“If I don’t?” Before he said anything further, Phoenix felt the sting of the next bullet, slicing meat off his right triceps. Forcing himself not to wince, he stared at Renaldo.
“I’ll admit, that got my attention.”
“Tell all these men comin’ to hold fire. Hold fire! You hear me? Me or Gabby gets hit you die.”
The events outside Phoenix’s fury rushed in around him, beyond his tunnel vision. He raised his arms quickly to hold off the incoming men. “Hold Fire! Hold Fire!”
Men ran toward them. Many already had rifles and automatic weapons or handguns pointed in their direction. For a brief second, Phoenix wondered if his men would decide to listen.
“Make them stay back, lead man,” suggested Renaldo. His voice was both calm and commanding.
“Stay back! That’s an order. Stay back.” Phoenix glanced at the boy and was, despite himself, quite impressed. And seriously pissed.
Renaldo scanned the men fast approaching, gauging intent. “Walk to the truck. Then, you drive.”
Phoenix turned toward the truck, but Renaldo stopped him. “Wait, puta. Stop. Take out that Taurus. Set it on the ground.”
“Fat chance you fuck.”
“And turn and walk backwards in front of me to the truck.”
“You hard of hearing? I said fat chance.”
Renaldo lined up the Berretta onto his groin. “I will not ask again… Lead man.”
The steel in the young boy’s voice belied his age. Phoenix moved quickly to set the gun on the asphalt. “Can you believe this shit?” Phoenix yelled to the sky and to no one in particular. He ignored Larry writhing on the ground.
“Move!” yelled Renaldo.
Phoenix turned and stumbled forward, the Berretta pressed hard against his spine.
“Stop!”
Phoenix stopped and Renaldo quickly picked up the Taurus.
“Move!”
They made it to the truck where Gabriella sat inside tucked tight onto the passenger floorboards. A black gun from the glove box was in her small hands and aimed in their direction.
“I’ll get in first, lead man. You follow. You drive.”
“Whatever you say, Renaldo.” Numb, like in a dream, Phoenix knew this could not be happening to him. He decided it was best to play along.
“Tell your men not to follow. Make it clear!”
“Don’t follow us! That’s an order. Larry? You understand?”
“I’m gonna kill him!” said Larry.
“Do you understand, Larry?”
“Okay! But, I’m still gonna kill him!”
Phoenix slid into the driver seat, feeling the barrel of the Taurus pushed into his temple. The cocking sound was quite familiar. It made him smile insanely in remembrance until he felt the Berretta also pushed into his side. Glancing quickly, he watched Renaldo study the exit route he planned to take.
“Close the door, you puta. Start the truck. Drive. That way. Now!”
Phoenix sensed the extra pressure of the barrel to the side of his head and reached to pull the door shut. “Okay. Okay!” He started the truck, putting it in gear.
Renaldo spoke to his sister without turning his focus from Phoenix. “Gabby? Remember, we can’t shoot him yet, okay? Okay?”
“Kay, Nully.”
“Do like I told you we’d do for now. Okay? Just like Daddy trained us.”
“’Kay.” Trembling, Gabby sought calm in her brother’s words and steadied the gun swaying from side to side. It was clear she wanted to be rid of the presence of this evil man. Raw emotion getting the better of her, Gabby regained her fury. “I don’t like him!”
Staring into the barrel of the .45 Colt held by the young girl, Phoenix knew his time had come. He steadied his focus on the quivering tiny finger on the trigger.
Renaldo made a quick effort to console her. “I know. I know. But listen—”
“He was gonna do what Papa said, wasn’t he? Wasn’t he, Nully?”
“Gabby! I need your daddy game face. Now!”
“’Kay, Nully.” Gabby transformed into a small girl composed well beyond her years. She slipped into better position on the seat, keeping below the window. Much calmer now, she lowered the window, the gun was held loosely in her lap. She was ready to raise and fire out the window, if instructed.
Phoenix tried to regain control. “You know, Nully. You’re gonna die today despite what you think.” The cold demeanor spoke volumes. Phoenix began calculating odds and action vectors. Regaining confidence that this little event might be controlled and managed like any other predicament, he continued. “What you need to—”
“One more word. I kill you, you puta,” said Renaldo. In anger, he spit toward the steering wheel.
“I don’t think so, Sport. You need me right now to get your little precious to safety.”
“Don’t make me say it again.”
“Fuck you, Nully!” Phoenix smacked the steering wheel to emphasize his point. “I got 3000 men that’ll be tracking your ass after this.”
The Berretta jammed into his side shifted and now rested atop his kneecap. The Taurus remained firm and pressed hard against the side of his head. Phoenix found the confidence of the boy’s movements disconcerting. The young boy spoke with confidence.
“One. More. Word.”
Phoenix glanced at the Berretta, realizing that he’d like to keep his knee in one piece. Sensibly, he kept quiet. For now. Phoenix began driving in the designated direction.
“Drive right up that road there. And trust me, lead man puta, my daddy trained me for this kinda crap my entire life.”
They drove up Arlington Road, passing several rusted wrecks, emerging onto Brownsville Road. They made a right, heading south.
“Gabby, you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Can I kill ’im, Nully? Can it be me?”
“Shh! Keep sharp. You know better than to talk like that now.”
“Sorry, Nully.”
CHAPTER 8.20-First Light
“We could leave at first light, ma’am. Good to go.”
“You make it seem so easy to switch out that tailshaft bearing, Scott.”
Colonel Starkes stood in the fast fading glow of the chem-pak lighting positioned around the Superhawk. With the late evening repairs complete, there was no need to break open any more, as the supply was rather limited. Standing near the back rotor, she noticed the tired smiles on the faces of GT, Scott and Shamus. Though each had a mechanics rag and wiped faces and hands, it was clear that they’d require more than just a few swipes to get clean.
“I don’t know about easy, ma’am. But, probably easier for us three, I might say. You asked. We delivered. Simple as that.”
“So, the legend lives, huh Scott? GT? Shamus?” She watched their faces and caught the level of pride and satisfaction.
“I don’t know about any legend, ma’am,” answered Scott for all three of them.
“Well, I thank you for your efforts.”
Scott, Shamus and GT were fully spent from their all night overhaul. Grease and gear oil was spattered over large sections of their clothes. They were sorely in need of a bath. And some sleep.
“We don’t need to be there in Pittsburgh until the rendezvous at 18:00. Is that understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Scott, speaking for the group.
The colonel focused on Shamus. “Correct, Shamus?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay. I want you to calculate our return time. I want to build in an extra sixty minutes for recon over Pittsburgh on our way in.”
“Yes, ma’am. The major has already defined that.”
“Good. In the meantime, each of you has orders to eat and sleep as much as you can before we depart.”