SWNOVELS Chapter 32 - Brain Power
It was time for planning. Everyone of us knew Barbosa would be back, probably dressed in riot gear. We needed a plan to save the girls and kill the monster. We needed to kill everyone employed by Barbosa or our plans would have been for nothing. Everyone employed by Barbosa - the monster - was just as deranged as their boss. While we were taking care of them we needed to make sure Antonio was with us. We knew he would fight with us. He would probably enjoy killing them. He had been with Barbosa too long and was ready to get out but not before taking his share of lives. I could see the signs before I left and I was honestly surprised he hadn't kill the monster yet.
“Let’s make a plan. Hopefully we can get through with plan without being interrupted by idiots,” Madrid remarked.
“What if one of the shadows took me in for the rewar-”
“-no way in hell, Selina. He would kill you on the spot. Not going to happen,” Matheus yelled.
“I don’t see why not. I could act contrite.” I paused and thought about it. “Never mind. He would have me married off to his second in command in a second. And, I don’t want to be anywhere near the pervert. If anyone kills him please rip off his junk first.”
The guys went quiet. No one talked. They had looks of shock and horror on their faces. I thought it was because I wanted to rip off his junk but I wasn't sure. It finally dawned on me where their thoughts had run to. “No, he didn’t rape me. I would carry a blade with me at all times.”
Everyone was laughing and cutting up over Selina’s use of her blade.
“Anyone else?” Madrid questioned.
Matheus was thinking over a couple of ways to get into the compound and he was close to a plan but not quite there. “I’m working on an idea. Give me a couple of hours and I will have it all come together.” He turned towards the General, cocking his head to the side. “You know how my brain works.
“Yeah, it works as if you were a computer,” Madrid commented, laughing at Matheus’s groan.
“Well, I’m going to cook something. It keeps my mind busy for awhile,” I responded as I walked to the ice chest, pulling the meat out. I walked over and grabbed the big pan. I cut up some onions and put it back in the refrigerator. I wanted to boil the chicken first. I walked over to the refrigerator and looked for fresh carrots, onions, a bell pepper and a little flour. I didn't need the flour but it would make the meal last longer. I turned around and went to the foot locker that still held can goods and diced tomatoes. I needed four cans. Finding them, I pulled them out and put them on the small counter next to the onions. I went back and looked for cans of blanco cheese sauce, adding four large cans to the counter top like space. I wanted to make sure we had thin noodles before I started making chicken spaghetti. I had forgotten the rotel tomatoes, so I went back to the foot locker and found the three cans I would need. I grabbed my blade and a green pepper, dicing them and putting them in a bowl. I was ready, only waiting for the chicken to cook.
I walked back over to the men, sitting down and listening in on more conversation on the siege. Everyone was throwing out ideas except for Matheus. He was sitting as still as a statue. I knew he was thinking hard about his plan. The man always had a plan on top of a plan, but he was a thinker first. I was hoping to fill in the blanks he had.
“Fill me in. I might be able to help fill in the blanks. I know you have a lot of plans going on in your head but I know the security set up without looking at a picture. Please let me help,” I pleaded.
“Okay, let’s see what we can come up with together. I’m trying to figure out a way to get into the compound after killing the sentries he has. His compound looks as if it’s airtight but every place has a back door,” he stopped talking. “Where’s his back door, Selina, where is it in California where you learned to be a ghost. You should have found back doors,” Matheus questioned.
“I need a pencil or pen and paper. I’m going to draw out the compound in California and go from there,” I explained, not realizing everyone went quiet at my words. I was already drawing all the false walls in the compound in California in my mind. The two compounds were eerily familiar and I never noticed when I looked at the pictures.
“Here you go, Selina,” Matheus said, handing me the pad and pen. I hoped I could put a light on the plan in his head. He was smart to think about back doors. I don't think I would have thought of them without him prodding me. I was just glad I could help with something.
Matheus and I sat in silence. It was quiet in the bunker. Everyone knew Matheus was close to a plan - one they could use to eradicate the scum. Everyone waited for a eureka moment - the moment Matheus figures out something, whether it be tech, gadgets, weapons, or plans.
I was marking the exits out of his office and different places in the compound. I marked the one in the monsters office, one in the pantry, another one on the second floor, two more on the first floor in the den, and the last one under Antonio’s house. Antonio had a small house by the jail and training yard and I was sure he knew about the false wall in his bathroom, one I’m sure he has used on occasion. I was hoping there was a way to see if there was more. A ground penetrating plane could find them. The monster was cheap and didn’t use shields to hide his escape routes. I noted the escape tunnels exits. I included the ones outside the gates, ones that were under the sentries noses. When I was done I handed everything to Matheus and walked with him to the table.
“Now for our plan...