“You know, you really have gotten paranoid in your old age,” thought Miller as he steered his pickup through the snow and slush covered streets of the small town. Snow had been accumulating for several hours and added to the existing blanket of white powder. Driving wasn't hazardous yet, but it did require extra attention.

Glancing in his rear-view mirror he again spotted the black SUV that had seemingly been trailing him. They had been hanging back after his stop at the store and then, as he approached the edges of town, felt the need to fall in behind him again.

“Ok slick, time to see how nuts you've become,” he muttered under his breath as he suddenly slung the wheel of the big truck to the right forcing the big truck to slide, more than turn, around the corner.

He planned on using one of the oldest techniques known to a particular set of defensive drivers who felt they were possibly being tailed by individuals of unknown intentions: four right hand turns around a city block.

If a suspected car made the first turn with you, it could merely be coincidence. Statistically speaking it was highly common for other drivers to be on routes that only appeared to mirror yours.

As he let off the accelerator pedal, and the truck slowed, he saw the black SUV start to make the first right turn just as he prepared to make the second.

The statistics started to turn in favor of being followed if the car made the second turn. However, there were a still a host of innocent explanations to explain away the coincidence in less nefarious ways.

It didn't necessarily follow that if another driver made the same two turns you did that they possessed ill intentions.

As Miller's truck approached the third stop sign he coaxed the big truck to a full stop. He wanted the other driver to close the gap between their vehicles, without letting get completely behind him. If they did plan to attack him, they may chose that moment to strike leaving Miller in the position of having to accelerate quickly, on snow covered streets, to have a chance to escape.

The black SUV, now having made the second right and approaching the middle of the block, was as close to Miller as it had been yet. He could clearly see it didn't have any snow on it's roof despite the rapid pace at which it was accumulating all around it and the amount of time it had appeared to be outside.

Gentling guiding the big truck forward, Miller turned the wheel to make the third turn. Now was the moment of truth; if the driver made the third right hand turn the odds of it being a coincidence plummeted. In a massive metropolitan area, however, there still existed a chance that the other driver simply happened to be going the same way you were.

Miller tried to look at the positive side but one thing bounced around his mind: this was a small town in rural Wyoming, not Kiev.

Looking up, Miller watched as the other driver hesitated, then proceeded to make the turn.

****

“What are you talking about boy?” asked Dink. Webb turned from the computer just in time to see Dink's puzzled look and furrowed brow.

“I know it sounds crazy Dink,” replied Miller. “But I'm telling you they just made the third right hand turn and have been following me for a while before that.”

“I don't know man, this is East Jesus Nowhere, Wyoming. Who's going to come up here to play spy games with you?”

Webb's ears perked up at the mention of the words “spy games”. Miller hadn't told them much about his past, but he'd seen enough to know that Miller had led a very colorful past life. Between the reference to Miller's particular skill-set, and Dink's growing concern, Webb began to realize something wasn't right.

“Alright son, calm down,” advised Dink, “How many are there?”

“Unsure, but the roof of the truck doesn't have hardly a lick of snow on it. Front and back. I'm guessing at least four, maybe six.”

Rubbing his chin Dink mused, “four to one are long odds, let alone six. If they make that last turn you better come back here pronto. Or do you want us to come meet you?”

A few seconds drifted by before Dink was forced to ask, “Miller, you still there?”

“Yea,” came the reply. “Looks like I'm losing it. They just drove straight through the last turn. I guess I need a boys-weekend to unwind....I'm seeing things.”

Dink laughed, “well, ya, it happens to the best of us. Which way you coming home?”

Miller paused before answer, “I think I'm going to take the scenic route. Don't really want them knowing where I'm headed just yet.”

“Thought you said they didn't make that last turn?”

“You're right. Still could be a coincidence,” said Miller. “Then again.....it could also mean they are pros.”


****


Watching the line of GAZ-3937 Vodnik 4x4 multipurpose vehicles navigate the winding road on the valley floor was not unlike watching ants march across a log in search of an unsuspecting picnic. As the convoy of three Vodnik's and several Humvee's wound through the passage it struck Saxon as odd to see the mixture of ostensibly American vehicles mixed amongst the Russian's.

Clearly these were Peacekeeping forces supporting Crutchfeild's troops.

Through the view of his high-powered binoculars, Saxon also noticed Hilux vehicles, one leading and one following the processional. These Hilux pickups, however, had been up-armored to include ballistic protection for the passengers and body panels, heavy duty roll cages, run-flat tires and lights. The snorkel equipment allowed them to traverse deep bodies of water while the two mounted 7.62 machine guns gave the vehicle an offensive capability.

While no match for any real armored vehicle, they were very effective for dispatching small units of troops like Saxon's. One unit had been ripped to shreds when several Hilux's appeared amidst their position.

“That's the second convoy like this we've seen today,” whispered Caddy.

Nodding his head in agreement, “They're pouring resources into that outpost east of the city. What do you bet that some of these vehicles stay behind to add firepower to the camp?”

Both the Vodnik's and Humvee's had heavy machine guns mounted in turrets atop the vehicle. Some even had small missile launchers in place of the machine guns. The units with machine guns could also rapidly deliver eight heavily armed troops while providing supporting fire.

All in all the convoy, while chiefly tasked with hauling goods to the new fire-base Crutchfield was constructing east of the city, packed a heavy arsenal against unsupported ground troops.

Leaning back towards Caddy, “the first convoy should be heading back about now. Let's see how many vehicles are missing from the return trip.”