Bug Out! Part 7: Mile High Motorhomes

by Robert Boren

  “You’re thinking several steps ahead, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You already know how to crack these things, don’t you?”

  “I have a pretty good idea, yes. They probably used concepts I developed to pull it off.”

  “You’ve been making it sound like it’s going to be more difficult that it is.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re buying time for a later step.”

  “This is why I adore you,” Frank said, smiling. “You’re smart as a whip.”

  “What are the two steps?”

  “Step one is to locate the enemy leadership and take them out. Step two is to flood the internet with Android and iPhone applications that will let anybody and everybody know where the bad guys are, be they in the next state, the next town, or two feet away. These two steps will be launched almost simultaneously. Step one will be started just hours before step two, and step two will be on auto-pilot, just in case something happens to us.”

  “You’re going around the government completely.”

  “Oh, the army will use this, but everybody else will know about it too. That will completely neutralize the enemy’s strategy, and no bad guys in our military or our government are going to be able to do anything to stop it.”

  “How’re you going to take out the two leaders?”

  “There’s three. Philip, Saladin, and that IT Security guru I was talking about a couple days ago.”

  “What was his name?”

  “Daan Mertens.”

  “What kind of name is that?”

  “Belgian,” Frank said.

  “Interesting. He’s an American, though?”

  “He was born here, but his parent’s weren’t. He’s related to several EU ruling class types.”

  “Interesting. If he’s just their technical guy, why do you want to hit him?”

  “I believe he’s more than just the technical guy.”

  “Lucy’s done, let’s go inside,” Jane said. Frank nodded, and they headed back to the coach.

  “Look, Jeb’s taking Rosie to his place,” Frank said, as they walked up the steps into their coach.

  “Saw that coming,” Jane said, smiling. “He’s in love with her, you know.”

  “I know. That’s part of what we talked about.”

  “You want to watch some TV?” Jane asked.

  “In the bedroom, maybe,” he said. “I’m beat.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  They both went into the bedroom and settled down for the night. Frank fell asleep right away. Jane didn’t. Her mind was busy working things out, thinking about all of the things that could go wrong. She didn’t fall asleep for another couple of hours.

  The next morning was sunny and bright. Frank woke up first, and looked at his phone. It was a little before 8:00am. Jane was sound asleep. He snuck out of bed, threw on some clothes, and went quietly out into the salon, closing the door behind him. Lucy and Mr. Wonderful were all over him. He hooked the leash on Lucy and took her outside. The morning air was crisp and, and there were several clouds in the air. It felt like the weather was going to change. Maybe they had rain coming in. Suddenly Lucy growled. Frank saw where she was looking. It was Dobie, with one of his Dobermans. He saw Frank and started towards him. He was wearing his pistol in a combat holster.

  “Morning, Frank,” he said. “This is Princess.”

  The dog slowly walked towards Frank, with Dobie holding her leash tightly. She sniffed Frank’s hand, looked up at him, and then licked his hand. Lucy sat down next to Frank’s leg, and growled softly.

  “Lucy, it’s okay,” Frank said. She looked up at him, then approached Princess. They got nose to nose, and then both their tails wagged as they checked each other out. Then Princess laid down and rolled on her back, and Lucy nuzzled her.

  “Princess is a really sweet dog,” Dobie said. “Unless she gets next to somebody who has bad intentions.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned. She always this friendly with other dogs?”

  “Usually.”

  “The others like this too?”

  “They’re more like work dogs. I’ve had Princess longer than the others, and I got her really young, so she’s imprinted to me. Much more affectionate. Princess’s the lead dog. She manages the other three.”

  “Impressive,” Frank said. They both chuckled as Lucy tried to climb on top of Princess. “You’re going to have to go through this with the other three, aren’t you?”

  “Yep, with every person here,” Dobie said.

  “They’ll remember everybody?”

  “Yes, as long as I’m with them during the introduction. They won’t take commands from the people I introduce them to, but they won’t hurt them, either. They’ll protect them.”

  “Wow,” Frank said.

  “Why don’t you two come with me to the kennel? I’ll get both of you introduced to the others.”

  “Sounds great,” Frank said. They started over towards the barn.

  “I love this place,” Dobie said. “So many good memories over the years.”

  “You came here growing up?”

  “Of course. Gabe was older…I was probably an annoyance to him back then. My dad and Gabe’s dad were close.”

  “Wearing your sidearm, I see,” Frank said.

  “I thought what the hell,” he said. “I asked Gabe, and he thought it was a good idea.”

  “You don’t feel that safe here either, do you?”

  “I’m afraid this whole area is going to get flooded with enemy fighters before it’s over. One of the reasons I came out here was to get Gabe away before that happens. He’d stick it out without a push. I can’t lose him…he’s the only family I’ve got left.”

  “Oh, I thought it was the dogs that brought you out here,” Frank said.

  “That was a very good excuse, and if things go south in town, this will be safer, at least temporarily.”

  “Well, that all depends,” Frank said. “The enemy is kinda mad at some of us.”

  “So I’ve heard,” Dobie said, laughing. “Nice job, by the way.”

  Frank nodded. They were at the back of the barn now, and the other dogs started to bark. Lucy held back for a minute, straining against the leash.

  “It’s okay, girl,” Frank said in a soft voice, “they’re friends, just like Princess.”

  Dobie hooked Princess’s leach on the fence post, and got out two of the dogs.

  “This is Simon and Peabody,” Dobie said, grinning. The dogs approached Frank and sniffed him, then licked his hand and looked up at him. Lucy approached them and nuzzled them. They sniffed each other. These Dobermans didn’t roll on their backs. They sat down, and Lucy sat down facing them. They were very calm.

  “Well, this is going well,” Frank said. “I see what you mean about them not being as affectionate, though.”

  “It’s the working dog thing. See them sitting there? They’re showing respect, not affection.”

  “Interesting,” Frank said.

  Dobie put these dogs back into the kennel, and got the last one out. It was a little bit smaller. “This is the baby,” he said. “C’mon, Duchess.” She approached much like Simon and Peabody did, sniffing and licking Frank, and doing the same with Lucy. Then Dobie put her back.

  “So, the females are Duchess and Princess, and you name the males after goofy cartoon characters?” Frank said, laughing.

  “Yeah, got to keep my sense of humor,” he said.

  Lucy walked back over to Princess and sat down next to her.

  “Wow, they’re buddies,” Frank said.

  “You don’t need to worry about these dogs now,” Dobie said. “They are your protectors.”

  “This is really cool. Someday when we can settle down, I’d love to learn more about this kind of training.”

  “Not much I like talking about more than my dogs,” Dobie said, grinning. “Well, I’d better continue the rounds with Princess.” He pulled her leash off of th
e fence post and they started back out towards the center of the park.

  “You already show them the boundaries?”

  “Yes, I was up at six, and that’s the first thing I did. They’re set. As soon as they meet everybody, they’ll pretty much have the run of the place, although I try to get them to sleep a little during midday. That way they’re keen and sharp at night.”

  “Dobie! Frank! Come over!” Gabe shouted from the veranda at the clubhouse.

  “What’s wrong?” Frank shouted.

  “Denver is under attack!”

  Chapter 04 – Mile High Battle

  Dobie and Frank ran over to Gabe, who was on the veranda of the clubhouse. Lucy and Princess were right there with them, both looking around warily.

  “It’s on the news now, guys,” Gabe said, as he turned to go back into the door. They followed.

  The big TV screen showed fighting by I-70, on the outskirts of Denver. There were a lot of police vehicles blocking the highway, but only a few army vehicles. You could see more army vehicles on their way, in the distance. Suddenly there were explosions in front of the line of police vehicles.

  “Mortars getting sighted in,” Frank said.

  The announcer came on.

  “The attack started about an hour ago, near the suburb of Lakewood, just west of Denver. This is the hottest spot, but there are enemy flooding in from either side as well. This is a significant enemy force, and they appear to have taken the army by surprise.”

  Charlie and the Sheriff trotted into the door. Hilda followed, a somber look on her face.

  The announcer continued.

  “The Army spokesman downplayed the danger, and said that attack helicopters would be in the air soon, but that was half an hour ago, and the air remains clear of any helicopters or planes. Private citizens in Denver are well armed, and taking up positions on rooftops along the western border of Lakewood.”

  “Somebody at the base has got those choppers bottled up,” Charlie said. “Anything we should do around here?”

  “Keep our eyes open,” Frank said.

  “I’m going to kick the introductions of the dogs into high gear, and then let them patrol,” Dobie said.

  “Everybody should have their guns with them,” Gabe said.

  “Yeah, I think you’re right,” the Sheriff said. “I’m going to go get mine. See you back here in a few.”

  “I’ll get the coffee pot going,” Gabe said. “It’s going to be a long day.”

  “I’ll go get armed too, and be back in a little while,” Frank said. He followed the Sheriff out the door, and rushed to the coach. Jane was just coming out of the bedroom as he entered, with Lucy hot on his trail.

  “Already out for the walk, eh,” she said, stretching and rubbing her eyes. She saw his concerned look. “What?”

  “Denver is under attack,” Frank said. “I was just watching it on the TV in the clubhouse. Gabe ran out and told us.”

  “Who’s us?”

  “Dobie and me. By the way, I’ve met all of the dogs, and so has Lucy. Amazing animals.”

  “I’ll turn on the TV and get dressed,” Jane said, picking up the remote.

  “I’ll feed the children,” Frank said, going to the fridge to get out the pet food. He put food in the two bowls and put them on the floor. The TV announcer got his attention.

  “There have been explosions at the military base, around the airstrip and the hangars. Meanwhile enemy fighters continue to flood into the area from the west, but are facing tough resistance from local police and townspeople. Mortar fire has started to hit the outskirts of the city. The army is bringing tanks up, but they’re having a hard time making it down the congested roads, as people are attempting to flee.”

  “Why the hell aren’t aircraft coming in from outside of Denver?” Jane asked, as she walked out of the bedroom with her shoes in her hand.

  “Good question,” Frank said. “If the cretins were able to stop the army choppers from taking off, they must have had a pretty good sized infiltration.”

  “Seriously,” Jane said, as she got her shoes on. Frank went into the bedroom and put on his pistol belt. He carried the Winchester and the M-16 out with him.

  “We’re going to be armed today?” Jane asked.

  “Yeah, this would be a good time for the enemy to hit us, if we’re still high on the priority list. How much ammo do you have left for the M-16?”

  “Most of it,” she said. “Jasmine and I were given two hundred rounds each, and we didn’t use any of that for the training fire. I’ve still got at least 180 rounds.”

  “Good,” Frank said, leaning both rifles up near the front door.

  There was a knock. Frank opened the door. It was Dobie, with Princess.

  “Jane decent?” he asked. “Time for the introduction.”

  “I’m ready,” Jane said. She went down the steps.

  The TV Announcer came back on.

  “There is a fire fight going on at the military base, over the remaining aircraft hangars by the airstrip. Three of the attack helicopters took off a few minutes ago, with some of the enemy infiltrators trying to shoot them down. It appears that the army is winning the battle. There are between forty and fifty attack helicopters in the hangars they are fighting over.”

  “Yes!” Frank said. Jane and Dobie came in the door.

  “What happened?” Jane asked.

  “The army is taking care of the infiltrators. We should see a bunch of attack helicopters in the air shortly. Three just took off. You could see some of the phony soldiers turn and fire at them. Amazing video.”

  “Jane was the last of the intros for Princess,” Dobie said. “I’m going to let her loose and get the others introduced. See you in a little while.” He walked towards the front of the park, took the leash off of Princess, gave her a command, and then walked away. She started walking back and forth along the front of the park, keeping an eye over towards the road.

  “Impressive dog,” Jane said. “Glad she’s on our side.”

  “You should’ve seen her and Lucy together,” Frank said. “She laid on her back and let Lucy climb on top of her. They like each other.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Dobie was saying.”

  “Want to eat something before we go over?” Frank asked.

  “How about a couple of bars, with some coffee?”

  “Gabe’s cranking up the big coffee pot in the clubhouse,” Frank said, “but bars would be good.” He walked over to the pantry and took two out, tossing one to Jane. They sat down for a moment and started eating them as the TV announcer came back on.

  “The enemy fighters have just used mortars to take out the police line on the I-70 entry point, and are clearing debris and moving their vehicles deeper into the city. They’re concentrating fire on the rooftops where the citizen snipers are set up, but are taking heavy losses at the hands of the sharpshooters.”

  “Where are those damn choppers?” Frank asked. “C’mon, guys.”

  “You ready to go, Frank?” Jane asked.

  “Yeah, let’s go,” he said. He put Lucy’s leash on her, picked up his Winchester, and headed out the door. Jane picked up her M-16 and followed him, stuffing an extra box of shells into her vest pocket as she went.

  Jeb was helping Rosie up the steps of the veranda as they got there.

  “Good morning, you two,” Jane said.

  “Morning to you,” Rosie said.

  “Seen the news yet, Jeb?” Frank asked.

  “No, but I saw a stream of people heading here, so I figured something was up.”

  “Denver is under attack.”

  “Dammit,” he said. “Didn’t think it would happen this fast.”

  Earl and Jackson were already in the clubhouse with cups of coffee, watching the screen next to Gabe and Charlie and the Sheriff. The Deputy walked in, followed by Kurt and Mary.

  “Didn’t we just leave this party?” Kurt asked, looking at the video on the screen.

  “How are
these jerks hiding their numbers?” Earl asked. “Look at all those guys.”

  “Looks like mostly Islamists,” Jackson said, “but their sharpshooters are militia folks. Look.” He pointed to the screen, just as one of the militias men’s heads exploded.

  “Yes!” Jerry shouted, walking up behind Frank and Jane, “Nice shot.”

  “I’d give my eye teeth to be up there with those guys,” Jeb said.

  “You get your chance,” Rosie said, patting him on the shoulder.

  Jane looked over at Jasmine. She flashed back an embarrassed smile.

  “Well, Jasmine?”

  “If there’s nothing wrong with him, that probably did it last night,” she whispered, still looking embarrassed.

  “Good,” Jane replied.

  “Want coffee, honey?” Frank asked.

  “Love some,” she replied. Frank walked off towards the kitchen, seeing Dobie walk in with Simon and Peabody.

  “More introductions?”

  “Yeah, Simon and Peabody met everybody outside,” he said. He started around the room, making introductions.

  Frank got two cups of coffee and walked back over to Jane. They drank as they watched the screen.

  “Look, choppers!” Jackson shouted.

  “About friggin time,” Frank said.

  The choppers used their mini guns to take out the row of sharpshooters that were laying down on I-70 firing at the rooftops. The fighters who didn’t get hit scrambled for cover.

  “That’ll keep their heads down,” Earl said, “but there’s a lot of concrete cover around that freeway overpass.”

  Jerry came over to Frank and leaned in. “We’d better keep our focus. This might move out timetable up a little. Let’s go talk to Gabe about going into town.” Frank nodded, and they both went over to him.

  “Gabe, up for that trip into town?” Jerry asked.

  “Yeah, but we need to wait until Dobie finishes his rounds with the dogs before we discuss it.”

  “Understood,” Frank said. “He’s finishing up with the two males now. Then he’s got Duchess.”

  “Yeah,” Gabe said. “I’ll get with him after that. Maybe we can take Terry along. He’s the only other one of you guys who wasn’t on that video, correct?”