The Fourth Universe II

by Edward George

The Tonite rebellion is seeing its first successes against the Medites. US Army Major Brian Lee is leading the extra-terrestrial rebellion. His army is a group of teen agers doing what no one else can - Fight a stand up war.

The Fourth Universe Con't: Major Brian Lee leads the Tonite rebels and the Medite loyalists. His expertise's in guerilla warfare, they are now winning the rebellion. All is fair in love and war - the young Tonite rebel girl is now his mate.

13.

Before leaving the farm Brian gave them precise instructions if anything were to happen while he was away.

A Medite man with his Tonite lover and girlfriend stood on the station platform watching as the freight handlers loaded four large crates and six smaller ones that were extremely heavy onto the waiting train for the VIP passenger and his lover mate.

"Thank you," Azalea said passing the handlers each a tip with a card wrapped in the paper money.

Turning his back one worker unfolded the bills to find a card that read, 'Proclaim the Revolution! The 503rdCombat Reserve Group Black Berets

The couple stepped into the private 1st class car settling themselves in the compartment. Azalea pulling the shades and curtains closed, she wrapped her arms about Brian their lips met in a passionate kiss making out with no disturbances.

Two hours later the train stopped at the small city of Gaston on Ribon. A truck and car pulled up to the station freight house. The heavy crates and boxes were quickly pulled off and transferred to the truck. Brian counted them made sure they had everything signed for the crates back from the railroad. He and Azalea got into the car, Azalea pulled the veil off.

"Have they all gathered?" Azalea said looking out the Mylared window.

"Everyone, my lady," said the driver looking in the rear view mirror of the limousine trying to judge his passengers he knew they were in disguise.

Brain wondered how the rebels afforded the limo service. Either they stole it, borrowed it – than if the limo belonged to them would make sense.

They drove out into the country past Tonite farms, a small town the Medites raided and another railroad station. They drove through a forest passing through a tunnel of over growing trees passing into a well hidden glen that was well camouflaged.

"Okay, I am impressed," said Brian. "And the Medite have never discovered this?"

"None."

The group's leader Besson had his people begin unpacking the crates tails wagging with their happiness. The rebels were awed by the weapons joking with each other what they could do to the Medites with them. While the creates were being unloaded one of the women showed Brian and Azalea where they could change.

"I sure hope this goes off as planned," Brain said to Azalea lacing up his boots.

"It will. They're just anxious after a string of losses."

Standing to pull on the shoulder holsters and weapons, Brian leaned down to kiss Azalea. She smiled. "Time to impress our audience."

Besson had his people seated in a semi-circle.

Brian strode out to the meeting area, the group, Brain figured at least twenty youth, boys and girls. He was beginning to get the impression this was a young people's revolution. Looking around the group he noticed tails between boys and girls were interlaced or forming hearts.

The kids gazed at Brian and Azalea and immediately got the impression they were well armed. The cloths lent the impression of authority. They stood in front of the group Brian immediately had their undivided attention.

Within four days Brian and Azalea had the group well trained. He took them out on their first mid-night raid. They followed everything to the letter as Brian laid out his instructions.

The last day of the week long training Brian and Azalea led them on their first of many successful forays against the Regime.

Brian looked over a warehouse complex that made up a supply depot. "Mm, nothing changed since we checked the place out earlier."

The kids were feeling both anxious and nervous on their first 'real' mission. Until then most of the missions the kids had been on had been harassment raids. Most of those raids had not gone as well as they wanted. Brian showed them how it was done.

The group returned later in the evening laying concealed in the surrounding weeds and light copse of trees that had grown up around the depot over the years of the revolution. The depot grew into a sizable administration, depot and army post for the Regime. Brian decided it was too nice a target to leave alone.

"It's almost dark, Major," said Besson pointing skyward to the clouds that had moved in. Lights around the depot began coming on. "And look at the clouds it's going to rain."

Brian smiled. "Yup, good infantry weather, Sergeant Maynard."

Besson was puzzled. "Excuse me, Major but who is Sergeant Maynard?"

Azalea laughed. "It's his favorite saying when things are going his way, like tonight. He especially likes it when it going to rain."

"When is the two best times to hit them?" Brian asked in a low voice.

Besson though a minute. "Well dark for one."

Brian smiled tapping his watch. "Two o'clock in the morning and raining. The guards will be looking for some place out of the weather. Less attentive and tired not worried about anything at that hour."

The group held back for an hour then it began raining.

Brian smiled. "Now we hit `em."

Blowing on his whistle the group began moving in. Using wire cutters they cut through the fence then moved out to their assigned areas. Brian held his breath the guards, despite the rain would not prove him wrong and keep to their posts.

Brian, Azalea, and Besson moved to the front watching for the guards. Brian held up his hand. Stopping Brian silently pointed to the guard sitting with his head down, either asleep or on the verge of falling asleep. Reaching back he took out a silencer, attached it to the rifle, took aim and fired. The guard tumbled over dead.

"One down."

They continued on to the front of the compound Brian looking for the guard house. Moving toward the front he found it. Not far away was the main entrance to the compound. A few men were coming out of the guard house, possibly for change of guards. A couple stopped at the top of the steps grousing about the change in the weather. They trudged off to their guard posts pulling their rain jacket hoods up over their heads. Waiting until they left the area Brain ran across the open area between buildings, pulling a hand grenade off his web gear. He ran up the steps pulled the door open, startling the ones inside.

"Surprise!" Throwing the hand grenade inside he pushed the door closed as it went off. The explosion knocked Brian over the railing. Getting up he unloaded a magazine of thirty rounds on the front entrance exchanging fire with the guards.

Within a matter of minutes explosions ripped through the compound startling guards and off duty soldiers. The lights went out. Fires engulfed warehouses, billets and administration buildings. Weapons fire filled the air, the attackers began moving back toward the fence and the holes. Soldiers stumbling around in the dark were shocked and dazed. The only light now was the fires raging casting surrealistic shadows in the night. The attackers reassembled beyond the fence.

Brain gave them a few minutes then called, "Count off." The kids sounded off until all twenty-five were accounted for. "Okay, let's get out of here."

When they returned to their hideout the kids were enthralled with the magnitude of their success. The kids talked about what they had done in a short time. Brain and Azalea sat back letting them talk about their first real success.

14.

Jon's group gathered around Brain and Azalea at the farm to hear about how the other group was doing.

"Now that they have that they have a couple successes in front of them, they'll do just fine," Brain said sitting back between Azalea's legs. She gently stroked Brian's hair as he related what they had done to train the other group in guerilla warfare. "Okay now what were you all doing to keep things interesting down here?"

"Scouting the rail line and the city around the train station and possible alternate targets, generally the popular places," Jon told him.

"Okay the rail line and town," Brain began outlining his plan. "We'll leave behind a few calling cards so-to-speak. One of them will be our old favorite, the car bomb. The other, a liberal sprinkling of these cards. This will have the desired psychological effect on them. But we'll go over it in more detail."

The next day was the briefing. Everybody would have a job to do.

The group reviewed the setting of charges on the rail line. "Now while we're away if they trip on this place, I'll have the house and barn booby-trapped from here `til next week. You'll see how I do it. Do not attempt to shoot it out with the Regime police or troops – you'll lose. The greatest weapon of guerilla warfare is surprise, hit-and-run do as much damage as possible and run. Now out the back, last person out pull the pins, pull the pins on the barn and get out of here. Azalea and I will catch up with you." Brian looked over the yards. Jon and Al walked around the area with him. "You know, if what I have seen so far of the Oton Army, I'd hate to see them in a real knock-`em-down dragged-out fight. When was the last they had to fight a real war on any of these countries?"

Jon and Al thought a moment then Al said, "I think the Great War, and that was over fifty years ago."

Brian just shook his head. "How time passes you by when you're having fun."

That night under the beam of flash lights Brian and the kids booby-trapped the farm. Near sun up Al with Brian and Azalea set out for the city. Jon led the others down to the rail line. They waited until a train passed then set to work on the track as Brian instructed them. Within an hour they had the rails loose and charges set. They faded back in to the forest. They did as he instructed setting the charges far enough apart to cause confusion and a sense of paranoia among the maintenance crews and trainmen.

Al pulled a wool stocking cap down over his ears, his tail was fixed so it was hidden inside the pants and shirt. Walking down the street, hands in pockets looking in widows looking aimless he waited to hail a cab.

"Market and Third," Al said as he slide in the back seat looking around again. The cab pulled away from the curb Al poked a .45 in the back of the Medit driver's head. "Keep driving where I tell ya."

The driver broke into a cold sweat, his fare was a Tonite in disguise. The inflection in his voice was the unfortunate give away.

" a Tonite – ain't ya? Whatch ya goina' do?"

"You'll see."

The driver had no choice but to do as he was told.

After a few minutes Al said, "Okay turn up this alley."

Brian and Azalea with black hoods and suits on were waiting at the other end of the alley. He stopped as Brian pulled the door open pulling the driver out spinning him around against the car, he was blind folded as Azalea pulled his hands behind him slipping nylon restraints over his hands, a rubber ball was stuffed in his mouth then blind folded. Azalea lifted the lid on the dumpster, Al and Brian picked him up tossing him in the dumpster.

Brian and Azalea quickly changed then got back in the car acting as passengers. Brian stood aside to let Azalea in first – habit from Earth.

"No darling, you first then me." Brian got in feeling embarrassed, then Azalea got in. "The Medit way with Tonite women."

Al chuckled at the two. He circled around the block merging with the mid-morning traffic dropping Brian and Azalea at the station, before he realized it, he had two fares before he put out the 'OUT OF SERVICE' sign over his Taxi sign, pulling up a side street parking he slipped the package of plastic explosives under the seat. Cursing, he got out, leaving the keys in the ignition he opened the hood. Cursed a couple times fiddled with the engine. Man walked up looked at the engine. Al felt self-conscious under the other's scrutiny.

"`Sa matter?"

Casually looking over at him, Al said, "Dunn know. Gotta call the shop."

He walked away stuffing hands in pockets the other man looked at the engine shrugged and kept walking. Al reached the end of the street, looked around leaning back against the wall of a shop. He saw it was a shop for drinks and snacks. Good cover. He walked in ordered snacks and sat down staring out the window. Sipping his drink, Al looked at the street, the taxi appeared in the intersection. Al nearly chocked.

"Oh shit!" He quickly reached in his jacket pocket touching the trigger there was an instant explosion. The explosion scattered pieces of metal, glass and plastic over the intersection, a piece shattered the window glass in front of Al.

Brian and Azalea seated themselves on the train when the explosion rocked the down town area shattering windows dozens of people were killed.

Brian casually said, "Terrorists. Such a shame."

"We'll talk about it later, dear," said the girl staring at the wall of the first class coach they were in. She reached in her purse as if looking for a tissue. Holding the trigger device in hand as if it were a small pack she pressed the small button. Five more explosions in rapid succession rocked the down town area and the train station. Closing the purse Azalea slid her hand across the seat touching Brian's hand. They clasped hands the tip of her tail casually caressing his back.

Finishing just in time, picking up their tools the kids moved back into the forest. They did not have long to wait. A train raced toward the section of track they loosened. Jon and Diaz grit their teeth as the train approached, Jon counted to five – at 195 miles an hour it closed on the loosened track in seconds. There was a loud snap-snap of metal on metal the track separated the engine shot off the track at an angle laying on its side slid for another hundred feet. Coaches and the dining car followed the engine, coaches and the first class section telescoped in to one another in a loud series of crashes.

Jon was stunned by what they had done, he almost forgot to detonate the charges of the track. Four explosions followed.

"Let's go!" Shar said breaking the spell the destruction their work caused, the rest were enjoying the sight too much.

The capital city of Letener, Oton was in pandemonium. Sirens from ambulances, the warbling of fire equipment, sirens from police cars echoed through the canyons of the city the sirens could be heard despite the triple panes of glass. Brian looked at the small square of plastic and electronic parts in his hand, smiling at Azalea laying with her head on his chest her long silken hair spread over him in a veil. Holding the trigger Azalea reached out a hand to touch the second button, within a split second another series of explosions rocked the Capital's down town district.

Brian leaned over to put the trigger in the pants pocket on the floor then take the girl in his arms. They slide down under the covers, Azalea moved onto Brian their mouths and tongues intertwined in the ancient Cosmic dance of love. Brian held the girl pressing her slight body against his, their hips melding together.

Premier Merk sat back staring out the window. Police Commissioner Don and Chief of Staff of Military Services Eles, and the Secretary of the Interior Boln were seated across from him. The ten page preliminary report on the destruction the explosions caused and the playing cards lay on the desk in front of him.

The Chamber doors burst open disrupting them. His personal secretary rushed in waving papers in hand. He looked at the secretary with a scowl wondering what would be urgent to interrupt the meeting.

"Another one, sir – the uptown district and – this in from the police chief at Shub, an express train was demolished and track blown up."

He took the reports from the secretary who hovered close by waiting for the Premier's reply to the other. The Army officers and Police Commissioner's watched the other's face turn red.

"This is too much! This has got to stop!" Merk stormed. "The rebels are make a joke out of us."

"It's whoever invaded us who's leading them," General Lieutenant Ray said, nervous at the other's burst of rage. "We're trying everything we can to stop them."

"Find him – execute the whole damn bunch! I don't care. We've got to get rid of them like a disease!" Merk threw himself back in the chair with a cry of despair.

14.

"Okay, we've stirred up one helluva hornet's nest with what we did the other day. Which is a good thing. Reminding them we didn't just go away, we're still active and can strike when and where we want. Problem is – following a script, they'll start tearing up the place looking for us. We need to get word to the other groups to lay low for a few days. We're going to pack out of here in the next few days. They think they found one of our hide-away's – and they paid big time for that mistake."

"Almost half the police force was wiped out just by the booby-traps," said Jon in a droll tone. "What was left ran off into the woods – and two of them found the other foot traps another one found the log suspended from the trees loaded with spikes."

"Tell him the best part, Jon," said Mare with a laugh his tail wagging with glee. The others laughing along with him.

"We slit the tires on the vans."

"Good! You're learning. Now, it's time to move. This time we move in right under their noses!"

A small abandoned farm was located close to the city. Within three days they were in their new hide-away moving at night.

The afternoon they were settled into their new base camp Rosa laid out what was left of the food supplies. She counted the packages and canned goods then counted the people. Frowning she glanced at the group listening to Brian. Indicating the supplies, she said, "We're getting low again. There is only enough for one more day."

"What do we do in the mean time?" Dol asked looking toward Brian, the group's recognized leader now.

Quietly she said to Azalea, "He's your man, you tell him."

The other girls were hesitant to say anything at that moment.

Azalea approached Brian. "Um, hone gotta talk to you."

The group of men with Brian looked up, Azalea leaning on his shoulders. In Brian's mind, when a women, no matter who says she's got to talk to you, the guy is in trouble.

"Yes?" Brian said seeing the serious look in his woman's eyes.

"Dear, have you thought about what we'll do for food for the next several days?"

"Oh."

Midnight six black figures crept quietly up a back alley of the city staying within the shadows. Ducking behind a dumpster they let a police patrol pass. That was not why they were there. The patrol passed. A figure separated himself from the others walking quickly up the loading ramp, he selected a lock pick, said a silent prayer it would work then began to work the lock. The loading door opened. A signal was given a door to another building opened four cars appeared in the alley. The others slipped out of hiding and in the back door. Within twenty minutes they had what they wanted, grabbing the essentials and out to the cars. The last one out of the store left the group's calling card: 'Thank you for your support of the Cause.' The Black Berets, Delta Detachment, 503rdCombat Reserve Group.

They left the city driving cross country through the forest most of the way.

"Smugglers and black market dealers use this route on occasion," said Al the cars jouncing over the ruts.

"And the cops have never caught onto it?" Brian asked hanging on for the ride, Azalea happy they finally restocked the larder.

"They must have thought it too rough for a car."

"Adventurers and off-roaders they're not."

Making occasional trips in to the city, they bought newspapers which helped keep them up on what the Regime was doing. The Regime was, without realizing it, helping the rebels through the media.

Jon and Brian pored over the reports, Brian noticed a style to the reporting he had not seen for a long time.

Laying the newspaper on the dining room table he pointed to the front page article. "See this article?" The kids gathered around the table to look at the article. "By this article they make it seem like they're winning, we're losing. I think it's time to change that assumption."

"And …?" Rosa said leaning over Diaz's shoulder looking at the paper.

Brian leaned on the table looking at the paper but not reading any of the articles. Brian saw an advertisement that caught his attention. "Jon how much cash do we have in the fund?"

He looked back at Al. "How much in the fund, Al?"

"Only fifty-five fil."

Brain tried to translate that to dollars and cents but knew it would be useless. "That's our answer to our next mission. If this doesn't give them reason to fear us, noting will."

"A bank?" Jon looked up at Brian puzzled. "How…?"

"The gangsta` way." Brian smiled taking a sheet of paper to lay out the plan.

The next day Azalea and Brian in the guise as master and mistress entered the bank. Azalea led him to the cage where customers could open accounts. The kids schooled Brian on the procedures for opening a bank account. As they went through the process they looked the bank over noting tellers, clerks, lay out for the next day. The account opened, money deposited they left walking down the street until they reached the alley. Slipped up the alley where Sol and Diaz were waiting for them.

Diaz asked pulling out of the alley merging with the afternoon traffic, "Now what, Major?"

"Tomorrow we make the permanent withdrawal."

The afternoon was spent planning the raid and bank robbery.

The group sat in a circle around Brian. The boys sat on the floor between their women's legs, Brian between Azalea's legs, the line drawing of the bank with a sketch of the interior.

Brian tapped the paper with his pen. "The whole idea is to make this as fast and efficient as possible. We don't have time to practice the raid. Okay, the girls drive then stand guard outside. The guys inside. As we enter, we run, enter, fire the automatics over their heads, thirty seconds, tear the hell out of the place, Jon, you and I jump the counters clean out the tills as fast as possible into canvas bags. The others stand guard. When we enter and spray the place, we'll order everyone on the floor hands on heads. Then – yell 'Now!'"

Mid-morning the next day four cars pulled up to the bank four cars pulled up to the bank, six black clad figures jumped out of the cars with automatic rifles. Running into the bank passing several customers walking out did double takes then were startled when they heard the weapons fire inside the bank.

They scattered screaming, "The bank – the bank, they're shooting up the bank!"

Brian and Al were the first ones through the door Brian unleashed a full magazine over people's heads.

"On the floor, hands on heads – Now! Move it, move you're too slow!" Brian and Jon yelled spraying another burst of weapons fire around the bank.

The manger rushed out of his office into Jon stopping short face to muzzle with the rifle. He looked up seeing a black clad figure standing in front of him brandishing a rifle in his face.

"Got someplace to be in a hurry?" Jon said slowly pointing to the floor. "Drop to the floor, hands on head – NOW fool!"

The manager dropped to the floor placing his hands on his head. He began shaking looking at the floor. Glancing around the bank he saw more of the black clad figures keeping customers on the floor.

Brian and Jon began emptying the cash register drawers into the sacks. The manager looked up at two keeping customers on the floor. He watched with horror as the two figures behind the counter emptied the cash drawers. The clerks cowering on the floor unable to watch what was happening.

Within minutes of bursting into the bank, the tills were emptied, the vault which was to the back, the vault door standing open, Brian went in grabbing bundles of money stuffing it into his bag. Nodding to the others they quickly left. Brian dropped a card in from of the manager. The manager stared at it for a moment. He could not believe what just happened to him in less than five minutes.

The card read: This bank robbery, a redistribution of public funds was brought to you by the 503rdCombat Reserve Group the 'The Black Berets'.

Police were rushing up to the bank, blue lights flashing, sirens warbling as the group was leaving. Brian and a couple of the guys climbed out the open car windows with rifles and grenade launchers firing at the police. People screaming scattering for cover.

Explosions and sub-machine gun fire rocked the downtown area around the beleaguered bank.

The next day smiling, Brian opened the paper to the article he was looking for. "Well, kids we made the front page and guess what we're now local celebrities. The chief of police for the town promises to run us down and punish us. How's he going to so that they don't even know who we are other than the cards maybe."

Outside in the barn the license plates had been changed, Diaz, Al, and Sol were carefully spray painting the cars.

The group only moved at night staying close to the farm careful not to show themselves in the nearby town for a few weeks. In the town and surrounding area the police were looking for the robbers.

Brian was expecting the police to be tearing the countryside apart for them. After a couple days the frenzy of the robbery subsided. Brian came to the conclusion the Medit police of Letener were not as sophisticated as the police on Earth were. A swat team would have been all over them by now.

One of the couples slipped in to the city's suburbs to get a newspaper and learn what the police were doing about this "embarrassment" to their efficient reputation.

However, the police and Army were taking what they saw as stricter precautions against terrorist's reign on the Medit cities and towns. "Saved us the trouble of wasting our time looking for it. They're getting serious. Between the army and the police they're building several control points in the area. One of them just up the road ten miles using Mr. Leyer's field. Anybody know about Leyer's field."

"Yeah, has the biggest spread other than our father," Mare said glancing to his brother. "The Regime is not borrowing it like the article is saying – they stole that land."

"Sounds about right. First things first … "

"Reconnaissance," Jon said with a smile.

"Right. This is where you guys get to shine. Jon, you know where the field is?"

"Yes, sir."

You guys go ahead and plan the intelligence gathering. There's no timeline. Patience will be your ally."

Brian with Azalea backed off letting Jon and Al begin the planning process. At dusk the Ole brothers left to see what had been accomplished with the new set up. They moved across country staying to the wood line and forest as much as possible. They reached the wood line an hour later. Staying under cover of the underbrush they watched the area closely. Between the two of them they memorized everything they saw which included four guard towers.

The motor pool and temporary double wide trailers were powered by a pair of generators that set off to the side. The motor park held the police and army vehicles.

"Can you tell how many there are?" Shar asked in a near whisper.

"No, they're running this around the clock. Vehicles are constantly out." They spent the time observing and memorizing the layout.

"That means they're patrolling at night too. Seen enough?"

"Yeah, let's get out here."

The brothers melted back into the shadows of the forest slipping away into what was left of the night.

Brian listened to the brothers as they related what they'd seen.

"Patrols at night." Brian repeated. "This plays right into our hands."

"How so?" Kyle said he looked at the simple model of the camp.

"Find out how far out and what roads they use, then plan for an ambush of the road." Brian smiled. "VC trick two-oh-five. And they haven't run foot patrols since I got here. They're using motorized which is fine by me."

The next night Al with one of the Ole brothers acting as guide left an hour early, passing the station in the twilight. They remained far enough back to assure they did not attract attention.

"That's it," said Shar as they stopped among the underbrush, their black one piece suits and black grease paint helping them to blend in to the night.

"Hmm, I wonder what the Major has in mind?"

"Don't know he wants to hear our report first but you know its goina' be good."

The two moved up the road for a distance than waited back in the underbrush until a convoy of army trucks with troops passed with head lights on high beam, took a turn down a side road for a distance.

"Good," Shar hissed. Shar timed them as to how far they would go before turning around.

Sometime later the motorized patrol returned.

"Here they come back," said Al shielding his eyes from the glare.

Blending into the underbrush, Al and Shar watched the trucks slow to make the turn to continue straight.

They waited until the trucks had passed before heading back to the farm.

Pre-dawn was lighting the sky as two weary boys stumbled back to the farm. The girls were fixing breakfast for everyone. Brian was learning to like the Letener version of coffee. Infantry Coffee. Azalea handed him the container of grounds.

"Here, darling you make it." She stood back with arms over her chest watching her tail doing the talking for her. Brian fixed the hot drink.

"More?" He asked amused but the girl trying to be serious a smile creasing her lips.

"Whatever," she said watching as he added another scoop to the pot. He set the pot on the fire.

"I'm glad you're drinking it, not me." She walked away her tail swishing back and forth.

Kyle stumbled into the kitchen, stopping to kiss Dol then spied the pot of hot drink. "Hey, think I'll try some."

Azalea tossed her head, her long hair swishing, stomped out of the kitchen.

Brian knew he couldn't love anyone else but Azalea now, his late wife all but forgotten by distance, time, and this girl all but helped him forget.

Al and Shar stumbled into the house past Jon sitting under the canopy at the back door.

"Ah right!" Diaz cheered as they tossed the rifles onto the table,

"Damn, look at what the cat dragged in." Brian said sipping the drink. "Well what'd you guys find out?"

"Plenty," said Al slouching down in the chair. Gale set a plate of vegetables and some meat in front of him.

"They're running convoys like you thought with armed troops."

"We walked about a mile from the motor pool and station and found a T in the road in a heavily forested area. They turned down the road but they returned a half hour later to keep going ahead."

"I like that side road idea," said Brian sitting down across from the pair. "How long did it take you to reach the cross roads?"

"Almost two and a half hours, a half hour on station, waited for them to clear the area then we made tracks back here."

"Good we'll discuss this later. Eat and get some sleep, you're going to need it."

Moving as silently as the eleven could, black-on-black through the forest the Ole brothers guiding them they passed the new station and motor pool. Brian noticed the station and barracks was light up like a circus. "`Natch, anybody's army…"

Brian looked back he could just make out the slight figure of Azalea behind him. He thought if she followed any closer she could ride in his hip pocket. Reaching back he took her hand drawing her up beside him.

Shar reached the cross roads. Flashing a blue lensed flash light Brian gave him, he moved up to check the roads, he signaled for the group to cross the road and move down a mile along the road. Brian and Jon decided it would be a good place for the ambush. The kids set up their positions, Brian set up the claymores along the side of the road, the detonation cord, or det cord was run back into the bushes. He settled down soft lips touched his.

They did not have long to wait. Head lights pierced the night, a command car with two armored cars and three open top troop carriers with automatic weapons mounted on top slowly advanced down the road. Brian and Jon did not have long to wait for the patrol to pass their position. Jon swallowed hard feeling the static clacker in his hand. Brian counted as the command car passed his position, he squeezed, less than a split second later the claymores went off, ten rifles and a machine gun raked the trucks, armored cars and command car. The soldiers attempted to return fire but the claymores did most of the work in the ambush. Exploding gas tanks blew setting the trucks on fire lighting up the night with a roar sending flames into the ink well blackness. Brian used the grenade launcher dropping grenades down the open hatches of the infantry fighting vehicles sending more bodies hurtling into the night.

The fire fight was over in a matter of minutes. The kids with Brian moved out of the cover and concealment to look the scene of carnage over. Brian and Jon grabbed what weapons that were not burned.

"Count off," Brian told them. The kids counted off than he said, "Grab what ammunition and weapons you can and let's get out of here."

Brian fastened hand grenades to the machine guns not burned and ran as they began to blow up in succession. Shar and Mere led the group back toward the station and motor pool. By the time they reached the edge of the forest near the station they were in time to see four trucks, police vans and two command cars leaving the compound.

"Well they'll be in for a rude surprise when they get back," said Brian holding up a hand. "Gather around. Okay, we make short work of this. They have more troops then we do. This is going to be a 'move, shoot, and scoot' – in and out. Move with each other by touch and feel until we get back to the house."

They moved back across the road facing the station house and barracks. The front door of the station was open. Brian could see the duty officer rubbing a hand nervously through his hair. Other than the guards in the towers, there was probably only twelve people left at the station.

Brian, Jon, with Al and Kyle lined up took aim, the others took aim with the rifles and machine gun. Four grenades were released when Brian nodded, the rifles spoke. Within seconds the motor pool was blazing with burning vehicles, guards lay dead, two grenades landed inside the open door of the station house. The building was blown apart. In less than a minute, the area was littered with the dead and dying and the motor pool on fire.

They left the area a seconds later. Brian had them circle the farm house coming up from the back. The house was checked out thoroughly. The signal given they moved back to the house.

15.

Brian with the others watched Jon and Al lead a group of Tonite refugees back to the farm house.

He waited until they were close, "Where did you find them, Jon?" He'd seen this scene too many times on Earth to care about the number of times."

"Regime soldiers have been in the area. They're scared they'll take their losses out on them."

The people scared when they saw Brian but Al, Jon the girls assured them he was not from Letener, but a friend helping them.

"The Regime has been cruel now because you have been winning." A mother with two small children said, her head held down.

Azalea looked up at Brian as she and the other women comforted them. "Brian what can we do this can't go on like this."

Brian had to think and think fast. "Rosa, Azalea, Jenna can you feed them, tend to any injuries. Jon, Al, Kyle – guys, conference."

They went to a back room to talk. "Do you know where this place is Jon?"

"Up in the hills." He unfolded the map, looked at it a moment then put a digit on a name. "Tuckman. Not much – mining and timber."

"Nothing left?"

"A few hundred is all. The others left, Al and I stumbled on this group this morning."

Brian leaned on the back of a chair. "We'll need to leave a couple people here this time. Jon you stay here with Gale. The rest of us will head up to this town. I'll show you how to make booby-traps work for you. Using the VC hand book e-z guide two-oh-seven."

Then Brian said quietly, "This will be my signal…" He whistled a few bars of the 'Colonel Bogie's March' tune. "Then you repeat the tune back."

Late the next morning Brian with the rest of the group slipped into the town checking every building.

"Abandoned Major," Al said as the group met back outside of the town.

"Okay, we start at the far end of the main street – their avenue of approach and clean sweep through booby-trap every building we can to the opposite end and a few more for good measure. Then, seeing the street is dirt and gravel – I got an even bigger surprise for them. Al-Qaeda trick two-oh-three – mine the street. Move out."

By night fall the main street of the two and adjacent streets were mined and booby-trapped. Three of the boys began digging up the center of the main street. Brian estimated how far the police or army troops would advance into the village. Under the glow of flash lights the girls held, Brian and Al and Kyle began setting improvised detonating explosives (IDE) in place. The other three began carefully covering the explosives. At the end was a large shallow pit four foot deep, enough to stop a command car – and jar somebody's teeth loose.

It was late when they moved back into the bordering forest. Command detonation wire was laid with first and junk spread over it. The next day Diaz and Shaz scouted the area for any more refugees and further along the road for police or army patrols.

The day passed with no action.

"That's the rough part of this job," said Brian sitting back tossing rocks at the small fire. "You spend two to three days preparing for fifteen minutes of glory."

"I take it you've done that, Major?" Mere asked laying back to relax.

The triggers and friction fuses lay within reach of the group. Brian assured everyone knew how to use them. Mere and Jenna who was on watch quickly woke everyone up.

"Motor patrol," Jenna said under her breath.

Brian and Azalea grabbed their rifles crawling to the first set of friction triggers. The others were in position watching the road.

"Here they come," Diaz said in a hushed tone.

They watched the troop carriers stop to let troops off. The Command car stopped near the middle of the street, just about where Brian estimated it would. Troops ran up either side of the street.

Brian watched holding his breath. Azalea gripped his right arm holding one of the triggers.

"And here it comes …" Brain breathed.

A series of loud explosions rocked the town setting buildings on fire. A group of soldiers dove through a partially open door into a shop. Two grenades taped together fell from above them, the spoons dropping away. The grenades went off blowing bodies back across the street.

The command car pulled forward suddenly dropped out from under the commander and crew. Diaz had the trigger for the pit. A hard squeeze of the trigger, the front end of the car disappeared in the impending explosion.

Brian, Azalea and the others had the other triggers they began giving each one a hard squeeze; eight more explosions rocked the town to its footings. Five people were left standing five minutes later. Three vehicles were destroyed in the ambush.

"Let's get outta here!" Brian whistled signaling everyone to fall back and move out of the area. "We've done enough damage for one day."

The group lay on the farm house floor exhausted from the cross country march, part of it Brian had them double time now that they were free of the cumbersome loads of explosives. Little was said of the success of the mission. They stayed in the farm house not venturing out except during night fall.

Couples lay about on the floor under bed rolls, the refugee family just glad there was some place for them to get out of the weather.

Brian stood the first shift of guard in the front room – Azalea paced around the house from one window to the next. Neither spoke not wanting to wake the others. A humming sound caught their attention. One by one the group was waking up, a couple running downstairs pulling themselves together, the girls pulling a T-shirt on, but everybody had their rifles.

"What is it, Major?" Jenna asked scared as Diaz tried to comfort her.

Brian gestured for them to stay away from the windows. "Well," he said drawing the word out, "our fuzzy buddies finally got a grain of smarts and got a couple dirigibles to check things out from the air."

"A what?" Diaz said looking out a window as it passed overhead. "Oh, that?"

"Yeah, that. What do you call it?"

"An air ship."

"Same thing. So they're probably looking for us about now and wondering where we are. We'll just lay low for a couple days. Guaranteed the gloves come off and things will get real ugly."

"How so, Major?" Jon asked as they settled down at their girl's feet to listen to Brian.

"The army and possibly if they have an air corps will take over. As far as somebody is concerned, this is out of the police's hands and a situation for the army to handle." He looked at the ceiling as if looking for the answer there,

"I'm almost of the opinion we need to move back to the cave. Overhead cover, bomb proof to a degree and the forest will afford overhead concealment."

However, on Endora, the weather, like on Earth tends to work against a person's better interests. It rained for two days the group was holed up at the house. Brian used the poor weather to advantage: weapons were cleaned, equipment worked on, classes. The refugee family Lom, his wife Len and their two teen agers, Sol and Ren joined in with the kids. The teens quickly learned the tricks of guerilla warfare.

Outside the steady down pour slowly changed to a misty rain that soaked through everything.

Brian said with a smile, "Okay, guys – and gals. What is today?"

"Don't know, don't have a calendar," said Diaz with a chuckle.

Laughter and giggles followed around the room.

"It's raining," said Brian pointing to the water streaked window. "Good infantry weather."

"What does that mean?" Bel Sam asked speaking for everyone, Brian smiling at their curious looks.

"Uh, oh …"

"Days like this you can count on the other side – so-to-speak to be looking for shelter, or they'll be wet, cold, and miserable and not paying attention to anything. Plus – even better, we'll find out if they have all-weather capable tactical air support. That's the time to strike."

Brian walked them though a plan for poor weather which would let the Regime know that they could strike anytime, anywhere.

Jon watched him a minute staring out the window at the dark moisture laden clouds hanging low over the surrounding hills. "Reconnaissance?"

The others knew what that meant. Azalea watched Brian closely. The girl knew all too well Brian took all the chances. His background and experience was paying off. They had more successes in a short time then the past year together and nearly gave up their fight for freedom. Everyone else among the other lands were watching and waiting.

"Reconnaissance."

Shar, Mare, and Diaz made the long trip starting at dark in to Casewell passing one of three checkpoints into the town. They noticed soldiers manned the point now with two armor cars, and a guard house and barracks had been set up.

"As the Major said, they're getting serious," said Diaz as they passed the point.

"They're going to be even madder at us when we hit this place."

"The Major better have some good ideas on how to take them down."

Rain fell in misty curtains, a wind chased the rain ahead of it across the surrounding forest. Lights from bordering light poles, windows and vehicles cast surrealistic images across the wet, soggy ground. The three moved on to the town using alleys and back streets for cover moving up to a position closest to the street and the police station.

"Yeah, they're serious, barriers on the streets. They don't want anybody doing what we did – another drive by."

"That's the Letener Army," Diaz hissed.

"Dozens. Let's get outta here."

"Wait…! Oh hell, there's two coming this way." Their tails puffed up as they tensed up to spring.

Drawing their bayonets they hunkered down behind the dumpster with bayonets ready they waited until the two soldiers were opposite them then sprung. Within seconds the two soldiers lay dead on the ground, Diaz stuck a "calling card" in one soldier's mouth, grabbing up the sub-machine guns and ammo, the Ole brothers covering their retreat. Slipping back up the alley they left the town heading cross country through the forest to the house.

The three gave a thorough account of what they saw, Brian drawing a diagram of the revised layout around the police station and town.

Brian reviewed the town of Casewell, the police station and the general layout. "Well that was bound to happen sooner or later. But good object lesson – being prepared for the unexpected."

"And the army puts a whole new light on this." Jon his tail swishing back and forth summed it up in a few words. "What if one group takes one alley, another the other alley, Major."

"Good idea. Like it. Hitting them from two locations will keep them off balance for a few minutes. They'll be too busy with the confusion we'll cause." Brian said folding the well-used map, "And they just got done rebuilding the station. Well, give `em something to keep themselves busy and off the street corners at night."

"Tonight we'll have to be especially cautious. They may or may not double the patrols around the town. But being observant of what is around you goes a long way to getting the jump on them."

Twilight set in early that night with overcast skies rain falling in misty sheets whipped by the wind. Brian stood on the back porch letting the rain wash his face. "Yes, this is fantastic." The kids were puzzled that the Major was in a happy mood with the rain. But they had to admit they owed their successes to this stranger from the stars.

Sixteen figures moved through the rain soaked forest passing a checkpoint. They stopped long enough for Brian and Jon to watch the soldiers for a moment giving someone a hard time about being out after dark.

"Curfew," said Jon as they watched the scene play out before them. "They're bearing down on the people, anybody now because of our successes."

"The people're probably wondering what happened to us. Well, let's not disappoint them. We're about to make ourselves a breakfast table item tomorrow."

Slipping through back yards and back streets one group moved into the alley opposite the station Jon took one group down the first alley, Brian with another group down the other. He glanced up the street as head lights pierced the mist and fog, everything was wet and cold. The troops only wanted to get back to the warm, dry barracks.

Trucks pulled up outside the station house, cold wet soldiers wearily stood to get off. The right side door opened someone getting out to drop the tailgate.

Brian nodded pulling the trigger on the grenade launcher. Three more followed there was a whump-whump-whump-whump and four grenades described an invisible arch through the air landing in the middle of the trucks and packed troops and around the guard house and police station. The second set of launchers were fired at the same instant, two more explosions. The automatic weapons opened a second later peppering the station house and vehicles parked on the street.

Shouts, screams, and cries echoed through the night as the police and troops found themselves in a surprise attack by the rebels.

The girls had the reloads ready, Brian and Diaz dropped the empty casing, reloaded and fired at the door of the station house as it opened. Two grenades sailed through the open door exploding inside wreaking havoc and death inside. When Brian and Jon released the first salvo Al and Kyle and the Ole brothers unleashed a full magazine of rounds into the confused troops and police; the others kept the back covered. Shouts, commands and people wanting answers filled the streets as another salvo of grenades fell among the Regime police and troops.

"Withdraw," Brian called, "Let's get outta here."

They fell back having destroyed the station and a platoon of troops coming off duty. Trucks and cars burned. Jon fired a grenade landing it under a truck exploding near the gas tank. The explosion caused more confusion igniting an abandoned building close by.

Forming a 'wagon wheel' back-to-back the group pounded up the dark alley, three men and one of the girls covered from the rear as they followed. Jon's group joined them, the guys tossing hand grenades down alleys at troops attempting to corner them.

At that moment a group of army and police on patrol hearing the explosions appeared from an adjoining street. Brian and Diaz reacted to their sudden appearance, firing from the hip, the soldiers and police ran into a wall of lead as sixteen semi-automatics opened fire. The troops were confronted by a hail of weapons fire, some only able get a few shots off before falling under the unrelenting automatic fire. The rebels saw the value of the 'pin-wheel', they were able to change magazines with a flick of the thumb on the button, twist of the hand maintaining constant fire with the magazines taped together.

The kids fought their way out of the pincher trap the troops attempted to form. Brian wielding the M249 kept up a fusillade of fire the troops and police did not expect. Troops half-dressed piled out of the barracks running in to the weapons fire from Jon's group. The raid turned into a fire fight as the kids fought their way out of the trap the troops were attempting to close on them. Turning to assure everybody was still together he saw they had their first two casualties. They had taken casualties before he landed on Pandora, or Letener. Brian had no time or place to care for them.

Adrenalin was running high as the kids fought their way out of the town escaping into the familiar surrounding forest. He guessed the troops and police would be too busy licking their own wounds to chase after them. They dropped into the wet underbrush rain and mist soaking the forest. Jon had them form a wagon wheel around the Major and the ones injured.

Two guys supporting Rosa had no choice but to lay her on the ground. Brian spread a poncho over her shielding her from the rain.

"Take care of Rosa first, if you will, Major," said Al kneeling on the ground holding his mate.

Brian lay a poncho over the first aid pack. "Put your ponchos over the top of me to shield the light."

"Will I be alright, Major?" Rosa asked through white lips rain dripping in her face her lover comforting her.

This was the first that Brian had seen the Tonits show physical emotion and cry when hurt.

"Yes. You only got it in the leg." He packed gauze to the wound and taped her leg to cut the blood from oozing out. "I'll do a better job on fixing you up when we get back to the house."

Al was hit in the shoulder and arm. Compared to the last time, the group got off lucky. Brian fixed Al giving each a shot to counteract lead poisoning and another against pain. He hoped the Tonits did not get a reaction to the 'off-world' medicine. At this point everything was guess work.

Injuries tended to his next objective was the checkpoint. Brian and Jon led the kids to the checkpoint. The kids were still 'pumped up' from the fire fight. Diaz nudged Brian and Jon pointing along the road.

The armored cars still set where they'd been earlier. The officers were still unaware of the situation in the town. A staff car pulled up to the guard house the officer jumped out running inside. Brian nodded the four grenade launchers coughed, four grenades arched through the night rain at the same time fourteen automatic weapons unleased a relentless wall of weapons fire on the check point. Another was fired at a make shift barracks exploding inside the open door. Despite their injures Rosa and Al were not about to be left out of the fight.

Brain knew it was a chase, Azalea had a grenade ready for him. He fired and held his breath the grenade dropped though the open commander's hatch. It went in exploding. He quickly reloaded and fired but it bounced off the top exploding shearing the machine gun off the top.

"Shit …!"

Diaz dumped the empty casing grabbed another round from Jenna loaded fired low skidding the grenade under the armor vehicle blowing it up. Both vehicles were burning.

"Fall back!" Brian yelled waving his arm but still firing from the hip.

The group quickly fell back merging with the night shadows before the soldiers could recover and chase after them. Brian knew that would have been their last mistake. Just in case Brian had the kids move into a hasty ambush position. They were not disappointed, several soldiers were rallied by a senior NCO and rushed into the forest, their night vision ruined from the bright lights fires.

Brian could not resist the temptation of the moment as the soldiers making more noise than necessary, stomping through the woods, he stood a M240 locked and loaded with a belt of 100 rounds said, "Wouldn't be looking for me would you?"

Azalea stood beside Brian her weapon paused to fire. The stunned soldiers unable to react for the instant, twenty-five rounds from the M240 with fifteen rifles let loose a fusillade of rounds cutting the group down.

16.

"Ambushed – the police station, the motor pool, a motor patrol – all," the police captain said, unable to look at the carnage around him.

The police station was still smoldering, vehicles burned out hulks, four shops burned out ruins. Smoke hung in the damp morning air as soldiers and police laid the casualties in the back a truck.

A group of soldiers carrying the bodies of the ones they found in the woods walked past to the truck. The officers were silent as the soldiers passed.

The Police Commissioner said in a solemn voice, "Nearly wiped out the garrison last night. According to the only surviving officer here they hit around two o'clock this morning. How many, they don't know."

"I'd like to know how big of a group we're dealing with. How can they do so much damage with so little?" Jol Con, the Army Chief of Staff wanted to know twirling the ace of spades between two fingers.

Erl Don leaned back against his staff car. "It's that off worlder, General Con. He's teaching them things they didn't know before."

The Police Commissioner wanted to add, "And he's obviously better then you guys are."

By the third day the weather cleared the group moved back to the cave, even the tarp was still in place covering the opening. They reclaimed their old cave which was still the same as when they left moving to the first farm. Brian, Jon and Al disarmed the booby-traps before anything was brought into the cave.

Brian had the cave booby-trapped like the farm they were at. Guard and fighting positions were built and camouflaged around the caves front entrance, the area booby-trapped in case anyone got too nosey.

The girls fixed up a place for Al and Rosa to rest from the move. The move, with all their supplies was made in record time, without the cars. Brian booby-trapped them making suicide bombs out of them.

Inside the cave the girls fixed the dinner, the guys sat around sleeping or playing cards. It was a time to relax and reflex on what they had accomplished. Brian warned them, 'Don't get complacent with your successes. Complacency can quickly become your worst enemy and kill you.' It was a sobering thought but true. He had to lay it on them the hardest way he knew how.

Fortunately the kids took his words to heart.

Jon walked out to Brian sitting in the guard position. "It's been quiet again."

"I know. The Regime's probably tearing the place up looking for us. Or somebody that's been tearing them up."

Brian was thinking. Jon watched the woods a minute then he said. "You know, Jon I think we'll do a Tet Offensive of 1968 on them – take it right to the heart of the matter."

Brian explained in as simple detail as possible what the Tet Offensive was all about. "The VC and NVA wanted to push the Americans out, problem was we became more determined to get rid of them. The next couple of years turned into a real slug fest. I can see that happening here."

"What do you want to do here than, Major?"

"Start with the rail line then the outposts they have established. Those two are their weak links. We'll work up to the city in time. Make `em wish I'd never landed here." Brian pulled the map out showing Jon the red marks. "Their outposts, indian country style. No overlapping mutual protection. Too spread out, much to our favor."

Azalea stepped outside with a plate of meat and vegetables for Brian.

Brian said taking the plate and flat ware from Azalea, "We'll go over everything later. Let everyone have something to eat first." He held Azalea's hand. "You eaten, hone?"

"I'll eat later," she said putting her hands on his shoulder wrapping her tail around his waist. "You eat, husband."

Brian looked up into the girl's dark determined eyes. Smiling he ate while she stood watch. Leaning down she kissed the top of his head, Jon went back inside the cave leaving them alone.

Brian and Azalea with Jon and Gale lay on the edge of the forest overlooking the town. He could see the checkpoint to his left busy with mid-day traffic backed up in both directions.

"What are your plans, Major?" Gale asked watching the checkpoint for a few minutes.

"I'm almost of an old opinion borrowed from the VC's manual on 'How to Fight'. The city and they're nearest help is still several miles behind them. We hit the checkpoint then move down to catch the relief column in the middle. Booby-trap the area to make any pursuit difficult."

The group prepared for the raid that night. One team would hit the checkpoint enough to get the army stirred up, maybe chase them as they retreated back into the forest. They could lead any pursuit into the first.

"Tonight we go for their throat on this one," Brian told the group as they ate an early supper. "Almost all our strikes have been around the two o'clock hour in the morning. Tonight we hit them at twenty-two hundred hours."

"Early?" said Shar fidgeting with his tail.

Azalea studied the map noticing the distance between the check point and where Brian proposed to hit the rescue column. "Isn't that awfully close?"

"On the map it would seem so but that's actually a mile."

Jon ignored the girl. "Plan, sir."

"Line the road with claymores sit back at maximum kill range from the road and add a brief but intense fire power for one minute and get the hell out of the AO."

"In and out," said Al his tail moving with glee.

"In and out," Brian repeated standing. "We'll move within the hour – we'll be on the objective by night fall and set up."

The group moved taking up their positions, the claymores were set and concealed by the weeds, the group split in to two teams. Jon led part of the group back to the check point to pull off the raid. Brian prepared the second group to intercept the rescue team or reaction force sent from the city or nearby in hopes of hitting the rebels and catching them in a cross fire.

Brian's group moved back in to the overgrowth to wait for the Medits. His plan hinged on catching them in a cross fire between the two groups.

Laying in the underbrush, night concealing them from the Medit police and army patrols which would be rushing from the city along the road to reinforce their comrades who would be under siege.

Jon and his group slipped through the underbrush toward the check point. Poles had been set for the chain link fence to be erected around the area. The fencing still lay in rolls about the area. Nor had the guard towers been completed. Trailers for the guard house and barracks had been set up on blocks two days before. Creeping through the underbrush then rushing the last few hundred yards, the rebels appeared as black figures on black descending on the unsuspecting guards, their attention focused on the road to the city which the authorities felt was more vulnerable.

The check point was hit at exactly nine o'clock grenades exploding under the barracks and guard house led the attack. Rifle fire finished the job, the rebels fell back leaving almost all the guards dead or dying, the survivors too shook up to attempt to follow.

Brian looked at the check point with the binoculars.

"It must have been destroyed," Azalea said softly, watching the explosions, listening to the series of sharp booms followed in quick succession by the sound of the automatic weapons fire.

Jon's group melted back into the shadows of the forest moving swiftly and carefully toward Brian and his group.

It was nearly an hour later beams of light pierced the night, the sound of truck engines broke the new silence of the night. Behind the two groups the fires around the check point were dying down. The two groups were ready. The small convoy drove into the setup, six M79's were locked and loaded with high explosive rounds.

"Now!" Brian yelled kneeling he fired his rifle on full-automatic.

The six M79's were fired, the rounds landing either in the open bed of the truck or next to it. Within seconds the convoy was destroyed.

However, Brain, Jon and Diaz stood surveying the burning wreckage.

Brian said under his breath, "Oh shit …"

"Only the drivers?" said Diaz looking at the trucks turning to his left his night vision briefly useless from the burning trucks.

"Brian…! Left!" Jon said just loud enough for the others to hear.

The soldiers walked into a wall of hot lead, the group, without orders understood '…left' and pivoted in that direction, simultaneously firing. The surprise taken from the soldiers, the ambush they planned was turned against them.

When the rebels dug in they set up a deliberate ambush point. The position paid off in the short term, buying time for Brian and Jon to assess their position – thirty seconds or less. Brian emptied a banana clip dropped the empty spun it around to a reload.

"Start to with draw, I'll cover," Brian told Jon.

"You?" Jon hesitated, weapons fire flashing over his head like angry bees.

"There's too many, Jon. I can hold `em down while everybody falls back to regroup. Take `em to the forest."

Jon yelled, "Fall back!"

Brian glanced back at Azalea. "You too, babe. Go."

"No – I'm staying with you." Azalea emptied another magazine. Spinning the pinwheel around she loaded another. "You're my husband."

Azalea noticed the "pin wheel" or three-way was Brian's last three-way setup.

Brian yelled over his shoulder, "Jon take Azalea with you!"

"No!" she yelled defiantly wanting to stay to die with her lover.

Jon ran back scooped the girl up about the waist, Azalea kicking and screaming her tail puffed up whipping around with her anger. He threw her over his left shoulder catching up with the others.

The Medits paid for their small victory after the series of humiliating setbacks.

Brian used up the last magazine, the first Medit to reach him got a boot in the face and knocked back dead.

An officer yelled, "Take him alive! Take him alive!"

Brian fought the Medits bare handed-to-hand bodies lay about like rag dolls strewn over the field until ten soldiers piled on him to subdue him, and then they had trouble holding him down.

Angry grey clouds, like soiled cotton candy smothered out the first light of day. The group watched with dismay as Brian Lee was led away to a waiting staff car to be taken back to a city. Jon pointed to the forest's interior. "Go. We'll follow through the forest."

Azalea cried as Al and Kyle with their women led the crying girl back into the comfort of the forest. The girl was crying all the tears she had that morning as the staff car turned around to head back toward the Medit city, her lover in chains.

Jon said as they moved deeper into the forest but able to watch the road and retreating car. "We'll get your mate back, Azalea. Don't worry. Besides I have a feeling they're going to pay dearly for this."

"I'll have my revenge on the Medit's." Azalea reloaded her rifle of the run.

Keeping the road in view they watched from a hillock covered in the fern trees the staff car disappear down the road.

"I bet they're just gloating right now." Al said fingering the trigger of his rifle.

"No doubt," Jon agreed. "Let's go. I have a feeling I know where their taking him. As Brian says, 'Their mistake.'"

The words brought a smile and pleasure to the girl's eyes her tail held straight. '…I shall have my revenge – Medits!'

By mid-morning word reached the Chief of Staff and National Police Commissioner of Major Lee's capture.

"They got him!" Jol Con shouted into the telephone. "They're waiting until we get there to question him."

Erl Don nearly dropped the telephone. "When? I understand the rebels wiped out two companies of soldiers and I lost nearly a squadron of good police officers."

"Yes it was costly but still, we have him."

Jol Con suddenly was not so sure. He looked back to see his assistant standing nearby holding a message out to him. Jol set the phone down turning as Kin his personal assistant passed the message to him, his face white with fear.

Major Lee was placed in an interrogation room, armed soldiers were placed at the four corners to stand guard. Brian had seen it before. Handled right he could duck and all four would kill each other, grab a weapon and out the door. It'd be equivalent to when to pull the pin on a hand grenade let the spoon fall away then throw it.

The only things in the small room were the table and chair. The single window set high in the stark white washed wall.

"Sit," the officer said in a commanding voice pointing to the chair.

Brian looked the young officer in the eye. The tone of voice and the commanding voice irritated him. He wasn't sure of the rank structure but decided to pull the officer's 'chain' anyway. "Don't look at me in that tone of voice, Lieutenant. Sit what, Lieutenant?"

The other suddenly appeared confused by the Earthman's question.

"I – I do not understand," he replied defensively trying to recapture the moment to let the stranger know he was in charge.

Brian leaned across the table as if addressing an intolerable private. Not only was he going to pull the young Lieutenant's chain but he pulled rank on the other. "For your information, Lieutenant I am a Major in the United States Army – And guess where that places me?" The Lieutenant shook his head backing toward the door. Brian was borrowing liberally from the US Army officer's hand book and a few other manuals. The guards were confused as they watched the Earthman berate the lieutenant. In anybody else's army this would not have worked. "According to the Geneva convention, there is supposed to be an officer of equal rank to hold me prisoner. Correct, Lieutenant?"

The Lieutenant stood at the door with his mouth open. "Sir?" He swallowed. Now he was unsure of himself. The guards just as confused. "I'll have to see … um, excuse me."

Brian couldn't help but smile with satisfaction as the Lieutenant escaped out the door leaving him standing at the table. He looked around again. "At ease, men. I'll be in the area all day."

The guards had no idea what to say or do. Brian placed the chair near the wall, sat then kicked back with his feet on the table, the back of the chair resting against the wall, hands clasped behind his head. "You know what the old saying is don't ya guys?"

One guard bit. "Um, no sir."

"If you're going to be a prisoner of war, ya might as well enjoy it. Damn I wished I had a cigar and bottle of Jack right now."

"Yes, sir." Nobody knew what to do or say.

Guards were placed in the hall. The Defense Ministry considered the Earthman too valuable a prisoner to let the rebels try to retake him. The Medits were prepared for anything.

Scouting around the edge of the city the rebels found the police station. Moving to the back of the police station under cover of the last of the darkness, Jon was thankful the police picked a place with few buildings around them to put the station. Jon and Al could noyt believe there were no guards on the back of the police station. The group formed a wagon wheel to cover the area in 360 degree's. They were on their own now, Brian wasn't there to help them. Everything he had taught them was being put to use now.

Azalea, her tail puffed up in her anger faced the police station flood lights lighting the yard where the cars and vans were parked. An Army staff car and armored car and troop transport were parked in the holding yard. The girl vowed vengeance like the Medits had not known until then. In Tonit society if there was a mated or engaged pair and the accused caused ones death causing denial of intimate expression, the other could exact revenge for his or her death. Of late it had become the female's privilege to exact the revenge. Nonetheless, the Medits would be facing a very determined Tonit female.

"And vengeance will be mine," Azalea vowed with a snarl of her Tonite feline heritage, her tail whipping back and forth like a bull whip with seething hostility.

A quick assessment of the chain link fence surrounding the motor pool and back of the station Diaz smiled. "Got it."

Diaz pulled a block of C4, blasting caps and a fuse from his back pack. Azalea understood Diaz's idea. She took small strands of the explosive material threaded it through her fingers. Azalea and Diaz crept forward to the fence. Using the material she made an arch, Diaz attached the caps and fuse, ignited it and they ran back to the group. A few seconds later the C4 blew a perfect opening in the fence.

They moved forward at a fast pace to the back door. Azalea took the right side, Al Kyle the left.

"Locked of course," Jon said moving to the side. Diaz stuck a small ball of C4 to the key lock, stuck two caps and a fuse in it, stepped back, a few seconds later there was a loud bang that alerted those inside they were about to have a problem.

The door blew open slamming against the outside wall in a cloud of smoke, metal, and flame. The guards were stunned as Azalea pushed through the door, the rifle blazing cutting everyone down in the hall. Jon and Gale with Diaz and Jenna followed her through. Azalea moved toward the door the guards were posted at, tried the handle; locked. That didn't stop the girl, merely slowed her down. Her lover and husband was on the other side of that door.

Diaz seeing a door marked HOLDING CELLS AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY tried it, locked. A small wad of the plastic material placed on the key lock, stepped back the door was blown in. Shar and Bel descended to the holding cells in the basement to the prisoners, several of which were Tonit rebels from other towns.

Azalea looked around for Diaz or Al who were carrying the plastic explosives material. Not wasting time, she stepped back across the hall and unloaded a burst of fire into the lock. The door opened.

The sound of explosions and rifle fire galvanized the guards distracting them. Brian felt his muscles tighten in response to the noise. He knew without looking Jon, Azalea and the others had come for him, and the Medits were paying for this mistake.

Brian suddenly launched himself out of the chair catching the guard to his left unaware knocking him back against the wall, pulled the weapon out of his hands, swung around trading fire with the other three gunning them down. A long ripping sound was heard from the hallway the door flew open. Before Brian could move toward the door he suddenly had an arm full of fury kissing him: Azalea.

The prisoners surged upstairs from the holding cells in the basement running toward the open weapons holding room.

Jon entered the interrogation room with Brian's weapons. "Locked and loaded, Major."

Brian holstered the weapons clicked the PTR 91KF's selector switch to automatic then led the withdrawal from the station as it began to burn from the incendiary grenades Mare and Kyle threw around the building.

"That'll keep them occupied for awhile," Kyle said following out the back door.

"Good let's get out of here." Brian heard three more explosions from the front and one from the second floor. Plaster fell in a shower from the ceiling.

Police and soldiers rushing from the front of the station ran into a fusillade of weapons fire.

The last of the hand grenades were tossed under vehicles as the rebels made their way out the hole in the fence.

Four police men and two soldiers, still in shock survived the rebel attack on the station. The small group sat to the side of the destroyed police station trying to come to grips with what happened. Inside the Chief of Staff and Police Commissioner surveyed the destruction, the dead were lined up on the sidewalk waiting for transport back to the Capital.

"How many were there that did this thing?" Jol Con asked a junior officer.

"They're not sure sir. It happened too quickly for anyone to make sense out of the chaos. And a couple of them are still in a serious state of shock. We do know the one that was posted inside the interrogation room said a female Tonit blew the door open and gunned the other two down. A third was already dead when she broke in then led Brian Lee out,"

"That'd be his woman. Apparently he has taken a Tonit female as his lover. That's interesting to know."

They stepped through the debris out the back door. Erl Don looked at the door and the lock, what was left of it. "What did they use on the electronic locks anyway?"

"We're not sure, sir," the officer said looking it over also. "All anyone remembers is an explosion and the back door here flew open. After that there were a couple more explosions. The cells down stairs were all opened the same way."

"The Earthman again. He used something that blew these doors open," said Jol Con with disgust as he looked over the burned out hulks of the cars and trucks. In his mind the Letener Medite were quickly losing their grip on the Tonite and it was because of the Earthman.

Azalea tended to her husband while the other girls fixed the meal.

Brian said as he ate, despite Azalea's fussing over him, "Be prepared, we've done real damage to the Medite's egos today. They're going to try whatever it takes regain the advantage."

"What do you suggest then, sir?" Diaz asked, Jenna passed a bowl of the stew to him.

"Keep up the pressure on them. Later after we eat we'll plan our next mission."

"How can these people – these rebels move around the countryside with such impunity and no one can stop them?" Premier Merk raged his face a dangerous red, his blood pressure slowly rising with his anger.

Chief of Staff Jol Con, Commander of the Air Services, Been Char, Erl Don, National Police Commissioner, Lar Schm, National Chief Justice, and Merk's personal Secretary were silent as he sat back to consider his alternatives.

"So what's the problem?" Merk wanted to know. "Why can't the best damn army on Endora catch these criminals? The hell of this is, they've quickly become a rallying point for the other rebel groups on Endora."

The two locked hard gazes for a moment. They knew they were fast coming to a cross roads in their decisions.

Jol Con spoke up, "That's what we tried to get across to you the last time, your Excellency. We think an off-world race – we are not sure what or who has invaded us and is helping the rebels. We've lost three agents who've attempted to infiltrate these groups – somehow they've been discovered and all three eliminated."

"For the love of the saints, I gotta do your thinking for you? You got an air service – use it! You got other resources – use them." The door opened interrupting his next tirade. "What is it, Phi?"

Phi looked at the military and police officials with dread, knowing the Premier's temper.

"You're not going to like this, sir." He nervously held the card out to the Premier.

'If I thought your bounty was worth it, I'd collect it myself. You can take the money and stuff it up your ass with a broom handle and pivot on it `til it makes you happy.'

S/s The Black Berets – Delta Detachment, 503rdCombat Reserve Group

The Premier read the terse message the rebel commander sent from the district commander. He sat back tilting his head up staring at the ceiling. Closing his eyes he crumbled the message in his fist. "Find them – eliminate them! I don't care how!"

Using the original farm house, not wanting to take the spy back to their central location. The spy sat in the corner with a bag over his head, three girls with the black hoods on stood over him while the men rigged up a chair and table with leather straps they'd found in the barn, spikes and a mallet.

They bolted the chair and table to the floor.

"Well, if that don't hold him, nothing will." Brian shook and pulled on the table then one of the guys tried.

"Good enough for me."

Brian said, "Okay, ladies bring him over. Time to find out what the Regime's latest game is."

Brian and the others pulled the black hoods on. The other four girls stood at the corners.

"Up! On yer feet!" Jenna said coarsely, Rosa nudging him with her rifle.

Azalea and Bel led him to the table and three guys sat him down then according to Brian's instructions they strapped him in with fingers strapped flat to the table top. Everyone stood behind the spy, Brian gestured to Azalea to pull the hood off the prisoner. He was looking at an empty space and chair in front of him.

Brian slowly, with heels clicking on the floor walked around to the front looking down at the prisoner. Sitting Brian leaned on the table staring at him. He stared at the other for what seemed like an eternity.

Brian's voice was low and menacing. "Must have thought this was going to be yer lucky week, huh punk?"

The other knew he had to be looking at the mastermind of the revolution, the infamous Black Beret.

"Feeling lucky?"

The spy shrugged as best he could attempting to avoid looking at Brian.

"Well a man has to know his limitations, dude – do you know what yours are?"

Again he shrugged. Scared.

He locked steady gazes with the spy. Silence lay over the room as an uncomfortable shroud for the space of a minute. Brian leaned on the edge of the table with his arms his hands folded.

"Let me ask you this then, ever hear of the Cry of a Thousand Screams?"

He slowly shook his head.

"No? Well, you're about to find out – first hand. And all puns intended."

Holding his hand out, Azalea laid the length of wood in it. Watching the other he laid the wood aside then Jenna lay the knife in his hand. Everything was orchestrated for maximum psychological effect.

"This block of wood and knife are the first tools for the Cry of a Thousand Screams." Brian watched as the other stared at the knife and wood. Brian casually asked, "What's your name – anything, doesn't matter, it can even be Johnny Jones for all I care."

"Na," he replied through parched lips."

"Na?" Brian glanced up at the others standing behind him. They nodded. Na nodded. "Okay, Na here's the real deal. I want answers outta you and not necessarily war stories. You understand? I don't get the answers I want or want to hear, you'll be introduced to the Cry, a sliver of that wood goes under the quick of your finger. Understand?"

Na was sweating staring at the block of wood. "I – I was just told to infiltrate a cell to find out who the mastermind of the revolution was."

"Really. What else?"

"I – I was to report back with the information."

"To who?"

"I don't know." He was sweating, the other staring at him as if reading his mind.

"Really. You sure?"

He nodded his head. Brian glanced up at the others around him. They all unanimously shook their heads.

Swallowing he said in a soft quivering voice, "Yes."

Brian reached out to twist the other's head sideward. Pointing to the ears they took a look, shook their heads.

"Who's your makeup artist? King Kong's maiden aunt?"

"I – I don't know …?"

Looking at him, Brian picked up the block of wood and knife. Not looking at either, holding the other's attention he peeled off a sliver of wood. Picked up the sliver very carefully pared the sliver to a needle size. He took the sliver in his fingers spinning it back and forth.

Azalea and the other were glad Brian was on their side. His methods were producing results. To call him dangerous was an understatement.

Brian held the other's attention spinning the sliver of wood in front of him, the silence and spinning sliver had a mesmerizing effect on him. Slowly waving the sliver in front of him Brian kept up the effect then carefully touched the other's hand.

"No! No! Okay, I was to report directly to the Chief of Staff!"

"That's better." Brian sat back twirling the small sliver of wood between thumb and forefinger. "But I'm not through with you yet."

That gave the other something to think about. Brian got up gestured for them to stay there. He pulled out a playing card, an Ace of Spades. He wrote on it. 'When you send somebody to spy on me, don't send a boy to do a man's job."s/s The Black Beret – Delta Detachment, 503rdCombat Reserve Group.'

Walking to the table he held the card out for the others to see. They smiled and nodded. Slipping it in an envelope and sealing it, he stuffed it in the other's shirt pocket. "Don't lose this envelope whatever you do and make damn sure you give to the Chief of Staff. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're getting off light. I could have used a dozen more torture methods on you I know to get more answers out of you. Like, who's who in the zoo in this rinky-dink banana republic. And not one of them will leave a mark on you. But I'm not going waste my time on you. I got better thing ways to occupy my time."

Azalea wrapped her tail around Brian's waist.

The hood was placed back over his head and freed from the restraints. Hands taped at his back he was taken back to a main highway and tied to a tree near the road.

Waiting until they were out the door Brian pulled the hood off laying it aside. "As soon as they get back we'll clear out of here."

17.

"And you never saw his face or ears?" said Jol Con again. He lost count how many times he asked the same question. Mur Cha, Chief of the Intelligence service, other people were present. A couple paced around the office, others sat or slouched in chairs, still others knew they'd get the same answer from him.

"Never, sir."

"Was the tone of his voice that of a Tonite?"

"No, sir."

"Medite?"

He had to think. "I don't know, sir. Maybe neither."

The card lay on the desk. No one wanted to look at it. No one knew where the 503rd Combat Reserve Group came from. Few if any wanted to venture any guesses. They were afraid this 503rd was the ones actually tearing them up.

The intelligence officer walked over to him. "Hold on. I got a thought." Leaning close to him, he said, "No inflection or buzzing sound on certain words?

"None that I remember, sir."

"Now what is that supposed to prove, General?" The Chief of Staff asked curiously.

"We now know this so-called mastermind is real – he's not a Medite or Tonite. Rather he's off world if you will."

"This Delta Detachment, 503rd Combat Reserve Group? How does that fit in?" someone asked.

"I'm almost afraid to say," the intelligence officer said as he walked back to the windows.

Jol Con looked at the Ace of Spades playing card. United States Playing Card Companyof Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio Made in the USA

Flipping the card back onto his desk he said in a low voice, "I could have told you that a long time ago."

Everyone left the office, two intelligence agents led the spy out between them.

The Chief of Intelligence looked out the fourth floor suite window at the park between the Headquarters Building and the Government Offices.

Speaking as if he were speaking to himself, he said, "My gut reaction to all this we can expect a visit from this group - soon."

"Put out guards."

"Guards, what am I goina' do, put guards at every public place to include the water fountains? Get real. They know they have us over a barrel. They know us but we don't know them because of those damn black suits."

"We haven't captured any?"

"Not for the past two years. And never since this guy or whatever came on board. We had him but he escaped – or they freed him. We lost enough men in that mess."

"Then watch the public transportation centers, light rail stations, bus, Air-Ship stations, anything public."

"Nice thought we're still spread too thin."

Posing as the rich man and his kept-mistress, Brian and Azalea boarded the first class coach settling in for the ride. A Tonit attendant came by their suite with snacks. Azalea bought snacks and refreshment, slipping him a playing card folded in half. Brian acting disinterested and bored watched the boy's reaction to the card. The boy waited until he was in the passage to open the card with the familiar Ace of Spades and phrase,The 503rdBlack Berets and handwritten, 'Declare the Revolution.'

Jon and Al led the others to the last car, crowded with Tonits traveling to the capital either on business with other Tonits or looking for work. Jon was able to pin up a card on the wall without being seen.

Once Jon and his group arrived in the capital they broke down into pairs, the guys with their girls, Azalea and Brian. Azalea guided Brian to a part of the city few ever saw, the police avoided, where the Tonits had their own rules. Azalea guided Brian up an alley where she quickly took off the special suit changing to another tight fitting slick black one piece suit. Brian donned another suit tossing the clothes into the dumpster.

Stepping out of the alley, they casually walked up to a second hand store run by a woman, a Tonit and her daughter. Entering the shop Azalea went to the back, a woman stepped out of the back. She stopped gasping then with a venomous hiss, "A Medite in my shop!"

Reaching out a hand to touch her arm Azalea said in a low tone, "No, Medera, an Earthman he's from far away. He came here to Endora to help us."

Medera's daughter hovered by the door to the back of the shop watching the Medit with caution unsure what to do as her mother talked to the strangers.

Medera stopped looking at Azalea confused. "Earth – there is no such thing."

"Yes there is. His name is Brian and his world or planet is far away, many galaxies away."

Medera looked him over with suspicion. "But – how can we trust him?"

Explaining as best she could Azalea said, "Brian is the one who is helping the revolution. Because of his bravery we've had many successes."

The woman's eyes opened. "Oh …You're?"

"Yes, ma`am." Brian gave her a disarming smile. "Major Brian Lee, US Army – Earth."

"And he speaks Letener." Medera was amazed still watching Brian with care.

"Yes, Medera, he's like one of us." Azalea assured the woman.

The door opened and two Tonite couples entered, the girls giggling, the boys acting bored. One boy looked out the front window. The girls stopped their giggling.

"The others will be here shortly sir. They took the long way around."

Brian nodded. "And the crates?"

"Shortly."

Medera was over her brief spell of fear of Brian as more of the group entered the shop. Several nodding to him or addressing him as, Major. She was greeted by Jon and Gale hugging her. The girl, Nig ran to Jon hugging him and Gale.

"You goina' stay now, Jon?" the girl wanted to know.

"Only for awhile then I must go home to help my father with the farm."

Acting flustered, she said with a wave of her hands, "You must go upstairs now. It is alright, Nig these are friends of your mother's."

The girl smiled but still unsure of the strangers crowding into the shop. Medera led the group through the back and up an outside stairs to a rusted screen door, the inner door stood open.

Flicking a light on, Medera gestured to a side room. Azalea took Brian into the room and another door, a hole had been cut leading to another building and second floor room. Brian looked into the other apartment. He'd heard about this, it was used in France, especially Paris during the Occupation period by the Germans and the mid-sixties during their troubles following the Algerian period. The people could go from one apartment or building to the other without being seen from the street.

Medera watched the Earthman with a wide grin of pleasure. The kids seemed to defer to the Medite on several matters as he inspected the apartment, saying, "Good – good" several times.

"What do you think, hone?" Azalea said watching Brian's reaction. He paced around the room nodding looking it over with care. "We can move about without being watched by the police spies."

"Good idea. I've seen this before in a country called France. Back in the mid-sixties. The French students did the same thing."

Jon looked in the room. "Major, the crates are here,"

"Good now we're moving along."

He followed Jon down to the back door. Two Tonite express station workers waited until they came to claim the four crates. They were startled when Brian stepped out the door to check the crates.

"Don't worry," Jon told them, "this is Major Brian Lee – the Earthman his people sent to help us."

"The bal," the driver said in awe bowing to Brian his tail straight with his happiness. "We are honored, sir."

Jon climbed onto the truck to check the crates and sign for them. Jon slipped them an Ace of Spades playing card with the word "Revolution" wrapped in a generous tip. The driver smiled bowing to Brian then Jon. Brian felt self-conscious from the notoriety all of a sudden.

The kids carried the crates inside setting them along the inner door.

"Not to worry," said Madera to Brain throwing a large bed spread over the crates, "The police hardly ever come into the Tonite ghetto – not safe for them. So what are your plans, Jon?"

Jon nodded to Brian.

"Reconnaissance of the government buildings," said Brian leaning against the door frame, "Not everybody in our group are familiar with the layout of the city and government buildings. I'm especially interested in the government buildings."

"I can take you up there, hone," said Azalea with a saucy wink.

The others knew what that meant.

Jon ignored the girl's wink. "When do you want start, sir?"

"Tomorrow morning. Leave out … actually, we'll filter out a couple at a time."

The group found themselves crowded into the small rooms of three apartments.

Pressing her young body against Brian, Azalea was enjoying the feeling of her man, sharing their bodily energy. Azalea was asleep in his arms, Brian lay awake staring at the dirty gray white ceiling. The next couple days would decide if all this was even worth his trouble and the trouble, and expense the agency, and NASA put into this mission that was somebody's hair brain scheme. Despite the odds, the kids had been lucky, since his arrival they only had two casualties. They'd caught one spy attempting to infiltrate them. He had to give the kids credit for the way they handled the situation. Everyone played their parts well.

Azalea stood in the middle of the group of girls the next day seated on the floor as Rosa fixed her up. Madera provided a choice of outfits for her to try on. Turning Azalea struck a suggestive pose for her audience. Madera was enjoying herself that morning watching the girls help Azalea get ready. She was laughing with them for the first time in many years, since she was a young girl and a rich man's play thing doing his bidding. However, all that ended when she turned twenty-five and foolishly willed herself to become pregnant. Then he didn't want her anymore.

"Well what do you all think? I'm supposed to be the Major's mistress."

The girls thought about it, then Jenna spoke up, "Would slutty be a good word?"

"Thank you. Just what I was looking for."

Azalea was wearing a bright shiny blue mini-skirt and tight fitting shiny black frilly blouse with strappy sandal heels with makeup that was supposed to make her look pretty.

Jenna and the others rolled their eyes. "Okay, girlfriend you say so. See what the Major thinks in a minute."

Brian stepped into the room gave a low wolf whistle. "Perfect." Azalea blushed. Brian was the first male to make those sounds of approval to her.

They started leaving the shop by different hidden routes in case there were spies about. Despite being a Tonit enclave they were cautious not to seem as if there were more in the shop then necessary. Madera gave Azalea a bag with the name and logo of some exclusive women's boutique to appear as if her master was spoiling her.

"Fat chance of that ever happening." Azalea tapped him with a tap of her hip. "Right hone?"

"You say so."

Stepping out of the bread shop with a bag of rolls they slipped on sun glasses to hide their eyes. They appeared to be the well-heeled Letener man with his Tonite playmate.

They walked down the main thoroughfare, Brian said in a quiet voice, "Remind me to spoil you later."

"Oh you know I will. But it'll be much different."

"Problem is, I could get used to this arrangement."

She smiled at him glancing around she playfully bumped him with her hip. "Don't get too used to it. I'm an independent woman you know."

"I'll kiss you later."

"I'll kiss you too."

They spent the day around the government buildings. Sitting on a bench in the Government Park they were able to observe the Presidential Palace at one end, the Congressional House on the other end, the Military and Police Building on the other side and opposite was the Treasury.

"Nice set up." Azalea looked around as if seemingly disinterested. "Problem will be that fence."

"Yes, nice neat package for us." Brian stood offering his arm to her again.

"Notice they have guard posts at the gate and font door plus there's roving patrols. The back the same. The other buildings no fence to worry about. We'll have to use the bounding over watch method when we rush the front entrance. Jon will have do the same with the back. The kitchen entrance someone will have to cover the end."

Azalea stood taking Brian's arm she walked with her head held up. "Jon said the other groups have filtered in from the outlying districts. By tonight we'll have sufficient number to handle the takeover."

"And they know their assignments?"

"Yes."

They walked to the street Azalea hailing a cab for them as was the practice.

Brian leaned on the cane watching traffic pass. "Now we start the countdown."

By tomorrow, he thought, this would all be different.

Getting out near the train station Azalea gave the Tonite driver the money, wrapped in it was the playing card, and words, "Declare the Revolution" then they walked the three blocks to Madera's second hand shop.

They entered the shop by the alley and back door. Madera met them as they walked in. She held up a notice the police gave her.

"All the shops got these and their posting them all over. Only the Tonites have this curfew put on them. Now what, Major?"

Brian looked at it. "One thing that's been in our favor, they're spread too thin. To stamp out the fire in one area, they panicked and rolled out the army to cover the police in the districts whether they needed it or not." He gave her back the poster. "We go for broke late tomorrow night. I'll explain later when we get all the group leaders here."

Darkness when the curfew took effect, Jon posted his guys around the area to keep an eye out for the police and army. The girls tacked black packing paper over the windows then assured no light leaked out. Dol nodded it was good. Madera found five whistles for Brian among her things.

Brian took quick head count hung the diagram of the Government Plaza for them to see. "Okay, we're dividing up this part of the city…" Brian went down a detailed list of assignments, "Jon's group – last but not least, Jon – we're taking the Presidential Palace. Naturally we can expect the most resistance there. What Azalea and I saw, they double the guard at night. Which on one hand, and the environment I came from makes sense. If anything is going to happen, will happen late – after mid-night. On the other hand, what shape are your guards in at that hour? Tired, pissed off, not paying attention to detail, in other words, they could care less what happens. All they want to do is go to bed and sleep. We hit `em. Two o'clock in the A.M.

"Wow, that's late," said one boy surprised at the hour.

"That's when almost all our raids took place. Of course by the time the dust and feathers settles there won't be anything left for them to worry about except a pile of junk to clean up. One more item – critical," he held up the whistles. "At exactly zero-two hundred I'll blow this whistle. Each of the leaders will blow their whistle in reply so I know everybody is rushing their targets. Of course by that time the Regime guards will know it's too late and their shit is in the fan."

18.

The groups were getting themselves ready. Brian checked Azalea over in her black one piece suit. The only comparison Brian could think of, an old Marvel comic of Cat Woman in her shiny black one piece suit that seemed molded to her body. He want to whistle at her.

She looked Brian over. He was wearing only the camouflage pants, brown T-shirt, web gear with his brace of six weapons, his black beret, and M240 with a belt of 100 rounds dangling from the feed tray, two more forming an X across his chest. The girl felt her heart swelling in her chest as she looked Brian over. The T-shirt and web gear with extra belts of ammo had a magic effect on her at that moment. She felt the inner longing of adoration for the man – this human from a distant world – her man, his woman.

At mid-night Madera turned all the lights off. The group waited a few minutes then Brian gave the signal to move out. Madera wished she could go with them. She held a vengeful streak from fourteen years ago. The man who abandoned her leaving her with a baby was a rich politician running for a higher office and wanted only a younger girl to be his play toy and mate. But she knew the Earthman would exact revenge for her, his mate assured her he would.

Madera watched as the group slipped out the back door into the alley, black on black, shadows within shadows they disappeared reappearing sometime later near the Palace or their assigned targets. Brian could only hope everyone was in place. This phase had now become a high stakes game. They had no choice but to go through with the rebellion and take over. There was no backing down.

The group lay prone behind bushes and ornament plants in the park. Taking the binoculars out, Brian scanned the front of the Palace, Azalea with the Ole brothers and their girls took the front; Jon and Gale with the others had the back. The group moved into position. Brian kept glancing at the modified dial of his watch. Time seemed to drag by now. He had to keep reminding himself despite some similarities, there were more subtle differences and one of them was time.

The guards at the main gate were looking around the street and the adjacent promenade leading to the Government Building. White light soaked the Palace grounds casting the surroundings in wavering shadows that danced in the wind. They could not discern the shadows from what was not there. They were told before coming on duty to expect rebel and terrorist activity at night. The city was hit twice already, but the regional cities and towns took a punishment from the rebels. Almost every precinct had been hit at least two to three times in the past two months.

Time. Brian blew loud and hard on the whistle. There was a quick response. He noticed Azalea tail was puffed up with her fury. The girl unleased fifteen rounds into the guards; Brian leading stopped long enough to put a round of bullets into the lights shooting them out throwing the front in to instant darkness. The group following Brian dashed across the street every one firing their weapons. The guard at the front door went down under the hail of bullets. Brian hit the gates hard with a flying kick breaking the latch, the gates flew open. At the same instant Al with Rose let loose with fifteen rounds, the roving guards caught in the open went down before they could open with a few rounds that went into the ground. The front door burst open but there was no one in front of them – the rebels were concealed by the shadows that lay across the lawn.

Using the night vision scope Brian took down the two guards rushing out the door. The group rushed the final distance to the doors, Brian fired two bursts into the doors as they swung closed. The others sprayed the windows with automatic fire. A guard fell out the door another fell at a window. They hit the doors as Jon's group burst through back; two more guards lay dead in the middle of the hall, another lay dead near the back door. Azalea and Gale covered them the others of the group fanned out covering doors and hallways.

Brian led, Jon covering, the two girls behind, Brian reached the second floor, kicked a door open, fired a short burst into a room then tossed a grenade in and closed the door. The four began working their way down the hallway kicking doors open, throwing hand grenades into rooms, explosions followed in quick succession.

Police and Army quickly mobilized, sirens and flashing lights filled the night, the city was suddenly under siege. A door ahead of Brian and Jon opened a guard jumped out in the middle of the hall firing a sub-machine gun. He stopped to look, no one was in the hall. Brian and Jon appeared opening fire on him, he was thrown back by the force of the rounds hitting him. Another door opened a hand snaked out with a semi-automatic. Jon spotted it firing the bullets ripping up the arm. A piercing scream, the automatic fell from the hand, blood covered the arm and hand as it was pulled back in the room.

The police headquarters was hit at exactly two o'clock with rest of the city. Not only did the rebels have all areas of the city tied up simultaneously, and suburban area, the police, fire department and paramedics were in chaos, they found themselves trying to answer all the calls at once then the radio system and telephones went dead; all radio towers were blown up. The group responsible for the police burst in on the unsuspecting police working the main floor. They effectively took down the twenty police on duty and the radio operators. However, they were soon bottled up in the headquarters building but not before they freed many of the prisoners from both sides grabbing what weapons they could they joined the fight. The siege of the headquarters lasted most of the night and tied down the majority of the police. It was nearly an hour and a half before an army unit responded.

The guys and girls held the ground floor of the Palace despite repeated efforts by the police to take either the front or back doors.

Jon and Brian with the girls on backup on the second floor worked their way to the center door. The girls checked rooms on the other side of the hall.

"Nothing," Azalea said then paused hearing a rustling, a whimpering then a crash and bang in the room. Brian looked toward the room. She pointed to the door.

Brian held the door handle of the room he was about to clear. He touched his lips with the barrel of the rifle. Gestured for them to back away from the doors. With a quick move he pushed the door open, sprayed the room with automatic fire then tossed the hand grenade into the room closing the door there was a females scream as the grenade exploded. He tried the other door which was locked. Kicking it in he fired the remainder of the magazine. Azalea tossed a grenade in, there was a scream just as the grenade exploded.

Ignoring the scream, Brian and Jon continued down the hallway to the stairwell that led to the third floor.

Holding the ground floor against the police was becoming an effort for the others, the police were able to muster enough of a force to surround the Palace. The first of the army troops arrived. Al watched them from the front door pull up to the curb. Smiling he took aim with the grenade launcher and fired. Two of the soldiers looking at the Palace as a grenade exploded in one of the chambers blowing the windows out swallowed hard. This was war. One soldier turned as Al fired, screaming just as the grenade hit among the transport load of troops. Dropping the expended casing Rosa passed him another, Al loaded, aimed and fired, the grenade dropped into another transport the explosion throwing bodies around like rag dolls.

"That eliminates some of the opposition," he said getting back under cover as either the police or military brought in a machine-gun. "Great…"

Keeping low they ran down the short hall to a side room, the window shot out. Rosa watched the sides. Automatic weapons fire shattered the front of the building. A scream, from the reception hall caught their attention. Al had to ignore it lining up the sights on the heads of the crew and fired, the grenade describing an arch through the night dropping among the machine gun and riflemen.

Two armored track vehicles appeared Al swallowed hard. He knew what Brian's luck with these were. He held his hand back to Rosa. "Another, babe and keep `em handy."

He waited until the track appeared at the gate. The infantry track pushing the gates aside smashing a gate post. Al licked his lips twice, the track pushed through the shattered gates. Al squinted his eyes. The tops of the tracks were open so the troops on board could use it as a mobile fighting platform.

"Oh you guys are in for a surprise." Al took carful aim adjusting as the track moved forward leading he fired a solid 'whump!' He and Rose were able to watch with bated breath the grenade intercept the track on target. A loud 'Booom!' followed by a secondary set of explosions, the crew was blown out of the track. The driver of second track backed off despite the curses and threats of the track commander. Behind him the infantry squad was bailing out of the track.

Al adjusted his aim to maximum and fired another round, the grenade landing between the two tracks. The driver hastily bailed out leaving the sergeant alone to face the rebels.

The body of a guard lay in the middle of the hall as Brian and Jon lay prone with the slope of the stairs peering over the edge. Azalea and Gale stood on the steps watching below them. A door midway along the hall opened a hand with a semi-automatic appeared; the two fired at the same time taking out pieces of the door.

"Wonder what's on that side of the hall?"

"I think these are staff quarters."

The hand appeared, Brian shot low, Jon high there was a cry of pain the gun fell to the floor. Brian and Jon mounted the last stairs, they tossed grenades in to rooms on either side of the hall, closed doors against the explosion and went to the next making their way toward the area the guard lay dead.

"I got a feeling we got him cornered," said Brian testing the door handle.

"Wonder why he didn't go out the end door?" Jon said thoughtfully looking from the Presidential Chambers to the end of the hallway.

Jon flattened himself against the wall his rifle with a fresh magazine locked and loaded the hand grenade he was holding he hooked back on his web gear. The girls watched either end of the hall and doors.

"We'll find out how brave he is now that revolution has come to him." Brian looked at both ends of the hall. So far the Regime police and army were tied up outside attempting to gain entry. "The Cause will want him alive – whether he likes it or not."

"Yes. The end to all totalitarian regimes," Jon added as an after thought

"Exactly. Now …!"

Brian turned the handle stepped back hit the door with his size eleven boot, the door flew open they stooped down a shot rang out taking a chunk out of the wall.

"I'm not going out of here alive …!"

"Lousy shot, dude," Brian called signaling for Jon to lay down on the floor. The girls moved to cover the ends of the hallway and stay out of the line of fire. Then in a near whisper he said, "Hey, Jon you know what this guy looks like?"

"Yes – and that's him.

"Good – hey dude, this is your worst nightmare talkin' at ya – care ta give up now or ya want keep playin' stupid games?"

Another shot was fired. The two found themselves in a fire fight with Merk.

"The Black Beret?"

"At yer service. Still care ta surrender?"

"You'll have to come and get me first!"

"Shit, outta grenades."

Azalea pressed a grenade into his hand. "Love you."

"Where I come from they'd make a movie out of this." Brian tossed the grenade so it exploded to the side of Merk's barrier. The explosion blew a hole through the floor.

The explosion threw Merk sprawling back. Merk lay on his back his fore head bleeding he crawled back to his cover. "Lousy throw, Black Beret."

"Hey I never said I played baseball now."

Blood running into his eyes Merk aimed his automatic around the corner of the dresser to fire several times.

Counting Brian estimated Merk had used at least half the clip. He would have two left in the weapon.

Brian peered in to the room. "Hey, stupid – what are ya goin' do when ya run outta ammunition, point yer finger at us and go 'bang-bang' and say 'got ya!'?"

Another shot was fired. He held up a finger to Jon indicating Merk had one round left.

Peering in the room now gloomy with the half-light of pre-dawn, Brian saw the first gray light through a broken window streak the jagged horizon. The window was shot out, furniture turned over, the mattress turned on end, bedding torn up, holes in the wall and door and floor.

Brian spoke loud enough for the other to hear, "Damn, my wife can shoot better than that. Hell I'll let her take my place."

Azalea looked stunned as Brian gestured for her to take his place. "Hey, babe nail his ass."

"No problem. I love you too." They kissed as she laid down peering around the edge. Jon gestured for Gale to take his place.

Azalea and Brian swapped places. Her tail swishing back and forth Azalea turned on the spotting scope and zeroed in on the other. Brian dropped back taking her place to watch the stairs. Another hail of bullets was exchanged. The girls swapped magazines to maintain a sustained rate of fire. Then Azalea heard the distinct sound of the firing pin falling on an empty chamber.

"Come on out, as my husband likes to say, game's over, dude. You're done." Azalea called starting to stand, Brian pushed her back to the floor drawing a .45 aiming it in to the room.

Gale saw Brian push Azalea back to the floor, a lone figure started to stand.

"Freeze buckoo…!"

A single shot rang out, a corner of the door was torn out. Brian fired.

"Asaaih!" The sound of someone being hit. There was a second's hesitation before a body hit the floor.

Attaching a mini-Mag flash light to the .45, Brian shone the beam around the room then on the figure on the floor. Easing along the wall he checked the corners and over turned furniture.

"Cover us, girls – Jon check him out. That our boy?"

Jon eased in to the room keeping to the wall, he moved toward the body. Kicking the semi-automatic away from his hand, Jon knelt to check him out. "That's him. Barely alive though."

"I wonder if we can get paramedics in here?"

19.

Gray smoke hung as a funeral pyre over the city, gutted buildings smoldered, fires burned, sun light shed its light on the carnage and destruction of the night before as fourteen of the guys and girls walked out with the Premier hand cuffed to a paramedic gurney. Merk was effectively their prisoner and they weren't going to let him slip from their grasp.

Jon and Brian stood in the middle of the once pristine Palace lawn, Chief of Staff Jol Con and National Police Commissioner Erl Dom watched with a sense melancholy the paramedics who worked through the night on the dead, dying and wounded wheel their wounded members out to the ambulances.

Azalea watched as three of her comrades were wheeled out to the ambulances along with the Premier.

Chief of Staff Jol Con could not but compare their casualties to his.

"It took a military mind to make this revolution work, Major," Chief of Staff Con said with a sense of bitterness turning back to Brian. "Without you this would never have happened."

Brian smiled wearily. "Eventually it would have. It was too strong to stop. It was like a freight train leaving a freight yard, slow to start but hard to stop."

The two walked away from Brian and Jon not another word was heard from either.

Brian and Jon with their ladies walked back to what was left of the Palace. Azalea proudly walking beside the man she would call husband from that day forward.

Brian said, "There's a saying a Special Forces officer once coined, that says it all, 'Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together?'"

"You are so right," Azalea wrapped her tail around his waist lovingly bumping his hip.

"… Husband."

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