THE TOCABAGA CHRONICLES: (BOX SET - PART I - BOOKS #1-5)

by Thomas H. Ward

  We went home to see the kids and wives and I told Hemmi, my wife, the news of my brain scan. I downplayed it of course so she would not worry. I downplayed it to everyone, but the brain damage was serious. A few more kicks in the head could have killed me. I need a few days of rest for sure.

  I have to call Colonel Turner and advise him of my brain scan results. Rick needs to call a meeting to vote on what to do with the gold we found. I have a feeling this meeting could become a heated debate due to what is commonly called gold fever.

  May 19, 2025

  I woke up late at 8 am and grunted getting out of bed as I was still feeling the broken ribs and fingers. I took a shower and went to the kitchen to find the kids eating so I sat down and joined them.

  They all said, “Good Morning Grandpa Jack.”

  “Good Morning kids. What are we eating?”

  Hemmi replied, “I have something special for you fried chicken and greens.”

  “Great, that sounds good!”

  Kendra told me, “We played with Johnny and Jimmy’s toys yesterday and they showed us how to play catch.”

  “So is everyone getting along ok?”

  My sons’ wife Tonya answered, “Yes the children get along fine and don’t fight at all.”

  “Great I don’t want any fighting. You are all brothers and sisters. You need to help each other.”

  I got up after eating and went outside looking for Tommy, Ron, and Jim Bo. I was surprised to see SFC Smith and SGM Willis standing next to 2 battle ready Humvees.

  “Good morning men.”

  “Good morning Jack,” They replied.

  “What kind of orders did Sessions give you for my security?”

  Willis said, “Jack we’re to go with you anytime you leave Tocabaga or follow any order you give us. Let me say Sir for both of us it is an honor to provide your security.”

  “Thank you both for your concern about my security. If I plan to leave Tocabaga I will contact you by cell phone, correct?”

  “Yes Sir that is correct. When we’re not with you we will be standing guard at the main bridge waiting any orders from you. We cannot let you leave Tocabaga without us.”

  “Ok thank you men, I am going down to the bridge now to have a look around. I’ll drive one Humvee and Smith drive the other. Willis you are with me.”

  My phone rang and it was Rick, “Hey Jack how did the brain scan go?”

  “No problems Rick I am cleared for duty and feel pretty good now.”

  “Anyway that is good news. The meeting time to discuss the gold is at 5 pm at the community fire circle downtown.”

  “Fine Rick I will see you then.”

  I planned to take it easy today by reviewing the defensive positions and going to the town meeting on what to do with the gold. Of course the 12 member board will vote on this based on input from any one at the meeting. My idea is to save the gold for future use. The paper money which accounts for $200,000 we could spend for needed items if necessary.

  The problem is we don’t know what the future currency is going to be so getting rid of the dollars maybe a good idea. The gold however will always be worth more as time goes on. Arriving at the bridge I asked Willis and Smith to be at the meeting for security reasons just in case a fight broke out, and I mean a gun fight.

  I saw Tommy, Ron, and Jim Bo at the bridge and walked over to them, “Hey boys what is going on?”

  Jim commented, “Not much Jack we were watching the Dolphins here and saw a couple of big logs float by and a bunch of oil drums a little while ago.”

  “I wonder where they came from.”

  “They probably came from Tampa where the oil storage docks are located.”

  Tommy said, “I see you got the Humvees.”

  “Yes Ron and I will share them. We can all share them.”

  “Remember the meeting is tonight make sure everyone is there.”

  “Ok Dad we’ll make sure.”

  “See you guys later I am going to check the rest of the island.”

  “Willis and Smith you can stay here or come with me just for fun.”

  Looking across the bridge to the beach on the other side of the channel I noticed that a few drums had washed up on shore. That made me upset that someone over in Tampa was throwing oil drums into the water. I called Sergeant Cain the Drone Master asking him to put up a drone, and find out where these 55 gallon drums where coming from.

  During our inspect of the island defensive positions we notice on the east side, the shallow side of the island there were about 100 drums washed up in the shallows. That really made me mad because now we would have to remove them somehow.

  By the time we finished our review of Tocabaga and Fort Desoto it was time for the meeting. My two security guards came with me to the meeting and stood in the back ground. About 75 people were in attendance and I surprised by the small turn out.

  Rick started the meeting, “I hereby call this meeting to order. We are here for one reason to discuss the al-Qaida money. If anyone has any ideas on what to do with the 1.2 million dollars please raise your hand and state your idea. We have $200,000 in currency and the rest is gold coins.”

  A voice came from out of the crowd, it was Kane, “Hey Jack, I see you got your own little army there! None of us have Rangers for our security! Are you going to become a Dictator? Oh I forgot you already are one.”

  Kane sometimes called Captain Kane is an outspoken drunk and who smokes too much pot. He gets drunk, says things, and does things that sometimes make people upset and then trouble starts. But his comments are way out of line today. Few people care for him and most stay away from him because they don’t want any trouble. He has been in more than a few fights because of his big mouth.

  Kane is about 5’ 10” tall at 210 pounds and shaves his head. Kane thinks he is a tough guy. He came here about 15 years ago and has no family on Tocabaga. When Kane is sober he is almost likeable.

  Rick yelled out to him, “Kane you are out of order. Keep to the point and state your ideas or shut up.”

  “Yeah, you all would like to shut me up. My idea is divide up the gold and money evenly to everyone on Tocabaga. That is the only fair thing to do.”

  “Ok that is one idea but each person would only get around 2,000 bucks in gold and green backs. Are there any other ideas?”

  Without raising his hand Kane yelled, “Wait let’s vote on my idea now!”

  “Kane we are just hearing ideas and input from the group. So you are out of order again.

  “Ok anyone else want to speak?”

  Maggie who was married Robbie my best friend stood up and suggested, “I think we should use the currency to buy something for the community, like a tractor to help grow more food and save the gold for the future.”

  Robbie was killed by the Feds and Maggie has been in charge of our farming since she knows more about this than anyone on Tocabaga. Maggie is a beautiful woman who knows how to take care of herself. Since the death of Robbie she was been pretty much alone and hangs around with other women here keeping busy all the time. Sometimes she comes to the bar for a drink with Amy and Captain Riley. Single men try to hit on her but they don’t get very far. They know Maggie is a friend of our family and is under our protection. Robbie did not like Kane.

  Kane yelled out, “Maggie that is a bullshit idea. We don’t need a stinking tractor!”

  “Yes we do because most of the farming work we do is all by hand. You don’t work the fields so you have no idea how hard it is!”

  “So you just want to make it easy work by having a big tractor. I don’t think a woman should have any say about the money.”

  Jim Bo replied, “Shut the hell up jerk, I mean Kane! You are out of line.”

  I commented, “I think buying a tractor is a great idea because we only have a small one and it’s 30 years old. We could also buy some solar generators.”

  Rick spoke up, “If no further ideas … then all in favor of buying a tractor and solar generators w
ith the currency raise your hands.”

  I counted 75 votes in favor of the tractor. That is a majority of the votes possible. The Board will vote next and follow what most of the people here voted for. There was no sense in taking a vote for the idea Kane proposed.

  Kane shouted out again, “The vote is rigged, this is bull crap. I want my money!”

  Rick replied, “That is all the meeting is adjourned, the Board will approve the idea that Maggie and Jack suggested.”

  Willis and Smith here going back to the Fort for the night, Willis commented, “Hey that guy Kane got a chip on his shoulder. You better watch him Jack and if you need us give me a call. See you tomorrow.”

  Everyone got up to go home but some went to the bar for a drink, among them was Kane who was already drunk and had smoked some pot by the looks of him. I went to the bar along with Tommy, Rick, Jim Bo, and Ron. Amy came along with Maggie and Riley to the bar. I felt there was going to be trouble.

  The men were sitting on one side of the bar and the girls on the other. The women were talking about something. Kane sat down by himself in between us. All he did was sit there and bitch that he wanted his money.

  “Kane you are drunk why don’t you go home and sleep it off,” Tony told him.

  I wasn’t paying any attention especially to Kane as he was getting me angry and I told him to shut the fuck up.

  Then he got my attention when he told Riley, “Come on honey you give it away to all the Rangers so let me have some.”

  The next thing I knew Kane grabbed Captain Riley off her bar stool and was trying to dance with her but was also grabbing her ass.

  Riley fighting him off said, “Let go of me, you jerk!”

  She pushed him away but Kane came back and grabbed her again. Tommy, Jim Bo, and Tony stood up and were getting ready to take care of Kane.

  I watched as Riley quickly pulled out her shiny stainless steel Colt .45 revolver and smacked him in the head, you could hear the blow and he staggered back a little.

  Kane screamed, “You fucking bitch,” and lunged toward her.

  Suddenly Amy and Maggie jumped up off their bar stools, pulled out their guns and began hitting Kane in the head all at the same time. They pistol whipped him until he fell to the ground knocked out. He was out but they kept hitting him in the face until he was a bloody mess. I was worried that they would kill him.

  I yelled to the girls, “All right that’s enough he is out!”

  They stopped hitting him but Riley gave him one more hard hit that broke his nose, causing blood to flow out all over his face and clothes. She spit on him and kicked him hard. He had it coming for sure.

  Tommy and Jim Bo, grabbed Kane by the legs and dragged him outside to the alley way to sleep it off. What Kane did to Captain Riley was very serious. He will have to go on trial for his actions.

  We all sat down and had another drink trying to calm the women down as they were pretty hyped up from the adrenaline rush.

  Tommy said, “I hope this teaches Kane a lesson.”

  I told everyone, “Kane never learns his lesson. He has a real problem and we can’t help him because he doesn’t want help. Don’t turn your back on Kane or be alone with him. This is far from being over.

  “If Captain Sessions finds out what Kane did … look out he might kill him.”

  Riley commented, “There is no need for Sessions to find out because he will kill Kane.”

  Everyone agreed and we all had one more drink and left for the night. On the way out we stopped to check on Kane but to our surprise he was gone.

  Tommy said to Jim Bo, “We left him lying right here.”

  Jim Bo looking at me with a puzzled face commented, “Maybe the coyotes dragged him away but if the coyotes got him there would be more blood on the ground, don’t you think Tommy?”

  “Yep, there would be more blood. Maybe he woke up and went home. Let’s do a quick search around here to make sure.”

  We checked all over the area within 100 feet and found no sign of Kane. We’ll follow up and check his house tomorrow.

  As always it was one hell of a day. I don’t care for Kane but l hope no harm comes to him, even if he did deserve a beating, I don’t want him dead. I will check his house at first light. He will have to go on trial for his actions. The problem is what would the punishment be?

  MAY 20, 2025

  It was still dark at 5 am the normal time I wake up. Yesterday a lot of tension was created by Kane whom suddenly disappeared after the women beat the hell out of him for improper advances. I need to check his house today see if he is ok. I made a coffee, picked up an apple, and went outside. Tommy and Jim Bo where already up and greeted me with a good morning.

  “Hey do you guys want to check on Kane with me?”

  Tommy and Jim Bo both shook their heads yes and Tommy said, “We can’t let you go by yourself. You don’t know what that nut is going to do.”

  I took a sip of coffee and lit a smoke saying, “Yes he is a nut, but he just disappeared. Let’s get ready and go find him.”

  They left to get their gear, vests, and guns on. I was already set to go. Just then Smith and Willis pulled up and their way to guard duty at the bridge and stopped.

  “Good morning Jack,” They both said.

  “You guys want a cup of java?”

  Willis replied, “Sounds great, we heard about the fight with Kane at the bar last night from Captain Riley. She’s not anyone to mess with.”

  I poured them both a cup of mud and replied, “Yes I saw the whole thing and Kane got hammered. We took him outside after the fight to sleep it off and when we left the bar he was gone, just disappeared in thin air. We’re going to look for him now.”

  Smith asked, “Do you need any help? You got to be careful because he is not playing with a full deck.”

  “Yes I know, I have Tommy and Jim Bo coming with me just in case.”

  Finishing their coffee Smith and Willis said, “Thanks for the coffee Jack and if you need us call.”

  “Ok guys see you all later.”

  Jim Bo and Tommy came out and we jumped into the new Humvee and took off to Kane’s’ house. I was driving as we pulled up to his place about 5 minutes away, on the other end of the island.

  I knocked on his door with Tommy and Jim standing next to me, no one answered. I noticed his car was not in the drive way. I turned the door handle and the house was unlocked so we walked in and I yelled, “Kane … Kane you in here?”

  No reply was heard so we searched all four rooms. The place was a mess it looked like someone had ransacked it. I knew Kane was a clean freak and he kept his home spotless. Something was wrong for sure.

  Tommy asked, “Now what, he’s not here?”

  I pulled out the security radio and advised, “If anyone sees Kane let me know.”

  “Now what? I suggest we form a search team and cover the whole island. We will need about fifty men. We need to look in each house not occupied and each car. We have to check the two lakes and wooded areas.”

  Jim Bo standing there looking pissed off and commented, “That will take days, maybe weeks to do. He’s around so let’s just wait a few days for him to show up, rather than waste our time.”

  “Jim you have a good point but let’s drive around the island one time and see if we can find him.”

  “Ok let’s go,” Tommy replied.

  We drove around the island looking everywhere but couldn’t find Kane so we drove back to the bridge. Parking the Humvee we dismounted and walked up to the apex of the bridge. It was now about noon.

  Willis asked, “Did you find Kane?”

  “Nope didn’t find him,” I replied.

  Ron pointing in the air said, “Look at the vultures circling over there. That means something is dead or dying. It looks like they are flying over by Shell Key.”

  We all turned and looked up at the vultures; there must have been a fifty of them. That meant something big was dead, so I said, “Ok let’s go see what’s over ther
e. We didn’t search that area.”

  Ron agreed, “I’ll go with you it’s lunch time anyway and we can grab some food from the bar.”

  Arriving on the peninsula behind the old restaurant called Billy’s, Chris was on guard duty for that area and as we pulled up he asked, “What’s up?”

  I told Chris, “Look, see those buzzers flying over head. Something is dead out here.

  “Who was on duty last night?”

  “Eddy was but no one was here when I came at 7am.”

  This area is completely over grown with bushes, weeds, and high grass so we all started to look around. Ron found a trail where the grass had been stepped on and pushed down so we followed it. Walking ever so slowly through the high grass, our guns at the ready, we followed the trail to a tree.

  Coming to a Palmetto tree we found two bodies lying there tied to the tree. One was Kane and the other was Eddy. Someone had cut their throats.

  Crows were already pecking at their eyes and throats but flew away when we arrived. Looking closer the bodies were covered with flies and fire ants having a feast. Nasty little fire ants will eat you dead or alive.

  Eddy the beer maker, the pot grower, my trustworthy loyal friend for almost twenty years was dead. We had been through a lot together. Whoever did this to Eddy will pay, an eye for an eye is my code. I will keep my word.

  I stood there looking at the bloody bodies, made the sign of the cross and said, “Well guys it’s pretty clear what they died from but who the hell killed them?”

  We all looked at each other and no one made a comment. I thought maybe Captain Riley or a Ranger killed Kane but they wouldn’t kill Eddy. I had no good ideas. What do we do now?

  “Hey, look here is an Arabic head scarf,” Tommy advised us, picking it up off the ground out of the weeds.

  I thought … shit … al-Qaida is here. They have somehow managed to get on the island.

  I pulled out my radio, “Attention all security we have al-Qaida fighters somewhere on Tocabaga. Keep a sharp eye, shoot first, and ask questions later. We are on full alert.”