Desperado (Murphy's Lawless: Watch the Skies Book 2) by Kevin Ikenberry (any book recommendations txt) 📕

forces were to retain the initiative, he’d need the extra combat power of Alpha Team. If the enemy reacted to the loss of their security posts and made a concerted push up from the plateau before the attack on the cache site, more whinnies and more guns were something he couldn’t pass up.

“Alpha Team, we’re going to hold this ground until phase two. Get over here, soonest.”

“Understood. Moving.”

Stewart released the transmit button on the handset for the PRC-77 radio for a couple of seconds before keying it again. “California, this is Fastlane. Relay to Desperado Six, we are in position. All objectives green and no casualties.”

Fahey’s voice came back instantly. “Roger, Fastlane. Message being relayed to Desperado Six now.”

Satisfied, Stewart allowed himself to relax for a moment before moving to secure the objective and build hasty defensive positions. He left armed guards to watch over the dark stairwell into the mountain. If the enemy was going to come, he expected them to come near daylight. When they did, his forces would be ready for them.

* * *

Assembly Area

At the completion of Stewart’s radio call, Bo climbed aboard his vehicle, fully crewed by indigs, and gave a hand and arm signal for a short count. Though the patrol followed strict light and noise discipline, and they moved without any artificial lights, the pre-dawn glow was enough for them to see him, and they proceeded through the battle drill without issue.

Three, two, one.

All the patrol’s vehicles started at the same time. The subterfuge was necessary. One enormous, initial sound made it much more difficult to estimate the unit’s actual strength.

Immediately next to Bo were two small and highly maneuverable vehicles, which comprised the forward security elements. He would place one at the road junction leading from the main road by the river to the southwest of Imsurmik. The other would take the main road east to the road junction southeast of the town and take up a similar position so they could warn the main body of any counterattack coming from those approaches. Bo pointed to each of the vehicles’ commanders and gave them the signal to move out. They crept forward and cleared the patrol base before accelerating to what was a normal speed for vehicles on R’Bak’s roads.

Now the wait begins.

Bo smirked to himself; his wait would only be a few minutes. The idea was to get the two security vehicles out and on their way to their positions before moving the bulk of his force onto the road. At that time of morning, there were no travelers. They had seen no activity on the highway for more than four hours. Everyone with sense enough to sleep was doing so. Moving in darkness gave Bo and his patrol all the leeway they needed.

Five minutes after the security vehicles rolled out, Bo gave the signal for the rest of the convoy to follow him. They left the assembly area across the narrow valley from Imsurmik and pulled onto a road no wider than a logging trail. It was unimproved and rough, but passable if they took their time. Bo knew the first section of the trail crossed several exposed rocky areas and would require about ten minutes for all the vehicles to clear.

If all goes well.

Bo’s plan accounted for the lower initial speed. After his vehicle climbed through the narrow rocky passage, he accelerated toward the first road junction. There, he turned north toward the main road. The distance was only a couple of miles, but Bo kept the vehicle moving at a comparative crawl. Not only were his drivers indigs like the bulk of his three-hundred-fifty-man assault force, but they had just enough training to make them dangerous. While they were capable, Bo didn’t want to risk pushing them beyond their capabilities. Every vehicle in his formation was a necessary asset. They had repaired the three broken-down tactical weapons platforms from Lieutenant Tapper’s raid and added them to the other eight vehicles in the assault force. Weapons of all kinds had been slung on the vehicles, and while they weren’t necessarily unsafe, it was best if they kept their progress slow and methodical during the more troublesome parts of the drive. The time for crazy maneuvers and assault speeds would come soon enough, but only after most of them had offloaded their infantry and were ready for the assault.

Bo’s command vehicle was about halfway between the first road junction and the major highway when he saw a broken-down vehicle to one side. Two men were standing alongside the road, staring at the unmoving piece of equipment in the pre-dawn darkness. Bo wanted to laugh at the all-too-human response; it was something he might have seen in the early morning hours back in Mississippi around hunting season. One of them, an older bald man with a long white beard visible in the dim light, flagged him down. Bo scrambled out of the top of the vehicle, ensuring he had his sidearm, and made his way to the front fender.

The old man smiled up at Bo with hopeful eyes. When he spoke, Bo recognized his dialect as one of the northern groups from the fertile lands known as the Greens. “Are you going north?”

Bo shook his head. “No, sorry. Imsurmik.”

As Bo hoped, the older man’s eyes widened slightly.

“You as well? I see,” said the old man. “Tell F’hadn that Zeesar gives you his blessing.”

Bo nodded and filed the information away. Every name and potential contact was in play. Still maintaining the dialect, Bo replied, “Thank you, honored one. I will. Do you need assistance?”

“No,” Zeesar replied. “My friends will be along after sunrise. Blessings to you and your force.”

Bo climbed back to the hatch, keeping one eye on the men. Turning his back on them would show trust, but he had none. Zeesar’s friends could very well