The Peacekeepers. Books 1 - 3.

by Ricky Sides

  The boy’s eyes lit up in excitement. Jim stood him back on the floor and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small box, which he handed to Evan. The boy opened the box in excitement and pulled out a Swiss Army knife. He looked at it and then looked back up at Jim. “You remembered! I said I wanted one, and you remembered. Thank you, Jim.”

  Evan’s smile was infectious. Jim smiled back and squatted in front of the boy. He said, “You’re welcome.” He explained the many uses for the tools on the knife as he showed Evan how to open each blade and then he said, “I had one when I was your age.”

  Frowning he said, “Well, come to think of it, mine had several blades broken off and the handle was chipped too.”

  Evan thanked Jim again and then went to sit on the couch and practice opening the various blades on his new knife.

  Jim laughed and said, “I love that kid. He’s something special.” He stopped talking and looked at Lacey. He saw the broad smile on her face and said, “Okay, what’s so funny?”

  Lacey laughed and said, “I don’t know, Jim. I guess I’m just really happy to see you.” Jim walked over to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her gently and for a few seconds, Lacey was able to forget the terrible ordeal that she’d just endured.

  Jim smiled into Lacey’s upturned face and inhaled her subtle perfume. Running his fingers through her blond hair, he said, “Lacey, I missed you so much.”

  Evan getting up and walking to the corner of the living room window to peer out interrupted them. Jim could tell from the expression on his face that the boy was afraid. That was only natural, considering what he had been through that night. A closer examination of Lacey’s face also showed signs of strain still present. Smiling, Jim thought of a solution to the problem and said, “Since the window is broken, we shouldn’t stay here tonight. Would you two like to go to the farm for the rest of the night? We could stay there tonight, and return tomorrow morning to load up all the stuff you’re taking to Athens.”

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Lacey said with a relieved expression on her face. She added, “And tonight you’re sleeping in the house. I almost shot you once tonight, and I’m still jittery over that.”

  “Well I’m glad you didn’t fire, dear. I think that would’ve ruined my day.”

  Jim turned out the lights in the rest of the house and they exited the front door. The trip to the farmhouse was brief and they had found it exactly as they had left it two weeks earlier.

  For the second time that night, Lacey prepared a supper since the intruders had interrupted their first.

  Jim talked to Evan for several minutes after supper. He explained to the boy that he had nothing to fear from the intruders who had attempted to get into their house. He pointed out that his mother’s fierce defense of their home had scared the men away, and that tomorrow they would be leaving. He had finished the conversation by saying, “Trust me, Evan, the last thing those guys want is to run into your mom again tonight.”

  It seemed to work and Evan went to bed soon after supper.

  Jim and Lacey talked for a while about what their lives had been like in the two weeks they had been apart. Eventually Jim looked at his watch and said, “It’s getting late. We’d better get some sleep. It’s going to be a big day tomorrow.” Standing up he said, “If you’ve got a spare blanket, I can sleep on the couch.”

  Lacey stood up and took his hand. She smiled shyly and said, “You’re sleeping with me, dear. That is if you want to do so.”

  Smiling in return, Jim said, “Oh yes, I want to, but don’t you want to wait for the wedding?”

  She shook her head and replied, “Tonight I fought off intruders and almost shot you. Who knows what may happen tomorrow. Under the circumstances, I’m not standing on that tradition.”

  Chapter 39

  Many members of the group had been working in preparation for hours in advance of the exodus. They had already retrieved the vehicles they would be using from their hidden storage area. Now the vehicles were in a place near the exit with armed guards. Another team had carried the supplies they would be taking with them to the exit and loaded them.

  In the weeks prior to their departure, Pete had quietly sought and acquired three military tanker trucks. One was loaded with water and the other two were loaded with fuel. One of the fuel tankers contained gasoline and the other contained diesel fuel. These vehicles would be able to provide the fuel and water they would need to make the trip. They would secure more when it was convenient to do so, but if no opportunity to accomplish this in a safe manner presented itself, they could make the trip without the need to replenish their supplies. The fuel tankers were equipped with nozzles to fill the tanks of the vehicles.

  At two A.M. Pete led his people out of their shelter. With military precision, his people took up positions to cover the advancing column. At 2:30 A.M., the large convoy of vehicles pulled out of the staging area.

  Four scout trucks took the lead in the convoy. In the back of each truck were four heavily armed men who were watching both sides of the road for signs of trouble. They had secured five school buses to transport the majority of the group. These buses followed the scout trucks. Rifle barrels projected from every third window on either side of the buses in a show of strength meant to deter potential Marauders. The men and women projecting these firearms from the bus windows would do so in five-minute increments, and then the man in the seat behind them would replace them. In this manner, they rotated the detail and stayed relatively fresh and alert. Behind the buses followed the three tanker trucks. Three tractor-trailer rigs followed with the group’s food and other supplies. Another four trucks loaded with guards took up the rear.

  They had outfitted each vehicle with radios and they had them all tuned to the same frequency. Pete rode in the lead scout truck with Bill Young at the wheel. He scanned the area ahead with practiced eyes looking for any sign of trouble.

  By 4:30 A.M., the convoy of sixteen vehicles was on the outskirts of the city. Pete was pleased that they had made it out of the city without incident. There had been a couple of close calls when the convoy had encountered roving bands of Marauders, but the sight of so many weapons being held at the ready had kept the Marauders at bay.

  A frown crept across Pete’s face when he thought of the possibility of the Marauders banding together to pursue the convoy, but Pete didn’t think that scenario very likely. They could always find much easier prey in the city. Trying to take on the convoy would almost certainly cost the Marauders too much in terms of men and equipment.

  Pete smiled and leaned back in his truck seat. Turning to Bill he said, “It’s good to be going home to Alabama.”

  Bill grinned and said, “Jim’s going to be surprised when he sees you, isn’t he?”

  “I guess he will be at that. It’s not often you see an old friend you haven’t seen in years, leading a convoy of survivalists.”

  Pete looked out the window at the scenery going by as they maintained the best speed possible. He noticed that the land seemed broken and barren. Turning his attention to Bill again, he asked, “Have you ever wondered if this country will ever be able to recover from the disasters?”

  The question took Bill by surprise. It was the last thing he would have expected Pete to ask him. Hesitating before answering, he carefully formulated his response. “Yes, I’ve thought about it. I’m afraid I don’t have any answers though. There are too many variables.”

  Pete nodded his head soberly and responded, “You’ll get no argument from me on that score. There are so many possibilities to factor in, and just about any wild card in the deck could change the dynamics. I think if there isn’t an outbreak of the plague, then within two or three years a new government will be established in the United States. Probably a simplified version of the one we just lost. By that, I mean one that encompasses the mainland at the least. The new government might leave out Alaska and Hawaii. But if there is a widespread outbreak of the plague, who knows what w
ill happen. That could even mean the breakup of the United States as a nation and lead to the formation of city states.”

  “It’s possible. Well, it is if there is no outside interference. It’s also possible that we could be invaded. That invasion could be from the Russians, the Mexicans, the Cubans, or even the British.”

  “The British?” Pete asked in surprise and then he laughed thinking that Bill was joking.

  “Don’t laugh. They never really got over America gaining its independence.”

  Pete stopped laughing and looked incredulously at Bill. “You’re serious aren’t you?” he asked.

  “Oh yes, Pete. I’m very serious.”

  “Well taking that example makes me wonder what you think about the Germans. You know we beat them in two world wars. Then of course, there is Japan. I doubt they ever really forgave us for using the atomic bombs on them during the war.”

  “Be serious, Pete. I doubt either of those countries could land here now in sufficient forces to take the country.”

  “Maybe not this year but what about next year, or the year after that?” asked Pete.

  Bill thought about this for a long time as he drove the truck down the highway at the head of the convoy. When he finally decided on the answer he wanted to give Pete, he turned to his friend and found that he had fallen asleep. Bill smiled and thought, “One of these days I’m going to win an argument with you, and then I’ll be the one who goes to sleep before you think of a retort.”

  The convoy moved slowly but steadily south on interstate sixty-five. The earthquake damage to the interstate highway was minimal until they neared the city of Indianapolis. Pete had no choice but to lead the convoy on a detour around the state capital.

  The convoy stopped when it finally reached the Brown County State Park. The group had purchased several general purpose army surplus tents the year before to use as shelters, if needed in a survival situation. They had taken those tents with them when they had left Chicago. When they stopped, the men went about the business of setting up a base camp, using those tents for shelters. By the time all the tents had been set up, and the evening meal had been prepared it was 7:30 P.M. Guards were stationed at all key areas, such as the perimeter, the armory, and the supply dump where all of the food, fuel, and water trucks were located.

  In his command tent, Pete briefed the men who were about to be sent on two very important missions. He said, “We will stay here if at all possible until you return. If for any reason it should become necessary for us to leave before you return, you are to link up with the convoy at the Hoosier National Forest.”

  Pete turned to a large map attached to a board behind him. He pointed to the Crane Naval Weapons Support Center and said, “Sergeant Wilcox and his team will proceed to objective A. If what we suspect is true and the base is deserted, you will secure any and all conventional weapons located there and return to the convoy. If you should find the place in the hands of the military you will abort your mission and return at once.” Pete turned to Sergeant Wilcox and asked, “Sergeant, do you have any questions concerning your mission?”

  “No, Sir,” said the young sergeant. He ran his fingers through his blond hair and said, “I think everything was thoroughly covered in the briefing.” Pete could tell the sergeant was a bit nervous, as he should be. This was his first command of a mission of this scope. Pete, on the other hand, was confident that the young sergeant would do well on the mission. He was a brilliant strategist and a meticulous planner.

  Pete smiled and pointed to the second area on the map that was marked with a red circle. “Lieutenant Young will take his team to the Atterbury Reserve Forces Training Ground. Once there, he will proceed to acquire all of the food and weapons that are available, if the base isn’t in the hands of the military. Once the mission is accomplished he will return to the convoy.” Stopping and looking at his friend, he asked, “Any questions concerning your mission, Bill?”

  Bill nodded his head and said, “Just one, Sir. I see that my objective is close to Indianapolis. If we should see any civilians at the base what do you want us to do?”

  “Avoid them if at all possible,” said Pete. He looked around at the faces of the men about to undertake the two missions and said, “I want you all to remember that we are survivalists. We are not Marauders. Behave accordingly, and I’ll back you all the way. Behave like a Marauder and I’ll treat you like one.”

  Every man in the room understood that Pete was not making an idle threat. They had all been present when he had executed Kevin, and they knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to execute anyone else who went bad.

  “If there are no further questions, I suggest you all get a good night’s sleep. You’ll be leaving at first light in the morning.”

  ***

  For five days, Pete and the rest of the group waited for the return of the two squads sent on their respective missions. This interim time was not wasted. Pete had the men training in the woods. By now, they were all excellent at urban warfare tactics but many were in need of training in a woodland environment. By the fifth day, he had come a long way toward reaching his goal of transforming his group into the best all around fighters remaining in America.

  Bill and his group arrived late in the morning of the fifth day. They had succeeded in locating a large supply of food. They had also managed to locate several military weapons. These weapons ranged from M16s and pistols to sniper’s rifles. They had also located hundreds of grenades.

  When Bill met with Pete for his debriefing, the first thing he did was salute. The second thing he did was sit down. He said, “I’ve been awake for the past forty-eight hours but I’ve got good news for you. We located enough food, weapons, and ammunition to last our group a long time.”

  “What kind of food and weapons did you find?” Pete asked for specifics.

  Bill produced a lengthy list that had been meticulously hand written and handed it to Pete, and then he said, “I believe you’ll find all the information you need in this list. It’s a complete inventory of the items that we secured down to the last item.”

  Pete thanked him and added, “Go get a hot meal and then sleep. When you wake up, come back for a full debriefing. I will want all of the details of your mission. Well done, Bill, well done indeed.”

  Bill got up and walked to the tent entrance. He turned to look at Pete and said, “I wish you’d been with us. We had quite an adventure!”

  Pete would have liked nothing more than to tell Bill to sit down and tell him all about it, but he could tell the man desperately needed rest. He waved him out of the tent saying, “There will be time later today for me to hear all about it. Get that food and rest. That’s an order, Bill.”

  The lieutenant saluted and said, “An order I’ll be only too happy to follow.” He left smiling. When he was outside the tent, Bill laughed.

  Hearing his friend laughing, Pete wondered, “Now just what does he think is so funny?”

  Pete spent the biggest part of the remainder of his day checking out the supplies and weapons that his men had brought back. The weapons were a mixed lot. Some of them had obviously been training weapons. They showed signs of heavy use, and in some cases, they showed signs of abuse. There were an equal number of the weapons in mint condition. Pete saw to it that the weapons were issued out to the men and women of the survival group. He made certain that the men, who had acquired the weapons, were issued the best of the lot. In his opinion, they deserved the best. They had taken all the risks in acquiring them.

  Pete was working with the supply sergeant coordinating the dispersal of the newly acquired weapons. The supply sergeant was working with the list Bill had given Pete and he was using it to cross check a count of the inventory. He came to Pete and said, “There are enough pistols to outfit the entire group if you want to do so.”

  Pete stretched his aching muscles and stood up. He walked over to the sergeant and took the list, examined it briefly, and then said, “Every adult member of the group is ce
rtified in weapons, so go ahead and do it. Just verify their certification. Some of the older teens may try to fool you.”

  Pete smiled as he walked back to his tent. He thought, “At least now the entire group is outfitted with automatic weapons.” There had been surprisingly few fully automatic weapons in the possession of the group. What few they possessed were the ones they had taken from the Marauders that they had killed. The Marauders had ambushed soldiers and killed them for those weapons.

  When Pete got to his tent, he found Bill waiting for him. He shook hands warmly with the man and said, “You did a good job on the mission. The weapons that you and your team acquired for us could very well mean the difference between life and death for the group.”

  Bill smiled and pointed down at his feet. For the first time Pete noticed the wooden crate that Bill was using for a footstool. He asked, “What’s in the crate?”

  “Merry Christmas, Pete,” Bill said as he reached down and removed the lid from the wooden crate.

  Pete’s eyes lit up when he saw an M60 machinegun in the box. He reached down and picked up the heavy weapon, scarcely noticing its twenty-seven pound weight as he lovingly examined it.

  “Well? How do you like it?” asked Bill with excitement evident in his voice.

  Pete smiled and put the weapon down beside his chair. He extended his hand but when Bill grasped it to shake; Pete yanked him up out of his seat, hugged him, and then slapped him on the back. “I love it. You know I’ve wanted one for years.”

  “I’m glad you like it. We have two more. I didn’t want to let you know about them until I was ready to give you yours. I wanted to surprise you.”