The Bonner Incident: Joshua's War

by Thomas A. Watson

  “You mind if I know?” Gene said with a groan. “I don’t want a war here unless we have no choice. I feel we will get one sooner or later, but I would prefer later, much later.”

  Nodding, “We took out their cellphone surveillance and dumped a nasty computer virus in their network,” Ernest told him. “It’s freaking them the hell out.”

  “That was you?” William asked looking at the cellphone as the screen came to life.

  “Yeah, well not me personally, but some of the boys who know what they are doing on computers,” he said and pointed at a computer tower that had wires leading to suction cups on the windows. “Where did you get that?”

  William looked up, “Made it,” he said and shoved a cookie in his mouth, holding it as his thumbs rapidly tapped the screen of the phone.

  Sitting beside him, Sammy watched in amazement while lifting his arm and pointing at the table. “He’s showing me how to build another one and program it. I’m not as good as he is with computers because mine is really limited,” he said.

  “Baby, I told you, that’s all we could afford,” Barbara said from behind the couch, watching William tapping the screen that was now black with white text in lines she knew was computer code.

  “What do you mean ‘limited’?” Ben asked knowing whatever William was doing was way beyond him.

  “Its processor is six years old and for computers, that’s ancient,” Sammy said and Ben spun around, looking at Barbara with a hard glare. “That’s why I like yours and use it. It’s better than mine.”

  “You make him work on an ancient computer?” Ben snapped at her.

  “Ben, I’m a hairdresser and you won’t let me go to work now, so you can’t complain to me,” she popped off.

  “Sammy, if you had a computer like the one William has, you would be better, right?” Ben asked looking down at the couch and seeing Sammy mumbling to William as William typed on the small screen.

  “Yeah, even with your computer, I can’t run Linux,” Sammy said trying to follow what William was doing. “That’s why I asked you to get another hard drive and expanded RAM.”

  “Son, RAM to me is a truck or animal. Hard drive, I’ll tell you about it when you’re older,” Ben said spinning on Barbara. “Get your purse, we are going to town to buy him a computer like William’s.”

  “He can use my spare laptop,” William said taking the cookie out of his mouth while reading the code on the screen.

  Ben looked from William back to Barbara. “We’re buying him one of those, too.”

  “Ben-,” she started and he put his hand in her face.

  “My boy isn’t going to be ‘limited’ because we didn’t provide him with stuff to learn. He’s a genius on computers. The only one I know that’s better is William. Sammy came to my house and my computer was froze up and wouldn’t do anything, not even turn off. He sat down and had it fixed in nothing,” Ben said snapping his fingers. “We will not deprive my boy, is that understood?”

  Not looking back, trying to understand the code William was reading, Sammy spoke over his shoulder. “Ben, I unplugged your computer and rebooted it. Granted, I had to defrag it, but that was it.”

  Ben was staring at Barbara. “I understood ‘unplugged’. Get your purse.”

  Barbara smiled at him as she reached up and stroked his goatee. “Baby, I don’t have the money.”

  “Gene?” Ben said turning around, “Am I allowed to spank her for that or does it need to be for a more serious offense?”

  Raising his eyebrows, Gene reached for his belt. “In my understanding of relationships and family, she’s crossed the line, Ben. You can use my belt. I’ll even help hold her down.”

  Reaching up and pulling Ben’s face till he was looking at her, “Ben, that’s sweet and we both love it, but you haven’t seen the price of those things. I don’t think you can afford it.”

  “Gene, your offer to hold her down still good or does it have a time limit?” Ben said holding his hand back toward Gene.

  With a grin from ear to ear, Gene pulled his belt off and handed it to Ben. “Offer is still good, Ben. You don’t let her tell you that you can’t provide for your boy.”

  Barbara stepped back, “Okay, okay, I give,” she laughed and Gene took his belt back and she lunged, wrapping her arms around Ben and kissing him.

  “Babe, I have a dip,” he said turning his face away.

  She grabbed his goatee and yanked his face back around. “I’m a country girl and this time, it’s okay,” she said and kissed him. “Copenhagen is alright,” she said wiping her tongue off.

  “Sonya, will you read the letter so we can go to town?” Ben said wrapping his arm around Barbara.

  “This is my code! I thought so,” William said grinning. “How did Dad transfer my code to another phone?”

  When William looked up, he saw a sea of blank faces. “You’re sure, baby?” Sonya asked. “Joshua yelled at that operator for an hour because the phone wouldn’t take the numbers off the prepaid card and you think he programmed that phone?”

  “William, I’m agreeing with Sonya,” Gene said putting his belt back on. “Your dad has learned computers for work and for you, but going past turning it on and moving that arrow around on the screen is pretty much his limit.”

  “I’m telling you, he did it,” William said. “He could’ve used a transfer cable and done a hard hack, but he did it!” William said with a broad grin and the others just continued staring at him.

  Shaking his head, William turned to Sammy. “See what I mean? I try to be simple and they look at me like I’m insane.”

  Nodding, Sammy sighed. “Yeah, I asked mom if I could get a CD/RW drive and she brought home a Blu-ray player.”

  “I thought that’s what he wanted,” Barbara whispered to Ben and he just shrugged, but he did know what a Blu-ray player was.

  Sonya sat down on the couch and opened the envelope. “Sonya, some of that may be private. You sure you don’t want us to step out?” Gene asked moving over to the couch.

  “If it is, I won’t read that,” she said blushing as the others moved closer.

  Clearing her throat, Sonya started to read. “Hey baby, hey little man. By now you’ve heard about why I came to Spokane. I’m sure you know that big boom wasn’t an accident. I sent my favorite news site a video but they haven’t shown it and I’m beginning to wonder if they are for real. I’m telling you this because I’m letting them know, it was me. You mess with my family and I’ll destroy you and all you bring with you. I hope they got my message because if they come for you again, I already know where my next large attack will be. If they keep this war just on me, I will sit in the mountains killing them piecemeal. I will play their little war game but if they attempt to hurt either of you, I’ll kill them by the truckloads.

  “Sonya, tell my mother to watch her damn mouth. I heard her on the radio and the man who bleeps out words; his finger had to be worn out after her interview. I know Ben is around and he can remind her that she washed our mouths out with that nasty laundry detergent and I will do the same to her.

  Sonya stopped and looked up at Nana. “He’s my son and will do no such thing. I can say whatever the hell I please,” she snapped lifting her chin.

  Smiling, Sonya looked back down at the letter and continued. “The ones they are sending up here don’t know what the hell they are doing but I’m sure they will get better. I won’t come any closer to the house than Section 19. Ask Gene, Ben or Chris and they will understand.”

  She looked up at Gene, but Ben spoke from behind her. “A half-mile,” he said.

  Nodding, she looked back at the letter and continued. “I’m really sorry about any innocents that got caught in that blast. Will you do what you can to see they are taken care of? Baby, I’m sorry and tell William I thought about it hard but I will not stop because of collateral damage. I knew some of those living nearby and who worked at the lodge but they saw the feds take my boy. My heart hurts for them but my conscienc
e is clear, they can hide behind people, but it won’t matter if they come after you and William.”

  She looked up. “He doesn’t know,” she gasped. “He feels guilty and doesn’t know.”

  “He will find out Sonya,” Gene said reaching over and patting her arm.

  Wiping her eyes, Sonya continued. “I’m moving hard and fast but I found a kid who showed me how to make the phone I bought like the one William gave me. Tell William to turn it on the two times a day we call ‘important’.”

  “Sunrise and sunset,” William said wiping his eyes. “Dad said it’s because a new day has started and a new day is coming.”

  “Your momma told him that,” Sonya said hugging him and William nodded, trying not to cry. With an arm around William, Sonya continued.

  “My love-,” she stopped, reading silently and then started again. “I know Gene, Chris and Ben are living there and they need to stay. I don’t know how Gene got the others to leave but tell him thanks because I’ve been to a few of their houses and they aren’t there. Tell William I want him to send Chris to his Middle Earth. Do not let him send Ben because if he sees a fed, Ben will shoot their ass. Oh and tell Chris, I like his ghillie suit but mine’s better.”

  Ben stomped his foot, “No, I wouldn’t just shoot their ass!”

  “Yes you would,” the others said together, even Ernest.

  “I want Chris to go to Middle Earth in William’s favorite number of days,” Sonya continued and stopped, kissing William’s head. “That would be seven, my baby’s favorite number.”

  Looking back at the note, Sonya read with tears gently running down her cheeks. “Tell Gene, Chris and Ben thank you from me for protecting my family. If others show baby, take Gene’s lead, he will know who to trust. If he approves of them, then they have earned my trust.

  “I’m truly sorry this happened Sonya, and please tell William, if I believed for an instant they would stop if I turned myself in, I would. But I’ve found stuff out that you wouldn’t believe. They want me dead for starters, Buck was right. They have shoot to kill on sight orders.

  “Tell Ben I still love him like a brother, but if he keeps spitting on my walkway, we will have words and tell Gene I’m sorry to see he’s dipping again because of my mess.”

  Gene threw up his hands, “God damn it,” he shouted. “I’m going up in those hills and whoopin’ his ass! He’s acting like this is his fault!”

  Ben stepped around the couch and grabbed Gene’s arm, stopping him from heading for the door. “You know that’s how Joshua is Gene. Now let Sonya finish, because the only way you head up in those hills is with me or stepping over my dead body and you don’t want to do either.”

  When Gene had calmed down, Sonya continued. “I don’t think they will try taking William like that again but I can’t say how, I think they will try the house. Sonya, I’m sorry but I think anywhere you go they will try, at the house you’re on your ground. If they do, notify me with that phone. Ben knows where to take you to hole up and you make sure, Gene listens to him when Ben tells Gene he knows where to go.

  “I want you, William and everyone there to have a backpack ready to go when they come. The way Chris and the two people with him are covering the area behind the house, the feds will never try that way. Oh and make sure, Chris has told Gene about his two friends. I saw Barbara and Sammy and hope they are staying there by now. Let Barbara know in girl talk that Ben is in love with her-,” Sonya stopped, realizing she was reading aloud.

  She looked back at Ben to see his face was as red as his goatee. “Sorry Ben,” she smiled.

  “It’s not like everyone didn’t know it,” he mumbled and Barbara kissed his cheek.

  “We just wanted you to admit it,” Gene chuckled as Sonya continued.

  “-big time and I can say for the first time, Ben chose a good one. I had to shoot one of the mules because it broke a leg and I had to make changes but other than that, I’m doing alright. Don’t worry about me. Keep your mind there on staying safe. I will keep them entertained and focused on me. I’m trying to come up with a plan for us to disappear but baby, if you read what they know about us, you would understand like I do now, we can’t run away.

  “Middle Earth will relay some more, but tell Chris to be careful going there and don’t go near any open ground. They only have one functional drone and it’s staying near the house.”

  “How in the hell does he know that?” Ernest gasped.

  Sonya shrugged. “If he knew what we found out, he would shit his pants and faint.” Ernest looked at her then Gene.

  “I will fill you in on that later,” Gene said as Sonya finished reading.

  “Tell everyone I send my love and I miss you and William dearly. Take care of our boy and I hope to see you both up close one day and hug you tight. Your loving husband, Joshua.”

  William looked up, wiping his face with his arm. “Dad’s seen us, I mean he’s been close enough to watch us,” he smiled with a splotchy face.

  “Of course he has,” Ben chuckled. “You think he’s not going to check up and make sure Gene’s not screwing something up?”

  “Just when I had hope for the boy,” Gene mumbled.

  Sonya folded the note and looked at Ernest, “I’m not burning this,” she said with tense voice.

  “Sonya, if you tried, I would wrestle that belt away from Gene,” Ernest smiled. “Is it dated? No. Even if they found it, they couldn’t prove when you got it. The envelope is a different story.”

  “Ernest, Gene, William and I want to go to town with Ben and them. Do you think that would be okay?” Sonya asked and William jerked upright.

  “Sonya, let me tell you something about the Minutemen. We believe the government has no right to limit the movements of people. Can we keep you safe? As safe as we can here. If you want to go to town, then to town we go,” he said turning to Gene.

  “Hell yeah, we can go to town,” Gene snapped. “I need Copenhagen anyway. I have two leeches that take all mine.”

  “Sonya, hold on a second,” Ernest said walking over looking at William. “William, can you make more of those?” he asked pointing at the laser disrupter.

  Shrugging, “Yeah, but I used all my old laptops and everything here. I don’t even have the suction cups for the one I’m showing Sammy how to make,” William said.

  “No, if I buy the stuff, could you make more?” Ernest asked. “I have people who can make them and have but they are busy right now, and there are other people in the area that need one.”

  “Sure, it takes about an hour and a half to make one, so if you can wait that long after you get the stuff, I’m okay with it.”

  Ernest grinned, shaking his head looking at Sonya. “You should know making that is a federal crime and I would like to ask if William can make them in the shop so the feds can only blame us, with your permission, of course.”

  “If William wants to, he can. If the feds want to talk to him about it, I’m sending them to Nana,” she grinned.

  Clapping her hands, Nana busted out cackling. “Where’s my purse, baby? You tell Nanna what you need and let them G-men come here and taste my double barrel.”

  “Man, she’s feisty,” Barbara whispered.

  “I guarantee you, she grew into that because she wasn’t like that when we grew up,” Ben said.

  “Sonya, can I borrow some of Joshua’s clothes so I can buy the stuff that William needs? I don’t want the feds to know it’s me, at least, not yet,” Ernest said.

  “Ernest, keep your Rambo on, I’ll buy it,” Gene said pulling his pistol out and checking it.

  “Gene, I thin-,” Ernest stopped when Gene looked up at him and he holstered his pistol.

  “Ernest, I’ve been a widower for a decade. I live alone and I assure you, I have the money so don’t start,” Gene said then grinned. “If you start, I’ll tell Ben he can go for a walk down to the feds new place.”

  The color drained from Ernest’s face. “I can go?!” Ben shouted as Barbara
wrapped her arms around him, stopping Ben from running out the door.

  “No,” Ernest said in near panic. He didn’t know Ben personally, but everyone in the county knew; Ben could raise some serious hell. “You win sir,” Ernest said with a bow. “Let me tell the boys and get some rides up here. Sonya, you taking your minivan?”

  “If I can. Joshua bought it before I could because I said I needed one. So, I could take my boy to sports and stuff,” she smiled.

  Ernest nodded turning to Gene. “Let them ride in the minivan and I need you and Ben in your Bronco. I’ll have two cars in the front, you and Sonya, and two cars in the back. If anything happens, you lead them back here, and we’ll deal with what happens.”

  Chris walked over, handing Gene his wallet. “Get me some dip,” he said and walked out the door.

  Everyone gathered up at the vehicles and a last check was done before they loaded up. All of the Minutemen were in tactical gear, wearing balaclavas and looked menacing as hell. Ernest walked up carrying two handheld radios. “Don’t let them out of your sight because the feds can’t listen in,” he said handing one to Sonya and the other to Gene. “It’s against federal law for citizens to transmit in encrypted radio transmissions but since we’re cops now, they should leave us alone. If not, get back here and we’ll deal with them. The boys staying here will be waiting for you.”

  They took the radios and everyone climbed in as a man mounted two flags on the first SUV. One was old glory and the other was the gabion ‘Don’t Tread on Me’. Gene laughed starting up his Bronco and seeing the flashing dome lights stuck on top of the black SUVs that the Minutemen were driving. Ben shut his door, seeing the lights come on. “We need one. I always wanted to drive a car with flashing lights. I’m sure it’s different than riding in the backseat.”

  Gene shifted into drive and followed the lead cars out, making sure Sonya stayed behind him. “How did Chris get you to tell Buck about Ernest? I know Chris is the one that told you about the Minutemen, but you don’t like sticking your nose in other people’s business, unless it’s mine.” As he turned on the highway, Gene glanced over at Ben but didn’t talk. “Gene, that’s what you and Buck talked about on the porch. I just want to know how Chris was able to get you to talk.”