Ninety Degrees Out

“Heads up Chay. Your target just passed us.We need to take care of ours.All of them are together, they look like they’re splitting off as they reach their assignments.” Aaron didn’t wait for an answer before climbing down the ladder.

Randy was waiting for him at the bottom, and they walked around to the gate before stopping to talk.

“The two of them are coming down the path.I’m not sure which one’s they are though.” Randy reached up to release the latch as he whispered to Aaron.

“Kept that gate quiet.”

“Greased it the other day when I heard what the plan was.”

He reached up to make sure the catch eased shut without a sound.

“Let’s use that monster spruce to hide behind. Jax said they were going to let the gang members set the bomb first.That way we know which of them is the bad guy.”

“I hope they’re hustling their asses.I want this over with.”

Randy settled on his knees with his handgun at the ready.

“Me too.” Aaron shouldered his rifle and stood behind his buddy.

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“Did you hear that?” Chay keyed the radio mic as he spoke.

“Roger. We’ve got about twenty minutes.” Alicia said. “They’re coming in from the path.No surprise, bikes or a vehicle would be too noisy.”

“Considering how stupid they’ve been in the past, I’m surprised,” Chay said. “Come on down here, I don’t think you need to be upstairs for this.”

He walked over to the bottom of the stairs and watched Alicia as she came down.

“Do you want to check on Arimina before we go out?”

“Good idea.I hope we can do this without gunfire.We don’t have silencers and for once I wish they were part of our gear.”

Alicia spun on her heel and went back up the stairs.

Chay followed, thinking he wished he could hide her and Jazz away, as he eased Arimina’s door open.His dog was up, standing beside the bed as they entered.Jazz’s eyes glowed in the dark.

The dog was out and down the stairs before Alicia finished pulling the light sheet over Ari's back.His daughter was sleeping on her stomach, one leg drawn up almost under her.

“She’s sleeping better these days.First time I haven’t woken her up at least for a few seconds doing this,” Alicia whispered.

“Let’s hope this is over with before she can realize what’s going on.She’s ready though.”

Chay pointed to the corner beside her window. Her rifle was there, propped up on its stock.

“Pray to God she doesn’t have to use it.”

Alicia pulled the door closed behind her with a quiet snick.

Chay gave a soft whistle when he turned into the great room. Jazz’s soft woof came from the door to the deck.

“No Jazz, guard.”

The Malawolf laid down obediently across the doorway.

“You take the rifle, Alicia.I trust your aim.Stay in the shadows over there. Be careful.I don’t want you to hit one of us if something goes wrong.”

Alicia dipped her chin, acknowledging his instructions. Taking the rifle, she handed him her pistol and went across the deck.

Chay dashed across the yard between the raised garden beds to drop behind the big rotten log by their compost heap.Good cover, and a perfect line to the path into the forest.

All he had to do was wait for their visitors. Let the bad guy set the bomb and follow the RCMP SWAT guy’s lead to take him down.

Simple really.Like Alicia said.Three against one.

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Arimina stayed motionless when Jazz started whining.She knew her big furry friend could find his own way out of the room. But she never heard this kind of whine before.Jazz sounded really worried.

When Mommy and Daddy came into her room, she pretended to stay asleep. This wasn’t the same as when they were going to bed.It felt wrong.Mom pulled the sheet over her and touched her hair.

She pulled herself up to the window. At least her bed didn’t slide anymore. She remembered the first time she and Jazz tried it and the mattress slid out. She almost got stuck between it and the wall.Jazz was smart. He pushed himself toward her and everything moved a little bit more. Then they had to push the bed back against the wall.

Good thing that was when Mommy was still sick with the bump on her head. She asked Chay about the legs of the bed sliding. He never told Mommy. He just fixed it. Then he helped her and Jazz try looking outside again. Now she was tall enough to use her windowsill to rest her rifle on. She pulled the screen down and cranked the window all the way open. Chay showed her when they were learning about fire drills. If she had to she could jump out of the window.

Hopping down, she went over to the corner and checked her rifle. Hakan taught her about how the spring tension helped load her bullets when it kept jamming up. They found a better one in the barn where he kept all the parts for tractors and hay balers. Then they had to figure out what the right length was. She cut the first one too short, but Hakan said never mind. They could put them back in the rest of the spares and try again.

She pulled the bolt back and loaded a bullet into the chamber. Flipping the safety one, she climbed back up on her bed and set herself up with her rifle against her shoulder and the barrel on the windowsill. She heard the little squeak when the sliding door moved and knew Mommy and Daddy were in the backyard. Jazz was probably with them.

Watching the road, she almost missed the van when it turned the corner. There was a girl driving it. It was going really slow. Why?

The motor wasn’t running. It was rolling slow because the slope down to their house was barely there. The van stopped behind the forest where Ursa sometimes went across to the other side. Math and shapes and why things moved the way they did were fun. Her basic science course was one of her favorites.

Was that the Angel girl? Mommy and Daddy didn’t know she was listening the last time Aaron and Randy were over. What was she doing? She was lugging a container.

I’ll just watch her.I wish Jazz wasn’t out there.I hope he doesn’t get hurt.And what about the horses? Corky can’t get out.I know all the doors are locked.Missy and Lexie and Blue and the puppies are in there too. I won’t let you hurt them. Bad girl. They said she was a bad girl. I’ll just aim for her. I won’t have to shoot. Mommy and Daddy will find her.