Jag (GxG)

Chapter 8

The next morning, we all sat around the table, trying to devise a plan.

"It's simple, you walk into the director of the CIA's home and put a gun to his head." My uncle said.

"Fred, we can't just whack the director of the CIA." I replied.

"I'm not telling you to whack him, I'm saying threaten him. Show him you're not fucking around. Make him believe that if he keeps coming for you, you're gonna make his life a living hell."

The rest of us shared a look. "That's not bad." April said.

"It might even be fun." Peggy added, cracking her knuckles.

"All this still comes back to the same problem: Jag. With her still out there, we can't threaten anybody yet. We have to take care of her first." I said.

"And, how do you suggest we do that? She's followed by a literal army everywhere she goes." April replied.

I lowered my head. "I don't know..."

"We stop her here..." My uncle chimed in.

We all looked to him. "But, Fred, if they know you're here... You might never be able to come back..."

He stood then. "All these years. All this work. All just so I could stay off the grid. Stay away from everyone. Even my only family... Well, now my family needs my help... So, this is where we stop her. Then, we move on to bigger fish."

   "Are you sure..?" I asked.

   He just nodded, pulling a lead-lined box out of a cabinet drawer, popping it open.

   I stood up as he pulled an old flip phone out, turning it on. "It's only a matter of time now. We should get ready..."

My uncle led us over to a closet, swinging it open. He handed me his old lever-action. "You still as good a shot as you used to be?" He asked.

I inspected the rifle before cycling the lever. "I learned from the best."

He patted my shoulder as April stepped past him, pulling a bolt-action, hunting rifle out of the closet, checking the scope. "I'll take the high ground."

"There's an enclosed balcony upstairs, steel plates inside the walls, tinted glass. Should offer you plenty of cover." My uncle said.

April nodded, grabbing a couple boxes of .30-06 shells before heading upstairs.

I handed Peggy my revolver. "I want you to find somewhere you and Erika can hide."

"There's a safe room in the basement." My uncle said.

I nodded to him before refacing Peggy. "If anyone other than me opens that door, shoot 'em."

Peggy looked at me for a second before nodding. "I'll protect her with my life."

I pulled her into a hug then. "Just don't forget about yourself."

She pulled away, giving me a little salute. "Yes, ma'am."

We shared a little laugh before Erika walked up. "You better be the one that opens that door, you hear me?"

I planted a quick kiss to her lips before whispering in her ear. "I promise..."

"I love you..." She whispered back.

I kissed her again. "I love you..."

Peggy led her to the basement then, my uncle pumping his shotgun. "Grab some ammo and meet me by the front windows." He said before walking off.

I grabbed a few boxes of ammo before joining him by the front windows, looking out through the trees, watching for any sign of movement...

As the sun set, I found myself peeking through the blinds out back, not seeing a thing.

My uncle walked in, setting his shotgun on the kitchen table before taking a seat.

I leaned against the counter. "What's taking them so long?"

   "They're smarter than they look." My uncle replied.

   Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out from the woods.

   I quickly stood. "Apparently not that smart."

   My uncle stood as well, grabbing his shotgun, before charging for the front window. "Carlie! Get over here!" He said, busting out the window.

   He squeezed off a couple shots as I approached, peeking through the blinds, seeing at least twenty men moving through the trees.

   "Shit." I said, kicking the window in, before opening up on them.

   I dropped two as sounds of gunshots rang out from upstairs, dropping a few more.

   Then, another explosion rang out, the shockwave blowing out the rest of the windows.

   I quickly dropped to the floor, taking cover under the windowsill, bullets burying themselves into the other side of the wall.

   My uncle dropped down next to me, loading a few more shells into his shotgun. "There's to many of them!" He yelled over the gunfire.

   I racked the lever on my rifle, yelling back. "No shit!"

   April came bounding down the stairs then. "I'm running low on ammo, where the fuck are they all coming from!?"

   She dropped her rifle, pulling her pistol as a couple men made it to the windows.

   My uncle and I ducked as she shot them. "We have to get out of here!" She yelled.

   I stood then, squeezing off a few more shots out the window before making my way towards the basement. "Cover me! I'm gonna grab the others!"

   Automatic gun fire rang out through the trees as I pulled the basement door open. "Erika! Peggy! Get up here, we're moving out!"

   They charged up the stairs just as someone kicked the back door open.

   I spun quickly, squeezing off a shot with my uncles rifle, dropping the heavily armed bad guy before he could make it all the way through the door.

   Erika hid behind my back, grabbing my shoulders. "Where are we supposed to go?"

   "Nowhere!" I heard, turning to see Jag holding my uncle at gunpoint.

   I raised my gun at her. "Let him go! He has nothing to do with this!"

   She smirked. "On the contrary... He's our primary target."

   I lowered the rifle a little. "What do you mean?"

   "Two birds with one stone, Mrs. North. Tie up a few loose ends from Iraq... And, wipe out the remnants of the Phoenix Program."

Before I could reply, more men burst into the house, leveling fully automatic weapons at Erika and I.

"You're outgunned." Jag said, shoving my uncle towards me.

I assessed my surroundings with a long sigh before dropping the rifle, instructing Peggy to drop her gun as well.

Then, a few men shoved April into the room, she landed at our feet.

I knelt down next to her. "You ok?"

She spit some blood before dusting her hands off. "Swell..."

I helped her up as Jag gave commands. "I want them all on the helo, we're outta here in ten."

Suddenly, our arms were forced behind our backs, our wrists bound by zip ties, and our heads covered by heavy, black bags.

"Burn this place to the ground!" Jag called out as we were marched out the door.

"I'm sorry, Fred... I didn't know..." I said.

The whirling of the helicopter blades cut any chance of conversation short.

The men forced us aboard before taking off into the night sky, our destination unknown... But, our fate seemingly sealed...