by Kate Morris
“Got it,” John answers.
She’s glad her brother will be watching out for them and acting as their sniper, but who is going to watch out for him? She wants to go, too. Paige wastes no time butting in.
“How ‘bout I come and keep an eye out for Simon’s back? If he’s busy watching out in front of him, someone could sneak up behind him.”
“They won’t,” Simon assures her.
Paige says, “You don’t know that, Simon.”
Derek sighs, “I really don’t want to send any women into this one. It’s going to be a lot worse than anything any of you have ever experienced. When it starts, it’ll be hand-to-hand and stealth and silent as possible. When this touches off, it’s going to get confusing really fast. Cory and Simon have that kind of combat experience. Besides, if I let you go, that leaves me one less gunner here on the farm with me. If we get flanked like that time by the Target creeps when you first moved here, then I’m gonna need your help and Reagan’s and even G.”
“Experience is the operative word here, too,” Kelly says. “Hell, Paige, I’ve got a decade of this shit under my belt, and even I know this is gonna be a shit storm.”
“Better get it out of your system,” Reagan says. “She’s only in the other room.”
Everyone chuckles, knowing she is speaking of Hannah. She is still sick, and Herb has given her some sort of tea that made her wrinkle her pert, angelic nose when she’d drunk some earlier. The last Paige saw her, she was napping in the music room.
“Yeah, well, Kel’s right,” John reiterates. “This isn’t going to be a cakewalk. This is a real battle, a fight to the end. No survivors. No quarter. No prisoners. If it goes south for us, I’d like to know that you and the others can get our families off this farm and up to Fort Knox.”
“Damn right,” Kelly says with a firm nod.
He does not see or hear his petite wife walk up behind him but does feel the sting of her slap against the back of his head. He jumps and swings around.
“Baby, you should be resting,” he states and pulls her close.
“And you should watch your language, Kelly Alexander,” Hannah reprimands.
He apologizes and kisses her forehead, keeping his arm around her waist. Paige looks at Hannah’s stomach, which is starting to reveal her condition. It makes her feel a moment of sudden panic to think Kelly might not ever know this baby because he could be killed in this fight.
Derek sighs and says, “I need you here, or I’d let you go.”
“I’m not asking to get involved, just watch Simon’s back,” she repeats.
Derek nods thoughtfully and finally says, “I’ll think about it.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, the back and front of the main house are covered,” he says. “Dave is also going to push in from here, in the front. He’s putting a team over here, a six-man-team,” he pauses to point to the learning center, “and another over here, three more.” This time Derek is indicating the botanical garden center. “We’re fairly sure this is where the women are, so once we ascertain that the threat there is neutralized- their guards are taken out- then, he’ll pull his men forward to join up here with the other six.”
Herb strokes his hand over the scruff on his chin before asking, “How many total will you have, Derek?”
“Around forty-eight, unless Robert sends more than he’s said he will,” Derek answers.
“That’s it?” Reagan asks loudly. “Are you guys serious? Why isn’t Robert sending more men?”
“Reagan, it’ll be ok,” John states with confidence.
“No, John! It won’t. How the hell are you guys going to fight six hundred or more men with just fifty?”
“We’ve done this before, Little Doc,” Kelly says. “This is pretty much always the way it goes.”
“Yeah, but you guys said that a lot of the things these men do make you think they have military experience.”
“Maybe,” John says. “But chances are, we’ve got more. Plus, we’re going to be using explosives and other tools that will help, force multipliers and crew-served weapons. We’ve got this.”
She shakes her head angrily. Paige agrees. This seems reckless and extremely dangerous.
“This is the same plan we had last week,” Derek tells them. “The timeline is the same. The plan is the same. The building is just different. This time, we’ve just caught a lucky break.”
“What? Are you serious? What’s so lucky about this?” Reagan asks.
“Because,” John explains, “now instead of just attacking that hotel and getting half of them, we’re getting a shot at the whole group. No more questioning people trying to figure out where the senator’s hiding. Now we know.”
“And soon, they’ll know,” Derek says firmly. “They may know our name, but they have no idea who we are.”
“Hooah,” Kelly speaks softly, and the others repeat it and go around the table bumping fists.
They get on the radio with Dave to review plans and modify and improve them. Paige is too stressed out and way too tired to stay awake any longer, so she slips quietly from the room. Hannah and Sue have also gone to bed, as have the children. Reagan and her grandfather stay.
As she makes her way to her temporary bedroom upstairs, since they hadn’t wanted her and Simon to sleep out at the cabin until the murder of Shorty is solved, Paige considers what the men are about to walk into the day after tomorrow. She knows they plan to strike at night, which, to her, seems even worse and more complicated than hitting them during the day. Derek and John explained it would give them an advantage, though.
They have the layout of the place down pat, each man has memorized the maps, and their communication abilities will allow them even further advantage over the enemy. It doesn’t stop the doubts and concerns that keep creeping into her mind.
At the top of the stairs, as she is about to go into the bathroom, someone taps her shoulder. She jumps and stifles a cry of surprise.
“Sorry, Red,” Cory apologizes. “I had to sneak away for a minute and see if you were doing ok. You seemed upset.”
“I am,” she states with honesty. “How can you not be?”
He shrugs, then grins crookedly. “I’m just more used to this than you.”
“Nobody could ever be used to this.”
“I had to do a lot of things on the road, stuff I never did before to survive. I guess I just grew accustomed to being in bad situations and getting myself out of them.”
“Me, too. That’s why I thought I could go along to help keep an eye out for Simon.”
He sighs and says, “I really wish you wouldn’t. I don’t know if Derek’s gonna give the go-ahead on that or not, but I hope you change your mind if he does. You would only distract Simon and me.”
“He’s my brother, Cory,” she pleads softly, feeling her eyes tearing up.
“He’s my brother, too, Paige,” he admits and cups her cheek.
Paige stares up at him with panic setting in on her heart. “Don’t let anything happen to him, Cory.”
“I won’t,” he states with confidence, all humor and teasing gone from his tone. “I’ll bring him back to you in one piece. I promise.”
“And bring yourself back in one piece, too.”
He grins this time, “You got it.”
He presses a fast kiss to her closed mouth and hurries back down to their meeting. The kiss and his words provide a bit of comfort as she lies in bed later thinking about what is going to happen. It is many hours before sleep finds her.
Chapter Twenty
Simon
It was late afternoon when Robert’s men arrived at the farm yesterday ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, Parker came with them. Nobody is sure how he found out, but he has been a pain in the ass for the past twenty-four hours. He’s pissed off because Herb’s radio isn’t working and neither is the one in the cabin. Actually, the one in the cabin is missing its main cable, which nobody can account for. They all searched the cabin, w
hich is Derek and Sue’s house, but didn’t come up with it. For the most part, Robert’s men have been very respectful of the house and have kept it clean and neat because they know it is a McClane family member’s actual home and not just some abandoned house along the way. The cable coming up missing is strange and suspect.
Grandpa assured Parker that he’d have the radio working tonight, but that didn’t seem good enough. Now, he is in a tizzy, as Cory calls it. He has also tried to change their plan for the attack tonight. Simon is pretty sure someone is going to friendly-fire on Parker. It might be him. The guy gets on his nerves, too.
Paige begged him all day yesterday and again this morning to reconsider her going with them to watch his back and to talk Derek into it. He finally relented but then lied to her. He promised he’d speak with Derek, but he never did. He doesn’t want her there. She would only be a distraction because he’d be too worried about his sister and end up making a mistake trying to keep an eye on her instead of watching the men who will undoubtedly need cover from him. He understands why she wants to go, but it just can’t be. She’d even cried, but Simon had hugged and comforted her and let her down easy. It is also more important that she remain on the farm tonight in case something happens while they are gone.
Dave and his men show up after noon, and they continue talks and planning in Herb’s office with the door shut. Parker was pissed he couldn’t be a part of it. He was also offended that he was told the wrong day of the battle. Cory had laughed and walked away. Simon trusts that they’ll get it all worked out and finalized and let them know. He doesn’t want or need to be involved, so he works with Cory and Paige cleaning and oiling guns and doing last-minute ammo counts in the armory.
“Hey, guys!” Sam announces as she comes in.
His sister walks over and hugs her. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Dave wants all of us nurses and doctors in the same place, so we’re headed to Pleasant View as soon as we’re called.”
Simon tries hard not to stare. He was so upset when he found out that she’d left the farm again. She hadn’t even said goodbye. Today, she looks so fresh and pretty in her short pink jacket and slim blue-jeans. Her hair is pulled back into a thick ponytail, which allows him to admire her lovely face even better.
“Oh, so you’re going with Herb to town?” Paige asks.
“Yep!” she answers spritely. “We’re all working in town. I hope that you guys don’t bring us anyone, Cory, but I know how this goes.”
“Yeah, me, too, little sister,” Cory tells her with a frown. “We’ll do our best not to send you too many patients.”
“Good,” she says. “Need some help?”
“Sure,” Cory replies. “Why don’t you take my place? I’ve got some stuff I need to do before we leave later. Can you give me a hand, Red?”
“Oh, right! Let me help you with that…stuff. Sure thing,” Paige says and slinks from the room as if she shares some secret with Cory.
“Subtle,” Sam says.
“Yes, that was…odd,” Simon agrees and frowns. “What do you think he needs her help with?”
Sam bursts out laughing. “Simon!”
She groans and laughs again.
“What?” he asks, waiting for her to stop. “Are…are you laughing at me?”
“Yes, very much so.”
“That’s rather rude,” he comments.
“Deal with it,” she commands.
She plops down on a stool next to him and starts loading ammo into clips and magazines for the various rifles that will be taken tonight.
“How is your leg?” he asks.
“Getting better,” she answers.
His concern for her outweighs his offended feelings that she was mocking him for not understanding Cory and Paige. “Just take it easy. Don’t overdo it.”
“I know. I’m not. I’ve just been working with my uncle.”
“At the clinic?”
“Yes, we’ve got the first flu of the season starting over there. Stomach flu.”
He grimaces.
“Yeah, gross,” she concurs.
“Take your precautionary measures. Don’t…”
“Simon, I know,” she says with irritation.
He sighs and counters, “Sorry, I just worry.”
“I’m not your concern,” she corrects him.
“Whose concern are you?”
“My own. Nobody owns me.”
Simon can’t help the fact that his brows pinch together. “You don’t have to be the champion of feminists everywhere, you know. You could let people who want to be worried about you just worry about you.” He pauses before adding quietly, “Some of us can’t help it.”
In a strange turn, Sam touches his sleeve lightly. When Simon looks at her, Sam is offering a crooked smile of understanding.
“I know,” she says. Then Sam turns back to her work and asks, “So, are you nervous about tonight? I would be. I’m so stressed out. I couldn’t even eat breakfast. I’m worried something will happen to one of you.”
“No, not worried,” he says truthfully. “Not yet, at least.”
“Ask you in a few hours, right?”
He chuckles and says, “Right.
“Any new news on Shorty’s killer?”
Simon frowns at this and answers, “No, unfortunately, nothing yet. It’s very troubling, too. We sure would like to know what happened to him.”
“Maybe it was a wild animal that attacked or chased him, and he really did fall or run into a sharp stick in the woods. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.”
“Maybe,” he concurs but doesn’t believe this theory.
Sam stops what she’s doing to regard him, “I can tell you’re just agreeing with me. What is it?”
He offers a smile. “Hiding anything from you would be impossible, did you know that?”
“Pretty much, Simon.”
“You know me better than anyone,” he admits softly and studies every inch of her face because it may be the last time he sees her if things don’t go well tonight. “Sometimes I think you know more than I do, too.”
“Of course, I do,” she answers with superiority.
Simon chuckles and has to stop himself from cupping her soft cheek. She just tips her head to the side waiting for him to answer.
“Ok, I don’t think he was accidentally injured. One, puncturing oneself on a stick hard enough to push through the sternum would require a lot of blunt force.”
“If he fell…”
“Yes, but how’d he get it back out?”
Sam’s dark brows knit together pensively.
“That brings me to the second part of my hypothesis. Pulling a blunt object like a stick thick enough to push through the sternum back out of your own body would be nearly impossible. It would also leave a bigger mess, blood everywhere, splintering. He would’ve bled out on the spot and the object he managed to pull out surely would have been lying right there with his body.”
“So you think someone killed him?” she asks with dread.
“I would assume so, yes. The question is who?”
“And why,” she adds, to which he nods.
“Those are questions we may never know,” he says. “The most likely scenario is that he had a fight with one of the others and it turned sour. Parker did say they have a propensity for drinking when they can. I don’t know. I haven’t personally seen the evidence of that, but I’m sure he knows his own men better than we do.”
Sam nods thoughtfully. Then she wrinkles her pert, small nose. “He’s a weirdo, though. Parker,” she adds for clarity.
Simon laughs, “Yes, you didn’t need to say his name. I knew who you meant. Of course, you could’ve meant me.”
“Nah, you’re not weird just annoying.”
He tosses his head back and laughs and she actually joins in.
They work for a while in silence, and Simon desperately wants to talk to her and pick up where they left off the other day, but
it just doesn’t feel like the right time. He could be killed tonight. That doesn’t seem fair to dump a lot of new information and declarations on her if he won’t be here come dawn to live up to them.
“Hey, bro,” Cory says as he comes back into the armory. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Unless you and Sam are busy.”
“No, we’re just getting you guys ready for tonight,” Sam answers.
Simon reluctantly leaves with Cory, and they stroll towards the barn.
Cory asks him right after looking around suspiciously, “What were you talkin’ to Robert’s men about? I saw you a little bit ago.”
“Oh, that,” he says. “They’d asked about Shorty. I told them where they could find his gravesite. They had a lot of questions about his death. Sam and I were just talking about it. A few seemed angry at us.”
“Us? Why?”
“They were suspicious it could’ve been one of us that killed him,” he explains. “I made sure they understood we didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Yeah, I guess I can understand. I’d be suspicious, too.”
Simon nods, “I’m sure they believed me. I don’t think they still speculate we had anything to do with it. They’re upset, though. Some of them talked about staying on a few days after we’re done tonight to look for signs and evidence of what could’ve happened to their friend.”
“I have no doubt they believed you.”
Simon shoots him a leery look, “What do you mean?”
“You’re like a Boy Scout, Si,” his friend jokes. “Anyone who wouldn’t believe you would have to be an idiot. You don’t have a lying bone in your body.”
His criticism stings. “Yeah? Well, I’ll have you know that I lied to my sister just yesterday. And don’t call me ‘Si’.”
His friend chuckles at him. Then his curiosity takes over.
“About what?” Cory asks with genuine curiosity.
“She wants to go with us…”
“Not happening!”
“I know. I told her I’d talk to Derek and try to convince him to let her. I didn’t.”
