“Okay, boys,” interrupted Vlad. “I’m going to try the Colonel again on the radio and let him know where we are, so that if they need to come in on this we don’t get incinerated by friendly fire. And before you ask, he assured me we are on a private line. I have to believe it’s true. Any problems with this?” We all said no.
“And you,” he said, pointing at Nate’s guy. “Don’t mess with Mike. He bites hard, and if you’re smart you won’t say another word to or about him.”
The man didn’t answer, but both Lonnie and I nodded our heads in affirmation.
“I’ll need to train three of your men,” said Mel to Nate, “to properly load the M60 belts.” “Who has shot one of these?” he asked, raising his own hand.
I raised my hand, getting a look from most everyone there. “Only a couple of times,” I said, “but I can do it.” Jake, Lonnie, David and Mike all raised their hands as well.
“Okay,” said Mel. “Lance, Lonnie and David will each have one, spread out a distance from each other. Mike, you won’t need anything so big, floating. Right?”
Mike nodded yes.
“And I will be responsible for the fireworks if needed,” added Mel.
“All men will have a rotating three-person shift tonight, to be changed every two hours, giving all enough time to rest up for what’s headed our way,” announced Lonnie.
“Let’s get ready, gentleman,” I said. “Our families are counting on us.”
I offered a prayer:
Lord, please watch over our women and children so that we may start anew, with lives full of abundance, health and safety. Guide our weapons in battle if it should come to that and help us to keep a steady hand and aim true. Be right over our shoulders, Lord. It is in your name we pray. Amen.
I wasn’t completely surprised, talking with a few of Nate’s group later in the morning, to hear that their experience across the river had tested their faith and they were now questioning everything. “He will right the wrongs,” I told them. “Maybe not today, or even tomorrow, but it will be done in good time. The evil that was hidden in dark alleys and corrupt men in positions of power in the old world are now in full view and must be dealt with swiftly when we can and allowed to move on down the road when necessary.”
It used to be said that having a dog or alarm protecting your house was not to prevent a burglary but to move the burglar down the neighborhood to another, easier location. We were and are still lucky enough to have a neighborhood that watches out for each other, I thought.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twelve
Raton Pass, New Mexico
We had lunch after supplying each foxhole with the necessary provisions, minus the guns and ammo in case of an advanced breach.
Each person would carry weapons and ammunition to their respective locations and remain there until it was safe to leave.
Vlad’s last conversation with the Colonel divulged that all women and children would be at Beatrice’s house, marked by both the American and New Mexico flags flying above the roof and easily seen from the air. Without relating the rest of our exact location, he told the Colonel that anything across the river would be hostile, keeping it as simple as possible.
The Colonel assured Vlad that if his team was needed, he would personally be in the lead helicopter, and they would only fire across the river if they spotted an obvious breach heading towards the women and children.
“It should be obvious as well,” the Colonel added, “that any military equipment is likely the property of the United States Army and should not be fired upon by any in your groups.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Vlad, with no jokes in his back pocket today.
“Last thing, Vlad,” said the Colonel. “You just need to get past the first group; the second one works for me.”
“I’ll remember that, sir, and thank you in advance for keeping an eye on us.”
* * * *
There were no more swimming lessons, but most in the camp took turns bathing in the lake. The women and children went first, followed by the men. No one could be sure when the next opportunity would be, and Tina had insisted on it for her and David’s honeymoon night.
An exhausted Jim and Mark switched out with Steve and Chad after learning that the Baker group was camping for the night at the very bottom of Raton Pass, exactly seven miles from the turnoff on I-25 and only 10 miles of dirt roads from here.
The radio would be monitored every second for the foreseeable future, and Mark’s friend Chad was able to get hold of James VanFleet on his first day home from the clinic.
“How are you, James?” asked David, hearing he was on the line.
“Well, my friend, I’ve seen better days, that’s for sure, but I’m still not complaining.”
He went on to relay the story of how he ended up a paraplegic, leaving out the parts about the Judge and the Sheriff for now.
“Is that big group still headed up this way?” asked James.
“They sure are, and we’re prepared for arrival here by tomorrow afternoon or the following morning,” said David.
“Really?” replied James. “That soon, huh? I figured they might be two weeks out, or more!”
“I wish they were,” added David. “I’m not sure how secure our channel is, but I wanted you to know we have a few friends in high command watching out for us.”
“You mean like LCF?”
James was referring to Lieutenant Colonel Frank, who was an off-record source of information to them both
