donnie. One of the men was already down, Riker’s shots didn’t require any thought; he moved with the speed of muscle memory and years of training. Three rapid shots and three head snaps were followed by a moment of silence.
Riker sprang to his feet and ran towards the opening they had prepared in the fence. He reached it and slid through. Behind him he heard the report of a rifle and an instant later he was knocked down by the force of a concussion wave.
Luke had hit the detonator the moment Riker cleared the fence. The team had rigged all the chemicals left on the farm in the cellar of the old farmhouse. The result was an explosion like the one that destroyed the barn.
Riker’s ears rang and he stumbled back to his feet. Leaves were drifting down all around him from the surrounding trees. The wave of the blast was strong enough to knock them from the trees. It made the forest look like a peaceful fall day. Riker turned back to see the house and the scene changed completely.
Debris and fire rained down from the sky. Half a mangled body was smashed into the fence not far from where Riker stood. The ringing in Riker’s ears started to lessen and he could hear a muffled version of Luke’s voice.
“Are you okay? Can you hear me?”
Riker turned and saw Luke running towards him. “Yeah, I’m okay. Where’s Donnie?”
Riker looked around. He started to move towards the last location that he had seen Donnie. He remembered seeing him firing at the men from the other side of the fence.
Riker and Luke found him leaning against a tree. Blood was seeping into his clothes from three different locations. One in his chest and two in his abdomen.
“Hey guys, did we get them?” Donnie whispered.
“Oh my god, Donnie.” Luke dropped next to Donnie’s side and started to pull back his shirt.
Riker could see how white Donnie’s face was. He recognized the combination of shock and loss of blood that was keeping him calm. He had seen it too many times before.
Riker kneeled next to Donnie and took his hand. “Hey man, you did awesome. You got them all. Sam would be proud.”
Donnie gave a half-smile. “You think so?”
“I know so. You came in like the days of old with no fear. I’m alive because of you.”
Donnie’s smile grew wide for a moment. Then it faded and his head dropped to his chest.
“Donnie, stay with us man!” Luke said.
Riker put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “He’s gone. I’m sorry.”
Riker’s phone buzzed. “I’m getting a message from Alvarez. They may need our help. We will have time to honor Donnie, but for now, we need to carry on.”
Riker pulled out his cellphone and tapped Alvarez’s number.
“Riker, how’s it going there?”
“We need ambulances. Not sure if anyone survived, but we need to check.”
“I take it you got them?”
“We got them.”
“And yet somehow you don’t seem happy.”
“The price was high. Donnie didn’t make it.”
“My God. I’m sorry, Riker.”
He shifted the phone to his other ear. “How are things at the station?”
“Nothing yet. It�
��s totally quiet here.”
Riker frowned. “The enforcer, the one they call, El Leon, he wasn’t here. I gotta assume he’s heading your way.”
“We’ll be ready. And I’ll get those ambulances out there fast.”
Riker felt his phone buzz as a text came in. “Thanks. Luke and I will be at the station soon.”
He ended the call and looked down at the text message. What he saw made him go cold.
The text was only a single word, but it was enough to let him know he’d been wrong about El Leon’s intentions. Wrong about everything. The police station wasn’t the second target at all.
The text was from Megan and it said simply, Help.
40
Megan stood in front of her class, looking out at the seventeen faces in front of her. They stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to give them directions on that day’s lesson, but her mind was eight miles away, with Matt, Luke, and Donnie on the farm just outside of town.
How was she supposed to concentrate on fifteenth-century politics when a little more than a five-minute drive away her cousin was fighting for his life? People were bleeding and dying on one side or the other, and here she was talking about events that had taken place hundreds of years ago. Coming to work and being a role model for her class had sounded sensible last night when Matt had proposed it, but now it seemed rather ridiculous.
“Ms. Carter?” a girl in the front row asked.
Megan blinked hard, trying to force her mind back to the here and now. “Yes, Ashley?”
The girl looked at her expectantly. “You were going to give us the instructions for the group activity.”
“Oh. Right.” Megan grabbed the instructions off of her desk, straightening them in her hands, buying herself a moment to regain her composure. “I’ve broken you out into five groups. The groups are listed here.” She began handing out the papers. “You each represent a European nation. Your task will be to convince the Pope that he should support your side in the conflict described on your paper. You’ll have ten minutes to brainstorm, then you’ll have to present your case in front of the class.”
