Crashed: The Death Of The Dollar (10 page)

"Oh yeah, what's happening at six?" she asked him. "And what's this about a CD?"

Mike tried to ignore her for a minute, but knew that he wasn't going to get away with it this time. "I made a CD the other day. Another recording. Instead of me putting it out with our radio, I gave him a CD of it. The plan was to spread it around to several people for them all to play at the same time. Supposedly it's going to air in several cities, I guess in about an hour."

"Oh, you ass! Why didn't you tell us?" replied Stacy.

"Because now he's going to have to listen to it," Taylor answered with a smirk.

The next hour went by way too quickly for Mike. He tried laying in bed, hoping to fall asleep early, before a broadcast of his voice was going to be turned on. That didn't work out for him like he wanted.

The time came, and they all huddled around the radio. All but Mike, who chose to stay in bed.

"Thomas Paine Radio,"
Mike heard his voice fill the house, even though he wasn't talking. Taylor had grabbed a second radio to continue scanning channels while they listened to the first channel they found. NANN was the only broadcast she could find that wasn't playing his latest recording.

"I am encouraged to hear, from both the state-run NANN media, and independent broadcasters alike, that much of the violence has subsided. Willingness to fight for freedom is most honorable when actual fighting is reserved until other options exist no more. I am seeing residents and guardsmen, the oppressed and the oppressors, talking and sharing meals together. While the reward of having great character may seem to posses little value in trying times, it is that character that will be what delivers you out of hardships.

“During this time of calm, put in the effort to think. Think about what it is you seek. What is it you were willing kill for just last month? Freedom? The all American catch-phrase. Does this word, 'freedom,' even have any meaning left to us. Have we honestly considered just what freedom really is? I know that I firmly believed, back when I wore a uniform in military service, that I was there serving the higher purpose of freedom. And it was a difficult turning point in life when I realized that if anything, I was doing the very opposite. Did you have freedom before the crash? Did you have liberty before the death of the dollar?

“Here are some thoughts to consider, and remember that these applied as much to your local and state governments as to the federal:

“You had the freedom to travel, as long as you passed TSA screening, or received permission to drive a government-approved vehicle, and paid the government a tax on whichever mode of transportation you selected.

“You had the freedom to get married, and divorced, as long as you got permission from the government in the form of a license.

“You had the freedom to build and/or modify your own home on your own land, as long as you got permission from the government before, during and after the project, and paid them an annual tax to prevent them from confiscating it.

“You had the freedom to work, as long as you weren't willing to work for less than a government-approved wage, and gave the government part of your earnings.

“You had a limited freedom to buy what you want, as long as you paid the government a percentage of what you were spending.

“You had the freedom to communicate privately, as long as it wasn't by the phone, mail or internet.

“You had the freedom to consume whatever you wanted into your body, as long as you choose something the government approved of.

“You had the freedom to arm and defend yourself, except against the government.

“You had the freedom to start your own business, as long as you got a government license, and in most cases, served as a government tax collector.

“You had the freedom to say whatever you want, as long as the government didn't perceive it as a threat, or you weren't exposing wrongdoing by the government.

“You had the freedom to practice your religious beliefs as you wished, as long as it wasn't on government property or during a government sanctioned event, or contrary to government-approved moral standards.

“Was this real freedom that you enjoyed before the crash? Or did you really live under a perception of freedom? Many are thinking right now that you once did many of these things without the government's interference in your freedom, but did you really? Did you do them legally, or were you risking fines or arrest?

“Many others, most certainly those who support the structure that a large and oppressive government brings, will call me an anarchist. They will claim that I'm encouraging you to destroy the government. They are liars, fooled by the very concept of government which they support. Government does have a purpose.

“On the broader scale, we hear almost daily about the threats made against us by China and Russia, and only the coordinated efforts of the individuals forming our government can defend our lives and property against the foreign threat. At the smallest levels, there are neighbors among us who would do us harm. Who would murder us over shoes or rape our wives and our daughters. And it is only through structure that we can seek honest and pure justice, less tainted by our emotions.

“But these functions of government do not require the destruction of liberty to live under a perception of freedom. Put in the effort to think. We can have both freedom and order. Do you want natural liberty or perceived freedom?

“Freedom isn't free. But the cost of freedom is not just the health and lives of those of us who have or will wear a uniform. The cost of freedom is consequence. The cost of freedom is prosperity, and poverty. The cost of freedom is safety, and danger. The cost of freedom is taking the risks of freedom. Are you willing to accept the risks and the consequences? Put in the effort to think."

There was a brief moment of silence before a woman's voice was heard saying
"Ladies and gentlemen, that was the latest from Thomas Paine,"
before the radio fell silent.

Chapter 7

Trespassers

As winter continued to set in more, they all settled into a new routine. They had made their last food delivery just before Thanksgiving and let the Bishop know that they wouldn't be back until spring. Mike had his animals moved to the south slope on the north of his property. Every morning, Brad and Mike would tend to the animals in the barn while Stacy and Taylor would clear snow off the original greenhouse that was heated and still providing them with fresh fruits and vegetables, even when it was thirty below zero outside. Jessica, as she got bigger from the new life growing in her, would stay inside and prepare breakfast for everyone.

They all would take turns helping Brad with his education. He was encouraged to pick subjects that interested him, to study aside from his basic skills, and with the help of Mike's book collection, he seldom came up with a subject they didn't have a book about. For his birthday, on the 2nd of November, he asked if they could find him his own .270 rifle. He knew Mike's first rifle was his .270, and he hoped they'd agree he was ready to move up from his little single-shot .22 LR.

Since getting his first air rifle at age six, and his .22 rifle at eight, Brad had shown himself to be an excellent shot. His naturally calm and attentive demeanor paid off well for him in shooting with a steady, patient, and focused hand. Spending time since he was three watching Mike shoot at his range, Brad developed his own love for the hobby. It wasn't a .270, but Brad wasn't the least bit disappointed when Mike gave him one of his customized .223 rifles for Christmas that year, though Jessica was clearly less than thrilled.

They spent their downtime playing games, reading, or discussing ideas for a either expanding the house they now all shared, or building a new one where they could continue living together. Mike had suggested the thought early on of building them each their own house next to his, but the women shot him down before he could finish his sentence, insisting they all stay together under the same roof. It was a struggle for him, but Mike eventually just accepted that he was going to be building whatever it was they decided he would build.

He gave them certain aspects he would insist on for energy efficiency, and a date of April 1st that he was going to start building something, but left the rest up to them. He was determined that this would be their only winter when two of the three women slept on the couches. As for the house sitting down the hill, they didn't have any clue what they would do with it, but they did know they weren't moving back.

Mike also got in the habit of recording a weekly message under his alias and sending it via packet radio to be broadcast every Friday evening. Sometimes it would be a personal message about peace and freedom, and other times he would read from the writings of America's Founding Fathers, and other historical philosophers who shared his beliefs about liberty. The holiday season seemed to go a long way in helping to settle the mood in the general public, and put a damper on the rhetoric of the more aggressive independent broadcasters.

Their winter routine was going pretty well. Cabin fever was hitting them a little bit, but they'd find ways to shake the blues. But on the morning of February 3rd, their routine got shaken up. That morning, Brad was more verbal than he had ever been. "Daddy!" he yelled. "Daddy, I think they've found us!" He kept yelling as Taylor fell off the couch in surprise, and Jessica struggled to sit up on the other couch. Stacy came running out of Mike's room, wrapped in just a blanket, asking what the commotion was about. "The government found us!" Brad yelled "They're coming to shut down his radio show."

"HUSH!" Mike yelled at the top of his voice. He came stumbling out of his room behind Stacy, pulling a flannel on over his t-shirt. "Calm down, son."

Brad took a deep breath and tried to stay quiet.

"Did you see guardsmen out your window? I didn't hear anything," Mike added, feeling kind of foolish that he was forgetting how well the rammed earth walls blocked out noises.

"No sir," Brad said more calmly. "They're camped out across the canyon. I can see the smoke from a campfire," Brad continued as he followed the adults to the front windows. "Not out there. It's up that way," he said, pointing towards the northeast. "I had to think at first," he kept going. "Nobody has cabins over there that we know of. And there's been nothing to start a wildfire. Plus, it doesn't look like it's getting bigger. So it's got to be their campfire,"

"That's enough son," Mike said. "I'll check it out."

"Who the hell would be out there with a fire going?" Jessica wondered out loud. "There's like three feet of snow on the ground."

"You're not going out there alone," Stacy insisted, with some obvious fear in her voice.

"You're right, he's not," Taylor said as she started bundling up. "Brad, get our 9mm's and four extra magazines each. Stacy, grab an AR and three pairs of magazines for each of us." She was surprisingly calm and confident, yet determined as she dished out orders.

Mike just stared at her in shock as the other two went to doing as they were told.

"Are you just going to stand there?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "Okay, Commander Blondie," he joked. "You ready for a long walk down a cold road?" he asked as he grabbed his guns from Brad and Stacy.

"You two be careful out there!" Jessica said, with anxiety obvious in her voice.

"Don't worry, Jess," Taylor assured her. "We got this."

Mike was now wondering if Taylor was too confident. He walked over and gave Jessica and hug and kiss. "I'm sure it's nothing," he said as he turned to Stacy to give her a hug and kiss as well. "Okay, Brad, you're the man of the house until I - until
we
get back." He patted Brad on the head as the boy saluted him. They all laughed for a moment, before Mike and Taylor headed out the door.

"Alright, I think we should head over to the barn like we do every morning. We can toss over a few flakes of hay so we know the animals are good, then head around back and follow the tree line down the canyon. There's nowhere to hide once we're down there, but it'd be hard to see down from that side even in good weather."

She was practically giving him orders now as he looked at her in astonishment. "Then we can cut up around there," she said pointing at a rock formation on the hillside, "and about fifty yards back up in those trees we should be able to see whoever is over there."

Mike wrapped his arms around her. "Where in the hell did this side of you come from?" he asked.

"Really, Mike?" She slightly rolled her eyes and continued with an overstated sarcastic tone of voice. "I've been reading your military history and strategy books since I was thirteen. I could command an army!"

They followed her plan and were able to get about fifty yards from a make-shift campsite. They both had binoculars, and began searching for guardsmen. Neither was seeing anything around the area where the fire was. They couldn't see the fire either due to some bushes.

"I'm going to sneak over there," Taylor whispered.

Mike shook his head no and pulled her closer to him by her arm. "I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be a guard camp. I mean look at this. A small fire at around 7800 ft elevation. There's no sign any vehicles of any kind having been around. They've not even tried to get to the clearing where they could signal for help if they were lost or trapped. No, these aren't the Guard. It's probably some hunters trying to poach. Either way, they're on our land."

Taylor smiled big again. "Our land. I like the sound of that."

"Mike barely smirked at her and continued. "You come around over here so they can't head for the clearing, and I'm going to circle over to that pine tree so their path to the road is blocked too. You don't make a sound unless they try to get the upper hand on me. Then let them know you could drop them before they could try to turn around."

Taylor nodded to acknowledge she understood.

"Taylor, if it does come down to having to shoot someone, can you do it?"

She stared at him very confidently for a moment. "If you're in danger, I know I won't hesitate," she assured him.

They got around to their positions and aimed their guns in the general direction of the fire. They still could not see anyone. "Get up, hands in the air," Mike said loudly. "I said get up! You're trespassing on my land!"

Everything was still and quiet.

As Mike was about to start walking toward the fire he heard a sound. He hesitated and waited to hear it again. A few seconds later, there it was again.

"What the hell is..," Mike mumbled softly. He thought quickly to himself
"that almost sounds like... like a kid crying."
He walked as quickly as he could to the fire. "Oh shit!" he screamed. "Taylor, get over here, now!"

Taylor froze as she got to Mike and looked down. There lying in nearly a five foot deep hole in the snow were two boys, probably in their early to mid teens, two older women who looked to be in their thirties or forties, and five younger children ranging in age from an infant, to what looked to be about an eight or nine year old girl.

Mike immediately went to checking for a pulse on each of them. "Throw some more of that wood on that fire and get out the space blankets!" Mike was now barking the orders. "I think they're all alive, but only barely. Do all you can to help warm them up. Take that baby and bundle it up in your coat against your body. I'm going to radio home."

Mike rushed over to the clearing to radio back to the house. He told them all to drop what they were doing. Since Jessica was the better driver, he told her to get his big truck, an '82 Chevy lifted on forty-inch tires, and drive around to as close to the fire as she thought she could get. He told Brad and Stacy to take the snowmobile down to their old house and get a fire started to warm it up. He was so focused on telling them what to do that he completely forgot to tell them why until Jessica asked.

Jessica did the best she could once she got help getting in to the large truck. But she'd never driven through such deep snow before, and with the steering wheel pressed against her stomach, it took her a while to get there. Mike was eagerly waiting on her by the side of the road. He had her stay in the truck, but on the passenger side, with two little kids he picked up and handed to her. She was fighting back the tears, praying they wouldn't die in her arms.

Taylor was talking to one of the women who was barely coherent when Mike returned for two more kids. "Taylor, get that baby to the truck so Jessica can help warm it up, then get back over here for that little girl," he said, pointing to the oldest of the younger kids. "Ma'am, we're doing the best we can. We've got a truck over there to get you all to safety." He wasn't sure if she heard him as she appeared to pass out.

Stacy and Brad had cleared a lot of the snow out of the bed of the truck, and Mike got the two remaining little kids back there. "Taylor, stay up here with them. The last thing we need is for them to wake up and panic." He knew the odds were against them waking up at all.

"Mike," Taylor said, interrupting his rush to go back for the older boys and women. "That woman said that no matter what happens, don't call 911."

"You see a phone out here?" he said, a bit annoyed that she delayed him by a few seconds.

Mike's bad hips were aching horribly as he tried to get back, and he was starting to fear they were going to buckle under him, leaving Taylor to drag five grown people to the truck. As he got back, he found them all, except for one of the women, awake. They were clearly weak and disoriented. It took a few minutes before any of them felt they had the strength to walk. Mike had to help them each out of the hole, and the two young men did their best to help him get the unconscious woman out.

"A hundred yards or so, okay?" he said to them as he lifted the woman up to the fireman's carry position. They just gave him a blank stare as he prayed for his hips to hold out.

Taylor helped them all get in the truck, then had to help Mike crawl up in to drive back. What would have only been a mile walk in better weather was a three-mile drive through deep snow and a bitterly cold wind. Mike was just as concerned for Taylor riding in the back as he was for all the little kids.

He backed up to the ladies old house, with the tailgate only a few feet from the door, and shut the truck off so the exhaust fumes wouldn't be blown inside. "Mike, I don't think you can do this," Jessica said, noticing how much pain he was in.

"Remember what you said about doing the right thing?" he replied, reminding her of their talk on the mountain top. "They're dead if I can't." He slid out of the truck and looked back at her. All three kids bundled up with her had their eyes opened, giving Mike a sense of relief. "Sit here with them while we get the others inside." She just nodded as she held the kids tight in her arms.