Liberty or Tyranny Read Online Free PDF

all that happens. Deni’s not going to be too happy with me if you get shot.”
    ~~~
    Two hours later, the men had found nothing in Chesty’s desk that produced any useful information.
    “That’s the last of it.” Nate set a stack of paper on the desk. “Nothing there that could help us. It was mostly ideas on how to build a new sheriff department someday and how the deputies could patrol at least part of the county on horseback, if fresh supplies of fuel for vehicles never materialize. It appeared to me most of the ideas came from you.” He walked across the room to the hat rack and grabbed his load-bearing harness. “I don’t have a watch, but I expect it’s about time for me to go get my son and a few others, then head for the cemetery.”
    Tyrone’s chest heaved. He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “Yeah. It’s time to bury one of the best men I ever knew.”
    They stepped outside onto the sidewalk together. The cold rain had slacked off, but the wind had strengthened considerably, and the temperature, if anything, was colder.
    Nate pulled his boonie hat down tighter on his head and scanned the street in both directions. He took note that Tyrone had also taken a rifle with him, an M4. They walked to the next intersection, where Nate looked up at a third-story window and pointed at his left wrist, as if he were wearing a watch. He caught formless movement back from the window in the shadows of the room and knew Mel would be appearing at the ground floor door in a minute or two.
    “I wonder if he saw anything suspicious while he was up there keeping watch,” Tyrone said, thinking out loud.
    Nate kept his eyes busy, scanning the streets and peering into windows. “He can give you a full report if you ask. Soldiers are trained to observe everything while on post.”
    “Just the important stuff. That’s all I’m interested in.”
    An office door with a broken lock swung open and Mel stepped up to them. He spoke before the other men had a chance. “Two hours before sunup, two skinny young guys wearing black hoodies came ambling along, trying to appear nonchalant. The fact they were out at night in this miserable weather tells me they weren’t out for a stroll. They kept their hands in their sweatshirt pockets, but they were damn sure casing the area. Seemed to be really interested in the courthouse.”
    Nate ignored his freezing ears in the howling wind. “I would suggest we move our little office to the Army base, or at least find a building that’s more secure. They could plant a bomb while we’re at Chesty’s funeral and set it off when we come back.”
    “Yeah.” Tyrone glanced down the street at the courthouse. “What we need most are more men. Several people to keep 24/7 watch on our base of operations.”
    Mel tilted his head in a futile attempt to get more wind protection from his helmet. “What you guys need is a real squad of deputies, not untrained civilian volunteers. There must be more cops who survived the plague, perhaps in surrounding counties. We just have to find them.”
    “Right now we have a friend to bury.” Tyrone walked away.
    ~~~
    Almost everyone who attended Chesty’s funeral was armed, despite the Army sending a squad to provide security. Many teens attended, but no small children. The cold and damp was too much for mothers to risk their children getting sick. Weather or no, the crowd of adults was large. There were not many in the town of Glenwood who didn’t feel indebted to Chesty.
    Deni had come with the squad. She wore her best uniform, worn but clean. It was all she had. She stood between Nate and Brian, her arms hooked in theirs. Kendell stood off to the side, looking around at the crowd for any sign of trouble. Mel roamed through the crowd, searching for two thin young men in black hoodies. Tyrone and Atticus stood by the grave, both crying unashamedly.
    Nate expected Lieutenant Colonel Mike Donovan to attend. Chesty and Donovan hadn’t known each