The Chosen Ones: Book 3: The War

13

The next morning was a dreary one. The rain fell at a steady pace. They all cleared out their accounts from the local bank. The bank's security escorted them all out, it wasn't everyday that tens of millions of dollars in cash was withdrawn at one time. It took a few hours before they were able to leave.

Back at Matt's all the money was put into the arsenal safe in multiple duffel bags with their names on the outside of each. They gathered their weapons and loaded up Matt's truck and Jenna's Bronco.

Matt also had the crates of C4, clay, and wiring in his truck. They packed so many weapons it left the arsenal in his basement mostly bare. Why leave anything behind if you might never be returning?

The rain had subsided as they prepared leave. In Matt's truck it would be Casey, Sam and Tyler. They would also pick up Weller on the way and he would hop in with them. Jenna's Bronco would be Phil, Shannon and Shaun. They went over a few details in his driveway.

"Ok." Matt started. "When we get to the Nest our group will drive to the far end of the facility. You guys stop by the near end. Phil and Shan, you guys will sync your phone's stopwatch with mine. We'll be on the phone with each other so we know when to countdown and when to take the shot. Got it so far?"
Everyone nodded.

"Once we take out the guards and security system we run down to the Nest and place the C4 on the walls. I'll stick the receiver, Shannon, you'll have the detonator. Someone in my group will drive my truck about a hundred feet from the exit door on OUR side. Once we set the C4 we meet in the middle at the boiler room door." He looked at each of them. "We ready?"

"Hell yeah." Shannon said. The others nodded. They were ready too, just not as enthused.
"Ok." Matt said. "Let's go."

They drove to the motel. Jenna parked next to Matt and he and Shannon got out. They tucked their guns into the back of their pants and headed for Weller's room, telling the others to stay alert. Matt got ready to knock. He looked over at Shannon.

She had on a tight pair of black pants, black knee high boots and a black tank top. She also had a knife holstered around her thigh.
"Where do you hide all your other knives?" He asked, seeing how tight her whole outfit was.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She replied with a grin.

Shannon was a deadly assassin with any blade, it was her specialty, much like Phil's shooting ability.
"Stay ready. I don't fully trust this guy." Matt said. He knocked on the door. No answer.
"Come on Weller. Open up." Matt called. Still nothing.

Shannon turned the knob. To their surprise it opened. The red flag went up right away. Matt knew Thomas was scared to death of Walker finding him. There was no way he'd leave the door open.

They stayed outside on both sides of the door and drew their guns. Matt nodded to Shannon and they went in quickly with him leading. The room was small so it didn't take long to see Weller slumped back in a chair, head back, arms hanging at his sides.

A mess of blood and brain fragments painted the wall behind him. A gun laid on the floor beside him. Matt cleared room, checking the bathroom and closet. Shannon was standing over Weller's body when Matt joined her.

He put his two fingers on Thomas' neck.
"Did you just check his pulse?" Shannon asked in confusion.
"Yeah, why?"
"Matt, his brains are splattered on the wall. I'm pretty sure he's dead."

"I don't know, I'm not a CSI."
"Well I'm not either, but I can tell you, he's fucking dead." She said.
Matt shrugged and let out a laugh before regaining his composure. "Was he killed? If he was that means Walker knows we're coming."

Shannon picked up a note from the bed. She scanned it over. "He killed himself." She handed Matt the note. "Coward." She remarked.
Matt read the note out loud:

CHOSEN ONES, LET ME START WITH AN APOLOGY. IM SORRY I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN YOU IN YOUR BATTLE TODAY. I THOUGHT I'D BE ABLE TO FACE MY OLD FRIEND, BUT IN THE END I JUST COULDN'T FIND THE STRENGTH. I'M SORRY I BROUGHT HIM INTO YOUR LIVES AND I WILL DIE WITH THAT REGRET. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK IN THIS FIGHT. TAKE CARE OF THE CHILD. HIS SURVIVAL IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

Phil and Shaun came walking in.
"What's taking so- oh shit." Shaun said, turning his head away from the site of Weller's dead body.
"What the hell happened?" Phil asked.

Matt handed him the note. Phil did a quick read and handed it back to him. "I mean it sucks but this guy wasn't gonna last a minute once we started shooting."
"He was a number for us." Matt reminded him.

"We gotta go, the gun is still warm, if someone called the police they'll be here any minute." Shannon said as she picked up the gun.
Before they left the room they wiped clean of anything they had touched. As they descended the stairs Jenna put her hands up, wondering where Weller was.

"Let's go. Pull into the last gas station before the highway. I'll explain everything." Matt told her.
He got into his truck and handed Casey the note. She read it and let out a defeated sigh before she passed it back to Sam.

It was a short drive to the gas station. They all got out to stretch their legs before the highway.
"What the fuck happened?" Jenna asked. Matt handed her the note. She read it and passed it around to the others.

"He was a number for us." Matt said again. The fact that they were severely outmanned was the thing that bothered him the most.
"We're still okay." Casey assured him.
"So we're still a go?" Shaun asked.

The silence answered the question.
"Sam, last chance to turn back. You can go to your house, be with your mom and sister." Matt offered.
"And miss all the fun?" Sam replied.
Matt nodded with a smile, impressed by the fire in the young girl.
"Wait til you see her fight." Casey said to him.

Another one on their side was dead, before the war even started. They got back in the vehicles and hopped on the highway. There was no turning back now.