25th Mile (4) Small notebook 2-Meter Transceiver w/spare batt. (have amateur license) Food Prep ========== alumium foil Stainless Steel cup Water filter(Purifier) Nylon bag 1 Qt. Canteen filled Freeze dried meals(4) Glock hunting knife Water purification tablets Clothing/Shelter ========== Poncho Sewing kit 4 Pair socks 2 Underwear 1 Pair shorts T-Shirt Sunglasses Bandana Small leather bag Camo headnet Space blanket Spare pair glasses Medical/Toiletries ========== Large Bandage soap bar toothbrush toothpaste dental floss tissues Insect repellent Condoms(5) Bandages(15) Neosporin Razor Blades(5) Snake bite kit Nail clippers Antiseptic wipes(4) Medical tape Aspirin(30) Vitamins(10) Small Towel Misc =========== Sharpening stone Magnesium fire starter Butane lighter(3) Swiss Army knife Wire saw $200 cash & credit card Mini Mag lights(2) Leatherman Wave Plastic trash bags(5) 50' small guage wire Camo makeup kit with mirror 50' nylon cord candles(3) Fish hooks(10) fishing line After the he ensured that pack was secured he reopened the tool box and pulled out a small Tupperware box. Inside of the box were four boxes of 9mm Ammunition. The ammunition went into a side pocket on the backpack. Also inside of the Tupperware was a brown-Waterproof oilskin. Inside the oilskin was a vacuum packed package. Using the Leatherman wave, he kept at all times on his hip he ripped open the vacuum packaging and removing the cosmoline packaging he exposed a MAC-10 to the inky evening light. Using a rag, he removed the oil from the weapon and checked the action. Reaching back into the Tupperware he removed 3 30rd magazines and a sling. It was not his first choice for a weapon he mused, but it was the weapon he had. However it had the advantage of using 9mm rounds, the same as the Glock. It also had the advantage light and able to be packed easily. Stowing all the gear securely in the back of the Trooper within easy reach and so it would not dislodge during the bumpy ride home, Clay moved to the front of the Trooper. Looking around again at the devastated landscape, Clay looked at his watch and noted that only 5 hours had passed since the initial quake. People were starting to get anxious for the expected help and several had started talking about walking out into the night -hoping to walk home, however a good number were still lingering in their cars. Clay supposed that they were waiting for the Fire Department, or for the Traffic to clear. Waiting was futile, if they were thinking clearly they would know that. Just last year’s fires should have been a clue; the fire department was helpless against a fire that was miniscule in size compared to this tragedy. Last year they had been woefully unprepared to even save a small portion of homes in the fire damaged areas. In addition because of Union rules and departmental rivalry, homes that could be saved were sometimes left to burn. The police were even worse, they forced people out of their homes leaving them open to looters and prevented even simple measures to halt the small fires, that quickly turned into large infernos. It should have been obvious to anyone that this disaster larger and greater than anyone had seen in a long time. The College kids had started walking 20 minutes ago, but not before Clay left them with several MRE’s for “just in case.” He wished them well, however with the ground so broken up even their short trip would be dangerous. Clay closed the back door’s of the Trooper and started walking around to the drivers side. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a sudden movement, 2 dark featured Mexican men had come around the wrecked vehicle directly to the left of the Toyota that the Trooper had landed on. Clay’s hackles immediately went up, there was something wrong with the way they were walking. While they looked shaken, there was something menacing about them. The first one, a large greasy man with a dark complexion whispered something to other one. The younger wearing a dirty windbreaker that said “Chiva’s” on it…… Clay, who had spent seven years working in Mexico recognized the Chivas logo as a local soccer club; But he also recognized Chivas a logo for smugglers of both drugs (heroin) and people. The younger man continued doing his best to pimp walk up inside of Clay’s reach but ended up stopped about 4 feet away from Clay when moved casually to the side placing a large piece of debris between them. At the same time the older of the two in heavily accented English said. “We are liking your car, ours is not working. Maybe we can trade or buy your car……” Suddenly there was a flash as the younger Mexican pulled out a knife from his pocket and moved for Clay from the side. Thrusting the knife at Clay’s throat Clay the young Mexican criminal found himself standing at the brink of hell in an instant as Clay sidestepped the initial thrust and trapped the Mexicans knife arm with the palm of his right hand against his body, moving his left arm so fast it wasn’t even a blur Clay moved his left forearm exactly two inches above the Mexicans right elbow on his knife arm. Simultaneously Clay pivoted his hips and extended his left arm, pointing as if giving directions with his left arm. The Mexicans arm bent the wrong way with an audible snap, and before the sound of broken bones had fallen from the air Clay slammed his left arm down to move the mans knife arm down and out of the way, this had the effect of bringing the Mexicans body down and exposing his throat, Clay then extended his right arm, palm up in vicious ridge hand that sank into the mans exposed throat crushing his windpipe. The young Mexican collapsed to the ground, his head hitting the broken pavement with the sound of an overripe melon. The older man unprepared and shocked to see his compadre hit the ground so fast comically grabbed for his pants pocket and was busy trying to pull an old Snub nosed .38 out. Clay pulled out the Glock and moving forward rapidly and using the full momentum of his 245lb body he butt stroked the erstwhile thief directly between the eyes. As the Mexican fell to the ground permanently unconscious, it was then that Clay noticed that the hammer of the .38 had become tangled in the man’s clothing. He saw the entangled weapon as an academic issue and not one of right or wrong. Long ago a bad guy had become like smashing bugs to Clay, it was just something that needed to be done – but something he never liked doing, so he did it fast and well with maximum proficiency. Under the eyes of his fellow commuters Clay removed the rusting .38 from the dead Mexican and with hands shaking from adrenalin put it into the center console of the Trooper after checking to make sure the weapon was “safe”. Clay turned and jumped into the Trooper’s driver’s seat and started the engine. Pushing the clutch in, and putting the Trooper in gear he pointed towards home, and slowly started moving, after a few 100 yds, he placed the Trooper in 4wheel high and continued on. As he was departing the area he passed the older couple who had helped him out and against his thoughts earlier decided to offer them a ride, they had decided to wait until the road was cleared before they continued, Clay tried to argue with them but they would not budge on the issue. They were from out of state and not willing to leave their car behind. Clay offered them the .38 and after some initial hesitation they accepted it. Not giving another thought to the men he had just left in the street, who a short time ago had tried to kill him, in cold blood. Clay continued on his way. Mile 7 Turning right after moving forward about 40 yards in first and second gear, Clay put the Trooper into 4wd low, and moved off into the ditch that paralleled the highway on the right hand side for several hundred yards he watched as faces of all nationalities peered at him, they all had fear in their eyes and they watched him with longing since his was one of the few vehicles moving. He was passed once by a motorcycle and even spotted a couple of mountain bikes. However there were very few cars moving and those that were, were battered from the quake. Once he was parallel to the hill and off the highway he considered turning on his powerful pella day-sun lights to see where he was going.
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