Stealing Second (The Amendments Book One 1) (3 page)

“I’ll join you,” said Pete. “Stay here,” he said to Carrie, “we’ll be right back.”

Pete and I got out of the truck, and as far as I could see, traffic was stopped behind us. Others were getting out of their vehicles and a few were openly brandishing firearms. Up ahead, there was the sound of a gunshot. We walked to the shoulder and joined about a dozen men. The man I had seen gesturing ahead was explaining what he saw. “They’ve got the road blocked,” he said. “They’re searching cars, and it looks like they’re loading people into those buses.”

I could see down to the stoplights and sure enough, there were about half a dozen squad cars parked across the intersection with their lights flashing. Parked nearby were at least ten yellow school buses. I looked at Pete and shook my head. “This is bad,” I said. “We’re all blocked in. What the hell do we do now?”

“Look at that crazy bastard,” someone said, pointing up the highway. A rusty Ford Explorer had nosed its way out of line and had jumped the median. The SUV bounded into the empty southbound lanes of traffic and began to speed toward the roadblock. We all scrambled across the highway and stood in the median, watching the green Ford race toward the traffic light.

The short guy with the binoculars crouched down in the grass and held the binoculars up to his eyes. “He’s not going to make it,” he said, just as another SUV sped out of line and followed the Ford up across the median and onto the southbound lanes. Before the Ford was halfway there, ten more cars and trucks were following their lead. There was the sound of gunshots. I could barely see the Explorer, but I could see that it was in trouble. The green Ford began to swerve wildly
, and a second later I watched in terror as it flipped over and began to barrel roll. The Explorer ended up upside down on the shoulder. The other vehicles continued to speed after it, and the air was full of the sound of exploding gunshots.

“Oh my God,” said the short guy. “They’re shooting the hell out of those people!”

By this time there was a steady stream of vehicles crossing the median. From ahead of us and behind us, glimmering in the afternoon sunshine, cars and trucks were jumping the median and taking their chances in the southbound lanes.

“Somebody just shot a cop!” shouted the short man. “There goes another one. Holy shit! We’re shooting back! A car just got through, there goes another one. They’re breaking through!”

Pete grabbed me by the shoulder and pointed to the Chevy. “Let’s go for it,” he said. “I don’t want to wait around to see what happens next.”

We weren’t alone. Everyone began to scramble back to their vehicles. I hopped back inside next to Carrie and strapped in. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“There’s a roadblock up there,” I said. “People are going around it in the southbound lanes.”

“And that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” said Pete. “Carrie, I want you to get down on the floor.”

Carrie shook her head. “I want to see this,” she said. “I’m not hiding.”

The Dodge pickup in front of us suddenly roared to life and plowed into the grassy median. Pete shifted into drive and followed the Dodge. “Damn it, Carrie,” he roared. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?
Please, put your head down. Those cops are shooting up here!”

We were passed by a BMW that was going well over a hundred miles per hour. I saw the driver and passenger both held handguns out their windows. I’d never seen anything like it, not in real life, and I opened the glove box and retrieved the revolver. I stuck it out the window in my right hand and said a prayer. Up ahead, a conversion van was dodging traffic, obeying the law, but going against the grain. Pete narrowly avoided the van, but a second later, I heard a loud crash behind us. I stared at the stopped traffic in the northbound lane and watched as men and women urged us on. I looked ahead, only to see the BMW skidding sideways on the asphalt. Like the Bronco, it was soon flipping into the air and rolling down the road. I watched as one of the men was ejected and closed my eyes, not wanting to see his fate.

“Get down!” shouted Pete.

Carrie roared something, but she put her head between her legs. Almost immediately, a bullet crashed through the windshield and slammed through the back of the cab. The bullet would have killed Carrie, I was sure of it.
I began to fire wildly out my window. I watched as a mob rushed the roadblock on foot, angry men armed with shotguns and hunting rifles. A bullet slammed into the box and another tore at the door skin, directly underneath my outstretched arm. Carrie screamed. That was when I realized I was pulling the trigger of an empty gun.

We passed the BMW, which had landed on its flattened tires, and I made the mistake of looking at the body in the road. The man had been decapitated
, and he lay unnaturally twisted on the shoulder. There was no sign of life inside the overturned Explorer. Smoke billowed up from the hood and flames licked up at the crumpled fender. The smell of spent gunpowder filled the cab. Another bullet crashed through the windshield, and I heard it whiz past my ear.

We hit the intersection and
I stole a look up the main drag of the small town of Zimmerman. Speeding toward the intersection was an olive green convoy of military vehicles. Following the lead of the others, Pete drove about half a mile before bouncing back across the median and into the northbound lanes. Carrie sat up and stared at the bullet holes. A Dodge Challenger roared up next to us on my side, and the man behind the wheel stuck his thumb in the air. The Challenger was soon rocketing ahead at a breakneck speed. We had made it, but we could only imagine what type of danger waited for us up ahead.

“I love you,” cried Carrie. “You saved my life.”

“I told you to listen to me,” said Pete, fighting to see through the shattered windshield.

“How’s the temperature?” I asked. “Did they hit the radiator?”

“The temp is still normal. I think we lucked out. Did you see that convoy? They’re gonna shut that intersection down.”

“I could’ve been killed,” gasped Carrie. She held her finger up to one of the bullet holes and
drew it back to her forehead. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“I ca
n’t believe it, either,” I said as I returned the revolver to the glove box. “How far is it to your brother’s place?”

“About twenty miles,” said Pete. “I’m wondering if we should try some back roads.”

“Find some back roads,” said Carrie. “If the police see this windshield, they’ll know we ran the roadblock.”

Pete nodded and took the next left. We followed a narrow highway for about five minutes until we found another secondary road. For the next half hour, we followed that road to the north. Now and again, we would be passed by cars and trucks flying by us at high rates of speed. Pet
e would move over as far as he dared as they raced by. I could tell he wanted to follow, but the shattered windshield prevented us from giving chase. Pete took another series of turns and I was hopelessly lost.

Chapter 3

Finally, when I thought we couldn’t get any deeper into the boondocks, Pete turned into a long driveway that had been cut into the woods. Two armed men dressed in camouflage stepped out in front of the truck. The larger of the two stepped over to Pete’s open window and peered inside. He was a wide-faced man with black hair, bad teeth and sparkling blue eyes that looked genuinely happy to see us. “Brother Pete,” he said, joyously. “Mike is going to be so damn happy to see you. He’s been worried sick about you guys.”

“Hey Donnie,” Pete said. “We had a helluva time getting out here.
Traffic was a bitch. I’m just glad that’s over.”

The other man stepped up to my door and he held out a hand. “Rob Harness,” he said.
Harness was tall and gangly and looked to be about fifty. He had long brown hair and a straggly beard streaked with gray. “Looks like you folks saw some action, huh?”

I shook his hand and tried to smile. “You might say that. We had to run a roadblock back in Zimmerman. It got a little crazy.
I’m Gary Smith, this is Carrie Bronson.”

Harness nodded. “We’ve met,” he said. “How are you, Carrie?”

“I’m good, Rob. How many people made it up here?”

“I think we have about fifty. But Mike said we could expect as many as a hundred. People have been showing up all afternoon.”

The guy named Donnie was on a two-way radio. He slapped the roof of the Chevy and said, “Go on up,” he said. “Mike is waiting for you.”

“Thanks Donnie,” Pete said. “Catch ya later, Rob.”

The driveway was almost half a mile long and opened up into a wide meadow. The house, what I could see of it, was a berm home built into the side of a hill and covered in green grass; it looked like something out of fairy tale. Off to my right, cars and pickups were parked nose to tail at the edge of the woods. Behind Mike’s house was a large tin pole building. What appeared to be RV trailers were parked beyond that, but they were rust colored, and from where I sat, I assumed they were junk.

I had no problem recognizing Pete’s brother. Mike came jogging up from the pole building, a shorter version of his younger brother. They had the same hair and beard
, and the family resemblance was uncanny. The only noticeable difference was that Pete was a good six inches taller than Mike. Pete slapped the gear-shift into park and turned off the ignition. He hopped out of the Chevy and jogged down to greet his brother.

“Be careful what you say around these guys,” whispered Carrie. “They’re paranoid as hell and I’m sure they’ll be watching you like a hawk. They don’t like strangers.”

I turned to Carrie and shook my head. “You know,” I said, angrily. “You and Pete could have told me this before we left Minneapolis. I don’t need this shit. I could have tried to make it out to our farm. I think it’s only about fifty miles east as the crow flies.”

“Don’t say that, Gary. We want you to stay with us. I’m not trying to scare you. I just wanted you to be ready for these guys. You’ll be fine once they get used to you.”

I shrugged and got out of the Chevy, and Carrie slid across the bench seat and hopped out. Immediately, she screamed with delight and rushed across the lawn into Mike’s arms. I groaned and walked over to join them.

“Mike, I want you to meet someone,” Pete said. “This is Gary. He’s a good friend of ours.”

Mike looked at me, appraisingly. “Does this guy have a last name?” he asked. I began to speak, but Mike held a finger up. “I was asking Pete,” he said.

Pete gave Mike a confused look and held out his hands. “He’s a regular up at Carrie’s bar. I suppose I know his last name, I just don’t remember it.”

“Right,” said Mike. “He’s a good friend, but you don’t even know his last name?”

“Mike,” said Carrie, stepping next to me, “you’re being rude.”

“I’m being rude?” asked Mike. He gave me a hard look and then he spat on the ground. “What, do you think I’m running a hotel out here? This isn’t a shelter. I’m sorry, Gary. You might be a great guy, but I can’t allow you to stay. Do you see these guys? We’ve been working together for three years to build this. What am I supposed to tell them? Hey, Pete and Carrie’s friend is a good guy and we should let join us? I can’t do that. My friends have their life’s savings stuck into this place. They’ve worked like dogs to help create our little compound. What would they think of me? Look, you can eat with us and spend the night, but you’ll have to bug out in the morning. I’m sorry.”

“Mike,” pleaded Carrie.

Now it was my turn to lift a finger. “No,” I said, turning to Carrie. “I understand and I appreciate you letting me stay the night. I’ll walk out of here at first light.”

“The hell you will,” said Pete. “I’
ll drive you out to your parents’ place. Where did you say it was?”

“Pine City.”

Mike shook his head. “No, I can’t let you drive out,” he said to Pete. “If he’s the good friend you say he is, why don’t you let him borrow your pickup? Look, I’m not trying to be an asshole. I have an obligation to my people, you included, little brother. I think this thing will blow over in a few days. When it’s over, you can call your buddy and have him drive out and pick you guys up.”

“This is bullshit,” hissed Carrie.

Pete walked over and put his arm around Carrie. “Stop that,” he said to her. “Gary, Pete’s right. You can take my pickup. I don’t have a problem with that. What do you say?”

“I can walk,” I said. I didn’t want to walk, but I was angry and didn’t want to take charity from anyone. “I think I’ll head out, now. Nice to meet you, Mike. Thanks for the lift out of town, Pete, Carrie. Good luck.”

“Gary,” pleaded Carrie. “Don’t do this. Spend the night and take the truck in the morning. Please, for me?”

“Now I feel like a total jerk,” said Mike. He walked over and stuck his hand out. “I know how you feel, man.
I don’t blame you for being angry. Listen to Pete and Carrie, spend the night and drive out of here in the morning. Look, a few of the guys out here asked if they could bring a friend. I had to turn them down. That’s just the way it is, it’s nothing personal. You’ve got to understand that.”

I shrugged and shook Mike’s hand. What he said made sense, at least when I thought of it from his point of view. He and his fr
iends had built an ark of sorts, and now it was time to shut the door before the downpour started. They wouldn’t want any freeloaders coming along for the ride. “I got it,” I said. “I don’t want any trouble, Mike. If your friends have a problem with me being out here, I’ll head on down the road.”

Mike shook his head. “You won’t have any trouble with them. I’ll explain the situation and they’ll be fine with it. They’re not bad people. I wish I could let you stay, but that would open the door for everyone else to invite a friend. Pete and Carrie, they’re family; I’ve told these people from day one that they had a standing invitation. Everyone else had to work their way in and earn their keep.
Come on, we’re about to grill up some burgers and have a few beers. This might be the last night we can do that.”

“Aren’t you worried they’ll come out here, tonight?” I asked.

Mike shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “No, I can’t say that for sure. They could be on their way out here, right now. I think they’ve got their hands full right now. They’re giving everyone a two-week amnesty. We’ve got to believe they’ll honor it. They know about our group, I can’t think they’ll start by going after the strongholds. They’ll start by taking down the weak. That’s how these jackals operate.”

After what we had just been through, I was in no hurry to get back out on the road. As much as it hurt, I understood Mike’s predicament. I began to think
I should be with my own family anyhow. This was my chance to drive there. Even with a shattered windshield, driving the Chevy was much more appealing than walking. We walked around back, and I was introduced to a group of Mike’s friends. He explained my situation and most seemed good with it. I wish I could say they all were nice about it, but there were a few big guys who openly protested my presence. Mike quickly put them in their place, but my ears burned because of it.

We cracked open some beers and ate barbequed burgers and baked beans. Later, when the sun began to set, Mike and his friends built a big bonfire. Somebody put on some music and the night took on a festive atmosphere. I watched how much I drank. I didn’t want to be drunk in case something happened. The group seem
ed to accept me into their fold. A few of the guys who had complained even walked over to say hello and explain why they had protested my spending the night with them. Carrie and Pete stayed by my side and I could tell how sorry they were. Still, there was nothing to be done about the situation. I would leave at dawn and with any luck, I would be out at the farm an hour later. I began to look forward to it.

As it got dark
I began to notice a pretty brunette who had distanced herself from the crowd. She sat alone in one of the chairs by the fire, nursing a beer. We made eye contact several times, but I didn’t dare walk over and introduce myself. Not there.

Suddenly, the music died and everyone turned to face the house. “The Sheriff is out there,” shouted Mike. “He didn’t come alone. I’m going up to see what he wants. Anyone care to join me?”

I didn’t like the sound of that and stood where I was as the entire group seemed to follow Mike out toward the driveway. Pete and Carrie followed the herd, and I thought I was alone until I heard a voice behind me. “This is bad,” a woman’s voice said. I turned and saw that it was the pretty brunette.

“I agree,” I said. “I think these boys are itching for a fight.”

“You think?” she asked. She chuckled and stood up from her chair. “They’ve been planning it for years. I don’t want to be here.”

“I don’t want to be here, either,” I said. “I’m leaving in the morning.”

“I know,” she said. “You’re that Gary everyone is talking about.”

I nodded. “That’s me,” I said. “I’m sorry. You seem to have me at a disadvantage. I never got your name.”

“I never gave it.”

“Oh, I see. Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I’m leaving in the morning and I don’t want to pry.”

“You’re not prying. My name is Madison. People call me Maddie, but I prefer Madison. I’m here with my soon
-to-be ex-husband. Nobody here knows we’re getting divorced.”

Nobody,” I said, “except me.”

“Yep,” Madison said. “That’s true. Tell me about where you’re heading tomorrow, Gary. Are you going someplace like this?”

I laughed. “God no,” I said. “My family has a farm outside of Pine City; eighty acres, some livestock and crops. It isn’t much, but we’ll be self-sufficient if push comes to shove.”

“You’re lucky. I wish I had someplace like that to escape to. My folks are dead and I don’t have any family here.”

“You’re welcome to join me,” I said, half-joking.
Not believing for a minute that was exactly what she had been hoping to hear.

“Don’t say that,” she said. “Not unless you mean it. I want out of here, Gary. They’re all going to be killed and I don’t want to die.”

I thought about that. “I don’t want to die, either. I’m serious. If you want to get out of here, you can come with me. My family will accept you with open arms.”

“I’m as serious as a heart attack, Gary. You won’t regret it. I’m a hard worker and I don’t eat much. Are you sure your family will be okay with it? Look what happened to you. I’m not going to risk making it there
just to be turned away.”

I didn’t know what to say. Madison walked over and stood in front of me. She was
younger and much more attractive than I had originally thought. Her dark hair was long and just curly enough to suggest it had been permed. She was short and had the athletic build of a gymnast. In the firelight, her big eyes looked chocolate brown as they stared into my own. She tilted her head, not much, but enough so I knew what she wanted. I leaned over and kissed her. She returned the kiss with passion and quickly pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I haven’t kisse
d anyone but my husband in three years. I had to find out what it felt like.”

I smiled. “Well, what did you think?”

“I want to do it, again,” she said, shyly, but she pulled away. “Carrie tells me that you’re single. Is that true?”

I nodded. “I am. I hope to change that, someday.”

Madison smiled and returned to where she had been. She put her hands on my hips. “Good,” she said. “I don’t want to be alone, not anymore. I’ve been alone for three years. You can be married and still be alone, do you believe that?”

“I do.
I’ve seen it,” I said. And while I did believe what she said, I hadn’t really seen it, but I felt that was what she wanted to hear. I had fallen for Madison, and hard. She was easily the most attractive woman I had ever kissed. I kissed her again and she pressed her mouth tightly against my own.

“I want to leave,” she whispered, “right now. I don’t want to wait until morning. I’ll never get away if I wait. They won’t let me leave.”

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. I was already in love. I would have stood between her and a runaway freight train if I thought I could save her. “Let’s go,” I said. “There’s nothing holding me here.”