A state of disobedience

Pendergast shook his head. 'No, sir. Too thick. If they want to pay the price to clear a section of the roof we can't do much to stop 'em. We do have a few small holes cut that the guys can donate grenades through. But any kind of bunker we put up there would need a manhole and that would just be a way for the other fellows to break into our defenses. We've also cut some narrow half-moons in the roof to push through some claymores taped to poles.' Pendergast gestured first at one such half-moon cut through the ceiling; then at a stack of poles—to which had been attached the claymores—standing in one corner.

'And then, once they do break in, we fight 'em for every inch; counterattack where we're able. We've been practicing for that every moment we weren't busy digging in. But the captain could tell you more about that than I could.'

Pendergast led the way downward towards the command post for the defense. Reaching it at length he knocked and announced, 'Governor Seguin and General Schmidt, sir.'

Williams called, 'Attention.'

Schmidt let the men stand that way for only the barest fraction of a moment before commanding, 'Captain Williams, gentlemen. Be at ease. The governor is an informal lady.'

At Schmidt's order Williams, Davis, and James visibly relaxed. A stiff-backed Fontaine, detailed to bring up some snacks from the WCF cafeteria, however, didn't.

Juanita noticed. 'You too, young man. I'm just the governor. You're a lot more important. You're a citizen.'

Fontaine glanced a query at Pendergast who nodded, Yes, you too, dummy.

'You can leave, Fontaine,' added Pendergast.

'First Sergeant . . . Mike . . . I wonder if you wouldn't mind having this young man wait, either here or outside. I've seen nothing but senior people. I'd like to talk to him.'

'You heard the governor, Fontaine. Wait outside.'

'Yes, Top.'

'And now, ma'am,' began Williams, 'let me tell you how we're going to hold this place. . . .'

An hour and a half later Schmidt thought, and not for the first time in his life, Briefings suck. Then he heard the engineer captain, Davis, say something that caught his attention. 'Aces and eights? Dead man's hand? What do you mean, Captain?'

'Eleven tons of ANFO, General, down below. If they take this place, they're going to take a bunch of dust.'

'What's he mean, Jack?'

Schmidt sighed. Juani was not going to like this. 'In poker, 'Aces and Eights' are known as the 'dead man's hand,' Governor. And ANFO is Ammonium Nitrate–Fuel Oil explosive. He means that, as a last resort, they'll blow the place sky high.'

The governor was horrified. 'But what about the wounded?'

Davis explained. 'Ma'am . . . after what we are going to do to them before they get even halfway through clearing us out? There aren't going to be any wounded; not of ours anyway. They'll kill everything. Anyone would.'

'I see . . . well, we can't let that happen.' She turned to Schmidt. 'Jack, is there any way we can get these boys out after they've bought a little time for us?'

Schmidt and Williams exchanged knowing glances. In your dreams, Governor, in your dreams.

'Governor . . . Juani . . . it's possible I could do an end run around Third Corps when it rolls in, fight my way to this facility and extract the same way. Possible, but not likely.'

Juani was adamant. 'Whatever it takes, Jack. I will not leave these boys . . . men, rather, without some hope of rescue.'

'You're the boss, Governor. I'll start planning it. Go on, Captain,' ordered Schmidt. 'Let's finish this up.'

'Yes, sir. Well, the last thing I had to cover was auxiliary power. Seemed likely they'd cut off the electricity once they were ready, so we've set up three generators to take up the slack. It isn't enough for environmental control or anything but it should keep enough of the lights and the intercom working. Oh, and the security cameras . . .'

* * *

'Can you hold this place for us, Private Fontaine?' queried Juanita as she and Jack waited for Williams and Pendergast—involved briefly in a discussion with the other leaders—to join them and escort them out.

'We can surely try, ma'am. And we sure intend to try. No matter what.'

Juanita thought about that 'no matter what'—thought about 'aces and eights,' too—and felt her eyes begin to mist again. She averted her face while blinking a few times to clear them.

'Is there anything I can do?' Juani asked the young soldier.

Fontaine thought briefly. 'I kinda hate to ask, ma'am . . . but there's one thing. I wonder . . . well, I'd appreciate it if someone could look after my momma.' Fontaine gave a smile somewhat rueful. 'And, you know? Old Iron Mike? The first sergeant? He's harder than woodpecker lips, no mistake. But he's a mighty good first sergeant. I wonder if, maybe . . . someone could make him a sergeant major before it's . . . you know . . . too late. I think it would mean a lot to him.'

Schmidt smiled and reached into his pocket, extracting two small cellophane wrapped packets. 'Go get 'Major' Williams and 'Sergeant Major' Pendergast, would you, son.'

* * *

'Send the car away, Jack. We'll go back by helicopter.'

'Are you sure, Juani?'