"Hello, and welcome to all of you newcomers," Cisco said in a genial voice. Catcalls and hoots echoed around him. He put a stern look on his face and glared at those who'd been the most outspoken in their hazing. Enough was enough. It was one thing to harass the new meat as they were brought into camp for the first time, it was quite another to do so while he was trying to address everyone.
When silence again reigned, and Cisco heard only the cicadas in the trees at the edge of the parking lot, he continued. "I know things are a bit unsettled right now for you," he said sympathetically. "I'm going to have your restraints removed immediately," he added. He gestured at a pair of men, who nodded and moved through the crowd, quietly cutting cords and removing bindings.
The refugees, to a person—with the exception of the children—flexed shoulders and rubbed wrists, and a few even smiled in relief. "It's not my intention to have you chained up as prisoners twenty-four seven. We all face this new reality thrust upon us by the tidal wave."
"Tsunami," a bearded, sunburned man toward the front muttered under his breath.
Cisco glanced down at him for a moment. So you’re the one Jenkins warned me about…you took out Jimbo.
The newcomer was suspected of being responsible for the loss of two other men in Charleston. He had a gaunt look to him, but he resonated a quiet, patient strength. He was handsome as far as most survivors went, Cisco decided. The confidence in the man’s eyes could prove dangerous. He’d be sure to keep an eye on him.
Cisco looked away and continued. "First, let me establish some ground rules. These are not only for your protection, but for the protection of all of us. We're all in this together—like I said—and if some of us don't pull their weight, the entire operation will fall apart.” He looked over the crowd again.
“Until we can get into a more settled location, we’re going to have to all work hard to live together. To that end," he said, letting his voice ring across the gravel parking lot. "I'm going to say this once, and once only. No woman in this camp shall be harmed in any way, shape, or form.” He let the words sink in. “Any man that lays an unwanted hand on any female under my protection will be dealt with by me. Personally."
Cisco narrowed his eyes and made sure to focus on several men Jenkins had warned him to watch among his own troops. They all blinked, nodded, or looked away. The message had been delivered and received. His loyal fighters knew what kind of justice he was capable of administering, and that went a long way toward instilling fear and discipline among the rest of the new guards pulled from the refugees.
“I’m sure you all know,” he continued, “there's only one rule in this camp—well…two rules," Cisco said with a quick grin. "Rule number one," he said as he held up his hand, finger pointed at the sky. "Everybody works. You don't work, you don't eat." He let that sink in and cast a fatherly gaze upon all of the new inductees. "I may be stern, but I like to think I'm fair. Rule number two is you do what I say, when I say it, or I'll kill you myself."
Several women gasped, and a few of the men frowned and shook their heads, but Cisco let that play out. "So far, I've only ever had to institute punishment for rule two twice since the…” He looked down at the newcomer who'd corrected him earlier, "tsunami."
The man narrowed his eyes at Cisco, clearly resenting the fact that he'd been taken from his own group and brought here, but the corner of his mouth curled up nonetheless at Cisco's use of the correct term.
"My aim is to build a better life for all of us. Unfortunately, we can't do that with the paltry few people that banded together in the early days. More and more groups of people are coming together, and not all of them have the greater good in mind. I intend to rebuild society, to build things the way they should have been built the first time, to make things better. That's going to lead to better lives for all of us and ensure that the next generation will have a better shot at survival than we do."
He nodded with approval at several of the young women, who looked down at their children. With the first group of survivors, that line had gone a long way toward winning over a handful of females to his side. He hadn’t laid a finger on any of them—which also created more loyalty. Rumor had quickly spread that he meant what he said.
There would be plenty of time for amusement after Bee’s Landing was taken care of. "We have three priorities as a group,” he said in a clear, strong voice. “Food and water,“ he said, raising a finger. “Shelter,” another pause, another finger, “and security. Right now, we have barely enough food to sustain the number of survivors that we have here. Water we have plenty of—there's a couple creeks and ponds around us. Shelter…” Cisco shrugged.
"Thanks to some recent attacks from our enemies, we’ve been reduced to two large tents," he said with an open palm gesture at his command tent, and the mess hall tent. "The weather’s still warm enough that we can all sleep outside for now, but we’ll need housing soon. Some of you will be assigned immediate duties, including bringing down trees to make shelters for the rest of us."
Cisco focused on the new recruits. “You new people will be split up. We need help looking for food, we need others cutting down trees and building shelters, but we also need people to cook and clean. Lastly,” he said, moving on quickly before any murmuring could begin, “I and my lieutenants keep a special eye out for anyone who might be able to join our security team.” He glanced around at several interested faces. “It takes a special volunteer," he said with emphasis on the word volunteer, "to join the ranks of the security team. The lives of everyone are in their hands. They are the shield that defends everyone else against the horrors that are crawling across the land out there. I can tell you for a fact that there's plenty of terrible people out there. If it were up to me, we’d never leave this area again—but that's simply not possible.” He turned and addressed the rest of the crowd.
"To that end, I'm announcing here and now my plan to find a new place. It's a neighborhood, not far from here, through the woods to the east. The people that live there have attacked us several times in the past and caused the deaths of more than a dozen good, loyal men. They’re hoarding supplies,” he said, which got more than a few angry expressions. “They’re sending out roving bands of armed men to attack and harass anyone who goes against their wishes, and they're doing it all while pretending to be law-abiding citizens. It's not right, it's not fair, and I say they represent an outright threat to all of us."
Several of his men clapped their hands or raised weapons in the air and shouted their agreement. A few people, Cisco was happy to see, from the first group of road refugees also nodded along. The message spread, and soon enough he’d have them all eating out of his hand. He’d have an army to strike at Bee’s Landing.
“I’m going to assemble fighting teams, because we're going to take the fight to the enemy. And when we’re done, we’ll take over their neighborhood, and we'll live in their houses—houses that they’ve prevented us from having. Most of the people who lived there already died in the tsunami—the rest are keeping the empty houses to themselves. They have no right to keep that place hidden from the rest of us. Until now," he said as he smiled at the newcomers, "we did not have the numbers to pose a threat to them. They have weakened us over time, and caused more pain than I can express," Cisco said solemnly. "But soon, it will be our turn—our chance at vengeance, our chance at redemption, and our chance at safety. With your help, with your loyalty, we can do this together and bring forth a better future for all of us."
The applause that greeted the end of his speech surprised Cisco in its volume. He expected his loyal followers to be overly enthusiastic, but the number of people from the first batch of road refugees who cheered along with the rest of his men gave heart to the ex-con. The people that he and Jenkins had brought in off the interstate had been half-starved. When they were offered food, water, and safety at night from predators—both four-legged and two—they’d rallied to his side.
He estimated he had about half of the firs
t batch in his pocket, counteracted by all of the newcomers brought in by Jenkins. It was a start, but he wasn't quite ready to tackle Bee’s Landing just yet.
Cisco climbed down off the MRAP and shook hands with newcomers and old-timers alike. He joshed with his men as the meeting broke up, and Jenkins called out in a strong voice for the separation of newcomers into their assigned roles. Cisco crossed his arms and watched Jenkins work.
"All women and children…stand over here," Jenkins yelled as he pointed to his left. "All able-bodied men and boys, stand on my right."
He gave them a few moments to separate, and the crowd of bystanders diminished. A healthy number—perhaps a dozen of his own men and people from the first group of refugees that were between tasks—hung about to watch the sorting.
"You women will join the rest of the home team," Jenkins said sharply. One of them laughed and said something derogatory. Jenkins turned, his hand already tightening into a fist, before his eyes met Cisco's. He blinked, swallowed, and lowered his hand. "This isn't something that I'm doing just because you’re women—I’m doing it because it's the safest place for you."
"Oh yeah?" the woman who'd objected to laundry duty retorted. "I think you're making us do all the laundry and the dirty work because you don't want to do it."
Jenkins smiled. "You're right," he said. "I don't want to do it. But I tell you what, if you want to take a gun and go out there in the woods and deal with whatever makes scary noises in the middle of the night, or if you want to go out there and put your life on the line when raiders come to take the stuff that we've fought and died for…if you want to be the one to go out there and do that, I’ll do laundry all day long.”
The woman looked around and blinked. "I see your point." Several others leaned in and murmured words of encouragement to her, before pulling her back into the fold.
"I appreciate you coming forward with your concerns, trust me,” Jenkins said with a I’ll remember you look. “We’re doing this because it's the best for everyone. We simply can't have untrained people roaming around out there trying to defend the rest of us. You wouldn't be safe, and neither would we. So, we’re leaving the most dangerous work to the ones most capable of defending themselves and us. That leaves work such as cutting down trees, hauling lumber, planting crops and tending fields, and construction. Anyone who wants to volunteer for any of those jobs can do so, once we have a secure perimeter established. Until that time, everyone must pitch in for the common good. And that means all women and children are assigned to cleaning and cooking chores, maintaining the camp, and education of the children. Only men will be considered for security details and heavy labor and construction at this time. Does anyone want to say anything about that?" Jenkins asked.
The man Jenkins had warned Cisco about—the one who’d killed Jimbo—raised his hand. Jenkins turned and pointed at him. "What is it?"
"We’re free to go, or are we prisoners here?"
Jenkins laughed. "Why would you want to leave? You got someplace better to go? Far as I can tell, this is the best set up between Myrtle Beach and Charleston…”
After a ripple of nervous tittering died down, the newcomer cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I got nothing against what you guys are doing here. I gotta say I didn't like having the bag thrown over my head and being dragged here in handcuffs…but it doesn't seem all that bad, now that I'm here."
“We had to cover your eyes to make sure you didn’t know where we’re located. There’s some really bad hombres out there that would love to take us down, steal everything we’ve got, and hurt you good folks…” Jenkins said with a smile to the rest of the group.
"But you haven't answered my question…am I a prisoner? Or can I leave?"
Cisco stepped up. "I'll take this,” he said, waving off Jenkins. “You go ahead and split the rest of ‘em up.” Cisco turned to the newcomer. “Come on over, let's have a talk in private."
Jenkins didn't give the other men time to raise their own questions about whether or not they could leave the compound, but launched right into plans for building permanent shelters and bringing down trees to serve as a defensive barricade against the raiders from the east.
"What's your name?” Cisco asked as he reached out a hand. The newcomer’s grip was firm and confident.
"Reese."
"I'm Cisco, Reese. Nice to meet you."
"I wish I could say the same, but I was kind of on my way home when I got dragged out here…wherever here is…” he said as he looked around.
"Well, the world is full of disappointment now. Oh, by the way, sorry about your shotgun…”
“Can I get that back?"
"Unfortunately, no," Cisco said with an official tone. "See, anything that's stamped as official police property—or government property at all—we're keeping in reserve form general use. We've heard rumors that the government is trying to reform and we don’t need someone to see us walking around with stolen government property.”
“I didn’t steal it…I found it in the back of a squad car—“
“If they're not willing to help us in this time of desperate need,” Cisco said, ignoring the interruption, “the last thing we want is for them to start prosecuting us for theft when all this clears up. Am I right?"
Reese shrugged. "Well, I wasn't exactly comfortable carrying around a police shotgun in the first place…but it sure was—“
"I'm glad you see things my way,” Cisco said quickly. “There's another thing I want to talk to you about. Have you given any thought to joining the security team here?"
The man blinked at him as if he had three heads. "No. Like I said, I was on my way home…”
“But this is your home," Cisco said as he turned and placed a brotherly arm around the man's thin shoulders. He gestured with his other hand at the compound. "I know it doesn't look like much now, but we're really pulling things together. Why, in a couple days, we’ll have some temporary shelters set up. We got a hunting party out in the woods now, and they should be coming back with venison for us. Rumor has it that there's wild boar out there, too…doesn’t that sound good?”
"Fresh meat does sound good," Reese agreed as he gently extricated himself from Cisco's meaty arm. "But like I said—”
The smile faded from Cisco's face. "Like I said. You’re not going anywhere. I can't afford to let you slip away and tell our enemies where we are. They’d come kill us all in the middle of the night.”
"Exactly who are your enemies? And where are we?" Reese demanded as he crossed his arms.
Cisco admired the man's spirit, but he knew he’d have to be broken at some point. "All of this, everything you see here, is to prepare for our coming battle. The people at Bee’s Landing need to be taught a lesson, and I'm going to be the one to teach them that lesson," Cisco said as he pointed at the gravel under his feet. "You're going to join my security team whether you like it or not, but until I can trust you, you’re working heavy construction."
Cisco registered the shocked look on the man's face at the fact that he was being sentenced to hard labor. "Jenkins!"
"Yeah, boss?"
Cisco put a hand on Reese's thin shoulder and shoved him forward. "Got another one for your construction team. Send him out with the loggers."
"No, wait just a minute—” Reese objected.
Cisco drew the gleaming Desert Eagle from his holster, but kept it pointed toward the ground. "Are you already trying to break a rule?”
Reese's eyes went to the hand cannon gripped in Cisco's fist, then back to his face. “N-no. Look, I’m trying to—“
“Good,” Cisco said. “I’d hate to have to kill somebody before lunch. Now get moving before I change my mind."
Jenkins spun Reese around and shoved him toward the group of hardy men who'd been singled out to cut down trees. Cisco stepped up next to Jenkins. “Keep an eye on him. He's got skills, otherwise he wouldn't have survived this long. The fact that he took out Jimbo and a couple others means he’s either goo
d, or lucky. But I got the feeling he's a troublemaker. So, keep him close."
"You got it, boss." Jenkins turned to the assembled teams. "Okay, you got your assignments. Get to it." He raised a hand in the air, made a circle sign, and the guards stepped forward, took command of their charges, and barked orders like drill sergeants. They yelled at the wide-eyed, stunned recruits, and marched them off in compliance.
Cisco crossed his arms and watched Reese lumber off with resentment in his eyes. The man watched everything and took note of where the teams went. “You could be trouble…” Cisco muttered to himself. "But we’ll break you."
"If he's going to cause that much trouble, might want to use him as cannon fodder with the other ones,” Jenkins suggested. “Send him in against Bee’s Landing, let ‘em chew those guys up first."
Cisco turned and regarded Jenkins. "I like the way you think."
Jenkins smiled. "Any chance you'll rethink that no fraternization rule?" he asked as he kept his eye on a heavyset woman who trundled off with the rest of the cooks and cleaners.
Cisco slapped Jenkins on the back and laughed. "All in good time, my friend, all in good time. For now, why don’t you keep an eye on our troublemaker?"
Chapter 15
Spalding Residence
Bee’s Landing Subdivision
Northwest of Charleston, South Carolina
Harriet stood in her kitchen and looked around at the dozen or so members of the HOA—both the steering committee and residents—who’d followed her from Cami’s meeting. She put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Is this it? Is this everyone?"
Broken Tide | Book 6 | Breakwater Page 11