Chapter 77 Chapter Seventy-Seven

Together they rode in Puller's Malibu.During the day, the temperature here has been kept at around thirty-three degrees, and the humidity is also high, but the weather at night seems to be more stuffy than during the day.The car's headlights attract a swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes.In the jungle on the left side of the road about fifteen meters ahead, a small deer suddenly jumped out. Puller tapped the brakes.After a while, another puma with a small stature ran out of the bushes, jumped twice, crossed the asphalt road, and disappeared into the jungle on the other side. Looks like there are a lot of predators out tonight.

"The Middle East is hotter than here, but not as humid. It reminds me more of Florida," Puller said, driving along winding mountain roads.Drake doesn't seem to have another type of road. "Never been to Florida," Kerr said. "I've never left West Virginia. It's my hometown." Puller turned the knob on the air conditioner to the maximum and wiped the sweat from his forehead.Cole's words stung him. "Let's get our thoughts out there," he said. "I'm in the toughest place right now, Puller." Puller glanced at her and said, "I understand. You are an officer of public safety, a public servant. It is your duty to protect and defend the interests of citizens."

"You're right. So what should I do? Evacuate the entire county?" Puller gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring out the window at the dark night.Cole showed him the way to Strauss' house.Now they were on a long stretch of straight road, long enough at least by Drake's local standards.Cole obviously wanted to take advantage of this opportunity for Pooler to talk without being distracted by the turn. "You could, I suppose. But without more and more definite information, I fear your warning and evacuation measures will have little effect." "But what if I have your support? What if I have the support of those people in Washington?"

"That's impossible," Puller said frankly. "why not?" Puller decides to tell her the truth. "They see you, Drake, as a rare opportunity to write a chapter in history, to catch those bad guys in action and bring them to justice." "You mean that we Drakes have become guinea pigs for their experiments?" She snapped. "Yes, you are rats. The authorities think that once we raise the alarm, those bad guys will quickly flee from this place and go to another place to attack." "But this is my hometown. I was born here and I know the people. I can't just sit back and let terrorists kill them all."

Puller, who had been looking at her just now, looked away. "Pooler? Don't you understand that this is my home?" "I get it, which means I probably shouldn't be telling you these things." "What is this nonsense!" "That is to say, the higher-ups will not do anything that might startle the enemy. They want to wait and see the development of the situation. At the last moment, they will send troops to take action. If they want to minimize the collateral casualties that civilians may suffer, this There should be enough time." "Should it be enough time? Minimal collateral casualties?"

Puller cut her off. "But that doesn't mean we're just sitting here with our tails between our legs and doing nothing. We can figure out how to solve the case before they do, and stop it from happening." "But what if we can't?" "That's the best idea I can offer." "You seem to intend for me to make up my own mind, to choose between the country and my fellow countrymen." "I'm not going to make you do anything, Cole, I'm just telling you what they said to me. I don't like their ideas any more than you do." "Then what are you going to do?"

"I'm a soldier. It's easier for me, all I need to do is follow orders." "nonsense." "Yeah, you're right, it's bullshit." "So?" Puller gripped the steering wheel so tightly that the car wobbled a little. "Then I don't know what to do." They drove forward in silence.Cole broke the silence once, but only because she needed to show Puller the last stretch of the road to the Strauss house. As they approached their destination, Kerr asked, "What if I decide to issue a public warning to the residents?" "You decide."

"You won't shoot me?" "It's up to you," Pooler repeated, "and no, I'm not going to stop you, I'm not going to shoot you." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Actually, I'm going to stand by you." "Would you? Why?" "That's what I do," Puller said. "You're doing the right thing. Sometimes the guys at the top tend to forget what they see as trivial things. You're doing the right thing." He added over again. They saw the lights of the Strauss house ahead."We're going to keep doing this together. We're going to get through this," Puller said as he turned into the driveway.

Cole pressed his palms against the dashboard, as if to slow down the rush of thoughts racing through her head. Puller put a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone, Sam. I stand with you." She turned to look at him and said, "This is the first time you're calling me Sam." "I'm in the army, and we're all prim, prim fellows." Cole gave a rare smile.She patted Pooler's hand. "I don't mind...John," Cole said, looking at him. "Is it okay if I call you that? Sometimes John? I know it sounds silly when someone thinks about things like this."

"That's a good thing to call me. Better than Romeo, I think." "Better than Juliet, too," she replied.