Cooper smile was rueful, “Yeah, I don’t like it, but I get it.”
“Now, I have one question for you.”
“And?”
“If you were that worried about us just nabbing you and turning you over for the reward, why’d you even call us?”
Cooper didn’t miss a step, “That’s easy. I had no choice. We didn’t have enough firepower to get my boy out. I had to take the risk and hope.”
Jason’s smile withered from his face, as he turned serious, “I get that. I have a six year old son and I’d risk anything if he was in danger.”
“Thank you. I need the best from your men.”
Their eyes fixed on one another, “You’ll have it. Mr. Huynh was very clear about that. He wants our work to be solid. Always. And, most of my men have children of their own.”
He reached out and handed him the pouch full of gold. When Jason took it, he extended his hand and they shook once more. The grip was firmer this time. Then, they separated and made it back to their vehicles.
Dranko was already sitting in the Jeep when Cooper got back in.
“What was that all about?” He asked.
“I had to find out why they weren’t just hauling me in for the reward.”
Dranko grunted, “I was wondering about that myself. I figured it was a very high risk, but didn’t want to bother you with it.”
“You went into this, thinking it could be a trap?” Cooper’s tone revealed his surprise.
“Sure did, brother.”
“Damn, you are a good friend.”
Dranko shrugged, “Nah, I just know something to be true.”
“What’s that?”
“You’d have done the same for me if the shoe was on the other foot.”
Cooper gave his friend a warm smile, “True.”
“So, what’d he say?”
“He said I’m good for business because of the chaos I’ve caused. And, I’m better for business while on the loose.” Dranko heard the sorrow in his friend’s voice.
“Sorry, brother. But, look at the bright side.”
Cooper turned to look at him, “You’re telling me about the bright side? The apocalypse must truly be upon us!”
“That I am. As much as you don’t like it, it is keeping you from getting kidnapped and turned over to the government.”
A forlorn grimace took hold of Cooper’s face, “I guess. But that’s gotta be the worst ‘bright side’ I’ve heard in my entire life.”
Dranko made a mocking low bow, “Forgive me, sir. I don’t have much practice.”
That brought a chuckle from Cooper.
Their vehicles were stacked upon the side of the road, about a half-mile from where Jake and Julianne were being held. Cooper closed his eyes deliberately and sniffed the air, trying to calm his nerves. The pine was heavy with a faint hint of lavender mixed in. He was pacing up and down the line of pickups and SUVs. They were waiting for one more, carrying two more men from Miles’ group. Cooper couldn’t remember being more amped up before an action than he was now. A lot more at stake than any time before.
He edged up to Freddie, who was puffing on a cigarette at the end of the line.
“Can I have one?” Cooper asked.
Freddie’s eyes opened in surprised, but he quickly recovered, “Sure. The first one’s free. The second will cost you a pound of gold!” Freddie’s quip was nearer the truth than not. Cigarettes were quickly becoming very scarce and expensive. Dranko was endless in pontificating about the stupidity of being addicted to any substance.
“I won’t be having another. I just need something to calm my nerves before we do this thing,” Cooper responded seriously.
Freddie fished the pack out of his pocket and handed a cigarette to Cooper.
“Yeah, that’s what I said two weeks ago. Now, I’m hooked like a heroin addict.”
Cooper took the cigarette into his mouth and leaned in so that Freddie could light it with his Zippo. He inhaled deeply. He hadn’t smoked in a long time and coughed loudly. Freddie smiled at him.
“Been a while?”
“Not since basic training. I tried it then but it never took.” Cooper’s cigarette glowed again as he pulled in another drag. The rush from the nicotine was already hitting him. I need every advantage today.
Freddie saw the pleasant look on his face, “You feeling it?”
Cooper nodded, “I figure it will make me a bit more alert. I need anything that will help today.”
The two men puffed away without saying another word. By the time he had finished his, Cooper’s head was buzzing. He felt more awake than he had. As his heel crushed the butt on the roadway, the final pickup came whining over the hill and eased into a spot behind the last vehicle.
“Right on cue,” Freddie mused.
“Thanks,” Cooper said as he strode toward Dranko’s Jeep, where the map was spread out. This was where they would do the mission briefing. As he walked down the line, he called out to those around him to gather round. The word quickly spread down to the farthest vehicle at the head of their queue. Men quickly finished cigarettes, adjusted their gear, were woken up by their friends, and assembled around him after a few minutes’ delay.
Dranko had taped the map up onto the Jeep’s driver-side door and everyone crowded around it. Cooper motioned the front rank to kneel or crouch so that the second rank could see it clearly. The groups clustered by those that they knew best. The Asian gang members were off to Cooper’s left, in the second row. Miles’ group, which included seven men and a woman, were to his right, evenly split between the two rows. His friends did the same, filling up the space directly in front of him.
He reviewed the plan once again and liked that it was simple. He knew no plan survived the point of first contact with the enemy. So, he reasoned, a simple plan was even more needed with a group of largely untrained people. He was hoping that Hodges’ men were also inexperienced. If they weren’t, it would likely be a bloodbath in the wrong direction.
He was having Huynh’s men perform the flanking move around the left and to attack from the rear. He remembered reading somewhere, possibly in Sun Tzu’s Art of War, that men fighting for money should be used in a way that minimized their casualties. Mercenaries usually didn’t fight as hard as men fighting for kith and kin or their homes. Angela and two men from Miles’ group would form the sniper group. Angela was placed in charge of that group. The rest were divided into two fire teams that would attack from the front. Cooper would lead one made up of Dranko, Calvin, Buck, and Freddie. Miles would lead the other, composed of the people that had come with him. Cooper’s group would be front and center, while Miles’ would be to their immediate right. Cooper took a few questions before concluding the briefing. He saved the most important for last.
He gave a quick description of Julianne and asked them all to be alert for her. Then, he paused for affect and pulled something out from his chest pocket. He held up Jake’s picture and let silence take hold.
“This is my son Jake. This is who we are after.” Cooper paused again and handed the picture to the person nearest him, Freddie. “Please take a good look and then pass it along. I’ve already lost his mother and I can’t lose him. Jake is eleven years old. Before all this, he was just a normal boy. Probably like your son, if you have one about his age. He liked to ride his bike, read, and play video games.” Cooper wanted to personalize his son in timid hope that it would encourage those around him to fight harder to bring him home safely. His emotions came through clearly in his voice. He stopped again, collecting himself, before continuing.