Down: The Fall

Chapter Seventeen: The Subdivision

   Morris had the boy Henry land his helicopter just outside the subdivision in a cow pasture. " Why didn't we land near the houses? We wouldn't have to walk so far then" the boy said. " We want to have the advantage of stealth on outside. They don't need to know we're here. A better offensive attack can be set up that way" Morris answered.

  " Say, you do a pretty good job of piloting that helo" Morris stated. " That what?" Henry asked. " The helicopter, your great at flying it, a real natural" Morris said. " Yeah, well it's kindof a hobby me and dad have had for years, we have all kinds of rc stuff. I've always liked the stuff that flies so I get a lot of practice" Henry finished.

  The kid didn't know it but Morris was trying to get his confidence up. He was about to leave him by himself in hostil territory and he didn't want the kid freaking out when he left. "Do you think you could take off quickly if say maybe a group came after you trying to take the helicopter?" Morris asked. "I guess so but why? Are you about to leave me here?" " yep." "But why? I thought you were going to let me help find my parents" the boy almost cried. " Look son I need you here in case I don't make it back so you can go back and warn the town, if you go with me it's a bigger risk of us being detected and killed, I can't risk you being a liability out there, the whole town might be at stake" Morris said. "Can I trust you to get back to town quickly to warn everyone if I leave you here?" Morris asked. " Yes sir" the boy replied quietly. " That's a good soldier" Morris said slapping him on the shoulder" that's what I needed to hear." "I'll be back as soon as possible" Morris told the boy.

  He began heading towards the houses in the distance through the tall grasses of the pasture. He crept silently up to the first house as he came out of the pasture. He could hear a comotion already as he approached the front of the house.

   Several men were standing in the middle of the road surrounding something or someone. They were laughing while they kicked, and spit on the person in the middle. He heard  cries of pain coming from the group. He could automatically tell from the cries that they belonged to a woman.

  Suddenly whoever was in the middle of them jumped up and burst through the ring of men. She ran limping but fast away towards the otherside of the house Morris was standing beside.

  Morris tookoff back towards the back of the house hoping to cut her off. He heard screaming and shouting as the men took off after her.

  He rounded the corner as the woman ran behind the house. He grabbed her and she started kicking and punching him. "Stop I'm here to help" he told her as the men spilled into the back yard. He threw her behind him " run for the field" he yelled as he drew the long sewing needles from his scabbards on his sides.

  "Well what do we have here, some old man tryin ta play hero" one of the men said. "I don't think you have a clue who your messing with gramps, I guess we'll just have to show you, won't we boys" the boy said as he and the others laughed.

  A small grin came on Morrises lips as the boy finished. He loved it when the enemy was grossly over confident.

  There were maybe five men all armed with various makeshift weapons. None were half as leathal as what he had. Morris almost laughed after sizing them up, because they didn't know who "they" were messing with." Come on and show me who you are boys, I wanna see I didn't know I was in the presence of important people, the missus will love ta hear bout this!" He taunted in deep southern slang. These good ole boys were about to learn a lesson the old fashioned way.

  The one who'd just finished talking rushed him. Morris side stepped at the last minute and hipe bumped him sideways. The boy lost his balance and stumbled till he tripped and hit the ground. As he was getting back up Morris planted a booted foot on his back and flattened him back to the ground. "Did your mama ever teach you not to hit a lady" he questioned. "Mummmmphamumgaaa" the boy replied as Morris shoved his head into the dirt a little more.