by Knights, BJ
She threw her arms up in the air. “Well, how long is that going to take? A day? A week? A month? What about my sister’s wedding next week?”
“I wouldn’t mind missing that joyous occasion,” the young man murmured under his breath.
She raised her voice in shock and disgust loud enough for the whole base to hear. “WHAT?” she demanded. The man regretted his tired comments, but before he could apologize the girl stood up from her seat, smacked the back of his head, and stormed off. The young man sat in silence for a moment and then looked over at Jim. “Still better than going to that wedding,” he said.
Coyle leaned over the table to grab the man’s attention. “So the solider you spoke to said we could be here a while?” The man nodded and added, “He also said the highway is toast. I left that part out, because as you can see my lovely wife is having a bit of a hard time coping with our current situation.” Jim cut into the conversation. “It’ll take some time before they can repair the damage from that bomb.”
“I hope the car’s still in one piece when we get back,” the young man said as he shook his head and shoveled some eggs onto his fork. “I just bought that damn thing.”
Coyle cut in. “So what are we going to do?” he asked Jim. Jim shrugged. He wanted to avoid answering that question in front of so many people because he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, but he was thinking of only one solid fact: they had to get to Phoenix.
The young man finished his meal and said goodbye to Jim and Coyle. Coyle wished him good luck and after he’d left, Coyle let out a whistle. “Damn his wife is hot,” he said.
Jim and Coyle finished their plates. Once they were out of ear shot from the other groups and Coyle had stopped moaning about wanting to go back to bed, Jim shared his thoughts with him. Coyle sat, listened, and then responded with, “You really think it’s still better to get to Phoenix than to stay here?”
“I think it’s a good idea to get as far away from the base as we can get. Whoever’s doing this seems to be basing their blasts around military stations,” Jim said as he pulled a map out of his back pocket and crouched down on the ground spreading it out.
He pointed to where they were on the base in El Centro and ran his finger along the Gila River, which ran parallel to the highway and right into Phoenix. “It’s two hundred and fifty miles from here to Phoenix, which means it would be about an eight day hike. That’s too long for the supplies that we have, so we’ll need to gather up some more food before we take off.”
Coyle looked around. “Gather food from where? It’s not like they have a Wal-Mart on the base.” Jim nodded back over to the food tent set up, “They’re not too concerned about the security around the rations, which is a mistake for them, but good for us.”
Coyle couldn’t believe what he was hearing and put his hands up in protest. “So wait, let me get this straight. You want to steal food from the military, who are armed with some very big guns, without them catching us, and then take a camping trip to Phoenix?”
Jim gathered up the map and folded it back into his pocket as he spoke. “If things are as bad as I think they are out there, then getting away from this place as fast as we can is important.”
Coyle shook his head in defiant anger. “No. No, Jim. You don’t have any proof. You don’t have access to the same information that the Army, Navy, or CIA does. You want us to leave the first safe spot we’ve run into since we left San Diego on the basis of some crazy-ass theory?”
Jim snapped back. “Why do you want to stay here? Because the last military base we were at was so safe? I need to get to Phoenix and make sure my sister and niece are alright. If you’re to chicken-shit to come with me, then you can stay here.” Jim shoved Coyle hard in the chest and sent him flying backwards. Coyle shoved him back.
“Fuck you, man!” Coyle screamed and stormed off. A whirl of dust circled Jim as a hot breeze brushed his face and body. His neck burned a bit from the desert sun. He started his trek over to his tent and decided that he was leaving. With or without Coyle.
Chapter 5 – Phoenix on My Mind
Jim was right about the lack of security on the food supplies. He didn’t even have to be coy about walking up with this bag. There was only one security guard stationed at the front and right after lunch he was able to slip in the back and grab enough rations to get him through the trip. He didn’t skimp on grabbing the good stuff either. There were thousands of dollars of MREs stacked up in crates. With these and the supplies he already had in his pack he would be able to last for about two weeks if he had to. He wanted to take more, but his bag was filled to the brim as it was.
He thought about checking the ammunition depot, but didn’t want to press his luck. When he made it back to the sleeping quarters he saw that Coyle had moved from the cot next to him over in the corner by himself. Jim rolled his eyes and slid the pack back under his cot. The only other thing he really wanted to get back was his guns.
Jim let Tigs out of his cage one more time onto the sand to take care of business, and then after she ran around for a bit Jim put her back into her cage and set off to find out where they stashed his guns. He scouted the base as best he could, but the soldiers were keeping a close eye on him the further he got away from the civilian quarters, no doubt on the orders of Haggard, so Jim didn’t venture to far.
After a few hours scouring the base Jim decided it was a lost cause and headed back to the tent. The sun was getting low and he wanted to be sure to gather his stuff before it got dark.
As he walked in and sat down Coyle snuck up from behind him and slumped onto cot causing it to sink a little closer to the floor. He placed a poorly wrapped blanket onto his lap and Jim heard the familiar metal clank of his AR-15 against the pistols. He looked at Coyle with astonishment, but Coyle kept looking forward as he spoke. “I couldn’t get the shotgun, but both pistols are there.”
Jim’s mouth hung open as he tried to grasp what had just happened. Coyle looked at him once the silence had gone on for a bit. “What? You’re not the only one who’s good at stuff.” Jim tucked the blanket full of guns quickly under his cot and apologized to Coyle. “I didn’t mean to go off on you like that.”
Coyle shook his head. “I deserved it,” he replied. “All you’ve done for me is save my ass and all I’ve done is been a pain in yours. If you’re going to Phoenix, then so am I. Besides,” Coyle glanced around and saw the nurse he was flirting with the day before smiling and waving at him, “I think the nurse is getting a little too clingy.”
The two of them decided that they’d make a run for it tomorrow night after they scoped out the security detail to see when the best time would be to sneak out.
Night fell and Jim and Coyle snuck out of the tents and checked the perimeters. It was light security around the tents, but the perimeter of the base was locked down. There were Humvee patrols, sniper towers, and armed personnel at every gate with some patrolling in between.
They were both caught by an MP and escorted back to their tent, quite roughly, after they explained in unison that they were going to the bathroom and having a smoke at the same time.
After they were escorted back to their cots and the guard unit had been doubled at the sleeping quarters, Coyle whispered to Jim, “I don’t think we’re getting out of here anytime soon.”
Jim didn’t respond. He stared into the darkness of the sagging ceiling and thought to himself. The increased security wasn’t what stirred him in his sleep that night. It was the thought of where his sister was. Were they safe? Were they still in Phoenix? The worry in his stomach made for a restless night.
The night air was chilly, and at first Jim just thought it was Coyle’s snoring that had awoken him, but then he heard shouts and commotion in the tent. Some kids started crying and the murmured whispers of panic began to grow louder. Jim shot up and rushed to the front of the tent where a group of people had crowded.
“What’s going on out there?”
“Are we under atta
ck?”
“Will we be safe?”
The soldiers at the tent entrance were doing their best to calm their fears, but with the tension in the air they didn’t think it would take long for the rush of panic to finally break through. Jim’s eye scanned the outside of the tent and there was a lot of movement going on. Small units of men were rushing towards the exit gate.
Soldiers were packing up supplies in large trucks and stripping the base of anything essential or confidential. A young, female petty officer first class came running up towards the sergeant who was trying to calm the crowd. “Sergeant,” she said.
The sergeant turned around and was handed a piece of paper. He folded it up and handed it back to the petty officer. He raised his voice so the whole tent could be heard. “Ladies and gentlemen, please gather up any personal belongings and be prepared to leave in five minutes. There will be trucks coming along escorting you further east at a new temporary location.”
Murmurs began to circle as people started running towards their cots and grabbing what little possessions they had with them. As the others started packing up their things Jim grabbed the attention of the sergeant. “What’s causing the evacuation?” he asked. The sergeant shrugged him off. “Sir, please just gather your things and be ready to move.”
Jim grabbed the sergeant’s arm before he could turn away. “Sergeant, please, just tell me what’s going on?” The sergeant looked at Jim intently. “You military?” he asked.
“Use to be,” Jim said as he loosened his grip. The sergeant looked him over and then leaned in so he couldn’t be heard by the other civilians standing around. “We got reports that the radiation from the blasts are heading this way. We’re evacuating further east to avoid the fallout.” The sergeant marched off and Jim headed back over to Coyle who already had the blankets with the guns and their packs stacked up next to Tigs’ cage.
“What’d he say?” Coyle saw Jim talking to the sergeant and figured he had answers. Jim picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulders. He motioned for Coyle to come closer and they both bent down pretending to go over their gear. “Radiation’s coming from the blasts. They’re moving us further east to avoid the contamination.”
“Do you know how far east they’re taking us? Are we going to Phoenix?” Coyle asked. Jim shrugged. He didn’t get that answer from the sergeant. It would make sense for them to head to Phoenix. It was far enough east and just north enough that the winds would probably miss the city and blow down over into Mexico, or Texas.
Jim gathered the rest of his gear along with Tigs’ cage, who was meowing incessantly, and headed over towards the entrance with the others to wait for their transport. The commotion outside the tent had turned into a full evacuation of the base. Tanks, armored cars, and soldiers coordinated towards the exit. Three large transport trucks pulled up in front of them and six soldiers jumped down.
The first man was a heavyset fellow with a bushy mustache whose helmet seemed to slide forward more than he’d like it to. “Okay, we need twenty to a truck.” He started pulling people towards him and one by one they started to file in the back of the truck bed.
Jim and Coyle ended up in the third truck and were sandwiched between the young couple they met yesterday and one very, very upset baby who Coyle had the privilege of sitting next to. He let out a sigh as the trucks pulled out of the base.
The base faded into the night behind them as they journeyed onto the road ahead. As the lights from the base disappeared the soldier accompanying them spoke up, “Okay, everyone. We’re heading to Phoenix and we’ll be setting you up in a secure location until the situation has been contained. Once we reach Phoenix you’ll be free to head off wherever you need to.”
The mother of the screaming baby chimed in. “Why were we being evacuated?” she asked.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that ma’am. All I can tell you is it’ll be much safer in Phoenix.” The baby started to scream again and Coyle leaned in to Jim, speaking slightly above a whisper. “Are we there yet?”
Jim had drifted off during the ride, but jolted awake just as the sun rose. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sleeping, but he rubbed his eyes and looked over at Coyle who was slumped on his shoulder. The soldier riding with them was awake in the back and Jim grabbed his attention. “How close are we to Phoenix?”
The soldier glanced up with dark circles under his eyes. “We’re about forty-five minutes out.” Jim nodded, yawned, and tried to lean forward to stretch with Coyle still leaning on him and his mouth hanging open. Jim gave him a nudge and he jolted awake. He rubbed his eyes and yawned as he asked if they were there yet. Jim shook his head no, but wanted to start getting Coyle up because he knew it would take about forty-five minutes for him to wake up.
The trucks rumbled along the highway as the sun peaked further from the desert horizon. The orange glow started to peak through the canvas cracks of the truck and its inhabitants began to stir.
Jim felt the outline of the pistol in his hands underneath the blanket. All of the events of the past few days began to replay in his mind. The attacks at the base, getting out of San Diego, the gas station, the road block, and now this. He was sitting in a military truck outrunning the fallout from radiation blasts he had seen go off.
The exhaustion from everything that had happened was starting to takes its toll on him. Jim rubbed his hands over his face and leaned back against the taunt canvass behind him. There wasn’t anything on the road besides them. No cars, no people, no animals, nothing. It was eerily quiet on the road and Jim’s eye caught a sign. He only saw it for a moment before it was out of view, but the road sign said. “I-10 West”.
It took a minute for Jim to register what he’d just seen. Then he’d realized what was happening. They did go north, but they hadn’t gone east. They were heading back to California towards Los Angeles. Phoenix was in the other direction.
Jim elbowed Coyle again who had dozed off. Coyle jumped with a pissed look on his face, but Jim pulled him in close. “They’re not taking us to Phoenix,” he said while attempting to conceal his emotions. Coyle shook his head trying to get the fog out of his brain. “What?” he asked. Jim gritted through his teeth as his tone became angrier. “They’re…not…taking…us…to…Phoenix.”
Jim jumped up out of his seat and headed toward the soldier in the back. He knelt down in front of him and looked him in the eye with a calm, stern undertone in his voice. “Where are we going?” he asked. A few of the passengers next to the soldier began to stir awake. The soldier looked at Jim for a moment, not sure what to do, but then said, “Sir, please go back to your seat. We’ll be arriving shortly.”
“Yes, but where are we arriving?” Jim’s voice stayed the even keel tone as before. “Because it sure as hell isn’t Phoenix.” The closest gentlemen next to them started to lean in with a worried look on his face. “What’s going on?” he interrupted.
The soldier responded to him to stay in his seat. Jim kept his eyes on the soldier. “Why aren’t we going to Phoenix? What’s happened?” The soldier placed his hand on his rifle and instructed Jim to go sit down immediately. Jim glanced at the weapon and then back up at the soldier who had risen up out of his seat. Jim’s thoughts went back to the pistol at his seat and he eventually complied.
The soldier kept his eyes on Jim for a while before returning them to the back of the truck and watching the road disappear behind them. Coyle leaned in to Jim so he could whisper. “Well? What’s going on?”
Jim kept his voice low, “I don’t know. He wouldn’t give me anything.”
Coyle continued his whisper, “Do you think something happened to Phoenix?”
“It could be anything. Phoenix might be compromised; they could have received new orders, anything. They’re the ones controlling the information, so we’re at their mercy right now.”
Jim felt the outline of the pistol in his blanket more thoroughly. He kept it close to him as the truck rumbled westbound toward, what Jim though
t would be, Los Angeles. Jim felt the truck slow down and finally came to a stop. He could hear voices shouting at one another outside the truck and then they began to move forward a little bit then stop. The voices became a little clearer, and they moved forward again then stopped. Jim listened as hard as he could to what was going on outside.
“Business?” a man shouted above the diesel engine.
“Dropping off some refugees that were on the I-8 attack,” replied the driver.
“Alright, move it on through.” The truck jumped forward and as Jim looked out the back he saw a guard station with a draw gate beam lower back down. Soldiers with rifles and a machine gun nest sat perched on the road as the truck moved onto a dirt path that flew dust up around them.
After a bumpy ride down the dirt road the truck came to a halt. The soldier in the truck didn’t take his eyes off him the entire time they went down the road. Another group of soldiers came up behind them and lowered the truck gate and they piled out of the back.