Creeping Tyranny

by Robert Boren

  “Go,” Robbie said. Morgan ran to the car, getting into the passenger side rear. Robbie backed up slowly to the car and got in as Morgan pointed her pistol out the window to cover him. Then Steve punched it. The big man rushed inside.

  “You don’t think he’s going to follow us, do you?” Steve asked.

  “He might,” Colleen said. “I’d make a couple of quick turns, just in case.”

  “Yeah,” Steve said as he drove back onto 15th Street.

  “Don’t go where there’s a traffic light,” Robbie said. “You’ll get stuck.”

  “Who is he, anyway?” Steve asked.

  “My mom’s ex-boyfriend,” she said. “He’s been after me for a long time. Always used to walk in on me in the shower and stuff when we lived with him.”

  “Where’s your mom?” Morgan asked. “Oh, hi, I’m Morgan.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Colleen said. “Mom’s in jail. Long story.”

  “Make a right on Aviation and a left on Harper,” Robbie said. “Fast.”

  “Got it,” Steve said, making a wild turn onto Aviation, which was still empty, and turning left quickly.

  “Take Marshallfield back,” Robbie said.

  Gunfire erupted behind them.

  “Crap, that’s full auto,” Steve said, speeding up.

  “Keep going,” Robbie shouted. “There’s Marshallfield.”

  “Who’s shooting?” Morgan asked.

  “Either the National Guard or Islamist fighters,” Robbie said. “They’re the only groups I know of who have machine guns.”

  “Why were you with that guy?” Morgan asked.

  “He convinced my boss that he was taking me to safety,” Colleen said. “I pitched a fit, but everybody was too worried about their own selves by that time.”

  “Did he hurt you?” Steve asked.

  “Not yet, but it was coming,” she said. “He was trying seduction, but I wasn’t having it, and he was getting pissed. He would have forced himself on me.”

  “Oh, geez,” Morgan said.

  “Thanks for getting me,” Colleen said, looking at Steve. “How did you find my number? Don’t remember giving it to you.”

  “I called Kelly,” he said. “I figured she’d have it.”

  “Oh,” Colleen said. “You were looking for me?”

  “Yeah,” Steve said. “Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not even a little bit,” Colleen said, flashing her sweet smile at him.

  “Good, almost to Rindge already,” Robbie said.

  “Where are we going?” Colleen asked.

  “Robbie’s place,” Steve said.

  “Actually my parent’s place,” Robbie said

  “They home?” Colleen asked.

  “No, they escaped in their motor home before things got so crazy.”

  “You were living at home?” Colleen asked.

  “I had an apartment in Gardena,” Robbie said. “Got overrun by the gangs. We got out just in time.”

  “I was living there too,” Morgan said.

  “You two are together?” Colleen asked.

  Robbie and Morgan shot each other a glance.

  “Yes,” Morgan said softly.

  “You two lived together before all of this?” Colleen asked.

  “No, we were just neighbors,” Robbie said.

  Colleen giggled, looking at him. “Yeah, but you liked her, didn’t you? I can tell by the way you look at her.”

  “Don’t say it,” Morgan said.

  “Don’t say what?” Robbie asked.

  “That I’m out of your league,” she said.

  Colleen laughed. “Oh, brother. That again. What is it with guys?”

  “No comment,” Robbie said.

  Steve laughed nervously.

  “Aren’t we going into a worse area than where I was?” Colleen asked.

  “A little, maybe, but you don’t have that guy to deal with anymore,” Steve said, “and it’s defendable.”

  More automatic gunfire started to the south. Everybody looked in that direction, Steve refocusing on the road after a split second.

  “I don’t like this,” Morgan said, sliding closer to Robbie.

  “Me neither,” Colleen said. “How much further?”

  “We’re close,” Robbie said. “Take Phelan Lane across Grant. No traffic lights. Our friend might be around.”

  “Yeah,” Steve said. He took the left turn, going down a few short blocks until he hit Grant Avenue, looking west before he made the right turn. There were several Humvees coming down the street at a fast clip.

  “Haul ass, dammit,” Robbie said. “You have to make it to my street. Get into the driveway and out of sight before they figure out where we went.”

  Steve punched it, the car bouncing as it went past a dip. He made the sharp right, tires squealing, then turned into the driveway and drove back fast, tucking his car into the overhang over the garage door.

  “Good, we’re out of sight of the road,” Robbie said. “C’mon, let’s get inside.”

  They all got out of the car and rushed through the front door, trying to catch their breaths in front of the stairs. The front bedroom door opened and Gil peeked out, rifle in hand.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. “Where did you guys go?”

  “We went to pick up Colleen,” Steve said.

  “That girl you’re in love with at work?” Gil asked. Steve’s face showed embarrassment. He glanced at Colleen, who looked shocked.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Colleen asked.

  “Didn’t seem like you were interested,” Steve said.

  “You could’ve asked me,” she said. “I would’ve gone out with you.”

  “Really?”

  “Hey, where’s Justin?” Robbie asked. “His car isn’t in the driveway.”

  “Probably good thing it wasn’t, or mine would be visible from the street,” Steve said.

  “What happened out there?” Gil asked. “You guys look pretty shook up.”

  “Humvee’s were blasting down Grant when we crossed,” Robbie said. “We’ll tell you the whole story in a little while. What’s up with Justin?”

  “Oh yeah, sorry,” Gil said. “His boss called, asked him to go to work for a while. He took Killer with him.”

  “Killer?” Colleen asked.

  “Justin’s pit bull,” Morgan said. “He’s the sweetest dog.”

  “It’s dangerous out there,” Robbie said. “What if he gets pulled over?”

  “His boss gave him a code for the National Guard,” Gil said.

  “Really,” Robbie said. “I guess things will open back up after martial law is in place, then.”

  “Let’s go upstairs,” Steve said. “We have a better sight-line up there.”

  “Show Colleen around first,” Morgan said. “Give her a chance to get her bearings.”

  Steve got a sheepish look on his face. “Sure, let’s do that.”

  “Lead the way,” Colleen said, taking his arm. Robbie and Morgan went up the stairs, Gil back in his room.

  “Now, where were we?” Morgan asked Robbie. “Before we had to take off?”

  Robbie got a smile on his face. “I think we were talking about a kiss.”

  “Well,” she said. Robbie took her into his arms and kissed her passionately, pushing her against the wall next to the kitchen.

  They broke the kiss and looked into each other’s eyes.

  “I had that on my mind the whole time we were gone,” Robbie said.

  “Me too,” Morgan said, her hand touching his cheek. “Think anybody will notice if we retire to your room?”

  “It’s our room,” Robbie said. “Let’s wait until tonight, though, okay?”

  “Why?”

  “This is the early part of our relationship. Let’s live with the anticipation for a while.”

  She moved in for another kiss, taking the lead, then looked into his eyes. “I like that idea.”

  ***

  “You’re trem
bling,” Sid said, glancing at Yvonne as he drove their Jeep towards the rocky pass.

  “Of course,” she said. “We might not live through this.”

  “We will,” Sid said. “Trust me.”

  “Trust me?” Yvonne asked. “Is that a Hollywood trust me?”

  “No.” Sid chuckled, looking at her. “This is what I love about you. You always have a sense of humor.”

  “Watch the road,” Yvonne said.

  “I am,” he said.

  “You think this is gonna work?”

  “Depends on what you mean,” Sid said. “Do I believe that we can bottle up enemy trucks in that pass? Yeah.”

  “There’s a but coming.”

  “It’s a temporary fix. Unless the US Army shuts off the flow, the RV Park is in trouble. We might have to leave. All of us .”

  “Some won’t go,” Yvonne said. “There’s some older people who have nothing other than their mobile homes. They have no place to go.”

  “I know, that’s why I didn’t want to leave before,” Sid said. “Some of the folks living in those park models are tribal people, you know. Not from our tribe, but still.”

  Yvonne glanced over with a look that smacked of shame. “Remember what I said. I don’t feel it’s our duty to die for these folks if they won’t leave. You gonna be okay with that?”

  “Let’s focus on the task at hand,” Sid said. “Maybe it’ll be enough.”

  “Doubtful, but okay,” she said. “Slow down, that’s the place. See it coming up?”

  “Yeah,” Sid said. He drove the Jeep onto the dirt road and back in amongst the hillside and bushes. “This ought to do it.”

  They got out of the Jeep and went to the tailgate.

  “You think they’re close?” Yvonne asked.

  “Hard to say,” Sid said. “Maybe. If they’d already been through here, I think we’d know it. We would’ve run into them on the road.”

  The two scurried up the trail that led to the ridge. The heat of the day was ramping up fast.

  “Hope we brought enough water,” Yvonne said.

  “I hope we brought enough bullets.”

  “Very macho thing to say.” Yvonne snickered. “You would have been a hit around the campfire.”

  “Oh, please,” he said. “Look, the good place is right up there.”

  “I see it. Surprised I remember it. Been a few years.”

  “Yes, it has,” Sid said as he dropped his ammo box and took his rifle sling off his shoulder. “Perfect view. Perfect place for an ambush.”

  “Yeah, unless you’re totally outgunned,” she said. “Like we are.”

  “Sam’s in the Tigr,” Sid said.

  “We stole one, but I’ll bet the enemy has lots more,” Yvonne said. “I wouldn’t want to trade places with Sam and the others. At least we’ll be hard to hit up here.”

  “True,” Sid said, checking his rifles. “Glad I sighted this scope in recently.”

  Yvonne checked her rifles, both of which were iron-sighted. “Never did that well with scopes.”

  “You’re a natural,” Sid said. “Wish I was. I can’t hit the way you can without the wonders of modern technology. Not at this age, anyway.”

  “We just wait now, right?” Yvonne asked.

  “Yep, we wait,” Sid said.

  They sat together, watching the road silently.

  “Sid?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How come you didn’t choose to live on the reservation? It would’ve been an easy life.”

  “I won’t be kept,” he said.

  “You aren’t kept on the reservation. Not for years and years.”

  “Still the way I look at it,” he said.

  “Then why are you such good friends with all these white men?”

  Sid laughed. “You mean John and Sam and Harry and Clem? They’re my brothers.”

  “Their ancestors forced us onto the reservation,” Yvonne said.

  “Yes, you’re right, their ancestors did that. And my ancestors killed their ancestors’ women and children, sometimes for fun.”

  “It never bothers you?”

  “Do you control what your ancestors did?” Sid asked.

  “It’s the principle…”

  “Answer the question,” Sid said.

  “No,” she said. “Now you make me feel ashamed. I love Sarah and Connie and Nancy like sisters.”

  “What matters is what they do, not what their ancestors did. Besides, not every white man of the past killed Indians. Some were friends of our people.”

  “Did I ever tell you how wise you are?” Yvonne asked.

  “Oh, please,” Sid said. “I tricked you into marrying me. That’s enough.”

  Yvonne laughed hard, then covered her mouth because of the sound. “Is that what you think?”

  “Of course,” he said with a child-like grin. “You’re everything to me, you know.”

  “What’s that squeaking noise?”

  “You’ve got better ears than me,” he said. “Where’s it coming from?”

  “Down there.”

  “Oh shit,” Sid said. “I’ve got to call Sam. Hope we got cell coverage up here.”

  “Why?” Yvonne asked.

  “Those sound like tanks to me. We ain’t gonna do anything to those.”

  Chapter 14 – Boulders

  “Tanks?” Yvonne asked. “Are you sure?”

  “We’ll see them in a second,” Sid said, watching them pass below the rocky cliff they sat on.

  The squeaking got louder, and the vehicle came into view.

  “That’s not a tank,” Sid said. “It’s mobile artillery.”

  “What does that mean?” Yvonne asked.

  “It means Sam can damage it with that grenade launcher,” Sid said. “I’ll call him.” He pulled the phone from his pocket and hit Sam’s contact.

  “Sid, what’s up?” Sam asked.

  “There’s a half-track mobile artillery vehicle heading up the convoy. Just came into view. You’ll need to take it out before it can fire on you.”

  “Got it,” Sam said. “Only one?”

  “Looks like it. Oh, here come the trucks. Troop transport type again. Get ready.”

  “How fast are they coming?” Sam asked.

  “Very slowly,” Sid said. “Because of that half-track.”

  Sam chuckled. “It’s probably their roadblock insurance. We’ll be ready. How many trucks you see?”

  “Hey, honey, did you count the trucks?” Sid asked.

  “About a dozen,” she said, still watching. “Might be more coming.”

  “About a dozen,” Sid said into the phone.

  “Okay, we’ll be ready,” Sam said.

  Sid ended the call and put his phone back in his pocket. “He’s ready.”

  “I hope so,” Yvonne said. “What should we do? Just watch?”

  “Yeah, until they come back this way. We should hear fireworks any minute. Then we need to take out the first few vehicles.”

  “Got it,” she said.

  There were two explosions, followed by automatic weapons fire.

  “Here it starts,” Sid said. “Be ready.” Sid stretched out and put his rifle’s scope to his eye. Yvonne got ready with her rifle. More explosions went off below, and more machine gun fire, punctuated by other small arms fire.

  “He’s got it stopped,” Sid said. “Never heard the artillery piece fire.”

  “Here they come,” Yvonne said, squeezing off a shot into the cab of the first fleeing truck. It went into the ditch and rolled sideways, men flying out. Sid fired at them, hitting several before they could find cover. Yvonne shot into the cab of the second truck, killing the driver and passenger. That truck slammed into the first one and burst into flames, blocking the road.

  “Perfect,” Sid said. He fired more rounds at the men running around when a third truck showed up. Yvonne opened up on that one, hitting the driver and passenger again. Then there was a shot at them, chipping a rock about twen
ty yards down from Yvonne’s position.

  “They have a pretty good idea where we are,” Yvonne shouted as she reloaded.

  “Hitting us is another matter,” Sid said as he squeezed off shots, blowing the tires of the first three trucks. “We need to move to a better position to hit the trucks behind that first bend.”

  More grenade explosions went off, along with more machine gun fire.

  “Sam’s chasing them into the pass,” Sid said as they moved farther down the ridge.

  “Look, there’s all the trucks,” Yvonne said.

  “Keep your head down,” Sid said. “They’re all going to be firing at us now.”

  “Got it,” she said as she laid down and aimed. She fired off several rounds, dropping two Islamists, the rest of them snapping their heads towards the gunfire in a panic. Then a truck in the midst of them blew up as a grenade went into the back of it and exploded. Men on fire piled out screaming.

  “Watch out, they’re aiming up here,” Sid said, getting down. A volley of fire came, chipping rocks all around them. “Get down!”

  “I am down,” Yvonne said, continuing to fire at the enemy. “Draw their attention up here, dammit. That way Sam and the others can do more damage with that grenade launcher.”

  “On it,” Sid said, getting prone and firing his weapon, sighting easily with his scope. “This is like shooting fish in a barrel. They’re so shook up now that they aren’t even shooting at us.”

  Another explosion went off below, blowing up another truck, spinning it into two others.

  “That’s a mess,” Yvonne said. “Gonna take days to clear that.”

  “We don’t want to let any of them live if we can help it,” Sid said.

  Another grenade went off, and then a volley of machine gun fire from the Tigr, the remainder of the men running into view. Sid and Yvonne fired on them, hitting as many as they could before they ran the other way. Then the machine gun on the Tigr started again, along with other small arms fire.

  “There’s Sam!” Yvonne said. “Chasing them down with his M-16. He’s fast.”

  “Guess he didn’t forget his training after all,” Sid said, eye against the scope. He fired several rounds, hitting men who were fleeing up the hillside.

  “I see the Tigr now,” Yvonne said. “Clem’s on the machine gun. John’s driving.

  The gunfire went on for another minute or two, and then there was silence. Sid’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and put it to his ear.