You'd be surprised. All Tom could think was that Hannible Lector movie when he cut off the face of one of his guards and wore it like a mask and walked right out of the prison.
He smirked, knowing she would find that offensive... but then she noticed the church, he sighed, knowing what she was thinking.
"No, you don't know... this person. And hopefully, you never will." He paused for a long time, and when he noticed they were approaching the subway station. He pulled into a guarded parking garage, and he rolled down the window and waved to James, the man on duty.
James gave him a leering eyebrow when he spotted Brook, but then he noticed that Tom had been bleeding, and he stiffened. "Sir?"
"Don't start that now, James. Lift the gate, I need to speak to Francis."
"Of course sir. I mean, Tom. Sonya said to tell you that you there's some movement by the church. They're cutting it close, si--Major--Tom." Tom hated titles. He tried to get his men to use his common name, but some, like James, found it difficult. Tom waved him off. "We just drove by there, it's dead."
"No it's not, sir. They're lying low."
"What the hell for? They could've shot us out of the road!" He cursed, thumping the steering wheel. He knew it'd been a risk driving through the city, but still, he had Brook to think about. "Whatever. Listen, they probably followed us here. They followed me to Ackennestock. You see movement, *any* movement, you radio and get out of dodge, you hear? Don't be a hero."
"Sir." James saluted, but Tom wasn't satisfied.
"I'm serious, James. We've got innocents in our care, I can't afford a firefight. Keep your eyes peeled."
"Okay, sir."
"Call me Tom."
James was very uncomfortable. "Okay... Tom."
"Thanks. I don't feel so old, now."
Tom drove Brook to the upper level and parked the car by an elevator. He sat there for a moment, and said, "Sorry about that. About this. Not that Ackennestock is any better, but at least you didn't have to worry about the trials of war." With a shrug, he finally commented on her deepest worry. "I will not surrender Georgia to the Russians. I don't care if the government gives it up and I get discharged for ignoring a direct order, it won't happen, and everyone under my command agrees with me. That's why we haven't retreated yet. They're going to try to force us out as a way to appease the Russians and the Chinese; they say the country is weary and we need to start 'thinking about the people,' whatever the hell that means. But if we surrender Georgia, everyone else will follow, and then where will we be? We'll be without a nation, and a home; we'll be nothing, Brook. You might not... want to stay with me--I'm going to put up a fight, and it's going to be ugly. I'm serious. I am not going to leave this state, so long as the Russians are here. I won't."
Then he took a deep breath, and unlocked the doors. "I'll have Francis look at the baby. I won't let anything happen to you."