**picture: gas station on Maine state route 11
Kurt went back to Boston on Tuesday, but Tanya insisted to stay. So when Russell and Brock were transferred to Portland, she took a room at a hotel with Gillian and Aldana—even if they only dropped by in the morning for a shower and three or four hours in a bed after entire nights sitting by hospital beds. At the resident agency, Janowsky let Tanya take over the small conference room, where she set to assist Cassidy at the compound.
Gillian arrived later than usual on Friday afternoon. She came into the conference room with takeout for the girl, knowing Tanya hadn't taken even a short break at noon, and it was almost dinner time already—good thing Tanya was like her, able to function without food as long as she had coffee at hand.
The girl smiled up at her, as she circled the table to stand by Tanya's chair and take a look at what she was working on.
"Here, T, take a break and a bite," she said, giving the paper bag to Tanya.
"Jeez, smells delicious, but I can't. Gotta check this footage."
Gillian pulled up a chair and sat down by her. "What d'you have?"
"Route 11. Looks like two of the trucks reached it."
"It goes straight up to the border, right?"
"Yep."
"You eat, I'll keep an eye on this."
Tanya snorted, annoyed. "Don't bother. It's useless anyway. We don't know when it happened, we don't know the vehicles, we don't know the faces...!"
"Then take your time to eat, don't just gulp it down."
"Yes, Mom," the girl grunted.
Gillian shooed her away and pulled the computer closer. She knew Tanya was right. Even now, they were in complete darkness about the militia, and that kept them always two steps behind Balken.
Brock and Russell had never confirmed how many they were because they'd found the compound before figuring out the lower ranks—corporals and soldiers.
Nobody could even tell for sure how many of them were at the compound the night of the attack. About a dozen, Brock had said back then. But then those three pickups had attacked the command post and joined Balken's bunch at the compound. Three or four men at the back of each vehicle, Allen had said. Plus one or two more in the cockpit. So at least fifteen more. And Ron's scanner had revealed the sheds. Six to ten more men over there, watching their prisoners and their escape route. So three dozens. Or more.
When Balken broke out on Tuesday morning, Cassidy flew in to take charge of the operation, and had a Tac team search the whole premises for bodies. They found fourteen. According to what Tanya had, two sergeants and one of the lieutenants were among the casualties. That made eleven runts. Meaning most of the high ranks were alive and kicking. And in the wind.
They'd taken four trucks to escape, which could accommodate each four men in the cockpit and up to four more in the back. So they could be four fugitives or thirty-two—or any number in between. Not to mention this number didn't include those of them scattered all over, in other cities and states, maybe on the move to meet with their retreating brothers in arms and offer them help, shelter and resources to move on.
All of which made Gillian glad to be across the state from Cassidy's growing anger at the whole situation.
Tanya had her mouth full of tacos when Ron and Fred called over the radio.
"Hey, hot shots," Gillian greeted them. "Where are you?"
"Reg?" Ron asked. "Listen, you gotta go back to the hospital and set a detail on Russ and Brockner. Now!"
Gillian sat up at his urgent words. "What happened?"
"It looked like one of the trucks headed south down route 11, so we followed, just in case we got lucky for a change," replied Fred. "We stopped for a refill at the gas station outside Portage Lake, where the last victim died."
"The owner and a couple of locals identified us as feds and asked about the attack to the compound," said Ron. "And one of them said he'd seen Balken with three friends earlier today, heading south on Balken's truck."
"How much earlier?"
"About three hours ago. Reg, they could be in Portland by now."
Gillian rushed to grab her things.
"D'you have anything on the truck?" Tanya asked, swallowing her last bite as she sat back at her computer.
"Text me!" said Gillian on her way out.
She startled the staff as she stalked across the office to Janowsky's door, a bad feeling corroding her gut. If Balken had refused to cross the border or even leave the state, and headed south aware that the FBI chased him, it could only mean trouble. And with that bastard involved, it was violent trouble.
Janowsky didn't get to ask a single question.
"Call the locals, and the troopers if you need to," Gillian said to him. "We need roadblocks on every access to the city, and a local APB on the vehicle my tech's gonna give you. I'm taking some of your men with me to the hospital." On her way out, she looked around and called out, "Allen! You and three more with me! I need good shots! Bring your Kevlars and extra clips!"
Tanya showed up at the door of the conference room. "Reg! They're here! I just caught them on a traffic camera outside town. The footage is from twenty minutes ago!"
"Only them?"
"Another big truck with three more men drove by a couple of minutes later, but I can't tell if it's them too."
Shit. They were going to need all the help they could get. As Allen caught up with her at the exit, she recalled the case they'd worked in Portland a couple of months ago.
"Coltrane!" she called.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Call the PD. Ask Sergeant Baldwin to send some cruisers to the hospital to meet me there!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Gillian followed Allen to his car as the other three agents headed to another. She got in, dialing Aldana. "Al, Balken's in town. Instruct security to lock down the hospital and don't leave Russell's side. I'm on my way with some backup."
While Allen drove to the hospital, she received Tanya's text with a picture of the truck. She put on her radio to keep her hands free.
"Sergeant Baldwin sent Detective Wilson with three cruisers," said Tanya.
"They're gonna need this picture, T, and the plate. Make sure everybody gets them. Can you reach Cassidy?"
"In a minute."
Cassidy's reaction felt like the first good news in ages for Gillian. "I'm on my way. I'll be landing in Portland with our Tacs in two hours tops. You keep our boys safe until then, Gillian. I'm gonna lock down the whole damn city if I have to, and search door to door until we find those sons of bitches."
At the hospital, Gillian would've wanted to run upstairs and make sure Brock and Russell were fine. Instead, she sent Allen and the three agents ahead to the second floor while she stayed at the entrance hall to talk to the man in charge of the hospital security.
Wilson found her there. She was relieved to see he wore his police vest, and that he was only business, as he should. He shook her hand with a serious frown.
"Agent Coltrane filled us in. Where d'you need us?" he asked, straight to the chase.
"Outside every access."
"You got it. Have you searched the building?"
"We're about to."
"We got the picture of the truck, so I'm having my men check the parking lot and the surrounding streets."
"Thank you so much, Detective."
Wilson flashed a quick smile. "Don't even mention it. And it's Ben, in case you forgot."
She was forced to smile back and nod. Wilson excused himself to go out. He was still turning around to leave when Gillian was already halfway to the second floor.