“Approaching him, sir. Hold.” Bewildered and wondering what he had got himself into, Stretch held up his hand for the boy to stop, even though it was clear the boy would not move forward without some reason. Stretch raised his voice. “Hey boy, how’d you know we were here?”
“Say what?”
“How’d you know we were here?”
“Right. Your team was sloppy on entry. Left a trail. One of your men swiped the car window there to see inside. Fresh clean swipe on a dirty car tells me someone’s near.”
“Anything else?”
“The grass was trampled. In several places heading to the gate. Cigarettes and meat cooking tells me someone’s around here somewhere. And them windows up there were closed last time I came through.”
Stretch filled Connor in on the reasons. Connor laughed and radioed Stretch. “Stretch, I know I just busted into your command chain, but do me a favor? Over.”
“Sir? Yes, sir. Over.” Stretch found it strange to be asked for permission.
“Tell the boy detective that he’s safe. Ask him to come in and talk to the commander, me, on the radio. Show him we’re serious, set your weapon down and make sure the men around you do the same. But, tell him if he does anything stupid, the guys in the window will take out his friend. You understand? Over.”
“Yes, sir. Roger that.”
“Make it clear to the men in the windows to shoot only on your orders. Over.”
“Yes, sir. Over and out.” The men near Stretch overheard the verbal exchange and were aghast. Stretch, himself, was wondering what good would come out of this. But, he looked to his men, nodding. “You heard the man. Set ’im down and stand up.”
Renaldo stared at the fierce men rising above the weeds in the yard. Reflexively, he flinched, his right hand starting to raise the Taurus, but stopping when he knew the men were unarmed and would not shoot. Lowering the Taurus, he walked a few feet closer. Studying the tall man, he waited, watching him speak again into a radio. Several other men stood near him, glancing at the tall man. Nearly fainting with relief, Renaldo slipped the Taurus into his belt, smiling his best ‘meeting new strangers’ smile. A few seconds later, he was waved in by the tall man. Calculating the potential for capture, Renaldo tried to figure out what had just happened. Pleased, he gained some confidence.
“My commander wants to speak with you.”
“Yeah?”
“To show you we’re serious in not shooting you, we’ve set our weapons down. My commander only wants to talk.
“And that’s all?”
“Yeah. Those are my orders.”
“Wow. For real?”
“But, just so you understand, you do anything stupid, my guys in the window will take out your friend hiding behind that Buick. You got it?”
Renaldo lost a good bit of his building confidence, but held hope that he’d made the right decision approaching this team.
“Okay. I understand.”
“Your name?”
“Renaldo Miguel.”
“Got it. You can call me Stretch.”
“I wonder why—”
“C’mon over here, Renaldo Miguel. Talk to my Colonel.”
“Okay.”
CHAPTER 9.5-Delicate Fingers
“What time is it?”
“10:30.”
“Crap! Why’d you let me sleep so long?”
“Not very long, ma’am. You were up when they finished the bird repair. You needed it, ma’am.”
Colonel Starkes rose from the sleeping bag in the back hatch of the Superhawk. Smoothly, she grabbed her fatigues and moved toward the door in only her t-shirt and panties. Bouncing on one foot and then the other, she slipped into the fatigue pants and shirt before dropping to the grass in bare feet. Turning, she snatched her boots resting at the bay door and forced them over her socks. Shoelaces untied, she stretched her languid form, pushing the last remnants of sleep away. She smiled at the major.
“Coffee?”
“The last we had for the trip is in the pot on the table in the warehouse over there.”
“Excellent.”
“I woulda brought you one, but the last pot’s brewing. Seems we’re out for the duration.”
“No more coffee?”
“Lucky to have made it this far, ma’am.”
“Major?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“You find a fresh batch of coffee for tomorrow or I’ll demote you to private. You got that?”
“Ma’am?”
“I want a sufficient supply of coffee before we return to Storm. I don’t care how old. Find it. Those are your orders.”
“Ma’am? Are you serious?”
“Do I look like I’m not serious?”
“No ma’am.”
“Good.”
“But—”
“Major?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“You’re the most resourceful and creatively clever man I know. Indulge me and find a solution. That’s why you’re my second in command.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“That being said, you have your new orders.”
“Yes, ma’am—um.”
“Now then, to what do I owe the honor of your waking me?”
“A few pressing issues I thought you’d want to know about.”
“Go on.”
“Ren and Stimpy went huntin’ last night. They have something to show you over in the warehouse. You might like it.”
Colonel Starkes smiled, sensing that maybe they had killed a more few members of that damn wolf/dog pack slinking around in the night.
“We got fresh meat for travel, major?”
“Something like that.” Major O’Malley smiled mischievously, glancing at the four men guarding the ’copter. “Guys. I think we have enough coffee left for a cup each if you hurry. I’ll assume guard while you take the Colonel in. Take twenty before I expect your return.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Appreciate it, sir.”
“Sir.”
The colonel walked with the men, entering the warehouse. Following the scent of fresh coffee to the table near the corrugated tin wall, she waved the men to the chipped blue coffee percolator. Touching the side, she pulled her hand back at the heat.
“After you, men.”
All hesitated, until Daniels grabbed a paper cup, filling it nearly to the top. Turning, he handed it to the colonel.
“Here you go, ma’am.”
Smiling, she took her first sip of the black coffee, taking the cup in both hands, as she’d always done since her first cup at age thirteen.
“Thank you, lieutenant.”
The men grabbed cups and looked hopefully for sugar, and, if fate was so pleased, some non-dairy creamer.
“Check out the green bag over to the side,” said Nicole.
The men turned at her voice, watching as she exited the glassed manager office near the doors. Barefoot, she wore worn jeans and a white t-shirt and carried CJ on her hip. All four men appreciated her striking beauty and the natural, sexy movement of her long legs and hips as she moved toward them. Unbidden, each stole glances at the bounce beneath her white t-shirt before quickly returning to gathering up some coffee.
“That’s sugar, guys—it’s edible. It comes out in chunks. But, you hafta break off pieces from inside the container.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s hard, but dissolves okay.”
“It’s hard alright…” mumbled Lieutenant Simpson to Lieutenant Daniels.
“Simpson!” said Daniels, whispering.
“Sorry, sir.”