Free American Exit Strategy: Book 1 by Mark Goodwin

floor.”
    "Is there anything that wouldn't be as messy?" Tina joked.
    "I guess I aim for their head, right?" Jack asked.
    "Typically, you want to aim for the center of gravity. Right in the middle of their body, it is loaded with vital organs. A close range blast with this gun will be a kill shot every time." Matt explained.
    Matt began loading the weapon for them.
    "Should we be keeping that loaded? Can't we wait until we need it to load it?" Tina asked hopefully.
    "People are killing each other all of the country tonight Tina, you need it now." Matt answered softly but firmly.
    She seemed to understand. "Thanks for the lesson." she said.
    Jack said, "We will let you guys get some sleep. Thanks for everything."
    "One of us will be up all night to watch out." Matt said. "I would recommend one of you guys stay up. I'll check out the window ever so often, but it’s hard for me to know if something is going on over there."
    "Thanks, I suppose we will both be up all night." Jack said.
    They left and Karen walked them to the door with Matt.
    After Jack and Tina were gone, Karen said, "I feel like they didn't get it completely."
    "It will take them a while to come around." Matt said. "Why don't you try to get some sleep for a while and I'll take the first shift. I'll wake you up at 6:00 am and then you can keep an eye out while I get some sleep."
    "OK." Karen said, "but I hope we don't have to do that for long. I hate when you aren't in the bed with me."
    "If things don't calm down tomorrow, I will try to get a block watch organized." Matt promised.
    Karen went to sleep and Matt sat down in the quietness for a few minutes. His head was full of the turmoil of the day.  He whispered a prayer to God.
    "Lord, our country has walked away from you. America is now so far away from your protection and your shelter. Please watch over Karen and me, God. The wolves are out tonight. Send your angels to watch over this property and to keep us safe. Hide us in the shelter of your wings. You always do. Thank you."
    Matt didn't say "Amen" as he thought of it as a sort of "signing off" with God. He didn't really have anything more to say, but he took comfort knowing the conversation line was still open.
    After he had sat quietly for about an hour or so, he got up and began to gear up for whatever was coming. He picked up an extra magazine for his Glock and stuck it in his pocket. He also opened up the Radio Scanner app on his phone. He plugged the headphones in and stuck one side of the headphones in his ear. This would allow him to listen to what was coming over the police frequency and stay aware of the immediate surroundings. Matt took the walkie talkies out of the safe as well. They weren't that expensive, he just thought if there were ever an EMP or coronal mass ejection, the walkies would be protected from the electronic pulse in the metal safe. He brought the charger base into the bedroom and let Karen know that he was setting them up in there. If he had to go outside and needed her to back him up, he would call her on the walkie. She nodded that she understood and slipped back to sleep. She was confident that Matt had things under control, so she slept hard.
    Matt scratched through the closet to find a pair of cargo pants. With a full size pistol, phone, walkie, flashlight and an extra magazine, he was gathering quite a collection to haul around. It would be nice to wear a holster and a magazine holder on his belt, but he was trying to keep a low profile right now. He took out a pair of kaki cargo pants and changed into them. He also put on his hiking boots. He checked his pockets. "I don't have a knife." He thought to himself. Why did he need a knife? He didn't really. "I am watching for intruders, I am not hiking." But he always carried a knife and didn't feel complete if it wasn't there. I guess it was a type of security blanket. He stuck a folding blade Gerber Kiowa in his pocket and started to make a round.
    The first thing Matt did