Resistance

by Robert Boren

  “Yes sir?” she asked. “Drinks?”

  “Are you on the menu?” a young German man asked with perfect English.

  “We have a full bar, sir,” Morgan said, trying to be polite and business-like.

  “Come here,” he said, pushing away from the table and patting his lap. The two other men at the table snickered.

  “So you don’t want any drinks?” Morgan asked sweetly, ignoring the lap.

  “I think he wants you,” said the man sitting next to him. “He could just take you, you know.”

  Morgan glanced nervously at the surveillance camera above the table, and then turned to walk away. Another man grabbed her arm.

  “Let go of me,” Morgan said, pulling herself free. “We have rules at this club. You can’t do that to the employees.”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, we can do whatever we want,” the German said. “Now, get over here and sit on my lap.”

  “No,” Morgan said. She hurried away from the table.

  “You bitch,” said the German. He got up and pursued her. Tex put his foot out, sending him down face first.

  “Oh, I’m mighty sorry, Jerry,” said Tex. “My mistake.” He tipped his hat.

  The other two UN Peacekeepers got up. The man on the floor picked himself up and motioned them to stay put, then turned towards Tex.

  “You’ll pay for that,” he said, his voice betraying his German roots.

  “Think so, huh?” Tex said, smile gone from his face. “I eat you Eurotrash idiots for breakfast.”

  The German took a swing. Tex grabbed his fist, muscles in his arm rippling as he twisted the man’s arm, causing him to hit the floor again. He screamed in pain. His fellow Peacekeepers got up, ready to rush the table. Tex pulled a massive single-action revolver and cocked it. “This is a .45 Long Colt. You know what that’ll do to a man at this range?” He pointed it at the men and they froze.

  “What seems to be the problem here?” Sparky asked as he rushed out onto the Casino floor.

  “This creepy man try to get Morgan on lap,” Alice said. “When she walk away, he chase. Tex trip. Nice job.”

  “We’ll close this establishment down,” the German man on the floor said.

  “Oh, shut the hell up,” Tex said. He lifted his cowboy-booted foot and brought it down hard on the man’s neck, then stood up on it as he pointed the pistol at the others. There was the sickening sound of bones cracking, then a death rattle from the German.

  The UN Peacekeeper’s eyes opened wide, both going for their guns. Sparky pulled his piece and shot the first man, sending him to the floor. Tex fired his big revolver, throwing the second man ten feet backwards into a tray of chips.

  “Holy shit,” Morgan said. “What are we gonna do?”

  Sparky rushed to the phone and made a call, talking in hushed, calm tones.

  “Sorry, Sparky,” Tex said. “I don’t take kindly to creeps like this messing with our women-folk.”

  “You did the right thing,” Sparky said. “I just called the boys. They’ll have the bodies in lime in an hour, and those two vans will be far away from here.”

  “Black hand,” Alice whispered.

  “No comment,” Sparky said with a twinkle in his eye. “There’s a lot of folks these UN punks really shouldn’t mess with. They’ll find that out very soon.”

  Chapter 8 – The Worm Turns

  “There’s Mapleview,” Connie said, pointing to the right.

  “Good,” Sam said, turning onto it, slowing down.

  “Can’t believe how many of those UN vans we’ve seen,” Clem said from the back seat.

  “Yeah, that tells me this conspiracy has been going on for a while,” Sam said. “They didn’t get these guys in here in a week or two. It took months.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Connie said, looking out the passenger side window. “Very few people out and around, and it’s broad daylight.”

  “Wonder what Ryan’s found out since we left,” Clem asked.

  “Good question,” Sam said.

  “Look,” Connie said. “There’s your next turn. Ashwood Street, to your left.”

  Sam made the turn and sped up, checking the rear-view mirror. Sid’s Jeep and John’s truck were behind them.

  “Gets sparse pretty quick,” Clem said, watching the suburbs turn to desert hills. “Still hardly anybody around. Weird.”

  “People are hunkered down,” Sam said.

  “Small wonder,” Connie said. “That Poway video was really scary.”

  “Glad I didn’t see it,” Clem said.

  Sam’s phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to Connie. “Put it on speaker.”

  She nodded and answered, pushing the speaker button.

  “Sam?” Ryan asked.

  “Yeah, we got it on speaker,” Sam said. “What’s up?”

  “How far along are you guys?”

  “We’re on Ashwood Street,” he said.

  “No, honey, it’s already changed to Wildcat Road,” Connie said.

  “Oh,” Sam said. “We’re making pretty good time.”

  “Good,” Ryan said.

  “The info still out there?” Clem asked.

  “It’s been taken down by our side,” Ryan said. “Doesn’t appear that the enemy got into it.”

  “But the info is still available?” Connie asked.

  “We have a network of long-time officers in the CHP. The documents have been emailed to all of them, and a statewide hit is being planned for tonight. Do not strike until 9:00pm. Understand?”

  “Got it,” Sam said. “That timing should work out perfect for us.”

  “Good,” Ryan said. “One of my friends found the bodies of the commissioners and Chief Smith, in an abandoned prison outside of Sacramento.”

  “I figured it would be something like that,” Sam said. “How’d they get the info out?”

  “They sent it out from a Jeep with Uconnect,” Ryan said. “We’ve got Sable to thank for this. Oh, and by the way, he was found there too.”

  “Dead?” Connie asked.

  “Yeah, with a rifle in his hands, up in one of the guard towers.”

  Sam looked at Connie. “They’re not going to get away with this. It’s all going to come out.”

  “It’s all over the internet already,” Ryan said. “Of course the mainstream media won’t cover it. They’re outright lying. Saying that Sable is just sick.”

  “Those dirty bastards,” Clem said.

  “Seriously,” Ryan said. “Worthless. Have been for years.”

  “Anything else?” Clem asked.

  “Martial law has taken effect in most of LA county and parts of Orange County,” Ryan said. “Also the area around Santa Barbara, the entire Bay Area, and Sacramento.”

  “That’s every major population center except for San Diego,” Connie said.

  “The Navy and Airforce still control the area around San Diego,” Ryan said. “That’s why that pass you guys blocked up was such a heavy impact to the enemy. They wanted to break that control.”

  “Isn’t the Navy and Airforce still under the control of this corrupt Administration?” Connie asked.

  Ryan chuckled. “To be honest, I don’t know. Scuttlebutt on the internet says they’ve cut ties with DC and are fighting the invaders on their own.”

  “Hope that’s the case,” Sam said.

  “I’d better get off the line now,” Ryan said. “Take care. Remember what I said. Hold your fire until 9:00 tonight.”

  “Okay, take care of yourself,” Sam said.

  The call ended. Connie put Sam’s phone on the center console.

  “How much further to the Barona reservation?” Clem asked.

  “At least twenty minutes,” Connie said, looking at her phone.

  “Probably better turn that off,” Sam said.

  “Yeah, I know,” she said.

  “I’m still interested in these chips,” Clem said. “If we can crack those, we’ll be able
to find all the hiding spots.”

  “Yep, and we’d also have an early warning system,” Sam said. “We need an expert to start looking at them.”

  They rode silently for a while.

  “Barona Reservation,” Connie said, pointing at the sign. “Says ten more miles.”

  “We’ll go through the country club and casino first,” Clem said. “Went there once for a weekend. It was really nice.”

  “You think Sid will really be able to convince the tribe to help us?” Connie asked.

  “I don’t know,” Sam said. “Sid usually won’t say things he can’t back up.”

  “That’s true,” Clem said. “Even if they don’t help in the battle, they might be able to guide us to the base.”

  “We have Sid for that,” Connie said.

  “He’s good,” Clem said, “but this isn’t his backyard.”

  “Sid’s trying to get us to pull over,” Sam said, checking the rearview mirror. “Ah, there’s a big turnoff right ahead. I’d say he knows the area well.” Sam parked on the far end of the turnoff. Everybody got out and watched as Sid and John parked. They met next to Sid’s Jeep.

  “What’s up?” John asked.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” Clem asked.

  Sid smiled. “Don’t worry, nothing bad. I think I should take the lead into the reservation. Also, let me do all the talking when we get there, okay? At least until I’ve had a chance to make my case.”

  “You gonna talk to them in their native tongue?” Sarah asked.

  “Yeah, to start with,” Sid said. “You guys good with me taking the front?”

  “Sure,” Sam said.

  “No waving guns around, okay?” Yvonne said. “Keep them out of sight.”

  “Yeah, she’s right,” Sid said. “They’ll be watching us as soon as we drive through the gate.”

  “Okay,” John said. “Anything else?”

  “We heard from Ryan a little while ago,” Clem said.

  “Really?” Sid asked. “Any news?”

  “Yeah, some big news,” Clem said. “Go ahead, Sam.”

  “The data package got moved to a more secure channel. Sounds like this was done before the bad guys caught wind of it,” Sam said. “Governor Sable and those CHP commissioners gave their lives to get it out there.”

  “Governor Sable did that?” John asked.

  “Yep,” Sam said. “Here’s the important thing. There’s a planned attack happening statewide at 9:00 PM tonight. We have to wait until then to attack.”

  John chuckled. “They won’t know what hit them.”

  “That’s what we’re hoping,” Clem said.

  “How many other locations are going to be hit?” Sid asked.

  “We don’t know for sure,” Sam said, “but Ryan made it sound like there’ll be lots.”

  “Good,” Yvonne said. “We’d better get going.”

  “Yeah,” Sam said. “I’ll follow you guys.”

  “Let’s go,” John said.

  They got back in their vehicles and drove away, Sid and Yvonne in the lead.

  ***

  “You guys can still play with these dead guys lying around?” Morgan asked.

  “Not much fun with two people,” Alice said. “Maybe we should take their chips.”

  Tex cracked up. “Now there’s an idea.”

  “Sorry folks, those chips belong to the house,” Sparky said. The phone rang. He rushed over and answered it, talking in hushed tones again. “They’re here. Tex, don’t show your piece. They might get a little nervous.”

  “No problem,” Tex said.

  There were two hard knocks on the back door. Sparky went in the back.

  “I hope this doesn’t backfire,” Morgan said, eyes darting around.

  “Trust me, it won’t,” Tex said. “I know these guys. We ought to team up, and go take out those check points.”

  “Now there’s idea whose time has come,” said a big man with a French accent, walking in with a Mac 10.

  “Damn, boy, don’t those things jam a lot?” Tex asked.

  “Tex, how you?” he asked.

  “You two know each other?” Morgan asked.

  “Yeah,” Tex said. “Jules and I go way back.”

  “Jules? French?” Alice asked.

  “French?” Jules asked. He spat on the body lying next to Tex with disgust. “Belgian. I see what UN and EU thugs do. They don’t screw with US of A. We kill them all.”

  “Jules here has a problem with authority,” Tex said. “Gave me even more respect for him.”

  Four other big men walked in, three of them looking Italian, the last looking like Jules.

  “You’re going to dispose of the bodies and the vans, right?” Sparky asked.

  “We make statement instead,” Jules said. “Which nearest checkpoint?”

  “Probably Redondo Beach Boulevard and Hawthorne,” Morgan said. “I had to go through there earlier.”

  “How many creeps there?” Jules asked.

  “I saw a couple of vans and about five UN Peacekeepers on each side of the street – eastbound and westbound.”

  “Knocking out one checkpoint isn’t going to help,” Sparky said.

  “Who say one?” Jules asked. “Big boss has plans for tonight. All South Bay checkpoints will be hit. Also others in LA County.”

  “I like it,” Tex said. “You aren’t really going to use that pea shooter are you? Those things aren’t reliable.”

  “Light weight for carry,” Jules said, “but no worry. Mac 10 not for this job. Car full of M60s. We shred them good. Then tie bodies from lamppost like Mussolini.”

  “What’s an M60?” Morgan asked.

  “Military’s main machine gun,” Tex said. “Those won’t jam. Good choice.”

  “What you carry?” Jules asked. “That man by chip cart mess. You do? I know Sparky’s 9mm won’t do.”

  “Sparky told me to keep my gun out of site when you dudes are here,” Tex said.

  Jules laughed hard, doubling over. “Sparky, we friends from way back, don’t worry.”

  “Okay,” Tex said. He pulled out his massive single action revolver and set it on the table next to his chips.

  “Nice,” Jules said. “Ruger, right? You hand load .45 colt big?”

  “Oh, yeah, it’s way beyond .44 mag velocity, and a bigger bullet too,” Tex said. “Threw that idiot over there about ten feet. Kick is a little harsh.”

  Jules laughed. “Yeah, but single action army take too long to load. You know this.”

  “I wasn’t planning on a fight,” he said. “I got my real hardware hidden in my trunk.”

  “What you have?” Jules asked.

  “Oh, just a little BAR,” he said, twinkle in his eyes.

  “Ah, very good,” Jules said. “You want to come along?”

  “Do I get to kill anybody?” Tex asked.

  “Why you think I ask?” Jules said, wide grin on his face.

  “Sure, then I’ll go with you guys.”

  “You think I need to close down the club?” Sparky asked.

  “Your choice tonight,” Jules said.

  “Good, that’s what I was hoping to hear,” he said. “What happens after you hit the checkpoints?”

  “Big boss have special message. Will jam signal, put on all TV channel. Working with Anonymous.”

  “Now there’s some strange bedfellows,” Tex said.

  Jules laughed. “You right, my friend. We work with whoever wants UN and Islamist scum dead. Then we go back to fighting each other.” He snickered.

  “Who’s the big boss?” Morgan asked quietly. Sparky glanced at her and shook his head no.

  “Hey, what the hell?” Jules said. “You can tell. He want people to know. UN pansy fear him. Is Ivan the Butcher.”

  “He’s still alive?” Tex asked. “He disappeared, about two years ago.”

  “That what he want authorities to think,” Jules said. “He see what happen in EU, now USA, biding time, prepare to throw monke
y wrench.”

  “Who’s Ivan the Butcher?” Morgan asked.

  “Russian mob,” Tex said. “This is gonna be good.”

  “Not good, many people die, like with Triad at home,” Alice said.

  “No worry, Ivan want free society,” Jules said. “Free society gamble and buy whores.”

  Alice shook her head. “Like gamble part. Not other part.”

  “When are you guys taking off?” Sparky asked.

  “Ten minute,” Jules said. “First carry trash out to car.”

  “I’ll help, since I made some of the mess,” Tex said.

  The men got up and carried the bloody bodies out the back door.

  “Floor mess,” Alice said, looking at the bloody stains.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get it fixed before we open tomorrow,” Sparky said.

  “You really think some mobsters are gonna be able to knock out all of those checkpoints?” Morgan asked.

  “For a while, yes,” Sparky said. “Forever? No, the UN will be back with more men and bigger guns.”

  “If population reach tipping point, UN be gone,” Alice said. “Don’t underestimate people. Martial law very bad. I know, I see before. I live.”

  “Hope you’re right,” Morgan said. “I didn’t like the way the men at that checkpoint were acting. If you question them at all, they get menacing.”

  “Always happen,” Alice said. “Too big for britches.”

  The men came back in.

  “Better cash me out,” Tex said.

  “No problem, my friend,” Sparky said. “Don’t get killed.”

  “Don’t worry,” Tex said. “See you later, Alice. You too, little lady.”

  “Be careful,” Morgan said. She and Alice watched them leave, Sparky following them.

  “Sparky’s not going too, is he?” Morgan asked.

  Alice looked at her blankly, then shrugged.

  “Hey, Morgan,” Sparky called from outside the back door. She rushed out there.

  “I don’t want you staying here. We’re gonna close up just in case and go with those guys.”

  “I’ll get stopped if I go back early,” Morgan said. “They know what time I’m off.”

  Sparky chuckled. “They aren’t gonna stop anybody. They’ll all be dead before you roll through.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”