Without Law 18 Eric Vall (reading well TXT) 📖

started to respond, then I realized that I didn’t hear anything outside. It was dark and quiet, so I had to have been asleep for a while.

“You had a bad dream,” the platinum-blonde muttered. “I’m fine. The baby’s fine. Go back to sleep, it's the middle of the night.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, and a relieved smile came over my face as I leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

Right then, I couldn’t remember what my dream had even been about, I just knew Tara had been hurt somehow.

I laid back down and pulled her to me, happy to have her in my arms, then I closed my eyes and fell back asleep.

The next time I woke up, it was morning. The sun had just started to ascend over the horizon, and I yawned, stretched, and carefully pried myself away from the girls so I could get up and get coffee started.

As soon as I unzipped the tent, though, the smell of coffee hit my nose, and I looked to the fire to see that Ben, Jeff, Donna, and Minji were all gathered around the flames. They’d clearly gotten started for the day, which was fine by me, because I could use a cup of coffee right then. Ben’s homemade sake was something else, and it had completely wiped me out the night before. I made a mental note to not drink that shit again, at least not until we’d taken out every last NK soldier who’d invaded our land.

A celebratory drink last night was fine, but we still had work to do, and we didn’t have any time to waste.

“Hey, look who’s up,” Jeff chuckled.

“Morning.” I smiled and walked over to the fire.

“Coffee?” Ben asked.

“Yes, please.” I nodded and took the cup he poured for me.

“Hey, Tav,” Hammer said, and I turned around to see him and a few of the other SEALs walking up behind me.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“The Captain said he wanted to see you,” he explained, then his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed as he thought. “Should I be calling him Captain still? Or do you want to be Captain?”

“Tav is fine by me,” I laughed and stood up with my coffee. “I’ll go see him now.”

“Here,” Donna said, and she poured another cup of coffee. “Take this for him.”

“Thanks.” I smiled and took the drink, then I walked toward the old soda factory, but before I could get to the door, Hammer was at my side.

“Before you talk to the Captain, I wanted to have a word with you,” he said.

“Sure.” My eyebrows furrowed together. “Is everything alright?”

“I have a feeling the Captain is going to talk to you about the trip down south,” Hammer explained. “And I don’t think he should go.”

“You think he wants to try and fight?” I asked.

“I think so.” Hammer nodded. “Or at least come with to try and assist somehow. He’s hardheaded, though it may not seem like it from what was going on when you all arrived. But he’s dedicated to his country, and even though he was close to retiring, he stayed and kept us all going how he thought was best. I feel like he’ll want to do what he can down south, too.”

“I see.” I pursed my lips as I thought.

Hammer seemed upset about the Captain wanting to go with us to Atlanta, and I could understand why. The Captain was an older man, and he’d already done a lot for his country. He didn’t need to keep this up. He should have the opportunity to live out the rest of his life in at least partial relaxation.

“What do you think?” Hammer asked after a moment.

“I think you’re right.” I nodded. “He shouldn’t go.”

“We should talk to him about staying,” he agreed.

“Actually, I think we should talk to him about leaving,” I said, and Hammer cocked his head to the side. “Heading up to Vermont, I mean.”

“You want to send him up to your place?” Hammer asked.

“I think that’s best,” I said. “Actually, I think we should send anybody who isn’t well-trained enough back up to my place.”

“The civilians?” Hammer asked.

“I think so,” I sighed and leaned up against the door jamb. “I trained them well, but Atlanta is going to be more serious than any other battle they’ve been in, and I don’t want their blood on my hands.”

“I understand,” Hammer agreed.

“But first, let’s talk to the Captain,” I said.

“Thanks.” Hammer smiled.

“Of course,” I told him. “I wouldn’t want to do anything to put him in danger, either.”

Hammer and I headed inside and up the creaky stairs that led to the manager’s office which served as the Captain’s quarters.

“Captain,” I called out since I couldn’t knock with both hand’s full. “It’s Tav and Hammer.”

“Tav,” the Captain said, and a second later the door swung open. “Come in, come in. I did want to see you, thank you for coming so quickly. I just ran into Hammer, so I didn’t expect you right away.”

“It’s no trouble,” I told him, and I handed him the cup of joe. “I brought Hammer back with me, I hope that’s alright. What’s going on?”

“Of course.” The Captain nodded to his lieutenant. “I just wanted to speak with you about the trip down south.”

“Right,” I agreed. “I figured as much, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What do you mean?” the Captain asked, and his bushy eyebrows furrowed together.

“Sir, I understand you want to do what you can for your country, but you’ve already done a lot,” I told him. “You stayed when so many abandoned ship.”

“I failed here before you showed up,” the Captain said. “I was too nervous about losing men after the initial invasion…”

“Sir, you did nothing wrong,”