“We got well-trained men comin’ our way. I spot five. NVG use. One radio. Over.”
“Say again? Over.”
“A five-man unit of well-trained men is slipping around roadway obstructions. They’re equipped with night vision. One has a radio. He’s in communication with others. Over.”
“Well-trained. Got it. Part of Phoenix’s army? Over.”
“Likely. Coming from that direction. They move exceptionally well, they’re great trackers. We barely caught their movement. Over.”
“Roger that. Fall back toward us and close to 200 yards. We’re making good time.”
“Yes, sir. I copy.”
Captain Daubney updated Connor, who’d been talking at length with Renaldo for the past five minutes.
Connor simply nodded. “That’d be the plan. Plus, I’d assume Phoenix would try to send men down Nobles Lane and up around to Route 51 now that he thinks he’s got a bead on our last position. Instruct Green to fade back with us, keeping a nice cushion, captain.”
“Yes, sir. Already gave that order.” Captain Daubney nodded.
Connor grabbed his radio and spoke. “Teams Red and Blue, do you copy?”
“Blue here. Five by five.”
“Red here. Copy.”
“You catch that update from Green Team, over?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Roger that.”
“Kitchen’s getting hot. Over.”
“Roger that.”
“Copy. You want me to hang back toward ’em, Mac? Use my little friend? Over.”
“Nah, hang tight, Surf Boy. Let’s see how this evolves. Over and out.”
“Copy that.”
Nearly a mile from the KFC and moving toward the junction of Route 51 and Brownsville Road, Connor continued his tactical and strategic assessment. Renaldo’s information was proving exceptional for their continued egress.
“Captain?” said Connor.
“Sir?”
“My projections confirm the rendezvous point will be overrun before Colonel Starkes and her bird can pick us up.”
“Based on?”
“Phoenix’s army’s gonna push through the night right now with their best trackers and scouts up front and at least two or three squads trying to sneak up past us on Route 51. With an army that big we’ll not be able to wait it out. We’d be sittin’ ducks.”
“Phoenix’s army is slow-moving, sir. I’ve seen it. I don’t think that scouting team’s much of a concern at this point. They’re scouting the area, trying to get a fix on us.”
“Could be. Don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“Let me ask your opinion.”
“Please, go ahead, sir.”
“You’ve seen Phoenix in action up in Cleveland and know a bit about him, right?”
“I do. Okay.”
“Would you say Phoenix is a crazy sonofabitch?”
“Yeah, I most certainly would. He’s certifiable bat-shit crazy.”
“Agreed. And based on Renaldo and Gabriella’s escape, that unfortunate shooting of his foot, and his profound humiliation in the doing, is he the type of man who’d simply sit back and wait until morning with a large army at his disposal?”
“Ahh, I see. You’re thinking he’s coming balls to the wall.”
“The thought has crossed my mind.”
“We’re maybe three miles from the rendezvous point.”
“Yeah, I know cap’n. But, I’m thinking, we’re definitely gonna see some fireworks before we arrive.”
They walked together, thinking. Connor grunted and the captain noticed.
“What, sir?”
“Tell me again what your guys got in the way of explosives. C4, right?”
“Yeah. A bit over two pounds of it. I got a pound. Mickey’s got the rest.”
“That’s perfect. Standard load for an elite team.”
“Sir, no offense, but I’d prefer not to use the C4 unless circumstances are quite dire. It’s not like there’s a lot of this plastic explosive stuff laying around now.”
“Quite dire, indeed.”
Captain Daubney smiled at Connor’s emphasis of the word and they continued walking, each assessing the immediate tactical area for threats while thinking of the emerging situation.
“Mickey’s carrying a bit over a pound, you say?”
“He is, sir.”
“You know that squeeze at the intersection we passed where those two apartments and that old library collapsed close to the road?”
“Yeah?”
“Have Mickey blow a big-ass ditch across that road.”
“Sir? That’s what you want to use it for? A ditch?”
“Captain, do you think we have an army coming after us from behind? In the night? With purpose?”
“Oh, I think they’re coming after us, but at night with purpose? Unknown.”
“But distinctly likely?”
“Your point has merit.”
“Indeed. They’re quite motorized, are they not?”
“Sure. They’ve maintained that effort since leaving Cleveland. Doing a pretty good job of it based on the number of trucks we counted at the Hall of Fame and how many made it to Pittsburgh, so yeah, I guess they’re motorized. Less a few after that Hellfire.”
“Fifty-six trucks remain based on Renaldo’s count. And the bikes and quads and all those horses,” interjected Connor, emphasizing his point.
“Sure.”
“Even with the road blowout, we’ll only slow ’em down. But still not enough to wait for the primary rendezvous.”
“So why do it? Why waste the resources?”
“I saw a bumper sticker once.”
“You’re kidding, right, sir?” Captain Daubney caught the smile in the moonlight. He was not yet fully attuned to his new commander, but sensed a level of seriousness beneath the playful comment.
“No, and I hafta agree with the bumper sticker.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What’d it say?”
“It said: There is no problem that cannot be solved by the use of high explosives.”
“Uh, huh. Right. So, we’re going to waste our C4 for a bumper sticker?”
“Oh, there’s no waste involved. No waste at all. We need to keep that army off our assess, and be right quick about it.”
“I dunno. No offense, sir, but you might be shootin’ at ghosts.”
“Point taken. But, I’m sure I’ll prove otherwise when the time comes. Instruct Mickey to blow the road. Make sure Red and Blue Teams are on our side before he does. See to it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Connor walked toward Rhonda and Roger. Turning left, he saw Cody and Renaldo engaged in an intense conversation a few feet away. Hesitating, Gabriella picked up a glass bottle from the road between them, tucking it into her bag, before walking on.
“Roger, Rhonda?”
“Yeah?”
“We’re not settling in for the night. There’ll be some fireworks in about a half hour that might light up the sky. That’ll be our doing. Trying to keep Phoenix’s army at bay.”
“Okay, “ said Roger for the both of them.
“Fill in the youngsters we’ll keep walkin’.”
“Need me to do anything?”
“Nah, you’re good, Rog. Stay sharp.”
“Appreciate it, sir.”
“We got some runnin’ to do.”
“It keeps our lives exciting, sir.”
“It does that.”
CHAPTER 9.10-A Return to Pittsburgh
“Don’t worry, we’ll be there for the rendezvous at 18:00 today, ma’am.”
“Understood, major.”
The Superhawk droned on in the September afternoon, each passenger lost in his or her own thoughts.
“We’ll be there at least two hours beforehand.”
“I know.”
“You seem, I dunno, overly anxious.” Major O’Malley studied the intense, yet fidgety movement of the colonel in her seat. He sensed her inner turmoil.