Read Online United States Of Apocalypse by Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia - Free Book Online Page A

get in the middle of a family squabble. She silently hoped they were just exaggerating about his sister and the kids.
    “I’m shutting down the lights tonight,” Herbert said.
    “What for?” Pheebz asked.
    “If the Sawyer boys are going to come around it will be tonight. They have no patience. I’m sure the gas station burning down wasn’t an accident. They’ve wanted that spot since before I was born,” Herbert said.
    Pheebz sighed and looked at Darlene. “Herbert’s father and the Sawyer’s grandfather were rivals in high school. They had a idiotic feud over a girl. No one even remembers what her name was, but this stupid war has been raging for over sixty years.” She watched as Herbert walked out of the kitchen before continuing. “We tried to be civil but that didn’t stop the Sawyer kids from doing everything in their power to mess with Herbert over the years. As they’ve gotten older, they’ve gotten more bold and vicious. Last year, Buck Sawyer was arrested in Chico for drunk driving. He swears Herbert set him up because he was in the gas station buying snacks a few hours before and he might have had a few at that point. He said Herbert tipped off the State Police to have him arrested, which is a lie.”
    “No it isn’t. I called them as soon as he left the parking lot,” Herbert said as he walked back into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee.
    Pheebz put her hands on her hips. “What?”
    Herbert shrugged and winked at Darlene before sitting at the table. “Why wouldn’t I? The boy was drunk as a skunk. He was going to kill someone. I’m surprised he got as far as he did.”
    “You never told me you called them.”
    “You never asked. What difference does it make? He has no way to prove it was me that called, and he would blame me either way, so I’m glad I tipped them off,” Herbert said.
    Darlene smiled. She was at least having an amusing night seeing the couple talk and spar back and forth, just like her parents had done when she was little.
    “I’ll take first watch,” Herbert said.
    “I’ll take second,” Darlene answered.
    Herbert nodded. “I’ll set us up with a hard chair and a table on the porch and place some steel covered with dark sheets to block any shots.”
    “Please tell me it won’t come to that,” Pheebz said.
    “It might. I’d rather be on the cautious side. If it isn’t the Sawyer clan, it will be someone else soon enough. Everyone knows I’m the crazy old man on the big farm who hoards everything I can get my hands on. They know I have three barns on the property and they’re not filled with horses,” Herbert said. “Tomorrow at first light, I’ll drive the property and make sure the fences are still up. It won’t keep anyone out who wants to get in, but it might deter or slow them down some.”
    Pheebz shook her head and poured herself a cup of coffee.
    “I’ll go to sleep now. Wake me for my shift,” Darlene said.
    “I will. We can go over everything then. If you hear shooting, kindly come out guns blazing. Ask questions later,” Herbert said.
    “I’ll sleep with my Desert Eagle loaded on the nightstand.”
    “You saw where I placed the rifles. Tomorrow, we’ll put the rest of the guns out and boxes of ammo.” Herbert took a sip of his coffee.
    “How many weapons do you own?” Darlene asked.
    Herbert shrugged. “More than enough. And I’ve been buying ammo for years. I’ll need to get down to the cellar in the green barn and pull the crates. There are a few surprises down there for anyone stupid enough to come onto my property.”
    Darlene wanted a cup of coffee but knew it was going to be hard enough to get to sleep. She said goodnight and left the couple to talk for a while, knowing Herbert would be at his post in a bit.
    She wondered, if push came to shove, whether or not she’d be able to kill another person. What if they walked up the drive to talk? What if they were asking for help? She’d only caught a glimpse of the two