“Nelson, this is new shit to him. You need to relax,” Michelle said, grabbing the start toggle.
“Me, get to relax? What drug are you smoking?” he huffed.
Groaning as she started the FLYER, Michelle pulled up and turned the engine off. When Hank returned, Michelle was very happy Nelson had her pull up, or Hank would’ve hit them with how fast he was going down the road. “I’ll be back,” Michelle said, climbing out, and jogged toward the house.
Nelson climbed down and went over the SAWs again with the boys as Michelle ran around the house to see Bernard talking to Hank. Michelle walked over and stopped beside them. “Hank, he had every right to yell at you like that,” Bernard said as she walked up.
“Bernard, I got this,” she said and looked at Hank. “I’m Nelson’s wife, Michelle. If you listen to what he says, you and your family might live through this. Granted, he could’ve handled it better, but Nelson is wound up tonight for some reason, so your lessons will be harsh.”
“I just wanted to see what y’all were doing,” Hank said.
“Like he said, use the radio,” Michelle said.
“How can we learn if we don’t go out?”
“Wait, hasn’t Gerald and Nelson been over teaching your group?” Michelle asked, and Hank nodded. “He didn’t offer to bring you along because you weren’t ready. Hell, my son sitting out there on that road will be nine in four days, and he knows ten times what you know about moving around at night. The reason you’re here now is he’s showing you since you couldn’t stay put.”
“Lights to the south on Highway 60, heading west,” Nelson came over the radio.
“Shit,” Michelle said and grabbed her radio as she turned south. They were still two miles from the highway, but she could tell there were lights from something with her night vision goggles. “You have visual,” she called out.
“Humvee with someone in the cupola, looks like a Ma Deuce in the mount. They are at the maximum range of the camera.”
“They coming to play?”
“Negative, and they have the same thing on the back of their rig as I have on mine. I think they are searching.”
“What if they hear your radio?” Hank asked as she was about to call Nelson back.
“They could tell it was a transmission, but they can’t listen in,” Michelle said.
“Still moving and past our access point,” Nelson called over the radio.
Michelle looked at Hank. “You realize if you would’ve driven up with your lights when that thing was closer, it would’ve come here. Pull your head out of your ass and think. Don’t panic like you did driving back here. If we hadn’t moved, you would’ve plowed into us, and Nelson would’ve shot you because our son is in that rig.”
Visibly trembling, Hank nodded as Bernard reached over, patting his shoulder. “Listen and watch. Tell everyone in your group to do the same, and for God’s sake, don’t turn on a light.”
“Mobile One, return to the rig. We have another one moving down the road like the first, but this one is blacked out,” Nelson called over the radio.
“Want to stop the return team?” Michelle called back as she broke into a run.
“Negative. We don’t know if this is just a preview of things to come.”
“Break traffic. This is Mobile Four. All exposed teams need to find cover. We have an eye coming from the southeast at six thousand feet,” Nancy called over the radio. “Will be in range in nine minutes.”
Michelle skidded to a halt and spun around. “Pull your truck in the barn now!” she shouted, running back, and saw people pouring out of the house. “Get the fuck back in the house!”
The group turned around, and all of them tried to use the door to get back in as Michelle brought her AR across her body and held it out. She hit the back of the group, forcing them in, and heard the FLYER rounding the house as Hank’s truck and the Bobcat started up. As she entered the door, she turned to see the FLYER shoot in the open barn doors.
Bernard almost took out the door as he drove the track loader in. Michelle was proud of Hank as he quickly but carefully pulled in the barn. When the trailer was inside, she saw Nelson closing the doors.
“Eye is following highway,” Nancy called out. “Have ID, eye is RQ-7 Shadow medium range UAV.”
“Mobile Four, will need you to stay on station until expedition is over,” Nelson called out.
“One, this is Two. Suggest we pack party up,” Gerald called out.
“Negative, when eye is gone, we are loading. I want to crawl in our hole and stay before supplies are gone.”
“Cut radio traffic,” Nancy called out, and Michelle fought to keep calm. Checking her watch again, Michelle knew they had been silent for ten minutes as Nancy came over the radio. “Eye has passed. It seemed to veer off the highway but continued down. Sky is clear in area.”
In the barn, Nelson was showing the boys the GAU when Nancy called the all clear. He turned to look at Hank, who looked like he was going to pass out. “You’re welcome, Hank,” he said with a grin. “Now pull out and load up so we can get back home.”
Nodding dumbly, Hank climbed back in his truck as Bernard opened the door. “Mobile Four, would that eye have seen us at his height?” Nelson called out as he started the FLYER.
“One, this is Two,” Gerald called out. “I’m with Mobile Four, and no, that eye wasn’t far enough away from the highway or high enough to spot you.”
Nelson stopped by the house and climbed up in the gunner’s seat as Michelle climbed in the driver’s seat. “It’s starting to get interesting,” Nelson said, moving behind the GAU. “Boys, keep your eyes open, and don’t shoot until cleared by me or Michelle.”
Michelle pulled back on the road and looked up at Nelson. “We are going closer to the road,” she said.
“Yeah, if it wasn’t for Hank, we would’ve been at the other farm by now,” Nelson said as Bernard pulled out on the road with the Bobcat.
When Gerald returned with the others, Bernard pulled the Bobcat up on Nelson’s trailer that Ashley was driving. As the group pulled out, Hank’s group headed back to his house. Michelle pulled out to the next farm, which was less than a mile from the highway.
They were halfway loaded when Hank’s crew returned, and with the six extra hands, everything was loaded quickly. “Gerald, unload at Hank’s, and get back,” Nelson called over the radio.
Bernard drove the Bobcat up beside the FLYER and turned it off. Opening the door on the cab, he climbed out, and Nelson was amazed he got his tall ass in that cab. “Nelson, Casey’s farm is on the other side of the highway,” Bernard said, stepping down.
“Bernard, we were just there last night. You think I forgot?”
“No,” he snapped. “Let’s just go back, and I’ll get that Ferguson at Butch’s farm.”
“Oh hell no,” Nelson said. “I listened for two hours how a John Deere combine was ten times better. If we don’t get anything else, that damn combine is coming with us if I have to tie a rope to the front of it and pull it to the farm with my bare hands.”
“I’ll make do.”
“Like hell,” Nelson said. “But I tell you one thing; you better be able to go faster than a walk on that damn thing.”
“It goes twenty-seven miles an hour in high.”
“I rest my case,” Nelson laughed. “I’m going to have Michelle pull up on that hill behind the house. From there, she should be able to see several miles in both directions.”
“Babe,” Michelle said, making him look down at her. “We’re getting close to the range of our radios, so not too far behind that house.”
“By road, we are seven miles from the farm; in a straight line, we are just over five.”
They sat and waited with Gavin staying glued to the display from the thermal camera. Nelson was just happy the display had a night vision mode that barely emitted any light from the screen. When they heard the group coming back, Nelson looked at Bernard. “Load up, and wait till we call be
fore crossing the highway, and tell everyone to relax so they don’t make mistakes.”
“Okay,” Bernard said, stepping away from the FLYER as Michelle cranked up and eased up the dirt road.
“Still good, Gavin?” she asked as she looked each way on the highway but didn’t see anything.
“Don’t see anything, Mom.”
Michelle pressed the accelerator, turning right on the highway. She sped the quarter mile to the driveway on the left side of the highway and barely slowed as she took the turn. “Drive between the house and barn. You see that rise?” Nelson called over the intercom.
“Got it,” Michelle said, easing off the gas upon seeing the oak trees around the house. “Gavin, lower the boom so we don’t hurt the camera.”
Gavin reached over, pressing the switch to drop the boom with the camera. When it was down, Michelle stomped the accelerator, darting off the driveway and past the house. Slowing as she reached the rise, she picked her way between the trees until Nelson told her to stop and turn around.
When she had the FLYER turned, she could see the valley the highway followed. “Gavin, raise the boom, and see what’s around,” Nelson said, looking around.
“Nothing, Dad.”
“Three, this is One, empty road, so come across, but take care on the turn,” Nelson called over the radio as Michelle turned the FLYER off. He looked down at the house and barn just a few hundred yards from the highway, and they were half a mile back from the house.
They all could see the group pull out with their night vision goggles darting down the highway. “Ashley, take it easy. This thing isn’t strapped down,” Bernard called over the radio.
“Sorry,” Ashley replied, and Nelson saw a flash of light as Ashley tapped the brake. They had covered the tail lights with duct tape, but he still saw that.
“Need to pull the fuses for the lights,” Nelson said, leaning over the GAU.
They watched the group pull up to the work site where a house was being built. Michelle nodded at how fast Bernard loaded the stacks of lumber, pallets of cinderblocks, and concrete. She laughed when she saw him load up the locked storage shed that was almost as big as the Bobcat.
“Bernard can really make that thing work,” Michelle laughed and looked at the house as Hank’s group piled in the truck and moved over to the barn with the others. “Guess they didn’t have much food.”
When Gerald’s trailer was full, Bernard loaded the rest on half of Ashley’s then pulled the Bobcat up on the trailer as they moved over to the barn and helped load Matt and Hank’s trailers. “Dad, I see something,” Gavin said.
Leaning over to look down at the screen, Nelson saw three dark shapes off in the distance following the highway. Glancing up, he confirmed they were coming from their right or from the east. “Can you zoom in?”
Nelson watched the screen as the dark shapes got bigger. “It’s a grown up with two kids,” Michelle said.
“A man with two kids,” Nelson corrected. “They’re staying near the side, ready to run and hide.”
“If we wait till they pass, it will be daylight, babe. They are a good three miles away,” Michelle said. “We would have to wait until they were at least that far away from us. If we take off now, I think they will be able to figure out where we went just from the engine noise of those trucks.”
“Screw the trucks. That combine makes enough noise to wake the dead,” Nelson said, grabbing his radio. “Two, this is One. Break. We have three walking on road moving west. One adult male and two kids, you copy?”
“Copy, how do you want to handle this? A deaf mute could follow the sound and vibrations of that combine,” Gerald called back with Bernard shouting in the background that he wanted to leave the damn thing.
“Going down on foot to intercept will keep you up to speed,” Nelson said, climbing out of the gunner’s seat. “Should have my head examined for leaving the dogs,” he grunted, jumping down.
“Hold on, I’m coming,” Michelle said, grabbing her AR.
“No, I’m taking Gavin,” Nelson said, and Michelle froze, and Gavin pumped his fist and whispered, “Yes.”
“Are you insane?” Michelle snapped.
“Baby, I need you in this to come and get us. If two adults just jump out, the grown up is much more likely to shoot. I would. But if I come out with my son, it will show I’m not with the feds.”
Michelle dropped back in her seat. “You get my baby hurt, and I’ll rip it off and beat you to death with it,” she growled.
“I wouldn’t fight you, and I would lie still so you could,” Nelson said as Gavin climbed out. “Gavin, stay right behind Dad, and don’t put your finger near the trigger in case you trip. The rules are still the same,” Nelson said, moving down the rise at a fast walk. Watching Gavin follow Nelson holding his AR like he was taught, Michelle wiped tears off her face.
Keeping in the trees, Nelson had them at the road well ahead of the three walkers. Reaching back, he pulled Gavin up beside him and eased up to the ditch. Leaning over, Nelson put his mouth next to Gavin’s ear and whispered, “I’m moving five feet to your right. Don’t make a sound until I tell you to. If there is shooting, get down, but if you have to shoot, aim at the chest, and squeeze the trigger until the target drops. Understand?” Gavin nodded. “I can see them, so be very quiet,” Nelson breathed and moved away from Gavin.
When he was five feet away, Nelson stopped and eased down to his knee. The three were about half a mile away and walking on the shoulder on his side of the road. Going to be really close, Nelson thought, pulling his AR to his shoulder.
When they were a hundred yards away, Nelson saw it was a black man with a black girl and boy. The girl looked around ten, and the boy looked about eight. Both the kids never got more than an arm’s reach from the man. They all had on what looked like school backpacks. Looking at them, Nelson knew the clothes they had on didn’t belong to them.
Watching the man hold his waist, Nelson was sure he had a pistol but didn’t see a rifle. It was the way the man walked that unnerved Nelson. He walked with confidence in his ability to move at night.
When they were ten yards away, Nelson spoke in a normal voice. “Don’t point your gun at me, and I won’t point mine at you.”
The girl squealed as she jumped and darted behind the man as the boy joined her. The man pulled the pistol but didn’t raise it. “Scared us,” he called out, searching for Nelson in the night.
“I’m not alone, and I know you’re looking for me. I’m out here with my son, who’s about the same age as yours, but mine’s armed, and his mom is off in the woods with really big guns, so just relax,” Nelson said, and the man put the pistol back in his waistband.
“I’m stepping out on the road. My rifle will be hanging, but please don’t make any sudden moves. I really don’t want my son to be in a fire fight,” Nelson said, slowly moving up to the road.
“Are you fucking crazy?!” Michelle screamed over the radio bud in his ear.
Nelson saw the man jump when Michelle yelled over the radio. “I trust you heard my wife.”
“Yes I did,” the man said, dropping his hand off the pistol. “If you wanted to hurt us, you could’ve, stepping out in full battle rattle.”
Nelson laughed. “Knew you were Army.”
“Spent some time in the sand box,” the man said with a smile, and the kids peeked around him.
“Just wanted to know why in the hell you are walking down the road in the dark. I’m opening the channel so my wife can hear and there are no mistakes,” Nelson said and flipped his radio to open.
“Only way you can travel. Feds and what’s left of the army are running roads looking for stragglers that don’t want to go to FEMA camps.”
“Not to be rude, but you’re not from around here, so I’m guessing you are still active service,” Nelson said, hearing a southern accent.
“I’m from Birmingham, and yes, I was active till they started locking folks up and trying to take the kids away. Or
ders came down that all military minor dependents had to stay separate at boarding schools.”
“Whoa,” Nelson said, shaking his head. “Talk about an incentive to keep you in line.”
“You got that right. They took my CO’s kids out of school off base the day before the takeover.”
“My name’s Nelson. I’m going to call my son out if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all; my name is Ronald.”
Without taking his eyes off the group, Nelson turned his head. “Gavin, come on up. Just let your rifle hang across your chest.”
When Ronald’s kids saw Gavin come out on the road, they relaxed, as did their dad. “Gavin,” Ronald said, tilting his head but not breaking eye contact with Nelson. “This is my daughter, Ariel, and my son, Mason,” Ronald said as the kids stepped out from behind him.
“Hello, sir,” Gavin said, stepping up beside his dad.
“Where are you headed, Ronald?” Nelson asked, watching him.
“Was trying to head back home, but that fell through fast. Now just trying to find a place to hole up or make a run for the Free States,” he said, grabbing Mason’s shoulder as he tried to step closer to Gavin. “Never seen a kid in full battle rattle,” Ronald said, looking at Gavin, who was dressed like Nelson with a tactical helmet with the night vision goggles over his eyes, tactical vest, and AR across his chest.
“Yeah, I never wanted to see mine in one, but be damned if I’m letting him learn to live cowering in fear.”
“On that we can agree,” Ronald nodded.
“I’m talking to my group,” Nelson said, flipping the radio to push talk. “Continue loading, and tell me when you’re ready.”
“That man hurts my baby, and I’ll boil him alive!” Michelle shouted in his earpiece.
Ronald laughed. “Would you relay to his momma if he doesn’t threaten us, we won’t do anything to him?”
Pressing the transmit key, Nelson said, “Will you chill? You’re embarrassing me and our son. We are good here; now keep a look out.”
“Nelson, do you happen to have some water? We ran out an hour ago,” Ronald said, grinning. “We had to leave the house we were holing up in really fast this evening.”
Forgotten Forbidden America:: Patriots Reborn Page 19
