Part 27. The Storm
You have been dying since the day
You were born
You know it has all been planned
The quartet of deliverance rides
A sinner once a sinner twice
No need for confession now
Cause now you have got the fight of your life
The Horsemen are drawing nearer
On the leather steeds they ride
They have come to take your life
On through the dead of night
With the four Horsemen ride
or choose your fate and die
(Metallica – The Four Horsemen)
The cemetery was creepier than Vin anticipated. It was old, the oldest he thought he'd seen. The small chapel and main mausoleum were visible from the road and the wrought iron and stone work gave them a gothic feel that had a chill creeping up his spine. Of all the places for it to come down to.
He'd ditched his bike three blocks over, leaving it in the undercover parking alcove of a building that looked like it was no longer being utilised. The morning was crisp and a thick frost covered the ground. He'd left his jacket with his bike and had pulled on a black hooded jumper, wanting to keep as low a profile as he could.
He'd walked the rest of the way and then stuck to the shadows of the buildings across the road as he scoped out the police barricades already in place. The front gates were too well lit to get past and so he headed to the eastern perimeter and continued on past another guarded entrance. Finally the chain link fence grew darker and bended around to the north, where he followed it until he found what he was looking for. It was impossible for the limited police on site to guard the entire perimeter in the darkness and on foot he was swift and silent. Despite the multitude of injuries he was trying his best to ignore he managed to get over the high fence and into the grounds without anyone the wiser.
By his estimation he was about half a mile from the crypt he was seeking and he set off quickly, more unnerved than he would ever admit by the deathly quiet that surrounded his soft, booted footfalls. The place felt wrong. He felt no peace here whatsoever, but he figured that had a lot to do with the limited vision he had in the darkness and the mist. The moon was a sliver in the dark sky and there weren't many lights this far into the grounds to light his way. He saw the two crypts up ahead and paused, crouching and listening for a full five minutes before he moved on, staying low as he approached, boots squelching now in the sodden ground that was sloping slightly downward.
In spite of his early arrival he was surprised to make out the agent already ahead when he stopped again a short distance away. The man was around the same size as himself and was leaning up against the tall wall of the second crypt. His body language was relaxed but as Vin came out in the open he could see that the man was very much aware of his presence. He stepped out and approached, wary of any noises coming from behind him. The agent pushed off the wall and faced him.
"I'm Agent Pearce, Rob, you must be Vin."
Vin nodded, detecting the hint of an English accent in the man's speech and they simply looked at each other for a moment, assessing, before the DEA agent moved.
"Follow me." He turned and headed for the further of the two crypt walls and Vin followed, still wary of any noises around them. There was a thin maintenance rail on the far side of the structure and 'Rob' immediately headed up, confident Vin would follow. Vin took a last look around and headed up behind him.
The two crypts were almost identical, but the one Rob had chosen had a small ledge at the front that rose up, providing adequate cover should anyone want to hide there. He had already set a rifle up against the ledge, to which Vin rose an eyebrow at the agent. The man merely shrugged at him in return and there was a slight smug look on his face that had Vin narrow his eyes and take a long look at the area around them.
He took his time evaluating the position, determining the angle, cover and the visibility it afforded. He noted the wind and the fact that the first crypt was actually providing a good shelter from the light westerly that was currently blowing through. He crouched, getting another perspective and finally, after an exaggerated amount of time, he couldn't help the slight grin that lit his face in response to the still present smirk on the agent's face.
"Yeah okay," he said, shaking his head when the man laughed. It was the right spot.
Rob was pleased with the ATF agents reaction. He'd heard a lot about the man from his time in both the military and the NTF as a sharp shooter. He was no slouch himself in the sniper department, but Tanner's skill with a rifle was admirable, to say the least. He had not been in the military himself, but amongst snipers Vin was legendary for more than one of his shots. He'd heard the man was quiet, reserved, but that he had a good nature and he could see from his attitude now that that was true. There was no arrogance and he was willing to forgive his obvious cockiness in the face of his good call. Seeing Vin eyeing the rifle a moment he stepped forward and gestured to it.
"She's not the newest we have, but I thought you might appreciate her."
Vin eyed the .50 calibre rifle a moment before crouching down and giving it a close inspection. He lifted it up and then gave the gun a thorough checking over as the DEA agent squatted down in silence beside him. All in all, Vin was happy with the rifle, it having been the first rifle he was ever issued. He'd had a lot of practice with the Tac-50 and this one was pretty much stock. Still, he wished he could spend some time getting to know it better. He spent a long moment looking through the scope, seeing in the far distance the readied plots waiting for the biker's. Three fresh graves had been dug and were laying open in waiting, perfectly squared out with moist soil lining the deep sides. Wooden planks sat across the openings, ready for the caskets. The rest of the ground around the area was undisturbed but not too far off he could make out fresh soil covering more plots where recent funerals must have taken place.
He positioned the gun back on the ledge and sat back on his heels, looking at the waiting agent, who was taking something from his pocket. He showed Vin the small earpiece and offered it forward and after a slight pause Vin took it. If it came down to it, it made sense that he would be listening in on the police chatter. He could justify that.
"So... I was told to give you whatever you need and then... see where you wanted me to take up my position."
Vin looked at the agent a long moment and saw that there was no eagerness in the man's face. This was no rookie out to prove himself. This was a man who was just ready to get the job done. He'd shown him nothing but courtesy and respect and Vin was willing to do the same. He looked back out toward the open ground and the burial site that would be their main area of focus. From there he made out the buildings beyond, the chapel and the main mausoleum. Both were exposed to the street. Vin figured there would be agents posted there, but that there would be no pretence in trying to hide them. His gaze moved to their right, to a far off maintenance shed in the distance.
"Have you checked out that area?"
Rob nodded. "I did. The roof is good, there's a sky light on the front side that would give a good cover."
"Okay, consider it yours."
To his surprise Rob laughed again. "I've already moved in."
Vin shook his head, he'd been wondering where the man's own rifle was. "Maybe it's time you went home then."
Rob smiled and tipped his head before moving for the ladder. Vin watched him go and turned back to the gun. Although the funeral was still hours away it would be light soon. Before the sun started peaking up over the horizon behind him he planned to become invisible.
..
An hour later Chris was wandering the perimeter of the meat packing plant, which was operating at full swing with a night shift. He and the rest of the team had arrived first before the other departments to make sure that the gate checkpoints were in place. In a few short hours there would be uniformed officers lining the streets, ensuring that absolutely no-one got inside the property without being checked first. They'd gone to the salvage yard and seen for themselves that there was nothing strange happening there. Without a warrant they couldn't take a closer look, but the place was deserted and there wasn't a flicker of movement. If there were weapons inside, it would be near impossible to get them over the street to the graveyard.
He sighed and looked at his watch. 7.00am. Soon the streets were going to be utter chaos. He could only hope this day would go down without too much bloodshed and if there had to be some, that it was all on the side of the bikers themselves. He moved away from the noise of the plant, rounding the corner that led back out to the car park and a second later he almost threw his phone in the air and jumped out of his boots at the same time.
"What the FUCK?!" He glared at Buck, who had appeared dead ahead of him out of nowhere as he'd rounded the corner.
Buck's teeth showed in the dim light. "Maybe you should check out that toilet paper plant now."
Chris's scowl morphed into a grin. "Son of a bitch." He'd scared the hell out of him. "What are you doing over here?"
Buck pointed back in the direction he'd come. "There's nothing over that way. JD and Nathan are going to head back to the main gate and meet up with Josiah and Ezra."
Chris took a last look around the area and nodded. He'd already heard from Rob Pearce, the DEA sniper he'd been loaned and knew that Vin was in position even though he hadn't communicated with his newest recruit himself yet. "Alright. Let's head back over the road and get ready for the show."
They headed back and toward the rail line using the short wooden bridge. On the bank of the short, shallow river Chris paused, surveying the ground and after a moment he squatted down.
Buck moved closer to Chris where he was kneeling on the sodden ground, down by the steep bank of the marginally flowing water. He didn't say anything, just waited to hear what he was thinking and after a long moment Chris shared his thoughts.
"SWAT's not gonna like it, but I reckon this is a good spot for an ambush."
Buck's eyebrows rose as he studied the water. "In the water?"
Chris stood, making a futile effort to sweep the mud from his knees. "Yep."
"They're gonna love ya for that. It's freezin' out here."
"Yep. Still. Good place to hide."
"If they come through this way they won't see it comin', I'll give ya that."
They moved off again and after a few minutes they could make out the silhouettes of JD and Nathan and Buck started moving forward at a faster pace, a low chuckle escaping his throat.
"Buck."
The only answer he got was a grin shot back toward him.
"Buck, don't do it, the kid'll have a heart attack, or worse, a loud one."
Buck again glanced back at Chris, but seeing JD standing all alone by a long line of gravestones, looking out over the dark, foggy cemetery with a slighty worried expression on his young face was irresistible to him. He crept up quietly and despite the open space around the young agent managed to get a heavy hand down on his shoulder before the kid was aware he'd snuck up.
"ARGH!"
Chris was impressed that Dunne managed to turn and take up a defensive position, in obvious spite of the terror Buck's hand coming down on his shoulder had brought him. He shook his head. Boys.
"Jesus Buck, you nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Now you might wanna check out that toilet paper warehouse kid," Buck chuckled, deeply amused. It seemed there was an endless supply of toilet paper jokes at his disposal and he planned to use every one of them.
Having seen Buck approach and not given JD the heads up Nathan laughed, looking over at Chris, who shook his head despite the grin on his face.
They moved off through the cemetery, checking through the maintenance shed once more as they passed and pausing as they came to the open graves.
"You really think they'll shoot it out, right here in the open?" JD asked, staring down at the open holes.
"You never know with these idiots, JD," Buck said. "Let's just hope if that does happen that they only manage to kill themselves."
They moved respectfully around four freshly covered graves and after a few more minutes met up with Ezra and Josiah at the main entrance, the 'waiting square' as it was called, the area where mourners gathered before proceeding to the burial in a procession through the grounds.
"Chris, I spoke with Murphy. He's going to stay out at the complex, oversee the raid. He doesn't want anything to mess up. Thomas is almost here with his team and Riker has just left base," Josiah told him.
"Okay." Chris checked his watch again. 7.20. He'd leave it to Thomas to brief the SWAT teams. He had a better relationship with them and Chris knew it wasn't going to be an easy sell getting some of their men to lie in wait in the river. "Now we wait."
..
Vin had watched the sky lighten and the swirling fog slowly dissipate and welcomed the sun's warmth on his too cold skin. He checked his watch. 7.50. Still early, but late enough that the SWAT team should be pretty much in place and the DEA all in position. Chris and the rest of the team would be nearby, nervous, ready. JD would be bouncing on his feet, Buck slapping him upside the head. Nathan would be hovering, that worried expression on his face that seemed permanently fixed there. Josiah would be trying to compact his massive frame into a position of cover and Chris... Chris would be still, quiet, contemplating. His eyes were keen and the man was calculating. He'd be wondering if he had it all covered, knowing there was no way to do that.
From the second he'd met the man, spotted him that night that seemed so long ago now, he'd sensed an ally. It was as if they shared the same purpose in life. Chris's sense of justice rivalled his own, but he was a man of his own making. Both of them were on the right side of the law but Vin knew they both courted the darker side. They both had their demons, and they both wanted to make things right. For the first time since he could ever remember, Vin wished for more for himself. He could almost taste the sense of belonging that he felt when he was with his team. What would it really feel like to have this behind him, to have these men at his back?
Time passed him slowly but he remained still and calm. The sounds of morning traffic and city coming to life passed him by as he waited. Watching. Avoiding thinking. Finally his patience was rewarded with a rumble far off in the distance, the first stirring of chrome piping in the morning air rising above the rest of the muffled traffic. He looked at his watch. 9.00am. Show time.
..
As the noise of bikes became steadily louder Vin began to make out movement in the distance. He had been concentrating on the sound of the bikes so was surprised to see the outline of dark shadows creeping along the ground within the cemetery. After a few more minutes he made out two men creeping through the headstones amongst the last wisps of mist and watched them carefully, lying flat against the roof, his keen eyes taking everything in.
That they were sneaking was obvious by the way they crouched, looking around and darting from spot to spot. He watched them move his way, towards the three open graves and then beyond. He flattened himself, worried they were headed his way when suddenly they darted off, heading to his right, toward where Rob had taken up his position. He didn't bother to communicate to the man, knowing he would have seen them from his own vantage point. The noise of the bikes grew louder. It was the main procession. It was earlier than he'd expected, but they would gather beyond the front gates, perhaps for half an hour while they dismounted and waited for everyone to arrive.
He listened as voices flitted across his earpiece. There was still no sign of the Texas riders. Twenty had joined the procession, which was around a hundred men strong, with more civilians gathering at the waiting area.
The sneaking men disappeared from his view, disappearing inside the shed and he heard Rob relay the information over his ear piece.
..
Chris was surrounded by more men than he actually planned for, courtesy of Murphy sending another team in out of concern that Chris needed more backup. A growing crowd of civilians had taken over the waiting square, staying away from the massive police presence. News crews had set up their positions behind the police barricades, all scrambling for the better shot. The air space had been restricted so thankfully no news helicopters were hovering overhead.
He shared a look with Buck, seeing his old friend was as ready as he was, then took stock of the rest of his team, all spread around him, surrounded by Murphy's loaned men. The SWAT team that wasn't currently pissed at him for sending them into the freezing, murky river water to wait for anything that may or may not happen at the rail side border of the grounds, were also in position around the cemetery.
They had the entire cemetery surrounded. There was no way the men were getting in there without getting through them and no way they were getting out either. Now the only problem was making sure they didn't get a chance to open fire.
..
Vin watched more men head towards the shed and after a long wait he finally discovered what it was they were up to. He was voicing the news a heartbeat later. Six men had left the shed and each of them was carrying a weapon. Vin shook his head, they must have stockpiled them to avoid the weapons checks at the gates and somehow nobody had found them. How they had concealed them he didn't know for he'd watched Larabee himself enter that shed just a few hours prior. They remained just outside it, still hidden and by the road that the procession would be riding down to get to the grave site in only a short time. Vin thought the plan was to palm the weapons to the bikers, but it might have been to take out some of the Texans riding with the procession. Either way, he didn't plan on giving them that chance if it came down to it.
The sound of bikes grew louder as more men joined the others gathering outside and Vin looked at his watch again, anxious that there were now armed bikers beneath him. To his relief, he heard the communications of the SWAT team as they moved in to the location he'd given. As stealthy as they were, Vin was looking for them and from his position he could appreciate the bending formation they took as they came up on the armed men. It was over in seconds and more importantly, there hadn't been a sound. He shifted his focus back to the area ahead, beyond the open graves and a moment later heard the unmistakable sound of a train approaching from the south.
..
Chris heard the report from the SWAT team stationed by the river that a train had come into view and a moment later could hear it for himself. He could almost see it as the team reported it slowing down, reaching the platform by the bridge and stopping. A long, slow minute passed and finally a few people disembarked. Namely the driver and one other man. It was a cargo train, although not long. There were only four metal containers lining it's carriage and they were old and battered.
The team of police stationed in the open by the bridge and the gate to the cemetery stepped forward, approaching the two men and satisfying themselves that they were unarmed. They then asked to inspect the cargo to which the men advised that the train was on it's way to pick up cargo and was empty, but to go ahead. The two men waited casually, lighting cigarettes and sharing the contents of a thermos of coffee near the bridge, appearing to admire the morning view as they waited.
Chris listened as the police officer's reported the front two carriages empty, followed by the third. Finally a voice informed them the fourth and last carriage was also empty and Chris let out the tense breath he'd held in.
..
Vin watched the SWAT team lead the detained, now unarmed, bikers away and then heard the report that the procession was reaching the last checkpoint before the main gate. The noise of the thundering engines was becoming deafening and Vin found it was getting harder to hear the voices clearly through his headset.
He listened as more and more bikers were cleared through the last checkpoint, the twenty Texan riders that had been reported the night before with them and then finally he could see the bulk of black metal and leather as it approached down the main street toward him up in the far distance. They were riding two abreast on the narrow road, headlights shining. Before they disappeared out of his site, hidden by the main building at the entrance, he could make out the first coffin, riding alongside the specially made frame on the lead bike.
What worried him was the absence of the rest of the Texan chapter. There should have been a lot more bikes. It made sense that they'd ride in separately, given the state of things, but where were they? He'd been partly convinced they would be on the train. The Denver procession had reached the main entrance and within another minute the deafening noise was cut off. They would now gather together in the waiting square and wait for the funeral directors to motion them forward to start the walk behind the three coffins to the grave site.
The checkpoints all reported that the roads were clear and the procession began a minute later. Once started, the long line of bikers, followed by civilians, began to wind through the slow walk through the grounds to the waiting graves.
Vin watched them proceed forward, no more than small shadows at the far distance he was at. As they progressed he used his scope, searching through the men, looking for any familiar faces. After long minutes he saw Warren Lance and beside him, as always, Judd. He wished for a second he could squeeze the trigger and rid himself of that particular problem.
It would take them time to reach the grave site and as they moved there was suddenly a report that four large coach buses were approaching the area. Vin could almost feel the tension on the ground from the teams all present. Unfactored scenarios were never welcome. He listened as men reported the buses splitting up, each taking different entrances and a moment later it was revealed that the buses were in fact loaded with men. Men bearing the insignia of not just the Texan Joker's but several other clubs as well.
Vin felt his heart rate escalate. He'd known they would come, but there had been a part of him that had wished for a different outcome. Four large coaches meant there had to be at least 50 men on each, whether they were armed or not that meant by sheer numbers alone they would have the advantage over the Denver club. He listened as the radio chatter increased as the unexpected number of newcomers were ushered through the checkpoints and searched thoroughly.
..
Chris ground his jaw. Nobody had considered the possibility of the men arriving like this. It was unexpected and above all, not in his control. Vin had predicted that the Texans would gather a force on their way through and he'd been right. Now not only were the Denver bikers outnumbered, the officers and government agents were outnumbered within the grounds. The fact that his side was armed was a consolation, but it didn't make the situation any less volatile. He was thankful that weapons had already been confiscated but wasn't ready to believe that would be the end of their effort to arm themselves.
..
Vin could see the procession progressing to the grave sites and realised that they had no idea that the Texas chapter had arrived behind them. If the situation wasn't so dire, he could almost smile at that. The bastards certainly had it coming.
It took long minutes but finally the crowd converged on the grave sites and began to jostle for positions and it was then that they began to notice that men were starting to appear from all around them, heading towards the service from all gates as they were let through. The unease was obvious as men turned to look around them. They would soon be surrounded completely by the mass of men. Vin wondered if anyone had noticed yet that their guns had not made their way to them courtesy of the SWAT team arresting their delivery boys. He began to look through his scope intently, searching the new arrivals for familiar faces and seeing many he knew. As they moved further towards the burial site he picked out Sugar's back and with a slight shock, saw that Ivan was beside him, with Charlie a step away. He scanned the rest, searching for Eddie, not really expecting to find him.
On the ground the somewhat frazzled funeral directors moved on with the service, completely aware of the escalated tension all around them. They began the short grave site ceremony and were almost positive that they could have said anything at that point, for no one was listening to them. The men were tense, ready, like snakes about to strike. The lead director sped through his words and was relieved when the coffins were lowered into the ground. A moment later, the world shook.
Vin gripped the ledge before him as the ground literally shook and he looked out in shock to see what had made the massive noise. He was just in time to see the giant fireball that was now rising above the building ahead of him and a moment later, a second explosion rocked the ground, followed quickly by two more and after just a moments pause, four more in quick succession.
..
Chris took yet another look around him as the coffins were lowered simultaneously when suddenly the ground shook and a blast shattered the morning sky. All men around him dropped to the ground and turned looking up, all witness to the massive ball of fire that rose out beyond the roof of the main building behind them.
"What the hell?!" Buck said, lifting his head to the sight. He looked at Chris, who was giving him an intense look. "Oh come on, I was right here!"
Chris didn't spare him a glance. His bad feeling had just gotten a lot worse and when a second explosion rent the air he knew it was just the beginning.
..
By the fourth rapid explosion Vin knew what was happening. It was a diversion. Every man inside the Texans rough circle had turned in shock with the noise but the outer ring of men did not move. That told him right away who was behind it. Four buses, four explosions and then a moment later, what he knew was four train carriages. The Texans didn't hesitate, they dove right in, not letting the fact that they were unarmed get in the way from finding men to kill with their bare hands.
Vin tried to ignore the frantic calls on the radio shouting for the fire department as the flaming wreckage began to grow out of control and head for nearby cars and buildings. There were casualties, that much he could hear. The blasts had been too fierce for bystanders to not have gotten caught. Chaos. Exactly what Eddie excelled at. He sighted through his scope, seeing men fighting fiercely and wondering if he was better off on the ground. Shooting unarmed men was not something he was prepared to do... a moment later he realised his position wasn't wasted after all.
To his complete astonishment he watched as one of the freshly filled graves literally exploded, followed by another, then the remaining four that were in the close vicinity. A second later he could only stare in shock as men emerged and worse, they were armed and opening fire before Vin could blink. He reacted swiftly, firing his first shot and seeing it go wide into a tree before adjusting his aim accordingly, his second closely followed shot taking out the first armed man he aimed for. Ignoring the pain the recoil drove into his still healing shoulder he moved on, looking for his next target even as he heard the sound of Rob's rifle exploding twice also before another man fell. He searched for the next target and quickly realised they were surrounded by men and he had no clear shot. The four remaining armed men had automatic weapons and were firing rapidly into the body of men and Vin realised they were taking down Texans and their associate clubs and leaving the Denver men standing. Still, he had no clear shot.
He adjusted his aim and was rewarded in another moment with an opening. The man he sighted was cutting down men in a frenzy, they were falling all around him and still he continued to fire until Vin pulled his own trigger once, ending his killing spree. That left three and he struggled to get another clear shot. He aimed at another armed man, watching two men fighting that blocked his aim and made a decision. He fired, hitting the arm of one of the fighting men and as they fell together in a tangle he re-aimed and took another shot, taking out the shooter. Quickly he replaced his magazine as he heard Rob's gun explode again with three shots in succession.
He eyed the final shooter, aware of the sheer number of bodies that had been culled to the ground as he took aim. The angle would never afford him the shot and he grimaced as the shooter kept firing. A moment later he saw the man jerk forward, shot from behind as the agents on the ground took him out.
The lull in gunfire was sudden and it seemed to amplify the noise of the frantic voices that came through his ear. Officer's were down, caught in the blasts, more had been injured by stray bullets from the shooters below. A news van parked next to one of the coaches had caught fire in the explosion, killing two crew members. The reports kept coming in and to Vin, it was as if the scene slowed down. The sun was hiding behind low cloud but there had been no rain that day. That didn't mean the ground wasn't completely saturated from the night before. The Texans had lost their advantage of numbers swiftly when the gunmen had opened fire and now men were fighting hand to hand, slipping on the slick ground, their clothes and skin covered in dark mud as they fought and then tried to run in vain from the agents converging on them.
He was still staring down at the battle when the sound of Larabee's voice requesting a check in made him blink. He knew it was time to give up his position after he'd given it away so thoroughly. He took a moment to check in, grabbed his rifle and headed for the thin ladder that would take him down to the ground, hearing Agent Pearce check in also as he moved.
..
As the noise of the explosions had died away Chris had made a swift decision and called for backup, of the military kind. Handling armed bikers was one thing, civilians being blown up in the streets was another level of security entirely. This was terrorism and this demanded a swift and brutal response.
All agents moved forward toward the quickly escalating fight before them but were driven back a moment later as to their total shock, six men sprang out of nowhere and started spraying bullets into the mass. They took cover wherever they could and tried to get clear shots of the shooters, but it was impossible with the wall of fighting men blocking them. Moments later they heard the crack of rifles and the confirmations from both Vin and Agent Pearce as they took out the men from above. The final shooter was brought down by a SWAT sniper on the mausoleum roof and the men brawling all began to run.
They held their position a moment longer, needing to ensure the shooters were no longer a threat even though it meant the bikers were breaking up around them. Chris spoke to Riker, head of the DEA's second unit, who he knew would be approaching from the East, over the radio.
"Larabee." Came the response. "We've just made out one of your men up ahead of us. Tell him he needs to find a bigger tree."
Chris glanced sideways at Josiah, who had tried to make himself smaller without success. Before he could say anything the ex-preacher had caught JD around the scruff of the neck and pulled him down beside him again. The youngest of their team had popped up like a meerkat trying to take a look at what was ahead.
"JD," Chris hissed, seeing the dark head and eyes turn towards him sheepishly. "You pop your head up again without my order and I will shoot you my damn self. You hearin' me?" He thought he'd drilled it into the kid enough after the last time, but obviously not.
Wincing, JD saw Buck shaking his head at him and turned back to face forward, Josiah like a menacing force beside him, threatening to plant him in the earth if he jumped up again.
"How's it look from your end?" Chris asked Riker.
"They're scattering towards the river. There's a lot of them holing up in the two maintenance sheds. If you go wide now you might have a shot at them. I'll head out on your signal."
"On my signal then." Chris agreed, nodding to his team and then using hand signals to direct their next movements.
They moved forward as one, Chris, Josiah, Buck and Nathan, all seasoned soldiers, compensating for JD's lack of field experience by flanking him and covering his position without Chris having to say a word. If JD was aware of their unspoken tactic he said nothing, too busy focusing on what lay ahead to be aware of such subtle movements around him.
The bikers had indeed scattered and were still shooting off in all directions, some still fighting each other even as officers and agents moved in and subdued them. Chris pressed forward and in another minute they had approached the first shed and on Chris's signal Nathan moved forward to a nearby tombstone and crawled along the ground to get a look. He signalled back; there were no men behind the shed, but three were taking cover further up. Moving back he spoke to Chris.
"There's a crypt up ahead beyond the shed. Has wrought iron at the front. There's more men holed up in there."
"Alright. Resume your position."
He waited for Nathan to move back ahead and then got down on his belly. He began to crawl along the ground as Nathan had, heading out form the cover he'd taken before stopping and scanning the scenario from his new position. Nathan's description had been exact and he knew he could take them from his location.
With threats and warnings all around it wasn't until tear gas was fired from Riker's team that the men gave up the fight.
When a large group of bikers managed to make it as far as the river bank Chris felt a moment's justification when the SWAT lying in wait were able to use their position and apprehend them all before they could cross. Many of the SWAT team that had been positioned there had left their positions when the train had exploded but there were still a few remaining and it had paid off.
As men continued to be rounded up Chris moved back toward the burial site where it had begun, shocked by the carnage. From his vantage the bodies were thick and deep. It looked like a scene from a war movie, a nightmare. Fire and rescue were converging, sirens blaring through the streets and smoke was still billowing up into the sky. He called for everyone to report in, relieved when he heard Vin's voice as he had no visual on him, all the while aware that outside the gates the devastation was just being accounted for. His hand flexed over his gun, still in his hand and for a moment he wished he had a living target to shoot. These men were no more than animals and they weren't going to walk out of this. As much as he hated this part of things it was now his job to make sure everything was handled by the book. He wanted no mistakes when it came to these men having to pay for what they'd done.
..
Vin moved down as the noise of a helicopter approached and glancing up he realised it was military issue. They'd called in the big guns. The glance, however, cost him as he saw, too late, movement from his left. At the same time he heard Rob's voice call a warning to him he saw a flash of silver and that was all he knew. He was out before his head connected with the solid paving beneath him.