The Quickie Mart Martyrs
This could be nothing, or it could be the start of hell on earth for the five of them. It would depend on how they acted when they got up to the station. Charlie looked at the five Feds as they talked at the edge of the tree line. Yep, they would be coming soon. The talk in town was that they would be reinforcing the paratroopers that came in last week. It was all BS it Charlie. It was bad for business as the Federals closed all the major highways and were only letting those with permits through. The gas selling business was hurting big time.
Charlie nodded to Keith, who climbed up into the attic of the old station. Charlie Looked below the counter at the Shotgun he kept for holdups. He felt reassured that it was there. Charlie hated this damn fight. He wanted no part of it and he didn’t care which side won, he just wanted life to get back to normal.
The five soldiers spread apart, two going towards the back, like Charlie had something to hide. Two more came towards the front while the fifth one stayed in the trees, setting up a machine gun. Charlie slipped his old revolver into the back of his pants and pulled his flannel shirt over it. He looked around and picked up a shop rag and started wiping his hands as he walked out the door. The two Feds didn’t exactly raise their rifles at him, but they did move them in his direction. “Howdy, what do you boys need? I got cold sodas, beer and a couple of sandwiches in the shop, for a fee of course” He wanted to let them know that they could buy stuff, but not have it.
The shorter of the two seemed to be in charge, he smiled. “I don’t have any cash on me, but a sip or two out of your water fountain would be awesome”. Allen wanted to seem friendly but not condescending and he really was thirsty. By asking for a drink, he was inviting himself in so he could look around. He wanted to be able to report to the major that the gas station was benign. “Help your self” Charlie replied. He moved to hold the door open because he didn’t want the fed looking around without him there.
Allen moved to the door and looked around he saw the dusty shelves and register, looking at everything in the room but the fountain. He noticed a shotgun under the counter with a half empty box of shells. Normally Allen would be concerned, but a gas station on the outskirts of town, along a dark road, no this guy was just concerned about security. Allen walked over to the fountain and took a sip, the cold water felt great. He had to be careful not to take in too much. Getting cramps would be a bad thing while in the field.
He wiped his chin and moved back to the door. “You know, there is a ban on personally owned fire arms, such as shotguns, right?” “You don’t say” “Yeah, I do say. If some government official came by and saw one, say under a counter, he would be obligated to report that and then the property would be seized.” “I didn’t know that” Charlie replied, knowing full well that was the one of the statutes in the martial law that the Federals had imposed since the uprising began. “Sir, I recommend you make sure that there are no firearms in plain sight on these premises, ok?” Allen waited, he didn’t want to have to report this, and he didn’t want this guy to have to suffer any more than he had. It was evident that business was not booming for him. “I’ll make sure of that, general.” Allen smiled and moved through the door while Charlie crossed to the counter and picked up the shotgun.
The plate glass window shattered as three rounds from John’s rifle thundered into the small shop. Charlie’s staggered forward as three more rounds punched into his back, his lifeless body fell over the cash register. Keith hearing the noise below sighted in on the man at the machine gun, his .30-.30 deer rifle had a scope on it and he had claimed many deer with it, but paused a moment before he pulled the trigger. His shot was straight and true. Eddie’s head flew back then forward the single bullet ending his life is a flash. Eddie died without knowing why or how.
John looked around when he heard the shot. He fell against the side of the building. Looking up he saw the rifle barrel being pulled back into the vent. Allen looked into the door way at Charlie. Rage filled him as he looked out the window in time to see John and Greg fall against the wall. John looking around he caught Allen’s eye and pointed up. Allen looked the shop and saw the access panel in the ceiling, he pointed it out to John who nodded. Allen move slowly over to the panel as another shot rang out from above them.
A scream sounded from the front of the station. “I’m hit” Jones cried out in a panicked voice. “I’m pinned down” he panted out. Allen cursed himself for forgetting about Jonesy. When he reached the ladder, he slung is rifle and pulled his pistol. Climbing the ladder seemed to take fore ever, slowly one rung at a time.
Keith cursed under his breath; he knew that nothing good was going on down there. He watched the second solider fall and take cover behind the pumps. There was no way Keith was going to fire at the pump, he has too much respect for fire to do that. Keith moved to the other side, trying to find out what happened to the two that went to the back. He pressed his eyes to the vent and looked out, not seeing anything. He pressed up close looking down as far as he could.
Allen slowly pushed the trap door open he saw movement to his left. Pointing his .40 S&W that way he saw the silhouette of a man looking out and down. He’s looking for us Allen thought as he looked at the rifle hunter he thought to himself. He leveld the pistol at the center mass, lining up the front and rear sites on the thin man’s back. How the hell can you kill an innocent animal? Allen gently applied just enough pressure to fire the first round and then popped off four more, the first and two more hit the target who fell like a sack of potatoes. Allen quickly spun about looking around the rest of the dirty attic. ‘CLEAR” he yelled out “Greg, check Jonesy. John go find out why Eddie didn’t cover us” Allen crawled over to the body and reached in to the back pocket. He pulled out the wallet. The old state issued drivers license inside of it identified the man as Keith Roye. Well he thought at least it’s not an issue, two illegal fire arms, an invalid state id, no federal papers. There is no way this was going to be an unlawful shooting. The Major might even be happy about it.
The thought that they made it through another incident was not all that comforting. What should have been easy was not and two locals that may or most likely may not have been rebels were dead, Jones was wounded and all for nothing. Allen climbed down the ladder and moved out the door. “JOHN!” The more he thought about it the more pissed he was becoming. John walked out of the tree line with a smirk on his face. “Eddie caught a round in the forehead.” All of a sudden Allen hated John with a passion he had never felt before. He threw a sucker punch that knocked John off of his feet. On his way down, John reached for his rifle. Allen had his pistol trained on him before he could bring it to bear. “Think about it, or do you want to be a KIA along with Eddie” John held up his hands “Dude, what is the big deal? Eddie was deadweight and we killed two rebs that no one will miss.”
Allen looked at John not believing that the stupid moron had the balls to say that. “John, we didn’t kill to rebels, we created two more martyrs for their cause, You don’t get it do you?” He shook his head wondering how someone so vile could be serving in the same army as he was. This incident would not be forgotten, it would be avenged, it didn’t matter what the real issues were that caused the rebellion, the only thing that mattered now was the perception of how the government handled it.
Charlie nodded to Keith, who climbed up into the attic of the old station. Charlie Looked below the counter at the Shotgun he kept for holdups. He felt reassured that it was there. Charlie hated this damn fight. He wanted no part of it and he didn’t care which side won, he just wanted life to get back to normal.
The five soldiers spread apart, two going towards the back, like Charlie had something to hide. Two more came towards the front while the fifth one stayed in the trees, setting up a machine gun. Charlie slipped his old revolver into the back of his pants and pulled his flannel shirt over it. He looked around and picked up a shop rag and started wiping his hands as he walked out the door. The two Feds didn’t exactly raise their rifles at him, but they did move them in his direction. “Howdy, what do you boys need? I got cold sodas, beer and a couple of sandwiches in the shop, for a fee of course” He wanted to let them know that they could buy stuff, but not have it.
The shorter of the two seemed to be in charge, he smiled. “I don’t have any cash on me, but a sip or two out of your water fountain would be awesome”. Allen wanted to seem friendly but not condescending and he really was thirsty. By asking for a drink, he was inviting himself in so he could look around. He wanted to be able to report to the major that the gas station was benign. “Help your self” Charlie replied. He moved to hold the door open because he didn’t want the fed looking around without him there.
Allen moved to the door and looked around he saw the dusty shelves and register, looking at everything in the room but the fountain. He noticed a shotgun under the counter with a half empty box of shells. Normally Allen would be concerned, but a gas station on the outskirts of town, along a dark road, no this guy was just concerned about security. Allen walked over to the fountain and took a sip, the cold water felt great. He had to be careful not to take in too much. Getting cramps would be a bad thing while in the field.
He wiped his chin and moved back to the door. “You know, there is a ban on personally owned fire arms, such as shotguns, right?” “You don’t say” “Yeah, I do say. If some government official came by and saw one, say under a counter, he would be obligated to report that and then the property would be seized.” “I didn’t know that” Charlie replied, knowing full well that was the one of the statutes in the martial law that the Federals had imposed since the uprising began. “Sir, I recommend you make sure that there are no firearms in plain sight on these premises, ok?” Allen waited, he didn’t want to have to report this, and he didn’t want this guy to have to suffer any more than he had. It was evident that business was not booming for him. “I’ll make sure of that, general.” Allen smiled and moved through the door while Charlie crossed to the counter and picked up the shotgun.
The plate glass window shattered as three rounds from John’s rifle thundered into the small shop. Charlie’s staggered forward as three more rounds punched into his back, his lifeless body fell over the cash register. Keith hearing the noise below sighted in on the man at the machine gun, his .30-.30 deer rifle had a scope on it and he had claimed many deer with it, but paused a moment before he pulled the trigger. His shot was straight and true. Eddie’s head flew back then forward the single bullet ending his life is a flash. Eddie died without knowing why or how.
John looked around when he heard the shot. He fell against the side of the building. Looking up he saw the rifle barrel being pulled back into the vent. Allen looked into the door way at Charlie. Rage filled him as he looked out the window in time to see John and Greg fall against the wall. John looking around he caught Allen’s eye and pointed up. Allen looked the shop and saw the access panel in the ceiling, he pointed it out to John who nodded. Allen move slowly over to the panel as another shot rang out from above them.
A scream sounded from the front of the station. “I’m hit” Jones cried out in a panicked voice. “I’m pinned down” he panted out. Allen cursed himself for forgetting about Jonesy. When he reached the ladder, he slung is rifle and pulled his pistol. Climbing the ladder seemed to take fore ever, slowly one rung at a time.
Keith cursed under his breath; he knew that nothing good was going on down there. He watched the second solider fall and take cover behind the pumps. There was no way Keith was going to fire at the pump, he has too much respect for fire to do that. Keith moved to the other side, trying to find out what happened to the two that went to the back. He pressed his eyes to the vent and looked out, not seeing anything. He pressed up close looking down as far as he could.
Allen slowly pushed the trap door open he saw movement to his left. Pointing his .40 S&W that way he saw the silhouette of a man looking out and down. He’s looking for us Allen thought as he looked at the rifle hunter he thought to himself. He leveld the pistol at the center mass, lining up the front and rear sites on the thin man’s back. How the hell can you kill an innocent animal? Allen gently applied just enough pressure to fire the first round and then popped off four more, the first and two more hit the target who fell like a sack of potatoes. Allen quickly spun about looking around the rest of the dirty attic. ‘CLEAR” he yelled out “Greg, check Jonesy. John go find out why Eddie didn’t cover us” Allen crawled over to the body and reached in to the back pocket. He pulled out the wallet. The old state issued drivers license inside of it identified the man as Keith Roye. Well he thought at least it’s not an issue, two illegal fire arms, an invalid state id, no federal papers. There is no way this was going to be an unlawful shooting. The Major might even be happy about it.
The thought that they made it through another incident was not all that comforting. What should have been easy was not and two locals that may or most likely may not have been rebels were dead, Jones was wounded and all for nothing. Allen climbed down the ladder and moved out the door. “JOHN!” The more he thought about it the more pissed he was becoming. John walked out of the tree line with a smirk on his face. “Eddie caught a round in the forehead.” All of a sudden Allen hated John with a passion he had never felt before. He threw a sucker punch that knocked John off of his feet. On his way down, John reached for his rifle. Allen had his pistol trained on him before he could bring it to bear. “Think about it, or do you want to be a KIA along with Eddie” John held up his hands “Dude, what is the big deal? Eddie was deadweight and we killed two rebs that no one will miss.”
Allen looked at John not believing that the stupid moron had the balls to say that. “John, we didn’t kill to rebels, we created two more martyrs for their cause, You don’t get it do you?” He shook his head wondering how someone so vile could be serving in the same army as he was. This incident would not be forgotten, it would be avenged, it didn’t matter what the real issues were that caused the rebellion, the only thing that mattered now was the perception of how the government handled it.
posted by Vulture 6 | 8:22 PM
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