Confederate Guerrilla Sue Mundy: A Biography of Kentucky Soldier Jerome Clarke
Author: Thomas Shelby Watson; Perry A. Brantley
Date: 2007-12-21 01:03:03+00:00
Keywords: History; United States; Civil War Period (1850-1877); Biography & Autobiography; General
Description: In 1864, George D. Prentice, editor of the pro-Union Louisville Daily Journal, created the persona of Sue Mundy, a Civil War guerrilla who was in actuality a young man named Marcellus Jerome Clarke. This volume offers an in-depth, historically accurate account of Clarke's exploits in Kentucky during the Civil War. The work begins with a summary of Kentucky's prewar position: primarily pro-Union yet decidedly anti-Lincoln. The author then discusses the ways in which this paradox gave rise to the guerrilla threat that terrorized Kentuckians during the final years of the war. Special emphasis is
Publisher: McFarland

BONNER INCIDENT

Book 2

JOSHUA’S WAR

THOMAS A WATSON

MICHAEL L RIDER- RIP

1949-2016

Copyright © AUGUST  22, 2016

THOMAS A WATSON & MICHAEL L RIDER

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Credits

Edited by

Sabrina Jean at Fast Tracking Editing

Cover Art

Christian Bentulan

This book is a work of fiction. People places, events, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the written consent of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Thank you for acknowledging the hard work of this author. If you didn’t purchase this book or it wasn’t purchased for you, please go purchase your own copy now.

In Memory of

Michael L Rider

8/22/1949-1/28/2016

Acknowledgements

Thank You all for the encouragement in finishing this book, started by Mr. Mike and myself.

To My Friends, Family, and Fans, without you, this book would have never been finished. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sharing.

To my Street Team: Cora Burke, Yalonda Butler, Leslie Bryant, William Beedie, Deb Serres, Shelley Deuso, Kris Weeks, Jim Broach and  Britta Victoria. I appreciate all you do.

Hope you enjoy the second half of ‘The Bonner Incident: Joshua’s War” This book starts off right where the first one ended, hence the reason for Chapter 23 as the starting chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was 0950 and Griffey watched the senior staff walk out of the conference room after the first meeting. Sitting at the head of the table and glancing to his sides, he saw Moore making notes on his right and Wagner on his left, reading reports. “Moore, what do you think about this new team that we can’t find?”

Holding up his hand for Griffey to wait, Moore reached up and hit the intercom. “Will you send that game warden from Oregon in here?” Letting the button go, Moore continued writing. “Let me ask him some questions, then I’ll answer,” Moore said glancing up as he continued to write.

Griffey turned to Wagner, “Any updates on the two state troopers?”

“No, Duncan and Lane were model cops according to their records. The only flag is that both served in the military,” Wagner said pulling another folder out. “We’ve questioned their families and friends and started searching locations of where they might be holed up.”

“I read an interview done with Lane’s wife on the internet, saying if Lane had done this, then he saw something that compelled him to act. But she couldn’t believe her husband would do what he’s accused of. You want to tell me why I read that?” Griffey said, grabbing a pen and starting to sign the requisition forms for the mountain of stuff arriving by full semi-trailers.

Wagner looked up, “The interviewing agent asked her not to speak with the press. She was served with a gag order last night, as were all other friends and family.”

“Don’t let that happen again. Last night, we had three agents beaten in Sandpoint when they walked out of a restaurant. We can’t let information like that out to anger the locals.”

Flipping his notepad to a new page, Moore glanced at Griffey. “Sheriff Harper arrested the ones responsible and has charged them.”

Griffey slowly looked back at Moore who was writing again. “And you just now tell me?”

“Yes, they are being punished for assault.”

“I had six agents questioning forty people at the restaurant and not one, said they saw a thing,” Griffey almost growled.

“Right, agents,” Moore said still writing. “The sheriff found out what happened, found the four responsible and charged them.” Moore said glancing at his watch. “They’ve already been arraigned and I was told they would plead guilty. So by now, they’ve been punished and it’s case closed.”

“No, they will be charged by us,” Griffey snapped.

Tossing his pen down, Moore glared at Griffey. “No, they won’t. First, it’s double jeopardy. Second and most importantly, the sheriff has demonstrated that the public can’t attack us without provocation or they will have to deal with him. You realize the pressure that takes off of us?”

“What was the sentence?” Wagner asked.

Shrugging as he picked his pen back up, “Don’t know and don’t care,” Moore said. “The sheriff handled it and I told Sheriff Harper that was good enough for me.”

About to speak, Wagner stopped when Griffey raised his hand. “Moore, you’re that sure this is a good thing for us?” Griffey asked.

Setting his pen down, Moore looked up with a serious face. “Yes, it will give our people an order of protection from the population that we can’t provide. They now know, Sheriff Joey “Buck” Harper will not allow or condone hostile actions against us, without provocation. Now, if those agents had started the fight, the sheriff wouldn’t have done shit, but they didn’t. The lesson here is, unless we are seen as attacking, the sheriff will back us.”

Griffey leaned back so hard in his chair it rolled away from the table. “I assume you are talking about the national security directive that allows us to enter a private residence in pursuit and search of terrorists without need or cause for a warrant?”

“Yep,” Moore nodded. “I’m sure you’ve read the reports of armed men moving to every private piece of property in the search area. Out of the million plus acres we’ve designated, that’s over two hundred pieces of private property. And I can assure you, they plan to fight at each one unless we can produce a warrant. In following with state law, we will have to notify local law enforcement and they will accompany us when we serve it. I’m telling you now, you’d better stick to that one or we will have a war on our hands. Let me remind you, we are surrounded, and no matter what you believe, we are outnumbered.”

Bringing his hand to his chin as he thought, Griffey rocked back and forth in his chair. “Let them dictate our movements?” Wagner shouted. “We outrank them! They do what we say, end of story!”

Letting out a sigh, Moore looked over at Wagner. “Raise your voice to me one more time, and I swear by the end of the day, you’ll be a prison guard assigned to open and close the main gate.”

Shocked, Wagner dropped back in his chair. “I’m a senior agent. You can’t threaten me like that.”

“Then I’ll do it,” Griffey said turning to Moore. “Washington isn’t going to go for that.”

Nodding as he picked up his pen, “Then get ready for a war and make out your wills,” Moore said. “Yesterday, team nine found a group in the search area south of here near Squaw Valley Road. They were heavily armed and carrying extra food and ammunition. After the group showed IDs, the team called local law enforcement and they picked the group up and escorted them out of the area. You know why the group didn’t open fire on them?” Moore asked glancing over at Griffey and he shook his head. “They told the team that Sheriff Harper had told them if they fired without being provoked; he would make sure they rotted in a hole. Luckily, that was one of our smarter teams and didn’t fire on the group because they would’ve lost. They were outmanned two to one.”

“How can I present this to Washington, so they will allow me to get warrants to do private searches?”

Shaking his head, “Unless you can get God to call personally, you can’t. I’ve tried,” Moore said.

Groaning, Griffey pulled back to the table. “What do you recommend?”

“Honestly? Avoid those areas until we’ve searched the wilderness. Then put teams watching them and at the end of this search, hit them. As many as we can at one time so they can only respond to a couple.”

Nodding, “That’s very plausible and soundly tactic,” Griffey said. “With all teams up, how long for the wilderness search to be completed?”

“Four months,” Moore said as a knock sounded at the door.

The door opened and a game warden walked in. “Federal Game Warden Fowler assigned to Oregon,” he said.

“Fowler, can you think of a way that ten people on horseback can all get hurt at the same time?” Moore said leaning back in his chair and pointing at a chair for Fowler to sit down beside him.

“Well, yes sir,” he said moving over and sitting down. “It’s not as hard as you’d believe.” Griffey gave a sigh of relief, almost sliding out of his chair.

Nodding, Moore asked. “Can you give me some examples? Remember, most of this team were BLM and normally moved on horses and in terrain like this.”

“Sir, even the most experienced make mistakes, especially in the foul weather we are having. But they could’ve camped beside a dry streambed and been hit by a flash flood. They could’ve camped beside a taller tree that was hit by lightning and gotten electrocuted. I’ve found four men and horses that died like that. Got caught in a mudslide or avalanche, I mean, sir, it’s very plausible.”

Pulling a map over and pointing from one mountain top while running his finger across a valley to another mountain top. “Is it possible to operate an ATV in this terrain without being seen or heard?” Moore asked.

“Agent Moore, I can show you some poacher ATVs you can’t hear unless you’re within ten feet of them. As for this terrain around here, it’s a dream compared to what I’ve seen poachers traverse with an ATV. These new ATVs are excellent on gas and if he’s a hunter, he’ll have gas stocked up somewhere.”

Moore started jotting down notes as Wagner turned to the warden, “How plausible is it that they could’ve been shot before they escaped?”

Fowler glanced away thinking, “Unless they were complete idiots, it’s not possible. A horse can run pretty fast and it’s hard to hit a moving target. Look at the mountains slopes around us, there aren’t that many open areas so it would have to be close. I’ve seen some of the best shots in the world and believe me, they could only get six before the rest got away.”

Griffey looked up like he had given birth he was so relieved. “Moore, you need anything else?” When Moore shook his head, Griffey looked at Fowler. “Thank you, officer.” Fowler nodded and left as Griffey looked at Moore.

“Finally, some good news on a bad circumstance,” Griffey said leaning back.

“Don’t know how, they’re dead. Joshua killed them,” Moore said writing. “His horses are still at his house so he’s on an ATV.”

Feeling a sharp pain in his stomach, Griffey grabbed his side. “Okay, so how could he be in Spokane yesterday and come back here and kill off a team.”

Looking up, “He drove, and if you want my opinion, he drove right down Highway 57 past us to Spokane and drove past us again,” Moore said spinning the map around to Griffey. “He was operating somewhere in here, but I’m sure he’s moved on,” he said pointing at Nickleplate Mountain just outside of Nordman.

Digging in his pocket, Griffey pulled out a roll of antacid tablets and tossed four in his mouth. “You think he’s that bold?”

“I surmised it, but after talking to someone who knows Joshua first hand, I’m positive now. I think he’s got access to a truck and has it parked somewhere north of Nordman. It won’t matter if we find it because he’s given us the message he wanted to. He can come and go as he pleases. Joshua isn’t worried about us.”

Wagner laughed, “That’s beyond ballsy.”

Ignoring Wagner, Moore stared at Griffey. “Like it or not, we are on his timeline and in his backyard. He will be the one to decide when this war ends, no matter what we say.”

“You heard the game warden, one man can’t kill ten men on horseback,” Griffey whined.

“I’m not an outdoorsman by any stretch of the imagination, but I can come up with a few scenarios that it would be possible.”

Wagner leaned over the table, “If he’s on an ATV, no matter how much he stockpiled he would run out, and that means the locals are supplying him.”

“No,” Moore said flipping pages. “Joshua wouldn’t involve them. This is his war and he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt helping him.”

“You really think he drove within yards of us?” Griffey said chewing up the tablets.

“Oh, I’m positive he’s been closer,” Moore said as a knock on the door came.

“Enter,” Griffey called out and hit the intercom. “Find a bottle of Pepto and bring it to me.”

A man in full tactical gear walked in and sat down at the end of the table putting a laptop down. “I’m sorry, but I wanted this briefing in private,” he said opening the laptop and hooking up cables.

Nodding at the man as he looked at Wagner, “Agent Schmidt, FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader. He’s in charge of all of the special teams here,” Griffey said as a young man came in carrying a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. “Thank you,” Griffey said, ripping the top off and downing half the bottle as the young man closed the door.

“Sirs, I have to report that activities against us have started,” he said looking up. “At 2210 last night, all Stingray and Omi boxes were taken or destroyed.” Moore shook his head. Stingray was a box that many law enforcement used, just setting it out and any cellphone that passed by was scanned and cloned. The Omi box was a large box set near a cell tower that captured every call that tower received.

“When you say all? Just what does that entail?” Griffey groaned.

“Sixty-four Omi boxes and twenty-seven Stingrays,” Agent Schmidt said. “But I, um, must tell you, sir, before they took the Omi boxes, they dumped a virus in. As you know, our Omi boxes were connected to NSA back east by satellite and they are a trusted system, so it did some damage.”

Snatching up the Pepto, Griffey drained the rest of the bottle. “Damage? Is that why the director of the NSA has been trying to get me on the phone?” he asked setting the bottle down.

“I would imagine so, sir. I just found out about the virus and that’s why I came here before my scheduled briefing.”

“You know the damage?”

“They lost a super computer. Thankfully, I was told it was one of the older ones, but it was a complete loss,” Schmidt said.

Wagner snorted, “I’ll call him back,” he said. “It’s his own fault for not having protection running on something that was outside his facility.”

“After this meeting, handle it,” Griffey said relieved he didn’t have to talk to the NSA director. “What else, Agent Schmidt?”

“We’ve been getting reports of armed men moving to many private locations in the search area and they are being escorted by local law enforcement.”

“Yes, I know, and we are working on a way to deal with that later. Until then, they are not to be engaged unless they attack and make sure your men understand, that means until they are shot at, they will not fire.”

“Yes sir,” Schmidt said making a note. “Now, the most disturbing,” he said tapping on his computer. “At the house of the suspect, no longer are regular civilians manning it, but a new group.” He turned to a big flat screen on the wall which was showing a view from a drone.

“Sir, I’ve been doing this awhile and I can tell you, these boys know what they are doing. They have dug defensive positions in depth around the area and put concrete barriers on the road that have to be slowly driven around. Passed that is a heavy chain across the road, the dozer is gone now.”

Pushing a button, a series of photos taken with a big lens started flipping across the screen. It showed heavily armed men in tactical gear moving around and all had their faces covered with black balaclavas. “We can’t get an accurate count, but it’s between thirty and forty,” he said.

“The suspect could be there,” Wagner said pointing at the screen.

“No, he’s not there,” Moore said studying the pictures.

“Well, I wanted to get better intel and sent a team around the back,” Schmidt said and Moore jerked his head staring at him. “It’s federal land and in our search area, sir,” he said holding up his hand. “I sent men I could trust with strict orders not to fire unless one was hit.”

“Well, what did you find out?” Wagner asked.

“They control the ridge and slope behind the structure. My team was intercepted a mile away. My team leader said they were very professional but did say, this would be the only cordial conversation. Next time, they would view it as a hostile act.”

Slapping the table, “They can’t do that,” Wagner snapped.

Looking at Wagner, “They could’ve just as easily shot my team, but they didn’t,” he said pulling out an envelope and sliding it down the table. “They gave my team leader this and every one of them showed a deputy sheriff’s badge with a card. One of the cards is in the envelope. It’s signed by the sheriff and states that this is a deputy sheriff of Bonner County whose sole mission is to provide security at the residence of Sonya Anderson. After establishing a reasonable perimeter, any attempted breach without the sheriff will be viewed as a threat and dealt with accordingly. The identity of these deputies is known to me and me alone.”

Wagner looked at Griffey, “I have all four of my Special Response Teams here. Let me show them who the boss is. They can’t stand up to my SRTs.”

Griffey looked down at Schmidt. “Agent Schmidt, do I have your undivided attention?” he asked and Schmidt nodded. “If Agent Wagner attempts to launch any patrol or action without mine or Agent Moore’s written approval, you are to pull your sidearm and discharge it until empty into his face for attempting to incite civil unrest, is that clear?” Schmidt stared wide-eyed at Griffey, nodding slowly.

“Agent Schmidt, if you fail to do this I promise you, I will have you thrown in a hole in the darkest prison I can find with the most sexual deviant convicts known, to use you as their personal sex toy, are we understood?”

Schmidt’s body jolted in his chair. “Crystal, sir. I promise to insert a second magazine into my sidearm and empty it as well.”

Griffey turned to Wagner who was pale. “I’ve got enough problems without you pulling your shit. I know what the director told you but you pull your shit, you will not leave this state with your testicles, understand?”

Clearly mad, Wagner nodded and Moore grinned, looking down at Schmidt. “Anything else on this group?”

“I made a report sir. They are good. We’ve been setting up on mountain tops and slopes around them. Granted, miles away, but they know. One will come out and point a laser pointer at us, letting us know. From the gear they have and the way they operate, they know our procedures, equipment and tactics.”

Grabbing a bottle of water, Griffey took the top off. “So, you think this is the group who messed with the Stingrays and Omi boxes?”

“Not the group at this location but associates. They have laser disruptors on the house and shop. They have a stereo outside playing music, so it’s hard to filter their voices with boom microphones. They do have radios, but they’re scrambled. I’ve asked justice to look into that since they are deputies, but the encryption is above military grade. On a lighter note, every two hours an elderly woman we’ve identified as the suspect’s mother comes out doing this,” Schmidt said and the screen showed Mrs. Anderson waving her middle finger at the surrounding mountains and everyone chuckled.

Nodding, Moore looked at Griffey as he asked. “Schmidt, what would it take to breach them?”

“Heavy armor and tactical air. Even with that, our losses would be high.”

“That’s the trap Griffey. Whatever we do, don’t let anyone spring that. It’s the show of force that we need to ignore,” Moore said ominously. “If we attack, you can expect hundreds from the county to respond quickly and the rest of Idaho to follow.”

“Agreed,” Griffey said.

Clearing his throat, “Um, just want to point out, the suspect could be there,” Wagner said.

“And he could be in your office,” Griffey said. “Our intelligence says otherwise.”

The door flew open and Agent Winters came storming in, carrying a laptop and heading for Moore. “This is a closed meeting!” Wagner yelled.

“Shut up Ivan,” Winters said setting the laptop down. She yanked the cables from Schmidt’s computer almost pulling it off the table. “It’s happened Moore,” she said connecting the cables.

She pushed a key and a man popped up on the flat screen on the wall. “Once again, our government lies. This manhunt in Idaho is like I’ve always said, a hunt for an innocent man whose only crime is fighting for what he earned and they wanted to take it away. The reports the government released saying that they were in fear for William Anderson’s safety from his own father, who the government has labeled a ‘lone wolf’ terrorist, which is against the law because Joshua Anderson is a US citizen that the government has stripped of citizenship without due process.

“As you will see, that wasn’t an accident in Idaho, it was retaliation by a father against those that abducted his son,” the man stopped and a picture of William with a swollen face and busted nose appeared next to the reporter. “As you can see, this thirteen=year-old was a violent subject whose only crime was that his father shot three officers that were sent to kill him, so the government could take his property and money. This is the culmination of Civil Forfeiture. Watch what one father did to those that hurt his only child, a child that had lost his mother at the age of five and was being cared for by a loving stepmother now, because the government was out to kill his dad.”

The screen shifted and the reporter was gone and a view of a small handheld video camera came on. It showed the control tent and people standing around and Griffey and Moore knew where the shot was taken from. The camera panned down showing a bomb. “This is Joshua Anderson. I do this of my own free will. You fucked with my family and now I have to kill all of you.”

The screen blinked and it showed the bomb being placed under the fuel trailer. Blinking again, the screen showed the huge command tent and Moore sighed, seeing some people he knew that were dead. What really bothered him was, he and Griffey were inside that tent when Joshua had filmed this only yards away.

After they watched the second bomb placed, the screen blinked beside a cabin. “This I do in retaliation for your actions. Look on the dock for my calling card,” Joshua’s voice said and the screen went blank and the reporter came back on.

“See? We’ve been lied to yet again. From 9/11, Waco, the Liberty incident and I can go on: this shows the government doesn’t want us to know the truth. In Joshua’s case, they don’t want people to know, you can fight back against them when they come to take from you as they continue to take from us. Give billions away overseas and here at home to placate those that won’t provide for themselves.

“Joshua, I offer my sincerest apologies. I don’t have a big staff here and we just found your video. I swear to you, it won’t happen again. You’ve entrusted my news outlet to get your story out and I will do it. And for you in the government and those who think this was staged, Mr. Anderson sent another video.”

The screen changed, showing it was daylight and Moore felt sick, already knowing what he was looking at. “Just want to show you what happens when you mess with my family. It’s 0759 and those down there have thirty seconds to live. To those innocents there, I’m sorry, but they are after my family and I will kill them all. I was just a hardworking man till they wanted it all and tried to kill me, then went after my family. If you stay near them, then you take the chance that my wrath will find you. One man can only be pushed so much and so far, and going after my family was the last straw,” he said zooming in. “Joshua’s war has started,” he said as the area vanished in a fireball.

Winters tapped the computer, stopping the video and pulled a scrench in a plastic bag from her pocket. “This was found stuck in the end of the dock,” she said handing it to Moore.

“Oh my God,” Griffey said. “How can we blow that off? If he had written a letter taking responsibility, we could easily blow that off, but he took video.”

“So?” Wagner shrugged. “Give me a computer and Photo Shop and I can put SpongeBob beside the president with a bat. Get our boys to make a copy of the one video on the ridge, removing the explosion and add a chopper or something flying in the background that you can say was chopped out, and that’s how we knew it was faked.”

“Almost five hundred people died, and you think the public will buy that?” Griffey asked.

Wagner smiled as he chuckled. “Yeah, look what they’ve bought in the past. Everyone and their brother knows you can alter video Griffey. I bet I could go to a junior high school and get a kid to do what we want.”

“It has merit,” Griffey said turning to Moore.

“You know this will blow up later, but Washington wants this downplayed for now. If you do this, you make sure and tell them they’d better use the best and it better not be more than one or two people that they know for a fact, they can control,” Moore said as Winters sat down beside him, not liking what she was hearing.

Griffey looked up at Schmidt, “If you talk about what you’ve heard, what I can do to you is nothing compared to our bosses. You’ve signed the nondisclosure, so I’ll remind you to keep your mouth shut.”

“Sir, I only saw the briefing I presented,” Schmidt said reaching over and closing his laptop. “I’m sure I should leave before sensitive matter is discussed.”

When he’d left, Griffey turned to Winters, “You heard, so forget what you heard,” he said and she nodded. “What else can you tell me before I get on the phone?”

Taking a deep breath and clasping her hands so they wouldn’t shake, Winters cleared her throat. “The office for this news site is in Texas. The FBI served a warrant thirty minutes ago to seize all of the station’s equipment and the building and bring the founder and reporter, Alex, in for questioning. Ten minutes after they arrived, twenty state troopers arrived and escorted them off the premises. The governor of Texas held a press conference as the FBI was escorted out of the building, saying the federal government will not suppress free speech in Texas. The Attorney General of Texas has barred our warrant until reviewed by a state judge. I’m told the judge is very loyal to the governor.”

Slapping the table, Griffey jumped up out of the chair. “I knew that man was going to run for president. He’s going to use this to get his votes!”

“Griffey,” Moore said and pointed at his chair that was still spinning around. When Griffey sat back down, Moore leaned toward him. “You have phone calls to make. You offer your advice with your warnings as I told you. You make it crystal clear. This is only your advice and our operation is proceeding ahead of schedule.”

Griffey nodded as Moore turned to Wagner, “When you speak to the director of the NSA, you will be courteous. We don’t need his nerds playing games with us, understand?” When Wagner nodded, Moore pointed at the door.

Watching the door close behind Wagner, Moore turned to Griffey, “Steven,” Moore said in a low voice and Griffey jumped at hearing his first name. “After you give your advice, write a letter outlining why only one or two people would need to be involved with the video alteration. You do not write, kill or any threatening remarks about actions against them. Tell the director you are sending your recommendations on damage control according to the understanding of your orders. One will be via secured email. You will make a copy of this letter and make no note of it. Have a hard copy hand delivered to your director. The second hard copy and email print out, you hide, understand? That will be your only salvation if they attempt to burn you.”

Loving that someone understood what was going on, Griffey nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to find something that I can rush to prove we are ahead of schedule.”

Griffey gathered his stuff and left as Winters turned to Moore. “What the hell is all this?”

He looked at her with a grave face. “When you move up the ladder, your soul and morals are taken in exchange. If I had known that, I would still be a field agent, like you.”

“Sir, you knew Mr. Anderson was responsible and said it that very day. This proves it, why hide it?”

Moore stood up and gathered his papers. “So nobody can see that the monster we created is fighting back.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

As Moore and the others watched his videos, Joshua was at the dugout. Only stopping at the dugout long enough to drop equipment off and gather what he needed, Joshua looked up at the drizzling rain clouds. “At least it’s not snow,” he said and headed back to the dugout.

Walking over to the massive bear trap that’d sat on the mantle of his cabin, Joshua picked it up and grunted at the fifty plus pounds of steel. “No trapper on earth could carry more than one of these in the field,” he grunted, carrying it outside. Jack didn’t like it when Joshua strapped the heavy hunk of metal to the pack saddle.

“Hey, don’t be an ass, this is your job,” Joshua said walking away. Grabbing the bear trap set tool and spring clamps, he looked around the dugout, “I’ll be out for a while.”

Strapping the set tool to Jack and putting the clamps in his saddle bag, Joshua climbed on King and gave him a small kick. He had looked at the map he’d taken from the horsemen and had seen that a team was near Upper Priest Lake looking for him and the three lost members of team eighty-one. He knew where they’d been dropped off but not where they were now. He hoped he would be close enough to catch their radio report this afternoon.

He had ridden in foul weather before and could do it, but it wasn’t his most enjoyable time. Guiding King along the slope and staying below the ridgeline, Joshua headed for Upper Priest Lake, ten miles away.

When he stopped King on a slope overlooking Upper Priest Lake, he lifted his arm looking at his watch. “Not bad for crap weather travel,” he mumbled. Climbing off of King, he set up camp in the trees several hundred yards below the ridge. And double that, from the valley below. Using his heat tabs, he warmed up some beans and rice.

Pulling out the radio, he turned it on by punching in the numbers he had memorized on the keypad and it came alive with traffic. Glancing at his watch, “You aren’t supposed to check in till 1800, you have a schedule, now keep it,” he said grabbing his notepad as his watch only read 1722.

Listening in, he realized it was a team further south near Goose Creek Road, which was over thirty miles away from him. A member of the team had slipped and broken his ankle and they wanted a chopper to come in. “Keep wishing,” Joshua said writing the call signs down.

When command told them to move north to a road for pick-up, he knew someone was in for a bad day. And the guys with him were as well, they would have to carry a man out several miles over unforgiving terrain. Tucking his notepad inside his vest, Joshua ate his rice and beans.

“Glad only you and Jack are here,” he said looking up at King. “My farts are making my own eyes water.”

After cleaning his bowl and putting it away, he sat looking up at the towering trees and listening to the now silent radio. A smile crossed his clean-shaven face as he thought of Sonya and William and prayed they were alright. “Team fourteen to command, come in,” he heard over the radio.

Sitting up and pulling out his notepad, Joshua grabbed the map once again, liking that it wasn’t made from paper. From the horsemen’s notes, he knew when they went out, there were only six teams, so he grabbed the weird pen that only wrote on the map. Waiting for team twenty, the team near Upper Priest Lake, Joshua made notes of where the others were.

“Command, this is team twenty,” came over the radio and Joshua got excited.

“Go ahead, twenty. This is command.”

“No sign of lost members or suspect. Found seven, repeat seven civilians in search area and informed them to leave or face detainment. Subjects left area and names and photos will be turned in upon arrival to command.”

“Copy, team twenty, what is current location?” Joshua listened to the numbers and was impressed that someone could give a reading down to five yards, but then he realized they had the GPS units. He saw they were in a clearing south of the lake.

“Copy, planned route?” command asked and he looked at the radio because they had never asked that before.

“Moving up east side of lake to grid,” the voice paused and this time gave a broad grid longitude and latitude that covered five hundred square yards.

Marking the map, Joshua chuckled, “Can’t make your toy give you information if you aren’t standing there, huh?”

When unit twenty signed off, he listened to the last two teams as he studied the map, seeing that team twenty only planned to move eight miles tomorrow. Seeing a sloping ridge that rose up away from the lake and had a shallow draw that ran in the middle of it, Joshua bet this would be their route.

Now that he knew where everybody was, Joshua repacked and hopped on King. When King grunted, Joshua popped the side of his neck. “This is easy ground to cover, so quit complaining.”

With the drizzle waxing and waning, he headed south on the east side of the lake.

***

As Joshua had left the dugout, Sonya and the others were in the living room looking at William’s laptop at the video the news site had put up. “Man, when Dad gets mad, he gets mad and does something about it,” William said watching the explosion again.

“I wish he would’ve got all of ‘em,” Mrs. Anderson said walking in while carrying a plate and pushing people out of the way. “William, Nana made you and Sammy some cookies,” she said handing him the plate.

“Thanks, Nana,” William said, taking the plate and holding it out to Sammy who took some.

A knock at the door made everyone turn. Gene stepped over to the door. “If someone can get through Ernest and his crew, then they have earned the right to come inside,” he said opening the door.

A man stepped in removing his balaclava and they all smiled upon seeing it was Ernest. He looked at everyone around the laptop with the video paused at the explosion. “The man is resourceful, that’s for sure,” he said walking over to Sonya and holding out a large envelope. “A courier dropped this off. Don’t worry, we scanned it.”

“How did you scan it?” Sonya said taking the envelope.

“Ultrasound. I would prefer to just open it to make sure it was alright, but in this case, I made an exception. I know the handwriting. He bought three trucks from me last year,” Ernest grinned and Sonya lifted the envelope up, seeing her name and address in handwriting she would know anywhere.

“Oh my God,” she gasped grabbing the pull tab and ripping it off. She opened the envelope and pulled out a cellphone. Looking at it, she handed it to William and pulled out a normal envelope. Looking at the large envelope, she saw it had come out of Spokane.

“Yeah, we need to burn that, Sonya. I hope you don’t mind,” Ernest said. “That ties him to the shooting and will make you accessories after the fact.”

Nana looked around at everyone, “Let’s give them some room, so they can read it in private.”

“No,” Sonya said standing up. “Everyone here is willing to fight for us, if you want to know what Joshua wrote, I don’t mind,” she finished looking at Ernest.

“Sonya, I gave my word to defend you and William at all cost. Otherwise, me and my boys would be running in the mountains assisting Joshua,” he said with a nod. “The only reason I mentioned the envelope was for you. The rest of my boys have already started actions against the feds here, and with what they’ve done alone, will get us serious prison time in a faraway land.”

“You mind if I know?” Gene said with a groan. “I don’t want a war here unless we have no choice. I feel we will get one sooner or later, but I would prefer later, much later.”

Nodding, “We took out their cellphone surveillance and dumped a nasty computer virus in their network,” Ernest told him. “It’s freaking them the hell out.”

“That was you?” William asked looking at the cellphone as the screen came to life.

“Yeah, well not me personally, but some of the boys who know what they are doing on computers,” he said and pointed at a computer tower that had wires leading to suction cups on the windows. “Where did you get that?”

William looked up, “Made it,” he said and shoved a cookie in his mouth, holding it as his thumbs rapidly tapped the screen of the phone.

Sitting beside him, Sammy watched in amazement while lifting his arm and pointing at the table. “He’s showing me how to build another one and program it. I’m not as good as he is with computers because mine is really limited,” he said.

“Baby, I told you, that’s all we could afford,” Barbara said from behind the couch, watching William tapping the screen that was now black with white text in lines she knew was computer code.

“What do you mean ‘limited’?” Ben asked knowing whatever William was doing was way beyond him.

“Its processor is six years old and for computers, that’s ancient,” Sammy said and Ben spun around, looking at Barbara with a hard glare. “That’s why I like yours and use it. It’s better than mine.”

“You make him work on an ancient computer?” Ben snapped at her.

“Ben, I’m a hairdresser and you won’t let me go to work now, so you can’t complain to me,” she popped off.

“Sammy, if you had a computer like the one William has, you would be better, right?” Ben asked looking down at the couch and seeing Sammy mumbling to William as William typed on the small screen.

“Yeah, even with your computer, I can’t run Linux,” Sammy said trying to follow what William was doing. “That’s why I asked you to get another hard drive and expanded RAM.”

“Son, RAM to me is a truck or animal. Hard drive, I’ll tell you about it when you’re older,” Ben said spinning on Barbara. “Get your purse, we are going to town to buy him a computer like William’s.”

“He can use my spare laptop,” William said taking the cookie out of his mouth while reading the code on the screen.

Ben looked from William back to Barbara. “We’re buying him one of those, too.”

“Ben-,” she started and he put his hand in her face.

“My boy isn’t going to be ‘limited’ because we didn’t provide him with stuff to learn. He’s a genius on computers. The only one I know that’s better is William. Sammy came to my house and my computer was froze up and wouldn’t do anything, not even turn off. He sat down and had it fixed in nothing,” Ben said snapping his fingers. “We will not deprive my boy, is that understood?”

Not looking back, trying to understand the code William was reading, Sammy spoke over his shoulder. “Ben, I unplugged your computer and rebooted it. Granted, I had to defrag it, but that was it.”

Ben was staring at Barbara. “I understood ‘unplugged’. Get your purse.”

Barbara smiled at him as she reached up and stroked his goatee. “Baby, I don’t have the money.”

“Gene?” Ben said turning around, “Am I allowed to spank her for that or does it need to be for a more serious offense?”

Raising his eyebrows, Gene reached for his belt. “In my understanding of relationships and family, she’s crossed the line, Ben. You can use my belt. I’ll even help hold her down.”

Reaching up and pulling Ben’s face till he was looking at her, “Ben, that’s sweet and we both love it, but you haven’t seen the price of those things. I don’t think you can afford it.”

“Gene, your offer to hold her down still good or does it have a time limit?” Ben said holding his hand back toward Gene.

With a grin from ear to ear, Gene pulled his belt off and handed it to Ben. “Offer is still good, Ben. You don’t let her tell you that you can’t provide for your boy.”

Barbara stepped back, “Okay, okay, I give,” she laughed and Gene took his belt back and she lunged, wrapping her arms around Ben and kissing him.

“Babe, I have a dip,” he said turning his face away.

She grabbed his goatee and yanked his face back around. “I’m a country girl and this time, it’s okay,” she said and kissed him. “Copenhagen is alright,” she said wiping her tongue off.

“Sonya, will you read the letter so we can go to town?” Ben said wrapping his arm around Barbara.

“This is my code! I thought so,” William said grinning. “How did Dad transfer my code to another phone?”

When William looked up, he saw a sea of blank faces. “You’re sure, baby?” Sonya asked. “Joshua yelled at that operator for an hour because the phone wouldn’t take the numbers off the prepaid card and you think he programmed that phone?”

“William, I’m agreeing with Sonya,” Gene said putting his belt back on. “Your dad has learned computers for work and for you, but going past turning it on and moving that arrow around on the screen is pretty much his limit.”

“I’m telling you, he did it,” William said. “He could’ve used a transfer cable and done a hard hack, but he did it!” William said with a broad grin and the others just continued staring at him.

Shaking his head, William turned to Sammy. “See what I mean? I try to be simple and they look at me like I’m insane.”

Nodding, Sammy sighed. “Yeah, I asked mom if I could get a CD/RW drive and she brought home a Blu-ray player.”

“I thought that’s what he wanted,” Barbara whispered to Ben and he just shrugged, but he did know what a Blu-ray player was.

Sonya sat down on the couch and opened the envelope. “Sonya, some of that may be private. You sure you don’t want us to step out?” Gene asked moving over to the couch.

“If it is, I won’t read that,” she said blushing as the others moved closer.

Clearing her throat, Sonya started to read. “Hey baby, hey little man. By now you’ve heard about why I came to Spokane. I’m sure you know that big boom wasn’t an accident. I sent my favorite news site a video but they haven’t shown it and I’m beginning to wonder if they are for real. I’m telling you this because I’m letting them know, it was me. You mess with my family and I’ll destroy you and all you bring with you. I hope they got my message because if they come for you again, I already know where my next large attack will be. If they keep this war just on me, I will sit in the mountains killing them piecemeal. I will play their little war game but if they attempt to hurt either of you, I’ll kill them by the truckloads.

“Sonya, tell my mother to watch her damn mouth. I heard her on the radio and the man who bleeps out words; his finger had to be worn out after her interview. I know Ben is around and he can remind her that she washed our mouths out with that nasty laundry detergent and I will do the same to her.

Sonya stopped and looked up at Nana. “He’s my son and will do no such thing. I can say whatever the hell I please,” she snapped lifting her chin.

Smiling, Sonya looked back down at the letter and continued. “The ones they are sending up here don’t know what the hell they are doing but I’m sure they will get better. I won’t come any closer to the house than Section 19. Ask Gene, Ben or Chris and they will understand.”

She looked up at Gene, but Ben spoke from behind her. “A half-mile,” he said.

Nodding, she looked back at the letter and continued. “I’m really sorry about any innocents that got caught in that blast. Will you do what you can to see they are taken care of? Baby, I’m sorry and tell William I thought about it hard but I will not stop because of collateral damage. I knew some of those living nearby and who worked at the lodge but they saw the feds take my boy. My heart hurts for them but my conscience is clear, they can hide behind people, but it won’t matter if they come after you and William.”

She looked up. “He doesn’t know,” she gasped. “He feels guilty and doesn’t know.”

“He will find out Sonya,” Gene said reaching over and patting her arm.

Wiping her eyes, Sonya continued. “I’m moving hard and fast but I found a kid who showed me how to make the phone I bought like the one William gave me. Tell William to turn it on the two times a day we call ‘important’.”

“Sunrise and sunset,” William said wiping his eyes. “Dad said it’s because a new day has started and a new day is coming.”

“Your momma told him that,” Sonya said hugging him and William nodded, trying not to cry. With an arm around William, Sonya continued.

“My love-,” she stopped, reading silently and then started again. “I know Gene, Chris and Ben are living there and they need to stay. I don’t know how Gene got the others to leave but tell him thanks because I’ve been to a few of their houses and they aren’t there. Tell William I want him to send Chris to his Middle Earth. Do not let him send Ben because if he sees a fed, Ben will shoot their ass. Oh and tell Chris, I like his ghillie suit but mine’s better.”

Ben stomped his foot, “No, I wouldn’t just shoot their ass!”

“Yes you would,” the others said together, even Ernest.

“I want Chris to go to Middle Earth in William’s favorite number of days,” Sonya continued and stopped, kissing William’s head. “That would be seven, my baby’s favorite number.”

Looking back at the note, Sonya read with tears gently running down her cheeks. “Tell Gene, Chris and Ben thank you from me for protecting my family. If others show baby, take Gene’s lead, he will know who to trust. If he approves of them, then they have earned my trust.

“I’m truly sorry this happened Sonya, and please tell William, if I believed for an instant they would stop if I turned myself in, I would. But I’ve found stuff out that you wouldn’t believe. They want me dead for starters, Buck was right. They have shoot to kill on sight orders.

“Tell Ben I still love him like a brother, but if he keeps spitting on my walkway, we will have words and tell Gene I’m sorry to see he’s dipping again because of my mess.”

Gene threw up his hands, “God damn it,” he shouted. “I’m going up in those hills and whoopin’ his ass! He’s acting like this is his fault!”

Ben stepped around the couch and grabbed Gene’s arm, stopping him from heading for the door. “You know that’s how Joshua is Gene. Now let Sonya finish, because the only way you head up in those hills is with me or stepping over my dead body and you don’t want to do either.”

When Gene had calmed down, Sonya continued. “I don’t think they will try taking William like that again but I can’t say how, I think they will try the house. Sonya, I’m sorry but I think anywhere you go they will try, at the house you’re on your ground. If they do, notify me with that phone. Ben knows where to take you to hole up and you make sure, Gene listens to him when Ben tells Gene he knows where to go.

“I want you, William and everyone there to have a backpack ready to go when they come. The way Chris and the two people with him are covering the area behind the house, the feds will never try that way. Oh and make sure, Chris has told Gene about his two friends. I saw Barbara and Sammy and hope they are staying there by now. Let Barbara know in girl talk that Ben is in love with her-,” Sonya stopped, realizing she was reading aloud.

She looked back at Ben to see his face was as red as his goatee. “Sorry Ben,” she smiled.

“It’s not like everyone didn’t know it,” he mumbled and Barbara kissed his cheek.

“We just wanted you to admit it,” Gene chuckled as Sonya continued.

“-big time and I can say for the first time, Ben chose a good one. I had to shoot one of the mules because it broke a leg and I had to make changes but other than that, I’m doing alright. Don’t worry about me. Keep your mind there on staying safe. I will keep them entertained and focused on me. I’m trying to come up with a plan for us to disappear but baby, if you read what they know about us, you would understand like I do now, we can’t run away.

“Middle Earth will relay some more, but tell Chris to be careful going there and don’t go near any open ground. They only have one functional drone and it’s staying near the house.”

“How in the hell does he know that?” Ernest gasped.

Sonya shrugged. “If he knew what we found out, he would shit his pants and faint.” Ernest looked at her then Gene.

“I will fill you in on that later,” Gene said as Sonya finished reading.

“Tell everyone I send my love and I miss you and William dearly. Take care of our boy and I hope to see you both up close one day and hug you tight. Your loving husband, Joshua.”

William looked up, wiping his face with his arm. “Dad’s seen us, I mean he’s been close enough to watch us,” he smiled with a splotchy face.

“Of course he has,” Ben chuckled. “You think he’s not going to check up and make sure Gene’s not screwing something up?”

“Just when I had hope for the boy,” Gene mumbled.

Sonya folded the note and looked at Ernest, “I’m not burning this,” she said with tense voice.

“Sonya, if you tried, I would wrestle that belt away from Gene,” Ernest smiled. “Is it dated? No. Even if they found it, they couldn’t prove when you got it. The envelope is a different story.”

“Ernest, Gene, William and I want to go to town with Ben and them. Do you think that would be okay?” Sonya asked and William jerked upright.

“Sonya, let me tell you something about the Minutemen. We believe the government has no right to limit the movements of people. Can we keep you safe? As safe as we can here. If you want to go to town, then to town we go,” he said turning to Gene.

“Hell yeah, we can go to town,” Gene snapped. “I need Copenhagen anyway. I have two leeches that take all mine.”

“Sonya, hold on a second,” Ernest said walking over looking at William. “William, can you make more of those?” he asked pointing at the laser disrupter.

Shrugging, “Yeah, but I used all my old laptops and everything here. I don’t even have the suction cups for the one I’m showing Sammy how to make,” William said.

“No, if I buy the stuff, could you make more?” Ernest asked. “I have people who can make them and have but they are busy right now, and there are other people in the area that need one.”

“Sure, it takes about an hour and a half to make one, so if you can wait that long after you get the stuff, I’m okay with it.”

Ernest grinned, shaking his head looking at Sonya. “You should know making that is a federal crime and I would like to ask if William can make them in the shop so the feds can only blame us, with your permission, of course.”

“If William wants to, he can. If the feds want to talk to him about it, I’m sending them to Nana,” she grinned.

Clapping her hands, Nana busted out cackling. “Where’s my purse, baby? You tell Nanna what you need and let them G-men come here and taste my double barrel.”

“Man, she’s feisty,” Barbara whispered.

“I guarantee you, she grew into that because she wasn’t like that when we grew up,” Ben said.

“Sonya, can I borrow some of Joshua’s clothes so I can buy the stuff that William needs? I don’t want the feds to know it’s me, at least, not yet,” Ernest said.

“Ernest, keep your Rambo on, I’ll buy it,” Gene said pulling his pistol out and checking it.

“Gene, I thin-,” Ernest stopped when Gene looked up at him and he holstered his pistol.

“Ernest, I’ve been a widower for a decade. I live alone and I assure you, I have the money so don’t start,” Gene said then grinned. “If you start, I’ll tell Ben he can go for a walk down to the feds new place.”

The color drained from Ernest’s face. “I can go?!” Ben shouted as Barbara wrapped her arms around him, stopping Ben from running out the door.

“No,” Ernest said in near panic. He didn’t know Ben personally, but everyone in the county knew; Ben could raise some serious hell. “You win sir,” Ernest said with a bow. “Let me tell the boys and get some rides up here. Sonya, you taking your minivan?”

“If I can. Joshua bought it before I could because I said I needed one. So, I could take my boy to sports and stuff,” she smiled.

Ernest nodded turning to Gene. “Let them ride in the minivan and I need you and Ben in your Bronco. I’ll have two cars in the front, you and Sonya, and two cars in the back. If anything happens, you lead them back here, and we’ll deal with what happens.”

Chris walked over, handing Gene his wallet. “Get me some dip,” he said and walked out the door.

Everyone gathered up at the vehicles and a last check was done before they loaded up. All of the Minutemen were in tactical gear, wearing balaclavas and looked menacing as hell. Ernest walked up carrying two handheld radios. “Don’t let them out of your sight because the feds can’t listen in,” he said handing one to Sonya and the other to Gene. “It’s against federal law for citizens to transmit in encrypted radio transmissions but since we’re cops now, they should leave us alone. If not, get back here and we’ll deal with them. The boys staying here will be waiting for you.”

They took the radios and everyone climbed in as a man mounted two flags on the first SUV. One was old glory and the other was the gabion ‘Don’t Tread on Me’. Gene laughed starting up his Bronco and seeing the flashing dome lights stuck on top of the black SUVs that the Minutemen were driving. Ben shut his door, seeing the lights come on. “We need one. I always wanted to drive a car with flashing lights. I’m sure it’s different than riding in the backseat.”

Gene shifted into drive and followed the lead cars out, making sure Sonya stayed behind him. “How did Chris get you to tell Buck about Ernest? I know Chris is the one that told you about the Minutemen, but you don’t like sticking your nose in other people’s business, unless it’s mine.” As he turned on the highway, Gene glanced over at Ben but didn’t talk. “Gene, that’s what you and Buck talked about on the porch. I just want to know how Chris was able to get you to talk.”

Taking a deep breath, “You’re smarter than you look or act,” Gene mumbled. “Keep your trap shut and that means, even to Barbara. Chris told me Ernest and the group were preparing to hit the feds in hard attacks. Chris knew if they did, the feds would come after Sonya and William because they would be like figureheads. I agreed and sent a message to Buck to see me ASAP, but acted very casual about it because it could get us killed.”

“Ernest and them would attack us even if they knew that?” Ben scoffed.

“The feds, dummy,” Gene grunted. “If they found out we knew the names of Minutemen, we would be in a dark hole till they got them out of us. As far as the feds are concerned, Ernest and his group are just a bunch of crazy militia.”

Glancing down and seeing they were above the speed limit, Gene thought about calling Ernest and asking him to slow down. Seeing the cars ahead pulling to the side, Gene grinned. “I like this.”

Reaching Priest River, they turned east heading for Sandpoint and noticed a sheriff’s car was leading them now. Glancing in his mirror, Gene saw two at the back of the group. “Guess Ernest called ahead,” Ben said looking in the mirror.

“Needs to tell me these things,” Gene said noticing the speed was picking up. “Those boys better realize this is a ’78 Bronco, not a Mustang.”

Reaching Sandpoint, they headed to an electronic store, the only one in town located in a shopping center and pulled up, stopping at the curb by the front door. They got out and the Minutemen jumped out, forming a half circle facing out. Several people in the shopping center turned and waved seeing Sonya.

When they came out carrying boxes of stuff, there was an actual crowd standing outside and cheering. They loaded up and sped off to Wally World. Speeding through the parking lot they stopped in front of one of the doors and again, loaded out with the Minutemen facing out but this time, some went inside with them.

At first, people mistook the Minutemen as feds, but then saw that they were the sheriff’s deputies. When they spotted Sonya, people would run over to her and the Minutemen would move, blocking them. Only when Sonya moved past them, did the Minutemen let the person closer.

After buying all of the Copenhagen that Walmart had, Gene stepped back outside and opened a can up. Seeing a Sheriff’s SUV pull in, he shoved a chunk of tobacco in his lip and put away the can. As the SUV pulled up, the passenger window rolled down and Buck was smiling at him.

“Had to get some snuff?” Buck grinned.

“Chris and Ben go through my snuff faster than I do,” Gene chuckled, seeing people gathering at the circle of Minutemen. “Word’s getting out that Sonya and William are in town.”

“It’s on the radio Gene. The DJ announced it and told anyone in town to wear a gun, in case the feds show up to take them,” Buck said glancing around. “They are happy to see them not boxed up.”

“If that’s the case Buck, you need to tell that sedan in the back of the parking lot,” Gene said nodding toward it. “Cars are piling in here and if this crowd finds out that’s feds, you’ll have to deal with a lynching.” Buck gave a long sigh glancing over his shoulder. “I’m just saying Buck. I know you walk the line and wouldn’t want to feel guilty about locking some of our residents up for it because you’re talking mob mentality.”

Buck looked as cars continued to pile into the parking lot. “Cory, get some patrol cars here for traffic control,” Buck said opening his door. “You want to go with me?”

“Can’t, I’m waiting till they call me that they’re ready to check out, so I can pay,” Gene said with a straight face and Buck took a step back. “Long story and I’m not in the mood,” Gene said, seeing the Minutemen stationed in the SUVs get out to join the semi-circle protecting the SUVs.

Buck nodded and walked around Cory’s SUV and the crowd parted, letting him through. Two men in the sedan saw him walking toward them and tried to act natural. Buck stopped at the driver’s window and tapped it. The driver held up his Homeland badge, but didn’t roll down the window.

“Boy, roll down this window or I’ll shoot your stupid ass,” Buck snapped. When the window rolled down, Buck held up a finger silencing the man. “I’m here as a courtesy gentlemen. As you can see, a crowd is gathering to wish Sonya and William luck. If that crowd spots you, they will kill you. You can see with your own eyes that most are armed and the local radio stations are telling people where Sonya and William are at and to come armed, in case you or your fellow agents attempt to abduct them. Now, I will prosecute the ones that do kill you, but you’ll still be dead. My advice is to leave because as you can see, you’re attracting attention.”

The man in the driver’s seat nodded, seeing many in the crowd look toward them with guns in their hands. He slammed the car in drive and squealed tires, leaving. “Thought you would see my point of view,” Buck said walking back.

Getting close, he was guessing it was over five hundred people in the throng around the SUVs. As he reached the crowd, everyone cheered him, patting his back as they let him through. When he reached the front, he found Sonya and William going around the crowd, shaking hands and telling people thank you.

“It’s funny,” he heard Ernest’s voice beside him. “They are cheering just because Sonya and William came to town, knowing the feds want to keep them bottled up.”

“I don’t want a war,” Buck said in a low voice.

“Oh, our deal still stands, but understand this, you may not want the war but it’s coming. They are getting stronger every day, getting ready to move out.”

“If it happens, then I know I’ve done everything I could to prevent it,” Buck said seeing Barbara and Sammy join Sonya and William.

“Oh, you have, and if it wasn’t for you, this war would already be going,” Ernest said seeing Ben and Gene roll several shopping carts and a flat cart to the vehicles. “Buck, you need to keep men close to you, but your wife especially. I had a man coming by your place tonight to tell you,” Ernest said in a low whisper. “Word is coming down; you need other things on your mind. Things that will take your mind off your job and out of their concern.”

Buck felt his heart race as he broke out in a cold sweat. “How reliable?”

“Very and it will happen soon,” Ernest said moving away to stand near Sonya. Buck jumped as several people started to shake his hand. He forced a smile and said thank you.

Seeing Sonya was going to go to every person around them with the crowd still growing, Ernest finally whispered to her that they needed to leave. As they piled into the SUVs, the crowd parted, allowing them to drive out. Having helped with crowd control, Cory saw the sheriff beside the SUV in a trance, like he got gut kicked.

“Sheriff, you okay?” he asked moving next to him.

With shock on his face, Buck looked up at Cory. “No, I’m not okay. I completely understand why Joshua did it. Just hearing it, I…,” he mumbled realizing his first thought had been to run to the feds and start killing. Then, he realized anyone can be pushed too far. “And if it happens to me, I won’t follow the letter of the law. I’ll cross the line.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

As the sky started to brighten, Joshua peered through his spotting scope at the team he had tracked down. He saw their fire from three miles away in the clearing where they camped beside the lake. “If you weren’t feds, the forestry boys would’ve fined you for that,” Joshua mumbled seeing the men pack up around the remains of the bonfire they’d had last night.

He couldn’t believe they were starting out this early, watching the men pull on backpacks and checking rifles. One man was off to the side, talking into a radio as the others got ready to move out. “You must be the eager bunch,” he said taking his eye off the spotting scope.

Putting the lens covers on, he put the scope back in its case and zipped it up. Sitting on a hill just a mile away, he could barely make them out with his eyes. Pulling out his binoculars, he brought them up to see the radio man packing up the radio.

When he saw the point man veer towards the lake, Joshua groaned. The point man walked a few yards and picked something up off the ground looking at it then headed right, walking up the spur to the ridge. Watching the man lead the team into the shallow draw that ran down the middle of the ridge, Joshua grinned. “Thank you.”

Holding his binoculars on the team till all were walking in the shallow draw, Joshua finally lowered them and grabbed his gear. Even though he was on a tree covered hilltop, he crouch-walked back into the trees to King and Jack who were just looking at him. “They are going where we wanted them,” he said climbing on King and giving him a gentle kick.

Guiding King down the hill to the ridge that the team was taking, Joshua headed up the draw and it started drizzling again. “Take it easy King,” he said, guiding him around trees. “I don’t need to be on foot because I refuse to ride Jack. A man must have some principles.”

Riding on the slope outside of the draw, Joshua could see the draw was fairly clear. Except for the ferns and fallen dead trees but for mountain terrain, it would be considered a sidewalk. Thirty minutes later, he pulled back on King seeing what he wanted; a fairly large log over the draw that had to be stepped over with thick brush on both sides. A three-foot-wide clearing over the log made a natural funnel.

Climbing off, Joshua led King and Jack up the slope a little more and he went back to Jack. He untied the grizzly trap, grunting as it fell into his arms. “Mountain men were crazy to lug these things around,” he panted, carrying it down the slope. “I would’ve just sat in a hide to shoot a damn bear before lugging this thing around.”

Coming down behind the log, he set down the number sixteen grizzly bear trap. It was almost four feet long and weighed just over fifty pounds. Shaking his head at the massive trap, Joshua ran back to Jack to get the rest of the stuff he needed.

Walking back down, he folded out his folding shovel and leveled a spot beside the log. Satisfied, Joshua grabbed a three-foot-long steel rod and fed it through the steel ring at the end of the thick chain connected to the trap.

Pulling the trap over, he grabbed the half-inch cable that had eyes at both ends and wrapped it around the fallen log in the bushes. Grabbing a three-inch-long, one-inch bolt and the thick chain attached to the trap, Joshua put the ring at the end of the chain between the two eyes and ran the bolt through. Smiling as he twisted the nut down as tight as he could, Joshua pulled out his multi-tool and selected the file. Right under the nut, he filed down the threads to make taking the nut off more difficult.

Finding that he couldn’t back the nut off, Joshua laid down the chain and folded up his multi-tool. “This is the part I don’t like,” he mumbled and grabbed the set poles. The six-foot-long poles were connected at the end like scissors and he put one spring between them.

Using his weight and muscle, he slowly squeezed the spring down. Holding the poles, he reached out with the spring clamp, just a U-shaped piece of metal, sliding it over the spring. When the clamp was on, he slowly released the pressure on the spring, seeing the clamp was holding. Repeating the process on the other spring, Joshua stepped back and gave a shiver.

The first rule of trapping was ‘always work a trap from the bottom’. Looking at the massive steel jaws closed together, Joshua knew there’d been a man down through history that had learned that lesson with this trap. After they’d lost a hand.

Standing beside the trap, he eased the jaws apart like the trap was going to jump up and bite him. When they were open, he grabbed one spring lifting it up and reaching under the trap to set the pan down to lock the springs and set the trap.

Even with the spring clamps on, he shivered looking at the big teeth around the jaws. Liking where the trap was, he grabbed the poles and took the spring clamps off. Looking at a set bear trap in the mountains, Joshua was sure this hadn’t happened in half a century.

Moving away from the area, he grabbed some ferns and standing to the side, used them to cover the trap. When he couldn’t see it, he looked at his watch and saw it’d taken him thirty minutes. Walking up the slope around the log to the other side, he found some small dead logs and positioned them near the funnel to force the team where he wanted them.

Knowing if he’d been on the team, they would be getting here soon, Joshua gathered his gear and moved back up to King and Jack. In case the team didn’t show, he stored the set poles and climbed on King, heading further up the slope.

Glancing back as he rode up and along the slope, Joshua finally found a small cliff three hundred yards away and two hundred feet over the draw that he could watch from. There was no way on Earth he was going to set any trap and leave it, in case an innocent person showed up walking in the woods.

Tying King and Jack up, he eased back down to the spot overlooking the trap, laying his Lapua down and covering up with the ghillie blanket. More to keep warm and dry from the drizzle than to hide from the team. Getting comfortable, Joshua waited. He was only three miles from where the team had camped and knew he would’ve made that in an hour, an hour and a half tops.

Looking at his watch two and a half hours later, Joshua sighed wondering where to hole up till late afternoon so he could go and retrieve the trap. Thinking about how he was going to get that nut off, Joshua leaned down, looking through the scope down into the draw. Seeing movement, his heart sped up, then he saw a head.

Slowly, the first man walked up the draw using a stick in one hand with his rifle slung over his shoulder. Seeing the man panting, Joshua wondered if any of the ones after him were in shape. Leisurely, the rest of the team came up behind the point man. All of them had their rifles slung, but only a few had suppressors and one had a gun hanging across his chest.

Pushing record on the camera and reaching up, Joshua focused his scope to see it was a belt-fed machine gun across the man’s chest. “Motherfuckers ‘are’ wanting a war,” he mumbled. Zooming his scope out, Joshua moved the crosshairs to the hidden trap then back down the draw to the team, figuring they were a hundred yards away from it.

Like he was playing a college prank, Joshua grinned and focused the scope again as the team stopped, pulling out drinking tubes and a few pulled out cans of soda. He could see their faces clearly as they panted and sucked down fluids.

One that was drinking a can of soda crushed the can, tossed it and unzipped his pants, relieving himself. “Oh, I have to drag a porta potty in, but you can just piss and shit anywhere?” he growled.

A man walked past the point man patting his chest and saying something before moving up the draw. “You need to buy a lottery ticket,” Joshua said with his crosshairs on the old point man. The new point man had his thumb under the sling of the M4 hanging on his shoulder, looking around like he was on a nature walk. The others fell in behind him as the old point man waited till the others had passed and brought up the rear.

Following the new point man with his crosshairs, Joshua wanted to tell him to hurry up. When he was a few steps away from the log, Joshua moved the crosshairs to the trap. Reaching the log, the new point man paused, looking around and then stepped over.

Joshua jumped, slightly moving the crosshairs upon seeing the jaws snap shut and he heard them clang shut three hundred yards away. But it was followed by a bloodcurdling scream so loud, he was sure someone heard it in Boise.

All of a sudden, gunfire roared in the draw as the others pulled off their weapons and just shot. Some shot down the draw, others shot to the side and up the draw and Joshua held the crosshairs on one who was shooting up in the air.

The one with the belt-fed machine gun held down the trigger, sweeping one slope then the other like the hounds of hell were charging down the slopes as the others put new magazines in and continued firing while the new point man continued to scream.

Only when the machine gun ran dry and the others had emptied their third magazine did they stop firing, but point man was still screaming, lying on the log. The closest man moved up, dropping his empty magazine and slamming in a new one. He looked over the log at point man’s bloody leg in the massive jaws and turned, puking on another man who had followed him up.

The others ran up to see what happened and Joshua could tell that more than one felt nauseous, but only one more puked. All at once, the nine men pulled out something to call someone on. Two pulled out radios, three pulled out the brick satellite phones and he chuckled, seeing the others were pulling out regular cellphones. All the while, point man was still screaming.

“You have to call someone to find out what to do,” he mumbled seeing all of them starting to look at each other. One finally stepped over to one of the men with a radio and pointed up the slope, then turned to the others pointing at the point man who was still screaming.

The others, glad someone else was taking charge, moved to do what he’d said. Joshua moved the crosshairs to the man running up the slope and saw what looked like a pole sticking out of the side of his backpack. “You going to raise a flag up there? They could use your pole,” he said and ran his scope up the slope then back down to the man.

Catching glimpses of the man through the trees as he ran up the slope, Joshua moved his crosshairs to the bare ridge then down to running man, and found he wasn’t running anymore up the steep slope. The man was gasping and only moving at a walk, using bushes and trees to pull himself up the slope. When he reached the cleared ridge, the man dropped to his knees gasping and pulling his pack off.

“Joshua says, no,” he mumbled holding the crosshairs on the man’s chest while slowly squeezing the trigger. The rifle bucked and Joshua watched the man fall on his side. He knew even with a suppressor, the ones in the draw might hear three hundred yards away, but he wasn’t worried about them. With all the gunfire he knew their ears were ringing, not to mention the bloodcurdling scream from the point man.

Seeing that the man he’d shot was barely moving, Joshua moved his crosshairs back down to the draw, hearing the scream suddenly stop and saw that the point man had passed out. Looking at the leg, Joshua knew the bear trap probably almost amputated it. Someone had had the frame of mind to use a belt and make a tourniquet as Joshua had dealt with the running man.

He watched as four men argued and three tried to pry the trap apart with their hands. The only thing they accomplished was jerking the point man’s leg waking him up to resume screaming. They next fed belts into the jaws to see if that would give them some leverage, but only made the point man scream louder.

“Guys, unless the springs are pressed, you aren’t moving those jaws,” Joshua mumbled and moved his crosshairs back up to running man to find him laying still. Moving back to the group, he saw they were now trying to use their belts on the springs to compress them.

“Points for being inventive,” Joshua said and realized if they used their belts like a tourniquet it might work, if they could crank them down hard enough. But they were trying to tighten the belts up by hand like they would wear a belt and that was just moving the trap and making the point man scream.

His screams had gotten much weaker and Joshua could barely hear them now as the leader waved everyone away from the trap and looked at it. He pointed at the cable and two men and then he pointed at the others. The two men moved over and went to work with multi-tools, trying to get the bolt out as the others pulled out hatchets and started chopping down small trees.

Watching in fascination, Joshua saw one of the men who was working on the bolt jump up and start screaming at the leader. The leader screamed back, waving at the cable and Joshua realized it was the machine gun man who was screaming at the leader as he lifted up the machine gun, aiming at the cable. The others moved back as he sighted on the cable. “Not a good idea buddy,” Joshua said as thunder erupted in the draw when machine gun shot at the cable.

One of the men off to the side dropped down grabbing his lower leg and the leader started waving his arms to get machine gun to stop. Machine gun only stopped when his machine gun ran out of bullets. The leader ran over and hit him in the back of the head, pointing at the man lying on the ground and holding his leg. “If you would’ve just shot the trap, your ricochets would’ve saved me a lot of trouble,” Joshua grinned as machine gun put another belt in.

The leader pointed at machine gun and up the slope where the running man lay. Machine gun yelled at the leader, but started walking up the slope. Watching machine gun till he was a little way up the slope, the leader pointed at a man who was bringing over a tree he’d chopped down.

The tree chopper moved over to the man lying on the ground holding his leg as the leader looked at the tree the point man had passed out on. Calling over two men with hatchets, the leader pointed at the log and with one on either side, the two went to work chopping the log. “You could just lift the tree up and slide the cable off,” Joshua offered moving his crosshairs up the slope till he found machine gun.

Knowing he was going to come out close to the running man, Joshua kept his crosshairs on him as machine gun walked up the slope. He would’ve taken the shot but with only spaces measured in inches between the trees, Joshua just followed him till he reached the bare ridge.

It took a while, but he didn’t want machine gun to tattletale and run back to the others. Watching how they’d dealt with a wounded man was teaching Joshua a lot. When machine gun reached the top, he bent over with his hands on his knees as Joshua squeezed the trigger.

Machine gun clutched his chest dropping on his butt, then sprawling out. Racking the bolt, Joshua put the crosshairs on machine gun and held them there, still hearing the hatchets chopping away on the log. He could see machine gun’s mouth moving like he was calling out, but he was coughing up frothy blood.

Knowing machine gun didn’t have long, Joshua moved back to the group and found the leader over with the man that machine gun shot in the leg. He soon figured out the chopped down trees were to make a stretcher, but he couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t used the hundreds of small ones already lying down.

An hour after they’d started, the two tree choppers called the leader over and pointed at one of the thin logs Joshua had placed to help form the funnel. Shoving it in the small opening under the log two more came over and continued chopping.

The two on the pry log soon lifted the tree up as others ran over placing rocks under it to hold it up higher as the chopped end fell off. All but shot-in-the-leg moved over and lifted point man off of the log and Joshua saw that he was only moaning now. Setting him on the ground, they lifted the log again and slid the cable down until they finally slid it off.

As the leader went over to shot-in-the-leg, the others finished the stretcher and with two carrying the trap and four carrying point man, placed him on the stretcher. “Point man, I would’ve just pulled out my pistol and shot myself,” Joshua said, seeing shot-in-the-leg stand up with a bandage on his leg and hobble over.

The leader got on the handheld radio and Joshua was presuming to call machine gun and the running man as the others gathered around the stretcher. Giving a last look up the slope, the leader waved everyone down the draw and then went to help shot-in-the-leg to follow.

Glancing at his watch, Joshua shook his head. It had taken them almost three hours to free point man. Looking up and seeing how slowly they were moving, he didn’t think point man would make it but he didn’t shoot. The ones coming for him couldn’t learn to be scared. If he killed everyone, the other teams wouldn’t find out for a while, but if he sent some back with horror stories, they would learn real fast. These mountains were dangerous to federal agents and those helping them.

Gathering his stuff, he moved up to King and Jack who just looked at him. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. I didn’t know they were going to open up with machine guns from a trap going off.”

Taking the set poles, Joshua dropped them onto the ground and climbed up on King. He guided King down the draw and up the side, turning on the radio. It didn’t take him long to find the running man and Joshua climbed off. Walking over, he saw the ‘pole’ sticking out of the running man’s pack was a big gun barrel. Undoing the pack, he pulled out a large upper receiver and then dug into the pack, pulling out a lower.

“A Barret fifty! What am I, a water buffalo now?!” he cried looking at the massive gun. He mounted the upper on the lower and pushed the locking pins in and picked up the thirty-pound gun. “My God,” he huffed. Chris had one and Joshua had shot it. It was a nice gun but to carry one he thought it was stupid if you were on foot. The gun alone was thirty pounds but with the scope and suppressor Joshua put the weight over forty.

Almost tempted to leave it, Joshua finally mounted it on Jack. “Shut up Jack. You’re not carrying the trap anymore,” he said then went through running man’s pack to find two five round clips and twenty shells. Holding one of the giant shells up, “Each shell weighs a pound and I can hit just as far with my Lapua,” Joshua said.

Leaving the radio, but pulling it out to look like he messed with it, he went to machine gun guy. “A SAW,” Joshua nodded taking the machine gun. He had seen them a few times at gun competitions, but had never shot one. Stripping machine gun guy, he found several more belts and held up what looked like a long grenade.

Not knowing what it was, he laid it to the side and pulled out the man’s ID to see he was FBI on the hostage rescue team. Taking the ammo that he could use, food, batteries and a few other items, along with the machine gun, Joshua left everything else, but did find a bottle of Mountain Dew which he opened.

Putting the stuff on King and Jack, he pulled out a scrench and put it in running man’s hand. Then he took a rein he’d cut off of one of the dead horses and wrapped one end around running man’s wrist. The other end he wrapped around running man’s neck like he was choking himself or leading himself. Climbing on King, Joshua headed back into the trees. “That should screw with their heads,” he grinned.

“Command, this is team twenty. We need immediate evac,” the radio called out thirty minutes later.

“This is command, what’s your location?” After a few seconds, team twenty read out their coordinates. “We have your location and you need to move to road five miles to your southeast.”

“Command, we have two wounded and need evac now by air. One is critical.”

A few seconds went by and a different male voice came on the radio. “Team twenty, this is command, did you find suspect?”

“Negative, but we need evac.”

“What’s your situation?”

“A man stepped in a huge trap and another was shot.”

“The suspect engaged you?”

“Negative, gunshot was a ricochet from trying to free the man in the trap,” he paused. “I’ve lost two of my team that I sent to establish radio contact and haven’t been able to contact them.”

The radio was silent for several minutes. “Team twenty, we’ve got a civilian medevac flight coming. All our choppers are still not on site. ETA twenty minutes.”

“Command, he won’t make it that long. This trap almost chopped his leg off!”

“Put a tourniquet on the leg.”

“We did that GOD DAMN IT and had to chop a log in half just to get the man out of the woods! Now get us the fuck out of here!”

“You are federal agents and will act like it. Help is coming but as you know, this area is remote. Your second casualty, is he mobile?”

“Affirmative, but I’m carrying him and the other six have to swap out on the stretcher.”

“You’re doing a good job, twenty. Now, move toward the road and units will pick you up. The med chopper will only be able to carry wounded.” Several minutes went by and twenty didn’t answer. “Team twenty, did you copy?”

“Copy, but doing CPR on critical now.”

Joshua rode along a ridge listening to the conversation and shaking his head. “All that hard work you did and point man dies. Man, that’s got to suck.”

“Team twenty, the chopper is inbound, keep CPR going.”

The radio fell silent as Joshua rode on, but came on five minutes later. “Command, doing CPR still but no response, pupils fixed but CPR continues until chopper arrives.”

“Well, you chopped a log in half with hatchets. It wasn’t a total loss,” Joshua said rounding Upper Priest Lake.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sitting in the conference room, Griffey stared at the massive grizzly trap on the table. “Sir, may I start until they get here?” Wagner asked sitting beside him.

Griffey looked up at the clock, seeing it was 1015. “No, Moore will be here soon,” he said looking at the trap. “My God, what kind of person would use this on another man?”

Ten minutes later, Moore busted into the room with Agent Winters behind him carrying several folders. Both were wearing mudstained boots, jeans, Gore-Tex jackets and were soaked. “It’s really raining now,” Moore said taking off his jacket and hanging it up.

“This meeting is for senior command members only. Agent Winters will have to leave,” Wagner snapped.

Moore dropped down in his chair, shaking his head. “She stays and you can leave, if a woman offends you so much,” he said as she sat down next to Moore, spreading out the folders and smiling at Wagner.

“Wagner, just shut up,” Griffey moaned. “Well Moore, what did you find?”

“It was a trap so Joshua could watch how we dealt with wounded. The other two team members were shot at the top of the ridge with a high powered rifle, one shot apiece. One of the crime scene guys had to be flown to the hospital because Joshua put a flashbang under one of the bodies,” he said opening a notebook that Winters passed him.

“Where the hell did he get a flashbang?”

With a tired face, Moore looked up. “From us. The agent we found it under was on the hostage rescue teams and the spoon clearly said, ‘Property of the FBI’.”

“Okay, so he,” Griffey waved at the monster trap, “set this contraption up for one of our guys to step in and just watches? Moore, I’m not stupid, the area out there is huge. How could he know where they would walk? That trap is big but come on, you’re kind of pushing this a little,” Griffey said and Wagner snorted.

“Oh, I looked where it was placed and Joshua placed the trap in a natural funnel. The only way he could’ve known that, would be if he was following them and moved ahead,” Moore said glancing at the trap. “It’s a number sixteen grizzly bear trap.”

“So, did you find ATV tracks?” Griffey asked.

Moore scoffed. “We made a State Park Ranger go up there with us, the east side of the lake is all state park. We picked him up but when we dropped him off at the ranger station, he offloaded an ATV from his truck and showed me. Unless Joshua rode through dirt or what the ranger called ‘tread lightly’ which means not making the tires dig into dirt, you won’t find tracks. In the forest, Griffey, there are ferns waist high and the ranger said in a few weeks they will be chest high in places. He pulled out a shovel and dug down in the forest and I shit you not, he dug a foot and a half before hitting dirt. There is so much loam on the floor, you can bounce on it. Now, we didn’t find where Joshua rode in the forest because the Ranger said there an ATV would leave a trail, disturbing ferns. The ranger said even a city slicker would be able to spot it.”

“But on a ridge to the north just inside the tree line, the ranger spotted what could’ve been ATV tracks, but he said with the rain he couldn’t be sure,” Moore said looking at his notes. “The ranger said it would be the right location you would leave one at, so you wouldn’t leave tracks and still get down into the draw where the trap was set.”

“And you think he’s right?” Griffey asked.

“He’s from here, I’m not. That’s what the power of local help can do so, yes,” Moore said. “Joshua took all the ammunition, rifle magazines, night vision devices, one thermal scope, two self-opening tents off the bodies but left-,” he paused looking at his notes. “BATF Agent Conley’s M4 and side arm, but took a Barrett fifty caliber sniper rifle with ammunition. Agent Dotson of the FBI was missing his SAW and all ammunition.”

Griffey lowered his head to the table. “What the hell was one of them carrying a Barrett for?”

“Ah, I asked and your orders cleared them for shoot on sight and every team has sniper capabilities,” Moore said, then glanced up at Wagner. “What does this stuff he took tell you, super-secret agent?”

“Well, um, it suggests he is collecting superior firearms to use against us,” Wagner said lifting his chin.

“Winters,” Moore said leaning back. “What does this tell us?”

“He has weapons and ample food supplies, but is limited on what he can carry. We now know he has night fighting capabilities and can take out material targets at extreme range. The self-opening tents are impervious to weather and would make a good stash pile protector. This would allow the suspect to make multiple caches around him, thereby limiting what he has to carry.”

Blinking rapidly, Wagner shook his head. “I would’ve known that had I actually seen the area.”

“Then I’ll bring you next time,” Moore said reaching over and taking a small notebook from the pile of stuff around Winters. “Griffey, Joshua pulled the radio out that Conley was carrying and it looks like he tried to get it to work.”

Griffey almost looked relieved. “Well, unless you know the code, the radio is useless.”

Moore opened up the notebook and held it out for Griffey. “If Joshua had looked harder, he would’ve found it. Granted, that radio was only programmed with the fifteen frequencies we are using this week, but it would’ve given him great insight. You have to tell the teams that they can’t write the codes down for anything.”

Winters cleared her throat. “And may I suggest sir, that we make sure someone checks the radios before the teams get to the field. It’s very easy to program the frequencies into the radio and if one team went out with all of our frequencies and the code for that radio, Mr. Anderson would know every move we make.”

Picking up a pen, Griffey looked at Wagner. “If I find out that a team goes out with the code written down again, I’m blaming you Wagner, and will report that directly back to Washington, are we clear?” Wagner nodded dumbly. “You will make sure every radio that leaves this command area is only programmed with the codes needed.”

“I will have it done before the next teams go out tomorrow,” he said with his voice breaking.

“What else Moore? Surely, you have more bad news,” Griffey said.

Getting out of his chair, Moore walked over to a huge wall map and picked up a marker. “Like I said, Joshua was watching. He could’ve killed all of them, but wanted to watch how they performed under stress,” Moore said marking the map. “He could’ve set up anywhere along the ridge and observed. Now, we know the rifle he used blew through the ballistic plates of the agents’ vest, front and back, so his rifle is large and powerful. No projectiles were recovered but I had Schmidt with me, and he said his money was on a .338 Lapua by the look of the wounds. His other reasoning was that it offered more bang for the buck when compared to the weight of the rifle and ammunition.”

Tossing down the marker, Moore walked over to Winters holding out his hand. “Joshua left his calling card as well,” he said as Winters passed him two plastic evidence bags. Moore tossed one in front of Griffey that contained the now familiar scrench. Tossing the other one down, Griffey saw it contained a rolled up leather strap.

“What’s this?” he asked looking up.

“A rein from a horse, Joshua is telling us he took out that patrol and we aren’t going to find them easily. That’s why he let us know, and he posed the man Griffey,” Moore said sitting back down. “Joshua wants us to know he’s killing our men when he wants and where he wants. But I hope you realize, he wants the ones searching for him to know. That’s what that little show was for yesterday. All the teams out heard it and most here know about it because some were in the command area listening to the radio, and word spreads fast.”

Nodding as he started writing. “Wagner, no unauthorized personnel in the command area, is that clear? We can’t have the search teams getting frightened.”

“You really think that will do any good?” Moore said and Winters snorted, trying not to laugh. “Griffey, they are agents and will put the pieces together. If you block them like that, they will think you’re hiding something.”

“I don’t care,” he said looking up. “They have a job to do and will do it. Anything else?”

“No,” Moore sighed.

Griffey lifted his arm up, pointing at the trap with his pen. “Can you just go and buy one of these?”

“Yeah, and have it delivered to your house,” Moore said looking at the trap.

“Do you think he had this beforehand?”

“Oh, I know he did,” Moore said grabbing one of the folders in front of Winters. He flipped it open and flipped through the pages. He stopped and held one up. It showed Joshua and William standing in front of a fireplace and sitting on the mantle was a huge bear trap with a big bone in the jaws.

“Where did you get that?” Griffey said reaching over taking it.

“Joshua’s wife, Sonya’s Facebook page,” Moore said leaning back in his chair. “But that’s not his house. Look at the walls in the picture, it’s a log cabin.”

“Where is it?” Griffey asked looking up.

“We are trying to find out,” Moore sighed.

“You had the information for what, over a week?!”

Shaking his head, “No, it was delivered over a week ago and destroyed in the blast that was a ‘tragic fueling accident’. I had to request it be resent and it’s showing up here piecemeal.”

“Bring his wife here and make her tell us!” Griffey shouted.

“Griffey, you were sitting in that chair and heard what Schmidt said about assaulting that house, and we would have to assault it to get her here.”

Throwing the printed photo down, Griffey jumped out of his chair. “He could have a cabin that he’s operating from!”

“I’m certain he does,” Moore said. “But it isn’t in his name and none of his associates has a cabin like that.”

“Make that a priority,” Griffey said dropping in his chair.

“You think I would put this on the back burner? I’ve been looking for it before I ever landed Griffey. In several posts, it says they were going to ‘Joshua’s cabin’, but no mention of where or how far away.”

“Find a way to get it from them or I will,” Griffey said narrowing his eyes. “He’s killing our agents and you aren’t pushing back.”

“Because I know it would do no good,” Moore growled. “You lift a finger toward his family again and you’ll have another explosion, Griffey. That was your warning in Spokane. Joshua was telling you he will fight this war man to man, but mess with his family again and you’re getting mass casualties. It could be anywhere, like he was telling you in Spokane. He can come and go at will, but he chose to come back and fight you man to man.”

“The government doesn’t back down from threats,” Griffey said.

“Did you read my last report?” Moore asked and Griffey thumbed through his papers. “Griffey, you forwarded it to Washington yesterday.”

“I can’t recall, what did it say?”

“He will target the families of those above us if we attack his family again. Now, do you really want to set Joshua off and have your director’s kids get gunned down?”

Griffey froze and his face paled. “You put that in a report?”

“It wasn’t only mine; the Behavior Science Unit came up with the same thing two days ago.”

Looking over at Wagner, “You make damn sure none of our men go anywhere close to his wife and child, is that understood? If they see his wife and son, they are to turn around and take off running, dropping their weapon.”

“I understand that clearly sir,” Wagner said nodding making notes.

“You done?” Griffey asked Moore and he nodded. “Okay Wagner, what do you have?”

“Sir,” he said handing a folder to Griffey and passing one over the table to Moore. “We’ve received hits on both state troopers’ credit cards,” he said as Moore read the report.

“This correct? The first usage was two days after IRS Agent Durrell was shot?” Moore asked.

“Yes,” Wagner said. “Trooper Duncan’s card was used again that same day in Seattle, but Trooper Lance’s wasn’t used for a day and it showed up in Salt Lake. All of these were fuel purchases and we have no video from the stores at the pumps. They purposely found stores that we couldn’t get video from,” he said smiling.

“Wagner,” Moore looked up unimpressed. “They’re cops. They know we can track credit cards. Why risk it?”

“They wanted to try it, to see if we are looking for them.”

Reading the report Moore was holding over his shoulder, Winters scoffed. “Humph, they know we are looking for them. You can get on any computer and see APBs.”

“Of course, but look at it from a fugitive’s perspective,” Wagner said digging in his papers.

“I usually do,” Winters said, reading over Moore’s shoulder.

Wagner looked up, “They would think we are putting most of our resources into catching Mr. Anderson and their hunt is a small sideshow.”

“Very thin,” Moore said reading. “What’s your theory? Why did they returned to command and killed Agent Kellogg?”

Looking down at a piece of paper, “Agent Kellogg’s research area was of possible local sympathizers, and we have found several connections to both Duncan and Lance among them.”

“Yeah,” Moore sang out looking up. “We got the information for almost a hundred people dumped on us and some were deputies around here, and state troopers are cops and will know other cops.”

“We’ve also identified three civilians,” Wagner snapped.

Reaching over Moore’s shoulder and pointing at the report, Winters laughed reading. “Your civilians were criminals that Duncan and Lance had arrested, and that three of the deputies arrested.”

“It’s a connection,” Wagner growled.

Griffey looked up, laying down the report. “So far, I’m not impressed, Wagner.”

“Sir, if you’ll look on page three, item number four, Lane’s card was used in Reno two days ago. We have video but didn’t get his face and the clerk saw the driver’s license, confirming it was the man in the video. You can see the man handing over the license, but he knew where the camera was and made sure his face wasn’t caught.”

Snatching up the report, Griffey flipped to page three. “Well, this is something.”

“Sir, as cops, they would know how to avoid cameras. But I think their actions were spur of the moment because they thought they were being linked to local sympathizers. Both men served in the military and are on our watch list. Searching Kellogg’s notes, they didn’t find their names or took the folders of who could really connect them to this hot bed area. As Agent Moore pointed out, much information was destroyed and until we can go through it, we won’t know.”

“Still thin, but not transparent,” Moore said laying down the folder and Winters picked it up and continued to read. Seeing Wagner was about to say something, “Don’t, I’m not in the mood,” he warned.

“Okay Wagner. Put another dozen agents on this, but keep me updated,” Griffey said nodding and laying the folder down.

“Yes sir,” he beamed.

Griffey looked over at Moore, “Moore, I asked your opinion on putting some of our search teams on ATVs and you still haven’t given me your reply.”

“Griffey,” Moore sighed. “If we put them on ATVs, we are going to have a lot of accidents. Like a horse, you have to know how to ride the damn thing. Those that don’t, will stay on the few roads and won’t find shit. The few who do go off-road, will end up rolling down a mountain.”

“So you advise against it?”

“No, if you have people here that can ride them, I would throw their ass on one, like that game warden from Oregon. But just throw anyone on them, and the six choppers we got last night will be doing nothing but picking up broken bodies from ATV wrecks.”

“Wagner, find that game warden from Oregon and have him find fifty men that he thinks can handle ATVs in this terrain. Have him go into town and requisition what he needs and the owners can file for payment with the requisitions,” Griffey said making a note.

“Yes sir,” Wagner said. “Sir, if I may suggest, why don’t we get the game warden to teach more men to ride?”

“No, I think Moore is right about the men not searching, but if we have men moving around on ATVs, Mr. Anderson will notice and will have to slow his movements and when he slows his movements enough, we will catch him.”

“Very good sir,” Wagner nodded.

“Wagner, why aren’t my drones up?”

“Well, sir, that was my next item. The four drones we have are down for parts,” Wagner said as Griffey looked up.

“The military doesn’t have this problem, why do I?”

“We are under contract with the companies for them to provide maintenance staff, but they are shorthanded.”

“Have the problem corrected or get someone to correct it.”

“Griffey, we can’t threaten them. They aren’t some small business; they are major defense contractors.”

“Call the director or chairman and have them deal with it then,” Griffey said looking up. “Anything else?” When nobody spoke, Griffey got up and walked out, looking at the trap on the table before leaving.

When Wagner had left, Winters looked up from her reading. “The only thing I’m buying in Wagner’s report is that the troopers’ actions were spur of the moment.”

Moored nodded, “Yes, but I still can’t see a reason.”

“Sir, it may be the same reason why everyone around here is against us. We’re feds going after a local boy.”

Feeling his phone vibrate, Moore dug it out and tapped the screen. “Oh,” he said looking at the message.

“Sir?” Winters asked as he put the phone away.

“Someone I didn’t think would ever contact me,” he said getting up. “Want to go for a ride?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Stopping the SUV, Moore climbed out, looking at the small diner in Sandpoint. “Who are we meeting?” Winters asked getting out.

“The sheriff,” Moore said closing the door and noticed several people staring at them with hostile expressions.

The door to the diner flew open, “I asked for them to come here,” Buck bellowed out, looking around at the people staring at Moore and Winters. The group nodded but still looked at Moore and Winters with icy stares. “Come inside Moore,” Buck said holding the door open and noticed Winters. “If she’s with you, she needs to come in as well.”

Hitting the alarm on the SUV, Moore walked toward the door. “Sheriff, this is Agent Winters, she’s been on my team since she graduated the Academy, except for the year she joined HRT,” Moore said then jerked his head toward some of the onlookers. “Why in the hell are these people so hostile? Those men over by that truck almost look ready to open fire on us.”

“You have to ask?” Buck snorted as they walked in and he led them to a back corner table. “It seems they know you’ve been listening in on all cellphones in the area, and other things.”

Buck slid into a chair putting his back to the wall and looked over at his deputy, Cory. “Cory, go make sure their ride isn’t tampered with,” Buck said pointing to two chairs. They both sat down as Cory headed for the door.

“So, what is so important?” Moore said as a waitress came over, setting down drinks. She smiled at Buck, but dropped the smile when looking at Moore and Winters.

Waiting till the waitress left, Buck leaned over the table. “Moore, like I told you before, I have friends in Washington and I just got a message to protect my wife.”

“From what sheriff?” Winters asked sniffing her glass of water.

Chuckling, Buck smiled at Winters. “Dottie wouldn’t tamper with your water or food,” he said and turned to Moore. “I was told to protect my wife from you.”

“Me? What the hell for?” Moore asked in a low voice. “I would never threaten your wife, and I would run from your mother-in-law.”

“Not you personally, but your people,” Buck said pulling out an envelope. Opening it up, he handed over some pictures. “You know these two men?”

Taking the pictures, Moore looked at them and saw two men dressed in faded jeans, work boots and t-shirts at the front of Buck’s house by the front door. Flipping to another picture, he saw one man messing with the doorknob and in the next, the men were walking inside. “Someone broke into your house and you think it’s us?” Moore asked looking up.

As Moore looked at the photos, Buck stared at his face, studying it intently. When Moore looked up, Buck leaned back in his chair. “So, you have no knowledge of this?”

“Of what? Two men breaking into your house? I’m an FBI agent, not local law enforcement. Hell, you should know them more than I would,” Moore said laying the photos down and Winters picked them up.

“Well, Moore, they came from your new command area, so why in the hell should I know them?”

“Did what?” Moore shouted then cringed as he glanced around and noticed that except for the waitress, the diner was empty. Turning back to Buck, “Are you saying those two men came from our command center?”

Pulling more photos out, Buck handed them over. “I’m not saying,” Buck said as Moore took the photos and Winters leaned over to look at them with him. “I have proof.”

Not looking up, Moore saw the same two men driving up to the gate at the command center. Other pictures showed them getting out of the car and heading to one of the buildings. “What’s that building?” he asked looking up at Winters.

Giving a shrug, “It’s a building loaded with supplies for the search teams,” she said studying the faces. “I don’t know them, but we have almost twenty-seven hundred federal agents on site now with more arriving every day.”

Turning to Buck, Moore shook his head, “You don’t think I had something to do with this, do you?”

“I don’t know, that’s why you’re here,” Buck said as Winters looked up from the pictures.

“Sheriff,” she said turning a picture around to show the two men leaving his house. “What did they do? They didn’t leave with anything.”

“Oh yes, they did,” Buck said pulling out a plastic bag from his pocket with ‘Evidence’ stamped on it. Inside was a pill bottle. “They took my wife’s blood pressure medication and left these. Would you like to take one?” he asked cutting his eyes at Moore. “I sent one off to be analyzed but I can tell you, my gut thinks they’re deadly.”

“You have proof?” Moore asked looking at the bottle.

“Oh, yeah, I have video,” Buck said putting the bag away.

Holding a picture out in front of Moore, “They were wearing surgical gloves,” Winters said, showing him the photo of the two men leaving Buck’s house.

“Yep,” Buck said pulling out more bags. Each one held a single surgical glove. “They tossed them out down the road and one of my deputies collected them. I’ve ran the fingerprints but wouldn’t you know it, these two men don’t exist. What really pisses me off is fifteen minutes after we ran the prints, Homeland calls me, wanting to know where I got those prints.”

“Sheriff, I swear to you, I never heard anything about this and wouldn’t condone it,” Moore said leaning back. “I’m here to catch a man wanted for the murder of federal agents.”

“So you’ve said,” Buck huffed putting the bags away. “No, I called you here to deliver a warning from me.”

“Sheriff, I’m not a messenger,” Moore said.

“Oh, you are now,” Buck said putting his elbows on the table as he leaned over it. “You tell those cocksuckers what I have and I have way more than one copy of this. If my wife or any member of my family or the families of any of my deputies so much as stubs their big toe and gets an infection, you are going to fight this entire county. I’ve already written out my will with a taped message calling for everyone to grab a gun and head for your command area. The line has been crossed.”

Winters let out a gasp sliding her chair back. “Sheriff, that’s inciting insurrection against the government. You’re an elected official and just for that threat, you could be arrested.”

“Damn it sheriff,” Moore said in a hushed voice. “They will rendition your ass out of the country for talking like that.”

“They will try,” Buck said with a somber face. “What really irritates me now, Moore, is you don’t even care that they were going to kill my wife to get my mind elsewhere. You’re just worried about me blabbing that I caught two government assassins in photos, on video, and have physical evidence.”

“Of course I care,” Moore snapped in a harsh whisper. “But you don’t know what you’re going up against, I do. The men in those photos will never be charged and on that, I can give you a guarantee. Just help me catch Joshua and we’ll be out of here. Then you won’t have to worry anymore.”

“Sheriff,” Winters said laying the photos on the table. “Mr. Anderson is a terrorist and you’re being seen as someone who’s putting up resistance in his capture. Other law enforcement agencies have hindered our investigations, but you’re the first to act openly hostile. I urge you to listen to Agent Moore.”

“Yeah, I had one of those sheriffs call me two days ago,” Buck said grabbing his glass of water. “He said he wanted to fight back because he knew you were wrong, but knew he would end up broken and in prison if he did. Me, I don’t give a shit. I’ve talked this over with my wife and she agrees; we won’t be bullied into collaboration. Moore, I told you I stand the line, but your side has broken it to get to me. Push me anymore and we won’t be in a civil peace, understand? No longer will I tell people to leave your people alone, nor will I arrest or detain them for their actions.”

Watching Buck drink the glass of water, Moore nodded and stood up. “Yes I do, sheriff, but you must understand, they won’t be pushed and don’t deal well with threats.”

Seeing Winters stand up, Buck smiled. “Leaving so soon?”

“I’ll see that your message is delivered,” Moore said sliding his chair under the table.

“I haven’t said the meeting was over,” Buck snapped standing up. “You know who those two are. Tell me who they are and I’ll tell you the easiest way for you to catch Joshua.”

Dropping her hand to her pistol, “We are federal agents and yo-,” she stopped as Moore put a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes, I have seen them before sheriff. They came in with Homeland Agent Wagner. They are on his special response team,” Moore said in a low voice looking at Buck’s face, but didn’t see a reaction. “You already knew.”

“Yes, I just wanted to see where your loyalties lie Moore, and it’s not to the oath you swore to uphold,” Buck said. “But a deal is a deal. You want to catch Joshua, pull all of your men out of the field and keep them close to your command area. You won’t even have to leave.”

Letting her pistol go, Winters looked at Moore in shock, then turned to Buck. “Then how the hell are we going to catch him if we’re not searching for him?”

Buck looked at her with no remorse. “You can catch him when he comes down out of the mountains to kill you. I warned Moore the last time we spoke that Joshua is at war. The monster you created is coming after you. Your only chance to catch him is to hold up and wait.”

“Why are you even trying to help us?” Moore asked.

Giving a shrug as he scooted his chair under the table, “You won’t do it because it will make you look weak,” Buck said with a hint of a grin. “That little bear trap was just the first. He now knows how to take you apart, and take you apart he will.”

Giving a nod as he turned for the door, “Sheriff, I will let them know to leave your wife alone, but I’m sure you know, I don’t carry much weight,” Moore said as Winters followed behind him.

When they got into the SUV, Moore sped out of the parking lot onto the road. Winters looked over at him as he weaved through traffic. “You think his idea would work?”

“Yes,” Moore snorted. “Joshua isn’t evading capture, Winters. He’s fighting.”

***

Joshua was sitting in a draw, crushing mushrooms up. His first wife, Mary had loved collecting wild plants and had taught Joshua about them because he went with her to collect them. Having learned from her mother and grandmother, Mary taught him about mosses, mushrooms and plants. Which were edible, which could be used as medicine, but the first thing she’d taught him were the ones that were deadly. Not to kill, but so he wouldn’t pick them up when they went collecting.

It had taken him a little while, but he’d found the first of what he was looking for. The destroying angel mushroom, one of the deadliest in America, even cooking it didn’t break down the poison. When Mary had first taught him when they were still in high school, Joshua had been beyond nervous. Three weeks before Mary died, they had gone collecting and Joshua had still made her double-check what he’d gathered.

Another mushroom he was crushing down into a paste was the brain mushroom. It wasn’t as deadly as the destroying angel, but he could get more juice from them. The destroying angel showed symptoms after ingestion within five to twelve hours but by then, the damage was already done. Some Native American tribes had even used it on arrows when they went to war. And this is how Joshua intended to use it.

When the metal cup he was using was half full of a nasty-looking paste, Joshua dug out some two-inch-long wood screws he’d picked up in Spokane. Grabbing some latex gloves he’d also bought, he packed the paste in the thick grooves of the screws and set them aside.

Grabbing the Conibear traps and some thin wire, he wired three screws to each side of the box trap. “This gives a whole new meaning to a ‘dangerous trap’,” he mumbled setting the first trap to the side.

When he was done, he looked at the eighteen traps. “Now, it’s time to find a spot to place them,” he said pulling out his map and checking the locations of the teams that were out.

***

Turning up Highway 57, Moore pressed on the gas making the big engine roar. “How did the sheriff even find out about someone going after his wife?” Winters asked looking out the window. “I’m just wondering, it’s wrong and they should be punished, but this is Bonner County, Idaho. He’s just a small-town sheriff.”

“Minutemen,” Moore said with a sigh.

Glancing over, Winters scoffed. “They aren’t real. I dated an agent in Homeland a few years ago and he was on the Home Front Task Force, investigating all groups that posed threats to the government. I looked through them a few times to develop profiles of the groups that he asked me to do as a favor. There were the separatist groups, tea party, veterans, Christians and a whole slew of others. The only report on the Minutemen said ‘Unsubstantiated, Rumor only’.”

Slowing to the speed limit, Moore glanced out of the corner of his eye over at Winters. “They don’t want to be in the limelight,” he said. “But I’ve found traces a few times and even did some digging on my own. Three years ago, I found a confidential informant who used to be a part of them.”

“He didn’t pay his membership dues?”

Snorting, Moore shook his head. “No, he was kicked out for domestic violence. He beat his wife one night after he got drunk and was thrown out.”

“It’s not like you to take the word of a single informant.”

“He verified a lot of what I’d dug up.”

Looking back out the window, “Well, Homeland would love to talk to him if he has information on the Minutemen,” Winters said.

“He’s dead,” Moore said and Winters whipped her head around, locking her eyes on him in shock. “No, they didn’t kill him, he committed suicide in front of a video camera, so don’t let your imagination run wild.”

Still in shock, Winters looked out the front window. “You think it was suggested to him?”

“I’m sure it was,” Moore sighed. “It was two weeks after he’d talked to me.” Propping one arm on the steering wheel and resting his other on the door, Moore looked over at her. “A week later, I found a note on my kitchen table. ‘Information can be deadly’ was all that was written on it.”

“Holy shit,” Winters mumbled and then looked over at him. “You think they are a black government group?”

Shaking his head, because a ‘Black’ group was a department or agency of the government that didn’t exist on paper but damn sure existed in real life. “No, they are outside of the government,” he mumbled.

“Well, what did you find out?”

Taking his eyes off the road, Moore looked over at Winters and saw her intent stare. Turning back to the road, he slowed down and pulled over. “Get out if you want to know,” he said opening his door. Winters watched him climb out and shut the door before turning around to look at her.

When she got out and walked around the SUV, she stopped, seeing Moore walk down into the ditch and into the trees beside the road. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said trying not to grin and followed him. Stopping beside a massive tree, Moore turned around as she walked up. “Paranoid much?” she asked shaking her head.

“You know me better than that.”

“Moore, we worked ViCAP for six years and how many threats did we get? And you’re freaking out over a letter?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Remembering them working together in Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, Moore raised his eyebrows. “Minutemen don’t threaten Winters. They make statements. Now, do you want to know? If I tell you, you keep this to yourself because they work awful hard to remain secret.”

“If you’re that paranoid, why are you even telling me? I could be one,” she chuckled then noticed Moore’s face was serious. “I’m not,” she said quickly.

“Oh, I know you’re not. You don’t fit the profile.”

“Okay then, so tell me,” she said leaning back against the tree.

Taking a deep breath, Moore nodded. “The Minutemen follow the Constitution and Bill of Rights laid out by the Founding Fathers. That is their only law. It started small in the early seventies with gun legislation picking up. But right after Waco and Ruby Ridge, they grew and from what I’ve pieced together, they are nationwide now. Now don’t think there are a lot of them, by my best estimates, there are only a few thousand.”

“So, they are like the Oath Keepers?” Winters asked.

“Think Oath Keepers on steroids,” Moore said. “They don’t run around in the woods practicing shooting together to overthrow the government, in fact, they rarely come together at all. And the only ones that do come together are home groups. The informant I talked to was in a group in Georgia and the entire group never met all together at one time. Only the top two leaders of any one group know of other groups and they only know the leaders of those groups, not anyone else.”

Winters held up her hand, “Hold on, how can they be effective if they are splintered apart that much?”

“You weren’t listening; the leaders only know a few leaders from other nearby groups. Those groups’ leaders will know other groups that the first one doesn’t. Just like the first group will know of groups that they don’t. One tells the groups they know, and they repeat it to other groups. That way, the entire organization knows, yet one group doesn’t know more than one or two other groups of Minutemen.”

Seeing the shock spread on Winters' face, Moore grinned. “Now you’re getting the picture. But it gets even better. They have members in many departments of the government. My informant, he was in the CIA.”

“Just how in the hell did you get him to talk to you?”

Looking back toward the road, “I told him I could get the charges dropped and I did, but I also had to swear to never make a report of what he’d told me,” Moore said in a low voice. “Minutemen don’t tolerate criminals in their ranks and my informant was hoping to get back in with them. Somehow, they found out he’d talked to me. I don’t know how because you’re the first person I’ve ever told.”

Pushing off the tree, “How in the hell did you even find out the informant was associated with them?”

“That, I won’t tell you,” Moore said turning to look at her. “Let’s just say a few people pointed me in the right direction.” Winters gave a halfhearted nod and Moore continued. “My informant was high up in his group. Everyone in each group has a rank, but nobody is ranked higher than a colonel. A colonel is over one group. My informant was a major and he’d met with the leaders of two other groups. Now before you ask, he never told me who or even where they were located.”

Narrowing her eyes, “This seems like a load of shit,” Winters said.

“I’m just telling you what I learned. You take it, however, you want it.”

“So, they don’t want to overthrow the government?”

Moore looked at her with a tense face as he nodded. “Yes, they do.”

“Well, they are a threat to the standing government.”

“I didn’t say they weren’t, but the Minutemen have members in many organizations. My informant said members in his own group were in the FBI, NSA and the military. They know how we operate because they are inside.”

Feeling lightheaded, Winters sat down. “So they are actively serving the government they want to overthrow?”

“No, they are spying from the inside,” Moore corrected. “My informant kept repeating a quote. ‘9/11 was a success. The day we changed one law limiting freedom, the terrorists won’.”

“Humph,” Winters huffed. “They don’t think 9/11 was a plot like some of the other kooks?”

“I didn’t say that,” Moore said. “They believe in the Founding Fathers and see the taking of liberties as an act of war on those documents they consider sacred.”

“But they’re breaking laws set forth by the elected body.”

Holding up his index finger, “Ah, but laws that go against the Constitution,” Moore said. “Laws they consider unjust and immoral to the freedoms that America was founded on.”

Winters cocked her head to the side. “You sound like you believe that.”

“No, the elected body wrote those laws and I’m bound by my oath to enforce them,” Moore said.

“So, the Minutemen are real?”

“Yes,” Moore nodded. “And that’s who’s guarding Joshua’s house.”

Jumping up, “Well, we need to let the others know,” Winters said brushing her pants off.

“No, if they figure it out, it will be on their own,” Moore said reaching out putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure with so many agents at the command area now; one of them will be a Minuteman or at least, a sympathizer. They have more sympathizers than members. One thing my informant made very clear, Minutemen will kill to keep their secret. Minutemen know if they lose their anonymity, they can be destroyed.”

“Oh, that’s hypocritical,” Winters snapped. “So, if a housewife finds out about them, they kill her?”

“Samantha,” Moore said, calling her by her first name which he rarely did and it startled her. “First, a housewife wouldn’t find out about them. They keep their secret very well. I would be surprised if even those at Joshua’s house knew who was protecting them. I’m sure they think it’s just volunteer deputies that don’t want us to know who they are. Second, they won’t kill an innocent.”

“Well, from the way you talk, they will kill a government agent and they are innocent.”

“No, they see them as defying the oath they took to defend the Constitution and are viewed as the enemy,” Moore explained.

“Okay, let’s just say we have a Minuteman in our command area, they have to know that Joshua might kill them. So, they are just willing to take that chance?”

Shrugging with a slight nod, “Yes, but I don’t see a Minuteman as one of those in the field, actively enforcing the ideals they so vehemently oppose. I believe a Minuteman would be one in the command area. But let’s say one has already died because Joshua did kill almost five hundred in that explosion. The other Minutemen wouldn’t view that as hostile. They would see it as an unfortunate casualty because Joshua is fighting for what they believe in.”

“Lunatics,” Winters huffed. “So did your informant tell you how you could join the club? There has to be a way they recognize each other.”

“You’re asked after they watch you for a long time,” Moore said. “And I’ve already told you, they only know the ones in their group and only the upper leaders know of other groups.” Looking off, Winters thought about what Moore had told her.

“Did you ever write this up in a report, in case something happens to you?” she finally asked. “It may be in your best interest, if you think they are that well organized.”

“Hell, no,” Moore snapped. “I’m not giving them a reason to single me out. I’m sure some have checked up on me since that time, even though I’ve put up safeguards and never found out for sure.”

“I think you should.”

“No, and you won’t either,” Moore told her with a little anxiety in his voice. “I’ve never gone after them. Until now, you and I have always gone after criminals that the Minutemen viewed as dangers to society. Rapists, terrorists, serial killers and the like.”

Holding up her hands, “Okay, I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Winters said looking around. “Since I’m in the woods and I need to pee, go back to the truck and wait. I don’t think I can hold it till we get to the command area.”

Laughing, Moore walked off, heading for the truck as Winters undid her pants and ducked behind the tree when Moore climbed in the SUV. “That son of a bitch told you more than we thought he did,” she mumbled squatting down. Feeling drops of water hit her, Winters looked up as it started to drizzle.

Buckling her pants as she stood up, “For your own sake, Moore. I hope you continue to avoid us,” she said and trotted to the SUV.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Park Ranger Leary took his hat off and looked up at the overcast morning sky. It had rained for the last seven days and looked like it had no intentions of stopping. Putting his hat back on, he looked ahead at the two men leading his search group to wade through the tall ferns. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the rest of the group looking at him.

Grabbing the M4 across his chest, Leary took a deep breath and continued down the narrow valley that they were following. Remembering the call for help they’d listened to in the command area four days ago about the agent who’d stepped in the bear trap, Leary once again entertained the idea of just quitting.

He was a Park Ranger from Oklahoma and had been told to report to Idaho ten days ago. Looking at the landscape around him, Leary was trying to figure out how he was supposed to be the expert. Every time the group stopped to look at something, they would turn to him for an explanation. More than once he had told the entire group, “Idaho isn’t Oklahoma, I don’t know.”

Adjusting his backpack, Leary looked down at his feet and at the small game trail they were following. The forest floor was spongy and unless someone was in a tank, you weren’t following tracks. He looked up and you couldn’t see the trail they were on with all the ferns in the area. The only way you knew where the trail was were that the ferns were a little more spaced out, but their branches still covered the trail.

A metal ‘Snap!’ sounded in front of Leary followed by a spine-tingling scream and he dropped to his knee, bringing up his rifle. He knew that was the sound of a metal game trap. Looking ahead, he only saw one of the two people who had been in front of him, but saw a bunch of ferns moving. Standing up, he saw the man in front of him kneel down where the ferns were moving.

Watching the ground, he moved up and saw the point man holding his leg as the other man pried open the jaws of a metal Conibear trap. The man trying to pry the trap open stood up, shaking his head. “It has screws for teeth,” he said. “I need to find something to pry it open with. One of the screws is embedded in his bone.”

Slinging his M4, Leary moved over to the man who’d stepped in the trap. The square jaws of the trap weren’t closed because the man’s boots had stopped them, but Leary saw the long screws that were stuck in the man’s leg.

‘Snap’ sounded to his right and Leary looked up as the man who’d gone to look for something to pry the trap open dropped into the ferns screaming. As Leary stood up, ‘Snap’ sounded behind him and he spun around to see one of the group behind him had moved off the game trail into the thick ferns.

“Everyone freeze!” Leary shouted and even the two screaming, stopped. Looking around between some ferns, Leary saw a chain that he knew was used to secure a trap to a stake in the ground. Bobbing his head and looking through gaps in the ferns around him, Leary spotted four more chains.

“Okay, there are traps all around us, don’t move,” Leary said pulling his M4 off his shoulder.

“There aren’t any on the trail behind us!” one of the ones in the back shouted.

“Oh, I’m sure there are. We just stepped over them,” Leary said using the barrel of his rifle to prod the ground moving over to the first man who’d stepped in a trap. “There’s another trap beside your head, don’t move.”

The man on the ground grimaced in pain, but nodded as Leary moved over to him. ‘Snap’ sounded behind him and he looked back to see the others, pointing to another man who had stepped in a trap. “Tell him to stop moving until I get there. There are traps everywhere. The only place we know for sure there aren’t traps is where we are standing right now.”

The other six men were noticeably pale as they looked down at the ground, visibly trembling. Leary saw a stick beside the point man and picked it up. “This is me, so don’t freak out,” he shouted as he jabbed the stick around the man’s head. He only saw a small section of the chain and finally moved his stick over to the chain and traced it down, finding the trap.

Probing the area of the trap, it took Leary a few pokes before he found the pan to set the trap off. ‘Snap’ sounded as the trap slammed shut on the stick breaking it and everyone, including Leary jumped. “I can see two more beside you, so don’t think you can move,” Leary said loud enough so the others could hear and even the other two men in traps kept quiet. Afraid their crying would make the traps around them jump up and get them.

Leary knelt down by the man’s leg and looked at the box-shaped jaws. Each jaw had long wood screws wired to them and since the violent action of the trap closing knocked off the paste Joshua had packed on the screws; the threads were exposed. The two screws in the man’s leg had shoved their poison into his body.

Looking at the deep threads, Leary shook his head. “Hey um…” he looked at the man trying to remember his name.

“Tony,” the man grunted.

“Yeah, Tony, sorry,” Leary said looking at the screw shoved in the front of Tony’s leg into the bone and one shoved into the back of his leg into the calf muscle. “This is going to hurt because those are screws. I’m going to unwrap the wire holding the screws to the jaws of the trap and just leave them in because I don’t have anything that can pull out the ground stake the trap is chained to.”

“Just get it off, it’s burning,” Tony panted.

Pulling out his multi-tool, Leary went to work. “That’s probably from the dirt on the screws when he covered it up.”

Tony watched and tried to keep his leg still. “So, you think it was the suspect we’re after who set them?”

Leary looked up nodding. “Yes, trappers don’t set traps like this, especially with screws wired to them.”

“They said he was watching the other group,” Tony grunted as Leary pulled the wire off of the first screw.

Waving his hand around, “If he’s watching us, he’s feet away,” Leary said. “Trees and these damn ferns are all around us and he would’ve done something by now. He watched the other group I think, to see how they moved so he could set these animal traps for us.”

Looking up the narrow valley, Tony motioned with his chin. “He could be watching from there,” he said.

Looking over his shoulder, Leary saw a slope at the head of the valley. “Tony, that’s almost a mile away, even if he is watching, not much he could do from there,” he said grabbing one of the jaws in each hand. “I’m not going to be able to hold them open long so when I say, carefully take your foot out and don’t knock the trap out of my hands or it will just snap closed again. Probably sinking another screw in your leg.”

“I understand completely,” Tony said nodding. Giving a grunt with his exertion, Leary pulled the jaws apart and Tony slowly moved his foot, guiding it out between the two jaws. When Tony’s foot was clear, Leary let go of the trap. The jaws snapped shut and Leary checked to make sure all of his fingers were still there.

“Oh shit, thank you,” Tony sighed with a grimace.

“No problem, but stay here until I get the other two out. Then I’ll find us a way back, so we can get you and them to a hospital,” Leary said looking back at the others, who all seemed relieved that someone knew what they were doing and they were leaving.

The entire group stayed within arm’s reach of each other and from Leary to the last man was only ten yards. He turned to the two closest to him and Leary fought not to sneer. They were two Homeland agents from some kind of SWAT team and were decked out in full tactical gear. As far as Leary could tell, none of the others liked the two either. They’d both barked orders at the others from the time the team entered the field, three days ago.

As he was looking at the two, Leary heard a dull ‘Slap’ and saw both men grimace and grab their chests as they started to fall down. Then he heard a sharp ‘Slap’ followed by a dull thud and saw the man standing just off the side of the trail drop his M4 as he reached for his chest. “What-,” Leary started as he heard another ‘Slap’ and saw the next man grab his chest.

‘Boom’ echoed down the valley from the far away gunshot. “Kneel down where you’re standing!” Leary shouted ducking in the ferns. “Don’t move or you’ll step on a trap! I’m going to get the others out and we are leaving!”

“Fuck you!” the last man shouted and took off running back down the valley.

Leary could hear the man running through the ferns. “Ugh,” the man cried out as Leary heard the ‘slap’ of the bullet hitting the man.

“Stay down!” Leary bellowed. “He’s a long way off! Does everyone understand?”

“Yeah,” the other man not hit or in a trap shouted back. “I think Glen was shot!”

“Was that the idiot who ran?” Leary asked pulling out a stick buried in the loam that covered the ground. A loud plea for help sounded out from Glen.

“I’m shot Reggie! Help me!”

“Hey, he was a friend!” the man shouted at him. “Hold on Glen, we’re coming!”

“He’s still an idiot!” Leary said using the stick to probe the ground as he crawled over to the second man. “You see? We didn’t get shot because we got out of his line of fire.”

A long pause filled the quiet as the man thought about it. “You need me to do anything?” the man finally asked and heard the metal snap of a trap snapping closed. “Hey ah…Leary, you okay?” he shouted.

“Yeah, I’m good, just found another trap,” Leary called back. “Just stay there until I get the others freed because we’re going to have to help them out of here.”

Freeing the man who’d gone to look for a stick to pry the first trap open on the point man, Leary crawled back to the one behind him who’d stepped into a trap and sprang another on. Getting closer, Leary saw a trap snapped shut on the man’s forearm. “Now you understand why I said to stay still,” Leary said moving over and undoing the wire holding the screws on.

“Sorry, I panicked. Name’s Reggie,” the man grunted. “They allow these things to be sold?”

“Yeah, Reggie, you can buy them in a lot of places” Leary said, prying the one on the man’s forearm open and he pulled his hand out. Letting the trap go, Leary started working on the one on his leg. “I never thought these Conibear traps could be used on a human though.”

With the three freed from traps, Leary led them in a crawl to the ones who had been shot. He looked at the two Homeland agents, seeing both were dead and realized they had been hit by the same bullet. They both had tactical vests on, but didn’t have the armor plates in them. Unzipping the vests, he patted their chests and found they’d both had on bullet proof vests. Rolling the second one on his side, Leary saw the bullet hadn’t come out of the back of the vest.

Reggie and the others looked on as Leary crawled to the next man, who was the one shot after the Homeland agents. He was FBI and he was wearing a tactical vest with plates, but the bullet had passed through the front and out the back.

“I only heard one shot,” Reggie said as Leary moved to the next man shot and found him dead as well. “How could he hit five people with one shot?”

“Those Homeland jerks were hit by the same bullet,” Leary said crawling past the next shot man, seeing he was dead also. “They were standing one behind the other and the rifle that killed them didn’t have a silencer on it. The others were shot with a rifle that had a silencer.”

“We still should have heard it,” Reggie said as Leary started crawling back to Glen who had tried to run away.

“Reggie, you do realize that Mr. Anderson was almost a mile away, right? From the time those Homeland morons were hit till we heard the report was close to three, maybe four seconds.”

“You said we didn’t have to worry about that slope,” Tony, the point man who stepped in the first trap, shouted.

Probing the ground as he crawled, a loud snap went off making the group startle as Leary found a trap they had walked past. “Nobody told me Mr. Anderson was a sniper, and you have any idea how hard it is to hit a target from that far away?”

“Sorry,” Tony mumbled.

“Guys, make sure you’re only crawling where I crawled. I’ve seen the chains to over twenty traps on both sides of this animal trail,” Leary said and everyone crawled in single file behind him till each man’s face was in the boots of the man in front of him.

When Leary reached Glen, he fought not to puke. Glen had been shot low in the back just above the pelvis on the left side. Leary didn’t know what size gun Mr. Anderson was using, but knew it was big just to travel that far. But seeing the exit wound on Glen, Leary wondered if it was a cannon.

“Glen’s guts are hanging out!” Reggie shouted.

“I can see that,” Leary said and crawled past Glen. “We need to crawl to those trees down there where that stream comes down that slope. From there, we can head up to the ridge and call for a chopper.”

“A chopper can’t land up there, so how is it supposed to pick us up?” Reggie asked.

Not stopping as he crawled, probing the ground in front of him, “Okay, we’ll get to the trees and look for a clearing and call for the chopper.”

“How about you go up to the ridge and call the chopper to pick us up down here?”

Leary stopped and rolled on his side looking at Reggie who was right behind him. “What? So Anderson can shoot my ass? The two who left the last group died that way.”

“Oh,” Reggie said and jerked his head back toward the bodies. “We just going to leave them here?”

“I don’t know what kind of gun he’s using, but it looks big enough to hurt the choppers,” Tony said behind them. “They aren’t going to land where they can get shot at. We have to move away from here.”

“I don’t like it either, but you and I are the only ones not wounded and we’re going to have to help the three that are, so they can get to a hospital. They have those SWAT teams at the command area that can come and get the bodies,” Leary said rolling back on his stomach. “This is not what I signed up for, having to crawl away just so we can call in a chopper to pick up wounded,” he said as he started crawling.

“I can agree with that,” Tony grunted in pain as he bumped the screw still sticking out of his right shin.

***

From three-quarters of a mile away, Joshua took his eye away from the spotting scope, watching the men crawl through the ferns. He knew two were alive and not wounded, but it didn’t do any good to kill everyone. Some had to live to tell the others, so they would know to be afraid.

Picking up the spotting scope and putting it back in the case, Joshua turned to look at King and Jack. “Did you see that?” he grinned, grabbing his Sharps. “The old Sharps hit two with one shot.”

Standing up, he saw King and Jack just looking at him. “Well, I’m proud of that shot,” he mumbled and gathered up the rest of his gear. “Don’t have long, so let’s get moving. I hope they like the trouble I’m going through to impress them.”

***

It was seven hours later when Griffey looked at Moore in shock. “You want to repeat that?”

“One of the men who stepped in one of the traps is dead,” Moore repeated. “The doctors told me one of the others will be dead soon, and the third will be lucky if he sees sunrise.”

“From a trap?” Griffey shouted slapping the table.

Winters looked up from her notes. “No, from whatever Mr. Anderson put on those screws,” she said looking Griffey in the eye. “Sir, no sooner than Park Ranger Leary Pinon and BATF agent…” she paused glancing at her notes, “Reggie Vincent gave their reports, they ran to the tents where the other search teams are and started talking. I’m not being mendacious when I say the others are getting scared.”

“Stop them now!” Griffey shouted.

“And just how do you suggest we do that?” Moore asked cutting his eyes at Winters.

“Transfer them out,” Winters said turning to Moore. “But before they leave, remind them they signed a nondisclosure.”

Nodding, as he raised his eyebrows impressed with her suggestion. Moore turned to Griffey. “That would work, Griffey.”

“Do it,” Griffey snapped.

Holding up the report from the two surviving members of the team as he read, Wagner leaned back in his chair. “We have any idea what was on those screws?”

“One is being flown to Washington for analysis,” Winters said passing Moore a note.

Seeing the note, Griffey looked at Winters. “This isn’t grade school, Moore thinks highly of you, so just ask?”

Reading the note, Moore nodded at her. “Winters was just saying, we need to get to the site and process it as soon as possible.”

“Choppers will lift off at first light, if the weather holds,” Wagner said.

Turning to Wagner with a grin, “So, are you coming to evaluate the scene with us?” Winters asked.

“Yes, he is,” Griffey said snatching up an ink pen. “So, out of a ten-man team, only two survived?”

Moore turned to Winters and nodded. “Yes, but that’s only because he let two go,” Winters said looking at her notes. “Looking at the map and aerial photos, I’m sure Mr. Anderson could’ve shot them, especially since they were crawling. From his elevation, I have little doubt he could see them.”

“So why?” Griffey asked looking at Moore who reached over, patting Winters’ arm for her to answer.

“To spread fear among the search teams,” she said looking up at Griffey. “Since we are denying that he blew up our first command area, Anderson is letting others escape.”

“Our teams are made up of federal agents who all have arrest powers, Winters. I know some will be scared, but not many,” Wagner snapped.

Winters looked across the table. “So, the three hundred who suddenly said they were sick and couldn’t go out tomorrow to relieve the teams that are out, is a coincidence?”

“Nobody gets sick call unless I approve it,” Griffey said.

Moore shook his head, “Griffey, you can’t rule them with an iron fist, they work for us.”

“And they will work,” Griffey spat. “Now,” he said opening a folder up. “I’ve been able to call in an expert wilderness tracker, Giles Burton. He will be here in a few hours and will go out with you in the morning.”

“Giles Burton? The guy on that reality TV show who chases people around the woods?” Moore asked as Winters' mouth dropped open.

“Yes, I’m told he is good,” Griffey said. “He also chases them around mountains and deserts. If a group can evade him for ten days, they get a million dollars. For the two seasons he’s been on, nobody has collected.”

“Griffey, it’s reality TV, it’s make-believe,” Moore said.

Closing the folder, Griffey passed it to Moore. “He was a game guide in Africa for three years, then a hunting guide in Alaska for a year.”

Taking the folder, Moore opened it up. “Then he sucks. A good guide in Alaska can pull down a hundred thousand a year and those in Africa can make more.”

“He’s tracked fugitives before,” Griffey said as Winters leaned over to read the folder.

“Ah, yeah,” Moore said pointing at a paragraph, dragging his finger along as he read and then looked up. “He found a man half-starved in Texas who had no outdoor experience.”

Snorting, Winters stifled a giggle. “He gets all book and movie rights for doing this?”

“Yes, but we get to approve the book, so he must leave out some of our aspects,” Griffey said.

“I like it,” Wagner said. “I request that one of my response teams accompany him.”

“He will only allow five and they must be physically fit,” Griffey said with a nod.

With a huge grin, “I’ll choose them personally,” Wagner said.

Moore looked up, trying not to laugh. “Well, Griffey, at least you made him sign a waiver releasing us from liabilities.”

“Well Moore, since you haven’t given me anything to go on, I have to find other avenues to pursue,” Griffey grumbled. “So, did you read these reports?” Griffey asked holding up the reports from the surviving team members.

“Griffey, I’m the one who took those reports.”

“So can you explain how he hit three targets almost simultaneously? I understand how Wagner’s men got shot; they were lined up.”

Opening a folder, Moore started thumbing through a stack of papers. “Yes, I talked to one of our firearm experts at Quantico,” he said and held up a photo of Joshua holding a rifle cradled in his arm next to a trophy. “This is a black powder Sharps, and Joshua won a match in eastern Montana seven years ago, hitting a twelve-by-twelve-inch target fourteen hundred yards away, three shots in a row.”

“That’s not a musket,” Wagner said pointing at the picture.

“No Wagner,” Moore droned. “It uses brass-cased bullets like our guns do, but they are loaded with black powder. If you look at Joshua’s belt, you will see the bullets this thing fires. They are forty-five caliber and almost three inches long.”

Laying down the photo, Moore pulled a map over and stood up. “Now, if Joshua was here,” he said pointing at the map and then moved his finger down a valley. “And the search team was here, that’s over fifteen hundred yards. Now, the Ranger said the Homeland and the other man were hit not even a second apart. Devin at Quantico said if Joshua would’ve shot the black powder first, he would’ve had almost three seconds to move behind another gun and shoot.

“This black powder rifle’s projectile would be airborne for over three seconds before impact. Now, if he rolled behind a modern rifle and fired, the bullets would almost impact simultaneously. Where the Sharps would take over three seconds, a modern bullet would cover the same ground in just over a second.”

Wagner snorted, “You’re suggesting he used two rifles, and one that’s based on a century and a half old technology?”

“Oh man, you’re going to give me a headache,” Moore mumbled putting his hands on his hips as he leaned back stretching his back. “I’m not suggesting shit, moron. I’m saying it’s a possible scenario on how he was able to do it.”

Taking a deep breath, Wagner started to stand up, but Griffey snapped his fingers. “Don’t,” Griffey growled. “You’ve already given me a headache Wagner. Make my headache worse and I’ll have you emptying the garbage cans.”

Wisely, Wagner sat down and Griffey gave a sigh, leaning back in his chair. “Moore, you really think Giles hasn’t got a chance?”

Walking around Griffey to a table in the back of the conference room that held refreshments and snacks, Moore grabbed a bottle of water. “No more than the teams we have out now.”

“Do you think he will hamper our current operation?”

Draining the bottle, Moore crushed it and tossed it in a garbage can. “No, but I can tell you, it will get you a lot of credit in Washington.”

“Who do you think suggested it?” Griffey mumbled. “Okay, he flies out with you tomorrow morning. Wagner, pick five men who can keep up with Giles and until the suspect is sighted, Giles is in charge.”

“Yes sir,” Wagner said jumping up with a grin and almost skipping out of the conference room.

When the door was shut, Griffey spun around in his chair and looked at Moore who was grabbing another bottle of water. “I didn’t order it, so don’t start.”

“Those two men are on one of Wagner’s special response team,” Moore said grabbing a plate and moving along the table, loading it with snacks.

“I don’t doubt you,” Griffey said staring at the plate that Moore was piling finger food on. “I can say, Wagner wasn’t acting independently. He was ordered to do it.”

Piling cubes of cheese on his plate, Moore froze. “Griffey, I hope you realize if the ones back in Washington try more stuff like that, you and I stand a very good chance of getting shot.”

Suddenly hungry, Griffey pushed out of the chair, heading for the table. “I told the director that, and he said we always take that risk.”

As Griffey grabbed a plate, Moore took his back to the table. “Griffey, the sheriff has photos and video of federal agents breaking into his house and swapping his wife’s medication, did you relay that?”

“Of course I did,” Griffey said piling food on his plate. “I was told the director almost passed out when he heard. I also informed him that several copies have been made and we don’t know the location of them.”

Winters reached over, taking several cubes of cheese off of Moore’s plate and he just looked at her. “Think they will try again?” Moore asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m surprised they tried it the first time,” Griffey said heading back to the conference table and dropping into his chair. “They didn’t give me that order because I would’ve refused. Now, don’t think I disagree with them, but it would’ve served no purpose and only made my job harder.”

Pushing his plate away, Moore rubbed his stomach, feeling his ulcer acting up. “You’re very sentimental, Griffey.”

“I’m a realist,” Griffey said shoving food in his mouth. “The sheriff will be dealt with in time. Surely, you know that.”

“Yeah, and that bothers me also,” Moore said with a sigh. “Where does it stop and how many the next time?” he mumbled.

Picking up a napkin, Griffey wiped his mouth. “Moore, you can speak like that around me, but I wouldn’t advise it around others. You may have powerful friends, but they will only protect you so far.”

“Griffey, I swore to uphold the law and I will until I die, but this behind the scenes play is dangerous. I understand the need for some of it, but not all.”

Turning from Moore, Griffey looked at Winters. “What you hear between Moore and I is protected information, understood? You will not repeat it or file it in any report.”

“Yes sir,” Winters nodded.

“Relax Griffey, Winters and I have been working together for ten years and I guarantee you, she’s heard worse,” Moore said grabbing his bottle of water.

“Sir, may I speak?” Winters asked looking at Griffey.

Waving his hand across the table, “By all means,” Griffey said.

“Sir, Wagner has twenty of his response team going to the ambush site, plus the five going with Giles. With our investigative team, we’re taking forty people. Can the investigative team arrive first to process the site? With that many people moving around, evidence is bound to get destroyed.”

“Sorry, but I already cut Wagner’s team once, be happy because he was going to take all forty of them,” Griffey said. “They can cover you as you process the site. Not to mention that I took his other team of forty away and put them on search teams. Wagner is a little upset that he lost two of his men at the sight.”

“Yes sir,” Winters said dejectedly.

Moore glanced over at her. “It’s not like we haven’t dealt with idiots in a crime scene before.”

“I know, but I get tired of it,” Winters sighed as Moore grinned.

“Me too.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Holding on to the chair he was strapped into, Moore looked out the rain-streaked window of the Blackhawk. The rolling mountains in the distance were shrouded in mist. Feeling the chopper bank and descend, Moore closed his eyes.

They were supposed to leave before dawn, but the weather had gotten worse and didn’t break till after 0800. There was still a light rain, but the winds had died down and lightening wasn’t bracketing the sky.

Five of the six Blackhawks assigned to them were being used to ferry the group out. They couldn’t take them to the site, but could land one chopper at a time in a clearing two miles away. The same clearing that the choppers had picked the survivors up from.

Thinking of the survivors, Moore opened his eyes and looked over at Leary. His eyes were clamped tight, his skin was pale and he was visibly trembling. When Leary was told he was returning to the site where they were attacked, he took his badge off and handed it to Wagner. Being the asshole that he was, Wagner told Leary he was going no matter if they had to handcuff him and drag him out.

“One minute,” the crew chief shouted, moving to the door on the right. Moore leaned over looking out the window to see one Blackhawk already in the clearing. A shiver ran up his spine, seeing just how small the clearing really was.

When bodies quit pouring out, the chopper shot straight up and banked away as the chopper he was in dove toward the clearing. Seeing the ground getting close real fast, Moore tensed his body, but then he felt the chopper slow suddenly and gently descend as the crew chief pushed the door open.

“Everyone out!” he shouted waving them out.

Reaching down, Moore released his harness and followed the others out and turned around to see one of the special response team members dragging Leary from the chopper. The two were barely out before the chopper shot straight back up and another dove toward them.

“We need to move,” Winters said grabbing his arm and pulling him to the trees. “Those pilots are flying like they are in combat taking heavy fire.” Seeing a group ahead, Winters ran, pulling Moore behind her as the rotor wash from the chopper coming in almost knocked them down.

When they joined the group thirty yards inside the trees, Winters let go of his arm. “Sorry, but the way they were diving in and with how small that clearing is, I’m surprised they haven’t hit the trees with their rotors. One thing I do know is, get away from the landing area when a chopper is coming in fast.”

“Good advice, I’ll remember that,” Moore said adjusting his backpack, wishing they had that state park ranger again. When he’d called and requested it, he was informed that the governor had ordered them to not assist without his direct approval.

Moore really couldn’t blame the governor, there wasn’t a state agency in Idaho they hadn’t pissed off. The SWAT teams from Kansas and Nevada had been called back before they had even started searching. With the exception of a few police officers from California and Oregon, this operation was manned by federal employees.

As the last chopper sat down, he saw a man jump out, wearing a red jacket and carrying a black expedition backpack. “Winters, you tell Giles again that he stays in the back until I’ve looked the scene over,” Moore said.

“I don’t even like his show. Why do I have to talk to the jackass?”

Moore tightened the straps on his pack as the chopper shot straight up. “Because if he gives me any more lip, I swear to God, I’ll shoot his ass.”

Spinning around on her heel, “I’ll make sure the pompous ass speaks to you then,” Winters said walking away with a grin and a bouncing step.

A bird chirped in the forest and Moore heard movement and turned to see Leary aiming where the bird noise had come from. “Leary, you need to relax.”

Leary never acknowledged that he’d heard him as another bird chirped from the right and Leary swung his M4. Moore’s eye’s got huge as the muzzle swung across his face and Leary aimed over his left shoulder. Yanking his pistol out, Moore put it in Leary’s face.

“Take your hands off the weapon now,” Moore growled, swearing he’d seen the bullet down the barrel when Leary had swept his face with the gun barrel. “You have three seconds before I pull the trigger.”

Leary’s eyes rotated down to the pistol buried in his cheek. “He’s here and he’s going to kill us all,” Leary whimpered.

“You’re at two,” Moore said reaching up grabbing the forearm stock of the M4. “When I reach three, your head disappears.”

Slowly, Leary relaxed his grip, taking his hands off the M4. “I didn’t want to come,” Leary said with a breaking voice as Moore pulled the pistol out of his cheek. “I was supposed to be transferred out.”

“I didn’t make you but Leary, you swung that barrel across my face,” Moore said holstering his pistol and flipping the M4 on safe. “Give me your sidearm,” Moore said holding out his hand.

Pulling his Glock from his holster, Leary placed it in Moore’s hand. “Let me go back,” he begged. “If Mr. Anderson sees that I’ve come back into his forest, I’ll be the first to die.”

Slinging the M4 over his shoulder, Moore shook his head, ejecting the magazine from the Glock. “You give the man way too much credit.”

Looking around, Moore saw Schmidt who was over all the different tactical teams. When he’d found out Wagner was taking his ‘want to be commandos’, Moore had informed Schmidt that he was tagging along. “Schmidt,” Moore said waving him over and racking the slide of the Glock to extract the live round in the barrel.

Schmidt walked over sighing with relief, “Thank you Agent Moore,” he said stopping beside Leary. “I almost shot him when he took his weapon off safe when a squirrel ran up a tree.”

“Can you carry this?” Moore asked holding the Glock out. “I’ll carry the M4.”

“Yes sir,” Schmidt said taking the pistol and Moore turned to Leary.

“I’m sure you have a backup and it better stay out of sight unless you need it because if I see you pulling it and aiming at sounds again, you’re right, you’re going to die in these woods, but not by Joshua’s hand.”

Leary shook his head still trembling. “Leary,” Schmidt said putting the pistol in his cargo pocket. “A word of advice, relax. You make a mistake like that with those Homeland boys; they will kill you and make you disappear.”

Nodding, Leary took a deep breath stepping away. “I’ll watch him,” Schmidt said.

“No, you do your job watching for the suspect and making sure those idiots of Wagner’s don’t get us killed,” Moore said in a low voice. “Leary is a big boy.”

Grinning, Schmidt pulled his M4 off his shoulder. “Yes sir,” he said moving off into the woods.

“Oh shit,” Moore mumbled, seeing Giles storming over. Before he got too close, Moore raised his hand, stopping Giles. “I’m warning you, I’m in a pissy mood and if you make it worse, I swear to God, I’ll shoot you in the knee.”

“Agent Moore, I protest to being held in the back. I can’t track if I have forty people in front of me,” Giles said putting his hands on his hips.

“Idiot, we know where to go and I assure you, Joshua has already been there. Let me get a quick survey of the scene, then you can tromp your ass all over these mountains.”

“Now you listen, Agent Moore. I start filming season three in a month, so I have to find this Joshua fast. Unlike you, I have a real job and fans to answer to,” Giles snapped as Winters walked up behind him, trying not to laugh.

“Mr. Burton,” Wagner snapped, storming over and Giles jumped. “Did you hear what Agent Moore said? You will park your ass in the rear until told otherwise or I’ll make sure season three gets canceled.”

“You can’t do that,” Giles gasped stepping back.

Wagner gave an evil grin. “Oh, not only can I, but I can have the IRS crawl so far up your ass, they can clean your tonsils. By the end of the year, you’ll be lucky to be working at a car wash.”

Snapping his mouth shut, Giles spun around and walked away. Moore turned to look at Wagner and shook his head. Wagner was dressed in full tactical gear and it looked brand new. “Thanks,” Moore said looking away before he laughed. “Schmidt and I’ll lead with Winters, you arrange the others how you want them.”

“Copy,” Wagner said with a tense face and walked away, waving the group toward him.

“You know, I pulled a price tag off his tactical vest,” Winters said moving beside Moore and holding her hand out to show him a price tag laying in her palm. “He scares me holding a weapon almost as much as Leary did.”

“No,” Moore said pulling out a map and GPS unit. “Leary is scared. Wagner wants to be Rambo, so you stay close to Schmidt.”

“I’m a big girl,” Winters said stepping back. “Remember, I made it on the Hostage Rescue Team, but got bored just training all the time and came back to your team.”

Remembering that, Moore chuckled. “Yes you did, but these yo-yos with us are more of a danger to us than Joshua.”

From down the slope, Schmidt hissed and they turned to see him wave, telling them to come on. Nodding, Moore gave a soft whistle to get Wagner’s attention and pointed down the slope and Wagner nodded.

With Schmidt leading the forty plus in single file, Moore glanced back at the long line and several crime scene techs carrying large fiberglass suitcases. “If Joshua ever wanted a big target, we are damn sure giving it to him,” Moore mumbled, turning around and following Schmidt.

Reaching the small valley, Schmidt held up his hand for the column to stop and pulled off his backpack. Watching with great interest, Moore chuckled seeing Schmidt extend out the base plate for a metal detector. “Smart,” he whispered.

“Sir, I have nightmares about that bear trap. I’m not a woodsman so I know I wouldn’t be able to spot one hidden, but fifty pounds of metal should make this thing go off,” Schmidt said turning it on.

“Don’t forget about the little traps, they killed three,” Moore said as Schmidt put his backpack on.

Shaking his head as he waved the metal detector in front of him, “Sorry sir, but those don’t make me wake up in a cold sweat,” Schmidt said slinging his M4 on his shoulder and Moore stepped up grabbing his arm.

“Let me do the sweeping,” Moore said grabbing the metal detector. “I’ve shot an M4 once so I’m sure you’re much better. Besides, this is a hobby of mine. I’ve been a metal detectorist for many years.”

Letting go of the metal detector, “Then by all means sir,” Schmidt said unslinging his rifle and holding it across his chest.

Moore looked at the detector and gave an impressed nod, it was a good one. Making a few adjustments, he walked ahead, slowly waving it back and forth. With all the ferns he really couldn’t see the ground, but was happy he didn’t have to fear about stepping in a trap.

Not even walking twenty yards, Moore stopped seeing a trail of beat down ferns. Following the trail up the valley with his eyes, “This is where they crawled out.”

“I’ll take it,” Schmidt said scanning the forest around them. “At least on that part that I can see the ground. These damn ferns give me the creeps walking through them.”

Not wanting to admit it, Moore just nodded because walking through the ferns petrified him. Joshua could literally be lying down twenty feet away and they would never know. Walking along the trail, the only sound came from the light rain, making the area seem more terrifying.

Hearing bushes move ahead, Moore dropped to his belly to see a dog jump across the trail. “Coyote,” Schmidt said behind him. “Good reflexes though.”

“I think I wet my pants,” Moore said getting up slowly and picking up the metal detector. He turned around and saw the entire group was getting off the ground. Fighting not to tremble, Moore turned around and continued on and soon came to the first body. The body was propped up against a small tree with the backpack beside it and all the contents dumped out.

The coyote had been eating away at the exit wound on the abdomen. “Shit,” Moore said studying the body and saw the right hand was propped up with a stick and all but the middle finger tied down. It looked like the dead guy was flipping him the bird.

“He’s posing the bodies more elaborately,” Schmidt said moving up beside him, but looking at the forest around them.

“Yeah, it’s a game to him now. We aren’t even a challenge.”

“Not to be a nag, but can we get this over with?” Schmidt mumbled so the others couldn’t hear.

Stepping over with the metal detector, Moore waved it around the body and it only went off when he got close to the body and backpack. “Two techs, start here and photograph everything before you move the body,” Moore said moving up the trail.

It didn’t take long to reach the others and Moore froze, staring at the scene. “Joshua is sick,” Schmidt said behind him.

One of the Homeland agents was bent over on all fours, stripped naked and the other Homeland agent was naked also behind the first on his knees like they were engaged in a sexual act. Using only nylon string, Joshua had posed them. Turning to the left, Moore saw the other two agents propped up against a tree. Each had playing cards in their hands with the remaining deck between them.

“What does this tell you Moore?” Winters said moving up beside him. “Besides the fact that Joshua’s making fun of us.”

Moore stared at the four, moving his eyes from one to the other for almost ten minutes. “Son of a bitch,” he mumbled. “He’s read books about profilers and knows we don’t like it when the suspect changes. This was done as an afterthought.”

“Huh?” Winters and Schmidt said together.

“Look how they’re arranged,” Moore said pointing. “He went through their gear and then came back to pose them. Yes, he’s mocking us, but he’s telling us he’s unpredictable.”

“He didn’t have to pose two dead men going bareback to tell me that,” Schmidt said.

Moore walked around the bodies waving the metal detector and stopped. “Get Leary up here,” he said looking at the ground.

Not thinking it was a good idea, Winters waved Leary up to the front. When Leary saw the bodies, he started blubbering. “Easy Leary,” Winters said softly.

“Leary, why did Joshua leave this trap?” Moore said pointing at the ground. Hearing the word ‘trap’, Leary jumped a foot in the air, looking around the area in panic. Turning around and seeing the sheer terror on Leary’s face, Moore truly felt sorry for him. “Leary, calm down. Now, can you tell me why Joshua left this trap, so we can get the hell out of here?”

Hearing that, Leary calmed and eased up beside Moore looking where he was pointing and saw a Conibear trap. “One of the springs is busted,” he said, hoping Moore would say they were leaving now.

“The first man stepped in a trap there, right?” Moore said pointing at an area where the ferns had been flattened down and Leary nodded. “And you saw traps everywhere?”

“Yes, I counted over a dozen.”

“You saw them with your own eyes? Not bulges in the undergrowth?”

Leary shook his head, “No, I saw sections of the retaining chain that is connected to the trap, so it can be staked to the ground and the animal can’t drag it off.”

Stepping up, Moore waved the metal detector around the ferns and when it went off, Winters had to grab Leary before he took off running. Bending down, Moore grabbed something and turned around holding up a small one-foot-long section of chain. There was no trap on one end, it was just a section of chain.

“Like this?” Moore asked, holding it higher and Leary nodded his head rapidly, expecting the chain to attack him. Looking over at Schmidt, “I see two more and can see where Joshua removed real traps from. He only left a small section of this chain exposed to be seen. Leary never saw the real traps. Joshua put these out as decoys to make the men stand still so he could shoot them. The real traps were hidden and from the two spots I can see, they were hidden really well.”

As Moore turned, he pointed over by the two holding cards and Schmidt saw a small piece of chain in the undergrowth. “This man is entirely too damn smart,” Schmidt mumbled and heard a commotion in the back of the group.

All except Leary, turned to see Giles strolling toward them in an arrogant strut. “We are here and you have looked. May I go and find this man, so the ones with me can catch him?”

“Knowing what you do, you just want to walk off?” Moore said digging out some plastic gloves.

“You’re in danger, I’m not. I’ve dealt with poacher traps many times and have never been careless enough to trip one,” Giles said lifting his chin.

Wagner walked up behind Giles and froze, gawking at the posed bodies. “My God, the man is an animal!”

“Giles, stay right there until I tell you to move,” Moore growled and turned to Winters. “Get the techs up here to start. I’m going to do a slow walk through, then let dumbass take off.”

“I can see his trail right there!” Giles pointed ahead.

“Yeah, so can I, and that’s what bothers me,” Moore said as Winters left to get the crime scene techs.

“Shut up Giles,” Wagner said in a low voice, still staring at the posed bodies. “I’m going to get my men to spread out and look for anything out of the ordinary.”

“Hold on,” Moore said and walked around the bodies with the metal detector in a circle clearing out to ten yards. “Use this, in case Joshua missed a trap.”

“Missed a trap? Why wouldn’t he just leave them?” Wagner asked taking the metal detector.

Moore looked up with a tired face. “He knows we would be looking for them here, so he collected them to use on someone else.”

Mumbling many curse words under his breath, Wagner walked away as Winters returned. She saw Moore looking under the bodies and then around them. “What are you looking for?”

“Joshua’s calling card, that chainsaw tool or what loggers call the scrench,” Moore said getting on his knees and looking under the kneeling man.

Looking over at the dead card players, “He could’ve run out,” Winters said.

“No, he bought a box of a hundred in November and I asked around, loggers damn near always have one on them,” Moore said getting up and the look on his face was one of deep thought. Suddenly, Moore’s body gave a jerk as he cut his eyes, looking off into the woods.

“Schmidt,” he whispered moving over toward Schmidt. “Get your binoculars and start scanning the forest, Joshua’s not done here.”

“Oh, fuck,” Schmidt mumbled pulling his binoculars out.

“Look on that ridge,” Winters pointed up the valley. “That’s the only place he could shoot us from, unless he is close.”

“He doesn’t repeat,” Moore said in a low voice.

“Well-,” Winters started as an earsplitting scream erupted behind them. They dropped to the ground, aiming rifles as the scream continued.

Rolling on his side, Moore pulled the M4 off his shoulder. “What is it?” he bellowed.

“Myron stepped in a trap!” someone shouted over the scream.

“Nooooo!” Leary shouted jumping up in pure panic and took off running down the trail. In seconds, he was gone and it would be years before his partial skeletal remains would be found by hunters.

“Want me to go after him?” Schmidt asked crawling over.

“No,” Moore said looking around as the screamer stopped to take a breath, then continued. “How did he step in a trap if you have a metal detector?” Moore shouted.

“It’s a hole with sharp sticks!” someone shouted back.

“There’s no fucking way he knew we would bring a metal detector,” Schmidt said as Moore stood up. “Hell, you didn’t even know I’d brought one.”

“Fuck!” Moore shouted then looked down as Schmidt and Winters stood up. “He knew we would be looking for metal traps. He changed his attack.”

Schmidt looked off into the forest, “This man is really chapping my ass.”

Seeing Giles get up off the ground, Moore shook his head as he walked toward the screaming. He almost waded through the ferns but stopped and followed the trail till he found where others had walked off the trail. Reaching the screamer, he saw a man with half his leg in a hole.

Getting closer, he saw foot-long stakes planted in the bottom as another man grabbed the bottom of the stake that was all the way through the screamer’s right foot. After digging out the stake, they pulled the screamer back from the pit as Moore looked around for a scrench. Not seeing one, he got down on his knees and dug another stake out to look at it.

Yanking it out and looking at it, a shiver ran down his spine. The stake was a half inch in diameter ending in a point, but right under the tip was a whittled barb. Making it difficult, and very painful to pull your foot off of the stake.

Rolling the stake in his hand, Moore caught his breath and was very happy he was wearing gloves. Along the spine almost to the tip, a groove had been carved in and it was packed with some nasty-looking paste.

“Don’t pull it out or it will bleed worse,” he heard Giles say behind him.

Spinning around, “Push the stake through, take his boot off and flush it with as much water as you can, then put a dressing on his foot,” Moore said kneeling by the man’s foot. As gently as he could, Moore wiped the paste from the groove. “Now, grab the top and yank it through. If you pull it out the way it went in, that barb will catch.”

He looked in the pit and around the area, but didn’t see a scrench as several men held down the man with a stake through his foot and pulled it out while he screamed. “May I go now?” Giles said walking up with a pale face as the men took off the boot and blood poured out of the wound. “You should’ve left it in because the stake would’ve controlled the bleeding.”

“I know that, dumbass. Unlike you, I have a brain,” Moore said walking past him. “But Joshua put something on those stakes and if it’s what he put on his traps, it’s deadly.”

Giles turned and followed Moore as Moore stopped beside Wagner. “Have some men carry him back to the landing area and get him flown out fast to a hospital,” Moore said in a low voice to Wagner.

“I’ll get four to carry him out,” Wagner said pointing at several men.

“Find some long sticks to poke around on the ground to make sure we don’t do this again,” Moore said.

“Why?” Giles said with a snort. “If you look, you can see the outline of the pits.”

Gritting his teeth, Moore glanced at Giles. “You want to go? Take off,” he growled.

“About time,” Giles huffed. “This shouldn’t take long.”

He turned and motioned for the five Homeland agents that were coming with him to follow. As they filed past Moore and Wagner, Winters came over. “Sir, are you sure about this?” she asked watching the group head up the valley with Giles studying the ground as he moved. “I can see that path, so I think Joshua intended it that way.”

Taking a deep breath to relax, “I know,” Moore said as Giles bent down and grabbed something off the ground. He turned and held up a candy bar wrapper with a grin.

“Like I said, this won’t take long,” Giles called back and then looked at the five agents with him. “Hope you’re ready to make headlines,” he chuckled, stuffing the wrapper in his pocket and looking back down at the ground.

Winters turned to look at Moore and saw remorse on his face. “You’re using them as bait?”

“No, but Joshua is going to do something to them, I have no doubt,” he said turning to Wagner. “I want to process this site and be out of here in two hours.”

From up the valley they heard a ‘twang’ and wood groaning. “Okay-” Wagner stopped as a scream sounded from up the valley and both men looked up to see the five agents running ahead. Wagner took off up the valley as the rest of his men followed.

Stepping to follow, Winters stopped as Moore grabbed her arm. “You will keep your butt right here with me,” he said then turned to Schmidt who was looking around with binoculars.

“No bu-,” Schmidt stopped as full automatic gunfire roared in front of them. They dove for the ground, hearing bullets hitting trees around them. Then the gunfire stopped for a second, then started again.

Peeking up, Moore saw the muzzle flash forty yards ahead with Giles and the five agents in between. The machine gun continued to fire in bursts of a second or two and pause for a second. All at once, the Homeland special response team opened fire with only a few of the agents having suppressors. Gunfire roared across the mountains out of the valley.

“Grenade out!” one of the Homeland agents shouted as new screams sounded out from wounded agents called out for help.

“Grenade! Are you fucking shitting me?!” Moore screamed as the sounds of battle were interrupted by a thunderous boom and the gunfire died down for a second from the agents. But the gun firing at them never paused as bullets kept slamming into trees around them.

Crawling over, Schmidt grabbed Moore and Winters guiding them to a large tree. “Get behind the tree!” he shouted and peeked up to see five agents charging the machine gun. “They have seen too many movies,” he said dropping back down.

“Wait till he reloads or changes barrels!” Schmidt yelled, getting behind the tree with them.

“You know what Joshua is shooting at us?” Winters said, cringing as she heard a few bullets hit the other side of the tree.

“It’s a SAW,” Schmidt said, peeking around the tree and saw only one man still charging the machine gun getting about halfway till he was hit.

“Grenade out!” someone shouted, followed by many more calls of agents throwing grenades.

“No God damn it, your men are too close!” Schmidt screamed seeing several objects sail up out of the ferns toward the machine gun. Rolling behind the tree, Schmidt threw himself over Moore and Winters.

Half a dozen concussive booms shook the ground and they could hear the shrapnel hitting the forest all around them, but still the machine gun fired at them in controlled bursts. “No more grenades assholes! You just killed some of your own men!” Schmidt screamed as he rolled off Moore and Winters, bringing his M4 to his shoulder. Poking his rifle around the tree, Schmidt aimed at the muzzle flash of the machine gun and opened fire.

Taking his backpack off, Moore grabbed his M4. “Something’s wrong, Joshua wouldn’t go out like this!” he shouted over the gunfire and peeked around the other side of the tree. He could hear a lot of cries for help from wounded and saw the machine gun still firing at them, but only a few weapons were shooting at it.

All of a sudden, the machine gun stopped and Schmidt jumped to his feet. “Cease fire!” he bellowed and charged forward. Moore watched Schmidt cover the forty yards in record time, firing at the quiet machine gun as he ran.

Skidding to a halt, Schmidt looked around then turned around. “It was a booby trap! Nobody’s here!”

Winters jumped up, “How in the hell did he get it to shoot and stop and then shoot again? Is he like a watchmaker?”

Grabbing Winters’ arm before she could take off to find out, “Winters, we have to help the wounded and gather the bodies. When we get ready to leave, we’ll go see,” Moore said letting her arm go.

Listening to all the cries for help, she nodded. “I’ll help them, you go look.”

As Winters took off, Moore turned to see the crime scene techs tending to one of theirs that got hit in the arm. Then he saw the Homeland agent who stepped on the punji stick lying next to a tree. “You okay?” Moore asked walking over.

Reaching down, Moore shook him and the agent’s head flopped around and Moore didn’t see him breathing. Putting his fingers on the man’s neck, Moore held them there for ten minutes never feeling a pulse. “What the fuck is he using that can kill this fast?” he said getting up.

He turned to see the other crime scene techs working on the two dead card players. He stepped over, seeing them talking quietly. “Find something?”

One looked up at him, “Yes sir, but I don’t know what it means,” he said. “Both men were holding full houses, Aces over eights, which is impossible for one deck. I was about to photograph the deck and count them.”

Closing his eyes with a sigh, “That hand is called ‘a dead man’s hand’ because Bill Hickok was holding it when he was shot in the back,” Moore said and he opened his eyes. “You already get a photo of its location?”

“Yes sir,” the tech said as Moore bent down and picked up the deck and could tell it was more than one deck. Fanning the cards out, he saw another dead man’s hand at the top of the deck. Looking at the cards, he could tell they were placed this way on purpose.

Closing the deck, “Pack them as is and don’t let them separate,” Moore said handing them over. “There is a message in there.”

“Yes sir,” the tech said taking the cards and putting a rubber band around them. “What of those in their hands?”

“Do the same,” Moore said looking at the two dead men. “Take as many photos as you can before we get them ready to leave. We don’t have time to process the scene and we aren’t coming back so Joshua can play more games.”

The tech nodded as Moore walked away feeling a million years old. Heading up the valley, he found Giles upright but bent over at the waist in the middle of the trail. Looking closer, Moore saw his pants were bloody and then noticed a stick four feet up and horizontal with the ground. A shiver ran down his spine, seeing the long stakes tied to the stick.

Walking around Giles, Moore saw he was dead and looked at the stakes. Letting out a groan, he saw the groove cut in each one and three stakes buried in Giles’ abdomen. “Looks like he won’t get his story or his third season,” Winters said coming over and taking off a pair of bloody surgical gloves.

“That’s low,” Moore said with a drone.

Giving an ‘I don’t give a shit’ shrug, “He should’ve listened,” she said.

“What’s the count?”

“Five dead. They were shot, but the grenades are what killed them. Three more are sinking fast. One was hit in the gut, one in the chest and the other in the neck. I don’t think the neck wound will live more than another ten minutes, if he’s not dead already. Then, we have another nine walking wounded.”

“Get them ready to move,” Moore said in a tired voice and walked past her to Schmidt who was looking around the machine gun.

When he stopped beside Schmidt, Schmidt glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he waved a hand at the machine gun. “We are so fucked,” he said. “How in the hell did he think of this?”

Moore looked at the machine gun that was hanging in the air. Leaning over, he could tell it was wire tied to the gun at the forward handle and the buttstock. “It’s a gun trap Schmidt.”

“Moore, are you fucking blind?!” Schmidt shouted. “First, look where the gun is set up, in a small cave on a cliff face. There are logs and boulders in front of it to protect the firing position. Now, look at the gun,” he said climbing over the rocks and logs and standing beside the gun.

Pointing at a small log hanging under the gun by wires, “This is a counter balance to keep the weapon from jumping,” he said and pointed at the front. “These sticks here are to keep the gun from firing too far to the left or right and this one, tied to the top of them is to keep the gun from firing up. They are called firing stakes, so you’ll know your field of fire at night. Now, this is the ingenious part, if that wasn’t enough.”

Putting his hand on the machine gun, Schmidt rocked it back. “See this string on the trigger,” he pointed. “It runs back, draped over this stick, and has a heavy rock tied to it. Now, look when I swing it back like the gun is firing being pushed back,” he said easing the gun back. The rock settled on a wide piece of bark with the machine gun rocked back over a foot.

Holding the gun still, Schmidt looked up at Moore. “You can tell the gun is at the end of the arc of the swing, right?” he asked and Moore nodded. “The bark takes the pressure off of the trigger, letting it reset and the gun has lost its rearward momentum because it’s not firing anymore. But since it’s at the end of its swing,” he said and let the gun go.

The machine gun swung forward lifting the rock off the bark and Moore saw the trigger get pulled back again as the rock was lifted off of the bark shelf. “That’s why it was firing in bursts. Firing in bursts doesn’t overheat the gun and you have fewer malfunctions,” Schmidt said and pointed at a huge pile of brass on the ground. “That’s at least four hundred rounds, so Joshua linked at least two belts together but the ready box only holds two hundred rounds and I can’t figure out how he did that.”

Pointing to a stick on the ground with string tied to it, “That’s how it was set off; the rock was balanced on the stick. The trip wire was in front of the toggle release spear trap. When the first man went to help Giles, he set it off,” Schmidt said staring at the machine gun in almost reverence.

“I’ve seen that spear trap before, but I can’t recall where,” Moore said studying the machine gun.

“You’ve seen First Blood, the first Rambo movie?” Schmidt asked and Moore nodded. “It’s used in it.”

“Well, I have to say, this is pretty ingenious,” Moore said, trying to figure out how long it would take to set up.

“Moore,” Schmidt cried out. “Joshua made a fucking remote firing station with some wire, sticks and stones! I’ve seen million dollar robots that weren’t this effective.”

“Yeah, I figured that out. You have a camera?” Moore asked and Schmidt nodded. “Get me photos, then we need to get these wounded out.”

“I’ve called for the choppers,” Wagner said walking up and looking at the machine gun. “How in the hell did he come up with this?”

Shrugging, Moore looked back as the wounded were gathered up. “You can’t land a chopper here and the landing zone is two miles away,” Moore said as Winters walked up.

“One has a hoist and we can get the most critical out with it,” Wagner said.

“How in the hell did you radio out in this valley?” Schmidt asked taking pictures.

“I sent a man up to the ridge and he made contact,” Wagner said as Winters cleared her throat.

“Sir, I’d advise you not to call a chopper in here.”

“I know it can’t land. Didn’t you hear, it has a hoist,” Wagner snapped.

Shaking her head, “Not that sir, in the other ambush site, Joshua made sure the team walked out of his kill zone. It’s his way of saying ‘You’re in my world until I decide to let you out’.”

Seeing Wagner getting ready to unleash, Moore grabbed his shoulder. “Winters, we should be okay,” Moore said and pointed behind the hanging machine gun at a scrench stuck between two rocks. “He’s done with this area.”

Not believing it, Winters gave a huff as an explosion sounded behind them and they all dropped to the ground, waiting for the rest of Joshua’s vengeance. When nothing else happened, they all raised their heads out of the dirt to hear screaming.

“What was that?” Moore asked getting up.

“Hand grenade,” Schmidt said, looking back down the valley. “Joshua put one under the body of the man flipping the bird.”

Grabbing his radio that the group used to keep in touch. “Don’t move any of the bodies of the first team that was hit. We’ll have to send in the bomb techs to retrieve them. How many are hurt?” Moore said lowering the radio.

“We have two dead, sir and another three wounded really bad,” a panicked voice shouted over the radio.

“Winters, go and see if you can help,” Moore said shoving the radio back in the carrier on his waist.

“I’m not a medic,” she said walking off.

“Yeah, but you’re doing a good job for one,” Moore said and turned to Wagner. “Um, I just want to know, do all of your men carry hand grenades in the field?”

“Of course,” Wagner snapped. “We’re authorized to carry them and any weapon we’ve been trained on.”

“Hold that thought,” Moore snapped back. “It’s not bad enough that the BATF and FBI agents are carrying flash bangs out here, but your boys are carrying hand grenades and now have supplied them to Joshua. And,” Moore stressed holding up a finger. “You aren’t trained to use hand grenades; your own men were killed by the grenades your other men threw at the machine gun.”

Moving to the other side of the hanging machine gun and taking more pictures Schmidt asked. “Just how many grenades does each agent carry?”

“Four,” Wagner said and Moore groaned, dropping his stare to the ground. “And each SRT member has been issued a claymore mine for this operation,” Wagner added in a low voice.

“Oh, shit,” Schmidt mumbled, almost dropping the camera.

“Wagner,” Moore said looking up. “You just cost us a bunch of men.”

“We are authorized,” Wagner spat.

“We’ll deal with this later,” Moore growled. “Do you at least have a sniper team that wasn’t killed?”

“Yes, one team is intact. They were going with Giles.”

Giving a sigh of relief, Moore looked up in thanks. “Tell them to set up looking over this area and hide really well. Give them enough food and water to stay here for a week because Joshua is coming back here.”

“You said he was done here,” Schmidt said climbing over the rocks and logs and putting his camera away.

“With us, but I can guarantee you, we haven’t hit all his of traps and he’ll get rid of them so an innocent person doesn’t trip them,” Moore said. “I know it’s shitty to shoot him before he disarms the traps, but this has got to end.”

Wagner grinned. “I’ll have this valley closed until we can get engineers in here to make it safe after we kill him.”

With a perk in his step, Wagner walked away as Schmidt turned to Moore. “So, now you’re on their team to shoot him on sight?”

With a regretful nod, Moore looked over at Schmidt. “We don’t have a choice anymore, Joshua’s going to keep this up until he dies or we run out of agents.”

Hearing the choppers coming, Schmidt walked away. “The public will only watch so many hard military action types of attacks from us against civilians before they get pissed off.”

“They haven’t yet,” Moore mumbled.

***

On a ridge over the valley to the east, Joshua was laying on the ground behind the Barrett. It had taken him some time a few days ago, to put it together and screw the massive suppressor on, but he’d figured it out. After bore sighting it, Joshua had found the crosshairs were almost true to him and had fired two shots to zero it in.

The agent he’d taken it off of, had a PDA that had a program like the one he had on his phone that gave a reading of point of aim when you fed in the distance, bullet weight, etc. When he’d fired the first shot, he’d seen a big flash as the bullet had hit the rock he’d been aiming at and looked over at the black-tipped shells lying next to him. “They really do have armor piercing incendiary rounds for this. I thought the API on the box was where it was made,” Joshua had mumbled.

Now, tucked back in the forest, Joshua looked west at the ridge across the valley that he was overlooking. The next valley was where he had set up his surprises. After listening to the distress call from a Homeland agent on the other ridge, Joshua was pretty pleased with his results and when he’d heard the call to send the choppers, he pulled the Barrett fifty caliber off of Jack.

Picking up his laser range finder, he waited, hearing the thump of the rotor blades getting closer. “You will walk out, boys and girls,” he said lifting the range finder to his eye. Two choppers flew over the valley and one hovered as the other made slow circles around the valley.

Resting the aiming point of the range finder on the hovering chopper, Joshua pressed the button so the laser could tell him how far. “Eighteen hundred and thirty-two yards,” he said with a soft whistle, lowering the range finder to see something descending from the hovering chopper.

Setting the range finder down, Joshua grabbed the PDA and put in the numbers and then adjusted the knobs on the scope, dialing in the range. “I wish I could use my Lapua, but I don’t think it has enough ass to knock those birds from the sky,” he said pulling the stock to his shoulder. Twisting the magnification up to maximum, Joshua settled the crosshairs over the engine compartment and flipped the safety off.

Letting his breath out slowly, Joshua gently pulled the trigger back. ‘Sapow’ the rifle coughed and bucked off the ground. Watching in the scope, it was almost two seconds later when he saw the flash on the engine compartment and the chopper lurched down, but stayed in place.

What Joshua didn’t know was, they were winching one of the agents up and the pilot thought he had an engine malfunction. But not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Joshua pulled the trigger two more times. The next two bullets killed the second engine and gravity took over control of the chopper as everyone on the ground ran for cover. Because a helicopter had the glide pattern of a rock, the Blackhawk fell almost straight down.

The second chopper flew over as the first chopper disappeared into the trees and hovered over the crash site. Dropping the magazine, Joshua put in a new one and rested the crosshairs on the chopper which was facing him. He could make out the shapes of the pilot and copilot through the glass and wondered if an API could make it through the glass.

“Only one way to find out,” he said and slowly exhaled. Starting on the right, Joshua squeezed the trigger till the gun jumped, reset the crosshairs and squeezed again. He sent all six shots in three seconds and saw with his own eyes, yes, API fifty caliber rounds will punch through the glass of a Blackhawk.

The copilot died instantly as did the crew chief behind him in the cargo area from the same bullet. Bullet number three hit the pilot in the shoulder blowing his arm off and the chopper did a nose dive straight down.

Jumping up, “Time to make tracks,” Joshua said and picked up the Barrett with a grunt. “I’m hiding your big ass. You’re nice to have, but hauling you around sucks.” When he’d strapped the massive rifle on Jack, Jack looked back at him. “Yeah, I know. With a suppressor that weights more than an M4, bipod and a scope that I can hit the moon with, the damn thing is heavy, but we will find it a home until we need it.”

When it was tied on, Joshua climbed on King. “Time to head to Middle Earth,” he said giving King a soft kick.

Chapter Thirty

Middle Earth was a cave almost two miles behind the house on the other side of Binarch Mountain. When the Lord of The Rings movies came out, William fell in love with them and one day, when they were out hiking and Joshua was teaching William what Mary had taught him about plants, they’d found the cave. It wasn’t a real cave, only going back ten yards, but to William, it was Middle Earth. For a whole summer, William and several kids that lived nearby would ride four-wheelers to the cave and battle the hordes of Saruman.

In the letter, Joshua wanted to make sure that even if it was intercepted, those that read it wouldn’t understand it, but he wanted Sonya and William to know, he was keeping an eye on them. Granted, it was from miles away with a spotting scope, but he was still watching out for them.

The Section 19 reference was more for Gene, letting him know that Joshua wouldn’t come within half a mile, so they wouldn’t be afraid to shoot at a man crawling toward the house, thinking it was him. And only an old-time logger would know what Section 19 was.

Logger paradise in heaven; where massive old growth trees grew and you spent all day cutting them down and when you woke up the next morning, all the trees had regrown and you just kept cutting. The place only an old-time logger would see as heaven, one square mile of never-ending old growth forest, just for them.

Joshua had little fear that the feds would know that so he felt confident, if Gene or the others saw a single person sneaking within half a mile, they would shoot first.

The attack he had just done was almost nine miles southwest from his home, so he rode hard through the trees to put some distance between him and the site. Weaving through the trees, Joshua considered stopping to have a look at Gene’s place just to make sure his house was okay. It was only a few miles south of his place and he would be traveling close by. Joshua was surprised that no other choppers had shown up right away. It was two hours later and he was six miles away before he heard the first choppers heading south.

Glancing at his watch he smiled, seeing that he would make Middle Earth before nightfall and could drop off the spare radio, another letter, and other stuff he thought Sonya needed and could use as leverage.

Thinking of the radio, Joshua reached back and lifted the top of the saddlebag, turning it on. He pulled the headset up close to his ear to listen with the volume down. There was another search team between him and the house but they were further west near Pelke Divide Mountain, but he didn’t want to risk someone hearing the blaring radio.

“This is base, any contact, air six?” came over the radio.

“This is air six, negative base. I can see the team, request permission to extract first group.”

“This is base, air six, permission granted. Have air four take the wounded to Spokane and you and air five, ferry the team back here while air one covers.”

“Base, this is air six, that’s going to take three trips, leaving us over the hostile area longer. Request permission to have air one take a load, so it will only take us two trips.”

“Air six, this is base. Request denied.”

“Copy base, air six out.”

Joshua grinned when the radio beeped as it changed frequencies. “Base, this is team seventy-one,” he heard and pulled back on the reins stopping King. Team seventy-one was the team close to Pelke Divide Mountain.

“Seventy-one, this his base.”

“Base, it sounded like a war southeast of us here about two hours ago, is the search continuing?”

“Seventy-one, you are to hold position because suspect is near. You are advised to find observation point and call for any movement spotted. What is your current location?”

Joshua quickly dug out his map as seventy-one called out his location. He soon found the spot, a ridge north-west of Pelke Divide Mountain.

“We copy, seventy-one, can you move to following location, 48°28'23.57"N, 117° 1'42.78"W,” base called out. Moving his finger Joshua found the spot, a ridge to the east of the team that overlooked a valley floor that Squaw Valley Rd ran along. If the team took the logging road near them, it was over two miles away. But if they went cross country, they would cross several draws and ridges, it was only a mile but would take them much longer.

After several minutes, “Base, this is seventy-one. We copy coordinates, but please be advised it’s going to take us several hours to get there if you think suspect is close.”

“Seventy-one, base copies and you are to engage any ATV on sight.”

“Um, base, this is seventy-one, did I hear correctly, any ATV because there are two off grid home sites in this valley. We were given instructions to not engage the deputized civilians at any cost and we’ve seen them riding on-,” seventy-one paused. “On Squaw Valley Road and some were on ATVs. Base, I have to warn you, at the home site to our east we counted over twenty with some serious weapons. If we shoot at them, they will shoot back, so are we cleared to engage them?”

“Hold seventy-one.” Joshua pulled out his notepad and made notes on what was said. “Seventy-one, this is base, do you copy?” came over the radio after ten minutes.

“Copy, base.”

“Move to new location. Local law enforcement is being notified that any individual moving on federal land will be viewed as hostile unless escorted by a police vehicle on a designated road. Any individual seen off a road in the forest will be engaged as hostile. Do you copy, seventy-one?”

“Any individual seen in forest or not escorted by a police vehicle on roadway is to be engaged as hostile. Is that correct, base?”

“Correct, seventy-one.”

“Base, when team gets to new location, I would like that order in writing and delivered to team in the field.”

“Negative, seventy-one, a copy will be provided to you upon return to base.”

There was a pause, “Base, until we have a written copy of that order in our hands, team seventy-one will not engage unless threatened. Team seventy-one will not be left hanging in the wind, following orders dictated out over the radio. Base, you’re ordering us to shoot any individual spotted in the forest and we will comply, but only with written orders in hand. Team doesn’t want base to forget these orders, if we carry them out. Do you copy, base?”

After a pause of ten minutes, a new voice came over the radio. “Team seventy-one, this is base operational chief Homeland AIC Griffey, do you copy?”

“Copy, sir.”

“You will have your written orders, but we can’t deliver them to you without giving away your location.”

“Sir, I say again, unless team has written orders, we won’t engage until assaulted. We will follow the orders, sir and have no problem doing so, but only after the orders are in hand.”

“Seventy-one, the orders are being photocopied now and anyone here can verify.”

“Sir, even if you had one of our mothers come on the radio, telling us they had them in hand, we would want possession before carrying them out.”

“Understood seventy-one,” Griffey sighed over the radio. “Send half your team to the following coordinates and they will be dropped off by chopper when you arrive, then they can radio the rest of the team that’s in position that you have them. After that, the other half can rejoin your team, do you copy,” Griffey said then read off the coordinates.

“Copy base, team splitting now, seventy-one alpha will be primary team overlooking valley and seventy-one bravo will be team moving to landing site.”

“Copy, seventy-one.”

Joshua marked the landing site and toyed with the idea of getting closer, but soon realized he would never get within range before the chopper showed up. Folding the map up as base talked to drivers moving along roads to pick up teams and put others out, the radio beeped several times and Joshua groaned. He knew that beep. It meant the battery was low and looked at the screen to see the message.

“Shit,” he huffed and turned off the radio. He had a portable solar charger, but there hadn’t been sunlight with all the rain that was still falling. The only reason he could still use the radio was the batteries he’d taken from the other agents he’d shot, but the other three were already dead and this was his last one.

As the rain dripped off the branches overhead, Joshua started thinking about how he could charge some batteries, then realized he was guiding King to Gene’s house. “Well, I can check on his house, but I’m not stupid enough to get close.”

It was just after 1500 when Joshua crept over the ridge, moving from tree to tree till he was overlooking Gene’s place. He saw several campers and tents in the yard with about two dozen people, men, and women, walking around with weapons. Lifting his binoculars up, he saw they were wearing hunting clothes and then he saw a few people he knew.

“Well, now I know who they were talking about at the houses around here,” he mumbled and saw a group of people walking toward the road and stopping. They were looking at a tall white box on the other side of the road. The box was about six feet tall, and three feet wide and deep with a small satellite dish on the top. On the two sides he could see, there were small black windows at the top edge.

Then, he noticed a small box half as tall but just as wide sitting beside the tall box, but the small box had solar panels. The group stopped on the road, waving at the box and making obscene gestures. One pulled his pants down mooning the box and Joshua figured out that the tall box must contain a camera. Since it was on the other side of the road, it was on federal land.

“Whatever you do, boys and girls, don’t leave his property. I’ve really pissed them off,” Joshua mumbled as he moved back to King and Jack. “I don’t want other people involved in this,” he said looking at King who just wiggled his ears.

Climbing on, Joshua gave King a gentle kick heading north. It wasn’t even an hour later that King came to a sudden stop. Joshua looked down at the back of King’s head. “There aren’t any teams around here.”

He squeezed King with his legs and jiggled the reins, but King stayed put. He looked around the forest. “King, unless they are within a hundred yards, they can’t see us. Middle Earth is just ahead, now come on,” he said, but King just snorted.

Sighing, Joshua climbed off. “King, there better be someone up here. I haven’t slept in a long time and I’m not in the mood.”

Adjusting his M4, Joshua moved in front of King and led him along the ridge. When Joshua started down the other side, King stopped, almost jerking the reins from his hands. Looking over his shoulder, he saw King looking off to the right.

Looking behind King, Joshua saw Jack looking the same direction. “If those fuckers are set up this close to the house, they die. Then I’m going to kick Chris’ ass for letting them get this close,” he mumbled, dropping the reins.

Easing down the ridge, Joshua would pause every few yards and look ahead with the binoculars. He could only see fifty or so yards, but the damn ferns here were almost chest high so anyone could be hiding. Moving down another ten yards, he stopped and glassed the forest again slowly and stopped, seeing a fern move.

Taking his right hand off of the binoculars, he gripped his M4, keeping the binoculars where he’d seen the fern move. He watched for several minutes, almost convincing himself that it must have been a bird when another fern moved fifteen feet away. He slowly lowered his body till his head was even with the tops of the ferns but he could still see over them.

Zooming in as far as he could without blurring out, Joshua saw another fern barely move, then another next to it like someone was crawling under them. Watching the area, he aimed his rifle in that direction but not at the ferns. Then he saw something lift up between the ferns for a second, barely moving back and forth, then lower back down.

“What the hell?” he more thought than mumbled, seeing the ferns moving again and whatever it was, it was heading toward him. Taking his eyes off of the binoculars, Joshua moved beside a tree and continued watching.

When the movement was only fifteen yards away, Joshua lowered the binoculars and moved his left hand to his rifle, getting ready to engage. Then he saw the thing slowly poke back up eight yards away and realized he was looking at the head cover to a ghillie suit, and not just any ghillie suit.

“God damn it Chris, I almost shot your ass,” Joshua said and Chris fell back on his back.

Jumping up, Chris looked toward the voice, removing his head cover. “You scared the tee total shit out of me boss,” he said walking over and cradling his Lapua. Chris studied Joshua as he walked over. Joshua was wearing the A-Tac camo with a plate carrier vest and six magazines on the front with several other pouches connected to the MOLLE webbing.

Then, he looked at Joshua’s face, “Man, you look weird as hell without your beard and wearing a tactical helmet,” Chris grinned.

“What the hell are you doing here? The seventh day is tomorrow,” Joshua said letting his rifle hang and reaching out.

Chris grabbed his hand shaking it. “I know, and from all the reports we’ve been getting from down south of here, I knew you would take this ridge to Middle Earth. How in the hell did you spot me?”

“King smelled you from the other side of the ridge and wouldn’t let me cross until I dismounted,” Joshua said, then gave a soft whistle.

“Damn, that’s a good horse,” Chris said looking up the slope. He soon saw King walking down with Jack behind him. “Come on, there are some people I want you to meet,” Chris said as King walked up.

“Who?”

“You’ll see,” Chris said bringing his hands to his mouth and giving a bird call. It was soon answered and Chris did it again, then dropped his hands. “That’s one of the guys you spotted with me. He’s moving out up the ridge. We are putting six guys out in a circle a half mile out from Middle Earth, just in case the fed boys try moving around here again.”

“They got this close?” Joshua asked as Chris started walking.

“No, they came within half a mile behind the house trying to sneak along the ridge, but we stopped them and told them if they tried it again, we would shoot. The FBI team seemed really thankful for the warning and haven’t tried again.”

“Well, they might now. It seems they are really furious that I shot down two of their choppers.”

“Wait,” Chris said holding up his hand as he continued walking. “Wait until we get to Middle Earth, so you can tell the others and don’t have to repeat it.”

“Okay, but all I’ve had to talk to are King and Jack.”

Chuckling, Chris glanced over, “I can’t believe you finally named your mule.”

“Seemed fitting with all that’s going on and Jack is a good name for him, since I’ve always called him a jackass when he pisses me off.”

“See you got some new gear,” Chris said raising his eyebrows. “Top of the line, new gear.”

“Hell, they keep sending the idiots out after me, so I take it. It has already helped. Two days ago, I was moving across a small glade and a chopper flew over and banked back. I knew if I ran it would look suspicious, so I just waved. A man in the back stuck his arm out and waved, then the chopper flew off. They have teams or had teams on horseback and I figure they just thought I was one.”

“Whatever works boss, but I would stay under the trees,” Chris grinned.

“I do, but I was looking for stuff to use,” Joshua said as Chris brought his hands to his mouth and did another bird call. “You are pretty good at that.”

“Have to be, don’t want any radio transmissions out here unless they start getting close,” Chris said, walking up the small draw that led to Middle Earth.

Getting closer, Joshua saw a weird-looking tent over the cave entrance. Before he could ask, “Dad,” William cried out, running out from under the weird tent.

“You brought my son out here?” Joshua said wanting to be mad but couldn’t be as he dropped down to his knees and held out his arms. William hit him at a full run and they wrapped their arms around each other.

“I missed you, Dad,” William said hugging him tight.

“I missed you too, big man,” Joshua said and heard running feet and looked up to see Sonya charging him. “And my wife, Chris-,” Joshua stopped as Sonya hit him, knocking him and William over.

Sonya kissed him as she squeezed him tight. Breaking the kiss, she lifted her head looking at his face. “Don’t be mad at Chris. It was our decision.”

“Baby, I love you and miss you two, but you’re in danger around me,” Joshua said hugging them tight, not ever wanting to let go.

“Come, we have to talk,” Sonya said getting up and holding out her hand. With William still hugging him, Joshua pulled, getting to his feet and William let go.

“Man, do you look like one of those soldier guys from TV,” Ben said walking up with a grin. “Josh, you don’t look right without your beard.”

“Chris, I very specifically said not to bring Ben,” Joshua said grinning as Ben wrapped him in a man hug.

“I took his guns away before we left,” Gene chuckled, walking over.

Looking up at Gene, “Who the hell is guarding the house?” Joshua asked.

“That’s some of what we have to tell you,” Sonya said as Ernest stepped out of the weird tent.

“Um, what’s Ernest doing here? My trucks are paid for but I can tell you, I damn sure miss them.”

After Gene gave Joshua a man hug, Chris stepped over in front of him. “You’ve heard rumors of Minutemen, right?”

“Yeah, but that’s all,” Josh said as Ernest walked toward them.

“Ernest is the colonel of the Panhandle Minutemen, I’m the first sergeant,” Chris said.

“You believe this little shit didn’t ask us to join?” Ben said waving his hand at Chris.

Ernest stepped up, holding out his hand and Joshua shook it. “Well, in all fairness, Joshua was strongly considered, but he has associates, namely one that is a hothead.”

Everyone turned to look at Ben who threw his hands up. “All the big charges were dropped; I’m only guilty of misdemeanors.”

“I rest my case,” Ernest said turning back to Joshua. “The canopy is thick here, but let’s get under cover.”

Joshua yanked the reins, pulling King up the draw as Ernest walked beside Joshua who had his left arm over Sonya’s shoulders and his right over William’s. “Joshua, we brought some grain up for the horses and one of my team is a veterinarian, so let her check them out.”

“You need to tell her, Jack can be an ass,” Joshua said and William snorted. “Thank you Ernest for helping protect my family.”

“I’m not going to lie,” Ernest said holding a flap open and Joshua saw a tube netting running over the fabric of the tent. “We were going in the field to help you, but Buck asked us to do this.”

“Well, the feds just sent out a memo that all individuals on federal land can be shot on sight. They are flying the orders out to teams right now,” Joshua said touching the tent.

“It’s a thermal tent, Dad,” William grinned. “The tubes have this gel in them that is pumped through them that’s the same temperature as the ground, so even if someone sees it in thermal it looks like the ground.”

“Neat,” Joshua grinned, pulling William tight and saw Barbara and Sammy. They came over and shook his hand.

“Um, Josh, if I may call you that,” Ernest said with a worried face and Joshua nodded at him as he pulled Sonya close. “How do you know this?”

“Heard it on the radio.”

“You can hear their radio transmissions?”

“Well, yeah, how could I hear it on the radio if I can’t hear them talking,” Joshua chuckled.

“Their radios are encrypted and on roving frequencies.”

“Oh, I took one of their radios.”

“Even if you know the code for it, the radios are only programmed with certain frequencies. The ground teams can only talk to a few other ground teams, if they can get radio signal.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was coming to drop off. The first radio can pick up all the transmissions, but the second one I took only picks up a few. I was going to leave it and ask William to take a crack at, making it do what the other one can,” Joshua said pulling William tighter.

“Can I see it, the first radio?” Ernest almost begged.

“Sure,” Joshua said looking over at Ben. “Will you get my saddlebags and backpack off of King and make sure Jack isn’t trying to bite the vet.”

“The damn mule bit me last year,” Ben cried out heading for the door.

“Yeah, and you punched him in the head and knocked his ass out for almost an hour,” Joshua said. “He was carrying your deer that you shot and you knocked his ass out.”

“He bit my shoulder,” Ben huffed walking out.

“I’ve never heard of a mule getting knocked out,” Ernest mumbled.

“Shit, I thought he’d killed Jack.”

Sitting at a table, Gene laughed. “Ben may be short but as you can see, he’s solid muscle and as strong as an ox. I’ve watched him fight everyone in a bar at the same time, and win.”

“Where is the rest of the crew?” Joshua asked as Sonya pulled him to the table. When he sat down, Sonya and William sat on either side of him.

“Called Eddie Shore and he got them a job on the reservation. Totally off grid,” Gene grinned, but then it fell off. “I tried making Ben go with Barbara and Sam here, but he threatened to shove a walker up my ass so I let it drop. I’m fairly certain that would hurt.”

“Thank you Gene. The crew needed to go,” Joshua said turning to look at Barbara and Sammy. “But you’re going to need Ben, I just wish you two would’ve gone with them. If I could hide Sonya and William, I would.”

“We stand beside Ben,” Barbara said. “He fights for you and so will we.”

“Josh,” Gene said grinning, looking at Barbara. “What the hell did you do down south? Ernest and them can triangulate radio signals, but not hear what is said but with all the transmissions, it must’ve been big.”

Letting out a huff, “Well, yesterday, I killed eight and set up a bunch of traps,” Joshua said looking over at Gene. “When they came in this morning, their day went to total shit,” he said with Sonya lightly popping his arm. “Seems I killed another dozen, one being some Giles person who was a tracker. Then I killed another eight when I shot down two choppers.”

Everyone in the tent had their mouths open and they stared at Joshua. “The vet is feeding Jack sugar cubes and he’s in love,” Ben said walking in, carrying the saddlebags. He stopped, seeing the look of shock on everyone’s faces as they stared at Joshua. “What did I miss?”

“Seems Josh is still killing on a grand scale,” Gene finally said and told Ben what Joshua had told them.

Putting the saddle bags on the table and dropping the backpack beside Joshua, Ben patted Joshua on the back. “Now you see, being a bad ass has a definite up side.”

“Hey, if they would leave me alone, I would do the same,” Joshua said and pulled out notebooks and notepads. “But they know everything each one of you has ever done.”

“What?” Barbara gasped.

“Yeah, I think I know now why Ben loves you so much,” Joshua said looking up at her. “You’re the female version of him and to be honest, that scares the shit out of me.”

“Brother, she’s told me everything and I agree she’s a bad ass, but not on my scale,” Ben chuckled.

“I’m not going there,” Joshua said, pushing the stack to Sonya. “You can use that for leverage, but wait till you read what they have on mom. When she was sixteen, she beat up a cop with his own nightstick.”

“Oh man, I can’t wait to get home and ask Nana about that,” William laughed and Joshua looked at Sonya.

“Mom is at our house?”

“Joshua, do you really think Nana would be anywhere else?” Sonya said crossing her arms.

“Babe, she can’t run when the feds hit the house,” Joshua said and everyone caught the when, not if.

“Luv, I told her that and she said she had no intention of running. She would wait in the living room with her double barrel and if we didn’t run, she would load it with rock salt and shoot at us.”

“You let her bring her ten-gauge shotgun? My God, if she shoots that thing, it will break her in half,” Joshua said then looked over at Gene. “You’ve known my mom longer than I have, you talk to her.”

“Nope, like you said, I’ve known her longer and I’m not getting her mad at me,” Gene said.

Sonya patted his arm. “I’ll try to talk to her again babe, but don’t expect her to leave.”

Pulling out the two radios, Joshua sighed. “Okay,” he said and pointed at one of the radios. “This is the one that can do it all and the other only picks up some stuff. Think you can do something with them William?”

“Sure, but it’s going to take a while,” he said sliding them over.

“The battery is almost dead and the sun hasn’t been out in like forever,” Joshua almost growled. “My e-reader is dead, the other batteries for the radios are dead, my cellphone… I mean, come on, I just need a few hours of sunlight.”

“We can charge them here,” Ernest said looking at the radio with William. “May I William? I’ve worked with these many times.”

“You have any batteries? These jackoffs carry electronic everything, but only a few batteries. The codes and frequencies are in the small blue notebook.”

“We can hook you up,” Ernest said grabbing the notebook as Joshua started throwing electronics on the table from his saddlebags, backpack and his pockets.

He held up one of the satellite phones. “You know they make prepaid satellite phones?” he asked looking at Ben, Chris and Gene who all looked amazed. “And they cost over three grand each.”

When Joshua threw the PDA down on the table, William snatched it up. “Wow, Dad, where did you get this? It’s a Trimble Recon 400x handheld computer.”

“I just thought it was a PDA,” Joshua said as William held the device in his hands and used his thumbs to tap on the keyboard.

Laughing, “No, Dad, it’s much more powerful than a PDA,” William said as Sammy moved over to look over his shoulder and watch William tap the screen.

“He types faster with his thumbs than my secretary does with her hands,” Sonya mumbled shaking her head.

“Got it off the guy who had the Barrett and lucky for me, it has a ballistic program similar to mine,” Joshua said watching William’s thumbs. “It’s also got solitaire and a chess game, but I don’t know how to change the level on the chess game. It has to be set on a little kid’s level because I can beat it in ten moves.”

“Whoa, it’s got the wifi password and encryption code for the federal network terminals,” William sang out in awe.

Joshua leaned over to Sonya’s ear. “Is that the thing I’m always asking for the password?”

“I don’t know, I just hand William my laptop and tell him I can’t get on the internet,” Sonya said shrugging.

Ernest looked up from the radios and notebook. “William, can you hack into the network that they set up at their new command area?”

“There is no hacking,” he chuckled. “I have the codes now. Without them, it would’ve taken me weeks to break them.”

“Is it good to break them or bad?” Sonya whispered to Joshua.

“I think, since it’s the feds and you can break something, it’s good.”

William pulled out his cellphone and tapped the screen. “I’m downloading this,” he said with a huge grin and set the handheld computer beside his phone.

Joshua looked over and saw a status bar on the cellphone running up slowly in percentage. “How are you doing that? They aren’t connected. The kid I bought the phone from said I had to hook a cable to a phone to upload programing stuff.”

“Yeah, it’s much faster, but I’m just bluetoothing it.”

“Bluetooth? Like the thing I wear in my ear for my cellphone?” Joshua asked hesitantly.

“That’s right, Dad,” William said with a smile, and Joshua felt good he’d got that right.

“Joshua,” Ernest said and he turned to him. “The reason the first radio picks up everything is, it was programed with all the frequencies and codes. Whoever you took it from did it. I’m sure if the feds found out he’d done that, they would crucify him.”

“Well, that’s going to be worthless because I shot his ass.”

“No, I mean, he opened their entire network up with this one radio,” Ernest said and Joshua just stared at him, not understanding. “Um, he made this radio like generals would have, so they could talk to all their forces, but a general doesn’t have to worry about his radio getting captured.”

“Oh,” Joshua said understanding the significance now. “So, can you make the other one like that one?”

“Sure, but can I copy these frequencies and codes?”

“What codes?” Joshua asked leaning over the table and looking at the notebook.

Ernest pointed at the numbers beside every frequency. “These are the codes. The radio is loaded with over a million of them,” Ernest explained.

“Hey, I don’t care, but don’t talk to them on those frequencies because they will hunt you down fast. I heard several talking a few days ago, they did that to someone who was talking on one of the frequencies from the east side of the lake,” Joshua said as Sonya grabbed his hand to hold it. He looked at her smiling and extracted his hand and pulled off his gloves, then held her hand again.

Ernest gave a sly nod, “Yeah, that was one of us to see if we could jam them,” he grinned. “We were long gone before they got there.”

“So, you can hear them with regular radios?” Joshua asked.

“You hear a transmission, but it’s tones and pulses because they are transmitting on a coded frequency. That’s why I need the codes from this radio and the number of the code for each frequency.”

Looking over at William, who was still tapping away at the PDA. “William, did you understand that?” Joshua asked and Sonya snorted.

“Yes, sir,” he said as Sammy reached over, pointing at the screen. “That’s the encryption program for Wi-Fi,” William said and Sammy nodded.

“Chris, I want you to teach me something,” Joshua said lifting his other saddlebag to the table and pulled out a cloth pouch. “How do I use this? It has an instruction book, but the book looks like it was designed for third graders.”

Chris stepped over as Joshua pulled a claymore mine out of the cloth bag. “Where in the hell did you get that?” he shouted, picking it up as Joshua took the wire, clacker and blasting cap out of the bag.

“Two of the last ones I took out were carrying them and hand grenades,” Joshua said pulling out a hand grenade from his vest.

Chris looked over at Ernest. “You see what they are using on him?” he bellowed.

“Chris, it’s not the first time they’ve used military equipment to fight a civilian,” Ernest shrugged. “That’s why they don’t want the population armed with any type of firearm. But if we are to have weapons, they want us to have single shot, small caliber rifles, so they have fire superiority, always.”

Looking at the grenade Joshua was holding and then at the claymore, “This is wrong,” Chris mumbled.

Joshua shrugged, “They are just bringing in weapons since they are outgunned. Does it piss me off? You’re damn right it does, but it lets them and others know, ‘If you don’t fight them on their own ground, you can actually fight back’.”

Nodding at that, Chris grinned, “I’ll show you, it’s not that hard.”

“I want to learn,” Ben said leaning over.

“Oh shit,” Gene mumbled. “How about we let Josh and the family have a little time alone?”

“Hold up for a second Gene, you’re going to love this,” Joshua said, letting Sonya’s hand go and taking the ‘self-erecting pop-up’ tent off his backpack. Popping the straps, Joshua grinned and tossed the circle of cloth, watching it pop out into a tent before it hit the floor. Never getting tired of that, Joshua chuckled, “Now, that is cool.”

“Where in the hell did you get that?” Ben asked walking over and picking it up.

“Every searcher has one,” Joshua said taking the tent from Ben. He twisted and folded it until it was a two-foot cloth covered ring. Looking at Ben, he tossed it again, letting the tent pop out. “I love tents but don’t like the weight and the time it takes setting them up but damn, I like that one.”

Ben spun around staring at Gene. “I’m going to shoot one and take his tent.” Everyone busted out laughing. “What? That is awesome!”

Gene started coughing as he swallowed his dip and grabbed a bottle of water. After draining the bottle, he looked up at Ben, “Ben, we can’t just take off and shoot the feds to take their tents,” Gene said in a raspy voice. “We have more important things to do but I swear to you, if we take them down, you will get the first tent.”

Letting out a huff as the others continued to laugh, Ben picked up the tent, “Show me how to fold it up,” he said looking at Joshua.

Wiping his eyes, Ernest came over, “I can show you, I have one,” he said laughing.

“You can just buy these?” Ben shouted. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

Chris had to help carry out Gene still bent over and coughing as Ernest pulled the tent out with Ben close behind. When the others were gone, Sonya looked at Joshua still laughing. “I now know why you always got Ben out of trouble, he’s hilarious. I know he’s your friend but my God, he can make you laugh not even trying.”

“You should’ve hung around us when we were younger,” Joshua grinned.

“Can you take off all that?” Sonya said waving her hand at the vest.

“Sure, I wear it so much, I forget it’s on,” Joshua said undoing the sides and pulling it over his head and dropping it on the table.

“And we want you to wear it, but we have a hot portable shower set up for you,” she said pointing toward the cave. “After you wash up, we can just sit and talk.”

“Oh man,” Joshua said kissing her and wrapping his arms around her tightly. “It really sucks washing and shaving in a mountain stream.”

“That’s why we have it set up,” she grinned. As Joshua stripped, she grabbed his clothes and tossed them in a bucket of water. When Joshua climbed in the shower, she and William washed his clothes and boots by hand.

Drying off and feeling much better, Joshua grinned, seeing them hang up his clothes to dry. “Guys, thank you,” he said wrapping a towel around his waist and pulling more clothes out of the backpack. When he was dressed, they sat at the table together and ate. They talked for several hours, not about what was going on, just talking as a family.

“I hate to say this, but I really need to get moving,” Joshua said getting up and hugging both of them.

“I know,” Sonya groaned as she and William hugged Joshua back. “But spend a little longer with the others.”

Letting out a sigh, Joshua nodded. “Okay, but I fear I may have been here too long as it is. I don’t want you and William to become targets.”

“We already are,” Sonya said and gave him an abbreviated version of what Buck had given them to keep safe.

“Shit,” Joshua mumbled dropping in his chair. Looking up at her, “Who else knows that you have this?”

“Gene, of course, with Ben and Chris, and we let Ernest know,” she said and Joshua nodded.

“Make sure that not many more know because if they find out, they will come hard, especially with what I gave you.”

“Dad,” William said looking up at him. “The feds don’t care about right or wrong anymore. They only want power.”

With a sad face, Joshua nodded, “Can’t be put much simpler than that.”

“William, would you go tell everyone to come back in?” Sonya said with a frown then kissed his forehead. William darted out as Joshua put on his boots.

“Damn it Gene, I’m telling you, I can get down there to Squaw Rd, shoot one, and be back in a few hours,” Ben said walking in with Gene. “Hell, I’ll shoot two and bring you back one of those tents.”

“Ben, you’re getting on my nerves,” Gene said digging in his pocket and pulling out his can of snuff.

Before Gene knew it, Ben reached over, taking the can and thumped it with his finger. “Hell, Joshua’s killed a bunch and he won’t mind if they think he’s killed a few more,” Ben said popping the top off and filling his bottom lip with snuff while Gene stared at him open-mouthed. “You think I can’t pull it off?” Ben asked closing the can and handing it back.

“You little snot-face shit,” Gene snapped. “You just take my snuff now without even asking?”

Shrugging, “Well yeah, after you pulled it out,” Ben said spitting. “I’m not digging in your pocket for it.”

With his face turning red, Gene glared at Ben as Chris walked over and took the can of snuff from Gene’s hand. “Thanks Gene, I left mine,” Chris said, popping the can open.

Sonya couldn’t help but chuckle as Joshua leaned over and whispered. “That’s why Gene quit the last time. I don’t think he’ll be dipping much longer.”

When Chris handed the empty can back, forcing it into Gene’s palm, Gene looked at the empty can. “I haven’t even got a dip from this can you two freeloaders,” Gene growled.

“Well, you have more,” Ben said and Chris nodded as he spit.

Ernest walked around the group over to Joshua, carrying the radio Joshua had wanted worked on. “Gene may be in his sixties, but I’m putting my money on him when the beatings start,” he said putting the radio on the table. “It’s like the other one now,” Ernest said.

“Great, now I can hide it and have a spare,” Joshua said as Chris and Ben walked over to the table. Mumbling unintelligible words, Gene tossed the empty can away and pulled another from his back pocket, heading over to the table.

“That solar recharger on your saddle is what you’re using to recharge with?” Ernest asked.

“Yeah, if I could ever get sunlight,” Joshua said.

“We have a better one, if you want it,” Ernest offered. “It will recharge in half the time and it’s lighter.”

Letting out a chuckle, “Then I can’t turn it down,” Joshua said.

“All your batteries are recharged and we have spares for your night vision gear,” Ernest said and held up another radio. “I want you to take this but don’t transmit from it. Before long, they will change codes and you won’t be able to listen to all the frequencies, but we can triangulate where they are.”

Walking around beside Joshua, Ernest held out the radio. “The thing on the side is a digital recorder. We will burst transmit a message every day and you can record it. When you play it back you can hear it, but the transmission will only be a few seconds long. We send it really fast but when you play it back, it’s at normal speed.”

Nodding as Ernest showed him how to do it, “Quite smart,” Joshua said.

“Despite what people think, technology doesn’t win a war and it can be overcome,” Ernest said. “It all comes down to the willingness of people to fight for their beliefs and freedoms.”

Taking the radio and recorder, “Shit, I just wanted to be left alone,” Joshua said putting the radio in his saddlebag.

Patting Joshua’s back, “That’s usually the way rebellions start Joshua,” Ernest said. “When one man decides that he’s not going to be pushed anymore.”

“Rebellion,” Joshua scoffed. “I’m not fighting a rebellion; I’m just trying to stay alive.”

“Then why are you fighting? You could’ve surrendered at the beginning to Buck and spent some time in prison,” Ernest said. “Eventually you would’ve gotten out.”

Looking up at Ernest, Joshua shook his head, “Yeah, eventually but doubtful. When I fought back, the government decided to make an example of me. I’m not stupid, but don’t try to put me on the same pedestal as the Founding Fathers.”

Dropping his hand off of Joshua’s back, Ernest walked around the table. “Not even they wanted to fight in the beginning Joshua, but they knew if they didn’t, their situation was only going to get worse with more control. Like you and many others, they could only take being pushed so far.”

“What others? There are others out there killing feds?”

“Not yet, but it’s coming,” Ernest said and Joshua’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh, we gave our word that your family would be protected, so don’t get worried.”

“Much obliged for that,” Joshua said with relief. “Contrary to what you might think, the feds are going to come after them. I just hope you can get them out before the feds roll over you.”

A grin split Ernest’s face. “Trust me, they won’t roll over us that easily. But when or if they do, I have to say, we will get them to a safe place. But after that, it’s on you. I hope you understand.”

“Ernest, I’m probably one of the few people who do understand,” Joshua said with a sigh. “Have you and your group got your families tucked away?”

Shaking his head, “No, they don’t know who we are, but if they attack, the feds will do their damnedest to find out,” Ernest said. “Some of us will have to go back to our lives, so the feds can’t figure that out.”

“Ben knows where to take them,” Joshua said, looking at Gene. “You sure you want to stay on? I would understand if you didn’t.”

“Boy, don’t make me take you outside,” Gene huffed. “I haven’t dealt with Ben night and day for weeks on end just to hightail it when the going gets rough. Josh, you realize I’ve been with Ben twenty-four-seven for almost a month?”

Looking over at Ben and Chris, Joshua grinned at seeing Ben shoot him the finger. “Hell will freeze over and Satan will become Catholic before I leave a buddy,” Ben said and Chris nodded.

“Joshua,” Chris said clearing his throat. “Just how did you knock out two Blackhawks?”

“With a Barrett fifty that I took from them,” Joshua grinned. “I found some of those black-tipped API bullets you’d talked about and you weren’t lying, they will punch right through some stuff.”

A young woman came in and walked over to Ernest, “Your horse and mule are in very good shape Joshua,” she said then leaned toward Ernest, whispering.

When she was done, Ernest looked at Joshua. “I’m afraid it’s time for us to part ways. A convoy just passed the house heading toward the area where you shot down those choppers. I don’t like having most of my force away when they are moving in strength.”

“Completely understood,” Joshua said then hugged Sonya and William. “You two, stay strong and be ready to move. Please try to get mom to leave.”

Pushing up on her tiptoes, Sonya kissed him. “Babe, I tried and I’m sorry, but that was it. Nana got mad at me for trying.”

Letting out a huge sigh, “Okay,” Joshua said as William handed him the PDA. “You’re the man around the house, so you protect them.”

“I will, Dad,” William said hugging Joshua.

Ernest held out a small notepad. “Joshua, this is the key to the code we use. Get up high at 2000 hours tomorrow and the message will tell you when the next contact will be. If you send out, you have to vacate the area very fast. Tracking a ten-second transmission is hard, but not impossible. We will always be monitoring, so you can transmit anytime.”

“You really don’t have to do this. I’m holding my own pretty well.”

Several in the tent laughed as did Ernest. “Oh, we know that but in time, they will change codes and I doubt you will get lucky again, getting a radio that has been fully unlocked,” Ernest said. “All of your batteries are charged,” he said holding out his hand.

Reaching over the table, Joshua shook it. “Thank you,” Joshua said and let it go. “Can you tell me something?”

“What?” Ernest asked.

“What do the people think about this? Not just around here, but everywhere?”

“Around here, the only reason they aren’t shooting feds on sight is because of Buck. The polls on the internet show thirty to forty percent of the country understands. Ten percent of those want to help.”

Digging in his saddlebag, Joshua pulled out his camera. Taking the memory card out, he handed it to Sonya. “I want you to watch these and decide which ones get online,” he said and turned to William. “I set up a new email like you told me.”

“I’m going to teach you computers yet,” William beamed.

“Son, I’m trying,” Joshua said looking up at Ernest. “If it’s okay with Sonya and William, can you get those videos out? I’m sure the news site I sent the first one to will have responded to my email by now.”

“You’re videoing your actions?” Ernest asked in shock.

“Well, yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

Sonya looked at the memory card in her hand as her body went cold. “Joshua, if we do that, they will most certainly kill you,” she mumbled.

“Hey, that’s just video. At every attack site, I leave a scrench with my thumbprint. I want them to know, it’s me and not someone else.”

Ben’s mouth fell open, “You always told me to not advertise when I was being bad.”

Shrugging, “Well, I think this goes beyond being bad, and I don’t want them to try and blame others,” Joshua said.

“If Sonya approves the videos, then we will get them on the internet,” Ernest said. “You mind if we watch and offer our opinions?”

“No, but Sonya and William get the final word.”

“You stay safe,” Ernest said walking around the table and leaving with his group.

Gene walked over and grabbed Joshua’s shoulder. “You heard him, stay safe,” he said in a low voice. “I’m a little pissed that you just didn’t hide out. You’ve left them with no choice but to find you now.”

“No Gene, that was always their plan,” Joshua said. “I do feel sorry for killing them, but they started it and I’m not going to stop until they leave us alone.”

A grin split Gene’s face. “We’ll stand with you till the end,” he said and pulled out a scrench. A logger always had one. “Can you put your thumbprint on here, in case we need to do something to get the feds to back off?”

“Like what?” Joshua asked grabbing the scrench and placing his thumb on the top.

“I don’t know and it makes me sick to say this but if we do something close to the house, we need the blame to be on you and not on Sonya and William,” Gene said, carefully taking the scrench back.

“Gene, you don’t feel bad about that,” Joshua said as Ben handed him another scrench and he pressed his thumb on it. “But please don’t do something unless you have no choice.”

“I’m not Ben,” Gene said stepping back.

Putting his scrench away, Ben looked at Gene with a hard face. “I get the first cool tent when we kill some of them, you hear me?” he almost growled. Without saying anything, Gene just walked out, shaking his head.

Sonya and William helped Joshua carry his stuff to King and Jack who were saddled and standing outside. “Joshua, do you think this will end without you dying?” Sonya whispered.

“Only when they get tired of sending in new people for me to shoot,” Joshua said tying the saddlebags on. “It may take a while, but yes. I’m hoping they will just pull out and hope to catch me when I come into town.”

Sonya looked into Joshua’s eyes and could tell he didn’t believe it. “We’ll be here,” she said wiping her eyes.

“I wish you weren’t, but I can’t think of any place to send you to and have protection,” Joshua said turning to her.

She looked up at him with determination. “I said ‘through better or worse’ and I meant it. I will always stand with you and if William had someplace to go, I would be in the mountains with you.”

“No,” Joshua said. “I would turn myself in first. I couldn’t do this if you were with me. I’ve had enough close calls to know I’ve been lucky for one person. If there were two of us, they would’ve already killed us.”

“Can I help, Dad?” William asked, trying not to cry.

Joshua leaned over, hugging him tight. “You are, Son. You’re here with Sonya and being the man of the house.”

“I’ll do my best, Dad,” he said in a breaking voice.

“I know,” Joshua said and kissed them both, then climbed on King. “I’ll try to keep in touch, but they are getting very persistent.”

“You just worry about staying safe, we will be fine,” Sonya said putting her arm around William. Giving a wave, Joshua kicked King, heading back into the forest.

“We will get to see him again, won’t we?” William asked as the tears rolled down his face.

“Baby boy, all we can do is pray and hope,” Sonya said not wanting to give any false promises. “I feel we will because Joshua never loses.”

Wiping his face, William looked up. “He’s never fought like this before.”

“That’s my point,” she sighed. “He’s fighting a war against impossible odds and is winning for the moment.”

“I hope he kills them all,” William sniffled.

Sonya squeezed him and led William back to the tent. “I just want them to leave Joshua alone, but they won’t. It’s all about saving face now,” she said softly and walked into the tent.

Chapter Thirty-One

Sitting in the briefing room the next morning, Moore looked over at Winters as they waited on Griffey. “You okay?” Moore asked.

“Yeah, I didn’t get shot,” Winters huffed as a tech walked in carrying an evidence bag.

“We photographed the cards sir,” he said handing the bag over. “There are eighty-five cards in this deck, when you count the cards the two bodies were holding.”

“Thank you,” Moore said taking the bag. Leaning back, he pulled out some latex gloves and snapped them on.

Watching as Moore opened the bag, “What has you so bothered about those cards?”

“The way they are arranged,” Moore said spreading the cards out in a line, all face-up. “The tech at the site said the next hand was a dead man’s hand and when they’d tried to move the bodies, a grenade went off.”

Leaning over and looking at the line of cards, Winters nodded. “Look, the next five cards are a royal flush.”

“Shit,” Moore said and starting from the top, he arranged the cards in groups of five. When he was done he stared at each one. “He arranged them, each hand to be dealt could be a winning hand.”

“You think the royal flush was saying he had us?” Winters asked.

“Maybe,” Moore mumbled as Griffey busted in the room, frothing at the mouth.

“What the fuck happened out there?” he screamed.

Not looking up from the cards, Moore shrugged. “Ambushed.”

“No shit!” Griffey bellowed kicking his chair back. “Where did he get those weapons from?”

“I told you, he’s ransacked the bodies he’s killed. We gave him the weapons,” Moore said and started moving the cards around in hands.

Looking at the cards, “You’re playing cards?” Griffey snapped.

“No, these are the cards Joshua left. He’s sending a message.”

“Find this fucking cabin!”

Moore looked up as Wagner came in. “I’m waiting on more information,” Moore said. “When we got here the state was very helpful, but that information got destroyed. They aren’t being helpful now and it’s taking time to get what I need.”

Griffey turned as Wagner sat down, “You told me your men were the best, but the report I read from Schmidt says otherwise. Your team is responsible for killing more of each other than the suspect is.”

“Sir, I’ve reprimanded the ones who threw out the grenades and killed the advance team that was going out with Giles. This is war, sir. Friendly fire is to be expected,” Wagner said opening a notebook.

“Griffey, what is this I hear about shoot to kill orders on any subject in the search area?” Moore asked leaning back in his chair.

“Homeland director ordered it after the ambush to every team near the area. We have a circle around the site and anyone spotted will be shot on sight, if not escorted by local law enforcement.”

“Granted, but what about the written orders I’ve heard about that were flown out?” Moore asked raising his eyebrows.

Grabbing his chair and dropping in it, Griffey looked over at Moore. “The teams wouldn’t carry the orders out until they had hard copies in their hands.”

Nodding, Moore looked at Winters. “Very smart on their part,” he said.

“How long are those orders going to stay in place?” Winters asked looking over at Griffey.

“Until Joshua is dead.”

Throwing his head back Moore groaned. “Oh shit.”

“Sir,” Winters said glancing at Moore. “If we shoot a civilian, there will be repercussions from the locals. I’m sure you’ve heard of Little Big Horn and that will be us. I don’t care what kind of firepower you have here.”

Scooting his chair to the table, Griffey nodded. “I brought up those concerns again, and I was instructed to treat any hostility with force.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Moore sighed and spun his chair around. He got up and headed over to the wall behind him that had a map pinned up with photos of Joshua. “One man is making the government declare a free fire zone?”

Winters jerked her head around and stared at Moore with an open mouth, not believing what she’d just heard. Joshua was forcing the government to kill civilians. Remembering her duty, she closed her mouth and looked at Griffey. “Sir-,” she started as a knock sounded at the door and Griffey held up his hand.

“Enter,” Griffey called out and a tech walked in.

“Agent Moore, we need you for a minute,” he said, not looking at Griffey.

Moore turned around, “Winters, go see what they have,” he sighed and dropped back in his chair.

Getting up, Winters followed the tech out and Griffey waited till the door was closed before looking at Moore. “Moore, please give me something to go on,” he pleaded.

“Well, you can tell those fucks in Washington that the ambush is on them,” Moore said. “You and I both asked for limited personnel on site, but they wanted an army. If it would’ve been a ten-man team like we’d wanted, only one or two agents would’ve died. Schmidt would’ve found that machine gun trap. Hell, I could see the trail Joshua left leading to it, and I know don’t shit about wood lore.”

“In all fairness,” Wagner said clearing his throat. “A ten-man team would’ve been wiped out.”

Turning from Griffey, Moore looked at Wagner and then back at Griffey. “I can’t put up with his stupidity today.”

“Wagner, shut up until asked to talk,” Griffey said, not even looking at Wagner. “The reports back up what Moore and I had said would happen if a large group went out. People would move into unsecured positions.”

Hearing Wagner draw a breath, “I didn’t give you permission to speak and I’m not in the mood to hear your voice,” Griffey sighed as the door busted open and Winters ran in with a folder.

“We got it,” she said with a stern expression.

“Wait for the doors,” Griffey said standing up. Winters turned to see the doors closing and waited. When they’d closed, Griffey looked at her. “You need to knock. Others can’t know what is said in here.”

“Sorry, but we found Joshua’s cabin. It’s not in his name. It’s in the name of a dead uncle,” Winters said handing the folder to Moore who’d charged over.

“You can’t do that,” he said taking the folder.

“You can if it’s a trust, and his mother is listed on the trust under her maiden name,” Winters said and Moore sat the folder down on the table, pulling out satellite photos of the cabin.

“This is just right down the fucking road from the town of Nordman!” Moore shouted and spun around, walking over to the map as Griffey almost jumped over the table. Grabbing a thumbtack, Moore shoved it in the map. “He can’t be operating out of there.”

“Why?” Griffey asked. “Look at the proximity to the first attacks.”

“He may be using it as a supply base,” Winters said. “Take into account the times between attacks, a man on an ATV could easily return there.”

“I need better images,” Moore said.

“They will be here in a few minutes. I called a friend at the NSA and he’s sending high-resolution photos,” Winters said and Griffey turned to her with his face getting red.

“You go through the chain of command,” he snapped.

“I tried, but the hierarchy at the NSA is still pissed about the breach and told me to file a request and I would get the photos in ten days,” Winters popped off. “So I called a friend who owed me a favor.”

Taking a deep breath, Griffey closed his eyes calming down. “Sorry, you did great, Agent Winters,” he said and then opened his eyes. “I need to get that shit stopped now. This operation is hard enough without a pissing contest.”

“Sir,” Winters said reaching out and grabbing Moore’s arm. “I will need approval to erase the file he’s sending me before it’s dumped in the national archives, so my friend can’t get in trouble.”

Before Moore answered, Griffey did. “Do it on my authority Winters.”

“Thank you sir,” she said and moved to the table opening her laptop. “Wagner, you even try to find out who my friend is and I’ll kill you myself,” she said typing on the keyboard. “It seems you like blackmailing people who do favors, just to get some of your own favors by blackmailing them. I had to give my word that you would never know where the file came from.”

“Wagner,” Griffey said and pulled out his pistol. “I swear, if I ever hear of you trying to find out, I’ll have you dumped in a swamp and every person you know will end up in prison.”

Wagner pushed away from the table holding up his hands. “I swear, I won’t.”

Moore moved up behind Winters and saw a file downloading. “Your friend will have to erase on his end,” Moore said in a low voice.

“He is. I only have five minutes when the file hits my computer to download it. The server he is using was the one hit by the cyber-attack, so he shouldn’t have any trouble,” Winters said as the file finished. Grabbing a thumb drive, she downloaded the file to it and then started erasing the traces of the email.

Moore chuckled, “Winters, you are very good at this.”

“Have to be, sir,” she said typing. “You remember the information I got on the Sunset Killer? Same friend, but I had to have him overnight it because I didn’t think I could get you to give me permission to erase the email.”

“I would’ve given it,” Moore said.

“Up,” Winters said looking at the large plasma screen at the front of the room. “I asked him to give me photos of the area since the time all of this started, to see if we can develop a timeline.”

“What satellite is this?” Griffey asked looking at the crystal clear pictures. “I’ve only seen resolution like this from military birds.”

He turned around to see Winters' face was pale. “Um,” she said cutting her eyes toward Wagner who was looking at the image.

“Wagner!” Griffey shouted, making him jump a foot in the air. “You personally, will go get me a cup of coffee and a dozen glazed donuts. I expect you back in this room in five minutes.”

Wagner looked back at the coffee pots to see both were full. “But-,” he pointed to the back of the room.

“I want black hazelnut,” Griffey said holstering his pistol. “And the donuts better be hot.”

Wagner took off in a sprint, hitting the door hard and charging down the hall outside, knocking over two people. When the doors had closed, Griffey turned back to Winters.

“Sorry sir, but that satellite is one Homeland’s Civil Overwatch birds. My friend is only one of a dozen at NSA on the program,” she said in a low voice.

“Winters, I ran that program for a year,” Griffey said looking back at the screen. “We had to use weather and other assets to monitor the continental states.”

“Well, um,” Winters shuddered. “This is off the record, right?”

“Of course,” Griffey chuckled.

“Four dedicated satellites were put up two years ago,” she said in a low voice.

“Understood. You will destroy this thumb drive when I have images delivered here, but I’m sure I won’t get them until tomorrow,” Griffey said and Winters gave a huge sigh of relief. “Winters, you won’t get in trouble for this. I swear.”

“Thank you sir,” she said and tapped the keyboard as the images started flipping across the screen. “On cloudy days, he sent radar images.”

Moore and Griffey walked up to the screen. “You have good friends,” Moore said in wonder, looking at the screen.

“Yes sir,” Winters grinned.

“Hold,” Moore shouted and the images stopped rolling across the screen. “Go back, one at a time,” he said as the images clicked back. “Stop.”

Griffey looked at the cabin shaking his head. “What?” he asked looking harder.

“The chimney has smoke coming out,” Moore said. “Look at the date.”

Looking at the bottom of the screen, Griffey’s eyes grew wide. “That’s the day he blew up our command area.”

“Yes, but notice the time, it’s late afternoon and we know he left for Spokane soon after the explosion,” Moore said and then turned to Winters. “Move six days out and keep the images slow.”

Winters typed the keyboard and the images started rolling. “Hold,” Moore said and the image froze. “This is after Spokane.”

“Smoke from the chimney,” Griffey said softly. “I don’t see an ATV.”

“Griffey, he could have a tank in the woods and we wouldn’t see it until we drove up. The forest cover is too thick there,” Moore said. “Winters, go to the next day.”

The screen changed images and Moore nodded. “No smoke.”

“He’s resupplying?” Griffey asked more than stated.

“Or returning to plan,” Moore said. “It doesn’t fit his profile. Staying mobile is what he does.”

“Even guerrilla fighters have to have a base of operations,” Griffey said.

“Griffey, Joshua isn’t a guerrilla fighter,” Moore said.

“Beg to differ,” Griffey said then looked over his shoulder. “Continue, please.”

The screen changed keeping the same image of the cabin from different angles, but different times and days. “Hold,” Moore said looking at the date. “He doesn’t go back after every attack.”

“Sir,” Winters said behind him. “We don’t know that because there’s no smoke from the chimney. I’m sure Joshua wouldn’t start a fire if it was warm.”

Moore shook his head, “I’m starting to think like a dumbass.”

“No sir. You are under a lot of pressure,” Winters said.

The door behind them busted open and Wagner was carrying a coffee cup and a box of donuts. “Here sir,” he panted walking to the front of the room out of breath.

Griffey held out his hand, and Wagner put the coffee cup in it. “Thank you,” Griffey said just holding the cup. “So, how should we hit the cabin?”

“I think we should just watch it until he shows up,” Moore said. “You have UAVs, so put one overhead.”

“I have one,” Griffey corrected. “How about a sniper team?”

“No, Joshua knows that area and the risk is too high that he would spot them. We only have one chance to nab him,” Moore said.

Griffey turned to Moore. “There will be no ‘nab’. Joshua will be shot on sight.”

“I know, just habit,” Moore sighed.

“What about putting two men inside the cabin?” Griffey asked.

“Griffey, see that small building off to the side? That’s an outhouse. They would have to go outside to take a shit,” Moore said.

Stepping up to the screen, Griffey pointed. “That’s a satellite dish.”

“Yes sir,” Winters said. “It’s for satellite internet.”

“You think that’s how he keeps in touch?”

“No sir. We haven’t detected any transmissions from there,” she said.

“Moore, study this and give me your recommendation this afternoon; with a briefing on what you’ve found,” Griffey said. “I have to notify Washington.”

“Sir, they will demand a hard approach and we will lose him,” Moore said.

“I’ll argue against it, but I have to keep them updated,” Griffey said putting his full coffee cup down and Wagner gasped as Griffey walked out.

“I don’t need a delivery boy, you can leave,” Moore said to Wagner. “Winters, let’s go see what we can find out.”

***

Sixteen miles to the southwest, Joshua crept through the forest. When he’d left Middle Earth last night, he was going to check and see if the government had found the cabin yet. He had even gone so far as to start a fire in the fireplace a few times but they’d never shown up.

Soon after he left them, Joshua headed south to the group watching Squaw Road. He wanted that hard copy that had been delivered.

At daybreak, the team had reported in and given their location, two miles from him on the state line. Leaving King and Jack, Joshua headed over the mountain to the spur the group was set up on. Moving slow and quiet, he heard them long before he spotted them.

Pulling the hood of his ghillie suit over his head, Joshua eased out on the spur. It took him an hour to move the last few hundred yards, making him very thankful for all the years he’d stalked elk. He stopped outside a very small clearing, seeing the small tents set up in it.

Slowly crawling, he stopped ten yards outside of the camp to see four men in t-shirts, leaning back on backpacks in a half circle and talking. Looking at the tents, he counted six.

“Man, this is bullshit,” one of the men said and taking a drink from a bottle. “Joshua wouldn’t drive down the road on an ATV.”

“Yeah, any man that can do the shit he’s done, knows better than that,” another man said.

“Who gives a shit? We aren’t humping these damn mountains,” another chuckled. “Besides, Joshua has only hit teams that were moving. I think, he lays up till he spots a group and follows them till he can ambush ’em.”

“This area is awfully big for that,” bottle man said. “You realize that if we pop some civilian, the local law will shoot at us.”

Laughing boy snorted, “Officer Everett, local law has been dealt with. Any day now, the sheriff will be in mourning.”

“You don’t need to advertise the fact,” the last one said and Joshua didn’t like the tone of his voice. It sounded cold and distant.

He noticed that the others didn’t even look at him when he spoke, they all seemed very afraid of him. “Agent Vance, just stating fact,” laughing boy said, turning to Vance.

“I don’t want to know anymore,” Everett said looking at his watch. “Who’s up for next shift?”

“I’ll go,” the second one he’d seen speak said.

“Shit, I’ll go,” Laughing boy said.

“Wait till they return and report, we may need to move,” Vance said.

‘You die first’ Joshua thought. Vance was very calm and the way he moved, Joshua knew he was dangerous.

“I’m not in the mood to hump to another spot,” Laughing boy said. Out of everyone, he seemed the least intimidated by Vance.

“Didn’t ask,” Vance said in a steady, dead voice. “When we get called in, the shit has to stop.”

“Vance, we lost nine of our group because they won’t take our chains off. We move, we run the risk of Joshua spotting us,” Laughing boy said.

Patting his thigh cargo pocket, “I have the letter that says our chains are off, Agent Butler,” Vance said.

“If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have that letter,” Butler said. “Vance, if we didn’t have that letter, they would fry our ass if we popped some kid riding down the road.”

“Yes, and that was very smart on your part,” Vance nodded. This seemed to please Butler and he nodded, leaning back on his backpack.

“So, local law will be out of the picture?” the one Joshua didn’t know his name asked. “I’m asking because they know the area better than we do and could make our lives hell.”

Vance nodded his head with a very cold smile. “At least you can think,” he said. “All I will say is the sheriff’s wife will be in the hospital in the next few days, but I’m afraid it’s terminal.”

No name nodded with a shiver as two men walked into the camp, both wearing full tactical gear. “No movement on the road,” one said and put his rifle down, then started taking off his gear.

“Heard an engine to our east, but never saw anything,” the other said, dropping his gear.

Slowly, Joshua aimed at Vance but then moved to Butler thinking he was the greater threat. Shifting his crosshairs to Everett, Joshua moved from man to man till he found the best pattern, with Vance and Butler dying first.

As the first man who’d returned sat down, he looked over at Vance and was about to speak when Vance’s throat exploded, covering no name in blood, then Butler grabbed his chest as no name gave a grunt and grabbed his own chest as another head exploded. In the space of three seconds, four were down as the last two stared and started to move, hearing the suppressed gunfire behind them.

One only moved a few inches and his head exploded while the other hit the ground, grabbing his rifle. He started rolling as Joshua squeezed the trigger, sending up a cloud of dirt and missing him. Moving his aim as the man rolled up onto his knees, aiming toward Joshua. Joshua squeezed the trigger three times rapidly, seeing the man jerk.

A loud ‘boom’ filled the quietness of the forest as the man squeezed the trigger when two rounds hit his chest and the third, hit his shoulder. The man grunted, looking down at his chest just before his head jerked back and the rear blew out, as the small 5.56 punched in a hole over his nose.

Swinging his rifle back to the group, Joshua slowly stood up and saw one trying to crawl away, blowing pink froth from his mouth. Squeezing the trigger twice, Joshua watched the man jerk but he continued crawling. Moving the crosshairs to the man’s head, he squeezed once more.

A puff of dirt surrounded the man’s head as the bullet blew in one temple and out the other side, hitting the ground. Knowing the man was dead, Joshua moved his crosshairs, seeing another moving and squeezed the trigger. The man’s head jerked back and Joshua sat for a few minutes, making sure they were all dead.

Not seeing any breathing, he moved slowly in and checked each one. Satisfied all were dead, he changed magazines, then let his rifle hang across his body. “Got to move fast,” he said and started going through the men’s pockets, finding a white envelope in Vance’s cargo pocket.

“Liking it,” he smiled, shoving it in his vest. Quickly moving to each man, Joshua made a pile of important items, then pulled out a waterproof bag and stuffed the items in. He moved to Vance and Butler, pulling their IDs out and moved his scope over them. “These are the ones who said they were going after Buck’s wife,” he said for the recorder on his rifle.

Next, he looked the weapons over, grabbed ammo and looked at the spotting scope the two men had carried back to camp. “They make smaller ones for a reason,” Joshua said looking at the massive thing.

“Didn’t plan this attack, but oh well,” he said pulling a deck of cards out of his cargo pocket. “Let’s see if they are catching on. I left them the dead man’s hand for the grenade and a royal flush for the trap,” he mumbled pulling out the cards.

Twenty minutes later, he was leaving the camp and pulled out the radio Ernest had given him and the small notebook. Walking over the mountain, he flipped through the pages till he found the codes he wanted. He stopped and turned the radio on, shaking his head. “Wonder who the hell came up with these codes,” he chuckled.

Pressing the transmit key, “Elmer Fudd is dating Mickey Mouse. Sky is black with carrots,” he said, then repeated it once and turned off the radio, tucking back in his vest. Jogging down the slope, Joshua put up the small notebook.

Inside Joshua’s workshop, Ernest jumped, hearing the radio on the bench go off. “Don’t know if that’s bad, but it can’t be good,” he said as the man at the table wrote down the message. The man flipped through a notebook and ran over to Ernest, pointing at the phrase. “Meet Chris at Middle Earth ASAP. Locals in eminent danger.”

Closing the notebook and handing it back, “Did you triangulate?” Ernest asked.

“All I can say is it was to the southwest and no further than ten miles. The transmission wasn’t long enough to get a location,” the man said taking the notebook.

“Keep monitoring and tell the teams outside to watch for feds trying to sneak in,” Ernest said moving to a corkboard that held a map with locations of the search teams marked. Looking to the southwest he shook his head. “I knew we should’ve tried to recruit Joshua,” he said and headed out.

Chapter Thirty-Two

It was late in the afternoon when Moore and Winters walked in the briefing room. “We lost contact with another team,” Moore said carrying an armload of stuff.

“Yes,” Wagner said with a red face. “Two of my best men were on it.”

“That’s not saying much,” Moore said, putting the stuff on the table as Winters set down another pile.

“Wagner, shut up,” Griffey said rubbing his temples before Wagner could respond. “They didn’t make the afternoon check. A team four miles away thought they heard a gunshot this morning, but they couldn’t tell from which direction.”

“Can’t trace a single gunshot unless it’s close,” Winters said, arranging her stuff into stacks.

Moore sat down, looking at Griffey who was still rubbing his temples. “I take it you don’t want to talk about the contact that team 182 had,” he said leaning back crossing his hands over his stomach.

“They were in a search area and armed,” Griffey said rubbing his temples harder.

“Two twenty-year-old boys,” Moore said. “Can I just ask, how many times was each one shot?”

“Until they quit moving,” Griffey said with a sigh.

“It was justifiable,” Wagner said.

“Oh, I’m sure it will be written up like that,” Moore said shaking his head. “We need to start doing head counts here in the command area now. Unless you have video of those boys attacking that team, we will have some locals wanting retribution.”

“We won’t notify local law until a missing person report is made,” Griffey said dropping his hands and giving up on making his head feel better. “That team won’t be back for two more days and we can say they had radio trouble.”

Looking at Moore with a tired and pleading face, Griffey asked. “Do you think there is any way that you can get the sheriff to back us on this?”

“Not a chance in hell,” Moore said immediately. “He walks the letter of the law but we’ve already broken it, so he’s not compelled to assist. I’m sure he’s at the point that he would feel justified to actively interfere,” Moore said turning to Wagner. “Especially since he has proof that two agents from here tried to kill his wife.”

Holding his chin high, “I did what I was ordered to do,” Wagner said.

“No dumbass, you didn’t,” Griffey said. “Your orders were to ‘covertly’ deal with the situation. The sheriff has fucking video of your men entering his residence and swapping his wife’s pill bottle. We don’t even know what lab he sent the pills to for the analysis, so we could intercept.”

Grabbing a piece of paper, Moore wrote something and passed it to Winters. She picked it up reading, ‘Almost sounds like the sheriff knew they were coming to his house, doesn’t it?’

“I’ve told everyone, I don’t like notes,” Griffey said looking at Moore.

“I do,” Moore said staring back and not blinking.

Letting it go, Griffey leaned back in his chair. “Please tell me you have something?”

“Joshua goes back to the cabin every few days,” Moore said.

“When? I can have a team there in minutes,” Wagner said.

Letting out a sigh, Griffey pulled his pistol out and set it on the table. “Wagner, I’m very justified to write a report that as I checked my service firearm it discharged accidently, with a round striking you in the face. I can assure you, I won’t even get a reprimand.”

“Sorry sir,” Wagner said softly staring at the Glock.

“Moore, please continue before my sidearm discharges if Wagner speaks again,” Griffey said leaning back in his chair.

“We know he only comes in at night or very early morning. We don’t know how long he stays, but he comes from different directions each time,” Moore said and Winters typed on her laptop. “Look at the screen, you can see footprints in the dew covered grass.”

Griffey rotated his chair looking at the screen. “I have the order for the drone to keep the area under surveillance.”

“Sir, Joshua may get tipped off by that,” Moore said and Winters kicked him under the table. Wincing, he turned to see her barely shaking her head. “Stop it,” he whispered.

Griffey spun around to see Moore glaring at Winters. “Trouble?”

“No Griffey, a difference of opinion. I want my group to have their own opinion and not follow the status quo.”

“Then by all means, tell me how this mere mortal will see a drone,” Griffey said.

“Griffey, look where the cabin is,” Moore said pointing at the screen. “It’s in a small valley. The drone will have to stay overhead in a tight circle. Joshua won’t have to scan much sky with binoculars to see if a drone is overhead.”

Letting out a chuckle, Griffey leaned over the table. “You think Joshua could spot a drone with binoculars four miles in the air?”

“For the resolution we need, the drone would have to be somewhat lower, but to answer your question, yes, I do.”

“I think you give this man too much credit,” Griffey said.

“Oh, like blowing up an entire command area, wiping whole teams out that we still can’t find, or ambushing teams at will, need I go on?”

“What’s your recommendation?”

“Let Schmidt set up with another man under the porch of the cabin for a week,” Moore said.

“As you pointed out to me, they will have to shit,” Griffey said.

“I know Schmidt. He won’t move from under that porch.”

“When do you think Joshua will show up? Your best guess, of course.”

“I’m sure he’s heading there now,” Moore said. “That’s the problem, I’m certain he’s baiting a trap for us to come in.”

Griffey nodded and looked back at the screen showing Joshua’s cabin. “When he is spotted, we launch a full assault.”

“I’ll handle it personally sir,” Wagner grinned as a knock sounded at the door.

Letting out a groan, Griffey looked over at Moore. “I really hate the news they bring when they interrupt a meeting,” he said then looked at the door, “Enter.”

An older man walked in carrying a laptop. “Agent Griffey, sir, you need to see this,” he said walking around the table. “It went up an hour ago on several alternative news sites but now, even Fox is broadcasting it.”

“Well, what is it, Agent Collins?” Griffey asked as the man set his laptop in front of Griffey.

“A message from the fugitive and recordings of the ambushes,” Collins said glumly. “The news sites are getting ten thousand hits an hour and that number is rising.”

“Oh, shit,” Moore said getting up and moving behind Griffey as Collins tapped the keyboard.

On the screen, Moore saw a face he recognized instantly, Joshua. He was wearing hunting clothes with his beard touching his chest and sitting on a camping chair in front of a camouflaged tarp. “No time stamp,” Moore said looking at the paused image.

Pushing Collins hands away, Griffey tapped play. “I really hate this man,” Griffey mumbled while the video that Joshua had made when he’d first reached his dugout played.

“Hello, my name is Joshua Anderson. All I’ve ever wanted in life was to provide for my family doing honest work. I’ve always followed the law until the law, and when I say law, I mean the federal government, came after me. What was my crime? I owned a small business that they wanted. You ask why a small business? Well, I don’t have lawyers or politicians that I can call to tell them to back off. They wanted my assets.”

“I’ll be honest, I would’ve given them my business and fought them in court, knowing I would lose. They have lawyers and don’t have to worry about court costs while the rest of America does have to worry about paying lawyers, having to shut down their business with no money coming in. I’ve watched it all my life. The government will outspend us, using our money. You ever wonder why the government agencies charge people with so many criminal charges? I’ll help you, they want you to settle and plea bargain out and they know you will because they can afford to charge you with a hundred little things. Ask any lawyer and they will tell you that fighting all those charges will be very expensive.

“Even if you’re innocent or justified, unless you have a legal team, your lawyer may not be able to answer and convince a jury on all of the charges. I’ve seen it, heard firsthand accounts, and I’ve read stories on this. They have lawyers to put on each charge while we, the citizens, will be lucky to afford one. Now, I know some will say, ‘the government has to provide legal counsel’. You’re right, they do, in the singular. One lawyer is only human and can only do so much.”

Joshua paused staring at the camera and Moore could only read his eyes since his face was hidden behind the beard. “I’m here to tell you, I still would’ve taken that route,” he said in a solemn voice and paused again. “Because, I would still be with my family.”

Taking a deep breath, Joshua stared at the camera not blinking. “For reasons I don’t know, the government officials and the state trooper who came to my job site were going to kill me. I’ve had problems with the trooper before and there was even a report filed, along with two phone calls to his superiors over the last four years. The government men, I’ve never crossed in my life and I was unarmed when they pulled their sidearms on me. All any of the government services ever said was, they were taking my business and would find violations to justify it. Not look and see if I had violations, they said they would find them. On that fateful day, they instructed me to get my contract which I did and they pulled weapons. I knew then, I was dead.

“I threw the contract at the state trooper, and God was with me because all of them turned to watch the contract hit him in the chest and I dove in the truck and grabbed my own pistol. As you can see, I’m here and they aren’t. Do I feel bad? No, not in the least.

“They were going to kill me and I’m sorry, but I’ve seen the government kill here before and never get charged. I wanted to live to grow old with my wife and see my son grow up, so I fought back. Granted, it was reflex, but I fought back.

“I know I’ve done other things since that day, but that’s what pushed me too far. They were going to kill me, take my business and all my assets. They were going to kill me for money.”

Still looking at the camera, Joshua leaned forward, staring at the camera hard. “I’m no soldier, but they are learning you don’t have to be. I just want to be left alone and live my life. To all my friends and the people I know, please don’t give them a reason to come after you by trying to help me. I don’t want any person to have to live like I am now. Not out here in the forest fighting, but without your family.”

“To the government, I will stop, if you publicly announce that you will drop all federal charges and let the state prosecute me. I’ll turn myself in to the sheriff. But I know you won’t because you know that my peers know you were wrong and I was justified.”

“To my wife and son, I’m sorry this happened and if I could change it, I would. I didn’t start this incident here in Bonner County. But I can guarantee you, I will see it through until I die or they get tired of sending people out here to get killed.

“To my friends, thank you for your vocal support but be wary even of that, because they would love nothing better than to go after you, just to hurt me. Luckily, I have friends watching my family. I can attack anywhere as you have seen and if my family is hurt or inconvenienced in any way, I’m coming after you and your bosses’ families. Trust me, I can find them,” Joshua smiled, but the only way you could tell it was his eyes and his beard moved.

“I must leave now because a search team is close and I’m not going to hide. As you can see, I’m fighting. Not by my choice, I’m fighting because this is the only option the government, our government has given me. I’m not going to hide and avoid capture, or lie down and die.

“I’m making this video for those men and women coming out looking for me. When I see you, I will kill you. Some of you say you want to arrest me, well, I know different. Even if I was arrested, I would never see a trial. Hell, the FBI, BATFE and Homeland have killed suspects in handcuffs with gunfire and there weren’t even letters of reprimands. Those same agencies have killed American women and children on numerous occasions and have never been charged. So, when I see you government agents out here, I will kill you. You have a choice, quit and live or stay and die.

“But some will say, ‘I’m only doing my job, I have a family to provide for’,” Joshua mocked raising octaves of his voice. “Well, so do I, and any human knows that what you’re being ordered to do is wrong. I hope your families convince you of this and you quit because I have no qualms when squeezing the trigger. I’ll be honest, I don’t want to because I am human. I just want to be left in peace.”

Slowly Joshua stood, “It’s not politically correct and they’ll probably throw another charge on, but thank you and God Bless America. Not this new one where votes are bought, but the America I grew up in where all men were equal,” he said and walked to the camera and the screen went blank.

Moore stumbled back into a table. “Oh, shit,” he mumbled with wide eyes as Griffey watched Collins lean over, tapping buttons. The screen showed a thermal image of men riding horses and jerked. The man riding the first horse fought to hold on as his horse reared up. The image jerked again as the last man fell out of his saddle and the horse fell down a ravine.

“Shit,” Winters droned out as Joshua moved the crosshairs from one to the next. When all were gone the screen went blank, showing another attack Joshua had done and what he’d pulled off the bodies. It didn’t show the bodies, just the equipment; the machine guns, radios, ammunition and explosives.

When all the attacks were done the screen went blank and Collins reached over, tapping the screen again. “Agent Collins, you said this is on more than one site?” Griffey asked with a quivering voice.

“Yes sir. I’m told Justice has tried to shut them down and the NSA crashed a site, but too many people have copies now and are sending it to everyone,” he said closing his laptop and picking it up.

“Thank you Collins,” Griffey said waving him away.

When Collins had left, Griffey spun around, finding Moore backed up to a table looking at the floor and panting. “Worst case scenario?” he asked and Moore slowly looked up at him.

“We are about to be in a war,” Moore said with wide eyes staring again at the floor. “Men not out searching, need to stay inside the compound.”

“How long you think we have?” Griffey sighed, pulling out a medicine bottle and shaking some pills out.

Moore didn’t look up and Winters cleared her throat. He looked at her and then turned to Griffey. “Until it starts and when it does, it won’t stop,” he said in a low voice.

“If we capture or kill Joshua, do you think others will try to copy him?”

Taking a deep breath, Moore pushed off the table. “We have to do it soon and get word out fast,” he said.

Wagner slapped the table, “That’s it!” he shouted and everyone looked at him. “We put out a report that Joshua was wounded and when he tries to contact the media again, we can nab him. Look where we are, there can’t be too many places for him to make contact and send out video.”

Griffey nodded, “It has merit,” he said raising his eyebrows. “In the very least, it will let others know, ‘we will get you’.”

“Sir,” Winters said behind him. “If we do that and Joshua does get a message out, we lose all credibility.”

“Winters, please,” Griffey said wanting to smile but couldn’t. “We just say we know he was wounded; like we found his blood at the scene. Even if he gets word out, we can counter by saying he’s lying.”

“Griffey, do you want me to get my response team to his cabin?” Wagner said almost drooling.

Griffey shook his head. “No, I believe that is going to be our best bet to get him. I don’t want him tipped off. I believe Moore is right, Joshua would know they were there.”

Looking back as Moore grabbed a bottle of water, Griffey said. “Moore, give me a plan to catch him at the cabin.”

Ripping the top off of the water, Moore drained it and tossed the bottle in the garbage. “Griffey, that’s the problem. I know he wants us there, just so he can kill some of us.”

“Then we will send a bunch of agents. Joshua can only kill so many before we get him.”

“How do you expect us to know when he’s there?” Moore said, dropping into his chair hard. “I’m certain he could see the UAV.”

“Sir,” Winters said touching Moore’s arm. “The trees come up to the back of the cabin. Joshua could get in his cabin even with a drone overhead. We would have to get one of the CIA’s high flyers to cover the cabin at forty thousand feet.”

“Please,” Wagner chuckled. “I can send in three men who could put up very small electronic detectors. We’ve used them before.”

“Wagner, there are wild animals out there that will trip them,” Winters said, really hating the man.

“Oh, they have video,” he grinned. “Once in place, we don’t have to touch them for a month.”

“Do it,” Griffey said and Wagner stood up with a smile.

“Wagner,” Moore said, pulling out a roll of Tums. “Drop your boys several miles away. Have a truck pull over on the side of the road at dusk. I would have several trucks and one, act like it had a flat. As the men change the tire and the other drivers stand around talking, your boys jump out and very carefully move to the cabin. Don’t go near it, just set your stuff up around it and tell them to get the hell out of there.”

Wagner rolled his eyes and Griffey chuckled. “Devious, I like it,” Griffey said and looked at Wagner. “That’s how you will do it, understood?”

“Yes sir,” Wagner said and gathered his stuff. When he walked out, Moore tossed a handful of Tums in his mouth.

“I like this plan,” Griffey said.

Reaching over, Moore took Winters’ bottle of water. “Want some advice?” he asked, cutting his eyes at Griffey and Griffey nodded. “Let Wagner make the report at a press conference that Joshua was wounded in that ambush. Write a report saying you disagreed, but you let him convince you after hearing his plan, and put all accountability on him.”

“What if it works?” Griffey said worriedly.

“So? You let him do it,” Moore said taking a drink and washing the chewed up tablets down. “If it goes bad, as I’m sure it will, Wagner will have to answer. Just to tell you, I’m writing a report that highly advises against it.”

Nodding, Griffey stood up, gathering his notes. “I’ll need to draft a report before I tell Wagner,” he said. “How about the plan at Joshua’s cabin?”

“It’s actually sound,” Moore said with a shrug. “It all depends on how big those monitors are.”

Reaching in his jacket, Griffey pulled out his hard reading glasses case. “Half as long as this, but about as wide,” he said holding up the case. “Wagner had someone at NSA make them for his team. He’s used them more than a few times.”

“And it has video?” Moore shouted in shock.

“High definition normal, thermal and infrared,” Griffey said, putting his case back in his coat. “Even I was impressed when I saw them.”

When Griffey left, Moore looked at Winters. “I’ve seen small ones inside rooms because you had power but man, to hear that makes me feel old.”

Turning away, Winters gathered her stuff. “They also collect any phone data from any cellphone that comes close. They will put up a relay half a mile away that sends the feedback encrypted.”

“You’ve seen them?”

“Only the plans,” Winters said. “One of the guys on HRT told me about it a few months ago. I’d asked how in the hell Wagner had known about that drop in Miami. Seems he’d put them everywhere the suspects had visited, including their neighbors.”

“That was a lot of effort to bust up a software pirating ring,” Moore said, tossing Winters’ empty bottle that he’d drank.

She stopped and looked down at him. “They killed six men, two women and hurt a kid with a flash bang. The kid lived next door and was just trying to get his ball that he’d thrown over the back fence. You and I both know, the weapons there were planted, along with the supposed ‘child pornography’ that was collected.”

“Oh, I know,” Moore said getting up. “They love using the child pornography claim. It’s damn near impossible for a defense attorney to find out when it was put on, with the software they use to do it. And we learned a long time ago, if we say child porn: the public will let us do whatever we want.”

Watching Moore gather his stuff, Winters shook her head. “Please don’t tell me that you’ve done that?”

“No, but I’ve been on task forces that have,” Moore said. “I’ve been waiting on Griffey or Wagner to propose it here on Joshua’s friends.”

“Please,” Winters scoffed. “It’s very well-known that most of the people around here don’t know shit about computers; Joshua being one of them. It’s stated on his wife’s media pages. By now, I’m sure his lawyers have downloaded all internet activity to be able to prove we’ve tampered.”

Picking up his stuff, Moore headed for the door. “I know and warned Washington of that but I’ve seen with my own eyes, hard copies of VHS, DVD and photos that they will bring into a scene to ‘find’. Even close friends will pull back with their support when we use the child porn charge.”

Winters sucked in a breath as her jaw dropped open. “They were going to plant that in Joshua’s house?”

“Yep,” Moore said, backing into the door and opening it. “Now I really wished they would’ve because after that video he put out, more people are going to back Joshua.”

With a startle, Winters shook her head and picked up her stuff. “Moore, he’s not some serial killer. He was a working man until we turned him into a fugitive,” she said as Moore held the door open.

“That may be, but Joshua is now a threat to America,” Moore said in a low voice as she walked out and he walked beside her. “I’m worried that others will try to fight the government with force.”

They weaved through the halls until they walked in their area. Other agents on their team were working away on computers and Winters dropped her stuff on her desk. “When I started this job, that would’ve terrified me,” she said looking over at Moore. “Now, after what I’ve seen, I really couldn’t blame them.”

“You don’t fight your government with force,” Moore said. “You elect new officials and get laws changed.”

“Ah, Moore, how many laws have we broken since we’ve been here? Without even thinking hard, I know of several dozen.”

“The elected officials justified them,” he said sitting down. “Where do you want to start?”

Winters almost said she wanted to pull her gun and open fire, but realized the Minutemen would lose too much intel. “We need to go out and look at the latest site.”

“I sent a team out,” Moore said grabbing a pen. “And I sent a team to the site where that search team killed those two boys.”

“Boys?”

“Both were twenty,” Moore said, filling out a government form.

Dropping in her chair, Winters fought the urge to toss her badge on the desk and walk out. Tapping her keyboard and waking up her computer, she sighed. “People in America are too cowed down anymore. They just want their easy life, not caring that they are losing everything it means to be an American,” she thought, but mumbled unintelligibly.

“What?” Moore said not looking over as he wrote.

“I was just thinking that you and I need to go over the search patterns the teams are using. I looked at them yesterday and they literally, just drop a group off at a random spot,” she said cursing herself for mumbling.

He looked over at her as his pen hovered over the page. “Winters, we do that and we will be stuck with it. I know they haven’t got a chance in hell of finding Joshua with the way they are searching now, and I’ve talked to Griffey about it several times.”

“I just want this clusterfuck to end,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I want to go after real criminals.”

Moore nodded. “Let me finish this and we will get the others, and then come up with a plan to organize their search.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

As the sun was setting, Buck was sitting in the passenger seat as Cory wove around barricades, heading to Joshua’s house. “Sheriff, these boys look like they know what they’re doing,” Cory said, looking at three men wearing black balaclavas.

“Yep,” Buck said as a man pointed for Cory to pull up to the house. “Hope they don’t have to prove how good they are.”

When they’d stopped, Buck got out and looked over at Cory, “Wait here and listen to the radio. If you need me, tell one of the guards around here to get me. I’m afraid if you just run up into the house, someone will shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Hell sheriff, Mrs. Anderson may be near ninety, but she yelled that out the last time we were here, holding onto that big ol’ shotgun,” Cory said leaning his seat back.

When Buck shut the door, Gene walked up. “Follow, don’t talk out here,” he said then spun around, heading for the house.

“Shit, I’m scared to talk anywhere anymore after finding out how easy it is for them to listen,” he said following Gene. Looking over his shoulder at Buck, Gene just nodded but said nothing.

They walked inside and Gene led Buck to the kitchen to see Ernest, Sonya, Ben and Chris sitting at the table. “I take it something is wrong,” Buck said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

“Two of the people watching Gene’s house were killed,” Ben said as Gene sat down, pulling out a can of snuff.

“What?” Buck snapped as Ben just took Gene’s can.

“Hold on,” Ernest said holding up his hand, stopping them from talking. “Let me brief Buck, then everyone here can add on.”

Gene looked at Ben in shock as Ben just opened his can, filling his bottom lip with snuff. “Why, you snotnose little shit,” Gene growled balling his fist.

“Gene,” Sonya said standing up and putting a hand on Gene’s chest. “You know as hard as Ben’s head is, it will only hurt your fist.”

“Listen to her Gene,” Chris said, taking the can from Ben and filling his lip.

With his face flushed, Gene glared at one then the other, “I swear, if we ever get back to logging, you two will pull every shit job until I die.”

Reaching in his pocket, Ernest pulled out a can, holding it out to Gene. “Here,” he grinned.

Seeing what it was, Gene took the can and saw it was unopened. “Didn’t know you dipped,” Gene said running his thumbnail around the top.

“I don’t, but I’ve watched how those two treat you,” Ernest said opening his laptop. “So when I had the boys run into town, I told them to bring you back some.”

“Much obliged,” Gene said getting a big pinch of snuff and filling his bottom lip as he sat back down.

Buck laughed, “Gene, as expensive as that stuff is now, you could file charges against them.”

“That is a thought,” Gene said, shoving the can in his pocket.

“Okay Buck,” Ernest said, spinning the laptop around with the screen facing Buck. “The reason I wanted to talk to you is that Joshua risked his life to send a message here that your wife was in danger.”

Jumping up, “Again?! I sent her and her mother to her sister’s,” he shouted in panic and Ernest held up his hand.

“No, it was the same threat. Joshua doesn’t know a little bird gave you a warning,” Ernest said and Buck let out a sigh of relief as he sat back down. “Buck, Joshua not only risked his life to get you this message, but the lives of his friends and his family.”

“What did he find out?” Buck sighed and Ernest leaned over, tapping the keyboard. Buck’s eyes grew wide, seeing a group of men he knew were government agents about twenty yards away from the camera. He had seen the videos Joshua had sent out and this wasn’t one of them.

Then his mouth snapped shut, listening to the men talk. Leaning over the table, he thought two looked very familiar, but were out of the camera’s focus range. When two men walked up and joined the others, Buck was beginning to wonder if one of Ernest’s men had taken this video.

He jumped as the camera jarred when Joshua pulled the trigger. In shock now, Buck watched as Joshua shot six men in seconds. Then, he flinched when Joshua shot several again, making sure they were dead. When Joshua aimed at the two that Buck had thought looked familiar, Buck stood up slowly as he gasped.

“That’s the ones who were in my house,” he mumbled, pointing at the screen. Then Joshua pulled out every man’s ID and held the camera on it. When the camera turned off, Buck dropped in his chair, panting.

He looked over at Gene, “Gene, give me a dip.”

“Buck, you haven’t dipped since high school,” Gene said, taking his can out. He slid it over and Buck picked it up.

“Shit, I-,” Buck said and a thousand thoughts ran through his mind. He put a small dip in his mouth and slid the can back to Gene.

“Buck, do you agree that Joshua risked his life for your wife?” Ernest asked with a sad expression.

Looking up at Ernest, Buck nodded. “Well, yes. Any asshole can see that.”

“Sorry, Buck, I just wanted to reassure you that it’s still the same Joshua out there,” Ernest said, spinning the laptop back around to face him.

“Ernest, I know that and Joshua’s always said he respected how I always followed my oath.”

Ernest looked over his laptop at Buck. “Buck, everyone in this county does. You are fair to all,” he said. “Are you ready for more?”

“More?” Buck barked in shock, swallowing some of his dip. He coughed and Sonya ran to the sink getting him a glass of water. When she brought it back, Buck drained it. “Thank you Sonya, my stomach isn’t used to snuff.”

She smiled, taking the glass as Buck looked back at Ernest. “What else?” he asked with a sigh.

Chris pulled out a large plastic zip-lock bag that held a single sheet of paper. He passed it down and Buck pulled out his reading glasses. He saw the Homeland Seal at the top and his body turned cold as he read the orders to fire on any person found in the search area traveling by ATV or by foot. They were to be viewed as hostile on sight.

He saw the assistant director’s signature along with Griffey’s. “This turns my county into a free fire zone,” Buck said, looking over his glasses at Ernest.

“Yes, and they’ve already killed two,” he said, turning the computer around to face Buck again. “We heard the call out contact on the radio. I had a team close. It turns out the two that were guarding Gene’s house took off on ATVs to run to the store.”

“Oh my God,” Buck said dropping the note on the table.

“Yeah,” Ernest said. “It was Lennard Waylon and Phillip Chance.”

Jerking his head up, “They are just boys, neither one can even buy beer,” Buck snapped.

“They ‘were’ boys, Buck,” Ernest said and tapped the keyboard. The screen showed someone holding a camera aimed down in a valley. Two bodies were in the road with two ATVs in the ditch. The camera operator zoomed in and Buck could see the boys’ faces and the blood around their bodies soaked into the dirt road.

A helicopter landed and the bodies were loaded up as others moved the ATVs into some bushes. When the helicopter left, the video ended.

Buck’s breathing slowly moved from a panting shock to a huffing as anger built inside him. When the video had ended, he looked up at Ernest. “Are these all your boys here, guarding?”

Shaking his head, “No,” Ernest said with a cold face.

“You realize when we start, it’s going to get very wild,” Buck said and Ernest nodded. “Can you guarantee me that your boys won’t get in Joshua’s way?”

“Without a doubt,” Ernest said.

“Don’t hit the compound, but I want you to get close to some of the teams they have out. Let’s start with any to the south. You have enough men to follow three teams, and are they good enough to not get spotted?” Buck asked leaning back.

Giving Buck a look of confidence, “If they spot my boys, it’s because God told them,” Ernest said.

“I need to get word to a few people, so have your boys kick off in three days. I want them all to hit the teams at the same time, so the feds know for a fact that it’s not Joshua.”

Ernest nodded, “Buck, we want to do this but you should know, if they get control of the situation, you’re the one that will pay the price.”

“I follow the law and it’s being blatantly broken by those entrusted to enforce it. If I die, so be it,” he said and then looked down at the letter. “Can I have a copy, and will you make damn sure this original is put someplace safe?”

“Already done that Buck,” Gene said passing over a copy and a thumb drive. “It’s a copy of what you just saw.”

Buck pulled out his cellphone and looked up at Ernest as he turned it on. “How do you think we should guard Sonya and William?”

“Unless they come in with tanks, we can hold them off and get them both out,” Ernest said and then grinned. “But I’ve had a little bird tell me that Sonya and William are safe as long as Joshua is alive and not captured.”

“You have the best birds,” Buck said getting up and grabbing the stuff.

“I take it you’re calling Agent Moore?” Ernest asked.

Nodding, seeing that he didn’t have signal, Buck realized it was because of the stuff around the house, jamming all cellphones. “Yes, he has contacts in Washington and knows it’s wrong but damn it, the man won’t help,” Buck said, turning the phone back off.

“Buck, he’s part of the system and thinks it still works fine,” Ernest said. “Please be careful what you tell him.”

“I’m not telling him shit. I’m tempted to shoot the son of a bitch.”

“Just to warn you, Moore won’t come into Sandpoint. All government agents are to stay in or near the compound.”

Buck looked at Ernest, “If I had birds like that giving me information, there wouldn’t be any crime around here.”

“It was put out this afternoon,” Ernest smiled. “Those birds are risking a lot, but believe in what they are doing.”

Nodding, Buck looked around the table. “I believe in it, but I just don’t want the violence to happen.”

“Buck, the other side has been using violence on us with impunity. The very citizens of this country and hell, we’ve seen it firsthand in this county,” Ernest said.

“I know,” Buck said. “What time does that little store in Lamb Creek close?”

“When Stance gets tired of staying open,” Ben said. “Usually, she wants a beer around nine or ten and the doors are locked.”

“Fair enough,” Buck said turning around. “Give me three days to get word to some people.”

“I hope you trust these people with your life,” Chris said, getting up.

“I already told one that I’m the sheriff in this county and he wasn’t. He had to wait till the feds came to Boundary County to start hunting them,” Buck said walking to the door.

Gene stood up, “Well, I’m going to the store,” he said and looked at Ben with a glare. “And so is your ass,” he snapped jabbing a finger at Ben. “You’re going to buy your own damn snuff.”

Buck turned to see them following and Ernest behind them. “Guys, I’m the sheriff, I don’t have to worry right yet,” he said. “They wouldn’t dare try something with me.”

“If Ben doesn’t buy his own snuff, you can drop him off at the clinic after I kick his ass,” Gene said passing by Buck and opening the door.

“Shit, I want to see that,” Ben snorted walking outside.

As Buck walked out, Cory started the SUV and he climbed in, pulling out his phone and seeing he had signal again. He typed a message and hit send. “Cory, head to the store up in Lamb Creek,” Buck said as two more trucks cranked up. “When we get there, get that AR out of the back, in case the fed boys are around.”

“Want me to call for some backup?” Cory said, speeding around the barriers.

“No, it would only make it worse if tensions flare.”

Pulling out onto the main road, Cory sped north with several vehicles behind them. “Glad we have some backup,” he mumbled to himself and Buck grinned.

They pulled into the store parking lot and Buck pointed, “Pull to the side of the building.”

“Yes, sir,” Cory said and pulled over as Buck looked at his phone, reading a text message. “So, your friend coming?”

“’Friend’ is the wrong word,” Buck said, tapping the screen. “I prefer ‘a person I know’.”

Buck got out to hear Gene shouting at Ben. “You better buy enough for you and Chris! If either of you just takes my can again, I’m cranking up my chainsaw!” Walking toward the store, Ben looked back and just grinned at Gene.

“No damn respect,” Gene muttered, slamming the door of the pickup truck closed. Buck walked over to see four of Ernest’s men spread out across the parking lot, as Ernest walked over to Gene with Buck.

“Your boys know their stuff,” Buck said quietly.

Nodding as he adjusted his balaclava under his helmet, Ernest looked at Buck. “I’m proud of them.”

They turned to see Ben coming back with a huge bag. “Did you buy junk?” Gene snapped.

“No,” Ben popped off, walking over and holding the bag open so Gene could see inside. “I bought every can of snuff they had.”

Gene reached in and pulled out a can of Copenhagen, “This is for what you owe me,” he said, stuffing the can in his pocket.

Walking to the passenger side, Ben just chuckled as a black SUV pulled in front of the store. Paying the SUV no mind, Ben opened the door of his truck, putting the bag on the seat as four men got out of the SUV.

“That’s not Moore,” Ernest said, moving around Buck and Gene to stand at the front of the truck.

Buck and Gene looked over as the four men looked at Ben, then turned and looked at Gene. Then the three looked at the man who’d got out of the passenger seat, who said something in a low voice. “Shit,” Buck mumbled, moving to the front of the truck. When he went to walk around Ernest, Gene grabbed his arm.

“Don’t get close to Ben,” Gene whispered and moved up beside Buck.

The driver moved over with the other three behind him. All were dressed in tactical gear and filthy-looking like they had been out in the woods for a long time. “Place your hands where I can see them,” the driver said walking up behind Ben.

“You as well,” the passenger said, pointing at Gene.

“Boys, I know you know who I am,” Buck said dropping his hand to his pistol. “They are with me.”

“Sheriff, they are wanted for questioning,” the passenger said.

Keeping his eyes unfocused so he could watch all of them, Buck shook his head slightly. “They’ve already been questioned and I don’t care if you have a warrant, they aren’t going anywhere with you.”

Ben turned around with a grin, looking at the agents. “Mmm, pretty city boys,” he grinned.

“Get down on your knees with your hands on your head,” the driver said, pointing at Ben.

Buck moved to intervene, but Gene grabbed his arm again. “Don’t be rude,” Gene said with a grin. “Watch,” he said and looked over at Ben who was staring at the four. “Ben, take ‘em,” Gene said calmly.

Like a bull let loose, Ben charged all four, taking them to the ground before any could draw their pistols. Letting Buck’s arm go, Gene watched Ben grab one of the agent’s arms as he tried to draw his weapon. “I learned when Ben is ready to fight, don’t get near the red-headed leprechaun,” Gene said, watching Ben punch the man hard, snapping his head back. “When he gets that look in his eye, just get back.”

Buck nodded with wide eyes as Ben kept all four close, driving knees and elbows. “One of my deputies saw Ben fight in an MMA match in Spokane,” Buck said, grimacing as Ben drove a knee into one of the agent’s groin. “I got twenty bucks that says he breaks one of their arms.”

Reaching back to his wallet, Gene pulled it out, then laid a hundred-dollar bill on the hood of the truck. “I have a hundred that says all four will have multiple broken bones.”

“I’m not betting,” Ernest said as one agent managed to pull his pistol and Ben grabbed his wrist, then punched the agent’s elbow, bending backwards with a snap. As the pistol fell to the ground, Ben palm punched the agent in the jaw as he snapped out a foot, kicking another in the face.

Cory stepped around his SUV, watching as Ben kept all four on the ground with him still on top. “Shit,” he mumbled as Ben grabbed one agent’s head as he brought his knee up, shoving the agent’s head down to meet his knee. A sickening crunch filled the air as the agent’s head snapped back leaving a trail of blood.

As Ben grabbed another agent’s arm and twisted it, Buck said. “Um, I hate to say this but, maybe we should like, pull him off.” He cringed when Ben hit the man’s arm that he had twisted in the bicep with an audible snap. The man fell back screaming and holding his oddly angled arm.

“Buck, you don’t get close to the leprechaun until he’s done,” Gene said, watching the beat down. “I’ve watched that short twerp beat down ten men in a bar, and the officers that came to arrest him.”

Slowly nodding, Buck’s eyes got wide as Ben grabbed the driver’s leg, wrapping his own leg around it and rolled, putting the driver’s leg in a leg lock. Ben kept rolling as he twisted the driver’s ankle and a loud wet snap sounded as the driver grabbed his shattered knee.

Ben rolled out, letting his leg go and scurried over on all fours for the first man, who he had broken his nose. The man cradled his face and Ben grabbed one of his wrists, pulling it out and brought it down across his knee, snapping the elbow. Letting out a scream of pain, the man fell back as Ben got up and calmly walked around, kicking each man in the side of the head, knocking them unconscious.

With a grin, Ben bent over each one, taking their tactical harness off. Picking up the vests and the dropped pistols, Ben tossed them in the bed of the truck, then went over and patted each one down. He pulled out knives and phones, but left the wallets and IDs.

He looked at Gene with a huge grin and ran over to the SUV the agents had driven up in, yanking open the back door and climbing inside. They saw him climb around inside the SUV for several seconds and then Ben got back out, carrying three M4s and a SAW. With his face flushed with anger, Ben walked past the agents and tossed the weapons in the bed of the truck.

Turning around, he saw the passenger waking up and squatted over the man, grabbing his shirt and punching him in the face. “Where the fuck is your tent?!” Ben bellowed, punching the man again.

Letting out a sigh, Gene shook his head. “I was so honored to call him ‘buddy’ until that,” he said with remorse.

Ernest looked down the road, seeing headlights. “Company coming. Can we get Ben to stop beating the shit out of them?”

“Ben!” Gene shouted and Ben looked over, frothing at the mouth. “Quit playing. More are coming.”

Letting the unconscious man go, everyone cringed as his head hit the concrete with a thunk. “Fuckers,” Ben spat and stomped another agent in the chest, making him bounce several inches off the ground.

Two more black SUVs pulled up and four men jumped out with M4s as Moore jumped out of the first SUV. “The first one of you that raises your weapon, I’ll shoot you myself,” Moore snapped at the men. They looked at Moore, lowering their weapons in the ready position.

Seeing they weren’t going to start a war, Moore turned back to Buck. “Care to explain why there are four federal agents lying and beat down in front of you?”

“They tried to arrest one of my deputies and he defended himself,” Buck said and the anger fell off Ben’s face.

“I’m a cop,” he said, quietly with a grin.

Moore looked at Ben and Gene, knowing who they were. “Sorry for their actions, but it was their actions alone. Every agent here has been told that they aren’t wanted for questioning anymore,” Moore said, glancing over his shoulder.

“You four, load them up and take them back to the compound,” Moore said seeing the men slowly move. “You will put your rifles in your vehicle first.”

The four stopped and looked at Moore in shock. Then they moved back to their vehicle, putting their weapons up and then moved over to carry the men one at a time.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of another meeting, sheriff?” Moore said as Winters came around the SUV, staring hard at Ernest and his men.

“You want to wait until your people are gone?” Buck asked as Winters pulled out an ink pen, twirling it between her left fingers in a mesmerizing pattern.

Giving a nod, Moore turned to watch the four carry the last man off and putting him in the SUV they’d driven up in. One got in and drove away, heading north back to the compound. Jerking his head, Moore motioned the others back inside the other SUV.

When they’d got inside, he looked to Buck. “Okay.”

“When were you planning on telling me that your agents killed two boys?” Buck said and Moore gave a sigh, slumping his shoulders.

“It was a justified engagement,” Moore said in a low voice. “But you were going to be notified when a missing person’s report was filed.”

“Moore, I know a memo was put out, telling all your agents to avoid Sandpoint and Priest Lake, but they need to avoid any town or home from now on. I cannot and will not ask for their safe passage any longer,” Buck said as Winters moved up behind Moore, still twirling the pen in her left fingers.

“Buck-,” Moore said, lifting his head up to look at Buck. He stopped with his mouth hanging open. Closing it, Moore looked off, “You will be just as guilty as us when your people get shot.”

“Well, since you’re already shooting my people, at least they will be able to fight back without worry from me,” Buck said.

Behind Moore, Winters put her pen back in her pocket, pulling out a tin of breath mints. Popping one in her mouth, “Sheriff, will you at least guarantee us that you won’t condone attacks on our people?” she said, snapping the tin closed.

“Nope,” Buck said as Ernest held out his right hand, popping his knuckles with his thumb in rapid succession but didn’t pop the fingers in a line, he moved back and forth over his fingers, then stopped.

“Any person who is attacked has the God given right to fight back, no matter who the attacker may be,” Ernest said taking a step in front of Buck.

“Fascist pig,” Winters said, tossing the tin at Ernest.

Jerking his right hand up and catching the tin, “Sheriff, she is littering, may I fine her?” Ernest asked, staring at Winters.

Moore glanced over his shoulder, “Will you knock it off?” he whispered sharply.

“Moore, they are talking about letting people fight us and encouraging them” she whispered back.

“I know, and let me handle this,” he said looking back at Buck.

“Sheriff, you told me that you walk the line of the law, what you are saying now goes against that,” Moore said solemnly.

“Wrong, Moore. Standing with you any longer would be crossing that line. I’m not going to lie. I’ve swayed myself these last few weeks, but I can’t in good conscience go any further. You’re not stupid, Moore. If you attack the people around here, they will all come at you in force,” Buck said.

“Can’t you just help me get Joshua, so this will end?”

“Sorry,” Buck said. “As of this moment, Joshua Anderson will be provided every protection my office can provide. If you apprehend him, Joshua will be removed from your custody by force.”

Moore stumbled back in shock as Buck forced a smile. “He killed the two who tried to murder my wife. One of my patrols found a package addressed to me this afternoon. I now have their names to go with the pictures, and video confessions, so if you corner Joshua, we will come to his assistance,” Buck said, dropping the fake smile.

“Then we are done here sheriff,” Moore said, turning around and saw Winters had her hand on her pistol. “We haven’t threatened them, so we don’t have to worry.”

“Well, I will, if you don’t mind,” Winters said walking backwards to the SUV while watching the group.

When they’d left Buck looked at Gene. “I don’t think they will come for Sonya, but I never would’ve believed the stuff they’ve already done,” Buck said looking up at the night sky, seeing clouds moving in from the west.

“Ben, load up. We need to get your horses,” Gene said jumping in the truck. They sped off down the road and Buck looked at Ernest.

“You have to give me three days before you start,” Buck said and Ernest nodded.

“Only a fool rushes off to war,” Ernest said. Buck gave him a nod, heading for his SUV as Cory fired it up. “Let’s get back,” Ernest called out and ran over to his Suburban, getting in the back. As the driver backed out, Ernest opened the tin mint box that Winters had thrown at him.

Running his finger across the thumb drive, Ernest shook his head. “You broke a lot of rules and risked your own safety. I hope this was worth it,” he mumbled.

***

As Ernest sped back to the house, Joshua was only four miles away, slowly creeping up a small mountain to the north of them. Reaching the crest, he looked out over the valley below and saw the runway the Forest Service used. It hadn’t been a paved runway until the government had set up shop at the forest station. Across Highway 57, Joshua could see the large camp they had built to house the army of agents that were tasked to chase him.

“Man, have they spent some money coming after me,” he said, setting down the Barrett fifty caliber. When he’d met Chris, Chris had told him about the two boys that had been shot. Joshua hadn’t heard because he hadn’t been listening to the radio.

Giving Chris what he had gotten off the last group, Joshua felt sick that others had died in this war to go after him. “Boss, they made the choice to stand. They died with honor, so don’t feel bad and take that from them,” Chris said pulling out a plastic box. “Here’s more API for your cannon.”

Joshua had taken the box, feeling anger. “Chris, those were boys.”

“No,” Chris had said. “They were soldiers fighting for what they believed in.” Joshua had just climbed on his horse and left.

He was heading to check on the cabin, still wondering what was taking the government boys so long to find it. But after finding out that two young boys had been killed, Joshua changed his plans and headed toward the compound.

Pulling out his spotting scope, Joshua sat down and leaned back against a tree. Placing the tripod between his legs, Joshua scanned the runway two thousand feet below him. At the southern end closest to him, tucked in a corner and sitting in a nice row, he counted ten Blackhawks. Six were painted with Homeland colors and had the seal on the side. The other four were painted black like the military used. A dirt road crossed the southern end of the runway going around the mountain that he was sitting on.

In the other corner, he saw three planes. Two were like the single-engine Cessna’s the forest service used and the other plane had two propeller engines, one on each wing. Moving his scope, to the center of the runway between the line of choppers and planes, Joshua smiled. “Only seen those on TV,” he mumbled, looking at a drone. It was painted white and blue like the Homeland Blackhawks.

Moving the scope up the runway, he saw four trailers sitting beside the road with big satellite dishes around them. They were sitting beside the road, halfway down the runway and across from the forest service buildings.

Using the handle, Joshua swung the spotting scope across the road to the forest service station. “Shit,” he mumbled, seeing the new prefabricated buildings and trailers. “All this for a little ol’ logger.”

He moved his scope around and noticed an SUV slowing on the road. Moving back, he watched them pull up to the gate and a guard walked over to the driver’s side, then waved at the gate. When the gate opened, Joshua followed the SUV as it parked beside a prefabricated building. A woman got out of the driver’s side and a large man got out of the passenger side.  “Seen you two before,” Joshua mumbled.

They walked in the building as Joshua moved his scope back to the new area behind the station. It had large tents set up in neat rows on one end and the other had neat rows of the prefabricated buildings. Both the forest station and the new area were surrounded by a ten-foot chain-link fence and Joshua could see men walking the fence with dogs.

He pulled out his range finder and started taking ranges. Pulling out his notebook, he made a sketch of the compound. All his life he had read books and many had been military books, both fiction and nonfiction. It was on his first attack; Joshua had found out why you had to have a plan before you started any engagement.

All of the books he had read, said you had to have a plan with an objective. You could alter the plan but altering the objective wasn’t wise, unless the reward was worth the risk.

Joshua’s plan after leaving Chris was to damage the helicopters. The feds had too much freedom of movement with those. Joshua was under no illusions, more would come. The day he’d shot down two Joshua didn’t know it, but Griffey had requested more birds and the Army had signed over the four Blackhawks.

Putting his notebook away, Joshua looked back at the runway. “Taking out the drone and other planes isn’t changing the plan, it’s just a bonus,” he said and pulled out a thermal scope. Moving it around the runway to the trailers, the only guards Joshua could find were at the gate across the road.

He had seen two people step out of the trailers to smoke and then go back inside, but that was it. “Guess they think I wouldn’t come back with them patrolling inside the fence,” he said, lowering the thermal scope.

Putting his spotting scope away, Joshua pulled out the two magazines for the Barrett and the box of ammo Chris had given him. Pulling one of the massive shells out, he sighed, loading it into the empty magazine. When both were loaded, he laid down behind the Barrett, taking the scope cover off.

Taking another measurement, “Sixteen hundred yards and change,” he mumbled, lowering the range finder. Pulling up the small computer, Joshua didn’t care what William called the damn thing, he plugged in the numbers.

Twisting the knobs to adjust his aim, Joshua reached out, making sure the suppressor was seated and then got down on the Barrett. He had worked around choppers enough during fire season to know where to shoot them where it would hurt the most.

Letting out a long breath, Joshua slowly squeezed the trigger and the rifle jerked. Keeping his eye on the scope, he saw a flash over the engine mount where he’d been aiming. “Just a little right,” he said reaching up and twisting a knob on the scope.

Squeezing the trigger again, the gun gave a muffled bark as it jerked against Joshua’s shoulder. He kept his eye on the scope and smiled, seeing the bullet strike. “That’ll do,” he said and moved to the next chopper.

He moved down the line, putting two rounds in each engine and then aimed across the runway at the planes. The single-engine planes got two in the engine, the twin-engine got one in each engine.

Reloading the magazines again, Joshua slapped one in and rested his crosshairs on the Predator. “Guess that big part in the back,” he said pulling the trigger. He watched it hit and pass through hitting the runway. “Let’s make sure,” he said and put four more shells in, walking them down the body.

He got up and looked back at the almost empty box of ammo. “We’ll keep the rest,” he said grabbing the full magazine. After stacking the stuff, Joshua pulled his Lapua off his back. “Now to see if you can hurt really big targets,” he said, getting down on his belly.

Checking the suppressor, Joshua folded out the bipods and pulled the stock to his shoulder. Reaching up, he adjusted the scope and then let out a long breath, slowly squeezing the trigger. He gave a startle as the gun bucked with a muffled gunshot.

Watching through the scope, he saw his bullet hit the runway and missing the tail rotor he’d been aiming at. Reaching up and adjusting the side knob, Joshua aimed through the scope, squeezing the trigger. The rifle bucked and he watched through the scope. The bullet hit the cowling that formed the tail rotor.

“Well, a .338 does damage a chopper,” he said lifting his eyebrows. “That’s good because I have lots of these.”

He continued working down the line of Blackhawks and as he was aiming at the last one, he noticed the wind gust. Taking his eye off the scope, he looked up as the clouds moved in rapidly from the west. “I’m really getting tired of rain,” he said, getting back up.

Gathering his .338 casings, he put them in his pack and then grabbed the fifty caliber casings, arranging them on the ground. Satisfied, he slung his Lapua across his back and picked up the Barrett with a grunt. “Damn thing needs wheels,” he said and moved down the mountain to where he’d left King and Jack.

***

In a corner of Joshua’s shop sitting alone, Ernest pulled up his laptop and inserted the thumb drive. Since this had started, he had been contacted by two of the three Minutemen units he was in contact with. From the information he’d received, Ernest had deducted that at least four Minutemen patriots were with the mass of agents sent after Joshua.

He also knew from reading what was sent to him after Joshua blew up the resort, two of those Minutemen had died in Joshua’s explosion.

Not Ernest, nor any Minutemen blamed Joshua for their loss. All Minutemen knew they were at war and losses had to be expected, but controlled.

Tapping the keyboard, Ernest smiled. “So, you really are a Minuteman,” he said softly. When Winters had gotten out and started twirling the pen in her left hand, Ernest was very glad for the balaclava covering his face. As Winters had twirled the pen, she’d spelled out ‘Liberty or Death’ in a sign language taught to all Minutemen. It was the movement of the fingers that corresponded to numbers. When Ernest was popping his knuckles he was responding, ‘1776 freedom was born’.

Taking a breath, Ernest read her report, and started sweating as his breathing got faster. “My God,” he whispered.

“Ernest, if that’s porn, you need to watch something else,” Chris said, walking over and carrying a cup of coffee. Ernest looked up at him with terror on his face. The smile fell off of Chris’ face. “What?”

“Get in your truck, take four men and find Buck. Tell him not to do anything. We need to get all our troops in the field before he does,” Ernest said.

Chris stumbled back, “Everyone?” he gasped. They had never activated the entire group. Granted, it was only a hundred and thirty-six, but all were trained to fight, along with another area of expertise.

“Yes first sergeant, and tell Buck we need six days before we attack,” Ernest said.

“On it,” Chris said, spinning around and taking off, dropping the coffee cup.

Ernest looked down at the screen, shaking his head. “I don’t know who you are, but you were right to want this information out fast,” Ernest said tapping the screen and turning the computer off. “I’m honored to serve with a Minuteman like you.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

In the predawn light, Clarence Dawson crept through the trees to the outskirts of an upscale subdivision on the north side of Atlanta. Like many, he had watched the events playing out in Idaho over the last six weeks.

At one time, Clarence believed in America. That ended six years ago.

Like many, he was tired of the two parties taking more of his money and throwing it away. Then, the Tea Party had sprung up with several other new parties demanding change. His wife formed a chapter here in Atlanta for the Tea Party and started raising money to support the candidates that would represent the working class, and not the elite or foreign powers.

That was when his world came crashing down. The IRS seized his business and home, along with the bank accounts. The business, he had started right out of high school. It was an automotive body shop, his little piece of the American dream.

What was his crime? The audacity of attempting to help start another party to represent the people and the hope for change. Like many others in the Tea Party, Clarence and his family were targeted by the IRS.

For three years, they had fought the IRS and eventually settled out of court. He and his wife could only afford one attorney while the government came at him with dozens. Facing over a hundred different charges for the same offense, their attorney finally convinced them to plea bargain. But in that time, his house had sat vacant and was damaged in a thunderstorm, and the insurance company refused to pay, since at the time, it had been seized by the federal government.

Now, Clarence worked at another man’s body shop because he’d had to sell his to buy a trailer for his wife and two kids to live in. They’d gone from a five-bedroom home on ten acres to a single wide three-bedroom in a trailer park.

Two years ago, he’d met four guys one day at a barbecue that’d had similar things happen to them with the government, and the same end result. They’d all lost everything, but one, from the BATFE, another, from the EPA and the last two, like Clarence by the IRS. Slowly, the group had talked and Clarence started making plans.

Over the course of a year, he followed employees who worked at the federal building, learning where they lived. Eventually, he told one of the others what he wanted to do and soon, he was helping Clarence follow people using a roving tail. In three months, all were helping.

They all knew just following a federal employee was against the law under the NDAA.

None cared, Clarence the least. His wife used to stay at home, taking care of the house and kids. Now, she was forced to work because all of their retirement was gone. The eleven and twelve-year-old kids now had to be left alone for an hour between when she went to work and Clarence got home.

It was the same for the others, but Clarence remembered the smug look on the senior IRS agent’s face the day of the settlement. “You can’t fight us, even if you win, you still lose. We take everything and nobody can stop us,” he’d grinned and laughed, walking out with the small army of attorneys for the IRS that had been sent after Clarence and his wife.

When the videos of what Joshua had done hit the internet, Clarence had sat up all night just watching. Here was one man, fighting back against impossible odds. This Joshua guy wasn’t a soldier. Friends of this Joshua posted he was just a great guy and the government wanted to kill him for his business. The main stream media reported all kinds of things on this Joshua but like many, Clarence didn’t watch them.

Reaching into his pocket, Clarence pulled out a scrench in a plastic bag. He had only used a chainsaw once in his life and it had scared the shit out of him. But he saw at each attack, Joshua left one. Clarence didn’t know why. To him, it was because Joshua was a logger and Joshua was telling the government that he was still there and was the one responsible. To Clarence, the scrench was a sign of rebellion.

Putting his mechanic gloves on, Clarence took it out and shoved it in the oak tree next to him as the sky started to get brighter. “I’m with you, Joshua,” he said, pulling up his bolt action 30-06. He aimed at the house across the street, then moved his crosshairs to a Mercedes in the driveway.

Clarence had been here many times, but never with a rifle. He knew it was one hundred and six yards from this tree to the front door. All his life, Clarence had hunted deer, ducks and bear. Before the IRS had taken everything, he had gone on a dangerous game safari in Southern Africa. Now, he was hunting other more dangerous game. This game was more dangerous because it not only took your life, it took your dreams.

Bring his stock to his shoulder, Clarence waited in the bushes. At seven twenty, he saw the woman who he knew was the wife, come out with three kids and they jumped into a minivan. He watched the van pull off and his heartrate sped up.

Not even looking at his watch, Clarence knew it was just before eight a.m. when the front door opened and a man wearing a nice suit strolled out, carrying a briefcase in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Raising the rifle up, the man’s image filled the scope as Clarence followed him in the crosshairs. When the man set his coffee up on the roof of the Mercedes, Clarence slowly exhaled, flipping the safety off and slowly squeezed the trigger, keeping the crosshairs on the man’s chest as he pulled out his key fob.

The loud thunderous roar of the gunshot filled the quiet, secluded neighborhood, making birds take off and dogs start barking.

Clarence watched the man jerk back and the window of the Mercedes behind him turned red before it shattered. Before the man hit the ground, Clarence was running back through the woods. The car he was using was pulled behind a small store, half a mile away.

Reaching the car, Clarence glanced around as he opened the trunk, shoving the rifle in. He calmly got behind the steering wheel and drove off, very surprised that he didn’t hear sirens.

Driving to a vehicle storage lot that people flying out used when they didn’t want to pay the ransom the airport demanded, Clarence turned off the car and climbed out. He had only driven it to the scene and back and had worn gloves the entire time, so he wasn’t worried. Popping the trunk, he got out and unlocked his truck which was parked next to him.

Looking around and not seeing anyone, he grabbed his rifle and put it behind the seat. Turning back to the car he’d used, Clarence closed the trunk and locked it back up. Clarence had worked on cars all his life and he could hotwire any car, but with the new computer technology, it was simpler to just program a fob. Getting in his truck, Clarence said a prayer for the others.

They had each taught each other what they knew. Clarence had taught them how to find a car, use a computer get its code and then program a key fob. Another in the group had taught them how to get rid of evidence while another, on building an alibi, along with other things. They weren’t part of any big group. They were just family men who’d had everything taken.

Cranking his truck, Clarence drove home and found his wife sitting at the table, texting on his phone. She smiled at him and Clarence smiled back with a slight nod. He hugged the kids and went out to his small metal work shed.

He took the stock of the gun off and used a saw to cut it in half and tossed the two pieces in a charcoal grill. Grabbing a bag, he covered the wood stock and lit the charcoal briquettes, watching the wood stock slowly catch fire.

Putting the metal frame of the gun in a vice, Clarence took the scope off, then grabbed a blow torch and lighting it. Soon, the only evidence left was a pile of ashes and melted metal bits on the floor. “Laugh at me again for taking everything,” Clarence mumbled, turning off the torch.

His wife walked in the shed, “Everyone is back,” she said, putting an arm around his waist. “Will we do this again?”

Clarence looked down at her and gave a hopeful smile. “If the government doesn’t get the idea, we will,” he said and kissed her.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Looking at the clock on the wall, Moore sighed, seeing it was almost nine-thirty a.m. He had been sitting in the briefing room with all the senior staff, listening to Griffey scream for the last hour and a half.

“Why can’t anyone tell me why there wasn’t a guard on the aircraft?!” Griffey bellowed.

“Griffey,” Moore said quietly. “Even if there would’ve been a guard, we would have a dead guard with the destroyed choppers, planes and drone.”

“Those Blackhawks cost twenty million each! And the mechanics say they are destroyed!”

“Yes, and could you please quit shouting,” Moore said grimacing. “It doesn’t help anything.”

Panting like a raging bull, Griffey leaned back in his chair looking at everyone around the table. The only ones that seemed relaxed were Moore and Winters. The others were fidgeting with papers, avoiding looking at Griffey.

“So Moore, what do you have to say?” Griffey almost growled.

“Nothing, I told you that Joshua would eventually hit us here,” Moore shrugged. “I asked for patrols around the compound and in nearby hills and mountain slopes, but you wanted more teams in the field.”

“Oh, blame it on me!”

Moore looked at Griffey with hard eyes. “No, but I told you that was a risk. You evaluated it and wanted more men in the search.”

Pacified with that answer, Griffey nodded, grabbing a bottle of water off the table and draining it, trying to make his sore throat feel better. The door opened and Agent Schmidt walked in, carrying several plastic evidence bags. “Sorry it took me so long,” he said, heading for his chair.

Seeing a new target that hadn’t felt his anger, Griffey jumped up screaming. “You’re on the hostage rescue team, why didn’t you have guards out!”

Setting the evidence bags down calmly, Schmidt turned to Griffey. “First Agent Griffey, if it wasn’t for me, I’m sure Joshua would’ve tried to enter the compound. I’m the one who started the roving patrols inside the fence. I asked for dedicated men but you refused, so I had to get agents who were coming out of the field to rest, and put them on guard duty. And last, it wouldn’t have made a difference in this attack, we would just have dead guards along with damaged equipment.”

“That’s two billion dollars of damaged equipment!”

“So you’re saying it doesn’t matter that Joshua has already killed what-,” he paused and looked at Moore. “What are we up to now?”

“With the wounded who died from the explosion and those from the field, Joshua has killed six hundred and sixty-eight federal agents,” Winters said, tapping her laptop keyboard and not looking up.

Turning back to Griffey, Schmidt nodded. “Equipment can be replaced, not personnel.”

As Griffey leaned back in his chair, seeing Schmidt wasn’t intimidated, Moore cleared his throat. “What did you find?” he asked.

“The spot Joshua used,” Schmidt said sitting down. “You know, on the other side of that mountain he used to shoot at us is a logged area. I asked the forest service officer who was with me and guess what, Joshua’s company did it.”

“So?” Moore said.

“Moore, Joshua knows this area better than we or anyone we can get ever will, unless they are local,” Schmidt said.

“Believe me, I know,” Moore said and then motioned to the bags. “I see he left his calling card, any traps?”

Schmidt held up the bag with the scrench. “No traps and I swear, it was like he wanted us to find it. I’m no tracker, but he left a trail even I could follow,” Schmidt said, then turned to Griffey. “And yes, I did follow it over the mountain, but it stopped at a dirt road. That’s what took me so long.”

Pushing back from the table, Griffey walked over, grabbing another bottle of water as Moore leaned over, looking at the evidence bags. “I see he left more playing cards.”

“Yes, two pair, eights and threes,” Schmidt said sliding them across the table.

Looking away from her laptop, Winters shook her head. “At the last one, he left the hand that had one pair, sixes with king high. What’s Joshua doing?”

“That, I haven’t figured out yet,” Moore said looking at the cards in the bag. “I know he’s not taking us seriously.”

Griffey threw the water bottle against the wall, busting it open. “God damn it, fucking kill his family!”

Moore saw everyone at the table jump and Wagner grin. “Griffey, you do that, and Washington will have you bent over when one of their own family is killed,” Moore said.

Grabbing his chair, Griffey dropped in it hard. “I know, and that’s the only reason they are still free.”

“Now, can we start putting patrols around us, not only because of Joshua but like I told you, the sheriff is not backing us with the population anymore. It won’t be long before we start getting shot at by every Tom, Dick and Harry,” Moore said and Griffey looked at him, letting out a long sigh.

“Yes,” Griffey said slumping in his chair. “You wanted to propose new search patterns?”

“Yes,” Moore said and elbowed Winters.

Getting up, Winters tapped her computer and looked at the huge screen on the wall. “Our search teams have no pattern. What we propose is putting two teams in stationary positions and having six teams around them in a circle and move toward the center. This way, they drive what’s in front of them to the stationary teams.

Using a remote, she changed the screen and continued. “Now in large valleys, we put those two teams at one end and use the others to push down the valley. Again, this would force Joshua to move away and into our stationary teams. If we did this in several sections close together, we could clear miles,” she said and turned back to the table.

“That’s good in theory and worth a try, but unless you get lucky, Joshua could just lay down and let the team walk past him,” Schmidt said.

“How can you be so sure?” Wagner asked in a snotty tone.

“Because I did it this morning,” Schmidt said. “I hid in the bushes twenty feet away from them and the team I was with couldn’t find me.”

“So you think it won’t work?” Griffey asked in a raspy voice.

“No, I said it was worth a try and much better than this haphazard shit we’ve been doing.”

Nodding, Griffey looked down the table. “Use this new search pattern starting today,” he said and the others nodded. He turned to see Moore staring at his computer. “Anything else you want to add?”

“No,” Moore said, distracted.

“Wagner, Moore, Schmidt and Winters stay, the rest-- go find this cocksucker,” Griffey said, finishing in a growl.

“I take it we aren’t getting more helicopters today?” Wagner asked carefully.

“Two days at the earliest for Blackhawks. They are flying in three Hueys that the forest service uses in Oregon,” Griffey said, feeling very tired. “Your men did set up the monitoring stations, right?”

“Yes sir,” Wagner beamed and Moore looked over at Schmidt who was making notes.

“Schmidt, what else did you find?” Moore asked glancing at Griffey.

“Joshua arranged the spent fifty caliber shell casings to spell out ‘Fuck U’,” Schmidt said and looked up. “He used two different rifles.”

“What?” Wagner said. “He may have help.”

Winters laughed, “That’s against Joshua’s MO.”

“Then why two rifles?” Wagner asked, not convinced.

Schmidt looked down at his notes and continued writing. “I think he has run out of fifty caliber ammunition. The agent he took that Barrett from only had thirty rounds.”

“If that’s the case, then he didn’t have enough to blow all those holes in our birds,” Moore said and Griffey winced.

Shaking his head but not looking up, “No, I think he got more ammo from one of the other agents he killed. The SRT members usually carry extra sniper ammo,” Schmidt said, glancing over at Moore. “I do, in two different calibers. Not fifty cal though because that is just too much gun to lug around.”

Winters snorted, “Honestly, you can’t figure it out,” she chuckled and they all looked at her. “Joshua wanted to see if his rifle would damage a chopper. Because of the BATFE, we know he has two 338 Lapuas. I’m sure he has lots of ammo for those and now, he knows his rifle will put a Blackhawk out of commission.”

Moore stared at her in shock. “How did you come to that?”

“Easy, when I was in HRT, we would put bullet proof vest on targets and see what penetrated them and at what range,” she said, then looked back at her computer.

Thinking about it, Moore raised his eyebrows impressed at both Winters and Joshua. “Well, seems we are creating a stronger monster,” he said, then glanced over at Schmidt. “You did get pictures of the scene, right?”

“I’m in the FBI,” Schmidt said, not looking up from his notes. “I have them on my camera.”

“Will you go and get my secretary to print them? I’m old school,” Moore said.

Pushing back from the table, Schmidt nodded. “Be right back.”

When Schmidt walked out, Moore turned to Griffey and lowered his voice. “Griffey, you need to be careful on how many people you let know that we are watching Joshua’s cabin.”

Hearing that, Winters almost fell out of her chair. She knew who Moore was worried about and also knew he would never tell Griffey. It was just the fact that he didn’t trust Schmidt that blew her away.

“I thought I was paranoid,” Griffey said with a straight face.

“Wagner hasn’t told anyone because he wants glory, so very few people know and I would like to keep it that way,” Moore said.

“People will know if Joshua goes there,” Griffey said.

“Yes, and you will take every phone from every person that knows until you kill Joshua or find the cabin empty,” Moore said and Winters hid her shock by staring hard at her computer screen. The fact that Moore had gone so easily to kill, scared her some.

Wagner nodded, “That couldn’t hurt and I can vouch for every man in my unit.”

Moore looked up, “Trust me, I have little fear that any of your gun-happy bimbos would tip off Joshua.”

Letting out a gasp, Wagner’s face started turning red as Griffey held up his hand. “I’m the only one who gets to yell today, so drop it,” he said and Wagner snapped his mouth closed and nodded.

Glancing over at Moore, Griffey just lifted his chin. “That sounds fine by me but if you think we have people giving out information, I want to know.”

“No, I don’t, but I don’t want to take the risk. We only have one chance at this,” Moore said and Griffey nodded with a smile, hearing some confidence in Moore’s voice that it might work.

They all turned to Winters as her laptop started beeping loudly and then stopped. Leaning back to look at her screen, Moore smiled. “That email better be work-related,” he chuckled. “My computer only beeps, not ring klaxons.”

Opening the email, ignoring Moore, Winters read it with her eyes getting big. She pushed away from the computer, jumping up. “Holy shit!” she cried out in shock. The others looked at her as Moore leaned over, reading her email. Winters spun away, forcing herself to calm down and not show any joy.

“Oh fuck,” Moore said.

“What?” Griffey shouted, jumping up and moving around the table where he stopped, staring at Winters computer screen. His jaw dropped open, reading the email.

‘Winters, look at the news. Three senior IRS agents, one BATFE agent, and an EPA agent were shot by snipers in Atlanta. They were all killed in the span of fifteen minutes while walking out of their homes. Ask Moore if there is any way you two can come down here.

~Tim’

Gasping for air, Griffey backed away from the screen. He looked at Moore, “Don’t even ask to leave here.”

“Griffey, I was assigned here by the director himself with the Attorney General,” Moore said, then looked over as Winters turned around in shock. “Is that from Timothy Green?”

“Yes, he’s stationed in Atlanta, looking for that serial killer that the press nicknamed ‘Backdoor Killer,” she said distracted. “Don’t worry, I’m not requesting to leave. Tim worked with us long enough, he should be able to handle this.”

“If he stops going after the serial killer,” Moore said nodding.

“How about we call him tonight and talk to him?” Winters said, sitting back down. “You know how Tim likes to have a pat on the back.”

Moore nodded as the doors opened and Schmidt walked back in with another man who ran to Wagner. As Schmidt handed over a stack of photos, the other man leaned over, whispering in Wagner’s ear.

Wagner jumped up, “Sir!” he shouted, looking at Griffey with a huge grin.

“I want all phones on the table now,” Griffey snapped and everyone tossed their cellphones down. He turned to Wagner and Moore realized that Griffey was paranoid. “Please tell me you have good news.”

“They saw him enter twenty minutes ago and he hasn’t left,” Wagner beamed.

“Twenty minutes ago?!” Griffey screamed with his face turning purple, glaring at the man who had whispered in Wagner’s ear.

“Sir, the guards outside wouldn’t let him in. Your orders were only senior staff could interrupt a meeting,” Wagner said, not caring if Griffey got angry at one of his agents but Griffey had power, and Wagner didn’t want it directed at him.

Taking a deep breath, Griffey stumbled back. “He should’ve pulled his pistol and shot the fucking guard.”

“Um,” Schmidt said, looking around. “Who have we spotted?”

“Where are your weapons Schmidt?” Griffey asked, moving to the table and grabbing all the phones and shoved them in his briefcase.

“Outside the door in the weapons locker,” Schmidt said, pointing at the door.

Looking at Wagner, Griffey gave an evil grin. “How are we getting there?”

“My team is loaded up in trucks outside, waiting for us,” Wagner said grinning.

“Schmidt, grab your shit and come on,” Griffey said heading for the door. “Come on, Moore, let’s end this.”

As Moore walked past, Winters walked beside him, following Griffey who was almost skipping down the hall. “You think Schmidt is with the Minutemen?” she barely breathed out.

“He fits the profile, but I doubt it,” Moore mumbled back.

She looked up at him, speaking quietly. “The same could be said about you or me.”

Moore cracked a grin. “Sorry, but you are too hot tempered,” he chuckled. “How many times have I gone to the review board for you because of that temper? You’re lucky the sheriff wasn’t a hard ass last night. If it wasn’t for your temper, you would have your own team, instead of being stuck under me.”

“People need to quit pissing me off,” Winters said with a scowl, but smiled on the inside.

“That’s my point,” Moore said as they headed outside.

“Moore, even if he was, there is no way anyone could get information to Joshua.”

Keeping a fast pace, Moore looked around, then over at her. “I know,” he said. “What worries me is the sheriff pulling his influence from the population. I know those are Minutemen at Joshua’s house, the sheriff told me and there are others around here. Now, someone inside could get information out to them. What worries me, is that Buck told me he was allowed to tell me and only me who they were. Don’t you see, Winters? They know I haven’t told anyone else and are sending me a message, ‘leave us alone’.”

Winters fought not to seem impressed and remembered Moore was one of the best profilers ever to work in the FBI. “I think you worry about too much stuff,” she huffed.

They saw Griffey standing beside a Suburban, waiting on them. “I don’t like it when Griffey smiles like that,” Winters said as Schmidt trotted up behind them, carrying his M4 and wearing his tactical vest.

“I trust someone will fill me in,” he said as Griffey motioned to the open door in the back as he climbed in the front passenger seat.

“We will,” Moore said climbing into the backseat.

“I fucking hate the middle,” Winters said, climbing in after him.

Schmidt climbed in, shutting the door. “I would sit in the middle, but seeing as I’m the most heavily armed, I think I need a window seat.”

The driver passed Griffey a laptop and then started the engine. Three MRAPs drove past and the driver followed them out of the gate heading north. “It’s really him,” Griffey said, almost giggling, staring at the screen.

“Griffey, you mind if I see?” Moore asked.

Griffey passed the laptop back and looked at the driver. “He hasn’t left?” Griffey asked with trepidation.

“No sir,” the driver said. “When Agent Moore is done, you can watch the feeds live. We have them monitored at the compound, but each vehicle has a live feed. Agent Wagner instructed me to show you the captured video of the target.”

Moore took the computer and saw a play bar at the bottom. He tapped the beginning and stared at the screen, seeing the front of Joshua’s cabin. Movement on the far left caught his eye and Moore felt his heart speed up as the figure crept across the yard.

Tapping pause, Moore tapped the screen, zooming in to see that the figure had a shemagh wrapped around his face and wearing a helmet. But seeing the eyes, Moore knew it was Joshua. He tried to zoom in more, but the image just blurred. “You only have one monitor?” he asked.

“No sir, we have three. One on the back and the other on the slope on the north side, looking down at the clearing. That’s the different angle you saw,” the driver said.

“Oh,” Moore said and tapped the play button. Joshua continued to the cabin looking around and jumped up on the side of the porch, easing up to the door. He reached out, touching the door knob, then walked past the door and jumped off the other end of the porch.

When he left the camera’s view, the screen blinked showing the angle from the slope as Joshua headed over to a small building that everyone assumed was a type of barn next to a corral. Walking into the building, Moore lost sight of Joshua for a few minutes, but then Joshua walked back out more casually, heading back to the cabin.

The screen blinked showing the front angle as Joshua jumped up on the porch and pulled out a key, unlocking the door. Giving a last look around, Joshua walked in, shutting the door and the video stopped.

“He moves very gracefully,” Winters said as Moore handed the laptop back to Griffey.

“He moves like a hunter,” Schmidt said. “Was my clearance not high enough for this?”

“Schmidt, with the laws we broke doing that, we didn’t want many to know,” Moore said as the driver showed Griffey how to watch the live feed.

“Like we haven’t broken enough?” Schmidt chuckled. “You do realize if we bring Joshua in alive, we will have mass riots across the nation.”

Moore gave a sigh of relief and Winters felt disgusted with her mentor. “I know, and that’s why Wagner is leading this little adventure,” Moore said. “We can’t let one man bring down our system.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling off Highway 57 and onto a small dirt road. They only drove half a mile and then stopped. “We walk from here,” the driver said, getting out.

They climbed out and saw men in tactical gear pouring out of the MRAPs. “How many men did Wagner bring?” Winters asked pulling out her pistol and checking it.

“Thirty,” the driver said, putting on a helmet and walking away.

Griffey walked around the Suburban, looking at the laptop and Schmidt got in front of the three, stopping them. “If I’m not mistaken, none of you have on a vest. I advise you to stay in the back because we know Joshua is very crafty and I’m finding it hard to believe he made a mistake like this,” Schmidt said, looking around into the forest.

“He’s a man and eventually we all make mistakes,” Griffey said, looking up from the screen. “But you’re right, we should’ve brought our vests.”

When Griffey walked past, Schmidt looked at Moore. “Oh, Joshua’s made mistakes, but we just haven’t been able to capitalize,” he said.

“What mistakes?” Moore asked, following the men up the dirt road.

“He stays too long at an ambush site,” Schmidt said, walking beside Moore. “You hit and run.”

“He wants supplies,” Moore said.

“He doesn’t need them and at an ambush, you get away because your enemy knows you’re there,” Schmidt said. “I think Joshua does it just to make us mad.”

Moore smiled and lowered his voice, seeing the men ahead scanning the ground and woods. “Very good Schmidt,” he said.

“And that’s the other mistake Joshua has made, he’s taking this war personally. In combat, you fight, not get revenge,” Schmidt whispered.

“Well, in all fairness to Joshua, we forced him to take that mindset,” Moore said as he eased his hand up to rest on his pistol. The tension from the men ahead was starting to get contagious.

“That’s what I mean, he let us dictate his state of mind. That gives us an edge,” Schmidt mumbled, glancing around.

Behind them and listening, Winters began to really want Schmidt to be a Minuteman. Besides his insight, Schmidt was moving with confidence. “So, how do we capitalize on that?” Moore whispered back.

“Send a team out to get hit and have another close by. When Joshua hits them, wipe him out,” Schmidt said and looked at Moore. “From here on, stay quiet.” Moore nodded as Schmidt moved in front of them.

The group walked the last mile to Joshua’s cabin with several panting when they stopped just below the steppe Joshua’s cabin sat on. “He hasn’t left. Team one will breach with team two on the front and team three on the south,” Wagner whispered and waved his hand for the men to move.

When the men moved off, Wagner moved back to Griffey. “Sir, move up to the tree line and watch your problem disappear,” Wagner grinned and moved into the woods, heading up the rise.

“I’ve waited for this,” Griffey smiled, pulling his pistol out and following Wagner.

Schmidt turned to look at Moore and Winters. “Stay close, these boys are trigger-happy big time. I would say wait here, but one of them might see you and just start shooting.”

“Sounds good,” Moore said, pulling his pistol out and gripping it with both hands. As the two walked off, Winters pulled out her pistol and followed.

“I swear, if you’re in there, I’m kicking your corpse,” Winters mumbled.

They stopped inside the trees and saw Joshua’s cabin thirty yards away. Ten men moved out of the trees in a staggered line, facing the cabin and aiming their rifles at it. Moore and Winters knelt down beside a large fir tree, keeping their pistols aimed down.

Wearing a huge grin, Moore tried to calm down as the team approached the steps. When the first man put a foot on the bottom step, Moore realized something and the grin dropped into a gaping mouth.

When the point man reached the top step, ‘BOOM’ shook the earth.

Like it’d happened in slow motion, Moore watched the first four men vanish in a mist. The next six were thrown back as projectiles flew through their bodies.  A loud thunk sounded on the tree and Moore turned to see a large bolt stuck in the trunk.

Suddenly, he heard screaming beside him as gunfire erupted from the tree line. Moore dropped down to his stomach and looked up at the cabin and saw hundreds of shells hitting it, chewing away at the wood. A ‘blump’ sounded to his left and a small explosion sounded inside the cabin.

Hearing the screaming beside him still going strong, Moore looked over to see one of Wagner’s team holding his left leg. A large hole was over his thigh squirting out blood. Schmidt moved over, pulling out a dressing and put it over the hole as Moore saw another man lying down with his face missing.

“Grenade” was shouted and Moore dropped back on his stomach.

“They didn’t learn a lesson last time!” Winters shouted on the ground beside him.

“Those guys at the door are dead!” he shouted back.

“I’m talking about us!”

Moore lifted his head and heard a larger explosion from the cabin and turned as another grenade sailed through a window on the side of the house. “Seems their aim has improved,” he said, dropping his face to the dirt as another explosion shook the ground and the roar of gunfire continued.

“How much ammo do these guys carry?” she shouted, covering her ears.

“We don’t want to know,” Moore said, hearing a crash and lifted his head up to see half of the front porch had caved in.

“Cease fire!” Wagner shouted and the gunfire stopped. “Team two on me!” he shouted and charged the house.

Lifting her head up, Winters was in awe, seeing Wagner lead the team to the house. “I can’t believe that yellow bastard is doing that,” she said.

“Why not? Nobody could live through that and all those explosions would’ve set off any more traps,” Schmidt said, tying a tourniquet on the man’s leg.

Nodding and getting to her knees, “Good point,” she said, watching Wagner kick the shattered door aside. The men poured in after him and she held her breath.

“He’s not in there,” Schmidt said, working on the wounded man. “Nobody would put that kind of charge to go off and stay inside a structure.”

“That wasn’t a claymore,” Moore said getting up.

“No, that was black powder. Several pounds of black powder that Joshua used to make a claymore,” Schmidt said. “A one-inch ball bearing is what went through this guy’s leg.”

“Yeah, there’s a huge bolt stuck in this tree,” Moore said, watching the cabin as Wagner stepped out, waving his hand. “What’s that?”

“All clear,” Winters said, getting to her feet.

Griffey took off in a sprint toward the cabin. “Where’s the body?” he shouted, jumping over the remains of the entry team.

“You have to love his concern for his fellow agents,” Schmidt said, looking up.

“Yeah, he really is a lower lifeform,” Moore said, turning to Schmidt. “You need some help with him?”

“He’s dead,” Schmidt said, getting up. “His leg was bleeding so much, I missed a hole in his pelvis.”

“You tried,” Moore said. “You think it’s safe to move up?”

“To the cabin, yes, but let me check the barn or whatever that other building is,” Schmidt said, walking away. “I’m not checking the outhouse, so if something’s there, you clear it.”

“I’ll shit in the woods,” Moore said, then headed to the cabin to see Griffey in a towering rage.

“How could he leave?” Griffey screamed and spun on Wagner. “He can’t be far, have your men search around the cabin!”

As Wagner yelled out orders, Moore stopped at the steps and saw a metal hook screwed into the post beside the steps. “That’s why Joshua didn’t use the steps,” he said, and Griffey spun on him.

“What?”

“Remember in the video, Joshua jumped up on the ends of the porch. He never used the steps,” Moore said, looking at the destroyed stack of firewood beside the door. A large metal rectangle was embedded in the logs of the front wall.

Schmidt came up behind him. “That was Joshua’s claymore,” he said, jumping on the porch. He looked through the debris and reached down lifting up a piece of wire. “Man, this fucker is good. This is a twelve-volt light bulb and there are pieces of a battery up here. That’s how Joshua rigged the gunpowder to go off.”

Griffey spun around and got in Schmidt’s face. “Get your ass out there and find him, he can’t be far!”

“Gladly, but don’t you want someone close, in case Joshua starts taking shots from a long way off? I think I would want someone with a long rifle close,” Schmidt said, laying the wire down gently.

Griffey’s eyes got wide as he ducked down, looking around in terror. “Stay here,” he said in a low voice then eased inside the destroyed cabin.

“Moore, his calling card is in the barn, along with a new set of cards,” Schmidt said.

Nodding, Moore walked over to the barn with Winters following. They walked in and saw the scrench stuck in a wooden table with playing cards beside it. “Royal flush,” Moore said, looking at the cards.

“I wish we could get the rules to the game Joshua’s playing,” Winters said, looking around the small barn.

Moore walked out, “He expects us to be smart enough to figure it out,” he said.

Seeing Moore walk out, Winters smiled. ‘I don’t know why this chapter didn’t bring in Joshua but man, they missed a warrior’ she thought and followed Moore.

She ran to catch up as Schmidt walked out of the cabin. “There is a hole cut in the floor under the bed. He dropped into the crawl space,” Schmidt said, motioning them to follow. He walked off the porch and pointed at the back corner. “There is a small ditch there running to the trees. My guess, he dug it for drainage because this area is flat. He crawled into the ditch and then into the woods with none the wiser.”

“This man is getting on my nerves,” Moore said, spinning around and walking off.

Schmidt looked at Winters, “That is a mistake,” he said, then turned around. “You can’t take it personally.”

“Shit, who would’ve suspected a logger to turn out to be a ninja Rambo?” she said, following him as they both caught up with Moore. “We leaving?”

“Yes, I knew this was a trap and didn’t listen to my gut,” Moore said. “I gave up to false hope.”

***

Over a mile away, Joshua gave King a soft kick, steering him along the ridge. He had stopped, hearing the explosion and the torrent of gunfire. “Damn, I liked that cabin,” he said pulling out his map. “Well, let’s see if one of those search teams to the west will take the trail I’ve been waiting for.”

Putting the map up, Joshua felt good, but didn’t enjoy killing these men and women coming after him. He knew not all wanted to kill him, but they were looking for him and would hand him over to ones that would so in his mind, that justified any of the deaths. It was only because of the thermal scope that he’d seen that metal box strapped to a tree in front of the cabin. The box had been just a little warmer than the tree.

He had crept around and eased up beside it and saw it had a tiny window, and figured it was like those new game cameras that you could watch live from home. It was just very small.

Hunting around the cabin, he’d found another one on a tree in the back and figured there were more. He’d stopped searching for them and concentrated to see if any could spot him crawling out of the cabin in his drainage ditch. Just to be sure, Joshua had taken his thermal sniper blanket with him.

After entering the house, he’d dropped through the floor and crawled out through the ditch. Joshua had been half a mile away by the time Griffey had been notified.  “Have to say, reading all those books on spies, wars and frontier life has really paid off,” he said, adjusting his M4 across his body. “Can’t learn stuff like that from TV,” he grinned.

Moving carefully, Joshua headed for the trail he was hoping for one of the search teams to take. The trail was used by many around here to ride ATVs in the backcountry and he had ridden it many times with family and friends.

Reaching the trail, Joshua left King and Jack and moved over the ridge as the sun started to set. He could already see and smell the smoke from a fire, but pulled out his thermal scope. Ten bodies were around the small campfire and Joshua sighed. “Sorry for this, guys,” he said, and put the binoculars up.

He moved back and got on King, riding beside the trail to where the trail got steep going over the ridge. On one of his passes through he had stopped here, looking at a massive fallen tree that had been cut decades ago. Only a twelve-foot section remained, but that section was six feet around.

The rocky slope it rested on was nearly vertical and the only reason the tree hadn’t rolled down was a small pile of head sized rocks at its center. Joshua had seen this on his trips up over the years and had wanted to let the tree roll down the hill because it looked unstable, but he knew unless he got permission, he could get in trouble for ‘altering the landscape’. So he’d left it, hoping that one day the log wouldn’t roll down the hill, hitting the section of the ATV trail when someone was riding by. Now, he was going to help gravity assist the log in its journey that the log had started long ago.

Leading King and Jack to a small stream, Joshua left them, carrying a shovel and spools of quarter-inch steel cable. Staying off the trail, Joshua walked along the ridge to the rocky cliff where the log rested on. He looked down and saw the ATV trail running past the rocky area, then back into the trees where it ran up and over the ridge.

“About a hundred to a hundred and twenty yards to the bottom,” he mumbled, setting his stuff down. Taking a shovel and one spool of cable over his shoulder, Joshua eased out onto the rocky slope. The slope was so steep that Joshua was standing but leaning into the slope, using his hands and feet to ‘walk’ sideways along the slope.

“If this works, I won’t be here to see it,” he mumbled.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Agent Aston Rustin held his M4 close to his chest as his team moved down the trail and a light rain fell. He pulled his Gortex jacket closed and glanced at his watch to see it wasn’t even eight a.m. “I’m done with this shit,” he mumbled, looking around at the chest high ferns between the evergreen trees.

When he’d joined the BATFE, it’d been a blast. They could do what they wanted with impunity. But these last few years, it sucked. People were fighting back, not just physically but legally. When he’d started, only the gangs and extremist groups had fought, now it was the normal guy they went after that you had to watch out for. If they suspected a person of having illegal weapons, they would raid their house like they had always done but now, these people had the audacity to fight back.

The one thing he did love was that a government agency could dictate law. Not only his agency, all of them. A director would read a law passed by Congress and tell the agents how he interpreted it, and so it became law. The fact the public resented that, upset Rustin. If the public didn’t like it, they should move, he’d always said.

Hearing a bird chirp, he jerked his head to the right and saw it fly off when one of the four in front of him scared it.

Before he’d gone out on this patrol, he had called his wife and told her he was quitting and was going to apply to be a contractor for the State Department. He would make more money, but wouldn’t have the power that he did now. But walking through the mountain forest, Rustin felt he didn’t have any power anymore.

The nerve that the public demanded federal agents be held accountable, pissed him off. Sure they made mistakes, like serving warrants at the wrong house or address and more often than not, someone got shot.

They were federal agents and mistakes didn’t apply to them. Rustin was of the mind that Congress should abolish the NRA first, then go after the guns. Like every agent and politician, Rustin knew if they could get the guns away from the population, they could do as they pleased without fear of retaliation.

He and the other agents had talked about this ‘Joshua Anderson’ they were after, and none believed he was just a logger. Everyone was convinced the higher ups weren’t telling them Joshua’s real background. Some believed Joshua used to be a contractor for the NSA while others thought he used to work for the CIA’s Thirteenth Legion. It was a black program that the CIA ran, training assassins.

Rustin didn’t care, all he knew was a logger couldn’t do the things that Joshua had done.

Last night, one of the agents with him had pulled out the satellite phone they were issued and used it to get on the net. That was when they’d learned of the agents shot in Atlanta. When the team got up this morning, the agent who’d got on the web told everyone that two IRS agents had been shot in Boston on the way to work. “This Joshua is making people think they can fight back,” Rustin almost growled.

‘How can the citizens even think of fighting against us?’ Rustin thought, almost tripping on the rocky muddy trail. Catching his balance, Rustin glanced around, making sure that none of the team saw him almost bust his ass.

“We are the government,” he said in a low voice and started walking. Hearing a man fall to his front, Rustin dropped to one knee, pulling the stock of his rifle to his shoulder. Looking ahead, he saw the point man getting up, wiping mud off his rifle.

“I didn’t sign up for this,” he said looking around.

“Me either, but I only have six more years to retirement,” the man behind him said.

Seeing the point man continue, Rustin got up. “Grant, I’m not doing this for ten more years. What gives the citizens the right to not comply?”

“I hear ya,” Grant said looking around. “Seems all the working people think they are better than everyone else.”

“Look at the work we’re doing, we are better than everyone else,” Rustin snorted.

Moving along the trail behind Rustin, Grant nodded. “Yeah, this used to be fun. It’s like they know they can’t win a case in court, so the people want to use physical force to get their way.”

“Only we can do that,” Rustin whispered hoarsely.

“I’ve been with the DEA for fourteen years and hell, even doctors are getting rowdy lately.”

Rustin stopped and looked up at a very steep rocky slope that the trail ran under, and saw a massive log laying on the slope. “What the hell is holding that log there?” he mumbled.

“Don’t climb up to see because that could make it dislodge. I grew up in Tennessee and you left stuff like that alone,” Grant said, looking up at the log above them. “Damn thing has been there a long time.”

A shiver ran up Rustin’s spine as he walked along the trail under the slope. He sighed when he wasn’t under the log and the trail ran back into the trees. “I’m starting to like the trees around me,” he mumbled.

“The trees, I like. It’s these damn ferns I hate,” Grant said in a low voice. “So, what do you plan on doing if you leave the stepchild agency?”

Rustin looked back at Grant with a sneer. All of the other agencies looked at the BATFE as a joke. They were the one agency that policed what was legal in the US and the only agency to have the dreaded five letter designation. “I have a friend in the State Department who is a contractor, he said he could get me a job,” Rustin said, continuing up the trail.

“Hey, that’s a nice gig,” Grant said in awe.

“Yeah,” Rustin grinned. “I’m turning in my notice when we get back.”

Grant was about to ask if Rustin could pull some strings for him when they heard a loud pop on their right. Everyone froze, looking to the right and the point man never felt the fishing string he’d pulled with his boot that set off the trigger, letting a small tree that Joshua had bent over, spring up.

They all saw the tree swaying and heard another pop further away as a large boulder rolled down the steep slope they’d passed. The boulder yanked the last trigger, freeing the log.

Twang- sounded as the log rolled down the slope and Rustin caught movement out of the corner of his eye as the steel cable ran up two sticks to waist high level, catching the man in front of him in the back.

The man let out a yelp as the wire yanked him into the three in front of him. A twenty-yard-long snare made of quarter inch cable cinched closed on the four before Rustin moved his head to see what the movement was.

All four men screamed as the log rolled down the slope with the cable attached to it dragging them up the hill at twenty miles an hour. Watching in disbelief, Rustin’s jaw fell open as the four bound men shot up in the air, screaming louder.

They suddenly stopped below a branch and the rest of the team took off running to them. Rustin stopped under the four and saw one man hanging down and realized only his lower legs were caught by the cable.

“It’s a snare,” Grant said. “We have to cut that line.”

Feeling something heavier than the mist falling from the sky hit his cheek, Rustin reached up, wiping his cheek. Looking down at his hand, he saw it was blood. Then, he heard heavy drops around him and realized it was blood.

“Come on!” Grant shouted above the men screaming, trying to pull Rustin up the hill.

A heavy thump sounded beside him and Rustin turned to see a boot with pants above it, then stumbled back, realizing it was a leg. In a panic, he looked around, seeing the ground turning red with blood as another leg fell down, followed by a screaming agent.

Grant dropped down, pulling out his med bag as Rustin looked up at the three left. His jaw quivered as he watched the small cable slowly cinch through the three bodies. A loud pop and twang filled the air as six different parts fell back to earth.

Rustin stumbled back, looking at the three half men screaming as blood poured from their bodies. He didn’t wait to see what was next. Spinning around, Rustin took off running back down the trail. The other four joined him and Grant looked up, seeing the rest of the team leave him.

He looked back at the men on the ground and the only one still alive was the one missing his lower legs, but he was barely moaning. Getting up, Grant took off, following the others.

Joshua was half a mile away when they’d tripped his trap. Many years ago, he had watched two men get cut in half with a tow line. That’s where he’d gotten the idea, but he didn’t want to witness it again.

“Just leave me alone,” he mumbled, steering King through the trees.

***

It was after lunch and Moore was standing outside. The clouds were breaking up, but more rain was forecasted tonight and tomorrow. Bringing the cigarette to his lips, he took a long drag. He had quit ten years ago and it had taken him an hour to find someone who smoked, but he needed a cigarette.

“You shouldn’t start back up,” Winters said, walking out the door and moving beside him.

“After seeing the scene of the last attack, nothing else will do,” he said, taking a drag and looking off at the mountains.

Winters looked up at him. “Moore, we’ve seen much worse.”

Letting out a long smoke filled sigh, Moore shook his head. “Winters, those were deviant psychopathic killers. Joshua is-,” he stopped and looked down at the ground. “He was; a normal person until this.”

“Moore, he knows we are trying to kill him, and you think he should kill us nicely?”

Turning to look at her, Moore took another drag. “How in the fuck does a normal man think of a trap that cuts people in half?”

“That, I don’t know,” she shrugged.

Dropping the butt, Moore ground it in the dirt. “What is Griffey doing?”

“He’s in a video conference in the briefing room,” she said. “The doors are locked, but I heard the Attorney General’s voice along with the Speaker of the House and the VP.”

“You were listening at the door?” he droned, grabbing the pack of cigarettes.

“Hardly,” she huffed. “They were screaming so loud at Griffey, I heard them down the hall.”

“So, you think they will replace him?”

She looked off, “I told you what will happen.”

Lighting the cigarette, Moore took a long drag as he put the pack back in his pocket. “What is your best guess on how to stop Joshua?” he asked, avoiding the subject.

“Hell, I’m starting to agree with Schmidt,” she said, still looking off. “Let’s start putting teams out as bait with others near to attack Joshua when he starts killing them.”

Moore shook his head. “That’s not a plan.”

Finally, she looked at Moore. “An FBI agent was shot in Chicago an hour ago, and another IRS agent was killed in Vegas. It’s spreading fast and you want pretty plans and Joshua to kill us nicely. What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s gone too far. We can’t stop it,” Moore mumbled.

“Well, to be honest, we brought it on ourselves,” she said staring at him. “If you kick a dog long enough, no matter how docile it is, that dog will eventually attack.”

Narrowing his eyes, Moore studied her face. “So you approve?”

“No,” Winters snorted with a grin, looking in Moore’s eyes. “We should’ve done what we have always done. Go after bad guys and not make innocent people into bad guys.”

Letting out a sigh, Moore turned away with a tiny grin. “Yes, that’s what we should’ve always done. Wonder what the President will say in his address tonight?”

She stood beside him, staring at the side of his face and then turned to look at the mountains. Hearing the thump of helicopters, they both turned to the south. “Griffey said we weren’t getting any more choppers for days,” Moore said as a line of Blackhawks flew in from the south.

Not saying anything, Winters watched and counted twenty Blackhawks circle the compound. The lead Blackhawk broke off, descending to the road and landing right in front of the gate as the rest of the helicopters landed on the runway.

The door of the Blackhawk slid open and a man in U.S. army fatigues stepped out with an air of invincibility. Walking under the rotors, the man barely lowered his head as troops in full battle gear jumped out and formed ranks, walking behind him.

“Shit,” Moore spat, dropping his half cigarette. “You were right. They invoked the regional command in a state of emergency.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Winters saw the silver eagle on the man as he stopped, talking to others behind him, who she thought were officers. What many people didn’t know was the United States officially ended in 1972, when Nixon signed executive order 11647. With a stroke of a pen, Nixon split the country into ten regions and what did the states do? Nothing, because federal money poured in. Monies that came from the states and the federal government acted like they were rewarding them by giving it back as grants.

When people asked why was this wrong, any military person could tell you, it’s easier to control ten people rather than fifty. The United Nations had instructed Nixon that the United States needed to be broken down into easier to manage districts. Knowing that neither congress nor the citizens would approve, Nixon just did it by executive order. Not to implement, but to prepare for the implementation, getting the framework ready.

Each president after, only strengthened this order and not one major news agency had ever done a story on any of them.

All her life, Winters had been independent. Who could blame her, being the daughter of an Army sergeant major? In her first year in college, she was leaning toward law to fight what she saw as a government going insane. The wealthy had billions to back the politicians they wanted and that was the first year she’d heard of the Council of Foreign Relations.

As she studied the CFR, Winters started getting scared. She still couldn’t buy alcohol legally, but to see a group that wasn’t elected but wielded extreme power terrified her young mind. None of the people at school seemed concerned and blew her off as a nut.

That was when Winters learned to keep her opinions to herself.

It was in her second year at college that she’d walked into the living room as her dad was reading a book, and talked to him about her fears. When she’d finished, he had just smiled at her and said, “You’ve grown up and awakened from the sleep they want you in.”

It was then, he’d asked her what she planned to do with this knowledge and she told him she’d become a lawyer and fight them. Her dad had just smiled. “Baby, they own the judges that you will be presenting the cases to. So how can you win?”

She’d ranted for several minutes, then her dad stood up and hugged her tight. “If you really want to help I can show you how, but it is a commitment for life,” he said, kissing her head. Winters told him she wasn’t joining the military. “No baby, we aren’t the military,” he’d said.

When she’d looked up at him, her dad’s smile had turned serious. “You have the heart, but you can’t ever tell anyone, not even your husband when you get married.” When she’d nodded, more than a little afraid, her dad had smiled again in joy. “Welcome to the Minutemen.”

The scope the group followed was only The Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

She was a captain now and had changed to law enforcement in college. The colonel of the Blue Ridge Minutemen at the time, had asked her if she could work in the FBI. They only had a few people there and needed more.

This ran through Winters mind as the colonel strutted over to them.

“Agent Moore, Agent Winters, I’m Colonel Chad Tanner. I’m region ten’s commander,” he said, nodding slightly. “I’m here to take over this operation.”

“Colonel,” Moore nodded.

Hearing more choppers, they looked to the south and Winters fought to remain calm as Moore shouted. “Apaches? What the hell are they for?”

“To bring order,” Tanner smiled. “Now, if you would show me to the command briefing room.”

They both heard the request given as an order with iron and turned, heading inside with Tanner following. Tanner took off his helmet, brushing back his brown, silver-streaked hair and walking with an arrogance only power could bring.

As they neared the doors, two agents stepped up, holding up their hands. “Sorry, but Agent Griffey is in video conference,” one said.

“You will step aside or you will be shot,” Tanner said like he was ordering a soft drink. The two agents looked behind Tanner to see several soldiers aiming weapons at them.

Both agents jumped to the side as Tanner walked between Winters and Moore. Tanner reached down and opened both doors, walking in. The troops behind them shoved Winters and Moore into the room as Griffey jumped to his feet.

“Don’t yell at me, Agent Griffey,” Tanner said calmly, walking around the table. Looking at the monitors, Tanner nodded his head, “Gentlemen.”

“You’re late Tanner,” the Speaker of the House snapped.

“Not by my watch, Mr. Speaker,” Tanner said, never looking at his wrist. “I’ll have a new watch sent to you, on me of course.”

“When will operations start?” the Homeland Director asked.

“I will keep the patrols that are out now in the field as my troops get here, then commence operations in two days,” Tanner said, putting his helmet on the table.

All the screens cut off at once and Tanner turned to Griffey wearing a big smile. “You need to relax Griffey,” he said pulling out Griffey’s chair. Before he sat down two soldiers came in, almost dragging Wagner between them. Moore and Winters saw the fear in Wagner’s eyes and the duct tape around his head, taping his mouth shut. They both moved around the table, putting their backs to the wall.

“Why is his mouth taped shut?” Tanner asked.

“He wouldn’t shut up,” one of the troops said, elbowing Wagner.

“We aren’t barbarians. Now take it off,” Tanner said and saw relief in Wagner’s eyes. “One word of caution, Agent Wagner. Open your mouth around me and I’ll let them take you outside and cut your tongue out.”

As one of the troops started pulling the tape off, Wagner’s eyes rolled back as he fainted, dropping to the floor. “His little mind can only handle so much,” Tanner said, sitting down in Griffey’s chair.

Griffey moved toward the table to sit down and Tanner held up his hand. “No, Agent Griffey, you are relieved now. A plane will be here shortly to take you to DC.”

“Ww-Wwwwww---,” Griffey stuttered and Tanner held up his hand.

“Relax, if you had really pissed them off, I would be taking you up in my helicopter and just throwing you out,” Tanner said and Griffey stared at him, truly terrified. “Now, your friend on the floor, I’m not so sure about. I do believe the only reason he is alive now is because he put out that false statement on the target Joshua Anderson being wounded.”

Griffey’s lip quivered as he mumbled and Tanner nodded at the gibberish. “I know you allowed it and sent a report that you let him talk you into it,” Tanner said, leaning back in the chair. “I think you will be demoted and shoved in an office someplace. I don’t know what you have hidden, but it must be good.”

Griffey looked over at Moore, “For God’s sake, help me!” he begged with watery eyes.

Tanner threw back his head laughing and they looked at him. “Agent Moore can’t help you, Griffey. One thing I will say, if you had followed Moore’s advice from the beginning, the target would be dead and I wouldn’t be here.”

“I did what he said,” Griffey said as a major walked in.

“Planes here sir,” the major said.

“Thank you, Major Grattan. Will you escort these gentlemen to the runway?” Tanner said and Griffey and a still unconscious Wagner were taken out. “One of you, gather the team heads and have them wait in the hall till I’m ready,” Tanner said to the other soldiers.

When they left closing the doors, he turned to Moore and Winters and motioned to the chairs in front of them. “Please sit,” Tanner said, but it sounded like an order.

They both sat down as he continued, leaning back in the chair. “I must say, Agent Moore. I’ve read a lot about you and the reports you’ve sent in on this operation, and you really amaze me,” Tanner said, sounding genuine. “The way you get inside another person’s mind is extraordinary.”

“Thank you,” Moore said as Tanner turned to Winters.

“Agent Winters, I know why Moore has had you on his team for so long, and my amazement extends to you as well,” Tanner smiled.

Taking a deep breath, Winters smiled, “Thank you.”

“Ah, Colonel, why did they find that false statement by Wagner so thrilling?” Moore asked slowly.

Tanner laughed, “After that statement this morning, attacks quit escalating against government agents.”

“Escalating?” Winters said, furrowing her brow. “They can’t know that with only four more attacks.”

“Au contraire,” Tanner said. “That’s only what we have let out. We wouldn’t have let those out, but local law enforcement made statements before we took over the cases.”

“Question.” Winters said. “When you say ‘we’ are you saying all FEMA regions have become active?”

“The regions have been active since it was put in effect,” Tanner said and the smile slowly faded. “But the ‘we’ I refer to is the federal government.”

“So I take it there have been more attacks?” she asked hesitantly.

“Since the shooting in Atlanta, forty-two agents have been killed.”

Pushing back from the table, Moore jumped up. “It has barely been thirty hours!” he shouted and started pacing, looking at the floor.

Tanner looked at Winters, “Excitable, isn’t he?”

Winters raised her hand up, “Hold on, but, yes,” she said. “Are we certain on that number? Because we’ve had several dozens here turn in their resignation.”

“Yes, and they will be dealt with harshly. You will not run away from your duty to serve just because it gets a little tough,” Tanner said. “On the numbers? Yes.”

Shaking her head, “Sorry, but I think someone in the government is cleaning house. The population couldn’t respond that fast. We are talking about murder and even a person with a grudge would need time to prepare. I can say even a person with a deep hatred and extreme intelligence would need more than thirty hours. And the odds that all were carried out by perps like that is astronomical.”

“Wow,” Tanner said, staring at her. “You really impress the hell out of me.”

She just stared back and Tanner nodded. “Though I can’t speak for all of the killings, I’ve seen the evidence on a few and those weren’t done by anyone in the government. I should say the NSA found a website that listed the address of every employee of the federal government posted months ago, so the information has been out there.”

“You’re talking about a coordinated effort and I’ve been on teams that addressed this, and there is no group that could do it. Not on the scale you’re talking about, and just a few ordinary people can’t pull this off.”

“Moore, you chose a good one,” Tanner said, not looking away from Winters. “Again, you’re right, just a –ton- of pissed off people. And if the politicians had done their job, getting the guns away from the populace, my job wouldn’t be so hard. Nor would they be having these problems.”

Fighting down the nausea she felt, hearing an officer of the United States Army disrespect all that America stood for, Winters shook her head. “I’m finding this very hard to believe.”

“Believe it, because that’s why I’m here,” Tanner said, as Moore moved back to the table.

“Okay, we need to limit all communication from the area, so he can’t get a message out that the report was a lie,” Moore said sitting down. “I still believe Joshua is trailing the patrols before he ambushes them. We’ll start to have two or three men shadow each patrol. And-,”

“Agent Moore,” Tanner said, stopping him and Moore looked over. “I’ve read your reports and I agree with them, so you can stop. I know you’ve implemented a few of those teams already and we can make some changes.” Winters grabbed a pen and notebook to keep from grabbing her pistol and shooting Tanner and Moore.

“What is the status of Joshua’s family?” Tanner asked and they both jerked their heads, looking at him in shock.

“The last time didn’t go so well,” Winters said wide-eyed.

Nodding, Tanner pushed back and stood up. “I know, and I want to think on that, but what is their status?”

“I don’t know, I would have to ask Schmidt,” Moore said, flopping back in his chair.

“Major!” Tanner barked making both jump.

The door opened and the red-headed Major Grattan stuck his head in. “Sir?”

“Bring me-,” he stopped and looked at Moore.

“Agent Schmidt, he’s over the HRT,” Moore helped.

Looking back at the major, “Bring me Agent Schmidt,” Tanner said.

“I’m right here,” a voice sounded out in the hall and the major pulled his head out of the door, looking behind him.

The major stepped in, holding the door open and Schmidt walked in wearing his tactical vest, but didn’t have his M4. “Agent Schmidt,” he said, strolling in with indifference.

Tanner waved the major out and pointed at a chair. “So, Agent Schmidt, what is the status of the target’s family?”

Pulling a chair out and sitting down, Schmidt looked up at Tanner. “They’ve gone,” he said pointedly.

The courteous smile left his face as Tanner just blinked for a few seconds. “Um, gone?” he finally said.

“Yep, I went to check on my over watch this morning that had eyes on the family and found my team gone,” Schmidt said. “Using my binoculars, I saw Mr. Anderson’s house is empty. No one is guarding it and all the vehicles are gone.”

“Joshua took out your team?” Winters gasped.

Shaking his head, “Nope, Griffey pulled them to that hill that Joshua shot the aircraft from,” Schmidt said.

“Idiot,” Tanner said. “So, we have no idea where they are at?”

“None, but that’s not all,” Schmidt said, and they all looked at him. “Everyone in that little hamlet of Lamb Creek is gone. I went to several houses and they were all empty. You might find someone but for the most part, they all just left.”

“And we have no idea when this happened?” Tanner snapped.

“Well, I talked to a few guys and they said that little store was open yesterday around 1500, but some others went to the store around 1800 and it was closed. They still saw people around and it’s not unusual for the owner of the store to just close, but another group went in when the store was supposed to open at 0600 and it was closed,” Schmidt said.

“So you don’t think my air armada scared them off?” Tanner asked, looking off.

“Couldn’t have because I had already been to town, finding it empty,” Schmidt shrugged.

“Major!” Tanner shouted and the major stuck his head in. “Any civilians attempting to drive past this compound are to be detained and questioned. Any civilian approaching this compound is to be shot.”

“Yes sir,” the major said, pulling his head out and shutting the door.

“Colonel,” Moore said, leaning over the table. “Just how many troops are you bringing?”

“By tomorrow afternoon, I will have two thousand troops in place and another thousand by the end of the week.”

“Please don’t tell me they are state National Guard,” Moore moaned, feeling trapped.

Giving a snort, Tanner shook his head. “The ones that are Guard aren’t from this state and the extra thousand are from the German garrison in New Mexico.”

Winters let out a gasp as her mouth fell open, staring at Tanner. “Pardon,” Schmidt said, leaning over the table. “Are you saying German military personnel are coming to assist in a domestic matter?”

“Yes, and it’s perfectly legal. Presidential Decision Directive/ NSC-25 clearly allows for the federal government to request UN troops in times of crisis. He doesn’t need congressional approval.”

“Holy shit!” Moore shouted, jumping back out of his chair and started pacing again.

“Moore, you need to calm down and quit smoking, otherwise you’re going to have a heart attack,” Tanner said, shaking his head.

“Moore quit smoking over a decade ago,” Schmidt said.

“No, he started back up today,” Winters said as Moore paced back and forth, talking to himself.

Stopping suddenly, Moore dug in his pocket, pulling out the pack of cigarettes and shaking one out. Sticking it between his lips, he pulled out a lighter and lighting it as Winters gasped. She had been born into an era where nobody smoked inside a building.

Moore turned to see more than her shocked face. “Don’t say a word about my cigarette,” he snapped, then looked at Tanner.

“Colonel, this isn’t California, New York or Chicago. Hell, those people are so brain dead they won’t object unless you take away the free stuff the government gives them,” Moore said, taking a drag. “This is Idaho. Hell, the biggest city here is Boise and it’s full of rednecks that hold on dearly to their American identity. You bring in foreign troops and we will have a war. My God, I’ve had a ninety-year-old woman aim a shotgun at me here!”

“Please,” Tanner said without the tone of command, waving his hand at the chair Moore had jumped out of. When Moore sat back down, Tanner cleared his throat. “That is precisely why I requested them, Agent Moore. I’m certain my troops will follow orders but I worry that after a few engagements, some will start to question the orders they receive. With foreign troops here fighting beside and integrated with domestic troops, it’s been proven in rebellions, that the domestic troops will not question the actions they are ordered to do. We have trained doing this for years with our allies and it only reaffirms what we have witnessed in combat. If we have foreign troops with ours, they will fight the population without question.”

The cigarette that was hanging between Moore’s lips fell onto the table. “Are we here to get Joshua or stomp out an insurrection?” he asked numbly.

“To get Joshua and if insurrection starts, to stop it quickly,” Tanner said, getting up and picking the cigarette up, putting it back in Moore’s mouth. Sitting back down, Tanner stared at Moore. “I’m not going to lie, this is a test bed to see how the rest of the country views the enactment of the FEMA regions. We wanted to wait until guns were less of a concern, but those dumbasses couldn’t just shoot a logger. No, they had to make him into a super soldier.”

“Colonel, Joshua has no military training,” Schmidt said and Tanner busted out laughing.

Moore pulled the cigarette in his mouth with his lips, taking a drag as Tanner slapped the table laughing. Slowly, Tanner stopped laughing and turned to Schmidt, wiping his eyes. “Agent Schmidt, I’ve fought battles in shit holes around the world. Most of the fighters I’ve gone up against had no formal training,” he said, still chuckling softly. “It’s the man that makes the warrior, Agent Schmidt, and from what I’ve read on Joshua, he makes a formidable warrior.”

“Yes, that’s my point,” Moore said, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. “Men like Joshua are a dime a dozen around these parts. Then you have Montana and Wyoming next door, then Utah and Nevada to the south, I’m starting to feel like Custer.”

“Relax, Moore,” Tanner said soothingly. “We’ve done hundreds of studies and there may be a lot of tough men, but our studies have shown that ninety-percent will leave after the first battle.”

“Who in the fuck did your studies?” Winters snapped. “Rioters fight harder than that and we aren’t talking gang bangers here. It was the CFR, Council of Foreign Relations, wasn’t it?”

“Funny you should bring that up but those numbers, gangs, actually worry us more,” Tanner said and Schmidt fell back in his chair. “They have no regard for life and fight all the time. But as for who did the studies, that’s classified,” Tanner said with a wink and a nod.

Tanner looked around at the shocked faces. “Please people, we have been slowly preparing the country for this. Our biggest concern is the workforce just stopping going to work. A country not being productive is a drain on resources.”

Shaking his head, Moore leaned over the table. “So you think the population around here won’t fight when pushed?”

“Oh, I’m sure they will, but when they see that we shoot back and have bigger weapons, they will stop and fall in line,” Tanner said. “The rest of the rednecks in the south will see it also, and it won’t have to be repeated many times.”

“Colonel,” Schmidt said, still flopped back in his chair in shock. “We aren’t talking about rednecks. We are talking about working men and women fighting.”

“I know, but Moore used the term,” Tanner said, looking at the stunned faces. “I see I’ve given you a lot to think about so, Moore, get your team and update your profile and give your recommendations. Schmidt, find where Joshua’s family has disappeared to.”

“If you want me to walk in that house, fuck you,” Schmidt snapped, jumping up. “I’ve seen with my own eyes how good that fucker is booby trapping stuff. Hell, he blew up one of our bomb techs.”

Moore and Winters looked at Schmidt in shock that he would challenge the colonel. Tanner looked off, thinking. “You’re that certain the house would be rigged?” Tanner asked.

“One hundred percent,” Schmidt said, lifting his chin. “If my team had been in place, they could’ve told us his family was leaving and we could’ve popped his ass when he came to rig the house.”

“You don’t think they are with Joshua?” Tanner asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Not a chance in hell,” Schmidt said.

Grinning, Tanner nodded, “Neither do I,” he said. “Okay, the house is off-limits to all personnel. Sooner or later, a local or hero worshiper will enter the house blowing themselves up and we can inform the country that Joshua is an indiscriminate killer.”

“Colonel, the NSA tried that in the beginning, building a false history about Joshua. It didn’t work,” Winters said.

“Yes, I’m aware,” Tanner said. “And to be honest, I think if we had video of Joshua killing infants that thirty percent of the population still wouldn’t believe it.”

“So why worry about it?”

Tanner looked at her hard. “We don’t want that thirty percent to get any bigger.”

“Then Colonel, we must watch our own actions,” Moore said, dropping his cigarette into a water bottle. “If we continue running around killing boys that thirty percent is going to grow rapidly.”

“That was stupid,” Tanner said. “Now, that is my area. Your area is getting me intel on Joshua.”

“One last question,” Moore said, getting up. “Has the entire region been activated?”

“No, only Bonner and Boundary Counties have been labeled in state of crisis,” Tanner said and Moore gave a sigh of relief. “Moore, I know there are a lot of guns out there and would like to get this done and pull back, until those in power get more guns out of the equation.”

“Okay, I’ll get my team cranked up,” Moore said with an actual smile.

As they walked out, Tanner called the others standing in the hall inside. Schmidt left them without saying a word. When they reached the doors, Winters hit Moore in the arm, “Give me a cigarette,” she snapped.

“You’ve never smoked,” he said pulling the pack out.

“Well, I need one now, damn it,” she said, grabbing the pack. “And your lighter,” she said, pulling a cigarette out. He handed over the lighter as she gave him the pack back. “I’ll be in shortly. I need a minute.”

“Take your time,” Moore said, patting her arm and walked over to their building.

“Thank God I took a chance,” she mumbled, lighting the cigarette with trembling hands and coughed, drawing in the smoke. It normally took two days for her message to get to her unit of Minutemen, but with the constant surveillance now on all email and phone, she’d only got the message she had given Ernest out yesterday.

What she didn’t know was that Ernest had gotten the message out. He’d notified the units he was connected to and they’d relayed it out. The Blue Ridge Minutemen got her message that she had given Ernest from another unit before they got hers.

Many of the attacks were by ordinary people, but the majority of attacks were from those who knew America was the people, not the government. Some were Minutemen; others were just small groups of working people and friends who were tired of being run over and having everything taken while those in Washington made millions. It was once again, time for the government to fear the people, the only real reason any government wanted weapons out of the hands of the citizens.

An armed man was a citizen; an unarmed man was a subject.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Riding all night, only stopping to record the small burst of noise that Ernest had sent, Joshua didn’t even listen to it and instead, listened to the radio the feds were using. Joshua heard Tanner come on and tell the teams that he was in charge now. Joshua had never heard about the executive orders Tanner spouted and wished he could look them up. Unlike any other time, there was much more chatter on the radio.

Stopping along a ridge and looking in the valley below, Joshua saw a dim campfire half a mile away. Glancing at his watch, seeing it was 3:48 a.m., he knew he had to move fast. Steering King through the trees, he got within two hundred yards.

Climbing off, Joshua looked back at the pack saddle on Jack. “Well, it is quieter than even a suppressed gun,” he said, taking his compound bow off.

Carrying the bow in his left hand, Joshua gripped the M4, aiming it ahead with his right hand as he slipped through the woods, closing on the camp. He saw eight of the pop-up tents and wondered why the number varied so much from team to team. On the radio, he’d heard of teams talking about the number of agents that refused to go out because they were sick but hell, couldn’t they just grab another man to take his place. So those that claimed they were sick were forced to go out or face disciplinary action.

The team was camped in a small clearing next to a stream and Joshua knelt down, putting the bow down softly. Keeping his hand on the M4, he lifted the thermal scope up to his eye with his left. Seven of the tents were a brighter white than one and Joshua saw a man sitting next to a tree.

Keeping the scope on the man for several minutes, Joshua could swear the man was asleep. ‘I can’t sleep like that damn it’ he thought, lowering the thermal. Putting it up, Joshua flipped the monocular over his left eye and picked up the bow.

Swinging around the camp till he was facing the man leaning against the tree, Joshua moved closer, letting the M4 hang at his side. Pulling an arrow out of the side-mounted quiver, Joshua crept up till he was twenty yards from the man. Nocking the arrow, Joshua pulled the eighty-pound compound bow back.

It was dark with more clouds rolling in and Joshua could see his aiming pins with his right eye. The problem was his left eye could see just fine and his brain wanted to use that view. Finally, he closed his left eye, seeing just the man’s outline and rested the pin on the man’s head as he relaxed his breathing.

Twang- sounded as he released the arrow and Joshua almost dove to the ground, expecting the men to be charging out of the tents. He heard the arrow hit the tree with a thunk and grabbed his M4 aiming, but only saw the outline twitching.

Realizing his left eye was closed, he opened it to see the shaft of the arrow sticking out between the man’s eyes as his body jerked against the tree. “Well, guess since elk have a hard time hearing a bow people do too,” he mumbled, letting the M4 hang at his side again and pulled another arrow.

With the arrow nocked, holding the bow in his left hand, he crept up to the first tent and pulled his knife out. Lightly pressing the blade on the fabric he pulled the knife down as the razor edge split the fabric. Making a six-inch cut he could see the man inside sleeping with his mouth open.

Putting his knife down, Joshua pulled the bow back, aiming at the man’s head that was almost at his feet. Letting the string go –twang- sounded as did the sound of the broad head punching through the man’s skull. Dropping his bow, Joshua saw only the feathers sticking out of the man’s nose. The rest of his thirty-four-inch arrow had passed through, burying into the ground.

Moving from tent to tent, Joshua continued till he reached number seven. He put his bow down and moved up, cutting a hole and then moved to the last tent cutting a hole. Seeing where the men were, he raised his M4 aiming at the first one and squeezing the trigger.

Pfft sounded from the suppressed shot making Joshua realize just how quiet that bow really was as he swung his rifle to the other tent, seeing the man sitting up. He squeezed the trigger when his sight rested on the man’s head.

Seeing the man’s head explode, Joshua lowered his rifle. “Sorry, I only had six arrows, the rest are on Jack, and I didn’t feel like going back,” he said and moved to each tent, pulling out the backpacks and rifles.

Finding more grenades, Joshua sighed looking at the bodies, “No, I’m sure I won’t get any more that way,” he said and continued to rummage in the packs.

Taking a small pile, Joshua pulled some of the bodies out and arranged them, then pulled out a deck of cards. Blinking his eyes, Joshua tried to get his tired brain working. Giving up, he pulled out his small notebook to find out where he was in this game.

“Well, we need a full house for this hand,” he grinned, fanning the cards out and pulling out the cards he needed. Like the scrench, loggers had lots of cards. The truth of the game was only to keep his mind active. The short naps he was taking during the day and nights were starting to catch up and taking a toll.

Putting the cards beside the man sitting, Joshua put the deck up and picked up the bag of supplies. “Ding,” he said, with a grin. “Like my son would say, by George, I have an idea.”

Putting his bag down, he grabbed the radio and took off the cover for the battery. Taking the battery out, he tried to fit a grenade in the cover but the cover wouldn’t close. “We will conquer,” Joshua said, grabbing a coat and laying it down. He pulled out his knife, then jabbed it into the bottom of the radio.

Using the blade like a shovel, Joshua scooped out the broken electronics. It took several tries but he was finally able to fit the grenade inside and close the battery cover. Undoing the cover, Joshua pulled the pin on the grenade. Squeezing it so tight his hand hurt, he put it in the battery housing, slowly closing the door till he couldn’t hold the spoon.

Letting go quickly and shutting and locking the battery cover, Joshua cringed and closed his eyes waiting for the explosion. Realizing over a minute had passed, he opened his eyes, letting out a long sigh. “I’m taking a nap,” he said, grabbing the coat and rolling it up with the broken electronics and battery. Tossing down his scrench, Joshua got up.

Making a change to the cards, he set the radio near a pack. Joshua had the spare batteries and hoped those that came didn’t try to repair it in the field. “Time for some shut-eye,” he said, picking up his bow.

When he climbed on King, King gave a snort, wiggling his ears. “Hey, we are going to take a nap, so don’t talk to me that way,” Joshua snapped, grabbing the reins.

At dawn, he was over a mile away from the area, moving into a small draw. Checking his map, he made sure no other patrols were close. “It’s getting really crowded here, time to spread the love,” he said, folding the map up. Taking his helmet off, Joshua looked out at King and Jack eating their grain. “We’ll head to the dugout for a day or two,” he said, laying back and was soon fast asleep.

The sound of a helicopter a few hours later made him stir as Joshua’s body demanded sleep. Pulling out of his sleep, Joshua yawned and grabbed his spotting scope. Crawling out of the draw, Joshua went to see who had shown up at his latest attack.

***

Sitting in the briefing room, Moore looked at the cards he had recovered from Joshua’s latest attack as Tanner carried on with the others in the meetings. Tanner glanced over to see Moore staring at the cards in the plastic bag and Winters staring at her laptop, making notes.

“That will be all,” Tanner said. He looked over to see that neither Winters nor Moore were moving to leave. “I’m glad you are staying,” he said, and Moore looked up with a startle.

“Huh?” he said, looking around and seeing the others leaving.

When Moore started to push back, Tanner stopped him. “Hold, I want to talk.”

When the last person had left, Tanner got up, walking back to the table loaded with snacks, “I have to say, seeing Joshua’s work firsthand is impressive. But I think he’s a little perverted,” Tanner said, loading a plate.

“He changes his MO too much to be predictable,” Winters mumbled, writing as she looked at the screen of her laptop.

“Ah, but soldiers do that,” Tanner said, walking back carrying a plate loaded with snacks.

Whipping her head back to sling her hair over her shoulder, Winters shook her head. “No, Colonel, they don’t. They may change plans, but a good soldier can look at the remains of an attack and tell if it’s someone he’s fought.”

Grabbing a napkin and wiping his mouth, Tanner nodded. “That is true, but I’m curious as to how you know.”

“She’s a military brat,” Moore said, staring at the cards. “Don’t play trivia with her unless you’re on her team because she loves to read.”

Winters rolled her eyes, “Moore, I always let you answer the sports questions,” she said and turned to Tanner. “Like I said, even a soldier, be he a grunt or commander will use attacks he has used before because he knows they’ve worked. The only reason I can pin these attacks on Joshua is he leaves that damn scrench with his thumbprint. Each scene is different.”

Grabbing a can of soda, Tanner took a drink, shaking his head. “No, there is one thing that tells me it’s Joshua,” he said, putting the can down. “None of the attacks have been hands on.”

Throwing up her hands, “Oh come on, just because he hasn’t gutted someone with a knife, you can’t make that assumption. You’re a soldier, so you know how hard it is to kill a human with a knife.”

“Yes, I do,” Tanner said, with an expression Winters didn’t like. “Now, I’m no forensic expert, but those arrows were shot from very close range.”

“All but the agent against the tree were feet away,” Moore said, leaning back and still looking at the cards. “Why the hell did he leave a joker? Is it supposed to be an eight or queen?” he sighed.

“Like I-,” Tanner started, but Winters let out a gasp as her eyes got big, spinning to her computer. She tapped the touch pad several times, then grabbed her notebook.

Tanner just continued eating, not wanting to interrupt either of their thought processes. “Moore, look,” she finally said, sliding the notebook over. “If you get the deck we first discovered, and break the cards down into five more hands. Then, compare them to what Joshua has left.”

Moore looked over, “Yeah, he beat us every time.”

“No shit, he’s alive, smart-ass,” she popped off. “Look at the difference. He left a Royal Flush at his cabin and this hand had two pairs. Joshua’s telling us he beat us easy.”

Moore gave her a skeptical look. “Wait, look at what he left at that attack where he took the orders, clearing agents to shoot anyone, he barely won. He’s saying he almost lost.”

Looking at the hands, Moore nodded. “Okay, so how does that help us?”

“Moore, you’ve seen the pictures, Joshua left stuff that he normally gets that time. He missed two hand grenades. He made the choice to attack too fast. You’ve seen the video of that attack last night-.”

“Whoa, another video?” Tanner interrupted.

Winters and Moore looked at him, surprised he didn’t know. “Um, yeah the NSA forwarded me a copy before they shut the site down,” Winters said.

“I want to see it later, but please continue,” Tanner said, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands.

“So, anyway,” Winters said, turning to Moore. “Joshua was only like fifteen to twenty yards away when he opened fire and the cards he left, his hand only won because he had a king for a high card.”

“I still don’t see how that helps.”

“Moore, Joshua doesn’t like attacking until he plans it out. He can’t make attacks up quickly,” Winters said, hoping Moore and Tanner were buying it. “He can’t pass up a target, but likes to plan. Hell, look at his traps. That man can make traps to rival the Goonies.”

“True,” Moore said as Tanner made a mental note to find out what the hell a goonie was. “So why the joker?”

“I don’t know. It beats our two pairs, but not by much.”

“You think he just happened up on them?” Moore asked hesitantly.

“No,” Winters said. “I think he stumbled across them while hunting. He’s an avid bow hunter and we know he has tons of ammo.”

“That I can see,” Moore said, and Tanner nodded.

“Most of their food was gone,” Tanner said.

“That’s why I said, he was hunting,” Winters said slowly.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Tanner said.

“Why in the hell would he tell us he almost lost?” Moore said, picking up her notebook.

Winters just looked at the side of Moore’s face. “Moore, Joshua is letting us know he’s going to die and that’s the end of the game,” she said in a quiet voice. “He’s not going to run, and he’s not going to hide. He let us know he almost lost, but he’s still here.”

Moore tossed the notebook down and Winters almost sighed, thinking Moore wasn’t going to entertain the idea. “I see,” Moore said with a grin. “Joshua is telling us he knows we are playing for keeps.”

“Excuse me,” Tanner said clearing his throat. “Like Moore said, how does this help?”

“Give him a target of opportunity that seems too good to pass up,” Winters said. “It may take a while to set the trap, but when Joshua sees it and hits, so do we.”

Tanner jumped up smiling. “Give me some scenarios you think Joshua would attack,” he said and strutted for the door.

Moore patted her arm getting up and left. Winters closed her laptop. What she’d really seen Joshua was doing, was trying to keep his mind sharp by playing a mindless game. She had to give Tanner hope of getting Joshua, so he would leave Joshua’s family alone.

What she really wanted to do was quit, but seeing Agent Rustin escorted out in handcuffs yesterday put a damper on that idea. So, as long as she was here, she would think of shit, giving Joshua more time and let the movement spread.

Grabbing her stuff, she walked out the door and nodded to the soldier posted at the door to the briefing room. She stepped outside to see Moore smoking. Shoving her stuff under one arm, she stepped up beside him. “Give me a cigarette,” she said, holding up two fingers.

“You don’t need to start,” Moore said, shaking one out and putting it between her fingers.

As he dug out his lighter Winters shook her head. “I have a feeling I won’t live long enough to have to worry about cancer.”

He was reaching to light her cigarette and paused. “Winters, we are doing our job. They don’t punish people for doing their job,” he said.

She just extended her hand to his holding the lighter. He struck the lighter and Winters took a long drag, barely coughing as he put the lighter away. “You don’t even see anything wrong with what you just said,” she told him, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

“Pft,” he huffed and turned away, looking at the mountain. As he started to speak, a muffled ‘BOOM’ sounded on the other side of the compound and they both dropped to the ground.

“I never would’ve thought Joshua would attack inside the fence,” Winters said, thumping her cigarette away, seeing soldiers and agents running everywhere.

Not hearing any more explosions, they slowly stood up, gathering their stuff off the ground as Tanner ran past them with a gaggle of soldiers. “Let’s get in our hole,” Moore said, heading for their building.

Walking in their building, they went to work. Two hours later, Tanner came in taking his hat off. Leaning back in his chair, Moore nodded. “So, was that a for real accident or Joshua?” he asked.

“Oh, it was Joshua,” Tanner huffed. “Somehow he put a hand grenade inside a radio.”

“You’re sure?” Moore asked.

“Yes, one of the techs who had just left the building survived. He said the radio we brought back wasn’t working, so they were going to check it. One of my bomb techs said that’s where the explosion came from and it was a hand grenade.”

“He’s escalating rather quickly,” Moore said, leaning back over his desk.  “How many did we lose?”

“Four agents, but the worst is Joshua just destroyed all the spare radios and radios the teams use when they go out. I have to say, Joshua is starting to irritate me,” Tanner said with a sigh.

“Join the club,” Moore said, picking up his pen. “I hope we can get more.”

“They will be here in two days,” Tanner said. “We will keep using them because they are better than the gear I brought.”

“Well, from now on, we need to x-ray anything we bring back from an attack site,” Moore said.

Moving over to Moore’s desk, Tanner motioned for the agent who had a desk in front of Moore’s to move. When the agent stood up, Tanner took his chair and sat down. “Moore,” he said in a low voice. “Do you think Joshua was going for our radios?”

“No,” Moore said with conviction. “He wanted bodies, the radios were a bonus for him.”

Winters snorted, “Well Moore, you now have the reason for the joker card,” she chuckled.

“It’s not that funny,” Tanner said, looking over at her.

“It’s not funny that people died,” Winters struggled to say. “What’s funny is Joshua told us and we didn’t see it.”

“I think you are making too much of these cards he’s leaving,” Tanner said.

“I don’t,” Moore said. “When I saw that joker card, Colonel, I almost ran back to the base. Joshua is a real poker player and they pull the jokers. She’s right, he told us he changed and we should’ve taken more precautions.”

Looking off, Tanner thought hard and slowly nodded his head. “Yes, I can see that, but I don’t know why he would. Even with Winters’ hypothesis, you don’t tell your enemy your plans, so they can figure them out and not get hurt.”

Winters turned back to her desk and continued typing. “Anything to add?” Tanner asked looking at Winters.

“Yes,” she said and continued typing.

“Well?”

Letting out a long breath, Winters spun in her chair facing Tanner. “He’s telling us he doesn’t want this war and this is his way of saying if you quit, he will.  Think of it like an overture of peace.”

Tanner nodded. “Noble. Stupid, but noble.”

Wanting to add more, Winters just spun back to her desk as Tanner stood up. “One of my men will be bringing both of you new IDs to wear around the compound that will give you unlimited access. When you have something, don’t hesitate to find me.”

Moore watched Tanner walk out. “See? We are doing our job and have nothing to fear,” he said, glancing over at Winters typing.

“Until they think, we could be doing better,” she said, never stopping her typing. “We are now living under a boot.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“King, I’m not in the mood,” Joshua mumbled, weaving through the trees. He woke yesterday afternoon feeling much better after six hours of sleep; and listened to the message Ernest had sent, then pulled out the notebook deciphering it.

When Joshua read that his family had been moved, he was relieved and terrified. If his family was once again under threat, Joshua knew he had to increase his attacks, so the government boys would concentrate on him.

The last part of the message told Joshua they needed to meet him ASAP. When he pulled out his map finding the coordinates, Joshua groaned seeing it was almost twenty miles away on the other side of Priest Lake. Loading up, Joshua started out. He knew Gene wouldn’t let Ernest call a meeting unless it was really important.

Looking over his shoulder at Jack, Joshua chuckled softly. “Jack, I swear you always look happy.”

It was almost eleven a.m. when Joshua steered King along a ridge after riding all night. The six hours of sleep were a very distant memory as his body groaned with aches and pains. Pulling back on the reins, Joshua pulled out his map as King let out a snort.

“King,” he said like he was addressing a child as he looked at the map. “We’re a mile away,” Joshua said, folding the map up and climbing off.

Pulling King over to a tree, Joshua tied the reins to a low limb and checked his weapons. “I shouldn’t be long,” he said, patting King and then tied off Jack.

He turned to walk along the ridge as King pulled back against the limb, letting out a snort. Joshua dropped to one knee, looking around. Not seeing anything, Joshua stayed crouched and moved over to King, untying the rein. “What is it, boy?”

When he was free, King quit backing up and stared straight ahead along the ridge. “I know King. I just want to make sure they are friends,” Joshua whispered, looking ahead. He turned to see Jack pulling back against the lead rope tied to the limb.

Moving over, he untied the lead rope. “You two need to relax,” he whispered but pulled his M4 from across his chest, aiming along the slope. Seeing a small cluster of bushes ahead, he eased up behind them, looking around.

Just about to give up, Joshua froze, seeing movement coming down the ridge a few hundred yards away. “Damn horse is better than any dog,” Joshua mumbled and pulled out his binoculars.

Joshua spotted one man wearing a ghillie suit slowly moving toward him and three more fifty yards behind him. Lowering the binoculars, Joshua looked over his shoulder at King. “Good boy,” he said reaching over and patting King.  “The first one is Chris. Don’t know who the others are.”

When the group was fifty yards away, Joshua stepped out from behind the bushes. The lead person gave a jerk, then dropped down to one knee and then quickly stood back up. Taking off the hood of the ghillie suit, Joshua grinned at Chris.

Looking over his shoulder, Chris waved the others behind him up and walked over to Joshua. “Have to say boss, you can hide a horse, a mule, and yourself better than anyone I’ve heard of,” Chris said, walking over.

“King smelled you a long time ago,” Joshua said, letting his M4 go, reaching out with his right hand.

“Better than a hound dog,” Chris said, shaking his hand. “You must have rode hard from your last attack. We weren’t looking for you till tomorrow.”

Watching the others walking up, “Then what are you doing here?” Joshua asked as the men behind Chris took off ghillie suits and he saw Gene and Ben.

“Had a pretty good idea you would use this ridge,” Chris said as Gene and Ben walked up. “We were going to set up and wait for you, down in the valley.”

Joshua shook Gene and Ben’s hands, grinning. “Gene, you aren’t a young buck to be running around these mountains,” Joshua said.

“Shit,” Gene huffed. “Compared to carrying a chainsaw and gear, this little M4 and pack ain’t nothin’.”

Nodding and letting Ben’s hand go, Joshua looked at Gene. “So, William and Sonya were going to have trouble?” Joshua asked.

“Yeah,” Gene said, with a worried expression. “Look, they are safe and since you’re already here, let’s head back and get you caught up.”

“Guys,” Joshua said, holding out his hands. “You can’t be involved,” Joshua said with a sigh. “If the feds see I’m not working alone anymore, then it will get bad for everyone.”

“Too late, boss,” Ben said, wiping sweat off his shaved head.

Joshua turned to Ben with shock. “What?” he gasped.

“Look Joshua,” Gene said, grabbing his arm. “We will fill you in when we get back to camp. We need to move.”

Knowing Gene thought out everything, Joshua listened to his wisdom and nodded. “Well, lead the way,” he said, adjusting his helmet. “Do I have to put on my ghillie suit?”

“Hell no,” Gene spat. “They told me I had to wear one if I came out to wait for you.”

“I have point,” Chris said, moving past them and pulling his hood back over his head.

Letting Chris get a head start, Joshua looked at the gear Gene and Ben were wearing. “Um, did you two kill some agents and take their gear?” he asked, not really wanting the answer.

“Nope,” Gene said and Ben chuckled. “Ben beat the shit out of four and took their gear.”

Joshua looked at Ben, shaking his head and Ben held up his hand. “Don’t, I’m a deputy and Buck was there and he witnessed my beat down. He said I confiscated the weapons and I was to keep track of them until charges were filed,” Ben said, grinning and then the grin fell off. “Fuckers didn’t have a tent, though.”

“Ben, I’ll give you mine if you won’t do that again,” Joshua said as he started following Chris and leading King and Jack.

“Ernest gave him one,” Gene said in a low voice.

They walked for two hours as Chris guided them to a ravine south of Sundance Mountain. Moving up into the ravine, Joshua saw men positioned around the entrance of the ravine. “Guys, they will find this many,” Joshua said and saw a group of tents under the trees ahead.

“Can’t be helped now,” Gene said beside him. “Let’s get inside and we can tell you.”

Nodding, Joshua followed Chris to a larger tent as a woman came over. “Since you’re here, let me have a look at your mounts,” she said, holding out her hand for the reins.

Handing the reins over, Joshua nodded. “Much obliged and I hate to ask, but if you could, could you brush them down?”

“My pleasure,” she smiled, leading King and Jack away.

“Hello Joshua,” Ernest said, coming out of the big tent.

“Can we go inside and someone explain to me what you are doing? If the feds see this, they will stop hunting me and concentrate on people around here. That’s what I didn’t want to happen,” Joshua said in an irritated tone.

“Follow me,” Ernest said, heading back inside the tent.

They followed him inside to a table. Ernest turned to Joshua as he started dropping equipment. “Joshua, your family is safe. I moved them and my family to my hunting cabin,” Ernest said and Joshua snickered.

“Ernest, sorry to tell you, but that’s not a hunting cabin, it’s a small resort,” Joshua grinned.

“Compared to most I’d have to agree, but my wife refused to head into the backcountry without some amenities.”

“Had Sonya tell me almost the same thing, but I wasn’t putting a hot tub at the cabin,” Joshua said, dropping in a chair. “I’m grateful now, what the hell is going on? I told you I didn’t want any help. The feds see this and they will come down on you.”

“Sorry Joshua, but the feds have already started,” Ernest said as Joshua’s eyes got big. “I’m sure you know the military has taken over.”

“Yeah, saw a colonel at a group I hit. Tanner was on his name tag and Tanner called out to all the teams that he was now in charge, the night before,” Joshua said.

Impressed, Ernest nodded, “Surprised you didn’t shoot him.”

“Was too tired for a shot from that far away,” Joshua said, sprawling out in the chair. “Hell, if I wanted to take out top threats, I would take out that FBI agent Moore and that brunette that follows him around.”

“Um,” Ernest said, leaning over the table. “I would like to address that with you.”

“That brunette is a bitch,” Ben snorted.

“Her name is Winters,” Gene said, pulling out a can of snuff and turned to Ben with an evil glare, daring him to reach for it.

“So, you want me to pop her and Moore along with this Tanner?” Joshua yawned.

“We don’t care about Moore or Tanner, but Winters isn’t as good as Moore is and is giving a lot of bad ideas,” Ernest said carefully.

Closing his eyes, “Trust me, she’s not stupid,” Joshua said. “Now, how about you explain why you have armed men here?”

Gladly letting the topic of Winters go, Ernest sat down. “I trust you haven’t heard any of the local radio stations lately.”

“Sorry, haven’t had the chance,” Joshua said, crossing his arms over his chest with his eyes still closed. “If I’m listening to the radio, it’s monitoring the feds.”

“Understandable,” Ernest said. “But you hear them?”

Joshua opened his eyes. “The feds shut them down?”

“No, they tried that. The military landed a Blackhawk near each station, off loaded troops that escorted everyone out, then shot up all the equipment,” Ernest said, and Joshua sat up quickly. “Oh, that’s just the beginning. We know they want to arrest Buck now, but Buck is in Sandpoint with several hundred citizens, all armed, just waiting for the troops to come and arrest him.”

“Shit,” Joshua sighed, slumping down in his chair and looking down at the floor.

“Joshua,” Ernest said, and Joshua looked up. “This is bigger than you now. The feds are showing their hand with this media blackout and evoking the regional commander. We don’t have an accurate count, but over two hundred federal agents have been killed across the nation.”

Jumping to his feet and throwing up his hands, “I didn’t want this!” Joshua cried out.

Holding his hands out, trying to calm Joshua, “Joshua, it was going to happen sooner or later,” Ernest said. “The government wanted later but as luck would have it, they picked on one man who wouldn’t lie down and die.”

“So I’m responsible for a revolution?” Joshua snapped.

“No,” Ernest said shaking his head. “It was coming with or without you. You just made it start sooner than the government wanted. If they would’ve had another fifty years, they could’ve done it very easily, and it would’ve made fighting them much harder.”

Dropping back down in his chair, Joshua just panted in shock. “I just wanted them to leave me alone.”

“Yes, that’s why everyone is fighting them. Not just the Minutemen, but ordinary citizens. That’s who fired the first shots. You aren’t part of us and you fought back, and we don’t know who killed those agents in Atlanta that started the flood of assaults, but it wasn’t us. But I can guarantee, the Minutemen have killed some since,” Ernest said, seeing Joshua relax.

“So no matter what, people are going to fight?” Joshua asked wearily.

“Joshua, you can’t blame them. They are just like you and me and they see what has happened. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution have been violated. None of the three branches of government follow the will of the people. When the federal government was weak, the economy and growth were strong. Now, the federal government is strong and look what we have,” Ernest said. “The Founding Fathers all knew that government was the biggest threat to freedom. That’s why they put in the second amendment as a last resort to a tyrannical government.”

Slowly, Joshua turned to Gene, “Is this what you see?” he asked.

“Yes Joshua,” Gene nodded. “I know you didn’t start this thinking an armed uprising would happen, but it has. People are tired of having everything taken from them. Let me rephrase, the working people are tired.”

“Joshua, unless you are rich and can afford legions of accountants and lawyers, half of what you make will be taken by the government each year,” Ernest said. “Sure, their tax code says thirty to forty percent, but then you add on federal excise tax, fuel tax, death tax… Hell, I could go on forever, but you know what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t mind paying taxes, but they were going to kill me to take my business,” Joshua said.

“Joshua, when taxation started after the Civil War, it was at five to eight percent on every six hundred dollars a person earned. Six hundred dollars back then was equal to about ten grand today,” Ernest said. “The Founding Fathers didn’t want a rich central government because they knew money would cause mischief.”

Joshua nodded, looking at Ernest, “Is my family safe?”

“As anyone can be,” Ernest said.

“What are you wanting to ask me?” Joshua said, leaning back in his chair.

“Right to the point,” Ernest smiled. “Well, we need to record another video of you,” he said and Joshua shook his head.

“No, I released that first video because I filmed it while I still had my beard. I don’t want them to know what I look like without it.”

“Hold on,” Ernest said. “One of my troops use to do Hollywood makeup and we can fix that. I had him prepare using your last broadcast and he’s here.”

“So you don’t like the fact that the feds say I’m wounded?” Joshua asked and saw Ernest furrow his brow. “I heard some of the teams out talking to each other about it over the radio.”

“Oh, well, since the government put that out, attacks have dropped in half,” Ernest said.

“Then I should keep my mouth shut,” Joshua said.

Gene raised his hand, stopping Ernest from replying. “Joshua, this is going to happen whether you do it or not. If you do it, more people will join in the fight sooner rather than later,” Gene said. “If you don’t, then this little war will last longer, getting more people hurt.”

Joshua nodded at Gene, “You’ve been around Ben too long.”

“Hey, I wanted to fight with you, so don’t even go there,” Ben popped off and Gene grinned.

“That boy aged me ten years since you headed back in the hills,” Gene said. “But I have to say, the little leprechaun can fight.”

“Alright, old man,” Ben growled.

Joshua looked up at Ernest, “Go get this makeup guy but if it looks fake, I’m not doing it. That’s my one wild card I have to play, if it all goes to hell.”

With a straight face, Ernest said. “Joshua, he could make you up to pass for an old lady with one eye.”

“He tries that and I’ll sick Ben on him,” Joshua said, grinning. “So I take it you want me to join your merry little band?”

“Not really,” Ernest said, sending a man out of the tent. “You are a head figure. We need you to keep the morale up. We’ve heard at almost every attack against the government a scrench has been left at the scene, it’s become the sign of the rebellion.”

“I don’t sit back and let others fight for me,” Joshua said in a grumble.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t fight.”

Appeased, Joshua leaned back. “I will still have to make hits.”

“I know, and we will help.”

Shaking his head, “Sorry, but that Moore guy and his team will know if others are with me,” Joshua said.

“You don’t need to risk it,” Ernest said as a man came in, followed by several others carrying boxes.

“Ernest, they think if they get me, nobody will fight back. Hell, the teams out looking for me talk about that all the time. Even if you start a war with them, they will concentrate manpower to finding me.”

A cold grin spread across Ernest’s face. “Oh, you haven’t heard how we plan on kicking this war off.”

“Ah, just what the hell are you going to do?” Joshua asked as the men that came in started laying stuff out on the table.

“Joshua, we can’t have a military presence here in northern Idaho and that’s what they are doing; building a military base,” Ernest said. “As we speak, a thousand German troops are offloading at that compound. You took out ten Blackhawks and a drone, very good by the way,” Ernest winked. “But they have brought in more, along other military assets. We can’t let them get entrenched here. If they do, it will take out the northern routes to the coast.”

Joshua looked at Ernest and laughed, “Please, I can move around out there just fine.”

Shaking his head, “Joshua, you’re one man. That’s easy to hide, I’m talking about moving ‘men’ and equipment,” Ernest said.

The realization of what was happening hit Joshua like a glass of ice water. “My God, we can’t do this,” he gasped.

“Joshua, I’m sure somebody in the 1930’s said the same about Hitler. The difference now, is it’s not one man, it’s a system that has to be defeated or we will wind up in the same boat. But this time, there will be no country to stop it,” Ernest said gravely. “The rest of the world has already started down that path. America is the last bastion of freedom and they want to take it away, for our own good, of course.”

Slowly, Joshua nodded, “I would prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.”

“Thomas Jefferson,” Ernest nodded. “America is in the hands of special interests and that has to stop. You realize the first restrictive federal gun control law; the Gun Control Act of 1968 was enacted because several politicians had been targeted. Did that stop the Kennedy assassination? I’m sure you know all about Federal Firearms Act of 1934.”

“Yes,” Joshua sighed. “Congress tried to use taxation to get automatic weapons and suppressors out of the hands of the working class.”

Clapping his hands and smiling, Ernest nodded. “A student of history. Yes, they put a two-hundred-dollar tax stamp on them. The rich could still afford it, but when a suppressor only cost a dollar or two from the Sears catalog, why on earth would you spend a year’s salary for the tax stamp? That is expressly prohibited in the Constitution, using taxation as abjuration, taxing something out of reach except for the privileged, but the rich were already in power.”

Holding up his hand, Joshua nodded. “Okay, I’ve studied history and know that, but you realize we are talking war, a modern war here in America.”

“Then we come back to the peaceful slavery,” Ernest said as Gene leaned over to Joshua.

“Hell, you’ve said all your life, this is the only way to change the top,” Gene whispered.

“Gene, it’s okay to talk about it and know it, but war in reality?” Joshua sighed. “The Founding Fathers had this same dilemma and I guess we’ve tried talking to the king. What did the king do? Went after all that wasn’t the two parties.”

Ernest walked around the table and stopped beside Joshua. “Joshua, nobody wants this, but I want my kids to have the freedom that has been bought and paid for. I don’t want someone telling them they can’t eat french fries or stay up late. I want them to have a right to choose.”

Joshua looked up, nodding, “So, what do you want me to do?” he asked and then he slowly grinned.

“What you always do, be yourself,” Ernest said, stepping back. “You will want to take your shirt off, this can get a little messy.”

Chapter Forty

The next evening, Colonel Tanner looked around the table in the briefing room. “As many of you have heard, another video of the target appeared on the web this morning,” he said and tapped his laptop. Everyone turned to the huge screen on the back wall.

They saw someone’s hand on the lens of a camera then the familiar face of Joshua as he stepped back and sat down on his backpack beside a tree. “Hello again, America,” he smiled with a thick beard. “I heard a rumor that the feds said I was wounded, so I had to let you know, they’ve lied yet again.”

“Well, it looks like Wagner is in for unhappy times,” Tanner mumbled as Joshua continued.

“When I found this out, I also heard of others fighting back,” Joshua said somewhat depressingly and Moore held his breath in hope that Joshua would condemn these acts. “At first I didn’t want this, I’m not going to lie. I didn’t want others to get hurt but then I realized, that’s why others were fighting back, they have already been hurt.”

“Oh shit,” Moore mumbled, slumping in his chair like he had been shot.

“You are fighting for the same reason I am; they won’t leave you alone. By alone, I mean quit taking my stuff I work for and not letting me decide what’s right for me and my family,” Joshua said, leaning back against the tree. “Hey, I’m an American and I see taxes like rent, but rent shouldn’t be half of what you make. This nation’s debt is more numbers than I would care to write out much less pay back. Yet, those in Washington keep spending as those of us who work keep letting them take our money. They take trips around the world, live better than kings while the rest of us-.” Joshua paused for a second like he was thinking. “Peasants. Yes, ‘peasants’ is a good word for how they see us. We are forced to work while the ‘royalty’ lives a life of luxury.”

Winters wanted to shout with joy but remained calm as Joshua took a drink of water. “I’m not saying if you fight it’s wrong, but I am saying if you have cause and think the rich and powerful have gone too far, then yes, it’s time,” Joshua said, putting the cap back on the bottle. “Anyone can see it, there is a caste system here in America now. The rich can have what they want. They don’t mind gun control because they have armed guards and the police. If a woman in the projects calls 911 and a woman in a mansion calls 911, I can guarantee you, the mansion will have more cop cars there. I don’t care if it’s just a cat in a tree.

“This is not America,” Joshua said, stretching his legs out. “If you believe the legal system protects us equally, then I’m sorry, you’re stupid. If a regular man, regardless of color, is pulled over in a rundown car with drugs and a rich man, regardless of color, is pulled over in a Porsche, they both might and I stress, might get arrested but we’ve all seen it, the rich one will get off with a slap while the other will be hauled away. Color has no meaning here; it’s the money, and you know why?” Joshua asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Money buys votes,” Joshua said sternly. “The ‘color’ of others is just what the feds push, to get us to argue and fight each other about.”

“I’m just as guilty as the rest because I hoped it would get better, but look what that got me. I had a small business with several employees. By no means was I rich, hell, I was in debt up to my-,” Joshua stopped. “Sorry, don’t know if kids will be watching.”

“I was in debt up to my eyeballs, but I was happy. I was providing for my family and employed. Others do the same. It was hard work but myself, I enjoyed providing for my family and not being dependent on the government and I know my employees did as well. Then, here comes the Feds. They froze my bank account, and then wanted to seize my equipment. Why? Money. They aren’t happy with the half they are already taking, they want more.

“What about me and my family? I don’t want to work for a year and only get six months of pay. Hell, we’ve all heard the politicians, ‘Only the rich pay taxes’. Hey, idiots, I can take you to the guy working behind the counter of Taco Bell and show you he’s paying taxes. Oh I know you’re going to say ‘Not really’, but I want you to try to make ends meet if we take half of your money.

“Oh, I forgot, the rich are taxed at different rates,” Joshua said, taking the cap back off of the bottle. “But even some of the rich are starting to get tired of this and just leaving the country. Well, hell, I like it here. My family helped build this country and I shouldn’t have to leave because some guys in Washington decide they want more.”

Taking a long drink, Joshua wiped his beard. “Sorry, got off topic,” he said. “This still pisses me off. They were going to kill me over money; my money.”

Setting the bottle down, Joshua looked at the camera hard. “If you fight back, you’d better realize what you are getting into. They will take everything, including your life. The elite don’t want to relinquish power. If you fight back, you won’t be able to stop unless they give up, which if all of us do fight back, they will, but it will take some time. When I started this, I only wanted to be left alone, but now?” Joshua grinned. “Now, I’m not stopping until I get the real America back.”

Joshua paused, looking at the camera. “If I die, so be it, but I will not have my son growing up in a country that tried to kill his dad, just because they wanted more. Not caring what would happen to my son or wife after they’d killed me and took what we had built as a family. No, this country has fought once for this and it looks like we will have to again. So if you join this fight, make sure in your heart that you’re willing to sacrifice because it won’t be a few days and nobody will get hurt. It will be long and hard with many getting hurt, but if they win, you won’t own anything and know only work. If we win, we will fix it. I’m leaning toward tar and feathering those in Washington. This is just my thoughts and when I can, I’ll talk again.” Pushing off the tree, Joshua walked over and turned off the camera.

“Oh, fuck,” Moore mumbled as Tanner tapped his computer.

“Yes, I said the same thing but much louder,” he said, looking over at Winters who was pale. “Winters, are you going to be sick?”

Slowly, she turned to Tanner, “Oh, fuck,” she mumbled.

“Seems to be the new mantra,” Tanners said, looking around the table at the others. “NSA said the first video was sent out of a fast food place in Miami but not ten minutes later, another was put out in Phoenix. I want to know how Joshua got this to someone and how they got this outside of our quarantine area.”

“Sir, we don’t control all the roads leading out of the area,” the major said. “It would take ten times the men we have just to put on all the backroad dirt roads. All internet traffic in the area is being restricted and monitored along with all phones.”

Letting out a sigh, Tanner looked around at the others as they fidgeted. “Anyone else?” he asked and everyone just looked around. “Well, we will start putting boots on the ground at 0900 tomorrow, and you better tell all those going out, we will only get one crack at Joshua. If they mess it up or miss, I’ll personally see they receive every immoral action I can do to another individual.”

He turned to Moore and saw him still mumbling the mantra. Glancing over at Winters, he saw shock still on her face. “Moore, Winters, stay please. Everyone else, get to work,” Tanner said and the others almost ran out of the room.

When the last one closed the door, Tanner turned to Moore. “Moore,” he snapped and Moore jumped in his chair, looking over at Tanner. “Can you give me any idea of where Joshua is?”

Blinking his eyes and trying to get his brain working, Moore nodded slowly. “Yeah,” he said then cleared his throat, getting up walking over to the map on the wall. “I’ve gone over all of his attacks so far and Joshua concentrates on areas that aren’t saturated with search teams. I think he’s moving north to Upper Priest Lake. He hits and moves, but we can’t physically put up a block for a single man in this terrain.”

“You leave that to me,” Tanner said, looking at the map and nodding.

“Colonel,” Winters said, and Tanner looked over at her. “Is Washington still pulling a thousand agents from us?”

“Yes,” Tanner snapped, slapping the table. “The first C130 will be here in an hour. They said since I was here, they needed to move agents to other areas of the country to deal with this outbreak of insurrection.”

Leaning back in his chair, Tanner looked up at the ceiling. “They want me to get Joshua and then they take a thousand personnel.”

“Colonel, I think they will pull more federal agents,” Moore said, moving back to the table. “You can’t let them.”

“Ha,” Tanner laughed curtly. “They asked and I told them I can do this with reduced forces, but it will take longer. You see what their reply was.”

“Colonel, I haven’t checked my email. Have the attacks increased since this new message was released?” Winters asked.

“Tenfold,” Tanner said, without emotion. “At last count, thirty agents died today, but now attacks are coming on all federal agents. FAA, FCC, USDA, DEA, OSHA- hell, if you have a badge, they are gunning for you. Hell, they even killed a BIS agent, Bureau of Industry and Security, had to look that one up. So far, the only agency I haven’t heard of losing anyone is NOAA.”

“How?” Moore asked, leaning over the table.

“A list of every employee of the federal government was included in Joshua’s message,” Tanner said. “Just to let you know, a copy was sent to the director of Homeland before it was released on the net. Nobody realized it until this afternoon when an aide checked his email.”

“Joshua didn’t do that,” Moore said, finally sitting down in his chair.

“Moore, I need an idea how Joshua is communicating with the outside. We know he has help, I need a guess as to who,” Tanner said.

“Colonel, I know he has help now, but it goes against Joshua’s profile,” Moore said. “The best I can figure, he moves outside the search area and uses some place’s Wi-Fi and uploads his video. We know he can do it at will. My guess is, he’s sending it to one of the alternative news sites and they are helping him get his message out.”

Looking behind Moore at the map, “How far out could he feasibly move and still maintain his action against us?” Tanner asked.

“Spokane, Coeur d’Alene,” Moore said, spinning in his chair till he was looking at the map. “Hell, there are truck stops and coffee shops everywhere in between them. Thankfully, even there it’s sparsely populated. All he needs is Wi-Fi and there isn’t much to the east.”

“I’m expanding my emergency area,” Tanner said, picking up his pen.

“Um, don’t you have to call someone to do that?” Moore asked as Tanner made notes.

“No,” Tanner laughed. “Once I was activated as the regional commander, I can do what I want in my region.”

“Tanner,” Moore said, leaning over the table and lowering his voice. “Please tell me you still aren’t planning to arrest the sheriff.”

Tanner gave a slight jump at hearing his name and really didn’t like it, but let it slide. “Yes, I am,” he said sternly. “My troops were turned away from town today by an armed group of civilians. I’m putting out a drone and a surveillance team and when the sheriff is somewhere more isolated, we will take him.”

Moore flopped back in his chair. “The sheriff has never actively interfered with this investigation.”

“Yes, he has,” Tanner said. “He never assisted when he was instructed to do.”

“Colonel, those civilians with weapons won’t just go away,” Winters said.

“I released a message today. All civilians in Bonner and Boundary Counties had to register all weapons with the regional office in seven days and those weapons had to stay inside their residence. Law enforcement in the area has to do the same, and only registered weapons will be allowed to be carried on duty,” Tanner said.

Winters’ eyes got wide as she gasped, falling back in her chair. Staring at Winters with a stern face, Tanner continued. “Tomorrow, I’m adding the counties of Kootenai and Kellogg in Idaho, and Spokane and Pend Oreille counties in Washington State.”

“If you do that, Colonel, you will have to send troops here to each of those counties,” Moore said, rubbing his belly hard.

“No, I called in another two thousand troops and will assign five hundred to each county. They will assist in locking down some roads,” Tanner said.

‘You were already going to do that’ Winters almost shouted but caught herself. To help cover her shock, she spun away from the table, getting up and heading to the table loaded with food and drinks.

“Let’s make something clear,” Tanner said, watching Winters walk toward the table. “When Joshua is dead, this will end. We’ll have proof. When the public thought he was wounded, the attacks dropped off sharply.”

“When are you expecting attacks here?” Moore asked bluntly, taking a roll of Tums out of his pocket.

A sly grin parted Tanner’s face. “That’s why you and your team are staying here until we get Joshua, you can think,” Tanner said. “Intelligence says we should start expecting attacks in ten days, but they will be on the convoys that bring us supplies. They won’t attack here, too much a show of force.”

Taking a long drink, Winters wiped her mouth. “And Joshua?”

“I wish,” Tanner chuckled. “No, in your report, you stated he never does the same thing twice and I agree with you, but in case you’re wrong, I have men on overwatch around us.”

The phone on the table rang, making Moore and Winters jump. Snatching the phone up, “Colonel Tanner,” Tanner snapped. He listened for a few seconds and then just hung the phone up. “The first cargo plane will be landing in ten minutes.”

“Colonel, I’m not a military man, but you really don’t want to make the population actively hostile,” Moore said carefully.

“We know what’s best for them and they will accept that. Hell, just not helping us shows they are seditious. You comply with your government’s demands at all times,” he spat out.

Calming her breathing, Winters walked back to the table, fighting not to pull out her Glock and fill Tanner’s face with bullets. She knew there were many more like him that were begging to fill the position. “So, you’re planning on sending out three thousand troops tomorrow?” she asked, sitting back down.

“Yes. Most will be marching out and we will keep them resupplied by air,” he said, looking back down at his notebook and continuing to write. “In two days, all units should be in their area. My troops and the other search teams will stay out for two weeks at a time, none of this ‘few days hiking trip’ anymore.”

“Well, Joshua will definitely have his targets then,” Winters nodded, putting her laptop in her tote bag and slinging it across her shoulder. She was hoping Moore would take the hint that she was ready to leave.

They all heard the hum of airplane engines as the cargo plane landed across the road at the airstrip. “Wish we could’ve held on to those agents,” Moore said.

“We will make do. Transports will be landing every hour all night and should be done by tomorrow morning,” Tanner said, as the lights went out.

An emergency light cut on in the corner, casting the room in dim light as Tanner grabbed the phone. He hit the phone several times, then slammed down the receiver. “Major!” he bellowed.

A captain burst in the door, “Colonel, Major Grattan is briefing troops,” the captain barked, standing at attention.

“What happened to the power?”

“We are on the phone with the power company now and generators are being hooked up,” the captain reported.

“There weren’t generators already hooked up?” Tanner asked shocked.

“Um, Colonel, it was decided by D.C. that after Joshua’s last attack we wouldn’t house fuel here,” Moore said. “They just had the power company contract out to put a substation here.”

Standing up slowly, Tanner started thinking about who he could punish for this. Putting his hands on his hips, Tanner took a breath to start bellowing as the building shook.

Everyone dropped to the floor as explosions rocked the building.  Tanner jumped to his feet, realizing the explosions were coming from the airstrip. Then, the roar of gunfire filled the air with the explosions and bullets punched through the wall, driving Tanner back to the floor.

Winters crawled over to Moore and yelled over the noise. “We have to leave the building before they blow it up!”

Moore didn’t get a chance to reply before Winters started crawling for the door. Keeping her body pressed as flat as she could, Winters crawled rather fast to the door with her laptop case resting on her back as bullets tore through the building above their heads.

Moving out into the hall, she saw the guard that had stood outside the briefing room lying on the floor, staring vacantly at the ceiling with a pool of blood around him. Never pausing to even check the soldier, Winters crawled over his body and could smell smoke mixed with fuel.

Ahead of her, she saw several others were crawling for the door as explosions sounded outside this time, closer. “They are hitting the vehicles!” Moore shouted behind her.

“That’s why I’m getting out of the building,” Winters mumbled, never stopping. “If they are that close, it won’t be long before they are in here.”

A woman ran out of an office ahead of Winters. “Get down!” Winters yelled and the woman jerked as bullets punched into her body. The woman fell down, grabbing her chest as Winters crawled up to her.

“Let me see!” Winters yelled, trying to pull the woman’s hands off her chest. The woman just panted, holding her chest as Winters pried her hands up. “It’s not that bad, you need to follow me!” Winters shouted, seeing the bullet had just passed through one of the woman’s breast.

She looked into the woman’s face and saw her breathing getting shallower and her face was very pale. “It’s not that bad,” Winters said, lowering her face to the woman’s.

“Her hip!” Moore shouted beside her.

Barely lifting her head, Winters looked down at the woman’s hip, seeing where a bullet had blown out over her left hip leaving a bloody crater. “Oh that’s bad,” Winters said, turning back to the woman’s face and seeing her eyes were closed. Putting fingers on the woman’s neck, she felt a faint thready pulse. “Sorry,” Winters said as Tanner crawled past them, heading for the door.

Winters and Moore crawled after him as bullets continued ripping the building apart over their heads. They found the door outside open and crawled down the steps and found Tanner beside a sergeant, yelling into a radio.

Seeing a large tree, Winters crawled toward it and risked a quick look around. Her jaw fell open, seeing several buildings around her engulfed in fire. Glancing back, she saw the building she had just crawled from had flames leaping high in the air from the back of the building.

“Move!” Moore said, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the tree.

When they were beside the tree, Moore moved to get on his knees but Winters grabbed him. “Don’t get up!”

Moore nodded, staying down and looked across the road at the airstrip. “Holy mother,” he gasped. A C130 was on the runway, engulfed in flames, along with all the small buildings. Looking at the north end, Moore saw flames coming from the wreckage of the helicopters.

A shrill bugle sounded from outside to the east of the compound and then others started sounding all around them. The torrent of gunfire suddenly stopped and they could hear the roar of the fires around them.

Gunfire started picking up slowly, returning to another torrent and Winters thought a ground attack had started. She raised her head up some and realized it was the troops and agents inside the fence who were now shooting.

“God damn it!” Tanner screamed walking past them.

“I hope he doesn’t send troops out,” Winters said.

Moore moved beside her on the ground as Tanner screamed at troops and people around him. “If he does, they are dead,” Moore said.

Nodding, Winters looked over at the building they’d used and saw it was fully engulfed in flames. “I’m going to check on our group,” she said and got to her knees and then darted over to a group, huddled beside some shrubs.

“Glad she had HRT training,” Moore said, getting to his knees and running after Winters.

***

Almost seven hundred citizens were moving away from the compound to disappear into the countryside. Ernest had all of his troops, but the two groups he’d been in contact with had brought theirs too, giving him three hundred and fifty trained fighters, the rest… They were normal people. Everything from housewives to mechanics, but all knew how to shoot. They were the militia that was spelled out in the Constitution, the able-bodied population.

Chapter Forty-One

It was four p.m. when a captain led Moore and Winters over to the new briefing area, a canvas awning. It was just a green military tent without the sides. There were tables and chairs under the tent, many showing signs that they had been pulled from the burning buildings.

Every building and tent in the compound that had been there yesterday, was nothing more than smoldering ruins.

They walked under the awning to see that everyone else looked like they did, filthy with soot-covered faces. Winters dropped in a chair, setting her laptop bag on the table. “Can’t believe you saved your laptop,” Moore said, sitting down beside her.

“I wasn’t stopping to take the damn thing off,” Winters said, pulling out her laptop as Moore glanced around and only saw two other officers with laptops.

Tanner walked to the head of the tables as Winters turned her laptop on. “Major, start,” he barked and dropped in a chair.

Major Grattan moved to an easel that held a chalkboard, showing a rough outline of the compound. “Sir, as of right now, casualties stand at one thousand seven hundred and sixteen KIA, two thousand eight hundred forty-six WIA. If we don’t get medevac in soon, we will lose many more of the wounded.”

“With the roads blocked, I told you to get civilian air to help,” Tanner barked.

“Colonel, they won’t come and spouted some regulation that they didn’t have to fly into dangerous conditions,” Grattan said. “We have twenty Blackhawks coming in from Ft Lewis and they should be here within the hour. Another fifteen are coming in from Edwards, but they won’t be here until tonight.”

“I’ll deal with those air crews later, continue,” Tanner said, pulling out a small notepad. “Any idea from S-2 on the number of attackers?”

Moore tapped Winters arm, “S-2?” he whispered.

“Intelligence,” she whispered back, typing in her password.

Looking at his notes, Grattan nodded. “Yes sir, current estimates put the number close to a thousand, but no less than eight hundred.”

“Oh, bullshit!” Tanner shouted.

“Sir, I’ve walked around the perimeter and you wouldn’t believe the piles of brass around us. I saw everything from 5.56 to 8mm Mauser. I feel S-2s’ numbers are real close.”

Letting out a sigh, “Continue,” Tanner said.

“It was a three-pronged assault, sir,” Grattan said, pointing at the chalkboard. “They had snipers on this hill overlooking us at almost the same spot the target had used when taking out the helicopters. Now, along with snipers, they had one fifty caliber machine gun and it alone, fired an estimated three thousand rounds.”

“Get BATFE to find out who has a tax stamp for one of those within a hundred-mile radius, and have them send agents to pick up all of them up and bring them in for interviews,” Tanners said making notes.

“Colonel, I did that as soon as we had the satellite link up this morning and was told ‘Fuck you’,” Grattan said with a straight face. “I have the Agent’s name in my report.”

“Thank you, I’ll deal with him,” Tanner growled, writing very hard on his notepad.

Looking back at his notes, Grattan pointed to the chalkboard. “The group on the slope covered an attacking force that moved to the airstrip. They took out the guards quietly, some were even hit with arrows and then they placed explosives on all the air assets,” Grattan said, flipping the page on his notebook.

“Twenty-one Blackhawks, nine Apaches, three Kiowas, four Predator drones, three Forest Service Hueys, and one C130 were totally destroyed.”

Grattan glanced at Tanner who was writing so hard on his small notepad that he was tearing the paper. “Sir, S-4 says we are out of all medical supplies and the attack destroyed our ammo stockpile. The only food stocks left are what the troops have in their rucks, but not many have their rucks.”

“S-4 is supply,” Winters whispered over at Moore as she typed on her laptop.

“The choppers coming in from Lewis are bringing MREs and medical supplies, but we will need to resupply by air every three days to replenish food stores,” Grattan said and Moore cleared his throat.

“Um, why can’t we just have food driven in?” he asked.

“The roads are blocked,” Tanner growled, tossing his pen down and it bounced across the table.

Grattan looked from Tanner to Moore. “Yes Agent Moore, trees have been cut down to the south and north of us and they are some very large trees,” he said. “We’ve tried to use some of the logging roads, but they too are blocked by downed trees.

“Any idea when we can start to clear them?” Tanner asked with a red face, looking up at Grattan.

“After the choppers land to carry out the most critically wounded, they will bring back ammo so we can start,” Grattan said. “We don’t have the ammunition on hand to cover teams who would have to clear the road.”

“And we know people are out there near the roadblocks?” Moore asked and Winters turned to him, staring hard wanting him to shut the hell up.

Tanner jumped out of his chair, kicking it back. “Yes, Moore!” he bellowed. “After the attack, I diverted the five hundred German troops that were heading to Coeur d’Alene here. They ran into a roadblock of trees at 0300 and someone dropped trees behind them, closing them in not even ten miles from here. All we know is they haven’t been heard from again!”

“Oh, shit,” Moore mumbled.

“I can think of other things to say,” Tanner growled, putting his hands on his hips and walking in a slow circle to get his temper under control. “Major, continue.”

“Yes sir,” Grattan said, looking at his notebook. “For ground vehicles, we have two HUMVEEs, one MRAP, three of the Suburbans, and two Forest Service trucks. The second prong of the attack went after the vehicles. It seems they made thermite and set it off over the engine compartment on most of the MRAPs. The commo vehicles, they blew up.”

“Commo is command, right?” Moore whispered to Winters as he dug his cellphone out of his pocket, feeling it vibrate.

“Yes, but those are the ones with multiple radios to monitor troops,” she whispered back, clicking open an email. As Grattan continued, her mouth dropped open.

“The last prong of the attack was to the southeast with a small group coming from the ravine behind us. That group hit the command area while the other hit the troop area. This last group was the largest and cut a hole in the fence. Between fifty and a hundred penetrated in, throwing Molotov cocktails,” Grattan said, reaching down and lifting up a mason jar. “It has jelled fuel inside like napalm. But it’s not napalm. We can’t send it out for analysis, but ordnance disposal said there was thermite in the gel. If the attackers would’ve used just gasoline, the fires wouldn’t have been so bad and we could’ve saved a lot, but this crap is hard to put out.”

“Moore,” Tanner snapped, making the group jump. “Where in the hell could they get thermite and this napalm like stuff from Hell?”

“Colonel, it’s not that hard to make,” Moore said and Tanner turned to look at him. “Hell, anyone with a basic understanding of chemistry could do it in a garage.”

“Great, they watched Beakman’s World,” Tanner grumbled.

“Huh?” Winters whispered to Moore.

“An old TV science show for kids,” Moore whispered back.

“I’m getting pissed,” Tanner mumbled and turned to Grattan. “Major, how did they jam my coms?”

“Just like we do sir,” Grattan said. “S-6 said they had to be close, but all of their equipment was destroyed, so they couldn’t triangulate.”

“S-6 is communications,” Winters whispered, distracted as she read her computer screen.

“How about the teams that are out?” Tanner asked.

“Well, sir, we started the check-in this morning at 0500 and soon after the first team gave a brief call, they were being attacked. We have been unable to establish contact with them. Then an hour later, another team called out but was cut off. S-6 said the attackers had triangulated the teams with the radio checks. We put out a call for all teams to move and not contact us until we contacted them. Each of the seventy-two teams was instructed to find a place to lay low,” Grattan said, looking at his notes.

“Major, what are you wanting to add?” Tanner said, picking his chair up like he was going to throw it, then took a deep breath and just dropped it.

“Six teams didn’t report they’d got the message, but they could’ve misinterpreted our instructions,” Grattan said quickly.

“Not likely,” Tanner said, falling back into his chair.

“We did find a bulldozer and excavator at a farm down the road and are using them to clear the runway for cargo planes,” Grattan said cheerfully. “They will be done before nightfall.”

“Major, any word on the two platoons that were supposed to be on overwatch?” Tanner asked.

“We found one, sir. All dead,” Grattan said in a low voice. “We still haven’t found the other.”

“So, they just disappeared?”

“No, sir. The reason we only found one was the group of men who chased the attackers never returned. I sent a small patrol out before dawn and they found both groups. The group that had gone after the attackers and one of the lost platoons,” Grattan said. “We haven’t located the other one yet.”

Tanner looked around the table. “If I find out that one of you ordered those men to pursue the attackers, I’m killing your kids,” Tanner said and everyone knew it wasn’t a joke. “You don’t follow an attacker unless you have overwhelming firepower, and we didn’t have it.”

“Anything else on this fine day?” Tanner asked looking at Grattan.

“Um, yes sir. I’ve gotten several reports that the group who entered the troop area targeted the German troops hard. Several reported that the attackers shot wounded German troops, but passed by wounded American troops. I have two reports of the attackers dressing wounds on our troops before withdrawing.”

“Fuck,” Tanner mumbled, bringing his hands over his face. “Did we at least kill some of the attackers?”

“No bodies were found, but bloody dressings were found near the lake where many of the attackers used boats to get away,” Grattan said.

Dropping his hands to the table, “Anyone else have something to add?” Tanner asked.

“Colonel,” Winters said, staring at her laptop. “Are you aware that we weren’t the only ones hit last night?”

“Yes, when I gave my report this morning, D.C. told me a few federal buildings were vandalized.”

“How about Spokane, Boston, Boise, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, Miami and Atlanta? And Colonel, they weren’t vandalized, they were burnt. Many are still on fire,” Winters said, staring at her laptop.

Tanner got up, walking around the table as Winters continued. “On every building they broke in, placing a jelled accelerant with thermite and broke the water main, disabling the building’s fire suppression. Fire departments in all cities have pulled back, letting the buildings burn and trying to save any adjacent structures,” she finished as Tanner stopped behind her.

In shocked horror, Tanner looked at the images of the burning buildings. “Major,” he said, not looking away from the screen. “Mobilize every swinging dick we have and notify every governor in our region; We now have control.”

“Colonel, none of my business, but maybe you should wait till we have some bullets here before you go announcing that,” Moore said, then let out a soft whistle.

“They don’t know that we don’t have ammunition,” Tanner said, reaching down and moving Winters hand to scroll through the pictures.

“On that you are wrong, our attackers do. They left last night, and they knew full well they could’ve wiped us out,” Moore said.

Leaning down further with his chin almost on Winters shoulder, “Moore, how can you know that? And why would they leave and not wipe us out?” he asked distracted.

“Hell, the major’s report told me that. They breached us and didn’t leave behind bodies. I’m not a tactician but even I could figure out that I could wipe us out. For the why didn’t they, that’s political on their part. The public wouldn’t look at them as saviors if they killed all of us,” Moore said and turned to Grattan. “Major, just curious, how many German troops are able to take the field?”

Grattan looked down at his notebook. “Um, they have one hundred and sixty-four combat ready.”

“See? The attackers gave no quarter to the invading military,” Moore said.

When he’d finished looking at the pictures, Tanner turned away, “Oh, shit,” he mumbled. “Major,” he said, looking out over the burnt compound. “Hold the announcement until we have ammunition.”

“Yes sir,” Grattan said with relief.

“Uh oh,” Winters said and Tanner spun around as he and everyone shouted.

“What!”

Winters looked around the table and then at Moore, “Joshua sent another video this morning,” she said and Tanner leaned down, putting his chin on her shoulder. “Colonel, not to sound like an ass, but I don’t know you well enough to let you put your head on my shoulder,” she said, cutting her eyes at him.

“Sorry,” Tanner said, moving his head and looked at the lieutenant sitting beside Winters. “Move it,” he snapped and sat down as the young lieutenant practically dove out of the chair.

Everyone sitting around the table got up and moved behind Winters, since there was no monitor to play the message on.

Clicking play, they saw a hand moving away from the lens and saw Joshua standing in a small rocky ravine. “Hello again,” Joshua smiled, taking his helmet off and sitting on the ground.

“I guess everyone heard about what happened last night?” he grinned, reaching up stroking his beard. “No, I didn’t help, but I talked to a group I know. They have a chat room on the dark web and last night, talked about what they were going to do. They did ask me to put out one message for them-,” he paused, looking at the camera.

“Dark web?” Tanner asked, leaning back.

“Ssshhh,” many said as Joshua continued.

“All Minutemen are to rise and carry out assigned assaults,” he said with a firm expression.

“Oh fuck,” Moore gasped as Joshua continued.

“Now that that’s done, I wanted to send this message today for the troops of the United States. You’re going to be asked to fight Americans and if you do, you will be seen as a traitor. Any person can look and see what the government has done to this once great country. Hell, the way they send troops off to fight for big corporations, even you troops should be tired of that, but hey; I’m not here to judge.

“To all foreign troops here in the states. You are being viewed as an occupying army, so if you fight Americans, you will be killed,” Joshua said sternly.

“Now, Mr. President and those little dorks in Congress, you see what happened when you activated the regional commander here just in two counties. Believe me, you don’t want to know what happens when more are activated,” Joshua grinned, still stroking his beard.

“To all federal agents, if you don’t want to be viewed as the enemy, I suggest you quit. Put an ad in the paper and a sign in your front yard, saying you don’t work for the government anymore. Then find a reporter and tell them something you’ve been ordered to do to fellow Americans. If you carry a badge for the federal government, you fall in this category. You need to hurry with your decision because from what I saw in the chat room last night, many more attacks against you are coming.

“A piece of advice, get your families away so they don’t get hurt because the pissed off people are going to attack and you have been warned. If your family is hurt because you hid behind them, that’s on you,” Joshua smiled and stood up. “Sorry, but I still have my own war here in the mountains to fight.”

Reaching over, Joshua shut the camera off. “That’s how he did it,” Moore said, nodding and looking off.

“Did what?” Tanner shouted.

Pulling out a notebook and flipping to a clean page. “You have the clear net,” Winters said, writing clear web. “This is the web most people know,” she said, looking at Tanner and saw a blank face without a hint of understanding.

“Okay, how about; this is the web that Google can search,” she said and Tanner grinned, nodding.

“Yes, I understand,” he said as Winters wrote dark net under clear net.

“Under the clear net is the dark net. Google can’t really see what’s on the dark net. A normal person with a basic understanding can find stuff here,” she said and Tanner nodded. “Now, under that is the dark web. Google doesn’t even know it is there.”

“So you mean, it doesn’t have web pages just computer code?” Tanner asked.

“Oh no, it has web pages, but unless you know the address you can’t find them. Unlike the clear net, the address on the dark web is only numbers and letters. Nobody knows how many websites are on the dark net because nothing can search it. Unless you know where it’s at and that means its address, you can’t find it,” she said.

“Oh come on, I’ve seen what the NSA can do,” Tanner said.

“Hey, if you don’t know the address, how can you monitor it?” Winters snapped. “If you’re smart enough to get on the dark net, you can get on the web undetected and I’m not giving you that lesson today because it would take me a while.”

“His son,” Moore said, slapping the table and looked at Winters. “Joshua doesn’t know computers, but his son does.”

“Find his family!” Tanner shouted and Winters raised her hand in his face.

“You want to think about that, Colonel. You attack his family and all groups will declare all of our families are fair game. That’s what the message was about. If any government group attacks families, they open the door for attacks on their own families,” Winters said.

“Are you siding with the dissidents?” Tanner snapped.

Jumping up so fast that her chair flipped back, Winters started screaming. “Are you fucking stupid, cocksucker! You realize the resources we would have to expend, along with manpower to guard the families of all federal agents, military personnel and politicians?! If we had the manpower to do it, we wouldn’t be able to do shit else! If you attack families, more of our people will leave just to save their families and I can assure you, if my family dies because you did some stupid shit, I will shoot your ass!”

The group looked at Winters standing over Tanner as he sat in the chair, looking up at her in shock. “Yes, you raise very valid points,” Tanner said and Moore let out a long breath in relief.

Clearing his throat, Tanner glanced around at his officers and the other agents. “Under no circumstance are troops to endanger noncombatants unless their lives are in danger, and they better be able to prove it in court.”

“Yes sir,” the group sounded off as Winters sat back down.

“Sorry, Colonel, but we are in this shit because of Griffey and Wagner,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Their heavy-handed tactics at the beginning had the population here against us.”

“Hey,” Tanner said, leaning to the side and looking at Moore. “You know the sheriff. Can you call him and see if he will open the road?”

“Nope,” Moore said, pulling out his cellphone. “Got a message from him that said to fly out, don’t try the roads and all the German troops were killed. Said we could go jump off a cliff and gave me some locations I’m thinking have really high cliffs,” Moore said, holding up his phone. “Seems the sheriff didn’t like the fact that you sent troops to arrest him for not helping.”

Tanner stood up, “Okay, I want the wounded arranged to fly out and I want troops patrolling out no further than half a mile. I want a request sent to S-4 by every platoon to be combat ready in twenty-four hours, now move!”

The group scampered away and when Moore and Winters stood to leave, Tanner put a hand on their shoulders, keeping them in their chairs. “Colonel, she didn’t mean to offend you,” Moore said with a forced grin.

“The hell I didn’t, that was the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard,” Winters popped off.

Moving to the other side of the table, Tanner laughed, “No, she was right. A bit blunt, but she was right.”

When Tanner sat down, Moore leaned over the table. “Colonel, you need to get in touch with Washington and advise them about the dangers of using foreign troops. Don’t tell them not to, but bring up the dangers. If the countries of the UN start losing troops out of proportion to ours, it will cause a crisis and you don’t want to be left holding the bag.”

Listening, Tanner started to slowly nod. “Yes, thank you, that’s a good idea.”

“Now, what did you want?” Moore asked, leaning back.

“Do you think Joshua will stay in this area?” Tanner asked sincerely.

“Yes,” Moore said and Tanner groaned. “His goal is to make us leave him alone, not run around the country fighting,” Moore explained.

“Shit, I want out of this cluster-fuck,” Tanner said, leaning back. “Did we ever have a chance to get Joshua?”

“Oh yes, if Griffey wouldn’t have pissed off the sheriff and everyone under the sun in Idaho, we would’ve had their help. They know this country around here and I think, Joshua would’ve turned himself in if they were looking for him because he wouldn’t want to hurt them.”

“That’s what I figured,” Tanner said, getting up. “Let me know if you find out anything else,” he said, walking away.

“Would hate to be in his shoes,” Winters mumbled and Moore nodded as events started unfolding that none foresaw.

Chapter Forty-Two

Feeling refreshed in the morning air, Joshua rode through the woods, heading north on the east side of Priest Lake. He didn’t go on the attacks and had left the camp before Ernest had. Thinking of the two videos, Joshua couldn’t help but chuckle. He had made both back to back, though they did have to shoot one again because his beard fell off near the end.

Riding last night, he’d heard the battle across the lake and hoped Gene, Chris and Ben were alright, along with all the others. When Ernest had started passing out ammunition to attackers, Joshua had just stared goggle-eyed as most with ARs were carrying over two thousand rounds. “Use it all,” Ernest said to each one.

“Sucks to be a fed,” he’d mumbled.

It was noon when he reached the end of the lake. He had heard what was left of the compound telling all the search teams to lay low until they could be pulled out in the next day or so. Joshua knew where one team was or had been.

They had reported the night before that they were bedding down not far from where he’d ambushed the group with the bear trap. Before the morning report, that group hadn’t been reached to report in and had only answered ‘Waiting’ when told to lay low.

Joshua knew why the order to lay low had been given. When the Minutemen had left the compound, they’d headed into the mountains. Feeling a little sorry for the search teams, Joshua didn’t know about the attack on the Germans or about them blocking off the roads, trapping the group at the compound.

That idea had come from Gene. It hadn’t taken long to get chainsaws and go to work after the attack, dropping big timber all over Highway 57.

As Moore had been sitting down for the meeting, Joshua was climbing off of King, grabbing his ghillie suit and putting it on. “They can’t be far,” Joshua whispered and patted King, leaving him with Jack at the bottom of a ridge.

Moving carefully and slowly through the trees, Joshua headed up the slope. It was late afternoon when he heard voices and moved parallel along the ridge. Seeing a clearing ahead, he slowed more and pulled his ghillie hood over his head.

Checking his M4, Joshua eased closer, seeing six men sitting in a circle and talking in a small glade. “I can’t wait to get out of here,” one said cheerfully. “I don’t care where they send me.”

“You got that right,” another said as Joshua eased closer, stopping next to a tree.

“Why aren’t any of you on guard duty?” he mumbled to himself as one said something he couldn’t hear and the others laughed. Giving a shrug, Joshua raised the M4 up, hitting the record button and moved the crosshairs from one target to the other. After practicing for several minutes, Joshua took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Sorry guys,” he mumbled, slowly rotating the safety, so it wouldn’t click. Bringing the stock up to his shoulder, Joshua put the crosshairs on the furthest and squeezed the trigger. The rifle coughed and he moved his crosshairs as the group became silent when the man’s head exploded.

Before the first one had moved, another man fell over as his head exploded. Joshua moved to the next as the men dove to the ground. Following the man in his crosshairs, Joshua squeezed the trigger as the man stopped and moved to the next target as the man yelped when the bullet hit him in the neck, almost taking his head off.

Letting his crosshairs settle on the next target, Joshua saw a man getting to his knees and aiming toward him. Moving his aim, Joshua squeezed the trigger four times rapidly, seeing the bullets punch in his chest.

Moving back to the original target, Joshua saw the man turn to run and squeezed the trigger twice, hitting him between the shoulder blades. As the man fell in a dive, Joshua moved back to the group and found the other man crawling on all fours across the clearing.

Letting the crosshairs rest on his side, Joshua squeezed the trigger four times and watched the man collapse grabbing his side and letting out a frothy yell. Moving his aim, Joshua shot him in the head, then ejected the magazine and slapped in a new one.

He moved back among the group, now shooting the one he’d hit in the chest in the head. Moving his aim to the one he’d shot in the back, Joshua couldn’t see his head as the man tried to crawl away, only using his arms.

“Shit,” he said, getting up and keeping his rifle aimed at the man. Moving out into the clearing, he walked slowly past the others, confirming they were dead and moved toward the crawler. Stopping ten feet behind him, Joshua brought the rifle up, squeezing the trigger twice and hitting the man in the back of the head.

“This is getting old,” Joshua sighed, lowering his rifle. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his cards and walking back toward the other bodies. “Four of a kind,” he said, thumbing through the cards.

“Ufff,” he grunted, feeling a truck hit him from behind and his left side screamed in pain as he jerked from the pain, falling face first in the dirt and throwing the deck of cards.

***

BATFE agent Scotty Fleming took his eye off the scope, seeing Joshua fall down and the cards falling like confetti. “Got ‘em,” he whispered, working the bolt and ejecting the spent round then loading another.

“He may have on a vest,” the man behind the spotting scope whispered. “He fell behind the bodies. I can’t see him.”

“I’m shooting armor-piercing 7.62, I don’t care what he has on, Butler. I hit him between the shoulder blades,” Fleming huffed.

“I still don’t see movement,” Butler said, looking through the spotting scope. “You think he heard the shot and can crawl back to us?”

“Hey, dumbass, what do they teach you in the FBI? That’s why I have a suppressor and we are a hundred yards away. Call in contact and nothing else. We will wait a few minutes and move up to see if it’s Joshua,” Fleming said, putting his eye back on the scope.

As Butler called it in, Fleming gave a silent thank you for being one of the last teams put out where Colonel Tanner told two men to always stay back and follow the team. None of the others wanted to be far from the others. Finally, Butler had agreed to hang back with Fleming.

After Butler called out, he turned the radio off. “You’re sure you couldn’t hit him before he killed the others?” he asked.

“I didn’t see him until he stepped out of the trees and I knew Vince was dead, so I waited till I had a broad target,” Fleming said when in fact, he had spotted Joshua beside the tree after the third agent had gone down. But Fleming had wanted to make sure his shot hit because he didn’t want the mountain man chasing them down, if he’d missed.

Butler grabbed his M4, “You ready?”

“Yeah, no movement,” Fleming said, standing up and leaving his sniper rifle. He picked up his M4 and moved slowly toward the group as Butler moved behind him. “Hey, get to my left side, so you don’t shoot me,” he whispered.

“Okay,” Butler said, moving a few inches to the left, but stayed behind Fleming.

“Pussy,” Fleming mumbled, creeping into the clearing. Seeing the body was still face down, he grinned. “Told ya. Don’t doubt me on the sniper rifle, boy.”

“Let’s make sure and call it in,” Butler said behind him.

Lowering the barrel of his M4, Fleming walked over casually and stopped, giving Butler a heart attack. “What?!” Butler barked in a whisper.

“It’s not Joshua, the hair is too short,” Fleming said, kicking the dirt while looking at the head under the helmet.

“So? He killed federal agents,” Butler said with relief.

“Yeah, we might get commendations anyway,” Fleming said, slinging his M4 and moving beside the body.

Getting on his knee, Fleming rolled the body over and a 1911 was in his face. “It is Joshua,” Joshua said, pulling the trigger.

Fleming’s head snapped back as Joshua moved his aim mere inches to Butler who’d been standing behind Fleming. Butler could only let out a gasp as another thunderous roar filled the quiet mountain air.

Butler fell down a split second after Fleming and Joshua looked past them into the woods, aiming his pistol. “I never would’ve believed, you fuckers would use each other for bait,” he groaned, dropping his pistol and pulling off his glove before reaching under the body armor.

He felt the blood-soaked clothes as he moved his hand to his abdomen. “Getting shot sucks, those idiots in the movies are full of shit,” he groaned. He felt a small hole, three inches from his left side just below his ribs. “Expected the exit to be bigger,” he mumbled and felt back, finding the entrance wound in his back.

Pulling his hand out, he saw it was soaked in blood. “Guess I only have so much of that in me,” he huffed and pulled a dressing off of his vest and shoved it over the wound. Looking down, he saw the round had passed through him and the front plate in the tactical vest.

Grabbing another dressing, Joshua shoved it over the wound in his back, then reached back and felt where the bullet had punched through the rear plate. “That was some bullet, buddy,” Joshua grunted, falling back and looking up at the sky.

Bringing his bloody hand to his mouth, Joshua put his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and let out a loud whistle. Dropping his hand, he heard the whistle echo down the ridge. Hearing hoof beats, he lifted his head to see King charge into the clearing with Jack following close behind.

“I love my horse,” Joshua sighed and rolled over, pushing up as King stopped beside him.

Reaching up, Joshua grabbed King and pulled his body off of the ground as his M4 banged around on the one-point sling. “Whoa,” he said as his head started spinning. When it quit, he moved back to the saddle. “I’ve been hurt worse,” he said, struggling to pull his body up into the saddle.

Sitting up in the saddle, Joshua looked down at his left leg, seeing that it was soaked so dark with his blood that he could barely see the A-tac pattern. “I have a friend who owes me a favor,” Joshua said, sluggishly and held the reins loosely. He steered King back down the slope and cringed with each step.

“Don’t go fast boy,” he said, but didn’t pull back on the reins to slow King down as the sun slipped below the mountains.

***

As the stars started coming out, Moore was sitting with the rest of the team under a tree as they all worked in notebooks, trying to replace once again, what had been lost in an attack. “Moore!” Tanner snapped, walking toward them quickly.

“Welcome to the office,” Moore said, looking up from his notebook.

“At least you’re alive,” Tanner said, stopping and looked down at him. “We had a team call in contact.”

“Tanner, I was just over at the radios and heard a team getting attacked. Those that attacked us are going after them,” Moore said, turning back to his notebook.

“No Moore, a ‘contact down’ was called out,” Tanner said, and Moore looked up to see Tanner almost looking happy.

“You think they got him?” Moore asked quickly, and everyone in the group looked up in shock.

“It was one of the teams put out with an over watch trailing,” Tanner said, then the happiness left his face. “But we haven’t heard back from them.”

Dropping his notebook as he jumped up, “Where are they?” Moore asked.

“That we don’t know either. The broadcast wasn’t long enough to get a fix, but team thirty-three was above Priest Lake and to the east of upper Priest Lake. Right where you said Joshua would be heading,” Tanner said with a grin. “I’m hoping they got him before locals showed up and took out the overwatch team.”

“We have to get up there!” Moore shouted.

“Not tonight,” Tanner said. “All air is devoted to taking out wounded and that won’t be done until tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Tanner, if they take his body, we will never be able to prove that we got him and this will continue,” Moore said in a quivering voice.

Reaching out, Tanner put a hand on Moore’s shoulder. “I know Moore, but it can’t be helped. We have wounded here that need a hospital or we won’t have any troops to support us,” he said in a low voice.

“I want on the first chopper we can get,” Moore said.

“I’m working on it,” Tanner said, dropping his hand. “I want to go as badly as you do. All we can do is hope.”

***

The governor of Idaho, Brad Jorgen, looked around his office at all the gathered elected officials, the head of the Idaho Guard and the commander of the State Police. Over the last few days, all had been worried and the first worry of any elected official had taken a backseat. The worry of reelection had been replaced by survival.

Today, riots were starting. Not the mindless riots of looting, but the riot of the middle-class. Every federal building in Boise had been burnt and it was reported that three IRS agents had been lynched. Everyone in the room knew if they didn’t act fast, those middle-class people out there would soon associate them with the federal government.

Clearing his throat, Brad looked around. “So, are we all in agreement here?” he asked. “Once this is done, we can’t undo it.”

“Governor,” the Attorney General said. “The speech I gave you, I wrote yesterday and I was going to give it today. We have over one and a half million people here and most are armed and pissed off. If they don’t see us stand up against the feds, they will eventually turn on us. I would rather have a handful of feds after me than the entire population.”

“Sir, if we stand for the people, the feds will have to go through them to get to us and that ain’t happening,” the National Guard General said. “I’m willing to bet money that after you give that speech, we will have calm.”

The governor nodded, standing up. “So tomorrow morning then,” he said and the others nodded. “General, are you sure your troops and the state police can pull this off?”

“Without a doubt,” the general grinned.

“Until tomorrow morning,” the governor nodded and left.

Chapter Forty-Three

“Moore, get your ass up!” Winters shouted, shaking Moore.

Slowly, Moore heard her voice and realized his body was shaking. He sat up from under the tree he and his team had slept under. “What?” he yawned.

“The governor is making an announcement,” Winters said, pulling his arm wanting him to get up.

“So?” Moore said, blinking his eyes but still not getting off the ground. “We still don’t have a chopper to take us out?” he asked.

“No, now get your ass up,” Winters said and kicked his leg. “The state National Guard seized all radio and television stations an hour ago.”

That got Moore’s attention, causing him to jump up. “What’s going on?” he asked as Winters took off running.

“Shit,” he grumbled and took off after her. He saw her run under the awning and noticed it was packed with people. He stopped outside and could hear Winters moving through the crowd.

“I am an FBI agent and will shoot your ass if you don’t move,” she yelled.

Letting out a sigh, Moore followed the wake she’d left. “And she wonders how her mouth gets her in trouble.”

He stopped beside Winters at the front of the group and saw Tanner sitting in a chair, looking at a line of TVs sitting on tables. “Where did the TVs come from?” Moore asked.

“The troops broke into some houses close to us and got them,” Winters said, staring at a large crowd on the screens.

“Tanner,” Moore said, leaning down.

Raising his hand up, Tanner shook his head. “Not now, Moore.”

Looking at his watch, Moore sighed, seeing it was almost ten a.m. “What is going on?” he asked Winters.

“We will see,” she said with a small smile.

“Quiet!” Tanner bellowed and the chatter died away.

“Citizens, the governor of Idaho, Brad Jorgen,” a man announced and very few in the massive crowd cheered or did anything.

A man strolled from the side of the stage to the podium with a large group walking behind him. “Thank you,” the governor said, pulling out his notes. “I see many of you armed here and I’m happy to see you exercising your right and if I may, the federal government told me on the phone an hour ago that I was a dead man,” he said and an audible gasp ran through the large crowd.

“So, if you see someone aiming a gun at me, please feel free to shoot them,” the governor smiled and the crowd cheered as many holding weapons started looking around the crowd.

“Now first, I want to say, yes, I’m outraged at the actions the ‘federal’,” he stressed hard. “Government has taken against my fellow citizens. But the other elected officials you see with me, along with myself, the National Guard and state police were able to secure our safety, so we could intervene in this atrocity.”

The crowd roared, throwing up their hands and cheering.

The governor smiled and held up a hand and the crowd quieted down. “Yes, now we must get on with business because until the feds are out of our state, I won’t feel safe for you or myself,” he said and the crowd erupted again.

“There’s the next president,” Tanner sighed.

When the crowd became quiet, the governor looked around. “The first thing I have is a pardon,” he said, holding up a sheet of paper. “This is a governor’s pardon to any citizen of Idaho that fought the feds, releasing them of all prosecutions. It goes into effect in fifteen minutes. Anything after that, you will answer to ‘local’ law enforcement, not federal but please, we can use those buildings after we throw the feds out and I don’t want any of our firefighters hurt,” he said, holding up the paper and yelling over the cheering crowd.

“Now,” he said and waited for the noise to die down, putting the sheet of paper down. “I see many armed citizens and I must ask you for help. During this struggle, lawless people have started looting. I’m asking for volunteers to assist our police to restore order after this address. And to those stealing from lawful businesses, my pardon doesn’t apply to you, and our state police and citizens will track you down.”

The crowd roared again as Moore shook his head. “This is not good,” he mumbled.

“Next,” the governor said over the crowd. “It has come to my attention that we have a foreign military in our state, assaulting our fellow citizens,” he said and the crowd fell deathly silent. “This will not be tolerated. To all foreign troops, you are to lay down your arms and leave this state, you have one hour from this moment. Any armed foreign soldier is to be shot on sight. If they are unarmed, they must be out of the state in one hour. I know where you are and an hour is more than enough time.

“To the citizens, if you see an unarmed foreign national in this next hour, you will let them pass. If you see an armed foreign national, start shooting,” he said and the roar from the crowd was deafening.

Moore looked at the other screens, showing crowds around different areas of the state listening, also jumping up and down cheering.

“Please, I need to finish my warning to them!” the governor yelled and the noise died down. “We are not barbarians, but if you are an armed foreign troop, you will be shot. The militia is very clearly stated in the Constitution, all able-bodied males in the population. That isn’t the National Guard, it’s the people,” the governor said then waved his hand, pointing at several armed females in the crowd. “But in our day and age, that means every able-bodied female as well.”

“I don’t give a shit what they do to the polls, this bitch is going to win the next election,” Tanner said, slapping his leg as the crowd erupted again.

“Like I said and asked you, if they are unarmed in the next hour, let them pass. If you see one after that hour and he is unarmed, you shall order him to put his hands up and escort him to the local law. If he doesn’t comply, then shoot him. I have more pardons,” the governor smiled as the crowd cheered.

Moore heard movement in the crowd and saw the German troops running for the airstrip.

“Now, for Mr. Joshua Anderson,” the governor said and the crowd fell silent again. “Mr. Anderson, I’m sorry for what you have been through. In my hand, I hold a pardon that goes into effect at midnight tonight, forgiving you of all crimes since birth. Now, many will ask why did I post the time out, well as the commandant of the state police pointed out, Mr. Anderson is out of touch and we needed to give him time to get the message. Just in case the feds find him after he hears about this, I didn’t want Mr. Anderson to hesitate to pull the trigger again.”

The crowd went wild as Moore shook his head and Winters leaned over, “Well, we can get the hell out of here,” she said cheerfully.

When the crowd fell silent, the governor put Joshua’s pardon down. “Now, to the federal officials near Priest Lake, you have until midnight tonight to get out of our state. You will lay down your weapons and leave. If you are seen armed, you will be shot and I will pardon the shooter. If you are seen after midnight, you will be detained until trial unless you are armed, then any citizen can just shoot you. The reason I’m giving you until midnight is that I know you have wounded and no, I will not send aid to assist you. You have attacked and killed citizens of this state. I wanted to lead a group up there and shoot every one of you sons of a bitches!” he shouted and the crowd went crazy.

“It wasn’t just me! Several behind me have already brought their guns!” he shouted over the roar of the crowd.

“Pull the guards in!” Tanner bellowed.

As the noise died down, the governor continued. “But luckily, I have good aides and advisors who talked us out of it and said the feds had been beaten down enough, and should be given the chance to run away with their tails between their legs.” Leaning back as the crowd roared, the governor reminded himself to calm down.

“Now, I have talked to the sheriff of Bonner county and he has the eight men who shot those two boys, and the Attorney General has already instructed the DA there to seek the death penalty.”

Moore snorted, “Like that would be a fair trial.”

“Oh, like the one Joshua would’ve gotten?” Winters said, watching the crowd quieting down.

“Now, to those feds north of Lamb Creek, the sheriff has sent me word that he has started clearing the road and will make sure each and every one of you are disarmed and if not, I have pardons for the people who shoot you. But if anyone can, please get word to Joshua Anderson that he may go home and his pardon kicks in at midnight. It grants him immunity at midnight and I implore him to stand down, but if he feels it is necessary to continue until midnight, I understand. But that is only for Mr. Anderson.

“If for some instance, a citizen is threatened or forced to kill a federal agent, since my blanket pardon has already started, contact your local law enforcement so they can notify my office. If you acted according to my guidelines, I will pardon you.”

“So the next item is for the feds. No citizen in the state of Idaho will pay one cent in federal taxes. I’ve called for a joint session to pass an Amendment to our state Constitution that will only allow ten percent of what a person makes in one year to be taxable. This includes sales tax, property tax, gas tax and social security. Any amount over that is a criminal act and the head of the department will be charged. If they are in D.C., we will just have to make a road trip. No business in the state will pay taxes to the feds. To the IRS, send the state the bill and we will pay you, according to what you’re worth and what you’ve done for this state. If you think to arrest my fellow citizens for not paying the IRS if they leave this state, it will be viewed as kidnapping and I will send officers to extract them from you with lethal force. To any arresting officer enforcing the IRS’s draconian laws, you will be brought back here for trial and any action by you, except full compliance will be viewed as hostile intent and you will be shot.  If you’re shot, no need for a trial.”

The crowd started chanting “U.S.A.” as they clapped and then the governor held up his hands. “Now, I have favors to ask of you good people. I need some of you that are armed to assist the local law in restoring order and I need others who have transportation, to talk with the state police who are going to Bonner to assist the sheriff there in throwing the trash out,” the governor grinned and the crowd went nuts.

Major Grattan moved over beside Tanner, holding out a satellite phone. Tanner took the phone and started talking as Moore watched.

“Now I would like to turn this over to the Attorney General,” the governor said and the crowd applauded.

“Thank you, Mr. Governor and I am glad to be the one to tell you, I was with the governor and we talked to many governors across this nation, and many today will be giving this same speech. I won’t call them by name, in case one changes his/her mind but like the citizens of Idaho, they are tired of D.C. using the Bill of Rights and the Constitution as dirty rags,” he said and the crowd exploded.

Tanner stood up and walked off, still talking as Grattan waved at Moore to come over. As the Attorney General started again, “To all federal agencies, you no longer have any power in this state. If you have a grievance and yes, I said grievance, you will present it to the state police. If they feel an investigation is warranted, they will do it and proceed according to our laws, not the crap made up in D.C. And just a warning, any IRS or BATFE agent that enters this state, you will be arrested unless you are visiting and you’d better be unarmed. You want people unarmed? Well, it's time you see what it’s like. No federal firearms law will be recognized in this state and any attempt to prosecute a citizen will be disregarded. To all federal judges in this state, start packing. You have ten days to leave or you will be arrested for attempting to implement false laws in the state of Idaho.”

The crowd reverberated in cheers as Moore stepped up to Grattan. “Yeah?” Moore said as the Attorney General continued, but he wasn’t listening.

“The Colonel asked me to contact the state park rangers on the other side of the lake to get them to check on team thirty-three,” Grattan said then sighed. “They found them. All dead.”

“Nothing else?” Moore asked as Grattan handed him a handwritten report he’d taken from the rangers on site.

“No other bodies, but they found a lot of blood that they couldn’t account for and said the group must have been about to play cards because there were playing cards everywhere,” Grattan said and Moore stumbled back, hitting someone. He turned to see Winters behind him, watching the TV. “Sorry,” he said and looked back at Grattan.

“Are you sure he said this?” Moore asked, grinning.

“Yes, there are two park rangers there and I talked to them on a sat phone,” Grattan said, motioning to the paper.

Pushing past Grattan, Moore bolted after Tanner as Winters wiped tears from her eyes. Running out from under the tent, Moore spotted Tanner as he hung up the phone. “Tanner!” he shouted in a dead run.

As Moore ran over, Tanner held up his hand. “Don’t. That was Washington, they said to pull out and pull out fast. The governor isn’t playing and they know of twelve more governors that are going to announce the same, and it may go as high as twenty-nine states.”

“Tanner!” Moore shouted, then realized he didn’t want attention. Stepping up till they were nose to nose, Moore whispered. “He was wounded and alone. Grattan just gave me the report from the park rangers you’d asked him to bully into checking it out.”

Hope sprang up on Tanner’s face, but then slowly died. “We have to leave and even if you found him, the state wouldn’t let us have him,” Tanner said solemnly.

“Possession is nine-tenths of the law. I’ll haul his ass out in the trunk of a car,” Moore said quietly. “Unless we bring him in, think of what will happen to your career. Me, they will force to retire. I’m already past retirement and they can’t touch me, but you have to worry about you. We can’t let Joshua ruin this country. If he stands trial, this nonsense will stop.”

Tanner stared into Moore’s eyes for several minutes before he spoke. “I have a Cayuse coming in at lunch to help pull teams out of the field. If it drops you off, it may not get back to you before the deadline.”

“I’ll get out of the state, don’t worry. Give me your cellphone number, so I can contact you if I find him and get him out of state,” Moore said.

“I can’t send anyone with you,” Tanner said, handing over a business card.

Taking the card, Moore nodded. “I prefer it that way. Can you ask Grattan if he will call the rangers back and tell them to stay until I get there? I can handle them after that.”

“You will only be able to take one of your team with you. The Cayuse is small,” Tanners said.

“I’ll take Winters, she has HRT training and is great in the field.”

Looking away as he stepped back, “At times, she seems unsure,” Tanners said.

“No, that’s just her. You have no idea how many times I’ve went before a disciplinary board for her to keep her out of trouble. She understands that we can’t let the government fall.”

“Whew,” Tanner said then grinned. “Now I’m more at ease. If you get Joshua out of state, I’ll have a chopper get you to an airport to have him delivered to Gitmo. After Joshua’s trial, we can exchange him for the team the sheriff arrested.”

Moore nodded and then looked away. “If I find his body, I’m still taking it out.”

“And I’ll still send a chopper, but also some photographers. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll report that you’re in the field, so they will look for you. Just make sure you surrender to these trigger-happy yoyos.”

“If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow, I’m dead, along with Winters. She knows how to move in mountain forest so in that, I’m in good hands,” Moore said. “And Tanner,” Moore said, pointing at the airstrip. “You need to tell the Germans not to get on a chopper while still carrying a weapon. I’m sure we have snipers on us now and they have been given the green light. If we shoot back, every person in this county will come running with a gun.” Tanner motioned a soldier over.

“Captain, tell the Germans to lay down their weapons before getting on any aircraft. I’m sure there are snipers around us with more coming to make sure all weapons are left behind,” Tanner said and the captain took off running.

“Sorry, but I don’t want to get shot when we are so close,” Moore said and Tanner nodded.

“Good luck, let me make some changes,” Tanner said and walked away. Moore went to Grattan and asked where supply was and went to collect supplies.

Winters walked out of the tent and saw Moore by a tree that the team was using as a meeting area. The soldiers and agents all walked out, hanging their heads low. Moving with the group, Winters saw Moore with two small backpacks and wiped her eyes again.

“I always believed you would see,” she mumbled, walking over to him.

Feeling someone coming, Moore looked up as Winters wiped her eyes. “Don’t worry, we can fix this,” he said as she stopped beside him. “Here,” Moore said, passing her the note Grattan had given him.

Winters read the note and looked up at Moore. “Moore, it’s over,” she said, pleading.

“No, it’s not,” he snapped in a low voice. “We can’t let the country fall in shame because of one man.”

“The country?” Winters gasped. “We are talking about a governing body, you yourself have bitched about.”

“It’s still the best,” Moore said checking the packs.

“No, Moore, it’s not. If it was, everyone wouldn’t have taken to the streets and the governor all but said that Idaho would secede. Hell, the AG just called for the President’s resignation or impeachment, along with all of the Supreme Court Justices.”

“Yes, don’t you see?” Moore said, getting in her face. “It all started because of one man. We can’t allow others to see that he won’t be punished. Then, this crap will stop and it will go back to the way it was. If people want change, they can vote for it.”

“Vote?” she coughed as a tear ran down her cheek. “You have seen how they manipulate the votes, Moore. Hell, how many in Washington have we investigated, knowing they were guilty and nothing happened? Let’s just leave.”

He looked up as another tear rolled down her cheek. “Don’t worry, we can save this nation,” he said with a forced grin. “I know it hurts to see what we’ve represented being trashed, but you’ll see. When we bring in Joshua, it will all be over.”

Winters looked in Moore’s face and saw he believed his words and would die to keep change from happening. “Okay,” she finally nodded.

“We will get a ride out around lunch. No long guns, sidearms only,” he said, handing her a backpack. “Only enough water for two days and food for one.”

“What about being out of the state by midnight?”

“I just need to see where it happened and make an estimate on how bad Joshua was wounded. He only has three places to go,” Moore said, grabbing his pack. “I’m going to make sure Grattan has told the park rangers to stay put.”

She watched him walk off and shook her head. “I’ll let Joshua kill us both before I let you bring him in,” she said and went to find some food.

It was just after twelve when the Cayuse landed on the road and Tanner ran over to them. “Good luck,” he said, holding out his hand.

“I gave Grattan a message from the sheriff. The sheriff said he should have the road cleared to here by nightfall and has trucks to carry you to the state line, so have vehicles ready to meet you there,” Moore shouted over the rotor noise and shook Tanner’s hand.

“Will do and I’ll have all weapons collected before he gets here,” Tanner said, letting Moore’s hand go.

Moore nodded and climbed in the Cayuse and saw Winters already buckled in on the other side, staring out the doorway. The doors had been removed to save weight as the little bird would be used to pull teams out after dropping them off.

The pilot lifted off and banked right over the compound and Moore looked down at the destroyed area. Seeing it from above, showed just how easily the attackers could have killed them all.  Flying just over the treetops, the pilot dropped down when he reached the lake and sped north, twenty feet off the water.

“Little egg can move,” Moore mumbled, making sure his seatbelt was buckled.

In minutes, he could see the end of the lake as the pilot slowly brought the chopper up and shot over the treetops. Looking out the front window, Moore could see Upper Priest Lake and the ravine Joshua had used the bear trap in.

When the pilot banked east away from the ravine, Moore gave a sigh, not really wanting to go back there. Leaning out, he saw a clearing at the bottom of a ridge with a man wearing an orange vest, standing and waving his arms. The pilot banked and started to descend and Moore looked back, hoping the tail didn’t hit the trees as the little chopper landed in the clearing.

Undoing his seatbelt, Moore jumped out and turned to see the Cayuse shoot straight up and bank to the west, speeding over the treetops. He looked down and saw Winters putting her backpack on. “Thought the pilot took off before you got out,” he grinned and put on his pack.

“I’m Park Ranger Simmons,” the man said, walking over. Moore looked up and stifled a laugh.

The man was wearing an orange reflective vest with State printed across the front in reflective letters. “Not taking chances,” Moore said, nodding toward the vest.

“You got that right,” Simmons said. “It’s along the ridge so follow me, but don’t get close. I don’t want someone popping me when they aim for you.”

“Fair enough,” Moore said, pulling out his phone. He looked over at Winters and saw a depressed expression. “It will get better,” he said, using his thumbs to type on his phone as he followed Simmons into the trees.

Putting his phone away, Moore pulled out his map. “Caribou Hill is to the west of us, right?” he asked Simmons who was staying ten yards ahead of them.

“To our southeast,” Simmons said and glanced over his shoulder, making sure the feds were staying back. “How are you planning on getting these guys out?”

“We are here to mark them and identify,” Moore said and Winters paused her step, looking at Moore in shock. “You out here alone?”

“No, Paul is at the site,” Simmons said.

“I should tell Simmons the truth and let him shoot us both,” she mumbled and continued on.

It took over an hour to reach the clearing and they saw another park ranger wearing a reflective vest and standing beside two four-wheelers. “Good, we can go,” Paul said to Simmons.

“No, you can’t,” Moore said, looking around. “Any attempt to abandon us will be viewed as hostile treatment and your governor won’t pardon you. So just wait and let us look around. I’m sure you don’t want to be close to us anyway.”

“Let’s just leave them,” Paul said to Simmons.

“Fine, but I’ve already sent back that we were here with park rangers,” Moore said, looking at the other one. “I’ve sent your names along as well,” Moore smiled.

“Hurry up then,” Paul sighed. “I’m surprised the bears haven’t showed up yet.”

Moore took his pack off and walked carefully to the bodies and froze, seeing the cards scattered around. Moving forward and looking at the ground, Moore felt his heart speeding up. He saw a large blood stain in the dirt and the ground was scarred up as if someone had pulled himself up.

“Well, fuck me,” he said and Winters walked up unenthusiastically.

“What?” she sighed.

“Horse tracks. Joshua was using horses, not an ATV,” Moore said and smiled.

“Moore, it could’ve been anyone,” Winters said, knowing it was a lie.

“Oh, so it’s only one set of boot prints that happens to know Joshua leaves cards,” Moore said and looked back across the clearing. “These two in the ghillie suits were the over watch and came from there. The shot that got him came from that way.”

As Moore walked across the clearing, Winters followed, walking around an agent who’d been shot in the back and half of his head was gone. She followed Moore into the woods, hoping to hear the four-wheelers crank up and leave their asses.

“There,” Moore said, pointing ahead and Winters saw two large rucksacks propped up beside a tree. As they walked closer, they saw a bolt action rifle on a bipod. Turning back to the clearing, Moore’s face got red. “A hundred yards away and you only wounded him,” he spat out, kneeling beside the gun.

Working the bolt, he ejected a round, catching it in his hand. “Fuck!” he shouted and held the bullet up to Winters. “Armor piercing.”

“Yeah, they work,” Winters popped off.

“You know, they don’t mushroom out causing more damage,” Moore said, working the bolt and ejecting the rounds. “Only one shot fired,” he said, getting up and throwing the bullets on the ground.

He looked over at Winters, “How bad do you think he was wounded?” he asked.

“He left,” Winters huffed.

“Will you quit it, so we can get this over with?” he snapped. “Now that’s a lot of blood but like you said, he left. I’m thinking he’s hurt pretty bad because he somehow made the horses come to him and he’s never let them near any ambush.”

“The horses could’ve been right behind him,” Winters said, as Moore walked past. “Moore, it’s already 3:30, let’s get the hell out of here.”

“We will,” Moore said over his shoulder, walking back toward the clearing. Kicking the rifle over, Winters followed, cursing the rangers for not leaving them behind.

She found Moore kneeling beside the blood stain and looking at the horse tracks. “Moore, neither of us are trackers, so give it up,” she sighed.

“Don’t have to be,” he said, standing up pulling out his map. “Simmons,” he said, walking over to the rangers.

Winters couldn’t help but chuckle, seeing the rangers back away when Moore walked over. “How long would it take someone on horse to get from here to the town of Priest Lake?”

“First, it ain’t a town, it’s a spot on the map. But you’re talking a good twenty-five miles, so if the rider was experienced and on good mounts, he could do it in ten hours,” Simmons said.

Moore looked up from the map. “I’m making the distance closer to sixteen.”

“In a straight line sure, but look around, fed boy. You’re in the mountains and that is only if the one riding is good.”

“What’s this about?” Paul asked, stepping up beside Simmons.

“One of our agents was on horseback with this team and as you see, there are no horses and I’m one body short,” Moore said, folding his map up. “How long to get to your ranger station?”

“We leaving?” Simmons asked with a smile and Moore nodded. “We’ll be back around dusk. Want us to call someone for you?”

“Your damn station is only ten miles away and you’re on ATVs?” Moore snapped.

“Fed boy,” Simmons said slowly. “You are in the mountains and we aren’t cutting cross-country because that would take longer. Have you seen how these roads twist and turn, following the rise of the mountains?”

“Okay, we’ll follow you,” Moore said and they both jumped. “Well she’s driven these before and I didn’t think you two would want us riding double with you.”

Not even pausing to think it over, Simmons looked at Paul. “I’ll ride with you.”

“Better keep up because I know some folks are out here still looking for feds,” Paul said, moving to one of the four-wheelers.

After he’d climbed on, Simmons jumped on behind him and Moore turned to see Winters slowly climbing on the other four-wheeler. “I know where Joshua’s at,” he said, getting on behind her.

“No, you know where he’s headed,” she said, starting the engine.

Moore grabbed the side of the rear rack as Winters followed Paul down the ridge. Weaving around the trees and creeping along the slope, Moore was getting a very good idea of how hard it was to move with a four-wheeler through the countryside.

It still took them close to half an hour to reach the clearing where they’d landed as Paul drove through it and back into the woods. Even with the ground moderately flat in this small valley, they still weaved between the trees and around fallen logs that the ATVs couldn’t go over.

An hour after they’d climbed on Moore gave a sigh, seeing a dirt road. When Winters pulled on the road, Moore saw it wasn’t much wider than the four-wheeler. “This is an ATV trail?!” he shouted.

“No, this is a logging road,” she shouted over her shoulder.

Looking down at the narrow road, Moore shook his head. “Anyone driving a logging truck on this road needs a psych eval.”

Seeing Paul speed up, Moore held on tight as Winters gunned the engine, staying ten yards behind him. As they rounded a curve on a ridge, Moore looked out and saw Priest Lake to the south. “Okay, traveling in mountains, distance is judged by time, not miles,” he mumbled, looking at Priest Lake in the distance. Trees cut off his view as Winters sped along after the rangers.

Several times, Moore let out girly screams as Winters hit a bump, sending them airborne. Wanting to ask her to slow down, Moore looked up to see the rangers further ahead and kept his mouth shut, holding on for dear life.

When Winters turned the headlights on, Moore wanted to look at his watch, but wasn’t letting go of the rear rack. Looking ahead, Moore gave a sigh of pure relief at seeing a paved road. When the rangers hit the paved road, they took off and Moore squeezed his legs, holding on to the ATV.

The four-wheeler leapt a few inches in the air as they hit the pavement and Winters opened the throttle wide open. Squinting his eyes in the blast of wind, Moore looked over Winters and saw the rangers were several hundred yards ahead. “Don’t lose them!” he shouted.

“It’s wide open,” she shouted back over her shoulder. Seeing they were gaining, Moore relaxed some but couldn’t enjoy the ride, knowing he was close.

Ten minutes later, they took a side road that had a sign ‘Ranger Office’. When Winters slowed, he looked ahead and saw the rangers getting off of the other four-wheeler in front of a building.

Pulling up beside the other four-wheeler, Winters shut off the engine and tossed the keys to Simmons. “That was fun,” she said, smiling at them.

“For a fed girl, you ain’t bad,” Simmons laughed as she jumped off. Standing beside the four-wheeler, she turned to Moore and the smile fell off as Moore pried his hands from the rear rack.

“These things can’t be safe,” he said, climbing off. “Your supervisor inside?” he asked, looking at Simmons.

“Yeah,” he said, and just walked away, opening the door.

Moore looked over at Winters. “Let me handle this. You can wait out here if you want,” he said and followed Paul inside.

Not in the mood for shit, Winters leaned back on the four-wheeler as the stars slowly started to shine in the clear sky and the last rays of the day disappeared. “Please don’t be there,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

Hearing the door open, she looked over her shoulder at Moore walking out with keys in his hands. “Let’s go,” he said, heading to a park ranger truck.

“How in the hell did you get them to let you take it?” she gasped following him.

Holding up his phone, “Told them I was going to post on Facebook that they had been helping the feds all through this,” Moore said, opening the driver’s door.

“You’re going to get us shot,” Winters said with some hope, climbing in.

As Moore backed out and pulled onto the road, she stared straight ahead. “Just how do you know where to go?” she asked.

“Joshua has three people that have medical training that he’s close to. One is a doctor, but he lives in Lamb Creek and they are all gone. The other two are veterinarians. The one near Coolin has a clinic at his house. The other is retired and lives near the spot on the map called Priest Lake,” Moore said. “When Joshua started fighting back, I did some research. He knows more, but those are on his wife’s Facebook page.”

“And you really think he’s there?”

“Hey, I know we’ve come up short, but don’t get down now,” Moore said, slowing for a sharp turn. “Joshua was shot sometime late in the afternoon. Those agents didn’t have tents up yet, but had firewood gathered. It wasn’t dark because all of their flashlights and night vision weren’t out. At best, Joshua made it to the doctor this morning, but I think it was closer to noon. I can’t see a wounded man traveling fast in these cursed mountains. Hell, I’m sore from an ATV. I don’t even want to think about jarring around with a gunshot on a horse.”

Letting out a long breath, “He could be dead,” Winters said.

“No, one thing we know about him, Joshua is tenacious, intelligent and tough. He would stop the bleeding and if he started feeling too weak, he knows others around here and would’ve gone to them to carry him the rest of the way to Dr. Edward Vellum. I know he doesn’t want to involve others but in this case, I know he would make an exception.”

Winters spun on him like a caged animal. Seeing the sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, Moore swerved as she snapped at him. “Moore, what is with you? You’ve never been this obsessed about a perp and we’ve taken down some sickos. You’re willing to get us killed to save those fucks in D.C.?”

Slowing down, he turned to her. “No, what is with you? You act like you don’t care about this change or how violent it can turn. We can stop it. Sure there is corruption, but it’s everywhere.”

“Please, let’s just leave,” she almost begged.

Speeding back up, Moore glanced over at her. “Joshua isn’t superhuman, so don’t be afraid he will hurt us,” Moore said, mistaking her actions for fear.

Seeing Moore so insistent, Winters turned back in her seat, looking out the side window. “I know he’s human and so am I,” she said and wiped her eyes.

Chapter Forty-Four

Twenty minutes later, Moore looked off to the right and saw a house with a barn and workshop. “Bingo,” he said, turning off the headlights and coasting to a stop. He pulled off of the road next to a barbwire fence around the property. Turning the truck off, Moore looked over at Winters as he pulled his pistol out and press checked it.

“Only light on is coming from the shop, we’ll check there first,” he said, letting the slide go which snapped the chamber shut. Reaching to the dash, he flipped the switch to cut the dome light off. “Come on,” he said, getting out and closing the door softly.

Getting out, Winters closed her door, but not as softly as Moore had done and he charged around the truck to her. “What’s your problem?” he barked in a raspy voice.

She stepped up and pointed at his face. “Let’s get something straight now, Moore. If you walk in and shoot Joshua, I will tell the world that you murdered him in cold blood and he had surrendered. You will have people chasing you for the rest of your life.”

Moore stepped back in shock. “Ww…wwww…,” he stuttered.

“Moore, I will not be a part of murder. Hell, you’ve said Joshua was innocent and look where we are. I swear if you kill him, I’ll scream it loud and far,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

For the first time, doubt entered Moore’s mind about Winters. “We are bringing him in. I’m not going to shoot unless he does,” Moore finally said.

“You’re making a mistake, and taking me with you,” she said, pulling her pistol and turning around, walking toward the driveway.

Glad she was on board, Moore trotted up beside her. “Listen, you’re young and will see later in life that this was the right choice. Joshua may have been innocent, but he’s not now. We can’t let one man be responsible for destroying this country, no matter who he is or how innocent he was. Was he done wrong? Yes, but he should’ve surrendered. No one is above the law we enforce.”

“Oh, so we wreck his life, try to kill him, kidnap his son and threaten his family and you expect him to just take it lying down? You expect me to believe if this had happened to you, you wouldn’t have done what Joshua has?” she asked, rounding the fence and strolling down the driveway like she owned the property.

“No, I would’ve turned myself in,” Moore said grabbing her arm and slowing her walk.

“Then you’re an idiot,” she said.

“Hey, you need to slow down and clear the area,” he snapped in a whisper.

Coming to a stop, she looked at him. “Why? I can see in the dark windows in the house and nobody is looking out, along with the shop which has lights on inside. If someone looks out, I’ll be able to see them but with them looking outside, they won’t be able to see us until we get closer. And if someone was in the barn, we would already be dead.”

“This is Joshua, not some radical punk,” Moore said.

“Like you said,” Winters snapped, “he’s only human.”

She turned and continued to stroll down the driveway. “I swear, you are trying to get us shot,” Moore said, keeping his pistol in both hands and aimed low.

“No, that would be your stupid ass,” she said.

“Samantha,” Moore whispered harshly. “We have no choice. You will come to realize that later.”

“On that, you’re wrong,” she said, strolling away.

Moore trotted up beside her and realized Winters was carrying her pistol casually in one hand. Not in the mood for more of her attitude, Moore kept quiet and moved in front of her, using his body to cover her.

He eased up to the first window and looked inside, “Nothing,” he said and moved around the building. Moving to the next window, Moore peeked in and froze, feeling his heart flutter. Jerking his head back, “He’s here.”

Winters moved past him and just looked in the window. She saw a very old man leaning over someone on a metal gurney with their back toward her. The head of the gurney was sitting up about forty-five degrees, so she only saw the back of their head. Looking at the old man, she saw he was working on the man’s abdomen under a very bright light.

Moore glanced over and saw Winters just standing at the window looking in. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her back. “Pull your head out of your ass,” he whispered.

“Just how old is this Dr. Vellum?” she asked in a normal voice, making Moore cringe.

“He’s eighty-three and keep your voice down,” Moore whispered and moved back to the front. “I’ll go first, you cover.”

“Okay,” Winters said in a lower voice, but not a whisper.

Reaching out, Moore slowly turned the doorknob and sighed in relief when the door opened. Easing inside, he saw he was in a room with a hall on the left. Stepping over to the hall, he saw an open doorway on the right halfway down, and knew that was where Joshua was.

Slowly moving further down the hall, he heard the elderly voice of Dr. Vellum. “Almost done with that bleeder.”

Taking a deep breath, Moore kept his gun out and swung around into the doorway and for a second, froze, seeing a man that had no beard and his hair was much shorter. Then he trembled with relief, recognizing the man as Joshua even with his eyes closed.

Moving into the room quietly, Moore’s eyes got big, seeing Vellum working in a four-inch incision on Joshua’s upper left abdomen. “This hurts,” Joshua said, and Moore almost jumped through the roof, seeing Joshua was awake as Vellum operated. Moore could see half a dozen silver handles of medical instruments sticking out of Joshua’s abdomen and suppressed a shiver.

“Well, I asked you to let me put you to sleep,” Vellum snapped.

“Sorry, but I’m expecting company,” Joshua said, opening his eyes and looking at Moore and Moore almost wet his pants. Joshua didn’t jump or twitch, he just gave a small grin. “Told you I heard a car stop.”

“Hell, I heard ‘em come in the door,” Vellum said, leaning over Joshua with his nose barely an inch above the incision.

“Shit, that’s tough,” Winters said from behind Moore, staring at Vellum.

“Thank you young lady, but this ain’t nothing,” Vellum said and Joshua’s grin turned into a smile.

“Sorry, Dr. Vellum, I was referring to your patient,” Winters said and Vellum cackled.

“So, you feds just barge in now without papers, huh?” Vellum said, but never stopped working.

“We can do that when chasing a fugitive,” Moore said, keeping his pistol aimed at Joshua.

“Well, no fugitive is here, boy. I know you heard the governor pardon Joshua,” Vellum said.

Lifting his head up, but never really looking away from Moore, Joshua snorted. “I’ve been here for six hours and you forgot to mention this, old man?”

Leaning up and looking in Joshua’s face, Vellum pointed his bloody gloved hand in his face. “Boy, you come riding up half dead and making me carry your big ass in here. Then work nonstop on you and you know I have a bad knee. I ain’t no young pup anymore.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Joshua said, moving his face back to Moore. “I’m sorry I had to bother you, Dr. Vellum.”

“If you wouldn’t have, I would’ve beat you down,” Vellum snapped, leaning back over Joshua and going back to work. “This may hurt.”

Sucking in a breath, Joshua gave a jerk and Moore held his aim on Joshua’s face. “I don’t care what he does Joshua, don’t move,” Moore said.

“For an agent, you are rather dense,” Joshua said, motioning his head toward his right. Moore’s eyes left Joshua’s face and saw Joshua’s hand, laying on the counter with a pistol in his grasp.

“Take your hand off the weapon or I’ll shoot,” Moore barked.

“Agent Moore, I could’ve killed you a dozen times and I was courteous enough to let you know I’m armed. But I will not endanger a friend, especially one who’s working on my insides,” Joshua said.

“Shoot ‘em,” Vellum said, not looking up. “I can take the bodies out to the pigs.”

“Take your hand off the weapon!” Moore barked again.

“Agent Moore, your aim will hit Mr. Vellum and if you do, I swear I’ll keep you alive for weeks,” Joshua said in a cold voice.

Vellum slowly stood up and turned to Moore. He and Winters jumped back, seeing the thickest eyeglasses ever on Vellum’s face. The thick, very large glasses made his eyes look four times the size they should be. Raising a bloody glove up and pointing at Moore, “Boy, you shoot me and I’ll kill every person you hold dear and have ever met. I’ll find the snot-nose little brat who sat beside you in kindergarten and skin ‘em alive,” Vellum said in a cold tone.

“Whew,” Joshua whistled out. “Now I’ve heard some threats before, but that even scared me.”

“Dr. Vellum, you are interfering with a federal arrest and aiding a known felon. If you get in the line of fire, that is on you,” Moore said.

Vellum turned to Joshua, “Just shoot their asses,” he snapped then leaned over Joshua, going back to work.

“He’s the only threat,” Joshua said.

“She will shoot you just as fast as I will,” Moore said, trying to ignore the burning starting in his arms from holding his pistol out with two hands.

“No, she won’t,” Joshua laughed and Moore realized, Joshua had never taken his eyes off of him and had never even glanced at Winters.

Risking a glance back, Moore saw Winters just behind his left side with her gun in one hand, aimed at the floor. Jerking his eyes back to Joshua, Moore felt sweat beading on his face.

“Relax Moore, if Joshua had wanted us dead, he would’ve shot us coming in. If you look at where that pistol is pointed, if he pulls the trigger, it’s going to hit you in the neck or lower face,” Winters said, moving up beside Moore.

Slowly, Moore lowered his pistol, more to relieve the burning in his arms than to appease Winters. When Moore’s pistol was at the low ready, Joshua nodded. “Thank you, now I will do the same,” he said and rotated his wrist so his gun wasn’t aimed at Moore.

“When Mr. Vellum is done, we can go outside and shoot it out,” Joshua smiled.

“Boy,” Vellum growled. “You go get more holes in ya that I have to sew up, I’ll nail your hide to the barn door.”

“One way or another, Joshua, you are coming with me,” Moore said.

With a gentle smile, Joshua shook his head. “No sir, at best you’ll wound me, but I’ll kill you.”

“G-man, you put more holes in him I have to fix and I’ll feed you to the pigs while you’re still alive,” Vellum growled, reaching back for another instrument.

“So you know me?” Moore asked.

“Yes, and I have to say now, I wish when I’d had your face in my scope, I would’ve pulled the trigger,” Joshua said with no remorse.

“Just when was this?” Moore asked, trying to keep his voice even.

“At that ambush. You were walking and waving that metal detector around,” Joshua said. “Tell me, did you ever go back for those two snipers you’d left?”

“What two snipers?” Winters asked.

Moore’s eyes got wide, realizing they had left two men out, never checking on them and Joshua chuckled. “Just more cannon fodder, eh, Moore?”

“At that big ambush, I had Wagner leave two snipers because I knew Joshua had traps out and would pull them up so innocents wouldn’t get hurt,” Moore said, leaning his head toward Winters. “I take it they are dead then?” Moore asked, staring hard at Joshua.

“Well yeah, I wasn’t going to lead them back to your compound,” Joshua laughed.

“Moore, you left two men out and abandoned them to die?” Winters shouted and Moore glanced at her. “Wagner left them on your orders, you just said so, and you just forgot about them?”

“Okay, so I made a mistake,” Moore said and Winters looked away with a groan.

“Joshua,” Winters said. “Can I ask why you didn’t shoot Moore?”

“Yes, I saw his eyes and he didn’t want to be there. Not because of the danger, but he didn’t believe I was in the wrong,” Joshua said. “The last time I saw you, Moore, you didn’t have that look anymore, but you were out of range. I think someone convinced you that my death would be for the greater good.”

“Apprehension, not death,” Moore said quickly. “And yes, it is for the greater good of this nation. One man isn’t worth the turmoil of this country.”

Looking at Moore with an expression of pity, Joshua shook his head. “Except it isn’t one man, it never has been,” Joshua said. “They don’t like people who fight back, especially physically. And now you are one of them, willing to destroy anyone who challenges the system.”

“Don’t give me that high and mighty crap,” Moore spat. “You killed federal agents who were trying to take you into custody.”

“No, they were going to kill me. I’ve seen you at my ambushes and know you’re smart. You know what happened, but like I said, I fought back and that can’t be tolerated.”

Seeing Joshua’s body jerk, Moore raised his gun, still in a two handed grip. “Don’t,” he snapped as Joshua grimaced.

“Sorry, but I had to put a stitch in your kidney, the bullet nicked it,” Vellum said, working in the incision.

“Damn it old man, that hurt,” Joshua said, staring over Moore’s pistol into his face. “Moore, before you raised your gun, mine was on you. I almost shot you, so you need to relax. I’m not going to risk my friend who is a mean ass, crusty, old codger. But this is my last warning to you, Albert,” Joshua smirked his name.

Reaching out and putting her hand on Moore’s left arm, Winters pushed down. “Moore, his gun was on you before you moved, now quit,” she said. Moore glanced and saw Joshua’s gun was indeed aimed at him, still resting on the counter beside the gurney. Since he could see down the barrel very well, it left little to the imagination as to where the bullet would’ve hit.

Slowly, he lowered his pistol again and Winters removed her hand. “Moore, he has a man operating in his abdomen while he’s awake. If you shoot at Joshua before Dr. Vellum is done, I won’t shoot to cover you,” she said and Moore turned around in shock, looking at her. “I told you, I won’t murder him.”

Looking into Winters’ face, Moore knew she wasn’t boasting and he just stared at her with his mouth hanging open. “If he attacks you unprovoked, I will shoot back but other than that, you’re going to die,” she said.

Glancing down at her pistol, “Then why do you even have your pistol out?” he asked.

“In case he shoots unprovoked,” she smiled.

Feeling better, Moore nodded, but had very serious doubts about Winters. She had always backed him no matter what and now this. “Fair enough,” Moore said, and turned back to Joshua and saw he had rotated his wrist a few inches, so his gun wasn’t pointed at them.

“You seem pretty sure of your aim,” Moore said and took his left hand off the grip, letting his right arm hang down at his side with the pistol.

Grimacing, Joshua cut his eyes at Vellum. “Yes, when you have down time on a job site, it’s a great time to pull out a gun and just plink,” he said, then looked up at Moore. “If I ask a question, will you give me a truthful answer?”

“If I can.”

Smiling, Joshua asked. “Do you really believe all of this will stop with my death?”

“Apprehension,” Moore corrected then nodded. “Yes, I do.”

For several minutes, Joshua just stared into Moore’s eyes and then finally spoke. “You know they will kill me, but you’ll justify it to yourself that you did your job,” Joshua said as fact. “What shocks me is that you really believe this will stop with my… apprehension,” Joshua smiled.

“Yes, I do,” Moore nodded. “When it was reported that you were wounded, the attacks dropped off sharply.”

“I was told it wasn’t by much, and I’m sure my sources are better than yours,” Joshua said, then his body jerked and Joshua closed his eyes, breathing through pursed lips for several minutes.

Moore watched the sweat bead up on Joshua’s body and realized this was the first time Joshua had actually taken his eyes off of him. “What the hell are you messing with on my insides?” Joshua panted.

“Last bleeder,” Vellum said, never stopping his work.

“Joshua, let Dr. Vellum give you something for the pain,” Winters said pleadingly.

Shaking his head, Joshua slowly opened his eyes, “No, then I might make another mistake.”

Moore grinned, “Everyone falls in the end, Joshua. I don’t think you could’ve taken that last group without getting hit.”

“No, I moved in too fast,” Joshua said, finally letting out a long breath of relief as Vellum pulled an instrument out of his abdomen. “They didn’t have anyone on guard and I knew better, but was in a hurry to get your attention back on me and not the others around here.”

“Noble,” Moore said sincerely.

Then Moore saw Joshua’s eyes flicker over to Winters. “May I ask, was that your idea to have teams following?” he asked.

Winters gave a long sigh, “Yes.”

Looking back at Moore, Joshua grinned. “Sorry, but she is much better than you are at playing this game. I believe if her heart had been in this game, I would’ve been taken out long ago.”

“She was in this game for keeps,” Moore said, but you could hear the doubt. “Speaking of games, what was the deal with your cards?”

“Just a way to occupy my mind,” Joshua said and Moore shook his head. “Oh, there was a message, it was to show you how close you got to me,” Joshua finally said.

“You always won,” Moore said.

“No, I didn’t, but you didn’t keep up your part of the game. Those two you left behind had a hand and it was a winning hand. Those sons of bitches almost got me,” Joshua said coldly. “As luck would have it, one stifled a sneeze as I was moving in to get rid of the traps that you and your men hadn’t tripped.”

“We weren’t playing with the same deck anymore,” Winters chuckled.

Raising his eyebrows, Joshua tilted his head toward Winters. “Ma’am, like I said, you are amazing,” Joshua said and both Moore and Winters could tell he wanted to say more. “You were right to offer that advice of having men follow, this was my fault for moving too fast. I-,” Joshua started, but sucked in a sharp breath as Dr. Vellum worked inside him.

“Joshua, if you flirt anymore with that young gal, I’ll tell Sonya,” Vellum said, turning to look at Joshua.

The thick glasses made Vellum’s eyes look enormous and Joshua fought not to laugh. “Old fart, you know better than that,” Joshua smiled.

Turning back to his work, Vellum shrugged. “I’m just saying, women folk don’t take kindly to their man flirting when they aren’t around.”

“Dr. Vellum, can you please hurry? We really need to get going,” Moore said.

“Then carry your fed ass out of my shop,” Vellum snapped, working a needle and thread deep in the incision.

“You’re working on my prisoner,” Moore said.

Still leaning over and mere inches from the incision, Vellum turned his head to look at Moore. “Boy,” he said sarcastically. “I’m done when I’m done, but you interrupt me one more time, and I will find a 2x4 and break it over your head.”

“Moore,” Joshua said and Moore looked up at him. “I’m not going and you’re not physically strong enough to make me. Even wounded, I can beat you to a pulp with my bare hands. I do jog because my wife started and ‘convinced’ me and William to jog. But I work in big timber with my hands, hauling chokers that weigh more than you do up mountain sides and lugging chainsaws. I could keep going, but I’ve done it my whole life. You will get hurt.”

“You tell ‘em, Joshua,” Vellum cackled, tying a knot in the thread. “Come up here harassing honest country people and we will beat you down.”

“Dr. Vellum, where did you get the blood that you gave to Joshua?” Winters asked quickly.

“From me little lady,” Vellum snapped and Moore looked away from Joshua and saw several smaller empty IV bags along with one full one and an empty IV blood bag. “She can’t be too smart asking a question like that,” Vellum huffed at Joshua.

“No, Dr.  Vellum, she knew,” Joshua said. “Winters is trying to save Moore’s life. Unless Moore changes his perspective, she knows how this will end.”

Trying to stay calm, Moore’s breathing got a little deeper as he tried to think. “Joshua, it really sounds like you’re sweet on that lady and Sonya will use one of your chainsaws on you,” Vellum said in a somber voice. “I ain’t patching you up if she does.”

Joshua laughed, seeing Moore in a state of shock. “Old fart, these last six and a half weeks have been hell on me and you know why? I haven’t had Sonya there to remind me what I needed to do next. I had to keep a notebook.”

“That’s why women rule the word son,” Vellum chuckled, reaching back and grabbing another threaded needle. “They run the house we live in.”

“So what did the governor have to say?” Joshua asked, seeing Moore still in shock and glancing at Winters. As he worked, Vellum gave the highlights of what was said. “Did any others states stand with Idaho?” Joshua asked.

“Right before I started operating on you, they said twenty-six had united with Idaho,” Vellum said, and Moore and Winters both jerked their heads around, looking at Vellum.

“Damn it Joshua. This has to stop,” Moore snapped.

“Partner, I’m not sewing, Mr. Vellum is and I prefer he finish,” Joshua said. “A man should never be able to say he saw inside his guts.”

“You should’ve let me knock you out. Boy, I can take both of them easy,” Vellum said grabbing more thread.

“Joshua, even you can see what has happened and it isn’t good. Just come in,” Moore said.

“What, so you and your little buddies can do this to my son in a few years?” Joshua snapped and Moore shifted his weight, seeing anger flush Joshua’s body. He glanced over and saw Joshua’s pistol aimed at him again. “Hey, you moved your gun,” Joshua said, taking a deep breath and rotated his wrist.

“No Moore. I’ve had a lot of time to think because of you and your friends. If it wasn’t for you, I would be cutting big timber, but no, you and your friends wanted to be bullies because you thought you owned the playground. Well, you found out that you don’t own the entire playground and every bully will always find someone who will fight them,” Joshua said, relaxing his body.

“I’ve had a lot of experience in killing now and I can say, I really don’t like doing it, seems wasteful,” Joshua said quietly. “But it doesn’t bother me and I’ve made a decision, I’m going to fight with those who are standing up to tyrants, the same ones who pull your strings, Pinocchio.”

Snarling his face, Moore took a breath as Winters elbowed him in the side. “Shut up, Moore,” she said softly, then looked at Joshua. “Now, I get to ask you a question. How did you track the search teams so efficiently? Even a seasoned tracker can’t find groups as fast as you did.”

“Hell, they told me where to find them,” Joshua laughed. “I had one of your radios.”

Both Winters and Moore gasped, stepping back. “That’s not possible, it takes a Cray computer six months to unlock one. You don’t know computers that well,” Winters said.

“See, you’re right. I don’t,” Joshua grinned. “No, one of the first teams I hit had one that listened to all the channels. I didn’t know why, but I had a friend who does know computers and radios look at it and he said that someone unlocked that radio and all the codes. I was still a little slow and he said that they’d turned my radio into a general’s radio. I understood that.”

“We check each radio,” Moore said goggle-eyed.

“Not the first teams out,” Winters said.

“Hey,” Joshua grinned. “You ever catch those two evil state troopers?”

“I knew it!” Winters cheered. “I have to say, that was a good diversion.”

“I don’t know what you did to the state police, but you sure pissed them off,” Joshua said, looking down as Vellum started closing the incision.

Shrugging her shoulders, “Others in our group arrested several officers and detained the families,” Winters said.

“You are the reason for that,” Moore snapped.

“Oh really,” Joshua smiled. “Ever heard of innocent until proven guilty? If you and your people practiced that, we wouldn’t be here right now. But not for you, federal boy. If someone isn’t guilty, you will find a way to make them guilty or just label them a terrorist and lock them up.”

Vellum stepped back and pulled off his surgical gloves. “I still have the touch,” he smiled, tossing the gloves down.

“Joshua, don’t make this difficult,” Moore said.

Vellum walked to the end of the gurney, putting his body between Moore and Joshua. “Joshua is a free man,” Vellum said and pointed to his right. Moore turned to see a large clock and it was just past midnight. “The pardon is in effect now, and the governor said Joshua was forgiven of all crimes from birth until now. So, G-man, show me what kind of Nazi you really are.”

“I think that pardon was given under coercion from the threat harm from the public,” Moore said.

“Oh, you are the Gestapo,” Vellum grinned. “You go by your own law. The public is the country, boy, not the government or you. You want this little revolution to get really bloody, just hurt Joshua.”

“Moore, he’s right, that would make Joshua a martyr. The public would fight back even harder. Now the state governments have control, don’t mess that up,” Winters said.

“Mr. Vellum, move,” Joshua said. “If you got hurt in any way, that would hurt me more than anything they could do.”

“I can fight boy,” Vellum snapped over his shoulder.

“I know and I admire that, but don’t get hurt for me. Please, that would make me stop fighting,” Joshua said.

Vellum turned around, looking at Joshua. “I would have taken a bullet for you and let you kill ‘em,” he said.

Giving a curt laugh, Joshua nodded. “I know, but I might need you to patch me up in a few minutes.”

Moving away, Vellum nodded. “Moore,” he said, stopping a few feet away. “Even if you manage to kill Joshua, you will never make it out of this county. That, I guarantee.”

Bringing his pistol up, Moore aimed at Joshua, gripping the pistol with both hands. “Joshua, I’m taking you in,” he said, taking a step.

“No, you’re not. Moore, I’m trying to save your life here,” Joshua said and then let his pistol drop on the counter with a thump. “You don’t have long.”

As Moore moved to take another step, Winters reached over, grabbing his arm. “Don’t, this is wrong,” she pleaded with watery eyes.

Not taking his eyes or aim off of Joshua, “This will bring everything back to the way it was,” Moore said.

“No, it won’t,” Winters said in a breaking voice, letting Moore’s arm go. She quickly raised her right hand up, placing the barrel of her gun in Moore’s armpit and squeezed the trigger. The bullet tore into his chest and blew out Moore’s other armpit.

The muffled gunshot startled everyone else as Winters swung her left arm down, chopping Moore behind the wrist and knocking the gun from his weakened hands. Moore slowly turned to look at Winters and saw tears running down her face.

As blood pooled in his chest, Moore felt weaker and started to fall forward. Winters caught him and slowed his fall, putting him gently on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. “Moore, you were my mentor and friend. Why did you fight so hard for what you knew was wrong?” she wailed, looking at Moore’s face as he gasped for air.

“You…” he gasped.

“I’m the one who left you that letter to quit investigating the Minutemen. I told them you would see the government had to be stopped, but you were willing to go against everything to keep that evil in power,” she cried as Joshua climbed off the gurney and wobbled over beside her.

“She tried to save you Moore,” Joshua said. “She went further than any person would have, but Winters couldn’t turn on her belief and morals in what is right. All you had to do was look in her eyes.”

“I-wanted… peace,” Moore gasped with frothy blood.

“Enough to kill innocents,” Winters cried. “And I had to kill my friend.”

“You didn’t kill Moore,” Joshua said and she looked up.

“I know he didn’t leave me with a choice-” she started as Joshua brought his right arm around, aiming his pistol at Moore’s face.

Boom! Filled the enclosed room, making everyone’s ears ring and Joshua lowered his pistol. “I killed Moore,” he said, turning to look at Winters.

Wiping her tears off her face and looking at Joshua, Winters stood up. “How did you know?”

“A friend asked me not to shoot you, and finding out this friend was a Minuteman, I just connected the dots,” Joshua said and then looked down to see that his incision was leaking. “Hey old fart, I’m leaking.”

“Well, you just jump up and blast a guy after I put you back together, what did you expect?” Vellum said grabbing some gauze. He taped a bandage over the wound, then put another one on Joshua’s back.

When he was done, Joshua moved over and picked up Moore’s pistol, setting his 1911 on the gurney and then moved over to Winters. He took the gun from her hand and she dropped her gaze as Joshua took the slide assembly off of her Glock and then took Moore’s off. Joshua put Winters’ slide assembly on Moore’s pistol and Moore’s on hers and handed it back.

“Still has your serial number but the ballistics won’t match,” he said, grabbing his side. “Tell them I took Moore’s weapon as we fought, then executed him. Say you couldn’t do anything because Vellum had a gun on you. You thought the old fart would pull the trigger.”

“I’m tired of you calling me an old fart,” Vellum screeched. “I have a good mind to take you outside Joshua.”

“Yes sir,” Joshua grinned at Winters. “You tell me when and I’ll bend over and take it like a man.”

Vellum cackled, taking off his glasses and wiping them off with his shirt. “That’s why I love ya, boy,” he said, putting his glasses back on.

“I’m not going back,” Winters said, looking down at Moore. “It’s started and my job is done working from the inside.”

“Well, keep to the story,” Joshua said.

“Why?” Vellum snapped. “When you leave, this body will disappear. Don’t be involving me in no lies. Saying some fed was shot in my shop.”

Winters turned away from Moore’s body and looked up at Joshua. “Can I get a ride?”

“Winters, I’m on horseback,” he chuckled.

“Joshua!” Vellum yelled, making both jump. “You get on that horse and I’ll shoot your ass! I didn’t work for ten hours just to have you shake it out!”

“Um,” Joshua mumbled.

“Boy, I have that new truck out there. Take it. I’ll get someone to drive me over later this week to get it and I’ll bring your horse and mule then,” Vellum said.

“I need to get my saddles and stuff, just in case,” Joshua said.

“Boy, you touch anything and this young lady will be pulling me off your hide,” Vellum snarled, walking toward the door. “Little lady, kick his ass if he lifts anything heavy,” he said, passing through the door.

Joshua looked down at her. “Will you grab my gear off that table?”

“Sure,” she said, grabbing his tactical vest and weapons. “Anything else?”

“No, the rest is outside,” Joshua said, moving around Moore. Winters slung the rifle and carried the bloody vest, giving Moore’s body one last glance.

“Sorry, but even if you had been family, I would’ve shot you,” she said to the body and followed Joshua out.

When Joshua walked outside, she walked beside him, heading toward a large 4x4 pickup. “Can you give me a job reference to work around here?” she asked, putting the vest in the bed.

“Well, my wife is a manager at an insurance place. I’d offer you a job, but I don’t think my crew is ready for sexual integration on a logging site,” Joshua grinned. “I think Ben’s new woman would get jealous.”

“No offense, but cutting down trees isn’t for me,” she grinned.

“Know a guy who has several car lots or I could put a word in with the sheriff, if you’re interested.”

Winters laughed. “Buck doesn’t think highly of me.”

“He saw what you wanted him to see,” Joshua smiled. “I’ll vouch for you and if Buck doesn’t listen, I’ll tell his wife that we went to a titty bar the last time we went fishing.”

“Won’t your wife get mad?”

“No,” Joshua snorted. “She was the one who wanted to go.”

Hearing a motor crank up, they saw Vellum drive a side by side from the barn over. He stopped and unloaded Joshua’s stuff in the back. “Joshua,” Winters said, and he turned to look at her. “The governor said it was time to get your family and go home.”

Joshua leaned against the truck, feeling the weight of the world lifting from his shoulders. “Home,” he breathed. “I never thought I would ever be able to go back.”

Winters smiled and Joshua looked up at her smiling. “That sounds like a great idea,” he said. “You know, I feel sorry for not voting for the spineless bastard now.”

When Vellum held up the keys, Winters took them. “I’m driving,” she said.

With Vellum’s help, Joshua climbed up into the truck and Vellum gave him a handful of medicine bottles. “Follow the instructions,” Vellum said and closed the door.

“Winters,” Joshua said as she started the truck. “What do you think will happen now?”

“I think the fighting is more or less done in the states that have followed Idaho. Nobody wants it. The other states I believe will have more turmoil but eventually, they too will see it doesn’t work. Then we will have to work together, throwing out what didn’t work,” she said.

“I hope so,” Joshua mumbled. “Pull out heading right, go six miles and you will see a dirt road on your left. Follow it back eleven miles,” he said, resting his head on the window.

“Um, what’s there?” Winters asked, pulling out onto the road.

“My family,” Joshua smiled, drifting off to sleep.

The End

I hope you enjoyed the Bonner Incident as much as I did working with Mr. Mike in bringing it to life.

Look Mr. Mike, the story we worked on is out and your name is on the cover. It was hard finishing it without you but I can do anything for a buddy. I just couldn’t change Moore’s name without you. Until I see you in your section nineteen, I will miss you my brother. (I’m still going to punch you in the face and I’ll let you punch me back.) Farewell, my brother.

Tom & Mike

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Table of Contents

- Chapter Twenty-Three
- Chapter Twenty-Four
- Chapter Twenty-Five
- Chapter Twenty-Six
- Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Chapter Twenty-Nine
- Chapter Thirty
- Chapter Thirty-One
- Chapter Thirty-Two
- Chapter Thirty-Three
- Chapter Thirty-Four
- Chapter Thirty-Five
- Chapter Thirty-Six
- Chapter Thirty-Seven
- Chapter Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirty-Nine
- Chapter Forty
- Chapter Forty-One
- Chapter Forty-Two
- Chapter Forty-Three
- Chapter Forty-Four