Matthew Mark - Dark Days Rough Roads

Rob had everyone moved up into the southern positions and now had a couple of guys in the buildings waiting. He went over to see if he could help Chuck. Chuck told him the guys were dug in pretty deep and wasn’t sure if they would be able to get them out of that position. They all backed up and waited. They called Haliday for direction. Haliday told them to send a couple to his location and he would come over and see what was going on.

Mark took another look around the area. He couldn’t spot anyone else so he made his move. He shouldered his AR and pulled out his pistol. He sprang around the corner of the bricks and took aim at the two kid, he put his finger to his mouth. He spoke quietly and told them to raise their hands up which they did.

Mark then had them lay down and he zip tied their hands together. The kids were maybe 10 or 11 years old, a boy and girl. Mark was shocked at this. “Here kids, you hide here behind the bricks while we go play army.” It was appalling in every sense. He didn’t like what he did next. He stood them up then called out to their parents.

The parents froze. All they heard was “Drop your weapons and approach your children with your hands raised high.” They had no idea who had their kids or what the person would do. The husband suggested he sneak over across the street and try and come up behind them. The wife protested. The little girl cried out, “Mommy I’m scared. One of the bad men has us.” Mark’s blood boiled at this.

Haliday walked in and looked down at the man from Chuck’s team who had gotten hit. The man was losing blood and would need help fast. Haliday grabbed his mirror and took a quick glance. No sooner had he put it in the doorway when the militia fired. The shots were too close for comfort and one came through the thin steel just above his head.

Haliday looked over at Rob. “Listen, get a few more guys up here. Have them take over here in the building. In the meantime Chuck and I will take our teams and enter that big ass building they are using to keep all the food and supplies in. If we can get to the west end, we can take them out.” Rob signaled for a couple more guys to come over and he said he would stay as well.

Chuck and Haliday got their teams together. They needed Rob to draw the fire and as soon as they started, they bolted for the door. They got the door open and entered it quickly without any tannerite can. They all kept low. They looked around. There were stacks upon stacks of food piled in here.

Over at the main gate, not only had the smoke and fire given the militia a chance to retreat, it also gave a few people the chance to move forward close to the line of cars. Four people had rushed forward and then laid down waiting for the flames to subside. This was as close as anyone had managed to get to the admin building.

Mark was waiting for the kids parents to approach. He heard the woman say, “Don’t hurt them. I’m on my way.”

Mark yelled out, “Both of you. I said both of you.” There was a pause and she said her husband was injured. Mark couldn’t believe these people were playing games with their kids. “Listen lady, I have two guys in the woods. If he ain’t injured he will be. You wanna keep playing games?”

He heard the man, “Ok, we’re both coming out, don’t shoot.”

Mark waited and both of them came walking out hands held high. Mark called out, “Brad, come on in, but tell your brother to keep his sights on these two.” Brad came out slowly with his rifle raised. Mark ordered them to the ground with their hands behind their backs. Brad approached and zip tied them.

The zip ties came in handy. They were cable ties from an electric supply shop, but Haliday had made sure everyone took plenty with them. He told them to tuck them in their boots, their ball caps, waist bands, wherever they felt comfortable putting them. This was the exact reason why.

Haliday and Chuck made it to the west end of the hangar; no one was in there. He looked at the wall and there weren’t any doors or windows. Up toward the top, he spotted two large air vents. Up against the wall was a rolling ladder. He slowly moved it over about 10 feet and climbed up. He pulled out his Leatherman and used it to pry open one of the louvers.

He looked down. This was going to be the perfect angle for the one position, unfortunately the next position down the line would have clear shots and the lack of protection would be sure death for whomever was up here. He looked at the other vent. Two shooters could do it, just have to figure out how to get someone up there.

Haliday kept looking around for something to use. “Anybody have any ideas on a platform for a second shooter?” he asked. “We have to be able to get down quickly too.” Everyone was looking around. Most of the hangar space had been cleared for the food storage. There wasn’t a whole lot they could use.

Brad and Mark searched the couple and the kids thoroughly. Mark walked them over to their vehicle and opened it up. He looked around a bit and grabbed some rope. He tied them up to a pallet of bricks. He walked back over and grabbed a couple of blankets and tossed them over the kids. It was time to head back to the compound and help.

Mark called in and told them about the four prisoners. He then made his way back to the compound with Brad. He went over the situation as it currently stood. They had made some good ground, but needed more. Once they fully secured the south end they could close the noose a little more.

Haliday looked at everyone. “It’s not that high. Grab some pallets, quickly. Take the stuff off of them if you have to. We need five or six.” The first three were ready and Haliday stood them on edge and formed a triangle. He laid one on top to form a platform. They piled up two more and he moved the stairs over and got up on the platform. “You guys keep it steady, “ Haliday said.

He pried the louvers of this vent open as far as he could. “This will work,” he said, “someone else get up here quick. You guys keep this steady.” Chuck was on the stairs and they were both ready. Haliday clicked his mic, “Now Rob.” Rob and a couple others fired out the door and Haliday and Chuck fired on their targets. After emptying a complete magazine, Haliday scrambled and got down. Chuck followed not even a second later.

Sure enough the walls around the vents opened up with a few holes. One second longer for either of them and they would have been hit. They immediately cleared the west wall of the hangar building as it took a few more rounds. Haliday called over to Rob, “How’d we do?” Rob said he would check. He wasn’t sure.

Rob got down low and took a quick peek. It looked like the position was neutralized. “Wait a second,” Rob said. There came another volley of fire. A man in the position Haliday fired into ran toward the buildings into another position as others laid down cover fire. Rob came back on. “Looks like the two guys close to us are dead and the other position was vacated, but someone left in it is either dead or injured.”

Mark and Brad were studying the north end now. Still the same problem. They got a few people closer, but not enough. The only thing they could do would be to keep more people from going in and to keep the militia from coming out. Rob called Haliday and told him the situation. Haliday acknowledged and told him to get some guys over on the south end to get the casualties out.

Mark sent the four wheeler with their makeshift medic team over there, along with two more guys. He settled down and continued to watch the area. Brad threw out some different ideas, but nothing made sense. “We wait it out,” said Mark. Mark reached in his pocket and pulled out a small bag of jerky and gave Brad a piece and chewed on one himself.

Rob sent two guys over to the militia position. As soon as they got there the first man into the position was shot with a pistol four times. The second of Rob’s guys fired his rifle into the militia man who had been laying there waiting. The man yelled over to Rob and told him it was secure now, but they lost Kenny. Rob sent one more guy over to the position.