Page 19 of Ground Zero

Mike asks, “How about we give him an aerial tour?”

I slap him on the back, “Motherfucker, that is an excellent idea! Go get the UAV[unmanned aerial vehicle]ready, and I’ll get License on the Manpack radio.”

Nina lays her phone on the table, swipes to the stopwatch, and says, “Go.”

Mike and Jack both stand up, and their chairs nearly flip over in their rush to beat the clock. Nina and I walk over to the command station. She turns on the video screen while I cue up License.

He answers, “License to Own is mission-ready, Rocket.”

I smile and respond. “Standby for activation.”

We turn to look at the grey snow on the video screen, then all of a sudden, Hammer’s face is talking to us. “Which one of you rode Demon?”

I key the handset. “Hardcore.”

His laughing face retreats on the screen, “Nothing like breaking in the FNG[fucking new guy].”

Mike’s voice says, “Crank her up, License.”

The hum of the drone comes over the radio, and Mike says, “Airborne.”

Nina hits the stopwatch and says, “Three minutes, twenty seconds.”

On the screen, we see a clear picture of the outside with Mike and Jack standing up looking at it. Then we see them being targeted and high tailing it back inside.

The door opens, and they rush in.

“What the fuck, License?” Mike keys his handset, but License doesn’t respond. He is on radio silence.

He gives us an aerial tour of the ranch and puts the drone through multiple maneuvers. Demonstrating how effective the camera is at high altitude and how stealthy it can be in the woods.

When he flies it over the Ranch House, he explains that it is not only night vision capable but has thermal imaging capabilities. He flips it on, and we see Meghan and Angel's heat signatures inside. Meghan is sitting, and Angel is lying.

Nina tells Hardcore, “So once the satellite has identified the target, overwatch can maintain surveillance while the calvary is called in for the rescue.”

“Excellent demonstration, License. Bring her in.”

“Roger. Wilco, Rocket.”

Mike and Jack go back out the door, and we hear Mike telling License over the handset as the drone flies back to The Coop. “You know what our call names are, don’t you, License?”

“Yeah, Motherfucker and Black Hammer.”

“That’s right, Boot. And if you pull that stunt again, you’re going to find out why.”

The radio goes silent, and we watch the drone fly in. Then we hear License, “Requesting permission for a flyby.”

I key the radio. “That's a negative, License.”

But we hear, “Sorry, Rocket, but buzzing the tower is gonna happen.”

As the drone climbs, we watch on the screen, as it goes into a hard dive, gathering speed, flying low over the building, then shooting out over the area where Mike and Jack stand waiting and coming to an abrupt stop. Finally settling, nice and slow, at their feet.

Mike keys the radio. “Perfect landing, License.”

He laughs on the other end. “Game over. License out here.”

I announce, “And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, concludes today’s demonstration. Cock Blockers is mission ready.”

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