Author Archives: Bob

The men dragged Morgan back into the holding cell, dirty and crying, her clothes ripped in several places. She curled into a fetal position and sobbed. There were a number of other young women in the cell with her, looking at her through red terrified eyes. Some were only in their mid-teens.

“Roll call,” barked a UN Peacekeeper with a French accent. “Stand in line.”

The women and girls rose slowly, some whimpering, others shooting icy stares at the UN Peacekeeper and the armed men next to him.

“Count off. Number and name. Now.”

“One. Amber.”

“Two. Denise.”

“Three. Katie.”

“Four. Casey.”

“Five. Brittney.”

“Six. Morgan.”

“Seven. Stephanie.”

“Eight. Lacey.”

“Thank you,” the UN Peacekeeper said. “Your charges are currently under review. You will follow our instructions to the letter. You cooperate, and you will be released unharmed after our investigation is over. If you do not cooperate, you will…

“Trevor!” Ji-Ho shouted again from his rig.

Seth looked at Trevor. “We’re done. We should go over. Maybe he needs help. Lord knows he’s helped us enough.”

“Yeah,” he said, getting up. “We’re done.”

“What did you mean about Kaylee?” Seth asked as they headed over.

“He wants me to take her away from Matt,” Trevor whispered.

Seth laughed. “Yeah, I could see that.”

They went into Ji-Ho’s coach.

“Wow, this thing is great!” Trevor said as he rushed over to Ji-Ho. He was sitting at the dinette, watching his laptop.

“They in house,” he said.

“Oh, crap,” Trevor said, getting behind him to watch over his shoulder. “They don’t see the cameras?”

“Not yet,” Ji-Ho said, looking back at him, glee in his eyes.

“Who’s that guy?” Seth asked. “Looks like an Islamic Cleric.”

“I see face before,” Ji-Ho said. “I think he called Saladin.”

“No way,” Trevor said…

Robbie rushed up the stairs. “The UN is here.”

“Oh no,” Morgan whispered, watching Robbie bolt into the bedroom. He came back stuffing a pistol into the back of his pants.

There was another harsh knock on the door.

“Now I wish we would’ve left,” Robbie said as he went down the stairs.

He opened the door. The first UN Peacekeeper immediately put his foot in the door.

“Frank Johnson?” the man asked in a thick German accent. He was a small man with dark hair and complexion, clean shaven.

“He’s out of town,” Robbie said.

“And who are you?”

“Hans, we should go inside,” the large, muscular blonde man behind him said.

“Yes, you are right, Stephan,” Hans said. He walked past Robbie, eyes darting around. “Is anybody else here? Tell the truth, or you’ll be shot.”

“This is America,” Robbie snapped.

Hans chuckled. “Not anymore. You and I…

Sam, Connie, Clem, and Jason snuck up Washington Street to the intersection with Main Street.

“Oh, crap,” Connie whispered. “Look, they got a gun on Sid. Down at the next corner. Two of the others are trotting down there.”

“Looks like we need a diversion,” Sam said, taking a grenade out of a bag he carried. He pulled the pin and tossed it under the UN Van across the street. It blew the van sky high, killing the two men beside it. Clem moved out and fired his hunting rifle at the UN Peacekeeper holding his gun on Sid, hitting him in the head. Jason ran forward with the shotgun, hitting a man who was by the checkpoint barrier. The gunfire erupted from behind Sid, killing the three peacekeepers running towards them. Sid joined the fight, killing two peacekeepers who were running away. Then there was silence.

“Wow, that was…