Matthew Mark - Dark Days Rough Roads

“The memorial airport?”

“Whatever they call it. What do you know?”

“It’s very small, mostly all private planes, smaller stuff, and a couple helicopters I think.”

“What about the buildings. What about the main building?”

“Oh, it’s their offices. Actually when you go in there it’s pretty nice, they have a small little snack bar, you can rent out a large conference room too. Nice big lobby, that’s all I know.”

“Ok, that helps, thanks.”

“What’s going on there?”

“It’s the militia HQ now.”

“My buddy is a pilot, the one who wanted to recruit me. So are a couple of his friends.”

“Is he a big guy, black hair, mustache, attitude?”

“No, my buddy is a smaller gray haired guy.” Haliday was trying to figure out who the leader of this group was.

During the conversation he noticed that the patrols had changed shifts. The day shift headed out and within 10 minutes the night crew came in. After putting their vehicles away, they went into the HQ. People continued to filter out of 8 and 9 and head to the HQ. Haliday figured they used the snack bar to cook and the conference room to eat and hold meetings.

“You ready to go Blake?”

“I sure am.”

They were about to get up when Blake said, “Look Roger.” Roger looked and saw three people heading toward building seven pushing a cart. Two were heavily armed. They opened a couple locks on the door and pushed the cart inside and took what looked to be a partially empty one out. It was chow time for their captives. This is where they were holding them; whoever they may be that is. No telling how many of them there were either. Enough to need a cart for their food.

This small group went back to the HQ. “Ok Blake, we need rest, let’s go get some.” They packed up, messed up their area to hide their presence of being there and went back to where the bikes were. A quick meal and radio call, then some rest. They’d make sure they got some decent sleep over the next eight hours. Haliday was analyzing the info he just acquired as he laid there.

“You sleeping yet Roger?”

“No, what’s up?”

“Why are you so worried about these people and what they are doing?”

“You mean the militia?”

“Ya, them.”

“Well Blake, here’s the way I see it. Here in this country we have our constitution. Now it’s been crapped on time and time again the past few years, more so than any other time period. Slowly but surely, its meaning is being eroded and the Supreme Court is trying to rewrite it from the bench.

“The country is in a position now where we need to make sure we live up to the meaning of the document in its purest form. We are practically back to that period in time when it was written. Oh, we have modern housing, some conveniences and such to an extent, but the next few years will be very different than they were a week ago, but very similar to a couple hundred years ago.

“Within the Bill of Rights are some very basic rights we can’t take for granted. The right to bear arms, the right to freedom of speech, the protection from unlawful search and seizure, no cruel or unusual punishment and the right to a fair trial. You follow me so far?”

“Yes sir, I do.”

“Ok, good. Now here is what I see now.

“This group has declared this area to be theirs. They are taking what they want, when they want and from whom they want. Not for the good of the people, but for their own good. I don’t see them sharing anything with anyone. You think they paid for anything they brought in there? I doubt they paid for that tanker full of fuel. I doubt they paid for this airport or anything else they have acquired most recently.

“A traditional militia is about their own community but they also support those around them. They may not take them under their wing or into their shelters, but they certainly don’t steal from anybody or pull the BS they are pulling here. They really don’t make sense to me. To me they are an enemy.

“They took that family’s gun at the tornado shelter. He had a right to bear arms and carry that gun, more so today than ever. They have people down there being held prisoner for who knows what reasons. You think they had the right to due process? You think they are getting trials? Who knows how they are even being treated. Especially the ones caught while they were looking for us. They are forcing their will upon the people around here and I would say they’re doing it with fear and with force.

“I don’t see these guys as a typical militia. I see them as nothing but a bunch of hoodlums who have strayed far from their original goal, if they even had one. I see a force of people no better than a lot of war criminals or Third World warlords. Years ago I took an oath. In that oath it stated enemies both foreign AND domestic. These are enemies, Blake, I know that now.

“Blake, I’m not in the service now, but I will maintain and uphold that oath. I will not stand by and let these people hinder the freedoms of other Americans for their own personal gain. I don’t know what I can do, but I have to do something. Sooner or later I will have to show my hand. I hope it’s good enough to win. I want to get on with life as much as the next guy, but when they come knocking on our door what do we do then? And is it too late at that point?”

“I hear ya, Mr. Haliday. I had that same feeling. I just don’t have the experience you do.”

“You don’t have to, Blake. You just have to have the will power to want to help and to want to make a difference. That’s all. I’m glad you’re here. Now, we have some more recon to do, so let’s get that rest. I’ll call the group and check in. Let them know we are ok.”

The sleep was very welcomed. Both had become very tired and the past few days had taken a toll on them. After tonight they would head to the house and get all the rest they needed. One last night of recon would give him enough info on the compound. He still didn’t know what he would do with it though.

They moved out heading to a new area.

“Why not the spot we used last night?” Blake asked.

“It was a great spot, but there are a couple things to consider. You visit enough times and you leave telltale signs that you were there. You start to alter the soil, and the vegetation, and it makes it easier to find. Secondly, we need another vantage point so we can see what else is going on in there.”

They went out of their way to avoid some houses and ultimately ended up northeast of the airport, across the street. This was a great spot for watching the militia. It gave them a completely different viewing angle. They did the same thing as the night before and laid up for the night.

He looked over into building 4 and indeed they had two small planes in there. Piper cubs, ancient, simple, parts everywhere, but still not running. Not sure what they could do with them, other than some aerial recon which would be nice. Maybe they could arm them somehow, he guessed. By the looks of it though, they had a long way to go. Haliday started thinking, damn, should have brought the 203. Well, it wasn’t really a 203, but rather a 37mm grenade launcher. Too many questions would arise with a true 40mm launcher. Not to mention the registration of it with the BATFE.

Those planes wouldn’t be running for at least a couple of days. He looked around some more. He saw the same routine with the security again. Every hour on the hour a perimeter check. Looked like checks of the prison building, but that view was now somewhat blocked. Nothing really different yet. They actually kind of reminded him of the old football game that you plugged it in, and the men just vibrated across the field in random directions with no sense of purpose.