The Mule

Chapter 28

Gael turned to Irene, who had woken up while he was looking at the security app. "There are four people coming up the laneway carrying rifles. They must have climbed over the fence." The fence had been installed by his grandfather, but his father had removed the gate. The fence was showing it's age, but Gael had wanted the security system in place as fast as possible. Next he would worry about replacing the fence. "Get everyone except Patsy and Vicky in here and lock the door." The master bedroom was the only room upstairs with a lock. "Call the police. No, scratch the first part.'' He reached for his pants and took his key ring out. Taking a key off and handing it to his wife, he lcontinued "Take everyone to the elevator, it's big enough." They had wanted their elevator to have enough room for large items they might want to get upstairs, such as a hospital bed should they need one. "When everyone's in, lock it. Don't open it until I call you and say it's safe to." He pulled on his pants and reached for his shirt.

"Why don't you want me to take Patsy and Vicky with us?"

"They are wicked marks-women and they don't take shit from anyone. Tell them to meet me in the storage room downstairs."

"Don't you go putting our offspring in danger, Gael Maxwell Brennan!"

"I need them, honey. I can't fight off four men by myself. But I don't plan on any bloodshed, if it can be helped. I love you." He gave her a kiss before leaving the bedroom while buttoning his shirt up. Once he had it done up, he took his phone out of his pocket and called Owen Jarvis while making his way downstairs. "Owen? Sorry to wake you, bud. We have a situation here that could be a problem. My cameras picked up four people walking up the laneway with rifles in their hands."

"Have you called 911?" the commander of the local RCMP detachment asked.

"Irene is going to do that. She's getting the children together in the elevator and she will lock it so nobody can get to them."

"Okay, I'm on my way, too. Your address is flagged in the computer system to go double time if any of you call in, so it shouldn't be long before we get there."

Next, Gael called Stan in the bunkhouse and told him what was going on. "I'm on my way, Dad."

"You stay there unless you can get here safely. Don't put yourself in danger."

"I won't. I'm known for my stealth, remember?"

Gael handed Vicky and Patsy each a rifle when they joined him in the storage room. They all donned a bullet proof vest. This was another investment Gael had made when they got the security system. There was a knock at the back door. He looked at the app. Three men were standing at the enclosed porch, each holding a rifle pointed at the door. He tapped to see the front door. The fourth was there, his eyes and weapon on the door. He ignored the knock to buy some time.

The dogs were in the office with the door locked. Gael hadn't wanted them to go on the elevator with Irene and the children because if any of them barked, they'd give their location away.

Meanwhile, in the bunkhouse, Stan got dressed and donned his bullet proof vest. He got his gun out of it's locked box and loaded it, then put more ammo in his pockets. Quickly and quietly, he exited the bunkhouse, picking up a coil of rope at the door. He made his way to the main house. Hiding behind a tree, he saw the three men at the back door. Figuring that the fourth was at the front, he called Gael's phone, pretty sure that it was on vibrate. "Dad", he whispered when his father answered, "there are three of them at the back door."

"I know, son. The fourth is at the front."

"All right. I'll deal with him."

"Don't be shooting unless you absolutely have to, Stan. I don't want anyone getting hurt."