by Steven Kagey
Brian went back through the woods towards the truck and returned driving towards the trailer home. Sean was standing near the shed waving for him to come over, smiling ear to ear.
Brian parked and got out, Sean held up a Mylar pouch. Brian immediately recognized it as theirs, and he could see his own handwriting on it.
“Where did you find that?”
“I guess ol’ boy didn’t want to go in the trailer either. It looks like he was living out here. He has a few more spoils from their raids in here too.”
Brian walked around to look into the shed. There were eight of their own Mylar food pouches in the shed. He saw a few canned goods, home canned and store bought. He recognized the home canned as theirs, but didn’t recognize the store bought cans. There were a few boxes of food that he didn’t recognize, and next to them were two big bags of dry dog food and a case of canned dog food.
“There’s dog food right there,” Brian said. “Why didn’t the jerk feed the dog at least?”
“I don’t understand it either,” Sean said. “Look what else was in the shed.” He held a rifle and a pistol, and then he held up a wad of gold jewelry.
“Hmm, I don’t remember hearing the president saying they were going to seize jewelry,” Brian said. “He didn’t say they were going to seize food or weapons from civilians either for that matter.”
Brian and Sean loaded all the stolen loot in the truck. There were three pistols total, an AR-15, two hunting rifles, and about 1000 rounds for each weapon. The food and the dog food were loaded up. It wasn’t Beast’s brand, but he wasn’t a picky eater.
They discussed the dog at the trailer. Sean had attempted to approach it to undo the leash, but it snapped at him and wouldn’t let him close. It had mange and didn’t look like it was going to last long. Even leaving it food it was going to die without care, and they didn’t have the resources to care for it. They decided to put the dog down. As a dog lover, it was a hard call for Brian. He insisted they feed the dog before they did. At least the animal could die with a full belly.
Brian used a stick to pull the dog’s water and food bowl to them. He filled the water bowl and pushed it to the dog and then opened a can of dog food and pushed it in the same way. The dog could not make up its mind whether it wanted to drink or eat more. After a few minutes the dog had emptied the water bowl and devoured the food. It walked over and laid down next to its house, its belly bloated from the food. After they had removed everything of value from the shed, Brian found a gas can beside the shed and went to the front door of the trailer. He sloshed some gas on the front steps and then tossed the can into the front door. Using some paper he found in the shed, he lit it on fire and tossed it on the steps. The fumes ignited with a whoosh, and the flames were soon dancing high into the living room.
Brian jumped in the passenger seat and Sean pulled up to the road, stopped the truck, and got out with his rifle. He fired a single shot of mercy at the dog and then watched the trailer a few more seconds. Black smoke was billowing up from the trailer and flames could be seen into the far bedrooms. He got in the truck, and they were soon moving down the road, ecstatic about the recovered food. After about a minute they heard a muffled explosion and looked back to see a fireball rising from the direction of the trailer. One down, many more to go.
Chapter 25
Making their way home, Brian and Sean were focused on being careful and not letting the feeling of a victory cloud their judgment.
“You realize that might not have been the smartest thing for us to do without a full team right?” Sean said.
“Yeah, I was thinking that same thing. A lot could have gone wrong, and we would have let our families down.”
“Yep,” Sean agreed. “You think Craig will be upset with us making a raid without him?”
“Oh shit! We almost forgot about his hardware store run.”
Sean turned at the next road, and they backtracked to Porters Home Center. When the hardware store came into view, they scanned the area for threats. The hardware store looked intact with the steel security door covering the front glass of the building. The only sign that anyone had been around was graffiti spray-painted across the front of the building.
“Drive around back to get out of view of the street,” Brian suggested. “The back door will be easier to get in anyway.”
“How are we going to get in?” Sean asked when he saw the back door was steel as well.
Brian got out of the truck and leaned the seat forward, rummaging around through the tools behind the seat. He came out with the oversized jack and stepped out towards the building.
“Cover me,” he said to Sean.
Sean looked around the back lot. Not seeing any danger, he backed up to protect Brian’s back while he worked.
Brian put the jack up in the middle of the door and started cranking. The jack slowly spread the metal door frame apart. The metal was making straining and popping sounds as it gave way. Soon the door opened about an inch. Brian pushed the door to open it, and a chain on the interior went taut, stopping the door from opening at six inches. Brian shined his flashlight around the interior of the store. Not seeing anything he reached his hand in and was able to undo the chain. As the door swung free, he undid his pistol holster to bring the weapon up and clear the room.
“That’s far enough,” said a voice from inside. “Turn around and leave and no one gets hurt.”
Brian brought his hand up from his pistol and showed his palms. “Sir, we mean you no harm. We just need a part or two.”
Upon hearing the voice Sean stepped back and aimed at the door, ready to fire as soon as Brian was clear if anyone started shooting.
The voice said, “We are closed. Leave now.”
Brian brought the flashlight up and saw an older man holding a small Dillinger 22 pistol, with a woman about the same age holding onto two small girls. Brian was getting ready to speak when Sean stepped up into view in the doorway pointing the M4 into the store.
The old man raised the weapon over his head, pleading, “Please don’t hurt us!”
Brian was stunned at the man’s behavior, then realized Sean was behind him with the rifle. “Sir, like I said, we mean you no harm. We’re looking for a few parts.”
“Take whatever you want,” the old man said, “just please leave us in peace.”
Brian realized who the old man was from the photos on the wall. He asked, “Are you old man Porter?”
“You better watch who you’re calling old, but yes, I am William Porter Senior. Folks call me Bill.”
“Mr. Porter, please put your hands down. We will not hurt you or your wife and your…?”
“These are my grandbabies.”
“Ah,” Brian said. He then looked at Bill’s wife and nodded. “Ma’am.”
Seeing Brian’s manners towards his wife, Bill relaxed a bit. “What do you gentlemen need?”
“A garden sprayer with a brass nozzle and a length of copper tubing that will fit in the end,” Brian said.
“Betty, please fetch the items for these boys,” Bill said.
When Betty left the room, Sean asked, “Mr. Porter, is that all you have for protection? The Dillinger?”
“It is,” Bill replied. “Some federal boys came out to our house and took all our food and weapons. That’s when we moved into the hardware store.”
Sean looked at Brian questioningly. Brian gave him a nod.
Sean went out to the truck, retrieved the AR, and brought it back in. He handed the rifle to Bill.
“What is this?” Bill asked.
“It’s for your hospitality and to help you protect your family here,” Sean replied.
Touched by the kindness of these strangers, Bill said, “Y’all realize that these weapons are worth their weight in gold now that the feds are taking all of them?”
“Yes sir,” Sean replied. “And being a good neighbor is worth more than that.”
Bill smiled. “Alright, but if it’s all the same, I would
rather have one of those huntin’ rifles out there than this here pea shooter.” He motioned to the AR that Sean was holding.
“This has a much higher capacity to fend off anyone that would do you and yours harm,” Brian said.
“Son, I have been shooting rifles like that out there all my life. If I can’t protect myself with one now, then my time has come.”
Sean went out and picked a rifle, a .308 Savage Arms model, and one of the pistols, a Kimber Custom 1911. He went back in and handed Bill the rifle. “If you like this type of long gun, I suppose you can handle a 45, right?”
“Yes, I can.” Sean pulled out the Kimber out of his waistband and handed it to Bill, and then set down some boxes of ammo for each weapon.
Choked up, Bill said, “Boys, I can’t thank you enough.”
“Just our way of paying you for the parts you’re giving us,” Brian said.
“Well, this deal is quite a bit lopsided. You boys’ll have an open line of credit long into the future for me to pay off this debt,” Bill said.
Brian and Sean grinned.
Brian asked, “How are you doing on food if the feds came by and took yours?”
Bill’s heart sank, thinking maybe they intended to cash in on that line of credit by depleting the meager food supply that Betty, he, and the girls were eating. “We’re doing okay,” he answered. “We got a few weeks of food left. I guess most people don’t realize that we have a camping section in the back of the store for folks that are going up to the Catoosa Wildlife area to hunt. We had a couple buckets of backpacking meals that we’re eating.”
Brian went out to the truck and grabbed two bags of rice and beans and a few jars of canned vegetables. He walked back in and set them down next to Bill. “This should extend you out for a bit.”
Bill was shocked speechless. Betty returned with the items they had asked for and saw Bill standing there with the rifle, the pistol, and then saw the pile of food sitting on the table. When she saw the emotional look on Bill’s face and realized what Brian and Sean had done for them, she ran up and threw the items into Brian’s hands and wrapped her arms around his neck. For a moment Brian thought she was trying to choke him out until she let go and did the same to Sean.
Watching Sean’s face turn red from the lack of oxygen Brian laughed.
After Bill regained his composure he asked, “Is there anything else you boys need?”
“Thanks, Mr. Porter, we’re good,” Brian replied. “If we think of anything we’ll be back.”
“After we leave,” Sean advised, “push one of the loaded pallets up against the door so no one else can open the door like we did.”
As Brian and Sean were heading out to the truck, Bill called, “Hey, y’all don’t happen to be making a still with that copper pipe are you?”
“We’re not sure what our buddy wanted it for,” Sean said. “But if he turns out a batch we’ll bring some by.”
Bill was already smiling ear to ear, and when Sean said they might be bringing moonshine, somehow he smiled even wider.
***
Brian and Sean arrived home without further incident. Being cautious around every turn and hilltop made traveling slow, but it was safer than running into unwanted company.
When they pulled up the driveway, everyone came out to meet them. They were bombarded by questions about what it was like away from the house and if they ran into any trouble. They gave a brief play by play of the trip.
They pulled out the food, and the women were relieved. When they handed Craig the supplies from the hardware store, he looked like a kid on Christmas and forgot all about not being involved in the raid on the meth lab trailer. He jumped in his truck and pulled it in the workshop, barely squeezing it next to the Hummer, and began working.
“You gonna tell us what you’re doing in there?” Brian asked.
“I’ll show you when I’m done!”
***
Craig and David had dug a grave for Daniel out next to the wood line behind the house and they had a small graveside memorial service for Daniel. It was a nice service, and there was not a dry eye in the bunch by the time they were done.
Brian thought that if his time came, this was the type of burial he would want.
After the funeral service, Brian called the group together for some training. David went out to the LP/OP, and everyone else except Craig gathered behind the workshop for weapons refresher and shooting practice. After a good bit of practice and some switching of different weapons between different people, Brian and Sean had the group shooting and reloading comfortably. Doc and Janice took to the AR-15s well. Avery was a natural with the AR-15, and Patricia was a good shot. Brian switched them out for an M4 and allowed them to shoot on three round bursts, which they loved.
Evelyn was good with the AR platform, but she always let Brian appear to be better to maintain a happy marriage and keep their competitive natures in check. Christina fired well, and Lillian was difficult as always. She only fired a few rounds and said she was done, that it was too loud for her.
Craig finished his enhancement on his truck and soon joined them. Once everyone was finished firing, they began cleaning the weapons. Craig brought Brian and Sean around to the truck. He wanted to show them what he had done, but he wanted them to see it in action in a realistic setting. After some coaxing, he convinced them to follow him down the road in the Hummer. A mile down they would turn around, and they would chase Craig as if they were the bad guys following him.
Brian and Sean were confused but played along. They pulled the vehicles out on the road and drove away from the homestead. About two miles down the road Craig turned around and both vehicles pulled up next to each other.
Craig leaned out and said, “Let’s be safe as we do this.” Then with a laugh he screamed, “Come get some suckers!” punched the gas, and sped off down the road.
The Hummer was no match for the acceleration of Craig’s truck, but he was maintaining 55mph and the Hummer was soon closing the gap. Once they were close enough, Craig leaned over and pumped the handle on the garden sprayer.
A small amount of gray smoke came out of Craig’s tailpipe, and Brian and Sean thought he was having engine problems. Craig pumped the handle again. This time a massive plume of thick white and gray smoke billowed out of the tailpipe. Craig squeezed the handle one more time, punched the gas, and sped away. When the Hummer entered the cloud of smoke, Brian and Sean still thought Craig had blown his engine.
Brian couldn’t see anything. It wasn’t until he felt the tires on the gravel at the edge of the road that he realized he was going into the ditch and he slammed on the brakes. “Sean? Did he just make a smoke screen?”
Sean started laughing. “I can’t see shit. I hope that’s what he made and it’s not his truck dying.” After forty-five seconds the smoke started to dissipate some and Brian was able to see the lines on the road and start moving. There was still a thick smoke in the air, but he was able to creep along only because he was familiar with the road. As they maneuvered back to the house, they kept looking for Craig’s truck but never saw it again. When they pulled in the driveway, the workshop garage doors were closed.
Craig stepped out of the house with a drink in his hand. He walked up to the Hummer and asked, “Can I help you folks?” He started laughing. “What took y’all so long?” He jogged over and opened the garage doors for them to pull the Hummer in. His truck was sitting there as pretty as could be.
Craig motioned them over to the truck. “Well, what do you think?”
“Was that supposed to be a smoke screen?” Sean asked.
Craig grinned. “Supposed to hell! That’s what it was, and a damn fine one at that.”
“I’ll say it was,” Brian remarked. “We couldn’t see shit. Where in the hell did you come up with that idea?”
Craig beamed. “I read it when I was a kid in a book called The Poor Man’s James Bond, and I have always wanted to try it but never really had a situation where it was needed
until now. It’s not really the most legal thing to do on an open road.”
He showed them the modification to the truck. The nozzle from the garden sprayer was hooked into the exhaust manifold, which was why it needed to be brass. The copper tubing was connected because of the tip getting hot, and it was run up into the cab where it was connected to the main sprayer body. The unit was filled with old motor oil, and to send out smoke you simply squeezed the handle.
“That first pump looked like a car burning oil,” Craig said. “I thought it was a bust. Then with the second pump and I couldn’t see you anymore, I knew it was a winner.”
They all marveled at how well it worked.
***
Brian, Sean, Craig, and David gathered for some house clearing training. Brian asked all the women to clear out of the house except for Brenda and Carol, who were both now listening to the radios. The amount of traffic had picked up and they needed two sets of ears to catch most of it.
Brian then asked Christina, Avery, and Patricia to go back in the house and act like bad guys trying to hide and pretend to shoot them. Weapons were unloaded for safety. Evelyn was asked to be an observer and help them critique after each run.
They had David as part of the entry team. He needed to know how the team would move once they were inside of the house out of his view. Knowing how they moved throughout a building, he could anticipate their movements and scan rooms ahead of them for threats and neutralize them with his rifle if he could get a positive ID on the target.
After a few runs everyone had been “shot” a couple dozen times. The little girls were ruthless in their hiding spots but soon the team was moving with confidence and fluidity. After a few runs with no casualties on the entry team’s part, David was sent out in the field across the road with his rifle and no ammo. He was simply to observe and assist the team along with checking his range and windage while dry firing his shots. While he was getting set up in the field, Brian took some different colored paint cans and placed them out in the woods to the left of the house.
