Section 28

“What? If I order in the next ten minutes, we get two Thug-a-Matics for the price of one?”

“Actually, in a certain macabre sense, yes. A couple more items, Phil. Nick will be delivering Singer improved body armor for your whole crew. Manny called Sophie when your special order came in. He tripled the count; we added more layers, sleeves and leggings, plus a web to spread the shock. Same protection we used in the recent action. Next, you and the girls are a federal law enforcement division operating under the aegis of the Commander in Chief. An attack on you is an attack on the White House and, by extension, an attack on The United States. Abrams hates that! Now, talk to Donald. He’s been busy.”

“Phil. Donald here. I sent an improved Hellfire battery, deck-mounted, to you from our black ops armory. Nick will meet it at the airport in Morehead City. Ultra-sensitive passive infrared targeting, positive or negative heat differential, video enabled, reloadable. The control panel is wireless and handheld. All the operator has to do is touch the objective on the screen, then the ‘fire’ icon.” Phil heard a chuckle. “The system will acquire and individualize the target. Evasive maneuvers are pointless. These missiles will give chase at 900 mph for eight miles and are extremely agile. Standard Stinger’s range is five, max. Don’t let the mercs get that close. Yes. Assume ex-military, highly motivated and well-trained mercenaries mixed in with the treasure hunters. Remember, the contract pays $20 million.”

“Damn, Donald. Aren’t you just the bearer of good news? But you bring nice toys. Plug n’ Play Doom. Make it look like medical supplies and do the installations under Red Cross tents on the ‘Darling’. Someone will be watching.” Phil was getting interested. He was at heart, a hopeless computer geek. “Will it target a boat with a high profile?”

“If you can see it, the system will make it go away.”

“Can I link it with my radar telemetry for a higher view point?”

‘Yes. I’ll send the codes.” Donald was thorough. “We also sent more RPGs and a several set-ups. A heavily armed Sherry is a happy Sherry.”

Adam added. “Speaking of Sherry. Ask her to back channel her contacts at LeJeune with a heads-up. A jumpjet or two is never out of place. You are authorized by your federal status to request military aid only when it goes hot. Sherry can unofficially suggest a search and rescue training exercise with a full battle load.”

“A Force Recon stealth beachhead infiltration exercise at a certain island would be excellent rapid response practice, also. Just saying...” Phil could hear his Dad’s evil grin. “House sitters concealed in the woods with a bad attitude and a personal connection. Hell, Lisa Glane might know some Seals who need shore leave.”

“We do have contacts everywhere.” Donald figured. “The Seals probably want some payback for the guys who shot her down.”

“I’m changing my transponder to identify us as the ‘USS Devil’s Darling’, light attack vessel, attached to the Presidential Special Guard. Think that will float?”

“Perfect. Anyone who has worked for the government or has a contract overseas will pause and reconsider.” Adam answered. “Most of the ‘legit’ contract soldiers don’t do domestic wet work anyway. The ones who do may figure the backlash too costly to go after feds. You were just another nuisance when the contract was issued. We changed the game. Any pros who stay in the hunt have a larger agenda.”

“That leaves the crazed desperadoes and the ‘anybody-anywhere’ assassin for hire mercenaries. Let’s invite the old KGB and have a real party. It is what it is. Thanks for everything you’ve done. Get Nick to call at 4 and we can start on the boat. The girls will be ready to rock by then. You concentrate on the home front. And something doesn’t add up and it’s been bothering me. When we received the files from Abrams after we broke the dirty FBI agents in Beaufort, that couldn’t have been the whole story. How is it possible they had so many names, specific to the plot in NC, but did not have the connections to South America until the local bureaus and Coast Guard seized the computers in the safe houses?”

“What are you saying exactly, son? I believe you, but give me something to work with.” Dennis was beginning to ping, too, just like Phil. “More rats?”

“Rodents of Unusual Size. Abrams was reactive the whole time and never took the initiative unless we placed a problem in his lap. Then it was to make the problem go away, not to find the source. If you think about it, he never volunteered ‘late breaking news’ unless he thought we would discover the same in time. He is not so much the incompetent boob as an assclown covering his butt.”

Fishing facts from the ether, Dennis picked up the thread. “And his income. Our independent move against the cartels caught him off-guard. He threatened to hang us out to dry if any blowback got to his desk. No way he wanted his buds to think he was in any way involved in the take down. The State Department leak was not an accident. The stonewall job on the hurricane relief and the refusal to aid and assist you are punishment for our interference. The contract will be paid out of his clandestine ops discretionary fund, no receipt required. Special Agent Swenson, say the magic words.”

Phil knew what his Dad wanted to hear. “Authorization Alpha Swenson 1. You are deputized in service to the President and the Nation to begin a complete forensic audit of DHS Director David Abrams and his associates, known and unknown. Using all resources at your disposal, track communications, banking and physical movements for the past two years. Nothing about that asshole is off the table. If the Moms insist on making little pieces out of the traitor, ask them politely to have documented proof of guilt, make it look like self-defense and to do the deed slowly.” He paused dramatically. “Do you, Doctor Dennis Swenson, accept the office and the mission?”

“With glee, though I make no promises for your Mom.”

“Your first task is to contact the President and request he issue an Executive Order to SecNav to have NCIS Senior Investigator Libby McGuire and Captain Max McGuire of the Academy assigned to The White House as advisors to his Chief of Staff. Later I can designate them Special Investigator and Special Prosecutor for Internal Affairs when we need established, recognized muscle.”

“It bypasses DHS and involves the DoD. Good. Nothing tells me the Navy is tainted in any way at the top. We’re on it.”

Donald spoke before Phil signed off. “We’ll look in the toy box. Tony O’Brien and Sam Thompson have been playing with some ideas. I’ll see if they have any nasty surprises ready to test.”

“Guys. I am outta here. No more tonight. Talk to me in the morning. I have enough about which to dream about. Department of Redundancy Department needs his beauty sleep.”

He signed off and found an empty spot in a bed with all six twins.

Dennis and Adam grinned at one another. “That’s my boy!” And they didn’t even know where Phil went to sleep.

Donald nodded. “Tomorrow is going to be bad, but I think they will come out the other side stronger than ever. We build tough, smart kids.”

On the island, Connie snuggled up to Phil. “We’re worried. It’s not over. Bonnie and I both think we have to face whatever it is that threatens our family.”

Bonnie whispered from the other side. “We’re gonna get hurt if we don’t get help. But it will be worse if we hide.”

May’s voice sounded in the darkness. “We’ve been talking. We are willing to be the spearhead to protect the others if it comes down to it. But we will be outgunned and outnumbered according to Bonnie. She is never that specific unless she is certain.”

Sara piped in. “Phil. Do you think we’ll be here tomorrow night? Help is too far away. April thinks the home front is in almost the same trouble.”

“She’s getting as bad as Connie and Bonnie. Is farseeing contagious?” Sally asked.

“Girls. I’ve been talking to our Dads. They are sending bigger and sharper teeth. The situation is really bad. Abrams is the mole in the government and has put out a contract on us. But we work for the President as Special Agents. DHS can’t touch us and won’t help. An attack on us will be considered an attack on the White House. That gives us access to better weapons.” He rolled over. “We have to be up and mobile before 4:00 AM so try to get some sleep. You’ll need it.”

“Listen to Phil. He knows stuff people don’t know enough to know they don’t know. He will find a way they don’t expect and can’t counter. We need to be alert to kick high-grade ass.” Marcie offered from the other side of the room. “Get some sleep. Worry won’t change a thing.”

With that, they actually did calm down and let the accumulated exhaustion take them to dreamland. The dreams were not as scary as they could have been.

True to Marcie’s earlier prediction, the vacation had yet to start and to make the matter worse, it failed to start way earlier then any vacation ever failed. Clearly they needed a new travel agent. Someone should call the Better Business Bureau.

Bad travel agent notwithstanding, they were up, dressed and ready for another thrill ride in the not-very-amusement park by 3:00 AM. Today was the E Ticket trip to hell.

Phil checked his messages then routed the intruder alarms to his phone before the family sat for the mission briefing. Phil cautioned the girls to never mention aloud what they were about to see. “We have new toys. The Cannoneers are getting a pair of deck-mounted quad 50s. They are adjusted so you can’t shoot the boat or each other. Rear coverage is to be handled by the engine crew. You are getting RPG flare loads. Fired vertically, they explode at 700 feet, diverting heat-seeking ordinance. Fired horizontally they explode on impact, torching small vessels.”

He laughed at the surprise and delight on the girls faced. “Emily is getting her very own RPG unit. The Drama Girls are our new Hellfire battery crew. Nicole will read you in. For discussion, the launch pod is a new portable X-ray machine. Ours are way better than theirs. We can target four separate bogies and fire all at once.”

To the Cannoneers, “If discussed before we get underway, your guns are rope launchers to pull victims in over or out of the water. The new body armor is a hazmat suit. The helmet has a scrambled comm. system, but if anyone asks, it is part of the suit. No telling what dangers are in the water.”

“Do we get new tools in for the comm. desk?” Marian asked.

“How would you like to have the ability to monitor the bad guy’s radio traffic? Maybe a way to confuse their electronic eyes and jam their chit-chat if they get rude would make you happy.” he shrugged. “Perhaps, more, but at least that.”

“Delirious. What else?”

“Sherry, with Zina and Karen, will pilot the ‘Gemory’. You will ride ahead and be shore threat spotters if the radar misses anything in the foliage. Carry RPGs, binoculars and M-16s. You have the starboard watch. Polly, SuLing and Emily have the same assignment in the ‘Clea’ with the port watch. One boat length ahead and one to the side. For discussion, you are watching for hazards in the water from the hurricane. All the twins are sharpshooters on the ‘USS Devil’s Darling’. Sorry to separate you from the Ninjas, SuLing, but you are the best at ‘up close and personal’. Take a full load of ninja toys and an M-16. Make sure there is a shotgun on each boat, preload with double ought and solids, alternating. Plan to load arms before we get under way. No sense in showing our hand on the open water. Reloads and extra magazines are mandatory. If we get into a firefight, at every pause, load to the max. Don’t get caught with half a magazine.”

He went to the radar room, returning in seconds. “I have printed the basic manuals for the Hellfires, the new radar, the incendiary RPG loads and the quad 50s. Everyone should read the instructions so Nick and Nicole will have less work getting you ready to rock. We have thirty minutes before the ‘Red Cross’ gets here to load medical supplies. Sherry, come with me.”

In the radar room, he gave her the story to tell Lt. Louie Gomez. “Let him know that any training mission today should carry a full battle load, to test crew capability. In all likelihood, there will be ‘mission creep’.” His phone signaled an intruder alert and a text incoming. “Make the call.”

The text from Captain McGuire was confirmation of a stealth infiltration exercise in motion. He called Max. “Talk to me, Max. What gives? I have intruders to deal with.”

“Even as we speak, a team of Seals is approaching Strike Base Devil on the north oceanside. Force Recon is on land from the south. In the records, they are on the two ships bound for a joint exercise with Bermuda. A 500 mile debarkation error happened. Stern And Pointed Questions will be asked, perhaps as soon as Christmas. They are going to be disappointed they didn’t beat your security.”

Phil glanced at the screen. “I would be more disappointed if they did. Seven on each end, spreading out into the woods and underbrush. Send them our thanks for coming to the party. Make sure they know the house is like an electric fence on steroids. It will put them down like a stun gun.”

“No problem. Talk to you later.” Max laughed and hung up.

“I heard and so did Crazyhorse. He wants to crash the party.” Sherry grinned. “We might have air cover in an hour or so.”

“They can’t act until we ask. It will break the rules and blow our cover early. Word is that we have several groups reaching for the brass ring. We think Abrams put a $20 million bounty on us, first with proof of success gets the payoff. That is a lot of incentive.”

“That is a lot but it’s not enough. Will that buy one fully-equipped Blackhawk and what we have on hand? Adam is ‘lending’ us six! Can they afford it?”

“Sherry, think for a moment. Our House is worth a billion now and we are getting richer every minute. Our parents are worth ten times that, each. How huge is Singer Industries? Thompson and Elliott are global corporations. Nations throw money at Dad. Just our immediate families control at least half a trillion. Willy and Melody’s folks control billions in real estate alone. Who knows how much all the Houses together have?”

“OK. So we can afford it. You would never know it by looking at our homes.”

“Money is a tool, not a goal. You can only sleep in one bed, drive one car at a time or eat so much. They and we got it by being smart. Not showing off and not wasting it is smart. But we will spend every penny to protect our own and not think twice about it.”

“They spent a lot of pennies on the deck of the ‘Darling’.”

“And I give them that much or more in software at below market price. There is no debt, actual or imagined, here.”

“Plus, a little word from the McGuires gets us world-class house sitters.” Sherry smiled. “I almost hope some bounty hunters try to lay a trap here. Won’t they be surprised?”

“I really don’t want them to get hurt on our account, Sherry. I appreciate the back-up, but is it their fight, all things considered?” Phil knew it was and why. He just wanted her to arrive at the same conclusion.

“They have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and have trained to be the best defenders they can be. We were attacked in an attempt to establish a criminal dictatorship based on fear, controlled by foreign thugs. Today, paid assassins are threatening White House staff members. That makes it their fight by oath and makes it real personal, too.” She calmed down some. “I know the sort of men and women out there. I am them. It is them who will be delivering the hurt. Professionals, they won’t smile till it’s over.”

“Besides, everybody hates people who try to harm cute little girls.” Phil chuckled when Sherry slugged his shoulder.

“Beast. You hurt my hand.”

“Call the Marines. Oh, never mind. You are a Marine.”

They rejoined the group. The six twins were in the kitchen rolling breakfast tortillas around scrambled eggs, sliced avocadoes, chopped chorizos and salsa. Coffee and apple juice were poured. The rest were reviewing the user guides.

“Hey, girls. I found out Abrams put out the contract for $20 million. What you think ‘bout that crap?”

Rachael reacted badly. “That cheapskate asshole put us on the discount table. We’re worth that much each. Now, I’m pissed.”

Amy moaned, “We’ve been remaindered. The shame. How will I face my Mom after this scandal?”

“Another in an endless string of poor decisions. He must have padded his résumé something fierce to even get in the door at DHS.” Lanie had to comment. “Who interviewed this bozo? Bozo?”