Paul Kirk - Devastation Point

“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”

“I don’t want to have to kill you in front of that bastard you keep saying that kinda shit.”

“I hear that. I’ll do better,” said JJ. He awaited further orders.

Luke refrained from any further reprimand, especially since he agreed with JJ’s assessment. He also found JJ to be one of the most competent men in the entire unit and was not likely to risk losing him simply because he was known to speak his mind. “Where’s Tippy Cup?”

“Sittin’ pretty, sir. He’s ’bout fifty yards from where we think they’ve positioned at least some men from their last location.”

“How they movin’ on us now?”

“They’re pros, sir. No doubt. You know that.”

“Yeah, we barely caught their trail ’cept that they’re keeping this Brownsville Road as their main focus.”

“Yes, sir. They’re definitely running cover for their team.”

“Of course. But why haven’t they engaged us yet? Huh? Tried to slow us down?”

“I dunno.” JJ decided to wait for the green light to leave and address the earlier orders. He knew he was risking being called out for not moving fast enough, but sensed Luke had more to say.

Luke thought of their progress to the KFC. It had been too easy. He reviewed their efforts in traveling Brownsville Road passed the KFC and the fact that the men ahead of them were clearly using the street for an escape route. It was his sense that at least ten men were lagging behind as a backcover team, hiding around the houses and weeds near the street. He had a revelation. “Ahh. I see. Makes sense. Of course.”

JJ took a moment to study the lupine features of Luke Wellington in the moonlight. The intelligence behind those eyes, shining in the near darkness, gave him pause.

“Sir?”

“What?”

“What do you see, sir?”

“The enemy gains more from us by simply fading away as long as they can from any engagement.”

“I don’t follow, sir.”

“JJ, they gain nothing by engaging us right now. They gain everything by just trying to slip away. Smart man, guy running that team.”

“So what do you wanna do?”

“Well, we do like Phoenix wants, we force them to engage.”

“Good. I’m getting tired of playin’ hide-n-seek.”

“Be careful what you wish for, JJ. These guys are good.”

“We’re better.”

“True.”

“I’m going out front now to show them how good.”

“Let’s take it to them, JJ.”

“Team Black, do you copy?” asked Mickey into his radio. His team, Team Green, was tucked behind the public library on Brownsville Road, nearly a half mile behind the main unit.

“This is Black. Go, Green.” Captain Daubney was leading Team Black.

“Black, they’re ditching stealth—they’re coming hard. Trying to make up ground. Over.” Mickey had set the explosives strategically. He was trying to create a ditch in the asphalt and a roadblock for Phoenix, one that would slow them considerably.

“Their patience has worn thin, Green. Slow ’em down. Over.”

“Copy that, Black. It’ll be my pleasure. Over.”

“Has Santa placed the gifts under the tree? Over.”

“Yes, sir, the gifts are in place. Over.”

“Good news, Green. Vacate area ASAP. Over.”

“That’s a negative, Black. Over.”

“Say again, Green.”

“The remote’s not functioning, sir. One of Santa’s elves has to stay behind to make sure everyone gets their gifts. Over.”

“Green, that’s a negative on staying behind. Do you copy?”

“Black, I gotta deliver the gifts and its gotta be in person—within close proximity. Over.”

“Green, I want you to open the gifts now and bug out. Over.”

“Sir, there’s no one there to receive the gifts. Over.”

“Mickey, just open the gifts. That’s an order. Over.”

“Understood, sir. Your order will be carried out in a minute. But I suggest waiting a few more minutes to let some of the kids come a little closer—you know, see the presents up real close. They’re getting closer, Black. Over.”

“Green, I appreciate your tactical efforts to engage the kids, but you’re up against an experienced bunch. Over.”

“Copy that, Black. Our new commander hasn’t seen Team Green in action. You might wanna fill him in. Over.”

Connor was walking with Captain Daubney and overheard the exchange. It was most likely what Mickey had intended. Mickey knew that it would be a test of Connor’s leadership and it would gauge his willingness to let the men in the field take initiative when required. Connor suppressed a grin. He valued men who were able to take charge of a developing tactical situation to achieve an improved outcome. Connor thought the new Top was probably such a man.

The captain took Connor’s silence as disapproval and felt the need to explain the first sergeant’s words. “Sir, there’s no one better than Mickey at blowing shit up. He’s impervious to damage, colonel.”

“Okay, captain, tell him to use his best judgment, but only one man should stay behind—the others should join the main force immediately.”

“Okay, Green, the new commander acknowledges your tactical command and agrees with your strategy. Make it happen with only one man, Mickey, and start the rest of your team back to the main unit. Be home for dinner. Over.”

“Understood, sir. Green out.” Mickey used the NVG assessing the progress of the enemy team moving up Brownsville Road. The lead men had abandoned stealth and were coming fast. Despite the quickness of their advance, their movements were exceptionally well choreographed. He scanned a broader area and caught the whispers of two other groups skirting the houses and apartment buildings on the side of the street opposite the library. Each man moved with purpose and one group was nearly on top of the hidden explosives.

“That’s right, keep comin’.” Mickey readied the manual trigger. There were five men in the lead—they would surely die in the explosion. Mickey was disappointed that no more would fall within the radius of the blast. “We’re live, gentlemen,” he said into the radio. “Take cover and then move out. Fire in the hole!”

He pressed the trigger and the explosion rocked him backwards despite the fact he was fifty yards from the kill zone. A fireball lit up the sky and the explosion reverberated. The five enemy men in the lead were instantly vaporized and Mickey’s hope was that the casualty list was longer than those five. One thing was for certain, though—there was a huge hole in the road and the enemy vehicles would have to find another route in their continued pursuit.

“Wow!” said Cody. The explosion lit up the night sky for several seconds and the massive sound reverberated in lingering echoes.

All three children had stopped to watch the fiery sky.

“What is that, Nully?” asked Gabriella. The fireball mesmerized her.

“It’s some explosives our guys used to keep the bad guys away, Gabby. Don’t worry.”

“’Kay.” Gabby returned to ripping cooked dog meat off the bone with her strong white teeth, but she moved a little closer to her brother.

“Are you guys doing okay?” asked Roger.

“Sure, Dad,” said Cody.

“Good. We gotta keep moving. That was our team setting off the explosives. Stay sharp.”

“We will.”

Roger returned to Rhonda who was a few yards ahead of the kids. They were nearly ten yards behind Connor and Captain Daubney. “Those were some nice fireworks, Mac,” he said loudly.

“Yeah, they were. That should slow them bastards down.”