The Forgiven The Fallen The Forsaken

by S. M. Armstrong

  “That would work for a start. Maybe it would leave us with something to build on after the flu burns out.”

  “We can do it, we’ll just have to be very careful. What if we donated truck loads of freeze dried foods to some of the churches. We could have food shipped directly to a few of the big ones.”

  “Helen, it won’t work. There’s not enough of our money left to be doing such things and we can’t do it without asking Jim.”

  “So, we tell Jim that we’re doing it. You think he won’t go for it?”

  Julie thought for a few minutes. “Yes, I think he would if it could be done without raising attention. Plus we may need some good will down the road. What if we leave the warehouse completely full of food, too? It wouldn't be much for a city, but could save a lot of lives when the right time comes. We can let Mike know about it and send him a trailer full, too."

  They spent the afternoon lining up plans. It probably wouldn’t be enough, but it might work to get more people through long enough for them to get organized and have a chance. They would talk to Jim and Susan about it tonight.

  DECEMBER 9th

  It took most of the morning to clear the private road, airstrip and helicopter pad of snow with the bulldozer. We should invest in a snow plow blade for one of the trucks, Jim thought. It’s just not something you think of coming from Vegas.

  He was pleased for the cold weather gear he had purchased as the tractor didn’t have an enclosed cab. Still, he wasn’t crazy about working outside in 20 degrees.

  Once that was done, he broke up some of the ice on the pond and ran the aerator for a while. He couldn’t tell if it was making a difference but he wanted to make sure he was doing it anyway. At least he wasn’t seeing dead fish floating so far.

  Once the work was done, Jim walked the property. My God, this is beautiful. It just didn’t seem possible anything bad could come to a place so serene.

  Susan had gone into town with the girls to talk to some of the pastors about food donations. He thought it was a gesture rather than anything that would make a difference, but if the donation would leverage the message to the point that the pastors would talk to their members about how to avoid the flu and about the importance of stockpiling extra food today, it might make a difference. Plus it would get the rumor mill started and, if that would get people making the right preparations, he was all for it.

  SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

  DECEMBER 11th

  Justin had reconnected with Ann, an old flame from a few years back, and was enjoying a few days of her welcoming him home in a plush San Diego resort.

  Ann was medium height, blonde, and had the body of a college cheerleader. She would never have been a model, but she made Justin's mouth water. She was also one of the most dangerous women he had ever met and had been working with Rob for some time.

  "I wouldn't have believed it was possible," said Ann. "Looks like you learned a thing or two in China."

  Justin grinned mischievously. "Oh, there's more."

  "Really? I'm intrigued." She also wasn't disappointed.

  A few hours later they wandered down to one of the resort restaurants, a steak house with a five star rating.

  Over wine, Ann asked him, "So, are you ready to settle down?"

  He looked uncomfortable, squirming a bit in the chair.

  She smiled and said, "Good, this wouldn't be nearly as much fun then. But when you're ready, you're mine. You understand?"

  He laughed, relieved at being let off the hook. "I can live with that."

  The steaks were phenomenal. Once again, he was thrilled to be back in the States enjoying a wonderful meal with a beautiful blonde, without so much as a wisp of cigarette smoke in the room. Life was very good.

  They were walking down the hall back to their room when several men stepped out of rooms in front of them and behind them, guns drawn. Ann shifted her weight to one side and stepped through the nearest assailant, redirecting his pistol at the man behind her, who dropped as the first round travelled through his brain. She kept moving, breaking the man's balance completely and keeping his body between her and the next set of shooters as she shattered his right wrist and shot him behind the ear with his own gun.

  She dropped to the ground with the body, delivering head shots to two more of the assailants, but was a split second too late on her last target. Justin had killed three already, but Ann's fourth target fired an instant before her bullet took him out. Justin was down.

  She quickly double tapped each of the attackers and ran to Justin. He had been shot through the heart and was already pulseless. How could this happen here in the States?!

  Ann was numb, but there was a job to do. She spent seconds searching a few of the men and taking their wallets and phones. She then ran down the hall and into her room to grab her go bag and was soon running for the stairs. Less than two minutes had passed.

  As she casually drove away from the hotel, she heard sirens in the distance. I will find whoever ordered this, she thought. Nothing will prevent me from torturing and killing that son of a bitch, and I'm going to take my time doing it.

  Once on the freeway, she transferred the cell phones and wallets she had taken into a metallic bag designed to completely block the signal. She wiped the gun down with a cloth and dismantled it, throwing pieces out the window as she raced up the coast toward LA. Someone would find the pieces, but it didn't matter as long as she wasn't caught with it.

  She pulled out her cell phone and made a call to Will. He answered, "4153."

  Ann had ice in her voice. "A hit team just took out Justin and almost got me. It's happening."

  "Shit. I'll put the word out. Sorry about Justin."

  "I'm going dark," said Ann as she hung up, and then ripped out the phone's power pack.

  She was too angry to cry. That she could still smell Justin's scent only made it worse. By the time she reached her safe house, she was calm and focused. There was work to be done and it would be a very long night. Someday in the future she would mourn, but not today.

  FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA

  DECEMBER 12th

  Susan's nephews, Matt and Luke, arrived with two friends that afternoon in a beat up four wheel drive SUV, also pulling a cargo trailer. Matt had called from Seligman and Jim and Susan drove down to pick them up since Matt had never driven in snow.

  When Jim greeted them, Matt and Luke both yelled, “Uncle Jim!” They ran over to hug him. Both Matt and Luke were skinny and fairly tall. At 17 and 15, they would fill in a lot later, but still looked scrawny for now. Susan thought they were cute as buttons with their curly blond hair.

  The two friends were Ricky, a gangly 15 year old and his brother Evan who was 13. They both looked as dark as a human could get. Jim imagined them hanging out and fitting in someplace in Africa, at least till they opened their mouths and their speech screamed Southern California surfer. He gave them both hugs and said, “I’m glad you two are here.” Both of the boys smiled from ear to ear. “Now let’s gas up and we’ll get you out to the ranch.”

  On the drive back, Matt filled Jim in on what he could. The plan called for Ricky and Evan’s parents, Will and Sophia Brown, to leave for Arizona around the same time as Rob and Denise, probably in the next couple of weeks. Until then all four boys would be stuck under the thumb of their Uncle Jim and Aunt Susan. Jim could tell they weren’t too worried about the prospect. Might have to shake them up a bit, he thought. This could be fun.

  Once back at the house, Jim turned the boys loose to see their fifth wheel and to explore the property while Susan and Jim talked over a coffee.

  “Jim, I just can’t believe that they sent those kids with Matt and Luke. This is starting to feel way too real.”

  “I know. You don’t have a 17 year old driving eight hours with an SUV full of kids while towing a cargo trailer. This is nuts. Rob had him pay for the SUV, buy that cargo trailer, and get a full load of MRE’s on the way here. Each of the boys has two suitcases worth of clothes and a few
personal things. That’s it. Oh, and they each have a shopping list to fill and an insane amount of cash to work with. I have a feeling it’s going to be a wild week. ”

  Susan said, “Make you a deal, I’ll take the girls out to pick up some livestock I found, you take charge of the testosterone brigade and get them shopping for some decent cold weather clothes and shoes before you let them get crazy on their list of must have items.”

  He asked, “Sure you don’t want to trade?” Susan just laughed at him and grabbed her truck keys.

  Susan took a cargo trailer back out to pick up goats and pigs that she had found online. Helen and Julie asked to tag along to help before she even had the chance to ask them, and Susan was delighted for the company and the extra pair of hands.

  Jim had the rest of the boys pile into the diesel crew cab and he took them to pick up another fifth wheel, after which they stopped at a large department store where he turned them loose to fill their lists and drive store security nuts. The boys loaded a cart, paid for the merchandise with cash and loaded it into the trailer. They repeated the process four times before he decided that was enough attention and took them all to a sporting goods store where he had them buy good quality cold weather gear and several pairs of hiking boots, including some for the boys to grow into later.

  While the boys shopped, Jim picked up more ammunition and hunting gear. He also bought several crossbows and compound bows and related equipment. By the time he finished, he had cleaned the store out of arrows, bolts, and targets. It was definitely time to head home.

  Once they arrived, Jim parked the new fifth wheel in an RV port and the boys all piled into the fifth wheel that Julie had initially picked out for them, inspiring Helen to wryly comment “Lord of the Flies.” Jim groaned knowing it was likely true. He’d seen the boys picking up posters, tape, DVD’s and CD’s. Somehow he doubted those were on their assigned lists. When the music started, he was sure of it. He was now glad that Susan had the foresight to park the boy’s RV in the port farthest from their own.

  The more he thought about it, the more Jim liked the idea of leaving the four of them in the same RV as it would decrease their opportunities for individual mischief and allow him to use the group to keep the individuals in line. Like that’s going to work.

  Jim, Susan, and the two girls were playing a board game and sipping Chianti when they heard the helicopter overhead. With the game forgotten, they all threw on jackets and ran outside to see a military chopper with its spotlight on landing on the pad. Susan looked at Jim and said, “Really?!” Jim didn’t answer at all. The boys all ran up behind them.

  Once the rotors stopped, Rob stepped out of the left pilot seat in jeans and a heavy jacket. Denise and a black woman Susan didn’t know jumped out of the side exit after Rob opened the door. Tim and Ricky ran forward yelling, “Mom!”

  There were hugs all the way around. Afterward, Rob grabbed Jim’s arm and said, “We need to get this bird covered up now. Let’s get it in the hangar.”

  They had to move the Piper out of the hangar for the helicopter to fit, but soon had the chopper safely secured in the hangar.

  Rob insisted on unloading the cargo right then. The cargo was heavy so Jim called for one of the trucks to be brought around so that the crates could be loaded into the bed of the truck. Jim opened one of the cases to see a thirty caliber machine gun.

  By the time they all got into the cabin, Jim was ready to explode. “Who the hell are you, showing up in a military chopper? How do you even know how to fly that? And machine guns?! We could be locked up forever for that!”

  Robert answered, “They were getting ready to round up everyone who knew and their immediate families, too, Jim. It was time to go. The rest of the crew and their families are on the road right now, headed here. Look, it’s started, Jim. We have about a week to go before all hell breaks loose. A terrorist cell in Amsterdam slipped up and released the virus early so we have a little warning; thank God for that. We have, maybe, about a week to finish preparations. After that we lock down for the next six months to a year, at least.

  “And since you asked, the chopper was officially scrapped a few years back along with the machine guns. The box of cash officially doesn’t exist.”

  “More cash?”

  “Relax Jim; it won’t be good for anything but starting fires next month. Give me some time and I’ll tell you everything I can. Right now there are just too many moving parts that need my focus. Did you get the chopper fuel I asked you to?”

  “Julie and Helen came up with 2,800 gallons of Jet A and the same amount in aviation fuel,” Jim answered.

  “Good! It’s a start. We’re going to need all we can get before all is said and done.”

  DECEMBER 13th,

  Jim woke to a Robert knocking on the door of his fifth wheel at just after four in the morning. Jim dressed quickly and staggered out to a cup of coffee that Denise handed to him.

  Rob slapped him on the shoulder. “The guys are coming up on Seligman. We need to go meet them in Williams. We’ll take your truck and we need to go now. Denise will have everyone up by the time we get back.”

  A half hour later they were sitting in the parking lot of a big truck stop waiting for Rob’s crew to arrive. Rob's second in command, Will Brown, called a few minutes later. “Where are you?”

  Rob answered, “Tan Ford truck in the semi parking lot. Lights on now.”

  “Okay. Got it.”

  Will pulled up in a large coach motor home with a trailer behind. Two more motor homes, a Hummer pulling a toy hauler, and two big rigs pulled in next to him. Will jumped out of the cab and rushed over to Robert, hugged him and lifted him off the ground before setting him back down.

  Will laughed. “It sure is good to see you, man!”

  The rest of the drivers walked over. Robert had told Jim that he knew all of them from various work assignments. Will from Afghanistan, Ann from the Iraq jobs, Julio and Stew from the Iran trip, and Frank and Dave from his last assignment in San Diego. All of them had families with them except for Ann and Dave. It would be a lot of mouths to feed, but they had a full team here.

  Rob looked the group over after the hugs and introductions were done. “We’re about a half hour from the ranch. As you know, the shit is about to hit the fan, and we have no more than the next few days to wrap up any unfulfilled needs. Everyone needs full tanks. You’ll follow me to the ranch and we’ll take it from there.”

  Rob looked around again. “Where’s Manny and Justin?”

  Will hesitated and then answered, “Justin didn’t make it, Rob. Someone hit him.”

  "That's going to require a response," growled Rob.

  “From your mouth to God's ears," said Ann, with steel in her voice.

  Will continued, "Manny was having some engine problems around 29 Palms. He said he’d catch up, but we haven’t heard from him in the last few hours.”

  “Well, fuel up and let’s get a move on. I’ll call him.”

  By the time everyone had fueled, Rob had talked to Manny on the satellite phone. He gathered the group together passed out maps, and said, “You’ve all met my brother in law, Jim. He’s going to ride with Reaper and guide you back to the ranch. Manny is about three hours back with engine problems. I’m going to go get him and his load and I’ll be at the ranch directly afterward. Questions? Okay, let’s go.”

  Five minutes later they were pulling out of the lot toward Jim’s place with Jim in the passenger seat of Will’s coach. It didn’t take long for Jim to figure out that Will was impossible not to like with his constant and infectious smile. I’m glad this guy’s not selling cars, thought Jim. And with the size of him, it's a good thing he's happy go lucky.

  Jim asked him, “You belong to Ricky and Evan?”

  Will smiled and said, “Yeah, the fruit of my groins. They been good for you?”

  “Yeah. Good kids all round. Shit taste in music, though.”

  Will laughed from the gut and said, “Tell me abo
ut it!”

  Jim said, "I've got to ask. Why do they call you 'Reaper?'"

  "Came from my college football days and has followed me ever since."

  Will entertained him with stories of the kids for the rest of the drive. Soon they were back at the ranch with Denise, and Julie directing the RV’s into RV ports and the semis off to open area to the side.

  Denise called everyone together once they were parked. “Rob says he’ll be here with Manny in a few hours. He left lists here of items we still need. Everyone look over the lists. Anyone with expertise in a particular area, grab that list. The back pages are things you should pick up if doing so doesn’t screw your primary tasks.

  “The envelopes have ten grand each. Take what you need, because it will be useless after next week. Personal purchases are fine. Hiking boots and cold weather gear are going to be important. And I may be an accountant, but if you bring me receipts I’ll kick your teeth in." There were several laughs at this.

  Denise continued, “We’ll have a few hours before most of the stores open, so grab some sleep if you need it. Breakfast is ready over at the cabin for anyone who can eat. Welcome to hell week.”

  With the tractor trailers, Dave and Frank followed Helen’s example and bought large semi trailers, had them loaded at warehouse stores, and dropped off the loads at the ranch. By the end of the day they had enough lumber, hardware, roofing and other building supplies for a couple of houses, and a 40 foot flatbed loaded with bags of cement protected with thick tarps. The ranch was starting to look like a distribution center more than a ranch.

  They added a used bulldozer, a cement mixer, and two more water trucks to the heavy equipment. There were now more above ground water tanks, thousands of gallons of fuel for the helicopter, and several more metal building kits, including a hangar. There were ATV’s and dirt bikes, and Dave even brought back a trailer full of Harleys, prompting Jim to ask, “What, no BMW’s?” Dave answered, “Pussy,” and Jim decided he liked the guy already.