THE TOCABAGA CHRONICLES: (BOX SET - PART I - BOOKS #1-5)

by Thomas H. Ward

General Harper asked me, “Can you increase the food supply and also provide my Rangers meat and vegetables?”

  “Absolutely, we just need to plant more crops and increase the number of men we have fishing and hunting, and since we will not have as many men on security, it should be easy. I will discuss the details with Captain Sessions.”

  The Colonel replied, “We cannot have hunters walking around the Fort area with guns near our Rangers as someone could get hurt. So hunting with a gun is out, you need to use traps. As a matter of fact, no one can enter the Fort without a pass. We will issue everyone an ID badge on Camp Tocagaba, to avoid an accident. I will have the badges ready in about a week; they’ll only have a number on them with no pictures or names. You can add the names and pictures later.”

  “Great Colonel, when they are ready let me know. I’ll give you a list for your reference. I suggest you have about 1,000 printed up.”

  “That sounds perfect, Jack.”

  We all agreed as security was the number one concern.

  Colonel Turner asked, “How many men do you have on security detail?”

  I advised him, “We have a total of 96 trained men and women on our security teams. Each team has sixteen people on every shift, around the clock.”

  “To make this easy keep your security teams as they are for now. We will keep two Rangers at the bridge to the Fort and assign four Rangers at the main bridge along with two Bradleys and the Abrams when they arrive. That should suffice for now and we will sort it out further when our main force arrives.”

  Returning downtown, we walked into the bar and Tony asked, “What would you gentlemen like?”

  General Harper replied, “Son, give us some cold beers. “

  “Well Sir I have cool beers but not cold ones. We have no ice.”

  I said, “General Harper, this is Tony. If you need anything done right he is the go-to guy. Tony, this is General Harper the man in charge of the Rangers so treat him well.”

  Tony responded, “It is a pleasure to meet you Sir. We are happy you’re here.”

  “Good to meet you Tony. Cool or cold, I’ll take a beer and we will arrange for you to have ice in the future.”

  I asked, “Tony can we get some smoked fish and a variety of fruit brought in so we can have lunch with the General?”

  Without another word Tony was on the radio and asked Steve, the best cook we have, to please bring lunch to the bar for five VIP people.

  Tony has been the barkeep forever and is a handy guy to have around. He went to med school but dropped out in his fourth year, so he knows more about medical issues than most people. Steve is a great cook and expert in preparing fish; he has been a cook for thirty years. Steve loves to cook for people and all you need to do is bring him the fish or whatever you want to eat and he turns it into a delicious dish. He makes a pretty mean rabbit and rattlesnake stew.

  After lunch the Colonel said, “General Sir, I received a message that a troop of 100 Federal Police with armored trucks is heading in this direction. I think they will make Camp Tocabaga a target. They’re about two days away so I suggest we move the Abrams and two Bradleys here now from Tampa along with 100 Rangers. We need to protect this camp and fort.”

  The General replied, “Ok Colonel, make it so. Double-time it; I want the armor here tomorrow. Do the Feds have any air support?”

  “General, I believe they do, but we are not sure at this time.”

  General Harper stated, “The Colonel is in command now, I need to go to SOCOM and make sure my Rangers and Armor arrive soon. Remember, if the Feds show up give them a chance to surrender but take no risks. If any Federal officers surrender take their fingerprints, DNA and pictures. They must sign a pledge not to enforce Executive Order 13603 or fight the Military. We will let them go home or they can enlist in the Army and join our side. In any case, Colonel Turner contact me if any situations arise. I bid you all a good day and thank you for lunch.”

  We said farewell to the General as Sessions and Turner saluted him. He returned a salute and the General with his security team mounted up in the Black Hawk. The motors wound up, the blades screaming louder and louder, and it lifted off in a blast of wind and noise.

  Sessions said, “I’ll have four Rangers posted at the main bridge and two at the Fort bridge within the hour, so please advise your security people.”

  Tommy radioed everyone to inform them of this with the click of a button.

  Captain Sessions and Colonel Turner advised us they must leave to oversee the security and plans for the new Rangers coming. We all shook hands and Sessions gave me his military radio to contact him if anything developed tonight. Jumping in their Black Hawk, they lifted off and flew to the Fort for the night.

  I was thinking, I sure hope the 100 extra Rangers get here with the tanks before the Federal Police arrive.

  April 24, 2025

  Early the next day two Bradley fighting vehicles and one Abrams tank rumbled up to the bridge. Captain Sessions must have been at the bridge before daylight. He was giving the Bradley and Tank operators their positions while we moved our cars to the south of the bridge on the side of the road, out of the way, keeping them there for future use if needed.

  Along with the tanks were thirty trucks loaded with 100 Rangers and supplies. The trucks rolled over the old bridge and it creaked from their weight. I knew the Abrams tank could never cross the bridge because it weighed too much; the bridge could collapse.

  As the trucks rolled down the street people lined up, cheered, waved, threw flowers and shouted, “Welcome Rangers, thanks for coming!”

  The Rangers were surprised by the welcome. The trucks continued past our downtown area on to NO MAN’S LAND. They had orders to set up camp, which meant housing, cooking areas, a mess hall, shower areas, latrines, and so forth. They had a lot of work to do.

  Sessions placed the two Bradleys on each side of the road at the foot of the bridge and put the Abrams tank right in the middle of the road. The tank was so wide it just about covered the two ten-foot wide lanes. No car could get by the 60-ton tank. These are the biggest bad-ass fighting machines ever made. After the vehicles were in position Sessions, Tommy and I walked down to get a closer look at these incredible machines. The tank had a name painted on its side, “Iron Maiden.” As we looked at it the top hatch opened up and to my surprise out popped a woman’s head.

  Sessions asked her, “Did you encounter any gun fire on the way here, Captain?”

  She replied, “No Sir, who would be nuts enough to fire at us?”

  Sessions then announced, “Jack, this is Captain Riley the tank commander. Captain, this is Jack Gunn Director of Security for Camp Tocabaga, and his son, Tommy Gunn.”

  I said, “Captain, it is a pleasure to meet you. I like the name of your tank.”

  She responded, “The pleasure is mine Sir. We are here to help protect Camp Tocabaga and Fort Desoto and we will not let you down.”

  Tommy replied, “You’ve got a big gun for a woman, but I like it. Welcome to Camp Tocabaga.”

  Captain Riley gave no reply to Tommy’s comment.

  Captain Sessions took us over to each Bradley and introduced the commanders. The Bradleys are commanded by a Staff Sergeant or higher and operate as a unit along with the Abrams Tank. They are under the overall command of the Tank Captain. Each Bradley can hold six fully armed Rangers.

  One Bradley was named “Predator,” and the other “Gun Smoke.”

  The Bradley M3 Fighting Vehicle, named after General Omar Bradley from WWII, has a three-member crew, weighs 27 tons and is fully armored. It fires a 25mm chain gun that can destroy most tanks and has a 7.62 M240 machine gun to mow down ground troops if needed. Some also have tow missiles that can blow up anything, even a building.

  The M1 Abrams Tank named after General Abrams, fires a whopping 120mm laser-aimed cannon and never misses its target. The cannon can blow up buildings. It has one M2 50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun, and two 7.62 M240 machine guns. Bullets and other
large projectiles just bounce off the sides of this big boy. Now we were talking real security!

  Colonel Turner and Captain Sessions asked Tommy and me, along with the armored-vehicle commanders, to meet to discuss clearing the building where the gang was located. We sat under the bridge in the shade and I drew them a picture in the dirt of the building layout, parking area and the main entrance to the building. I briefed them on the weapons the gang may have and the fact that they may have some explosives.

  I told everyone that I thought they were on the top floor of the ten-story building. Each floor has four condo units. I advised them we were looking for a woman named Shanda. We didn’t have her description but there couldn’t be too many women there. I added that she may be dangerous but we didn’t know for sure.

  The beautiful Captain Riley asked, “Tommy, would you come along and help search for this Shanda while the Rangers are doing security and room clearing as necessary?”

  “I would be pleased to go with you, Captain Riley,” Tommy replied.

  “Great, we will have 11 Rangers, the two Bradleys and the tank will go for extra support. Let’s be ready to roll out at 15:00 hours,” Sessions ordered. “If nothing else, you are all dismissed.”

  Tommy hung around after the meeting talking to Captain Riley, much to my dismay. Tommy doesn’t need to mess around as he has a great wife and little girl. I thought, I will chew his ass out later.

  It was another hot day; as I drove to the bridge, it was almost 15:00 hours or 3 pm standard eastern time. I watched as the Rangers and Tommy mounted up in the Bradleys. They went down the road one at a time with the tank last. Spaced about 100 feet apart, moving about 10 mph, it would take them about ten minutes to reach the building.

  Soon you could hear rifle fire and the Bradley 25 mm rapid fire chain gun. From our position on the bridge we could only see smoke but we did listen to the radio. Gun Smoke, Predator, and Iron Maiden surrounded the building, the Rangers dismounted, and in rapid order they entered it. We heard small arms fire; they had to run up ten floors, clearing four condos on each floor to ensure it was safe to move up.

  We heard on the radio a request for the Abrams tank to fire into the top floor west side of the building. We heard a large… KABOOM, which meant the big 120mm cannon had been fired. After about two hours we heard on the radio the building was clear for Tommy Gunn to come in.

  Thirty minutes later Tommy radioed us, “We have no one alive, sorry to say. They were all killed in the clearing. We found one woman on the tenth floor and she has an ID card stating her name is Shanda Jones. She was shot in the head but not by us. It looks like she has been dead for a while.”

  I thought, Don’t mess with the Rangers. They just killed everyone in the building, and good or bad they are all dead.

  Tommy brought back the ID card which had a picture on it and gave it to Amy. Amy showed little Shanda the picture ID and asked, “Is this your Mommy?”

  She replied, “Yes! Where is she?”

  We were all silent.

  “Shanda, honey, your Mommy and Daddy have gone to heaven. You know what heaven is?”

  “Yes, I had a puppy that went to heaven.”

  Amy replied, “Yes, that’s right. So don’t worry; this is your home now and we will be your new family.”

  Little Shanda said, “Good I like it here. Do I call you Mommy now?”

  “Yes, if you like, call me Mommy.”

  She hugged and kissed Amy on the cheek, then little Shanda went outside, jumped on the red bike I gave her and pedaled away.

  Amy yelled, “Don’t go far. Stay close to home!”

  Shanda called back, “OK, Mommy!”

  It seemed little Shanda did not fully understand what had happened to her mother and father. At that age, who does? Little Shanda was going to be fine as now she had clean clothes, meals, toys, family, and a nice home to live in where she could sleep in the safety of her own bedroom. She was better off here with us.

  Maybe one day she will call me Grandpa.

  APRIL 25, 2025

  Captain Sessions called me on the radio and advised that the Federal Police were on the way. His small drone planes had spotted them approaching about ten miles away. He said he had his Rangers building defensive positions on both sides of the bridge and wanted me to come up to the bridge with Tommy and review the defensive lines.

  Colonel Turner had 100 Rangers moved up from Fort Desoto, or NO MAN’S LAND, to the bridge, all armed to the teeth and ready for action. Captain Sessions arranged the two Bradleys, one each on the east and west side of the road, and the Iron Maiden in the middle of the road at the start of the bridge, so no vehicle would be able to pass. Alongside of the vehicles sand bags were stacked and 50 caliber machine guns were placed at the far ends to allow for a cross fire pattern.

  Captain Sessions asked Tommy, “Can you set up a sniper position on the top of the high and dry boat building? It is about 50 feet high and should give you a good view.”

  Tommy said, “Great, I will get the Cobb 50 and the 308 rifle up there ASAP. Dad can be my spotter.”

  “Good idea,” I replied.

  Sessions told us not to shoot until he gave the order over the radio. This defensive spot on the building with the Cobb 50 would allow us to kill anyone within 1000 yards. The enemy would have no place to hide on the narrow roadway; it could be a blood bath. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes when the shooting started.

  Tommy and I quickly scrambled up the ladder to the top of the 50-foot roof of the high and dry building. We asked some Rangers to help us bring up about 20 sand bags for protection and as a shooting platform. We piled the sand bags about two high in one row, leaving a small open space for us to place our rifles, acting as a shooting window. We would be lying on the roof so we needed blankets put down because the roof was so hot.

  When we were ready Tommy radioed to Captain Session, “Captain Sir we are all set on the rooftop.”

  Sessions answered, “Ok remember; do not fire until I give you the order to do so. Also, from now on maintain radio silence as the enemy may be listening.”

  “Yes Sir I copy,” Tommy replied.

  I admit I was nervous but also confident that we could defeat 100 Feds with our Rangers and defensive positions. Still I did not want anyone to be killed or hurt in the exchange. Once the shooting starts you are not nervous or worried, you become focused only on killing the enemy.

  That’s what it was like a few days ago fighting the gang at the bridges. We didn’t have the full force of the Rangers then and I was worried. I must admit, I was also a little scared until the shooting started. Of course I fired the first shot, but once I decided to kill Big Jim, I was ready to do it. My countless hours of training, shooting and practice made me positive I would win a gun battle against any untrained puss bags.

  As Tommy and I lay on the roof I told him, “Son, I am proud of you.”

  “Thanks Dad you taught me everything I know. I remember the first time you took me shooting when I was ten years old. That was a thrill.”

  “I’ve noticed little Shanda and Kendra are playing together a lot. I think Shanda is going to be fine. She also knows the kids who where slaves so they all are friends and spend time together.”

  Kendra is my ten-year-old granddaughter and I would give my life for her. At least now Kendra could play with kids her age.

  “Tommy, I’d bet a lot of little kids out there need help, need a home and food. I am going to make that my mission, to search for them all over the city, when things calm down, and bring them here.”

  “That sounds good count me in on that.”

  Our conversation was interrupted when Ron, Robbie and Eddy showed up on the roof. They brought us water and a snack. It was now 11 am and the sun was getting hot. I wanted off of the hot roof as we had no shade.

  Robbie asked me, “What can I do to help? I need to do something; the Rangers don’t want any of us near the front line.”

  Robbie thought he was invinci
ble and nothing could hurt him. That kind of thinking will get you killed, sooner or later.

  I told everyone, “Just sit here and watch. We are the last defense if the Feds break our lines then we have to go down and back-up the Rangers. Tommy and I will be shooting from here if Sessions gives us the order. We have all put our lives on the line many times. Let’s not get killed now that the situation is improving.”

  As we were waiting and watching suddenly Gun Smoke and about 50 men started to quickly move down the road toward the building that we cleared. I wondered what Turner and Sessions had up their sleeves.

  Robbie asked, “What the hell are they doing?”

  I replied, “I don’t know but it seems to me they are going to spring a trap on the Feds.”

  Then it occurred to me that they were going to hide a force in or around the buildings and once the Feds passed them, they would be sandwiched between the two Ranger forces.

  I said to everyone, “Yeah, that’s it. Sessions is setting a trap.”

  Robbie announced, “I am going down there to see what is going on.”

  About two more hours went by and the heat on the roof was overcoming us. We needed to find shade, so we went down the ladder and sat in the shadow of the building, leaving our sniper rifles on the roof.

  Eddie said, “I am going to find Robbie. I’ll be back soon. Ron you want to come along?”

  “No thanks Eddy. I‘ll stay here with my Bro.”

  About two hours later we could hear the Feds coming down the road before we saw them. We scrambled back up the ladder to our positions. A scout motorcycle came zooming down the road and stopped about 600 yards from the tanks. The officer just sat there in the middle of the road looking through his binoculars. He was scouting us out to see what we had. He looked right at us as I was looking at him through my rifle scope. We were spotted. Part of being a good sniper is not being spotted, that is a number one no-no.

  Tommy said, “We need to change our location now that they’ve seen us. If they get closer and fire a 50-cal. machine gun at us we’re toast.”