MacArthur's Freehold

Chapter 65

Chapter 65 -- MYWPDMDRITFOAG

Arthur and Douglas quickly drove back to their compound.

"We'll have to change clothes" Arthur said "and hope none of them were looking at us with anything able to identify us."

Exchanging their BDUs for jeans and khaki shirts, they got in Arthur's truck and drove to the entrance of their settlement. A right turn and a half mile down the road, around a slight bend, and they could see the vehicles around the entrance to Luther's colony. When one of the troops directing traffic waved them by, Arthur stopped and lowered his window.

"What's going on?" he inquired.

"Federal law enforcement operation" the man said tersely. "Move along."

They could see Luther and Ted standing over by what looked like an improvised command post, talking to some of the black-clad agents.

"Hey, that's Luther over there." Douglas said.

"You know these people?" the man asked.

Arthur looked at the man's uniform. Over his left shirt pocket he could see the black lettering on a nearly black background. Simpson, apparently his last name.

"Doug does" he said, nodding towards Douglas. "I've run into him a in town a time or two."

Simpson waved toward another man, who walked over. His name apparently was Carter, although Grant wouldn't have put it past them to hide their identities on operations such as this.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Guys here say they know these people. Can we use them?"

"Maybe, we may need somebody to help with those guys. We got people shot down there, maybe dead."

You certainly do, thought Douglas.

"Let me talk to Luther" said Douglas. "Can we park somewhere?"

"Over there" said Carter pointing to an area just ahead.

Douglas got out and walked over toward where Luther and Ted were, while Arthur parked the truck.

"Luther. What's going on here?" he asked as he approached.

"They came in here, started shooting people." Luther said. "Some of us defended ourselves."

"They started the shooting." Carter said.

Douglas raised a hand for quiet.

"For now, let's get medical attention for those who need it. Do you have any ambulances on the way?"

Carter turned to one of the men.

"Get some ambulances out here." he said. "Whatever they've got in town, it's probably not much out here in the sticks."

He turned back to Douglas. Arthur had just arrived from parking the truck.

"You think you can help us end this without any more shooting?" Carter asked.

"Let me talk to Luther privately" Douglas said. "And you might want to try to assess the situation. Can you send one of your men down with Arthur to do a walk-through."

Carter delegated a man to go with Arthur, and the two of them left. Douglas walked with Luther a short distance away.

"What are your casualties?" he asked in a low voice. They probably didn't have any long-range ears directed at them, but they might.