Blake sipped the fresh coffee Sarah made for him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Yeah, took real good care of him. Could the same be said about him toward her? Maybe. Hopefully. He sighed.
Sarah place two plates filled with two pieces of bacon, scrambled eggs, and grits. “I thought Brandi would have stayed longer.”
Blake smiled. “I thought you’d let all the kids stay home from school today to be with their dad.”
“You’re the one who made Liz go to school to take her test, not me.” Sarah kissed him. She put a scoop of eggs in her mouth.
“Is that guy still bothering you?” Blake asked.
Sarah shook her head. “No. After you talked to Heather, he left. I haven’t seen him since.”
“What about his wife, Tabatha?”
“Rumor has it that she didn’t make it back.”
“Oh,” Blake said. He bit into a crispy piece of bacon. He looked right into her eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Can you handle this life?”
Sarah looked down at her plate. “Let’s not ruin a beautiful morning. Okay?”
“Sure.”
Sarah rose to her feet and caressed his shoulders. “You’ve been away too long.” She kissed his neck.
Blake closed his eyes. He felt her lips with his soul. He leaned his head back.
She kissed him over and over again.
Blake rose to his feet, scooping her up in his arms. “Who needs breakfast.”
Sarah giggled.
He carried her to their bedroom, shutting the door.
Blake’s eyes opened as his cell phone vibrated on the nightstand. He switched the alarm off. He saw the time; 1430 hours. His naked wife was wrapped around him like a blanket. “What time do we have to leave to pick up Liz?”
Sarah opened her eyes. “She can take the bus.” She climbed on top of him. “I’m not finished yet.”
Blake smiled. It was good to be home.
Hani Kasad sat in a van across the street from Bay Bridge Elementary school, right near the back parking lot of the gas station. He gazed at the school’s main entrance. Yesterday, that’s the door the children came out to get on the bus. So, it was the perfect place for an ambush. With Ares gone, all they had left was their honor. With any luck, the others would be the martyrs and he’d live on to tell their stories. “Stan, are you sure only one of Blake’s kids is in school today?” he asked the man sitting next to him.
The young man in the driver’s seat nodded. A bit of his latte dribbled on his short beard. “Yes, the oldest was the only one to go to school today. We saw her leave their residence.”
The double doors opened and kids began to pour out onto the sidewalk. Two obese security guards stood near the doors, talking to one another. Whatever they were doing, it wasn’t their job.
Hani looked back at the six men brandishing AK-74s sitting in the back. “Get ready.”
Stan stared at the children starting to line up. His eyes bounced from face to face, periodically looking down at Liz Walker’s picture.
“You see her?” Hani asked.
Stan squinted. “There, second line from the left, eighth kid back.”
Hani turned towards the terrorist in the back. “Kill the guards first and anyone else who tries to interfere.”
“Won’t they catch us?” One of them asked.
Hani shook his head. “No, our evacuation plan is foolproof.” He looked at Stan. “Go,” he said as he loaded his 9mm pistol.
Stan breathed. He slammed his foot on the gas. The van jumped a curve, avoiding a parked bus. He wrenched the wheel to the left, forcing the back end of the van to swerve towards the sidewalk.
The kids screamed.
The back of the van flew open and the terrorists leaped out, firing towards the guards.
One security guard collapsed as a bullet passed right through his chest.
The other reached for his gun.
They fired again.
The guard lurched backwards as he was shot in the face.
Hani jumped from the car, racing towards Liz.
A teacher reached for him.
Hani shot the male teacher twice in the chest.
The kids started to run.
Teachers bolted inside.
Hani reached for Liz.
She kicked him in the balls.
He reeled over. “Get her!”
Three men chased after her.
“Fuck this,” one of them said. He fired in the air.
Liz stopped dead in her tracks.
“Come with us or I’ll shoot you right here, get me?” the terrorist said.
Shaking, she turned around.
Hani walked up to her and smacked her in the face. “That’s for kicking me in the balls.” He snatched her up, tossing her over his shoulder.
Liz screamed, wailing on his back with her fists.
“Fucking bitch!” He threw her onto the sidewalk. “You don’t want to live, do you?”
Liz’s face whitened. “My daddy’s going to come for me.”
Hani smiled. “That’s what I’m counting on.” He backhanded the young girl.
Liz slipped into darkness.