Patriot Shield: Blades of Grass Book 4 by Austin Chambers

Author:Austin Chambers [Chambers, Austin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crossed Cannons Publishing LLC
Published: 2024-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

West of Albuquerque, New Mexico

VooDoo Hudson led Granger and Oliver into the impromptu mission briefing he was heading towards. The veterans’ attire told the operators and other Army and Air Force personnel already present in the hangar that they at least had past military experience. But their age and the dated gear kept the truth on the surface—they were simply civilians looking to help. The Master Sergeant nodded for the two men to sit down in two chairs at the back of the huddle. The mostly dark space showed the outlines of various civilian craft. The impromptu meeting was lit only by a few spotlights, the hum of a generator somewhere outside drifting in.

“They’re with me,” VooDoo said to the non-Delta officers running the briefing. His own team, other than quick scans, knew better to even question his decision. But the regular military did not know of the Rampart Edge program that had barely gotten off the ground before the war started.

“Great,” a stressed Army Lieutenant Colonel declared. “Let’s get going. The Blackhawk just left with our hard drives and printed assessments. The front got here faster than we were ready for. If you haven’t heard, we’ve lost Arizona. Flagstaff is overrun, and we’ve heard that several hours ago, attacks hit refugee and militia camps throughout the entire southwest from California to Texas.”

Karen! Granger thought. Donna! He and Oliver exchanged concerned glances. A cavity of worry rapidly turned into the pit of despair in his gut. He cursed himself out as he felt his face get hot with emotion. She was right! I should’ve just grabbed her and headed for my girls in North Carolina. VooDoo could sense Granger’s distress from his chair a few feet away. He gave a subtle throat clearing, bringing the Marine back to the present.

Granger snapped out of it, looking at the man looking at him. He gave a subtle shake of his head in the left-to-right plane and quietly got out of the seat. He headed back out of the hangar, past the harried military bugout processes, and started walking toward the amassed civilians. As he moved east, he saw three figures approaching from the south as they passed the parked Chinook. The fires were dying down, and the purple and blue hues of dawn were turning yellow. The two figures on the ends were assisting the shorter one in the middle with walking.

Granger broke into as fast a jog as his nearly fifty-year-old knees would allow, moving as quickly as he could to the trio. “How’re you feeling?” he asked Hannah.

“Like I had my bell rung,” she answered slowly.

“Lemme help, guys,” Granger said, relieving PP from taking Hannah’s left side. After a few awkward steps, it became apparent to him she wasn’t doing so well. “I got her, Hooch.” Giving no one a choice, he got behind the woman and pulled on her shoulder, scooping under her knees to carry her himself. About that time, Albion, Tracey, and Pops had come running up.

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