Shelter: Book 2, A Long Days Night (17 page)

“Don’t you guys break people’s arms and legs?”

“Hollywood bullshit. I’ll admit, crossing us isn’t a good idea. On the other hand, what happens if you cross a corrupt politician? How many people who crossed the Clinton’s disappeared? How many people who crossed so called respected politicians disappeared in accidents? Many more than ever disappeared dealing with us. I don’t care what you call me, as long as you pay me what you owe me. Don’t try to cheat or screw me and we’ll get along fine. Were you ever harmed visiting my restaurant?”

“Of course not, everyone knew who owned the restaurant. No one wanted to end up wearing cement boots in the river.”

“Todd, that’s my point, just the fear of what would happen if you crossed or screwed with us enabled us to keep the peace. There was no crime around my place. No one’s car ever got broken into. Can you say the same about any other place? You felt safe coming to my place. No one worried about going to their cars in the dark, we ensured our street had extra street lights, which always worked. It’s easy to do when you control the unions.”

“Tony, I understand, but will the average person accept your people running things?”

“When the time comes, I bet you, people will feel more comfortable with us than the assholes who screwed up the entire world.”

“What about your fights? Didn’t you kill many innocent people when they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

“Todd, most of that was Hollywood BS, we tried not to kill or harm innocents, we don’t want to hurt our customers. Look at it from our eyes, you’re our customers. You may play the numbers, need a loan no one else will give you, want protection from someone, want some adult entertainment. Todd, we want your loyalty and money, we don’t want you hurt. We don’t have to run an election which is nothing more than a popularity contest and pay for votes so we can manage our business in a profitable, safe manner.”

“Tony, is your idea of a new America the Chicago in the 1920’s?”

Laughing, “Not that bad. I’ll bet you $100 that when the economy starts to rebound, my friends will be in leadership positions. Want to take my bet?”

“No, sorry, I think you might be right. What’s important now is us getting back to our homes.”

“I agree, the sooner we get everyone back into our homes, the sooner we can start down the path of returning things to some degree of normalcy. I too thought that the gang would spend a week, maybe two in our homes before moving on. I didn’t expect them to stay indefinitely. We’ve got to use every arrow in our quivers to get rid of these scum. I wouldn’t mind, hell, I look forward to digging a mass grave and dumping their bodies into it.”

I look at everyone in the security room, “I agree, it’s time to begin taking action against these assholes. I’ve seen the look in our people’s eyes, they’re getting deeply depressed, if we don’t take action very soon, we’re going to end up with our own people fighting each other and risking future mental issues we can’t afford to deal with.”

“Dad, when do we start?”

“Tonight.”

“Great, I’m ready.”

Looking at Tony and John, “Are you guys ready too?”

Tony smiles saying, “Jay, welcome back, we’re more than ready. My people have been itching to get revenge on the assholes above us.”

“Good, let’s begin planning to take our homes back.”

Everyone smiles an evil grin thinking that revenge is going to taste very sweet.

We agree to meet back at the security room at 1:00 AM. Walking back to my room so I can try to get an hour of rest and get my head together, I look into the eyes of my friends and extended family, their eyes are full of hope beseeching me to do something. I also see the depression spreading through our community, many of the men have stopped shaving, some have stopped bathing while others haven’t changed their clothing in a while. I know if we don’t do something soon, the shelter is going to be awash in depression. Depressions which will feed off of each other making the depression harder to cure and possibly harming some of my people for the rest of their lives. We don’t have sufficient antidepressant drugs to care for everyone. I don’t have any idea where to locate drugs in our current situation. I don’t think the pharmaceutical factories are in operation any longer. We can’t afford any disease or anything that requires heavy doses of medications. We have a limited inventory of some drugs which are going to have to last us a very long time. We might be the only remaining source of medications in fifty miles or more. We stocked up on everything we could get our hands on, but we weren't able to get all the drugs we could possibly need. There aren’t any pharmaceutical factories close to us, all we have is what we have on hand. I’m relieved that we stored our medications in the shelter and not in our homes where the gangs might have found them. Part of me is worrying some more of us may be injured, on the other hand, I’m excited we’re finally going to be taking our initial action to start the return to our homes.

Chapter 10

At midnight, Captain Black hands Glenda a vest of body armor and a helmet. “Put the body armor on, wear it all the time. You wear the helmet anytime you’re not in the Bradley. It’s important both fit well.”

“Captain, the vest is very heavy, do I really have to wear it all of the time?”

“Glenda, it’s heavy because there are four metal and ceramic plates in the vest, a large one front and back plus two smaller ones to protect your sides. These plates should protect you from almost anything fired at you. The vest will protect your internal organs.”

“Will I feel a bullet hit the vest?”

“Oh yes! You’ll feel like you were punched by a heavyweight boxer. It will most likely knock you down. If you get hit, the armor plates will most likely save your life.”

“You guys wear these all the time?”

“Yes, plus we have our weapons and ten thirty round magazines, and canteens. If we’re going into the field, we also carry a seventy-pound pack.”

“Christ, I don’t know how you people are able to move.”

Laughing, Captain Black says, “Welcome to the US Army where you can be all you can be. Come, try it on and get comfortable. When you’re in the Bradley wear this helmet, it’s got an intercom built into it. It’s the way we communicate with each other. Don’t stand up in any of the hatches unless I give you the OK. Please belt yourself in, the ride is very hard, you’re going to be black and blue in places you didn’t know you had. Are you ready?”

“I may be crazy, but I’m ready. Let’s go kill the sons of bitches who attacked my people.”

“OK, we’re leaving.” Six Bradley fighting vehicles and four LAVs move out into the dark night. Glenda quickly learns how harsh the ride inside the Bradley is, she’s bouncing up and down in her seat. She notices the troops holding the rear of rifles that stick out the sides of the Bradley. She points to the rifles questioning what they are. Captain Black smiles, “Those are special M16s, they are mounted in the sides of the Bradley. They can swivel and turn, giving us firepower on the side in case we come under fire from behind the roadside trees, there are three per side. We have a 25mm auto cannon and anti-tank missiles on the turret. We also have a machine gun mounted next to the cannon.”

“I’ve never even been close to a tank before.”

Laughing, the captain replies, “Glenda, this isn’t a tank. We call it an IFV, infantry fighting vehicle. You’ll see a real tank soon enough. I have a platoon of M1 tanks arriving soon. The Bradley is a crap box, but it’s good enough for chasing criminals. In a real war, I want to be in an M1.”

“Won’t they hear us coming? How will we surprise them when these things are so loud?”

“We’ll stop before we reach their camp. We’ll dismount and attack their camp on foot while the Bradley’s provide support with their cannons and missiles.”

“Great, now I’m going to be walking into a gang’s camp.”

“I told you to stay behind, you’re the one who insisted on coming along. You’re dressed like one of us and you’ll be carrying one of our M4s. I assume you know how to use one?”

Glenda smiles. “You mean the evil assault rifle which left unguarded will kill hundreds of people?”

Smiling Captain Black responds, “Yes that one.”

“I know how to use its close cousin, the AR 15.”

“Good. Leave the selector on semi. I don’t want you losing control on full auto and hitting my people.”

“How little faith you have in me.”

“I like to be careful.”

Glenda sits silently in her own thoughts while the vehicles advance on the criminal camp site. She’s thinking, maybe this captain is serious about trying to restore order. I really hope so, he seems sincere and he’s not bad looking either. I don’t see a wedding ring on his finger. I wonder if he’s attached or on the market.

Two hours later, with Glenda feeling very sore, the Bradleys stop. The rear door folds down, four soldiers quickly exit the Bradley and take up security positions around the vehicle. Captain Black tells Glenda, “We’re as close as we’re going to get. Come on, it’s time to walk.”

Glenda unfolds from her small seat, she’s stiff and sore as she exits bent over. She stiffly straightens up, looking around she replaces her helmet with the new one. She’s handed an M4. Captain Black says, “Keep it on safe. Here're two extra loaded magazines. If you have to use the weapon, make sure you aim it at the enemy. If you aim it towards any of my people, they will take you out.”

“I thought the body armor will protect me.”

“Not if you’re shot in the face.”

“You wouldn’t!?”

“Don’t point your rifle at us. Clear?”

“Yes, very clear. You can be a real bastard.”

Smiling, Captain Black nods his agreement. “Ask anyone who knows me. They’ll all agree with you, I can be a real pain in the ass. If you’re coming with us, come on. Be quiet and watch where you step.”

“Yes, sir, or aye, sir.”

“Yes, sir will do. Aye is used in the Navy.”

The Army platoon silently moves through the woods to meet the scouts who’ve been keeping eyes on the gang’s camp. Sergeant Hill quietly approaches the Captain, “Sir, there are at least one hundred in the camp. All are armed with side arms and rifles or shotguns. They have pickups and bikes parked 25 yards on the north side of their camp. We’ve seen eighteen young women held as slaves.”

“Have you seen any guards or patrols?”

“They had four guards, all fell asleep around 0130.”

“Typical. OK, let’s make sure there are no guards, we’ll move in at 0230. Sergeant, I want you to escort our civilian observer. Don’t let any harm come to her. We need her alive and well so she can bring the story back to her people.”

“Sir, thank you.”

“Sarge, I know how you feel about babysitting, but it’s an order.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you, let’s go clean up a human cesspool. When I enlisted, I never thought I’d be doing this in America.”

“Sir, me too.”

Twenty minutes later, the Army patrol quietly moves through the woods, they locate and tie up the four sleeping guards. They enter the gang’s camp site. Their rifles are equipped with silencers, they silently shoot the first of the outlaws they come to. They enter the gang leader’s tent, arresting him and twenty others who are shocked at how quickly their camp was taken down. The gang’s leader looks at the soldiers, “Which of you assholes is in charge of attacking and shooting my people?”

Captain Black steps forward saying, “I am, Captain Black US Army.”

“Well asshole, I want my lawyer. I’m going to sue you and the goddamned army for damaging my stuff and shooting my friends.”

Captain Black laughs, “The country is under martial law, you don’t get a lawyer, you don’t get to sue anyone. You don’t get to pass go, nor collect $200. You get to go to jail for the rest of your life or suffer whatever punishment the townspeople decide is fitting for you and your people.”