Chapter 97

Present – Maria, Linus, Matt and Jim – At the cabin

The old Marines with the flame throwers do a hell of a job on the car and the ambulance blocking the gate. But we get the hell surprised out of us when the car catches on fire and some guy bails out of it. He's a stung up looking mess!

Linus gets on the CB and declares, "We need a medic! We have a man that's had the hell stung out of him."

We get three responses and one guy says, "Medic hell! I'm a doctor and will be right up."

With the bees taken care of Linus radios, "We need someone to tow the car and ambulance away from the gate."

Someone replies, "Hell, we've got a tow truck and will be right up."

They come up with the tow truck and I really begin to wonder what the hell we don't have. They begin to move the burning car and the messed up ambulance. I look at Linus as he says, "Maria, we've got a little problem."

I smile at him and ask, "What's wrong honey?"

He replies, "Well, I've commanded small teams before, but nothing this big. We have a full blown army here."

I get ready to reply, then I notice something flying toward us and ask, "Linus, what the hell is that?"

A younger guys runs up with a rifle, begins shooting at it and yells, "That's a motherfucking drone! We need to kill that fucker!"

His statement lights a fire under a few younger guys and the next thing you know the drone comes crashing to the ground as Linus commands, "I want that thing retrieved."

The guys jump the fence and head after the drone.

I feel sorry for Linus because he feels so much out of his element having to command this many people. Then we get a huge surprise when a car pulls up and he exits...

Present – Mira, Ira and Alexi – At the hospital

We are resting as comfortably at the hospital domicile as can be expected when a doctor enters and inquires, "Ms. Sedankina?"

Irinka and I simultaneously reply, "Yes Sir!"

He looks at us and reformulates his question, "Ms. Irina Sedankina?"

Ira replies, "Yes Sir!"

He educates us on her medical condition, "Well Miss, it's a good thing you came to the hospital. The rat which bit you was infected not only with rat bite fever, but also hepatitis A."

Ira confirms her medical history, "Doctor, I have had the vaccination for hepatitis A."

He further questions, "Was it in a different country than the US?"

She answers, "Yes Sir, it was in Kazakhstan."

He nods his head and provides an explanation, "Well, that probably explains the strange lab results."

Alexi questions, "Sir, what is the treatment for the rat bite fever you mentioned?"

The doctor states, "Well, if Ms. Sedankina isn't allergic to penicillin we will start her on injections immediately."

Irinka whines, "I am not allergic to penicillin but please do not inform me that injections will be applied to my derriere."

The doctor states, "Unfortunately, that's the best location for the injections. I will send the nurse in soon to begin the treatment."

The doctor exfiltrates the room while Ira fumes. I notate that Alexi is busy with a small gaming toy and question, "Alexi is that the Theft of Grand Autos game you mentioned?"

He replies, "Yes Mira it is Grand Theft Auto and I am attempting to determine why my attempt at breaching the front gate of Ms. Donaldson's compound failed."

Irinka questions, "Alexi, what is the Grand Theft of Autos game?"

I answer, "Alexi credits it with his superior skills at vehicular operation."

Alexi states, "It would benefit both of you to participate in this game."

We translocate adjacent to his medical support chaise and observe the game after several minutes. Upon close observation I question, "Did you just steal a vehicle while using a weapon?"

He laughs, "Yes that is why it's called Grand Theft Auto."

We continue to watch the police give pursuit which he skillfully avoids. Then he maneuvers down a different street and arrests forward motion in front of a woman. Ira questions with some concern, "Alexi, what are you doing?"

He states, "Watch this! Currency exchanges hands, they proceed into a hotel room and have a training session."

I complain, "Alexi! This is not a positive role model game for you to play."

Then he surprises us when he savagely attacks the prostitute, retrieves the money and hurries back to the car.

Ira states, "Yes Alexi! This game will corrupt your young mind."

Alexi laughs at our concern, "My sisters, I am capable of separating reality from this game."

I look at Irinka and declare, "My sister, we must attempt this game to see if Alexi is correct."

Ira replies, "Yes Mirinka, and with considerable haste of post."

The nurse walks into the room with an injection for Irinka and I taunt, "Drop your undergarments sister and flex at the waist."

Alexi becomes embarrassed and hastily excuses himself, "I need to visit the necessary room."

The nurse leaves after the proper application of the injection and I inquire with tears of marine reptile, "Irinka how is your derriere?"

Alexi walks out of the necessary room and states, "You do know you can use the word ass, do you not?"

Irinka and I both giggle and relate to him essentials of a certain mission we performed in Israel where the word ass became quite confusing. In the middle of this dialog the physician of genetics arrives in the room and inquires, "Ms. Sedankina?"

Irinka and I simultaneously reply, "Yes Sir?"

He clarifies his question, "Ms. Miranda Sedankina?"

I anxiously reply, "Yes doctor..."

Present – Masha – At the cabin

I am very impressed with Yasmeen's weapon training as we proceed down the passageway to the workshop door; it is exemplary. She is holding her AR at high ready position with her finger adjacent to the trigger. I question her, "Did Ben Blaine provide your weapons instruction?"

Yasmeen proudly replies, "Yes, my husband to be certainly did. He drilled his first wife Zarika and myself endlessly. However I confess that I really only killed three people. I do not like killing."

I cannot resist so I question, "Are you comfortable being the second wife?"

She smiles, "Yes Ms. Reynolds, it will be an honor to be the second wife. And when Zarika becomes too old to please Ben I will still be young and assume the primary pleasure role."

I consider bringing up the question of Ms. Donaldson but decide against it. We are at the doorway and I direct, "Yasmeen, you must not let anyone through this doorway unless they are friends. If they are not friends you must kill them without hesitation."

She wisely for her age questions, "Ms. Reynolds, how will I know if they are friendly?"

I think for a moment and reply, "So far the adversary has not used the computer system to access the house. So if the door is breached by force then you must react with devastating force."

She glances around and sagely suggests (due to Ben's training), "Perhaps it would be wise to use that table as a shield because if they breach the doorway I could be injured?"

I concur, "Yasmeen, that illustrates the wisdom provided by Ben's training."

We tip the table over down a side hallway, Yasmeen crouches behind it and I reiterate, "You must not lose concentration."

She assures, "Yes, protecting my future husband's assets is my primary concern. We have already lost the cabin so I will not daydream or sleep because we can not lose the tunnels."

I head back to the meeting room assured that Yasmeen is adequately, if incorrectly, motivated. There are many women who seem to have the motivation of capturing Ben Blaine in matrimonial bliss (or perhaps matrimonial strife) and unless the girls are very competent they will not achieve their ill planned desires.

Present – Jens – At the cabin

The alarm sounds again so I look at the system panel and discover it's the front gate. This is all we fucking need - a new attack! I switch the video feed to the front gate and can't fucking believe who the hell I see! And it looks like he brought a whole damn army since there are cars and semi's as far as I can see.

I decide I need to call a meeting so I announce over the PA, "Meeting in five minutes in the main conference room. Jack and Yasmeen, stay on post and I will come and inform you personally."

Present – Ben – Austin Texas

I've had a couple hits off the bottle and announce, "That's all for me tonight, I have work to do."

The janitor questions, "So where's the Austin Avenger going tonight?"

I demand, "What's this Austin Avenger crap?"

He tosses a paper to me and says, "That's what the news has named you."

I read the paper and while it paints a good picture of me, the Austin police are pissed at me and vow to bring me in. I look at the janitor and ask, "Just how good are the Austin police?"

He laughs and admits, "Shit! You know that better than me, they aren't worth shit. The problem is they have a hell bent for leather Texas Ranger here in Austin."

I brag, "I've had some run ins with the Rangers and unless they are really good they aren't going to catch me."

The janitor states, "This guy is like a Mounty - he always gets his man. Hey why don't you throw them a loop and take a night off?"

I blink, look at him and say, "Well then, what the hell can I do for grins?"

He smiled with his reply, "Well, you seem to like the blues, so there's this little blues club I like to attend. How about coming along and hearing us old boys play some blues."

I get excited and ask, "You think they'll let a young guy sit in?"

He smiles, "Well that depends how good you are! We don't want no amateurs messing things up."

I say, "I'm still bringing my combat gear just in case."

He laughs, "Yeah, if you can't play worth shit you might need it to escape the wrath of the crowd. We're a pretty tough bunch!"

We leave and I think, yeah I'm going to play rings around all you old farts asses...

Present – Stacy and Samantha – On the road

Bill informs me in private, "Ben Blaine is currently in Austin, Texas."

I'm shocked and question, "How in the hell did you find out about this."

He laughs, "Well he isn't keeping too low a profile and with the aliases you gave us it was easy as hell to find him. He is currently going to perform with the Austin Opera as Eugene Onegin in the Russian opera by the same name."

This sounded funny so I query, "Are you certain of this?"

He pulls out some pictures and shows them to me: It's Ben on stage and my heart melts. Then he says, "He was living with some female Russian polecat but we now have him living with a janitor who is a friend of ours."

I ask, "How long will it take us to reach Austin by horse?"

Bill answers, "Too long. I would suggest that we take you and the horses to the outskirts of Austin and ride from there. By the way, what do you want done with Samantha?"

I look over at her, remember Ben's patience with me and say, "She's with me and I want her protected just like me. However I do want her cell phone blocked since I don't want the Mossad finding us through it."

Bill laughs, "Well, they are still licking their wounds from the encounter where we recovered your weapons."

That reminds me so I say, "Yes I forgot to thank you for that. Was anyone injured?"

He laughs, "Not on my team!"

I respond, "Bill, remind me to increase your pay - you've done a hell of a job. Now let's get loaded up and head to Austin."

I walk back towards Samantha, she notices the horses are being loaded into the trailer and questions, "Stacy what's going on?"

I pull the same trick on her that she likes to pull on me, "Samantha just how committed are you to being with me." I notice Bill is recording this conversation so I will ask him later to use the voice stress analyzer feature to see if she's lying.

She questions, "Stacy, I don't understand what you're asking."

I explain to her, "Listen, are you my friend, a reporter or Frank's wife?"

She stands up tall and says, "Stacy, I am a reporter who is also your friend and as far as my fucking husband goes, there's a difference between being a Frank and being a dick! And he crossed that line with me."

I ask one more question, "And your reports will be truthful and factual?"

She smiles and promises, "Hell yes they will! It's about time the world hears your side of the story."

I like the hell out of her answer and declare, "Well then, let's go!"

Present – Byron, Thom and Inga – It's raining hell on the drug lord

It seems like I wait fucking forever and finally Thom shows up. I demand, "Where the hell is the fifty cal ammo?"

He shakes his head, "Sorry old friend I couldn't find any. I was able to get these weapons and ammo. By the way it was hell getting up here."

I look at what he brought: They would work in a short range battle but they certainly weren't what I needed now. Hell, two thousand yards out of a 7.62x51? There was no way that was going to happen.

I sat down disgusted and Thom tried to cheer me up, "Well, can't we move closer?"

I hand him the binocs and order, "Glass the roof of the last building we were on."

I take the binocs from Byron, glass the roof we were on before and it's so covered with men they look like ants on an anthill. Fuck me, I really let him down! I lamely suggest, "Perhaps we can pick them off with these weapons and then move closer?"

Byron grumpily answers, "And perhaps fucking pigs can fly!"

Yeah, he's still pissed as hell and I don't know what to do. Just then Inga shows up and states, "I could use some help unloading the truck."

I question, "What truck?"

She says, "The one with all the ammo and the fifty caliber rifle."

Byron jumps up and declares, "Inga I could kiss you! Thom couldn't find anything."

Inga smiles, "Well, I ran into an old friend who used to deal arms and got lucky. I have five thousand rounds of ammo and two additional fifty caliber rifles."

Damn, Inga really came through where Thom dropped the ball! I looked and then ordered, "Okay, I want three thousand rounds of the ammo up here. Inga, you and Thom each take one thousand rounds." I point and order, "Thom, you setup on top of that building over there, you have fifteen minutes to get into place."

I get ready to order Inga and she says, "Byron, I know you want me over there." She points to the exact building I was thinking of and continues, "I've already dropped my rifle and ammo on the roof so I should be ready in five minutes."