LITMIR.BIZ

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chatted until the sun went down.

      Chapter Four (Monday, June 21, 2021)

      Rita didn’t own a car, only her motorcycle, and she and Alex rode to school, the handsome young man now wearing his new clothes, gray blazer hidden under an old leather jacket of Rita’s, his lanky body perched on the back seat. She parked the bike out front of the school and walked inside with Alex. He looked nervous dressed like some preppy throw back, but remained quiet as he walked beside Rita to the principal’s office. There were a few students in the hallway and they all stared at Alex and especially the very attractive military woman that accompanied him.

      Rita entered the Administration Office, talked to a secretary and waited for a few moments. She smiled at Alex and adjusted his shirt collar. A nice looking friendly faced woman with a milky white complexion and short auburn hair walked up to Rita and smiled. Did a double take when she looked closer at Alex.

      The principal half stared at Rita. Immediately thought of Brigitte Bardot. She smiled. “Hi, I’m Isabel Zaharick. How may I help you?”

      “I’m Major Rita Royale. I just wanted to let you know that Alex will be under my care as of now.”

      She looked at Alex, at Rita. “I see. You are his guardian?”

      “I am now.” Rita liked her blue eyes. Something. “I didn’t see any security at the front doors.”

      “I know. The guard phoned in sick today.”

      Rita reached in a pocket, handed a card to the principal. “Here are all my numbers should you need to get in touch with me.”

      Isabel glanced at the card, at Rita.

      Alex spotted a van on the street outside the fenced perimeter of the school, moving slowly. The bird screamed in his mind.

      He stared at Rita. “There’s danger.” He pointed out the large window to the van now turning the corner.

      Rita looked at him closely, she had heard the eagle as well. She glanced at the principal. “Isabel. Get all the students inside the classrooms and lock the rear entrance.” Rita was already walking away.

      “Why?”

      The major glanced behind her. “Please, just go lock the rear door.” She pulled her pistol from the shoulder holster. Looked at Alex. “Go to your classroom.”

      “I want to help, Rita.”

      She grinned slightly. “Hurry up now.”

      Alex stood in the hallway, watched Rita move quickly to the front door. The principal ushered students into class early, confusion on their faces.

      Rita peeked out the door window, the van slowing, stopping on the street out front. She saw two men sitting in the front, guessed at least another was in back. A teacher walked close to her.

      Rita looked at her. “Go call the MPs.”

      The teacher looked out the window, didn’t see why. “Are you certain?”

      Rita glared at her. Raised her voice a little. “Do it now.”

      The younger teacher looked more than a little insulted and walked away in a huff. Rita saw the side door of the van slide open, the front passenger door open. Two men stepped from the vehicle, looked around nervously. Closed the doors. The driver of the van pulled away slowly.

      Rita looked at their heavy clothing. Too much for a warm day. She glanced at Alex now standing beside her, heard the bell ring loudly above her head, signaling the beginning of class, watched the men walk up the wide sidewalk toward the front door.

      “Stay inside, Alex.” Rita gave him a look. “I mean it.”

      When the two men were halfway between the school and the street she opened one of the large doors and walked onto the front steps, her pistol aimed at the nearest man. Rita guessed they were Muslim. The man furthest away wore a round Muslim hat. His eyes jumped from side to side quickly, then stared at the major.

      “Stop right where you are. Don’t come any closer.”

      They hesitated, looked at her, at each other, confused looks. The nearest man smiled, gestured with his hands, shrugged his shoulders and began walking toward her. Rita fired, the report of her pistol a flat pop pop pop that echoed off the red brick school, her bullets hitting the man’s face, the man falling to the ground, the other man running toward her now. Rita fired again, then a loud fiery explosion. The man disappeared in front of her eyes, the shock wave from the explosion kicked her legs out from under her and she landed hard on the cement steps.

      Her ears were ringing as she struggled to her feet. Black and blue smoke filled the air. Body parts were scattered all across the front yard, splattered against the building, even some blood and flesh stained Rita’s uniform. She was dizzy, disoriented, spotted the same van moving on the front street again. She moved unsteadily toward the street clutching her pistol. Half staggered around what used to be a human. Now a just a burning smell.

      She arrived at the sidewalk the same time the van was directly in front of the school. She leaned against a parked car for support and fired her weapon, her bullets breaking the passenger window, striking the occupant, the van crashing into a parked silver Honda then shuddering to a halt. She moved carefully to the side window, legs shaky, still dizzy, saw the driver slumped over the steering wheel. Blood soaked his chest and face. She heard the sirens now. Spotted an Army man running toward her, pistol at the ready, saying something about a shift change, and that’s why he was late arriving to help. It was like she couldn’t hear him, just a ringing man in a green uniform moving his mouth. She squinted as she noticed Alex beside her now.

      Within minutes the front area of the school was a hive of Army MPs. Sergeant Lewis walked quickly toward Rita and Alex standing on the sidewalk.

      Rita gazed at him. “Sergeant. Go evacuate the students out the rear door.”

      He looked at the blood on her uniform and jacket, the blood on her face. The look in her eyes. “Are you injured, Major?”

      She shook her head. Ran a hand over her short hair. “Get the kids away from here now, please.”

      The sergeant shouted orders to his squad to secure the area. He and another man walked toward the front steps where Isabel the principal stared at the scene as if in shock.

      Alex looked at the bloody dead man in the van, the one on the walkway, crumpled in a heap. And the other one. What was left of him. Just a burning stinking pile of flesh and clothes. He stared at Rita’s face, her eyes a green fire. Dangerous eyes. “Are you hurt, Rita?”

      She looked at him, her pistol still gripped in her hand, her ears still ringing. She shook her head. “No. Don’t look at these guys, Alex. Go to my office downtown and wait for me there.”

      “You sure you don’t need me?”

      She smiled. “I’m okay. You go now.”

      “Yes, Rita.”

      She watched him walk away dressed in his gray slacks and sports jacket, looking back at her as he walked. Ambulances were now arriving on the scene as well as more Army personnel.

      An hour later, Rita’s ears were still ringing, but the dizziness was gone. She felt well enough to leave. She had already given her statement to Sergeant Lewis, and just wanted to go home and shower. She did manage to at least wash her face earlier in one of the student bathrooms.

      She started the motorcycle after breaking free from the media and rode slowly to her office. When she entered she saw Alex drinking a milkshake, sitting on a chair near Dixie’s desk.

      Dixie asked, “Major. Are you okay? Alex told us what happened.”

      She looked at Alex who looked completely relaxed and unconcerned about what he witnessed. “I’m fine, but I need a shower and some clean clothes. If anyone calls, I’ll be at home.”

      Cathy stared.

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