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THE FOUR NOW STOOD on the other side of the tree line, each of them dressed in bulletproof vests, wearing headsets for communications and carrying a Heckler & Koch UMP submachine gun over their shoulder. That included Donna–Lou, who insisted she had shot rifles when she was a youngster and could handle herself. They were looking across a stretch of scrub grass at the enormous compound dead ahead. A ten-foot-high fence surrounded an immense cotton field and the smell of rich earth and green plants wrestled with the slight scent of a pesticide. In the far distance, in the middle of the field, they could see an immense building.
Chet looked along the fence line and hitched up his pants. "So how exactly do we get inside there?"
Rory shook his head as he considered the fence and the fields beyond, "Good question. I'm sure they'll be protecting the front entrance quite heavily, so that's out."
Donna-Lou shifted her bulletproof vest, muttering to herself, "Stupid thing."
Skye stepped over and adjusted one of the straps, "There you go."
"Thank you," Donna-Lou said. She gestured to the fence, "Why don't we just climb over that thing and get in there? I'm not interested in just standing here and talking. I want to get my son."
"I know you do," Rory said. He pointed up at some small black boxes on the top of the upright steel poles of the fence. "See those boxes up there? And those wires just running along the top the fence? If we touch that fence, we'll probably set off an alarm."
"So what do we do?" Donna-Lou said in frustration. "We can't just stand here all day–"
"Why don't we just borrow that?" Skye said as she pointed in the direction of the cotton field on the other side of the fence. A green machine, seventeen feet high, nineteen feet wide, and thirty-one feet long, sat one hundred yards into the field off to the left. It consisted of a large bubble in the front for driving and a large, square metal storage container behind that. A label on this side of the contraption designated it as a Case IH MODULE EXPRESS 625 cotton picker.
Chet looked at the machine and scratched his head, "But...it's on the other side. How do we do that?"
Rory smiled, wondering where his sister was going with this as well.
"Follow me," Skye said and she set off at a jog. The others moved quickly to catch up. In a few minutes, Skye reached a large tree, just on this side of the fence line. She slipped her submachine gun off her shoulder, turned and tossed to Rory. Then she turned back to the tree and began climbing.
"What in the world is she doing?" Donna-Lou asked as she watched Skye climb. Fifteen feet off the ground, she reached a large limb that extended towards the fence. She stood on it, her back against the tree.
Rory knew what she was thinking, "Are you sure you can make it?" he yelled up to Skye.
"What's she doing?" Chet asked.
Skye stepped out, flexing her knees and bouncing her weight to test the limb. She called down, "If I get enough forward momentum, I should be able to just roll safely on the other side."
"I would imagine she's going to run along that limb and leap over the fence," said Rory simply as he slung Skye's submachine gun over his other shoulder.
"But the limb is five or six feet short of the fence," Chet protested.
Rory shrugged.
Donna-Lou swallowed and looked at Rory, "You don't expect me to...to...?"
"Hopefully, you won't have to," Rory assured. "But you will have to do some jumping if she makes it."
Raising her eyebrows, Donna-Lou said, "If?" She shook her head and looked back up at Skye.
Skye placed her back against the tree again, took several deep breaths and then took off running along the limb. The limb bent downwards as she reached the end but she continued on, soaring like a broad jumper, feet running in the air, towards the fence. Her foot caught the top of the fence and she tumbled in the air. She came down hard on the other side of the fence and rolled several times over several rows of cotton plants.
Rory ran to the fence, stopping at the last minute. "Skye! Skye–" he yelled.
Skye Steele staggered to her feet, grimacing and holding a hip, "Next time, it's your turn, big brother."
Feeling the relief course through his body, Rory nodded, "No problem, little sister. But you better hurry. I don't think you triggered an alarm, but if someone comes along...."
"Ever the taskmaster," Skye grumbled as she turned and ran, her red hair flowing behind her. She stumbled a couple of times as she hopped over each row of plants, but it wasn't long before she was climbing into the large bubble of the 625 cotton picker's cab. It only took her a few seconds and the 365 hp engine started with a deep growl. Turning the huge machine right, Skye drove across the rows of plants, heading for the fence. Within 5 minutes, Skye parked the picker as close as possible to the fence and just across from the tree limb. She climbed out of the bubble and walked halfway to the back of the picker. From there, Skye climbed the seventeen feet to the top of the square metal container. "Who's next?" she yelled from the flat top.
Donna-Lou's voice was a fear-filled whisper, "You have got to be kidding me?"
"I don't blame you," Rory said, "You can wait here –" He never finished the sentence.
Donna-Lou quickly handed her UMP machine gun to Chet and began climbing the tree. Reaching the limb, she balanced herself with her back against the tree
"Just run hard and I'll catch you," Skye yelled.
"And what if you don't?" Donna-Lou asked in a scared voice.
Skye Steele just motioned with her hand to get moving.
Donna-Lou closed her eyes, counted to three, and ran hard. She took off from the end of the limb and screamed all the way over the fence. Her body hit the side of the metal container and nearly dropped. Skye grabbed her arm and pulled her up while yelling, "Next."
Chet looked white. He handed his submachine gun to Rory and began climbing. Like Donna-Lou, once in position on the limb, Chet had to take a few moments to work up his courage. Then he took off at a run, "Oooooooohhhhhhhhhh–" His feet hit the edge of the metal container on the other side of the fence and he fell forward, Donna-Lou and Skye each grabbing an arm to keep him from falling off.
"Skye. Drop down and I'll toss the guns over," Rory said.
"I'll go," Chet said as he rubbed his shins. He began climbing down the metal frame. His footing slipped halfway down and he fell hard onto the cotton plants on his back.
"Are you okay, Chet?" Donna-Lou called down with worry.
Chet got up with a moan, nodded his head once and limped over to the fence.
Rory tossed each submachine gun up and over the fence.
Chet caught each one in his arms and laid them down in the field, one by one.
It was Rory's turn and he hustled over to the tree and climbed to the limb. Without hesitation, he ran and jumped over the fence, landing hard on the top of the steel container of the cotton picker. Donna-Lou and Skye each grabbed an arm to help him stay on the machine. Then all three climbed down to meet Chet, who handed each person their submachine gun.
Rory shouldered his weapon and ran around to the back of the large cotton picker. He pounded on the large door in the back with the side of his fist, "It sounds empty back here."
Skye jumped up inside the driving bubble and looked over the controls, finally hitting a button. The hydraulics slowly lowered the back door of the metal container.
Rory waved his hand to the others, "Get inside. Hurry."
Chet and Donna-Lou climbed inside the empty steel container.
Rory put his hands to his mouth and yelled up to Skye "If you see any trouble coming, lower the back door." Then he climbed inside the container and pounded his fist in a signal against the side.
Skye hit the button again and slowly closed the door to the metal container. Putting the cotton picker in gear, she soon got up to 17 mph, heading across the field towards the back of the immense building in the distance.
***
AFTER A LONG, SLOW and bumpy trip across the rows of cotton, Skye could now see a large asphalt area at the back of the building and ten loading docks, with a set of metal stairs right in the middle of them. There were three gold colored transport trucks backed up to docks two, three and four on this side. A wide roadway ran around this side of the building to the front on the right. There, she caught a glimpse of another patch of asphalt that looked like a parking lot. But most of it was hidden from view by a low line of trees. She angled towards the transport trucks as the back of the building. As she came closer, she detected movement.
A man dressed in black, wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a submachine gun, jumped down from the first empty loading dock. He cocked his head as the large cotton picker drove towards him, obviously wondering why it was there.
Skye kept driving, only stopping the big machine on the grass just before the asphalt. She hit the button to lower the rear doors, left her submachine gun on the floor and opened the bubble. Jumping to the ground she moved leisurely, giving the guard her best smile as they closed the distance between them, "Hi sweetie, haven't seen you around here before. Where have you been keeping yourself?" She unzipped her leather jacket.
The man's eyes immediately went to the swell of her breasts under the silk material of her black blouse. He slung the submachine gun over his shoulder, giving her a lecherous smile, "Actually, you're the one I haven't seen around here before. And why are you driving that thing here? The shed for the machinery is way at the back of the property."
Hearing the conversation, Rory put a finger to his lips to warn Donna-Lou and Chet. Then he slipped quietly out of the back of the vehicle.
Donna-Lou and Chet moved to the edge of the box and listened.
Skye closed to within a few feet of the guard, her hips swaying, "Weren't you told? Old Tuck himself asked me to come see you."
The man narrowed his eyes, looking at Skye suspiciously, "Why don't we go see him and check that out?" He moved to unsling his submachine gun.
In an instant, Skye did a complete spin and brought the heel of her black boot with force against the side of his head.
The guard dropped, his submachine gun hitting the ground just before he did.
Rory peered around the cotton picker and saw the body of the guard lying on the ground. He waved to Chet and Donna-Lou to move with him as he headed for the front of the vehicle.
Skye reached back into the driving bubble and picked up her submachine gun.
"What happened to him?" Donna-Lou asked in a loud whisper as they reached the front of the vehicle.
"He got fresh with me," Skye said simply.
Donna-Lou held up a finger to Chet, "Just you keep that in mind."
Chet mouthed 'what?'
Rory stepped up beside Skye, looking over at the truck docks, "Is he the only one you saw?".
Skye nodded and pointed, "He came out of the first loading bay."
"Probably more of them inside," Rory concluded. "But at least we have a way in." He shouldered his weapon and turned to the body, "Chet, grabbed this guy's feet and we'll throw him in back of the cotton picker."
Chet handed his own weapon to Donna-Lou and helped Rory to carry the unconscious guard behind the cotton picker and tossed him inside.
Skye went back inside the driving bubble and pressed the button to close the doors hydraulically, locking the guard inside. She closed the driving bubble and rejoined the others.
"Now what?" Donna-Lou asked as she gave Chet his weapon back.
Rory pointed at the empty loading dock beside the first truck, "We should be able to penetrate the building where that guard came out. I'll go first. Donna-Lou, you stay close behind me. Chet, you follow Donna-Lou and Skye can handle the rearguard. Stay in line, no talking unless you see something. Ready?"
All three nodded yes.
Rory led them quickly across the grass and over the pavement to the first loading dock. Rory signaled for everyone to crouch down. Then he signaled for Skye to check the cabs of the three transports while they waited in position.
Skye nodded and moved to the cab of the first gold colored truck.
Donna-Lou and Chet looked nervous, checking around them constantly.
Rory couldn't blame them. No telling how many gunmen were here.
Skye quietly closed the door on the first truck and disappeared around the front to check the other two.
The next few moments were long and agonizing for Chet and Donna-Lou as they waited and watched around them.
Finally, Skye slipped back around the transport. "No one in the cabs or the sleeper berths," she said quietly.
Rory nodded, "Good. Everybody ready? Then let's go see what we can find."