by Bobby Akart
“It was the start of a dog and pony show,” interjected Alex. “It was designed to suck people into their charade.”
“Agreed,” said Stubby. “The second location appears to be here at Union University. We believe the FEMA troops are stationed and housed here. From what I was told during conversations with some of the locals after Thanksgiving dinner, there are no refugees or prisoners of any type at this location.”
“Where are they?” asked Madison.
“They’re located on the east side of town at the Jackson State Community College,” replied Stubby. He traced his finger around the location on the map so the group could get their bearings straight. “The campus contains a dozen buildings and a lot of green space, which has been enclosed within a tall chain-link fence. The top has been encircled with razor wire and there are armed guards roaming the perimeter.”
“This sounds very risky,” said Jake. “Maybe we better opt out of this one.”
The close-knit group grew silent as they pondered the suggestion. Some looked down, as they didn’t want to be the first to speak.
“I mean, haven’t we taken enough risks for one lifetime?” asked Madison. “Surely we can find Chase first. The Bennetts, if they are in custody at Jackson State, are safe and sound. Chase, however, may need our help now.”
“Mom, we can’t do that,” stated Alex firmly. “These guys have saved my, no, our lives more than once. We owe it to the Bennetts and Coach Carey to help. Chase may be there, or he might be walking home as we speak. Either way, I have confidence that he’ll be fine while we reciprocate and help break out Jimbo and Clay.”
“Anybody else have any thoughts or opinions?” asked Stubby.
Nobody spoke up and Stubby rolled up the maps. “Tomorrow, Alex and I will ride over to Croft Dairies to meet with Coach Carey at noon. He is most familiar with Jackson and can give us an idea of how to get into the Jackson State facility.”
“Who do you plan on taking to Jackson to mount this rescue?” asked Madison.
“I’m going,” answered Alex immediately.
“Me too,” said Colton.
“Yeah, of course you two volunteered,” Madison grumbled.
Chapter 15
11:30 a.m., November 25
Croft Dairies
Nixon
Alex bolted out of the skiff and ran up the hill to an awaiting Beau. He was grinning ear to ear as he knelt down to scoop her up in his arms. The two embraced and shared a kiss as tears of delight streamed down Alex’s face.
“Hey, lovebirds!” shouted Stubby. “I could use a hand down here.” The aluminum boat was rocking back and forth, as the wind had picked up, causing a ripple of whitecaps on the river that morning. Stubby attempted to hold the dock with one hand while tying off with the other, and he wasn’t succeeding.
“Oh, sorry, Stubby!” shouted Alex as she led Beau by the hand back down to the dock. They tied him off and then helped him out of the boat.
“My drill sergeant used to tell me that every soldier should learn survival on land, sea, and air,” grumbled Stubby, the former Army Ranger who preferred fighting on terra firma. “I’ve had my fill of the sea and air part.”
Coach Carey made his way down the hill to join the visitors. “We got here early. The roadblock was set up at the south end of town just like you suggested, so we had to improvise.”
He and Stubby shook hands and the two walked a few paces ahead of the teens. “Glad to see you’re in one piece, Coach,” said Stubby. “I’m sorry to hear about your boys. Let’s talk about where we are and then formulate a plan.”
“Thanks, Stubby, and I have an update as well. Miss Rhoda made us some lunch and sweet tea. We’ll fill our bellies while we figure out a plan to rescue the boys and Chase.”
“Chase too?” asked Stubby.
“Yeah,” replied Coach Carey. “C’mon and I’ll tell you what we’ve learned.”
The group joined Rhoda and several of the Feisty Fifteen in the dining room. The girls chattered with Alex as they exchanged stories on how they’d escaped the FEMA soldiers. Six of the girls were still missing, but the Tiger Tails were monitoring all parts of the town to find them.
“Okay,” started Coach Carey. “Let me tell you about Chase first. After Beau and I pulled out of the adjacent building to gather the Tiger Tails together, we reassigned one young man to continue surveillance. Early this morning, a Red Cross truck arrived and removed four injured prisoners, including one on a stretcher. Based on the description, I’m pretty sure it was Chase.”
“Oh no,” gasped Alex.
“During the melee, I gathered the Tiger Tails in the far end zone away from the woods,” said Coach Carey. “I saw three men dragging an unresponsive body across the adjacent gravel lot. The person was tall and lanky, unlike the build of Jimbo or Clay. Our recon person described the body on the stretcher as tall and lanky, but also described Chase’s face.”
“Do you think they took him to the hospital?” asked Alex. “Dr. Fulcher will help him.”
Coach Carey took a seat at the table and broke off a piece of bread. “No, our team there didn’t report any activity. Later, I learned that the Red Cross truck headed west out of town.”
“West?” questioned Stubby.
“Yes, the bridge has been cleared and all the military traffic goes west down Highway 64, presumably before they travel to Jackson on U.S. 45.”
“Won’t that make our trip to Jackson more difficult?” asked Alex.
Coach Carey munched on the bread and chased it with some sweet tea. “Back roads are always the best bet, and based upon what I’ve heard, and Stubby correct me if I’m wrong, it’s most likely the boys are being held at the Jackson State FEMA Camp.”
“I agree, Coach,” said Stubby. “We’ll take an easterly route. Are you guys familiar with Jackson State?”
Coach Carey and Beau shook their heads.
One of the girls staying with Miss Rhoda spoke up. “I am. I played on the Lady Tigers basketball team. We played in the State Regional Championships there last school year. They gave us a room in the dorms and we stayed on campus pretty much the whole time.”
Stubby smiled. “Do you think you could draw us a map, you know, with a layout of the buildings, et cetera?”
“Yes, sir. No problem.”
Miss Rhoda escorted the young woman and one of her friends who was also on the team into the kitchen, where they created a detailed map of the Jackson State campus. The conversation then turned to Chase and whether they should tell the Allens.
“On the one hand,” said Coach Carey, “I was glad to know the boys were alive. On the other hand, I’m out-of-my-mind pissed off that they’re in custody in the first place. But if they were injured, and Clay has been, I would be in a frenzy to help them. Trust me, it’s all I can do to sit here and wait to implement a plan.”
“Should we lie to Jake and Emily about Chase’s condition?” asked Alex.
“I hate to say it, but that’s an option,” replied Stubby. “We can tell them that he’s in custody and that we’re going to get him back, but omit the part about his being hurt.”
The group remained silent for a moment while they pondered their options. It was Miss Rhoda who made the suggestion.
“You can’t hide this from the young man’s folks. They’re worried sick as it is, I imagine. You’ll give them sufficient hope, Stubby. I know that you can.”
Stubby nodded and smiled at Miss Rhoda. He appreciated the confidence she had in his abilities. He wasn’t as confident as she was.
“Okay,” said Beau. “When do we get started?”
“No time like the present,” said Alex. “Why can’t we start today?”
“We have our gear,” replied Beau. “Dad and I are anxious to get my brothers back.”
The girls emerged from the kitchen and presented the map written on the back of a cardboard box.
Stubby studied the layout. “The gymnasium on the west side of the campus would be
a good location for a holding facility, as would this classroom building in the middle of the complex.”
One of the young women grabbed a green sharpie and added to the map. “There are homes and businesses on three sides of Jackson State, as well as major streets. However, from the southeast corner, there are trees and a few lakes. It could give you some cover.”
“Plus, the administration building is on the opposite side of this area, which is probably where most of the guards are, right?” asked the other member of the Feisty Fifteen.
Stubby looked to the young woman and then to Alex. These young women were warriors.
“Good intel,” replied Stubby. “We’ll have to get ready tonight and travel just before dawn. Once we arrive, we’ll test the fences and see what we’re dealing with.”
“Does that mean that we’re comin’ with y’all to Shiloh Ranch?” asked Beau.
“Heck yeah, Beau,” replied Alex. “I can’t wait to show you around.”
Chapter 16
5:30 a.m., November 26
Shiloh Ranch
“There ain’t no way that I’m not goin’ to save my boy,” protested Jake as Stubby made one last-ditch effort to encourage him to stay and watch over things. After they became reassured that Chase was alive, Jake and Emily insisted that Jake go along. Stubby tried to explain to Jake that he was too emotional and that, frankly, his weight and lack of athleticism might slow them down. Stubby’s arguments fell on deaf ears and Jake was officially on the rescue team, along with Stubby, Alex, Colton, Coach Carey and Beau.
Stubby acquiesced in part because they were going to need two vehicles anyway, so an extra passenger, and a good shooter, would be of help. Also, he had confidence in Javy and the women to vacate Shiloh Ranch while they were gone. Stubby didn’t know what to expect in Jackson. The trip could take a day, or several, depending on what they faced upon arrival.
“Let’s go. Saddle up,” urged Jake as the rest of the group loaded up the vehicles. Jake stood on the floorboard of a 1972 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate station wagon. The blue color had faded and the white top was worn from the weather, but the machine ran like a top. This was one of four vehicles Stubby and Jake had commandeered from Savannah as part of the spoils of victory. Because of the scarcity of gas, they were only to be used for emergencies, like this rescue mission. Otherwise, the horses were still the preferred method of transportation.
Coach Carey and Beau settled into a four-door Chevy Malibu while Colton slid into the front seat next to Jake in the station wagon. Alex was the last to load up and she sheepishly looked to her dad for approval. Colton could read her mind and encouraged her to ride with the Careys.
Stubby pecked Bessie on the cheek and finished loading the provisions in the trunk. Because of the uncertainty as to the length of the rescue, Stubby had Bessie retrieve enough MREs from their prepper pantry to last three days. After the collapse, they’d agreed to exhaust all of their other food resources before they dug into the MREs, which they saved for a last-minute bugout or a road trip.
All of the roadblocks put into place for the battle with Junior remained, so the group took a less direct route northbound. At this early hour, they hoped to avoid any confrontations, but every passenger stayed on the ready as they traveled the back roads littered with fallen trees and stalled cars. Every encounter posed a potential threat. Colton and Alex knew this well. They had been there and done that on the trip from Nashville.
The sun was beginning to rise when they approached the intersection of Highway 100 at Jack’s Creek. Jake slowed and allowed Stubby and Colton a minute to analyze the surroundings.
“What do y’all think?” asked Jake. “Looks pretty quiet.”
“Yeah,” replied Colton. “Ironically, I recognize this intersection. After I tried to get through Jackson on my trip back from Dallas, I was turned away by their local law enforcement. I continued my journey and came right by here.”
“Well, the sign over there says the barbeque joint is now open on Mondays.” Stubby chuckled. “Maybe we should stop and see what they have to offer?”
“Ha-ha. Very funny,” replied Jake as Coach Carey eased the Malibu up to their side.
“What’s the plan?” asked Beau.
“We’re gonna bust through the intersection,” said Jake. “After that, we’ll turn towards Jackson. The next small town is called Beech Bluff.”
First Jake and then Coach Carey roared through the Highway 100 interchange. Perhaps they were being overcautious, but they didn’t want to expend time or ammo fighting off some locals who were trying to ambush passersby.
Mile after mile, they took in the countryside and the complete lack of human activity. Ninety days into the collapse, the population was either dying off or finding shelter in larger metropolitan areas under the care of the government. If there were survivors in this area, it was doubtful that they knew of the troubles in Savannah, just forty miles to their south. Towns like Jack’s Creek and Beech Bluff became the center of their universe unless they permitted themselves to become the charges of the government.
The skies were dark and overcast as they approached the outer limits of Jackson. Several people were seen walking toward town, but the group was surprised that there were no roadblocks thus far.
“Looks like they’ve rolled out the welcome mat,” opined Colton.
“I guess there are too many roads into town to block them all,” added Jake as he carefully turned north past an abandoned warehouse.
They drove another half mile when Stubby told Jake to slow down. “Look at that!” he exclaimed.
On the left-hand side of the road, a half-dozen people had broken through a chain-link fence into a distribution facility for Pinnacle Foods. They were using crowbars and sledgehammers to break into the back of the semitrailers parked to the rear. Boxes of toilet paper and cleaning supplies were being discarded on the ground as the desperate looters searched for food.
“Dang fools! That toilet paper is worth its weight in gold,” muttered Jake.
Suddenly a siren could be heard, causing everyone to look in all directions. They continued forward to get away from the looters and the police, who were probably headed their way.
“This distraction might actually help us,” said Stubby. “Jackson State is just around the curve. Keep going another few hundred yards. Easy now. There! There it is!” The excitement in Stubby’s voice elevated the intensity in the car.
“Left here?” asked Jake.
“Yes, through the trees,” replied Stubby, pointing as he spoke. “The map and the layout by the girls is perfect. Let’s find a place to ditch the cars and we’ll cut through the trees on foot to get a better look.”
Chapter 17
Noon, November 26
FEMA Camp #3
Jackson
The five guys and Alex opened up the hatch of the Chevy station wagon and began to unload their gear. Each person had a black or camo backpack, which included a water hydration pack called a CamelBak, their knives, a flashlight, extra magazines filled with ammunition, a notepad with pencils, a two-way radio, and binoculars. Everybody also wore a watch. The rest of the gear was locked in the trunk of the Malibu to avoid being noticed. On Colton’s suggestion, they left the windows down and the doors unlocked so that no one would break in to the vehicles. If they wanted to rummage through the glove boxes, they could have at it.
They split off into teams. Stubby and Alex would circle around to the front of the camp near the north entrance. Coach Carey and Beau were to handle the south side of the fenced area overlooking the open space. Jake and Colton would recon the east fence, which was a much smaller section because of the camp’s rectangular shape. They’d be closest to the vehicles in case the group had to beat a hasty retreat.
“Take my mom’s phone; it’s fully charged,” said Alex as she handed Beau the device. “We kept them in Faraday cages the night the solar storm hit, so they still work. Use it to take pictures and videos of what you see.”
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br /> Beau took the phone from Alex and shook his head. “You guys thought of everything.”
“Not really, we had to learn fast and pick up things as we went,” replied Alex. “Most of it was common sense, actually. The cell phone thing in the Faraday cage was something my mom read in a prepper book about EMPs.”
“I’m glad you thought of this, Alex,” said Stubby. “Everybody double-check your watches. Make sure they’re fully wound up too. These old-school timepieces are worth their weight in gold.”
Jake laughed as he stuck out his arm to show off his Rolex. “Mine probably is. Emily gave it to me as a present when we got engaged. It’s a windup and never missed a beat as a result of the storm. I haven’t worn it until today because, well, time didn’t matter until now.”
“Speakin’ of time, we need to get rollin’,” said Stubby. “Let’s meet back here at five o’clock to compare notes. It’s too late and there is a lot to learn before we can make a move. While you’re in your designated sections, look for a place where we can hunker down for the night. Any questions?”
“Nope, let’s roll,” said Jake as he and Colton headed toward the eastern fence line of FEMA Camp #3. Coach and Beau followed them before splitting off to the left. The four men disappeared into the trees without making a sound.
Alex turned to Stubby. “I’m ready, General.”
“Yeah, right. General, no thanks. Too much politics to get there and even worse to stay at that level. I like my rank just fine, thank you.”
“No prob,” said Alex as she adjusted her backpack and shouldered her AR-15. “How do you wanna do this?”
Stubby studied the map from the girls and then looked back toward Whitehall Street. “We’re gonna have to make a wide loop around the intersection back there. It’s impossible to cut across to the north without being seen. Let’s cut back through the woods, cross where we drove in, and then muddle our way through it.”