CHAPTER NINE
Tolerance
Rios Residence
As soon as her father's truck turned the same corner that Salem had rounded earlier that morning jogging, Nala took off running down the driveway her bright pink flip flops slapping a staccato beat across the pristine concrete. She darted straight to her room, and threw herself across the bottom of the twin bed narrowly missing the four, watch dragons. The girl squeezed her eyes shut, and ground the heels of her hands into them trying to halt the tears forming there. She couldn't explain why she felt so upset about the men leaving. She'd said good bye to them dozens of times before, for far more dangerous missions.
"Grrr." She growled, flopping over onto her back irritated with her weakness, then reaching to her right she picked up the smallest of the stuffed dragon quartet, Elliot's dragon, set it on her chest, and gentle stroked its head and back.
"Why were you crying Dragon One? You've never cried at goodbye time, not ever. But there were tears in your eyes. I won't tell anyone Dragon One; I've got your six on it. But why? That's what scares me, why?"
When the small stuffed dragon offered up no response she set it back in its place, and sat up.
"Nothing for it then guys." She addressed the group tersely, "I'll just suit up, occupy the family room, by force if necessary, and monitor the situation. The guys are local. I could tell by how Grampa Art acted. Some thing's going down nearby. The local news boobs will definitely be on it."
Ten minutes later once again dressed in her all black mission clothes Nala stood in front of the tall thin gun safe tucked inside of her closet studying her Air Soft load out choices.
"Let's see…the family room is CQB stuff so I'll need my Tokyo Marui H & K MK23 USSOCOM pistol. Then, for a bigger kick, I don't really need full auto so… I'll go with my, and again a beautiful Tokyo Marui weapon, my M870 shot gun. Do I want the Dragunov? I can pretty much hold 'em back from anywhere in the house with the 870, but if they decide to try and breech from an exterior position…yea what the hell my Dragunov goes too. It's an A&K weapon and I wish Marui made one but oh well."
Guns inspected, and loaded, body armor donned, and the safe re-locked Nala made for her objective surprised, and relieved that no one had bothered to check on her.
Another ten minutes after exiting her room, and after arranging a six pack of Cott's grape soda, a bag of Salt and Vinegar chips, a bag of spicy Pork Rinds, a packet of Teriyaki beef jerky, and some of the Shrimp Boudin on the end table beside Rios' big the recliner she settled into the leather chair with the 870 on her right, well within a one move reach. The H&K was strapped to her right thigh low like Salem wore his, and the Dragunov was stowed beneath the sofa. What the enemy didn't know played into her hand. The Dragunov would be her ace in the hole. Sighing she grabbed the remote, clicked on the big flat screen television, and hit nine for the local news.
"Yup, stupid news boobs, so predictable." Then, in a sarcastic voice remarkably similar to Salem's, read the red trailer scrolling along the top of the screen aloud. "Breaking story, a hostage standoff downtown at South Pointe drive… Gotcha guys, you can't hide from me."
Nala reached over opened a can of grape soda, stuck in a straw, sipped it, then leaning back opened the recliner. She crossed her feet, and un-crossed them taking a second to push at her Randall fixed blade strapped to her right ankle with her booted left foot. Finally, content that it was properly settled, she flipped her mask down, and prepared to watch the circus unfold.
Forty-five minutes later the sound of footsteps drew her attention from the unfolding story, and she sat up straighter.
"Nala are you in here? Nala? The kids are waiting to play water tag."
"Over here, mom." She replied innocently, albeit, while preparing for the coming battle by un-holstering the H & K.
Samantha strode the remaining way into the family room, took one look at the television, then one look at her armor clad daughter, and started hollering as she moved straight for the television intent upon shutting it off.
"No, you are not watching whatever it is, is going on young lady, and get out of those ridiculous clothes!" Samantha demanded reaching for the off button. The sound of the H & K's action stopped her short, and when she turned back toward Nala she saw the weapon leveled at her chest in the child's steady hands.
"Step away from the television Samantha."
"Huh! Sam…Samantha? I am your mother young lady, and do not aim that filthy weapon at me. Put it down this instant."
"Step away from the television now."
"I will not! You wouldn't dare fire that thing at me! Put it down now!"
The H & K's Air Soft pellet pinged off a photograph on the entertainment center's shelf, of Salem, Rios and Nala at an Air Soft event, and ricocheted into Samantha's furrowed forehead as she reached once again for the television's off button. Flabbergasted that Nala would actually shoot at her Samantha recoiled, and stepped back three paces. She settled her hands on her narrow hips, and seethed.
"Nala Brittany-Ann Rios…"
Nala's second shot zinged passed Samantha's left ear, fluffing up her hair, un-settling a second picture on the teak entertainment unit.
"Step away from the television Samantha. I will not ask you again."
"That's it. I am calling your father, young lady. I will get him on the phone, and he will, he will…" She paused trying to think of how Tyson or Elliot would speak to the child mercenary to get her under control. He will order you to…" Then, it came to her. The words Tyson used to get Elliot under control. "He will order you to stand down."
Nala giggled, Samantha fumed, and the television reporter stated that an elite team from SSC was enroute to the scene to assist the Dade county teams confirming Nala's theory.
"Sorry Samantha, but it's too late. They are in their Cloister Time, and can't be disturbed. So your choice lady, step off, or pow right between your beguiling eyes."
"My beguiling, beguiling! How in the hell do you know the meaning of beguiling, and how dare you use that term on me."
"Spain ring a bell Samantha. Then there's private school with A.P. vocabulary class, go figure, but just go do it somewhere else 'cause I'm losing my patience." Nala sniped back wagging the barrel of the HK in the direction of the kitchen. "Move along, shows over, for you at least."
"Just you wait; just you wait till your father gets home. He won't even approve of this behavior, and if your maniacal uncle does I'll have him shot if you grandfather can't have him sent away."
Before she could turn to leave a third shot flitted from Nala's H & K, and struck Samantha in the center of her chest on the jade and onyx pendant she wore. The pendent was smaller than a half dollar, and she was stunned that Nala's aim was good enough to hit it even from only ten feet away.
"That's a final warning Samantha. Don't ever threaten my Dragon One again. Daddy doesn't let anyone do it, and neither do I. And just so you know; I am just as accurate with my 9MM Zastava."
Samantha froze. The coldness in Nala's voice terrified her. The timbre had shifted from the seriousness of the earlier conflict to something far more sinister, and Sam shivered under her daughter's steely glare. Mouth agape she stared back trying to decide if Nala would actually choose Salem over her. The answer she saw in Nala's piercing eyes was clear. Stunned by the revelation the trembling woman exited the family room, and went straight back to the patio where the rest of the women were watching the unfolding events on the outside television set.
Out on the patio Samantha and Tyson's mothers, Heckler's wife Zoe, and Giddy's wife Gwen were all staring intently at the huge television.
"Everything alright dear?" Sam's mother queried noting her daughter's pale complexion.
For a moment, embarrassed that she could not control her child, Samantha considered lying, and saying yes, but the unbelievable events had left her overwhelmed, and instead she blurted out a brief version of what had occurred.
"Let me talk to her, Samantha. She likes, well we see eye to eye, and Salem and I are close so; let me go see how she's doing. Probably she's just throwing up a strong front to look brave."
"Fine Zoe fine, if you say so, but I can't believe she threatened to shoot me, shot me."
Zoe made her way into the family room, and sat down on the leather sofa across from Nala. The H & K was back in its holster, and Nala's mask was up so that she could nibble on the Boudin.
"Mom sent you."
"Well yes and no. You doing ok?"
"Roger that. The guys are ten mikes out so it should all get started pretty quickly now."
"Yea, it's ok to be scared for them."
"What?" Nala snapped turning her attention to Zoe. "I'm not afraid for them. I'm…I'm worried about my Dragon One is all." She finished off indignantly.
"Why sweet heart? If I read this thing right they'll be well out of harm's way. I'm sure your dad and him are Insertion Team One, but it's nothing nearly as risky as what they usually handle. Just something Dade can't handle."
Nala sighed. Of all the others she trusted Zoe the most. The kind woman, who was ex-Air Force, and Salem, had a special bond for some reason. The girl could sense it, but she'd never been able to puzzle out just why. There had been bad blood between Heck and Elliot over it a long while back. Nala recalled the trying times, but beyond remembering missing Salem's visits because he'd steered clear of the team, outside of work, for nearly two months, she'd been too young to really understand, or recall exactly what the problem was.
"Dragon One was crying when they left. He's never ever cried at good-bye time before. I don't know why, and I'm scared for them. Please don't tell him, Zoe please. I shouldn't have said anything he'll hate me forever. He was tryin so hard to hide it. Do you think his gut was saying something bad was gonna happen? He trusts his gut. Daddy says he's the one that taught him to listen to his better. Says it's one of Dragon One's best qualities." Then sadly, "I wish he'd tell Dragon One that though. He'd be proud to hear it."
"Yea, Elliot likes to hear a compliment, and the guys don't give him many do they?" Zoe agreed chuckling. "No, it's ok it's our little secret, and just so you know I've seen him cry before too so it's alright, Nala. I can't answer the why though. That is strange."
"You've seen him cry?" Nala queried sitting up, and staring intently at Zoe the Boudin now forgotten.
"Yea, I have; and that, my little girl friend, is Elliot's and my little secret. But as for today, I think maybe this is all just a little too close to home for him, sweetie. You know how he won't discuss anything about work; well this one's gonna be damned hard to hide, or hide from. To hide from you, and himself, and his friends; I think maybe he's worried that you'll see something, and that he'll disappoint you, and that although he'll get them home just fine something will happen, and he'll lose you."
"Great, and I shot mom. Grampa's really gonna try to take me away now."
"No one's taking you anywhere, Nala. Your dad would never let that happen, and if it came down to choosing between SSC and your mom, or keeping you, Elliot and himself together he'd do anything it took. You're a smart girl Nala, and I know you know that your mom is not quite what moms and wives should be, and trust me honey your dad is a firm believer in CYA. So I'm guessing he's got as much dirt on Art and your mom as Art thinks he has on Elliot."
"Covering your ass; yup he is that, so ok I feel better, but I'm still gonna watch them so just keep mom outta my sector ok."
"Roger that, and look, there, at the scene; there they are just pulling up now in Rumford Rhino. You need me you know where I am."
"Roger that."