by Akart, Bobby
“George’s weakness is his son-in-law, Michael Cortland,” offered Briscoe. “I don’t know the family dynamic, but I do know that George has never mentioned his daughter in my presence. I get the distinct impression that her husband is the apple of the father’s eye.”
“The son he never had,” added Jonathan.
“Precisely. Cortland is our target.”
“Rumor has it that Cortland was on the Delta flight to Mobile, am I correct?” asked Jonathan.
Briscoe peered over his glass as he nodded.
“And, may I assume that it was mere chance that he was on board that flight and, therefore, a level of plausible deniability was afforded the man responsible for the crashing of the aircraft.”
Briscoe shrugged and toasted the air between the two men, indicating that Jonathan was on the right track.
“Because”—Jonathan stretched out the word—“why else would Trowbridge want to kill his number one guy?”
“Indeed, thus the reason we’re here,” replied Briscoe. “Two new friends sharing a brandy.”
“All right, Mr. Briscoe. What’s the play?”
Briscoe set his glass down and slid it closer to Jonathan, indicating he’d like a refill. While his host topped off his snifter, Briscoe laid out his proposal.
“Cortland and his family have arrived at a secluded compound a couple of hours northwest of Charlotte. This place, built in the last two years by a couple from Florida, was designed as a safe place in the event of a catastrophic event.”
“Or events like the ones you triggered,” interrupted Jonathan with a sly grin.
“Guilty as charged. I suspect that’s a conversation to be had over another bottle of brandy. Be that as it may, I have eyes and ears everywhere. One of my people got word to me that Cortland and his family have arrived at this place they call the Haven. He likely considers himself safe there, and therefore, he’s vulnerable to attack.”
“Attack? Attack by whom?” asked Jonathan.
Briscoe took a deep breath and replied, “Time for me to make some presumptions. I know Chepe and how he operates. The Richmond unrest in the days following New Year’s had his fingerprints all over it. Then, before the news blackout today, it appeared he’d moved on to a new target—Charlotte. Am I right?”
“Of course. Keep in mind, you started this fight, but we intend to finish it.” Jonathan paused for a drink; then he asked another question. “May I presume that your people were responsible for the cyber attacks on the media?”
“Yes.”
“Kudos. Fear of the unknown only serves to create paranoia in the masses. That plays to our benefit, you know.”
“Don’t care,” shot back Briscoe. “This is not about who wins or loses initially, it’s about the long game. We think the deck is stacked in our favor.”
Jonathan stood and began to laugh as he cracked a window to allow the cigar smoke to billow outside. “Would history have been different if General Grant and General Lee sat down with a bottle of brandy in the early days of the Civil War to have a casual conversation like this one?”
“I don’t think so,” replied Briscoe. “Emotions ran high between the two sides then, as they do now. Sometimes, enemies need to fight it out for order to be restored.”
“Well, as you said, that’s a conversation for another evening. For now, tell me how Chepe and my army of anarchists in Charlotte can help.”
Part III
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Varnadore Building
Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
“All right, people. We’ve got a slight change of plans,” shouted Chepe to his group as they spoke amongst themselves. They’d had several successful attacks on affluent neighborhoods and upscale shopping districts around the Charlotte metroplex. None of their ranks were injured or arrested. All of them were energized by their successes.
After Chepe received the phone call from Jonathan Schwartz, he was somewhat dejected. After only a couple of days, his teams were hitting on all cylinders, working together to wreak havoc in the streets and frightening those who thought they could stay out of the fray.
What pleased him the most was the grassroots effort he’d generated. People who’d constantly been under the thumb of the rich, barely making a living wage, now saw an opportunity to better themselves and level the playing field. For years, these citizens of Charlotte had worked hard and sacrificed in order to make money for the people who lived in these oversized homes and drove fancy cars. Now the blue-collar stiffs of Charlotte got a taste of the good life by taking what they wanted.
Chepe likened it to rolling a boulder off a cliff. All the large rock needed was a little nudge and it did the rest of the work, tumbling down, gaining speed, and destroying everything in its path. Chepe wanted to nudge more boulders; however, Jonathan paid the bills, and Chepe would undertake the new mission.
“Everybody, please. Quiet!” Chepe finally had to shout to garner their attention. The group quieted to a low murmur, so Chepe began.
“You guys absolutely killed it yesterday! You should be proud that finally the fat cats and the one percenters got a taste of what life has been like for the rest of us. Way to go!”
The group burst out in applause and cheers, congratulating one another with vigor.
Chepe held his hands high in the air to calm the group down again. This time, they reacted much quicker. “We’re going to continue to do more of the same, but I’ve got to do someone a favor. Is there anybody here from Hickory?”
“I am!” shouted a young man at the back of the room. “Well, not from there, but I went to school at Lenoir-Rhyne University.”
Another man responded, “I was born and raised in Morganton, about twenty minutes west of there.”
“Good, good,” said Chepe. “Would you two come closer, please?”
The former college student in his early thirties and the local man, who was fortyish, made their way through the crowd, which parted as they approached the stack of crates Chepe used for addressing the group.
“I’m Earl.” The older man introduced himself first.
“I’m Oliver, but they call me Ollie,” the former student offered.
Chepe knelt down and spoke to them. “Have either of you watched the Hunger Games movie?”
“Yeah,” replied Earl.
“Me too,” said Ollie. “In fact, the film was shot just south of Hickory at a place called Henry River Mill Village. It’s on the—”
Chepe finished his sentence. “River. I know. When was the last time you saw it?”
“Oh, it was back when I was in college. You know, right before the movie was shot.”
Chepe looked to Earl. “How about you? Have you ever been there?”
“Oh, yeah. I used to fish those banks when I was a kid. It’s been years, though.”
Chepe waved one of his lieutenants over. He slid off the crates so the four of them could speak privately.
He gave his instructions to his lieutenant. “Get Ollie and Earl a car full of gas, binoculars, camping gear, food, and weapons. They’ll be out front in just a few minutes. Go!”
The lieutenant scampered off, leaving Chepe with his two scouts.
“What do you want us to do?” asked Earl, who apparently was ready to assume the leadership role because he was older.
“Here’s what I know,” Chepe began in response. “In the last couple of years, the property was purchased by a group that converted it into some type of compound. You know, those whacky survivalist-prepper types that think the sky is always falling and the guvment is out to get ’em.”
The trio laughed at the way Chepe mocked the preppers. He put his arms around the two men and led them toward the front entrance of the former office building.
“Yeah, I know the type,” added Earl. “They lived all over Western North Carolina. Selfish, too. I remember talking to them when I used to hang out after high school. They hoarded all of this food and stuff with no intention of hel
ping their fellow man if something went bad.”
Ollie wanted to learn more about their mission. “Do you want us to check the place out? It’s way off the beaten path, and there’s literally nothing around it except for the river and a few farms.”
Chepe glanced outside and saw that his lieutenant had pulled a car around. “Look and learn. That’s all. I want you to make notes. Look at their security and write down any patterns that you notice. Try to make a map of the buildings. Heck, take pics with your cell phones.”
“Um, the cell service isn’t working,” said Ollie.
Chepe explained, “I know that, but your phone still is. You can take pictures and we can analyze them when you get back.”
“What are we gonna do then?” asked Earl.
“Maybe nothing,” replied Chepe. “Just be as detailed as possible, but above all, don’t get caught. If they see you scopin’ the place out, we’ll lose our element of surprise.”
“Are we gonna attack the place?” asked Ollie.
“Not if I can find another way, and that depends on what you two come back with,” replied Chepe.
The lieutenant opened the door and gave Chepe a thumbs-up. He pushed the two scouts toward the front door as Earl asked one final question.
“When do you want us to come back?”
“Be here at dusk tomorrow afternoon. That’ll give you a full day and night of surveillance. Now go on and be careful. Do not get caught!”
The two men rushed out the door and Chepe watched as they sped off toward the Haven. He turned back to his fellow anarchists, who were anxious to learn about the evening’s festivities. With a bounce in his step, he made his way back to his perch on top of the crates.
“Okay, sorry about the delay!” he shouted, drawing the group’s attention back to him. “Yesterday, we opened up the eyes of the rich fat cats who get to complain about high taxes and government regulations during cocktail parties or at the country club while golfing. Today, we’re gonna stick it to the government that these fat cats rely upon to protect them. We’re gonna gather up some of our new friends who asked to join our cause, and we’re gonna march on city hall.”
The shouts of approval echoed off the walls of the lobby.
“Yeah!”
“Finally, we get to take our government back!”
“I’m tired of being under their thumb!”
Chepe smiled as he calmed the crowd down. “Yesterday was fun, but today has the potential to be dangerous. I plan on breaking out the heavy artillery and sending this city a clear message!”
More shouts of approval filled the air, and the group of anarchists worked themselves into a frenzy. All of them had a different cause they held dear to their hearts, but the one thing they had in common was they enjoyed destroying things.
On that night, Chepe wouldn’t disappoint them as he prepared to try out the advanced weaponry delivered to him by Jonathan Schwartz. When he was done, Charlotte would be in shambles and its residents would be fleeing in all directions.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Haven Barn
The Haven
Tyler and Angela joined the security team at the Haven Barn for the morning meeting. Ryan thought all of his top people, including the educators, should be there to start their day so they were aware of any potential risks, or special projects going on around the property. Because the Rankins were the last to arrive at the Haven and were still getting to know people, they stuck to themselves at the back of the conference room, taking it all in.
After a couple of days driving the roads and trails of the Haven, Tyler was thoroughly familiar with the layout and the various designations assigned to buildings and points of interest. He also dug into the medical supplies and other survival gear stored in the Haven’s Prepper Pantry and in the Haven Barn. He supplemented the basic medical gear on his four-wheeler with other things that would benefit him in an emergency.
The meeting ended and he gave his wife a ride to the Armageddon Hospital, where she planned on perusing the medical files of all the residents at the Haven. Most everyone was healthy and only a few had prescription medication needs. Because they were likely to run out of their prescriptions soon, Angela wanted to review their files in order to find alternative health options.
She had not been a student of homeopathic and naturopathic medicines in the past, but Blair had provided her lots of reading material to learn more. Echo and his wife had been planting a number of dietary and herbal supplements to be used as prescription medications ran out. She was impressed with how the Smarts had planned for the eventuality of a long-term stay within the walls of the Haven.
“I love you, babe,” said Tyler as he kissed his wife on the cheek. The two were enjoying their new life at the Haven and were comforted by how quickly J.C. and Kaycee took to the new way of life. Angela went inside the Armageddon Hospital to start her file reviews, and Tyler headed north toward the top of the Haven. He wanted to clear some fallen tree limbs that blocked a trail after the New Year’s Day snowfall. He’d barely pulled out onto the gravel road when his two-way radio sprang to life.
“We’ve got two hostiles attempting to cross the river!”
“Location!”
“Just downriver from the bridge, near the cabins.”
“Are they armed?”
“No, they’re drowning. The current’s carrying them downriver and—oh!”
Tyler tried to discern who was speaking. He assumed the security team knew each other’s voices, because they didn’t call out each other’s call signs or names. All he could make out was that the voice reporting the hostiles in the river was a female and the other was a man, but not Alpha, whose voice was unmistakable.
He stopped the cart and got his bearings straight. The usually calm, meandering river had been overflowing the banks as melting snow in the mountains forced water toward the Atlantic Ocean. The Rankins’ cabin was downstream from the bridge that had been closed off by the Haven’s security team.
Tyler pressed the gas pedal down and spun around in the middle of the gravel road to head back toward the trail that led to his cabin. He hadn’t been summoned by the security personnel yet, but in these cold temperatures, the people in the river were in great danger.
The radio chatter continued.
“I’m headed that way,” barked Alpha into the radio. He began to use military parlance as he asked for a situation report. “Sitrep?”
“One of the guys got caught in a fallen tree,” the female replied. Tyler recognized her voice now. It was Hayden. “His arm got tangled and the other guy crashed into him. Trust me, arms don’t bend like that.”
“Roger that. Call medical.”
Tyler fumbled for his radio. He had only used it once to test it.
“This is Tyler. I’m en route with the cart. How far are they from the burned-out warehouse?”
Hayden responded, “Two hundred yards downstream and holding. One guy is still hung up in the branches. The other is holding onto the trunk of a tree to keep from being swept away.”
“I’m here,” said another member of the security team. “What do you want me to do?”
“I see you,” replied Alpha.
Tyler swung through the clearing and slowed his pace so he didn’t lose control of the cart. There was a small gathering along the bank just past the last cabin. X-Ray had stepped onto his front porch and waved at Tyler as he drove past. Less than a minute later, Tyler skidded to a stop next to Bravo and Alpha, who stood with their rifles pointed at the men.
He slid out of the seat and joined the others. “What are we gonna do with them? They can’t hold on much longer.”
“Good,” replied Alpha. “When they let go, they’ll float all the way to Conover—not our problem.”
Before Tyler could suggest saving the two, Ryan pulled up in his Ranger. He had a pair of binoculars and took a closer look at the two men, one of whom was waving for help.
“Idiots,” he mumbled as he passed
the binoculars to Alpha. “What the heck did they think they were doing?”
Alpha responded as he studied the intruders’ dilemma. “Hayden saw them first, upriver near the bridge. Who knows?”
Tyler offered a solution. “Ryan, I used to be a lifeguard when I lived in Hilton Head. I had to fish some people out of stormy seas before. I can get these two.”
“Why?” asked Alpha. “They’re not ours. Let them figure it out on their own.”
Tyler grimaced. He couldn’t disagree with Alpha, but he also was a medical professional whose job was to save people in danger, both good ones and bad ones.
He reached for the binoculars. “May I take a look?” Alpha tossed them to Tyler, who took a long look at the men who were tangled up in the fallen trees. “One guy has either a broken or dislocated shoulder. If he drops into the river, he’ll likely drown.”
“Okay, one down,” mumbled Alpha. He cast a glance in Ryan’s direction. “Do you want me to shoot the other one so we can go about our business?”
Ryan chuckled. “No, don’t shoot him. Listen, this is something Blair and I’ve talked about at length. Here’s our problem. Society has collapsed, but the cops haven’t gone on vacation. We can’t just go shootin’ people. I’ve probably pissed off a lot of the locals by closing the bridge. If we shoot these two, the sheriff will be all over us.”
“Fine, then let them get tired and float off to wherever the Henry River decides to take them,” said Alpha.
“Or let me rescue them. Hypothermia will set in soon and they’ll die if we don’t help. Angela can treat them and then we’ll escort them out of the Haven.”
Ryan thought for a moment. “We do have a wet suit, just in case one of our people needed to get into the water.”
“I know,” said Tyler. “I’ve added it to my gear on the cart. I also have the two-hundred-foot nylon ropes and hooks. I can wrap the ropes around their waists and you guys could pull them back to shore.”
