Chapter 11

On our way out of Illinois we stopped for the day tour of New Salem. New Salem is where Abraham Lincoln ran a general store and got his first law book and started studying to be a lawyer. It has been restored and is a general tourist trap, to see what life was like 150 years ago. You see Ox drawn carts and wagons. 'New Salem' makes you realize that you do not want to live life back then.

We made a leisurely trip to Mt Rushmore. Mt. Rushmore is a very impressive scene. From the welcome center, you can make out the faces of the four most influential president of American history. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. I have always been impressed with Teddy. During the Spanish American War he charged San Juan Hill, with a bunch of cowboys he recruited to become the Rough Riders. The only rider in that group was Colonel Teddy. Almost every was in the infantry, the horses did not survive the trip to Cuba. He was on a horse while everyone else took cover. As a sniper I have always been surprised that he was not picked off. A man on horseback is an easy target.

We got to Mt. Rushmore for the 4th of July celebration. The fireworks were canceled because of the drought, they were afraid of fires. However they did make up for it with a great Laser Show. The put steam in the air on top of the Monument and shot the lasers over it. It was spectacular.

Before we left Orlando, I got a few M16AR2 rifles and a sniper rifle for me. Now the M16s were not strictly legal since they were full auto. When you know the right people you can buy almost anything. Now the sniper rifle was a custom rifle that the Russians made during Vietnam. There are no real rifle ranges in Orlando; there is one that will let you shoot up to 100 yards, nothing in the 400 to 1200 meter range.

After we left Mt Rushmore I made the suggestion, "There is a rifle range a few miles away, we could stop there tomorrow and I can teach everyone how to use the rifles we have with us."

Tom replied, "Dave I already know how to use an M16."

"You never fired a rifle like this. The 'Gun Rack', made these almost 'Match Quality'. You should be able to hit everything you shot at. They are not like the ones used in basic where hundreds of soldier had used and miss-used them. Besides have you ever shot an M16 with a short-range sniper scope on it? They are a lot better than the standard sights."

Hilda protested again, "I still do not like the idea of shooting guns."

Almost in unison Rick and Randy spoke while acting like they were holding a rifle, and grabbed their crotch, "Hilda this my weapon, this my gun, this is for killing this is for fun"

I jumped in, "Hey you two, be nice to her. She has a right to feel the way she does." Turning to look at Hilda, know how to use any weapon at hand my one day ensure that you keep that right, and not allow it to be taken away from you or your daughter."

Jeri, popped in with a grin to Randy and Rick, "I am looking forward to it. The only weapon I ever shot was the.45 we shot at the range before we left Orlando."

The next morning we pulled into the 'Long Shot Range'.

I registered our little group. The range master was a little upset when he found out we had fully automatic weapons with up. He asked up not to do any full auto shooting. Since we were the only ones there he let us fire.

I gave a lessons on how to clean the M16s, how to load and clear the weapons. After everyone had mastered the cleaning, loading and clearing the weapons, we finally got to shoot a few rounds.

Jeri was poking hole in the kill zone on the target. The real surprise were Rick and Randy, they were putting rounds inside Jeri's shots. It looked like they had some potential for sniping. Although I hope then never needed that skill.

I asked the Range Master, "Can you watch this group while I try out your long distance range?"

"These guys are shooting up to 300 meters, how far to you want to shoot?"

"I want to try my new rifle at about 1200 meters, that is the longest range you have isn't?"

"That is the longest that anyone has out side of the military. I have a target out there now, but you might want to save you lead, no one has hit it yet."

"I think I will give it try."

"OK, do you want to get in the pot?"

"What is the pot?"

"Everyone that tries to hit the 1200 meter target puts in $50.00 and the first one that hits it get the pot."

"How much is in the pot?"

"$8500.00, you will make it $8550.00"

"Let me zero the scope at 600 meters first, OK?"

"It your money, what are you going to shoot?"

"12.5mm, out of a Russian sniper rifle I picked up at a gun show in Orlando last month."

"I have seen a few of them, had a guy last month tried to win the pot with one, what kind of scope do you have on it."

"I have been working on a long distance scope that allows you to hit the same spot every time. It works OK at 600 meters I want to try it out at 1200-meters.

"Good luck."

I may have seen a little arrogant, "It is not luck, it is skill that matters."

I started the process of zeroing my new scope and rifle. Fifty rounds later, I went to the 1200-meter range.

Elizabeth, said, "I want to see this. Anyone want to give me odds on his hitting the target on the first shot?"

The range master replied, "OK little lady, I will give you 10 to 1 odds."

She replied, "I got $100, to your $1000, for you."

A couple of grimy bikers that had pulled up, the older one said, "I don't give any odds, I got $200.00 that says he will choke."

Jeri said, "Taken."

I said, "Can I start now."

I let myself relax, and placed the target in the scope, relaxed again, looked at the grass, then at the grass though the scope, I made the adjustment on the scope for the wind, then I genteelly squeezed the trigger"

"Damn." The ranger master said, "I never saw anything like that before, you are in the center of the center ring. OK, a gentleman always pay his debts right away. I will get you money little lady, yours to Mister."

The old biker, "Aw that was just luck, double or nothing you can't do it again."

"Jeri it is your call what do you what."

"Its OK, I will take all of his money he wants to give me, shoot away."

"If I hit the target in the same place, you will not know it, how about just above it."

The old biker snorted, "Hit the same hole, who do you think you are Sergeant York?"

"Me, no Alvin York is a lot better shot than me, I did meet him once, a hell of a man. Where do you want to shot, above the current hole OK?"

The range master came back and spoke up, "That target has a hardened steel plate behind it, unless you are using armor pricing rounds it will count the hits in the center ring. The counter is on the stand next to you."

"Then you want me to use the same hole?"

"Yup, that's fine, if you can do it. I think I got $400.00 though."

I took less time, this time, and fired.

"The range master looked through the spotter scope, "The counter said it was a hit, in the same hole."

After I loaded another round into the rifle I looked at the biker and added, "Looks like you owe the lady $400.00."

The old biker grumbled and paid Jeri $400.00 and left.

After he left Jeri said, "I just love taking money from chumps. Always know who you are betting against."

The range master asked, "Do you want to try to set a new range record?"

"What is it, and who set it?

"Alvin York, was up here about 20 years ago right before he died, he shot 89 hits out of 100. I never had seen shooting like that before or since."

"I would like to give it a try, I shot against him when I was at the Ranger Sniper School, he took be by 2 hits."

"2 Points, who are you."

"Oh, I am sorry I did not introduce myself, I am David Wilcox."

"I heard about that match, some said that you won, you were using the same hole, or something to that effect. I didn't know who it was. Are you still active?"

"No, I quit after Panama, I am a computer geek now."

"You will have to miss the target to not get a point on this range." As he turned he gave me a wink. Almost as if he knew I had missed those shoots on purpose.

I shot the rest of the afternoon. As we were packing up the range master was putting up a new sign, '1200 meter Range Record, 100/100 hits, one hole, David Wilcox July 6th'."

There is a motorcycle rally in South Dakota called "Bike with Attitude" Jeri and Corey wanted to pick up some new Harley Tee-Shirts, so we decided to stop by before we went to the Yellowstone.

We spent the night at a RV park. We had all the running water we wanted.

Only Jeri and Corey wanted to go to the Bike Rally, I took Rick and Randy with us. There is safety in numbers.

The rally was a lot like Bike Week in Daytona, but nice at refined. While we were looking at the booths, I heard, "Dave is that you?"

I turned and looked then I saw Paul, "Paul what are you doing here?"

"I am making a living, Candy, my wife is an ex-Bike Chick, got me going to these things. I make a good living selling tees, and Harley junk to drunken bikers. You are looking good. These, your kids?" looking at Rick and Randy.

I introduced Paul to Jeri, Corey, Rick and Randy. "Paul was the other survivor of our unit in Panama."

We were all talking and Paul introduced us to a big biker, called 'Tiny'. Tiny was about 450 pounds. Tiny wore a jacket with the Hell's Angels on the back.

About that time...

"Hey Bitch, you are going to give me my money back." The old biker from the range yesterday, was yelling at Jeri. He had five other bikers with him.

Before anyone could do or say anything, Jeri started moving, and there were six bikers on the ground. All of the bystanders started clapping. Lots of the Biker girls were yelling "Go girl show that scum, not to touch you, without asking."

Tiny walked over, told the bikers to stay down. And asked, "What is going on? We have been working hard to keep the 'Bad Biker' reps down. How can we make money if shit like keeps happening."

Jeri was the first to speak, "Yesterday, he bet me $200 that Dave could not hit a target at the 'Long Shot Range' then he tried to renege by wanting to go double or nothing that Dave could not do it again. So Dave hit the 1200-meter target again, and I collected $400. Now he calls me a bitch, wants my $400 and grabs my arm. So I hit him, then the others tried to help him so I hit them too, did I do something wrong?"

Tiny replied, "Not from where I am standing. Anyone that can put those six down on the ground, did nothing wrong." Turning to talk to the biker still down on the ground, "The council warned you last time, you try this tough bikers shit again and you were going to be bared from the bike rallies for three years. As this year council president, you are gone. The 'Hell's Bells' are barred from all bike rallies for the next three years. That means you will not be there at all."

"Can we at least go to Daytona during bike week?"

"What part of 'no bike rallies, ' do you not understand. You show up there your entire club will wind up in jail, you know we can do that. Now get!"

Tiny turned to Paul and asked, "Paul tells me more of these people."

"I told you about Dave, he is that idiot that turned down the 'Button' for the action we saw, in Panama. He was the one that carried me 20 miles to get me medical attention. He saved my life, the Panamanians had already shot my legs to hell, and he did the best he could. Now the ladies I don't know, the boys are his nephews."

Turning to face me Tiny said, "I want to thank you for what you did for Paul, he came back from the Army, married my little sister Candy. Calmed her down a lot. I thought for a while she was going to be a biker Mama. Not really what I wanted for her. I got messed up with my club after I got back from Nam. You know what they say, 'You can check in but you can never check out' Guess I was really burnt out after 'Nam. Our folks had died and that left us alone. I was stoned most of the 70's and 80's and finally got busted. I couldn't take care of Candy, she meet Paul, and took up with him, about the time I got out."

I replied, "This rally is a lot quitter than the ones I had seen before. I went to school a few miles from Daytona; we used to avoid Daytona during bike week because of the bikers. What happened?"

"Being rowdy is bad business. While they had me locked up I went back to school. When I got out I left with a MBA from UC Berkley. The business of most bike clubs is mostly illegal, however it does not have to be, so I got Hell's Angels to diversify, we opened bars, mostly biker bars and strip joints but they are all legal. No more drugs or Prostitution, it keeps the man away from us. In the last ten years less than 10% of our membership has spent time in jail compared to 60% of our older membership for the previous ten years. We do not need the violence. It is just bad for business. Hope you will not have any more trouble with those guys."

"We will be OK. I don't think we have anything to really worried about."

"They can be bad when they want to be. Getting floored by a little lady. That is something they will take serious. Where did you learn to move like that?"

Jeri acted a little embarrassed and said, "We'll when I was going to UCLA, I got mugged or at least three guys tried to mug me, and my neighbor, a little old Chinese man, jumped in and stopped them. He started training me to defend myself."

"Who was he Bruce Lee?"

"No, Bruce Lee, was already dead when this happened. But he was Bruce's Teacher."

"Let me understand this, you were taught by the man that taught Bruce Lee? How long did you study?"

"Yes, for about 12 years, until he died."

Tiny said, "I sure would not want you upset at me. You are probably one of the few real dragons walking around. Even the Chinese killed off those monks after the war over there."

"Master Lee always said that he was the last of his monastery, he was the only one to make it to Taiwan. By the time be finally made it to the US, looking for his favorite student, but Bruce had been killed making a movie."

"Are you guys staying until tomorrow night? That is when we have our big blow-out-party."

I told him, "No, our plans were to just come by today, pick up a few tee-shirts, and head out to Yellowstone National Park tomorrow."

"Well at least stay for some supper tonight."

"We have other people back at camp, you don't y'all come back with us to our campsite and we can have a little party there."

"That sounds good, let me get Paul and Candy packed up and I will get my old lady and follow you."

We had a little caravan following us back to the RV camp. Paul and Candy in a Van, and Tiny, and his old lady, who looked about 25, on a big Harley.

I called ahead and had Tom and Joanne start enough food for all of us.

Once we arrived at the RV camp the camp manager was a little upset that we had brought back a real live 'Hell's Angel' back with us.

After I explained that he was family and would be leaving after dinner tonight, and we would be gone tomorrow he calmed down.

Looking at Tiny, "You get than a lot?"

"Yes, but only when I am dressed in the club colors, otherwise you would see me in a suit and think I was a banker or a stock broker. I guess clothes ready do make the man."

We drove on to the campsite. I introduced Paul, Candy, and Tiny to everyone. Then before he could introduce his lady, Joanne interrupted him, "How have you been doing Richard?"

Four sets of eyes turned at once to look at Joanne. "I have been doing every well Ms. Mullins."

"I am glad, I knew you could do better than you were doing. I understand you have been instrumental changing you way bikers have been making money. I am proud of you."

"Thank you Ma'am."

"We are not in court now, you can call me Joanne."

Tiny turned to Paul, Candy and his lady and said, "This is the District Attorney that gave me a break, when I was arrested. She allowed me to plead guilty for possession for 500 grams of cocaine rather than press for the maximum of life in prison. The condition she place on me was I get an education and try to turn the club around."

"I think it was worth the investment. The last I heard, bike club related crimes were limited to the police picking up the abusive drunks from your bars. You need to tell your bouncers not to beat up the drunks so bad."

"I will try Ma'am, sorry Joanne."

Joanne smiled and said, "That's better. Now who is this young lady with you?"

"Her name is Annie, she has been with me for about, seven years now. Her mother was a junkie that hung out at one of the clubs that we bought about that time. She overdosed on crack and Luds, Annie didn't have anyplace to go. So she started hanging around the club. I didn't want her to follow her mother's path. I took her home put her in a spare bedroom. Sent her to school. She got her BA in three years and just finished her Masters. Now she wants to go to Law School. I guess the club could always use a good lawyer.

Let me get these introductions done. Annie this is David Wilcox, he is the one that save Paul..."

Annie never let him finish, and jumped up and hugged me, yelling, "Daddy Dave it has been so long."

"Angela, is that you?"

Crying, "Yes, every since she left you, and took up with her pusher, life was just getting worse and worse, at least until I met Tiny. He has been really good to me. Not like that asshole that Mom took off with."

I stood back and looked at her, "Yes you look like Bonnie-Lynne. From what Tiny just said, your Mom died?"

"What ever happened to Gary, I have always wanted to meet him in person. I think we could dance a little."

Tiny said, "Ah, Joanne let me give you $20.00 for a retainer, you are not still a DA are you?"

"OK, and no I quit a couple of months ago, why?"

Tiny, handed over $20 to Joanne, "Since you are now my attorney, you can not say anything about what I and going to say. Dave I took care of that Asshole. We went to Bike week a couple years ago, and Annie saw 'Gary', and I sort of invited him to go fishing with me. We went off of South Daytona Beach, fishing for King Fish and getting shit faced. There were a lot of sharks around that day. He sort of slipped off the deck of the boat; He must have cut himself up some because a shark started after him. I threw the only thing that had a rope tied to it. Our bait bucket, the water in it was a little bloody. The sharks went a little crazy. We did get an arm and part of his pants back. We reported this to the county Sheriff. He wrote it off as an accidental death. Annie told me about what he did to her Mom, her sister and her. He sold her sister to a bike gang in Texas when she was 14. He tried to sell Annie and her Mom to, seem the gang was only interested in young things. That is one of the reasons that we have been hitting the bike rallies, we are looking for her or the bikers that bought her. From what she told me they are a club I have never heard of. We will keep looking. What really gets me is he sold his own daughter to people that were looking for little girls. Sometimes I think the sharks were to good for him.