sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Rifle fairy lol, yes we all need one of those. Thanks Pac, and of course I look forward to the next chapter. 
Hi, My Name is Tessee
- Thread starter PacNorWest
- Start date
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#47
The men left before first dawn, and the homes were purposely unlit as the ladies waited for a possible firefight. Now, the fantastic protective wall was a hindrance as they couldn't see into the tree farm, and not being able to track the action was frustrating.
Especially Clora, who paced uneasily all morning long. She had a horrible feeling about the morning's work, and the only way she could stand the stress and not run out the door shooting was to walk the floor. Her agitation transferred to the boy's normal easy going attitudes. Sitting on the floor eating pancakes and squabbling, Milo and Teddy were about to drive her to distraction.
The first crack of a rifle shot was almost welcome, as it meant something was happening and the crippling indecision of the silence was over. Clora lost count of the rifle reports, but there were many.
As close as Wayne's house was to the approximation of the fence, Clora could hear the peculiar sound of splat/thunk as bullets impacted the wood.
Praying, Clora kept herself on high alert, carefully checking the windows as she practically ran the loop inside the house. There were so many blind areas that it was impossible to keep total control. Wayne's woodshed and their wood shed prevented vision to the back left side of the house, so where the wall changed to T post and wire,... a bullet or person could come through.
As the daylight strengthened, Clora could see nothing. The shooting had stopped, leaving so many unanswered questions as the silence once more dominated the farm.
Clora never stopped her vigil walk and when she was so drawn out she was about to drop, she caught the movement out of the corner of her eye.
Two black clad figures jumped the fence and started to come around the house side of the wood shed. They had black masks over their faces and sinister looking guns in their black gloved hands. Clora shot the last figure first, so when he went down, that left the more exposed front assailant for her next shot. She wounded both, and listening to both of them scream in agony was clawing at her insides. Suddenly she couldn't finish them off and the dying sounds seemed to strip the humanity from her soul.
Suddenly she was aware of whistle sounds, Wayne, Ben or Mark were asking for her response. Clora tried to block out the resounding screams from the men and give her tone and she couldn't do it. Finally she had to open the back door and yell, and even then it came out as a croaking sound.
Mark started shouting that he was coming over the fence, "don't shoot" he was screaming, "Clora are you OK?" his demands finally broke into Clora's numbing brain. Milo and Teddy were screaming and hysterically crying, adding to the noise and confusion. Clora broke free from her paralyzed and frozen stance and swooped up the boys and shouted for Mark to come on in.
There was a two shot sound as Mark the dispatched the assailants out of their misery, the deafening silence causing Clora's knees to buckle and she went down in the back hallway. Head swimming in and out of consciousness, she managed to lean against the wall and hold the boy's tightly.
The men left before first dawn, and the homes were purposely unlit as the ladies waited for a possible firefight. Now, the fantastic protective wall was a hindrance as they couldn't see into the tree farm, and not being able to track the action was frustrating.
Especially Clora, who paced uneasily all morning long. She had a horrible feeling about the morning's work, and the only way she could stand the stress and not run out the door shooting was to walk the floor. Her agitation transferred to the boy's normal easy going attitudes. Sitting on the floor eating pancakes and squabbling, Milo and Teddy were about to drive her to distraction.
The first crack of a rifle shot was almost welcome, as it meant something was happening and the crippling indecision of the silence was over. Clora lost count of the rifle reports, but there were many.
As close as Wayne's house was to the approximation of the fence, Clora could hear the peculiar sound of splat/thunk as bullets impacted the wood.
Praying, Clora kept herself on high alert, carefully checking the windows as she practically ran the loop inside the house. There were so many blind areas that it was impossible to keep total control. Wayne's woodshed and their wood shed prevented vision to the back left side of the house, so where the wall changed to T post and wire,... a bullet or person could come through.
As the daylight strengthened, Clora could see nothing. The shooting had stopped, leaving so many unanswered questions as the silence once more dominated the farm.
Clora never stopped her vigil walk and when she was so drawn out she was about to drop, she caught the movement out of the corner of her eye.
Two black clad figures jumped the fence and started to come around the house side of the wood shed. They had black masks over their faces and sinister looking guns in their black gloved hands. Clora shot the last figure first, so when he went down, that left the more exposed front assailant for her next shot. She wounded both, and listening to both of them scream in agony was clawing at her insides. Suddenly she couldn't finish them off and the dying sounds seemed to strip the humanity from her soul.
Suddenly she was aware of whistle sounds, Wayne, Ben or Mark were asking for her response. Clora tried to block out the resounding screams from the men and give her tone and she couldn't do it. Finally she had to open the back door and yell, and even then it came out as a croaking sound.
Mark started shouting that he was coming over the fence, "don't shoot" he was screaming, "Clora are you OK?" his demands finally broke into Clora's numbing brain. Milo and Teddy were screaming and hysterically crying, adding to the noise and confusion. Clora broke free from her paralyzed and frozen stance and swooped up the boys and shouted for Mark to come on in.
There was a two shot sound as Mark the dispatched the assailants out of their misery, the deafening silence causing Clora's knees to buckle and she went down in the back hallway. Head swimming in and out of consciousness, she managed to lean against the wall and hold the boy's tightly.
Wow, Pac! So much emotion!
Clora is going to wind up on bedrest at this rate.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Pac how do you keep the story getting better and better with every chapter? I can't Thanks you enough for your time and effort and this great sotry.
Wayne
Wayne
bad_karma00
Underachiever
Okay, I suggest this time that they gather the bad guys and bury them in the south forty. No more involving the law, who A) clearly don't like the Hanson clan, and B) MUCH too busy to bother with something like this what with the quake damage and all.
Easy Peasy
Easy Peasy
Am I the only one that wonders why they keep, "dispatched the assailants out of their misery", shooting people that could give them answer's to who and why? Or at least have someone to turn into the police.
Thanks PAC
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Oh man, then what was all the shooting about in the trees, does that mean there were lots of bad guys?
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Nancy,
It seems the people the clan shoots and then turns over to the police are suddenly vaporized, never to be seen or heard from again. This has happened enough times that it is a pattern. Also, badly wounded people do not spill their guts in a long drawn confession to clear their soul.
A wounded man would just as soon kill you, because he knows he is going to die anyway. A mortally wounded person has a berserk adrenalin push behind them that includes any living thing in reach. What ever the clan has done before, has probably come to a halt.
It's time to get the tractor out.
Prep44,
Mark's sniper rifle and the kids were the only things Clora got out of the house. She had just used it that morning to fire a warning shot at the guy sneaking along the fence line. Clora used one of the 223's that the rifle fairy left, sorry I didn't write that clearly. Battle scenes are very difficult to write, I have more experience with the emotional part of the scene, but would prefer to not partake of any of it.
It seems the people the clan shoots and then turns over to the police are suddenly vaporized, never to be seen or heard from again. This has happened enough times that it is a pattern. Also, badly wounded people do not spill their guts in a long drawn confession to clear their soul.
A wounded man would just as soon kill you, because he knows he is going to die anyway. A mortally wounded person has a berserk adrenalin push behind them that includes any living thing in reach. What ever the clan has done before, has probably come to a halt.
It's time to get the tractor out.
Prep44,
Mark's sniper rifle and the kids were the only things Clora got out of the house. She had just used it that morning to fire a warning shot at the guy sneaking along the fence line. Clora used one of the 223's that the rifle fairy left, sorry I didn't write that clearly. Battle scenes are very difficult to write, I have more experience with the emotional part of the scene, but would prefer to not partake of any of it.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#47B
"God help me," Clora whispered over and over, "I don't think I can stand this." she rocked back and forth holding the boy's as she cried.
Mark tore in the door with his wide eyed crazed expression. He at first thought Clora had been shot, or one of the boys; because she sat moaning on the floor. He bent over and picked up all three of them at one time, bringing them close to his chest with one arm and he stood with his rifle in the other.
"I'm alright and the boy's are Ok, it's I just can't stop crying," Clora cried harder as she had to bend over to put down the wiggling children. They clung to Mark's legs as he comforted them all. "It's the killing," she whispered. "The killing has to stop, I can't do this, it makes me sick."
"Clora," Mark spoke directly into her ear. "Clora you have to help me. Both Ben and Wayne have been wounded, not bad," he hastily added to her stiffened frame, "but I need you to stand guard for me. I think we got them all, but don't loose sight of the fact that they mean to kill."
Clora scrubbed her sleeve over her eyes and sniffed several times. Drawing several deep breaths, she stood taller and looked up with resolve on her face. "You boys are to stay in your bedroom and do not come out until I call for you, understand?"
Milo started herding Teddy in the direction to the room. "Thank you boys, I'm depending on you to mind Aunt Clora," Mark said quietly. Milo nodded, he was a big boy now.
Mark went out the back door first, scouting and testing the air. He disappeared around the corner going first to the left, and then across the door opening to fade to the right.
Using his hand he motioned to Clora to come forward to the corner of the woodshed. Cat like he worked himself around the structure and checked the side of the other woodshed. From there he ghosted to the solid part of the fence, and when he turned around the boards, he was ready to shoot.
The line of the fence was empty. Walking back to Clora, he motioned her to follow him. "We need Christy to take Anne, I need Cheryl and Lainey to help, go get them and I'll get the tractor."
Clora nodded and scattered to do as he asked. Cheryl and Christy grabbed their coats and hit the door at a run, they saved Lainey for last. She got teary and weak kneed, but went for her coat and patted her pocket for her gun.
Mark used the tractor and drove to the back of Wayne's house where he cut the fence and drove through into the tree farm. Carefully he snaked in between the rows of trees, always heading North. At the North fence line of the tree plantation, he moved along the faint road to a clearing.
There off to the right hand side was a pile of bodies. Clora looked and had to look away. Cheryl and Lainey studiously kept their eyes averted toward the tractor and walked to the fence and gazed outward. Mark gave a whistle and there were two whistles back.
"We need to pick them up," Mark said, "Clora please keep guard, Cheryl and Lainey come with me," and he drove further on. Hidden in a slash and brush pile, Wayne had a leg wound and Ben was shot in the upper left arm. Mark got them into the tractor bucket and backed down to the clearing.
He helped the men out and started digging a hole with the bucket. It took an hour to create a deep enough gouge to dump the bodies into and cover it with sufficient material. "Ladies, I suggest you look to the North for a bit, this will be unpleasant," Mark instructed as he gathered the guns and contraband from the men, and dumped them in the pit. Working as rapidly as possible, he covered the hole and back drug with the bucket to smooth the ground.
Reloading the men in the bucket, he started oh so slowly back toward the farm. Clora brought up the rear, darting into the trees every once in a while to observe their back trail. It was a long, agonizing trek, made more harrowing and tension filled by the weather and the snow.
The wind started howling , the shrieking and rising weather creating a rushing sound from the Evergreens that drowned out normal sound, like those of an approaching assailant. By the time they reached the fence, everyone was as jumpy as a long tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. Clora was so tightly strung from bringing up the rear that she could have jumped over the house.
Both men were helped into Wayne's place, their wounds hurtful but not life threatening. Lainey raced to their place and grabbed first aid supplies, yelling at Christy that everyone was Ok. Anne was screaming in hunger and Christy was trying to walk her out of it, but eventually she barged in and thrust the baby at Lainey. "My God, you've got to feed her, she's hysterical."
Lainey had to stop her first aid and turned around to face the bedroom and started to feed Anne. The first thing Lainey noticed was two sets of astonished eyes watching her from the crack in the bedroom door. Teddy whispered to Milo, and Milo whispered back but they watched Anne carefully.
That was an over the top reaction to yet another insurmountable problem. Lainey was so tired of the shooting, the tension, the uncertainty that she wanted to laugh as hysterically as Anne had been crying. It was the straw that was about to break the camel's back.
Ben, her Ben had been shot, and Lainey could hardly process that problem. They needed a doctor and there was none available. It was almost too much, and now two little boy's were playing peeping Tom's. Lainey went to the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel and threw it over her shoulder and sat down before she fell over.
Clora stood guard, walking the same beat as before, checking the windows constantly. She smiled at Milo and Teddy when she passed, but never let her attention waver from her duty. Mark performed general first aid as he had done for his men during the war, his practiced eye told him his family would live but be terribly uncomfortable.
Both men had through and through's, now it was necessary to keep the wounds clean and free from infection. Mark snagged Clora to boil water to flush the wounds, and surrounding flesh.
Hours later, both men were as comfortable as possible with the limited supplies they had on hand. Wayne had been speaking low to Mark and finally Mark nodded and grimaced, obviously not happy with whatever the consensus was.
"I need to go down and bring Ev up here, we want everyone together. Christy and or Cheryl you need to go with me and gather up what supplies you want to spend the night. I will go with you and help move Ev. Let's go."
It took an hour to get Ev and Danny moved up to Wayne's. Mark pulled Clora off to the side and gave her instructions. She was going to be in charge of security and protection while Mark went for a doctor.
"God help me," Clora whispered over and over, "I don't think I can stand this." she rocked back and forth holding the boy's as she cried.
Mark tore in the door with his wide eyed crazed expression. He at first thought Clora had been shot, or one of the boys; because she sat moaning on the floor. He bent over and picked up all three of them at one time, bringing them close to his chest with one arm and he stood with his rifle in the other.
"I'm alright and the boy's are Ok, it's I just can't stop crying," Clora cried harder as she had to bend over to put down the wiggling children. They clung to Mark's legs as he comforted them all. "It's the killing," she whispered. "The killing has to stop, I can't do this, it makes me sick."
"Clora," Mark spoke directly into her ear. "Clora you have to help me. Both Ben and Wayne have been wounded, not bad," he hastily added to her stiffened frame, "but I need you to stand guard for me. I think we got them all, but don't loose sight of the fact that they mean to kill."
Clora scrubbed her sleeve over her eyes and sniffed several times. Drawing several deep breaths, she stood taller and looked up with resolve on her face. "You boys are to stay in your bedroom and do not come out until I call for you, understand?"
Milo started herding Teddy in the direction to the room. "Thank you boys, I'm depending on you to mind Aunt Clora," Mark said quietly. Milo nodded, he was a big boy now.
Mark went out the back door first, scouting and testing the air. He disappeared around the corner going first to the left, and then across the door opening to fade to the right.
Using his hand he motioned to Clora to come forward to the corner of the woodshed. Cat like he worked himself around the structure and checked the side of the other woodshed. From there he ghosted to the solid part of the fence, and when he turned around the boards, he was ready to shoot.
The line of the fence was empty. Walking back to Clora, he motioned her to follow him. "We need Christy to take Anne, I need Cheryl and Lainey to help, go get them and I'll get the tractor."
Clora nodded and scattered to do as he asked. Cheryl and Christy grabbed their coats and hit the door at a run, they saved Lainey for last. She got teary and weak kneed, but went for her coat and patted her pocket for her gun.
Mark used the tractor and drove to the back of Wayne's house where he cut the fence and drove through into the tree farm. Carefully he snaked in between the rows of trees, always heading North. At the North fence line of the tree plantation, he moved along the faint road to a clearing.
There off to the right hand side was a pile of bodies. Clora looked and had to look away. Cheryl and Lainey studiously kept their eyes averted toward the tractor and walked to the fence and gazed outward. Mark gave a whistle and there were two whistles back.
"We need to pick them up," Mark said, "Clora please keep guard, Cheryl and Lainey come with me," and he drove further on. Hidden in a slash and brush pile, Wayne had a leg wound and Ben was shot in the upper left arm. Mark got them into the tractor bucket and backed down to the clearing.
He helped the men out and started digging a hole with the bucket. It took an hour to create a deep enough gouge to dump the bodies into and cover it with sufficient material. "Ladies, I suggest you look to the North for a bit, this will be unpleasant," Mark instructed as he gathered the guns and contraband from the men, and dumped them in the pit. Working as rapidly as possible, he covered the hole and back drug with the bucket to smooth the ground.
Reloading the men in the bucket, he started oh so slowly back toward the farm. Clora brought up the rear, darting into the trees every once in a while to observe their back trail. It was a long, agonizing trek, made more harrowing and tension filled by the weather and the snow.
The wind started howling , the shrieking and rising weather creating a rushing sound from the Evergreens that drowned out normal sound, like those of an approaching assailant. By the time they reached the fence, everyone was as jumpy as a long tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. Clora was so tightly strung from bringing up the rear that she could have jumped over the house.
Both men were helped into Wayne's place, their wounds hurtful but not life threatening. Lainey raced to their place and grabbed first aid supplies, yelling at Christy that everyone was Ok. Anne was screaming in hunger and Christy was trying to walk her out of it, but eventually she barged in and thrust the baby at Lainey. "My God, you've got to feed her, she's hysterical."
Lainey had to stop her first aid and turned around to face the bedroom and started to feed Anne. The first thing Lainey noticed was two sets of astonished eyes watching her from the crack in the bedroom door. Teddy whispered to Milo, and Milo whispered back but they watched Anne carefully.
That was an over the top reaction to yet another insurmountable problem. Lainey was so tired of the shooting, the tension, the uncertainty that she wanted to laugh as hysterically as Anne had been crying. It was the straw that was about to break the camel's back.
Ben, her Ben had been shot, and Lainey could hardly process that problem. They needed a doctor and there was none available. It was almost too much, and now two little boy's were playing peeping Tom's. Lainey went to the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel and threw it over her shoulder and sat down before she fell over.
Clora stood guard, walking the same beat as before, checking the windows constantly. She smiled at Milo and Teddy when she passed, but never let her attention waver from her duty. Mark performed general first aid as he had done for his men during the war, his practiced eye told him his family would live but be terribly uncomfortable.
Both men had through and through's, now it was necessary to keep the wounds clean and free from infection. Mark snagged Clora to boil water to flush the wounds, and surrounding flesh.
Hours later, both men were as comfortable as possible with the limited supplies they had on hand. Wayne had been speaking low to Mark and finally Mark nodded and grimaced, obviously not happy with whatever the consensus was.
"I need to go down and bring Ev up here, we want everyone together. Christy and or Cheryl you need to go with me and gather up what supplies you want to spend the night. I will go with you and help move Ev. Let's go."
It took an hour to get Ev and Danny moved up to Wayne's. Mark pulled Clora off to the side and gave her instructions. She was going to be in charge of security and protection while Mark went for a doctor.
Good gracious. I'd be strung as tight as a Steinway after all of that.
Jeepcats 3
Contributing Member
Good gracious, is this happening to Will and Willie too?
Never a dull moment for sure!
Jeepcats3
Never a dull moment for sure!
Jeepcats3
bad_karma00
Underachiever
So much tension and stress your honor, I just can't seem to remember how my kin got wounded like that! Bodies? What bodies? Why we wouldn't allow bodies on our farm, your honor! That's just. . .uncivilized!
He he he. What a crazy night. Great writing again Pac, with the tension mounting and mounting, and never really getting resolved, so that it just keeps us wound tighter than a cheap watch.
Bad
He he he. What a crazy night. Great writing again Pac, with the tension mounting and mounting, and never really getting resolved, so that it just keeps us wound tighter than a cheap watch.
Bad
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
It made me go all tense lol, thanks pac.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#47c
Mark was aware that if there were remaining men looking for trouble they would strike the second he left the yard, supposing correctly that the women and wounded men were the only adults left for defense. He did have a few options, hopefully they would be enough.
Ev, he positioned in his chair with a shotgun laying across the arm rests with the barrels pointed at the door. "Pay attention to the dog, he will alert you to anyone sneaking around the front door. Any questions?"
Ev had none, but he felt needed and useful, his hand resting so that he needed minimal movement and pressure to pull the triggers. He looked deep into Mark's eyes and nodded, he was ready.
Mark put his hand on Ev's shoulders and squeezed briefly. Next he looked at Danny and said "Guard," and Danny went into protection mode.
Wayne and Ben were propped up and had their weapons right by their side. Lainey was given the task of caring for the children, Clora walked her route, after cautioning the kids not to get between the men and the front door, Cheryl and Christy started supper, with Cheryl on back door duty.
It was a gut wrenching time for Mark to leave; he opted to use his Jeep and with the directions given him by Wayne he headed out for the second hand shop. The woman who ran the shop was wife to the rural area's only Doctor, Paula Penderman's Father.
The good Doctor was not happy to be called out and his daughter, once she heard who was injured, insisted he go and she was going along.
Headed back to the farm, Doc Penderman questioned Mark until Mark was forced to say, "Doc, please. I can only tell you we have two men that have been shot. I don't want to lie to you or get all defensive but stop with the questions. We were fired upon and defended ourselves and no, there weren't any survivors on the other side." Mark lapsed into silence, it was a heavy burden to shoulder.
Paula had vouched for the integrity of the farm members, or her Father wouldn't have tossed them a gauze square. She sat quietly in the back seat, carefully memorizing the roads that Mark used to get them to the farm, she was a careful woman.
It was almost evening when Mark pulled in the driveway, driving slowly as he visually inspected the houses for sign's of problems.
Pulling up in front of Wayne's house, Mark had the Penderman's wait while he stepped out and whistled. Clora answered. Inside things were cool until Wayne got a look at who was coming in the door. There he was, up against the wall with his jeans torn, his long johns torn and a whole lot of nearly personal skin showing. It hurt too darn much to move around, so he was trapped, staring at Paula.
Paula was looking at Wayne, she was so thankful he was OK, she almost forgot not to stare at him like he was a piece of chocolate cake with fudge frosting,covered with Carmel sauce with raspberries on the side.
Every other person in the room was watching the interaction between the two, especially Doc. He had been worried about Paula, she really had no interest in the men around, and here suddenly she was lit up like a power plant over this scruffy looking hippie reject.
Doc tended to the wounds, fixing up the men to the best of his ability without using a hospital. Ben thanked the man and asked if he could use some meat. Doc looked at him sharply and then nodded. Mark was dispatched to the locker plant to bring back a box of meat, and he slipped a couple of bills in to pay Doc hard cash for his services.
Paula assisted her father, and Wayne had to turn his head and grit his teeth to keep from crying out. Paula put her hand on his shoulder and braced him for the sting of the antiseptic, the warmth of the contact between them a shocking, electric jolt.
Paula was looking at her hand to see what was wrong with it, and Wayne touched his shoulder to stop the tingling. Doc stared at them and shook his head, he could hardly wait till he got home and told Marie what was going on. Their little girl, that Doc thought would live at home for the rest of their natural life, was changing from a duckling to a swan in that man's presence.
Paula sat in the back seat of the Jeep on the way back to their house, and didn't say a word. She was wrapped up in her thoughts and they didn't include what road they were driving on.
"Come get me in three days," Doc instructed. "I'll need to check those wounds again, or sooner if it looks red or infected."
"Yes Sir," Mark said respectfully, "I'll take the box in for you."
Back at home Mark gratefully ate supper and sat in a chair with Milo and Teddy on his lap. "I've got to rest a bit so I can stand guard, can everyone make do with the conditions here tonight?"
It wasn't the best of conditions for anybody, but acceptable for one night. The problem was with Ev, as he had to be out of his chair so he didn't develop bed sores. "Floor," he pointed beside Danny, that's where he wanted to lay. Nothing would do but a blanket and pad of the clothes from the thrift shop as a mattress. Ev was a man protecting his family and friends.
It was a long hard night with uncomfortable circumstances, but it was a quiet night and that was a blessing.
Mark was aware that if there were remaining men looking for trouble they would strike the second he left the yard, supposing correctly that the women and wounded men were the only adults left for defense. He did have a few options, hopefully they would be enough.
Ev, he positioned in his chair with a shotgun laying across the arm rests with the barrels pointed at the door. "Pay attention to the dog, he will alert you to anyone sneaking around the front door. Any questions?"
Ev had none, but he felt needed and useful, his hand resting so that he needed minimal movement and pressure to pull the triggers. He looked deep into Mark's eyes and nodded, he was ready.
Mark put his hand on Ev's shoulders and squeezed briefly. Next he looked at Danny and said "Guard," and Danny went into protection mode.
Wayne and Ben were propped up and had their weapons right by their side. Lainey was given the task of caring for the children, Clora walked her route, after cautioning the kids not to get between the men and the front door, Cheryl and Christy started supper, with Cheryl on back door duty.
It was a gut wrenching time for Mark to leave; he opted to use his Jeep and with the directions given him by Wayne he headed out for the second hand shop. The woman who ran the shop was wife to the rural area's only Doctor, Paula Penderman's Father.
The good Doctor was not happy to be called out and his daughter, once she heard who was injured, insisted he go and she was going along.
Headed back to the farm, Doc Penderman questioned Mark until Mark was forced to say, "Doc, please. I can only tell you we have two men that have been shot. I don't want to lie to you or get all defensive but stop with the questions. We were fired upon and defended ourselves and no, there weren't any survivors on the other side." Mark lapsed into silence, it was a heavy burden to shoulder.
Paula had vouched for the integrity of the farm members, or her Father wouldn't have tossed them a gauze square. She sat quietly in the back seat, carefully memorizing the roads that Mark used to get them to the farm, she was a careful woman.
It was almost evening when Mark pulled in the driveway, driving slowly as he visually inspected the houses for sign's of problems.
Pulling up in front of Wayne's house, Mark had the Penderman's wait while he stepped out and whistled. Clora answered. Inside things were cool until Wayne got a look at who was coming in the door. There he was, up against the wall with his jeans torn, his long johns torn and a whole lot of nearly personal skin showing. It hurt too darn much to move around, so he was trapped, staring at Paula.
Paula was looking at Wayne, she was so thankful he was OK, she almost forgot not to stare at him like he was a piece of chocolate cake with fudge frosting,covered with Carmel sauce with raspberries on the side.
Every other person in the room was watching the interaction between the two, especially Doc. He had been worried about Paula, she really had no interest in the men around, and here suddenly she was lit up like a power plant over this scruffy looking hippie reject.
Doc tended to the wounds, fixing up the men to the best of his ability without using a hospital. Ben thanked the man and asked if he could use some meat. Doc looked at him sharply and then nodded. Mark was dispatched to the locker plant to bring back a box of meat, and he slipped a couple of bills in to pay Doc hard cash for his services.
Paula assisted her father, and Wayne had to turn his head and grit his teeth to keep from crying out. Paula put her hand on his shoulder and braced him for the sting of the antiseptic, the warmth of the contact between them a shocking, electric jolt.
Paula was looking at her hand to see what was wrong with it, and Wayne touched his shoulder to stop the tingling. Doc stared at them and shook his head, he could hardly wait till he got home and told Marie what was going on. Their little girl, that Doc thought would live at home for the rest of their natural life, was changing from a duckling to a swan in that man's presence.
Paula sat in the back seat of the Jeep on the way back to their house, and didn't say a word. She was wrapped up in her thoughts and they didn't include what road they were driving on.
"Come get me in three days," Doc instructed. "I'll need to check those wounds again, or sooner if it looks red or infected."
"Yes Sir," Mark said respectfully, "I'll take the box in for you."
Back at home Mark gratefully ate supper and sat in a chair with Milo and Teddy on his lap. "I've got to rest a bit so I can stand guard, can everyone make do with the conditions here tonight?"
It wasn't the best of conditions for anybody, but acceptable for one night. The problem was with Ev, as he had to be out of his chair so he didn't develop bed sores. "Floor," he pointed beside Danny, that's where he wanted to lay. Nothing would do but a blanket and pad of the clothes from the thrift shop as a mattress. Ev was a man protecting his family and friends.
It was a long hard night with uncomfortable circumstances, but it was a quiet night and that was a blessing.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Oh what a nice night cap .
.
bad_karma00
Underachiever
Aw. Wayne's got a girl friend. And real tough gal too, seems like. And the Doc approves, it seems.
Looks like the Hanson clan may grow a bit.
Thanks for the late night hook up Pac.
Bad
Looks like the Hanson clan may grow a bit.
Thanks for the late night hook up Pac.
Bad
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#48
Mark watched his 'army' sleep. Four exhausted women, two of them pregnant with three small children to care for. Two wounded men, one incapacitated man and himself. So effectively he had Clora, Cheryl and Christy and himself if he needed to take the fight away from the house.
Mark had always considered himself a Christian, but here he was, doubting if God was anywhere near when they needed Him so. It was time of a soul searching, dark of night, retro-spection of his personal goals and plans for the future. There was nothing else to do, and Mark was so uncomfortable with his thoughts and internal musings that his heartburn kicked in to help his uneasy state.
Clora was well attuned to her husband. She got up and went to the kitchen to fix a half glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda for the rising flames in his belly. Mark drank with out question, but he looked hard at the puckery, cloudy mixture before gulping it down.
"This is good for occasional heartburn only," she smiled wearily, at his murmured thanks. "But you really look in distress."
"I am, but this seems to be helping," he replied as he noticed the dog lifting his head to watch the door. Tugging Clora down, Mark let his entire range of senses expand until his sight, hearing and extra perception were fine tuned into the surrounding area. Trained as a warrior, he responded as a warrior to perceived threats.
Watching Danny in the feeble light, Mark noticed the animal curled his lip exposing his teeth, and deep, low guttural growl vibrated from his throat. OK, the warrior in him recorded, that's a threat to take seriously. Danny turned his head to look at Mark and Mark nodded, assuring the animal he understood. Together they waited, for what ever might come.
Clora sat down, practically holding her breath in anticipation, waiting in her own way for the unknown to happen. With her back to the wall behind the kitchen door, her pistol at the ready, Clora inched her rifle closer to her hand.
Eventually, Danny relaxed and that told Mark that whatever the threat had been, it was gone. Mark suspected he knew what he would find in the morning; the two men Clora had shot and they hadn't buried would be gone. So there were at least four or more men left to deal with. Two men per body to move the dead weight away and at least one to guard the squad as they had their hands occupied.
Mark grinned in satisfaction. He knew where the weapons were and they were safe, so the intruders would be leaving without that part of their gear. The fight was becoming more than personal with Mark, it was becoming an insult to his training and tactical response.
It was as he had figured. In the faint morning light he could see the bodies had been removed. A later inspection confirmed five sets of prints in the new snow. Danny was lavishly praised for his keen hearing and for the alert he had given Mark.
Mark spent breakfast time preoccupied in internal debate. Was it time to move everyone out for their own safety, or create a better defense where they were.
Mark watched his 'army' sleep. Four exhausted women, two of them pregnant with three small children to care for. Two wounded men, one incapacitated man and himself. So effectively he had Clora, Cheryl and Christy and himself if he needed to take the fight away from the house.
Mark had always considered himself a Christian, but here he was, doubting if God was anywhere near when they needed Him so. It was time of a soul searching, dark of night, retro-spection of his personal goals and plans for the future. There was nothing else to do, and Mark was so uncomfortable with his thoughts and internal musings that his heartburn kicked in to help his uneasy state.
Clora was well attuned to her husband. She got up and went to the kitchen to fix a half glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda for the rising flames in his belly. Mark drank with out question, but he looked hard at the puckery, cloudy mixture before gulping it down.
"This is good for occasional heartburn only," she smiled wearily, at his murmured thanks. "But you really look in distress."
"I am, but this seems to be helping," he replied as he noticed the dog lifting his head to watch the door. Tugging Clora down, Mark let his entire range of senses expand until his sight, hearing and extra perception were fine tuned into the surrounding area. Trained as a warrior, he responded as a warrior to perceived threats.
Watching Danny in the feeble light, Mark noticed the animal curled his lip exposing his teeth, and deep, low guttural growl vibrated from his throat. OK, the warrior in him recorded, that's a threat to take seriously. Danny turned his head to look at Mark and Mark nodded, assuring the animal he understood. Together they waited, for what ever might come.
Clora sat down, practically holding her breath in anticipation, waiting in her own way for the unknown to happen. With her back to the wall behind the kitchen door, her pistol at the ready, Clora inched her rifle closer to her hand.
Eventually, Danny relaxed and that told Mark that whatever the threat had been, it was gone. Mark suspected he knew what he would find in the morning; the two men Clora had shot and they hadn't buried would be gone. So there were at least four or more men left to deal with. Two men per body to move the dead weight away and at least one to guard the squad as they had their hands occupied.
Mark grinned in satisfaction. He knew where the weapons were and they were safe, so the intruders would be leaving without that part of their gear. The fight was becoming more than personal with Mark, it was becoming an insult to his training and tactical response.
It was as he had figured. In the faint morning light he could see the bodies had been removed. A later inspection confirmed five sets of prints in the new snow. Danny was lavishly praised for his keen hearing and for the alert he had given Mark.
Mark spent breakfast time preoccupied in internal debate. Was it time to move everyone out for their own safety, or create a better defense where they were.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
The chapter comes to an end and I am left going but but but, lol.
Sammy55
Veteran Member
I was thinking the same thing.........
But then again, there's been some "unknowns" in Borg's house so someone knows the house well enough to get into and around.
Thanks, Pac, for the new chapter. You sure have a way of working with Cliff and leaving us with buts!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Lol every time someone else puts up a reply I look to see if a new chapter is up lol.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#48b
In the art of war, a savvy general knows the strength's and weaknesses of his troops. Thusly, Lainey was delegated to the house with Anne and the injured family. Mark trusted Clora with his life, and she with him; so there was one warrior and a backup. Clora wouldn't worry about the boys left in Lainey's care, so they were a sealed unit. Cheryl and Christy were capable but untested to Mark's way of thinking.
Together Cheryl and Christy would make half a warrior. Ev could be used for sentry duty with the dog, so together they made a half a warrior. That equaled one warrior. Things were looking up. The two wounded men were a half a warrior together. So two and a half warriors to fight the unknown.
Mark had slipped the masks off the three men he buried in the tree farm. They were Asian, just as were the sideswiping assailants, and the men that were killed here on the farm. Rule number 2, after know your men, is know your enemy. So the big question was, how to identify the nationality of the previous assailants to identify the future ones.
That was the problem, he needed access to a couple of experts that he might get from Will, or the FBI. Neither available at the current time. On a hunch, Mark flipped his phone open and dialed the FBI head agent Carsen. It took a long time for the honcho to answer the call.
"Carsen, this is Linderman. I need some straight answers, and if I don't get them, dead bodies are going to be showing up on your doorstep. And if the ones I kill the next time aren't enough, I'll dig up the one's already dead and bring them in. I think you owe all of us an explanation, and we're waiting. You can get out here to the farm and speak to the family starting at any time." and Mark hung up.
In the art of war, a savvy general knows the strength's and weaknesses of his troops. Thusly, Lainey was delegated to the house with Anne and the injured family. Mark trusted Clora with his life, and she with him; so there was one warrior and a backup. Clora wouldn't worry about the boys left in Lainey's care, so they were a sealed unit. Cheryl and Christy were capable but untested to Mark's way of thinking.
Together Cheryl and Christy would make half a warrior. Ev could be used for sentry duty with the dog, so together they made a half a warrior. That equaled one warrior. Things were looking up. The two wounded men were a half a warrior together. So two and a half warriors to fight the unknown.
Mark had slipped the masks off the three men he buried in the tree farm. They were Asian, just as were the sideswiping assailants, and the men that were killed here on the farm. Rule number 2, after know your men, is know your enemy. So the big question was, how to identify the nationality of the previous assailants to identify the future ones.
That was the problem, he needed access to a couple of experts that he might get from Will, or the FBI. Neither available at the current time. On a hunch, Mark flipped his phone open and dialed the FBI head agent Carsen. It took a long time for the honcho to answer the call.
"Carsen, this is Linderman. I need some straight answers, and if I don't get them, dead bodies are going to be showing up on your doorstep. And if the ones I kill the next time aren't enough, I'll dig up the one's already dead and bring them in. I think you owe all of us an explanation, and we're waiting. You can get out here to the farm and speak to the family starting at any time." and Mark hung up.
juco
Veteran Member
No kidding! I hope nothing bad has happened to Will.
And I hope Will doesn't turn out to be bad.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thanks Pac you havc us all on the edge of our computer chair wearing out our reload key.
Wayne
Wayne
bad_karma00
Underachiever
My estimation of Mark has just gone up even more. He's tired of this, and he's hit just the right chord with the Fumbling Bunch of Idiots. Step up, or get stepped on.
Great updates Pac. Thank you.
Bad
Great updates Pac. Thank you.
Bad
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Go Mark and I am still wondering where Will is.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#48c
Carsen was shouting in the phone, ordering Mark not to hang up until he explained himself, when the dial tone sounded. Cursing under his breath, Carsen raked his fingers through what little hair he had left. Of all the confounded things to have happen, this was one to take the cake. He didn't need Linderman coming unglued right at this particular moment, didn't that man understand they had an earthquake of major proportions and there were more pressing problems that the Hanson's.
Carsen thought about the 'body' comment and supposed the farm had been attacked again. He had enough complications without having International hit squads. But it sounded like the farm had been forced to protect themselves, what rotten luck. These people drew in trouble like fruit flies to peaches, he wished they would just go away and evaporate.
Carsen asked for pertinent and up to date information concerning the Apperton/Hanson and now Linderman case. The file arrived with a seal attached, that read classified, do not open. Carsen threw it down on the desk in disgust. Now who was interfering. Top regional officer Carsen dismissed his aide and sat down at his desk, drumming his fingers on the file.
It took a while, but David Carsen finally took out his penknife, split the seal and started to read. When he was finished, he was more confoundedly confused than before.
Carsen was shouting in the phone, ordering Mark not to hang up until he explained himself, when the dial tone sounded. Cursing under his breath, Carsen raked his fingers through what little hair he had left. Of all the confounded things to have happen, this was one to take the cake. He didn't need Linderman coming unglued right at this particular moment, didn't that man understand they had an earthquake of major proportions and there were more pressing problems that the Hanson's.
Carsen thought about the 'body' comment and supposed the farm had been attacked again. He had enough complications without having International hit squads. But it sounded like the farm had been forced to protect themselves, what rotten luck. These people drew in trouble like fruit flies to peaches, he wished they would just go away and evaporate.
Carsen asked for pertinent and up to date information concerning the Apperton/Hanson and now Linderman case. The file arrived with a seal attached, that read classified, do not open. Carsen threw it down on the desk in disgust. Now who was interfering. Top regional officer Carsen dismissed his aide and sat down at his desk, drumming his fingers on the file.
It took a while, but David Carsen finally took out his penknife, split the seal and started to read. When he was finished, he was more confoundedly confused than before.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just like the rest of us , thanks pac.