Cody turned south and limped back to the Humvee where his family was waiting while Raz and Pete went to the north side of the camp to gather the rest of the tribe. They would help organize the crowds, find any available food and water in the camp for them, and help with the sick and injured. They would do the best they could until the cavalry arrived. Raz promised Cody he would find Nick’s kin.
Chapter 48
“Something else?” The President roared. “Jesus Christ, what else do I have to worry about?”
The General hesitated and then thought, what the hell, let the shit hit the fan. “Reports are coming in about our base south of Tucson. Fort Huachuca. It’s a huge Army facility and…we have been told that a large military fighting force which was detained there during Operations Rescue and Clean Sweep has broken out of the containment area. They’ve taken over the base and are preparing to reach the detention camp which was overrun by that Indian tribe, sir.”
“Fucking shit! Is everyone I deal with completely incompetent? Where are my officers, my men in charge? Who the hell is running that place anyway?”
The General looked down. “I’m afraid they were all killed or captured, Mr. President.”
“How many troops are we talking about here?” the President shouted. He was beyond pissed.
“Over three thousand, sir. Three thousand, four hundred and fifty five, to be exact. Mostly veteran soldiers, well trained and well educated. We run the Intelligence and Technology Centers there. And the 9th Army Signal, JITC, and the Electronic Proving Ground. These people are some of our finest leaders. A majority of them have battle experience. Gulf Wars One and Two. Iraq, Afghanistan.”
“And you say they’re going to that desert camp? Why would they go there?”
“We think that’s where their families were taken, sir,” the General supposed.
“You think? General, you’re not paid to think,” the President asserted. “You’re paid to know. Earlier you said some of these renegade forces had weapons. What do you know about these soldiers making a move?”
The General cleared his throat and took a sip of water. “We know they have access to an arsenal of weapons, small arms and larger. They have trucks, personnel and armored carriers. They also have satellite communications capability taken from the troops running the base. Unfortunately sir, there are also tons of provisions stored on the fort for training exercises.”
“So, am I correct in assuming they are a force to contend with?” the commander-in-chief asked, already anticipating the answer.
“Yes sir. They could cause trouble.”
“What in the hell do you mean ‘they could’ cause trouble?” The President was furious at what was happening. “They already are causing trouble.”
“I’m afraid they aren’t the only ones, sir,” the General whispered. “Communications from all sectors of the country are notifying us that other military contingents are rebelling against the new central order. Units of soldiers from Fort Benning in Georgia, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Lewis in Washington, and others are taking up arms. They’re attacking area evacuation centers and prisoner camps. Some have taken control of regional power plants, airports, and interstate highways. We may have miscalculated the strength of these pockets of American militia, sir.”
“General. I want every one of these uprisings terminated at once. Use any and all lethal forms of force to eliminate these…these rebellious elements…these treasonous factions. I don’t care what it takes. I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care what has to be done. But, by this time tomorrow I want every member of every seditious group, including those two son-of-a-bitches, those DOMs who started it all, to disappear. End of story.”
“Consider it done sir.”
Chapter 49
Walking out of the camp, Cody thought about what Raz had said right before he left. “Time to help set a few things straight.” His friend was right. It was time. It was time for him to stand up for what he truly believed in. It was time for him to do something, make something happen. It was time to fight for his rights, the rights and lives of his children and his future grandchildren. For the first time in his life he knew what the Founding Fathers must have felt.
It was his time to become part of the solution.
He had made a decision. He would take his family home. Well, to Raz’s place. They would be safe there. Everything they needed was in the trailer or the bunker. Food, drink, heat, protection. A real bathroom. Even a CB radio. No one would find them in that off-beaten location. Once they were settled and comfortable, he would have to leave them and catch up with Raz and the Pascuas.
Nick’s family would be found too. He was sure of it. They would be safe with the American soldiers liberating the kidnapped evacuees. Later they could join Robin and the kids and all would be right.
Cody would return to fight with Raz and the Indians, because ever since he, Nick, and Raz had gone after their families, things had changed. With the help of Pete and his people, his strong and brave tribe, they had saved thousands and thousands of Americans. In this little unimportant corner of the nation they had wiped out the invaders
of their country, the domestic enemies and traitors of the good people who lived and grew up and died here.
It was at that very moment that Cody remembered those perceptive words spoken by Thomas Jefferson. Words which were written on that scrap of paper by his neighbor Jack. Words which he used to briefly breeze over in his history classes. Words which previously had little meaning. Back then those words sounded noble and honorable, but meant nothing to him. But now, they meant everything. They gave a true purpose to living.
“Bad things happen when good men do nothing.”
Over this long and cold Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Cody had discovered what people believed was worth fighting, and perhaps even dying for. He had experienced the fear of nearly being killed and the anguish of killing. He had felt the rage of foreign shots ripping his body with intent to kill. He had watched his friends die and others being murdered. He had seen the terror and panic in his wife’s eyes, and the sweet innocence robbed from his children. He had seen hatred raise its ugly head on both sides. He had watched and lived through battles of good verses evil, right against wrong.
But in the end, Cody had learned one thing that would forever change him as a man. He had learned that that someone who should do something was actually himself.
Cody walked slowly back to where he had parked the Humvee a quarter mile from the fighting. He had left the vehicle running to keep his family warm. He had helped his kids slip into the sleeping bags thrown in back.
“These are cool,” Jeffrey had told him. “Can we keep these, Dad?”
“Of course you can,” Cody had answered.
“Mine’s nice and soft, Daddy,” Jennifer had said.
“They’ll keep you warm too,” her father had smiled.
Robin had smiled back. She had wrapped herself with the last sleeping bag without getting into it.
Cody had searched through the scattered supplies in the back. He had first passed bottles of water to his family. “Don’t drink too quickly,” he had told the children. “There’s plenty of water here.” Then he had dug up a box of crackers, a jar of peanut butter, a plastic bag of jerky, and boxes of energy bars. With these, Robin had done her best to prepare finger meals for the kids and herself. Everyone had remained quiet, eating their way through the welcomed brunch.
“You guys doing okay back there?” Cody had asked his kids from the driver’s seat.
“Yes Daddy. This is fun,” Jennifer had responded.
“What are these, Dad?” Jeffrey had wanted to know, after finding the boxes of MREs.
“There’re pre-packaged meals for soldiers,” Cody had explained.
“I want one,” the boy had said.
“Me too,” his sister said.
Robin had looked at her son. Jeffrey was bac
k to normal. “Not now,” she had said. “Eat your crackers and drink up.”
She had leaned over to her husband and had pulled back his jacket. It was sticky with fresh blood. “Let me take care of that.” She had taken her time removing the old bandages from Cody’s side and redressed the wound. “There,” she had said. “That should hold you until we get back home.”
“Feels better, honey. Thanks,” Cody had said. “Before we leave, I have to go back to see Raz,” he had told her.
Robin hadn’t asked him why? She had sensed her husband knew what he was doing. “Will you be long?”
“I’ll return shortly, hon.” He had emptied a tote bag and put a few things inside. “You kids stay put.” Then Cody had turned toward the camp.
He heard several gun shots echoing from the camp. Pete’s men clearing enemy stragglers, Cody thought.
Now, returning to the spot where he had left the Humvee, Cody couldn’t see the vehicle. He moved closer, picking up the pace despite his injured side. He stopped at the location where his family should have been safe inside the Army transport.
But the vehicle was gone.
“Where the hell?” he said out loud.
This was the spot. Large tire tracks covered the desert dirt. A power bar wrapper clung to a mesquite bush. Where were they? He wondered. Why would Robin move the vehicle? He looked around. Maybe this wasn’t where he had left them. But he knew it was. Calling his wife, he walked in circles searching for his family. Again. He followed the Humvee’s distinctive tracks. They veered off into the vast desert and disappeared beyond the hills.
Cody stopped in the middle of nowhere. He looked toward the scrub trees in the distance and saw no sign of the Humvee. He squinted his eyes and searched the far off hills. He scanned the road back toward the camp and saw nothing. Robin would never have driven off. He was sure of that. She knew he would return soon, so why did she move? Where did she go?
Unless. He suddenly thought.
Unless she had sensed danger.
Cody began to panic. He felt a large knot in his stomach. The pain in his shoulder and side increased. His eyes scoured the desolate land for a hundredth time. His family was gone. “Robin!” he yelled over and over, which came out a whisper that nobody heard.
Then he took his time to think through the situation. It was possible that some soldiers from the camp managed to escape. They may have come this way. They would be desperate to flee the bloodbath in the camp. Was it feasible that Robin and his kids had been taken by runaway troops? Yes, he reasoned. The Humvee was loaded with weapons and supplies, and was an easy getaway.
Nothing else made any sense. His family had been kidnapped again, and he was completely helpless to save them. Convinced that they were gone, Cody turned and raced back to Raz for help as quickly as possible.
Chapter 50
Cody hobbled past the demolished guard shack into the camp. He saw a group of men farther up near the center of the patrol road not too far from the still burning and smoldering buildings. The prison yards and roads were overcrowded with freed detainees roaming aimlessly. Many of the men were picking up rifles and pistols from the dead guards. He noticed some of Pete’s men lowering the 50 caliber machine guns from their tower mounts. A few of the warriors were securing the heavy weapons onto the beds of several old pickup trucks. They were preparing to head west toward the other FEMA concentration camps.
“Pete!” Cody shouted, as he moved closer to the burning wreckage. “Pete!”
The chief was standing next to the troop carrier truck riddled with bullet holes. There was still too much noise from the considerable gathering of people. They were being instructed by members of the tribe to stay calm and to wait for the soldiers coming up from Fort Huachuca. Large clusters of the released detainees moved closer to the smoldering hot ruins in an attempt to warm up.
Cody pushed his way through the crowd and approached Pete. Scattered shots were heard through the camp. He was tired and hurting, but his biggest, more urgent worry showed in his expression. “Pete, Pete. I need a truck!” he gasped.
The chief had knelt to his knees. He was looking down at several people lying on the ground who had just been shot. There were tears in his rugged eyes, a sense of rage in his weakened body.
Pete saw Cody as he came to his side. “Oh, Cody,” he said in a grim tone. “I’m glad you’re here.” He had a grave look on his craggy face.
“They took my family!” Cody yelled. Three or four bullet ridden bodies were entangled before him. The sight of death had not yet sunk in. “I need one of your trucks to catch up to them.” He was wheezing hard, gasping for breath. “They can’t be more than a half hour ahead of us.” He stopped again to hold his aching side. “I think I know which way they went.”
Pete saw the panic in the young man’s presence. He heard Cody’s words, but they didn’t register. He was more concerned with the fallen man at his knees. “Cody,” Pete spoke softly.
Cody glanced down, his eyes refusing to believe what they were seeing.
Pete struggled to help. “It’s Raz, Cody. A sniper from one of the towers shot him. He got it in the head.”
Cody looked at his friend. “Raz,” he said. For a split second he had almost forgotten about his family. Raz was covered by the bodies of three captives shot in the back by a cowardly guard. His bloodied head rested against the cold dirt. There was no movement.
Pete gently but firmly moved the mutilated captives off his friend.
Several Pascuas stood above the old man who had inspired them to fight their enemies, allowing them to take back their land and their pride. Death was always difficult to accept, but even more so for such a worthy warrior.
Cody dropped to his friend’s side. “Oh, Raz.” The man’s eyes were closed and dark brownish blood covered his dirty gray beard. Cody looked at Pete, his reddened eyes pleading for a miracle. This couldn’t be happening. Not to Raz.
“It looks bad,” Pete said. The stoic warrior chief gritted his teeth and failed to prevent tears for this brave man he had recently come to care for.
Just looking at Raz, Cody knew what was coming next. Cody had seen the face of death more than he would like. He placed his good hand on Raz’s warm chest and began crying like a young boy. Why was all this happening around him? Why were so many people dying?
None of the men near him said a word. They were touched by Cody’s love for his hero, and they too felt the same.
Raz opened his glassy eyes. “Stop ya cryin’, son.” He fought to get the words out. “I ain’t gone yet,” his words gurgled.
Cody and Pete couldn’t help but release a short chuckle. Right to the end Raz wouldn’t give up.
Raz panted to grab short gulps of air. His refusal to go quietly forced Pete and a few of his men to turn away. He blinked his eyes a few times and made one last effort. “Cody,” he barely whispered.
“Yeah Raz,” Cody softly answered, trying to hold back his emotions. He loved this man as much as he had loved his father.
Pete was suddenly pulled away from the circle by one of his men. Cody didn’t notice him leaving and only looked at his dying friend.
“I’m real proud of ya, son. Ya did somethin’ good,” Raz said. The dying man slowly moved his shaky hand to Cody’s. He tried to move, but he couldn’t. “Now git me the hell up off this damn ground,” Raz growled. He grabbed his left ear which was half torn off. Good men are hard to kill. “That was a damn close one,” Raz added as Cody helped him sit upright.
Raz looked at the surrounding dead bodies that had protected him. “Friggin’ animals! Damn shame they had ta die like this after all they been through.” There was noise in the background. People screaming, kids crying.
Cody looked at the overturned bodies. “Oh my god!” he caught himself. He recognized one of the dead.
“What?”
“It’s Lisa, Nick’s wife!” Cody heard children’s cries. “Mama, mama!” Nick’s twin daughters were looking for their mother
.
“Oh shit!” Raz said, still shaking off the daze from his close call.
Cody shifted gears. There was nothing he could do for the dead. “Pete!” he turned and called. “I have to get my family back.” It was time to fight for the living.
The chief returned to the ring of men hovering over Raz. “Sorry Cody,” was the best he could say.
“Can you help me?” Cody asked.
“My men just told me they found the Humvee and your family. They’re okay,” Pete blurted out the good news. “They were chasing the trucks that got away and ran into your Humvee. Those soldiers won’t be hurting anyone else,” Pete added.
Cody was stunned. “Really! Where are they? Where’s my family?”
“They’re coming up the road now,” Pete commented.
Cody twisted and saw the green Humvee inching its way through the crowd, driven by one of Pete’s men. Robin and his children were crying out and smiling. They were where they belonged.
Before the Humvee reached him Cody turned to the Pascua chief. “You’ve done so much. I don’t know how I could ever repay you and your people. I’m sorry about you losing so many people. I’m sorry about your brother.”
Pete rested his hand on Cody’s good shoulder. “I’ve gained another brother.”
Cody heard Jeffrey and Jennifer call out to him. He asked Pete, “Would it be okay if I joined you and Raz?” His voice was chocked up with feelings.
“We would be honored, Cody,” Pete answered. “But first, you take care of your family. And these two little ones.” He handed over Nick and Lisa’s children who had worked their way through the crowd. “They’ll need a family of their own.”
Cody looked at the two beautiful twins. Caitlin and Tanya were both crying.
“When you’re ready, you’ll find us,” Pete said.
Treasonous Behavior- in the Beginning Page 31