Retribution (Moonstruck Genesis #4)

Chapter 19

THE CIVILIANS were gone—finally—though not without a lot of posturing and recriminations. The sky darkened with the setting sun, draping a blue velvet curtain for the Christmas Eve moon rising in the east. Outside the church, the Wolves prepared for war, not peace. Hannah braced her back against the wall of the church and slid down it, joining Liam where he huddled on the cold stone floor.

“It’s okay, Mom.”

She turned her head to stare at him, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “How do you know what I was going to say?”

“I know you. And it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. We’re all together. That’s what matters. All that other dumb stuff? I don’t care.”

He tried so hard to look tough and like he really didn’t care, but Hannah saw right through him. “It’s important that we’re all together. But the other stuff is important, too.” She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. “And I’m sorry that I never realized how important it is until now.” She bumped his shoulder with hers. When had he gotten so tall? She smiled tiredly. “We’ll figure a way out of this, buddy. We always do.”

“I trust you, Mom. And Dad.” He scratched at his arm, an idle and unconscious action. “I just wish I was old enough to really help.”

Hannah couldn’t stand it anymore. She grabbed him and circled her arms around Liam, holding him tight. Resting her cheek against the top of his head, she fought back tears, but didn’t succeed.

“Are you cryin’, Mom?”

“No.”

“Me neither.”

NIGHT HAD arrived even though the far western horizon held a faint tinge of red and the full, Christmas moon hung on the eastern like a fat Japanese lantern. Gathered in the shattered town square, the entire group waited.

Six Wolves were geared up and ready to head into battle with the Los Malvados. They waited only for a report from Sean and Nate, who’d deployed at the onset of twilight to set up trip wires, flares, and other early-warning traps for the cartel members. Lightfoot kept track of their shadows from his position in the bell tower.

Radio communications had been restored and despite the men’s reservations, the women were wired into the system. If things went south, they had orders to head into the desert and get away.

“Yeah, like hell that’s gonna happen,” Hannah muttered at the time.

Armed and ready to ride to the rescue, they weren’t about to leave the men in the lurch.

“Hostiles at two o’clock.” Lightfoot’s calm breathing hissed through radio earpieces following his report. Then he added, “I count six.”

“Location on friendlies?” Mac was already plotting.

“Moving this way, coming in at ten and eleven o’clock.”

“Roger that. Rudy, flank hostiles to the right. Danny, you and Antoine set up a reception point on the edge of town.”

Nate’s voice ghosted through the earpieces, saying, “We counted eighty-two active hostiles, boss. There are two cargo vehicles headed up from the border. Sean set out the welcome mat for them.”

“Large group of hostiles spreading out left and right of the road. Looks like this is it.” Lightfoot’s tone didn’t change.

Harjo was about to give final orders when all the Wolves stiffened, their heads swiveling in sync to the east, listening to something he couldn’t hear. A moment later, he felt it—the faint thrum of helicopters—helicopters coming in low and hot.

“I think the Pentagon just figured out we’re here.” Lightfoot had the vantage point. “Squadron coming in no lights from east-northeast.”

“They gotta be from Bliss.” Mac glanced toward Hannah. “You need to get out now.”

“No way in hell, buckaroo. I’m here until this rodeo is over.” Hannah squared her shoulders. “Since it’s my fault they found us.”

The other women, grim determination etched on each of their faces, stood firm. Sally juggled Grace Marie on her hip. Liz carried Micah in a backpack and the toddler peered over his mother’s shoulder, eerily silent and watchful, as if he understood the gravity of the situation. Liam and Cody stood next to their moms doing their best to look far more grownup than they should.

“They would have found us eventually anyway.” Jacey was always the pragmatist. “If we start the fight with the cartel, maybe they’ll finish it.” She lifted one shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “And maybe we can sneak away in the ensuing confusion.”

A fireball lit up the southern sky. “First cargo truck hit your surprise, Sean.” Lightfoot inhaled sharply. “Hit the dirt!”

Wives and kids sprawled as the Wolves leaped to cover them. The concussion that hit barely bounced them.

Mac barked into his microphone, “Status!”

“Two Apache gunships, boss. Both firing on hostiles.”

“The six hostiles flanking us are DRT.” Rudy’s report held no emotion.

Izzy glanced to Hannah for an explanation. “Dead right there,” she whispered in reply.

The gunships made strafing runs on the cartel’s position, leaving the Wolves and their families time to find better cover as a Blackhawk swooped in and hovered. Shadowed figures occupied the interior but one lone man stood in the doorway, looking straight at Lightfoot. He flashed a complicated series of hand signals.

“Boss? They want to parlay. One is coming to visit.”

“Roger that. Let him come down, but watch the chopper.”

A few moments later, one soldier rappelled from the chopper. As soon as he’d unhooked, the craft veered off and joined the fight. The man slowly removed his helmet, keeping his hands visible at all times. “Captain John Valentine, commander of Delta Company, First of the Five Oh First Aviation Regiment.”

Harjo and Mac stepped forward. “Joshua Harjo.”

“Colonel, a pleasure.” Valentine saluted Harjo and turned to Mac.

“Ian McIntire.”

“Command Sergeant Major.”

Mac added a salute after the captain called him by rank. “Why are you here, sir?”

Valentine offered an elfish grin. “Because my company is the Wolf Pack, Sergeant Major, and we came to help. Command Sergeant Major Donner and Colonel Rudolph send greetings. Oh, and Merry Christmas.”

Sean stepped forward, looking a little worried. “Captain, if you plan to put boots on the ground, we might have a problem. I rigged some booby traps out there. I wouldn’t want any friendlies to stumble across them.”

Rudolph tuned into his earpiece at the same time the Wolves did—and got the same message. His words and Lightfoot’s tumbled over each other. “We need to get you folks out of here.”

“Civilian LEOs headed this way.”

“We can land on the road, load, and get out of here. The gunships will mop up after we’re gone.” Rudolph waited for Harjo to give the order.

“Crap, Mac.” Sean’s face paled as he stared toward the sounds of battle. “I can’t let a bunch of cops wander around out there. Besides the non-lethal stuff, I wired some of the vehicles”

“How long to defuse them?”

“Too long.”

“Suggestion?”

They all turned to stare at the captain. “My gunships will deal with the hostiles. I’ll put a ground team in place to warn the LEOs of the unexploded ordinance if any vehicles remain intact.” He held up a hand to stop Sean’s protests. “Time’s up. We gotta go. You can debrief me in the air. I’ll direct fire to make sure those vehicles are already blown by the time any boots get there. Fair enough?”

“Fair enough, Captain.”

“Then let’s get this show on road.”

With military precision, the Wolves marked a landing zone on a cleared area with enough room for rotors to miss buildings and wires. The first chopper landed in a downdraft that scattered dust and rocks as a team of eight soldiers disembarked. The Wolves tried to put all the wives and kids on board. Each woman refused unless accompanied by her mate. None of the Wolves wanted to be first.

“Danny! On board with Sally and Grace Marie. That’s an order.” Hannah had her Major Bitch face on and the younger Wolf wasn’t about to argue. Rudy, Izzy, Antoine, Jacey, and Nate followed. Captain Valentine signaled the craft to take off.

Two of the soldiers headed inside the church to relieve Lightfoot in the tower. A few moments later, he joined the group next to the LZ.

Once the first bird cleared, a second chopper landed and eight more soldiers hit the ground. Mac cast a questioning look in Valentine’s direction. The Blackhawks usually carried a crew of four with an additional eleven assault troops.

“It’s Christmas Eve. We didn’t bring full crews.” The captain had to shout over the noise of the rotors.

Mac motioned everyone to climb on board. Sean helped Annie and Cody in, and then turned to assist Liz while Lightfoot held their toddler. Once she was settled, Michael passed Micah to her and climbed in, closely followed by Sean. Amy and Harjo boarded while Mac gave Liam a boost up.

Hannah followed her son and Valentine motioned for Mac to climb in. The two men boarded almost side-by-side. As soon as everyone was strapped in, the captain gave the go order. One of the crew passed earphones to everyone, Sean and Mac first.

The chopper banked sharply and for a moment, they got a bird’s eye view of the one-sided battle.

Liam nudged his dad’s leg. “It’s like a Die Hard movie.”