Free Take Back Denver by Algor X. Dennison Page A

pole up again after the army made them take it down. They disguised it this time with some trees, running their wires within a grove that hides it all visually but doesn’t block the signal. I think we might need to do the same at some point, except all we have up here is these pines. I wonder if--”
    JD stopped him. “Wait, wait. DJ, we don’t care about the radio trees. Did you just say an army is in La Junta?”
    “ No, it passed La Junta. It’s in Colorado Springs now. They’ve set up a permanent camp there, with a prison and a fuel depot and everything. They have generators, working trucks, radios, the works!”
    “ Well, are they here to help?” Gordo wanted to know. “Are they getting things running again?”
    DJ shook his head. “Apparently not. Keep in mind that these La Junta guys are just as much into UFO conspiracies as real intel, but they’re saying that this army has nothing to do with the United States. It’s some group of newcomers that want to get everybody on their political bandwagon. And they’re doing it by force of arms. Supposedly if you don’t sign their census, you’re an outlaw and you’re fair game for target practice.”
    “ Oh, crap,” Jim muttered. “And they’re moving west?”
    “ So it seems.” DJ relished the attention he was getting. “But they said there’s already a resistance fight going on, some local guerrilla soldiers harassing them with hit-and-run tactics. They know a guy from Pueblo that’s involved in it. Apparently he’s had enough success that the army hasn’t been able to advance north into Denver yet.”
    “ I wish we had a way to get word of this to McLean and the others,” Carrie said. “They might run into the middle of it. Can you get us some details?”
    “ The La Junta guys will be back on this evening,” DJ replied. “And until then, there are a few other people in that area I could try to contact. Guys I haven’t actually spoken to before, but who are on the list I’m building.”
    “ Do it,” Carrie said. “Try to find out specifics, and get the name and whereabouts of that guerrilla fighter. At some point we may want to get in contact with him.”
    “ Yeah, but do it carefully,” Gordo suggested. “If this army has radio capabilities, they may be listening to all the chatter going back and forth between you guys.”
    DJ got on it, and by that night he had useful information about how big the army was thought to be, where they were, and what they were up to. He had substantiated most of what his La Junta contacts had said about the intentions of the army and the guerrillas that were resisting its advance. He couldn’t find out specifics about the resistance effort due to the need for secrecy, but he got an address in Pueblo where someone could pass along discreet inquiries to the right people.
    The next day, as they were still digesting the ominous news and trying to form a plan of action, even more urgent news came in from Crested Butte. The newly trained and equipped radio operator for the little town told DJ that the previous night they had been attacked by a troop of marauders that marched into town from the direction of Gunnison, which had gone radio silent the day before. There were about thirty of the bad guys, and they had guns. Several townspeople were killed before they finally drove the attackers off with an extended firefight. They expected another assault that night and wanted any assistance their allies at the ranch could send.
    DJ told them they were shorthanded due to the expedition to the east, but they would send a couple men if they could spare them. JD volunteered, and Gordo and Jim drew straws to see who would go. Gordo got the short one, which left Jim and DJ at the ranch with the Baileys, Maria, and Carrie.
    JD and Gordo left right away, loaded for bear but promising not to try to be heroes and to return as soon as the conflict had been resolved. The others carried on with their assigned work, preparing