As soon as people came Matt put them to work alongside those already busy shoving mass behind the cars positioned across the streets. The cinderblocks were something, but Matt could imagine one of those big FETF trucks putting their bumpers right to the other side of the roadblock and then shoving it all aside. He had people filling sacks with sand, piling rocks, gathering any heavy bits of junk close at hand, and even pushing more cars down the road on flat tires to push against the back of the pile of furniture along the sides of the road in case Ferris tried to break through there.
Matt helped where he could, but mostly he trusted Trev to coordinate the effort while he stayed busy on the radio, getting progress reports from everyone he’d sent out.
Given a week or even a day to prepare they probably could’ve thrown up barricades on all the side streets and back roads and organized better ambush spots. As it was Chauncey’s dire warning of Ferris’s convoy of raiders moving out of Helper had him expecting to hear engines roaring down the road towards them at any moment.
The roadblock was looking much more solid when the Mayor arrived with half a dozen people, lugging wagons full of extra magazines and ammunition to hand out. “The storehouse is empty,” she said grimly. “Chauncey’s been warning me for weeks that our supply of ammo isn’t limitless, but it always seemed like there was still plenty. Let’s hope this doesn’t become an extended firefight.”
Matt nodded. “We’ll make sure everyone makes their shots count. If it comes to that.” She responded with a grimace as she handed him an extra magazine each for his AR-15 and Glock and a 50 round box each of .223 and .40. Matt backed away so the others could also get ammo.
Trev looked a bit disappointed there wasn’t another magazine for his .45, also a Glock. He’d accepted 3 from the storehouse as part of his payment for the cache, and that was apparently all that had been available. As for his Mini-14, he didn’t need any extra magazines since he already had plenty, and ammo for both his guns.
Within ten minutes they had everyone at the roadblock as ready as possible, and Catherine had sent runners with extra ammo for the snipers Lewis had set up. Matt radioed Chauncey at the storehouse to see if he had any more news of Ferris’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately it was the same news. “Nothing since my friend up in Helper watched them roll out a while ago. They could be hear any minute, or they could be crashing through Carbonville.” The retired teacher made an annoyed sound. “I’ll let you know the moment I hear anything.”
The bustle of activity around the roadblock slowed as all the most urgent tasks got completed. Matt felt the tension building as the minutes ticked by with nothing to do but wait, and he knew everyone else felt the same. Catherine began outlining a plan for the people behind the roadblock to scatter into the nearby yards and side streets in case Ferris tore through the solid barricade they’d made, but Matt had a feeling it was mostly to keep people’s minds occupied.
If over 50 men with automatic weapons and heavy vehicles managed to break through the barricade, the people here might not even have time to run.
It was a relief to know Lewis and his snipers were in the buildings nearest the roadblock, as well as behind fences and trees and lying prone on any high spot of ground nearby. Lewis himself was up on a rooftop that could conveniently be reached by a tree in a backyard, using his binoculars to keep a close eye on the road.
But it was Tom Harding, out in one of the farthest sniper positions in a barn loft a 100 yards down the road and 50 or so feet back from it, that gave the news they’d all been dreading for nearly an hour.
“Vehicles coming down the road towards us,” he said, excited voice nearly lost in a burst of feedback. “Six of them. It’s Ferris!”
“Roger. I’ll update Helper and Price on the convoy’s movements and then I’m on my way,” Chauncey said, and Matt didn’t object: If Ferris was here then there was no reason to listen on the radio for news of him, and they could use everyone they could find to defend the roadblock.
Within less than a minute they heard the rumble of engines approaching, and then vehicles came into view driving at a reasonable speed. They were flying little American flags from posts near their windshields, like you saw in parades, and FETF was prominently stenciled on every surface. No soldiers were in sight aside from those driving the vehicles and their passengers, and no indication that the trucks covered in olive green tarp were hiding dozens of armed bandits.
“Looks like he’s trying the same trick he tried in Helper,” Catherine said, climbing up onto the righthand car to stand beside Matt. “Fool us once, shame on you.”
Matt turned to look at her, radio ready at his mouth. “Do we hide and let him get close, then open fire, or do we give him your show of force and try to turn him back?”
The older woman frowned deeply. “Whatever he is, whatever he’s done, I can’t feel good about shooting first. There might still be a way to avoid violence here.”
“I hope so.” Matt gave the front vehicle an uneasy look. The .50 cal Chauncey had mentioned was bolted atop it with a gunner standing behind ready to open fire. That weapon alone could take down a small army in the right circumstances. He turned to warn the people behind the roadblock to stay visible, but be ready to get out of sight quick if that weapon started shooting.
And that .50 cal was just what he could see. What if they had TOW missiles or RPGs to blow the roadblock to smithereens?
Whatever Ferris and the others might have been hoping, once they saw the solid roadblock and the dozens of people lined up behind it they must’ve thought better of trying to bluff their way in as FETF. The vehicles stopped a hundred yards away while the lead vehicle edged to within shouting range. A short man opened the passenger side door and stood behind it on the tall truck’s step up, megaphone in hand. It was definitely Ferris, recognizable even at that range, and although he wore a flak jacket and protective headgear now he was still dressed in the same impractical suit he’d worn last fall.
“Councilwoman Tillman,” the administrator said coldly, voice booming through the megaphone.
“Mayor Tillman, now,” Catherine replied in a shout.
Ferris snorted, the sound creating a burst of feedback. “Anderson finally buckle under the pressure? It was only a matter of time.”
“Mayor Anderson was murdered in cold blood,” the new Mayor shot back. “On the day you left, in fact.”
Even at this distance it was obvious the former FETF administrator couldn’t have cared less if he’d tried. “In any case I notice the refugee camp is abandoned. Did you finally drive those poor people away?”
Catherine shook her head. “Just the opposite. We took them into the town and offered them what shelter we could over the winter. We didn’t have food to give thanks to the state you left us in, but at least fewer refugees froze.”
Ferris looked over the crowd of hostile faces behind the roadblock. “It seems something happened after I left that you’re blaming me for. Not that it matters. Bring down this roadblock, we’re coming in.”
Even though he knew better, for just the briefest moment Matt was afraid the mayor would agree, still letting Ferris cling to his tatters of FETF authority even after everything that had happened that winter and what they’d heard from Helper.
But Catherine made no move to give the order. “The town has agreed that we no longer need FETF assistance.” She managed to shout that without sounding sarcastic, which was pretty impressive. “You’re welcome to find somewhere else that needs your help.”