by Mark Goodwin
Emilio shot the lock and kicked the door. Josh ran through the opening, shooting at the occupants inside. He pressed deep inside the building, making way for the others streaming in behind. Josh continued firing and slid to the floor to take cover behind a nearby bunk bed. He kept shooting, giving the enemy no time to get organized or figure out what had hit them.
His magazine ran dry. Josh ducked behind the bed and swapped it out for a fresh mag. Yet, the melee continued with the rest of his team pressing the assault. He slapped the bolt release with the palm of his hand and popped up for a second volley of rifle fire. Five hostiles were at the far end of the building with automatic weapons attempting to launch a counter-assault, while the rest of the survivors in the bunkhouse were scrambling for cover or trying to locate their weapons.
Instantly, Josh focused his fire on the most direct threat. Emilio and Solomon did likewise and the five assailants were neutralized. Once they’d been eliminated, Josh changed magazines and sprung up from his covered position. He ran between the beds eliminating the other occupants before they could return fire. Emilio, Christina, and Nicole followed close behind.
Solomon’s team was next to pass through the aisles of carnage. Solomon issued kill shots to dispatch any of the enemy still moving.
“Okay, phase two.” Josh reached the back door of the bunkhouse. “Everybody, get a fresh mag and take a deep breath. We have a lot of fighting left to do.”
Josh followed his own advice and addressed his team. “Ready?”
All nodded with weapons in position. “Go!” Josh led the way through the door.
A hail of gunfire met them upon their exit.
“Fall back!” Josh led the group away from the main house using the side of the bunkhouse to regroup.
Solomon and Dana led their teams behind Josh. Once out of sight of the shooters, Josh said, “We’ll circle back around the bunkhouse. Dana, take your team back to the tree line. You can harass the occupants of the main house from there. Keep your shots high. We’ll come around from the side of the road and try to pick them off when they return fire on the woods.”
She looked to Solomon for approval. Solomon gave a consenting nod.
“Roger that,” she said. “On me.” She signaled for her team to follow her toward the woods.
Josh led the rest of the group around the side of the bunkhouse. They sprinted past the main house and took cover behind a small storage shed near the little brick house. Josh peered around the side. “Everyone, try to get a view of the windows in the main house. I think that’s where they’ve decided to make their stand.”
The others followed his directive. Finally, Dana’s team began the assault from the tree line. And just as Josh had predicted, the enemy inside the house began returning fire from the windows. Like he’d done before, he took his carefully calculated shots during periods of rapid exchange between the occupants of the house and Dana’s team in the woods.
He and the others managed to pick off four more shooters.
“This whack-a-mole gig isn’t going to last long,” said Emilio. “We’ve got an opportunity to make entry right now. When they figure out we’re over here, that window closes.”
Josh understood the risk of kicking in the door but knew Emilio was right. “Okay, let’s move. We’ll go in the front door. Nicole, stay out here and keep sniping off any unsuspecting shooters. Solomon, pick your best sniper to stay with my sister.”
Solomon pointed to one of his men. “Rocky, that’s you.”
Rocky nodded and put in a fresh magazine.
Josh led the rest of the group to the front door. Emilio shot the lock and kicked it in.
The sound of the entry alerted the occupants to the team’s presence, and they put up a strong fight. Bullets ripped from down the hallway on the first floor, and from the top of the stairwell on the second.
Emilio pointed down the hall. “We’ve got to clear that back bedroom.”
Josh took a deep breath and nodded.
Emilio led the charge shooting as he ran. Josh arrived in the room next and fired as fast as his gun would shoot. Solomon led his team to the adjacent downstairs bedroom where a greater number of enemy fighters were located. They eliminated them all, but not before two of Solomon’s men fell to their deaths.
Christina held off the assailants at the stairwell. “I need a little help over here!”
Josh cleared the bathroom, then rushed to her aid. Emilio and Solomon were close behind.
Josh looked at Christina. “You and Solomon put down heavy cover fire. Keep your shots high. I’ll crawl up the stairs on my stomach and take them out.”
“Are you crazy?” she asked.
“We’ve done this before,” said Emilio. “It will work.”
“What if I accidentally shoot you?” she asked.
“Don’t.” Josh got into position and began crawling up the stairs while Christina and Solomon put down cover.
He arrived at the top of the stairs. Josh laid his rifle over the top stair and began shooting. Emilio jumped up from behind him and opened fire at the remaining hostiles. When no more adversaries were visible, both left the stairway to clear the upstairs bedrooms. Christina and Solomon were quick to assist.
The team killed a few stragglers then cleared the rest of the house. Josh called over the radio. “Nicole, you and Rocky come inside. Watch the door. We’re in control of the house.”
“What’s next?” Dana’s voice came over the radio.
Josh looked out the bedroom window toward the woods. “I’ll cover you. Come on back. We’ll regroup, and we’ll clear the remaining residences.”
Emilio patted Josh on the shoulder as he looked out the upstairs window. “Why don’t you and Christina take overwatch from here? I’ll take everyone else and mop up.”
Josh’s knee was throbbing from all the running and climbing stairs on hands and knees. “Yeah, okay. Keep Nicole at the back of the line when you do an entry.”
Emilio smirked. “Do you really think you have to tell me that?”
“I guess not.” Josh smiled and watched over Dana’s team as they approached the buildings.
He and Christina observed diligently as the rest of the group cleared the remaining buildings. Emilio called up to the window, “I think that’s everything. All the supplies are in the basement of the main house and the garage of the little brick house. We’re going to be eating for a long time on those.”
Solomon’s eyes showed the sorrow he felt over losing two of his men. “We’re still taking the shares for our fallen brothers.”
Josh nodded. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Solomon looked up to the window. “They knew the risk, just like everybody else.”
“Even so,” said Josh. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” said Solomon.
Josh picked up the radio. “Micah, you can bring the vehicles up. Looks like the fight is over. We just need to load up then we can head home.”
“Dad.” Micah’s voice sounded distressed.
“What is it, Son?”
“Five men. They have us in the woods. They have AK-47s and…. Umph!” The sound of something solid hitting flesh echoed through the radio.
“Shut up boy!” came an unfamiliar voice. “Well now, that’s more information than I wanted to reveal about myself, but at least you know where I stand.”
“Who is this?” Josh demanded.
“Raymond Moss. That’s my house you just shot all to heck. And those were my associates that you’ve just turned into putrid piles of ground chuck. Now it seems, will be my turn to exact a pound of flesh.”
Josh felt rage boiling over. “No way. Your group hit my compound. You killed one of our people. I doubt we’re your only victims. You had this coming.”
“That sounds like speculation and hearsay. But even if there’s any truth to what you’re saying, my associates are independent contractors. I’m not some warlord that b
arks out orders, and I cannot be held accountable for the irresponsible actions of a few.”
“Five of you and a lot more of us. You can’t win a fight against us,” said Josh.
“You may have a point, sir. However, I am not entirely without leverage in this predicament. So, I propose that you pick one of the youngins here. You and your posse pull out. Take none of my supplies. Once you’re gone, I’ll release the youngin of your choice.”
“And what is to become of the other one?” asked Josh.
“They’ll serve as my domestic and surety against future acts of aggression by your group.”
Josh looked at Christina, not even daring to imagine the stalemate which would arise from a discussion about which teen should be released and which one left behind. “No. No way.”
“If it’s a matter of not being able to decide, I’ll be happy to choose for you. I’ll admit, I’m a bit partial to the little girl.”
“Get off me!” Lindsey screamed.
Christina pressed the talk key of her radio and screamed in a rage. “Don’t you touch her, you filthy scum!”
Josh gritted his teeth. “Here’s the deal. We’ll pull out. We’ll take none of your provisions. We’ll cause no further damage to your property. You’ll never hear from us again. You killed one of ours, and we showed you what happens when we feel threatened. I’m not telling you where we live, so I recommend you not associate with people who raid for supplies any longer. From the looks of things, the five of you have plenty to live on for many years to come. In exchange, you’ll release both of the people you’re holding.”
“And if I decide not to accept your terms?” asked Raymond Moss.
“Then we’ll get our tracking dogs and hunt you down. When we find you, we’ll filet the skin off of your muscles, tie you up in that big house and burn you alive.”
“Maybe you don’t find us,” replied Moss.
“We’ve got the best tracking dogs in Kentucky. We’ll find you. But even if, by some chance of extreme fortune, you should evade being captured by us, we’ll take every scrap of food in this place and torch all the buildings. You will lose.”
Moss was silent for a while. “Alright then. I accept your proposal. But you take nothing. Not even the weapons of my deceased associates. And if you come back, I’ll be ready for you.”
“We’ll be gone in five minutes. I expect a call from my son saying they’re free within twenty minutes. Otherwise, we’ll be back, and all bets are off.”
“Very well. You have a deal.”
CHAPTER 28
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NKJV
Josh let the radio hang by his side.
“You don’t actually trust him, do you?” asked Christina.
“About as far as I can throw him.” Josh stuck his head out the window. “Clear out. Stay at least a mile away.”
“What about you?” Emilio looked up.
“We’re staying.” He turned to Christina. “We have to get our kids back.”
Christina nodded that she’d go along with his plan.
“Call us when you need us. I’ll bring the cavalry.” Emilio put his arm around Nicole and escorted her back toward the woods.
“Watch your phone. The call might come in the form of a text.” Josh stood up and looked around the room.
“Where are we going to hide?” Christina asked.
Josh walked into the upstairs hallway. “Up there.” He pointed to the attic hatch.
Christina pulled the cord and extended the ladder. She climbed up first followed by Josh. Once up, he lay on his stomach to retract the access ladder. “Now we wait. Quietly. The least little movement will give away our location.”
Josh adjusted his rifle and listened. Fifteen minutes passed. Finally, he heard voices outside. He couldn’t make out what was being said. The voices came inside the house.
“Check around.” It was the voice of Raymond Moss. “Make sure no one’s in the house. Look in the closets, under the beds.”
“Yeah, boss,” replied a low voice.
“What about the kids?” asked another.
“Tie their hands together and lock ‘em in the bathroom,” said Moss.
“We givin’ ‘em back?” asked one with a familiar voice.
Josh recognized it as belonging to the oily geezer from the trading post.
“Nope. If we give ‘em back, we’ve got no leverage. Besides, I kinda like the little girl.”
Christina breathed angrily through flared nostrils.
Josh shook his head, pleading with his eyes for her to remain quiet.
She mouthed the words, “I’m gonna kill him.”
Josh nodded but held up a hand imploring her to be patient. He texted Emilio. Come in hot. We’re upstairs.
Moss said, “Collect some magazines and extra AK-47s up here. We’ll make our stand here. If they get inside the house, we’ll use the kids for human shields.”
“Be right back,” said the man from the market.
“We need to move now!” Christina whispered.
Josh listened for the location of Moss. He positioned his rifle to shoot through the ceiling. The rafter beneath his leg creaked.
“Somebody’s up there,” said the man with the low voice.
“Shoot!” screamed Moss. Gunfire ripped through the ceiling.
Josh sat up and returned fire. Christina did likewise. Josh pushed the hatch and kicked open the extending ladder. He stuck his head out and targeted the beer-bellied geezer coming back up the stairs. He fired two shots and the oily man fell backward down the staircase. Josh dropped down hurriedly. Upon landing, his knee gave out. But this time, it was bad. Unable to get back up, Josh was forced to scoot out of the path of coming gunfire. Christina jumped down and covered Josh long enough for him to get out of harm’s way. She shot two more of the hostiles.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I will be.” Josh pointed to the other bedroom. “They have to be in there.”
“So are the kids,” she replied.
“Micah?” Josh called.
“They’ve got guns on us!” Micah yelled.
“Shut up!” yelled Moss. The sound of Micah being struck again could be heard.
“You must not like this boy very much,” said Moss. “You keep making things harder for him.”
“Let ‘em go, and we’ll let you live,” said Josh.
“You’ve already proved to not be a man of your word,” said Moss.
Christina whispered. “We need to end this.”
“Wait. Emilio will be here soon.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m going in. Are you going to back me up?”
“I can’t even walk!”
“Then crawl!” With no further discussion, she stormed into the room. Moss and the other man opened fire, but Christina could not shoot without jeopardizing Micah and Lindsey. Josh rolled over to watch the horrific sight of Christina being riddled with AK-47 bullets.
Lindsey screamed, “Mama!” She head-butted her captor and fell to the ground. With his hands bound, Micah drove his shoulder into the man holding him hostage. Josh had a millisecond to fire before Moss and the other man were able to regain their balance and control of their weapons. He shot Moss right between the eyes, then struck the other man three times in the chest. Both slumped against the wall leaving streaks of blood on the paint as they slid to the ground.
“Mama!” Lindsey continued to call to her mother.
Josh crawled to Christina’s side. She’d been hit five times in the chest and once in the neck. She was gone. He could do nothing for her.
“Untie me!” Lindsey wailed.
Josh retrieved his knife and cut away
the restraints. Lindsey crawled to her mother’s side, cradling Christina’s head in her lap as she sobbed. Josh cut away the rope binding Micah’s hands and the two hugged.
Minutes later, Emilio, Nicole and the rest of the team raced into the house. Emilio looked at the carnage. “You okay?”
“Just a little knee trouble.” Josh felt horrible for Lindsey. But he understood her pain all too well.
Emilio helped Josh up from the floor. “We’ll get you and Lindsey back to the compound, then we’ll come collect the supplies.”
Josh nodded. “Bring Christina’s body with you. I don’t think Lindsey is going to leave her side.”
The fight was over, but the sweet smell of victory had been stolen from Josh and the rest of the team.
***
Josh sat on a chair at the side of Christina’s grave Sunday afternoon. His knee was wrapped with a bandage, and he maneuvered about with the help of a walking stick. Micah stood quietly behind him. Josh offered a brief memorial reading from the Psalms, then prayed, asking God to be merciful to his dwindling group. He asked for comfort for Lindsey and everyone else who’d grown to love Christina.
Josh had offered to let Solomon bury his fallen men at the compound’s humble graveyard, but Solomon insisted on bringing his men home to be buried in Indiana. Solomon did, however, stay to pay his respects to Christina.
After the service, Solomon shook Josh’s hand. “I’m going to get on the road. We’ve got a long drive ahead.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry it turned out so badly,” said Josh.
“War always turns out badly. It’s just that sometimes, things turn out worse if you do nothing.”
Josh nodded at the veteran warrior’s wisdom.
Solomon called out to Lindsey, “Are you ready?”
“Yeah. I just need to hook up the trailer to the Suburban.” Lindsey walked over.
Josh found himself taken off guard by Lindsey’s sudden decision to leave the compound. Her skill set would be missed, especially with Mackenzie and himself temporarily hobbled by injuries. Yet, it was much more. He’d grown fond of the girl and would miss her just as much as he’d miss Christina.