Society's Collapse: The Bug Out

by Jeremy Lock

  ”What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know, I’m going to take a look. Keep loading the truck, get the pistols.” Sean said as he headed for the door.

  Chapter 23

  The noise had woken Money from his slumber. The noise of an old truck would have never given him a second thought but now it was an unusual sound. He woke up and ordered his men to get up. He wanted that truck. Having only the old Jail van was hampering his “salvaging” and he now decided he was going to add a truck to his fleet. Within minutes his men were loaded in the van and heading in the direction Money had heard the sound. Money thought they had lost the truck as they headed out of town into the rural countryside. As they passed the storage unit they had raided the day before one of his lieutenants, Campbell, saw a truck parked in the storage complex and told Money. Rather than driving straight into the complex money told the driver to head down the road as if nothing was unusual. ½ a mile down the road the van pulled into a small convenience store and parked. Money had a rough plan and instructed the men as they walked back to the storage complex. Campbell checked that his scoped rifle was loaded and continued to walk with a smile on his face.

  Chapter 24

  Sean brought the FN up to the ready position and began looking around the complex for anything out of the ordinary. As he observed he crouched down making himself as small a target as possible and also used the buildings for cover completely on instinct from his years of military service. Movement to his right caught his attention and he stood to turn and sight in on the movement when a load crack broke the silence. At the sound of the shot Sean pulled back behind the truck to find cover and start looking for targets. Cassidy stood, in the open, with a handful of pistols in her arms. She stood frozen at the loud sound. Sean told Cassidy to put the guns down and grab her shotgun. She ran and threw the guns into the bed of the truck and then grabbed the shotgun leaning against the back of the truck.

  “Watch the flanks” Sean told her calmly.

  “What are flanks?” Cassidy replied with fear in her voice.

  “The sides, watch the left and the right sides. If you see something close shoot at it, if it’s far just tell me what side.” Sean said as he observed the area before him looking for the sniper.

  A second shot caused them both to duck as it slammed into the windshield of the truck.

  “The gun shoots low.” Sean observed to himself.

  Sean got back on his 3x aim point red dot scope and looked out.

  “There.” he thought to himself. A small power transformer sitting on the ground was by far the best cover around for the sniper. Using the mil-dots in his scope he quickly ranged it at 200yds, a simple shot. Sean braced himself on the truck and waited for movement. The man came back around the transformer and set himself in a prone position. Sean set the red dot at the base of the man’s face and slowly pulled the trigger as he exhaled. The report of gun was enhanced by the fact that they were partially contained in the storage unit and Cassidy screamed. Sean watched the pink mist from the back of the man’s head and then began scanning for other targets.

  “It’s ok, that was my gun!” Sean screamed knowing that both of their hearing was not 100% any longer.

  Cassidy got herself back up and screamed again “Left!”

  Sean swiveled his rifle and fired a round at a fleeing subject who was able to get to cover just in time. Sean reached to his scope and quickly unscrewed the 3x magnifier from his sight and placed it in his pocket. He was going to need to quickly acquire targets now. As he scanned to his right he saw movement, put the gun on target and fired 2 rounds. The man went down but the shots were rebutted by at least 6 rounds of return fire from 3 different directions. Sean knew they were outgunned and had to get Cassidy out of there before she got hurt. Without proper backup Sean could easily become outflanked and they would both be dead.

  “Cassidy!” Sean yelled. Cassidy only looked at him with eyes you could drive a truck through.

  “Cassidy! We’re going to get out of here, get ready to get in the truck and drive!” Sean yelled.

  Cassidy nodded and looked back to the left. Sean waited until he had a shot at the man to the right.

  He fired 3 shots and yelled “Go! Go! Go!” as he headed to the passenger door and opened it.

  Sean saw the man straight out front raised his gun and fired at the same time as the man fired. Sean didn’t know if he hit his target and didn’t care. Cassidy got in the driver’s seat and tried to start the truck. She was met with gun fire from the left. Sean stood in the doorway of the truck and fired across the roof of the truck. The man went down but started moving again. Cassidy got the truck started and Sean pulled himself back into the cab. Cassidy turned right and headed for the exit. A man appeared in front of them with a pistol in his hand. The man began firing and Cassidy screamed. Sean slid his left foot over and pressed down on the gas until it was to the floor and steered the vehicle right into the man. Sean and Cassidy watched the man’s face strike on the hood of the car and open up like a watermelon at a Gallagher show. Cassidy screamed more and Sean continued to steer from the passenger seat and got them out onto the open road. As they flew away from town Cassidy began to compose herself and took over the driving.

  Chapter 25

  Mike pulled himself to his feet and looked at his left arm. The bullet had ripped through his upper arm and exited cleanly. It hurt badly but it could have been worse. As he walked out of the complex he found only one of his men left alive with a bullet hole through his right thigh. Campbell’s head was almost completely gone, Marshalls looked as if he’d been run over and Ski had 2 bullet holes in his chest. Money began walking towards the truck. He was angry, angry as he could ever remember. He knew he wasn’t done, but he knew he needed to get patched up and get more men. Then this mother fucker and his little girl were going to pay.

  Chapter 26

  Cassidy’s tears were under control now and Sean started to relax but he still had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. As he relaxed the sick feeling became more painful and he looked down. The blood had spread into a large expanding circle on the left side of the abdomen. This is when the pain really started.

  “Pull over.” he told Cassidy.

  “What!?” she said in shock, she was driving as fast as she could to get away from the danger.

  “Pull Over.” Sean said weakly and held his side.

  Cassidy looked down and saw the blood. “Oh my god! Your shot!” she screamed.

  “I’ll be ok, I just need you to pull over and get my first aid bag out of the back.” Sean said. The truck came to a screeching halt causing Sean even more pain. Cassidy ran to the back and came back a moment later with the first aid kit. Sean had already cut open his shirt and looked at the wound. The wound was on his left side and low, just above his hip bone. There was a fair chance that no major organs were hit but he needed to get the bleeding under control. If he were in Afghanistan a Navy Corpsman and a Hospital were only minutes away but here, in his home town, he didn’t have that option. Sean almost laughed at the irony. Sean pulled out a package of Quick clot powder and a 5x9 trauma pad. He sprinkled the Quick Clot into the wound and nearly screamed in pain.

  “Fuck… this shit hurts.” he said through his gritted teeth.

  “We have to get you to the hospital.” Cassidy said, starting turn the truck around.

  “No!” Sean yelled. There’s no one there who can help us and those guys will be after us.” Sean said more calmly.

  “You’re gonna die if you don’t get help!” Cassidy yelled.

  “I’m going to be fine, just let me think, keep driving this way” Sean said pointing to their original path.

  Sean already knew where he had to go. He didn’t want to impose on them but he didn’t have much choice at this point. He just hoped they would still be there. Sean was feeling light headed; he pulled out a piece of paper as a glove box and a pen and started writing. He hoped he had enough time.

  Chapter 27


  Jeff and Mark were looking at the rear surveillance camera and Mark was trying to get used to the controls while looking at a nice 8 point buck following a group of 3 doe through the back field. Jeff wished he was out in his tree stand hunting and hoped he could get out there this afternoon. His day dream was shattered by a motion alarm being triggered, its annoying beeping sound pulling him back to reality. He quickly pulled up the motion sensor screen and saw that it was the driveway sensor. He stood and grabbed his Sniper rifle and opened the Balcony door.

  “Get on the driveway camera and find out what’s going on” Jeff ordered mark while Jeff took up his sniper position on the balcony.

  Before Mark could even get the camera up the roar of a large engine, and the blare of the trucks horn had shattered the silence. Jeff yelled to Mark.

  “Get in a defensive position!” Jeff yelled.

  The trucks horn also alerted Jessica and Allie who were eating breakfast and talking downstairs. They both grabbed their rifles and set up position on the first floor, using the large timbers used to construct the house for cover and peering out the windows. Jason rolled out of bed and was still putting on his pants as he came out of the bedroom with his rifle and tactical vest in hand.

  “What is going on?!” he yelled to Jeff.

  “A truck came barreling up to the house from the road, it must have driven through the gate” Jeff said as he peered through the scope at the truck.

  A girl came out of the truck yelling that she needed help.

  “Do you recognize her?” Jason asked.

  “Nope, could be a trap.” Jeff replied.

  “I’ll go take a look. Mark you take up watch on the perimeter. If you see anyone move, shoot first ask questions later.” Jason ordered as he went downstairs.

  He pulled on his vest as he came down and saw Jessica.

  “There’s someone else in the truck, passenger side.” she said.

  “Ok, watch my back babe.” He replied.

  “Be careful.” was her response.

  Jason came out of the house with his rifle raised. He quickly checked his flanks and after he saw they were clear began approaching the truck.

  “Get down on the ground!” he yelled at the girl pointing his rifle at her.

  “I need help, please! Help him!” she yelled.

  “Get down on the ground or I’ll shoot!” Jason yelled with his boisterous voice.

  She looked up, saw the rifle barrel pointed at her and put her hands up. She lay down on the ground.

  “Put your arms out to your sides and cross your legs!” Jason ordered as he approached.

  She complied. Jason quickly looked into the truck and saw the bleeding man in the truck; he didn’t appear to be a threat. He then came from behind the girl and pulled her crossed feet up to her butt and used a knee to hold them there.

  “Put your hands behind your back!” he ordered and she complied.

  Jason let his rifle fall onto its sling and he pulled a set of flex cuffs off his vest. He quickly pat searched the girl and found the 22 pistol in her pocket. He pulled it out and tossed it out of her reach. He then pulled his pistol and checked the truck.