here when all of the nukes were going off. After things settled down, we suggested that she stay there.”
“Who’s she with?”
“Her best friend. They are staying with her friend’s cousin. Sounded to me like there might be a little romantic spark there.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“At this point, all I care about is that she’s with somebody who will protect her. Hope they get the cell tower back up soon.”
“I haven’t checked since first thing this morning,” Jerry said. He pulled out his phone and looked at it. “Crap, still down.”
They got to the barn. The Sheriff and his deputy where there, talking to Major Hobbs.
“Good morning,” Frank said.
“Good morning, men,” Major Hobbs said. The Sheriff and Deputy smiled and nodded.
“Anything on the search last night?” asked Jerry.
“Yes, actually. The Apaches took some small arms fire. There was a pretty large force up to the north, but they were further away than we expected. The Apaches let them have it with everything they had, and then we brought in a gunship.”
“AC-130?” Jerry asked.
“Yup.”
“That must have ruined their whole day,” Frank said.
“Well, we got all of their trucks, from what we can tell. Some escaped on foot. We are sending a platoon up there to engage the folks that are left.”
“Were these the Islamists from the north?” Frank asked.
“Yes, definitely, but that brings me back to what we were just talking about before you guys walked up. We have bodies of Islamists and militia men from the battle last night. We think that they were working with Islamists from the north.”
“How about that cell tower?” Jerry asked. “Maybe we should put a 24 hour guard on that.”
“I did,” the Sheriff said. “We found his head in one place and his body someplace else.”
“Oh, no,” Frank said. “One of your Deputies?”
“No, this was a person from town. Too bad. Good man.”
“So what’s next?” Frank asked.
“Well, my men are doing clean up and body disposal this morning,” the Major said. “If I were you guys I’d finish setting up that security system.”
“How long are you guys going to stick around?” Jerry asked.
“Don’t know. What they did last night with that gunship might have made things quite a bit safer for you. The big force in the north can’t get here easily on foot, and we know we’ve taken out their vehicles. We have air patrols flying now, and they are noting traffic. If any trucks show up in the area, they had better have a good reason for being there.”
“What about the Islamists and militia men from the south?” asked Frank.
“They’re still a problem, but that’s a much small force, and they are cut off from their supply lines now. They might decide to move south to rejoin a larger force.”
“You have somebody hunting them down, I hope.”
“Of course, but the militia folks are smarter than the Islamists, and they know this area. They know where to hide.”
“I don’t get why these idiots think they need to take out the cell tower every time they’re going to hit us,” Jerry said. “That’s tipped us off twice now.”
“If they would have known we were here, they might not have tried the attack,” Major Hobbs said. “We think the northern Islamists did that both times. They aren’t too bright. They probably think you could’ve called in the Calvary with the cell phones.”
“We should find out how many people in camp have walkie talkies,” Frank said. “They’re a good backup that the enemy can’t shut down. We have a set. We bought them to help with backing up the motor home.”
“Not a bad idea, but remember that the bad guys can listen in pretty easily,” Major Hobbs said.
“I know, but if we at least have one in the blind and one up on the roof of the store, we could communicate in a pinch.”
“True,” Major Hobbs said. “There is a radio in the tank, but you won’t be able to get to it with your
“Who’s she with?”
“Her best friend. They are staying with her friend’s cousin. Sounded to me like there might be a little romantic spark there.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“At this point, all I care about is that she’s with somebody who will protect her. Hope they get the cell tower back up soon.”
“I haven’t checked since first thing this morning,” Jerry said. He pulled out his phone and looked at it. “Crap, still down.”
They got to the barn. The Sheriff and his deputy where there, talking to Major Hobbs.
“Good morning,” Frank said.
“Good morning, men,” Major Hobbs said. The Sheriff and Deputy smiled and nodded.
“Anything on the search last night?” asked Jerry.
“Yes, actually. The Apaches took some small arms fire. There was a pretty large force up to the north, but they were further away than we expected. The Apaches let them have it with everything they had, and then we brought in a gunship.”
“AC-130?” Jerry asked.
“Yup.”
“That must have ruined their whole day,” Frank said.
“Well, we got all of their trucks, from what we can tell. Some escaped on foot. We are sending a platoon up there to engage the folks that are left.”
“Were these the Islamists from the north?” Frank asked.
“Yes, definitely, but that brings me back to what we were just talking about before you guys walked up. We have bodies of Islamists and militia men from the battle last night. We think that they were working with Islamists from the north.”
“How about that cell tower?” Jerry asked. “Maybe we should put a 24 hour guard on that.”
“I did,” the Sheriff said. “We found his head in one place and his body someplace else.”
“Oh, no,” Frank said. “One of your Deputies?”
“No, this was a person from town. Too bad. Good man.”
“So what’s next?” Frank asked.
“Well, my men are doing clean up and body disposal this morning,” the Major said. “If I were you guys I’d finish setting up that security system.”
“How long are you guys going to stick around?” Jerry asked.
“Don’t know. What they did last night with that gunship might have made things quite a bit safer for you. The big force in the north can’t get here easily on foot, and we know we’ve taken out their vehicles. We have air patrols flying now, and they are noting traffic. If any trucks show up in the area, they had better have a good reason for being there.”
“What about the Islamists and militia men from the south?” asked Frank.
“They’re still a problem, but that’s a much small force, and they are cut off from their supply lines now. They might decide to move south to rejoin a larger force.”
“You have somebody hunting them down, I hope.”
“Of course, but the militia folks are smarter than the Islamists, and they know this area. They know where to hide.”
“I don’t get why these idiots think they need to take out the cell tower every time they’re going to hit us,” Jerry said. “That’s tipped us off twice now.”
“If they would have known we were here, they might not have tried the attack,” Major Hobbs said. “We think the northern Islamists did that both times. They aren’t too bright. They probably think you could’ve called in the Calvary with the cell phones.”
“We should find out how many people in camp have walkie talkies,” Frank said. “They’re a good backup that the enemy can’t shut down. We have a set. We bought them to help with backing up the motor home.”
“Not a bad idea, but remember that the bad guys can listen in pretty easily,” Major Hobbs said.
“I know, but if we at least have one in the blind and one up on the roof of the store, we could communicate in a pinch.”
“True,” Major Hobbs said. “There is a radio in the tank, but you won’t be able to get to it with your
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