Bug Out! Part 4: Mortars and Motorhomes Read Free Page A

on. He frisked him, stopping at his left calf. He pulled up the pant leg, and pulled a switchblade off that was taped onto his leg. He threw it in the dirt a few feet away. Then he continued on the other leg and stopped. He lifted the pant leg and pulled a small auto pistol out of there.
    “Well well well. CIA issue? C’mon, let’s walk this guy back to the front,” the Major said. “Sheriff, can you come too?”
    “Jerry, you mind holding down the fort up there?” asked the Sheriff.
    “Sure, no problem, Sheriff. And nice job, by the way.”
    “Thanks,” he replied. “Alright Major, let’s go. I have my squad car up there, and it will hold a prisoner if we need to keep this creep on ice for a little while.”
    “Excellent,” Major Dobbs said. “Private Jones?”
    The private came out of the bushes with his weapon in his hand.
    “Yes sir,” he said.
    “Set to get the drop on things, eh? Nice job. Ready to go up the ladder a bit?”
    “Yes sir,” he said.
    “Good, I hereby promote you to Sergeant. Congratulations.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Sergeant Jones said with a wide smile.
    “You earned it,” the Major said. “Now, I want you to take command of this back section. Work with our civilian partners to secure the area, and also guard against another attack. We aren’t out of the woods yet. I’m going up to the front of the park with Officer Simmons here.”
    “Yes sir,” he said.
    Sergeant Jones turned, and several of the people there clapped. He nodded.
    “Private Bates? Let’s talk. Up in the blind, with Jerry,” he said. “The rest of you keep your eyes and ears open, and let’s keep that mortar ready.”
    “That’s very touching,” Officer Simmons said sarcastically.
    “Shut up, traitor,” Frank said.
    “I’ll get you, Frankie,” he replied. “Nobody shoots me and gets away with it.”
    Frank cocked his Winchester, and his knuckles whitened around it.
    “Stand down, Frank,” Major Hobbs said. “This asshole will get his reward soon enough. This is wartime and we still shoot spies.”
    Frank settled down.
    “Earl, Jackson, and Frank, want to go up there with the Sheriff and I?”
    They all nodded.
    “Alright, traitor, move it,” the Sheriff said, and he prodded him forward.
    They walked back to the gate, single file, all of them looking around except Officer Simmons, who was looking down at the ground in front of him.
    There were more people out and around in the park, now. The terror of the battles was starting to wane, and it was a comfort to most people that the army was there in force.
    Frank moved up next to the Major.
    “So what now, Major Hobbs?” he asked.
    “I’m going to get on the horn with my CO and talk about this,” he said, but then he nodded towards Officer Simmons. “We’ll talk more when the traitor is out of earshot.”
    “If you think there’s any chance this guy is going to get away, I’m going to shoot him,” Frank whispered. “I’m not looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.”
    The Major nodded.
    They got to the Clubhouse. The Sheriff walked Officer Simmons over to his squad car. He threw him in the back, behind the mesh, and locked it up. Then he came back over and joined the group as they entered the clubhouse. Jane ran over to Frank. She’d been watching them through the window.
    “I didn’t think he was a good guy,” she said. “What did he do?”
    “He tried to arrest Earl and Jackson. He pulled his weapon. We wouldn’t let him do it. The guy is a traitor, that’s pretty obvious.”
    “I’m going to go out to my radio and have a chat with the CO,” Major Hobbs said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    “Alright. I’m going to run up to the roof and chat with Jeb and Charlie. I want to make sure that they shoot this jerk if he gets loose.”
    The Major nodded and left the room. Frank went over to the store and up onto the roof.
    “Hey, guys,” Frank said. Jeb and Charlie turned around.
    “Looks like we were