“I see a dozen bodies spread across the parking lot. I don’t see any rifles lying around, but the men might have ammo pouches and magazines on them. Jackie, take my rifle and use the night vision scope to watch for any dangers. We can see enough to move from body to body and strip them of anything useful.”
Brenda walked stooped over to stay as hidden from view as possible to her first dead man. Her pulse quickened, and her stomach felt queasy as she approached the body. She laid her bag down and patted the body around the waist to find a dagger and a flashlight. She checked his ankles and found an ankle holster containing a .380 automatic pistol. His pockets only delivered a few 9mm bullets, a pocketknife, and two packaged condoms. She made sure the .380 was loaded and stuck it in her pocket. The rest went into her bag before she moved on to the next body.
This man lay face down, and it took all her strength to roll him over. Brenda patted the body down and found several 9mm magazines, another knife, and more condoms. She mumbled to herself. “The SOBs must have had a hot date after their battle.”
Brenda washed her hands with a squirt of 70 percent alcohol and then chuckled to herself. She started to head to the next body when her hand hit something hard. She felt around and found the pistol. It was an automatic, and she assumed it was the companion to the magazines.
Tom had searched his fourth body, finding only a few magazines, flashlights, a bayonet, and a few condoms. He wondered if the condoms were being used for something besides their intended purpose. The next body was a woman whose hands were bound behind her. He thought, These men were raiding the area to take women. They were also ready to sample their captives but were ambushed by someone trying to free the women. Oh, crap! It could have been more raiders trying to steal the kidnapped women for their own use.
He was deep in thought when the pebble hit him on the back. Tom knew it was Jackie trying to get his attention, but his heart still raced, and his body was in the cusp of the fight or flight mode. He stayed low and looked around the area. He saw movement where Brenda had been, but there was a dark object moving toward her. He rose to a crouched position and then ran as fast as possible as he drew his blade. Tom hit the man while at full stride and slashed at the dark figure. Tom heard a muffled sound coming from the man as he continued stabbing him.
Then Tom heard Brenda. “Tom, I think he’s dead. Help me up.”
“Are you okay? I’m sorry we crashed into you. I had to stop him before he got to you. We’d better leave now before his friends show up looking for him.”
“Wait, he has a short shotgun, a pistol, and a tactical vest full of magazines for the pistol.”
Tom helped her search the man’s pockets and took the shotgun before they joined Jackie. Tom gave up on searching the sporting goods store. They traveled safely back to their camp and examined their treasure under a Tyvek tarp using one of the newfound flashlights.
“Darn, the man should have had an AR. Everyone in the world has at least one AR,” Tom said as he took one of the pocketknives.
Sam watched over his shoulder. “My boyfriend had a dozen of those assault rifles. He called them AKs and ARs. He also had a gun he called a SAW.”
Tom snapped around to look her in her green eyes. “That’s basically a light machinegun. SAW stands for Squad Automatic Weapon. It shoots a 5.56 NATO round that will tear a big hole in you.”
“I told you he works in a business where he needs a security force.”
Tom sneered, “Most drug dealers have what’s usually called a gang of thugs to protect him and spread their deadly poison around the country.”
“You bastard! I never said I liked what he was doing!”
“Yet, you stayed with him and spent his money.”
Tom never saw her hand coming as she slapped him. “Screw you. You asshole. I didn’t have a choice. He owned me. I was a damned slave. Of course, I made the best of it for Lucy and me.”
Lucy came to her side. “Momma, I didn’t know. I knew I hated him, but ….”
“Hush, baby, and come with me. I don’t want to be with these people.”
Jackie grabbed Tom by the arm and dragged him away from the others. “That was downright mean of you to treat her that way in front of her daughter. You should go apologize, now!”
“You know I hate drugs. Drugs killed our mom and dad. If Mom hadn’t been stoned, they’d still be alive. I’m sorry I hurt her feelings, but I can’t stand drugs or the people who shove them on society.”
Jackie had tears in her eyes. “I barely remember mom and dad, and you had to talk about them using drugs. How do you know they used drugs? I can hardly remember what they look like.”
“Grandpa’s friend Jake was over one day when we were about fifteen. I heard Grandpa and him talking. Grandpa was still mad at Mom after all these years.”
Tom started to leave when Jackie grabbed him by the collar. “Go to Sam.”
Tom walked back to the camp and saw Sam packing their possessions. “Sam, I’m sorry about running my mouth about Carlos. Lucy, I never should have passed judgment on your mom’s boyfriend.”
Lucy looked up at her mom and didn’t say
