Katydids rioted in the night. Tommy slapped his neck while Jer eyed the moonless country road. Wilted from the heat, both leaned against the grill of Lou’s SUV. Even with the sun down it was still Dearborn hot. Headlights appeared up the road. Jer jumped to attention and nudged Tom to do the same. Scratching his neck, Tommy stood. He adjusted his rifle strap. The headlights grew closer.

The approaching Jeep pulled up and stopped on the lonesome road. Its driver and passenger didn’t get out. Jer watched the pair argue in the Jeep’s front seat. Tommy looked for a blunt in one of his MOLLE vest’s many pockets. Minutes inched by.

Finally Trevor, leader of the 13 Stripes, climbed out of the SUV and stood in the glow of the Jeep’s headlights.

“Look I didn’t come here for dinner and a movie. Let’s do this shit,” Trevor said.

The pair in the Jeep stared at Trevor and then continued to argue. Shrugging, Trevor started walking back to his car. Following his cue, Tommy and Jer turned in unison and headed for the driver’s side and the passenger side respectively.

The Jeep’s door opened.

“Hey we said only bring one other person.”

“They’re a matching set. One’s no good without the other. Deal or no deal but no parley. If I wanted to hear an asshole I would have stayed home with the wife and farted,” Lou said with his workboot on the SUV’s door well.

Jer laughed. Tommy laughed and farted. Jer laughed harder.

“Okay, okay,” Nate said looking back and forth, “Waylon is nervous about any deviation from the established plans. You did bring the cash?”

Walking back to the beams of headlights, Trevor opened the top of his big tactical rucksack. Green rolls of cash winked in the bug filled light. Nate reached for a roll of the greenbacks. With a lightning crack, Tommy racked his shotgun. Jer grinned with a stony glare.

“It’s okay, Tom and Jerry. Reach in Mister and examine a roll. But I am telling you on my honor, the 13 Stripes are true patriots not criminals. We stand by our word,” Trevor said.

Nate stared deep into Trevor’s eyes and then backed away. He pounded on the hood of the Jeep.

“They’re legit, Waylon.”

The other man slowly exited the Jeep and opened the rear. They all walked to the other vehicle. Jer scanned the terrain. Tommy looked again for that missing blunt. With a flick, Waylon revealed the gun shipment from beneath a layer of tarp.

Trevor stood aside with the gun dealers from Boise. Sweating, Tommy and Jer carried the guns from the Jeep to the SUV.

“You all right, bra?” Tommy asked after the last load of guns were hidden in the SUV.

“Yeah, I have an itchy feeling feeling being watched feeling,” Jer said.

Tommy lit his blunt and held his lighter up to Jer’s face. “Relax, Jer Bear, that’s just a little of your PTSD. Pass That Shit Dude.”

Jer thought for a moment and then laughed getting his pal’s joke. Jer took a puff by the lighter’s light and headed for the driver’s seat. Tommy’s face grew suddenly serious holding his lighter up for another second to make sure the ATF agents saw his signal and knew that the weapons transfer was complete. Tommy’s dopey expression returned like a cloud crossing the moon.

“The Idaho GateKeepers are proud of what you’re doing. We saw that capitol takedown shit on TV and we all follow you on youtube. You are the spark on the cannon of the next civil war. I wanted to shake your hand and say I hope you tear her up and take our country back,” Waylon said shaking Trevor’s hand.

Trevor swaggered all the way back to his car. Smiling at a job well done, Jer did a K turn on the dark road and headed for the long drive back to base. Pretending to doze off, Officer Tomas Villa thought about an undercover assignment nearly done.