THE GIFT

Chapter 13

Curtis’ strategy was to deceive the mercs into focusing all their efforts on his house, believing what they were after was there, while Matt launched the bomb from his “radio hut”. Due to the gravity of the stakes at hand, it was decided to take as many mercs prisoners as possible, to be handed over to law enforcement with hundreds of cameras rolling, making it impossible to hide the conspiracy to monopolize the formula. Each man was outfitted with a police-grade body camera. The media was not to be trusted to tell the story.

However, it was also decided that no Phantom was to risk their life to take a prisoner. If necessary, take the enemy out. Several heads nodded in approval.

Meanwhile, they divided into three three-man assault groups, leaving the remaining Phantoms to engage from the house. The tree covered fence lines that grew thick between every field meant the patrols were able to quickly spread out and get around the mercenary positions.

The bad guys arrived about a mile from their outer perimeter. They

hadn’t done a very good job of going unseen by the locals. Four black

SUVs pulled off to the side of the road was not a common sight in

these parts. They also didn’t consider that some of the locals had a

deep mistrust of the federal government…and their SUVs looked very

federal.

They didn’t anticipate one of the only pickup trucks around that wasn’t white (an old, boxy baby-blue Chevy…with a white roof) stopping so the driver could s***h both driver’s side tires on all four SUVs…and then casually get back in his truck and drive off, as if he had just stopped to help a turtle across the road.

Meanwhile, all the shutters on the house had been closed and firing positions manned, the key position being the cupola. Stephens and his hired killers were walking into a meat grinder. They would be given an 76 opportunity to surrender, and those who did would be treated as P.O.W.s according to military law, since they were taken in combat. Those who did not would be eliminated with extreme prejudice.

As the band of assassins slowly approached the house, the merc who detected Matt’s bunker motioned to another to follow him. They started to walk at away from the others.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Stephens hissed.

“You told me to take someone and deal with the guy in the Quonset.” The merc responded in a muted whisper.

Stephens considered reversing his order, but felt the bunker, or whatever it was, may have some significance. He agreed, losing two men from his plan. No problem, he thought.

The two mercs covered the distance to Matt’s fence line in fifteen minutes and were taking cover a mere fifty yards away from the bunker. Matt emerged and started up the steps. The second merc fired at Matt, but missed, sending the bullet into the still-open steel door, shattering the bullet and ringing the door like a an out-of-tune bell.

Matt instantly retreated into the shelter, slamming and locking the door.

“You stupid…” the first merc growled. “Now, how are we going to get him out?”

“Well…we both have a couple frag grenades, so…”

“Mayday…mayday!” Matt barked into his tactical radio. “This is Phantom Two to Phantom base, Phantom Two to Phantom base. Do you copy?”

Curtis snatched his radio from the coffee table, “This is Phantom base. I copy. What is your mayday?”

“Phantom base…I am under attack...repeat…I am under attack. I am secure in the bunker, at this point, but I have no intel on the bogeys…if there is even…”

BOOM!

The heavy steel door reverberated with an enormous thud, muffling all sound into a dull buzz. The door was designed to swing outward and withstand tornado winds, so it remained standing, though badly bent. But explosives were another thing. Though the hinges survived, the door latch did not.

“You can come out…we won’t harm you.” The first merc called out to Matt from just outside the ruined door.

Matt didn’t respond. It was to his advantage for them to be unsure if he was dead or injured…or not. He kept his weapon trained on the only possible point of access…an irregular hole the size of a football, made by the explosion.

“Come on, man. Let’s end this.” The merc implored.

Matt quickly, and quietly cleared the work bench that stood halfway to the door and tipped it onto its side. If they threw anything in, the thick benchtop would stop it and absorb it. He then retreated further back in the bunker, behind his desk. He moved his computer to the floor, in case any bullets started flying, and began the sequence for launching the bomb that would change the world while radioing for help.

“Phantom base, this is Phantom Two. Bomb launched…repeat…bomb launched. Frags used on the door. Not sure how long it can take it. I could use a little help, if you can spare it.”