Bug Out! Part 10: RV Race to Battle (13 page)

“Can you paint it with the laser, son?” General Hogan asked.

“Yes, but if there’s much of a tunnel, we’ll never get enough fire into the main part of the structure.”

“Do it anyway, more than once,” George said.

“I’ve got the last sentry,” Kurt said, holding the arrow back. He let it go, the man grasping his chest as the arrow hung out. He let out a scream.

“Whoa,” Private Brown said. “That guy stuck his head out of the passage way again and got hit in the face with laser beam.”

“It going to blind him?” Kurt asked.

“No, the laser is eye safe, and he can see where I am.”

“Keep the beam there,” George said. “I’ve got him.”

There was a loud blast from the M107, the bullet slamming into his forehead, splattering blood and brains all over the opening. Then there was the sound of the missile. It raced into the hole and went off, sending fire shooting back out. There were muffled screams coming from inside as the whole area rumbled.

“Hit them again!” General Hogan said.

“On it,” Private Brown yelled, getting the beam back in position and hitting the trigger.

“I see icons moving to the back of that structure,” Frank said. “Look for another opening.”

“I’m back there now,” Private Sanchez said. “I’ve got the other laser. Can’t see the opening yet. Maybe we should have some snipers here if they start flooding out.”

“I’m on it,” Terry said, moving in that direction, followed by Earl, Jackson, and Private Peterson.

“Missile!” Malcolm shouted as it raced towards the target, going into the hole again. Then there was the rumble, and fire shooting out.

There was a rifle shot on the other end of the structure.

“Dammit, Private Sanchez just got shot,” Terry shouted. He took aim and hit the person who shot him. “Now we know where the opening is.”

“I’m going over to pick up that laser,” Private Peterson said.

“We’ll cover you,” Earl said, lying down and pointing his rifle at the opening. Another Islamist stuck his head out the opening, and Earl shot him square in the face.

“Wow, parted his hair with that shot,” Jackson said. “There’s another one.” Jackson shot, missing, hitting the rocks above. The Islamist got ready to fire at him, but Jackson’s second shot hit him in the chest. He slumped over the opening, and somebody pulled his body back. Earl, Jackson, and Terry all sent bullets into the opening, as Private Peterson got to Sanchez.

“He alive?” Terry asked.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Private Peterson said, choking up. “I’ve got the opening painted with the laser.” There was another rifle shot, close to where Private Peterson was. “Dammit. Took me off target.”

“Keep it on there, the missile’s on the way,” General Hogan said.

“We’ll cover you,” Terry said. “C’mon boys, let’s fill that opening with lead.”

All three of them poured fire into the hole as the missile approached. It raced into the hole, and blew, sending fire back out again.

“Wow,” George said. “We got fire out of both holes with that one.”

“Hit them again,” General Hogan said.

“On it,” Private Peterson said, as he pointed the laser at the hole.

“Watch that hole!” Terry said. Then they heard the missile coming, flying into the hole and exploding, sending fire out both entrances again.

“Yes!” Private Peterson shouted. There was another rifle shot. Earl staggered forward and fell, blood gushing out of his side. Private Peterson ducked behind a rock.

“Freeze,” said a weak voice behind Terry, and he felt a rifle barrel pushing against his back. Two men with bloody upper arms came out on either side of Terry, pointing their rifles at Jackson, as he looked at Earl in horror.

Terry dropped his rifle in front of him.
Jackson was still lying on the ground and pushed his rifle in front of him. The man behind Terry jammed his rifle barrel into his back.

“Walk, Crusader,” he said, still sounding weak, blood running down his upper arm and dripping off his elbow.

“I got a bead on him,” Heidi said, eye against the scope on the M107.

“I’ve got one in my sights,” Kurt said.

“Me too,” Jerry said.

“Take the shot,” George said. “Terry, drop to the ground. Now!”

Terry dived, and the head of the man behind him exploded as Heidi hit him with the .50 cal round. Then the others fired, hitting all of Islamists. Jackson rushed over to Earl and carefully turned him over.

“Can you hear me, Earl?” he shouted.

“Damn this hurts,” Earl said, smiling. “Son of a bitch.”

“Where’s he shot?” asked Mary.

“Hip, right side,” Jackson said. “Bleeding like crazy.”

“Apply pressure, and get him to that hospital,” she said. “Fast.”

“We’re on it,” Jackson said. Terry and Private Peterson rushed over and helped.

“I’ve still got the keys to Malcolm’s Jeep,” Kurt said. “Meet me over there.”

“I called the hospital,” General Hogan said. “Ambulance on the way. Any hope for Private Sanchez?”

“No, sorry, General,” Private Peterson said, fighting back tears. “He took one right in the forehead. Dead before he hit the ground.”

“Oh, no,” General Hogan said, crying. He pulled himself together as fast as he could.

“I’m going down there to find Saladin,” George said. “Stay on the M107 and cover the team, okay, sweetie?”

“Okay, honey,” she said. “Be careful.”

He rushed down to Terry. “Any sign of Saladin?”

“Not so far. They came out of those bushes there,” he said, pointing. “It’s sandy. Follow the tracks.”

Then there was a moan. George pulled his pistol and crouched as the others hurried away with Earl. George snuck back into the bushes, and there he was, sitting against a rock, delirious. Saladin. He saw George, and his eyes opened wide, fear sweeping across his face. George pointed his pistol at him while trying to see anybody else who might be lurking nearby.

“I’ve got Saladin,” he said.

“Can you take him prisoner?” General Hogan asked.

“I’d rather splatter his head all over the rock he’s leaned up against, but yeah, we can take him. You want him?”

“Well, we’ve got two nice cells down in the dungeon, you know,” Dobie said.

“Alright, you’ve made contact with the better angels of my nature,” George said. “He might not last long though. His right side is all burned up. He must have been in that first spot we hit with the fire bombs.”

“No more icons moving,” Frank said. “And almost all of the chips in that last cavern are gone. It must have been a living hell in there.”

“Yeah, probably about like a kiln,” Malcolm said. “I think we won, boys.”

“Stay sharp and keep your eyes open,” General Hogan said. “There might be more fighters around with their chips removed.”

“I’d be surprised,” Terry said. “These guys that tried to jump me were a real mess. I think you lose a lot of blood when you try to take these chips out.”

“Like I said, you can’t remove those and keep fighting like nothing happened,” Mary replied. “Saladin really should go to the hospital.”

“No damn way,” George said. “We take him there, and he’ll get sprung for sure. If he doesn’t go back to the dungeon, I’m killing him right here.”

“Bring him back,” General Hogan said. “If he dies, so be it. I agree with George. If he’s in an area that we don’t have total control over, he’ll disappear. There’s way too many traitors still out there.”

“When do the apps get released to the general public?” Private Brown asked.

“Tomorrow at noon,” Frank said.

“All hell will break loose when that happens,” General Hogan said.

“I know,” Frank said. “Hope they don’t have any other nuclear devices hidden around. We’re liable to see suicide attacks on a massive scale.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” General Hogan said. “I just made a call for the army to come mop up the Capitol Reef area. You guys get out of there as fast as you can.”

“Roger that,” Private Brown said. The men collected in a group, out of sight of the main battle field, and headed to where their vehicles were parked, walking silently, their eyes darting around the ridges and rocks. When they were at the vehicles, they saw Kurt pull up in Malcolm’s Jeep.

“I just dropped Earl off with the Ambulance,” he said. “They think he’s going to make it.”

“Good,” Jackson said.

“We’ve got Saladin,” Terry said. “We should stuff him in the back, if Malcolm doesn’t mind.”

“No problem, I can hose this thing out to remove the stench later,” Malcolm said sarcastically. “Load the garbage up.”

“Alright, everybody, let’s get the hell out of here,” Jerry shouted. They were driving away within a few minutes.

***

Scott came out of the bedroom. He’d been making a lot of noise with Bailey. He walked up to the front.

“Well?” Howard asked.

“I think I’m in love,” Scott said, smiling. “That’s one dirty girl. I think she’s pretty open to suggestion. Maybe we ought to enlist her.”

“Let’s see how she is when she isn’t high anymore,” Howard said.

“Were you hurting her back there, Scotty?” Kerry asked.

“In a good way,” Scott said. “Remember what I said though.”

“Okay,” Kerry said. “I gotta go to the bathroom.”

“Go ahead,” Scott said. He got up and walked back there, stopping for a second to look through the door.

“Hey, Scotty, she’s naked,” Kerry said with a shocked voice.

“Yeah, she got a little too warm,” Scott said. “Let her sleep.”

“Okay,” he said, closing himself in the bathroom.

“Seriously?” Howard said, looking at Scott as he sat down in the passenger seat.

“She might be worth keeping,” Scott said. “I’ve seen that kind of reaction before. You know who she reminds me of?”

“Sherry, I suspect.”

“Bingo,” Scott said. “We need more help to take my home back over. I’ll bet she’s trainable.”

“So let me get this straight. You’re thinking we’ll take on heavily armed citizens at your park with just you, me, a retard, and a runaway girl?”

“And Sherry, hopefully,” Scott said. “Watch the retard comments. I don’t like that. He’s my brother.”

“You’re nuts,” Howard said. “Really. We can’t trust the girl. We ought to make her another calling card.”

“Oh, don’t rush to judgement,” Scott said. “I’m sure she’d play with you for a while. Why don’t you pull over and have a little relaxation time.”

“Later,” he said. “I want to be past Indianapolis before we slow down. Somebody might have seen this rig back at your cousin’s place, you know.”

“Okay, you’re right,” Scott said. “Keep going.”

Kerry came back to the front and sat on the couch. He had tears running down his face.

“What’s the matter, Kerry?” Scott asked.

“I miss Blake,” he said.

“I know. It’ll get better. Blake was a hero.” He got up and sat next to Kerry, pulling him close and hugging him as he sobbed.

“I know, Scotty,” Kerry said, forcing a smile.

There was noise in the back. Scott turned around and saw Bailey walking forward, buttoning her muslin blouse. She didn’t bother with her pants.

“Up so soon?” Scott asked.

“You look proud of yourself,” she said. “When’s the last time you had a young girl like me?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Scott said. Howard laughed.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, moving up to the front passenger side and sitting down. Howard glanced over at her. She grinned at him and pulled the shirt up, revealing herself to him. “I suppose you want some too, grandpa.”

Howard looked at her and laughed, then looked back at the road. “We’ve got a real live wire here, don’t we, Scotty?”

“You’ve got that right,” Scott said.

“So, what did you hear about the massacre?” Howard asked.

“Oh, it’s all over the news,” she said, eyes getting wide with excitement. “You guys really did that? No BS?”

“I helped,” Kerry said, smiling, looking for approval.

“Yes, you did, Kerry,” Scott said, patting him on the shoulder.

“What did they say on the news?” Howard asked, trying to keep on the subject.

“They said the biker gang stormed the farm house and tortured some girl. Tied her to the wall and slit her throat. Then somebody else showed up and blew them all away, along with some cops that happened by.”

Howard cracked up.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Those bikers might have stormed the winery they were at earlier,” Howard said, body shaking as he laughed, “but they sure as hell didn’t storm that farm house. We had to bottle up the damn driveway so they couldn’t escape.”

“Okay, so tell me what really happened,” she said.

“You want to tell her, Howie?” Scott said.

Howard sighed. “Okay, but if I get too worked up, I’m pulling over and taking her in the back.”

“Oh, you are, are you?” Bailey asked, smirking.

“Yeah,” Howard said. He shot her a glance that made her nervous.

“Okay, just tell me the story,” she said.

“Should I start at the beginning, Scotty?”

“Nah, we can fill her in on the backstory later,” he said.

Bailey looked at the two of them, getting more and more nervous. Howard noticed and grinned back at Scott.

“Go ahead,” he said. “She’ll like it.”

“It started when we were trying to nurse Scotty back to health at the farm house,” he said. “You see, he got stabbed.”

“I saw the wound,” Bailey said.

“Some
dumb bitch
stabbed him,” Kerry added, a serious expression on his face. Howard laughed.

“Yes, Kerry, that’s true,” he said. “Anyway, the house and barn belonged to Scotty’s cousin Emma.”

“She was my mommy,” Kerry said, a fearful look on his face.

“Yeah, she was the loving mother of Kerry and his twin brother Blake,” Howard said.

“There were two of them?” Bailey asked. “Was the other…?”

“Yeah, they were identical in every way,” Howard said. “Anyway, she showed up, looking for her boys. They had escaped the institution they were in, and she got a call.”

“What’s an
institution
?” Kerry asked.

“He’s talking about the center, Kerry,” Scott said.

“Oh. I don’t want to go back there. Some of the people are mean,”