Blue Plague: War (Blue Plague Book 6) (3 page)

When Bruce finished, Mike reached up and stuck a finger in his ear, shaking it to stop the ringing. Angela and Stephanie ran over, wrapping their arms around Bruce. “We’re sorry, Bruce, we didn’t know,” Stephanie said, crying.

Closing his eyes, Bruce hugged them back and said, “Now, I feel like a complete shithead.”

Mike came over with Nancy. “Bruce, take a few days off. We can take it for a few days.”

Bruce looked up at Mike with a weak smile as Carroll and Marcus walked over, joining them. “Bruce, you go an’ take some time off an’ rest,” Carroll said.

Slumping his shoulders and feeling the weight of the world, he said, “Too much to do, Carroll.”

“No, Bruce, we be here for that. But be makin’ no mistake. You have ta lead us, an’ it can’t be no other. You the one that must blaze the trail in this war.”

“I know, Carroll. I’m just getting tired of it. If I guess wrong, then we lose troops we can’t afford and possibly everything here. I didn’t mind when it was only a few hundred, but now, we are getting to large troop movements. I would rather be a soldier or a smaller commander,” Bruce confessed.

“I knowed, Bruce, but you can’t be that now. You’s the big boss, and that’s the way it has ta be,” she told him and hugged is neck. “Go on inside befo’ I find me a switch.”

Not giving Bruce the chance to argue, Angela and Stephanie pulled him out of the building. When the door closed behind them, Carroll looked at everyone. “No one else is ta be hearin’ of this. The clan and people out in the wilderness think he be unstoppable, and they must always be seein’ that. Tell everyone we had a fight ta make him take two days off. They knowed he be listenin’ ta me. Bruce isn’t ta do anything till Tuesday unless it really be needin’ him,” Carroll said, and they nodded in agreement.

Nancy gasped and looked around at everyone. “The meeting tomorrow,” she said with alarm.

Holding up her hand, Carroll shook her head. “Tell the others on the command group it be moved ta Tuesday. Any complaints, an’ theys can come an’ see me. Just tell ‘em they have ta be gettin’ through Marcus first,” Carroll said, grinning at Marcus.

Suddenly Danny took off running to the door. “Where are you going?” Matt called after her.

Looking over her shoulder, she said, “I have to make sure they don’t get the kids. They are with Mindy and David.”

“Danny!” Carroll barked, and Danny stopped in her tracks obediently and turned around. “Bring the babies to me and Marcus. We gonna watch ‘em,” she said. Danny was fixing to complain but thought better of it, knowing Carroll would use a switch on her butt.

Walking up the stairs, Angela and Stephanie led Bruce inside to the bedroom. They showered, and Stephanie and Angela dried their hair as Bruce went to the bed. When they came out, they found him lying across the bed, snoring. They looked at each other then laid down beside him and curled up, drifting off to sleep.

Chapter 4

Awareness eased its way into Bruce’s dream that someone was stabbing him in the bladder with a really big and long knife. Struggling out of his sleep, he slowly cracked his eyes open and didn’t see anyone stabbing him then realized he had to pee—bad. Rolling to the side of the bed, he fought the pain as he gently stood and waddled to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, Bruce walked back into the bedroom, looked at the bed, and didn’t see anyone in it. He looked at the clock and noticed it was 1542 hours. Startled, he looked at his watch to find out it was Saturday. Relieved that he hadn’t slept for his off days, he went back to the bathroom and shaved then dressed, feeling much better.

With a pep in his step, Bruce snapped his fingers, wondering what to do on his off time. Heading downstairs, he found Danny, Mary, and Buffy at the table, working on laptops, each one stopping every once and a while to text someone. Grinning, Bruce stepped in and walked around, kissing each one on the head. “How are y’all doing today?” Bruce asked.

Lifting her head and brushing the hair out of her face, Danny looked up at him, smiling. “You were tired, Daddy. I thought you were going to sleep till tomorrow.”

“Might have if I wouldn’t have had to pee,” he said. “What are y’all doing?” he asked, looking over her shoulder at the computer screen.

Letting out a groan as she looked back down at her computer, Danny replied, “Making teams and training schedules?”

“Where’s Angela and Stephanie?” Bruce asked, feeling let down. He wanted someone to do something with.

“Dad, you have a phone now; call them,” Buffy said, looking up at him.

“Yeah, Dad, or just text them,” Danny said, glancing back up at him. Bruce just stared at her with a bland expression. “Oh, alright. They were in the front yard with the kids after lunch,” Danny said, looking back down at her laptop.

“Thank you, sweet pea,” Bruce said, turning around and heading to the front door. Walking into the front yard, he looked around and saw Stephanie standing by a tree. She was looking up in it and pointing at the ground. Following her line of sight, Bruce saw two kids thirty feet up in the top of the tree and someone else halfway up.

“Shit!” Bruce yelled and took off running toward her. Getting closer, he saw it was Angela climbing up the tree, and it was PJ and Cade at the top. “What the hell is going on?” Bruce asked, stopping beside her.

Stephanie wheeled around with a pissed off expression. “Your sons!” she expressed, “think that it’s funny to climb this damn tree and not come down!”

Taking a step back from Stephanie, he looked up in the tree. “Angela, get your ass down here right now!” Bruce yelled at her. “You’re pregnant, remember!”

Pausing her climb and looking down, Angela glared at Bruce. “I’m going to beat your kids first, after I throw ‘em out of this tree!” she screamed back at him.

I should’ve gone back to sleep,
Bruce thought. “They will come down,” Bruce tried to assure her as he looked at the tree from top to bottom.

Turning back and continuing her climb, she snapped, “Oh yeah, we’ve been telling them that for an hour.”

Not in the mood for any of this, Bruce looked up at the boys. “Boys, get your ass down here!”

Lifting his little chin up in defiance, Cade yelled, “No!”

“See, I told you!” Angela yelled as she continued her climb up.

“Angela, get down. You’re pregnant and don’t need to be climbing up a tree! I’ll take care of this,” Bruce bellowed, walking to the garage. Hearing anger in Bruce’s voice, Angela scampered down the tree as Bruce came back, carrying a chainsaw.

As Angela reached the ground, Stephanie yelled, “What the hell are you going to do?”

“Get them down,” Bruce said calmly, walking over to the tree. Looking up, Bruce yelled, “Boys, Daddy is cutting this tree down, and when it hits, you’re going to get hurt bad! Then, as you are bleeding and crying, I’m going to take my belt off and beat you with it!” As he finished, Bruce started pulling the chainsaw cord, making it cough and sputter.

“No!” both boys screamed together, climbing down. They had seen the trees cut down around the farm and even in their little minds knew this was going to be bad. When they reached the halfway point, the chainsaw roared to life as Bruce walked over to the tree and started to saw it down. “Daddy!” They screamed, moving faster as a blizzard of saw dust surrounded Bruce.

“Bruce, holy shit, quit,” Angela said, grabbing his arm, but he kept sawing. Looking up when he was halfway through the tree, Bruce saw the boys close to the bottom. Taking the chainsaw off, the boys jumped, landing in a roll. When they were on the ground, Bruce finished cutting the tree down.

Slowly, the tree started leaning with a groan and picking up speed. When it crashed, shanking the ground, he turned the chainsaw off and turned to the boys. “Don’t you ever tell your mothers or me ‘no’ again,” Bruce warned in a low voice, walking back to the garage. When he came back, he was carrying two small hand saws.

“Use these to cut off all the branches. You two will come out here every day until it’s done,” Bruce said, handing the two little boys the saws. They just looked at their cool climbing tree in disbelief. Hearing someone running up behind him, Bruce turned around to see Matt and Jake stop, looking at the tree.

“Told ya Dad would cut the tree down,” Jake said, looking at Matt.

“I knew he would, but I didn’t think they would let him,” Matt said, waving his arm out at Angela and Stephanie.

Still staring at the downed tree, Angela yelled, “Bruce, you could’ve hurt them!”

“I’m not finished yet,” Bruce said. Stephanie was still staring at the tree with an open mouth. “I could care less if they climb trees. Hell, all kids do, but they will not tell us no!” Bruce snapped. “Don’t think this is the first tree I’ve cut down because kids wouldn’t come down,” he added, looking at Matt and Jake.

“What?” Angela asked.

Frozen in disbelief at what she had just witnessed and still looking at the tree, Stephanie mumbled, “Jake and Matt got in trouble with Nancy and Debbie. They took off running because they were going to get a spanking and climbed up an oak tree.”

Angela looked over at Bruce, and he was pointing at the other side of the yard to a stump that was three feet tall. It was at least seven feet around. “Mike and I get a call at work saying, ‘Come home and kill the boys now.’ Knowing it was us or the boys, we chose them and left work to come kill them. We get here and see the two up in the tree, laughing at their mommas. We grabbed chainsaws and just cut it down,” Bruce said.

Letting out a huff, Matt said, “Yeah, after the beating, they gave us hatchets and made us cut it up. It took us six months.”

“Bruce!” Angela gasped.

“What? There are consequences for not listening to the parents, Angela. If the boys wanted to climb the tree, who cares? If they fall, they learn a lesson. Gravity works. Think about it; if they fall, they will hit branches, slowing them down. Granted, they will break a few bones, but that will reaffirm the lesson. All actions must be thought out, and after some painful experiences, sometimes, you figure out they aren’t worth the risk,” Bruce snapped.

Finally, Stephanie regained her composure and looked at Bruce. “Bruce, I’m not saying I don’t agree, but you started cutting it down while they were at the top. It could have fallen on them,” she cried out.

With a nonchalant attitude, Bruce said, “They wouldn’t have been hurt bad.” He walked over to a branch and snapped off two limbs. Pulling out his knife, Bruce started shaving the leaves off.

“Bruce, I’m just saying,” Stephanie said, watching him.

Not looking up from his task, “Where are the twins?” Bruce asked as leaves flew off the limbs.

“Marcus took them hunting,” Angela said, watching Bruce.

When he was done, Bruce handed the two switches he made to them. “Here, use them and tell them why,” Bruce said.

Stumbling back, Stephanie yelled, “Now?!”

“Little boys have the attention span of a sparrow. You don’t beat them, Stephanie, just spank them,” Bruce said, forcing the switch in her hand.

Not needing any encouragement, Angela grabbed the remaining switch. Moving to Cade first, Angela started popping his butt, and PJ started backing away from them. “Don’t run, PJ; it will only be worse,” Jake advised. PJ looked at Jake like he was foolish as Stephanie grabbed him, popping his butt. Then, Angela and Stephanie traded kids. Finished, they moved back by Bruce.

The two tree climbers looked at them with shock. They had blue jeans on, so the switches didn’t really hurt; it was just the thought that the mommas had spanked them.

“Jake, Matt, stay here with the boys, and show them the correct way to use the saws,” Bruce said and looked at the two tree-climbing boys. Both had tears in their eyes as Bruce spoke. “Be careful with those saws. If you cut yourself, you won’t get to use them anymore. You will have to chew the branches off,” Bruce said, guiding Angela and Stephanie away.

When they were around the corner of the house, out of sight of the boys, Stephanie collapsed down on her knees. “I can’t believe I beat the kids!” she wailed, throwing her hands up.

Putting her hands on her hips, Angela said, “Stephanie, you barely popped them.”

“They were crying hard,” Stephanie wailed covering her face.

“Jesus,” Angela huffed. “Stephanie, you have got to get tougher than this.”

“I’m a monster,” Stephanie moaned.

“Damn it,” Angela shouted and dove on Stephanie. Stephanie let out a yelp as Angela knocked her on her back. “Quit it!” Angela shouted, sitting on her chest.

“Get the hell off of me!” Stephanie shouted. Seeing Angela had no intention of getting off, Stephanie rolled, throwing Angela off her chest. Spinning around and getting on Angela’s back, Stephanie put her in a headlock. “Doesn’t feel good, does it?” Stephanie shouted, getting to her knees, but Stephanie’s victory was short-lived. Angela forced her weight to one side, throwing Stephanie off-balance popping her head out of the headlock.

As Stephanie fought on her knees to keep her balance, Angela spun around and pushed her over, diving on Stephanie’s back. She wrapped her arms around Stephanie’s chest, catching her in a bear hug. “Damn it, you’re squishing my boobs!” Stephanie screamed in pain. Reaching up and grabbing Angela’s wrist, she broke the hug and rolled on top of her. “That hurt!” Stephanie yelled at her.

“Sissy!” Angela yelled as she rolled, throwing Stephanie off her. The two continued to wrestle hard and even threw a few elbows at each other as Bruce watched.

Feeling a monster headache coming, Bruce started rubbing his temples. “If I ever get back in the bed, I’m never getting out,” Bruce vowed then heard snickering behind him. Turning around, he saw Danny, Buffy, and Mary with a shitload of people behind them watching the two wrestle on the ground. Then, from around the crowd, he saw Carroll walking over, and that made Bruce smile.

When she stopped beside him, Bruce looked back at the two on the ground, still going strong. “Will you stop them, Carroll?” Bruce asked.

“Nope,” Carroll said, making Bruce step back in shock. Seeing Bruce’s reaction, Carroll said, “Bruce, one thing I’ve learnt is you be leaven a pregnant woman the hell alone, and you gots two of ‘em. Let ‘em go until they get tired,” Carroll advised. “We can patch ‘em up if theys get hurt.”

“Great,” Bruce said as Danny came over.

“Dad, they do this quite frequently now, like you and Daddy Mike used to and Matt and Jake do now. I think they’re part boy,” Danny said.

“Danny, if I’m not mistaken, you and Mary had a wrestling match just a few weeks ago,” Bruce said as Angela finally got Stephanie in a headlock.

“Ah no, I was showing her I can yell at Jake whenever I want to; he’s my brother,” Danny snapped.

“He’s my husband, and that was mean!” Mary yelled.

“I can yell at him when I want to, girlfriend!” Danny yelled, spinning around.

“You want another beat down!” Mary yelled.

Danny held her arms out. “You damn sure didn’t whoop this ass, girl!”

“You two quit it,” Carroll snapped at them.

“Ms. Carroll, with all due respect, butt out,” Danny said, dropping her vest to the ground. Seeing that, Mary dropped hers, and they charged each other like football players landing in a crash. Then, the two started wrestling around.

Bruce put his face in his hands. “The women in my life are totally insane and will not be happy until they take my sanity with them,” he moaned.

“Bruce, what the hell is going on?” Nancy yelled, walking up with Mike.

“They’re talking it out,” Bruce said, taking his hands off his face.

“Now, this is enough!” Nancy yelled. None of the four listened to her and kept going.

“Nancy, even you and Debbie wrestled several times,” Mike said with a grin.

“Mike, shut it,” Nancy snapped and walked over to Angela and Stephanie. “You two stop it right now before I put my foot up both your asses!” Nancy yelled at them.

Both stopped wrestling, looking up at her with dirt and grass strewn through their hair. “Maybe not the best choice of words, Nancy,” Bruce advised.

Ignoring Bruce, Nancy continued. “Now, get up. This is immature!” she barked at them.

Angela and Stephanie lunged at Nancy, grabbing her legs, taking her down. Angela put her in a headlock as Stephanie put one of Nancy’s legs in a leg bar. “Who’s immature now with a whooped ass?” Stephanie yelled.

Carroll grabbed Bruce’s arm. “That’s why you leave ‘em be. Don’t go givin’ ‘em a common enemy,” she said wisely.

“Bruce, make ‘em stop,” Mike said.

“Damn it, Mary, quit biting me!” Danny yelled.

“Mary, you quit biting her now!” Matt yelled, running over to pull Mary off. He never saw Jake.

Jake hit him at a full run, taking him down. Mike looked at Bruce. “Bruce, stop them before they hurt Nancy.”

“You do it; Nancy earned this ass whoopin’,” Bruce said. Mike moved over to the three as Bruce added, “But if you touch either of them, we go down as well.”

Hearing that, Mike stopped and considered his options. He was not in the mood, and he saw from Bruce’s face he felt the same. Shrugging, Mike stepped over the pile, walked to the side of the house, and grabbed the water hose. Tuning it on, he started to spray each of the three wrestling matches.