Free Tumultus by D. W. Ulsterman Page A

reply.
     
    “We make our way carefully.  Avoid the urban areas.  It’ll take some time, but it can be done.  No drones to worry about – at least not that many.  No compliance officers, just a whole lot of land and some asshole Muslim fanatics running the cities.  That makes it no different than say, Somalia about thirty years ago.  I used to go in and out of there regularly.  It was never done easy, but it was done.  Besides, like was said before – if there’s a weapon out there that can bring down the New United Nations, I’m willing to take that risk.  Take any risk if I have to.”
     
    Cooper looked down at a gold pocket watch that hung from his leather vest and then returned his gaze back to the group.
     
    “We need to be gettin’.  The next drone should be passing over those hills in about an hour.  I want us well away and on the other side by then.  We need to get to the cabin, and then we can review our route from there. There’s a loaded rifle strapped to the right side of each of your saddles, and a canteen of water.  In the pouch right by the horn is one of those handheld short waves you saw in the barn yesterday.  Each one is set with an already programmed default frequency.  If anyone gets lost, just press the little button on the side and we’ll be able to communicate with each other.
     
    So, let’s saddle up then and be on our way.”
     
    Cooper Wyse placed his left foot into a stirrup and swung himself gracefully into the saddle atop his horse – a medium sized chocolate colored mare he called Licorice.  He looked back to see Mac doing the same, though with a bit more effort and considerably less grace than Cooper.  Reese too struggled just a bit, while Dublin turned to help Bear, who had broken out into a noticeable sweat as he stared at the saddle stirrup.
     
    “It’s ok, Bear, just put your foot in there, grab the saddle horn and pull yourself up.”
     
    Bear’s jaw clenched and unclenched as he put his large left foot into the stirrup and grasped the saddle horn tightly with his right hand.  After pausing yet again, he closed his eyes and pulled himself up, the considerable weight of his body landing into the saddle causing Bear’s horse to let out a grunt.
     
    His eyes opened again and Bear looked down at the ground below him, the knuckles of his right hand whitening as his grip on the saddle horn tightened even further. Dublin looked up at Bear and smiled, and then turned and mounted her own horse almost as effortlessly as Cooper Wyse had done his. 
     
    Cooper scanned the property before putting his fingers to his mouth and whistling loudly.  Within seconds Brando came running from behind the barn to sit motionless no more than twenty feet from the group, the dog’s eyes looking intently at Cooper for further instructions.
     
    “Brando!  Go!  Trail!  Trail!”
     
    Cooper pointed toward the hills behind his property as Brando turned and ran at full speed in the same direction, his red coloring appearing and then disappearing inside the tall grass of the fields.
     
    Mac smiled at Brando’s impressive display of speed.
     
    “That is one fast dog there, Coop.  What do you have him doing?”
     
    Cooper looked back at Mac.
     
    “Brando runs ahead of me to make sure the way is clear, watches for bears and such.  He’s made the trip enough times now he knows exactly where we’re going.”
     
    “So he’s doing recon work for you, that it?”
     
    Cooper Wyse gave another of his now familiar shrugs.
     
    “Yeah, guess that’s a way of putting it.”
     
    Mac shook his head as he continued to watch Brando speed across the field.
     
    “Hell of a dog.”
     
    Cooper gave a soft kick to the side of his horse Licorice and began following the path Brando had just made, motioning the other four to follow him.
     
    “Just let your horse follow me and Licorice.  We’ll start off slow, and then once you all are more comfortable, we can pick up the