Maxine's New Life Ch. 14

The whole day Sunday was spent trying to show people we were still alive and not one bit intimidated by the Atwoods. We switch up our pairings so we didn't get into a routine. Routines of any kind while operational can be deadly. Even though Martin and I agreed that the Atwoods weren't likely to do much recon work. I figured they would find out where we lived, get high on something and just show up at our door.

Since the clubs were open on Sunday, Mike and I went back to the scene of my crime. I knew I had no backup and that it was risky but I had to show people that I did not fear the Atwoods, even though I did. Not to fear those two wasn't just stupid, it could well be terminally stupid.

I sat so that I could keep my eye on the door and Mike sat so that he could film everything. He was using an only slightly disguised camera. It was a high definition camera in a case to make it look like a common cell phone.

"What," Mike asked when he saw my reaction.

"Blane Atwood just came in. You know most people look better than their mugshot. Thomas Atwood had been the exception, but blain actually did look better. A whole lot better. If I weren't in town to destroy him, I might have screwed him.

I wrapped my hand around the 410 gauge derringer in my coat pocket. If that thing went off it was going to ruin my coat and make a god awful mess of Blain's not to bad face.

"So you are the bad ass preacher lady?" he asked.

"I am and I suppose you are Blain Atwood, brother of the very rude Thomas Atwood?" I suggested.

"True on both counts. The shame of it is Thomas didn't learn anything last night. He is still determined that you suck his dick before he kills you. I told him to just do a drive by, but he wont have it. He is insisting that he get his blow job, and you die slow and painfully."

"Did the chief of police talk to you today?" I asked.

"Yes he did. I know your friend is taping this. The problem with the tape is one of you has to be alive to confirm it. My lawyer says it is useless, if someone can't testify that it is genuine."

"Ah so you are saying we are both going to be dead?" I asked.

"All four of you," he said matter of factly.

"Then I guess you should get on with it," My finger was tightening on the trigger.

"Too many witnesses, besides don't you just love a surprise?" he asked.

"Sure some more than others. I have a feeling I might not enjoy the surprise you have planned though." I said.

"I can assure you that you won't," he replied with a psycho's smile.

"You know you are better looking than Thomas, but just a fucking sick," I said. I watched him change directions.

"You are probably right. It could be something genetic, I suppose." he said.

"Well, maybe I can arrange for the trait not to passed on." I said with a smile.

"I could just cut your throat while you are sitting there. None of the sheep in this town would life a finger to stop me." he said.

"Well, I'm just a visitor, but trust me I have a 9mm Glock under the table. It is pointed at your heart," Mike said with a quiver in his voice.

"And I, Blain, have a 410 gauge shotgun slug from a Derringer for you, if you make such a stupid move," I informed him. "Once you are dead they become my sheep, and they won't see a thing." I smiled at him for a few seconds and watched sanity return to his eyes. "So partner this saloon ain't big enough for both of us. You need to leave now. I mean right fucking now or you might get your ass beat like your brother."

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die," he said.

"I'm sure you will, if you live long enough." I said smiling at him.

He left quickly after his face saving statement. "So how are we going to get out of here?" Mike asked.

"You are going to to call 911 and report smoke coming from this place. When the volunteer fire department comes we are going to leave with the crowd."

"Geese Max where to you come up with that kind of shit?" he asked. "Are we really going to do that?"

"No, I'm going out through the bathroom window. I'm going to scout the area, then call you if it's all clear. If not, I guess I'll have to kill whoever is out there." I smiled sweetly. In the meantime you stay put and tell anyone who asked I'm in the bathroom."

Like all women I had been to that bathroom a dozen times and I knew where the window was. It was high enough so that it was a challenge to get it open. I stood on the plastic trash can and hoped it didn't collapse. The drop to the alley was about eight feet so I prayed that I made it without a broken ankle.

After a rather sloppy landing, I went hunting. I checked a two block radius of our car. When I was sure that the odds were heavily in our favor, I called Mike to come out. "Now let's get the hell out of here," I said as after we were safely in the car.

"How are things at home?" I asked Martin on the phone.

"Things are just fine," he said. "How was the bar?"

"Interesting, keep a close eye out, we are likely to have company," I said.

"Oh really, Do I need to lay an ambush?" Martin asked.

"No what you need to do is make a contingency plan, that's all for now." I replied.

"I found a pretty good hole this morning for the Cop, I think I could find it again in the dark."

"First sign or trouble go back there. I don't think these guys can do an infiltration. I expect them to just drive up and try to muscle us."

"Or try to catch us out somewhere," Martin said.

"Yeah, it's gonna be redneck thug style. They are gonna want to show us how bad they are." I suggested.

"If they are smart, they will try to catch us separated, then set an ambush around the dead bodies in the house." I said.

"That's what you or I would do. These guys will come in with a truck full of rednecks, and burn the house down. They won't expect a fucking war," Martin said.

"This is getting way out of hand," I admitted.

"Yeah, but like you said, 'It's gonna make great TV."' Martin said it with a laugh.

"Well it's time we rattle their cages. Pack everything of any value into your SUV and we will give the bobsy twins the option of following us or running away. Then lets go shake them up a little.

"What you got in mind?' Martin asked.

"Why don't you show me that cook shack for starters?" I asked.

"Did you just turn into the drive?"

"No we are still two miles out. Get out of the house and into the woods. I'm on my way. We are going to come in hot."

"Block the drive. Do not let them get out," Martin demanded.

"How many cars?" I shouted into the phone the adrenaline screaming through me.

"Just one so far," Martin said. I could hear the background noise and he moved from the house to the woods. I hoped Gwen didn't get him killed.

"Mike we are going to go in hard and fast. Ram their car and run over any son of bitch you can."

"You are kidding?"

"They are not there to deliver pie at midnight. They probably think we are still at the bar. They are there to send a message."

We turned into the drive moving at about thirty miles an hour down the dirt road. "If nothing else Mike, we are going to be a distraction. Then we are going to hope like hell that Martin is as good as he thinks he is."

I hardly got the words out before we were in the yard. There were four men with guns standing between the truck and the house. They had stopped moving forward at the sound of the SUV moving down the drive. A few seconds later they were jumping out of the way as the heavier SUV pushed the truck toward them.

I came out of the car with the .38 in one hand and the derringer in the other. Like I had said to Mike, I had to hope that Martin was as good as he thought he was. It was dark as hell outside the circle of Mike's headlights.

"I heard the distinctive rattle of the M4. I was determined to wait until I saw something to shoot at before I wasted my few rounds. From out of nowhere someone grabbed me. I sure as hell hoped that it wasn't Martin, because I put the derringer close beside my body move hard to the right pulling the trigger at the same time. The heavy slug from the .410 shotgun shell must have been hard hitting because he released me and fell instantly to the ground like a stone. I screamed in pain.

"Are you hit?" Mike asked.

"No, the blast from the derringer burned the hell out of me." I said. While I beat out flames coming from my coat, there were a couple of shotgun blasts in our general direction. Fortunately they missed. The M4 was firing in three round burst. I am pretty sure that Martin was just firing at movements, so I stayed on the ground and told Mike to do the same.

"Stop firing Martin," I shouted during a lull. After a couple of seconds I said. "Have you guys had enough or do you want to hang around till sun up when we come finish you off?"

"I am through, if you let me go," a voice said.

"How about your friends?" I asked.

"I think they have all been shot," the voice said.

"If you can disappear, no one will shoot at you, If you turn toward us, we will kill you," I shouted to him.

I waited a reasonable amount of time, then rang Martin on the burn phone. "Do you have a light?" I asked.

"No but I can get back to the house and get a lantern." he whispered.

"It's too dark to give you any cover so be careful." I said. "Martin don't go finishing them off. We can explain this but not anything else."

When Martin came out with the lantern we moved around very carefully. We knew one of them had gotten away. I expected he was running through the woods, but I didn't know for sure. Martin turned the one I shot over and his intestines fell out. I had never seen anyone shot with the derringer, so I was surprised. It was the only shot I fired and it had been a kill shot. One for one was good in any game. I knew the taking of a life was not a game, nonetheless it was what I thought.

"So we going to dump the bodies on the Atwood farm?" Martin asked only half kidding.

"No we are going to call the GBI man. Let him call someone to come investigate." I said.

"Are you sure," Martin asked. "You know none of these guys are an Atwood brother. It is going to look a lot like we murdered them."

"That's why the GBI is going to be involved from the start." I said.