Cabal by Mark Goodwin

Author:Mark Goodwin [Goodwin, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-17T04:00:00+00:00

***

It was close to midnight when Josh arrived in Williamsburg, Kentucky where Emilio and Nicole had stopped. They’d parked in the empty parking lot of a fast-food restaurant, just off the I-75 exit. Josh checked the surroundings before getting out of his pickup. He looked at Emilio’s truck. “Empty?”

“We coasted in on fumes.” Emilio pulled a suitcase out of the back seat.

“You left the BMW in Tennessee?” Josh began loading Nicole’s belongings into the bed of his truck.

Emilio nodded. “Sweetwater.”

“Thanks for coming to pick us up.” Nicole removed the rest of her luggage from the bed of the truck. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to your advice. I won’t ignore you like that again.”

“You’re safe. That’s what matters.” Josh headed back to the cab.

“New truck?” she asked.

“It’s for work. The back seat is a little small. Not much legroom. You should probably let Emilio ride up front.”

“I can sit in the middle,” she said.

“It’s going to be tight.” Josh watched Emilio and Nicole looking at each other.

Emilio replied, “I don’t mind.”

“Okay then.” Josh waited for them to get situated, started the engine, and made his way back to the interstate. “We’ll take the side roads once we get to Mount Vernon. The president has enacted martial law. The military was setting up roadblocks in Lexington when I came through.”

“But you’ve got a badge. They’ll let you through, right?” Nicole asked.

“I’m sure they would, but it’s a lot of commotion that I’d prefer to avoid,” Josh said.

Emilio shook his head. “I can’t believe the military is wasting resources on Lexington. I don’t see that city being a problem.”

“I know. But the president’s orders are to secure all metropolitan areas with populations larger than 150,000. The whole world is melting down. Paris, London, Madrid, Munich, Rome, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Lima, Montreal… riots are breaking out all over.”

“No curfews have been put in place where we’re going?” Nicole inquired.

“So far, no. But all the interstates run through major cities. Supply lines are going to grind to a halt. Even if you want to pay $8 for a loaf of bread, it’s not going to be available.”

“This thing with the dollar just started last Monday. It’s been exactly one week.” Nicole wrinkled her forehead. “I don’t understand how everything fell apart so fast.”

“You need a functioning currency to keep the system moving. Without money, nothing works.” Josh saw few other travelers on the road.

“You said the truck is for work. Are you changing jobs or something?” Nicole let her hand rest on Emilio’s leg.

Josh pretended not to notice. “It’s for an undercover assignment.”

“I bet Stephanie is thrilled about that,” she said.

“Yeah. Ecstatic. But I don’t have a choice.” He glanced over at Emilio. “Which reminds me, did you mention to the tactical coordinator that you and I are close?”

“No. I didn’t want to seem like I was name dropping—you being the big shot undercover agent and all.”

“Well, don’t.”

Nicole asked. “What’s that about? Are you afraid Emilio is going to make you look bad?”

“No! But I’ve got some concerns about the investigation they have me on.

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