“Here’s the satellite view of the property,” Ashley said, swiveling the monitor around so that everyone in the room could see it.
Assembled around me were Meryl, Oak, Sheriff Morton, Deputy Salas, Callaway, and a couple of other cops from Wiggins.
“It’s a huge area, as you can see,” I explained. “We think that Luna and possibly other children are being held in the barn, that’s right here.” I indicated the spot. “There are two roads to access the place, a forest service road with a cutoff and a driveway off the county road.”
“How many guys are we looking at guarding this place?” Salas asked.
“Not too sure. We saw two guards on the barn with automatic weapons, one guard up top in the house who was armed. Another guy exited the barn and went to the house at one point. Then there were two guys who drove back into the area while we were walking the perimeter. That makes seven that we know of. There could be more.”
Salas whistled. “Proper little party huh?”
“We should call the boys in from Burkus, we need more manpower,” Meryl said, rising and pulling out his phone to make the call.”
Morton was observing the proceedings with crossed arms. “We don’t have a warrant for this entry yet.”
“But we have probable suspicion,” I argued. “Even in Luna isn’t there, what possible legal reason would these guys have to be so heavily armed?”
“You make a fair point,” Morton said. “And the skirt that you found there makes this an exigent case.”
Thankfully we had managed to snap a photo of the plaid skirt, which had been enough for Meryl to call everyone together.
“How do you suggest we approach this?” Morton asked me.
I examined the satellite map of the property. “Two teams come at the property from both sides. The team coming from the front driveway will be the distracting force and should use at least one armored vehicle in case we get into a fire fight. The rear team will be the ones to go in covertly and enter the barn.”
“Well, the boys in Burkus have an armored truck. Sort of looks like a mail truck. But it’ll do. We can make your two teams. But listen, I’d like to avoid bloodshed if possible. We should take them in alive at all costs for questioning.”
“I agree,” I said. “But if they start shooting we could pushed into a life or death situation.”
“If that happens, try to take non-lethal shots when you can, and take the lethal shot only when it is a last resort.”
I nodded obediently. But in the back of my mind I knew exactly what shot I would be taking if one of those guys fired an automatic weapon on anyone from our team.”
“Shouldn’t we try a more diplomatic approach first?” Oak asked.
I shook my head before anyone else could speak. “If these are the sorts of guys I think they are, the element of surprise will be crucial. You give those guys the chance and they’ll scatter like rabbits. You can bet someone like Ulug already has an escape plan in place.”
Morton nodded in agreement. “This time Oak, we’re going to act now and ask for forgiveness later.”
She nodded. Meryl walked back in. We explained the plan. He nodded slowly, his eyes meeting mine. I thought I could detect the glimmer of steel there of a much younger man thrown into midst the chaos of a drug war ten years ago.
“Ok, let’s gear up. The boys from Burkus will bring the armored car. They have three sets of night vision goggles they can lend us. And one of them is a trained sniper. I’d rather he not be taking head shots, but if they have a sniper of their own, we’re going to need him.”
When all was said and done, it was twilight before our entourage was speeding off towards the farmhouse location. My team consisted of Oak, Salas, Toni, the sniper from Burkus and to my displeasure, Calloway. We would be the rear team. The front team consisted of the remainder of the Burkus crew of two seasoned cops in the armored vehicle, Morton, Meryl and the other boys from Wiggins in a truck following. We had decided that the rear crew would approach the house first, coming off the forest service road to the side track and parking there, then continuing on foot to get close. Toni would head off around the side of the fence to the rise Oak and I had scoped out on our tour of the farm, where he could get line of shot on the second floor of the house. Once we were all in position close to the rear gate, the front team would come in, cutting the lock on the front gate and speeding up to the barn, taking cover behind that if possible and taking out the two guards if possible. Our team would move as soon as the front team was causing a lot of distraction. We would cut the lock on the rear gate, come through and then find cover. Two would monitor the house for exiting combatants, two would join the effort on the barn.
In my head, I had already chosen myself and Oak to go towards the barn, leaving Salas and Calloway to keep the house in check. Salas at least seemed competent. Calloway, to his credit, wasn’t running his mouth today. He sat in the rear of our vehicle with his jaw clenched and his hands folded in front of him. I wondered vaguely how many times these country cops had seen combat worthy of this scenario. Probably never. Well, there was no time to worry about that now. They had their field training, that was going to have to be enough for now. Not that I wouldn’t offer my partner a little advice and encouragement. I turned to Oak who was driving.
“You doing ok?”
She nodded, he jaw in a similar position to Calloway’s. I gripped her shoulder for a moment.
“Listen, when we go in there, you stay behind me. Keep under cover until someone tells us to move. We want to know the guards on the barn are suppressed before we move in. Watch your back, don’t let anyone sneak up on you. We’ll be using the radios but you’ve got this too.”
I handed her the Bluetooth earbud that we had been using last night to communicate. “Keep it on,” I advised. “I’ll have your back, don’t hesitate to speak up.”
She nodded. We approached the forest service road and drove out on it, keeping an eye out for the dirt track. We found it quickly, parked the truck and everyone exited. We moved forwards quietly and without light. Toni was the only one of our team that had any night vision goggles, but I didn’t begrudge him this. He would need them more than we would.
We parted ways when the fence came into view and the four of us found trees to hide behind. I radioed to the other team that we were in position. About fifteen minutes later, Toni radioed that he was in position and set up.
“Ok, we’re starting our approach. Meryl out.”
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We waited. I felt the familiar adrenaline of combat that had already been simmering below the surface start to brim over leak into my veins like an IV drip. After a few minutes, we saw the armored vehicle approaching, closely followed by the truck. They made a beeline for the barn.
“Ok go,” I said, and we all leapt forwards. While Salas chopped the lock on the gate, the radio in my belt crackled into life.
“We’ve got two guards here in camo,” came Meryl’s tone. “We’ve got them at gunpoint, they’re surrendering their weapons.”
Another voice suddenly crackled. “We’ve got movement on the balcony. Looks like a shooter with a hunting rifle. He doesn’t have clear line of sight on the barn but he’s moving. I can’t get a shot off.”
We piled through the gate and I motioned for Oak to follow me while Salas and Calloway stole towards the house. We took cover behind the tarped trucks and crouched there. I carefully examined the area. The barn was ahead of us about a 30 meters. The house was to the left of us about an equal distance. Farm junk littered the area in between both edifices, providing good cover, but also opportunities for opponents to hide in as well.
“Let’s move to that tractor,” I breathed to Oak. The whisper was hardly out of my lips when a gunshot sounded from the direction of the house, roaring through the night.
“We’re under fire!” Meryl called in. “Salas, you see where it came from?”
“Negative sir. We’re going to move position to get a better view.”
No sooner had this been announced than another gunshot fired, also from the region of the house. This was a much louder retort, probably a rifle.
“I can see men exiting the house. Prepare for company!” Meryl called.
We heard the banging of doors and the sound of running feet. I glanced out from behind the tarped trucks. The figures of two men were visible outside the house. The appeared to be gazing at the scene. One of them was pointing a pistol around as though searching for a target. Then there was a shout from the barn. I whirled in that direction. It looked like someone had just exited through a side door.
“Get the merch and let’s go!” one of them men from the house roared.
I poked my head back around the truck and saw the two men running directly for us. I seized Oak’s arm in my hand and hauled her forwards towards the tractor. We dove behind it just as another shot fired from the rifle. I couldn’t tell if it was aimed for us but next second I heard Meryl over the radio.
“Shots are coming from the ground floor of the house, repeat, ground floor. They’re aiming for Salas and Calloway.”
My breath hitched.
“Run for the back of the barn,” I said to Oak.
“What about you?”
“I’m going to cover them around the front. I’ll regroup with you in a minute. Go!”
Without another word I darted forward crouched low. The two men from the house we throwing the tarps off the trucks, bungee cords snapping and material furling everywhere. I debated for a moment going to take them into custody, but a moment later, there was a third rifle shot and a scream rent the night.
“Officer down, officer down,” a shaky voice came through the radio. “Salas is hit.”
I raised the radio to my lips. “How bad is it?”
“He got hit in the arm. It’s bleeding everywhere!” Calloway’s voice was frantic.
“Calloway, listen to me. Make sure you’re under cover and then you have to stanch the bleeding. Remember how to do that from field training? Put constant pressure on the wound, using a cloth and then your hands as a compress.”
“What if he’s coming man? What if he’s closing in to finish us off?” Calloway was quickly moving into the lane of hysterics.
“I’m going to cover you. I’m in position. You need to compress the wound now. Do it now!”
Calloway didn’t call in again, which I dearly hoped I could take as confirmation that he was following my order. It was difficult to see what was happening at the house. I moved in closer, taking a position behind an old tilted trailer with only one wheel still attached. I squinted into the dark. I could just make out the silluette of something moving outside on the porch. I pointed my glock in that direction.
“Meryl, are you there?” I asked into the radio.
“Copy. What’s the position?”
“I’m in line with the attacker. Can you move the truck and turn on your brights at the front of the house?”
“Can do. Give me a minute.”
There was the sound of the idling truck being thrown into gear. Then a squeal of tires as it spun around. Suddenly the lights burst on illuminating the front of the house. There he was, the guy with the rifle. It was pointed straight to where Salas and Calloway were crouched behind an old tractor wheel leaned up against a tree stump. I watched the guy raised the site to his eye, his finger on the trigger.
Quickly taking aim, I sent three shot at his lower form. Judging from the yowl he let out, at least one of them had connected to something. The two guys untarping the truck turned in my direction at the sound of the shots and I dived down behind a rusted water tank.
“Kill the lights!”
A moment later, the house went dark again. I hurried towards the barn as one of the recently untarped trucks suddenly came to life and revved its engine. The back door of the barn flew open and a figure burst out. I barely had time to discern the shape barreling towards me before I rolled aside out of its way. The guy emitted a wild shot from a small gauge pistol that landed ten feet to the side of me but it was enough to make me launch myself for the nearest cover.
“Freeze. I’ll shoot!” I roared but the man had already streaked past me to the truck. A door opened and slammed. Then the truck was peeling around and had launched itself towards the gate we had just broken through.
“Fuck!” I said, pressing down on my radio. “Toni can you take a shot? Vehicle departing southwest!”
There was a dead stillness. Then a retort rolled through the night and the side window of the car exploded into glass shards. The vehicle jerked wildly, but then continued on its course. It was unclear what damage had been taken and I curse under my breath but knew there was nothing for it. I reached over to my radio again. “Suspects fleeing on FS 391. Someone call it in!”
“Senel, the barn,” Oak called in suddenly on our private line in my ear.
“Coming now!”
I rushed forwards. The back door of the barn was open wide. I collected Oak and we moved towards it, guns out and fingers on the trigger. I motioned to Oak that I would go in first, then come back out. I switched on my flashlight and stuck my head in, crouching. At a brief glance, the barn was empty, but the next second a shot fired off so near my head that I felt where it impacted the door. Oak leapt back as I fell on my ass, quickly recovering and scooting back.
“One hostile, possible others still in the barn,” I radioed in. “Meryl, we need a distraction.”
“We’ll run the truck into the front doors,” Meryl suggested. “You move in there on my count.”
“Get ready,” I called to Oak as the truck’s engine revved again. This time it swung around, the light blazing on and then slammed towards the barn door. The barn shook with the impact as the truck broke right through the corrugated metal door and burst into the interior.
“Go!” Meryl roared and Oak and I moved together through the door and into the barn. I pulled her through to what appeared to be an empty cow stall and we crouched down. A shot sounded from just to the side of us and I leapt up onto a large straw bale in the corner and poked my head over the top. There was a guy standing there waving a shotgun towards the truck. I took as careful aim as was possible and sunk a shot into his leg. He went down and I jumped off the hay bale and popped out into the open. It didn’t appear anyone else was there to cover the guy. I rushed forwards, kicking the shockgun out of the way. It skittered across the concrete floor of the barn.
“Stay down!” I warned the man who was now clutching his leg. I moved over him and yanked his arms together, cuffing them with a zip tie.
“Oak, check the stalls!” I called and she rushed past me, turning into stall after stall.
“Nothing,” she said after a moment, coming back to me.
“Senel!” another voice called. Meryl and Morton were exiting the truck. A moment later the two younger Wiggins cops moved in.
“We need to get to Salas and Calloway,” I said, my heart thudding.
“Me and the boys’ll go,” Morton said, nodding to his two junior officers.
“Senel, there’s nothing here,” Meryl said but I shook my head.
“Turn off the truck. Get the search lights. And keep it quiet.”
In the eerie desolation of the old barn, equip with floodlight we spread out, each of us three and one of the Burkus cops moving in different directions. I felt my feet slide along concrete through a duff of straw. Each corner of the barn seemed more barren then the last. Though oddly, the straw seemed thick and springy, not old as moldy as it might have been from years of disuse.
There was a strange rapping noise, and I stilled, straining my ears. Everyone else had frozen as well. After a moment, we all crept forwards again.
“Senel!” Oak called suddenly and I moved in her position. She was standing next to what appeared to be a strange slab. I stared at it for a moment before bending and scraping armfuls of straw away. When I straightened, I had revealed a plywood slab about 1 meter by 2.
“Lift it up,” I said and Oak and I shoved the piece aside. Underneath it was what looked like a trap door.