correct and it split once, in theory it can continue to split as can its offspring, if offspring is the right word.”
“In theory,” said Ling.
“If it is alive and in the hills, it will have access to virtually unlimited vegetation and, therefore, the potential to rapidly increase in size,” continued Henderson. “Also, a wide variety of prey will be at its disposal. If it does increase its size, in theory it should be able to attack just about any animals of its choice. This includes human beings.”
“Good lord!” exclaimed the General.
The conversation, sometimes a debate, about whether Assassin was alive or not carried on for another twenty minutes or thereabouts. Noticeably absent from the discussion was Williams who appeared content to do no more than listen. That ended when the General said, “What do we do next?”
Williams got up out of his chair, walked a few steps to where he could look at the other four without having to turn from one to the other. “The General was right, we should have killed it early on. But that is now irrelevant to the present situation. I don’t think we can take the chance of assuming it is dead. Even if there is only one chance in a hundred that it’s out there, we have to find it and destroy it, and as quickly as possible.”
“You are right, Bill,” said the General.
“Bear with me on this. We have to assume that Morgan is still monitoring the area. If we go out in force looking for Assassin, he will return and from what I’ve learned about him over the past few days, he’ll revert to plan one – capture. Also, I have no doubt he’ll freeze us out.”
“Correct, Bill. His ego has taken a beating and I’m sure whoever is pulling his strings is pissed as all hell right now,” said the General.
Williams took a long pause. “Here’s my plan. Tomorrow morning, General, you pull out all your men and equipment, except for what I’ll need, and leave.”
“Bullshit!”
Williams ignored the comment and looked squarely at the General. “Again, General, this is just my idea, nothing more. Clear out. You and Jim go back to whatever you were doing. Alice and Stan leave with you, but grant them a two week leave and send them off to Vegas.”
Ling was stunned and needed to exercise all the restraint he could to not show any emotion.
“Las Vegas?” asked the General. “Why not just send Alice back to Florida.”
Trying to look both insulted and hurt while at the same time batting her eyes at the General, Henderson said, “Are you forgetting, General, that I am Army – career Army?”
“Career Army? Bucking for a promotion, Lieutenant?”
She flashed a Sophia Loren type smile at the General.
Williams thought, “I hope he just didn’t wet himself.”
The General was speechless. Ling was ecstatic.
“Two reasons for Vegas,” said Williams. “One, again we have to assume that Morgan will be keeping tabs on all of us. Let Alice and Stan paint the town – casinos, shows. That will help disarm Morgan. Two, we may need them at a moment’s notice.”
“That leaves just you here,” replied the General.
“Me and Fowler.”
“Fowler? Who is Fowler?” queried Henderson.
Williams proceeded to give her a brief, but detailed, description. For the first time, she became fully aware of just how deadly an individual her former bedmate had to be. “How many more friends like him do you have?”
“Associates, not friends.”
“How do you plan to work this, Bill?” asked the General.
“Right after dark tomorrow, I’m going to take a circular route to get to Fowler. I’ll have no problem finding him. As soon as I do, we’ll go after Assassin. If Stan and Alice’s speculations are correct, I’m betting that Assassin is in the hills and will need recovery time before it goes after bigger prey and before it can replicate again. You’ll need to have forces ready to move in if things go wrong, especially if I’m wrong about how long it may take
“In theory,” said Ling.
“If it is alive and in the hills, it will have access to virtually unlimited vegetation and, therefore, the potential to rapidly increase in size,” continued Henderson. “Also, a wide variety of prey will be at its disposal. If it does increase its size, in theory it should be able to attack just about any animals of its choice. This includes human beings.”
“Good lord!” exclaimed the General.
The conversation, sometimes a debate, about whether Assassin was alive or not carried on for another twenty minutes or thereabouts. Noticeably absent from the discussion was Williams who appeared content to do no more than listen. That ended when the General said, “What do we do next?”
Williams got up out of his chair, walked a few steps to where he could look at the other four without having to turn from one to the other. “The General was right, we should have killed it early on. But that is now irrelevant to the present situation. I don’t think we can take the chance of assuming it is dead. Even if there is only one chance in a hundred that it’s out there, we have to find it and destroy it, and as quickly as possible.”
“You are right, Bill,” said the General.
“Bear with me on this. We have to assume that Morgan is still monitoring the area. If we go out in force looking for Assassin, he will return and from what I’ve learned about him over the past few days, he’ll revert to plan one – capture. Also, I have no doubt he’ll freeze us out.”
“Correct, Bill. His ego has taken a beating and I’m sure whoever is pulling his strings is pissed as all hell right now,” said the General.
Williams took a long pause. “Here’s my plan. Tomorrow morning, General, you pull out all your men and equipment, except for what I’ll need, and leave.”
“Bullshit!”
Williams ignored the comment and looked squarely at the General. “Again, General, this is just my idea, nothing more. Clear out. You and Jim go back to whatever you were doing. Alice and Stan leave with you, but grant them a two week leave and send them off to Vegas.”
Ling was stunned and needed to exercise all the restraint he could to not show any emotion.
“Las Vegas?” asked the General. “Why not just send Alice back to Florida.”
Trying to look both insulted and hurt while at the same time batting her eyes at the General, Henderson said, “Are you forgetting, General, that I am Army – career Army?”
“Career Army? Bucking for a promotion, Lieutenant?”
She flashed a Sophia Loren type smile at the General.
Williams thought, “I hope he just didn’t wet himself.”
The General was speechless. Ling was ecstatic.
“Two reasons for Vegas,” said Williams. “One, again we have to assume that Morgan will be keeping tabs on all of us. Let Alice and Stan paint the town – casinos, shows. That will help disarm Morgan. Two, we may need them at a moment’s notice.”
“That leaves just you here,” replied the General.
“Me and Fowler.”
“Fowler? Who is Fowler?” queried Henderson.
Williams proceeded to give her a brief, but detailed, description. For the first time, she became fully aware of just how deadly an individual her former bedmate had to be. “How many more friends like him do you have?”
“Associates, not friends.”
“How do you plan to work this, Bill?” asked the General.
“Right after dark tomorrow, I’m going to take a circular route to get to Fowler. I’ll have no problem finding him. As soon as I do, we’ll go after Assassin. If Stan and Alice’s speculations are correct, I’m betting that Assassin is in the hills and will need recovery time before it goes after bigger prey and before it can replicate again. You’ll need to have forces ready to move in if things go wrong, especially if I’m wrong about how long it may take
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