The Guardians Read Online Free PDF Page B

cache.  Mike Vandergriff was staying behind this trip to remain at the homestead for security.  The three men always rotated this duty by sending two out on a run, while one stayed behind with Greg and Jake to supervise the security of the homestead.  Jake and Greg had both grown up a lot in a short amount of time.  With the stability that once allowed American youth to live without a care now just a memory, maturity was now a factor of survival.  Everyone now must contribute to survive, and this includes the possibility of being involved in an armed conflict.  After the assault on the Homefront last fall, they had both risen to meet the challenge, leaving the men much more comfortable leaving the Homefront for supply and security runs.  They planned to add Greg to these runs soon, with Jake soon to follow if it all goes well.
    "Well, if nothing else at least we will never have to worry about getting out of shape having to travel like this all the time," Jason said as they peddled their bikes up a fairly steep hill.  The topography of East Tennessee made travel by bike or foot a workout, as it is extremely hilly and mountainous.
    "Yea, I'm saving a ton of money on gym memberships," Evan replied with a snicker. 
    As they approached the farm, they followed their normal security protocol and mixed up their arrival procedures just in case the place were to ever be under surveillance by would-be looters.  They did not want anyone with hostile intentions to be able to easily pattern them in order to undermine the security support that they provided for the Thomas's.  They stopped about a half mile away from the front gate and hid their bikes off to the side of the road behind some bushes and foliage.  "You swing wide to the left and come in through the hay field, and I'll handrail the road off to the right through the woods.  If it all looks clear, I'll approach the house via the driveway so that Ollie and Mildred can see me coming.  You stay just out of sight as usual until I get to the house and I'll signal you to join us if all is well," Evan said.
    "Roger Roger," Jason said as he ducked off into the woods, quickly disappearing from view as he blended into the natural environment.  Both men now wore camouflage clothing year round as function now always took priority over fashion.  Evan and Molly had stockpiled a decent amount of surplus camouflage, such as several seasonal varieties of Swiss camo as well as German Flecktarn.  Flecktarn was a good year-round pattern for the region, and could be acquired cheap and in bulk prior to the collapse.  Mike and Jason also both still had a stockpile of camo from their military days, as well as from recreational hunting.  They had both managed to bring some with them during their respective bug-outs.
    Both men followed their respective routes stealthily and observant.  Nothing could be taken for granted these days.  Since the collapse, the decency of society outside of one's own associations could not be assumed.  The members of their alliance were constantly dealing with thieves and looters since most of the population of the major cities had now become migrant groups of people in search of food and a new place in the world.  At times, they seemed like plagues of locust, devouring resources as they moved from place to place.  At first, many of them were simply looking for a handout, but the high mortality rate from exposure and starvation had hardened most of the survivors into bands of thieves and looters that would do whatever it took to survive.  Without the basic food production and survival skill sets that rural Americans tended to be ingrained with, the lifelong urban dwellers had to simply take what they needed, and more often than not, it was by force.  Evan often joked that the Hank Williams Jr. song "A Country Boy Can Survive" was being proven right every day.
    As Jason made his way around to the hay field, he set himself up in a position where he could