Forsaken World (Book 5): Homecoming

by Watson, Thomas A.

  When Lance had led her to the top of the trailers to leave the camp, Lilly had never felt so overjoyed. Meeting Ian and Jennifer back at the buggy, they found out Ian had heard another leash holder say he’d bought his woman at the lake.

  In her NVGs, Lilly could tell Ian and Lance were sweaty from moving in the warm night. Glancing at Jennifer, Lilly was relieved that Jennifer was soaked in sweat just like she was. It looked like both had run through sprinklers.

  “You okay down there?” Jennifer asked, shaking Lilly out of her memory.

  “Yeah, just driving on auto pilot,” Lilly answered.

  The Pirates camp was only eight miles away from their perimeter to the west of Woollum. It sat up in a ravine, and Lance had told her it would’ve taken them a long time to find it if the Beard Clan hadn’t told them the location. Lilly found out later from Jennifer, a ‘long time’ was a month.

  They used trail cameras to track down the movements of others around them, having learned that from the Devil Lords.

  “What has you the most worried?” Lilly asked, figuring that’s what Jennifer wanted.

  “I don’t really know,” Jennifer confessed. “Their plan seemed complicated on the surface, but when you break it down, it’s simple.”

  “I trust them and you trust them, so we’ll just back them up like they asked,” Lilly told her.

  “Yeah,” Jennifer sighed. “Lilly, don’t ever tell anyone, but I’ll never be able to move like Ian does. I nearly fainted when he snuck up to take the picture of the fucker sleeping in the chair and then tied his boot laces together. I really felt dizzy.”

  Knowing what she was talking about vividly, “I won’t say anything because I can’t move like Lance either, and I know I’ll never be able to,” Lilly admitted. “Do you have any idea how they can do that? You have to practice that somehow? They didn’t just learn that since stinkers started walking.”

  “I can’t even guess,” Jennifer answered. “But I have an idea who might.”

  Grinning as she turned to follow Ian down the slope, “The ladybugs,” Lilly guessed.

  “I’m willing to bet, they know.”

  “No bet,” Lilly replied.

  “I can’t believe I never spotted their manipulation,” Jennifer moaned. “They’re just little girls.”

  “Under the tutelage of two of the best,” Lilly mumbled, but Jennifer heard her.

  “Lilly, Ian doesn’t realize that he and Lance are teaching the ladybugs as much as they are. He acts like they only taught them supporting roles, like helping with the peppers, distracting someone, how to make a mockup model. He doesn’t see the ladybugs watching their every move. Hell, I didn’t see any of it until you pointed it out.”

  Shaking her head and feeling her helmet shift, she reached up to pull a strap and tighten it down. “Lance doesn’t see it either,” Lilly told her, then cautiously asked, “You didn’t say something about it to Ian, did you?”

  “Are you crazy?” Jennifer shot back. “He would think I was a dumbass for even thinking something like that. And he would never believe ‘man card holders’ would have little girls trying to emulate them. I can see it plain as day, Ian would be angry that I even suggested it. Even if there was some way I could get proof, I don’t think he would believe it.”

  Very happy to hear that, “Jennifer, you know your man,” Lilly said. “And you are very right, but Ian would’ve run to Lance and Lance would’ve unleashed on you.”

  “Shit, I forgot about that. That would’ve sucked having both of them telling me I was acting stupid,” Jennifer moaned. “I love Allie and Carrie. I just don’t know if I like them.”

  Not about to admit she was terrified of the ladybugs, Lilly changed the subject. “Were you surprised about Heath today?”

  “Not really, he’s smarter than you think,” Jennifer said, swinging her AR over after seeing movement, but it was only a deer. “I never expected him to want to watch the tests. I never would’ve thought of testing the effectiveness of what we’ve learned. I was surprised about shooting someone in the thigh.”

  Entering a valley floor, Lilly sped up and followed Ian across Highway 11 quickly before driving back into the trees. “You don’t have long to stop the bleeding with the femoral artery,” Lilly said, slowing back down. “What do you think Robin will say when she finds out what Lance and Ian ‘test’ at the build site?”

  “I don’t know, we haven’t let the others watch. Hell, not even the ladybugs,” Jennifer huffed. “Those four subjects were going to die anyway and to be honest, they got off easy compared to what their friends are going to get. I’m just glad they are testing at the build site now, and not in the wild like they did before with the Devil Lords.”

  Staring at the battle bot on the trailer Ian was pulling, “That’s no shit,” Lilly agreed.

  “Do you need us to lead you?” Lance came over the radio, scaring both.

  “No, Lance,” Lilly said with a smile. “You and Ian made us walk it and drive to the spot last night before we left. If we can’t find it, the hill has been moved.”

  Laughing as he called back, “Okay, if you have trouble, give us a call.”

  “Lilly, do you realize this is our second double date?” Jennifer pointed out, watching Ian turn left and heading west.

  Slowing her speed to a fast walk, Lilly weaved through the trees while scanning hard. “Jennifer, you do realize we are hindering them more than helping, right?” Lilly informed her.

  “Shh, you’re ruining it,” Jennifer whispered. “I know, but they asked us. They think we are ready to go to the next level.”

  “Don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to go to the next level,” Lilly admitted.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Doing a deed,” Lilly said.

  “Phssf,” Jennifer huffed. “I can’t even think of cool shit like that to do, so I’ll be stuck as backup.”

  “Jennifer, nobody but those two can think that kind of shit, so don’t feel bad,” Lilly said, steering up a steep hillside. With anxiety rising with the slope of the hillside, Lilly was starting to get worried, but the tires never lost traction and she soon saw the hilltop. Weaving around a log, Lilly moved over the hilltop and headed down a finger extending to the south.

  The finger slope was gradual along the slope to the right, but to the left or west, the slope was nearly vertical. Through the trees, she could make out the Pirate camp ahead tucked right next to the steep slope to the west. The few bulbs of light on flared in her NVGs when they reached a clearing that revealed the entire Pirate camp to the left and a hundred feet below them.

  Turning the buggy until the left side of the trailer was exposed to the entire camp, Lilly set the brake and climbed out. Pulling out a rangefinder, she lased the south end of the camp that was the L-shape of the liver, and found the furthest the bots would have to shoot was four hundred yards when you factored in the rise. Aiming the rangefinder at the north end, Lilly chuckled to see it was only a hundred yards away. “That’s point blank for gun bot,” she mumbled.

  “George,” she whispered, and he climbed over the seat and jumped out to stand beside her. Grabbing gear, Lilly moved to the other side of the buggy to see Jennifer already prone on the ground with the M14. Putting her gear down, Lilly checked George’s collar one more time for the chip and IR marker. Seeing it in place, she pointed beside Jennifer.

  “Lay,” she commanded and then got down herself, keeping George between them. They weren’t really worried about stinkers on this hill, just because it was so steep. Of all the places stinkers would walk was the slope of the finger in front of them. But they were laying in front of the gun bots just in case. George was a back up alarm system.

  “I really thought I would have a shot along the east wall,” Jennifer whispered, peering through the rifle scope.

  Pulling gear out and laying it around her, “How much cover will they have?” Lilly asked.

  “Just like Ian said, six yard dead spot along the base
of the wall. At the south end, about double that,” Jennifer said, lifting her head up and glancing back at the two gun bots. The fronts of the frames were facing the left side, but the turrets were turned aiming out the back. “I really don’t want those things to shoot me in the ass.”

  “They don’t acknowledge the chip and IR, I’m not turning them on,” Lilly informed her. “We call no joy and leave.”

  “We do that, I’m spending a few days with the Bear Trap Clan. I really don’t want to be around the boys if we have to call no joy.”

  “You do have great ideas,” Lilly grinned, pulling out a laptop but leaving it off. Lilly pulled out two tablets, setting them aside. Pulling out a spotting scope, she set it up and glanced over and saw Jennifer looking through the IR binoculars.

  “Oh, I found the boss,” Jennifer said, then pulled her head back from the binoculars. “Damn it, this thing gets in the way,” she said grabbing the mask, but stopped before pulling it off. “Will you tattle if I take my mask off?”

  “Jennifer, the gun bots will be recording, I wouldn’t tattle, but they would know,” Lilly said, dropping her eye to the spotting scope. “Shit,” she mumbled and reached over, getting the IR attachment and clipping it on.

  Leaving her mask on, “You think Ian would get mad?” Jennifer asked, looking through the binoculars.

  “No,” Lilly answered. “He would be disappointed. Lance would be mad. Where did you see the boss?”

  “At the picnic tables, fifty yards to the southwest from the barn,” Jennifer answered. “It’s hard to get a cheek weld with the damn thing on,” Jennifer complained.

  “That’s why we’ve trained and shot how much the last two weeks with the masks on?” Lilly asked, finding the target. “Gear not on serves no purpose. Train like you fight, sound familiar?”

  “Sometimes I hate those instructional videos,” Jennifer mumbled.

  Scanning for the ‘cocksucker’ as Lance and Ian named the young man that’d been in charge of the group that destroyed the battle bot, Lilly grinned. “You want me on the sniper rifle and you on the electronics?”

  “Hell, no, I get to shoot people with the big gun,” Jennifer cheerfully sang out in a low voice.

  Seeing a green light blink three times to the south at the tree line outside the camp, “Lance and Ian are set up,” Lilly said, grabbing her PTT. “Got you and we are set.”

  “Copy,” Lance replied in a low voice. “Ramp is down and moving to position. Stinkers along the wall.”

  “Shit,” Lilly mumbled, then pressed the PTT. “Are we no joy?”

  “Hell, no, there’s only sixteen,” Lance whispered back. “You have targets?”

  “Boss located. Scanning for cocksucker,” Lilly answered.

  “How active is the camp?”

  “About the same, barn looks to be hosting a party again. Boss is at the picnic tables fifty yards from the barn, southeast,” Lilly reported.

  “Copy, will hold at ready position.”

  Never taking her eyes from the binoculars, “Did they bring a bow?” Jennifer asked.

  “Nope,” Lilly said, dropping her hand from the PTT.

  “Wonder what the rules are for attacking assholes with your boyfriends? Ya know, like what can you get mad about and what you can’t? Where would we look for those?” Jennifer asked.

  “We’re going to have to make some up,” Lilly answered.

  Chapter Thirty

  West of Woollum, Kentucky

  Ian pulled the buggy to the edge of the tree line and could see the trailer wall of the Pirate camp eighty yards away. Feeling Lance climb out more than hearing, Ian climbed out and motioned Dino to follow. Hearing the unmistakable sound of a knife punching through bone, Ian spun around to look for Lance and saw him ten yards away, pulling his knife from the head of a stinker.

  Wiping his blade off, Lance moved back to the buggy. “Where the fuck was he at?” Ian asked.

  “Hiding behind that tree,” Lance said, looking around. “I saw him peek out when I climbed out. He ducked back and I came around the other side of the tree.”

  “Fuckers are getting better at hide and seek,” Ian said, moving back to the trailer and lowering the ramp.

  “Dino,” Lance said, pulling a ghillie blanket from the buggy. Stepping away from the buggy near a bush, “Lay,” Lance pointed and Dino laid down, looking at the buggy. “Guard,” Lance commanded, pointing at the buggy and then covered Dino with the ghillie blanket.

  They wanted Dino with the girls instead of George, but with this attack, the odds of some slipping out were pretty high, and they didn’t want to come back and find their ride gone. He and Ian put safeguards on, but they had proved to themselves countless times, anything could be stolen.

  Gripping his AR, Lance turned on the IR flashlight, aiming up the steep slope of the finger.

  Ian turned around to study the trailer wall as Lance talked to Lilly. “I like attacking stupid people,” he mumbled. Seeing figures roaming outside the wall, Ian sighed. Making a quick count, Ian motioned to Lance. When Lance was looking, Ian tapped his nose, for stinker, then held up his hand three times then one finger.

  Moving to the side of the trailer and pulling a ladder out, “These bitches are getting sloppy. Never had more than five along the wall,” he said as Lance ended with Lilly and moved over.

  “You hear that, they asked if we were calling ‘No joy’,” Lance huffed.

  “They have problems?”

  “No, because there are sixteen stinkers along the wall,” Lance said, waving a hand toward the wall.

  “We were nervous our first time, and we knew to expect it. The first is always special,” Ian stated with a wise tone.

  Thinking for a second, Lance finally nodded. “Yeah, if stinkers would’ve been around Harry’s house, I would’ve run back home crying. Not to mention our first deed.”

  “I would’ve hid under your mom and dad’s bed,” Ian scoffed.

  “Ready?” Lance asked, and Ian nodded. Lance held out his arms as Ian checked his gear. Then Ian held out his arms while Lance checked his. Then each ran their hands over their own gear, checking snaps and buckles.

  “Good,” Ian said, looking up.

  “Let us go forth and show our girls what an exploit is.”

  ***

  On the slope Lilly had watched the two check each other. “They didn’t do that last night,” she mumbled.

  “What?” Jennifer asked.

  “Lance and Ian checked each other’s gear meticulously,” Lilly told her.

  “They did that at the Nazi camp,” Jennifer snorted. “I thought Ian was feeling me up, and thought it was a very weird place to be doing that since he doesn’t even do it at the cabin.”

  “Ritual,” Lilly smiled, watching the two move across the field. She lost them when they reached the south wall, but saw the hook at the top of the ladder latch on. Watching a figure slink up and kneel on the roof of the trailer, Lilly was shocked to see the next up a split-second later. The figure grabbed the ladder and moved to the inside and hung it on the trailer and slid down the ladder.

  “That was Lance,” she noted, and saw Ian was already down and taking the ladder off the trailer to lay at the base of the wall. “Fuck, I thought they were fast last night.”

  Both pulled pistols with suppressors mounted and moved along the wall toward the gate. “You find cocksucker yet?” Lilly asked.

  “Nope, boss is smoking from a bong still at the picnic table.”

  Watching the two hold in the shadows, Lilly gave a startle when they moved up the stairs to the top of the wall. “They aren’t holding,” Lilly said.

  “What,” Jennifer said, swinging her view over as the two seemed to flow up the stairs. “That’s holding at the guard house, Lilly.”

  When both figures put away the pistols, Lilly felt a chill in her body. The two pulled knives before sneaking up on the four guards under the tin shack roof. Two figures were in chairs and the other two were at the front of th
e shack, looking outside the gate. “Please don’t be the day their ego overloads their asses,” Lilly mumbled.

  Realizing they were heading to the two standing, Lilly fought the urge to grab the PTT. Moving in front of the two in chairs, Lance and Ian in unison moved up before shoving the knife in the back and kicking the left leg while yanking the knife out and driving it into the base of the skull. “Fuck, that was fast,” Lilly said, watching them lower the bodies down. The two guards in the chair still hadn’t moved, and they were looking right at Ian and Lance three feet away. “They have got to be passed out,” Lilly mumbled.

  When they put the knives away and moved to the guards, Lilly closed her eyes and then forced them open just in time as each pulled something and moved up to the guards in the chairs. They each put their right hands on the necks of the guards and the guards jerked violently.

  Like Lance and Ian were a mirror image, they put something in their right thigh pocket and slid the two guards to the floor. Watching their hands, Lilly knew they were binding them. “They never said they were doing more experiments,” Lilly breathed out with a sigh of relief.

  “Lilly, this is an exploit. They want some witnesses to live,” Jennifer explained.

  Understanding, Lilly watched the two move over to the dead guards and just shoved them off the wall. “I’m never going to be that good,” Lilly sighed.

  “I felt it took me a year to climb up the ladder last night,” Jennifer admitted, scanning the camp.

  Noticing the two take up the positions of the guards, Lilly relaxed and scanned the camp. “Jennifer, did Rhonda ask you if you would ask the boys if she could come?”

  “Yeah, and I really wanted to, but I told her Ian requested me without me asking. I told her I couldn’t this time, but I would next time.”

  “About what I told her,” Lilly said. “I told her to ask them and she wouldn’t. At least you’ve gotten to go with them before.”

  “Lilly, I wasn’t ready,” Jennifer admitted. “I endangered them, and I know I slowed them down. You know why they finally took me? It wasn’t because I won rock, paper, scissors with you. They wanted to make sure I had experience moving with threats near. Just in case something happened to them, so I could protect the ladybugs. You already had experience moving about on foot.”