Moosehill Militia (Book 1): INFECTED (10 page)

“You ready sweetie for you Solo.” Mike asked his daughter.

“You know it Dad. I can’t wait to get up there.” Mary told her father. She has been taking lessons for a year and considered herself a much better pilot then most, but because of her young age, the youngest in training at the Mohan flight school since it opened. Plus her father worried about her a lot being an only child and so forth. That hadn’t stopped him from training her in firearms and flight school, she was also a pretty good driver, she can even drive one of the M113A2, and she loved blasting around on the four wheelers too. But today was all about the flying.

“Okay honey, I had two ultralights prepped for us. But do your own safety check and after where done we can get airborne.”

Mary and her father finished their safety checks and suited up in there flight suits and helmets with comms. Once they were both in the Ultralights and on the runway. They were given the signal and Mike started rolling down the runway first, with Mary a short distance behind him. After about one hundred and seventy feet first Mike then Mary were airborne with a speed around 45 mph. They both gained altitude to about three hundred feet with Mike in the lead and Mary off his left side two hundred feet behind and to the side. Mike performed a slow turn to the left and Mary followed with no problems. Looking out from this height they could see Thompson pond to the North West and turning, Sugden reservoir and Moose Hill Reservoir came into view to the south and the Moose Hill Complex was laid out before them with the airport and its new upgraded runway and hangers. On the taxi way where four C-130’s parked with crews performing maintenance and a dozen Huey helicopters parked on the apron behind the hangers, a few dozen M113A2’s parked behind the museum with crews working on them. To the south west side of the complex was the Anderson's Farm that had gotten a upgrade with two new barns and new tractors outside. A light coating of snow was still on the ground but it was a mild winter with temperatures hitting 55 degrees today, that’s why they decided to come up today since it was so nice.

The two ultralights took a spin around Sugden Reservoir then out to route 9 before returning to the airport with Mary in the lead on the way back. She made a perfect landing, followed by Mike who bounced once before settling down. They exited their ultralights and turned them over to the ground crew and Mary ran up and gave Mike a big hug. “Thank you so much Dad that was a blast, when can I go up again?” she asked.

“Well you’re good enough, but I don’t want you flying alone, you have to have me or one of the other experienced pilots with you, and no going up without asking first, understand.” Mike told her.

“Yes Dad, and thank you so much.” She ran off and hopped on her four wheeler and took off down the road heading toward Mohan Manor.

***

Today was going to be special. The new shooting range was finally up and running. Mike had promised his daughter Mary when the range was done he would take her shooting. Mac was bringing an assortment of small caliber guns up to the range at 2pm.

"Let's go Mary, Mac's meeting us in half an hour, we don't have much time." Mike yelled down the hall of his Cape house that they lived in since before she was born. Mike didn't see a need to move after they won the lottery with just the two of them. He did add a three seasons room off the back and an above ground pool with a deck and he also had all the hardwoods done over, installed a whole new kitchen. Mike also had the interior and exterior painted while they we're away at Disney world for a week then onto Disney cruise for another week.

Mary came out walked down the hallway and stopped in front of her father and held her hands out.

"What do you think Dad?" She asked with a twirl in place. She was wearing forest digital camouflage pants and a black high quality t-shirt with a moose head logo with a hill behind the moose head and circular lettering in white with Moosehill on top and M.H. on the bottom, her name Mary on the other side from the logo. Mike thought it actually looks pretty good.

"That's great sweetie, where did you get that?" Mike asked her.

"I bought it off a website t-shirt business. You gave me that credit card with a thousand dollar limit every month and I've been buying some clothes for you and me for the last eighteen months or so. Your clothes are in boxes in the basement. You've been so busy I knew you wouldn't buy clothes for yourself." Mary said with a big grin. She ran back into her room and came out with a bag and handed to Mike.

"Shirts for you and Mac. We’re the Guinea pigs for Moosehill Working Apparel for all your employees that work there. I also had a Mohan Group t-shirt made up, yours and Mac's are also in that bag. The two of them went out and got in Mike’s Truck and sped down Rawson Street, then West on Main Street Past the Super Walmart and finally taking a right heading north on Donnelly Road right up to the main gates at the Moosehill southern gate. Mike showed his identification which was ridiculous Mary thought, since her Dad owns the company. They drove past Mohan Manor and past the underground complex and around the solar Arrays and down the road to the airport. About half way down on the right they turned off onto a dirt road that Mike drove down for two hundred yards and it opened up into a gravel parking lot surrounded by woods except facing north which had a gravel area approximately one hundred yards wide by two hundred yard long. Along the side and the back were gravel berms fifteen feet high and the back was almost twice that height.

Mike backed his truck up where there’s were wooden tables with a open sided roofed area all along the firing line covering the tables, for bad weather shooting days. Mary realized. Mike put down the tailgate and pulled some equipment out and put them on the table.

Mac pulled up while this was going on and backed in also. He greeted Mary and Mike and pulled several gun cased out of his truck.

“Hey, Sweet Pea.” Mac greeted Mary.

“Good afternoon Mac, what are we going to shoot today? She inquired.

“Well I got a few rifles and a few handguns. But first we need to go over the range safety rules.” He said. “First, no loaded weapons until where on the firing line. Second keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Third, never point a gun at anything unless you intend to kill it. Fourth, always empty a gun before handing it to someone.” Mac stated. Mary listened intently, of course she heard this all from her father before a million times she thought.

“Okay then, there will be more rules as we go along. Mac asked me to teach you. It’s not always a good thing having your father show you, it can be frustrating for both parents and children. So I volunteered to do it.” Lucky you.” Mac said with a smile.

Mike observed and readied his own Glock 21.He also brought his M & P 45 Caliber Compact and his M &P Shield, plus his M-4 rifle. Mike watched as Mac showed Mary how to load the pistol he handed her, a Shield 9mm, it was semi compact and she should be able to get her hands around the grip. After showing her how to load the bullet in the magazines and then take them out several times. Mac allowed her to put a magazine into the magazine well until it clicked in. The slide lock was engaged so the gun could not be fired and there was no bullet in the Chamber at this point. He had her holster the gun into a holster she put on earlier.

Mike went down about twenty yards and set up two stands with cardboard and stapled two basic silhouettes that police use. He came back to the firing line and Mac had Mary take her gun out and he showed her the two most common stances for a handgun, the Weaver stance that most police switched over too from the isosceles stance.

“The Weaver is the better stance in my opinion, you stand with your shooting side, in your case your right leg back so you’re facing about forty five degrees away from the target. Now bring your gun up with your right hand and take your left hand and bring it over to cover the right hand fingers and make sure to keep your left hand thumb tucked in our the slide is going to catch it and cut it.” Mac Explained.

“Like this Uncle Mac.” She sometimes called him that, he didn't mind at all. Mary was in a pretty good position for a first timer Mike thought as he went through the positions and hand grips with her so she could see his example.

“Very good Mary, Now let’s practice a dozen times pulling the gun out of the holster slowly, we don’t need to be Wyatt Earp right off the bat, it’s better to go slow and safe at first.”

Mike watched Mary with Mac’s guidance go through the stance a bunch of times before he announced she was ready to try shooting.

“Okay Mary, get in the Weaver stance and bring the gun up to eye level, look over the sights with equal distance on either side of the sights and level across the top of the sights. The center of the target should be level with your sights. Hold it tight but not too tight and pull the trigger back slowly. Don’t anticipate the gun going off, let it surprise you. When you’re ready give it a try”

Mary concentrated and slowly pulled the trigger back, the gun fired with a loud report. Mary was use to the noise, she seen Mike shoot enough, what surprised her was the kickback from the gun. She fired again and again as Mac directed her. She was a natural Mike thought as he watched the holes appear in the target mostly in the silhouette area, spread around the target. Not bad for a first timer he thought. Her grouping would tighten up as she gained confidence and experience.

“Let’s take a break, Mike announced and get something to eat. I brought snacks in the truck.” He said. They walked back to the truck and sat on the tailgate swinging their legs.

“What did you think, Sweetie?” He asked his daughter as they munched on some granola bars and juice.

“It’s fun, a little scary at first I wasn't expecting the gun to kick so much, then I got used to it and wasn't so bad. I defiantly want to continue lessons and shooting. Can I shoot something else now?”

“Sure Honey.” Mike said. For another hours or so they shot the guns she already used, a 22 caliber pistol, a 38 revolver, a AR chambered in 22 which had hardly no kick at all, and the gun looked like Mikes M-4. Mary liked that the best. They called it a day and went to find some supper.

“I’m practicing my cooking with Aunt Karen, since I eat with her often. Can I cook burgers tonight Dad?” May told Mike proudly. “Sure honey, go find Karen, she’s probably around the farm. She’s been working there a lot, and ask her politely if you can cook dinner for us tonight.” Mary ran off to ask Karen.

“How are things going with Charly by the way?” Mac asked. Mike didn’t say anything for a minute. “Things have been on the back burner, with her. After finding out about Mary’s abilities, and some of what where doing here, she had a hard time understanding or dealing with it. Part of it is her job I think. She doesn't want to be the boyfriend of that billionaire lunatic.” Mike laughed sarcastically.

“That’s too bad, maybe she’ll come around.” Mac said.

“Maybe, I told her the time frame where working with, and if things get squirrelly to come here.” Mike told him.

***

Looking for Mike, Mac had some worrying news he thought, and they only had little less than a month or so to the main event whatever that may be according to Mary's time frame. Mac’s money was on a major war possibly nuclear between Russian and China, there have been several incidents between the two countries along their borders recently. Mac drove down airport road. Every time he drove around Moosehill he still marveled at all they've done. He passed the paving crews who were completing Airport Road, it was extra wide and extra strong to support the weight of the C-130 and whatever else landed and need to be taxied up here. The sides of the road were cleared and compacted to take the weight if anything need to be parked off the side. Mac pulled down the tarmac to the hangers where they were working maintenance on a few Huey Helicopters.

“Mike.” Mac yelled out when he walked into the hanger where four Huey’s were being working on. Besides doing regular maintenance, the experienced helicopter mechanics that Mike hired were teaching as well. Mike came down off a ladder from the rotors central shaft and yelled to whoever was listening.

“Mac over here, stop your bellowing.” Mac saw him and changed direction and walked over to Mike.

“Mike we have a problem, one of my contact's at the State Police let me know where going be visited by the Feds, in particular the ATF and the FBI.” Mac stated.

“When.” Mike asked while wiping his hands with a rag.

“This afternoon between one p.m. and five p.m. with ATF, FBI agents and State Police.” He told Mike.

Okay, Let’s kill them with kindness let them look above ground and through the museums and hangers, lets stow any and all firearms, make sure nothings mounted on the Huey’s except the M60 for display without a firing pin, Same for the APC’s. Get the guys working on it. We have any tours scheduled you think? If so bring them in the airport entrance with the school buses parked right there. It should put them at ease and show legitimate enterprises.” Mike directed the group that was gathering around after Mac started speaking.

The rest of the time between Mikes impromptu speech and one p.m. the thirty or so employees cleaned up, took of any mounted guns except for several without there firing pins that were mounted on APC’s that were on display in or outside the museum.

It was a blustery, partly cloudy day early in April when six large blacked out SUV vans pulled up outside the airport entrance to Moosehill. The main gate was closed, only a walking gate was open so they parked in the parking lot outside the fence and walked in behind a group of fifty or so sixth graders that luckily were scheduled to tour the museum and ride the APC’s.