Original Work Barry The Fairy.

Having completed most of the purchases needed for this operation, Barry bought the final set of three burner phones then removed the boxed contents placing them in ESD bags, then wrapping each in a closed layer of aluminum foil, and placed them in his truck. He then hit the local book stores for the needed code books. Purchasing a set of three paperback books from three locations, each set a different title and author, he then proceeded back to his cabin. There, he donned nitrile gloves and then removed the front and back covers from all the books and set them in the fireplace for later destruction. Each of the books were placed in individual bags, then a copy of each was placed in a larger bag with an ink pen. Three colors of ink were needed ID for purposes when reading the coded messages, Black, Blue, and red.

Barry then wrote notes in plain text requesting a meeting with the two ranchers in two days. The meeting place was a small cafe forty miles to the east of their home town. They were to drive cars, not trucks, and wear clothing indicative of typical urbanites. Nothing should indicate that they were ranchers. Barry then removed his gloves and waited for nightfall. Once good and dark, Barry drove to one of the nearby eateries and parked close enough for his truck to blend in, but not draw any attention either. Then going inside he ordered food to go then took it back to his truck where he donned the nitrile gloves then took the messages to the barber’s sign. Messages deposited, Barry drove back to his cabin and settled in for the night watching some MMA matches then an old western before turning in for the night.

Early the next morning after some coffee, Barry began his usual training routine of some light weights, calisthenics, running, and finishing up with some laser based pistol training in the nearby woods. Satisfied with the results, Barry then fixed and ate breakfast, then cleaned up the mess. It was time for his daily patrol.

Barry suited up in jeans, boots, and a cammie shirt and hat. He swung into his LBE gear, then shouldered his backpack and the gravel filled PVC pipe he carried as a pseudo rifle then exited the cabin. Everything on his training pack made up the same weight as his tactical gear, but would draw little if any attention if spotted or stopped by someone. His claim was to be in training for a future Alaskan bear hunt. Nothing he carried would be evidence of illegal hunting, and his only firearm was an economy grade imported .38 Spl snubnose revolver with the first two rounds rat shot for snakes. Hardly anything one would choose for a hunt, even though Barry could easily kill a deer using a standard bullet into the neck. Five miles in these brush choked hills would be more than enough to keep him in proper condition.

 

The next day Barry drove to a nearby town that had a two hundred yard rifle range, paid his fee and checked the zeros of his AR and M70 Winchester. He left the AR with an estimated 300 yd zero as best as he could with the drop table, and set the M70 with a five hundred yard zero. Then practiced slow fire for the next two hours before loading up and heading back to his rental cabin.

Once there, Barry cleaned all his weapons, then stacked them and his tactical gear behind the worn couch and rested for the rest of the evening. Tomorrow he would meet the two ranchers, ensure that they were still interested in continuing this course of action, then train them in how to use the books.

 

At 11:30 am the first car rolled into the parking lot driven by one of the ranchers. Barry saw that it was Mike Johnson alone as requested. He parked under a large tree and sat inside the car until he saw Ira Brooks pull into the parking lot in an equally ragged looking car. Barry motioned them over to him, and asked if they were still determined to take action if any of the cartel members showed up. Both replied in the affirmative, so Barry led them around to the side of his truck and removed the contact kits and handed both over. “In these bags you will find phones, nitrile gloves, note pads, books, and pens. Black, blue, and red will identify who the message comes from. Only write in your color with the pen provided.” Barry then showed the men how to use the books for messages, and how their opsec would work. That done he said. “Good, let’s go inside and get some lunch to avoid suspicion, and we can finish once we’re ready to leave.

 

Looking forward to a lot more story. Don't care if it is one line at a time. Like your devious mind in the story's and that it seldom runs in a straight line.

 

The three men walked in and were intercepted by a waitress who guided them to their requested table in the corner. Menes issued and meals selected the men settled down to wait. Since there were other diners in the area, Barry started a conversation to keep the mood light.

“I hear that you’ve brought in a big Lineback Dun stallion from Oklahoma. Mostly mustang blood? Heard he is 16h.” Barry said to Brooks.

Looking a little surprised but quickly recovering, Brooks replied. “Uh yeah, I got a good deal on him. He’s only three and has been saddle broke for a child to ride so it’s easy on his back. Those Native Americans I bought him from made me promise that no grown male would ride him until he reaches the age of five so as to not damage his back, and I have to agree with them as I’ve seen quite a few horses that were rode at two to three years old and it sure wasn’t good for them. Ruined the backs of two that I know of.”

“Same here.” Replied Mike Johnson with a disgusted look to his face. “I’ve got an uncle that just has to ride any new horse he gets first rattle outa the box. Don’t matter how young or old they are, and he’s messed up a few himself. Plumb irresponsible.”

“I
D like to come by and take a look at him sometime if that would be alright. I do love seeing good horseflesh.” Added Barry. “Is he a classic Lineback?”

“Yup, line down his back, black muzzle, mane, and tail. All four hooves are black too, and he’s rock solid. I might rope offa him, but little else. He’s gonna be breeding stock for the future.”, said Ira.

“That is some sound reasoning, and I wish more horse owners thought like you do. It would sure help out the horses.”

The men continued talking about horses, ranching issues, cattle prices and all the rest that goes along with rural life as they ate their meal. Once completed, they paid their bill leaving an average tip and walked out to their cars.

 

Once reaching the cars parked in the shade, Barry settled down to more instruction and logistics questions.

“We will have to be on the same sheet of music for this to work out properly and for none of us to go to jail. Only we three need to know the totality of the action plans, and everything else needs to be compartmentalized with the actors knowing only what they need to do and who to report to. As a for instance, all the people you know in town willing to help you, including family members need to only know what their job is. Observers, surveillance, chase/followers, and shooters need only to know their jobs. Do not under any circumstance let any of them except the shooters know that you might take some sort of action. Everyone needs to think that anything they tell you will go to the police and their names kept out of it, If they are part of the chase or drone operators, that all their data will be given to the police. No one is to know that extralegal efforts might be made. Indeed, we may not take any action at all other than a passive nature out of self defense. It is general public knowledge how petty, vicious, and vindictive these cartel types are. The danger they pose to your two families and the town in general is obvious as demonstrated by the increased and persistent police presence. We can make use of all this to achieve our goal of eliminating the threat and staying out of trouble. Don’t forget for one minute that the local DA will persecute us to the fullest extent of the law while maybe slapping the wrist of the cartel trash. We will hang and lose everything for “taking the law into our own hands” while the real criminals will be out on the street long before we will be. Never forget that. We will have to be very careful in our actions and not do anything overt if it can be avoided.” Said Barry.

Both men looked unhappy with the direction this was taking. Both wanted to go in guns blazing and take out any threat, while making an example of them to others. Ira was the first to speak. “You mean to tell me that they can come in here and kidnap or murder our family members at will and there is nothing we can do except tattle on them to the law?!?!”

From the look on his face Mike and Ira were on the same page as far as the actions they wanted to take. Barry couldn’t blame them as that is exactly what he also wanted to do, but knew what the probable outcome would be. Knowing he had to convince the men otherwise he spoke in a soothing voice.

“Look, I would prefer to round them up and burn ‘em at the stake as a lesson in public behavior myself, but we have to win in such a manner that our lives are minimally disrupted, and the problem is solved. No matter what is done both your families will always have to be on your guard from here out. These monsters will wait years to do a payback if they have to, and the longer they wait the more intense their efforts will be. Because of three idiots, both families will have to live like the Comanche are still around and PO’d at you. That will never end, whether you do anything or not. The best we can do is eliminate the emanate threat and hope for the best… and continue to be armed and on your guard. That means your entire families, but most especially, your son and daughter. There is no other way. I cannot help you if you do not cooperate. I do have something in mind that might take them out and draw much unwanted attention in their direction, but I’m keeping that to myself. Are we agreed?”

Both men stood there mulling it over then looked at each other and nodded. “OK, we will do as you ask if it will work.”, stated Mike Johnson.

Barry replied, “I will do my best for you to get the best conclusion possible. I need your words of honor that you will not do anything, especially overt without clearing it with me first.”

Both men nodded and verbally agreed and shook hands with Barry.

“OK, now let’s discuss how the shooter end may work and whom they will be.”, said Barry.

 

“Your shooters must not only be good shots and steady men, but must be able to keep their mouths shut concerning this indefinitely. The best shot in the world that runs his mouth is of absolutely no use to us, but would ruin everything, and land everyone in hot water while the cartel runs free laughing at us. You will lose everything you have, and your family will still be helpless targets while you are in the penitentiary awaiting the needle you might not live long enough to receive.”

“The shooters must have a variety of untraceable weapons at their disposal, at a minimum a .22LR rifle and pistol, a centerfire pistol between 9MM and .45 ACP no higher, a centerfire rifle, and a shotgun, though the last is optional. They will have to practice their skills individually, and never as a group as that draws attention. They can never take unilateral action and must follow orders to the letter if at all possible. You gentlemen and I will make all plans and deliver all the orders required. No outside anything from anybody. OK? Think long and carefully about just who you will trust your future and that of your families to. Less is better, and we do not need very many shooters at all, and they will be the last resort if at all. I will instruct all of you in how to handle weapons, ammunition, and first aid myself. No one else can know any of this.”

“You seem mighty persnickety, and might I say bossy, about how this will be handled. We aren’t fools, and don’t need to be led around by the nose by some unknown kid. Are you even thirty years old yet?” Asked Ira.

Mike looked pensive but said nothing.

“I’m thirty two years old. I have recent combat experience, and can outshoot any man in this county. If you do not want my help and would rather handle this yourself, I completely understand and will withdraw myself from your problems. But as I said a few moments ago, I can’t have anyone making decisions on their own. There can be only one leader, and like it or not, that is me. I’m going to give you a couple of days to consider your course of action in this matter.”

With that, Barry walked to his truck and drove away. Mike is predictable and level headed and I can rely on him. Ira on the other hand is too hard headed and at least difficult if not impossible to control. He will probably ruin the whole effort. I have to decide whether to kick them loose and handle this myself, or just drop the whole thing. If I stay there is a chance that Ira will draw unwanted attention to all of us regardless of whether we are doing something or not… he may have just decided how the cards will fall on this one.

Continuing down the road, Barry was considering what he needed to do to keep out of trouble, and that he had made a serious error in contacting the ranchers without getting more detail on them than he had. Lesson learned.

 

Sitting in his rented cabin and sharing a rotisserie chicken with his dog while watching an Audie Murphy western, Barry had came to the conclusion that his current course of action was probably a mistake. Ira Brooks was definitely a wild card that he should have investigated more thoroughly to start with. Ever since being challenged by Brooks the uneasy feelings he had were growing. He had given the two ranchers two days to think over the arrangement they’d came to and decide if further cooperation was to be of any benefit. Part of Barry wanted for them to push for control, thereby giving him an easy excuse to do what he knew was the better course of action. How much trouble would/could they cause him if he acted unilaterally and just handled the situation himself, that was the question, and Barry didn’t like what he thought might happen. None the less, he knew he should check the letter drops to see if nay communication was being attempted.

Having made up his mind, Barry left the TV on and the dog on the couch, then started his truck and headed into town. Driving slowly and carefully scanning the area for threats or police Barry moved to the main intersection in town and parked his truck in the dark part of a lot and walked into the convenience store after checking the interior for anyone lingering about, and seeing no threat moved in and purchased a bottled ice tea, paid for it then walked outside and took his time drinking the beverage at the picnic tables provided for customers. Movement of traffic and pedestrians were normal for this time of night. A few busy restaurants and fern bars had vehicles jamming lots, but everything else was all but deserted. After another twenty minutes, Barry dropped his bottle into the trash and headed to the first dead drop by way of empty lots and the back side of buildings. Finally arriving at the sign, Barry carefully watched the whole area for any observers, and finding none walked to the barber sign and reached inside.

He was surprised to find several sheets of encrypted paper in both ink colors. Crap, not good at all!!!” Barry thought. Pocketing the papers, Barry returned to his truck and watched for a few moments to be sure no one was around then he stepped inside and drove to the back side of the local hardware store and parked. Removing a flashlight, he checked under the hood, fenders and everywhere he could think of. On the inside bottom of the frame he found what he was looking for, an AirTag! Forcing himself to keep his temper, Barry reconducted his search and went into the engine compartment finding another AirTag in the air cleaner, then another under the inside of the spare tire. None on the inside of the cab, so now he knew that he’d been tagged since he came to town as he had earlier in the day done a complete vehicle search and found nothing. This meant that locals or someone else were on the look out for him and spotted his truck once in town. Most probably the Brooks faction. It’s a good thing that I learned to plan ahead and do at least some thinking before getting in over my head.

Barry drove to a residential part of the small town and used his burner phone to make a couple of calls. Having completed that, he drove back to the cabin, then took the dog, money, tear gas spray, code books, and the weapons to hide out in the woods for the night as a precautionary measure. Once he reached his preselected spot where he could watch the cabin and had three different escape paths, Barry shook out his poncho and got under it with the red light to decipher the messages. He found what he had expected, but not what he wanted to find. Brooks was demanding a meet PDQ in two messages, and Johnson wanted to talk but it didn’t seem pressing. Brooks settled the issue in Barry’s mind. Time to beat feet.

 

Good one. Like the character development.. Thank you.

 

“I have half a mind to pay Brooks and company a visit for their trouble, but I ain’t gonna. Too easy to get caught because of that fool! After everything I tried to help him with and protect him and his family, especially the girl, he pulls something like this! The freaking idiot!!! I guess no good deed goes unpunished, and this has earned them being left to the tender mercies of whatever criminal element started this, and the LEO’s. Little to no help from that quarter. I guess it is better that I found out now instead of later on when I’m in neck deep dealing with the whole mess. Damnation!!!”

Having made up his mind, Barry crept around the hill side to keep the only road in or out of the area under surveillance. Here, he would wait a short while to see what if anything showed up, then he’d decide how to deal with it. “Man, this is a good little truck, and I hate losing it. Can’t be helped though, I have to break ties cleanly with this area. Might as well start now.” Barry thought. He then rounded up his equipment though it took two trips to load the truck. Once there, he wiped down everything to clear away and prints, and took the metal foil lined box he’d placed the air tags in and put those into the glove box, started the engine and drove down to the highway heading towards New Braunsfels.

 

Pulling into the HEB parking lot on Hwy 306, Barry looked for a dark area, and finding none backed into a space that allowed him to observe the busiest entrances to the lot and also store. Settling low into the seat, Barry made himself comfortable and observed the area. After twenty minutes, he found that there was no security patrol to worry about, but there were the ever present cameras, some of which were owned by the store and monitored. He doubted that this would make any difference to his plan and maintained vigilance for nosey store employees. None came, and a short while later a non descript white Ford pickup cruised up and Barry gave the driver the follow me sign. Both vehicles pulled out onto 306 and headed east out of town. A few miles further on where no houses or light poles were he pulled over and got out of the truck, then walked over to greet the driver.

“What kind of trouble are you in now?” Asked his Army buddy Zach.

“The worst kind, got a woman after me.”, said Barry.

“Is she married?”, asked Zach with a rueful shake of his head.

“Nope, but she’s crazy and I need to shake her loose. Help me load my stuff into the Ford.”

“Looks like an awful expensive way to disappear. I’m betting the law may be involved.” He said with a smile.

Both men got moving and soon everything was moved into the other vehicle. “Do you remember that convenience store back toward town where the migrant workers hang out?”, asked Barry.

“Yup, that where we’re dumping that fine mo-chine?”

“Yup. You just stop a block short and park with your lights off OK?”

“Gotcha”, replied Zach.

Barry went back to his truck and removed the air tags and replaced them where he’d initially found them then started the truck and pulled a U-turn back onto 306 heading west this time. Soon the Convenience store came into view and Zach faded back and stopped on the side of the road. Barry continued on to the store, pulled into the busy lot and parked near the unofficial lounging area. Leaving the keys in the ignition he saw that nearly a dozen migrant workers were standing around drinking beer and talking. Barry nodded at the nearest one that noticed him and walked into the store. He spent some time viewing the merchandise and when enough customers were lined up at the register he stepped into line behind them. Soon, more people filed in behind him and he appeared to b part of the group that was chatting back and forth.

Barry took his turn at paying for the coffee and pastry then moved forward and stalled at the door until the group behind him started to leave. He then stepped out in front and held the door, exiting with the small crowd and disappeared into the night. A few minutes later Barry made it to Zach, opened the door and climbed in.

“Ready to go? “Asked Zach.

“Let’s give it a few moments and see how long the truck lasts.” Just as Barry spoke the truck came flying out of the lot and burned rubber heading west toward Hwy I35.

“Looks like I spoke too soon.” Cracked Barry.

“Indeed it do” agreed Zach.