Chapter 61

Present - Ben - At the cabin

So far our plan to get Ivan out of the tunnels was working great. I bombarded the hell out of the greenies with Skunk balloons but the wind was in my face forcing the fumes back toward me, it was getting so bad I could smell it with my nose plugs in and it was beginning to make my eyes water. Then Destiny ran across the edge of the clearing and all the greenies chased her. Now it was my turn to see if I was still the sneaky son of a bitch I used to be when I was in the Corps. Hell, there was a time I could have snuck into a monastery, right into the mother superior's room, stole a kiss and escaped without her even waking. But that was years ago and I was younger and more fit. Yeah, I hate to say it but time had not been kind to me, I was slower and less stealthy than I used to be.

I stopped at another weapons cache, picked up my ghillie suit (already setup with natural camo for the area) and an experimental close-quarters weapon which should take care of any one I might meet without killing them. Yeah, I probably should just kill the fuckers, but what Destiny had been preaching to me made some sense – it would not serve any real purpose. Besides, once I killed one of the greenies it would really piss off the rest.

I put on the ghillie suit, ready my weapon, fire one test round (almost silently) and work my way toward the tunnel excavation site. Then I saw something that was going to complicate things...

Present - Stacy - Escaped

I couldn't fucking believe that Linus worried about me keeping up with him. The young Marines and I had to slow down so we didn't lose him and it earned him some teasing," Come on you fat, slow assed Seal! I thought you all were the best of the best; get the lead out and move it."

He complains, "Hey, you haven't been shackled for days so shut up before I kick your ass."

I laugh to egg him on and counter his comments, "That's right I haven't, but I was preggers for over a month, still carry some baby weight from that and I can still outrun your fat ass."

Finally my phone begins to beep so I slow down and stop. Linus catches up and after sucking air for a few moments questions, "What's going on?"

I look around while he and the other Marines are standing around looking at me so I order, "You all need to turn your back to me so I can get my mobile phone."

One of the Marines asks, "Why the hell is that?"

I grin at him and reply, "Because I put it somewhere only my boyfriend or husband will get to see. Now turn around and face the other way."

Present - Linus - Escaped

Shit, Stacy is right - I need to get off my ass and run more! I'm having a hell of a time running and even though we are at a high altitude I don't really believe that's the only problem.

Stacy finally stops and then I can't believe it! She hid her phone in her ... We turn away from her and it's my turn to tease, "I'm sure as hell I wouldn't want to use a phone if it was hidden up your hoochie!"

The Marines laugh like hell and Stacy complains (like a typical woman), "Spoken like a brain-dead Seal! I didn't hide it up inside my hoochie as you like to call a vagina - that would be sick as hell. I hid it next to my vagina in my underwear and none of the Special Forces were brave enough to search me there."

One of the Marines gets in on the fun and asks, "Did you put it on vibrate?"

Stacy shoots him down...

Present - Stacy - Escaped

One of the Marines tries to get frisky with me, so I put him in his place, "Listen jarhead, if I did put the phone on vibrate it would have given me more excitement than you ever could."

The other Marines laugh but now that I have my mobile phone I say, "All right you can turn around."

Linus asks a bonehead question, "What are you going to do with that?"

I glare at him and answer, "I'm calling some Senators and Congressmen and plan on having them lock-up that fucking bastard Mike."

I begin to make phone calls when one of the Marines says, "I think I see some movement in the trees."

I hang up my call before it's complete and order, "Follow me!"

And we take off running again...

Present – Samantha - Taken prisoner

We see trucks drive up and the men are immediately surrounded by the Special Forces and detained. Then one of them opens the horse trailer and Bo, Patches and Wojtek come flying out of the trailer. The stupid Special Forces begin firing at Wojtek and he takes off for the trees. I begin yelling, "Hey you idiots that Wojtek!"

Then something amazing happens...

Present - Ben - At the cabin

I start to head into the tunnels when son of a bitch! Some trucks, one with a horse trailer, pull into the greenie's compound so I stop to observe. The men get out and are immediately surrounded by the greenies, then one of the fucking greenies opens the trailer and Bo, Patches and even Wojtek haul ass out of the trailer.

Then the son of a bitch greenies begin to shoot at Wojtek which is the final straw. I run back to my Barrett and begin to fire at the feet of the fucking greenies who are firing at Wojtek. They start dancing around and as Charlie Daniels would say in a song, 'that had them all steppin' and fetchin like their heads were on fire and their asses were catchin' and finally they dove into the dirt. Once I am sure Wojtek is a safe distance away, I hightail it for the tunnels, get there and notice a couple of guards.

It's time to see if this prototype weapon works worth a shit. I put it in the non-lethal mode, point it at one of the guard, wait until it ranges him and then fire. The beanbag hits him in the head and he drops like a sack of potatoes. The other guard appears to be sleeping so I point the VVWS¹ at him, wait until it ranges him and make sure he's going to keep sleeping.

¹ Variable Velocity Weapon System - http://www.hightech-edge.com/lund-technologies-less-lethal-variable-velocity-weapons-system-lvvws/7506/

I slip into the tunnel complex and wonder at the work Jens had done...

Present - Jens - In the CSH

I just get rested in my bed in the CSH when I see her walk toward me. I wish like hell I had a weapon because I'm certainly not in any condition to defend myself let alone fight her. She walks toward me like a feral cat stalking its prey, grins at me and questions, "Ms. Donaldson you seem to be injured."

I glare at her and counter, "Hello Miranda, why are you in the CSH because you don't seem to be injured? However as you can see I am not at my best so if you came here to kill me I won't be able to put up much of a fight."

She looks at me and replies, "Yes with your chest wound I would have little difficulty killing you." She reaches out grabs my foot (yes the one that was shot) and squeezes the hell out of it. I fight back without showing her any sign of the intense pain she's causing me. Instead I smile and lie through my teeth, "Why Miranda, I didn't know you were into the sadomasochism which Ben enjoys for foreplay."

She releases my foot (thank God), grins and obviously lies, "Yes Ms. Donaldson, Ben and I enjoyed it frequently in the past."

The doctor walks up takes one look at Miranda and questions, "Why are you bothering my patient?"

Miranda gives him one of her devastating smiles and says, "I was giving my condolences to an old friend."

She giggles, turns, walks away and the doctor asks, "Why would she give you her condolences?"

I look at the doctor and inform him, "Because if she has her way, I won't live to see tomorrow. I really could use an armed guard to protect me."

As he watches her walking away, I almost retch at him ogling her ass (what is it about men staring at a woman's ass?) then he says, "I can't believe that nice young lady would pose a problem to anyone, let alone be able to kill someone. I'm not sure we can spare anyone right now but I will see what I can do. Now I have your pain medicine and it's not morphine."

While I am in extreme pain, there's no way I can afford to diminish my already hobbled physical functions. I wave my hands and refuse, "Doctor, she's an assassin and I'm not sure if anyone knows how many people she's killed. And there's no way I can take that now because I need my full wits about me in case she comes back. If you can't provide me with a guard, how about moving me in with the other men."

He shakes his head and informs me, "Sorry, my orders are to keep you separated from everyone."

I figured as much but I still ask, "And who's the rocket scientist who gave those orders?"

I hear a voice from behind him that I hate even more than Miranda's...

Present - Mike - At the CSH

I finally get all the fucking ants off me, the nurse puts some salve on the bites and a Private brings me my last new wheelchair. I hop into it and roll to where they put Jennifer Donaldson - it's time that I interview her. I arrive in time to hear her request that we provide a guard or to move her in with the other patients. As I move past the doctor I declare, "Jennifer Donaldson, whether you get a guard or not depends on your level of compliance."