'Indeed,' Stonewall agreed. 'History may have recorded a different outcome if General Lee had secured the high ground for the Army of Northern Virginia that day.'
First Trevor, then Brewer, then Shep leaned closer to the map.
Trevor said, 'We sure as hell can’t let those armies come together.'
Brewer echoed, 'Wow, yeah. That’d be bad.'
'Get those scouts out and the Eagles flying. We need info. Prescott, get me an up to date listing of armaments and munitions. Garrett, put together your best skirmishers.'
Stonewall bowed.
'People, I think things are going to get interesting over the next forty-eight hours; if we have that long. I don’t want those armies converging. I’m going airborne to check some things out and I’m mustering every K9 I can find.'
As the meeting dispersed, Evan said to Trevor, 'Let me try negotiating.'
'They’re coming for us. I’d love to send you to negotiate but you’d never come back.'
'Okay then, what is it you want me to do?'
'What do you want to do?'
Evan replied, 'I guess I’m going to fight.'
Trevor’s wide eyes and gape revealed his surprise.
Evan muttered, 'You think because I don’t agree with you I’m a coward? You don’t know me. Just because I don’t like the idea of fighting for the rest of my life doesn’t mean I won’t stand up when I need to.'
'Okay then. We’ll get you assigned somewhere. In the meantime, round up any transportation, fuel supplies and anything else we might need. Think creative. Who knows what this is going to take.'
Evan Godfrey walked away.
Nina joined Trevor.
'You two making friends?'
'No. Sometimes you pigeonhole someone then you learn that was a mistake. Mark it down; Evan’s not afraid to put it on the line.'
'Good. I’m just saying everyone is going to have to fight.'
'Yeah,' Trevor watched Evan leave the room. 'Sooner or later everyone fights for what they believe in.'
– Trevor told Nina to get an hour’s rest and something to eat while he planned to take an Eagle to analyze the topography to the east and south.
He walked out of the mansion’s front doors with Tyr by his side and stopped.
The white wolf paced frantically just beyond the northern fence.
Trevor, his eyes on the Old Man’s familiar, had one more order to give before he could answer the call from his benefactor. He told Tyr, 'Complete assembly. As soon as possible.'
As the dog bolted off in one direction, Trevor went around the fence on the perimeter road to follow the wolf as it hurried off into the woods.
The forest turned the day dark. New leaves waved in a brisk spring wind. The old, dried leaves from last fall covered the ground in dried rot.
The Old Man paced along the rim of a flickering fire and sneered, '’Bout damned time.'
'I got here as fast as I could.'
Trevor tried to sound annoyed at the interruption, but he lost any edge as he saw the expression in the Old Man's eyes: as he saw the fear- out right fear — there.
The Old Man’s next words changed Trevor Stone’s world forever.
'You can’t be with her.' The man’s wrinkled, crooked hand trembled as he waved it toward Stone. 'I didn’t see this thing comin’ but this here is the way it is. Had I known earlier this would of been easier.'
Trevor cocked his head. 'Huh? What are you talking about? Does this have something to do with the three armies?'
The Old Man repeated, 'You can’t be with her.'
Trevor came to understand the Old Man’s meaning.
'What? Are you talking about Nina? Who I’m with is none of your business.'
The Old Man pumped a shaky fist that appeared more afraid than angry.
'I told you, you walk a path. You can either do what you’re supposed to be doin’ or you fail and things end.'
'Take your riddles somewhere else; I don’t have time for this shit. I have three god damn armies of nasties coming at us.'
'And that don’t mean diddly! You think I don’t know what’s comin’ down the pike? But that don’t mean nothin’ if you don’t listen to me now!'
Trevor shot, 'I’m doing everything you told me to do. I’ve fought the fight. I’ve been through a living hell. I’ve been beaten and tortured and felt pain like no man should ever feel. I have nightmares that would give Freddy Krueger the creeps. Sometimes I can still feel those friggin’ bugs crawling in my skin. So I find one little ounce of happiness in this world and you tell me no? Well screw you and all your shit. If you don’t like me with Nina then go find someone else for the job.'
Trevor started to walk off.
'Somethin’ bad gunna happen to her.'
Trevor turned with the devil in his face.
'I don’t know what you are, but I will spend the rest of my life and all my time in Hell getting my vengeance if you hurt her.'
The Old Man placed a hand on his forehead and spoke with a tone of frustration and, perhaps, a touch of pity.
'Oh Trevor, you just ain’t hearin’ me cause you in love. I told you. You walk a path. She ain’t on that path, Trevor. I can see where it goes. She ain’t with you. You don’t have the brainpower to understand what this be all about. You don’t have the mental ca-pacity.'
'What do you have against Nina?'
The Old Man grimaced.
'Damn it! You fool! I didn’t see her comin’. I didn’t know you two were makin’ hay and talking about riding off into the sunset together. Break it off, Trevor. Stop it now whilst there’s still time. If you love her, then you’ll send her packin’ and then maybe she’ll be just fine. But you go tryin' to take her with you arm and arm like a couple honeymooners then sometin’ gunna stop you. I don’t know what. Sometin’.'
Trevor pointed at him.
'Now you listen to me. I’ve done everything you asked. I survived, I fought, I…'
He caught himself.
'That’s right,' the Old Man grinned in a mean way. 'I warned you. Thought it’d be as simple as taking a shot for your buddy, didn’t you? Or maybe givin’ up cable TV was your big sacrifice. Truth is, right now you’d rather die than give her up.'
Again, a hint of compassion slipped into the man’s tone. A hint.
'This ain’t ‘bout you. Never was. You just a link in a chain. You can’t do what you got to do with her ‘round. She’s a good fighter, though. Probably serve you well killin’ and whatnot.'
Trevor walked away.
'You got no choice. End it before sometin’ happens that you’ll blame yourself for!'
Trevor walked faster.
'SHE’S NOT ON THE PATH WITH YOU!'
He ran.
– Despite his visit with the Old Man, Trevor spent two hours in one of the captured alien shuttles now named 'Eagles' scouting the turf between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton. He found big, rolling, wooded mountains on either side of Interstate 81. Good defensive ground.
