Days of Want Series (Book 4): Uprising

by Payne, T. L.

  "Rank says you have bad news for me. Please tell me that our good-for-nothing governor hasn't reneged on sending the buses and moving these inmates."

  Todd's frown confirmed her fears.

  "They've been delayed. For now. They're using all available transportation to ferry refugees from Illinois to shelters across the state."

  "What the hell is going on in Illinois? How the hell is the governor going to feed all those people. He's doing a piss-poor job of feeding his own residents."

  "Seems that there’s some Army general up in Illinois being heavy-handed and forcing people off their land. He's got work camps set up. That's what I heard, anyway. I wasn't in the meeting with the governor's representatives."

  "I have friends in Illinois—up around Peoria. Any news about that area?"

  "No. Sorry. A guy said he heard something on his radio about that region’s National Guard and Reserve units fighting DHS and other National Guard units."

  "Really? I need to talk to that guy. Is he still on base?" Maddie asked.

  "Nope. He lives just outside the south gate over off Evening Shade Road. I ran into him on my way here. I can't tell you exactly what house, but I bet you could ask at the Evening Shade store. I've seen him hanging out there, before the lights went out, anyway," Todd said.

  A man in dirty jeans, and what looked like it had once been a white T-shirt, ran up behind Todd. Maddie's hand dropped to her pistol. The man's eyes grew huge. He skidded to a stop before reaching them.

  "Todd," the man said, his chest heaving. "Gabbard wants to speak to you," he finally said between breaths.

  "What the hell for?" Todd asked, his tone harsh.

  "He said he needs more liquor," the man said, hesitantly.

  "Liquor?" Todd blurted out. "What the hell?"

  "Um—that would be Rank's doing. It's worked so far," Maddie said, filling him in on the plan Rank had hatched.

  She knew that providing alcohol and drugs to inmates went against all of Todd's training and instincts, but it was working. At least so far.

  "It must be a free-for-all inside those walls by now. You say the MPs just unlocked all the cells and left?” Todd asked.

  "That is what they said. They felt it was inhumane to leave them locked in without access to food, water, and working plumbing."

  Maddie scrunched her nose at the thought of the stench inside the prison. When the wind blew the wrong direction, she could smell it outside the fence.

  "There is no way we can regain control and get them back in their cells now. No way."

  "I know. All we can do at this point is to make sure none of them get near the fence. That is all that the volunteer guards have been instructed to do. We do not intervene on anything going on inside that fence," Maddie said, pointing over her shoulder.

  Todd shook his head.

  "I knew it would be bad when the MPs pulled out. That is why I moved my family over onto the military base, but seeing it up close…"

  "We have to make this work. We just have to," Maddie said.

  "Roger wants to run home and check on our place. We've had a little trouble out our way. Do you think you and the Soldiers that Roger and Maria brought back with them can hold things down here until we get back? It may be until the morning. None of us have slept or eaten."

  She felt her stomach growl at the thought of food.

  "Sure, just introduce me to the Soldiers and show me where you are storing the liquor. I'll introduce myself to the volunteers, and we'll hold down the fort so you guys can get some rack time," Todd said, gesturing for her to lead the way.

  After squaring Todd away on their scheme to pacify the prisoners, Maddie went looking for her group. She was ready to get home. She saw a shower in her future.

  I hope the water barrel has lots of warm water in it.

  She looked up at the sky. The sun was still high. The temperature had reached into the high 70s that day. She tried to recall their shower schedule.

  Surely someone will let me cut in line.

  She lifted her arm to get a whiff of herself.

  Everyone was still gathered around the Humvee waiting for her to return.

  Rank slid into the driver's seat, and Maria hopped in the back.

  Maddie climbed into the front passenger seat and looked up at Jacob.

  “You have to see the Amish guy in the morning. You should go home and get some rest," Maddie said.

  Jacob nodded then climbed in behind Rank.

  Roger opened the right rear door and motioned for Maria to scoot over.

  "Hell, naw. I ain't riding on no hump. Ain't fucking happening, Miller. You can walk home," Maria said, refusing to budge.

  Jacob climbed out.

  "I'll ride in the back. I can lie down. I need the rest, right?” Jacob said as he walked around to the back, and climbed into the wide middle area of the vehicle through the back hatch, then slammed the big hatch door, shutting himself inside.

  Roger shrugged and climbed into the back behind the driver's seat. He waved at one of the men they'd brought with them from the base as Maddie put the Humvee in gear and they pulled away.

  Their first stop was Jacob's new home at the Henson farm. His grandmother was seated in a rocking chair on the front porch. She rose when they pulled down the driveway. Maddie waved at the woman as Jacob got out.

  "Wait. How are you getting over to the Amish guy's farm in the morning?" Maddie asked.

  Jacob pointed to the barn.

  "Did you see that side-by-side in there? That is what I'm taking."

  He didn't look pleased about having to take the side-by-side, but he was being a good sport. She appreciated that he wasn't whining about it. She tried not to stare at him as he walked away. She'd didn't need the ribbing from Maria. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and turned. Jacob's father was approaching from the passenger side.

  He leaned in and said, "you were right. There's probably one hundred and fifty gallons of diesel in a tank out back of the barn."

  "Awesome. That will help a lot, I'm sure. Thanks," Maddie said.

  Jacob's father backed away and waved as Rank put the Humvee in gear and backed out of the driveway. Maddie looked over her shoulder as they backed out. She thought she saw someone moving in the tree line across the road. Rank stomped on the brake, which threw Maddie forward. The seat belt dug into her shoulder.

  "What the…"

  Rank threw the Humvee into park and grabbed his rifle.

  "I saw someone in the woods," Maddie said as she shoved open the door.

  Rank was out of the vehicle before she was.

  "Where? Which direction?" he asked, already scanning the woods with his scope as he moved around to the opposite side of the Humvee.

  Maddie joined him as Roger and Maria got out and took up positions behind the front of the Humvee.

  "There," Roger yelled, and off he ran across the road, his rifle in the ready position.

  Maria took off after him. When Maddie stepped around the front of the Humvee to follow, Rank grabbed her shoulder.

  "No. We stay with the vehicle. They've got this," Rank said, crouching beside the front passenger tire.

  Maddie and Rank scanned the tree line and waited for what seemed like an eternity before they heard a familiar voice yelling from the woods.

  "Pepperoni," Roger called.

  "Pineapple," Rank called back.

  "What did you find?" Maddie asked before their feet even hit the pavement.

  "Damn little son-of-a-bitch was fast," Roger said, walking past them to the passenger door.

  Maddie looked at Maria.

  "It was a kid—probably ten or twelve years old."

  “They've got kids watching us now?" Maddie asked.

  "Could just have been a kid out hunting or exploring. Doesn't mean he was watching us, necessarily," Maria said as she climbed back into the Humvee.

  Maddie scanned the tree line for people hiding in the woods as they drove the rest of the way to the f
armhouse. As they neared the cabin, Maddie waved to whoever was on watch along the road. She couldn't see if they waved back. The tree blinds were well hidden.

  Rank pulled onto Ron's gravel drive and drove around to the machine shed. Zach poked his head out from under the hood of Ron's old truck with the wood-burning contraption in the bed.

  "Still working on that thing?" Roger asked as they pulled in beside him.

  "I think I almost have it figured out. I'm just missing a few parts," Zach said.

  "We should make another trip over to Gene’s place. I bet he has everything you'd need.”

  "I'm not sure we can spare any more of the moonshine. We have to have it for the prisoners," Maddie said.

  "We'll just have to take something else he'd want."

  Roger pointed to the two steers corralled next to the barn.

  "I'm not sure we can spare much beef either. We lost two this week," Zach said.

  "Lost. As in died—or stolen?" Maria asked as she slung her pack over her shoulder and approached them.

  "If they died, we didn't find any bones or hide. They are just missing."

  "We should check those tracks we found and see if the people who were watching the farm led them off somewhere and butchered them," Rank said.

  "We need to be watching this place instead of the prison," Maria said.

  "I agree, but until the issue with the inmates is resolved, what choice do we have?” Rank said.

  Rank threw his pack over his shoulder, hopped into the air as he pulled on the straps, and strode off down the driveway toward the cabin.

  "Is Mom here, Zach?" Maddie asked.

  “Yep. She’s in the barn with Krista."

  "How are Lugnut and Harmony doing? Are they still down sick?"

  "Nah. They are both up and about today. Lugnut is on watch at the road with Jason. Harmony was in our barn doing something when I left."

  "That's good. Everyone else feeling okay?"

  "As far as I know."

  Maddie waved over her shoulder as she walked around the corner to the barn. Beth and Krista were crouched over something in one of the barn stalls.

  "Hey, Mom. Just wanted to let you know we were back," Maddie said.

  Beth straightened and looked her way.

  "Good. You should go get something good to eat and rest up before you head out again."

  Beth raised her right hand to wipe her brow with her sleeve. Flimsy plastic gloves reached all the way to her shoulder and were covered in something slimy and red. Maddie shook her head. She didn't want to know where her mother's hands had been. A moment later, she heard the bleats of a newborn kid goat and had her answer. Krista stood and stepped back. A broad smile crossed her face.

  "We did it. It was stuck, but we got it delivered—finally,” Krista said, her eyes lighting up as she spoke.

  "Great job. I'm sure that momma goat appreciates the assistance,” Maddie said.

  Krista laughed.

  "She might now, but she wasn't too happy about it a minute ago,” Krista said.

  Maddie chuckled.

  "I'm heading to the cabin. I'll fill you guys in on things over dinner,” Maddie said.

  "Yep. Get some rest, sweetheart," Beth said.

  Maddie grabbed her pack from the back of the Humvee and walked over to Roger, who was leaning over the fender of the gasifier truck with his head under the hood.

  "Where's Maria and Rank?"

  "They headed to the cabin already. They just left. You can catch them," Roger said.

  "You're not coming?"

  "Nah. Think I'll crash here for a few hours. We should keep a better eye on this place when we can."

  "Okay," Maddie said.

  Maddie sprinted across Slabtown Road and hit the trail to the cabin. She scanned the woods on each side, nervous about coming up on someone while she was alone. Within a minute, she had caught up with Maria and Rank. She first spotted them through the woods as she came around a bend in the trail. They didn’t see or hear her. They were distracted.

  Maddie slowed, not wanting to let them know she'd seen them kissing. She stepped back a few paces and shuffled her feet. She was intentionally stepping on every branch in the trail to alert them to her presence.

  It worked.

  "Cinnamon," Rank said, in a loud whisper.

  "Latte," Maddie whispered back, as she picked up her pace.

  As she approached them, she was surprised to find that she no longer felt the green-eyed monster of jealousy. She was actually happy for them. Now that she'd had a chance to get to know Maria, she liked her. She and Rank were a good fit. She was glad they'd found each other in the apocalypse.

  As they sat around the table drinking lemonade and eating slices of Harmony's homemade bread, Maria filled them all in on her and Roger's trip to Fort Leonard Wood.

  "Those two mayors have just about worn out their welcome with the new post commander and his staff. I don't see that situation ending well. While we were talking to a courier from the governor's office who was holding an envelope, those guys walked up and demanded to be briefed first."

  "What? How'd the commander handle that?" Ryan asked.

  "He told them they could use his office and had one of his staff members escort them there. As they walked away, the commander took the envelope, and the courier left,” Maria said.

  "I bet they were steamed about that," Ryan said.

  “Probably,” Maria said.

  "Did the governor happen to say anything about the prison? Like, when he would be sending buses to take the rest of the prisoners to Farmington?” Ryan asked.

  Maria scrunched her face.

  "What? Tell me he hasn't changed the plan." Ryan said.

  "Not exactly. Apparently, there are some issues with another state or region. Some kind of territorial spat. Refugees from Illinois are spilling over the border, and some Army general is flexing his muscle in the area,” Maria said.

  "Crap. That's all we need," Ryan said.

  "So, no idea when he will deal with the prisoners?” Maddie asked.

  "I don't know specifically about the prison, but he was sending some guys from Illinois who have emergency planning and response experience to help free-up FEMA folks here. The commander was not happy that they'd be bringing a bunch more civilian refugees with them, though."

  "Why is the governor sending civilians to Fort Leonard Wood? They don't have any resources left to support more people, do they?" Ryan asked.

  “Supposedly, they are part of the refugees fleeing Illinois and have people they know down this way. I don't think they plan on staying on post long," Maria said.

  Maddie couldn't fathom it. Americans as refugees on U.S. soil. It was unimaginable.

  The door opened, and Maddie jumped and turned in her seat.

  "Hey, Harmony. You’re back in the land of the living," Maria said, standing and rushing over to help her with the load of firewood in her arms.

  "Yeah. I'm glad to be back on my feet."

  Buster rushed past Harmony, followed closely by Mugsbie. Jack raised his head above the table, then laid it back on Ryan's knee. They'd become buddies—likely because Ryan always had a lap available, as the least-active member of the group.

  Maddie still felt claustrophobic with so many people living at the cabin. She thought about how the refugees from Illinois must feel fleeing their homes to go and live in shelters. She was grateful for the cabin and their little group of survivors.

  Chapter 22

  The Farm

  Evening Shade, Missouri

  Event + 23 Days

  "Hey, Mom," Zach yelled into the barn. "Roger and I are going to ride back over to visit that guy who makes biodiesel. He made a wood gasifier for his own truck. Roger thinks he might have the parts I need."

  “You're not taking your motorcycle, right?" Beth asked.

  "No. We’re going to take the four-wheelers so we can each haul the parts back if he trades."

  Beth walked to the door of the barn.
Her knees were caked with something, and straw was stuck in her hair.

  "I want you to be on guard out there. Do what Roger tells you, okay?"

  After assuring his mother that he'd be a good boy, Zach attached the trailer to the back of one of the wheelers. Roger disappeared inside the house and reappeared moments later carrying two boxes, one stacked on top of the other.

  "What's in the boxes?" Zach asked.

  "If I don't tell you, you can plead ignorance when your mom asks," Roger said.

  Zach cocked his head to the side and squinted.

  "Okay?"

  His curiosity was piqued. All the way to Gene Mather's place, Zach tried to figure out what could be in the box that his mom would care about.

  As Roger turned in to Gene’s driveway, Zach pulled alongside him and they stopped in front of the roll-up door to Gene's shop. A man-door next to it opened and Gene stepped out.

  At first, Zach didn't recognize the man. His face was fatter than he remembered. When they dismounted the ATVs and walked over, Zach realized why.

  "I hope the other guy looks worse than you do," Roger said as he shook Gene's hand.

  "Well, likely so, by now. He's fertilizing my pine trees out back," Gene said, reaching a hand out toward Zach.

  Zach shook Gene’s hand.

  Zach didn't get it at first. He was walking through the doorway to the shop when it dawned on him what Gene had meant. Zach looked around. Nuts, bolts, and screws littered the floor. It looked like the entire contents of the floor-to-ceiling shelves had been thrown on the ground.

  "What the hell happened in here?" Roger asked.

  "Some fellas thought they needed my stuff more than me. I had to convince them they were wrong. That one fella took more convincing than the others," Gene said.

  "Did they just walk in and demand your shit or what?" Roger asked.

  "Nope. Damn cowards hit me at night. Duke, there, alerted me," Gene tilted his head, motioning toward the beagle lying in the corner.

  "You confronted them by yourself?" Zach asked.

  "Nah, I had Roscoe with me," Gene said, patting his pocket.