Page 29 of Ranger's Rise
Inmates start moving to the wall. I spread some rounds in the dirt moving them along. “Faster than that, inmates!”
A little fat guy carries two guns to the fence and throws them over then runs toward the wall. Someone shoots him from behind a picnic table. I sight it and shoot surprised by Cort’s shot.
“Nice, Brother. I had him taller.”
I smile. His shot is about six inches above mine. Inmates run away from the table.
“Once I hit that yard, everyone in the middle is considered a kamikaze. I hope what you’re trying to prove here is worth giving your life for.” He walks away and I’m laughing trying to catch up. At the stairs, I watch the two tables that still have inmates behind them.
“The plan?”
“Get the guards away from the inmates. Kamikazes get their wish.”
“Roger, Boss. Good plan.”
He laughs pulling a pistol. I have one out already and the MP readied. I should have plenty of rounds in the automatic but plan my switch while I’m walking. At the bottom he doesn’t wait, he shoots the gate getting it open and walks in. “If you move from the wall, I’m taking you as a kamikaze and will grant your death wish.”
“Roger, Boss.” I take it as an order. A shot is fired from the table to my left and I move faster aiming at it. If he had rounds to spend, he’d have used them. At a guess, he’s got one left. Movement has my hand with the MP following that movement. I keep my head straight, but eyes on the table. The helmets are good for masking our eyes. A shot hits my side but doesn’t go through. My feet don’t stop. As soon as I see the gun, I shoot the asshole that didn’t listen. A guard is bleeding on the ground. Shit. Movement has the MP going off. “Clear, Boss.”
A shot behind me doesn’t draw my eyes away from the wall. Two inmates run for the center and I shoot then swing back to the wall. “Thanks, Brother. Clear here, Vick. I got two guards beat, but alive.”
“One shot here,” I tell him.
“Wellington!” he yells and the team that brought us is double-timing it down the stairs with guns readied. “Take five at a time.”
The guard doesn’t look happy with that but moves five inmates between the guards and double-times it away. “Roger, Team Three. Give them five at a time until everyone is out. Good job, Brothers.”
Why don’t I have them on my piece? Movement has my MP moving toward it. The inmate freezes. “Go ahead. Your wish is my order. Not quite the genie saying, but it fits.” He steps back and leans against the wall. I swing the pistol his way and move the MP down the line.The ass moves and my finger responds. “Dumbass.”
Cort laughs. “He didn’t think you had control to shoot with both hands.”
“He knows now, Boss.”
He laughs again. We have like fifty inmates against the wall and he’s got me smiling. Definitely drinking more water when I get back.
“Wellington, where the fuck are the medics?” he yells when the guards come back.
“On their way, Sir.” Wellington looks nervous.
“You fucking kidding, Vick? They got two medics in the whole fucking building? Don’t they have procedures when an alert goes out?” He listens. “Clear Team Three out and get Security in. This is taking too fucking long. The warden will love this bill. Ask Banks about jails. They’re doing it wrong. Good job, Team Three.”
He’s got me laughing again. VP doesn’t know what he’s missing.
The inmates start moving faster with more guards and we clear the yard. A Security Brother helps the medics and the Team stays with him without question. They make me proud.
When we walk out, I ask before he starts his bike, “Why don’t I hear the other Teams?”
His surprise is answer enough. “Vick? Why isn’t Ranger picking up Ops?”
“I’ll find out and fix that. Sorry, Boss. The As just got back from lunch.”
“You’ve had no IT support?” He’s talking so I unzip my jacket and lift my shirt looking at the red patch and bruise on my side. It’s fine so I redress and wait.
Vick lags with the response again. “We have a trainee and the trainer. I didn’t call anyone in, Boss.”
Cort swings his head. “You shouldn’t have had to. I’ll talk to Web.”
“Roger, Boss.”
