Char hugged each of the Weretigers. “Thank you,” she told them. They looked at each other.
“We should be thanking you! You saved both of us, gave us lives worth living,” Yanmei said slowly, bowing her head as she spoke.
“We gave you nothing. I’d like to think we removed your chains so you could be free to do as you wished. You’ve spent your time well.”
Cory worked her way between the two couples and hugged Aaron first, and then Yanmei. “You guys look great! Someday we’ll be back and it won’t be on business. I love your outfits. Is there good clothes shopping here?”
Terry closed his eyes and slowly shook his head.
“Silk has never gone out of vogue, Cordelia,” Yanmei replied, turning to show off her blouse. Aaron’s shirt was silk, too and he stood even taller to help it hang straight.
“Amazing!” Cory said, glowing blue eyes sparkling in the early morning.
“Time to go!” Terry declared.
San Francisco
Boris had all three companies in formation to the side of the wharf’s LZ in anticipation of the colonel’s arrival. The warriors, both new and old, shifted uncomfortably. It was typical San Francisco, hot and cold.
The pod approached slowly from the west, descending deliberately over the water to avoid the buildings and other obstructions. It dropped straight down onto the LZ, and the ramp started to lower as it settled.
Kim had the team march off the pod. Sixteen warriors in two columns of eight with the four team leaders following. Terry, Char, Cory, and Akio walked off next. Terry marched, which made Char and Cory both giggle silently.
“Hey!” he whispered, refusing to be dissuaded.
Boris called the companies to attention, then turned to salute the colonel.
“Boris. Well done, my friend,” Terry said softly as he returned the salute.
“I hope you’re pleased with what you see.”
“I already am.” Terry caught motion out the corner of his eye. Akio was looking at his comm device as he turned toward the pod. Akio stepped away, moving quickly without appearing to hurry.
Char and Cory were headed in a different direction, where Terry could see Sue and Timmons. Terry wanted to hear what they were saying, but the largest single gathering of warriors from the Force de Guerre called to him more than the Were. With the team that he brought, some two-hundred and sixty warriors, armed for battle.
Mostly.
He saw that many did not have weapons. “Armory running low, Lieutenant?”
Boris nodded. “Just a little, sir. We thought we’d be able to run back to Cheyenne Mountain as our numbers climbed.”
“I’ll add that to the list. You should have told me,” Terry said. “We acquired a decent stash from Gitmo, I mean Guantanamo Bay. We could have brought them with us, but no matter. We’ll take care of you soonest.”
“The newest recruits aren’t quite ready to carry, if you know what I mean. All thrust, no vector, isn’t that what you used to say?”
“Exactly, Lieutenant. I like the way you think.” Terry leaned close. “Tell me, how do you think they’ll do in battle?”
“Most will be fine. They need to be blooded, get over their initial fear. It’s all a mystery to them. They think they’re supposed to be afraid because warriors die in combat. That’s probably us older people telling stories. Unintended consequences, if you know what I mean.”
“I wish I could tell you to load up, that we have a mission, but we’ve got squat.” Terry looked at the pod where Akio was still inside.
“Let’s review the troops, shall we?” Terry said, stepping off to head toward the first squad leader. He didn’t have time to inspect every one of the warriors, so he walked down the line, looking at them as he passed. He went from one platoon to the next. He made sure to look at and memorize each and every face. They deserved for him to know who they were.
In case they went into battle and had to be carried out.
Terry stopped at random intervals to conduct a quick weapons inspection. He was happy to see the warriors lock the bolt to the rear before handing over their weapon.
“Well-trained, Lieutenant. My compliments.” Terry told Boris as they walked back to the front of the formation. “It won’t be ten years before I come back. I would love to rotate through monthly, maybe even stay for a week to run a major exercise, stress them out a bit.”
Terry couldn’t help but swell with pride. “I wish I could do more for you. Have your company commanders report.”
Boris shouted the order and three men and one woman marched smartly to the front.
“It may not mean much, but I’m promoting Lieutenant Boris to captain and you four to lieutenant. As officers, none of your responsibilities have changed, but you are more responsible, if that makes any sense. You have to make sure that your people are ready, which means you need to promote someone into the company gunny position, which is the positions you all filled. Your gunnery sergeants will bear the brunt of the hands-on training. You are now to become professional logisticians. Why?”
Terry looked at them expecting an immediate response. When there wasn’t one, he turned to Captain Boris.
“Because amateurs talk tactics and professionals talk logistics,” Boris replied, eyeing each of his new lieutenants.
“Exactly. You own it all,” the colonel emphasized.
“Terry-san,” Akio called from the rear deck of the pod. Terry excused himself and hurried to find out what was up. He grew more excited with each step, then forced himself to calm down. One should never get that fired up about going into combat.
“Eve has been working this for a while, but we weren’t certain. Now we are. Forsaken outside what used to be Vancouver. If we go now, we can catch them relatively in the open,” Akio explained.
Terry nodded once and leaned out the back of the pod. “Saddle up, people! The war’s back on!” he bellowed. Boris hobbled and the new lieutenants ran toward the pod, as did the twenty warriors who had come from North Chicago. Char and Cory excused themselves and walked, slightly dejected at not getting to shop.
The colonel waved everyone into a semi-circle. “We don’t know much. A couple Forsaken have appeared north of here, about a thousand miles north. Sergeant Kimber, prepare your people, we’ll brief the plan at the last minute, once we have the layout of where we’re going. I expect your teams will have flank security and recon duties. You four will be with the major and me.” Terry pointed to Kim, Kae, Marcie, and Ramses. “And, Skipper, give me ten for pod security. Their only job will be to form a perimeter around the pod, just in case anyone gets past us. You have five minutes to select, arm, and have them standing right here.”
Boris saluted, stepped back, picked one lieutenant to lead the team, and then sent the other three to get ammunition and packs. In ten seconds, Boris’s people were scrambling. Terry would have been pleased, but he’d already moved on.
“Timmons and Sue, too,” he told Char. She waved them to her. They reluctantly walked across the open area. Char started tapping her foot and that gave them a sense of urgency.
Cory watched as Ramses and the others loaded the pod. He kept a seat empty next to him where she’d sit. The new people would probably stand in the open area in the middle of the pod, where they generally packed supplies or other cargo. It had been where they put Gene on more than one occasion.
“Can we come back here when we’re done?” Sue said in a sniveling voice. Terry’s instant frown told her that she probably shouldn’t have asked the question.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you and every other motherfucker forgotten what your primary mission is?” Terry snarled. Sue and Timmons knew that he wasn’t talking to just them.
They’d integrated themselves a little too well into their communities. Sue was setting up free elections to pick the council members. The council would then select a mayor from their ranks to serve for the same term as the council.
That was her idea, anyway, a
s long as she was able to come back to put the elections process into motion. They’d lost Weres before and Sue hadn’t trained as much she should have. Timmons had worked out with the Force often enough to stay up to speed, but Sue had not. She had stayed in the office.
Terry Henry Walton could see the guilt on her face, but Timmons stood his ground. “We’re ready. Let’s go kick some ass and then we’ll come home. Same as we’ve always done,” Timmons stated resolutely.
Terry looked back and forth between Sue, who wouldn’t return his look, and Timmons, who remained defiant.
Char took matters into her own hands. She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. “Get on the bus. We’ll try to get you home for dinner,” Char said, and Sue smiled. “It’s good to see you, good to have you on the team.”
Sue nodded slightly and worked her way into the pod with Timmons right behind her. A couple of the warriors stood, offering the beautiful blonde their seat. She shook them off and remained standing.
Terry stood at the bottom of the ramp, rocking in anticipation, waiting impatiently for the San Francisco warriors to show up. Boris had been standing away, but hobbled to the colonel.
“On their way,” he reported needlessly. Terry could see them double-timing toward him. “I’m going, too.”
Terry looked at the captain. “It’s a young man’s game, Skipper.”
“I know, but I still have to go,” Boris replied matter-of-factly.
“I know.” Terry slapped the captain on the shoulder as he stepped aside and signaled for the warriors to climb aboard. The lieutenants were running, but nowhere near as fast. They were each carrying three rucks filled with magazines packed with 5.56mm rounds.
“Help ‘em out,” Terry ordered. Boris took one step himself, stopped, and smiled.
He turned toward the pod. “Get out here and get your packs!” Boris yelled. The newest passengers exited as quickly as they had boarded.
They grabbed a pack, put it on, and rushed back into the pod.
“That could have gone smoother,” Boris said, beating Terry to the punch.
“My thoughts exactly.” Terry saluted the lieutenants, then he and Boris boarded the pod. The rear ramp closed after them. Terry moved forward where he could be at Akio’s side looking at the screens.
The pod took off soundlessly and accelerated smoothly. “Hey! You got that acceleration thing, the inertial dampeners or whatever they are, fixed.”
“Yes, Terry-san. We can accelerate like we used to.” Akio accessed the screen to show Eve’s latest analysis to Terry. “Twenty minutes.”
Terry stood up and waved his arms to get everyone’s attention. All eyes locked on him.
“Forsaken are up and making noise. We go in, isolate them, and then eliminate them. Since they are trying to contact Mister Smith, I expect they are of his ilk. No hesitation, people. Boris, you and your people secure the pod.
“The rest of us will head out to trap them. You know what they look like—dressed in black leather, covered from head to toe. I suspect they aren’t daywalkers. They have to cover up in the sun. Head shots. If they come toward you, you need to shoot them in the head. Questions?” Terry finished his short speech and watched the emotions cross the warriors’ faces.
“We can kill a Forsaken?” Boris asked softly.
“It’s amazing what you learn when you ask the right questions,” Terry replied with a wry smile. “All these years, I’m fighting them with a knife when I could have used old Betsy. Akio set us straight.” The colonel patted the .45 in his well-worn and oft-repaired shoulder holster.
“Damn.” Boris looked crushed.
“I know,” Terry told him for the second time as the pod started to descend toward Vancouver.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
North Chicago
Felicity smiled as the children stood in front of her desk. It had been a long time since they’d had to sleepover at their grandmother’s. They had their pajamas on and their hair was tussled.
Fourteen-year old Mary Ellen’s idea of pajamas was shorts and a crop top. William wore a loose-fitting outfit that made him look like a small ninja.
Just like the old days, Felicity thought. Girls want to grow up too fast and boys are comfortable with what takes their fancy, until they notice the girls.
“And what gets you up so early?” Felicity asked.
“We’re hungry,” William stated firmly. Mary Ellen rolled her eyes, looking just like her mother.
Felicity gave her granddaughter the hairy eyeball.
“Then why don’t you go to Claire’s and get something to eat?” Felicity drawled.
“It’s raining,” William replied.
“I guess I’ll have to take you then.” Felicity picked up a wide brimmed hat and headed out the door to a nearly a cloudless morning. She didn’t bother mentioning the children’s poor attempt at subterfuge. Soon enough, they’d be older and somewhere else, fighting Forsaken with that damn Terry Henry Walton.
Vancouver
“Welcome to Canada, eh!” Terry reported as the pod slowly circled the burgeoning towns north of what used to be Vancouver. This far north, they had four full seasons, a summer that wasn’t oppressive and a winter with snow, but not too cold. The climate regions had shifted after the WWDE and the nukefest that followed.
Terry leaned to Char. “I bet property values dropped some, but it’s probably still a bit spendy,” he said.
She smirked and shushed him as she concentrated, looking for those with etheric abilities, looking for the Forsaken. Sue and Timmons were doing the same thing because they knew that TH would want to know as soon as possible. To plan the attack as they descended.
Akio was first to sense them.
“Two Forsaken, underground but not in a tunnel. They are in the middle of the town, the basement of the biggest building.”
Char pinched her eyes shut as she explored further, trying to see what Akio had seen.
Terry leaned close to the monitor as Akio expanded the image. A modest two-story brick home with a steep roof. More buildings nearby. Homes. Small businesses. Horses and wagons.
It was much like North Chicago used to be before they restored power.
“A brick two-story building. We will land here, about a block away. You keep casual passersby from coming close, warn them off. Don’t shoot anyone who isn’t a threat,” Terry warned Boris.
“Tac team. Surround the building, cut off escape routes. There’s very little standoff distance, so be wary. Set up a secondary position down here and here, just in case the basements of this row of houses are connected. Kae here and Ramses here.” Terry pointed to the locations on the image.
“Marcie, Kim, Sue, Timmons, the major, and I will go in.” Terry looked to Akio. The Vampire gave nothing away. He didn’t show disappointment, but Terry knew that if either of the Forsaken got past them, Akio would handle it. There was no better safety valve.
Both Akio and Terry wanted to see the children take on the Forsaken, something that hadn’t happened since they’d been enhanced.
“Belay that. Sue here, and Timmons here. Kae and Ramses, you’re going in with us. You too, Cory. Stay close.”
“Always do,” Cory replied, gripping Ramses’s hand firmly. Her eyes glowed blue. Char’s started to glow purple, and Terry’s glinted red.
Finally, he had Forsaken in his sights. Finally, they were standing up to fight.
And finally, he’d get to see his kids in action, enhanced and trading blows toe to toe with the enemy.
Char smiled. “I feel them. We probably need to hurry before they run.”
Akio had already accelerated the pod, but no one felt it. They didn’t feel the rapid decrease in speed, either. All of a sudden, the rear ramp started to open as the pod gently landed.
The mass of warriors ran down the ramp. Those with Boris turned left, except for one who turned right. Boris snarled and snapped to get them into position. They fumbled and stumbled as they rushed to correct their m
istake, trying not to look foolish in front of the colonel.
The two teams jogged down a dirt street toward the house. Timmons was in the lead while Sue brought up the rear. Terry put her closest to the pod, just in case Akio needed to cover her. She wasn’t ready to be in combat.
Timmons ran past the building, taking only one of the warriors with him. He was confident in his ability to hold off a single Forsaken running for its life. The only weapon he had with him was an Uzi submachine gun that Boris had handed to him. Sue carried the other that they’d recovered from Mister Smith’s lair. There was little ammunition for them, but they were defensive weapons to be used as a last resort.
Char frowned as she and Terry followed the others out. Terry turned, giving Akio the thumbs up before running away.
They ran fast and as they arrived at the building, Char, Kae, and Marcie continued to the back. Terry stayed out front with Kim, Ramses, and Cory. He signaled for Kim to cover one side of the building. She hesitated.
“If you go in through the window, we block them. Same to you, Ramses.” Cory started to go with Ramses, but her father stopped her. “Through the front door with me. No need to climb through a window.”
“Rite of passage?” she asked, frowning like he’d seen Char doing.
Terry felt guilty, as the wrestling match with his treatment of his children continued within his mind. He’d taught them to defend themselves. He’d trained them to be deadly and to conduct reconnaissance operations, even direct-action missions. But this was different. This was an offensive operation and he was pushing his children into it. They wanted to go. Kimber and Marcie had the look in their eyes.
He’d seen it before during his time in the Corps. The snipers. The old chain-smoking gunnies. Those who were more at home in combat than anywhere else. Kae was committed, but he didn’t love it, not like Terry. He did it because of the higher purpose it served. Same with Ramses. He considered it his duty.
He took to heart Terry’s statement that if one had the ability to act, they had the responsibility. Ramses was a selfless soul. Once he was enhanced to give him a long life with Cory, he vowed to pay back Terry, Char, and Akio’s investment in him.
Nomad's Force Page 23
