Chapter 28

I heard, "Crap!" The connection was broken. I hoped Stan was on the phone. I started watching for people in back and saw two smaller shapes coming in low. I snuck up to them, "Laura, Frankie, what are you doing here?"

They cringed. Laura whispered, "Dad, we heard shooting and wanted to check on you and Mom. I wanted to know you were okay."

"We're fine but I almost shot the two of you. You could have contacted us mentally."

"I'm sorry."

"Quiet." I heard bushes move about fifty or sixty feet away.

I waited sending a question to Stargazer, who said, "Bad guy." I waited some more and could see his rifle as he lined up on the house. I shot him dead. I made the kids scoot before me to a new spot where I could see better and have them behind something solid.

We waited. After ten minutes, it stayed quiet. I went to my daughter and Frankie. Laura was crying. I looked at Frankie. "Take her back to your house and 'stay' there this time. If she wants to contact us, do it mentally or by phone. If she leaves that house again, you two are over. Are we clear?" He nodded shakily. "Loving someone means you 'don't' let them do something stupid. Now, prove it! Get her home safely. Keep her there." I looked at Laura. "Laura, if we both live through this night, there will be ramifications and you won't like them! Both of you, stay low, be quiet, and go back. If you think you hear someone, go to the ground and contact me mentally. Go!"

I watched for another five minutes. Stargazer said, "Starlight wants to let Stan talk to you."

"Okay."

"Al, this is Stan. What's your status?"

"I shot one more. I had to send my daughter and Frankie back. It's been quiet since."

"It's been quiet here. The SWAT team is at the station. You were right. They are under attack. Irene and I are going back to help them from the outside."

"I can handle this. Go, but watch your backs."

"Okay, if you need us, call but don't be surprised if we don't answer quickly."

"Good. Ted is inside with Lisa and two of his guys. We have guns and ammo. I'm outside and can roam. You two take care of yourselves." I sent an unspoken message of love to them and received one in return. I began to look for a better position that would give me a safe place to watch over more of our property. I found a place and told Lisa where I was and why.

It stayed quiet for an hour until I heard cars or, more likely, SUV's approaching. I shifted enough to get a better vantage point of our drive. I sent mentally into Lisa for everyone to sit tight but be ready.

There were two SUV's when they turned into our drive. Because of the bullet-riddled cars, they couldn't get in far. I watched seven get out and come toward the house bearing weapons. "Lisa, there were two SUV's and seven got out. I'm shooting tires. They aren't friendlies. Be ready for trouble."

I shifted to single shot and put a bullet in each tire I could see. The seven coming toward the house stopped and went to ground. I heard Ted's voice. "Drop your weapons! Come toward the house with your hands empty and raised high. This is the police." One man popped up with his rifle and I dropped him dead. We waited. I had moved a bit thinking that we had at least one unaccounted for from the back SUV though I needed to cover the six coming to the house.

I saw another crawling toward the house with his rifle in his arms. I took careful aim and put a bullet in his head. I moved quickly to another vantage point. Mentally I said, Stargazer, there are five on the ground. Can you find any sign of another?"

"There is one in the passenger's seat of the second vehicle. I don't find any other sign of life. Irene and Stan are no longer here."

"Thank you."

I slowly moved more and was directly behind the rearmost SUV. I could now see a person in the passenger seat. I debated what to do when Ted's voice came from the house. "One of you moved toward us with a rifle and one of our people shot them. If you all do not immediately surrender, we will assume your intentions are deadly toward those of us in the house and we will begin to take you out. We only have one of your prior invaders left alive. It is time to surrender or die. We are not in the mood to play around with you bastards any longer. Your presence is illegal and survivors will be arrested and prosecuted."

I waited a moment and no one moved. I lifted my rifle and shot through the rear window diagonally from the right side to the left side exiting though the windshield over the driver's side. The person in the passenger seat ducked down. I put my second shot into the SUV through the lower part of the back window to penetrate the front seat. Now a hand came up slowly. The door opened slowly and a person got out. At that point, I realized the person was a woman. She was holding a wound in her side. The other hand was raised and empty. Her voice sounded pained but she said, "Surrender. It's over."

I could see movement as the men in front of her released their weapons and slowly stood with their hands raised. I carefully moved out with my rifle hanging around my neck and my pistol in my hand. I came behind the woman and said in a conversational tone, "Move slowly forward after I frisk you." I felt her up thoroughly. Living with Lisa had taught me where women could hide weapons. She only flinched a little. The holster at her back was empty. We moved forward. When we reached the next person, I moved her forward and to one side and frisked him thoroughly. I removed a knife and an ankle pistol. I said, "Do you know of any reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now?"

His voiced cracked but he slowly said, "No."

I said, "I don't either. Help her. If you even seem to try anything, both of you will die first. That's a promise."

He went to her and she said, "It's my right side. He shot me through the car."

We got to the next man. He didn't move and I removed a knife. "If you try anything, you will be the third to die. It won't be hard. I've killed a lot of you murderous bastards tonight. A few more will not bother me." I spoke loud enough that all could hear me. Ted had come out and began at the front and was using handcuffs. All were frisked and brought inside my house. Lisa handed the woman a towel to stop the little bit of bleeding. She grunted her thanks.

I went to the first man and said, "I want your name, information about where you work and who for, and who ordered this illegal act."

He looked at me defiantly. I yanked him to his feet and marched him out of the house. In the sight of the others shot him in the back of the head. I came back inside and looked them over. "To save time, who else wants to cop an attitude." The woman went pale and I thought she might faint or puke. I looked at her and said, "If you puke, I will kill you just like I did the other asshole." She managed to get her body under control. I think all of them believed me. I moved to her. "Talk!"

She went pale again. She took a breath. "I am Elizabeth Ashley. I work for the Department of Defense as a psychologist with the DIA. I was sent on this mission by the Secretary of Defense himself to evaluate Al Chambers while transporting him to a place of safety."

"Who or what are you supposed to be protecting me from?"

"We weren't told."

"Do you have any document from any court giving you authority to grab a citizen from his home and take him to an undisclosed location without his consent?"

"No, sir."

"Do you know who I am?"

"No, sir."

I looked over the men and said, "Do any of you know who I am?" They all shook their heads. "Were you given any description of this Al Chambers you were supposed to grab?" They shook their heads. "Two of your team died assaulting this house for a person none of you have met nor can describe. Do you wonder why you were so poorly prepared?"

A light began to dawn on them all. They finally understood that they weren't expected to be successful but die or escape when unsuccessful. The woman looked particularly troubled. Have you found anyone here who needed your team's protection?" They slowly shook their heads. "You were all taken in as fools."

The young woman lowered her head in obvious sorrow. I looked back at her. "Why were you told that you should be on this mission?"

"I was told that Chambers was psychotic and would need my help."

"You believed this without reading a case file or any information about your victim? I believe you have committed malpractice. I will make it a personal mission that you are examined for psychoses and barred from practice." I looked over the rest. I said in a conversational tone, "You will all go to jail. In this state, the death of anyone occurring during the commission of a crime gets you the possibility of the death penalty.