[color=1a7b30]> Boston Mountains, Boone County > Dave MacCready’s Cabin >7.NOV.2019 > 2034 CDT..///[/color] Night had fallen in the Ozarks. Dave had spent the day in his basement, cleaning weapons and going over his stores. The weapons were already as clean as they could be, his supplies more or less untouched since he'd started with the Program, but it was cathartic, a way to pass the time and occupy himself with a mindless task that helped keep him from thinking too much about recent events. About Alaska, about West Virginia. About Russian secret agents and how the list of people he could trust seemed to get smaller and smaller every day. With the last rifle reassembled and hung on its pegs, he tromped up the steps to the living room. Rufus raised his head from his bed, in front of the wood stove. It wasn't yet cold enough to need a fire, but seeing the large black appliance reminded him that he needed to check his firewood stocks. He still had time to get some cut, to replace what he and Ava had used during her birthday visit. While they hadn't needed the fire, it added a romantic ambience that he hadn't been able to resist. He grinned at the memory and resolved to text her later, to see how she was settling back in. Dave's first stop was his liquor cabinet, where he poured himself a measure of Jack before settling into his overstuffed old couch. The house was dim, lit only by a lamp in the corner, and he sighed as he sat in the silent cabin and took his first sip of whiskey, feeling it burn its way down his throat. He looked over at his phone, sitting on the end table with his .357 and the tv remote. It was late out east. Ava was probably in bed. The call would wait till morning. He looked across the room at the DVD cabinet, debating on finding an old favorite to pass the last few hours before bed. The large windows on either side of the TV allowed a view of the moonlit forest, and he looked from the treeline to the TV. A walk might be nice. He hadn't done that in a while, strolled the forest in the moonlight. As he raised his glass the window on the right cracked, the sound loud in the silent house. The wasp-like whine of a bullet zipped past his head and Dave reacted on instinct, throwing himself to the floor as Rufus began to bark. More rounds came in, stitching the sofa where he'd been sitting, and Dave swore as glass shattered, covering his head as his brain tried to catch up with the rapidly escalating situation. Then his fear turned to rage, and he moved. He low-crawled to the end-table, yanking it hard so his gun fell to the floor, his training with Ghost coming back to him. First things first - the light. He rolled onto his back, the roar of the big revolver deafening as he put a round through the lamp and cast the room in darkness. The incoming rounds paused as the unseen shooter lost his advantage, and Dave was on his feet, sprinting for the back of the house. He put his back to the solid outer wall. Inside he was trapped. The shooter had the advantage of maneuverability, line of sight, everything. They could shoot him as he moved to a window, they could burn the fucking house down. They were in the trees, where they could shoot and relocate at will, whereas Dave was limited to a few hundred square feet of living room and kitchen, or one of the small bedrooms. His lip curled. The trees. [I]His[/i] trees, on [i]his[/i] mountain. Dave growled and eyed the back door. He'd have to move fast. A half-dozen rounds smashed in the other window back in the living room, exploratory shots. Dave heard Ghost's growl in his head. [I]Amateur.[/i] Gritting his teeth, threw open the back door and pelted for the treeline. Shots immediately came his way, tearing up the sod around him, but he threw himself into the shadow of the trees before stopping with his back to a large oak. [I]One shooter,[/i] Ghost growled in his head. [I]Not a very good one. A wannabe sniper with an assault rifle, most likely.[/i] Dave took a breath, hefting the revolver in his hand and wishing he had stopped to grab a long gun. [I]Don't be a pussy. You have a gun and a knife. I could do it with a sharp stick. Go kill the motherfucker.[/i] Dave breathed a scared chuckle, then felt the anger come back. Ghost was right. It was time to kill the motherfucker. He took a breath and set off, angling towards the likely point of origin for the shots. The woods were dark, but he knew this terrain, and moved almost by instinct, the dim light of the waxing moon more than enough to see by. His steps were slow, unhurried. This wasn't a fight, it was a hunt. He just needed to find the bastard and end this. He had five rounds in his gun, enough for one man if he was careful. [I]Don't be careful. Be good.[/i] The crunching of twigs made Dave pause. Someone was close, moving his way. The way sound carried at night he could be a dozen yards out or a hundred. Dave swallowed a curse and closed his eyes, summoning his mental map of the area. Then he squared his shoulders, took a breath, and broke into another sprint, away from the house and deeper into the woods. He fired two shots in the vague direction of his enemy and was rewarded by a staccato volley of dull pops, only 30 yards away. [I]Suppressor.[/i] [I]No shit,[/i] Dave growled at the voice in his head. The rounds chased him until the mag ran dry, Dave weaving from tree to tree. He crashed through brush, trampling bushes underfoot and snapping branches off trees as he followed the half-formed plan that was coalescing in his mind. One hundred yards. Two hundred. Two-fifty...There. The downhill slope suddenly gave way to a dramatic drop, twelve feet down to a slow-moving creek. He skidded to a stop, then doubled back. This creek ran year round. It was a good watering hole, with a game trail that followed it up from the south. He'd killed deer here over the years, hiding himself in a narrow cut that was half concealed by heavy brush. He went there now, his panicked flight replaced by the careful movements of a hunter. His booted feet were silent as he slipped into the draw, melting into the deep shadows behind the bushes. He cocked his revolver, then settled in to wait. Time seemed to slow. Dave's ears strained, the night sounds of the forest almost deafening. Then a branch broke, twigs dragged across heavy clothing, and Dave's breath caught. He saw the man five minutes later. His silhouette materialized slowly, drifting towards the creek. He was quiet, cautious, his gaze on the ground as he followed the trail Dave had left. As he reached the drop-off he paused and raised his rifle, an AK by the silhouette, and played it over the foliage on the far side. [I]No cover. No concealment. Standing in the open. Get him.[/i] Dave raised his revolver, lined up his sights, and fired a single shot. The deafening crack set his ears ringing, the foot-long muzzle flash left spots in front of his eyes, and the 200 grain hollowpoint found its mark, striking the man's lower back just beneath a large bulk that could only be a plate carrier. It pulverized the man's spine and he dropped with a keening wail that Dave heard even over the buzzing in his ears. Dave sprinted from cover, diving onto the man. He was down, likely paralized, but he wasn't dead. Dave's aggression was met in kind and the mountain man swore as a gloved fist found his temple, stars bursting as hardened knuckles met flush with his skull. Another blow caught him in the mouth before he cocked back and hammered the heavy frame of his revolver into the man's face. It took two more blows before the man slumped back, panting. "Who," Dave growled, the words muffled. He spat blood in the man's face and tried again. "Who sent you, motherfucker?" "Does it matter?" The man's voice was deep, with the distinctly Eastern European lilt that Dave was growing to hate. "You are dead anyway. You kill me? Fine. More will come." "Let 'em," Dave snarled. He put his gun to the man's temple and pulled the trigger, sending him to Hell with another clap of thunder. He sat for a moment in the darkness, catching his breath, until another voice sounded in the depths of his mind. [I]Fuck are you doin', boy? If there's one there's two. I taught you better'n that.[/i] "Shut up, Old Man," Dave grumbled. "You ain't welcome in my head." He stuck the revolver in his waistband, stripped the dead Russian's rifle from his slack hands. A look down the sight confirmed his earlier suspicions; the far bank stood out clearly in the green hues of the night vision scope. Dave pocketed two magazines, sighed, and started back into the woods. The night wasn't over. First he had to clear the property. Then he had to pack. Home wasn't safe; it was time to hit the road. Donnelley would know where to go, if he was alive. If they came after him, they might come for the others. Dave swallowed a surge of fear, a sudden terror that Ava may have been attacked as well. He pushed it down. Clear the homestead. Hit the road. Call Ava. Call Donnelley. Then what? [I]Then we go hunting.[/i] For once, Dave found himself agreeing with Ghost's assessment. It was time to go hunting. [color=1a7b30]>FITNESS FORMULA GYM, VA >2247 EDT >07NOV2019...///[/color] Ava looked around the dark parking lot with pools of light from bright fluorescent lamp posts illuminating the asphalt, but it also created long deep shadows and fucked up her ability to peer into those shadows. Anyone could be lurking in them and she didn’t trust her ability to spot a potential attacker or stalker yet. Her breath fogged in front of her in the chilly autumn night as she held her gym bag close to her body and walked quickly toward the safety of her car. She hated working out at night, she didn’t understand why Ghost suggested it for her. Maybe to help get used to being on her toes? Be alert to her surroundings? It was certainly working at making her more paranoid. Over the past few days she had felt an itch between her shoulder blades and a chill on the back of her neck; like she was being watched. She had looked for the source of the creepy feeling, but never saw anyone following her or watching her. She reasoned that it was just her anxiety getting the better of her. Not enough sleep, too much unresolved emotions stirred up by Donnelley and his biting words. Too many unresolved answers with the case and little trust left to go around. She made it to her car unscatched, double checked her back seat was empty before tossing her gym bag in the back and getting in the driver seat. She locked the doors and took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, feeling safer now that there was a barrier of glass and metal between herself and the outside world. Although she knew logically that her car couldn’t protect her from much of anything...She still enjoyed the security if brought; even if it was false. Ava ran her hand over her face, leaning back in her seat and sighing up to the ceiling. “...I hate this.” She muttered, slipping her keys into the ignition and bringing her car to life with the nice, quiet purr of her hybrid engine. As she was pulling out of her parking space, her phone began to blare with Johnny Cash’s, [i]God’s Gonna Cut You Down[/i], Dave’s personalized ringtone for her phone. She looked at the touch screen on her console and smiled instanting seeing Dave’s name. Happily she touched the ‘accept call’ button and said with a smile, “Heeey Mountain Man.” [I]"Ava! Thank you, God."[/i] Dave's voice was strained, the rush of relief he felt clear even over the phone. [I]"Where are you? You need to get out of the house, now!"[/i] Ava’s heart immediately dropped into her stomach and her hands went white knuckle on her steering wheel. “I’m just leaving the gym, I’m not even at home. What’s going on Dave? What happened?” She asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice as she looked up into her rearview mirror. [I]"Russians. One attacked me on the mountain. I'm fine, I got him, but I don't know if they're comin' for anybody else. We gotta assume they will."[/i] There was a grunt and clatter, as though he was moving something heavy. [I]"We gotta go to ground."[/i] “To ground?” Ava repeated, her mind racing as she felt a cold sweat break out over her skin hearing that Dave had been attacked. He was fine, she told herself, but he still could have been killed and she would have had no idea. Been thousands of miles away and useless to do anything to help him. She shook her head, trying to banish the thoughts as she focused on driving. “Right, right, okay.” She said, taking a deep breath. “What’s the plan? We get our stuff and meet at the place we talked about?” [I]"Yeah, we follow the plan."[/i] There was another grunt, a louder thud. [I]"Grab what you need and start movin'. I'll meet ya where we talked about."[/i] “Right, okay.” She said, uncaring that she was starting to sound like a broken record. “Those fuckers.” She growled, feeling a seed of anger start to form in her chest as the situation started to really set in. Ava took in another breath and tried to breathe out past the anger, focusing on the conversation and Dave’s voice. Dave, whom she could have lost. “Dave, I’m glad you’re alright.” She said, her voice softening. “Are you hurt?” [I]"Got a shiner and he knocked a tooth out. I'm fine. He's dead."[/i] She grimaced. “Good.” She said simply, without even consciously deciding to say it. She was beginning to detest these men that were making their lives and the lives of so many innocent people a living hell. “Alright, I’m going to get home and grab my stuff.” Hopefully there wasn’t anyone waiting for her. “Should we call the others? Laine? Donnelley?” [I]"I'll handle contacts, you just get gone. We'll meet, then figure out step two."[/i] “Alright.” She said with a frown, as she looked in her mirrors again for any tails. “Can...will you call me again? Should I call you when I’m leaving?” [I]"We'll talk every hour, sugar."[/i] His voice was gentle, though still carried some nerves with it. [I]"You let me know when you're on the move, we'll keep each other updated. Okay?"[/i] She relaxed after hearing that. “Okay, good, that helps a lot.” She swallowed thickly as she began taking streets that would get her home. “I’m almost home, um, Dave...If anything...If I don’t...I love you, okay? I never thought I would love a person the way I do you.” [I]"I love you too, sugar. So, so much. You go into that house gun out, you hear me? I wish I could be there, but you go in with that gun out and you kill anybody in your way, and you come back to me. Don't be scared. Be mad. Because I'm mad, and any sumbitch between me an' you is a dead man. So you do the same, and you meet me." [/i] Ava felt tears well up in her eyes, a storm of emotions swirling in her chest. “I will Dave.” She promised him, her voice tight, but as steady and clear as she could make it. “I’ll meet with you, come hell or high water.” [I]"Good girl. We got this, sugar. You got this. I'll see you soon."[/i] There was the sound of a door slamming, then a vehicle door opening. [I]"Rufus, load up. I love you, Ava. I'll text you soon."[/i] “I love you too Dave, I’ll meet you, I promise. Be safe.” She said, reluctant to say goodbye. [I]"Always. See you soon."[/i] Ava hesitantly, but finally tapped the screen to end the call, sniffling to herself as she pulled into her neighborhood. “Okay, get it together Avaline.” She muttered to herself, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. “The others aren’t here, it’s all on you.” Her heart sounded like thunder in her ears as she pulled up to her dark house, parking on the street so she could drive off easier in case anything happened. It would be a sprint from her front door but she felt like she could manage it. She stared at her house, taking in a deep breath as she opened up the center compartment and pulled out her Glock 26. She tried to keep her hands steady as she loaded in a clip, her eyes on her dark windows as she tried to detect any movement in the darkness. If it was up to her, she would be driving off right now but she couldn’t. Thor was there. There was sensitive information inside of her home, she had to collect it, erase it and then go. Not to mention all the cash she had been slowly building up since Dave and her made this emergency plan. Her go bag was already in the trunk of her car along with some other emergency supplies, but she didn’t have everything. Ava stared at her house for a few heartbeats more before taking in a breath. She pressed her hand to her chest, where the wooden dragonfly pendant on a leather cord Dave had carved for her was resting beneath her shirt. She gave it a squeeze through the fabric to try and bring herself some measure of strength and courage before readying her Glock and climbing out of her car. It was dark and she lived on a quiet little street, so no one would be looking outside and seeing as she slowly approached her front door with her gun at her side. She kept herself low to keep out of view of the windows and as she pressed her back to the wall beside the door she paused again. Her mind raced as she tried to remember how Dave taught her to clear a room and heart pounding in her chest she reached over to the doorknob. She tested it and found it unlocked, making her break out in a cold sweat. Taking in one more breath, she swung the door open, jerking her hand back and holding her breath as she waited. Silence answered her and after a few seconds of not being shot at, she stepped into the doorway, leading with her gun. She moved to the side quickly so she wasn’t backlit by the open door. The living room was still, there were no sounds, but she could tell something wasn’t right. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she could tell that things were not as she had left them. The silence was broken by a faint thump and Ava tensed for a moment before she heard the jingling sound of Thor’s collar. Not long after, she saw the large cat run up to her, butting up against her legs and meowing. Ava instantly relaxed, lowering down her gun and reaching down to pet Thor’s back. “Hey buddy.” She whispered. If Thor was running up to her, that meant there wasn’t anyone in the house. If there was an intruder, he would have been hiding or more than likely, killed. She sighed and reached over, shutting the front door and firmly locking it. She flipped on the light switch and stifled a surprised scream. Her home was completely destroyed. The furniture in her living room had been tossed or broken, pillows ripped apart, her television was smashed. All of the pictures were shattered and on the ground, the watercolors she had gotten from Mrs. Grier were smashed and ripped to shreds. Her kitchen looked like a tornado had gone through it and it was littered in the colorful glass and ceramic of her dishes. She stared in stunned silence for a moment before she ran across the house and down the hallway to her office. She pulled up into the open doorway and found a similar scene as the front of her house. Everything was smashed and destroyed, her paints spattered across the ground, mingled with broken glass from family pictures and all the paintings she had been working on destroyed. Her computer monitors were on the ground, screens completely ruined and as she raced around the desk, she saw that the tower was gone. “Damnit!” She shouted and kicked at her broken office chair. Thankfully, she mostly used that computer for gaming and sometimes drawing, especially as she had grown more paranoid about the kind of information she had and how to securely store it. She had programs that regularly scrubbed the harddrive of certain files and documents, but that didn’t take away the anger and fear. She rushed out of the office and into her bedroom, skitting out of the way to avoid Thor as he nervously followed her, meowing the whole time. She found it completely tossed like the rest of her house but she ignored it and went straight for her closet. Clothes were scattered around, boxes and empty suitcases and bags were open and tossed. However, what was untouched was an inconspicuous air vent tucked off to the side in the corner of the closet. Ava held her breath as she brought out her house keys and on the keychain was a little token that looked like a lollipop. She waved it over the vent and a small green light flashed on, allowing her to slide open the door of the hidden compartment. Ava let out a long, relieved sigh as she saw her laptop bag, the small makeup bag full of cash and a few external harddrives were still there. She pulled out the bag, double checked her laptop was still there as well as the deactivated tracking device, still within its little plastic bottle. “I didn’t go to MIT for nothing you fucking dicks.” She muttered to herself, collecting everything from the safe and placing it all in the laptop bag. Thor padded up next to her and rubbed against her, his body tense and twitchy as he sought comfort. Ava smiled as she stroked his back and scratched his ears. “Good boy Thor, you stayed out of the way.” She reached over and shut the secret safe back up, waving the lollipop token over it to engage the lock again. In case they came back, she wanted that secret to remain a secret. She scratched Thor’s chin and sighed down at him. “Alright buddy, we’re going to get some stuff and then we’re going to be going on a little trip.” [color=1a7b30]>...///[/color] It was when she was making the final trip to her car, Thor and her belongings already safely inside and making one last pass through the ruins of her once cozy little home that she found it. Resting innocently on the counter top in her kitchen was a plain white envelope. Cautious and hopeful that maybe there might be evidence on it, she fetched her rubber gloves cleaning gloves and slipped it open. Inside was a folded sheet of paper, with a single phrase in unassuming font glaring back at her. [i]Tell Joseph Donnelley to stop.[/i] She read it over two more times and resisted the urge to rip it to shreds. “Like I can tell that man to do anything.” She muttered, folding it back up and putting it into the envelope. She fetched a Ziplock bag to place the envelope inside, to preserve any evidence that might be on it. She left the rubber gloves on the sink and went to her front door, pausing to look back at her humble little home. It had been a safe haven for her for years, especially after she joined UMBRA, it had been a welcome shelter from the horrors of the things she had seen. But now that haven was gone, ripped away from her as cruelly and as easily as her life had been back in Alaska. She clenched her hands into fists as anger surged through her and took in a deep breath. Whatever was happening, it was time for it to come to an end. She shut off the lights and shut the door. [color=1a7b30]>...///[/color] With Thor and everything she could think of as important packed in the car, Ava pulled away from her house and parked instead in front of Mrs. Grier’s home. She didn’t feel right leaving her friend without saying goodbye, particularly if she didn’t know when or if she would be coming back. She parked in a way that it would be easy for her to get in her car and go and left Thor meowing in the car. The poor cat probably thought he was going to the vet, as though his day hadn’t been bad enough. Ava smiled slightly at the thought, walking up the familiar flower lined path up to the front door. She felt a pang of guilt as she knocked on the door, waking her friend at such a late hour, but she told herself she would be quick about it. Not soon after she knocked, she heard Daisy begin to bark in her usual excited manner; Ava perfectly picturing the potato of a dog bouncing around on her twiggy legs. The sound of the pug barking was soon joined with a murmur of a tired voice and the sound of a latch being slid open. Mrs. Grier was in her robe, tied tight around her thin body and her silvery hair was fluffed around her head. Her face was pale and gaunt in the harsh porch light and dark circles under her eyes like bruises that were usually masked by her carefully applied make up were visible. Her expression shifted to concern when she looked at Ava. “What happened?” she asked, without her usual polite greeting, the instincts of a long life rising up as she searched the young woman’s face. “Are you alright? Come inside, my dear. I’ll put on tea.” Mrs. Grier pushed Daisy back with her slippered foot and stepped aside for Ava to enter the house if she wished. Ava smiled in relief to see her friend was alright. “Thank you Diana but I can’t come in, I’m actually in a bit of a rush.” She said, her smile slipping away as she looked over at her dark home and thought of the destruction inside. “I…Something came up. An emergency and I have to leave and I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m taking Thor with me so you don’t have to worry about him. I just wanted to say goodbye to you before I leave.” The old woman looked over Ava then back at her, the light harsh on her features that showed her age in a way she had tried to hide. The tiredness in Mrs Grier's eyes gave her a momentary hollow look before she smiled, lines creasing in her still elegant face. "I see," she said, her soft voice sounded tight, constrained. "You had visitors." She lowered her voice, glancing again past Ava. "I called the police but none ever came. Whatever you need to do, take care of yourself. Remember that." Ava’s heart dropped and she looked at her friend in concern. “I know.” She said, her voice quiet and throat tight. “I’m so sorry you saw that Diana. Are you alright?” Mrs Grier struggled to smile, looking over Ava then said, "I'll be fine, don’t you worry.” She held herself straighter, trying not to lean too heavily on the door frame. “Dear Ava, I want you to have a good life. Make a life with your Dave, whatever it is you’re going through now. Life is too short to deny yourself love and everything it can bring you.” Her eyes misted over and she reached, brushing a strand of copper hair back from Ava’s face. Her fingers were delicate, skin like thin tissue and there was only a hint of tremble in them. Mrs. Grier then dropped her hand, “I don’t think we’ll see each other again. But you will be in my prayers.” Ava sucked in a quiet breath and her eyes began to fill with tears. She moved forward and gave her friend a hug, not squeezing too tightly, just embracing the woman that had become like a surrogate grandmother to her. “I’m so sorry Diana. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. I hope we will see each other again.” She looked up at her and pulled back slightly. “Start your holiday plans early, go visit your children and your grandchildren, okay?” Mrs Grier hugged her in return, then sighed softly, “I’ve already begun my holiday plans, gifts wrapped and put in the closet. I have something for you but you have to open it as close to Christmas as you can alright?” She made a gesture for Ava to wait and Daisy tip tapped after the older woman when she walked away to the hall closet. After some rummaging, she returned with a small flat box wrapped in gold and green paper with a neat hand tied bow of green shining ribbon. “Here, take that with you.” Mrs. Grier held out the gift, her eyes already damp. “I hope you like it.” Ava gently took the box, holding it to her chest for a moment as she composed herself to keep from breaking down completely. “Thank you.” She said quietly. “For everything.” She hugged her one last time, reluctant to believe this would be the last time they would see each other. “Be safe, take care of yourself and enjoy your holidays alright? I’ll be fine. I promise.” Mrs Grier smiled again, some of the weariness leaving her features, “I will, Christmas was always my favorite holiday. And I will make that pumpkin cheesecake you were going to show me for Thanksgiving. I think you sent me the recipe by email.” She looked at Ava, “Don’t forget the wonders of chamomile, dear. Or a nice pot of Earl Grey and some fresh shortbread.” As she hugged her again she said softly, “And don’t let them drive the good out of you, the joy. You’re a ray of sunshine, no matter how dark the clouds.” With a peck on Ava’s cheek, Mrs Grier pulled back and held the door, “Have a safe trip, tell Dave that I said hello. He’s a good man, my dear. I can already tell.” Ava nodded and rubbed at her eyes with her sleeve. “I will Diana. Thank you and goodnight.” She tried to smile up at her one last time, still holding the gift to her chest. After a moment of hesitation she turned and walked away, feeling a sense of finality with each step she took away from her formerly comfortable life. [color=1a7b30]> Boone County, AR >7.NOV.2019 >2154 CDT[/color] Dave pocketed his phone after Ava hung up, heading for his truck. Fear for Ava weighed heavy on him, anxiety and rage clutching at his heart, but as he pulled the driver's side door open and heaved himself into the seat, he took a shuddering breath. His big pickup sat low, weighed down with ordinance. The camper attached to the flatbed was modified years ago; he'd ripped out the small kitchenette and dining table. In their place were steel lockers and storage cabinets. He'd filled them, emptying a chunk of his basement stash for what was to come. The lockers held six rifles, three Bulgarian AK's and three HK416's, all with shortened barrels, red-dot optics, and other attachments, all chambered in 5.56x45. There was a crate of magazines for each, 10,000 rounds, and suppressors for each rifle. Six 9mm pistols, Glocks and Sigs, hung in the locker doors, and another 5,000 rounds of 9x19 rode with the rest of the ammo. 20 pounds of C4, a roll of detcord, and blasting caps sat in the other cabinet. He'd brought four plate carriers, since he didn't know if the others had any. Too big for the locker, an M249 SAW sat in a crate under the tool bench he'd installed in place of the kitchen table, with two boxes of linked 5.56 to feed it. In all, it represented a solid chunk of his personal stash, and was enough for a hefty prison sentence if he got busted with it. He sat behind the wheel for a moment, Rufus panting beside him, then jumped out and ran back to the house. He returned a moment later with his Go-Bag of clothes and wilderness gear, a .308 hunting rifle and a small box of 200 rounds for that. Satisfied, he checked his personal carry gun for the fifth time. The weather was getting colder, and he'd strapped a covert vest on under a RealTree hoodie. Three 15-round extended mags for his compact Sig rode on his belt, and his Buck 105 hung in its sheath. "Good as we're gonna get, buddy," he said, reaching over and giving Rufus a scratch. "C'mon. Let's roll." He fired up the truck and pulled off down the road, fishing out his phone a moment later. He dialed Donnelley's number from memory and listened to it ring. [color=1a7b30]>LEXINGTON, KY >BAUGHMAN RANCH >2216…///[/color] Donnelley was busy stuffing all of the gear he’d brought to West Virginia for his and Queen’s escape into the little Mazda truck that Frank had made Donnelley switch the Saturn with. Frank was big into never being noticed, and that included keeping a small rotating fleet of vehicles he could ditch at a moment’s notice, as well as a stack of plates he’d switch up every so often, all from different States. The Mazda’s was a set from North Carolina, and they wouldn’t hold up if they were pulled up in the system, so Frank had told Donnelley to drive careful. Especially with the AAC Honey Badger, the TP9, VP9 manually operated pistol he was keeping for the back of Foster’s skull, and the other wholly illegal contents he’d brought piecemeal from his house in WA. He closed the tail gate just in time to feel his phone buzzing in his pocket. He checked to see who it was, and recognized Dave’s number. He lit the cigarette dangling from his lip and answered, “Are you good?” Dave snorted into the phone. [I]"Better than the dead Russian layin' in my woods. It's go time, brother. They just sent a fuckin' sniper after me on my own land."[/i] “Yeah.” Was all Donnelley responded with. He had no hard words, no bravado, just a purpose. They’d hurt his daughter, and no one could keep that wrath from making Tex bubble to the surface like acid. He dragged hard off his cigarette and retrieved his flask, unscrewing the top, “How far are you from Kentucky?” [I]"'Bout nine hours. I already called Ava, me'n her made a go-plan we're followin'. Cookeville, Tennessee. Halfway point between my place an' hers. You'll get there first, me an' her will arrive at about the same time as each other."[/i] “Don’t move from there until I tell you. Don’t tell me where in Cookeville you’re stayin’, don’t tell me anythin’.” Donnelley spoke with a seriousness, then pulled from his flask, “Piss in bottles if you have to.” [I]"Got it. I'm bringin' some shit with me. I gotta make a short detour, but it's on my way."[/i] Dave paused for a moment. [I]"We're gonna get these motherfuckers. Right?"[/i] Donnelley stood behind the Mazda truck, flask gripped tight and cigarette smoldering. He could hear his daughter’s voice in his ear, the fear, the confusion. He swallowed, and growled out, “No choice [i]but to.[/i]” [I]"Then let's do it right. We hunt 'em all down. No more reactive bullshit man. It's our turn to play offense."[/i]