Bug Out! Part 11: Motorhomes on the Dark Road

by Robert Boren

  “Wait a minute,” Howard said. “The gate. Give me the key.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Scott said, passing the keys to Bailey, who was in the front passenger seat. Howard took them and unlocked the gate, sliding it over far enough for the car to get through. When it was in the alley, Howard closed and locked the gate, and got into the back seat.

  “How far is it?” Bailey asked.

  “She was less than a block from where we saw her before,” Scott said. They headed down the street. “See, this old bird runs good.”

  “Looks good too,” Howard said. “That might not be so great. How many mint 1985 station wagons are out there? We won’t exactly blend in.”

  “It’ll be okay, Howie. At least it’s dusty.”

  “She’s on the move,” Bailey said, looking at her phone.

  “Where?” Scott asked.

  Bailey laughed. “There’s a park right there. I think she’s jogging.”

  “No, seriously?” Scott said. “This will be easy.”

  “Yeah, well she probably has her pepper spray,” Howard said.

  “I’ll run up behind her and get her into a nelson,” Bailey said. “I’m fast. Ran track in High School. That was only a couple years ago.”

  “I’ll be right behind you,” Scott said. “Howard, you get in the driver’s seat when we get there, and you can drive getaway.”

  “You’re not really going to take her back with us?” Howard asked. “Why don’t you just do her in the park? Shoot her and we’ll split.”

  “I want to play with her,” Scott said.

  “Me too,” Bailey said, looking back at Howard with a nasty grin.

  Howard shook his head.

  “Turn there, Scotty. To the right.”

  “Okay, Bailey,” he said, making the turn. The park stretched out before them.

  “I can’t believe this chick is jogging at night, just a day after an attempted kidnapping,” Howard said. “Doesn’t smell right.”

  “You worry too much, Howie,” Scott said. “There, is that her?”

  “Looks like it,” Bailey said. “Cute girl.”

  Scott parked along the curb, and got out with Bailey, putting his pistol in his back waistband. Bailey trotted over to the path and started running. She saw the girl about fifty yards ahead of her. She sped up, and could hear Scott huffing and puffing behind her.

  Howard watched from the driver’s seat of the car, but he could only see them until they made a turn into the wooded section of the park.

  Bailey poured on the speed now, catching up to the girl. She didn’t hear Bailey coming because of her ear buds. Bailey leaped, her arm going around the girls neck, crashing her to the ground. The pepper spray flew out of the girls hands. She tried to reach it as Bailey held her down. Scott got there in seconds, picking up the pepper spray and shooting it into the girls face. She cried out in pain, and Bailey punched her several times in the head, knocking her out.

  “Freeze!” said a voice behind them. “FBI!”

  Scott pulled his pistol and shot the girl.

  “Dammit,” the agent said, tackling Scott. “That wasn’t nice.” He got Scott’s gun away from him and tossed it on the grass. Bailey ran, but the Agent shot her square in the back, and she fell.

  “No!” Scott yelled. The FBI agent elbowed him in the nose, sending pain radiating all over his face.

  “Get up,” the Agent said.

  Howard heard the shots and was starting the engine when he saw a gun pointing at him through the driver’s side window. He sighed and shut it off, tossing his pistol into the back seat. A huge man with long black hair smiled in at him.

  The agent with Scott put handcuffs on him and stood, picking up Scott’s gun from the grass off to the left.

  “What are you doing?” Scott asked, his nose bleeding.

  “Shut up,” the agent said gruffly. He carried Scott’s gun over to Bailey, wiped it off, and put it into her dead hand.

  “What the hell kind of FBI agent are you?” Scott asked, looking at him wide-eyed.

  “I said shut up,” the agent said, kicking him in the side, knocking the wind out of him. He pulled Scott to his feet and started towards the station wagon.

  “I’ve got this one, Agent Keith,” said the man standing by the car. “His pistol is in the back seat.”

  “Nice work, Sy,” Agent Keith said. “You’re going to ride over to their place with me, and then I’ll let you go.”

  Sy eyed him with distrust. “How do I know you’ll destroy my file?”

  “You’ll just have to trust me,” Agent Keith said. “Hold onto this guy.”

  Sy steadied Scott, his gun pointing into his side. “Don’t move, buster.”

  Agent Keith grabbed the hand gun out of the back seat and put it in his belt. “Any other guns in here?”

  “No,” Howard said.

  “Good. Sy, take that guy around the back and slide him in, then get in the back seat and keep your gun on him.”

  Sy nodded and yanked Scott roughly towards the back.

  “What are you guys gonna do with us?” Howard asked, trembling. “Your friend Sy is no FBI agent.”

  “No, he’s just helping me out. I’m getting in the passenger seat. You’ll be driving us back to your hideout.”

  “What about Bailey?”

  “She’s dead.”

  Sy got into the back seat and turned sideways, his gun pointing at Scott.

  “Okay, drive,” the Agent said. “And no funny business, or I’ll plug you.”

  Howard started the car and pulled away from the curb.

  “Hey, Howard, this jerk weed stuck my gun in Bailey’s hand,” Scott said.

  “Shut up,” said the agent.

  “Now why would you want to do that, Agent?” Howard asked.

  “It’ll look like Bailey shot the girl,” Scott said. “But your lead is in Bailey. How are you gonna get around that?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Who the hell are you, anyway?” Howard asked.

  “Agent Keith,” he said.

  “Shit, I know who this guy is,” Scott said. “You got humiliated by Malcolm Davis. Twice. Now I’m getting this.”

  “You aren’t going use us to trap Davis, are you?” Howard asked, hands sweating around the steering wheel.

  “I have no plans to kill Malcolm Davis,” Agent Keith said.

  Howard laughed. “Yeah, whatever. Here’s our alley. The gate has a padlock.”

  “Who has the keys?” Agent Keith asked.

  “I do,” Howard said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled them out, and Agent Keith took them.

  “Here, Sy, you can do the honors,” Agent Keith said, handing the keys back to him.

  “I can go after that, right?”

  “After I get them in the house.”

  “There’s the gate,” Howard said. He pulled to a stop and Sy jumped out. He got the gate open in seconds, and waited for the wagon to drive in, then pulled it shut and locked it.

  “Anybody else in the house?” Agent Keith asked.

  “Just Scotty’s little brother. He’s retarded.”

  “Oh, the other twin?” Agent Keith asked.

  “How’d you know about that?” Scotty asked.

  “I was the first agent on scene at that biker massacre you guys did,” Agent Keith said. “His body was dumped in the barn like trash.”

  “Fuck you,” Scott said.

  “Whatever. Sy, you take Scott, and I’ll handle this guy. If the kid gets in our way, plug him.”

  They started towards the back door.

  Chapter 13 – Urban Warfare

  Malcolm’s Jeep Unlimited slowed as it cruised down the street.

  “That’s it, at the end of the block,” he said. It was a two-story building, with a storefront on the ground floor and a residence on the second.

  “Don’t go up any further,” Jackson said. “There’s somebody up on the roof. See him? He’s got a rifle.”

  “You’ve got goo
d eyes, Jackson,” Malcolm said as he pulled to the curb. “Wonder if I can get close enough to take him out with the cross bow?

  “That’d be good,” the Sheriff said. “Wonder how many people are inside?”

  “No lights on the ground floor,” Malcolm said. “Is that’s still a store?”

  “Can’t tell,” the Sheriff said.

  The three men got out of the car. The street was quiet, it’s early 20th century Main Street buildings all dark. George parked his jeep behind Malcolm’s and got out with Heidi and Charlie.

  “What’s the plan?” George whispered.

  “I’ll try to get close enough with the cross bow,” Malcolm said. “You guys cover me, but stay against the buildings so numb nuts up there doesn’t see us.”

  “Wonder if there’s an alley behind that side of the street?” Charlie asked.

  “There has to be,” the Sheriff said. “Otherwise how’d they get deliveries?”

  “Wanna go back there?” Charlie asked.

  “Yeah,” he replied. They walked back on the road a ways and then trotted across the street with their hunting rifles, going behind the row of buildings.

  Malcolm snuck down the street silently, cross bow in hand, rifle slung on his shoulder. The man on the roof wasn’t visible, giving Malcolm a chance to get in a good position across the small side street from the building. He got down on one knee, cocked the cross bow, and slipped an arrow on.

  George crouched down behind him, on one knee, rifle aimed at the roof as Malcolm took aim. Jackson and Heidi stayed behind, watching the street.

  The man appeared again, and Malcolm let his arrow go. He hit the man in the chest.

  “No! Josh!” yelled another man on the roof. He fired a rifle in Malcolm’s direction.

  “Look out!” Malcolm shouted. Then another rifle shot rang out, from across the street, hitting he man on the roof. It was Charlie.

  “Man in the second story window,” Jackson said. George fired into the second story, and screams came out of the building. Somebody broke out another window and fired a handgun several times. Then there were two shots from across the street. More screams inside.

  “Crap, how many people are in there?” Malcolm asked, leaning his cross bow against the building. He got his rifle off his shoulder and they walked forward.

  “Who’s out there?” shouted a woman. “Scotty?”

  Malcolm laughed. “Hi, Sherry. You really think Scotty got here from Ohio this fast?”

  “Malcolm, you son of a bitch. You killed my son.”

  “Sorry,” Malcolm shouted. Then there was the crack of a rifle shot, breaking the window downstairs.

  “Dammit,” Sherry shouted. “Stop. What do you guys want?”

  “You, sugar plum.”

  “We had a deal,” she shouted, punctuating it with several handgun shots.

  “Yeah, we did,” Malcolm shouted back.

  “So what are you doing?” she shouted.

  “We watched those tapes,” Malcolm shouted. “You weren’t coerced. You dug it. My partner found out you’re still active. I’m not letting you go.”

  “Fuck you!” she said, firing off a few more pistol rounds. The Sheriff and Charlie fired several more rounds into the windows.

  “Somebody coming behind us,” Jackson whispered, turning around. A shot rang out, the bullet whizzing by his head. “Crap!” Jackson got down on one knee and fired a couple of shots.

  “Get them?” George asked.

  “No, can’t see them,” Jackson said. “They got us pinned down, but I don’t think they can hit us if we hug the building.”

  “Look,” Heidi said. A man tried to run across the street, but Jackson fired, hitting him square in the back, sending him crashing to the ground. Two more shots whizzed by his head.

  “Damn, how many folks does she have with her?” Jackson shouted. That brought a cackle from the building.

  “You don’t think I’m just going to roll over, do you?” Sherry shouted.

  Lights were starting to come on up and down the street.

  “Crap, the civilians are waking up,” Malcolm said. “She’ll try to run.”

  “I know, I’m texting Charlie right now,” George whispered. “Letting him know that we’re pinned down.

  “I’m texting Ted,” Malcolm whispered.

  “He close?” Heidi asked.

  “Waiting for a reply,” Malcolm said.

  “Another one,” Jackson said, firing, hitting a man in the head as he ran onto the street. More rifle shots buzzed by them.

  “Ted’s only a few minutes out,” Malcolm whispered. “He’s coming down the street from the other side of the building. He’s also calling the local sheriff.”

  “Good, then we’re covered,” George said, a wicked smile on his face. “I’m going through this building. Back up a little bit.” He pulled his handgun and blasted the lock on the storefront, then kicked in the door. “You guys stay here and watch the street. She’s going to try to split out the back. I’ll make sure she doesn’t.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Heidi said. She followed him inside the dark store, and they rushed to the back door.

  “There’s liable to be bad guys outside this door,” George said. “They got behind us through the alley. Stay back.”

  George unlocked the door and pushed it open. Two shots rang out, hitting the door from the right. He pushed it open more and held it there with his foot.

  “Get your phone focused through the crack in the door, and tell me where the guy is,” George whispered. Heidi got the camera app working and stuck it up there, snapping several pictures. She handed it to him.

  “They can’t shoot through this door, can they?” she asked.

  “Nah, this is a metal door,” George said. “Okay, there’s a dumpster right beyond the door. Kick that doorstop over here.”

  Heidi saw it and tossed it to him. He shoved it under the door with his foot, and then turned around in a crouch, his rifle ready.

  “Be careful,” Heidi whispered.

  A car started, in the direction of the hideout.

  “Crap, they’re getting ready to take off!” George whispered, typing a text message. He sent it to Malcolm and Charlie.

  “Look,” Heidi said, as two men ran past in the alley. She shot one of them. George shot at the second one, but missed.

  “Malcolm, two men just ran back down the alley towards Sherry’s place,” George shouted. “Heidi got one. I’m after the other. You might not be pinned down anymore.”

  “Roger that,” Malcolm shouted.

  George ran out into the alley, looking behind him. He got a little ways down, and a rifle shot flew past him. He dived on the round and returned fire. The engine of the car sped up, and then a police siren sounded, from behind the hideout.

  George got up in time to see the SUV pulling out of the driveway behind the hideout. Shots rang out, hitting the windshield, and the SUV backed up, attempting to get onto Main Street. A police car pulled sideways across the side street to block them in, and two officers jumped out and fired at the SUV as it tried to get going. Charlie and the Sheriff poured fire at the vehicle from across the street, but it was still moving.

  “Crap, they’re gonna get away,” George shouted, running towards Main Street.

  Malcolm and Jackson were firing at the fleeing SUV from behind, but then they heard several shotgun blasts from the other direction, and the SUV slowed and ran into the curb.

  “Ted,” Malcolm shouted. There was silence now. Everybody headed onto Main Street. George turned to see Heidi trotting over to him.

  “Stand fast!” shouted one of the officers, holding his gun on them.

  “They’re with us,” Ted shouted. The cop lowered his gun.

  “Why don’t you two go check the building?” Ted asked the officers as everybody gathered around him.

  “What the hell were you shooting at those guys?” Malcolm asked, grinning, shaking Ted’s hand.

  “Shotgun,�
� Ted said. “Sherry’s splattered all over the inside of the SUV, along with a couple other folks.”

  “All dead?” asked the Sheriff.

  “Yeah,” Ted said, glancing over at him.

  “Ted, these are our friends,” Malcolm said. “The Sheriff, Charlie, and Jackson.”

  “Heard great things about you guys,” Ted said, smiling.

  The officers rushed out of the hideout. The lead officer eyed the group suspiciously. “One body on the ground floor, two on the second, and two on the roof,” he said. “One of the guys on the roof has an arrow in him. Care to explain that?”

  “Yeah, I’ll brief you on the whole operation,” Ted said. “The Serial Killer Task Force has been working on this case for a while. We just found out where they were tonight.”

  “So that must be why you didn’t call our department,” the officer said, his eyes darting around the group. He sighed. “Alright, I’m glad you guys found them. We’ve had several kids go missing over the last year and a half. We knew there was somebody here, but they were good – we couldn’t catch them. Our investigations always hit a dead end.”

  “We figured you were here because of Howard,” the other officer said. “Still can’t believe that one. I used to play with his kids.”

  “Hell, everybody around here knew Sherry,” the first officer said. “She had a wild streak when she was younger, but she got along fine here after her mom passed. She brought her four boys with her. I saw three of them lying dead in the building.”

  “Wonder who the others are?” the Sheriff asked.

  “I didn’t recognize them,” the first officer said.

  “You guys need any help mopping this up?” Ted asked.

  “Nah, I’ll call in the meat wagon, and close up the hideout,” the first officer said. “Want to help investigate the building tomorrow?”

  “We’re leaving in the morning,” Ted said. “Pressing work in Columbus, Ohio.”

  “Howard,” the first officer said. “I figured.”

  “You know who that group is, right?” Ted asked.

  The officer looked blankly at him.

  “Howard and Scott are what’s left of the Nighthawk Road clan.”

  “Scott? Wait a minute, Scott died in Jersey,” the second officer said.