The Bonner Incident: Joshua's War

by Thomas A. Watson

  “Fed boy,” Simmons said slowly. “You are in the mountains and we aren’t cutting cross-country because that would take longer. Have you seen how these roads twist and turn, following the rise of the mountains?”

  “Okay, we’ll follow you,” Moore said and they both jumped. “Well she’s driven these before and I didn’t think you two would want us riding double with you.”

  Not even pausing to think it over, Simmons looked at Paul. “I’ll ride with you.”

  “Better keep up because I know some folks are out here still looking for feds,” Paul said, moving to one of the four-wheelers.

  After he’d climbed on, Simmons jumped on behind him and Moore turned to see Winters slowly climbing on the other four-wheeler. “I know where Joshua’s at,” he said, getting on behind her.

  “No, you know where he’s headed,” she said, starting the engine.

  Moore grabbed the side of the rear rack as Winters followed Paul down the ridge. Weaving around the trees and creeping along the slope, Moore was getting a very good idea of how hard it was to move with a four-wheeler through the countryside.

  It still took them close to half an hour to reach the clearing where they’d landed as Paul drove through it and back into the woods. Even with the ground moderately flat in this small valley, they still weaved between the trees and around fallen logs that the ATVs couldn’t go over.

  An hour after they’d climbed on Moore gave a sigh, seeing a dirt road. When Winters pulled on the road, Moore saw it wasn’t much wider than the four-wheeler. “This is an ATV trail?!” he shouted.

  “No, this is a logging road,” she shouted over her shoulder.

  Looking down at the narrow road, Moore shook his head. “Anyone driving a logging truck on this road needs a psych eval.”

  Seeing Paul speed up, Moore held on tight as Winters gunned the engine, staying ten yards behind him. As they rounded a curve on a ridge, Moore looked out and saw Priest Lake to the south. “Okay, traveling in mountains, distance is judged by time, not miles,” he mumbled, looking at Priest Lake in the distance. Trees cut off his view as Winters sped along after the rangers.

  Several times, Moore let out girly screams as Winters hit a bump, sending them airborne. Wanting to ask her to slow down, Moore looked up to see the rangers further ahead and kept his mouth shut, holding on for dear life.

  When Winters turned the headlights on, Moore wanted to look at his watch, but wasn’t letting go of the rear rack. Looking ahead, Moore gave a sigh of pure relief at seeing a paved road. When the rangers hit the paved road, they took off and Moore squeezed his legs, holding on to the ATV.

  The four-wheeler leapt a few inches in the air as they hit the pavement and Winters opened the throttle wide open. Squinting his eyes in the blast of wind, Moore looked over Winters and saw the rangers were several hundred yards ahead. “Don’t lose them!” he shouted.

  “It’s wide open,” she shouted back over her shoulder. Seeing they were gaining, Moore relaxed some but couldn’t enjoy the ride, knowing he was close.

  Ten minutes later, they took a side road that had a sign ‘Ranger Office’. When Winters slowed, he looked ahead and saw the rangers getting off of the other four-wheeler in front of a building.

  Pulling up beside the other four-wheeler, Winters shut off the engine and tossed the keys to Simmons. “That was fun,” she said, smiling at them.

  “For a fed girl, you ain’t bad,” Simmons laughed as she jumped off. Standing beside the four-wheeler, she turned to Moore and the smile fell off as Moore pried his hands from the rear rack.

  “These things can’t be safe,” he said, climbing off. “Your supervisor inside?” he asked, looking at Simmons.

  “Yeah,” he said, and just walked away, opening the door.

  Moore looked over at Winters. “Let me handle this. You can wait out here if you want,” he said and followed Paul inside.

  Not in the mood for shit, Winters leaned back on the four-wheeler as the stars slowly started to shine in the clear sky and the last rays of the day disappeared. “Please don’t be there,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

  Hearing the door open, she looked over her shoulder at Moore walking out with keys in his hands. “Let’s go,” he said, heading to a park ranger truck.

  “How in the hell did you get them to let you take it?” she gasped following him.

  Holding up his phone, “Told them I was going to post on Facebook that they had been helping the feds all through this,” Moore said, opening the driver’s door.

  “You’re going to get us shot,” Winters said with some hope, climbing in.

  As Moore backed out and pulled onto the road, she stared straight ahead. “Just how do you know where to go?” she asked.

  “Joshua has three people that have medical training that he’s close to. One is a doctor, but he lives in Lamb Creek and they are all gone. The other two are veterinarians. The one near Coolin has a clinic at his house. The other is retired and lives near the spot on the map called Priest Lake,” Moore said. “When Joshua started fighting back, I did some research. He knows more, but those are on his wife’s Facebook page.”

  “And you really think he’s there?”

  “Hey, I know we’ve come up short, but don’t get down now,” Moore said, slowing for a sharp turn. “Joshua was shot sometime late in the afternoon. Those agents didn’t have tents up yet, but had firewood gathered. It wasn’t dark because all of their flashlights and night vision weren’t out. At best, Joshua made it to the doctor this morning, but I think it was closer to noon. I can’t see a wounded man traveling fast in these cursed mountains. Hell, I’m sore from an ATV. I don’t even want to think about jarring around with a gunshot on a horse.”

  Letting out a long breath, “He could be dead,” Winters said.

  “No, one thing we know about him, Joshua is tenacious, intelligent and tough. He would stop the bleeding and if he started feeling too weak, he knows others around here and would’ve gone to them to carry him the rest of the way to Dr. Edward Vellum. I know he doesn’t want to involve others but in this case, I know he would make an exception.”

  Winters spun on him like a caged animal. Seeing the sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, Moore swerved as she snapped at him. “Moore, what is with you? You’ve never been this obsessed about a perp and we’ve taken down some sickos. You’re willing to get us killed to save those fucks in D.C.?”

  Slowing down, he turned to her. “No, what is with you? You act like you don’t care about this change or how violent it can turn. We can stop it. Sure there is corruption, but it’s everywhere.”

  “Please, let’s just leave,” she almost begged.

  Speeding back up, Moore glanced over at her. “Joshua isn’t superhuman, so don’t be afraid he will hurt us,” Moore said, mistaking her actions for fear.

  Seeing Moore so insistent, Winters turned back in her seat, looking out the side window. “I know he’s human and so am I,” she said and wiped her eyes.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Twenty minutes later, Moore looked off to the right and saw a house with a barn and workshop. “Bingo,” he said, turning off the headlights and coasting to a stop. He pulled off of the road next to a barbwire fence around the property. Turning the truck off, Moore looked over at Winters as he pulled his pistol out and press checked it.

  “Only light on is coming from the shop, we’ll check there first,” he said, letting the slide go which snapped the chamber shut. Reaching to the dash, he flipped the switch to cut the dome light off. “Come on,” he said, getting out and closing the door softly.

  Getting out, Winters closed her door, but not as softly as Moore had done and he charged around the truck to her. “What’s your problem?” he barked in a raspy voice.

  She stepped up and pointed at his face. “Let’s get something straight now, Moore. If you walk in and shoot Joshua, I will tell the world that you murdered him in cold blood and he had surrendered. You will have people chas
ing you for the rest of your life.”

  Moore stepped back in shock. “Ww…wwww…,” he stuttered.

  “Moore, I will not be a part of murder. Hell, you’ve said Joshua was innocent and look where we are. I swear if you kill him, I’ll scream it loud and far,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

  For the first time, doubt entered Moore’s mind about Winters. “We are bringing him in. I’m not going to shoot unless he does,” Moore finally said.

  “You’re making a mistake, and taking me with you,” she said, pulling her pistol and turning around, walking toward the driveway.

  Glad she was on board, Moore trotted up beside her. “Listen, you’re young and will see later in life that this was the right choice. Joshua may have been innocent, but he’s not now. We can’t let one man be responsible for destroying this country, no matter who he is or how innocent he was. Was he done wrong? Yes, but he should’ve surrendered. No one is above the law we enforce.”

  “Oh, so we wreck his life, try to kill him, kidnap his son and threaten his family and you expect him to just take it lying down? You expect me to believe if this had happened to you, you wouldn’t have done what Joshua has?” she asked, rounding the fence and strolling down the driveway like she owned the property.

  “No, I would’ve turned myself in,” Moore said grabbing her arm and slowing her walk.

  “Then you’re an idiot,” she said.

  “Hey, you need to slow down and clear the area,” he snapped in a whisper.

  Coming to a stop, she looked at him. “Why? I can see in the dark windows in the house and nobody is looking out, along with the shop which has lights on inside. If someone looks out, I’ll be able to see them but with them looking outside, they won’t be able to see us until we get closer. And if someone was in the barn, we would already be dead.”

  “This is Joshua, not some radical punk,” Moore said.

  “Like you said,” Winters snapped, “he’s only human.”

  She turned and continued to stroll down the driveway. “I swear, you are trying to get us shot,” Moore said, keeping his pistol in both hands and aimed low.

  “No, that would be your stupid ass,” she said.

  “Samantha,” Moore whispered harshly. “We have no choice. You will come to realize that later.”

  “On that, you’re wrong,” she said, strolling away.

  Moore trotted up beside her and realized Winters was carrying her pistol casually in one hand. Not in the mood for more of her attitude, Moore kept quiet and moved in front of her, using his body to cover her.

  He eased up to the first window and looked inside, “Nothing,” he said and moved around the building. Moving to the next window, Moore peeked in and froze, feeling his heart flutter. Jerking his head back, “He’s here.”

  Winters moved past him and just looked in the window. She saw a very old man leaning over someone on a metal gurney with their back toward her. The head of the gurney was sitting up about forty-five degrees, so she only saw the back of their head. Looking at the old man, she saw he was working on the man’s abdomen under a very bright light.

  Moore glanced over and saw Winters just standing at the window looking in. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her back. “Pull your head out of your ass,” he whispered.

  “Just how old is this Dr. Vellum?” she asked in a normal voice, making Moore cringe.

  “He’s eighty-three and keep your voice down,” Moore whispered and moved back to the front. “I’ll go first, you cover.”

  “Okay,” Winters said in a lower voice, but not a whisper.

  Reaching out, Moore slowly turned the doorknob and sighed in relief when the door opened. Easing inside, he saw he was in a room with a hall on the left. Stepping over to the hall, he saw an open doorway on the right halfway down, and knew that was where Joshua was.

  Slowly moving further down the hall, he heard the elderly voice of Dr. Vellum. “Almost done with that bleeder.”

  Taking a deep breath, Moore kept his gun out and swung around into the doorway and for a second, froze, seeing a man that had no beard and his hair was much shorter. Then he trembled with relief, recognizing the man as Joshua even with his eyes closed.

  Moving into the room quietly, Moore’s eyes got big, seeing Vellum working in a four-inch incision on Joshua’s upper left abdomen. “This hurts,” Joshua said, and Moore almost jumped through the roof, seeing Joshua was awake as Vellum operated. Moore could see half a dozen silver handles of medical instruments sticking out of Joshua’s abdomen and suppressed a shiver.

  “Well, I asked you to let me put you to sleep,” Vellum snapped.

  “Sorry, but I’m expecting company,” Joshua said, opening his eyes and looking at Moore and Moore almost wet his pants. Joshua didn’t jump or twitch, he just gave a small grin. “Told you I heard a car stop.”

  “Hell, I heard ‘em come in the door,” Vellum said, leaning over Joshua with his nose barely an inch above the incision.

  “Shit, that’s tough,” Winters said from behind Moore, staring at Vellum.

  “Thank you young lady, but this ain’t nothing,” Vellum said and Joshua’s grin turned into a smile.

  “Sorry, Dr. Vellum, I was referring to your patient,” Winters said and Vellum cackled.

  “So, you feds just barge in now without papers, huh?” Vellum said, but never stopped working.

  “We can do that when chasing a fugitive,” Moore said, keeping his pistol aimed at Joshua.

  “Well, no fugitive is here, boy. I know you heard the governor pardon Joshua,” Vellum said.

  Lifting his head up, but never really looking away from Moore, Joshua snorted. “I’ve been here for six hours and you forgot to mention this, old man?”

  Leaning up and looking in Joshua’s face, Vellum pointed his bloody gloved hand in his face. “Boy, you come riding up half dead and making me carry your big ass in here. Then work nonstop on you and you know I have a bad knee. I ain’t no young pup anymore.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Joshua said, moving his face back to Moore. “I’m sorry I had to bother you, Dr. Vellum.”

  “If you wouldn’t have, I would’ve beat you down,” Vellum snapped, leaning back over Joshua and going back to work. “This may hurt.”

  Sucking in a breath, Joshua gave a jerk and Moore held his aim on Joshua’s face. “I don’t care what he does Joshua, don’t move,” Moore said.

  “For an agent, you are rather dense,” Joshua said, motioning his head toward his right. Moore’s eyes left Joshua’s face and saw Joshua’s hand, laying on the counter with a pistol in his grasp.

  “Take your hand off the weapon or I’ll shoot,” Moore barked.

  “Agent Moore, I could’ve killed you a dozen times and I was courteous enough to let you know I’m armed. But I will not endanger a friend, especially one who’s working on my insides,” Joshua said.

  “Shoot ‘em,” Vellum said, not looking up. “I can take the bodies out to the pigs.”

  “Take your hand off the weapon!” Moore barked again.

  “Agent Moore, your aim will hit Mr. Vellum and if you do, I swear I’ll keep you alive for weeks,” Joshua said in a cold voice.

  Vellum slowly stood up and turned to Moore. He and Winters jumped back, seeing the thickest eyeglasses ever on Vellum’s face. The thick, very large glasses made his eyes look four times the size they should be. Raising a bloody glove up and pointing at Moore, “Boy, you shoot me and I’ll kill every person you hold dear and have ever met. I’ll find the snot-nose little brat who sat beside you in kindergarten and skin ‘em alive,” Vellum said in a cold tone.

  “Whew,” Joshua whistled out. “Now I’ve heard some threats before, but that even scared me.”

  “Dr. Vellum, you are interfering with a federal arrest and aiding a known felon. If you get in the line of fire, that is on you,” Moore said.

  Vellum turned to Joshua, “Just shoot their asses,” he snapped then leaned over Joshua, going back to work.

&nbs
p; “He’s the only threat,” Joshua said.

  “She will shoot you just as fast as I will,” Moore said, trying to ignore the burning starting in his arms from holding his pistol out with two hands.

  “No, she won’t,” Joshua laughed and Moore realized, Joshua had never taken his eyes off of him and had never even glanced at Winters.

  Risking a glance back, Moore saw Winters just behind his left side with her gun in one hand, aimed at the floor. Jerking his eyes back to Joshua, Moore felt sweat beading on his face.

  “Relax Moore, if Joshua had wanted us dead, he would’ve shot us coming in. If you look at where that pistol is pointed, if he pulls the trigger, it’s going to hit you in the neck or lower face,” Winters said, moving up beside Moore.

  Slowly, Moore lowered his pistol, more to relieve the burning in his arms than to appease Winters. When Moore’s pistol was at the low ready, Joshua nodded. “Thank you, now I will do the same,” he said and rotated his wrist so his gun wasn’t aimed at Moore.

  “When Mr. Vellum is done, we can go outside and shoot it out,” Joshua smiled.

  “Boy,” Vellum growled. “You go get more holes in ya that I have to sew up, I’ll nail your hide to the barn door.”

  “One way or another, Joshua, you are coming with me,” Moore said.

  With a gentle smile, Joshua shook his head. “No sir, at best you’ll wound me, but I’ll kill you.”

  “G-man, you put more holes in him I have to fix and I’ll feed you to the pigs while you’re still alive,” Vellum growled, reaching back for another instrument.

  “So you know me?” Moore asked.

  “Yes, and I have to say now, I wish when I’d had your face in my scope, I would’ve pulled the trigger,” Joshua said with no remorse.

  “Just when was this?” Moore asked, trying to keep his voice even.

  “At that ambush. You were walking and waving that metal detector around,” Joshua said. “Tell me, did you ever go back for those two snipers you’d left?”

  “What two snipers?” Winters asked.