Creeping Tyranny

by Robert Boren

  “Yes, son,” his mom said.

  “We were afraid it happened in Del Rey,” his dad said.

  “We’d be toast if that happened. They should have crews looking through the boats in Redondo Harbor and Marina Del Rey by now. Also down south in all of the pleasure boat harbors. You heard about the yacht up in Frisco, right?”

  “Yes, we’ve had the news on the radio,” mom said. “We’re going to the clubhouse in a few minutes. They have a couple of big screens with CNN and Fox News on over there.”

  “And a bunch of food too,” his dad added. “How are your supplies holding up there?”

  “We’re in good shape, dad.”

  “Hey, got a bottle opener?” Gil asked.

  Robbie nodded yes, then got up and walked into the kitchen while he was still talking. He heard gasps from the living room, so he rushed out with the bottle opener, eyes getting wide when he saw the screen.

  “Wow!” Robbie exclaimed. “A nuke just went off in Paris. They just put pictures up.”

  “Oh no, Paris too?” his mom asked. Robbie could hear her crying. “When is this going to stop?”

  “It just got announced on the radio,” his dad said. “Listen.”

  “Robbie, we gotta go,” his mom said. “Take care of yourself. Love you.”

  “Love you too, mom, and you too dad,” Robbie said.

  “Love you, son,” his dad said. “Be careful.” Robbie set down his phone, wiping the tears off his cheek. Morgan rushed over and held him as the others watched Paris burning.

  “The world will never be the same,” Justin said.

  “I know,” Gil said, wiping his eyes. “Paris. My God. It’s all gone.”

  “The device was probably in a boat on the Seine river,” the announcer said. “This is the worst attack yet. It happened in a very densely populated area. This one is going to have a death toll in the millions.”

  “Millions?” Colleen asked, eyes red from crying. “I can’t take this anymore, Steve. Can’t we go downstairs?”

  “Okay,” Steve said, petting her head as he looked at her with tenderness. They walked downstairs as the others continued to stare at the screen in disbelief.

  The commentators came back on the screen. It was a young woman and an older man. They both looked exhausted.

  “We have received a video from an Islamist leader in Iraq,” said the male commentator. “It arrived on YouTube less than half an hour ago.”

  “We bring it to you now, uncut,” the woman said.

  The video displayed on the screen. There was an old man in a white robe, with a long beard and a round hat. He was sitting on a rug. On either side of him stood younger men with long beards, dressed in black, holding automatic weapons. Behind them was the logo of the terror organization that had recently taken over a large chunk of both Syria and Iraq.

  The old man started to speak, his lips moving with no sound coming out. Then an English translator spoke.

  “By the grace of Allah, I am here to announce a new Caliphate. We have taken the battle to the Infidel in every corner of the western world, and we have just begun. Truly all praise belongs to Allah. We and our partners have placed agents in every corner of your free societies, and will use your own laws to bring you under the control of Allah and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) His slave and Messenger. I have been declared the new Caliph of the global Islamic State.”

  “What a jerk,” Gil said. “We’re gonna fry your ass.”

  The Caliph continued.

  “The peoples of the world will agree that they will submit to Allah, or accept dhimmi status.”

  “What’s dhimmi status?” asked Morgan.

  “The attacks will not stop, as you are not yet convinced that you cannot defeat Allah and his armies…Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah.”

  The video ended abruptly.

  “Looks like that was censored,” Justin said.

  “What’s dhimmi status?” asked Morgan again.

  “Sorry,” Robbie said. “It’s a kind of second-class citizenship that Muslim countries impose on non-believers – as long as they are Christians or Jews.”

  “Yeah, people of the book,” Justin said.

  “What do you mean by second-class citizenship?” Morgan asked.

  “You have to pay a tax for being a non-believer, and there are a bunch of restrictions put on you.”

  “Yeah,” Justin said. “They treat non-believers the way certain minorities used to be treated in certain parts of this country.”

  “Oh, like Jim Crow laws?” Morgan asked.

  “Yeah, only worse,” Robbie said.

  “Geez,” Morgan said. “Guess I should read up on all this.”

  “I can help you there,” Robbie said. “Spent a lot of time on that lately.”

  “Look, the President is coming on,” Justin said.

  “We now take you to the White House,” the woman commentator said.

  The screen displayed a briefing room with an empty podium. The presidential seal was on the front of it, and there were flags on either side.

  “That’s a secure location,” Gil said. “Not the White House.”

  “I would hope they have him at a secure location,” Justin said.

  “Seriously,” Morgan said.

  “Here comes the President,” Robbie said.

  The screen showed him walking up to the podium. He had a somber look on his face.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I won’t recount what has happened over the last twenty-four hours, as I’m sure all of you have been following the news. The United States, the EU, and the Russian Federation are cooperating on a level not seen since the Second World War, to settle this matter and bring the guilty parties to justice. And make no mistake, our response will not be a restrained series of police actions. These attacks are acts of war, and will be treated as such. We will use our most terrible weapons, and fight as if our very survival is at stake, because it is.”

  “Good,” Gil said. “Hope he means it.”

  “Shut up,” Justin said. Gil shot him a sidelong grin. Morgan smirked and shook her head.

  “A few words about moderate Muslims. There is no cause and no excuse to punish our moderate Muslim citizens due to the actions of these radicals. Remember that moderate Muslims living in our cities have been killed in these attacks, right alongside people of every other faith. That being said, the United States is not going to have the resources to protect all of you at all times from angry citizens. I suggest that you keep a low profile while we concern ourselves with winning this war.”

  “Finally, a few words about martial law. We have put that in place only in areas that are under attack, and we will not leave it in place for long. I know there are many out there who are concerned about the guarantees of liberty which reside in our Bill of Rights. This Administration takes those guarantees very seriously. martial law will only be declared when we need it to fight the enemy. Rumors of an extension of martial law to all areas of the United States are false. We have no reason to do that. We will not do that. I hope that puts these fears to rest. That is all for now, and sorry, but I won’t take any questions at this time.” He left the podium and walked off to the right.

  “Holy shit,” Robbie said.

  “What?” Justin asked.

  “He just told Muslims that they’d better not try to use our laws against us,” Robbie said.

  “You think that’s what he was saying?” Justin asked.

  “Yep,” Robbie said.

  “Oh no,” Morgan said, pointing to the screen. “That’s London.”

  “No,” Justin said as he watched fire and people running around on the video.

  The commentator came back on the screen.

  “That amazing footage was taken in Westminster. About an hour ago, the British Secret Service foiled a nuclear attack on the city. It was on another pleasure craft, on the Thames River. The device was disarmed and all suspects were apprehended. Acco
rding to BBC they were of Pakistani and Syrian nationality.”

  “Good,” Morgan said. “Glad they stopped them.

  The announcer continued.

  “As you can see, we have fires burning in the background. At the time that the news about the foiled nuclear attack was released, Islamic demonstrators were still camped outside Westminster Abbey. Men flooded out of the nearby pubs, beat most of the demonstrators to death, and burned their tents, signs, and other items. London police looked on, but took no action.”

  “That’s going to shut down operations at the radical mosques in London,” Gil said.

  “You think what happened there is good?” Justin asked.

  “Yeah, as a matter of fact,” Gil said.

  “Hey, quiet, there’s something else happening,” Robbie said.

  The screen now went to another special bulletin. The commentators were back on, looking at papers on their desk. They both looked really tired.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have two more major stories to report. First, the United States Government has announced that it is moving into Mexico to take control of that country, in lieu of an official Mexican government. The agents from Venezuela who had attempted to take over have fled that country after Mexican nationals stormed the palace. The United States is coming in at the request of what is left of the Mexican government. They will not answer questions about the length of the occupation or plans for the future.”

  “Wow,” Gil said. “That’ll piss some people off.”

  “The second story comes out of North and South Korea. United States and South Korean troops are evacuating from the border next to the de-militarized zone, at the same time that the Chinese are pulling their troops away from the northern border of North Korea. It is widely expected that a major attack is imminent, and sources say that North Korea is getting ready to fire their ICBMs in desperation. South Korea and Japan are trying to protect their people as best they can, and missile defense units are at the ready. Although untested, North Korean ICBMs do have the capability to hit the western United States as well as the Russian Federation and other Asian countries.”

  Morgan shook with fear and grabbed Robbie’s arm. He pulled her close, her head against his chest. “Don’t worry, honey,” he murmured as he stroked her hair. Can I protect her? His righteous indignation blasted to the surface, his free hand balling into a fist. Damn right I can.

  To be continued in Bug Out! California Book 2, available now!

  Cast Of Characters

  Note: some of these characters are not in the first book. They will show up later in the story.

  Dulzura RV Park Group – Mostly retired people, but mixed. Full-timers.

  John – Older man, drinking problem, but fighting it. Brave and strong.

  Sarah – John’s wife. Doesn’t his like drinking, but loyal anyway. Good heart.

  Clem – Old widower. Shrewd with sense of humor, and technically savvy.

  Sid – Indian, capable, good man in fight, loyal, cunning.

  Yvonne – Sid’s wife. Resourceful and brave. Younger than him by ten years

  Harry – Older man, heavy, doesn’t move well, good negotiator and strategist.

  Nancy – Harry’s wife, retired school teacher. Smart but has problems with stress.

  Sam – Owner of RV Park. Middle aged, strong, wily, cautious. Former Navy Seal with some PTSD issues, which he has mostly under control. Good in a fight, knows modern military tactics and weapons systems.

  Connie – Wife of Sam. Thinks one step ahead. Keeps park running. Deeply in love with Sam.

  CHP Officer Ryan – Older officer. Brave, sense of humor, borderline redneck, good in fight, but has temper.

  CHP Officer Patrick – Just past rookie status. Extremely good with guns. A little green. A little hapless. Good in fight. Brave to a fault.

  Jack, aka One Eye – Barona Indian, friend of Sid’s who helps at the battle of Fernbrook.

  Hank – police officer in the town of Julian. Older man, gray hair, feisty. Joins group after they destroy the enemy checkpoint in his town. Works with Jason.

  Jason – police officer in town of Julian. Younger, fast with a gun, smart as a whip. Aggressive. Joins group after they destroy the enemy checkpoint in his town. Works with Hank.

  Kaitlyn aka Still Pool – young woman in Barona Tribe. Curvy, pretty face, strong personality. Goes after what she wants, loyal and passionate, smart.

  Megan aka Sage Flower – young woman in Barona Tribe. Tiny, delicate beauty, feisty, loud, aggressive, brave, smart. Wicked sense of humor.

  Zac aka Sandy Creek - young Indian warrior. Brave and handsome, cunning.

  James aka Crossbow – young Indian warrior, expert with weapons, especially crossbows. Brave, funny sense of humor, loved by the tribe.

  Ryan aka Touchdown – young Indian warrior, brave, fast, CIF MVP in High School, great in a fight.

  Tyler aka Quiet Fox – young Indian Warrior, smart, thinks a couple levels deep, quiet, reserved, observes and thinks before acting, usually makes right choice. Future Chief.

  Nurse Grace – Emergency room nurse, taking care of Sam and Connie at the hospital in La Quinta. Pretty middle-aged woman, tough as nails and smart as a whip.

  Kenny – warrior with the Barona Tribe.

  Bradley – warrior with the Barona Tribe.

  Silver Wolf – overall chief of the Barona Tribe. Older man, medium build, looks younger than his years. Total tech nut, very talented and inventive.

  Kerry aka Yellow Bird – young warrior. Fast, too emotional. Unpredictable.

  Shane aka Red Snake – warrior, a little older, family man but also great fighter.

  Will aka Swimming Bear – warrior, early thirties, negotiator, helps Silver Wolf with technology.

  Mia – wife of Tyler. Strong, beautiful, smart. Delicate features, hair-trigger emotions.

  Riley – wife of Ryan. Very small, below five feet tall. Beautiful face. Has Ryan wrapped around her finger.

  Abby – wife of James – heavy set larger woman with an infectious smile and a gentle, kind way about her. Beautiful face.

  Redondo Condo group – Thirty-something

  Robbie – Thirty-something son of Frank and Jane from original series. Brave, thoughtful, writer, shy, cynical

  Morgan – neighbor of Robbie, love interest. Strong, more outgoing and aggressive than Robbie, pretty, transplant from Utah, good with guns.

  Gil – Robbie’s best friend from High School. Hispanic. Good with guns, brave, sense of humor, cautious, protective.

  Steve – Robbie’s friend from college. Smart but not serious, surfer, scrappy, good in fight

  Justin – Robbie’s friend from high school and college. Sparks with others, temper, suspicious nature but good heart

  Killer – Pit Bull – from Justin’s family. Strong, protective, dangerous to evil-doers.

  Colleen – girlfriend of Steve. Beautiful redhead. Flighty, aggressive, but loyal and loving.

  Katie – Steve’s sister. Strong, rebellious, great in a fight, beautiful. Justin adores her. She brings out his courage.

  Cody – neighbor who lives across the street from Frank and Jane’s Condo. Friends with them. Tough reserve police officer and early resistance fighter. Large muscular man in his early thirties with a military style haircut, light brown hair, and a goatee.

  Sparky – Morgan’s boss at the card club. Big, dangerous man with a shady past but a good heart. Protects his employees to a fault. Has underworld connections. Not a good person to mess with.

  Ivan the Butcher – mob boss. Most people assume he’s from Russia, but he’s actually an American who built his organization in Russia and Europe, before being hounded back home by the EU authorities. Dangerous and unpredictable, but a strategic thinker. Childhood friend of Sparky.

  Jules – right hand man of Ivan the Butcher. Belgian national, good in a fight, a little crazy but very calculating.

  Tex – Friend of Sparky and Jules. Crazy with wicked sense
of humor, great in a fight, brave to a fault.

  Ted – Robbie’s boss at the restaurant. Former Navy Seal, tricked into joining the battle by Sparky. Old friends with Ivan the Butcher.

  Stacey – cook in Ted’s restaurant, acquaintance of Robbie’s. Heavy-set large man, good in a fight, not the brightest but loyal and brave to a fault.

  Jordan – black man, former Army Ranger. Near genius tactical expert. Brave and cunning, trusts nobody until he’s sure, then as loyal as the day is long. Wicked sense of humor.

  Dana – beautiful girl who was kidnapped by the UN to use as a sex slave. Rescued by Jules’s team after the battle at Torrance Civic Center.

  Karen – beautiful redhead, daughter of Gil’s boss. Captured and held at the Torrance Police Station with the other girls. Not sure where she fits in the group.

  Tisha – wild young woman, former captive. Small, tattooed and pierced, fiery, hard to handle, brave and loyal but prickly. Passionate.

  Alexis - a brunette with a hauntingly beautiful face and a thin build. Tough and loyal but with a sadness in her that she battles constantly. Valuable member of the team.

  Brooke - tall, dark haired beauty with a strong build and a defensive demeanor. Lesbian. Protective of her woman. Fierce, loyal fighter. Touchy but with a good heart. Smart.