“Understood.”
Eli got back in his truck and paused. His driver wore a pained look.
“What?” Eli shrugged.
“I don’t know how to say this, Eli,” said the driver, trembling slightly.
“Just say it, Dan. I’m not in the mood.”
“One of our patrols just found Jimmy’s son shot dead in front of the East Waterboro Hannigans. Him and a buddy,” said Dan, holding out a quivering radio.
“They know what happened?” said Eli, using every shred of self-restraint not to yank out his bowie knife and stab Dan through his protruding gut until every ounce of fat and blood spilled out onto the seat.
“Witnesses say that a group of bicyclists shot them dead and stole their car.”
“Bikers?”
“No,” Dan said, slowly shaking his head. “Bicycles. They’re saying it was a bunch of women. Shot Nathan and his friend in cold blood. Left the bikes behind. I’m sorry, Eli, I know that kid meant—”
“Not another word, Dan. Not unless I ask. Which way did they go with the car?”
“Route 5 toward Limerick.”
“Take me to Waterboro first. I want to talk to the witnesses. When I’m done there, we’ll gather some folks and take a little trip out Route 5 and see what we can scare up.”
Part IV
“JUST A WALK IN THE PARK”
Chapter 35
EVENT +36:17 Hours
Middlesex Fells Reservation, Stoneham, Massachusetts
Alex pulled three olive-drab tactical ball caps out of his MOLLE assault pack, and handed one over to Ed.
“Try it on.”
“Is this our team ball cap?” Ed quipped, pulling it over his hair.
“In a way. What do you think, Charlie?”
Charlie nodded. “I like the subdued American flag patch on the front. Pretty slick.”
Alex donned one of the caps and stood next to Ed. “What is your first impression?”
Charlie squinted.
“Don’t study us. What are you thinking right now?” said Alex.
“You kinda look like the guys from that old spec ops show. Strike Down?”
“Strike Back. Great show. Take this and put it on,” said Alex, gripping his weapon and moving next to Charlie.
“Ed?”
“Looks like you’re in some kind of a uniform, but not really,” said Ed.
“Special Forces,” whispered Charlie, straightening himself.
“Khaki pants, hiking boots, chest rigs, drop holsters, and long-sleeved, earth-tone shirts. It’s the only way we’ll be able to walk around in broad daylight carrying rifles. I guarantee nobody will bother us looking like this,” said Alex.
“We’re like the A-Team! Except for his rifle. Goddamn, I wish you didn’t have a .22,” said Charlie.
“Easily explained. Welcome to Bravo Platoon, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Operational Group,” said Alex.
“What’s our mission?” said Ed.
“Sensitive material recovery at MIT. End of discussion,” said Alex.
“Where did we come from?”
“None of your business. HALO jump if pressed,” Alex responded. “The government is taking steps to secure vital technology and research.”
“Why not have the marines, or whoever is around MIT, do it?” asked Ed.
“Because it’s too early for the government to determine if military units were involved in the attack. EMP is a trigger event for 3rd SFOG recovery-team deployment.”
“Nice. So, how are you planning to explain my Ruger?”
“You don’t get to carry it. You’re the technical liaison, a rare addition to one of these teams. Getting you to MIT is mission critical. Let them wonder why.”
“What am I?” said Charlie.
Ed snickered. “You’re Murdoch.”
“Was that necessary?” said Charlie peevishly.
“At least you’re not the science geek,” said Ed.
“Charlie is the sniper. That’s why I had you switch out the EOTech with your thermal scope,” Alex explained.
“I hope we don’t have to shoot up close or inside. This thing is useless for CQB,” said Charlie.
Ed looked puzzled. “What’s CQB?”
“Don’t worry about it,” interjected Alex.
“Close Quarters Battle, techie,” answered Charlie.
“I’d watch it. If Alex is the team leader and I’m mission critical—that makes you the expendable one,” said Ed.
“He sort of has a point.” Alex shrugged, patting Charlie on the arm.
“Thanks.”
“Ten minutes,” said Alex, checking his watch.
“We’ve got about two miles in the reservation. Another seven or so to the river.”
“It’s only 5:20,” said Ed.
“I want to get to the edge of the reservation and rest—watch the outskirts of Medford. We do a little surveillance and enter the city around 7:30. Puts us near Cambridge after dark,” said Alex.
“Why don’t we just leave from here an hour later? Walk straight through,” protested Ed.
“There’s a catch. Once we enter Medford, we have to move with a purpose. No window shopping.”
Charlie and Ed shook their heads in confusion.
“It’s a saying. We can’t look like we’re out for a stroll. A Special Forces team en route to a critical national objective doesn’t stop for breaks. You’ll be thanking me for the rest. Trust me.”
Alex had an entirely different reason to leave immediately, one that had nothing to do with timing. There was no way Charlie would make it to the Charles River—not at the pace they had to maintain in the city. There was no way to say this without an argument. Charlie would insist he could make it, and they’d be left carrying a two-hundred-pound sack of meat when they could least afford to.
Charlie had more than earned the right to be here. He’d been indispensible so far, but it was time for him to assume a different role in the mission. He needed to stay behind to guard the Jeep. Since there was no way to make this suggestion directly, Alex would take a more subtle approach. Sort of.
“Ed, I don’t want to sound too crass, but you should leave your keys with the rucksacks. If we get separated, or I can’t reach your body for some reason—”
“Can’t… can’t reach my body?”
“Sorry, man, but we have to think of everything. We have no idea what we might find down there. You could fall through a hole. Get cut off from us in an ambush and killed. The same could happen to any of us.”
“The Jeep’s not exactly invisible from the road. Someone could find the packs,” said Ed.
“Nobody will find the packs. If anyone finds the Jeep and somehow figures out that it’s functional, they’ll never guess that we hid backpacks on the island. They’ll be too preoccupied trying to figure out how to hotwire it,” said Alex, kicking off his clandestine campaign.
“Why did you wait until now to bring this up?” said Ed, holding up the keys.
“I just thought of it. Sorry, I’ll run them out to the packs as soon as I get all of the backup handheld frequencies programmed.”
“I can take care of the keys,” said Charlie, swiping them from Ed.
“Thanks, man,” said Ed.
Charlie set his rifle against the Jeep and waded through the thick brush. Alex pulled Ed behind the Jeep when the sounds of snapping twigs and rustling branches faded.
“I’m going to book ass through the reservation,” said Alex.
“What? What are you talking about? Didn’t you just say—”
“That was all bullshit,” said Alex, “well, most of it.”