“Ralph has been back two times since being ousted from Samuel’s group. Both times with firearms. They kidnapped a young boy and committed a hostile takeover of the MacDonalds’ property, even before Ralph showed up hours later on a stretcher. They’re a bad lot. Maybe not all of them, or the kids of course, but we’re not separating families here.”
The council took a full 30 minutes to meet with John, Bill and Samuel while Mac and Cory gladly waited outside.
John spoke for them all, voicing the collective decision.
“None of us like this, and we all wish it could be different. With that being said, hard decisions have to be made. We simply cannot allow a hostile group who would forcefully take over property that does not belong to them to remain within only a few miles of this Valley. We have all agreed, with the exception of Samuel, of course, that the least amount of force to convince them to move on and not return is required. We don’t put it past them to use the children as bargaining tools, so we will leave the final details to you, Mac.
“The tear gas is approved only as a last resort and as long as all children are out of the house. We will leave that to you two to figure out. Any questions for us?”
“No, sir. We will get it done,” said Mac. “Let’s go, Cory.”
“You’re always out of those meetings quick,” said Cory once they were outside.
“Yep. They make the big decisions, and I don’t stick around for a how-to-get-it-done debate. I’m not interested in doing their job or having them do mine. It seems to work well for all of us.”
“It makes sense,” said Cory. “I’m just used to being on the other side is all.”
Mac called Drake for an update and wanted to observe the 11 a.m. ritual tomorrow himself with Cory.
He didn’t like them being in the same place at the same time, as he rarely saw the President and Vice President in the same place without insane security before the day. He did feel it was necessary, though, especially with what they were about to have to do.
They would head up at 9:30, picking four men and a woman to help with security if things went badly. “We need to be back down the mountain by 2 p.m. at the latest to make the funeral at 3.”
Sarah radioed him late in the afternoon, promising to meet him for dinner tomorrow.
Mac took dinner to go and spent a quiet night with his dog Bo, reflecting on how precious life was, especially now.
* * * *
Security met before breakfast to finalize the plan.
“We will be armed, but we are there only for gathering information. The 72-hour deadline ends tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. If they are not gone by then, we will have no choice but to drive them out. Meet back here at 9, and we will head out at 9:30,” Mac told everyone.
The small group took the truck up to the main campground, leaving one man to watch out for it and to be the driver if they needed to get away quickly.
Quietly, they made their way again to the vantage spot on the cliff. Drake had his favorite spot now, having spent so much time lately observing. He whispered to Mac and Cory to keep an eye out for the mystery girl.
Mac’s watch read 10:15, and adults and children alike were randomly passing in and out of the house. He kept count as best he could of men, women and children, trying to remember what they were wearing and not double count.
Everyone was staring down through binoculars when Drake felt something hit him in the back.
“What?” he said, turning around fast. The mystery girl smiled.
Mac caught a glimpse of her running into the trees. “What was that?” he asked.
“That was her,” said Drake, “the one I was telling you about.”
“Did she hit you with something?” asked Cory.
“Yeah, a small rock, I think. Just to get my attention.”
It was 10:35, according to Cory, and the scene hadn’t changed.
Again, the girl threw a rock, this time missing her target. She motioned to Drake to come down.
“Should I see what she wants?” Drake asked.
“Okay, but be back here in ten and take one of the guys with you,” said Mac, pointing for one to go with him.
They headed down the backside of the cliff.
“Keep your gun down,” said Drake. “I don’t want to scare her. Wait here,” he added, walking alone into the trees.
There she was, peering from behind a pine tree. “Hello there,” he said, not knowing if she could or would speak.
She didn’t say anything but just stared.
“Hello there,” he said again, taking two steps closer. She turned to run, and he stopped.
“No, please don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. I just want to talk to you for a minute—if you can, that is.”
She cautiously stepped out from behind the tree. They stared at each another in silence. It was broken when Mac’s other guy called out, “Drake, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he called back, not taking his eyes off the girl.
She relaxed her shoulders and leaned up against the tree, smiling, with her arms crossed in front of her.
She finally spoke: “You’re not one of them.”
“One of who?” he asked.
“The ones who took my grandparents’ property.”
“Wait, you mean Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“They are your grandparents?”
“You’re a smart one,” she replied, still smiling.
