by Cooper, DJ
They found Dez something more appropriate to wear home and gathered everyone into the truck and jeep and made their way to the farm. Dez sat in the jeep with Ryan. He looked at her sternly. “Listen, I’ll make sure to send men if you need help. Just call on the CB.”
“I will.” Dez nodded.
“Don’t go doing anything stupid. You’re not healed up yet.” Looking to Charleigh in the back seat. “You make sure she rests. Tell me if she gives you a hard time.”
“Geeze, I think I can take care of myself.”
“Exactly my point.” Looking to the side at her and raising his eyebrows. “We don’t know exactly what is going on and we don’t need you getting any more holes in ya.”
“Gahh, fine.” Looking at Charleigh, Dez growled. “Or little missy here will tattle on me.” Slumping back into her seat feigning annoyance she looked out the side of the jeep with a small grin on her face.
Charleigh huffed from the back seat. “Don’t put me in the middle of your little spat.” Then she giggled, poking Dez around the seat.
“Would you two get serious? I mean it!”
Saluting him Dez said, “yessir.”
She was glad to be going back to the farm. They’d only just gotten things going smoothly and she was anxious to get back there. Ryan was worried Matt would return and wasn’t happy with the defenses yet. He was more shocked and angry about Matt than anyone else.
“I don’t understand what happened with Matt. He was all for the farm and getting things on a working basis. He even talked about trade and finding small communities to barter with.”
Charleigh scoffed from the back seat.
“You have something you wanna say?”
“Yea. Those were all mom’s ideas. Her and Tawny were talking about that since day one.”
Pausing to look at Dez he nodded. “You don’t say. Well now, that makes a lot of sense. He would say these things, but I would often catch little things that made me believe he had no clue what he was talking about.”
Dez looked over, “oh?”
“Yea, just certain things, like he was saying stuff about how much ammo there was and how you could use it for barter.”
“What? And have it used against us? No freaking way!”
“That’s what I meant, stuff like that.”
They pulled up to the checkpoint at the farm and found Toni and Cameron on watch. Ryan sent a couple guys to relieve them, so they could visit with Dez and the others.
It was still fairly early in the evening, so they gathered to discuss things moving forward. Most were sad and comforting Janice for the loss of Herb. The funeral would be tomorrow, and he would be laid beside the others. They were busy visiting with Dez asking how she felt and mostly glad she was back.
Mark sat off to the side looking into his cup of coffee not speaking to anyone. Dez noticed this and got up. Joining him, sitting down beside him and taking a long sip of her own cup she looked at him. “Why the long face?”
“I'm so glad you're OK, I was worried for you. I'm just not sure I fit in here now after what Matt has done. Kimmie and Renee left with Matt.” Taking a deep breath and exhaling with a sigh. “I knew I didn't wanna go with them, but I don't really know my place.”
Destiny reached over and hugged him. “Your place ... is with us. Rita felt the same way about her and Matty.”
His eyes lit up, he was unaware that Matty was there and had no idea that Rita was alive. “Matty?”
“Yes, he’s here.”
“Matt was going after him when he left.”
“I know, we saw him.”
“Hold on, Rita? She…” Pausing, he wasn’t sure what to say.
“She’s fine and here with Matty. Mark you’ve always been a good guy. I’d never let the actions of your wife and children define our friendship. Now go find Matty.” She patted him on the shoulder and shooed him off.
Ryan and the others came over to where Dez was sitting and asked if they could have a meeting. Dez agreed and motioned for everyone to head to the sofas.
Ryan began, “Aaron here, as some of you may remember, left to get his family before you came to the farm. He found them, but they were unfortunately being held in one of the FEMA camps. Now with his family in their custody he’s been forced to work alongside the very gangs that have been attacking you.”
Aaron looked around as the murmurs grew louder. Whispers about how they could not believe that he’d gone against them.
Aaron looked down and said nothing. Roger noted this and stood. “Listen, he never went against us. Both Sam and I saw him in the forest that first battle. He saved my life. He was shooting at those he came with. He's our friend, and we need to help him. Not just him but all those like him.”
Sam reached out and put his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. The rest of the group stood nodding as Ryan continued. “I'm going to get ahold of the northern militia. Aaron and the others who came with him can help us while we do some recon. Ray and Roger have already volunteered to go with a small group to check on the area and report back in three days. Aaron and the other two will return to their posts and relay back false information. Someone will stay with each of them to be sure they are ok and not discovered and to get them out if need be. Understand that they have assured me that if an attack happens they will be firing, but strategically placed rounds that will either take out one of theirs or not hit one of ours.”
Frank was shaking his head in disbelief. “We’re gonna trust this?”
Roger defended Aaron. “He saved my life man! Yea, I trust him.”
“I can’t take that chance with my family. We’ve been talking and we’re going back to town. Sarah’s sister lives there, and we’re going to go stay with her.”
Dez nodded to him. “You have to do what’s best for your family.” Then she looked around, “anyone else planning to go to town? There’s no hard feelings, we love you all and only want what’s best for each of you. But if you stay, realize you can’t bail in the midst of things.”
Everyone else stood nodding, looking around the room waiting for any others to go. Dez asked Frank and Sarah to excuse themselves so they didn’t hear anything more. She felt it would be best if they didn’t know anything and safer for not only the farm but themselves as well.
Cameron stood fidgety wringing his fingers, when finally, Astrid gave him a subtle shove. “We've been talking, and practicing. We wanna go with Ryan and be part of the militia.”
“You know the requirement for those under eighteen, we can do a test to see if your skills have progressed.”
Cameron nodded and sat down. Dez smiled at her young friends and reached out for Ryan’s hand. She nodded to him in approval.
It was all settled, Ray and Roger along with a number of Ryan’s men would head for Lexington. They were to spend the next few days observing the happenings of the camp. When they’re finished with their recon; they would reconvene at the sheriff’s office in five days’ time. Aaron and the other two would return to their posts. Along with three men from the militia who were assigned to remain with them. Supplies would be sent up to the posts from the farm, and reports brought back from the watch on the back ridge and their three new allies.
Chapter 12
“The Camp”
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
-Martin Niemöller
It took a full two weeks to plan the assault and more time to organize and coordinate it. They were all concerned for Aaron and his family but didn’t want to risk going in unprepared and costing lives.
The view of the city was one that none of them could have imagined. Large areas were burned out and military vehicles littered the streets. Making it to the golf course whe
re they paused to assess the area was difficult. Although it sat outside the city it was still a sprawling residential area with many patrols. Sitting atop the cell tower on the hill that lay on the edge of the golf course just outside the city gave them a view of the city and the camp that was set up at the high school.
It was fenced in with large tents in the baseball and soccer fields. From what they could see there were three raised guard towers and a double perimeter fence with guards patrolling between them. People were milling around inside the grounds while guards watched them. There were gardens and a washing area with a hose that ran from the reservoir to feed large tanks. Roger looked at Ray raising his eyebrows. “Damn they got a set up going on. Make notes so we can also pass on the ideas to the farm.”
A park was nestled up next to it on one side. They decided to head there. It was where they’d hoped to get a closer look. Climbing down from the tower they headed out once it got dark to gain the better vantage point. Carefully sneaking through back yards and behind commercial buildings they finally made it to the school. There was a giant banner across the entry to the school that read.
ZONE IV
CAMP 256
They looked at each other shrugging in silent questioning what it meant. Were there two hundred fifty-six camps nationwide or was this just one small section? Being the mid-west, they surmised it was likely not the end of the numbering. The realization that the scope of this was far more than any of them could have thought made them sit in silent consideration for the remainder of the day.
They made note of this as something to bring up after the recon mission. Roger and Ray were aware of the zone designations. They’d seen some of the locations on the papers they’d taken when they left the north. They had no idea so many camps were within each zone. None of them did.
Working their way over to the park, they settled into a thatched area that provided good cover. It was on the far side near an abandoned home. They began their shifts; each shift taking careful notes about the comings and goings of the camp. After spending three days watching all sides of the camp, noting its schedules and looking for weakness or opportunity. It was time to return and report what they’d found at the meeting in the Sheriff's Office.
They’d compiled a schedule of guard changes, work routines; noting the locations of things like the mess hall, the infirmary, and the prisoner housing. During their time watching and information gathering, they noted that on a number of occasions the people they called the black suits arrived and left. This camp had far more going on than they suspected.
The evening of the third day they left to report what they'd learned. Making their way back to their vehicle they were nearly spotted by a large gang. They were burning down whole neighborhoods. Setting houses ablaze and cheering as they burned fiercely. Before one house had burned out they’d set another. Hunkering down waiting for them to move on to the next street, praying they didn’t move instead to the one they were hiding on. Once it was clear they moved to the next subdivision. Crossing this one before reaching the truck they dodged between the houses and vehicles littering the street.
Suddenly Roger put his fist up. They froze where they stood and got down. Quietly they converged on Roger’s position and looking past him, they could see why. Sitting inside a row of hedges they could see another group. They watched and waited while a far less destructive group of people cleaned out each house and packed all useful items found into trucks.
As they sat observing, they could see that this was systematic. In this scavenging of the surrounding areas they would soon need to branch out further. Each area was emptied before being destroyed.
Wondering what the agenda could possibly be. The question of the reasoning behind the destruction of all this property was a question they'd save for a later period on the way back.
Ray was the first to offer a thought. “I think they are just a bunch of rabble rousers looking for a good time.”
Roger shook his head in disagreement. “I don’t think so. The group collecting supplies also wore the tattoo. I think this is more systematic and intentional.”
None of them knew for sure.
Once they got within CB range they called Ryan to set up the meeting at the Sheriff's Office as they’d planned. Ryan sent someone out to the farm to let the others know the recon team was returning. Dez, along with some of the others immediately headed to town for the meeting. They were anxious to find out what they’d learned.
Pulling into the sheriff’s station they found that there were a number of other people milling about, but the recon team was not back yet. The others who were in attendance came from some of the other militias around. Ryan informed everyone that there were still others on their way.
“In an effort to create a single force each of the leaders have agreed to come together, connected for this meeting by ham. They are meeting statewide. Corey has relayed information to other states that we're creating a single militia who stand by the constitution.”
There was some mumbling, Ryan raised his hands for it to quiet. “There are five sectors to the state and each sector is having this very same meeting. As I said, we are all in communication by ham radio and working towards a central goal of security. First priority is the liberation of the camps. Then we will be looking at getting us back up and operating so we can help those that need it. But also, to provide protection and safety from these roving gangs.’’
At the meeting they discussed the camp the team had been sent to. It was discovered that the camp was considerably more; more than they thought conceivable, even in their own area. Some of the intel brought back by Roger and Ray indicated that this camp was one of the main camps in the state. Most of the major cities had central camps, these were the ones that would shuttle supplies and personnel to the other camps.
Aaron spoke privately to Ryan about their situation. “We were contacted earlier today, and we’ve been rotated back to camp.” They had some animated words of contention over whether to strike the camp before the rotation or to wait. Roger and Ray overheard the conversation and walked over.
Ray said, “Aaron and the other guys could be a huge help on the inside.” Then looking back to him. “Sorry guy there just isn’t enough time to get the strike ready before.”
Ultimately, they decided it was best to wait until after the rotation. The plan being that once they were rotated out, the new lookouts at the land would be captured immediately. There could be no indication that the information sent by Aaron and the others was false. If it is found out that the ones replacing them are in the same coerced position an attempt will be made to find out which camp they’re from to facilitate the next recon. Those who are being rotated back to camp were instructed to lay low and hang in there. Aaron begrudgingly nodded. ‘Not that that is much consolation, but we understand what is expected. At least we would be there with our families, so that when it went down we can gather them and make sure they are ready.”
They settled on a signal for when the liberation would begin. This would tell those inside when to do their part.
Aaron and the other two were to return to the camp and keep a low profile, but to also determine if there were any others who would help.
Roger was listening to them talk and make plans, occasionally nodding. Going over the observations from the recon mission, Ryan made note about the regular bus arrivals. Aaron informed them. “They are the new refugees. With the buses, generally the arrival of supplies as well.”
“Greatest advantage.”
Everyone looked over at Roger who was seemingly talking to himself. “Care to share?” Ryan asked him.
“We need to strike the convoy when it’ roughly half a mile from camp, the convoy would be seen from the lookout tower in this position yet could not be fired upon from such a distance.”
“Right.” Ryan was nodding and tapping his temple. “Gotta think laterally, all positions at once. The goal of the first group will be to draw out as many guards as poss
ible from the camp. They will mobilize in response to come to the aid of the convoy.” Pacing he kept tapping his head. “Those inside need to be prepared to assist. The second arm of the attack will come from the far side of the compound.” Pointing to a position on the hand drawn map away from the prisoner area.
Ray stood shaking his head, “Remember this would be a frontal attack, there will be no advancement. Do I make this clear? Purely a diversionary measure. The third prong of this operation will be the ones to cut through the fence nearest to the refugee containment area. We will haul them out through the cover of the park and load them onto the buses that’ll be staged in the next neighborhood on the far side of the park . It’s been completely burned out and therefore we figure it has no reason for them to patrol it.”
Aaron was to coordinate from the inside, to ensure the safety of the refugees. He and the others would recruit only those they were absolutely positive could be trusted. Their plan was to quietly overpower the guards inside the tents and relieve them of their weapons.
A small militia force would be using the diversion to sneak into the main school for intel and any refugees being held for interrogation. Between what the recon mission had gathered and Aaron’s information it was determined that the buses and supplies came twice a week. Aaron implored them. “Don’t let it go on much longer than absolutely necessary, we’re treated very poorly at the camp.”
Ryan assured him it would be within the week at the second arrival of busses and supplies. Everyone was instructed to stay away from the quarantine tent. “I’m sorry to say there will be no rescue for them right now. At this time the militia simply doesn't have the means to handle Ebola patients.”
Chapter 13