Dead America - Ground Zero

CHAPTER ONE

Day Zero - 7:30AM

Brandon Shelton leaned over the stove, giving the egg mixture a good scrambling before leaving it to set into a fluffy omelette. He sprinkled cheese and spinach over it, and then glanced over at Samantha, waiting patiently at the kitchen island. He shot her a goofy grin and she couldn't help but laugh at his infectious expression.

"You sure you don't want some ham or sausage in here?" he asked.

She wrinkled her nose. "No, daddy, eating animals is wrong!"

"Ten years old, and already a vegetarian." He turned back to the pan and muttered to himself, "We'll see what happens when you're old enough to appreciate a properly prepared steak."

Melissa bounced into the kitchen in her yoga outfit, chocolate ponytail bouncing along behind her. Brandon drew his bottom lip between his teeth as he took a moment to admire his wife's tight body while she leaned over to grab the orange juice.

"Mommy, daddy wants me to eat animals!" Samantha whined.

Melissa chuckled as she poured herself a glass of juice. "And why would he do such a thing?" she asked playfully.

"Because I don't want my little girl getting teased at school," he replied. "This is Texas. Some things are sacred."

His wife rolled her eyes. "We also live in the Liberal Alamo that is Austin." She kissed the top of her daughter's head. "She'll be fine." She winked at Brandon. "Besides, that just means more steak for us."

He chuckled and flipped the omelette, enjoying the hissss of the heat firing up on the egg.

"My yoga class should be over by ten, so if you and Samantha want to meet me at the restaurant by eleven, we can have lunch together," Melissa said as she filled up her water bottle.

Brandon nodded. "Sounds like a date. We should be finished with her check-up by then." He slid the finished omelette onto a plate and set it down in front of Samantha with a flourish just as his pager trilled it's intrusive ring.

He frowned as he crossed the kitchen to the device on the counter. "Come on, Captain, this is the first day off I've had in a week," he groaned.

"They're not calling you in, are they?" Melissa's brow furrowed, disappointment evident in her voice.

He shook his head. The digital readout simply said All hands on deck. "I'm sorry baby, I've gotta go."

His wife pursed her lips as Samantha let out a little whine of disapproval.

"If they're calling you in on your day off, it must be bad," Melissa said, putting a supportive hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'll take care of Samantha, you go play the hero."

Brandon approached them and pulled them both into a tight hug. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing major," he said as he pulled back, noting the look of worry on his wife's face. "When I was leaving last night there were a few callouts, so this probably nothing more than them needing another warm body on standby."

He focused his expression into a reassuring facade. But beneath his exterior, his heart pounded in his chest. In all his years on SWAT, there was only one other All hands on deck moment, and it had been a maniac with an AK-47 laying waste to an office building. Whatever was going on wasn't going to make for a pleasant day.

He gave Melissa a kiss and then leaned down to kiss the top of Samantha's head.

"You were supposed to take me to my doctor's appointment!" She pouted.

Brandon offered her a big smile. "Mommy's going to take you, but I'll try to be there for lunch to make it up to you."

"Make it up to me?" She gave him a sly grin. "So you won't eat meat either?"

He winced as his wife barked a laugh. "Okay honey, no meat at lunch," he promised.

"Yay! Thanks daddy!" Samantha cried and threw her arms around his neck.

He hugged her and then set her back in her seat. "Okay, finish your breakfast so you can get going to your appointment." He stood up and ruffled her hair.

Melissa put a gentle hand on his arm. "Be careful."

He gave her another sweet kiss. "Always."