“After you dropped those two in front of that grocery store, anyone that was in a group just up and left. Now I know a few crazies there, but not where they are,” Levi answered and felt relieved. “Just so you know, there are people out there going gangster like it’s the wild west. That’s why we wanted to join up with ya.”
Levi felt a sharp pain explode inside him as Arthur kicked him in the left kidney. When he hit the floor, Levi felt pain in each arm as the dogs latched on. “Cry out and the dogs start the attack,” Arthur said calmly. “They are just holding you now.”
Forcing his eyes open, Levi saw his wrists in the dogs’ mouths as they pulled back, playing tug of war. “You wanted to kill me and hurt my kids,” Arthur said, grabbing his radio. Pressing the transmit key, “Return, babies are fed, use alternate route,” he called out.
“Returning,” Andrea answered.
Putting the radio back on his belt, Arthur asked. “Why didn’t Chase want to join Morrilton?”
“You do the shit work,” Levi panted as the dogs kept the pressure constant. “They told us we would have to bring in two women each before we could join, and we couldn’t have any women at the clubhouse until the next one joined.”
“How many are they?”
“We ride around and stuff and only met them twice,” Levi grunted, feeling Donald step back and pulling harder. “I know they have five, but we only talked to Skip and some kid-.”
“Dean,” Arthur finished and Levi nodded. Arthur snapped his fingers and the dogs let go of Levi’s wrists and he cradled them to his chest.
“Please man, let me go and I swear, you’ll never see me again,” Levi begged.
“Oh, I am, don’t worry,” Arthur said, glancing out the front door. “I want you to tell everyone, this corridor of I-40 belongs to me.”
“I will, but you should know that people already know about you. Not your name, but about the group of trucks riding around and call you the ‘Caravan’. And you need to keep a lookout because there is still army at Fort Smith. We were there a week ago.”
“Yeah, I heard them on the radio,” Arthur said. “They have a bunch that are sick. That’s why they didn’t pick up these outposts around here. I have to ask, why haven’t any of you got in those army vehicles like those Strykers?”
Stopping his grunting, Levi looked up at Arthur like he was stupid. “The army still has choppers up. I seen with my own eyes, someone take one of those wheeled tank things in Ozark. As they rode down I-40, it blew up and one of those Apaches flew over.”
“Yeah, that would put a stop to that,” Arthur nodded, seeing his group pull in.
“It happened in Little Rock also. We talked to a group that ran out of Little Rock. You touch the Army’s stuff, they know.”
Looking down at Levi, “Not if you unhook the transponder, dumbass,” Arthur chuckled.
“People have tried,” Levi winced as he moved his hands.
“Well, I took a five-ton and they never found me,” Arthur grinned, seeing his group pull through the parking lot.
Levi looked up at Arthur in disbelief. “The truck at that checkpoint near Clarksville?” he asked and Arthur nodded. “We thought the army came back and got it, since most of the gear was gone.”
“Nope, I took it,” Arthur smiled and started walking off. He stopped and turned to Levi, “Sorry, forgot something,” Arthur said, pulling the trigger and Levi jerked as the bullet hit him in the chest and Arthur moved his rifle, squeezing the trigger again and watching the bullet slam into Levi’s face.
“Don’t ever think about fucking with my kids,” Arthur growled, spinning on his heel and broke into a jog. Bringing his AR to his chest, Arthur turned the mounted light on as he jogged to the back roll-up door.
When he rolled the door up, Arthur saw the vehicles parked outside and walked over as Andrea stuck her head out of her truck. “Was someone inside waiting?” she asked.
Turning to her as Shelia climbed out of the driver’s seat to the passenger side, “Yeah, we knew them,” Arthur called out as he opened the door. “It was Chase and Levi who wanted to join up with us.”
Andrea gave a shudder as she pulled her head back in the truck and Arthur climbed in, putting the Suburban in gear. Pulling up, Arthur put the Suburban in reverse and backed inside while cranking the steering wheel and guided the trailer into the first cross aisle.
He looked up to watch Andrea drive past and then Shawn pulled inside as Arthur climbed out and looked back at Vicki. “You think we should watch the babies in the truck or breakout the playpens?” he asked.
“Did you shoot somebody?” Vicki asked.
“Two.”
“Keep them in here, in case we have to leave fast,” Vicki answered, shaking a bottle to mix the formula. At the house, the babies now drank goat’s milk.
Nodding, “Call over the radio when it’s time to change out,” Arthur said, shutting his door and saw everyone was already out, turning on lights and setting them around the trailers.
“How did you know?” Shawn asked, walking over.
“Fishing string I had in the door jamb was gone, but the obvious markers were all put back,” Arthur answered. “There are two bodies by the front door. I’ll need your help with them before we leave.”
“Just leave them,” Shawn shrugged as Kirk and Pat drove the forklifts off the trailers.
Walking off, “Then nobody will see them,” Arthur huffed. “Tell Kirk and Pat to load my trailer first. We are
