Discovery (Science of Psionics Book #1) by Dave Renol (sad books to read .txt) 📗
- Author: Dave Renol
Book online «Discovery (Science of Psionics Book #1) by Dave Renol (sad books to read .txt) 📗». Author Dave Renol
“What if he booby trapped the truck?” Sararesponded. “What if he mined the road? Or what if he he’s waitingaround the first corner with a rocket launcher? No, we can’t getout that way safely. If we absolutely have to make a run for itwe’ll need to head for the forest. Even that has significant dangerinvolved. Now shut up and stop distracting me.”
Another shot echoed through the garagefollowed immediately by a curse from Sara. “I missed. I sure wish Ihad my full kit here so I could set one of you up as aspotter.”
We all lapsed into silence in order to stopdistracting her. As we stood around waiting, all kinds of nastyscenarios played through my mind. Would Sid stop playing games andretaliate seriously? Maybe he would lead his people in a full onassault at us. Sara might have escalated the situation intosomething far worse for us.
I looked at my watch and saw that only twentyfive minutes had passed; it felt like a couple of hours. The beepof a new text message interrupted my thoughts. We all gatheredaround Sara who was pulling it up.
YOU FUCKING BITCH YOU KILLED AN AMERICANSOLDIER
SURRENDER OR DIE
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES
“Mark, make sure that you have the area fullycovered in case they try charging us,” she ordered. “Get ready forhell and get under cover.”
“What about you?” Carl asked in a tremulousvoice. “If he unleashes hell, then you’ll need to take cover withus.”
“Go play with a hockey stick or something youidiot; I know what I’m doing. Now leave me alone and get to cover,all of you!” Turning back to her rifle, she quickly popped in afresh magazine and resumed her watch.
Poor Carl, I thought. The others are pickingup my habit of teasing him about being Canadian. Laughing, it easedthe tension enough that we were all able to gather in the hallwayagain with a modicum of sanity. Once settled, I turned my thoughtstoward scanning our perimeter. I wasn’t sure what Sid might do, butI knew that whatever it was, we needed to know what was coming.
After confirming that there was nothing outof the ordinary in range of my probe, I relaxed into just keepingthe generic watch up. Suddenly, I felt a twinge at the upper edgeof my bubble. Focusing instantly, I recognized that it wasnon-living and tried to shout out a warning, but was too late. Adeafening crash shook the house.
“That was a shell,” Sara screamed. “They hadthe wrong range and missed the house, but don’t count on themmissing again. If one of those hits us, we’re toast!”
In a panic, I turned my full focus on thedirection from which it came. Another twinge penetrated the edge ofthe bubble. “Incoming!” I shouted. Before I could try and block it,I felt it shoot down and away from us.
“I can feel your field and when the bombcame in, I pushed it away,” Linda sent to me.
Infinitely relieved I sent back, “I loveyou!”
“I know, and don’t you ever forget it. Ilove you too, but let’s not get distracted.”
Feeling better, I smiled and turned back tomy task. Linda deflected seven more shots in short order before thebarrage abruptly stopped. “Keep your guard up hon; he may betrying to psyche us out.”
“I ain’t going anywhere,” she sentback with a feeling of strong resolve.
Time passed slowly. I felt that Sid realizedhis bombs were useless and he wouldn’t be wasting any more until hecould do so with a better chance of slipping them past our guard.Even so, I was reluctant to lower my defenses. Feeling the size ofthe crater that the first bomb left in the driveway, it didn’t takemuch imagination to picture what would happen to us if one landedon the house.
My ears were still ringing from the firstexplosion so I almost missed the telltale beep that announced a newtext message. Carl hopped up to see what it said, allowing Lindaand I to maintain our vigilance. Before he could get started, Saraappeared in our hallway holding up her phone.
VERY CLEVER BITCH. IT’S ONLY A MATTER OFTIME
MAKE YOUR PEACE WITH GOD
Linda suddenly jumped and pulled her phoneout as well. “I got one too. Carl, check it for me please.” Sheslid her phone in his general direction.
Carl tapped on it briefly and then read outloud to us:
YOU ARE SAFE. MILITARY IS PRACTICING IN THEHILLS. NOBODY IS SHOOTING AT YOU.
“That’s a reply to the text message you sentto the sheriff,” Carl reported. “It appears that Sid had theforesight to warn the locals before starting world war three withus. I believe that we can forget about having the cavalry rush into save the day for us.”
“In my opinion, that’s a good thing,” Sararemarked. “That was a mortar attack that he launched at us. If somehick sheriff drives up, Sid will blow him to hell and gone. Withthat kind of firepower backing Sid up, we’ll need an attackchopper, not a ticket book. Not only that, but they have theirmortar position outside of my range, so I have no way ofthreatening them at all.”
“What do you think we should we do?” Iasked.
“I think that we need to get out of here. Hecan keep dropping shells on us until one makes it through, and oneis all it will take. Once out, we’ll have several options. We cango defensive and hide out until he gives up. Option two would be togo offensive and take out the mortar position. A third option wouldbe to make a run for town.”
“We could even split up and do a combinationof different things.”
“True, but two would most likely be thepractical limit. Mobility will be our biggest advantage out there,and you and Linda are the ones who can keep us moving fast andsilent.”
“Ok, so we’re sitting ducks in here, but youalready mentioned that if we try and leave, he might obliterate us.How do we get out safely?”
“What if we tested our escape with a dummy orsomething?” Linda asked.
“That’s an exceptionally good idea,” Saraapproved. “We could stuff some of our clothes and sew it togetherto resemble one
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