Chapter Seven

Connecticut, Pennsylvania

On a moonless night, the mission had begun. Privately called, "Match Light" The team was quiet and serious while waiting to begin their separate assignments.

The MH-53J Helicopter carried the men to the hit point near a town outside of Connecticut. Maconochie and his Family owned half of the town of Beacon Falls. They lived in the largest complex there.

Landing a mile away, the team disembarked to unhitch a large "package" under the Helicopter. The crew chief waited for the signal to lift off. The pilot would remain close by until it was time to pick them up again.

The unit hiked the rest of the way to the complex. Each man cloaked in darkness wearing night vision goggles and hoisted the burden between them as they walked in silent unison.

Brick and iron surrounded the complex. The parameter was absent of armed guards. A truck approached and without pausing, the gate swung open allowing the truck to enter and then shut again just as quickly.

From their vantage point on a small hill, the Major watched with a high power scope while the truck was unloaded.

He picked out the guards doing most of the unloading and formulated the next action he would take. He signaled to the Watcher Strike Team to move to their assigned quadrant. The ten men scattered with no more sound than a leaf blown across pavement.

When in place, one man crept forward to attach a small square box to the front iron gate closest to the brick encasement. Setting the timer, he scurried away back to his concealment of safety.

The major checked the house to discern if anyone had detected any sound. It was quiet by all accounts and the truck continued to be unloaded. The timer from the explosive on the gate counted down ten minutes. It was time enough to allow for any last minute change. The men knew to wait without moving. Breathing was optional.

When Maconochie' men were finished unloading the truck, they returned to the points around the wall and gate. Everyone heard an audible click just before the explosion tore apart the gate and half of the wall.

The snipers took out what men were still standing inside the complex. Lights went on in the house but with all the gunfire, no one came outside.

As the smoke cleared and the screams from the injured and dying continued, the strike team assembled and began hauling the "package" to the front door and then returned. Between ten men, down a hill, they accomplished the task in less than two minutes.

The Major covered his men by keeping fire on the windows of the house until the bomb sat on the large front porch. One man quickly set the timer and gestured for everyone to run.

Only a few shots came from the house by this time, but it was more random than accurate. From an upstairs balcony, a man saw their retreat. Maconochie was the last to see the flash when the bomb exploded.

The Major and the Watcher Strike team looked back long enough to be sure no one survived. The large mansion, home to the biggest mob family was now a crater of rubble.

They made their way to a clearing for the pickup. As he called the helicopter, Major thought, "It was too easy." He was feeling a letdown after the adrenaline rush from the mission. They would have a debriefing and reports on their return back to base. The whisper sound of the blades signaled their ride, "Load up men," he signaled to them, "Time to go home."

Indian Ocean

Smoke was beginning to billow from the back of the cruise ship near the laundry room. People began milling around looking for leadership.

The ship was two days from port in southern Africa. The captain had already put out a distress call out for anyone to aid them.

Amanda looked overboard and saw only the watery depths. She said aloud to those in a panic state near her. "The ship can stay afloat for several days in spite of the fire. Only if you panic and jump overboard, will you die."

"That is not what I heard the stewards say," said Constance in a shrill voice. "And no one is coming to help us for hours."

People nearby voiced their concern thinking Amanda was a representative for the cruise ship.

Someone asked, "Why aren't the life rafts being used? Are we supposed to wait until the last minute before we get to safety?"

Amanda replied, "Keep looking you'll see." She turned and walked away from Constance and pretended not to hear her calling.

Constance took out her cell phone and checked for a signal. It was a weak one so she worked on a text message to send to Egan. After hitting the send button, she walked around the deck and waited for an answer.

Following Amanda was just an assignment and nothing more. Constance had hid her watcher tattoo years ago under heavy makeup.

Starting the fire was easy but getting her near Carl Robinson so he could challenge Amanda might not be that easy.

Amanda felt an acute sense of danger on a floating cruise ship that was on fire. She wanted to be on land again. Even with a ship this size, she knew there was one immortal stalking her. She went back to her cabin and shut the door locking it. Taking out her sword, Amanda sat in a chair and pondered what was to do next.

The sinking of a ship she could survive but a challenge aboard a ship on fire was a different ending.

The loudspeaker announcement sounded, "All Personal will attend to the lifeboats." Then she heard, "All passengers put on your life vests and report to your assigned lifeboat."

"That's not going to happen," said Amanda aloud tucking her sword under her coat. She went to the cabin door and opened it. Amidst the chaos in the hallway, she made her way aft.

With all the passengers gathering on the deck, Amanda knew the emptiness would be below. She wanted to hunt the immortal before he came for her. Room by room, deck by deck she searched.

The intercom sounded again, "All passengers on deck," but she ignored it and kept walking.

Just ahead, a steward blocked her in the hallway saying, "Lady you have to go above now it's not safe."

Amanda pulled her coat aside enough to let him see the glint of her sword and said, "Suppose you never saw me and I don't kill you." The look of her eyes showed him she would back up her threat.

He took a step away and told her, "Do whatever you want. I'm just supposed to clear the hall of passengers but you're not worth dying for."

"Now that's the smartest thing I've heard you say. Are there any other passengers still down here?" she asked.

"There was someone in 5510B that won't come out but I've already reported that." The young man replied.

"Thank you," said Amanda. "Now shoo!" she told him.

She went further into the depths of the ship feeling out in all directions for the elusive immortal.

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