aerial bombing mission just south of Tucson
later that year, and proceeded to blow the hell out of any Mexican train or
truck convoy that was foolish enough to try to move through our territory. That
was the beginning of the end for the invasion, and I think we all knew it.”
“What more can you tell me about that time?”
Cory closed his eyes, clearly transported to another
time and lost in thought.
CHAPTER SEVEN
EMP PLUS TEN MONTHS
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Bill and Cory waited for the airdrop four miles from
the cave. It was around 2:00 AM, and they took turns piling wood on the signal
fire that marked the drop zone. They sat next to the fire and watched the
shadowy movements of the others in their group as they milled around in the
tree line. A line of ATVs sat in one corner of the meadow, waiting to be loaded
with much-needed supplies they would distribute to the militia.
“You think they’ll make it tonight?” Cory asked.
“Don’t see why not.” Bill studied his fingernails
carefully, resumed clipping them, and then cleaned under the nails with the fold-out blade on the clippers. He looked bored. It was the
third night they waited for the drop and Cory was starting to wonder if the Air
Force was going to make good on its promise to drop more radios, food, ammo,
and medical supplies to his group of fighters. He found that they were more
than eager to get his messages, through Bill’s radio transmissions, with the intel about troop movements and where the Mexican Army
operated, but less than responsive to his requests for supplies.
“This is starting to piss me off,” Cory said. “We’ve
been out here for three nights, and nothing. Get somebody on the radio for me.
I need to tell them to start delivering or stop asking for our help.”
“Not a good idea,” Bill responded, moving to the
next nail.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re going to give them the information
they need anyway, and they know it. So just relax and
understand that this is how the military works. They’ll give us what we want,
but they’ll do it when it’s convenient for them.”
“I’m starting to wonder if we’re on the same side,”
Cory complained.
“They’re on their own side, and will get around to
us when it’s easier to get to us. You need to relax.”
“Bill, I like you and appreciate all you have done
for us; but I want you to call them and tell them we’re down to one month’s
worth of rations, three skirmishes from being out of ammo, and we have no more
ability to help them until they help us. It’s that
bad. If you need to, tell them we will have to cease operations and stay in the
forest. I won’t go to Tucson anymore and help with the
attacks on the rail traffic, and you might as well pack up and head back to
wherever their headquarters are now. We are at the end of the line. I’m not bluffing or joking. There is only so much I can ask
of the men and women who are fighting with us, and they only have so much to
give.” Cory stood up, walked to the nearest ATV, and left the drop zone. He
pulled into the area below the cave minutes later, fuming at this latest
setback, and walked up the path to the entrance. He saw Kate monitoring the ham
with her earphones plugged in, and the rest of his group was sleeping in every
corner of the cave. The cavern was much less crowded now, with most of the
supplies they brought from the ranch either eaten or used up in their battles.
He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing once, and then moved to where Kate
sat listening to the radio. He motioned for her to take the headset off when he
got to her line of sight.
“Any good news?” he asked.
“Not really,” she replied, after taking off one side
of her earphones. “They’re still bogged down on the Texas border.”
“In more good news, there was no air drop tonight
either.”
“What the hell is going on with the Air Force?” Kate
responded. “You’ve been out there three nights now.”
“I
later that year, and proceeded to blow the hell out of any Mexican train or
truck convoy that was foolish enough to try to move through our territory. That
was the beginning of the end for the invasion, and I think we all knew it.”
“What more can you tell me about that time?”
Cory closed his eyes, clearly transported to another
time and lost in thought.
CHAPTER SEVEN
EMP PLUS TEN MONTHS
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Bill and Cory waited for the airdrop four miles from
the cave. It was around 2:00 AM, and they took turns piling wood on the signal
fire that marked the drop zone. They sat next to the fire and watched the
shadowy movements of the others in their group as they milled around in the
tree line. A line of ATVs sat in one corner of the meadow, waiting to be loaded
with much-needed supplies they would distribute to the militia.
“You think they’ll make it tonight?” Cory asked.
“Don’t see why not.” Bill studied his fingernails
carefully, resumed clipping them, and then cleaned under the nails with the fold-out blade on the clippers. He looked bored. It was the
third night they waited for the drop and Cory was starting to wonder if the Air
Force was going to make good on its promise to drop more radios, food, ammo,
and medical supplies to his group of fighters. He found that they were more
than eager to get his messages, through Bill’s radio transmissions, with the intel about troop movements and where the Mexican Army
operated, but less than responsive to his requests for supplies.
“This is starting to piss me off,” Cory said. “We’ve
been out here for three nights, and nothing. Get somebody on the radio for me.
I need to tell them to start delivering or stop asking for our help.”
“Not a good idea,” Bill responded, moving to the
next nail.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re going to give them the information
they need anyway, and they know it. So just relax and
understand that this is how the military works. They’ll give us what we want,
but they’ll do it when it’s convenient for them.”
“I’m starting to wonder if we’re on the same side,”
Cory complained.
“They’re on their own side, and will get around to
us when it’s easier to get to us. You need to relax.”
“Bill, I like you and appreciate all you have done
for us; but I want you to call them and tell them we’re down to one month’s
worth of rations, three skirmishes from being out of ammo, and we have no more
ability to help them until they help us. It’s that
bad. If you need to, tell them we will have to cease operations and stay in the
forest. I won’t go to Tucson anymore and help with the
attacks on the rail traffic, and you might as well pack up and head back to
wherever their headquarters are now. We are at the end of the line. I’m not bluffing or joking. There is only so much I can ask
of the men and women who are fighting with us, and they only have so much to
give.” Cory stood up, walked to the nearest ATV, and left the drop zone. He
pulled into the area below the cave minutes later, fuming at this latest
setback, and walked up the path to the entrance. He saw Kate monitoring the ham
with her earphones plugged in, and the rest of his group was sleeping in every
corner of the cave. The cavern was much less crowded now, with most of the
supplies they brought from the ranch either eaten or used up in their battles.
He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing once, and then moved to where Kate
sat listening to the radio. He motioned for her to take the headset off when he
got to her line of sight.
“Any good news?” he asked.
“Not really,” she replied, after taking off one side
of her earphones. “They’re still bogged down on the Texas border.”
“In more good news, there was no air drop tonight
either.”
“What the hell is going on with the Air Force?” Kate
responded. “You’ve been out there three nights now.”
“I
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