Expatriates Read online

  ALSO BY JAMES WESLEY, RAWLES

  Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse

  How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It

  Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse

  Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse

  EXPATRIATES

  A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse

  James Wesley, Rawles

  Dutton

  DUTTON

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) LLC

  375 Hudson Street

  New York, New York 10014

  USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | China

  penguin.com

  A Penguin Random House Company

  Copyright © 2013 by James Wesley, Rawles

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

  Rawles, James Wesley.

  Expatriates : a novel of the coming global collapse / James Wesley, Rawles.

  p. cm.

  ISBN 978-0-698-13830-8

  1. Political fiction. I. Title.

  PS3568.A8437E97 2013

  813'.54—dc23

  2013015366

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  DISCLAIMERS

  All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic bulletin boards, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This is a work of fiction. All of the events described are imaginary, taking place in the future, and do not represent the world as we know it in the present day. It does not reflect the current geopolitical situation, governmental policies, or the strategic posture of any nation. It is not intended to be commentary on the policies, leadership, goals, strategies, or plans of any nation. This novel is not intended to be predictive of the territorial aspirations or tactics of any nation or any planned use of terrorist tactics. Again, it takes place in the future, under fictional new leadership. Any resemblance to living people is purely coincidental.

  The making and/or possession of some of the devices and mixtures described in this novel are possibly illegal in some jurisdictions. Even the mere possession of the uncombined components might be construed as criminal intent. Consult your state and local laws! If you make any of these devices and/or formulations, you accept sole responsibility for their possession and use. You are also responsible for your own stupidity and/or carelessness. This information is intended for educational purposes only, to add realism to a work of fiction. The purpose of this novel is to entertain and to educate. The author and Dutton shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any citizen, person, or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this novel.

  This novel is dedicated to my wife, “Avalanche Lily,”

  for her inspiration, encouragement, and diligent editing.

  She has filled the enormous gap in my life after Linda

  (“The Memsahib”) passed away.

  CONTENTS

  ALSO BY JAMES WESLEY, RAWLES

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  DISCLAIMERS

  DEDICATION

  EPIGRAPH

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTORY NOTE

  1 | A GLIMPSE

  2 | DOUBTS

  3 | LIFE IN OZ

  4 | SISTERS

  5 | PLATEAU

  6 | FORTIFICATION

  7 | SOLDADOS

  8 | FOSSICKERS

  9 | BARGAIN HUNTING

  10 | DOWNLOADS

  11 | THE MISSING UMBRELLA

  12 | NIPA

  13 | CHARTS

  14 | IN FULL FLIGHT

  15 | UNFETTERED

  16 | CROSS SECTION

  17 | FOX HUNT

  18 | QUISLINGS

  19 | WATER

  20 | E&E

  21 | RABBLE IN ARMS

  22 | THE WAIT

  23 | MAD MINUTE

  24 | MADAGASCAR

  25 | INTO THE DEEP

  26 | SHIPSHAPE

  27 | WYNDHAMITES

  28 | THE UTE

  29 | LODGINGS

  30 | THE KING HIT

  31 | MONITORS

  32 | THE RAIDS

  33 | DISPATCHED

  34 | CRESCENDO

  35 | TO YOUR GUNS

  36 | EXIGENCIES

  37 | LUAU

  38 | IBOMB

  39 | RULE .303

  40 | DEBRIEF

  41 | DENIAL

  42 | A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE

  43 | THE SPIRIT

  44 | CONTACT

  45 | HEAD SHOT

  46 | CLAYMORES

  47 | STAR OF COURAGE

  48 | A NEW FLAG

  49 | RESTORATION

  50 | O CANADA

  GLOSSARY

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

  —PSALMS 9:9–10 (KJV)

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  Jacob “Jake” Altmiller—Hardware store owner/manager in Tavares, Florida.

  Janelle Altmiller—Real estate agent. Wife of Jacob Altmiller. Daughter of Alan and Claire McGregor. Sister of Rhiannon Jeffords.

  Lance Alan Altmiller—Son of Jacob and Janelle Altmiller. Eleven years old at the onset of the Crunch.

  Captain Soekirnan Assegaf—Captain (“Kapten”) of the Indonesian Navy patrol boat Sadarin.

  Sam Burnu—Aborigine ex-convict groundskeeper, Marrakai Heights, Northern Territory, Australia.

  Caleb Burroughs—Australian Army WO1 warrant officer.

  Randall “Rabbit” Burroughs—Oil and gas seismic crew member. Brother of Caleb Burroughs.

  Bruce Drake—Oil and gas seismic crew member.

  Thomas Drake—Retired farm foreman. Paternal uncle of Bruce Drake.

  Alvis Edwards—Salt and hide broker, Wyndham, Western Australia.

  Vivian Edwards—Wife of Alvis Edwards.

  Edward Hadley—Private pilot, Alice Springs, Australia.

  Paula Hadley—Private pilot, Alice Springs, Australia. Wife of Edward Hadley.

  Peter Jeffords—Christian missionary from New Hampshire, living in Quinapondan, Samar Island, Philippines.

  Rhiannon Jeffords—Christian missionary, originally from Bella Coola, British Columbia. Wife of Peter Jeffords. Daughter of Alan and Claire McGregor. Sister of Janelle Altmiller.

  Sarah Jeffords—Daughter of Peter and Rhiannon Jeffords. Seven years old at the onset of the Crunch.

  Lyle Jenkins—Mayor of Mount Dora, Florida.

  Samantha Kyle—Disabled RAAF veteran and home automation systems specialist, Palmerston City,
Northern Territory, Australia.

  Byer Levin—Mayor of Tavares, Florida.

  Tomas Marichal—Former Marine, self-employed gunsmith. A builder of custom AR-15 and AR-10 rifles and carbines in Tavares, Florida.

  Tom Martinson—Mayor of Tangerine, Florida.

  Alan McGregor—Semiretired cattle rancher, Bella Coola, British Columbia. Father of Ray McGregor, Janelle Altmiller, and Rhiannon Jeffords.

  Claire McGregor—Wife of Alan McGregor. Mother of Ray McGregor, Janelle Altmiller, and Rhiannon Jeffords.

  Ray McGregor—Afghanistan War veteran and military historian. Originally from Bella Coola, British Columbia. Living in Newberry, Michigan. Son of Alan and Claire McGregor. Brother of Janelle Altmiller and Rhiannon Jeffords.

  Joseph Caylao Navarro—Jeepney barker, living in Quinapondan, Samar Island, Philippines. Sixteen years old at the onset of the Crunch.

  Paul Timbancaya Navarro—Coastal fisherman in Quinapondan, Samar Island, Philippines. Owner and captain of FV Tiburon and part-time instructor of the Filipino Martial Arts. Grandfather (“Tatang”) of Joseph Navarro. Called Tatang by both his relatives and friends.

  Chuck Nolan—American petroleum geologist originally from Texas, living in Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.

  Ava Palmer—A GIS technician and Australian National University college student raised in Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.

  Major General Rex Raymond—Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST), near Bungendore, New South Wales, Australia.

  Colonel John “Jack” Reynolds—Commander, 7th Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB), in Enoggera, Queensland, Australia.

  Rudolfo Saguisag—Retired Philippine Navy NCO. Nicknamed Dolpo.

  Lisa Schoonover—Clerk and accountant at Altmiller’s Hardware in Tavares, Florida.

  Ralph Simmonds—Immigration officer with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

  José Valentin—Former U.S. Army radio repairman. A photovoltaic power sales and service technician with Altmiller’s Hardware in Tavares, Florida.

  Quentin Whittle—Former bush logger and commercial hunter, Rapid Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.

  Adhi Wulandari—Perantara insinyur (“intermediate engineer”), Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia.

  AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTORY NOTE

  Unlike most novel sequels, Expatriates is contemporaneous with the events described in my previously published novels Patriots, Survivors, and Founders. Thus, you need not read them first (or subsequently), but you’ll likely find them entertaining. Another novel is planned for the series. Check out my blog, www.SurvivalBlog.com, for updates.

  1

  A GLIMPSE

  “Don’t look like a Snicker’s bar if you don’t want to get eaten.”

  —Clint Smith, founder of the Thunder Ranch shooting school

  Tavares, Florida—June, Four Years Before the Crunch

  They came into the store so quickly that Janelle Altmiller didn’t have time to react. There were three of them, all men in their early twenties wearing hoodie sweatshirts. As they ran up to the counter, two of them pulled out handguns. Janelle was petrified. In a flash, she realized that she was unarmed, and that her husband, Jacob—who was armed—was out of sight in the back of the store, running the panel saw. He was cutting up a piece of plywood for a customer. The noise of the saw would drown out her voice, even if she were to shout for help.

  The shortest of the three men tossed a pillowcase to Janelle and ordered, “Fill it! Dump the cash tray and the cash under the tray in, too.” She quickly opened the cash register and complied. As she handed the sack back to the man, one of the others, with an acne-scarred complexion, hissed, “You pick up the phone in less than five minutes and I’ll come back here next week and empty this gun into you.”

  The three men fled just as Janelle heard the sound of the vertically mounted Skilsaw winding down. She ran toward her husband in a panicked dash. “We’ve just been robbed,” she shouted over the noise. Jake hesitated only for a moment before unholstering his SIG pistol. He started walking toward the front of the store, cautiously. Behind him, Janelle said, “Three young black guys, all wearing hoodies. Two of them have guns.” Jake glanced at the open cash register and the register’s empty cash tray sitting at an odd angle.

  They heard tires screeching outside the store. Jake picked up his pace and jogged to the hardware store’s front entrance. As he ran out the door, he caught just a glimpse of an older Ford Taurus racing down the street. He stopped and lowered his pistol. Then he noticed that his hands were shaking.

  “Call 911! Black Ford Taurus sedan. Tell ’em they’re headed south on State Road 19!” he shouted to Janelle. Then muttering to himself, he added, “And they’ll be lost in the traffic and down in Orlando before the cops even get out of the donut shop.”

  Their store had been burglarized the year before, so they’d added bars to the windows and beefed up the back door. But they hadn’t expected an armed robbery during the day. To Janelle, robberies had seemed like something that happened only to jewelry shops, liquor stores, and gas stations—and then mainly in Jacksonville or Orlando.

  The robbery made the Altmillers seriously reconsider security for their small hardware store. The store had been established by Jake’s grandfather, who had bought the 2.5-acre lot for just twelve hundred dollars during World War II. Situated south of the Dora Canal, it had been in continuous operation since 1946. It was also the last family-owned, independent hardware store in Lake County. All of the others had long since been affiliated with chains like Ace or True Value, or run out of business by the big-box giants like Home Depot and Lowe’s. And while they’d suffered their share of shoplifting, this was the first time they’d ever been robbed at gunpoint.

  A few days after the robbery, the Altmillers added four miniature security cameras that recorded directly to their PC’s hard drive. One of these cameras was deliberately set up at a low angle to avoid the classic “view of the top of the perp’s baseball cap.” Another camera was aimed at the front entrance, and contrasting strips of colored tape were added at one-foot intervals running up both sides of the door frame. When seen in surveillance footage, these markings would allow them to approximate the height of a suspect after a robbery.

  Most importantly, Janelle and Jake began to carry their pistols daily. They both took the three-day fighting pistol immersion course taught by Florida Firearms Training in Okeechobee. This was Janelle’s first formal firearms instruction. For Jake, who had taken two previous classes by other instructors, the comprehensive course made him realize how much he still had to learn. They both made a point of doing monthly practice shooting sessions at the local range on Sunday afternoons when the store was closed.

  Janelle stood just five feet two inches tall—eight inches shorter than her husband. Her rounded hips and short trunk made most hip holsters uncomfortable for her. Drawing her pistol from a hip holster was ungainly because of the short distance between the top of the holster and her armpit. She tried several types of right-handed holsters before settling on a modified Kydex cross-draw holster made by Multi Holsters. She concealed it with the blue Altmiller’s Hardware logo canvas vests that they wore to identify store employees. By wearing the vest unbuttoned, she could draw the pistol quickly if needed. On the few occasions when a customer caught a glimpse of the holstered pistol, it usually triggered compliments rather than ridicule. Florida, after all, had one million concealed carry pistol permits—the most of any state. There was a reason it was nicknamed the Gunshine State.

  2

  DOUBTS

  “Ever since the religion of Islam appeared in the world, the espousers of it . . . have been as wolves and tigers to all other nations, rending and tearing all that fell into their merciless paws, and grinding them with their iron teeth; that numberless cities are raised f
rom the foundation, and only their name remaining; that many countries, which were once as the garden of God, are now a desolate wilderness; and that so many once numerous and powerful nations are vanished from the earth! Such was, and is at this day, the rage, the fury, the revenge, of these destroyers of human kind.”

  —John Wesley (1703–1791)

  Semarang, Indonesia—May, Two Years Before the Crunch

  Adhi Wulandari was an ambitious perantara insinyur, an intermediate engineer, with a midsize electronics company in Jakarta. He had just survived a big layoff. This had been the first time the company had let go more than just assemblers. Two friends from his department—one from New Zealand and one from Singapore—were the company’s only foreign-born employees. Without warning, they had been told to pack up the personal contents of their cubicles and were escorted out the door. It soon became apparent that all of the others singled out in the layoff were non-Muslims, leaving the company with a one hundred percent Muslim staff. The circumstances of the layoff troubled Wulandari.

  The next day, word came of a lucrative new video camera assembly contract. Why would the company need to lay off anyone when they’ve just received a new contract? Wulandari wondered. Everyone else seemed happy to still have their jobs, so they didn’t ask many questions.

  While reviewing the drawing specifications for the new assembly contract, Wulandari noticed that the drawings were incomplete. The diagrams showed only one half of a clamshell housing marked CAMERA CASE, a battery, and a digital timer. The large round center section of the housing was a blank spot in the drawings, marked simply as CAMERA POSITION (TBD). The empty space also seemed unusually large for a digital camera, given their recent miniaturization. Even stranger, there were no molded projections in the plastic to hold a camera in place.

  All of the parts for the assembly project came in from several other subcontractors: 252 unmarked gray plastic cases from an injection molding company in Tasikmalaya, boxes of aluminum screws from a fastener supply company in Banjarsari, 252 five-year-life 48-volt lithium manganese dioxide batteries sourced from China, bundles of green LEDs from a parts vendor in Jakarta Tangerang, and 252 generic programmable digital timers made by Omron.