Winters just looked at the side of Moore’s face. “Moore, Joshua is letting us know he’s going to die and that’s the end of the game,” she said in a quiet voice. “He’s not going to run, and he’s not going to hide. He let us know he almost lost, but he’s still here.”
Moore tossed the notebook down and Winters almost sighed, thinking Moore wasn’t going to entertain the idea. “I see,” Moore said with a grin. “Joshua is telling us he knows we are playing for keeps.”
“Excuse me,” Tanner said clearing his throat. “Like Moore said, how does this help?”
“Give him a target of opportunity that seems too good to pass up,” Winters said. “It may take a while to set the trap, but when Joshua sees it and hits, so do we.”
Tanner jumped up smiling. “Give me some scenarios you think Joshua would attack,” he said and strutted for the door.
Moore patted her arm getting up and left. Winters closed her laptop. What she’d really seen Joshua was doing, was trying to keep his mind sharp by playing a mindless game. She had to give Tanner hope of getting Joshua, so he would leave Joshua’s family alone.
What she really wanted to do was quit, but seeing Agent Rustin escorted out in handcuffs yesterday put a damper on that idea. So, as long as she was here, she would think of shit, giving Joshua more time and let the movement spread.
Grabbing her stuff, she walked out the door and nodded to the soldier posted at the door to the briefing room. She stepped outside to see Moore smoking. Shoving her stuff under one arm, she stepped up beside him. “Give me a cigarette,” she said, holding up two fingers.
“You don’t need to start,” Moore said, shaking one out and putting it between her fingers.
As he dug out his lighter Winters shook her head. “I have a feeling I won’t live long enough to have to worry about cancer.”
He was reaching to light her cigarette and paused. “Winters, we are doing our job. They don’t punish people for doing their job,” he said.
She just extended her hand to his holding the lighter. He struck the lighter and Winters took a long drag, barely coughing as he put the lighter away. “You don’t even see anything wrong with what you just said,” she told him, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
“Pft,” he huffed and turned away, looking at the mountain. As he started to speak, a muffled ‘BOOM’ sounded on the other side of the compound and they both dropped to the ground.
“I never would’ve thought Joshua would attack inside the fence,” Winters said, thumping her cigarette away, seeing soldiers and agents running everywhere.
Not hearing any more explosions, they slowly stood up, gathering their stuff off the ground as Tanner ran past them with a gaggle of soldiers. “Let’s get in our hole,” Moore said, heading for their building.
Walking in their building, they went to work. Two hours later, Tanner came in taking his hat off. Leaning back in his chair, Moore nodded. “So, was that a for real accident or Joshua?” he asked.
“Oh, it was Joshua,” Tanner huffed. “Somehow he put a hand grenade inside a radio.”
“You’re sure?” Moore asked.
“Yes, one of the techs who had just left the building survived. He said the radio we brought back wasn’t working, so they were going to check it. One of my bomb techs said that’s where the explosion came from and it was a hand grenade.”
“He’s escalating rather quickly,” Moore said, leaning back over his desk. “How many did we lose?”
“Four agents, but the worst is Joshua just destroyed all the spare radios and radios the teams use when they go out. I have to say, Joshua is starting to irritate me,” Tanner said with a sigh.
“Join the club,” Moore said, picking up his pen. “I hope we can get more.”
“They will be here in two days,” Tanner said. “We will keep using them because they are better than the gear I brought.”
“Well, from now on, we need to x-ray anything we bring back from an attack site,” Moore said.
Moving over to Moore’s desk, Tanner motioned for the agent who had a desk in front of Moore’s to move. When the agent stood up, Tanner took his chair and sat down. “Moore,” he said in a low voice. “Do you think Joshua was going for our radios?”
“No,” Moore said with conviction. “He wanted bodies, the radios were a bonus for him.”
Winters snorted, “Well Moore, you now have the reason for the joker card,” she chuckled.
“It’s not that funny,” Tanner said, looking over at her.
“It’s not funny that people died,” Winters struggled to say. “What’s funny is Joshua told us and we didn’t see it.”
“I think you are making too much of these cards he’s leaving,” Tanner said.
“I don’t,” Moore said. “When I saw that joker card, Colonel, I almost ran back to the base. Joshua is a real poker player and they pull the jokers. She’s right, he told us he changed and we should’ve taken more precautions.”
Looking off, Tanner thought hard and slowly nodded his head. “Yes, I can see that, but I don’t know why he would. Even with Winters’ hypothesis, you don’t tell your enemy your plans, so they can figure them out and not get hurt.”
Winters turned back to her desk and continued typing. “Anything to add?” Tanner asked looking at Winters.
“Yes,” she said and continued typing.
“Well?”
Letting out a long breath, Winters spun in her chair facing Tanner. “He’s telling us he doesn’t want this war and this is his way of saying if you quit, he will. Think of it like an overture of peace.”
Tanner nodded. “Noble. Stupid, but noble.”
Wanting to add more, Winters just spun back to her desk as Tanner stood up. “One of my men will be bringing both of you new IDs to wear around the compound that will give you unlimited access. When you have something, don’t hesitate to find me.”
Moore watched Tanner walk out. “See? We are doing our job and have nothing to fear,” he said, glancing over at Winters typing.
“Until they think, we could be doing better,” she said, never stopping her typing. “We are now living under a boot.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“King, I’m not in the mood,” Joshua mumbled, weaving through the trees. He woke yesterday afternoon feeling much better after six hours of sleep; and listened to the message Ernest had sent, then pulled out the notebook deciphering it.
When Joshua read that his family had been moved, he was relieved and terrified. If his family was once again under threat, Joshua knew he had to increase his attacks, so the government boys would concentrate on him.
The last part of the message told Joshua they needed to meet him ASAP. When he pulled out his map finding the coordinates, Joshua groaned seeing it was almost twenty miles away on the other side of Priest Lake. Loading up, Joshua started out. He knew Gene wouldn’t let Ernest call a meeting unless it was really important.
Looking over his shoulder at Jack, Joshua chuckled softly. “Jack, I swear you always look happy.”
It was almost eleven a.m. when Joshua steered King along a ridge after riding all night. The six hours of sleep were a very distant memory as his body groaned with aches and pains. Pulling back on the reins, Joshua pulled out his map as King let out a snort.
“King,” he said like he was addressing a child as he looked at the map. “We’re a mile away,” Joshua said, folding the map up and climbing off.
Pulling King over to a tree, Joshua tied the reins to a low limb and checked his weapons. “I shouldn’t be long,” he said, patting King and then tied off Jack.
He turned to walk along the ridge as King pulled back against the limb, letting out a snort. Joshua dropped to one knee, looking around. Not seeing anything, Joshua stayed crouched and moved over to King, untying the rein. “What is it, boy?”
When he was free, King quit backing up and stared straight ahead along the ridge. “I know King. I just want to make sure they are friends,” Joshua whispered,
looking ahead. He turned to see Jack pulling back against the lead rope tied to the limb.
Moving over, he untied the lead rope. “You two need to relax,” he whispered but pulled his M4 from across his chest, aiming along the slope. Seeing a small cluster of bushes ahead, he eased up behind them, looking around.
Just about to give up, Joshua froze, seeing movement coming down the ridge a few hundred yards away. “Damn horse is better than any dog,” Joshua mumbled and pulled out his binoculars.
Joshua spotted one man wearing a ghillie suit slowly moving toward him and three more fifty yards behind him. Lowering the binoculars, Joshua looked over his shoulder at King. “Good boy,” he said reaching over and patting King. “The first one is Chris. Don’t know who the others are.”
When the group was fifty yards away, Joshua stepped out from behind the bushes. The lead person gave a jerk, then dropped down to one knee and then quickly stood back up. Taking off the hood of the ghillie suit, Joshua grinned at Chris.
Looking over his shoulder, Chris waved the others behind him up and walked over to Joshua. “Have to say boss, you can hide a horse, a mule, and yourself better than anyone I’ve heard of,” Chris said, walking over.
“King smelled you a long time ago,” Joshua said, letting his M4 go, reaching out with his right hand.
“Better than a hound dog,” Chris said, shaking his hand. “You must have rode hard from your last attack. We weren’t looking for you till tomorrow.”
Watching the others walking up, “Then what are you doing here?” Joshua asked as the men behind Chris took off ghillie suits and he saw Gene and Ben.
“Had a pretty good idea you would use this ridge,” Chris said as Gene and Ben walked up. “We were going to set up and wait for you, down in the valley.”
Joshua shook Gene and Ben’s hands, grinning. “Gene, you aren’t a young buck to be running around these mountains,” Joshua said.
“Shit,” Gene huffed. “Compared to carrying a chainsaw and gear, this little M4 and pack ain’t nothin’.”
Nodding and letting Ben’s hand go, Joshua looked at Gene. “So, William and Sonya were going to have trouble?” Joshua asked.
“Yeah,” Gene said, with a worried expression. “Look, they are safe and since you’re already here, let’s head back and get you caught up.”
“Guys,” Joshua said, holding out his hands. “You can’t be involved,” Joshua said with a sigh. “If the feds see I’m not working alone anymore, then it will get bad for everyone.”
“Too late, boss,” Ben said, wiping sweat off his shaved head.
Joshua turned to Ben with shock. “What?” he gasped.
“Look Joshua,” Gene said, grabbing his arm. “We will fill you in when we get back to camp. We need to move.”
Knowing Gene thought out everything, Joshua listened to his wisdom and nodded. “Well, lead the way,” he said, adjusting his helmet. “Do I have to put on my ghillie suit?”
“Hell no,” Gene spat. “They told me I had to wear one if I came out to wait for you.”
“I have point,” Chris said, moving past them and pulling his hood back over his head.
Letting Chris get a head start, Joshua looked at the gear Gene and Ben were wearing. “Um, did you two kill some agents and take their gear?” he asked, not really wanting the answer.
“Nope,” Gene said and Ben chuckled. “Ben beat the shit out of four and took their gear.”
Joshua looked at Ben, shaking his head and Ben held up his hand. “Don’t, I’m a deputy and Buck was there and he witnessed my beat down. He said I confiscated the weapons and I was to keep track of them until charges were filed,” Ben said, grinning and then the grin fell off. “Fuckers didn’t have a tent, though.”
“Ben, I’ll give you mine if you won’t do that again,” Joshua said as he started following Chris and leading King and Jack.
“Ernest gave him one,” Gene said in a low voice.
They walked for two hours as Chris guided them to a ravine south of Sundance Mountain. Moving up into the ravine, Joshua saw men positioned around the entrance of the ravine. “Guys, they will find this many,” Joshua said and saw a group of tents under the trees ahead.
“Can’t be helped now,” Gene said beside him. “Let’s get inside and we can tell you.”
Nodding, Joshua followed Chris to a larger tent as a woman came over. “Since you’re here, let me have a look at your mounts,” she said, holding out her hand for the reins.
Handing the reins over, Joshua nodded. “Much obliged and I hate to ask, but if you could, could you brush them down?”
“My pleasure,” she smiled, leading King and Jack away.
“Hello Joshua,” Ernest said, coming out of the big tent.
“Can we go inside and someone explain to me what you are doing? If the feds see this, they will stop hunting me and concentrate on people around here. That’s what I didn’t want to happen,” Joshua said in an irritated tone.
“Follow me,” Ernest said, heading back inside the tent.
They followed him inside to a table. Ernest turned to Joshua as he started dropping equipment. “Joshua, your family is safe. I moved them and my family to my hunting cabin,” Ernest said and Joshua snickered.
“Ernest, sorry to tell you, but that’s not a hunting cabin, it’s a small resort,” Joshua grinned.
“Compared to most I’d have to agree, but my wife refused to head into the backcountry without some amenities.”
“Had Sonya tell me almost the same thing, but I wasn’t putting a hot tub at the cabin,” Joshua said, dropping in a chair. “I’m grateful now, what the hell is going on? I told you I didn’t want any help. The feds see this and they will come down on you.”
“Sorry Joshua, but the feds have already started,” Ernest said as Joshua’s eyes got big. “I’m sure you know the military has taken over.”
“Yeah, saw a colonel at a group I hit. Tanner was on his name tag and Tanner called out to all the teams that he was now in charge, the night before,” Joshua said.
Impressed, Ernest nodded, “Surprised you didn’t shoot him.”
“Was too tired for a shot from that far away,” Joshua said, sprawling out in the chair. “Hell, if I wanted to take out top threats, I would take out that FBI agent Moore and that brunette that follows him around.”
“Um,” Ernest said, leaning over the table. “I would like to address that with you.”
“That brunette is a bitch,” Ben snorted.
“Her name is Winters,” Gene said, pulling out a can of snuff and turned to Ben with an evil glare, daring him to reach for it.
“So, you want me to pop her and Moore along with this Tanner?” Joshua yawned.
“We don’t care about Moore or Tanner, but Winters isn’t as good as Moore is and is giving a lot of bad ideas,” Ernest said carefully.
Closing his eyes, “Trust me, she’s not stupid,” Joshua said. “Now, how about you explain why you have armed men here?”
Gladly letting the topic of Winters go, Ernest sat down. “I trust you haven’t heard any of the local radio stations lately.”
“Sorry, haven’t had the chance,” Joshua said, crossing his arms over his chest with his eyes still closed. “If I’m listening to the radio, it’s monitoring the feds.”
“Understandable,” Ernest said. “But you hear them?”
Joshua opened his eyes. “The feds shut them down?”
“No, they tried that. The military landed a Blackhawk near each station, off loaded troops that escorted everyone out, then shot up all the equipment,” Ernest said, and Joshua sat up quickly. “Oh, that’s just the beginning. We know they want to arrest Buck now, but Buck is in Sandpoint with several hundred citizens, all armed, just waiting for the troops to come and arrest him.”
“Shit,” Joshua sighed, slumping down in his chair and looking down at the floor.
“Joshua,” Ernest said, and Joshua looked up. “This is bigger than you now. The feds are showing
their hand with this media blackout and evoking the regional commander. We don’t have an accurate count, but over two hundred federal agents have been killed across the nation.”
Jumping to his feet and throwing up his hands, “I didn’t want this!” Joshua cried out.
Holding his hands out, trying to calm Joshua, “Joshua, it was going to happen sooner or later,” Ernest said. “The government wanted later but as luck would have it, they picked on one man who wouldn’t lie down and die.”
“So I’m responsible for a revolution?” Joshua snapped.
“No,” Ernest said shaking his head. “It was coming with or without you. You just made it start sooner than the government wanted. If they would’ve had another fifty years, they could’ve done it very easily, and it would’ve made fighting them much harder.”
Dropping back down in his chair, Joshua just panted in shock. “I just wanted them to leave me alone.”
“Yes, that’s why everyone is fighting them. Not just the Minutemen, but ordinary citizens. That’s who fired the first shots. You aren’t part of us and you fought back, and we don’t know who killed those agents in Atlanta that started the flood of assaults, but it wasn’t us. But I can guarantee, the Minutemen have killed some since,” Ernest said, seeing Joshua relax.
“So no matter what, people are going to fight?” Joshua asked wearily.
“Joshua, you can’t blame them. They are just like you and me and they see what has happened. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution have been violated. None of the three branches of government follow the will of the people. When the federal government was weak, the economy and growth were strong. Now, the federal government is strong and look what we have,” Ernest said. “The Founding Fathers all knew that government was the biggest threat to freedom. That’s why they put in the second amendment as a last resort to a tyrannical government.”
Slowly, Joshua turned to Gene, “Is this what you see?” he asked.
“Yes Joshua,” Gene nodded. “I know you didn’t start this thinking an armed uprising would happen, but it has. People are tired of having everything taken from them. Let me rephrase, the working people are tired.”
The Bonner Incident: Joshua's War Page 24
