“They’re on the way back. Nice morning.” Gus handed his com unit to Nick.
“Yep. It was a good one, Gus. We’ll be a bit busier tomorrow. I’ll let you know later how John feels about our boat plans. Would you like to come along on the cruise, Cousin Itt?”
“About as much as I’d like to be put in a closed box full of Tarantulas, Gomez.”
“A simple no would suffice, Cousin Itt,” Nick replied.
After their friends left, Nick and Rachel relaxed for a few moments while sipping their Irish coffees. They knew it would not take long for Jean, Sonny, and Deke to return.
“Your horror show dance card sounded full, Muerto,” Rachel shifted the sleeping Quinn slightly in her arms. “I’m glad you’ve joined with Harding’s crew on some of this terrorist crap. With all of you sharing threats and information, maybe there can be a lull in this insanity. I figured after the pirate combat and destruction of Chabahar, it would at least give the Muslim horde pause for a couple months.”
Nick thought about Rachel’s words for a moment. He didn’t want to blurt out some feel good talking point to a wife who had spotted for his sniper’s nest in combat. “I’ve given up trying to decipher what our government leading idiots have in mind for us peons. They import terrorists under the guise of human rights in the tens of thousands, positioning them all over the states… I guess so they’ll be ready to massacre us during their final uprising. They constantly try to take away our Second Amendment rights, the only protection we have against them and the invading Islamic plague they’re importing. They use laws they passed without our representation to intimidate anyone standing in opposition to their tyranny. They steal the money we earn, the money we save, and the money they confiscate from our bankrupt Social Security retirement. Worst of all, they give our confiscated money to illegal aliens, terrorist imports, and professional welfare cheats.”
“Damn, Muerto… we should run you for President. If you’d stop killing people for a few years, your checkered past might dip under the radar.”
“Very funny. See, this is why I never answer you with anything other than sarcasm or humor. When I answer you seriously, I get disrespected and discounted.”
Rachel muffled amusement with her hand. “Discounted? You mean like a reduced price Muerto where we only get a couple dollars for a discounted Muerto?”
“You’re mean!”
*
Deke sniffed over a varmint hole under the rocks as Jean and Sonny came into sight of Otter’s Point Beach where the coastal path paralleled the road. Jean smiled over at Sonny. They could hear Nick and Rachel laughing.
“What do you think they’re laughing at?”
Jean shrugged. “Who knows? They could be snorting over anything. Dad’s sharp funny but Mom’s catching up to him fast. Mom spotted for him on the cruise in the fight with the pirate boats. I can’t wait until he can take us out shooting again. We did real good, both with the range finders and the rifles.”
Jean held the range finders she had taken on the walk with them. “What did you think of using these? Pretty neat, huh?”
Sonny nodded. “I liked the target shooting lessons a lot. All the calculations in the range finding was heck of cool too. Think about your folks on top of the ship with your Mom calling out targets and your Dad killing one pirate after another from that distance. I-”
An engine revved in the direction of Lover’s Point along Ocean View Blvd. They watched a Camaro convertible roar into view at twice the speed limit with the top down. Three guys with black hoodies and sunglasses occupied the front and rear seats. The two not driving hung over the door frames on the passenger side. Slowing to a stop a distance down the road from the kids, the car occupants watched the Otter’s Point beach for a moment with the driver pointing. The Camaro began approaching again at a fifteen mile per hour pace. Jean didn’t wait. She tapped her com unit.
“Incoming gangbangers, Dad! Metallic dark green Camaro convertible!”
“Understood! Get down, Viper!”
“Understood!” Jean crouched, pulling Sonny down with her and gesturing Deke to her side. She moved into a comfortable position, where she could stay in sight of Nick and Rachel’s position on the beach. Sonny crouched next to her with Deke joining them, his head poking in between to see what held their attention.
The kids watched as Nick scooped Rachel from the beach chair with Quinn in her arms, and physically put her in a position next to the rock wall where she could not be seen from the road. Jean sighted in the Camaro with the range finders as it neared the spot opposite where Nick had placed Rachel and Quinn. It brought the occupants into crystal clear clarity. She tapped her com unit as Nick retrieved their beach bag, taking it with him to the wall near Rachel.
“They have those funny looking machine gun things, Dad!”