HUNTING SEASON Chapter 6

                                    

                                          
The woodlands were silent, except for the birds that called their mates from the treetops. It was almost as if all the animals knew what was about to come. Their sense of picking up danger urged them to vacate the area. Men laid on the woodland floor, hidden under low lying bushes, such as mountain laurel, spicebush, lowbush blueberry, and viburnum or behind the old chestnut oak, table mountain pine and pitch pine trees. Inside the high perimeter fence, were selected men of the Marines and the President's personal guards from the Secret Service. Another platoon of Marines planted themselves on the exterior of the fence, ready for battle. They had confidence that they would bring these Russians down. Four Russians to thirty of them.
                          
Sam knew he was over reacting. His family were in the safest location in the world. It's exact location has been a mystery, but with modern technology, it was easier to obtain a satellite imagery of its perimeter fence and gates. Each lodge, although hidden in the woodlands, have been marked and made ready on the internet. Aspen Lodge, the one where his family were residing, stood out from the others, due to its size and swimming pool. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind as he drove. They were ten minutes out from arriving at the front gate.
                          
Marines stood guard up in the tower, keeping a lookout for the Russians. The air remained silent as everyone waited. A grunt and a blunt banging noise caught the attention of the Marines in the tower. They rang the siren as the intruders made their way inside the perimeter.
                          
Twenty armed men ran up the hill towards the tower. They were expecting four Russians, but from the woods they poured out onto the grounds around Camp David. Marines fired back, determined to protect the President and his family.
                          
The gates were no longer armed. The boom gate was smashed through and Sam's blood turned cold as dread came over him. This was not what he expected. Now he so badly wished he had his partner with him. He tore up the driveway with Gibbs behind him towards the sound of gunfire, parking 200 metres away to hide their presence.
                          
Michelle could here the gunfire outside, and prayed that they would be safe. She knew Sam was coming and she hoped between those coming with him, the Marines and Secret Service Agents, that they would succeed. But the noise was loud and it sounded like there were far more than four intruders. She moved her children, niece and nephew to sit behind a metal cabinet. "Stay here, no matter what." She demanded. She positioned herself to the side of the door, ready for whoever came through it.
                          
Sam, Kensi, Derringer and Foley moved swiftly to the left, as Gibbs and his team moved quietly to the right. They used hand signals to keep their positions unknown.
                          
Vance, Granger, Callen and Deeks stood in MTAC, as they watched their teams move swiftly through the trees. They had spring on their side for hiding them amongst the trees, but so did the Russians.
                          
Callen was frustrated, knowing that he should be there with them, although he understood why he wasn't. He watched Kensi and Gibbs take positions up in trees ready to take down any intruders with the sniper rifles they carried.
                          
How these Russians, and so many of them were able to invade the perimeter of Camp David, no one knew, other than the fact that they had. Gunfire exploded, men went down on both sides: Marines, Secret Service Agents and Russians. Kensi and Gibbs locked on an enemy and once given the go ahead by Vance from MTAC, they fired. Two Russians fell flat on the ground dead, from a bullet to the head. Their comrades looked around but they couldn't see where the gunshots had come from. This put them on edge. Kensi and Gibbs locked on another two and fired again. Those left ran on foot in the opposite direction and fled the scene. Kensi and Gibbs locked on with their spy scopes a further two as they ran and fired. Finally they were winning. They followed them through the trees from on high and shot more until there was no one left. The air fell an eerie silence, gunpowder scent consumed the air with a smokey haze.