Paul Kirk - Devastation Point

“They’ve been extensively trained to blend in, commander. You have me at a distinct disadvantage—I don’t know your first name.”

“It’s Italo. Italo Del Re, but most everyone calls me Del.”

“Can I call you Del?”

“Sure. My apologies for omitting my first name, but I find it’s more advantageous. Calling myself Commander Del Re is my way of putting someone off guard. Every little advantage helps. I assume more men are out there?”

“Correct.”

“Where?”

“Hold on, Del.” McLeod lifted the radio. “Mac, I’m making a judgment call that we’re probably good. I’m gonna take Commander Del Re at his word that we’re safe. He’s the reigning authority. I repeat, we’re clear for safe entry. Over.”

Del Re nodded in affirmation and McLeod briefly relayed the ground rules for their entry into the city.

“It works for me, John.”

“Stay put for a second, Mac. Do you mind if I reveal your position to the commander? Over.”

“Explain yourself, John.”

“Sorry, but I’m showing off a bit, Mac. The commander’s impressed with our ability to approach so close to his town without being seen. Over.”

“You’re the negotiator, John. However you want to play it is okay with me. Over.”

John McLeod pointed to a small culvert with a large branch lying across the ditch. “See the left side of the road at the edge of your kill zone?”

“I’m looking—”

“See that tiny dip with that branch sticking up?”

“Yeah.”

“Two men are there.”

“No shit?”

“Is that your favorite phrase, Del?”

“Hold on a sec.” The commander turned toward the guard tower. “Josh, Russ, I want you to focus your binoculars on that branch on the left side of the road at the end of the cleared area. And one of you guys bring Seth and Bernie out to the gate tower.”

“Sure, commander.” Josh spoke a few words to a young man next to him. The young man nodded his head and disappeared.

“I don’t see anything, commander,” said Josh.

“Neither do I, sir,” agreed Russ.

McLeod lifted his radio again. “Mac, please reveal yourself. Over.”

Connor MacMillen and Captain Daubney slowly stood, brushing weeds and grass from their clothes. They climbed from the culvert and shouldered their weapons, beginning the short walk to the gates.

“Okay, John. I admit I’m impressed. Let’s bring your guys in here and fill them with food and ale.”

“I do like the sound of that, Del, but I’m afraid we can’t stay.”

“I guess that has something to do with your important information.”

“Yes. Ahh… did you say ‘ale’?”

“I did.”

“Enough for all our men?”

“Enough for your men, my men, and many more men.”

“Wow, how much ale do you have?”

“That’s a trade secret.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Tell me something, John. When’s the last time you had fresh baked rolls and spicy pork sausage smothered in tomato sauce and onions?”

“Pork sausage?” asked McLeod, feeling his mouth water. “As in fresh pork sausage? Fresh bread?”

“Yep. That’s today’s menu. We have 180 people here and there’s plenty of food for everyone.”

“I truly appreciate your frank disclosure, Del. I’ll be frank, as well. We have nineteen men, one woman, and three children.” Connor, Daubney, BB, Rabbit, and Mickey gathered around McLeod and Commander Del Re. John McLeod wiped his mouth, still thinking about the offer of sausage and ale. “Commander Italo Del Re, I’d you to meet my commanding officer, Colonel Connor MacMillen, 82 ndAirborne.”

Connor held out his hand and the two men shook. “Commander, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise, colonel. Please call me Del.”

“Okay, Del. My friends call me Connor Mac, or just Mac. Please do the same.”

“Thank you. I will. Connor Mac, I was telling John here about our sausage and fresh ale. I’d like your group to join us for a meal. He seems to think you don’t have enough time.”

“That may be true, Del. We’ll see if we have the time. Here are some of my other guys—this is Captain Bobby Butkowski, Sergeant Roger McIntyre, First Sergeant Mickey McGuire, and Captain Marcus Daubney.”

The group shook hands with the commander.

“I’ve been talking with your man here, Mac. You got quite a negotiator in John McLeod. I have a tough time believing he wasn’t ever part of the military.”

“Del… I’ll tell ya, he’s impressed me, too—more than any civilian has in a long time.” They held this discussion in front of John, and his face reddened with each compliment. “In fact,” continued Connor, “I’ve given him the rank of major within my unit for all he’s done.”

“Excellent. I can see why.”

“Del, let me tell you how I’d like this to go down,” said Connor, matter-of-factly. “I’d like to sit down right away with you and whomever you want present so I can fill you in on what’s coming down on your head. In the meantime, the rest of my team can come in and start to pass through your town.”

“Whatta ya mean, ‘what’s coming down on my head’?”

“Not from us, Del, believe me. But there are pertinent factors you don’t know about the large group that’s following us.”

“They don’t happen to have a helicopter, do they?” asked Del.

“When did you see the helicopter? Do you have any idea what kind of helicopter it was?”

“Hold on a sec, Connor Mac. Slow down. I saw it about two hours ago. A big black mother —”

“Shit!” said Connor. “We missed ’em!”

“They never even squawked the radio, sir. There was no active chatter,” said Captain Daubney.

“I’m aware of that, captain.”

“We missed ’em by a gnat’s ass,” said Mickey.

“The good news is at least we can now assume they got the tailshaft bearing and were able to return for the meet,” said Connor.

“True. That’s a solid supposition,” said John.

“Problem is, we never heard ’em comin’ our way. But, if they’re around here, they should be ready for the extraction,” said Captain Daubney.

“That’s a good point, captain. At least we got that going for us.” Connor turned toward Commander Del Re. “What else can you remember, Del?”

“Ah… they held stationary for a few seconds… maybe a minute or more before they flew south—that way,” he said, pointing to the farthest end of town.

“They’re trying to track our progress, sir,” said Captain Daubney.

“Probably.”

“They didn’t stop to alert the town, Mac,” said John, deep in thought.

“Alert us to what?” asked Del.

“Why didn’t they drop a couple men to check things out and wait for our group?” asked the captain.

“I’m not sure. Something kept ’em going. Musta not had line of sight or been in radio range of our travels to alert us,” said Connor.

“Alert us to what?” asked Commander Italo Del Re once again.

“Give us a minute, Del, and I promise I’ll fill you in.”

“You know those guys in the helicopter?” asked the commander.

“Yeah. It’s the rest of our team. We planned to meet with them tomorrow in Uniontown.”

“It’s been years since I’ve seen a man-made object in the sky,” said Del to nobody.

“We missed an impromptu hookup, guys,” said Connor, ignoring Del’s statement. “Let’s stay focused on what’s in our control. There’s nothing we can do about the bird.” They nodded in agreement and Connor turned to McLeod. “Major?”

“Yes, sir,” said John.

“I’m bringing down the rest of the team.”

“Are you anticipating a problem, sir?”

“No, major,” said Connor, “Del? You are you aware of the size of my group?”