Chapter 65

Present - Ben - At the cabin

Some soon to be dead fucker is firing my Barrett! I know where I left it so I run toward the location as the firing continues. What I don't understand is why one of the greenies would be firing it unless ... Holy shit it may be some sort of trap! And what the hell was Ivan talking about it being a 'seal puppy' who was using the Barrett? What the fuck is a 'seal puppy'? Ivan keeps talking about this 'wolf that is also a lady' - who and what the fuck is that?

Ivan complains, "Unca Ben I run can fast but not run this fast, make slower please."

I felt badly because I had been running pretty damn fast so I apologize, "Sorry Ivan, I will slow up." And I do just that.

I mentally kept a count of the shots. While the Barrett mags would hold 10 rounds I never loaded more than 8 because this rifle had a nasty habit of jamming on the second round when the mag was fully loaded. Yeah, I could have fixed it but there were always better things to do. The fucker was up to 6 and would soon run out of ammo. Then their ass was mine and I had plans to kick it to hell and back...

Present - Linus - At the cabin

After I left Stacy and the other fuckers to their own stupid fucking devices, I got lucky and saw them put Maria in a Porta-Potty and padlock the door. I could only assume this was some sort of new fucking torture that bastard Mike figured out. My luck continued as I found a good place to watch what was going on. As I was checking out my surroundings I looked to the side noticed something that didn't quite fit in and ... Hot-fucking-damn, it's Ben's fifty caliber Barrett! It was hidden well, but not well enough to escape notice by this Seal.

With my first shot I blew the hell out of the port-a-potties door where they put Maria. I knew the round ripping the door off its hinges had to make her ears ring, but I figured anything was better than those damn nasty Porta-Potty (I had been the unfortunate occupant of one of them to take care of a necessity, however they were more than fucked the hell up, they were fucked in the ass messed up). I made a decision and all the following shots were to distract the Special Forces while Maria escaped. I wish I had seen that son of a bitch Mike - I would have blown his fucking head off twice and ended all this bullshit.

I had to admit, this was fun as hell and the scope on this rifle was more than spot-on - it was perfect. I had never fired a more accurate rifle. As always the suppressor heated up and the heat waves off it made it hard as hell to see my targets well. However, I could see well enough to blow the hell out of the propane tanks outside the mess tent. They didn't catch on fire because I didn't have tracer rounds, but it did make the Special Forces haul ass out of the tent. Things were good until I fired a shot and the bolt locked back - hell I was out of ammo and out of fun. I did see where Maria ran into the woods so I put the rifle back where it was and start to loop around to meet her.

Present - Destiny - At the cabin

I had tried to tell Ivan that Linus the Seal had used Ben's rifle, but somehow Ivan didn't understand me and called Linus a 'seal puppy'. I guess that was the closest thing to a Seal that he knew. I watched Linus and was glad he didn't kill any Special Forces because Ben would have been blamed for it. He finally ran out of ammo, put the rifle back where Ben hid it and took off running after the girl he freed from the Porta-Potty. Ah, I now understood. The girl he freed was his girlfriend and now his actions make perfect sense.

I finally see Ben run up with Ivan behind him. When he looks around he doesn't see Linus so I switch back to Destiny and walk out from behind the trees.

He sees me and demands, "Where the hell is the bastard that fired my rifle."

I knew my choice of words would be important so I answered, "Ben, it was Linus a former Navy Seal and he treated your rifle with the greatest respect. He used it to free his girlfriend from one of the nasty port-a-potties you blew up."

Ben complains, "Fuck, no one fires my rifles except for me! I'm going to kick his ass when I find him."

I laugh and Ben again demands...

Present – Ben - At the cabin

Destiny laughs her peculiar laugh about me kicking Linus's ass so I demand, "Just what the hell is so funny about me kicking his ass?"

She continues to smile and answers, "Ben, you have so many people lining up to kick your ass that you might not get a chance to fight Linus."

This is news to me so I ask, "What the hell are they upset at me for?"

She smiles and answers, "They are all upset about what you've done to Jennifer."

I counter, "Hell, I set her free because I can't give her any children. If they want to try to kick my ass fine, I will gladly fuck them up!"

Destiny's next question pisses me off...

Present - Destiny - At the cabin

I ask Ben a question I know will upset him, but I calculate he won't hit me for it so I ask, "Ben, how do you know for certain you can't give her any children? It puzzles me greatly because I clearly see a future for you and Jennifer in a happy family with twins, one a boy and one a girl."

He openly laughs and declares, "Now I know you're not a fucking Shaman. Otherwise you would know that Hussein's tortures fucked me up and I can't father any children."

She laughs that strange laugh of her and replies, "Ben, I am only telling you what I see. You and Jennifer will have twins, one a boy and one a girl. And they are so cute, the boy has your good features and the girl greatly resembles Jennifer."

It's my turn to laugh and I tease, "Well that's certainly better than the other way around."

She begins to reply when Ivan interrupts, "Unca Ben, we need to take me to the private place you want me to hide."

Ben lovingly touches him on the head and answers, "You're right Ivan, let's move it."

We began to run then I shock Ben when I pick up and carry Ivan. I explain, "We can run faster with me carrying him."

Ben stumbles when Ivan says, "Thank you wolf that is also a lady, I am getting tired. Unca Ben run very and much faster than Papa."

I blush and whisper, "Ivan that was supposed to be our secret..."

Present – Ben - At the cabin

Ivan calls Destiny the 'wolf that is also a lady' he's been babbling about. It shocks me so much I damn near trip over a fucking tree root. That kid must see something in her that I don't see, because when I look at her, I don't see anything that remotely resembles a wolf. I pretty much just see a crunchy granola hippy chick.

She whispers something to him, then he looks sad and doesn't say anything else. I can't wait to get Ivan alone so I can ask him about the 'wolf that is also a lady'. I do remember some stories that my Grandfather told me about animals that could take human form, but I had always dismissed them as very-tall-fucking-tales - best told when drinking heavily.

We get closer to the bunker and Destiny announces, "Ben, we cannot go to the bunker right now since there are troops in the area."

How the fuck she knows the greenies are close to the bunker I have no idea. But even though she's fucking wrong about Jens and me, she's been damn right about too many other things. I think for a moment and say, "That's okay, the bunker and all the equipment I setup will take care of itself and we have other places to hide."

Then we change directions to head for...

Present - Stacy – Escaped

I thought it would be pretty easy to take care of the many problems Mike created, but I guess I made a mistake. I'm also sure that if Ben was here he'd tell me, 'Stacy, you underestimated your opponent, don't do that again.' And he would be right! Hell, while Grandmamma taught me many useful things, I think that Ben refined her teachings, refined them with an emphasis toward stark reality!"

I look at the Marines and state, "I'm not sure what your plans are and perhaps you will just get the hell out of here, but I'm going to take the bear, the horses and we're going to look for Ben."

One of the Marines answers, "Ms., we're Marines and we don't run from a fight. If Ben is giving the fucking greenies hell, we're going to find some way to help him,"

His statement gets a hearty Hoorahh from the rest of the Marines!

I smile at them and reply, "Well if any of you live through this debacle look me up afterwards because I will have a serious job for you on my security team."

Another of the Marines answers, "Ms., it would be an honor to work for you and I think we'll be able to hold our own against the greenies even without weapons."

I nod my head and affirm, "FEP."

He answers, "Yes Ms., Field Expedient Weapons. You'd be amazed at what we can make out of some simple things." Then he surprises the hell out of me when he says, "Good hunting Ms. but we're betting that even with the horses and bear you will never find Ben."