“That means they had a good at least a good 60 to start with if you subtract the 10, or was it 11 or 12 we killed?”
Rob looked at him. “You guys took out that many?”
Roger continued, “I don’t really know. Oh, that reminds me. About a half mile north along your wood line is going to be a kid tied up. He’s hurt pretty badly, most likely broken ribs and bruised. You guys do what you want with him. There’s a quad and some toys in your pole barn. Keep those. You might need them.”
Haliday called the group, who was waiting with anticipation. They filled him in on the activity they encountered and he told them he would let them know what was going on when they got back. They would be coming in very soon. He told Rob about the militia vehicle. “You might want to see if you can go get it. It’ll help you as well. He gave Rob a couple of frequencies. Use the kid’s ham, you can run it off the quad.”
Rob said, “I can’t thank you enough for all of this.” A few of the other guys were there as well and thanked them. They were all huddling around the burn barrel.
“If I could give you guy’s any advice, this is what I would do.”
Roger was just about to give them a little advice when one of the other men pointed and said, “I think we have company.”
A four wheeler from the compound was pulling out and headed their way. It had a large white flag waving from it. They stopped out in the street just a short ways from the feed store. They yelled out, “We want to talk to whoever is in charge.”
Haliday and Blake both stepped back and took aim. Haliday was scanning the area, he had that feeling. “Step back Rob.” Rob stepped back too.
There were three of them out there. “Can we speak to who’s in charge?” someone yelled.
One of Rob’s friends said, “Hell, I’ll go.”
Haliday said, “No, don’t go out there,” but the guy did anyway. “Rob, who is that guy?”
“His name is Jim, he always wants to be in charge and run things. If it’s our fantasy football league or anything else not important, we just let him. He’s kind of like Mr. Haney from Green Acres, always has a money-making scam going on, the next big business, that sort of thing.”
Haliday looked around and backed up some more. “Back up guys, back up.” Most backed up, but a few just stood there. A couple of guys went over by the dumpster and grabbed some rifles they had hidden. Haliday had specifically told them not to bring weapons to this rally. Jim talked to them for a bit, then returned.
“Hey Rob, one of them is Ernie, you know, the deputy.”
“Ya, I know him, he always hassles my boys about the scooter.”
“Well listen here, they wanted to know who the leader was and I told them I was it. Told them I designated you to talk for us when we were at the gate. They want to make a truce. They said if we disband, they won’t do anything to us.”
“Bullshit,” Rob said. “I don’t trust them.”
Jim spoke again; “They also wanted to know who these two were.” He pointed at Haliday and Blake. “I told them they were my cousin and nephew from the suburbs.”
Haliday spoke next. “Listen Jim, I’m not sure you fully understand what’s happening here.”
Jim pointed at Roger. “Hey, you ain’t from around here, I know these people.”
Roger replied, “Oh you do, So you knew what they were prepping for and everything?”
“Well, no, but they are mostly good people,” Jim said.
“Look Jim, I’m telling you this is bad shit going down.”
Jim wouldn’t listen to reality. He told Roger, “You don’t know that. I think it’s a good deal. We might be able to get something else out of it too.”
Another guy piped in. “Jim, I think this guy is legit. I mean he’s gotta be Special Forces or something, look at the shit he’s pulled.”
“No, I’m not, nor would I portray myself to be. I’m just a guy who took advantage of all the training I ever could. Practiced and honed those skills, read everything I could. Knowledge is key. Operators are a different breed, I know a few. I wish we had some right about now. I’m just a dirty fighter.”
Haliday spoke to the group. “Look, these guys are just buying time. They will come after everyone here. They won’t stop. I guarantee they will not give up that food and supply stockpile without a fight. You all heard the stories of what they’re doing.”
Jim spoke, “Oh bullshit, I got this handled.” Jim walked back out to meet them. A couple more people told him not to. Haliday looked around; he motioned for Blake and Rob to back up a bit more.
Jim said, “Ernie, they don’t trust you. But I think we can cut a deal here. Look, we’ll all go home, but we gotta have something that shows good faith. Why don’t you give us all some food to get by until we work out a deal on issuing the supplies.” Ernie told him the supplies would be sold or traded, not just given out.
“Look Ernie. I have to agree with these guys, you can’t take this stuff and then sell it back to us, that ain’t right. Now if that’s going to be your final offer, then we can’t accept that, you understand right?”
Ernie said, “I understand, but you don’t Jim. That’s not the way it works now. We don’t bargain with terrorists either.”
“Ernie, we’re not terrorists, just people from the community like you. You guys are acting like the terrorists here.”
Ernie walked away for a minute and talked on his radio. He came back. “Jim, the only deal is you guys go home and don’t pull stunts like this again. You’re the leader right?”
“I sure am, but we can’t take that offer.”
Haliday saw Ernie shift positions and Haliday yelled, “Everyone down!”
Jim never stood a chance as a bullet ripped through his chest. Haliday and everyone else took cover. Haliday tried to fire at the group, but too many of the guys ran between him and the four wheeler. A couple of the guys fired at the militia group and the militia fired back. Another man spun around and dropped his weapon as a round pierced his shoulder.
Haliday started yelling, “Get back. Get back!” The militia had lured some of these guys out into the street and into the direct line of fire for their own sniper. Ernie had merely confirmed the order and then set up Jim for the shot. Jim had confirmed he was the leader and they figured an eye for an eye was in order, even though their commander was just injured.
The militia ducked down behind their four wheeler. They would raise their rifles and fire some shots toward the crowd. Once in a while they hit another man in the back who was trying to run. Haliday finally had a clear field of fire and started firing back at the militia group. The rest of Rob’s friends who had been supporting Rob had managed to all get clear of the sniper.
Haliday counted three armed men plus Blake and himself. They hadn’t hit any of the militia yet. There were quite a few rounds fired from the militia, but only one or two men fired back in response. Two had bolt action hunting rifles and one had a Ruger Mini-14. “Save your ammo,” Haliday yelled.
He crawled over to Blake; Rob was lying next to him. “Rob, take my rifle. I’m going to signal to Blake when I want you guys to fire.” Haliday crawled over to his bike in the truck well. He grabbed his M24 and went around to the back of the building. He climbed a metal ladder that was attached to the building and hoisted himself up on the roof.