Forgotten Forbidden America:: Patriots Reborn (22 page)

When Gerald’s trailer was full, Bernard loaded the rest on half of Ashley’s then pulled the Bobcat up on the trailer as they moved over to the barn and helped load Matt and Hank’s trailers. “Dad, I see something,” Gavin said.

Leaning over to look down at the screen, Nelson saw three dark shapes off in the distance following the highway. Glancing up, he confirmed they were coming from their right or from the east. “Can you zoom in?”

Nelson watched the screen as the dark shapes got bigger. “It’s a grown up with two kids,” Michelle said.

“A man with two kids,” Nelson corrected. “They’re staying near the side, ready to run and hide.”

“If we wait till they pass, it will be daylight, babe. They are a good three miles away,” Michelle said. “We would have to wait until they were at least that far away from us. If we take off now, I think they will be able to figure out where we went just from the engine noise of those trucks.”

“Screw the trucks. That combine makes enough noise to wake the dead,” Nelson said, grabbing his radio. “Two, this is One. Break. We have three walking on road moving west. One adult male and two kids, you copy?”

“Copy, how do you want to handle this? A deaf mute could follow the sound and vibrations of that combine,” Gerald called back with Bernard shouting in the background that he wanted to leave the damn thing.

“Going down on foot to intercept will keep you up to speed,” Nelson said, climbing out of the gunner’s seat. “Should have my head examined for leaving the dogs,” he grunted, jumping down.

“Hold on, I’m coming,” Michelle said, grabbing her AR.

“No, I’m taking Gavin,” Nelson said, and Michelle froze, and Gavin pumped his fist and whispered, “Yes.”

“Are you insane?” Michelle snapped.

“Baby, I need you in this to come and get us. If two adults just jump out, the grown up is much more likely to shoot. I would. But if I come out with my son, it will show I’m not with the feds.”

Michelle dropped back in her seat. “You get my baby hurt, and I’ll rip it off and beat you to death with it,” she growled.

“I wouldn’t fight you, and I would lie still so you could,” Nelson said as Gavin climbed out. “Gavin, stay right behind Dad, and don’t put your finger near the trigger in case you trip. The rules are still the same,” Nelson said, moving down the rise at a fast walk. Watching Gavin follow Nelson holding his AR like he was taught, Michelle wiped tears off her face.

Keeping in the trees, Nelson had them at the road well ahead of the three walkers. Reaching back, he pulled Gavin up beside him and eased up to the ditch. Leaning over, Nelson put his mouth next to Gavin’s ear and whispered, “I’m moving five feet to your right. Don’t make a sound until I tell you to. If there is shooting, get down, but if you have to shoot, aim at the chest, and squeeze the trigger until the target drops. Understand?” Gavin nodded. “I can see them, so be very quiet,” Nelson breathed and moved away from Gavin.

When he was five feet away, Nelson stopped and eased down to his knee. The three were about half a mile away and walking on the shoulder on his side of the road.
Going to be really close,
Nelson thought, pulling his AR to his shoulder.

When they were a hundred yards away, Nelson saw it was a black man with a black girl and boy. The girl looked around ten, and the boy looked about eight. Both the kids never got more than an arm’s reach from the man. They all had on what looked like school backpacks. Looking at them, Nelson knew the clothes they had on didn’t belong to them.

Watching the man hold his waist, Nelson was sure he had a pistol but didn’t see a rifle. It was the way the man walked that unnerved Nelson. He walked with confidence in his ability to move at night.

When they were ten yards away, Nelson spoke in a normal voice. “Don’t point your gun at me, and I won’t point mine at you.”

The girl squealed as she jumped and darted behind the man as the boy joined her. The man pulled the pistol but didn’t raise it. “Scared us,” he called out, searching for Nelson in the night.

“I’m not alone, and I know you’re looking for me. I’m out here with my son, who’s about the same age as yours, but mine’s armed, and his mom is off in the woods with really big guns, so just relax,” Nelson said, and the man put the pistol back in his waistband.

“I’m stepping out on the road. My rifle will be hanging, but please don’t make any sudden moves. I really don’t want my son to be in a fire fight,” Nelson said, slowly moving up to the road.

“Are you fucking crazy?!” Michelle screamed over the radio bud in his ear.

Nelson saw the man jump when Michelle yelled over the radio. “I trust you heard my wife.”

“Yes I did,” the man said, dropping his hand off the pistol. “If you wanted to hurt us, you could’ve, stepping out in full battle rattle.”

Nelson laughed. “Knew you were Army.”

“Spent some time in the sand box,” the man said with a smile, and the kids peeked around him.

“Just wanted to know why in the hell you are walking down the road in the dark. I’m opening the channel so my wife can hear and there are no mistakes,” Nelson said and flipped his radio to open.

“Only way you can travel. Feds and what’s left of the army are running roads looking for stragglers that don’t want to go to FEMA camps.”

“Not to be rude, but you’re not from around here, so I’m guessing you are still active service,” Nelson said, hearing a southern accent.

“I’m from Birmingham, and yes, I
was
active till they started locking folks up and trying to take the kids away. Orders came down that all military minor dependents had to stay separate at boarding schools.”

“Whoa,” Nelson said, shaking his head. “Talk about an incentive to keep you in line.”

“You got that right. They took my CO’s kids out of school off base the day before the takeover.”

“My name’s Nelson. I’m going to call my son out if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all; my name is Ronald.”

Without taking his eyes off the group, Nelson turned his head. “Gavin, come on up. Just let your rifle hang across your chest.”

When Ronald’s kids saw Gavin come out on the road, they relaxed, as did their dad. “Gavin,” Ronald said, tilting his head but not breaking eye contact with Nelson. “This is my daughter, Ariel, and my son, Mason,” Ronald said as the kids stepped out from behind him.

“Hello, sir,” Gavin said, stepping up beside his dad.

“Where are you headed, Ronald?” Nelson asked, watching him.

“Was trying to head back home, but that fell through fast. Now just trying to find a place to hole up or make a run for the Free States,” he said, grabbing Mason’s shoulder as he tried to step closer to Gavin. “Never seen a kid in full battle rattle,” Ronald said, looking at Gavin, who was dressed like Nelson with a tactical helmet with the night vision goggles over his eyes, tactical vest, and AR across his chest.

“Yeah, I never wanted to see mine in one, but be damned if I’m letting him learn to live cowering in fear.”

“On that we can agree,” Ronald nodded.

“I’m talking to my group,” Nelson said, flipping the radio to push talk. “Continue loading, and tell me when you’re ready.”

“That man hurts my baby, and I’ll boil him alive!” Michelle shouted in his earpiece.

Ronald laughed. “Would you relay to his momma if he doesn’t threaten us, we won’t do anything to him?”

Pressing the transmit key, Nelson said, “Will you chill? You’re embarrassing me and our son. We are good here; now keep a look out.”

“Nelson, do you happen to have some water? We ran out an hour ago,” Ronald said, grinning. “We had to leave the house we were holing up in really fast this evening.”

Reaching back, Nelson pulled a bottle of water out of the back of his vest and tossed it over. “I take it you saw the patrol earlier?”

“Yeah, and when you see the one drive by with lights, you have to wait till the blacked out one passes and hole up. They have a UAV up, but I don’t think it’s a Raven.”

“No, it was a Shadow,” Nelson said, impressed. “How did you figure that one out?”

Opening the bottle and feeling it was sealed, Ronald smiled and for the first time took his eyes off of Nelson as he handed the bottle to his kids. “Few days ago, we were holing up in a house with some food and watched them pass. The house across the road from us, people took off, and the Hummers came back with more troops. Only way they could’ve known was with an eye in the sky.”

“Tell you what, I can treat you and the kids to a meal, and you can stay armed,” Nelson offered, and the kids looked up at Ronald with pleading faces.

“I’m grateful, but I have to ask; none in your group are like…prejudiced, are they?”

Nelson gave a big sigh. “Well, Ronald, I have to admit I’m prejudiced,” he said, and Gavin jumped back from his dad, and Ronald gave a startle. “I really hate stupid and lazy people,” Nelson admitted. “I’ve tried to reason it out and not be, but I’m still working on it. I don’t care what color, race, religion, or sex they are; if they are stupid or lazy, I pretty much hate them with a passion that’s almost holy.”

With a deep laugh, Ronald threw back his head. “Well, I guess we are both a couple of bigots because I hate those myself.”

Nelson smiled. “So how about some food, and I’ll even offer you a place to stay for a day. We don’t have much, but I’d be willing to outfit you up just a little better than you are now.”

“Thank you,” Ronald said, stepping over with his kids and holding out his hand. “Much obliged.”

“Let’s get off this road,” Nelson said then stopped. “Wait, we’ll stay on it because you three can’t see in the dark, and the underbrush is thick.”

They talked as they walked, and when they reached the road to the farm, Nelson called over the radio. “Are you done yet?”

“I’m not in the mood, Nelson!” Gerald yelled back.

“What’s the holdup then?”

“Bernard doesn’t want the combine now! I told him we weren’t leaving till he got his big ass in it and drove the damn thing home!”

Nelson laughed and sat talking to Ronald as Gavin talked with the kids when a loud diesel engine fired up, and Ronald and his kids almost took off running. “It’s ours,” Nelson said as other engines fired up. Nelson grabbed the transmit key. “Hank, take your group home, and we will talk later,” he called over the radio.

“Okay,” Hank called back with a trembling voice.

Turning to Ronald, Nelson shook his head. “He’s not part of our group,” he said. “He’s not stupid, but does have his head up his ass.”

“Seen lots of those,” Ronald said as the group of trucks pulled out on the road in the distance. He could see their dark shapes as they headed toward them. Stepping back, Ronald grabbed his kids, moving them to the side of the road. “All your people have NVGs?”

“Yeah,” Nelson said, seeing Hank’s truck in the lead. “Hank, slow your ass down,” Nelson said, grabbing his radio. “You even act like you’re going to hit me, and I’ll empty a mag in your engine, then I’ll kick your ass.”

The lead truck immediately slowed. When it reached them, Hank slowly turned off the highway onto the dirt road. “Sorry,” he yelled out of the truck.

After Hank’s truck passed, Bernard’s truck stopped as it turned, the passenger window rolled down, and Gerald yelled out, “I take it they are coming?”

“Yeah, I’m going to feed them and put them up for a day,” Nelson said.

“Well, they can ride with me,” Gerald said, looking the three over.

“That’s Gerald,” Nelson said, turning to Ronald. “You’ll like him. I’d let you ride with me, but I’m in a buggy.”

“Fair enough,” Ronald said, leading his kids over to the truck.

When they were loaded, Gerald headed to the farm, leading the others as Nelson looked down the road to see a large combine turning on the road with the FLYER behind it. It seemed to take forever for the combine to reach them and turn off the highway. As Bernard sped down the dirt road, Michelle stopped in front of them.

“Let’s let Bernard get a lead and make sure nothing comes back,” Nelson said, climbing in the gunner’s seat.

“Are they going to stay with us, Dad?” Gavin asked, looking up.

“You have to talk that over with the group,” Michelle said, looking up at him.

Nelson looked down at her. “I’ll feed them out of our supply and let them stay with us if the others don’t like it.”

“Baby, that is what we agreed to.”

“Then they better agree,” Nelson said, settling behind the GAU.

“He was a ground pounder, wasn’t he?” Michelle asked, glancing over at the monitor.

“He
was
an 11Bravo,” Nelson said.

“Isn’t that infantry?” Gavin asked.

“Yep,” Nelson said.

“Nelson, granted we need fighters, but 11Bravo isn’t that great,” Michelle said.

“He changed MOS two years ago,” Nelson said, looking down with a grin. “He’s a 12Romeo now.”

Michelle gasped and started the FLYER. “He stays, or we hurt someone,” she said, stomping the accelerator.

Chapter Nine

“What the hell is a 12Romeo?” Matt asked from across the table. After feeding Ronald and his kids, Nelson took them to his cabin. Michelle found clothes for them and showed them the shower, which was a welcome sight. Then Nelson let them sleep in the living room on the hide-a-bed in the couch. Ronald and the kids looked at the two massive Rotts with trepidation, but Nelson told Zeus and Hera to go outside.

Nelsen looked out the window and saw dawn breaking then turned to Matt. “Electrician,” Nelson said. “Ronald was 11Bravo for five years then changed MOS to 12Romeo.”

“Nelson, it’s not that great. I haven’t met the guy yet, but so far, I’m not impressed,” Matt said, leaning back in his chair. “You studied electricity and wired this stuff out here really good.”

Nelson jumped out of his chair. “I studied it because we had to have someone that could do it! I fucking hate screwing with electricity!” he shouted and turned to Michelle then glanced at Nellie. “Say something about my language; I dare ya!”

“Not today,” Michelle said, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head.

Nelson looked around the table. “We are all irreplaceable here. I studied electricity, but I’m not an electrician. Ronald is already a fighter. He has two tours in the sand box in the infantry.”

“Nelson, I’m not saying we don’t need fighters, but outside of this group, an electrician isn’t that big of a deal,” Matt said. “Most groups like us don’t have this kind of power supply. The only ones that would place that kind of demand for his skill are the feds or the Free States.”

“Matt, think with your brain,” Nelson snapped, cutting his eyes at him. “You just validated why we need him with your own words. Training fighters will be the hard part because their first mistake is usually their last. He has a skill we need,” Nelson said, dropping his hand to his pistol. “The first motherfucker that says I can keep being the electrician gets shot in the fucking foot. I’ll put Ronald’s family up in my cabin and let them pull from our stores.”

Michelle leaned over the table. “Guys, he really hates electricity. You weren’t around as he studied that crap. I was. I’m with Nelson; if Ronald will stay, he can stay with us in our cabin.”

Everyone looked around the table, mumbling, but before anyone said anything, Bernard stood up. “I’m with Nelson,” he announced as Nellie stood up.

“So am I,” she said.

Gerald looked at Nancy, and she nodded. “We agree,” he said.

Ashley leaned over the table, looking around. “We agree also.”

Gerald stood up. “Nelson, Ronald can stay, but he has to prove his worth before he gets to vote on our resources. I’m telling you if he doesn’t pull his share, I will throw him out.”

“No you won’t,” Nelson popped off, and Gerald took a breath. “Because I’ll shoot his ass,” Nelson clarified. “Someone can’t come in here live off of us, learn what we have, then leave with that knowledge.”

Dumbfounded, Gerald sat down. “Shit, I thought I was going to be tough,” he mumbled.

“You going to tell Ronald that?” Matt gasped.

“Every last word,” Nelson said.

Bernard looked around the table. “I’m putting forward if Ronald agrees to stay with that threat, he gets to join the group.”

Nancy nodded. “I agree. If he agrees to stay knowing that, we have nothing to worry about.”

Matt stood up. “I think it should be brought out in front of the group so we can all see his reaction.”

“What about his wife?” Nellie asked.

Nelson shook his head. “While the kids were taking a shower, I asked. She was detained,” Nelson said. “Ronald was stationed at Ft. Riley with his wife, who is also in the military. A friend called her and told her to hide the kids because they were rounding them up. His wife told the kids to hide outside, and she called Ronald, telling him what was going on. When she didn’t turn over the kids, they arrested her and were coming for him.”

Everyone stared at Nelson with open mouths. “Ronald thinks she’s dead,” he said, sitting down. “One of his friends helped get him off post and whispered they shot a bunch of service personnel that didn’t hand over their kids.”

“Holding your kids hostage to fight, damn,” Matt mumbled.

“That’s how they planned on keeping the troops loyal,” Nancy said. “That’s why over the last decade, they spent so much money expanding base housing. If your family is already on base, you have to get them off.”

“Nancy, did you get a list of collection points?” Nelson asked.

“Yes, but they put one up wherever they need it. Like the one in Winona wasn’t even listed. They find a place to collect people then move them to bigger collection points until they reach a camp or detention center.”

“Or just kill you,” Gerald grumbled. “We’re getting off topic, Nelson.”

“No, I want to know where they are around us,” he said. “If Ronald wants to stay, he can, but he only gets one chance to join.”

“Well, if I had the command center set up, I would be able to spread out and get you the information you need. Working off my laptop and watching the monitors on the floor is getting old,” Nancy said.

Letting out a long sigh and dropping his shoulders, Nelson said, “I’ll start on it today.”

“No, you’re going to sleep,” Michelle said, narrowing her eyes.

“Michelle, her little listening post saved our asses, and the computers are just sitting on the floor in the basement. I’m going to build the command station so she can get the thing set up right.”

“Fine, I’m helping,” Michelle said, crossing her arms.

Nancy dug in her back pocket and pulled out folded paper. “I made some changes,” she said, handing it over to Nelson.

“When I finish this, I’m not redoing it, so you better be happy with this,” he said, taking the paper.

“If not, I’ll make do, but the power supply needs to be fixed. I’m running off every plug down there and have two extension cords running down there from up here.”

“Michelle, will you go and get my tool belt?” Nelson said, unfolding the papers. “Well, at least in this one, you gave me dimensions.”

Bernard got up. “What are you going to build it out of?”

“That pallet of 2x12s we just got,” Nelson said, looking at the drawings. “I know for a damn fact they can take weight and abuse.”

“I’ll bring them and set them out front,” Bernard said, moving away from the table. “What else do you need from the barn?”

“My wire rack, two bundles of the one-inch conduit, a case of the quad wall sockets, and a dozen regular sockets.”

Bernard spun around. “How much power does that computer use?”

“Beats me, but I know this house draws a constant ten thousand watts when full loads are pulled, but since she turned that stuff on, it spikes to eighteen,” Nelson said as Matt stood up.

“I’ll help Bernard,” he said, leaving the table.

Gerald pushed back from the table. “Come on, sis. Show Nelson and me where you want this command area put up,” he said, getting up.

Nelson smiled and leaned over, kissing Michelle on the cheek. “Meet you outside,” he said and followed Nancy and Bernard down to the basement. In the far corner were a dozen monitors on the floor and three forty-plus-inch monitors on card tables. Two large, black file cabinets were beside the table with a large, round tube sitting between them and other boxes with wires running in them.

“Aren’t you a little in the newer generation to be using file cabinets?” Nelson asked, walking over and shaking his head at all the gear.

“What filing cabinets?” Nancy asked.

“Those.” Nelson pointed at the two black cabinets with a round tube between them.

“Nelson, that’s my computer.”

Freezing in mid step, Nelson looked at a big box sitting under the middle table. “I thought that was your computer.”

“That is the video routing switcher,” she said. “These are the towers,” she said, touching the two things that looked like file cabinets and the tube between them.

Nelson pointed to a large, black chest that had thick cables running out of it. “What the hell is that?”

“That is the water cooling tank that feeds the towers to keep them chilled to forty degrees,” Nancy said, walking over to the cooler. “It holds fifty gallons of water with antifreeze and circulates it through the system.”

“We don’t need the computing power of the Matrix,” Nelson whined.

“Nelson, I’m running digital sound interpretation to monitor for air traffic in a fifty-mile radius. The video system will have motion detection capabilities when I get the time to get the other cameras up. I also have a power distribution and monitor program to regulate the powerhouse. Then I have a radio operation program that scans the HAM radio, searching for keywords so we can know what’s happening without sitting down here,” she said and described how it worked.

Nelson just looked at her like she was speaking Chinese. “I feel really old,” he mumbled.

“I understood only one out of ten words,” Gerald said, shaking his head. “So where do you want this fancy desk?”

“That corner,” Nancy pointed. “The eight-foot section runs along that wall, and the ten-foot section runs along this one.”

“I understood that,” Gerald said, spinning around and heading for the stairs.

Seeing the look on Nelson’s face, Nancy smiled. “I said I would take care of the video and all computer gear.”

“Yeah, but nobody else even knows what the hell to do with this,” Nelson said. “Your desk will be done in two hours, and I’ll need another two to run electricity, so you have to get everything away from those walls.”

“Great,” Nancy smiled.

Going outside, Nelson took off his vest and laid it on the porch as Michelle came over carrying his tool belt. “You look a little shook up,” Michelle said, handing his tool belt over.

“I realize I don’t know shit about computers,” Nelson said, putting on his tool belt.

“You work on ours all the time.”

“No, I just followed instructions,” Nelson said as Bernard lowered the stack of lumber to the ground using the Bobcat. “Nancy knows computers.”

“Oh,” Michelle smiled. “I still think you’re the best.” Looking up, Nelson grinned. “Open your mouth,” Michelle said, opening a pill bottle, and tossed a pill in his mouth then gave him a bottle of water.

“Gonna need that,” Nelson said, walking over to the stack of lumber.

Gerald walked over and took the bottle from Michelle and tossed one in his mouth. “Yeah, I need a go pill,” he said, turning around.

An hour and a half later, Bernard and Gerald were in the basement assembling the desk as Nelson and Matt hung the electrical conduit on the wall. “Matt, will you keep it level? Use the cinderblocks as your line,” Nelson said, grabbing his screw gun.

“It’s carrying wire, not water,” Matt said, moving the conduit until it was level.

“Matt, it’s easier to run wire through it if it’s straight,” Nelson said, drilling a brace into the wall to hold up the conduit.

“Need some help?” a voice said behind them. Everyone looked up to see Ronald walking off the stairs.

“Yeah, shut Nelson up,” Matt said, drilling the conduit to the wall then stood up and turned around. When he turned, Ronald took a step back, and his mouth fell open, staring at Matt. Then he turned to Nelson in shock. “You know me?” Matt asked.

“It was you two,” Ronald gasped.

“Us two what?” Nelson said, standing up.

“You rescued us from that church just west of here,” Ronald said in a low voice. “I thought your voice sounded familiar, Nelson, and I only got to see your face for a second, but I remember the other guy was built like a freaking mountain.”

Throwing his hands up, Nelson spun around to Matt. “I can’t take you anywhere! You’re big and muscle-bound enough to be an extra in a Conan movie!”

“Hey, just because I like to work out, don’t get irritated at me, Minnie Mouse.”

Ronald came over and wrapped his arms around Matt, startling him to say the least. Then he turned and hugged Nelson. “I was labeled a deserter and dissident. I was scheduled for permanent detention, but I have no illusions; they were going to execute me. My kids were to become wards of the state,” Ronald said, releasing Nelson, who just looked at Ronald.

“You’re welcome,” Nelson said, stepping back, and leaned over, looking around Ronald at Matt. “Next time we do shit like that, put a pillow over your stomach so they think you have a gut.”

“Nelson,” Ronald grinned. “Your shape last night is what made me relax; you’re not exactly small in stature. I knew your build and height but didn’t want to say anything, and I thought it was your face, but when I saw Matt, I knew.”

“See, I’m not the only one that needs to put a pillow over their gut,” Matt chuckled.

Reaching out, Ronald put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I can never repay you, but thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Nelson grinned. “Not to be a nag, but that was over a week ago, and you just now made it here? Even with kids, you should’ve moved faster than that.”

“No, we headed east but ran into military checkpoints in a town called Van Buren. Tried finding a bridge that wasn’t guarded to get across the Current River, but I couldn’t with the kids. So I decided to try to head to the Free States, but we would find an empty house, hole up, and stock up, dodging the reclamation patrols.”