Chapter 13
The Masked Avenger
(Ó
2010)
Logan sipped from the paper cup that contained the coffee he had purchased, it confirmed his previous thought that “it wasn’t Jo-jo’s”, however, it would have to do. He tried to cut the bitterness down the best he could with cream and sugar, and the strawberry jam he spread on the toasted bagel would help.
He sat at a table by the window, facing the direction that the train headed, watching the seemingly endless stream of bare trees, snow, farms, and black topped roads go by. The coffee in his cup rocked to the train’s rhythm. He was now just a few miles inside of Michigan.
His attention was drawn in the view up ahead, as he suddenly noticed some flashing blue lights on a paved road. He first felt a sudden jolt of concern that quickly subsided as his logic told him that it was much too soon before anyone would be suspicious of anything.
A moment later, the Wolverine rode past the road and Logan looked down to see some Michigan State Troopers, and a local Fire Department as they were helping to clear up a minor traffic accident, probably caused by the snow on the road.
The lights of all the vehicles, blue and red, flashing and breaking up the colorless background of white, black and grey.
Just like that day - - -
- - - The day of the raid. It was decided that the raid was going to be executed twenty-four hours ahead of schedule. Logan had not slept since he arrived outside of Lille the day before. For thirty-six hours, he relayed intelligence information to Jean-Luc,the representatives of Interpol and the GIGN.
It was now late morning, in a little more than an hour whoever it was who was coming for the seventeen children would be coming to pick them up, then take them to whatever part of the world they were to go to be sold.
Logan sat cross-legged in his base site inside the thick bushes. He watched through his binoculars as the six, three man teams of the GIGN were setting up their individual ambush points where Logan had instructed them to be. He silently radioed to each one of the teams and kept them abreast of the whereabouts of each roaming sentry. Once he felt secure, he took the time to retrieve the case that contained the FR-F2 snipers rifle, and began to assemble it. He did so quickly and almost completely by sense of touch, he had been trained to assemble weapons blindfolded. He kept his eyes strictly on his surroundings, scanning from the compound, to the main road, to the forest around him.
With the tripod attached, he again donned the black nylon mask over his camouflaged painted face, then slowly moved himself into a prone position and set up the FR-F2 so that it was aimed at the compound. He then took one of the clips of ammunition, set it in its place, pulled back the bolt, and loaded the first round into the barrel. He then placed the rifle on safety.
He looked down on to the Volchescu compound through the telescopic sight of the rifle. He saw the sentry in the bell tower of the barn as he, now and then, stood up to observe his surroundings. Logan then placed the sight to the roof of the main house, and saw the sentry with his back to him as he was sitting on the opposite slope of the roof. Logan then looked to the large van; it had been moved a few meters more to the south of the compound, between the main house and the guesthouse. It was ready to move the human cargo that was held captive inside of the barn. There was no significant activity seen elsewhere, occasionally someone would pass by a window, or come from one of the houses to the barn, or vice versa. Logan had reported that there were always five roaming sentries, the two sentries on the barn and main house, a sentry at the gate, three men in the guesthouse, two in the main house, not counting Bela, and two more inside the barn. Sixteen potential targets in all.
He then scanned the area that was immediately around him to look for the sentry in his area and saw that he was nowhere near. He radioed all the others with a whisper, “I’m going to start the deal, all teams wait for me. I will be with you all shortly.” Logan then slowly crawled out from the thicket, and began to go to the area where he knew that the sentry near him would be.
Logan was to start the raid. His first objective was to take out all the roaming sentries silently and swiftly, using his blackjack, garrote, or his bare hands. He was to transfer each unconscious sentry to the closest raiding party where they would place the sentries in restraints and muzzle them.
Outside of the compound, the six, three man teams had literally surrounded the area. In addition, in a five kilometer radius, was the rest of the raiding party, ready to come together on the north and south ends of the unpaved road that ran along the east side compound. They all monitored their radios, listening to Logan as he called out in his coded language, waiting for his signal to converge onto the compound.
In the meantime, Logan knelt hidden behind a two large trees, waiting for the sentry in his area the walk by. The sentry soon showed himself, unaware of Logan’s presence. Logan waited patiently as the sentry stepped slowly by. When the sentry was just a footstep past Logan, he lunged up from behind him and wrapped the garrote around his neck. Logan only exerted enough pressure on the garrote to keep the sentry from crying out, and to cut the flow of oxygen and blood to the sentry’s brain, thus rendering him unconscious.
“Team six … one down … show.” They heard Logan’s voice say, meaning that the first sentry was down, asking the team designated as number six to show themselves to him so that they may retrieve the fallen sentry.
Five minutes later, everyone heard Logan broadcast, “Team five … two down … show.”
Seven minutes later, “Team four … three down … show.”
Then, eleven minutes later, “Team three … team one … four and five down … show.” All five sentries had been neutralized. Logan used his garrote on two, an equilibrium punch on one, and the other two were blackjacked.
One minute later, Logan broadcast, “Teams one through six … get set … okay all … let’s make the deal.”
Logan was making his way back to his base where the FR-F2 was hidden when he heard through his earpiece the sound of Jean-Luc’s voice saying, “All parties! Move in!” He knew that he had about ten minutes at the most, but he would be back to his spot long before that.
In less than five minutes he was. He crawled on his stomach to the awaiting rifle, his hands slipped around it, his left under the barrel. His right hand covered the trigger and then he gently switched the safety off and began to wait.
The sound of vehicles began to come from both directions of the unpaved road. Logan peered through the scope of the rifle. He looked first to the north end to see police vans with their lights flashing speeding down the road. He looked then to the south ends to see the same spectacle. “Here come the cavalry boys.” Logan whisper to himself.
“Bela! Каждое! Полиции! Полиции!” (Bela! Everyone! Police! Police!) Logan heard the sentry in the bell tower scream. Logan brought the rifle up to his direction and watched him through the scope. The sentry reached down and picked up an AK-47 rifle, and stared as the vehicles drew closer. “Где те fucking идиоты?” (Where are those fucking idiots?), Logan heard the sentry yell, meaning the roaming sentries who now were no longer there.
Logan scanned the compound. He saw the sentry on the roof of the home stand up, he also had in his hands an AK-47. He then looked to the main house and guesthouse to see a flurry of activity, men running around and grabbing weapons. Then Logan heard the burst of automatic gunfire. He moved his rifle over to see the sentry in the bell tower firing at the vehicles as they made their turn off the unpaved road and onto the pathway that led to the compound.
“Now we just can’t have that.” Logan whispered and aimed the FR-F2 at the sentry. Logan looked through the scope and placed the crosshairs right on the sentry‘s head. Logan then began to place his finger on the trigger for what was going to be a perfect headshot, considering the distance. He was just beginning to place pressure on the trigger when … he froze.
A memory came flooding into his psyche, a feeling of great warmth engulfed his body. It was the memory of the vision he had in Chad. The memory of his vision during the chaos and gunfire During the time of his injury. During the three days that he was unconscious afterwards.
The memory of his visions of … The Woman in the Flames. He heard the words she spoke to him in his vision.
- - - your time here is finished - - - you have done enough - - - do not take another life - - -
Logan remembered everything she said to him, he remembered every moment of the visions he had. He relived it all. Then the second burst of gunfire from the sentry brought him back to reality. What seemed like hours was in fact just two seconds.
Logan continued to peer through the scope, the crosshairs still locked on to the sentry’s head. He dropped his aim downward slightly, squeezed the trigger lightly … and fired. The bullet struck the sentry in his right shoulder blade causing him to drop his AK-47 and scream loudly in his pain. Logan then grabbed his radio and called to the three men teams, “Teams one through six, give them rotating cover fire.”
The six, three man teams then began to fire short bursts from their rifles, one team at a time, from alternating directions which created confusion to all else in the compound. It was also the first message sent to those in the compound that they were surrounded. Logan focused his attention to the sentry on the roof of the main house. He stood up in plain sight and it appeared that he was panicking. The sentry raised his AK-47 and fired a burst at the oncoming vehicles that now wear bearing down on the entry gate. He then started to randomly fire in the north direction where some of the teams were giving their cover fire.
Logan aimed the rifle at this sentry; looking through the scope, he saw that his back was to him. He placed the crosshairs onto the right cheek of the sentry’s buttocks … and fired. The sentry jerked upwards screaming, he dropped the AK-47 and fell backwards, rolling down the roof and landing on the second floor balcony near the ladder. His screams from his agony let Logan know that he was still alive.
Gunfire then started to come from the houses and the barn. Logan radioed, “Fire at the houses only! The children are in the barn!” The six teams and the men from the vehicles fired a series of short quick burst. After doing so, all gunfire on both sides ceased.
Logan radioed the men at the vehicles, “Okay guys, tell them that old worn out line of bullshit that we always say.”
Logan then looked to the large van, he then radioed, “Jean-Luc, I’m going to render their vehicle useless, Okay?”
Logan then heard through his earpiece, “Go ahead Number One.”
Logan turned his rifle to the van, aimed towards the bottom of the grill and fired. The bullet shattered through the grill and pierced the radiator. He then fired higher through the upper part of the grill, again striking the radiator. He looked through the scope to see the fluid of the coolant begin to make a large green colored puddle on the ground. Logan then aimed at the left front tire and fired. The tire exploded violently. He then fired at the right front tire causing it to do the same. Logan then fed one more round into the chamber and fired at the windshield causing it to shatter completely and fall onto the front seats.
Logan then crawled backwards and out of his base camp to make his way closer to the compound. He made his way down to an area of tall grass just outside the compound wear he had a good view of the front door of the main house. He lay prone, unseen by those who were in the house; he set up his rifle so that it was aimed toward the house.
Silence and stillness fell over the compound. It was so quiet that Logan could hear the whirring sound of the motors of the emergency lights of all the vehicles. He then heard loud voices coming from the main house, Bela was screaming at the men in anger.
“Son-of-a-bitch.” Logan whispered. Then Bela launched another grenade in the same direction. Logan covered his head as the second grenade exploded. Some of the soil rained down upon him. Logan then took aim with his rifle. He looked just in time to see Bela turn, go to the side of the house, arm another grenade and began to raise the M-16 in the direction of all the vehicles.
Logan took aim, saw that Bela was in a squatting position, his right leg slightly in front of his left. Logan placed the crosshairs directly onto the side of the right knee of Bela … and pulled the trigger.
The bottom of the windowsill, and the wooden portion under the barrel of the AK-47 exploded, sending wood splinters and glass to go into the face of the man who held the weapon.
“Bela Volchescu. Скажите, что ваши люди передают. Вы строги ранены. Мы можем дать вам медицинское внимание вы.” (Bela Volchescu. Tell your men to surrender. You are severely wounded. We can give you the medical attention that you need), came from the loudspeaker from the vehicles.
“ИДЕТЕ К АДУ ВЫ СВОЛОЧИ!” (GO TO HELL YOU BASTARDS!), Bela screamed, and then began an attempt to find his weapon. When he spotted it, it was on the ground about a meter from his head. He then began to make an effort to crawl on his back to retrieve it. Logan watched through his scope. He aimed his rifle to the corner of the house near where Bela lay … and fired. Bela felt the wind break inches above him as the bullet soared past his face, then shatter a large portion of the corner of the house. This caused Bela to cease all movement towards his weapon.
Logan then rolled five times to his left. As he did so, he replaced the empty clip of his rifle with a fresh one, and pulled the bolt to reload. He then lay prone, set the barrel down on its tripod, and took aim towards the houses. He then radioed Jean-Luc and said in his whispering tone, “Tell them that I can keep this up all day.”
“НЕ СДЕЛАЙТЕ ЕГО ВЫ ТРУСЛИВЫЕ СВИНЬИ!” (DO NOT DO IT YOU COWARDLY PIGS!), roared Bela.
Silence came over the compound. The sound of the breeze through the trees and bushes was all that was heard. This silence continued for three minutes, and then was broken by the sound of the front door of the main door. The two men who were inside came out with their hands in the air.
Bela looked up and said to the men through his gritted teeth, “Гадостная трусливая шлачка!” (Filthy cowardly scum!).
“Мы будем жить для того чтобы воевать другой день Bela.” (We will live to fight another day Bela), the man answered calmly to him.
“Шаг вне к центру смеси!” (Step out to the center of the compound!), came from the loudspeaker. The men stepped from to house and complied with what they were ordered to do.
The door of the guesthouse then opened and out came the three men who were inside. One in front and the two others behind him. Of the two men in the back, one was helping the other to guide him. His face was bloody and Logan realized that he was the man who aimed his AK-47 out from the window. “Не снимите! Он был ослеплен!” (Do not shoot! He has been blinded!), shouted the man standing in front.
“Соедините другие, центр смеси.” (Join the others, center of the compound.) They all began to make their way to the other men standing in the compound, all the while they felt the crosshairs of the guns around them, especially that of the one who fired the last ten shots.
Logan then radioed to Jean-Luc, “Get the others from the barn, that should be all of them.”
Then the voice on the loudspeaker broadcast, “То из вас в амбаре! О соедините ваших камрадов. Он повсюду. Сделайте его теперь!” (Those of you in the barn! Come join your comrades. It is all over. Do it now!). A few seconds later, the large door opened and two men stepped out with their hands in the air and joined the others now standing side by side in the open center of the compound.
After they did so, the masked and camouflaged figure of Logan stood up from where he was taking cover, he seemed to appear from nowhere, his rifle still aimed at the men who stood with their hands in the air. He was ready to fire upon any of them who attempted to make a wrong move. Logan then took his radio and said, “Teams one through six, converge on to the compound, bring your prisoners with you.”
With that, the vehicles then drove through the entryway gate and Logan began to make his way towards the compound all the while with his rifle aimed at the men standing in the center. The other police officers from the vehicles then stormed the compound and soon had Volchescu’s men surrounded. The officers then made all the men lie face down on the ground. Logan looked around to the outside of the compound and saw the six, three man teams making their way towards the compound with the roaming sentries, who were now their prisoners. The prisoners bound with their hands behind them, their mouths gagged and they were blindfolded. Logan then aimed his rifle to the air; he removed the clip and ejected the live round in the barrel, then picked it up from the ground.
Jean-Luc then came up to him and said, “Good job Number One, good save.”
“Thank you. Here, could you take this for me?” Logan asked handing him the FR-F2.
“Of course Number One.” And took the rifle from him.
Logan then stepped to the men lying on the ground and came to the last two on the end. Logan then drew his .45 caliber side arm and knelt down to them. “Вы были двумя человек пришел от права амбара?” (You were the two men who came from the barn right?”), he asked them in Russian.
“Да.” (Yes), they both replied.
Logan looked them both over and then grabbed the smaller of the two and picked him up by the back of his neck, “Вы приходите с мной.” (You come with me). Logan stood behind him; made the man place his hands on the top of his own head, lace his fingers together, then forcibly marched the man to the barn and stopped at the front of the large doors. “Любое другой из ваших друзей пряча внутри там?” (Are there any other of your friends hiding in there?), Logan asked.
“Нет, там никакими другими.” (No, there are no others.), the man answered.
Logan then grabbed the man’s laced fingers with his left hand and squeezed just tight enough to cause him some pain. He then placed the muzzle of the .45 from behind the man, up into his crotch, and said, “Если вы лежите к мне, то эти будет единственный fatality здесь сегодня, вы понимает?” (If you are lying to me, these will be the only fatality here today, do you understand?).
“Я присягаю, я не лежу.” (I swear, I am not lying).
“Вы примете меня к детям, теперь!” (You will take me to the children, now!), Logan demanded. The man shook his head ‘yes’ and the both entered the barn. Logan looked and called over to the closest police officer “You, could you come with me please?”
Logan and the other officer then escorted the Volchescu henchman into the barn. Once inside they found that the barn was never intended to be used for any animals. It was completely void of any hay or feed. The stalls were empty and clean. Just to their right were the cases that Logan had witnessed unloaded from the first van he saw from the night before last. It was suspected that they contained some sort of illegal narcotics.
“Среднее стойло на левой стороне. Будет дверь ловушки. Используйте трап, котор вы видите внутри там.” (The middle stall on the left. There is a trap door. Use the ladder you see in there.)
Logan removed his .45 from the henchman’s crotch and holstered it “Получите к вашим коленям.” (Get to your knees.), he ordered. The henchmen complied and knelt. Logan again applied pressure to the locked fingers of the henchman’s hands, “Теперь сторона лож вниз, справедливо в dirt.” (Now lie face down, right in the dirt.). With Logan assisting him, the henchman then was put into a prone position face down. Logan released the mans hands, “Положите ваши рукоятки прямо вне, как самолет, с вашими ладонями вверх.” (Put your arms straight out, like an airplane, with your palms up). Logan now stood up, “Теперь распространьте ваши ноги и ноги врозь насколько вы можете.” (Now spread your legs and feet apart as far as you can). The henchman complied, and after he did so, Logan kicked his feet further apart.
He summoned over the other police officer, “Kneel down right between his feet and place the muzzle of your rifle right up his crotch and against his balls.” A big smile came to the officers’ face. He knelt down right between the henchman’s feet, brought the barrel of his rifle up to his crotch, and sternly placed it at the base of his scrotum.
The henchman slightly jerked up and Logan placed his boot down on the back of his neck. The henchman returned his face to the dirt and Logan removed his foot. Logan then knelt down, grabbed the henchman by the top of his hair, and pulled his head back. The henchman looked at the masked face and stared right into Logan’s eyes. Logan said to him, in a low calm tone, “Слушает к мне, если вы делаете одно неправильное движение, то этот человек имеет заказы для того чтобы снять ваши шарики. Вы понимаете?” (Listen to me, if you make one wrong move, this man has orders to shoot your balls off. Do you understand?).
“Да.” (Yes). He answered quietly.
“Хорошо.” (Good.), Logan said. He the stood up and looked to the officer, “He’s not going to move.”
The officer nodded to him and Logan stepped over to the middle stall. He flung open the gate to see that there was indeed a trap door on the floor. Against the wall the was a collapsible aluminum ladder. The door was secured with a piece of 2X4 lumber. Logan kicked it loose, reached down to pull the door up and open. There was what appeared to be a deep and large cellar and it was very dark. The only light that was seen was from the inside of the barn through the trap door.
“Здравствулте!? Французские Национальные Полиции. Interpol. Безопасно прийти вне теперь.” (Hello? French National Police. Interpol. It is safe to come out now), Logan called to the darkness. There was no response. He stepped back out to the barn and asked the officer, “Hey man, do you have a flashlight?”
“Yes,” the officer said and reached behind him. The sound of a Velcro fastener was heard being pulled, “here, catch.” He said and tossed Logan a heavy black flashlight.
“Thanks.” Logan said and returned to the stall. He knelt down again to by the open trap door and called out, “Здравствулте!? Это будет полиции! Совсем право! Вы можете прийти вне!” (Hello? This is the Police! It is all right! You can come out!) There was still only silence. Logan looked up to the wall and saw the ladder. He then called down into the hole, “Не будьте испугано! Я буду приходя вплоть до получаю вас все вне.” (Do not be afraid! I am coming down to get you all out.)
Logan stood and grabbed hold of the ladder, which was about ten feet in length. He dropped it down through the opening and when it reached the bottom of the cellar, Logan estimated that the room below was about eight feet in depth. Logan leaned the ladder against the lip of the entrance then tested to see how secure and stable it was. When he was satisfied, he stepped onto the first rung, then placed both feet there. He stepped two more rungs down, then placed his feet to the sides of the ladder and slid the rest of the way down.
The aroma of damp soil was heavy in the murky air. Logan took the flashlight, turned it on to look behind the ladder and then slowly began to scan the room. He panned around to which looked to him as the larger area of the cellar that was behind him. It took but just a few seconds to see them all. There they were, all huddled in a large mass to the extreme back of the cellar. Logan recognized the three older girls who stood in front of the rest of the younger children.
The dark haired girl in the center responded, “Здравствулте.” (Hello)
Logan spoke to her and the rest of them in a slow, calming tone, “Не будьте испугано, я с французскими национальными полициями. Мы имеем горничную рейд на этой смеси. Я должны здесь получить вас из здесь.” (Do not be afraid, I am with the French National Police. We have made a raid on this compound. I am here to get you out of here).
“Полиции?” (Police?), she asked quietly.
“Да, Полиции.” (Yes, Police), Logan replied.
She then turned to the others enthusiastically and said to them, “Все отлично теперь, полиции здесь.” (Everything is fine now, the Police are here).
Logan pointed the flashlight to the three older girls and said “Я вы 3 помочь мне получить более молодые одни вне.” (I need you three to help me get the younger ones out). The girls nodded and Logan then motioned them over to the ladder. He then turned back to the ladder and climbed up just far enough so that his head was through the entrance. He called to the other officer, “Hey man! I got them all here. I’m going to send them up and have them go to the center of the barn.”
“Alright Number One, it’s all still secure here.” The officer answered.
Logan then slid back down the ladder to find the three older girls standing at the base. The other two girls were blond haired and Logan said to them “совсем справедливо, оба из вас идут вверх, один из вас идут к центру амбара, другому пребыванию дверью ловушки. Пойдите дальше, пойдите.” (All right, both of you go up, one of you go to the center of the barn, the other stay by the trap door. Go on, go ). The blond girls then made their way up the ladder.
Logan watched as they both scaled up the ladder. He saw one girl then leave to go to the center of the barn, the other girl knelt down to the entrance looking back down into the dark cellar. Logan called up to her, “О'кейо, мы идем послать их вверх, одно одновременно. Вы направляете их к вашему другу. Вы ждет меня там. Вы увидите другого офицера там.” (Okay, we are going to send them up, one at a time. You guide them to your friend. All of you wait for me there. You will see another officer there).
“О'кейо.” (Okay), the girls said as she nodded, confirming she understood.
Logan then turned to the dark haired girl and said, “совсем справедливо после этого, старт принося их over here.” (All right then, start bringing them over here).
The girl motioned to all the other to come forward, “Я ы дальше, вы, мы выходим, идем вверх по трапу, одному одновременно.” (Come on, all of you, we are leaving, go up the ladder, one at a time). The younger ones came to them at began to scamper their way up. Logan noticed how they each would stare at him as they waited their turn to go up the ladder. They each would have a wide eyed look of astonishment, mixed also with some trepidation. Logan knew that they had all already been through a great ordeal. However, the sight of a man his size, in the dark, and wearing a mask while he still had the black camouflage make-up on his eyes; didn’t help matters.
Logan counted the children as each one would climb the ladder, the two boys were the last to go up. He pointed at the dark haired girl and said “16. Вы делаете 16. Одно больше.” (Sixteen. You make sixteen. There is one more). Logan thought for a split second and then asked, “Маленькая девушка, с курчавыми волосами, где будет маленькой девушкой?” (The little girl, with the curly hair, where is the little girl?).
“Ula?”
“То она названно? Ula?” (Is that her name? Ula?). Logan asked.
“Да, то будет ее имя. Она поэтому устрашала.” (Yes, that is her name. She has been so frightened).
Logan began the shine the flashlight around the room and found her in two seconds. Ula was sitting with her knees up to her chin. She was sideways against the back wall. Logan saw that she was definitely frightened. She had a graphic expression of dread on her tear streaked face. Her blue eyes were wide open, her bottom lip protruded in a pout, and her body was shaking.
The dark haired girl called to her, “Ula? Ый здесь мед. Мы get out здесь.” (Ula? Come here honey. We are getting out of here).
“Нет, я не хочу слишком.” (No, I do not want too), the little girl said as she cried.
“Почему не мед?” (Why not honey?)
“Он пугает меня. Будет он плохим человеком?” (He scares me. Is he a bad man?).
“Никакое Ula, он не будет плохим человеком. Он с полициями.” (No Ula, he is not a bad man. He is with the Police).
“Почему он носит ту маску?” (Why is he wearing that mask?).
Logan looked at the terrified little girl. He remembered the other little girl from years ago, the other little girl in Djibouti. His heart felt heavy for her. He felt anger also, because he thought to himself of what Volchesku and his men had to do in order to scare this little girl so much that she would rather stay in this dark hole, than to come out of it with him. He turned to the dark haired girl and whispered in her ear as he asked, “где она от?” (Where is she from?).
"Moscow, котор я верю." (Moscow I believe), She whispered back.
Logan then whispered, “о'кей после этого, препятствуйте нам, котор оба идут к ей совместно и я поговорю к ей.” (Okay then, let us both go to her together and I will talk to her).
The dark haired girl nodded then said to Ula, “Не будьте испугано мед, мы приходит к вам совместно.” (Do not be afraid honey, we are coming to you together).
Logan and the dark haired girl stepped over to Ula. She pressed herself even more to the wall as they drew close. He knelt down close too her, her eyes wide as she stared at his shrouded face. He knew he had to win her confidence quickly. He was quite inexperienced when it came to comforting children, the last time he did so was with the girl and her friends at the incident in Djibouti.
Then an idea came to him suddenly and he spoke to Ula gently, “Ula, они имеют шуточные книги в Moscow?” (Ula, do they have comic books in Moscow?).
The little girl nodded ‘yes’.
The little girl nodded ‘no’.
Logan then placed his clenched fist on his chest and said in the cartoon voice, “Ii1... am замаскированный мститель,” (I … am the Masked Avenger), he then moved his fist from his chest and held his hand upright, with his index finger pointing straight up, “и I... приходило сохранить вас.” (and I … have come to save you).
The little girl let out a small giggle.
She looked into Logan’s darkened eyes and asked, “Реально?” (Really?).
“Да, реально.” (Yes, really).
“Вы обещаете? (Do you promise?).
“да зазноба, я обещаю.” (Yes sweetheart, I promise). Logan then held open his arms to her. Ula looked up to the dark haired girl and saw her nodding in confirmation. Ula then swiftly jumped to Logan wrapped her arms around his neck, and held on tightly. Logan felt her fright leave her and go right through him. He placed his arms around her and stood up. He said to her gently as he clumsily patted her on the back, “оно совсем идет быть alright теперь, не устрашито больше.” (It is all going to be all right now, do not be frightened anymore). He looked then to the dark haired girl, “let's пойти теперь.” (Let’s go now).
The three of them then stepped back to the ladder. Logan let the dark haired girl ascend first and then he followed her, carrying Ula in one arm while guiding himself with the other. The dark haired girl waited as the both came from the cellar. He pointed toward the stall gate to where all the others were waiting. He then followed her to the center of the barn where the others saw the bizarre spectacle of one of their captors lying spread eagled on the ground as a man pointed a rifle between his legs.
Logan himself turned towards the sight, now to find that Jean-Luc was standing behind the police officer who was pointing the rifle and guarding the Volchescu henchman.
“Number One!” He called out to Logan.
“Yes Sir?”
“Come, we are leaving now.” Jean-Luc said as he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.
“I’ll be right with you.” Logan replied and then looked at Ula. “теперь вы остаетесь с другими здесь. Я должен пойти теперь.” (Now you stay with the others here. I have to go now), he said to her.
“где вы идя?” (Where are you going?), she asked.
Logan thought for a second and replied in the cartoon like voice, “почему, я должен возвратить к моему секрету hideaway.” (Why, I must return to my secret hideaway). The little girl gave out a giggle and then hugged him again around his neck. Logan in his inexperience again clumsily patted her on the back. He then turned to the dark haired girl and offered Ula to her. The girl took her from him, Logan then said, “они идут принять вас к безопасному месту. Пожалуйста кооперируют и говорят они все, котор вы знаете.” (They are going to take you all to a safe place. Please cooperate and tell them all you know). He looked then to Ula, and said to her, “после этого они получат вас назад домашн к вашей мати.” (Then they will get you back home and to your mother). He then turned and headed for the barn entrance.
“хороший bye.” (Good bye), Ula said to him.
Logan turned, continued walking, and waved to her, “хорошее bye Ula.” (Good-bye Ula), He and Jean-Luc then stepped out of the barn.
Once outside Jean-Luc said, “Everything is secure here Number One. We are returning to Paris now.”
“Okay, just let me go back to my base and retrieve all my equipment, I’ll be back in about ten minutes.” Said Logan and he began to jog away. He was at his base site in minutes. He gathered all his equipment and placed it into his backpack. He slipped the backpack on, picked up the rifle case and jogged back to the compound.
“Number One!” Jean-Luc cried out to him from the back of the blue van. He was waving to him to come over. Logan jogged over to the van, tossed in both the rifle case and backpack, and jumped in. Once he was inside, the doors slammed behind him and the van began to drive rapidly from the compound.
Logan and Jean-Luc now both secured themselves as the van made its way on the bumpy path that led to the unpaved road. Henri was driving. They came to the road and turned southward and sped away. Logan sat with his back to the side wall of the van and gave out a sigh.
“Good job Logan.” Henri said to him looking straight ahead.
“Thank you.” He said, sounding tired. He looked to Jean-Luc and asked while pointed to his own face, “May I take this off now?”
“You sure may Logan,” Jean-Luc answered, “you sure may.”
Logan reached to the top of his head and pulled off the mask, his face was covered with the smeared camouflage make-up. Jean-Luc then handed him a moistened towel so that he could clean off his face. The towel was soon sullied with Logan’s make-up, however soon his face was back to normal. He looked at the mess that he had left on the towel, he folded it up and tossed it to the side. He then set his legs straight out, leaned more firmly against the side wall of the van and then rested his head slightly back against it. His body was now beginning to feel the exhaustion caused by his non-stop dealings of the past forty-eight hours.
"Meaning?”
"We still have to have the debriefing with Thiebulet once we get back to Paris. That could go well into the evening.”
“Oh great.” Logan sighed.
“We still have between two or three hours until we are there, grab yourself some sleep.”
“Is that an order?”
“Yes, In fact I will wake you when we get to the parking facility at the …” Jean-Luc stopped speaking. He could not finish what else he was going to say, because Logan was already asleep. - - -
- - - There was a break in the clouds of the overcast sky and a sun ray suddenly illuminated the train car. Logan saw the farmlands around him with patches of snow still from the winter that was about to end, but also with the greens and dark browns of the earth that was beginning to peer through the broken blanket of white.
He watched as the houses and barns of the farms, as well as those of the orchards drift by his window. As he passed one farm, he saw a father playing catch with a football, whom must have been his son and daughter. A humorous thought came to him. He thought of all the times that he had clandestinely traveled through Michigan so that he could visit his to his mother and pay his respects to her, how he would drive past all the farms, vineyards, and orchards for hundreds of miles; how he would never see the people who lived on all of them ever outside. He never saw them in front of their homes, driving their tractors, or even working the land, he had never seen anyone until this moment.
He looked to his wristwatch and saw that it was now 10:17 AM in Chicago. Jo-jo was well into her morning routine now he thought. By now, she had read the note on his desk and believed that “Mr. Morrow”, would be gone for the entire day and that she would see him the next morning. It would be just another normal day and by the time Jo-jo would be taking her afternoon break, he would be in Grandmother’s Land.
Logan took off his wristwatch and set it one hour ahead as to adjust for Eastern Daylight time zone.
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