200 Miles to Liberty Read online

  200 Miles to Liberty

  Book 4 in the Perilous Miles Series

  P.A. Glaspy

  Copyright 2019

  All Rights Reserved

  P.A. Glaspy

  1st Edition

  No part of this work may be reproduced in any form, except to quote in reviews or in the press, without the express permission of the author. Any unauthorized reproduction of this work is illegal and punishable by law.

  This is a work of fiction. Any parallel to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.

  Published by Glaspy Publishing Inc

  Other works by P.A. Glaspy

  A Powerless World Series:

  Before the Power was Gone

  When the Power is Gone

  When the Peace is Gone

  When the Pain is Gone

  Perilous Miles Series:

  300 Miles

  15 Miles from Home

  Another 20 Miles

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  RECAP

  300 Miles, Book One in the Perilous Miles series, introduced us to Carly Marshall and her sons, Aaron and Cameron. Her parents, Joel and Lauri Chambers, live close, just a couple of miles away. We meet Elliott Marshall, Aaron and Cameron’s paternal grandfather, who lives in the country. We also get a glimpse of Carly’s brother, Will, who is on his way home when everything falls apart.

  We see them going through their day-to-day lives, unaware that something sinister is being plotted on the other side of the world. Something that will turn their lives upside down.

  Book Two, 15 Miles From Home, picks up after the event and follows Will’s journey from Interstate 40, where his car stopped running, to his parents’ home. He meets Amanda Frye on the road and invites her to come with him, since she lives in Wisconsin and would likely never get there safely, if at all. There’s something about her that feels comfortable and right.

  Carly isn’t handling the situation well and can’t keep her mind off the fact that her sons are twenty miles away and she has no way to get to them or that her previous life is gone. A once strong independent woman is becoming a pain in the butt with her whining and crying. Joel and Lauri try to comfort her as they anxiously await the arrival of their son. Joel spends a lot of time helping his neighbors with things as simple as building a fire while trying to get them to understand this isn’t just a power outage. His words fall on mostly deaf ears.

  We find out who the president of the United States is and his plan for the country after the attack. It’s not a good plan — especially for the people of the country. He wants to take away rights and freedoms and doesn’t care if anyone agrees with him or not.

  Speaker of the House Phil Roman is concerned when the president says he will not be stepping down for the newly elected president in January. He knows this is unconstitutional, but then pretty much everything the president is planning falls into that category as well. In a private meeting with General Charles Everley, United States Army and senior member of the Joint Chiefs, a decision is made to collect the president-elect in New York City and bring him to D.C. General Everley tasks his aide, Major Damon Sorley, with the mission. In a military Humvee and one of very few vehicles that still work, his trip will not be covert. On the contrary, he will be a target for anyone who thinks they can commandeer his transportation. The mission will be dangerous, even more so for a man traveling so many miles alone in a land where desperation leads people to make bad decisions.

  In Book Three, Another 20 Miles continues the story with Carly and her family dealing with needy neighbors while trying to figure out how to get to Elliott and the boys. Carly is sullen and moody, lashing out at anyone close to her. Will and Joel, along with Amanda, go to one of Joel’s friends who lives nearby, Teddy Patterson, in the hopes of bartering for some of the guns Joel knows he has. They find Teddy in a very poor state and help him get situated. When Teddy finds out they are trying to get to Tipton County, he offers them the miracle they’ve been looking for — a running vehicle. They figured out the “how”. Now they just had to decide the “when”.

  Elliott is teaching the boys how to manage without electricity. His own neighbors are looking for answers and assistance. They’re making preparations for the rest of the family to arrive. They didn’t expect the one who showed up.

  Damon reached New Jersey and met some Guardsmen and women who volunteered to help him complete his mission. Their trip to New York City was a success, though they ended up leaving a man behind. With the president-elect on board, they returned to the Guard station to spend the night before continuing the journey. Their group increased in size, with the help of a camper, and they headed out together the next morning to complete the mission.

  President Olstein consistently attempts to control the military, as well as the people of the country. The Joint Chiefs are stalling, particularly General Everley, because they don’t agree with the president’s ideas and goals. Everley hasn’t told the other Chiefs about the plan to bring President-elect Tanner to D.C. They’ll know soon enough.

  And now, the continuation of the Perilous Miles series, 200 Miles to Liberty.

  Cast of Characters

  Carly Marshall - sons Aaron and Cameron

  Joel and Lauri Chambers - Carly’s parents

  Will Chambers - Carly’s brother

  Amanda Frye - Will’s friend, met on the journey in 15 Miles From Home

  Elliott Marshall - Carly’s father-in-law, the boys’ paternal grandfather

  Ethan Marshall - Carly’s estranged husband

  President Barton Olstein - current president

  David Strain - newly appointed Chief of Staff to the president

  Phil Roman - Speaker of the House

  General Charles Everley - senior member and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

  Vanessa Jackson - former Chief of Staff for President Olstein, fired

  Major Damon Sorley - General Charles Everley’s aide

  Captain Chris “Hutch” Hutchinson - senior officer of the New Jersey National Guard base

  Other members at the Guard base - First Sergeant Marco Perez, Corporal Elizabeth “Liz” Thompson, Sergeant Darrell Light, Staff Sergeant Kevin Blake, and Lieutenant Stacy Manning

  President-elect David Tanner - wife Melanie, son Brock

  Jason Stephens - Secret Service Agent

  The rest of the Joint Chiefs

  General Angie Bales

  General Carl McKenna

  General Anton Drysdale

  General Keith Weston

  Admiral Arthur Stephens

  Other Persons of Interest

  Roger Harrison - wife Cindy; Elliott’s next-door neighbors

  Taylor Livingston - wife Wendy, kids Heather, Grayson, and Derek; live on the other side of Roger

  Chapter 1

  Damon, along with the Guardsmen and the Tanner family, were making slow progress. The route Darrell suggested was indeed lacking in people. Miles of fields and the occasional farmhouse were the whole of South Middlebush Road. The trip down Jacques Lane would be the same. However, the travel was tedious. The two feet of snow that had fallen the previous day had drifted to four feet or more in some spots on the open roads. More than once they had to stop and dig their way out of a drift. Though the temperature was about zero — a guess since there was no weather app available to tell them — the diggers worked up a sweat. They rotated out every ten minutes or so to keep everyone fresh. A good-sized drift could take them an hour to clear the part of the road they were on and far enough in front of them to be able to get moving again.

  “Whoever thought to bring those snow shovels is a genius,” Damo
n remarked to Hutch as they stood guard.

  “That … would be … me,” Darrell said, huffing the words out as he scooped then tossed a shovel full of snow over his shoulder. “Kind of … wishing … we’d packed … a snow blower … now.”

  “I second that!” Marco called from the other side of the camper.

  “It’s going to take a long time to get to D.C. at this rate,” Hutch said. “We’ve been on the road for hours and only gotten a short way down this road. It’s about two hundred miles to Washington. When the storm got into this farmland area, there was nothing to block the snow blowing across these open fields. There’s no telling how much longer it’s going to take to get to the end of Middlebush.”

  Damon nodded. “Yep, but we don’t have much choice, unless you think we should turn around and try the interstate.”

  Hutch was scanning the area. “I don’t even know why we’re standing guard. There isn’t even a cow around here, much less people.” Turning to Damon, he said, “If my calculations are right, we are only about a half mile from Jacques Lane. That’s another mile and a half of open road lined with fields. Once we turn onto Canal, the snow shouldn’t be as deep. There’s a line of trees between the river and road. The direction the wind was blowing, the road should have gotten some protection from the drifts through there. We’ll be on that one for a while. Once we get to Kingston, we’re probably going to have to decide whether to try to stay on back roads or head for I-95.”

  Stacy walked up to the two men. “Can I make a suggestion, Cap?”

  “Absolutely, Manning. We are wide open to that.”

  “I think we’d make better time if we stay on this until it runs into Highway One. We’ll go through some ‘burbs in Kendall Park, but after that, there will just be spots with a few houses and lots of trees on both sides of the highway. It runs through Princeton, which should be pretty deserted since the students were already gone. We can stay on Highway 1 all the way to 295. Really, Kendall Park would probably be the highest threat area between here and there.”

  Damon went to the passenger side door of the Humvee. He reached inside and pulled the maps out of his bag. Laying them on the hood, the three checked the route together.

  “Yes, it would definitely get us headed in the right direction. But we are going to have quite a few more miles of open road, aka deep snow, first. We’re looking at another two and a half to three miles of it going that way.” Hutch was using his finger as a calculator from the map legend’s distance meter.

  Damon studied the map and replied, “True, but it looks like it will cut our mileage down by a third. I think we should try it.”

  Hutch nodded. Stepping back and looking toward the camper, he called out, “Keep shoveling, guys. We’re going to be doing this for a few more miles. The good news is you’re excused from PT today!”

  Amidst the groans, a sound started growing from the group that was shoveling. In a deep baritone voice, Darrell was singing.

  “Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go …”

  The whistling picked up as if on cue.

  The Tanner family was inside the camper snuggled under some blankets they had found in a storage compartment under a seat. Hutch had offered to light the heater, as the propane tank had fuel. Mr. Tanner declined. Agent Jason Stephens was standing guard outside the door.

  “I guess if you and your people can work outside in this weather to get us to Washington, we can handle a little cold in here.”

  Brock was between his parents and appeared to have nodded off. Melanie looked at her husband.

  “David, I’m scared. Are we going to be in any danger when we get there?”

  “What kind of problems do you think we’d have, Mel?”

  She looked down at her son who had laid his head in her lap. She replied softly, “If Olstein says he’s not stepping down for you to be inaugurated, how can you make him?”

  “Once I’m sworn in, he has to vacate the White House. He no longer has any authority there.”

  With a troubled look, she continued. “What if he finds a way to keep you from being sworn in?”

  “That would be an attempted coup; and since the Joint Chiefs — or at least one of them — sent someone to fetch me, I don’t think they’ll let that happen.”

  Melanie laid her head on his shoulder. “I hope you’re right. I feel like we left the frying pan and are headed toward the fire.”

  There was a knock on the camper door and Damon leaned in. “We’re ready to try to get moving again, Sir. If you and your family would please move to the Humvee, we can get underway.”

  Tanner stood up. “Of course, Major. Honey, do you want me to carry him?” he said, looking back to his wife.

  She was already gently shaking her son. “No, he can walk. Come on, sweetie. Time to go.”

  Brock moaned as he opened his eyes. “Can’t I stay here and sleep?”

  Melanie addressed Damon. “Would that be alright, Major? Could we stay in here?”

  Damon shook his head. “No, ma’am, I’m sorry, but we can’t do that. If something were to happen and we lost the trailer, we’d lose you as well. I need you all in the Humvee with me.”

  “He’s right, Mel. Come on, son. Let’s go.” Tanner reached his hand out toward his son. Brock took his father’s hand and let him help him up.

  Damon stepped back as Agent Stephens held his hand out to Mrs. Tanner. “Ma’am, watch your step.”

  Melanie took his hand and stepped out of the camper. Tanner followed, then turned to make sure his son got out without slipping. They moved together to the vehicle. Once they were settled inside, Hutch called out to the ones shoveling snow.

  “Okay, dwarves, let’s get going!”

  The men and women under his command laughed as they loaded into the camper, tapping the shovels on the side to get the caked-on snow off. Marco turned to Darrell at the doorway.

  “Hey! We should give each other names, like the seven dwarves!”

  Pushing him in, Darrell replied, “You can be Dopey. Move it!”

  Leaning his shovel against the stove, Marco grumbled, “Well I guess we know who Grumpy is.”

  It took them several hours to get the next mile done. Hutch, behind the wheel, suddenly came to a stop. Damon had been studying a map and looked up to see why they were no longer moving.

  “What’s up, Hutch? Did you see something?”

  Hutch was peering through the windshield. “It looks like there’s something up ahead in the road, close to those houses. I can’t make out what it is though. And I don’t want to get too close until we know.”

  Damon pulled a pair of binoculars out of his pack and looked ahead. “Yep, looks like a roadblock has been set up with sawhorses. I see two men, one with a hunting rifle, the other has a shotgun. They haven’t brought them to bear on us. Just looking this way, watching.”

  Darrell and Stacy had climbed out of the camper and jogged up to the passenger door. Damon put the window down.

  “What’s up, Cap? More snow removal?” Stacy asked. When she saw where the occupants of the Humvee were looking, she turned her head. “Ah, I see now. Want us to go see what their deal is?”

  “Yes, and take Perez. We only see two guys so maybe if they’re outnumbered, they’ll be less likely to engage.”

  “Copy that.”

  Darrell was already on his way back to the camper. He pulled the door open and said, “Come on, Dopey, let’s go. We got some real soldiering to do.”

  Marco jumped out of the camper with his pack and rifle slung over his shoulder. “Woohoo! I’ll take anything that isn’t shoveling snow!”

  As they got to the passenger door, Damon stepped out and addressed the three. “Keep your eyes peeled, guys. They don’t look hostile but looks can be deceiving.”

  “Oh man, don’t I know it,” Marco replied with a grin. “Friday night, I was at this club and this chick —”

  “Can it, Perez!” Hutch barked. “Get serious! If you get shot, I’m going
to kick your ass!”

  His smile immediately disappeared. “Sorry, Cap. We’ve got this.” Marco turned to his fellow Guardsmen. “Ready?”

  Darrell nodded and set out. “Yep. Let’s go introduce ourselves to the neighbors.”

  The three headed toward the makeshift roadblock. Damon and Hutch climbed back in the Humvee.

  “He’s a good kid, hell of a soldier, he’s just a little … flighty,” Hutch said to no one in particular. Turning to face Damon, he asked, “Do you think they’ll be okay?”

  “Were they trained right?” Damon responded.

  “Hell yes!” Hutch cried out.

  Smiling, Damon raised the binoculars back up, watching them as they went. “Then they’ll be fine.”

  The three Guardsmen watched the two apparent civilians as they made their approach. The two being watched eyed them warily but didn’t move to raise their guns. When the three were about a hundred yards away, one of the men raised a hand and called out, “That’s far enough. State your business.”

  Manning, as ranking member of the small squad, took a step forward and replied, “We’re New Jersey National Guard on our way to Washington D.C. We just want to pass through.”

  Two more men appeared from a small stand of trees to their left. “Shit,” Darrell said under his breath. All three of them tightened their grip on their weapons and let their thumbs rest on the safety.

  The man who addressed them continued. “What’s the big hurry to get to D.C.? It’s not like they have power. Or do they?”