by T J Reeder
We rejoined the main force the next day at their laager where they had waited to see ‘where and when’.
I called a general meeting and when the entire bunch was gathered, it was a very impressive sight! I simply told them what we knew for sure, what we thought, and what we hoped. I saw a few frowns when I said I thought the enemy was coming for us first and explained the ‘big dog’ theory.
I also said hell would freeze solid before these people would get within sight of our homes, and that made them smile. I asked if anybody had something to say and Sandy jumped on the truck bed and said, “I do!” which got a laugh as always.
She put on her squinty-eye war face and said, “Rumor has it that one of you assholes is holding out an engraved 1911, and if so now’s the time to cough it up. Don’t make us look for it!” May chimed in with a, “Yeah!”
The entire bunch laughed and booed them at the same time. I just shook my head and laughed. From the crowd came the plaintive call of ,“Last time I saw it, Ralph had it!” Now, that drew a roar because everybody had already heard the
story.
Ralph was screaming that he did not have it and was being framed. Both girls headed for him and as he tried to escape, the crowd grabbed him and handed him to them. Poor Ralph.
Of course, there was no engraved 1911, but it gave some comic relief and everybody was enjoying it. We settled down for the evening and soon the fires were going and the cooks were doing their thing and we all had hot coffee to sip on while waiting for dinner.
Morning came and we were slow to break camp until Ralph could make a scout flight. He did and was back in a few hours with news that the fleet of ships were heading right for the Bay area.
As soon as he was fueled up he headed for the fort where he landed, and while refueling got the leaflets loaded. He took off and headed back to one of the outpost towns where he met up with two scout teams. After refueling he took off with one scout who would toss out the boxes. He scattered them far and wide and after flying back over the area, he saw people standing outside waving the paper at him.
He refueled, headed for our new overnight area and joined us for dinner. He said the message was received and acknowledged, but he had no idea what they would do with the info.
We had done all we could. If people were too stupid to get out of the way of the falling tree they deserved to get hammered.
Hard times, but there it is. Sometimes folks don’t seem to have what it takes to survive- even when all they have to do is pick the apple and eat it, they still starve.
If we hadn’t set up the refueling spots Ralph wouldn’t have been able to do the job, and an awful lot of effort went into getting the messages to those people. I just hoped they would use it.
I studied the maps until my eyes bled and while I doubt anyone not of the Chinese race could ever figure them out, I couldn’t see them staying in the bay area any longer than it took to get unloaded and on the move.
I also couldn’t see them trying to move an army over secondary roads. I had to believe they would head out on I-80 and make a beeline for Salt Lake before heading down into our homeland. IF they were, in fact, after us.
If we were in fact their first priority, why would we be? We were just a bunch of nobodies staying alive and living happily on a lake.
Charley joined me in our camp and we sat with coffee, not talking- just sitting and thinking. I finally asked Charley why and how the Chinese would even know of us and why would they see us as the biggest threat to their plans.
He sat a bit and then said he had asked Col. Chang that very question or questions. And Chang had said the Chinese had some form of intel that had pointed the finger at the ‘Army led by General Walker’ that was the main source of military power left in the country.
I shouldn’t have, but I laughed out loud. Charley actually curled his lips in a smile- small but a smile none the less.
General Walker? What a laugh! I barely kept my few stripes. But I guess to an outsider it might look like more than it was.
I knew, as did every person with me, that I simply have an idea and say, “Huh, I think I’ll go burn (Las Vegas and all the freebooters, the Land Pirates, the Privateers…)” and the shooters and looters say, “Cool, let’s go!”
Nobody was following my ‘orders’, so to speak. I might make a suggestion or two and somebody might think, “Wow, there’s an idea, think I’ll jump right on that!”
Sandy and May can get more done than I can. Hell, Beth can get more done than all of us put together- people fall over their own feet rushing off to do her bidding.
Me? I get no respect. So I just say, “I’m gonna go do this thing” and the lazy bastards who follow along are just trying to get out of weeding the gardens, and I understand that. I’d rather get shot at than weed a garden.
But regardless, if this Chink General wants to think I’m Leonidas, then so be it. Fear the Spartan King! (I am, of course, laughing as I think this shit).
Charley broke into my daydreaming by saying, “They do follow you, you know? They believe in you and you’ve proved yourself by leading from the front in the true spirit of the Marine. You can’t push a chain, you have to get out in front and pull it.”
Marine Officers and NCO’s never pointed and said, “Go take that hill”, they simply stood up and said, “Let’s go kill them fuckers who are sitting on our hill” and they lead from the front.
I don’t think my past actions live up to that grand idea, but I learned a long time ago to never argue with Charley. He don’t argue and he’s always right. So, if he said the troops followed me then it was so. And it made me uncomfortable.
Charley made his slight coughing ‘I’m going to speak’ sound, and when I was quiet he said, “This time John, this battle you will not lead from the front. This time you will allow your officers to do their jobs.”
“We- all of us, cannot afford to lose you. We need you, you are the glue that holds us together and this time the enemy is not some street punk. He is smart and leads a lot of troops who obey his every command with no thoughts of their own.”
I was very uncomfortable hearing his words, but he was right and I knew it. I nodded and didn’t say anything, but he knew. He knows me, he knows my heart, and he is my brother.
We waited, our scouts watched and Ralph flew very high recon with two observers and reported everything they saw. At last the enemy was anchored in the harbor and the unloading started- men first who were there to secure the docks, which they did with no resistance at all. The unloading began and went on day and night.
Each unit moved out as soon as it was unloaded. They rolled right into the city and found it (for the most part) a wrecked ruin. The few people still about took one look and split. One has to assume they were the ones who couldn’t read the fliers.
The scouts reported some fighting, but it was swiftly contained. They reported those who surrendered were shot on the spot as were the wounded. No prisoners. If it moves- kill it. They were here to eradicate us from our homeland. This is a game we can play as well. And will.
It took a week to unload the entire army and (according to Ralph) it looked like a lot more than the 50 K we were expecting. They had tanks, armored personnel carriers and some choppers. They were a mobile unit- no ground pounders in this lash up, everybody rode.
While the unloading was going on, the advance units were clearing the way and moving the stalled vehicles until there was a path for the convoys following behind. They weren’t letting grass grow.
By the time the last unit was off-loaded, the whole army was lined out and moving. The brass were in the choppers. The old ‘Eye in the Sky’ didn’t work well in ‘Nam and I doubted it would work well here.
When they stopped for the day, they simply pulled over and made their camps right where they stopped. Each unit had its own cooks and supply train. The supply trains were pretty small from the looks of it, according to the scouts who were shadowing them.
I wanted them
well out of the city and in open country. I had no intention of fighting house to house. Vegas had taught me that. Quickly.
We watched them rolling along, looting as they went, killing any who were in sight. We had tried to tell them but some folks just won’t listen.
The enemy rolled straight for Sacramento on I-80 and they were stretched out for miles. They wasted no time, rolling before daylight and stopping at dark.
Their lead elements hit Reno like a wave, rolling right over it. It was mostly empty thanks to the people heeding our warnings. The few fools who stayed were simply killed where they stood and left where they fell- men, women and kids, they weren’t interested in feeding anybody not in their army.
I was grinding my teeth to nubbins. I could feel the rage mounting, but between Charley and the girls and all my staff they kept me under control.
May said it best. “John, this guy has heard all about you and his every action is geared to make you lose it and come charging in balls afire so he can stomp us flat.” My ladies are not just pretty faces- they are warriors and I almost pity the enemy when I let them loose.
There really ain’t much between Reno and Salt Lake; some bigger towns like Winnemucca and Ely, but we needed to stop this guy before he hit Salt Lake. And just as I was thinking it I got a call to the big communications trailer where one of the Navajo talkers was listening to something. He turned to me and said, “I’m talking to one of the People in SLC and their leadership wants to meet with ours today- as soon as possible.”
I agreed and said, “Tell them to send people who understand war, not politicians- and we can meet at West Wendover, I’ll leave right now.” He spoke for a bit, then signed off saying it was a ‘go’.
I called for Ralph who was just about to head out in the big bird to watch the enemy. I told him where we were going and why. He said the plane could handle me, Charley, the girls, and one more. I took the Major from the Texas Guard who at least had some military schooling and could talk the talk.
He was a slow-talking good ol’ boy, pure Texan named Jefferson Davis Benson. The war of Northern Aggression really never ended for a lot of folks.
He was a cannon cocker but he was also an officer and had to have some background. And, he was a nice guy and not prone to getting excited.
We all dressed in our BDU’s and looked properly military. We took off an hour after the request came in. We made good time, I guess. I was lost in thought most of the time.
And just before we landed I told the Major that I wanted him to listen and observe everything these folks said or did and if he believed they were bullshitting at all to scratch his head.
He smiled and said, “Sure thang, John.” Man of few words, but he could sure shoot them big guns.
We landed at the airport in West Wendover and saw a bigger plane sitting near the terminal building. It was painted flat OD green and had ‘Utah National Guard’ on it.
Waiting for us was a group of about 10 people mostly dressed in civilian clothes. There was a few men in battle dress but they were standing off to the side. Obviously there was a division in their group.
I quietly told Benson to make buddies with the military guys and find out what the problem was. If we were going to be fighting alongside these folks I wanted solidarity not division.
We met and were introduced to everybody and in about 10 seconds I forgot their names. If they were important May would tell me, if it was needed Sandy would simply shoot them.
I could just relax and watch the dog and pony show (which this was for sure). We found a room inside and got comfortable around a big table.
Their military people were left to stand by the wall. That told me just about everything I needed to know.
The man in charge was the State’s Attorney General before the event, and he was still pure politician. This was gonna be fun.
Most of the rest of their group were followers, except for two. They weren’t followers or politicians, they were shooters (or more properly killers) and they had no idea what they were facing.
Their boss, who said, “Call me Bill” with a big smile got right to it, and pretty well stepped on his dick right off. He ‘informed’ me that he was going to be in overall control of the coming confrontation ‘IF’ there was one.
He felt that we could reason with the Chinese, who in his opinion had some legal rights to their claims for repayment of debts.
I just looked at him and nodded along like that little dog in the back window of a Mexican’s car. (That sounded racist, huh? Well that’s the only place I ever saw one). Anyway, I just looked like I was enjoying the shit sandwich he was serving.
After he was done I just kept looking at him until he said, “Well, John? What do you think?”
I acted like I was giving his words some credit and finally said, “Well, I think it takes a big dog to weigh a thousand pounds.” That confused him, it confused his ‘yes’ men as well, and it did not confuse his two shooters who smiled like two wolves discussing lunch with a sheep.
I felt sorry for them. They might be wolves but I was sitting with two Werewolves who were weaned on milk and blood and I felt sorry for these fools.
He finally asked just what I meant, so I laid it out for him. I put it in small words so he would get it the first time. I told him that while he might be in charge of the people here with him and probably a lot of sheeple back in SLC, he was in charge of nothing concerning myself or the people who followed me and the sooner he got that straight we could get to it.
He leaned back and said, “John, you do understand that you live in Utah. You have a very nice place down there in the canyons and you’ve amassed quite a stockpile of goods and equipment.
I said, “Yeah, we have” and I smiled at him and asked “And?”
He said, “Well John, you live in Utah, so therefore you are subject to Utah law and as the head of Utah law enforcement you fall under my command. I’m here to place yourself and your followers under the command of myself and those I delegate to command your element of the Utah National Guard.
I looked at him and wondered what banana boat he got off of. Finally, Sandy could take it no more and said, “Hey asshole, fuck you and the rest of these limp dicks you surround yourself with.”
I was smiling, my people were smiling, hell his military people were smiling. I guess his intel on us didn’t include my Wives, poor bastard.
He was ‘taken aback’ (as they say in uptown talk), his flunkies were in shock, and his two gun thugs were getting that hungry look in their eyes. But they still weren’t watching their real problem. They were watching me.
Mr. Attn. General looked at Sandy and then back at me and said, “You know I didn’t say anything when you included women in this talk but they really should be quiet when men are discussing important issues.”
I no longer felt sorry for this guy. I could see this whole meeting was a ploy to lure me in and kill me and take over my ‘army’. Assholes like this guy never understand what moves people to put their lives on the line for a cause. His type want to sit in a plush office and dictate to those whose lives are at stake.
I looked at him for a minute, took a deep breath, let it out in a long sigh and said, “Well Bill, here’s the deal. My people are free citizens and come along with me because they want to, not because I order them to.”
“If I decide to go stomp snakes I say ‘I’m gonna go stomp snakes. Anybody who wants to stomp snakes comes along.’ They are free to stomp or not to stomp, that’s what free men do.”
“As for me handing over anything to you, I have nothing to hand over. I’m me, these two beautiful ladies are my wives. They could be home with our other wife caring for our children, but they love stomping snakes too.”
“The men here with me are here because they want to be and are free to leave if they want to. That’s how our little group works.”
While he was trying to makes sense of what he just heard I stood up followed by my people.
B
enson was smiling, as were the other men standing with him. Benson’s pistol was clear and unsnapped and ready for the dance to start.
‘Call Me Bill’ was slowly turning red in the face. His flunkies were confused that I would speak to him like that, and his two shooters were still watching me. Poor stupid fools.
Bill stood up followed by his side of the table and said, “Well John, I’m sorry it’s come to this” and with that his two flunkies went for it.
Both died still looking at me- they never for one second paid any attention to the girls, and of course while she was at it Sandy shot poor ol’ ‘Call Me Bill’ several times. I think May did too but I’m not sure, they are fast.
He was back peddling and trying to say, “WAIT!” but Sandy never waits; he was doomed in the first 30 seconds after he opened his mouth. I will never understand why so many men see a woman and all they see is a set of tits or a nice ass. If women fought the wars they would be so bad they would make Gettysburg look like a cookie sale at the Baptist Church. They are really are the dangerous species. But I love mine!
