“Are you fucking stupid, Specialist?” barked Taylor, stepping between Harrison and the rifle barrels. “You clearly saw that he’s with me, right? How the fuck could you interpret this any other way.”
“Ease off my soldiers, asshole! They’re doing their job. Civilians are not authorized to carry weapons in the RRZ!” said a sergeant arriving from the stop sign.
“Is this the stupid squad?” Taylor snapped. “Do you think I just met this man a few seconds ago? Mr. Campbell commands the York County Readiness Brigade.”
“Militia is no exception. We’re under strict orders to confiscate weapons from non-RRZ-authorized personnel.”
“The men and women you’re holding at gunpoint are working at the request of my commanding officer. They’re authorized.”
“Prove it, or they’re not going anywhere. Including Mr. Campbell.”
“Harrison, why don’t you get inside my vehicle until I get this squared away. We’ve got a shit-for-brains epidemic, and I’d hate for you to get infected.”
“He doesn’t go anywhere,” said the sergeant, raising his rifle.
“Munoz, Kennedy—you copying this?” Taylor said into his helmet mic.
A few seconds passed. “If one of these soldiers shoots Mr. Campbell or any of his people and I am unable to issue orders, your last mission is to assist members of the York County Readiness Brigade in a tactical withdrawal to FOB Lakeside. Assume all ground personnel in the area to be hostile.”
Harrison wished Littner and his crew could hear this. It would go a long way toward keeping them on board with Captain Fletcher’s plan.
“Sounds like the Marines live in shit-talk city,” grunted one of the privates.
“The private needs to keep his cock holster shut,” said Taylor.
The soldier took a step forward, but stopped when a staff sergeant raced into the group.
“Jesus. How many NCOs does it take to lead a fire team?” muttered Taylor.
“What the hell is the problem here?” asked the staff sergeant, catching sight of Harrison. “Why is that man still holding a rifle?”
“That’s the problem, Staff Sergeant. Chesty Puller comes running out of his tactical vehicle like he owns the fucking place, saying this guy is exempt. Now he just threatened to waste the entire squad.”
“Are you out of your mind? Who do you report to?”
“Your sergeant is slightly twisting my words,” said Taylor.
“Slightly? Who’s your commanding officer?”
“Lieutenant Colonel Grady, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Infantry Regiment.”
“A reserve unit?” said the sergeant. “Fuck this guy.”
“Simmer it, Morales. We’re not the only kids playing in the sandbox,” he said, turning to Taylor. “Can I see your identification card for verification?”
“I don’t look real to you?”
“I have no doubt you’re a Marine with the unit you identified. I just need to see if you have the authority to co-opt civilians.”
Taylor handed it over.
“Lieutenant, I need an ID check at the intersection. I have a Marine staff sergeant claiming that the civilians guarding the bridge are part of his unit,” he said, activating his squad radio. “Let’s cool it down, all right? We’re all on the same side.”
Harrison wondered how blurry those lines might get over the next few months—or years.
“So are the men and women you have lying on the ground,” said Taylor.
A group of three soldiers appeared from a concealed position in the dense brush next to the mouth of the bridge, sprinting toward the vehicles. They arrived a few seconds later, raising the total visible soldier count to thirteen, including the four at the far side of the bridge. He assumed they had at least eight more at the other bridge—four to cover the Milton Mills Road intersection and four to cover the bridge. Staff Sergeant Taylor was pissing off a lot of soldiers. Harrison eased next to the Marine, causing the soldiers to tense.
“If you guys freak out like this every time you see a gun, you’re gonna have a real problem. This isn’t the people’s republic of New York. They don’t have gun laws up here,” said Taylor.
“They do now,” said the army staff sergeant.
When the next gaggle of soldiers reached them, a second lieutenant stepped in front of the group, accompanied by a senior noncommissioned officer—probably the platoon sergeant.
“Afternoon, sir,” said Taylor.
“Any time you want to salute is fine by the lieutenant,” said the sergeant first class.
“Probably not a good idea for the lieutenant’s long-term health. Christ, how many noncommissioned officers does it take to run a platoon?”
“Are all Marines this mouthy?” asked the army staff sergeant, handing the ID card to the officer.
“You guys are killing me. All of you,” said the officer, staring at Taylor. “Second Lieutenant Matt Poole. Checkpoint commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.”
“Staff Sergeant Taylor. 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Infantry Regiment out of Fort Devens. This is Harrison Campbell, York County Readiness Brigade commander. Those are his people on the ground.”
The lieutenant nodded, scanning his ID card with a handheld device that resembled a GPS receiver. A few moments later, he looked up with a barely contained look of surprise. He handed the card back.
“Staff Sergeant Taylor has situational authority here.”
“Over you?” asked the platoon sergeant.
“Over all of us,” said Poole.
“You’ve gotta be shitting me, sir? Can they co-opt civilians?” said the army staff sergeant.
“1st Battalion, 25th Marine Infantry Regiment is designated RRZ’s internal security. Staff noncommissioned officers and above within the battalion have full authority to co-opt civilians in an armed capacity, though I strongly suggest the staff sergeant works with his battalion to issue provisional ID cards to co-opted personnel. We had no way to verify what Mr. Littner told us, and our orders for border security operations are strict. Disarm and detain armed subjects within designated areas. No exceptions.”
“There’s always an exception, sir,” said Taylor.
“Not when it comes to the safety of my soldiers. Mr. Campbell, I’m really sorry about this,” he said, extending a hand. “We didn’t expect to find armed militia on the bridge, and I couldn’t take any chances.”
Harrison reluctantly accepted the handshake, remaining silent. He wasn’t satisfied with the lieutenant’s explanation of the soldiers’ behavior, but there was no point starting an argument. The young officer was following a bizarre set of orders, no doubt crafted by Homeland Security bureaucrats and forced down the throats of the military’s senior commanders. There was no point getting mad at a twenty-two-year-old.
“Platoon Sergeant, I want Mr. Campbell’s people back on their feet ASAP. If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have some apologizing to do,” said Poole.
“Lieutenant?” said Harrison, knowing that was a bad idea. “Why don’t you let me handle my people? They’re bound to be a little hot over this, and I’d rather move them away from your soldiers as quickly as possible. If you could place their weapons in one of the cars, I’d appreciate it. I’ll pass on your words.”
“Sounds like a plan. Platoon Sergeant, make it happen. And move the soldiers away from Mr. Campbell’s people,” said Poole.
“Copy that, sir. Back to the intersection, all of you,” said the platoon sergeant.
“Mind walking back with me, Lieutenant?” Harrison asked.
“Not at all, Mr. Campbell,” said Poole. “I’ll be at the CP in a few minutes, Platoon Sergeant.”
The soldiers jogged past the intersection as Harrison and the lieutenant walked down the crumbling road.
“I appreciate your patience with the platoon. There was no way for us to know your group’s status,” said Poole.
“That’s what I’m worried about, not just for my people, but for the entire RRZ, or whatev
er you call it. Are all of the units talking to each other?”
“I have no idea. Maybe at the top echelon? I’m at the bottom of the food chain, reacting to orders pushed down from the battalion commander. We’ve been working nonstop to prepare the brigade for RRZ deployment.”
“Do they explain this RRZ thing in officer’s training? Based on my interaction with the Marines, I get the distinct impression that this is relatively new to everyone.”
“None of us knew it existed. We drew equipment from specialized bunkers, discarding most of our gear, especially the electronics. They didn’t want to take any chances that the circuits had been degraded by the EMP.”
“They confirmed an EMP attack?”
“Negative,” said Poole. “We made the assumption based on what was discarded and replaced.” He glanced back at the Marines. “I guarantee your Marines did the same. They’re driving around in a vehicle that hasn’t been in service with the Marine Corps for several years. Probably retrofitted and mothballed in a bunker, like most of our stuff.”
“Is it possible that nobody knew about the military’s role in the RRZ?”
“Someone had to know, but between you and me, it definitely wasn’t known at the battalion commander level. The colonel made that crystal clear to the officers and staff NCOs at our first crisis briefing. Nobody expected to leave Fort Drum. We figured one or two of the brigades would be put on ready alert standby, you know, for a foreign mission or something like that. By the end of the week, the entire division will be deployed to major zones within the northeast. Who would have guessed that?”
Harrison watched Dave Littner rise slowly from the grass, glaring at the soldiers backing away. They heard a splash beyond the militia, somewhere along the riverbank. Two soldiers sprinted across the bridge, one of them pointing toward the water hidden by thick undergrowth.
“I don’t envy your job, Lieutenant. You’re looking at one million plus refugees from the greater Boston area. The border situation is guaranteed to get ugly quick. Most of these waterways are little more than streams at some points.”
“Aerial recon is already scoping those out.”
“Too bad they didn’t take a look at Milton Mills. You might have avoided this little mess,” said Harrison.
“We’re lucky that didn’t happen, or they might have softened the landing zone ahead of us. Good luck, Mr. Campbell,” said the lieutenant, chasing after the soldiers that descended the riverbank.
Dave Littner shook his head as the officer passed the group, but didn’t say a word. Harrison approached slowly, unsure what to expect. Littner appeared genuinely calm, which surprised him.
“Is everyone all right?” said Harrison.
“Everyone’s fine, for now.”
“Let’s get you back to Sanford. Get everyone cleaned up and fed some warm chow.”
Littner shook his head and grimaced. “I’m done. Consider this my formal resignation from the brigade. Same for everyone else here.”
Harrison looked past Littner, catching furtive glances and shaking heads.
“I can’t see anything good coming out of your arrangement with the government. I thought there might be a chance, but not after this. We’re about to have several thousand soldiers and Marines running around like they own the place, which, according to the army heroes that stormed the bridge—they do. We’re just commodities. Cogs in this RRZ machine. Fuck that.”
“Once everything settles, it’ll be a different story,” said Harrison, not sure he believed his own words.
Littner’s expression softened. “Harrison, you better think really hard about what you’re getting the brigade into. Fletcher seems like a straight shooter, but I don’t think he has the full picture.”
“He knows more about the RRZ than that young lieutenant.”
“For now, but what happens when the RRZ is in full swing? You heard what they said about civilians and firearms. Right now they’re just taking them away on the street. What happens when they start going house to house, and Captain Fletcher needs the brigade to help? You know, because we have the public’s trust. You’re smarter than all of us put together, so I know the thought crossed your mind.”
Harrison exhaled, searching his thoughts unsuccessfully for a counterargument. It had more than crossed his mind over the past fifteen minutes. In that short span of time, he had encountered two government-sponsored groups conducting operations without the bigger picture, making decisions in a vacuum. He couldn’t blame Littner for wanting to sit this one out. The more he learned about the RRZ, the harder he wondered if it was too late to back out of his arrangement with Captain Fletcher.
“I can’t convince you to ride this out a little longer?”
“You don’t sound convinced yourself,” Littner said, finally cracking a thin smile.
“I don’t know. I feel like I have to give this a shot.”
“If members of the Berwick chapter want to stick it out with the brigade, I won’t stand in the way. They can appoint a new leader and carry on. I’ll turn everything over.”
“This doesn’t mean you’re out of the brigade, Dave. Let’s call it a temporary hiatus,” said Harrison.
“No. I think this is it for me. I don’t see a good end to any of this. Good luck, Harrison. It’s been an honor serving with you. We’ve done some good.”
“Sorry to hear it, Dave. If you need anything at all, no matter what it is, you know where to find me,” said Harrison, shaking his hand.
When Harrison turned to walk back to the vehicles, Staff Sergeant Taylor kept a respectful distance. Taylor wore a pained expression.
“Parting ways?” asked the marine.
“Yeah. Dave’s been with us since we started. Real shame.”
“If we’d been here ten minutes earlier, this could have been avoided,” said Taylor.
“Or three days ago, like Captain Fletcher said.”
“Or that.”
“It probably wouldn’t have mattered in the long run,” he muttered.
“Why not?”
“It doesn’t matter. You said I can make a station-to-station call with the ROTAC, not just a radio-channel call?” said Harrison.
“Yes, sir. If you know the call sign, you can either scroll down your saved list or input the first few letters using the touchpad.”
“Captain Fletcher is Patriot 2 Alpha, correct?”
“Affirmative, but you won’t be able to reach him.”
“We just saw him less than an hour ago,” said Harrison, starting to walk toward the vehicles.
“I just tried to reach him, to see what he can do about getting your folks some ID cards. My Marines say he left the compound twenty minutes ago in a civilian jeep, and he forgot to bring his ROTAC.”
“Where is he headed?”
“Nobody will say,” said Taylor.
“The Marines won’t say?”
“Family and friends won’t say,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s none of my business.”
“Have you been out to this compound?”
“That was my first stop before reporting to the airport.”
“What did you see out there?” said Harrison.
Taylor stared at him quizzically. “The whole thing exists, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I just wanted to know if Captain Fletcher was for real.”
“That’s not really what you were asking.”
“I suppose not.”
“Unfortunately, this is all very real. A nightmare—but real,” Taylor said. “We should probably hold up until your folks get out of here safely.”
Harrison thought hard about what Taylor had just said. He couldn’t forget that every one of the men and women deployed to the RRZ had left behind family, some without the chance to say farewell. None of them wanted to be here, even the ones convinced of their mission. They were just too wrapped up in their roles to realize it. They were soldiers, trained to fight wars, not implement a civil disaster recovery plan.
Then again, the government couldn’t have possibly planned for a catastrophe of this magnitude. It didn’t matter at this point. The RRZ was their new reality, and based on Captain Fletcher’s description of the worsening refugee situation across New England, the RRZ was the lesser of two evils. He wondered why Fletcher had left his radio behind. There was no way he forgot it. Taking a civilian vehicle was an odd choice as well, unless…son of a bitch. Unless all of the military gear was imbedded with tracking devices.
What are you up to, Captain Fletcher? Or are you just Alex Fletcher right now?
Harrison’s money was on the latter.
Chapter 16
EVENT +9 Days
Yarmouth, Maine
Alex emptied the two-and-a-half-gallon plastic gas can into the Jeep’s tank, keeping an eye on his surroundings. The shadows grew long across Route 88, enshrouding the tree-covered street in a premature dusk, finally providing some relief from the relentless sun. Their afternoon diversion had taken far longer than he expected, putting them back on the road to Belgrade close to dark. Barring any unforeseen circumstances along the turnpike, they’d arrive at Charlie’s camp by nine, well after the last vestiges of light on the horizon had vanished.
Approaching the lake house at night worked out better, in his opinion. He’d drive the final mile without the Jeep’s lights, relying on night-vision goggles and his GPS unit to reach the house. They should be able to arrive at the house without attracting much attention. Anyone that heard their arrival would have to go exploring to determine their destination, which was unlikely given the circumstances.
Alex and his dad would thoroughly scout the property before approaching the house, mindful of the possibility that it might have new occupants. He hoped it was empty. Removing squatters presented an unacceptable risk, especially at night. Unless he could scare them into leaving without a fight, he and his group would have to leave. Options would be severely limited at that point, unless he exercised his positional authority to rain down some RRZ pressure on the occupants. He wanted to avoid that, since it would attract attention to the location. Keeping this spot a secret was in everyone’s best interest, especially if things went bad and his family needed a backup plan. The trip today had been all about creating options. Time well spent, even if it meant returning at the crack of dawn.
THE ALEX FLETCHER BOXSET: Books 1-5 Page 111
