Dark Days Rough Roads by Matthew D. Mark Page B

roadblock. That was just fine with him; he
would actually be running along a small county road parallel to this side of
the tracks.
    He was
just about there when a couple figures popped up from on top of a box car and
one of the box cars doors slid open, revealing two more people. He slammed on
the brakes and turned the LED light bar on. One of the figures stood up
straight and looked at him. Haliday quickly looked around.
    He had
his foot on the brake with the truck in reverse ready to gun it. He couldn’t
hear what the guys were saying, but one kept motioning toward him as he talked
with another guy. Haliday was sizing them up and noticed that some of them had
on real tree camo and that one had that old gray tones urban camo.
    First
thought was some sort of militia, but then he noticed a patch on one guy’s
shoulder that identified him as a police officer. Haliday started looking in
all directions scanning for anyone coming up from behind him or from the sides.
As he looked to his left, he saw a slight reflection now and again about 300
yards away.
    Haliday
was screwed at the moment. He knew these guys meant business and he knew
someone had a rifle aimed at his head right now. He was assuming whomever it
was probably was a good shot or he wouldn’t be out that far. That or he was a
chicken shit. The guy with the patch ordered him out of the truck.
    Haliday
just sat there. Another shout to get out of the truck came once again. Still he
didn’t move. He heard a round whiz by and the report of the rifle. The third
command started with the guy yelling that he meant business and to get the hell
out of the truck. It was time for Haliday to start responding.
    Haliday
put it in park and slowly opened the door. He closed the door so as not to
expose the interior to the sniper hiding to his left. Standing outside of the
vehicle and looking to the left he was now able to make out the man and he
shook his head. A ghillie suit, he thought, you have to be kidding me.
    Haliday
was almost embarrassed that he didn’t spot it sooner, but then again his
sitting position and angle didn’t really allow it. The cop approached and
Haliday took a few steps forward himself before he was ordered to stop. He
obeyed the command, but crossed his arms and canted his head to the right.
    As soon
as the cop got about 10 feet away, he told the cop to stop. The guy did, but
looked at Haliday puzzled. Haliday saw he was about twenty-six to thirty years
old tops, and he used a raised tone of voice and said, “What the hell are you
doing firing on a federal officer?” He had to get the upper hand here.
    “What’s
your name officer?”
    “Uh, um,
I’m Williams sir.”
    “Is this
how you treat fellow law enforcement officers?”
    Williams
replied, “No sir, but you have to understand we ain’t ever been in a situation
like this and our chief said he saw programs on TV about this kind of stuff…”
    Haliday
cut him off. “On TV, son?” Haliday was 46 and figured he was safe to go this
route.
    “Well, I
mean he went to some seminars and stuff too.”
    “Look
son,” he said, “yes things are screwed up right now, yes it sucks, and we are
all trying to figure out what the hell happened; but in the meantime there’s
things that need to be done and I gotta make sure they get done quickly.”
    One of
the other guys started to walk toward them and Haliday told Williams to have
him stop. Williams asked, “Why?”
    Haliday
responded, “I don’t know you from my ass and you could be some nut job playing
cop getting ready to cap my ass and I’m not ready for that.” Williams actually
apologized.
    Williams
assured him he was the real thing. Haliday said, “That’s fine, but if you don’t
mind, I need to get over to the Social Security office and make sure it’s
locked up and the safe inside is secure as well.” Williams offered to take him
there and Haliday said, “No thank you, I think you need to stay here.”
    Haliday
looked past Williams