Creeping Tyranny

by Robert Boren

  “Sam, you get ‘em all?”

  “Yeah,” Sam said. “We’re gonna gather up weapons and ammo and get the hell out of here.”

  “You call the CHP?”

  “Nah, we don’t need the Air Force to take them out,” Sam said, “and if we call them they’ll just open the road back up. I think we ought to make sure this stays closed for as long as possible.”

  “Yeah, there’s no good way around this pass. Too bad we can’t bring some rocks down to seal it up better. There’s a few boulders in this pass that would be easy enough to break loose.”

  “Ask him about that artillery piece,” Yvonne said. “I bet that would do it.”

  “Oh, yeah, how about the artillery piece? Any chance it’ll still fire?”

  Sam chuckled. “Great minds think alike. Clem is looking it over now. I don’t think it’s too badly damaged. We can probably fire off some rounds with it.”

  “How did you stop it?” Sid asked.

  “Fired a grenade at the gunner’s seat. Blew pieces of him all over the place, and machine gunned the rest of the crew.”

  There was squeaking below. “Hell, I can hear it,” Sid said. “Clem got it going.”

  “Son of a bitch, he sure did,” Sam said. “Got to go. You guys mind staying up there for a while, just in case somebody else shows up?”

  “Sure, no problem,” Sid said. He ended the call and slipped his phone back in his pocket.

  “They’re gonna blow some of the boulders with the artillery?” Yvonne asked.

  “Yeah, Clem’s working on it. That old coot can fix anything.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Yvonne said. “We better get down a little further. There’s gonna be rock chips flying everywhere when he opens up with that sucker.”

  “Yeah, I hope those guys take cover down there. Once a big rock starts rolling, who knows where it’ll go.”

  Suddenly there was a loud boom, and rock chips flew out around the bottom of a house-sized boulder on the far side of the canyon.

  “Holy crap!” Sid said, getting his head down. There was another boom, and the boulder started to roll, crashing down the hillside, gaining speed, slamming into the broken trucks on the road below.

  “Wow!” Yvonne said. “Who’s going to clean that up?”

  Sid chuckled. “I’d better peek at the south side of the road. Maybe we ought to move over there.”

  “Good idea,” Yvonne said. “I know just the place.”

  “Where we got the big horn a few years ago?”

  “That’s it,” Yvonne said. They moved further down the ridge, until they had a good view of the road heading south, past the bend.

  “Perfect,” Sid said. “I can see more than a mile.” Another boom came from the canyon.

  “They’re working on that other big boulder,” Yvonne said. “That’ll make this into a month-long cleanup job.”

  “Hell, it’ll take longer than that,” Sid said, laughing. “My dad worked on roads back in the day. You know how they had to clear big rocks like that?”

  “No, how?”

  “Jack hammered them into moveable pieces. Took a long time. It’s harder than breaking up cement.”

  Another big boom went off, and then the crashing sound as a huge boulder came down, dust filling the air even where they were.

  “That had to be bigger than the first one,” Yvonne said. “Watch your eyes. Might want to close them for a few minutes.”

  “Already did,” Sid said. There was another boom.

  “Damn, they’re really going to town,” Yvonne said.

  “I’d better open my eyes,” Sid said. “Gotta look down the road. There’s gonna be more enemy coming.”

  “How far do they have to go to get around this?” Yvonne asked.

  Sid laughed. “This is a big problem for them. They’d have to pick up I-8 around Yuma if they want to come into San Diego from the back way. I’ll bet that’s guarded well. The only other alternative they have is to stay in Mexico until they’re west of the Otay preserve, and then they get into the area where we actually have a wall on the border.”

  “So we’ve screwed them over well,” Yvonne said. “Good.”

  “Yeah, pretty much,” Sid said, opening his eyes just as another boom went off. Then there was the crashing noise, louder this time. The ground beneath them shook as the boulder hit the bottom.

  “Holy crap, close your eyes again,” Yvonne shouted. “That was HUGE.”

  Rock chips flew into the air, raining down around them.

  “Wow!” Sid said. “That ought to hold it.”

  “Seriously,” Yvonne said. When the sound of rocks hitting the ground stopped, she slowly opened her eyes. “Look, here comes another convoy.”

  “They’re slowing down fast. They must see the mess.”

  “We’re going to take them out, right?”

  “Hell yeah,” Sid said, moving the rifle into position. “Come to papa.”

  “That’s quite a few trucks,” Yvonne said. “Dammit, got dirt in my eyes again.

  “I’m good,” Sid said, pulling the trigger, splattering the head of the driver in the lead, causing his truck to swerve and spin sideways. The trucks following slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. Three trucks slammed into the lead truck as Sid fired into the cabs of all of them. Yvonne opened up, hitting the truck cabs as far back as she could. Men from the backs of the first few trucks ran away in a panic as the other trucks tried to turn around.

  “Shoot their tires,” Sid said.

  “What about the men?” Yvonne asked.

  “Actually, you take them. I’ll take the tires.”

  “Okay.” Yvonne fired several times, hitting men with all but the last shot.

  Sid nailed the tires on several of the trucks, but two of them got turned around, men running to catch them and jump in the back. He hit a few of them as the trucks rolled away, but he couldn’t hit the tires.

  “Some of them are gonna get away,” Yvonne said.

  “I know, but there isn’t a way they can get around this mess,” Sid said. “They’ll go back home. Probably re-route their people if they can.”

  “We’re gonna need somebody here to keep an eye out, aren’t we?”

  “I don’t think so, sweetie,” Sid said. “They won’t be able to go this way. I don’t know what that last boulder looks like, but I suspect we just created a several-month problem.”

  Sid’s phone rang. He pulled it out and answered it.

  “Hey, Sam, what the hell did you guys blow back there? It shook the ground when it hit.”

  Sam snickered. “We didn’t mean to make that big of a mess. That last boulder was a lot bigger than it looked, and it brought down a lot of dirt and several other boulders when it broke loose. They won’t be getting through this way for months. Heard you guys firing. Another convoy?”

  “Yeah,” Sid said. “About ten trucks. We wasted all but the last two. They high-tailed it.”

  “Good,” Sam said. “I wouldn’t worry about the ones that got away. They won’t be able to come through here again.”

  “Should we hang around up here for a while?”

  “I don’t see why. Meet you at the mouth of the canyon.”

  “Great, thanks,” Sid said. He put his phone back in his pocket.

  “We leaving?” Yvonne asked.

  “Yep,” Sid said. “C’mon.”

  They started down from the ridge.

  ***

  Ji-Ho came into the living room. “Good afternoon,” he said. “How doing?”

  “Great,” Kaylee said. “How are you, uncle?”

  “Slept like baby,” he said. “Trevor up yet?”

  “Nope,” Seth said. “Maybe I should go wake him up.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Angel said. “Getting late.”

  Seth got up and walked towards the bedroom hall.

  “Hey Emma, let’s go see what we can cook for dinner, okay?” Kaylee said.

  “Sure.” Emma stood up a
nd followed her into the kitchen.

  Seth came back in the living room. “Trevor’s getting dressed. He was already awake.”

  “Good,” Ji-Ho said.

  “Is Emma a good cook, man?” Matt asked, looking at Seth.

  “She’s good at what she knows how to make,” Seth said. “Makes great scalloped potatoes.”

  “Yum,” Jamie said. “Too bad we didn’t bring swim suits. That pool looks really good.”

  Ji-Ho laughed. “Yeah, nice out there. We should go check out my rooftop deck. You can see long way out on ocean. Good place to have drink.”

  “I’m game,” Matt said.

  “Me too,” Seth said.

  “Me three,” Angel said.

  Jamie snickered. “Which of you guys is Curley?”

  “What mean Curley?” Ji-Ho asked.

  “He’s talking about the Stooges,” Matt said. “Remember when we watched them that time?”

  “Oh, old black and white comedy,” Ji-Ho said, grinning. “I like.”

  They walked towards the stairs, climbing them into a loft area with a three-sixty-degree view. There was a spiral staircase against the far wall.

  “Maybe that’s why he and Trevor get along so well,” Seth said. “They’re both Three Stooges fans.

  “Trevor brilliant,” Ji-Ho said. “He in college?”

  “Nah, he wants to be a gunsmith,” Seth said. “Parent’s couldn’t afford to pay for a four-year college. He went to Crenshaw Tech, got an AA degree.”

  “Crenshaw Tech?” Ji-Ho asked.

  Matt snickered. “He’s talking about El Camino Community College.”

  “But they live in South Bay, right? Must have some money. Expensive around here.”

  “They do,” Seth said, “but white middle-class kids don’t get help very easily here in Taxafornia, and it costs so much to own a house here that there’s usually not money left for the kid’s college. The high taxes pay for non-producer families to send their kids free. It’s not fair.”

  Angel laughed. “Here it comes. Gringo.”

  Seth cracked up. “Yeah, whatever. It is harder for middle-class kids unless their grades all the way through High School are perfect. His weren’t. Too much weed.”

  “Should be by merit only,” Ji-Ho said. “California bad now unless very well-off. Maybe when this over I’ll talk to him. I have no kids. I’d put him through school. Plenty money. Kaylee too.”

  “You’re a really nice man, Ji-Ho,” Matt said.

  “Let’s go up spiral staircase,” he said. “Watch step. I open trap door at top.”

  “This is going to be cool,” Seth said.

  “Hey, guys,” Trevor said as he walked in. “Going to the roof-top deck, eh?”

  “Yeah,” Angel said.

  “Sleep well?” Jamie asked.

  “Like a baby,” he said. “I don’t want to get stuck here for too long, but this is a nice break from the craziness down there.”

  They all got up on the deck and stood at the four-foot wall that surrounded it on all sides.

  “Where’s the sailboats?” Trevor asked, looking around. “Perfect day for sailing.”

  “They stop when trouble get bad,” Ji-Ho said. “I think a lot leave. Heard Catalina full up.”

  “Hey, what’s that?” Angel asked, pointing. There was a medium sized ship way off in the distance, launching several small boats.

  “Don’t like that,” Ji-Ho said. He went to a cabinet against the wall and opened it, pulling out a telescope. “Let’s take look.”

  He stood by the wall and put the telescope to his eye, his brow furrowing.

  “Who is it?” Matt asked. “Bad guys?”

  “Islamist,” Ji-Ho said. “Trevor, let’s go get my long rifles.”

  “We can’t hit them that far out, can we?” Seth asked.

  “We can hit those boats,” Trevor said. “They’re inflatables. We’ll pop them while they’re on the way here. They’ll sink.”

  Trevor and Ji-Ho raced down the spiral staircase, Jamie following. Seth picked up the telescope and looked. “Holy crap, there’s a lot of guns sitting in those boats.”

  “Let’s see,” Angel said. Seth handed him the telescope and he looked. “Dammit. There’s six guys in each of those boats. Heavily armed.”

  Trevor and Jamie rushed onto the roof, then bent down and took rifles Ji-Ho handed up, bringing them to the wall and leaning them. Ji-Ho came up with a large box of ammo and set it down, then went back down the stairs. “Trevor, need hand with the last one.”

  Trevor raced over and reached down, coming up with a large weapon, complete with muzzle break and tripod.

  “My God, is that what I think it is?” Seth asked.

  “It’s a frigging Barrett M82,” Trevor said as Ji-Ho set it up.

  “In English,” Angel said.

  “It’s a .50 Cal sniper rifle,” Trevor said. “Those guys aren’t going to survive this.”

  “Who want to join?” Ji-Ho asked. “Brought up 30-06 and .270 with scopes. Also varmint rifles. Shoot boats, then people.”

  “You first,” Trevor said.

  Ji-Ho grinned. “Let’s see how this work.” He aimed the M82 at the lead boat and opened fire while Seth watched through the telescope.

  “Holy crap, that first boat is sinking already.”

  Trevor opened up with the .270, hitting two of the men in the boat. The others swam frantically towards the other boats as Ji-Ho fired at them.

  “Nice shooting,” Seth said, watching two more of the five boats sink.

  “Three to go. Start shooting men in water.”

  Seth put down the telescope and picked up one of the rifles, getting next to Trevor on the wall. Jamie and Angel picked up rifles too, and they all blazed away at the men in the water as Ji-Ho shot the last three boats, sinking them quickly.

  There was a flash from the enemy ship.

  “Crap, they going to shoot at us?” Seth asked.

  “That reflection from telescope,” Ji-Ho said. “They looking for us. Might be able to hit big boat. I try.”

  “Don’t bother, the US Navy is coming,” Jamie said, looking through the telescope.

  Suddenly there was a boom, and an explosion on the enemy ship. It listed slightly.

  “Navy have them,” Ji-Ho said, grinning. “Guess I let them handle.”

  The navy boat fired its gun again, hitting the ship broadside, causing a large explosion. The boat sank quickly.

  “Wow,” Ji-Ho said. “Let’s see telescope.”

  Jamie handed it to him.

  “Not many survivors in water,” Ji-Ho said.

  “Yeah,” Trevor said.

  “Wonder if anybody’s going to tell the navy where we are?” Matt asked.

  “They might,” Angel said. “Might not be a good thing.”

  Kaylee stuck her head cautiously out the trap door. “What happened? Emma is scared to death. So am I.”

  “Enemy trying to land five rubber boats,” Ji-Ho said. “We stop.”

  “That was really loud,” Kaylee said. “We might have a visit from the police.”

  “No matter,” Ji-Ho said. “Police chief my friend. I call him. Be down in minute.”

  “Seth, you should come down and be with Emma,” Kaylee said. “She’s really upset.”

  “Okay,” Seth said. “You okay?”

  “No,” she said. “Matt, get over here.”

  “I’m coming,” Matt said.

  Chapter 15 – Warning

  Steve and Colleen climbed the stairs.

  “Still showing her around, huh?” Morgan said, a sly smile on her face. “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

  Robbie looked at Morgan and shook his head, a snicker escaping.

  “Be nice, you guys,” Steve said. Colleen looked at him, eyes dancing.

  “You always embarrass so easily,” she said, brushing his hair away from his eyes.

  “I know, sorry,” he said. “Let’s check out the kitchen and dining room.”
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  “Okay,” Colleen said, taking his hand. Steve looked at it, then at her face. “What?”

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

  “That’s more like it,” she said, getting closer to him as they walked through the archway into the kitchen.

  “You see that?” Morgan whispered. “She’s got him, and he doesn’t even know yet.”

  Robbie snickered. “Yeah, looks that way. He’s talked about this girl quite a bit over the last few months. I can see why. She’s cute.”

  “Hey,” Morgan said.

  “What? I’m not saying I’m interested in her,” Robbie said.

  Morgan giggled. “Somebody else doesn’t even know yet,” she said, taking him back into her arms. They kissed passionately in the hall, Steve and Colleen walking in on them.

  “That looks like fun,” Colleen whispered. “Where are we sleeping tonight, anyway. That back bedroom?”

  “We can,” Steve said.

  “Good, then let’s go down there,” she said. “I want to be alone for a while.”

  They went down the stairs together, Robbie noticing them as he and Morgan finished their kiss. “There they go,” he whispered.

  “You think they’re going to hit it off, I take it,” Morgan said. “They seem to be moving pretty fast.”

  “They knew each other for a while,” Robbie said. “Unlike you and me. What’s it been now – day and a half?”

  “You knew me from before,” she said to him.

  “I longed for you from afar,” Robbie said. “We didn’t talk much. Steve’s spent hours with Colleen.”

  “Okay, I get it,” Morgan said.

  The front door opened. Robbie froze, then rushed to the top of the stairs. He saw Killer walk in, followed by Justin.

  “Hey, man, what’s up?” Robbie asked.

  “My job’s starting up again,” he said.

  “Introduce Killer to Colleen,” Morgan said. “She’s in the back bedroom with Steve.”

  “Colleen? The one he worships at work?” Justin asked, a smile on his face.

  “That’s the one,” Robbie said. “I’d knock on the door before you go in.”

  “I’m jealous,” Morgan said, putting her arms back around Robbie’s waist. “Can’t we take a nap or something?”