Cabal

by Mark Goodwin

  SMASH! A Frankfort Police Department cruiser tanked into the front quarter panel of the truck causing Josh to swerve off the road and into a tree. The front bumper curved around a large oak, and the truck came to an instant halt.

  Josh saw two officers roll out of the patrol car with M-4s aimed in his direction. “Those are the same two guys who picked me up in the Versailles PD cruiser!” He crawled across the seat and pushed the passenger’s door open. He grabbed his rifle, tucked low, and ran back toward his house.

  The impersonators gave no warning before opening fire at him. He sprinted toward the woods, hoping the trees would provide some cover. He stepped high to keep from getting his foot caught on a low sapling or winding vine in the unmaintained wooded lot.

  “Umph!” One of the men pursuing him had failed to watch out for such hazards. He let out a string of profanities when he fell. The other man continued the chase.

  Josh could hear his footsteps between the occasional cracks of the rifle shooting wildly in his direction. He cut left and raced toward the old barn. If he could just get around a corner, perhaps it would give him time to turn around and line up a shot. The man fired several more times. Josh heard two of the bullets whizz by his ear. He jumped in such a way as to let his feet slide out from under him, like a baseball player lunging for the plate. Josh landed on his side, his finger on the trigger, ready to take aim as soon as his body came to a complete stop. He rolled over onto his stomach and fired three rounds.

  The man chasing him stopped and took cover behind a tree. “He’s behind the barn,” the man called to the other who’d fallen but finally caught up.

  “I’ll circle around,” called the other.

  Josh put down three rounds to keep the first man’s head behind the tree while he pried out a loose board from the side of the dilapidated barn. “He can circle around if he wants too, but I won’t be here.”

  Once inside the old barn, Josh looked up toward the loft. “I hope that ladder will hold. God, I know I’ve been asking for a lot of favors lately, but I could really use your help on this one.” He gently put his weight on the first rung. He tested each subsequent step before committing his weight entirely on it. The third from the bottom fell away as soon as he touched it, so he had to put extra pressure on the next rung. He crawled into the loft as quietly as possible.

  “Where did he go?” asked the second officer when he finally came around.

  The first replied, “Not this way.” He came out from behind cover and joined the other man.

  Josh could see them both clearly between the gaps in the boards. He lined up a shot.

  “He must have gone inside.” The first man looked right at Josh.

  POW! He dropped dead. The second man scrambled for cover while Josh peppered the area all around him.

  “Now we’ve evened up the odds.” Josh dropped down from the loft and exited out the front. He ran back to the truck, but it was no use. The radiator was smashed, and he’d never get it started. He grabbed a couple of fresh magazines and took back to the woods. He heard the man searching inside the barn. Josh inched closer to the structure.

  The man was on the phone. “You need to send me some backup, Carole-Jean. This guy has already killed Phelps. He’s not the little pencil pusher you made him out to be. Phelps’ death is on you.” He was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know where he is, but he’s on foot. If you send people over here, we can pin him in before he gets far.”

  Josh watched the man walk to the door of the barn. He lined up the sights but did not want to tip his hand to Carole-Jean Harris that he was in the vicinity by killing the man while he was still on the phone with her.

  A second later the man said, “I know how long it takes. Send me some locals if you have to.”

  Josh waited for the man to end the call. The moment he lowered the phone from his ear, Josh pulled the trigger, and the man lurched backward. Josh rushed to his truck, grabbed the backpack and tossed it into the open door of the patrol car. He checked the ignition. “No keys. That would have been too easy.” Josh placed a fresh magazine in his rifle. Then, he sprinted toward the barn and checked the pockets of the man he’d just killed. He found no keys, however he did relieve him of his rifle. He ran around to the rear side of the barn. He located the keys to the patrol car in Phelps’ front pocket. Likewise, he also took his rifle, then rushed back to the police car.

  Josh had no time to collect any of the boxes in his pickup truck. Besides, he’d have to ditch the patrol car soon anyway. He’d be restricted to what he could carry on foot. Josh started the vehicle and raced to get out of the area before backup could arrive. He turned on the police radio to listen for signs that Carole-Jean Harris had enlisted local law enforcement for assistance.

  CHAPTER 23

  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

  Matthew 24:6-8

  Josh pulled into the parking lot of Walmart. He drove to the farthest corner and cut the engine. He quickly emptied his backpack of the clothing items in the main compartment. He removed the magazine from his M-4 and cleared the chamber. Using his knife, he pried out the take-down and pivot pins, allowing him to separate the upper and lower assemblies. Once apart, the two pieces fit inside his pack. He repeated the process with the two additional M-4s, stowing their uppers and lowers in the pack also. He was able to pad the inside of the pack with some socks and tee-shirts but had to leave most of his clothing behind.

  A bright light shined in his window, breaking his concentration. He looked up to see a second Franklin PD cruiser parked directly behind him. Josh slowly drew his Glock and held it low. He hoped this was not another team from the FBI, but even more so, he did not want to have a shootout with a local cop. He rolled down his window and motioned for the officer to turn the light away from his face.

  The Franklin cop turned the spotlight out of Josh’s face. He rolled down his window. The cop obviously had his pistol drawn. “Do I know you?”

  Josh smiled. “No. I’m Federal. Out of Louisville. We got one of your cruisers as a loaner. I’m going to show you my badge.” Josh slowly took out his badge wallet and presented his DHS badge to the officer.

  “Oh, right. The sergeant told us about that last week. I should have made a mental note of the car number. Sorry to disturb you. Enjoy your stay.”

  “No problem at all.” Josh waved hoping the beads of sweat on his head wouldn’t make the officer think twice before pulling away. “Take care.”

  The patrol car drove off and Josh gasped for air. He couldn’t take much more stress. As soon as the other cruiser was out of sight, Josh exited the vehicle. He slung the heavy pack over his shoulders and took off walking as briskly as possible without breaking into a jog. He was in a hurry, but he didn’t want to look like it.

  He cut through the woods to the Kentucky River. He tossed his personal phone as well as his alias phone into the muddy current and followed the waterway south. The riverbank was mostly wooded and uninhabited except for one small stretch of residential houses. The sun had set by the time he reached the developed street, so he walked the road quietly under the cover of darkness. The moon was bright having been full on the evening before when Lucius Alexander had signed the treaty. It provided sufficient light for his journey. However, the woods were thick and overgrown, and he progressed slowly.

  Josh had no idea how far he’d traveled when he checked the time on his burner phone. “Midnight. I’m sapped. I can’t keep going.” He found a thicket of pine trees and used his arms to sweep up a pile of fallen needles for a bed. The late September air was mild, and it wasn’t a bad night for sleeping al fresco. He knew Stephanie must be worried sick. He sent her a short text on the burner. Hit a snag. Okay now. Be home tomorrow. Hi
s stomach was empty and his head was full, the worst possible combination for trying to sleep in the middle of the woods without a tent. Despite his miserable conditions, Josh soon drifted off.

  ***

  He awoke long before sunrise, shivering in the cold morning air. “It must be below 60 degrees. I’ll never go back to sleep now. I might as well get back on the trail.” His body ached from the heavy exertion on the day prior, particularly his bad knee. He tried some stretching exercises to loosen it up, but nothing seemed to help. Josh soldiered on. He located a sturdy branch to use as a walking stick. It provided him some comfort, but he had a long journey ahead.

  The sun was high in the air when he reached the Bluegrass Parkway bridge. “This should take me to the little gas station south of Lawrenceburg. The attendant might not be a friend, but at least he’s not an enemy.” Josh kept inside the tree line and followed the highway two miles to the gas station, hoping that he would find it still open. Indeed it was.

  He walked in and went directly for the cooler where he took 2 one-liter bottles of water. He also picked up a selection of individually wrapped breakfast treats.

  The attendant watched him carefully, ignoring the television behind the counter. “We don’t take no credit cards. Cash or silver, ‘less you’ve got somethin’ to trade.”

  “I know. I believe we’ve had that discussion before.” Josh placed the honey buns, powdered sugar donuts, and the pecan swirls on the counter next to the water bottles.

  “Oh, I remember you. Sorry, I didn’t recognize you coming in here with your backpack on. Thought you might be a vagrant or somethin’. I guess you’re part of the reason I’m still open.”

  Josh took out a few bills. “Not many people still taking cash.” He handed the money to the attendant and chugged down the first bottle.

  “Not many people spending it on bottled water these days.” The man watched him finish his drink in record time.

  “Yeah, this might be the last time I do. But that one was worth every cent. I’ll take that black Stihl hat.” He’d be retiring his Join-or-Die cap.

  The man added up the purchases. “Looks like you’ve had a rough go of it.”

  Josh nodded. “I have. I was wondering if you’d be interested in giving me a lift down to the Mammoth Cave area. I’d make it worth your while.” Josh showed the man a handful of silver coins.

  “I’m sure you’re a right fine fella, at least what I know of you, you are.” The man shook his head. “But I ain’t never made a habit out of giving rides to strangers. Times what they are, I ain’t about to start now.”

  “I understand. Do you know of anyone nearby that might be interested in making some quick money?”

  “Depending on how much you have, I’ve got some vehicles out back for sale.”

  “Really?” Josh found the response curious.

  “Yep. I took your advice on bartering. Some folks can’t afford gas, so they’ve got no need of a car.”

  “Do you have a pickup by any chance?”

  “Nope. Got a 1982 El Camino. Souped-up engine, fresh black paint. Interior is in good condition. I’ll let you have it for twenty ounces of silver.”

  “Does it have tags on it?”

  “Yeah, but you’d need to get new ones. And I need an ID to write up a bill of sale.” The man looked around as if to make sure they were alone. “Otherwise, I’d need twenty-five ounces of silver for it.”

  Josh took out his new ID and handed it to the man. “Throw in a full tank of gas, and we’ve got a deal.”

  “I think I can do that for you, Peter Gray.” The man put Josh’s fake license on the counter, took a sheet of paper and began filling in the blanks.

  Josh finished his breakfast and chugged the other bottle of water. Once the sale was completed, he drove home in his new ride.

  An hour and a half later, he pulled into the driveway of the house in Park City. Micah walked out on the porch with the AR-15 in his hand. “Dad? Is that you?”

  “Yeah, Son. It’s me.” Josh stepped out of the El Camino and embraced his son.

  Stephanie came out of the door. She wasn’t carrying her rifle, but she did have a pistol on her side. “Josh! We were so worried about you. What happened?”

  He sat on the steps and explained everything. Afterward, he checked his phone. He had a message from Rev. “It looks like we’ve got some more people joining us here.”

  “Like who?” Stephanie asked.

  “Some people from Patriot Pride. Rev, Christina, her 16-year-old daughter, Lindsey, and a guy they call Poochy.”

  “Poochy?”

  “He’s a techie. Used to work for Google. Ricky Pooch is his name. I looked him up in the federal database.”

  She looked down at the old wooden porch. “I feel like I don’t even know who you are anymore. All the secrets, getting shuffled around, the time apart, and now you’re bringing some woman to live here? What am I supposed to think?”

  He pulled her close. “It’s not like that. I barely know Christina.”

  “Then why is she coming to live here?”

  “It’s not just her. Rev and Poochy are coming also.”

  She took a seat on the edge of the porch. “You gave them a heads up, which cost you everything—your job, your home, and quite possibly your life. You don’t owe them anything more.”

  “It’s not about owing them. We’re going to need community to get through what’s coming. And since we’re all in the same boat, fugitives on the run, I figured they’d make a good team for riding this thing out. And the secrets, the time away, it all ends now. That life is gone. I’ll be by your side until the good Lord calls me home.”

  She looked hopefully into his eyes. “Okay.”

  He embraced her tightly. “And who would I trade you for anyway? You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  She smiled. “And all the moving, can we try to stay in one place for longer than two weeks this time?”

  “I’ll try.” Josh tensed up when he heard a vehicle behind him. He drew his pistol and spun around. “Nicole!” His sister’s BMW was the last vehicle he expected to see.

  She parked behind the El Camino and got out. Josh walked to meet her. “Hey, I didn’t think you’d come.”

  “I almost didn’t. Emilio convinced me that I should.”

  Josh gave her a quick hug. “Did you get rid of your phone?”

  “Yes. Emilio got me a pre-paid. He also disconnected the GPS locator on my car.”

  “That’s good. But you still won’t be able to drive it. You’ll have to trade it in for something else and register the new vehicle in your fake name. I’m glad you came, but this means you’re off the grid from here on out.”

  She looked around at the small farm. “I know. Emilio explained everything to me. This doesn’t look like such a bad place to be if things get tough.”

  “Is everything okay?” Stephanie asked. “Between you and Emilio, I mean?”

  “Yeah, we’re great. He said he’ll be joining us later. He’s working some side case, something about Saudi terrorists.” She looked at her brother. “That thing you were talking about.”

  “Yeah. They’ve got a cell in Cincinnati. That’s not far from Louisville and Frankfort. If they’re planning something, it’s probably not safe anywhere around that area.”

  “Lucius Alexander just signed a global peace agreement,” said Micah. “Why would the Saudis still have it in for us?”

  “Signing an agreement and actually abiding by its stipulations are two different things. Besides, if terrorists carry out attacks, the Saudi king can claim he knew nothing about it. But whether it comes at the hands of the Saudis or by some other means, times are about to get a whole lot rougher. The Bible hasn’t missed a prophecy yet, I wouldn’t expect it to start now.”

  ***

  Rev, Christina, Lindsey, and Poochy all arrived late Friday evening. With no other accommodations, the old farmhouse was packed tight. Micah slept in a sleeping bag on the
floor of Josh and Stephanie’s room. Christina and her daughter shared Micah’s room. Nicole took the guest room. Rev slept on the couch and Poochy slept in a sleeping bag on the living room floor.

  Saturday morning was spent securing a gently-used RV, which would be shared by Rev and Poochy. Christina purchased a three-year-old travel trailer for herself and Lindsey. Both were registered under the aliases provided by Josh.

  Josh ran extension cords to each of the mobile residences, but he let the guests know that they’d always be welcome to use the bathrooms in the farmhouse.

  ***

  Saturday evening, all the occupants of the farm watched the news on the single television in the house. Josh followed Stephanie into the kitchen to help her put together some snacks for their guests. “Do you feel better now that everyone has their own place to sleep?”

  “I suppose, but it still feels like a frat house.”

  “When were you ever in a frat house?”

  “Never. But I’ve seen movies—and they all look just like our living room; except for the ages.”

  “I think our guests will be more respectful than the individuals in those types of movies.” Josh emptied a bag of microwave popcorn into a large bowl and carried it into the living room.

  “They better be.” She followed him with a pitcher of ice water and some glasses.

  Josh set the bowl on the second-hand coffee table. “Any news from Solomon?”

  Rev reached into the communal bowl. “He backed out of the mission but decided not to join us. He has the number of my burner if he decides to connect with us later on.”

  Christina took a handful of popcorn. “Solomon knows quite a few ex-military groups around Lexington. He’ll find something else to do with his time.”

  “You know most of the same people Solomon knows.” Lindsey was blonde and fit like her mother. And, like her mother, she used makeup sparingly if at all. She flipped her long straight hair over her shoulder with her hand. “You could do some damage to the new world order, too.”