Worst Case Scenario - Book 5: Militia (2 page)

CHAPTER 2

In less than forty-five minutes, the women had taken everything they could think of to further their survival and packed it into the El Camino or the Jeep.  Anna corralled the two horses that the boys didn’t take and tacked them for her and Grace.

Violet did her best to compartmentalize her new reality without her husband or the farm.  Mostly, she busied herself with moving the medical supplies she had stored in the bunker.  Every so often, she would look over to the oak tree where Ian was frantically digging a grave.  The covered body of her husband lay next to the growing mound of soil.

“Hey,” Leah said, walking up to her husband.  He didn’t stop digging.

“Hey, how are we doing?”

“It’s been about forty-five minutes. The vehicles are packed.  We have all of Bob’s ammo and weapons.  Almost none of his radios made it, except a couple of long range two ways that were in the bunker.  Your secure radio was destroyed, too.”  She paused to wipe the sweat from her brow. “I did find a solar charger to power up our own two-ways, though.”

“That’s good, about the chargers, I mean,” he said, still digging.

“Also, Violet wanted me to give you this,” she said, holding something out for him to take.  “She wants you to give it to the boys when you think the time is right.”

Ian stopped digging and looked at his wife, and then at the cigar box size enclosure.  “What is it?” he asked, reaching up to take it from his wife.

“Just open, you’ll see,” she said, wiping a tear from her eyes.

Ian leaned the shovel against the side of the grave and gently opened the box.  He then breathed in deep and closed the box.  Ian climbed out of the rectangle shaped hole and gently placed the box next to Bob’s covered body.

“I’ll make sure they get these, my friend,” he whispered.  A hard knot formed in his throat, and he cleared his voice.

“You, okay?” Leah asked.  She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  He nodded.

“Will you please help me place him in? We need to get going ASAP.” he asked, putting the task of the metal box into the back of his mind.  He would need the right situation to give these to the boys.

“Sure,” Leah offered.

Once finished, she radioed the rest of the team to join them under the oak tree.  The boys had just returned from warning as many neighbors as they could and were watering the horses for the next part of the journey.  Ian watched the boys make the walk from the dilapidated stables, past the smoldering farmhouse, and to their father’s resting place.  He was painfully aware of the minutes that were ticking by.  Each minute represented another minute that the Chinese were closing in on their location with heavy reinforcements.  He was just about to speak when Violet started talking.

“We have been together for 31 years,” she started.  “He was always one to put me and the boys first, that is, except for his faith and his country. We knew each other in high school but didn’t start dating until after we graduated.  He worked two jobs and went to night school for computers, before he found what he really loved…the Marines. I loved him from the moment I saw him.  The day he graduated from boot camp, and I saw him in that uniform, I knew…I just knew that we were destined to be together.  He asked me to marry him on that same day…and…and I know he loved me…” she broke down sobbing.

Silence blanketed the group.  The warm breeze stirred the leaves on the oak tree, almost providing their own story.

“Dad was a teacher to us,” Adam broke the group’s contemplation.  “He was the one that taught us how to ride, how to hunt, how to track.  That stuff just came naturally to him.  It’s probably why he did so well in the Marines.   He could sit in a deer stand for hours without moving.  He used to bet us to see who had to climb down and pee first.”  Every one laughed a nervous laugh.  Burying people wasn’t supposed to be funny. “Thank you, Dad,” Adam continued, his voice seemed to lose the tone of the happy memory, as he became somber. “Thank you for everything that you taught me.  I hope I’ve made you…made you proud of me,” Adam finished with his own tears flowing.

“My dad was fair,” Joshua said and then cleared the emotion from his voice, trying to find his inner strength.  “He was honest, and he loved his family more than anything else in the world.  If he was going to do something, he jumped full bore in.  His job with the state, his career in the Marines, his marriage to Mom, and the raising of us,” Joshua said, looking at his brother.  “I can think of no other person that has helped shape the man I have become other than my father.”  He stopped and breathed in deeply of the air around their family farm.  This was land passed down for generations, and he felt like the loss of his father was symbiotic with the loss of the land.  He knew he was saying goodbye to both, for a very long time. 

“I love you, Dad. We’ll take care of mom,” Joshua continued, squeezing his arm around his mother.  “And, we will win this war for you and for the country that you loved,” Joshua said, his voice warbling.

Thirty seconds had passed when Ian felt Leah squeeze his hand; he needed to speak.

Ian stepped forward and stood near the head of the grave before he began speaking.  “Without Bob, I would be dead.  Not once, but twice.  He protected me, he protected my daughter when I could not, and he helped reunite my family at his home,” he looked into the eyes of everyone there.  “Bob Tiller is a patriot.  He is a man of God, and he is someone that should be emulated.”  He ran his hand over his head. “Violet, Joshua, Adam, I could see that he loved you more than anything else, and that is the reason why he sacrificed his life in order to save us all.”

Ian knelt down on one knee, peering into the grave, and picked up some of the loose soil.  “Bob was and is a Marine, he was proud to be a Marine, and he died being a Marine.”  Ian stood up and faced the group.  “One of the last things we talked about was forming a militia between our two families. He wanted to call it War Dawgs. D-A-W-G-S not D-O-G-S,” Ian spelled.  “He liked the roughness of the way it sounded.”  Ian looked at the faces and could see smiles of recognition.  “I propose that we do just that.” 

Everyone nodded.

Ian walked to Joshua.  “Son, hold out your hand.”

Joshua did as instructed, holding his palm open.  Ian let half of the dirt flow out of his own hand and into Joshua’s. “Today we will honor your father by becoming stronger together,” he said leading him to the side of the grave.

Joshua held his hand over the grave and released the soil onto the covered body of his father.  Ian did the same.

“Watch over us, Dad,” Joshua said.  “And watch over the War Dawgs!”

CHAPTER 3

Over the next ten minutes, the group hastily tied down everything on the vehicles.  No sooner did Ian insist that the group get going, when Daisy started whining, and sat down next to the Jeep.

“I think she hears something,” Leah said, responding to the action of her dog.

“I bet it’s the choppers or a drone,” Ian said.  “Okay, let’s get out of here,” he ordered the group.

“Daisy,” Leah said, commanding the dog into the Jeep.  Once the dog was in, she secured her rifle and looked back at the others.

Mary started the El Camino, and Violet somberly slid in to the passenger seat of her late husband’s vehicle.  Adam, Anna, Joshua, and Grace were all on horseback.  Ian put the Jeep in gear and started down the gravel drive of the Tiller Farm.

“Everyone with us?” Ian asked two minutes later as they got to the two-lane road. 

“Yeah,” Leah answered.  “And Joshua wants to check in with you.”

Ian watched the man ride his horse up to the driver’s side of the Jeep.

“I think they are circling around on the other side of the hill.  Probably near the pipeline terminal.”

“Yeah, it’s only a matter of time before they fly high enough to see your farm.  Alright, we will see you at the rally point in twelve hours.”

“Yes, sir.  And, good luck.”

“You too, son.”

Joshua watched the vehicles pull away down the road.  They were headed northeast to the rally point.  They needed to move quickly.  He kicked his horse into motion and heard the others do the same.

“Looks like we’re on our own again,” Grace said, riding up next to the oldest Tiller boy.

“I thought that’s what you wanted?”  He spurred his horse a little faster down the shade tree lined two-lane road. 

“I did,” Grace answered between breaths and bounces.  It had been a couple of years since she had ridden a horse.  Both she and Anna had taken hunter/jumper classes for several years, but the call of teenage life, boys, and an active extracurricular life lured them away.  She wondered why.  Riding horses was one of her first loves, and you never really get over your first love. 

“But?” Joshua asked, drawing out the word.

“But, we had already proved that we could look after ourselves,” she said, still adjusting to the Western saddle style.  She was used to the English style.

“I think it was a good call,” Joshua said, he moved effortlessly in the saddle.  “Besides, separated, we don’t make as large of a target.  There would have been no way to tow the horses and bug out.”

“Doesn’t really matter anymore,” Adam said, adding his 2-cents to the conversation.

“Guys!  Guys!  Hey!” Anna yelled from the back of the pack.  Everyone turned to look, but didn’t slow down.

“What?” Grace yelled.

“I hear the choppers!”

Joshua put his hand up to stop the ride and moved his horse deeper into the shadows of the large oaks that lined the rural state road.  The other three did the same.  All four pulled out their rifles.  Anna was still unsure of exactly how to handle hers but just mimicked the others.

“The horses might spook if we start shooting, so make sure you have a hold on to them if it starts to go down,” Adam warned.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to shoot,” Joshua remarked, listening to the thumping whirl of the helicopters circle his family’s farm a mile behind them. 

“Should we go scout them out?” Adam asked.

“No,” both Grace and Joshua said together.

“I like that idea,” Anna offered.

“Let’s just sit tight here for a second to see if they are coming our way before we keep moving.”

No one said anything.  The tension was thick.  The noises seemed to reverberate off the surrounding hills, making it difficult to pin down if they were coming or going.

“Sounds like it landed,” Adam surmised as the chopper noises gave way. They could hear the distant rumblings of heavy trucks.

“I think they’ve brought in troops. We should really get out of here,” Grace advised.

“Agreed,” Joshua responded, and kicked his horse into motion after slinging his rifle across his back.

The others followed suit, and they began to trot again.

“You know,” Adam said, “that truck sound didn’t really sound like it was coming from behind us.”

A shot of hot panic ripped through the group as Adam’s words came to life in front of them.  One hundred yards ahead of the group, a half-ton truck, like the one destroyed at the pipeline terminal, pulled to an intersection.

“Shit!” Joshua exclaimed, and they all came to a stop.

The truck sat at the three-way intersection, its diesel engine clanking.  The driver had his window down and seemed to be trying to decide which way to go.

“Is there another way?” Grace asked.  Her breathing quickened, and she felt a cold sweat break out across her skin.

Joshua looked around.  “Yes, Wolf Creek,” he said.

“Dude, that’s closer to the truck!” Adam scolded.

They were stuck. If they crossed the street, out of the protection of the shadows, they would be seen.  They couldn’t go backwards because of what was at the farm.  They couldn’t go deeper into the woods because of a fence line.

“It’s our only hope at getting around them,” Joshua insisted, spurring his horse ahead slowly, and the others fell into a single line.  They stayed in the shadows of the large oaks, but that would not shield them if the truck turned towards their direction.

“This isn’t going to work,” Adam mumbled. He was the last horse in the row.

“I can hear you,” Joshua hissed.  “And shut up!”

The four slowly rode their horses closer towards the Chinese truck filled with soldiers.

“This is freaking suicide,” Anna whispered.

“Shhh,” Grace responded.

Joshua was watching the driver and the passenger in the cab; they were arguing.  He assumed it was about which way to go.  Joshua hoped they would keep arguing.  He pulled his handgun and held it in his free hand.

“Josh!”  It was Adam again, his voice barely audible.

“What?”

“Dad said that when they engaged the last truck, that he noticed that they carried extra fuel tanks on the side of the truck.  Can you see any?”

“Yea, but they are probably diesel,” he said, using logic.

“Yea, but he didn’t think so since the other truck exploded.”

“What are you saying?”

“I think you can use your armor piercing to light them up.”

They were now about 50 yards from the truck and 25 yards from the entrance to the creek.  The creek flowed under the road, and would give them a hiding place from trucks or helicopters.  If they could get there undetected.

“I’ve got the tank on the right,” Grace said, onboard with the plan.  She held her rifle at the ready.

“But,” Joshua said.  “We might be able to…”

The driver of the truck turned his head and looked directly at them.  He yelled something to the passenger and pointed at the four American’s

“Shoot, Grace!  Shoot!” Joshua yelled.

The driver turned the wheel and started moving before Grace squeezed her trigger.

The fuel tank hanging on the side of the truck exploded, covering the canvas covered rear portion of the truck with fuel driven fire.  Another tank exploded, rocking the truck further, but not enough to knock it over.  Grace kept firing, her horse was jumping, and she fought to hang on.  A third armor piercing round found the third tank.  The truck recoiled with the explosion and tipped over.

Joshua kicked the horse into a run while bringing his pistol hand up and firing. 

Several of the soldiers were trying to escape from the back of the toppled burning vehicle.  They were shocked and unprepared to fight.  Josh pushed his horse and closed the distance quickly, firing his .40 caliber.  The hollow point rounds punched devastating holes into any person that he hit.   With skill, sharpened by anger, he shot two soldiers the instant they climbed out of the wreckage.

“How does it feel?” he said in between gritted teeth.

A few more soldiers stumbled from around the back of the truck, flames consuming their clothes.  They were screaming in a language that was alien to Joshua.   He rode up to the intersection and stopped his horse.  The exploded fuel had painted the overhanging trees, catching them on fire and spreading the flaming death. 

“Don’t get too close,” Grace said, keeping her horse back from Joshua’s. 

There were men still trapped in the back of the burning truck.  They could hear them screaming.

“What is that they are saying?” Adam asked Grace. 

“Bāng wǒ,” she said.

“What does that mean?”

“Help me,” she said, softly.

“Holy shit,” Adam whispered.  The scene looked like the Devil was having a revival.

One of the men from the back of the truck found a way to burst through the flames and onto the road.  He was on fire and ran in circles yelling.  He then fell to the ground trying to roll the fire out.

Joshua raised his pistol at the burning soldier and fired a single shot.  There was no more screaming coming from the man on the ground or truck.  Josh shot the man again…and then again.

“Josh!  Josh!  Stop!  They’ll hear you!” Adam yelled at his brother.

Joshua looked back at his brother, his eyes wide and sweat pouring down his face.  “They killed our father, Adam.”

“I know,” his voice soft with understanding. 

Joshua looked around for anyone else to shoot as Grace edged her horse up next to his.  She put her hand on his outstretched arm and helped him lower the pistol.  “We need to go,” she said softly, echoing Adam’s words.

“They killed my dad.”

“I know,” she squeezed his hand.  “This can’t consume you now. We need to go if we are going to live.  It’s what your dad wanted, for all of us to live.  We need to go, Joshua.”

He squeezed her hand.  She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it.  He looked at her.

“We’ll get through this, but today, we have to live,” she said.

He nodded, wiping the tears off of his face with his sleeve.

“Adam, lead us down the creek. They can’t pick up our tracks there.”  Joshua looked back at the truck, the billowing smoke filtering through the giant oaks, surely giving away their position.

Without a word, Adam turned his horse towards the creek bed and led them into the shallow creek.

Grace keyed her two-way radio.

“This is Tardis Blue. We’re not going to make the rally point on time.  Will advise. Over.”