Patriots United

by Robert Boren

  “I don’t know if we have enough ammo to do that. If they’re all stopped, we’ll have a couple hundred troops getting out of vehicles and shooting at our off-roaders.”

  “Oh,” she said. “So we should just do what we can, and then get our people out of harm’s way?”

  “That’s what I’m thinking. If we can nail a good part of their forces and stop them from using I-80, their job becomes much more difficult.”

  “We’re almost there,” Morgan said. “You gonna bring this up with Jules?”

  “Yeah,” Robbie said. “Get off at Morton Road, and we’ll take Casa Loma Road to the bridge.”

  “Will do. What if half their force turns around and goes east on I-80. Is there another way they could come west?”

  “I’m looking,” Robbie said, eyes glued to his screen. He chuckled. “No, they’re really screwed, since we control most of Northern California now. They could get on Highway 395 from Reno and go way north, then cross over to I-5 and head into Sacramento that way, but I don’t see them doing it.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s way out of the way, and they’ll need to get fuel for their convoy in areas that we control. We’ll blow them away.”

  Robbie’s phone rang. “Jules,” he said, hitting the speaker button.

  “Hey, Robbie, don’t take off-ramp. Pull to side of I-80 before bridge. We fire at enemy from there.”

  “Oh, okay,” Robbie said. “Glad you got us. We were about to get off onto Casa Loma.”

  “Dead ends, too low to fire at enemy on I-80.”

  “Okay,” Robbie said. “I assume most of the battle wagons and off-roaders are going on. How are they getting home?”

  “Dana work out. Baxter Road to Alta Bonnynook Road,” Jules said. “Long out of way. We be home before them, if plans go well.”

  “What’s to keep the enemy from following that way?” Morgan asked.

  “We ruin their vehicles on off-ramps at Crystal Springs and Baxter, plus stop up I-80 with broken trucks too. They eventually get through, but take long time, after many killed. I think they turn tail and go east instead.”

  “We’re coming up to it already,” Morgan said, pulling to the side of the road.

  “Do K-turn and back up to bridge,” Jules said. “We high-tail west when done, get onto westbound side when can. Got? Talk to you soon.”

  “Yeah, we got it,” Robbie said. The call ended. Morgan looked in her mirror. “Good thing there’s no traffic on this road. She turned on the wide highway, pulled over to the right shoulder, and backed up.

  “Here comes Jules,” Robbie said, watching him make the turn and back up on the left shoulder.

  “We should angle these,” Morgan said, looking out the window. “Otherwise the mini-gun turret will block the grenade launcher turret.”

  Robbie looked outside and nodded in agreement. “Do that. I’ll text Jules.”

  He sent the text as Morgan adjusted the position of their coach, and then they both got outside. Jules angled his coach and joined them.

  “Good point, kid,” Jules said.

  “That was Morgan’s idea,” Robbie said.

  “Really? Very impressive.”

  “Thanks,” Morgan said. Shelly, Dana, and Sparky came out.

  “We’d better get to one side or another so the rest of our rigs can get through,” Sparky said.

  Jules nodded, and all of them came to the right shoulder next to Robbie and Morgan’s coach.

  “Who’s going where?” Robbie asked.

  “We stay here,” Jules said. “You too. Please keep eye on the laptop and let us know status as operation runs.”

  “Will do,” Robbie said.

  “Tex and Cody stay at Crystal Springs Road. Ted and Justin go on to Baxter Road. We distribute off-roaders between the three areas and on the roads in-between and past Baxter.”

  “Here comes more of our folks,” Sparky said, pointing as two of the battle wagons and several dozen off-roaders raced by. Six off-roaders pulled up next to them.

  “We ready to blow the bridges?” asked one of the men after lifting the face screen on his helmet. “We’ve got the explosives and stuff in our saddle bags.”

  “Yes, do, westbound side first please,” Jules said.

  “You heard the man,” the off-roader said. “Let’s go back to Casa Loma road.”

  “Maybe we should blast this guard rail with a grenade or two,” said a second man. “We could get down there with ease. It’s not even steep.”

  “No,” Jules said. “Save grenades for enemy. We have lots coming.”

  “Roger that,” the lead man said. They turned their off-roaders and raced back, staying to the shoulder as more off-roaders and the last two battle wagons raced by in the left lane.

  “Sure those guys know what they’re doing?” Sparky asked.

  Jules smiled. “Yes, did jobs for Ivan before. Top notch.”

  “Do we even need to blow the eastbound bridge?” Robbie asked. “That center divider is pretty tough.”

  “Yes, do,” Jules said. “They be in panic to get to other side. Ram with vehicles to knock over, or use explosives. We need both sides down.”

  “Yeah, I agree,” Sparky said.

  “I go,” Jules said, “and get into siege mode. You should do same.”

  Robbie nodded, and climbed into the coach behind Morgan, who went to the driver’s side and flipped the switch for siege mode.

  “Should I raise the guns now?” she asked.

  “Wait,” Robbie said, as he pulled out the machine gun tray in front of the passenger side. “Let’s see if we’re angled so we can hit the westbound side of the road with the rear guns.”

  “Good idea,” she said, watching as he looked through the target reticle.

  “It’s about perfect where it is. We can hit the westbound and eastbound sides with it right now.” He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Jules, then picked up his laptop and opened the high-res app. Morgan set up siege mode and raised the weapons.

  Robbie’s phone dinged. “Jules is doing the same thing.”

  “Yeah, I see him jockeying around,” Morgan said, looking through the main sight. “Wonder if the enemy will drive all the way up here or stop dead in their tracks when they see our rigs?”

  “Good question,” Robbie said. “Maybe we ought to be hidden instead of sticking out like a sore thumb over here.”

  “We’d have to go down a ways to be out of sight, wouldn’t we?”

  Robbie looked at his map program, zooming out. “There’s a nice curve not very far back there. Maybe we ought to go past it, and wait for a tip-off from the off-roaders.” He typed the message to Jules, who called after a moment.

  “Robbie, that good idea,” Jules said. “Let’s come out of siege mode and do that. See how many enemy vehicles fly off end of road. I tell other coaches to get out of sight too. We pack them in tight.”

  “Excellent,” Robbie said. “See you around the bend.”

  Jules chuckled and ended the call.

  “Okay, take us back out of siege mode,” Robbie said.

  “Good.” Morgan flipped the switches to get them back into travel mode and they drove forward, Robbie watching through the sight. They went around the bend and up another fifty yards, Jules catching up with them after a couple minutes.

  “Okay, this ought to do it,” Robbie said. He looked at the laptop again.

  “Where are they?” Morgan asked.

  “The first of them are getting into Sparks. It’s just east of Reno.”

  “Wow, they’re making good time,” she said. “Oh crap.”

  “What?” Robbie asked, looking up, seeing two CHP cruisers roll up next to Jules’s coach. “Uh oh.”

  Two officers got out of each cruiser, walking up to meet Jules, who was walking towards them. They shook hands warmly. Robbie chuckled.

  “I’ll bet he called them in to put a roadblock out here,” Morgan said.

  “That’s what I’m think
ing. We made some good friends at their headquarters after we helped them beat the enemy.”

  The officers got into their vehicles, rolled back to where the last off-ramp was, and set up a roadblock. Jules sent a text, which Robbie read.

  “Now we won’t have unwelcome guests,” the text read. Robbie sent a quick reply and then went back to his laptop.

  “I was a little worried about that,” Robbie said. “Kept forgetting to bring it up.”

  “Yeah, I know, me too. I guess we just wait now.”

  There was a loud blast, vibrating the road beneath them, then another. They could hear chunks of cement falling. Robbie raced out the door and looked to the east. A grey cloud of dust was rising, and a few whoops and hollers could be heard.

  “Wow,” Morgan said, coming up behind him to look. “That made a good rumble.”

  Jules came out of his rig with a big grin on his face, followed by Shelly and Dana. “Nice show, no?”

  “Damn straight, man,” Robbie shouted back.

  “Where enemy?”

  “Just east of Reno and coming fast,” Robbie said.

  “Fire in the hole!” somebody yelled to the east, and there were two more massive explosions, raising more dust, the road under their feet vibrating.

  “We should’ve waited for a few minutes before we moved,” Shelly said. Dana looked at her and laughed as Sparky came out to join them.

  “I’m gonna go inside and get back on the laptop,” Robbie shouted. He and Morgan climbed into their coach.

  “Well?” Morgan asked as he looked at the screen.

  “They’re just past Reno now. Looks like they stretched out more, though. Some of them slowed down.”

  “Maybe that’s bad,” Morgan said. “How far back are the last of them?”

  He looked at the screen, then smiled. “Lockwood. They’re still only ten miles from start to finish. We’re gonna get most of them.”

  ***

  Clem, Sarah, Sid, and Yvonne were coming home from Dulzura, after shopping all morning for electronic surveillance gear, food, and clothing.

  “I’m surprised they had so much good surveillance stuff,” Clem said. “Should just open a tab with that place.”

  Sid snickered. “What kind of guy names his electronics store Scooter’s?”

  “Really,” Yvonne said. “Sounds like the name of a bar, not a geek store.”

  “Hey, watch that,” Clem said. They all cracked up.

  “Want to stop anywhere else?” Sid asked.

  “We’re burning daylight,” Clem said. “We probably should spend the rest of the day getting the cameras set up by that fence break.”

  “No rest for the weary,” Sid said.

  Clem shot him a glance. “I can handle it if you’re tired.”

  “I’m joking,” Sid said, “and I’m not letting you go out there by yourself. Hell, I’m not letting anybody go out there by themselves. Remember what happened to Ed?”

  “Ed,” Clem said. “Maybe we should see if he wants to take us in his hovercraft. Probably make better time.”

  “Is it fixed?” Sarah asked. “Haven’t heard it for a while.”

  “As far as I know,” Sid said. “We need to bring some heavier tools. I think the Jeep might be better.”

  Clem smiled. “Probably right.” They made the turn onto Campbell Ranch road.

  “Almost home,” Sid said. “Another ten miles to town.”

  “Yeah, well don’t go too fast,” Yvonne said. “I heard somebody almost hit a cow the other day on this road.”

  “You seem awful nervous, honey.” Sid glanced at her for a moment as the Jeep bounced along.

  “We have seven hundred thousand bad guys on their way across the border,” Yvonne said, “and another couple hundred thousand on their way down from northern California. This is the makings of a clusterfuc…”

  “Stop!” Sarah said quickly, putting her hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

  Sid and Yvonne laughed, Clem showing a sheepish grin.

  “I guess I don’t need to use crude language all the time,” Yvonne said. “Sorry.”

  “Oh, it’s just me,” Sarah said. “I used to do that to John. Surprised he put up with it all those years.”

  They rode quietly for a while, seeing a couple of vehicles racing to the highway, and a few cows off to the right side of the road, pausing from their grazing to watch them go by.

  “You really want to see if you can stay here, Clem?” Sarah asked.

  “Here?” Yvonne asked. “Please.”

  “I like it,” Clem said. “Nice folks, cool surroundings, lots to do. I could get used to it.”

  “Where do you want to go after this is over?” Sarah asked Yvonne.

  “Don’t know,” she said. “I don’t think I can go back to the Dulzura RV Park.”

  “Me neither,” Sid said. “Maybe a reservation? Either my tribe or yours?”

  “That’ll take some thought,” Yvonne said. “I left for a reason.”

  Sid sighed. “I know, so did I. Maybe it’s time to get lost in an urban area again. Been a while.”

  “We’re not going back to Hawaiian Gardens,” Yvonne said. “It’s got to be someplace nicer than that.”

  “What?” Sid asked.

  “How about Newport?” Clem quipped, which got a hearty laugh from Sid.

  “Hell, like they’d let us in there.”

  “If we had the money, I’m sure they would,” Yvonne said, “and therein lies the problem.”

  Everyone’s phone dinged with a broadcast text.

  “Uh oh,” Yvonne said, pulling her phone out of the glovebox. “Meeting again.”

  “Saloon, I hope?” Sid asked. Yvonne elbowed him. “Hey, I’m driving here.”

  “Yep, it is the Saloon,” Clem said. “Goody. I could use a beer. It’s not too early this time.”

  “I think I know what this is about,” Sid said, looking at his rear-view mirror. “Look back there.”

  They all looked, seeing a new battle wagon on the road about a hundred yards behind them, followed by two semi-trucks and a long line of additional battle wagons behind.

  “Geez,” Clem said. “Where’s all this money coming from?”

  “Ivan and Ji-Ho are both quite wealthy, apparently,” Sarah said, “but I’ll bet there are lots of interested parties who want to help this cause.”

  “You got that right,” Sid said. “Here comes Sam’s Jeep and a couple of Ji-Ho’s. They’re probably coming to meet them.” He slowed to a stop as the oncoming Jeeps did, Sid getting his window next to Sam’s.

  “Get what you needed in town?” Sam asked. Mia waved to him from the back seat.

  “Hi, darlin,” Sid said, waving back to Mia, then looking at Sam. “Yeah, there’s a great electronics joint there. Is the meeting about the delivery?” He nodded behind him.

  “I wish,” Sam said. Erica looked over from the passenger seat, fear in her eyes.

  “Oh, crap, what now?” Clem asked.

  “Good news and bad news,” Sam said. “On the good side, the Islamists coming from the north did go east. They’re trying to avoid us.”

  “What’s the bad news?”

  “Five hundred thousand Islamists are massing south of the border, and we don’t have enough people there to stop them.”

  “Oh, God,” Yvonne said. “This is what I was afraid of.”

  “It might not be too bad,” Sam said. “Ivan contacted the US Armed forces in San Diego. Both the Navy and the Marines. There’s no agreement on them getting directly involved yet, but we have been allowed to recruit citizens in western San Diego County. That might be enough.”

  “We’d better go, honey, so the caravan doesn’t get held up too much,” Erica said. “That meeting is soon. We need to be involved.”

  “Got it,” Sam said. “See you guys in town.”

  He drove off, and Sid started moving again.

  “Well, this could be worse,” Clem said. Sarah glanced at him, then out the win
dow as the Jeep got back to full speed.

  {6}

  Jacumba Hot Springs

  D oug Westin looked at the border fence from his trench, right behind Old Highway 80, west of Jacumba Hot Springs. It looked like a tall picket fence–vertical metal bars with sheet metal on the top quarter, making it harder to climb. He raised the binoculars to his eyes and stared, panning from west to east. He was a large middle-aged man with graying hair receding from his forehead, and a goatee. Another man approached, a younger Hispanic with a medium build and jet-black hair, clean shaven. Doug looked over at him and smiled.

  “Jorge, there you are,” Doug said.

  “See anything?” He got down into the trench next to Doug and lifted his own binoculars, scanning the area.

  “Nope,” Doug said. “Wish we had those apps. It would help. We could have a thousand enemy fighters right south of those hills.”

  “Do those apps really exist?”

  “People I trust said so,” Doug said. “That damn fence isn’t going to slow anybody down for long.”

  Jorge chuckled. “At least we can see through it, man. Even if we had the big wall you wanted, they’d just blast through it, and we wouldn’t be able to see as well as we can now.”

  Doug grinned. “Funny how this worked out. We fought like cats and dogs over the border wall. Now look at us. Comrades in arms.”

  “Keeping my people out is one thing,” Jorge said. “Keeping out enemy Islamists is something very different.”

  “True, my friend,” Doug said. “We get any more volunteers? I heard there’s been a bunch of recruitment happening on the internet.”

  “Yeah, my kid brother said we have gobs of people coming from all over,”

  “Hope they get here soon,” Doug said. “Our three hundred men won’t last long.”

  “True that,” Jorge said. His phone dinged. He pulled it from his pocket and looked, eyes getting wide.

  “What?”

  “My kid brother Luis,” he said. “There’s twenty thousand citizens in Jacumba right now, armed to the teeth. A lot of them have military weapons.”

  “Thank God,” Doug said. “We just might live through this. Where are they coming from?”