who had been so focused on the newscast that he didn’t realize he was next in line.
“Sorry. Got sucked into the news. Crazy stuff going on.”
“It dang sure is,” the clerk said. “Them dern feds are going crazy this week. Ain’t hardly even America no more.”
Joshua handed the clerk the drinks and snacks Rebecca had picked out.
“That it?” The clerk started ringing the items up.
Joshua nodded and Rebecca chimed in. “What about gas?”
“Oh, yeah, I need to pre-pay for gas,” Joshua said.
“We take cards at the pump.”
“I know, but I’m paying cash today,” Joshua answered.
“Worried about the feds tracking you or something?” the clerk asked with a tone that implied he was not joking.
“Something like that.” Joshua forced a chuckle as he handed his cash to the clerk.
Joshua and Rebecca returned to their SUV and Alpha Group left the station.
***
The sun was dipping toward the horizon and the parking lot at the gas station was remarkably empty other than the members of Zeta Group. Jack’s son, Billy, was pumping gas and John was filling up his minivan. Inside the otherwise empty store Jack was carrying on a conversation with the clerk, who was still ranting about the federal government. Jack’s wife, Andrea, and John’s wife, Ruth, picked out snacks and drinks. The clerk was getting increasingly agitated as he ranted. After the three of them paid they walked toward the door.
Jack froze as he heard John’s voice ring out across the parking lot. “Sir, we don’t want any trouble.” He clenched his fists when he spotted three men holding Billy and John at gunpoint near an older, full-sized brown van.
“Neither do we,” the man who appeared to be the leader of the group answered. He was tall and skinny and his greasy hair awkwardly protruded from beneath his dingy yellow baseball cap. He waved his revolver wildly. “We just want this truck and trailer.”
John started to speak but a tall, stocky carjacker with a shaved head and goatee punched him and sent his wire-frame glasses sliding across the parking lot. “Get back in your van right now, old man, or we’ll shoot you and the boy.”
Jack silently motioned for Andrea and Ruth to stop. “I left my pistol in the truck,” he whispered. “You two stay out of sight.”
John quickly made eye contact with Jack before putting both hands in the air. “Okay, I’ll do what you ask. Just don’t hurt us.” He cautiously got into his van and locked the doors.
***
Joshua perked up as his radio flared to life. This is John Moore in Zeta Group. We’ve got a problem. Two guys with guns. They’ve got Billy and Jack.
Rebecca looked at Joshua. “Oh, no! What do we do?”
Before Joshua could respond Bob’s Yukon skidded to a near-stop and did an abrupt 180-degree turn on the road ahead of them. His voice boomed over the radio: Joshua and Perry, continue on your own. I will handle this.
Joshua swallowed hard as he watched Bob speed away in his rear-view mirror. “Oh boy. Here we go.”
***
Jack tried to negotiate with the men. “Guys, we don’t want any problems. If you just go on your way and let us go on our way that’ll be the end of it.”
“Shut up!” The carjacker in the yellow hat puffed on the cigarette dangling between his equally yellow teeth. “Seeing that I’m the one with the gun I don’t see where you’re in a position to make demands. We’re taking your truck and trailer. The only question is whether you survive this or not.” The short, partially bald man in a red flannel shirt who was holding Billy whispered something to the leader, who grinned and upped the anté. “And just because you’ve been a pain we’re taking your boy. We need some labor on the farm.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed as a shot of adrenalin spiked through him. “I don’t think so!”
The clerk emerged from the store with his shotgun trained on the lead gunman. “Get off my property or I’ll put you down!”
The short
“Sorry. Got sucked into the news. Crazy stuff going on.”
“It dang sure is,” the clerk said. “Them dern feds are going crazy this week. Ain’t hardly even America no more.”
Joshua handed the clerk the drinks and snacks Rebecca had picked out.
“That it?” The clerk started ringing the items up.
Joshua nodded and Rebecca chimed in. “What about gas?”
“Oh, yeah, I need to pre-pay for gas,” Joshua said.
“We take cards at the pump.”
“I know, but I’m paying cash today,” Joshua answered.
“Worried about the feds tracking you or something?” the clerk asked with a tone that implied he was not joking.
“Something like that.” Joshua forced a chuckle as he handed his cash to the clerk.
Joshua and Rebecca returned to their SUV and Alpha Group left the station.
***
The sun was dipping toward the horizon and the parking lot at the gas station was remarkably empty other than the members of Zeta Group. Jack’s son, Billy, was pumping gas and John was filling up his minivan. Inside the otherwise empty store Jack was carrying on a conversation with the clerk, who was still ranting about the federal government. Jack’s wife, Andrea, and John’s wife, Ruth, picked out snacks and drinks. The clerk was getting increasingly agitated as he ranted. After the three of them paid they walked toward the door.
Jack froze as he heard John’s voice ring out across the parking lot. “Sir, we don’t want any trouble.” He clenched his fists when he spotted three men holding Billy and John at gunpoint near an older, full-sized brown van.
“Neither do we,” the man who appeared to be the leader of the group answered. He was tall and skinny and his greasy hair awkwardly protruded from beneath his dingy yellow baseball cap. He waved his revolver wildly. “We just want this truck and trailer.”
John started to speak but a tall, stocky carjacker with a shaved head and goatee punched him and sent his wire-frame glasses sliding across the parking lot. “Get back in your van right now, old man, or we’ll shoot you and the boy.”
Jack silently motioned for Andrea and Ruth to stop. “I left my pistol in the truck,” he whispered. “You two stay out of sight.”
John quickly made eye contact with Jack before putting both hands in the air. “Okay, I’ll do what you ask. Just don’t hurt us.” He cautiously got into his van and locked the doors.
***
Joshua perked up as his radio flared to life. This is John Moore in Zeta Group. We’ve got a problem. Two guys with guns. They’ve got Billy and Jack.
Rebecca looked at Joshua. “Oh, no! What do we do?”
Before Joshua could respond Bob’s Yukon skidded to a near-stop and did an abrupt 180-degree turn on the road ahead of them. His voice boomed over the radio: Joshua and Perry, continue on your own. I will handle this.
Joshua swallowed hard as he watched Bob speed away in his rear-view mirror. “Oh boy. Here we go.”
***
Jack tried to negotiate with the men. “Guys, we don’t want any problems. If you just go on your way and let us go on our way that’ll be the end of it.”
“Shut up!” The carjacker in the yellow hat puffed on the cigarette dangling between his equally yellow teeth. “Seeing that I’m the one with the gun I don’t see where you’re in a position to make demands. We’re taking your truck and trailer. The only question is whether you survive this or not.” The short, partially bald man in a red flannel shirt who was holding Billy whispered something to the leader, who grinned and upped the anté. “And just because you’ve been a pain we’re taking your boy. We need some labor on the farm.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed as a shot of adrenalin spiked through him. “I don’t think so!”
The clerk emerged from the store with his shotgun trained on the lead gunman. “Get off my property or I’ll put you down!”
The short
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