“Sorry, she had to pee, and I think she needs to be outside,” Nathan said, pouring a cup of coffee.
“How is she?” Jasmine asked
A smile spread across Nathan’s face. “She is doing well. Her belly is smaller and her pulse is still strong. She didn’t have blood in her urine today.”
Jasmine sighed. “I’m so glad.”
“Me too,” Nathan agreed.
“Are you thinking three or four days before we can risk moving her?” Jasmine asked.
Nathan looked away. “I don’t have a clue. We will stay here till she’s ready.”
“I know that,” Jasmine snapped. “I just want to make sure we have enough to wait.”
“The horses have enough food in grain for two weeks easy, and that’s without grazing. With what we picked up, our food stocks are just over three weeks,” Nathan said.
“I know, I did the inventory. But if we have to stay for over a week or two we will have to secure more food,” she said.
“We will kill some game this afternoon,” Nathan said.
“Why not now?” Jasmine asked, looking at the back of the lake and seeing deer.
“No, today, we stay under the trees,” Nathan said, grabbing a bowl and filling it with oatmeal. “Emma,” he called.
Emma ran over, sitting on his legs, as Jasmine racked her brain trying to make the connection. Finally, she gave up. “Okay, why do we have to stay under the trees?”
“Some people are going to be really pissed off,” Nathan said.
Putting her hands over her face, Jasmine moaned. “What did you do?”
“Left a surprise,” Nathan grinned.
Dropping her hands off her face, “We can’t run. If they come we have to kill all of them or be killed.”
Stopping the ‘plane’ in front of Emma’s face, Nathan turned to Jasmine in shock. “Yes, but what do you think they would do if they searched the area and found those dead bodies? They would call in support and search. When they land they lose a lot. They will know the area is hostile and the ones responsible are gone. You don’t leave booby traps and stay close. We are over fifteen miles away so they have a lot of ground to search. I just don’t want them to get lucky.” Still waiting on the ‘plane,’ Emma leaned forward and emptied the spoon.
“I just think that’s ‘kicking the ant hill’,” Jasmine said at the others came over to eat.
Nathan looked up to see Amanda filling a bowl. “What?” she asked. “Casey’s out, so I get to come out.”
“Sounds good to me. But get a chair and park it. I’ll be over to fix it like Casey’s,” Nathan said.
“I don’t care, I want to see the trees,” Amanda said, hobbling away.
Nathan watched Amanda sit beside Casey. “You’re right, though, Jasmine. They are going to find out: you fuck with my family and I’ll kill your newborn child before I slit your throat.”
Jasmine fell back on her butt. “Ah okay.” She watched Nathan’s face and could tell he was serious. “I’m not saying it wouldn’t be right, but damn. You would hurt their families?”
“To teach them to leave mine alone, you’re damn right,” Nathan said, refilling the ‘plane.’ “I’m going to tell you something. I have kept track of the man who killed my parents. He got to watch his kids grow up and have grandkids. He took that from me. He drank and got behind the wheel. It wasn’t an accident, it was murder, the same if he had used a gun. But the judge gave him probation and a ‘stern’ warning. He took my family from me and I’ve almost killed him a hundred times.”
Nathan paused, landing the ‘plane’ and loading it back up. “I’ve sat outside his house with a sniper rifle. People ask what it would serve. It won’t bring my parents back. I’ll tell you, he wouldn’t get to spend any more time with his family. I would know he wouldn’t get to see them again. It is true, revenge is a dish best served cold. You need to think about it before acting on it.”
Jasmine was staring at Nathan with her mouth hanging open. Nathan laughed. “You want to know why I haven’t killed his ass?” Slowly, Jasmine nodded. “Because I’d be the prime suspect. Unlike him, I would go to prison. That’s irony, isn’t it? He killed my parents and got probation, I shoot his ass and I’ll go to prison. It’s like my parents didn’t mean anything to anyone and I don’t matter.”
Jasmine crawled over and snuggled into Nathan’s side. “I’ll do it for you.”
“What?” Nathan coughed, startled.
Jasmine looked up at him. “I’ll do it for you.”
He shook his head. “No, if it gets done it will be done by me.”
She laid her head back on Nathan. “You deserve everything in the world. You care for others and even though you don’t let people get close much, when you do, you love them unconditionally. I’m not saying you’re perfect, but you’re one of the best people I’ve ever met.” She wrapped her arms around him. “And you’re mine. If that’s not worth ‘dropping some lead,’ I don’t know what is.”
Totally speechless, Nathan just gazed ahead, bug-eyed. “Wow,” he finally uttered.
Jasmine snuggled tighter in his side. “That’s what I think of you too.”
Wrapping his arms around her, Nathan pulled her close. Emma immediately started complaining. This was her time. Nathan kissed Jasmine as Emma climbed up, slapping both of them on the face to let them know she was still here and the ‘plane’ wasn’t flying.
Breaking the kiss, Jasmine pushed back. “Emma’s bitching.”
“I’m almost convinced the only time she isn’t is when she’s asleep,” Nathan declared.
Jasmine let out a laugh. “Nathan, you do everything for her. If she wants something, Emma gets it.”
Nathan picked up Emma, who was babbling in a grumpy tone, bitching in babble. “She is cute, and sometimes she’s really adorable when she loves on me.”
Jasmine wanted to tell him so badly he sounded like a daddy, but held her tongue. “Little Emma has you in the palm of her hand.”
“Yeah, but since several others do as well so it doesn’t matter,” Nathan said, standing up. “I’m going to check on the horses. I want to be near the radio at eight.”
“What’s on the radio at eight?” Natalie asked.
Tom snorted. “A surprise.”
“Jasmine,” Amanda called out like a queen. “When you go after that asshole, I’m coming. Are we clear?”
“Amanda,” Jasmine said, rearing her head back on her neck.
Amanda raised her hand to Jasmine. “Drop it. I let you have him for a boyfriend. We go together.” At a loss for words, Jasmine just sat there, wondering how to respond.
“I’m coming,” John said.
“Me too,” Tom chimed in. Then Natalie and Casey joined them.
Jasmine raised her hands up. “Guys, we still have to get home. Then let’s talk about this.”
“I know where he lives,” Amanda said, smiling.
Jasmine looked down at her. “Okay, but no one says anything.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Amanda replied in an insolent tone.
Jasmine looked up at the sky. “I’m sorry, Mamma. I know what you were talking about now.”
Nathan walked up as Jasmine was talking to the sky. “What’s that about?”
“My Mamma told me when I was a teenage girl I had a sassy mouth. I didn’t believe her,” Jasmine said with a smile. “I do now.”
“You’re still a teenage girl,” Amanda popped off.
“I rest my case,” Jasmine said, smiling.
Nathan didn’t say anything, but just sat down, picking up the Homeland handheld radio, listening. The others sat down, just enjoying relaxing. The radio beside Nathan suddenly crackled. “Mac-J one, flight Whiskey Delta Whiskey inbound, touch down in two mikes.”
Looking at his watch, Nathan smiled. “Damn, they are punctual.”
The same voice came over the radio. “Hotel Oscar, this is Whiskey Delta Whiskey, have visual on Mac-J one site and hogs
are not in the pen. No call back given. Over.”
“Whiskey Delta Whiskey, this is Hotel Oscar, Mac-J one may be under Mike Uniform. Off-load players and hold for ten mikes. Over.”
“Roger, Hotel Oscar. Setting down and off-loading players, over,” Whiskey Delta Whiskey called back.
“Whiskey Delta Whiskey, have players secure area till Mac-J one returns. New orders state you stay on station till Mac-J one returns. How copy, over,” Hotel Oscar said over the radio.
“Affirmative, Hotel Oscar. Players have boots in dirt. New orders ho—” the transmission suddenly cut off with a hiss of static. Nathan smiled at looked around at everyone. Several seconds later the sound of an explosion rolled over the mountain.
“Whiskey Delta Whiskey, repeat your last, over,” Hotel Oscar called out. He repeated the message two more times, then a new voice came over the radio.
“Hotel Oscar, this is Mac-J nine. We heard an explosion to our northwest, over,” Mac-J nine called out.
“Mac-J nine, what was distance to the explosion? Over,” Hotel Oscar asked.
“Hotel Oscar, we don’t have visual on explosion. We only heard it, over.”
“Mac-J nine, what is your distance from Mac-J one? Over,” Hotel Oscar asked.
There was a minute’s pause before Mac-J nine answered. “Hotel Oscar, we are four-niner clicks southeast of Mac-J one.”
“Mac-J nine, break chat room and locate to Mac-J one location and report, over,” Hotel Oscar ordered.
“Hotel Oscar, have multiple hostiles around us. Looking at four armored trucks a thousand meters to our front now. Have to stay under wraps, can’t vacate area. Suggest you send a sky eye to check on Mac-J one, over,” Mac-J nine called back.
“Negative, Mac-J nine, three sky eyes were taken down this morning. Whiskey Delta Whiskey had to come in at fifty feet off the deck to avoid fire. You must leave chat room and check on Mac-J one. Over,” Hotel Oscar called back.
“Hotel Oscar, looking at over a hundred dismounted hostiles along with the light armor. There are six in this chat room. A hundred is bigger than six, over,” Mac-J nine called back.
Nathan just stared at the radio like it was a TV playing a game show. It was over a minute before a new voice came over the radio. “Mac-J nine, this is senior Hotel Oscar. We know how to count; you are a player. Move out to Mac-J one’s location.”
“Hotel Oscar, if we move, we get game over. Another Mac-J nine player informed me we have hostiles moving behind us, setting up Arty. Player reporting nine setting up now. Over.”
“Mac-J nine, any other chat rooms open now? Over.”
“Hotel Oscar, Mac-J sixteen is supposed to open chat room in ten mikes, over.”
“Roger Mac-J nine, suggest you prepare to destroy Mike Uniform, over.”
“Copy on Mike-Uniform, see truck setting up antennas. Tracking team is coming on line. Mac-J nine going to lobby, over and out.”
Nathan started laughing and John looked at him. “I understood most of it, but what is ‘Arty?’”
“Artillery. The patriots are getting ready to take Cheyenne back,” Nathan said, smiling.
“You can track radios even if they are scrambled?” Tom asked.
Nathan nodded. “Yes, you don’t need to hear what’s said, only that a key has been pressed.”
The radio cackled as Nathan ran over, grabbing Lonny’s laptop. “Mac-J sixteen, this is senior Hotel Oscar.”
Three minutes later a voice whispered back. “Hotel Oscar, this is Mac-J sixteen, over.”
“Mac-J sixteen, you need to leave chat room and vacate to Mac-J one’s location, over.”
Still in a whisper, the voice came back, “Negative, Hotel Oscar. Hostile civilian and players near position, over.”
“Mac-J sixteen, how close? Over.”
In a very quiet voice, Mac-J sixteen replied, “Thirty meters, Hotel Oscar, over.”
“Status of Mike Uniform, Mac-J sixteen, over.”
“Mike Uniform is destroyed. Three players down along with one hog, over.”
“Mac-J sixteen, why didn’t you report hostile movements? Over,” Hotel Oscar asked as Nathan typed in the password.
“Hotel Oscar, those are not primary game rules. Deter runners and only report when in chat room, over and out,” he called back in voice that was even quieter.
“Mac-J sixteen, report,” Hotel Oscar called out.
“John, the other radios,” Nathan said, opening up several folders on the computer. As Hotel Oscar kept calling over the radio, Nathan turned on the other two radios, changing channels. “This one should be good,” Nathan said, turning down Hotel Oscar and turning up another radio.
“—yeah George. Lonny’s Chopper went down.”
“Do we know if Lonny made it, Jeff?” George asked.
“No, we can’t get any of the Mac units to the chat room. The ones we did were covered up with patriots,” Jeff replied.
Nathan shook his head. “Talk about a casual conversation. This is the primary Homeland frequency.”
“Do we have any air assets that can break them up?” George asked.
“No, most air was pulled east. The Chinese air wing that’s in Denver is being held in reserve,” Jeff responded.
“What about the Russian detachment?” George asked.
“All those aircraft have been shot down,” Jeff said.
“Damn it, call some of those troops back before we lose Cheyenne,” George yelled.
“George, the president ordered them back. You’ve heard the reports, those southern boys don’t want to turn in their guns and are real good with them,” Jeff responded.
“I only have three hundred players and four hundred troops in Cheyenne. If we don’t get more up there we lose it. It cost us over a thousand to take it,” George shouted.
“I advise to pull back and let them have it. We transported out all civilian resources. Save your boys for another day,” Jeff advised.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” George asked.
“Any chance you can send someone to Mac-J one?” Jeff asked.
“It will have to be by ground. I only have six choppers now and one drone. The drone I’m keeping over interstate. Our corridor is still open. I have several teams of Mac-J players roaming the field,” George said.
“When do you think? I need word for the director that Lonny is either in house or toes up,” Jeff asked.
“I can have a team out by morning. Let’s say daybreak,” George said confidently.
“Why the boss let Lonny run out in the field is beyond me. He’s too valuable to fall in hostile hands. Call when team’s away,” Jeff said.
“Will do,” George said.
“General Gaston, are you on?” Jeff called.
“I’m here, Jeff,” Gaston replied.
“I guess you heard that,” Jeff asked.
“Yes, and I’m getting reports of radar going up around Cheyenne. They are getting ready to advance,” Gaston said.
“Um, can you send some troops from Washington down through Idaho into Wyoming?” Jeff asked.
“Son, this isn’t Risk, where you move pieces around on a game board. First, you think those rednecks down south are a pain in the ass, wait till you meet the western redneck. You’ve gotten a taste in Wyoming, but let’s face it, there aren’t that many people in Wyoming to begin with. Second, there isn’t a bridge leading into Idaho we can use. The Chinese sent ten thousand troops down through Oregon into Idaho trying to reach Utah. They made it to the Utah border with a thousand troops breathing, then they were wiped out to the last man. Now you want to hear the good news? They never engaged any military units. Good ole’ boys just kept taking pot shots at them, and those pot shots always hit someone. So to answer your question, no, I can’t move some troops down to Wyoming,” Gaston replied.
“I see, General. Can the Canadians do anything?” Jeff asked.
“Shit, in another week they won’t have a force in the US. Every son of a bitch in Montana wi
th a gun ran to North Dakota just to shoot a Canuck,” Gaston snapped.
“General, you’re not being helpful,” Jeff said.
“Son, I told the president that Dark Titan wouldn’t work till there were less guns in the population. You are looking at a guerrilla army of a hundred million. A third of that will be those good ole’ boys. We are going to have to starve them out like I’ve said,” Gaston said.
“Have the Chinese landed more troops yet?” Jeff asked.
“Another twenty thousand landed last night,” Gaston said.
“That’s some good news,” Jeff said.
“Not when they started out with sixty thousand,” Gaston snapped back.
“How is the patriot Navy getting more supplies?” Jeff shouted.
“I’m sure you know we lost ninety percent of SOCOM, that’s Special Forces in case you didn’t know,” Gaston said, and Nathan could almost hear the smirk.
“I know what SOCOM is, General,” Jeff replied coolly.
“They have SEAL teams. The SEAL teams hooked up with a Marine Amphibious Unit and hit all three of the west coast storage areas. I’m told the Chinese are starting to run out of ships to transport troops since their Navy is gone,” Gaston said.
“What’s your troop strength as of now?” Jeff asked.
“Twenty thousand loyal troops, ninety-six thousand U.N. troops. We have loyal troops in training in Washington and Oregon. I’m told in thirty days we will have another twenty thousand loyal troops,” Gaston said.
“Do you have any highly trained assets for a mission in Wyoming?” Jeff asked.
“If you’re taking about going after Lonny, no I don’t. What SOCOM assets I have are trying to suppress the area around me,” Gaston said.
“Very well, General,” Jeff said, and the radio fell silent.
Looking around smiling, Nathan declared, “This is better than TV.”
“Nathan, what happens when they find Lonny? He seems really important,” Jasmine asked.
“Don’t we—” Nathan froze. “Oh shit, he’s tied to the fence where the coyotes ate him.”
“Coyotes ate him?” Jasmine said.
Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home Page 32
