Bug Out! Texas Part 1: Texas Lockdown

by Robert Boren

  “We’ll still have to leave here after the ambush,” Jason said, “but we’ll get the drop on this first batch. This is a war. We can’t just run the whole time.”

  “Our daughter is with us.”

  “I know the risks, but I think this will work. I want you to high-tail it at the first sign of trouble, though, okay?”

  “Yeah,” Carrie said. “I’ll get Chelsea’s car seat put into the truck.”

  Jason nodded as she walked towards the coach.

  “She okay?” Kyle asked. He had a BAR in each hand.

  “She’s scared to death,” Jason said. “I don’t blame her.”

  “I know,” Kyle said. “Same with Kate.”

  They stowed the BARs and ammo in the back of the Jeep.

  “How about those Thompsons?” Kyle asked.

  “Let’s leave them with the girls,” Jason said.

  “They know how to use them?”

  “Carrie does,” Jason said.

  “Sounds good,” Kyle said. “Carrie can show Kate how to use them. They’re simple.”

  “Yeah,” Jason said. “Let’s do that now and get the hell out of here.”

  “Roger that.”

  Jason grabbed the two Thompson sub-machine guns and a metal box of .45 ammo and carried them into the motor home. He set them down on the dinette table.

  “You have those too?” Carrie asked, walking over. Kate’s eyes got big when she saw them. Kyle walked in and chuckled.

  “Chicago pianos,” he said.

  “You remember how to load these, and how to fire them?” Jason asked.

  “Yeah,” she said. “Feel more confident with the Mini-14, though.”

  “Use these for backup. They can spray a lot of lead in hurry. Show Kate how, okay?”

  “Okay, sweetie, we’ll load them as soon as you two take off.”

  Kate made eye contact with Kyle and they walked outside, getting into each other’s arms.

  “You better not get killed,” Kate said. She kissed him tenderly, then mumbled something.

  “What?” Kyle asked.

  “Nothing,” she said, arms around his neck.

  “C’mon,” he said. “What did you say?”

  She sighed. “I love you, okay? Now I feel like a fool.”

  He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, then broke it and stared into her eyes. “I love you too.” Then he left her staring at him, dumbfounded.

  Jason kissed Carrie and Chelsea, and then headed out the door. “Keep Dingo close by.”

  Carrie nodded as she began loading the Thompsons.

  “Ready?” Jason asked, opening the door of the Jeep.

  “Yeah, let’s go,” he said. They took off down the road, cutting to a smaller dirt road after about a mile.

  “How did Carrie take this?” Kyle asked.

  “Not good,” Jason said. “She’s scared, but she knows we have to do it. We’ll have to leave after this. You know that, right?”

  “Yeah, I know,” he said. “Kate’s in about the same place as Carrie, I think.”

  “She gave you quite a look after you left her.”

  Kyle shot a glance at Jason. “She told me that she loves me.”

  “Already?” Jason asked.

  “Yeah,” Kyle said. “I’m already in love with her.”

  “That doesn’t sound like you.”

  “I know, man,” Kyle said.

  “You told her, didn’t you? That’s why she gave you that look.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Couldn’t help myself.”

  “It’s not a bad thing, you know.”

  Kyle sighed. “I know. It’s the best thing in the world, but the timing is pretty shitty.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “We’re going into a war, and all I can think about is making babies with Kate and settling down.”

  Jason laughed. “So you know what you’re fighting for.”

  He smiled. “Yeah. I guess I should look at it that way.”

  “Damn straight, bro,” Jason said. “There it is, see?”

  “Wonder if it’s still the same?”

  “Probably,” Jason said. “I don’t think it gets a lot of use. I’ll park down a ways, in that thick clump of bushes over there.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Can we really see the road to the camp from here?

  “Sure can,” Jason said. “I wouldn’t have gone for this idea if we couldn’t.”

  “You think there’s much chance they’ll send men there instead of where the phones are?”

  “Not likely,” Jason said as he got out of the Jeep. “They’re gonna follow the GPS signals right to the phones. It’s easier for them, especially in the dark and in a strange place. That’s what they’ve been doing so far.”

  “They might have figured out that we’re onto them from the phone call with Eric.”

  “That’s why we have to be careful what we say to Curt and Chief Ramsey.”

  “Think we can get all of this in one trip?” Kyle asked.

  “Yeah, you take both guns, and I’ll take the ammo.”

  He nodded and the men got everything out of the back of the Jeep.

  “They might have night vision goggles,” Kyle said. “They’ll see us through the brush if they do.”

  “That thought has crossed my mind. We need to pretend that they can see us. All the time.”

  Kyle saw the indent in the ground, facing into some bushes. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” Jason said. “We might need to smooth out the dirt in order to use the bipods on these BARs.”

  “No problema,” Kyle said. They crouched and went through the bushes to the small open spot, overlooking a small depression with a stream at the bottom, about fifty yards in front of them.

  “What if some hogs come through here?” Kyle asked.

  “We leave them alone,” Jason said. “At least until after the battle is over.”

  They set up the BARs next to each other, dropping the bipods from the fronts of the barrels, then loaded each of them. Jason picked up the bag of phones when they were finished. “Let’s go.”

  They ran towards the stream, leaping over it, stopping in a small clearing just behind it.

  “Damn, look at all these hog tracks,” Kyle said. “They’re pretty fresh. Day or two old at most.”

  “Looks like it,” Jason said. He pulled his phone out of the bag and punched Chief Ramsey’s contact.

  “Ramsey,” the voice said.

  “It’s Finley. We’re being tracked. Remember Mission Impossible. Self-destruct.”

  Jason hung up. Kyle chuckled. “You think he’ll get that?”

  “Yeah,” Jason whispered. “And the bad guys might not. They probably don’t know their 60s TV shows that well.”

  “What about the movies?”

  “They didn’t always make a big deal about the little message devices self-destructing.” Jason whispered. “Call Curt.”

  Kyle nodded and took his phone out of the bag. He punched the contact.

  “Curt?”

  “Hey pencil neck.”

  “You’re contact with us will get you tracked. You know what to do.” Kyle ended the call.

  Jason took his phone, and then arranged them around the clearing, making sure all the cameras were facing the dirt. Kyle piled dirt on the tops of each of them.

  “Why’d you do that?” Jason whispered.

  “If they see trees in the self-facing cameras, they’ll get wise,” he whispered back. “Let’s go.”

  They rushed back to their blind and got into position, minds racing as they waited.

  Chapter 33 – Newark

  Texas Mary’s was quiet with only Kelly’s men there. The news of war with Mexico and the beheadings on the shores of Falcon Lake had people in Dripping Springs hunkered down by the evening, after a run on grocery stores reminiscent of a hurricane.

  “Slow night,” Kelly said to Chris.

  “Yeah, but I’m just as glad. Hap
py to have just family here.”

  “Family?”

  “You know what I mean,” he said.

  “Yeah. Right back at you, brother.”

  The door opened, startling the two men. Junior and Nate rushed over, hands on their guns.

  “Relax,” Kelly said. “It’s Sam and Officer Brown.”

  Sam held up his cellphone, and motioned to the bar. Kelly thought about it for a moment, then pulled his phone out of his pocket and set it on the bar. Junior, Nate, and Chris did the same. Sam motioned them outside.

  “What’s going on?” Kelly asked.

  “We just found out that the Islamists cracked the Austin PD’s cellphones,” Sam said. “They’ve been able to hack into everybody who’s called the hacked phones as well. That’s how they found you guys and the others involved in the Superstore attack.”

  “No shit,” Nate said. “Son of a bitch.”

  “What should we do?” Junior said.

  “Dump the phones, probably,” Nate said.

  “We’ve got the department phones on ice,” Sam said. “We’re trying to hide the fact that we know, but I doubt they’re buying it.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. These heathens can be pretty stupid,” Chris said.

  “Maybe we should use this to our advantage,” Junior said.

  “How?” Kelly asked.

  “Can we reverse the hack?” Junior asked.

  “A couple guys in the department think we might be able to,” Officer Brown said.

  “I have a friend who probably could,” Kelly said. “He used to work for your department. Moved to San Antonio a while back.”

  Sam got a smile on his face. “You’re talking about Curt,” he said. “Heard from that madman lately?”

  “No,” Kelly said. “I got his cellphone number, but calling that will infect his phone.”

  “Not if you use a land line,” Sam said. “They can’t hack those.”

  “If they’ve gotten past the encryption on our phones, they can do more than just track us,” Chris said.

  “That’s why I told you guys to put your phones on the bar before you came out here,” Sam said. “They’ve got access to everything on the phone. Data, the GPS, the microphone, and the cameras. The damn FBI and their case against the phone makers caused this mess.”

  “I thought the police departments were happy about that,” Nate said.

  “Only the ones close to the Administration,” Sam said. “We always knew this would get used against the citizens eventually.”

  “Pretty funny when you think about it,” Junior said. “They use terrorism as an excuse to force the creation of the encryption back doors, and then the very people they say they’re protecting us from end up using it against us. Typical DC Snafu.”

  The men laughed.

  “Hey, Chris, can I use you phone in there?” Junior asked. “I want to call my cousin about the phones.”

  “Sure, go ahead,” Chris said.

  “Don’t talk too loud around any cell phones,” Kelly said.

  “Gotcha,” Junior said as he went through the door.

  “What’s he up to?” Sam asked.

  “Well, I know his cousin,” Kelly said. “He works for the railroad.”

  “Maybe we ought to try Curt on that land line after Junior’s done,” Nate said.

  “Yes,” Sam said. “He might already know.”

  “Why do you say that?” Kelly asked.

  “We heard about it from one of those two officers who were at the Superstore. Both of them go way back with Curt.”

  “No shit,” Kelly said. “How’d they find out?”

  “Don’t know yet,” he said. “He talked to us in code, basically. Trying not to tip off the Islamists.”

  Junior came back outside. “Think we can get to the train yard in an hour?”

  “Why?”

  “Our phones are booked for a trip to Newark.”

  Kelly cracked up. “Okay, I’m good with that idea. What do you guys think?”

  “I think I’m pissed off that I’ll have to buy a new phone,” Nate said.

  “Yeah, and when you get new phones, be very careful who you talk to,” Officer Brown said. “If you don’t, you’ll get infected again.”

  Junior laughed out loud. “Damn, this is like the clap.”

  “Wonder if we can do something to block the hackers?” Nate asked.

  “That’s why we need to get ahold of Curt,” Kelly said. “Let’s go back inside and spread the word. That hour is gonna go fast.”

  “Well, don’t worry, if we miss that one, there’s another going to Colorado Springs an hour later.”

  “Newark is further away,” Nate said.

  The men went back into the bar and whispered the news to all of the men inside. They gave up their phones, which got piled onto a table in the far corner of the bar, next to the juke box.

  “What’s going on?” Brenda asked Kelly as he got back to the bar.

  “You don’t have a cellphone on you, do you?”

  “No, it’s in my room,” she said. “Why?”

  “You talked with any of the guys or the Austin PD with that phone?”

  “No, I used the bar land line for all that,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve even talked with you on that phone.”

  “Good. Keep it that way, at least for now.”

  “So what’s the deal?”

  “The Islamists hacked the Austin PD cellphones, and everybody who talked to those phones with another cellphone got infected.”

  “Shit,” she said. “That’s how they found everybody involved in the Superstore attack.”

  “Hell, that’s how they found this bar,” Kelly said. “They have access to everything on the phone, according to Sam. Files, GPS, microphone, camera.”

  “Geez,” she said. “So what now?”

  “We’re gonna put the phones on a train to Newark,” Kelly said. “After that, we’re gonna have to disappear. I want you to go with me.”

  “I can’t leave,” she said. “The bar.”

  “If you’re dead, the bar ain’t gonna matter, Brenda,” he said. “Seriously. They know about this place. They’ll show up again even without the cellphone tracking. You know that, right?”

  “Dammit,” she said. “Let me think about it, okay? When should we leave?”

  “We should leave from the train station,” Kelly said.

  “Tonight? I don’t know.”

  “You go ahead and think about it. I’ve got to plan this out with the guys.”

  “Want me to turn on the jukebox?”

  “Yeah, that’s why we put the phones there.”

  “I figured,” she said, watching him walk away. She walked to the other side of the bar and reached underneath, pushing a power button and another button called random. The juke box started up. Chris caught her eye and motioned to the kitchen.

  “Hey,” Chris said. “I saw you talking with Kelly. I want you to leave with him.”

  “But the bar,” she said.

  “Hell, we’ve got enough reserves to go on a two-month vacation. We own this building free and clear. We can padlock it and disappear for a while.”

  “You sure?” she asked. “What will you do? Go with us?”

  “I’ll try to join you, but I want to go get my sister first. She’s all alone.”

  “I don’t know about this.”

  “Look, if all these guys leave, we won’t be able to stay open anyway. We won’t be able to build up enough clientele. You know that.”

  “Okay, okay.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Why are you pushing me at Kelly so hard?”

  “Kelly’s a strong man, and he worships the ground you walk on,” he said. “I see how you are together. Tell me you don’t want him.”

  She shook her head and walked towards her room, hiding the smile on her face. She tossed some things into a bag, setting it by the door, then went out to listen to the men.

  “So we got to give up our phones? Just li
ke that?” Jasper asked as the juke box played.

  “You want to keep your phones and be dead, or spring for a new phone and live?” Junior said. “That’s where we’re at. Save the anger for the Islamists.”

  “He’s right, Jasper,” Earl said. “Ain’t got no choice.”

  “I say we caravan down to the train yard,” Junior said. “Use your phones to talk to each other. Pretend we’re going to escape to Newark in a boxcar. Make it sound real. Then we’ll toss the phones in there and split.”

  “Split to where?”

  “West Texas,” Nate said. “Just for long enough to get them off our trail. We’ll relax and plan attacks.”

  “Where in West Texas?” Jasper asked.

  “I say we drag our trailers,” Kelly said. “Head for Fort Stockton. I know a good RV park there. Oh, and they allow tents, for those of you who don’t have an RV.”

  “Ah,” Junior said. “Luther’s place. Yeah, let’s go there.”

  “Wish I could go with you guys,” Sam said.

  “Why don’t you?” Kelly asked. “You’re good people.”

  “Chief Ramsey needs me. I can do more good working with him. We’ll meet again, though. I can guarantee you that.”

  “We better get going,” Kelly said. “We only got about forty minutes, and it’ll take us at least fifteen to get there. Split up and get your rigs when we’re done at the train yard. Don’t talk to anybody. We’ll meet at Fort Stockton. Everybody got it? And don’t come back to the bar. If they’re watching anyplace, it’s here.”

  “What if we get followed to the train station?”

  “Pretend we’re being watched. Split up and leave quietly. If you see any Islamists, feel free to waste them.”

  There were murmurs of agreement around the room, and then the men got up, heading for the table by the juke box to get their phones. Kelly turned to Brenda.

  “You think about it?”

  “You really think I’m just going to drop everything and follow you to the ends of the earth, don’t you?”

  “I was hoping, yeah,” he said.

  “You’re assuming a lot, you know,” she said.

  “I’m serious. I want you with me,” Kelly said. “If you don’t want to leave, I won’t leave either.”

  “Men.” She looked into his eyes, her face softening. “C’mon.”

  “Where we going?”