by A. American
“And eat that crap?” Daniel added.
Bob laughed and shrugged. “It’s just me and I don’t need much.”
“Kind of fond of sardines aren’t you?” Daniel asked.
Smiling, Bob said, “They’re easy and I like ‘em.”
“Well, I think we have all the sardines we’ll need,” Christy said.
Bob wagged his eyebrows. “I do, anyway.”
Gene came out on the porch, wiping his hands on a rag. “Hey, Bob. Can I get that laptop?”
Rising to his feet, Bob replied. “Sure thing, Gene.” And he headed into the house with Gene following.
Daniel looked at Teague. “What’d you hear on the radio?”
Teague told them what they’d heard, making sure to impress on them the information they’d gleaned about what it was like in the cities and how important it was to stay away from large population centers. The three discussed their options. Christy wanted to wait a while. Teague wanted to leave right away. Daniel was on the fence. He wasn’t sure what to do.
Teague ran his hands through his hair. “Yeah. Well, we have to make a decision soon.”
“Why?” Daniel asked. “What’s the hurry? We’re safe here. We’ve got food, water and even power. There’s no trouble out here. What’s the rush?”
Teague didn’t have an immediate response. “I guess we really don’t. But I would like to get on the road.”
Daniel leaned forward and rubbed his face. “I just wish we had some damn information! The worst thing is the not knowing what’s going on.”
“I feel the same way. I just wish we knew what was happening around the country,” Christy said.
Bob appeared in the door and said, “Hey guys, you gotta check this out.”
They followed Bob through the house and out into the garage. It was dark with the big door closed. But there was light coming from inside the van. Gene was sitting in the driver’s seat with the laptop on the dash in front of him. As they got closer, it became clear what was on the screen. It was an image of the wall in front of the van. There was a bright, nearly washed-out circle on the screen. But the tool bench that ran along the wall was clearly visible.
“What the hell is that?” Daniel asked.
Gene stepped out of the van and walked around to the front. “Look at the screen.” Everyone moved around until they could see the screen. “Before we left the bank, I loaded a few things into the van. While this wasn’t what I was thinking at the time, it’s a perfect use for the camera and infrared light I took.” Pointing at the top of the van, he said, “I mounted the camera and the light on the front of that rack up there. Using the monitor, we can drive this thing in the dark.”
Teague clapped his hands. “That’s genius!”
Daniel pushed his way towards the driver’s seat. “Let me see what it’s like.” He climbed in and settled behind the wheel, as if he were driving. The view on the screen was good, though there was only a short distance to the wall in front of him. “I’d like to see what it’s like outside.”
Gene nodded. “Already thought of that. We’ll try it after dark tonight. Take it for a spin and see how it works.”
Daniel adjusted himself in the seat and pretended to be driving. “The angle is a little strange. It just doesn’t feel normal to be looking to the right like this. But I think it will work.”
“We’ll find out after dark tonight,” Bob said as Daniel got out of the van.
After Gene turned everything off, the group went back out onto the porch. They spent the rest of the day listening to the radio. Gene was a master at manipulating the controls and was able to find far more conversations than Teague. Using Gene’s considerable skill, they were able to gather quite a bit more intel.
Gene stopped on one conversation that caught his ear, so they could listen for a while.
…completely shut down.
The whole city? How the hell do you close off a city the size of Birmingham?
With lots of tanks and machineguns. That’s how. You don’t dare get caught out after the curfew.
Are they shooting people?
Are they shooting people? It sounds like the Thunder Run into Baghdad!
Holy shit.
I’m serious. I’ve heard tank main-gun rounds being fired. They ain’t playing. Plus, you can hear Strykers and Bradleys working in the city. But you know what the really weird thing is?
What’s that?
There are signs directing people to aid centers in the city. I mean, they’re bringing people into the city and there’s all kinds of shooting going on.
Damn, how far out of town are you?
I live in Forestdale, on the northeast side. But we made a trip towards the city, during the day of course. I’m not about to be out after the curfew. That’s when you hear most of the shooting.
I hear there’s lots of strange stuff going on at the airports. You seen anything strange over there?
The airport is on the other side of town. No way I’m going over there. But we have seen a lot of aircraft, military stuff.
If there’s a curfew, how was you out driving around?
They don’t seem to bother with you during the day. Of course there are checkpoints on the highway. You don’t want to get caught with a gun. But, other than that, they let you go where you need to. I guess they figure some folks still need to work.
Good talking to you. I’m getting off here before someone kicks my door in. Stay safe out there, bud.
You too, friend.
Gene looked over at Bob. “Well, that’s interesting. Sounds like we need to stay away from the interstate and large cities.”
“Any town. I say anything with more than one traffic signal, we go around,” Teague said.
Bob flipped the ash from his ever-present cigarette. “Sounds like we need to travel during the day on secondary roads and try to avoid checkpoints. Stay away from any towns. And if it comes to it, we can travel at night as well.”
Daniel stood up and leaned against the rail. “If they’re not messing with you during the day, we should give that a shot. With the curfew in place, any movement at night will get us in trouble.”
Teague rocked his chair back. “So, we’re rolling up to a roadblock with a truckload of guns. That will end badly for everyone, because they aren’t taking me anywhere.”
“We need to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Daniel replied.
“So, it’s settled then? We’re heading to Texas?” Bob asked.
The group shared looks around. It was Gene who spoke first. “I’ve got nothing else to do. Let’s go.”
Bob looked at Daniel. After all, it was his van. Finally, Daniel nodded. “I guess so.” Looking at the group, he asked, “Leave in the morning?”
Teague jumped up. “Hell yeah, guys! Let’s go to Texas!”
The rest of the evening was spent ensuring the van was packed with everything they would possibly need. Gene spent time going through Bob’s collection of tools. He wanted to take it all, but space was at a premium, so he was restricted to a small bag and what it could hold. Not that the additional tools were even needed; he’d already pinched tools from the bank before they left.
Daniel and Christy were adding the food from the kitchen to the van, trying to find room for it all. Christy pulled a short cardboard box out from under one of the seats. Holding up a jar full of a dark, thick liquid, she asked, “What the hell is in these?”
Daniel took the jar and placed it back in the box. “Oh, that’s something Gene made up, just in case.”
“Just in case of what?”
Daniel shrugged. “Whatever. It’s napalm.”
“Napalm! What could we possibly need that for?”
“Never know when you might need to burn something.”
Christy looked at the box. “How did you make it?”
Daniel smiled like a kid recounting some forbidden chemistry experiment. “It was the coolest thing. We took Styrofoam cups and added them one at a time to the jars. They were about half full of gas and we kept dropping the cups in until they wouldn’t dissolve anymore. It’s really thick and sticky and even when it’s burning, it will stick to stuff. It’s really cool.”
“Is it safe having it in the van?”
“Oh sure. I mean, as long as there’s no flame around it.”
Christy shook her head. “Oh, that makes me feel better.”
Teague and Bob went through Bob’s guns. Bob lamented having to leave them. But with the guns from the bank there was no sense in taking them all. Bob did add two though. A Ruger 10-22 and a beautiful brand new Ruger Mark IV Hunter pistol. They reasoned if they needed to hunt, the combination that used the same ammo could come in handy. Ammo, cleaning kits and spare parts were loaded into the van. They added a few other things as well, like a spotting scope, binoculars and a tripod.
Gene also took the time to go over the van. He checked all the fluids and even greased the undercarriage. And he checked all the tires and added a tire plug kit and small 12-volt compressor he’d found when rummaging around in the garage. He also added a couple jugs of motor oil, power steering fluid and anti-freeze to the van, stuffing the jugs into any small space he could find. A couple of rolls of duct tape and electrical tape finished his preparations. As he was wrapping things up, the smell of cooking meat caught his nose, and he wandered out to the back porch.
Bob was at the grill, cigarette in his teeth, a beer in one hand and a BBQ fork in the other. “Thought we’d have another steak before we hit the road,” he said as Gene came out.
Gene plucked a beer from a small tin tub full of ice sitting on the table. It was the last eighteen-pack from the garage. No sense wasting it. “Sounds good to me. I think the van is as ready as I can make it.”
Daniel looked up. “What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with the van.”
Taking a tug on his beer, Gene smiled. “No, there’s not. And now I know there isn’t.”
Christy came out the door with a large bowl in her hands and set it on the table. “I made a salad, sort of. Bob, you really should eat more vegetables.”
Bob snorted. “Lions and tigers don’t eat vegetables. Vegetables are what my food eats!”
Taking a beer for herself, Christy replied. “Lions and tigers don’t have high blood pressure or cholesterol. You should take better care of yourself.”
“Christy, my dear. None of us gets out of this thing we call life alive. We’re all going to die. I’d rather die with a belly full of meat than kale.”
Gene saluted the statement with his beer. “Amen, brother!”
When the steaks were done, Bob piled them on a plate and set them on the table. Then he disappeared into the house. He came back out with an atlas in hand and sat down. He laid the map book on the table and opened it.
“Let’s get the first part of our route planned out here,” he said.
Teague took a plate and stabbed a steak with a fork. “You do that. I’m going to eat.”
Without looking up, Bob said, “You should let the steak rest.”
Teague snorted. “It can rest in my gut.” And he sat down to get to work. “I gotta say one thing, Bob. You have fine taste in meat. These ribeyes are awesome.”
The group, except for Teague who was too busy eating, gathered around the atlas. Several options were discussed as they traced the red lines on the page.
“We need to stay away from heavily traveled roads. The smaller, the better. No interstates for sure. Here’s what I’m thinking.” Bob traced his finger over the map. “We’ll take 154 here down to highway 29. A couple of miles down is a power line right-of-way. I’ve ridden it before on ATVs. It will take us over here to twenty-seven, south of Whitesburg. Then we’ll go up towards Georgia five and head west.”
As Bob was talking, his cell phone began to issue the emergency alert tone. It had become the norm to have at least one cell phone available in case the government issued any statements. The phone issued the undulating tone while vibrating on the table. Bob picked it up, anxiously awaiting to learn about whatever new shit the government was planning to lay on the public.
After a moment of reading, he shook his head. “Listen to this shit. Due to the rising levels of violence and unrest in some of the major cities, the Department of Homeland Security issues the following statement. As the private ownership and possession of firearms is now outlawed, we are stepping up the program. If You See Something, Say Something. If you see anyone with a firearm, of any type, text 99999 with the information on the individual breaking the law.
“This also applies to illegal radio transmitters. If you know of someone using such a device, text 99999 with the whereabouts of the equipment and the individual. For participating in the preservation of law and order, you will be rewarded with cash and commodities. These unlawful acts are adding to the violence and must be stopped. Only by working together can we return our cities to a peaceful state”
Teague pointed across the table with his fork. “Now they want us to rat on each other. And for what? Some money?”
“What did they mean by commodities?” Christy asked.
Bob dropped the phone onto the table. “I would assume that means food, maybe fuel. Who knows. But it shows they know people can’t get what they need on a daily basis and they’re using it as a tool to clamp down.”
Christy shook her head. “Clamp down on what? The people looting the cities? Then, good.”
Daniel ran his palms cross the table. “Babe, we’re the ones they’re talking about here. We have guns and a radio. We’re the people they want turned in.”
“But we haven’t done anything wrong.”
Gene ran a comb through his mustache. “This isn’t about right or wrong. This is about control. I worked for the government long enough to know that the number one thing they want to protect is their power.”
Stuffing a piece of steak in his mouth, Teague said, “This doesn’t change shit for us as I see it. We still need to hit the road and try to get to Texas, where there is some sanity.”
“Indeed,” Bob said. “But we’ll need to keep all the guns out of sight.”
“The radio too.” Gene added.
“I’ll keep my gun out of sight, but close. If I need it, I want to have it handy,” Teague said.
The conversation died down while everyone ate their steaks. The trip weighed on each of them as the night wore on. Christy and Daniel turned in early, looking to spend some quiet time before they hit the road in the morning.
Chapter 9
Bob woke up early and sat on the edge of his bed in the glow of his alarm clock. It was 5:35 as he shook a cigarette out and lit it. Rising to his feet, his knees popped loudly and he flinched. Shaking his head, he stretched and walked to the bathroom on stiff legs. After his morning constitutionals, he came back out scratching his crotch.
Wandering around his bedroom, he picked through the clothes draped on the footboard of the bed, giving each a once-over and the all-important smell test. Finally, deciding on the least funky of the lot, he got dressed and headed for the kitchen. As he went down the hall, he could swear he smelled coffee. He was surprised when he rounded the corner and saw Teague sitting at the table, drinking a cup.
“I thought I was the first one up,” Bob said as he took a cup from the cabinet and topped it off.
“I’m always up early when there’s shit to do.”
Pulling out a chair, Bob sat down at the table. “Well, there’s plenty to do.”
The only sound in the kitchen was the ticking of a clock over the microwave. The two men sat quietly for a mome
nt before Teague spoke.
“You think we’ll make it?”
Bob sat back in his chair. “Hell if I know. But we’re about to find out.”
At precisely six o’clock, Gene came into the kitchen. “Morning, fellers,” He said as he poured himself a cup and pulled out another chair. “We ready to start this goat rope?”
“As ready as we’re going to be, I guess.” Bob replied.
“I guess I’ll go wake up Romeo and Juliette. I want to get started as soon as we can,” Teague said as he stood up.
He went back to the room Daniel and Christy were using. He quietly opened the door and crept into the room. It was dark, but the sky outside was beginning to lighten and filter through the blinds. He slinked up beside Daniel and knelt down, mere inches from his face. Smiling, he reached out and ran his hand through Daniel’s hair. When the sleeping man didn’t move, he ran his hand over his face, caressing it lightly.
Daniel smiled and, in the fog of sleep, said, “Morning, babe.”
Teague was trying not to laugh, a tough task. He reached out and patted Daniel on the ass. Daniel smiled again. “Mmmm, you ready? It’s early.”
Stifling a laugh, in the deepest voice he could muster, Teague said, “Yeah, baby. I’m ready.”
Daniel’s eyes flew open as Christy shot upright in the bed. Her hair was a mess and in her face. She was brushing it away as Daniel bolted up in the bed. “What the fuck, man! What are you doing in here?”
“Wakey, wakey,” Teague said as he stood up.
Christy looked at Teague. “What are you doing?”
Teague smiled. “Nice tits, Christy.”
She looked down to see her bare chest and quickly pulled the sheet up. “Screw you, Teague. Get out of here!”
Daniel swung his feet out of the bed and stood up, pushing Teague towards the door. “Get out of here, asshole.” Then he thought for a moment. “Did you grab my ass?”