Maxine's New Life Ch. 15

Martin and I studied the tapes closely everyday until Friday evening. We drove back to the highway for dinner Friday evening. Martin and I in one car the two TV producers in the another. He used his jamming device almost immediately.

"Okay I figure he is going out most evening for about three hours. Probably a woman or a bar and a woman," he said.

"So nine till midnight is our best times, but you setup and watch for one hour after he leaves before you go in to feed the dogs. That camera doesn't cover a very wide field of view."

"I figured that out too, I can do it without being seen. This ain't my first square dance little lady." he said smiling.

"Then after dinner lets start to get it done." I said.

"Two nights of dog food, then on Sunday night it goes up." Martin said. "That means I get to hear you preach at least one time." He said it with a great belly laugh.

After dinner Martin disappeared for a couple of hours. I knew where he was, but I played dumb when asked. Saturday was a repeat of Friday only it was the start of the weekend. There were more people in town, so more hand shakes and invitations to church.

"I know our cover isn't going to hold up forever, but I would like to keep it intact for a few more days anyway. This sermon thing has me terrified." I explained to Gwen.

"You will be fine, here I made you a cheat sheet," she said with one of those sisterly smiles taht women use now and then. What she gave me was the outline of a sermon, she had found it on the Internet.

So Sunday morning I dressed in my one nice pair of pants and top. Then I went to Church in the Cattle auction building. I had seen lots of preachers, when I was young, but not so many since I was grown. The one I liked, and remembered the most, was an air force Chaplin who visited me in Germany, while I was being put back together.

He just talked to me like any other person. He let me know always that he was a man of god, but other than that admission, he was just like anyone else you would meet. That being my best memory, I tried to mimic him as much as possible.

The sermon was about doing the right thing, even when it hurt. "If it doesn't hurt, it's hard to know what the right thing is. The right thing to do often is the most painful of the options you have. Whether you make the right decision, or not is something the world may never know, but God will always know.

Most of us when we are dealing with a hard decision will often ask, not what Jesus would do,. but what would my dad or mom have done. That usually is the right thing to do, because we tend to forget all the wrong things people we love have done. The ability to forget is also a gift from our loving God."

"We will not be taking an offering today. I know times are hard and brother Willis has donated the use of his building, so buy your children a hamburger and tell them it is a gift from their loving god."

"God bless you all and drive carefully."

I stood and shook hands with everyone who came forward. I wasn't interested in saving souls only in do a creditable job as a preacher. I must have done alright judging from the remarks made to me.

"Holy shit Maxine, I can't believe how inspiring that was. It was just like listening to my mom talk." Gwen said. "I just loved it."

"She is right, it is going to make great TV," Martin said sarcastically.

"Don't laugh Martin, she may have found her calling." Mike said with a laugh.

"What I have done, is work up a great apatite," I said

"Then let's all go to lunch, on the TV network," Mike said.

"Okay, but I want pizza and salad, not much of a bill for your network to absorb." I said.

"Even better," he replied.

We found something called the house of Pizza. We had already seated ourselves, when agent Hall came into the dining room.

"It's hard to believe you aren't really a preacher," he said. "Which one of you has the pistol pointed at me under the table?" He asked.

"No need for that, you are a friend," I suggested. "So what can I do for you?"

"Wanted to let you know the Atwood's slipped out of the shooting at your place. We never found the forth man to make him talk." he said.

"My guess is a bullet in the brain and a shallow grave somewhere," I said.

"Yeah, just wanted to warn you to watch yourself. I have to take the babysitter away." Then we better get home," I suggested. I saw Mike lay his fancy telephone on the table and knew that he would be watching the place till we got back."

125 The beginning of the end.

I was on pins and needles while I waited for Martin. The other two had no idea why I walked through the room a dozen times. Each time I glanced at the monitors. The one covering the cook shack was my only interest at the moment. Any minute it should go out. Mike would think the Atwoods had found it. But Martin would disable it, while he blew the cook shack.

I knew that when the camera went out, the cook shack would be gone within minutes. It was at that time, when the shit would really start to fly. I didn't want Mike or Gwen to know what was happening. If they didn't know, they couldn't roll over on us. It was a need to know situation, and they definitely didn't need to know.

At ten minutes after ten Mike said, "Shit they found our camera."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"See for yourself," he said as he backed up the player. When he clicked on the play, the image of the cook shack came on the screen. A few seconds later the camera shook as if someone had picked it up, the the image went to static. "Can't you get it back?" I asked.

"Not unless Martin is willing to go back and plant a new one. They will be expecting him, so I doubt that he will do that." Mike said.

"He would be an idiot to do it," I suggested to keep the conversation on the dead camera, not the exploding building.

"Where is Martin anyway?" he asked.

"I sent him to Walmart for some of those OTC painkillers I am taking. I'm about out." I said. "Well keep an eye on the driveway. Since we don't have the cop outside, I'm more than a little paranoid. The Atwoods are going to know we are onto them."

Before Martin left, he had retrieved my weapons stash. It looked as though I wouldn't be needing the bowie knife after all. I was just as glad. Knives are really messy. You have to be close enough to smell the blood and crap when you gut someone. I just never felt that it was something I would enjoy.

I was carrying the 10mm Glock semi automatic pistol in and upside down under arm holster. It was really too big for me, but compromise was the name of the game when safety was at stake. The glock was big and clumsy compared to my concealed hammer .38, but it was nothing compared to the Colt .45 M1911. Hell every gun collector, of any statue at all, had to have at least one model 1911 in his inventory. It was the last handgun I had brought. My two Glocks were in use at that time. If I lost another pistol it would be the 1911 for me next. I didn't look forward to that.

I had my .22 mag sniper rifle with the 20x scope and the .30 caliber Koren war carbine. My .30 caliber carbine was supposed to have been used by an officer at the Inchon landing. I could never prove it, but it made for a good story.

I paced the floor and eyed the new Mossberg 12 gauge pump gun. If Martin didn't come back soon, I would take it and go looking for him. That should be interesting moving through the woods in the dark with a loaded shotgun. I hoped it wouldn't come to that. We were just as likely to shoot each other as anything else.

I was sitting on one of the folding chairs glancing at the computer screen, when I saw his car pull into the drive. I was extremely relieved. The angle of the camera made impossible to see, if he got out unharmed. The important thing was that he was back. Even if he was injured, we could take care of him. Mike was in the kitchen fixing himself a coke, when Martin left the car. I saw the two dogs bounce out of the car with Martin following behind them. Damn they switched masters quickly, I thought.

I went onto the porch to greet him. He showed me the cloaking device so I knew the mics were off. "What happened?"

"Well the plan didn't work exactly as you laid it out, but the cook shack is a pile of ashes. No human or dog was hurt, but I seem to have adopted two guard dogs."

"They must be male, no loyalty," I commented with a smile.

"They have good appetites for sure," he replied.

"Well, tomorrow we can buy them a dog house and some food. We can take care of them until we leave, then I don't know but hell we might all be dead before that happens," I suggested.

"My thinking exactly, besides we can use them as first alert."

"Better than trying to watch those monitor 24/7." I said in agreement. "Mutt and Jeff," I suggested after studying them a few seconds..

"Works for me," he replied.

They probably aren't house broke, so let's leave them outdoors. If they take off, then let them go. We will take care of them as long as we are here." I suggested.

"We fired the first salvo of our little war tonight. I guess tomorrow we will see how it works out." Martin said.

"Yes for now don't leave the TV kids alone, there may be hard times coming," I paused a second then asked, "By the way, was there a cool explosion?"

"And a cute little fireball as well," Martin said. "I set it by throwing the flare on top of a five gallon plastic bucket of acetone and running like hell. The dogs wanted to chase me, but when the explosion went off, then jumped in the SUV and wouldn't leave."

"I guess we need to look for a new target." I suggested.

"How about his pretty little Italian sports car. I can get a Barret M107. Do you have any idea what that would do to Blain's lil bitty sports car?" Martin asked.

"Actually I do. I saw that weapon demonstrated. I never fired it, but it looks awesome." I said. "I like the car idea, but the rifle would be like a finger print. Keep thinking," I demanded.

"How about a can of hairspray on the muffler?" I suggested. Then added, "We can't do that someone would have to be driving the car. We could easily kill them."

"And the problem is?" Martin asked.

"You know damn well what the problem is. That is pure murder and they can prove it."

"So you want to hurt them, but not kill them?" Martin asked.

"Exactly," I replied.

"So exactly what is the point?" he asked.

"We want them to ask for the sit down." I said. "It's a subtle thing but it puts us in charge if they call for the truce." I said.

"Truce means we are at war. In a war people die," he suggested. "When people don't die it's called peace."

"Not in this kind of war." I said. "We are going to out think them."

"Trust me, it's easier to out gun them," he replied.

"Well let's work out a plan for tomorrow before we do anything else. Now the shack is not in the local cops jurisdiction, If he tries to arrest or question us, we do not cooperate and we do not leave this house without a fight. That is unless he brings a state police officer along. We can't call Marshal until the cop tries something If he does, we are going to have to hold him off without killing him." I said.

"If he comes here and tries to take us away, I'm going to knock him on his ass," Martin said.

"You can defend yourself, if he tries to manhandle you. We are not in his jurisdiction and neither was the shack. So anything you do with an appropriate amount of force is fine."

"Good, are you expecting that?" he asked.

"I am expecting anything, up to and including grabbing one of us to drag the others out of the house. So keep an eye on the TV kids," I demanded.

"Fair enough, if they try that, they are paid for. I don't care what you say Max." Martin said.

"I didn't stop you last time that people needed to be fought off, and I won't next time either. Just make sure it's what we really need to do." I suggested. "We don't overtly instigate anything, so swallow your macho instincts and lets get this thing done."

"Alright, but I still say it would be easier to just off the sons of a bitches," he suggested yet again.

"You are tired of Gwen whining and I'm getting tired of your psycho killer bullshit," I said without any humor. "We are going to do this my way, or you are going to leave. It's that simple. It might shock you to know that there is nothing you have done, that I couldn't have done myself." I finally had enough of Martin's Macho bullshit.

"Is that anyway for a slut to talk to her man?" he asked with a smile.

"Just for your further edification, I'm not anybody's slut. I might be a generic slut, but I don't belong to any of you. So you just ended any chance you had of getting me to screw you again." I said it, then I smiled sweetly at him.

"You weren't all that good anyway," he said.

"There you go proving you are just a typical man after all. You don't get things your way, so you lash out. Well Martin, I don't give a shit what you think of my sexual abilities. So just keep digging your grave deeper with that mouth of yours."

"I'm not even going to tell yo what you can do with that mouth of yours," he said.

"Maybe you are learning something after all," I said sarcastically. "Now if you can be a good little soldier we are cool. If not, you need to head on back to Swamp Thing. I'm sure they will be glad to see you."

"Believe it or not, my job here is to keep you alive. That is my job period. I will help out, if I can, but my real job is to keep you alive."

"That's real thoughtful of your boss, but I don't want or need a babysitter. So you probably should head on back to HQ." I said angrily.

"That's not what it is and you know it. I'm just here so that someone has your back. These are bad people and those two are useless in a firefight." he said.

"Bullshit, you just think that because we weren't Seals or wore Green Beanies, we are helpless. Get over yourself." I said it because I had finally had enough of his condescending attitude. He seemed to finally get the message. He walked away and didn't look back.

I will not be surprised to find him gone in the morning, I thought.

It was Gwen who came out to talk to me. I was cold but not ready to go back into the house. "He did something to that cook shack didn't he?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know. You would have to ask him. In the meantime try to round up some food for these two dogs. Anything we have laying around should do. Also get one of those big plastic storage boxes to give them water. We can get whatever else they need tomorrow.

"We heard your shouts. Not the words, but I know you were fighting. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No, it will work itself out," I suggested.

"Okay," she said that as she went inside to take care of the dog's needs. I sat on the edge of the wooden porch and waited to see if the two mutts would come to me.

"You guys are kind of like me. Nowhere to really call home. Well we can make sure you eat and have a warm dry place to sleep, but we won't be staying. You find a place for tonight and tomorrow we will get you a dog house." I knew that it was a waste of money to buy them a dog house for only a few days. But damn it I was not going to see them out in the cold, when there was something I could do to help.

126 chief with no indians

The TV kids were surprised when Haymarket's chief of police pulled into the drive. Neither Martin nor I were, but we tried to pretend,

"Record every word and video every move that son of a bitch makes," I demanded.

"You two stay inside, we will take care of this," Martin said in agreement.

"So you staying or leaving?" I asked, when we were on the porch.

"I'm going to be here, till I'm gone," he replied. It was vague but I knew what he meant. He was in the shit as long as he was with us. No matter how he felt about it.

"So Officer, what brings you here?" I asked.

"Just wanted to ask a few questions," he suggested.

"Sure you can stand right there and ask." I said.

"What about those dogs over there?" he asked.

"What about them?" I answered his question with my own.

"You didn't have them the last time I visited. Do they bite."

"No idea, they wandered in this morning all hungry and shivering. We fed them and they found a place to curl up and get warm. I expect they will stay around until they get a better offer."

"So they don't belong to you?" he asked

"No and we don't belong to them. They seem to have just chosen to hang around a while. So if that's all you wanted to ask," I said.

"The dogs are not why I came. I want to know where you were at ten last night?" he asked.

"I was here at ten. Where were you Martin?' I asked.

"I was here as well. The other two were here I know." Martin said.

"Well Chief, it looks like we were all here," I said.

"So you don't know anything about a fire at the Atwood farm?" He asked. Before I could answer he added. "Can you shut those dogs up?" The dogs were making a hell of a racket but they were keeping their distance, so seemed pretty harmless.

"I don't think they will listen to me, since I just met them this morning but I will try." I turned to the Mutt and Jeff and said, "Hush up." They fell silent for some reason. I turned back to the cop. "I don't know a thing about any fire and neither does anyone else on this property. So is that all?" I asked.

"Maybe we should go downtown and talk about this in my office?" he suggested.

"We won't be doing that. See Chief you have no jurisdiction here, and you have none at the Atwood farm, so we won't be going anywhere with you. Now if you want to bring one of those nice GBI cops back, we can talk. I think they do have jurisdiction. If you have some other trumped up charge, you are going to need swat to arrest us, and then it's going to get sticky for you." I suggested.

"You aren't being very friendly," he said.

"We can bring you a cup of coffee, if you like, otherwise we are through here." I said.

"Well I guess you don't want to end this before it becomes a war?" he asked.

"End what?" I asked.

"That's what Blain Atwood wants to know. Exactly what is it you want?" he asked.

"You are one sad little man," Martin said. "A cop running errands for a coward and a bully." Martin said.

"This ain't about me," the Chief said. "It's about preventing more killings."

"So far the killings have been the other guys. I'm not sure there is anything we need to talk about," I admitted.

"Then I will tell Blain that," the Chief said.

"Yeah do that," Martin agreed.

After the chief left Martin turned to me and said, "I thought you wanted a sitdown with those guys."

"That struck me as hinky. I don't want to walk into a trap." I said.

"So next time they ask for a meet, we set the conditions?" Martin suggested.

"Exactly, if we are going to put our lives on the line, we are going to choose the place," I demanded. "And that's what I will say to Atwood or his lap dog."

"So any idea where?" Martin asked.

"That depends on you. Can you hit anything with a sniper rifle?" I asked.

"I do okay, What do you have in mind?"

"A meeting outdoors somewhere with you and my .22 magnum sniper rifle." It was the only plan I could come up with.

"I like it, but I have an M40A1 in the SUV. It might do a little better job." Martin suggested.

"Well, you are the expert," I said knowing his weapon was superior to mine in range and hitting power. Mine would do fine up to 300 yards, and would kill a man easily with a well placed round, but it had to be a well placed round.

"In that case let's go find a place. Every town has a park of some kind." Martin suggested. "The problem for us is that we have made such a big deal out of audio and video taping they will expect you to be wired."

"They are going to insist on searching me. I get that okay. I don't even mind. Mike has a Mic which I can shove up my ass. He swears it will work fine." I said it smiling.