Resistance Read online

  Bug Out! California

  Book 2

  Resistance

  Robert G Boren

  Contents

  Previously - in Bug Out! California Book 1

  Chapter 1 – Night Attack

  Chapter 2 – Saladin

  Chapter 3 – Special Invitation

  Chapter 4 – Bonfire

  Chapter 5 – Check Point

  Chapter 6 – The Noose Tightens

  Chapter 7 - Card Club

  Chapter 8 – The Worm Turns

  Chapter 9 – Ransacked

  Chapter 10 – Fire Roads

  Chapter 11 – Green Hills

  Chapter 12 – Dead Eye Stare

  Chapter 13 – Escape

  Chapter 14 – Internet Lockdown

  Chapter 15 – TOW Missiles

  Chapter 16 – Sheridan

  Chapter 17 – Aguanga

  Cast of Characters

  Copyright - About the Author

  Previously – in Bug Out! California Book 1

  Something was wrong in California.

  Unrest and gang violence in the cities had chased decent people out of the area or into lockdown at home. The media blamed bank failures and problems with California state entitlement payments, but that wasn’t the problem. Few people had suffered, and most payments had continued. Why the unrest? Who was stirring it up?

  Robbie, the son of Frank and Jane from the original Bug Out! series, was forced to leave his North Torrance apartment as the gangs moved in his direction. He took friends Gil, Justin, and Steve along, and they settled in his parent’s condo in North Redondo Beach. They weren’t out of danger in that location, but it was easier to defend. They found relative safety there, and the group expanded as more friends were brought there to live.

  In Dulzura, eastern San Diego County, a group of retirees lived in a peaceful RV Park. There were rumors of problems in the area, and suddenly groups of foreign troops appeared on the roads, heading for bases near the coast. Civilians in the area were terrorized or killed. Law enforcement tried to get a handle on the problem, resulting in dead officers. Enemy fighters showed up at the RV Park and were killed, thanks to the military experience of park owner Sam and the ingenuity and skill of his resident friends. This put a target on their backs.

  A group of kids from South Torrance, barely out of high school, were enjoying their firearms hobby. They spent time at the combat range with their Winchester lever guns, mostly for fun, but with the thought that firearms skill would help them if things continued to go sideways in their town. Trevor, one of the leaders of the group, showed himself to be a natural with guns. Others in the group showed promise as well, especially Seth and Angel. Later that night, they went to a party near Rocketship Park in Palos Verdes. Gang bangers showed up on the block, attacking citizens and attempting to rape women. Trevor and Seth had their rifles and got involved, killing the gang members and a couple Islamists who were with them. More Islamists showed up in the middle of the night, and a gun battle ensued, the kids winning again. They fled to the house of rich Korean import mogul Ji-Ho, who was the uncle of Kaylee, a young woman in the group. His mansion was on the far west side of Palos Verdes, away from the mayhem in LA County.

  The Dulzura RV Park was attacked by a better-equipped enemy force. The retirees won the battle, and captured a Gaz Tigr full of weapons and ammo. Sam got the idea to ambush a caravan inside a steep rocky pass southeast on Highway 94, to stop the flow of enemy fighters coming in from Mexico. Sid and Yvonne went up on the ridges there, and took the Gaz Tigr along, hoping to block the pass with disabled enemy vehicles. As they were waiting, a mobile artillery piece rolled into the pass. Sam and the others attacked and took it away from the enemy, and then used it to fire at the walls of the pass, completely blocking the road with rocks and boulders. The Islamists and their UN allies were furious, and made revenge against the park residents a priority.

  Ji-Ho, Seth, Trevor, and others were on the roof-top deck of the mansion when they saw an enemy ship launching inflatable boats filled with armed men, heading for the beach. Ji-Ho rushed to get his .50 cal sniper rifle and sank all the inflatables, the others joining in with hunting rifles, killing survivors in the water. Then the US Navy noticed and sank the enemy ship.

  Martial Law was declared in LA County. The population was told that having a gun outside of their home would make them subject to arrest. Some citizens were happy about this, but most were not. Densely populated parts of LA County were laid out in grids with checkpoints between them, and the population was forced back to their jobs. Highway Patrol officers told the Dulzura RV Park residents that the Governor was bringing in UN Peacekeepers to man checkpoints.

  Civilization came under attack, with nuclear bombs detonated in New York Harbor, Puget Sound, and other harbor cities in America. Bombs also went off in Vladivostok and Paris. Book One ended with all three groups watching the news of the attacks, a video claiming responsibility from the leader of the Caliphate, and comments from the President of the United States. Retaliatory attacks began, in Venezuela first, then other places.

  Chapter 1 – Night Attack

  Sid sat in the clubhouse, Yvonne resting against him on the couch. John and Sarah were close by, sitting in chairs at one of the tables. Clem was with them.

  “I can’t take much more of this,” Yvonne said.

  “I’m ready to go whenever you are, honey,” Sid said. “Was done a while ago.”

  “I wish there was something we could do,” John said.

  Sid chuckled. “We did something. Something major. We halted their route into San Diego. That’s more than most have done.”

  “That’s true,” John said. “Guess I looked at that as us protecting ourselves, though.”

  “It was both,” Yvonne said. “C’mon, honey, it’s almost midnight.”

  “I know,” Sid said. “Let’s go.”

  They got up and headed towards the door.

  “We should go too,” Sarah said.

  “All right,” John said. They were heading for the door when the alarm sounded.

  “Oh no, is that the gate alarm?” Yvonne asked.

  “Dammit,” Clem said, switching the TV to the video cameras.

  “See anything?” John asked.

  “Not yet,” Clem said. “Wish we had a camera down by the road.”

  Sam rushed into the clubhouse with Connie.

  “Good, you have the video cameras up.” Sam said as he rushed over.

  “What are we gonna do?” Sarah asked.

  “The Tigr is pointed down the road,” Sam said, “so if anybody shows up, they’ll get a hell of a welcome.”

  “Think we ought to get a look before we start shooting?” Yvonne asked.

  Sam’s phone rang. He looked at the number. “Officer Ryan.” He put the phone to his ear. “Ryan, what’s going on?”

  “I just busted through your gate, and I’m driving up now. Don’t shoot me.”

  “You could’ve called me,” Sam said.

  “No, I had to get through before they saw me. I pushed the gate closed again, so it doesn’t look open.”

  “Somebody’s chasing you?” Sam asked.

  “Yeah, the UN,” he said. “They shot Patrick. I barely got away.”

  “Tell me about it when you get here,” Sam said. He ended the call.

  “What’s happening?” Connie asked.

  “Ryan said that the UN was chasing him,” Sam said.

  “No,” Yvonne said.

  “He also said they shot Officer Patrick.”

  “You don’t think he’s escorting them in, do you?” Sid asked.

  Sam froze. “Son of a bitch. Let’s go man the Tigr.”

  “You going to shoot at him?” Connie asked.

  “Hop
e it doesn’t come to that,” Sam said on the way out the door. John and Clem followed him, then Sid and Yvonne.

  “Somebody keep an eye on that video feed from the big camera,” Clem shouted back. “It’s got night vision. Call if it’s not a single CHP cruiser.”

  “On it,” Sarah said.

  “What’s going on?” Nancy asked as she rushed in.

  “Officer Ryan busted through the gate. We don’t know what’s happening yet. Where’s Harry?”

  “Slept right through the alarm,” Nancy said. “Meds. A lot of people are waking up, though. Saw lights on all over the place.”

  Sam made it to the Tigr and fired it up, bringing the guns to bear on the road and turning on the systems for the machine gun and grenade launcher. The others had their weapons, and took positions around the front gate, out of sight. Connie climbed into the Tigr next to Sam.

  “You don’t think he’s telling the truth, do you?” she asked.

  Sam was silent for a moment, then looked over at her. “No, I think he’s being forced to lead them up here. Hope the grenades are potent enough to break through the UN vehicle.”

  “Think it’s armored?”

  “Yeah,” Sam said.

  “I thought we were safe for a while.”

  “I know, honey,” Sam said. “So did I.”

  They watched silently for a few minutes. Sam’s phone rang.

  “Clem?” Sam said.

  “White and blue armored personnel carrier following the CHP cruiser,” Clem said. He hung up.

  “Dammit,” Sam said, watching through the grenade sight. The CHP cruiser appeared, coming slowly around the bend. Then it sped up, and the UN vehicle appeared behind it.

  “See it?” Connie asked.

  “Yeah,” Sam said. He fired the first grenade. It hit dead center in the front, stopping the UN vehicle for a moment. The CHP vehicle roared forward.

  “That didn’t break it,” Connie said, eyes filled with terror. The UN vehicle opened up on the CHP cruiser with machine gun fire. Ryan drove the cruiser into the ditch as the UN vehicle continued towards them.

  Sam fired a second grenade, hitting the UN vehicle. It kept coming. “Crap, that thing’s armor is too thick,” Sam cried.

  “It’s going to get in here,” Connie said. “It’s going to fire its machine gun at us!”

  Suddenly there was a loud boom, and the UN vehicle exploded before them, pieces rising high into the air, raining down around the front gate of the park.

  “Clem!” Sam said. “He hit them with the artillery piece!”

  “Thank God,” Connie said.

  John, Sid, and Yvonne rushed out of their hiding spaces, looking for survivors. Sam and Connie got out of the Tigr and ran to the CHP cruiser.

  Sam looked inside the window. “Ryan?”

  “I’m alive, but I’m hit,” he said. “I’m better off than this cretin next to me. His own guys hit him in the head.”

  “Wow,” Sam said, looking inside.

  “Sorry,” Ryan said. “I’m glad you guys could take them out.”

  “Is Patrick really dead?” Connie asked.

  “Yeah,” Ryan said. “They’re cleaning up any problems that upset their story. They were gonna kill me as soon as they had you guys under control.”

  “California is in trouble,” Connie said.

  “Yep,” Ryan said.

  “Let’s go get the doc,” Sam said.

  “You stay with him,” Connie said. “I’ll go get him.”

  “Okay,” Sam said. He watched as she sprinted back into camp. “So, what the hell happened?”

  “The CHP brass got removed about four hours ago. Damn State Attorney General locked them up. Then the UN came in looking for us. You guys really pissed them off with that job you did in the pass. Changed all of their plans.”

  “Our government is in collusion with the Islamists?” Sam asked.

  “At least the State, don’t know about the Feds,” Ryan said. “Damn this hurts.”

  “Where’re you hit?”

  “Shoulder,” he said. “Could’ve been a lot worse.”

  Sid and Yvonne rushed over. “Ryan alive?” Sid asked.

  “Yeah, but he’s hit,” Sam said. “Any survivors in the UN vehicle?”

  “Nope,” Yvonne said. “Round went through the armor and blew up inside. It’s a bloody mess. Not for the squeamish.”

  “That gate really closed?” Sam asked.

  “Yeah, but you can just push it open,” Ryan said. “You better go take care of that.”

  “Any other vehicles on the way?” Sid asked.

  “Not that I know of,” Ryan said. “They thought they were safe. I was hoping you guys would use the artillery piece.”

  “They didn’t know we had it?” John asked.

  “Not that I could tell,” Ryan said.

  “Where is he?” Dr. Grace asked as he trotted over.

  “Driver’s seat,” Sam said, getting out of the way.

  “Lemme take a look,” he said. He pulled out a small LED flashlight and opened the driver’s side door.

  Clem rushed over. “We’d better do something about that gate,” he said.

  “Yeah, we’re going down there in a second,” Sam said. “Stay with the artillery piece. I’ll take the Tigr down there. I’ve got an extra padlock.”

  “I’m going too,” Connie said. “I’ll get the padlock. Know exactly where it is.”

  Sam nodded as she rushed to the office in the darkness.

  “Patrick really dead?” Clem asked.

  “Yeah, according to Ryan,” Sam said. They walked towards the office. “He said that the CHP brass has been arrested.”

  “Bastards,” Clem said. “We should check that vehicle for weapons.”

  “Think there’s anything left?” Sam asked. “Looks like you made a pretty big mess of it.”

  “I hit the personnel compartment,” Clem said. “It’s got storage bays underneath. They might have survived, especially if there’s munitions storage under there.”

  “We’ll check it on the way down,” Sam said.

  “Got the padlock,” Connie said as she met them, trying to catch her breath.

  “Call me if the alarm is damaged,” Clem said. “I can probably fix it.”

  “Will do,” Sam said. “I’ll check it. Call me if you hear it go off.” He and Connie trotted to the Tigr and took off down the road, stopping by the smoking wreck of the UN vehicle. “Look, he’s right. The basement compartments don’t look like they’re destroyed. Gonna have to break into them, though, unless we can find the keys.”

  “Maybe we should fix the gate first, and check that out after it’s light,” Connie said.

  “That’s what I’m thinking,” Sam said. They got back into the Tigr and raced down the road.

  “Why would the state do this?” Connie asked.

  “Let the UN take over?”

  “Yeah,” Connie said.

  “They’re globalists,” Sam said. “Never let a good crisis go to waste, remember? This mess has moved their plans up by years.”

  “They’re going to win, aren’t they?”

  “Not if I can help it,” Sam said. “There’s the gate.”

  “Looks closed,” Connie said.

  “Just like Ryan said.” Sam parked next to the gate. “I’ll see if the alarm is still working.” He pulled the gate open for a few seconds, then closed it. His phone rang.

  “Clem, you hear it?”

  “Yeah, Sam, it’s working. Everything look okay down there?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “The lock looks like it was cut. Torch, probably.”

  “Sam, hear that?” Connie asked. “Somebody moaned.”

  “Got to go,” Sam said. He put his phone in his pocket and rushed after Connie, who slipped around the gate on the left side.

  “Officer Patrick,” Connie said. “Can you hear me?”

  Another moan.

  “He’s alive?” Sam asked, getting next to Connie.
She got down on her knees and shined the light on his face.

  “He’s alive,” she said. “Not sure for how long.”

  Sam pulled his phone out and hit Clem’s contact.

  “Sam, what’s up?”

  “Officer Patrick is down here. He’s alive. Send somebody down with Dr. Grace.”

  “Will do,” Clem said.

  Sam put his phone back in his pocket and then got out the padlock.

  “Maybe you should wait until they get here to lock up,” Connie said. “Might be hard to move Patrick.”

  “Yeah, I’m just getting ready,” Sam said. “If what Ryan says is true, we won’t be able to stay here. You know that, right?”

  “Yeah, I know,” Connie said. “What about the people who can’t move?”

  “They might not be looked at as a target by the enemy,” Sam said. “Hopefully Ryan can tell us how much they know.”

  “Yeah, hopefully,” she said.

  Patrick moaned again, and then croaked out a word.

  “Can’t tell what he said,” Sam said.

  Connie got close to him. “Patrick, can you talk?”

  “UN,” he said softly. “Killing squad. Ryan make it?”

  “Yeah, he made it,” Connie said. “Dr. Grace is on the way here.”

  “I won’t live,” he said.

  “Yes you will,” Connie said. “Don’t give up.”

  “I hear a Jeep coming,” Sam said.

  “See,” Connie said, stroking his forehead. “The doc will be here in a few seconds.”

  Sid’s Jeep skidded to a stop.

  “Where is he?” Dr. Grace asked.

  “Just past the gate,” Sam said, motioning him over.

  Sid got out and looked around. “So much for our rest.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t expect anybody here so soon,” Sam said. “And certainly not the frigging UN.”

  “Always hated those guys,” Sid said. “We pay money so the third-world despots can poke us in the eye. Screw that.”

  Connie came over, leaving Dr. Grace with Patrick. “How’s Ryan?”

  “He’ll live,” Sid said. “Dr. Grace got him to his feet and walked him to the clubhouse. Bullets went clean through him. He just cleaned the wound for now, but he thinks we’ll have to get to the hospital for x-rays. Probably some shattered bones in his shoulder.”