Dark Crossing

by Thomas A. Watson

  “I love it, too,” Mary said softly.

  Chapter 6

  Kentucky

  Hearing the alarm clock while sprawled out on her belly in the bed, Lilly blindly slapped at the nightstand until the demonic sound stopped. When Lilly rolled over and sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced over at Lance’s bed and wasn’t surprised to find it empty and already made. Already knowing the answer, Lilly turned anyway to see Ian’s bed was empty and made also.

  Leaning over, Lilly tapped Jennifer. “Jennifer, it’s 0530,” Lilly croaked out.

  With one eye open and the other struggling to crack open, Jennifer lifted her head up while smacking her lips. “I’m up,” she moaned, looking around.

  They hadn’t returned until after midnight last night. Ian and Lance had found a small machine shop and had loaded a trailer with metal. Dropping that trailer off, they’d returned and filled another one with aluminum. They’d had everything from bars, square stock, sheets, and angle iron on those trailers. Truth be told, the only reason they didn’t return again was the girls told them it was time to go home.

  Grabbing her workout clothes, Lilly stumbled over to the ladybugs’ beds and stopped. Her eyes went wide to see they were made too. Turning around and looking at the dresser, Lilly saw the clothes she’d laid out last night for the ladybugs were gone.

  Pulling her sleep shirt off, she ran over to Jennifer’s bed and found she had laid back down. “Jennifer, get up! The ladybugs are already up and dressed!” Lilly cried urgently.

  Throwing the covers off, Jennifer leapt from the bed and slammed her head into the bunk bed over her. Grabbing her head, she fell back onto her bed. “Fuck!” Jennifer screamed.

  Lilly ran over to drop on the bed and heard stomping feet flying up the stairs before she turned to see who it was. Ian ran over followed by Lance. “What happened?” Ian asked, leaning over the bed and patting Jennifer’s back.

  “She hit her head,” Lilly answered, rubbing Jennifer’s back along with Ian. Then it occurred to her, Jennifer had hit her head and they were rubbing her back?

  “You okay, Jennifer?” Ian asked, leaning down to her head.

  “I will be,” Jennifer moaned, cradling her forehead.

  Moving her hands to Jennifer’s, “Jennifer, move your hands so I can see,” Lilly said, prying Jennifer’s hands apart. Not seeing any blood, Lilly carefully ran her fingers through Jennifer’s hair and felt a large lump. “Yeah, that hurt,” Lilly mumbled, removing her fingers.

  Sitting up, Jennifer rolled her eyes up to look at the top bunk with an evil glare. “Don’t break the bed,” Lance said, walking off and heading to the stairs.

  “It attacked me!” Jennifer snapped.

  Laughing as he walked down the stairs, “Yeah, and it won. But don’t think you’re the first.”

  Turning to Ian, “So this bed has assaulted others?” Jennifer asked.

  Leaning back and standing beside the bed with a grin, Ian shook his head. “No, but its predecessor did. Jason broke it last hunting season when he did that,” Ian explained, and started chuckling.

  Climbing off the bed, Jennifer lightly rubbed the knot on her head. “My helmet is going to give me a headache today,” she moaned.

  Kissing Jennifer on the cheek, Ian headed for the stairs. “I can ask Lance to push back the meeting a day.”

  “No,” Jennifer said. “I’ll be fine,” she added, forcing a smile.

  When Ian was gone, Jennifer curled back up into a ball before falling on her bed, holding her head. “I’d better not do that again because I know how to use a plasma cutter and a blow torch now,” she growled.

  Dressing and then making her bed, Lilly moved over and helped Jennifer get dressed, then made her bed. When they walked downstairs, they saw Allie standing in front of Lance, getting her hair brushed. “You two couldn’t wait on me?” Lilly asked, heading for the couch.

  “They woke up when we did,” Lance answered, then stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth as he braided Allie’s hair with intense concentration.

  “What woke you up?” Lilly asked and seeing Carrie’s hair already done, she pulled Carrie closer.

  “Sensor alarm sixty-two on the south side at 0410,” Lance replied, finally pulling his tongue back into his mouth. “The tigers were getting a drink of water.”

  “Lance, when did you learn this braid?” Lilly asked, looking at Carrie’s hair.

  “This morning,” Lance confessed, working his fingers through Allie’s hair.

  Leaning over, Carrie picked up a 10x12 hardcover book off the coffee table. “Fifty Braids to Dazzle Your Friends,” Lilly read off the cover. Taking the book, Lilly flipped it open. “Pictures are helpful.”

  “No shit,” Lance snapped, grabbing a rubber band and putting it in Allie’s hair. When he was done, Lance spun her around. “No more new braids till next week,” he said sternly.

  “Okay,” Allie cheered, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. When she let Lance go, Allie and Carrie ran for the kitchen.

  Sitting down beside Lance, Lilly put the book back on the coffee table. Afraid to say anything because of Lance’s reaction and the ladybugs’ potential actions, Lilly just grabbed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

  Allie and Carrie brought them coffee and then ran back to the kitchen, passing Ian and Jennifer. Both had coffee, but Jennifer was holding a bag of frozen peas on her head. When they sat down, Lance squeezed Lilly’s hand. “The little-Devil-dick Lords attacked the Nazis last night,” he said, and Lilly lifted her head up and looked at him.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  Shrugging, “Don’t know, they are still fighting,” Lance smirked.

  “How long have they been fighting?” Jennifer asked.

  “Since 0200,” Ian said. “Just like we thought, the little dicks have the numbers, but the Nazis have discipline.”

  “Who’s going to win?” Jennifer asked, and Ian shrugged.

  “Don’t know, but we are rooting for them to wipe each other out,” Ian told her.

  Giving a grunt, “Fat chance,” Lilly seethed.

  “Aw, little lady, don’t lose faith,” Lance chided with a grin as he squeezed her hand.

  Looking into Lance’s eyes, Lilly saw that mischievous gleam. “Lance, please don’t go down there and deliver deeds,” Lilly moaned.

  With a very fake gasp, “Why, Ian and I would never do such a thing,” Lance protested.

  Lilly looked at him with sincere apprehension as her thumb caressed the hand she was holding. “Lance, please. There are stinkers everywhere around Pineville, and too many people inside those walls for you and Ian to move around,” Lilly begged.

  Leaning forward, Lance kissed her on the lips. Nose to nose, Lance smiled at her. “I give you my word, Ian and I won’t go back down there unless the little dicks pose a danger to us,” he told her.

  Lilly hugged him tight. “Thank you,” she sighed.

  “Lilly,” Jennifer said, taking a sip of coffee and then looking over when Lilly released the hug. “They’ve already been down there four times, not counting when I went with them.”

  Cutting her eyes at Lance, he sighed and sat back. “Hey! You weren’t even here the first three times we went down there!” Lance snapped.

  “Okay,” Lilly said, holding up one hand. “But no more, unless you are attacking them.”

  “Lilly, think about it,” Lance said, getting serious and Lilly didn’t like that. “If we attack in the open, they can retaliate. That’s the beauty of a deed. It delivers the message: ghosts are attacking, and you can’t do anything to anyone to stop it.”

  Nodding, “I know, but I can worry about you,” Lilly snapped, and Lance laughed, reaching up and rubbing her cheek.

  “Yes. But worry about something helpful, like two little girls driving me crazy,” Lance groaned, turning to Allie and Carrie who were walking in from the kitchen carrying mugs of cocoa.

  Looking at the two i
nnocent faces and knowing what they could do, Lilly shook her head. “Nope. You’re on your own,” Lilly replied without a hint of guilt.

  Grabbing his coffee, Lance headed to the back door. “I’m not braiding hair tomorrow!” he shouted over his shoulder as he walked out.

  The ladybugs turned to Lilly in shock and Lilly smiled at them, giving them a wink. “Yes, he will,” she told them.

  Everyone followed Lance to get the first part of the day out of the way. After the workout, they cleaned up, ate, and then moved outside.

  “You sure you don’t want to set up the R/C bot?” Lance asked Ian.

  “Nope, it has a gun,” Ian said quickly. “After you work the bugs out, I’ll play with it.”

  “So, we are calling it ‘R/C’?” Jennifer asked, pulling on her gloves.

  “No, I was thinking of Rover,” Lance offered, climbing into the hybrid UTV. “This one will be Rover One.”

  “I like that,” Ian said, and everyone nodded.

  Ian and Jennifer opened the front gates and let Lance and Lilly drive out with only Dino accompanying them. The tigers were roaming, and Lilly didn’t want their attention on her dogs.

  Lilly drove along the fence, stopping on the east side. As they climbed out, they could see Ian and Jennifer working on the greenhouse. “Allie, have you found the tigers?” Lilly called over the radio.

  “Yes, they are in the field and laying down in the sun,” Allie answered.

  “Okay, call us if the tigers leave,” Lilly said, relaxing.

  Lance was waiting at the trailer when Lilly came over. Pushing their ARs across their backs, Lance and Lilly picked up a large metal box. It was seven-foot-long, five-foot-tall and five-foot-wide. Since it was made of sheet metal, the box wasn’t that heavy. Plus, it didn’t have a bottom and one end was open. This was the garage for the Rover.

  Setting it down, they grabbed a smaller box, but had to bear down since this was a three-hundred-pound battery. Next, they grabbed a smaller parabolic mirror with a Sterling engine and unloaded it. Lance grabbed a shovel and leveled an area for the garage.

  When he was done, Lance put the metal garage over the leveled area and then used two-foot-long spikes at each corner to hold it to the ground. With Lilly’s help, he put the battery behind the garage and put the recharging coil inside the garage.

  Grabbing the two-handed drill, Lance set up the parabolic mirror. He wasn’t even finished driving the three-foot-long screws into the dirt when the Sterling engine started up. Hooking up the recharging station to the battery, Lance looked over at Lilly as she picked up the shovel.

  “You take me on the nicest dates,” Lilly crooned.

  Lance laughed as Lilly tossed the shovel in the back of the UTV and they both climbed back in. “Hey, look at it from my point of view,” Lance said, turning to Lilly. “I can’t even see your face now with your mask on. My girlfriend is a super hottie and I can’t even tell you’re a girl on our dates.”

  Turning around, Lilly grabbed her PTT. “Coming home,” she called out, and saw Ian and Jennifer running for the front gate.

  “Ian and Jennifer are coming,” Allie called back.

  Lilly didn’t answer right away as she drove along the fence but glanced around. “Lance, you’re one to talk. You have the body of a Greek god, the face of an angel, and the mind of a genius. And you think I should feel sorry for you because you can’t see a hottie?” Lilly grunted, as she rounded the fence.

  “Please, girls don’t look at guys like guys look at girls,” Lance laughed, and Lilly stomped on the brakes. Dino stopped in front of them and turned around, coming back and wondering what was going on.

  Turning her upper body to face Lance, “You really think girls don’t look at some guys as hotties?” Lilly asked.

  “I know they don’t,” Lance laughed. “I never saw Jennifer one single time drooling over Ian.”

  “You weren’t looking then,” Lilly said, turning back to the steering wheel and easing forward. Seeing the UTV moving, Dino spun around to lead them to the gate. “I’ve seen Jennifer looking at Ian like he was on the menu.”

  As Lilly pulled up to the gate, Ian opened it while Jennifer covered. Lilly pulled in and Lance shook his head. “Sorry, girls don’t look at guys like we look at girls,” Lance said as Lilly stopped.

  Staring straight ahead, Lilly didn’t say anything until Jennifer and Ian had climbed in the back. “Jennifer, have you ever looked at Ian like he was a hottie?” Lilly asked.

  “You know I have,” Jennifer snapped. “When he walks around without his damn shirt, I forget my name.”

  With his ego inflating to the size of the planet, Ian perked up in the backseat, blushing hard when he heard that. Leaning forward, Ian slapped Lance’s helmet. “Damn dude. She said that shit out loud,” Ian chuckled.

  Pulling up to the shop, Lilly turned the buggy off and looked over at Lance. “I rest my case,” Lilly said, climbing out.

  “What the hell was that about?” Jennifer asked, grabbing Lance’s arm.

  “I told Lilly, girls don’t look at guys like they are hotties, and I know they don’t,” Lance replied, then pulled his arm away from Jennifer. He got out and saw Jennifer rounding the front of the UTV. “How the hell?” Lance gasped, turning back to the UTV to make sure there weren’t two Jennifer’s.

  “Drop your shit,” Jennifer snapped, putting her AR on the hood of the UTV. “I’m kicking your ass for thinking something that stupid. So, girls are too stupid to think a guy is hot and drool over him?”

  Seeing she was serious, Lance backed up and made no move to take his gear off. “I didn’t say that or imply that. Let’s agree to disagree,” Lance offered.

  Narrowing her eyes and making him nervous, Lance turned and lowered his body, getting ready for the attack. “We will talk later. You’re lucky we have so much shit to do,” Jennifer advised, then spun on her heel. As she grabbed her AR before heading to the greenhouse, Ian passed by Lance and punched his shoulder.

  “I’m a hottie,” Ian chuckled.

  Taking his helmet and facemask off, Lance wiped the sweat off his face. “Girls don’t get wood, so don’t tell me they look at guys the same,” Lance grumbled, heading to the shop. He found Lilly standing beside Rover.

  With her mask and helmet off, Lilly looked at Rover. A SAW with a fourteen-inch suppressor was mounted on the top with a large camera. The camera was four feet off the ground. Rover was four-foot-wide with three-inch-wide tracks on each side and altogether, six-foot-long. The fully-loaded Rover tipped the scales at four hundred pounds.

  “What now?” Lilly asked, and Lance stopped because there was no hostility in her voice.

  “Run it through its paces,” Lance grinned, grabbing his radio. “Allie, you ready?”

  “Ready,” Allie sang out.

  “Turn Rover on,” Lance said, and Rover gave a jerk, making Lilly jump a foot in the air. “Lilly, the gun is empty.”

  “Lance, the stuff you and Ian make kills shit!” Lilly cried out but relaxed, seeing with her own eyes there was no ammo in the SAW and then mumbled, “The stuff you two make kills shit on a scale that nears nuclear weapons.”

  “Can you see me, Allie?” Lance asked in the radio.

  “Yep,” Allie said.

  “Follow me,” Lance said, walking out and Rover followed, almost running into Lance. “Allie, if Rover hits me, it will break bones.”

  “Sorry,” Allie called back meekly.

  Walking around Rover, Lilly grabbed Lance’s arm and yanked him out of the way. Grabbing her PTT, “Allie, drive Rover to the back door and then come back,” Lilly called over the radio.

  Pivoting, Rover sped off and Dino took off after it. When Rover was on the way back, Lance called over the radio, “Allie, chase Dino.”

  Rover skidded to a stop and turned toward Dino. Dino crouched down, keeping his butt in the air. When Rover lunged toward him, Dino spun around and took off running. Even Lance was shocked at how fast Rover was. On a straight
away, Rover could catch Dino.

  Lance stopped her and called Rover back over and had Allie turn on different things on the small bot. Lilly watched a servo flip the safety off and watched the arm move the SAW side-to-side and up and down. When another servo pulled the trigger, Lilly gave a startle to hear the firing pin click.

  After an hour, Lance walked into the shop, opened one of the storage areas, and came back with a two hundred round belt. Lance had Allie drive Rover to the front gate. When Lance loaded the SAW, Lilly fought the urge to aim her AR at it.

  Opening the gates, Lance let Allie drive it out and shoot a tree. Lilly was impressed, watching the bullets hit the tree fifty yards away when Allie squeezed off a three round burst.

  “Allie, put it on safe,” Lance called over the radio as he closed the gates.

  Lilly followed Lance inside and down to the bunker. She found Allie sitting to the side of the control area at a small desk with two monitors. One view was from a lower mounted camera for driving Rover. The other was the gun sight mounted a foot higher and complete with crosshairs.

  Lifting Allie up in his lap and pulling Carrie beside them, Lance drove Rover down the road and through the cedar trees. When Rover popped out into the field, the tigers jumped up and Lance stopped Rover. The tigers looked at the machine, wondering what it was. When the larger male stepped toward Rover, Lance raced toward him. The male jumped back and took off running with the female following.

  Grinning, Lance pointed at the displays at the bottom of the driving screen. Lilly saw the battery was at ninety-percent as Lance headed up into the trees. After showing the ladybugs how to change to thermal, Lance drove Rover to the garage they’d put out.

  When Lance stopped at the small garage, he pushed a green button and Rover spun around and backed itself into the garage. Not liking even that little bit of autonomy, Lilly saw charging appear on the driving screen. Then Lance turned Rover off. Lilly did love the fact you had to turn a real key to work the safety.

  Lilly and Lance headed upstairs and changed, then headed outside and found Jennifer and Ian already working on the other Battle Bots. They joined them and had one done before they quit and headed over to the pile of gear they were going to give the bear trap people. If they seemed agreeable to help, that would be the only way Lance and Ian had agreed to hand over the gear.