Read Online Redaction: Extinction Level Event (Part I) by Linda Andrews - Free Book Online Page B

could still do harm. A shadow shifted in the late model Civic. Another person, probably a woman. Maybe armed. Bows and arrows versus guns. That battle had been settled more than a hundred years ago. Still, the Redaction certainly had made life interesting.
    And the four in front of him might continue to live so long as they didn’t swing their weapons his way. A noise caused David to shift his attention once more to the backseat.
    Colonel Lynch sucked bits of food from his teeth before picking up one of the plastic wrapped toys from Burgers in a Basket. The bagged green, grinning crocodile swung from his glistening fingers. White powdered desiccant clung to the toy’s belly. “A little bloodshed always makes things more interesting.”
    David kept his expression neutral. The Redaction hadn’t brought out the best in everyone. The CO, in particular, had degenerated into a butt-ugly caricature.
    Diamonds glittered in the black and platinum Hublot watch hanging from the CO’s wrist and his footlocker had more sparkle and glitter than a dragon’s hoard. “You won’t get to shoot anyone in the DMZ. North Korea is just blustering. As usual.”
    Asshole. The prick had dangled the carrot of active duty in front of David for a full fifteen minutes before demanding he chauffeur him to his daily knob polishing appointment. What were privates for, if not to do the grunt work?
    David stopped the Humvee behind the Civic and shifted the truck into park. The woman gripped the Sig-Sauer by her thumb and index finger and held it away from her body. The boy and old man had disappeared from sight. He scanned the hunter’s blind. Bastards had no doubt left the women alone to be shot.
    Not the first incidence of cowardice he’d encountered.
    Not likely to be the last.
    David checked his body armor before resting his hand against his gun’s grip. “Shall I clear the road, sir?”
    Colonel Lynch’s left cheek bulged. “Call in the tanks.” Bits of masticated beef and bun dotted his lips. “There’s got to be one around the corner somewhere. The damn jarheads are probably gambling rather than doing their jobs.”
    David locked his jaw tight. The Marines had become Colonel Asshole’s favorite refrain. Missing MREs—the Marines’ appetites were notorious. Looted mansion—Marine laxity. Missing personal effects—the Marine’s had provided security for the transport of the valuables to the Medical Examiner’s office. Now he’d use the Corps to needlessly slaughter two women.
    Not on his fucking watch. Still, David reached obediently for his radio just as a head appeared between the branches of a eucalyptus tree. In the silence, metal scraped brick before an aluminum ladder was seesawed over the top of the fence then lowered to the street side. The old man moved cautiously from the fence to the other ladder before climbing down. The boy quickly followed. Neither had a visible weapon.
    David swallowed his curse. The brave idiots. They’d be flesh shrapnel if his plan didn’t work. “I’ll patch you through, Colonel Lynch. You’ll have to use official channels to let the Corps know that the Army needs its help in dealing with two women, an elderly man, and a boy.”
    The words hung in the Humvee’s grease-scented interior. One second passed, then two. His chest tightened and the knuckles of his radio hand bleached to white. Shit. Had he underestimated the CO’s pride?
    Colonel Asshole swallowed his bit of burger before raising the drink and hooking the straw with his tongue to draw it in his mouth. Flat, silver eyes stared back at David from the rearview mirror.
    The bastard actually considered killing civilians a viable option. David pressed the talk switch and heard the crackle of the live line. “Omega Base this is—”
    “Belay that order, Sergeant Major.” The CO chucked a crescent of bun into his Burgers in a Basket bag and picked up his cup of French fries. “Deal with the situation.”
    “Yes, Sir.” Scooping