Chapter 46

The next morning, the band and their families woke to their front yard being flooded with people. David fumed, but said nothing. Instead, he enjoyed the morning with his family, watching Saturday morning Cartoons with Malachai and chowing down of doughnuts that Brie had snuck out and bought.

When Dan come down the stairs, he glanced out the window and did a double take. "Well, I'm awake now", he said as he walked into the living room. "David did you see...?"

"Yes Danny, I saw them, and I'm telling you I'm not happy about it. Are they trying to get us killed?"

Malachai turned to David. "Daddy, why are all those men in uniforms doing out in the front yard?"

"Well, son, Dad's not quite sure, but I intend to find out. Just watch your show and don't worry about it."

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As everyone got up, they asked the same question. What were the troops and tanks doing at their house. "They must really want to be rid of all of us", Kristen said. "Not just the men".

"Don't think like that, Kristen. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason that we have TANKS in our front yard on Christmas Eve", Nicole said.

"Would you two stop?" Brie said. "Really, you're going to freak the kids out then I'm going to get pissed. David and the guys are handling it. I think they're on the phone with the General now."

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"Oh, General!" David yelled into the phone that was sitting on the table. "Tell me something. WHY THE FUCK IS OUR FRONT YARD FLOODED WITH UNIFORMS?!"

"You said that you were attacked last night. I wanted to get some men out there to protect you and to see if you guys might have possibly left survivors. Apparently, your training took ahold like it was supposed to. You all shot to kill."

"I don't believe in leaving anything that threatens my family alive to tell the tale", Dan said.

"Me neither", said Mike.

"I'm sure that the same goes for John and David?" the General asked.

"You have better believe it, General. Anything that threatens my family dies. End of discussion", David said.

"I couldn't have said it better myself", John said.

"Well, gentlemen, what would you have me do?" said the General.

"Well, General, I would suggest you pull a lot of these men out of here before you get us killed. There are too many men here." David said calmly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, gentlemen. I've been replaced at the head of the Agency. There's a new sheriff in town here and he goes by the Director. If you want those excess men removed. You'll have to go through him".

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"This is the Director's office", said a sweet little female voice.

"Hi there, sweetie, I need to speak with the Director", Mike said.

"Who's calling?"

"Mike Wengren of Disturbed."

"Just a moment, Mr. Wengren." Then there was Muszak. It didn't last long. A soothing tenor voice came over the phone. "This is the Director."

"Hello, Mr. Director", said David.

"Ah, if it isn't our favorite rock stars. How are you boys doing today?"

"We're not so good, Director. We have a front yard full of uniforms scaring the hell out of our families, especially our children."

"I am sorry for that, but the General told me that you were attacked late last night. I thought it prudent to get a mass of men out there to protect you."

"Well what about attracting more agents of the Establishment?" John said.

"That's not a concern. Your safety is our primary worry at the moment. Well, the safety of the four of you and one, Irian Nicole Cartwright, now know as Hanna Brielle Draiman. She has pertinent information about the Establishment. We need her alive.

"She's perfectly fine, thank you." David was starting to get a tad bit upset.. just a bit.

"Oh, I know. She just gave you children about a year ago, didn't she?"

"Yes."

"How are your three children anyway, David?"

"They're all fine, but what do they have to do with the fact that my six year old son just asked me this morning why there were a bunch of men in uniforms in our front yard?"

"Like I said, I thought it best to get the out there to protect you."

"Well, Director, you're drawing attention to our house. Soon, people are going to think that a bunch of criminals live here."