It Cannot Get Any Worse
Don't Need a Gun
Gerry went up from the basement to see what was gong on outside. As soon as he learned what was going on, he decided taking a protective position outside was the best way he could help. Dr. Brosnan was taking care of things in the basement and five goofballs with crossbows were protecting the basement. Gerry felt it was more important to keep people out of the house than to try to stop them inside the house.
An odd lady had introduced herself as Kaja and said she was in charge. She saw Gerry's tattoo and said she was also a marine. She was walking around outside with a bow and arrow. Gerry asked what they were doing. Kaja said she had stationed siix people to watch the back and sides of the house and there was a cop out front. “All they need to do is alert me and I will handle the rest. I have our five crossbowmen hiding in the basement. Not likely anyone will get inside, but if they do, hopefully the crossbow team will take them by surprise.”
“What kind of guns do the six guys outside have” Gerry asked?
“They have throwing axes. We do not have any guns here. Only archaic weapons”
Gerry had to stifle a laugh. He decided it best not to ask about their training or experience. Undoubtedly none. No one with experience would be out looking for guys with guns while carrying only a throwing axe.
“What is the range of one of those throwing axes?
“About ten to twelve feet. Any more or less and they usually will not hit blade first. However one of our guys can stick an axe at any distance from five feet up to 24 feet. He is really good, the best in our Barony.”
“What is the range of a crossbow?
Effectively thirty to forty yards if your account for the drop. You can shoot further, but it is very hard to hit anything and you begin losing impact. Not quite as good as a bow, but more powerful at short range. Much easier to aim.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the crossbows outside where the range is likely to be longer than inside?” Gerry querried.
Kaja stared at him and made a deep growling sound, like a wolf. “Crossbows have serious stopping power. If someone gets inside, I want something that can put a stop to them. Thrown axes are not worth much as a weapon. They would hurt, but they are very unlikely to actually stop someone with a gun. Once you throw it, you have only your hands.”
“Maybe these guys should not be out here with just axes.” This was not really a question, Gerry thought it was crazy to have those guys out here unprotected.
Kaja growled again, louder. “I am covering them. All they need do is alert me, I will protect them.”
“With a bow?” Gerry was aghast.
Kaja nodded and grunted.
“Perhaps you should take my .45. I will go up to a vantage point in the carriage house with my .22. I know a .22 does not have much stopping power, but I was out shooting it when he called, I did not run down to the gun safe for something heavier, I did not know what was up. All I have is my .45 and the 22, you should probably use the 45, it is better than a bow“
In a flash, Kaja turned and speared a beer can sitting on a post of the chicken coop at least forty yards away. When she turned back, she already had another arrow nocked in her bow. Gerry noticed she was holding two more arrows in the hand holding the bow. Holding the nocked arrow in place with a finger of her bow hand, she reached down and grabbed another arrow from the waist quiver and added it to the other two in her bow hand.
“If there are more than four of them, I may need your help with your pea shooter. I can only hold three arrows at ready.” She sneered.
Gerry nodded. He was impressed. Not much impressed Gerry but he probably could not have hit that can with the .45 in one shot.
“I will go up. There are windows front and back, I can cover both standing in the middle of the room, move your axe guys to the sides. I can watch the cop out front too. If you need me on the sides yell, I can be down in a jiffy.”
Kaja nodded and grunted loudly. This was a strange lady even if she was a Marine.
Gerry noticed one of Terrence’s kids hiding behind the woodpile by the pool looking scared. Amber was laying next to him and he had one hand on her head. She was bleeding from one leg and seemed to be asleep. Gerry remembered how much that kid loved Amber, he hoped she would be all right. What was that kids name? He was the rowing kid. He used to mow Gerry’s lawn for date money. He had an axe in his hand. An axe? Against guns? It was really more of a tomahawk. The handle looked like it would break if you hit someone with the axe. This was stupid, where were the rest of the cops?
Gerry headed up to the carriage house second floor where he could cover more of the yard with his guns. He had little confidence in Kaja and her axemen. It seemed silly and people might get killed, but this was not the time to argue. Hopefully the shooters were long gone. If this was some sort of robbery attempt, they would be off the island by now. If it was a hit, they would probably be back.
An odd lady had introduced herself as Kaja and said she was in charge. She saw Gerry's tattoo and said she was also a marine. She was walking around outside with a bow and arrow. Gerry asked what they were doing. Kaja said she had stationed siix people to watch the back and sides of the house and there was a cop out front. “All they need to do is alert me and I will handle the rest. I have our five crossbowmen hiding in the basement. Not likely anyone will get inside, but if they do, hopefully the crossbow team will take them by surprise.”
“What kind of guns do the six guys outside have” Gerry asked?
“They have throwing axes. We do not have any guns here. Only archaic weapons”
Gerry had to stifle a laugh. He decided it best not to ask about their training or experience. Undoubtedly none. No one with experience would be out looking for guys with guns while carrying only a throwing axe.
“What is the range of one of those throwing axes?
“About ten to twelve feet. Any more or less and they usually will not hit blade first. However one of our guys can stick an axe at any distance from five feet up to 24 feet. He is really good, the best in our Barony.”
“What is the range of a crossbow?
Effectively thirty to forty yards if your account for the drop. You can shoot further, but it is very hard to hit anything and you begin losing impact. Not quite as good as a bow, but more powerful at short range. Much easier to aim.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the crossbows outside where the range is likely to be longer than inside?” Gerry querried.
Kaja stared at him and made a deep growling sound, like a wolf. “Crossbows have serious stopping power. If someone gets inside, I want something that can put a stop to them. Thrown axes are not worth much as a weapon. They would hurt, but they are very unlikely to actually stop someone with a gun. Once you throw it, you have only your hands.”
“Maybe these guys should not be out here with just axes.” This was not really a question, Gerry thought it was crazy to have those guys out here unprotected.
Kaja growled again, louder. “I am covering them. All they need do is alert me, I will protect them.”
“With a bow?” Gerry was aghast.
Kaja nodded and grunted.
“Perhaps you should take my .45. I will go up to a vantage point in the carriage house with my .22. I know a .22 does not have much stopping power, but I was out shooting it when he called, I did not run down to the gun safe for something heavier, I did not know what was up. All I have is my .45 and the 22, you should probably use the 45, it is better than a bow“
In a flash, Kaja turned and speared a beer can sitting on a post of the chicken coop at least forty yards away. When she turned back, she already had another arrow nocked in her bow. Gerry noticed she was holding two more arrows in the hand holding the bow. Holding the nocked arrow in place with a finger of her bow hand, she reached down and grabbed another arrow from the waist quiver and added it to the other two in her bow hand.
“If there are more than four of them, I may need your help with your pea shooter. I can only hold three arrows at ready.” She sneered.
Gerry nodded. He was impressed. Not much impressed Gerry but he probably could not have hit that can with the .45 in one shot.
“I will go up. There are windows front and back, I can cover both standing in the middle of the room, move your axe guys to the sides. I can watch the cop out front too. If you need me on the sides yell, I can be down in a jiffy.”
Kaja nodded and grunted loudly. This was a strange lady even if she was a Marine.
Gerry noticed one of Terrence’s kids hiding behind the woodpile by the pool looking scared. Amber was laying next to him and he had one hand on her head. She was bleeding from one leg and seemed to be asleep. Gerry remembered how much that kid loved Amber, he hoped she would be all right. What was that kids name? He was the rowing kid. He used to mow Gerry’s lawn for date money. He had an axe in his hand. An axe? Against guns? It was really more of a tomahawk. The handle looked like it would break if you hit someone with the axe. This was stupid, where were the rest of the cops?
Gerry headed up to the carriage house second floor where he could cover more of the yard with his guns. He had little confidence in Kaja and her axemen. It seemed silly and people might get killed, but this was not the time to argue. Hopefully the shooters were long gone. If this was some sort of robbery attempt, they would be off the island by now. If it was a hit, they would probably be back.