Deep purple shaded to black overhead, stars spilled like diamonds on velvet. It was torn by the orange flare that arced from the blocked pass to the Forrest ranch. Johnny grinned back over his shoulder at the small team gathered there. ?Tha's th' signal. Y'all ready??
More statement than question but the men nodded, followed Johnny as he stepped off the ledge they were posted on. Skidding, slipping down the rock face barely slowed by the harness and ropes they wore, the trip to the base of the cliff took less than two minutes. Rocks fell in their wake, sharp-edged. Unfastening his harness, Johnny staggered and then cursed under his breath when one of those rocks clipped his shoulder. Blood welled up hot in its wake, a fiery line surrounded by what would be deeper bruising by the end of the night. Hank paused a moment in concern, and Johnny moved him on with a jerk of his chin while he shrugged off the last of the harness.
Dressed in their stolen dark gray uniforms, the team ghosted forward, blending into the night better than if they had been wearing true black. Ahead of them a white fence gleamed in the starlight; another flare, green, briefly gave everything a sickly glow. One glitter was reflected metal instead of painted wood, the barrel of a guard's weapon.
Johnny froze and around him the subtle sounds of movement through grass halted as well. Then, from his left, there was another brief rustle and slither. Johnny nodded to himself. Michael it had to be, by the stealth. There was another flare of light, this one harsh white, and Johnny jerked around to find its source in the distance near the pass. That had no part in their plan, nor did the rumble that followed in the wake of the explosion, and its cloud of rising smoke stained beneath with the red glow of fire.
The bright light followed by Johnny's sudden motion had alerted the guard. The man got out the beginnings of a shout before there was a hollow thunk and a looming dark shadow that caught the guard and lowered him to the ground. Michael grinned with a flash of white teeth in swarthy skin, and Johnny grinned back before ducking through the fence with Hank and Josh right behind.
?Ready fer this?? Johnny picked up the guard's weapon. Unhooking the stiff cap from his belt where it had been fastened until now, he settled it onto blond hair recently cropped into a short military cut. The others nodded with their caps already in place and fell into rough formation, with Michael on Johnny's left and the others behind.
A ground-eating lope took them across the fields until they reached the brighter-lit interior compound. From the run to a quick march, the quartet crossed the converted farmyard while Johnny's eyes scanned and settled on the small shed that might once have been used for storage and now was festooned with satellite dishes and wires. He gestured with the stolen weapon and the four turned as one in that direction.
Rapid motion changed to a more deliberate pace. Johnny glanced over the rest of his team to make sure their uniforms were settled, then thumped on the door with the butt of the weapon. His voice rang baritone with the clipped, precise accent of an inner world. ?Dispatch! We've a message to go out priority!?
Through the flimsy walls of the shed, Johnny could make out a low grumbling accompanying the shuffle of feet. Another explosion rumbled from the pass, and he scowled deeply. The sleepy looking boy who opened the door barely glanced at the squad while he waved them in, looking towards the noise instead.
More statement than question but the men nodded, followed Johnny as he stepped off the ledge they were posted on. Skidding, slipping down the rock face barely slowed by the harness and ropes they wore, the trip to the base of the cliff took less than two minutes. Rocks fell in their wake, sharp-edged. Unfastening his harness, Johnny staggered and then cursed under his breath when one of those rocks clipped his shoulder. Blood welled up hot in its wake, a fiery line surrounded by what would be deeper bruising by the end of the night. Hank paused a moment in concern, and Johnny moved him on with a jerk of his chin while he shrugged off the last of the harness.
Dressed in their stolen dark gray uniforms, the team ghosted forward, blending into the night better than if they had been wearing true black. Ahead of them a white fence gleamed in the starlight; another flare, green, briefly gave everything a sickly glow. One glitter was reflected metal instead of painted wood, the barrel of a guard's weapon.
Johnny froze and around him the subtle sounds of movement through grass halted as well. Then, from his left, there was another brief rustle and slither. Johnny nodded to himself. Michael it had to be, by the stealth. There was another flare of light, this one harsh white, and Johnny jerked around to find its source in the distance near the pass. That had no part in their plan, nor did the rumble that followed in the wake of the explosion, and its cloud of rising smoke stained beneath with the red glow of fire.
The bright light followed by Johnny's sudden motion had alerted the guard. The man got out the beginnings of a shout before there was a hollow thunk and a looming dark shadow that caught the guard and lowered him to the ground. Michael grinned with a flash of white teeth in swarthy skin, and Johnny grinned back before ducking through the fence with Hank and Josh right behind.
?Ready fer this?? Johnny picked up the guard's weapon. Unhooking the stiff cap from his belt where it had been fastened until now, he settled it onto blond hair recently cropped into a short military cut. The others nodded with their caps already in place and fell into rough formation, with Michael on Johnny's left and the others behind.
A ground-eating lope took them across the fields until they reached the brighter-lit interior compound. From the run to a quick march, the quartet crossed the converted farmyard while Johnny's eyes scanned and settled on the small shed that might once have been used for storage and now was festooned with satellite dishes and wires. He gestured with the stolen weapon and the four turned as one in that direction.
Rapid motion changed to a more deliberate pace. Johnny glanced over the rest of his team to make sure their uniforms were settled, then thumped on the door with the butt of the weapon. His voice rang baritone with the clipped, precise accent of an inner world. ?Dispatch! We've a message to go out priority!?
Through the flimsy walls of the shed, Johnny could make out a low grumbling accompanying the shuffle of feet. Another explosion rumbled from the pass, and he scowled deeply. The sleepy looking boy who opened the door barely glanced at the squad while he waved them in, looking towards the noise instead.