Bug Out! Part 6: Motorhome Mayhem in the Rockies Read Free Page A

Black.”
    “Yep, make mine black too,” the Major said. The sat down at the first row of benches. The major looked around the room. “Very rustic, very charming.”
    “Thanks, Major,” Gabe said. “My dad and grandfather built it, many years ago.”
    Kurt and Mary came walking over with the Sheriff. Rosie also walked over. Jackson an Earl were at the next table over. They turned around to face the group.
    “Anybody else in the core group?” asked the Major.
    “I don’t see Jeb or the Deputy,” Private Jenkins said. “Are they still with you?”
    “Yes,” Gabe said. “Jeb wanted to walk the grounds.” Suddenly Jeb slipped in through the door, his hunting rifle in his hand.
    “You guys scared the crap out of me,” Jeb said, laughing. “I was worried until I saw Private Jenkins. How are you, son?”
    “I’m great, Jeb, good to see you again. This is Major Donaldson.”
    “He OK?” Jeb asked, grinning.
    “I hope I am,” Major Donaldson said, laughing. He extended his hand and they shook. “Heard some crazy stories about you. Apparently you’re pretty good with a bow.”
    “Ah, shucks,” he said. “Simple technology for simple folks.”
    Everybody laughed.
    “Rosie, you hit on this guy yet?” Jeb asked. “He looks like fresh meat to me.”
    “Oh, I get around to,” she said. “Right now I only have eye for you, big boy.”
    More laughter, but you could tell that people were wondering what the Army was doing there. The group hushed quickly. Everybody was nervous.
    “I guess I should get down to business,” the Major said. “You are charming people…I can see that - and good friends with each other.”
    “Yes, we are,” Charlie said. “We’ve been through a lot together.”
    “Private Jenkins said you guys were on your way to Leadville. We wanted to warn you about that area.”
    “We had pretty much decided against going there,” Frank said. “When somebody blows up a bridge in the area, it makes you think twice.”
    “Good,” the Major said. “The problem is really in New Mexico. There are a lot of Islamists there. They got kicked out of Texas, and they haven’t been able to move into Arizona, although they’re trying hard now that there is an offensive going on with their brothers from the north. They have to cross a lot of open territory to get into Arizona, and the Air Force has been pounding them as soon as they show themselves. They can’t go south….we’ve got the border completely closed. That leaves Colorado, so they’ve been creeping up towards that area. We think they just want someplace to hide at this point. We don’t expect them to try to attack Denver or Boulder or any other major city, but they have made it into the less populated areas in increasing numbers.”
    “So, do you think that they blew that bridge to keep forces from going south and killing them?” asked Frank.
    “That’s exactly what we think,” the Major said. “Like I said, this isn’t a huge force like the one that is currently in Utah and Arizona. It’s more like a few hundred, not thousands. They’re stragglers, but they’re still plenty dangerous. You don’t want to be around them.”
    “I suspect we don’t want to be around there if you guys get a good air campaign going against them, either,” Jerry said.
    “Yes, that’s the other thing,” the Major said. “We would rather not have more good guys in there right now. We don’t want to kill the wrong folks.”
    “So what do you suggest we do?” Charlie asked.
    “It’s really up to you guys, but if I were you, I’d try to stay here. This is pretty safe. We took a look at the topography as we flew in. It’s much more defendable than the place in Utah that you came from.”
    “Are there enemy fighters around here?”
    “Not that we’ve seen so far,” the Major said.
    “As the crow flies, that bridge isn’t all that far from here,” Jeb said.
    “True,” the Major continued, “but it’s a lot longer to get here