by Payne, T. L.
"We are going into flu season without the flu vaccine this year. It is usually hard for the elderly, young children, and those already ill, but this year could be even worse with the lack of proper nutrition and the stress everyone is under," Beth said as she sat down beside Maddie on the bench seat.
Beth looked across the table to Ryan. Maddie didn't like the concerned look on both of their faces. They had enough trouble without having to deal with a deadly flu outbreak. She turned her attention back to Zach. He looked as gloomy as Beth and Ryan.
"Why did they need Jacob?" Maddie asked.
"I'm not sure. But with things the way they are at the prison right now, it must have been pretty important for Jacob to leave like that, even if he was close to the judge."
"How are things at the prison? Is there a problem?"
Zach rolled his eyes and threw up his hands.
"Problem?" He asked, his voice filled with sarcasm.
Zach turned to Beth then back to Maddie.
"There is the problem of too little food, the porta-potties are overflowing, and oh, half of the volunteers have contracted some stomach bug."
"Shit," Maddie said.
"Everywhere. Literally," Zach replied.
She wrinkled her nose at the image of it in her mind.
"But the prison is still secure, right? No escapes? Have they challenged the fences?" Maddie asked in quick succession.
"It's secure for now. They got rowdy when their evening meal didn't arrive yesterday. They threw things at the guards at the gate that FEMA uses to deliver the meals and water. Roger took care of it. They calmed down and went back into their buildings. Only a few have ventured out close to the fence—mostly to complain about their inhumane treatment and wanting to see their lawyers."
"Yeah. We'll get right on that," Maddie said.
"Jacob is concerned that the food will run out before the governor sends the buses. If those men get hungry and desperate, rifles might not stop them from charging the fence. There's six hundred of them. The math doesn't add up for success at keeping them inside the fence at that point," Zach said.
"Well, we will just have to get more food and make sure that doesn't happen," Beth said.
Maddie and Zach both turned to her.
"Where would we find enough food to feed six hundred men. I doubt we'd find enough for even a day," Maddie said.
"Fort Leonard Wood," Beth replied.
Maddie furrowed her brow.
"How do you suppose we would convince the base commander to give up their food to feed inmates?"
"We'll send Maria and Roger. They can explain about the danger to everyone if the prisoners escape."
Maddie rubbed her forehead and sighed. She knew there was no way Fort Leonard Wood would give up such a precious, irreplaceable resource. Not unless there was something more in it for them.
"They may not have food, but they may be willing to loan us some more effective weapons. I'm sure that the units that pulled out didn't take everything. There is likely some old stuff they'd part with. I can go with Roger and Maria. I used to know a civilian that operated one of the training ranges. If I can locate him, I bet he'd help," Ryan said.
Jack rose from Ryan's lap and looked over the top of the table. Ryan ruffled the fur at the back of his neck and swiped the fur from his good eye. Jack turned, licked Ryan's hand, then settled back down onto his lap.
Maddie shook her head.
That dog needs a bath.
She looked around the table.
We could all use one.
She imagined how bad the prisoners must smell by now.
"Wait, why didn't Rank, Roger, and Maria come back with you?" Maddie asked.
"When people heard about the judge, they just started walking off. Rank said he'd stay and help, but for me to head back here quick and help secure the cabin," Zach said.
Maddie thought about what the death of the judge would mean for the community. She didn't know how they would replace the sick volunteers—and keep the ones they had now—with the judge not there to force them to stay. The whole thing was quickly spiraling out of control.
"We just need more people. People are the most valuable commodity right now," Maddie said.
Maddie stood and grabbed her pack.
"Where are you going?" Beth asked.
Maddie turned the doorknob and pushed open the screen door. She knew her mom was not going to be happy.
"I need to get back to the prison. I'll send Rank back," Maddie said as she shut the door. "If all hell hasn't broken out by the time I get there.
Chapter 18
South Central Correctional
Licking, Missouri
Event + 23 Days
Roger slapped Rank on the back.
“It's genius. I should have thought of that."
"What is genius?” Maddie asked as she stuffed extra magazines into the side pockets of her tactical pants.
She straightened and tucked loose strands of blonde hair into her ponytail. After the twenty-mile ride to the prison on the ATV, she felt quite disheveled and sore.
"Rank has the brilliant idea of providing the inmates with liquor instead of food," Maria said, her voice full of sarcasm.
Maddie turned toward a group of inmates huddled in the prison yard.
"How will you find their leader?" Maddie asked.
"Don't have to find him. It is evident. He is the one there, in the white T-shirt," Roger said.
Maddie moved closer to the fence. The man turned toward her. Maddie's gaze went from the tall, muscular man to his companions. None of them looked like they'd missed any meals.
Without taking her eyes off the inmates, Maddie said, "I think it is a great idea. We'll let him do the work for us."
"This is crazy. You think a bunch of drunk inmates are less dangerous than hungry ones?" Maria asked.
"I think that man there knows how to control those inmates. We provide him with the food, liquor, and drugs if we can find any, and we let him know that as long as he keeps the others under control, we'll keep him and his crew supplied. If not, we let them all starve and shoot anyone who approaches the fence," Maddie said.
"I think it’s a crazy-stupid plan," Maria said.
"He's already in charge. We aren't. The only reason they haven't flooded the yard and charged the gates is because someone on the inside is keeping them under control. We need to give them a reason to continue to do so. We can't feed them all. Not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But we can supply him and his crew," Maddie said, pointing to the muscled man.
The man continued to stare at Maddie as he ran his hand down the length of his long black ponytail.
"You. In the white shirt. Step forward. We have a little proposal for you," Roger yelled.
The guy looked to his companions, then shrugged.
When his crew started to follow, Maddie yelled, "Just you."
The inmate in the white shirt turned and held up a hand. His companions turned and went back to where they'd been standing. White-shirt guy stopped fifty feet from the fence. The smirk on his face made Maddie want to change the plan. She didn't like giving this man anything. He was a violent felon serving time in a maximum security prison, likely for some unspeakable crime. The way he looked at her made Maddie's skin crawl. But they needed to make this work. It was the only way to stop the inevitable disaster she knew would come, should all their volunteer guards walk off.
"Okay, Rank. It was your plan," Maddie said as she turned to leave.
"Come on, Maria. Let's go sweet-talk some volunteers," Maddie said.
Maddie took one side of the prison, and Maria took the other. Walking the fence line, Maddie and Maria each did their best to convince Houston's residents that they should stay the course a little longer. They even lied and said they'd received word from the governor's office that the buses would come for the prisoners in a day or two.
"I have food on its way to Houston now to provide for your families. I know you'd like to leave
and go pay your respects to the judge, but right now the way to honor him is to fulfill the mission he gave you," Maddie said to each of the volunteer residents from Houston.
In all, they retained fifteen men and women to guard six hundred hardened inmates.
"What happens when they find out we lied—when they discover there is no food headed to their families and the buses don't arrive here for the inmates?" Maria asked as the two made their way into the living quarters to make their final pitch to the last few guards.
"I'm not lying about the food for the families. We are going to send whatever FEMA has left. They will be given only to the families of the ones who stayed today. We will tell the others that if they want their families to continue receiving food, they need to get back here. After we finish here, I'm going to go check in with the FEMA guy and see how much they have left."
"Jacob did that yesterday. He said they only had about two thousand MREs left," Maria said.
"Shit. We'll break them open. That will make it look like there’s a lot more food left."
Maddie placed her hand on the door, then stopped.
"You and Roger need to pay Fort Leonard Wood a visit. We need their help. I'm sure they're sitting on supplies. Ryan suggested they'd still have weapons we could use. Old ones, maybe, but anything would help. Even big, old stuff that doesn't work."
"You mean like a decoy?" Maria asked.
“Anything that will put fear into the inmates. The MPs threatened to ‘light the place up’ and said we had to ‘put the fear of God into them.’ We need something like that."
"I'll go find Roger, and we'll go see what we can find," Maria said.
“Oh, and see if they have heard anything from the governor's office about moving these bastards," Maddie said as she turned the knob and pushed open the door.
The stench in the building was overwhelming. She doubted any of the volunteers had bathed in a long time. She made a mental note to ask the FEMA guy about portable showers for the volunteers. She didn't give a shit if the inmates bathed. She didn't ever intend to get close enough for their body odor to offend her.
"I should find out where they are getting their water," Maddie said out loud to herself.
"From the river," a voice spoke in the dark.
"What?" Maddie asked, turning to see who had said it.
"The water. They have been getting it from the river for over a week now. They were purifying it, but they ran out of whatever purification substance they were using. That's why everyone is sick — bad water. I wouldn't drink it if I were you," the man said, moving into the light.
"Does Jacob know?" Maddie asked.
"I didn't tell him," the man said.
He was in his late-sixties, early-seventies. He looked fit for his age. He wore blue-jean overalls and a white T-shirt. He looked clean.
"How long have you been here?" Maddie asked.
"Oh, just a few days. Long enough to see that this is a powder keg ready to explode at any minute. You see, I used to work at this prison. I retired about three years ago. Those bastards you got left in there, they have all day and all night to sit around and think of ways to escape and what fun they'll have when they do. I came, you see, to make sure one individual, in particular, doesn't leave this prison."
Maddie furrowed her brow and stared into the man's eyes. She couldn’t read him. It wasn't exactly hate she saw there. Maybe a mix of hate and fear.
"I ain't living every day watching over my shoulder for the sons-of-bitches to stalk up on and kill me and my family. I ain't letting that happen."
"Did he threaten you?"
"Of course, they all do that. But that fucker. He'll do it. We have a history—one that predates his stay here. I intend to be the one left standing when shit goes down between us."
"Have you seen him? Since you've been on watch, I mean?"
"Not yet."
"Well—I don't know your name," Maddie said.
"I'm Jasper. Jasper McKinney," the man said, walking over and extending his hand.
"Jasper. I'm Maddie Langston," she said as she took hold of his hand.
"And I am the one that will put you down if you shoot a prisoner who hasn't approached the fence. Understood?"
"Understood."
"We have an agreement with the inmates. They don't approach the fence, and we don't shoot them. If we break that agreement, all bets are off, and we don't have enough guns or bullets to put them all down. Got it?"
"I got ya. I won't do anything to jeopardize security. I have a family to protect. But if that bastard gets out. I won't hesitate."
"If any of them get out, do not hesitate," Maddie said as she released his hand.
"Roger that," the man said as Maddie turned to go.
Maddie hoped he kept his word. If he didn't, they could have a disaster on their hands.
The sleeping quarters smelled even more wretched than the lobby. Maddie checked each cell to make sure she didn't miss anyone. She regretted having to wake them. She knew they were getting very little sleep, but she had to make sure that they retained every volunteer still on the grounds.
Most of the groggy men took the news of the judge's passing reasonably well. The last volunteer's reaction, however, startled Maddie.
"I have to go. I have to get my family out of there. Today," the man said as he threw his legs over the bunk and hopped down.
He was grabbing up clothes and stuffing them into a trash bag as Maddie tried to explain that there was food on the way to his family.
"That food ain't gonna reach nobody's family."
"I assure you, I will make sure that your family receives the food," Maddie said, putting a hand out to stop the man from leaving.
"You don't get it, missy. With the judge gone, Guffey and his family will take over. They have probably already moved into city hall or even taken over the judge's chambers. The judge ran things because he had the respect of the community. He'd done so for decades. You cross the judge and everyone in town would be against you. Edgar Guffey has been on the edge of trying to unseat the judge for years. He'll succeed now. The bullies will rule by force and coercion. He’s the biggest bully of them all. Now, move out of my way. I have to get my family out of that town while I still can," the man said, pushing past Maddie and rushing out of the door.
"Fuck!" Maddie cursed.
She hadn't seen that coming.
That is why Jacob left. He was there right now in the thick of small-town, post-apocalyptic politics at its worst.
Maddie fought the urge to run down to Houston and check it out herself. But she was needed right there. She hoped that Jacob could get a handle on it and get back to the prison. And hopefully, bring more volunteers with him.
Maddie met Rank on the walkway to the north guard tower. The tall man standing next to him wore a FEMA logo on his shirt. She didn't recognize him.
"How did it go with our friend?” Maddie asked as she approached.
"All taken care of. He's all in. I'm heading back now to get his first payment," Rank said.
Maddie turned to the man in the FEMA shirt.
"I'm Maddie Langston. I don't believe we've met."
"Aaron Edgar," the tall man said.
"Did Rank fill you in on our plan?"
"He did. I have to say, I'm not comfortable leaving the food distribution up to one inmate. I…"
"Noted," Maddie said. "I need to see your food stores."
"What?"
"I want you to take me to where you've stored the MREs," Maddie said, nice and slow.
"I—um. Why?"
"Because she asked you to," Rank said, stepping between them.
Rank's broad shoulders blocked her view of the man so she couldn’t see his reaction.
"Okay. I just meant…"
"Right behind you," Rank said, pointing toward the front of the prison.
Maddie and Rank followed the FEMA guy around to the front parking lot of the prison where the three of them boarded a golf cart and d
rove a mile to the parking lot of a hardware store in town. The man drove through a gate and past a series of metal buildings housing lumber and various tools. Two box trucks were parked next to the door of the farthest building.
The golf cart stopped next to the door where two men with rifles stood. They greeted them with a nod as they entered.
Maddie turned to Rank.
"I only see four pallets," she whispered
"A pallet holds forty-eight cases."
"How many are in a case?"
"Twelve," Rank said as he approached the pallets. "This pallet has over five hundred MREs."
"How many do we need for our prison trustee?"
"Trustee?" Rank asked.
"The ponytail guy."
"Oh. He said he had twenty lieutenants. If we take care of them with full meals, he'll distribute enough food to keep everyone in line. I'd say eight cases will be enough if we break them open."
Maddie turned to the man in the FEMA shirt.
"I want ten cases broken up," Maddie said. "Do those trucks still run?”
"Yeah. Why?"
Maddie turned her back on the man and sized up the trucks.
"Load them in one of the trucks."
"Where are you taking them?"
Maddie whipped around to face him. She stepped in close.
"I'm going to use them to buy some time for the do-nothing governor to get those damn buses here and pick up the fucking prisoners."
The man stepped back and looked around for his staff.
Rank walked over to a hand truck and pushed it up beside the pallet. When he started throwing cases onto it, the man waved his hand around and two men came to help Rank.
"You see, food is the new currency. We need guards to keep the inmates behind that fence. The men and women of the town of Houston need food for their families. Without food, the volunteer guards are going to leave, just like the residents of this town did. They are going to head off to Rolla where they will be greeted by an overcrowded Red Cross Shelter—where I'm sure most of the supplies that were meant for the prison have been relocated."