“If you wanted to be alone, we understand,” Bri continues. Robert nods in agreement.
“No, I want you here. I was just running through various scenarios.”
“Why do you need to go alone? I don’t want you to do this,” Bri says.
“Because I think it’s the best way to get Lynn out. And I won’t be alone, there will be teams downstairs,” I respond.
“You know what I mean, Dad.”
“Yeah, I do. Look, there comes a time and place when a person has to make a hard decision. It is based on something outside of yourself and you have to ask if you’re willing to sacrifice everything for it. In the past, I answered yes to that with every mission. I haven’t told you a lot about those times, and I won’t now. That’s all in the past. However, you have to be willing to sacrifice everything for the things that are important to you…throw it all on the line. In that way, you are able to push fear aside. By doing that, you have the potential to gain so much more in return. You have to think on what goals…what ideas…what things you will sacrifice everything for. In answering that, you will find what is important to you deep down. For me, it’s all about you two and Lynn.”
“What about the entire group as a whole? Aren’t they important?” Robert asks.
“Yes, they are. I have to admit that there would be a lot of hesitation on my part going into a lair of waiting night runners for them, but, if I knew that it would save them, then I would. Losing Nic really hit me hard, and I find myself second-guessing things I never would have in the past. I feel like I’ve lost my edge dealing with all of the endless details that leading a group like ours entails.”
“Aren’t you scared?” Bri asks.
“Not really…at least not anymore. I’m worried, yes, but not really scared. I worry that I’ll make a mistake that will jeopardize Lynn. My one true fear is losing either of you or not being there when you need me. That would be too much to bear. You’ve both come a long way, and I feel comfortable that you can take care of yourselves, but it’s that parental thing and a worry that will never go away.”
“Are you going in alone because you’re worried about making a mistake that will jeopardize the teams?” Robert asks.
“No. I’m going in alone because I think it’s the best chance of getting Lynn out alive. If we go in with teams, we’ll have to orchestrate it as a combat clearing scenario and there’s no way we stand a chance going in there like that. We wouldn’t last very long at all. One person, or a small team for that matter, can vanish if it needs to. That’s hard to do with a group,” I answer.
“Dad, I hate to say it, but isn’t there a time when you have to sacrifice the one to save the many?” Bri asks.
I look up sharply.
“I’m not saying we give up on Lynn, but…” Bri continues, backpedaling some with my look but still asking her question.
“I know what you mean. And yes, there is a time when that has to be done. But you have to be very careful with that thinking. If you show people that you’re willing to sacrifice them for what you determine to be the greater good, how much loyalty are those same people going to give you? How far do you think they’ll go for you? Show them that you’ll go to the limit for them, and they’ll do the same for you. Look at the doctrine that the Air Force had regarding downed pilots. They would send in rescue teams behind lines and into the heart of the enemy, possibly losing some of those teams in order to rescue a single pilot. What did that do? It made the pilots push harder to accomplish their mission knowing that heaven and earth would be moved in order to pull them out. That doesn’t mean you rush blindly into enemy fire in order to rescue someone, but it does mean that you do everything in your power to get them safely out. That single action brings hope to everyone else.”
“I get that. So this whole thing is to bring hope to the group?” Robert says.
“In a way, yes. For me, it’s all about getting Lynn out, but, it has that side effect for the group. Our sanctuary has been challenged and we need to respond. Look around. There’s a fracture amongst those here that is fueled by fear. You can feel it in the very air. We need to close that and give reason for hope once again…hope that we can survive this thing. There is a decreased energy. It feels like some have lost their hope and it’s just a matter of time before we fall. Survival is a mindset. Yes, skills are important…but, without the mindset that you can survive, you won’t, no matter what skillsets you may possess. Most of everything you do is mental. If you believe, and I mean truly believe, then you will overcome any obstacle in your life. We need something concrete to hold onto. We need to tell ourselves that, no matter what happens, we’ll come out alright in the end. If we are able to get Lynn out, to retrieve that which was taken from us, then that may restore the hope that we can defeat the night runners and survive.”
“Okay. I get that as well. But, isn’t there a converse angle. If you go in and…well…won’t that drive everyone deeper into their fear?” Robert asks.
“That’s why we don’t fail,” I answer.
“So, getting Lynn out is a kind of metaphor.” Robert states.
“In an overall sense, yes. But for me, as I mentioned, it’s all about getting Lynn out.”
“Dad, why did they take her in the first place?” Bri asks.
“You know, I’ve racked my brains and haven’t come up with a plausible answer. I’m puzzled as to why they didn’t press the attack when they were already in, but I can’t think of a single reason. The bottom line is that, if she’s there, I’m going to get her. That’s all I really know,” I answer.
We talk for a while longer, the conversation shifting from topic to topic as most of our chats generally do. We watch crews come and go in the parking lot below. I feel better about the coming night and day. By this time tomorrow, Lynn should be back with us. The very thought brings that butterfly feeling. Off to the side, we catch sight of Drescoll and McCafferty standing together. I feel like an interloper as we watch them in silence. They talk for a while and then wander off hand in hand.
“I don’t know why they are trying to keep that quiet…the whole place knows,” Bri says.
I chuckle. “Yeah, that’s the way it always seems to be in a small community. They’ll be the last to know that we know. Alright, let’s go try to get some rest. It’s a busy night and day coming up.”
With the sun sinking below the horizon, we set up a high orbit offset from the hospital. The higher orbit is so the sound of our engines won’t spook the night runners. We need to ascertain clearly whether they are in the facility in large numbers or whether we’re merely chasing a ghost.
The land settles into darkness. We have both the low light cameras and thermal running. Soon after night falls on the land below, we pick out a white blob emerging from the front of the hospital. We’re too high to be able to pick out individual figures running under the stars, but from the size of the white spot, they are coming out in numbers. The spot fades as the night runners fan out into the darkness. We have our indication that the building does indeed house a large lair.
“Should we engage them and thin them out a little?” Robert asks.
“No. That may make them move tonight and we can’t be certain that Lynn isn’t among them,” I answer.
I have to admit that seeing the numerous night runners emerge makes me want to take them out. We’ll come back during the day after we get Lynn out and knock the place flat. Although I also hate taking out a hospital with all of its medical gear and pharmaceuticals, we can’t pass up an opportunity to take out a large lair.
“We have what we came for. Let’s land, catch some shuteye, and come back before dawn,” I add.
We see the same thing in reverse as we orbit before the first rays of light appear on the eastern horizon. The screen shows white several times as the night runners return in waves from their hunt. The stage is set for the coming day.
Landing as dawn touches the ground, we gather our gear. Robert and I will take the Kiowa while the rest of Red Team drives to the hospital where we will meet up with Taylor and Horace. The rotors spin up, becoming to a blur overhead. Robert lifts the helicopter shakily off the ground which, in my mind, significantly lowers the odds of my making it safely to the roof.
“Are you okay there?” I ask.
“Hey, I said no promises,” he replies.
We steady out as we gain altitude and head toward the Capital Medical Center. I take a few deep breaths to bring back the calm I had the afternoon prior. Drescoll radios that he is on the way to a laager site and will arrive shortly. He’s bringing one of the Strykers that we laagered at the compound in case we need the extra firepower. I
