Read Online The State by G. Allen Mercer - Free Book Online Page A

then, well, they were open to a well-organized attack. 
    It was time to motivate the team.  
    Ian looked around one more time, satisfied that the group was as ready as they were going to be.  He cleared his throat, and then took command. 
    “Alright, we need to know what we are dealing with.  Joshua, why don’t you give us a rundown of what happened.”
    Joshua shifted his weight on his legs.  He had not expected to be called out.  The move bought him an extra second or two before he had to speak.
    “Yes, sir,” he started.  “We were in the barn and we heard what sounded like someone stumbling outside of the stable.  So, we extinguished the light, and…”
    “Don’t use the light again,” Leah said, her tone motherly, not overtly commanding, but it held the same weight.
    “Got it,” Grace answered for the pair.
    “So,” Joshua continued.  “We went out looking for the cause of the noise.  Grace was along the tree line at the back of the stables and I was along the fence line, and then I saw a flash of a riflescope on the hill.  It reflected the moon, he must have shifted it up in the air or something, but I saw the moonlight reflected in the woods as clear as day.”
    “Roger that,” Ian added.  “What else did you see?”
    “When he moved, I saw his silhouette behind some rocks,” Joshua said, surprising himself with the clarity of his observation.   “I am familiar with the rocks and know their shape, so I am certain that’s were he was hiding.”
    “Did you see any others?” Bob asked, trying to hide the pain from his demeanor.
    “No, Dad, I didn’t, but when I think back on it, he wasn’t holding the rifle right.”
    “What does that mean?” His father asked.  “Like he was injured?”  Bob was a Marine sniper, and knew the poses of a sniper better than anyone in the room.
    The room was quiet.  All eyes looked at Joshua.  Mary stopped patting her leg.
    “Maybe,” Joshua offered.  “It was like he was holding his stock shoulder lower.  I could see it in the moon light.”
    “I bet he’s been shot in the shoulder,” Bob offered to the group.  “There’s no other reason for a soldier to hold their shoulder up like that.  Probably has it in a sling.”
    Ian listened, and then nodded.  He agreed.   “That’s real good, Joshua.”
    “What do you want to do, Cap?” Bob asked from his leather chair.
    Ian was about to answer him, when Daisy stood up, whined and then sat back down.  Her posture was that of a statue.
    Ian looked back at Leah, who looked up at him.  She was processing just what the dog’s action meant, when a faint noise infiltrated the room from outside. 
    “She heard it first,” Leah said, standing.  “It sounds like…”
    “A drone,” Mary said, her affect was calm, considering her last two encounters with the SUV size killers.  Something had truly changed in her.
      “I agree,” Ian said, nodding.  “Alright, we don’t know much, and we don’t have time to get into positions.  Our friend on the hill might have called this thing in.  Bob,” he said, looking at the Marine.  “We should go into your bunker until this thing passes.”
    Bob was moving to stand, with great pain, before he answered.  “I agree.  Alright family, lets get down there,” he said, still trying to protect his family.
    Ian watched everyone go in, he was the last, with Leah just in front of him.  She sensed that he was not moving with purpose. 
    “Ian, let’s go.”
    “We need eyes on what ever that is,” he said, his voice was tender and spoken in a whisper.
    “I’ll come with you,” she said, taking a step up on the stairs.
    “No, you should stay with Grace.”  He was not commanding, but he asked in a direct tone, nonetheless.
    She stopped, looked up to his face and nodded. “Okay, just this once.  There’s no reason we can’t share the risk.”  She did not wait for a response and turned around to descend the rest of the stairs into