We had a way of making sure all the people in town were safe for the long run, rather than just tonight. And in the end, that was what changed my mind and made me follow Marlon into the barn. Because I didn’t know if I believed that the CIA had sent him to recruit me for some top-secret mission. I didn’t know if I believed that he was a keeper for the military.
But I did believe him when he said he had a way of communicating with them. Because he’d known about the EMP when I first met him, and he’d known how far-reaching the consequences were. He shouldn’t have known about either of those things—unless he had a way of asking someone.
I took one stride after him, and then another, and by the time I got through the door of the barn, I was walking quickly, my mind whirring with more questions.
But I stopped dead at what I saw in front of me.
26
Marlon had more weapons in this one room than many of the squads I’d been a part of. Hell, he had more guns than many of the larger platoons, depending on where they were and what they were supposed to be doing. They were organized in neat rows along the walls of the room, the handguns stacked butts-out so that they would take up less space while the larger rifles and machine guns were presented like trophies spread out over the walls.
I turned, my mouth open, and took in entire bins full of grenades, and a row of what looked like every kind of grenade launcher known to man. Or at least known to this man.
The next wall held a number of different uniforms. Or rather… not entire uniforms, but the makings. Many, many bulletproof vests. A number of helmets, and a number of backpacks. He also had, I saw, three additional exoskeletons—one of which looked like it was made for an entire body.
The final wall held rockets. Real, honest-to-God rockets. Not big ones, of course, but it was easy to see that those meant business. I didn’t even want to ask where the rocket launcher was—or whether he’d ever had to use it.
What he might have used it for.
“You’re better-equipped than some of the smaller companies I’ve worked with,” I murmured, too awestruck to put my breath behind my words.
Because whatever I’d thought Marlon was, it was obvious now that he was a whole lot more. And whoever was backing him, whether they were Intelligence Community, or military, or both…
Well, suffice it to say that I no longer doubted his story. I no longer doubted him being a keeper or a recruiter or something even more that he hadn’t told me about yet. Because you didn’t get this sort of arsenal unless you had some major backing.
And those backers only gave you these sort of weapons if you were into some really heavy shit.
“What the hell are you really doing out here, Marlon?” I asked next.
I turned to look at him, trying to focus on one question at a time. Trying to wait until he gave me answers before I started jumping to conclusions. Mostly, I was just glad that Angie and Bob hadn’t come with me. I’d seen these sorts of weapons before, and I’d seen this many of them at once, and even I was having trouble coming to terms with this much firepower.
There was no way civilians would have been able to deal with it. Especially when it had been living so close to their town.
“I am exactly what I told you I am,” he said gently. “When I was in active duty, I was a CIA agent attached to a company of high-level Special Ops soldiers. I went with them into Afghanistan and Iraq. I’ve been to Russian and Uzbekistan. I’ve been into the worst parts of Africa and seen things in South America that I don’t even want to remember. I played a very active role in many undercover missions, and I was one of the best. Then I… burnt out. I just couldn’t do it anymore. So the CIA set me up with a new mission. The one I told you about. This arsenal was supplied when I arrived, and they haven’t told me what any of it is for. But I’m thinking that as long as it’s here…”
He shrugged, and I could see very clearly that he was doing his best to suppress a boyish grin.
I grinned back, unable to stop myself. “We might as well make some use of it.”
At that, he laughed outright. “Exactly my thoughts. And we’re going to need this sort of weaponry if we’re going to get Randall out of our town and get my communicator back. Come. We have to tell Bob and Sean—make sure they’ll support us.”
Bob just stared at Marlon for several long moments after Marlon finished talking. His face didn’t register anything—shock, surprise, or even horror—and I wondered suddenly whether he’d already guessed all of this. He’d obviously known that Marlon was more than met the eye, and I wondered now how much he’d already guessed at.
“So you are military,” he said, confirming my thought. “And CIA. Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I’d assumed you were bigger in the world than you were letting on, but I would never have guessed…” He trailed off, then shook his head.
And, just like the Bob I knew and appreciated, he settled down and got right to the important point.
“And you say there’s a communication device in the town? Something we can use to contact outsiders? Something we can use to call for help?”
“There is,” Marlon said firmly.
Bob nodded once. “Then we have to get to it. We can’t keep the people out in the forest, and we definitely can’t stay here. I’m going to guess that you don’t have enough food reserves to keep us for long.” Marlon shook his head at Bob’s pointed look after the question, and Bob nodded again. “We have the same problem in town. We have some reserves, but not enough to last us for long. We’re used to frequent deliveries when it comes to food and necessities. Without them…”
“Everyone in town is going to be in trouble,” I finished for him, seeing that he saw exactly what the problem was. “Which is why we have to get back to town and take control again. So we can call for help.”
Bob’s shoulders straightened, and I could see I was doing what I thought of as donning his personal uniform. The one that allowed him to take care of his people without thinking twice about the pressure.
“We don’t have a choice,” Bob said. “So how are we going to do it? When do we move?”
I grinned at him, and a quick glance at Sean, and then Joe, told me that they were on board as well.
“First thing in the morning,” I said. “We stay the night, get as much rest and food as we can. We leave anyone who can’t fight here, and that includes most of the women, all of the kids, and anyone over sixty. Everyone else is coming with us. We’re going to take our town back. And then we’re going to call for the reinforcements we need.”
Bob, Sean, and Joe might have gotten on board with us quickly, but when it came to Angie…
Well, it was a different matter entirely.
“I just don’t understand why I can’t go help,” she said again from the floor on the other side of the room.
She’d marched right over there when I told her what our plans were and slid to the ground, where she’d crossed her arms and tried to stare me down. I hadn’t thought she’d take it lightly, so I wasn’t surprised. She wouldn’t have been my wife if she’d taken this sort of order laying down, so to speak.
She’d never liked being left behind.
“You don’t see why we can’t take you, really?” I asked, casting a very pointed look at her leg. She’d taken off the exoskeleton now, but she was still in a brace, and the wrappings alone were enough to keep her from walking normally—or quickly. I definitely couldn’t have her coming with us and slowing us down—or needing protection.