“Spoilsport,” Nelson said, grabbing his rifle and following her out.
They walked into the gym and found Ronald and his son Mason already there with Matt and Ashley. Looking around, “Where’s Mike?” Nelson asked, putting his rifle up.
“Nellie came over this morning and took him when Bernard grabbed Brittany,” Matt said. “Nellie was on the way to get Devin when Gerald was bringing him out, and Gerald almost got into a fistfight with Nellie to keep Devin.”
Grabbing his workout gloves, Nelson watched Gavin come over and get Mason to workout with them. Alex and Adam were barely a year older than Gavin, and Mason was a year younger. The four were fast becoming inseparable. The boys moved off and started showing Mason as Nancy joined Michelle and Ashley.
“Where’s Ariel?” Nelson asked as Ronald walked over. Since Ariel was the oldest girl at ten, Nelson felt bad for her, since the next oldest girl was Olivia at five.
“She stayed with Nellie. I asked her if she wanted to come,” Ronald said. “Mind if I work out with you?”
“Nah,” Matt said, loading a bar.
“I’m first,” Gerald said, pushing Devin over in his walker. “I don’t try to lift the earth.”
Ronald looked at Matt’s huge arms, then over at Nelson. “Um, I want to go after Gerald.”
Even with four people, the workout passed fast and soon the adults were in the hot tub. There wasn’t enough room, so the boys would have to wait. When Gerald dumped a bag of toys in, the bubble war began.
“Nancy, any news?” Nelson asked, a little envious watching Gerald and Devin battle the bubbles.
“Oklahoma is in New Republic hands now. Skirmishes are being fought in eastern Missouri, but the Republic isn’t pushing in. Arkansas, with the exception of Little Rock, is in Republic hands. But the bad news is the UN landed twenty thousand troops and equipment in Boston and forty thousand in Mobile. The Republic’s navy is very hesitant to start sinking ships in the Atlantic, since most of their fleet is heading to the Pacific to keep the Chinese in check. They did attack more ships that were delivering troops in Tampa. So far from what I’ve gathered, they are only protecting the Gulf of Mexico.”
“Makes sense. The east coast is hostile,” Gerald said, helping Devin toss balls at the bubbles. “Just glad they are calling it the New Republic, instead of the Free States. That sounds like welfare waiting.”
“Think they are going to push into Missouri?” Nelson asked.
“They will, but the Republic needs to consolidate their hold for now.”
“Well, they launched an air attack into Colorado last night,” Nancy said.
“Ballsy,” Gerald said.
Watching Gerald and Devin, Nelson sighed. “I think we need to start knocking down these gangs, and any who are just running around attacking people,” Nelson said. “We have eight locations around us with over two hundred fighters now, and it’s time to let bad guys know; act bad around here and die.”
“That’s good, but we can’t make too much noise and become a serious pain in the ass, or they will send some real shit here and we will have to bug out,” Gerald said, handing Devin a ball. “I know what you said Nelson, but if they come at us with twenty tanks, we’ll need to move and fight another day.”
Leaning back against the side, Michelle saw Nelson watch Devin playing with Gerald, and couldn’t help but smile. “Babe, they roll on us with heavy armor, you can fight. I’m getting the kids and hauling ass,” she said, closing her eyes.
“We have means to destroy tanks,” Nelson said, getting comfortable. “Just because the other side has armor, you don’t fall back.”
“True,” Gerald said, moving a small plastic boat over and letting Devin sink it as he destroyed bubbles. “But when armor is attacking a set point is the hardest time to beat it. It’s attacking head on and that’s when they are the hardest to beat. Not saying it can’t and hasn’t been done, but you attack the enemy on your terms not his.”
“Fine. We’ll run like little girls if they show up,” Nelson sighed, feeling his body relax as the jets of water massaged his body. “Nancy, any hostiles near us?”
“As of 0300 this morning, I can say nothing within two miles of us, single or multiple threats. From two to four miles, I can’t be a hundred percent sure, due to the limits of the drones we built, but I didn’t see anything of large threats. Single or small groups, I can’t rule out anything at that distance. I was going to do a long fly out later this morning to check small towns within eight miles,” she said and stopped as Devin’s war started sending water in the air, and Nancy turned her head so the water wouldn’t get in her eyes.
“That’s it, Devin. Don’t let the bubbles overtake us,” Gerald laughed.
Keeping her head turned, “I haven’t done a long fly out in two days, and that’s the last time I spotted that group in Eminence,” she said. “Only thing I can say for certain, no large group has gone anywhere near Van Buren since we hit it.”
“Any military presence nearby?” Nelson asked as Devin stopped splashing.
“I’ve gotten reports over the short wave of a platoon of soldiers in Mountain View, but the population there is fighting them with local law enforcement. Not all out attacks, just sniping and sabotage,” Nancy said. “The feds are very reluctant to use helicopters or any of their larger drones in southern or western Missouri. Seems the Republic enjoys shooting them down.”
“Is the Republic on equal footing with air assets compared to the feds?” Michelle asked.
“From what I can gather, as far as US assets, the Republic actually has more. I don’t have numbers, but a lot of US planes took off for the Free States. But now, UN forces are starting to deliver air assets into this theater,” Nancy said, taking a deep breath. “With them, the Republic is getting outnumbered in aircraft. The Navy was helping, but most pulled back to their ships when they took off for the Pacific. I don’t know what’s going on there, but it must be big to pull four carrier battle groups from the Atlantic.”
Nelson looked over at Matt. “You up for some recon?”
“Hell, yeah,” Matt said with a sigh.
Turning to Ronald, “Does Ariel know computers?” Nelson asked.
Shrugging his shoulders, “She can play video games and had her own computer,” Ronald said.
“Nancy, see how Ariel and Mason do in your command center,” Nelson said.
“Oh, Mason has been down there with the other boys learning and does really well,” she said as Devin started his war up again.
Nodding, “Good, then add Ariel, so she doesn’t feel left out,” Nelson said.
“Thank you,” Ronald said. “She’s been a little jealous of the boys.”
“Gerald, what do you think about you, me, and Matt doing a long-range patrol?” Nelson asked.
“Sounds good, but where are you thinking?” Gerald asked, scooping more bubbles up for Devin.
“Along Highway 60, since it is the easiest way to get to us. Anything to our north, east, and west will have to go cross-country,” Nelson said. “We can skirt the highway down to Mountain View.”
“What are you thinking of taking? Four-wheelers or the buggies?” Gerald asked.
“To be honest, the four-wheelers. There are more people who know those in buggies are usually Feds and might just take a pop shot at us,” Nelson said.
Shaking his head, “I’m thinking buggy,” Gerald said. “The other side will be less likely to shoot at us on sight, and people not with the Feds know those Flyers have a lot of firepower. I don’t think they will just bust a cap when they see one.”
“Okay, but we take the Flyer with the GAU-19 and I get to be the gunner,” Nelson said grinning.
“Shotgun,” Gerald said, turning to Matt.
Giving a groan, “Fine, I’ll drive,” Matt moaned.
The adults got out and the boys jumped in as Gerald used a towel to wipe up the water on the floor from Devin’s war. Gathering his rifle, Nelson saw Michelle coming over and c
arrying Devin. “Surprised he let you have our baby,” Nelson said as Michelle grabbed her rifle.
“Never gave him a choice,” Michelle said, heading for the door. The boys were all out of the hot tub and drying off as Nelson followed Michelle out. “You be careful out there,” Michelle said, nuzzling Devin and making him squeal.
“Believe me, that’s my first goal,” Nelson said, putting an arm around her.
After changing, they headed to the house and found everyone already there. Putting his and Michelle’s rifles in the gun rack, Nelson grinned as Bernard had Olivia and Brittany sitting on barstools, brushing their hair.
“Damn Bernard, you’re getting good,” Nelson said, walking over. “It took me like a week to learn how to French braid.”
“I noticed their hair stays up longer like this,” Bernard said, never looking away from his task. His large calloused hands looked so out of place braiding the girls’ hair. “Ashley, Brittany’s hair is up. I’d better not hear you threaten to grab the scissors today.”
“Bernard,” Ashley gasped as she fed Mike. “She had candy in her hair and I still don’t know where she got that sucker.”
Carrying a plate loaded with biscuits, setting it on the table, “Bernard gave them to the girls,” Nellie said and then headed back to the stove.
“It don’t matter,” Bernard said, moving to Olivia.
“Bernard, you have no idea how hard it is to wash that out,” Ashley said as Matt tried to shush her.
Looking over at Ashley, “Then bring her to me and I’ll do it,” Bernard said and Nellie howled in laughter, carrying more food to the table.
“Oh my. That, I want to see,” she cackled.
“Nellie, if you don’t have nothing nice to say, then stay quiet,” Bernard said, putting rubber bands in Olivia’s hair.
Sitting down, Nelson looked around. “Where are the boys and Ariel?” he asked.
“Nancy has them downstairs at the command desk,” Ronald said grinning.
Nodding as Michelle set down a cup of coffee, Nelson looked up at Devin in her arms. “Want me to hold him?” he asked, reaching out.
“Nah, I have him,” Michelle said, walking away.
Leaning over the table, “She wouldn’t let me have him either,” Gerald snapped quietly.
Ignoring Gerald, Nelson looked back at Ronald. “Think you will have the rest of the cameras up soon?” Nelson asked.
“By tonight,” Ronald said, sipping his coffee. “Then, Nancy wants me to help her set up the RC plane you have into a drone.”
Putting his cup down, “So, not only are you an electrician, you know electronics?” Nelson asked.
“Yeah,” Ronald nodded. “I had to study both for the Army, besides, they’re not that different once you learn the transistors.” Nelson just mumbled as Nellie set his plate down.
Bernard came over and sat down. “Gerald says you are going scouting today.”
“Yeah, just to see what’s around us further out,” Nelson said as the kids came upstairs. The boys and Ariel all passed by the table talking excitedly and moved over to the bar. Each one climbed up on a barstool as Nellie put down plates for them.
Grabbing his coffee cup, “You aren’t planning on hitting anyone, are you?” Bernard asked.
“If they try to hit me, I am,” Nelson said as Michelle walked around the table and set Devin in his high chair beside Gerald. Narrowing his eyes at Michelle, “We have to make sure someone isn’t setting up close or those gangs have been around here. Scouting is the only way to make sure,” Nelson said as Michelle looked up and saw the scowl on his face.
“I’m not in the mood,” she said calmly, walking around the table and sitting down beside him.
“Bernard, we always knew we would have to scout around us further than a few miles,” Gerald said as everyone else sat down.
Nodding his head as he reached out his hands to hold Michelle’s and Ashley’s hands, “I know, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Bernard said and everyone held hands as he said grace.
Chapter 3
Gripping the handle of the GAU to steady himself, Nelson used his feet to keep his body pressed back into the seat in the cupola. Driving slow, Matt picked his way between the trees as the buggy jolted, going over a rotten log. “Move further south,” Gerald said over the intercom.
Reaching up and flipping the toggle for his intercom, “You want to stop before we get to the tree line?” Nelson asked.
“Yeah, I’m just going to make sure nothing is close, then let Matt pull up and we can use the camera,” Gerald called back.
Granted, they could probably talk just as easily without the intercom because Nelson had worked on the buggies. They were already quiet, but he’d made them almost as quiet as the ATVs they used. Nobody wanted to risk raising their voice to talk.
Stopping back from the tree line, Matt turned and Gerald climbed out after unhooking his intercom cable and eased up to the tree line, pulling out his binoculars. Scanning around, Gerald came back but didn’t get in as he looked at them. “There’s people down there in a house,” he said, putting his binoculars back up.
Pulling out his map, Nelson found where they were; five miles southwest from the farm. Seeing more than one house on the satellite topo map, Nelson asked, “Which house?”
Climbing up on the side of the buggy, Gerald looked at the map and pointed. “That one,” he said and Nelson used a small marker to circle the house.
“That’s the third one,” Nelson said while looking at the map. “More people out here than we thought.”
“Want to contact them?” Gerald said, jumping back down.
“Not yet. They are less than a mile from the highway and that is too close,” Nelson said as Gerald nodded and moved to the front of the buggy. Guiding Matt to the tree line, Gerald climbed back inside and raised the telescoping post up with the thermal camera mounted on it.
In seconds, they were looking out from the small hilltop they were on and across the field to a house located next to a dirt road. On the small flat screen, they could see people working in a garden and some kids playing with a dog. “I only see two with weapons,” Matt said.
“No fortifications,” Nelson said.
“They have power,” Gerald said, pointing at solar panels on the roof. “Wonder if Bernard knows them?”
Looking at the screen, Nelson watched as someone rode a bicycle down the dirt road in front of the house toward the highway, but turned off at the house. “Maybe,” he said as more people came outside and left the garden to talk to the person on the bike. “I don’t think that person is part of that group.”
“Neither do I,” Matt said. They watched as the group talked to the bike rider before the bike rider waved and pulled back out onto the road, heading north and back the way it had come from.
They soon lost sight of the bike rider and Gerald made notes on a small pad. Reaching up, he turned the camera off and lowered the boom. “Well, we know there are more people here,” Gerald said, putting up his notepad.
“Yeah, wonder how many?” Matt said, looking out over the hill down into the field. “I’m going to back up and drive closer to the highway, since we don’t want to advertise.”
“Fuck that,” Gerald said, turning and looking up at Nelson. “You have that US flag in here?”
“Oh, hell yeah, and the Gadsden,” Nelson said grinning.
“How about we put those on the antenna and drive down this road,” Gerald said, pointing at his map. The dirt road sat a mile and a half back from the highway and traveled east to west like the highway. “We can see how many houses are occupied and move up to Mountain View and take a peek. Stop back a ways and sneak up to this hilltop,” Gerald said, looking at each one.
Jumping out, Nelson ran to the back to one of the storage boxes. “What about scouting and laying low?” Matt asked as Nelson pulled the flags out.
“So? If anyone sees us, they will see Old Glory and not that UN trash that flies for the
feds. If they are asked, all they can say is they saw a small buggy, and that’s used by all of our special forces units running around. Make the feds think Republic troops are moving around, prepping for an invasion,” Gerald said as Nelson bent the whip antenna down.
“Yeah, and the feds push more troops down here,” Matt said as Nelson let the antenna go with Old Glory at the top and the ‘Don’t tread on me’ Gadsden below it.
“I doubt it. With Oklahoma in the Republic’s hands now, Missouri has Republic troops to the south and southwest. The feds will concentrate on holding the interstate corridors. Especially since things are heating up in Colorado,” Gerald said as Nelson climbed back behind the GAU.
“If you say so, but I think it’s a big risk for little gain,” Matt said, backing up.
“Bullshit, I finally get to shoot something with the GAU,” Nelson said cheerfully.
“I rest my case,” Matt said, turning north.
Pulling out of the trees, Matt sped across the field until they reached a fence and Gerald climbed out. Since there were no cattle or animals in the field, Gerald just cut the strands of wire to allow Matt to pull through.
Climbing back in, Gerald held on as Matt drove across the field and could see a small dirt road ahead. Glancing up and back, Matt saw the flags standing out waving in the air, and felt better. Taking his foot off the accelerator, Matt looked around as the Flyer slowed down and stopped with Gerald jumping back out.
When the fence was cut, Gerald climbed back in. Grabbing the SAW that was mounted on the swing arm mounted at his door, Gerald checked it. “Nelson, don’t just shoot shit unless it’s hostile,” Gerald said over the intercom.
“Well, find something hostile,” Nelson said very cheerfully.
Shaking his head, Matt stepped on the accelerator and turned onto the dirt road. “You remember, this was your idea,” he said, glancing over at Gerald.
“Yaaahooo!” Nelson shouted above them.
Gerald laughed, “Man, I love that kid.”
Slowing down as he came to a T-intersection, Matt just glanced around before turning onto the new road. “You drive like a BITCH!” Nelson screamed.
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