Chapter 78

We went inside to eat a bite and the girls stayed right by my side the whole time, asking questions which I patiently answered the best I could. They finally made me promise I would take them to Sean's when I was through eating. I looked up at Tran. She had that little smirk and was shaking her head at me.

"What?"

"Harry, those girls have you wrapped around their little fingers. All they have to do is get together and pressure you a little and you just give in. I have learned something today, my dear."

I just gave her a big grin for which I got a smile and a kiss on the cheek. George and I finished and put our dishes in the dishwasher. I called the girls down saying if they wanted to go, that they better be ready. To my surprise they all were carrying small back packs. I looked over at Tran and she bent down by the couch and picked one up too, holding it up so I could see it.

"Ok that's it, what's going on, you four? I have a feeling this was a setup from the beginning. Now someone tell me what's going on or we are not going anywhere."

"Grandpa, we are all staying overnight at the other house. Carly, Tran and all us girls are going shopping after a while. We four decided to help the girls feel at home, since they haven't had time to bring their stuff out here yet. Besides, we need some new movies to watch because we have seen all the ones we have."

"Ok I give up. This will work out well for me too because when you guys go to town, you can drop George off so he can pick up his car and get plates for it. I am sure Doris will be able to tell him everything he needs to make it legal. I have to go back down to the plant, so things will work out all the way around. Now, let's see how hard it's going to be to squeeze us all into my Jeep."

Well that little chore took longer than I thought. Tran and I sat up-front while George had a girl on each knee and the other one sitting against the door. I was glad my other unit was almost ready, because this Jeep wasn't made for more than four people. By the time we got to the other house, the girl's were giggling at something George said and Tran had a disgusted look on her face, for some reason. Then I realized what it was. I had unconsciously lit a cigarette in the small space inside the Jeep. I immediately apologized as I put it out.

"Harry, that is a filthy habit, and please try not to do it inside such a small space again. I have never minded you smoking, but it smells worse than your coffee breath in such a small area."

This brought forth a loud set of giggles and they were catching when Dana said; "It's almost as bad as his mustache when he kisses us."

Tran lost it as did I when she said that and to my surprise, Tran told her she liked my mustache. She said it made kissing me an adventure in evading the tickles. Now me, I wasn't stupid enough to get in the middle of this one, so I just smiled, not saying a word. Dana, of course had a quick comeback to which all three girls broke out in giggles all over again.

"You just like kissing our Uncle Harry, Auntie Tran. He could have a beard down to his knees, but that wouldn't stop you from kissing him all the time. That's how adults are, and they never do what's normal for us young ladies. Hmm?"

I looked over at Tran to see her reaction and to my surprise she was biting her lip to keep from laughing or saying something she shouldn't. I didn't have that reservation so I spoke right up and boy did I regret it later.

"That's why she loves me, girls. My mustache makes her smile and if I had a beard she would love it because she loves me so much."

"Grandpa we love you too, but I think maybe you and Tran are a little too old to be acting like us kids. After all we have common sense about these things. In other words, we love you, but we can do it without all the hair and stuff irritating our complexions. We girls are very sensitive about our skin, and hair is an irritant we have to put up with from you because we all love you so much."

"Well excuse me Miss Einstein. I think maybe you are getting a little too smart for your britches. Maybe I ought to remind you who's the boss around here."

"We already know who that is, and I guarantee you it isn't you. Remember, you have been neutered, whatever that is. I will have to look it up when I find my dictionary, but it didn't sound good to me, Grandpa."

I started mumbling under my breath, and Tran was laughing her head off as we pulled up in front of the other cabin. I was trying to catch her eye, but she just got out, still laughing at Sandra's comment. I helped them get their packs out, and got a kiss and hug from the girls before they went running up to the door. Tran came over with a big grin on her face, giving me a kiss and hug.

"Just remember honey, payback is really sweet if it's done right."

"Yes Harry, and I have more practice at it than you do."

She was laughing when I started mumbling again. She was still laughing as she went in the door, leaving me standing by the Jeep wondering how I had lost control of my life so fast. I looked at George as he started for the door, and he had a smart comment too.

"Remember Harry, they always have the last word. Besides, you asked for that one."

I was mumbling out loud as I climbed back into the Jeep, heading for the chemical plant to see if there had been any new developments. By the time I had gotten to the bottom of the driveway it hit me that I was one man against three girls and a smart woman. I was going to have to sit down, and figure out some way to win with those four once in a while, for my own peace of mind. I hadn't seen a unit at my driveway as we left and wondered where he was so I called in to ask Shorty.

"Sorry I didn't call to tell you Harry, but we had a big fight at one of the new casinos. I had to send all the extra men out there to help break it up. They had a big convention and they had a little too much booze and got into a big fight. The security officers there were overwhelmed so I sent men to back them up. Sorry I didn't call you. I will have someone there within the hour since it's about settled now."

"The girls are all coming to town in about an hour, so just have someone keep an eye on them for my peace of mind, will you?"

"No problem, Harry. I will alert the patrol units to watch over them. Will they be in Mark's old wagon?"

"Yea, if Carly can drive it ok. I don't look for any trouble, but I would rather be safe than sorry, Shorty."

"We'll take care of them, Harry."

I thanked him, hanging up and calling Preacher, telling him of their plans. He said the team at the house would shadow them and make sure there were no problems. I told him I was on my way back, and he said he had some footage he wanted me to look at when I got in. I told him I would be there in a few minutes and hung up.

When I pulled up at the gate, I immediately noticed that security had been tightened because they had set up entrance and exit barriers. This way the flow of traffic in and out could be better controlled for the plant. I had my ID checked before I was granted entrance. I drove up to the parking area by the offices and went up the stairs to the operations room. Upon entering, I immediately noticed there were two men with joysticks in their hands watching separate monitors. When Preacher called me over to where he was looking at a monitor, I was still watching one of the drones view as it circled the dump on the side of the camp. Something had caught my attention.

"Which one of you is handling that drone over the dump area?"

"I am sir," one of the operators said.

"Fly that thing back over the dump in the same flight pattern you just used. There's something strange about that dump."

As he brought it back around Preacher came over looking at me with a question in his eyes. I just pointed at the screen because the drone was coming over the dump. As I watched, I saw what had caught my eye as he tilted it a little to circle back.

"Preacher, there's a door in the middle of that dump. I would guess it's an emergency exit. The outline is clear when the drone is in a certain spot. Mark it on the map so when we go in, it can be blown. I am sure if you're on the ground it will be easy to see or feel by a good demo man. Now, what was it you wanted me to look at?"

"We ran the drone all the way up that gorge to where it splits. The tracks from the vehicles are clear as a bell all the way up it. When it peters out, there is another gorge that runs off in a small stream back toward the camp. The other one goes through the trees where we can't see."

"That's how he was able to slip in, Preacher. He used the natural cover as a screen. Let me see the area around the split."

He started the footage back up, and I had a realistic picture of the whole track through the gorge. I asked how high the drone had been and was told they kept it up high with the zoom on the gorge so they could get a better view. I just nodded my head because I was watching the footage closely. When the footage got to the split I had him freeze it.

"That's where we are going to hit him, Preacher. If it were me, I would have left a couple of men behind to watch my retreat. I want a team ready to go for a three-day stay. I want them to locate JJ's eyes there, and set shape charges on both sides of that cliff. Under no circumstances are they to make contact with the guards until they have the charges set. Then they should have the guards covered so they can be taken out when I give the order. You can bet JJ is keeping in close touch with them by radio or phone. Probably by phone since there are towers all over the hills up there. When he leaves, we will insert the other two teams on either side of the gorge. Have the drone fly up there again so we can find a good place to insert them. Now you know why I wanted those silent choppers. The guards won't hear them until it's too late to warn JJ. They can do a high tactical insertion so the wind from the rotors won't disturb the trees too much. Make sure the team going in this evening has NV gear and extra batteries. Also, make sure they have scrambled phones and radios so they can't be monitored by JJ's people. When you find a good place about a mile from the gorge, have them go in tonight right after dark. Remember, those guards might be ex-Special Forces, so warn our men."

"I already put all three teams on alert. We have plenty of explosives and ammo. I will have a team ready to go before dark. The choppers came in about an hour ago and have already been refueled and are standing by. I also have three Black Hawks on the ground here if we need them. All of them are fully armed with a full compliment of missiles and the two silent ones have the new electric Gatling guns. These have been field tested and are almost as quiet as those choppers. They sure scared the hell out of my ground crew when they came in. We didn't pick them up on radar at all, but they just appeared setting down in the field next to the others. Both of the pilots had a big laugh at the ground crew's reactions to their appearance. How did you know about them Harry? There are only ten of them in service and are used strictly for the teams. Oh yea, Butter said to tell you "hi" and to remind you about Sandra and Jimmy playing for the other bases. He said his men have been having a fit about not being able to say goodbye to Chief Hanson. The Director pulled them back before they had a chance to say goodbye to her."