by Mark Goodwin
The deer was skinned shortly thereafter. Everett quartered the deer, and Ken rinsed each quarter in a wash pan and took the meat in the house. Next, Everett used a saw to remove the ribs. All that remained hanging from the tree was the head and spine. Everett found it to be a ghastly sight, but he was proud of himself for doing what needed to be done. He lowered the head and spine and loaded it, along with the skin, on the sled.
Everett called inside to Ken, who was salting the venison. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He dragged it down the hill and back through the woods several hundred feet and left it for the bear. When he returned to the cabin, he could smell the venison cooking.
Lisa was up and was doing something to the meat that smelled heavenly. “Hurry up and get your shower. This will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll hurry.” Everett grabbed some fresh clothes from the loft, headed to the bathroom, and got cleaned up.
Everyone else was sitting at the table and waiting for Everett when he finished with his shower. “Don’t let it get cold. Go ahead and eat next time. I won’t be offended.” Once Everett was seated, they all dug in.
“Mmm, delicious! What did you put on the venison?” Courtney asked once she finished chewing the first bite.
Lisa beamed. “I’m glad you like it. We had two fresh onions left, so I sautéed one of them with a little Worcestershire sauce. I pounded out the steaks with the back of the knife to tenderize them a bit.”
Everett was ecstatic about finding a source of fresh meat and even happier that Lisa knew how to prepare it. The cooler was full of ground beef and chicken, but it wasn’t an inexhaustible supply. “So you won’t be able to make it just like this once we run out of fresh onions, right?”
“No,” Lisa said. “But, I have onion powder and garlic powder as well as some other spice mixes. I think I can still make something everyone will enjoy.”
Everett tasted the beans and rice. “Nice job on the rice, Ken. The tomato sauce gives it a nice kick.”
“Glad you like it.”
“Lisa, did you pick up anymore intel about the FEMA camps on that pirate radio station you were listening to?” Everett took another bite.
“No. It was off the air last night. It wasn’t really a pirate station. It was just an AM Christian radio station.”
Courtney said, “A Christian station was the only one you could pick up with news?”
Lisa finished chewing. “It was the only one reporting on the camps and the interrogation centers. The man said he knew the station would be shut down soon. He expected to be hauled off to one of the camps himself.”
Courtney gave her a look of surprise. “He knew they were coming for him, and he kept on broadcasting? That doesn’t make any sense.”
Lisa replied, “He felt like it was his mission to keep going until DHS shut him down. Pastor Guthrie, that’s the radio host’s name, said he thought this would be the last time he had a chance to speak his mind and talk about his faith. He said he thinks the end of the world is near and the dark days, which the Bible predicted would fall upon the earth in the end times, have arrived.”
Everett took a drink of his iced tea. “But there have always been dark days on the earth. I’m sure every preacher throughout time has figured out a way to make it fit into their interpretation of the Bible.”
Lisa lifted her eyebrows. “I don’t know. He sounded pretty convincing.”
Courtney smirked. “If a preacher isn’t convincing, he has to find another line of work. Their salary is contingent on people believing in them. Of course, they prey on the weak-minded, but they have to dupe enough people with real money to keep the whole thing going.”
Lisa let her utensils rest on her plate. “I’m pretty sure this man is sitting in an interrogation center right now. I don’t think he was in it for the money. As far as being able to make any period of time fit biblical prophecy, some of the verses he read sounded pretty specific to me. Stuff about more earthquakes, more wars, people acting in evil ways, and tons of information about Israel. Think about it. After all the atrocities that have happened to those people, what are the odds that they would even be around as a race, much less a country? In fact, it wasn’t a country a hundred years ago. And all of the technology required for a one-world government and cashless society—there’s no way the government could have pulled that off even twenty years ago. Isn’t this the stuff Agent Jones told you about?”
Everett didn’t want to get into all of this. He just wished they could change the subject. “Well, he did, but he was dying. I think he was trying to make sense of everything. He was immersed in a world of secrecy that gave him access to knowledge of a conspiracy that is restructuring the global monetary and political system. He could have just as easily found his answers in Buddhism or Islam.”
Lisa faked a look of curiosity. “Oh yeah? Buddhism and Islam have two-thousand-year-old prophecies about a one-world government and global monetary system?”
Everett had lost enough of these debates with Jones. He knew when to walk away. “If you want to believe in it, that’s fine for you. There seems to be a connection, so I can understand why you would.”
Lisa peered at Everett for a moment. Finally she spoke. “You believe in it too, don’t you? It’s just such a huge departure from what you’ve always thought, and so it means you’d have to admit that you’ve been wrong all these years. And you can’t do that. You can’t admit that you were wrong. Is that it, Everett?”
Everett’s mouth went dry. It was like Lisa was channeling Jones somehow. He felt the blood draining from his head. How was this happening? It was Lisa’s face, Lisa’s voice, but this was so out of character for her. This was exactly the kind of thing Jones would have said. He looked over at Ken in hopes that Ken would find a link back to the real world and as a cue for him to reel Lisa back in.
Ken said, “So I got that dipole antenna up out back today for the Ham radio.”
Courtney’s eyes were wide open. She looked at Everett, then Lisa, then Ken and knew he was trying to change the subject to release the tension. “Uh, yeah? Cool, where? I didn’t see it anywhere.”
Ken sipped his tea. “I strung it up between two trees out back so it would be low profile. Then I buried the cable all the way back to the house. I didn’t want to advertise that we have advanced communications capabilities.”
“Good thinking.” Everett was shaking like a leaf, but he tried to play it off.
Lisa said, “Sorry about that, Everett. Everything is just so weird lately. The whole world is turned upside down.”
Everett forced a smile. What Lisa had said struck him to the core of his being, but he was not about to admit it. “Don’t even worry about it. It’s totally okay. You’re right; we’re all out of our element. I didn’t mean to offend you by being dismissive about your theory. Sorry if I came off as disrespectful.”
Lisa reached across the table and touched Everett’s hand. “No problem. Friends?”
Everett took her hand and smiled. “Friends.”
Lisa asked, “Do you know if Agent Jones had a Bible around here? I wanted to independently verify some of the things Pastor Guthrie was saying.”
Everett’s heart rate was returning to normal. Maybe he was just freaking out over nothing. Why was he so sensitive about that subject? There had to be a logical answer. “Yes, it’s in the drawer of the end table closest to the fireplace.”
“Mind if I look through it?”
“Do whatever you’d like with it.” Everett had no intention of reading it.
Courtney changed the subject. “So, Ken, who have you been able to contact on the radio with the new antenna?”
Ken shook his head. “I’m not trying to contact anyone. I’m just listening in. SigInt, ComInt, you know?”
Lisa looked confused, as she was the only one at the table who hadn’t worked in the intelligence industry. “I’m sorry, sig what?”
Ken smiled. “SigInt and ComInt. It’s just short fo
r ‘signals intelligence and communications intelligence.’”
“Oh.” Lisa took another bite.
“Pick up anything?” Everett asked.
“Not much. A bunch of angry patriot, tea party types. If the government had to randomly pick a class of people to tick off, seems stupid to have selected the most well-armed bunch. They’re not saying anything that could be used in a court of law, but I get the feeling there is a lot of organizing going on out there, and we’ll see some type of show down.”
Lisa was very nonchalant. “Yeah, why would they choose to pin the attacks on the group most likely to fight back? Unless they had an agenda, like demonizing Christians.”
Ken said, “Or, unless APC was really involved.”
Lisa dropped her fork. “Really, Ken? We knew about this weeks before it happened. As Everett explained it, it was supposed to be a false flag operation all along. If we knew about it, you know the government could have swept in and scooped these people up long before the first explosion. You know APC wasn’t involved. This was a set-up from the beginning. You’re the one who works in intelligence.”
Ken had nothing to say.
“What about economic conditions. Did you hear anything about that?” Everett wanted to get the conversation far away from where it was at the present.
Ken nodded. “Real bad. Ten times worse than what’s being reported on the news. Nothing is open anywhere. Retail, gas stations, grocery stores—everything is shut down. All the trucks that are running are reporting directly to FEMA. They’re in complete control. No one gets anything unless they get it from a FEMA distribution center. The relief camps are filling up. So are the detention centers. Riots are breaking out in both—mostly in the detention centers, but they’ve had several riots in the relief camps as well.”
“What’s the difference?” Courtney asked.
“As far as I can tell, the only difference is you ask to go to a relief center. And, if your political or religious beliefs can be in any way associated with APC, you’re forced to go to a detention facility.
“I heard that DHS has nationalized all utilities. They’ve also taken over all law enforcement in large cities. FEMA is managing the hospitals in metropolitan areas.”
Everett stood to rinse off his plate. “FEMA is under DHS, so not much distinction between the two.”
Ken nodded. “True, just a different sticker on the same Humvee.”
Courtney asked, “How are the cities? Is the military keeping them under control?”
Ken answered, “It’s a mixed bag. Some cities are completely compliant, and others are total war zones with people protesting the camps and military presence. Others are fine during the day, then riots are breaking our after dark. I started writing a list of every city that I get information on, so I can track the condition. I have it written in a notebook if you want to look at it later.”
Courtney smiled. “That would be great, thanks.”
After they finished eating, Courtney and Everett went up to the loft to wipe down the rifle and the shotgun with a little gun oil.
“I couldn’t believe that Lisa was talking to you like that. I’ve never seen her act that way before.” Courtney topped off the magazine for the McMillan.
Everett wanted to drop the subject. “No big deal. Like you said earlier, we’re all feeling the stress.”
“I guess so.” Courtney placed the .338 ammo box back in the safe. She ran her fingers along the edge of the doorframe of the safe.
“What are you looking for?” Everett slowly rubbed the barrel of the shotgun with the rag.
“Nothing. We found those gold coins in the crevice of the frame. I just thought I’d check to see if Jones had anything else stashed in here. Ah, found something.”
“More coins?” Everett got excited.
“No, feels like a very small thumb drive.” Courtney carefully pulled the tape securing the object behind the metal doorframe of the safe. She handed it to Everett.
Everett powered up his tablet and stuck the drive into the USB port. There was a Word document in the list. He clicked to open the file. “It has some numbers and the word Spindle; that’s all it says. These look like Ham frequencies. I’ll take it to Ken.”
Everett shimmied down the ladder. He was becoming more proficient with getting in and out of the loft. He found Ken in the bedroom sitting at the table where the UHF/VHF radio was set up. “Take a look at this.”
Ken took the tablet. “Looks like a code name and some frequencies.”
“What’s that file?” Everett pointed to a set-up installer file, which started with Fldigi.
“Fldigi. You can use it to send text messages over Ham radio; the texting program is called PSK31.”
“What’s that program?”
Ken shook his head. “I don’t know. Only one way to find out. We have to install it.”
“Go ahead,” Everett said.
Ken installed the program to the tablet and opened it. “It’s a simple text encryption program. I bet it’s to be used in conjunction with the PSK31 program.”
“See if you can use it.”
“You need the key.”
“Try 322.”
Ken typed 322. “That’s it.”
“Think we should try to make contact?”
Ken shrugged. “Why risk it? We don’t really need anything, and we don’t have much to offer.”
Everett took the tablet. “But I think Jones left it for me to find; like he wanted me to get a hold of this person.”
“You make the call, but it seems like we’d be taking an unnecessary chance, if you ask me.”
Everett closed the program, removed the micro thumb drive, and put it in his pocket. “But what if we ever needed help? Wouldn’t it be better to establish communications with this person now?”
Ken put both palms in the air. “Like I said, by reaching out, we’re upping our odds of needing help. You don’t know who this Spindle is. Jones had some sketchy acquaintances. I don’t have any desire to go fishing in that pond.”
“Maybe you’re right. I’ll forget about it for now.”
When Everett walked into the kitchen, Courtney had the Risk board on the table. “Game night?”
“Yeah, I thought we could all use a little distraction. We can listen to the radio in the background while we play. You tell Ken we’re playing, and I’ll get Lisa.”
Everett nodded with a big smile. He hadn’t played a board game in years. It was the perfect way to get their minds off of the Apocalypse for a few hours.
CHAPTER 16
We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Noah Parker opened the door for Isaiah Brown Wednesday morning. “Come on in.”
Isaiah wiped his feet to be sure he wasn’t tracking any dirt in the house. “Are the girls about ready?”
“Yeah, Cassie is really looking at this as more of an intelligence gathering mission than a pitch to get the trucker on our side. Jim wants me to explain Sevierville’s situation to the driver of the fuel tanker in hopes that he’ll want to cooperate. Jim doesn’t want anyone in uniform to pitch the idea because he thinks it will make the trucker feel like he doesn’t have a choice. Cassie and Lacy are supposed to be coming along to appeal to the humanity of the trucker. But Cassie wants to interview him on the conditions he’s seen around the country and in the cities. I’m afraid it will feel like an interrogation.”
Isaiah laughed. “One look at Lacy, and the trucker will melt. No one could say no to that little angel.”
Cassie came in the room. “Hey, Isaiah.”
“Hello, Cassie. You look as lovely as ever.”
She zipped up her coat. “You’re too much. We should get going. I want to be there before Kevin and Elliot bring the trucker to the Kettle.”
Noah called out. “Lacy, time to go.”
She came in the room with her do
ll wrapped in a blanket. “I had to make sure my baby would stay warm.”
Cassie smiled. “Well, I have to make sure you stay warm. Go get your hat, and hurry.”
Lacy scampered off to her room. She soon returned with her knit hat on and baby doll in tow. Isaiah rode in the Santa Fe with the Parkers to the Country Kettle. He sat in the front with Noah, and Cassie sat in the back with Lacy
“I’m so hungry! This feels like such a treat to eat in a restaurant,” Cassie said.
Noah kept his eyes on the road. “It might be the last time for a while, so enjoy it. Benny said the dollar is completely worthless as of today. According to the foreign news service he’s picking up on the shortwave, no country in the world will accept US currency.”
Isaiah said, “You know, Sharon doesn’t have any food left at the Kettle at all. She’s actually preparing the food at home and bringing it in for this operation.”
Cassie said, “Now I feel bad. I would have made a dish to bring if I would’ve known that. I figured it was food she still had in the walk-in freezer.”
Isaiah looked over the seat at Cassie. “Don’t feel bad. You know she loves to cook for people. That restaurant was her life. This will probably be the last time she gets to serve anyone one for a while.”
“If we don’t have a functioning currency, there’s no way for commerce to be conducted.” Cassie sighed.
Noah glanced over at Isaiah, “Don’t you think they’ll institute a replacement currency soon?”
Cassie’s voice came from the back. “Yeah, a global cashless currency. It’s already set up. The globalists are just waiting for people to beg for it.”
Isaiah said, “You’re probably right.”
Noah knew that Cassie’s statement was most likely correct, but he hoped against hope that everything could go back to the way it was before.
When they arrived at the Kettle, Noah parked in the back as Sharon had requested. She had explained that she didn’t want people who might be driving by to get excited about the restaurant being open, only to be disappointed.