by Payne, T. L.
"How's your ankle?"
Beth looked down.
"I'm sure when the adrenaline wears off, it will hurt like hell. Damn. The swelling just went down from the accident too."
"I'm sorry, Mom."
"Damn apocalypse," Beth said, turning toward the house.
"I'm going to let Bluejeans out into the pasture, and I'll be right in."
Beth brought her rifle around to the front and scanned the woods.
"I'll wait here and watch the woods."
"You should go in and get off that ankle,” Maddie said.
"Who's the mother here?" Beth said, the corners of her mouth curling into a slight smile. "I'm not leaving you out here by yourself."
"Okay, but stand here," Maddie said, pointing to a position behind the bushes that lined the wide porch.
The sound of a thud behind her caused Maddie to spin around. The porch swing was swaying back and forth. A second later, Bojangles, a huge orange tabby cat, jumped down from the porch railing and landed at their feet.
"Damn it, Bojangles. You scared the life out of me," Maddie said as she reached for Bluejeans’s reins.
Maddie waited for Beth to move behind the bushes and then led the horse around to the back of the big red and white barn. After slipping the bridle off and removing his saddle, Maddie opened the gate and watched as Bluejeans trotted off to join the other horses.
With her rifle to her shoulder, she ran back around to the front of the house. As she helped Beth up the stairs, she thought she saw movement in the forsythia bushes at the end of the driveway.
"Hurry, Mom."
"What? Do you see someone?" Beth asked as she turned toward the road.
"Get inside."
Maddie dropped to a crouch behind the porch railing, and Beth dropped down beside her.
"Where?" Beth asked, bringing her own rifle up.
"The bushes on the right side of the gate."
A second later, the neighbor's beagle came into view, nose still to the ground, oblivious to the two women with their rifles trained on him.
"Shit," Maddie said. "Let's get inside before I have a heart attack over some other furry beast.”
Maddie held the door as Beth limped inside. She continued to scan the tree line along the road as she closed the door.
"Let's get your foot up," Maddie said, leading Beth to the sofa.
"We can't stay here, Maddie."
"Rank and Lugnut are on their way,” Maddie replied, placing a pillow under her mother’s foot.
After clearing every room, making sure no intruders were in the house, Maddie stood guard at the large window that overlooked the front yard while they waited for the guys. She wanted to radio them and see if they'd tracked the intruder, but she knew that wasn't protocol. She hated waiting. Maddie paced back and forth from window to window. After checking the view from the back door, she looked out the front bedroom window over the pasture to the east of the house.
Movement caught her eye. She stared at the spot for several minutes before ruling that it was only the wind blowing through saplings. That side of the woods had been burned by a recent forest fire. Thankfully, the forestry service and firefighters were able to stop it from reaching the house and barn.
Back in the living room, Maddie returned to her sentry post at the window.
"This really isn't sustainable," Beth said.
"I know. The guys are on their way," Maddie replied.
"Not this. I mean the whole thing. Your dad was right. We need a group."
"We have a group."
"There aren't enough people—trained people—to secure the cabin and this place. And those we have are spread too thin."
"When the governor moves the prisoners, we…"
"Even then, there just aren't enough of us to stop people from coming through the woods and taking this place."
Maddie thought for a moment.
"I know. You're right. We need a larger group. That's what dad was working on. I see why now."
"We have to do something soon. Before…"
"We will. We'll have a meeting and talk about how to bring more people in. I know people are reluctant to leave their homes, but maybe enough time has passed, and things have happened around them that enough of them would be willing to join us now,” Maddie said.
"Your dad kept a detailed list. He even had a map with the locations of people he'd spoken to and thought would be good for the group. And he had a list of people to avoid. He marked some homes with red ‘X’s, meaning they were the ones to watch out for. The Jewells were on that list."
"I haven't seen that list. Where is it?"
"In a box with the rest of the things from his office."
Maddie's shoulders slumped. A lot of good it would do back in St. Louis.
Would it even work? Could they convince enough of their neighbors to leave their homes and join their group?
Maddie turned back to the window. As she stared out over the front lawn, her eyes stopped at the flowers planted at the bottom of the tall flagpole in the middle of the yard. Ron flew the flag with pride. He loved his farm. Even he had refused to leave it to join them at the cabin. How desperate would their neighbors need to be before they would?
"Where the hell would we even put more people?" Maddie asked under breath.
"What?" Beth asked.
"I was just wondering where we'd put more people if we did convince them to join us. I mean, why would they want to leave their homes and farms to…what…live in a tent or sleep on the floor? I just don't see that happening. We have to have someplace for them to come, or we can forget about convincing people to join us."
"We'll come up with something," Beth said.
Maddie had been staring out the window watching Bojangles stalking something in the tall grass when she saw a figure emerge from the woods. She brought the rifle up.
"It's Rank," Maddie called over her shoulder as she headed toward the door.
Stepping out onto the porch, Maddie yelled, "Did you find him?"
"He was gone. We lost his trail at the creek where it crosses Paddy Creek Road," Rank called back. "I didn't want to leave the farm and cabin unguarded while I went after him, so I turned back. We'll pick it up again when Roger and Maria get home. We'll find out where the guy went."
When Rank reached the steps, Maddie called into the house, "Mom, we should get back to the cabin."
"Where's Lug?" Maddie asked, looking around for the big man.
"He ran back to the cabin in case the guy was a decoy," Rank said.
Beth came to the door adjusting her rifle sling.
"Did you find anything, Rank?"
"No. We need to get back to the cabin. We don't know if there are more out there," Maddie said.
"We have to feed the animals. That’s why we came, remember?"
Maddie turned to Rank for assistance, but he shrugged.
"I'll stand watch while you guys feed," he said.
"Mom can't feed. Her ankle is hurting from all the running."
"I can feed. I just can't run," Beth said as she slung her rifle over her shoulder.
"But Mom, you…"
"Madison Grace," Beth said in her sternest mom voice.
"We'll be in the barnyard," Maddie said, stomping down the steps. "I'm not feeding those damn pigs."
Rank chuckled.
"What's the matter? I thought you loved bacon."
She wanted to give him the finger, but with the mood her mother was in, she refrained from doing so.
Chapter 17
The Langston Cabin
Evening Shade, Missouri
Event + 23 Days
Although not happy to be back on a horse, Beth gave in when given a choice between riding Bluejeans and walking back down the rocky trail. Rank rode point. From what Maddie remembered, he wasn't all that fond of horses either. They would both need to get over it though, since horses would be their only means of transportation, sooner or later. The gasoline and diesel were
quickly running out. The supply they thought would last all winter was quickly being used up from running back and forth to the prison.
When they reached the clearing near the cabin, Rank held out his fist to halt them. Maddie shifted in the saddle and scanned the area behind them for any sign of the man or other intruders in the woods.
"Romeo," Rank called out.
Lugnut coughed for a moment before catching his breath to reply.
"Santos," Lugnut yelled back.
Maddie looked around for Buster and Mugsbie but didn't see either of them. She knew Jack would be curled up on the sofa, so she wasn't surprised not to see him.
Rank waved for them to proceed and trotted off toward the barn. Maddie nudged her horse and came alongside her mom, and the two rode side-by-side around to the back steps.
Ryan helped Beth off as Maddie took all three horses to the barn. After she placed the horses in their stalls, Maddie joined the others in the kitchen.
As Maddie slid into the bench at the table, Jack jumped up and took a seat next to Beth.
"Why don't you play with Buster and Mugsbie, Jack?" Maddie asked as she helped the dog to the floor. "Where are they anyway? I haven't seen them in a while."
"Keeping Harmony company," Beth said.
Maddie nodded as she popped another cough drop into her mouth.
"I could make some tea with honey," Beth said, pulling a tissue from her pocket and giving it to Maddie.
Maddie shook her head as she coughed into the Kleenex.
The door to the basement opened, and Lugnut emerged with an armload of MREs.
"I think we should head out now and follow their trail while it is fresh. Maddie and Ryan can guard the cabin," Lugnut said as he stuffed MREs into his pack.
"I just have a feeling we should wait until Roger and Maria get back before we head off again. It looks like they have people doing recon. They're just waiting for us to let our guard down," Rank said.
"What do you think they are up to? I mean—how many of them can there be?" Maddie asked.
“That's something we need to ask Jacob about. Then, we need him to point out where the Jewells might be hiding out. We need to put a stop to this shit right now." Rank said.
Lugnut sneezed.
"Maybe we should run over to the prison and grab Jacob now and not wait for…"
He sneezed twice more before Beth jumped to her feet. She grabbed him by the arm and was pulling the big guy down the hall toward the bedroom as he tried to protest. Five minutes later, she exited the guys' room shaking her head.
"He has a fever," she said as she scrubbed her hands. "Rank, you have to make sure he stays in that room. Not just for his sake but for all of us. He's contagious too."
Maddie wasn't worried that the flu would keep Lugnut down for long. He was strong and healthy. What concerned her was how many other people in the community would come down with it. Since Maddie was the first to get sick, she imagined she'd been the one to pick up the virus on her travels to Houston and the prison. Those were the only other people they had visited. Lugnut and Rank had been to Fort Leonard Wood, and Roger and Zack had visited with some local craftsmen, but they weren't sick—that she knew of, anyway. She just hoped it ran its course soon and left the rest of their group alone.
Rank threw his legs over the side of the bench and stood.
"I should go fetch Roger, Maria, and Zach. We need them here to guard the cabin while I search for the asshats who are stalking us."
"But what about the prison?" Maddie asked. "Someone needs to make sure things don't get out of hand there."
"Your boyfriend will just have to handle his guards while we get things secured here," Rank said as he turned toward the door. "I'm going to take Zach's bike. We should be back here in an hour. Beth, you should stand watch in the barn. Maddie, take the stand that overlooks the entrance to the trail to the farmhouse. We haven't been manning that one, but I think that should change. They know we are watching the road. They won't come that direction."
"I'll watch from the window. I can see all of the tree line in front of the cabin from there. Dawn and Krista can be lookouts in the stands near the southeast and southwest corners. They can radio if they see anything," Ryan said.
He stood and grabbed the cane he'd propped against the wall.
"Dawn. Krista. Come in here, and I'll get you outfitted."
"Okay. Sounds good. I'll get going, then," Rank said as he headed out the back door.
Beth grabbed her rifle and gear and followed him out. Maddie stepped into the living room to check on Dawn and Krista. She didn't know them well enough to feel comfortable with them handling weapons. She listened as Ryan calmed their fears.
"You only need to watch for anyone who doesn't belong here and radio us if you see anything. No one expects you to jump down and get into a gun battle or track them off into the woods. If you see something, let us know. You'll have your rifle, pistol, and tactical knives with you. You both are doing really well on the range. A little more practice and you'll both be ready for full watch rotations."
Ryan was a natural-born teacher. He was patient and encouraging. He knew how to build the confidence necessary to feel comfortable with a weapon. But shooting a living, breathing, and often, moving human being was different than shooting paper targets. At least these two had proven they would do what was necessary in a fight. They both had taken a life.
Having eased her concerns about Dawn and Krista's guarding capabilities, Maddie grabbed her rifle and headed toward the trail. As she climbed up the steps to the deer stand overlooking the path, a chill ran up her spine. Not knowing how many could be out there watching her at that moment was unsettling.
Just a month ago, she would've been sitting in a coffee shop just off campus from Kent State. She'd be surrounded by friends with their cell phones in front of their faces. Maddie would be taking selfies and posting them on Snapchat and Instagram. That life was over. Probably forever. Now, she spent hours alone, in a deer stand, not watching for wildlife, but people—dangerous people intent on taking what they had and killing them.
As she thought about that fact, she grew more determined than ever to find more people for their group. Their only chance for safety was more people. She wished she had her dad's list. If Ron were still here, he'd know who to invite and who not to, but he was gone.
The judge.
He'd know. He knew everyone in the county. He knew their darkest secrets. He was the one she needed to talk to about it. She was sure that there were people out there who, by now, had realized they needed a group to survive.
Maddie was lost in thought about how they would house and feed more people when she heard the sound of an ATV coming up the trail. She shifted and positioned herself to scan that direction. Through the scope of her rifle, she caught a glimpse of an ATV and its rider through the trees. She gently placed her finger on the trigger. She lost sight of the man for a moment at the curve in the trail. As soon as the man rounded the curve, Maddie attempted to place him in her crosshairs. She scanned and located him and moved the crosshairs up to the man’s chest. She was just about to squeeze the trigger when something the man was wearing caught her attention.
"Darrell Dixon’s vest?" she said out loud.
Moving the rifle scope to reveal the man's face, Maddie gasped.
"Zach!"
"It's Zach! Do not shoot. It's Zach," Maddie yelled into the radio.
"Roger. It's your brother. Harmony out."
"Roger that. Krista out."
Maddie waited for her mother and Ryan to respond as Zach drew closer.
"Mom! Don't shoot. It's Zach," Maddie yelled loud enough that Beth should have been able to hear it without the radio.
"Oh. Sorry, Maddie. I heard you. Roger last transmission. Beth out."
"Roger that, Maddie. Is he alone? Over," Ryan said over the radio.
"From what I can tell. He's on the ATV. I don't see anyone else. Over," Maddie said into the radio.
> "Roger. Ryan out."
"Maddie out."
Maddie watched Zach zip by her and proceed up to the house. The way he launched himself off the four-wheeler and ran inside had her concerned. She waited five long minutes before radioing Ryan to see if there was anything wrong.
"Is everything all right? Over."
"I think you and your mom should come in for a minute. There's an issue at the prison. Over."
Maddie's heart dropped. Her mind raced with all the possibilities.
Why had Rank, Roger, and Maria not come back with Zach? What about Jacob? Was he hurt?
She dropped her pack the ground and descended the steps. She jumped down before reaching the last step and twisted her ankle. Shaking it off, she sprinted to the barn.
"Krista. Dawn. Stay put. Let us know if you see anything. Over," Maddie said into the radio as she ran toward the cabin.
She met her mom on the gravel path from the barn to the back door of the cabin, raced ahead of her, and threw open the door. Without waiting for Beth to catch up, she began peppering Zach with questions.
"Whoa. Calm down," Zach said, holding a hand up.
"Don't tell me to calm down, Zach. Answer my damn question," Maddie demanded.
Beth entered the room and placed a hand on Maddie's shoulder.
"Have a seat, Maddie, and let Zach catch his breath. He'll tell you everything he knows," Beth said.
"Okay. So, while Rank was telling us about someone stalking the cabin, a guy from Houston ran up and demanded that Jacob follow him back to town immediately."
"Why? What happened?” Maddie asked.
Zach looked to Ryan, then Beth, before turning to face Maddie.
"It's the judge. He died this morning."
Maddie's eyes grew wide, and her hand shot up to cover her mouth. The judge was elderly, she knew, but she was surprised all the same.
After a moment, she asked, "What happened?"
“The guy said it was the flu or something."
"Shit," Maddie said as she lowered her head.