The Bonner Incident: Joshua's War

by Thomas A. Watson

  Winters almost said she wanted to pull her gun and open fire, but realized the Minutemen would lose too much intel. “We need to go out and look at the latest site.”

  “I sent a team out,” Moore said grabbing a pen. “And I sent a team to the site where that search team killed those two boys.”

  “Boys?”

  “Both were twenty,” Moore said, filling out a government form.

  Dropping in her chair, Winters fought the urge to toss her badge on the desk and walk out. Tapping her keyboard and waking up her computer, she sighed. “People in America are too cowed down anymore. They just want their easy life, not caring that they are losing everything it means to be an American,” she thought, but mumbled unintelligibly.

  “What?” Moore said not looking over as he wrote.

  “I was just thinking that you and I need to go over the search patterns the teams are using. I looked at them yesterday and they literally, just drop a group off at a random spot,” she said cursing herself for mumbling.

  He looked over at her as his pen hovered over the page. “Winters, we do that and we will be stuck with it. I know they haven’t got a chance in hell of finding Joshua with the way they are searching now, and I’ve talked to Griffey about it several times.”

  “I just want this clusterfuck to end,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I want to go after real criminals.”

  Moore nodded. “Let me finish this and we will get the others, and then come up with a plan to organize their search.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  As the sun was setting, Buck was sitting in the passenger seat as Cory wove around barricades, heading to Joshua’s house. “Sheriff, these boys look like they know what they’re doing,” Cory said, looking at three men wearing black balaclavas.

  “Yep,” Buck said as a man pointed for Cory to pull up to the house. “Hope they don’t have to prove how good they are.”

  When they’d stopped, Buck got out and looked over at Cory, “Wait here and listen to the radio. If you need me, tell one of the guards around here to get me. I’m afraid if you just run up into the house, someone will shoot first and ask questions later.”

  “Hell sheriff, Mrs. Anderson may be near ninety, but she yelled that out the last time we were here, holding onto that big ol’ shotgun,” Cory said leaning his seat back.

  When Buck shut the door, Gene walked up. “Follow, don’t talk out here,” he said then spun around, heading for the house.

  “Shit, I’m scared to talk anywhere anymore after finding out how easy it is for them to listen,” he said following Gene. Looking over his shoulder at Buck, Gene just nodded but said nothing.

  They walked inside and Gene led Buck to the kitchen to see Ernest, Sonya, Ben and Chris sitting at the table. “I take it something is wrong,” Buck said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

  “Two of the people watching Gene’s house were killed,” Ben said as Gene sat down, pulling out a can of snuff.

  “What?” Buck snapped as Ben just took Gene’s can.

  “Hold on,” Ernest said holding up his hand, stopping them from talking. “Let me brief Buck, then everyone here can add on.”

  Gene looked at Ben in shock as Ben just opened his can, filling his bottom lip with snuff. “Why, you snotnose little shit,” Gene growled balling his fist.

  “Gene,” Sonya said standing up and putting a hand on Gene’s chest. “You know as hard as Ben’s head is, it will only hurt your fist.”

  “Listen to her Gene,” Chris said, taking the can from Ben and filling his lip.

  With his face flushed, Gene glared at one then the other, “I swear, if we ever get back to logging, you two will pull every shit job until I die.”

  Reaching in his pocket, Ernest pulled out a can, holding it out to Gene. “Here,” he grinned.

  Seeing what it was, Gene took the can and saw it was unopened. “Didn’t know you dipped,” Gene said running his thumbnail around the top.

  “I don’t, but I’ve watched how those two treat you,” Ernest said opening his laptop. “So when I had the boys run into town, I told them to bring you back some.”

  “Much obliged,” Gene said getting a big pinch of snuff and filling his bottom lip as he sat back down.

  Buck laughed, “Gene, as expensive as that stuff is now, you could file charges against them.”

  “That is a thought,” Gene said, shoving the can in his pocket.

  “Okay Buck,” Ernest said, spinning the laptop around with the screen facing Buck. “The reason I wanted to talk to you is that Joshua risked his life to send a message here that your wife was in danger.”

  Jumping up, “Again?! I sent her and her mother to her sister’s,” he shouted in panic and Ernest held up his hand.

  “No, it was the same threat. Joshua doesn’t know a little bird gave you a warning,” Ernest said and Buck let out a sigh of relief as he sat back down. “Buck, Joshua not only risked his life to get you this message, but the lives of his friends and his family.”

  “What did he find out?” Buck sighed and Ernest leaned over, tapping the keyboard. Buck’s eyes grew wide, seeing a group of men he knew were government agents about twenty yards away from the camera. He had seen the videos Joshua had sent out and this wasn’t one of them.

  Then his mouth snapped shut, listening to the men talk. Leaning over the table, he thought two looked very familiar, but were out of the camera’s focus range. When two men walked up and joined the others, Buck was beginning to wonder if one of Ernest’s men had taken this video.

  He jumped as the camera jarred when Joshua pulled the trigger. In shock now, Buck watched as Joshua shot six men in seconds. Then, he flinched when Joshua shot several again, making sure they were dead. When Joshua aimed at the two that Buck had thought looked familiar, Buck stood up slowly as he gasped.

  “That’s the ones who were in my house,” he mumbled, pointing at the screen. Then Joshua pulled out every man’s ID and held the camera on it. When the camera turned off, Buck dropped in his chair, panting.

  He looked over at Gene, “Gene, give me a dip.”

  “Buck, you haven’t dipped since high school,” Gene said, taking his can out. He slid it over and Buck picked it up.

  “Shit, I-,” Buck said and a thousand thoughts ran through his mind. He put a small dip in his mouth and slid the can back to Gene.

  “Buck, do you agree that Joshua risked his life for your wife?” Ernest asked with a sad expression.

  Looking up at Ernest, Buck nodded. “Well, yes. Any asshole can see that.”

  “Sorry, Buck, I just wanted to reassure you that it’s still the same Joshua out there,” Ernest said, spinning the laptop back around to face him.

  “Ernest, I know that and Joshua’s always said he respected how I always followed my oath.”

  Ernest looked over his laptop at Buck. “Buck, everyone in this county does. You are fair to all,” he said. “Are you ready for more?”

  “More?” Buck barked in shock, swallowing some of his dip. He coughed and Sonya ran to the sink getting him a glass of water. When she brought it back, Buck drained it. “Thank you Sonya, my stomach isn’t used to snuff.”

  She smiled, taking the glass as Buck looked back at Ernest. “What else?” he asked with a sigh.

  Chris pulled out a large plastic zip-lock bag that held a single sheet of paper. He passed it down and Buck pulled out his reading glasses. He saw the Homeland Seal at the top and his body turned cold as he read the orders to fire on any person found in the search area traveling by ATV or by foot. They were to be viewed as hostile on sight.

  He saw the assistant director’s signature along with Griffey’s. “This turns my county into a free fire zone,” Buck said, looking over his glasses at Ernest.

  “Yes, and they’ve already killed two,” he said, turning the computer around to face Buck again. “We heard the call out contact on the radio. I had a team close. It turns out the two that were guarding Gene’s house took off
on ATVs to run to the store.”

  “Oh my God,” Buck said dropping the note on the table.

  “Yeah,” Ernest said. “It was Lennard Waylon and Phillip Chance.”

  Jerking his head up, “They are just boys, neither one can even buy beer,” Buck snapped.

  “They ‘were’ boys, Buck,” Ernest said and tapped the keyboard. The screen showed someone holding a camera aimed down in a valley. Two bodies were in the road with two ATVs in the ditch. The camera operator zoomed in and Buck could see the boys’ faces and the blood around their bodies soaked into the dirt road.

  A helicopter landed and the bodies were loaded up as others moved the ATVs into some bushes. When the helicopter left, the video ended.

  Buck’s breathing slowly moved from a panting shock to a huffing as anger built inside him. When the video had ended, he looked up at Ernest. “Are these all your boys here, guarding?”

  Shaking his head, “No,” Ernest said with a cold face.

  “You realize when we start, it’s going to get very wild,” Buck said and Ernest nodded. “Can you guarantee me that your boys won’t get in Joshua’s way?”

  “Without a doubt,” Ernest said.

  “Don’t hit the compound, but I want you to get close to some of the teams they have out. Let’s start with any to the south. You have enough men to follow three teams, and are they good enough to not get spotted?” Buck asked leaning back.

  Giving Buck a look of confidence, “If they spot my boys, it’s because God told them,” Ernest said.

  “I need to get word to a few people, so have your boys kick off in three days. I want them all to hit the teams at the same time, so the feds know for a fact that it’s not Joshua.”

  Ernest nodded, “Buck, we want to do this but you should know, if they get control of the situation, you’re the one that will pay the price.”

  “I follow the law and it’s being blatantly broken by those entrusted to enforce it. If I die, so be it,” he said and then looked down at the letter. “Can I have a copy, and will you make damn sure this original is put someplace safe?”

  “Already done that Buck,” Gene said passing over a copy and a thumb drive. “It’s a copy of what you just saw.”

  Buck pulled out his cellphone and looked up at Ernest as he turned it on. “How do you think we should guard Sonya and William?”

  “Unless they come in with tanks, we can hold them off and get them both out,” Ernest said and then grinned. “But I’ve had a little bird tell me that Sonya and William are safe as long as Joshua is alive and not captured.”

  “You have the best birds,” Buck said getting up and grabbing the stuff.

  “I take it you’re calling Agent Moore?” Ernest asked.

  Nodding, seeing that he didn’t have signal, Buck realized it was because of the stuff around the house, jamming all cellphones. “Yes, he has contacts in Washington and knows it’s wrong but damn it, the man won’t help,” Buck said, turning the phone back off.

  “Buck, he’s part of the system and thinks it still works fine,” Ernest said. “Please be careful what you tell him.”

  “I’m not telling him shit. I’m tempted to shoot the son of a bitch.”

  “Just to warn you, Moore won’t come into Sandpoint. All government agents are to stay in or near the compound.”

  Buck looked at Ernest, “If I had birds like that giving me information, there wouldn’t be any crime around here.”

  “It was put out this afternoon,” Ernest smiled. “Those birds are risking a lot, but believe in what they are doing.”

  Nodding, Buck looked around the table. “I believe in it, but I just don’t want the violence to happen.”

  “Buck, the other side has been using violence on us with impunity. The very citizens of this country and hell, we’ve seen it firsthand in this county,” Ernest said.

  “I know,” Buck said. “What time does that little store in Lamb Creek close?”

  “When Stance gets tired of staying open,” Ben said. “Usually, she wants a beer around nine or ten and the doors are locked.”

  “Fair enough,” Buck said turning around. “Give me three days to get word to some people.”

  “I hope you trust these people with your life,” Chris said, getting up.

  “I already told one that I’m the sheriff in this county and he wasn’t. He had to wait till the feds came to Boundary County to start hunting them,” Buck said walking to the door.

  Gene stood up, “Well, I’m going to the store,” he said and looked at Ben with a glare. “And so is your ass,” he snapped jabbing a finger at Ben. “You’re going to buy your own damn snuff.”

  Buck turned to see them following and Ernest behind them. “Guys, I’m the sheriff, I don’t have to worry right yet,” he said. “They wouldn’t dare try something with me.”

  “If Ben doesn’t buy his own snuff, you can drop him off at the clinic after I kick his ass,” Gene said passing by Buck and opening the door.

  “Shit, I want to see that,” Ben snorted walking outside.

  As Buck walked out, Cory started the SUV and he climbed in, pulling out his phone and seeing he had signal again. He typed a message and hit send. “Cory, head to the store up in Lamb Creek,” Buck said as two more trucks cranked up. “When we get there, get that AR out of the back, in case the fed boys are around.”

  “Want me to call for some backup?” Cory said, speeding around the barriers.

  “No, it would only make it worse if tensions flare.”

  Pulling out onto the main road, Cory sped north with several vehicles behind them. “Glad we have some backup,” he mumbled to himself and Buck grinned.

  They pulled into the store parking lot and Buck pointed, “Pull to the side of the building.”

  “Yes, sir,” Cory said and pulled over as Buck looked at his phone, reading a text message. “So, your friend coming?”

  “’Friend’ is the wrong word,” Buck said, tapping the screen. “I prefer ‘a person I know’.”

  Buck got out to hear Gene shouting at Ben. “You better buy enough for you and Chris! If either of you just takes my can again, I’m cranking up my chainsaw!” Walking toward the store, Ben looked back and just grinned at Gene.

  “No damn respect,” Gene muttered, slamming the door of the pickup truck closed. Buck walked over to see four of Ernest’s men spread out across the parking lot, as Ernest walked over to Gene with Buck.

  “Your boys know their stuff,” Buck said quietly.

  Nodding as he adjusted his balaclava under his helmet, Ernest looked at Buck. “I’m proud of them.”

  They turned to see Ben coming back with a huge bag. “Did you buy junk?” Gene snapped.

  “No,” Ben popped off, walking over and holding the bag open so Gene could see inside. “I bought every can of snuff they had.”

  Gene reached in and pulled out a can of Copenhagen, “This is for what you owe me,” he said, stuffing the can in his pocket.

  Walking to the passenger side, Ben just chuckled as a black SUV pulled in front of the store. Paying the SUV no mind, Ben opened the door of his truck, putting the bag on the seat as four men got out of the SUV.

  “That’s not Moore,” Ernest said, moving around Buck and Gene to stand at the front of the truck.

  Buck and Gene looked over as the four men looked at Ben, then turned and looked at Gene. Then the three looked at the man who’d got out of the passenger seat, who said something in a low voice. “Shit,” Buck mumbled, moving to the front of the truck. When he went to walk around Ernest, Gene grabbed his arm.

  “Don’t get close to Ben,” Gene whispered and moved up beside Buck.

  The driver moved over with the other three behind him. All were dressed in tactical gear and filthy-looking like they had been out in the woods for a long time. “Place your hands where I can see them,” the driver said walking up behind Ben.

  “You as well,” the passenger said, pointing at Gene.

  “Boys, I know y
ou know who I am,” Buck said dropping his hand to his pistol. “They are with me.”

  “Sheriff, they are wanted for questioning,” the passenger said.

  Keeping his eyes unfocused so he could watch all of them, Buck shook his head slightly. “They’ve already been questioned and I don’t care if you have a warrant, they aren’t going anywhere with you.”

  Ben turned around with a grin, looking at the agents. “Mmm, pretty city boys,” he grinned.

  “Get down on your knees with your hands on your head,” the driver said, pointing at Ben.

  Buck moved to intervene, but Gene grabbed his arm again. “Don’t be rude,” Gene said with a grin. “Watch,” he said and looked over at Ben who was staring at the four. “Ben, take ‘em,” Gene said calmly.

  Like a bull let loose, Ben charged all four, taking them to the ground before any could draw their pistols. Letting Buck’s arm go, Gene watched Ben grab one of the agent’s arms as he tried to draw his weapon. “I learned when Ben is ready to fight, don’t get near the red-headed leprechaun,” Gene said, watching Ben punch the man hard, snapping his head back. “When he gets that look in his eye, just get back.”

  Buck nodded with wide eyes as Ben kept all four close, driving knees and elbows. “One of my deputies saw Ben fight in an MMA match in Spokane,” Buck said, grimacing as Ben drove a knee into one of the agent’s groin. “I got twenty bucks that says he breaks one of their arms.”

  Reaching back to his wallet, Gene pulled it out, then laid a hundred-dollar bill on the hood of the truck. “I have a hundred that says all four will have multiple broken bones.”

  “I’m not betting,” Ernest said as one agent managed to pull his pistol and Ben grabbed his wrist, then punched the agent’s elbow, bending backwards with a snap. As the pistol fell to the ground, Ben palm punched the agent in the jaw as he snapped out a foot, kicking another in the face.

  Cory stepped around his SUV, watching as Ben kept all four on the ground with him still on top. “Shit,” he mumbled as Ben grabbed one agent’s head as he brought his knee up, shoving the agent’s head down to meet his knee. A sickening crunch filled the air as the agent’s head snapped back leaving a trail of blood.