Baby on the door step

Chapter 15

The tires of the vehicle began to crunch on the rocky road Hunter had turned onto. Charlie was only two minutes away coming from the opposite end at a furiously fast speed.

"Hunter, don't leave us. I can't be alone without you or Ray" Tyler cried from the back seat. The faint smell of urine still flowed in the air and the musky weather wasn't helping. The little boy and Aria just endured a cinema action movie scene, and both made it out without a scratch. From the pale face and dark circle, Tyler was absolutely traumatized by everything he has endured since Aria was delivered to their doorstep.

With a deep breath, Hunter stepped out of the car and unbuckled the children from their seatbelts. Texas sun was beating down on their shoulders, he knew he didn't have much time before sundown in three hours.

The sounds of multiple trucks were speeding in the distance. From the looks, they were barely visible with the green lush cactus growing wildly tall.

"Hunter?" Tyler asked as he held a fussy Aria. The little girl was feeding off the tension of her older brother.

Hunter kept eyeing the row of vehicles, looking for any sign this might be just a military training exercise. It didn't seem like it.

"Tyler, take your sister and hide behind the rocks to the left."

The hard stone was the remanence of an old home. Tyler ran over through what would have been the front door and hid behind the pile of rock that lay to the back of the structure.

Looking back to the incoming traffic, Hunter fished out of his pocket a set of small binoculars.

Twenty Humvee's were rolling up, followed by ten M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. In the front of them, drove a Gray Ford F-150 with tinted windows.

This was no military training expedition.

Quickly racing to the car and swinging the door open, he popped the glove compartment to find a black 9mm. Loading the weapon quickly, he shuffled to the side and slid it behind his back.

In less than thirty seconds the Ford Truck skidded to a stop and teenager hopped down from the driver's side seat. He had dirty blonde hair and was wearing tan cargo pants, boots, and a green jacket. His eyes were concealed by aviator glasses and his hands covered with black gloves.

"Hunter French?" The young man asked as he removed his glasses and placed them in his left cargo pocket.

Hunter's broad shoulders relaxed as he asked, "Charlie Patton?"

The young man walked forward as the army of weaponized vehicles parked behind him. Soldiers, Army National Guards, piled out in full battle-rattle. Every man and women-focused their attention on the two teenagers conversing.

"The one and Only!" He exclaimed and walked over to shake Hunter's hand.

"That not true, Junior" A man laughed from the crowd of soldiers. A buff, middle-aged man walked forward with a woman around his age. 

Charlie rolled his eyes and turned towards the approaching pair, "Hunter let me introduce you to my father Colonel Charlie Patton II and my mother Lt Colonel Sydney Patton."

Colonel Patton reached his gloved hand out to shake Hunters. Hunter looked at the man with a curious stare.

'Is this some kind of trick? Can I trust him?'

"Kid, you can trust me. We are going to blow this inhumane experiment into the ground." Colonel Patton said.

Hunter shook his hand and when the woman smiled, he directed his attention to her hands. They pulled out a picture of Raylynn, tied to a hospital bed frame. Her stomach swollen and her skin pale as snow.

"Raylynn has been a second daughter to me. Her mother and I were childhood friends and reconnected while she was going through Chemotherapy. My daughter was a patient alongside Raylynns mom. That woman took care of my daughter and managed her own children as well. When I was deployed she made sure my little Katie was never alone. She helped save my daughters life

And I am here to return the favor"

Charlie placed his hand on his now ex-girlfriends boyfriend. "We are going to kill those sons of bitches."

Hunter outstretched his hand and placed his hand on Charlies shoulder.

"Thank you"

Charlie smirked and released his grip. As he did that, Hunter stepped back a few feet to look at the ruins of the home Tyler was hiding in.

"Tyler, come out. We are safe"

Slowly Tyler climbed around his hiding place and came into the view of everyone to see. The young boy's eyes wandered to three familiar people.

"Auntie Sydney!" He shuffled his feet, careful not to drop Aria who was sucking calmly on her pacifier.  Lt Col Sydney bent down and hugged the boy. Tyler looks to Hunter, who nodded giving the 'okay' for her to take Aria.

The passenger door to the truck opened a young girl, maybe 13 or 14 stepped over. She has curly red hair and a lightly freckled face, Her left leg was the most eye-catching, from the knee below she wore a purple prosthetic leg.

"Katie here will take care of the children back out our Army Reserve base." Lt Col Patton stated and smiled at her daughter. The girl reached her hand out to Tyler to take. 

"Hunter?" He asked, his lip quivered. Hunter kneeled down and wrapped his strong arms around the boy he had protected.

"I need you to be strong for Aria and Ray" He wiped away a tear with his thumb, "Can you do that?"

Tyler nodded and kissed the cheek of Hunter, "Raylynn always gives me good luck kisses before school. I think she'd want you to have one"

The teenager laughed and ruffled the young boy's hair. Katie, the girl, took Aria with both hands and urged Tyler to follow her back to the truck. The baby whined as she spotted Hunter leaving her view. Her blue and gray eyes filling with tears.

Hunter watched as the baby girl disappeared. He knew at that moment he would protect that girl for the rest of his life. He would be whatever she needed him to be, friend, protector, father.

"Alright, Hunter." Col Patton interrupted the boy's thoughts, "Where is this mental hospital?"

"Garfield Memorial Mental Institution, Oklahoma"

'I am coming Ray, please still be alive'