Bug Out! Part 12: RV Alliance by Robert Boren Page B

Agent Keith’s disappearance. I was afraid of that.”
    “He probably left notes about us,” Malcolm said. “Part of the setup. You know if he’s still alive he’s setting a trap, right?”
    “Yeah, Malcolm, I get it,” he said. “When we get to the house, I want Dobie and Gabe to stand off. I don’t want them there. Just in case.”
    “I agree,” he said. “Let’s get that straight at breakfast. Here they come.”
    “You guys ready to eat?” Gabe asked as he walked up with Dobie.
    Malcolm and Ted nodded, and the four of them went to the restaurant. The place was empty, so they got seated right away. Same booth as last night. They ordered, and watched as the waitress poured coffee for them.
    “Saw you on the phone,” Dobie said. “Everything okay? You guys look a little worried.”
    Malcolm and Ted looked at each other.
    “Okay, gents,” Malcolm said. “Here’s the scoop. The FBI has cut Ted off. They aren’t giving him info anymore. They won’t even talk to him.”
    “Why would they do that?” Dobie asked.
    “We’re guessing that Agent Keith left info with somebody there. It probably indicates we had something to do with his disappearance.”
    “Oh,” Dobie said. “Not good.”
    “Not good at all, and I was nervous about going to this house without telling the bureau about it first,” Malcolm said.
    “So what now?” Gabe asked. Malcolm looked at Ted and nodded.
    “I called an old friend and talked him into getting the address to the bureau,” Ted said. “He’ll make sure they know it was us that gave it to them.”
    “We’re still going to the house, though, right?” Dobie asked.
    “Well, yes, but we want you guys to hang back, just in case,” Malcolm said. “We don’t want you two any closer than a couple blocks.”
    “Why?” Dobie asked. “Don’t you want me there with the dog?”
    “I’d love it, but we aren’t going to put you in a situation where you might get killed,” Malcolm said. “That was part of the agreement that George and I made with your group and General Hogan.”
    “What do you think might happen?” Gabe asked.
    “Well, best case, the place will be empty. Worst case, Agent Keith is lying in wait for us. If we end up having shoot him, it will start a shit storm that you guys don’t want to be involved with.”
    Gabe and Dobie looked at each other.
    “You two okay with this?” Ted asked. “I’m sorry. Hopefully you can get in later and check things out.”
    “Yeah, we’re good,” Gabe said.
    “Can we position ourselves somewhere close enough to see what’s going on?” Dobie asked.
    “Let’s do this,” Malcolm said. “You buy another night here, and leave your rig. We all drive in to Columbus. It’s not very far. Ted and I will go in my Jeep, and you guys follow us in Ted’s rental. What do you think?”
    “We could unhook the truck and take that too, if you’d rather,” Dobie said.
    “I think you ought to be set up to leave in a hurry,” Malcolm said. “Just in case something goes sideways.”
    “You don’t think Scott or Howard are still gunning for us, do you?” Dobie asked.
    “I think Scott is heading west on Route 36,” Malcolm said. “We don’t know about Howard. There wasn’t a third man seen with them when they shot their way out of that suburb. He could be dead, or he could be waiting for us at the house.”
    “I’m okay with hanging back,” Dobie said. “But I’m not going to let you guys go down the tubes. You understand that, right?”
    “I don’t want you getting shot up for us,” Malcolm said. “Promise me.”
    “Well, we don’t want to get shot up either,” Gabe said. “Remember, though, that we’ve been through a lot of action. We aren’t babes in the woods.”
    “I know,” Malcolm said. “Just be careful, okay?”
    “All right,” he said. “Here comes our food.”
    The men ate quickly and left. Dobie went to the office and paid for a second night, then he joined the others back at the