relaxed slightly, watching in the rearview as another car came to a stop behind the Tahoe. Sunlight was reflecting off its windshield and she couldn’t see inside.
They sat for close to half an hour, occasionally moving forward a few feet before stopping again for several minutes at a time. The highway was two lanes and the entire time Katie had been sitting there hadn’t been a single vehicle pass her heading south. Was there an accident ahead that was blocking the whole road? With nothing else to do, she considered her options.
She could move over into the open southbound lane and drive north, but if that was a good option why weren’t the people ahead of her already doing that? Turn around and go back south? She had room to make the turn, but if she did that, where would she go? Because of the rugged and steep terrain where the desert butted up against the Mogollon Rim there were only a very few ways to drive north from Phoenix.
Mentally smacking herself, Katie powered up the satellite phone and dialed Steve. His phone rang ten times before going to voicemail. With a sinking feeling at the thought of losing her lifeline, she disconnected without leaving a message and dialed again. This time he answered on the fourth ring.
“Sorry, I was in the bathroom.” He said when he answered.
“Like you did me?” Steve shot back in a haughty tone of voice.
Katie took a deep breath and counted to ten before speaking. “Steve, I’ve apologized for that more times than I can count. I thought we’d moved past it and you were going to help me.”
He was quiet for a long time, only his faint breathing audible. “You’re right. You have. It just still hurts. I’m pulling up your location. Did you get out of your house?”
Katie told him about barely escaping ahead of the looters, then asked him to look and tell her what had traffic stopped. He mumbled to himself as he worked, Katie struggling to maintain her patience.
“You’re about three miles from a road block,” he finally said.
“Road block? Who’s blocking the road?”
“I’m zooming. Hold on.” She heard some clicks and more mumbling. “There’s a big dump truck pulled across the road and at least thirty armed men. They’re pulling people out of vehicles and taking supplies.”
“Shit. Is anyone fighting back?” Katie asked.
“Doesn’t look like it. They’re all in some kind of uniform, but I can’t tell what it is. Hang on, let me look at the vehicles they have parked behind the dump truck.”
Katie wanted to scream. She’d seen this behavior in war torn countries the world over, but had never thought she’d experience it here at home.
“OK, there are Tribal Police vehicles parked behind the truck, but if these guys are real Indians I’ll eat my hat. Probably stolen from an equipment yard, and they’re using the uniforms to bluff people.” Steve finally said.
“Great. More assholes. All right, what about behind me. Is it clear for ten miles?” Katie had another option in mind.
“Hold on,” Steve said, the sound of a keyboard clacking coming clearly over the sat phone.
“You’re good,” he eventually answered. “There’s more traffic coming up behind you heading north, but it’s mostly single vehicles. Nothing that would obviously be a problem. What are you thinking?”
“There’s a Forest Service fire road that cuts through some rugged terrain, but goes all the way to Payson. I’ve been on it before. I know this truck can make it, it’s just going to be a long, rough drive.” Katie answered, checking her mirrors.
Cranking the wheel all the way to the left, Katie pulled across the southbound lane, driving off the pavement on the far side of the road to complete her U-turn and head back towards town. The people that were stuck in line behind her stared, wondering what she was doing. She thought about warning them of what was waiting ahead, but was afraid to approach any of the vehicles.
About twenty vehicles had stacked up behind her and she quickly passed them as she accelerated south. As she drove she met half a dozen heavily loaded vehicles heading north, but kept her eyes focused on the road ahead after checking to make sure none of them turned around to follow her. Just over eight miles later she found what she was looking for.
A small, dirt pullout on the left side of the road with a heavy steel