Bug Out! Part 10: RV Race to Battle (5 page)

“Wow!” he said. “Hey Scotty, lot of hardware up here.”

“Good,” Scotty yelled from below.

There were three pump shotguns leaned against the right side wall of the closet, two hunting rifles leaning on the left side, and two old double-barrel shotguns in the back. The shelf above on the back wall was stuffed with boxes of shotgun shells and rifle cartridges. Howard stared pulling the guns out, checking to see if they were loaded, and putting them on the bed behind him.

Okay, boys, help me out,” he said, loading up their arms. They carried them down the stairs.

“Damn, the mother lode,” Scott said, laughing.

“Boys, put those down, and go get all the boxes of ammo on that shelf.”

“Sure, Howard,” they said.

“Scotty, I think I’ll drive the rig up here, so we can load everything. It’s a lot to carry.”

“Good idea, but be quick about it. We might have company any time now.”

“Okay,” he said, leaving the house and trotting over to the barn. He drove the rig up to the house and got out, leaving the door open.

“Boys, help me with this stuff, okay?” Howard called to them, as they were walking down the stairs with the boxes of ammo.

“Sure, Howard,” Blake said. Howard picked up four of the guns and went through the door, the twins following with the ammo still in their arms.

“Wow, that’s neat,” Blake said as they approached the coach.

“Yeah,” Howard said. “C’mon in, and put the ammo down on the table.” He dropped the guns on the couch, and they headed back inside.

“Can you take us for a ride?” Kerry asked, a grin on his face.

“Of course,” he said. “Help me with the rest of these guns.”

Scott watched as they scooped up the rest and took them out. Then he heard the engine start, and looked out the window, watching Howard back the coach down the driveway and into the barn. Then Howard and the twins were walking up the driveway, all smiles.

“Scotty, we got to ride in the motor home!” Blake said, grinning ear to ear.

“That’s great,” he said, smiling. “C’mon, Howard, let’s check the back.”

“Yeah,” Howard said. They walked outside. “You look better already.”

“Yeah, it hurts a little to walk, but I can do it,” Scott said. “Wish my
brothers
were a little more together.”

“Yeah, they seem to have stopped development at about ten years old,” Howard said. “I kinda like them, though. It’s like having my grandkids around.”

“Good, that fence is still up,” Scott said, pointing ahead of them. “Let’s move Emma’s car over to block the driveway to the back of the house, so they won’t be able to get behind it too easy.”

“Yeah, good idea. What are we gonna do with her during this?”

“Oh, she’ll have a front row seat,” Scotty said, a wicked grin on his face.

The Sheriff walked back
towards the trailers, his thoughts spinning through the mayhem to come. Dobie came walking towards him, with Gabe and Jake following.

“Gonna talk to Terry?” Jake asked.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, when you’re done, could you send Trish up to the clubhouse, please?” Dobie asked.

“Sure, I figure both of them would be coming over there,” the Sheriff said. “We’ve got work to do for both teams.”

Trish looked out the window of the trailer, and then disappeared. The door opened.

“C’mon in,” Trish said softly. “I know why you’re here.”

The Sheriff nodded, his face grim. He climbed the steps into the trailer. Terry was sitting on the couch. Trish sat next to him, and the Sheriff sat on the chair facing them.

“Hi, uncle,” Terry said.

“Hi, Terry. You know why I’m here?”

“Of course,” he said. “When do you need me?”

The Sheriff looked uncomfortable, trying to avoid eye contact with Trish.

“Don’t worry,” she said, forcing a smile. “I knew this was coming. Knew it before we got married.”

“It’s still hard,” the Sheriff said. “I’m going too.”

“You sure you should?” Terry asked. “I’ve been around Capitol Reef. There’s gonna be a lot of climbing.”

“So I’ve heard,” the Sheriff said. “I’m still pretty spry, you know. Besides, Jeb and Kurt are going.”

“Yeah, I figured that, because they’re the only ones who are good with a bow,” Terry said.

“Malcolm is too, so he’s going,” the Sheriff said.

“Good, I was hoping those guys would be with us,” he said.

“We’ve also got the four privates,” the Sheriff said. “It’ll be a good fighting force.”

“What’s Terry going to be doing?” Trish asked.

“He’s good with a rifle, and he’s young and fast. He’ll probably be backing up the archers.”

“Oh,” Trish said. “What about those of us who are staying here? I saw Dobie come over and get my dad and Gabe.”

“They’ll need you, too, Trish,” the Sheriff said. “Charlie is leading the home team. We’re pretty sure that the enemy has an idea where we are.”

“How?” Trish asked, looking concerned.

“Frank could see who’s been requesting satellite access for this area. He matched some requestors to his list of bad guys,” the Sheriff said. “This part of Kansas has been looked at quite a bit.”

“Crap,” Terry said. “So we win this, or they’ll find us eventually.”

“What about the serial killer?” Trish asked.

“Malcolm’s been watching. They just nabbed another girl from St. Louis, and dumped her further on the east-bound road,” the Sheriff said.

“So he doesn’t think they’re coming here?” Terry asked.

“Oh, he thinks they are coming here, but he thinks it’ll be at least a week before they show up.”

“Oh,” Trish said. “You guys will be back before that, right?”

“This should only be an over-night trip,” the Sheriff said. “We’re leaving mid-morning tomorrow, and should be back the following morning.”

Terry looked over at Trish. “You okay with this?”

“You know we have no choice,” she said. “We both knew it was coming. Don’t worry about what I think. I want you focused on staying alive.”

“You’re a good woman, Trish,” the Sheriff said. “I’ll go back over. See you in a little while.”

He stood up. Trish stood up too and gave the Sheriff a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he said, eyes tearing up.

“You love him as much as I do,” Trish said. “I feel better that you’re going.”

He smiled weakly and nodded, then left the coach.

“Hold me for a minute,” Trish said, pulling up on Terry’s hand. He got up and took her into his arms. She was trembling.

***

Dobie came into the lounge, with Jeb by his side. Rosie, Mary, and Hilda were all down there, sitting at the bar, quietly chatting.

“You go?” Rosie asked, looking at Jeb.

“Of course, honey,” Jeb said. “Let’s go to the clubhouse. We need to get to work.”

“They need us too, I take it,” Hilda said.

“Yeah, Charlie needs to meet with us. He’s leading the home team,” Dobie said.

“Charlie’s not going?” Hilda asked, a surprised look on her face. Then she looked sheepishly over at Rosie and Mary.

“Don’t worry,” Mary said. “I knew, remember? Damn bow and arrow.”

“I proud,” Rosie said. Jeb came over and hugged her, and she sobbed quietly as she rested against his chest.

“Okay, we should go,” Dobie said. “There’s planning to do, for the away team and the home team.”

They all got topside and walked over to the clubhouse. Charlie was standing on the porch, looking out over the park silently. Hilda walked to his side while the others went in.

“You okay with staying here?” Hilda asked.

Charlie pulled Hilda next to him. “Yes, makes sense, I guess.”

“We really in danger here?”

“There is some danger, based on what Frank saw when he looked at satellite access requests.

“Can they get across the border?”

“Well, that’s the real question,” Charlie said. “The General is checking to see if any groups have been given permission to pass.”

“That bad general at Schriever could have, right?” she asked.

“General Kincaid. First person we thought of, but the General checked, and he didn’t. He’s checking for access requests from any official now.”

“Oh,” she said. “We better get in there.”

“Happy?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said. “But sad too, for my friends. Mary especially.”

“I know,” Charlie said. They walked in the door.

***

Howard and Scott walked back up to the front of the house.

“I’m gonna move Emma’s car back there,” Howard said.

“Good, you do that,” Scott said. “We’d better hurry up with this. I have a feeling our guests will arrive soon.”

“Right,” Howard said, trotting to the car. He drove it to the back of the driveway, and angled it so no motorcycles could get behind the house. Then he squeezed his way out.

“Perfect,” Scott said. “Nice big kill zone here. We’ll have to hit them fast, or else they’ll be on foot, running away.”

“I know,” Howard said. “What are we gonna do with Emma?”

“I saw another set up cuffs sitting on the work bench down there,” Scott said. “Let’s attach them to the wall on the veranda and hang her there.”

“Ah, so that’s what you meant by front row seat, huh?” Howard said, chuckling.

“Yeah,” Scott said. “You want to go prepare the victim?”

“How do you mean?”

“We do need to consider the fluid issue, you know.”

“You want me to do that? Really?” Howard asked, looking disgusted.

“Well, I can’t do it,” Scott said.

“Why don’t we just rig something up so it looks like the bikers got her? We’ve already left our calling card down the road, remember?”

Scott leaned against the railing of the veranda, thinking. “Okay, Howard, I see your point.”

“What about the boys?”

“Let’s take them into the coach with us,” he said. “I don’t want them in the line of fire, and I don’t want any potential hostages if something goes wrong.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll go get those cuffs and put them out here. There tools down there?”

“Yeah,” Scott said. “I’ll go chat with the boys.”

“Going to have to knock her out again,” Howard said.

“Yeah, I know, but don’t kill her,” Scott said. “I don’t want her going too easy.”

Howard smiled, and went through the house to the basement, turning on the light.

There was a cackle. “Well, it’s one half of the inbreed patrol,” she said.

“Shut up,” Howard said, as he walked over to the work bench. The cuffs were there, on chains. He looked through drawers until he found some lag bolts and washers.

“Hey, you got any power tools around here?” he asked.

She laughed and moved against her chains. “Wouldn’t you like to know? My old man get here yet?”

“Not yet,” Howard said, chuckling. “They wanted some action, so they went wine tasting. Pretty tough
hombres.
”

“Yeah, they’re probably robbing the place,” she said, cackling again. “They’ll be all warmed up for ya.”

“You just keep telling yourself that,” he said. “Bingo!” He found a power drill and extension cord in a cabinet under the bench, along with some bits. He selected a drill that was the right size for the lag bolts, then picked everything up and rushed upstairs.

“Leaving so soon?” she yelled.

“Perfect,” Scott said, seeing what Howard brought up. “There’s a plug right inside the front door.” He turned back to the twins, who were staring at him wide-eyed.

“When are they gonna get here, Scotty?” Blake asked. “Can we leave?”

“We’re gonna take you and Kerry into the motor home. You’ll be safe with us there.”

“What’s gonna happen to mom?” Kerry asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “We’ll make sure she won’t hurt you ever again. Same with the bikers.”

Kerry and Blake looked at each other, trying to understand.

“Why don’t you boys go wait for us in the barn, next to the motor home? We’ll be along in a few minutes.”

“Okay, Scotty,” Kerry said.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Blake said. They left the house.

“See you boys in a few minutes,” Howard said, smiling at them. “We’ll go for another ride later.”

“Okay, Howard,” Kerry said. They on the driveway and skipped to the barn.

Howard drilled the two holes he needed, and lag-bolted the chains onto the wall, cuff’s hanging down.

“That’s a little high, isn’t it?” Scott asked as he came out on the porch.

“Yeah, I want her almost on her tip toes,” Howard said, grinning. “I’ll go get her.”

“Okay, Howie,” Scott said. “Don’t kill her.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, as he descended the steps.

“Hey, Emma, it’s party time!” Howard said, walking towards her.

“A party with you would last about thirty seconds,” she said, cackling at him again. When he got close, she spat at him, hitting the side of his face.

“Seriously?” he said, then hit her with a right cross.

She started back at him and spat again, bloody saliva flying at him. He hit her again, and she was out.

“That was less than thirty seconds,” Howard said, chuckling, as he took her wrists out of the cuffs. He threw her over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs.

“She’s looked better,” Scott said. There was blood coming out of her nose and mouth.

“Yeah, had to hit her twice. She ruined my shirt.”

“Tsk, tsk,” Scott said, laughing. They went out on the porch together, and Scott fastened the cuffs as Howard held her up.

“My, what a pretty picture,” Howard said. “Should we wake her up?”

“Nah, leave her hanging. Perfect height, Howie. You are the master.”

“Should we strip her?”

“As distasteful as that sounds, yeah. At least rip that halter top off, anyway.”

“Okay, Scotty. You can start for the barn if you don’t want to see it.”

“No, I’ll stay,” he said. “Go ahead.”

Howard ripped her halter top, and it hung open, her breasts exposed. Then he ripped her shorts open. “You know, she looks better than I expected, except for all the tattoos. Maybe I should have.”

“Shut up,” Scott said, laughing. Howard shot him a sly grin.

“I was just kidding,” he said.