“Stop! For the love of God, stop!” he screamed.
“Stop? You mean like you did with my sons? You stopped cold, never even offering them cover. He was there. Awad was there! He saw it all.”
“Please, please, Bill, I’m sorry,” he pleaded.
“It won’t bring my sons back. Nothing will. But killing you might make me happier,” he whispered in his ear.
“It appears you have not worked out all the bugs,” said Kim. “If you don’t stop this, I will make sure you die a very painful death.”
“No problem, Kim,” said Pitre. “I don’t plan on pursuing this little device. Nor does my colleague. Do you, Hausman?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head, sweat beading on his lip. “No.”
The North Koreans left them standing on the dock, and Hausman turned, staring at Pitre.
“Get it out of me,” he begged. “Please, get it out of me.”
“I own part of this,” said Hausman. “I wanted my Marines to be fearless, to charge forward without thought for their safety. I own that. But you intentionally left my sons behind. You watched them dying and did nothing. You’re a fucking doctor! Yet you watched them die.”
“Please…”
“Problem, boys?” said Cade, pointing his weapon at both men. “Put the weapon down, General.”
“I can’t do that,” he said, shaking his head. “I won’t go back with you. I refuse. You’ll have to kill me and take me back in a body bag.”
“Or,” smiled Cade, “I can have Bodhi tie you up.”
“Bodhi?” questioned the General. He didn’t even hear the man approaching from behind. Gripping the shoulder of the arm with the weapon, he twisted it, expertly dislocating the shoulder. The weapon dropped, and he kicked it into the water.
“I am Bodhi,” said the big man. “You are going to trial.” Wrapping the General’s hands in zip ties, he pushed him toward Frank, who pushed him down the line toward the waiting vehicles.
“You killed American servicemen,” said Cade. “We don’t take kindly to that.”
“What do you care?” asked Hausman, gripping his head once again. Cade stepped closer, staring down at the man.
“I saw the bodies of those men in Seattle. I watched them nearly going mad from your little experiment. I’ve seen it before. I’ve stopped it before, and you can fucking bet I will always be there to stop my brothers from killing themselves.”
“Who. Are. You?” ground out Hausman.
“Me? I’m Cade Norgenson. Retired Army. Currently with REAPER-Patriots, and you are now rightly and squarely fucked.”
Hausman stared at the big man, then turned, looking over his shoulder. There were dozens. The pain in his head was so extreme he was crying for relief. Anger flooded his body, the need to run battling with the need to fight. Gripping the handle of the knife at his waist, he lunged for Cade, who deftly stepped out of the way.
“Stay back!” he screamed. “Stay back!”
“You’re not going anywhere,” said Cade. “You’re outnumbered, outgunned, out-everything.”
Hausman knew it was true, but the pain in his head was telling him otherwise. He felt the rush of blood from his nose, touching it as the gusher seemed to not stop.
“Hey, brother, let us help you,” said Frank. The man stubbornly refused, backing up, the knife still in his hand.
“No,” he said, shaking his head, “no. My head, my head, my head!” Falling to his knees, he looked up at the giants around him. Their shadows cast around him as they blocked the sun. He felt a stab of pain, then a sizzling pop, and knew. He was dying. This was the end. Falling face down on the dock, the knife slipped out of his hand, sliding into the water. The others stared, then Cade bent down, rolling him over.
“He’s gone,” he said to the others.
“Well,” said Cam, “let’s take his body back. They’ll want to see whatever is in his neck. Trevor? Call Leo and let him know that this is done. He deserves to hear the end of this horror movie.” Trevor and Cade nodded as Dom lifted the body and tossed it over his shoulder. He gripped his brother’s arm, smiling.
“What do you say we call Pop and see if he’ll come down for a few days? I think I’m getting married soon,” he laughed. Bodhi smiled at his brother, nodding.
“I’m very proud of you, Cade.” Cade stared at Bodhi, swallowing hard. “You were a bit reckless in your youth, but you’ve grown into a fine man. What you did for Cassidy was admirable.”
“She saved me, Bodhi. I love her.”
“I know,” he said, nodding. “It’s given me hope. I just need to find out if that hope is fulfilled.” Cade slapped his brother’s back.
“It will be, mon frére. It will be.” Bodhi could only laugh at the use of the term. They were not French, nor were they Cajun, but they’d learned a few things from their friends. Above all, brothers protected brothers.
“Let’s go home.”
