Rebellion, page 13
part #3 of Bug Out! California Series
Ji-Ho turned to him. “Very sensitive. Hope no rabbits nearby.”
Angel laughed. “Oh, great, we’re gonna crap our pants when some wild life walks by?”
“Be aware,” Ji-Ho said. “Remember that we bullet-proof. We have reaction time.”
“You don’t think anybody followed us, though, do you?” Seth asked.
“Nobody that I see,” Ji-Ho said. “I do this for sleep and to show friends we safe bet.”
“Well, if you’ve got the capability, might as well use it,” Trevor said.
“Yes,” Ji-Ho said.
The microwave bell went off.
“I’ll check it,” Kaylee said, pulling the container out of the microwave above the range top.
“Smells good,” Angel said. “I’m really hungry.”
“Seriously,” Seth said.
“It’s hot enough. Plates in the usual place?”
Ji-Ho chuckled. “Shoot, forgot to stow in safe travel spot. We’re lucky they didn’t fly out.”
“I’m surprised you can drive with the microwave turntable in,” Trevor said. “We have to take it out in my parent’s coach.”
Kaylee grabbed five plates and started dishing out the lasagna. Trevor got the pizza out of the fridge and set it on the counter as she worked.
“Thanks,” she said, glancing at him. He nodded and sat back down.
“Okay, come and get it,” she said.
They got the food and ate quickly, barely saying anything.
“Think we can get anything on the TV?” Angel asked.
“Need satellite dish,” Ji-Ho said. “Buried under weapons in storage compartment. If we stay longer I’d get out. Not worth for tonight.”
“Okay,” Angel said. “Wondering if our little dust-up in Temecula made the news.”
“Can your warehouse be tracked if they find your SUV?” Kaylee asked.
“No, different names,” Ji-Ho said. He got out of the dinette and set his plate in the sink.
“Should we wash dishes tonight?” Kaylee asked.
“No, we sleep,” he said.
The others finished and got busy with the beds.
“Who’s sleeping where?” Trevor asked.
“I’m sleeping here,” Angel said, pulling out the convertible sofa. “Wow, this is full size, huh?”
“Full queen, yes,” Ji-Ho said. “I set up dinette.” He got to work on that.
Kaylee glanced at Trevor and he looked away quickly.
“I’m gonna bunk with Angel,” Seth said. “If I can trust him.”
“Shut up, dude,” Angel said. Both of them snickered.
“C’mon,” Kaylee said to Trevor.
“We’ll leave the door open,” Trevor said, shooting a glance at Ji-Ho.
“Stop it,” Kaylee whispered as they walked back.
“Just trying to be polite,” Trevor said.
“You’re being weird. I’m not undressing with the door open in front of all those men.” She slid the bedroom door shut.
“I’m going to sleep in my clothes, remember?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’ll get cold. Forget it. Turn around.”
Trevor’s heart pounded as he turned.
“Don’t get weird,” she said softly. “You’re trembling.”
“Sorry.” He could hear the flutter of her pants as she pulled them off.
“I’m getting under the covers,” she said. “Your turn.”
He stripped down to his underwear, back still to her, and then turned around.
“Wait a minute,” she said softly. “Underwear. Let them dry out, at least. It’s not like we have new clothes to change into tomorrow morning.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” he asked, back still to her.
“It’s what I did,” she said.
Trevor slipped off his underwear and rushed to the bed, slipping under the covers. He lay on his back, still trembling, heart pounding.
“You need to settle down,” she whispered, turning her face to him. She giggled. “You’re afraid to move.”
“Sorry, I’m trying to settle down,” he said softly.
She sighed, then moved over him, her naked body almost on top of him. “There, now you don’t have to worry about it. Can’t get much more familiar than this.”
“Kaylee,” he whispered, beside himself.
“Relax,” she whispered. “You don’t get me tonight. We’re not even close to that stage yet. Just settle down and go to sleep. Keep me warm. I’m freezing.”
He turned to her, the urge to kiss overpowering.
“Go ahead,” she whispered.
“Go ahead?”
She rolled her eyes and kissed him, slow and passionate, both of them moaning. Then she broke it. “There. Now let’s go to sleep.”
“Seriously?” Trevor whispered. “You’re trying to drive me nuts.”
“No I’m not,” she said. “It is what it is, now sleep.” She moved slightly away, still facing him, still touching, feeling him tremble. When he shut his eyes she let a grin wash over her face.
Chapter 11 – Control Room
“You think the person in the box office will let us into the Armstrong, kid?” Sparky asked, from the wheel of the UN van.
“Probably our best chance if we don’t want to break in,” Robbie said. “Our cover story should work, as long as the box office is still manned by a normal Torrance city employee.”
“How’d you get in before?” Ted asked.
“I’ve always gone through the door by the green room,” Robbie said. “That’s down a walkway between the Japanese Garden and the Media Center. It’s probably locked, unless there’s an event going on.”
“If there’s an event going on, we’re screwed,” Tex said. “We’ll have to go to plan B.”
“The media center might be harder than the theater,” Robbie said. “The doors are exposed to the side road that leads to the police station. The walls inside the courtyard are brick. No windows.”
“Any places to hide in the theater if it does have activity?” Sparky asked. “That orchestra pit you talked about?”
“The orchestra pit isn’t very deep, and there’s no place to hide. People on stage or in the walkway in front of the seats can see in. The only chance in that part of the building are the wings on either side of the pit, and I wouldn’t suggest that. No reason to be there, for one thing.”
“So where could we go that wouldn’t arouse suspicion?” Ted asked.
Robbie thought for a moment. “Two places. Either the control room at the back of the house, or backstage. Both locations have audio consoles. The control room would be much better.”
“Why?” Sparky asked.
“It’s like a projection room with larger windows, up above the rear seats. We could hide in there.”
“Okay, then that’s our play,” Sparky said.
“We’re getting close,” Robbie said. “Turn left on Madrona, then take the first right. It’s just past the public swimming pool.”
“Got it, kid,” Sparky said. “Less traffic around here.”
“Probably a high concentration of UN creeps,” Ted said. “We’re close to their South Bay headquarters.”
“Great, then they might stop us,” Tex said.
“I’m more worried about Jules’s team,” Sparky said. “They’re going in as civilians.”
“There’s Madrona,” Robbie said. Sparky got into the left turn lane and waited at the light.
“I can see quite a few cars in the parking lot back there,” Ted said. “That’s a good sign.”
“It is,” Sparky said. “Hope our plan for sneaking in the weapons works out okay.”
“It will,” Tex said. “Hope we can use the walkie talkies without being detected.”
“That’s my biggest fear,” Ted said. “Light changed.”
“Shoot,” Sparky said, driving forward, making the left, then turning right into the parking lot.
“Where?” Sparky asked.
“Go past the two buildings on the left, and park by the circular driveway.”
“I see it,” Sparky said. He found a parking place near the front. “Okay, everybody out. Let’s get the wagon.”
They got out and went to the back, all of them helping to lift out the wagon. It was a coffin-shaped wooden box on wheels with a handle to pull it. TPRD was stenciled on the sides and top.
“Thanks for the tip on the stencil, kid,” Sparky said. He grabbed the handle and pulled it as they walked towards the plaza in front of the theater.
“What does TPRD stand for again?” Tex asked.
“Torrance Parks and Rec Department,” Robbie said.
“Good, there’s somebody in the box office,” Ted said. They walked up, a middle-aged woman smiling at them from behind the window.
“Hello,” she said. “Can I help you? Looks like you’re with Parks and Rec.”
“We’re here to do some work on the audio systems,” Ted said. “Can you let us in, please?”
“Oh, it must be for the presentation tomorrow night,” she said. “Of course. Pull your equipment by the door.”
“Thanks,” Ted said. “C’mon, men.”
They headed to the first of several doors on the glass front of the theater lobby. The matronly woman was there, holding the door open. Sparky wrestled the box through the door.
“Where are you working?” she asked.
“The control room,” Robbie said.
“Very good,” she said. “Go up the stairs, over there. I’m afraid you’ll have to carry your equipment up.”
“No problem,” Sparky said. “Thanks so much.”
“You’re quite welcome,” she said. “There’s a crew setting up risers on the stage, but they’re almost done.”
“What’s going on?” Robbie asked.
“Some kind of panel discussion,” she said. “They aren’t telling us much about it. It’s by invite only. Probably a bunch of UN creeps.” She put her hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, we aren’t fans either,” Tex said. “This is just a job to us.”
“Please don’t say anything,” the woman said. “People have been punished.”
“Mum’s the word,” Sparky said.
“How long do you think you’ll be,” the woman asked.
“Several hours, I’m afraid,” Sparky said.
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I’m only here for another hour. You’ll have to let yourselves out. Just pull the door shut until you hear a loud click, okay?”
“No problem,” Sparky said.
She smiled, then turned and went back to the box office.
“Wonder what kind of shindig they have planned?” Tex asked.
“Good question,” Ted said. “I’ll hold the door until you get this beast through.”
Sparky nodded as he opened the door. There was a long, straight stairway, dimly lit. The men got on both sides of the wagon and lifted it, Ted joining them after they cleared the door.
“This sucker is heavy,” Tex whispered.
“The lights are on in there,” Sparky whispered. They got to the top of the stairs.
“Who the hell are you guys?” a black man asked, working on a large TV camera.
“Audio,” Sparky said. “You working the gig tomorrow too?”
He eyed them for a moment. “Yeah. You with the UN?”
“Contractors,” Tex said. “You don’t look too fond of the UN.”
The man chuckled. “I’m not saying jack.”
“You know what’s going on tomorrow night?”
“Not sure, but it’s gonna be a big deal,” the man said. “I’m Jordan, by the way.”
“Frank, and this is Timmy, John, and Dick.”
“Good to meet you,” he said.
Robbie was having a hard time keeping a straight face.
“You gonna run this camera tomorrow night?”
“Yeah, but they made me go through a background check before they okayed it. I was the only person in my company who passed.”
Tex chuckled. “Really? Must be muckity-mucks, then.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I probably won’t be too busy. The main video work is gonna be from those cameras down there.”
Robbie looked out the window, into the house below. There were two metal stands holding large TV cameras on either side of the stage, and one dead center, taking out four chairs in the middle.
“We heard the crew was still working the stage,” Ted said.
“They finished a couple of minutes ago,” Jordan said. “You just missed them.”
Tex glanced at Sparky. “Where’s the restrooms?”
“Downstairs,” Robbie said. “Go left through the lobby when you get out of the stairwell.”
“I’ll go with you,” Sparky said. He and Tex left the room.
“You going to be up here alone tomorrow night?” Ted asked Jordan.
“Yeah, they’re controlling the sound from the console back stage,” he said, eyeing him. “Why?”
“Just wondering,” Ted said.
“What’s in the box?” he asked.
“Tools and equipment,” Ted said.
“Uh huh,” he said. “You need about three different screwdrivers to work on the audio in this place.”
“We have test equipment too,” Robbie said.
“Uh huh,” Jordan said. “Who are you guys? Really?”
“Audio techs,” Ted said. “Really.”
Robbie’s heart pounded in his chest.
“You look a little nervous,” Jordan said, eyeing Robbie.
“I’m okay,” Robbie said. “Being around these UN folks gives me the creeps, that’s all. Heard bad stories.”
Ted glanced at him, then back at Jordan. “What do you think of the UN?”
“How do I know you’re not with them?” Jordan asked.
“How do we know you’re not with them?” Ted asked.
Jordan laughed. “We have a stalemate here, I’m afraid.”
Sparky and Tex came back in the room. Jordan’s head snapped around, looking at them, brow furrowed.
Sparky made eye contact. “Jordan, let’s take a walk.”
“Wait,” Ted said. “Jordan, you have any military experience?”
“Why do you ask?” Jordan looked at them, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
“The way you observe, and the way you carry yourself,” Ted said. “Special Forces of some kind, right?”
He sighed. “Army Rangers. You too?”
“Navy Seals,” Ted said.
“Ted,” Sparky said.
“You ever hear of Ivan the Butcher?” Ted asked.
Jordan froze. “Crap, you guys are planning a frigging hit.”
“We gonna trust this guy?” Sparky asked.
“I trust him,” Tex said. “Got a sixth sense about that. Want to kill some UN creeps, Jordan?”
Jordan sat down on a chair next to his camera, his eyes shifting between them. “I’m listening.”
Sparky sighed. “Dammit, you’d better be right about this guy,” he said, looking at Ted, then Tex.
“What’s going on tomorrow night?” Ted asked.
“I overheard some of those UN slugs talking earlier, when I was downstairs near the stage. It’s a leadership discussion. The regional governor is gonna be here. Also some of the Feds. High ranking.”
“Simpson?” Ted asked, eyes wide.
“No, they’d already have Secret Service crawling all over the place if it was him. Somebody mentioned the Attorney General, though.”
“Blake,” Sparky said. “Son of a bitch.
“We have a mission, guys,” Robbie said. “Remember?”
“We just talked to Jules,” Sparky said. “He’s getting with Ivan. We might move this out one more night.”
“You guys weren’t planning a hit here, were you?” Jordan asked.
“Oh, there was a hit planned,” Sparky said. “City Hall. The Regional Governor is living there. We were planning a hit tonight. We still might do it. Or we might change our plans.”
“We still have a rescue mission, guys, remember.” Robbie said.
“Rescue mission?” Jordan asked.
“They’ve got a rape operation going on in the Torrance Police Station,” Robbie said. “They took my girlfriend there. Also another young woman I know.”
Jordan got an angry look on his face. “So it’s true. Been hearing rumors. You know that police station is like a fortress, right?”
“There are tunnels,” Sparky said. “That’s why we’re in this building. When the attack starts on City Hall, we were going to use the tunnels to get into the Police station. Rescue the women and kill every UN thug we see.”
“What’s really in the box?” Jordan asked.
“M60 machine guns. M-16s. Shotguns. Grenades. Claymore mines. Plastic explosives for the holding cell in the police station.”
“You have another team,” Jordan said.
“Yeah, in another one of the buildings that’s connected into the tunnel system,” Ted said.
Jordan sat silently for a moment, thinking. “Okay, I’m in.”
“Good,” Sparky said, pulling out his walkie talkie. He sent a blip to Jules.
Tex smiled. “Okay, I’m Tex. This is Sparky, Ted, and Robbie.”
Jordan smirked. “Good to meet you, I think.”
“Sparky?” Jules voice scratched from the walkie talkie.
“Yeah. Where are you guys?”
“Parking lot,” he said. “Waiting for instructions. If we hold off until tomorrow night, we go and come back tomorrow afternoon.”
“I wouldn’t do that. I’d find a place to hide here,” Jordan said.
Jules was quiet for a moment. “What the hell? That the camera guy? I told you ice him.”
“We recruited him,” Sparky said.
“He’s an Army Ranger,” Ted said. “And he hates the UN.”
“Son of bitch,” Jules said. “You sure you trust?”
“We’re sure,” Tex said. “Trust me, old buddy. We know our own.”
“Tex thinks okay,” Jules said. “You always right. If he get us killed, I come back from grave and mess you up good, Texan.”
“I’ll take that chance, partner,” Tex said.
“Okay, Jordan, welcome to the team,” Sparky said. “You think we shouldn’t leave and come back. Why?”
“They’re probably gonna shut down the parking lot,” Jordan said. “I would if I were them. Where were you gonna hide?”
