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Post by 223shootersc on Feb 8, 2024 19:40:12 GMT -6
As they say fore warned is fore armed. Like i said or kinda promised on Monday, for the MOAR hounds I have a new chapter. Hope you enjoy and comments are appreciated by the author.
Chapter 5
After a few minutes of no answer, Ruth was thinking that Tom was messing with her as he was apt to do at times Ruth said, “Did you hear what I asked?” Now clearly seeing that Tom had no idea about what she had asked or what was being said on the large wall hanging television, she took another track.
“Tom listen. I think the news announcer is talking about a group of assassinations today in Istanbul Turkey. I just was not sure and was hoping you heard what he was talking about.”
Tom exclaimed, “What…?” “Ruth what did you just say?”
Ruth patiently as if speaking to a child that had just woken from their nap replied, “I was trying to say that I think they are saying something about people being assassinated in Istanbul and I think it just happened today.” Tom tried to hide his emotions and regain his composure and not seem upset or overly worried about the news.
Tom asked, “Did they say who was killed or who did the killing?”
Ruth answered, “I do not know if they said who was assassinated or how many. I am not even sure that is what they said. I guess what difference does it make anyway, I just know how you like to keep up with events happening in the world. It does not affect us anyway it is happening half way around the world from us here in the United States. The rest of our group must have fell in the toilet. I wonder what is taking them do long?”
Thinking fast and looking for a way to get away from the group for a few minutes, Tom answered, “I will go and get the Excursion and meet the rest of you out front at the Valet parking entrance. That way it will be faster and everyone will not have to make the long walk to the car. Does that work for you?” Ruth thinking that it definitely worked for her and she knew it would work for Candace who had already said something about seeing if they could get a Uber back to the car.
Ruth replied, “Yeah, that works for me. I will stay and gather up our wayward children and we will be waiting out by the Valet entrance. I am thinking about getting one of the complementary waters they have everywhere around the casino for the ride, do you want me to get you one for the ride home?”
Tom replied, “Yeah baby that would be great. I will hurry but it is about a ten-minute walk from here to the Excursion. I will call you if I get held up or cannot get turned around and heading back this way because of the traffic. Love ya.” Tom turned and headed towards the front of the casino and on to the car. As the walked out the front door his mind was running a hundred miles a minute and it had nothing to do with the Cherokee Nation Harrah’s Casino or any other thing that was in the Nation. Walking out the door he pulled his work phone out of his pocket hoping to maybe talk with Charlie his second in command. If he could not raise her, he had his scrambled Satellite phone in the Excursion. As he hit the number two on his work phone and the phone started making a connection, he hoped that the news was not as bad as it sounded from Ruth. Tom knew that he needed real time and better intelligence data than what she had or had not heard over the news cast. He was hoping for the best and trying to decide what he would do if it was the worst.
Tom in his heart and mind felt like the orchestrated assassinations in Turkey might be the straw that broke the camels back. The Israelis were fighting in Gaza and the Houtis in Yemen were bombing American ships in the Red Sea. The Iranians and the Pakistanis were already exchanging verbiage and bullets. The Russians and the Ukrainians had been fighting for five years and the Chinese were again talking about taking Taiwan and messing with the Japanese over the islands that they both claimed ownership. Tis was one of the situations that kept Tom up at night. The situation was one that he had no control over what was happening around the world or even right here with his wife and friends. Tom felt helpless that he had no information to make even an intelligent decision on what he should be doing for his family or even if he needed to be worried.
The phone rang and rang until the phone was answered by the voice mail. “This is Charlie, I am not available currently. Since I cannot take your call at this time, please leave your name and number and I will get back with you as soon as I am available. Thanks for calling.” Not getting an answer from Charlie, Tom picked up the pace heading back to the Excursion at almost a full run pace. Knowing he was going to have to make the call to Washington to get any real time intelligence for him to decide on the by now rapidly degrading situation in Istanbul and the world. Arriving back at the Excursion he opened the back door to the SUV and then pushed a button on the side of the inner fender well that looked like art of the holder for his mounted First Aid kit. The floor of the back of the Excursion rolled back under the third-row seat and Tom reached into the bottom right back corner and retrieved the Sat phone from its charger carriage and then pushed the button again and the floor creaked back into place as if nothing had ever happened.
Thinking for a moment as to which of the three programmed numbers in the phone he wanted to call first. Thinking to himself did he just bite the bullet and dial zero one to begin with and avoid the suspense and the bull crap or dial zero three and start working his way through the bureaucratic maze and lies of the minor players either covering their ass or protecting their minor kingdoms and turf. It was a toss up at this point and he decided like the old saying, if you were in for a penny might as well be in for a pound. Saying a small prayer to his maker for protection and strength he dialed the zero one and waited for the sat phone to go through all the encryption protocols and then start the dial up of the preprogrammed number that was the assigned zero one on his supplied sat phone from the CIA. The phone finally rang twice and was answered by a recorded voice or AI he was not sure which but the voice was not from a flesh and blood human. The voice sounded too much like the ‘hello moto’ that use to be on his Motorola phone a few years back. Thinking to himself it was probably from the same AI program that produced the voice over for Motorola for their phones. The voice said this is a secure line state your security clearance status phone code color and then your identifying pin number. After this is completed if approved you will be routed to your assigned callee. If you are disconnected your phone will self-destruct in ten seconds. Tom immediately entered his code color and pin number and waited for his approval and connection.
The phone finally started to make a new connection and the phone started ringing again. On the second ring a male voice said, “This call and connection is secure and encrypted, this is Special Agent Calhoun in charge of night station one at the George Bush Center for Intelligence Directorate of Science and Technology. Please identify and state the nature of the call.”
Tom replied, “This is Special Agent Thomas Sexton Operations Director Special Weapons R&D Laboratory, Greenville, SC ID number 6211CAL- RD GreenTango. The nature of my business, is I am verbally requesting the Intelligence packet on recent events in Turkey specifically sanctioned work attached to work load case file SC Special Weapons Laboratory September Charlie one, rifle order of twelve marked urgent and shipped two days ago from my facility special diplomatic carrier for delivery to the US Embassy in Turkey. All other pertinent intelligence data regarding Turkish events would also be formally requested as part of the package. My clearance level is Top Secret all levels of communications and can be verified per my personnel docket and ID number.” After what seemed like forever and was probably less than two minutes, Special Agent Calhoun came over the phone saying, “Tom, here is the best way I know to handle this as you are not at your facility and your direct computer hookup. I can tell you the quick and dirty and send a security packet to your company phone of the non-classified information. I will also dump a classified packet to your email on the laboratory’s direct server. That is the best I can do until you get back secure at your office. Will that be sufficient for your present needs?”
Tom replied, “Special Agent Calhoun please give me the quick and dirty and send the other packets as described. My first question, is really a statement. I am on a family vacation and we are four hours of bad roads from home and the office. Should I be worried about any repercussions happening right now that would affect travel and my ability to make it back to the office.”
Calhoun answered, “Tom, I am not going to sugar coat the info. Turkey was not the only place that assassinations happened today that involved September Charlie one weapons. Putin and one of key advisers on the military were killed by assassins bullets this morning on the steps of the Parliament building as he was going in to make a speech. The Russians have not let it out to the public and their official word is that he was not hit during the attempted assassination. The private footage that has made it out of Russia shows him clearly being hit in the head and being dead before his body hit the ground. Even though the Russian leadership have not officially owned up to his death they went to what would be our DEFCON 2 immediately. The Russians also have seen out part of their fleet including troop carriers, their only war worthy aircraft carrier fleet and flushed all their sub pins.”
“Turkey thinks they have been back stabbed by the Russians and are rattling their sabers and calling on NATO to come to their aid. They also think that Iran may have been involved in the killing of President Erdogan and some of their other leadership today and have moved two divisions of tanks and artillery to the border. To put it mildly it is an official cluster f#(& wherever you are in the world right now. The pot seems to me that it is about to boil over and nobody is turning off the heat. I do not know that you need to leave tonight but if it was me, I would head home in the morning, no later than tomorrow afternoon. I tell you what if you will keep your sat phone on, I will give you a call at zero eight hundred hours in the morning with a verbal update. I have already sent the non-classified stuff to your work phone and did a data dump to your server. I am scheduled to sit in on a meeting with my counterparts of the Directorate of Operation and the Directorate of Intelligence at zero one hundred hours and hopefully have the real info. My advice is to be ready to ride at moment’s notice and keep your powder dry.”
“September Charlie one was also responsible for the killing of Kim Jong Un the Supreme Leader of North Korea at his palace in Pyongyang fifteen or so hours ago. French president Macron was killed at the same time as the others leaving his home heading to the capitol. All the attempts on the world leaders were timed to happen at the same time. The shooters all completed their shots on target within a twelve-minute time frame from the first shot which was Putin till the last which was President Erdogan of Turkey. All the Dragunov rifles were left at the shooters hide with a note from the Swords of Allah proclaiming the start of jihad throughout the world everywhere that Muslims had not been able to establish Shariah law and that their religion had been held back and a long list of Allah is great and the great Satan is going to die. It is a definite false flag attack by someone and America is in it up to their eyeballs in some way.”
Tom deep in thought did not answer for a moment, then said, “Thanks Calhoun. I would ask a favor first. Can you call me after the zero one hundred meeting with an update. The rest of the plan seems like the best I can get for now. I have one more question, what was the point and whose brilliant idea was this anyway?”
Calhoun answered, “I will give you a call as soon as possible after the meeting. Another piece of info is that the DEFCON just went to DEFCON 3 from DEFCON 2 as we have been talking. Thought that might be of interest. Remember to check your phone it will have more information and there is much more on the situation. It is just not enough time tp go over it all on the phone. I am up to my eyeballs in alligators. I will talk with you after the meeting but it might take an hour or two for the meeting and who knows who I may have to wake up and how many fires will have to be put out before I can call. The answer to who is behind the goat screwing is I know the request for the weapons was initiated by the State Department, with that in mind State could have been doing a blind favor for almost anybody, FBI, DHS, DOD, heck it could have been the IRS for all I know. Tom do not wait up; I will call till you answer. Good luck and good hunting if our world explodes or just falls apart. Hopefully next time you visit Langley we will be able to laugh about this conversation and go to Alexandria and have a beer or three, like old times.”
Tom replied, “Calhoun that sounds like a plan. Thanks for your help.” Tom hung up the sat phone and took a few deep breaths. He had not realized that he was not breathing regularly while he had been talking and listening to Calhoun. Standing by the Excursion he opened the driver’s door got in and turned the ignition switch to let the glow plugs warm up and then started the SUV. Rolling down his window and getting out his Redman chewing tobacco pouch he opened it and put in a big chew in his right cheek. Spitting out the window he placed his Redman pouch back in his left back pocket and pulled out his can of Kodiak and placed an extra-large pinch in his front lip and let it settle before spitting a large string of mixed snuff and chewing tobacco juice out the window. Rolling the window back up he placed the big SUV in gear, checked his mirrors and started heading back to Harrah’s to pick up Ruth and the rest of the crew. Tom’s mind was working a million miles a minute the problem of how much information he needed to relay to Ruth and did he relay any of the data to the rest of his friends and relatives. He knew if they were going to be back in the Greenville area before dark tomorrow, they needed to start breaking camp no later than before noon. If they needed to be their earlier, they needed to start at first light and no later than his eight o’clock call with Special Agent in charge Calhoun. In all reality he was going to have to speak with Ruth as soon as they got back to their camp site. No matter the world problems that might turn the world upside down and in flames at any moment, that did not scare him near as much as telling Ruth that they were going to have to cut their vacation short and go home. As great a wife as Ruth was to him, she did have a temper and telling her they were cutting the long awaited and great vacation they were having short was going to draw her temper to the top. Pulling the Excursion through the entrance to the Harrah’s Casino Valet parking portal he was on the lookout for his wife and the rest of the group. Pulling through in the pickup line he saw his group on down the line from the door. He pulled over in front of them and hit the door unlock button and waved them to the truck. Ruth and the others got in the truck and the group headed back to their camp site. Ruth handed Tom a bottle of water and he placed in his cup holder and proclaimed, “I heard on the radio that the President of Turkey was indeed killed by Snipers today and I think the North Korean leader was killed today at almost the same time as the leader of Turkey. The world is going crazy, the Russians put their ships out to sea and the Chinese did the same. Also, Turkey has moved their armor divisions to their border with Iran as they seem to think that Iran had something to do with the attack on their President. Just wanted to let everyone know what I heard.”
Ruth said, “After you left, I watched the TV while waiting on the others to come out of the restrooms. I heard some of the same things on the news channel they had playing in the Casino. What do you think that means, Tom?”
Tom took a deep breath and answered, “Ruth I think the SHTF phrase that everyone throws around and laughs kinda like whistling in a graveyard is probably closer than any of us would like to admit. Who knows what the crazy North Koreans might do with their leader dead. You can bet however that there is another nut job that has been waiting in the wings for just such an occasion. At least Kim Jong Un was the crazy that we knew the next leader may be even more unstable. The Russians are still reeling from all their loss of face in the Ukraine. On paper that war should not have lasted a month. I think we need to prepare for the worse and pray for the best. In that vein, I think we probably need to think about pulling up stakes in the morning and heading home.”
Candace barged into the conversation, “Now that is something that normally I could get behind in a big way. The truth is this camping and stuff has really been a hoot, except for the long hoke down to that meadow. Do not be such a puss and buzz kill big brother.”
Ruth asked, “Tom, you really think that is necessary. It seems like these things always are blown out of proportions by the media selling ads to make money and nothing ever happens. Don’t cha think I am right.”
Tom replied earnestly, “I would like to think you are right, baby. Somehow this one seems different. The terrorist attacks had to be sanctioned by some government. No terrorist organization has the finances, technical ability, and the expertise to pull off assassination attempts in North Korea, Turkey, and Russia at the same time. They are just not that organized and they do not play well with others to get the help to pull it off….”
Stopping for a moment he spit into the now empty water bottle and continued, “The question I would ask is this, would you like to be in the North Carolina mountains sleeping in a tent or at home where we have more resources to help with our survival. The stuff that people say about packing up and moving to the woods and surviving of the land is just a bunch of propaganda sold by those people that teach classes and such on doing that. No one can really live off the land for any extended period of land. I read somewhere that the trappers, gold miners and such that lived back in the day on the land. The list of things they took with them for a year weighed like three thousand pounds and game was more prominent during that period in our history. Another thing was there was a lot less people in America period. I would rather be at home where we already have a small garden and our little green house in the back yard. Another thing is we have a big pantry full of canned and dehydrated foods. We have barely enough food for three weeks here and that would be a stretch unless we killed one of those Elk or a big deer.”
The discussion went on the rest of the drive back to the camp site. Tom had said his peace and just mostly listened to the group’s narrative being delivered. That and think about what he was going to hear from Calhoun later that night and in the morning. Pulling into the camp site and deep in his own thoughts and trying to work the problem as one of his instructors in the service had taught him. Tom had he missed Jerry asking him what would happen if the SHTF and they were still in the mountains and if they would be safer back at home. Ruth asked, “Thomas are you asleep at the wheel? Did you not hear Jerry’s question.”
Finally registering that he had not been listening when Ruth had raised her voice to him, Tom said, “My bad you know how I hate to drive these mountain roads at night. What did I miss while I was concentrating on getting us back here safely?”
Ruth replied, “Jerry asked if we would be better off here in the mountains or back home if the world went crazy.”
Tom thought for a minute and replied, “Probably I almost all cases of the world going crazy we would be better off at home. The zombie apocalypse maybe not. Any type of attack even nuclear we would probably be better off at home. At least there we could go into our basement and live under a table with some books on top to stop the radiation or at least minimize it. Out here we have nothing except did a hole and try to put some trees over it and cover them with dirt. Even then we would not have any way to handle our waste and get any water. Our homes in the Greenville area are all on wells and we have Solar pumps and are on septic tanks so we have that handled and that is a big plus. The other thing the closes target for Nuclear is the bomb plant in Aiken South Carolina and it is a hundred miles away from our homes. I think we are a lot better off in Greenville we could all move into one house and there would be safety in numbers. Here we are alone and the only person in these parts that we know is Smitty. At home we have church and work friends that could possibly help us we medicine or anything else we may need to help us survive. We are just to remote, what would we do if one of us fell and broke and arm or a leg. I could possible set a simple clean break anything that is compound would be life threatening out here. Heck, it may be even at home if people are rioting or just out letting their inner animal come to the surface.”
Christen nervously asked, “Tom and Ruth if the world goes crazy can Nat and I come and stay with y’all? I know that Nat is a pretty good shot and I can probably hit a barn if I am inside the barn when I shoot. The other thing is we have been doing a little better with keeping food in the pantry since we have been talking Ruth but we probably only have a month’s worth of food and it would not be balanced meals and lots of peanut butter sandwiches.”
Tom replied, “I hope I can speak for Ruth. The answer is that would be great. If things get rough, we will have to have someone on watch most of the time and two people cannot do it. The truth is if we have all six of us, we probably would not be able to keep up an all-night watch for more than a couple of weeks before we would all be walking around so sleep deprived that we would be like zombies for real. Candace and Jerry that goes for the two of you also.” Looking to Ruth to make sure he had not spoken out of turn especially about his sister, Candace. Ruth had problems taking his sister in large doses. Smiling he thought heck everybody even Jerry has trouble with his sister in large doses. He remembered one time his dad and said about Candace, “Son, you do not get to pick your kinfolk, except your wife and Candace is our burden to bear as kin. She is my daughter and your sister and we will love her and defend her till we are dead or she is gone. Then added if you tell your mom I said that I will have to deny it.” His dad had smiled and offered him a chew of tobacco as they walked out of the house heading to the garage and his dad’s shop for some alone time together.
Nat said, “Thanks Ruth and Tom and I am of the opinion after listening to Tom’s explanations that we need to be heading home first thing in the morning. Tom has the experience of being in the service that gives him a mindset and view of these events that we have no way to duplicate.”
Everyone had gotten out of the SUV; Jerry and Nat walked over to start a fire in the pit. The pair thinking if they had to go home, they might as well enjoy one more night of sitting by the fire and drinking a few cool ones. Tom walked over to Ruth gripped her in a big hug and said, “My darling we have to talk about this situation in private. I have access to more information than just the TV news. I need a few minutes to check my phone on my source of the information on what happened and what is happening. Give me a few minutes and then we will walk down to the river for a night swim and out talk. You good? I need you to trust me on this for a few more minutes and then it will all be clear.”
Ruth replied, “Tom, I trust you with my heart and my life. Do what you need to do to keep us safe and we will go for that walk in a little bit.” She reached up and gave him a passionate kiss. Then turned and headed towards their tent.”
Tom walked over to the Travelette and got him a beer out of the cooler and walked out into the woods as if he was going to talk to a man about a horse. Out of sight he pulled the file up he had received form Calhoun. After a few antagonizing minutes his phone came to life he punched in his access code. The code was TOM#120398sex. Tom knew he had trouble remembering access code numbers so he used his name all caps and then the # sign to have a character in the code, Ruth’s birth date and the first three letters of his last name. Sometimes he thought it was funny that the first three letters ended up being the word sex. The phone came to life with the AI saying good evening Mr. Sexton. How may I be of service today? Tom smiled at the voice and replied, “September Charlie one, Istanbul Situation, file from Special Agent Calhoun dated today.”
The AI replied instantly, “File is Classified Top Secret. Mr. Sexton your Top-Secret status is up to date. Please enter your clearance number.”
Tom had to think about this number for a moment. He then entered, “$Alpha99120Sierra.”
The AI replied, “Mr. Sexton your clearance code is accepted without any distress code activation. The file will be downloaded to your device. Please stay on the line. The file should take no longer than twenty-five seconds to load. If you have any problems hit #411 and I will be available to help you with any request.”
Almost twenty-five seconds exactly his phone chirped. Tom hit the keys to open the file on his CIA phone and waited for it to open.
September Charlie one Istanbul Situation: Istanbul Turkey- President Erdogan, visiting Russian Ambassador and six other high ranking Russian and Turkish officials were killed in terrorist attack. Turkish Ambassador to UN was critically injured along with four others. Turkish Ambassador died after surgery in Critical Care unit. Moscow, Russia – President Putin killed in Terrorist attack on steps of Kremlin. Paris, France – President Macron attacked and killed by terrorist near his home. Pyongyang, North Korea=Kim Jong Un the Supreme Leader of North Korea was attacked at his palace in Pyongyank.
All assassinations were successful and the terrorist that perpetrated the attacks that were well coordinated and accomplished with complete autonomy. All nations involved claim no notice or intelligence was obtained on these attempts before hand by any of their agencies. All the terrorist shooters escaped without a clue as to how or to where. At each site where the shots were completed the Dragunov sniper rifles were found along with a note from Muslim Mujahideen saying that they were continuing the jihad against the great Satan’s that have tried to keep the Muslim religion at bay. The note went on to talk about France, Russia and Turkey not allowing Sharia law and following the Koran. The Brothers of Allah would continue their holy war until all infidels and great Satan’s were converted to the Muslim religion or killed in the name of the great holy one Allah. The analysis of the note by CIA says it is a fraud or the work of someone that is truly lost in the jihad. Russia is asking for the terrorist to be turned over to the Kremlin within twenty-four hours for public execution in Red Square by firing squad. France is in turmoil with the government parties each trying to get the role of President. North Korea is being run as of this minute by the military and all analyst say this will lead to an attack on South Korea. The Russian’s have gone to the equal to our DEFCON 4 and are moving troops to the border with Iran and China. They have also put on house arrest all NATO countries Ambassadors and personnel from the Consulates. The Russians have put their lone carrier group to sea with all tenders and two troop carriers and the associated roll-on roll-off ships for heavy equipment, armor, and artillery. Russians are not presently taking calls from the President of the United States or any NATO country leaders even on back-channel attempts to communicate with the Russian leadership. The President of the United States has issued a statement to the Kremlin demanding the release and safe passage out of the country for all American and NATO personnel now under house arrest. The communique has not been acknowledged or answered by the Politburo or even some minor government employee. America is presently at DEFCON Two even though the Secretary of Defense and the computer both argued for going to DEFCON Four to match the Russians. The President would not approve of that movement of the defense readiness. He did agree that if the Kremlin has not responded by 2400 hours the status will be upped to DEFCON Three. More information to follow to classified server located at R&D Laboratory site located in Greenville, SC. Communication by encrypted satellite phone to happen in morning a.m. hours. End of intelligence transmission….
The screen went blank on his phone and the AI voice came back and said, that is all the information that is available for transfer by the agent’s phone method of delivery at this time. Agent Sexton, it has been a pleasure to serve you today and I enjoyed our visit. I look forward to other future conversations. That is all for now. The phone went dead and a second later a dial tone returned and the screen came back making it look for all practical purposes like any other a zillion cell phones on the planet. Putting his phone back in his pocket, he decided that he might as well do what he said he was going into the woods to do and proceeded to water and fertilize the nearest sapling. Finished he headed back towards the camp fire pit and his friends. Walking back his mind was jolted by the smell of the pine forest. Thinking that the smell was a million times better than any air freshener, potpourri, or scented candles. Taking a deep breath, he looked to the sky and said a quick prayer, “Thank you GOD for all my blessings in the past, today, and forever. I ask that you watch over my family and friends and direct me in the ways that you would have me to go. If troubles come, I know that if I am walking in your will and following your directed path, you will be at my side and lead me through the to the other side. Amen.”
At the same moment as Tom was praying in the woods; inside her tent sitting on her cot, Ruth took a moment to ask for Gods divine guidance for Tom and herself and the rest of the gang. She was asking GOD for his direction and shield of his glorious and his divine power to strengthen them and protect them in the coming days. As she was saying Amen, Christen and Candace came barging into the tent and Tom emerged from the forest. Both asking Ruth at the same time if she thought Tom was over-exaggerating the world events. Candace started again before Ruth could answer, “Ruth, I know I do not even watch the news it is so depressing. My view is that Tom has always been the glass is half empty and blows things out of proportion. Always taking the most conservative and logical approach to everything. I guess what I am saying is, I really think we should stay on vacation and not let my big brother be a buzz kill as he has been all my life.”
Ruth replied, “Candace, I will address your last statement first. I will agree that my husband and your brother does make almost all his decisions based on logic and sound analysis of the risk versus benefit scale. This type reasoning is what makes him a good Chemist and Manager. On the other hand, as you said it does make him conservative in his decisions. I am going with whatever he decides and will back him all the way, not because he is my husband but because of his track record on weighing the proc and cons and making sound decisions. Remember this is the man who won over five grand today at the gaming tables making this type of weighted decision on when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. If Tom says, pack it up, when he comes back from the watering the forest then that is what I will vote for also. Remember just like we told you, this vacation was going to be on us for the travel and the place to say and most of the food. Candace, there will be no argument or debate, if he says we head home that is what is going to happen end of story. Capeesh?”
While the ladies were in the tent and Tom was in the woods, Nat and Jerry had a good fire going in the camp fire ring. The two friends were discussing the day’s events specifically the shoulder holster Jerry had gotten made for his Ruger GP 100 Match Champion. Jerry and Nat had at first had a little trouble explaining to the leather smith exactly what he wanted. Each laughing about how they were about at wits end when a very young light skinned black lad came out of the back of the shop with a grin from ear to ear on his face. He walked up and stared telling them that the old leather smith was one of the best in the country and had started doing leather work when it was all done by hand with his mother. Going on to say that he was amazingly fast compared to most leather workers. The reason they were having so much trouble getting him to understand what they wanted was his boss was almost completely deaf and could not hear a lick anymore. He went on to explain that the smith would not wear his hearing aids as they effected his work.
Nat said, “I could not believe it the young boy gave the old guy some sign language for about a minute. The old guy gave him about two signs back with his hands and that was that he was off like lightning, starting to cut leather after taking a couple of measurements.” The apprentice had then turned back to them and told them it would be three-hundred- and fifty-dollars cash for the holster and would take about two hours. The old fellow signed to his apprentice again and the apprentice turned to Jimmy and had asked to see the weapon. The old smith felt of the girth and weight of the weapon and handed it back to Jerry. The apprentice said, “because of the size and weight of the weapon he would have to put something on the other side of the holster to counterbalance the rig.” Nat explained that he needed to run a strap down to the belt line for attachment and make the leather piece wide enough to put cartridge loops for ammunition on the piece. If possible, it would be nice if they could put twelve but at a minimum of six. The apprentice had replied that he had seen exactly what he was talking about in a Bianchi holster advertisement on a TV hunting show. The smith had acknowledged the information from the apprentice and turned and went back to working. Jerry had picked a natural tan color for the holster and was informed that he probably needed a darker color as some of the leather would have to be thicker and of a heavier weight leather for it to be as sturdy as it needed to be and last forever. The apprentice explained with the lighter colored tan it might not all be the exact same color. The apprentice advise that he would pick a cordovan color for the dye of the leather and it was agreed. They had left and came back two hours later to see the piece of leather that was truly art laying on the display case. The apprentice explained that the holster had came out so good that they would like to take pictures of the piece and use them as part of their advertisement for the shop. Going on to explain that the shop would give them fifty dollars from the agreed price of three-fifty.
Jerry took a big swallow of his beer and said, “Heck, when I saw that beauty sitting on the counter, if he had said he wanted another hundred dollars I would have met his price. I might have had to borrow it from Tom or you Nat but I would have made it happen. Getting fifty dollars back was like a double bonus.”
Tom walking up to his two friends, said, “What is this about borrowing money from me. Jerry, you know I love you but I do not loan money to friends or family. It is one of my hard and fast rules of life. It is biblical ‘do not be a borrower or a lender be’. That is my story and I am sticking to it.”
Nat said, “Nah, he really was not going to borrow money. He was just saying that he was lucky that the leather shop gave him fifty dollars of his cash back to put pictures of his holster on their web site and advertisement brochures.”
Tom answered, “I have to say it came out a beauty. How does the shoulder holster fit, balance, and wear? Do you think you could wear it for hours at a time?”
Jerry said, “It fits like a glove and wears great. The balance is better once you have the bullets in the loops. The apprentice told me that it would mold to my body and wear even better after a couple of weeks of wearing it. I cannot wait for that to happen. The only thing that keeps it from being perfect is it only has loops for ten rounds and not twelve. I can see the rounds would have hit my underarm just like they told me. No harm no foul, on that I guess nothing is perfect not even this beer and the camp fire. As far wearing it all day, I do not see it as a problem. The holster, the cold beer and warm fire, I have to say are close to being perfect. I wonder what our ladies are conniving?”
Tom said, “No telling. I do think we are going to have to start packing up after breakfast in the morning. Before you start objecting, I just got some more info there were Ambassadors killed and not just the Turkish President others were killed in other parts of the world. Please pass me one of those cold beers from the cooler you are sitting on, Nat. I will see if I can get us a shot of corn squeezing to go with these beers. Might as well enjoy the night, as it is going to be our last at least for this year.” Tom walked over to the Travelette and got out a quart mason jar of moonshine and brought it back with him to the fire. The three sat and enjoyed the drinks, the conversation, and the mountain air for about another twenty minutes until the wives exited the tent and headed towards them and the fire. All three husbands were hoping that the ladies were just coming for a drink and companionship.
At the same time in Moscow, the joint meeting of the Russian Federal Assembly, the State Duma and the Federation Council had been in session for about fourteen hours trying to elect a new leader of Russia. Each of the leaders almost to a man arguing for either their selves or one of their allies that they had hooked their plow to them being the new President of Russia. The massive from entrance doors to the Kremlin Senate Hall swung open violently and in walked the Commanding General of the Russin Army and his counterparts with the Navy and the Airforce along with twenty-four of the General’s elite Spetsnaz GRU Commandos. The General and his entourage of Generals made their way to the podium and one of the Commandos threw the speaker out from behind the rostrum and pointed with his hand to his General to step to the rostrum. The General of the Army did not waste any time with addressing the four hundred and fifty sitting members of the Federal Assembly. He cut right to the chase. Gentlemen and Ladies of the Council and the Duma you have wasted over a half of a day when the Fatherland is under attack by the world. As of this minute we the defenders of the country are taking over the running of the country. We do not wish for this to be a permanent position for Russia. We will take over running the country for the next thirty days until an election can be completed for the ruler of Russia. One of the Federation Council started to object and was summarily shot by one of the Commandos. There will not be any discussion or debate on this matter. We have decisions that could possibly keep Mother Russia’s independence, validity, and continuance as a powerful nation a reality. Starting tomorrow afternoon I will be available for consultations with any of you please make an appointment through the normal methods for meetings with the President. That is all for now. The General turned from the rostrum and made his way to the door he had entered.
Over the next two hours plans that the armed services of Russia had drafted for attacks on America and China were brought to the meeting rooms of the new governing junta of Russia and put in place. The first act was launching another fleet of the navy’s best ships along with a three reconfigured container ships designed to carry troops. The ships carried a full brigade of infantry, with an additional battalion of Armor, Artillery, Engineering, Medical, Supply groups each and two companies of the 3rd Guard Spetsnaz Brigade with a company of scout/recon forces. The total fighting force nearing twenty-five thousand men and women soldiers not including the battalion of Marines that was on a group of Amphibious Assault Ships in the Armada that would leave the port of Murmansk heading towards American shores within the next forty-eight hours. A follow-on supply convoy would be put to sea as soon as it could be put together with the proper convoy protection group. The decision by the junta was also to send two divisions to the border with China an another towards the western borders of Europe. The biggest decision was made to implement the plan that was called the ‘Final Plan’. This was an all-out attack on America with Nuclear, Chemical and Biological ICBMs. The plan involved strategic attacks with Neutron Nuclear warheads, EMP type warheads, along with short term Biological and Chemical to be used in the Southern parts of America and the Midwest. The Russian’s wanted the rich farm lands of the south and the midlands along with the industrial complex and ports of the south to remain intact. The junta putting off committing to the ‘Final Plan’ until their two armadas could get out to open oceans and running clear of any American submarines. Any attack on their two convoys would be considered an act of war and would set the ‘Final Plan’ in motion. Everything would be ready and the forces for the ‘Final Plan’ would be able to go into action within minutes of getting the go from the junta.
Ruth started as soon as she and her entourage made it to the fire ring asking, “Tom, I know you were going to try and get more information on the world events, what is the damage?”
Tom replied, “Please, do not shoot the messenger. The news is even worse than we thought and have ascertained from the news. There have been assassinations besides in Turkey and there were some Ambassadors and dignitaries killed besides the Turkish President in the attack in Istanbul. The world is like a powder keg right now and any spark or wrong step could be tragic.”
Ruth looked to her lady cohorts and they gave her blank stairs in return. Ruth replied, “That does not sound good. You gave us a couple of options for leaving before are they still in play? If not do we need to break camp tonight and get ready to push off at first light after a few hours of sleep in the vehicles?”
Tom sighed and answered, “Truth is, I think we will be alright to wait and break camp in the morning at first light and try to be on our way by eight o’clock or so. We can stop and get breakfast at the first Hardee's we pass or we wait and stop at ‘The Buttered Biscuit’ in Waynesville for their great breakfast. If we do that we could stop at Barber’s Orchard and pick up some Apple Butter and any of their other delights like Apple Cake, Apple Fritters, Apple Doughnuts, Pie or whatever the special is tomorrow. That is what I vote far as they are both kinda on the way home. We just cannot make a day of it. We will need to get in and get out and head down the mountain to home. I can taste those bog cathead biscuits and gravy already and a dozen Fritters for home. But it is up to you ladies to make the choice.”
Ruth answered, “I would like to go the breakfast place in Waynesville and Barber’s Orchard also. That would be my vote. Candace and Christen what do the two of you want to do in the morning?”
Christen replied, “I was hoping for some more of that great bacon we got from Smitty’s. I have read about ‘The Buttered Biscuit’ after hearing you all talk about it and watched a review on You Tube. It seems to be the real deal and those biscuits were humongous. That would be my choice.” Ruth, Christen, Jerry, Nat, and Tom all looked to Candace for her answer. All knowing that she would probably not want to eat at what some might call a diner. A breakfast diner but a diner just the same. Candace surprised them all when she replied, “That is fine, as long as I do not have to wash any dishes and they have coffee I will be good.” The rest of the group gave a sigh of relief at her answer.
Tom Said, “I guess that settles it. We pack up early and get out of here by eightish and be eating breakfast by nine-thirty and home by lunch time the good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. Now, do any of y’all ladies want a shot of shine and a beer?” The next couple of hours were a blur of time and went by like lightning. Both things could have been attested to the ‘White Lightning’ and the fellowship of good friends.
Tom had been able to get Ruth aside without any adieu and they talked about his job at the plant being a cover for his real occupation as a R&D agent for the CIA. Ruth took it about as well as she possible could. She did bring up the question of why Tom had lied to her about his vocation. Tom replied, “Ruth, we are told in training that the least any of our relatives including, wives, children, parents, and siblings know about what we do the better. There is a twofold reason for this, the less you know the less likely you are to say something about it to the wrong person. The old ‘loose lips, sink ships’ syndrome. The second reason and most important reason is for your own safety. The less you know the less likely you are to be kidnapped or taken hostage because of the job. I apologize for not telling you. I did not ever lie to you about my job. I am the plant Chemist and Operations Manager and that is who I get paid by except for the stipend I get from the CIA for being a professional. That is the check, that comes by snail mail that is a dividend check from Morgan Stanley quarterly.”
Ruth gave him the look that all husbands know and dread from their wives. The she said, “Thomas, I know you had mine and our best interest at heart. I know this because I am your wife and I know you better than you know yourself. I am saying this to say, no more secrets. Okay!”
Tom reach to Ruth and pulled her tight to his chest and replied, “I love you and no more secrets, starting now. I have another call sometime after midnight and another at eight in the morning and I should have a better view and more information. I have not told you and the group anything that could not have been obtained on the Internet or TV. The real deal is it is a lot worse than what is being let out to the public. These events that have taken place with the assassinations and a puff of wind could lead the planet to World War Three. That is why we are heading home. I sure do not want to be out in the mountains in a tent if we have nuclear fall out raining down from the sky. I am hoping and praying that the Intelligence I get sometime after a meeting that is supposed to end about that time will not make me regret for deciding not to start taking down our camp site and heading home tonight.”
Ruth looked at her beloved and said, “Do you think it could really be that bad? I know you work on logic and made the best decision you could make with the information you have to this point. What are the chances that we needed to leave tonight?” She asked trying to make her husband feel better about the conclusions he had made to stay the night.
Tom answered, “My gut says we are good for a couple of days. In times like these though one wrong step by any of the major players could lead to ‘rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air’ to coin a phrase. My decision was based on cooler heads prevailing for a moment at least. I hope I am right and we do not have to face the unintended consequences of my decisions today.”
“We probably need to get back to the party. I hear the music over the river and we are closer to the river,” said Ruth. This done while reaching up and putting her lips near his and when finished talking she gave her lover a big kiss and continued, saying, “I love you too, Thomas Sexton and I am here to ride or die with you.” The lovers headed back towards the rest of the group after another few intimate adult kisses and groping’s of each other’s bodies. Tom was secretly hoped and prayed that nothing would come of the world situation. His mind went to preparation and reaction mode. Trying to figure out what they could do if America became under nuclear attack. A quirky thought brought a quick smile to his face, that is if we do not die in the initial attacks and explosions. Tom wished that he new for sure whether the assassins had used the weapons that he and his team had prepared and shipped to Turkey. Two things kept coming back to the forefront of his thoughts. One was that Calhoun had mentioned the exact case number for the rifles. The second item was that from all his training and intelligence analysis it was not really the Mujahideen or any jihadist style to use snipers for their attacks. The truth was there were so many mercenaries and soldiers of fortune working in that part of the world that the CIA or whomever set these attacks in motion that anything was possible with enough money.
Tom was brought back to the here and now by Ruth saying, “Hello, earth to Tom. I thought we were having a moment of us time….” She poked him in the ribs and continued, “What’s going on in that big old head of yours, lover?”
Tom pulled her to him and replied, “We are having some we time. I was just thinking a bunch of what ifs and hoping we can get through the coming few days with nothing happening. If we can get home, we have a much better chance to get through it there than on the road. We have access to more and better options and information….” Smiling and patting her on her bottom he continued, “All that and I sure am glad that I have you by my side, no matter. Love ya this much.” It was an old joke between the two, Tom was holding his hand as far apart as possible but had his fore finger and his thumb on his right hand almost touching. He moved his right hand to her face laying the three fingers on her cheek and had told her he loved her as much as the space between his fingers could be divided. Ruth had gotten mad till he explained to her that no matter how small the space was between his fingers it could always be divided again infinitely. That had made her cry and it was their special sign of affection for each other from then on.
Back at the fire side the two other couples were having a great time talking and dancing and listening to the music that Nat had put on the radio. Jerry tipped his beer towards the others around the fire and said, “Toast…. To the best vacation, friends, and family ever.” He finished off his beer and got up from his chair and proceeded to fall flat of his face.
Nat said, “Great toast my friend. You sure did not stick the landing though. Did you break your fall with your face, my friend.” Getting up and going over to help Jerry back to his feet. Nat pulling on Jerry, Candace and Christen laughing and Nat falling onto Jerry in a heap was the scene that Ruth and Tom walked back into the camp to find.
Tom seeing the spectacle said in a loud voice, “I told you children no parties in the house while we were gone. The lot of you are grounded. Now get up you two clowns and get me a beer and a shot.”
The radio crackled and went to the news and the announcer said, “This just in from across the world, in a cruel turn of events, Russia has openly used some type of chemical warfare on a known Afghanistan stronghold of Mujahideen jihadist that had in the past declared Holy Jihad on Russia. The UN Ambassador has sent a delegation to Turkey and Russia to investigate all the attacks. More to come on the hour. Now back to the Tarheel states best classic rock with Otis Redding bringing us back to a better time with ‘Sitting on the Dock of the Bay’.”
Tom said, “I have mixed emotions about the news. I hate that the Russians attacked the Afghani people on the one hand, on the other hand if they think they did this they are not attacking us here in America. I know that is selfish, it is the way I feel and think. Just truth nothing else other than I am glad it is someone else besides us feeling the brunt of Russia’s military might, tonight. Now are you two numbskulls going to get up and quit looking like two turtles humping and get me a beer or do I have to do it myself?”
Chisten said, “That is just awful. The Russians are nothing but a bunch of big bullies. They think they can get away with anything they want to do. Someone should do something about them. They have been acting like this since they shot that jet airliner down over near South Korea, I think it was and nobody did a thing. They act like they own the world.”
Christen’s outburst was not like her, Tom figure it was the white lightning talking. Tom to himself was thinking that what the radio announcer had broadcast was the best news he had heard in a long time. If the Russians were broadcasting that they had used chemical weapons in retaliation against the would-be attackers, they had saved face with the bold response. Hopefully this show of strength would be enough to quiet the masses and things could die down and something else would be on the news in a few days. Maybe an actor in Hollywood would have a nasty breakup with his fourteenth wife or something for the people to watch on the news. Making jest in his mind still did not get rid of the uneasy feeling deep down in his gut. A feeling that he had found that he needed to trust. With the damage the Pudding Pop Bedum’s administration had done to the worlds view of America and the new administrations attempts to right the ship something just did not add up in his mind. DJ Orangeman was working tirelessly to get the military fighting machine of America back in shape to fight if needed. Using the motto, if you want peace, prepare for war. Having their hands in these assassinations was just not the direction this administration was heading and did nothing to further the agenda of getting America back on its feet. His mind confused on the issue he plotted a logical course of action. Tom decided that if nothing new had happened by the time they got back home, he was going to get to the bottom of this situation if for no other reason to clear his own conscious on the matter. He new that the work he did was for the CIA and he had no delusions that CIA was a perfectly clean organization. During his tenure this was the first case load that had worldwide implications of possible world war. The thoughts that he personally might have been involved in starting this worldwide situation made him ill. Thinking he needed an explanation of the situation, he vowed to himself he would get one if it was, he last official act with the CIA or his last act period. Someone somewhere knew the truth and he was going to find that person and if need be beat the truth out of them.
Tom was more relieved now that he had a direction, he walked over to the cooler and got himself and Ruth a beer. He walked back over to Ruth handed her a beer and said, “I am going to go ahead and start getting things together that we do not need tonight or in the morning. I want to be out of here by first light. I can take my eight o’clock call at the ‘The Buttered Biscuit’. Sit and enjoy the beer and the beautiful mountain air. I will be through in a bit and we can get to some of this we time you been talking about.” Winking at his bride as he started getting his and Ruth’s weapons secured in their cases and ready for travel. He toted the Harbor Freight copies of Pelican cases placed and secured them in the Travelette for the ride home. Then went back to getting the other shooting equipment and repeated the truck loading. About ten minutes later he was finished with the shooting supplies loading and he started breaking down the cooking and eating setup and loading it in its place in either the Excursion or the truck. After about an hour all that was left to get ready for travel and store in the truck or SUV was the two tents, each person personal backpack or luggage, the camp chairs and the large cooler still be used for the adult beverages and food.
Tom said, “Hey everyone get yourself a last beer or two and I will put the cooler in the truck.” Nat stood up and made a big show of getting three beers for himself and setting them down and handing a beer to Ruth, Candace, Christen.
Jerry asked, “Hey bro where is mine? What is up with not getting me a beer, man?”
Nat said, “Your wife cut you off after the last one. You can see if she will get you another one. It is not my cross to bear, my dear little brother.” The look that Jerry got from Candace was one of do not even ask if you know what is good for you. The look made Jerry sad but it cracked up Tom and he could not keep himself from laughing at Jerry. Tom walked over to the cooler as if to pick it up and take it to the truck. Tom opened the cooler and made a big show of taking himself a beer out and opening the bottle and drinking about half of the bottle in one swallow. Then he bent back down and pulled another beer out of the cooler and said, “Jerry catch.” He soft tossed the beer to Jerry and turned to his sister and wiggled his fore finger back and forth in a sign of ‘No’ to his sister. Then he laughed at her look of rage at him and finished his beer, picked up the big cooler and took it to the truck. Before loading and securing the cooler he took another beer out of the cooler then slid it into place and put a bungee cord across the top of the cooler. Then walked back out of everyone’s site and watered another bush.
Walking out of the woods he picked up his new beer off the tailgate and walked over to Ruth and got her hand and pulled her from where she was sitting and said, “Come on my lady, we have a date in the tent for some we time….” Tom looked around to all his friends making sure to get eye contact with each and said, “If you here strange noises tonight coming from our tent don’t worry, it is nothing….” Smiled from ear to ear and said, “Zero five hundred in the morning, if you are not up, I am starting to pull the tent pegs anyway. That is all back to the festivities. Good night.”
Ruth added, “Yeah, do not worry about the noise, I promise not to hurt him too much. Good night.” She turned and with Tom still holding her hand she led her man to the tent to enjoy some quality alone time in a trying world.
Nat handed his brother one of his beers and said, “Enjoy my brother….” Looking over to Christen he stuck out his tongue lewdly and said, “My best girl, you ready for some of that alone time that Tom and Ruth have been talking about?’
Christen looked back at her husband like he had grown a third eye and said, “Nat, I love you but if you think we are going to have alone time in a twelve-by-twelve tent with Candace and Jerry in the same tent you have lost what little brain power you ever had.”
Nat said, “I was thinking more of a midnight swim in the river. One last dip before we leave and go home and maybe a little extracurricular water activities with my beautiful wife. What ya think?” Holding out his hand to his wife. She reached for his hand and they walked off towards the river with there arms around each other like long lost lovers.
Jerry drank the last swallow of beer from the bottle Nat had given him. He got up and walked over beside Candace and mimicked his brother saying, “What ya think my darling? To the tent for some alone time?”
Candace smiled and said something she had heard Tom say a million times, “We are burning daylight….” “Race ya to the tent, sweety.” Then jumped up and ran to the tent almost toppling the center pole as she went to her sleeping bag taking off her shoes as she went. Candace was followed by Jerry closely.
About two hours later Tom’s phone rang, waking up both Tom and Ruth who were lying in a jumble of clothes and sleeping bags in the floor of their tent. Tom turned on the battery powered lantern and said, “Ruth do you see my phone? I hear it and it sounds like it is over on your side.” Ruth pulled his phone out from under her sleeping pad and handed it to Tom. Then started looking for her underwear and the rest of her clothes that had been taken off in record time and were scattered all over the floor of the tent. Tom took the phone and answered it as he sat up and pulled his Nike Pro Combat Core Compression Six-inch dark grey shorts on covering his bare bottom.
Tom said, “Go for Tom Sexton.” The sound of his phone and the other linking and going to encryption was one he had heard many times before. This was the first time that it made his head start hurting like a migraine headache. The Intelligence report that he received over the line from Calhoun though not like the Top-Secret report that Calhoun promised him was in his inbox on his work computer under the concrete floor of the chemical plant. It was enough to make his head hurt even worse. Calhoun told him that the Russians had followed up their chemical bombings in Afghanistan by moving a division of armor to the Belarus border with Poland and another to the Georgian border threatening all of Europe. Adding that a second convoy of ships had left the Russian ports heading for open ocean and who knew where they were heading. The consensus at the Crystal Palace was they were heading towards Cuba to meet up with the other Russian fleet already participating in war games in the coast off the Cuban coast, just a stone’s throw away from the American coast of Florida and the other gulf states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Tom had sat and listened just asking a few questions and for a repeat of a couple of points for about twenty minutes of Calhoun’s data dump. Finally, Tom said, “Calhoun you are just a breath of fresh air or cool air of a big air conditioner on a hot and humid South Carolina afternoon in August. Do you have any more rainbows and unicorns you want to tell me about. I had a pounding headache before I answered the phone now it is like tsunami and an earthquake are both inside my head. Then he asked the question that he dreaded. Do we have a response yet from the Russians or are they still not answering the bat phone or the back channels?”
Calhoun laughed and said, “No bat phone contact from the Russians yet. Our back-channels people are saying the Russian army and war machine have taken over the running of the country. I do not have to tell you that all of them are old Cold War Russian and are itching to get back to their glory years of the Mother Russia. That would mean they might attack as you know. We have moved to DEFCON 3 finally and flushed our subs, all our carrier fleets from the docks and the Air Force have all their assets ready to fly. The president is in his bunker in Mount Weather and the Vice-President is on Airforce One with a guard flight of four F-16s, another of the newest addition of Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fifth generation fighters, and a third of two F-22 Raptors till he gets to where ever he is heading to ride this crisis out. Tom, I have got to run and I will get back to you sometime after zero eight hundred in the morning, if we are not at war by then. My advice is for you to keep your powder dry, your head on a swivel and be looking for a hole to crawl into if need be. I am out, got another meeting in ten minutes and I need a potty break and another Mountain Dew and a doughnut before going back to work.”
Tom finished getting dressed and looked at his Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 42mm watch with the stainless bane option that his dad and mom had gotten him when he graduated from Jump school. It was one of the few things that he really cherished besides his Ruth and he had gotten her a matching Omega Seamaster for his present to her on their wedding night. She had commented many times about how much she liked it while they were dating. The time was almost four o’clock and he decided it was time to get up and get started. Looking to Ruth he said, “Baby, the world situation seems to be getting worse every minute. I am going ahead and getting started. I will wake you in about forty-five more minutes if you want to lie back down and get a few more minutes of beauty sleep. Even though we both know that I am the one who needs beauty sleep not my baby doll.”
She smiled and said, “No, I am good. I must have slept like a rock for the time I was asleep. I feel like a million dollars. I will get up and we can have all our stuff and the tent packed before it is even time for the others to get up.”
Tom smiled at his wife and purred, “That quality time was just the right medicine for me too. Love ya. I am going to get me a Diet Coke, do you want coffee or a soda pop. I think we have some milk and OJ in the cooler that probably needs to be drank if you want that?”
Ruth said, “A diet Coke sounds good for me too. I am going to pack up our clothes and our backpacks and will be out in just a minute. Then we can take down the tent. Cool?”
As the loving couple of early camp risers were packing their tent into the Excursion, first Nat stuck his head out of the tent and said, “Can’t you let a man sleep even until the clock goes off.” Walking on out of the tent as he spoke followed by Christen both already dressed and ready for to start the tearing down of the rest of the camp and packing it for transport home.
Christen said, “Morning, do not pay any attention to Mr. Grumpy pants, he is all bark and no bite. Nat actually woke this morning before me and was already dressed before he awakened me and said he had heard either the two of you or a herd of elk outside moving around.”
Tom asked, “What about Candace and Jerry, they awake yet. By my Seamaster they have exactly six minutes before I start dropping the tent on their heads.”
Nat replied, “Jerry was snoring like a freight train going up the mountain not thirty seconds ago and Candace has not moved in the twenty minutes I have been awake, to my knowledge.”
Christen added, “Yeah, they were both asleep when we got back from the river and if she has moved since then you could not prove it by me.” This brought laughter from the crew that was already up and moving around.
Tom said, “Yeah, sis has always slept like a log her whole life. But I am still going to drop that tent on her in three more minutes.” Grinning like a fool at his friends and starting walking over towards the expedition tent. Stopping went he got to the front right-hand corner of the tent and looked at his watch that said, “What the heck, it zero four fifty-eight hours close enough for government work.” Reaching down with his big right hand and started wiggling the tent peg and then pulled it out of the ground. The tent sagged a little bit on the corner with the peg missing as Tom walked to the other front corner and repeated the removal of the front tent peg. The removal of the second peg dropped the front of the tent to the ground. Tom moved to the left middle tent guidewire and peg and waited for a few seconds hoping he heard his sister and Jerry complaining about him dropping the tent. Hearing nothing he looked back to Ruth, Nat and Christen raised both arms up in the universal sign for I do not know, then bent and pulled the third tent peg of six holding up the tent. Tom repeated the process of removing the tent pegs until the tent was laying on the ground or on the sleeping shapes still in the tent.
Nat said, “I would think they were dead if I was not still hearing Jerry snore.” Christen walked to the front of the tent and picked up the fabric and stuck her head through the door and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Hey you dead beats are you going to sleep all day.” Her efforts awoke Candace but did not even change the tone or the volume of the snores coming from Jerry. It would take Tom getting a solo cup of ice water and throwing it on his brother-in-law to get him to awaken and he was not happy.
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