Chapter 3: Shopping trip

Monday the 16^TH

I jerked awake when the alarm went off. I rolled over and slapped the button. Looking at the time, I saw it was 7am. Throwing the blankets off, I went into the bathroom and started the shower. I turned on the sink and it quickly filled it. Opening the cabinet I stopped as I saw the note inside. I picked it up and started reading it.

Walter,

Buy stuff for near the sea. You will be on the coast, but they do get snow, so plan well. I would advise deep-sea fishing gear, and snorkeling equipment if you want it (I know you used to do it). Strong fishing nets with floats, underwater gear, spear guns, traps. We will supply you with two thirty-six foot Delta SFX fishing boats for you to use, and the gear they need. We will also supply you with eight spare motors.

Rala

Setting the note aside, I grabbed my shaving cream, I quickly scraped the nighttime growth off and stepped into the shower after I pulled the plug in the sink.

The water beat on me, driving the weariness away from my body and soul. I was just finishing the shower, when the phone rang. I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around my waist. Going into the bedroom, I fished the cell out of my pants and opened it. I saw that it was Mike.

"What's up, Mike?" I said as I walked back into to the bathroom.

"Not much, Walter. I just wanted you to know that I can order us some trailers to take with us, if you want. Found a good deal online for some of them. They are called freezer trailers. How many you want me to order?" Mike asked.

"Freezer ones, huh!" I said, and then I thought of storing food instead of smoking the meat, and I asked, "How big are they?"

I flipped the seat up on the toilet and dropped my towel to take my morning piss.

"I can get twenty or twenty-eight footers. I also am looking at a laundry trailers that has eight washers and eight dryers in them," Mike said.

"Are they hitch hook ups?" I asked.

"Yes," Mike replied.

"Get the twenty-eight footers, and get one no make it two of the laundry trailers. We can stock it with supplies until we get where we want to go," I said as I flushed the toilet.

"Ok, order sent. I have been having fun. It's nice to spend other people's money for once," he said and then asked, "We doing breakfast?"

"Yeah. Let's go by Carl's Jr. and have some biscuits and gravy. If I remember right, they are a wifi location. Bring your laptop, and we will do some more ordering," I said as I pulled some clothes out.

"Ok, be over in five," Mike said as he hung up the phone.

Dropping the phone on the bed, I pulled my clothes on and then dug my wallet, change and keys out of the pockets. Transferring them to my new clothes, I picked up my phone and slipped sandals on, after I put my socks on. Just then the door opened and Mike came in with his laptop.

"Hey, Mike. Be right there," I said.

I walked into the bathroom and picked up my laundry and the note. Tossing the laundry into the bag, I carried it out to the washer. I sorted the whites into the washer, and added bleach and soap. Turning the machine on, I grabbed my cup and filled it with coffee.

Walking by Mike, I handed him the note to read.

"Cool, now we know what to get. Also, that's the one thing I hate," Mike said as he pointed his cup at the laundry.

"Me, too, but I hate dirty clothes more," I replied as we walked out the door.

"That's why I use Maria's down the road. It only cost me twenty every week, and she makes them smell so nice," Mike said as we went outside and climbed into my truck.

"I know, but I don't mind doing them," I said.

I started the truck up and we pulled out. Ten minutes later, we were sitting in Carl's Jr., eating breakfast. Mike was typing away at his computer as he ate.

"Walter, let's stop over at CJ's and check out his storage trailers," Walter said as he finished his food.

"Sounds good," I replied and picked up my garbage.

We walked out of the fast food joint, and hopped into the truck. Five minutes later we pulled into CJ's. Getting out, we walked around and looked at the trailers. I could see CJ on the phone inside and I waved to him.

He waved back, and held up five fingers, and I nodded. We walked around, and started pulling tags on the trailers we wanted. We picked out the following

CJ walked out of the building and came over to us. In his left hand was his clipboard and pen as he held out his right.

"Walter, Mike! You two old warhorses, how you doing?" he said.

"Doing ok. Got some items we want to buy from you," I said as I released his hand.

"Oh? What you need?" he said.

Mike handed him the tags and said, "All of these."

"All of them?" CJ said in surprise.

"Yep, can you have them delivered to Mike's property?" I asked.

"Yeah, I can," CJ said as he added up the total and continued, "Mike, Walter. This is almost a hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

"We know. We also want some of your other stuff. I want the eight of your four wheelers, eight of your two person jet skies, and four of your two man snowmobiles. We also want two good farm tractors with forklift, backhoe, and scraper blades. Also do you still have that portable cement mixer?" I replied and when he nodded, I said, "Put that on too. As well as thirty of those empty fifty-five gallon drums you have over there."

"Jesus Christ! How are you paying for all this?" CJ asked.

"Check card, so let's get cracking. We have a lot to do. We also will take two of the big cargo trailers with us, so we need temp tags for them," I said.

We went inside, while Mike called a cab and went home to get his truck. By the time we finished, he was pulling inside and we hooked up two of the trailers to our trucks.

"CJ, got a question for you," I said as I walked over.

"What you need now?" he asked.

"I need thirty tow hitches, and I need them installed on all the trailers," I said as I watched Mike hook up all the lights.

"Can't be done. They are not designed to pull anything," CJ replied.

"Look for what business we just gave you. You can do it. All we need is for them to be tack welded on. We are trying to win a bet. If we win, it's a million dollars each. All we need to do is tow them one hundred feet. If we win, we will give you a hundred thousand. Ok?" I said lying through my teeth.

"A million! Wow, ok, I will do it and you don't need to give me anything. The commission I got off these sales will let me kick back for the rest of the year," he replied and offered his hand.

Shaking his hand, I said, "Thanks. Remember; deliver all the trailers out to Mike's property by tomorrow for me."

"I will, so where you off to now?" he asked.

"Salt Lake City. Hey, in fact, can I borrow two of your drivers? I need them to tow two of the big trailers for me. I will pay the gas and their wages, plus five hundred cash each," I asked.

CJ looked around and his eyes settled on George and Lily Mathews. "George, Lily? Come here," he shouted.

The newlyweds looked up where they were working and came over. Both waited as CJ explained the job to them.

"We will do it, Mister Brakes, and I want to say I am so sorry about Andrew. He was a good friend," Lily said.

"Lily Macbeth?" I blurted out.

"Yes, Sir. I haven't seen you since I was sixteen and Andrew and I went out to the junior prom," she replied.

I pulled the girl into my arms and hugged her tightly, "It's good to see you again and thank you. Andrew asked about you, but I didn't know where you were, or what you were doing. Sorry to hear about your mom dying, last year."

"Thank you, we live in my old house, now. George and I got married last month. CJ gave us jobs, so we could keep the house, or try too," she said.

"How much you owe?" I asked.

"We will make it, Mister Brakes," George said.

"I didn't ask you, young man. I asked the woman my son once loved. Now how much do you owe?"

"Seventy thousand to the bank, my mom took out a mortgage before she died and we are barely scraping by," she replied.

I whipped out my checkbook, and checked the balance.

It wasn't enough, but that didn't bother me as I said, "What bank?"

"Bank of America, but why?" Lily asked.

"Go get your mortgage book, and meet me at the bank," I said.

"We can't take your money sir!" George stated.

"Look young man, I am dying. I have no heirs, so let me help you. The only thing is this. You do not take out any mortgages on the house or the property ever again. Deal?" I said.

"Deal, Mister Brakes, and thank you!" Lily replied as she hugged me tightly.

I quickly wrote them a check for a thousand dollars and handed it to Lily. I then went to the truck and climbed in and drove to the bank. Mike was right behind me and we parked on a side parking lot.

Ten minutes later, Lily pulled in and George was right behind them. Going inside, we talked with the bank manager. He tried to get me not to pay it off, but I wouldn't let him pull any shit with me. They tried to tack on an early payoff fee and I went up one side and down the other. Telling them that the agreement was with her mom, not her, I also said the mortgage should have been paid off with the insurance, but they got around it and now they can eat it. I finally had to call the main branch and that solved it. I watched as the card went through the reader, and the amount charged to the account.

We walked out with Lily holding the title of her home, and a smile on her face. She hugged me again, kissed my cheek and I saw the scowl on George's face as she walked away from me and climbed into the truck.

Walking over to George, I snapped at him, "What's your problem?"

He jumped, and mumbled, "Sorry, I just get jealous when she kisses someone. I know I shouldn't, and I know it doesn't mean anything, but..."

"But you love her. Now, good. Remember that, and remember that she loves you. And also remember this. Never go to bed angry. Always talk out your fights. My Gail and I were married for over thirty years and the secret is, always take the blame. Even if it isn't your fault, just say 'Yes Dear, No Dear' and your marriage will last," I said as I patted his shoulder.

"Thank you, Sir. I will remember that," George said.

"Good, now let's get going, we have two hundred miles to go, and then five hours shopping, and another two hours drive back," I said.

"Shopping?" he asked.

"Yes we are going to hit Sam's Club and Costco. I wish they were closer, but Salt Lake's are the nearest. So let's get going," I said.

"Ok, we will follow you," George said and they climbed into their trucks and started the three-hour drive.

The three-hour drive went by quickly. We pulled into the parking lot, and climbed out. Going into the store, I bought memberships for all of us. Mike had printed out the list. We tore it in four sections, and scattered to the canned/dry goods section. Using the large carts, we stocked up on everything from flour, to canned soup, to boxes of brownies.

With the help of the Sam's club employees, we filled Mike and my trailer with as much of the food as we could. Lily's got the rest of the food, and the dry goods like paper towels, toilet paper (every box they had) while George's trailer got the equipment like four forty inch plasma TV's, DVDs, computers, pots and pans, silverware, clothing, fishing gear, ammo (which wasn't enough), four kayaks with paddles, the zodiacs, all types of soap, cases of water and soda, liquor. I even picked up a deep freezer, and filled it with a ton of meats for Lily and George, they just didn't know it.

The bill was astronomical, and I didn't want to think of the fifty thousand dollars I had just spent as we drove home. We parked the trailers over on Mike's property, and padlocked them. I followed George to the lot, where he got one of the tractors. Then we drove over to Lily and his house.

Lily had the door opened for us, and we quickly unloaded the freezer, and had it plugged in. Lily couldn't stop thanking me enough and I told her she was more than welcome and to enjoy. I also told them we were going back the next day and asked if they want to come and they said yes.

I drove the truck back to Mike's property, where we unhitched mine. Then we loaded the boxes that were in the backs of our trucks into the empty space where the freezer had been. We were home an hour later. I went to bed, while Mike went to his trailer and then to the casino, for some fun.

Tuesday the 17^TH

The next morning, I was up at 6 am and drinking my second cup when Mike walked in.

"Ready?" Mike asked.

"Will be in a second," I said.

I refilled my cup, picked up my thermoses and we walked out the door. We were on the road to where the trailers were I got to thinking about other items we would need, including two more of the trailers Lily and George were waiting for us when we pulled in with their trailers hooked up. CJ was standing there and I told him we wanted two more of the big trailers. I told him what else we needed. He thought he could get some of the stuff, but didn't think he could get all of it. I told him to get what he could, and I would get the rest delivered by overnight delivery, if I could.

We shook hands, and just as we were leaving, a welding truck pulled in and CJ walked over and started talking with the driver.

We spent all day at Costco, empting the place of what we needed. One of the trailers had nothing but boxes of clothing, sewing machines, and all the equipment they would need to run them. While George, I, and Lily were there at Costco; Mike hit all the gun shops, and stores for ammo, hunting gear, camping and fishing gear we needed as well as several western stores for horse equipment.

I didn't know what else he got until we unpacked the trailer at our new home and I even whistled at the arsenal he had picked up. He had gone through the newspaper and the local guns shops, and found people selling their weapons.

He even bought over a hundred guns from one widow, who had lost her husband. He picked up everything from shotguns to high-powered rifles, including a working .50-caliber heavy machine gun, and a world war one .30-caliber water-cooled machine gun. He'd also bought ammo and reloading equipment. It was a good thing Mike had a Federal license for weapons. Back home, he had an M-60 machine gun that he used in competition as well as the loading equipment.

After some wrangling with one of the gun shops, he picked up the six strands of .50 caliber ammo the guy had mounted to the wall. All he had to do was refill the ammo, and replace the primers and we were set for belted ammo. We now had twenty to forty belts for each weapon. The guns went into the three gun safes he'd bought, and the ammo went into a large metal storage container that he picked up for a hundred bucks. It was a 'jimmy box' for use on construction sites. The ammo would be safely locked up with a heavy lock on it.

We were home by ten pm, and had the trucks unhitched and secured. Mike stayed with them as I went home and got my pistol and my sleeping bag. I was staying with the trailers tonight due to the ammo, Mike was going home to get his motor home and my trailer ready for disconnect and hauling.

Wednesday the 18^TH

I woke to the sound of a horn, and I looked out through my windshield. The RVs were pulling in and I showed them where to park. They left and I checked the motor homes and saw everything was how I asked. I started hitching up the filled trailers the way I wanted, when I saw dust coming down the road.

I watched as twelve flatbed semis pulled in with the freezer/laundry trailer on the trailers. Each semi had two of the trailers on them as they came to a stop.

Using my truck, we started hauling them off, as Mike pulled in. With his help, it took an hour to get them unloaded. I called CJ, and told him I needed his welder again, and he said he would send him out right away, but I told him tomorrow would be better. I also asked if I could borrow his entire crew for the day. I explained I needed twelve trucks with drivers, and I offered him forty thousand for them.

He agreed and said even he would drive a truck. As the semis were leaving, CJ and his crew pulled in. We hooked up trailers, while CJ slapped temp tags on all of them.

We drove to Salt Lake again and pulled into a truck stop for an early lunch. Seven of us hit Sam's club and seven hit Costco. We stripped their freezer section in back to the bare bones. One thing I grabbed was every one of their fresh made pizzas. I also cleaned out their deli of all their chesses and meats.

I swear the manager was shitting diamonds as he watched the bills being tallied. One of the items I had Mike bring me was all the money in my lockbox and I tipped everyone who helped us three hundred each. By the time we finished it was close to seven pm, and pretty dark, so it was a good thing I had called a sheriff buddy of mine to keep an eye on the lot. With the trailers safe, back home, we pulled into a local motel. We spent the night, after a dinner of steak and lobster at the Red Lobster Inn.

Thursday the 19^TH

The next morning, we took the four empty freezers, and hit all the local stores we could. We were like a whirlwind as we ripped through all the supermarkets and discount food stores. By ten pm, we were on the road and heading back to Elko. We had spent over seven hundred thousand dollars in three days, in Salt Lake City.

We were home by one pm and after parking the trailers, the welder friend of CJ's went to work. I walked over to him with a box of I hooks I had picked up and I explained what I wanted done next.

"You want me to weld all these hooks to the outside of the trailers? Why?" he asked.

"Can you do it?" I said.

"Of course I can. I just don't understand why," he replied.

"Then do it, and I will pay you an extra five hundred per trailer," I said.

"You have a deal," he replied and went to work as we drove away to dinner.

We had said goodbye to everyone, so we drove over to the park, hooked up my trailer and Mike went and started his RV up. We drove to the property. Max, the welder, was just finishing up when we pulled in. I had Max weld a hitch on the front of Mike's RV, and we started connecting them up.

In the back, we left the two heavy trailers with their ramps down for the three trucks. We loaded both Dodges in one, and Mike's in the other. We then pushed the cement mixer behind Mike's truck and went and disconnected my truck. I stood there looking at the long line of trailers, freezers/laundry rooms, and equipment trailers with their equipment tied down on them. There was just enough room on one trailer to put the sawmill, when it arrived tomorrow.

We backed the two Dodges off the trailer, and then unhitched the empty trailer so we could load the sawmill onto it. We then hooked up my truck again and grabbing the empty duffle bags, we went to the mall and started shopping. We ran into Lily and George and we sat and had dinner with them.

"Walter, why are you buying all that stuff?" Lily asked.

I looked at Lily, and then at Mike, I was trying to figure out what to say when Mike spoke up.

"Tell her, she may not believe us, but she might," he said.

I then explained what was going on, and at first they didn't believe, until they froze and their eyes went glassy for a few moments.

"Lily?" I asked and reached over and touched her hand.

"What was that? Who was that?" Lily said.

"I assume Rala just spoke with you," I replied.

"Yes. My god! Yes, we will help you," Lily said and George nodded his head as he looked around.

"Thank you," I said as we got up and went shopping, again.

They helped us buy the clothing, bath items, towels, sheets, blankets, and other items we wanted. One thing Lily picked up was a pair of canister vacuums/shop-vacs. We got boxes of clear plastic storage bags, as well as every hard plastic container Wal-Mart had. We then hit the bookstores and bought three copies of every book they had in stock.

We drove home, and I let Lily and George sleep in my new motor home, while I took my old one.

Friday the 20^TH

The next morning, we drove to the casino and pigged out at the buffet. After that, Lily and I hit the used bookstore, while Mike dropped George off at his work. Lily knew what we liked to read, so she went through the stores, picking up everything she could. I was out at the truck loading storage crates with the books.

We drove the load of books over to Mike's place. I saw him hooking up the trailers again. When we got there I noticed that there were two more in the link. I grinned as I thought of all the hardware items inside them. Pulling to a stop next to the RV, I opened the door and we started loading the bins inside.

George showed up with another trailer, and we opened it and looked at the supplies in them. He handed Mike his bank card, and then we started unloading the trailers into the motor homes. We left mine empty, so we would have a place to sleep. While we loaded the spare ones, Lily was packing the clothes into the bags, and hanging them from the eyehooks that Max had welded to the outsides of the trailers.

By the time we finished, Lily was almost done. We jumped in and helped her. I hung the last bag up. We tossed the newly emptied duffels back into the trucks, and drove to town.

We stopped and had lunch, and then hit the other mall. We bought the rest of the items we needed. I stopped at Radio Shack, and cleaned them out of surveillance gear, security systems. I also got twelve new laptops that I planned on giving to CJ, and his crew.

We hung the rest of the duffle bags onto the hooks, and drove into town again. I told everyone I had something to do and drove away.

My first stop was at Lily and George's bank. I went in and I transferred five million dollars from the card to their account. I thanked the manager, and walked away.

My second stop was the hardest as I stopped at the florist. I went inside and I set up an account with the owner. I paid the bill for the next twenty years. Every year on the Gail's birthday, a dozen red roses would be laid on her grave, and a dozen white ones on my son's birthday. I thanked Margret Helms who ran the shop, kissed her cheek, and walked out.

I drove to the cemetery and laid the roses on my loved ones' graves and said goodbye to them. Tears ran down my face, and I touched each headstone. Turning I walked back to the truck and was stunned by what I saw. Sitting on the seat was my son's 44 Desert Eagle and a note.

Picking up the note, it said,

Walter,

Drive to your supplies, now.

Rala

Not knowing what was going on, I drove to where I was told. Pulling in, I saw Mike talking to Rala, who was staring at the trailers. I pulled my truck up behind Mike's and climbed out. Walking over to them I saw her eyes were wide in surprise.

"Hi, Rala. What's wrong?" I asked.

"I didn't say do this!" she said as she pointed to the trailers.

"You said, and I quote, 'You may take whatever you can attach to your motor homes, or store inside, ' end quote," I replied.

"Oh I did. Oh shit! He's going to be pissed!" Rala said.

"Who is?" I asked.

"The Captain," she replied.

"Fuck 'em. We need the supplies to survive. What's with the note?" I asked.

"The note? Oh, yes, ready your weapon. I have a gift for you," Rala replied.

I jacked the hammer back, loading the gun and nodded my head as I said, "Ready."

"Good. Walter, your anger is going to destroy you. So I give you a gift. I give you the man who murdered your son. I give you Muqtada Ahmadinejad to do with as you wish. If I was you, I would just kill him," Rala said as she pointed her finger at a spot twenty feet away.

I looked where she was pointing and a man suddenly appeared there. He was wearing clothes that were burned into my memory. Before I knew it, the pistol was up and pointing at the man, but I couldn't pull the trigger and lowered it.

"Where am I? Muqtada asked.

Rala looked at the man and responded, "You are in Elko Nevada, and this is the father of one of the men you murdered in cold blood. This is Andrew Brakes' father."

"What? How did I get here? I know that name! Oh he was the infidel dog we captured. Did you get the DVD? He will be my personal slave when I go to heaven," he said.

My vision turned red and the gun snapped up in my hand and I snarled out, "My son was a good man. He was decent, honest and brave. You butchered him like an animal. For that, the people of the United States find you Guilty of murder, torture and brutality towards POWs. The sentence is death."

The gun bucked in my hand as I emptied the clip. He was long dead before the third shot hit him.

Edited By TeNderLoin