Chapter 8

The next morning, I woke to the ringing of the iridium phone. It was 1030 in the morning; I answered the phone, “hello? Is there a problem?” Major Murphy was quite happy when he told me that Karen was recovering better than expected. They would be ready to move out in a week to 10 days. Higher command had requested most of the remaining Soldiers to report to their base. However, they did agree to let him keep a small unit that would basically be a PSD or personal security detachment of 13 Soldiers and 1 pilot under his command to protect Doctors Earl and Emily Withers while they continued to work on a possible cure. This was a lot for one breath. And I said so laughing. “Hey, I am excited true, but years of military training cause me to give the bottom-line up front.” He continued saying that the Soldiers would be leaving in three days and his group would either leave then or the next day depending on the time.

I asked if he wanted us to meet him or just wait here for them. Mike said that we should wait, they would be driving two M1151 HUMVEEs each pulling a trailer of additional supplies and two MRAP = Mine Resistant Ambush Protected. One would be a command/communication center pulling a fuel trailer, the other would be medical, pulling a lowboy trailer carrying a MH-6 helicopter. They would also be bringing the results of Emily’s tests and some of the things Earl had been working on too.

I told him how to find us and that we would be looking for them in three or four days. He said that he would call again to give better details once they were worked out.

I was wide awake, so I decided to wake up my girls too. We all dressed and went to the kitchen to make coffee and start breakfast. Tia started coffee while Emily and Tammy went through the refrigerator to see what they could put together for breakfast. I took a quick look around the outside of the house just to be on the safe side.

Stupid me! I only took the Beretta. About 2/3 of the way around the house I felt eyes watching me. I sensed the threat as I turned and aimed the Beretta. The mountain lion was not very big only about 150 pounds but 9MM is not a good round to hunt them with. I saw the threat and realized that a 9MM would not kill the mountain lion unless I got really lucky with the shot. So, I moved the selector switch to fully automatic as I fired. Eight to twelve 9MM rounds are far more effective if that is all you have to shoot a mountain lion with. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have friends close enough to hear your panic fire and come running packing weapons too.