Chapter 38: Defence
It was the beginning of march, on a cold rainy night. When Mavis woke us all up.
"Family I have detected a problem. Seems that someone is trying to break in to the emergency stairs. It's hard to see numbers through the rain, but I estimate 6 individuals. They will be through the door in approximately 30 seconds, and be up here in about 60 more seconds". "Right Mavis", says dad. Mom and dad jump into action, they get their body armour on and get their guns out of the safe.
They come into the hallway the same time as Vivian comes out of her room in body armour holding a mark 10 recoilless. "Mom were did you get that cannon"? "I bought it, dear. And before you ask, yes, I am qualified, and I have a conceal carry permit". "Mavis call the ZPD we are going to need help". "Already called ETA 7 minutes". "All right everyone no heroics, we only need to keep them occupied tell the Calvary gets here". Us kits all run into Grandma's bed room as the door at the end of the hall bows in under pressure.
"Mavis counter measurers at the end of the hall please". A small smoke screen happens at the end of the hall. The door is knocked off it's hinges and the perps enter. They wait for all the perps to fully enter, before they open fire. It's a short fire fight, with no cover the perps are hit multiple times and they all go down.
There is then the sound of breaking glass coming from the living room. Mom keeps the perps covered at the end of the hall, while dad and Vivian turn towards this new threat. Four perps come around the corner, only to meet a hail of gun fire. They all go down, but one gets off a lucky shot and hits Vivian in the leg. She goes down and Peter drags her into the bedroom, and slams the door. It is eerily quiet in the house while they wait for the ZPD tack team, none of the perps are moving. The tack team enter with Alfred in tow. They secure the area and call for ambulances.
Dad and mom rush to grandma's room to see how she is doing. "Peter get off me it's not that bad, It's just a flesh wound". Dad can see she's right but Peter is holding her tight, and crying. "Mavis how could you miss the four other perps on the roof"? "They were not on the roof Nick; they were lowered from a helicopter. You were already engaged, and I didn't want to destroy your concertation". "Right thanks Mavis".
Vivian starts to cry, "oh God, I've killed some one". Nick comes over and hugs her. "Mom you did what needed to be done, if you hadn't things could have turned out a lot different. They were aiming to kill us and take the O'Hare kits". "I know son, but it still doesn't feel right". "I know ma, it never feels right taking someone else's life". Peter bandages her wound, crying all the time as he did so. "It could have been so much worst Vivian", says Peter. "I could have lost you". "Well sorry husband you are stuck with me. And Putting a serious look on her face asks, "Nick, do you know how to get the smell of milk out of body armour"?
All the perps are loaded into ambulances and taken to the hospital. Chief Bogo shows up about ten minutes later. "Well I see that your thoughts were bang on". He says this, looking at grandma. "Yes, chief sir". He comes over and kneeling down looks at her, "how are you doing"? "Chief it's not easy, but with the help of my family, I will get through this". "Right, Wilde's, I want a full report on my desk tomorrow afternoon". "Yes Chief, do we get hazard pay"? Chief Bogo just shakes his head and leaves the kitchen.
"Alfred, Sorry about the mess, do you have another place we can stay for the night"? "Yes, I believe that apt 3B is available". "Can we get this cleaned up some how"? "I have already called building maintenance; we should have this set to rights by tomorrow night". "Wow that's quick". "We are prepared for something like this, don't worry I'll look after it". "Thanks Alfred". We all grab a change of clothes and some blankets and head down. 3B is only a two-bedroom apartment, so mom and dad get one room, grandma and grandpa, and the pup and kits take the other. The rest of us, all sleep in a pile on the Livingroom floor.
We can feel grandma crying most of the night, and Peter just holding her. The next morning, we are all tired, no one got much sleep last night. We go up to the gym, but no one has much heart, we go through the routine, but it's lack luster. Instead of swimming we all just soak in the hot tub. We can hear repair noises from up stairs.
"Mom when did you get training for that gun? And how did you get a carry permit"? "Well son, I've been skipping our practices at the station to get training from the arms master. When I explained what happened at the park in October, the chief agreed that is was a possible abduction. So, I asked him for pistol training so I could defend the kits from a distance. I already have close combat training, and I wanted to be better prepared just in case. The arms master was reluctant, but I convinced him I could do it. I started with a mark six, like Judy, and was getting scores consistent with marksman level. We then started to go up in size, tell I was consistent with a mark ten. The Chief gave me the carry permit, to protect the O'Hare children". "Wow mom I'm impressed, I'm glad you were there to help us, I don't think Judy and I could have taken them all without injury".
Later Nick and grandma are having coffee in the kitchen. "Nick how do you deal with the fact you may have to take a life"? Nick deflates a bit, "mom I take it one day at a time. I try not to think about it. If it happens, I try to make peace with God. But I make sure that there is no other way, and that all other options are closed to me, then I pull the trigger". "Nick, have you had to kill in the line of duty"? "Yes ma, I have. And I beat my self up for weeks over it. I played "what if" tell I had myself so wound up; I couldn't think straight. Judy talked me down, and without her love, I don't know how far I would have gone".
"Does the idea about shooting someone come any easier"? "God, I hope not ma, if it did, I think I would quit the force, I don't want that kind of power. I don't want to choose life or death for someone else. But I will if I have no choice, like last night. They were going to kill us ma. There were ten guns to the two guns that that they knew were at the house".
"They had light armor for protection from the mark six and seven, but their armor was not good enough for the mark ten. Mom, don't think of it like you had a choice, we had no choice, we had no other options". "It still doesn't make it any easier, Nick". "I know ma, but you saved us all with that canon, and I for one am glad you had it". Nick hugs his mother, and they just cry on each others shoulder.
We move back into the house at supper time. The smell of fresh paint is the only clue to the fire fight the night before. The emergency stairs door has been replaced with a stronger one, with inside bracing that can be removed with a flick of the wrist. We all learn how to open it, so that who ever gets there first can have it open for the rest. Supper is a somber affair, with not much talking we all go to bed early, Susan and I just crawl into our bed and hold each other, we sync up and picking up grandma, grandpa, mom and dad head for the meadow.
Gab is waiting for us all. "Susan, Daniel, no lessons for tonight", "right Gab", we blink out. "Gab did you request for us to be here"? "No Nick, I didn't, Daniel and Susan thought it would be a good idea for you to come tonight, in case you had some questions for me".
Ask questions of Gab they did, at the end of the session, everyone was feeling better about what happened, they still weren't happy but this session helped them all on the road to recovery.
The next morning, Susan and I got hugs from them all, expressing their thanks.