4. not over

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**picture: gas station on Maine state route 11

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**picture: gas station on Maine state route 11

Kurt went back to Boston on Tuesday, but Tanya insisted to stay. So when Russell and Brock were transferred to Portland, she took a room at a hotel with Gillian and Aldana—even if they only dropped by in the morning for a shower and three or four hours in a bed after entire nights sitting by hospital beds. At the resident agency, Janowsky let Tanya take over the small conference room, where she set to assist Cassidy at the compound.

Gillian arrived later than usual on Friday afternoon. She came into the conference room with takeout for the girl, knowing Tanya hadn't taken even a short break at noon, and it was almost dinner time already—good thing Tanya was like her, able to function without food as long as she had coffee at hand.

The girl smiled up at her, as she circled the table to stand by Tanya's chair and take a look at what she was working on.

"Here, T, take a break and a bite," she said, giving the paper bag to Tanya.

"Jeez, smells delicious, but I can't. Gotta check this footage."

Gillian pulled up a chair and sat down by her. "What d'you have?"

"Route 11. Looks like two of the trucks reached it."

"It goes straight up to the border, right?"

"Yep."

"You eat, I'll keep an eye on this."

Tanya snorted, annoyed. "Don't bother. It's useless anyway. We don't know when it happened, we don't know the vehicles, we don't know the faces...!"

"Then take your time to eat, don't just gulp it down."

"Yes, Mom," the girl grunted.

Gillian shooed her away and pulled the computer closer. She knew Tanya was right. Even now, they were in complete darkness about the militia, and that kept them always two steps behind Balken.

Brock and Russell had never confirmed how many they were because they'd found the compound before figuring out the lower ranks—corporals and soldiers.

Nobody could even tell for sure how many of them were at the compound the night of the attack. About a dozen, Brock had said back then. But then those three pickups had attacked the command post and joined Balken's bunch at the compound. Three or four men at the back of each vehicle, Allen had said. Plus one or two more in the cockpit. So at least fifteen more. And Ron's scanner had revealed the sheds. Six to ten more men over there, watching their prisoners and their escape route. So three dozens. Or more.

When Balken broke out on Tuesday morning, Cassidy flew in to take charge of the operation, and had a Tac team search the whole premises for bodies. They found fourteen. According to what Tanya had, two sergeants and one of the lieutenants were among the casualties. That made eleven runts. Meaning most of the high ranks were alive and kicking. And in the wind.

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