by Robert Boren
Suddenly there was a pop and an explosion, some forty yards from where they were.
“They’ve got mortars set up off the property,” Trevor said, sending a text. “They’re gonna soften us up before they bring in their rig. Should’ve thought about that.”
“There goes Ted’s coach,” Kaylee said, watching as the battle wagon raced towards the front end of the property. It stopped, the grenade launcher firing in the direction of the mortar fire. Another mortar round dropped, closer to them by about twenty yards.
“We’d better not stay here,” Trevor said, starting the engine. He drove forward on the road, firing grenades as well, several other battle wagons roaring forward, doing the same. Then a hail of gunfire sounded, black powder smoke rising from trees along the highway, three hundred yards from their position. Ted’s battle wagon got closer, opening up with the mini gun, the stream of bullets chopping through tree branches, setting off a secondary explosion. Then another mortar round went off, past them this time but coming from another direction, getting nearly to the first buildings in town.
“Crap,” Kaylee yelled.
“I think the cannon team on the right sees where that’s coming from,” Trevor said, watching six men working the gun, turning it towards the right. Then it fired, the sound ear-shattering, a secondary explosion going off four hundred yards away. The team struggled to get the big gun loaded again as AK-47 fire came at them, dropping a couple of the team.
“Whoa, here comes the semi-truck,” Kaylee said. She leveled the front machine guns and fired as it approached, hitting the driver and passenger, as several other battle wagons opened up on it. Then the cannons on the left side fired at once, cannon balls ripping into the trailer.
“My phone buzzed,” Trevor said. “They lost their shield.”
“Yeah, mine buzzed too,” Kaylee shouted. “Look at them flooding out of there!”
“They’re getting into that cover before Ted can hit them,” Trevor said, firing his mini gun through the cab, into the front of the trailer, as another volley of cannon fire hit it broadside, blowing it off its wheels, Islamists fleeing right into the infantry, hit with a hail of lead.
“The guys in that busted trailer are still getting out,” Kaylee said. “The lead inside must soak up bullets pretty well. I can’t hit them from here.” She froze. “Look at those guys with the mortars.”
“See them,” Trevor said, opening fire with the mini gun, knocking them down, another group of men rushing forward, trying to get the mortars into the dry creek bed, giving them some cover. More infantry rushed in, and then the cavalry was everywhere, chasing down fleeing Islamists, hitting them with pistol fire and swords, newer recruits rushing forward with their M4s and M60s.
“Look at that group, coming through the brush over there,” Kaylee yelled. “Looks like UN Peacekeepers from outside the property. Hit them, they’re heading for town.”
Trevor nodded, firing several grenades in their direction, pinning them down, then moving to the mini gun as Ji-Ho’s battle wagon moved in that direction. A group of Islamists charged towards it, but then the gun slit opened, an M60 firing, cutting down the rushing men, killing most, causing the rest to retreat. Soon that area was filled with cavalry, chasing Islamists into the trees, terrorizing them with their swords and pistols, some men shooting Winchesters one handed, causing Trevor to crack up.
“What’s funny about this?” Kaylee asked, looking up from her target reticle.
“The guy at the gun range,” Trevor said, “warned us against using our Winchesters like that. Works pretty damn good, from the look of it.”
“Look out, we’re getting rushed broadside,” Kaylee shouted.
“Too close for the mini gun,” Trevor said, rushing to the back and opening the gun slit, firing the M60, taking down six, the rest running for their lives. As soon as they were far enough out, Kaylee opened up with the mini gun, cutting them to ribbons. “Nice shooting, baby!”
“They’ve got more people than we expected,” Kaylee shouted. “Look at all those UN Peacekeepers over there. My uncle is gonna get overrun.”
“No he’s not, look. Ted’s rig is moving there, and Cody’s, and Jules’s.” They watched as fire from four mini guns tore the UN Peacekeepers apart.
“Geez,” Kaylee said. “This is insane.”
The cannons fired again, Trevor’s head snapping around. “Dammit, that’s another semi. Does this mean they’re not coming in through the back as well?”
“Texting Seth,” Kaylee said. “Keep on those guys.”
Trevor rushed to the front, getting back on the main guns, firing grenades at the new semi, just as a salvo of cannon fire slammed into the trailer, their phones buzzing with new enemy hits. “Can’t stop long enough to look.”
“Seth said there’s a total of seven hundred and forty-five,” Kaylee said. “They’ve dropped about four hundred and fifty here. There’s three hundred exposed in the back as we speak.”
“I think there’s been about two hundred UN Peacekeepers here, too, although Ji-Ho, Ted, Cody, and some of the new folks blasted their asses good.”
“There’s too many of them,” Kaylee said, blasting a group rushing up from behind with the rear machine guns.
“They’re really flooding out of that semi-trailer, but I can’t get a clear shot from here,” Trevor said. Just then the cannons fired again, picking up the trailer, rolling it over a large group of fleeing Islamists. “Ouch, that’s gotta hurt.”
“Hit them,” Kaylee shouted, getting on her forward machine guns again and firing at those she could target. Trevor was back on the mini gun, firing away, until the gun spun silently.
“Out of ammo, switching to the grenade launcher.
“I’ll use the grenade launcher, you go reload,” Kaylee said.
“Okay.” Trevor rushed to the bedroom as Kaylee took over the targeting system, firing grenade after grenade into the enemy cover, behind the burning hulk of a semi-truck. The cannons fired again, moving the hulk over, more of Garrett’s infantry rushing in with guns blazing.
“Reloaded,” Trevor said, rushing back to the front. As he got back into the driver’s seat there was a mortar hit about twenty feet from their rig, shrapnel splattering against the passenger side, right front tire going soft.
“Dammit, we’re hit,” Kaylee said.
“It’s okay, we didn’t get breached,” Trevor said, firing up the engine.
“What are you doing?”
“Using the levelers so we’re sitting straight again,” he said. Then there was a loud explosion on the roof behind them, shaking the rig, their ears ringing.
“We’d better get out of here,” Kaylee shouted, going for her M4.
“Yep,” Trevor shouted back, grabbing his M60 and two belts, slinging his Winchester on his shoulder, grabbing boxes of ammo and stuffing them into his pockets. “Me first.”
Kaylee nodded as Trevor rushed to the door, bursting through it, seeing enemy fighters heading toward them, opening up with the M60, cutting them down before they could get off a shot. He rushed out, taking Kaylee’s hand, both running into the small barn they’d been parked behind.
“Hey, this is better,” Trevor said, leveling the M60 and firing at a group of Islamists who were attempting to set up another mortar, spraying them with lead, concentrating next on the box of rounds, which blew up big. “Take that, you cretins!”
“Watch out,” Kaylee shouted, firing her M4 at a group of Islamists running in from the left. Trevor saw them, dropping the M60 and bringing up the Winchester, firing shot after shot, dropping somebody with each, then getting up and running towards the survivors, hitting them as they ran in a panic. He turned and sprinted back into the barn, leaping through the door, stuffing more .44 mag rounds into the loading gate of the rifle.
Kaylee looked at him like he was crazy. “Quit showing off, dammit.”
“I wasn’t showing off, I knew they’d flee, and I can’t run with that damn M60. Hell, that t
hing will be out of ammo soon, the way it fires.”
Kaylee shook her head, watching for more enemy fighters approaching. “I don’t think they want to come back this way.”
“Then we’ll just have to go get them,” Trevor said. “See that group over there? They’re trying to go after the cannon team. I’ll be damned if I’m letting Willard get tagged.”
“You’re enjoying this a little too much, honey,” she said, following him as he sprinted across the pasture towards the trees lining the dry creek, firing the Winchester as he got close, killing most of the Islamists there, Kaylee getting down on one knee and cleaning them up with the M4. Willard saw them and grinned, then noticed an Islamist charging him, firing his cap and ball revolver, throwing the man ten feet, the smoke billowing around him.
“Settled his bacon!” Willard shouted.
“What the hell was that?” Kaylee asked. “You see how far it threw that guy?”
“Looks like a Colt Dragoon to me,” Trevor said, twinkle in his eye. “Come on. Let’s go hunt some more heathens.”
They rushed out of their cover, sprinting by the cannon team who let out a cheer, running down the dry lake bed, catching several Islamists trying to escape in that direction. Trevor got off two shots, but then they were around a bend, getting too far ahead. “Those cowards run pretty fast.”
“Yeah,” Kaylee said, trying to catch her breath. Then they heard automatic fire ahead, and the Islamists rushed back at them, Trevor laughing and opening fire, Kaylee joining in, killing eight of them before they could find their way to cover.
“Let’s stop a minute and check the apps,” Kaylee said, leaning against the cover of the creek bed, Trevor next to her, eyes scanning in all directions with the Winchester in his hands. “There’s someone moving over there, trying to sneak into the main street.”
“I wouldn’t suggest that,” Trevor said. “I saw where Erica was placing the warriors earlier. She started out just setting up a defense for the mine, but when everybody saw how good she was at that, they had her work out defense for the entire town. It’s a kill zone.”
“We should still try to get them first, though, right?”
“We’ll go hit some of them, and get them running that way. Text Erica and tell her to get ready.”
“Like I said, you’re enjoying this too much,” Kaylee said.
“It’s almost over. Gunfire is way down, and there’s not a bunch more coming, right?”
“Doesn’t look like it, but maybe they have more shielded vehicles.”
“Let’s go,” Trevor said, rushing forward through the tall grass of the pasture, firing from behind the group of twenty Islamists as they rushed towards Main Street, hitting several of them, causing the rest to sprint down the road in a panic. Then there was a barrage of automatic fire, a few of the Islamists trying to flee back, running right into Trevor and Kaylee’s guns, all of them blown away before they could get close.
The cannons fired once again, and gunfire behind them ramped up. Both of them got buzzed by their phones.
“Dammit, more? Kaylee asked, looking at Trevor in horror. “We’re gonna run out of ammo if this keeps up.”
“We’ve got plenty, but we’ll have to take it from the mine,” Trevor said. “Better go get my M60. They rushed back to the barn, going in the back as bullets hit the old wood structure, both diving to the straw-covered floor, Trevor getting to the M60. He rolled over, opening fire at the men sprinting towards them, cutting down a bunch. Then the firing stopped. “Dammit, got to load a new belt.”
“I’ll cover, Kaylee said, firing her M4, keeping the enemy down, watching as they crawled along the ground toward them.
“Got it,” Trevor said, crawling forward, sweeping M60 fire along the dirt, hitting about half of them, the others rolling away as quickly as they could, Trevor switching to the Winchester to pick them off as they rushed for cover.
Gunfire was back up to a fever pitch now, the battle wagons mostly silent, but the infantry and cavalry fighting off the enemy valiantly.
“What happened to the cannon?” Kaylee asked. “We need to blast open that semi-trailer so they can’t hide in it.”
“Got overrun,” Trevor said. “Hope the hell Willard got away from there before it happened.
Kaylee crawled over. “Crap, look, the enemy are still there, trying to figure out if they can do something.”
“Oh, really?” Trevor asked. He crawled over. “See that barrel?”
“What barrel?”
Trevor fired at it, the black powder inside blowing up big, several men flying through the air. “That barrel!”
Somebody rushed in behind them, Trevor spinning around, Winchester pointed.
“Don’t shoot, it’s me, Willard!” he said, diving to the ground with his heavy Colt Dragoon in his hand.
“Willard, what the hell happened out there?” Trevor asked.
“They finally got the drop on us. Killed several. We’re in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Kaylee asked.
“There’s two more of those semi-trucks out there, waiting to come in, and we need a little time to reload. That’s why those battle wagons haven’t been firing. They’re mostly out of ammo.”
“We have more, though,” Trevor said.
“Yeah, in the mine we got lots,” Willard said. “We need to get it to the others, though. Your battle wagon still working?”
“Nope, got damaged,” Trevor said.
“So did some of the others,” Willard said. “They can still fire, but three of them got their tires shot all to hell.”
“Couldn’t stay in siege mode because they kept having to move around,” Trevor said. “That’s what happened with us.”
“Seth’s program is missing things,” Kaylee said, looking at her phone as the gunfire raged outside. “There’s more than seven hundred enemy fighters out here now, and that’s not even counting the ones who came in the back.”
“Probably not counting the two still on the road, neither,” Willard said.
“Crap, we need to think,” Trevor said.
“There’s still some un-used battle wagons in town,” Willard said. “How come we didn’t use them?”
“Didn’t have enough folks to man them,” Trevor said. “Remember we weren’t expecting to be attacked so soon. We got about an hour notice, and these rigs take some training.”
Kaylee smiled. “Wonder if the keys are in them? We can ferry ammo and attack.”
They got buzzed on their phones. “Dammit, enemy fighters getting out of one of the trucks,” Trevor said.
Kaylee nodded, brow furrowed. “We’re gonna get overrun.”
To be continued, in Bug Out! California Book 10, available now!
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.
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 Indian 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.
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.