Erika thought on this. She always wanted to trust first. She wanted to believe that, deep down, people were good, but she had been proven wrong so many times, she didn’t know what to think anymore.
“I want to help too, but we probably shouldn’t even be doing that. It puts you in harm’s way, and we should be focused on getting your mom and heading to Las Vegas.” Vince added his own indecision to hers.
Erika thought on his words. “I know, Vince, but how can we just walk away? Plus, how are we supposed to get my mom out without their help? Maybe if we help them, they would be more apt to help us without asking questions,” Erika countered.
“True,” Vince agreed. He crossed the expanse between them. “But you better promise me you are going to be careful.”
Erika stared innocently into his eyes, “I promise,” she replied with a sly smile. “Come on, you know me. I’ll be careful.”
“Yeah…I know you,” he laughed, hugging her tightly.
They made passionate love to one another as the hustle and bustle continued outside the window.
Chapter 9
Traveling south on what used to by Hwy 79, MSgt Bennet couldn’t believe this pile of ruins used be the capital of Texas. Navigating over piles of rubble that the fighting had left behind, he found the remnants of Interstate 35 and headed south. He would only be able to go as far as the ruins of the University of Texas in Austin. Then he would have to find lodging and try to gather information from travelers. This half of the city had been left to the thieves and scoundrels of all types. The Federal Government had little use for it, except to keep the defiant people of Texas in their southern territory. If the Militia continued their dealings on time and stayed put, the Federal Forces cared little about them. The feds had their main concentration of soldiers located in Dallas and scattered forces south of there. The Mercenaries also had a large base in Dallas where they were deployed to fight southern skirmishes on the border Bennet would soon be approaching.
Corporal Shaver noticed the people on the street eyeballing the jeep as it passed by. He whispered to MSgt Bennet, “If I had the resources, I would round them all up. I bet most of them should be in a prison camp anyway.”
“That’s enough, soldier,” Bennet reprimanded him. “We need to blend in and not make waves. There’s no law here.”
The ruins they were navigating sat on the free border. The fighting between the Mercenaries, hired by the feds, and the Militia here devastated the city. The leaders of the armies finally agreed on Hwy 290 as a permanent border west of Austin and Hwy 71 as the border east of Austin. Inside the city, the Militia had taken a point of the Colorado River between Hwy 1 and Hwy 183. The main gate was located there. The Militia didn’t have the manpower to guard the entire border, so they lined it with landmines. Very rarely did anyone temp their fate traveling through that area.
Bennet directed the jeep through an old parking lot that was full of tents with merchants peddling anything they had. The building had old letters on it; some were hanging off. Bennet read, “om epot.” Blue spray paint on the side read, “Boarding House.” Most of the building had been destroyed. The remaining portion was a vital resting place for travelers moving in and out of the free zone.
“This is it. Private Moore and Corporal McClintock will meet us here,” Bennet informed them.
“We’re staying here?” Corporal Smith wondered nervously.
“That’s right, go get us some beds, boy,” Bennet ordered.
“Yes, sir,” the corporal answered as the jeep came to a halt.
He returned in a panic.
“They are full, sir,” the corporal informed Bennet. “The man said they don’t house merc scum.”
Bennet’s vein in his forehead bulged as he stormed through the door and approached the man at the desk inside. The man’s eyes were as big as saucers behind his glasses when he saw Bennet’s massive frame enter. Two large men stepped forward next to the desk.
“We need five beds for a week,” Bennet demanded.
“As I told your lackey, we don’t house merc scum,” the man replied, looking back at his papers.
Bennet slammed his hand on the desk causing the man to jump and the other two men to approach him.
“So, I stole a merc jeep. Does that make us mercs?” Bennet thundered.
The man stared hesitantly at him, considering his story. Then he looked to one of his guards. “Escort this man out.”
The man approached and laid a hand on Bennet’s shoulder. Bennet reacted in one swift move. The man retreated with a broken arm.
“Would you like to have two bodyguards with broken arms?” MSgt Bennet asked the skinny man behind the desk.
The man stammered. “Those three bunks in the corner are available,” he replied, with a wave of his hand.
“What do I owe you?” Bennet asked.
“What do you have to offer?” the man wondered.
“How about one thousand rounds of nine-millimeter ammo?” Bennet offered.
“Yes sir, that will do quite nicely. Stole it with the jeep, did you?” the man suggested sarcastically.
“Yup, I’ll have my boys bring in your payment. Half now and half when we leave,” Bennet announced as he pushed the other bodyguard out of the way and headed for the bunks.
Dexter and Johnny arrived the next morning and Trucker, Dexter’s fierce-looking Rottweiler, greeted Bennet affectionately. The men spent the next couple of days exploring town and recording tactical information. If Bennet could extract Vince and Erika from here he would, but he was more confident that he would have to pull out to Dallas and lay a trap where Erika’s mother should have been.
Dexter had become a stealth fighter. He favored the use of silenced sniper rifles and throwing knives. Trucker was his constant companion and ever-vigilant guard. He had the ability to send Trucker out to the edges of town where the other mutts that survived on the fringes of society moved about freely. Without his animal, Dexter could blend into any situation and often moved in and out of enemy territory silently. If backup was needed, Trucker was there.
On this occasion, he spotted an electrical crew. They were moving huge coils of wire across the border. Waiting patiently in the distance, Dexter finally saw his moment. One of the workers had left his hat lying in the cab of one of the trucks. Dexter grabbed it and put it on. Just like he was one of the crew, he walked up to a huge coil of wire, picked it up, and went right through the gate. He followed the man in front of him and stacked it on the pile. Then he removed the hat and slowly exited down a row of supplies.
On the other side of the gate it wasn’t too much of a challenge to find the central hub of activity. He made his way to an old college. The sign read, “St. Edward’s.” He could enter the grounds with the crowds, but inside there was a white building where the guards stood at the ready. He knew this must be where the governor had set up shop. Using all his stealth abilities, he blended with the crowd and circled the building. He faded into the background watching every window of every building carefully. Then, he saw them. His parents, kissing in a window. It brought tears to his eyes and he wanted to run to them and hug them, but there was no way to approach them with all the guards at this location. He whistled Trucker to him and tucked a carefully crafted note into his collar.
He slunk back through the gates alone before night fell and met with MSgt Bennet.
“They are at the governor’s compound, sir,” he told Bennet.
“Where is the governor held up?” Bennet wondered.
“The old St. Edward’s college, sir,” Dexter responded.
“Are you sure they were there? You saw them?” Bennet asked.
“With my own eyes, sir. They are there,” Dexter responded. “But the whole place is buzzing. There is something going on. They are mobilizing, sir.”
“So soon? Erika and Vince just got there. I thought they were going after your grandmother, not mobilizing with the Militia resistance.” Bennet was confused.
&nb
sp; “They’re on their own, sir. I think they are trying to get help,” Dexter retorted, knowing his parents’ patterns.
“Why didn’t they just talk to you, sir?” Dexter asked hesitantly. They had a long history together, and Dexter knew his mom and dad trusted MSgt Bennet completely.
“I don’t know, Dex,” the Master Sergeant lied to the young man, feeling ashamed that he had pushed Erika away. “They just up and left. I’m as baffled as you are.”
Dexter knew this man well and didn’t believe his story for a second. There was something going on here Bennet wasn’t telling him.
“Do you think we can extract them?” Bennet wondered.
“The five of us?” Dex questioned. “No way. Not unless they walked through those gates on their own accord. I think you are right, we should pull back to where my grandma is and get them there.” He was worried about his parents but longed to see his grandmother again. They had been so close for so long. These last few years without her had been miserable.
“And Dex, there’s one thing I didn’t tell you,” Bennet added.
Only one? Dex questioned to himself.
“What’s that, Master Sergeant Bennet?” Dex wondered.
Bennet knew the boy would be ecstatic to see his grandmother and pondered if he should tell him the truth, but he also knew that Dexter would probably make contact with his parents, if he hadn’t already. He knew where Dexter’s loyalties lay and was sure he would tell his mother.
“Great job today, soldier. You’re one stealth machine.” Bennet chickened out and lied again.
Dexter just stared at him. Why won’t he tell me what is going on, he screamed in his head, but “thank you, sir” was all he said.
In the morning, the sky was overcast, and the wind blew fiercely from the South. It was obvious a big storm was headed their way. After eating breakfast, Trucker returned to Dexter’s side. Dexter slowly washed his hands and returned to the solitude of his bunk. He found a reply note tucked into the small case on Trucker’s collar.
Hi Dex,
Wondered how long it would take you to find us. We are headed out to help in Houston. Then coming back for Grandma. Lots to talk about. Don’t trust anyone! Stay vigilant.
I love you,
Mom
He sat back and mused on his parents’ actions. He just couldn’t figure out why they had not discussed this with MSgt Bennet. It was such a huge risk they had taken. Why? He wondered. To help strangers in Houston and leave my brother and my grandparents?
MSgt Bennet came looking for Dexter. Johnny was in tow.
“What’s the scoop, Dex?” Bennet wondered.
Dex wasn’t sure how to answer. His mother would not have put the line about not trusting anyone in the note if she had not been worried about Bennet’s loyalties.
“Trucker’s back, no new news. They are headed to get my Grandma, so I say we go there,” he replied tentatively. He needed to formulate a plan B, and this would buy him some time to figure out what the heck was going on.
Bennet left to go round up the corporals and Johnny remained.
“What did the note say?” Johnny wondered. He knew his friend too well to accept that explanation to Bennet as truth.
“It’s a classic move.” Dex leveled with his buddy. “She’s always out to help everyone but herself. I guess they are headed to Houston first.”
“Why didn’t you tell Bennet that? We might be able to get her there with boats,” Johnny said.
“Why didn’t she talk to Bennet to begin with? And why is he out here chasing her? None of this makes sense and this will buy us time to figure it out. Plus, I want to see my grandma again,” Dexter explained.
“Why are you telling me, then, if she told you not to trust anyone? Johnny teased.
“Because you’re too stupid to do anything about it, dork,” Dex teased back, catching Johnny up in a headlock.
The two young men scuffled in play while Trucker danced around them barking.
“Besides we’ll get some down time in Dallas,” Dex added as they stood bent over, catching their breath.
“Sounds good to me, bro. I’ve heard the chicks there are banging hot,” Johnny agreed.
Bennet came back into the boarding house. He was amused by the young men’s scruffy appearance. Ah, to be young again, he reflected. The corporals were on his heels, eager to pack their gear and leave as well.
“There’s a bus headed for Dallas leaving in ten minutes,” Bennet addressed the young men, handing them the tickets.
“Yes, sir,” the young men replied with winks.
Bennet noticed the interaction but passed it off as the goofy behavior of young men.
Chapter 10
In the morning, the whole compound was a buzz of action. People scrambling to pack supplies for the Houston residents that were sure to be displaced from the hurricane about to hit shore. Half of Houston was pretty much a flooded wasteland already from years of hurricanes pounding on it, but what was left was about to get wiped out.
Erika was outside with Vince helping to load a bus when she heard commotion at the nearby gate to the compound.
“Just shoot the thing,” one man declared.
“He seems friendly enough, and he has a collar. He’s someone’s pet,” the other man chimed in.
Erika was strangely curious and headed toward the gate. Vince watched her leaving out of the corner of his eye as he picked up another crate and headed toward the bus.
Approaching the gate, Erika saw the cause of the commotion.
“Trucker?” she called out loud in wonder.
The men spun in surprise. The dog joyfully launched toward her. Petting him with praise, she looked around to see if her son was nearby. It had been a very long time since she had left her children for any reason, and her heart ached to see them. Not catching a glimpse of him, she would have to make do with his dog.
As she sat down on the curb to pet the animal, she noticed that the dog’s collar had a small leather envelope case sewed onto it. Upon opening it, she found a scrap of paper with a note:
Mom, Dad,
Bennet is on your heels. He called me in to find you. We are in Old Austin. Are you going to get Grandma? Please tell me what is going on. All hell will break loose if you guys don’t get back to the Northern Region.
Love you,
Dex
Smart kid, Erika thought to herself. She walked over to the guy with a clipboard and a pen. Vince was surprised to see her cross the expanse with Trucker and went to join her.
“What the heck is he doing here?” Vince asked.
“Dex sent him. With a note,” Erika responded.
“Smart kid,” Vince said.
“I thought the same thing,” Erika chuckled, handing him the note.
Erika asked the man if she could borrow his pen and a piece of paper.
“What are you going to tell him?” Vince wondered, “You know he’s with Bennet.”
“I know, but he’s our son. We have to trust him. Maybe he can get to my mom first. Whether we get her, or they do makes no difference if we get her out of here and into the Northern Region,” Erika responded.
“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I still think you should be vague, just in case Bennet intercepts the note. Dex will be able to read between the lines,” Vince added.
They got the note secured on Trucker just as they were being called to board the bus headed south. Outside the bus the wind was whipping, and rain was thrust violently through the air. Inside the bus it was cozy with the heat of concerned people going to lend a hand to nearby communities in trouble. Erika was bombarded with questions about her past, California, and the meeting with the Federal Governing Board. They cheered for her stories like she was a rock star, gracing them with her appearance.
Vince watched his wife animatedly retell their past like it was a legend from another lifetime. She delicately led them up to suspenseful parts of the story and then exploded in action, telling the horror
s of all they had been through.
These were free people, protected by a state governing system that would not yield to Federal involvement. They had fought their own fierce battles and had lost half the state, but they were untouched by the refugee system, thanks to the oil and chemicals they could supply.
What was left of Houston was still a major hub of that activity. Without it, they questioned their ability to remain free. After hearing Erika’s stories, it concerned them even more.
Time passed quickly on their journey east with the distraction of the real-life government defiers on the bus. Outside the weather continued to turn foul. The bus swayed to avoid flying debris that would halt their progress. The caravan was being led by semi-trucks with cow pushers on the front, clearing the debris from the road and ensuring there was a path for the fleet of buses headed to help. The energy swirled in the bus and Erika was fueled by its fire. She was so excited to be amongst so many people whose only mission was to help others in need.
Erika had never been to Houston before the Great Quake, but she guessed it was like many other cities, former shells of what they had once been. Thinking about natural disasters before the Great Quake, Erika reflected on the fact that if disaster struck, it had been a localized event. Fleets of supplies, millions of dollars, and tons of food would have been diverted to the disaster, so the people wouldn’t suffer. The Great Quake’s damage had rippled the entire globe. Very few cities, towns, and neighborhoods were unaffected, and resources were needed everywhere. In retrospect, she saw how difficult this made any effort to return cities to their former glory.
When the buses stopped, they continued to rock. Erika stepped off the bus, but the wind threatened the stability of every step she took. She grasped her sidearm as she steadied her balance. It felt good to be carrying it where it belonged. It had been too long since Erika had felt its comfort.
She and Vince were assigned to a large group headed for the Houston Methodist West Hospital. Juan Gutierrez was assigned as the leader of their group. He was the assistant to the man in charge of the entire Southern Region, Ted Ferguson. Juan explained that after the Great Quake there were two large parks by the hospital. They became tent cities as displaced residents of Houston made it their home.
The Changing Earth Series (Book 4): Battle for the South Page 5