by Robert Boren
“Seriously,” Erica said.
“Lance Evans figured it out,” Malcolm said. “This is the kind of thing I’m worried about. If he knows about Carlson, he might know about the others. Have we warned them yet?”
“No, but I’ll go do that right now,” General Hogan said. “You want to add a message, Ivan?”
“Let’s do it together, General,” he replied, then looked at the others. “You guys know what to work. Let us know if you need anything.”
Ivan got up and was walking to the door when several texts hit his phone at once.
“Uh oh,” General Hogan said.
Ivan looked at his phone, then grinned. “Those two resistance operatives in Manhattan are in Mateo’s office at UN Headquarters, taking pictures of documents. They’ll be sending each one out to us and their other resistance contacts, just in case they get nabbed there.”
“Oh, really now?” Ted asked. “That might just get us the break we need.”
***
Penko had just finished taking photos of two files, and was pulling a third out of the desk drawer. “If we had to build a case on them aiding and abetting the enemy, everything we need is here.”
“We don’t care about that,” Albena said. “Other than for historical purposes. We need contact info for their team.”
“What are you finding in that file cabinet?”
“Useless garbage so far,” she said, “but I’m only on the second drawer. Three more to go.”
They continued looking, Penko taking more photos, Albena moving to the third file drawer. They heard banging from the stairwell.
“Shit, we’re liable to run out of time,” Penko said. “Our handiwork won’t hold forever.”
“Holy crap,” Albena said. She pushed the files she’d put on the table off onto the floor, and put another stack of folders down, spreading them out. She froze after she opened the first one. “These are numbered, but guess what’s inside?”
“What?” Penko asked, as the clanging from the stairwell got louder.
“These are dossiers. He was building blackmail cases against his co-conspirators.”
“That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
“It’s gonna take a while to get pictures of all of this, and somebody’s banging at the door.”
“You get busy with it, while I go put a chair into the door up here, like we did downstairs.”
“Do it, then help me with this.”
Penko ran out of the room, finding another chair like the one he used on the lower floor, knocking off the castors in a panic, then wrestling the chair up to hook onto the push bars. He was back in Mateo’s office in a flash.
“Here, take these,” Albena said, pushing several files towards him. “I can’t believe how much there is here.”
“What a moron this guy was. He should’ve put stuff like this in a safe.”
They raced through the pages, taking pictures on their cellphones, uploading them as quickly as they could. Then one of the windows cracked, a bullet flying into the room, hitting the far wall.
“Where’d that come from?” Albena asked in a panic as another bullet came through the same window.
“Across the street.” Penko dived for the floor, reaching up and yanking a cord, the window shade coming down. “Move that out into the cubicle area. Stay clear of the windows.”
Albena nodded, gathering up the files she hadn’t photographed yet, rushing them past the secretary’s counter, further away from the windows, Penko hot on her heels with his files as more bullets flew through the window.
“This ought to do,” Albena said, spreading the next file on the floor and kneeling over it with her phone, snapping pictures and sending them out in groups of ten to save time. Penko was making progress, finishing what he had, taking another file from Albena’s stack. Suddenly there was hammering on the door of their floor.
“They’ve gotten through the lower barricade,” Penko said, racing through the pages, his heart hammering in his chest. Albena looked cool as a cucumber as she went through the pages.
“I’m almost done,” she said.
“Me too. This will save us all.”
“We aren’t getting out of this alive,” Albena said.
“Don’t you give up yet,” Penko said. “We’ve been in worse spots.”
“Done and sent,” Albena said.
Penko smiled. “Me too. Let’s find a way out of here.”
“Wait, let’s get those files and put them someplace else, so they don’t know what we know,” Albena said.
“Good idea. I’ll get the ones in Mateo’s office.
“Don’t get shot,” Albena said, gathering hers up. She looked around for a file cabinet that wasn’t locked, finding several along a wall next to a cubicle full of desks. Penko arrived next to her with his files. They put them into several file drawers, towards the backs, then closed them up. The hammering on the door became slower and louder.
“Battering ram,” Penko said.
Albena nodded. “How much ammo do you have?”
“Two spare mags, and all but three rounds in the gun.”
“That’s about what I have,” Albena said. “We aren’t going down without a fight. Let’s find someplace to hide out.”
They scurried into the middle of the cubicle area, getting underneath desks as the stairwell doors broke open.
To be continued, in Bug Out! California Book 14, coming soon!
Cast of Characters
Note: some of these characters are not in the first book. They will show up later in the story.
Dulzura RV Park Group – Mostly retired people, but mixed. Full-timers.
John – Older man, drinking problem, but fighting it. Brave and strong.
Sarah – John’s wife. Doesn’t his like drinking, but loyal any-way. Good heart.
Clem – Old widower. Shrewd with sense of humor, and technically savvy.
Sid – Indian, capable, good man in fight, loyal, cunning.
Yvonne – Sid’s wife. Resourceful and brave. Younger than him by ten years
Harry – Older man, heavy, doesn’t move well, good negotiator and strategist.
Nancy – Harry’s wife, retired school teacher. Smart but has problems with stress.
Sam – Owner of RV Park. Middle aged, strong, wily, cautious. Former Navy Seal with some PTSD issues, which he has mostly under control. Good in a fight, knows modern military tactics and weapons systems.
Connie – Wife of Sam. Thinks one step ahead. Keeps park running. Deeply in love with Sam.
CHP Officer Ryan – Older officer. Brave, sense of humor, borderline redneck, good in fight, but has temper.
CHP Officer Patrick – Just past rookie status. Extremely good with guns. A little green. A little hapless. Good in fight. Brave to a fault.
Jack, aka One Eye – Barona Indian, friend of Sid’s who helps at the battle of Fernbrook.
Hank – police officer in the town of Julian. Older man, gray hair, feisty. Joins group after they destroy the enemy checkpoint in his town. Works with Jason.
Jason – police officer in town of Julian. Younger, fast with a gun, smart as a whip. Aggressive. Joins group after they destroy the enemy checkpoint in his town. Works with Hank.
Kaitlyn aka Still Pool – young woman in Barona Tribe. Curvy, pretty face, strong personality. Goes after what she wants, loyal and passionate, smart. Natural warrior, one of the best on the team, as good as most Special Forces veterans.
Megan aka Sage Flower – young woman in Barona Tribe. Tiny, delicate beauty, feisty, loud, aggressive, brave, smart. Wicked sense of humor.
Zac aka Sandy Creek - young Indian warrior. Brave and hand-some, cunning.
James aka Crossbow – young Indian warrior, expert with weapons, especially crossbows. Brave, funny sense of humor, loved by the tribe.
Ryan aka Touchdown – young Indian warrior, brave, fast, CIF MVP in High School, great in a fight.
Tyler aka Quiet Fox – young Indi
an Warrior, smart, thinks a couple levels deep, quiet, reserved, observes and thinks before acting, usually makes right choice. Future Chief.
Nurse Grace – Emergency room nurse, taking care of Sam and Connie at the hospital in La Quinta. Pretty middle-aged woman, tough as nails and smart as a whip.
Kenny – warrior with the Barona Tribe.
Bradley – warrior with the Barona Tribe.
Ed – aka Silver Wolf – overall chief of the Barona Tribe. Older man, medium build, looks younger than his years. Total tech nut, very talented and inventive.
Kerry aka Yellow Bird – young warrior. Fast, too emotional. Unpredictable.
Shane aka Red Snake – warrior, a little older, family man but also great fighter.
Will aka Swimming Bear – warrior, early thirties, negotiator, helps Silver Wolf with technology.
Mia – wife of Tyler. Strong, beautiful, smart. Delicate features, hair-trigger emotions.
Riley – wife of Ryan. Very small, below five feet tall. Beautiful face. Has Ryan wrapped around her finger.
Abby – wife of James – heavy set larger woman with an infectious smile and a gentle, kind way about her. Beautiful face.
Elmer – handy man and construction expert, part of the Dodge City group which merged with the Dulzura Group. Smart, inventive, funny.
Garrett – Leader of the Dodge City group. Old west buff, brave, great leader, strong tactician. Holds Dulzura Group together.
Anna – mother of Kaitlyn. Beautiful older woman, love interest of Garrett.
Willard – Proprietor of the Dodge City Saloon. Old west buff, leader of the cannon team, always making jokes, wanting people to drink. Looks like he walked off a Civil War battle.
Erica – member of Barona Tribe. In love with Sam. Cunning warrior, trained Kaitlyn and others. Brave, emotional, giving woman.
Young Mia – orphaned girl of six, rescued and adopted by Sam and Erica.
Redondo Condo group – Thirty-something
Robbie – Thirty-something son of Frank and Jane from original series. Brave, thoughtful, writer, shy, cynical
Morgan – neighbor of Robbie, love interest. Strong, more out-going and aggressive than Robbie, pretty, transplant from Utah, good with guns.
Gil – Robbie’s best friend from High School. Hispanic. Good with guns, brave, sense of humor, cautious, protective.
Steve – Robbie’s friend from college. Smart but not serious, surfer, scrappy, good in fight
Justin – Robbie’s friend from high school and college. Sparks with others, temper, suspicious nature but good heart
Killer – Pit Bull – from Justin’s family. Strong, protective, dangerous to evil-doers.
Colleen – girlfriend of Steve. Beautiful redhead. Flighty, aggressive, but loyal and loving.
Katie – Steve’s sister. Strong, rebellious, great in a fight, beautiful. Justin adores her. She brings out his courage.
Cody – neighbor who lives across the street from Frank and Jane’s Condo. Friends with them. Tough reserve police officer and early resistance fighter. Large muscular man in his early thirties with a military style haircut, light brown hair, and a goatee.
Sparky – Morgan’s boss at the card club. Big, dangerous man with a shady past but a good heart. Protects his employees to a fault. Has underworld connections. Not a good person to mess with.
Ivan the Butcher – mob boss. Most people assume he’s from Russia, but he’s actually an American who built his organization in Russia and Europe, before being hounded back home by the EU authorities. Dangerous and unpredictable, but a strategic thinker. Childhood friend of Sparky.
Jules – right hand man of Ivan the Butcher. Belgian national, good in a fight, a little crazy but very calculating.
Mr. White and Mr. Black – Bulgarian assassins working for Ivan. Large, scary, ruthless men.
Ben Dover – campus radical and resistance leader, joined Ivan’s core team. Social media and internet research expert, important part of Ivan’s intel team.
Tex – Friend of Sparky and Jules. Crazy with wicked sense of humor, great in a fight, brave to a fault.
Ted – Robbie’s boss at the restaurant. Former Navy Seal, tricked into joining the battle by Sparky. Old friends with Ivan the Butcher.
Bryan – cook in Ted’s restaurant, acquaintance of Robbie’s. Heavy-set large man, good in a fight, not the brightest but loyal and brave to a fault.
Jordan – black man, former Army Ranger. Near genius tactical expert. Brave and cunning, trusts nobody until he’s sure, then as loyal as the day is long. Wicked sense of humor.
Dana – beautiful girl who was kidnapped by the UN to use as a sex slave. Rescued by Jules’s team after the battle at Torrance Civic Center.
Karen – beautiful redhead, daughter of Gil’s boss. Captured and held at the Torrance Police Station with the other girls. Not sure where she fits in the group.
Tisha – wild young woman, former captive. Small, tattooed and pierced, fiery, hard to handle, brave and loyal but prickly. Passionate.
Alexis - a brunette with a hauntingly beautiful face and a thin build. Tough and loyal but with a sadness in her that she battles constantly. Valuable member of the team.
Brooke - tall, dark haired beauty with a strong build and a defensive demeanor. Lesbian. Protective of her woman. Fierce, loyal fighter. Touchy but with a good heart. Smart.
Audrey – Doctor. Lesbian, close to Brooke. A small waif with ginger hair and freckles.
Lily – a small blonde, willowy, with a delicate face. Has emotional issues. Bipolar. Suicidal. Barely survived captivity.
Shelly – short, perky blonde with a beautiful face and a way with organization. Valuable member of the team.
Ashley - Curly-haired brunette with a dancer’s body and grace, with a quiet demeanor. Not sure she’s up to the fight, but feels it’s her duty. Likes Jordan, because they both have the theater bug.
Brianna - a young-looking girl with an innocent face and curly light brown hair. Not very confident. Frightened by the war. Bryan is pursuing her, and she’s okay with it, but not passionate.
Haley - an ice blond with a curvy figure and a lot of self-confidence. Good fighter.
Allison - a redhead of medium build. She has a country look to her, innocent but with a touch of mischief. Expert hunter and backpacker, champion level shooter. Ready for anything. Will become a principle in the group over time.
South Torrance Group – Ages from 19 to 24. Well-to-do parents. Some recently on their own, some live with parents. Gun hobbyists. Immature but with enthusiasm.
Seth – defacto leader of group due to calm, easy going nature mixed with charisma. Gets along with everybody in group. Slightly more mature than the others. Has serious girlfriend, centers his life around her, in love.
Emma – Seth’s girlfriend. Beautiful, was popular in high school, aggressive, controlling, but nice, loyal. Needs Seth when she gets scared or upset. Doesn’t like Matt or Trevor much. Feeling is mutual. Likes Angel.
Trevor – talented, brilliant, great with guns, nutty, good sense of humor. Aggressive with temper. Likes to argue. Younger than the others by a year. Came into group as Seth’s friend, closest to him.
Angel – cynical sense of humor, honest and trustworthy. His-panic. Lives with family, but inching out. Good in fight. Seth’s best friend. Pivotal member of group, head for business and practicality. Slightly more mature than the others.
Matt – Angel’s oldest friend. Funny, problems with drinking, emotional, secondary leader who sparks with Seth sometimes, but they are close in ways the others aren’t. Good in fight, image is important to him, womanizer. Has serious girlfriend but cheats on her.
Kaylee – Matt’s girlfriend. Nice, talented, good friend of Em-ma, clueless about Matt’s infidelity, doesn’t like him drinking, get-ting tired of his childish behavior. Beautiful in an exotic way, Korean.
Ji-Ho – Kaylee’s rich uncle, lives in compound on north-west side of Palos Verdes, overlooking ocean.
Brave and smart, loyal, understands what it’s like when government gets too much control. Can relate well to younger people, even though his English isn’t great.
Gus – combat tactics trainer, met group at gun range. Great organizer and leader. Serious. Destined for greatness if he lives long enough.
Government/Authorities
Governor Sable – fourth-term governor of California. Old-style liberal – coming to the conclusion that there really is something wrong with the Administration. Knows how to do the right thing, and usually does after fits and starts. Watch out when he gets angry.
Jennifer – Sable’s black secretary. They were lovers years ago, now friends, but Nancy keeps her distance because Sable still loves her. Competent and smart – Sable’s underground advisor.
Saladin – evil Islamic leader, trying to move the US towards martial law with terror attacks. Acting in collusion with the President and others. Kills without mercy or regard for innocent by-standers. Pretends to be pious, but only uses his religion to gain power. Human trash.