Part 36 (1/2)

”HK G-36,” Nathan said, pulling stuff out of the cart. Seeing John wanted more information, Nathan stopped. ”I'll tell you about it later.” John put the gun down and moved over to help.

They all started on one cart. There was some money that they left. They had enough. A lot of the clothes were going with them but they would wash them first. John, Tom, Jasmine and Amanda all got an extra set of boots. They found three thousand rounds of 5.56 ammo and two thousand of that was belted to be fired in the SAW. They had four Beretta pistols and one Sig-226 with almost a thousand rounds of ammo. They found six more NVG monoculars that were better than the ones they had. Then Nathan pulled up another monocular, letting out a low whistle.

”That makes seven?” Amanda said looking over.

”This is a thermal monocular,” Nathan said, staring at it with longing.

”It can't be. The thermal scope on your M-4 is huge. That's just a bit bigger than the regular NVGs,” Amanda said.

”This is the latest generation. Last I checked this would set you back 12 G's.” Nathan set it down carefully.

”What the h.e.l.l is this?” John said, pulling out binoculars with only a Cyclops end.

”No way!” Nathan said. ”The woman said they watched us from a long way off the road. They used these, thermal binoculars.”

”The military has all of this?” John asked.

”They have more s.h.i.+t than I can tell you about,” Nathan replied. They continued pulling out gear and the pile grew.

”Wow, look at the big bullet,” Casey said, holding up an M-203 round.

”That is a grenade,” Nathan said.

”I thought this was a grenade?” Amanda asked, holding up a hand grenade.

Seeing such a little hand holding a hand grenade made a s.h.i.+ver run down Nathan's spine. ”Don't play with those,” Nathan said, taking it from her. ”This is a hand grenade. That is a grenade you shoot out of that big barrel on that M-4.”

It was one in the afternoon when they finished. Tom, Natalie, and Amanda had tactical vests, but Casey was just too small. She got the smaller concealable vest from Amanda and didn't have to wear Nathan's anymore. Nathan had the SAW, the M-4 with the 203, and two more M-4's. They left the others and the HK G-36; it didn't take the same magazines. Leaving those behind almost made Nathan go into convulsions. They were only bringing a few of the pistols in case they needed to trade.

They found a bag of jewelry but left it, seeing wedding bands and necklaces with blood on them. Jasmine felt bad about the pile they were leaving but they couldn't carry it. All the food and MREs they took. All the ammo and magazines they could use. Then all the NVGs, thermals, binoculars, and clothes would help, but the pile they were leaving behind was quite large.

Just looking at the stuff they were going to add to the pack animals, and saddles of the smaller kids made Jasmine feel bad for them. Without talking to Nathan, everyone agreed that Nathan would sleep and they would take watches. Jasmine knew Nathan would convince himself to carry more. Amanda took Nathan's binoculars as he took the new ones and Amanda gave Casey her little binoculars.

John got the thermal scope on Nathan's rifle and Nathan took the new one. Jasmine was jealous of that one. When Nathan showed them it could switch out with their NVGs, clicking to the head harness, she really wanted one.

Jasmine and Natalie took first watch. Natalie stood guard as Jasmine packed, then they switched. When she woke Amanda for the next s.h.i.+ft it occurred to Jasmine that she had killed and ordered the killing of six people but didn't have the least bit of remorse.

Chapter 23.

Day 30 Everybody was tired as they climbed onto their horses. Seeing the slow movement from the group, Nathan didn't work them too hard during the morning routine. With the camp packed, Nathan stared at the pile they were leaving in the waning dusk. Ares raised his leg, p.i.s.sing on the pile.

”Well thank you, Ares, you marked it for us,” Nathan said, chuckling.

Jasmine stopped beside him. ”You said we didn't have to have the rest of that stuff, it would only be nice to have,” she reminded him.

”I know, but we are leaving a lot. I hope someone can use it,” Nathan said, kicking Smoke.

”Well-” Jasmine stopped as gunfire started to the northeast. Nathan stopped his horse and pulled out his map as Amanda and Casey stopped beside them. Amanda reached over and pulled the map away from him.

Nathan just slowly turned to look at her but Amanda and Casey started working out where the gunfire was coming from. When Amanda pulled out her compa.s.s and squinted through the aiming sight Nathan wanted to laugh at the determination on her face. Casey's tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she drew the lines Amanda was telling her.

”It's coming from somewhere close to Cotton Plant,” Amanda told Nathan, handing the map back.

Nathan looked at the map and lines and listened to the gunfire. ”Yes it is. This side of Cotton Plant.” Nathan patted her leg.

”What the h.e.l.l kind of guns are those?” John asked.

”Belt-fed machine guns. Hear the steady rate of fire? They only pause to keep the barrel from melting,” Nathan said as an explosion sounded far off in the distance. The gunfire slackened to the occasional pop or short burst.

”The defenders lost,” Jasmine said.

”Sounds like it,” Nathan said, looking at the map.

”I swear, if you say we have to go that way, I'm hitting you,” Jasmine warned.

”I wouldn't go that way on a dare. They are about three miles from us. We will stay on the dirt roads and avoid the one paved road we were going to use,” Nathan said. ”Rally point stays the same.”

”Think we will have to hide from them?” Casey asked.

”Well we will if we have to,” Nathan said. ”Keep an ear and eye out. I might teach later but let's stay alert.” He kicked Smoke to go.

They were all scared as they followed Nathan out of the woods and turned on the dirt road. John at the back of the group gave the thermal scope a workout looking behind them. With the exception of seeing wildlife he didn't see anything else and that was fine with him.

They stopped several times, watering the horses. The only time they got out of the saddle was to use the bathroom. They heard another long gun fight to the south of them when they finished their lunch break. That gun battle lasted over thirty minutes and they were amazed at the volume of gunfire with several explosions.

”I don't know, so don't ask, over,” Nathan said over the radio.

Then, just as suddenly as it started the gunfire stopped. It didn't even taper off. A thousand questions were on everyone's mind but n.o.body had any answers. Nathan stopped as they came upon a four-lane highway that they knew was 67. The rally point was on the other side.

”Guys, we're going under that highway,” Nathan told them.

”Nathan, people stay under those bridges,” Amanda reminded him.

”I know, but there is traffic driving on that road without lights,” Nathan said as he looked through the thermal binoculars.

Casey threw her hands up. ”Why would anyone drive without lights?”

”So they don't get shot,” Amanda said.

”Oh, that's smart, I guess,” Casey said.

”What else does that tell you, Casey?” Nathan asked.

Casey sat and thought, then her eyes got wide. ”They can see in the dark like us,” she said with fear.

”Yes that's why we are going under,” Nathan said, putting the thermal away. ”Change of course.” Nathan headed north.