by Robert Boren
There was the sound of a rifle shot outside. The men jerked their heads around.
“Jasmine,” Jerry said. “She’s a natural shot. “She’ll pick up that varmint rifle pretty quick if it doesn’t recoil a lot.”
There were another couple of shots.
“What now?” Frank asked.
“I’m going to go get my backpack…be back here in a minute,” Jerry said. “Why don’t you go get that small mortar and a few rounds?”
“Will do,” Frank said.
“Good, let’s meet up at the clubhouse in a few minutes,” Gabe said.
There were more rifle shots, several in rapid succession this time. Frank and Jerry walked out of the barn just as Jasmine and Kurt were walking back in from the meadow.
“Hey, honey, now I know what you can get me for Christmas,” Jasmine said, grinning. “This is great. Just enough kick to be fun.”
“Your little lady is a natural,” Kurt said appreciatively. “I think she shoots this thing better than I do. Should have seen the grouping on that last three shots.”
“I know, she amazes me,” Jerry said. “She picked up that M-16 in a hurry, and shot well under pressure, too. Honey, I’m going back to the rig to get the backpack. I think all of the explosives will fit in there.”
“Good,” she said. “I’ll go with you.” They walked off towards the rig together, hand in hand.
“You think we can be successful?” Kurt asked.
“With a little luck, yes,” Frank said.
“What are you going to do while we’re gone?”
“Hold down the fort just in case, and work on that security camera system that Gabe told us about. If the hardware isn’t completely shot, I can probably get it going again.”
“Good.”
“Right now I’m going to go grab the small mortar and a few rounds for you guys. I think it will fit in a couple of backpacks.”
“Won’t that make us look like we aren’t just hunters?” Kurt asked.
“Yeah, if you see anybody, ditch that stuff fast. At least you’re there at night.”
“A mortar is a valuable thing to lose.”
“True,” Frank said, “but it’s the small one. The bigger ones will get set up here.”
“Okay, I’ll see you back at the clubhouse,” Kurt said. “Make sure nothing happens to Mary while I’m gone.”
“Of course,” Frank said.
Everybody was back in the clubhouse within ten minutes. The sun was sinking rapidly now…..dusk had set in. Frank had the mortar taken apart and laid out on a table by the door, and Jerry was stuffing dynamite into his backpack. He put the blasting caps, wire, and plunger into a second backpack.
“Everybody checked your weapons?” Charlie asked.
“Yeah,” Jeb said. He was looking at his bow. Kurt walked up and looked at it.
“Nice one,” Kurt said. “Better than mine.” He held his bow up in front of Jeb.
“That’s a good bow you have there,” Jeb said. “Simple and rugged. I’ve got to be careful with mine. If I fall on it, it probably won’t work. That one of yours would probably take a lot more abuse.”
“It’s gotten me by so far,” Kurt said. “Had to take out more than one charging boar with this sucker.”
“Gabe, where’s the security camera stuff?” Frank asked.
“It’s over there, in that cabinet in the corner. See the wires coming out of the top and going out the wall?”
Frank looked over and saw it. “Good. Can I get to it, or do you have it locked up?”
“It’s all open. Haven’t locked it up since it quit working. You going to take a look at it while we’re gone?”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking,” Frank said. “I might be able to fix it. Where are the cameras?”
“All in the front of the park. I didn’t see any reason to put any on the sides or the back.”
“Good,” Frank said. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I wouldn’t mess with the ones over by the creek and the meadow after dark,” Gabe said. “Easy to fall down and get hurt out there at night. I’ve seen a lot of bears out there at night over the years, too.”
“Gotcha,” Frank said.
“You know, the first two cameras are in the store and in the registration room,” Gabe said. “Why don’t you work those first? Everything is indoors on them.”
“Good, I’ll do that,” Frank said.
Jane walked up next to Frank as he was putting mortar components into three backpacks.
“Are you alright with not going on this one?” she asked.
“I’d only be in the way,” Frank said. “I’m not bad at a close in battle, but I’m no tracker, and I’m not a good sniper either. We have the best people for the job going.”
“If this is a trap, we might get hit here,” Jane whispered.
“I’ve thought about that…..I doubt they think we can mount this attack so fast, though.”
“We’ll have some good people left here, too,” Jane said. “You, and Earl, and Jackson.”
“And you. You’re a pretty good shot yourself, you know.”
“I do alright,” she said. “Maybe we should have Earl, Jackson, and Terry set up those mortars.”
“Good idea,” Frank said. “I’ll talk to them after the group leaves.”
“Alright, everybody ready to saddle up?” Gabe shouted.
Jeb, Charlie, the Sheriff, Jerry, Jasmine, and Kurt were all standing together chatting. They turned around and looked at Gabe.
“We’re just about ready,” Charlie said. “Got the mortar packed up for us, Frank?”
“Yep, just finished,” Frank said. “The only pack that’s very heavy is the one that has the rounds in it.”
“Good,” he replied.
Rosie hobbled over to the group. She looked at Jasmine.
“I proud of you, daughter,” she said, eyes misting. “Take care of self. You too, son-in-law.”
“Don’t worry,” Jerry said. “I’ll bring her back to you.”
“I know, you good man,” she said. Then she walked over to Jeb. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth. “You better be back too.”
“I’m planning on it, sweetie,” he said, looking a little self-conscious.
“Good,” she said. “I treat you nice when you come back.”
“Mom!” Jasmine said.
“I grown woman,” Rosie said. She smiled. “Go get bad guy.”
“We will,” Jeb said. “Let’s go.”
Mary walked over to Kurt and gave him a long hug and kiss. “There’s no way I can talk you out of this, is there?”
“You know I’m doing the right thing,” Kurt said, brushing back her hair as she looked up at him. “We’ll be back before you know it, honey.”
“I hope so,” she said. “Don’t be getting yourself shot up.”
He nodded and smiled at her, and then walked back over to the group.
They walked out the door. Rosie sat down in a chair and cried softly for a moment. Jane went over and patted her shoulder, and she looked up at her.
“They’re doing the right thing,” Jane said.
“I know, I encourage, but still not easy,” Rosie said.
They heard the engine fire up in the Suburban, and the gravel sound as it backed up and drove towards the gate. Then the motor sound slowly disappeared with them down the road.
Chapter 07 – Unwelcome Guests
“Hope they make it back okay,” Jane said. She was sitting at a table in the clubhouse, across from Frank.
“I’ll be nervous the whole time they’re gone. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to get set up to work the security camera system. I need something to occupy my mind. That reminds me….I need to talk to Earl and Jackson about setting up a couple of mortars.”
He got up and walked over to Earl and Jackson, who were sitting out on the veranda.
“What’s up, Frank?” Jackson asked.
“We we
re thinking that it would be a good idea to set up a couple of the mortars out here, pointing forward. Maybe pile some sand bags around them. What do you think?”
“Well, I’d love to have something to do,” Earl said. “I’m going crazy just sitting here. I swear that I can hear things out there.”
“I think it’s just nerves, Earl,” Jackson said.
“I’ve got a bad feeling. The feeling that we’re being watched.”
“Hell, I’ve had that feeling since the shit hit the fan,” Frank said, laughing. “Maybe I ought to bring Lucy out here. If somebody’s out there, she’ll hear them.”
“Yeah, why don’t you do that?” Jackson asked.
“Lucy!” Frank shouted. In a second she came running out, tail wagging, looking up at Frank. She sat down next to where he was standing.
“What’re you going to do, Frank?” asked Earl.
“I’m just about ready to start troubleshooting the security camera setup that Gabe has. Maybe I can fix it.”
“Hopefully it doesn’t get used for propaganda videos like the last one was,” Jackson said.
“I know, that was really sick,” Frank said. “We never even got to use the last system for self-defense, but I don’t regret putting it up. As nasty as it was, at least we saw what happened.”
“True,” Jackson said, “and we found our targets too.”
“You hear anything, girl?” Frank asked. She just looked up at him and wagged her tail. “Alright, guys, I’m going to go get busy. Talk to you later.”
He walked back into the clubhouse and sat down next to Jane.
“They’re nervous too,” he said.
“The girl hear anything?”
“No,” Frank said. “I’m going to go start messing with that security system.”
“Alright, let me know if I can help, honey.”
“Will do,” he said, getting up. He walked to the far corner of the room, where the equipment cabinet sat. He opened the pine double doors. Inside were a few electronic boxes and a maze of wires, plus an old monitor. He flipped on the power. Nothing. Then he looked outside the cabinet for the electrical plug. There was a power bar on the floor in the corner. It was turned off. Frank turned it on, and the red button lit up. Then he tried to turn on the main unit again. Nothing. He looked at the monitor….it was switched off, so he turned it on. It slowly showed a countdown for the startup self-check. Mary walked over while he was watching.
“Look fixable?” she asked. Frank turned to her and smiled.
“Too early to tell,” Frank said. “I’m still trying to get the system turned on. Then maybe I can figure out why it failed.”
“It says it’s done,” Mary said, nodding towards the monitor. Frank looked back over. It said self-check completed, no cameras found.
“Hmmmm. Bad cameras or a break in the line somewhere,” Frank said. He got out of his chair and stood up, looking at the wires coming out of the top of the cabinet and going out of the wall. He looked over towards the stage and saw a stool. He fetched it and put it by the cabinet.
“Careful!” Jane said as Frank climbed on top of it.
“Don’t worry, there’s plenty to hold onto,” he said, grabbing the top of the cabinet to steady himself. He took a close look at the wires, then reached over and moved them around a little. “Don’t see anything wrong here. Has to be outside.”
“You’re going out there?” Mary asked.
“Yeah, if I can get enough light out there to see with, that is,” Frank said.
“I’ll go out there with you,” Jane said.
“Good, let’s bring Lucy too,” Frank said.
“You got a flashlight?” Mary asked.
“Yeah, my cell phone,” Frank said. “You got your phone, honey?”
“Of course,” Jane replied.
They walked out the front door to the veranda.
“What’s up,” Earl asked.
“I’m going to check out the wires on the security system. There might be a break. The system components in the cabinet look like they’re okay.”
“Let me know if you need help,” Earl said.
“Need a ladder?” asked Jackson. “I saw one in the shed, right by where the backhoe is parked.”
“Yeah, actually that would be good, thanks,” Frank said.
Jackson walked back to the barn while Frank, Jane, and Lucy went around the front of the building to the far corner.
“Look, there’s the wires,” Frank said, pointing.
“Not very high up there, at least,” Jane said.
Frank pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. He shined it up at the wires, and laughed.
“What?” Jane asked.
“Look at the wires up there, right before they make the bend underneath the eave. See the loose section there?”
“Yes, it’s all shredded,” Jane said.
“Probably squirrels or rats. They both love to chew on plastic.”
“Wonder if it’s just there or all over the place?” she asked.
“Hard to say. Where the wires are tacked down to the wall, it’s probably hard for the little varmints to chew. May have a lot of problems out in the tree section, though. By the creek.”
Lucy growled and looked towards the back of the building. Both Jane and Frank whirled around. Three Islamist fighters were walking up, AK-47s pointed at them. A fourth man had Jackson by the shoulder, with a pistol pointed at his head.
“Hands up,” said the lead Islamist.
“Crap,” Frank said. “Guns in the clubhouse.” Jane looked completely terrified.
“Move,” the lead Islamist said. He nodded for them to move towards the front of the clubhouse. Frank’s heart was pounding in his chest. They started walking. When they came around the corner, Earl had his rifle pointing right at them.
“Drop the gun, crusader, or your friends will be killed,” a voice commanded.
“You drop your guns, or you’ll be killed, cretin,” Earl replied.
There was the sound of a pump shotgun cocking behind Earl. He got an angry look on his face.
“Shit,” he said. He set his gun down.
“Into the building, crusaders,” said the lead person. “Leave that disgusting dog outside.” He had no Arabic accent, but he sounded like he was from the upper Midwest. His beard was long and full, reaching down to the middle of his chest.
Rosie, Hilda, and Mary turned to see the enemy coming in, with horrified looks on their faces. Rosie spat on the floor.
“Moro scum, come to kill women and old people. Pigs. Pershing was right.”
“What’s she talking about?” asked the lead Islamist, as he pointed for his prisoners to sit on the closest bench.
“Sorry, honey, old Blackjack Pershing isn’t around to help you now,” said the man with the shotgun as he followed Earl over to the bench. “He’s in hell with the prophet right about now.”
“Don’t blaspheme,” the lead Islamist said. “I warned you about that.”
“Stuff it, or I’ll tell your boss you had a ham sandwich today,” he spat back.
“Simon Orr,” Frank said.
The militia man set down his shotgun, looking at Frank.
“So, you know my name, huh,” Simon said. “How’d you figure that out?”
“Facial recognition of the video from the RV Park in Utah,” Frank said. “Where’s Phil?”
Simon cracked up. “Don’t call him Phil.”
“Yeah, I heard, traitor,” Frank said. Jane put her hand on his thigh, trying to get him to settle down.
“I know you from somewhere,” Simon said, looking at Earl. “You look real familiar. Williams Militia? And that other guy too.”
“Yeah, we used to be with the Williams Militia,” Earl said. “I remember Phil too. What a blowhard.”
Simon backhanded Earl hard, sending him to the floor.
“Mind your manners, son,” he said, rubbing his hand. Jackson started to get up, but one of the other Islamists poin
ted his AK-47 right at his head.
Earl got back up on the bench and spit blood onto the floor, giving Simon a look that was pure hatred.
“So what do you want, traitor?” Frank asked.
“I’m just making sure you guys don’t hi-tail it after the rest of your group gets ambushed,” Simon said, grinning. “And watch the traitor stuff, or I’ll let my horny friends there at your lovely wife.”
Jane looked over at Frank, eyes glassy.
“Moro pigs,” Rosie said again.
“What’s this ‘Moro’ crap?” asked the lead Islamist.
“Geez,” Simon said, “you’re willing to die for this crackpot religion of yours, but you don’t even know the history. Is this an indication of the quality of the Dearborn school system?”
“Stop talking like that,” the lead Islamist replied, his anger showing.
“Alright, pajama boy, don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Simon replied. “I’ll tell you what she’s talking about.”
Frank laughed. Simon looked over at him and he chuckled too. Then he started talking.
“She’s talking about the Moro Rebellion in the Philippines. Turn of the Century to the teens. Moro was the name for the Muslims who lived in the south.”
“She looks old enough to have been there,” the lead Islamist said. He laughed and looked over at his comrades. They stared at him stone faced. “When are you idiots going to learn some English?”
“I don’t know why you’re talking about Pershing, though,” Simon continued. “He eventually worked to settle things down, and even rebuilt some Muslim houses of worship. All that stuff about throwing dead Moro bodies in pig’s blood is just a myth.”
“It not myth,” Rosie spat. “My grandpa see.”
“Well, whatever, lady,” Simon said.
“What exactly do you think you’re going to gain by teaming up with these heathens?” Earl asked. “They’ll just turn on you if you get lucky enough to win.”
“They’ll take their land, and we’ll take ours,” Simon said. “Yeah, we’ll probably fight eventually, but right now the US Government and private citizen sheep like you guys are job one.”