“Try, to get out, Book,” Randy corrected in a dead voice. “Just be glad we didn’t try to go the way we came in. That’s where most troops are being set up. That’s what was in all those UN vehicles we spotted.”
“What else did this sergeant tell you, Shadow, before we go on?” Charlie asked.
Leaning back, Randy wiped the dirt off his glove and reached into his dump bag, pulling out five magazines. “This was all the sergeant had on him, and privates have less,” Randy said, holding them up. “The sergeant was a buck sergeant, an E5. Only staff sergeants, E6 and above are issued radios. The sergeant was issued a standard M16A3,” Randy stopped and looked around. “The lower troops have to use cell phones.”
“Holy shit,” Cody mumbled. “They don’t trust their own troops.”
“No, US troops,” Randy corrected, putting the magazines back in his dump bag. “UN forces only have to keep cell phones but get full combat loads.”
“Any idea on numbers of UN troops?” Robbie asked.
Shrugging, “The sergeant didn’t know, Blaster, even for around here,” Randy answered. “He just gave me some info on local areas, but did say more troops were arriving tomorrow to start sealing the city off, so people can’t leave. They are only blocking large routes right now.”
“Anything else?” Charlie asked, and Randy shook his head. “Lay it out then,” Charlie sighed.
“I found a culvert that runs under I-57,” Randy pointed at the dirt. “That only gets us to the other side, but we move down through these patches of trees and cross over Vollmer Road here, a mile and a half from the checkpoint.”
Holding his hand over the map and pausing Randy, “Shadow, why not move further east? There’s only suburbs,” Charlie asked.
“Yeah, where the gunfire is coming from,” Randy said, looking up. “Every suburb is under siege, either by roving bands of gangs or feds. The ones I want us to cut through, the houses are more spaced out. Granted, that means more affluent and bigger targets, but less people defending their homes.”
Pointing off the dirt map, “Shadow, you aren’t wanting to take us through Park Forest, are you?” Robbie asked.
“Can’t, not even the military can get in there,” Randy answered, then moved his finger along the map. “After we cross Vollmer, we have to haul ass for three miles to get to any area with a semblance of security.”
“That sounds about right,” Robbie nodded.
“Where is the stop point?” Charlie asked.
Looking over at Charlie, “I-65,” Randy told him. “That is where we have to be before more troops show up. Twenty-nine miles, just past Orchard Grove.”
Kristi’s eyes got wide hearing that while the others looked at the map. “We have to move soon,” Randy told them. “It won’t be long until they devote manpower to clear these trees.”
Holding his hand out, “Give me the map, Shadow, so I can go over rally points with Kristi,” Charlie said.
Pulling the map out, Randy handed it over. “It’s going to get bloody, but there’s no way around it. Sorry, Book.”
“Shadow, we eat the shit sandwich we are handed,” Charlie grinned. “You can turn your nose up and nibble, or just Ranger up and gulp it down.”
Standing up and stretching, “Well, I like my shit sandwich with a side of fries,” Robbie said.
Looking over as Charlie pulled Kristi close, Randy turned to Robbie. “Blaster,” he said softly, stepping closer and pulled the five magazines out of his dump bag. “Tell Clark to dump the shotgun and give them these.”
Reaching out, dread filled Robbie’s face as he took the magazines. “I’ll talk to them and give them their rules of engagement,” Robbie sighed. “How certain are you of this sandwich, Shadow?”
“I had to kill nine to move around,” Randy answered, and Robbie’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t think even us four could sneak through without trigger time, there’s just too many bodies in the way. My hope is we only run into marauders and not feds. There just aren’t any clear paths out of here left for us to use.”
“Shadow,” Robbie said, looking off. “We are in one of the biggest cities in America. I’m surprised we haven’t had more trigger time.”
Putting on his clear glasses, “Have Babyface set to our south, I’ll be on the north,” Randy said, turning away. “We need to be in the wind in a few hours, sooner would be better. We can hold up near the culvert until dark.”
Watching Randy walk off, Robbie moved over and whispered in Cody’s ear and Cody suited up, handing him a food pouch and moved to the south. “Clark, go get Emily up,” Robbie said, holding the food pouch.
Kristi looked up from the map at Robbie. “I’m giving them their rules of engagement,” Robbie told her. “Book will give you yours.”
Closing her eyes while trying to keep calm, Kristi nodded and turned back to the map as Clark led Emily out of the tent. Both were wearing ponchos over their pajamas and Robbie couldn’t help but grin. Opening the pouch, he grabbed the pot of hot water on the burner and knelt in front of them.
“Clark, you are leaving the shotgun here,” Robbie said, pouring water in the pouch. “Both of you will be on your rifles.”
“Uncle Robbie, I only have two magazines,” Clark said. “I used more than that at the house.”
“I used three,” Emily mumbled.
Rolling the pouch closed, Robbie shook it slowly with the claw as he looked at the two. “Clark, I’m giving you three more magazines and Emily, you’re getting two, but you’re not to use them unless your life or your mother’s is in danger. Do each of you understand?” Robbie asked, looking at the two.
“So, if I see someone aiming at Momma-,” Emily stopped.
“If she’s not shooting at them, you aim and pull the trigger until they go down,” Robbie instructed, trying to keep his voice from breaking.
Clark nodded, “I understand, Uncle Robbie.”
“Guys, this is all the ammo we can spare for you, so use it wisely,” Robbie said, handing over the magazines.
“I can carry the shotgun, so I can have more,” Clark offered.
Shaking his head, “No, Clark,” Robbie told him firmly. “You don’t need the weight because we will be moving fast.”
Both kids looked at the serious expression on Robbie’s face and started to get worried. “Just do what you know and don’t worry about the rest,” Robbie stressed, unfolding the bag and pulled out two spoons. “Both of you will stay within five feet of your mom, no matter what. If you pee, you’d better be able to reach out and touch her.”
Even now they could hear gunshots around them, but neither had been overly worried after the uncles had showed up. Charlie, Cody, Robbie, and Randy to them, were larger than life and scared of nothing. Now Clark and Emily could see, they were worried about them.
They both took the spoons and ate from the bag while Robbie held it. “Okay, Uncle Robbie, we’ll do good,” Emily said with a small smile.
Grinning at the two as they ate, “Of course you will, tadpole. Both of you always do great,” Robbie said.
Glancing back, Kristi saw the kids eating and turned back to the map. “Honestly, Charlie, how bad?” Kristi asked softly.
Holding his finger over the first rally point, Charlie turned to her. “Shadow’s worried and that’s never a good thing,” Charlie told her. “Your priority is the kids and that’s our priority. I’m sorry, but your sister better keep up because we aren’t stopping. We can carry you and the kids. One of us will even get Chase, but other than that, you can’t ask for more.”
“I’ll keep Chase near me,” Kristi told him, then looked down at the map. “They will keep up or get left behind.”
Hearing her voice, Charlie didn’t believe her, but continued going over the route and rally points to meet up at if they got separated for twenty minutes.
They both turned to see Emily and Clark taking down the tent and already dressed. “I know the area,” Kristi said, getting up. “Let me get Tabitha up,
so we can move.”
Kristi opened the tent whispering, and Chase climbed out shivering. Watching Kristi continue to whisper into the tent, Robbie walked over and grabbed a leg and pulled. Ryan cried out when Robbie pulled him out of the tent.
Dropping down, Robbie moved his left arm opening the claw and putting the open claw over Ryan’s throat. “I move my arm and the claw will crush your throat,” Robbie growled as Ryan looked up at him with abstract fear. “Make another sound louder than a mouse fart and you’ll never make another.”
When Tabitha climbed out to stop Robbie, Kristi grabbed her. “Don’t, and keep your mouth shut. Dangerous people are close,” Kristi warned in a low voice and Tabitha’s eyes got wide.
“I’ll take my claw off if we understand each other,” Robbie glared into Ryan’s eyes.
Nodding rapidly, “Y-yes, sir,” Ryan whimpered.
Standing up, Robbie moved his arm causing the claw to snap shut as he stood over Ryan. “You have ten minutes to get ready because we are leaving,” Robbie told him and walked off.
Before Tabitha could say anything, Kristi grabbed her shoulders. “They are killing people around us, you have got to hurry. You have to keep up with us or we will leave you,” Kristi said in a low voice and Tabitha’s eyes filled with tears.
“You would leave me?” Tabitha whimpered.
Taking a deep breath, “You can’t watch out for or protect my kids, so I can’t die for you,” Kristi told her. “I’ll fight for you, but you have to dig deep to keep up, so I can fight for you.”
With her arms wrapped around her chest, Tabitha barely nodded as Kristi walked away with her own eyes getting teared up. “We’re ready, Mom,” Clark said, and Kristi saw each had more magazines on their small vests.
“Where’s the shotgun?” she asked, grabbing her gear.
“Uncle Robbie said we are leaving it because we have to move fast,” Clark told her.
Seeing the tent was already tied to her pack, Kristi pulled her pack on. “Here’s some food, Momma,” Emily said, holding the remains of the package out Robbie gave them.
“I want you and Clark to eat it all. We have a long way to go,” Kristi commanded. Both kids started to protest, then saw the stern look on Kristi’s face. Watching the kids finish off the pouch, Kristi turned when Charlie walked over to Chase.
“You will eat half of this now,” Charlie said, and Chase looked at Charlie in terror before taking the pouch. Grabbing the spoon, Chase started eating. “Slow down and take your time,” Charlie told him, looking up at Tabitha and Ryan.
“You two will eat the other half when he’s done,” Charlie said, walking off as the rain picked up again to a downpour. “Try getting the food before Chase has eaten, and I’m sending the claw back over.”
Reaching his rucksack, Charlie turned to see Randy moving toward them. “Blaster, get Babyface,” Charlie said, putting his rucksack on. “Shadow’s seen something he doesn’t like.”
“Whatever it is better stay the hell out there,” Robbie mumbled. “The last time Shadow saw something he didn’t like, our world got fucked up.”
Randy moved over to Charlie as he tightened his pack up. “We need to sky out now,” Randy told him. Buckling his helmet on, Charlie raised his right eyebrow. “They are starting to check the woods, but-,” Randy paused and Charlie turned to Randy, swearing he looked nauseous.
“Book, they’re killing civilians,” Randy said with a distasteful expression. “That salvo we hear a few times an hour to the north? That’s what it is.”
Coming back with Cody, Robbie and Cody froze and everyone turned to Randy in shock. “Who’s killing civilians?” Charlie asked, feeling his arms go numb.
“Feds,” Randy answered, closing his eyes. “They are wearing blue windbreakers with FEMA on the back.
Moving over beside Charlie, Robbie grabbed Randy by the shoulder. “So, they are killing the marauders and looters?” Robbie asked.
“Blaster, I saw them shoot a little girl tied to her mother that couldn’t have been over six years old,” Randy leaned over and spit, tasting the bile at the back of his throat. “They lead a group over, tied together and hobbled, and shoot them in front of the fenced-off areas where others are being held. There’s a speaker going off and telling everyone who isn’t compliant will be led over next.”
Charlie looked at Robbie, “That isn’t our fight. We have our fight ahead,” Charlie snapped.
“Book, this is America!” Robbie gasped.
Nodding, “And we’re getting our little slice of America the fuck out of here,” Charlie barked softly.
“We need to move,” Randy repeated.
“Are they close to getting here?” Cody asked, getting closer.
Shaking his head, “No, we leave now before I go back,” Randy told him.
“You go without me and I’ll kick your ass, Shadow,” Robbie growled.
“Shadow, we have our mission and we will not deviate from it,” Charlie said, turning to Kristi. “You ready?”
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Kristi said, gripping her AR.
Everyone pulled on packs, checking the area and making sure they hadn’t left anything, then moved over to Charlie. “Shadow, lead us to where you want to hole up till dark,” Charlie said, press checking his SASS (Semi-Automatic Sniper System) which looked like a beefier AR-15. Seeing brass, he let the bolt go and tapped the forward assist. “Blaster, you have the back. Babyface, you keep the packages close. I’ll take slack with Shadow.”
Without saying anything, Randy turned and headed east. The others fell in behind him and Randy moved through the woods, with the waters getting deeper the further they went. Everyone was shocked when Randy continued until he was wading up to his thighs.
“Keep your weapons out of the water,” Cody whispered behind them. Clark and Emily held their ARs up, with the water up to Emily’s chest.
Hearing the roar of diesel engines ahead of them through the trees everyone paused, but Randy never stopped wading through the water. They watched Randy continue toward the diesel noise as the engines moved north. Holding up his hand, Randy moved back and whispered to Charlie, then moved off.
Turning around, Charlie waved everyone up. “We are going under the interstate. Shadow’s going to make sure we have enough room to breathe,” Charlie told them, and panic filled many faces.
“Why aren’t you going, Book? You’re part fish,” Cody asked, looking around.
“Shadow said hold,” Charlie replied as the water tugged at his legs. Hearing Kristi let out a gasp, Charlie turned while pulling his rifle up, seeing Kristi turn away.
Ten yards away, the body of a little boy floated past as Kristi tried to block the view from Clark and Emily. “We can’t leave him here,” Tabitha wept softly.
“He’s dead. There’s nothing we can do,” Charlie told her in a breaking voice. A few seconds later, two more bodies floated past them, but these were adults.
“Here comes Uncle Randy,” Emily said. Her normal cheerful voice was replaced with a sorrowful moan.
“Dammit, why isn’t Shadow this easy to read when we play poker?” Robbie mumbled, not liking the expression on Randy’s face.
“Blaster’s got to lead,” Randy said, reaching them. “The current isn’t fast, but it’s enough to take you off your feet. We form up behind him in a chain and we will have to carry the kids.”
“How much breathing room at the top we working with?” Robbie asked, moving to the front.
“Six, seven inches of air for a hundred and ten yards. But we wait much longer, and we won’t have that with as hard as it’s raining,” Randy answered. “Book, you need to be right behind Blaster. We will be coming out in a drainage pond with trees all around, but the command area for the checkpoint is only a hundred yards away. Stay low in the water and move northeast. You’ll see where the water is flowing out of the trees. Head there and lead us out to the right, and you’ll see a clump of bushes on high ground.”
M
oving up behind Robbie, “How deep is this drainage pond?” Charlie asked.
“Five to six feet but keep low, like your head is a turtle moving across the water,” Randy told him. “Try to push anything floating to the side.”
“Not that many turtles up here,” Charlie replied, watching another body float past. “Many of those?”
“I pushed what I could to float through the other culvert but yes, we will see more. A lot more,” Randy sighed and moved over to Clark. “Clark, you’re going to ride my chest and hang on my left side.”
Too scared to argue, Clark moved up beside Randy. “Kristi, hold my pack because the water will be over your head. You’ll have to bounce up with each step but don’t splash. Babyface, you have Emily and the rear guard.”
“Aren’t you scared they will see us?” Kristi asked.
Shaking his head, “Not with all the bodies floating in the water,” Randy told her, nodding at Robbie. “Ryan, carry your son and if I have to do it, you’ll be floating downriver.”
Following Robbie, Clark turned to Randy. “Uncle Randy, my rifle will get wet.”
“We will dry it off. Just leave it across your back,” Randy said, picking Clark up.
Ahead, everyone saw two dark openings going under the interstate. Taking a deep breath, Robbie chose the one on the right, since four bodies were floating out the left. With minimal light from the dark rainy sky, Robbie guided his feet to the center of the opening.
Not able to see the other side, Robbie fought the current by leaning into it as he plunged into darkness. “Screw this,” he mumbled, reaching up and turning on his NVGs. When they warmed up, Robbie flipped them down and gave a startle.
“What?” Charlie asked behind him, feeling the startle while he held Robbie’s rucksack.
Pushing the body to the side, “Floater,” Robbie replied over the rushing water.
They had to turn their heads almost sideways to keep their mouths out of the water. Hearing a splash, Robbie stopped but didn’t turn around. The current was nearly strong enough to take him off his feet. Even with his body acting like a barrier, Robbie knew the others were hard-pressed to keep their footing.
Stolen Liberty: Behind the Curtain Page 30
