“Nully?”
“Shhh, I’m thinkin’”
“’Kay, Nully.”
Renaldo calculated options. Definitely, the big army behind him was searching for someone. Someone named Connor MacMillen from what he was able to decipher from the radio guy talking. And, the lead man, Phoenix, wanted the man, too. He wanted him badly.
“Fuckin’, puta.” Renaldo spat into the dirt while they stayed hidden behind a Buick. He took his time assessing the area as he was taught. He knew patience was often the difference between death and surviving to live another day. Gabriella had still not fully mastered the art of patience.
“Nully?”
“Shhh!”Renaldo considered that maybe there was more than one man hiding in the gray house. He wondered if maybe these men were preparing an ambush surprise for the Phoenix army. It made some sense. Or, maybe it was simply his luck to have got him and his little sister caught between two opposing forces seeking vengeance.
“We can run that way east and hide…” said Renaldo aloud.
“Now?”
“Shhh!” Renaldo had seen the fury of Phoenix after shooting his foot. Deep down, he knew the crazy man would devote his entire army in retribution. And, there were a lot of men, certainly not 3000 like he’d boasted, but at least many hundreds. And, he knew he and Gabby would be hunted from this point on, or until they were—dead. He shivered at the thought of what that man had likely planned for his sister, and—probably him. He regarded Gabriella, so little, and crouching so close. A fierce determination rose. He weighed his options, wondering if the men being hunted, this Connor MacMillen, were any better than Phoenix. He recalled his father’s words about going it alone and safe with Gabby until he was ‘proof positive’ that joining up with a new crew was secure, advancing his well-being.
“We’re gonna have to at least explore that option this time—Papa.”
“Nully, what?”
Renaldo turned to his sister, who was watching him closely. “Gabby, now listen. This is very, very important.”
“’Kay.”
“You know Johnny Dunlop, right?”
“Uh, huh… I don’t like his dog… he wants to bite me.”
“Right. I know. But, you know how to get to where he lives from here?”
Gabriella glanced around. Renaldo patiently waited for her to regain her bearings. She nodded. “Yeah, he lives over there. A blue store. Not too far.”
“That’s right, the Best Buy.”
“Why, Nully? We going there?”
“Um, no. Not yet.”
“’Kay.”
“But, you see, I’m gonna go over to that gray house. I’m gonna see if the men hiding there can help us.”
“Now? But Papa…”
“I know, Gabby.”
“Not safe…”
“I know, Gabby, but, those bad men behind us? They won’t stop hunting us. Like ever.”
“But—”
“And, I think they’re after these guys.”
“But—”
“I know. I know. They could be bad men, too. Like Daddy says. Except, I think I want to take a chance this time and see, okay?”
“’Kay. But—”
“And I want you to run to stay with Johnny Dunlop if I go and say ‘Run Gabby!’ okay?”
“Nully?”
“What?”
“I don’t wanna leave you!” Visibly upset, Gabriella’s whole body shook; she repeatedly curled the top of the bag into a tight bunch with her hands, refusing to meet his eyes.
“Listen! Okay?” Renaldo touched her shoulder, tilting her head to better see her eyes.
“I’m taking a risk here, Gabby, I think a small one, but I hope we’re gonna be okay. You see?”
“Umm…”
“Listen. I wanna have a backup plan for you to run to Johnny if I’m wrong. Okay?”
“I don’t wanna. I really, really don’t wanna!”
“We could end up being with real good people, Gabby. Maybe. Besides, we got caught up in a bad mess back there. To get out of it, we hafta to take some risks.”
“Would Papa say so?”
“Papa ain’t here no more, Gabby. It’s only you and me.”
“Would Papa—”
“Stop it, Gabby! I’m thinkin’ what Papa taught me!”
“’Kay.”
“Stay here and hide. Keep the Colt in your hands if you have to run, okay?”
“’Kay.”
“Shoot at anyone that’s comin’ after you, but take good aim, okay? And, put that big piece of meat in your pocket right now. Leave the bag right where it sits. If I say run, got it?”
“Yeah.”
“Now—I might be a few minutes. Hide until I tell you to come out or run.”
“Oh…”
“Game face, Gabby!”
‘’Kay.”
CHAPTER 9.4-Into the Fold
“Top, You copy? The boy’s made us. Over.”
Mickey was listening to the strategy session when the radio alerted him. “Copy. Say again? Over.”
“The black-haired boy’s coming right at us. We’ve been made. Orders? Over.”
Mickey filled in the team at the KFC, Connor quickly asking for the radio. Mickey handed it over with some concern.
“Stretch, this is Colonel Mac, why’s this boy approaching your position? Over.”
“Not sure. Over.”
“He have a weapon in his hand? Over.”
Stretch ignored the fact that he was now speaking to the man they’d sought for nearly a year. It was surreal, but he ignored the legend behind the man, answering simply.
“Yes, sir. Over.”
“How’s he approaching? Over.”
“Not very cautious. Handgun in his hands. Over.”
“How’s he holding the gun? Over.”
“Sir? I’m not sure what you mean. Over.”
“Is he nervous ready to shoot, or is the gun more in front of him like ‘just in case’? Over.”
“Um, more just in case, I would say. Over.”
“Alert him to your presence immediately. Weapon neutral. Over.”
“Say again, sir? Over.”
“Now, sergeant! Alert him to your presence. Over.”
Stretch nodded to the two men nearby, radioing the men in the house. “Hold fire. Repeat. Hold all fire. I am engaging the Tango. Over.” Stretch stood to his full height, six feet and six inches, much taller than the grass in which he had hidden. The boy noticed right away, also recognizing that the automatic rifle in Stretch’s hands was pointed away and non-threatening. The boy lowered the Taurus further, and stopped twenty yards away. Stretch lifted his radio slowly to his lips. “We’ve met, sir. He’s standing twenty yards from me with a loaded handgun. Over.”
“How do you know it’s loaded? Over.”
Stretch smiled at the question. He’d made the assumption. “Good point. Over.”
“Ask him specifically how he knew you were there. Over.”
“Yes, sir. Hold for one.”
“Holding for one. Over.” Connor ignored the entire team gathered around him. He held the radio in a tight grip. For some reason, he sensed this child had some value at the moment, but was not sure why. Maybe simply because he was heading from the same direction they’d been coming from and had seen Phoenix’s advancing army. Granted, Connor knew he was pushing the envelope of engagement rules in wasting his time on a child, but his gut was telling him the decision was the right one.
Mickey was listening and had some serious concern for his men in the field. Captain Daubney was about to question the loose way the situation was going down, but noticed that John McLeod, BB and Marty simply smiled. Perhaps, they knew Connor was picking up on something that would come to light. All heads turned to the radio when Stretch responded.