“Look what I found.” He smiled at the pair. “Right where I left it.”
“We’ve got a man down and a whole lot of Cagers that are pissed at us right about now. Do you really think that getting shitfaced is the best call to action?”
Simon took another pull from the bottle and screwed the cap back on. “Breakfast of champions.” He tucked the bottle into his vest pocket and turned to eye the two men. “That will take care of the pain in my head for now.” He gave the two an evil smile. “I just need to figure out what to do with the pain in my ass.”
“No more shooting your own people, Simon.” Shooter stepped between him and Stinky. “That guy saved Sinner’s life last night.”
Simon smiled and shook his head. “Yeah, and I guess I appreciate that.” He stepped closer and pulled his pistol out, waving it around. “But the thing is, I can’t have anybody in my crew that questions my authority.” He held the pistol up to Shooter’s head. “Are you going to question my authority?”
Shooter shook his head nervously. “No.”
“Then you and me don’t have a problem.” He pushed past Shooter and pressed the barrel to Stinky’s forehead. “Want to see if God’ll smile on you twice in one morning?” He pulled the hammer back and whispered, “Are you going to question my authority?”
Stinky considered being honest, but he didn’t really want to die today. He slowly shook his head. “No.”
“Excellent!” Simon pulled the pistol back and uncocked the hammer. “It sounds to me like we’re going to have a beee-autiful day today!”
Simon laughed as he sauntered down the hallway, taking another long pull from his bottle.
Chapter 5
Roger slammed the door of the truck and Hatcher jerked awake. He peered out of the windshield but had to step outside to take in the work going on.
Hank stood by proudly, giving Hatcher a toothy grin. “What do you think?”
Roger gave a low whistle as he stared at the steel posts being set in the ground. “Is that for chain link?”
Hank nodded. “We hit a fencing company at first light. They had everything just sitting in their warehouse.”
Hatcher heard the engine of a tractor rev and looked around the cab of the truck. A small Bobcat drilled holes into the earth with an auger attachment. Two men with wheelbarrows stood by, ready to pour concrete as the steel pole was slid into the hole and leveled.
“You guys aren’t screwing around,” Hatcher muttered as he came around the truck and noted all the activity.
“Stanton said that security was the priority and that dude Cooper? He’s a slave driver, Hatch. You should really talk to him.” Hank pointed to the grey-bearded old man walking along the clay tile roof of the main entrance. “He’s supervising three different work crews and he’s tough.”
Roger clapped Hank on the shoulder. “After last night’s attack, we can’t take security lightly.”
Wally jogged up, his face a mask of disappointment. “Bad news, boss.”
Hatcher stiffened. “What?”
Wally waved him over. “You have to see it. I can’t accurately put this mess into words.”
The three men followed Wally around the corner and along the wall that butted to a “green” field that wasn’t green. Wally paused and nodded to a man high up on the other side of the wall. “Show them.”
He reached out and took a chunk of the wall in his hand and broke it off. He crumbled it over their heads and tiny pieces of Styrofoam rained from the sky. “Parts of the wall are just decorative, Hatch.”
Daniel felt his stomach fall and his legs began to shake.
“How much of it is this crap?” Roger asked.
Wally shrugged. “This is the first we’ve found. When we stretched the last of the wire a couple of the mounts tore loose. We set up here to reattach them and this is what we found.”
Hatcher squatted low to keep from passing out. “This is not good.”
Roger bent low and held a hand out for him. “Come on. We’ll figure this out.”
Hatcher sat on the dead grass and shook his head. “I moved all of these people out here and…”
Roger bent lower and whispered, “Don’t you dare give up hope. If not for you, for the people here. Now suck it up.” He thrust his hand out again and pulled Hatcher to his feet.
Hank held up his finger. “Hold on. I got an idea.”
Hatcher moaned. “If it has anything to do with a moat, so help me…”
Wally shook his head. “We allowed enough room between this wall and the new chain link for the moat.” He smiled broadly. “If you’ll still let us put it in.”
Hank returned a moment later holding a long steel rod. “We test it.”
Hatcher stepped aside as Hank pressed the steel rod into the side of the wall and watched it disappear into the stucco. He pulled it back and nodded. “Obviously Styrofoam.” He walked down the wall a bit further and slid the rod inside again. “More Styrofoam.”
The men followed him as he walked the perimeter of the wall. He found two sections that were soft foam, the rest, adobe mud brick. He stood up and squared his shoulders. “My guess is that they were going to put gates here but changed their minds. Rather than bring out adobe masons, they just cut a big chunk of Styrofoam and filled the gaps. A little chicken wire and stucco and voila. Just like Hollywood.”
Hatcher nodded, his sleep-deprived mind trying to take it all in. He turned to Roger. “Ideas?”
Roger shrugged. “I’m sure we could find something. Cement blocks would do.”
Wally stared down the wall. “Enough to fill those gaps? I bet they’re ten foot wide apiece.”
Roger shrugged. “I’m sure if we look hard enough, we can find something.”
Hank cleared his throat loudly. “I have a suggestion.” He looked to Hatcher and shrugged. “It’s just temporary, mind you.”
“What is it? I’m open to anything right about now.”
Hank nodded slowly. “Just until we can
