combined,” he said, and they laughed.
“Watch where you’re going with that,” said his mom, Amy Fletcher.
“We’ll have more Marines here in a few days,” he said and kissed Emily again. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Daddy.”
“Love you, guys.”
“Love you, Uncle Alex,” Kevin and Ethan mumbled.
“Things will get back to normal. I promise,” Alex said and stepped away.
Samantha Walker and her three children appeared in the doorway.
“See? The basement’s filling up fast,” he said and walked over to the door to greet her. “We have a bunch of camping mattresses for the kids. Blankets, sleeping bags, non-shot-up pillows—a couple of overprotective grandparents. I think the kids will be fine down here.”
“Perfect. Thank you,” said Samantha, stepping through the door with her family.
“I only charge ten dollars an hour,” said Alex’s mom.
“I brought a nineteen-year-old. Do I get a discount?”
“Can she use a shotgun?”
“Not yet,” said Chloe.
“Seven dollars.”
“Deal,” said Samantha.
“They can take whatever makes them comfortable,” Alex offered. “I don’t think we’ll be spending much time down here tonight.”
“Probably not,” Samantha said, leading her kids into the candlelit room.
“Abby, thanks for hooking up my laptop to the video receivers. From what I understand, you’re running the tech show around here.”
“Pretty much,” said Samantha’s daughter.
“She was the only one that could read your writing,” said Amy.
“Funny, Mom. I’ll see you upstairs in a few.”
Alex walked over to the bulkhead and flashed his light at the metal doors, confirming that they were latched to the ringbolts imbedded in the basement floor. No matter how hard anyone tried, the doors would not swing open unless he detached the thick metal retaining rods from the bolts. Satisfied that the basement was secure, he walked upstairs into the kitchen, which was lit by a combination of candles and green chemlights donated by the Marines. Staff Sergeant Evans sat at the kitchen island, scrolling through the ruggedized tablet he had removed from the Matvee. His face glowed from the soft red screen.
“Are the Marines settled in for the night?”
“Yes, sir. I have the vehicles positioned to give 360-degree coverage, two Marines in each vehicle. We set up an LP/OP at the entrance to Gelder Pond Lane. I had them move into position after dark. They have clear lines of sight down the eastern side of the road in front of your property and the road leading to the western side. Ideally, we’d have another along the pond, but I’m the only one left. I’ll be on the thirty-cal up in the master bedroom. I can cover nearly 270 degrees around the house from that room.”
“Perfect. I’ll come by around zero-two-hundred to give you a break.”
“I should be fine, sir.”
“When’s the last time you caught any meaningful sleep?”
“It’s been a while,” Evans admitted.
“I’ll at least bring you and your Marines some coffee.”
“Sounds like a fair deal.”
“Thank you, Staff Sergeant. This means a lot to me, my family—all of us,” said Alex.
“I’m just glad we can help out while we’re here. I’d want someone doing that for me,” said Evans.
“Anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. I know you guys are temporarily assigned under my command, but I consider this to be a personal favor that you’re doing—”
Evans started to protest.
“Nope. I don’t want to hear any arguments to the contrary. My house is your house. Seriously.”
“Well, I don’t—”
“Staff Sergeant?” Alex said, shaking his head. “You need something, you ask, or send someone who doesn’t mind asking.”
“Thank you, sir. I was going to say, that between your mother and your wife, we haven’t had to ask. They’ve been really generous. Very much appreciated.”
“Good, then I’ll expect you to catch up on some sleep tonight,” said Alex,
“Watch where you’re going with that,” said his mom, Amy Fletcher.
“We’ll have more Marines here in a few days,” he said and kissed Emily again. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Daddy.”
“Love you, guys.”
“Love you, Uncle Alex,” Kevin and Ethan mumbled.
“Things will get back to normal. I promise,” Alex said and stepped away.
Samantha Walker and her three children appeared in the doorway.
“See? The basement’s filling up fast,” he said and walked over to the door to greet her. “We have a bunch of camping mattresses for the kids. Blankets, sleeping bags, non-shot-up pillows—a couple of overprotective grandparents. I think the kids will be fine down here.”
“Perfect. Thank you,” said Samantha, stepping through the door with her family.
“I only charge ten dollars an hour,” said Alex’s mom.
“I brought a nineteen-year-old. Do I get a discount?”
“Can she use a shotgun?”
“Not yet,” said Chloe.
“Seven dollars.”
“Deal,” said Samantha.
“They can take whatever makes them comfortable,” Alex offered. “I don’t think we’ll be spending much time down here tonight.”
“Probably not,” Samantha said, leading her kids into the candlelit room.
“Abby, thanks for hooking up my laptop to the video receivers. From what I understand, you’re running the tech show around here.”
“Pretty much,” said Samantha’s daughter.
“She was the only one that could read your writing,” said Amy.
“Funny, Mom. I’ll see you upstairs in a few.”
Alex walked over to the bulkhead and flashed his light at the metal doors, confirming that they were latched to the ringbolts imbedded in the basement floor. No matter how hard anyone tried, the doors would not swing open unless he detached the thick metal retaining rods from the bolts. Satisfied that the basement was secure, he walked upstairs into the kitchen, which was lit by a combination of candles and green chemlights donated by the Marines. Staff Sergeant Evans sat at the kitchen island, scrolling through the ruggedized tablet he had removed from the Matvee. His face glowed from the soft red screen.
“Are the Marines settled in for the night?”
“Yes, sir. I have the vehicles positioned to give 360-degree coverage, two Marines in each vehicle. We set up an LP/OP at the entrance to Gelder Pond Lane. I had them move into position after dark. They have clear lines of sight down the eastern side of the road in front of your property and the road leading to the western side. Ideally, we’d have another along the pond, but I’m the only one left. I’ll be on the thirty-cal up in the master bedroom. I can cover nearly 270 degrees around the house from that room.”
“Perfect. I’ll come by around zero-two-hundred to give you a break.”
“I should be fine, sir.”
“When’s the last time you caught any meaningful sleep?”
“It’s been a while,” Evans admitted.
“I’ll at least bring you and your Marines some coffee.”
“Sounds like a fair deal.”
“Thank you, Staff Sergeant. This means a lot to me, my family—all of us,” said Alex.
“I’m just glad we can help out while we’re here. I’d want someone doing that for me,” said Evans.
“Anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. I know you guys are temporarily assigned under my command, but I consider this to be a personal favor that you’re doing—”
Evans started to protest.
“Nope. I don’t want to hear any arguments to the contrary. My house is your house. Seriously.”
“Well, I don’t—”
“Staff Sergeant?” Alex said, shaking his head. “You need something, you ask, or send someone who doesn’t mind asking.”
“Thank you, sir. I was going to say, that between your mother and your wife, we haven’t had to ask. They’ve been really generous. Very much appreciated.”
“Good, then I’ll expect you to catch up on some sleep tonight,” said Alex,
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