Night of the Crane | By @WendyyWolfe

31. Friendly Fire

As they continued, Lacy trotted ahead to catch up with Macenna walking along beside him. She wanted to ask him about the Admiral. As she came alongside him Macenna frowned slightly but she wasn't deterred.

"I want to know how Basinger was killed."

Macenna gave her a cursory side glance. "Not now Lacy," he warned her.

She looked at him with ire but decided not to push him. Right ahead of them Silas and Reese trudged slowly, making the way for the entire group when Reese fell back and joined Macenna. "We're not far from the tunnels now Macenna. I'm going to station myself here and direct everyone into a single file. You trot ahead and help Silas clear the area for any non-friendlies."

Macenna nodded and Lacy swore he looked relieved. She took a step to follow him because she was determined to confront his attitude but Reese stopped her in her tracks.

"You stay here with me Lacy," he said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Why, Reese." Lacy demanded.

"Because. I heard what you asked him. And I want to answer your question."

Lacy bit her bottom lip, worrying it with her teeth as she stood and waited for Reese, watching him anxiously as he informed the gathered group they needed to continue from here in single file. He told them he and his men would bring up their rear and then be turned to Lacy with a severe expression guiding her a few steps away.

"Basinger was killed by a friendly-fire, Lacy. I'm sure you understand the terminology."

She nodded.

"Good. It was an accident, but it was my bullet that did it."

Lacy studied Reese's face but his expression gave no indication of his feelings. She wondered if he was telling the truth or trying to protect someone. Like Macenna.

She opened her mouth to just mention her train of thought but a tormented shout jerked her like a hit to her gut.

Reese burst into action grabbing her by the shoulder and whispering a heated instruction to stay low and follow him.

Lacy reeled around and moved into place behind him raising her rifle and looking all around, but the darkness was eerily silent.

Reese urged the citizens onward through that shadowy humid stillness and turned back to her as the last of them disappeared through the undergrowth.

Dylan and Macallan suddenly rushed up breathless and Lacy realized it was Reese's men who had shouted. They faced the darkness behind them backing up slowly with weapons drawn. Reese moved her, Dylan and Macallan to the edge of the trail but Lacy had already seen what his men were drawing down on. It was her Father.

A scream died in her throat. He wasn't alone.

Because with him was a whole army of the robotic drone entities. Lacy shouldered her rifle again and took aim. Before anyone could imagine her reaction would be so virulent she popped off a round and everyone watched as the man who used to be her dad, fizzled with an electrical whine and exploded into a spray of parts and pieces. Lacy wailed and dropped her gun down crying uncontrollably.

Macallan pulled her into his midsection spooning her quaking body and holding her tight against him. His free hand cupped her forehead and he swept her hair back as she turned into him wracked with breathless sobs.

But her actions sparked Reese's men and they unleashed holy hell. Their barrage of gunfire sliced through the night disseminating the mechanical monsters that used to be people.

From behind them all, where Silas had disappeared earlier they began to hear shouts over the din of gunfire. Macallan looked over his shoulder as Macenna burst back through the wooded terrain and Mac's eyes widened in disbelief.

A fully outfitted squadron materialized from the shadows keeping a defensive stand as Macenna introduced three men who were with him to Reese.

They spoke together momentarily then Reese motioned for his men. Macenna joined Macallan, Dylan and Lacy.

"Believe it or not, they are part of the Brazilian Army," he confided. "They were in the tunnels. The other half of them are leading everyone else through to the other side of town."

"How the hell have they ended up here?" Macallan asked in pure awe.

"They joined forces with the U.S. brother. But that's not all. They say they know the reason we have been invaded."