Chapter 40: Taking In The Sights

There is shifting in the tree line as Napoleon passes along some last minute orders and makes his way to the Hummer. There is an audible thump as he enters the Hummer and slams the door shut. If the empire's men are anywhere close they couldn't have failed to miss that noise.

There is a second bird all. Different from the first. I remember that the boys seems to have hundreds of different calls. I blink to increase magnification. Looking up into the trees I see nothing at first, but then a form takes shape. Blinking I focus in on the form and see it is Clade. Good to know. The boys have been given guns, guns and bullets, sigh. I do hope we do not live to regret it.

The need to move and shift becomes stronger. Like a ghost I drift away from Holliday and his hiding place. I move at a slow pace, circling wide to the left of the kill zone.

As with all my strong senses of intuition I have no idea what I am looking for but I know that I need to be on the move. Maybe the Scanners are not all nocturnal, maybe one of those damn kids is going to try and be a hero. or maybe Rich is going to take out some vengeance.

I turn and sure enough Rich has been moving counter to get closer to the soldiers. He has a gun out and is looking shaky. He is intent on him movements away from our hiding place, so much so, that I don't think he sees his two sons following with only half his stealth.

I don't want to get in the center of the cross fire, when it happens. But I need to get over to Rich and his sons. Looking around, I can see up is my only choice.

As quickly as I decide to take to the heights, the first of the Neo America Empire' finest makes his way to our clearing. I am now out of time.

Rich says from the ground, "Halt and identify yourself!".

With Rich's surprise sprung everyone, and I do mean everyone freezes in shock.

Rich slowly rises out of the brush he was hiding behind, gun drawing a bead on the first soldier.

"Who the hell are you?" he asks, belligerent in his comfortable armor of the Empire's great name.

"I asked first." Rich says back, gun now steady on the speaker.

"Private Dawson, first class tech Licenances branch of the New America Empire. What the hell are you?"

"What are you doing here?" Rich asks completely ignoring the pointed looks of disgust and bewilderment he is getting from both sides.

"What?" Private Dawson is stumped by Rich.

I can see we are not going to get far with this on. So I lower my chameleon cloak, to rush to Rich's side. It is like I have flicker into being next to Rich. I am lucky he doesn't jump out of his skin when I appear at his side.

"We ask, you will answer." I push hard with my persuasion.

"Standard control and containment." Private Dawson says in a zombie like tone.

Rich and I exchange a look of that is not good. I nod for him to continue asking questions.