Page 92 of Promises to Keep

James grimaced. “Nah dawg, are you going to blow up my... ? Shit, that is not good news.”

Colonel Quentin said, “You’re the one who brought the explosivesandthe truck.”

“Dammit. Yeah, but... shit. Okay, fine.” He put a hand on the hood of the truck. “There were some good times, right Big Truck? Good, good times.” He shook his head. “I did not think this through, but fine, yeah, yippee.” He circled his fist in the air. “Sacrifice my truck to save Lady Mairead, cool cool.”

I said, “I will make sure she kens the sacrifice so she can ignore it.” We all chuckled.

Colonel Quentin passed us each a bullet-proof vest and we pulled them over our chests. We each grabbed our helmets and a pack. We each had a radio strapped tae our belt.

Colonel Quentin put his earpiece in his ear. “This is an improvement on the necklace radios I had Hayley and Katie use, those were the worst. I could only listen and not say a word while they went rogue.”

James said, “So if I go rogue you’ll be bitching and complaining in my ear the whole time?”

Colonel Quentin said, “Nah, I’ll just shoot you, this is the Wild West, you know?”

James said, “I get that’s supposed to be a threat, but I’ve never been so happy, wait, say it again, but say, ‘string you up’ this time.”

Colonel Quentin rolled his eyes. “If you go rogue I will personally string you up, asshole. Now let’s get back to business.” He adjusted his radio and spoke intae it. “Testing, one two...?”

I said, “Three.” We tested that our radios were connected, our earpieces the right volume, our mics strong.

We each had a combat rifle, a sidearm.

We each had a vessel.

Colonel Quentin said, “If we get moving, we will get there when the sun is right, ready?”

CHAPTER 45 - MAGNUS

Iled Fraoch and James around the perimeter of the ranch tae the southwest corner, where they remained tae wait for the signal while I continued on. James said, “Shoot straight, Magnus. Damn, I have always wanted to say that.”

I said, “Aye, shoot straight, Master Cook.”

Fraoch said, “Aye, and stay low, ride fast.”

I rode along a path where the forest met the high prairie grass tae the bank of the Boulder River, and found a grouping of pine trees tae hide behind, and waited. I watched the landscape: undulatin’ hills speckled with boulders and outcroppings on a tapestry of greens. In the high sky there was an eagle, glidin’ on the wind. Between the grassy knolls the jays were jeerin’. There were a great many similarities tae the highlands — it felt familiar.

I heard in the distance a low rumble, the engine, faintly. I raised my gun and through the sight watched the homestead: men were watching west toward the sound, then they called to each other, jumped on horses, and headed that way. I counted the men as they rode, then swept my sight back toward the river, men ran toward the buildings, and then in their midst — a woman.

From the distance, she did look a bit like Lady Mairead in build, but this woman had a wild look tae her, gray hair stuck out around her head. She walked slowly, the walk of someone unafraid, someone not expected tae protect the homestead.

I climbed on Sunny and waited until there was a verra loud explosion from the west, and a large column of smoke and flame rising intae the sky. In my earpiece, Colonel Quentin’s voice: “Your truck said goodbye.”

I set my horse tae charge.

Sunny’s hooves thundered across the ground — tae m’left, Fraoch, headed north toward the stables, James, with a billowing dust cloud was farther away. We were all headed tae the homestead.

I thundered along the river, scanning right and left and then saw a man, crouching behind a boulder. I fired, killing him as I passed, noting first: he had a modern weapon. I spoke intae my mic: “Modern weapons.”

Ahead of me a drone lifted from the roof of the main building.

Intae the radio, I asked: “Colonel Quentin, ye see it? Drone.”

The drone exploded intae pieces. Colonel Quentin’s voice emitted from my earpiece: “Got it.”

I heard a faint shift in gravel. I swung Sunny around and stilled him, and listened, a man was climbin’ the river bank. I found his spot, aimed, and as soon as his head rose over the bank, fired, killing him with a shot. I turned Sunny away from the river toward the homestead, catching a glimpse of Fraoch as he fired intae the rear of the main building. “Got him, Fraoch?”

“Got him!”

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