No one slept that night but the children that night. The adrenaline was running too high. Nicole, Tina, Justin, and the small children were all moved to the panic room so that they would all be safe during the fire fight. When Matt arrived he had a LOT of explaining to do. “I’m sorry, David, but he was top in the class. He’s got to be out in the fire fight.”
“God Damn it, Matthew, you couldn’t have at least WARNED me?” David said as he paced.
“You’re right, David, I should have said something, but I didn’t. I didn’t want you to react like this.”
“Warning me would have saved you this reaction, Matt. You should know that by now.”
“Again, you’re right, David. I’m sorry.”
David took a deep breath. “Well, thankfully, there won’t be a next time because this shit’s ending today, even if we have to go hunt the Utopians down. We’ve been receiving word that they’re in the downtown area.”
“About how many are we looking at?”
“Not near as many as we have amassed here. According the Mr. Tuchman we have three times as many soldiers as they do. He wants to surround them, then annihilate them.”
“Hold on, did you say Tuchman? As in Samuel Tuchman?”
“Yes, Matt, I’m talking about your uncle. He’s getting a much needed and deserved shower and hot meal right now, but I assure you it’s him. Your sister already identified him.”
“Where is he now?”
“I believe that Kristen and your sister are making him something to eat.”
“Are you done chewing my ass for not informing you that Malachai is going to be in the middle of the fire fight?”
David thought about that momentarily. “Yeah, I guess. But, be prepared to hear it from Brie when you walk into that Kitchen.”
Matt sighed. “I should have known. Alright, I’ll take my ass chewing and then talk to my long lost Uncle whom I was told was dead.” He stood up. “Again, David, I’m sorry for not warning you. I could have saved myself a LOT of grief if I had.”
“I forgive you, but your sister may not.”
--------------
“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU GAVE MALACHAI ORDERS TO BE POISED WITH THE SNIPER TEAM FOR THE FINAL SHOWDOWN, MATTHEW JAMES CARTWRIGHT?” Brie shouted at her older brother.
“I was thinking that he’s the best shot of the older boys and we need good shots out there in case we have to snipe those Utopian bastards.”
“Brie, take it easy on your brother”, their Uncle Sam said. “He’s thinking of the cause.”
She sighed. “You’re right, Uncle Sam.” She looked back at Matt. “If there were going to be a next time, I’d say you’d better warn me next time. But, seeing as this ends today whether the utopians like it or not, saying that would be pointless. I guess I forgive you.”
Matt smiled and gave his sister a hug. “I’m really sorry sis. Like I told David when he took HIS chunk of my hide, I should have said something but I was trying to avoid getting my ass chewed. I should have thought that you and David wouldn’t have reacted so badly.”
“It’s okay this time, Matt, but don’t let it happen again.” She released him from the hug. “Now, get your half breed ass over there and say hi to mom’s brother.”
“Who you calling a half breed, half breed?” Matt teased.
“JAMES, watch that shit.”
He smiled at his sister. “You know I’m teasing you, Anyway, you DID say it first.”
She smiled back. “I know. I’m fucking with you. Just say hi to Uncle Sam or I’m going to plant my foot in
your ass, Matthew.”
As he walked around the bar to his Uncle, he looked back at his sister. “You know, technically, you can’t call me James anymore. Your youngest son’s name is James.”
She rolled her eyes and shot him the finger. “Fuck you, Matt.”
“That’s David’s job.”
David walked into the room. “What’s my job?”
“Fucking my sister”, Matt said with a grin. He then looked at the older man at the bar. “My God, it IS you, Uncle Sam. Where the hell have you been all these years?”
“Here there and everywhere, Matthew. I’m here as a form of penance, I guess. Trying to make right a few
of the wrongs that I’ve been a part of.”
“Weren’t you leaking information from inside the War Headquarters of the Utopian Army?”
“That I was. Again, it was a form of penance.”
“Hoping that when you die, God will forgive you for all the things you’ve done?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m afraid that God won’t forgive me either. I’ve become something of a monster in my time in the Marine Corps.”
“I understand completely what you mean, Matt. Just ask him what you have to do to get forgiveness.”
“One of those things is to end this war, Uncle Sam.”
“Looks like you and I are in the same boat then, Matty my boy.”
--------------
The time had come. They’d all gotten a good night’s rest and were ready to move on the house. David
Draiman would be property of the Utopian state by the end of the day. At least, that was the hope. They had no accurate head count of how many soldiers were actually in the Resistance, but they’d hoped that the
Resistance wasn’t any bigger than they were.
“Everybody assemble. Double time. Let’s move it!” boomed a loud voice over a loud speaker. The men all jumped from their racks and get ready to muster. This would be the final battle. The Last stand of the Resistance. Everyone knew it, they could all feel it. Little did any of the young men that were fixing to march
know, but they were marching to their deaths.
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