A Crying Shame (161 page)

The SF captain put a battle-dress shirt over the girl's shoulders. His face was a scarcely concealed mask of outrage. He turned from the girl and walked slowly toward the tight knot of citizens.

Which one of you shot Sergeant Romero?”

I did,” the rifleman said. His knuckles were white as he gripped his .308.

If I had the authority to do so,” the SF captain said,
I would personally put you up against a wall and blow your fucking head off.” He took a deep breath.
But since I don't have that type of authority, I suppose this will have to do.”

The Green Beret hit him a short, brutal punch in the stomach. As the man doubled over, gasping for air, the captain brought his knee up into the man's face. Teeth spilled whitely on the ground. A split second after knee was formally introduced to nose, the knife edge of hand was acquainted with the redneck's neck. Rudely so.

That was all the
A” team needed.

As Jean stood by the side of the dead Link, she watched what she imagined was the shortest fight in history. Also the most brutal. She made up her mind that somehow, some way, she was going to learn to fight like these guys with the funny-looking green hats.

Only the lights and siren from the fast-approaching ambulance prevented the Green Berets from killing the citizens.

Jesus Christ!” the ambulance driver said, viewing the carnage.

Take my man and the trooper,” the captain said.

What about these other guys?” the paramedic asked.
God! There's compound fractures, broken jaws, that guy's leg is twisted ... Jesus! I never seen a leg in that position! That one—”

Leave 'em!” the Green Beret said, and there was no room in his voice for discussing the matter.
Maybe humanity will luck out and the monsters will find them.”

The parish was strangely quiet as Jon drove into Laclede. He listened to the radio and was amused at and by the newscasts.

Now the government of the United States was entering into the picture.

God help us all,” Jon muttered.