The Siege

by Darrell Maloney

  “Yes, sir. All clear.”

  “Okay. Start with the play by play.”

  Hannah was with the others, and suddenly realized that Sami was now alone in the control center.

  That just wouldn’t do. She needed to be with her friend to provide moral support, and to back her up if something bad happened. She made her way to the console and winked at her friend. It was a nonverbal statement that said, “You can do this. I’m right here with you.”

  “Okay, all four of them are on the center of the fence. They’re leaning a dead tree against the fence. One of the men is climbing up the tree. Now he’s looking over the top of the fence. He appears to be looking at the ladder that’s leaning up against the fence on the inside of the compound.”

  She paused for a few seconds, then continued.

  “He’s back off the tree now. He’s talking to the guy with the beard. Okay, now they’re moving the tree in the direction of the ladder.”

  She paused for a few seconds and John jumped on the radio.

  “Okay, we’re in the woods now, working our way around to that side. You guys on the roof, try to wait until we’re in place before you fire. If there’s a chance they’ll make it to the cover of the pig barn, though, don’t wait. Go ahead, Sami.”

  “Okay, they’ve moved the dead tree to the new position. The smaller guy is climbing up it again. He’s looking over the top of the fence, and talking to the men below. They appear to be arguing about something.”

  She paused again and John got on the radio.

  “Okay, we’re in position now, probably eighty yards away from them. We’ve got a clear line of sight. You guys on the roof, wait until two of them are on the ground inside, and the third one is on the ladder on the inside. Then take all three of them out. But take the ladder guy out first so he doesn’t scramble back over.”

  Bryan keyed his mike and said, “10-4, John.”

  “Okay, Sami. You’re doing great. Just keep it up.”

  “Thank you, Dad.”

  While Sami continued the play by play, John turned and spoke to Mark.

  “You’re a better shot than I am. You aim for the last man’s head, and I’ll aim for his torso. Once the third guy goes over the fence, he belongs to Bryan and Brad. When our man is all alone, we’ll fire on my count. If one of us happens to miss, he’ll still go down and can’t run away in the woods. The three in the compound don’t have anywhere to go, so they can’t get away.”

  Mark smiled and said, “You mean if you miss.”

  “Whatever…”

  Everyone, including those listening in the compound’s safe room, grew more tense as Sami continued.

  “Okay. The first man is on the ground inside the compound now. He’s not moving away from the fence. It appears he’s waiting for the others. The second man is moving from the tree on the outside of the fence to the ladder on the inside. The third man is waiting at the bottom of the dead tree, waiting for the other guy to clear the fence and get out of his way.”

  She paused for a few seconds, but heard nothing but silence from the others.

  John had the fourth man, the one they called Grizzly Adams, in his crosshairs. His sights were centered squarely in the center of the big man’s chest.

  He asked Mark, “Are you ready?”

  Mark, his sights aimed at Sabol’s head, said “yep.”

  Sami continued.

  “Okay, the second man is off the ladder and on the ground inside the compound. The third man is at the top of the fence, getting ready to move over to the ladder… okay, now he’s on the ladder and starting to climb down. The last man is climbing up the tree now.”

  John never took his eye off the target, and calmly said, “On my go… three… two… one… fire.”

  Two shots rang out in perfect harmony, and both bullets found their marks. Sabol tumbled from the dead tree and into the gravel below the fence. He was dead before he hit the ground, his head having fairly exploded and a gaping hole being ripped through his heart and out his back.

  A split second later, as Sabol was falling, more shots rang out from the roof of the big house.

  The small guy, Gomez, was the first to fall. The little monkey had climbed his last tree. Bandera and Murrow panicked, running in two different directions.

  Bandera tried the ladder. He decided this was someplace he didn’t want to be after all. He was on the third rung when Brad’s bullet tore through his upper back, went through the upper left lung, and passed through to go through the fence and lodge into the ground outside the compound. Bandera held tightly onto the ladder as he leaned back, and fell crashing down beside Gomez.

  The ladder fell on top of him and pinned him to the ground. He couldn’t move, but he wasn’t dead yet. He looked to his right in a wild panic, to see Gomez’ glassy eyes staring him in the face from mere inches away.

  It was the last thing Bandera would ever see. His head exploded a fraction of a second later.

  Murrow tried a different tactic. He lowered his AK-47 and fired four shots blindly in the direction of the big house, although he didn’t hit anything. Then he ran full bore toward the pig barn, hoping to find cover there.

  He only made it halfway, before he was cut down by a clean through and through shot in the abdomen. It didn’t kill him, but it brought him to a stop. The second shot, through the right side of his heart, killed him.

  Sami, to her credit, described every shot, every action, through moistening eyes. Her voice cracked a little as she not only witnessed the grizzly deaths of four men, but described them to the others as well.

  Finally, as Murrow’s face fell into the dirt, she stopped. Hannah held her head in her arms and took over.

  “It’s all over. All four of them are dead.”

  John said, “Bryan, Brad, you okay?”

  “We’re fine, John. How about you guys?”

  “We’re okay. We’re going to drag that dead tree back into the woods and clean up out here. Hannah, is Sami okay?”

  Sami got back on.

  “I’m fine, Dad.”

  “You did great, sweetheart. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all of you. Let’s hope this is the last time we have to do this.”

  Sami burst into tears, but John never heard them. Hannah continued to hold her.

  “Hannah, have Joe standing by to let us back in, but don’t give him the all clear until we’re at the gate. Also, watch those monitors in case the gunshots attracted any more bad guys.”

  “Okay, John.”

  John and Mark shouldered their weapons and worked together to drag the dead tree back into the forest. Then they drove two of the quad runners to the walk-thru gate.

  “Think they’ll fit through the gate?”

  “It’ll be close, but I think they’ll make it with an inch or two to spare.”

  They walked back to the front of the compound, dragged Sabol’s lifeless body across the rack on one of the two remaining wheelers, and drove them back to the gate.

  Hannah, watching them on the monitor, asked, “John, are you ready to come in?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Joe, this is Hannah. All clear. You can open the gate.”

  The last battle of the siege was over. There was some cleanup to do, of course. Bodies had to be buried, and the tunnel had to be finished. Sami would have to be pampered for a time because of the trauma she suffered by witnessing the deaths of four men. All four of the shooters would struggle off and on with their consciences in the weeks ahead.

  But in the end, every one of them would come to the conclusion that they did what they had to do.

  Chapter 44

  Life in the compounded shifted into a lower gear for a short time after the assault. The men went ahead and finished the tunnel, hiding the opening beneath the floorboards of the old hunting shack.

  On the inside of the tunnel, where the new branch of the tunnel connected with the old one, they installed a security door. Just in case someone other than them
ever discovered the tunnel entrance and decided to see where it led. They could get the door open quickly enough if they ever had need to defend the front of the compound again. But any outsiders would need heavy axes or dynamite to breach the heavy door from the outside.

  Other than that, the place took on the feel of a family farm. The adults all pitched in to care for the crops and the livestock. They decided that the herds were of sufficient size to allow the slaughter of two pigs and a bull, and they started having outdoor barbeques each Saturday afternoon.

  Bryan and Joe used a cutting torch and a portable welding rig to repair the damage Skully and his crew had caused when they crashed their own Hummer through the main gate. When they were finished it squeaked a little bit, but otherwise worked fine.

  Mark, ever the handyman, even made picnic tables from the wooden pallets they’d had left over from the tunnel project.

  He placed them in the orchard, underneath the apple trees they’d planted two years before the big freeze. They were growing well now, and starting to put out considerable shade. It was a good spot for the group to socialize and relax.

  It was at one of the barbeques that John came to Mark and asked him, “I’m going on a top secret mission tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a couple of hours. Would you like to come along?”

  Mark didn’t even hesitate.

  “Sure, John. Where are we going?”

  “What part of ‘top secret mission’ don’t you understand, son?”

  “You want me to go, but you won’t even tell me where we’re going?”

  “Let’s just say I have a debt to pay.”

  The following morning John and Mark drove one of their Hummers to the poultry barn. They carried four dog carriers they removed from one of the Walmart trailers, and placed three hens and one rooster into the carriers.

  Then they opened the hatch on the back of the vehicle and threw in ten sacks of chicken feed.

  They left the Hummer idling inside the gate and ran inside for a minute.

  Sarah was manning the security console.

  “Hello, beautiful. Would you see if you can scare up a body to let us out of the compound?”

  “John, I’ll do anything you want as long as you call me beautiful. Where are you going?”

  “Anything?”

  “Sure. As long as you don’t tell my husband.”

  She winked at him.

  “I can’t tell you where we’re going. It’s a secret mission.”

  “Oh, really? Not even a hint?”

  “No, sorry. Not even a hint.”

  She got on the radio.

  “Joe, this is Sarah. Do you have a minute?”

  “Sure thing, Sarah. What’s up?”

  “Can you go to the drive-through gate and let John and Mark out?”

  “Sure thing. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Hannah heard the radio chatter and came running over to the console. She confronted her husband.

  “Where you going, bub?”

  Mark threw a thumb in John’s direction.

  “Beats me. Ask Mr. Secret Agent over there. He says it’s top secret.”

  “John, you’re not taking my husband out to hunt for cheap floozies, are you?”

  Sarah interrupted before John could answer.

  “Nah. He’s already married to a cheap floozie.”

  Hannah stuck out her tongue at Sarah. Sarah just smiled.

  “Seriously, now,” John said. “I’m not going to tell you where we’re going. We’ll be back in about two hours, and it’s nowhere dangerous. And that’s all you need to know.”

  Sarah and Hannah looked at each other in resignation.

  “Okay, have it your way.” Hannah said.

  As John and Mark turned to leave, Sarah stopped them with a request.

  “Hey, John! Since I did you a favor, would you do one for me?”

  “Of course, beautiful. What do you want?”

  “Would you tell Mr. Haskins thanks from Hannah and I as well?

  It turned out John was way too transparent to be keeping secrets.

  Chapter 45

  Mark drove the Hummer to the Trucker’s Paradise truck stop in Junction, a few miles away from the compound.

  “Man, it looks like nothing’s changed since before the big freeze.”

  They looked around and were impressed. A couple of cars and a big rig were at the fuel pumps, topping off their tanks. A family of four stepped out of the truck stop and headed for their car, the youngest child smiling from ear to ear because of the candy she carried.

  It did, indeed, remind them of a normal world that they hadn’t seen in many years.

  They parked the vehicle and walked inside.

  John recognized the man behind the counter as Marty Haskins instantly.

  Marty looked at John with a slight sense of recognition, although it took him a bit longer to remember. Then the light came on, he smiled, and walked around the counter.

  John extended his hand and said, “Hello, Marty. Remember me?”

  Marty said, “Yes. But it took me a minute. I see a hundred new faces each and every day, so it took me a moment to remember where I’d seen you before. How are you?”

  “We’re doing real well now. That’s why we’re here. Do you have a minute?”

  John glanced around furtively, looking for people who might overhear their conversation.

  Marty recognized the sign, and suggested, “Why don’t we step into the back office. We can talk in private there.”

  He turned and yelled across the store.

  “Hey Lenny, can you watch the counter?”

  A reply came back immediately.

  “Sure thing.”

  Marty led them into the office and seated them in front of his desk.

  “Can I offer you guys a cigarette? They’re stale, but better than nothing if you’ve got the habit. Or I can pour you a drink. Jack Daniels never goes bad.”

  “No thanks on both, Marty. So, how’s your operation running? Are you still giving away everything for free?”

  “Yes. It doesn’t belong to us, so we wouldn’t feel right about selling it. I suppose it’s a very fine distinction, but giving it away to help others somehow seems to make it all right.”

  “What other services do you offer?”

  “Well, we keep the pumps running and the underground tanks filled. Also free of charge. I understand we’re the only operating service station within five hundred miles. Our customers are happy to see it. Those who are going long distances have been having to siphon gas from abandoned cars.

  “We also have two mechanics who are volunteering their time and services because they have nothing better to do. They even have a tow truck to use in case someone breaks down out there and has to hitch in.”

  “We give out directions to people who are lost because they no longer have a GPS to use and can’t download directions on-line any more. You’d be amazed at how many people don’t know which states border Texas.

  “Most of what we give out, though, is hope. Hope that the world will eventually get back to normal. I hear that at least ten times a day from people passing through. And I can count on at least one or two women kissing me on the cheek or hugging me, each and every day.

  He winked.

  “It’s the simple things in life that make it worth living.”

  “Marty, we came here to repay a debt to you.”

  “Me? What did I do? I just told you that some bad dudes were looking for you. I didn’t even offer to help you with them.”

  “If we hadn’t known they were coming they’d have caught us off guard. Since you warned us, we made some changes to our security procedures. And we watched out for them. And when they came, we were ready.”

  “Are all your people okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Should I assume I won’t be seeing Grizzly Adams around here anymore?”

  “Not here, or anywhere else either.”

  “Well, honestly, tha
t doesn’t break my heart. He didn’t strike me as a pillar of the community. But you owe me no debt. Heck, I don’t need anything but your friendship. I’ll accept that. But this place gives me everything I need. A roof over my head, food to eat. A sense of purpose. Even, like I said, kisses and hugs from a couple of ladies every day. What more could I possibly want?”

  “How about being able to open your diner again?”

  Chapter 46

  “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  Marty never thought he’d see live chickens again in his lifetime.

  John and Mark had led Marty and Lenny to the back of the Hummer and opened it. The chickens in the dog carriers immediately started clucking.

  “You’ll have to let the flock grow, of course, or you’ll only have enough eggs for a couple of meals. Do you have access to some farm land, or know somebody who can raise some crops for you?”

  “Yes. As a matter of fact, there’s an old farmer and his family who live behind the truck stop. They were nice enough to let us camp on his land during the freeze. But he’s not doing a lot of farming these days. Most of his old seeds aren’t growing well, and all his livestock froze to death. These days he’s just getting by like the rest of us.”

  John pulled a shoebox from the back seat of the Hummer.

  “This is a gift from a good friend of ours. Her name is Karen, and she’s not only the sweetest woman in the world, she’s also got the greenest thumb I’ve ever seen.”

  He took the lid off the shoe box to reveal its contents.

  It was full of zip lock bags full of seeds. Each bag was marked with its contents and growing information.

  Marty took one out and read it aloud.

  “ROMA TOMATOES: Plant in loose, well drained soil. They like lots of sun. Plant time to harvest is around sixty days.”

  His mouth instantly watered and he looked at the others.

  “Do you know how many years it’s been since I had a fresh tomato?”

  He looked through the box. John said, “There are forty two different seed packets in there. Everything from squash to corn, to cucumbers and strawberries. The only thing Karen asked is that when your crops start to grow well, that you share some of the seeds with others. And ask them to do the same thing.”