Paul Kirk - Devastation Point

“Yes!” said Jude.

“Be ready to move when I say. Everybody got that?”

Excitement at watching the pending fireworks captured the attention of all, but each nodded.

“Jason, you’re in charge of the horses, understood? I want them out of that hay storage shelter ASAP!”

“Yes, sir.”

Renaldo and Cody took the initiative to slip closer to Connor and the rest of the team for a better view. Gabriella tagged along, not sure what was happening, but especially pleased to be eating the gumball Rhonda had provided. Smiling, she harbored hopes that Rhonda could maybe be her new mom before a sadness enveloped her. Images of her mother dying of infection swirled in front of her eyes. And at that moment, Rhonda slid beside her, wrapping an arm across her slim shoulders.

“You okay, Sweetie?”

Feeling warmth infuse her chest and arms, Gabriella leaned into the embrace, turning to better study the town everyone was so interested in. “Yeah, I’m good, Miss Rhonda. What’s going to happen?”

“Um, that guy named Phoenix and those bad men are going to try to conquer that town. Colonel Mac and Commander Del Re left them a few surprises. You know, to make them think twice about it.”

“I don’t like Phoenix. He’s a bad man.”

“Oh, trust me little one, I know.”

The huge explosion came, as Gabriella was ready to respond.

“They went right for it, Mac!”

“You doubted me?”

“No, of course not,” said John McLeod. He simply shook his head at the easy predictability of human nature. The fact that the men would so carelessly assault the saloon of an unknown town devoid of people made him grin. “I would of never thought of doing that.”

“Yeah, well, a few hard missions with tough-minded men can teach a great deal about priorities—and what we can and can’t control.”

“Such as?”

“Alcohol being one of them. Women the other. Pretty little valuables next. Especially portable ones.”

“Damn.”

“Surf Boy?”

“Yeah?”

“How’s that leg of yours holding up?”

“It’s fine! I keep tellin’ ya that!”

“Good, just checking.”

“My knee’s perfectly fine! Since just after the mill, Mac!”

“Like I said, just checking.”

“Well, like I said before, you can stop checking.”

“Okay. I’ll stop. For now.”

“Good.”

“And, since we’re sticking around a bit, I’d like for you to make your presence known.”

Marty smiled at Connor and then turned to BB. Immediately, he reached into his pack for equipment he would need. “About time. Copy that.”

“I figure they’ll bust most men through the town to the south gates and form up outside it to come back and assault it from there. If I was that commander, I’d want to know I had free reign to both gates before I decided to retaliate for the loss of men.”

“Okay.”

“Once they start to settle in on this side of the gates, probably on that little knob of a hill, try your best to take out any command structure.”

“Copy that.”

“Shouldn’t be too long a wait.”

A few more explosions blew. Marty smiled after the next explosion. “I hear that.”

Phoenix’s army poured out of the southern gate, forming on the expanse of highway and grass-filled knob beyond. Marty settled into position using his rice bags for support, BB slipping easily into the role of spotter. Like a long married couple, they settled into a rhythm and dance, discussing wind speed, trajectory angles, and range to target that only a sniper and a spotter could fathom. After a few moments of watching Phoenix’s army, Connor spoke. “Your time to shine, Surf Boy.” Immediately, shots rang out and Connor tracked the results.

“Good selection.”

“Appreciate that, sir,” said BB. Marty was too busy to hear.”

“Shake up that cavalry, BB.”

“Will do, sir.”

Quietly and with precision, BB provided range and new targets. Shots rang out in quick succession and his confirmation to Marty after each made it clear he was on target.

“He’s good,” said Mickey, watching.

“Yeah, I see that,” said Captain Daubney, impressed.

Connor broke the adulations. “We move now! Let’s go. We don’t wanna be around when Phoenix gets pissed and regroups.”

“All move, now!” said Captain Daubney. His voice was strong, yet quiet. He was used to issuing orders in the heat of battle and when the enemy was close.

Roger hustled the children and his wife tight into the group; they made for a fast escape southwest of town. Another explosion erupted from inside the gates, no one looking back. Connor and Daubney slipped ahead of the team, all making good progress through the wheat. Another explosion, mostly muffled by distance was ignored. They regained Route 51 emerging near an overpass. They were back on track toward Uniontown and the rendezvous.

“Shit!” said Connor, glancing back at the chaos. Gauging distance, he caught a good portion of the army ignoring the burning town. Instead, that portion was pouring toward them, almost as if they suspected he and his team where trying to slip by during the confusion. “What the hell?”

“They know we’re involved, sir. Trying to catch up fast,” said the captain.

“I see that!”

White trucks bullied through the maze of abandoned vehicles beyond the cleared kill zone. Frenzied men rushed ahead of the trucks pushing and dragging disabled cars and debris outta the way by sheer numbers. Cavalry patiently waited behind the trucks, obviously instructed to stay in reserve for the moment.

“Damn, we stirred the beehive. We run full out. Top, you and Green Team take back cover for us, now!”

A shot rang out and Jackson dropped, yelling, leg bursting with blood.

“Jackie’s hit! Shot from over there. The left! 10:00!” yelled Mickey.

“There’s an advance team nearly past us, Mac! Shit!” said Captain Daubney.

“Jackson, talk to me,” asked Mickey.

“Knee cap’s busted, fuck! Need help—Oh.” The grimace of pain pushed forth into his face despite Jackson’s best efforts. He tried to stand, wrapping a bandana around the knee. He winced as he hopped on one leg.

A bullet whizzed past Connor’s ear, so close the air sliced with heat. He spoke calmly. “Captain, BB, assist Jackson.”

BB ducked low, but not before a bullet grazed his left shoulder. “Yes, sir.” He ignored the slice to his deltoid, the pain minimal.

“Everybody stay down for a second. Marty?”

“Yeah, Mac?”

“ Find ’em ! Find them fuckers on the left, now! Roger, come here and bring Cody. Locate those shooters!”

Roger and Cody slipped close to the main team, weapons ready. Tucking tight with Connor near the abandoned cars, they sought the enemy to their left.

“Captain, locate. Locate! We hafta pass these shooters.”

“Jason, Jude, get those horses outta harm’s way. We’re gonna need ’em!”

A shot punched the door near Renaldo and Gabriella, inches from the back of John McLeod’s head.

“I see ’im! Ten and nine o’clock. Behind that tractor,” said BB.

Marty lined up his sniper rifle and sent each bullet carefully toward its target. In a fury as yet unseen, Jude threw his last and only grenade toward the tractor with all his strength. The grenade came up a bit short, but rolled into the wheat nearby. The explosion lit up the area with several enemy flinching from shrapnel in the aftermath. Roger spotted a prone figure not too far away from the explosion. Marty caught the same image and Roger saw the man crumple atop his weapon. Mickey and his men rushed into the fray, Edgars, Burroughs and Rice providing staggered cover fire; they slipped toward Phoenix’s advance team using cars and guardrail as effective cover.