Freeways and Dirt Roads Read online

  Bug Out! California Book 5

  Freeways and Dirt Roads

  Robert Boren

  South Bay Press

  Copyright © 2017 by Robert Boren.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Author/Publishing South Bay Press

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Layout ©2017 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/Acapellabookcoverdesign

  Bug Out! California Book 5 – Freeways and Dirt Roads/ Robert Boren. – 1st ed.

  For Terry

  They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

  ―Benjamin Franklin

  Contents

  Previously, in Bug Out! California Book 4

  Court and Balcony

  Safe Havens?

  Producer

  The Folks

  Tense Agreement

  Dodge City

  Santa Claus

  Roadblock in Greenfield

  Rock Climbing

  Citizens United

  Hovercraft

  Candy and Beef Jerky

  Interstate 8

  Lights on the Dark Road

  Los Gatos Vineyards

  Flight into the Back Country

  Peppermint Schnapps

  Cast Of Characters

  Previously, in Bug Out! California Book 4

  After the Torrance Civic Center rescue operation, Jules, his team, and the rescued women arrived at a safe house in Culver City. They picked up vehicles and were getting ready to leave when they were discovered by UN Peacekeepers. They fought their way out and headed to a warehouse in Valencia, where they were to receive eight “battle wagon” motorhomes similar to the one Ji-Ho had. They arrived safely and received training on the new rigs.

  In the Inland Empire, the Dulzura group attacked an enemy supply depot and won, but One Eye was killed by an explosion as he opened a storage container, wounding both Sam and his wife Connie. They were taken to the La Quinta Hospital. John, Sarah, Sid, and Yvonne were in the waiting room, and saw UN vans racing towards the battle location from the front windows. They warned the main group, who were on their way back to camp. As expected, the UN Peacekeepers pursued them. There was a skirmish in the wilderness which the Dulzura group won, but they fled the area first thing in the morning. Sam woke up in the hospital, the doctors saying he would survive. Connie died early in the morning. Sam became much more violent with the enemy as a result, slipping back into the mindset he had in Special Forces.

  Jules and his team left Valencia, heading for a ranch in Paso Robles. The trip was difficult. The battle wagons took off staggered by fifteen minutes, so they weren’t clumped together. One battle wagon got attacked on the road, but destroyed the enemy without casualties or damage to the rig. A woman rescued from captivity in Torrance committed suicide in another coach. The team finally made it to the ranch and Jules began building his team, getting them ready for the challenges to come.

  Sam was released from the hospital after a few hours, and left with Sid and the others. They planned to rejoin the main group in Julian, at an RV park outside of town. Ji-Ho called a team meeting after they arrived, to plan for an attack on the enemy base at Warner Springs. The battle happened later that same day, and looked like a great victory, with some of the team leaving the scene after it appeared to be over, including Seth, Kaitlyn, Angel, and Megan. Then disaster struck. Hundreds of Islamists and UN Peacekeepers rushed in, killing most of the Dulzura force. Ji-Ho and those in his battle wagon escaped, along with a handful of people who took Jeeps out into the back country behind town. Everyone else was killed. Seth and his friends arrived back in Julian and found their RV park on fire, so they fled into the wilderness in their Jeeps, while frantically trying to contact the others. When they finally made contact, they were told by Ji-Ho to lie low and wait while he found a location to regroup.

  Sam suggested that a small team go to his RV Park in Dulzura, to pick up a large stash of ammo he had hidden there. Ji-Ho and the others agreed, although this was a very dangerous mission. Sam led the team. Islamists saw them via the surveillance video system at the RV park, and moved in. Sam’s team was getting ready to sneak away when a posse of mounted cowboys attacked the Islamists, using black powder guns. They captured the enemy fighters after a short battle, and then Garrett, their leader, showed up and talked to Sam and his team. Sid and Sam knew him as an old friend. He suggested that Sam and his group move into the Williams Ranch outside of Dulzura, since Garrett’s eight hundred men had freed the town of Islamists and UN Peacekeepers. Sam agreed to discuss the idea with Ji-Ho and the rest of the survivors.

  Seth, Kaitlyn, Angel, and Megan snuck into Jamul, a town Angel knew well. They checked into an out-of-the-way motel, hoping to rest a few days after being on the run.

  { 1 }

  Court and Balcony

  T he two Jeeps rolled down the dark street in Jamul.

  “Angel sees a place,” Kaitlyn said. “We’re going to the right. Pretty dead around here.”

  “Dead is good at this point,” Seth said. “Yeah, look, he’s driving into that parking lot over there. Looks like an early 60s motel. Classic.”

  “Good, the parking lot isn’t visible from the street,” Kaitlyn said. They parked next to Angel’s Jeep.

  “You really think I should stay in the car?” Seth asked.

  “We were kinda messing with you about that,” Kaitlyn said, “but we’ve got the guns out here. Somebody has to guard them.”

  “We’ll have to sneak them into the rooms, too,” Seth said.

  “Yeah. We’ll try to get a place in the back.”

  Seth pulled out his wallet and gave her a wad of cash.

  “Wow, this is a lot,” she said.

  “I cleaned out one of my bank accounts right before things got really nuts. I’ve got a bigger account if we need it. Seems like the banking system has finally gotten back to normal.”

  “Where’d you get so much money?”

  “Inherited it from my mom,” he said. “And saved from my job, too.”

  Angel and Megan came over.

  “Hey, dude, you staying to watch the hardware?” Angel asked.

  “Yep. I gave Kaitlyn a wad of cash.”

  “I’ve got plenty in my bank account,” Angel said.

  “Pay cash. We’ll settle up later. We don’t need transactions for this with any of our names on them.”

  “They don’t know our names, do they?” Angel asked.

  “We both disappeared, and the UN was checking for people who didn’t show up for work, remember? We also don’t know what Emma and Matt said after they were captured.”

  “Damn, dude, forgot about that noise,” Angel said. “Cash it is.”

  “What about these vehicles?” Megan asked.

  Seth chuckled. “These are Ji-Ho’s Jeeps. Who knows what name he’s got them under. That guy isn’t exactly legit.”

  “Let’s go get the rooms
,” Angel said.

  “Yeah, I’m getting cold,” Kaitlyn said. “I just want to cuddle up in bed with my man.”

  “That makes two of us,” Megan said.

  “You guys go,” Seth said. “I’ll keep watch.”

  Kaitlyn came over and kissed him, then turned and followed the others. Seth had his eyes glued to her until she was inside the office door, his heart beating faster as he looked around the small courtyard. There were two floors, a walkway for the second floor running in front of the doors. An opening at the back of the courtyard led to more parking and a swimming pool. It looked like most rooms were vacant. There were lights on in the room next to the office, and one lit room on the other side of the courtyard. What time is it? He looked at his phone. Not as late as he thought, barely eleven. The office door opened, light flooding out into that end of the courtyard as Kaitlyn, Megan and Angel walked out.

  “We’re in the back section,” Kaitlyn said as she slid into the passenger seat. “We told them we were newlyweds.”

  Seth laughed. “How’d Angel take that?” He started the car.

  “He looked a little embarrassed. They gave us rooms across the rear parking lot from each other.”

  “Oh, really,” Seth said. “I expected to be next to them.”

  “I expect to get loud,” she said, shooting him a wicked grin.

  Seth couldn’t respond. He put the Jeep into reverse, grinding the gears. Kaitlyn laughed.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked. “Something on your mind? You look a little pre-occupied.”

  He glanced at her. “Having fun?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact,” Kaitlyn said. “Megan’s gonna wear Angel out.”

  “She said that?” Seth asked, smiling as he finished backing out.

  “Whispered it to me when we were walking back to the car. I think Angel heard her.”

  “I suspect she did that on purpose,” Seth said. “What’s the room number?”

  “It’s 183. Go to the right. Angel and Megan are in 163, to the left.”

  “Ground floor, huh?”

  “Well, we thought that was better than lugging machine guns up the stairs,” Kaitlyn said, flashing him a smile again.

  “You have a point. Good, we can park right outside the door.” He pulled in, and saw Angel do the same on his side.

  “This looks too symmetrical,” Kaitlyn said.

  Seth laughed. “I’ll move it over after we’ve unloaded, if you want.”

  “I’ve got one suggestion.”

  “What?”

  “Back in,” she said.

  “Oh, you’re right. He backed out and k-turned, pulling back into the space facing out. “Better to unload.”

  “And better to leave in a hurry,” she whispered.

  Seth shut off the engine. “Ready?”

  “Yeah. I’ll get the door opened.”

  Seth nodded and got out, heading to the tailgate as Kaitlyn went to the door and unlocked it. He looked over at Angel, who waved as he helped Megan out.

  “Okay,” Kaitlyn said, pushing the door all the way open.

  Seth took a look around, then grabbed the M60 and the AK-47 and rushed them inside. He went back for the ammo and the two hand guns. He saw Angel take his load inside, while Megan shut the tailgate. She waved to him, then went into the room and shut the door.

  “They’re in okay,” Seth said, pulling the door shut.

  “Put on the night lock,” Kaitlyn said from the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  “Yeah, I could use one of those too,” he said.

  “You can get in after me.”

  “Oh, we aren’t showering together?” he asked. “Darn.”

  Kaitlyn giggled. “No, that ruins the mystique.”

  Seth heard the shower turn on, and sat on the bed, taking off his shoes, feeling incredibly tired all of a sudden. Battle fatigue, he thought to himself as he laid back, drifting off in seconds. He woke to Kaitlyn pulling on his ankle.

  “Hey, sweetie, wake up,” she said. He opened his eyes. She was standing over him, towel wrapped tightly around her body, another towel wrapped around her hair.

  “Sorry, didn’t realize how tired I was.”

  “Get up and shower,” she said. “Might as well keep the bed clean.”

  “Okay.” He went into the misty bathroom, peeled off his clothes, and turned on the water. It was already warm, so he got right in, letting the hard flow wash away the sweat and the grime, remembering that they’d just showered earlier in the day, in a place that was now ruined. The memory shocked him awake. He raced through his shower, not wanting Kaitlyn to be out of his sight for more than a moment, wrapping a towel around his waist and rushing out, freezing in his tracks when he saw the door hanging open.

  “Kaitlyn!” he said.

  She appeared with the hairbrush, pulling the door closed as she entered, tossing the car keys on the dresser. “Sorry, forgot to bring this in. My hair will be a tangled mess if I don’t brush it out.”

  “Oh.” He put the night lock on the door, then looked out the window for a moment. Quiet as a church.

  Kaitlyn pulled the towel off her head. “You got done in a hurry.” She looked in the mirror over the dresser and began to brush her thick black hair, water hitting the wood of the dresser. “Shoot, I’d better do this in the bathroom. I’m getting everything wet.”

  “Mind if I watch you?” he asked.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, but I got nervous when I couldn’t see you.”

  She chuckled. “Oh, great, and then I’ve got the door open. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” he said.

  “What got you so nervous?”

  “I remembered that we’d taken a shower earlier today, in a place that seemed safe,” he said.

  Kaitlyn froze. “Shit. You’re right.”

  “Sorry. We’re miles away from there, and they don’t have a way to find us. We’ll probably be fine.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t hurt to keep it in mind,” she said.

  “You look pretty calm.”

  “I’m with you, and we’re pretty far away from the enemy,” she said. “I know it won’t last long, but I’m going to enjoy the calm while I can. You coming?” She walked towards the bathroom.

  He followed her, mind still reeling, trying to think of anything that might lead the enemy to them.

  “You didn’t have to give names in the office, did you?”

  She put the brush to her hair again. “We gave phony names. Megan and I are sisters. We’re both newlyweds, like I said.”

  “They didn’t question why I wasn’t there?”

  “Nope,” Kaitlyn said. “The old lady in the office looked half-asleep. She’s tribal.”

  “Why’d you bring that up?”

  “So you’d know she’s not connected to the bad guys,” Kaitlyn said.

  “Oh. Good point.”

  “Think you can leave me alone for a few minutes, so I can finish up?”

  “Sure,” Seth said. “I’ll climb into bed. Maybe turn on the TV.”

  “Okay, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” she said. “Hey.”

  He stopped, looking back at her.

  “I love you. It’s going to be okay. Don’t worry.”

  “I won’t,” Seth said, knowing that wasn’t true. Clear your mind, he thought to himself as he picked up the TV remote. He switched it on, then dropped his towel and slid into bed. The sheets felt nice after sleeping who-knows-where for so long.

  The local news was just ending, one of the late night comedy shows coming on. The host was heaping ridicule on Governor Nelson of Texas, making him out to be a poor man’s Sam Houston, clamping down on non-whites in Texas. Seth angrily changed the channel, finding one of the celebrity gossip shows, turning the sound down to background-noise level.

  “Hey, honey, want me to fill a water glass for you?” Kaitlyn asked.

  “Sure,” Seth said. He felt nervous all of a sudden. Kait
lyn noticed when she came in.

  “Something on TV bothering you?” She still had the towel wrapped tightly around her curvy form, putting her hand on the front as she bent down and set the glass of water on his bedside table.

  “Just butterflies,” he said. “This is the first time we’re in a real bed together.”

  She chuckled, moving to her side of the bed. “You always sleep on the right?”

  Seth laughed. “Hell, I don’t know. I haven’t lived with anybody before, so I never gave it much thought. I’m flexible. At home my bedside table was on this side.”

  “Well, I like the left,” she said.

  “Should I turn off the light?”

  “Do you want to?” she asked, standing before him. “You haven’t gotten a good look at me, you know.”

  Seth groaned, feeling himself responding. “Yes, I’d rather leave it on.”

  “Good,” she said, undoing the towel, letting it drop slowly off her body, her soft curves coming into view.

  “Oh, geez, you’re so beautiful.” His eyes were locked on her.

  She pulled the covers all the way back, exposing him. “Yes, you like me, all right.” She climbed onto the bed and pulled the covers back over them, moving towards him.

  “I didn’t think women were visual the way men are,” Seth said, his hand going onto her side as she cuddled against him. She was soft, a little on the cool side.

  “Men don’t understand what women like,” Kaitlyn said. “You’re handsome and well built, but I already knew that. I need to warm a little bit. You mind?”

  “I love it,” he said, pulling her closer, his hands roaming on her back.

  “If I get any closer, I’ll be on top of you,” she whispered.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No,” she said, moving over further, all the way on top of him now, her face against his, kissing him lightly. Their hands roamed over each other, and Seth kissed her tenderly, but with a passion that was rising fast.

  “Oh, God,” Kaitlyn said, starting to move against him, returning the kiss. “Tonight won’t be a marathon, but I need you. Now. I’m ready.”