American Apocalypse IV - Chapter 16 - by Nova

I was halfway across the gravel parking lot, I really like listening to the sound of gravel crunching under my boots, when it hit me. I was close! No. No bird email. No Freya. I just knew.  I yelled "Yessss!" and turned around and told Zane and Woof "We're close. I know it."  Zane yelled "Yea!!!" Woof just looked bored. 

I covered the rest of the ground to the door feeling good until I saw the crude sign at the doors.  It said:

No Zone Punks Allowed

Someone had keyed threw the "Punks" and scratched "Bitches" underneath it.  "Nice" I thought and locked the good feeling away.

Without thinking about it I flashed the hand sign for "On Me" and walked in.  As soon as I cleared the door I knew it was going to be an interesting night.  It was a shit hole.  It had been one before PowerDown, hell, probably since it was built, and would be until the end of time or someone burned it to the ground. 

They had a bouncer working the door.  He was big, bald, and had a nice snake tat on his neck.  He looked fierce but I didn't think it went all the way to the core.

I told him "Table for three." It looked like it was going be time to find out how much Max the kid had in him. Then I grinned at him. I don't think he was used to witty banter because all he could come up with was "No dogs."  

"Service dog."  Then I walked past him. I thought he would let it slide but of course not. They seemed to breed that type out this way.  He held out his arm to block Zane and said "No minors allow..."   That was a mistake. I am fast but Woof was closer. I drew and had the barrel of the Ruger between his eyes. Woof silenced the place. All eyes had been on us when we came in but they were talking. Woof's growl silenced everyone except the jukebox which was playing Toby Keith's "As Good As I Once Was."  Not one of my favorites by any means.

"Put your arm down very, very slowly I told him."

He did.

"Thank you. You do serve food right?"

He nodded his head. He wasn't paying attention to me. He was entirely focused on Woof. 

"Who's the men at the bar?"

I had noticed the right away. Three guys talking to the bartender who was a piece of work just by himself. They were drinking something clear out of tumblers and I knew it wasn't water. Two of them were wearing armor and they were trying real hard to look like they were military.  They had a couple of black plastic AR looking clones and a Russian SKS that looked pretty nice. I could see two handguns which meant I had a lefty or less likely, someone who didn't have a handgun. The bartender looked like a shotgun type and the bouncer had a handgun tucked under his t-shirt which he had made no attempt to go for.  The other male and female who were talking didn't look like much. Her worse weapon probably required money and wouldn't show up right away.

"Indiana Militia."

He said it like it meant something. 

"Nice." I told him.  Then I started walking over to the other side of the room to an empty table.  I hoped Zane would have enough since to follow. He did.