Cooper looked at the man lying at his feet, “I think it was a hit.”
Mark looked at him in confusion, “A what?”
“An assassination. They hit him with a long-range rifle head shot. The vehicles and gunfire were just a diversion. To make it look random. But, he was the target.”
“Who would want him dead and why?”
“I don’t know. But, I’m going to find out.” He’d remembered that Julianne had worked at Admonitus, as well.
Cooper moved to tend to the injured.
Chapter 20
Cooper discovered his charity had been short-lived. Betty Gray had been mowed down by a burst from a submachine gun and lay dead in the street. The old woman appeared markedly smaller in death. Three others had been killed from close-in shotgun blasts or handguns. A half-dozen had been injured, most severely.
Others from the neighborhood were coming up after the gunfire had subsided. Cooper barked orders at them to go and get first aid supplies as quickly as possible. As they ran off, Cooper saw Calvin coming straight at him. He looked like an angry bull, taking long, deliberate strides toward him. As soon as he was within earshot, he yelled at Cooper.
“What the hell is going on here?”
Cooper waved his hands in a wide arc, indicating the dozen bodies strewn about him, “We were just attacked.”
Calvin was now within arm’s length, “Who are these people?” Cooper could see his face flushed a shade darker and his neck muscles as taut as a piano wire.
“Ah, refugees from several blocks over. They were driven from their homes by the same gang that just attacked them here,” Cooper, confused, saw the rage in Calvin’s eyes. “Look, why are you so angry?”
Calvin stood eye to eye with him, “Is it true that you were deciding to let some in?” Specks of spittle flew from his lips.
“Sure I was. I was figuring out who had skills that we could…”
Calvin poked him in the chest with the four fingers of his right hand, “You aren’t in charge Mr. Adams. What gives you the right to do this without consulting anyone else?”
Now, Cooper’s patience burst. This is what he’s upset about? His ego being bruised? Christ. Cooper pushed him back to arm’s length with the flat palm of hand, striking Calvin just hard enough to cause some pain, “You mean you, don’t you?”
Calvin’s eyes burned brighter and his fists balled up, “You’re damn right! I’m the President of our Association and the Captain of our Guard! Have you forgotten?”
Cooper cut him off, clipping his words to stay just on the shy side of yelling, “I don’t have time for this. I was called by those at this barricade to deal with an emerging situation. And, I dealt with it. No decision I made here was irreversible. I was clear that anyone’s admittance was temporary.”
Calvin’s fist relaxed and he took a half-step back, “That’s good to hear. But that doesn’t change the fact that you over-stepped your authority.”
Cooper interrupted, “Exactly. It was a new, unknown, situation. I acted. So, what, are you and Gus going to do, sue me?”
Calvin exploded, “Cooper, I’ve had enough of you. You constantly undermine me. You made decisions of import with zero consultation! I’ve worked hard for every ounce of responsibility I have in my life. I will not stand by while you tear it down.” Veins crept across his neck, bulging.
Cooper remained speechless as Calvin continued, “You don’t know where I’ve come from or what I’ve overcome. It’s time you respected my role here!”
Cooper, taken aback, lowered his head and nodded, “You’re right.” His voice was scarcely more than a murmur.
Calvin cocked his eyebrows and leaned in to hear him, “What?”
He looked him in the eye, “I said you’re right. I’m sorry. I get it now.”
Now, it was Calvin’s turn to be taken off guard, “Really?”
Cooper cracked a grin, “Yeah, I’ve been too overbearing. You earned your place here. I need to honor that.”
Calvin returned the smile, “Thank you, Cooper. To be fair, I’ve been on edge. This situation we’re dealing is out of my realm of experience.”
“It’s out of everyone’s realm of experience,” Cooper chuckled.
Calvin turned to the wounded, “Let’s get to work and help these folks out. I need you to get things done, Cooper.” He extended his hand. Cooper took it and the two men clasped hands firmly.
Mark and the other guards had begun tending to the wounded and had already helped the most serious cases. As he helped bandage the victims with torn-up sheets that someone had brought, Cooper noted that most of those wounded wouldn’t make it through the night.
He called Calvin over and pulled him away from the group. “You wanted decisions? I got one for you. Most of these wounded won’t live until morning. Bleeding in ways we can’t stop.”
“What’s the decision?”
Cooper pulled his face close, “We should think about putting them down.”
Calvin recoiled and pulled away, “What? Kill them? Like dogs at the pound?”
Cooper exhaled, whispering, “Calvin, they’re already dead. The question is whether we let them suffer through the night in pain. That’s the decision.”
He paced in a tight circle, “I can’t believe this. How is this happening?”
Cooper stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s happening because the world got turned upside down. You gotta make the call on this. I’ve got to send the unwounded away before it gets dark.”
He turned and walked back to the main group. Cooper reassembled the non-wounded people who had been displaced from their homes earlier that day. He made sure Mark had the small bundles of food gathered nearby, ready to hand out. He grabbed one and held it above his head.
“I want to remind everyone of our agreement from earlier today. Because we are decent people here, we are modifying it. We will take the wounded in until they can travel or we can find alternative care. As I said, we have interviewed everyone. I will announce who we have accepted, but I wish to remind you, if anyone argues about our decision, they will forego this bundle of food that we will give to everyone who we do not accept. We do this from the goodness of our heart.”
He let his words sink in to the group. He heard some disgruntled mumbles. He knew the attack had everyone on edge.
“There is one more thing. If anyone gets threatening towards us or tries to sneak into our community later, they will be shot. No questions asked. So, think very hard before you react. I know those who are not accepted will be disappointed and maybe angry. But, we are giving you food to last you a few days. That’s more than anyone else has offered you. I hope you’ll remember that.”
He turned to Mark. “You ready?”
“Yes.”
He looked over at Peter Garcia, who held a shotgun at the ready, “You ready?”
“Yes, sir!”
Cooper positioned himself to face the group once more, “If I gave you an odd number, please stand over to my left. If you received an even number, please step to my right.”
As the much larger group moved to his left, a few people quickly figured out they were in the wrong group. Two of these tried to move back to his right. Cooper saw them and gave them a firm shake of his head and put his hand on the butt of his pistol. They quickly rejoined the larger group.
“OK, those on my right can step across the barricade. You are welcome to our neighborhood. Mark, please start handing out the supplies to those on my left.”
Cooper watched the unaccepted group very closely. He expected an outburst, or worse. He noted several faces that screwed themselves up in anger. However, they did nothing. He was shocked at the resignation that overtook the group once he had spoken. They dejectedly queued up behind Mark to accept the meager bundles that they had to offer. He swallowed hard to stiffen his resolve in the face of such heartbreak and despair. We can’t save everyone, he reminded himself.