military responses were quick to spread, we expected some radio broadcasts for inactive military and national gaurd personnel like those we have within our group but not ones as immediently violent as the ones I heard. any military personnel inactive or otherwise who dont report to the closest base are to be subjected to investigation and possibly charges of deserting and treason after the national emergency has subsided. all military personnel within our group with thier families have been told since they joined to expect this response and have all remained strong knowing that remaining here keeps thier families safer. this is all family owned land, this entire country back road could be blocked off in 15 minutes and the trails used by fourwheelers back in the woods are only known by family and trained scouts that have been with us for years, only we have a chance of traversing here without getting trapped or falling off one of the sudden drops on the property. thick woods, fences around the outer edge of the property and the inner edge of the woods before the clearing for the compound provide extra security to add to cameras and gaurds. weve had no doubt about the military going to houses like ours, weve fed back power from our solar and wind generators to the local power for more money, we have the most registered guns in the region on this road alone, but we also knew military force wouldnt last long. unsure of whether the military forces would be friends or foes in different senerios we have left the road unblocked for now. today has been smooth with all things considered, the practice over time has made them more suited to this, muscle memory almost. this is an art form for me, radio reports coming in from certain areas about hiccups and my forwarding request for work to the proper personnel, watching screens from our land all the way down the road and the road itself. In the afternoon light people seem to be coping better with the situation that has, quite literally, devoured the united states now. it isnt until about 6 when i spot a military vehicle approaching from my furthest south camera, radioing my father first then front gate personnel to be on alert, sending out replacements for every visible compound member in the armed forces at any time, those in hidden sniper positions staying in place but positioning themselves for the best shot if anything goes wrong, others watching for anyone coming for other directions. I catch it when they stop before they are in sight of the first of only three houses on this road and let out a sniper, he quickly runs up the hillside into the trees and i catch him on different camera views as he keeps up a steady running pace through the woods in a straight line after he gets beyond that houses fence, he flings a tarp over the far southside of our fence after surveiling momentarily, throwing his rifle over his shoulder to hang by its strap before scaling the fence, I report on each detail and can see dad nodding to confirm as he walks to the front gate. tommeh puts outlaw in the shed and hooks on his log chain to his collar to keep him contained until the sniper and military truck can are both at a safe distance, outlaw being a German police dog and artic timber wolf mix the military personnel would have about as much luck fighting him as they would fighting a bear on speed. while my father jumps on a four wheeler along with the gaurds going with him to meet the truck that has pulled directly to the front gate of the main compound I am tracking both at the same time, it takes me about 2 minutes to find thier radio frequency and unencrypt it on the secondary radio. By time they arrive I've already collected that the sniper is backup in case the situation goes wrong, and will be given a signal to take tne shot at whoever the spoken leader is under any circumstances they see as a bad situation on the ground. the 'welcoming party' including dad greet the truck through the gate, asking them to identify themselves. "im staff sergeant damen, my companions are private green and private Andrews." they stand infront of the vehicle as he introduces them and dad says "what are you looking for out here? seems like your pretty far out, we havent seen any cases of that sickness out here yet."
"well martial law has been enstated and we are stationed at the Ohio national gaurd base, under the gun registration this house has the most registered guns within a 100 mile radius of base. after accessing building permits and records of power we have discovered you have two alternate power sources that you were feeding into the power supply but have stopped since the outbreak, and you have a multiple part building here not to forget reliable wells and other water sources. this is our first and only polite attempt to request that you give up your weapons to the military here and agree to house military personnel turning your home into a military outpost."
"if you would have been more polite i would have agreed to help you son, but this is private property and my guns are my property. demanding i give up my property isnt how you get on my good side. i refuse. leave my land."
"sir i am military personnel and martial law has been declared this is not an option, that was a polite demand."
"try it boy" dad looks bored, and so do his gaurds as they stand armed, bullet proof vests hidden under thier button up shirts. dad and I both spot the signal as he gives it, since it is noticeable as he makes a wide arc with his arm to put his hand on the private on his left sides shoulder. if we hadnt known maybe we would have missed it because it was such a fluid movement and the staff sergeant says "these boys have families crowded into that base" but it seemed like a filler statement even when he said it. he never expected to get the whole thing out.
"hes having a snack right now with a few of my boys, you'll get him back the same place you dropped him off unharmed."
"kidnapping a memeber of the military is a very serious crime!"
"so is killing civilians. you tried that one."
he seems to stutter over his words, unable to comprehend what is happening
"sir this is a serious matter and i have the right to take this land and your weaponry by force if need be."
"if you attempt to harm anyone on my land, or attempt to set foot on my land without explicit permission i will consider you trespassing and a terrorist." he gestures toward the sign on the main gate stating that trespassers will be shot on sight. they seem stunned but they get back in thier vehicle after a couple seconds of discussion. dad and the gaurds arrive back safely and the crew with the sniper return him to the road exactly where he was dropped off, blind folded, hands ziptied behind his back and his gun unassembled laying in a neat pile beside him. I had a couple of the guys surround and get him to surrender, he was then sat in the woods where he had made it, one of them sat down and they drank water and ate homemade vegan gummy bears that I made as snacks for the gaurds and for the children in my off time. he seemed to have had a good time, had some laughs with them and was compliant when he was ziptied and blindfolded. two four wheelers were dispatched and by time the truck got there he had only been alone for around 3 minutes. in his tac vest they placed a snack baggie of the same gummy bears he had eaten for the trip home, as instructed. we were in no way cruel to him and yet even as he recounted the events of his little adventure his staff sergent was fuming, kicking rocks off the road and swearing. We werent sure who would come after them. whether they would be friend or foe couldnt be known for sure, but from our experience with this man it was known that it was safer to assume solidly that they were foe.