Unlikely Meetings

Chapter 12 - REAP THE TEMPEST

The evening sun painted the sky in a vibrant mix of gold, pinks, and blues. Mother nature using the sky as her tapestry of color and beauty, seemingly ignorant of the three stressed individuals lounging and going through final checks of their gear. Rifles, pistols, shotguns, optics, night vision, and thermals along with a number of other tools that both Eli and Ian had been trained to use in the short timeframe. Max was unusually quiet as he donned his kit, thin clothing covered his frame as the setting sun poured in through the windows. "Max, are you alright?"

Eli's voice snapped him out of his daze, wide eyes and shallow breath met her concerned look. Blinking a few times he let a heavy breath escape his lips and let his shoulders slump. The multicam clothing stretched across his arms and chest flexed as he shrugged in uncertainty. "You don't feel it?" Eli raised an eyebrow where her worry was replaced by confusion. "The tension, I always feel it before something like this. Every time we were about to leave the wire, before every detonation or firefight there was always this tension." Max slid his gloves on just as the sun dipped below the horizon and darkness began to blanket the sky. "You two should get some rest, I'll stay up first and get you two if anything comes up, alright?"

She wanted to tell him that she'd stay up. That she'd be with him every step of the way, but she knew he'd tie her up at worst and at best demand that she just stop being so hard headed and get some rest. So she simply nodded and made her way up to the small loft where she had slept with her partner the last few nights. "So we're taking shifts?"

Ian tapped through the different video feeds on Max's computer. The infrared images flicked through one by one as he scratched at the shoulder straps of his borrowed plate carrier. "Yeah if they're smart then they'll try at around four a.m. But knowing their plan I find that doubtful." Max began moving to each window checking the two sets of firearms perched there. One having mounted thermals and the other with a standard red dot optic that works well with the night vision device currently strapped to Max's discarded helmet. "So since they're stupid we have to be ready for them at any time."

Ian nodded as he turned his attention back to the screen in front of him before asking another question. "Where did you learn all this? Don't get me wrong I'm happy that you live in basically fort knox, but you initially don't look like someone that would be ready to fight a war."

Max fiddled with the setting on a thermal sight on the far side of his home, ensuring that the image was clear enough for a quick sight profile. Shrugging in response, he set the rifle down and moved over to the switch that controlled the overhead lights. "Just things you learn over the years. Bet you could school me on how to run a ranch or keep chickens." The interior of the small shed home went dark, allowing anyone outside to suspect that the inhabitants were asleep. "Keep it dark and quiet. I want to surprise these idiots when they finally show up."

Ian nodded as he lowered the brightness of the screen in front of him. "So...why Jackson of all places? Seems like a guy with your knowhow and job expertise you could make it anywhere. So why a small town in the armpit of Wyoming?"

Max stayed quiet as he thought over his reasons before he realized the single tipping factor in his choice. "Jackson is quiet. It was peaceful before all this and I just hope that we can get back a bit after this, but that's pretty doubtful. If not, I at least still have my best friend and Eli. We can always rebuild." Ian nodded as he continued to flip through the cameras as Max worked on the last steps of preparation. Both unknowingly letting Eli fall asleep near effortlessly with the comfort of her partner's verbal affection.

Hours passed in silence with only whispered questions or commands passing Either Max's or Ian's lips. The wolf's limbs shook as the stress of waiting for a foot to fall wore on his nerves. Max's hand landed on his shoulder, an unshakable boulder amidst the roaring storm of tension. "Get some shut eye. It's only eleven at night and I dont think theyll show for at least another hour or two until they show up."