there too. Jeb picked up on it right away, and went over by the window. He shot a glance at Private Jenkins, who also looked out there. He turned towards the Major, hand on his weapon.
“Major Donaldson, why are your men approaching this clubhouse in assault formation?” he asked.
He turned towards the Private, and attempted to pull his sidearm. Jeb leveled his rifle at him and fired, throwing the Major backwards. He was dead before he hit the floor.
“Grab your guns!” Jeb cried. “Traitors on the way in. Keep down.”
Jerry pointed his AK-47 at Private Jenkins. “Whose side are you on, son?”
“Not his,” he said. He set down his weapon and began to back away.
“Pick that up,” Frank said. “I wondered why he brought you in here. Get in the fight. Then he turned to the rest of the group. “Those of you who have weapons, get around the windows and get ready to fire. Those who aren’t fighting, get on the floor under the tables in the middle of the room and hope for the best.”
Jeb, Charlie, and the Sheriff were all aiming their rifles out the window. They shot. Then a volley of automatic weapons fire went off, shattering the windows in the room and sending wood chips flying all over the place. Jerry got up to the door and let loose with his AK, spraying fire into the area in front of the clubhouse. Half of the soldiers took off running for some cover, but the hunting rifles blasted again, sending all but one of the traitors flying to the ground, dead. The last one was still running, close to two hundred yards out, moving out of range fast.
“Got him,” Kurt cried. He fired, hitting the soldier square in the back.
“Damn, that 30-06 makes a lot of noise,” Jeb said.
The back door flew open and three soldiers ran in. Frank turned and nailed one in the chest with his Winchester. Jane fired her M-16 and got another one, but the third dove for cover under a row of tables. The civilians in the middle scrabbled to get away from them, except one, who turned and stuck the man in the neck with a bowie knife. The man fired off a couple of shots but they just hit the wall. He was dead. Then it was silent.
“Think we got all of ‘um?” Gabe whispered.
“We got most of them,” Jeb said. “I watched them coming out of that big chopper before I got in here. There were only about ten.
The chopper started.
“Listen, Jeb said. “It’s trying to take off. Let’s go see if we can hit the pilot.” He slipped out onto the veranda, looking for a good place for a shot. Charlie and Kurt ran out after him, and then the Sheriff. Jerry and Frank stayed put, eyes on the back doors and windows, ready for anybody coming through.
“You want to go out?” Frank asked, looking at Jerry.
“Naw, this is a job for those big bore hunting rifles. If anybody can take out the pilots, it’s one of our sharpshooters. This AK doesn’t have the accuracy anyway.”
“Maybe I can help,” Private Jenkins said. He stood up and went to the doorway. Then his head exploded all over the room. Jasmine screamed as he slumped to the floor.
“Crap,” Frank said. “Stay down, everybody.” He looked out the window to see where the shot came from. He saw some movement in the bushes, an aimed his Winchester there, watching. Then a soldier stood up and started running towards the meadow. Frank fired, throwing him several feet forward.
“Nice shootin,” Jeb said from the veranda. “I’d know the sound of that .44 of yours anywhere. Who got it in there?”
“Private Jenkins,” Frank shouted.
“Dammit. Frigging traitors,” he said. “Cover us while we try to get a bead on that chopper, okay?”
“Got it, Jeb. Take the damn thing out.”
“I’m watching too, honey,” Jane said, pointing her M-16 out the window.
“Good,” Frank said. “Nice shot, by the way.” She nodded.
The chopper rose into the sky, getting above the trees. The cockpit was facing away from the clubhouse, but then it turned.
“There it