Almost an hour passed after the last round had been fired. Haliday sat there still. He had not heard any of the vehicles move out yet. He was worried they might launch an assault on one single location and he knew if they did it would be costly. He closed his eyes and he prayed. He heard an engine start. The damn deuce and a half. He heard another engine start as well. He warned the group, “If they come in vehicles, get the hell out of there.” That wouldn’t be the case though, they wouldn’t have to.
The engine noises got quiet as the vehicles were leaving the area. Haliday called Rob on the radio. Rob answered, “Roger, you ok man?”
“Rob, we took some serious shit with the fan on high and I have to tell you this. This damn family and these friends of ours put up a hell of a fight. We all made it through, some injuries but I’m not sure how bad yet.”
“Look, Roger, I can probably get a nurse to you guys if you can hold on six hours or so.”
“That would be great,” Roger answered back. “Look Rob, these guys are now heading back. I can’t tell you how many or what shape they are in. I can tell you this much. If they are stopped from reaching that damn airport, then that would be the best thing for everyone.”
“What do you suggest, Roger?”
“You fight dirty Rob, dirtier than you have been. They have to come through that main gate. There are only two ways to get to it. From the east or from the west. You need to put as much of your firepower on those areas as you can. Put them on the roofs, put them in the windows, put them wherever you can.”
“Make sure they have cover and make sure they hit them hard and fast. No heroes. No storming the convoy. Don’t use anyone as bait, don’t do anything stupid. Brad will help you. Once you get these guys taken care of, the compound can be dealt with at another time. Once they realize they are on their own, things will change. You have about 30 to 45 minutes tops. Good luck, we’ll be thinking about you.”
“Ok, thanks Roger.”
Haliday waited a bit more. He listened intently for any signs of movement. He called in for a situation report from everyone. Everyone was able to either call in, or get word to someone with a radio who passed it on to Roger. The news was incredible. Haliday sat down against a tree, his eyes welled up. They had beaten the odds and did so without losing a single life in his group.
He made his way back to pick up his M24 and the rest of the gear he had left behind. He called the group and told them he would be using the edge of the woods to reach the house. He reached the west side and called them and told them he was coming out of the woods and to hold their fire. He jogged in and made it to Mark’s position.
He lay down next to Mark. “Mark, can you get the injured into the house? See about getting them stabilized and I’ll take over your position for you.”
Mark said, “Roger, I’m good out here, get your people inside and taken care of.”
“Mark, listen, you’re a part of this family now, too. No way in hell could this have worked without your help. Do me a favor, get our injured in there for me.”
“You got it, sir.”
“It ain’t sir. It’s Roger.”
Mark called Alan, “You keep your eyes peeled 360 degrees. Let us know if you see anything.” Mark told Blake to meet him over by Diana’s hole. They met up with Diana, pulled her up out of the hole, and she moaned in pain. They ran her over to the house. Rich was keeping an eye out on the woods and Karen and Bev tended to Diana.
Mark and Blake ran out and helped David up; they got him over to the house as well. Mark asked Alan how he was doing and Alan said he was fine for now. Roger crawled over to Kayla, “How you doing kiddo?”
“Holy shit Dad. I mean what the hell just happened here?”
He patted her on her back, “You did good kiddo. You did good. What happened was you fought for your life and ours.”
He crawled over to Lisa next. “You doing alright?” he asked. She responded, but he didn’t understand her. Lisa’s words were scrambled.
She said, “I guess so, I feel dizzy a dizzy a little dizzy, but might just hungry be.”
“Nothing to eat in that hole?” he asked.
“I forgot that, I guess I do, I think maybe, I can eat it.” She didn’t really make any sense. He put his hand on her shoulder to ask her again if she was ok. He pulled his hand back and it was wet with blood.
“Mark, get your ass over here,” Roger said. Mark came running with Blake. “She’s hit or something. Get her in the house.” Mark lifted up Lisa and quickly ran to the house. He ran inside and yelled for some help. Roger told Blake to get down and stay here. Blake asked if he could move the body of the militia man.
“Ya, go ahead,” Roger said.
Blake went to grab the body and yanked his hand back. “Damn, I cut my finger,” he said.
Roger said, “Don’t move Blake.”
Haliday grabbed his flashlight and took a chance and turned it on. “Damn it,” he said. He reached over and grabbed the foot trap that was still stuck in the dead mans body. He tossed it toward the front of the hole. “You gonna live Blake?” he asked.
Blake said, “Ya, just a small cut.”
“Grab your first aid kit and clean it out now. Put a band aid on it. I’ll be right back.”
Haliday ran into the house. They had Lisa on the floor and on her stomach. Haliday dropped down and pulled out his knife. Get her jacket off. After they took her jacket off, Haliday cut her shirt open. He looked at Mark, “No offense man,” he cut her bra away and they all looked at the wound. Haliday barked out some orders.
When the man half fell into her fighting position, the spike strip caught her in the back. She thought it was just him falling on her. After she got him out of the hole, she thought the pain was just a torn muscle or something. One of the spikes had caught her on her shoulder blade and hit a vein.
Bev and Karen put some gloves on; they grabbed a large syringe and irrigated the gash. They opened a sponge with antiseptic agent on it and scrubbed the whole area. Bev used some quickclot on it and waited. The blood stopped oozing out. She put a bandage on it and taped it up. Haliday said, “Put her by the wood burner and cover her up.”
He looked at Mark, “I’m sorry man, I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t either. I don’t think she knew herself,” Mark said. “She’s supposed to eat every few hours too. I think we just got caught up in everything.”
“Mark, you stay in here, I got the outside covered.” Mark started to follow Haliday outside. Haliday turned around; “Get the hell back in there.”
“Roger, she’s in good hands, we might still have problems.”
He looked at Mark again, “Get in there. You come out before I tell you to and I’ll shoot you my damn self.” Mark went back in the house and over by Lisa.
Chapter 31
Haliday did a check of everyone. They were all sitting tight and waiting. No one knew what to expect or if they should expect anything. Haliday made sure he talked to them individually as people, keeping things as personal as possible. He had to make sure they hung on to their humanity. They’d fight their own demons over time, but he knew how to help them with that. Start now and it would help in the long run.
“Hey Blake, just think, two weeks ago you were asking people if they wanted fries with their order.”
Blake’s response was quick; “You mean pick up or delivery?”
Haliday thought, good, he has that contact with the past. “Of course I did Blake, get used to my screwing with you on a regular basis, pizza boy.”
“Hey Kayla?”
“Ya Dad?”
“You mind running out to Starbucks for me?”
“Oh, you’re a riot Dad, but I am craving some coffee.”