Retribution Road by Jon Coon (best books to read for women txt) 📗

Anna Christine made a show of waving off the Navy by circling and laying on her horns. The racket was enough to be heard by the subs, and after the Giffords withdrew, the little armada was underway again toward Galveston Bay.

The lieutenant sat with the captain and discussed what they’d found. “There was a diver radio not connected to anything stashed in a walk-in freezer. It was under boxes like they didn’t want us to find it. If they are running cover for a sub, all they would need is a hydrophone and they would have coms. Coms we couldn’t hear unless we were right on top of them.”

“Interesting, Randy. What else?”

“The ship was too clean. Of drugs, I mean. Looking at the crew, some of them haven’t seen a sober day in years, and yet we found nothing. They were ready for us, and the fact they were that ready makes me think they’ve got something bigger to hide. Also, there was an undertone of arrogance. You could almost see the smirk on the skipper’s face when he was talking to us. He knew we weren’t going to find anything, and he was laughing at us. He knew they were getting away with something. Something big, I’d guess.”

“Let’s assume you’re right. What would you suggest?”

“Let’s jam their long-range radar and tag along behind. Let’s have the planes stay with him, but high enough he can’t spot them. Let’s put Galveston on alert. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Yeah, me too. Good work, Randy. Give the orders. We need to nail these guys. I’ll let command know what we’re doing.”

Tom got the report and made the decision to move his team to Galveston. Carol began a rant immediately. “Galveston? Didn’t you tell me a story about that fertilizer ship that blew up in Galveston? When was that again?”

“Nineteen-forty-seven.”

“And how many were killed?”

“No one knew for sure, but at least six hundred.”

“And if I remember right, wasn’t that a school full of kids, like every kid in the town and all the firemen?”

“One fireman survived. He was late. What’s your point?”

“That sub, how much explosive could it carry?”

“Maybe six tons.”

“And isn’t Semtex a lot more powerful than fertilizer?”

“Yes.”

“How much more?”

“Look, it’s not important. We’re going to stop them.” He continued filling his go-bag without looking up or making eye contact.

“How much more?” She moved into his line of sight.

“Lots I suppose; several times more powerful.”

“And just for the sake of argument, let’s say you don’t stop them in time, and it goes off. How much of Galveston would survive?”

“That’s why we have to stop them. We can’t let this happen. It would be horrific.”

“Losing you would be horrific. Dad, please don’t go. But if you do, I’m coming with you.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I can. Yes, I can. I don’t want to be here without you. Just stay home.”

“Enough! You are not coming with me and that’s that. Get the kids. We’re going to the command center.”

“You’re staying?”

“Get the kids. We’ll talk about it.”

Tom entered the command center with Carol, Paul, and Angelica. Emily was out with the horses and hadn’t answered her phone.

The senior tech anxiously greeted them at the door. “We’ve got a plane that won’t answer on approach, sir. It’s not one of ours. What do you want me to do?”

“Have you called it in?”

“Yes, sir, but most everything is being deployed south. No one is going to get here before they land.”

As he spoke, they could see a blip on the radar on approach. Then they could hear it. But instead of landing, it made a pass over the hangars and unleashed a fire storm of what appeared to be napalm. The first two hangars exploded in flame. The plane climbed above the smoke and flame, dove, and made a strafing run over the ranch house, riddling it with automatic rounds. The plane climbed, turned, and lined up on the horse barn.

“Open the gates! Everything!” Tom yelled, and a remote control was activated. As the barn roof burst into flame, twenty horses fled into the open fields. Now the plane approached the command center beneath the old bunk house. The first strafing run destroyed the historic frame building but had no effect on the bunker. Next came napalm. The thick walls, covered by several feet of dirt, withstood that as well.

The plane circled and landed. Fifteen armed men in uniform hit the ground and ran toward the command center. Tom’s six Rangers were dressed, armed, and waiting inside with Tom.

“They will try to blow the doors and get in. Get everyone to the bunker and bolt it down. No questions. Move now!”

The tech Carol remembered from her first visit shouted to Paul and Angelica, “Come with me. Hurry up.”

Carol, who had been stunned in disbelief, shook herself to life and followed. “Holy buffalo chips,” she repeated as they ran through the tunnel into the bunker. “He was right. Where is Emily?”

Chapter 31

GABE SAW THE SMOKE MILES before he made the turn onto the property. He got on his phone and called police and fire and the Texas Rangers office in Austin. Men and planes were on the way, but not immediately. Could he find a vantage point and call in a status report?

Definitely. As he drove toward the house, he prayed. “Dear Lord, we’re outgunned and ill-prepared. There’s no way this ends well without your help. Please Lord, give us a hand.”

Gabe’s only weapon was in the back of the truck in the bed’s toolbox. He parked by the house and ran in. As he did, he called Tom. “Is that SEAL sniper rifle still in your gun safe? And where is the ammo?”

“Yes. The combination is 36-24-36, and there are full clips in the ammo box on the top shelf. Get the Leopold range finder, and when you get set up, I’ll tell you how to use it to set the scope.”

Inside, Gabe opened the safe and grabbed the McMillian TAC-50