6. fall back

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**picture: protest in Akron, OH

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**picture: protest in Akron, OH

Gillian drove in silence, Aldana and Fred with her. The SWAT truck followed the black SUV. They parked at the street behind Cox's and started knocking on doors. Most of the neighbors were half scared, half suspicious, but ready to leave their houses until next morning. The SWAT team moving all over helped calm down their suspicion and get them on the way.

By the time Hank left the police station, the last neighbors across the street were evacuated. All the houses kept their lights on and cars on the driveway, so nothing would give away that they were empty.

"How're things over there, Ron?" asked Gillian over the radio.

"Looks like they decided to stay low. They mingled with the crowd like model citizens."

"Too many witnesses," said Aldana. "They ain't no fools."

"Are you guys ready? This must be getting old for them."

"Hank's on his way to the delivery."

"Good—wait. They're moving, Reg. I think they're going back to their cars."

"Keep us up, and stay with Hank until we have the package on the way."

"Stay with Hank? And who's gonna—?"

"Al and I are helping Fred to cover the backdoor. And we have a SWAT team to keep the front and deal with their cars when they're back."

"But, Reg...!"

"Ron, I just told you Al and I are staying back, with Fred. Just like you lads wanted."

"You don't sound very glad about it."

"'Cause I ain't. Keep us up."

Gillian snorted under her breath and joined Aldana and Fred by the SWAT truck. Fred picked the rifles for them, and a SWAT agent gave them half a dozen tranquilizer darts to each of them.

Gillian grabbed her share and walked down the driveway of one of the evacuated houses, to reach Cox's backyard and take position. She picked a bush on the right side of the yard and readied her rifle, while Aldana took the left and Fred set his rifle right in front of the backdoor. She hoped at least one of them realized something was off and tried to escape. She was dying to shoot any of them down—actually, she wished she could just shoot them all down like rabid dogs, with real bullets instead of darts. Maybe that way she would stop feeling so furious and impotent all the time.

Hank's call over the radio didn't exactly improve her broody mood. "Everything ready here."

"Good. They're coming back."

"How can you be so sure they're gonna call for takeout, Reg?"

Gillian swallowed a curse, but not the bitterness in her voice. "Saturday night, Hank. A bunch of guys. They've been eating takeout almost every day since they got here. Why would they do any different tonight?"

She heard him breathe as if he were about to keep arguing and changed his mind. A wise choice, no doubt. "Okay," was all he said.

She moved to find a spot to see the backdoor through the thickets. Her eyes remained fixed on the closed screen as the night fell on Akron.


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