The Great Satan Falls Chap 1-3, 4-6

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also please forgive me I am still in the process of editing.




Chapter 1
The Constitution shall never be construed... to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.
Samuel Adams




The security six cradled in the leather inside the waistband holster bumped into his slightly middle-aged love handles and he would swear once again the need to lose some weight. He had wanted to stop at home before going to the mall because he knew he was not supposed to carry in the mall. If they saw and made a fuss, he would leave. Besides the windbreaker covered the gun almost completely and only someone very observant would take notice.

Even though Kentucky is a very gun friendly state, some parts were still less than friendly. It was only a trespassing violation if he did not leave, but he wanted to get in and out so he could get home to his wife. Of course, he had forgot to get her the godiva and teddy bear a day earlier, so had to get it today before he went back home. He was walking into the mall and watched as a van parked. Four men exited the van, three from the side and one who was riding shotgun. The van pulled quickly away and towards the back of the mall.

Seemed a little odd, but he was just being paranoid as usual. His wife would just harrumph and say "not everyone is a bad guy". He laughed to himself.

As he was moving toward the same entrance, he saw a reflection in the window that turned his blood to ice. He could have sworn that one man had an AK under his coat. He was caught in between steps and he continued, so as not to draw attention, and hoped he did not gasp out loud. He looked closer and just maybe he could make out the butt of a gun sticking out the bottom of another coat.

His mind whirled. What should he do? What could he do? He had six rounds against who knows how many and what if he was wrong? He could try and call 911, but they would not get there in time. This could not be allowed to happen; how many times had he harped that if only an honest gun owner was someplace at the right time.

They were closer to the doors now and he had to make a choice, follow them in or peel off and call the authorities. He reached back for the feel of the target grip and felt the firm wood and the familiar steel. IDPA and target shooting with his son was nothing like how he was feeling now. Could he shoot someone, would he hit if he shot?

If he drew down on these guys and they had AK, he would be at a serious disadvantage and had to make the shots count. He had a good size knife and six rounds of 357 golden saber. They would take them down, but he had to hit center mass. Or should he try a head shot? He shook his head; no, same as always, center mass and one for each left to right. Then see where we are. He was starting to understand how Schwarzenegger felt when he played Conan going against that army. He knew that 30 rounds of x39 were far deadlier.

They had entered the outer doors and then the inner doors. He had moved to one side so he would come in two doors down from them, so as to slip in unannounced, if possible. He had stayed back and could see them standing just inside the doors. His hand tried not to squeeze the grip too tight. If this happens, these shots need to count or this will be for nothing. He will be shot and they will go on a killing spree, the likes not seen in America. He saw they were speaking to each other and then it seems time was slowed. The first man closest to him allowed his coat to open; there was no denying they were armed. The men all seemed to produce guns at once and leveled them at the crowds in front of them going about their daily lives. The next sounds rang in his ears as he pushed through the inner door.

"Allâhu Akbar……."

His hand pulled from his right side and leveled at the closest terrorist. The loud shot rang out and one of the men dropped. The 357 traversed the distance between him and the man and tore from side to side, in the process hitting the aorta. He was dead before he hit the ground. The other men were astounded by the shot from behind and all looked at him.

The loud commotion in the mall of people running and screaming almost covered the second shot from the revolver. It hit the second man and he fell backwards. As the men began to fire back, he got one more shot off and another hit, but this man remained standing. He ducked behind one of the pillars as rounds began to shred the fake stone and shatter the glass storefront behind. He could see their reflection in what remained of the glass as one man turned to fire on the mobs of people. The other dropped his magazine and fished for another one. He stood up and took aim and pulled the trigger. It broke as it always did with two lbs of pressure and the bullet was away. The tall dark man with an unkempt beard was beginning to pull the trigger on the AK. His finger never received the rest of the command; the bullet struck just below the hairline above the ear and left a neat clean hole and tore most of the left side of his head off.

What was one of the most important rules of a gun fight?

Never stand still!

As he felt the pain he looked down. The second man he had shot had produced a small revolver and was firing at him. The bullet must have hit the AK and torn through his shoulder, but he seemed pretty good with his left hand.

He cursed as he slid back to the limited security of the pillar. Great job there; stand like a deer caught in the headlights and get shot in the side for it. Fortunately, it looked like a clean through and through. It was somewhat a mute point. Two bad guys and three bullets and now he was bleeding.

He could see the man on the floor was unable to get up and the other terrorist was still fiddling with the AK magazine. Something was said between them in quick Arabic and the last standing terrorist moved to grab one of his downed comrades' guns. A quick glace and more bullets ripped the pillar to smaller rubble. Then his attention turned.

There were crowds behind benches and trash cans. They were there and he was going towards them. It was now a matter of how many they were going to kill. The blood drooled out of the wound in his side as he stood up. He saw the last walking terrorist moving further into the mall to complete his mission.

With three bullets left, he made a decision and accepted this was more than likely going to be his last act. He came from behind the pillar and fired at the terrorist on the ground and hit him again in the chest, but as a second round was fired he was spun around and missed. His left shoulder hurt and he was feeling new pain as he squeezed his last shot. It caught the man about the collar and tore through his neck. He was no longer a concern, but now no more bullets. He walked over to the headshot man, searching for a handgun and was awarded with nothing. He walked over to the man who had just shot him for the second time and pried the small 38 from his tight grip. He turned and fired, hitting the walking terrorist in the middle of the back, causing him to collapse. As more and more blood flowed from his shoulder and side, he made his way toward the last terrorist who was trying desperately to get the AK just out of reach.

With his remaining strength he pushed the man over onto his back with his boot. The pain from the back wound made him wince. "We are but the first. The great satan will fall," he gasped out.

He remembered a line from some movie he could not place now; his mind growing fuzzy with the loss of blood.

Not in your lifetime.

The gun bucked as he fired the last shot into the middle of the man's forehead and then collapsed.











Chapter 2
How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!
Samuel Adams


The scene was one of chaos. After securing the area, the police and paramedics attended to the fallen. There was little to do for the four men in long coats with beards and a Koran in each jacket pocket. Jerome Tanner had done the job well and all of them were dead.

JT, as his friends knew him, was not quite ready to pass over that threshold. He was stat-flighted to the regional medical center, University of Louisville hospital. Room 7 was always ready for a trauma victim and with the blood losses and the two bullet wounds, he classified. He was going in and out of consciousness as the doctors started to work on him, a guard standing nearby in scrubs since no one still knew exactly what happened at the mall and whom the bad guys were.

"A little stick," the pretty blond nurse said through her mask. The pain of the IV being inserted seemed very far away as he was lapsing back to unconsciousness. He wondered if his family would make it before he went to surgery or if he would come back from the darkness this time. A crackle from the radio in the office brought him back up from the depths.

The doctor, none to pleased with the noise….. “turn that off! We are trying to save a man's life,” he growled.

The officer was just reaching up for the mic when……..

"Be advised... this is not a drill... We are on high alert...Terrorist’s attacks have been reported across the United State. The Mall of America was attacked, as well as several others. All personnel are to report to shift commanders immediately."

The darkness came and washed over him like a warm flood. The nurse had gotten the IV started. The anesthesiologist began a push of the milky drug and he was out.

The surgery went on for several hours. The hole in his side was easy enough, but the one in the shoulder had nicked a small artery that proved to be tricky to find and sew up. After that and four pints of blood, he was in recovery and the doctors informed his wife and kids that the next few hours would tell. They said he might lose the use of the left arm or it might just show some stiffness. It was hard to tell at this time.

Anne and his two children waited as the time passed. At some point the police and FBI arrived. Since this looked like a part of a grand attack ,the feds... well, they were concerned. Most of the questions she had no answer to. She was unsure why he was there. Yes, he had a CCW, but he rarely carried, except on their ten acres outside of the city. Only half way through the conversation did she suddenly think that tomorrow was her birthday and he would have been getting Godiva and maybe a bear. She sobbed as she told the officer that was more than likely the reason for the trip. He was not one to head to a mall without good reason. He did not like the crowds and frankly... well, he was not a people person. The two kids smiled. Dan, 18, and Nora, 20, thought "yeah, not really a people person". Anne felt she should explain that although he was not violent or mean he just preferred his time with family and a few close friends.

"Ma'am, I have to ask, was he involved in some religious … well you know"

She smiled. “Yes he was. He was born and raised a Southern Baptist, but did not attend church for some petty disagreement. He had talked about getting back into it. We had gone to Catholic Masses over the last years….” She trailed off.

The officer was taking notes and asked slowly could he have been involved with these… terrorists.

Dan took exception and stood up, his 6'2" wiry frame standing next to his mother.

“my father just did your ******* job and you have the ***** to ask if he was involved?!”

Nora grabbed her brother and pulled him away before more than harsh words were exchanged. Her brother was not on the road to ingratiating himself to the local cops.

His mother took over …” no, he would not have been. He was not a fan of Islam or the PC crap that allowed it to flourish unchecked in the US,” she said with more than a touch of condescension.

The officer said he was sorry if he offended and had to pursue all lines of questions. He walked away.

Anne called her mother and told her of the prognosis; she also told of the questions and asked if they could come out there to rotate from the hospital instead of home.

Her mom told her…”do not say another word to those jack offs, call a lawyer and tell them to talk to him. “

Anne did not feel the need for counsel but knew her mom was taking the same tact her husband would. What was it he always chided “can be used against you, not for you, not to clear you, not to show you did nothing wrong, but can be used against you” she smirked as he said, his voice always raising a bit when he would get on a role with talking about the government. He was not really against the government, but then he was not really a fan of it either. The scariest phrase known to man, "we are from the government and we are here to help". A soft giggle escaped her lips as she sobbed and waited.

The phone rang in the home of Louisville ADA, Arthur Kurns. He was an up-and-comer in the district attorney's office. He bent down and picked up the phone.

“Brother” …a hushed voice whispered.

Kurns looked around to make sure his wife was not close by. “I told you not to call this number”

"It has started, brother, but a dog of a man stopped our brothers in your city. Only the driver escaped after he heard the commotion. The man must be punished. There can be no one that stands in the way of the Jihad."

“It will not be easy,” Kurns said. "There is nothing I can do that will not raise more suspicion then I am already under. Since the case where we won the right for sharia in the divorce courts, I have been under scrutiny. My boss did not approve that and he let me know it was not a case he supported. But with the help of our people at city hall, they kept me here. If I step that far out again, my cover here may be up."

"Allah will protect us. We have begun the downfall of this decadent country and Allah willing, we shall see it fall and a new caliphate will arise with sharia governing this land."

"He must be charged, brother, and convicted. We must use their own laws against them."

The wheels had already started to turn in his head. He could charge the trespass and then charge with murder. The men had shot no one, and by everything that was seen on the tapes, he had heard through the grapevine that one of the men was shot in the back. Yes. He opened his home office door and stepped in, slowly closing and locking the door. He unrolled the rug handed down from his mother's grandfather and placed the prayer cap on his head. Facing Mecca, he prayed for strength and for the day when he would let these swine know his true self.

“Mohammed Salem” he whispered, Allah protect your humble servant.


Chapter 3
We cannot make events. Our business is wisely to improve them
Samual Adams

As he woke in recovery, JT was greeted with a pretty nurse asking him to wake up. With green eyes like that, he would do his best. He tried to focus and come from the depths of the drug-induced fog. His left arm ached and he could not move it, later to find out mostly because of the neural block they did, but also it was sore. He spent minutes, maybe more, coming out of the fog. At some point the nurse asked of he wanted some ice chips, and he gladly accepted, enjoying the cool feeling on his parched throat. As he slipped into consciousness, he noticed no other patients in the recovery room. What time of day was it, he wondered? The shooting had happened around 1, but he had no idea now.

The nurse asked if he wanted his glasses and he slowly nodded. His eyes adjusted. H e looked around and asked if his family was nearby. His nurse motioned to one of the other nurses sitting at their station and they went out the door. He caught a glimpse of a clock above the door; it was now 2300 he mused, 11 pm. What else had happened? His mind was clearing and he remembered the radio message before he went out.

The nurse gathered the Tanner family and took them back to see Jerome. He was more awake as his wife and kids came through the door. They hugged and wept. He held back tears, knowing what could have been lost today. He asked his wife what had happened today and told her of the message he had overheard as he was going out. She looked over her shoulder, as if expecting an officer to have followed her into the recovery room. His eyes met hers as she came back to his face and touched his check with her finger. "They do not want us to go into detail, but the same attack was carried out in 20 malls across the country at almost the same time. The death toll was upwards of 1000 and untold injured."

Dan spoke up and said, "it is a bunch of PC crap. They are not calling it a terrorist action and some, like the MSNBC stooges, are saying it could have been a domestic attack from rightwing militia. They even suggested you killed innocent Arabs going shopping."

His mother touched his hand and Dan calmed some, but the anger simmered below the surface.

He had wondered how it would play out, but now it was too late to worry.

The nurse informed him they were going to move him now. Everyone left with kisses to his cheek and a squeeze of the hand from his wife as they unhooked the bags of fluids and began to move the bed out of recovery. He was wheeled into room 3-5. It was at the end of a hallway. He noticed a chair already in place and a security guard outside the door. He wondered if that was to protect him or to make sure he did not go anywhere. He thought back to his son sying that they were already claiming that he overreacted.

As soon as he was settled he reached for the phone and began to dial… the phone was dead. He pushed the button for the nurse and and when the bubbly young aide walked in, she said they had asked that the phone be turned off.

“Who had asked?” he said as calmly as possible.

“Oh, it was the men from the FBI,” she said.

She went on to explain they had said they were sure he would want some peace and quiet and confided in her that all sorts of people might try and call to get a story.

It made him feel so warm and fuzzy; them looking out for his best interests and peace and quiet. More likely, they did not want me to call anyone before they got to ask me questions. Maybe they thought he was Ron White, “I had the right to remain silent but not the ability”.

Ok, no more redneck humor, he thought. He was in no mood to be bullied by the Feds, but then again, he thought it might be advantageous for them to come and interrogate a man a couple of hours out of surgery. If this went down badly, he would need all the sympathy he could get. He dismissed the aide with a polite and smiling "thank you" and laid back into the bed feeling the need to rest. The meds and trauma were overtaking his body and he drifted to sleep.

chap 4-6

Chapter 4
Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life
Samual Adams

FBI agent Harold Dawes was just arriving at the Mall of America at 4:30. Approximately three hours earlier it was hit with a barrage of gunfire from four men dressed in long coats who carried a Koran in the front jacket pocket. They had been found dead near a back entrance, each with a bullet wound to the back of the head. If witness statements were to be believed, after killing as many people as they had ammo for, they walked outside, knelt down in prayer and were shot in the back of the head by an accomplice in a van that then sped away.

Dawes had been with the agency for 12 years and this idea of covering their tracks worried him. These were likely all zealots and Islamic fanatics. They would not break, but information could be elicited even in small parts could lead to more information. What did they not want to be known? This question terrified him. Twenty malls were hit today, with scores killed. Was this the beginning of the wave of jihad attacked that many had feared? It had happened in Israel until they made it too costly. American arrogance had assumed no one would come to our soil and attack, but 9/11 changed that. Then we fell back into the old idea we were untouchable.

The new FBI had that feeling; the new Director Sieve was too fond to point out of the working relationship with IDG. The Islamic Development Group was supposed to be a moderate group searching for understanding and peace, but many in the agency feared it had more to do with infiltrating and controlling government agencies and policies, trying to thwart any questions or investigations into its finance and membership. It had used a war of lawsuits to stop criticism of the new mosques that were built on 100 acre plots and had dorms. Some said they were used as training bases.

Many in the local communities had complained, but when you have billions in petrodollars it is easy to buy compliance from local zoning boards. Frankly, many welcomed the compounds to show their acceptance. The Mayors and Administrators mockingly treated the citizens like children almost as if to say, "no, go on, pay your taxes and let the grownups take care of the important things."

Dawes was surrounded by reporters as he stepped from the black suburban. Reporters screaming questions and lights flashing… "People," he yelled “I have nothing to say. I have just arrived and am just about to get a briefing from the technicians.”

He walked to the front entrance and slowly opened the door. The scene inside was gruesome was all he could think. Bodies were cut down in mid stride. Women, children and men lay all over the floor, blood pooling around the bodies. Tessa Mills walked up and identified herself.

“I am with the field office here in Minnesota,” she said.

“Just got here from DC. What is the situation?” Dawes asked.

"It looks like four terrorists came in the door there, yelled something no one quite heard and began firing. They walked down that corridor and out the back door where we found them. The whole shooting took exactly ten minutes."

“Automatic weapons?” he asked.

"Nope, standard semi-auto AK, these men were aiming and shooting people, no spray and pray.
This was a deliberate aim and shoot. The cameras caught the whole mess. They walked slowly and methodically down this way, never moving down other hallways. This was planned and carried out and they wanted to kill as many as they could, but they had a plan and they stuck to it. They had four mags …30 rounders apiece and they used them all. One man had a small six shot revolver. They hit 300 hundred people, 120 are dead. The rest are in various stages of hurt; twenty of them are critical." She paused for just a second and then spoke softly, "twenty of the dead are children, there was some school trip today."

He looked down and sighed. How this could be condoned by any religion or people was beyond him. He was an FBI agent and knew that he could be a target at anytime, but people shopping and taking in a day at the mall was different.

"We are kind of guessing, but we figure the odd man with the revolver was there just in case the buddy in the van got clipped. The locals have the idea he was to stop any police from his vantage and take them out, as well perform the coup de gras on the four other terrorists."

After four more hours of data and video and information, some good and some just plain BS; He was ready to greet the adoring reporters.

“Please,” he yelled as he was mobbed.

Dawes stood in front of what looked like 100 microphones and mini recorders, agent Mills at his side. "I will let you know the facts that we have and nothing more at this time." He recited the details that were known about the number of shooters and the number hit and killed. He told of the weapons and how many rounds they had.

A reporter shouted from the back…”some outlets are saying this is the work of a right-wing American militia group. Do you have any comment?”

"Nothing that we have found at this time points to that conclusion. That is wild speculation at this time."

“Then who did this?”… a shout came.

Just at that moment Dawes' blackberry vibrated. He backed away and let the local sheriff continue the numbers game of how many transported and to where. He also said that no names would be released until possibly 6 a.m. Agent Dawes looked down at the tiny screen. A message had come in from the Director's office. "Do not mention the Korans. We will not jeopardize our relationship with the Muslim community on an unsubstantiated piece of evidence. At this time we are open to all possibilities, even that this was local militias and they are trying to throw blame onto honest Muslims."

Dawes turned …”that is it for now. I am sorry, but I have a conference call.,”

Dawes pulled Mills with him and caught the ear of the Sheriff before he was gone. A folder held in front between them and the cameras just in case there were any lip readers in the group.

“No mention of the Korans; it came from the director,” he whispered.

The sheriff stared into his eyes, his face turning red and fumed, “I do not work for the damned FBI director. That cannot be kept secret long!” The anger was palpable and Agent Dawes felt as if he might be in physical danger. Dawes stood 6 foot tall and carried 200 lbs on a wiry athletic frame. The sheriff had a good four inches and carried some extra weight, but Dawes had a feeling this was not a man to be messed with. Sheriff Watts knew this agent was not to blame. This came directly from the PC crowd back in DC. Watts was a grizzled veteran who carried 250 lbs on his 6’ 4” frame and could be imposing. He had been on the department for 15 years as the Sheriff and five as an MP with the army before that. He had fought many wars against gangs, druggies and meth heads and knew when to turn it down and turn on the politician.

“I understand agent, but with so many people traipsing through the scene, it is bound to get out. I would not want the FBI to look foolish," said the sheriff in a subdued and even tone.

The change was immediate and caught Dawes off guard. “Of course,” was all he could get out.

Agent Dawes pulled down the folder and was off to the Suburban. He opened the door for Agent Mills, then climbed in beside her. The driver got in and Dawes asked him to head to the hotel where he was staying. All was quiet for a time, then Dawes turned to Mills…”what do we know about the sheriff back there?”

"He has been in the job for some time, always get reelected with like 80 percent of the vote. Family was from around here. I went to school with his daughter at the local college, then moved to the FBI after graduation. He is well respected and politically savy, as you can tell, but it is whispered that his bad side is a dangerous place to be. Nothing dirty, mind you, but it is said he can transform into a grizzly when the need arises." She cocked a quirky smile at her last statement.

“Anything else?” he prodded.

"Well, the story goes that he and two deputies were moving on some drug dealers out in the boonies. It was supposed to be two guys in a shack bagging marijuana. It turned out to be five guys in a shack with guns, ammo and all sorts of drugs. Both deputies were shot almost immediately. At the end of the fight there were five dead bad guys. Sheriff Watts was shot three times and the shack destroyed. I have seen pictures; it looks like he threw one of the guys through the wall."

Well, now he knew who he was dealing with.

‘"Thanks,” he said quietly and laid his head back on the headrest, watching the lights go by as he made his way to the Hilton. After checking in and setting up the laptop, he began a preliminary report to the director’s office and assistant Malcolm Walls. He informed them of the data collected and of the sheriff's warning that this little secret they were keeping was not going to kept long.

A conference call had been scheduled for midnight for all special agents in the field. He looked down at the time and it was just clicking 11:30. He grabbed the remote and clicked on one of the news channels. Wall to wall coverage of the events of the day; twenty malls hit, hundreds dead and one man stopped them in Louisville. He had bits and pieces of the story from the Louisville mall, but he wondered if they would try to spin this as local militia and where would that leave this guy.

Dawes was no fool. The agency had changed the last several years, to the point that he was sometimes not sure whose side he was supposed to be on. He sat quietly, listening and flipping the channels. MSNBC was proposing that the man was not a hero, but a killer of innocent Muslim men out shopping. Cursing under his breath, Dawes turned back to CNN where they were speculating how a man with a revolver and six shots got the better of four men with semi-automatic assault weapons.

Dawes smiled and said, “maybe he was just a better shot.” He laughed and raised his glass to the screen, “here is to you, shootist” and drank the glass of bourbon down.

The conference call was short and sweet. The only new thing was Dawes knew one of the agents from down in Louisville. Agent Tim Smith was a long-time friend and a pretty good guy. They had done some work on smugglers and mobs and had grown to be friends. Tim was also one of those that had noticed the change in the agency and was not all that happy with it. He had recently went back to school for a MS in Computer Science.

Dawes punched a speed dial and called Tim. “What is going on down in the bluegrass state?”

Tim smiled at the familiar voice...” not too much... I am playing back bench to Agent Eliz, pet of the director,” before he could catch himself.

Dawes asked, "can we speak?”

Tim responded, "nope, hun. Can't now, drop me a line and I will get back with ya. Love you too.”

Obviously Tim could not talk openly, so Dawes hung up and walked out of the room, going down to the first floor.

“Do you have a computer? I need to look up some information I would rather the agency not see.” said the agent, giving the young man behind the counter a knowing smile.

"Yep, right back over there and none of those pesky filters," he smiled.

Dawes sat down and began typing, first looking up the local nightlife in town and then pulling up his old gmail account. He typed a quick note and inserted a usb stick in the slot on the monitor. He encrypted the note with the PGP he had downloaded onto the stick and then erased everything he had done with a free shredder program. They had used this before when they were concerned about prying eyes.



Chapter 5
“Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty”
Samual Adams

Attorney General Holder sat behind the huge desk and talked with the three men seated in front of him and, by phone, Assistant to the director of the FBI, agent Silas.

“Gentlemen; I will not let our warm relations with the Muslim American community be harmed by the possible lies and treachery of the anti-Muslim bigots.” Holder warned.

He continued, “ this is a terrible day for this country and I will not see it be used by the short-sighted talking heads who are pushing as a terrorist plot brewed up overseas. We have seen how that can be used, and it came close to destroying this great nation before. “

The conversation continued with everyone throwing out ideas and scenarios that could come about if information about the attacks were not tightly controlled.

If this were the work of fundamental Islamists, then the President would come out and make a statement to calm the fears of the people, but nothing at this time shows that is the case.

Daniel Grimes sat in the chair to the far left of the AG desk and kept fairly quiet. He worked in the DHS and was a political animal. He knew when to talk and usually it was to only one other individual. He was a watcher, kedping his opinions to himself. If questions ever arose, it was he said, she said, and he was better at spin than anyone. He saw the writing on the wall. They were going to try and spin this in such a way that it looked like Americans posing as Muslims, out of convenience or desire for something to use as a wedge for gun legislation. But this administration had shown no stomach for looking into anything that had to do with Muslim groups in America and certainly Muslim groups planning attacks. Grimes was a political atheist. He was not a liberal or conservative. He accumulated power and knowledge that could lead to more power. He saw a mine field in this tactic they were putting out. The American people were mostly sleep walking through life and would believe just about anything you fed them, but you must never make it too obvious or give them a leader. The recent tea parties showed when they were given a forum and a cause, they could become a force and nothing can withstand that force for long. Against his better judgment Grimes spoke up.

“Mister Attorney General,” Grimes said. The others stopped mid sentence.

“Sir,” he continued, “ I understand that we do not want to inflame any bad feelings with the Islamic community, but we also do not want this to look too much like we want this to be anyone but them. I have heard that we are going to use this incident to push for some new gun control legislation and place blame for the AK at the foot of the pro-gun groups. But if the people find out that we have this in mind, well, I am sure you can see how it might play against the President. “

The AG was caught off guard. Yes there had been talk about trying to make sure this was seen in the best light possible to the Muslim community, but they also wanted to be able to crack down on the gun sales that had sky rocketed since President Obama had been elected. They had hoped to turn public opinion against gun ownership. Holder had even hoped that maybe they would try and do something about getting some of the guns that were already out in the hands of the people. Yes, confiscation and registration were nowhere on the plate a day ago; maybe now the people would demand that something be done. They would have to tiptoe around this and call it something like a quarantine and visual inspection, but this was an opportunity that the President and the AG did not want to go to waste. Gun ownership was a scourge on society and should have been banned by an enlightened populace decades ago.

“Yes, Mister Grimes ,we must make sure this is done with the proper amount of openness and not have the people believe that we are using this awful tragedy to push legislation,” the Attorney General said softly.

“Thank you all for coming. Please let me know if there are any new updates at the FBI, Agent Silas.”

The men filed out of the room and headed towards the entrance of the Justice Department.







Chapter 6
No people will tamely surrender their liberties..
Samual Adams


Roger Ales was working the late shift at Con Edison and was watching the boards for failures, wondering when the next brownout would be. He had read up on the inter-network, and frankly it was all terribly overburdened. The last big one that took out most of the north east and Canada started in Ohio and the cascade went wild. Tonight, however, things were quiet since it was still April and was not getting warm yet.

He had time to peruse the web and see what was new with the mall attacks yesterday. The Drudge Report was saying that each person had a Koran and that none had identification. MSNBC and The Huffington Post were still touting this as a right-wing militia attack that was being made to look like Muslims.

Just then a warning light flashed on the board showing the Con Edison Greenwood substation had an outage. No storms were in the area. He checked the breakers; they were all showing they had tripped. Power was rerouting, but he needed eyes on site. One of the repair trucks was down the road with a wreck and he knew the team.

“Truck 48, are you done with the wreck, over?” he spoke into the radio.

Lynn Dawson grabbed the radio, “ Hey, Roger, what got you in the dog house to work overnight? Yes, by the way, we are done and about to head back to the shop.”

“No cancel that, we have a breaker tripped at the Greenwood station and no storms. I want you to check it out please,” he said quickly in a thick New York accent.

“For double time I can go down and do some painting, if you sign off on it, boss,” Lynn quipped and then, “on the way boss, call you when we see something.”

They drove the six blocks to the substation and were met with a completely dark facility. The gate hung to one side as they pulled the truck into the yard. An errant spark now and then from the huge transformers was the only light visible. One of the men jumped out and checked the breaker panel, while one went into the small shack to see what had tripped the switches. Nothing seemed out of place. The four workers got flashlights from the truck and started a quick search around the yard. Nothing looked out of place until they looked up at the top of the massive transformers.

“Hey Lynn, what is that hanging from the top of the transformer?” one of the men asked.

Lynn moved the beam of the flashlight to the top of the nearest transformer and peered at what looked like a long piece of heavy chain with a bike lock at the end of it. He could not see how or why someone would throw a bike chain and lock over the fence and onto the unit. Then he looked at the second unit. Another one was on the tall spikes that connected the heavy wires. The two other workers had found one of the simple, yet so effective, devices. It was simply two 12 or so inch pieces of heavy chain forming an plus sign with locks on the end links. It looked like they were hanging from all the transformer lines.

Some group of kids had probably thrown all these chains over and did this to black out this substation, but why Lynn questioned silently. This one station might make it harder to keep everyone up and running, but it would be a small blackout at best and for how long? The transformers are hard to completely kill. He walked back to the truck as the other three stood and inspected the chain one of the men held in his hand. Lynn reached the truck and grabbed the microphone.

“Hey boss, it looks like some vandalism. Some kids must have made some bike lock chains and tossed them over the fence.” Lynn explained.

Grimes said he would call the police and to stand by.

Lynn clicked the mike to say they would standby.

Diagonally across the street from the substation was an old warehouse. Unknown to the Con Edison workers, a man was there to kill them and the police that would follow. Azizah Salem lay on the blanket and steadied the dragunov on the sand-filled bag. The first generation night vision scope mounted on the old rifle allowed him more than enough amplification and enhancement. He was confident that the four men would all be dead shortly. His training at the mosque in upstate New York had included targets at a much more challenging range. He cycled the bolt forward and aimed at the man standing by the truck.

“Allah guide my hand,” he whispered.

Lynn was about to speak with the microphone button held open. The shot rang out and Lynn started to turn his head in the direction when the 7.63x54 bullet tore through his neck and spinal cord. His body dropped to the ground. Three other shots in rapid succession and all four workers were dead on the ground. It was five minutes before Azizah could hear the sirens of the police and ambulance. He waited and placed a fresh magazine in the gun. Although most police vest would be unable to stop a normal round from the dragunov, these were specially made and armor piercing. Even if they took refuge behind the car door, he would be able to get to them.

The police and ambulance arrived almost at the same time and the police waved the paramedics to stay put while they checked the area. The windshield of the ambulance burst into shards as the first round killed the driver, then the second round killed the paramedic riding shotgun. The police took cover behind the open doors of their squad car. Azizah waited and watched to make sure they were able to call into the control room, then he shot both officers through the doors they had taken cover behind.

As the officer on the passenger side lay dying, he saw a man stand up on the building across the street.

"Allâhu Akbar".. the man raised something to his temple and then the report of the small 38 and Azizah fell to the pavement below.

The officer had no way of knowing, but this was carried out again and again across the country before rush hour ever hit the east coast.

good stuff, need more soonest, hope the shootist is alright on the railroad job

Yep, good story need more soon. Thanks

Chapter 7
The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending against all hazards


JT woke early and could hear the hustle and bustle of the hospital outside the door. He had a night-time visit with one of the agents, but feigned sleep and the agent left. He had no desire to get into any kind of back and forth yet with the FBI. It sounded like they were serious about this right-wing militia crap and frankly he fell squarely into that category though he had never been involved with any militia. He was sure the Fusion centers would more than likely classify him as one of those people that needed watching. JT believed in the Constitution and the Second amendment, liked Ron Paul and yes, he had been known to criticize the government on almost a daily basis online, by phone and old-fashioned snail mail.

He had decided not to call an attorney yet, but was going to play things close until he could figure out just what was going on. He hated to think that the government would intentionally cover this up, but he was not going to give them a free shot at taking something he said or did now to use to nail him in some way, simply so they would not have to admit that Muslim extremists were in this country and now carrying out attacks.

He flipped on the TV and watched some news as he contemplated what his best option was. He still was going crazy over the attacks, questioning why the government would not admit these were terrorist acts committed on American soil by Muslims. His wife and the kids had gone home when the doctor said the medications would knock him out for the night. He wanted them to get out from under the pressure of all the police hanging around. As he was about to reach for his cell phone, the door opened and he saw a burly man walk into the room. He noticed the sheriff's badge and wondered if the Bureau had decided to send a local in first to see if they could get any information. He looked to be in his late 50's, with a heavy mustache and trim build, in contrast to his first opinion. He looked to be about 6 feet tall, maybe 220, and looked to carry a glock on his left hip.

He moved over to the bed quietly and held out his hand.

“I am Sheriff Robert Boland,” he said, as he took JT's hand and shook it with a firm powerful grip.

The two men shook hands and stared for what seemed a long time. JT was trying to figure out why this man was here. The Louisville Metro Police would be taking care of the investigation and then hand it off to a detective. He was sure they would hand it off to the FBI since it was domestic terrorism.

“Nice to meet you, Sheriff... what can I do for you at this early hour?” JT said as their hands parted.

“Well,” the sheriff went on, “this is about the best time to get down here and meet you. They will be thinking you are still asleep and well, my second cousin is making friends with the guard that should be at your door.”

JT smiled and against his better judgment he liked this lawman.

“You did a courageous deed yesterday and people are going to look at you as a hero, but some are going to use this for political means and you may get caught in the crossfire... you seem like a smart and savvy fella, but these guys will do anything they can to make this look the way they want,” said the sheriff in a low tone.

The sheriff handed a small piece of paper to JT. " This is a number of a trustworthy lawyer and one that knows the secrets people in this town like to keep. If you decide to talk, then do so with a lawyer. Remember, you have the right to remain silent; use it." The sheriff was gone before he could say "thank you".

JT reached over with his right hand and grabbed his cell phone, opening the back. He folded the small paper, making sure it was tucked away securely. He clicked on the TV and watched some early news. Japan was still involved with the reactors and some people are saying that behind the scenes they were selling their hard assets - our debt.

The Middle East was in more turmoil. The Muslim brotherhood was now firmly in control of Egypt and it looked like the wonderful rebels who we backed in Libya were Al Qaeda. Israel was in a war, without calling it that, with whomever the PLO was calling themselves now. It droned on and on. The Fox Business Channel had on some economist from the Obama administration trying to explain that really people are going back to work and four dollar a gallon gas was a good thing. We could finally wean off of the nasty, earth-killing product.

The host looked like he wanted to ask if he actually had a degree and what it was in. Instead he pointed out that people were not getting back to work and that the real unemployment rate was in the range of 13-15 percent because many had finally given up looking for jobs. He also stated that gas was going up because the Middle East was in massive turmoil and what would happen if the oil that was now at $118 a barrel went to $150 because of the problems or some issue with the Strait of Hormuz or The Suez Canal.

The talking head babbled about the people were reaching for Democracy and this was going to be a great legacy for President Obama.

JT was just about to shut the television off when an alert popped up at the bottom of the screen. He waited until they broke in and spoke in a hurried tone. Some attack at some electrical substation in New York. There was no real damage to the electrical grid, just a power outage for a few areas. They were being brought back online, but people were killed. JT wondered how someone could have been killed if the situation was not that bad. A police spokesman was in front of the camera. Why would they have a police spokesman and not some guy with the electric company?

"I am New York Police department spokesman Yates. Approximately an hour ago there was an ambush attack at the Greenwood Substation, four Con Edison workers were shot, as well as two patrolmen and two paramedics. A person of interest was found at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head." The reporters started screaming and yelling questions. The officer waved them off and quickly said there would be no further comment until later.

One reporter took the opportunity to scream… "Were these Islamic fanatics and was this terrorism?"

Yates stared intently and looked to his left where men in suits could be seen, then looked back at the camera…“ the federal government is not ready to make any snap judgments, but from the point of view of the NYPD, yes, these are terrorists and they have every appearance of being Islamic based.”

The cameras continued to roll and watched as two of the apparent agents tried to corral the spokesman until he waved them off and gave them a not-so-nice gesture with his right hand. The Con Edison man was going on about how the damage to the substation was minor. They must have had no idea how to really damage one of the big transformers and they would be back up and running soon.

It came back to the Fox News show and you could tell the anchors were very emotional. They were talking and saying they would have more information later ...when they were interrupted.

Some phantom voice “I am sorry. Please wait, we are getting updates as we speak.”

The anchors waited and looked at the laptops in front of them, then looked at the scrolling lines behind the scenes. The pretty blond broke down in sobs.

Steve Ducy regained some composure and began to speak slowly and with somber resignation.
“We are sorry to report, but this seems to have been a massive attack across the nation. We are getting reports from Atlanta, Chicago and as far west as Phoenix. This appears to be an orchestrated attack on our police and rescue workers.”

JT wanted to speak with the doctors. Yeah, he had been shot a day ago, but he would feel a lot better being out of this hospital and at home., Things seemed to be getting out of control and these terrorists killing themselves makes no sense. He would speak with the doctors when they came in. He called the nurse for some pain meds. He had tensed up so much his left shoulder was very sore. A pretty nurse came in with a small syringe and started to inject the clear liquid into the IV line.

She leaned down and whispered, “you lay back and get some sleep… I am glad you got to talk with uncle bob.’”

His eyes went wide and he smelled the delightful smell of jasmine as he drifted into the darkness.

Chap 8

Chapter 8
An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes.
Thomas Jefferson


The young man stood and watched the imam finish his prayers. The man kneeling on the floor on the prayer rug was a thin man who did not look his 70 years of age. He face showed weathered lines and a full dark beard. Imam my apologies but you said to let you know when the news reports started the young man spoke softly as the elderly man raised from his prayer rug.

“Yes my brother, I wished to know when our brothers had started our second wave of attacks on these infidels” he spoke softly.

Imam Aneef stood in front of a large window. Woods could be seen outside and as well as buildings beyond the trees. He looked out at the complex that had been created with monies from American charities and money laundered thru front groups. They will finance their own downfall he thought. This was but one of 10 across the nation with 100 acres each. They had built them as retreats and with the help of the liberal media calling any who stood in the way a bigot or raciest few had any problems. The retreat in Tennessee had in the end been moved and they would be made pay when the time comes but now was not the time to move from the path. Many had made sacrifices. The soldiers of Allah who died at the hands of their own brothers after their missions complete only to confuse and confound the simple minded fools. Their minds filled with corruption from their television their souls lost and wandering from Allah and their women dressed like whores with their faces uncovered. He turned and watched the news. Yes you would see soon why our brothers died. They gave their lives so you will feel terror; real terror that no place and no one is safe.

The imam walked over to the large intricately carved wooden desk sitting in a dark corner of the room away from the windows and prying eyes. He reached into the top drawer and withdrew a cellular phone. Before dialing he dismissed the young man with a wave of his hand. He tapped on the screen and then held the phone to his ear.

In a low voice he said “ is the package being delivered”

A whispered reply from the other end “yes”

“Allah be praised, after the package…release the vipers into the garden” he said softly and then ended the call.

The imam walked to the window and watched the men in the field run through their daily exercises and hand to hand combat training. They had been able to smuggle hundreds across the southern border and many more on student or work visas, enough to man these training facilities and teach the warriors of Islam. He walked and knelt down on his prayer run and began to recite the Koran and pray that Allah would protect his humble servants.

Chap 9

Chapter 9

Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every Free State.
Thomas Jefferson


Agent Dawes finished the phone call to DC and finalized his report on the Mall of America. 4 men of apparent Arab heritage were dropped off they walked through the mall shot everyone they could and then were killed by an accomplice. The director was on some tirade that there was no sure evidence of Islamic terrorism. They had so far been unable to get a statement from the man in Louisville. He was being medicated for the pain and after the news on the morning shows he had needed pain meds from the sheer anger and tension. Director Sieve had called agent Eliz and asked that they make sure and speak with the shooter today. Dawes was keeping up with the goings on down in the bluegrass state. He was worried this guy had stopped one of the attacks and wondered if Eliz had added any security for this man. He would text Tim later and ask. He checked online and looked at the reports being posted. They were all the same and some of the new reports about the ambushes. There were none of the terrorists to interrogate. This worried him and he knew even if the director would no admit it this was an oddity. Suicide bombers wanted and killed as many as they could and usually a second would be around and kill the rescue workers. It made no sense. He picked up the blackberry and sent a text to Tim and inquired about the extra security. He got a quick reply and just as he had expected nothing was being done actually Eliz had already began to look into this guy’s background and see if he was militia. Dawes shook his head. This was getting out of hand. To cater to the Muslims was one thing and to not investigate 100 acre compounds at the directors and AG direction was another but this out and out misrepresentation was something else. They had to know that they would be forced to accept this was Muslim extremists soon. The sheriff had already let it slip here and Dawes had been on the call when one of the agents was talking about the NYPD giving them the finger and basically telling them to go to hell.

As Dawes was heading out to catch the flight back to DC he took a stop by the computer and typed a quick note to Tim.

The blackberry on Agent Smiths side gave a slow and silent vibration as he rode the elevator up to meet with the only person who had been able to stop the carnage of the last two days. As they stepped out of the elevator he and agent Eliz he grabbed the blackberry and said he would catch up it could be data on the Tanner individual. Eliz nodded and walked slowly down the hallway. He really did not want Smith with him. He was going to get vital information and then get back to the director and let them decide how to treat this suspect. He mentally corrected himself witness. Eliz was not a big fan of this … witness, he was a gun owner and he had taken the law into his own hands. No matter what had happened or who he had saved this was the job for law enforcement and no one else. He did not like people being able to carry or for that matter have many of the guns this guy seemed to own. He smiled yeah sure that sale data gets erased after 72 hours he chuckled to himself.

Agent Smith looked down at his Blackberry and saw the encrypted text and typed in a long string alphanumeric code and the message appeared.

Find me a Security Six Love Mom.

Tim typed back.

Ok. Hope you are not going to cause any trouble Mom.
Tim

Tim knew his friend and knew better then to ask about this. He knew Dawes was not happy about the direction the FBI had taken recently and especially in the last few years. He started to walk faster to catch up with Eliz. He caught up with him at the nurse’s station.

“we have to wait the doctor is seeing him” Eliz said with a touch of anger.

“So your feeling a little better then we did when we came in yesterday Mr. Tanner “ the young physician smiled and said with a smirk.

JT looked at the 30 year old Doctor with a cross between dislike and disdain. He was not fond of doctors but then again he did want to get his way so.

“yep getting shot twice will just ruin a perfectly good spring day” JT said smiling.

“any complaints or problems today’ The doctor asked.

“well I was hoping for some bourbon the IV and if the nurses could wear some skirts it would improve the scenery” JT said with a coy smile as he saw the doctor crack and large grin he decided this was the time.

“ actually doc I was wanting to ask about how long you want to keep me here” JT asked still keeping a light and humorous tone.

“Well…” The doctor started “it will be some time although you are closed up and doing good with no need for drainage tubes we need to keep an eye on you for several more days.”

“ doc let me be honest with you. I can get the antibiotic in the iv from home and a home care nurse can come once a day and check on me. My wife and I can take my temps every few hours and as long as the woods do not look red and have any discharge they should be doing find” JT said quickly with a bit more tone then was needed.

The doctor was taken aback and just a little shocked. This man knew a fair amount about care of a wound and yes the main issues associated with them.

Before the doctor could come up with a quick reply JT added “ listen doc” he was going to play the trump card now and it would either work or not “ I am worried about the staff, what if the terrorist want to try and get me. How many people would be in danger and there is no way to secure the whole hospital, a doctor, nurse or patient could be killed. I could not have that on my conscious” he smiled inwardly. He could see the wheels turning in the doctor’s head and knew he would be worried it would be him that got killed. Ya have got to love self preservation.

“ I see” the doctor said “ I can understand you do not want people to be in danger. I will ask the nurse to start putting things together and we will see about releasing you tomorrow. “

“Oh one more thing the FBI is waiting” The doctor said.

JT responded “please ask them to give me a sec and ask the nurse if she could help me to the bathroom”

The doctor nodded and was out the door.

JT dropped the rail and slowly moved his leg over the side of the bed and onto the cold tile floor. He reached into the drawer for the cell phone and sent a quick text message to his wife.

Coming home tomorrow (do not ask) find a nurse that can come by once a day and ask the kids to be down here to get me after I call them. Also send this message to the local channel 3 news, have Dan post it to my Frugal Squirrels account he knows the username and password. I am not sure they know who I am but this will get out there in the blog and then it will be hard to stop. This was a big gamble maybe he should call the lawyer first and then he sent the text message.

The nurse came in and he said he had decided to just sit into the always cold hospital recliner and just as usual the hospital gown was covering nothing. Once he was seated and covered he asked for the blanket and covered his legs. He leaned back to recline slightly and winced at the pain. When he was as comfortable as possible he the nurse know she could let the FBI agents come back to his room. The doctor was talking on the phone as the nurse walked towards the two agents. She stopped and let them know that it was ok to go in and see the patient now. Agent Smith had been trying to catch the conversation going on behind them while Agent Eliz he was sure was in his own little world. Smith smiled as he caught that Mr. Tanner had asked to leave as soon as possible for the safety of the hospital. They were talking quietly about letting him go with in home nursing tomorrow midday. The doctor thought no notice was better then letting everyone know.

Agent Smith was caught off guard when Agent Eliz began walking and took a quick two steps to catch up. As they approached the door Agent Eliz turned to Agent Smith and looked him in the eyes and said coldly. “ I am doing this interrogation and you are here to assist me is that clear”

Agent Smith slowly nodded and then asked “are we interrogating a suspect or doing an interview of a witness… I does kind of matter”

Agent Eliz face flared red and he seemed almost at the point of eruption but held it back.

Finally the Agent spoke “yes we are interviewing but he did kill 4 men yesterday and he may be involved with a militia and we know he is a rabid 2nd amendment proponent”

Agent Smith knew he treaded on thin ice but could not hold back he had completed his PhD last year and well was not sure he wanted the agency line anymore and knew this last dig might make that happen.

Agent Smith spoke softly as Agent Eliz turned the handle “ all of which are perfectly legal”

Smith pushed the door open before Eliz could complete the explosion that was building.

JT welcomed the agents and asked them to sit down. They both remained standing and introduced themselves, Agent Tim Smith and Agent Eliz. JT found it odd that the second agent seemed flushed and angered as well as seem to not offer a first name. Smith seemed more at ease and thanked JT for seeing them.

Agent Eliz took the lead “sir we are here to ask about the events of yesterday afternoon”

Before the agent could get anymore of the speech he had planned out.

JT waved his had for the agent to stop ”first am I a suspect… and do I need my Miranda rights read to me”

Agent Eliz was caught off guard “ yes” he stated “you are a suspect for the killings of 4 men and endangering the lives of countless others and being a member of a militia group”

“then I have the right to remain silent anything I say can be used against me but not for me and have counsel and one will be appointed if needed” is that correct he said.

Agent Smith piped in “ yep that about covers it”

Agent Eliz shot a fierce glare to Agent Smith and then looked back to Mr. Tanner.

“ we want to clear up what happened and what involvement you had. You own an large assortment of guns and seem to have some problems with the current administration” Agent Eliz said in an accusatory tone.

JT sat back and thought for a moment and spoke softly “ I own whatever I own legally and it is none of your business. I wonder if the GOA needs to doing a freedom of information request to see if the FBI is keeping sales statistics it is by law suppose to be destroyed. As for yesterday I saw 4 men walking into the Mall in St Matthews with what appeared to be AK47. Through their mannerisms and dress and spoken word they appeared to be Muslim terrorists. I was shot by them twice”

Agent Eliz waited for more. “Go on” he said.

JT smiled “that is my statement at this time”

Agent Eliz became furious “ do you think this is some game. You are dealing with the FBI, we can tear your life apart and I promise we will. We can hold you and drop you into a dark hole that you will never see the light of day.”

JT had expected this “ I am sure you can but as I see it you have a story already lined out and I am not going to go quietly. I have no alliance to any militia and you know it. Your PC loving bosses are trying to cover their collective asses with the Muslims and I am not going to be the sacrifice. I invoke my right to counsel and will let you know who it is tomorrow”
Agent Eliz moved towards Mr. Tanner but was stopped with a firm hand from Agent Smith. He pulled the agent towards the door before agent Eliz could make a protest.

“what do you think you are doing… I am the lead agent” Eliz sputtered.

Yes and he invoked and your actions would look bad on the 6 o’clock news. Reporters are everywhere and what if one caught all that. How would it look for the Agency threatening a may who 24 hours ago saved a mall full of people something no one else has done. Eliz jerked away and headed for the elevators.

I am going back to Washington and make my report to the director your part in all of this will be noted. I would not look for any more promotions Agent Smith. As the pair passed the throng of reporter one yelled out and asked if they had spoken with witness.

Agent Eliz spun around “ yes and the witness is being un cooperative and verbally combative, we are not sure of his involvement in a militia and his gun ownership makes him a viable suspect in the deaths of the men at the mall”

A reported from the back “ you mean the terrorists that were there to kill everyone they could”

Agent Eliz ignored him and started to say something else when.

I am Kelly Renolds from the local Channel 3 news” I wonder do you have a comment that Jerome Tanner says that he was protecting people and took what action was needed. He wanted to thank all the people for their prayers and well wishes. He said he had never been in a militia but would not cooperate with the FBI since it seemed like they already had a storyline and only needed a sucker to pin it on. He went on I am an honest and God fearing gun owner cannot believe that this is an honest investigation when all the evidence points to Muslim extremists and this PC worshipping administration will not even use the word Muslim and terrorist in the same breath.”

The agent went on a tirade about interference and investigation all while the cameras were rolling. Agent Smith eventually moved him into the suburban and smacked the top telling the driver to head to the airport. He walked to his rental car and smiled. He had worried about Tanner when he had started talking almost wanting to yell “ the right to remain silent what part did you miss” but Tanner had backed the lead agent into a corner and knew he would complain about no cooperation when he was in front of the reporters. He made the agent look like irrational and the agency look foolish. Well played Mr. Tanner well played. Agent smith pulled away from the curb and headed downtown he had some old friends that could help with the errand Agent Dawes needed.

chap 10

Chapter 10
A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have
Abraham Lincoln


Mohamed Hayah lay in the cool grass under the cedar limbs with his revolver and dragunov. He was waiting for the end of sabbath at Ohev Sholom. He was given the honor of of this historic act and would not allow anyone to stop him from his revenge on the dogs that had waged war on his Palestinian brothers and sisters. His brothers son had been killed in one of the Zionist bombings and today he would be avenged. People started to wander out of the temple and he began to fire hitting one person and then armed guards were around the entrance pulling people back in. He stood and placed the revolver at his temple and pulled the trigger as he jerked his hand. The bullet grazing the back of his head and he could feel the blood trickle down the back of his neck.

“Allah protect your humble servant” he whispered.

The DC police arrived within minutes and it went out over the radio that a live terrorists had been captured. The FBI director was informed and had just finished his talk with Agent Mohammed Eliz from his meeting with the Tanner fellow and the following news videos that showed the agent loosing his cool and looking like an idiot. Every news outlet from the Fox news to the BBC had shown the 30 second tirade followed by the reasoned and logical statement of the man many were claiming a hero. The director and had warned the AG and President of the possible problems with not making a more formal statement then trying to control the message and keep their Muslim friends insulated from anymore bad press. After the holy land foundation and CAIR being an unindicted co-conspirator the muslim leadership in America had been given a black eye. The Director sent Eliz to Walter Reed since they were only blocks away from where the shooting had taken place.

Only 20 minutes had passed since the DC police had taken the suspect into custody and called for an ambulance to transport to Walter Reed. . The ambulance personnel loaded him into the back and strapped him down to the gurney an FBI agent climbed in beside him.

The agent yelled to one of the DC cops closest to the ambulance. “ did you all check this guy for any other weapons”

“yeah , checked all over only had the Koran and the revolver close and we took both into evidence.” the officer said back.

The Agent not wanting to take anything for granted did a complete pat down as the the wound to the head was wrapped. He had nothing on him.

“Is he going to make it” the agent inquired.

“yeah it looks like he jerked when he tried to shoot himself after failing to kill more then one and was going to get caught. Not that unusual we see it sometimes in suicide tries” the paramedic said as he bandaged the head wound and started an IV.

The ambulance pulled away and the driver called ahead to Walter Reed and ask that a trauma team with a specialist in head wounds be ready. No answer. We are inbound with a priority patient please confirm.

Negative came the reply follow backup procedure.

Negative we are two minutes out and the FBI had confirmed with headquarters we are going to walter Reed for safety and the ability to lock down the hospital.

A new voice came on the radio negative this is Secret Service Agent Sean Wilson eagle two is on board this hospital is locked down follow backup procedures.

As the ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance the FBI agent was calling in and explaining the situation. As the ambulance waited calls were made and tempers flared and finally they unloaded the patient into the ER. He was pushed into an isolation room on the chance he was a plant and had some biological agent to infect the hospital. The negative pressure room would not allow any bugs out of the room until they could check him over completely. He was still in and out from the suicide attempt and was not moving on the gurney.

“Sir” Agent Wilson broke in as the Vice President and his doctor bantered back and forth about fishing.

“yes Agent what is the problem” VP Biden inquired.

The agent quickly explained this hospital has been compromised they have brought the terrorist from this mourning shooting into the ER Biden had heard about the shooting at the temple and put his hand up to quiet the rattled agent. I am sure he had been secured and searched. It might be good for me to go down to the ER and bee seen while the FBI asks him some questions. We are taking a beating this is fortuitous to have my yearly physical and this guy falls in my lap. The agent countered, I do not believe in coincident like this.

“You worry too much agent this is not James Bond” Biden quipped.

The agent knew this was over and they moved to the elevators and down to the ER. Agent Wilson did not like it this was to convenient. The guy only killed one person and then tried to shoot himself and missed. This was all wrong but when the VP made a decision he was not going to change his mind. When they made it to the room and looked into the window the man was strapped down and handcuffed to the rails. His hands could only move enough to touch his own sides. Biden was talking to one of the FBI agents as he shook his head and then finally nodded and left for the doors. He came back followed by several reporters. They began snapping pictures of the VP Biden in front of the window to the room where the terrorist was being held. Agent Eliz was donning a mask and gloves and was heading in to interrogate this witness. He was aware he had made a sever mistake in Kentucky and would have to do something to make up for the videos that were being show on all the news shows. He sat down next to the bed and began to speak in Arabic to the supine man. At first the man made no acknowledgment of the agents presence but then said his name Mohamed Hayah. Eliz went on and told him they would take care of his wound and save his life. Hayah made said nothing for the longest time and then looked to Eliz and asked for some water. He made no motion only asked. Eliz moved to get a cup and filled it with water and began to hold it to his mouth. He shook his head let me drink like a man I can go nowhere and have no intentions of fight. Agent Eliz put the cup down and was about to unhook the left hand. Agent Wilson outside was trying to hit the intercom and tell him not to undo the handcuffs. The key turned and the cuff loosened. Eliz was turning around and picking up the cup and facing the thin suspect. He looked into the eyes and they changed.

“cures you and your linage, you are a dog for working with our enemies” hayah spat forth.

Then as if he was going to stab himself he slammed his fist down onto his pelvic region. He felt the small vial crack and felt the electric shock that he had been warned would jar his body and closed his eyes. The explosive device hidden under the muscle layer in the abdominal cavity was impossible to see and might have even been missed even in an xray but then the American dogs were not worried about that, they were to proud they had captured a live shooter. The scar was barely visible after the weeks of healing.

The explosion of the one pound of PETN with semtec kicker was sparked with a dead man switch electric circuit that if seen would look like a small morphine pump but it had been changed where if the small vial sitting under the skin was broken the unit would fire and send the needed charge to the small semtec and the remaining PETN and then....

The explosion rocked the emergency suite and killed everyone in the immediate vicinity. Reporters standing outside the ER waiting to get a story were knocked off their feet and cut with flying debris.

The smoking hulk of the collapsed ER entrance was shown on the midday news services across the globe with the caption that it was feared the Vice President was likely killed in the explosion.

chap 11

Chapter 11
I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.
Thomas Jefferson

Jerome Tanner eased himself from the wheelchair into the restored K7 Chevy Blazer. He put his foot firmly on the step bar and had pulled up into the seat with his right arm. His left arm was still painful although they had given him a pain shot in the port they left in his right forearm before he left the hospital. As he was safely front seat he looked over to his daughter and cracked lets get home and can we please get their in one piece. He loved his daughter but her ability to damage a car was somewhat legendary in the family or was that infamous he smiled as they pulled away and headed towards interstate 65. He had asked them to bring his blazer he hoped it would be be a little less prone to bounce on the gravel drive. He had made sure the truck had heavy duty shocks and even replaced the leaf springs so the ride would be better. He had always liked this vehicle and the only drawback was the powerful 8 cylinder engine. He reached and turned on the radio and changed the channel to one of the new services 84 whas was going over the events outside of DC. The Vice President was more then likely dead from the explosion in the ER of the Walter Reed Army Hospital. Sketchy information was trickling out that it looks like one of the agents allow the terrorist to detonate a bomb that was somewhere inside of his body but that was still speculative.

No other attacks had taken place the president still had very little to say the AG had come out and said these people would be brought to justice no matter who they are and said the administration was looking at some kind of gun check and safety screening where people would have to relinquish their guns for up to one month and then get them back. The uproar was immediate and predictable. Even the somewhat squeamish NRA said this was nothing more then gun confiscation with a please on the end of it. Most of the other pro gun groups said this was in all reality a declaration of war on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. They vowed to fight this in court as well as if need be in the streets with marches. Some it was assumed meant much more then marches. The various and often difficult to define militia movement made it known that none of their members would be giving up their arms. Across the web sites began the push back that some had already known would happen. The government may not have known that the Sheriffs would wade into this and say that they would offer no cooperation with this scheme. Some of the Chiefs of Police said they welcomed the help and would work with the FBI and ATF but many of the rank and files knew this was a step to far and realized that if they were to take part this would place them in the cross hairs literally of their neighbors and friends.

They arrived at home without incident and no damage to her dad’s prized truck. JT was able to get into the house. The quarter mile driveway had posed little problem and did not shake his wounds to badly. He was able to sit down in the big recliner as Chaos came over to say hello. Chaos was a big white shepherd mut they had rescued as a pup. He came over and licked the big had of his master a laid down at his feet somewhat seeming to know that this was not the time for a huge scratchfest that he always liked to get. JT scratched the dogs head and behinds the ears as he got comfortable in the big leather recliner.

“ dad mom said she was heading to work for a little bit and we should make sure you do not do anything stupid” his son smiled as he said.

“yeah I will try and keep my activity level down today” JT said.

His daughter kissed him on the forehead and headed out the door. She waved as she headed back out to get to class. He did not want her to miss any days with this. She was 3 months away from getting her nursing degree.

JT asked “ did you look at the stores downstairs”

“yep” Dan answered “ several hundred cans of soups the same with tuna, boxes of pasta and mac and cheese each couple hundred boxes. We have miscellaneous meat in cans salmon, chicken and then the MREs as well as the long term stuff. The only thing kinda low is about 50 pounds of rice and 50 of beans. Doing good on water and have the creek as a backup as well as 25 gallons of Clorox if needed to clean the water. We also have tablets the small filter that we can also use.”

he looked at his father and worried he looked tired and still knew he came home because he was worried. This string of events was not going to stop he saw that in his eyes and knew his father was really worried that is was going to get worse. He was not sure what they would do if they actually tried to press charges. His mother had gotten a call from a family friend down at the hall of justice and they said it was possible while the District Attorney was out of town they might try and get a grand-jury to charge his father with murder of all things. He shook his head. His dad had spoken.

“What? Sorry was thinking what else we might need we are obviously prepared for the zombie apocalypse with ammo but beans and rice and maybe some fuel would be a nice addition. “ he spoke up.

JT thought yeah it would be good if we have a little more of the basics and maybe 50 gallons of fuel. They had 50 gallons of diesel outside for use on the 10 acres and maybe 30 or so of regular unleaded with stabilizer. Yeah we could probably clear a large area of the zombie apocalypse with their ammo stash. They stored when it was cheap and stored as much as they could afford and well frankly store. The had 20 50 call ammo cans of loose federal 22 and then about 20,000 more rounds of miscellaneous 22 for the pistols and several 22 rifles. They each had tricked out ruger 10/22 with scopes and mag releases as well as new Volquartsen SS Match barrel and triggers groups. Then the 8mm 30-30 and 223 along with the 7.5x55 for the two Schmidt Rubins K31. One which was scoped and one had a diopter set that cost more then the gun but it could reach out and touch someone if needed. The makarov and 9 mm pistols allowed for everyone to shoot any of the handguns well except for the cz-52 no one wanted to shoot that to often as well as a couple of highpoint carbines rounded out the group. Of course he could not forget his daughters Remington 700 300 win mag she had won at some gun drawing.

“ hey go get me that jar of change by my desk.” he directed his son.

Dan came back with the quart mason jar in hand and handed it down to his father. JT rolled the jar and then emptied it out in his hand. His son had never noticed their were golden coins down in the bottom. Maybe some of the Sacajawea dollars. His father fished them out and handed a one ounce American Eagle to his son.

“ I thought all the gold and silver was in the safe downstairs” his son said with a touch of an accusatory tone.

“yeah well I do some horse trading now and then and well that is times when mom may not need to know. Besides it is good to make sure you have some others just in case” His father said.

Head down to numismatic and you should get at least 1300. Head over to the little Chinese place out Dixie and get 100 pounds of rice and stop by Walmart and clear them out or dried beans. If anyone asked tell them it is for a church bean soup night. I think we are ok on salt, flour, honey and sugar and the farmer is about ready to drop off the last of our 50 lb bag of corn from last years harvest.

“move it” his father chided.

“ I was suppose to stay and make sure you were ok and did not get into trouble” his son replied.

JT smiled ” It is ok I will tell your mother I told you to go. Now hit the road and get back here”

His son saluted and headed out the door. JT was happy to be alone for a few minutes. He walked to his office and reached under the desk and pulled the Makarov from the holster attached there and went back to the recliner. He found his cell phone in the zipper pocket of the backpack his son had sat on the floor by the recliner. He removed the battery and took out the small piece of paper. He replaced the battery and called the number. A pleasant voice came on and asked who was calling. Seemed odd that she did not say what law office it was or anything like that. This is Jerome Tanner and I was given this number.

The sweet voice interrupted “ yes we have been expecting your call. One second please.”

A booming voice came on the line “ hello Mr Tanner, My name is Harold Royce and well I have been informed you may need my special services.”

“well I am not to sure as of yet. I have not gotten a call from any local police only the FBI and of course the man who gave this to me.” JT said

Yes well I can tell you that talk is the ADA Kurns is going to try and empanel a grand jury and get charges while his boss it away. He figures once charges are filed the DA will not let them drop for fear of looking soft. Kurns is an odd sort and is guided by people in the mayor’s office. There is talk mind you that he is not exactly what he is letting people see.

“what do you mean” JT questioned

Lets just say it appears his family history is looking a little odd. He wedded a few years back to a beauty queen from Alabama and he has serious aspiration for higher office. This gal came from some fine stock if you know what I mean and he daddy was less then please but this guy swept her off her feet. He daddy is an old hunting buddy from down south and says if he says that no one seems to know him before he went to Harvard, although the name and town seems to go together no one remembers the family at all. His daughter had demanded he stop and he had but you know daddy’s.

JT nodded his head even though he was alone but knew there was more and the father had found something and was waiting.

“ well” JT said “ how do I retain you and let you help me. I may have made a mess with the message and such and would rather not end up in jail.”

“Just say you need me and I am in” Harold said.

I hate to say but what is the cost and can I work something out if it gets to pricey.

The other end of the phone was quiet for some time and JT half wondered if he had offended the verbose lawyer.

“Mr. Tanner” The voice much softer and almost not recognizable. “My daughter and grand daughter were at the mall near the entrance. The thought of payment should never cross your mind again.’

The phone line went dead and JT wondered if the man on the other end was unable to talk now. Somehow this had escaped him. Yeah the news people were trying to hound him but with the connection to new 3 he had kind of played that out and would just use them. He relaxed back into the chair and fell asleep until much later. A note on the table beside him; we wanted to let you sleep Dan got more supplies (we have to talk and I made some meatloaf and left some in the fridge. JT was not really hungry and reached over to the table and gingerly retrieved the old laptop he kept there. He opened it and looked over some news sites, mostly ranting about the decree from on high about the gun checks. People talking about from their cold dead hands and others saying finally the country was going to have common sense guns laws. Of course the brady campaign was all in favor of the check system and like everyone else they knew the guns would never come back once they were taken. Katrina had been a hard lesson for gun owners but you follow a law and give up your guns do not expect them back. He opened fire fox and clicked on radioreference.com and decided to listen to the police chatter. The scanner in the office would work but he was a bit to sore to make they climb down the stairs. He clicked back and forth from cities in Florida to Illinois and out to California. Just the normal back and forth, he clicked over to Seattle and laid his head back and listened to the voices as his mind quieted.

A flurry of voices brought his mind out of the clouded stupor.

Car 94 we have a woman and man on the ground in front of home depot in your sector. Quick responses and the car was in route.

Dispatch we have two victims of gun shot wounds in the front of the home depot we need paramedics and backup.

Roger please is advised this could be another trap use all caution.

Will do but the shots appear to have come 15 minutes prior to our arrival. No one would come outside to check.

The back and forth worried JT was this random or was this next shoe to drop. He muted the radio noise and clicked on the TV. CNN was droning on about the Muslim brother hood and the elections that everyone wanted and now a call by the brotherhood to levy a tax against the west for its aggressions against the Muslim world. Just then a new flash about Seattle and the shooting no word yet on cause or exactly where it happened. A map was placed on the screen and showed where people were shot at a gas station.

He looked again and wondered if he had heard correctly and then noticed this was from a shooting 2 hours ago. This had happened around 8pm west coast time and he looked and it was now almost 10. Two shootings like that and that close together seemed far fetched. The news anchor stopped in mid sentence and was handed a paper. There appears to be another shooting 30 miles from this original shooting. We have no word yet but the first shooting victims were shot from more then 100 yards away and both are dead. This new shooting is less then an hour old he said.

JT rubbed his temples.

The news anchor visibly flinched as he read the next page handed to him from some anonymous hand from nowhere. It is my sad obligation to inform you that at this time it looks like there are snipers shooting people on the west coast. We are getting reports from Oakland, LA and down in Austin. It appears all locations have had two shootings this evening and multiple deaths at each shooting. The anchor chocking back tears it seemed. In Austin two young boys and their dog were shot as then were they played in a local park.

Jerome Tanner wept for the first time in many years.

chap 12

Chapter 12
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
George Washington

The days passed slowly his shoulder still was in pain but it had lessened daily. A small spot of an infection responded to two days of antibiotics and kept him from having to go back to the hospital. The sniper attacks had continued and were now in across the continental United States. Since the first night he had listened to the broadcast on radioreference.com he now took the time and considerable energy to get downstairs and listen to his SW and scanners. He was able to catch up on the local Hams and find out what the local police were saying and it worried him. There was no pattern to the attacks and no one was immune. They had shot at kids going to and from school and city workers repairing potholes. Men and women were shot some filling their cars with gas that was now topping 5 dollars a gallon and some were mowing their yards.

President Obama finally gave a speech after 3 days of the sniper attack and spoke of the national concern and the need for strict gun control. He talked about how the whole gun culture was to blame for these despicable acts by these terrorists. No one word on Islamic radicals. Even his own party was beginning to loose patience with him. Several modeate democrats visible shaken by the violence and lack of serious response spoke up that the dangers of radical Islamic radicals were being downplayed in this administration and it was costing lives. The FBI and ATF had begun talking seriously about asking gun owners to surrender their weapons. The fervor online was becoming heated and looked like it might get out of control. The NRA had even noted that none of these attacks had even been traced back to an American citizen. Which drew a rebuke from the IDG that the NRA was bashing Muslims as non American. Which in turn drew a rebuke from the NRA that if the IDG felt that Muslims were to blame for the violence then the NRA did not think they were American. The insults were plenty and it seemed the NRA had finally found the backbone many had hoped it had.

The attorney had called and it seemed the local golden boy was having a hard time seating a grand jury and getting any type of charges and he only had a week left before the boss returned and he told JT to relax he thought he would be able to make it without much fuss. This had made the whole family more relaxed and allowed for some better rest for JT.

Although he was sleeping a lot during the days he was trying to get his sleep pattern back to normal but he was also doing a lot of listening at night. Many of the HAM radios were much more active at night and he was trying to keep up with all he could. This cycle seemed to be getting worse. First the shopping malls and then the police shootings and the explosion that had killed the Vice President and now snipers everywhere. The local police were trying to do the best they could but it was the DC snipers on a national level. They would shot and move and then shot again. Always two targets which led most to believe that there were two shooters but no one knew for sure. All the brass was 308 most likely from a Remington 700 but it was hard to pin down. The police had nothing to go on and since it was happening across the US there was only so much the federals departments could do. Besides if this new “inspection” scheme went into effect they would have their hands full. It was being circulated that several agency locations had received a rather odd letter. No note but a single 223 case with a small tag tied to it. “ shall not be infringed” hand written in a beautiful calligraphic fashion. The FBI and ATF had officially said nothing but sources had verified the locations now numbered around 20 and they were being taken as a serious threat although no one knew where they had come from.

JT had gotten his son to pick up some extra stores of rice and beans and even though his wife was not at all pleased they had picked up 10 bags of corn and and 10 of scratch grains for the chickens. That should last them for most of the summer and into the fall if anything happened and with the price going up it was a good use of space and money to get the grains now and beat any increase. He had also been able to grab a nice outdoor fuel tank for the regular unleaded and had gotten the 150 gallons filled for a nice ruger mini 30 and 500 round of ammo. Although he liked the gun it was not something he shot and well right now the fuel and storage was more important. He did not want to scare his wife and kids but this was going to get nasty in a hurry. The 5 dollar a gallon gas was already making deliveries slower and fews that some of the stores were using rail cars again but just let one of these sniper teams start shooting semi trucks and the small spots on the shelves that were empty now and a minor inconvenience were going to be more widespread and the people were going to catch on that this is an ice bridge and the temperature was rising. JT had been able to chat with some friends from around the web and most were already talking about GOOD and heading to their bug out locations. Several emails that he had sent out went unanswered and he assumed that the people were where ever they had planned and had not gotten communication with the outside up or were not planning on having any other then shortwave.

He sat in the chair downstairs and listened to the shortwave. He had spoken to several friends earlier and they to were finalizing stocks most had lifestock and people to supply but all feared this was it. When the first store shelves were reported empty they figured the mob mentality would take over and then it would be all over. He prayed they were wrong that people would try and help each other but worried that would not be the case. He closed his eyes and looked over at the television.
He reached over for the remote and un-muted the TV. Some imam was on telling the host that America had for to long plundered Muslim lands and was reaping what it had sown. That America should embrace Islam and this evil would pass. Imam Aneef was talking about how the indulgences of and corruption of the American people was the reason for these killings. Even the host being fairly liberal as JT remember from yelling at the screen, was asking the Imam if he was actually blaming the people who had died. Finally one of the conservative guest; some host of a radio show out west; said he could not listen to this crap any more and tore off his mic. Before leaving he grabbed the mic off the table and said that if this was what Islam was about then it should be wiped from the face of the earth. The Imam became livid and cursed at the belligerent American. You dog we will take this land your President is with us and knows that ours is the only way to save this decadent country. Gerry Trandle answered back that his father had fought for this land and over his dead body would he give it up. He threw the mic down and walked off the set. The host in an effort to gain control and assure the public that the Imam was not calling for a Muslim state tried to ask if that is what he really meant.


Yes, We have for too long been quiet in this land and we must make it known that the IDG is working with your government to raise Islam to the place it should hold and implement Sharia.” Imam Aneef responded.

The host cut to commercial almost immediately and the show came back with the host alone and looking shocked. JT smiled. Finally these liberal idiots were hearing the truth and they did not like what was being said. They had relegated talk like this to conspiracy and nut-jobs like Beck and Savage and now it seems well they were the ones who had been duped. He turned the TV off and sat in the dark illuminated by the lights of the Grundig sitting on the table. The old uniden scanner sitting next to it and the cb attached to the shelf above. He considered calling out to a couple more friends and see what there situation was but laid back in the chair and fell asleep.

Outside of Lexington, Ky. on a 100 acre compound Imam Aneef called a cellphone and spoke quickly. They must know that anyone who defies us will be punished. The line went dead.

chap 13

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
John F. Kennedy

Gerry Trandle was late as usual and hurried from the house with the cup of coffee and the morning paper in hand. On his right hip he wore the Springfield armory XDM subcompact that his wife had given him after the last barrage of calls he had gotten threatening his life. He was ready for a raucous show today and wanted to get to the station and run some idea by his partner in crime Jeanie Reynolds. She co-hosted the show and was about as mad about the previous nights show with the Imam as he was. However he was happy that the Imam had finally admitted what many on the right had said all along. He drove through the traffic and parked in the lot down the street from the radio station building. He stepped out into the light of the day and grabbed the paper and and show notes as he nudged the car door with his hip and it slammed with a solid thud. Gerry walked across the lot and headed around the corner and made no notice of the two men who emerged from the van parked on the street down from the lot. The two men walked businesslike down the sidewalk one about 15 feet behind the other. Their eyes locked on their target. Gerry was walking in front of one of the store fronts as the first of his attackers was within range and as he glanced towards the window he say the large bladed knife emerge from the waistband of the bearded man. Although Gerry was a geek and radio personality but he lived what he preached and with the years of judo and hand to hand as well as the Israeli krav maga he began to turn. The blade movement was quick and made contact and went into his back just below the kidney area and he took in a quick breath. As he turned he saw the blade was not in the hands of the man attempting to kill him and he saw the stunned look as he was coming around and in his hand the subcompact. Gerry raised the gun and two quick shoots were point blank into the face of his assassin. He saw the other man running down the sidewalk and could see he had a gun and was withdrawing a large machete from his trench coat. Gerry was down to one knee and he saw the plan in his mind leave a beheaded body for all to see and that he was not going to allow. He steadied the gun and began to fire. Unlike the man running at him Gerry was a good shot and hit him twice in the chest but the man keep coming and Gerry knew he did not have much time left as he felt a round hit him in the abdomen. He could barley hold the gun up and fired two more rounds his vision beginning to betray him. As he fell to the ground the knife sticking out of his back as he rolled down onto his side he saw the man standing over him; swinging the large curved machete over his head and down to Gerry's neck as if to make sure the cut would do what was intended. He had failed and he wished his wire would not have to see his body as this killer would leave it. I am sorry he said silently to his wife and young son. A tear slipped down his face as the saw the man was now ready at his task and he was about to feel the blade cut through his neck. He felt the cold steel as it touched his neck and then was pulled up for the damaging blow.

Jeanie Reynolds heard the report of the 9mm and knew at once that something was wrong in the street. She was at the front desk chatting with the receptionist and instantly ran out the door towards the sound of the shots. Somehow she knew that he partner was going to be the one doing the shooting. She had been to the range enough with Gerry that she could almost tell the sound of that XDM he carried. Jeanie was a striking young woman with coal black hair and stood just under 5' 7”. with a trim build and pale skin that had the look of porcelain she was strikingly beautiful. Taking her at that skin deep level would have been a profound mistake. He father a ranger in the army had taught her to shoot as soon as she could hold the little ruger 22 pistol steady and with his praise and her love to please she became one of the best shots around and could even beat some of the men her father trained with. It was to his great delight to have this wiry girl barley able to drive could shoot the lights out on just about any course. He taught he well and she went out the door.

She looked from side to side and could see a man standing over a body down on the ground, a large knife touching the neck and then coming up for a hard and fast down-cut. She knew the end to this story and yelled at the man I the long black coat to stop he only look her way and smiled as he hand began the ark downward. As fast as his hand was he could not have believed how fast the woman reaction was and before his blade tasted the blood and skin a shot rang out and he was pushed backward. The colt cold cup bucked with the shot but she keep a small target on the mans chest. As he regained his footing with out falling he looked up and screamed at the top of his lungs. How dare a woman shoot him how dare she disgrace him. He was a warrior of god and would make her pay. Forgotten for a moment the task of beheading the one who have insulted his Imam now he must kill this vile woman. These thoughts crossed through his mind quickly and just as quickly he made a move towards the dark haired beauty. Jeanie had simply paused... 5 shots rang in quick succession and the assassin was down. Never able to take that first step he had been struck in mid stride and was dead before the payment felt his the weight of his body. Jeanie ran to where Gerry lay and checked for a pulse but no life was left in this body. She had saved him from the beheading but the wound was a mortal injury. She tucked the 1911 in the holster at her side and swore she would not cry. She looked down at the body of her coworker and friend and could only think.

The blood of a patriot stains a sidewalk in Phoenix today and a lone tear streamed down her face.

chap 14

Chapter 14
If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

The news was awash with the murder of the radio talk show host and the promise by his compatriot that she would have a show later today and it would be one to remember. JT made a mental note that he would need to catch that show. He tapped one the keyboard and found the channel and found he could listen online. His head ached. When would the people wake up and if they did would it make any difference? He had to admit he had become pessimistic as time went on that the America that Japan was afraid to invade for the fact of a gun behind every blade of grass to a nation of people that wanted or needed to be taken care of. The nanny state was not coming it was here and it had been here for some time. The 60's and 70's the growth of the welfare class that had not desire to work and lived in perpetual poverty from generation to generation. The greatest bait and switched played on the poor community was the welfare system. It is just another form of slavery and plantation life. JT shook his head and walked up the wooden basement steps and down the hallway to his bedroom. He went in and headed for the back closet and reached in and grabbed what looked like small knot in the wood and pulled the hidden door open. It was not a large space only about 18 inches square but it held a few guns that he liked to keep close and some added ammunition. Right now he need some therapy and none of the little 22's would sate his needs today. He often told his wife he needed to go for some 22 therapy and would take out one or more of the 22 they owned and take out some frozen milk jugs or other dangerous targets. He reached towards the back and pulled the shiny stainless S&W mountain gun in the leather holster his wife ordered from simply rugged. He pulled the gun out of the hiding place and closed the door. He pulled the mountain gun from the holster and dropping the cylinder, the large 45 colt cylinder spun easily as he palmed the cylinder and gave it a spin. He walked back down the hall and towards the back door. The house basically a ranch with 3 bedrooms and a full basement was cozy and sparsely decorated with an older American flavor. The house faced the ¼ mile gravel drive from Kentucky road 44. Two large flower containers held bulbs and plants his wife had planted. They measured 2 feet wide and abut 3 feet long and just over waist high to him. They were prominently placed about 5 feet from the main door. His wife would have been somewhat amazed that he liked them as much as she. He did love wild flowers and the smell in the spring but these two massive rectangles would take up to a 308 and nothing would get passed. The concrete was a special heavy mixture with rebar and angle iron spaced throughout. As he met the back door he walked into the small side room and withdrew a frozen milk jug from the freezer and looking in the small ammo cabinet he had placed on the wall to keep some of his reloaded ammo when the need arose to release some tension. He grabbed a box and looked on the top RNFP 250 gr 7.5 Unique. That would do well for today. With the port still in his forearm he did not want to get to hot of a load and took the gun and ammo in his right hand and tried to grab the milk jug with the left. A shot of pain but he took hold and walked out the back door. They had a small mound of dirt and sand they used as a backstop about 30 yards behind the house and he walked back there and sat the jug and walked back to the small table they had for shooting. Chaos had decided to stay close to the back door although she did not mind the shooting she always stayed back from it and never came to close. Jt loaded the speed loaders and closed the box . He took hold of the tiger stripped maple grip that was another present from his wife, ahrends as he recalls. The grip was comfortable and fit his hand perfectly. Next to his old security six this was one of his favorite guns. It was hard to afford the 45 colt ammo so he reloaded what he shot and always had a nice supply when needed. He loaded the revolver and closed the cylinder and held the gun up. He steadied the gun and could feel the weight in his hand and his muscles strained alittle. With effort he steadied the gun and pulled the trigger. More the then two pounds the ruger had this trigger had not been worked and broke less crisp but was familiar to his hand. The first shot off to the side but only barely. The second right on and the bullet shattered the frozen jug. The following 4 rounds were spot on and the jog was no more then plastic parts and ice scattered in front of the mound. He dumped the spent cases in the small bucket kept at the site and reloaded another six into the cylinder. This time with a firmer hold and a better feel in his arm he rolled off six shots in succession and spun several of the old bowling pins around left from the last outing. His mind rolled back to the news reports. The blanket laying over the dead body and the raven haired woman asking when America was going to wake up. He loaded the gun again and fired and unloaded and then again and again. His anger growing as he fired again and again and remembering , what would it take. Would they only awaken when the Soviets and Cubans were parachuting in like red dawn or had American be the frog in the boiling water for so long it was to late. Their will to survive drained away by atrophy of the mind and body. Where were the leaders like the founding fathers. Where were the people that could bring this country back from the brink. As he loaded the last speed-loader into the revolver he became aware of the constant and load barking of Chaos. He quickly loaded the weapon and with a quick flip of the wrist closed the cylinder and spun around with the revolver sighted and his finger on the trigger.

Agent Tim Smith walked around the side of the house to see what the shooting was. He right hand back on the Beretta. As he rounded the back of the house he came face to face with a large white dog that looked none to happy at the intrusion. As he was trying to let the large angry dog know he was not an enemy around a large bush beside a small path a man came out with gun drawn and Agent Smith was worried this was a big mistake.

“hello agent … Smith welcome to my home” JT said as he lowed the gun he held and removed his finger from the trigger. He called the dog back and chaos keeping a wary eye on the newcomer went and lay by the back stoop.

“I had assumed that I had made it clear I was not going to talk with the FBI at our last meeting.” JT said as he walked towards the agent and slide the gun into the leather holster and inviting the man into his home.

“This is not a professional visit” Agent Smith said.

“well then to what do I owe the honor of your visit” JT responded.

Please understand that not everyone at the agency is like agent Eliz was. However you do need to be careful there are many that would like to use this to get as many guns out of the hands of the people as they can. They do not see the danger only their desire for a society without guns and control. If they can make this about militia and gun shows and illegal guns they will do whatever they can and the fact they will not place the blame on the Islamic radicals reveals how they are going to handle this.

“ I do appreciate the information but why tell me. ” JT asked.


You have already been able to beat them and they are going to come after you. The Assistant Commonwealths Attorney is already trying to get a grand-jury to indict you. He has ties to the IDG and has big money behind him and some close ties to the Mayors office.

“yeah but I have a lawyer that tells me he is far from getting it done and if I can hold off for a few more days his boss with be back in town and less likely to allow that to happen. “ JT responded.

Yeah that is true but know that he will do all he can and if that does not work they will come at you just like that radio show host. The IDG is behind the compounds CNN did the special on and we had been watching them before the current administration.

JT sat down as the agent took a chair by the dining room table.

Listen Mr. Tanner I came by and wanted to let you know you are not alone and many of us think you did one heck of a job and let you know to be careful. These people think they can do as they like and will not be held accountable. They have the department of justice and to many are to scared to call them out.

“I appreciate the warning and I am being careful. We are going to be able to stay close to home when things get worse and you know they will” JT responded.

The agent nodded and looked as if he were trying to decide on something to say. JT studied the face of the agent and noticed the pained and worried look.

Agent Smith leaned closer and in a low voice.

There is word the Muslim brotherhood is going to win the Eqypt elections and Lybia has fallen. Iran has a great deal of power and they are trying to weaken the Saudi monarchy. There is talk the Saudi Kings has made a concession that he will allow the price of oil to climb past 200 dollars and allow the brotherhood to add a tariff for the Suez canal. Gas will increase dramatically and the government knows they cannot do anything about it. The truckers are already getting hit hard and it will be impossible when diesel is above 6 dollars a gallon. The president is trying to get this whole gun confiscation rolling and implemented before this whole thing hits the news. Agent Smith stood up and extended his hand.

“ I wish you the best and hope you get through this as best as you can.” the agent said.

JT shook the agents hand and thanked him and said he would try and be safe.

As the agent walked past the end of the table he reached into his long coat and produced a box. This is something you might need. A friend asked me to find it for you. There is a card inside with a number on it. If things get bad and you need some assistance or information call.

JT stood and nodded his head and said thank you as the agent went out the back door. He considered that this could be some type of trap but doubted it. Although his nature of being suspicious of everyone this man felt like an honest and good man. He unwrapped the brown paper wrapping and opened the square box. The shiny stainless steel of a 4 inch security six meet his gaze. A small note on lay on the gun folded in half. He reached down and opened it and read the short note.

Dear Shootist;
I am a friend of Agent Smith.
I thought you might need another.
I am told the trigger is a crisp 2 pounds.
Regards;

The only thing beside the note was a small card with the number to the cell phone agent smith had mentioned.

JT gathered the box and noted and headed downstairs it was almost time for the radio show.

chap 15

Chapter 15
A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.
James Madison

Jeanie Reynolds sat in the studio and made notes on the pad in front of her on the small table that held the microphone. After the police questioned her and the station manager had asked over and over if she was sure she wanted to do this. Jeanie knew she had to do this show for Gerry and for herself she had always tried to be the calming effect, talking Gerry down and being the calming influence but she had always felt the same. That America had taken a wrong turn and needed a swift kick in the pants. Jeanie knew this might be the last show. She was sure this PC chained FCC was going to be unhappy with the show today and she was just as sure she no longer cared. She picked up her cell phone and placed a quick call.

Don this is Jeanie yeah thanks he was a good friend and a patriot and deserved better. Listen please do these thinks and not to many questions. I want all of my stocks and bonds liquidated. We know this run is about over and I will take my chances. Cash out my 401k and all other assets. Wire the money to my account over at the bank near dads house you should have the account number. Yeah I am going to stay up at dads house for now. You have always been a good friend and I appreciate the help. Listen if anyone comes looking do not get involved just let them know I went to dads. Also I may want you to take care of the funds from the sale of my house I am going to call Jan and let her put it on the market that developer has been wanting the 5 acres for awhile and maybe will make me a deal. Don take care and give Jill and the kids my best.

She made another quick call. Jan yeah thanks I am doing ok. Yeah it was terrible. Jan I need you to call that developer guy and see if she is still offering 500,000 for the 5 acres and the house. Yeah I am sure. I am going to dads for awhile. Yeah let me know. Don will be handling the money. Thanks.

Jeanie sat back and looked at the clock she still had about 30 minutes before the show started. The news had been circulating all day. Calls from everyone she and Gerry had known and worked with. The patriot community was up in arms literally. They blogs and web was streaming with calls that the Justice Department do something about these terrorists. The only problem was who the Justice department thought the terrorists were. The Islamic fanatics had come out of the woodwork and felt they were protected. They felt they had their man in the white house and members in the whole chain of government and now with impunity they would push for America to the point of collapse and then over that precipice. She did not believe they thought they could make a caliphate here or some sharia complaint state. They wanted America to fall. The economic pressures from without and now the attacks from within. This would spiral out of control at some point even if the government was not stupid enough to try and confiscate weapons. Small riots had already happened in the all too usual places. Detroit, LA, Chicago and New York had all seen demonstrations against the rise of food prices and gas prices turned into small riots. It was a matter of time when the shelves went bare the riots would be massive and the whole of cities would be on fire.

Dan ran the controls and tapped on the window and tapped his watch. She knew the sign well it was now 10 minutes to show and they did a voice and sound check to make sure everything was working and online. She motioned for Dan to come into the small studio she and Gerry had called home 5 days a week for the last 6 years.

“yeah Jeanie, everything ok and ready to rock.” Dan asked in that always cheerful tone

“yep”

“Dan I need you to do something for me. I want the controls locked to where I can run and control them from the studio and they cannot be locked out”

Dan was worried “Jeanie I have been with you all the way but what are you planning?”

I am going to say some things today that I am sure the FCC and maybe even this radio station management will not like and I do not want it to come back on you. This is all mine and I am going to take the hit for it.

Dan looked worried but went and did as she asked. The control panel could allow for the person in the studio to control everything if needed. However the panel could also take back that control Dan opened the panel and lightly unplugged the connection to the button that could take control back. He blew a kiss to Jeanie and walked to the receptionist and let her know he was feeling ill and would be leaving for the day. The young receptionist fawned and cooed and said she hoped he felt better. Dan walked to his car and turned on the radio and drove towards his home.

Jeanie watched the clock and allowed the intros to run.

With a somber slow voice she said this is Jeanie Reynolds from the Gerry and Jeanie show. As many are already aware Gerry was assassinated today. Her voice tinged with venom as she said the word. Cowards came from behind and stabbed him and then came like the scum they always are to desecrate his body. They wanted to behead him. I am sure that you are assuming like I did this was some Christian fundamentalist group or maybe some wild group of radical Jews or yes maybe even some of the worst of all some militia group. Yes these were my first thoughts. We all know that these people cannot be trusted they behead and cause trouble the world over. Her words strong and forceful. Her words paused… silence

Please tell me my fellow Americans how long will we allow this crap to be fed to us. How long will we allow this politically correct crap to be shoved down our collective throats before we puke? What kind of people are we that we allow people in our government that are traitors.

Yes traitors and I will not apologize or calm down or tone it down. This is the raw version we have members of this administration that are traitors. They support our enemies if not in deed then in thought. We have allowed this whole narcissistic, me first and what can I get from the government generation to breed and fester. We are no longer ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. We are this country owes me and I am going to take it.

Jeanie remembered the Baptist preachers her words growing and moving she could feel herself getting lost in the words.

For too long we have allowed people who hate and despise this great nation to be in office and allowed them to change and mold it to their own image. We have allowed laws contrary to the supreme law of this country. Our Founding Fathers are no longer revered they are ridiculed by ones that do not deserve to share the same free air as they did. We have allowed ourselves to be told the ways we lived were wrong and that only by accepting whatever new nonsense the local elite decide is fashionable and of course in the best interest of the state for their god is Government. They love and revere it for the power they can wield and the change they can effect. We want government to stay out of our lives but for the progressives
… lets be honest socialist… communist government is their lives. We now are at a crossroads. We are not racists because we want a Constitutional Republic like our fathers and grandfathers fought for. We are not asking to forget the sins of the past but we must for once and for all say it is in the past. We do not have slaves and we are not calling for un-equal justice but it must be equal to all. The slave masters today are democrats that have kept blacks on a welfare plantation and want them to stay there. Time and again we have heard them speak of blacks as children needing to be taken care of. The chains that are clasp on your wrists are not from the white republicans but from the white and black democrats.
Her voice reaching a fever pitch. She saw the general manager enter the control booth and attempt to cut her off.

I tell you now that every welfare program is designed with one thing in mind and that is to gain control of the people. We have more people collecting food stamps then any time in history …. Do you think that the government hates that? No! This is their desire for it they can control our food they control us.

The general manager was trying to regain control of the show and nothing was happening. Jeanie had wedged the door with a screwdriver so no one could get in.

Now lest I forget one of my most important topics today. To the cowardly Islamic dog that sent the animals that attacked a good man today. I am speaking directly to you. You may think the Justice Department and Holder can protect you. I know he and the president bow at the feet of the Islamic nation but hear me well. I put down the rabid animals that you sent to Phoenix and I promise by all that I hold dear I am going to come and gut you. It is time for patriots to make a stand. I make mine here. This is the last of this radio show. I promise you will hear from me again. I promise I will find and kill the man that spilled the blood of a patriot and my friend on the sidewalk. For I hold you responsible. I will find you and I will kill you.

To all the other patriots out in this great country, I pose a question.

If not now when?

chap 16

Chapter 16
Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.
Ronald Reagan

JT finished listening to the radio show and was in awe of this Jeanie character. She had said in one half hour what he had wanted to say for years. Would people listen? She had a powerful platform, well had is the operative word but then again he did not feel her had heard the last of this lady. From upstairs his wife yelled and he answered “down here”. He had pulled up the image from the radio station and as his wife came around the corner from the stairs she asked if that was anyone she needed to worry about her voice high with her dry sense of humor.

“Naw I doubt it” JT came back in a dry voice still lost on the radio show.

“was just joking” Anne said.

“Yeah sorry, was lost in thought I just listened to her radio show. She is the co-host with that guy that was killed earlier.” JT responded feeling more tired then he had in days.

Anne was unsure what to say she had seen the news at work and it was terrible how they had killed this man in the middle of an American street. She laid his gun down on the bench.

“thanks, I forgot that one upstairs when the FBI agent came for a visit” He said.

Anne’s reaction was swift and sure.

“what agent? We told them no more questions.”

“Hold on” He jumped in and caught her before the tirade could gather steam.

He recounted the visit and showed her the package with the two notes. She was unsure about what it meant or what to do about it. She also considered it some kind of setup but then again why at this point they had some much more to deal with. The local prosecutor maybe but the feds working with the locals doubtful and her husband seemed to like him or trust him or something in between the two. Who was the other agent that seemed to have an interest in her husband? She understood the shootist reference but she found it odd. JT replayed the day for her and all the information the agent had told him and all that he had seemed to not be able to say.

“ how do you think we are set if the shit does hit the fan” he asked.

“food we are good ammo and guns we can go for that zombie apocalypse position. I am sure there are thinks we would like more of but we are pretty resourceful and can make due.” She responded

Her mind began to consider what thing they would need that they had not considered. She and her husband were in relatively good health and only a med a day for cholesterol and they had a 6 month supply. Her daughter was on the pill and she could ask the doctor for a 6 month on that also. She knew they had water and tablets and bleach if it came to that as well as the water from the stream they could boil. Eggs were no problem about 2 dozen a day from the girls and they could brood some if needed they had the old incubator in the garage. Milk might be an issue they had some powered but they were good friend with a farmer down they road they had bartered fresh milk from before since they could not legally buy un-pasteurized milk in the state of Kentucky. Dog food and animal supplies were pretty well stocked. He knew he had added some scratch grains and corn that could be used for the chickens or the people.

She spoke up “ I know we have always shied away but now might be the time for a goat and kid. Try and get maybe 3 to 5. We have the land and they could come in handy for milk and such if the store is a problem and we cannot get it from the neighbor”
He had always stayed away from the goat issue since they could be a tad insane but it would be nice to have a supply of milk and cheese if needed and according to many if the buck is kept away from the doe the milk would not have that often complained of goat taste.

He shook his head in the affirmative and his wife headed backup stairs saying she had some friends she could ask and she was going to start dinner.

“the sooner the better on the goat issue” he remarked.

“yep I will email them now. Are you coming upstairs?” She asked.

“Not right yet have a few things to do, I will be up in a few minutes”

She walked up the steps and sent and email to a farming friend that raised goats. She worried about her husband and that maybe he was keeping stuff so as not to scare her but he had to know she had also worried about what was going to happen and now it was time to put all that into gear and hope and pray for all their extended family and friends. She put on some water to boil and called another friend that had goats.

JT sat in the comfortable office chair in front of the myriad of scanners and computers and electronics and wondered about this Jeanie. She had put herself our in the fray and it may cost her dearly more then it already had. He saw no way to help at this point except to send a note and let her know there are those that think she hit a home run today. He penned a quick note from one of the more anonymous emails that he used. He was unsure where this nature started but he had 4 emails and used 1 for the most part the others were well used in just these cases. He chuckled to himself maybe she is right, maybe I am crazy.

He penned a short note about thanking her and how deeply sorry he was for her loss. He hoped she was as quick as he thought she was and under regards he wrote the date and time and location of his own terrorist encounter closed and sent the note.

He sat back and reached over and removed the security six and opened the cylinder. He turned it over and looked at it, closed the cylinder and felt the trigger. He smiled and sat the gun back down in the box and listened to the background talk on the shortwave and looked over the net. The snipers were taking people usually two at a time but it had now started to be more often one at each location. The authorities where thankful but they had not asked the obvious question. Why? The terrorists had made hard and fast changes and seemed to have a plan and this seemed like another change. No one was voicing it but there was a game plan and a coach and they were following that plan. He worried what the next play was. Would they try for higher casualties or continue with the fast and sure hits. This was what had worried many since 9/11. Hit soft targets and keep the police and federal authorities running and then hit harder and more places. What was going to be the next phase? He aimlessly flipped through page after page of news, opinions, blogs and just plain conspiracy web sites. Everyone was ranting about the new gun rules the President had proposed most of the republicans were saying it would never get a vote but JT worried. This was a chance in a lifetime for a democrat to finally purge the evils of the gun culture from society. Did they not understand? This would not end as they wanted their would be firefights and yes some may play into the fears of guns some would be by someone’s son or daughter or grandpa and that was going to be hard to spin on the 6 o’clock news. The democrats had been for so long convinced that if only guns were outlawed all would be well without looking at the gangs and the whole dark situation of poverty and how allowing people to live with no sense of worth stole their souls and rotted them. The ability to go to work and bring home a paycheck and pay for what you need is a powerful message and one that if repeated enough would doom the welfare system as it stood today. Now he was starting to sound like this Jeanie, maybe it was what needed to be said not just on racial lines but to all Americans.

He moved over to his standard email and sent a quick note to a ham operator online.

I have not caught you online. Hope all is well will listen for you later tonight.
JT

The email was sent and he turned off the multitude of electronics except for the scanner that ran almost constantly that had a weather alert, living in a tornado shooting gallery that was almost a must. Then as he was about to leave his mail sound went off and he looked over and noticed a reply already from his friend out west.

Hey good to hear from you. No power in the house some idiot shot the transformer down the road and they are taking their sweet time replacing it. Came down to the library in town to let everyone know I was still above ground.

Ralph.

JT smiled. Good to hear he was above ground. Ralph’s euphemism for alive but then again it could probably be taken that he had not closed and locked the bunker he so often mentioned. He would drop him another line tomorrow he was tired and was going to grab a nap in his recliner upstairs before dinner.

chap 17

Chapter 17
It is better to be alone than in bad company.
George Washington

Jeanie what in Gods name were you doing. Threatening a man on live radio on you own show. How are we going to explain this to the FCC who I am sure will be calling soon since you called the leader of the free world and many in the government traitors? I know Gerry killing was to much I knew I should not have let you go on today. Oh and by the way what are you talking about last show.

Jeanie turned and looked down at Carl Mason the station manager and mostly owner of the little radio empire. Carl had a round face and let’s face it a round body to go with it balding and was towered over by the 5’10’ Jeanie while standing only 5’4” … and a half he would always add indignantly.

Jeanie cut Carl’s comments short and began a slow process of answering all of the issues he had brought up, this is what needed saying and yes it is my last show and yes I am leaving now and if the FCC calls tell them you fired me.

The constantly cheerful receptionist broke in and said they phone lines; all 4 of them; were lit up and the people loved the show.
Jeanie smiled and told the receptionist to tell the people to look for her on the net. They would know when she was back. She leaned down and kissed Carl on the enlarged forehead and told him thanks for all he had done. She swatted a high five from the receptionist and headed out the door to get her dog he family bible and head to her fathers before the firestorm she had started could gain steam against her.

She was almost to the car when her cell phone rang.

“Hello pumpkin”

Hey dad I hope it is ok if I come and stay for a little while. I think I may have burned some bridges on the airwaves.

Yep I am sure I have caused some consternation in DC.

Yes he was a good man.

I will be on my way after I pick up my bible I will not leave that to packers with the pictures of mom and of course Sam and I will be on the way to Minnesota.

Love you to see ya soon.
As she closed the phone she heard a footstep behind he and she wheeled and pulled her 1911 on the 3rd person for the day. This time it was not needed.

“Dan are you attempting to get shot” Jeanie asked a little louder then she would have liked as she replaced the 45.

Dan smiled that boyish smile of a 20 something that always could make someone less then furious from the second before.

“Nope it would spoil my date with Misty tonight and well I would never want that. “ Dan said with a sarcastic laugh.

Jeanie’s eye rolled back it her head and a long and deep sign escaped her lips. Misty was the object of Dan’s current affections and she was sure it had something to do with her amazing digits as Dan was found of saying, the measurements around her chest. Jeanie wondered how the girl actually stood up. She smiled for the first time that day and looked back to Dan.

He handed her a card. Please keep this and call if you need anything. I know you and Gerry always thought I was pretty much a geek but you have no idea how much of a computer geek I really am. His smile was now from ear to ear. She had always wondered about some of the information he came up with but never asked. He would always laugh when pursued.

“Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.”

Then completely out of character he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her cheek and was gone back into that little supped up Honda with the noisy muffler. She smiled and could feel a blush come to her cheek and headed for home.

She wasted little time. She packed the suburban called Sam from the side yard where she let him go to do his business. She saw her constant friend come around the corner of the house. Even she sometimes thought he was an imposing looking animal but that was only when he was un-pleasant. Sam was a 120lb bullmastiff cross her father had gotten when she moved away. It usually only took one bark to stop anyone in their tracks but the dog was not vicious and was a big lap dog at least when she let him. She had seen the other side when a violent neighbor had come over after she had called the police on him. He was smacked his kid and wife and she had enough can called the cops of course the wife said nothing and they did not take him so he though this was another women that he could smack around he came over and had a bat and was looking for some payback on her car she had come out just as he took a back-swing Sam was out the door at the same time plastered the raving idiot to the truck at the same time his massive jaws went around the mans neck. His screaming stopped and as Jeanie came over and took the bat from his hands she noticed a puddle developing near his right leg. She called Sam off and the man went screaming over to his yard. He had tried to call the police and then animal control but when she produced the video from her home security that the dog never left the yard and was only protecting its home it was quickly dropped. Oddly enough the tenants were asked to move out a month later. She had a good relationship with Jan and she had not haggled much on the purchase of her home so Jan made a petty penny. Since Jan’s agency handled many rental properties including the one next door to Jeanie she was very concerned when Jeanie was upset at her neighbor besides she was none to found of the pompous jerk either. Jeanie offered to pay one months rent but Jan would not hear of it.

They headed out to her fathers…well lets be honest her dad owned a house but then it could also be called a compound. Her dad had retired a few years back and lived on a nice 50 acre piece of land about 2 hours north of Bloomington, Mn in a small area called Elk River. She hated to put her dad in this position but she felt that this would be the safest place for her. Although her dad had retired he was not that far out of the game and she might need to use some of those contacts. Besides her dad was well prepared for the apocalypse or zombie invasion as she always joked with him. His family had lived through the depression and he had always been one to buy it cheap and stack it deep. She remembered her mom was not the coupon clipper it was her father. The memory of her mother caused a lump in her throat. She had died 10 years ago from cancer. He mom was not found of pictures and the few she had in the bible in the back seat were all that was left. He dad had some she knew but these were of her and her mom together. She drove on she would take I80 to I35 and get there in a day or so. She would try and make Lincoln and find a place for her and Sam and then head on to her dads.

chap 18

Chapter 18
A house divided against itself cannot stand
Abraham Lincoln

JT sat and watched the TV after supper. His wife had told him she had gotten some word back and they could go look at a some goats over the weekend. He was sitting switching the channels as the phone rang.
“JT this is Harold Royce you need to catch channel 3 news in 15 I will call you later.”

The phone line was dead as he clicked over to the channel 3. The news conference was just starting Assistant Commonwealth Attorneys Kurns was answering questions.
They were covering the basics asking about him trying to impanel a gran jury and get a conviction on Jerome Tanner.

“ we have asked the people of Jefferson county to put aside their hatred and bigotry of Muslims and try the case on the merits. This man is no hero he shot a man in the back and killed him? Attorney Kurns stated.
Reporters continued to yell questions about the fact the people he killed were in fact going to kill people.

We are not bringing charges against him for the other 3 deaths only the one who had not time to show a weapon and for placing the people in danger. Also with trespassing.
A male reporter spoke up trespassing is only valid if the mall staff asked him to leave and he did not. I have a statement from the management that they will in no way cooperate with this.

A female reporter called from the back is there something more to this then the law this seems to be shoe-stringing a charge against a man that has actually stopped these people something no one else seems to be doing.

Kurns turned red faced “ the police are tasked with protecting the public and not this rogue militiaman and all he did was involve himself in something he had no business.”

I thought it was everyone’s business to protect themselves. A reporter shouted.

This was the final outrage of questioning. This interview is over.

Sorry mister Kurns mister Kurns This is Kelly Renolds from channel 3 news.

The assistant commonwealth attorney stopped.

Sir I have evidence that you are not who you say you are. I have evidence that you never lived in the town you said you grew up in and I have proof that you never attended Columbia Law School. I have more evidence that you and a member of the mayors inner circle have been attempting to rig a jury to convict Jerome Tanner of this even though no other attorney or the state attorney general believes a crime was committed. I also spoke with the Commonwealth Attorney for Jefferson County and he said this was suppose to be dropped and he will speak about it tomorrow at 10 am.

By this time the whole family was around the television and were dumbfounded by the turn of events.

Andrew Kurns was facing the throng of reporters and the color drained from his face. The reporter continued and began showing records from his time in Saudi Arabia.

Kurns flew into a rage and pushed the reporter as he walked passed and then turned and with almost an unbelievable savagery he slapped her. One of his handlers moved to push him away and the reporters began shouting and yelling as several came to the aide of their fallen comrade. The cameras actually chased him into the parking structure where he went into and then his mercedes sped out of a minute or so later. The new conference continued as the shaken reported passed out copies of what she would be doing a 30 minute expose later that night. The video moved to show a few reporters asking the police that were standing at the news conference if the Attorney was going to be arrested. The scene disintegrated into reporters running across the street to the Mayors office and then switched back to the news in studio.

JT smiled and thought he had picked the right lawyer. It seems the guy did have a lot to hide but JT also had a sinking feeling this would not be the end. What was it that agent smith had told him one way or the other. If they could not get him through the legal system would they come at him like they did the radio show host.

Andrew Kurns opened the door to his condo and slammed the keys on the table beside the door. How could he have been so disrespected by a... woman. He was blind with rage and almost did not notice the white paper left on the kitchen counter.

“ I found the papers and the pictures in your safe in the office I was never suppose to go it. My father was right you are a liar. He knew you had lied and he tried to tell me and I was to stubborn to listen. Do not contact me of call me.”

PS Yes I am the one that gave the reporter all of the information even about your seccret calls to the man in lexington and the mayors friend Mohammed Shair.

Your X -Wife”
He grabbed the closest vase and threw it and watched as it smashed against the far wall. As he was going for something else to throw he heard the cell phone from his office. He opened the phone. Yes Imam his greeting cut short.

You have failed us. You are a disgrace and have brought shame to your family. Your name shall be cursed. You have failed to make the dog pay and have made it so I must send strong soldiers to finish this loose end.
Andrew Kurns attempted to say something and was cut off.
Only blood con cleanse your name. The line went dead.
The young man walked to the locked closet and fished for the FN -five seven that was at the back of the top shelf. He had picked the gun since he could have 20 rounds with just one magazine. He had hoped he would never have to use it. He knelt down and prayed.

chap 19

Chapter 19
If God is just, I tremble for my country.
Thomas Jefferson

As the commonwealth’s attorney for Jefferson County was heading downtown to try and straighten the mess out left by Kurns and his apparent fraud and grand jury antics. Roberts knew there would be questions like how this guy was in a position of authority and how he managed to work as a prosecutor. Curt Roberts had been in public service for long enough to know some one was going to get canned for this and he was going to make sure he was not on the end of this ride. He had all the emails from the mayor’s office saying this guy was a good catch and how they would like more diversity of thought in the office of the Common Wealth Attorney.

Curt Roberts was 62 years old and tried to keep in shape. He carried his 6' frame well and showed only the slightest spare tire. His square jaw and good looks married well with his ambitions and he had become one of the youngest in the Commonwealths attorneys’ office and within 6 years moved to the top position as the commonwealth attorney of Jefferson County Kentucky.

He had stopped by the office before heading downstairs for the news conference. He was going to have it on the steps of the Jefferson Square across from the courthouse. He had hoped he would run into Kurns so he could tell the reporters he had fired him but that could always wait.

Across the state in a small town just inside the state line a group of 20 ATF agents were going to serve the first warrants to check and secure weapons. A small group of people had pulled into a compound and had posted signs they would not come out and asked to be left alone.
The 15 agents were meeting with local law enforcement to get backup and clarify what was going to happen. The lead agent was Russell Stove and had a reputation in the ATF as a go getter. He was aggressive and sometimes might just bend the rules when it came to securing a conviction of some gun loving nut as he called anyone who at all questioned the ATF rules and regulations. He was going over with the local officers that they would be backup and would only fire if so ordered. They were planning on going in around 10:15. They had intelligence that the men would be working on buildings and would not be able to get their guns before the ATF would be in the compound and able to secure the weapons. Sheriff Timmons listened and just had the feeling this was lining up to be another Waco or Ruby Ridge. He knew many of the people in the compound they were God fearing folk who just thought the government had gone to far. Timmons scratched the week old beard. He had been working with ATF to negotiate a way around this option. He had even gotten the 30 members of the group to accept an ATF inspection with pictures and serial numbers being taken down but the ATF would not budge this was to be the first of many and it was going to go down just as they and justice had drawn it up. The guns would be cataloged and ballistics taken and when it was completely sure these guns were legal and had not been used in any crime they would be returned. Agent Stove had been adamant. Sheriff Timmons knew the guns would never be returned and so did everyone else. This was a smoke screen for the sole purpose of disarming the populace. He scratched his beard and shook his head. The Agents finished the briefing and everyone was getting their gear on and some of the local deputies were talking amongst themselves. They were none to happy about the assignment and let the captain know about it. JR as he was called was the captain. He had been a local football hero and all around good kid but a torn ligament and a year of rehab had put him off the Uof K football squad but he had been able to keep his scholarship and finished a Bachelors Degree in psychology and made his momma proud before he came back to his home town and became a deputy. He stood an imposing 6’8’’ and carried 220 lbs on a muscular frame.

‘ok ..ok I will ask the sheriff.” JR said under his breath.

The large deputy walked over to the Sheriffs office and tapped lightly.

“Buck can I have a second” the deputy asked.

Sheriff Timmons looked up and smiled. Very few people in town called him by that name anymore. He had never had many close friends and this was one of the best. He had coached JR at the high school and it broke his heart when he did not make it through to play in the Pros.

“always JR what is on your mind.”

“sheriff you know this is wrong, this will turn into a fire fight I am sure” JR said.

“yeah I think it will but the Governor himself called and told me to cooperate the lousy weasel” Timmons spat out.

“Buck I have known you a long time and I respect you but my brother and his wife and kids are in there and if this goes badly I am on their side.” JR said.

Sheriff Timmons looked at the young man in front of him and studied his face. Too many worry lines for such a young man. He dropped his head and let out a rush of air. He knew that JR was now speaking for most if not all of his deputies. This was also not idle banter; he would fire on the agents if this went bad, of that the sheriff had no doubts.

Curt Roberts stood before the bank of microphones as the clock was striking 10 am. He was giving his prepared remarks as the reporters took notes. Over the last 24 hours he had come into information that the Assistant Commonwealths Attorney recommended for that position by the Mayor and his advisers had been a fraud. He did have a law degree but from the University In Egypt and he had taken the name of an lawyer who had while abroad. He was not going to go into the fact it looked like the lawyer may have been killed and this was planned for years. Roberts went on to say that they were reviewing all of the cases he had worked on and would have to ask the Attorney General for his opinion. Also any opinion pieces such as his sharia law and marriage position that he had written without the consent of the Commonwealth Attorney would be looked into. As he was beginning to finish his remarks and ask for questions a hush came over the crowd in front of him. He turned to see Kurns at the double doors. He was dressed in a dark Thobe with the ghutra and egal on his head. Much like you would see any man wearing in Egypt. Roberts was startled and made no move as the young man walked through the doors walking down the stairs. He looked to be talking to himself as he descended one and then two more steps before his right hand became visible. Roberts turned and was hit with the first shot in the shoulder that pushed him down the steps and saved his life. The other two rounds missed as he rolled down the steps.

Kurns knew his time was short. There were police across the street already coming his way. The gun bucked again and again as he fired into the throng of reporters the group breaking apart and running in all directions. Several were hit as he made his way down the step to his boss laying on his side he would kill him and then fire on the police.

FBI agent Tim Smith had decided after all the dust up to come down and hear the briefing for himself. He had thought he might talk to this attorney Roberts after the press conference. As the disgraced attorney opened fire he had moved from his position off to the right side and moved foreword out of the direct view of the shooter. As Kurns was about to finish his boss a shot rang out from his left and he looked up. He knew the police were still trying to get across Jefferson Street. He felt the wetness of the blood as it began to flow from the open wound in his side. He was surprised. He turned in the direction the shot had come from and saw a man standing with a gun aimed directly at him. He would not tell what the man was saying. He was sure he could hear but the words had no meaning. He could only hear his Imam speaking Arabic to him; A sweet tale of love and war. He raised the FN.

Agent Smith was yelling at Kurns to drop the gun but he had this look in his eyes and he raised his gun. Although Agent Smith was no Wyatt Earp he was proficient with the .40 cal glock 22 and the next 3 rounds staggered Kurns and put him on his back. Agent Smith ran over and kicked the gun from his hand. Kurns lips were moving but little sound was coming out. Smith leaned over.

“Allah be merciful to your humble servant”

The last words escaped from his lips and he was dead. Agent Smith replaced his gun in his holster and he slowly reached down and closed the dead eyes looking towards heaven. He stood up now in the company of 4 of Louisville’s finest and walked passed them. This would get out of hand he said to himself as he walked away.

The ATF agents had decided to go in on 4 main fronts. They had told the members they would come back to negotiate today so 4 of the agents would be at the main entrance about 50 yards down the gravel drive from the main housing area. That would allow the other agents to come from two logging roads that bordered the land and one group would come in from a small wooded area. There were only 8 men and the rest women and children. One of the Agents would toss a flash bang and cause panic while the others marched in and took the men with the guns in the confusion. If they got shot in the confusion well Agent Stove could live with that. He and the other agents had been joking of how these yokels would learn some respect after today so that no other group would try anything. Holder wanted this group hit and hit hard.

The deputies were spaced out along their squad cars as they had done the previous days of negotiation and the captain had handed out assignments. The men had grumbled about working with the feds and he had told the men the Sheriff had been called by the Governor no less to smooth the way for this. The men were still unhappy many had family or friends in the small group and they did not like this gun business one bit. JR had grabbed his tactical Benelli m4 and had it slung across his back. As JR watched his brother and another man walked down and hand the ATF a note they began to walk back up the dirt road.

Just then one of the ATF agents moving in from the wooded area did not see the fishing line stretched between the two trees. The line snapped and the hidden klaxon horn began a loud and blaring song. The two men stopped and then began to run up the gravel road. The agents at the gate raised their guns and were about to fire when a bright flash blinded everyone at the gate. The group had installed high wattage flood lights, hidden and camouflaged in the bushes that pointed directly at the gate and with enough candle power to temporally blind anyone looking into them just like the agents had been when they were going to shoot the men in the back. Agent Stove was rubbing his eyes and cursing as he stumbled back from the gate and began yelling into the microphone. The men trying to access the compound from the woods and roads were stopped. The klaxon warning sent everyone into the main building with shuttered doors and windows that only opened quickly to let in to the two negotiators that had narrowly escaped being shot in the back. The agents moved forward and took up position around the compound but nothing could be accessed without opening themselves up for return fire. The compound had been made in such a design that the main building had a line of fire on all other buildings and now that the agents were closer they could see small metal firing holes alone all sides. As one of the agents moved around behind one of the small out buildings which looked like a garden shed with all types of garden instruments he moved back into the woods to try and get an more advantageous position. As he rounded a large tree he heard the clank of steel and began to scream as he feel back. The agent looked down and saw his boot shredded by a large steel trap. The teeth of the bear trap tore though his boot and into the flesh of his ankle and he could see down to bone. As he tried to moved to reach down to find some release his pained left leg his Mp5 fired a quick 3 round burst. It was like the world stood still and then rounds were being fired from all sides of the building. Agent Stove heard the firefight begin and looked over his shoulder at the deputies still standing behind the vehicles. He motioned for them to move forward and they stayed in place. He could tell one of the deputies a captain as he recalled was leaning in the cruiser and talking on the radio.

He walked quickly over to the large man.

“get your men up there and assist... we have been fired upon” the agent shouted.

JR stood up straight and looked at the black clad politician. He had the microphone in hand and released the button.

“JR hey man I think one of those agents walked into a bear trap we had set and began to fire and then they all started firing.” his brother said.

“ looks like the only people shootin are your people agent man” JR drawled.

JR turned and began to walk to the other side of the car to sit down. Agent Stove grabbed the captain by his arm and spun him around.

“you get up that hill and support my agents or I will have you arrested on the spot... you stupid hick.” the agent spat.

JR was none to fond of this police action and now he was down right mad. This pencil pushing idiot had come in here and planned on shooting people JR knew and had grown up with and now he wanted him to be involved in this farce. This was illegal as all get out. These people wanted to be left alone and no one had a right to disarm any law abiding citizen. JR was looking down into the eyes of this agent. Agent Stove knew he may have went to far. None of these men would arrest their captain and right now he was out numbered 15 to 1 but he thought to himself this yokel is not stupid enough to hit me.

He was wrong.

JR had enough and pulled his head back and headbutted the pompous agent. The swift blow breaking the goggles of the ATF agent and his nose in the same blow. The agent was out.

JR turned to his men.

“I have supper waiting and a hot date I am heading home.”

The men turned and looked at each other and all got into the patrol cars and left.
Just as he was pulling away down the road he saw the channel 6 news van. Maybe someone had called with all the shooting. There were not to many people who lived near by but maybe. JR smiled yea could have also been that call he had made 15 minutes ago to that cute red head reporter he had dated in college and the story of what was going on that got them out there so fast.

chap 20

Chapter 20



JT awoke to the morning news of the attack by the former attorney downtown near Jefferson Square. The Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney was in stable condition but 3 reporters were dead. The channel 3 reporter … Nichols was her last name seemed to have escaped with grazed head wound. She had done a noon time show on location with her head bandaged. Questions were now flying and the mayor and his aides were in damage control on who knew what and who should have known. It made him smile to know that people were being held to the fire but the loss of life was worrisome.

Once again he found himself in front of the computer eating a cold breakfast of cheerios and looking for issues around the web. Anne called down and he answered back. He could hear the worry in her voice. She was concerned about him spending to much time on this idea that we were in a slow motion collapse. He knew she was worried that his shooting had made him paranoid. She was always optimistic although she did understand what Agent Smith had told him, she still felt it was more of an educated guess. Yeah gas was high 3.95 a gallon and word was that the Egyptian elections went bad and the Muslim brotherhood won most of the seats. There was talk of tariffs and oil going much higher. He was sure she would come around but until then she would worry about him. He vowed to keep a lower profile so she would not be as concerned. He typed a hurried not to his friend out in the bunker out west to see if he had gotten power back yet. He was concerned. There were several utility issues across the country that looked like a new front on the terrorists attacks. The government had become almost useless. The agencies seemed to be on auto pilot. After the explosion and death of the Vice President the FBI was in the hot seat as well as the secret service although the insiders knew they had warned Biden to steer clear until it was known to be safe. There was word from the hills in the eastern part of Kentucky that the first gun collection and security raid had went well of track. Apparently some local deputy had decked an ATF agent and that was after the raid had been an utter failure. ATF had called for backup from the state police but the governor had obviously gotten enough calls that he might come out on the wrong side of this if he backed the ATF that he had decided to not answer his calls from the acting ATF director. The state police out of London Kentucky had refused to backup the ATF since there was a constitutional right in the state to own a firearm and the Attorney General who was no fan of the sitting Governor had said no officer would be prosecuted for not helping the feds. So the first raid that was going to only verify and inspect guns had turned into a standoff and a total media circus. Apparently someone had called the local stations and now three hours later every news caster known was in this small town watching a dirt road up a hill.
JT shook his head and said a silent prayer for the men, women and children.

“Lord please do not let this be another waco” He whispered.

Anne walked down the stairs just as the email alert went off.

He looked over and read quickly from his friend out west.

Nope. Something fishy. No power and now part of the town is out another transformer is down. Mine came back and then was out again. People are saying someone is shooting transformers. I dug my old diesel generator out from the cellar and hooked it up. Have enough to run about an hour a day for a few months so I will be on about this time. I will keep in touch.

From the Bunker

This worried JT. The terrorists had to know that just shooting one or two transformers would do nothing to great but if this was instead of shooting people that could start being an issue. The sniper cases had slowed down. Was this the new wave. The electrical grid was stressed even now before the heat of summer. A report a few years back had said if a few of the main lines were affected then a cascade could be caused. He looked at the nation news sites and nothing. Story after story of crazy survivalists barricaded in some small town in Kentucky.
“Hey you” Anne said as she poked his arm.

“are we going to look at the goats and stuff today”

He was snapped out of his thoughts.

“yes sorry was checking the news, looking at the issue over near London”

She hurrfned and stood with her hands on her hips.

“so lets go look at some goats” she said.

“ well I would he smiled but I pawned you off on our son and daughter”

before she could gain steam.

“yep he is hooking up the trailer and she is driving the SUV so you can come back with goats and maybe a sheep if she talks you into it and all the supplies. “

“oh” she said as she realized this made the most sense.

“I am a little tired and after answering some emails I am going to grab a short nap. I did not sleep well and asked them before you got up.”

She leaned down and kissed his cheek and felt with the back of her hand on his forehead to make sure he had no fever.

“I am fine. Just still tired some”

She smiled.

“Ok can we bring something for lunch” She asked.

“whatever you guys stop for will be fine”.

She turned around to leave.

“hey both the kids are packing today I asked them to. Call me when you are heading home it is about 40 minutes away”.

She sighed “ will do”.

The kids both had CCW license but he had asked them to pack with their mother who usually frowned on it because why. Was he worried? Would they try and attack his family?

He answered back his friends email and said to be safe. He also made mention that this was happening in a few other places and sent the email. He lumbered up the steps slowly and to the bedroom. He reached into the side drawer and picked up the card that had been in the box with the security six. He pulled the card out and placed his hand on the stainless steel ruger below. He had not wore a gun since the shooting. At first it was just out of mind but now was he having regrets? He saved so many but at what cost? He remembered a quote from an older Frank Herbert work “ good and evil relate to motives”
His was to save people but with that he had to kill 4 men. 3 were admittedly trying to kill him but the fourth. He replayed the scene in his mind.

He grabbed the gun and holster and with the card went downstairs. His conscious would heal … in time.

He found his cell phone and called the number on the card. A mechanical voice told him to leave a number. He left his cell phone number and walked down to the basement. He sent a couple of emails to friends and asked about anything they had seen or noticed about the electrical grid issues and transformers being shot. He was pretty sure the media was not going to add the problems and let on that people might not be able to count on their lights coming on.

The cell phone rang and he looked at the number. It was not one he had called and if he was right it had a DC area code.

“yes” he answered.

“ this is agent Dawes, it is a pleasure to finally speak to you”

“thanks for the present. Can we talk openly on this line”

'yes it is a drop phone”

“good . Listen I think it is possible the terrorists have switched and are shooting transformers and may try something bigger to effect the power grid.”


“not bad” the agent replied.

We have some people at the bureau that actually are still trying to work and stop these attacks and they have been wondering the same thing. It looks like they are still sniping people but now one of the two are going after the transformers. We think they will eventually go to the larger installations and try and take out a large portion of the grid. If they can damage a couple hundred of the larger transformers in the substations they actually may be able to do something but it is going to take more then a few rounds to take out those big ones.

Several hundred miles north east of Kentucky a small Toyota Rav 4 had pulled off the main road and onto a small access road leading back to the
PECO energy substation about 30 miles outside of downtown Philadelphia. The clean cut and smartly dress young man got out and lifted the hood on the small SUV. If anyone had inspected the 40 vehicles that had been purchased by the IDG they would have looked like any other except for the extra battery that was labeled for accessories. They had been ordered and shipped from friendly companies and even possibly inspected. No one would worry with all the new toys in cars about an added battery. He looked around and unscrewed the one green top that sealed the battery acid and pulled out a vial of clear liquid and walked over to the fence. The small lock would keep most out and no one would want to climb the fence besides what was someone going to steal. Trying to get the copper or other parts would mean immediate electrocution. The young man carefully opened the vial and poured the liquid over the lock. It began to smoke quickly with a slight sizzling sound. He continued to pour over the arm of the lock until the vial was empty and then he walked back to the can and grabbed a hammer from the back. He could have used a pair of lock cutters but that could have drawn some suspicion if he had been stopped. A well dressed man with bolt cutters could have raised some eyebrows but a man with a hammer and some tools in a small tool box should have drawn no more then a passing notice besides his brother shooting the infidels down as they went about their daily lives were causing most police to stay near the cities leaving the low hanging fruit for the picking. He walked back to the fence and slammed the hammer down on the lock it broke and fell to the ground. He opened the gate and pulled the small car inside the fence next to several of the larger transformers. He walked around to the battery again with the hood still opened and twisted the caps off the red compartments. He then took a small glass rod and pushed down hard until the bottoms of the glass broke and the liquid of the vials mixed with the liquids beneath. The liquid merged and now was ready. The Homeland security had made such a big deal of people not carrying hair creams and such on to plans. It was a joke. The triacetone triperoxide could be made easily or just shipped in disguised as a car battery. He walked quickly out the fence and took cover behind a larger tree. If anyone had really looked the batter did not send electricity to the car it took it from the car. He pushed the remote started and the car exploded along with the three large transformers. The fireball plumed upwards some hundred feet and caught some of the nearby tress on fire. He peered from around the tree and could see parts of the car but mostly blackened debris. The small building was on fire along with the most of the surrounding equipment. He had made sure to have a full tank of gas to add to the destruction.

“Allah is great” he whispered as he turned to make the 10 mile hike to the meeting house. There was much work to do.

JT and Agent Dawes had talked some more and said their goodbye some how both could feel they were embarking on something that could be dangerous in many ways for each of them and many others.

JT put down the phone and sat down to take a nap.

In downtown Philadelphia the lights flickered and then went out.

chap 21

Chapter 21

“Good morning sleepy head”

She turned to see the worn face of her father.

Hey dad I must have been really dead tired. He lips twitched with the use of the word dead. It was still so soon after her friend and coworker had been shot down in the street.

She looked into the dark blues eyes and she could see why her mother fell in love with this dark soul. She would never say her father was a nice man but he was a fair man. That was not to say he did not show her love or her mother affection but she knew below the exterior was a darkness that made her uneasy at times. He had served 20 years in the army, a ranger by training but she knew that some things her father had done were not on the list of prescribed teachings of any known program. The two had always had a special bond though it made her mother uneasy she knew her husband had wanted a son but with the damage from one child another was out of the question so she became his son and daughter. She was shooting guns from the day she could hold one steady and her hand to hand skills were second to only her father. He had a buddy from Israel that taught her Krav Maga and how to kiss. She had always kept that part to herself. It never went beyond the kiss but the young soldier was her first.

She could feel her cheeks flush.

“dad I am sorry I brought this to your door”
“Nonsense, that is what fathers are for”

She felt the lump in her throat “ but mom has not been gone that long and I did not want to make things worse”

He fathers voice quivered for a split second. Your mother and I had 35 good years together and she loved you very much. I doubt she thought you would threaten someone on air but then again.

“yeah I guess I went a little overboard”

“will they come after me here” She whispered.

“yeah eventually they will”.

That bunch up there now is committed to selling the public that this is not the Muslim attacks we have been expecting but home grown right wingers. I am not sure how long they will push it but at some point they will not care and they will come after people like you and even maybe like me. He looked at the face of his daughter and saw the worry hanging heavy there. I still have some good friends and am pretty sure that I will get a call before anything happens. Also I have some friends that have agreed to stop by for a cookout if needed.

A slight smile crossed her face. She knew that meant that a few of the men who her father had saved or served with would lay their lives down to protect him. She felt a pang of pity for the men that came first. They would be unaware of the whirlwind they would encounter. Since people will be looking for me here I think I am going to go back to the cabin. It is wired some I can do broadcasts from there and route them around the world. She had built a cabin backed up to a rock formation. It was almost invisible unless you knew were to look. With the inheritance she had built it to withstand just about anything and the basement was secured with a 5 inch steel door. He father had overseen the build and she had made sure she could get a T1 connected ran from the nearest drop box from the phone company. She would be connected and safe and to plan a new radio show from that location. She would route it around some but she felt she could stay hidden for a month or two. Long enough to get the word out and to find who sent the killers after Gerry.

“Dad” she said just above a whisper, “Can you have one of your friends find out who this license plate belongs to?”

He paused a long second before he gave a reply. He knew he had raised his daughter to believe in right and wrong and these people had done wrong and they should be punished but his eye began to weep at the thought that his daughter would go down this path. He had done things and had forever kept them secret and his heart was cold with some of the problems he had solved for his country. He hoped his daughter would not be the cost of his past deeds.

darling this is a dangerous business you are undertaking. You know that I have done some things that I was proud to do for my country but it was dirty business. Killing someone no matter if they deserve it is hard. You have to find a way to live with that and sometimes it is not easy.

She looked down.
Dad I know what you have done maybe not in detail and it makes me pround that men like you were there to protect us from the bad guys but now the bad guys are here and we have to be willing to protect ourselves and people have to be shown they can and must do it. That man down in Louisville was just a father and son before that day he decided to walk into that mall behind those terrorists. What is he now a hero? Maybe; but he is still a man that defended his community. I feel sorry for the men I had to kill but I will not allow this country to be destroyed without a fight and I will bleed and die if needed for that country that country you fought so hard to protect. It shall not fall on my watch.

He had a lump in his throat she had a way of speaking and that is why she was good at her chosen profession. He was very proud of her.

Please just be careful. I am not sure what I would do if I lost you too.

She handed the paper with the plate number to her dad and walked down the hallway to her room. She did not want to look into his eyes just now she knew she would see the demon. She had only seen it one time and that was enough she was pretty sure that is the face men had seen who had come up against he dad on the field of battle. They were at a party years before he mom had starting getting sick and one huge ex football player was hitting on all the women. Her mom always stood out in a crowd and she was adept at fending off unwanted suitors without hurting their feelings. This night however the man took offense at the untold number of rejections and he grabbed her mothers arm and pulled back to slap her. He father usually let his wife fend for herself she always told him she had the diplomacy genes in the family but he always keep a watchful eye in case she needed some non diplomacy. The brute hand had barley made the move to strike her mom when her dad had him and applied a painful nerve pinch with his thumb digging into the arm pit of the attacker. He spun the man around and pushed forward from behind the kneecap. He was down and screaming as her dad moved his hand and applied pressure to his forearm until a solid crack rang out. The mans screams increased as he was pushed to his knees, her father had his hands down around the mans head and she saw the demon in his eyes. This man was within seconds of being dead. An old friend of her fathers saved his life. He placed his hand on her fathers shoulder and squeezed and whispered into his ear. The demon was gone and the man escaped with a busted radius a dislocated elbow and a night in the drunk tank with a simple assault charge. A shiver went down her spine. To unleash such a thing, she had things she had to do but she must also remember that if something happened to her that monster would rampage until sated and she felt genuine pity for any in his path.

She punched the speed dial for Dan.

He answered on the third ring sounding out of breath.

“yeah whats up Jeanie”

What are you up to Dan, running or lifting.

Not really my kind of work out he laughed.

Jeanie blushed and went on.

Ok hot shot are you serious that you want to help.

His tone now very serious “ I am all in”.

When you are done with the current barbie get me some internet access that we can route a show through and keep it hidden for awhile. I have a T-1 at the cabin.

Will do I have some friends in Asia that can get some access.

Thank Dan, I will be calling soon.

Jeanie packed her stuff back into the duffel she had used for some of her overnight needs and tucked the 45 back in the holster on her hip. She walked out to the SUV and called the dog and headed back to the cabin. She wanted to transmit in a few days and she had a lot to do before then.

chap 22

Chapter 22

Jorge Reas waited in the dimming light across the Rio Grande river he had precious cargo tonight. The Americans were entrenched in terrorism across the entire United States and now was the time for the Cartels to act. The Drug Cartels in an astonishing show of solidarity decided to send money and agents to America and start small attack squads in the Texas and New Mexico region. The population of the southwest had changed and there were people in the cartels and even in the Mexican government that felt it was the time to take advantage and see if they could retake land stolen from their country. Jorge knew that the million dollars was small change but the 4 people he had with him and the 12 member squad for protection could start many fires in the region and might be able to rally the immigrant population to stand and fight the government. The darkness enveloped the small group as the protection detail used the expensive night vision goggles given to them by the American government to scan for patrols. They began their crossing wading out until they used the small rafts to float along side. The bundle of 100 and 50 was wrapped in garbage bags and then taped and wrapped again. Jorge had made sure many loads of marijuana had made it successfully to American under trying conditions. The lead officer covered in all black with no markings or identification motioned for the group to hold. They were more then halfway across and could not touch bottom within 20 or 30 feet of the American soil. The men all stopped and crouched down into the darkness of the river. One of the protection detail men peered into the darkness with the special goggles but did not see anything. He was sure he had heard something in the bushes. Nothing moved and nothing could be seen. He motioned and they moved closer to shore. Once they were onshore the 4 technicians and the money man moved and took the Identification from the backpacks and took off the dark coveralls. They wanted to blend in as any other illegal. If they were caught another group was going tomorrow.

Sergeant Terry Simms was talking to a local rancher just back from the river. He could easily see the lights of Mexico but he was up on a rise and could not see the banks of the river. If he had he would have noticed the 16 men invading the country. The rancher was a local cattleman who was complaining once again about his land being trampled and his fences cut by them illegals he always said like they were some special group. He sat on the large painted mare with a Winchester 30-30 and a 45 colt on his nip. He was an old marine and always made sure he had a weapon close by. After a couple rounds came his way he decided he would follow that old logic; I would rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6. Seargent Simms was not border patrol he was a Texas Ranger and a legacy from his grandfather and father who had served the same now famous group especially since Chuck Norris and his over the top show of the same name. Simms smiled as he tried to remember the last time he did a spinning back kick to someone. He was a black belt in Judo and was a fan but sometimes it is better to just not think of it. They chatted back and forth as the darkness of the desert engulfed the land. As they started to say their goodbyes something caught the eye of the ranger. A light from the river or a reflection maybe it was there and now gone. He pointed in the direction and put his finger to his lips to let the cattleman know to be quiet. They waited in the darkness as he reached over and pulled a small night vision spotting scope from the glove box and then snapped it closed.

The group moved up the rise and around a large cactus. The 12 men team was about to turn around when.

Simms saw the group and immediately called quietly for backup.

“we have 16 men, heavily armed and dressed in military dress” the Ranger called into the radio as low as he could.

“roger we have no units in the area and that is close to a closed locations due to Bureau of Land Management” came a reply

“This is Sergeant Simms with the Texas Rangers and I am requesting immediate assistance.” His voice raising more then he wanted.

“This is sector chief Johnson and we are not, I repeat not in a position and will not cross into that area.”

Another voice came on the air. “This is Captain Crockett we are in route and I have ordered the helicopter to head to your location Simms.”

Terry smiled and was happy to hear a familiar voice. The Captain was his uncle and had always looked out for him. After his father was killed in a robbery saving a pregnant hostage the captain had become somewhat of a surrogate father.
“Thanks captain glad to have someone on my side” Simms said.

The captain was about to answer back when the air was clear.

“SHIT” Terry Simms screamed into the handset.

The sounds of automatic weapons were the last sounds from the radio of ranger Simms.

Terry Simms had been seen and the men dressed in blacked raised their rifles. Simms grabbed at the cattleman before bullets tore into the saddle and the painted mare. Purvis Smith had the sense to grab the lever action as the felt himself pulled back behind the jeep. It took a second to get his senses as he looked back and saw the horse had been hit with a heavy barrage of rounds and was dead. The saddle was a present from his wife long since dead and his anger rose as he saw the damage it had sustained. Simms had grabbed the AR-15 from the back before falling behind the protection of the Jeep. He circled around to the passenger side rear and fired off 5-10 rounds. The group scattered. Simms had encountered people before with armed escorts and they usually ran back to the river these guys were fanning out like a patrol unit. He wondered if this was something else but before he could consider any other issues he began taking fire from both sides. He heard a louder report from the rifle of the cattleman behind him and felt happy at least he had another gun in the fight.

“They are trying to circle around us” came from the old marine as he took aim at one of the men trying to move to his right. He would have an open field of fire if he made it to a small rock mound and could open up on the Ranger and his comrade. Simms took aim and was able to make a nice double tap to the mans chest. His elation was short lived when the man got up and kept moving although much slower then before.

He shouted “I think they have body armor, try for a leg shot to see if you can take them down. “

The old marine had already figured this out from the bulk and shape of the torso but decided to keep that to himself for another time. He took aim just below a muzzle flash and heard a loud scream. He figured they were knelling down and took aim where there knee or hip should be. He did not much care which he hit. These guys might have been good but if they would have stopped shooting they would have been almost invisible and could have easily came around behind the jeep and finished the two off. They may have been trained but not seasoned the old marine thought to himself. Simms rolled back towards the engine compartment and looked under the jeep with the monocle. He could see the men lined up across a skirmish line and about 20 yards across. The man Purvis shot had been pulled back closer to a group of 4 or 5 huddled behind 3 men with weapons. The armed men looked like they had night vision on and if they took the time and planned Simms and Purvis would be at a great disadvantage. One of them touched something on their throat and Simms knew they had communications between them. No cheap walkies these were solid com devices and he silently cursed to himself. This was going downhill by the second. He tapped the old marine on the foot and gave him a quiet update. Purvis had no intention of getting killed a rocks throw from his own land and by a bunch of poorly trained goons.

He tapped Simms back “how many are directly in front of us, facing the jeep?”

Simms did not question but looked through the monocular.

“ It looks like 6 to 8 of the armed men are directly in front of the jeep” he whispered.

“Do they all have the night vision pulled down?”

A quick look

“Yes”

The old marine laid out the plan to reach through t he window and turn the lights and high beams on and start shooting directly in front of the jeep. It would be risky but they would have a target for a few seconds while the others were disorientated but then they would be sitting ducks when the invaders eyes adjusted. Simms nodded and moved back to the passenger corner where he could scoot out and fire down the passenger side of the jeep.

Purvis Smith moved pretty well for his 60 plus years and was up and flipping the controls quickly. The bright lights came on and as he hopped he could see the men look directly into them.

As soon as the lights came on black clad team looked up and were immediately blinded. The six armed men pulled their goggles off and rubbed their eyes not expecting the barrage that came from the jeep. The team was being hit on all sides mainly because they were moving and trying to regain their site. The 3 others members of the team saw the shooting and tried to draw fire but the two men behind the jeep fired straight ahead. First one then two and finally all had been hit at least once in the arm, legs or side. Jorge tried to stand and make it to the river and was shot in the chest a gaping wound from the 30-30. The 4 technicians started to move back to the river and were in turn struck with fire a few rounds from their own guys who by now were firing in all directions since their vision had not returned. As Simms and Purvis ran out of ammo and paused to reload the 3 shooters moved back to their downed colleagues and began to hustle them back over the rise. Simms tried to get a few more rounds off as he saw one of the armed men trying to get some kind of pack on one of the men who had been shot. Simms fired a few quick shots and the man left the pack. The distant sounds of an approaching chopper gave the two men promise that they just might live through this night.

The chopper hovered above the jeep and Simms waved him towards the river. The chopper moved towards the river and shown the spotlight down and attempted to find the men crossing back over the river.

The Barrett 50 caliber was hidden amongst some small brush cover and debris He had watched the men cross his sights now on the chopper. The man sitting at the controls was moving the light back and forth to try and spot the men crossing back into Mexico. The illuminated sights crossed over the seated pilot and fired. The 639 gr armor piercing round tore through the canopy and the body of the pilot without any problem the chopper banked right.

Ranger Simms saw the helicopter hovering and then it banked hard to the right and went down in a fiery crash on the bank of the river. He heard the report of the rifle but his mind took a moment to comprehend that someone from the Mexican side had shot down and American police helicopter.

Captain Crockett pulled up beside the jeep in time to see the crash of the helicopter. He was on the radio calling for backup.

“I want swat and all available personnel to my location.” Crockett spat out.

Crockett flipped open his cell and punched a speed dial.

John this is Captain Crockett we just lost a police helicopter I need to speak with the Chief of Staff to Governor Perry.

As a few more cars pulled up and he started to point and get officers to start looking around. Simms closed in where the downed men had been and found 2 bodies and down the bank a third with a back pack. Two if the men were dressed as any other crosser the one other was dressed in all black with an Ar and side arm and goggles. No identification was on him and no badges or patches. It seemed very odd. It looked like the 30-30 had dropped him with a hit to the femoral artery of his right leg. One of the new rangers had cut the backpack and carried it up the hill along with the ID for the man who made it down back to the bank before he succumbed.

“Captain you need to look at this sir” the young man said.

Captain Crockett took the id and looked it over. It was an id for one of the local prisons. When the other id was rounded up it to was for a prison about 75 miles inland. What would they want in the prison? Why would they go to all this trouble for ….

Holy cow said the young ranger as he made a loud whistle.

The Captain looked over and saw a huger bundle of weed. Whats wrong ranger have you not seen weed before bundled. Sir..... sorry sir this is not weed this is bills and it looks like 100s and 50s. Crockett moved closer and shined his flashlight down on the bundle in the young rangers hands and looked closer. A soft whistle well would you look at that, yep looks like they are now bringing cash back boys. The men surrounding him let out a chorus of laughter.

The captain's mind however reeled with worry. Why did they bring in men over the border with excellent fake id and a bunch of money? The phone rang in his pocket and he flipped it open. This is chief of staff Hines, what can I do for you Captain. I may be worrying for nothing but this last invasion was different. He went on to explain about the money and the IDs for the local prison. He also went over the security detail and that one of the police helicopters had been taken down and a office killed. The Chief of staff cursed under his breath.

I am asking for the Governor now do you think this is an escalation due to the terrorist problems we are experiencing; are they taking this time to trying something now that we are spread so thin.

“In my opinion this is defiantly an escalation and something different’ The captain said.

The governor may want to ask you some more question but thank you.

The Chief of Staff briefed the Governor and his team of policy makes an hour later.

“ Guys I want the midnight oil burnt and I want to make sure that I can deploy national guardsmen and deputized citizens on the border. Frankly I am looking for the ability to do it now why I cannot” Governor Perry said with more then a twinge of anger to his voice.

By 3 am they had researched every way possible the President could try and stop this but the felt it would not work in his favor. The Governor had control of the National Guard and could call them up under any emergency. Deputizing citizens would be controversial but again no one could find anything the federals could do about it.

At 4 am a called was placed to the general in charge of the Texas National Guard.

General Walters this is Governor Perry. I am calling up 2000 guardsmen; I have declared a state of emergency in Texas due to this latest incursion. I need them armed and ready by 6 pm tomorrow. You will be augmented by 2000 citizen volunteers who will be deputized.”

The General thanked the Governor for the call and said they would be ready. Calls began to trickle down as guardsmen were woken up in the middle of the night.

Governor Perry called Captain Crockett.

Captain I want you to get together a way that we can deputize 2000 citizens and deploy 1 citizen with 2 Guardsmen. The deputies are to be made aware they are backup and cannot fire without the guardsmen’s order unless directly threatened. Is that clear!

Yes sir I will start on it now. We have a lot of retired and ex police and guards that we can call first and fill in from there.

Excellent; I will be holding a press conference at 10 am and laying this out. Calls have already been made you are in charge of the civilian deputies. If anyone gives you any crap call me directly and they will be directly fired. The line was dead. Captain Crockett smiled. This should start quiet a little storm in the desert.

The phones at the White House had been busy all night. They had been informed of the incursion and the loss of life. They had called the Mexican Consular to give the condolences for the dead Mexican Nationals with a promise to find out just what happened. The Governor of Texas had called the pilots wife after he was assured she had been told in person by the Head of the Texas Air patrol and the chaplain on duty.

Mr. President I am sorry to have woken you sir but we have a situation developing. The Governor of Texas has declared a state of Emergency and called up 2000 National Guardsmen for the border. They are told to be armed and to repel any crossers.

“Please get the Governor on the phone” The President said in a pained slow whisper.
“ Sir …. Sir “

Well what get him on the phone for me.

Sir he is refusing any calls from the white house until after his 10am press conference.

The President sighed.

Sir also it has hit the news one of your advisors called the Mexican Consular and apologized for the dead nationals. There was a dead police pilot. No one called her.

The news already is making rounds we called Mexico to apologize for people willed while invading our country but not a dead police officer.

The President placed his face in his hands and quietly asked God for strength.

caught up

OK all you are now caught up with the story. Please let me know how you like it.

More to come.


Tony

I absolutely love it.

whtdragn said:

OK all you are now caught up with the story. Please let me know how you like it.

More to come.


Tony

Click to expand...

Oh, YES!!!! MOAR!!!!!! At midnight was just going to find a chapter of something to read before bed, now, 3.5 hours later . . . . I, too, caught up and am waiting.

BTW, Texas not only has a National Guard, which CAN be federalized by the Feds and thus removed from control of the Govenor, but we have a Texas State Guard, the Gov is the CIC and the TSG can ONLY be controlled by him. We have in the State Guard ground and air and sea capabilities, plus full support manpower including Tactical Medical Corps. Gov Perry did call up the State Guard a while ago because the feds did not respond to his request for aid on the border and so sent the TSG. White House pitched a hissy fit when he found out the Feds had NO control and the Gov did over a standing army. Think very well organized State Militia.

DM

is chapter 13 supposed to be a copy of chapter 12, I was copying to my reader so as to have available when i am away from the house
wolfcub

love the story, need more soonest, the shootist and the Lady reporter are great characters and need them to continue to defend America

Exciting story. More as soon as you can please.

It is so hard waiting "catchup" !!!!! Lol!!!


WAB

I agree with Wab need more soonest

chapter 23

Chapter 23
JT was concerned and on the edge of worry. He had sat down when the news was showing the press conference down in Texas. Apparently over night the Shit really did hit the fan. Now the governor of Texas was doing just about everything but declaring war on Mexico. The President was also getting hammered that someone called the Mexican Consular but did not call the pilots widow and now the widow was refusing to take the calls from the white house. All this was fine and brought an amused smile but he did not mean to drift off on a two hour nap and the kids and his wife were not home and no messages. He would give it another 20 minutes and then he was calling and if she gave him crap for being concerned so be it. There was just too much going on. Small riots had already started to break out as gas stations had to change the price almost daily. The suez canal as many had feared had a new tariff for any oil flowing west and that made a barrel alittle over 200 dollars and this translated to 6.50 a gallon for regular unleaded and diesel was 7.50. Some truckers had stopped. They could not make money like this so they were working local routes but that was not making much of a difference. The transportation secretary had spoken of helping needed supplies get delivered but he had no way to get the price back down. There was not much anyone could do. Wal-Mart had started sending busses out to pick up workers and they had started using rail lines to get supplies to a city and then have them farmed out. Their shelves were staying better stocked but this switch over world take time; getting everything delivered that way would take changes and time was working against them. People who had never seen empty store shelves out side of a hurricane or snow storm were unable to buy food or supplies. The one positive was so far the pharmacies were still well stocked. When the exotic medication started to become scarce there would be a die off. He knew people who were on antipsychotics or pain meds or cancer treatments would be the first to have problems and many would not be able to last more then a few days without the daily regiment that they now took. He cursed under his breath. Maybe a quick and startling collapse would have been more humane. He remembered reading the day the dollar died by john galt a favorite radio commentator. It was a quick collapse and then the pain but this slow motion was giving some people time to make final preparation but it was also making people realize the government was in over its head. People who a few weeks ago would have scoffed and laughed about empty store shelves or FEMA being unable to function because of the number of places the problems were showing up now realized the gig was up. The government was not going to be able to save anyone. Society was being bled like the treatment of late 19th century using leeches. Society had it's leeches, and now the strain was showing. The debt burden of all the people they said they could take care of, the burden of oil in places we could no longer control, the terrorist who nightly were taking more blood. Blackout and brownouts were now occurring daily but thankfully not for to long but the people were getting angry. Angry the government could not stop these thugs. Angry that at times they would not even admit who the terrorist were. He knew it was a matter of time. Some one would rise up and give voice to the people. A leader would show up somewhere for better or worse one always did. Perry was a possibility but he had a feeling it was going to be someone outside politics. There would be things that had to be said that a politician could not say. He had kept and ear open for the broadcaster that had killed the terrorist in Phoenix but so far she had disappeared. She might hold some sway. She was well liked and apparently came from good stock.

A voice nudged him. What about you? He tried to sweep the idea aside but he knew no matter if he gave voice to it or not there were those who would think that. He doubted the sheriff paid attention to everyone and he was sure the two agents risking their careers would not approach just anyone.

The tree of liberty must from time to time be replenished with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

He remembered the famous quote and sighed would his blood be needed to replenish the tree or that of his family. How far was he willing to go to secure the liberty and freedom that this country was built on? Many had given all and now was a time when too many were asking what could the country do for them, where was the golden ring they were entitled to. He would not shy away he must have decided that when he walked into the mall and knew that people would look differently at him from then on. He said a silent prayer for Gods guidance and protection and stood up and walked towards his desk. The gleaming metal of the 357 sitting atop the leather holster; he reached down and slipped the gun into the holster and quickly slid it onto his belt. He wore his gun just to the back of his right hip. It felt natural to have the weight on his frame again. I will make my stand and do what I must for this country. Maybe it was time or the realization that people would count on him and he had to be strong. His doubts of what he had Dane could no longer be allowed and he had decided that when the time came he would meet his maker with a clear heart. He pulled the security six and checked the loads and looked at his watch. They had been gone long enough he was going to call and see if anything was wrong. He began to head up the steps and he stopped. He walked back down and looked over to the reloading bench. He grabbed 4 speed loader pouches and attached them to his belt and then grabbed 4 speed loaders with golden saber hollow points and placed them inside. His life and many others had depended on six shots because he did not carry extra ammo. He would not make that mistake again.

He headed up the stairs and called his son. With each passing ring his worry grew.

“hey dad, whats up”

“Where have you guys been, and where are you guys now”

Dan attempted to break in Da….

“Where are you guys”

“dad hold on we are at feeders getting some corn and goats feed”

We called and they had a truck come in and they had now restrictions on how much we got 5 more bags of corn and 5 bags for the goats. Along with some food for the 2 sheep that Nora got. The lady here said they could mostly graze but this would add for winter and we should have enough for about 6 months not to mention the corn and feed we already have.

JT was relieved.

“Sorry son just worried with all that is going on.”
“yeah we caught some of the news on the Texas thing and sounds like the shit has truly hit the fan.”

“Yeah I am afraid the feds are going to try and come down on them pretty hard but I am not sure they care anymore”

“Dad as soon as I get the tired changed we will be on the way.”

“what happened to the tire”

“Looks like a nail puncture just getting it jacked up now.”

“hey just keep the animals cool… get them some water and I will bring the floor jack it is already In the back of the Chevy”

“da…”

“nope I am on my way be there in less then 10 minutes.”

JT was out the door and in the truck in a flash. He knew he may be nothing but a flat tire with those brand new treads was a little to convenient or maybe he was just paranoid. The truck barreled down the gravel drive and onto 44. He hit Dixie highway and headed towards the feeders supply. He pulled into feeders supply parking lot passed the other shops and pulled up to the disabled trailer.

His wife approached the truck “you worry to much”

“Yeah maybe so but it gives me something to do while I recovery” He said with that disarming boyish smile.

“Yea yea yea” She said as she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“Dan, grab the floor jack in the back and get that thing changed”

“I would have had it changed if you had not told me to wait”

“yea yea yea… well you mom says I worry to much”

Dan smiled and grabbed the jack and placed it behind the tire on the frame.

JT got out of the truck and reached back for a tire wrench and reached down.

“naw no way you sit back, let the boy do that you are still in recovery mode and I am not risking you pulling something”

“Yes mother” JT said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

Annea saw he had the gun on his hip and she noticed that his demeanor was somewhat improved. She had been concerned he was a good man and would not take killing someone lightly. She hoped this meant he had come to grips with it.

JT scAnneed the parking lot. Nothing seemed out of place but he was concerned, something did not feel right. The whole in the tire was up on the side wall, just the place you would hit if say you used an ice pick or a knife to cause a flat. With the economy the way it was it could have been someone who wanted to try and steal their cargo or something else. He stood with his back to the road up against the door of the blazer as he watched on while his son and daughter changed the tire. He looked across the front of the small strip mall; several of the shops were empty closed with the slow economy since the crash of ’08. Something caught his eye as he scAnneed the doors. The one door about midway down towards feeders was propped open the inside was completely dark but he thought he could see movement. It would have been easy for someone to walk out and by the trailer and puncture the tire and back inside and never have been noticed. The question still remained unanswered was this an attempted theft or ambush. The FBI agents warning echoed in his ears. His hand reached back to feel the gun. Would this be another gun fight or was this an attack like Phoenix. Was this meant to be an attack while his or one of his family’s members back was turned? Would the feel of a cold steel blade in the back have been the honorable death dealt out? His anger rising as he could feel his face flush.

“Dan get that finished up” His dads words somewhat harder then the lighter atmosphere from second before.

He tightened down the last bolt “all Dane “

Dan looked up and saw his dad was looking towards the strip of empty shop fronts. He reached down to grab the tire and for the first time noticed that the hole was on the sidewall. His eyes wide with the realization that someone had punctured the tire. He grabbed the tire and rim and pushed them in the back of the trailer.

“Dad, it is in the trailer lets go.”

His dad did not respond and took a step closer towards the storefronts.
The door that had been propped open swung wide and 3 men came out of the darkness. Dan could see his fathers hand on the revolver and wondered why he had not pulled it yet. He could see the men were carrying some type of knife. They looked like the old time scimitar swords but about 10 inches long with a nasty curved blade.

“dad get out of the way” Dan yelled

By they JTs' wife and Daughter saw the approaching men.

JT back up towards the blazer and told his wife and daughter to moved towards the other truck. His daughter stepped forward and her hand moved to the Makarov at her side.

“No, leave that there you to Dan”

“No gun play unless someone pulls one out, it looks like they have knives and I am going to make sure they regret that decision, I am tired of dealing with this”

Dan looked over to see his dad rummaging behind the seat and came out with his baton. The escrima stick was about 3 feet long, white with some markings. He remembered his dad taking classes when he was a young boy and he would come home and use one or two sticks on a heavy bag. He had stopped when he began to have shoulder problems but he still went out and relived some tension some times. Dan did not like the look in his fathers eyes. He was angry and it was not simply that these guys came out. Maybe it was that they were plAnneing this on his family maybe something else but this was more then stopping them from hurting his family this was anger bordering on rage.

“Dan on the other side of the truck now. You hear me no guns to many other people if they pull one fine shoot them and shoot to kill otherwise I will take care of this”

He knodded and moved around the corner of the truck with his hand solidly on the makarov.

Anne caught the look he had given to Dan, nothing needed to be said this was not something open to discuss.

JT walked towards the men with the stick in his right hand with only about 3 inches sticking out. The rest trailing behind his right hand. The three men walked with one in the lead and two behind at each of his sides. They carried what appeared to be 10 inch scimitar blades. Their eyes caught the glint of the steel from the ruger and he saw fear.
You should be afraid but not of the gun today. He was angry they had plAnneed to kill or take his family hostage.

“when you see the coward of an Imam please send him my regards” JT sneered.

Anger flared in their eyes and they began to moved towards him faster and he smiled. Yes he was angry but it was a controlled burn theirs now was not.

JT lept from his front foot forward and leveled the stick along his shoulder and pointing the 3 inches as if it were a knife and caught the first attacker directly in the trachea. Spinning towards his right he caught the second attacker across the face with the stick and ended standing facing the 3rd attacker as if he had only stepped to the left and nothing more. The man who took the throat hit was down on the ground spitting up blood and trying to breath. The second man was down and holding his face and eyes which now had a red mark from side to side the knife forgotten on the ground. The third attacker turned to face JT the knife shaking in his hand as he looked at his brethren. JT moved forward and started with a high swing and then hit the right and left knees with a single blow that stopped the attacked in his tracks the knife outstretched in his right hand JT grabbed the left wrist and spun under the outstretched arm. The escrima stick now again as it had been when this all began with 3 or 4 inches out past his right hand. The force of his hips and arm came around and caught the 3rd attacker in the solar plexus. He went down immediately and began the arduous task of attempting to breath. JT pulled the blade from the mans hand and firmly took it in his right hand laying the stick down and pointing the blade directly in front of the mans left eye. The man was begging for mercy and weeping as the tip moved to just below the eyeball. He could feel the tips puncture the skin and could smell his own blood as he felt it run down his cheek. You take this back to your Imam, if he comes after my family again not all the angels in heaven will stop me from spilling his blood. The tip moved a fraction more and then it was taken away. Just as quickly the blade was pulled down the right cheek the man giving a quick scream of pain before it was Dane. JT stood up and put the blade in his belt as he picked up his stick. Two attackers laying on the ground groaning in pain. The third man who now had a very comical red mark across his face had just began to regain his feet and still had the knife in his hand. JT told him to go and leave the knife but he was not going to end this in that fashion.

Dan who had been watching with awe at the speed and agility of his dad who he often lovingly referred to as old man could only think this was a bad time to decide to stand your ground. He watched as his dad said something and pointed away and the man moved closer. His father moved slowly and sidestepped the attacked and lifted his right foot and side kicked down onto the right knee causing it to collapse and bringing the stick up across the face again. Dan could not tell if the loud crack was the knee of the third attacker or the smack from the escrima stick. Either way he thought that is going to leave a mark.

Dan was brought out of his reverie by his dad telling him to get in the truck and lets go home.

Dan looked at his dad.

“ are we not going to wait for the police”

Nope been there done that if they want me and anyone says anything they can come and ask me at my home.

Dan , Nora and Anne packed in the truck and trailer and JT pulled up into the blazer with more the a twinge of pain. He was going to hear about this when he got home he was sure of that.

Allright!!!!

WAB

While I enjoy this story very much, I'm having a hard time reading/interpreting it. I suggest you proof-read your story to catch the spelling and punctuation errors along with missing words. By doing this you'll make the experience much more enjoyable for the reader.

thanks for more of the good stuff, as always a pleasure, need more soonest

OK... I'm hooked :-)

chapt 24

Ok guys my daughter is going to try and edit this for me, she has some experience. I am posting this tonight and I may post and edited version later this weekend. Need feed back on how the edited version is. You can as always give feedback but I need to know if she fixes the problems that I miss.

Chapter 24

Sargent Maury Liser was a retired marine sniper he lived outside of St Louis Missouri and had enough of this foolishness with these terrorists. This current administration would rather bow down at the foot of radical Islam then to destroy it and now it had hit home. His son in law was an over the road truck drive and he was killed by one of these cowards two days ago and that was bad enough this was a good kid that his daughter loved with all her heart but what had pushed the old marine over was that his grandson was riding in the truck and glass from the windshield had lodged in the small child’s left eye. He could very well loose all sight in that eye and his papa , that is what the tot called him was inconsolable. He had called some of his VFW buddies. They had a private shooting club and last night they had laid out a plan. Most of the Shootings in their area had been along one of two main Interstates 70 and 64. He had gotten about 20 VFW members together and they had decided to stake out some of the areas where they would be laying in wait if they were doing the shooting. Liser had made a call to the chief of police to give him a heads up. Since he was an old friend and the boys’ godfather who had married Lisers daughter it took little to convince him. The Chief knew that at times it was better to have a viper on your side.

“ maury they killed my godson, I watched over that kid after his father was killed on the force”

Liser could hear the voice of the chief fade.
“ I can not go with you but you hunt them down and kill them, you hear me you make them fear the night. Your guys should all have black arm bands no police will bother you it will not go out over the band only person to person”

The line went dead. He knew the chief was about to break down. His brother had died in the line of duty and he had raised a good boy. He had never married and there was talk about him and his brother wife but it never happened. Liser was sure they had been together but like in small towns secrets were kept sometimes longer then needed. He called all the members and let them know about the arm bands and then went to the small hall closet. He reached into the back and pulled the Springfield armory national match garand from the back. He liked the m16 and all but this was his baby. He took money from many young posers with this little toy. He pulled the stool from the side of the closet and reached back in the back to a small metal box. He pulled it forward and opened the top. There were 3 magazines loaded with black tipped 308 rounds. A present from friends last Christmas, 500 rounds of armor piercing ammo. He closed the closet and walked towards the front door. He did not want to wake his wife she would not approve and would worry. As he walked past the darkened living room.

“ hello daddy.... going hunting are we at 9 pm” his daughter called from the darkness.

He turned startled.

“just going to the post to do some cleaning before we shoot next week.” he lied quickly.

She moved into the light her eyes red from crying.

“ I thought you were at the hospital” he said.

“they told me to come home and get some rest. They said he would not be waking up until early in the morning, there are going to be some long days ahead and I should take the opportunity. Besides I had to finalize the funeral arrangements.”

His heart sank for the sadness he could feel in her faint voice. They stood there neither moving.

“I did not want to go home there is just too much”.... he voice fading. “I just came over here to sit.”

I remember the first time that Jim and I had slept together and fallen asleep. We came home two hours after curfew and you were sitting in this room waiting for me. He walked in with me and he apologized to you. You were mad but you told me later you respected him for being a man about it. He loved you and mom and wanted to make you proud. He had signed up for classes for the spring. He was going to finish his Physical Therapy degree. He wanted to surprise you.

Her eyes filled with tears

He stood there still, looking for words that would comfort his daughter.

“Daddy I am so sorry” She said

“ what honey do you have to be sorry for”

I never understood the whole army , marine thing. I never understood the idea of being proud of your family members that had served. I always thought it was just the killing or the guns but I never understood.

“I am soooo sorry” her voice quivering.

I always thought we had done something to deserve the hatred of the world. That is what they taught us that we... that you were the bad people. If we just were less proud to be an American that the terrorists were just like George Washington. I believed them and for that I am so sorry. There are bad people in the world and we have to call them on it and not lie down and let them walk over us.

I remember that quote you said along time ago, you said it was George Orwell but no one seems really sure
"We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us."
He looked into the tear strained eyes of his daughter.

“You did not do anything wrong honey”

“yes dad I did ….. I believed them, my friends believed them.. we did not understand the sacrifice that people had made for the freedoms we were so happy to give away.”

A tear streamed down the wrinkled face of the old marine.

We used to have so much fun shooting together that little 22 until I had that teacher in middle school that told me about how bad guns were and how you might come home one day and snap and shoot us all. I never shot with you again and I know it hurt you.

Liser put a note in the back of his mind that after this was done there was a certain teacher that was going to get an ass whooping.

“I understand now... I promise I do.”

She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

“ I am angry dad, I am enraged but I swear I am not asking for vengeance I do not want another family to go through what I am right now.”

She pulled away and walked to the front door.

“I am going back to the hospital... I Love you dad” she said as she opened the door.

He watched as the door stopped just before it closed.

“good hunting marine… there is violence to be done this night ”

The soft dirt below him felt cool with the night air. His mind replaying that talk just before he left and meet with his spotter, damn right there was violence to be done.

The group had broken into teams of two and picked spots they would cover. Each had a spotter with a night vision spotting scope. Both shooters would have night vision on the rifles. The spotter would act a s a secondary if both targets showed tonight. Liser and his spotter were about 4o yards a part with eyes on a main cross way not to far from a freight terminal. There had been talk around that the terminal was going to be busy tonight and it could prove an irresistible target. The spotter had eyes on an over pass and had just seen some movement. The FRS radio crackled softly. Spotter to trigger overpass small car just pulled in.

Liser had been tightening the screws on the ATN Mars6X Night Vision Scope. The black rifle barrel pushed between the two bushes like a snake might slither through them. He settled behind the scope and peered through the artificial light casting a green hew across the world in front of him. Although he could make out the men he was at the wrong angle for the car.

“Spotter can you make out the car”

“toyota ... small SUV …Rav 4 maybe, two people moving to the back of the car”

“trigger two targets moving to the front of the vehicle possible weapon”

“ spotter... roger weapon appears to be a dragunov”

“ spotter I consider this verified we are go to engage, I am on shooter and you take second target”

Liser steadied the rifle on the small sand bag that seemed to always be in the pickup. The target lay in profile next to the vehicle. He took aim as the target could be seen arranging the rifle and getting set to shoot.

“trigger … riggs are starting to move from the terminal”

Liser squeezed the trigger with the precision of a surgeon and the touch of the devil the trigger broke and the round was away, by the time the targets could react the 308 had entered the side of the head of the sniper and ended his time on this earth. The other target moved back under the car and rolled away to the driver’s side.

“trigger I have no shot on the second target”

“spotter … roger I am going to try and go through the engine and see if I can take him out”

Liser began shooting rounds through the passenger side just above and behind the front wheel. The rounds making sparks as they struck the engine. He was not sure if even the armor piercing rounds would go through the engine block. He kept firing and unknown to the shooter he had shattered the vials of liquid inside the fake battery. The two chemicals were now combined and now only needed a jolt of electricity. The next round as if guided by an unseen force struck the fan and turned the car engine ever so slightly just enough to cause a spark that traveled down the broken electrical wire that now was laying across the broken battery.

Liser was in the process of getting another magazine when the explosion happened. A ball of fire shot some 30 feet in the air and the second sniper with it.

“ trigger what was that… what did you hit them with”

“spotter I have no idea unless that story off the web about batteries filled with explosives was true. Gather you stuff and make sure nothing is left behind lets move”

When Liser got to his truck and pulled away from his hiding spot he turned on the scanner. It was already awash with calls about the explosion.

Maury Liser headed to the hospital to see his grandson.

Wonderful story,keep it coming please. MOAR PLEASE

You do a fine job of writing. Just dont stop.


WAB

Great story, whtdragn! If you want me to, I can put chapter 13 where it belongs and delete the extra chapter 12. Just let me know.

thanks for the new chapter, good stuff

Excellent story! Ready for more whenever you are!

Kable said:

Excellent story! Ready for more whenever you are!

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Yes please when you can we need more of your story.