Tread Fearless: Survival & Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 4) (11 page)

“Thanks Pete, that means a lot to me,” replied John.

Paul and the boys were just returning from their sweeping detail, and both men turned to watch them approach the van. “Ready to go?” asked Pete.

“All set,” answered Paul. “We stashed the limbs near the barn. Anything else before we go?”

“Yes,” said Pete, as he knelt and opened the map on the ground. “Everyone gather around and listen. There’s been a course change and I want to brief you on it.”

While Paul and the boys leaned in over Pete around the map, John returned to the Suburban and climbed in. “We’re getting ready to leave. Anyone need to pee?”

“We’re good . . . already took care of business,” said Jenna. “What was that about with Pete? You looked distraught there for a moment.”

“Not distraught,” replied John. “He was concerned about the route correction. We’re going to head north, and try to cross the Red River tonight . . . before nightfall.”

“The Red River . . . isn’t that the border with Oklahoma?” asked Bonnie from the back.

“Yes it is,” answered John.

“Wow, I thought the border was a long ways off. I thought we were going to be in Texas for days.”

“We were,” said John, “but Pete and I decided to cross into Oklahoma as soon as possible. Besides, the river crossings east of us are much more heavily trafficked, and we want to keep a low profile for as long as possible. Why, did you want to see Wichita Falls?” added John in a tease.

“What? No. I’m fine with whatever,” replied Bonnie.

“This will be our first night camping, so things will be challenging. But we’ll fall into a routine in no time.” John looked out the front and saw the boys climbing into the van. “It looks like we’re getting ready to roll.”

Paul approached John on the driver’s side window and said, “Pete wants us to give him a five minute head start. He said he’ll give you a radio check in a minute, but to keep to the posted speed limits so as not to overtake him.”

John nodded and said, “Thanks Paul.”

Paul lightly slapped his palm against the door of John’s truck and turned to walk away without another word. John reflected on Paul and Marissa’s inclusion into their modest company, and marveled at how things worked out. So many things have happened since the disaster, many things John didn’t expect and plan for, but everything was working out better than he had hoped they would.

For one, he never thought he’d bug-out. He thought for sure he’d stick it out at his well-established home. But things changed, and he couldn’t wait to get out of there. Now he was leading a small group of
twelve people to a mountain retreat that he saw only in a dream. Though it was a night vision of such reality that it was real to John, he still had to convince everyone to trust him.

Given the exciting prelude to their departure, the company readily accepted their collective destiny. Still, leaving the neighborhood, and perceived security, was a monumental test for the newly formed company. John knew he could have never pulled off such a grand collaboration if he had planned it himself.

John knew God was involved. And though he turned his back to Him during the past few years, he wanted to grow closer to Him, to understand why God would give him such a gift. He also wanted to know why he was being asked to go to Colorado. Still, despite John’s many questions, he was learning to trust God once again. He appreciated his new gifts, and was ready to prove his obedience. John not only felt different, he knew he was different. He was clay on a potter’s wheel.

John’s attention was momentarily diverted to the radio while Pete asked for a radio check. He then watched as Pete pulled away in the maroon mini-van after he and Paul replied. John looked at his watch, noting the time, and settled in for a long drive. He, Jenna and Bonnie chatted casually together as they waited for the minutes to tick away. When about five had passed, Pete radioed back that they could leave. John replied to Pete’s message, started the truck, and pulled away with Paul following in the dually. Once again, the entire convoy was on the move.

The company experienced no problems on their forty-some-mile journey from their lunch break to the stop-point just short of the bridge over the Red River. They encountered only one RV that was heading south and pulling a small two-wheeled trailer. It looked to John like the RV was loaded down with more than one family, but he couldn’t tell for sure as they passed in opposite directions, even with Pete’s warning that it was coming their way.

Overall, John was relieved they didn’t run into more people on the road, especially after hearing Pete’s account of his trip north. Though he thought it was a little unusual they didn’t see more people on the road, he realized he didn’t know the area well enough to compare the before and after disaster patterns. Still, he was fine with the sparse traffic and actually preferred not running into anyone.

As far as he was concerned, no one could be trusted until they proved themselves, and proof would be very hard to establish in such conditions. He recognized the dilemma of the appearance of his own company, in that they might look formidable to lesser equipped and prepared companies than their own, but striking a good balance between presenting a defensive capability, and being approachable was something he wasn’t used to.

The army was, for the most part, all about force: having it, presenting it, and using it. So when it came to the company, just how much deterrent to present, without scaring good people away, was something he decided to leave up to Pete. Whether to display or not display guns was his call. Whether to look passive or aggressive, his decision. John trusted him entirely, and knew his friend was more than capable of assessing any situation, and then choosing the best course of action for the company.

It also helped that Pete maintained constant radio contact with him and Paul. The trip would be very different without radios. Though their cheap commercial radios could be heard by anyone with open reception capabilities, they spoke in code names and phrases, never used real landmarks or terrain features, and maintained a disciplined contact schedule. Thanks to Pete’s skill and determination to reach their distant objective, he had drills for drills.

The drills included, but weren’t limited to: how to react to vehicles approaching from the front, rear or sides, how to react to natural or man-made obstacles, how to react to a far or near ambush, how to react to traps and baiting, and how to react to a vehicle failure or break-down. In fact, there were so many potential drills that Paul had to make note
cards, and study them with Marissa while they drove, to keep up with Pete’s demands.

Pete was reluctant to accept Paul’s passive acceptance of the drills, and at first he insisted he memorize them. But John reminded Pete that they were accustomed to such drills, while Paul was a new soldier, having only recently experienced armed combat for the first time. As such, Paul lacked the confidence of John and Pete, but not the courage, determination or interest. It just took him a little longer for things to sink in. His brain was accustomed to civilian thinking, and when someone lived a life free of mortal danger, switching to an alert and aware, or a survival mindset, was not an easy thing.

When Pete radioed back that he found a suitable rest stop, and for Pete, suitable meant off the road and behind concealment, John acknowledged, and a second later Paul did likewise. About five minutes later John spotted Adam. His son appeared from behind excellent concealment, flagged John down with a wave of his arm, and then stepped back into hiding.

John was impressed with how Pete managed to teach the boys so much in such a short amount of time, but Adam stepped into the disaster with previous training, specifically hunting and game stalking training. He was way ahead of Corbin and Marcus, which was why Pete relied on him more than the other two boys. But John knew they’d be even soon enough, especially with Pete training them.

John slowed the Suburban and turned left, off the paved two-lane road, and onto an unmarked dirt road between two stands of thick, dark foliage. He pulled in far enough to allow Paul to exit the road completely, and then rolled down his window to wait for Adam’s instructions.

“Hey Adam,” said John, as his son approached. “You doing OK?”

“Hey dad. Hi mom,” said Adam.

Jenna nearly sang her reply, “Hi honey! Are you doing OK? I love you.”

“Love you too, mom. I’m fine.” And out of view from his mom he rolled his eyes for his dad.

John smiled and held the grin when he saw Adam standing ready, finger off the trigger and extended along the magazine well of his AR. He looked ready to fight, and John was torn between regret and pride. He hated thinking about how his children, or all the children in the company for that matter, were roughly torn from their world of safety and security. But he was proud of how quickly they adapted.

“You OK dad?” asked Adam, as he studied his dad with a furrowed brow.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Why?” asked John.

“Well . . . you’re looking at me sorta weird,” replied Adam.

John looked at Adam over the top of his sunglasses and cleared his throat. “You look good . . . strong. I’m proud of you.”

Adam straightened and smiled, but turned immediately serious when Pete radioed, “Lancer-one, have you made contact with Blue-six, over?”

“This is Lancer-one, roger,” replied Adam. He released and then rekeyed the send button to say, “ETA to your location . . . zero-two mikes, over.”

“Roger. Red-six out,” came Pete’s voice over the radio.

“Stand on the running board and I’ll follow your lead,” said John.

Adam nodded and jumped up while holding on to the roof rack with his free hand. He pointed ahead and said, “We’re just up there a little ways . . . on the left . . . in a small clearing. Once you’re settled, we’re going to go recon the river crossing site.”

“Do you mean the bridge?” teased John.

“Seriously, dad?”

“So, Lancer?” asked John, as he drove slowly down the rough dirt road to the clearing.

“Yeah. Pete says we’re the tip of the spear, or something like that. He said it was a unit he used to like in his old division. I’m OK with it . . . its kind of cool. Better than being called a dog, or some other kind of animal,” added Adam, with no contempt whatsoever. He didn’t even seem to be teasing John.

John chuckled and said, “I used dog because you smelled like one.”

“Yeah. Well, I guess that makes you Horse-six then,” quipped Adam.

John chuckled and said, “Good point. And the other’s, they’re numbered under Lancer?”

“Yeah. Corbin is Lancer-two and Marcus is Lancer-three,” replied Adam, and he added with a pointed finger, “its right over there . . . the clearing.”

John nodded and Adam jumped off the running board before he could stop. Adam waited for Paul to approach in the dually, and after directing him into the clearing, he remained at the entrance to stand guard.

John parked in the afternoon shade of a large mesquite tree, and stepped out to find Pete. He heard the ladies climb out as well, but he was only interested in hearing from Pete. He found him talking to Corbin and Marcus over a sand-table, scratching plans in the dirt. “Marcus,” he said, “you come with me as a spotter. Corbin, I want you to stay here and guard with Adam. Any questions?”

Both boys shook their heads no, and Pete asked, “OK. Corbin, what’s the timeline?”

Corbin swallowed and said, while looking at his watch, “At sixteen-fifteen, we depart the AO . . .”

“AA,” corrected Pete. “Assembly area.”

“Right, we depart the AA and move along route snake, here,” said Corbin, as he traced the route with a stick, “and we radio when we reach checkpoint one.”

“Good,” replied Pete. “Marcus, what happens next?”

Marcus nodded and said, “After reporting checkpoint one, we continue along route snake to CP two and call in.”

“Continue,” said Pete.

“Right. We continue on Snake to CP three, which is also the over-watch position. From there we scan the bridge for any and all signs of activity, send spot reports using the SALUTE format, and we continue the mission until relieved.”

“Excellent,” said Pete, as he slapped the teenager on the shoulder. “Corbin, what’s the emergency contact drill?”

Corbin’s eyes got big and he said, “We didn’t cover an emergency contact drill, Sergeant Major.”

Pete nodded and said, “You’re right. And here it is.” Pete spent the next five minutes discussing a basic reaction plan with the two boys. And when all was said and done, he reassigned Corbin as the point-man, had the two boys check each other’s gear, and after a quick radio check, he sent them out on their mission.

John was surprised by Pete’s actions until he learned that Pete was planning to shadow the two young men and evaluate their actions. He told John he wasn’t ready to cut them loose just yet, but he wanted to build their confidence, and show John how much they had improved.

It was obvious to John that Pete was training and drilling the boys during their drive. And as John could attest, the boys were taking to the training with gusto. In fact, John had never seen such quick progress with three boys who ranged in age from fourteen to sixteen. Pete was turning them into soldiers.