Dark as Daylight Ch. 12

"Our guys can start a rearguard action, when it becomes too intense out there. We can cover their retreat from up here."

"We have to get approval from General Marcus for all this. It does seem like our best hope."

"I agree, but I think you should let Laura discuss it with the General. She's wearing the pants in your family."

Joe yelled, "Would you give that a rest for a while?"

"Okay, but only a little while. I don't want you and Laura to be apart too long."

"I'm going to sit you on a mortar tube, and light you up."

"You notice Laura is being very quiet about this."

"If I wasn't praying for patience, Tom, you would be eating lead from my 9 mm."

"You don't need patience Laura; you need a bed."

"Joe, I want the name of the guy by that tree, who started this. I am going to kill him. If you don't take Tom with you to speak to the General, I'm going to kill him. If you don't do what I tell you to do, I'm going to kill the both of you. Then I'll go speak to the General. Now move out, before I get angry."

Tom grabbed Joe, and hid behind him. "Joe protect me; your wife is angry."

Laura took off her helmet and threw it at them. It hit Joe square in the face.

"Leave now."

Tom stayed behind Joe, and began moving backwards, as quickly as that position would allow them to accomplish.

"Maybe, if you buy her flowers on the way back here, she will calm down."

"If you don't stop this shit, Angela is going to be a widow very soon."

"I'm sorry if I'm hitting too close to home Joe. I will stop, not for long, but I will stop."

*********************

Tom explained the purposes of the move to General Marcus, who was not altogether sold on the idea.

Joe asked the General, "Sir, if they do come in the front door, how would you defend against it?"

"I would drop 1000 pound bombs on them."

"Do you have a few of them handy sir?"

"No; but I have friends in Charleston that do."

"We will have someone get your car. Drive you to Charleston and ask your friend about those bombs. Take him out to dinner, have a few drinks, and come back in the morning. You can tell us what he said. We will take care of things here while you're gone."

"Are you trying to take after that smart ass Colonel I keep talking to on the telephone?"

"Is he the one that told you to use the roadbuilding equipment to break up the rear attack?"

"That's him."

"Yes, I'm trying to take after him sir. We need to make this move, and we need to make it now."

"You have my permission to do it. I need a rifle, ammunition, and armor. I'll join you out front."

"No you won't sir. We need you in here to coordinate, between us and the helicopters. We need the helicopters directly over the top of us, firing down at the Op-Force, not moving if at all possible; but they have to watch out for their own safety too."

"I still want a rifle and armor, because if anyone enters this area I don't know personally, I'm shooting first and I'll ask questions later."

"I'll make sure you have it, sir. When was the last time you fired a gun?"

"I was a bomber pilot."

"That's what I thought. I'll send you a small gun, with stickers on it."

"Don't be funny Joe, I know which end the bullet comes out, and that's not the end I want facing me."

***************************

As they were walking towards the end of the tunnel, they knew something was up. There were boxes of dynamite stacked just inside the entrance, with prima-cord already attached. There were people moving crates of ammunition down the hill. They hadn't been told to do it, or what positions to cover. They were already doing it, and there was only one answer for it.

Tom moved away from Joe, before he said, "Your wife has been busy."

Joe replied menacingly, "One way or the other Tom, Angela is going to be collecting on your life insurance policies very soon."

"If you two are finished playing, the enemy started moving towards our center just over four minutes ago. We expect them to join in less than seven minutes."

"And how would you have this information?"

"The Huey lifted off 10 minutes ago. They were able to see both groups on the move."

"Where are Little Bird, and Dragon?"

"Little Bird just landed to rearm and refuel. No one's heard from Dragon for the last 15 minutes."

"Why is there dynamite inside the entrance to the building site?"

"Why are men so fucking dense. If we are going to be overrun, why do we all have to die? You tell everyone to fall back into the building site and blow the entrance. They can't get in, and I can guarantee you, they are not going to stay out there for the next week to try to dig us out. We make a phone call to 911. What is your emergency?

'We are under attack by 500 mercenaries at the 'Deep Space Science Project.' Send help but use caution they are well armed and very dangerous.'

'We will see how we can help you. Hold out for as long as you can."

The police chief calls the mayor. The mayor calls the governor. The governor calls out the National Guard, which just happens to have an office down the block.'

The police send a helicopter to see what's happening.

The FBI sends people to see what's happening.

These guys scattered to the four winds.

Gee whiz we are saved, and no one has to die needlessly."

What a marvelous idea it was to blow up the entrance to the building site.

"Whose idea was it to blow up the entrance to the building site?"

"It was Joe's idea to blow up the entrance to the building site."

"Great going Joe; you now make $60,000 a month, for doing nothing."

"What did I do to upset you now? Why don't you like me, Laura?"

"I did like you, until everyone started saying we were getting married."

"I didn't say it; why you taking it out on me?"

"Probably because you're an honest guy, you remind me of someone, and I do like you."

Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire

Laura turned on her headset and yelled, "Center hold your fire. Right and left open fire at targets of opportunity."

Tom came running towards the top of the hill, with a smile on his face. Before he could say a word Laura cut him off.

"If you say one word about us getting married, before you resume control over these men, don't turn your back on me, not ever. I won't tell you when it will happen, but trust me it will happen. When it does, someone will be cleaning your diapers for the rest of your life."

He stopped short. He looked down at her, with a gleam in his eyes. "Mommy, you're mean."

Laura burst out laughing. When she regained control of herself she asked,

"Joe, where did you find this idiot?"

"We were in the same rabbit holes in Iraq, and Afghanistan. His idiotic sense of humor is how we survived."

"You two deserve each other."

"You're absolutely right Laura; you and Joe do deserve each other."

"I am going to kill him. Will his wife be rich, when he's dead?"

"I don't know about rich, but you are still going to be beautiful."

"Did you hear what he said Laura?"

"No, but I'm sure you're going to enlighten me."

He said, "I don't know about rich, but you are still going to be beautiful. I rest my case."

Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire

Tom said, "The South has reached the center. That was just a test to see if we would open up on them, and divulge our positions. In another few minutes, the North will be there, and then all hell is going to break loose. That's what I was coming here to tell you, before I was so rudely interrupted."

Laura replied, "They have not seen what we have prepared for them in the center. When they do combine, they'll will charge. We will beat the first attack back. It will cost them dearly. They do not realize what they were going to use as cover to charge up the hill, we are using to keep them from getting to the hill in the first place.

After that our men will need helicopter support to hang in there; unless you want them to start falling back, while the op-force is still in retreat."

"Joe, why all of a sudden, do I feel like a General, sitting on my ass, listening to a briefing, rather than giving one?"

Laura saw the two men looking at her.

"I'm sorry guys. This is what I do every day. I'll back off, and you can take over. This is your thing. These are your people. I apologize."

"You or me Joe?"

"I'll take this one."

"Okay, but be nice, otherwise your bed is going to be very cold at night."

"Give it a rest please."

"Laura, why are you apologizing for doing a great job. Everything you've laid out is what either one of us would have done, under the same circumstances, if we were smart enough to do it.

You realized what the Op-Force was going to do, before we did. You took action, while we went inside and consulted with the General. We lost time, while you were making preparations for war.

You thought of blowing up the entrance to the building site to keep the enemy from getting to their prize, not us. It gave us a fallback position, so every one of us didn't have to die fighting out here, to the very end. We would have, but life is preferable. Your solution was a brilliant piece of strategy. I thank you in advance, for those of us who survive today."

Laura didn't realize it, but Tom was quick to point it out.

"LOOK, you embarrassed the poor dear. Her face is bright red, she is blushing."

Laura screamed. "I am not blushing. It's damn hot under this armor, I'm sweating."

"Women don't sweat, they glisten."

"I don't know about most women, I'm sweating."

"Maybe your body is sweating, but your face is pink, you are blushing."

"Nothing in this world could make me blush. I've seen it all, and I've heard it all. Let's take care of these idiots, so I can take the Attorney General back to Washington, and get back to work."

"Are you going to take Joe with you?"

"That's it, you're dead."

She leaped at Tom, but Joe grabbed her before she could get to him.

"Listen tiny; we have more important things to do now then kill each other. Let's take care of one enemy at a time."

"Who the hell are you calling tiny? I've been able to take down perps his size, without any problem. One more remark out of him, and I'll scratch his eyes out."

"She is getting very touchy for a woman that does not care about what happens to you Joe. I'd be extremely careful around her, if I were you."

"If you don't stop this Tom, you're going to have two of us to worry about."

"All you two need now is a ring, a reverend, and a bed to seal the deal."

"I'm going to call Angela. I am going to ask her permission to kill you. If she says yes, you better run to the other side, in a hurry. You know I'm good out to 800 yards."

"Laura, you are an officer of the law. I want you to arrest that man. He just threatened to kill me."

"You're absolutely correct Thomas. I did hear him threaten to kill you. However, it was only a threat. If he did kill you, I would testify it was a case of 'Justifiable Homicide.' I will swear to it in a court of law."

"There is only one way you could do that, and look at yourself in the mirror the next morning. You could never perjure yourself, not after 18 years as a law enforcement officer. The only way you can get out of testifying Joseph killed me is by using spousal privilege. You have to marry him now, as a precaution. Is there a rabbi close by?"

"Joe, close your eyes for a minute."

"I can't let you do it Laura. You close your eyes; I will do it."

"No you won't. He's your friend. I can kill him your friend, you can't."

"I have a better idea."

"What is it?"

"You're going to think I'm crazy."

"I've been going crazy, since I got here, and met you two. What's your idea?"

"Why don't we get married. You said you like me. I know damn well I like you. You're feisty as hell. You don't take shit from anyone. You're just beyond beautiful, and I've wanted to jump on your bones, without your clothes on, since I met you. I know what it's like to be in love, because I've been there before. You make me ache to be beside you, and I've never had this feeling before, with anyone.

Yes, I've been to bed with all my fiancés, and I believe I loved them as much as they loved to me. It's probably why they left me. I'm not joking, and this is straight from my heart: Laura Burkart will you marry me?"

The look on Laura's face was priceless, and it was caught for posterity on Tom's cell phone; not once, but as many times as it could in succession.

It took something extraordinary to make Laura speechless, but this was one of those times. How could she even consider something like this? In total she may have known this man for 18 hours, and he was asking her to marry him. There was something about him that she could not shake. She knew it from the moment she first saw him walk into the room. She had seen him before, or someone just like him. It gave her a feeling inside she couldn't let go. This was not like her. She didn't know what it was, but she was really attracted to 'Joseph Constantine.'

However, she never acted like this. This was not like her at all. She was not impulsive. She was methodical. She went from point to point to point; picking up each shred of evidence along the way. She put criminals in jail, by not making mistakes the defense could use against the prosecution in court. Her evidence was always top notch, and her conviction rate was 97%. The other 3% were overturned by legal technicalities, and she was pissed about those.

There was one more thing; she only had two years remaining, until she could retire. There was no way in hell, she was going to give that up for any man. He would have to understand she was committed to finish out her 20 years, and then collect her pension for the rest of her life.

As she came out of her stupor, she saw Tom taking pictures of her.

She looked at Joe, and then laughed. "Did you get a good laugh out of that Joe? Did you get enough pictures of me making a fool of myself? For a moment I thought, well forget what I thought. But I'm sure Tom had a great time. Thanks for making me feel like an idiot."

Joe took her by the shoulders, and shook her. "Hey, you in there, listen to me. My name is Joseph Constantine, and I just asked you to marry me. I don't know what you are thinking inside that dense head of yours, but I don't go around asking just anyone to marry me. I just asked you, Laura Burkart, to do me the honor of being my wife. What went on in that silly head of yours to make you think that this was some sort of the joke? What do I have to do to prove to you I'm not kidding?"

"I don't understand; how you can ask me something like that, when we haven't kissed, gone to a movie, walked along the banks of a river, or made out?"

"The kiss is easily remedied. The other stuff we can do later, when we have more time."

And remedy that he did; not as in the movies, where the hero pulls the woman into his arms, throws her back onto her heels, to the point her long, lustrous hair touches the ground as she succumbs to his charms.

He moved her easily to him, allowed her to decide what to do with her arms, as his face approached hers.

She moved up on her tip toes to move her lips up to his, as he bent his neck and shoulders to get down to hers. His 6'4" and her 5'3" frames would always be separate, and unequal, but by the time their kiss ended, Laura wondered if plodding, when it came to love, was the best method to follow.

Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire Gunfire

The Southern and Northern groups joined, and after a brief consultation, they agreed the plan of action to divide the hill, and close in on the entrance to the building site, from the enemy's weakest position; his center, was the best option.

They would use their massive number advantage, and charge up the hill at them. They would take losses, but they would gain their prize swiftly.

Nearly 700 men prepared for the charge. Their weapons were checked, prayers were said, and the word was given.

Out of the shadows they came, running as quickly as they could, firing their weapons at the parapets on the top of the hill, and towards the right and left flanks to suppress any inbound fire.

Bullets bounced off the walls behind the entry of the building site, before the three of them realized what was happening.

"Laura get down."

"I'm the short one, you get down dummy."

Tom said, "I love it. You just had your first kiss, now you're having your first argument."

Laura turned her rifle towards him, but the lethal part was pointed at the ground. "Ricochets have been known to kill people Thomas, especially when they can't find the bullet that killed you."

Tom grabbed Joe and stood behind him. "If I'm going to be your best man, you're going to have to protect me from her."

"Who said you were going to be my best man?"

"That's not nice Joe, you've known me longer than you've known her."

"And your point is?"

**************************

They charged.

They could hear them coming, and the bullets were flying, but they were not in sight yet.

They were hiding in the deep foliage just outside the fencing. They joined for their short conference, and it didn't take any time at all for the men to assemble into military units and await the order to move out.

The order was given, and the men moved forward en mass, firing as they stepped out of cover, and into their enemy's sight. Over 700 strong, they should overrun this place in minutes. Their middle was vulnerable, and that's where they were going. Straight up the gut. Thousands of rounds of ammunition were being expended, and not one report from the enemy. It would come, they knew it would come. They broke into open ground, and then...

Mother Nature had her say in the events of the day:

Lightning!! Lightning!! Thunder!!BOOOOOM!! DELUGE!!

NOAH type rain. Year Of The Flood Type Rain, Blowing With 55 miles per hour winds, Pushing The Storms Forward From The Southwest; Torrential Rains, and More Rain...It Didn't Stop.

It was so bad the attackers couldn't see one another. They were being blinded by the water being pushed into their eyes. They couldn't run; heck they could walk it was so bad. Then their flanks were being hit by automatic weapons fire. The enemy had the advantage, the rain was at their backs. All he had to do was pull the trigger and they would hit something, or someone.

Men started retreating on their own. There was a general recall. It was the smartest thing anyone could do under these conditions. No one could fight in weather like this. If you can't see the enemy, how are you supposed to kill him.

It wasn't the safest place to be, but the opposition forces retreated to where they started, into the deep brush, covered by a heavy copse of trees. Hopefully, lightning wouldn't hit the trees, and cause them more damage than a fight would have. Some moved north to the abandon cars to find shelter. Others found a slightly more eerie place. They jumped down into the 'Bear Pit at the main entrance. They jumped into the Bradley Fighting Vehicles that were torn apart with bullet holes. The sight of the dead bodies in them made them queasy, but they were out of that pounding rain. It gave them a place to rest, and a dry place to rest. Soon, the dead bodies were being thrown out of the vehicles, in favor of live bodies looking for warmth, and a dry place to rest.