by W. R. Benton
We walked into the house and the living-room looked like an armory, with ammo stacked in boxes and weapons mounted in a dozen display cases.
"Y'all follow me back to the kitchen and I'll warm up some coffee."
The kitchen table was huge, about twenty feet long, and there were a good dozen chairs. The second thing I noticed was a shortwave radio and clock on a counter-top. Top caught me looking at the radio and said, "It works and I use it all the time. My power comes from solar panels on the roof and generate enough juice to even have lights, but I don't use 'em much. Now, y'all take a seat."
Tom sat and asked, "Who do you talk with on the radio?"
"Friends of mine, but we'll get to that in a minute." Top moved to an electric coffee pot and turned it on.
After we were all seated, Top said, "I communicate with the local patriot forces in the area each evening at 1800. I can contact them anytime, but I'm not to do that unless I have an emergency."
"Patriot forces, who's that?" Sandra asked.
Dolly'd been smelling boxes and containers, so I motioned with my hand for her to sit, which she did instantly.
"Men and women, most are veteran's of one war or another, who have gathered together to take this country back. We've members from all branches of the services, including airborne, special forces and Seals. We're mostly young men and women, however some are older than me, but the thing to remember is, we're an organized group of about two thousand."
Tom gave a low whistle and said, "That's a lot of folks."
Top grinned and said, "I'm the Command Sergeant Major, we have a commander, executive officer, and all the rest. We've even establish a table of allowances for supplies and such. If you didn't know better, you'd think we were a military unit."
"How'd this commander get his position?"
"Frank's a retired airborne infantry brigadier general with three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, so we thought he had the most experience for the job. The exec is a retired special forces light colonel, and he got the job because no one carried more rank than him while on active duty, except Frank. All of our positions are based on the individual's prior military rank and experience. Now, keep in mind we're scattered to the four winds most of the time, but we do gather now and then to clean the area of riffraff."
"What about supplies, gear and fuel, Top?" I asked.
He gave a cackle and said, "When the local reserve unit was told to secure all supplies and leave, the unit didn't do that and stayed together. Most of the supplies are stored in underground storage bunkers, but our supply commander has the keys."
"Fuel?" Tom asked.
"We don't have a great deal of fuel, but some. We have some tanks and other heavies, including two rescue choppers that belonged to the Air Force, but we've never moved any of them. Once a month we start each one, check the idiot boxes on the consoles and then shut 'em down."
"Is this area safe?" Sandra asked looking over the rim of her coffee cup.
Top's eyes narrowed as he said, "It was until a couple of weeks ago, when we spotted what I think was another military unit scouting our lands."
"What makes you think it was a military unit?" I asked.
"They moved like a military unit, with a man walking point and one on drag, and they didn't bunch up like civilians do when on patrol. I heard no talking and all communications was done using their hands."
"What kind of weapons did they carry?"
"All weapons were military and I even spotted LAW and M-60 machine gun in the group, which worried me, because that means they're being well supplied from some place."
"Maybe one of the pentagon generals maintained control of a large group. Or is that even possible?" Sandra asked.
"Anything is possible, but when things went to hell right after the fall, people scattered just so they could find enough to eat. Nobody lives in large cities or towns now, because they'd starve to death. I don't think there is a huge group living anywhere," Tom said, glanced around the table and then asked, "Right?"
Top replied, "I doubt the cities are populated, but it's possible to a limited extent."
"I don't see it. There is no food in the cities anymore, so folks have moved to the country. Top, do you think those men you saw noticed anything?"
"No, I don't, but only because they didn't come close enough. About three miles from my farm they turned north. Our special forces guys trailed them that day, the remainder of the night, and returned saying the group had finally turned east."
Unexpectedly the radio erupted, "Falcon 6, Falcon actual. Falcon 6, Falcon Actual."
Top moved quickly to the radio, picked up the microphone and replied, "Actual, this is six, over." Then, turning to the women, he smiled and said, "Actual is the general."
"Six, we're under attack from a large unknown force." Gun shots could be heard over the radio and then, "We may have to escape and evade in your direction, copy?"
"Roger, copy." Top said, and then shook his head as he looked around the room. While I could see his concern, there was nothing we could do to help.
"Six, move to the trail and help those you can moving your way. I suspect " A loud explosion filled the speaker.
"Actual, this is Six, over." Top repeated numerous times, but there was no response. Placing the microphone on the counter, Top ordered, "Grab your gear, and I want everyone to follow me! Let's move people, lives may depend on how quickly we get to the trail."
All of us followed the man out the door, down the sidewalk and into the woods. On the way out the door, Top grabbed his shotgun, a vest full of shells, and his boonie hat. Now he fumbled to don the gear as he ran full speed, down a meandering trail that reminded me of a cow path.
After we'd covered about a mile, Top stopped on a hill and I could see a much wider trail winding through the woods below. In a voice near a whisper he said, "Tom, you and I will move to the side of the trail and pull anyone off who is wounded. But, before you move from your cover beside the path, wait for my okay, because it might be a bad guy. Understand?"
"Sure, Top, you'll clear 'em and I'll pull 'em from the trail."
From the strain showing on Top's face, I began to wonder if coming with the man had been a good idea from the start. If a force of over two thousand could be wiped out, I didn't want any group large enough to do that job on my ass. Only he said most of the men were scattered, so I'd have to wait to see how many had just been killed.
Turning to the rest of us, Top ordered, "Spread out and provide security as we assist the wounded. No shooting unless I fire first." Then, patting Tom on the shoulder he said, "Let's move to the trail."
Long minutes passed before I spotted movement on the trail. I flipped the safety off on my shotgun and waited. I spotted three men moving toward us. Two of the men were supporting an injured man in the middle and the injured man's head was hanging loosely. He was covered with blood and I could hear him moaning with pain as they neared.
"Stop!" I heard Top call out.
"That you, top sergeant?" The man on the left asked as his rifle came up.
"Williams, stop and I'll send a man to you."
Tom moved from the brush and approached the three in the road. I wasn't able to make out what was being said, but soon the small group entered the thicket. Tom moved back to the road, picked up two handfuls of dirt and slowly sprinkled it on the boot tracks. Within a few seconds the trail was clean, but only the last fifty feet or so.
Top and Tom soon walked toward us and I noticed the three from the road were with them. Lowering the injured man on his back, Tom said, "Sandra, take a look at this man and let me know his medical condition. "
"Barnes," Top said, "are you and Jones injured?"
Sandra moved to the injured man's side and started her examination.
"Not a scratch on either of us, but don't expect anyone else to come down this trail. The attack was fast and brutal, and over in just minutes. If the three of us hadn't been near the barn when it happened, we'd not be
here right now."
The one I now knew as Jones said, "I don't think the attack took more than five minutes and from what I saw there were no survivors, except us."
"How'd Tompkins get hit?"
"We'd just reached the woods when he went down from rifle fire. So they know some of us got away."
"I covered the tracks and blood back a ways, Top, but I couldn't cover it all." Tom added, and I could see concern in his eyes. He knew as I did that an experienced tracker would find where they left the road and even this very spot. Most civilians don't understand that even covering tracks leaves signs they've been doctored to an experienced eye.
Sandra looked up, shook her head and said, "This man is dead. It looks like he bled to death or maybe had a weak heart."
"Damn!" Top swore and then added, "Let's get back to my farm and decide our next move, but I suspect we don't have much time. I think the attackers are already on the blood trail."
*****
"Okay," Top said, "Barnes, I want you and Jones to leave within the next few minutes. I need the two of you to locate Willy Williams and let him know what's happened. I want him and his men to find out who the attackers were. Tell Willy to try and locate a main staging area or camp, because it's payback time."
"Come on, Jones," Barnes said, "let's go now."
"What about us, Top?" Tom asked as soon as the two men left.
"We're going to gather up some ammo, water, and other gear and move to my safe house. Follow me back to the farm and I'll show y'all what needs to be taken with us. When we leave, I'll wire the house to explode if anyone comes in without the proper password for my security system. There is no way we can fight off the number of men that wiped out the general and his staff."
Once we followed him to the farm and into the room, he said, "All that stuff on the left wall goes, because it's additional food, water, and medical supplies. The ammo on the north wall will also go. Other than that, we'll leave it, because the safe house is pretty well stocked. I never leave food or ammo for anyone."
I picked up a crate of ammo and said, "Lead the way Top, I'm right behind you."
Picking up two huge boxes of MRE rations, Top said, "Follow me and don't step off the trail for any reason. It's mined and I have traps all over the place. If we start taking gunfire, fall straight down, because the sides of the trail might just kill you."
As we moved down the trail about twenty minutes later, I heard an explosion and looking back, I saw a huge fireball rolling toward the sky. Guess they were close to our asses when we left, I thought.
CHAPTER 11
The safe house of Top's really wasn't a house at all, but rather a cave with a narrow entrance that led into a huge cavern. I was surprised at all the gear and crates of all sizes lining the walls. However, the place was as large as house and once we were all inside, Top moved a little switch on the side of the wall and a steel door on rails closed to block the entrance.
He flicked another switch and lights came on. Grinning he said, "Some of the boys from an Air Force civil engineering squadron, Prime Beef they call themselves, did the electrics for me and it's powered by batteries. The batteries are charged during the day by the sun. I'm most likely the only man around with a solar powered cave."
"Why a cave? Looks to me like you're trapped in here." Sandra said.
Top laughed and replied, "Not at all. See, if you follow the cave back far enough it leads out, but on top of this hill. I have the exit well camouflaged and booby trapped, so that end is safe. The steel door in front will protect us against most fire, except maybe a LAW or tank cannon. Small arms won't even dent it."
Tom smiled and said, "This thing would protect you from just about everything. I love it, but the best part is, it's comfortable all year round and doesn't need heating or cooling."
"Yep, even if an atomic bomb went off in Jackson, I'd be safe from the fallout, because there is over 150 feet of soil over this cavern. Of course, solar flares and such won't bother me either, and I have gas masks with a complete chemical/biological suits if they attempt to flush us out with chemical or biological gases."
Vickie, who'd been quiet the last few days, asked, "Do you have more than one of those chemical get ups? I mean in a size that would fit a woman?"
Top chuckled and then said, "I have plenty, so don't worry your pretty head. Listen, we could live in this place for at least five years, if we really had to do the job, but I think we'd end up killing each other way before that time. It's an excellent command bunker and that's really what it was designed to do."
Moving to a radio sitting on a table, Top said, "The antenna is in a huge pine on top of this cave and it's super hard to spot, even when you know where to look. Let me see if I can reach anyone." He turned the radio on.
Picking up the microphone, he said, "All stations, all stations, this is six over." He glanced at his watch and I knew he was earlier than he usually checked in with others.
"Six, this is Bravo one, over."
"Go ahead, Bravo."
"Six, we have reports of Falcon six being overran and destroyed, copy?"
"Roger, copy, what's the status of Falcon Six Actual?"
"KIA, Kilo India Alpha, and recon found no WIA, repeat no Whiskey India Alpha, over. All KIA and accounted for."
"Have Whiskey Whiskey doing a recon at this time. Will advise on results. Notify all units to move to safe locations, over."
"Copy move to safe locations. Will do immediately. Watch your ass, Top. Bravo one, out."
"Roger that, Bravo, out."
Turning to us, Top said, "For those of you who don't speak military, the commander and his entire staff have been killed, with no wounded left alive. That means the men who attacked killed every man there. I informed the radio operator that Captain Willy Williams is doing a recon on the site and will advise everyone on what he finds. Willy is a prior green beanie, so he's good and knows his stuff. He has a number of combat tours under his belt too, which helps."
Tom sat on a crate and asked, "What now?"
Meeting Tom's eyes, Top replied, "Now we wait while we gather information about the attackers. Once we have enough intelligence to make a decision, we'll decide what to do at that point. In the mean time, eat, sleep and get some rest, because this will take a couple of days."
Sandra gave me a weak smile as we moved to one of the walls of the cave and sat in the dirt. There were chairs near a table, but I'd given them no thought.
"Are you doin' okay?" She asked.
"Pretty much, but not sure if joining these folks is the right thing to do or not."
She gazed into my eyes and replied "They're veterans who still fly our flag, they're fighting to regain control of at least this part of the country and besides, I'm not sure how much longer we could have made it on our own."
"Well," I chuckled, "I understand the lingo and how things are done in this group. What worries me is we've joined a group, or tribe, as my old college professor discussed once. He predicted if the United States as we knew it was ever busted up as a sovereign nation, the survivors would group together in tribes for survival."
"Interesting, because that's exactly what has happened. I think it's easier for a tribe to survive than loners. Tribes can send men out to scout, gather food, and guard the village, while loners can't do all of that at the same time. Did he say what would happen once the tribes were formed?"
"Uh-huh, he said eventually we'd be engaged in wars to see which tribe was the strongest. We'd be almost like the red man was before the first white men came. Each tribe would lay claim to certain land and if others trespassed, they'd be killed." Dolly moved to my side and placed her head in my lap. I started scratching her ears.
"Well, it sounds like Top and his men have a vast area they claim as home."
"I don't think this attack was over land boundaries. Most likely, the attackers did the job for more ammo, food, medical supplies and equipment. Or, just to remove a threat."
"But, why would on
e military styled tribe attack another, if you share the same beliefs?"
"Well, we may not share the same beliefs. Listen, just because the attackers were a prior military unit, maybe, doesn't mean they feel any sense of loyalty to the old United States. Hell, it could be their commander wants to be the only real power in the local area. He may actually picture himself as a king or dictator or something. I don't have a clue."
"We can always leave."
I put my arm around her and pulled her close before I replied, "Baby, I want you safe, and the attack on our home not long ago showed that Tom and I can't do the job. Eventually one of us will be killed or wounded and there is no way one man could protect all of us now."
"We women can fight."
"Sure you can and have proven it, but y'all lack the combat experience that Tom and I have. Experience is the main difference, and often that's all that will keep a person alive in combat. Tom trusts Top and I think his trust is well placed."
Suddenly tired, I said, "I'm going to take a short nap. Wake me at supper time."
Sandra laughed and replied, "It's good to know some things just never change."
*****
Two days later, about an hour before daylight, Top walked from the cave to where I was sitting on a rock pulling my shift of guard. He sat beside me. Dolly raised her head, but didn't growl or even move. She then lowered her chin to my right foot.
I glanced at the man and asked, "What's on your mind, Top?"
"Just got off the radio with Willy and what he found has me worried."
"Did he find a big base camp for men in the group he followed?"
"Well, no, it's not that. The estimated size of the group is less than ours, but it seems he moved in pretty close and spotted three individual's dressed in complete uniforms. It was night and at first he was unable to get a good look at 'em. Eventually one of the men moved near a lighted window and he was able to make it out clearly enough."
Must be some men who have access to some old military uniforms, I thought, but asked, "Are you going to make me keep guessing or tell me what he saw?"