Into the Darkness (Book 1): Vigilante
Page 23
Since then the folks have lived in tyranny and fear of these bullies who do what they want, to whoever they want, and I intend to put a stop to it. They are inside the border of America, and they must go. You interested?”
“Of course, I am. What’s the plan, sir.”
Levi told Mike about his foray to Miller’s Ford where he was slowly whittling down the criminal element there, and how he thought they might use the same tactic at Miller’s Creek.
“We set up two sniper’s nests and when the self-proclaimed Sheriff and his Deputies show themselves, well, to put it simply; we shoot ‘em. No big gunfight, just a couple of snipers with upgraded scoped and silenced M-14s.”
Mike looked at Levi, smiled and said, “Sir, I like the plan. Have you run it by anyone else?”
“Nope, and I don’t plan to. If you don’t want to participate, I understand and no hard feelings, but I do require your discretion.”
Mike said, “Sir, of course, you have my discretion, but I would like to ask why you are doing this instead of creating a small team to do the job.”
Levi told him that he had asked a fair question and his answer was, “Mike, I’m past the point of being useful as anything other than a rallying point. This place is running just fine without me, and in truth, I am sick of these four walls, and I need to get back to being productive by ridding the world of those who would murder and abuse others.
Yes, I know, high ideals with no chance of being more than a drop in the bucket considering the size of the North American bucket. Still, if I can help one single person, I will have made a difference for the better in that one person’s life.”
Mike liked the idea but questioned Levi’s rationale concerning his belief that he was nothing more than just a rallying point, though in the back of his mind Mike agreed that the current command structure did have things well in hand.
“All right, sir, I’m in. When do we start?”
Levi instructed Mike to draw one of the upgraded sharpshooter M-14s and take it to the range to get it fine tuned and zeroed in, and today would be good if his schedule allowed for it.”
Mike now commanded Troop A and his 1st Sgt could handle anything that would come up for the next few days.
“Mike, that sounds good, get it done today and we start cleanin’ up Dodge City tomorrow morning. Let’s shoot for a 1000 hours departure.”
“Roger that, sir. Is there anything else for me?”
“No, Mike, just get ready and let’s set some people free.”
Mike stood, saluted and departed for the Arm’s Room…muffin in hand.
*
July 6th, 0900
1st Sqdn, 1st Cavalry HQ
Conference Room,
Defiance, America
The morning meetings left little for the military Commander to do other than saying “good idea, good work, good plan, or yes, let’s do it.” Levi was nearing his wit's end.
When the meeting broke up, Levi asked Ralph to stay for a few moments.
“Ralph, we have reached a point where we have to expand our borders. We are growing too comfortable and complacent in our little twenty-mile enclave.
Mark my words; if America does not grow, America dies. Others will grow and eventually surround and absorb us. I would like for you to consider sending out reps to those communities just outside our borders, for, oh maybe another ten miles.
Lay out the advantages of being a part of something other than just surviving, and when you say the magic word; electricity, they’ll come begging to join up.
We should also do a recon of Raleigh to see if those solar panels that Dannen told us about are really there, and what condition if they are.”
“Levi, those are wonderful ideas, and I am in complete agreement. I’ll take care of the diplomatic stuff, and you recon Raleigh.
I’ve also got to tell you that I am absolutely thrilled to hear you talking about what we need. May I assume that you have decided to stay?”
“Sorry, old friend, but no, my plans have not changed. Just because I still plan to leave around 1 September does not mean that I am becoming uninvolved in Defiance. Besides, who knows, I may just turn around and come back one of these days, if you’ll have me, of course.”
“Don’t be silly, you know this is your home, but speaking of home, what about Katie? Did you know that young Ted Wilson is teaching her how to shoot? That boy may only be fifteen, but he is without a doubt, one of our best marksman.
I just hope he doesn’t get fresh with her, because I think Katie might just kick his butt. I was just speaking with her Karate instructor, and he told me that he has never seen anyone learn so fast.
Now, I don’t mean to get into your business, but I think she’s working so hard because she plans on going with you.”
“Damn, if I didn’t think those were skills we must all have, I’d put a stop to that right now. No, she’s not going, this is where Kate belongs.”
“Yeah, well you know I agree with you, but does she think this is where she belongs if you are gone? You just might want to cogitate on that for a bit, ya’ ole fart.”
“Oh, Ralph, one other thing before you go. Captain Guyardo and I will be out of pocket today. We are going to do some recon work over near Miller’s Creek…wait, don’t say it. Mike will be my babysitter, and yes, we will be very careful Daddy-o.”
Ralph was not happy and left mumbling something to himself about doddering old fools.
Levi shouted, “Sergeant Major Cobb!”
As always he stuck his head in the door and said, “Yes, sir, what’cha need?”
Levi asked him to schedule a meeting with Major Smith and Major Eldridge for 1900 hours tonight to be briefed on their plan to reconnoiter Raleigh and see if they can find those solar panels Mr. Dannen told them about.
“Will do, sir, 1900. Captain Guy is here with your jeep all ready for your recon of Miller’s Creek, bag one for me, sir,” said a smiling Sergeant Major.
“Ayup, will do.”
Picking up his hat, Levi walked out of the office with his weapons of the day and together, he and Mike went hunting.
As they drove the thirteen miles to the drop off point Levi told Mike that the plan was to kill the Sheriff, then severely wound his deputies. “Maybe, with the brains of the outfit dead, and some others slowing dying, maybe they’ll just pack up and skedaddle. Hell, it’s worth a shot,” both men chuckled at his pun.
Mike agreed that the plan sounded solid and was eager to run with it.
Together they camouflaged the jeep, checked their gear, painted their faces and began the trek to find their ideal firing positions.
*
July 6th, 1305
Sniper nests
Overlooking Miller’s Creek
The waiting is always the hard part; time crawls at a snail’s pace when you have to just sit tight.
Levi thought that the Sheriff must have been having his lunch when he and Mike took up positions around four hundred yards from the front of the building used by the Sheriff as his office.
Finally, at 1355 hours the Sheriff and four of his henchmen exited a small café and began working their way back to the office. The Sheriff did wear a uniform, well, sort of a uniform. He reminded Levi of a 1930’s politician, three hundred pounds, dark suit pants, white shirt, and to complete the ensemble, wide dark green suspenders with a belt.
His Deputies were more scruffy looking with longer stringy hair and a bully’s swagger. He wondered if they were all family members.
The signal to fire on the Deputies was Levi’s shot to kill the Sheriff, which is exactly what happened; from four hundred yards the bullet hit the Sheriff squarely in the spinal cord, severing it at the seventh vertebrae. Before he hit the ground both Levi and Mike were firing shots to create lingering and painful wounds. Within five seconds all were down and screaming, well all but the Sheriff who died instantly.
Only the other Deputies came running to see who their boss had shot. All five of them w
ere dropped before any of them had a chance to find cover.
After gathering up their gear, they walked together to the men who lay dying on the ground. Pools of blood were soaking into the ground. With no further need to try to frighten the Deputies into leaving, Levi and Mike put them out of their misery with a shot to the head.
Levi then called out to the residents of Miller’s Creek and ordered them to congregate around the bodies.
Once all of the remaining residents had arrived Levi reminded them of their responsibility to try to police their own ranks. He also reminded them that American’s help each other.
“Tomorrow,” Levi said, “we will return with weapons and ammo for each of you. If you do not know how to use them, training will be arranged for everyone, to include children ten and older.
Now, I recommend that you bury the trash, start cleaning this place up and get back to your crops. If you want to eat this winter, you had better tend to your farm work. This place is a pigsty. I highly recommend that we see an improvement tomorrow.
***
Chapter 36
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Aug 25th, 1015
Front Gate
Defiance, America
The guards spotted two men coming to the gate on horseback. At about one hundred feet the two men stop their approach. One of the men yelled out, “Hello, the gate.”
The reply was, “Advance on foot and keep your hands well away from any weapons. At twenty feet the guard said, “State your business.”
“I’m here to see Colonel Levi Levins. Is he still alive?”
The guard told them to standby while the second guard ran to tell Colonel Levins.
Levi was sitting on a bench on the village green with Katie when the guard ran up to him, saluted and said, “Sir, there are two men at the gate who have asked to speak with you.”
He thanked the guard and excused himself from Katie, who decided to tag along.
When Levi got to the gate he saw an older man with a full beard, and a young man. Levi said, “What is it that you want of me?”
Then recognition began to set in, and he said, “Gus, Gus Murtaugh! Is it really you?
Guard, open the gate.”
Gus said, “Yes, it’s me, Levi. May we come in?”
Levi grabbed Gus in a huge bear hug, lifting him off the ground and said, “Of course, and who is this young man?”
“Levi, this is my son, Darren. Darren, this is the man I’ve told you so much about, Colonel Levi Levins.”
Levi asked one of the guards to take the horses to Bruce, the Ferrier to have the horses checked out and fed.
As they passed the gate Katie appeared beside Levi and took his hand. “And this,” said Levi, “is my daughter Katie Levins
***
Epilog
The Road to Civilization goes through
Defiance, America
September 1st
Defiance, America
Defiance was growing fast; the total population of the area controlled by America was now in excess of one thousand.
A new currency was in the works. The Secretary of the Treasury was finding precious metals at many nearby banks. He knew where to look because he had been on the Board of Directors for ten Coastal North Carolina Banks.
Jewelry and other precious metals appeared in the Defiance Treasury on an almost daily basis. A new value to gold was established that one ounce of gold would be valued at around $18 American dollars.
Rudimentary trade through barter was growing. Several citizen’s were looking forward to starting small businesses once a monetary system was accepted throughout America. Tool repair and feed stores were those most commonly mentioned as true necessities.
The American Army would add a third Troop in another week bringing the force to nearly four hundred men, and borders that now stretched outward to forty miles. The army was now sending out small units to attack and destroy those evil forces well outside of America’s forty-mile border. Those people living in areas policed by the 1st Cavalry Squadron now knew life without fear of being murdered in their homes.
The acreage under cultivation was impressive as Defiance, America now covered forty miles in all directions and boasted fifty farming families responsible for 10 acres each. Crops were assigned by a farming committee of those families to insure the proper amount of staples were grown.
Buildings were going up fast and it appeared that everyone would be in a cozy wooden structure before winter, and all with some level of electricity.
Levi decided to reside in a Ted’s Shed. It was actually designed as a horse stall complete with a tack and storage room. He had it insulated, wired and prepped for winter. The tack room became his sleeping quarters and the storage room his office. He had it placed next to the new Orderly Room. It was nothing fancy, but much more comfortable than the GP Medium tent he had been occupying. Ralph fussed, but Levi would have none of it.
***
Master, all glory is fleeting
September 1st, 0900 hours
Troop Formation
Village Green,
Defiance, America
Colonel Levins watched as the NCO’s organized the formation before Sergeant Major Cobb and newly promoted Lt. Colonel Scott Eldridge commanding the 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment.
These formations were held daily, though normally at 0600 and were followed by morning PT; the old style daily dozen and a two mile run before breakfast. Following breakfast the Troopers showered and shaved before going to daily tactical and rifle practice. Some of the older NCOs called it the ‘Colonel Levins’ black boot Army. The army had grown from just forty members on 29 March, 00 to nearly five hundred well trained Mobile Infantry and Horse Mounted Cavalry.
Following the destruction of The Death Dealer gang, The Double R Latino Gang, The White Supermen, and many other small unnamed groups of murderers and rapists, the Squadron troopers were exuberant and felt they could not be defeated.
Colonel Levins, now on extended leave had turned over the reins of leadership to younger, competent men. On this, Levi Levins last formal formation he decided to give them a lesson about glory.
Levi ordered the Troops to form an arc formation around him and then had them sit on the warm summer grass.
The Historian recorded his words:
“I fear that we may believe that things will always go right for us. If we will just remain faithful to our training, and we all must never forget that when we stop earning what we get, we shall surely fall apart just as did the Romans.
Rome was victorious and ruled most of the known world for roughly five hundred years, but in the end, they became very liberal and bought the vote just as the American liberals had done before the collapse.
Cradle to grave entitlements made for a lack of desire to pull one’s own weight, thus the Roman Empire eventually became a hollow shell of its former greatness and when the Huns were at the gates of Rome there was no well trained army to protect the city.
We must always remain vigilant and never become complacent, nor be willing to let others carry our water.
Following a long campaign to conquer and plunder other nations, Caesar, returning from great victories in Africa, stood tall and proud as he rode his war chariot.
Caesar led the victory parade through the ancient cobbled streets of Rome, trailed by thousands of slaves, elephants, lions, bears, and unimaginable riches plundered from the conquered peoples.
The crowds lining his path cheered and screamed their eternal love with passionate joy as he passed.
Yet at the height of his glory, the moment he was to become the master of the known world, the slave standing behind him and holding his crown and spear whispered in his ear, “Master, all glory is fleeting.”
We must never forget that all glory is indeed fleeting if we are to stave off the New Dark Age which has overtaken the world around us.”
Of course no one really liked the daily PT and the various classes, bot
h formal and tactical, but there were very few complaints because everyone in the Squadron felt an immense pride of belonging to a group that had the responsibility to protect Defiance and its people. Today’s formation was to be both a farewell to the founder of this fighting force, and a training holiday…
WAIT, DON’T GO AWAY
CHAPTER ONE
OF BOOK 2
VIGILANTE: INTO THE FRAY
IS ON THE NEXT PAGE…
***
Chapter 1
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Aug 25th, 1015
Front Gate
Defiance, America
The guards spotted two men coming to the gate on horseback. At about one hundred feet the two men stop their approach. One of the men yelled out, “Hello, the gate.”
The reply was, “Advance on foot and keep your hands well away from any weapons. At twenty feet the guard said, “State your business.”
“I’m here to see Colonel Levi Levins. Is he still alive?”
The guard told them to standby while the second guard ran to tell Colonel Levins.
Levi was sitting on a bench on the village green with Katie when the guard ran up to him, saluted and said, “Sir, there are two men at the gate who have asked to speak with you.”
He thanked the guard and excused himself from Katie, who decided to tag along.
When Levi got to the gate he saw an older man with a full beard, and a young man. Levi said, “What is it that you want of me?”