'What does-'
Shepherd finally returned to the discussion, cutting off Sal in the process.
'I got to admit, parting the water would have been a nice touch.'
Captain Jerry Shepherd smiled.
– 'Hello,' Lori spoke to Nina Forest.
Nina, still kneeling, gave the Rottie another pat on the head and responded meekly, 'Yeah, uh, hello.'
'We didn’t get a chance to talk earlier.'
Nina stood and hoisted the HK Mp5 over her shoulder. She wore black BDUs but time and action had dulled the color nearly gray in some spots.
When Nina said nothing Lori reminded, 'I’m the one who cleaned you up, made sure you didn’t have a fever, all while you were knocked out,' she tapped her own head to make the point.
'Yeah, sure,' Nina mumbled as she watched the Rottweiler trot away.
'We looked for you for almost three days.'
'Glad Shep found me.'
Lori corrected, 'Actually, it was my husband, Jon. Your friend Shep was on the bench getting his leg stitched.'
'Oh,' Nina’s eyes pointed anywhere but at Lori.
Mrs. Brewer did something she did not usually do; she waited patiently.
Well, she waited somewhat patiently.
'Okay,' Lori groaned. 'I can see this is going to be difficult.'
'Look,' Nina put it out there. 'I’m not trying to be rude but I just don’t have any interest in getting to know anyone around here.'
'Because you don’t plan on staying long.'
Nina nodded.
'I thought your man Shepherd was in there right now making that decision.'
'Right.'
'And you’re sure he’s going to decide that you guys should keep on marching.'
'Right.'
'Why’s that?'
'Because I’ve seen what happens to people who stay in one place,' Nina told Lori but still avoided eye contact. 'They’re sitting ducks.'
'And that’s how you guys stayed alive? By moving around?'
'That’s right, yeah. We were assigned to a rescue station and barely got out alive. There were eight of us back then. Now we’re down to three. I’m just saying that we’ve been on the move ever since, and it’s better that way.'
Lori said, 'Guess you got kind of lucky.'
'I don’t know what you mean.'
'Well, you’re lucky Trevor decided to stay in one place… here. Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to pull your butts out of the fire.'
That did not sit well with Nina Forest.
Lori quipped, 'You remember Trevor, right? The guy who saved you is also the guy whose neck you nearly broke.'
Nina’s brow furled. It pleased Lori to see she had annoyed Forest. At least being annoyed was a reaction. It opened the door for a lot of other stuff. Lori pushed another button.
'I see that ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ aren’t words you’re good with.'
'Huh? What’s that?'
'Well, you owe Trevor and Jon a ‘thank you’ for saving all of you and you also owe Trevor a big ‘sorry’ for nearly killing him. Don’t you think?'
Nina apparently did not think so.
'Listen, I don’t know who you are-'
Lori smiled a big friendly smile as she cut Nina off and extended a hand.
'I’m Lori Brewer, pleased to meet you.'
The surprise gesture left Nina dumbfounded. She could think of no other recourse than to limply shake Lori’s extended hand.
Odin, the Norwegian Elkhound who had tracked Nina’s scent, trotted across the yard and affectionately licked Nina's fingers. Much as Lori’s surprise offer of a handshake, Nina felt compelled to pet the dog between its ears.
Lori sarcastically said, 'Uh-oh. You’ve done it now. You’ve gone and made a friend.'
Before Nina could reply, the front door opened. Shepherd and Corso came out with Trevor following. Nina hustled to Shep as if searching for the safety of his shadow.
Shep said to Trevor, 'So that won’t be any problem? You have enough ammo?'
'No problem. What’s here is yours.'
Lori Brewer maneuvered around the conversation and disappeared inside the mansion.
'Great. Thanks. We’ll check out your armory in a bit. Give me a chance to get us ready.'
Trevor returned inside, closing the door behind. Nina jumped over Shep with questions.
'So, what? Is he giving us ammunition?'
'Nina…' Shep started and Sal Corso finished, 'We’re stayin’ here.'
Nina’s mouth froze open but that lasted only a second before her mouth worked again.
'What? What? Shep, we can’t stay here. This clown’s just a kid!'
'Yep, seems to me he’s not even twenty-three years old,' he used her age against her.
'I’m just saying that I don’t see anything here that’s worth staying for.'
'Nina,' Shepherd spoke in his Captain’s voice. 'We’re staying here and we’re going to be a part of this. And you know what? You’re going to listen to him. We all are. How things go down the road…well I reckon we’ll find out ‘bout that when we get there.'
Nina bit her lower lip and shook her head.
'Why?'
Her protest lacked force. She could not use forceful words with Shep.
'I see two reasons. The first is I’m tired of running.'
Nina muttered, 'The second?'
Shep glanced at Sal, then to Nina again, and struggled on how best to explain.
'Have you looked into his eyes? I mean really looked? Ever since the world went to Hell, everyone I meet looks tired and afraid. But this guy-this kid… I look in his eyes and I don’t see tired and afraid. I see eyes that are looking at something I didn’t think existed no more. I see eyes that can see something none of us can see.'
Sal spat, 'What kinda shit is that? What does he see?'
Shepherd told them, 'A future.'
10. Stonewall
'Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy; and when you strike and overcome him, never let up in the pursuit. Never fight against heavy odds if you can hurl your own force on only a part of your enemy and crush it. A small army may thus destroy a large one, and repeated victory will make you invincible.' — General Stonewall Jackson, circa 1860s
At one time, the Cafe Commons on the campus of Penn State Lehman served hot meals and sandwiches to hungry students. While most of the booths and fancy latticework remained intact, wooden tables and chairs lay in pieces. Based on the low growls from the K9s ahead of Jon's patrol, whatever caused the mess still lurked nearby.
Two black and tan Rottweilers trotted through the smashed doors; their paws crunched on broken glass and splinters. Jon entered next with Sal Corso and Shepherd.
A dim glow from the cloudy afternoon slipped in through several wide windows to provide some illumination; tactical lights on their M4 carbines did the rest.
They saw a drop ceiling that had literally dropped in several places with electrical cords, tiles, and bent
