Home Invasion Read online

  Leaning over his plate, Thad cut his eyes at me, “You might as well give up.”

  Mopping gravy up with the last bite of the meatloaf, I nodded. “Guess you’re right. I’ll have to figure out some way to make it up to her.”

  Thad chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

  With our supper done, I collected our plates and walked to the sink to wash them. Kay was still there and took them from me, shooing me out of her kitchen. I started to say something about it being Bobbie’s kitchen, but better sense prevailed and I kept my mouth shut. Just as I was walking out of the kitchen, the radio set up in the corner on a folding table crackled.

  “Stumpknocker is at Universal.”

  I walked over to the radio and picked up the mic. “Roger that. Buy the express pass so you can beat the wait.”

  “Keep the dumbass chatter off the radio, dipshit.” Came Sarge’s terse reply.

  I shook my head as I set the mic down. Turning around, I asked, “Did someone sneak in and steal everyone’s sense of humor.”

  Bobbie was wiping the counter where Thad and I just ate. Her back was to me when she replied, “You’re just not nearly as funny as you think you are.”

  I looked at Mel, but she held a hand up. “Don’t talk to me. Go see what the girls in that magazine think about it.”

  “Oh, for cryin’ out loud,” I replied. Looking at Thad, I asked, “You ready? I gotta get out of the crazy here before I catch it.”

  “Ha!” Kay barked from the kitchen.

  Thad came up and pushed me towards the door. “Come on. Let’s get you outta here before you get yourself in any more trouble.”

  As we went out the door, I said, “Let’s take Sarge’s buggy. My truck is starting to get rough.”

  “Fine by me,” Thad replied as we walked to the small vehicle.

  We arrived at the bunker as the sun was beginning its descent. The oppressive heat of the day was starting to wane, though it was still hot. Jess started clapping when she saw us.

  “I’m so ready to go,” Jess said.

  “I’m hungry,” Lee Ann added.

  “We’re going to take this back to the house.” Aric said as he headed to the buggy.

  “Go for it,” Thad replied.

  As she passed, Lee Ann gave me a hug and asked, “How long are you going to be down here?”

  “Until morning, I guess.”

  “Yeah, Danny and I will be back early in the morning,” Aric replied.

  “Being shorthanded sucks,” I replied. “But we’ll get through it.”

  Fred waved as she got in the buggy. “See you guys later. I’m starving!”

  They quickly departed, leaving Thad and me alone. Thad looked down at my legs and said, “You’re going to be sorry you didn’t put on long pants.”

  Looking down, I said, “Oh shit. I forgot to change.”

  Thad smiled, “Bet you won’t again.”

  And he would be proved right. As the sun started to set, the blood sucking masses emerged from their daytime hiding places to drive us mad. To aid our sanity a little, I suggested we build a smudge fire. Thad said it was too hot for a fire. And while he was certainly right, I needed some relief, so I dug a small fire pit under the tarp at the rear of the bunker.

  The fire would be kept small, as I was more interested in the smoke than any heat. It didn’t take long to get a decent fire going. To encourage the smoke, and discourage the bugs, I threw on the green leaves of Beauty Berry. The smoke did its job and ran most of the tiny terrors out from under the tarp.

  Checking the time, I set the small radio up on top of the bunker and extended its antenna. It was almost time to catch JJ Schmidt tonight. I wish I knew what frequency they used on the radio and when they used it, so I could pass along to them the fact we found those Russians. But at least getting info from them was a benefit. It was strange in a sense. As if the darkness were pulled back a bit. The information vacuum let up just a little each time I caught his broadcast.

  This was the one thing I really fell short in. I hadn’t considered the effect of being in a near total void of information. The not knowing what was happening even a county over, let alone across the nation, was a real shortfall. If I had the opportunity to go back and change things, this is the one I certainly would. Of course, more power would be nice. But we’d adapted to that just fine. But news. Real news of what was happening or could be coming our way, that I wish I had.

  The radio gave nothing but static, so I turned it down and left it sitting. While we waited to see if there would be any news tonight, I busied myself with the fire while Thad used the NVGs to scan the area. The evenings were so quiet now. As the sun set, most critters went to their dens or roosts. The air felt heavy and a haze fell onto the earth. It was an odd time to be out. The mid-summer evenings in Florida, following the height of the sweltering daytime heat, had a very ominous feel to them. As though it were the opening scene to some horror movie.

  But there never was any horror. The sun would continue to drift toward the horizon. The temps would ease ever so slightly. And some days when the east and west coast sea breezes collided at the right time, thunder would roll in the distance. Tonight was one of those nights.

  Thad and I stood under the tarp as the little radio hissed and popped, the volume so low it was just barely audible. Out to our west, straight down the street, heat lightning lit up the sky in fantastic patterns. The thunder would come rolling across the fields a short time later as a low roiling rumble. The flashes would light up the thunderheads for an instant. Like the flash of a camera, we’d catch a momentary image that seemed to be burned into our eyes.

  Thad stepped out from under the tarp and looked up into the sky with the NVG. He spun in a circle as he said, “I think we might get wet tonight.”

  I walked away from the reprieve the smoke offered to look up as well. The sky overhead was dark and growing darker. The sun, now set, was nothing more than a faint line of color on the distant horizon. “You could be right.” I replied. “We could use it, though. The farm needs the rain and it’ll run these damn skeeters off,” I added.

  We stepped back under the tarp, and I dropped a couple pieces of wood on the small fire and another handful of leaves. As I stood up, the first raindrops hit the tarp. It was a dull thud of a large drop. The lightning intensified and the thunder came quicker. No longer simply heat lightning, the flashes came in brilliant bursts of light that lit up the world, followed nearly immediately by fierce thunderclaps.

  The rainfall grew more and more powerful, until it was pounding on the tarp over our heads. The sound of the rain battering the sheet overhead became so loud, we had to nearly shout at one another to be heard.

  “It’s a frog strangler!” Thad shouted.

  I nodded. “Looks like we should have been building an ark!”

  The road was soon a running torrent of water, carrying sand, sticks and leaves. The small fire was quickly washed away and we had to step close to the bunker to keep from getting our feet soaked. I picked up the radio and held it to my ear. It sounded like a voice, so I turned the volume to near full before I could make it out. It was JJ Schmidt alright and he’d already started the broadcast.

  …ut it would appear the Chinese are not heeding the warnings. These are dangerous times, folks. If the Chinese do not turn their fleet away from the California coast, they risk annihilation. It would be the first time a nuclear weapon has been used in the modern era. The potential side effects are tremendous, not the least of which could be a retaliatory strike against us. But officials from NORAD believe an invasion of the mainland by Chinese troops would be catastrophic. Reports coming out of the Hawaiian Islands paint a grim picture of what could be in store for all of us. We, of course, will keep you up to date as the situation develops further.

  As if this weren’t bad enough, it now appears there are Russian pathfinders in Florida. Several reports emerged from the Florida Keys about Russian and Cuban forces landing there, as well as in o
ther less populated areas of the state. The DOD, operating out of Patrick Air Force base, is tracking these forces down and eliminating them. While it does not appear to be a full-on landing, the presence of any foreign forces is troublesome.

  Both the Russian and Cuban governments claim to have abandoned their planned humanitarian assistance operations, as they called them, after warnings that any attempts to land forces on the Continental United States would be met with extreme force. But reports emerging from the area indicate that appears to not be the case.

  We are down. But we are not out. And any nation that thinks they are going to take advantage of us in our time of distress is going to learn a hard lesson. God bless the men and women of our armed forces. Pray for them and the nation as a whole.

  Then a woman’s voice came on the air.

  Good evening, patriots. The moon is full. The moon is full.

  With that, the transmission ended. I hadn’t noticed the passing of the storm as I listened. The radio’s static was suddenly very loud in my ear, and I turned it off. I was closing the antenna when Thad spoke.

  “Don’t sound good. Them talking about nukes.”

  I shook my head. “No. I hate to say this, but thankfully they’re talking about the California coast.”

  “Anyone in their right mind would be thankful not to be in the way of that fight. But as the man said, if we nuke them, they might hit back. And they could be anywhere.”

  Tucking the radio into its pocket, I said, “I know, and that’s what worries me. Like we don’t have enough shit to worry about.”

  “Yeah. Like Russian and Cubans running around here.”

  I looked at Thad. “We already know there are Russians. But from the sound of it, there may not be many of them.”

  Thad held his hand into a stream of water running off the tarp. It collected in his hand before spilling out of his palm. He quickly brought his hand to his mouth and sucked up the water. “That may be true. But how many is too many?”

  “Well. There’s four less than there were.”

  Putting his hand back into the rivulet of water, Thad sighed. “All I want to do is grow a garden. Work the land.” He drank the water again. “I want to be left the hell alone so I can grow old in peace.”

  “I’m right there with you,” I replied.

  With a slight tilt to his head, Thad half smiled. “No you ain’t, either.” He paused and stared at me for a moment. “You like the fight.” He held his hand up to squash the protest I was about to respond with. “I know you won’t admit it. Hell, you may not even know it yourself. But you is all about this. You’ll carry the fight to anyone that is bringing the pain.” He paused again and pointed at me. “And you is good at it. It’s in your bones. You couldn’t not fight.”

  I thought about what he said. Turning, I rested on the top of the bunker and looked out into the clean black night. The rain had washed the air and it smelt clean and fresh, mixing with the smell of the wet earth rising up.

  There was no malice in Thad’s words. And one thing I knew well and sure, he had an insight into people, and me in particular. Our chance encounter on the side of the road may not have been so random. People come into our lives for a reason. I believed that now more than ever. Every person in my life today was there for a reason, and many, hell most, of them came about through a series of events that would surely have to be by design.

  After thinking about it for a minute, I said, “Like you said, I don’t really agree with that. But I also see where you’re coming from.”

  Thad smiled. “I know.”

  I turned and leaned back on the bunker. The river of water that had been flowing down the road was gone now. That was one of the good things about Florida’s sandy soil. Water didn’t hang around and we didn’t get the flash floods other places in the country saw. That and the fact it was flat as a pool table.

  With a nod I said, “But you know there’s some of that love of the game in you too. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here either.”

  Thad laughed. “You could be right about that. I don’t like to see good folks suffer none either.”

  I patted the pocket where the little radio was. “But this. This isn’t the kind of fight I want a part of.”

  Thad’s smile faded. “Me neither. That’s that kind of thing that is out of our control. The effects are just too big and there’s so little we can do about it.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about,” I said as I stepped from under the tarp. It was still raining, though nothing like it was before. Looking up into the sky, I added, “I hope this drizzle keeps up. It’ll keep the skeeters away.”

  His smile was back now. “You and them skeeters.”

  “I hate ‘em!” I said.

  Laughing, Thad replied, “I’d never guess.”

  We spent the rest of the night listening to the light rain as it dappled on the tarp. It went on for a long time. Another benefit of the quick and violent storm was that it cooled things off and made it more comfortable. We would still scan the area from time to time. But that sort of storm would drive people to seek cover. Except for the professionals. A storm like that simply created opportunity for them.

  The storm worked in Sarge’s favor. The two trucks were able to make it through the potentially more populated areas without incident. The pounding rain drove people inside. Well, most people. Sane people. Sarge had to shake his head at Dalton who stayed in the sling seat of the turret howling like Lieutenant Dan from Forest Gump. The turret was his ship’s mast as he cursed at the gods, using the plural purposely.

  His antics unnerved Kevin, causing him to grip the wheel a little tighter. But the old man was no comfort. He’d heard the stories of the guys in this group. They were often talked about around the armory. Some despised them. Some liked them. But everyone respected them. They were known for taking on insane tasks and coming out the other side while causing a very, very bad day for whoever they were up against.

  But this. Nothing could prepare him for this madness. The stories damn sure didn’t live up to the reality of actually running with them. As Dalton howled and wailed in a driving rain that caused the trucks to slow to a near crawl, the old man sat there as though it was normal. He was certainly second guessing volunteering for this madness.

  “Stop,” Sarge barked.

  Kevin slammed on the brakes, hard. Causing the old man to spill his coffee. A red dome light illuminated the cab of the truck and Kevin swallowed hard when the old man looked over at him as hot coffee ran down his hand into his lap.

  Sarge shook the hot brew off his hand and looked at Kevin. “Harris. There is one thing you better learn, ricky tick.” He held the cup up before him. “This is one of the most important things on this ride. You do not fuck with it. In any manner. Got it?” Kevin nodded and Sarge continued. “I know this is your first trip with us, so I’ll overlook it, this time.”

  The radio crackled. It was Mike. “What’s the holdup?”

  “Stay off the radio, puss nuts,” Sarge calmly replied.

  Dalton ducked down into the truck and wiping water off his face, he asked, “Oi. You fookers know something I don’t? Anything you’d like to share with me?”

  “Shit for brains here spilled my coffee,” Sarge said and held the cup up to emphasize his point.

  Dalton snatched the cup from the old man and quickly gulped the little bit of steaming coffee that remained. Sarge immediately went off, cussing and screaming. Dalton held the old man back with one arm as he drank. He was doing a good job of it until the old man grabbed his pinky finger and bent it back. Dalton cursed as he did.

  “Ow dammit! Ok, ok, here’s your cup!” He spun the cup around on his finger.

  Sarge snatched it from him and pointed an accusatory finger at him. “That’s the last time you try that shit! I know you’re a big bastard, and there’s only one way to deal with a big bastard! You shoot ‘em in the fucking nuts! You tracking me?”

  Dalton patted his chest. “I’m hurt
you’d begrudge me a hot brew when I been riding in the rain as I have. Providing security for you to ride comfortably here in the truck.”

  “Cut the shit, sasquatch! I can forgive a lot of things. But fucking with my coffee ain’t one of em!”

  Dalton again wiped the water dripping from his face away. He nodded and asked, “What else is on that list? Just so I know in the future.”

  Sarge began to sputter and curse again and drew his pistol from its holster. He jammed the muzzle into Dalton’s crotch and screamed. “Left or right? Which one is it going to be? Take your pick!”

  Dalton leaned in a little closer and grabbed the muzzle of the pistol and pressed it firmly against his forehead. In a calm, even tone, he said, “Right here. Do it. Go ahead, pull the trigger.”

  Kevin was in near shock and didn’t know what to hell was happening. He watched the scene unfold before him, unsure what to do. Or more importantly, what not to do.

  Sarge jerked the Colt away and looked at Kevin. “See. That’s the problem when you’re dealing with crazy bastards. You just can’t do shit with them.” Sarge holstered the pistol and pointed out the window. “Turn down here.” Looking back over his shoulder, he said, “Get your ass back up there Gigantor.”

  Dalton saluted. “Right oh!”

  Sarge picked up the radio mic and keyed it. “Mikey. Pull around us. This bridge is the perfect place for a bad surprise and I don’t want to find it with this un-armored heap.”

  “Roger that.” Mike replied.

  Sarge leaned back and shouted up at Dalton. “Keep your eyes open up there, Gulliver.”

  “Aye Aye, Chief!” Dalton replied.

  Sarge turned back and slapped Dalton’s thigh. “I ain’t a fucking squid, you jackass!”

  But Sarge had to pull back when Dalton started kicking at him with his enormous boot. He smiled to himself as he listened to the old man bitch and moan. He liked the old shit because he was so easy to spin up. Life was kind of boring today and needed something to break the monotony.

  The MRAP pulled around the Hummer and started up the Ocklawaha Bridge. Dalton scanned the area around and behind them. He was looking at the Sunny Hill Restoration sign when Mike called over the radio.