Chapter 15

The next two days were an exercise in short tempers and teaching independent ranchers how to change their mindset to that of following orders. Barry did an excellent job and seemed to be everywhere. Hell, if the truth were known, he was doing a better job than I was. All I seemed to do was settle petty bickering and arguments between the younger people and the ranchers about the ranchers giving orders to them about what to do. Kittrick did come through big time with three of the armored humvees. They had .50 caliber machine guns mounted and plenty of ammo for them. I did find out that the older gentleman who was talking to Brenda the night of the meeting was named Miguel, and he was not only the custodian but the maintenance man for the school. He was also a Gulf War Vet, so I immediately put him in charge of the school security. We converted the brick building in the back of the school to be our armory since we could get to it safely from one of the exit doors. It had bars on the windows and there were only four keys to it.

I had to laugh though when BK put up a fight about being in charge of our small armory. He kept giving me excuses about not knowing enough about modern weapons. I just looked at him and said; "BK, you're the only one I trust a hundred percent here, and I know damned well that you will make sure what little we have will be there when we need it." Well, after his usual dirty look, he said he would try, which knowing him meant that unless he was dead our supplies would be there when we needed them.

The ranchers had pretty well moved into vacant houses and the school when our first test came. We had just cleared all the brush away from around the truck stop when I got a call from Barry saying there was a large cloud of dust heading in our direction from Safford, coming across the desert and bypassing Bowie. I had the school outside bell set off, calling in all the guards who were not already on duty to the school. I was surprised when in less than five minutes I had thirty armed men in the parking lot, loading up in pickups and headed for the barricade at the truck stop. When we had the walkies handed out, we had assigned call letters to the ones who were in charge of the barricades. Barry was SS2 and I was SS1, and the barricade by the port was B1 and the one at the truck stop was B2. Harp hadn't found the extra weapons in the cave saying they were gone when he got there, but he did find eight crates full of the same caliber as the AKs we were using. When we had polled the men, I was surprised that over sixty percent of them were either vets of different wars, or had been trained by different military branches and knew what to do. We had been conducting shooting classes and a small range we set up along the side of the school. The men and almost all the women were training with pistols and the ranch rifles we had enough ammo for, and according to Zeke, they would be able to more than defend the school and the kids if it was needed. What was a surprise to me, which in retrospect I should have known, was how many of the kids ten and up showed up with their own rifles, and saying they were good with them would be an understatement. They were also very responsible and they all said they were trained by their families. Me, not being originally from this area, I finally realized I was in the west where firearms were a matter of protection, where snakes and coyotes were a danger to people and livestock.

Before I pulled out, I advised our radio operator to call the fort and ask for air support. He had already put the call in and was told two of the attack choppers were on the way, and that they would contact me when they were on site. I went out and headed that way and before I arrived, the choppers said they were over the dust. They reported that it was caused by several RVs and about fifty or so motorcycles, with two on each bike following the RVs. I gave orders to fire ahead of them and warn them away.

"SS1, they say they are fleeing from Safford and have nowhere else to go. They are almost out of fuel and food. Please clarify what you want us to do now."

"Warn them away from the town and if they refuse, I believe you already have orders on your next step. They are not to be allowed near us for any reason. Again, they may bypass us, but they are not to come within a mile of the town. SS1 out!"

I had just set the mike down when I heard the sound of explosions and machine guns. I watched as black smoke started drifting upwards. Damn, I thought, what a waste of lives. As much as I hated it, it was my responsibility to make sure we weren't contaminated until we got word that the infection had quit spreading.

"SS1, we were fired upon and have destroyed the convoy. There were ten bikes that turned around and retreated back north. Do you wish us to pursue?"

"No, let them go, but shoot any survivors who head in our direction. SS1 out!"

"Thom, I know what you're thinking, but you didn't have a choice."

"Barry, I hate this shit! Millions are dying from this infection and we are killing what possibly could be healthy people just trying to survive. I know, I know, my responsibility is to the town, but it's still a helluva waste. I just hope I don't have to do this too much or I may just go home and stay there until this is all over. Barry, the next sighting is on your shoulders. I am not going to take all the responsibility. Now, do we have a clear field of fire around the truck stop and the back of the school? Oh, and you know what I have to do now, don't you? Just remember the next time you will have to do it."