by JEFF MOTES
Jill says, “Okay, I’m with you.”
We break camp, reload all our gear, then wait for dark. We sit with our backs to a tree, and Jill starts nodding off. She needs more rest, though she’s likely to have a neck ache. I’ll let her sleep a little longer before waking her.
I pray softly, “Dear Father, please bless our journey. Grant us courage and wisdom as we face each new obstacle in our path. Thank You for the blessings of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
It’s 9:30. I want to leave a little earlier than yesterday. I wake Jill. She comes around, rubbing her neck.
“Is it time to go?”
“Yes, it's 9:30.” I help her up. “Use your keychain light, take care of whatever business you need to, then we’ll leave.”
I’m sitting on the ATV when Jill returns and climbs on behind. With the NVD on, I maneuver back to the path, then to the road. Stopping at the road, I scan both directions thoroughly. “By the way, you have nice legs,” I say.
“Don't worry about my legs, just get us home. I’ll still have them when we get there.”
I give the ATV fuel and we continue our journey home.
Chapter 48
Jill
With a Loud Bang
Day 9
“By the way, you have nice legs,” John says over his shoulder as he steers the ATV onto the highway.
I feel myself blushing. “Don't worry about my legs,” I respond. “Just get us home. I’ll still have them when we get there.”
I can’t say I didn’t like that he noticed, but we need to get home, and we both have to stay focused or neither of us will make it. That darn armadillo nearly made me wet my pants! He got his payback in the end; tasty too.
When we see cars stalled on the side of the road up ahead, John slows the ATV and says, “We need to get some fuel. I'm going to check these cars out.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“There’s not much you can do right now. If you don’t mind, stay on the ATV in case we have to leave in a hurry.”
John dismounts and gets the siphon hose Mark provided. He walks up to the first car with his carbine at the ready. He glances inside, then moves over to the adjacent car and repeats the same thing.
“Barney, everything is clear,” he whispers into the radio. “I’m going to see if I can get the hose into the tank.”
He’s not that far away. He could have just spoken. Maybe he’s wanting to be quiet. “Copy,” I say into the mic.
It’s not so dark I can’t see him, yet it is too dark to see more than outlines of what’s going on.
“No-go on car one. Moving to the next car.”
He’s now at the car in front of us, doing something near the fuel door. I hear a ‘ping.’ He must have had to pry it open. He stands there for a few minutes, I assume trying to get the hose into the tank. Shaking his head, he comes back to the ATV.
“Both have anti-siphon devices. It’s going to be a hit and miss on these things. A lot of newer cars have the devices installed.”
“Why were we using the radio?” I ask.
“Two reasons. One, I want to remain as silent and as invisible as we possibly can, even when we think no one is around. Second, we need to practice this now, while we’re in the middle of nowhere, so we’ll be comfortable with it when it really counts.”
“Good idea.”
“Oh yeah, thanks for filling the fuel tank.”
“No problem. We’re partners, right?”
John nods. “Yeah, and that’s good. Let’s move on down the road. We’re going to be hitting US82 in a little over an hour.”
***
“There’s a group of cars up ahead,” John says when we make it to US82. “Let’s try them. Maybe we’ll have better luck than the last four we’ve checked.”
John stops a little ways before reaching the cars and approaches them on foot. Again, I can only see faintly what he is doing. He said there were four cars up ahead, but I can only see the outline of two.
“Car one, clear. Moving to car two.”
“Acknowledged.”
This radio lingo stuff is new to me. Should I have said something different? I guess if John doesn’t approve, he’ll tell me.
The radio crackles again. “Car two, clear. Moving to car three.”
John has moved beyond where I can see. Car three must be further from the others. It’s taking him longer to check in. I’m about to call him when he calls on the radio, “Car three is occupied. Returning to you. Pumper out.”
My heart rate quickens and I feel the slight increase of adrenaline. What does this mean? Is there going to be trouble? John didn’t say anything about trouble. He didn’t say to prepare for anything. His shape comes into view. He’s walking briskly.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“There are some people in car three. My guess, teenagers. We’ll ease by and look elsewhere for fuel.”
“How do you know they’re teenagers? Are they armed?”
Getting on the ATV John says, “There are two bikes parked next to the car, and the windows are all fogged up. Judging by the sounds I heard, I figure it’s a teenage boy and girl.”
“Could you hear what they were saying?”
He glances back at me. “Jill, I didn’t hear any words. Only sounds you might expect a boyfriend and girlfriend to make late at night in the backseat of a car.”
I feel the flush in my face at the realization of what he’s telling me.
“Oh…Isn’t that dangerous out here? I mean, if you can walk up on them, couldn’t anybody else?”
“Maybe, but what can I do about it? I can’t knock on the window and say, ‘Hey kids, get dressed and take this somewhere else.’ I might get shot.”
“I see what you mean. Still, we ought to do something.”
I jump off the ATV and pick up a large chunk of wood that’s lying on the ground.
“Jill, what are you doing?”
“Improvising. When you drive by, I’ll let them know how unsafe that car is.”
John starts laughing. “All right, but I’m not stopping.” He eases down the road, and when we come near the third car, I toss the wood. It hits the hood of the car with a loud bang. Glancing back, I see a flashlight dancing inside the car. I sense John is silently laughing along with me. Maybe they got the message.
After a few more miles on US82 John spots another car. He stops. “Same procedure.”
He dismounts from the ATV and walks up to the car. He is scanning all around the car and inside the car, his carbine at the ready. “Barney, everything is clear here. I’m going to try the fuel tank.”
“Roger.” Is that the right word to say? I’ve heard it being used on TV before. Maybe I should ask him what words he would like to use.
He’s at the side of the car and calls back, “Barney, I’ve got the hose into the tank. Can you see well enough to bring the ATV?”
“Copy, Pumper. Bringing the ATV.” I drive up to where John is.
He gets the partially empty fuel can off the back and sets it on the ground by the car. After inserting the tube into the fuel can, he starts squeezing and releasing the pump bulb. After a few moments he says in a low voice, “Got it.” It doesn’t take long to fill the can, then he tops off the fuel tank on the ATV. With everything stored back in its position, we proceed on down the highway.
Everything is quiet. The stars are shining brightly. John is not talking, and the lull of the ATV engine is making me sleepy again. I don’t wait for my head to fall this time. I snuggle closer and lay my head on his shoulder, hoping I won’t drool this time.
Chapter 49
John
There Goes the Neighborhood
Day 10
For the last few miles, all the cars along the way have been destroyed. All the glass has been shattered; windows, windshields, rear glass, lights, mirrors, nothing was spared. I’ve counted fourteen so far. It gives me an ominous feeling. It won’t be long before I’ll be turning onto I
ngate Pass Road. Something inside is telling me there is danger ahead. I’ve got to be alert and aware.
It’s 1:30 and Jill’s been asleep for about an hour and a half. I’m glad she’s getting some rest. She didn’t sleep much during the day. Heck, she hasn’t slept much in the past two days. It’s better she get the sleep taken care of now, so maybe she can be more alert later. I hope she doesn’t drool all over my shirt again. Sweat, I don’t mind. Drool…yuck.
Stopping for the fuel cost us a lot of time. Hopefully, after making it around Brent, we’ll have a straight shot to Marion. Then we can decide what to do there.
As I turn down Ingate Pass Road, a faint smell of smoke is in the air. The further we go, the stronger the smell becomes. There are more houses in this area, but I still haven’t seen or heard another human. On my left, I see a home set far off the road with a large fire blazing in the yard. There are people around the fire. It sounds like a party. I ease the ATV to the far right side and reach back to squeeze Jill’s leg.
When she wakes, I say, “Be alert, there may be trouble ahead.”
Shouts, laughter, and occasionally a woman’s shrill voice comes from the direction of the bonfire. I’m beginning to wish we had not come this route. After passing around a bend in the road, darkness envelops us again. The sounds are fading behind, and I’m driving a little faster.
I’m beginning to think we’ve put it all behind us when Jill says, “John, a vehicle is coming behind us.”
Spotting a woods road to our right, I dart the ATV for it. It’s too late. They have spotted us. Hearing the truck gun its engine, I give the ATV more fuel. It’s dangerous driving this fast on a narrow road in the dark, even with the NVD. My heart is racing. The lights from the truck are shining into the brush on the right. Since it hasn’t made the turn onto the woods road yet, I take a chance. Turning off the road to the right, I maneuver deeper into the woods.
“Jill, keep your head down low behind my back.” Limbs are slapping my arms and face; it’s so thick here. After about fifty yards I turn back toward the highway and drive a few yards. I dismount and grab my carbine and the shotgun.
“Jill, I need you to do exactly what I say. I’m going to scout up ahead to see where they went and if they are coming back this way. I need you to stay here. Do not leave this spot.”
Jill starts to protest. “John, that’s not fair. I need to help—”
“Jill, if you had an NVD you could help, but you don’t. I have got to move fast. Please, stay here. Do not turn your light on for any reason. I’ll be back, I promise.” I head back for the dirt road, pull the GPS out, and set a way point. Then, changing screens, I view the path back to the woods road. It’s hard to read the screen with the NVD, especially with the backlight turned way down.
Back on the woods road, I start jogging in the direction the truck took. It’s stopped not far ahead. Someone is shining a light out into the woods.
“Where did they go?” someone says. “I know they turned down this road, and the one on the back is definitely a woman.”
A second guy says, “Let’s go. We’ve got to make it to the other house for the raid.”
The first says, “If we catch her, we get to go first. I’m tired of being at the back of the line.”
I’m about forty yards back, directly behind them in the woods. They’re scanning to the front and sides of the truck. They don’t scan to the back. Quickly I study the scene. It’s an old Ford truck, and it’s facing into the woods. There is one bastard standing on the floorboard in the driver’s door, and one doing the same on the passenger side. Surprise is my most useful tool. I turn the IR laser on, and walking quickly, I approach from behind, stopping about twenty-five yards back. Putting the IR laser on the driver’s head, I pull the trigger. The clank of the carbine operating is nearly the only sound.
The driver falls and the other bastard looks over. “Roy, you okay?”
I put two rounds into his head. He falls to the ground. I scan the area again. Seeing nothing else, I move closer to the truck. I approach the driver’s side. The driver is dead, no doubt. I approach the passenger side cautiously. He’s dead too. I eject the magazine from the carbine and do a tactical reload by inserting a fully loaded one from my pocket.
Moving back to the driver’s side, I turn the truck and its lights off. On the seat is a box of 9mm ammo and I pocket it. There’s also a nice hunting rifle; it looks like a Remington 700, but I can’t read the caliber engraved in the barrel with the NVD. There are three boxes of 7mm-08 ammunition. I sling the rifle over my shoulder and pick up the ammo. Underneath the ammo is a sheet of paper with writing and a map sketch. I examine the map for a minute. It might be a sketch of this community. Some houses have a circle with an X on them; one has a circle. I put it in my pocket and move to the bastards on the ground. Each has a Hi-point 9mm pistol. After retrieving the ammo I toss the pistols inside the cab of the truck.
Using the radio, I call Jill, “Barney, this is Pumper. Everything is okay here. Returning shortly. Will advise as I get close. Out.”
Jill’s voice comes over the radio, “I copy, Pumper.”
The long hunting rifle makes it a little more difficult walking through the woods in the dark.
“You did more than scouting,” Jill says when I make it back.
“Yeah, I didn’t have a choice. They were here to hurt us. Especially you. The opportunity to put them down was there and I took advantage of it.”
“I support whatever you did, John.”
I place the shotgun in the rack and study the rifle a little more. Opening the bolt I see it’s loaded. Removing one of the rounds, I compare it to one from the 7mm-08 ammo boxes. Yes, it’s the same. I’ve read a lot of good things about this cartridge, though I haven’t shot one. I wonder if the scope is sighted in. It was probably stolen from one of the houses around here.
“Sit down here beside the ATV, and let’s study this map,” I say, pulling the paper from my pocket.
“Okay, but unless you turn a light on, all I can see is a piece of paper.”
I flip up the NVD and pull my keychain light out and shine it on the paper,.
Jill is a quick thinker. “This looks like a hand sketched map of a community of houses. Probably right around here. These Xs are probably houses they have already ransacked. I bet this O is the next on the list. The address marked is 8968 Ingate Pass. Did you notice any of the addresses as we were driving?”
“Yes, I did. The one with the bonfire was 6688, and the numbers are increasing in our direction of travel. I don’t know if we should continue down this road. Those guys seemed to be in a hurry to get where they were going.”
After a few moments Jill says, “If they’re preoccupied with raiding a house, could we slip by in the dark?”
“We might, I don’t know. We can try it, but we could also find ourselves in a lot of trouble.”
“What are our other options?”
“The way I see it, we can go back and try to find another way around, or we go on through and prepare ourselves for the worst. Staying here is not an option.”
“I think we should try to go through,” Jill says. “We may not be able to find another way around. Even if we did, it may be just as bad.”
“I agree. Let’s be ready for action.”
I reach down and help her up. This woman is definitely a thinker.
She asks, “John, why didn’t you take the truck?”
“I think it would be more difficult to use the NVD through the windshield of the truck. I tried it at home and nearly wrecked. I’d probably have to go slower than I am now. Plus with all the reflectors and lights it wouldn’t be very stealthy. Right now, I think our best course is being as invisible as possible.”
“That makes sense. I’m glad you’re thinking of these things.”
***
I’m driving a little fast for the NVD, and it’s definitely going to give me a major headache. After another mile, we start hearing gunfire up ahead.
My instincts tell me to turn the ATV around and go in the opposite direction but Jill is right; the next route we find could be just as perilous.
“Jill, stay on high alert. What side of the road was that house?”
“It’s on the right side.”
I steer the ATV to the far left side. The gunfire is sporadic and getting louder. I slow even more as the woods on the side of the road turn into a clearing. Jill gasps. The house is burning. Gunfire is being exchanged between the occupants and people taking cover behind two old trucks. The truck lights are pointed at the house. A woman screams.
“John, is there anything we can do?”
“I don’t know, Jill. We could get killed right here.”
“Dear God,” Jill prays, “please show us a way!”
Two people ahead are running across the road. They are both armed and jumping into the ditch, aiming toward the house.
“Jill, see those people who just jumped into the ditch? I’m going to pull the ATV into the woods on the opposite side, and see what’s going on. Stay with the ATV in case we have to leave in a hurry. Be ready to pick me up.”
“Okay, I’ll be ready.”
I grab my carbine, the hunting rifle, and the boxes of 7MM-08 ammo and take off at a crouching run toward the ditch. As I approach I call out, “Don’t shoot.”
Both men jump in surprise while I move into the ditch beside them. “We need to do something real quick or those folks are all going to be dead.”
The woman screams again.
One of the guys says, “That’s my cousin’s house. His wife and two daughters are in there with him.”
Sensing they have no plan, I take command. “Are you guys any good with those rifles?” They both nod. “I’m going to move to the ditch on the other side of the driveway. When I start shooting, pick a bad guy and start shooting.”
They agree. I crouch and run across the driveway. The house is about a quarter engulfed in flames. It won’t be long before no one can stay inside. There’s a man hanging out of an upstairs window. A woman is in the yard and men are standing around her. The two girls run from the house toward the woods and are quickly overtaken by two of the men. There are six men. That means six bastards who have to die. The NVD will be of no use with the scope so I flip it up, open two of the ammo boxes for easy reach, then pick a target through the scope, and start firing. After my third shot, I hear shooting coming from my right. I guess they finally got the nerve. I hit two of the bastards with my shots. The other four bastards fall to the ground as the guys on the right are deadly accurate.
