by Steven Smith
Jim stood aside and the two men started walking slowly away. Cramer turned around once, as if he were looking for someone.
Mike watched through a spotting scope from a hide he had just shown his newest trainee how to build, about a quarter mile from the gate. He watched as Cramer and Waters began to walk slowly toward them. "Here. Take a look," he said, backing away to the side.
Tracy Garner moved up to put her eye to the scope and watched for a minute. "Their wrists are zip tied together and something's wrong with Waters' right hand."
"Jim broke his fingers."
"Why?"
"I can't say for sure, but I think I can read the symbolism. Waters agreed to help Cramer, which would have made him Cramer’s right hand man, so he's tied to Cramer's right hand. Then Jim broke the fingers on Waters' right hand for his additional punishment of betraying Stonemont, and to show him what happens to a right hand that serves an ill purpose."
Tracy turned toward him to see if he was putting her on, but he looked serious. "You got all that from how they're tied and some broken fingers? You’re kidding, right?"
Mike shook his head. "Nope."
Tracy looked back through the scope and watched the two walk for a minute. "Good."
Mike chuckled. "Good?"
"Yeah. You know how in the movies the bad guys never got what was coming to them until the end, and then it was never as bad as they really deserved?"
"Yeah."
"Well, it seems like lately the bad guys are getting what they deserve. Jim doesn't put up with much, does he?"
"No, he doesn't. He can't afford to. He's responsible for his family and now a lot of other people."
Tracy took her eye away from the scope and looked at Mike. "Yeah. He can seem mean sometimes, but I like him. So do my folks."
Mike nodded. "So do I. But he's not mean, he's just.”
Tracy waited for him to finish what he was saying, but he didn't seem to be continuing. “Just what?” she finally asked.
“What?”
“You said he was just, and then you stopped.”
Mike smiled. “I meant that he is just, as in justice. It may seem mean by a standard that thought it was mean to execute someone who had tortured and murdered an entire family, or that it was mean to expect able bodied people to support themselves, or that it was mean for one little league team to actually beat another one, or to tell a four-hundred-pound person that maybe they didn't need another doughnut. The thinking that truth and justice is mean is what made the world the mess it was before it all came crashing down, and it's also the reason so many people became unable to take care of themselves."
Tracy thought about that for a minute, then moved back so Mike could look through the scope.
“It's amazing," she said.
"What's amazing?"
"How far we let ourselves get away from reality. Do you know what the favorite TV shows were in college?"
"No."
"Shows about vampires and a bunch of women trying to get a guy to propose to them."
Mike looked at her skeptically. "You're kidding."
Tracy shook her head. "Huh uh. Nobody went out until those shows were over."
Mike shook his head in disbelief, then put his eye back to the scope. "They're almost to us. It's about time for you to go to the next location."
"Okay. Was Jim surprised when you told him you wanted to bring me?"
"I don't think so. He knows you're a capable person and I told him you were one of the best in your group."
"Really?" she asked with a smile, which quickly changed to a slight scowl. "Who's better?"
Mike gave a low chuckle. "That's not your business. You ready?"
"Yeah."
"Test your radio again."
Tracy whispered into the mic. "Who's better?"
Mike gave a thumbs-up and whispered back. "Not your business. Go."
Tracy returned the thumbs up and slowly backed out of the hide, then down the back of the embankment until she could get to her feet without being seen from the road. Giving Mike another thumbs-up, she turned and quietly walked north into the trees and brush.
Mike watched her walk away, approving of the stealth she had developed so quickly. He had been watching her out of the corner of his eye while she was on the scope. He thought her eyes were amazing, hazel with flecks of gold, and he usually avoided looking directly into them, as doing so often made him forget what he was saying. And the auburn highlights made her dark brown hair look like it was always shining. The weeks of hard work and training had tanned and strengthened her, and her light step only accentuated his realization that he had never seen camos filled out so well. She disappeared into the brush and he turned his attention back to the road.
The two men were almost even with him now. They were talking to each other, but too low for him to hear what they were saying. He watched as they continued up the road and soon heard Tracy's whisper in his earpiece, "All set."
Hearing that, he packed the scope away, backed down the embankment and went into the trees heading north. She should be about a quarter mile ahead and he would leapfrog her position by another quarter mile. They would do this a couple more times until they reached the first crossroad, at which they would stop together to see which way the two men went.
A berm had been built up along the east side of the road when it had been graded many years before, which allowed them to travel behind it and overlook the road wherever they wanted to crest it under the vegetation along the top. When he got close to where he thought she would be, he started looking closely into the shrub for her. After a couple of minutes, he saw her faint outline under some thick bushes. "Good job," he whispered into his mic as he passed, complementing her position.
"Thanks," came the response. Then after a second, "Does this camo make my butt look big?"
Mike flushed as if he'd been caught, and it was several seconds before she heard his whispered "I didn't notice."
She smiled. Yeah, right. Mike tried to play it cool, but she had caught him looking at her several times. She just hoped he hadn't caught her looking at him. She watched the two walk past her and about ten minutes later heard Mike's whispered "I got 'em."
They leap-frogged two more times before Mike called her up to join him over-watching a small white house the two men had entered. Crawling into an area he had cleared behind some brush, she lifted her eyes above the crest of the berm and looked down on the house. It was situated about fifty feet off the road with a small out-building another fifty feet behind it. A silver car sat in a carport overgrown with weeds.
Mike leaned close to her and spoke quietly. "They just went in a minute ago. From the sound of it, they kicked in the back door. We checked this area about a month ago and this house was vacant. Should be still unless some refugees have moved in." He set up the spotting scope on the house.
"You haven't told me what we're supposed to do exactly,” said Tracy,
"Jim wants us to follow them and make sure they leave the area. Also, to make sure they don't hurt anyone along the way."
"How long are we supposed the follow them?"
"Until we know."
"Good thing I brought my toothbrush."
They took turns on the scope throughout the afternoon, Mike taking occasional naps during his off times and Tracy trying to. By evening, the men had not come out of the house and Tracy was getting antsy. "What do you think they're doing in there?"
Mike lifted the boonie hat from his eyes and rolled from his back to his stomach to look over the crest of the berm. "The first thing they did was cut the flex cuffs off. Then Waters taped up his fingers. After that, they went through the house looking for guns, booze, food and whatever else they can use. They won't find any guns because we secured those. There's food and there's booze, so they've probably had something to eat and are now getting drunk and talking about how they'd like to go back and kill us all."
Tracy looked at him. "Wow."
Mike sm
irked. "Well, that's what I'd do if I were a thief and a dirt bag who had just been kicked out of my village."
Tracy nodded. "Makes sense."
Mike got into his rucksack and dug out some protein bars, giving two to Tracy and keeping two for himself. "Let's get a little fuel in us. When it gets dark I'm going down to take a look."
"What are you looking for?"
"I just want to make sure they're in there alone."
"And what do you want me to do?"
"If I'm not back in an hour, go back and get help."
"How do I know when an hour has gone by?"
"I'll show you when it gets dark."
They ate their protein bars and sipped water as they waited for it to get dark. When it did, Mike pointed up in the sky. "See that group of stars right there? See the biggest one?"
Tracy followed his finger. "Uh huh."
"When that big star passes the top of that big tree it will be about an hour after I leave."
Tracy raised her eyebrows in appreciation of the lesson. "Cool."
Mike reached into his ruck, pulled out a pair of NVGs and put them on.
"What the heck is that?" asked Tracy.
"Night vision."
"Double cool. Do I get one?"
"Yep." He dug another set out and helped her put them on.
She looked around her, amazed at the glowing green world around her. "Wow! How come 'wow' and 'cool' are all I seem to be able to say?"
She looked at him. "You look like some kind of alien anteater. How do I look?"
Mike tilted his head from side to side as if studying her, then smiled. "They make your butt look big."
He waited until an hour after the sun went down to leave the hide and check the house, entering through the broken back door and quietly making his way to the front. As he had expected, both Cramer and Waters were asleep and snoring in the living room, one on the couch and one in a recliner. Beer cans lay on the tables and floor around them and a mostly empty bottle of bourbon sat on the table next to the chair.
Making a quick check of the other rooms and finding nothing, he exited the house and went to the outbuilding where found the usual junk that accumulated on a farm over fifty years, including an old Massey-Ferguson tractor. Old tools and chains lay on work tables and hung from nails long ago pounded into the wooden support posts. Finding nothing of interest, he left and returned to the hide.
They split the watch, with Mike taking the first half and Tracy taking the second, or, as Tracy called it, "until the other big tree and after it."
At day-break they had some granola and another protein bar and started switching off on the scope more frequently. Finally, at what Mike guessed was about ten o'clock, Cramer and Waters came out from the back of the house. Each was carrying a bag.
"What do you think is in the bags?" whispered Tracy.
"Probably food. Maybe some other things they think they can trade."
They watched as the two men walked back to the road, headed north again then turned left at the cross road to go west.
Mike got to his feet. "Okay, here we go."
They stayed together this time, Mike using the opportunity to test Tracy on some of the stalking, tracking and tradecraft they had covered in her scout class and to introduce her to new skills and concepts. He had been impressed with both her abilities and her dedication in the class, and was even more impressed now that they were in the field. As the day wore on he let her take more of the lead, keeping her eyes on the pair while he ranged further away from the road, checking things in the quarter mile stretch south.
Late in the afternoon they saw a set of railroad tracks and a white two-story building just beyond. As they got closer they were able to see a sign that said "Boomer's" and smaller signs that promised live entertainment and "Girls! Girls! Girls!" Crossing through a small orchard and a stand of trees, they eased up the embankment of the railroad tracks and saw the parking lot filled with motorcycles. Cramer and Waters were just entering the building.
"Okay," said Mike. "That's good news and bad news."
"Yeah? More good or more bad?"
Mike gave a slight shrug. "You can never be sure until it's over. The good news is that they haven't run into any innocent people yet. Also, they're probably going to be in there for a while, which will hopefully give us time to get back to Stonemont."
"And the less than good news?"
"They probably have food, booze and women in there, but in amounts limited by their ability to loot. Now, there are two guys in there who are telling them where there's plenty more of each."
"Really?” she asked, feigning excitement. “We have plenty of booze?"
Mike couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I suppose that depends on the size of the party. Count the bikes."
"Forty-seven," said Tracy, after a minute.
"I agree. Let's go."
They headed cross country, keeping to a regimen of alternating jogging and walking, and by late afternoon were back at Stonemont.
14
Jim got up from the couch and walked to the windows looking out on the compound, watching those involved in their daily activities and getting ready for supper. Fathers were returning from their work and mothers were calling children to come and wash up before they ate. It was a satisfying sight, and he thought once again how fortunate they were here. Now, their first possible threat from the outside was imminent.
Behind him in the horseshoe of sofas sat the Stonemont core; Kelly, Christian, Mike, Bill, Ann and Tracy. Mike and Tracy had just finished their briefing, and Jim was surprised at how Mike had encouraged Tracy to take the lead, adding only occasional bits as needed. She had done a good job. There was more to this girl than he had first thought. He turned back to the group.
"I doubt they'll make a move at night, though they may send a scouting party. From my experience with this type, if they come it will probably be midday after they've recovered from the previous night."
He looked at Christian. "How many scouts and security people do you have?"
"We have twelve in all, but only about half of them are close to ready."
Jim nodded slowly, thinking. "Okay. Set your normal watch tonight, but add one over on the west fence at the creek. Waters was on security and he knows that's a weak spot. Have them take a dog. If they probe that spot the dog will raise hell and they'll probably discount that way. At morning watch change, switch out the guard so they can get some sleep but keep the dog there. In the morning, I want all the kids kept in the commons, ready to get into the house if trouble starts. All adults will keep their firearms on them and report to their assigned spots if the bell rings."
Christian nodded. “Got it.”
Jim turned to Mike. "As soon as you clean up, get a change of clothes and have something to eat, head back out to overwatch the road at that abandoned house. They might try to scout the road or probe us tonight. Take Tracy and four others. You take an AR-10 and arm the others with three shotguns and two AR-15s. Double-ought in the shotguns. If you have to engage, I want them to think the world is coming to an end - because theirs will be. Keep us up to the minute on the walkie-talkies. We could hear you just fine, even in whisper mode.” He paused for a moment, trying to suppress a smile. “By the way, Mike, if we ever form a diplomatic section, you'll certainly be considered."
It took a moment after Ann shot her a reprimanding glance for Tracy to understand the implications of Jim's last remark and to blush slightly. "Oops."
He turned back to Christian. "Go tell Ralph what's going on and invite them to stay here till this is over. They shouldn't be over there alone. Then block the road to their place just the other side of our drive and also the road going to the Eddington's. I don't want any of them being able to drive around to flank us.
"When the bell rings I want the four best of the remaining scouts behind me at the gate but behind the stone pillars. Split the remaining scouts to positions about fifty yards to the right and left of the gate. Fill i
n with another five men at each of those positions. Put any remaining with the scouts behind me at the gate. Have the scouts carry ARs and the rest shotguns. I want you with an AR-10 up the drive behind me where you can pick them off over the fence. If the ball starts rolling, I don't want anything getting out of there."
He paused for a minute, looking at each member of the group. "I know I don't have to say this to you, but I want to put it into words and give everyone a chance to say something if they want to. We discussed this when we first met, and you all", he nodded at Christian, Mike and the Garners, "dealt with it personally. If these people attack, they will be trying to kill us and our children. We don't have the capacity to keep prisoners. Any that get away will be able to attack us again or to bring others back on us. Therefore, any attackers who are not killed will be hung."
There was silence as each person nodded solemnly.
Jim nodded in return. "I'll announce this to the compound at dinner."
15
It was earlier than they had expected when they heard the first motorcycles.
Mike and his scouts had set up camp behind the crest of the berm overlooking the abandoned farm house and had taken turns watching the road with rotating two-man teams. They first saw the sparkle of sunlight reflecting off chrome as the bikes approached from the west, then heard the rumble of the engines as they turned south onto the road approaching Stonemont. Reaching the abandoned house below their position, the bikers slowed down and pulled into the drive, circling the bikes in the front yard and cutting the engines.
"I count twenty-three." said Tracy.
Mike looked through the spotting scope. "Me too. I wonder where the rest are. Call it in."
Tracy spoke into her headset. "Scout one to stone."
In a moment, they heard the reply. "Go ahead scout one."
"Twenty-three bikes just parked at the house."
"Any others in sight?"
"Negative."
"Okay, keep us advised."
They watched as the bikers dismounted and gathered in a group around one large, bearded man with massive arms and shoulders. Tattoos covered his arms and an American flag do-rag covered his head. A denim cutoff jacket bore a large patch on the back and smaller patches on the front. An AR-type rifle hung muzzle down over his back. The other bikers were similarly dressed, with various types of rifles and side-arms visible.
