The Rescue(78)

“Not your typical Texas view,” said Aleman. “But that’s where we hoped to end up someday.”

“The air feels different in here,” said Decker, hustling to keep up.

“Both houses are climate controlled. The other side is mainly used for supplies,” said Aleman. “Mostly to maintain a normal humidity level. The space between them stays reasonably cool year-round due to the depth, and the houses are well insulated. Rammed-earth walls. But it’s dry as hell out here year-round.”

When Aleman disappeared through another doorway, Pierce whispered from behind, “It’s like living on another planet.”

Decker shrugged before entering a spacious office with several computer screens and a few shelves of blinking electronics. Aleman had already taken a seat and started typing in front of an expansive curved-screen monitor. By the time Decker and Pierce had piled into the room, the screen displayed a satellite map of the property with color-coded overlays and an array of symbols.

“Wow. This looks as Star Wars as your underground abode,” said Pierce. “That’s how I found you, by the way. That and about two thousand hours of staring at satellite images.”

“I figured that’s how you found me,” said Aleman. “Probably the same for them. I loved to joke about how I was going to live like Uncle Owen.”

“Who’s Uncle Owen?” said Decker.

“Seriously?” said Pierce. “Even I know who Uncle Owen is. Luke Skywalker’s uncle in the original Star Wars movie. They had that cool underground house on Tatooine.”

“Must have missed that detail,” said Decker, leaning over Aleman’s shoulder. “What are we looking at here?”

“They triggered the sensor set to cover the access road,” said Aleman. “Then hit the sensors at four miles out.”

“What’s all this other crap?” said Decker.

“More sensors.”

“How many sensors do you have?”

“On the road?”

“On the property,” said Decker. “Are we reasonably sure this is the only threat?”

“I have a ring of motion sensors a half mile out from the house, so we shouldn’t be surprised, unless someone parachutes in again.”

“How did you know we were coming?” said Decker.

“I was watching the sunset with my family,” said Aleman. “I heard the plane and caught your chutes out of the corner of my eye.”

“I knew we should have jumped after dark,” said Pierce.

“Where’s your family?”

“I sent them away as soon as I saw your parachutes.”

“Did I miss something?” said Decker. “Like a Star Wars transporter?”

“Jesus, Decker,” said Pierce. “That’s Star Trek.”

“There’s a tunnel leading out of here, but we need to slow these assholes down first,” said Aleman. “Or the plan won’t work.”

“We need the file,” said Pierce.

“I almost forgot,” said Decker.

Aleman swiped a thumb drive from the table under the monitor and held it over his shoulder. “Everything is on this.”

Decker grabbed the plastic device. “No paper files?”

“I don’t get out much, if you haven’t noticed.” Aleman pointed to a shelf on the wall next to the screen. “There’s a copy on that shelf. You should probably split them up between you, just in case.”

Pierce retrieved the drive and tucked it into a pocket under his vest. Decker did the same, turning all of his attention back to the screen. “They’re getting close to the next sensor,” he said. “Three-mile mark?”

“Right.” Aleman clicked the mouse and highlighted what looked like a string of sensors past the two-mile mark.

“We can’t track them to death,” said Decker. “We need a standoff weapon system, like a fifty-caliber rifle.”

“I have two of those.”

“Do you plan to use them?”

“Not yet.”

“We need to start engaging those vehicles at the one-mile mark, or we’re not going to win this round.”

Aleman ignored him and clicked the mouse a few more times, changing the sensor string’s icon color from green to red. A box appeared in the corner of the screen, flashing, “2MILEARMED.” The vehicles cruised by the three-mile marker, their icons speeding toward the next sensor.

“Armed?” said Decker, hoping it meant more than activated.

“IEDs spaced one hundred and fifty yards apart,” said Aleman. “I can remote detonate them if necessary.”

“Enough to destroy an armored SUV?”

“Destroy, no. Disable, most likely.”

“They’ll veer off the road after the first detonation,” said Pierce.

“I have smaller IEDs buried in twenty-five-yard increments, moving diagonally away from the road between the first and third IEDs. My guess is they’ll stop after a few detonations, assuming it’s a minefield.”

“What if they don’t stop?” said Pierce. “I don’t think this group takes no for an answer.”

“Then we hit them with the fifty-caliber rifles until they get the message. I have tunnel-accessed gun ports covering three hundred and sixty degrees.”