Ava's Crucible- The Complete series Box Set

by Mark Goodwin

Charity listened then turned back to Ava. “Believe me, I’ve gone over that a thousand times in my mind since yesterday. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him.”

  Ava pulled her close. “You did good. You’re a tough cookie. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks.” Charity’s head hung low. “But I’m not sure I’m cut out for all of this. From the time we left the trailer yesterday, I had this feeling that I’d bitten off more than I can chew. And with each successive drop-off point, I got more and more anxious. By the time that clerk opened up the ammo can to look inside, I was already a complete train wreck. And then James coming in shooting, I thought I was going to pass out right then and there.”

  “But you didn’t.” Ava hugged her. “You soldiered on. You got through it and completed your mission. All the fear that you felt, that doesn’t matter. You did what you had to do anyway, and that’s what makes you a hero.”

  “I don’t feel like a hero.” Charity looked off into the distance. “The news is calling us terrorists.”

  “Yeah, that’s what they called our founding fathers.” Ava kept one hand on Charity’s shoulder and with the other, she resumed petting Buckley.

  Foley stuck the magazine in his freshly oiled rifle and closed the charging handle. “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”

  Charity sighed. “I don’t care what the liberal media calls me. But I dreamed about that guy I gave the ammo can to at the library. I dreamed he was still holding it when you blew up the device. I mean if we’re killing civilians, we’re as bad as they say.”

  “Supplying weapons to the enemy is considered treason. The legitimate government in the Alliance States doesn’t consider anyone at any of the amnesty collection points to be innocent civilians. And treason carries the death penalty.” Foley began to disassemble James’ rifle for cleaning. “If Governor Blackwell were here, I’m sure he’d award you with a medal for bravery. What you did will go down in the history books.”

  “Thanks.” Charity glanced back at Foley. “But I’m not sure I can do anything like that again.”

  Ava said, “We’re all pretty shaken up from yesterday. Dad wants us to lay low for a while. So, rest, take it easy, and we’ll talk about it after you and James have had a chance to recover. It would be a shame to lose you as part of the team. Because, like Foley said, what you did deserves a medal. Very few people could have pulled that off as coolly as you did.”

  Ulysses pulled up the driveway, with his trailer in tow. He drove around the house, positioning the travel trailer on the back side of the house. Afterward, he walked around to the porch. He wore a short-sleeved plaid shirt and his typical blue jeans over his black leather combat boots. Being concealed by the jeans, the boots looked like an average pair of work shoes. His suppressed short-barreled rifle was slung over his back and a tan tactical sling over his shoulder. “I was listening to the radio on the way back. Collection points in Florida, Arkansas, and West Virginia were attacked this morning. The news is calling them copy-cat terrorists. I call them patriots.

  Ulysses pointed at Ava, Charity, and Foley. “But you folks inspired them to take action. Sometimes it just takes a few people to stand up and do the right thing. Then the idea catches on.”

  Ava patted Charity who was beginning to smile after Ulysses’ accolade. “See! You did good.”

  “So did you.” Ulysses looked lovingly at his daughter. “You ready?”

  “Yeah.” Ava stood to her feet.

  Buckley whined at the cessation of his attentive scratching session.

  “Is it okay if Buck comes along?” she asked.

  “He’s earned a lot more than a ride in the truck for his faithful duties as chief sentinel. I suppose it’s the least we could do.” Ulysses bent down. “Charity, you’re on watch. If Buckley rides with us, you’ll have to be twice as alert.”

  “You can count on me for that.” She took a swig of her coffee and got up from the porch. “I’ll be dressed and in the FROG with my rifle before you guys get out of the drive.”

  “Keep your battery out of your phone unless you have trouble. Since we know they’re looking for Ava, we have to assume all our phones are compromised. I’ll power mine up once we’re ten miles out. We’ll see if we can scrounge up some burner phones while we’re in Taylor.”

  “We’re going all the way to Taylor just to ditch my Jeep?” Ava called Buckley to follow her.

  “Yeah, it’s in the opposite direction from Austin. When the SJL finds it, hopefully, it will throw them off of our trail. But at the very least, it won’t provide any clues about which way we went when we evacuated the city.”

  “Be safe.” Charity opened the front door.

  “Tell Sam and Betty that we’re leaving. And let them know Buckley is coming with us.” Ulysses adjusted the strap of his rifle. “Foley, can you come?”

  “Yes, sir.” He quickly reassembled James’ rifle in a few short steps. “I just need to grab a few magazines.”

  “Take your time. Would you mind driving? My truck is obviously on the most-wanted list after yesterday.”

  “No problem at all.”

  “Good. I’ve got a fresh license plate for you. I’ll have it on by the time you get your magazines.” Ulysses retrieved a screwdriver and an auto tag from his tactical bag. “Ava, you ride with Foley in his truck. I’ll drive your Jeep. Since Markovich’s henchmen are looking for you and the vehicle, it will help to not have you in it.”

  “Thanks. Is it okay for me to power up my phone when we’re ten miles out? I’d like to see if I’ve received any texts.”

  Ulysses knelt by Foley’s back bumper and made a hasty exchange of the two tags. “No. They’ll be watching for a signal from your phone. The least little movement could tip them off.” Ulysses took Foley’s original license plate and tucked it under his seat. He closed the door of the truck. “On second thought, why don’t you wait until we get to Taylor. You can power it up and check your messages there. It will add to the pretense that you’re operating out of that area.”

  “Fantastic, thanks,” she said enthusiastically. “Come on, Buck. Get in.” Ava held the back door open for the dog who seemed thrilled about going for a ride.

  Foley came out with his AR-15, Ava’s rifle, and a backpack full of magazines. “Ready when you are.”

  Ulysses handed him a walkie-talkie from his side bag. “We should stay close enough for these to work. Leave a few car lengths behind me and only break radio silence if you see signs of trouble.”

  “Roger that.” Foley passed Ava her rifle, tossed his pack in the center of the cab, turned on the radio, got in, and closed the door.

  Ulysses led them far out of the way to avoid driving up I-35 and passing through Austin. The route which traveled through Marble Falls and Burnet took more than two hours, but greatly reduced the odds of them hitting any license plate readers.

  The first stop was to drop the Jeep in a warehouse parking lot near the train tracks in the center of Taylor, Texas. Ulysses removed the plates and replaced them with Ava’s official plates, hoping that the vehicle would be found and identified by the SJL. He got in the truck with Foley, Ava, and Buckley. “Okay, let’s hit the Walmart. I’ll pick up some prepaid phones for everyone. You two stay in the vehicle.”

  “Can I check my messages while we’re waiting?”

  “No. We don’t want your phone to ping anywhere near there. They could come looking for pre-paid phones sold from that location. After I’m finished at Walmart, we’ll drive to the other side of town. You can check your messages there then we’ll head home.”

  “Okay,” Ava said.

  Foley drove four miles to the Taylor Walmart. Four men armed with crossbows and black powder guns stood guard out front. “Who do you think they’re working for?”

  Ulysses peered carefully out the window. “I’m not sure. I doubt Walmart would hire armed private security. My guess is that they’re local volunteers who are there so Walmart will stay open. I’m sur
e Taylor has had their share of harassment from the unofficially sanctioned gangs who have been tasked with harassing small conservative towns.”

  “If MS-13 or Tango Blast shows up, those weapons won’t be much of a deterrent.” Ava examined the watchmen.

  Ulysses nodded. “Since the ban was issued, they can’t get away with standing out front with battle rifles. Although, that doesn’t mean they don’t have some stashed nearby, in case of an encounter.”

  He exited the truck. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

  “And if you’re not?” Ava asked.

  “I’ll be fine. If I see trouble then I’ll turn around and run. Drive towards me. I’ll jump in the bed of the truck.” Ulysses shut the door and started toward the store.

  Ava watched nervously while Ulysses walked toward the store.

  Fifteen minutes later, Ulysses walked out the door with a shopping bag in his hand.

  Foley had the engine started and the truck in gear ready to roll as soon as Ulysses closed his door. “Did you get any info on who those watchmen are with?”

  “Didn’t ask.” Ulysses pointed over the back seat. “Drive to the east side of town. Ava can check her phone then we’ll head home.”

  Foley turned in the direction Ulysses indicated. “I was just thinking, if those guys are that organized and disciplined to keep their town up and running, they might be good people to know.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Ulysses sat back in his seat. “For the types of operations we’re pulling off, we don’t need any help. They can do their thing and we’ll do ours. Unless you have a centralized command structure, the more people you get involved with, the more complicated it gets.”

  “Yes, sir.” Foley continued to the east side of town.

  Buckley hung his head out the window and let the wind flap his tongue against his face. Ava reached around to pat his side. “Enjoy it while it lasts, buddy. It’s getting chilly, and I’m going to have to roll up that window.”

  “Pull over here,” said Ulysses. “Ava, check your phone and let us know when you’re done.”

  “Thanks.” She replaced the battery and the back cover. Ava powered on her phone and waited for the screen.

  “Yep. I’ve got a text from the girl who lived downstairs from me, Megan. It says she and her little girl are fine. Her family moved to Wyoming before the gun ban. Not coming back until this is all over.”

  Ulysses put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t text her back.”

  “Why not? She’s in the Alliance States. Markovich can’t do anything to her.”

  “Don’t be so sure about that. The same way we’re operating in enemy territory, he has agents who are doing the same thing. If the SJL thought they could get information on you, they wouldn’t hesitate to snatch up your friend . . . or her little girl.”

  “Oh. I didn’t think of that.” The corners of Ava’s mouth dropped. “I got a text from Raquel. It came last night. She says Chip knows I was involved in the bombings.”

  “That’s not a surprise.” Foley looked around as if scanning for potential threats. “Considering that we used his explosives. But I thought we dumped her phone on the side of the road.”

  “I guess she got a new one with the same number. Anyways, it says Chip’s going to hunt me down and kill me unless I turn myself in. She’s claiming that Chip has been given command of a group of SJL fighters specifically tasked with finding me and my accomplices.”

  “What else does it say?” Foley inquired.

  Her pulse quickened as she continued reading the text. “Raquel says if I turn myself in, I’ll be prosecuted, but they’ll take the death penalty off the table. She also says they’ll leave the rest of you alone.” Ava looked up at Foley then turned to her father.

  She considered the offer in the back of her mind, imagining for a moment that the two men she loved could be spared the wrath of the dictatorial regime.

  “That’s an absolute lie,” Ulysses said. “If you turn yourself in, they’ll torture you until you’ve given up the names and locations of everyone else involved, then they’ll leave you on a cold concrete floor to die a slow death. I’ve worked with communists. I know how they operate. They never keep their end of the bargain, and they never tell the truth.”

  “Anything else?” Foley quizzed.

  “She says to consider this fair warning.” Ava growled in frustration and disgust. “I guess I should have killed her at the warehouse.”

  Ulysses gripped her shoulder. “You’re merciful. That’s a good trait. Don’t let war purge that out of you. Do what you have to do when you have to do it. But if you don’t have to, don’t.

  “Tactically, maybe it was a mistake. But you’d have had a hard time living with yourself if you’d killed her when she posed no immediate threat. It would have cost you your humanity. If you lose that, you’ve lost everything. We can be tough; brutal even. But we have to be able to see the fine line that makes us inhumane; un-human.”

  Ava considered his words and gazed at her phone.

  “Anything else?” Foley asked.

  “No.” She pulled the back plate off her phone and removed the battery.

  “Let’s go home, Foley.” Ulysses leaned back in his seat.

  Minutes later, they were outside of Taylor and on their way home. Foley glanced over at Ava. “I don’t want any details, but just tell me something.”

  “What?”

  “This guy, Chip, he seems to have it out for you, like it’s not just business, but personal.”

  Ava sighed. She hid this nasty little secret as long as she could. “There’s not many details to give. Raquel sorta set us up once. He tried to put the moves on me. I said no. He got a little too aggressive, so I had to give him a good kick between the legs.”

  “That explains it.” Foley looked up at Ulysses in the rearview. “I think this guy is going to be a constant thorn in our side. Would you consider organizing a preemptive strike?”

  Ulysses replied, “I would. You’re right; he’s going to be a problem. Ava, do you know where he might be living?”

  She really didn’t want to admit that she’d been to his house, but she couldn’t lie. “Yes. If he hasn’t moved.”

  “We need him alive,” Ulysses said. “He’s got information. He knows things that we can pass on to Blackwell and the Alliance.”

  “He’s not going to volunteer that info, sir.” Foley’s nostrils flared.

  “Well, try not to enjoy getting it out of him too much,” said Ulysses.

  “Of course not, sir.” Foley fought a grin.

  Ava couldn’t help but be a little flattered. Neither could she help feeling no remorse for anything that Chip might have to endure.

  CHAPTER 19

  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

  Luke 11:21-23

  Ava walked into the kitchen at daybreak Wednesday, loaded the coffee maker, and turned it on. Nothing happened. “Huh. Must have tripped the breaker.” She pressed the reset button between the outlets. Still, the machine did not power on. Ava flipped the lights, but likewise, they failed to come on.

  Sam Hodge came into the room. “Power is out.”

  “Oh? What happened?”

  “I’m not sure. I called the power company, but I keep getting an all lines are busy message. Your dad ran an extension cord from the trailer into the house so he could power the WiFi router. Hopefully, we’ll know something soon.”

  Ava heard Foley coming down the stairs. He entered the kitchen carrying a hand-held radio. “Good morning.”

  Ava gave him a hug. “Not without my coffee, it isn’t.”

  “We’ll boil some water on the grill and get you taken care of.” Foley turned to Sam. “I found my radio. I scrolled through the stations, but
no one is talking about a power outage. Maybe it’s just this area.”

  Betty walked into the kitchen. “Y’all don’t fret. I’ll make us some eggs, pancakes, and country ham out on the gas grill.”

  Ulysses entered, opened his laptop and took a seat at the bar. He clicked away at the keyboard and waited.

  “What’s happening?” Ava asked.

  “According to the power company, the grid is strained, so they are prioritizing electricity to critical areas.”

  Ava pressed her lips together. “It was 45 degrees last night and supposed to be in the mid-60s today. December in central Texas is the time of year that we use the least power. Something doesn’t sound right.”

  Ulysses punched away on the keyboard again. “That’s the official story. I’m guessing the liberal population centers, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are all getting prioritized. And all the small towns are in the dark.”

  “So, do you think the administration is behind this?” Sam inquired.

  “Without a doubt.” Ulysses focused on the screen.

  Betty gathered her ingredients to take out on the deck to cook. “But why? If Markovich is trying to win hearts and minds, this is a bad way to go about it. He’s just pushing everyone in the small towns into the arms of the Alliance States.”

  “Look what we’re having to do to get information.” Ava gestured toward her father’s computer. “No power means no internet, unless people have an alternate way of keeping their router plugged in. This means they don’t have to shut down the web. Antifa and the SJL still have power and internet. But us country folk get neither. If organizations like Oath Keepers and Right Now can’t communicate, then Markovich doesn’t have to worry about them resisting.”

  Foley stood behind Ava with his arms around her waist. “Oath Keepers are better positioned for this than Right Now. Most of them either have Ham radio capabilities or someone in their group does. Right Now is mostly young people dependent on cell phones and internet for communication.”

  Sam looked at his phone. “I still have phone service.”