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

be flying that whenever we needed him to, but I’d put him and Jeff on the howitzer from here on out. They’d earned that position.

And Donna, Joe, James, and Johnny had worked the M51 Skysweeper like pros. They’d been able to make contact with the plane even though there was a skilled pilot behind the controls, and I was proud of their efforts.

My entire team had surpassed my expectations, especially considering they’d only had hours to prepare for an attack I’d usually take days to prepare for.

“I can’t believe the MiG worked,” Paige said, and her words pulled me out of my thoughts.

“I know,” Tara agreed. “I thought they’d both be toast after the howitzer blast.”

“We’re lucky Jeff and Ben didn’t fire just a few feet over, or it probably would’ve been,” Anna said.

“That’s true,” Paige agreed. “It was still pretty beat up.”

“Hey, as long as it works,” Bailey chuckled and shrugged.

“I was just thinking about how we got the MiG,” I told the girls. “And how everyone did so well even though we only had a few hours to prepare.”

“Yeah, that was crazy,” Tara laughed and shook her head. “I wasn’t expecting that today.”

“I don’t think any of us were,” Bailey agreed.

“I can’t wait to get a drink of that sake in me,” Anna groaned and laid her head back against the headrest.

“I know,” Paige said. “The only thing better than that would be a hot shower.”

“I’d take a hot shower,” Tara pouted. “Especially since I can’t even have the sake.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry, Tar.” Bailey frowned.

“We can grab a shower when we get back to camp,” I said.

“You don’t think it’s too late for that?” Paige asked.

“Fuck, no, it’s not too late,” Tara said. “I desperately need a shower after today. I’m filthy.”

“I think everyone is,” Anna said, and she held out her arm and looked at it. Even in the darkness I could see that it had a fine coating of dirt on it.

“We should probably let everyone get a shower tonight.” I nodded. “I’m sure you’re right, everyone has to be dirty after the explosions we were by.”

“So. Much. Dust.” Tara wrinkled her nose and looked down at her body. “Gross.”

“We’ll get you in the shower,” I laughed. “Don’t you worry your little pregnant head off.”

“I’ll try,” the platinum-blonde said. “But the sooner you get me in the shower, the sooner I’ll stop worrying.”

“We’re nearly to camp,” I chuckled. “Just hold on a minute more.”

“I suppose that’s doable,” Tara teased, and she smiled at me in the rearview mirror.

A few minutes later, I pulled up to the old soda factory that was our temporary home, and the rest of our party pulled up behind me. The MiG was already parked in the road near the factory, so I knew Ben had made it there just fine.

“Hey, the girls and I are going to head to the ship and grab some showers,” I said as I hopped out of the jeep. “Everyone else is welcome to join.”

“That sounds great.” Ben nodded from his place by the fire.

“A shower doesn’t sound half bad,” Hammer agreed from the driver’s seat of his jeep. “I think we’ll take you up on that.”

“I didn’t even think about the ship having showers,” Donna said as she walked toward her tent. “I could definitely use one.”

I followed the girls to our tent, and we quickly gathered up some fresh clothes and toiletries, then we headed back to the jeep and hopped in.

“Should we wait for everyone else?” Paige asked.

“They know where the ship is.” Anna shrugged.

“Yeah, and I bet the hot water lasts a while,” Bailey added. “So everyone can get a nice warm shower.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” I agreed, and I started up the vehicle.

As much as Tara wanted a shower, I wanted one, too. I’d been so focused with everything else going on that I hadn’t even thought about the showers on the ship, but after the day we’d had, I could definitely use some hot water on my aching muscles. My body was covered with soot and dirt, and the girls were, too.

Anna’s long braid was tinted a dingy brown color from the debris that had rained down on us, and her pale skin had a thin layer of dust on top of it.

All the girls were coated in dust, actually, but Bailey had the worst of it. I think it was because the blonde was propped up so she could use her Barrett instead of hiding behind the sandbags like the rest of the girls. Her blonde hair was barely blonde anymore, it was so dirty, and I had a feeling if I wiped my finger across her skin I’d be able to write ‘wash me’ pretty easily.

Paige and Tara were filthy, too, of course, but neither one was as bad as Bailey, though I did see a few pieces of debris stuck in Paige’s messy bun.

I pulled out onto the road and headed toward the ship, fully expecting to be the first ones to arrive, but just a few seconds later, I saw headlights in my rearview mirror.

“Damn, that was quick,” Tara remarked. “Are the others behind us already?”

Suddenly, the headlights sped up until they were nearly touching the ass end of our jeep.

“What the fuck are they doing?” Anna asked with a chuckle.

“I don’t know.” I shook my head and glanced back into the rearview just in time to see the headlights swerve to the left.

The other jeep pulled up next to us, and I saw that it was Hammer and the rest of the SEALs.

“First come, first serve!” Rivers yelled out the passenger window with a laugh, then Hammer mashed on the gas and pulled in front of us.

“Oh, my God,