John Returns Read online

  “Son, I don’t think you should be talking like that in front of strangers.”

  “Dad, they saved my life and killed five of those DHS creeps; I know we can trust them. Why don’t you and Mom take sis and the kids down to Alabama where they can stay safe?”

  “No. I want to stay up here and help you get revenge for what they did to you and Billy. I’ll convince your sister to travel south to the ISA. We’ll fake deaths for her and the kids, so nothing bounces back on us.”

  Gus spoke up, “Sir, there are plenty of nice empty houses here. Let’s burn this one down and say your family was lost in the fire. Then you move into another home with a cover for the missing family.”

  “I like that idea. Emmy will have some issues, but she has had an eye on the Tyler place for years, and I’m already using the workshop behind that house.”

  “Dad, I like that idea. I’ll know quickly if anyone is looking for me from my DHS contacts. The worst case is Betty, and I high tail it for Kentucky if I catch wind of any problems. There is no way they can tie me into the shootings, and if they start nosing around, I’ll hit the road south. I don’t want Betty to know I work for the ISA.”

  Gabe’s dad and John agreed.

  They spent the next day planning the fire while Gabe’s mom, dad, and sister selected a few personal items to save from the fire. Gus warned them not to get greedy so the charred remains would look real. After Gabe had recovered enough, John would help Gabe travel to Columbus after he healed.

  John and Gus left the warehouse after midnight and traveled to Gabe’s house. Joe and Wendy arranged the house to appear that a kerosene lamp had been knocked over and started the fire. There was little chance that any professional investigation would ever be performed, but the DHS was unpredictable. The scene would at least pass the smell test. Gabe’s dad would convince the town’s people that he and his wife had searched the rubble and buried what was left of the bodies.

  The kerosene burned quickly, and the house was soon fully engulfed in flames. The wood framed home had collapsed to the ground before neighbors came to help just before dawn.

  They saw Gabe’s dad consoling his wife over the loss of their daughter and her family. Emmy’s acting could have won her an Emmy before TSHTF. Everyone wanted to help find them a new place to live and offered food, clothing, and shelter. The ruse was a success.

  ✪

  Chapter 16

  Surviving

  The USA

  2022

  Mauckport, Indiana

  The neighbors completely bought into the story about the house burning down. Many even helped Gabe’s mom and dad move into the Tyler place. It was a modern ranch style house with everything from a stagnant swimming pool to a large library.

  John and Gus left for the warehouse after dark. They were unseen by the neighbors or the DHS. Two days after the house burned John heard a noise at the back of the warehouse. Gus helped Gabe hide while John went to the rear of the building to check on the noise.

  John arrived in time to see the main door by the rear overhead door burst open.

  “Damn, I pried a little too hard.”

  “Shit, man, do you think you could make more noise?”

  “Don’t worry. No one’s been here for several days. Logan left for Columbus several days ago. We need to search the building and see if we can find anything we can use.”

  “I need some cigars and whiskey.”

  “Well, I need a better car if we’re going to blow this place. Let’s see if he left any.”

  John drew his knife, waited for them to pass and followed them during their search. Finally, one peeled away from the other and headed to the shipping office. John caught him just as he turned the corner out of sight from the other. John’s hand closed over the man’s mouth as he brought the razor sharp knife across the man’s throat. Blood squirted from his jugular vein to the beat of his dying heart. The man went limp, and John laid him over a pile of tires being careful not making any sound. His death movement gave the appearance of a man reaching out for one more moment of life, a moment that simply was not there.

  The other man was busy looking at several cars when John closed the distance between them. John was about to cup his free hand over the man’s mouth when he heard the man say, “Joe, even if Logan knew that DHS Agents have been robbing him. Hell, what could he do? We’re the fucking law here.”

  John changed his mind about killing the man and hit him on the back of the head with the butt of his knife handle. The man collapsed, John sat him in a chair and tied his hands and feet to the chair.

  John went back to Gus and said, “Two DHS thieves broke in through the back door and were planning on robbing the warehouse. I erased one and captured the other.”

  “Good, we can question him about what he knows about the search for us.”

  “Gabe, how many times have you been robbed? The dipshit in the chair said they had robbed you before.”

  “Yes, but it was two masked men out on the highway to Jeffersonville. The DHS is supposed to help people, but they are just thieves and bullies.”

  “Gus, you’re up. You are the best at this. He’s yours.”

  “Gabe, I’m going to need a ball peen hammer, wire pliers, battery and jumper cables. Yeah, that should do it. This little pig will be squealing before you can snap your fingers.”

  Gus used his knife to cut the man’s shirt and pants off and then placed a short workbench beside the man. Gus clamped the jumper cables to the battery and the negative end to the man’s big toe on his right foot. The toe had a wet sponge wrapped around it so there would be a good ground. The man stirred and woke up as Gus doused him in water.

  His eyes opened, and he saw a man standing in front of him with a jumper cable clamp an inch away from his chest. Gus touched the other end of the jumper cable to the man’s chest, and the man screamed.

  “I’ll kill you. You bastard, you can’t get away with this.”

  Gus picked up the ball peen hammer and tapped the man on the knee cap.

  “Ow, wait, stop! That hurts. I’m going to kill you.”

  Gus tapped the man on the front of his head with the hammer hard enough to give intense pain, but not hard enough to knock him out.

  Gus said, “Shut the fuck up and only talk when I ask a question. Then you may speak, but only with an answer.”

  “When I get lose I’m going to kill you and your family.”

  Gus ran the clamp across the man’s wet chest leaving a smoking trail of burnt flesh and a screaming man. Gus picked up the hammer and hit the man on the head twice and once on each knee.

  Trying to sound uncaring, while hating every second of the torture, Gus said, “Listen up dickweed. You are dead meat. There is no getting around that. You are not leaving this room alive. The only question is how you will die, easy, or hard. I plan to start hammering your toes and fingers just to loosen you up and then I’ll run this electricity across your chest some more before I rub it on your nuts. Is your name Chet?”

  “No.”

  “Damn, I always wanted to see Chet’s Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire, or something like that. Now, what do you know about Logan’s operation?”

  “Fuck you.”

  Gus bent down and smashed the man’s little toe between the hammer and the concrete. He had smashed two more before he heard, “Oh, God, shit, shit, shit. Please stop, I’ll talk. Oh, God, please, please, stop. Don’t kill me, please. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. Just please stop.”

  Gus thought, damn, what a wuss. I’m sure he has dished it out, but he surely can’t take it. “Okay, what do you know about the search for the men from the helicopter crash?”

  “We had search teams out looking for them and dragging the river for their bodies, but our forces have begun to withdraw. Our plan was to grab a car and head northeast, as fast as our car could go.”

  “Who are they?”

  “Some high-ranking asshole from the ISA and Harris.”

&n
bsp; “How did the DHS know they were on the copter?”

  “I don’t know, but they did. Oh, God, it hurts. Please give me something for the pain.”

  “Why haven’t we seen any DHS searching this area?”

  “You have; the two of us are the search party. We’re all that was available. We don’t give a shit about Harris. He’s probably dead anyway.”

  “And you decided to rob the Logan’s first.”

  “I told you, asshole, we needed a car. Now, get me something for the pain. Now!”

  “Gus tapped the man on the head with the hammer and said, “I have the hammer, show some respect. Now, how long will it take for them to miss you and send someone snooping around here?”

  “I told you, man, we’re it. Everyone else is bugging out. We report in, by radio, every 24 hours at 8:00 am.”

  Smiling kindly, Gus said, “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? You’re doing good.

  What does the DHS know about the Logans?”

  “At this point, what difference could it possibly make? Haven’t you even noticed that the sounds of battle are gone? The ISA won, now please get me something for the pain. I’ve been telling you everything you’ve asked.

  “And you try to rob him?”

  “Please, God, help me. We needed a car. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  “Where are your local headquarters?”

  “At this point, who knows? Everyone is running, damn it, help me!”

  “All right, oh? What is your name?”

  “Danny. Now please help me. The pain is too much.”

  “Danny, I want you to know that I am a man of my word. It will be an easy exit.”

  Gus nodded to Wendy; she came upon Danny from behind, unsheathed her knife and drew it across the thief’s throat.

  “John, Gabe is clear. He can operate anywhere he wants.

  ***

  Mrs. Logan, supper was fantastic. Thanks for having us over tonight,” Wendy said.

  “It’s Emmy, and we are glad to have the company. It’s the least we can do to repay the men who saved Gabe’s life.”

  John said, “He pulled us out of the water. We were just repaying our debt to him.”

  There was a knock on the front door, which startled everyone. Gus and John helped Josh down the stairs to the basement while Emmy removed the three extra plates from the table and threw them in the dishwasher. Joe and Wendy slipped out the back door and circled around to the front to prepare for a fight.

  Gabe’s father opened the door and found three DHS agents dressed in black BDUs with rifles ready for action.

  “Mr. Logan?”

  “Yes, I’m Jack Logan. How can I help you?”

  “We have two agents working this area that haven’t reported in this morning, and we are trying to find them. Can we come in?”

  “Yes come on in. Would you like some tea?”

  “Thanks, just some information. My friends will stay on the porch.”

  He leaned his rifle against the porch railing and walked into the house.

  “We haven’t seen them for over a week. I assume it’s the same two who come through and shake us down for free food, alcohol and anything else they can steal.”

  “We expect our citizens to help support our agents, but I have heard the same story from many of your fellow citizens. Do you think anyone you know could have harmed them?”

  “Sir, the truth is that they were drunk most days and started getting too familiar with the young women. Anything could have happened. My guess is they are sleeping off a two-day drunk.”

  “Is your son around?”

  “No Gabe headed back to Columbus several days ago. What do you need?”

  The agent handed Jack a note and said, “We would appreciate it if your son could look for these items during his travels and we’d be glad to pay him well for them.”

  “I’ll pass the note on to my son. We both appreciate the DHS and what you do to keep us safe.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be the agent in charge of this area starting next Monday. We beat the ISA back across the river, and it’s safe now. When we find the two drunks, they will be reassigned.”

  “Just a minute. Jack went to the kitchen and came back with two bottles of whiskey.”

  “Gabe left these in case I needed them. I don’t drink much, and I noticed they are on your list. They are a gift to welcome you to our humble town.”

  “Thanks for such a nice gift. If you see those drunks, please tell them to report in ASAP.”

  “I’ll be glad to do that, and I’ll let you know if I see anything suspicious around here.”

  “Jack, pardon my manners. Is there anything we can do to help you or your son?”

  “Well now that you mention it; we could use a generator for the community to have lights at our meetings and Saturday night get togethers.”

  “Done. One will be here mid next week.”

  They shook hands, and the DHS drove off.

  “Jack, I see where Gabe gets his talent to schmooze people and get politicians eating out of his hand.”

  “Schmoozing, the option when you can’t slit their throats.”

  They all laughed and had a stiff drink.

  “Damn, Jack now has the local DHS eating out of his hand and Gabe will work on the state and national leaders. That asshole lied about the DHS pulling out.”

  “Damn, you can’t trust anyone.”

  ***

  Forward Operations Center

  “Major, you asked me to give you updates on those gangs we ran out of Louisville.”

  “Yes Carl, what is the update?”

  “We caught them between Payne’s and Fox’s forces just below Brandenburg. They killed our guards at the bridge and escaped into Kentucky.”

  “Get Imelda on the horn.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Scott thought, ‘Those lucky bastards got away from the ISA, but may God help them if they run into Gus and Dad.’

  ***

  The gang crossed the Mathew Welch Bridge after killing the guards and then blocked the bridge with two old farm trucks. They left one guard alive and told him to tell the Army that the bridge would be blown if they tried to follow them.

  Many of the gang was wounded during the running gunfights with the ISA military, so the gang leader chose the Main Street Baptist Church as their headquarters and hospital. They rounded up a man and two women who had medical experience and forced them to perform first aid on their wounded.

  Since Gabe’s warehouse was on the northeast end of town and his dad's new home was just due west of the warehouse, they didn’t know about the gang until the next day when Jack heard a gunshot and walked south to the center of town. He had sawed several gang members before they saw him, so he fled north to the warehouse and reported the situation to John and Gus.

  “Shit, our operation to clean out the gangs has probably forced this scum to cross over into Indiana. We need to get rid of these clowns before they upset our new operation.”

  “What can just four of you do? There are a bunch of these bastards.”

  “We can wipe them out, but that would cause the DHS to know there are military people operating on their territory.”

  “We need to kill them all and blame it on someone else.”

  Jack thought for a minute and replied, “There is a small group of bikers over in Leavenworth who raid this area from time to time. Gabe bribes them to leave us alone, and they only show up to place an order. It’s only 15 miles downriver. I could travel down there and tell them that this new gang is taking their supplies.”

  “Great idea. Can you describe their gang colors, patches, and any other identifying markings?”

  “Yes, but how does that help?”

  “I always wanted to join a gang and raise hell.”

  “Okay, I get it. I’ll have Emmy help with your disguises, and I know where two Harleys are located. Can you two ride a Hog?”

  Gus replied, “I have two and John
has a ’37 Indian. We can ride.”

  “We can’t have you getting your ass shot off chasing scumbags,” John replied.

  ***

  “Gus, it dawned on me that the Navy has to have our satellites focused on this area. They’re looking for us and are chasing this gang. I’m going to take one of those handheld spotlights and send a Morse code message to them to send help. I’ll indicate that it needs to be low key and we need communication gear and spy crap for Gabe. The fire will be set after the team is safely in the warehouse.”

  “Good idea. How about bringing a spymaster up here and giving Gabe some training while he is recuperating.”

  “We need to get a message to Gabe’s wife saying that he is okay, but received some burns from the fire. That gives him cover for being out of pocket so long.”

  “Good idea.”

  ***

  “Major Harris, we just received a communication from Intelligence stating that there is an ISA soldier marooned in lower Indiana that needs a laundry list of sniper equipment, “spy shit,” and a small team to infiltrate and exfil a small group of civilians.”

  “How the hell did Dad send the message?”

  “Our satellites picked up a flashing light using Morse code to communicate.”

  “Great! I’ll ask Joan to lead the team. I want to make sure dad recognizes our team. A word of caution, do not use the term Rescue Team. It really pisses him off. I’ll call Beth and tell her he is safe.”

  “Thanks, she’s been calling every hour for an update on the search party.”

  “Sir, I’ll bet my next paycheck that he doesn’t come back when we pick up Gus. He wants to stay to kill thugs and set up a spy ring. I know my dad.”

  Joan checked with Imelda on operations in the Brandenburg area, and she filled her in on the gang activity.

  “Imelda, that’s odd that John didn’t mention the gang being in Mauckport.”