It Ain't Paranoia If...

End of Chapter 3

Carl was watching the radar screen; he suddenly looked up and reported, "Helicopter just took off from a ranch near Marfa. Looks like the heading is due north."

"And three black vans left the ranch about the time the helicopter lifted off," reported a spotter on the Marfa highway.

"Showtime!" Claude announced over the comms we were using, and then alerted the sheriff, who said he had set up in an opening in the Pinyon forest on our side of the bridge that had a good line of sight to the road approacing the bridge.

Carl turned to me; "Looks like a frontal ground assault timed with an air assault from the rear. We have two men with RPGs on the hills on either side of the road. Do you want to load up on Stingers to the rear, or keep them in place, just in case?"

"I think we're okay, as long as there is a single helo. The eastern point will have the first shot if it approaches from the rear, but the southern and northern points will also have shots. If it approaches from any other direction, three points of the diamond will still have shots.

"My only concern is what weaponry they're carrying and the range. I'd prefer not to have to rebuild this place, but 'que sera, sera'. The main thing is for everyone to stay safe.

"To that end, I want Raymundo to have that conversation with Reynaldo before the battle commences. Can we do that, Chap?"

"I'll call Tino." Chap replied. "How soon?"

"As soon as you can arrange it!

"After the call is made, we immediately transition from prey to hunter, so everyone needs to be ready. In the meantime, keep a close eye on the helo! If it's armed with missiles, we may already be too late to stop the attack!"

***

"I'll ask Tino if he knows," Chap said, dialing through the open communication port.

"Bueno, Amigo. Apurate!"

"Let's do a welfare check. Sentinels: sit rep." Claude ordered.

Each reported back that things were stable.

Chap interrupted his conversation with Tino to report the helicopter was most likely armed with Russian-made Vikhr missiles, then returned to his conversation.

Carl interject that NATO calls the Vikhr missile" Whirlwinds". Seeing the wide-eyed look he was getting from the others, he grinned and said, "Chill a bit! Because they are laser guided, their range at night is only about 5km, or 3.5 miles. That means they will be in our range when we're in theirs!"

Sheriff Goodson, are you listening?" asked Claude.

"I am, Rob. Our connection is secure, isn't it?"

"Yes" Claude assured him. "Why? You got something for us?"

"I do. Don't get trigger-happy with the Stingers; too much to explain, and I have a better solution in the works. Focus on the vans."

"Uh, Sheriff, we're set up to interdict the vans and I'm confident we can deal with whoever is in them. A missile fired from three or four miles away is another matter. If we don't fire before they get in range..."

"Be patient, Rob. Trust me."

"Command, this is Alpha; I have a rotary aircraft approaching from the northeast! It's six miles out, flying low and fast."

"See anything else, Alpha?" asked the sheriff.

"This is Beta: I have a visual on two fast movers coming from the northwest."

"I see them now; closing really fast!" Alpha added.

"Be calm, Boys! You probably don't know, and my caller certainly didn't know, that I'm retired Air Force, and the Texas Air National Guard commander at Fort Bliss is my best friend. He didn't know anything about 'maneuvers' in our area, but sent a couple of Vipers to check things out: that should be them."

"I have all three on radar now," Carl intoned, "they will meet just about the four-mile mark, so that will be close to the range of their missiles. Sheriff, are they authorized to fire?"

"They are authorized to take any action deemed necessary to protect civilians from any unknown aircraft. Stay calm and let this play out."

"Laser beam is approaching the house!" Gamma informed us.

We prepared for the explosion above, while hoping the ceiling of the bunker was as strong as planned.

"Helo breaking off!" shouted Alpha. "He's running east hugging the valleys and the Vipers are circling."

"Delta 2: we have three vehicles entering from the highway: implementing Operation Rocking Chair."

"Delta 1: copy."

"Delta 3: copy."

"Epsilon: copy."

"Eta: copy."

"Sheriff: copy."

"Theta command: moving into ground position. Iota and Kappa command will remain."

With the air attack stymied, I exited the bunker with Chap, Coyote, and Gato. We established ourselves in the west-facing command post, trusting that the remaining foes were in the vans. I used the remote to move the dozer far enough onto the roadway to partially block it. The vans would be unable to pass, but the sheriff would still have an open shot with his Gatling.

I turned to

El Chaparral

, who was still listening to his phone, but now sporting a big smile. "So?"

"I'm muted. Raymundo and his brother are engaged in conversation, although there is a lot of shouting involved. It seems Reynaldo is threatening to skin him alive, starting with his cock, as soon as he gets back to Mexico."

"Has 'Mundo told him about his family yet?" I asked.

"He let Rey run out of steam first; he just started," Chap answered with a chuckle.

"Delta 2: approaching mark. Are we cleared?"

"Go; I repeat, Go," I answered calmly.

We watched as the vans came to a halt at the dozer, and a short burst from the Sheriff's .50 cal made mincemeat of the first van's engine compartment. An explosion then lifted the third van off the road, and men rose out of the rocks near the road to shoot the tires off the vehicle in the middle -- the van in the "Rocking Chair"; the van that contained Reynaldo Escamilla!

"Patch me through to Reynaldo," I told Chap. He unmuted himself and handed me the phone. The Escamilla brothers were again cussing each other in Spanish when I yelled, "Shut the fuck up!"

"This is Rob MacGregor. You must know me, Raymundo - after all, you let a contract on my ex-wife, my two children, and me, then brought mercenaries and terrorists with you to kill us!

"Now, you're trapped between two disabled vehicles, and I have men with RPGs just waiting for my command to blow your sorry ass to hell and gone. Wanta talk a bit, or do you prefer to just get it over with now?"

"What do you want?" Reynaldo asked defiantly.

"I want to know why? What threat do we pose to you?" I asked.

"You put my friend Robert in prison. He owes me $5,000,000 he can't pay while he's in there, and he can't

lave mi dinero

- you know, wash my money. I was going to kill him and write if off, just to send a message to my colleagues, but he told me he took out $2 million dollar insurance policies on his wife and each of your kids. He's the sole beneficiary, so he offered me the six million if I would kill all four of you instead.

"Nothing personal; it's just business."

"I know you aren't going anywhere anyway, but if you want to live a few more minutes, stay in the van and wait for me to come back on the line. In the meantime, your brother can continue to update you on your pretty

esposa

, tus hijos, y tu mama, and give you a business report too."

I keyed the comms and asked, "Sheriff, okay if I walk down and talk to you?" He answered in the affirmative, and climbed out the back of the Humvee. We met behind it and I asked his druthers.

He scratched his ear, then his jaw, and told me he'd druther this hadn't happened at all, because the trials alone were going to bankrupt the small, sparsely settled county, unless he turned it over to the feds and put up with their bullshit for a couple of years.

We discussed our options for a few minutes, and then walked back to our posts. We had decided to do the right thing and arrest the survivors, but Reynaldo took that option out of our hands when he and his men bailed out of the van and started firing at air -- our men had disappeared back into the rocks when the doors opened.

The men in the first van jumped out and also started firing at ghosts.

The Sheriff's Gatling gun opened up, and I shouted "GO-GO-GO" into the comms. Two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) exploded where the enemy forces were clustered near the vans, and then AR fire rained down on the survivors. Within a minute the firing stopped.

The sheriff ordered his armored Humvee across the bridge, turned on a huge spotlight, and surveilled the area from inside. After a few minutes, he advised our forces it appeared safe to approach, but to do so with care. They rose out of the rocks on the narrow mesa and closed on the vans, but found no survivors.

"Mundo, this is Rob. Looks like you are sole proprietor of your business. We had a deal: is it still good?"

"Si, Rob. My brother's foolish pride is no longer a problem for the business, or my family. The contract has already been rescinded, and I'll make it very clear when we meet to reorganize first thing in the morning that you and your family are to be protected from now on.

"You might want to lay low for a few weeks, just in case someone outside our organization didn't get the word, but I assure you the bounty is no longer funded and the professionals who do that kind of work will know that very soon."

"I'm trusting you with this, Mundo, but I want you to know that the Brotherhood, the Militia, and my friends in Mexico will remain on full alert until things are fully sorted out.

"You put that Ivy League education to use now; divest yourself of those interests that might threaten me, my interests, and my part of the world. I'll stay out of your business and family interests, and we'll continue to get along just fine, amigo."

***

The sheriff and his two deputies took over at this point. With help from Claude's men, the bodies were gathered, loaded in the bed of three dump trucks that mysteriously appeared, and were driven away. Before dawn, the remains of the three vans were loaded onto trailers and they also disappeared to the northwest.

A road repair crew appeared at first dawn, and our men were already picking up whatever brass they could find. The welder who had fabricated my pipe gate was at work replacing the 8" steel anchor post they had destroyed with linear charges, after which he would replace the gate.

After the road was repaired, my dozer was moved to the former battleground, and by late morning, it appeared we had simply cleared, leveled, cleaned up, and sloped the last fifty yards of mesa in front of the bridge to divert running water from the newly repaved roadway.

Everyone was out of the bunker and breakfast was ready by 8:30. Kaitlyn, Doc, and Coyote rode the Mule down, bringing two ice chests of bottled water and another 48-quart chest full of ham, egg, and potato tacos for the workers -- all of them. We took a break to chow down, and they received many thanks, o muchas gracias!

Interestingly, everyone took a seat where they could see the blonde in the tight jeans and tank top and conversations were scarce while they ate and gawked while she greeted and served our guys.

After we finished, they took the empty taco chest back to the house. Gato and Doc had taken the kids for a hike to the overlook of Cherry Creek to keep them occupied while we worked. Cherry Creek runs through the canyon along the north side of the mountain; to the south, Right Hand Creek runs through a canyon that touches my home mountain on the southeast corner, before it heads east-southeast.

Both are spring-fed, with headwaters on or near the ranch -- I'm not sure, because, other than flying over them, I haven't explored the canyons of the ranch. That's mainly because they are impossible to access by ATV, extremely difficult if not impossible by horseback, and I haven't been motivated enough to try to walk them.

Kaitlyn watched from the patio for a while. She even drew attention from where we were working a half-mile away, what with the sunlight glinting off all that blonde hair.

We could see smoke from the big grill, and Clay and Chap were buzzing around between the house and pit. We finished just before noon, and nineteen of us walked back up to the house carrying our hand tools, with rifles strapped to six... just in case.

The smell of wood smoke and grilling burgers made my stomach gurgle as we neared the house. Trays piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and when we made it to the patio the condiments of your choice were brought from the house. Ice chests full of bottled water, Dr. Pepper, and RC Cola were opened, and Chap made a grand gesture inviting us to partake.

Kaitlyn stopped the stampede by loudly interjecting, "AFTER we say a prayer. Clay, will you lead us?"

Clay thanked The Lord for keeping us safe in perilous situations, for the bounty of food, and for honest and trustworthy friends and comrades to share it with; we all echoed his AMEN, and then fell in line. I slipped off to the side after procuring a RC, and looked down on the road leading up.

The bare stone before the bridge entrance caught my attention; it was rather glaring, given the native growth along the rest of the road. Maybe I could get someone to plant some native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers. Or maybe I should let nature do what she wants?

A small hand rested softly on my shoulder, and then squeezed lightly. I turned to the pretty thing and said, "Hi! Thanks for the delicious meal, but where are the kids?"

"They were starving at 11:15, so they've eaten and gone with Doc and Gato on another adventure. They slept better than we did, but I told them to be back for their naps by 1:30.

"Are you going to take a nap?"

"I need to, but I've got questions I need answered first."

She smiled knowingly, and said, "Claude and Clay have been on the phone all morning. I suspect they can answer your questions, and then we can take a nap when the kids do."

She looked excited and expectant; I was having second thoughts.

"Kaitlyn, I spent the better part of five years suffering, hating you, wondering what I did wrong to deserve losing you and my kids. You waltz back into my life less than a week ago, offer me the opportunity to get to know my kids again after losing five years I'll never get back, and then bring the wrath of a drug cartel on us all."

I ignored the hurt look on that angelic face and continued. "Have I enjoyed having sex with you again? I think you know the answer to that question. Hell, every man here would love to, so that doesn't make me special!

"But let's take a deep breath and back up a step. I don't know that I really know you -- the real you! I knew you as a teenager, as my 20-year-old fiancée, as my bride, as my wife, and as the loving mother of our children. I thought I knew you... and then I learned that I didn't know you at all.

"Now you're back, and all the things that drew me to you before are drawing me back in, but I'm also suspicious and conflicted.

"Don't look so woebegone. I'm not saying I want you to leave or anything like that. In fact, what I want is to be with you and our kids, get to know all of you better, and see where that takes us. I want all of us to live in this house and do things together, Kaitlyn, but I need for you to give me some space and time.

"I have to travel for work next week, but I'm going to ask some of the guys to stick around for protection and support, and Claude will leave a protection detail...even though I think we're safe now.

"Can you do that, for me? Can you give me a little time and space, a chance to get to know you again?"

Those big green eyes were searching my face, reading the emotion behind my words. I saw the sad acceptance flash, and she replied. "I spent the last five years regretting what I did, and the last four of those five years wishing we could be together again, even if only as friends and co-parents.

"I'm sorry I've come on so strong, but I honest-to-god find you irresistible! Your looks and that hot body, sure; that turns me on." she said with a grin. "But it's the way you meld flawlessly with the kids, the way you interact with people, the way they respect you, how calm and collected you are in a crisis, and how you assume leadership when it's needed but follow when others lead.

"When I add all those things together I realize just how special you are, and how lucky I am to have you in my life, in whatever capacity you choose. Of course, I want you in my bed every night, and I want to sit in your lap on the patio and watch the sunrise, or sunset, and I want to kiss and hug you a couple dozen times a day... but I'll honor your request! I find it amazing that you even offer me the opportunity, and I gladly accept!

"Now, let's go eat; I'm starving and I know you must be!"

***

The burgers were delicious. The kids came back excited but exhausted, and we all took a nap... in separate rooms. I got up after a couple of hours; it was quiet in the other rooms, so I let them sleep.

Clay and Claude were lounging on the patio with beer in hand when I finally got alert enough to go looking for them. "Where is everyone else?" I asked while snaking a beer out of the ice.

Claude answered with a smile. "The old farts are sleeping, as are half of our men. They will switch out at eight, and we'll continue the protection details until we're absolutely certain this is over, unless you have a different plan."

"No, that's for the best. Any news on the helicopter? That's the only remaining threat I'm aware of."

"We'll talk more about your last statement in a minute, but I haven't heard anything about the helo. Think you should check with Sheriff Goodson?"

I dialed the sheriff's personal line; he picked up on the second ring. "Good afternoon, Mr. Robert Roy MacGregor. How can your sheriff assist you this afternoon?"

"I was wondering if you had information..."

"I'm nearly to the gate to your place," the sheriff interjected, "I've got a bad connection, so send someone down to open the gate and we can finish this conversation on your patio."

"I can disengage the lock and open it from here. Come on up."

He must have been close, because by the time Clay went to get us another beer, his Olive Drab Jeep Wrangler was parked and he was walking up. "Good afternoon, boys. Y'all look mighty relaxed; got any of that cerveza you can spare?"

We shook hands and gathered in a circle while Claude brought him a beer, "Want a koozie, Sheriff?"

He replied, "Hell, boy, I've never let a beer sit long enough to get hot!" After a long draw, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and commented, "I'm glad to see you youngsters drinking The National Beer of Texas, like us old-timers out here. Hell of a deal when the best beer in the store costs less!"

We clinked our bottles together, offered a toast to ice-cold Lone Star beer, and took a drink.

I then offered, "So, what became of the helicopter that was buzzing around here?"

"Guess you boys don't watch much TV. Seems some fool was flying fast and low through the Puertacita Mountains over to the east and crashed into Miter Peak. It must have been carrying a lot of fuel, because it made a hell of a boom and dug a big hole in the mountainside. Not much left of the remains of the copter or the occupants, according to the Sheriff over in Reeves County."

"How about the F16s we saw - everything okay?" Clay asked.

"My friend said they had a pleasant flight, and had an unusual opportunity to practice targeting an unidentified aircraft. It was unmarked and refused to identify itself, so they radar-locked on and followed it until it disappeared off their radar flying east."

We laughed, clinked beers again, and Claude said, "It's good to know a sheriff who has friends in REALLY HIGH places!" That caused a belly laugh and another toast, to friends in high places!