Major Brown looked at Jon and then spoke.
“We came here to bring you outliers back to join the New World Order. We cannot have you living here this close to our ordered society. You are nothing but barbarians and today you have proved that. I will guarantee you that this is not over. When the government tells you how you should be, it is not right nor is it your right to do otherwise. You are not to stand up against the authority.”
“Barbarians, we are far from that my dear fellow. And I will tell you now that we will never bow to your so-called authority. I think it is best that you be on your way. Yes, you continue to come back and we will continue to butcher you.” said Jon
Major Brown turned and climbed into his vehicle. With a command all the vehicles began to back out of the valley. When they could, they turned around and began the long trek back to the city. It was to be a trip with many mixed emotions and feelings, but they knew, just like Major Brown, that this event was just at the beginning.
With the departure of the Troop, the men of the valley came down to the road to take in the reality of what had happened. The snow-covered road was a combination of mud and blood. To one side was a pile of one hundred and forty so machine pistols where the troopers had dropped them. Jon walked over to the pile and picked up two of them. He looked at their workmanship and noted that it was not that great. In either case he stuffed two in his jacket.
“All of you all come over and get a couple of these. Keep them for souvenirs or they may come in handy in the future.” said Jon.
As the men came forward Jon looked at them and was surprised that for the most part, they all seemed ok with what had just happened. He saw Riley and went over to talk to him.
“How goes it Riley?” asked Jon.
“Pretty good. Looks like we had two wounded in total but they are both on their way to Doc’s. One had a shoulder wound and one a leg but I think they will be ok.” said Riley.
Mort joined the two shortly and noticed something immediately.
“Jon you have a cut across your top arm.”
Jon looked over and saw the tear in his shirt and the blood that had covered the outside.
“Guess in all the excitement I didn’t notice It.” said Jon.
“Well you better get to Doc’s and get it patched up, don’t want it going septic out here.” said Mort.
“Chris and I will get there shortly as we left Catherine and Amanda there to help Doc out. Well I guess we did alright today.”
“Yea we did but you know this isn’t the end of this. They may not be back for a while because of the snow, but after the mud season you know they will come back, and in greater force.” said Riley.
“I know.” said Jon.
“But we will figure that out when the time comes. Now let’s get the road cleared and get back to our lives for a while. I haven’t finished preparing those Elk yet.”
The men then began to clear the blockade and to collect machine pistols as Jon had directed. Many of the group had a somewhat sad look upon their faces as they saw the many blood stains in the snow. The group’s fire had been deadly accurate and had produced a victory of sorts. But all the men knew deep down that this was only the first fight and in order to preserve their freedom they would have to continue fighting.
Jon and Chris were soon back in their truck and were headed to Doc’s house. Upon their arrival Catherine and Amanda came out of the house and respectively gave each of them a hug. Catherine leaned up and gave Jon a kiss. In pulling her hand back she noted some blood on it where she had brushed against Jon’s side arm.
“Jon, you have been shot. Quickly let’s get in with Doc and take care of you.” said Catherine.
“Well I guess it was a bullet but it only scratched me.”
“In either case you are coming in.” said Catherine.
She took Jon by the hand and the four of them went into Doc’s house. He was just finishing up Tom, who had been shot in the leg. Mike was the other wounded man who was sitting in a chair with a bandage around his shoulder. He was holding and rolling in his hand the bullet that Doc had pulled out.
“Gonna make it into souvenir. It’ll be the first blood spilt on our side.” said Mike.
“You doing Ok Mike?” asked Jon.
“Yea, this thing will heal real quick.”
“Well let me know if you need any help at your place while it heals. I can send Chris down.” as Jon looked at Chris and grinned.
“I think I can manage but I will let you know.” said Mike.
Jon took a seat on Doc’s table and took off his shirt. The bullet had just creased the skin at the shoulder muscle and left a nice tear.
“Looks like a few stitches Jon. Do you want me to deaden it?” asked Doc.
“It feels pretty numb now so just go ahead and sew it up.” said Jon.
“Always the tough guy.” said Catherine.
Doc was soon tying off his work and finishing up.
“You should be just fine. Good thing not too many folks got hurt and at least none of us were killed. How did it go for the other side?” asked Doc.
Jon looked down then at Catherine before answering.
“It wasn’t pretty. I would say they had close to fifty men down and looked like almost forty were killed. Hunting rifles in the hands of practiced marksmen are a deadly combination.”
Catherine looked at Jon with a look of extreme concern. She knew that some would die in the battle but that many took her by surprise.
“Do you think that maybe they learned from this to not come back up here.” she asked.
“If I know anything about that government, they cannot allow us to do what we did today. They will be back and it will not be so easy for us next time.” said Jon.
“When do you think they will come back?” asked Doc.
“I don’t imagine until spring as the snow will make it hard for them. We have some time.” said Jon.
“Well it’s time we got home. I have work to do and I would sure enjoy a good drink.” said Jon.
Jon, Catherine, Chris, and Amanda were headed up the road toward their home. Upon pulling into the drive Jon stopped and took a good look at the place. He was thinking about how wonderful all this could be. He now had his family together, his wife back, and the type of world he wanted. Jon then came to a reality point as he knew that from the events of the day that the time he had for this would be short lived. He figured by April the urban forces would be back and if the valley was to remain, they would be engaged in a long drawn out conflict. Was he ready, could he ask the people to fight this battle, he knew in about five months he would have to figure it out?
Chapter 18
The sky over the city was a dark somber sky for November and had begun to spit snow. Governor Tarl stared out his window from the tall building that was the center of the government as he looked toward the west at the now snow obscured mountains, anxiously awaiting news. At once Adjutant Schneider came into the room with a most disturbed look upon his face. Tarl turned at once to the man.
“What news from our force? I expect good news.” said Tarl.
“I beg to report that we have been in radio contact with the group and they are headed back toward the city.”
“Have they many of those outliers with them?” asked Tarl.
“Um no sir they have none. It would seem they encountered heavy resistance and were forced to retreat.” said Schneider.
“Retreat” shouted Tarl.
“Why, they were well armed and from what I understand were one hundred and fifty.”
“Sir it seems they suffered heavy casualties; fifty to be exact and of those thirty-two have been killed. They have been directed to head toward the hospital.”
Tarl stood with a look of anger mixed with fear on his face. What he thought to be an easy exercise was now a terrible situat
ion for him. How would he explain this to the World Government? He was under orders to take care of an easy situation and he knew that this would not look good on his record. He then thought about what the people would think if they found out about this operation and the results. Would they not begin to question his authority and that of the entire government? Would they begin to sympathize with the outliers and make an effort to understand the way they lived? He knew that if that event took place it could be the beginning of the end of the order.
Tarl then at once seized on a plan that would take care of the situation and create a much-needed event to keep the people behind him.
“Schneider, get a message to Major Brown and have the column go to the security force station first. Do not go to the hospital. We need to cover this thing and I believe I have just such the plan.”
“Then have Major Brown come here at once for a debriefing.” said Tarl.
“Sir, but what of the wounded, they need some urgent care form what I understand.” said Schneider.
“Have medical personnel sent to the security station and make sure that they can be trusted. This plan of mine must not fail.” said Tarl.
“Yes sir at once.”
Several hours later Major Brown entered Tarl’s office with a knowledge that he had failed in his mission. Brown was no military man and more of a political officer so he understood what was to come.
“Come in sit down Major. Can I get you something to drink or to eat?” asked Tarl.
“No sir, I believe I am ok.”
“So Brown, what happened out there? I sent you all in with enough men and armed, how could you not have carried out my orders?” asked Tarl.
“We went into the valley as directed. The terrain was not promising but we figured that we could deal with it. A couple of miles in, we hit a road block. It seems they were ready for us and had cut down trees to the left of us and in front. They picked their ambush spot well. As we got out of the vehicles to remove the road block they commanded us to leave and of course we did not oblige. After a second command I deployed all three platoons and moved toward their forward position. It was then that their rifle fire began. It first came from our left with deadly accuracy and large calibers. As men were hit the damage was extreme. Then the fire came from all side and soon one third of the men were down. I was not ready to capitulate but it was clear the troops were as they dropped their weapons.”
“So, they opened fire on you first?” asked Tarl.
“Well no sir, I directed the men to fire into the forward position, hoping to dislodge them.” said Brown.
“Well it matters not as the effect and result is still the same.”
“Did they have a leader; I mean that this didn’t sound like some unorganized rabble?” asked Tarl.
“Well when it was all done, a man came out of the woods and he seemed to be the leader. He was tall and broad with grey hair and looked intense. We exchanged words and then we piled up the wounded and dead and left.”
“Tall, broad man with grey hair, just a moment.”
Tarl walked over to his desk and flipped on the switch that illuminated the viewing screen in the office. At once a video came on that Tarl stopped and zoomed. The picture zoomed in on a man that had been in the city several days back and fit the description. The man was Jon Smith.
“So was this man, the leader that you had dealings with.” asked Tarl.
Major Brown’s expression turned to surprise and then to a sneer.
“Why yes it was. What is this from?” asked Brown.
“It seems that Mr. Smith here was in the city to get his wife and daughter, no doubt to take them back to that valley. It seems the wife is terminal and no doubt she wanted to be back re-united with her husband and son.” said Tarl.
“How did you figure all that out?” asked Schneider.
“I just pulled the marriage records for Catherine and of course the birth records. The man is Jon Smith. He is 58 years old and seemed to disappear with his son some ten years ago and now we know where he went” said Tarl.
“I will tell you he seems a quite imposing man and driven. From reports of Captain Schumacher he was also the man that first turned him out of the valley several days before.” said Brown.
“Well we will deal with him and his group soon enough.” said Tarl.
“Sir with our vehicles and the roads becoming covered with heavy snow I don’t see how we can send in another detail until spring. Then again we could just dispatch with that plan and bring in gun ships and destroy them with aerial bombardment.” said Brown.
“While that would be easy and would seem a clean way, it would raise too many questions conducting such a campaign this close to the city. Also, we must consider that part of the plan is to bring these people back to make an example. No, we will have to go back in with troops and you are right, it will have to be after the winter. This time though I will request tracked and armored vehicles to do the job. Also, I think a full regiment armed with heavy combat gear as well.” said Tarl.
“Sir, what of the dead and wounded, how do we explain this to the families and the populous at large?” asked Brown.
“Leave that to me.” said Tarl.
Tarl turned with a grin and looked toward the mountains. He had it all planned. He would make sure that the failed mission took on a different, much more sinister appearance that would serve his need. After all, he was a politician.
Epilogue
The late afternoon light came through the window in Jon’s library and gave little warmth. Jon was sitting in his leather chair looking out the window as the snow continued to fall. It had been a day since the battle in the valley and Jon was musing on what the future would hold and as he thought he took his first sip of wine from his glass and at once looked down on the red leather book on his lap. He opened the book to the page mark and prepared to read.
Chris and Amanda were in the great room and had turned on the I to see if they could get any news in regards to what had transpired. At once they got the word and stood opened mouthed as to what they were hearing. When the news was complete, they bolted into the library where Jon had been joined by Catherine.
“Dad you won’t believe what they are saying on the I.” said Chris.
“Oh try me, you might be surprised.” said Jon.
“They have created a story that a bomb has gone off at security headquarters and fifty men have either been killed or wounded. They are taking the wounded and dead to the hospitals for care. But get this, they are blaming the attack on outlier separatist in the mountains and are vowing retribution. And you won’t believe this, they said that they had identified the leader of the attack and then showed pictures of you and even called you by name.” said Amanda.
“Pictures of me? I wonder how they, no I know, they got pictures of us when they detained us in the city and no doubt, they had them for the commander of the raid to identify.” said Jon.
“How can they make up such a story? I thought this government was all about truth and openness. How could they lie to the people?” asked Catherine.
“Oh my dear you are really not asking that question are you. Don’t you understand everything they have done for years has been a lie? Their desire for power and to spread this socialist New World Order has all been built on a pile of deception. The politicians will tell you one thing and then do something else and that is how it all happens. Do you think they could really tell the truth about what happened here? How would they explain their actions and how would they explain the defeat at the hands of scarecrows like us?” said Jon.
“But dad, how did they figure out your name and all. We have been gone so long.” asked Chris.
“Chris, they identified your mother through facial recognition and then just searched for marriage and birth records. This government has all the information about all of us.” said Jon.
“I remind you that it is that lack of care that has you in the situation you are in.” said Jon.
Catherine looked down and realized Jon was right.
“Yes, the people there are cattle, they want not, and they live and die with no concerns and only mindless lives. They get no real education and have no real-life experience and that may be good for them but it is not good for me and it does not seem good for you and the kids as I can tell. Being here we are all alive. We are allowed to win and we are allowed to fail. But the best thing is that we decide those choices, just like we decide everything else in our lives, except of course when the end comes.”
“So what do we do next Jon? What do we plan when we know what is to come?” asked Catherine.
Jon looked at his family with a smile and a feeling of bravado.
“Well first I am starved and want some elk steaks on the grill and a few bottles of fine French red wine. Then in a few weeks we are going to sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner with a nice wild turkey and I will give great thanks that this year brought my family back together. Then after words, Chris and I are going out in the woods to get a spruce tree and out will come all the Christmas decorations. Then we will get ready for my favorite time of year. That’s what we are going to do my family.” said Jon.
The family all had a look of gladness on their face. Jon’s words brought back memories of holiday’s past and they knew that all would be ok.
“Now Chris, Amanda, head out and get some fresh elk meat and clean up some potatoes and onions. Catherine if you don’t mind head in and pour me a fresh glass of wine and get one for yourself and come sit with Me.” said Jon.
“Yes sir.” replied Catherine
Jon stopped for a moment and looked down at the book in his lap. He began to think about all that had happened and what needed to be done next. He now truly knew that the years of peace in the valley were over and come spring there would be some very serious considerations. He first thought that he could move the family to an even more remote location, away from the trouble. But then what of the other valley folk? They could not all just keep running.
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