Forgotten Forbidden America:: Patriots Reborn (6 page)

Nelson grabbed a few sandwiches and some tea then jumped in his UTV and drove up to where Michelle was. Not feeling rambunctious, Nelson took the long way up to the top of the ridge. He found Michelle sitting on a large rock overlooking the site with Duke sitting beside her.

When Nelson walked over, he looked at the group through the trees about a hundred feet below them. “Nice spot,” he said, handing her a sandwich.

“Thank you.” She smiled, taking the sandwich. “Nancy said Hank called on the radio asking what all the heavy equipment noise was over here.”

“I didn’t hear that.”

“Nellie came up here and told me in case they could hear our radios,” Michelle said, taking a bite. “I think it’s time to break out the real radios.”

Nodding, Nelson sat beside her and said, “Yeah, we’ll get them out tonight.”

“Well, since you’re here, I’m taking a pee break,” Michelle said, getting up.

“You held your pee?”

“I’m being polite about what I held,” Michelle said, walking away.

“I don’t mind telling people I need to take a dump,” Nelson scoffed, throwing half his sandwich to Duke.

After lunch, the group moved the big barriers next to the lip of the ravine where Bernard had dug. When the barriers were fitted together, they formed a thirty-foot-long wall. In the middle of the wall at the very top was a five-foot-wide, one-foot-deep notch, forming a spillway where the creek ran down the ravine to the river. When the dam was up, they spread out sheets of plastic along the bottom.

Then Bernard spread out gravel along the plastic as Gerald grabbed a paint gun and sprayed sealant over the wall where the tongue and groove seams met. With Matt and Gavin helping, Nelson ran the plastic pipes along the bottom of the deep pool to the trench leading to the powerhouse.

Nelson joined the pipes to the two inlet pipes leading into the house. Then he ran outlet pipes from the other side of the house down the ravine. Since the diversion creek was on their side, Nelson had to wait until Bernard was done spreading rocks. The trench he dug was two feet wide and in places was twenty feet deep. Not wanting to see if he could drive the backhoe across, Nelson just waited on Bernard. The excavator had no trouble rolling over the trench with its tracks.

Moving over to the metal culverts, Nelson made sure they were buried at the same level as the spillway. The culverts formed four alternate spillways for the dam. Two were going to be used for corkscrew hydro generators. The other two were just for emergency spillways.

They all had butterfly valves Nelson had made. When he priced twenty-four-inch valves, Nelson almost passed out seeing they cost seven grand apiece. That was almost what they had tied up in the powerhouse alone for one valve.

The most expensive part of this was the heavy wire they had run to the house the year before. That alone was nine grand. They buried it on the tract Bernard had put in, running it to the room they built onto the basement.

After everyone talked about it, it was decided that the power center for the house should be inside. Since they weren’t about to run generators in the basement, they dug out a hole and built a twenty by twenty room next to the basement. Putting exhaust and intake pipes in one end, they sealed it off and made room for a twenty kW generator. The rest of the room was dedicated to batteries and power distribution.

Before Bernard went to work closing the diversionary creek, Nelson stood beside the dam and looked up. The bottom of the spillway was ten feet above his head. He looked back at the deep pool and was pleased but hoped all this work paid off. There was no way they could do this until the shit hit the fan. Just off the top of his head, Nelson knew they were breaking three dozen laws but figured it was ten times that.

As Bernard started filling the diversionary ditch, the water rushed into the pool and started collecting. With Matt and Gerald’s help, Nelson carried over an aluminum ramp that bolted into the spillway notch at the top of the dam. The ramp carried water six feet away, dumping it down the ravine into the river.

Nelson grabbed a shovel and started throwing dirt over the top of the powerhouse. Matt and Gerald came over and started to help. When they had several inches over the top, leaving only the hatch exposed, they carried their shovels over to the UTV. Putting the shovels up, they heard water slowly starting to pour over the spillway.

“We find out if it works tomorrow,” Nelson said. “I’m going to get Michelle and call it a day.”

Gerald looked at his watch. “Shit, it’s almost six; that’s fine by me,” he said, walking away. “I’m tired of being a general contractor; I’m ready to be a military contractor whooping someone’s ass.”

After showering, the group sat in the living room of the main house. Everyone tried to tell Nellie not to worry about supper, but she wouldn’t hear of it. With the rattle of dishes in the kitchen as Nellie worked, the others sat watching TV, waiting on the presidential address.

Nelson had his AR and 1911 broken down on the coffee table and was cleaning them. Gavin was sitting beside him with his AR and pistol broken down, watching his dad. “Nelson, you going to hook up the juice as we put in the other dams?” Gerald asked, watching Gavin.

“Yeah, I want to make sure we are good as soon as I can,” Nelson said, putting his AR together.

“The President of the United States,” the TV announced, and everyone sat up and became quiet as the familiar face of the president filled the screen.

“My fellow Americans, I come to you tonight with a heavy heart. I can’t believe so many of our citizens would rise up against the government. The government that is helping and listening to the people. It goes against everything that America stands for,” he said with a solemn face.

“We are the elected officials and know what to do in your best interest, so with a heavy heart, I’m declaring martial law. All aspects of private companies are now under federal control. I’m sure many of you have heard several states have stated they are breaking away from the Union,” he said and slammed his fist down on his desk, “even though the Supreme Court has ruled they can’t break away. This will be settled by the courts unless the states of Texas, Montana, Louisiana, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, and New Mexico choose to rejoin the union and turn over all property seized from the federal government. The governors of Missouri and Ohio were going to join them, but private citizens stormed their capitals and killed them. I can understand these citizens’ actions, but they will still be caught and tried in a court of law for their actions.”

Nelson scoffed, “Yeah, just look at one of the alphabet agencies to find them.”

“By executive order 12222, all private property has been seized until the end of this crisis. All persons are to report to the nearest FEMA camp. If you live in a city with a population over one hundred thousand, you may be sent back to your home. If you don’t, you will be relocated to a new residence. I have signed an executive order that cuts all power transmission outside of metropolitan areas. We can’t have waste when everyone is supposed to be in a FEMA camp. This is for your own good and the good of the nation.” The president smiled.

“If you wish this to end so we can go back to our way of life, I strongly urge you to turn over those fighting and causing disruption of our society. The FBI has a hotline for all tips, and any tip that ends in an arrest, a reward will be given,” the president said as an eight hundred number rolled across the bottom of the screen.

“Now, I want to say to the governors of New Mexico and Texas, you will stop shooting at people crossing the border, and I demand you cease your assaults on the Army of Mexico. They are our neighbors and will be treated as such until the UN court orders you to rejoin the union next week.”

Michelle sat down in Nelson’s lap. “I like how he already knows how the court is going to rule,” she whispered.

“Many members of the UN have sent troops here to help us in this trying time,” the president said, narrowing his eyes at the camera. “Your elected officials have their support to stop the foolish actions of a few. Congress has passed legislation that any act against a member or an employee of the government is an act of treason and punishable by death.”

“He needs to grow a small mustache like Hitler,” Gerald mumbled.

“Under the orders of martial law, every citizen now reports to the federal government. Any that don’t will be seen as traitors. Homeland is working with local law enforcement to facilitate the transfer of citizens to metropolitan areas. Only government-sanctioned farms and businesses are allowed to operate outside these areas. I, as your president, will lead you out of these trying times, and when we are once again united, our country will be that much stronger. Thank you, and good night.”

“Well, it’s about to run into high gear now,” Gerald said, getting up and picking Devin up off the floor.

Chapter Four

Two days later after breakfast, Nelson, Matt, and Gerald were working on placing more dams in the creek. Nelson had wired up the powerhouse and turned four of the turbines on, generating forty thousand watts. The two corkscrew turbines were generating five thousand watts each. Nelson cut their power from the grid since it was about to be turned off anyway. All in all, everyone was really happy.

The group was placing the last of the barriers just several hundred yards from the bridge that the road went over that led to the farm. When they shut off the backhoe after dropping the last barrier in, Nelson looked around. “You hear something?” he asked.

“Sounds like a car,” Gerald said, grabbing his AR off the ground.

“We have a car coming down the road; it’s almost at the bridge,” Nancy called out over the radio.

“Can you tell what it is?” Gerald called back.

“Black sedan with government plates.”

“Call Hank, and tell him in case they head for his farm,” Gerald said, looking at the backhoe.

“Dude, I know you aren’t thinking of leaving Bernard’s John Deere backhoe out here all alone,” Nelson said, shaking his head. “I don’t want to get thrown in that damn wood chipper.”

“Let’s just move to the road; a sedan can’t get past the overturned truck and trailer,” Gerald said.

“Michelle,” Nelson called on his radio as he followed Gerald.

“I’m here,” Michelle called back.

“Get a sniper rifle, and set up so you can cover us at our makeshift roadblock. Get Bernard and Ashley to do the same.”

“Moving toward you,” Michelle called back.

“The car just took the Y to Hank’s farm. I already let him know,” Nancy called out, and Gerald stopped.

“Okay, we have some time. How do you two think we should handle this?” Gerald asked, looking at them.

“Get the backhoe, and move it up to the turned over truck like we are working on it, and see if they come this way,” Nelson said.

“Why not just shoot their asses?” Matt asked.

“I would really like to know why in the hell they are here in the middle of nowhere,” Nelson said. “You two head to the roadblock; I’ll get the backhoe.”

Matt and Gerald ran out to the road and jogged over to the turned over truck and trailer. “Think we should hide our weapons?” Matt asked, looking at his gear.

“Fuck that,” Gerald said, press checking his AR. Seeing brass, he let the bolt snap home. “I fought for this country in shit holes all over the world for over two decades. Be damned if I’m going to bend over now.”

“Fair enough,” Matt said as Nelson pulled out of the tree line on the backhoe and drove it behind the truck and trailer.

Nelson got out and laid his AR on the side of the overturned truck as well as his vest. Taking out his 1911, Nelson put it in his clip-on holster. “We are set up, Nelson,” Michelle called over the radio.

Nelson walked over to Matt and Gerald. “I’m glad we are using real radios now that are encrypted,” he grinned. The three spread out in front of the truck and waited.

Ten minutes later, Nancy came over the radio. “They just tried calling out on the radio.”

“They get anyone?” Nelson asked.

“No,” Nancy snapped. “I’m jamming them; wait, one just tried to use a cellphone.”

Nelson laughed, looking over at Gerald. “Guess they don’t realize there is no cell coverage here.”

Gerald shook his head. “No, I’m sure they have a signal booster in the car like we have at the farm.”

“Shit,” Nelson spat as he kicked the dirt.

“Don’t fret; Nancy has that jammed as well. The only way they will communicate with anyone around here is if they send smoke signals.” Gerald grinned. “Remember, Nancy worked for the assholes.”

“I’m starting to think Nancy was more than just a computer programmer for the government,” Nelson said. “She’s acting like the head of the rebel alliance.”

“On that, you would be right,” Gerald said as Nancy came over the radio.

“They are coming to you now. Four occupants, and they just passed the Y.”

“You two stay out of sight until they stop,” Nelson said as he keyed his radio. “Baby, if they don’t play nice, just waste them, but I really want to talk to them.”

“You don’t talk to me that much, but you want to talk to government dickheads?” Michelle snapped over the radio as Matt and Gerald moved behind the roadblock.

“Be nice. I talk to you, but you rarely like the topics,” Nelson said, looking up as he heard the car approaching.

The car stopped, and all four doors opened. A man wearing a deputy’s uniform got out of the driver’s seat. Two of the other men were wearing suits, and the last was dressed in a polo shirt and khaki pants. “Is that a weapon on your hip?” the deputy demanded, jabbing his finger in the air at Nelson.

“Yep,” Nelson said with a grin.

As the deputy’s hand dropped to his gun belt, Matt and Gerald stepped around the trailer. “Don’t be rude, boy,” Gerald said, aiming his rifle at the group with Matt beside him.

“Hey, deputy, you have green shit on your chest,” Nelson chuckled. The deputy looked down to see a green laser dot. The deputy looked up as his face went white, and he started trembling. “Just to let you know, on the other end of that laser is a fifty cal. If they pull the trigger, you will only be a mist.”

“We are with the government,” a bald man that stepped out of the back snapped at Nelson.

“Well howdy,” Nelson grinned. “Had some problems around here, so we aren’t trusting of just anyone. Call me crazy, but government is at the bottom of our list—right below pedophiles.”

The bald man stepped beside the deputy. “I’m Agent Palmer with Homeland Security. We are here with the postmaster for the area conducting a survey of who we need to transport out.”

A man with thinning, gray hair nodded. “May I have your name, sir? Our records indicate only Bernard and Nellie Parker live at the address at the end of the road. They have no children, so who are you?”

“I’m shy,” Nelson said with a smile. “I don’t give out my name on the first date.”

“You do realize we have already reported our location,” Agent Palmer snapped. “You can’t hurt us.”

“No, you tried, but for some reason, your radio wouldn’t reach out, and your cellphones didn’t work,” Nelson laughed as Gerald moved up beside him.

Gerald was looking at the last man, who was dressed like a contractor. He was about thirty and lean. His blonde hair was buzz cut, and he had a very chiseled jaw. “And who might you be, blondie?”

“That is Agent Stonavitch with Homeland,” Agent Palmer said.

“A fuckin’ ruskie,” Gerald growled.

“He’s a citizen of the United States, sir,” Agent Palmer said. “Is it true you gave weapons, ammunition, and food to your neighbors?” he asked, looking down at a small notebook. “A Hank Gilmore.”

Gerald nodded as Agent Palmer stepped closer. “Seemed like the thing to do.” Hearing a straining noise, Gerald turned to look at Nelson. Gerald stepped back, seeing Nelson straining so hard his face was turning purple, and veins were standing out on his forehead. “Dude, are you trying to take a dump in your pants? If you need to shit, go into the woods; we got this.”

Letting out a gasp, Nelson smiled as he gulped in air, and his face started returning to its natural color. Nelson moved over to Agent Palmer and waved his hand in front of Palmer’s face as he said, “These are not the droids you’re looking for.”

“Huh?” Agent Palmer said, furrowing his brow.

“Goddamn it!” Nelson shouted, hitting Agent Palmer in the throat and faking a punch at Agent Stonavitch. Stonavitch raised his hand to block the punch, but Nelson’s foot connected with his groin. Stonavitch rose over a foot off the ground and was puking in the air as pain from his crushed testicles radiated out to his body.

The deputy and the postman raised their hands when Gerald and Matt aimed their weapons at their faces, but Nelson didn’t care. Yanking his pistol out, Nelson cracked the deputy in the temple, dropping him to the dirt. Stepping over to the postman, who was whimpering, Nelson clocked him with an uppercut that knocked him several feet back. The postman landed unconscious on the ground.

“Motherfucker,” Nelson said, spreading his legs to stand over Agent Palmer, who was struggling to breathe. Dropping on Palmer’s chest, Nelson started pistol whipping the shit out of him, stressing his words with each hit. “You—are—supposed—to say—‘These—aren’t—the droids—we’re—looking for!’ I am a Jedi, bitch!”

Watching the beat down, Matt moved up beside Gerald whispering. “You going to tell him he can’t use the force?”

“Fuck that; you tell him. I think I saw that ruskie boy’s balls fly down the road,” Gerald said, moving over to the deputy as he took out handcuffs. They searched the others as Nelson continued to tell Palmer what his line was supposed to be with each hit of the pistol. Using Stonavitch’s own cuffs, they handcuffed him as he continued to puke.

“Nelson!” Michelle snapped, and he looked up, seeing her carrying a Barrett fifty cal. “Are you finished?”

“Hell no! I fucking tried really hard to use the force, and this cock jockey fucked it up!”

“What were you wanting to ask them?” she sighed as Bernard and Ashley came jogging up.

“I can’t ask them here,” Nelson said, waving around.

Michelle sighed. “Nelson, I don’t like carrying this forty-pound rifle. Where do you want to talk to them?”

“Barn,” Nelson said, standing up. Working together, they loaded the four into the front-end loader. “Matt, Gerald, will you see what’s in the car, but leave it there,” Nelson said, climbing in the bucket and stomping on Palmer’s face. “Fucker,” Nelson muttered.

As Bernard climbed in the cab of the backhoe, Michelle and Ashley climbed in with him. Matt and Gerald searched the car and found several notebooks and a laptop and carried them to the barn at a slow jog. When they reached the barn, they saw Agent Palmer hanging from the front-end loader stark naked with his feet barely touching the ground. The other three were naked and hog tied up in a far corner. Agent Stonavitch was still dry heaving.

“Bernard, will you go and get the calf from the cow you’re milking now?” Nelson pleaded as they set the stuff down.

“It’s a good calf; what are you going to do with it?”

“Bernard, I’m not going to hurt it, but I really want to try something,” Nelson whined.

Throwing up his hands, Bernard turned away. “Fine.”

Nelson looked at Agent Palmer and grinned. “I saw this on a Woody Harrelson movie once.” Agent Palmer mumbled around the duct tape over his mouth. “No, I promise, you will answer everything I ask. I’m willing to bet you’ll answer questions before I even ask.”

Bernard came in leading a young calf with a guide rope. “Here he is,” he said as Nelson ran over and took the rope.

“Aw, isn’t he cute,” Nelson said, patting the calf and leading it over to Agent Palmer. “Poncho Villa used this technique to question people. I always wanted to see if it would work,” Nelson said, looking up at Palmer as the calf pulled forward. “Aw, he sees something like his momma has,” Nelson laughed, letting the calf go. The calf latched onto Palmer’s penis, and even with the duct tape covering his mouth, the scream hurt everyone’s ears.

***

An hour later, everyone but Nelson and Nancy were in the kitchen eating lunch. Everyone had left Nelson when he had to pry the calf off of Palmer, who had passed out. They really didn’t want to know what was next.

“Your husband has a weird sense of humor,” Gerald said, feeding Devin.

“The only reason I’m not out there is I had babies that needed food,” Michelle said, glancing over.

“Mom, can I go help Dad?” Gavin asked.

“No,” Michelle snapped. “Your father is talking to those men, and he’s being mean to make them talk. You don’t need to be around it.”

Gavin sulked as he looked down at his plate. “I just wanted to help.”

“I know, baby, and you are,” Michelle said and looked over at Gerald. “Just to warn you, Nelson is only getting started. We had two MPs in our company get kidnapped, and Nelson gathered up a crew. They found an empty house, and in twenty hours and nineteen people questioned, he found where they were being held.”

“He waterboard them?” Matt asked.

“Nelson’s not that nice when he wants to know something,” Michelle said as Nancy walked in. Putting an armload of stuff on the counter, she sat down at the table and looked over at Michelle, grinning.

“Your husband is like the total bomb. Palmer will answer any question you ask.”

“Shit, I have a calf latch on me, I’ll tell you all my secrets and any on anyone I know,” Gerald mumbled.

“Is he finished playing and putting them in chairs?” Michelle laughed.

Nodding as she fixed her plate, Nancy said, “Yes, he said he had to grab some things.”

The others nodded, and Nelson walked in a few seconds later. He sat a notebook down on the table as he got in his seat. “We need to make a trip in the next hour,” he said, grabbing his fork. When everyone started talking, he raised his hand. “We’ll wait till the kids are done eating then talk.”