by A J Newman
The meeting moved on to the main topic after the situation with the Chief was resolved. Sam quickly took charge of the meeting and framed the issue for all to discuss.
“This boils down to do we want to follow the Mayor and his buddies or do we want to join John Harris and the ISA. The Mayor wants us to start our own country, which has plusses and minuses. The plusses are independence from a central government and uh, uh. What the heck? I can’t think of anything else. Can y’all?"
No one came up with anything. They all broke out laughing.
“Now the minuses are that the Mayor is becoming a dictator, no protection or support from the military, no help getting our power back up and running like Mobile. Does anyone have any more? I can think of several more."
The team brought up a dozen more positive reasons for joining the ISA.
Sam took charge again and said, “Now, how do we tell the Mayor what the town wants to do without his thugs throwing us in jail?”
“I can take care of the thugs. Most of the police force is on our side and take orders from me. You organize a town vote on the issue and I will make sure that the thugs stay out of the way. I will have enough loyal men to assure a safe vote and make sure the Mayor behaves himself.”
Sam’s wife stood up and said, “Chief, we thank you for coming clean with us. I don’t condone what you did, but we all make mistakes. It appears that you have done well by your son and will let the chips fall with your wife. We all wish you well there, but we don’t want to be around when you tell her.”
“Thanks, now I will give you some free advice. Y’all need to plan for success. Who will the new leader be and does he or she really share your values? Don’t start this without knowing where you will end up.”
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Chapter 7
Miller’s Farm
Smyrna, Tennessee, ISA
December, 2048
Scott heard Gus’ end of the conversation and knew what had to be done.”
“We only have my bodyguards and family. Let’s go. Listen up; Dad, Mom, Jenn and that reporter are trapped in a barn being shot to hell. We have to help them.”
“Sir, we can’t let you go into a firefight. Our duty is to protect you.”
“Then bring all of your guns and ammo; I’m going to help my family and that’s that. George, grab your boys and let’s go.”
Every adult had served in the military or was currently serving so there were over twenty combat proven soldiers around Scott. It only took a minute to get all of them loaded and flying down the highway.
Sonny, George and Gus were in the lead Humvee with Scott and his bodyguards in the second vehicle in the four Humvee convoy. Two of the Humvees had Ma Deuces and the other two had twin M60s. All twenty-one of the warriors were armed to the teeth.
“This is Sonny, I know the Miller farm and we will be there in a minute. Scott, turn left off the street and go to the back left of the barn. I’ll be right behind you. Sammy, go to the house and hang a quick left watch for fire from the house. Meg, go around the house and attack from behind them."
Gus was on the phone with Jenn who passed on the latest positions for the enemy just as they drove through the fence and onto the farm.
The Humvees charged across the front of the farm and opened up with the machine guns blazing.
“John, hang on, the cavalry just arrived. Duck and cover; we might hit you with a stray round.”
“Marvin, the guy behind the truck has an RPG; kill the bastard.”
Marvin strafed the SOB with the twin 50 Cal Browning machine guns that are affectionately named the Ma Deuce.
“Did you see that? He literally was chopped to pieces. He won’t mess with John Harris again.”
The fighting was fierce, but there was never any doubt about the ending. A dozen heavily armed men stood no chance against the twin machine guns on the Humvees. Most of the team charged out of the vehicles spread out and took up positions while firing on the enemy. Several were wounded, but fought until the end of the battle. None wanted to be responsible for losing the first President of the ISA and his family.
“Dad, several of the bastards are escaping through the woods. Meg, Sammy, Marvin, let’s catch the SOBs.”
George replied, “Go get them, Sonny.”
They took off after the escaping assassins and quickly disappeared into the woods hot after their trail. A few minutes later, there was the sound of gunfire about a mile away. The shooting lasted for about five minutes and then abruptly stopped.
“George, I hope none of ours got killed in the battle.”
“Hell, Scott, that team was itching to kill some USA sons a bitches. They ate ‘em up and spit ‘em out.”
Inside George was praying for the team and said extra ones for his boys.
"Dad, you can come out now. We did all the hard work and saved your sorry ass again!”
***
The Wolf saw his men dying all around the barn and knew that he was defeated. He had one chance to keep his promise and he was not going to miss his last shot at killing John Harris. He had hid under the deck on the back of the house. He had a Savage .308 with a high-powered scope and waited for the targets to come out of the barn. He knew he had no chance of escaping so he had decided to take John and as many others out as possible before he was killed.
He had told his wife to head to his bug out cabin in Paraguay and hide until he showed up. She knew what to do if he didn’t show up in sixty days. Cortez would chase him down until he was caught, tortured and dead for this failure. The only way to keep his family alive was to kill John Harris.
***
John and Beth walked out together into the middle of the rescue team. Scott hugged his dad and stepmom and then saw Jenn and Josh limping out. Josh had an arm over Jenn’s shoulder and could hardly walk.
“Well, I guess we have to give Josh a Purple Heart for this nick. Where did you take the slug?”
“He got shot in the ass and is very touchy about it. Thank God, he stopped the bullet or it would have taken my head off. He saved my life.”
“So Jenn was he in the wrong place at the wrong time or did he jump between the bullet and you?”
“No, but he was trying to place a bale of hay behind me when he got wounded.”
“My ass hurts like a bitch. Can we get a doctor or an ambulance or something? Maybe an aspirin? Damn this hurts.”
“I thought you were a hero, but now I know you are a whiney punk,” Jenn said laughing.
Josh and Jenn joined the team and Scott and John moved over to them to thank Josh. Just as John went past Josh to hug Jenn, a shot rang out and Josh fell to the ground. Everyone hit the dirt and sought cover.
Another three shots hit around them, but didn’t find their target.
Gus yelled, “The shots came from the house. Strafe under the deck!”
The closest Humvee opened up on the deck and then the house. Several of the team charged the house when the machine guns ceased fire and found a wounded man under the deck hiding behind some cinder blocks. They dragged him out from under the deck and took him to Scott. They forced him to his knees and tied his hands behind his back.
“Aren’t you a bit old to be hiding under a deck and killing people?" Beth said.
“Fuck you, you whore.”
Beth kicked him in the face and knocked him to the ground.
Scott spoke up and said, “Mom, that is the Wolf. We have a million dollar reward on his ass. Dead or alive. This bastard has been trying to kill Dad for over twenty years. We will get him to talk about the Chupracabras.”
Meanwhile Jenn had started checking Josh’s wound.
“Dad, the unlucky boy just took another slug saving another Harris life. He has a wound in his upper arm that passed through his chest above all vital organs. Help me stop the bleeding and I think he will live.”
“Jenn, you need to stay away from this young man. He is a bullet magnet.”
“I’m wounded, not
dead. I can hear you.”
Josh passed out as they were loading him into the ambulance. Jenn jumped in the ambulance and rode to the hospital with Josh.
***
Scott and John walked into the pressroom to a round of applause and a standing ovation. He waved several times, but the applause continued.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen!”
The room fell silent and everyone was fixed on Scott.
“I want to start off by thanking everyone who had a hand in saving my Dad and family from these terrorists. Several of my bodyguards and family members were wounded in the battle.”
Scott read off their names and thanked them and their families for their sacrifice.
“A visiting reporter from the USA was caught in the crossfire and was also wounded. There were no deaths on our team and all will recover. The reporter was the most seriously injured since he was shot twice. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them. I will now take questions.”
“Mr. President, we have information from several reliable sources that Josh Logan was wounded twice saving President Harris and your sister. Do you have any comment?”
“Yes, I do. The boy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In both cases, he accidently stepped between my family and the bullet meant to kill them. Yes, I am happy that the bullets did not kill my family, but the boy was not an active participant in the battle. He was a reporter caught in a battle and he spent his time doing what a great reporter does. No more no less.”
“Mr. President, why did your sister give him a kiss on the forehead and ride in the ambulance back to the hospital with him, if he was just another reporter? My sources say that he personally killed four of the terrorists and was wounded trying to protect your sister.”
“We are in the middle of an investigation on this matter and I cannot give out more detail. As far as the kiss, I would kiss you if you took a bullet meant for me. Thanks for your support and prayers for the wounded.”
They left the pressroom and headed directly to the command center.
George got their attention and said, “Scott we have to get his parents out of the USA double quick. They will be dead before tomorrow night.”
“Son, I am afraid George is right. That egotistical bitch will have them killed just to make sure no one in the USA ever thinks about helping the ISA.”
“General Jones, can you get them out of Ohio before dawn?”
“Mr. President, I’d be lying if I said yes, but we will give it a hell of a try and I alerted my team when that reporter gave up Mr. Logan. The Team will be in the air in two hours. We know where they live from the vetting for him to interview President Harris, but need much more detail from Josh to improve our chances.”
“Gus has more info on the Logans and I’ll get more information from Josh. Dismissed!”
***
“Mr. Wolf, are you comfortable? I want your stay with us to be as enjoyable as possible while we question you.”
The Wolf was lying with his head lower than his feet with a wet towel over his face. He had been water boarded several times in his career and did not like it, but could concentrate his mind on young ladies and other important topics. He smiled when the woman took the towel off and said, “You really need to pour the water a little slower.”
She slapped him and pulled him up by the cable attached to his handcuffs until he was standing. She waved a man over to help her pull the cable until the Wolf was standing only on his toes.
“Let’s see if standing like this for a few hours will loosen your tongue.”
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Chapter 8
The Kentucky National Guard
Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, Alabama
February, 2021
“Sir, I have the clubhouse on camera now.”
The drone flew in over Lake Wilson from the east and had a bird’s eye view of the eighteenth hole, which was a par 3 looking at the majestic clubhouse. The clubhouse was setting on the south side high above the lake. The drone then flew around the north side of the clubhouse and went on to pass over most of the course before flying back to view the front of the clubhouse.
“Sarge, you have been to that clubhouse, haven’t you?”
“Yes, my buddies and I have played golf there many times over the years. Try to look into the open basement doors under the clubhouse. I’ll bet they have most of their Humvees and small vehicles stored there. The rest will be in the golf cart tunnels that go under the roads. There are several large garages and warehouses on the way to Muscle Shoals that could be used to hide the five ton trucks."
“Sir, there are some objects of interest.”
The Lieutenant walked over to the monitor and saw the golf course on the screen. There were several vehicles in the trees, which could not be hidden from IR detection.
“Sir, there is the tail end of a Humvee poking out from under the clubhouse and it’s still hot.”
“Thanks men. Keep a drone over the target until further notice. Give me the usual info - number of men, vehicles, arms and movement.”
The Lieutenant passed the information on to HQ, which passed it on to John’s team.
***
“Roger, put a team together to assist John with the mission to Florence. Be prepared for action if the NG troops are not friendly. I will have overwhelming air support in case they are not friendly.”
“Yes, sir. I don’t think we’ll need it, but who knows what we will encounter. The world has been turned upside down.”
Roger quickly left to organize the mission while Captain Bob Jones and John discussed his team’s role.
“I don’t think we should over-think this situation. Go meet with them and see if they want to join us and get their families moved on down here.”
“Bob, I agree. That’s why I had Scott drive over to the RTJ and make radio contact with Major Mills. He seems to be a nice guy in a bad jam. They can’t go back to Kentucky and save their families, but are afraid that we will attack them. Scott is having lunch with them and setting up a meeting with me.”
“So what do you need me for?”
“Muscle, in case they are playing us.”
Bob laughed and walked out the door. The door opened and Bob said, “Aren’t you supposed to be with Beth and the baby? How is little Jenn doing?"
“They are asleep and I snuck out for a minute. Both are doing great. Beth’s daughter and the women of the bunker are a big help. They keep shoving me out of the way. My daughter is so beautiful and so tiny. I am afraid to hold her because I think I might break her.”
“Kids are very tough, so don’t worry about breaking her. Just love her and take care of her."
***
“Do you think this John Harris and his band of merry men can be trusted? It seems too good to be true that there is this do-gooder going around trying to protect the weak and punish the bad.”
Jack paused to think about the last several months on how the world went dark and evil lurked around every corner.
“Ted, I don’t know what to think, but just like I want this golf course to reopen, I want to believe there is a force for good left in this world. We can’t go back to Kentucky to protect our families without being slaughtered before we get through Tennessee.”
“Jack, we have to do something. If we don’t develop a plan the men will disappear and go back home by themselves.”
Just then, Private Smith broke through the door.
“Sir, I just made contact with the Armory in Madisonville. They tipped me off that the call was being listened to, but did indicate all was well and we should come on back. Command would issue light punishment and we could quickly rejoin our families. Can I tell the men?”
“Alex, don’t tell the men. This is obviously a ploy to get us back and eliminate us. The radio operator was trying to warn us. Do you know him well?”
“Sir, it’s a she, and I know her very well.”
“Remind her of som
ething only you two would know about and see how she answers.”
“Will do immediately. I know just what to bring up.”
Alex left the room hoping to get a correct response and get home to the lady that he missed and loved so much.
“Kate, are you alone?
“Yes, what do you need?
“I need you. I can’t get our last trip to Kentucky Lake out of my mind and I know you are dying to get back to Grand Rivers.”
“Yes, dear, I still can’t believe you were so sweet to take me down there to your favorite campground. I hope we get all of this behind us so we can get back together in that sleeping bag. Maybe in three to four months after the punishment is over, we can head down there.”
“Darling, I have to go now. I love you.”
“I love you too. I’ll give Sarah a hug for you.”
“Major Mills, it’s very bad up there. She hates Grand Rivers and camping, but told me she can’t wait to go again. She told me that she would give my 9mm a hug. You are right; they have guns to their heads. We have to go save them!”
“Son, we are going to do something, but I hope we don’t just die in vain.”
Scott, Maria and Roger walked towards the clubhouse with their hands in the air. They only had their 9mm side arms, a hidden GPS and listening devices planted on each one of them. Several heavily armed soldiers in full battle gear with armor greeted them.
