“Will,” Steven started. He looked around to make sure that he wouldn’t be overheard. “The other homes are secure.”
“Good. I am going to need patrols all night,” Captain Underwood instructed.
“We can do it,” Steven said.
Ms. Hill entered the room. She looked around at the team gathered around the table. Ms. Hill had a suspicious look on her face. “Is everything alright?” Ms. Hill asked. She made eye contact with each of them, as if to get the answer from their face.
“Everything is fine. We just were talking about getting to the middle of the city without being caught.” Captain Underwood said.
“On the plus side,” Ms. Hill started. “We don’t have to go just yet. Mr. Schweppes is going to meet us here.”
Chapter 7
The Policeman’s Family
Nolan took the lead with Ian and Anthony following behind him. He knew this was the target house but his heart still raced. The possibility of this being a trap still was in the front of his mind. Nolan signaled for Ian and Anthony to spread out. They moved towards the house. Nolan could see people inside moving around. He wondered if they should ring the doorbell when they get to the house. ‘That was a decision for later,’ He thought to himself. They stop just before the front porch leading to the door. The house was large, old, and had a wraparound porch. Nolan wasn’t too thrilled with this. Old porches like this one tended to creak. If he was to sneak around and peek inside he would have to be extremely careful.
Nolan put one foot onto the first step of the porch and it made a small creak. His heart stopped. He picked his foot up and moved it towards the sides of the stairs. This seemed to not make as much noise. Nolan reached the top and he could see inside the house. He saw a woman who was middle-aged serving dinner to three children. ‘Are these the contacts?’ He thought. He moved towards the door. Putting his rifle around his back. He raised his hand to knock on the door.
“Put your hands up!” a voice called out.
Nolan’s heart stopped. He could hear Anthony and Ian moving to try and help him.
“Tell your men to put their guns down and raise their hands or they will be killed,” The voice said.
“Red Two, Red Three, put your guns down,” Nolan said evenly.
He was facing the door but could tell the voice came from his right side around the house. Nolan turned his head and could see a rifle barrel pointing at him. He could hear two guns hit the ground and he knew those were Ian’s and Anthony’s.
“Cain, Joel restrain those two young men,” the voice called out.
“Red Two, Red Three don’t resist,” Nolan called.
“If you talk without being spoken too,” the voice started. “You will be shot. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” Nolan replied keeping his voice even. He could hear his squad being put on the ground and restrained. It sounded like handcuffs. Footsteps came up from behind him.
“They are going to cuff you,” The voice said. “Don’t resist and don’t reach for the gun.”
Nolan kept his hands raised. He felt one of the people grab his gun and take it from his back. The other handcuffed him and took the pistol from his lower back. Nolan was put on his knees. This seemed all too familiar. Images of his father being knelt in front of him flashed before his eyes. Nolan started to panic. He took some deep breathes to control his panic. His shoulder ached as they touched it. The man from the side of the house walked out and Nolan got a good look at him. He was fit. He had broad shoulders and dark hair. Nolan thought he saw hints of gray in it. He was dressed in a plaid shirt and blue jeans. When Nolan was turned around he got a look of at the other two. They were children by his guess. The oldest looked like a mirror image of the man. If only thirty years younger. The other didn’t seem to be older than sixteen.
“Are there any more of you out here?” The man said. He seemed to tower over Nolan.
“No,” Nolan said.
“Would you tell me if there were?” the man asked.
Nolan said nothing.
“How about telling what three armed men are doing sneaking up to my house at night? You fellas don’t look like Security Bureau agents. You are far two armed to be robbers. Tell me.” The man ordered.
Nolan was confused. This man thought they worked for the USSB? Why was that his first guess? Nolan was silent for a moment and tried to decide what to tell him. Nolan decided to ask questions also.
“Tell me your name friend and I will tell you mine.” Nolan said.
This made the man smirk.
“I am Mark, Mark Reilly Indiana State Trooper.” Mark said. “You?”
State Trooper? The D.I intelligence didn’t say he was a state trooper was this his house? Nolan hoped that if he got the right house. He could swear it was the correct house. This could have been a set up for him to get caught by State Police. But why State Police? Nolan decided to take a chance.
“I am Nolan Hunter, Corporal in the Democratic Insurgence.”
The man stood still for a moment. He didn’t have any reaction to this. Nolan wondered if Mark thought he was kidding. Mark smirked and looked at his two kids.
“Cain, Joel take the cuffs off these men,” Mark ordered.
His two kids did as instructed and took the cuffs off of Anthony and Ian. Mark removed Nolan’s cuffs. He then turned to the youngest of his sons.
“Joel, tell your mother that everything is fine out here. Prepare three more plates we have company.”
Nolan was confused.
“You are my contact?” Nolan asked.
“I am. I didn’t think you all got my message,” Mark said. He handed the rifle to Nolan. “I don’t allow guns at my table. You can keep them by the front door.”
Mark opened the door for them and let them in his house. Nolan did as instructed and put his rifle next to the door and his pistol on a table by the door. When Ian and Anthony entered the home they did the same. Mark pulled Nolan, Anthony, and Ian aside before the entered the kitchen.
“I need to ask one thing of you. Don’t discuss what is going on in front of my other children. They are young and don’t need to know. Can I trust you with that?” He whispered.
“You can,” Nolan said.
“After we eat we will discuss why I brought you here,” Mark said continuing to whisper.
Mark entered the kitchen and kissed his daughters on the head. He sat at the head of the table. Nolan and his team took their seats. Nolan noted that the oldest seemed to be watching them closely. Mark grabbed his wife and daughters hands who were sitting next to him. The rest of the family joined. Mark’s wife taking Nolan’s hand. Mark prayed.
“Thank you for this food and keeping our family safe. Blessed are we for having these guest who can share in this glorious feast.”
Nolan had never really prayed before. He felt awkward. After they had finished the prayer, they ate dinner. Mark introduced his family to Red Squadron.
“This is my wife, Michelle,”
Michelle was the same age as Mark. She had blonde hair that was straight and long. She was dressed very nice considering it was only a family dinner. Nolan guessed she was in her earlier fifties. He then went around from oldest to youngest introducing them.
“This is Cain, Leah, Joel, Eve, and Angel.”
Cain was newly eighteen, with dark hair like his father and was built similar to him. Leah was seventeen. She was cute, with blonde hair and was very thin. Joel had long blonde hair that was pulled into a ponytail. He was fifteen and was also very thin. Looking at him now he looked more like his mother. The youngest two were female images of their father. Nolan even noted they had similar mannerisms. Eve was around twelve and Angel was ten.
The dinner was delicious. Nolan was so happy to have warm food in him. The conversation was simple over dinner. Mark asked his kids about school and sports they were in. Nolan was surprised at the conversation. He hadn’t had a normal family dinner since his mother had passed away. He had forgotten wh
at normal families do. It seemed odd that Mark was supposed to be a part of this rebel group fighting the government and he talked to his kids about school. ‘Did they not know what he was up too? His wife and older kids must have.’ Nolan wondered.
After they had finished eating Michelle told the youngest kids to get ready for bed. The girls attempted to protest because they wanted to talk to Nolan and his team. Ian had made conversation with the littlest child.
“Listen to your mother,” Mark warned his children.
They did as they were told and went upstairs. Michelle made sure they were upstairs and joined everyone at the table. Mark waited until their doors closed before he spoke.
“Your name is Hunter?” Mark asked.
“It is,”
“You’re only a corporal? Why did they send a corporal here?” Mark asked.
“I think Insurgent Command assumes you all want to join. As I understand it, my cousin, Lee is the one leading you all?”
“Lee is our field commander his father Danny calls the shots,” Mark told them. “I normally don’t have my children here when we talk about such things but they are getting older and need to understand what is happening.”
Nolan thought of his father and how he kept everything from Sarah and him. Nolan shook it out of his mind and continued.
“I am here to get you all to join our cause,”
“That might be harder than you expect?” Mark said.
“Why’s that?” Ian asked.
“Most of the men in our outfit don’t want to join the Insurgence. They want their independence from both.” Mark informed them.
“You think you will do that on your own?” Nolan asked.
“We don’t need help from terrorist,” Cain shouted out.
“Cain!” Mark yelled. “Keep your voice down or you’ll be upstairs with your sisters.”
“We aren’t terrorist,” Ian said evenly.
“You all attacked a military base and burned it to the ground not three days ago,” Leah said. She seemed almost as disgusted with having them there as their brother was.
“A military base?” Nolan asked. “Where was this base?”
“On the side of a river in North Dakota.” Cain said.
“That wasn’t a military base. That was a prison for people opposing the government. They used it to torture and kill people.” Nolan said. His voice cracked.
“How do you know that?” Leah said.
“We were there,” Ian said.
“He is right,” Nolan added. “Ian and I were there. We fought in that battle. I…” Nolan fell off his words. Ian finished
“We aren’t terrorist. We want to take back this country,” Ian said.
“What does someone like you know about this country?” Cain said.
Nolan knew what he was referring too. Ian’s parents were from the Middle East. Ian didn’t move or snap back. He sat back in his chair.
“I have lived in this country my entire life. I joined the Insurgence to save this country, not break away from it.” Ian said.
Nolan knew they were treading on thin ice. He put his hand on Ian’s shoulder as if to calm him down.
“We are on the same side,” Mark said. More to his children than to Nolan and the others. “That is why I called them here. We don’t need enemies we need allies.”
“How do we get them to join us?” Nolan asked.
“As you know the Quad Cities are home to thousands of people. Outside the Quads, there are smaller towns. Not quite suburbs but small towns. We have a problem with one of them.”
“What is that?” Nolan asked.
“They are gone,” Mark said.
“What do you mean gone?” Anthony asked.
“Gone. Almost overnight. No trace of them. No one seems to know where they went. If people do they aren’t talking about it.” Mark sound defeated.
“As a State Trooper you must have some idea,” Ian said.
“We don’t have that kind of power anymore. We enforce laws but we are kept in the dark. Someone tried asking about it, but members of the USSB told us not to ask questions or investigate. We would have inquired in the past but the United States Security Bureau has more power than any agency in the history of this country. President Marshal gave them great power. He used them as his personal enforcement and they dictate and enforce most of the laws. I suspect they are behind it.”
“Isn’t it possible that the people have just moved?” Ian asked.
“This is a town of over five thousand,” Michelle informed them.
“I had friends living there. They wouldn’t move without telling me.” Cain said.
“What would the USSB want with all those people?” Anthony asked.
“That,” Mark said with a deep breath, “is the real question.”
Nolan sat for a moment thinking. The situation seemed odd. What could the USSB be up to? Times were tough in the cities which meant it was most likely harder out in rural America. The thought of an entire town leaving because of that seemed too farfetched. Nolan knew if they were going to get this group to join the D.I they would have to help.
“I can help but we will want you all to join us,” Nolan said.
“Join the Insurgence?” Mark asked.
“The government won’t help you. We are your only hope,” Nolan told them. “I can meet with Lee and we can discuss it. I am not sure how to find him. I haven’t been to his home in some time. I can’t say I have an address on where he lives.”
Mark rubbed his head. His face suggested he was rolling things over in his mind. Was he not allowed to reveal where Lee lived? Mark nodded his head seeming to make up his mind. “I can take you.” He said.
Anthony and Ian stood from their chairs as if they were going to leave now for Lee’s. Mark laughed.
“We aren’t going now,” He continued to laugh. “You boys are always ready to move. That is a dangerous habit. We will sleep tonight. I can take you before first light. I don’t want to give away the location of our base.”
They had a base? Nolan thought to himself. That surprised him. He expected them to be set up the way his father had been. In a basement or backroom of house. Not a base. Nolan agreed in the morning was best. Mark took them to a couple of guest rooms.
He allowed them to take their weapons. This surprised Ian and Anthony. It didn’t surprise Nolan. His father was a big supporter of gun rights. Nolan was a sport shooter after all. Another police officer, like his father, would be expected to have similar views. Most of the cops that use to come to his mom’s restaurant seemed to always have similar views and opinions. He wondered if that was a part of their training or just a side effect of the job.
The guest bedrooms were small but had two beds in each. Nolan didn’t like the idea of splitting up but at least they were next to each other. Ian and Anthony were in one and Nolan being the squad leader had his own room. ‘Perks of being the boss,’ Nolan thought. Nolan’s room came with an alarm clock. Mark told them they would leave around five in the morning. Nolan set his clock for four in the morning. He lay in bed with his rifle next to him propped up on the nightstand. He lay in bed and wondered how Sarah’s mission was going. He wondered what Canada was like or if anyone had told them that Nolan had left on his own mission. His own mission. He liked the sound of that. His mind drifted to the thought of Karli. He wondered what she was doing. He thought of the smile she gave him the last time they had seen each other. His eyes became heavy and before Nolan knew it he had fallen asleep.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
The alarm clock was going off next to Nolan’s head. He hit the top of it and the room was silent again. He huffed and rolled over on his back. He knew he needed to get up. He needed to be completely alert when they went to meet his cousin. This rebel group wouldn’t be like the D.I. It would be smaller and possibly less disciplined. From the reaction of Mark’s son, that is how Nolan expected the others to react.
Nolan got up and got ready. He did some sit-ups a
nd jumping jacks to bring some energy into him. His shoulder ached. He took off his shirt and changed his bandages. The wound seemed to be healing. The scab was hard and discolored. It wasn’t pretty to look at but it did seem to be getting better. He put his shirt back on and went to wake up Anthony and Ian. He knocked once and opened the door. Ian woke up startled, which in turn startled Anthony.
“Calm down, it is just me,” Nolan whispered.
“I thought you were a USSB agent,” Ian said.
“I thought you fell out of bed,” Anthony said. His voice was very hoarse.
“Get ready you two. We will be leaving soon,” Nolan instructed.
He left the room and saw the kitchen light was on. Nolan grabbed his rifle and walked downstairs. Mark was sitting at the kitchen table reading. He had a cup of coffee in his hand. He nodded at Nolan when he entered the kitchen.
“I made some coffee if you want any,” Mark said.
“Thank you,” He replied.
Nolan grabbed a cup. He missed the smell of coffee in the morning. It was a quick wake up when it hit his mouth. Anthony and Ian came down. Mark offered them coffee which they took as well.
“I am not sure how many people will be there this morning. As far as I know, they didn’t go on any missions last night. I am normally apart of them.”
“What kind of missions?” Anthony asked.
“I can’t really say at the moment,” Mark said.
This took back Anthony. Nolan made eye contact and shook his head as if saying ‘we would respond the same way if they were asked what kind of missions they go on’. Mark checked his watch and informed them they should get moving. They grabbed their rifles and followed Mark out the back door. The air was cold. Nolan could feel his rifle getting cold.
“When we get there,” Mark started. “I would leave your guns in my truck.”
Nolan figured that would be a good idea also. Mark’s truck only could sit two which meant the two people would have to sit outside.
“Nolan take the inside,” Anthony said.
Resistance Rising Page 8