Without Law 18 by Eric Vall (most difficult books to read .txt) 📗

“Right.” Anna nodded. “We should check on the howitzer on the way there, just in case it’s not lined up correctly.”

“My thoughts exactly.” I smiled at the redhead. There was a reason she was my second in command, and she never failed to prove that she deserved the title.

“It is on the way to the interstate,” Paige added.

“We should get going,” I said. “We don’t want to be there long.”

The girls nodded and piled into the jeep once more. It felt like we’d spent most of the day in the metal contraption, but it was worth it to have gotten the M51. If we didn’t have that anti aircraft gun, no matter how ancient it was, we didn’t stand a chance against the NK troops.

“What about the Skysweeper?” Paige asked just as I was about to start the jeep. “We need to show the civilians how to use it.”

“It’s only a couple of buttons, right?” Anna asked.

“Yeah.” The brunette nodded.

“We need to go,” I said. “But we know how to operate it, so if we don’t get back with enough time to show anyone else, we’ll at least be able to do it ourselves. We aren’t going to be over by the howitzer, though, so it’s imperative that we make sure it’s lined up to take out that bridge.”

“You’re right,” Paige agreed. “Let’s go.”

I turned the key to start the vehicle, then we were back on the road headed toward the Navy Supply Center. It wasn’t too far from our current location, and since I didn’t have the M51 hooked to the jeep anymore, I could go as fast as I wanted.

What should have been a ten minute drive took us three or four, and when we pulled up to the large building I looked behind us and saw there was a small cloud of dust from how fast I’d been going.

“Tav!” Ben yelled, and he waved his hand in front of his face. “Trying to fuck up our vision over here?”

“Sorry,” I chuckled and hopped out of the jeep. “We just wanted to make sure you’re lined up right.”

“We need to be lined up to take out the bridge, right?” Ben asked.

“Right.” I nodded and walked over to the howitzer.

“How’s it lookin’?” Jeff asked as I inspected the vehicle.

My eyes narrowed as I focused on the target in the distance, then the barrel of the howitzer and how they lined up. Then I carefully reached down and adjusted the lever to raise the barrel ever so slightly.

“Bailey,” I said, and the blonde hippie girl looked up at me with surprise.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“Come over here,” I said, and she walked over and stood next to me. “What do you think?”

“Hm,” she said, and she pursed her lips as she carefully reviewed the weapon and its trajectory. “I think just a little bit to the left.”

“I was thinking it might need that, too,” I said, and I reached down and adjusted the barrel. “How’s that?”

“Perfect.” Bailey nodded.

“Alright.” I clapped and looked at Ben and Jeff. “You guys are good to go.”

“All that for just a couple tiny adjustments,” Jeff chuckled.

“They wouldn’t seem so tiny once you fired,” Bailey explained. “A fraction of an inch off over here is feet when it comes to hitting your target.”

“She’s right,” I agreed. “And we only have one shot at this.”

“Of course.” Jeff nodded seriously. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have joked around.”

My somber tone had clearly come across as upset, but I knew the ex-construction worker didn’t mean any harm. He, of all people, knew what a few inches could do when it came to explosives.

“Don’t apologize,” I told him, and I squeezed his shoulder and flashed him a smile. “Just kick some ass.”

“Now, that I can do.” Jeff grinned.

“We won’t let you down,” Ben told me.

“I know you won’t.” I nodded. “We’ve got to go, but we’ll try to radio and check in before the action starts. If we don’t get the chance, though, you know your cue.”

“As soon as all the troops are over the bridge.” Ben nodded.

“But not until after the MiGs are taken care of,” I added. “We can’t give ourselves away when those things are in the air.”

“Roger that,” Ben agreed, then he flashed me a pearly-white smile. “Get out of here. We got this handled, go do whatever other crazy shit you have to do to make this plan work.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I laughed and hopped back in the jeep.

The girls were right behind me, and as soon as everybody was in, I waved to Ben and Jeff and tore out of the Navy Supply Center parking lot and pulled back onto the main road.

We were on Colonial Parkway, and as we drove, I looked around at the area. As long as everything went according to plan, the NK troops would come down this same route in just a matter of hours.

We had maybe two, two and a half hours left at that point, which was nothing when I thought about the fact that we still had to blow both north and south I64.

“Tav, come in” Minji’s voice came through the walkie again.

“Minji,” I answered as I sped down the highway with only one hand on the wheel. “What’s your status?”

“We’ve made it to King’s Creek,” she told me. “We can see the civilians. Where are you?”

“We have to go help with roadblocks,” I explained.

“Okay,” the Korean woman said. “Where do you want us?”

“Make sure you’re far enough back from shore that the howitzer blast won’t affect you,” I told her. “Otherwise, it’ll look like the ship chased the American resistance north, so that shouldn’t be a problem. If the Boston troops radio when