The Things We Do

[sniper69]

Thank you for another fine chapter, and feeding the moar hounds.

[gipsy]

Fine update. Thanks

[iamnobody]

That Pigolosi woman in the Congress

I spewed my tea into my keyboard at that one. The keyboard is all sticky and has sparks arcing from it so I guess I need a new one. But it was worth it. 

[CountryGuy]

Aug 13, 2023 19:23:11 GMT -6 223shootersc said:

Elizabeth said, “Revolver, you have a revolver. I have a pistol; a pistol has a magazine either internal and fixed or a removable one to hold its ammunition. A revolver has an actuating or rotating cylinder that houses the bullets.” Sandy just rolled her eyes toward the heavens and turned and headed into the office following Elizabeth. They had a bunch of radios and the chargers for the units to retrieve.

Someone teaching others about using incorrect terms like gun rather than pistol, rifle, carbine, firearm, etc or admonishing someone over pistol rather than revolver or mag vs clip, would likely not make the faux pas of saying bullet when they should say something like cartridge, shell or round...

I think we are about to hear those nine terrible words... "We're from the government and we're here to help..."

[223shootersc]

Aug 14, 2023 19:46:15 GMT -6 CountryGuy said:

Aug 13, 2023 19:23:11 GMT -6 223shootersc said:

Elizabeth said, “Revolver, you have a revolver. I have a pistol; a pistol has a magazine either internal and fixed or a removable one to hold its ammunition. A revolver has an actuating or rotating cylinder that houses the bullets.” Sandy just rolled her eyes toward the heavens and turned and headed into the office following Elizabeth. They had a bunch of radios and the chargers for the units to retrieve.

Someone teaching others about using incorrect terms like gun rather than pistol, rifle, carbine, firearm, etc or admonishing someone over pistol rather than revolver or mag vs clip, would likely not make the faux pas of saying bullet when they should say something like cartridge, shell or round...

I think we are about to hear those nine terrible words... "We're from the government and we're here to help..."

CountryGuy,

Thanks, for the catch and reading my work!

[223shootersc]

Chapter 8

Sunrise the next morning around six thirty at the lake, Melvin and his extended family were eating breakfast and making plans. Jimmy and Celeste were going with Sandy to the bank to start and then complete the cash transfer to Sandy. The plan was to head directly to Jimmy’s favorite local gun shop an old school gun store his longtime friend Steve Jennings owned. Melvin, Jack, Kevin, Patrick would be doing the heavy lifting and Jessica and Elizabeth and her girls would be making sure everything was ready for the move. The plan was to move the stuff that was just ordered over the last few days. Luckily most of the stuff that had been arriving over the last few days had been left in their shipping containers. A real boon an energy saver for re-loading into the trailers. Not thirty minutes later the lake house looked like Grand Central Station at rush hour. The people at the house were so busy with the hustle and bustle of moving.

While the hustle and bustle was happening, at the Sheriff’s Office Eddie was having a hard time getting started. Sleeping in his office, a feat he had completed on a regular basis for the last few years with no problems. Last night the Sheriff Office had been like a full moon night, loud perpetrators being brought in, multiple call ins and send outs of Officers. The ruckus and overly active bee hive had kept his sleep to fitful and disjointed segments. Also, for some unknown motive his favorite couch felt like a rock for some reason. All of these happenings made Eddie slow and ill tempered, as he tried to get a shower, shave and ready for duty. Laurens coming into his Office all full of vigor was the last straw. Eddie said, “Just be quiet and go see if you can find us some coffee, while I finish.”

Knowing that Eddie must be tired or aggravated, Laurens turned on his heel and headed back out into the station in dire need of a couple cups of coffee. Arriving at the break-room he found that like usual someone had poured the last cup in the coffee pot in their cup and left the empty container sitting on the counter as a living monument to that effect. Laurens looked at the coffee pot and decided that this was going to be one of those days. Opening the cabinet above the coffee maker he pulled out the Folger’s can and a filter, while throwing out the old filter and used grounds. Placing the new filter and coffee in the maker, he filled the pot with water and poured it into the maker. Hoping beyond hope that the coffee maker worked and he could get the Sargent a cup before he exploded, due to lack of caffeine. Finally, the coffee started to pour into the pot and Laurens removed the pot and put the biggest coffee mug in the cabinet under the drip filter delivery system. Reading the side of the mug and thinking, the slogan on the side summed it up best ‘The world sux and then you die’. A little gallows humor to start the day was always a good way to brighten the mood. He hoped Eddie would see the humor and not kill the messenger. Placing the pot back under the drip he turned and headed back towards Eddie’s office.

Entering the Office just a few minutes before Laurens return, Maureen was bearing gifts, just as she had promised. Maureen entered carrying two dozen of Momma Jean’s finest, with a half dozen being Crullers solely for the Sargent. Momma Jean having personally told Maureen that they were the Sargent’s favorite and the only type donut he had ever ordered to her knowlwdge.

Maureen said, “Morning Sargent, I brought donuts and there is a half dozen Crullers for you and a bunch of different kinds if that doesn’t meet your fancy. I already ate a couple of Chocolate covered while I was waiting on my order, so eat all you want. Didn’t get coffee, figured we have that here at the Station. Do you want a cup?”

Smiling for the first time today, Eddie replied, “Laurens is getting me a cup, hopefully. Thanks for the donuts, but you didn’t have to do that Maureen. I am sure glad you did though. I guess we really got this backwards, as I should be buying them for you since today is your birthday. Any way happy birthday and I hope you are blessed with a hundred more.”

Maureen replied, “Thanks! You’re welcome Sarge.” The words flowing out of a face that was smiling from ear to ear. This was the best birthday present ever to be picked as part of an RRT team at the Sheriff’s Office.

Eddie opened the box and pulled out one of Momma Jean’s delicious Crullers and took a bite just as Laurens entered with the large mug of black coffee. Eddie said, “Thanks Laurens, Maureen brought donuts. Get you a couple and then go and see if you can find Henry. Just leave the Crullers alone. If you do see if he has a package with a long gun for Ms. Maureen. She probably needs a shotgun too, just in case. When you find him get her stuff and the two of you get back up here before I eat all the donuts and get fatter.”

As Laurens was going to find Henry, deep under the White House in Washington DC, the President was meeting with his war council. The President asked, “What do we have so far, any different intel or happenings since we last met? Give me something to work with people.”

The head of the CIA stood and replied, “Sir, we are pretty sure we have the Russian agent responsible for one of the NBC attacks under observation in London, England, Sir. We are waiting for him to move to his plane so we can get the agent under our control also.”

The President answered, “Do we know if it is three or four for the attacks? That would tell us how successful we have been as of yet.”

The NSA Director stood and answered the question, “Sir, we have data at ninety-five percent correlation that there are now four attacks going to happen. Corresponding with the location we initially thought would be attacked. San Francisco has been added according to our intelligence.”

The President took a deep breath and rubbed his temples, “Best guess as to when this is going to happen, Wednesday or Thursday.”

The Secretary of Defense says, “Our data says that the date has been moved up to Wednesday for the attack, Sir. The data is very high accuracy, we are convinced of the validity as actionable.”

The CIA Chief agreed to the comments from DOD and added, “Sir, we have Human Intel that gives that a ninety-nine-point nine percent chance for accuracy.”

The President then asked, “Well, then what do we do and when do we do it? Do we call the Kremlin now and play our cards or wait and try to win the most by holding till the last card?”

The DOD Secretary answered, “If we play our cards now maybe we force them to play their hand a different way that we have not planned. Of course, if we go all in with the knowledge that we can level their home, they might fold or push all in their selves and launch their entire arsenal. Use them before you lose them, so to speak. That would be my analysis, that they would let them fly, sir. Putin at the best of times is unstable.”

All around the room attendees were silently agreeing with their body language and verbally. The President turned to his aide and said, “Get me some Tylenol please and a tall glass of Bourbon with a water back.” The aide turned and headed for the nearest office where he had left his large case where he kept the emergency stash of the President’s headache medicine. A large bottle of Tylenol and a quart of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. At 133.2 proof a double shot of the rich Bourbon usually along with the Tylenol eased the severe headaches that the president had many times developed since being named President of the United States. The aide always had both ready for just such times and he indeed did today. The aide had actually prepared a second large case with just such remedies since the first attack, it seemed a lot of people surrounding the President had developed the same pattern of headaches, or at least the need for something to sooth their nerves.

By the time the aide got back with the President’s headache medicine; the dye had been cast the President would call the Kremlin at zero six hundred Wednesday morning and up the bet. The President pushing all in with the news that they would blow up the Kremlin if one person got sick in America from the Biological attack of American soil. Hearing this news, the aide thought he might just require a dose or maybe two from the President’s personal medicine cabinet. Gliding up to the President’s right shoulder as always, he set the two tumblers down and laid the two Tylenol in his hand as he extended it for that purpose. A dance that the two dance partners had perfected over the last few months that they could do to perfection with any music playing, no matter how loud or fast. Taking the Tylenol into his mouth and swallowing with a quick swallow of the cool water the President looked at his Cabinet and said almost as if a toast, “To the decisions made by feeble men with the best intentions. May God take them and make them the correct ones for all the American people that they will affect.”

His aide mournfully adding, “Amen….” Then took his headache medicine like the President.

While at the same time underneath the Kremlin, Putin was prancing around like a caged Tiger, wanting to get the show on the road. Finally, after about twenty minutes of pacing back and forth he exclaimed, “Can we move up the time table. I need for this to happen and I can’t wait any longer. What can we do to move up the time table?”

The Head of the Russian NBC Division who had brought this plan to Putin a couple of years prior, slowly stood and proclaimed, “Honored Leader we can move the plan up by six hours no more. That would put the planes landing at approximately six am EST on Wednesday morning. We had contingencies for just this type of decision. Two hours ago, we could have moved it up twelve hours that time window has past. In forty-five more minutes, we will have to go as planned. Do we have the order my President?”

Putin replied instantly, “Make it happen. Unleash the hellhounds. I am now going for a ride.” Turning to his aide he continued, “Call the stables and have them ready the Stallion. I need the Russian wind in my face, now.” Said with the first smile anyone had seen from him in weeks. It was not a happy smile, it was the demented smile of a Psychopath pure and simple.

The fog of war was about to be unleashed on the world and would happen in less than forty-eight hours. The war starting in America and Russia and having effects all over the world. Old debts would be repaid in full and more than full measures, on every continent but Antarctica. Some with nuclear weapons, some chemical, some biological and every other weapon know to mankind, including fist, feet, and teeth.

Back in upstate South Carolina Celeste, Jimmy, and Sandy were meeting with the President of the local bank. Celeste was getting madder by the minute as the jack wagon was not wanting to turn the large amount of money into cash. Saying that it would take at least three full working days for the bank to turn over a quarter of a million dollars in cash to a minor. Celeste had taken all she could take she slowly stood up and asked, “Is that your final answer. If so, I would like access to your secure Internet, we will be transferring the assets to a bank that is more in kind to do what is necessary to earn the trust of the money’s owner. I will also be making recommendations to all of my Law firms’ clients that use your bank to have their accounts moved to a bank that can be trusted. My Senior partner also told me to tell you that our firm will be moving all of our Escrow accounts from your parent bank. He said to tell you that Dan his golf buddy would probably be making a call to request your resignation within the hour from me placing the call to him to confirm that we are changing banks.”

The Banker looked like he had just been poleaxed and could not even speak for a moment as Celeste beamed at him waiting for his answer, and knowing what it would be. As if in a blinding fog, the banker finally reached over and picked up his phone and said in a voice not much above a whisper, “Darlene, please come into my office, immediately.” Hanging up the phone a man who knew when he had lost tried to regain his dignity by adding, “While Darlene get’s in here would anyone like a coffee, bottled water or soft drink?”

Sandy replied, “I would love a Mountain Dew, but if you don’t have that I’ll take a bottled water, as long as it is cold. I can’t stand them when they are room temperature.”

With the fight beat out of him, the Bank President walked over to his mini bar and came back with a Mountain Dew and asked Sandy if she would like a glass and some ice. As Sandy was replying that the bottle was just fine, Darlene entered the office after knocking on the door and coming in without a response. The banker re-delivered the request for the money to be put into an instant access debit card and have one hundred thousand dollars brought out with fifty in hundred-dollar bills and thirty thousand in fifties and twenty thousand in twenty-dollar bills.

Jimmy told Darlene, “We brought three satchels specifically for the money when you get it with drawn from the vault. Just bring it right in here or we can go ahead and give you the bags to take to the vault. Whichever would be the easiest, please hurry as we have already spent more time here this morning than we committed to this endeavor, today. Thanks to some banking inefficiencies that we had not expected.” The Banker grimaced as if feeling he had been punched in the ribs again for the second time in a morning that started with so much promise of a great money-making day.

Darlene was as efficient as the President of the Bank had been stubborn and worthless. Just moments later Darlene came rushing back into the office with the three bags still open. Handing the bags to Jimmy and looking to the three people in the room she asked, “Would you care to count the stacks? I had them counted by the machine and two hand counts then a second machine count, before each bag was filled.”

Celeste nodded to Jimmy and Sandy and replied, “Darlene, we appreciate your efforts. We will not need to count the money at this time. To reward your efforts Ms. Darlene, we would like you to handle Sandy’s account from now on personally. I am sure you have the proper credentials to handle, transfer and manage the account, am I correct?”

Darlene stood a little straighter and the corners of her mouth was about to break into a smile but she stayed professional and replied, “Yes Ma’am. I am a certified broker and account manager for the bank. I must on my honor tell you that I have never handled a count of this magnitude before. It would not be professional for me not to disclose this information to you in case you wanted to change your mind.”

The President of the Bank started to say something and one look from Celeste froze him like a statue. Sandy replied, “I think, I would like to deal with Darlene and not anyone else at this particular branch office or from corporate for that matter. I am going to be making a few cash purchases today. I am also going to be purchasing a vehicle and some specialty parts for a second vehicle. These purchases will be made with my Debit Card, it would be nice if you would be available to make sure the money flows efficiently and we aren’t held up anymore today, as we are on a tight schedule and need to get back home.”

Darlene handed Sandy, Celeste and Jimmy on of her business cards and said, “Please, just have anyone call me direct on my cell phone. It is the one listed on the card and I will make sure the money doesn’t get held for any reason. I will also make sure that the transfer of the Gold and Silver is taken care of and the armored car is ready for the delivery later this afternoon.”

“Thanks for this opportunity and if you need anything, please call me as soon as you know you need help. We will make sure your needs are met at all time as a valued VIP customer of our organization.”

As Jimmy started the truck and headed for his friend’s gun shop; Elizabeth and Kevin pulled into the Office parking lot. Elizabeth jumped out of her truck an unlocked the gate to the storage area. She pulled through and waved for Kevin to pull in and through the gate and follow her inside the lot. Moments later the pair were hooking up two of the companies enclosed work trailers. Kevin and Elizabeth first hooked an enclosed eight and half by thirty-six-foot gooseneck tri-axle trailer to the Mars families F-550. The trailer was empty and setup as a trailer to take to projects to hold all the hand equipment used for a long-term project.

After their completion of hooking up the large trailer to the F-550 the pair hooked up a twenty-four-foot trailer to the pintle hitch on the back of Elizabeth’s F-250. This trailer was setup and contained, all types of tools, generators, compressors, and power tools needed for any project. Including hydraulic jacks, oxy-acetylene torch, demolition saws and Plasma cutters used for demolition projects, along with a stick and TIG welding machines. The group especially Jack and Kevin had thought this trailer might be essential in the days to come and needed to be one of the first moved to the new complex. This would turn out to be a great decision in days and weeks to come. After getting both trailers hooked up and the lights and brakes checked on both rigs the pair headed back to the lake with their bounty. The trip back would be quick and uneventful. According to Jack Mars on hearing Elizabeth describe the trip he added those are the best kind lets hope for the rest will be just as quick and uneventful.

As Elizabeth and Kevin were being welcomed back to the lake, and the trailer was starting to be loaded; at the gun shop things were going a lot better than before at the bank. Steve Jennings had told Jimmy after hearing the news about DHS list and that the Sheriff’s Office had been told that it was probably the Russians behind the Terrorist attacks. The decision made he immediately locked the front door and put the closed sign out. Steve said, “Get what you want, cash only and we will fill out the forms and get gone. I am going to be backing up my trailer to the back and calling my wife and son to come help me load up what we are taking to our BOL.”

Steve’s store was a very nice store but due to being in a county with only seventy-thousand people and city with less than twenty-five thousand on its best day, he didn’t carry large quantities of any one weapon. Steve after hearing what they wanted he said, “Look, I only have three handguns in of the same type and caliber in three types. I have three FN Five-seveN, but one of them is in FDE, the other two are black. Had to buy three to get the FDE. I have three FN 509 Tacticals, only because a guy ordered two of them and decided he didn’t like them and traded for a couple of Springfield’s. That makes two of them used, probably less than a hundred rounds shot between the two of them. I also have three Colt Gold Cups in forty-five caliber, lots of people like those and they move pretty good.”

Jimmy said, “Don’t want any Gold Cups or forty-five caliber. Show us the Five-SeveN and the 509 Tacticals. You got any Glock 34 s or 19X pistols?”

Sandy spoke up saying, “Is that a S&W Model 10 in the cabinet?

Jimmy said, “We need pistols. I didn’t think you liked the S&W M-10 you had of Eli’s.”

Sandy laughed and replied, “I didn’t but Eli likes it and I thought I would get her another one, to match the one she let me borrow. I like those FN Five-SeveNs I was looking at them in the case, already.”

Jimmy asked, “Steve, how many rounds of Five-Seven do you even have in the shop? It might get hard to find if you know what I mean.”

Steve replied, “Got a couple of cases of the SS195LF 27 gr JHP, comes in two thousand rounds to the case and probably could round up a thousand rounds of the good stuff the SS197SP V-Max 40 gr. How much you want?”

Jimmy replied, “Give me all you got on the V-Max and both cases of the JHP and the little lady wants the three Five-seveN. You got holsters, preferably kydex or leather?”

Steve said, “Come on back and I will show you where to get the ammunition and the holsters are on the rack. I have both leather and kydex. What I don’t have is any extra magazines for the Five-Sevens. They come with three each and I think I have one extra hanging on the display rack. I know I don’t have any in the warehouse.”

Following Steve into the back, Jimmy saw something that caught his eye, laying on a table in the warehouse, still in the box. Walking over and opening the box and marveling at the superbly designed beauty, he asked, “This baby for sale, or did you order it for someone?”

Steve grinned and said, “Ordered it for a guy, who had Champagne taste and a water budget. The re-stocking fee with Barrett is why I haven’t sent it back. He gave me two-thousand dollars to place the order a couple of months ago. He keeps saying he might come back and get it, but his wife found out about it and it ain’t gonna happen. I got about forty-five hundred in it plus his two thousand and that includes the suppressor. It has the thirty-two-inch heavy barrel and all the goodies. No scope though, though we have plenty in the shop that will work. That would be extra and I have two hundred rounds of 750 gr A-MAX Hornady, five dollars a pull for all two hundred. That is a pretty good price for the end of the world. Let’s say seventy-five hundred and I have a great 4.5-30X 50mm Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS II and I will bore sight it for you for that price. What do you say? Any other day it would be ten grand the information and the other stuff you are buying offsets the cost.”

Jimmy said, “I will have to see if my young banker will front me the cash, but the answer is yes. If I have to go back to the bank to get the cash, I will”

Sandy not only fronted Jimmy the cash she paid his friend Steve in cash for everything the three of them had purchased. She had told Celeste and Jimmy it was her present to them. Celeste for making her ordeal a profitable one. This said with an ear-to-ear grin and to Jimmy for always being good to her and her brother, through the years. Adding she also appreciated Jimmy trying to help their Mother.

The group left Steve’s about and hour later with the three FN-Five-SeveNs, three FN-509s, two Glock34s, two Glock 19X, a pair of Glock 19s, a S&W Model 10 and one SIG MCX Rattler. A weapon that Celeste had decided she just had to have, because it was so cute. That and one Barrett Model 95 fifty caliber bolt action rifle with all the trimmings. There bag of goodies also included holsters and any extra magazines they could find in the shop and according to Jimmy the piece de resistance was SureFire Suppressor for the Barrett 95 registered to someone else. Steve had also thrown into the deal a three of the thirty caliber SilencerCo Omega suppressors and two of the Omega K s for pistols. Telling the trio, with a laugh that they must have been lost during shipping and if they were caught with them, he never knew them.

With their purchases finished at the gun store, the trio of mad shoppers headed to the local Ford dealership to meet Melvin’s friend and VP of the dealership Tony Rice. Sandy had decided like Elizabeth she wanted a fully tricked out Ford F-250 Super Duty diesel four by four, Crew Cab pickup with the short bed. The only decision was the color she had already decide she wanted the Limited trim package with all the options. Tony had told Melvin on the phone the night before that he had three in stock, a white, a charcoal and tan or beige like color. Sandy harrumphed at these colors and said, “Not really girly colors, but I guess hot pink would not be the color of choice for stealth.”

Jimmy pulled into the parking lot an up to the showroom side entrance where he had been told by Tony that he would be there waiting on Sandy and the group. True to his word as Jimmy shut down the vehicle and was in the process of opening his drive side door Tony walked out of the showroom entrance. Jimmy spoke over his shoulder to Sandy saying, “Big girl this is your rodeo let’s get it started.”

Sandy hastily replied, “Coming, Jimmy…,” Jumping out of the truck and following him towards Tony.

Tony greeted the group and gave Sandy a big hug, and said, “You ready to get your second vehicle in lest than a couple of weeks. I have all three of the Limited trim edition F-250 Super Duty’s I have in the lot inventory sitting right here waiting on you, to see and drive if you wish”

Pointing with his left hand to her right about thirty feet away. Sandy looked to her right and fell in love at first sight with the Charcoal F-250 sitting in between the other two Ford trucks. Sandy started walking towards the trucks as Jimmy said, “Ladies I will be in the truck if you need me, I think someone should be in it at all times.” He turned without getting an answer from Sandy of Celeste. Celeste did nod at her new beau in silent acknowledgement of his wishes. The nod saying thanks and we got this to Jimmy. Getting into the truck at about the same time that Sandy asked Tony if he had the keys to the trucks, the Charcoal colored one specifically.

Tony smiling because he knew that she would probably pick the Charcoal as it was most peoples favorite color. Any one of the three trucks would be a good sell for him and the dealership, his commission being a few hundred dollars more on the Charcoal because it had almost every upgraded available. The Limited didn’t have a lot of upgrades but this one had been upgraded by the dealership with wider custom rims and tires. The dealership upgraded both the front and rear bumpers adding Fab Four Winch Front Bumper with Grille Guard and a Premiere Rear Bumper with an added skid plate. The bumpers were the selling point draw. The White truck in his mind being eliminated because Melvin had a white Ford truck already and the tan just not having the pizzazz of the dark gray or by Ford definition Charcoal Super Duty F-250. Tony replied, “It is open but here are the keys. All three basically have the same packages the Charcoal has upgrades in the tires, rims, both bumpers and a winch, along with shock upgrades. The interior packages are the same except for the color.”

Taking the keys from Tony she jumped into the big dark truck and hit the switch after letting the glow plugs warm as instructed by Tony. Sandy said, “Get in Celeste we are going for a ride, right now.” Celeste jumped into the front passenger seat with the VP of the dealership just getting in the seat and not getting his door closed much less his seat belt fastened before Sandy took off in the truck. Leaving the Ford dealership with an unladylike blaring of the horn and a wave as she passed Jimmy sitting lazily in his truck. Celeste said, “Easy Earnhardt, you don’t need to have a wreck before we get out of the dealership parking lot, not good for your driving record or your pocketbook.”

The big truck nose dived in the front with rapid deceleration as Sandy let off the accelerator pedal. Sandy stoically replied, “This thing has great get up and go. I figured it would be very sluggish from the size of this monster alone.”

Tony pointed out that the big Diesel truck with the 6.7 L diesel had a turbo, with 450 horsepower and over 930-foot pounds of torque. The numbers didn’t mean much to Sandy but Celeste being a little older, wiser and more mechanical new that these were impressive numbers. They explained the reason for Sandy flying out of the parking place at breakneck speed. Celeste replied, “Tony those are impressive horsepower and torque numbers. Most muscle cars would be pleased to generate numbers like the ones you are quoting.”

Tony along for the ride and expecting a big commission just smiled and thought that they would probably never even look at the other two trucks. The smile was an acknowledgement of the fifty bucks that his second-best salesperson was going to owe him in just a little bit. The fifty bucks worth as much to him as the commission check. The fact that he still had it as a salesperson, even though he didn’t really work in sales anymore mostly just management. His second a much younger guy wanting his job, thought he was a better salesman and should be the manager. Every once in a while, the big bull had to come out of the shade and show the herd he was still in charge. As he was thinking, Sandy asked, “Celeste, I really like this one especially the tires and the color. Should I even look at the others?”

Celeste replied, “If you are pleased with this one, there is no use to look at the others. If you have questions then you should check out all three.”

Sandy replied, “I am sure this is the one for me. Melvin had a white truck and the other color is just plain butt ugly. You know, it is a man’s truck, not a Ladies.”

Tony smile got a little bigger in the back and he asked, “Sandy if you want this truck. I will call and get my sales guy to start writing up the paper work while we finish the drive. I think Melvin told me that you wanted some parts for the Nissan truck to upgrade it for your brother, is that true? If it is, do you have a list?”

Sandy replied, “Go ahead with the paperwork and yes I have list on my phone. Can I forward it to you in a text or and email and which would be better?”

“Email if it is not too much trouble. Email is easier for me to work with than text. I am just not a text person. Old school like your uncle Melvin I am afraid,” replied Tony.”

As the trio of Sandy, Celeste, and Tony were heading back to the Ford Dealership, Elizabeth was turning left of Goose Creek Church Road into what seemed to be a forest road. The only exception was that it was roughly paved and had not seen hardly any use in years. Kevin in his F-550 looked to both sides of the entrance road and wondered if he was about to tear up Melvin’s trailer and maybe his truck. His Father Jack riding shotgun looked to his mind questioning son and said, “Follow the little lady, she told us it was tight but that their work trucks and trailers had been down this road before. Just don’t get in a hurry but definitely don’t lose sight of Elizabeth and Melvin. This may have been where they filmed the movie Deliverance back in the day.” Said with a small chuckle that didn’t warm the hearts of Father or son, as they hit the first hole in the rotting pavement now not much more than macadam.

As Kevin white knuckled his big rig and the large trailer through the wooded lane, Melvin called over the radio saying make sure you stay to the left on this next right-hand turn. Jack hearing the radio call and not busy driving saw the large limb sticking out over the road and warned Kevin of the limb. At the same time across the lake, at the Sheriff’s Office a call came in for the Rapid Response Team. Getting the call, the four team members already sitting in their two LTD Interceptors headed out towards the local Bi-Lo. Responding to a call of shots fired and a Sheriff’s Officer down. A second City cruiser with two Officers was already on scene and taking fire according to the message from dispatch as Eddie hit the siren on the LTD.

Eddie told Laurens that he had the car radio and the sirens and lights and Eddie went to his belt radio hailing Henry and Maureen. Eddie said, “Romeo, Romeo Tango Two, I want you to come in from the east and Tango One will come in from the West and head for the front entrance. Wait one on evaluation by Tango One for further direction on where we want you to deploy at the objective.”

Henry keyed his mike and replied, “Tango Two coming in from the East and waiting on further instructions.”

Eddie replied, “Long guns are the rule of the day and make sure we have tear gas for crowd control in the 37mm blooper. Tango Two Mike do you have the blooper ready? As we described in our general ops pre-planning brief?”

Maureen keyed her mike and replied, “Roger that Tango One Lead, just as planned. Also carrying the 870 as discussed in the planning meeting, due to not being qualified with the M-4.”

Just as Eddie pulled the LTD into the Bi-Lo parking lot the first shot hit the front of the cruiser. Eddie keyed his mike as he made a hard right away from the gunfire and reported, “Tango One taking fire. I repeat Tango One taking fire.”

Laurens killed the lights and siren with his left hand, while griping the pistol grip of the Colt M-4 with his right hard enough to make his fingers hurt. Thinking of his training he immediately relaxed his grip in the way he had been taught in his advanced carbine class at the satellite Gunsite Academy he had taken in Richmond, Virginia. Doing this as he searched the front of the store for the attackers. The parking lot had cars going in many directions with would be shoppers trying to get out of harm’s way. His excellent vision brought him to at least two assailants at the front of the store standing behind a County Tahoe.

Laurens said, “Perpetrators at the one o’clock about seventy feet to our right of the front entrance behind County Tahoe. You copy Eddie?”

Eddie calm as day keyed his mike and said, “Tango Two be advised bad guys on the east side of the front of building behind County Tahoe, comeback.”

Looking quickly to his right and acknowledging his partner with a nod. Pulling behind a row of cars still in the parking lot on the left-hand side of the entrance for as much cover as possible. He stopped the Cruiser and said, “Laurens, slide across the seat and come out of the car on my side. Two reasons, more cover over here and we can work together in a leap-frog method to get closer to the front and the perps.”

Laurens only response was a slide across the seat, ending in a crouch beside his partner. Tapping him on his left shoulder he bounded ahead about two car lengths without drawing fire from the bad guys. Taking a quick peek over the front of a red older model Mercury and locating the bad guys. Laurens waved for Eddie to make his bounding maneuver around and to the front of him. Seeing the signal, he had been waiting on, Eddie took off at a full run aiming for a green car about two rows in front of Laurens. Within three steps Eddie was taking fire, crouching and still running at full speed his senses made him aware of the full-scale auto rock and roll being sent towards the front of the grocery store by his partner Laurens. Inwardly, Eddie smiled glad to have Laurens as his wing man. Laurens was right on script as they had rehearsed in the briefing with his fire, blasting two and three round bursts at the targets, hoping to keep their heads down until his partner could make the goal of his bound.

Seeing that Eddie and Laurens had the attention of the attackers, they pulled up within a hundred meters of the two men firing at their teammates. They parked behind a large Ford F-350 dually and exited the LTD away from the attackers. Henry asked, “Maureen you ready?”

Looking at his friend, she nodded and racked the shotgun thinking that she probably should have done that a long time ago. She smiled and replied, “Now I am, a little, no a lot out of practice. Me or you first to charge the Hellhounds?”

Grinning at his partner who was beginning to believe in herself, Henry replied, “Ladies first…,” pointing towards the sounds of gunfire.

Maureen took off up the right side of the line of cars using them for concealment and cover hopefully she thought. Maureen passed four cars and came to a sliding stop at the back-quarter panel of a blue sedan. Gasping for breath as her Adrenalin had kicked in and was quickly depleting her oxygen supply and with it any stamina she might need to use. Maureen thought this is definitely not like my spinning or Tae-bo class at the gym. She then looked back over her shoulder and motioned for Henry to make his run. Completing that she raised and made ready to fire at the enemy to cover her new Rapid Response Team partner. Words that she knew she could really get use to saying, my partner and my team. Words that she had been wanting to say and hear for the entire six long years of her Law enforcement career.

A mere moment later Henry passed her a dead sprint and hollered, “I don’t think they have seen us yet. As soon as I stop start your bound.” In less than five seconds it was time for her to make her run and she came out of her spot from behind her cover, like she had many times in college. She ran the hard race as it was called by many the four-hundred meters. A race too long to be a sprint and too short to be considered a distance race. Stopping at the last car in the line of parked cars and trying to get her breath under control, she felt a presence and there was Henry. Henry hadn’t waited for a signal following her a mere three strides behind his partner. A partner that the non-PC person that was Henry Gonzalez thought was fast for a lady, either that or he was getting old and that couldn’t be right, could it?

As Henry and Maureen were catching their collective breaths; Eddie and Laurens were trading fire with the two assailants behind the Tahoe. Then Eddie and Laurens started receiving fire from inside the grocery store door. Back across the lake, Elizabeth and Kevin were sitting in front of another locked fence gate. This gate was a heavy-duty sliding gate on rollers, a gate that was ran by an electric motor. Elizabeth had to put in a code, after she had unlocked the heavy Master lock and chain that they had additionally applied to the gate. Putting in the code of her Mothers birthday 6-27-60 the gate started to groan and moan and finally like molasses in the dead of winter started to move. Walking back to the truck, she got into the cab as Melvin said, “If we lose electricity that gate will be almost impossible to move by hand. Not only that no one person is ever going to move that gate I bet it weights four hundred pounds are more. Those are three-inch bars and they are about four foot off center and three rows high, with down cross pieces every five feet. Not to mention that is heavy gauge chain-length fence, it just wasn’t designed to not be opened by an electric motor.”

Elizabeth smiled at the Bossman and replied, “We will cross that bridge when it is needed, if ever. Besides we have plenty of Solar cells and batteries. What we really need is some supplemental wind power for rainy days in the winter. Now let’s go see our new compound and you told us we were crazy for bidding on the O&M for this place. Heck, we have made a fortune doing the O&M and we have a great BOL that nobody knows much about. The place only ran for a few years and most of the workers went back to Wisconsin with the company when it shut this place down after the buyout.”

Pulling through the gate she keyed her radio and said, “Kevin we are going to pull around to the left side of the plant and then I will take a second and back the trailer up the off ramp and into the plant. We have room inside for you to do the same. I will get Melvin to help with the directing, you might want to send Patrick or Jack up to do the same.”

A few minutes of tense backing of trailers got the two loaded trailers into the building. A large one-story building with two different levels of mezzanine floors as part of the general structure of the building. The main offices and what would be the main living area of the plant was a sixty by one-hundred-and-twenty-foot rectangle a little off center of the building. The two floors of mezzanine were along the rear north facing wall of the building. The bathrooms, Locker rooms and canteen were located along the eastern wall and the loading docks and truck entrance on the western side of the building. The only other building on the property was wastewater treatment facility in a stand-alone building located on the east side about three hundred feet from the main building. The treatment facility was built with the front edge of the building almost parallel to the back wall of the main building.

Elizabeth pulled her trailer to the back of the building and placed it facing away from the roll-up bay doors for the warehouse. She parked it there and got out and started dropping the equipment trailer as it was going to stay at the site. After dropping the trailer and securing it with the tire chocks, she jumped back in her truck and pulled it out of the way back up towards the entrance ramp. Parking her truck, she started directing Kevin and getting his trailer backed up near the large inner sanctum office that would in the near future become the home of Melvin and his extended family. Stopping him almost exactly in the perfect place she hollered at Melvin and Jack as they entered from the outside to come and help saying, “This trailer is not going to unload itself and Jessica is back at the lake house with my girls and they may have her tarred and feathered if we don’t get back soon.”

Melvin waved at his partner and said, “We better get a move on Jack those two girls can be a handful when their Mom is not around, to tan their behinds.” Laughing a little to let Jack know that he was only joking. He headed towards the back of the trailer and the task of offloading all the pallets of stuff on the large trailer. A task that would be made a lot easier with a forklift, he thought. Elizabeth said, “Melvin quit frowning, you big baby and go get the hand pallet jack over in the corner. I will be right back with the forklift it is in the back under the mezzanine and we will decide where to put the pallets of solar equipment out of the way until we need to install the panels. You will have to get them all off of the trailer by hand then we can move them with the forklift.”

Kevin had already spied the pallet jack and was on his way to get it, not knowing that Elizabeth was telling Melvin of its location. Kevin met Melvin about a third of the way back from across the big concrete floored building pulling the jack. Melvin said, “Good deal, see you are way ahead of the game Brother-in-law, let me help ya.”

Kevin said, “I got it now, probably be different in thirty minutes or so. I think we are all going to get a try at this thing today and the days to come. If we are lucky then we will get it all in place before bad times arrive. This place looks pretty dawg gone good for a bugout setup with the double fencing and the way you can’t see the entrance or the facility from the road. I only have one question how do we heat this big place, no way with electric.”

Melvin said, “Good question. I don’t have an answer but it is an interesting dilemma and question. I will leave the answering to someone else today. Maybe tomorrow I will have figured it out. Right now, I don’t have a clue, especially with these high ceilings and all this open space. Must be about forty or fifty thousand feet of floor space in this building, a lot to heat under ideal circumstances and times.”

“Yeah, I guess it isn’t something we have to worry about today. It will definitely be better than pitching a tent out in the woods. In here it will at least always be dry and out of the wind and other elements like snow, and such. Even if we must pitch a tent, it will be a lot better than a lot of places and Elizabeth said there was plenty of water from on-site wells,” said Kevin.

Getting to the back ramp of the trailer which had been dropped by his dad or Elizabeth who he did not see anywhere. He walled up the ramp pushing the pallet jack and ran the forks up under the first pallet he came to and started pumping up the forks.

As the trailer was being unloaded back at the grocery store Eddie was moving from his position where he was taking fire from the grocery store and ducking behind bunch of shopping carts in a rack. Hoping that the shopping carts all jammed together in the rack would provide more than just concealment. Looking through a hole in the buggies, he saw and heard two big blast inside the store and then a moment later another. Stilling wondering what was happening, a hand followed by what looked to be a white plastic grocery sack began to wave from the shot out front glass door. The sight followed by, “I got the ones in here both of them are down. The rest of the crooks are outside, there are three of them left now….”

As the person in the store was finishing a man and two women came flying out of the grocery store door at a full run. The person in the store hollered, “Stay in here….” The escaping shoppers made the third thug play his cards. There escape path taking them directly towards the third player as he tried to sneak up on the two County Sheriff’s trying to get to his fellow robbers. The third robber shot the first escaping lady as she tried to avoid the menace rising and pointing a gun at her face. Her scream got the attention of both Eddie and Laurens.

Laurens having a better angle to the situation was the first to react bringing his EOTech dot on line and squeezing the trigger of his carbine three times in rapid succession. The would-be robber was dead from two rounds busting his heart and both lungs, one after passing through the assailants’ right bicep. The rounds arrived to late to keep the lady from receiving a pair of 158 grain SJHP projectiles from a cheap Rock Island revolver to her abdomen and chest at near point-blank range. The two bullets stopping the small women at a dead run almost as if she ran into a brick wall. Seeing the lady in front crumpling to the ground and her life blood flowing onto the parking lot. The dead lady’s soul mate ran and scooped up his wife, screaming and wailing at the top of his lungs, “No, oh god no…” As he felt her take her last small breath in his arms leaving him behind and going home to the Father.

The man following the loving couple, never even broke stride or looked as he continued on past the two fellow shoppers. Only stopping about five more cars past the life bonded pair still on the pavement to get in his car, crank it, and speed away from the madhouse. The very place he had spent the last five minutes avoiding would be robbers and killers. He almost made it onto the highway before being hit in the driver side door as he tried to make a right hand turn onto the road to finish his escape. The escaping man hit by a commercial carrier truck driving past the main Bi-Lo entrance. The reefer trailer set on his path to the truck entrance for a routine delivery to the store. The CDL driver would later tell the investigating officer that he had been making this run to the store every other day for the last nine years. Adding that he had been a CDL driver with a blemish free driver’s license for over thirty years, starting right out of high school.

The events of the three people running from the store and the third attacker killing the lady and Laurens killing him did not go un-noticed by the other two robbers. Seeing their friend get killed, distracted the two enough for Henry and Maureen to move to a flanking position to the far right of the attackers. After getting behind some potting material the two Rapid Response team members brought aimed fire on the two assailants and ended the attack. That was what the official report would say. Henry would later tell his wife that, getting to cover the two assailants basically had their backs to him and Maureen and were looking the other way. Henry told his wife, I hollered at the aholes and as they turned, we fired on them. It was like a turkey shoot, only the prize was we got to come home at the end of the shift and for that prize I am proud of our decisions today.

During the aftermath of the shootout at the Bi-Lo grocery store Eddie would find out the facts from the lead investigator. The Rapid Response Team all had to wait at the scene for the Internal Affairs officer to interview them as they had all fired their weapons. The IA Officer cleared the team of any wrong doings in about three minutes after arriving at the scene of the shoot. Eddie learned that five-armed gunmen had come into the grocery store demanding that all of the cashiers empty their cash drawers. One of the cashiers was frozen with fright and was not responding to the robber’s orders and he pistol wiped her. This caused a citizen with a CWP to pull his weapon and shoot the robber. The other assailants shot the citizen and as they were trying to get the crowd under control the dead Officer entered the store and yelled freeze. He had gotten off one shot from his Remington 870 riot gun hitting and wounding one of the group of robbers. Subsequently being shot by one of the thief’s attempting to rob the store. One of the robbers that turned out to be the brother of the man who had been shot stayed with the injured as the other two fled the Bi-Lo. The second Police Officer was gunned down moments later by the two leaving the store. The RRT had responded at that time and ended the attack and robbery attempt.

The gunfight ending at the Bi-Lo coincided with Celeste and Sandy driving her new truck into the carport and blowing the horn. Sandy continued to blow the horn until Jessica and the girls came out of the house. Jessica seeing Sandy and Celeste ran to the truck and asked, “Is someone hurt? Do I need my bag?”

Sandy slammed her hand down on the steering wheel and exclaimed, “Where is everybody? I wanted to show off my new ride….”

Jessica catching her breath replied, “They took stuff to our new hiding place. Did we forget in our excitement over our new ride?” With an impish grin on her face at her soon to be Niece. Jessica pulled on the driver’s door handle and opened the door, looking in at the interior of the truck. She continued saying, “It sure has that new car smell and I luv the color. Not black and not gray kinda a cross of the two. How did it drive and ride?”

Sandy about to burst at the seams immediately answered, “Like a dream and you wouldn’t believe how much power this thing has, it will almost throw you back in the seat if you take off to fast. I did that the first time while taking the test drive. I didn’t even try the other two. I liked this one too much to even bother. When do you think everyone will be back?”

As she was talking Jimmy came pulling up in his truck followed by a big truck with a shipping container on the back. Stopping and getting out of his truck he walked over to Jessica and said, “Found this guy out on the highway looking for a Doctor Mars at Melvin’s address. He says the container was supposed to be delivered in a couple of days but his boss wanted to get it delivered under the circumstances. He says he needs a cashier’s check, debit or credit card for the trucking it was FOB this address.”

Jessica replied, “Great and not so great. The stuff is mine, it is my things to set up my supposed veterinary clinic here in South Carolina. Problem is if we drop the container here at the lake and have to bugout, we will want a lot of this stuff moved to the new location.?

Jimmy said, “No Biggy, we have a Landoll traveling axle trailer that we can pick that box up and take it anywhere. Not only that but you will get to see Elizabeth load the container and drive a big rig. I would call that a win, win for all…, now pay the man, we need to get the container dropped before they are back from the plant.”

Walking around with his hands on his hips and looking like a strutting peacock. As he did, he was attacked by Fran and Beth who had come running out of the house. The girls escaping from the watchful eye of Jessica who had not let them out of her sight until hearing the horn blowing and thinking someone was having an emergency that may require her services.

Both girls jumped onto him and he barely caught them, not expecting the onslaught from the girls. Jimmy finally getting the wiggling masses controlled asked, “What’s up my ladies? You almost crippled uncle Jimmy.”

Fran the older started, “We are ready for Mom, Melvin and you to be home. We could not do anything the whole-time y’all have been gone. Ms. Jessica wouldn’t even let us go play by the water, ride the four-wheeler or nuthin’. It was awful, all she would let us do is play and only that in the house.” Spinning the girls around in his arms, in a couple of revolutions he had them both screaming, Fran for him to stop and Beth for him to go faster. Beth being the younger, dare devil and tomboy of the two sisters. Stopping Jimmy told the girls that they could walk down to the pier but not to get out of his sight and that if they did, he was telling their Mom and Melvin that they were not minding. A fate that the girls new from experience that had consequences. Especially from their Mom who did not allow her girls to misbehave and not mind their elders for any reason. Both girls didn’t know what their punishment would be, they did know they wouldn’t like the choice no matter the results.

As the delivery truck driver was pulling out of the driveway to Melvin’s Lake house, Elizabeth and Kevin were almost to the turnoff to his driveway and slowed to a stop to let the truck leave. The driver nodding and waving to the drivers of the trucks who left him plenty of room to get out of the tight turned road. His acknowledgement of the road etiquette and manners noticed by Elizabeth and Kevin, returning the drivers nod as he passed them in the road. Melvin having noticed the silent communications commented, “If everyone would treat people like the Golden Rule, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Like rats looking for a hole to run and hide from the bad cat.”

Kevin laughed and said, “At least we aren’t the bad cats. We are the good guys. You know that is something to be proud of for us.” As he followed Elizabeth into the driveway hoping not to beat up the long trailer too much as he descended towards the lake house and another load of stuff that would help the family make it through the tough times to come. Making the all right hand turns with ease after being reminded of the fact that they were all right handers by Melvin. Knowledge being the key to doing a good job he thought.

Pulling up to the lake house Melvin saw the reason for the container truck to be leaving his property, a forty-foot container had been dropped beside the driveway. His first thought was what have they ordered now. Seeing Jessica at the back of the container apparently trying to open the lock, he realized it was her Doctor supplies and equipment for the clinic. Melvin said, “Looks like your sisters stuff got here early from Mississippi….” Continuing, “Does that container look different to you Kevin. It looks different to me somehow.”

Kevin with a big smile replied, “Yeah, that is Jess’s stuff alright. Dad and I packed that thing full to the rim. You got a good eye for proportion, Melvin. That my friend is a 45-foot-high cube container. The container is five foot longer than most but it is also a foot and a half taller so the proportion when standing along is almost exactly the same as a regular forty-footer. We had to get the bigger one to ship all the stuff she wanted to bring, the high cube has over twenty percent more space for storage and they really don’t cost much more, definitely not twenty percent more and the transportation cost was the same either way.”

Melvin replied, “Cool, we have a couple of those for storage on projects and I didn’t even know they made one bigger than the forty-foot ones. Might have bought the bigger one for our company, as we always needed more room for stuff it seems.” Getting out of the truck he walked over to see his bride to be, who still hadn’t succeeded in opening the lock on the container when he slipped up behind her and gave her a surprise hug.

Jessica surrendered to Melvin’s large arms and said, “Hey you, I am glad you are back. Do you have any oil we can put on this lock it doesn’t seem to want to open? Before you say something smart, I used the date of the day the container shipped for the combination and I have the paper work right here that I used to set the combo for the lock.”

Melvin answered, “I had rather hold you, than go look for some WD-40 but if you had rather, I look for water displacement chemicals, I can do just that.” Starting to pull away and saying the later in a tone as if he had been offended, Jessica immediately stopped him.

Jessica spoke, “Oh, Melvin I didn’t mean to be short with you. It is just everything, the girls wanting to go to the lake, Sandy blowing the horn on her truck and now my stuff showing up with no where for it to go. After all that, now the dang lock will not open, and to top it all off the world as we know it may be coming to an end.” Pressing her head into her future husbands’ chest, wrapping her arms around his neck like a boa constrictor and starting to cry.

A feat that left the big man helpless, to do anything except hold Jessica and say, “I was only kidding, I didn’t mean to upset you with my remarks. Just kidding Hun. Don’t cry, we will get through it all together.” Hearing this made her squeeze Melvin even tighter. His thought at that very moment was, who knew she was as strong as an Ox physically like she is mentally. Messing with large animals must be hard work for a veterinary doctor.

Elizabeth walked up and said, “Hey, I hate to break this up but I need to know. Do we need to go get the Landoll for this thing today, or do we want to wait and see the outcome of the next few days? We can always do this another day, we have plenty to keep us busy.”

Melvin still holding onto Jessica for her emotional and physical support replied, “Let’s make some sandwiches. I know everyone has to be hungry. I am starving and Kevin along with Patrick did most of the hard work, while Jack and I did some studying of our BOL both inside and outside. What do y’all think about that idea? If I have to make a decision now though I would say get the Landoll and move this thing to the other property today. Who knows what will happen in the next couple of days and weeks? Heck, we can even leave it on the Landoll, till we know for sure about the end of the world. That won’t hurt a thing.”

Elizabeth answers, “Sounds, like a reasonable response. It is past lunch time and we ate breakfast early this morning. It will also give us some time to figure out how to get everybody working on getting stuff out to the factory site. Jimmy, Celeste and Sandy are all back now and we can take more trailers if needed.”

Looking up from Melvin’s chest, Jessica meekly said, “Elizabeth, don’t take this wrong, but I think your girls hate me and I would love to give up the responsibility of looking after them. I am sure if asked they would tell you that they would prefer Sandy or anybody except me.”

Elizabeth laughed and replied, “You can never let the children see you sweat, to semi-quote an old commercial. My girls are good girls but if you give them an inch, they will take a mile. I don’t think they will or do hate you though. Just pushing their limits, or better said your limits with them.”

Patrick hearing the word lunch declared, “Now we are talking, can’t wait.”

Sandy said, “Patrick, do you want to see the parts we got for your truck? If not, we can just send them back to the store.”

Kevin and Jack’s ears perked up at the mention of parts and trucks. The pair started walking towards the truck and Kevin asked, “Can we take the truck to the plant. The maintenance shop has lifts, and overhead cranes along with a full machine shop. With the power still on it will be easy to get all the additions added to Patrick’s truck.”

Sandy said, “We have some exoskeleton to add to mine also. Not a full one like Patrick wanted but a roll-cage and some stuff, they called it a half-skeleton. Protects the front end and runs to the back, only one bar though.”

Kevin answered, “Cool, we can do all that stuff and make any other changes you would like. Shocks, springs, stiffen the chassis or whatever if we have the time. That is what we do for a living back in Mississippi.”

An hour or so later would see everyone through eating and a plan for Elizabeth, Celeste, and Jimmy to go and get the Landoll from the shop. The trailer would be brought back to the lake to pick up Jessica’s container. During the recovery period of the trailer, the rest of the family would be re-loading the enclosed trailer for another load to be taken to the BOL for the group. As Jimmy pulled out of the driveway heading back into town to the company’s lay down yard, Melvin’s cell phone rang. Looking down at his phone he saw it was Eddie and answered immediately, saying, “Melvin Cudd, how can I help you.” Out of pure habit as he had answered the phone in that matter for years.

Eddie replied, “Don’t be so formal on the phone for one thing. The second is if you are making any excursions into town be careful. The place is in full scale berserk mode right now. Just got through with a big-time shoot-out at the Bi-Lo of all places. Between us and the city we have four Officers down and Laurens received a graze on his left instep. One that he did not even realize had happened until the adrenaline wore off and he felt something wet in his boot. The EMT told him he was lucky it was probably a ricochet from the large tear it made in his boot. The boss told him that normally he would get a few days to stay at home and recover and then maybe a few days riding a desk. Told him for the time being to rub some spit on it and man up.”

Melvin could hear his friend laughing over the phone in the background at what he had told him about Laurens. Melvin asked, “Is he really alright? Is it really that bad out there? Elizabeth, Celeste and Jimmy are on their way to the shop to pick up on of our trailers.”

Eddie replied, “Call them and tell them not to get off of Highway 221 and come straight towards the shop. My team will meet them out near the arena and escort them into the shop and then stay with them and escort them back out of town at least past the arena area. We will be moving out in three minutes from the Bi-Lo parking lot.”

Closing out his call with Eddie he spoke to his phone saying, “Call Knucklehead.” His cell phone responded calling “Jimmy Harris, nickname Knucklehead. Is this correct?”

Melvin said, “Correct, place call.” Thinking to himself that his choice of an answer probably means the call would go to the Queen of England or somewhere just as wrong. Luckily after a couple of rings Jimmy answered saying, “Hello.”

“Jimmy, hey man. I just got off the phone with Eddie and he says that the freaks are out and doing their thing in a big way. He was just in a shootout at the Bi-Lo of all places, with a few Officers losing their lives in the gun battle. He said not to take any side roads and come straight down Highway 221. Told me his team would meet you out near the City Arena. They will escort you to the office and back out of town with the trailer. Hey beau, make sure you have your ducks in a row and keep your weapons ready to defend yourself. Make sure you tell Eli and Celeste the same thing man. We probably should have sent at least one more person with the three of you. That way each vehicle would have someone riding shotgun. My bad Jimmy, just not ready for this new world we find ourselves living,” said Melvin.

Jimmy replied, “No problem, Big. We got this, we will know better from now on. We will need to make sure we have the buddy system in effect from now on. Always a good system for doing any kind of work and we know this as a fact from our business. We are making good time tell Eddie that we should be at or near the Arena in ten minutes or less, probably less.”

“Be careful and I will see y’all in a few,” replied Melvin. Hanging up the phone and hitting resents on his phone finding Eddie and hitting send.

Almost an hour and half to the minute later, Elizabeth came into the lake house driving a long nose Peterbilt rig pulling the Landoll trailer with Celeste riding shotgun. Parking the big rig and getting out just as an Armored car pulled up to the front of the house and discharged an armed guard from the passenger side of the truck. Walking up he announced to the group standing at the backdoor of the house, I am looking for Ms. Sandy Manning and a Mr. Melvin Cudd. I have a delivery from the bank for the pair, could someone please make them aware of the order to be delivered it is for them only.

After a lot of commotion and a little pomp and circumstance, the armored car delivered a thousand ounces of gold equally divided between five ounce and two-ounce ingots. Eight hundred ounces of gold divided into two hundred ounces in one-ounce Gold Eagles, two hundred ounces in half ounce Gold pieces, two hundred ounces in quarter ounce and three hundred ounces in tenth of an ounce gold piece. They also delivered five hundred ounces of Silver in ten- and two-ounce bars and five hundred in Silver Eagles along with thousand-dollar bags in Silver Dollars, half-dollars, quarters and two bags in Dimes pre-1964 US coins.

After delivery and the Armored truck leaving Melvin announced, to the family; “And that my family is what One-point one million dollars will buy in todays market in Gold and Silver. What it will buy tomorrow and the day after is anybody’s guess? My feeling is that it will bring a King’s ransom in the days to come. Now, I know that some of you, specifically Jimmy and Eli have your own Precious metals and so do I. I am going to put mine with what Sandy received today and in my safe and move it to the new location. After it is placed in my safe, Jessica, Jack, Kevin, Sandy, Patrick, and myself will guard it day and night till we see what happens. I would suggest after hearing what Eddie had to say that we get everything we want moved to our new location by the end of the day tomorrow at the latest. I am up for suggestions or concerns at this time.”

Jessica said, “I have Precious Metals in my safe in the container along with the rest of my weapons and ammunition. I agree with everything you just suggested.”

Jack spoke up saying, “Jessica there is actually ten extra ounces of Gold and thousand-dollar bag of Silver along with a pair of new three-gun rifles from Kevin and I in your safe as a wedding gift for you and Melvin. We will help you defend the families loot. At least until we see what is going to happen in the next few days.”

Elizabeth jumped into the conversation, “Eddie asked if his team would be able to come to the new location. It is Laurens, Henry Gonzales his wife Julia and daughter Rosa and Maureen Brewton, six more with Eddie.”

Melvin answered, “We definitely have the room and a few more to help defend the family, would definitely be a gift from God. If Eddie vouches for them and no one else has a problem it is good with me.”

Sandy stepped forward and said, “I know Rosa Gonzales from school and she is a very good person. Really smart in Mathematics’ and Sciences. I think we should except them into our family unit.”

Jimmy asked, “Can we eat now? I am going to be like Patrick and say I am starving.” Looking over to Patrick and getting a big thumbs up from the young man who ate like he was starving at every meal and in between meals too.

Melvin answered, “Yeah, I think we can. I also think it is time for everyone to be armed at least with a handgun of some kind at all times. Especially when we are traveling back and forth to the plant to make deliveries. I guess we need to start leaving at least two people there to guard our stuff. I will do it tonight, we need to load a bed so someone can be sleeping and someone guarding at all times. We will load my bed from my room and take it with the next load.”

Everyone was nodding their heads in acknowledgement of what had been said. They all made their way towards the kitchen and Melvin broke away from the group, headed to his bedroom to get his Glock 34s and wondered why he hadn’t already had sense enough to put on his pistol. Following him into the room, Jessica asked, “Do you think my Dad and Kevin should be carrying? I don’t think they have been taking a long gun with them?”

Melvin replied, “They both had a long gun with them this morning when we went to the plant, with the first load of stuff.”

“Oh, okay. I wasn’t sure and was wanting to make sure they carried their weight, honey. How are you making it,” Jessica asked and held onto her man waiting on his answer?

Melvin shrugged and replied, “Best I can. I am just taking it one step at a time. Having you and your family here has been a big relief. Do you think that your Dad and Kevin should be headed back to Mississippi before all hell breaks loose in this country? You know they might put a travel ban on or something and they won’t be able to get back home.”

“Dad and I talked before we left and he loaded everything he had to have in our truck and trailers as they came north with me. That is why my trailer was really heavy and both trucks were loaded to the gills. He realized that hard times were coming and he wanted the family to be together. I hope you don’t mind and they are welcome here,” replied Jessica.

“All our weapons are in the safe and we will get them out as soon as we decide on where we are staying. We have what we need for now. How much does Sandy and Patrick know about weapons,” Jessica asked?

Melvin got a good laugh at that question and answered, “They are about like me pretty good with a rifle. Good enough to at least get a deer and they have at least fired a pistol and or revolver. Probably both, I guess,” answered Melvin.

Jessica said, “We might want to get them to at least fire their new pistols and rifles before we send them to the new location. Probably be a good idea to sight in all the new weapons before we go to the new home site. Maybe we just get everything loaded on the trailers and take it all in the morning and have one more good nights sleep before we move completely. We don’t want to be doing a bunch of shooting at the new location to announce our presence, if you know what I mean.”

Melvin replied, “How did you get so smart? You know I thank the good Lord everyday for sending you into my life. Both as a helpmate and a lover.” Hugging her harder and giving her a hungry and titillating lovers kiss. A kiss that Jessica felt all the way to her toes, while realizing there really is such a thing as a toe-curling kiss. She inwardly was glowing as she let out a little laugh when the couple reluctantly pulled apart.

Sandy had walked back to the truck and came walking back into the kitchen where Elizabeth and Celeste were pulling stuff out of the refrigerator and the pantry to make sandwiches along with some chicken soup for the family. Patrick was sitting at the bar and munching on a bag of pretzels and stealing a piece of sharp cheese. Sandy announced as she came in, “Hey, Patrick and Elizabeth can you stop for a minute? I want to give you something. I bought you both presents while we were out this morning. They are more practical than anything, at least yours Patrick. Elizabeth yours is a little more sentimental.”

She laid the bag down on the counter and started pulling out the three FN-509 Tacticals for Patrick. She told him she had picked them out for him because he liked the Coyote color they were and she found two extra twenty-four round magazines and a seventeen round standard magazine for the pistols. They each came standard with one seventeen rounder and two twenty-four round magazines. Six, twenty-four rounders on his battle belt and a seventeen rounder in his three pistols would give him a hundred and ninety-eight rounds with a round in the chamber of each pistol, a lot of firepower. Handing her brother, the three pistols and the battle belt. Patrick screamed, “Man, today is like Christmas. You already got me the stuff for the truck and now this. I guess you really do love you little brother. Most of my life it has been in doubt on some levels. Thanks a million, Sis.”

Sandy with a stern face that she almost pulled off replied, “Don’t push it little brother.”

Sandy then turned to Elizabeth while smiling at a knowing and approving Celeste and said, “This one for you Elizabeth is a little more sentimental. I got you another S&W Model 10. I got it for a couple of reasons one for being so good to us through the years, and for no reason other than loving our Uncle Melvin. Secondly, because you like the Model 10 and still lent it to me when I didn’t have anything. Much love Elizabeth from Patrick and me. Hope you like it half as much as Patrick seems to be liking his new toys.”

Elizabeth with a tear running down her left cheek replied, “Thanks, Sandy it is a great present because you took the time to think about me and your brother when it could have been easy to think about yourself. I do love it. It almost a twin but not an identical twin. That makes it very cool. I will have one for each of my girls when they get a little older. That is if the world does not come to an end before they get old enough.”

Walking in and hearing the conversation, Jessica said, “Elizabeth not to be meddling but your girls are old enough now. I entered my first contest when I was the same age as Beth at ten years old and Fran is a year older.”

Elizabeth replied, “I guess you are right. I was shooting a twenty-two rifle with my Dad when I was their age. I t just doesn’t seem right for my babies to be old enough to be doing things like that. You know?”

Melvin with a mischievous grin answered, “You just have to face the facts, Eli you are getting old. Just look at all of that gray hair you have.”

Eli replied, “You better get him out of here Jessica. I am about to hurt your new lover boy and I mean it. He knows good and well, that light color in my hair is the natural color of my hair.”

Melvin said, “Yeah, naturally white, not light, sure. Keep telling yourself that Eli.” Ducking as a piece of carrot that she was cutting up for a vegetable tray came flying at his head. The carrot missing Melvin and hitting Jack as he walked in looking for food.

Jack caught the carrot as it bounced off of his chest and said, “Wasn’t really what I was looking for to eat. I do like the quick service.” Then bit the carrot in half and started chewing as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

Patrick finally coming out of the trance that his new FN 509 nine-millimeter pistols had put him into and said, “Hey, Melvin look what Sandy got me. Can we go shoot them after lunch? I would really like to see how they shoot.”

Melvin replied, “Those are cool. What type pistol are they? I am not familiar with that pistol. I don’t think I have ever seen one like them before.”

Jack said, “Those boys are pretty new to the Fabrique Nationale or FN Herstal line of pistols. The FN 509 was the result of lots of people loving the FNX-45 Tactical but wanting it in nine-millimeter, instead of .45 caliber. No body really knows or at least they are not saying why they did not call the pistols an FNX-9 and gave it its own new line and name. They are top of the line pistols and have almost every add on that people put on custom pistols even a suppressor ready barrel and sights front and rear. Those are nice pistols and a little hard to find you have their Patrick”

As the commotion of the new pistols and revolver, finally settled down and the family started to eat the chips, sandwiches, soup and vegetable tray lunch hastily prepared by Elizabeth and Celeste. The ladies getting a little help by Kevin and Jimmy setting out the plates and fixing the drinks. While they were eating it seemed like the perfect time for Melvin to start talking about plans for tomorrow and the days to come after.

[sniper69]

223shootersc - thank you for another excellent chapter. I'm really enjoying this story!

[gipsy]

Fine update.

[223shootersc]

Thanks all for reading and commenting! Hope you enjoy and probably another chapter tonight!

[ydderf2]

Thanks 223. Maybe Melvin can find a couple SAW's perhaps with the manpower to use them perhaps someone from ROTC at a university.Thanks

[223shootersc]

A late night feeding for the MOAR hounds. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 9

Near the break of dawn before the rooster had crowed, found the family moving Jessica’s shipping container and another heavily loaded trailer of stuff to their new home away from home. The one they all secretly hoped would be their answer to the hard times to come. While across the county line at the Sheriff’s Office Eddie and his Rapid Response team were getting ready for a briefing with the DHS contingent that was coming in from the state capitol in Columbia. Eddie was talking with Henry about going and seeing his friend who had and FFL and had some pistols and ammo he was wanting to sale so he could buy food. Henry had told Eddie about his friend and the weapons when they were discussing the need for pistols for his friends.

Today it was decided that the best gunmen and women would be riding in the trucks carrying the loads. The breakout had been decided that Jack would be riding shotgun literally on the truck and Landoll trailer driven by Elizabeth, with Fran and Beth tucked away in the sleeper. Jack having borrowed the full size Fostech from Melvin and one of the cheap ChiCom chest rigs Eddie had thrown in his bugging in Alabama for his extra magazines.

Melvin, would be driving the big work trailer with Kevin riding in the front passenger seat and Jessica watching her future husband’s back in the backseat behind the driver. Patrick would be on the passenger side window behind Kevin. Jimmy would be driving his truck and riding point with Celeste and Sandy riding with him and both now having long guns. Celeste with the SIG MCX Rattler and Sandy with one of the POF P415 Edge carbines purchased by Melvin for her and Patrick while in Alabama.

Melvin had told everyone after the decision on the loadout of the trucks, that he wished they had enough people to have someone watching the backdoor, they didn’t so no use crying over things that might have been. Melvin told them since his truck had four people and the shipping container now contained both his safe and Jessica’s safe and all of the Precious Metals that it had to be in the safest spot in the convoy. The whole group agreed and decided that they needed to leave at no later than six-thirty in the morning and hopefully be up before the thugs and the one-percenters that might attack the convoy were awake and doing business.

The Cudd family convoy’s last vehicle driven by Melvin pulled out of the lake house driveway out at 0625 hours hoping to make the trip to their new bugout location in fifteen minutes or less. Jimmy pushed the button on his handheld radio and said, “Everyone stay tight but don’t get so tight that we don’t have room to maneuver. Melvin don’t get lost back there stay within six car lengths of Elizabeth. We don’t want anyone to be able to cut any of our vehicles out of the herd either. Everybody stay alert and from now on, I have the radio for Charlie one, Elizabeth has the radio for Charlie two and Melvin you have Charlie three. Copy?”

Elizabeth picked up her radio and said, “Charlie two reads five by five, over.” As she finishes speaking her two girls start laughing in the back of the sleeper with Beth saying, “This is like a superhero adventure. Mom is like Wonderwoman, don’t ya think, Frannie?”

Elizabeth said, “You girls get back in the back of the sleeper and stay down this is serious and not at all like a Marvel movie.” She almost pulled it off if Jack hadn’t have started laughing, she would have successfully reprimanded her daughters. She could not contain herself and just had to say, “Girls do as your Super hero Momma says and do not argue today. It is important, that you listen, okay.”

A chorus of yes Mom’s came from her two lovely Daughters and also from Jack in a voice trying to mimic the girls. They all had a good laugh and it made the trip go quicker. As the second truck in the Cudd convoy was making its way toward the plant that would soon be there home; across the lake at the Sheriff’s Office Eddie and his team were listening to the new rules of engagement and the governments plan to make everything better. Maureen whispered to Eddie an age old saying that definitely applied today, “We are from the government and here to help.”

Eddie leaned toward her and covered his mouth with his hand cupping Maureen’s ear and quietly replied, “The nine most dreaded and dangerous words in the English language when strung together in a sentence like you just completed.” Pulling away from Maureen with an impish grin that told more than his words.

About twenty more teasingly boring minutes of Power Point display and discussion by the Leader of the DHS group sent from Columbia and the orator asked, “Any questions, or matters that need to be reviewed now is the time to get them on the table. There however will not be any changes to the basic plan, it stands as written. The execution of the plan and how to best achieve the goals of the Federal government in this sector is up for discussion. Gentlemen and Ladies, you now have the floor.”

In a show of solidarity with the Feds the Sheriff stood up and replied, “Sir, my department will always stand with the government and be there to help. We pride ourselves in being able to handle all situations, just like the many that my Deputies have already handled here in our county over the last few days. We do appreciate all of the new equipment that you have sent our way and thank you for the generosity. The one thing we do find ourselves lacking in our county is good night vision equipment. We don’t have much at all, literally two pairs of night vision goggles and one monoscope and they are all early Gen 2 stuff. Would it be possible to get some for our Response Teams at a minimum? It would definitely help us meet our assigned mission responsibilities and task.”

The Regional DHS guy knowing that he had this one hooked all the way past the sinker and bobber replied, “Yes, Sheriff I think that can be arranged. I will personally make the call back to Columbia and it will pass me coming this way as I head back to the state Capitol. On my way to plan my next set of visits for this morning and afternoon. If you don’t have them by two pm please give my assistant Miss Gernete Spurgeon a call you have her number on the handout sheet. If there are no other questions, I thank you Sheriff and your fine group of Officers for your time, consideration, and devotion to the path and cause that the DHS is leading for the government. Your efforts will make a true difference in the coming times.”

Henry as the meeting broke up said, “Hey guys, there are a couple of things in the armory that I think needs to be in our cruisers or our personal vehicles now. I mean right now how about you all following me to the cage. It is more than I can carry by myself.” Eddie, Laurens, and Maureen did not question Henry’s motives or what they were about to do. The group had talked at the end of the shift the night before about going to the BOL that Melvin had told Eddie they were welcome to come if they needed too.

As they walked toward the cage Henry asked, “Eddie, do you think I could get Julia and my daughter Rosa out to the lake with Melvin and his family or to the BOL?”

Eddie replied, “Can they get there by their selves or we going to need to take them. One other thing is there anything they need to take with them? This might be for a while you know not just and overnight visit.”

Henry replied, “My twenty-four foot enclosed trailer is already hooked up to my old GMC 2500 and has everything we need to take for a long term stay.”

Eddie deep in thought finally replied, “I will call Melvin and see. I think they were going to be moving stuff to their secret location today. And the truth is I don’t even know where it is located. The other thing is I don’t have anything packed and we don’t get off till midnight tonight and the DHS people think something big is happening in the morning. Not much time to do anything if it hits the fan before eight in the morning. I think we might need to use some of our free time on a roving patrol today if you know what I mean. I need to get some stuff packed and ready to go myself and we can get Julia and Rosa with the Cudd’s while we are out and about if you know what I mean.” With a wink at the end at his crew.

Maureen said, “I need to pack some stuff too. I don’t have much but I have some MRE’s and some long-term stuff like beans and rice in five-gallon buckets. Supposed to be enough for one person for six months maybe a little longer based on what I have read. I really wouldn’t mind going by the sporting goods store and picking up a good sleeping blanket and or a bag and one of those pads to sleep on if we are going to be at a factory. I am guessing a concrete floor will get cold and hard in a very short amount of time, if you know what I mean. Might want to get some work pants or something like hunting clothes to wear. I don’t have any camouflage stuff except the one pair we are issued for work with the DEA when doing those Meth lab raids. One pair won’t last very long wearing them every day.”

Henry said, “I never thought about that. Julia and Rosa don’t have any clothes like work clothes or hunting stuff to wear. I don’t think either have a pair of boots that don’t have high heels on them, designer clothing and boots is all they have in their closets.”

Laurens joined into the conversation adding, “I can have my stuff packed in the truck in ten minutes and ready to go. I have it all in duffle bags or those cheap Chinese knockoff Pelican cases from Harbor Freight. Can’t afford the real stuff on a lawman’s salary. You know?”

Eddie said, “That’s right. We need a plan. I think the first priority is getting Julia and Rosa with Melvin and the family. Then we can figure out about what they need and try to get some of that purchased or whatever we need to get them some stuff to wear. Then maybe we go and get Laurens stuff packed up. Nah, that is all the way over near Laurens we will have to do that last. Maybe we can get my stuff packed and ready to go and then we pickup Maureen’s and get it delivered to the new BOL. What do you guys think?”

Laurens replied, “We might could get my stuff at supper time tonight and bring it back across the lake to Melvin’s or to the Office. I think the rest sounds like a plan that we can work. First you need to check with Melvin and see where they are located so we can meet them with Henry’s family.”

As the County Sheriff’s Offices Rapid Response Team was planning; Jimmy gave Celeste the combination to the outer gate lock and told her to open the gate. Reminding her to wait till everyone was through and relock the gate behind them. Saying that he would pull over just around the first turn and let the others by and wait on her to catch a ride. Celeste gave him an I love you smile and said, “On it and we need to talk about us, today.”

Celeste opened the gate and waved Jimmy through, followed by Elizabeth and the Landoll trailer and they were quickly followed through by Melvin and his crew. Locking the gate, she took off after the convoy at a fast ground eating jog that she could do for miles. Catching up with Jimmy just as she rounded the first curve just as he had told her. Jimmy had a petrified look on his face when she got in the passenger side seat. Celeste asked, “Do we have company?”

Jimmy replied, “No why do you ask that?

Celeste replied, “You look like you have seen a ghost or are scared to death of something.”

Jimmy replied, “I am scared. You said we have to talk and most of the time when people are having a relationship and one says that to the other, they are about to tell the other one something they don’t want to hear.”

Celeste smiled and replied, “I wanted to tell you that I think I am crazy in love with you. I hope that is not something you don’t want to hear. Actually, I was hoping you felt the same about me. Maybe we could make it official, I want to do that very much. I might be a big city Lawyer by profession but I am a country girl in my heart and the way I think things should be between man and a woman. That is if they are to be one.”

A big yahoo was heard by the rest of the family as they were getting out of the trucks and deciding how they wanted to handle the trailers. Elizabeth said, “If the container wasn’t on a Landoll trailer we could never get it off inside the building. It is on one, we will just drive the container up inside of the building and drop the container inside the building. That will save us a bunch of time of moving stuff inside. We can do the same with the neck over trailer just like we did before. On an inquiring mind wants to know note, what do y’all think Jimmy was hollering about? I bet he could be heard across the lake. Some OpSpec he is using.”

As she asked Melvin’s cell phone rang and it was Eddie. Melvin said, “Hey Eddie. What you need? Thought it would be late tonight before we heard from you. Something speed up the timeline before tomorrow morning for the big dance?”

Eddie replied, “No and yes. The threat level is still highest for in the morning. We are looking for a place to drop off Henry’s wife and daughter. We might have to be looking for a hole in a hurry and if we could get them with you and maybe to the plant site sometime this morning it would be great. That and we might want to know ahead of time where we are running for a hidey hole, if you know what I mean my friend.”

Melvin told Eddie that they would work it out and they would meet at Hope Church Road and the church parking lot and lead them into the site. The two old friends set a time to meet of three hours at 1000 hours. Both sides agreed that if they didn’t hear from the other before 0900 hours the meet was golden. Any contact after that no matter what was spoken meant the meet was a no go and they would talk again later and a meet at the lake house would be established. Eddie told his team about the phone call and they got to getting things together to get Henry’s girls and some clothes for them. They decided to get Eddie’s stuff and deliver it at the same time to the new home away from home. Eddie reminded his team that wanted to stay in touch with the Office as much as possible to make sure they got some of the new toys promised by the DHS specifically the night vision goggles. They also decided that the six large bags of ammunition and weapons along with the four cases of MREs that Henry had put away in the back of the cage would be dropped off with Melvin when they dropped off Julia and Rosa.

Getting off the phone Melvin called his family together and told them about his talk with Eddie and the fact that they had a meeting at 1000 hours this morning at the Church parking lot. Melvin went on to say that he needed to take a team back with him as they had to get Sandy and Patrick trucks back to the site along with Elizabeth’s. His truck would ride six easily and he wanted to make the next load to bring back the four California King beds and the two Queen beds from the girls’ room. That would give them enough sleeping for most of the bunch with Henry’s family of three having to sleep in one of the Kings and Elizabeth and her girls having to share one of the big beds. Celeste not missing a chance to pick at her best friend asked, “Where is that big Sargent from the County Sheriff’s Office going to sleep if Elizabeth has the girls in her bed?”

Elizabeth acting like she was mad as a hornet said, “Celeste, it is a good thing the girls are running around like banshee right now and didn’t hear your diarrhea mouth. I might have to wash it out with soap.” Finally grinning at her friend and letting her off the hook.

Melvin thinking, he needed to step in said, “I didn’t say it would solve all of our sleeping problems. I don’t know what we will have to do to make sure it works out. I do know that it will beat sleeping on a hard cement floor on a sleeping blanket. We also need to bring a few loads of that wood that we had dropped off yesterday at the lake house. I am not sure how we are going to heat this big place or how we are going to get hot water if we lose power. At least until we get enough solar working to run some electricity to this place. The two water wells are already on Solar. We will always have water as it pumps it to a reservoir on the roof for Potable water. The rest of the plant is on a different system and deep well. That is a big plus for us not having to worry about water and sewer as the domestic for the plant goes to a tile field and not the waste water plant. They recycled the water for the plant and didn’t want any biological in the system for some reason. Just food for thought while we are unloading the trailer.”

Jessica added, “I think we need to figure out a bunch of things, with this many people in close confines we are going to have to worry a lot about general hygiene. I am sure I heard someone say that hot water for showers could be a problem. That is one thing we need to worry about, but just simple things like brushing teeth and washing hands are going to me more important than ever. I know things are getting rough in town, is there anywhere on the outskirts like a Walgreens or CVS where we could pick up some hygiene items and even some more toilet paper?”

Melvin answered, “Maybe we could get Eddie and his team to lead us to the Fred’s Pharmacy. It is in a strip mall on the way into town before you get to the Highway 72 by-pass. I would feel better with his team around to help and with them there we can take our long guns just in case. We need to do that today, tomorrow may be too late.”

Jimmy said, “We could all meet at the Church and some go back the lake house to complete the bringing of the outdoor kitchen and the wood. Another group could go with Eddie to the Fred’s Pharmacy. There is a Dollar Tree or a Dollar Store in the same complex, might have some stuff we won’t be able to find in a few weeks.”

Elizabeth asked, “On the hygiene note, how are we going to wash clothes? I read an article one time about using five-gallon buckets and plungers. Do you think we could get the washing machine from the lake house?”

Jimmy replied, “That would be no problem. Patrick and I can unhook it and throw it is the back of my truck. Probably would not be a bad idea to pickup a dozen or more five-gallon buckets and some plungers. We also need a couple of those mop buckets with the ringers attacked if we are going to do washing by hand. Those things work a lot better than trying to ring out clothes by hand. We also have the couple that we picked up at Ace hardware.”

Jack said, “We use those at the shop to ring out our shop rags when we wash them. Ringers do work great and our rags dry twice as fast. I would have never thought about getting one for using to do our laundry though. Good catch Jimmy.”

Patrick who had been unloading the back of the big trailer with Kevin hollered out, “Hey, you think we could get some help?”

Thinking of the impatience of youth, Melvin replied, “We are on our way. It never occurred to us that you had started working without us having to wake you up or bribe you to get you to work Patrick. Might be a first.” Laughing at Patrick who looked hurt and Sandy who looked like she was about to bust her pants from laughing at Patrick. Melvin added, “Don’t know what you think is so funny Sandy, you are just as bad.”

The harrumph from the back of the trailer by Patrick could be heard all over the plant area as it almost echoed in the cavernous empty warehouse part of the building. Patrick said, “Good one Uncle Melvin and you are right on both counts. Just seems like it is time to grow up today for some reason.”

Patrick added, “Uncle Melvin, if we can figure out a way to hang one, I will be glad to give up my bed and sleep in my hammock. That one you got me a couple of years ago sleeps great and I have it in my Get Home Bag, Kevin helped me make.”

Melvin said, “Good idea Patrick, I have one just like it, except mine is a setup for five hundred pounds instead of the normal weight. It is the jumbo size for people like myself.”

Jimmy jumped in adding, “Melvin those are for two people, not one person. Did you even read the instructions, doufas?”

Melvin replied, “Don’t quit your day job, Jimmy. I don’t think you are going to make it as a standup comedian. Keep talking crap like that you may not even be able to standup or eat solid foods either.”

Jessica exclaimed, “Melvin Cudd, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for talking to Jimmy like that.”

Melvin was looking positively whipped when Elizabeth said, “Jessica, those two can go on like that for the rest of the afternoon cutting each other down, like they are the worst kind of enemies. Then go to supper like nothing was ever said. It is just a big game of one-upmanship they like to play. A different name is who’s is bigger, if you know what I mean.”

Jessica squealed, “Elizabeth that is awful.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter girl, I am talking about their brains. You are a lucky girl because Melvin’s is huge,” replied Elizabeth. Having a smirk that told everybody I can play the game myself and have lots of times with the big boys.

Celeste jumped in and said, “And just how do you know how big the Bosses is Miss smarty pants? You been playing with the partners?”

Melvin said, “Okay, this has gone on long enough. Let’s go help Patrick and Kevin, they have almost got it all done from the looks of the things that have came out of the trailer while we have been talking.”

Everybody still with grins on their faces from the interlude of risqué conversation of adult friends and kin, nodded in acceptance of his command. Most of the group started towards the back of the trailer with Melvin catching his wife to be by the arm and saying, “My bad, it is all in fun. I guess if you are not use to it, the phrases sound like we are being mean to each other. Really it is just kind of a way to mess with the other guy. Jimmy messes with me about my weight, because he knows I get mad at the overweight Doctors that tell me I need to lose weight. Them telling me that I am obese with less than nine percent body fat. I get on him about his girl of the day or minute and stuff like that. No harm no foul.”

Jessica gave him a kiss and replied, “Do you know how much I love you, big guy?” Pulling him close and heading him towards the back of the trailer with the others.

Walking towards the back of the trailer Melvin’s cell vibrated and then started ringing in his jacket pocket. Melvin retrieved his phone and hit send, then said, “Melvin Cudd, how may I be of service?”

“Do you always answer the phone like that. We are having an end of the world as we know it moment and you are trying to impress a client. What’s up with that, Melvin,” asked Smoke?

Melvin replied, “It is surely a pleasure to talk with your grumpy self, Smoke. Now, what can I do to help?” All said hoping he could keep from laughing in Smoke’s ear.

“Smartass, I wanted to tell you that I am not going to take the engines to Crawford’s yet. I called and he said with all that was going on that he had closed up the shop. He told me that a couple of his customers that were high up the food chain told him that if he had a hole to run to then he better get to it and be there before tomorrow. As in today, get gone. They also told him when he went down the hole to keep the door shut for as long as possible. Owen heard the same thing from one of his friends that works for the state government. We don’t have anywhere to go but we thought, that my garage has room for everyone if you, Jimmy, Eddie and the gals want to come and hangout. Safety in numbers and all, if you no what I mean, big guy,” said Smoke in a pleading voice.

Melvin asked, “Smoke do you even have any food put back or anyway to protect yourself and what about Owen?”

Smoke laughed and replied, “Owen is one of those prepper people and has like six months’ worth of food for two people. I really don’t have anything, except my garage and my ought-six hunting rifle. Probably got a box, maybe a box and half of shells. I think Owen told me he had some kind of fancy shotgun he got at a Pawn Shop. I think it is a Police model or something.”

Melvin replied, “Well, Smoke I got a better idea for you and Owen. Your information jives with ours, something is probably happening tomorrow. Maybe in the morning, early. Load your stuff up and bring it to the lake. You need to be at my house before four thirty this afternoon. We have a hole to go to and you will never find it if you aren’t shown how to get there. We are going to have a big meal at the house and then go and spend the night at our BOL. That is the official prepper name for our hole. Owen if he is a prepper will be familiar with a Bug Out Location. What do you say? You and Owen coming to the house or what?”

Smoke replied, “Owen is outside, let me get with him and see what he wants to do. I am thinking yes to coming to hang out with you and all those guns you bought in Alabama. I will call you back within the next thirty minutes with an answer. Thanks, either way for the offer. Talk to you later, dude.”

Jessica having been listening to the conversation said, “You should have insisted that they come. We really have room for many more and we will need the extra help when we have to put out guards and people in Observation Posts and stuff.”

Elizabeth hearing the conversation asked, “Hey Melvin, you think we ought to at least call Donny Ricks and Jerome and see if they are interested. I am sure that Donny and his family will want to come, now that I think about it. You know they bought that house over on the south side of town and then they built that large trailer park housing over on that side of town. You know he gets his wife’s Mother to come and stay with her and his daughter when he is out of town working. Had to pay her that one time and we gave him an advance on his per diem to pay her to come.”

Melvin laughed and replied, “Yeah, I bet I bought him lunch twenty times down there in Jacksonville. Couldn’t stand to see him eat a peanut butter sandwich every day at the site. Especially as hard as we were working.”

Jimmy heard the conversation and joined in, saying, “Yeah, me two probably twenty or more. Donny didn’t have any spending money and was washing his clothes in the bathtub at the hotel and hanging them up in the room for about the first two months. He is a good man and hardworking, we need to call him and Jerome. Even though I bet Jerome has went to Savannah to see his lady since he didn’t go to Kentucky.”

Elizabeth asked, “We want them at the lake house by four o’clock this afternoon, too?”

Melvin replied, “Yeah, and tell Donny to bring his Kubota ATV it is a diesel if he can and we need to get mine over here today if possible. Just thought of that. I wonder how many things we are missing and forgetting? Just like the hygiene stuff, I don’t even have my shaving kit with me. Guess my work clothes and travel kit is at the office. Quite frankly haven’t even thought about those kind of things lately it has been so hectic with my Sister dying, the funeral. The incident with Sandy, the lawsuit stuff getting custody of Sandy and Patrick. My wife to be showing up with her Dad and Brother. Just a lot of stuff, then you throw in the Terrorist and all crazy.”

Jimmy said, “We need to get our tanks on our trucks filled and if we have time run by the office and pick up our five-hundred-gallon site tank. I know we aren’t supposed to drive with it full of fuel. I think we fill it and bring it here, that way we at least have a little storage capacity for fuel. We could bring a couple of drums from the shop, too.”

Melvin replied, “Jimmy can you and Celeste take care of that when the group heads into town. We will have Eddie and his group to help. Probably need to remind Eddie about the things we are missing and see if he has thought of other things we need.”

Jack came into the conversation saying, “We need a plan and we need to divide up the shooters in the bunch. Maybe Melvin and Jessica, Elizabeth and Kevin at least until Eddie gets here. That leaves Jimmy and Celeste as a third team. We can send Sandy, Patrick and myself to go with the team that needs the help. It could be that all three of us go with one team, or we each go with one team or some function of two and one of us with two teams. We can play it by ear and see where we are needed. Maybe when your friends get here, we change up the teams like I said about Elizabeth and Eddie being a team. What do you think?”

Melvin started to speak and was cut off by Elizabeth saying, “Sounds like a plan, if we are through with the off loading of the trailer. We need to get heading back to the lake house and start loading the trailer again.”

The group started heading back to the lake home of Melvin Cudd. Leaving the extra vehicles at the BOL made for close quarters in the two trucks heading back to the lake. About fifteen minutes later they were back at the lake with the news that Smoke and Owen should be at Melvin’s place within the hour. They were packed and already on their way to their new home away from home. Smoke and Owen pulling the toterhome and trailer and had it filled with clothes, food and their personal belongings. Including all of their normal tools for working on their race cars at the track. If they were still going to meet Eddie and his team at the Church at 1000 hours they were going to have to hurry, thought Melvin as he absentmindedly drove his truck back towards home. His thoughts anywhere but on the highway.

Jessica finally asked, “Melvin do we need to get someone else to drive? Honey, you are all over the road are you sleepy or something?”

Melvin answered Jessica telling her that he was alright, just a lot on his mind. While across the lake Eddie and his team were at the Gonzalez house meeting and getting the family packed and ready to leave. The group deciding that they didn’t have time to get by Eddie’s and pick up his stuff. The Office had called and the DHS team had actually delivered the Night Vision Goggles and rifle scopes. The Captain told Eddie to make sure his team got there before all the good toys were picked over. Telling him that they actually got a panel van full of stuff with the promise of more. The Captain telling Eddie that some of the things that they were afraid would happen might start as early as the afternoon. Saying we will need to talk about the fishing trip when you get back to the Office. There code for we need to talk in private. Eddie and the Captain had been known to talk about fishing for very long periods of time when things were slow in the County. The two being close, although not exactly cut from the same cloth. Eddie a true patriot and the Captain a true politician.

Eddie telling the RRT that they needed to get Julia and Rosa with Melvin and the rest of his family and then head back to the Sheriff’s Office and get their share of the goodies from the DHS. He also needed to see what the Captain wanted to tell him about in private. The information could be crucial for their group. Thinking that the inside scoop on what the government had planned for the citizens in a time of crisis, would be the key to their being ahead of the game. Not having to play catchup and knowing the other teams plays ahead of them running the play a hedge that couldn’t be passed, Eddie had expounded to his team.

Henry asked, “Eddie, I know you. I don’t know your friends; will my Julia and Rosa be safe with your friends?”

Laurens replied, “Henry, they are the type of people that are taking your family into their protection, just because Eddie asked. Do you really need to ask that question? It is really insulting, if you know what I mean.”

Henry dropped his head and replied, “My mouth has done damage to me many times. I beg your forgiveness for questioning the loyalty of your friends.”

Eddie replied, “No problem Henry. If it makes you feel better Melvin, Jimmy and Elizabeth are more like family than just friends. Your family will become part of the Cudd family if you want to stay. That is just the way of Melvin and the rest of his group do business.”

As they finished loading the Gonzalez truck, Eddie said, “Henry normally I would say for you to ride with your family. We better just put them between the two patrol cars and get them to the Church. We are only about fifteen minutes from there and we will be a few minutes early. I will try to see if we can get Melvin to meet us early. We have a lot to do and a little time to do it. I don’t know what the Captain has to say, my internal clock is saying that time is short and we need to make the most of the time we have left. Let’s ride and I will try to call Melvin on the drive to the church.”

Heading to the Church to meet Melvin and his group Eddie made the call to his longtime friend. Melvin assured him that they would be there waiting on them when they got to the meeting spot. Melvin told him that he needed a favor and his team to walk some of his family back into town and too his office/shop. Elizabeth had made contact with Donnie and Jerome and was told that they could meet Jimmy at the shop and they were definitely glad to have a place to hide their heads during the coming troubles. While this was going on in South Carolina, in the Gulf of Mexico right off the island of Cuba the Russian fleet had arrived on the pretense of staging and elaborate war game in Cuba. The ruse used to get the Russian fleet close to America without raising suspicion. The Kremlin specifically Putin himself had already issued them orders of attack. Scheduling the go ahead to set sail at 0230 hours towards the coast of Florida and one division to make land right above Miami and the second in Tampa. The Russian carrier and its escort ships would be stationed off the Atlantic coast around the Orlando area in hopes of its eighteen Sukhoi SU-33 and six MIG -29s being able to supply air support for the attacks. Those airplanes and the full squadron of twenty-four MIG-35 attack jets and the twelve Sukhoi SU-34 attack jets that had been smuggled into Cuba over the last six months from Russia. All in preparation for the attack on America.

The Russians had been sending equipment and advisors to Cuba to get their large amount of MIG 21, 23 fighter planes back air worthy. The Russians had managed to get almost four dozen of the old air frames back in service and ready to fly CAP for the attack planes and the Cuban airfields that would be available to the Russian pilots if needed. The Russian mechanics and advisors telling their superiors that the airframes were very suspect and the engines due to the planes not being stored correctly by the Cuban forces. They had also made air worthy nine MIG-29 attack aircraft ready for attack on the mainland of America from Cuban airfields. Almost every Russian or Eastern bloc flagged freighter ship or container ship that had landed in Cuba over the last six months had part of their delivered cargo as war preparations for the Russian and Cuban invasion. Ten cargo ships were waiting for orders in the Atlantic and prepared to make way for the port in Havana with more supplies and troops for the invasion. As part of the attack fleet two of the cargo ships in the Atlantic were reconfigured as roll-on roll-off ships filled with another Division of Infantry. The Infantry augmented by a Regiment of fifty of Russia most advanced Armata T-14 Tanks with their 125 mm smooth-bore gun and sixty Bumerang APC fighting vehicles with 30mm cannon. This Division scheduled to be put on the Beach in either Jacksonville, Florida or Norfolk, Virginia depending on how much opposition the other two Divisions are encountering in the south of Florida.

The Secretary of Defense a Navy Rear Admiral Jefferson had on hearing of the elaborate stage for the Russian war-games in and around Cuba flushed the sub pens from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay near the Georgia and Florida border. He had stationed numerous of these nuclear submarines in the area around the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic side of Florida. His orders also included a pair shadowing the Russian Fleet even before the fleet had gotten within a thousand miles of American or Cuban shores. He had advised the SOCOM Command at MacDill Air Force Base to go to a high level of alert and disperse as many operators to different bases as possible, just in case. The particular just in case to fight a Special Ops war of attrition on the Russian if they landed on American soil until the Air Force, Army and the Marines could be brought into play. Many small platoon size convoys of SOCOM teams had been seen moving around the state of Florida if the people of Florida were paying attention. The groups assigned live ammunition and giving orders to attack and defend the Union if communications were broken or war broke out at any time over the next three weeks. Many of the teams on hearing these orders and seeing their deployment made sure their families were on the move before there teams left the gate at the base.

The Russian fleet would be dropping off two full and augmented divisions approximately fifty thousand warriors and support people. Russian Special forces would be parachuting in at Panama City, Gainesville, Orlando and Jacksonville. Meeting operatives already in place that would mark their landing sites and guide them to Florida National Guard Armories to take over their equipment and pose as the local Guard units to help get them on bases. The sub pens above Jacksonville, the naval air station in Panama City, the air force base in Fort Walton Beach and the naval training base in Orlando being ripe targets for the Spetsnaz airborne troops. The Airborne troops making HALO jumps into the different cities scheduled for 0430 in the morning. All would be landing and attacking their objectives at 0600 hours in the morning.

In London, England the CIA and a joint task-force from MI6 were beginning the take-down of the Russian agent scheduled to deliver the biological agent to America. Sound human intelligence work had led the CIA to the operative and his group of attendants helping to get the biological agent onto the plane heading from Heathrow to New York City and John F. Kennedy airport the next morning. One of four targets for American soil and the delivery of Russian death. Another group in Canada was very close to having their group all accounted for and would start their take-down as soon as one more of the team could be located that undoubtedly had gone underground to achieve their part of the plan. The teams already in place to make entry in the three known locations in Toronto near the airport on call from their superiors.

In Washington, DC below the White House in the underground situation room the President was in a meeting with the Joint Chief of Staffs and trying to decide if the United States should up the DEFCON status from DEFCON 3 to DEFCON 4. The United States since it’s inception of threat level preparedness had never been in a public knowledge a rating of DEFCON 4. Finally, after much discussion the President stated, “Gentlemen and Ladies we are going to Four at midnight and maybe before if we cannot find the other agents with the biological agent heading for America. I am going to authorize the apprehension of the group in London and what ever means it takes to get them to talk.”

“I know that the Intelligence Agencies don’t think that they will get any new or pertinent information, I think we have to try. Initiate Operation Ferris Wheel in London now, and find those other teams. Also initiate Operation Gordie in Toronto. We have the Agent and the biological under surveillance we will worry about the extra later. Taking the Russian Agent and the Toxin out of the equation is too important. Do it now people.”

With the President finished speaking the Joint Chiefs all started giving directions to underlings and trying to make things happen. All hoping that they would be able to pull the bunny out of the hat. Most of the intelligence community thinking it was too late in the act to recover a show that just was not carrying the audience. The Director of the CIA slipped into a hallway and called his wife and gave her the Get Out of Town code word that they had already put in place years before. His plan was to meet her in the West Virginia mountain hideaway they had purchased under her brother’s name years before. Her two brothers and their families would be at the retreat along with his Sister and her family. The Directors wife would make the calls once she was out of the Beltway.

The Director of the CIA was not the only one of the governmental elites supposedly working for the good of the American people and country that was making plans. Plans for them and their loved ones a place to run and hide. Most already thinking that the dominoes had already started falling and at a minimum WWIII would be started in the next few days. The only hope for this not happening was God’s direct intervention. This could come in many forms from a gentle heart attack and Putin dying in his sleep, to a good old fashion Russian Coup or the Assassin team that had been authorized by the President earlier today taking out Putin within the allotted time frame. All could save this frightening and dramatical conclusion from starting and running its course in America and around the world. Later historians would chronicle the events and story that peace and happy endings was not part of the plan for the world at this time.

While the CIA Directors wife was driving her husbands GMC 4500 dual axle truck away from the Washington DC area pulling a twenty-four foot quad axle tow behind trailer and making calls to her kinfolk. Melvin, Jimmy, and Celeste were meeting with Eddie and his RRT at the church and leading the group back to the plant and their new BOL. Melvin explained to Eddie how he needed the RRT team to lead Jimmy and Celeste to his shop and another group with Jessica to go to the local pharmacy. They needed to pick up some hygiene items and other over the counter type medicines that might be of use on the coming days. Items that could very well be hard to come by if not totally impossible to obtain in the future according to Jessica. Eddie had agreed in principle telling Melvin that he still had to get by his house and get his stuff, however they were needed at the Sheriff’s Office for no other reason than to get the new information that the Captain had promised to deliver as soon as they got back to the office.

Eddie and his group including the truck driven by Julia followed Melvin and his truck back away from the main road after leaving the church parking lot. A few turns and a short ride later they were turning off a secondary state road into a tree line. The group followed Melvin through the first gate after Jimmy had jumped out and unlocked the gate, with him staying to re-lock the gate after everyone was through. Julia and Rosa were getting very agitated at being in these unknown backwoods lane and came to an abrupt halt with Henry and Maureen almost running into the back of the truck. Had the convoy been going more than six or seven miles per hour Henry would have rear ended his family. As it was Maureen had hit her head on the dash from the quick stop and not having buckled her seatbelt for the short ride to the BOL.

Maureen grabbed her fore head and said, “What the $%X#, is Julia doing? Henry trying to kill us? Crap that hurts…” Seeing the blood on her hand, “Dang it I busted my head wide open. Go and see what the heck is going on Henry. I need to get the first aid kit out of the trunk, so pop the trunk latch before you go.”

Henry reached and pulled the car’s trunk opening lever, undid his own seatbelt, opened the door, and exited the patrol car on the dead run. His thinking was that he too would like to know why Julia had come to the sudden stop. He was on a mission to see what was going on for his wife to come to such a sudden stop without Eddie saying anything over the radio about any danger or blockage of any type in the path of the convoy. Racing to the front of the truck he was almost hit by the driver’s door opening as he came to the door. His ears were assaulted by the high pitch wail of his wife’s lament of woe. Seeing her husband, she dove to his arms and Julia continued, “Why are we going into the forest? We need to be back at home. We can’t live in the woods like forest animals. Why would you bring us here Henry? You are supposed to be our protector not our demise…, whyyyyyy.” Rosa was playing the age-old game of like Mother like Daughter. Rosa joined into the chaotic scene completely following the lead of her Mother and crying hysterically in unison with her Mother’s breakdown.

The rest of the convoy was now reacting to the sudden outburst of screaming and Melvin, and Eddie led their perspective teams each going down a side of the convoy with weapons ready to find the culprit of this agony. All fearing the worst that someone had already found their lair and was attacking the family, or at least one of their own. Jack waved to his son and spoke, “Kevin you take the left flank I have the right, you have the young legs.”

Pointing and directing his son the path he should take as he veered away to the right once they were outside the inside fence surrounding the plant compound. Kevin nodded his understanding of the instructions given by his Dad and took off at a dead run for the woods on the right side of the plant’s driveway and entrance. Thinking that he needed to be in better shape than he had allowed himself to get over the last few years since he had stopped working out and running on a regular schedule. Easing into the woods he tried to catch and slow his ragged breathing and find some concealment and hopefully cover and have a direct line of sight to the convoy stopped out in front of him.

Dropping into an old storm swale that took plant runoff into the woods, he could see Melvin moving back towards the truck in the third position where a man and two ladies were evidently the cause of the commotion. As he watched the disturbance, he realized that he was missing two important objects, a long gun, and some type of sight magnification. Needing this in the form of a scope on his rifle, binoculars or at minimum a monocular that would help him to better see the objective. He also had time while watching the commotion to realize that he was out here in the woods separated from the rest of the family with no way to communicate anything he saw with his Dad or anyone else. Thinking that they had their radios and he knew Melvin had radios they had talked about them, deciding as soon as the excitement was over, they needed a better plan. Seeing that everything seemed to be okay. He reached in his coat pocket and pulled out his small notebook and pen and started making notes of his epiphanies from his time spent on the right flank of this cluster. Knowing the reason, he carried the notebook was that he had learned at an early age that he needed to make notes that his memory like all peoples was very fallible. However, if he wrote his thoughts or needs down on paper then life was a lot easier and his memory a lot better.

Melvin on passing Eddie in his cruiser said, “What is going on?”

Eddie said, “Don’t know all of a sudden when I looked in the mirror on hearing a loud cry. Julia was stopped and getting out of her truck and Henry was running to his wife. Doesn’t seem to be anything attacking them or anything. Thought she may have gotten some bad news by phone or something. Mother, Father, sibling or someone died or something, because her Daughter is crying too. Figure Henry had it so stayed in car. Don’t want to get in the middle of family or whatever.”

Melvin looked at Eddie and said, “Normal conditions you are probably right. Today, I better get on back and see if we can help. Go ahead and pull up into the plant. Jimmy and Celeste are going to pull my truck inside just pull into the plant following Jimmy. I will see you in a minute.” Continuing back to the Gonzalez truck wishing Eddie had of handled whatever was going on with the family, they were his friends anyway. Mentally telling himself to man up, he waded into the melee that was going own with the Gonzalez family. The act in of itself wasting valuable time for Melvin and his group to better prepare their selves for the coming SHTF situation that was brewing in America.

Melvin not knowing any of the three peoples first name addressed the man of the family saying, “Mister Gonzalez what seems to be the problem and what can we do to help solve it and get the rest of the convoy inside the gates and out of view?” The man evidentially not hearing or caring about the question.

Melvin had to ask the question a second time to get the attention of the man trying to comfort his wife in her native language. The second time he addressed the situation in a much louder voice the one he used to get his workers attention when his normal voice was not having the desired effect. Henry snapped to attention at the recognition of a command voice and replied, “Sir, my wife is from the city her whole life and the countryside though beautiful had her upset. She is completely out of her comfort zone.”

Melvin said, “Understood Mister Gonzalez. I need you now to get her and your daughter into the truck and you drive it inside the gate. We need to get this done now. Do you understand?”

Henry nodded his head and started getting his family back into the truck and getting under the wheel. After getting into the still running truck, Henry said, “Sir, please tell my partner to drive our squad car inside the gate and I will be with her as quickly as possible.”

Melvin nodded his head and motioned for the Gonzalez’s to move out as he started walking behind the truck toward the Crown Victoria and what he would soon learn was Maureen Brewton of the Sheriff’s Department. Arriving at the car he introduced himself saying, “Hello Ma’am I am Melvin Cudd and this is my families Bug Out Location and I need you to drive this county vehicle inside the gate. The Gonzalez family is having some type of problems adapting to their new world at the moment. Your partner told me to tell you he would be with you as soon as he could. Pleasure to meet you Ma’am. I wish it was under a more ideal situation.”

Maureen replied, “Melvin it is nice to meet you finally. I have heard a lot of good things about you from Eddie. I am Maureen. Ma’am is my Mother or Grandmother. I will pull in through the gate now and follow the others.”

Thirty minutes or so later after the calamity with Julia and a sedative delivered by Jessica; Eddie and Laurens led Jimmy, Celeste, and Patrick out of the compound, along with Jessica, Kevin, and Jack heading to the pharmacy. The column had Henry and Maureen following and bringing up the rear of the procession. Elizabeth had agreed to stay along with Sandy to help watch over Julia and Rosa. Melvin was heading back to his home at the lake to meet Smoke and Owen, taking the enclosed trailer to be loading while he waited. Melvin alone but with the safest route and only a few miles to go waved at Eddie and his group as he turned away from the route into town and back towards the lake and home. Melvin had taken the Fostech Origin SBV out of its holder and laid it on the front seat beside him thinking he could get to it a lot faster than in the console scabbard built by Kevin and Jack. Getting off the main road in less than a mile he headed towards his lake house. The time driving spent thinking of all the things his new found family would need if things got anywhere near as bad as Jack and Eddie thought they were heading. Less than ten minutes after pulling out of the Church parking lot, Melvin was turning around his truck and trailer so they would be heading out of the driveway and easier for him to load.

Melvin safe at home, found Jessica and her group turning into the strip mall that housed the Dollar Store, a Fred’s Pharmacy and a local small True Value hardware store. Jessica said to her group, “We may want to see what they have at the True Value after the Pharmacy, maybe even before the Dollar Store. What do you think, Dad and Kevin?”

Jack replied, “I think we definitely want to see what they have at the Hardware store. True Value usually has a good selection. I know they aren’t usually very big but that may be the smallest one I have ever seen. The Dollar Store is bigger than the True Value.”

Kevin said, “Yeah, but they may have Ammonium Nitrate and I bet the Dollar Store doesn’t carry that. At least not in fifty-pound bags.”

Jessica kind of dumbfounded asked, “You planning on putting out some corn or something, you really think we need to be wasting time with fertilizer?” Finishing her questions just as her brain engaged and she put her hand over her mouth and added, “My bad. Good one little bro. Just wasn’t thinking on the same wavelength.”

Jessica nodded her head at Kevin as she finished turning into the mall parking lot, pulling the truck and trailer as close to the front as possible. It was pretty easy as the not very big strip mall parking lot was almost barren of any vehicles. Jack commented saying, “Looks like we have the place to ourselves. That is great, let’s don’t forget why we are here and get complacent. Kevin you stay in the truck and keep your long gun ready and out of view. Hit us on the radio if anything and I mean anything looks out of place. Let’s stay ahead of the action if at all possible. It is hard to catch up, when the other guy starts first.”

“Right Dad. I am awake and ready. Go ahead and don’t forget if any of these places have beds or mattresses Melvin thinks we need more. I don’t think so, but both Fred’s and Dollar Store carry a wide variety of stuff.”

Jessica and Jack exited the truck after both checking to make sure their handguns were charged and ready to fire. Thinking and trying to eliminate as many difficulties and stumbling points as they could up front. Jack commenting that, Mr. Murphy always showed up when you least needed his help. Catching up with Jessica and gently catching her arm, he said, “We want to be fast Jess, not in a hurry. Remember only the speed at which our bodies normally work, not one fraction faster, as our reaction times lock up, when we push. Slow and easy, slow, and smooth, smooth is fast. You know the drill, it always applies.” Smiling a Fatherly smile at his oldest and only daughter. A smile that she returned and nodded her head in agreement with the life lesson applied tenderly by her Dad.

Side by side the Father and Daughter walked into the pharmacy, a cashier at the front spoke to them as soon as they opened the door saying, “Cash only and a hundred dollar minimum except for any prescriptions or regular medicine pickup.”

Jessica walked right to the pharmacy counter looked at the bored assistant and said, “Please let me speak to the Manager of the Pharmacy, it will just be better that way.”

The Pharmacy Technician on duty turned and loudly said, “Doc the lady wants to talk with you about something.”

The Pharmacist walked to the pickup window and asked, “What can we do for you today Ma’am? Let me add first off I can’t take anything but cash not my rule corporate made it yesterday after lunch.”

Jessica pulled her Vet license out of purse and said, “I need the following meds. As much of all the antibiotics you will sell me along with all the metformin, Glipizide, atenolol, Warfarin, and any type of Flu and cold medicine, I can get for starters. We have cash, Silver or gold for trade on the medicines. I also will be purchasing a bunch of OTC meds that shouldn’t fall under the hundred-dollar maximum.”

The Pharmacist replied, “I have thousand count bottles of all and five thousand on the metformin and Warfarin. We are talking a bunch of money for those type of numbers.”

Jessica smiled and said, “We need all the saline solution and ringers you have in the store and on the antibiotics, I need the intravenous types also. I will require Morphine, Dilaudid, Demerol, Thordol, Tramadol, along with nausea meds, and anything else you think we might need to survive the coming hard times.”

After regaining his senses, the Pharmacist leaned over and said, “I will give you everything in the store you want. I want ten ounces of Gold and two hundred ounces of Silver that is for my cooperation. You will still need to pay for the medicines in cash.”

Jessica said, “That is a good boy. Now we need to have this placed cleared out in about an hour so put the closed sign on the door and we will pull our trailer around to the back and start loading the medicine. I want it all in the plastic stock cases it is delivered. I will be picking out a few other things in the store as you and your people load up the medicine.” Dismissing the Pharmacist after handing him the ten one-ounce gold Eagles, as a good faith gesture she keyed her radio and said, “Kevin bring the trailer around the back and get ready for loading.”

Almost exactly and hour and a half later, Jessica paid the Pharmacist over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in cash and the Mars drove over to the True Value with about forty boxes of various medicines. Pulling back around front Kevin said, “You know that Pharmacist is going to give each of those three workers about ten thousand a piece and call in that the place was robbed don’t ya.”

Jessica smiled at her brother and said, “I gave him an extra four ounces of Gold to wait till dark and closing time to call the law. I guess all that money of Sandy’s is going to do some good after all. She said spend it all, the cash at least. If we could get stuff we needed. I think Dad or you need to go into the True Value and two of us stay with the trailer now. What do you guys think, about that?”

While Jessica and her family were making out like bandits at the Pharmacy, at the Office Jimmy, Patrick, and Celeste were meeting Donny and his part of the time girlfriend. Jimmy pulling Donny aside right off saying, “Donny you know she is not welcome. If Melvin doesn’t throw her out on her head Elizabeth will and you know the deal better than most. Just can’t do it my friend, you are welcome but not her and no I am not going to wait and ask when we get to the site. To much knowledge would already be exchanged. What is it going to be my friend?”

As Jimmy and Donny were talking, Jerome pulled into the shop parking lot and his truck came to a belching stop, with steam and smoke coming from under the hood. Jerome jumped out with a pump shotgun of some kind, Jimmy thought it was a Winchester. Jerome hollered, “Get behind something I don’t know if they are still following me or not. I think they got scared when I took the by-pass and headed towards town.”

Donny not tracking what Jerome with a deep questioning look on his face asked, “Who is following you? Man, you are not making sense and what happened to your truck man, you keep that thing running like a top?”

Celeste standing on the other side of the group replied, “I am guessing the people who have shot up the side of his truck and maybe we ought to listen and ask questions later.” Celeste turned and reached into the truck and removed her SIG MCX Rattler pistol with a brace and a Chicom chest rig of four magazines and chambered her for all practical purposes SBR. Patrick still not exactly sure where he fit in the dynamics of the group or the situation did the same and pulled out his POF carbine that he had been given by his uncle and made it ready.

Jimmy said, “Jerome how long has it been since you saw the people that were following you and how many of them were, they?”

Jerome still a little bit out of breath finally answered, “Two truckloads at least six and probably eight or more trailer trash and they jumped me on Highway 34 right outside of Ninety-Six maybe two miles out of the city. I think I may have hit one of the passengers when they pulled up beside me, not sure.”

Donny still not really buying into the scenario said, “We need to call the cops and get them over here and get this straightened out, right now. I don’t want to be an accessory to some aggravated assault charge. I know how that stuff works; we need to call them now.”

Jimmy asserted himself and said, “Donny if you don’t want to be here then leave…” Continuing, “Jerome again when was the last time you saw your attackers?”

Jerome replied, “A mile or so after we entered the by-pass and started passing a few other people and cars on the road. I didn’t see a soul from Interstate 26 till I got to Newberry and then no one until they jumped me, it was weird.”

Donny said, “Well me and my girl aren’t wanted and we don’t need a bunch of commando freaks anyway. We are out of here.”

Jimmy said, “You have our number if you change your mind.” Almost ready to say something else and maybe consider the girl Donny backed out of the parking place and floored his truck giving Jimmy and the rest the one-finger salute and his girl doing the same only with both hands.

Jimmy said, “Well I guess that fixes that situation. On another note Jerome why were you coming from I-26 and not your home?”

Jerome replied, “Went to see my girl in Savannah. They are rioting and going crazy down there in and out of the city. Got the message from Elizabeth and headed back to South Carolina. My girl wouldn’t come. Her and her people are ultra-liberals even think Obama was the best president in the history of America and that this is a ploy by Trump to get votes in 2024. All they could talk about is this would be the final thing that gets him impeached and it proves the Russian collusion on the part of Trump. So, I cut and ran, was pretty good except a traffic jam on the Interstate in Columbia and the attack in Ninety-Six of all places.”

Celeste said, “I think we need to get that equipment loaded before anyone decides they want to see what we are doing at the offices. What do you think Jimmy?”

“My bad! Great idea, I was just kinda lost in the flow of Jerome getting attacked, Donny being a jackass and wondering if it is already this screwed up in a few days what will a month bring to our world,” replied Jimmy. Still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that people had attacked Jerome for no apparent reason.

Patrick asked, “Jimmy, what do I need to be doing to help? I can drive a truck if we need to and bring a second trailer.”

Jimmy replied, “Good thinking Patrick…, with Jerome here we can bring two trailers mine and our house F-550 for towing the big trailer. Let’s see what is loaded on it right now hopefully we can just hookup and go. I would love to have one of our PC 330s or bigger. I think we would be pushing to even put a 200 size on that trailer and pull with the F-550.” Opening the large multi bayed shop he saw the trailer and in a stroke of good luck it had the companies Komatsu’s PC-138USLC-11 already loaded and chained down to the mid-range eighteen-ton trailer.

Jerome said, “Sweet, I will get the F-550. Can someone help me line up on the trailer?”

Jimmy said, “Patrick help him get the trailer hooked up…” Continuing, “Come on Celeste we are getting the TL12 and all its implements and then we are out of here. Both trailers are going to be a handful but we need the equipment.” Jumping into his truck and started backing up to another trailer in the side lot, with Celeste standing guard right outside the open bay door.

As this was happening not to far away at the Sheriff’s Office, Eddie was meeting with the captain. Meeting in his secondary office, the smokers shack out in the parking lot. Henry and Laurens were in the weapons cage talking with Henry’s replacement a rookie with three whole days experience on the force. The rookie had a million questions for Henry and Laurens, especially Henry about running the weapons room. Maureen was in the female locker room retrieving her belongings from her locker, including her lightweight armor. Thinking that one of the other women in the group may want to use it and that it would be a lot better than nothing, wishing now she had bought the lightweight plates at least to go with the garment.

Pulling her extra uniforms out of the locker especially the set of field camos that had never been worn in the line of duty or out. Actively placing them in her bag, she was stopped by Zaida Bonds one of the three other ladies on the Sheriff’s force of officers. And the only other officer assigned to a field position, the other two officers in the HR and Community Relations Departments. Zaida asked, “Maureen, have you been fired…, or quitting? I haven’t seen you around or heard you over dispatch the last couple of days and I have been worried.”

Maureen laughed and replied, “No actually I am now on Sgt. Eddie Crowe’s Rapid Response Team. Almost like a promotion, but not. Least I am a real Deputy now and need to carry my weapon. I actually have already had to use it in the shootout at the Bi-Lo the other day where the Officer got killed in action.”

“Great, congratulations. Saw you cleaning out your locker and just put two and two together and got ten, with not seeing you around the office. I am glad for you, wish I could get reassigned, my partner is one handsy dude if you get my drift and him being a Corporal and all, you know what I mean of all people. You think you could put in a good word for me with Sgt. Crowe, I would be much obliged if ya could,” Zaida pleaded.

The Captain said, “Eddie just wanted to tell you before you hear it from someone else. The DHS if anything more happens tomorrow like they expect to happen, they will start the collection of resources. The DHS knows about all the stuff that has been shipped to your friend Melvin’s place at the lake over the last week or so and he is one of the tops on the list for the county. Not first but in the top three of people they are going to raid and they did call it a raid, like a no-knock warrant when I asked what raid meant. I am sorry, I don’t agree with it, don’t know what else I can do but warn you. I told them we would have no part other than traffic and crowd control on raids on private citizens that have done no wrong in my county. I am going to try and warn as many as I can as fast as I can without getting myself or the county in trouble with that bunch of carpetbaggers and revenuers.”

Eddie said, “Thanks Captain. It means a lot for you to warn my friend and to stand up to this type tyranny. Not exactly what the country was founded on, if you know what I mean.”

The Captain said, “And you and I both know that all of the people that are on that list are not going to just stand there and be screwed without being kissed first. They are going to fight to the last man, woman, and child to stop them from taking their stuff. My opinion quite frankly I think that is what this country was founded on, only three percent will stand and fight. It was enough one time before hopefully it will be again. Now on a different note do you need anything to complete your mission? By the way been meaning to say it in person, good job at the grocery store the other day.”

Eddie thought for a minute and said, “Yeah, I need an hour of range time for Maureen to get her qualified on her rifle. She was under gunned with her shotgun the other day. Could we possibly do that today? Specifically, I would like to do it right after we get through with this talk and we get our requisition of the goodies the revenuers sent.”

The Captain replied, “No reason that I can think of that you shouldn’t be able to get that time on the range. To my knowledge there is no one scheduled for its use.”

“Thanks, Captain, for everything and I am going to reserve the right to ask for some more stuff if I think of anything,” said Eddie. Finishing the exchange with a laugh and a final handshake of his Captain before he headed back into the Office Complex/Moving straight towards the cage hoping to find the rest of his team there as they had told him they would be if needed. A short walk and a few minutes later he found his group at the Armory just as planned. Walking up Eddie asked, “What kind of toys have we been able to swing from Santa’s war chest delivered by the DHS. Hopefully some good stuff.”

Henry’s chest puffed up and said, “Sargent we got the mother-load. We got the newest level of night vision on the market and they attach to a new helmet that is lighter than ours and has the radio earpiece hookup standard, or you can run it straight to your ear. We got stand-alone 1X4 monocular scopes that can be co-indexed with our red dots or used alone. The DHS also sent some real powerful flashlights that are kinda cool. The best thing maybe though is the Spikes Havoc 40mm grenade launchers with the adapter to shoot our 37mm grenades or use military 40mm issue grenades. See what I mean Sarge.” The last part said with a real glee in his voice and a large grin, all while nodding his head vigorously in the universal up and down movement accepted for yes.

Eddie replied, “I see what you mean Henry. Did they happen to send any 40mm ammunition for the Havocs?”

Eddie still grinning replied, “Yeah, but it is the same as ours flares, teargas, smoke, except they did send the riot control buckshot 40mm rounds. We actually got two one for each Interceptor one of the M302 types and the other even cooler is the six-shot M32 MGL grenade launcher. Be really nice with some HE or WP rounds a real force magnifier. But all in all, with just the extra flare time and larger rounds for teargas and the buckshot a big help. We got a few other goodi…”

Maureen standing with her hand held in the air and moving from one foot to the other like a child about to pee in their pants finally blurted out, “Sarge, I have a request. I have a request, you know Corporal Zaida Bonds right. She would really like to join our RRT, her and her partner aren’t getting along and she doesn’t want to ride with him anymore. If you get my drift.”

Laurens spoke up, “I know the dude, Eddie and he gives off a bad vibe. I have ridden with him a few times and couldn’t imagine if I was a lady Officer being in the same room with him for any length of time much less the close confines of a squad car.”

Henry said, “Muey Loco that one. All I can say.”

Eddie answered, “Well the Boss just asked me if my team needed anything. I guess according to my team it needs a 2IC. Do we have anything else I need to ask for when I see the Captain?”

Henry said, “Sarge they also have a Barret 82A1and all the trimmings, that Cookie was told to leave in the box by the Captain. Sure, might come in handy at some point and I shot one in the service and qualified with the M-107 as a Designated Marksman for my Platoon. Didn’t ever field one but qualified none the less. Might help to convince the Captain. The other thing is we need to get Maureen qualified on her rifle.”

Eddie said, “We can go to the range as soon as we get all our goodies loaded in the vehicles. Captain already approved the range usage and the ammo. Laurens and Henry get this stuff loaded and Maureen go find your friend and find out what we need to have her equipped like us. Henry talk Cookie out of five extra sets of that radio gear and the new Helmets, we might need extras if you get my drift.” Turning and heading back to the Captains’ Office hoping he could catch him before something changed his mood from before. Henry started walking into the cage and Maureen headed to get Zaida, as the Sargent left.

While Eddie was talking with the Captain and getting his wish list granted; at Melvin’s lake house he was loading the trailer when he heard someone coming down the drive. Thinking it was just Smoke and Owen. He continued walking into the trailer carrying a large box of How to books that he figured might come in handy if things got near as bad as his future Father-in-law thought they were going too. Melvin hearing someone getting out of the truck hollered, “Hey Smoke, I am in the trailer, come on around here.” Placing the box down near the front of the trailer, then he started back towards the rear ramp and his friends. Arriving at the back ramp of the long-enclosed trailer at the same moment as four unexpected one percenters came into view.

The evident leader of the group said, “Thanks for loading up our new trailer mate, but a tiller, a propane cooker and a box of books was not what we had in mind. We are interested in that big safe you keep in your bedroom and all the cash that one of your ex-employees so eagerly told us about the other week at the bar. Would you show us the safe and come and open it? That would be a good show and all.”

Melvin said, “Truth is boys the safe left earlier today. I sold it and the house and most of my stuff. I am moving to a new job in Mississippi and some stuff was just too much to move. You are right this stuff is going to the Salvation Army for a tax write off.” Thinking he was sure glad that he didn’t take of his Carhartt vest, choosing only to unzip the garment. One of the good things about being big was hiding a weapon was very easy especially in cold weather. The re-assurance of the pair of Glock 34s he was wearing under the vest a big help in calming his nerves to the situation. The Fostech would have been an even bigger calming influence. Noticing that the pack was spreading out and getting into an evident attack mode.

Melvin said, “Look guys I know you came here expecting one thing and it isn’t here. I swear I am telling you the truth. I do have a good bit of cash in my wallet. I just want you to leave and not hurt me. Let me get my wallet money is not worth getting hurt over.”

The leader of the pack of miscreants with a sneer and pulling a large knife said, “At least you aren’t trying to be some hero like the last dude. Maybe we will just beat and carve you up a little bit and leave you to get to the hospital. I hope for your sake you ain’t one of those easy bleeders, it is a good ride to Self-Memorial and you might not make it.” Laughing along as if to a laugh track his followers laughing along and drawing their assortment of weapons, one sap, another long bowie and two Saturday night specials of dubious origin. One may have been a Jennings either twenty-five caliber or 22 LR, the second a small caliber revolver probably a thirty-two by the looks of the weapon.

Melvin standing with his hands at his sides said, “Look, I am going to take my left hand and get my wallet out of my vest inside pocket. I am using my left hand and not my right to ensure you that I am taking it slow and easy.”

One of the minions said, “That is almost what your lady told me except she said fast and hard and added never quit.” All said with a strange and faraway look in his eyes, one that said he had been sampling the pharmaceuticals today and for many years.

Trying not to show his discuss at the trash standing in front of him and keep them thinking he was compliant. Melvin let out a small exhale as if scared to death and continued his hand towards his weapon. Not knowing if one of the gang saw gunmetal or what, at that moment the dude with the large bowie charged straight at Melvin with his knife leading the charge. Having kept the tactical advantage of being on a flat surface and his assailants still on the ramp, Melvin easily sidestepped the maniac charge and pistol whipped the charger in the side of the head. This happened as one of the small caliber weapons discharged into the enclosed trailer and the other three joined their fourth friend in attack.

Melvin would later realize that his sidestep had allowed the thug to actually shoot his fellow gang member. It would take an experienced Medical Examiner to determine whether getting hit in the temple by a gun barrel or a twenty-five caliber round to the lungs had stopped the assailant. Either way one of the four died at that moment. Clearing the Glock 34 and seeing he was about to be enveloped by a group of three meaning his demise he jumped straight at the three with both arms extended out to the side tackling all three and taking them to the ground. A move totally unexpected by the group almost a complete success. The leader of the pack managed to stick him in the left side of his lower abdominal area right above the hip. The heavy duty Carhartt vest slowing the blades forward momentum enough that the stab wound was only about an inch to an inch and half deep. Feeling the weapon attack his side Melvin rolled away and turned his left arm firing the Glock 34 four times as fast as he could pull the trigger. One of the 147-grain hollow points that Jack and Jessica had recommended he use in his Glocks hitting the attacker on the right in his left shoulder. The round exiting the body through the ball and socket joint at the neck and head of the humerus after being re-directed by hitting shoulder blade. The shock of the wound to a highly sensitive nerve group killing the second of the group within a few minutes of the injury occurring.

Melvin completed his roll over the leader and the third thug and out onto the ground. He came to a stop and to one knee indexing the Glock 34 back at the two thugs as the third member fired his weapon hitting him in the lower chest. The small caliber-bullet a thirty-two being absorbed by the CoolMax Ballistic Level 3a vest that had been a pre-wedding gift from Jack and Kevin Mars. It was the family standard and they had been wearing them for years. It did however hit Melvin in the Solar Plexus and knock the breath from him.

Seeing the big maniac down but not out for the count, the leader of the pack reached and picked up the big Bowie of his newly departed best friend. Starting towards the big man who had already put all three of his best men down, he thought maybe I will let him just die. All of his attention on the big man and what he should do he did not hear the cavalry in the form of Smoke and Owen arrive at the lake house. They were just getting out of the truck and wondering who was in the piece of junk Dodge 1500 that was parked out front. Owen said, “I thought Melvin knew better than to have friends that drove Dodg….”

As they heard the last shot fired and their friend grunt and fall to the ground after he was hit. The two reached back into the Toterhome and retrieved their personal weapons. Smoke’s ought-six hunting rifle and Owens Remington 870 Police probably not the weapons of choice but what they had to answer the call. Owen whispered, “Let me go first and you back me up. Do you have one chambered in that big rifle?”

Smoke reached and slowly pulled the time smoothed bolt back and chambered his old Winchester, nodding his thanks to the man who had his back on the track and now in the Apocalypse as Owen called the here and now. Owen said. “We got to go, follow me. Our friend might need our help.” Moving towards where they could see the trailer Smoke thought, weaving in an out of twenty plus other Super Late Models at a hundred and thirty miles and hour, did not get my heart racing like this slow walk. A walk that might end up with him facing a person armed with the use of deadly force aimed at him. Almost falling when not stepping up over the curb and gutter of the drive. Smoke told himself to get a grip and pay attention his and his friends’ lives might be dependent on his reaction time and his shot placement. Seeing Owen looking back at him with a questioning look he nodded at Owen that he had this. A nod that Owen had seen a thousand times as Smoke got into the number twenty-two S to head to the front of the race.

A moment later as Owen turned the corner of the trailer ,the leader of the pack of thugs saw the barrel of the 870 Police arrive before Owen an attacked the carrier of the shotgun with the Bowie and a banshee yell. Seeing his friend being attacked, Smoke was helpless in his position behind the two-grappling foes. Moving ahead and away from the two hoping to get an angle for a shot, two things happened; Owens shotgun went off and a pistol was fired, the twelve-gauge birdshot nipped the leg of thug. This happening as the nine-millimeter projectile fired by Melvin while still laying flat of his back entered near the top of the Occipital lobe almost missing the leader entirely. The round deflecting somewhat downward and leaving the top of the head after taking out some of the Sensory Cortex. The assailant dead before he knew it. Melvin’s attacker dead before Owen knew that he was dead or dying. The high velocity blood and brain splatter getting all over Owen and Smoke.

As the leader fell to the ground, Owen fired the 870 Police into the dead body of the thug and turned to the body with gun and was about to fire again when he realized it was Melvin. Melvin did the same dropping his head and arm back down to the ground an trying to get his breathing back into rhythm that didn’t hurt his chest so much. Smoke ran to his longtime friend seeing the blood seeping through his shirt and vest. Smoke said, “You alright Melvin?” Pulling his friend shirt out of his pants and trying to get and see his wound.

Melvin grunted and said, “Front seat of the truck my bag has first aide kit attached to the front side. Undo the carabiner and bring it here. Owen can you take my phone and call Eddie and see if he can get out here with his team. I don’t want just anybody to show up and be looking around.” Smoke ran to the front of the truck as Melvin handed his phone to Owen.

As Owen hit send after finding Eddie on the speed dial, Smoke was returning with the medical kit. At the True Value Hardware store Jessica and her team had picked up some Ammonium Nitrate and a bunch of other things that her dad had thought they might need like a 24-inch blade battery operated chain-saw and all the things to make it work like two extra chains, an extra bar, bar oil and two-cycle oil. He also had picked up two, hundred-pound bags of corn deer feed that he said might come in handy as it was the no preservatives type of corn. Four salt blocks and a hundred pounds of Millet and wheat each. At the Dollar Store they had gotten about thirty one-pound canned hams, a couple dozen cans of Treat and the same of Hereford Corned beef and sixty cans of Tuna in oil, ten cans of Salman and about twenty #10 cans of tomato sauce and a couple of cheese along with some pepper, cinnamon, parsley, sage, red pepper, chili pepper, black pepper, onion salt and garlic in the spices isle. Kevin said, “Well, it won’t feed us forever but it will help.”

Jessica had smiled and put about twenty pounds of milk chocolate and a couple of large tins of cocoa powder in the buggy and two large powdered milk boxes. She said, “I think it is time to head home as soon as we pay for this haul. I am about out of money, anyway.”

Jack said, “We have done pretty dog gone good baby girl. I don’t know what will happen but that man of yours and his friends have pulled together and I think we can make it as long as we stay focused. Let’s get out of here and back to the others.” Specifically, not saying anything about the plant, the location, or who exactly they were going to meet just in case any of the isles in the store had ears. Jack also picked up five cases of Redman chewing tobacco and three of Beech-Nut and four plugs of Days Work at the cash register. The cashier smartly saying, “Why didn’t you just get it all Mister.” Mister said like she was calling him a whore. Jessica thought this ought to be good. Jack just replied, “Ma’am you are a great help, thanks for making the obvious plain to me. Ring it all up even the second and third tier stuff. Somebody will chew it and all the snuff while you are at it. Again, thanks for providing great service.” All said with a great big smile that broke up Jessica and Kevin and all the other people in the cashier’s lines that heard the exchange. One guy in the back of the line asked, “Could leave me a roll of Copenhagen or Skoal Wintergreen and a couple of packs of Levi Garrett, please sir.”

The cashier looked at Jack as if she wanted to say something, and thought better of her response. Jack said, “Just ring it up Ma’am. I will give the fine man what he wants.” Pulling out a box of Levi Garret and a roll of Copenhagen and two spare cans of Skoal Wintergreen from his bags he was putting back into his cart and handed it back to the man who had asked for the help.

Jack tipped his hat at the man and said, “Enjoy, might be a long while before you can get anymore. Might want to see if you can find some more somewhere else. Good day and keep your powder dry young man.”

The pleasant exchange waking up the young man who had three small children under the ages of nine and he looked at his wife and said, “Our next stop is Aldi’s and that money I been saving for a night out on the town is going for groceries. If things blow over, we will just have to wait a couple of extra weeks. If not, that money will feed us in dry goods for six weeks or better. Beans, rice, corn meal, flour, sugar, salt and lard being the answer today. A family could do a lot worse you know. A squirrel and or a rabbit and that would be some fine eating, Honey. What do you think?”

His wife smiled and nodded her head and replied, “We might want to pick up toilette paper, too. We can see what we can do and make it stretch.” Thinking that man had done more to change the way her husband thought about providing for his family long term in two minutes than she had in years of arguing. Looking upwards she spoke silently to GOD and said, “Thank You for sending the Angel and touching my husband with your divine understanding, Amen.”

While they were heading back towards their new home, Jessica’s phone rang. Jessica answered and said, “Hey Melvin, we are on our way back. We were able to get a lot of stuff on our list and it took a little longer than we thought.” She was very surprised when Elizabeth was on the other end of the line saying, “Jessica, you need to hurry, Melvin has been shot…” The line going dead as she heard those terrifying words.

Jessica said, “We got to hurry. Something has happened to Melvin.” The Mars family quickly loaded their goods onto the truck and headed back to the plant site. Kevin driving as neither her Father or her Brother thought that Jessica was in any shape to be driving anything, much less an overloaded truck and trailer.

Almost two hours or so later had Eddie telling his new family that the shooting was justified. Explaining that all four of the hoodlums that were trying to rob Melvin and his property were long time petty criminals and all had arrest warrants for their arrest. His Captain had already signed off on the shooting and told his Sargent to tell all concerned that they had done the county and the state a service. That was the unofficial version Eddie told them. The official version was that the group of criminals had attacked Melvin with deadly intent and he had defended himself. Getting shot and stabbed in the process while returning deadly fire on the perpetrators. The official report would not mention that the county had not retained the firearm of one Melvin Cudd used in his defense for evidence. The Captain saying why would the county need evidence as there was not going to be any trials. Especially if he was the Sheriff for Melvin Cudd and family. The Sheriff stamped the report and handed it to his Administrative Assistant of his full term telling her to promptly loose this report. She smiled nodded her head at the Captain and walked out knowing exactly where to place this file.

The twenty-seven-year-old Admin Assistant whose Mother had helped her get the job after a couple of non-starter jobs she had gotten for herself. The Assistant deciding, she needed a smoke break, right now in the worst kind of way. Working for the Captain had been the best job she had ever had and she would walk through fire for the man. His Assistant leaving had the Captain thinking and finally saying, “Eddie I don’t know what you have planned…” The Captain holding up his hand to cut off his friends’ response. “The truth is I don’t want to know; it is better that way. I do know this, my personal Assistant Gretchen Lawrence who just walked out of here to deep-six that file needs somewhere to be other than her Mom and Dad’s house on the mill village. From all I am hearing from my friends and the Sheriff’s national grapevine it isn’t going to be pretty and definitely not over in days probably not even months. Do you think you could find it in your heart to take her onto your RRT and then when you run, take her with you and your team?” This all said at not much more than a whisper, with the Captain looking expectantly for a positive answer from Eddie.

Eddie nodded and asked, “She weapons trained and issued a rifle?” Knowing the answer on the rifle but wanting a little quid pro quo for his actions from the Sheriff.

The Sheriff Captain nodding knowing he had won the battle and lost the war at the same time. Wondering how Eddie had turned the event around so fast. While the Captain was still lost in his own thoughts, Eddie started back, saying, “Be glad to do that. I will get Henry to requisition her a full fall-out package for the RRT. I am thinking the Barrett we talked about earlier for Henry would be a deal sweetener. Don’t you think? It would be nice also for you to speak to her about this and get her head wrapped around the idea. I will be back to pick her up and get her on the team in about thirty.”

Later in the day, Eddie was also introducing the family to its newest family members Officer Gretchen Lawrence and Corporal Zaida Bonds. Melvin sitting in a very comfortable leather recliner that had been brought to their new home from his study by Jimmy and Celeste on the last trip anyone was making back to the lake for the foreseeable future. Melvin said, “Welcome to the Cudd family and I hope it will be a pleasure.” Looking directly at Julia Gonzalez who had finally stopped crying when Henry and the rest of the County RRT team had arrived at the plant. Getting a nod from Julia and Henry gave him a hearty thumbs up with his arms wrapped around Julia and Rosa.

As the Cudd group was settling in for the evening trying to get a couple of the small camping type wood stoves burning and some food prepared; in Russia under the Kremlin, Putin was in a stark raving mad outrage that two of the four teams going to attack America had been taken down by joint forces in Canada and England. The American CIA Level A PPE clad teams leading the way for the joint forces to shut down the two teams. To his team of advisors, he said, “I know that our agents are not supposed to dose their selves to one hour before boarding the plane. I want them to administer the biological agents as soon as we can contact them and start the ball rolling now.”

The Chief of the NBC corps for Russia replied, “Sir, that will cause people in the other countries to be exposed and we may not be able to control the vector and outbr…” The sound of a 9X18mm Makarov pistol being fired in the confines of the Kremlin basement war games room was deafening and most of the people inside the room would be thinking still about the sounds and the results twelve hours or so later. After a long and sleepless night for almost all of the advisors, all hoping that they would be able to get through it and the Russian nightmare that was Putin would leave them be.

[feralferret]

Wonderful chapter, 223shootersc. Thank you.

[gipsy]

Fine update

[CountryGuy]

Aug 14, 2023 20:14:54 GMT -6 223shootersc said:

Aug 14, 2023 19:46:15 GMT -6 CountryGuy said:

Someone teaching others about using incorrect terms like gun rather than pistol, rifle, carbine, firearm, etc or admonishing someone over pistol rather than revolver or mag vs clip, would likely not make the faux pas of saying bullet when they should say something like cartridge, shell or round...

I think we are about to hear those nine terrible words... "We're from the government and we're here to help..."

CountryGuy,

Thanks, for the catch and reading my work!

Thank you for the work and effort put into your story!!

[ydderf2]

Many thanks for your hard work.

[223shootersc]

A little MOAR feed for the Hounds! Hope you enjoy and comments are appreciated by the author!

Chapter 10

The next morning about 0030 CST hours in Mexico City, the Russian agent heading for St Louis, Missouri was sitting in the airport bar trying to drink away his fear. He had as instructed already injected the biological toxin into himself over two hours earlier. The inoculation time on the toxin had been thought to be about three to four hours. Somehow the agent had been awakened while still in the vial and mutated. The inoculation time was now under and hour. The Russian spy had passed the active agent to almost everyone in the hotel before he left for the airport. His cab driver and everyone in the large Mexico City International Airport, including a man and his wife who worked in the American government. Specifically, she was an accountant for the GAO and he worked as a Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Department Washington DC Transit division. They would board their plane for DC and be almost home after landing at National Airport in Washington, DC before the President of the United States and Putin had started their infamous red phone call. Every aircraft that took off from National and landed in America and other parts of the world delivering contaminated cargo in the form of infected individuals carrying the Biological agent.

The Russian Agent in Tokyo heading for San Francisco was already in the air and would be landing almost the same time as the plane in Washington. The agent there had cursed the Pacific Rim with his actions in Tokyo. Flights of already infected from Tokyo would be landing in China, Vietnam, Guam, the Philippines, India, Australia and New Zealand during the next six – eight hours. The results were like the head of the NBC unit had tried to explain to Putin were devastating. The mutation taking the kill rate to over thirty-five percent around the world and much higher in all third world countries. The results on the continents of China, India and Africa reaching sixty-five to seventy percent in these countries.

The President had made the call early as planned and had gotten Putin on the phone after waiting fifteen minutes as Putin wanted to show the power of Mother Russia to the American dog. The conversation lasted long enough for the President to explain to Putin about the bombs in the Kremlin Palace and the tirade from Putin calling the American President the son of a whore and many other things much worse. Putin finally said, “You might want to get NORAD on the phone and see what they say about the next five minutes.” Putin picked up the Russian equivalent of the football a metal suitcase. Putin entered his code opened the box, flipped three switches, took a key from around his neck inserted and turned it till a green light engaged. Entered ten more numbers, then turned the key on click to the right and two to the left and closed the case. Putin picked up the red phone and said, “Dasvidaniya…” hung up the phone and went for a drink of vodka.

The Secretary of Defense said, “Sir, we have twenty-four ICBMs that have left their silos in Russia and there are several other facilities coming on line as we speak. Sir, we are reporting sub-surface launches from three submarines in the Pacific and one in the Atlantic. Do we have orders, Sir?”

The President set the switch for the Kremlin nuclear devices to fire. Then set down the device and said, “Please knock those birds out of the air. Go to highest DEFCON and get me the football. Time to play a little offense and he gave the orders for America to explode Nuclear devices in anger on foreign territory for the first time in in close to seventy-five years. The President said, “Put the state of readiness and the fact that we have incoming Nuclear devices to continental United States of America, on everyone of the Emergency Broadcasting stations in America. Also, get it on the BBC and any other thing that might help including carrier pigeons. I want every man, woman and child in America to know what the Russians have done.”

Seven minutes later over the middle of America two large space based EMP’s deployed and went off about two-hundred and fifty miles above the ground. The optimum distance for maximum coverage of the EMP effects on America. One device west of the Mississippi River and one to the east. The two EMPs plunging the most of the American landscape into the 1800s almost instantly. The only places still having electricity were a few of the co-ops that produced there on electricity by either burning fossil fuels or had small hydroelectric plants. Then all of the grid went down, the one hope was that the heavily regulated Nuclear plants almost every one came through the EMP without a hitch. The delivery system was a mess but the ability to make power still existed on a limited scale due to the liberals who pushed to ban the Nuclear power plants. Thankfully they had failed, their efforts had kept new plants from being built for years, with only a few being able to get past the red tape. These Nuclear power plants would in the coming years be the savior of America and its way of life.

As the power was going down the American anti-ballistic missile system was firing up all over the country and in space. The American system a blend of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), MIM 104 Patriot Missile System, the Israeli Iron Dome system that had been part of an arms swap with the Arrow 2 and 3 weapons. Airborne laser and x band radar weapons along with our space-based technology was coming to life and beginning to plot incoming missiles and preparing counter measure attacks on the Russian ICBMs.

The Secretary of Defense said, “On your command sir we will go hot with the offensive package you have requested.” The Secretary standing rigidly at attention awaiting his Commanders orders of attack.

The President replied, “General fire for effect, I think that is the correct phrasing for what we are doing today, and may God have mercy on all our souls.” A crisp “Sir, yes, Sir,” was the reply from the General turning and nodding his head to his assistant who actually relayed the order to NORAD and the Naval submarine fleet. The Commands that was going to be firing almost all of their load of rockets, in a use them or lost them type of attack. The sub fleet also received orders and sank every Russian submarine except two older diesel units that were not in sub pens in Mother Russia. Their ICBMs some of which were targeted for the Russian Naval bases and submarine pens would rectify the omission of the Russian submarines still in wet and dry dock on the Russian mainland.

The Kremlin was privileged to receive the first and the second kinetic energy weapons fired at an American enemy. The large telephone pole arrows made of Tungsten and fired from space hit what was left of the Kremlin about six minutes after the weapons detonated by the President. If there was anyone left alive or any part of the government functioning after the nuclear weapons firing in Moscow there wasn’t after the Thor’s Hammer II projectiles delivered their payloads on site in Moscow.

The Chinese seeing the attack on America by the Russians chose to join into the havoc and fired their entire arsenal at Russia, America and Japan. The Secretary of Defense would inform the American President of the imminent attack from mainland China. The weary President would reply General return in kind times one and half as per our standard Nuclear response guidelines and make sure that their main shelters for the rulers receive Thor’s Hammer, especially the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China and the Emperors Palace.

The North Koreans attacked across the DMZ and were hit with devastatingly effectively by a wave of nuclear tipped 155mm howitzer rounds. Stopped on all fronts the short man leader of North Korea fired his two working missiles at South Korea. Their Patriot and Aegis missiles got the first MIRV and all of its package. The second missile was not killed by its Patriot and Aegis missiles and rained down part of its multiple war head package on the South Korean peninsula. The South Korean Ministry would release one of their ICBMs packages that were aimed and pre-targeted at the North Korean capital and specific military installations with ruinous effects on the capital and the country.

The Iranian Supreme leader choose to add their wealth of Nuclear missiles to the landscape in the middle east on Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The missiles heading for Israel were wiped away from the sky by their Iron Dome defense. It did not keep lots of Nuclear material from the exploded warheads from raining long term death and exposure to the Israeli people and their home lands. Iraq and Saudi Arabia had some limited success with their American supplied Patriot missiles, they did not have enough. The Patriot Missile System being the only line of defense and not a layer defense like America and Israel allowed about half of the weapons sent at them to arrive and deliver their payloads. This would be the beginning of the end, along with the Biological weapon being transported around the world from almost every landing plane from Tokyo and Mexico City and many others where planes had debarked passengers for connecting flights. With a drop of outstanding luck, no infected planes or nuclear devices would land in seven American states of New Hampshire, New Mexico, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii.

That same morning the Russian fleet would make landfall in southern Florida and along the coast of Alabama. The Coast Guard and the Naval aviation forces out of NAS Pensacola, Florida led the counter attack. The NAS Pensacola air forces being led by the Blue Angels squadron who carried live ammunition for the first time in the history of the organization. Flying not their normal show planes but the twin engine supersonic F/A -18 McDonald Douglas Hornet of the base. Each of the four pilots taking down planes and attacking the ships of the Russian landing force. They were ruling the air and the ground attack until the EMP attack over central America would ground the Hornets. Each pilot safely ejecting after miraculously getting their wounded birds over land and heading back out to sea for their death plummet to the earth.

In South Carolina the first to notice the loss of power was Jessica and Jack, sitting and drinking their first cup of coffee for the morning the lights flickered in the large building and went out. They had been discussing the emergency broadcast message from the President that had awakened Jack from his cell phone. Immediately the battery powered auxiliary and emergency lights in the building came on and lit the pathways out of the building in an emergency. The news of possible Nuclear and Biological attacks on American soil almost mind altering for the pair. Father reached and pulled his Daughter into his arms and kissed the top of her head and they prayed for their group, including their kin who were not with them and their fellow countrymen.

The pair finally separating after a few precious minutes of respite; Jack drank the last large gulp out of hot coffee from his large Yeti tumbler stood, started to turn away from Jessica and said, “Jess, start getting everybody up we have lots work to do. I am going to start taking down and turning off the emergency lighting. No use to have it on with daylight coming, we might need that power for something else more important before we get the solar up and running. We probably need to set a guard and make a schedule for rotating the guards out by the first gate. We need to get those bollards moved in front of the gate to stop anyone from crashing through. Just like Melvin and Jimmy talked about doing the first day we came. Also, when you get a minute, we need to get my BOB out and remove my mini-rad counter. We need to check with the rest and see if anyone maybe Elizabeth has a real Geiger counter. Melvin might just have one at his work, since he is in the environmental business.”

Jessica replied, “We need to get someone to help with Melvin because I was up all night. I need to get a couple of hours sleep. It can wait for a couple of hours; I don’t want to get too sleep deprived with bad times possible coming. That and in general we have lots to keep us busy getting this place ready to live long term. I know Melvin will want to have a meeting to decide and set a course of action for the group.” Her Dad was walking away and nodding his head yes, in agreement with the verbalized words from his Daughter.

Melvin who had awakened and heard most of the conversation said, “We do have them at the shop and heavy-duty suits. Nothing that is really rated for radiation protection, but much better than nothing if we have to go out and do some cleanup. Like getting ash off of the solar panels or work on the well or something. This place has a small underground shelter, that we could all stay in but it wouldn’t be very comfortable. Probably meant for like eight people or less. We could at least stay in there if it gets really bad. There is not much that I can think of near here in South Carolina that would be targeted by the Russians. Possibly they would attack Fort Jackson, the Army training center in Columbia and the closest would be the bomb plant in Aiken on the Savannah River. Both are well over fifty miles from here. I am guessing if they hit the bomb plant, we would feel it, as they will have to use some heavy bunker buster type Nuclear missiles and more than one to do any good. That place is hardened to the 9th degree.”

Looking at Jessica and smiling at his bride to be he said, “Can I get some water or some tea and my clothes, Sweetheart. It is kinda chilly in here on my backside and I need to get ready to help harden this place and get it ready long-term.”

As he was talking Jimmy and Celeste came walking in from where they had setup their bed for the night in one of the offices. Jimmy said, “Anymore of that coffee, unlike the Boss I would love a cup and we saw the bad news on my phone. The alert woke us and we read the bad news. We said a little prayer and then had to find my flashlight to find our clothes. I did hear that we were thinking about going and getting our Geiger counters and some of the Saranex suits, with respirators. The good news is Jerome and I threw that stuff on the work trailer with the stuff we brought. Jerome gets all the glory, being the safety man, he insisted. Not sure if we have any small enough for Eli’s girls but we have plenty of respirators and cartridges for everybody. Jerome said even if they didn’t fit perfectly wearing a non-fitting one would be better than not having one, if they were needed. Now how about that coffee, since I saved the day again….” Grinning and continuing, “I think I need to start putting up Solar panels as soon as it gets light enough. They aren’t helping much sitting on those pallets.” Celeste had been standing with her arm around Jimmy the whole time that he was speaking.

Jack noticing that neither had any visible type of weapon handgun nor rifle said, “Jimmy and Celeste why don’t y’all start getting everyone up and maybe we can have a talk about what has happened nationally and make sure everyone has a sidearm on their person and we need to make sure they have a long-arm of some type.”

Jimmy said, “Yeah, you are right Jack. Wasn’t thinking the way we are going to need to be from now on I am afraid. Things were getting rough before the Nuclear attack; I am guessing today they start getting rougher and it will be a long time before that trend heads in a different direction. The one-percenter, thugs, and low lives of all types, are going to be looking for something easy and free. The absence of the rule of law will bring out all of the bad that is in man.”

The new pair of lovers headed back towards their BOL bedroom and their personal firearms and then to get everyone moving. Passing Eddie headed for what had become the central area for everyone, Jimmy said, “Eddie probably want to get your weapons. America just was attacked Nuclear and Biologically by the Russians. We are all going to be armed all the time from now till whenever.”

Eddie just nodded his head affirmatively, turned and headed back to where he had chosen to be his sleeping area of the plant’s inner offices and cafeteria area. Eddie for now was single so he chose what had apparently been a small storage room or big closet. Wondering about Elizabeth and her girls. Elizabeth had told him she wanted to talk the night before, with all the hustle and bustle of getting everyone a place to sleep and lie their heads had taken precedence. Eddie decided as he was donning his battle belt and checking his pistol that he wanted to make sure that Elizabeth knew he had feelings and intentions for her and the girls.

The rest of the morning at the new BOL was a trying and hectic time. Jimmy, Patrick, Eddie, and Kevin were tasked with getting some semblance of solar power started. Jack and Kevin had installed Solar at their shop and knew a lot about the way to do it right. Having used the method of doing it wrong and learning from your mistakes multiple times on their own system. Kevin had learned a lot and Jack had ordered this system with the right parts but also the racks to place the panels. Racks built specifically to change their angle as the sun came up and went down during the day. The rack also had servo-motors to turn them to the correct angle to the sun for the time of the year and their longitude and latitude location. The packages coming with oversized charge controllers, batteries, transfer kits, inverters, and even maintenance kits for the systems and extra expendable parts for the complete solar package. This foresight would save the bunch at the Cudd BOL lots of time and aggravation on installation and keeping the power running.

It was still hard work and time consuming as each of the panels weighed about forty pounds and needed to be taken up to their spot on the roof after being set on the edge of the roof by Jimmy using a Lull outdoor forklift found at the site as part of the forklifts. Some had to be carried half the length of the building and Patrick had done yeoman work delivering the panels to the ones who knew how to do the install work. Starting right after their morning meeting and the sun getting up high enough for it not to be too dangerous. They had the first thirty six of the 440-watt mono-crystalline solar panels from Outback Power installed. Thankfully, ordered by Jack while traveling to South Carolina with his daughter and son right before Thanksgiving. Part of the ordered packages that the DHS wanted from the group labeled as hoarders, to legalize their theft of the owner’s personal property.

A time that seemed like a million years ago and just yesterday at the same moment to Jack and Kevin, while talking at lunch. All the panels were in their racks at dark or a few minutes after as Kevin and Jimmy were adjusting the racks by red head lights at dark. The system would be able to produce potentially fourteen to fifteen thousand watts on a bright sun shiny day. The reality Kevin thought was probably more like ten to eleven thousand on average maybe even less. Still a good bit of power and they had another thirty-six solar panels and a second system they could install when or if needed.

At supper a nice deer stew was fixed in a big black twenty-quart cast iron Bayou Classic Dutch Oven. The same one that Melvin had bought for Elizabeth for Christmas the second year she had worked for him. The large Dutch Oven and a five-piece set of cook ware from Lodge adding the reversible griddle as a bonus for his young accounting life saver. Not knowing what to get her and hearing her tell one of the girls in the Office she had always wanted one. Elizabeth had loved the set of cooking ware and couldn’t believe that her boss had spent so much money on her for Christmas. Elizabeth had told one of her best friends after Christmas about the gift and cried for the second time when she told of opening the boxes and find one-hundred-dollar bills taped in the bottom of each pan including the lids on the Dutch ovens and both sides of the reversible griddle.

The larger of the two Dutch Ovens had been put to use over an open fire just outside the roll up door with the ramp. That was where Elizabeth and Julia had put the camping fire ring Elizabeth had bought a few years later along with the Lodge Tripod for cooking. All three pieces had made for a sturdy and wholesome stew, along with deer meat from Melvin’s freezer and some fresh vegetables from the Gonzales family. The onions, peppers, potatoes, carrots and cabbage had made for a wonderful and filling dinner along with two types of fry bread made on the griddle, one with peppers and one without, both delicious to all.

After supper with all gathered around the heat from the two small stoves Melvin stood and started, “Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment? I would like to say a few words and then we can have a discussion if needed by the group. First off, I would like to thank everyone for pitching in today and getting as much work done as possible. You all did a commendable job. We still don’t have electricity, hopefully from what Kevin has told me maybe in a day or two. When we get the first set completed, we will have a very good supply of power, about the amount needed to run a great big house, maybe two. It will not be enough for a small subdivision or even three houses. Try to remember that when you are leaving a room or using a radio or computer. Shut them down and for something like a computer unplug the source. Another thing we are going to have to remember is light discipline, in a dark world a light source is going to stand out like a neon sign. We are mostly lucky here in that the place doesn’t have windows, it does have large roll up doors. They are not to be used after sundown or before daybreak. We are probably going to put some blackout curtains between this part of the building and the big glass front office and atrium. We should not be using that part, but we may need to use it for some reason. I was thinking we could possibly use the upper level for a covered and elevated watch area at night or something. I am open for suggestions on those type things.”

“We do not have a way to take a bath or showers, no hot water. We have some black fifty-five-gallon drums that I am going to move to the roof tomorrow for something temporary and to augment our power situation. Jack found a seven-foot diameter thick-walled steel reaction vessel today that I am going to take the end off the tank. It will be used make us a cooking area and open wood burning area for heat. I think we can run the smokestack up into the plant ductwork to cool it and diminish the smoke signature both visual and smell, not a hundred percent sure it will eliminate either but will help with both. Jack or Kevin, I will need your welding abilities for this project. Long term it will be a great help, short term a lot of labor will be involved.”

“Eddie, I would like you and your RRT folks to set us up some Observation Posts, with at least one out by the road somewhere. We need to harden them as much as possible and I will leave that up to you for design. Jimmy, Jerome, Elizabeth, and I can use the heavy equipment to do what we can. Eddie after the meeting I would like to talk with you about other things we need to do to make this place defensible. Right now, our best bet is that nobody remembers this place and that you can’t really see it at all from the road. We might want to drop a couple trees or something in the wooded part of the road or something. Like the bollards we put up in front of the gate, something to slow people attacking down. We have more of the bollards if you think we should put them across the road just let me know or get it done. That is about all I have; do we have any questions or concerns? The floor is open to everyone. We are all family here.”

Julia stood up and asked, “Who died and put you in charge? Is this not a democracy and we elect a leader or rule by letting everyone vote to decide?” Henry was trying to get his dear wife to stop talking by pulling on her arm, she kept smacking his hand away and finished her say before giving Henry a look that would have stopped and avalanche midair.

Surprisingly to Melvin as he started to gather his thoughts to respond, Elizabeth and Eddie both stood up with Elizabeth starting first saying, “Julia, first you are a guest of a guest here by permission of Melvin Cudd. His friend Eddie your husbands boss vouched for Henry and thus his family. The leader here is Melvin, he probably doesn’t want to be the Leader but he is and it is definitely not a democracy. It is a Monarchy or more likely a Dictatorship and Melvin is the head of the government such as it is and there will be no votes or elections. If you want to leave, we will help you pack and give you fifteen minutes to be gone and don’t ever come back, you will be shot on sight. Do you understand and that goes for anyone else here not willing to be here and accountable under those house rules, they are not up for questions or debate?”

You could have heard a pin drop in the giant BOL location that had once been a very lucrative rim producer, before sitting dormant for a few years. Now it served as the Cudd family’s new home for the apocalypse or first American battle grounds since the Civil War. Finally, after a few minutes of complete silence, Eddie said, “I may not have spoken the same words as Elizabeth, as public speaking is really not my thing. I will say this I am behind the words and the sentiment of the words, along with my friend Melvin Cudd entirely, all the way. Or like those idiots from north and west of here like to say, I am all in.”

Jimmy and Celeste stood along with Sandy and Patrick and Jimmy said, “We are behind Melvin and what he says goes. I know the man and if it is in his abilities, he will lead us to the promised land or wherever God leads him to take us and that is all I need to know.”

The ones standing was all nodding their heads in unison in the positive and moving to stand by Melvin. As they did, they were joined by Jack and Kevin moving to stand beside Melvin and Jessica who had quietly stood up and put her arm around Melvin the minute that Julia spoke. Patrick couldn’t contain his youthful vigor anymore, so he spoke, “I may not be old enough to vote and I am surely biased to my uncle Melvin, I stand beside him and if you have a beef with him you have to go through me and Sis before you get there, believe that or not at your own peril.” The young man standing tall while pulling one of the FN-509 Technical from his battle belt that Sandy had purchased for him. The same pistols that Eddie had helped him to set up a battle belt to carry. Making an effort to emphasize it was in his hand, he press checked the slide. Sandy stepped forward side by side and a united front with her brother in front of their Uncle and did the same with one of her FN Five-Sevens pointed at the ground.

Henry stood and spoke, “My wife is from a country that has had many dictators and she is very aware of how they sometimes treat their people. We do not want to be put out of this place and my family stands as a firm member of the group if we are still welcome.” Pointing to his wife and Rosa his daughter, then sitting down as quickly as he had stood.

Melvin said, “First off Elizabeth is right I don’t want to be in charge. I however do see the group of you as my responsibility. Just as I always have for my family and the people who worked with me. My job is to make sure they have all the tools, education, and leadership for them to flourish when given any task or spot of Leadership. That is the same way I will treat all of you, like I do my workers, like loved and honored family. That was the reason for coming to this place to survive and thrive in an outside environment that might not and is probably not conducive to this at this time. I also think that is the reason that most of you wanted to be part of this family, union, tribe, band or whatever we have become together. Henry, as for you and yours it was never our idea to cast you out. It did seem that may be the choice that your wife and family wanted to take. If you want to be part of this band or family you are as welcome as ever.”

Julia slowly stood and said, “Mr. Melvin, please accept my apologies and I am forever regretful for this display of aggression and questioning. It is apparent in the way your people come to your defense that you are an admired and loved man in your family and community. I beg your pardon and those of your family.” Sitting down and holding on to her husband and daughter hoping that her mistake would not cause them to be sent out. Knowing in other countries where she had resided speaking out against the Leader and getting caught was often an offense that got you killed or at a minimum cast into the bottom of the jail.

Melvin said, “This has made me think, have an epiphany or something. We can measure to see if we are getting any radiations. I really do not think we will, the biological agent they talked about is a whole different story. I think it would be an airborne type of agent. We need to lock ourselves in here and not think of going back into the outside world for a minimum of four weeks and probably six weeks with eight or more being even better. This minimization of our contact with the outside world should maximize our abilities to avoid the contagion. It will not be a hundred percent but the best we can do. Jessica or Jerome do either of you have any further things we could do to minimize our contact or exposure risk?”

Jessica replied, “Really not my area of expertise. We do need to keep away from the external population, that is for sure. The more we are inside the structure the better off we will be too, if I remember the one class I had on the subject.”

Jerome stepped forward and said, “Minimizing our exposure to other possible carriers of the plague or whatever the biological agent of concern is the only protocol. If it is truly an airborne agent, pray is the only thing we can do. I do not think anyone would use an airborne agent and if they do it will have a very short life expectancy, less than a week and probably like twenty-four hours. Anything more and the wind changes and it is back in Russia killing them. Just my opinion, not fact. I do think I am right from my studies for Incident Command Systems on the subject.”

Melvin said, “Well we try to stay inside as much as possible for the next two week. If we have to go outside, we wear the Personal Protective suits and minimize the time outside of the building and then we quarantine the people that went out. I will volunteer to go out if need be and I can perform the tasks that are required. I have dressed out in the suits many times in my career and wore the respirators. I am qualified, have been tested and medically approved to wear the PPE and the device. I am the only one here unless Eddie and some of his Sheriff’s department have been qualified?”

Eddie replied, “We are all qualified and fit tested for respirators for riot control and teargas. We have no training on the PPE, other than a general knowledge course that was like what fifteen minutes,” looking at Laurens and the rest of his group for affirmation or more information.

Laurens replied, “That is right Eddie. I had some MOPP training in the National Guard unit that I was a member of in the past.”

Melvin said, “Well, Laurens I guess you are up second in the rotation if needed. Let’s hope we don’t have to go outside. We can at least set up an Observation Post in the front lobby on the mezzanine floor to give us a little warning. They will be inside and covered from the elements. We will have to fortify and camouflage the OP and that is something we need to do today. That and get the Solar up and running. We also need someone to try and get a radio or CB or some kind of contact to the outside world for us to monitor. Hopefully the Emergency Broadcasting service will still be running and maybe the CB or better yet the Ham radio system. Eddie aren’t your radios on the Ham side of the radio frequencies?”

Henry replied, “I have CB and Ham radio equipment in our belongings in the truck. We can set up a wire antenna and maybe pick up something. I also have a mobile hotspot and we can try for a link to the Internet. I will need Rosa as she is my expert on the computer.”

Melvin said, “Good Henry, you are in charge of communications and Elizabeth is our company IT person among all her other duties. No joke she is a wizard on that type stuff, probably could have made a lot more money had she decided to go back to school and leave our company. She is loyal to a fault, and I am thankful for her loyalty and friendship. As I am of all of you. One other thing, I would like to set up a shooting range on the other side of the building, I was looking yesterday and we can probably get a hundred and twenty-five feet maybe more from the other wall. We have plenty of old couches and stuff in the offices and maybe we can make a bullet deflector or something. We have a couple of four weeks to be creative and make this place into a fortress and a home on the inside before we do the same thing on the outside. I am going to put those bollards across the road in the tree line, where you can’t see them from the road but we can see them from the OP hopefully. Start thinking of things we need done outside, I don’t want to be out there any longer than I have too.”

Jessica sighed in anguish and said, “Not fair Melvin, you will be in quarantine for the next four weeks by your own rules.”

Melvin grinned and replied, “I love you too, Jess. The price of leadership is often high and no exceptions can be made by a true leader.” Walking to Jessica and putting his arms around her and hugging her till it almost hurt. Jessica was in fact in a little pain but also in heaven in the arms of her dear lover. The small amount of pain was nothing in comparison of the love she felt transferring from her Melvin to her and back.

Patrick said, “If someone will help, I actually have read a little about a bullet deflector. Probably want be able to shoot that big rifle of Jimmy’s but if we make it small enough maybe eight by eight, we ought to be able to shoot our AR platforms in 5.56mm and all of our pistols. Maybe could shoot the pistols in a bigger and less elaborate set up. Big enough for two lanes of shooting maybe. Our club at school was thinking of maybe doing a twenty-two-rifle range for a team maybe. That was why I was looking into the development wanted to be on the team.”

Kevin said, “I can do any welding you need and that goes for the cooking thing you were talking about Melvin. I do think we need to get all hands-on deck and get our solar power system working before we do anything else. In my mind it is the most important thing we can work on right now. That and maybe the OP and getting those bollards set out away from the fence. That would really diminish the oppositions ability to get vehicles close to our new home. A distance farther than the bollards by the inner gate only a hundred feet from our front door, would surely help in our defense of our new home. Let’s all remember this, we now are one unit, under one roof and one set of rules. Rules that say like ‘The Three Musketeers’ of old France fighting for country, ‘All for one and one for all.’ That is what we need to be thinking about, each other and the safety and brotherhood of us all.”

Sandy who had been almost in shock for the last couple of days with her Uncle getting shot and all that had happened finally said, “All for one and one for all’ is exactly where we need to be for each other. And Uncle Melvin thanks for everything and I do mean everything.” Runing to hug him and Jessica and have a good old fashion teen-aged girl cry on theirs and her brother Patrick’s shoulder as he joined in on the family hug.

Jimmy standing and hugging Celeste said, “I know Melvin and he can hug for days with a stranger, lets all get to work and don’t forget to carry your weapons. Both sidearms and rifles are required. If you don’t have one see Henry because for right now, he is both armorer and communications person. Maybe Maureen could help with the Comms also since she was in Dispatch and has that great voice over the radio.”

Eddie said, “Let me speak for Maureen. That little Lady needs to be doing something else for us. Maybe running the OP or something. Her time on Dispatch she did a great job, it however was a waste of her talents. That is the end of that discussion, Jimmy and I mean no ill will or was not questioning your wisdom. It was just something that needed to be said and I know Maureen wouldn’t do it for herself. She is a team player through and through.” Maureen was looking at her RRT team boss and feeling like she needed to go and kiss him. She had seen how Elizabeth looked at one Sargent Eddie Crowe and a wise woman didn’t dare tread on another woman’s wishes and Elizabeth definitely wished for her boss. With a smile she thought another day another time things could have been different.

Smoke and Owen had been just standing back and taking it all in and both wondering where they fit into the equation. Having been in a whirlwind since coming in on the group that had attacked Melvin and saving the day or at least helping. The call to Eddie had set in motion a chain of events. Eddie deciding that it was time to choose sides and his side won. Eddie told his team of the attack at the lake on his friend had started the game for him. Eddie told them that they could do as they pleased, but he was 10-6 (Busy- unless urgent) and not long from being 10-7 (Out of service). Laurens replied for the RRT group that now included Officer Gretchen Lawrence and Corporal Zaida Bonds that they were all in this together and following his lead.

After a little discussion about the two new members needing to make trips to their houses and Eddie saying he needed to do the same. Eddie told the group we are going to check on Melvin at the lake. After taking care of Melvin and whatever we find at the lake, we will get the rest of you to the BOL. Then Zaida, Gretchen and I can make a run to pick up our stuff for the BOL. Making the call to Dispatch and telling them that a close friend had called about being attacked and he was going to check on his friend. Telling the Dispatcher to tell the Captain that he was 10-7 and ending the call without anymore conversation and not replying to the repeat calls from Dispatch. The RRT group headed towards Lake Greenwood and Melvin’s home, with the sirens blasting and Eddie calling Owen on Melvin’s phone and telling him help was on the way. Eddie also made calls to Elizabeth and later Jimmy, on the short twelve-minute trip to the lake that normally would take close to twenty minutes.

Owen said to Smoke, “Eddie took charge at the house and I sure am glad. I was so scared that I was going to jail for shooting that man on Melvin. I don’t even know if he was armed. I just knew I needed to do something.”

Smoke said, “Yeah, Eddie and his bunch took charge of the scene and as Laurens told us made the evidence go away including the scum bags. Buddy the guy on Melvin had a big Bowie knife that one of the women cops spoke highly of and decided it and the holder thing she called a kydex sheath was hers. She took that sheath off of one of the other dead guys, that Melvin had killed before we got there…,” laughing for a moment. Smoke continued talking about the lady cop saying, “Yeah, I think her name was Zadie. She told Eddie that scum like these didn’t deserve steel of that high a grade and probably stole it from someone else anyway.”

Owen exclaimed, “That guy had that big knife trying to kill Melvin! Man, that thing was like two feet long or something! I saw her put it in the sheath and take it to her car.”

Smoke said, “We need to get with that Henry guy and see if we can get some pistols and maybe long guns, too. Our stuff just ain’t designed for fighting, really for hunting. I guess your shotgun is maybe but mine is a hunting rifle plain and simple. We need to figure out what we can do to help make this place better. We slept in the beds in the toterhome while others were sleeping on the floor. Our butts need to be helping.” Owen was nodding his head in firm agreement with his driver, well he guessed best friend now.

People started going there way to work on projects and Melvin went to get the big piece of steel from the vessel to start the kitchen, cooking and heating project. Wanting to get it started and show someone who could weld what he needed done before he went outside later in the afternoon. He really wasn’t looking forward to be excommunicated as Jimmy had said about his future quarantining. Henry had come up and said that his family had a four-man tent that he could setup in the far end of the building to sleep in, since he would be without heat. Henry going on to say it was a free-standing type tent but it would be better if he could find a couple of heavy pieces to tie it down to anyway. Walking towards the back of the building where the forklifts were parked, he saw Owen and Smoke talking and decided he knew who to get to do the big open fire pit/open top cooker. Melvin said, “Hey you two loafers, time to earn your keep. I have just the project for two guys who have done metal fabrication for most of their adult lives. Come on with me.” Waving his big arm at the two who came practically running to meet their old friend and new leader of the pack.

Smoke asking, “What can we do to help Big guy? We were just talking about getting with Henry about some better weapons and then finding something to do. We are sure glad we got the offer to come here, that’s for sure.” Brotherly patting Melvin on his large and muscular back as the three walked to the other end and side of the building. The trio talking about the project and the fabricators adding lots of refinements to Melvin’s crude but sound idea for the big and heavy steel wood fired cooking pit. Melvin thinking to himself after a few seconds that he could probably just show them where the vessel and the sheet metal for the hood was setting and go and do something else. The pair of Smoke and Owen had ten times, probably more than the skills he had for the fabrication project anyway. Melvin had a laugh all to himself, thinking he was a dang good facilitator and a manager but most of the people who worked for him had more talents doing the actual work. Just not getting all the pieces heading in the right and same direction with a common goal.

About fifteen hundred hours that afternoon, Melvin was talking with Kevin and Henry about the events that had been happening all day at their new home and in America. Kevin said, “Big guy I need you to go up on the roof and find the wire that is shorting out the system. It is the blue wire we are pretty sure it is the blue wire anyway. The volt-ohm meter shows it as such. Trace the blue wire all the way back to the start panel and check the resistance. It should not have any, if it does, cut the wire and replace it with this new roll of wire. Tie the new wire to the old wire and we will pull it through the conduit. Easy, peasy.”

“Find the blue wire, chase it back to its origin and replace with new wire after testing. Tie the new to the old and get out of the way and go to the next project, got it,” replied Melvin. Hoping it was half as easy as his future Brother-in-law made it out to be.

Henry started, “We have some Ham and CB capabilities and a radio monitoring the Emergency Broadcast channel at all times. The Internet goes and comes and is slow when it does kinda work. On the nuclear attack of America only about eight percent of the Nuclear missiles targeted for America got through our defense system. The bad news is that was nine ICBM missiles. They hit New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and the other one that got through hit somewhere in the middle of nowhere Nebraska. Probably wrong coordinates were entered or the guidance system went bad with all the interference of the EMP and other missiles going off all over the world. No one will ever know is the consensus. The Russians have landed in Florida and are coming north, but are meeting heavy resistance from the Army, Air Force and the Navy along with the armed citizens of Florida that might be the biggest deterrent at this point. The Russian biological weapons have shown up in several cities already most prominent in San Francisco and Washington, DC. There are reports of flash outbreaks in Tokyo and in Canada. Unconfirmed reports on the Ham radio of the Bio weapon being in seen in mainland China.”

Melvin replied, “Nothing in Charlotte or Atlanta?”

Henry said, “No and I have talked to several people in and around Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina and in the Atlanta Metro area no signs of NBC showing at this time. Rioting in Atlanta and all inside the I-285 loop, with many major buildings burning and destroyed by the locals and no end in sight.”

Kevin said, “That sounds like a regular Saturday night and par for the course in Atlanta.” Melvin just nodded his head affirmatively in total agreement with Kevin’s sentiment.

Eddie walked up and said, “Melvin, you need to get a move on. You will have to move the bollards in front of the inside gate just to get out with the ones going out near the trees on the entrance road. If you want, I can go ahead and get your tent and stuff setup. You probably are going to be feeling down in the dumps when you come back into the building and the whole quarantine thing sets in mentally. Right now, it is just a thought it will be real in a few hours my friend. What do you think?”

Melvin replied, “I think you are a good friend, Eddie. I think you are correct in more ways than I want to fathom also. I’ll be heading out now and I will have the radio if you all think of anything else that needs to be done while I am in the land of the un-dead.” Laughing at his own joke more to make himself feel better than the fact it was funny.

Smoke and Owen had started working on the sheet metal chimney after they completed the fire pit with a movable cooking surface, the surface was made from some really heavy gauge expanded metal and half inch plate steel. About a third of the surface was steel plate, to act as a griddle, the plate had a three-quarter inch lip all the way around the griddle. The remaining part of the almost six-foot in diameter cooking surface was expanded metal with a couple of pieces of two-inch angle iron underneath for support and a half-inch thick piece of one-inch flat metal for the outer ring. Owen had supplied most of the hammering, with Smoke doing the spot welding on the cooking surface. Melvin had taken a turn at the hammering for about a third of the way with Patrick swinging the five-pound hammer for about three welds and saying that this type work would kill a man before his prime. Melvin, Smoke and Owen having to agree with the sentiment of what Patrick said, before Melvin saying, “Give me that hammer Patrick, we need to get this finished and I surely want you to make it to your prime Nephew.” The gang working on the fire pit got a good laugh at Patrick’s expense. He even laughed a little at himself, as he walked away saying, “I am going to do some little boys work, y’all grown men can take care of the heavy lifting work.”

Sandy walking by and hearing the conversation, said, “Patrick you are a coward, I thought you were the big strong football player and these old men are out working you. Run little baby, run.” Laughing at the top of her lungs at the face made by Patrick as he continued to get away from the hard work of swinging the heavy short handled hammer as fast as he could without breaking into a run.

Melvin had completed the disconnect and connecting of the blue wire and headed back down off the roof to the awaiting Lull. Starting the big off-road forklift, he moved around to the front gate and started moving the bollards that been placed at the gate to block entrance. After moving the first of the large twelve feet long bollards out of the way. As he turned to go move the second one, he saw Eddie and he thought Maureen, Gretchen and Zaida working on the mezzanine balcony in the Atrium. They were setting up an Observation Post just as they had talked about earlier. Melvin waved to Eddie acknowledging his presence, Melvin thought we need to figure out a better way, the people stand out like a sore thumb against those white walls in the background. The upstairs was going to need to be painted or the people in the OP were going to have to wear all white snow camouflage while in the OP. Melvin continued the thought pattern that maybe it would be a little of both, some painting and some different camo.

Elizabeth, Jessica, Celeste, and Julia were admiring the large iron and steel fire and cooking apparatus for the fourth or fifth time of the day. Julia said, “We need a swing arm over the top of the cooking surface that we could hang a Dutch Oven and be cooking slowly or warming a stew while we are cooking on the grates. It would need to be able to swing independently from the grating cooking surface or in tandem.”

Elizabeth replied, “We wouldn’t have to worry about the tripod if we had that. I like the height we decided on for the top of the grate. I do think we are going to want to brick or rock up one side, maybe the far side. All that iron is going to be hot and even though the grate ring sticks out past the iron tub, if we get to close it will probably burn you pretty good. If we brick up one side we can always work on that side and it will reflect the heat back towards the eating area.”

Celeste spoke and said, “I would have liked to have had one of these in my backyard. That is if I had a backyard before. Heck, you know what I mean. It would have been great to build a big fire roast some hot dogs, burgers and maybe some sausage and have a few friends over on a fall or early spring night. Listen to some music, enjoy some brews, eat some food, and enjoy friends and family.”

Elizabeth said, “Don’t know about the beer, but we can do the rest tonight.” Seeing the look on Jessica’s face she reached to her new friend and said, “Sorry, Jessica my big old mouth engaged before my tiny brain. Please forgive me, I know you are hurting with Melvin going into isolation for a few weeks.”

Jessica answered, “It’s okay, I know you didn’t do it to be catty or hurt me like some women. You are right though it does leave a big open spot in my being. I understand as the Doctor for this pack I need to stay away. That is my mind, my heart not so much.”

All said with a heart-breaking sad smile on her face. That had the four women taking a break for a group hug and cry for themselves and their loved ones. That now covered the whole group of the Cudd pack. After a good cry, Elizabeth called Smoke and Owen over from running the twelve-inch thin-walled black iron pipe they had found to connect to the plant heating and air-conditioning duct work. The pair had actually been able to cut the piping and insert a flu dampening device. Smoke had said of the device it was a good thing it was on the inside as opposed to outside as it was functional but not very precise or pretty. Telling the two Cudd fabricators of the need fore a swing arm and some type of heat barrier on the other side of the cooking and heating pit.

Smoke replied, “No problem Ms. Elizabeth, but how about making sure y’all do not want any more modifications before we start enclosing this fire pit. They will not be very easy or as quick after the fact from now on. That is especially true if we enclose part of the pit. Can we wait till after supper to do that, you had said you weren’t going to try it out till we were finished and we still have to make sure the duct work doesn’t have any closed dampers in the system before we smoke up the whole building. We are only using about a hundred feet of duct work but it will all have to be checked for flow before we light a fire.”

Patrick had a good start on gathering the materials he needed to build a small bullet catcher; a little bigger than he thought probably enough steel for the enclosure and the baffle system for a sixteen by eight-foot backstop. Patrick thought that if you couldn’t hit an area that big at the one-hundred-and-thirty-foot distance that would be the longest shot, one didn’t need to have a weapon in their hands. Rosa had migrated over and helped him after a while and so had Jack until he figured out three was a crowd and decided he had elsewhere to be. Rosa had re-introduced herself after walking up and then asked, “Patrick is there anything that I can help you do. The rest of the ladies are doing stuff that I don’t really care about. I was taking machine shop and was learning to be a machinist at the vocational school. This looks like something that I can help with maybe.”

Patrick not really knowing what to say and not ever really having much luck with girls, just replied, “If you want to, I can use another pair of hands. Did you say you went to the Vocational school? I thought maybe you went to school at Ninety-Six or something don’t ever remember seeing you at the high school.”

Starting to help arrange some of the steel in a layout pattern, Rosa replied, “I was there we had Geometry class together in ninth grade and Algebra II this year. Being in Vocational courses Math and English and a few other required classes is all I have at the high school. I am only there a half day. I sat with the other slackers in the back, just easier that way. I had my hair longer till a few months ago and it was blue. I let the color grow out after I got the cut.”

Patrick deep in thought finally replied, “I like it better the natural color. I do remember you now you hung with that Reeves girl right.”

With a big smile Rosa answered, “Yeah, I hung with Christine Reeves and you are right everyone calls her Reeves for some reason…” Continuing she said, “We are going to need to see if that maintenance shop has a metal break. If it does, we can put these to the correct angle with a breaker and save a lot of metal, maybe enough to make it bigger.”

Patrick thinking Wow, sheepishly said, “You really do know your stuff. You should have been on the committee at school for the gun range.”

Rosa said, “I have never really been much into guns, they aren’t necessary and they kill people was my point of view. Dad tried to explain to me and Mom that weapons were just tools, like a hammer they don’t do anything by themselves, just inanimate objects. My Dad tried to get me interested but when I didn’t show any want to, he just let it go and didn’t press the issue. My Mom was the same way about them, her views even went to the point of having them confiscated and abolishing the 2nd amendment. I guess now that we have seen the other side of things with your Uncle getting robbed and shot and then another guy trying to kill him with a knife. I see now that if he hadn’t had a gun to defend himself, he wouldn’t have survived. All that my Dad and his boss Eddie would have found at the lake would have been a dead friend. The Cops just can’t always be where they are needed and the bad guys have guns and will use them to take what they want.”

Patrick said, “Rosa good points, the sooner we get this thing finished the sooner we can practice our shooting. I am pretty decent with a scoped rifle. Do not really know about my new pistols that Sandy bought for me. Truth is I only shot them one time, the day we got them.” Turning back to the project at hand and getting back to organizing the materials.

Rosa spoke up saying, “Let’s go check on that maintenance shop and see what they have to offer for building this box. It will be easier in the day light; I hope that room has a sky light or one of those sun tunnels like the others in the building. It will help immensely, to see what they have and don’t have in the maintenance shop.”

“Elizabeth says this place was left pretty well stocked except for anything they could sell. The owner thought they had the place sold and it would be started right back up. They owed to much money to make that happen. We might find just what we, I mean you need. I don’t even know what a metal breaker looks like,” said Patrick. The pair started heading back towards the middle of the building in the back where the maintenance shop was located.

Out side Melvin was making a slalom course for anyone to pass through to get to the plant. He was going to do that and block off the road after the zig-zag pattern was established. Thinking that in the end when they were going in and out if they forgot to close off the lanes it would slow down anyone trying to get into the plant. They had plenty of bollards and a long driveway, just made sense to him. He was going to also extend the bollards out as long as he could inside the fence line, for a double benefit the group could actually use them for cover if they were attacked and would guard the entrance even better than just covering the gate. Melvin thought to himself, if they had a way, they could booby trap the bollards so if the pack withdrew back into the plant, the aggressors couldn’t use them for cover. If they did, it would be like Jackie Gleason’s old saying ‘pow right in the kisser’. Melvin wondering where the knowledge for that epiphany had come from in his head. Melvin finished up the slalom course then blocked the road completely before heading back inside the plant gate.

Getting back inside the gate he could see that Eddie and his bunch had realized that that their background was highlighting the OP and had place some blankets or some type of material against the back wall of the mezzanine. It looked for all practical purposes like someone had covered the desk, back wall and chairs for painting. Melvin then repaired the blockage of the gate by placing the bollards back in their original places and headed for the back of the plant for more bollards. He hoped he could get them at least two long on either side of the gate before it got too dark to work. Melvin would get three on the right side of the gate and two on the left side. He drove the Lull around to the back and picked up another bollard then parked the Lull with the bollard still on the forks near the back door and his new isolation home.

Going inside Melvin could readily see many things had happened inside their new home during his absence out side the hive. All the way across the large warehouse he could see that Smoke and Owen had apparently already finished the fire pit, even the chimney. Seeing the nice-looking fire pit from afar he wondered why that the group was not using it to cook. He could smell something good and as the aroma hit him his stomach growled telling him that it was about to start eating his backbone if it was not fed soon, preferably right now. Melvin keyed his mouthpiece on his radio and said, “Eddie, you got your ears on?”

Eddie hearing his friend keyed his mike and said, “Reading five by five, Mike Charlie One, Comeback for Sierra Echo One, over.” A gentle reminder to his big friend not to be calling people by name over the open channel radio, by using the code names they had assigned just for that purpose.

Laughing to himself, Melvin replied, “Sierra Echo One read you loud and clear with your not-so-subtle reminder to me, to use the radio lingo. My top-secret request is, what are we having for supper and what does hungry Mike Charlie One have to do to get some food for supper around this site, over?” Melvin could here the deep laughter of his friend all the way across the nearly empty building echoing and haunting him.

Eddie replied, “Juliet Charlie One said to tell you it was in your tent, your majesty, and to not get your panties in a wad. Over.” Again, a lot of laughing at Melvin’s expense could be heard throughout the building.

Not to be outdone and to have the last word, Melvin said, “Please inform Juliet Charlie One that there will be no ration of kisses for her tonight and for at least a month as punishment for disrespect for her future husband, Mike Charlie One over and out.”

Eddie replied, “FYI, Henry heard over the Ham and was confirmed on our Police radios, most vehicles that were running at the time of the EMP’s in America other than military are out of commission. We were lucky, most that weren’t running at the time are alright, with an even higher percentage that were in covered home garages or building parking lots being okay. All of our vehicles were parked inside this big concrete structure are alright. We have checked them all and they started and ran without a problem.”

“On another note, I talked with Sheriff and he wants his cars back. He is good with the fact that, we aren’t coming back to work. I told him I would get back with him, in the morning. I am good either way, I would like to give them back to the department though if possible. On another note before you decide. The DHS did show up here in the County and raided your home at the lake and your offices. I don’t know if it was a mistake, they trashed your home and managed to burn it to the ground. The Sheriff told me that they didn’t burn any of the other places down but they did confiscate food and other contraband as they called it at the other four sites, they had for the first round in the county.”

Melvin said, “Tell the Sheriff he can have his vehicles back if we get the agenda of the DHS for the next two weeks in this county. Tell him we want it and it better be real and exact. Find out also if any of your team are on some DHS list or for that matter just get the list for the county and tell him to stay out of our business. Tell him that is good and free advice, not a threat of any kind, just some free knowledge that he might find very helpful long term.”

Eddie replied, “Melvin, do you think that is a wise choice? We have women and children here; do we want to be at war?”

Melvin said, “We are already at war with the Russian and I guess now from the Bastards burning my house down at least I am already at war with the DHS.”

Eddie replied, “You are right. One other piece of news all the commercial and even military planes that were in the air when the EMPs went off came crashing to the ground. We heard at this time they only know of three that managed to land without power or navigation capabilities and they were just controlled crashes not really landings. Thousands of people died and in Atlanta and other places where planes were stacked and racked awaiting landing many crashed into densely populated areas killing lots of people all over the country.”

Melvin said, “God help us all. We need to make sure we have a person in the OP all night started as soon as someone gets through supper. I will take the 0400 hours till 0800 shift, as I am going to be bed as soon as I eat and wash off.”

Eddie said, “I am on it and the little curtained off area in the corner of the building is a temporary shower for you. We got the four-55-gallon-barrel system hooked up for you in the corner this afternoon. I don’t know how hot it will be but Juliet Charlie One and Echo Charlie One heated three five-gallon buckets of water and put in the drums as we were filling the drums. It should at least be warm and better than a rag bath.”

“Tell everyone thanks for pulling together for the common good and great work all, from the bottom of my heart. Keep them straight Eddie, it is your responsibility right now. Mike Charlie One, Over and out,” said Melvin. Walking into his tent looking for some of that magical smelling food that Jessica had made and brought to his tent.

After eating a very hearty meal of stew with beans and a couple of large pieces of what he was told was fry bread. A bread that he had never had before but was much like cornbread, good and filling. Lying on an oversized fold out cot that he wondered where it was from and who had placed it in the tent, his mind was going a hundred miles a second. Melvin’s thoughts were on the future and what it held for his now much larger family unit and the country along with the world. His micro view of what the future held for his family ran along a few tangents. The first being was the plant as forgotten by the locals as he hoped. Indexing his thoughts, he told himself that not many of the locals that did not work at the plant even knew it existed in the first place.

The plant had only a medium sized workforce when it was running but many had come with the company when it opened the facility in sunny South Carolina for a large tax break. Those that had came with the company mostly moved back to the main plant from which they had arrived. Not many local people were suppliers of the company. The plant was mainly electric and didn’t require fuels, either fuel oil or propane to be delivered to the site. The metal for the rims came from another plant from out of state owned by the parent company. Not many local deliveries or suppliers another positive. Secondly, the main road that led to the plant was a seldom used county road, mostly used by farmers getting to the main road. The entrance was very hard to see from either direction coming or going. The direction of travel from the main road was almost impossible to see if you weren’t looking and had some prior knowledge of it being there. This was another big positive, the third and last thing was that the plant had been closed down for a long while and the entrance vegetation had reclaimed even more of the country side. That and the company sign and emblems were done in a earthy-green on yellow-green type of logo in a show of the company being an environmentally friendly corporation.

The bad things were that locals had worked at the plant and may remember its location and attributes as a place to hide. Secondly, even though you could leave out the back and get to the main road, it was grown over and most of their vehicles wouldn’t make it out, at least not in a hurry. The third thing was the plant was not at all built for living, no creature comforts except for a good strong roof, septic, and plenty of fresh water. The acreage should supply wild game in the form of deer, rabbit, turkey, squirrel, possum and raccoon. The three on-site ponds should supply fresh water fish, ducks, geese, turtles, frogs, and if you got hungry enough snake in the summer time. Melvin thought he would have to be awfully hungry to eat snake.

Thinking of his beloved America, what would people do without the delivery of food, medicines, and basic needs. Melvin remembered reading that the average American family had three days or less food at their homes. Most people shopped for groceries on almost a daily regimen. With long haul or over the road tractors not delivering, to grocery stores regularly the stores would be empty and remain that way until changes could be made. His next thought was who had any idea how long it would take to get back to a regular scheduled delivery routine. If ever, was the horrifying thought that immediately came to mind.

The loss of foods and medicine would cause people to do crazy and dangerous things. People were going to die and some horribly due to these needs. What would a parent do for a child that needed Insulin or heart medicine to survive? Kill and not give it a second thought, was the first image in his mind and he had a cold shiver run down his back. This from knowing he and most of the people in the world would probably do the same. How had the world come to this point in twenty-four hours and what would the next twenty-four bring?

Melvin keyed his radio and said, “Sierra Echo One, you got your ears on, over?”

Reaching for his mic and keying it to talk, Eddie replied, “Comeback, Mike Charlie One, over.”

Melvin replied, “Plan on telling your ex-boss in the morning to have someone at the Citgo filling station on Highway 72 on the Greenwood side of the lake at 0800 hours day after tomorrow and the next day. No more than one car of six deputies and we will have his Interceptors there for him to pick up. The keys will be in the vehicles and they will be running get in them and drive. They will be there one of those two days, if not we didn’t make it. Tell him we need an intelligence dump when you talk as payment. We want all he knows about what is happening local and in America and especially the DHS. Tell him all he knows and not to be shy with the information, Over.”

Eddie replied, “Sierra Echo One copy on day after tomorrow and then next. Copy on data dump and agree with both of this, if it means anything, sound logic. Sleep good Mike Charlie One and I will be relieving you at 0800 in morning. Over and out.”

Eddie smiled and knew that they had picked the right leader. It had always been evident to him that Melvin was a natural born leader, some had problems because Melvin wouldn’t just go along. If Melvin thought you were wrong, he would tell you, not argue, just state his case give you a chance to change your mind. If you did not, he went his way and let you go yours. Melvin had told him one time in high school that too many people were lemmings blindly following and not thinking. He just couldn’t see why people would not think for themselves. Eddie had replied that they were just not very bright. Melvin told him he was wrong that even people who were very smart would sometimes follow others right off the cliff. Follow without hesitation, thought or rebuttal, he had added. Looking lost to the world to Eddie.

Melvin said, “Thanks man, now I am going to try again and get some sleep. Tell whoever is responsible for the cot I said thanks a million. Not old yet, but I will feel a lot better in the morning after sleeping on this cot than on that hard-concrete floor, pad or no pad. Heck, I even put my pad on the cot.” Finished, the deep sound of a roaring laugh from Melvin could be heard by the Cudd pack, some still sitting around the two large conference tables and chairs that had been brought out of their rooms to act as dining tables for the pack.

Jessica smiled upon hearing his laugh and squeezed the arms of her Dad and brother who were sitting on either side of the Veterinarian and family member. Kevin said, “Jess, you got a good’un in Melvin. Be hard to do better, I think. Hope I can do as good, one day.”

Smiling at his two children Jack said, “I don’t know if I have told you two how proud you make me and how much I love you two lately; know this even if I didn’t say it, I am very proud to be your Father and I love you forever and a day. I am truly blessed; I just wish your Mom was still here to see the two of you and share this and every moment. God needed her more in Heaven than we did here on earth.”

Jessica said, “You still miss her don’t cha Dad?”

Jack replied, “Her and the two of you were my life. Now I am just blessed to still have you by my side and in my life daily. Lots of Fathers and Mothers have their children grow up and they never really get any more time with them. They get jobs and move to other parts of the country. Like you were doing with Melvin. Kevin and I had already talked about moving here to be near the two of you and keep the family close. Family is important to me and was to your Mom also. The two of you were her world and rightfully so.”

Before daylight as a new day was dawning Henry was informing Eddie and Jimmy of the news, he had heard over the Ham radio. Telling them of the battles raging in many different parts of southern and the middle of Florida between Russian and American troops. Melvin was stifling a yawn and writing himself a note to see if the others had been using night vision equipment while on OP duty. Early on during his watch he realized that his sitting there on a dark and moonless night was useless. Being inside the building his sense of smell and hearing would not help even. From time to time in the shadows he could see the trees moving in the wind and could only imagine the rustling of the few leaves left on the trees. His eyes hurt from staring into the darkness and hoping if something or somebody was trying to enter their domain, they would make a mistake and he could catch a glimpse of them so he could warn the others and they would be able to meet the new trouble head on. Rubbing his neck and looking at his watch as the world was beginning to awaken and the night sky giving away to a new dawn. He was in awe of God’s creation; he spoke with him earnestly asking for his blessings and care over his new family and their new home. The one thing that he did have to say about the OP that had been so quickly built by Eddie and his team was that it was ideally situated and comfortable and now that the partially painted look had been established blended in from the outside. The pieces of steel backing the desk with the concrete blocks holding it up definitely supplied some cover and not just concealment.

As he thought about all that needed to happen and the things that had already been accomplished, his mood was positive that they could make this place a good BOL if time would allow for them to complete the process. Thinking that he missed Jessica, he hoped Eddie would have news about the biological and nuclear situations and they could relax this self-imposed quarantine that he found himself now the star. His own volunteering for the duty a classic example of one letting their mouth over-load their butt. It hadn’t even been twelve hours and he found himself wanting to break his own rules and go and eat breakfast with Jessica and the rest of his friends and family here at the plant. He hoped it was like working out, you got to a point that you didn’t think you could go any farther then going further. Pushing on mind over matter then you blew through that mark you were good for a while until the next millstone was placed around your neck. A person then had to find the mental and physical internal fortitude to keep going and completing the task. His mental joust getting him through a sticking point and making him feel renewed and ready to go on being in quarantine. Renewed he started making some notes of things he could do to help those on the inside complete their task, like bring supplies or running antennas for Henry.

Jimmy asked, “Do you think we will be able to stop them from getting out of Florida? The way the state is made it does keep them a little bottled up.”

Eddie replied, “That is a great advantage, but they by-passed some of the bigger stations of troops in the state and with many and most air assets grounded, it is a ground battle and one they were prepared for and one we are joining on the fly. They have a definite advantage, if the citizens of Florida were not responding to the sounds of cannons as they say I would say the answer would be no. From what we hear though I think the citizenship is going to keep them pinned down and without constant supply bleed them enough to let our guys get in the fight and end their existence on American soil.”

Eddie said, “Good work Henry and we need to make sure we all have weapons. I noticed that Ms. Julia has not been wearing a handgun or carrying a rifle or carbine. Henry, we need for your wife Julia to buy into what we are trying to do hear as a team. I am expecting you to lead the charge on making sure this happens. Now guys, I need to go see a man about a horse and give my old boss a call before breakfast.”

Elizabeth, Sandy and Julia were starting to prepare breakfast for the crew; Julia said, “We need some chickens, both for the eggs and the meat. These instant eggs are going to get old in a hurry and will run out eventually, chickens on the other hand are a renewable food source. Same for some goats or dairy cows for milk, cheese, butter, sour crème and crème. I know where we can get some chickens and goats when we can venture out.”

Sandy replied, “I would love to raise some chickens they are cool and I love me some eggs and fried chicken. I thought Jimmy got like four or five chickens at the store. What happened to them?”

Elizabeth smiling at Sandy asked, “I do not know about the chickens. Could you actually kill a chicken you had raised and then eat the meat.”

Sandy said, “I know where the meat comes from. I have shot and killed a deer and then skinned it and had Uncle Melvin cook up the backstrap that same day. Yummy! I think I will be alright, but you are right it is different. Truth is I don’t know, but yes.”

Fran and Beth sitting near where their Mom was beginning to prepare breakfast and listening to the ladies talk chimed in unison, “Mommy can we have chickens, can we have’em pretty please.” With that look of love and innocence that all parents fall and fall hard for almost every time from their babies be, they two, twenty, or sixty, still their babies. Wishing only the best and will climb mountains and ford rivers to deliver their pleas and wishes. While showing their own great love for their children.

Elizabeth replied, “Girls, you know the rules, we have to make plans and talk through new wants and wishes even about small requests. This would be a large request as the chickens would have to be fed and watered, eggs collected and their pens cleaned. Do you know what has to be removed from their pens?”

The girls were nodding their heads and not smiling anymore as they had been to a friend of their Mother’s farm many times and cleaning pens was not high on their list of fun things to do. Not as bad as feeding and watering the hogs but a dirty mess, the young ladies didn’t much care for cleaning pens to be a part of their chores.

A little while later Eddie was sitting with Elizabeth eating some grits with cheese and butter and some of the infamous powdered eggs, when the discussion changes to live stock. Eli asked, “Eddie do you think we will be able to get some chickens and possibly some goats or cows? We are going to need some fresh food at some point. We probably need to try and get some greens, collards, turnips and mustard growing, when we can get outside. I have some seeds in my stuff, we need more.”

Eddie smiled and replied, “You said all that without breathing, you aren’t about to pass out, are you? Have I told you how pretty you are when you are flushed like that?” The discussion turned to the fact that the biological agent that had been released on American soil was the real problem, not to exclude the possible radiation that might be on any animals left outside. Both Eddie and Elizabeth knew where the animals and food stocks for the animals could be gotten before yesterday. Tomorrow or later on, was another problem that may have to be addressed with a totally different set of answers. The new couple deciding that it was just another obstacle that they would need the whole group to discuss and possibly overcome the seemingly endless blocks in the road.

Smiling at Eddie she replied, “You know that when I get excited, I hold my breath.”

“TMI, old people TMI,” said Sandy pointing at the Elizabeth’s two young daughters sitting there with the others.

Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth and then replied, “You young Lady need to get your brain and thoughts out of the gutter. Not even what I was talking about for your information.” Everyone around the table getting a good laugh at Elizabeth even her girls who weren’t sure why they were laughing but they joined in with the others feeling all grown up.

Eddie called Melvin on the radio and explained to him to come on down and eat his breakfast. Jessica had sat his plate about twenty feet from the front of his tent. Eddie while he had Melvin on the radio told him that the Sheriff had told him the routes and the times that the DHS agents were going to be arriving at different locations in the county. Melvin wanting to know if he could get someone to set up a computer and a printer and type up the locations and times for him. Melvin asked what Eddie’s boss thought about them giving him two different times on retrieval of the Ford Crown Victoria Interceptors. Eddie explained that the County Sheriff understood and even agreed to expand it to the third day. Melvin said, “The Sheriff seems to have his head on his shoulders. I always thought of him as more of a politician than a police officer, sometimes first impressions are just wrong.” Eddie agreed that the Sheriff was in general a good guy but might be playing both sides against the middle.

Melvin laughed and replied, “Yeah that is why I am going to drive one of the squad cars when I go to pay the DHS a visit today.”

Seeing the look on his friends face he continued, “Don’t worry, I am going to speak to them from long range. At least long range for me three to four hundred yards, my Ruger Model 77 MK II stainless steel 26-inch heavy barrel in 300 Winchester Magnum can do that all day long and twice on Sunday and we both know it. My Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16X50mm will make ID and confirming the target a breeze at that range. Maybe give the people they are raiding a fighting chance to keep the government from taking their stuff.”

Eddie said, “My only thought is you need a spotter and someone to watch your back, my friend. Just to make sure you come back to that new wife and I am not taking no for an answer. Just get used to it. Besides I wouldn’t let you drive my car for nothing and if I am with you if we run into any local PD maybe we get a break. Sure, won’t hurt and I can wear my uniform and it will look somewhat official for us to be out and about. Second thing is we haven’t been running any cars with just one Officer in the last couple of weeks. I will just have to go into quarantine when we get back and we can at least play checkers or Gin. No, we aren’t playing Chess, already learned that lesson too many times before. Now come on down and eat breakfast and we can talk person to person.”

As Melvin and Eddie were beginning to talk about their new plans for the day; Jack, and Kevin were making plans to put a brick wall half way around the fire pit and trying to figure out how to make an outdoor oven for the inside. The pair had already decided they had everything but the fire brick to do the project. Sandy hearing them talking said, “Uncle Melvin has all those Firefox books on how they did stuff back in the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ days. I don’t know where they are but we definitely packed all of his books. They are here somewhere. After the dishes are cleaned, I will look for them and his other books. Might be some other ideas that we could use. What little Internet we have now is slower than cursive writing.”

Jack laughed and replied, “Sandy, finding those books would be a great help. On another note, you know people who use cursive actually write much faster than those who print. Cursive is like shorthand on a bigger scale. Sandy if you find those books, and have some time how about looking around for some vermiculite and perlite. I doubt you will find any perlite but the vermiculite might be around for potting soil or something, maybe where the landscaping or lawn-mowing stuff is found.”

Sandy asked, “What do you need that stuff for, Mister Jack?”

“We don’t have any refractory cement or plaster of Paris, to make fire bricks for the oven. We found plenty of bricks in a pile out back. Still on a pallet and the cement, can’t use regular cement to make fire bricks for the oven or at least not much and it needs to be Portland. While you are looking for the vermiculite, look for some lime, too it should be in the same place if they have any here,” said Jack.

Eddie walked back to where Melvin had just started eating his breakfast and said, “Do you think this is our fight?”

Melvin stopped chewing his eggs and replied, “Eddie, they made it my fight when they burned my house to the ground for no reason. They made it my fight when they decided they needed my stuff. Stuff that I paid for with hard earned money. Stuff that my future in-laws paid for with their money. When the government decides they can take from one group and give to another, they are no different than the street thug who thinks he wants my Nike tennis shoes and holds a gun to my head to take them. Does that guy have the rights to do that? The answer as we both know is negative. The government needs to follow the rule of law just like you and me. If not evil in the form of the government exist and all it needs to prevail is for good people to do nothing. I for one, aren’t going to do nothing. Doesn’t mean I expect you or the rest of the family to join my little crusade. But, if you do it needs to be all the way. No looking back or changing course. Once this ship sails it is going to be in rough waters for some time.”

Eddie replied, “I am with you to Hell and back my friend, let’s go.”

Melvin replied, “Easy Tiger. Let me finish my breakfast first and we need to make sure we have people in the OP all day because we are going to have to leave the gates unlocked. After today we will leave the car outside the gate. I also need to site in my rifle and prepare a GHB for the trip, just in case. You do too, Eddie unless you already have one.”

Eddie replied, “I guess I better site in that POF P300 of mine also. Already got a data card out to a thousand meters. But better check the zero just the same. We taking our carbines or SBRs with us?”

Melvin replied, “I am, with only three rounds in that Ruger it will be empty in a hurry. Even though I just want to shoot no more than twice and ease away like a beaten dog with his tail stuck between his legs. If I have my druthers, cut the head of the snake a couple of times and hope the rest of the body dies. Maybe if we both shoot at one time it would even be better. Be kinda spooky for those on the receiving end if two died and they only heard one round fired. You do have the suppressor for your rifle right.”

Eddie with a big smile said, “You know I do and that is a real force multiplier. Especially if I was to shoot from a different angle. We would have to be close to make sure the report from your Ruger covered any sound from my POF. We would probably need to be within twenty feet or less to make sure we shot at the same time. After the first shot the next would be a target of opportunity and then run. I like it, I bet the people that are doing the door knocking are not trained in counter sniper operations and will panic and go to ground as we beat feet. Gravy for us if they do, my friend, gravy.”

Melvin smiled at his friend and said, “They are not supposed to be at the Greer’s till1400 hours today. That will give us plenty of time to find a good shooting point. I think we will be able to do it from the pine forest at the far edge of the property across the road, probably three-hundred twenty or thirty yards at most. That is a shot I can make and we can be in the Interceptor out the back side of that small stand of trees in three to four minutes and riding no problem. That is if we creep if we are full tilt running less than half. You told me the Sheriff said they didn’t have helicopters here, right.”

“No rotary or fixed wing assets assigned to the DHS teams anywhere in South Carolina. They can call in air support from Columbia and ask for support from the Sheriff. If the Sheriff sends up the helicopter, it will be ten minutes before they are on-site, we are not flying any standards operations due to lack of fuel. The Pilot is on standby at the field but he still has to crank and pre-flight the bird before take off and that is close to five minutes if he is really in a hurry. My guess is the Sheriff will have to think about those orders for at least a minute before calling. Worst case for us we ought to be a mile away from the scene when our Bell helicopter flies over,” said Eddie.

Melvin replied, “With the site so close to the Airport that is a big one. I think we do the Savoy Drive address as we spoke. Our evac route through the woods, go north on Old Laurens Highway then a hard left on Stoney Rock road to Williams Road and that will get us back to Highway 221 and cross the lake home. If we have to take the long way Old Laurens gets us across the Lake into Laurens County. We make our way back, people in that part of the county are used to seeing Greenwood County Sheriff cars on that side of the lake and won’t think one thing about seeing it there.”

Eddie with a stoic look on his face, replied, “Seems like you already had the plan, weather I agreed or not.”

Melvin replied, “Like I said before it is my fight my friend. One that you can walk away and we will be friends just like we were before you heard the plan. No hard feelings or bad thoughts for you in any way by me and my word as you know is my bond.”

Eddie answered, “We are in this together my friend. When I decided to join you here, I cast my vote for your leadership and surrendered my service. Now since the planning is done, there is just the doing and I do need to put me together a GHB and get you a vest from Henry. Then we shoot and scoot to the other side of the river for a little retribution.”

[gipsy]

Thanks for the update

[kiwibutterfly]

I am so happy that you decided to get back to writing this story. Thank you

[sniper69]

Gotta love the plan. Thanks for another chapter.

[feralferret]

Thanks, 223shootersc!

[ydderf2]

I hope the plan goes well. I think it was Robbie Burns who said "the best laid plans of men often go astray". Thanks for the chapter 223 shooter.

[texican]

223,

I have noticed that your chapters are really short story long which is just grand for the moar hounds. Keeps them out of trouble.

Texican....

[223shootersc]

Thanks all for reading and commenting! Hope to get out another chapter tomorrow. Been catching up on Honey-Do list the last few days. new flooring, prepping some dry-wall and painting. Twenty years ago, I don't remember it hurting so much! Ha, Ha!

[feralferret]

Aug 26, 2023 19:42:42 GMT -6 223shootersc said:

Thanks all for reading and commenting! Hope to get out another chapter tomorrow. Been catching up on Honey-Do list the last few days. new flooring, prepping some dry-wall and painting. Twenty years ago, I don't remember it hurting so much! Ha, Ha!

At least 20 years ago I was still physically capable of all of those chores.  I hated painting almost as much as the drywall.  I did a bunch of that back when we bought this house 23 years ago.


Kind of hard to do these days when my right arm is unable to reach above my head, or reach out away from my body (deltoid muscle torn completely into).

[223shootersc]

Aug 26, 2023 20:20:01 GMT -6 feralferret said:

Aug 26, 2023 19:42:42 GMT -6 223shootersc said:

Thanks all for reading and commenting! Hope to get out another chapter tomorrow. Been catching up on Honey-Do list the last few days. new flooring, prepping some dry-wall and painting. Twenty years ago, I don't remember it hurting so much! Ha, Ha!

At least 20 years ago I was still physically capable of all of those chores.  I hated painting almost as much as the drywall.  I did a bunch of that back when we bought this house 23 years ago.


Kind of hard to do these days when my right arm is unable to reach above my head, or reach out away from my body (deltoid muscle torn completely into).

Feralferret,

I resemble those remarks. My body has been torn and worn over years of burning the candle at both ends. Sixty plus hours weeks of work and twenty pushing iron or practicing ball. Played softball at the Major level for many years, took a toll. Couple of bad shoulder problems, a knee, broken bones in hands and arm. Additionally too many strains and sprains to mention. Now my body hurts in so many places, it is unusual for it not to hurt in some place all the time.

My right arm from the shoulder to the end of my hand is own fire right now as I type.

Thanks for reading my work and commenting.

223shootersc