A Day in the Life of Marine Captain Cross before the Zoastra Affair Part Twenty Three
Nothing happened for a long while as they marched toward the coordinates marked on the map. They remained in the forest and assessed the situation.
Then Cross led his team into the palace. People buzzed around them—all the activity seemed rushed—but no one looked right at any of the humans. Crowds were easier to hide in than sparse locations.
One of his privates, who was scanning the communication channels, put his hand up, signaling that he had something. He pointed to a back set of stairs.
After scouting, they walked up the stairs without much trouble. But they stopped and pulled back when Cross pointed to ten men guarding a door. The private signaled that they needed to get behind the door.
Grace and Rosemarie must be in there. He needed to figure out how to free the women.
His eyes scanned their surroundings. The alien girl in the forest had mentioned a kitchen. A fire would make men on guard jump. But a trained soldier like himself would hold his gun closer and wait for the trap. He needed to find something to get them to leave. There had to be a way, and there might be some other distraction. Not liking the odds, Cross held his men back. They went back downstairs to the courtyard, and he signaled for everyone to keep their eyes open.
For a few minutes, there was no activity. Then a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Rosemarie Mortlock, Grace Newman, and Lieutenant Southeastern walked out into the hallway, followed by four armed guards. Their luck had just gotten better.
A fair fight. And in a crowd. The situation had shifted dramatically to his favor. One of the women must be lucky to have this happen. Luck had never shined on Cross in all his life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does Captain Cross plan to rescue Grace and Rosemarie from the guarded door?
Captain Cross initially considers creating a fire distraction after an alien girl mentioned a nearby kitchen, but dismisses it because a trained soldier would simply hold position and recognize the trap. Instead, he pulls his team back to the courtyard to reassess. The situation resolves when Rosemarie Mortlock, Grace Newman, and Lieutenant Southeastern unexpectedly walk out into the hallway with only four armed guards.
What signals that Grace and Rosemarie are behind the guarded door in the palace?
A private scanning communication channels picks up a signal and points toward a back staircase. After scouting the area, the team advances but halts when they spot ten men heavily guarding a single door. Captain Cross concludes that Grace and Rosemarie must be held behind that door, based on the intelligence gathered from the communication intercept.
Is a fire distraction or waiting for the enemy to move a better tactic in Captain Cross’s situation?
Captain Cross weighs a fire distraction against waiting, ultimately favoring patience. He reasons that trained soldiers would not abandon their post during a fire but instead grip their weapons tighter, anticipating a trap. Pulling his team back to the courtyard proves correct — the guards’ numbers drop from ten to four when the captives are moved, creating far better odds for a rescue.
