Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie (68 page)

They will be leaving supplies based on the number of members we have, the supplies we already have, and whatever they find we are lacking. They'll also set up radio equipment to be able to “contact” us when they are within range. Ian and Rick hid the equipment we had in the radio building as soon as they saw military personnel coming in the front door last night.

They also keep a strict record of the number of HDI's they kill and will ask if we have an accurate count on the amount of HDI's we've killed thus far. I haven't kept count.

Every room will be searched for fake
National Guard members or insurgents. They will not go through our personal belongings. They are simply looking for enemy troops. I guess that means I can keep my computer but I still plan to hide it when I'm not using it. I'll figure out a way to hang it inside my big winter coat.

Their cooks will feed us every meal while they are here. That's the only part I liked about this whole mess.

While the “big boys” are busy looking us over and counting every hair on our heads, the troops will be available to help complete any projects we have pending and/or fight off HDI's drawn by movement and noise of a large military force. I'm praying that means they'll help with the fence and kill any HDI near the area.

They will be here approximately 48 hours to complete their missions. They travel both at night and during the day, usually moving 10-12 hours before resting when they aren't with a survivor group.

They will continue their mission until they run out of supplies for groups, or they come to “a certain destination on their map,” whichever comes first. They wouldn't answer my question about the “destination” on their map. They also wouldn't answer the question about where their “home base “is located.

The scouts left about an hour ago so they can gain a little time and try to stay one or two days ahead of the unit. They left copies of every document we'll be expected to sign.

We met on the back porch as soon as they were out of sight.

No one likes the idea that they will be physically examined, their names and social security numbers taken, and every animal and resource we have cataloged to be known to any government official who
gets their hands on our folder.

Isaac and Dane intend to leave the compound while the troops are here. They threw in a vote for Mick and
me to be listed as “owner” before heading to their homes and preparing to bug out for a couple of days.

Since Dane is
leaving, Elaine has decided that she and Jesse will go with him. She also threw her vote for Mick and me as owners. They'll stay with the gasoline tanker and Clinic Diane until the unit is gone. They plan to head out first thing in the morning and tell Hisa, Shawna and Soo what's going on so they can make their own decisions about staying on the compound.

No one else mentioned leaving. Marisa and Jason said they want to think it over and will let us know later.

Meanwhile, we have to get supper made and do what we need to do on our regular routine.

See ya later.

11:00 PM

Supper was rabbit stew... two different versions. Luke and Deuce checked their snares and brought in four rabbits after the scouts left.

Emma and Elaine couldn't come to terms over what ingredients deserved to be in the rabbit stew
, so they each made half enough for the group. I tasted both and they both tasted great. Emma's was a little more savory and thick while Elaine's had quite a few more vegetables and thinner gravy. I told them it was a tie because I loved both dishes and I love both women.

Isaac, Dane, Elaine, and Jesse will head out first thing in the morning in case the military unit arrives “a little early.” Carisa begged to go with them and Mick and I agreed to let her go. She is sixteen
, and that's old enough these days to decide whether or not you want all of your personal information in a file folder belonging to the US government. Carisa asked us to think of it as the new “living off the grid.”

Marisa, Jason, and the kids plan to stay simply because they believe their “four count” will increase the amount of supplies we are given.

Pop and Nana are staying, and Emma said “weren't nobody gonna run her off 'n her little house,” so she's staying as well.

I don't know if I should send Merry. I guess I'll wait until lunch. If Soo and Hisa haven't returned to get her, I'll keep her here.

I gave everyone else the option including Nicholas, Valerie, Sabrina, Isabella, Anna, Shawna, and Lisa. They all want to stay except for Valerie and Isabella. Valerie said that she would go with Hisa and Soo if they came to get Merry.

Rona and Kevin will stay as well. They said the military already knows all about them including the color of poop they make. They gave Luke and Larson the option and they both decided to leave.

Jeremy, Rebecca, and Deuce will stay.

Josie, Ian, and Rick plan to stay.

Honestly, I wish we could all go, but I don't want to lose Kapper Hill Compound or have it taken over by someone else. I hate this. It's invasive and impersonal. Nope, I don't like it one bit.

At least Carisa, Luke, and Larson will be “off the grid.”

I have no idea where such a large unit will camp, but I'm assuming it'll be all over our hill and in the field across the road.

I'm headed to lie beside Mick and not go to sleep.

Bye for now.

Sunday
, April 6

Isaac, Dane, Elaine, Jesse, Isabella, Luke, Larson, and Carisa left right after breakfast this morning.

We had cold cereal. We're all on edge and no one wanted to cook. Everyone was busy straightening up their private living areas, hiding whatever they wanted hidden, pacing, wringing their hands, and worrying.

We aren't worried as much about the unit arriving as we are worried that 400 people will know everything there is to know about us
, including where we are and what we have. It would only take a few “bad” soldiers to decide they were leaving the unit and come back to attack us.

We don't know what to do about it. Josie says everything depends on the personality of the Colonel. He may decide that he wants to go over every inch of the place, or he may decide to accept the information we give his staff as fact without prying into every corner.

I asked Mick if he thought we could only allow the doctors and approved personnel on the compound and keep the remaining troops on the other side of the gate. “All we can do is ask” Mick said. So, I guess that's what we'll do.

Mick thinks the troops will definitely visit Rick, Ian, and Josie's quarters because of their past military histories. Ian has one wall of his building papered in cash. He worries that it will be seen as a sign of disrespect from a former soldier.

I told Mick to have Ian move all his stuff into Isaac's building and pretend the other one is Jeremy's or something. I don't have the time or desire to figure out lies and deceit over such a petty thing as wallpapering with currency. I hate this. This shouldn't even be an issue.

I've asked Jeremy to put several “peep holes” in the plywood over the windows so we can spy on the soldiers out front. He's busy with the drill right now.

I hear someone coming up the driveway and it sounds like the Silverado. It's probably Soo and Hisa either back to stay, or back to grab Merry and Valerie.

I'll write later if I'm able. See ya
later.

12:30 PM...

Soo and Hisa picked up Merry and Valerie and headed back to the boonies. I thought about asking Mick if I could go with them. Nah... I can't leave my house for strangers to plow and pillage through.

I figured out a way to hang my computer in the closet. I used a black canvas bag with thin straps around the hanger and put my black winter coat over it. My laptop fits perfectly inside the bag, but I had to put the power supply in the coat pocket. We'll leave the extension cord from the generator strip and plug a lamp into it. Yes, I know it's a cheesy and simplistic hiding spot that even a five-year-old could find. Maybe that'll be the beauty of it? Fingers crossed.

Whatcha wanna bet they come straight in here and go straight to my closet. I've taken a Xanax of the blue variety because I needed it. It's making me a little loopy but it definitely helps.

Mick is standing watch out front, waiting for the Army to arrive. The men who remain on the compound are working on the fence. I had to get them out of the house. They were driving me crazy(er).

Oh crap!

I hear trucks at the gate and gunfire off in the distance.

See ya later.

11:50 PM...

I've decided to write from the closet. It's hot in here and the air is thick with whatever fibers and dust happen to fall from hanging clothes. I can't keep my eyes off the doorknob. If that sucker starts turning, I swear I'll jump through the ceiling.

Colonel Thompson arrived with his group around 12:45 this afternoon. The lead vehicles stopped at the gate and two armed soldiers exited the vehicle in front and stood at attention, waiting for someone to come down the hill and converse with them.

Mick and Jason stood up from their watch positions and headed down the hill. Those of us inside the house peeked out the front door and through the holes in the plywood. It wasn't long before the remaining men came down from working on the fence and took a spot on the front porch to watch and wait.

Only a couple of minutes went by before Mick and Jason opened the gate and allowed the lead vehicle to enter. They shut the gate behind it and crawled inside the rear doors. The black Escalade drove slowly to the top of the driveway and the driver put it in “park.” I thought that Escalade was mighty flashy for this “end of the world situation” we're having.

Mick and Jason crawled out of the rear and waited as the driver and his co-pilot climbed out of the front. They were dressed in formal attire from covered head to shiny toe.

One of the soldiers opened the door and Colonel T.J. Thompson crawled out. I mean, literally... he crawled out. He was dressed in
camouflage from head to toe, sort of.

His hat was askew, his shirt was halfway
unbuttoned, and I could see stains in the armpits of his white t-shirt underneath. His boots were untied and he was laughing up a storm. He was either very sick, or very drunk, and I figured I already knew which one it was.

Another soldier dressed in
camouflage from head to toe climbed out of the passenger door. He stuffed Colonel Thompson back inside the Escalade and turned to glare at the driver.

Whatever telepathic message he was sending got through. The driver ran back around, hopped inside, and backed the Escalade down to the gate as the second
camouflaged man walked up the sidewalk and onto the porch with Mick and Jason close behind. Mick had that “I didn't see a thing” look on his face but I could tell he was ready to burst out laughing at any moment.

Josie poked me in the ribs and said “that's a Major!” She almost seemed giddy.

Mick and the “Major” were quietly talking, and I looked past them to see a huge amount of military vehicles pulling into the field and all along the sides of the road.

It looked like what I'd imagined the inside of a bee hive looks like. There were dozens of vehicles and all of them were drab olive green except for the Escalade still sitting by the gate.

The vehicles were loud, and the volume rose even more as stern voices began shouting orders. A few distinguishable words rode the breeze and made the journey up the hillside. I couldn't see the end of the line and was still searching for it when Mick opened the door and ushered the Major inside.

The Major waited as Mick and Jason made their way in and closed the door behind them.

None of us said a word. We were waiting for the Major to speak. I stepped up beside Mick and gave the Major my “go ahead” look.

The Major asked that they be allowed to search the house and make sure there was no “unsavory characters” hiding out. They were “sure we'd understand.”

When they got to my bedroom, I held my breath. They checked under the bed and opened the closet door. I was so nervous that I almost had to leave the room. I saw one of them reach into the closet and the veins almost popped out of my head and neck.

The soldier reached in and pushed all our clothing to the sides. Then, he banged around on the wall at the back of the closet, the sides, and the ceiling. He stood back looking satisfied and gave the entire closet one last glance before he shut the door. He turned and walked out of the room.

I fell on the bed and almost hyperventilated into my pillow. I realized that I've become much more dependent on this computer than I should be. I stood and went back to the living room for further instructions.

The Major stuck out his hand and said “How do you do,
Mrs. Kapper. I am Major Knellson” (he spelled it out for us). “I am second in Command to Colonel Thompson, who isn't feeling well this afternoon. I trust you've had time to read the documents and digest what you learned from our scouts?”