by Newman, AJ
A woman raised her voice. “The rescue teams will be here any minute! We don’t want to disturb any evidence the FAA will need to recreate the crash!”
Granny B’s head shook, and she blew a wild strand of her gray hair away from her eyes and banged her fist on the underbelly of the plane. “No one is coming. Do you hear any sirens? The plane crashed because we ran out of fuel. Chaos and anarchy are about to erupt all around us. We need to get our butts in gear and get away from here to a safe place.”
Only a few people pitched in to help sort through the luggage. One woman complained about Granny B prying open a suitcase. Granny B responded tersely. “Call the police if you don’t like what I’m doing, but if you don’t get out of my way, I’ll kick your scrawny butt.”
The woman ran away.
Granny B reached into her get home bag and found her prized Colt Defender .45 ACP. She smiled, looked around, and tucked the pistol and paddle holster onto the top of her pants. She whispered to herself. “When all else fails -.45 ACP because sometimes short fat and slow will git ‘er done.”
Her favorite pistol was heavy and only held seven bullets plus one in the chamber. Still, she knew whatever or whomever she shot would hit the ground. Then she reached back into the bag and pulled out her backup weapon. It was a Ruger LCR 22WMR Lightweight Polymer Frame Carry Revolver. She stuck the small pistol into her pants pocket. The little gun only weighed sixteen ounces and held six bullets but packed the wallop of the .22 Win Mag bullets. She could draw it quickly from the DeSantis pocket holster and accurately hit any threat within fifty feet. Granny B stuck an extra two magazines for the Colt in her back pocket and felt a bit safer.
About two dozen people milled around each of the two sections that had broken free from the cockpit and first-class. The front of the plane had struck something hard and disintegrated, killing everyone. The other sections lost all of the passengers sitting in rows where the plane had split apart. There were bodies scattered on the ground, and injured people suffered broken bones and severe cuts.
Tom surveyed the situation and motioned for his family and new friends to come to him. “I need Paul and Jackie to help me search the cockpit for anything useable while the rest of you see if you can help the injured survivors. Samantha, please stay here with Lucy and our bags while we go scavenge.”
Paul griped below his breath, but Tom ignored him and took off to find the cockpit. Jackie caught up and leaned her head against his. “Are we looking for the pilot’s guns?”
“Yep, keep it between us. I don’t like the idea of Paul having a gun.”
The cockpit was in the middle of a farmer’s field wedged against a combine and a field service truck. All three were destroyed but hadn’t burned. Several bodies, still strapped into their seats, were strewn across the field. The cockpit had opened up like a cherry bomb blows up a mailbox. Tom climbed into the mess and found the crew’s personal luggage. He performed a quick search before tossing them down to his sister. He saw a familiar shape in a bag by the dead pilot and smiled.
The 9mm pistol was loaded with frangible bullets that would wreak havoc on a person but reduced any potential damage to the plane. He tucked it into his pocket and kept searching. There wasn’t much else to be found after tossing a first aid kit and the pilot’s boxed lunches down to Paul and Jackie. As an afterthought, he frisked the pilot and co-pilot. Tom chuckled to himself when he found the ‘Judge.’ It was a 4510 Super Lite model of the famous Taurus Judge pistol that would shoot a three-inch .410 shotgun shell or a .45 Colt Long. This was a brute of a weapon and not for the meek or limp handed. Tom kept this for himself. Tom thought. Snakes and two-legged snakes had better steer clear of me.
Jackie saw the restroom and entered. A few seconds later, Tom heard a banging noise, and Jackie emerged with a smile on her face. Paul looked at Tom and shrugged his shoulders. Jackie headed to the drink and snack service area and stuffed canned drinks, water bottles, and snacks into her bag. Something caught her eye. “Eureka! Found them!”
Her brother asked, “What did you find?”
Jackie whispered something in his ear. Tom’s face flushed. “TMI, little sister.”
The climb down was safely accomplished. Tom winked at Jackie and said, “Well, it wasn’t much, but anything beats nothing.”
Paul grabbed Tom by the shoulder, turning him. Tom grabbed Paul’s arm in one deft motion, twisted it around, and forced Paul to the ground. “Paul, never do that again. It could be misinterpreted as hostile. Now, what did you want?”
“I saw you tuck something under your shirt. What was it?”
Tom reached back to his pocket and found his phone. “I picked up the pilot’s phone. Mine doesn’t work, and I wanted to try his. That is if it’s okay with you?”
Paul’s face was now flushed, and his arm hurt. “Please let me go.”
“Paul, I was going to catch all of you together, but now’s a good time to set things straight between us. If you follow us, I’m the leader, and you will obey my orders or leave the group.”
Tom released his arm, and Paul rubbed it while glaring back at Tom. Tom glared back. “Do you understand and agree?”
“I understand but won’t take orders from you or anyone else. I’ll also go anywhere I want to when I want to.”
Tom stepped up to Paul and jabbed his index finger into Paul’s chest. “It wouldn’t be healthy for you to follow us when we leave.”
Paul stormed off as Jackie looked shocked. “Tom, that’s not like you to be mean to someone in need.”
“Sorry, but I saw the bastard eating chocolate bars and granola without offering to share. He filled his bag with all of the snacks on the flight attendants’ serving cart.”
“That’s different. I didn’t trust him anyway. What did you tuck into your shirt?”
Tom kept the pistol hidden as Jackie examined it. “I’ve heard about the Taurus Judge. It kicks like a Georgia mule and can rip a man to pieces. You can keep it. I’ll keep my Glock 17. It’s like me, small but packs a wallop. Did you find any ammo for the thing?”
“Yep. Here’s an almost full box of the .410 personal defense rounds and a few .45 Colt Longs. The personal defense rounds have two .32 slugs and five copper disks. They scatter and rip a body apart. I planned to keep it to myself. We’ll need to be careful who we share our weapons with.”
“Big brother, I learned a little bit from Grandpa and Grandma too. The crap hit the fan, and most of these people will die over the next thirty to ninety days. I don’t want us to die with them.”
Tom nodded and then said, “I just hope I can remember what Grandpa taught us.”
“Tom, stop that nonsense. You’ll do great. We depend on you.”
Tom and Jackie found Granny B coaching Bill to strip some wire from the fuselage. At the same time, Betty placed scavenged items and her gear into roller suitcases. Tom heard Granny B speak. “Make sure we all have roller luggage. We’ll try to stick to highways for a few days, and it’ll beat carrying all this stuff. Oh, everyone, make sure you have plenty of socks. Wet feet can make for a miserable walk. Besides, socks can be used for anything from bandages to filtering water. They also come in handy when the TP runs out. I hope someone grabbed all they could find.”
Betty laughed. “I cornered all the TP I could find on the plane. The other passengers apparently think they’ll be rescued before they have to …”
“Take a dump.” Granny B cackled at her crude humor.
Tom saw a guitar carry bag with a damaged guitar and removed the strings. Betty saw him and had a puzzled look. Tom saw her and grinned. “The wire will make good snares. We might have to catch some rabbits if we run out of food.”
Betty’s head bobbed, and she touched Tom on the shoulder. “I’m glad you and your family are with us. You know so much more about survival than any of the others.”
“Thanks. Just pay attention to Granny B, and you’ll be okay.”
“You and your sister are very close to your grand
mother, aren’t you?”
Tom paused and then looked up at the friendly woman. “Yes, we are. Granny B and Grandpa raised us after our parents died in a car wreck. Grampa died a while back but taught us about ranching and life in general.”
“He taught you a lot about survival, too.”
*
Chapter 5
California - Northwest of Sacramento
Tom continued searching the luggage for anything useful when he heard a faint noise coming from the plane. He couldn’t tell what the person was trying to say, but he knew they were in trouble. He climbed over the jagged edge and pulled himself up onto the floor of the cabin. The sound was louder, but he couldn’t make out any words. Tom moved toward the sound and stopped when he heard the sound coming from under a pile of luggage that had fallen from the overhead bin.
Tom tossed the luggage off to the side and saw a hand. He continued moving the bags and found a little girl who smiled at him. “Darling, I’ll dig you out and find your parents.”
The girl cried and then yelled, “Mommy! Mommy! Where’s my Mommy?”
Tom lifted the girl and walked to the back of the section. He yelled, “Come, help me! This girl needs her mother!”
Bill saw Tom and ran to him quickly, followed by a woman. The woman had a head injury and staggered along behind Bill. Tom saw her. “Are you this girl’s mother?”
“Yes, I was knocked unconscious and just came to a few minutes ago. Can I have my daughter?”
Tom lowered her to Bill, who handed the child to the mother. The woman thanked both of them and walked back to where she’d come from.
Bill watched her leave, then looked at Tom. “You’ve saved several people today. On any other day, we’d be planning a celebration to honor you.”
Tom said, “Stuff happens. Let’s just focus on getting out of here.”
Granny B got tired of listening to the grumbling and bitching. “You can do what you want, but you need to leave and go to your homes or somewhere safe. No one is coming to rescue you!”
One of the men stepped forward. “Mrs. Clark, you’re wasting your time with these entitled idiots. My group is from Crescent City, and we’re leaving now. Good luck on your way to Ashland.”
Tom’s eyes opened, and his jaw fell. “How did you know we’re heading up to Oregon?”
“That guy over there sitting on the ground sulking. Paul, I believe. He wanted to join our group, but I didn’t have a good feeling about him. He badmouthed you and your people. Before I forget, I’m Harold.”
“I’m Tom, and I agree on Paul. He’s lazy and bitches a lot. I don’t trust him. Thanks for the heads up. I don’t want a bunch of people following us.”
“OPSEC?”
“Yep. OPSEC!”
“Stay safe and keep your head down. Operational security will make or break your team.”
Tom patted the man on the back. “Too bad, you live so far away. We could form a MAG.”
“Yup, mutual assistance groups are the way to go. Does your group belong to one?”
“No. My grandpa was our leader for a long time and believed in going it alone. The older I get, the worse that idea appeals to me.”
“I’ve got a few years on you, and I learn something new every day. Thanks again for the heads up on Paul.”
Another man walked up to them. “Harold, is this the group heading to Ashland?”
Harold turned to Tom. “Tom, this is Jim Roberts, who’s a good friend of mine. He’s from Medford and owns Roberts Auto Sales.”
Tom shook his hand. “I just bought a new Jeep Rubicon from your dealership.”
Jim looked a bit closer at Tom. “If I remember correctly, you bought two Dodge Ram 2500s, three Jeeps, and some old vehicles a couple of weeks ago.” He lowered his voice. “You’re the lucky SOB who won the Powerball Lottery.”
Tom shrugged. “A lot of good it’ll do me now. The vehicles won’t run, and the money’s in the bank. All worthless now.”
Harold said, “FUBAR!”
Tom replied, “FUBAR!”
Jim frowned. “Will it be that bad?”
Tom said, “Worse.”
Jim squared off, facing Tom. “I’d like for my little band to tag along with your group until Ashland and then go on to Medford.”
Harold said, “Not that it means much, but I can vouch for Jim and his family.”
“I already know Jim from his reputation in Medford. Tough but fair is what his employees say about him. I’ll check with my team, but I’m sure it’ll be okay. My one question is – do you have any food or survival equipment for the trip.”
“Yes, we immediately began scavenging and have about four days’ of food for my wife, daughter, and son. We have a couple of day’s supply of water. I retrieved my luggage and have my weapons. We won’t slow you down or eat your food. I know we’ll have to scavenge for food along the way.”
Tom led Jim over to his group and introduced him to the others. Bill seemed a bit put off by Jim’s presence but didn’t balk at the new group joining them. Tom spoke to the group. “I guess we need to cover some ground rules for the ones joining my family and me. You are responsible for finding your own food and water. Of course, we’ll share any excess food, but you’re responsible for feeding yourselves. I’ll be in charge and what I say goes. If …”
Jim scowled. “What if we disagree with your direction?”
“No one is forcing you to join us. If you don’t like the rules, Medford is that way. Good luck.”
“I’m okay. I just like to know the rules.”
“As I said, if you don’t like the rules, break away and go on your own. We’ll travel as inconspicuously as possible. Drawing attention to our group could be deadly. We’re leaving in thirty minutes.”
Tom watched Jim scurry back to his people and then felt a tug at his sleeve. “That was mean sounding,” Samantha said.
Tom turned with a scowl on his face. “I meant it to sound mean. We don’t want some stranger to get us killed. I took responsibility for you and your daughter’s safe return home. I take stuff like that very seriously.”
Samantha frowned. “I heard you talking earlier. What does FUBAR mean?”
Tom chuckled. “The polite meaning is – fouled up beyond all recognition. My Granny B and Grampa were in the Army and learned a bunch of colorful Army phrases. Remind me to tell you about BOHICA and the green weenie after a few beers.”
Samantha thought, I’m glad he’s strong, but he comes off mean, and that can be nasty. Well, at least he has a sense of humor. She said, “Sometimes, honey will get more flies.”
“I’ll remember that when honey is needed. Go gather your daughter and what you can carry. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“Please call me, Sam.”
“Okay, Sam.”
Jim returned with his family in tow. His wife was the bleach blonde trophy wife, who was dressed in expensive clothes and high heels. His daughter was more reasonably dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and hiking boots. The son was a big boy with lime green hair, which was buzz cut on one side and long on the other. The boy was dressed in black with black nail polish and lipstick. Granny B choked when she saw the high heels and skateboard boy.
Tom took Jim to the side. “Jim, those high heels will have to go. Doesn’t she have any tennis shoes or hiking boots?”
“Don’t worry. She’s used to walking in high heels.”
“Jim, we’ll be walking through woods, rocks, and streams along the way. Get her some shoes.”
Jim balked. “Don’t tell me what to do. I know my family.”
Tom squared off to face Jim. “They’ll be crying or twist an ankle the first day, and we won’t wait on you to come to your senses and try to find them shoes in the woods. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Jim took his family back to the plane, found more suitable shoes, and returned in fifteen minutes.
Granny B raised her arms and gathered their new team together. “We will have a
tough and long walk ahead. I have some pictures of plants I want you to watch out for as we hike to Southern Oregon. Remember that many of these are medicinal and will come in handy since we only have a first-aid kit. I also want you to keep an eye out for bee trees. Honey tastes great but is also good for healing wounds. It’s a natural antibacterial agent, and breathing in the vapors from honey can help with asthma.”
Jim looked perturbed. “How do you expect us to know all of these plants?”
Granny B held her tongue for a few extra seconds and then popped her FM2176 Army Survival manual against her open palm. “I’m a fixing to give each of you a couple of plants, nut trees, and berries to watch for. Jim, surely you can recognize a willow tree that we can make a simple form of aspirin from the rubbings under the bark. You also get blackberries, which should be plentiful now that we’re going into fall. We can eat them and also make a tea from their leaves, which will treat diarrhea.”
Jim smiled. “I can do that.”
“Betty, please watch for bees flying and buzzing around trees, and while you’re at it, look for nut trees and nuts on the ground. As I said, honey can be food and medicine.”
“Jackie, Tom, and I’ll watch for many other plants and point them out so you can help.”
She went on to mention several other wild plants that were edible or medicinal.
Jim interrupted and was visibly tiring of the discussion. “Look, it’s only about two hundred and forty miles to Ashland. Surely, we can find food in stores and get handouts from people along the way. Why do all this foraging?”
Tom tersely replied, “Jim, you said you understood we’d be foraging. What part of foraging don’t you understand? Once people notice the stores aren’t being restocked, they won’t share their food, and a few days later, most will covet our food. We plan to live off the land and only use the food we gathered from the plane for backup.”