Out of LA

by Dennis Elder

  “He’s a slime ball,” said Mary. “Complete crepo. Who knows what he’s capable of. That’s why I wanted them to know we mean business.”

  “I think he got the message,” said Pam.

  “Maybe,” responded Mary. “But he’ll be back as soon as he can stand again. He’ll want revenge now.”

  “You sure know how to win friends and influence people,” commented Leny.

  “Sooner or later his kind turns to wolf,” said Mary. “It’s always the lamb first. But sooner or later the wolf comes out.”

  “Time for us to fly,” suggested Pam.

  “Yes,” replied Mary. Tomorrow or the next day at the latest. We’ll need supplies and something to carry them in.”

  “Maybe the shopping cart,” suggested Pam.

  “I think we better find something a little quieter,” replied Mary. “Those wobbly wheels attract to many undesirables.”

  “Backpacks,” suggested Leny. “I saw some bigger backpacks at the sporting goods store near the freeway.”

  “And we’ll need something to move Sally on,” said Pam.

  “Say, they had a display wagon in the sporting goods store too and it had large rubber tires on it,” added Leny. “I think it would be big enough to carry her.”

  “Good,” said Mary. “Then early tomorrow, way before dawn, Leny and I’ll will visit the sporting goods store and gather what we need for the trip.”

  “Where we going?” ask Pam.

  “There’s not much north but desert. But if we went back toward LA a bit, maybe to Hesperia, we might find a safer place to stay. Maybe another hospital - something not too far, but far enough to get us away from fat boy Chucky and his three amigos.”

  It was quite for a moment. The women were all thinking about moving and what it might take.

  Leny giggled and bit and then said, “He really was a fat boy, wasn’t he?”

  Mary started laughing too. Then Pam joined in. The laughter was therapeutic and gave them an outlet against the terror they’d witnessed earlier.

  The image of Chuck trying to grab his bleeding foot was pretty funny too.

  Chapter 56: Where are all the guys?

  The guys had learned a long time ago to trust Mark’s battlefield judgment. When it came to assessing terrain, positioning firepower, timing and execution, Mark was a gifted genius. There had been many firefights in Afghanistan where a platoon or company under Mark’s command was up against a much larger force. But in every case Mark’s planning and tactical judgment always stumped the enemy and won the day, with minimum causalities. The men trusted Mark.

  Today would test Mark’s skills again. Based on the tip from the guy that Gracie shot dead the day before, Mark knew there was a large and heavily armed force ahead, somewhere up the Cajon Pass. They had some kind of heavy gun too. They’d have to scope that out before they engaged them.

  The regulars, plus Jacob, Robert, William and Jeremy were all woken at 1 am. They ate a quick breakfast, leftovers from last night. They packed their bikes and trailers and began riding up I-15 in the dark. They made sure their equipment was tied down tight, so it wouldn’t make any noise. Because it was so dark there was a pretty good chance they’d get a flat tire. That’s why they left so early.

  When they got to crossroad 136 they all exited I-15. Tyrone and Jake went left on the crossroad, and the rest of the men and all the boys went right.

  Tyrone and Jake traveled less than a mile and then turned north on Santa Fe Road. It was a small two-lane road that was largely unused ever since the I-15 freeway was built. It doubled back and forth for about twelve miles as they two men rode their bikes climbing from roughly a thousand feet to their final destination around six thousand feet. The road names changed from Santa Fe to Baldy Mesa Road and finally to Forest Route 3N21 before they finally stopped at 4 am. It was still dark, but based on their previous map study, they hoped they had positioned themselves on a ridge looking back down on the top of the Cajon pass. Mark felt the enemy would have positioned their force at the top of the pass where they had the best view of anyone coming up I-15 from the valley below. Jake and Tyrone set up the TAC 50 caliber sniper rifle behind the protection of two large boulders. When they were set they called Mark on their radio and let him know they were in position. The men got comfortable and waited for dawn.

  Frank Jones led the other larger group. They went right on Route 136 and then four miles later turned North on Forest Route 3N45. The Forest road was another windy two-lane route that got very little use. But it took them up the grade and hopefully would position them slightly behind the enemy’s position. Once they got to the top, they rode their bikes on to Forestry Road and quietly parked them against the guard rail. It was still very dark, but from the map, they should have been within 100 feet of the North bound lane of I-15. Each man and boy grabbed a bottle of water, their rifles and six full clips of ammunition.

  Frank led them on foot directly west until they came to the eastern shoulder of I-15. They moved south about 300 yards until they came to the spot Mark had highlighted on the map. Then they spread out along the shoulder and got comfortable. The older men instructed the boys to keep their heads down and not to fire until they were told to. They all laid down and tried to get some sleep, while they waited for the sun to come up. The regulars were accustomed to hurry up and wait scenarios. The boys were too excited and just looked up at the stars above their heads. Frank picked up the second radio and toggled the talk switch.

  “Mark,” said Frank.

  It was 5 am when Frank finally called in. But Mark was awake and expecting the call.

  “Here,” said Mark.

  “We’re in position, no issues,” said Frank.

  “Roger that,” replied Mark. “Heads down to both teams until I give the word.”

  Mark looked at his watch.

  “OK, I estimate we’ll be in position around 8:30 am,” said Mark, into his radio. “A little earlier if no flats.”

  “10-4,” replied Frank.

  “Roger that,” added Tyrone, from where he and Jake had positioned themselves.

  “Let me know what we’re up against as soon as you can,” finished Mark.

  Then Mark set down the radio and stood up to stretch a bit. He’d been sitting quietly all night in an easy chair. Susan, Silvia and the girls were still asleep all through the house.

  “Gonna be an interesting day,” Mark thought.

  The plan included Mark and girls riding straight up I-15 this morning. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any trouble.

  “Everybody up!” shouted Mark, as he pulled out his small booklet. “Connie and Teresa are on breakfast detail. We eat and are on the road in 60 minutes.”

  There were the usual groans and objections, but everyone was soon stirring and Connie and Teresa were pulling out their stoves. They’d be heating canned food this morning, plus the few bananas they’d found the night before. Meals were becoming more and more basic every day because there was less and less unspoiled fresh food.

  Caroline had slept on the couch. When Mark barked “everybody up,” she sat up with most of her tangled hair hanging down over her face. She shook her hair behind her head and began brushing it with a plastic brush she always kept in a pocket. As he she did she noticed none of the men or boys seemed to be in the house.

  “Hey,” she said. “Where are all the guys?”

  “I’ll explain everything as soon as everybody is fed and hit the john,” said Mark.

  Susan stumbled out of one of the bedrooms and heard what Mark said.

  “Explain what?” said Susan. “And where are all the guys?”

  Chapter 57: Robert

  Once the women and girls had eaten breakfast, packed their bikes and were ready to ride, Mark brought everyone in the house into the living room. He spread his map of the area on the dining room table. Everyone gathered around it.

  “As you know today we are going to climb the Cajon pass,” began Mark. “We’ll climb roughly five
thousand feet in elevation before we get to the top. You’ll all sleep very soundly tonight.”

  “OK. But where are the men?” asked Susan.

  “Last night, around 1 am, the men left early, rode up the freeway and exited on Road 136 here,” said Mark as he pointed to a road map with his finger. “Then they broke into two groups and made their way up these two roads and have taken positions roughly here,” pointed Mark. “And here.”

  “Why just the men?” questioned Susan a bit defensively.

  “I’ll get to that,” replied Mark, as he pointed to a highlighted spot about 300 yards just below the top of the Cajon pass on the North bound lane.

  “We will ride to this point, and begin a dialogue with the enemy,” said Mark.

  “Why are you calling them the enemy?” asked Cheryl.

  “Everybody is the enemy until I am convinced they’re 100% friendly. Until we know that, we always assume they intend to do us harm,” continued Mark.

  “How do you know there unfriendly? questioned Silvia.

  “Based on what the man told us yesterday,” said Mark.

  “Which is?” wondered Teresa. But before Mark could reply Gracie spoke.

  “Because he was selling that woman to them,” said Gracie.

  “That’s right,” added Mark.

  “So, you think they will want to buy some or all of us too,” suggested Susan.

  “It follows,” said Mark.

  “Why didn’t you include me with the men?” asked Susan, still a little defensive.

  “Not part of the plan,” said Mark.

  “I can shoot just as well as any of those boys,” said Connie. “I could have gone.”

  “It’s not about shooting skill or being a man versus a woman,” offered Mark.

  “What’s it about then?” said Teresa.

  Mark paused for effect and then said, “It’s about the trap.”

  “Trap?” asked Silvia.

  Mark nodded his head in the affirmative.

  “Yesterday that man told us the guys at the top of the pass had a very large army,” began Mark. “That sounds like a force of 200 or so, which is 10 times the size of our group. Even with our superior weapons we would probably not survive in a stand-up firefight.”

  “And so,” said Silvia.

  “And so,” continued Mark. “We need to create a set of circumstances that will make fighting with us so costly that the enemy above us will either surrender or allow us to pass.”

  “And where do we fit into this set of circumstances?” asked Susan.

  Mark smiled before he responded.

  “We walk right up to them and tell them how it’s going to go down,” said Mark, as he pointed to the highlighted spot again. “We go this far and then demand to talk with their leader.”

  “We’re bait,” said Susan.

  Mark shook his head and said, “More like a distraction.”

  Susan moved forward and looked closely at the highlighted area.

  “OK boss,” said Susan. “Let’s get to it.”

  Mark folded up his map and stuffed it into his jacket and the group moved out into the garage where they saddled up and began moving back toward the I-15 freeway on ramp.

  The grade was steep and constant. It flattened out a little from time to time, but the group kept moving with Mark at the front. They had one flat tire before they reached their destination. While he was waiting on the flat repair, Tyrone’s voice was heard on the radio.”

  “Major?” asked Tyrone between static bursts.

  “I’m here,” said Mark. “Got eyes on anything useful?”

  “They got a fifty cal machine gun up here,” began Tyrone, as he looked through his smart scope. “It’s positioned above the South Bound lane of I-15 on a little observation area. The gun emplacement has sandbags around it and there are about twenty other firing positions along the road with similar sandbag protection. They have a clear view of anything below. It’s a good spot.”

  “How many men?” asked Mark back.

  “Not sure,” said Jake. “Currently there are 15 men up and in the forward positions, but there are a lot of tents in the observation parking lot. Could be a hundred plus more sleeping or resting. Looks like they’ve got a cooking tent going too. About 30 men plus are eating there. There are three women cooking and serving.”

  “Alright,” said Mark. We’re still about an hour out.

  Mark clicked the radio again and said, “Frank you set?”

  “Roger that. We‘re in a good spot here, just across from their forward position,” said Frank. “They do have slightly higher ground than us but we’ll be able to bring sustained fire on them, until they swing they 50 Cal on us.”

  “Hopefully they’ll never get the chance,” replied Mark. “But get those kid’s heads way down if they do.”

  “Roger that and out,” said Frank. Mark looked over and saw that the women had finished fixing the flat tire and were ready to ride.

  It was 8:31 am when Mark stopped his bike again. The women and girls followed suit. Even with the naked eye he could see a growing number of tiny men standing far up above him in the forward positions Tyrone had described earlier. They were looking down and eyeing him and girls. The big 50 cal machine gun was there too. He and the girls dismounted their bikes and leaned them up against the concrete divider on the west side of the road. Everybody grabbed two water bottles, their rifles and three full clips. Then they moved back toward the right shoulder of the North bound lane and placed their guns, ammo and water over the side of the eastern embankment. They stood together as a group, just slightly behind Mark. When Mark was satisfied they were in position he took out a white handkerchief and raised it in the air. He hoped it would bring down someone from the group of men above. Talking was always preferred to shooting.

  He kept the girls standing, wanting the men to see the women. He also hoped it would distract the men above as Frank, Jake, Tyrone and the others prepared for the worst.

  Ten minutes later a gruff man of about 35 hiked down a side trail toward Mark and the girls. Once he was about 20 yards away, Mark dropped his white flag on the ground and whipped up his Bushmaster ARC and leveled it at the man.

  The guy stopped short in his tracks. Mark didn’t even need to tell him to stop.

  “Keep your hands where I can see um,” said Mark. “No silly or sudden moves.”

  The man held his hands out slightly in an open manner.

  “Right,” said the guy. “No sudden moves.”

  “We’re here to negotiate,” said Mark, his finger on the rifle’s trigger.

  “Right,” said the guy again, as he leered as the women just behind Mark. “You want to negotiate the price.”

  “Not exactly,” said Mark.

  The man’s smile vanished. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure what Mark was getting at.

  “You brought women,” said the man as he greedily eyed the girls. “You want to sell them?”

  Mark didn’t answer the man. Maybe the guy would offer some intelligence.

  I just want to pass into Victorville,” said Mark. “These women are for some other buyers.”

  “Where?” questioned the man. “In Victorville? There are no other buyers in Victorville.”

  “Yes, there is,” said Mark. “All we want to do is pass through. We don’t want any trouble.”

  “Look buddy,” said the man. “Let me give you a little advice,” as pointed back up over his shoulder at the armed men above them.

  “There are nearly 200 of us up on that line and they all have a clear shot at you,” said the man with a sneer. “You can’t go back without getting shot, and you dam well sure can’t go forward.”

  “We just want to pass,” said Mark again. “We don’t want any trouble.”

  “Then sell me the girls and you can go back down to LA,” said the man.

  Mark hesitated. He was wondering if he could gain any more by talking with this miscreant.

  “This is your last cha
nce,” said Mark.

  “My last chance?” questioned the man. “Aren’t you a little out gunned to be making demands?”

  “I have two groups surrounding your little army up there,” warned Mark. “If you won’t let us pass then I’ll order them to fire.”

  The man looked up and around for a few seconds. Then he turned back to the Mark and the girls.

  “That’s funny,” began the guy. “I don’t see anybody but you and your gaggle of females here.