Next World Series | Vol. 6 | Families First [Battle Grounds] Ewing, K. (free ebooks for android .txt) đ
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âEveryone should be locked and loaded, with spare rounds on each person, and in designated areas here, here, and here,â Mac added, pointing to the map of the Valley. âThose from The West are not to take up arms, but many will be on the front lines to assist us, as well as providing valuable intel on precise locations of our opponents. Next, the skies will be filled with aircraft of various types, some friendly and others not. Avoid them all and do not fire on any of them. We donât have time to pick out the good from the bad. Our fearless leadersâJohn, Bill and the Councilâwill be sheltered until this is over. Itâs my call. If anyone has something to comment on, letâs hear it.â
Nobody raised a hand or voiced out loud.
âLastly,â Mac continued, âwe only shoot in response. Let me be perfectly clear on this for clarity, though. If the crisis passes the midpoint of the Rimrock, even without firing a shot, we are in our right to defend this land with everything we have. Donât waste a round that could bring us food later, but also donât save one that could have protected this Valley. All those in, say âI!ââ
We all responded in unison, and each grabbed a small gunnysack handed out by Rico and his chefs-in-training as we headed to our predetermined spots. There was a radio for every third man, leaving some information to be passed the old-fashioned way.
* * * *
My job was two-fold. I was stationed at the cemetery I had been to more than once as a kid for burials, and my second job was to pour and light the gasoline if it came to that. Setting up, I saw my traveling friends on both sides, probably given the upfront detail due to our former scuffle with Bakerâs group.
I wasnât surprised to see Mac and Cory head up the Rimrock, past me, to take the closest defense possible, risking everything they loved to do so. They radioed every fifteen minutes for the next hour, giving updates on the valley below. A part of me hoped they would wait for another day or two before the attack, so I could tell Joy and our boys some things I just thought of, in case we never spoke again. The other, more rational, part of my brain said to get it done and, God willing, have the next half-century to live the simple, clean, but hard-working rancherâs life with my family. It was so close I could taste it.
As it would turn out, it wasnât my call anyway, and the radio chatter was ablaze. It started with a call from Drake.
âThey are lining up!â he shoutedââhundreds of them!â
âLetâs go! Letâs go!â called Sergio to Mike.
âWhere?â Mike askedânot that it really mattered.
âTo cut the head off the snake!â
âHow do we find him?â asked Mike.
âIn the very back,â replied Sergio, matter of factly. âHe is not a leader but a talker. We will find him safely tucked behind the children.â
* * * *
The men in front, followed by the women second, and children of all ages behind them in a line spanning across part of the valley, started to march.
âMy God,â added Drake, still over the radio without thinking. âAre they using women and children in the battle?â
Facing them once already, I knew the answer quite clearly. The men would fight first, then the women, and finally the children, if it came to that. Baker wasnât the first leader to instill this tacticâand probably wouldnât be the last.
âFront line only, everyone,â I called back on my radio, not worrying about overstepping my bounds with Mac or anyone else. âWeâre not shooting at women or children,â I added, hoping to hear an immediate response.
Nearly a full minute of radio silence ensued, with muffled voicesâfrom where I couldnât tell.
âThis is your leader.â John came through loud and clear. âWe will engage the front line only; I repeatâonly the front line. Should we be successful, I will attempt a treaty of sorts with the rest. Bill and I will make our way to the Rimrock now.â
The chatter erupted again for nearly two more minutes, with Mac finally getting control of the radio.
âSir, I wish you would reconsider,â he pleaded. âWe need you and Bill to lead us in the next step, and you canât do that if youâre not around.â
âI have never led from behind, and I wonât start now,â replied John.
âNeither will I,â came a voice I knew well.
Samuel picked up John and Bill on the main road, and they all walked up from the Rimrockâs base. I waved to them, not thinking it was the best idea but respecting their decision and understanding it to a T. They stood atop the Rimrock, tall and proud, but didnât interfere with Macâs work.
âTell us what to do,â John told a surprised Mac.
âUh, okay, sir. UhâŠwe need scouts on that ridge just up there,â he pointed, to watch with binoculars and radio any and all information as to
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