This came from Sam-Bones Tory.
Deke stared at his father.“Dad—”
Sam raised his hand at him.“Let me say this, son.Storm is or was his code name.”
Everyone stared at Sam then looked over at Storm.
“This man was awarded the Medal of Honor,” Sam explained.“One of the highest honors in the military.Given to rare individuals for valor.To service members who risk their lives above and beyond the call of duty in combat.”
Storm now resembled his name as he looked almost enraged.He didn’t look comfortable at this revelation.
“Does that leg give you sleepless nights, Storm?”Sam asked.
“How did you know about that?”Storm asked him with a low growl in his throat.
“Hell, there are about eighty of us in the world that know.You saved all our asses that day.
“I did my job,” Storm growled.
“No, you did the same job Captain America would have done if he was real.”Sam chuckled as he stared at him.
Storm scoffed.“I was just a regular soldier.A Private First Class in fact, not a captain of any-damn-thing.”
“Maybe so, but that day was not any-kind of-regular-day though, was it?I never fucking forgot it either.I was on a building above that street.As a gunner, it was my job to snipe at the enemy.So I saw the whole thing.Your jeep was overturned by a missile.But you got up from the road and ran through ammunition fire.Got all shot up and got instantly grazed by a fucking roadside bomb.But you rolled along the ground to put the fire out on your legs.Then like some fucking gymnast from the cosmos you jumped up on a tank that had no driver, ducked inside it and ran over maybe twenty of the enemy who were mowing down our men.They were out of shooting range for anyone else to stop them.You didn’t stop there though, did you?You saw the grenade thrower and you ran him over too as he was about to kill more of us.That tank took percussions from grenade explosions but you kept pushing it as you headed right for the ones who were leading this siege.They were laying down fire on our men.The ones who were trapped in that half-torn down old building after they had run out of ammunition.You saved thirty or forty more there.Then the tank ran up on a stolen Humvee that had nine of the enemy in it.And they had machine guns too.I kept cheering you on, though no one knew it until the tank finally stopped.Soldiers who told their eyewitness accounts later would say,no wonder he was called Storm.” Sam snorted a laugh.
The room was utterly quiet now.
Storm leaned back in his chair and gazed upward.He didn’t look happy with this story being told.
“So, what happened after?”James asked a little breathlessly.
Bane, Cane, Orrin, Sheba and Ari, all sat very still as they stared at Storm.They knew about battle and had seen it up close.So they knew real heroes never spoke of their deeds.And it was rare for them to meet one of the world’s secret champions.
Sam turned to look at James as he replied, “The rest of the enemy ran away and left the battle.Storm was pulled from that scorched, gutted looking tank.Unconscious with 40 percent burns, a fractured arm, ribs and a broken leg along with a body full of bullets.He spent months in a VA hospital.Was given his medal in that hospital.Then he was discharged and disappeared, so I heard later on.The only reason I knew who you were today...”He looked back over at Storm.“...was because I was there.”
An almost reverent silence had settled in the dining room now.
Storm’s men were staring at him in shock, apparently they had no idea about this bit of history.
“Si, I saw that valor in your eyes, the minute I met you, Mr.Storm,” Leon spoke now.“That makes me...rightas usual.”He chuckled.“Now, let’s eat while the food is hot because afterward, we’ll have a shot of some of the best Sons of Ireland whiskey and make plans for our own war.”
Italy....
Calderone made his way through the old alley.Darkness had fallen and he finally decided make his move.He had dropped Lucas off at the Don’s mansion.Lucas had been injured in that last altercation and despite wanting to fight this alongside Calderone, he just wasn’t up to it.
Calderone had cuts and bruises but he did okay.He had instructed Lucas not to say anything about him.To just say they had gotten separated during the kidnapping.He wanted no one to know he was still alive and still in the fight.
Calderone had his reasons for this.Yes, they already knew about the Grimaldis.But someone else was in on it and he needed proof.So, he would prefer that no one knew he was alive and well.He hoped Lucas did as he promised and kept quiet.Calderone had warned him that he could still be a target too.
He knew that Willow had been worried.But he couldn’t break silence.She was taken to safety and that was all that mattered.His father had taught him well.Especially about the game of betrayal.What to do to keep safe and how to fight a coup.
It all started three days ago.When he got a call.It wasn’t a number he knew and he had wondered how the woman had gotten it.It had a Milan code, but he didn’t know anyone in that area who would call him.But he answered it anyway, “Ciao?”
“Who am I speaking too please?”a female voice asked in Italian.
He paused and answered also in Italian, “This is Calderone Vincinti.Who am I speaking to?”he asked with a frown.
“Bene, I don’t want to give my name but I overheard something this morning and I need to tell you about it.”
