Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home Read online

  Amanda gestured at the surrounding fields. “It’s flat.”

  “There are still places people can hide. Notice we are starting to see clumps of trees again? And there are hills off in the distance,” Nathan said, pointing southeast to a hill on the horizon.

  “Shit, that’s not a hill, it’s a gopher mound,” Amanda said looking back. “I see the trees. But can’t we go?” An explosion sounded to the north, possibly in the air. Seconds later they heard a shriek through the air, ending in another explosion.

  Snickering at what he heard from her and the explosion, “It may be a gopher mound, but you can see for miles from there,” Nathan said.

  Seeing Nathan wasn’t going to speed up, Amanda pulled her horse back and got behind him. Several more explosions rocked the ground as the group turned north, and they could still hear gunfire off in the distance. Nathan had never heard that much gunfire and explosions before and was at a loss. He could pick out a few weapons. The gunfire had started at sunset and was still going strong three hours later when they crossed highway 140 west of Brookville.

  When the highway was a mile behind them Nathan pulled Smoke back to a walk, leading her down into a creek. The others followed, keeping their heads on a swivel. As Nathan watched the others come down, Emma tapped his chest with her hand. Nathan unwrapped a trail bar and handed it to her without thinking.

  Emma grabbed it. “Mine,” she said and continued to blabber in a mumble.

  He never looked down at her, “I know you were hungry. I hope you can only put thoughts in my head and not read them,” he said quietly as the others stopped beside him. Ares and Athena walked into the creek and plopped down as the animals drank. The sound of gunfire was still coming from Salina, but it wasn’t as intense.

  John swigged from a water bottle. “Nathan, that’s a war going on,” he said in a low voice.

  “Yep, and we don’t want to get caught up in it. We need to get past the interstate in case someone wants to use it to retreat or reinforce,” Nathan said.

  “How many do you think it is?” John asked.

  Nathan shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ve never heard that much gunfire before. I’m thinking it’s over a thousand weapons with some rockets and armor.” They all sat silently as the horses drank, processing what he said.

  Jasmine handed her reins to Natalie and climbed off, holding Chip. They stepped away to answer the call of nature. When they returned Jasmine sat Chip in her saddle and dug out some food. “Nathan, don’t come down on me hard, but…” she hesitated. “That fight isn’t just the military fighting civilians. I only hear an occasional large caliber weapon like a hunting rifle. Do you think some of the civilians got a hold of military weapons and are fighting?”

  “I’m glad you thought about it before asking. I’m sure that civilians are fighting, but I think it’s mostly rogue military elements,” Nathan admitted.

  “How do you figure that?” John asked.

  Nathan filled Emma’s sippy cup. “That shriek followed by an explosion several hours ago was someone shooting down that jet that flew over us. The jet was coming to help either the good guys or bad guys, but someone shot it down. That means both sides have military equipment and know how to use it,” Nathan replied, handing back Emma’s cup. Then he realized he had just filled it and looked down at her. Emma just looked up at him smiling.

  Thinking about what Nathan said, John slowly nodded. “Yeah, I can see that.”

  As Jasmine climbed back on her horse Nathan kicked Smoke. “Let’s get going,” he said.

  “Wait,” Amanda called out and Nathan stopped. “Nathan, that little scanner radio you have, if I turn it on can they track it?” she asked.

  Nathan shook his head. “No, you have to transmit for them to locate you, that radio only receives.”

  “You think I can listen in if they are using radios?” she asked.

  “I’m sure their radios will be coded,” Nathan said.

  Raising her hand up pointing up in the air, “Ah, but you don’t know,” Amanda said. Nathan climbed off his horse and dropped his pack on the ground.

  As he started digging through his pack. “Pee-pee,” Emma said, tapping his chest. Stopping immediately, Nathan pulled her out of her sling. His humility had left him long ago as Emma finished and he put her back in the sling. He handed the handheld scanner to Amanda.

  “Your ear bud for your radio will fit it,” Nathan said. Amanda plugged it in and Nathan turned it on. The faceplate light lit up and Nathan covered it with his hand.

  “Keep in under your jacket. That light can be seen from a long way away,” Nathan said. He put his pack back on before he climbed back on Smoke.

  “There are a shitload of people talking,” Amanda informed him.

  “Probably just CB and ham operators,” Nathan said, kicking Smoke. They followed Nathan back to the dirt road and he nudged Smoke into a trot, looking ahead with his thermal binoculars.

  Twenty minutes later Amanda trotted up beside him. “Nathan, this isn’t all regular people. Some are calling for a flanking run with grazing fire. One guy called back saying claymores were on the line. A woman came over saying the fence hasn’t been breached and the whirly bird was down,” she said.

  Nathan pulled back on the reins letting Smoke walk as he turned to her. “Are you sure?”

  Nodding her head. “Yeah, and I keep hearing some Homeland guy calling out for a ‘cease and disband.’”

  Not able to make sense of what she was saying, Nathan shook his head. “Listen for anyone talking about Brookville or Glendale. We are west of both and Glendale is close to where we will cross the interstate. I can’t listen and lead us.”

  “You sure this thing doesn’t transmit? It has a button.”

  “It used to, but we took out that function when we added another crystal to monitor higher bands,” Nathan assured her.

  “I thought you couldn’t do that,” Amanda said.

  “So arrest me,” Nathan said. “I wanted a radio I could monitor with.”

  “You’re so cool,” Amanda said, smiling as she pulled behind him.

  They rode for three hours, Amanda listening to the radio the whole time. She found a notepad and started making notes. They reached the interstate after three a.m. There was no reason for Nathan to make them hang back as he checked it out. He could literally see for miles.

  The dirt road they were on turned back east, following the interstate, so Nathan led them across. With no road on the other side, Nathan led them through fields. It was almost four when they turned onto a dirt road heading north, but they didn’t follow it for more than half an hour before Nathan led them off into another field. The group spotted the trees ahead and knew it was a rally point and camping site.

  Everyone followed Nathan into the trees and sighed with relief, feeling safe. When Nathan stopped the others jumped off as Ares and Athena trotted off into the woods around them. Pulling out his woobie when he got down, Nathan gently placed Emma on it. He wasn’t in the mood for her to push demands in his mind.

  Dropping his pack he looked around watching everyone start to set up camp. Letting out a long sigh, Nathan helped. As the sun rose everyone was sitting down eating quietly except Amanda who was still listening to the radio.

  “Firecracker, what have you heard?” Nathan asked.

  Amanda looked up. “Most of the fighting was around the airport and industrial park. Three holding areas were freed but someone said over thirty thousand had been moved out on trains. Homeland and the ‘blue helmets’ pulled out just as we were setting up camp because riots were starting in Topeka.”

  “Blue helmets?” John asked.

  “U.N. troops,” Nathan said. “Any talk of troops around us?” Nathan asked Amanda.

  Amanda shook her head. “No. Some ‘Strykers’ are going after the guys that left to help Topeka. One guy said since Omaha and Lincoln were pacified, troops would be moving down to reinforce Topeka. I’m guessing he was a bad guy. He said s
ome other stuff that wasn’t nice. The woman he was talking to said more would head to Salina from Arkansas.”

  “Some of the army is fighting back,” Nathan smiled.

  “How can they move thirty thousand people by train?” Jasmine asked.

  “Homeland several years ago purchased thousands of box cars and converted them to cattle cars for ‘dissident transport’ to FEMA camps around the country. Literally thousands, and not one main stream news stations reported it,” Nathan informed her.

  “You mean like the Nazis?” Amanda asked in a shocked tone.

  Nodding his head, “Yep, kinda weird how history repeats itself,” Nathan admitted.

  “You’re sure? I mean of the railroad cars and camps?” Jasmine asked.

  “I’ve seen them with my own eyes, not on the internet,” Nathan said. Jasmine leaned back, pulling Chip close.

  “It’s really over, isn’t it?” Jasmine mumbled.

  “Hell no!” Nathan snapped. “It’s just a new beginning. What kind of beginning depends on who wins.”

  “We are going to have to fight a war, aren’t we?” Jasmine asked.

  “It’s already started,” Nathan said.

  “You seem pretty at ease with this,” Jasmine noted.

  Seeing Emma set up, Nathan pulled her to his lap. “It was going to happen sooner than later. Our system had deteriorated into a welfare state. People who didn’t have to work voted more into power to get more. It was only a matter of time since the New Deal was passed that America was doomed. If this hadn’t started it, something else would’ve. Those who work were getting tired of supporting those who didn’t,” Nathan said as he fed Emma.

  Jasmine sighed. “Yeah, but this is America,” John stated.

  “Remember, America fought a world super power here because of unfair taxes and not having rights to your own property. A king’s soldier could come in and take what they wanted and even stay in your house. You’re right, this is America. I’m surprised this battle wasn’t fought several years ago,” Nathan said as John picked up Emma’s sippy cup. John handed it to Nathan, then froze as Nathan grabbed it, realizing what he had just done.

  “You know, that’s just not right,” John mumbled.

  Nathan smiled. “About Emma or what I said?” he asked.

  “Both. More with Emma,” John replied.

  “What about Emma?” Amanda asked.

  “Nothing,” John and Nathan said simultaneously.

  Jasmine asked, “Nathan, if this hadn’t happened but a rebellion had started, would you have fought in it?”

  “Yeah, just like I’m going to fight in this one when we get home,” he enlightened her.

  Jasmine shook her head. “It can’t last long. Yeah, a bunch of foreign troops are coming, and a lot of people are going to starve, but there were three hundred million Americans here. Those in power can’t control them all.”

  Nathan scoffed, “They don’t have to. Many of those that don’t starve will fight for those in power.”

  “What?” she cried.

  “They don’t want to have to bust their asses to work. They fight a little war and get those of us who do work back under control, then go back to sitting on their asses,” he said.

  “Not much of an army,” Amanda said.

  “They have a lot of bodies and a shitload of weapons,” Nathan pointed out. “Half of you sleep and half stay awake today. Amanda, go to sleep. I will listen now, and wake you with the next shift and you will listen,” Nathan said standing up.

  Chapter 10

  Day 43

  Amanda walked over and gently shook Nathan. “Nathan, its five,” she said quietly. Emma seeing Amanda by Nathan flew over and jumped on him.

  “Uff,” Nathan huffed as Emma dove on him. “Emma, let me wake up before you assault me,” Nathan complained sitting up.

  “No, blah, blah,” Emma said and started blabbering pointing at the trees.

  Nathan stared at the intense look on Emma’s face as she babbled away pointing at the trees. “I wish I knew what the hell you were talking about,” he muttered.

  “It’s baby talk, it doesn’t mean anything,” Amanda said.

  Looking up at Amanda with a serious face, “Then why the hell is she pointing and using her hands?” Nathan asked seriously. Rolling her eyes, Amanda sat down beside him.

  “They are still talking in codes,” she said, opening her notebook. Nathan had listened all morning till waking the next group at eleven. It was just after nine when most of the talk on the radio switched to code. ‘Snake line,’ ‘slugs,’ ‘cans,’ and many other code words started filling the air. Just listening to them for two hours, Nathan had broken some of the code words, or at least he thought he did.

  “Figure out any more?” Nathan asked, handing Emma her sippy cup without realizing he had done it.

  “Yeah, and you were right, ‘snake line’ is railroad, I confirmed it. From what I can gather, slugs and ants are the bad guys and patriots are the good guys. Sometimes I think the good guys are also called dogs,” she said as Nathan held up his hand.

  “Are you sure about ‘patriots’? That is also a surface to air missile,” Nathan said.

  “Yes, unless they are moving a thousand missiles toward Topeka,” Amanda said. She looked at her notes. “Besides, one called ‘Tango Charlie’ said ‘mojo’ took out three ‘whirly birds’ south of Salina, and one had fangs.”

  “What about ‘dogs’?” Nathan asked as Jasmine brought over a cup of coffee.

  Amanda searched her notes. “Someone called ‘mighty mike’ said, ‘The dogs are removing the claymores, and will move to the east, covering the patriots.’” Nathan pulled Amanda beside him and read Amanda’s notes as the others sat and watched.

  After a few minutes Nathan laughed. “Firecracker, you are a natural codebreaker.”

  “Really?” Amanda asked with glee.

  “Yeah,” Nathan said, looking at the notebook. She had written lines of speech and underlined words that didn’t fit. On the opposite page was a cipher. “I think ‘dogs’ refers to army troops that joined the rebellion, while ‘patriots’ refers to civilians who are fighting.”

  “Okay, so how does this help us?” Jasmine asked.

  Amanda gave her a grumpy look. Nathan put his hand on Amanda’s leg to calm her. “It lets us know they are heading away from us. The ‘slugs’ in the area have been ‘salted,’ which I think means killed. I’m guessing that refers to the Homeland boys,” Nathan said, reading one of the lines Amanda wrote.

  “Ants?” John asked.

  “Good as any, I guess. The army and U.N. troops, mindless drones,” Nathan said.

  “Do you think this is happening everywhere?” Jasmine asked.

  Nathan shook his head. “No, not yet. If it was, they wouldn’t be pulling troops out of Arkansas and other cities. You don’t pull out troops in areas you don’t control yet.” He continued to read Amanda’s notes. “You heard that?” Nathan said, pointing at a line.

  Amanda looked at what he was pointing at. “Yes.”

  “What?” Tom asked, who was making notes in his notebook.

  “The port of New Orleans was sabotaged by dogs, and the river is blocked by sunken ships,” Nathan said.

  “Okay, so?” John asked.

  “That is a huge port. They destroyed it so it couldn’t be used to offload troops,” Nathan explained, still reading and turning a page.

  “What about supplies?” John asked.

  “We know troops are coming,” Nathan said, and laughed. “It seems Texas is being a real pain in the ass. One ham operator reports that almost ninety percent of the guard and police are fighting the government. Most of every military base was taken over intact and fifty percent of those troops joined the guard.”

  Tom asked, “Won’t the government try to get that back? Texas has a lot of stuff they need, like oil.”

  “Oh they are. A battalion of German troops stationed in Arizona moved against San Antonio. The battle’s
still going on,” Nathan said.

  “Anything about what’s on our route?” Jasmine asked hopefully.

  “Yep, western Colorado is firmly in government hands. They are trying to move out in eastern Colorado and southern Wyoming but are facing serious resistance. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and surrounding areas are under government control. Damn, looks like the Mormons in Utah took over the NSA site there and put a real bad hurt on the government’s command and control, taking over several satellites as well. California is in total chaos, nobody in in control of anything. Chinese troops started landing there ten days ago until several rogue Navy ships and subs started sinking their ships,” Nathan said as he flipped the page.

  “Oregon and western Washington State are firmly in government hands, and the Chinese are landing troops in Washington now,” he said in a somber voice. “Idaho and Montana have taken over all military bases and are killing all ‘slugs and ants.’ Canadian troops invaded and secured North Dakota and north Minnesota, and northern parts of South Dakota then tried to enter Montana but were wiped out.” He looked up with a fake smile.

  They all knew it was a fake smile. Finally Jasmine asked, “Isn’t that good news?”

  “I don’t know. This is massive in scale.” Nathan shrugged and picked up his coffee. “Amanda, did the one who reported all that ever give out a handle?”

  She flipped back in her notebook. “Yes, he said he was ‘Foxtrot Utah Charlie Kilo Utah Golf Mike Echo November’ out of the Cowboy State,” she said. Nathan fell over laughing. Amanda looked to the others, wondering what she said. They were just as perplexed as she was. She turned to Nathan. “What?”

  Sitting up, Nathan wiped his eyes. “His call sign is ‘F-UCK U G MEN’ and he’s in Wyoming. If they haven’t shut him down we should be safe from bigger troop movements.”

  “What’s he mean…” Amanda looked down at her notes. “’I will rebroadcast after scooting.’”

  The laughter left Nathan just as fast as it had come. “Shit, he’s moving so they can’t lock on him. You have to move or they can find you. He’s worried about them hitting him after all. How long did he broadcast?”