by Robert Boren
“Already?” Erica asked.
“They didn’t expect these battle wagons and five hundred men,” Sam said. “We’ll have to fight them in Julian.”
“We did badly there before,” Erica said.
“Yep, but now we’ve got a lot more fighters,” Sam said, “and better equipment too. Not to mention the apps.”
The phone rang.
“Who’s that?” Erica asked.
“Ji-Ho. I’ll put it on speaker.” He did that and set the phone on the dash. “Hi, Ji-Ho.”
“Hey, Sam, looks like they on run.”
“Saw that. We’ll fight them in Julian.”
“Yes, agree,” Ji-Ho said. “Just heard from Garrett. Large force only half hour away now.”
“Good,” Sam said. “We’ll have to let them rest before we go on. Julian is further from here than this place is from our base.”
“Yes, I know,” Ji-Ho said. “Garrett and men on way here too. Enemy fighters flee from Barrett Lake area.”
“Oh, really?” Sam asked. “Crap, that means we’ll have to fight them later.”
“Yes, true. I say we go into Descanso when main forces arrive and dig in, regroup. Then attack Julian.”
“We need a way to see the UN,” Erica said.
“They not problem,” Ji-Ho said. “Ivan tell me. They only left few stragglers here. Large group in north, where Jules’s team is.”
“How are they seeing them?” Sam asked.
“Satellite,” Ji-Ho said. “Morons have UN painted on top of vans.”
Sam chuckled. “They think they’re legit, and they think we think they’re legit.”
Ji-Ho laughed. “Yes, true. They have nasty surprise waiting for them in north. Ivan has multitude there. Bloodbath.”
“Yeah, well I hope he’s being careful,” Erica said. “We can’t see them. That means they can spearhead attacks.”
“Yep,” Sam said. “What now?”
“Wait until Garrett’s groups arrive.”
“Okay, Ji-Ho, talk to you soon.”
Sam ended the call.
“Should we continue to sit in this street?” Erica asked.
“Yes,” Sam said. “With siege mode on and parking lights too.”
“Are you convinced that the UN is weak in this region?”
Sam thought about it for a moment. “Not as convinced as Ji-Ho is. We need to make sure everybody watches tonight.”
Erica nodded. “Wish we knew where Ed is. I’m so worried about him.”
“I know, honey. Me too.”
***
Shelly woke up very early in the morning, feeling for Jules. He was gone. She got up in a panic and rushed out into the salon. He was sitting at the dinette in his underwear, studying his phone, it’s glow lighting his face in the darkness.
“Hey,” Shelly asked as she approached. “It’s only four. Can’t sleep?”
“No,” Jules said.
“What are you looking for?”
“Santa Cruz,” he said, looking up at her naked form, silhouetted by the lights from outside. “That make nice picture.” He started to aim his phone.
“Don’t you dare,” she said, rushing back into the bedroom. She came back out with her long t-shirt on. “That was naughty.”
Jules looked at her and grinned, then looked back at the screen.
“What are you expecting to see?” She slid onto the dinette bench next to him and watched his screen.
“I don’t know,” Jules said. “I expected enemy to go to harbor or the beach area.”
“They didn’t, though, did they?”
“No. UC Santa Cruz,” he said. “Merrill College.”
“Why would they do that?” Shelly asked, looking at him, her eyes getting wider. “They don’t do nuclear or biological research there, do they?”
“Thought crossed mind,” Jules said. “Maybe I call Ivan when light.”
“He might be watching too, right now,” Shelly said. “Send him a text. He might answer.”
“Okay. Can’t hurt. Won’t wake him.” He sent the text, then set his phone down for a moment. “You can’t sleep too?”
“I woke up and felt for you. I didn’t like that you weren’t there.”
“If Ivan not respond, we go back into bedroom,” Jules said. “I try to sleep again.”
“There’s always something else we could do, you know,” Shelly said, her hand going onto his thigh. Then Jules’s phone rang, making them jump. Jules checked the number.
“Ivan,” he said, hitting the speaker button. “I not wake, I hope.”
Ivan chuckled on the line. “Good morning. I was already awake. You’re looking at apps?”
“Yes. Shelly next to me.”
“Ah, good morning, milk maid,” Ivan said. “Maybe you aren’t keeping Jules occupied enough.”
Shelly giggled. “Maybe not. Hi, Ivan.”
“Hello,” Ivan said. “You’re worried about them being at UC Santa Cruz.”
“Yes,” Jules said. “They drive inside campus, stay near place marked Merrill College. Strange, no?”
“Strange yes,” Ivan said. “The boys and I have been racking our brains on this one. The college they’re in isn’t technical, so they aren’t there to gather up weapons materials.”
“What is study there?” Jules asked.
Ivan snickered. “We read about that part of US Santa Cruz on Wikipedia. Sounds like Leftist Studies to me.”
“What mean, political science?” Jules asked.
“United States impact on the developing world,” Ivan said, sounding like he was reading. “That’s what Wikipedia says.”
“They’re there to develop propaganda,” Shelly said. “They probably want to tailor it to the people living in the bay area.”
“Bingo, milk maid gets the prize,” Ivan said. “At least that’s what we think.”
“Islamists and peace-loving hippy types? Not mix, no?”
“We got a satellite shot a little while ago from General Hogan. There’s more UN vans there than Islamist trucks. It’s like they’re having some kind of conference. They even had a stage. There was a concert going on there earlier in the evening. Lots of students attended.”
“Good Lord,” Shelly said.
“Perhaps they be including paramilitary training, no?”
“We thought that at first too,” Ivan said. “Possible. Huey Newton came out of Santa Cruz.”
Jules looked at Shelly blankly.
“Founder of the Black Panther Party,” Shelly said. “Most people don’t realize that UC Santa Cruz is more radical than UC Berkeley.”
“What we do?” Jules asked. “Anything?”
“You mean like go in there and kill them?” Ivan asked. “No, that’ll play right into the hands of the enemy. This tells us that they are having problems winning over the bulk of the population up here. Our actions will resonate with a significant portion of the population. Enough to stop them.” He paused for a moment.
“Okay, boss?” Jules asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “Sorry. Just thinking.”
“What thinking?”
“I’m going to find out who at the University invited these cretins in. I’ll send Mr. White and Mr. Black in to nab them.”
“You mean murder them?” Shelly asked.
“Kidnap, for now. Find out who they know, what their plans are. You know.”
“Might have been state government,” Jules said.
“Oh, I’m sure they were involved too,” Ivan said. “Propaganda is crucial up here. We have to fight fire with fire. We’ve already laid the groundwork for that.”
“How?” Shelly asked.
“We rescued somebody who made a scene on one of their propaganda TV shows. We’re nursing him back to health after the UN thugs beat him up, live on a statewide TV show.”
“He’ll talk for our side?” Shelly asked.
“We’ll give him that option,” Ivan said.
“Who?” Jules asked.
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“He goes by Ben Dover,” Ivan said. He and Jules laughed. Shelly rolled her eyes.
“The nature of this battle will be different than down south,” Shelly said. “You guys know that, right?”
Ivan stopped laughing. “We will expose the enemy for what they are.”
“Yes, and we’re going to help, remember?”
“Yes, I remember, Shelly,” Ivan said, “and it will help. Big time.”
“What about our problem with the three locations?” Shelly asked.
“Still working on it, but we’ll be able to cover it. We’re working on the how now. We’ve already decided to go ahead. Don’t tell the rest of your group yet.”
“Okay, boss,” Jules said. “You want us to leave Islamists in trucks alone if they go by here again? We could arrange, how you say, accident.”
“No, let’s not make martyrs out of this group. We’ll kill plenty of their kind, trust me on that. We’ll show the public who they are, and we’ll use their own media outlets to do it.”
“Do you know when we hit the Mertins plant?” Shelly asked.
“Day after tomorrow at the earliest,” Ivan said.
“Still planning?” Jules asked.
“No, we’re waiting for some special guests to arrive,” Ivan said. “We want them to have front-row seats.”
Jules shot a grin at Shelly. “We hurt them bad?”
“Oh yeah, we’ll hurt them bad,” Ivan said. “Now go play with your milk maid. I’ve got work to do.”
“Thanks, boss,” Jules said. He ended the call. Shelly stood up and pulled her long t-shirt over her head, tossing it on the dinette table.
“Hey, what you do?” Jules asked, smiling.
“You heard the man.”
***
“I wish we brought camping gear,” James said, weary in the saddle. “This is a long haul.”
“At least we don’t have to fight,” one of Garrett’s men said.
“Don’t be so sure about that,” Tyler said. “We’re going to approach the spot where the enemy was dug in very quietly.”
“Why?” Ryan asked.
“Because of the UN folks who showed up near Descanso,” Tyler said. “You read the texts.”
“Ji-Ho said there wasn’t a significant UN presence down here,” James said.
Garrett chuckled. “There weren’t supposed to be any of them around Descanso. Sorry, but I’m not a trusting soul. Tyler is right. When we get close, we go in as if there’s some UN folks there.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t have sent the five hundred to Descanso, then,” James said.
“I had mixed feelings about that,” Garrett said. “Still do. Glad it’ll still be dark when we get there.”
“How will we know when we’re there, now that the Islamists are gone?” James asked.
“I saved the GPS locations,” Tyler said.
“That’s why he’s chief,” Garrett said, “although I saved them too. Can’t be too careful. Even if there’s no UN folks there, they might have booby-trapped the area.”
“Dammit,” James said. “I didn’t think about that.”
“Well don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Ryan said.
Tyler grabbed his phone and checked their location. “We’re really close. I say a few of us sneak up there and take a gander.”
“I’m game,” Garrett said.
“Yeah, same crew as last time,” Ryan said. James shot him a worried glance, but nodded yes. They dismounted, Garrett taking a second to chat with his foreman, who got off his horse to help.
“Grab your long guns,” Garrett said, pulling his out of the scabbard hanging from his saddle. The others did the same, and they walked forward, trying to be as quiet as possible.
“I’m taking my crossbow,” James said. “Just in case.”
“Good idea,” Ryan said.
“We don’t have a well-defined ridge here,” Tyler whispered. “It’s a lot of big rocks and little valleys, right off the road, a few hundred yards in front of the dam. Watch yourselves. If there’s anybody here, you can bet they’re watching for us.”
They moved along quickly, trying to keep close to cover. The rugged, hilly terrain changed to large rocks after about forty yards, and they slowed down, stopping behind rocks to take a good look, then rushing to the next cover available.
“Look,” Tyler whispered. “Cell phone. See the light?”
“That’s a sentry,” James said, pulling his crossbow off his back. He loaded an arrow and crept forward as the others watched, covering him.
Garrett texted on his phone, Tyler seeing his screen. “Careful with that. What are you doing?”
“Turning the five-hundred around,” Garrett whispered. “They’re not that far. They can be here in a hurry.”
Tyler gave him thumbs up. Then they heard the crossbow, and the sentry clutched his chest, falling. James ran in a crouch to his position, checking the body and the phone, which was still on. He began typing on the screen.
“What’s he doing?” Ryan whispered.
“Probably pretending to be the enemy,” Garrett whispered back.
“Look, here comes another one, wearing one of those stupid blue helmets,” Tyler whispered. The running man stopped, clutching his chest, falling without a sound.
“That’s two,” Tyler whispered.
“Dammit,” Ryan said, catching another UN Peacekeeper sneaking over the top of the rock James was next to. “Game over.” He aimed his rifle and fired, dropping the enemy, the sound echoing through the area.
“James, get over here,” Tyler shouted. James sprinted back towards them, but his running went wild and he fell half way back, shot through the side.
{5}
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R yan stood looking in horror at James’s body lying on the ground before them. “Dammit!”
Shots rang out again, hitting the rocks around their position. All of them opened fire, several blue-helmeted cretins falling.
“How many are there?” one of Garrett’s men asked.
“Can’t see many of them,” Tyler said, aiming his rifle and firing, a man falling off a ridge.
“Nice shot,” Garrett said. “Men, don’t just sit there. Fan out along this ridge and that one over there, and let’em have it. Our five hundred men will be here in less than ten minutes.”
“Look, on the right, somebody’s trying to set up a mortar,” Ryan said.
“Got it,” Garrett said, firing his 45-70, the massive blast echoing through the area.
“Damn, boy,” one of Garrett’s men said, chuckling.
“Shoot the mortar tube,” Ryan said.
“On it,” Garrett said, firing again, hitting the tube, sending it flying as the others fired at the team running to take over. Then there was a large chain reaction explosion, as a huge 45-70 round hit the ammo box.
“That worked,” Ryan said. “Look, somebody’s trying to set up in that direction too, see them?” He fired several times, hitting the team that was running up with the mortar, as Garrett used his 45-70 again.
“Hear that?” Ryan asked. “Horses.”
“Yeah, here come our guys,” Garrett said. “They’re early.”
“My God, that is a thing of beauty,” one of Garrett’s men said, watching hundreds of mounted men along the ridges, rifles aimed. They fired, the air full of thunder and smoke.
“Look, the enemy is running away,” Ryan shouted.
“So let’s go get them,” Garrett said, racing towards his horse, the others following. They rode together, meeting the five hundred on the flats and chasing the panicked UN peacekeepers, killing all of them within a few minutes.
“I’m gonna go check on James,” Ryan said, turning his horse, Tyler nodding in agreement. They rode quickly, dismounting by his body and rushing over. Ryan carefully rolled him over. James smiled, his eyes barely open.
“About time you slugs got here. Beat them?”
“Yeah, we beat them,” Ryan said. Tyler got dow
n on his knees and looked for the wound, finding it on his left side, the shirt and the top of his pants soaked in blood. He shot a grim look at Ryan.
“How bad is it?” James asked quietly.
“You’ll be okay if we can get you to a doctor soon enough,” Ryan said. He looked away from James, wiping tears away from his eyes, trying to hide it.
“I’m done, aren’t I?” James asked.
Tyler looked at him, and slowly nodded yes.
“Tyler,” Ryan said.
“Better to be honest,” Tyler said.
“Thank you,” James said, his eyes barely slits. “It’s been an honor serving with both of you.”
“It’s been an honor growing up with you, brother,” Ryan said, weeping.
“Yes, it has,” Tyler said, tears running down his cheeks.
“Tell Abby that I love her,” James whispered, his breath faint. “Tell her I’m sor…” His breath labored and stopped.
“Oh, God,” Ryan said, breaking down, Tyler with him. Garrett rode up with several men and dismounted, running over.
“Oh no,” Garrett said. “I’m so sorry. He was a great warrior.”
“We can’t leave him here,” Ryan said.
“I know,” Tyler said. “We’ll pack him out.”
“There are UN vans and a bunch of pickup trucks parked off Barrett Lake Road,” Garrett said. “We can take him there and drive him out.”
“Where are we going?” Ryan asked.
“We’re going to the camp where the rest of our people are,” Garrett said. “Probably be in Descanso tomorrow. The enemy fled that area, heading for Julian. Just got a text from Sam about it.”
“I’m worried about our base,” Tyler said. “There are more UN thugs around than any of us expected, and the apps can’t see them.”
“I know, had the same thought,” Garrett said. “They’re okay so far. I just got off the phone with Anna.”
“How many people we have guarding the place?”
“Six hundred there, another three thousand at Dodge City,” Garrett said. “Plus four battle wagons. I think they’ll be fine. If I didn’t think that, I’d be on my way to get Anna already.”
“Getting kinda sweet on her, aren’t you?” Tyler asked.
“Yes,” Garrett said. “We’re about the same age. Nice to have her to talk to.”