“Sounds like a plan,” Sheriff Waters interjected. “But we better get a move on before somebody sees us leaving and starts asking questions.”
Crystal sent the message to Chicago immediately after breakfast. The response came an hour later,
The POTUS knew nothing about the parachutists. It was unfortunate they were killed. Please notify if they had papers of any sort with them. Appreciate the notification.
Mike concluded it was a partial affirmation of his worse fears. There was a conspiracy.
He would have to go to Chicago.
There was no doubt it could be a dangerous mission. For the time being, he needed to play along and see what he could find out. Mike put Randy in charge of Security at Avalon the next day so he could focus on preparing to leave.
A series of radio messages were sent to the Capital in Chicago, Illinois, regarding the potential threat the “unknown” parachutists may pose to National Security. Preparations were made, and in two days Mike was ready. He was informed that a stop at Denver international Airport would allow him to refuel the Cessna 421 and he would be able to grab a bite to eat.
It was welcome news. He estimated the trip from Fitch to Denver International would be about eight hundred fifty miles. At 276mph, he could make that distance in about three and a half hours and burn only half his fuel. Once he was topped off at Denver, it would be another eight or nine hundred miles to Chicago.
He hoped there wouldn’t be any strong headwinds, but with the pit stop, he had plenty of gas to make it to Denver and then to Chicago. He expected to fly at 20,000 feet above ground level once he crossed over the Rocky Mountains. Thankfully the airplane was pressurized and there would be no need for additional oxygen.
Mike wasn’t aware of any satellites for navigation being in an active status, so it would be dead reckoning all the way. Using a WAC (World Aeronautical Chart), he plotted his course, determining his initial course to be 072° magnetic.
There would be adjustments. Halfway to Denver, he would shift to approximately 105° magnetic. There again he saw some adjustments that might need to be made… particularly if there were any winds that would push him in either direction as he made his way towards Denver.
Mike invited Harlan Herrera and his wife, Penny, to accompany him. Penny took excellent shorthand, and her expertise could be invaluable as Mike made his way from one meeting to the next with the President and other officials in the government. Harlan was someone he trusted, and having a “couple” to introduce would help defer suspicion.
After conferring with several other people, he was convinced it might be a good idea to record the conversations and the happenings as they occurred, not only for their information, but to be able to accurately report back to the people at Fitch and Avalon.
Mike’s wife, Caroline, was pregnant, as were Dana and Crystal. Of the three women, Caroline was the only one who wasn’t a widow. Mike hoped the three of them could find some consolation in their friendship and their common pregnancies. It was a pretty shallow idea, but at the time, it was the best he could come up with. Regardless, things would work themselves out. There was not other option.
For the time being, he had his hands full getting to the bottom of this conspiracy. Randy and Sheriff Waters were the only other ones aware of what was actually going on. That’s the way it was going to stay until further notice.
As a result, Mike didn’t tell Harlan or Penny about what was going on, and as far as they knew, this was just a military and diplomatic trip. Besides, Harlan was really looking forward to some multi-engine, cross country time in the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle.
Mike, Sam, and the Sheriff had found a beautiful airplane stored in a hangar months ago. It had very little time on the engines and airframe according to the logbooks. It was comfortable, fast, carried six people, and was pressurized.
A miniature airliner for the discriminating traveler, it was a fitting airplane for an Admiral, if not a overkill. Although it wasn’t as fast as some of the small business jets, Mike felt his arrival in Chicago would be in style. Several people from the Retreat washed and waxed the aircraft prior to the trip. A clean airplane was a faster airplane.
More radio messages were sent, and Mike, Harlan, and Penny were ready to go. They had packed several meals consisting mostly of sandwiches, hot coffee in two large thermoses, and orange juice. This would allow them to be comfortable along the trip. Harlan was like a big kid in his excitement, and Penny sat in the passenger compartment and opened up a book she brought with her to pass the time.
“How much flying time will I get on this trip Mike?” He was so excited about the trip, it was all he had talked about since he found out he would be going.
“Most of it Harlan,” Mike answered him in a soft voice, smiling when he said it. “Promise.”
Harlan turned and raised an arm, made a fist, and said, “Yeeeessssss!” as he pulled it down.
It made Mike smile. He understood completely. Flying could do that to a person, and Harlan hadn’t had as much time in the air of late.
It was a tearful time for many of the Retreat members. Mike was an integral part of this community and his departure, even though short, would have him missed by everyone. He was their security, especially now that Sam was gone. Everyone looked up to him to do and say the right things at the right time.
He had spearheaded all of the defensive battles they had been involved in, now he was leaving, and he would be missed. Caroline, in particular, cried softly. He wasn’t even gone yet and she was already missing him.
It was early morning, and the dew on the grassy airstrip lay heavy. As people walked through the grass, their feet became wet. The sky was a beautiful light blue and not a cloud could be seen anywhere. Birds were heard chirping noisily. It was as if they, too, were giving the three travelers a noisy sendoff.
Mike and his two passengers boarded the small twin, and the door was secured. Most of the crowd of people backed away from the airplane and Mike could be heard to say in a loud voice, “Prop clear!” He then engaged the starter causing the propeller to spin, and then a puff of smoke came out of the exhaust and the engine sprung to life with a slight roar. He repeated the procedure for the other engine and, in a few seconds, both engines were idling smoothly.
Mike busied himself checking everything on the controls, he set the altitude setting in feet on the altimeter, gunned the engines and turned the airplane toward the middle of the runway.
Once the airplane was aligned, Mike set in the runway heading on his heading indicator, 090° magnetic. They would climb up to 20,000 feet directly and turn their heading to 072° magnetic.
Next stop: Denver International Airport.
To be continued…
About the Author
L. MICHAEL RUSIN IS a masterful storyteller who incorporates real survivalist skills to captivate his readers. He uses the pseudonym L. Michael Rusin to honor his Father, who died in 1953, while serving as a Chief in the U.S. Navy.
Currently living in Costa Rica, Central America, with his wife, Nancy, Rusin enjoys writing, archery, flying, drawing, and target shooting. A native Californian, he joined the U.S. Navy after college and spent eight years serving his country before starting his own general contracting business.
He has been a practicing Survivalist since 1966, and he has conducted numerous survival training sessions as a retreat planner for more than thirty years. Rusin remains active in preparing for those unspeakable tragedies that we may all face in the not-too-distant future.
A licensed Commercial Airplane Pilot, Instrument and Multi-Engine Rated, he flew as a Bush Pilot in Alaska, a Freight Transport Pilot in Africa and Central America, and a Crop Duster Pilot in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, before going into business for himself. He is also an accomplished scuba diver and parachutist.
Rusin is currently working to complete his next book in the Avalon series, Avalon: Wormwood. He has recently completed a novel of tragedy and triumph, California’
s Child.
Visit
www.AvalonTheRetreat.com
for details!
See the book that started it all...
“Rusin takes us on a hell-bent ride into the future, and the message is clear... be prepared! The sequel is far richer than the original!” – SurvivalPrepSeries.com
Having had several earlier skirmishes and months of preparation, Bone Breaker and his crew of biker thugs know they’ll have their revenge on those farmer hicks this time! But Mike Reynolds and Sam Wolchak, two of the so-called “farmers,” are ready for the next battle with these would-be dirtbag overlords.
Meanwhile, a military convoy sets out from Oregon and heads down the coast to California. Losing many along the way, some are killed by evil doers among the carnage and mayhem, and others abandon their posts to try and find their families. Eventually meeting up with Mike Reynolds and his band of survivors, the ultimate test is yet to come.
Can they conquer the motorcycle murderers and thieves or will they fall to the outlaws?
One thing is clear: the future of a new America depends on them.
* * * * *
Avalon: The Retreat, the first installment of the Avalon trilogy, introduced a great cast of characters recovering from the devastating effects of a nuclear invasion of the United States. The survival skills and advance preparation shared here demonstrated that there can be survival after holocaust.
In Avalon: Beyond the Retreat, the same great characters move on to the next step, establishing sense and order out of the chaos left behind from two devastating attacks on the United States.
While this struggle seems hard enough, there are new and unprecedented challenges. Amoral gangs form. With their mission to rape and pillage the remains of the country and its survivors, incredible acts of human ignominy run rampant.
Add the nightmare of an incurable plague, with all of its consequences, and the going just gets tougher.
Stragglers and small communities of survivors struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds in an effort to recapture any sense of their former lives. The Avalon Retreat members play a key role in providing assistance and leadership for the unfortunates, while establishing order from confusion.
Punctuated with poignant personal stories, the Avalon survivors are personalized, and share their fears, hopes, and souls.
Author Rusin takes us on a hell-bent ride into the future. The possibilities of this novel becoming predicting the future are all too imminent. Read the news, and see how comfortable you feel about the likelihood of this fictitious scenario becoming reality.
Rusin does not intend to scare. But he very much wants to suggest that we prepare. Prepare yourself for an experience that will leave you deep in thought, and looking forward to the third book in this series, Avalon: Wormwood
Avalon The Retreat
Avalon: The Retreat is a compelling account of how one group of survivalists endures the worst event the world has ever known - a Nuclear World War.
Step out of Avalon with
Just when Scott Reynolds thought things couldn’t get worse, the unspeakable happened. At the age of nine, convinced he had killed a bully trying to molest him, he jumped the fence and headed out into the vast wilderness, alone. Could he make it through the blistering cold or would his asthma finally do him in? Would they catch him and throw him in prison for what he did to that boy?
His mother had died four years earlier, and it didn’t take long for Scott’s abusive Aunt to send him to Saint Cecelia’s Orphanage, where he became California’s Child.
When he thought about the consequences if they caught him, Scott realized that he would rather die than go back. Would they stop looking for him, or would he be on the run forever?
Based on a true story.
Another novel by
L. Michael Rusin
See other Survivalist / Prepper books by Kamel Press.
For the next generation...
Prepper Pete Prepares
Prepper Pete works very hard to keep his family safe by preparing for events that may happen in the future... things such as power outages, bad storms, illness, and other disasters.
Join our hero in this original work as he explores the many reasons to “be prepared” and fun things your family can do, too! Children will love this fabulously illustrated book that shows them, in a fun and non-threatening way, how to be ready in case things go wrong.
Prepper Pete’s Twelve Days of Prepper Christmas
Prepper Pete works very hard to keep his loved ones safe by preparing for events that may happen in the future.
His family decides to thank him by giving gifts based on a longstanding tradition... with a Prepper twist! Children (and you’re whole family!) will love singing this adapted version of a well-known classic!
Prepper Pete’s Gun of a Son
Prepper Pete works very hard to keep his family safe. When his son Charlie becomes old enough, they enroll in a gun safety class together.
Join our hero, his son, and their friends in this fabulously illustrated book as they explore many of the important aspects of gun safety.
Avalon: Beyond the Retreat (The Avalon Series Book 2) Page 26
