Chapter 74

I was sipping my coffee thinking about the attack by the Humvees when I felt like I was smacked in the back of the head by someone's hand. It was so realistic feeling I actually looked around to see who was behind me. This whole thing is wrong, I was thinking. There's no way a Federal Agency would use WP grenades on a raid. There had to be another explanation. I got up and dropped the bitter coffee cup in the trash and headed for Charlie to talk to him before we left. When I walked up beside him he looked at me in a funny way as I motioned him to the side.

"Charlie, I want the men who were cleared to get a refrigerated truck and a case of body bags. They are to go up to where the chopper took out those trucks and gather all the bodies they can find. I also want facial shots of all the heads that are intact. Have them gather all the weapons they can find and load them to be dropped off for the lab to check numbers on."

"Harry, they are not your lackeys. Let the Coroner handle that crap. My men have better things to do than to spend an afternoon gathering body parts."

"Charlie, let me put this another way. Either they do as I say or they can stand down when we raid the camp. If they get sick from that, then they won't survive a full scale firefight. They need to get dirty and this is the quickest way I can think of. They will see a lot worse once we start into that camp, I guarantee it. They will not only have to shoot but be shot at and some of the shooters will be women. If they can't handle a little blood and guts, then they will all die the first fifteen minutes. This is not a suggestion but an order, Charlie. When your guys get them all bagged, take them to Nellis. I will make all the arrangements for them to drop the bags off. Now what's it going to be Commander?"

He looked at me like he thought I was joking, but when he saw the set of my face he just said ok, they will be on their way in fifteen minutes. I turned around and walked away, motioning Sean to my side as I went over to the unit to catch a ride to our bird. Sean came running over and piled in the back as we pulled away. I got on the ear bud and told the Captain to wind it up because we were leaving.

"Harry, I know that look, what bug's up your ass now?"

I told him to wait until we were airborne, and then I would tell him what was going on. In a very few minutes we were back in the bird with our helmets on.

"Captain, fly over the fire area as low as you can so we can observe the area."

"What are you looking for Sir?"

"I don't know but if I see it I will know."

We flew directly into the smoke, a little low I thought, but the rotor wash helped give us glances at the ground as we circled the area. I finally saw something to the side of the big holes in the ground and told the Captain to hover over the area. I tapped Sean on the knee telling him to look down and to tell me what he saw. He was looking down toward the area I was pointing at and got a quizzical look on his face when he spotted the same thing I had. I had the Captain spiral out a little farther, and saw two more of the same thing as did Sean. I then told the Captain to take us to Reno. I got on the cell and made arrangements for a car to be waiting for our use. I told the Captain to go back to Nellis and refuel, rearm, and come back to Reno and wait for further orders. He said ok, he would land in the reserved Federal Area and wait for us there. When we landed we got out and he took off immediately. We were met by another agent who handed us key to an unmarked parked by the hangar. He went back inside and we took off.

"Harry, where the hell are we going, and why did you tell the pilot to refuel and rearm?"

I told Sean why we were in Reno and what I had planned and he looked at me like I was crazy.

"Seam, you saw the same thing on the ground as I did. I know that the ATF doesn't use four wheel drives. I also know that the men at those bunkhouses didn't have any, so where do you think they came from?"

"Harry, if you're right, this will take the blame off those poor men who are still alive and help set a lot of wrongs right. Why the hell would they attack there while a raid was going down?"

"I think it was just a coincidence Sean. I don't think they had any idea the ATF was even around. That's why those Humvees were coming today, to find out what happened to their people. They probably saw all the smoke and came to help them. If we can find an agent conscious, I think we will get confirmation of my ideas. First we are going to stop at a Radio Shack and buy two top of the line tape recorders so we can get everything on tape. I want to make sure if I am right, these poor men get the recognition they deserve. If I have to go public I will to absolve them. I had a problem with the scenario the whole time we were there. No self respecting Federal Agent would use WP when they have flash bangs by the thousands for their use. Also, they would never attack without giving the occupants some kind of warning."

"Harry, thank you. I think there's more to you than anyone knows. I have seen you in all kinds of situations, but I always noticed you thought most of your moves out then the hell with what anyone thought, you just acted. I can see why Preacher and Monk respect you so much. Man you don't miss a trick, do you?"

I just looked at him and smiled as I pulled up in front of the store and we went in. We got the best they had and several extra tapes in the best grade they carried. We came out and I headed for Reno Memorial Hospital. I knew this had to be where they were brought because they had one of the best burn wards in this part of the state. I had no idea of what we would be facing and in retrospect, I wished I hadn't done this myself because the pain and anguish I was about to see would haunt me for many years to come.

We had just pulled up in front of the hospital when my cell went off. I almost threw it out the window because the chirping got on my nerves so bad. I answered it and the Director was on the other end and the attitude started to piss me off.

"Harry, where are you and Agent Hadley? I sent you up to the site and I was told you both left. I want you back on the site so when they knock those fires down you can find out what happened. I suggest you follow orders for a change."

"Director, you can kiss my ass. I am not one of your flunkies and I am not getting a paycheck, so I don't have to put up with this bullshit. I suggest you tone it down when you speak to me, or you can shove this phone and my ID up your ass."

I hung up and tossed the phone over to Sean who was looking at me with his mouth hanging open. I got out of the car and went in the hospital and up to the front desk. I showed my ID and asked where the accident victims from last night were. I was told they were on the fourth floor in their own wing. I caught the elevator up and got off and was met by an armed agent. I showed him my ID and he backed off, asking what he could do for me. I told him I wanted to speak to one of the doctors who were treating the Agents. He said to follow him and we went to a side room where a young doctor was writing in some charts. I showed him my ID before I spoke.

"Doctor, I know this is hard but I need to know if any of the men brought in last night are awake so I can talk to him, if at all possible."

"Mr. Hanson, there is only one who is able to speak and he is in a lot of pain. He is in a full body cast from the concussion of the blast. He is on pain medication so I don't know if he will be able to tell you anything yet. His name is Barry Thomas and he is in room 414. I suggest you take it slow because his vocal cords are very sore."

"Thank you, Doctor. How are the rest doing and will they be able to lead normal lives when they recover?"

"Some, maybe ten will be able to return to duty, but the rest will never be able to lead normal lives. Some of those poor men are burned so bad they will spend years undergoing skin grafts. The rest have had their internal organs so badly damaged they will be lucky to live, and then they will be in constant pain and have to have round the clock treatment. What the hell happened up there?"

"Doc, if I knew I would tell you, and I promise you I will find out."

He just shook his head and I headed for room 414. I remembered Barry's name from the gulch and hoped he would be ok when he healed. He had seemed to be a good man and proud of his job. I was almost at the door when Sean caught up with me.

"Harry, the Director said to tell you he apologizes for his tone of voice but he is under a lot of pressure to find out what happened. The President is breathing down his neck because we left the site instead of finding out what happened. I didn't tell him anything except you were following up on a hunch you had. He asked me to ask you to call him when you decide to confide in him about what the hell you're doing."

"Sean, I think we are about to get our answers. The man in this room we both met in the gulch. Remember Barry Thomas?"

"The young guy who took inventory of all those weapons in the cave?"

"The very same agent. He is the only one awake and I want to talk to him before he is ordered not to give out any statements. You and I both know this whole fiasco wasn't the ATF's fault. If I can get it on tape, I will go public with it to get them off the hook for all of this. They certainly don't deserve all the flack they are getting from all the other Agencies."

We went in the room at the same time and I almost gasped at the sight before me. The doctor said he was in a full body cast but he didn't say his whole head was bandaged and he was hooked up to about thirty different machines, each with their own tube running into his body. I took a deep breath before I went over to the bed. I turned the recorder on and motioned for Sean to do the same. He did but he seemed to be in shock.

"Barry, can you hear me?"

He was whispering as he answered me.

"Barry Thomas, this is Harry Hanson. Do you remember me from the gulch?"

"I remember you Harry. Who's with you?"

"Agent Hadley, who you should remember from the gulch too. I came to ask you about last night. Do you remember what happened at the timber camp?"

"Harry, we didn't stand a chance. We were standing at the truck getting our vests and flash bangs when these four pickups came out of the dark. Can I have a drink?"

I got the ice water and put the straw to his mouth and he took several swallows before he pushed it away with his tongue.

"They were running back and forth on both sides of the cabins shooting into them. When they came back for the second run they started throwing grenades at the cabins. We all just stood there in shock about a hundred yards away watching the whole thing. All of a sudden there was a loud bang and I woke up here. Harry, we never even got a shot off before the whole place blew up. They say I will be able to return to duty but it will take a lot of work. Harry, do you know who was in those pickups? They were all painted a dark color and were full of men with guns. We never stood a chance and wouldn't have, even if we had been closer. How many of us are still alive Harry?"

"I don't know Barry. We don't even know how many agents were at the scene. Your boss didn't leave any records of how many he called in for the raid. Do you know how many were there last night my friend?"

"Harry, there were seventy agents there, and most were the special teams brought in from all over. I was there because I was supposed to film the raid for the court hearings. What happened? All I can remember is a loud bang then nothing. Harry, the pain medicine is kicking in again because I am getting sleepy. Will you do me a favor?"

"If I can Barry, what is it you need my friend?"

"Will you come back and visit me again? I don't have any family and I admired you the first time I met you. I don't want to lay here with nobody to talk to so will you-"

He was asleep so I said next to his ear I would come and see him on a regular basis, and we would go fishing as soon as he got out of this place.

I looked over at Sean with tears in my eyes, and he was in the same condition I was. We turned the recorders off and headed back to the car. I was thinking furiously about what Barry had told me, and I was getting madder with every step I took. When we got back to the car I decided to make a call and set some assholes straight on a few things. I asked Sean for my cell and he handed it back to me.

"Harry I know you're mad as hell because I am too, but please be careful what you say. We cleared them completely but I don't want to have you rub their noses in it."

"Why the hell not, Sean? Out of seventy good men there are maybe three that will lead a normal life because of some damn rednecks who decided they wanted to play cowboy. If they, as in the higher ups, don't retract some of the comments I have been hearing on the news, I am going to go live with this recording and see if I can make some of them crawl back into the holes they came out of. Now give me my damned phone and stay out of it."

I called the Director and gave him a quick rundown on what I had found out. I told him I wanted a three way patch with him and the President. He said that wasn't possible so I told him I was giving my ID and phone to Agent Hadley and I better not hear from him again. I did just that and got out of the car, giving the keys to Sean and hailed a cab to take me home.

When we pulled up in front of the cabin we were met by one of the guards but I just walked by him and went inside. Butter was sitting on the couch and I went over to him.

"Butter, as of now I am no longer a VIP. Take your men to the chemical plant and report to Preacher for another assignment. Don't argue with me, just do it now!"

I went into the kitchen and waited until I heard them leave about a half hour later. Tran came in wearing her night clothes and made coffee and sat down beside me at the table.

"Harry, I have seen that look before. Want to tell me what's going on?"

We spent the next hour with me telling her all that had happened today, and why I quit working for the Director. She didn't say anything until I was done talking.

"If that's they way they want to act then I am glad you no longer work for them. I can't believe that they would blame it on those poor agents even after they knew the truth. To be truthful, I am glad you are out of it because you deserve better after all you have done for them. If we need guards I will have Monk send a handpicked team out here. Now let's go to bed, my love. I think you need a hug and a shower but not in that order."

I looked at her and smiled and kissed her on the forehead. I set the alarm and the traps and we went to bed. I unplugged the house phone and turned my cell off to make sure I wouldn't be disturbed. I fell asleep snuggled up against Tran, but I had nightmares almost the whole night. I kept seeing Barry in his bed and hearing his plea to me to visit him because he admired me. The same thing woke me all night long and then it came to me what I was going to do now. Tran was sound asleep when I got up and went into the girl's room and gave them all a kiss before I headed for the kitchen to put a pot of coffee on.