THE TOCABAGA CHRONICELS: (BOX SET PART II - BOOKS #6-8)
Page 9
Our men headed back to the island and we zoomed down 22nd Avenue after the gang. Along the way every now and then we saw a burning body or car. These bad guys would kill and burn anyone they saw.
We were going over the Pasadena Bridge to St. Pete Beach which gives a clear view for about a half mile down the road until the point where the road bends. Tommy, standing in the gun turret yelled, “Slow down and stop! There’s a person walking in the street about five hundred yards ahead.”
As he was looking through his binoculars Tommy commented, “The guy has a yellow bandanna around his neck and an AK. He’s a Dragon boy.”
I pulled off the road, near some bushes behind another car to stay out of sight. We sat there and visually searched the entire area looking for any more people. “Do you see anyone else?” I asked.
“Nope, no one else is around,” Tommy told us.
“What do you think he’s doing by himself?”
“He might be the rear guard. Why don’t we capture him and find out what he knows.”
“How are we going to do that? If he’s the rear guard then the main force must be close by.”
“I’ll shoot him in the arms and legs with my 308. I’ll just wound him. I still have my silencer on. Then we just drive up and question him.”
Jim Bo stated, “Yeah let’s do it.” I nodded my head for Tommy to proceed.
Tommy dismounted and started creeping forward, keeping low using bushes for cover, to be closer to the target. He moved to within one hundred yards and laid on the ground to steady his aim.
Just as Tommy was taking aim the guy turned around and looked in our direction. Tommy had a perfect shot. POP … the man dropped his AK47; he was hit in the shoulder. He was knocked to the ground by the force of the bullet. Tommy then shot one of his legs. He couldn’t move and was ours for the taking.
The 168 grain Bob Tailed Hollow Point cartridge is a devastating round. At one hundred yards the velocity is 2,600 ft/sec. and it provides 2,670 lb/ ft of energy. It can kill an elephant with no problem.
I started the motor, picked up Tommy, and drove over to the KANG boy. We jumped out with Jim Bo standing guard as Tommy and I stepped up to him. He was laying on the ground withering in pain and was severely bleeding. My guess was we didn’t have long to question him before he would bleed to death.
The DRAGON boy was about eighteen years old. His shoulder had a two inch hole in it and he was shot in one leg. The bullet must have hit his femoral artery because he was bleeding out.
He couldn’t move and twisted his head up to look at us. He mumbled in pain, “Who are y’all? Why y’all shoot me?”
I questioned him, “Where’s your gang?”
“Mister, please help me.” He was getting weaker by the second. Tommy tied a tourniquet around his leg to stop the bleeding.
“Ok, we stopped the bleeding now tell us where your gang is at?”
“They’re at the hotel with the big tower. Give me some pain killer!”
“Tell us where your DRAGON gang is going next and we’ll give you something.”
“Man, I don’t know. I’m just a soldier.”
“Did you capture a man at the golf course?”
“Yeah, we found a guy.”
“Where’s he at?”
“I don’t know where he is. I think he’s dead. Who are you guys?”
“We’re the men who killed BOKO KANG last night.”
“You didn’t kill the … DRAGON. The DRAGON has many … heads.”
The kid slumped over. The life had drained out of him so Tommy released the tourniquet and his blood flowed on to the sidewalk.
Tommy asked, “What the hell did he mean the DRAGON has many heads?”
“Damn if I know. I do know that you killed KANG.”
Tommy expressed, “Well we know where they are, but we still don’t know about Brogan. It’s not looking good. Hey, this guy has a radio. I’ll bring it along maybe we can use it to monitor them.”
“Grab his yellow bandanna maybe we can use it later.”
The radio was a standard hand held model good for a six mile range at best. It was tuned to channel four.
I looked at my watch and told my men, “It’s getting late so let’s go. We’ll back track the way we came so no one spots us.” We mounted up and drove back to Tocabaga. We were tired and disappointed.
We arrived at our sanctuary with no further problems. It was almost dark as we went to the bar for a drink. Tony was there and questioned me, “Did you find Brogan?”
“Sorry we didn’t find him. We don’t even know if he’s alive. We captured one of the DRAGON boys and he told us that Brogan was probably dead. Right now the gang is at the old Tower Hotel.”
“Well … let’s go look for him. I can’t stand not knowing what happened to him.”
“It’s late and we need rest. We can’t do any more today. The KANG group might come here tomorrow so we better be ready. Right now we can’t do anything to help Brogan even if he’s alive.”
We wound up the meeting and I went home to my wife and kids. I was too pooped to stay awake and fell into bed. The bed felt great, but as I laid there Brogan kept haunting me.
Tomorrow we might have a major battle with the DRAGON men, but I wasn’t worried about that. We have defeated better gangs and even the Feds. What did that kid mean the DRAGON has many heads’?
It really bugged me that Brogan was Missing in Action. Even if we find him how would we rescue him? Maybe we could make a trade of some kind. Maybe we’ll need to use force to free our friend.
I know one thing I’ll never give up looking for Brogan and neither will my men.
That’s all for now.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE, AND HOME OF THE BRAVE!
Jack Gunn
PS: Read my article below on Gun Selection. It gives advice to first time gun buyers … how to choose the correct gun for defense or hunting.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
TOCABAGA
Albert Madison – Navy Vet. that comes to Tocabaga with his wife and two kids
Allen – A twenty year Airborne Vet. who fights Rico
Barry – A quisling killed by the Gunn family
Billy – Kid found living on the street with his sister Rosie and brother Peter
Boko Kang – aka the Dragon is a feared warlord
Bok Lam – A Chinese man and close friend of Jack’s since high school
Brogan – A Tocabaga security guard who went MIA while fighting the DRAGONS
Buck – Motorcycle gang leader killed by Maggie
Chase – A quisling
Colonel Turner – Commanding Officer of the Army Rangers based at Fort Desoto
Corporal Phillips – In charge of the communications office at Fort Desoto
Captain Sessions – Combat officer, commands and controls combat operations in the field
Captain Riley – Female tank commander, girl friend of Captain Sessions
Chris – Tocabaga security guard and close friend of Jack
Dew – A quisling killed by the Gunn family
Dr. Carl Urban – The inventor of the RCCD Units and friend of Jack’s
Dr. Carl Urban, Jr. – Son of Dr. Urban
Dr. Alvin Sinclair – Robot inventor and Commie killed by Jack
Ellen – A lonely woman
First Lt. Fisher – TALOS Warrior, Platoon commander
Farmer John – An old farmer saved by Jack, now living on Tocabaga
Guy Allen or GA – Suspected spy living on Tocabaga was killed by Jack
General Harper – Commander of the Rangers located at SOCOM
George Taylor – A nice kid who was bullied in school by Nick
Hank – A pervert killed by Jack Gunn
Hemmi – Wife of Jack Gunn
Joe the hammer – Second in command under Rico, killed by Jack
Joe – RCCD tech. Supervisor; a tough guy killed by Jack
Little Johnny – Adopted grandson of Jack’s
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br /> Johnny the Fisherman – A quisling killed by security
Jill – A warrior killed by Feds
Jim Bo – Husband to Amy and son-in-law of Jack
Jimmy Smith – A bully from years ago
Ken – US Deputy Marshal who went missing
Leroy – The man who killed Jack’s little brother Mike
Lisa – Rico’s hot girl friend
Maria Martin – Rico’s wife
Mike – Jack Gunn’s little brother killed by a doper
Maggie – Wife of Robbie, who is in charge of the farming
Mr. Johnson or Famer John – Old time Farmer
Mr. Horn – Pig farmer and dirtbag who wanted to kidnap Maggie for breeding
Nick – A bully from Junior High School
Peter – Little nine year old brother to Rosie
Rico a.k.a. BIG BOSS – Long time friend of Jack Gunn
Rico, Jr. – Rico’s son
Rosie – A fifteen year old girl Jack found living on the street
Robbie – Best friend of Jack Gunn, a Tocabaga security guard killed by the FPF on April 27, 2025
Ron – Brother of Jack Gunn Retired Navy vet. Part of Tocabaga security.
Rick – President of Tocabaga Association, security team member
Sally – A warrior killed by Feds
Scotty – A quisling killed by security
Sergeant Hammer – Army Ranger
Sergeant First Class Dale – killed in action
Sergeant Major Willis – Ranger squad leader and security guard for Jack
Sergeant Cain – the Drone Master
Sergeant Smith - Army Ranger assigned as security guard for Jack
Stan – Deputy Marshal
Sue – Wife of Albert Madison
Tommy Gunn – Son of Jack Gunn and a retired Marine Scout Sniper
Tony – Bar keeper and sharp-shooter for Tocabaga security
Trini – Amazon Warrior who killed Troy
Troy – A quisling killed by security
Victor Elway – An old farmer from Ellenton now living on Tocabaga with his friend Farmer John
Zack – A quisling killed by the Gunn family
GUN SELECTION
This article will cover gun selection based on what is the most popular ammunition. The gun is your most important asset. Without ammunition, however, your gun is worthless. What kind of guns should one own? Based on my 40 years of gun experience the type of gun and caliber is very important for your protection. Guns have only two main purposes which are hunting and self protection. Of course, any of the guns mentioned in this article can be used for hunting as well as self defense. The question is which gun is the best tool for the job.
For people new to guns I try to explain the differences in a simple manner. When purchasing your first gun it is a confusing matter to choose the correct gun with the large selection in the market. I have had many people ask me, what type of gun should I purchase? Where do you go to learn to shoot?
GUNS FOR HUNTING
The most popular ammunition is the .22 long round and the 12 gauge shotgun round. This ammo is easy to obtain and that is what is important. The more popular the ammo is the easier it is to find when you run out of ammunition.
I break down guns into two categories which are hunting guns and tactical guns or combat weapons. There may come a time when you will need to hunt for food. There are two types of hunting guns that can dispatch most animals and that is a 12 gauge shotgun and a .22 caliber rifle or pistol. These two guns allow you good flexibility. The shotgun you can use bird shot for hunting birds or rabbits and slugs for hunting deer or larger animals. In addition a 12 gauge with slugs or buck shot is a great weapon to use for protection at close range.
The one drawback is that shotgun shells are expensive and heavy to carry and too large to store many of them. Shotguns come mostly in semi-automatic and pump type. They hold 5 to 8 rounds. The difference is the semi-auto you just load and pull the trigger. The faster you pull the trigger the faster it shoots. The pump needs to be pumped or cocked each time to shoot it. I prefer the semi-auto type because it is faster, easier to clean and use. Double barrel or single shot shotguns are not worth owning since you have to reload every time you fire it.
Do not under estimate the .22 rifle or long barrel pistol as it can be used on birds and or small rodents as well as be a tool for self defense. A .22 with hollow point bullets is an easy weapon to use and you can carry a lot of ammunition since the bullets are so small. You can store 5,000 rounds of this ammo in a desk due to its small size. A .22 rifle has a 200 yard range and 6 inch barrel pistol has a 50 yard range.
The 12 gauge shotgun and a .22caliber rifle are a must to own. A .22 rifle also comes in pump or semi-auto types. The choice is up to you. As for 22 pistols there is only one that I will mention and that is the Ruger target model as it is the best you can buy.
My selection for a shotgun is a Remington semi-auto model that handles 2 ¾ inch shells. Purchase a shotgun that has a stock and forearm that is made of modern plastic as it can stand up better to the elements.
GUNS FOR SELF DEFENSE
There are many types of combat pistol and rifle ammunition. The selection of the ammunition is critical to the type of combat rifle or combat pistol you will select for protection. The shotgun and .22 rifle mentioned above are dual purpose weapons but are mainly for hunting. The pistols and rifles mentioned below are really the weapons you need for total protection. These are guns that contain high capacity magazines.
What other types of guns do you need to survive? Well let us first look at what is the most popular type of ammunition used to make our selection. Having enough ammo will be your biggest problem. The fact is most police and military handguns are 9 mm. The 45 caliber and 40 calibers are also popular but not as common as 9mm luger ammo. The 9mm ammo is also less expensive to purchase.
For rifles there are only three major types of calibers that are widely used by the police and military. One is the .223 Winchester also known as the 5.56mm NATO round. The other is the AK 47 round 7.62 x39, a round used by the military and some police around the world. This is the most popular ammo used by terrorists and gangs because the AK 47 is an inexpensive weapon or rifle. The last is the .308 Winchester round or 7.62x51 NATO.
The .223 ammo is used by the famous Colt AR15 or the M16 which is now named the M4 carbine, widely used by our military. There are many different manufactures of the so called AR15 design. Some of these AR designs also shoot 7.62x51 NATO which is the basically the same as the .308 Winchester and are called AR10 rifles.
The 7.62x39 and 7.62x51 are not to be confused as they are totally different rounds. The drawback of the 7.62x51round is the cost is higher than the .223 and when you are hauling around 300 rounds they are also heavier. The 7.62 x 51 is a long range round and can exceed 800 yards. The .223 round has an effective range of up to 500 yards.
You can also purchase an AR type rifle that will fire the AK 47 7.62x39mm round. Bushmaster is one of the best manufactures for AR type designs which can be purchased in many different calibers. Several companies also make a .22 caliber AR rifle such as Colt and the Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22.
The most popular type ammunition for a pistol is the 9mm luger round. The most common type for a rifle is the .223 Winchester, also known as the 5.56mmNATO round. Knowing this we can select a number of different pistols, rifles, or carbines to use. For this selection we need to keep in mind durability, ease of cleaning, interchangeability, and ease of use by men or women.
Knowing that we want a handgun that shoots 9mm luger rounds you can note that all 9mm are semi-auto design and are not revolvers. Semi-auto means it has a magazine that holds the bullets and some can hold up to 18 rounds before reloading. There are two handguns that I recommend which are a Glock and a Springfield Armory model XD. I own both and they are the best dependable handguns on the market. This is not to say there are not other good brands but based on my shooting experience buying o
ne of these handguns you cannot go wrong.
My favorite is the Glock Model 17 because it is dependable and very easy to clean and repair. Yes, sometimes guns break so you should have some extra parts or a backup gun or two if possible. Each gun comes with an assembly manual and the Glock can be taken apart by just removing the slide and one pin which is pushed out. I have shot thousands of rounds and only had my Glock break one time. The trigger return spring broke and I replaced it in 10 minutes with a new one. It is so simple that anyone can work on it. The Glock can be dropped in the mud, run over by a truck and still shoot. It can be fired under water and the barrel life is 350,000 rounds which is more than you will ever shoot in your life time.
Basically all AR15 type rifles are the same design and are easy to take apart for cleaning. The models may have different names from different manufactures such as Armalite SPR Mod 1 which is basically the same as a Colt CAR15 or carbine model of the AR 15 rifle.
It pays to buy a good quality rifle from a well known manufacturer even if it may cost a little more. Remember your life may depend on this weapon. If you buy an AR type rifle then find out what parts you may need to replace by asking the manufacture. I recommend buying two weapons of the same type this way you have a back up and you do not have to learn about different weapons and the assemblies. Parts between different manufactures’ are not necessarily interchangeable. The AR15 can be cleaned in about 10 minutes just by pushing out a pin which opens the rifle up. It is also light weight so men and women can use it. The recoil is very low which is important for accurate firing. I recommend the Colt brand AR15 .223 as this is a dependable weapon which has been on the market many years.
Some manufactures such as Colt have also made CAR15 carbines that use the pistol 9mm luger round. This is an excellent weapon that has very little recoil but has a limited range of about 100 yards. It is made for close quarter combat situations. Having a CAR15 9mm is a good choice since you can use the same ammo as your 9mm handgun.