Bonner Incident (27 page)

“Gene, I love ya and have always listened to ya, but hell no,” Ben said sassily. “He who shoots first wins. Proof in point, Joshua is alive.”

Gene pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at Ben with a serious face as he clasped his hands together leaning over the table. “Ben, they have over a thousand guns that they can call in not even ten miles from here. We won’t even be a speed bump. We are here to deter. To let them know, it would be too much trouble for them to try taking us.”

Ben sipped his coffee staring at Gene. “I’m not stupid, but I’m not going to let them hurt Josh’s family. If they do, they do it stepping over my corpse.”

“Understandable,” Gene said, glad he’d decided to bring his camper up and set it up outside to keep Ben on a leash. He had watched Josh and Ben grow up from little boys and loved both dearly. But Ben had no fear of anything on this Earth and would prove it in a second. “Why don’t you go crawl in the bed with your wife,” he said smiling and getting up heading to the coffee pot.

“Gene, don’t,” Ben said with a terrified expression. “I can’t believe Sonya called Barbara and told her and Sammy to stay here until this was over.”

“You want them out at your place alone?”

“No, but it just seems… I don’t know,” Ben said looking into his coffee for the answer but it didn’t come.

“Ben, I’m the first to admit, I never would’ve pegged you to settle down,” Gene said pouring a cup. “But seeing you with Barbara and that kid, I finally have hope for you.”

“Don’t old man,” Ben said.

Gene laughed as he moved back to the table. He didn’t fear Ben. “I’m just stating what I’ve seen Ben,” Gene grinned.

They sat together, sipping coffee as they heard an alarm clock go off in the house and Gene stood up. “I’ll tell the boys outside to get in the vehicles,” he said grabbing his AR.

“Will you ask Sonya if I can drive them?” Ben asked getting up stretching out.

Grabbing the door and opening it, “Nope, you will soon learn, when a woman makes up her mind, God himself can’t change it. And woe to anyone else that tries,” he said over his shoulder and walked out.

Ben stared at the closed door shaking his head. “Gene, you need to find a new woman. Your last wife didn’t die; she’s in hiding from your bullshit.”

They caravanned William to and from school every day to Priest River. Since there was a sheriff substation in Priest River, they didn’t have to stay outside the school and Buck had put a deputy outside the school full time now. Now that Ben and Barbara were staying there and Sammy went to the same school, Sammy rode with them.

With Sammy there, William had someone to talk to and play with and that was good enough for Ben to stay there with Barbara. It was a big house but crowded now, since Mrs. Anderson was still staying there also.

Grabbing his AR off the table, Ben set it against the wall and went to William’s room to find him and Sammy up and getting ready. “Alright boys, when you get home, you have to show me how to get my wizard to level thirty,” he said walking in the room.

“Okay,” William said smiling.

“Cool,” Sammy said putting on a shirt. “I told you that computer games were fun.”

“Yeah, but my fingers can’t make my guy on the screen do what I want him to fast enough,” Ben said.

“Takes practice,” William said grabbing his shoes.

Hearing pans rattling in the kitchen, Ben left and walked into the kitchen to see Sonya, Barbara and Mrs. Anderson making breakfast. “I was going to make them something,” Ben said pointing at the boxes of cereal he had out.

Mrs. Anderson walked over and patted his chest, “Ben, they are growing boys, they need something more than that,” she told him and started putting plates on the table. Before the boys had made it to the table, bacon, eggs and biscuits were waiting.

Barbara stepped over kissing his cheek. “Now, isn’t that much better?”

“Well, yeah, but with a full stomach and a boring class, that just spells ‘I need a nap’,” Ben said stroking his goatee. The boys laughed as Barbara slapped his butt, hard. “Ow,” he said rubbing his butt.

“Don’t be telling them how you acted in school,” Barbara said walking away.

Setting down a pitcher of orange juice, Sonya turned to Barbara, “Ben actually did good in school,” she said and Ben lifted his head up. “Till you account for all the trouble he got into.”

Ben dropped his head and walked out to the living room. “I didn’t get in that much trouble,” he mumbled.

“Ben, don’t be tellin’ stories,” Mrs. Anderson called after him as she moved to the stove, helping them make breakfast for all the men and women outside. Yes, in Idaho, the women went armed also and had no problem standing up to protect a family.

“Was he bad?” Sammy asked shoving food in his mouth.

“No, Ben usually waited till school was over to get in trouble,” Mrs. Anderson said.

Hearing a knock at the door, Sonya walked over while pulling out her pistol, a compact XD. “Yes?” she said.

“It’s Gene.”

She opened the door and he stepped in seeing her holster her pistol. “Now, was that so hard?” he asked stepping over to the table beside the boys. “If you have it out you can use it. Just putting your hand on the gun to answer the door will take time to pull it out if you have trouble.”

“Gene, I’m not Ben so don’t lecture. And I’m not Joshua, so don’t float it as wisdom,” she said walking to the stove. “This is my house and those as….” She stopped looking over her shoulder at the boys. “If they try to gain entry, I promise you, the gun will be out and firing.”

“I’m just saying, it’s easier to have it out,” he said reaching down and taking a slice of bacon. “Are you making food for the group again?”

“Yes,” Sonya said putting more biscuits in the oven. “They are helping me protect my family, so the least I can do is feed them.”

Gene nodded as Ben walked back in with his tail between his legs. “See? You learned a lesson this morning,” he said with a grin. Not saying anything, Ben just nodded. “See, any other time you would be arguing back, but you’re learning.”

“Gene, don’t be mean to Ben,” Barbara said walking over and kissing Ben on the cheek again and Ben perked up.

“I’m not,” Gene said as the boys finished.

“Ready,” they said jumping up.

“Sonya, stay in the middle. I don’t care if the ones in front of you are going slow,” Gene said heading for the door.

Wiping her hands on a towel, Sonya said. “You need to tell them to move their asses then.”

“Nana,” Sonya said turning to Mrs. Anderson, “The biscuits will be done when the timer goes off. Will you make sure they eat everything and not try to be polite today?”

“You bet,” she said patting Sonya on the cheek. “You hurry back.” Sonya had months of vacation time saved up and when her boss had found out what was going on, he’d told her he had no problem letting her stay home.

They walked out to see four pickup trucks and two older SUVs loaded with armed men, on the road waiting. Sonya climbed into her minivan with the boys jumping in the back. Barbara walked around and got in the passenger side. Backing out, two trucks and one of the SUVs moved in front of her and the others got behind her.

Driving out to the highway, she saw the huge bulldozer moving off their side street and two motorcycles pulled into the lead. The men riding them had rifles on their backs. Turning onto the highway, they headed south to Priest River.

Just a few miles down the road, they came up on the roadblock. The National Guard troops knew who they were because Gene had gone and talked to them when they sat up days ago. Before, when they saw the convoy, they just moved the barriers. Today, they were standing in the road.

As the convoy stopped, men and women piled out of the vehicles, spreading out and aiming at the troops. “Wait, hold on!” one shouted holding up his hands. “We just have to check the vehicles.”

Gene stepped out from behind the door of his Bronco that was behind the two motorcycles and lowered his rifle. “Never have before.”

“Something happened in Nordman sir,” the man said, still holding his hands up.

Looking over his shoulder, “Move the two trucks through, set up on the other side and cover us while we roll through,” he said and those riding in the trucks jumped back in. As they pulled to the roadblock, the troops didn’t even approach the trucks, since each truck had ten weapons pointed out. Gene got in his Bronco as did those who were riding with him.

When the two trucks had pulled through and the men got back out, Gene pulled up to the roadblock and saw it was a captain that had yelled out. Gene rolled down his window. “Captain, if your men make any move towards those kids, I’ll be burying your body today,” he said and rolled up his window and drove through.

The troops turned to see the minivan and other vehicles slowly pulling forward and stared in shock as Barbara and Sonya had their pistols out aiming at them through the glass. In the back, the boys had their faces pressed against the windows sticking their tongues out.

When the vehicles passed, a sergeant walked over to the captain. “Sir, I’m going back to Boise,” he said and walked off the road to where they had tents set up to sleep in.

“Sergeant, that’s desertion,” the captain yelled out.

The sergeant spun around, yelling at the top of his voice. “They were protecting those kids from us, sir! Those American citizens, residents of the state of Idaho were protecting kids from us! You tell me how in the fuck that’s in the nation’s interest, sir!”

The captain just stared at the wild-eyed sergeant. “It’s our duty,” he finally said.

“Then you do it. I’m going to protect my own kids,” the sergeant snapped spinning around. “Any that want to come with me, I’m out of here in ten minutes.”

In shock, the captain watched all but three men run for the tents. In ten minutes, they were the only ones left. The first sergeant turned to the captain. “Sir, what are your orders?”

“Get me the colonel,” he said looking around.

“You going to ask for more men?”

“No, I’m telling him to find some more, we’re heading home. That sergeant was right. They were protecting those kids from us.”

“Yes, sir,” the first sergeant said grabbing the radio. “Can’t do anything here anyway, nobody gave us any ammo.”

“First sergeant, those people knew that and I think that’s the only reason you and I are alive.”

***

At 1045, the deputy stationed at the school was sitting in his patrol car and looked up as a black sedan pulled to the front of the school. As he reached for the door handle, the door flew open and he felt a gun next to his head. “FBI, don’t move while I confirm your identity,” the voice said as a badge was stuck in front of the deputy’s face.

When the badge moved away, another man opened the passenger door and reached over, handcuffing the deputy to the steering wheel. Before he got out the man grabbed the car keys. “Don’t move, identity is being confirmed,” he said getting out.

A man in a suit had stepped out of the sedan while the deputy was being handcuffed and walked into the school, looking at his watch. He followed the signs to the office and pulled out his badge. “I’m Agent Evans with Homeland Security here to serve a warrant,” he said putting an envelope on the counter.

The principle stepped out of his office and looked at one of the secretaries. “Call the sheriff,” she said walking over to the counter. “What’s the warrant for?”

Two helicopters roared overhead, setting down in front of the school and armed men poured out of them, running into the school. Knowing where to go, they moved down the halls. The secretary looked up, “The phones aren’t working.”

Agent Evans nodded, “Thank you for your cooperation,” he said putting his badge away as the SWAT team busted into the classroom that William was in. They knew who he was instantly from photos and videos they had watched. Two ran over and grabbed him while William fought back, but a thirteen-year-old boy against men in full tactical gear couldn’t do much.

The visions in William’s mind of him using his martial arts and beating them up quickly flew away as he flailed away at the two carrying him. Stopping in the hall, the two put flex cuffs on William, more to protect William from hurting himself, as he beat against their armored bodies.

In three minutes, the choppers were airborne flying north, and the sedan and SUV left the school heading west out of the state. The only mistake in the operation for the government, was that the helicopter hadn’t gone west.

Chapter Sixteen

Buck was hanging onto the dash when he hung up his phone as Cory drove up highway 57 heading for Nordman. Behind him was a very long line of sheriff cars and civilian cars loaded with extra men and women. The rifle barrels poking out the windows left little doubt if they were armed.

“You get Ben?” Cory asked slowing to eighty to take a curve.

“They’re moving the dozer now,” Buck said vibrating in rage. It had taken twenty minutes for him to even find out, when the school’s phones had turned back on and one of the custodians had unhand-cuffed his deputy. Then, it’d taken another thirty to call out for his deputies on their cellphones because the radios wouldn’t transmit.