Chapter 8

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Myles and Sir Walter rode to Penn Creek in the back seat of one of the trucks they
had driven to Sierra Delta.  The drivers and shotgun riders were members of the freehold
their passengers belonged to, and were experienced security operatives.  The small 
convoy would add more than fifteen men to the two hundred men already in place.

As the anticipated confrontation did not seem to be imminent, the group split up and
went to the motels where their rooms were reserved.  Even though they were divided
among motels in several locations, it was likely the large number of people arriving
in the area in a short time would generate some sort of alert at the government agency
tracking such things.  Lodging facilities had for some time been pressured to report
a considerable amount of information about their guests without informing them, so 
the report would indicate over two hundred young to middle-aged men arriving in a
twenty mile radius over a period of two to three days, and it would be investigated.
That would take time, however, and they would be long gone by then.  
 
After checking in to a fairly new Western Inn near the interstate highway exchange,
they went out to look at the Penn Creek area.  A group of Mike Charlie men who had
arrived earlier accompanied them, and after the fifteen-minute drive from their
motel they found themselves in an unpopulated wilderness.  They first drove by the
entrance, the driver slowing as they passed the entrances.  There did not appear to
be much activity - they could see a few people out in the area behind the houses,
likely working in the gardens.  A few automobiles, not especially new but in good
condition, were parked at the houses.  Their rather brief research had suggested some
of the residents had jobs outside the area, and would be gone during the day.
 
A few children could be seen playing around the houses, usually with an adult watching.
That bothered Myles most - the government had never let the death of innocents deter
them, and had demonstrated in the past that children were not excepted from their
depredation.  
 
Seemingly reading his thoughts, Sir Walter spoke.  "We will have to watch carefully
to see where the children are.  The attackers won't care about them.  With any luck
these people are at least somewhat prepared and will get the children into a safe
place at the first sign of trouble.  Communities have a habit of doing that - not
just from attacks but normal emergencies such as storms, fires and similar occurrences."
 
"Any ideas on why they picked this group?" asked Myles.  "There are lots of places
like this, even more these days as people try to get away from the government 
repression and the things going on in the cities."
 
"I have some ideas." replied Sir Walter.  "This group has been here for quite a while,
about ten to twelve years as near as I can tell.  There are a handful of news items
going back that long, dealing with people unpopular with the government visiting
or living here temporarily, or being related to someone in the group.  That's enough
to get you on a list of candidates for things like this.
 
"But, it's an easy mark - isolated, small and generally defenseless.  I'd be surprised
if there are any weapons in there beyond some hunting rifles and shotguns, maybe a few
handguns.  And the location makes it easy to manage.  No nearby buildings to burn or
bystanders to get shot."
 
They had gone several miles past commune, and the drivers stopped the vehicles in a
small clearing beside the highway, and they all got out and talked for a while.  Two 
of the men in the other truck had shot some video and a number of photos.  They talked
for a while and smoked cigarettes before heading back the way they had come.  After 
a second look from the highway they continued down the highway until they found an
unpaved road running through the forest.  The sign indicated it was County Road 129.
It was paved with the grey crushed rock commonly used in the area, mined in great
quantities in a nearby range of low hills.
 
Occasionally smaller roads, some little more than trails barely wide enough to accommodate
a one of their trucks.  Eventually they turned back onto another road that seemed to take
them about two miles deep into the forest, and a few miles later they reached a road that
took them back to the highway.  
 
"Well, there you have it" said Sir Walter.  "Our best bet is to position about half of 
the men in the woods a half mile or so out from the commune as soon as we know they're 
coming.  We can cover that distance quickly and get in position before they arrive.
We'll have about half of our anti-armor crews, the remainder will close in from the
front once they begin doing whatever they are going to do."

After one more drive past the entrance to the commune, they headed back to their lodgings.
"I hope we didn't attract enough attention for anyone to call the police about suspicious
strangers." said Sir Walter.

"How likely is it that local law enforcement will become involved?" asked Myles.

"It's fairly certain the Feds will inform the local sheriff and most likely the state
police.  They're spread rather thin out here, due to the large area they have to cover
and restricted budgets.   I suspect, though, that at least a few will show up to watch.
If they are sufficiently foolish as to involve themselves, it's too bad for them.  Any
consideration given to local law enforcement based on presumed lack of bad intent was 
dispensed with log ago.  If a man can't see that being part of the wrong organization
makes him responsible for everything it does, he is being unwise.  Any decent man who 
is paying attention should have chosen a new career long ago."

"Still,"  he continued, "it makes sense to avoid shooting at any uniformed locals if
there is time to make the judgment.  No sense in acquiring a new set of enemies.  But
we don't want to risk our lives doing it."

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After dinner at one of the small chain restaurants scattered about the highway 
interchange, Myles and Sir Walter retired to their rooms.  Myles watched television
for a while.  On one of the news channels, a group of four commentators, presumably
knowledgeable about one thing or another, were discussing the recent assassinations
and the response to them.  All four agreed, in varying degrees, that they were the
work of domestic terrorists, most likely motivated by racial hatred or an extremist
religion.  There were no clues to the status of the investigation, but the next 
show opened with a brief news segment.  It seemed that government investigators
were close to obtaining indictments for people suspected of being involved.  One
of the guests on the next show suggested action was imminent.  Penn Creek was 
mentioned, but so were a couple of other locations.  Myles hoped they hadn't been
wrong, or that they planned to hit more than one site.  He contacted Sir Walter.

"Yes watching it now" was Sir Walter's reply.

"Any chance of the other places being hit" asked Myles.

"Possible but unlikely" replied Sir Walter.

"We know they are coming here.  Others mentioned are actual militant orgs."

"Nothing tonight?" asked Myles.

"Unlikely. Very. Just checked with our man at NBS. Calm."

"I'll alert you if anything happens.  Get some sleep"

"Will do." returned Myles.

Despite his apprehension Myles soon fell asleep.  He awoke to the 0500 alarm and
began preparing for the day.  As he joined Sir Walter for breakfast at another
of the local restaurants, he noted that is table was constantly on the table near
his right hand.  Sir Walter was not obsessed with technology, using it as much
as needed but not a slave to it.  He seemed to be expecting something to happen.

Sure enough, as they were finishing a final cup of coffee, the screen flashed on
with what Myles knew was a high-level alert.  Sir Walter looked around to see if
anyone was nearby, then quickly read the message.  Myles signalled the waiter
for the check.  As soon as it arrived they departed, Myles hand the waiter a pair
of twenties for a sixteen-dollar meal.

Once inside the car Sir Walter said "They're moving."

Myles did not need to be told what to do.  He drove as quickly as was legally and
inconspicuously possible back to the motel, where all the other leaders were staying.
Sir Andrew and John Bradford were already in the parking lot.  Matthew was on the
way with Jeff and Joey.

"The TV trucks are rolling this way" said Sir Andrew.  "That means the raiding party
is close as well.  We've already agreed on the plan - shall we send the orders now?"

"Do it" said Sir Walter.  "Matthew will likely do it on the way, with one of the
boys driving.  If not, they will be here shortly."

Each freehold leader directed his own troops, so each sent a pre-composed message.
As they were doing so, Matthew's truck arrived.  He dismounted and came over, with
Jeff and Joey remaining in the front seats.

"I sent the order on the way over" he said.  "Presumably you've done the same?"

"Right" replied Sir Walter.  "We'd best be joining them."

With that, they entered their vehicles and headed to Penn Creek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Myles and Sir Walter were a few hundred yards behind and to one side of the commune
property.  Through the sparse and scrubby forest they could just see the clearing and
some of the buildings.  Accompanied by half of one of the squads of Mike Charlie men,
they moved closer, the dozen men spreading out to either side of them.  At about a
hundred yards they could see one of the entrances, but in their camouflage uniforms
they would be difficult to see, even if someone happened to be looking into the woods.

Sir Walter was using his phone for communications now, along with a short-range radio.
The phone would only use text messages - the radio, which was designed to operate on 
unused FM frequencies, had been modified with a scrambler.  The men could communicate
in the clear over about two miles, but eavesdroppers would only hear static.  The 
group found comfortable places to sit down and wait for further developments.

Myles checked his weapons while he waited.  The .40 caliber carbine was standard for
all the troops on this operation.  A lightweight weapon with the minimum legal length
barrel, 25-round magazines and a laser sight, the weapons were manufactured in two 
factories within the freeholds.  Although they had control over manufacture and 
distribution of the weapons, they were scrupulously compliant with national laws.

Of course, of one of them ever fell into enemy hands, they would find it quite
curious.  The .40 Magnum (as the Freeholders called it) ammunition was, like the
weapon itself, proprietary and did not exist in the outside world.  The short, 
bottle-necked cartridge was commonly loaded with a 200-grain jacketed bullet with a
slightly flattened nose, and it would begin its journey at around 1400 feet per second.
The weight and thick jacket made it useful for shooting through light cover, and a
solid  hit from even one would take down any man. 

Myles had one of his .45 revolvers, with a small 9mm pistol in a holster on the back
of his belt.  A couple his long-barrelled double-action derringers were in holsters 
in the tops of his boots.  Like the revolver, they were chambered for the .45 Long
Colt, and their six inch barrels yielded a velocity equal to the revolver.  A 
stiletto on his left forearm and a sizable Damascus bowie on his belt completed 
the outfit.

Sir Walter's equipment looked much simpler - a .45 revolver in a shoulder holster
and only obvious knife, in a boot sheath, were the obvious companions to his carbine.
But Myles knew there were at least a couple of small guns and knives somewhere on
his person.  

He also knew that there were a number of men with heavier rifles, with ammunition
that could penetrate the body armor most of the enemy would be wearing.  If there
was a lengthy fight in which their enemies could bring all their weaponry to bear,
they would need to be able to take down individual personnel without trying for 
head shots. 

Sir Walter looked at his phone several times over the next half hour.  As the sun
moved toward the late morning position just behind them he announced "The TV crews
are about a half hour away.  A couple of small convoys that look like government
vehicles are just a little close.  No sign of any heavy equipment though.  Of 
course, it may be coming from a different direction."

Myles was silent for a moment.  A feeling like a platoon of spiders with very cold
feet was marching down his spine.  Never mind that he had just carried out one of
the most audacious assasinations in history, in a short time he was likely to be
engaging multiple enemies on a chaotic battlefield.

"Nothing to but wait then" he replied.  

Sir Walter seemed to sense his mood.  "No matter how many times you do it" he said,
"you never get used to it.  You'll always be nervous before the battle is joined,
and then a sort of calmness take over.  You just do what you have to do."

"Do you ever wonder if this is the right thing?" asked Myles.

"Certainly" replied Sir Walter.  "None of it will be pleasant.  But knowing the
alternative is many millions of people, perhaps all of humanity, living under the
darkness we are facing, leaves little choice.  If America falls, the entire planet
may endure centuries of darkness.

"Europe and the smaller Asian republics are in worse shape than we are, and the 
Chinese and Moslem threats can not be dealt with logic and reason.  They simply
are what they are, in some ways with less control over their actions than we enjoy.
Their people live their lives with a dark fatalism we can not understand. Their 
leaders are either so insane, evil, or perhaps both, that there is no way of having
a rational relationship with them.  We must either defeat them or submit.

"If we remain free and can reform our government and institutions, we easily will
have the power to at least prevent their total domination.  That at least is a
starting point."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Sir Walter stood up.  "It's about time
to prepare for action" he said.

Myles also stood, holding has carbine with the muzzle pointed downward.  They might
have to walk, or perhaps run, a short distance once the action began.  As he looked
toward the front of the clearing he saw two black vehicles stop across the road.
Two more soon arrived, coming from the other direction and joined them.  Before any
personnel emerged from the cars, he saw the Rhinos arriving.  

"Just as you expected," he said.

"They're rather predictable" replied Sir Walter.  "I hope my estimate was correct.
They'll be easier to deal with given our superior numbers and weaponry, with the
element of surprise."

The Rhinos were large vehicles, close to twice the size of a regular pickup truck.
The additional bulk was distributed approximately equally in all three directions,
so they were quite wide as well as being tall.  These two had a large machine gun
on top, either a .50 caliber or perhaps a .40 caliber minigun.  The foliage and
distance made it difficult to determine.  Myles guessed it would the the fifties,
and that they didn't expect to use them, given absence of any fortifications or
armored vehicles.  More likely they were personnel transports.

Several more vehicles arrived, two of they vans with blacked out windows.  For
prisoners, Myles guessed.  Sir Walter was on the radio now, talking to the other
leaders.  Suddenly, as if on a signal, the doors on all the vehicles opened and
men in black uniforms emerged, in almost all cases their bulky attire indicating
body armor.  A mix of rifles and submachine guns made up the armament, and the
force of about forty or so ran together across the highway into the village.
As soon as they were inside, the two Rhinos moved go block the driveways.

"Let's go" said Sir Walter.  "We're going into the orchard with the rest of this 
squad, up near the front so we can see what is going on."  Myles followed, seeing 
the other half of the squad coming in from woods.  Soon the entire 25-man squad 
was following them into the several acres of fruit trees near the back of the 
clearing.  They could see the black-clad government agents moving to the houses 
nearest the road, here and there one with a bullhorn ordering the occupants to come 
out with their hands up.  He guessed they wouldn't get much of a response, and 
indeed they soon saw people, mostly women and children, exiting the back doors of 
the houses and heading in their direction.

"That's just wonderful" said Sir Walter.  "Looks like they have some sort of a 
contingency plan."  More doors opened and people came out.  By this time the agents 
had seen some of them were began to pursue them.  "That's scattering them" said Sir 
Walter.  At that point the heard the first gunfire.  Out of sight, near the road.  
Too many and too quickly to count, but Myles guessed about a dozen shots, from two 
guns.  Now the fleeing residents were into the first rows of trees, and the attackers 
were following.  

Sir Walter motioned the squad to spread out on either side.  They were approximately
in the center of the orchard, and as they closed with the first of the fleeing people
he and Myles separated as well, each anchoring one of the lines.  "Move to the center"
Myles shouted to the first ones he met, pointing to the area between the lines.  As
they passed the first of the refugees and approached the first rows of trees they
leveled their weapons and dischared short bursts into the ground in front of them
approaching attackers.  Armed mostly with handguns and outnmbered, most of them
stopped briefly.  A couple of them, however, armed with submachine guns, began 
firing at the squad.  With their camouflage uniforms and cover of the trees, they
hit nothing, but both fell within seconds to concentrated fire from squad's riflemen.

"Drop your weapons and raise your hands" shouted Myles, reinforcing his command with
another burst of fire among them.  He didn't care if he hit them - their armor would
liklely stop the bullets from his carbine, but they wouldn't know that.  Besides, they
had just seen two of their men go down.  "Don't move" he commanded.  There was more
gunfire from the front of the village.  As the squad moved in to secure the prisoners
they heard a loud explosion, followed seconds later by a second similar one.

Sir Walter arrived as they watched the prisoners being secured.  Expecting to have
to secure a number of prisoners, the squads had brought a supply of disposable
handcuffs.  The tough nylon bands could only be removed by being cut, and required
a heavy duty wire cutter to do the job.  Soon the eleven men were cuffed and herded
into a group.  Make that ten men and one woman, thought Myles as he watched.  He
turned to Sir Walter.

"Sounds like they had to take out the Rhinos" he said.

"So it seems" agreed Sir Walter.  Let's check the health of the residents and then
get up to the front.  He keyed his radio and spoke briefly to the other leaders,
then turned to see about the residents.

"No one hurt" said the squad leader.  There were several women, ranging in age from
early twenties to probably sixty or so, and about a dozen children.  The shooting
had stopped now, and they could see a few more people coming towards them.  

"Looks like things are under control here" Sir Walter said to the squad leader. "We're
going the front.  It's probably best to keep the civilians back here for a while,
and the prisoners as well.  I'll contact you when we know what's going on up there."

Sir Walter and Myles began walking toward the populated area, looking out for any
attackers who hadn't been accounted for.  They met another of the Mike Charlie
squads on the way.

"Sir Walter, is everything all right back here?" asked the leader.

"All under control" replied Sir Walter.  "If you're needed up front, go help with 
the civilians and prisoners."

"They've got plenty of people there, Sir" the squad leader replied.  He motioned
to his men and moved on the the orchard.

As they approached the front, Sir Walter contacted the team leaders.  Sir Andrew
and Justin were at the west entrance, with Matthew and the MacDonald brothers
at the east.  John was overseeing the cleanup.  

Acoss the road, with the handful of vehicles the attackers had arrived in, were
several trucks with satellite uplink gear, and several cars with logos of news
organizations, matching those on the trucks.  A number of rather bewildered 
people stood around them watching the proceedings.

"Good to see you two in good health" Sir Andrew greeted them.  "We've just about 
got it cleaned up here.  Regrettably, there were a couple of civilian casualties.
One of the young men who does security duty here came out of his house with a 
gun and was shot.  No warning, nothing.  A couple of these guys just opened up
on him.  One of the other men was running into a house when they shot him.  He
was unarmed.  There are a handful of wounded, women and children and an elderly
man.  They seem to have panicked and just started shooting rather wildly.

"Our men are patching up the wounded.  As you probably heard, we had to take out
the Rhinos.  They had left men inside, a driver and a gunner.  We were watching
them closely, and at the first movement of the guns I ordered the AT teams to
take them out.  They're pretty much demolished - they're a bit of a firetrap
with fuel and ammunition.  No survivors there.  So we got eight dead here - the
four in the Rhinos and four who were shooting at the deceased locals.  Not sure
we got all of them, but they folded up quickly as the remaining squads closed in.

"We got thirty-six prisoners here - there were four who remained across the road,
they were watching the action and never saw our men coming.  I guess those TV people
are going to be wondering what went on here for a while.  I doubt they'll get a
straight story from official sources."

"So our eleven makes forty-seven prisoners, and two dead back by the orchard brings
that total up to ten." said Sir Walter.  Then, turning to look across the road he 
said, "Looks like we have more guests."

Two police cars had stopped on the road, a green car belonging to the county
sheriff's department, and a tan state police car just behind it.  "Let me have one
of your bullhorns" said Sir Walter.  One of the squad leaders brought one over.

"This is a federal law enforcement operation." Sir Walter called out to the two
cops.  "The situation is under control."  He waited, and soon the drivers of both
cars exited and stood behind their cars.  "Come with me," he said to Myles, and 
to the squad leader "Bring two of your men."

The two men crossed the road to meet Sir Walter's group.  The state policeman 
said "It doesn't look like it went well, whatever it was."

"That depends on which side you were on" said Sir Walter.  The two cops were alone
with eight heavily armed men, so what they were thinking didn't matter much,
thought Myles.

"You see all those men in black over there?" Sir Walter asked the cops.  Without
waiting for a reply he continued "They are the operation, they're all handcuffed
and their vehicles are wrecked."

"Who are you" asked the sheriff's deputy.

"Doesn't matter" said Sir Walter.  "They lost this battle, in a big way.  Now, if
they think you know anything about it, they may be after you.  If you can get out
here and no one can ever prove you were here you may be all right.  There's no way
then want this news to get out.  Not there are over two hundred of us, automatic
weapons, antitank and all - you couldn't do anything if you were so inclined.  So,
as I said, you're better off if no one knows you were here.  And you may want to
warn off your departments as well.  Can you handle that?"

The two cops looked at each other briefly, then got back in their cars and departed.
"Well," said Sir Walter "We should probably deal with this quickly and get out of
here."  They walked back across the road to where the prisoners had been assembled.