Future History

"And who are you?" asked Stacy looking at Michelle.

"Captain Michelle Johnson, MD, Western Kentucky Free Militia," said Michelle proudly.

Stacy looked wide-eyed at Michelle, then over to John. Michelle smiled at her. John just nodded as they walked through the brush. Stacy turned back to look where she was going.

"And the rest of your men?" asked Stacy.

Michelle was now alongside her.

"Up front Corporal Billy Kenny, with him, the blond is Lance Corporal Peter Barns. Behind us are, Privates Chuck Wilson and Staff Sergeant Nick Young. All of us are from the Western Kentucky Free Militia."

"Thank you. Kentucky. Always wanted to go there, just never had the time with the war and all," said Stacy giggling.

They now walked in silence, for two hours. Gerry had halted them. Stacy went up front, stood looking around, then signaled some unseen person.

"Let's go," she said heading out into the clearing. She stopped waving Gerry and the others by her. She then fell in step with Michelle and the Colonel.

"Michelle," said John.

"Squad..."

"Gerry and Tom will show them around," said Stacy. "Follow me and I'll take you two to my uncle."

Michelle nodded at Staff Sergeant Young. He nodded back and hung back.

"Hey Stacy, was that a chopper we heard a couple of hours ago," shouted someone.

"Yes."

Chapter 47

After a short walk John, Michelle, and Stacy were in front of a tent. She knocked on the post.

"Enter." A gruff voice came from inside.

Stacy pulled the flap aside and stepped in, holding the flap so John and Michelle could enter. Colonel Meacham was head down, reading something he held in his hand.

"Colonel, we have guests, sir. Colonel John Johnson and Captain Michelle Johnson, MD from the Western Kentucky Free Militia, sir."

Silas looked up. His eye widened as he realized who was standing before him. He almost leaped out of his chair, came around the table, and stood in front of John.

"Colonel?" he asked. "Since when Gunny?"

"Since all this shit happened. Ed's now a two-star."

"Well, will wonders never cease? How you been Gunny," said Silas grabbing John's hand in his. "And did I understand that this pretty little thing is what? Your sister?"

"Wife, Si," said John.

"And a doctor. What did you do to catch her?"

"It's a long story and we don't have much time. I'm here to show you where," said John pulling a folded paper out of his thigh pocket, "this place is."

It was the blowup of the complex. Si took one look at it and gasped. He looked back up at John amazement on his face.

"Where?" gasped Si.

John was unfolding another piece of paper. He spread it out on the table over the diagram of the complex.

"Here," he said pointing at a blue spot on the map.

Colonel Meacham looked at the map. Grabbing it he quickly stepped out of his tent followed by John, Michelle, and Stacy. Meacham spun around until he had the map orientated and looked up at the rise just to the north of his camp.

"So close, yet so far away," he muttered.

"That close?" asked John.

"Indeed. Stacy your team... who are these other men?" asked Si.

"They are with me, Si," said John. "They go where I go."

"Well, then... Stacy your team leads off with the Colonel's people. Straight ahead up Fiddlers Mound."

"Aye, sir," said Stacy gathering her people and John's men, and they moved in the direction her uncle had indicated.

It took them a scant ten minutes to get to the base of the hill. It was the tallest hill in the area, which kind of made it stick out, but as it was covered in green plants all around, except on the western side where there was a slab of granite sticking out, making it kind of disappear from being exceptional. The granite outcropping was ten feet high and twenty feet wide and they could walk right up to it without any trouble. Si walked up to it and slapped it with his hand.

"Solid as a rock," he said smiling at John.

Smiling John walked to the left side of the outcropping, squatted down, and pressed something. A rumbling started. Si jumped back a step as he watched a section of slab drop slowly into the ground. The hole in the granite was dark.

"What the hell!" shouted Si.

John waved at him to follow. As they stepped into the dark cavern light started to come on.

At a signal from John, Billy and Chuck went running off into the complex.

"Where are they going?" asked Si.

"Generators. The lights are sucking the batteries dry."

"Stacy, go with them," said Meacham.

Stacy and her team took off after Billy and Chuck. John chuckled as they did.

"She's your go-to guy, isn't she?" asked John

"She is. She is very, very good."

"I bet. Come on, I'll show you around. Nick, close the door behind us."

"Aye, sir," said Nick Young waving in the rest of the squad.

For the next week, John and his men took the men of Colonel Meacham's men through what was in the complex. They were shown all the exits from the complex, some of them coming out a good mile from the hill they were in. The first thing everyone saw was the rows of tanks and the helicopters. Both Apache gunships and Blackhawks.

For that week, Michelle held sick call each day in the infirmary of the complex. More and more people flowed in and she wanted to see each and every one of them. She couldn't, but that didn't stop her from seeing those she could. John was showing Si the command center and all the other wonders of his new command.

"Where are you off to next?" asked Meacham.

"Well, you will be sending some people down south to tell them down there about their complex. Then we are off to New Mexico to tell them."

"Why didn't you go there first?"

"It's complicated but we were in Colorado and caught a ride from there to here as it wasn't all the far. Now, if you have a pilot, we could use a ride over to Santa Fe or there about."

"I have several good pilots... will they be refueled?"

"They will have to carry their fuel. Tanks on the sponsons were you would put armament. My men will show your men. Doubles the range of the copter. It does make the chopper a little heavier, but it will still fly."

"Then I guess my men will give your men a ride."

"And I will be forever in your debt, Si. I just hate walking," quipped John smiling at Si.

Chapter 48

New Mexico Free Militia

The flight to Santa Fe was uneventful. It seemed the Chicoms had all moved north. The helicopter dropped John and his group in a clearing west of Santa Fe in the mountains. The IR gear in the chopper had spotted four hot spots on that particular mountain. None of them moving. They were all around that clearing in which John decided to land. As the chopper settled to the ground, three men and a woman came out of the brush.

John and his people, jumped out of the chopper, letting it take off, and head back to Arizona. John stood, rifle hanging by its straps, hands in plain sight, and smiling as the woman closed on him and his five companions.

"Who the hell are you?" the woman asked. "And where in the hell did you come from? And where the hell have you been?"

The young woman was on the verge of tears and frustration. Michelle stepped forward, not getting right up in her face, just close enough so the young lady could see the pain in her eyes.

"I am Captain Michelle Johnson, MD of the Western Kentucky Free Militia and we are here to help and show you where you can get all the arms and equipment to kick the Chicoms out of America."

The woman dropped to her knees and wept. A man stepped slowly up to kneel beside her. He took her hand in his and whispered in her ear. She nodded. He helped her up where she stood proud.

"I am Staff Sergeant Maria Montez of the New Mexico Free militia. Are you the reason that the Chicoms have moved north?"

"No, dear, you are. The Free Militias of America have caused them great losses. Of course, we have suffered even more, yet the Chicoms are very surprised that we fight on causing them to lose their men who are not so easily replaced."

"Who are the rest with you Captain?" asked Maria.

"The silver-haired man is Colonel John Johnson, we are all from the Western Kentucky Free Militia. The others are..."

"No need. Colonel Johnson, your husband?" asked Maria.

"He is."

Maria turned to the man who had helped her.

"My husband Manuel Montez, Sergeant. The others are Junior Cortez and James Montoya. Now, what the hell are you talking about?"

John slowly pulled a folded paper out of his thigh pocket. Unfolding it he stepped over to Maria.

"This is what we are talking about, Sergeant," said John softly.

Taking the paper from John, she turned it so she could try and comprehend what the page had printed on it. Once she did, she looked up at John.

"Where?" she almost screamed. Her husband placed a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed closed her eyes and shook her head. "Sorry."

"No need, Maria. We are here to help. It's only been nine months since we found our complex in Kentucky. We have units spread out all over America, telling the Free Militias of them in their states. Each state has at least two. Some, like Texas and Alaska, have three. Hawaii has one on each island. Construction started a long time ago, yet some of these aren't complete. Up north mostly," said John.

"Maria, we need to see your commander," said Michelle softly.

Maria nodded, handing the paper back to John. She turned to her men and waved to the west. John pointed at two of his and they ran to catch up to Maria's men. The rest he pointed behind him. Michelle stepped up beside Maria. Manuel fell in beside John.

"She has placed herself under a lot of pressure," he said softly.

"I understand, Sergeant. I completely understand," said John. "Your commander is Major Sergio Hernandez is he not?"

"Yes, sir. You know him?"

"I do. Serg and I served together a long time ago."

"Marines?"

"Yes."

It took them a day to reach the camp of their unit. When John walked into the small clearing his friend stood, mouth agape, eyes wide with surprise.

"I thought you would be dead by now!" Sergio shouted.

"Not hardly, my friend," replied John hugging the man before him.

"Report," said Sergio to Maria.

"At approximately ten hundred hours we encountered a helicopter in the clearing to the east of here. Six people disembarked."

"Good. Are you okay Maria?" asked Sergio.

"I'm all right, sir," she replied. "These people have something to show you and you won't believe it."

Sergio looked at John, questions in his eyes. John smiled as he nodded pulling papers from his thigh pocket.

"Table?" asked John.

"Table," shouted Sergio.

Two men pulled a table out of a tent and right up in front of John and Sergio. John spread the map of New Mexico out, flattening it with his hands.

"That looks just printed," said Sergio.

"It was printed this morning over in Arizona. Now, look, here," said John pointing at a blue dot on the map.

Looking at the map, Sergio placed his finger just to the west of John's.

"How far?" asked John.

"Five miles at most. What's there?"

"This," said John spreading out the blowup of the complex floor plan.

Sergio gasped. He leaned in to be closer to the printout.

"How? When? Oh my god! We could have kicked the Chicoms out long ago," gasped Sergio.

Chapter 49

John introduced him, men, to Sergio, then introduced Michelle to him. He gasped, then bent, taking Michelle's hand in his, kissing the back of it. She pulled him into a hug to end all hugs.

"I have never had a man, be such a gentleman and kiss my hand so gently," said Michelle stepping back from Sergio.

Michelle looked around. She found that everyone had found something else to do. The only other person standing in front of the table was John.

"I am asking this in my capacity as a medical doctor, who did Maria lose?"

Sergio gasped. Shut his eyes and shook his head, dropping his chin to his chest.

"My friend, not Carlota?" asked John.

Sergio dropped to his knees. Michelle and John were right there with him. John had grabbed the map and spread it down so it looked like they were talking about the best way to get to the complex. Sergio took a deep breath. Held it for a long time, then slowly let it out. He raised his head and opened his eyes. Michelle could see the sorrow there. She was sure hers showed the same.

"Who?" asked Sergio.

"Husband and child," said Michelle with a hitch in her voice.

"John, I didn't want to ask..."

"I know my friend. Jenny is gone. Along with two of my grandchildren and their parents." John was sobbing but no tears escaped his eyes.

"Oh my god," croaked Sergio.

Then Maria was there hugging Sergio.

"Daughter," said Sergio.

"Figured," said Michelle.

Michelle knelt there, while daughter and father collected themselves. John was looking at the map closely. Sergio shook his head, kissed Maria on the cheek, and pushed her away. She nodded, stood, and walked away.

"You both need some help with dealing," said Michelle.

"We know. We'll have plenty of time after we kick the Chicom out of our home."

"I understand. While I'm here, you can talk to me, no questions asked, in complete confidence. Your daughter too," said Michelle quietly.

"Thank you, but I'll be too busy getting this place in order," said Sergio pointing at the printout of the complex.

"When would you like to rollout to get a gander at your new headquarters, Colonel?" asked John a smile on his lips an envelope in his hand.

Sergio snatched the envelope from John and tore it open. As he read, he nodded and sighed.

"About fucking time. It's signed by Ed?"

"It is. He's heading up the Western Kentucky Free Militia along with coordinating all the free Militias across the country. Once we gain access to your command headquarters you'll be able to talk to a lot of old friends without the Chicoms even knowing," said John

"Okay. Then I better get a... what?... a squad, platoon, company?"

"A squad will do for now. You can come back and pack up and move tomorrow," said John.

Sergio put his head in his hands, then slapped his forehead. He looked up to the sky as he stood up. Maria was by his side as he did.

"Get a squad together, we're going on a hike," said Sergio.

Maria went running off and was back with twelve people. John nodded at her, then turned to one of his men, who had come closer as the three stood up. John handed him the map, pointing at the black dot he had placed there, then to the blue dot.

"We will be going there, lead off with Staff Sergeant Mendez," said John.

"Aye, sir," replied Staff Sergeant Young. "Maria, with me."

Maria looked at her dad he nodded. Maria went running to catch up with Nick. Half the squad followed. The rest stayed close to Sergio. He turned to Manuel.

"You and the rest are our rear guard," said Sergio.

"Yes, sir," replied Manuel signaling his men to hang back.

The three left from John's group stayed with John and Michelle.

"Move out," shouted Sergio.

Chapter 50

It took them two hours to get there. Only once did Maria and Nick fall back to consult with Sergio on which way they needed to go. As Sergio grew up in Santa Fe, he knew everywhere around the small burg like the back of his hand. When they were close, John halted them. He looked around, as did Michelle and the rest of his squad.

"I got the back door, Colonel," said Nick over the radio.

"Where?" said John.

"Due north of you sir. I can see you through the trees."

John turned to the north, as did everyone else. They saw Nick waving his hand in the air uphill from them.

"Sergio," said John.

"Right. Follow me," he shouted moving up the hill.

Everyone followed Sergio up the hill to where Nick was standing with Maria and the rest of the lead team. Nick stood back to allow Major Hernandez to have a look at the blank sheet of rock in front of him. It wasn't all that big, about the size of a set of double doors, yet without a seam to show what it was other than a piece of a rock outcropping.

"Hmm... you sure, Sergeant?" asked Sergio.

"Yes, sir. Colonel?"

"Pay attention Sergio, here, where this little indent is, push," said John pointing.

Sergio pushed where directed. There was a slight rumbling as the entire sheet of rock just disappeared into the ground. Sergio, wide-eyed, stood watching, then quickly looked around. A set of bushes had slowly risen to block any view of the rock face.

"Holy shit, they thought of everything?" said Sergio.

"Well, not everything, we found out about them by mistake. It's taken us almost a year of manpower to notify every unit we could find about them. Your first duty will be to go south and show the militia down there where theirs is," said John.

"Um... about that. There is no one south of here. Just some wild bands of marauders keeping the southern board secure. The Chicoms don't seem to care about the cartels selling their junk to any citizens up here."

"How many troops do you have?" asked John.

"Ah, of course. I could split our group in half and send them south. They could then recruit from the yahoos on the border while also keeping it secure from those who would seek to..."

"Yes, you can. Deadly force is authorized as we are at war. Any armed border crossers will be met with deadly force. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Unarmed border crossers will be sent packing the way they came. Clear?"

"Yes."

"Use only the light vehicles to patrol. No armed helicopters."

"And if the Chicoms..."

"You will be up here to stop them," replied John quickly.

"Of course," said Sergio. "When will be driving them out of our country?"

"Soon. We have to have time to fill the complexes with troops and some will have to be trained to drive a tank."

"Tank?"

"A yes, come," said John slipping past Sergio into the complex. "Everyone, follow me."

Nick was the last to enter with Maria beside him watching every move he made. Nick pressed a button beside the door with a C embossed on it. The door closed rising out of the ground. As the waning sunlight was cut off from outside, lights in the ceiling started to flicker on.

"Corporal Kenny. Take someone with you and go start the generators," said Nick into his radio.

"Aye, Staff Sergeant," replied Billy tapping Manuel on the shoulder.

Nodding Manual followed Billy into the maze that was going to be their new home. John and Sergio went off in a different direction. Maria didn't know who to follow. Her father or her husband. She decided on her father. The path John took was direct. They were almost at the top of the complex, so they could walk straight through to the barracks and up the stairs to the command level. Sergio gasped as they came up those stairs. Maria started to sob as she saw what had been under their feet for the past lifetime. Sergio folded his daughter in his arms as John went to the main console in the room. There was a blinking red light on the countertop.

"We have to wait for the generators to start. Down on the lowest level, you have three giant generators. Each of them can run this place, so you have a triple redundant backup."

Sergio nodded as he held his daughter. She had stopped sobbing and was now looking around in wonder. The overhead lights blinked as the red light on the counter stopped. John presses a button next to the red light. It changed to green and all the video screens came to life.

"Here we go," said John tapping a key on the main keyboard.

All the monitors now displayed a screen with selections listed and a logo that Sergio had only seen once in a top-secret communication he had received just as the Chicoms were invading America. At the time he didn't have time to read it and had forgotten all about it, until now. He would have to pull it out and read it once they had all moved in here.