push them up hills or through deep sand. It was grueling, but they still figured the easy parts made up for the hard parts. They stopped several times to rehydrate and snack on something light. They knew the importance of keeping up their energy and body fluids. Lee determined on the Garman GPS that this dirt road was about sixteen miles long. Thankfully, the design of the mountain bikes was well suited for loose soil and dirt and had fifteen gears to deal with the steep hills. Luckily, neither bike suffered any flat tires, which was great considering all the crap on the soft dirt road.
Finally, around 12:30, the road improved, and the two riders headed down a hill and reached a paved road. Lee’s GPS identified the road as the Goodsprings Bypass, and they could see the buildings of Goodsprings in the distance.
Chapter 10
0915, Day 1, Glendale, California
Dayyan and his small army had returned to Glendale just after dawn. After leaving the burning gun store in Pasadena, they had seen few people and faced no resistance or police. Dayyan split his small army into three groups. Naseem drove the armored Bearcat to a furniture store that one of the men managed. Several other vehicles went with that group. Naseem drove the SWAT truck inside the back warehouse to hide it.
Dayyan had just returned to the appliance store when the satellite phone rang. He answered, “Yes, my brother?”
“I trust your first missions have gone well?”
“Yes, better than expected. We have hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition, and God rewarded us with a police SWAT truck,” Dayyan said.
Dayyan went on recounting the story of capturing the truck and killing of the police officers.
“Yes, my brother, you have done well. Now I have another mission for you that should greatly strengthen your army.”
Dayyan took out his notepad and wrote down two addresses as he listed intently to the man on the phone. When the man finished, Dayyan simply answered, “God willing this will go as well as our last mission.” The call disconnected.
Dayyan used one of the tactical radios to call Zufar with the third group. They had gone to a large secluded house about a mile north in the foothills. He relayed the first address and told Zufar to take his force and go to the location. “Look for four men in an old Ford van to pick up. Once you find them return to the furniture store, where we will form up for the next mission.”
About forty minutes later, the entire convoy was ready to roll again. Their fleet now consisted of nine odd trucks and cars, including the SWAT truck. Dayyan’s men used paint, tape, and cardboard to cover all the lettering on the police truck. Foolish or curious people were chased away at gunpoint. The now larger group of twenty-two men loaded up into the various vehicles and moved out to the new target. Dayyan told the men the target was in an industrial area off San Fernando Road near the Hollywood Burbank Airport.
The convoy pulled up to a large concrete tilt up industrial building. Dayyan read the main sign on the front, “Ve-Safe Industries.” Below the large sign was a smaller sign reading “Brinks Repair and Storage.” An even smaller sign just below read, “Brinks trucks in this location carry no valuables.” Dayyan smiled and said to Naseem and Adham, “Any running armored truck is now worth far more than all the worthless money it would normally hold.”
As the rest of the convoy pulled up, the small front door opened, and a man in a security guard uniform exited and moved toward Dayyan in the stolen Pasadena SWAT truck. “As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,” the man said as Dayyan exited the passenger door of the large truck.
“Wa-Alaikum-Salaam,” Dayyan said back to the man as they shook hands.
“I have carried out my mission as directed. This facility is secure. I have eliminated the other guards. My name is Uday. Have your men bring your trucks around to the side lot. I will open the large door. You may follow me.”
Dayyan followed Uday, who told him he had been working at this company for over a year. “No one ever suspected anything. These stupid infidels.” The two men went through a lobby where Dayyan stopped for a moment to look at large photos and publicity type prints along the walls.
Dayyan asked Uday, “What is the purpose of this company?”
“The main company Ve-Safe Industries is a specialty armored car builder. They build custom trucks and cars for many customers from politicians to movie stars. They are also a main Los Angeles distributor for a large armored car company back east. The new trucks come here for outfitting with the final accessories paint and lettering. This company maintains armored cars and trucks. The Brinks Armored car company use part of the building for storing and repairing their own armored trucks.”
“Interesting,” Dayyan answered.
The two continued through the offices toward the back of the building. As they passed one office, Dayyan could see a large pool of blood on the floor and could sense the smell of death. Dayyan sensed that Uday killed the other guards here. The two men exited the offices into a massive high ceiling building. Rows of armored cars lined both walls. Dayyan quickly counted to himself about thirty trucks. Uday moved over to the nearest roll-up door and unlocked a padlock, securing the lower door lock. “With no power, we have to roll the door up by hand.” Uday started tugging on the chains that ran up to the lifting gears and pulleys above the door. The door slowly started rising.
Naseem entered, followed by two other men. Dayyan quickly barked out orders, “Bring the trucks inside that will fit. Have the other men set up security on all sides of the building. Send in Walter with the special crate. He knows which crate.”
“Yes, General,” Naseem said back.
“General?” Dayyan questioned Naseem.
“You are leading our army, and you are our general,” Naseem answered.
“I am honored to lead all the faithful,” Dayyan answered. Then he turned and asked Uday, “Have you tried to start any of these trucks after the EMP?”
Uday pointed to four large heavily armored trucks that sat together on the opposite wall. The trucks had a flat black paint job but no lettering. “Those four run. They just came in and were scheduled for delivery to the Homeland Security base at LAX. These trucks are equipped with the latest in EMP protection. Perhaps the same protection the Pasadena Bearcat truck you acquired.”
Dayyan looked over the impressive armored trucks. He opened the bullet-protected door and looked inside. The latest in new technology adorned the inside, including things like exterior cameras. A rotating gun turret was located behind the driver’s seats. Weapons would not be found in this fabrication and repair facility. But Dayyan knew if he could find a suitable gun, it could be adapted easily to the turret.
Naseem and Walter walked up. Two other men followed, carrying a crate that they sat down on the floor near the group. Walter said to Dayyan, “I have had technical training on these trucks. Some of the newer trucks have EMP protection. Homeland Security insisted on it, so the company manufacturing them has decided to only produce one electrical system. However, there was a California needed module added for pollution control. The added modules have no shielding against EMP, so they have probably failed. We have new ones in the crate, which have multiple layers of protection from EMP.”
The group walked to one of the Brinks trucks parked further along the row. Walter examined the serial number on the door jam and compared it to a list
