“Madam I belief you haf missed Mrs. McPherson.”, Percy stated.
“It's her husband's fault my kids are crying.”, the woman grumbled.
“Your name is Sharon is it not Madam?”, Percy asked politely.
“Yes.”, Sharon said flatly.
“Sharon ve'fe all been through some terrible things together and ve hafe built a town together. Now someone comes and vants to take that from us. Do not let some hard times let you forget who your friends are.”, Percy explained.
Sharon dipped the glass into the bucket and handed it to Ivy, “I'm sorry Ivy, that General is just kinda getting into my head.”
Ivy smiled as she took the glass, “Thank you. Its the hunger dear, they are just trying to break us down. We are not going to let them do that are we?”
When Ames reached Hulbert his comrade had already died. Using the machete he was reserving to take Mac's head, he made sure Hulbert didn't turn, “I promise you Jack this fuckers gonna pay.”
Knowing Mac had to be nearby Ames shouted out, “Quit screwin around, show yourself, face me like a man.”
Mac placed his hand around Ames' throat and put the point of his knife to his back, “ah ah ah, drop your weapons.”
Ames dropped the machete and then his service pistol and tried to figure a way out of this, “Hey man I was just followin orders. You know how it is.”
“Yeah keep tellin yourself that”, replied Mac as he sheathed the knife and patted Ames down for other weapons.
Satisfied that the soldier had no other weapons Mac tossed him to the ground, “OK you wanted to face me here's your chance.”
Ames got to his feet and looked at the big man facing him in a boxers stance, “You're making a big mistake friend.”
Ames came at Mac and at the last second threw a roundhouse kick at Mac. Mac chuckled as he caught Ames ankle and plowed his other fist into Ames knee and threw him to the ground again, “Really your gonna throw that cheap shit at me.”
Grunting Ames got to his feet, “You messed up my knee man. What the hell do you want from me?”
“I want you to understand what you put Carol through.” Mac replied.
“Carol. Who the hell is Carol?” Ames asked.
Mac realized Ames was just looking to buy time, “Quit stallin. You wanted me to face you, or are you only man enough with babies and defenseless women?”
Ames whined, “I told you man, that was just followin orders, it weren't nothin personal.”
Mac growled, “It was personal to me.”
Ames made a dive and scooped up his revolver, but Mac caught his wrist and picked up the machete with his free hand. Mac pulled Ames to his feet and pressed him against a tree and with a roar swung the machete taking Ames' head clean off.
With the blood spurting from Ames' neck like a geyser Mac let the body slump to the ground. Finding a scrap of paper Mac wrote, 'I'll be back' and hung the message around the stump of Ames' neck. Picking up Ames' snapping head he placed it in Ames' lap.
The Dodge challenger that Colonel Osgood had arrived in was hidden in a barn a few miles away. In its day it was one of the fastest production cars, but with access to almost any car part on the market Mac, with Mick's help, had dramatically improved the speed, handling and breaking of the car. The cars range had been extended with an oversized gas tank. The trunk was modified to store a range of weapons, first aid kit, tools, dried food, water and reserve gas. To make the car less visible it was painted flat black, except for its name, lettered in white on the trunk, 'TFOO'.
As Mac made his way through the woods to where they had stored TFOO he recalled when they finished work on the car and showing it off, “Ivy my darlin girl, this baby will shit and git, my old goat would be left in the dust if I ever ran her against TFOO.”
Ivy asked, “What on earth is TFOO?”.
The two men chuckled sharing a private joke as Mac answered, “This is the get The Fuck Out Of Dodge.”
Ivy smiled at her husband, “Cute.”
The smile brought to Mac's face by the memory quickly faded as he came back to the present and the danger all his girls were in, “Haven't been on my lonesomes in a long time Ivy girl, but I always carry a little piece of you with me.”
Alternating between a slow jog and fast walk and only taking a couple of short breaks, Mac covered the ten miles to the nondescript farm in under three hours. Mac didn't think that the small number of people that knew of the location of this car would have given it up, still he first assured himself the way was clear before quickly sneaking up to the barn. A quick circuit of the barn revealed only animal tracks in the muddy ground and the tall grass had not been trampled.
Once inside the barn Mac set to work getting the Challenger running. Uncovering it from the tarp, disconnecting the solar trickle charger, reconnecting the battery and taking it down from the jack stands. As he did this Mac ran through his options. One way headed back to close to Timshel and he could find himself with more of Mayhue's men than he could handle, besides that was going away from where he needed to be. The other way took him through town and Mayhue had to of dispatched a patrol there by now. Other choices were country roads that hadn't been maintained in months and he could quickly find his way blocked by downed trees or abandoned cars.
Mac was convinced he could outrun darn near anything the soldiers were driving. With the four he killed this morning and the four killed last night, Mayhue was down nearly ten percent of his men. Mayhue just didn't have the manpower to control the townspeople and mount a massive search for him.
Mac started up the Challenger and there was something primal about the throaty exhaust and snappy motor and he couldn't help himself from revving the big block. Once on the road it only took a few minutes to reach town. Before Mac could decide whether to punch it and go through town at break neck speed or go more cautiously a shot rang out and the sedan pulled in behind Mac.
Mac floored the pedal and began to speed out of town. The road was littered with abandoned vehicles causing Mac to weave back and forth and keep his speed down. For a minute the soldiers in the sedan were able to keep close. Once out of town though the way was clearer, but by then Mac had formed a plan, “Okay if you all really think that little rice rocket can take on Motor City muscle follow me.”
Mac let them hang close, but not too close as he weaved back and forth to avoid the bullets they were spraying at him. As a particular stretch of road came up Mac increased his speed and the soldiers tried to keep up. Just before the S-curve Mac quickly slowed by downshifting to third and the soldiers eagerly jumped on the opportunity. When Mac entered the S-curve he punched the accelerator and the Challenger leaped forward and Mac power steered the curves dropping back into fourth. The sedan unable to handle the curves at high speed skidded out of control.
As soon as Mac was out of sight he quickly pulled over, put up the hood to feign a problem and waited with his rifle steadied on the roof of the car. Once the soldiers got their car back under control they resumed their chase and seeing the black Challenger broke down on the side of the road hopes of catching him renewed and they sped forward.
As they closed Mac took careful aim ahead of the front tire and pulled the trigger, “Say hello to my little friend”
The tire blew causing the sedan to flip and roll up the road eventually coming to stop upright, just a short distance from Mac. Mac drew his pistol and went to the car to check for survivors, but found only twisted and broken bodies of three soldiers. Mac put a round in each of their skulls, just to make sure. Then pulled a strip of cloth from a shirt and dipping it in blood painted his promise on the side of the car, 'I'll be back'.
Blade was in a foul mood as he and Bill were moving stacks of wood. Blade ferociously pitched firewood into the cart, forcing Bill to steady it to keep the load from toppling, “Blade save it, you're not helping anyone.”
“Fat lot of good I am. I lead them right here. Welcomed them in with open arms. Carol and her baby are dead because of me,
right now they are out there hunting Mac down, that's all on me.” Blade opined.
Bill was unsympathetic, “Yeah that happened. Stop throwing a hissy fit and start figuring out how to help these folks. We haven't eaten in almost two days if we don't get food soon people are going to start taking matters into their own hands.”
Blade turned to one of the soldiers keeping guard on the work crew, “Yo chief, get word to the old man, I need to talk to him unless he wants a riot on his hands.”
Before Blade could get a reply another soldier came running up, “General says everybody needs to gather in the courtyard. ASAP.”
Blade looked over at Bill, “You think they caught Mac?”
Bill raised his hands and shrugged, “Mac knows the area better than them. I guess we'll know soon enough.”
It didn't take long for everyone to gather. A day of hard labor with no food had them all listless and tired. Children were either carried or simply clung to their parents. Their hunger and exhaustion made everyone irritable, but the circle of rifles pointed at them kept them at bay. General Mayhue stepped out and looked over the crowd, “Mrs. McPherson step forward, I have a question for you.”
Ivy made her way through the crowd until she stood face to face with Mathias Mayhue, “What can I do for you?”
The General glared at her, “Don't be impertinent with me woman. Tell me where your husband has gone.”
Ivy smirked, “I assume he is getting the fuck out of dodge before your boys can shoot his ass.”
Mayhue slapped Ivy across the face and snarled, “Woman language like that is unnecessary and unbecoming of you. Now tell me, what are your husbands plans? Do you have another group nearby he is going to?”
Ivy spat blood out of her mouth defiantly, “Nope. No other group.”
Ivy walked back to her daughters and with her back turned to Mayhue, hugged her daughters laughing, “There is only one man I know of that can piss somebody off that much. Your Daddy's alive girls. Daddy's alive.”
Ivy began to hear gasps and murmurs from the crowd, then General Mayhue called to her, “Mrs. McPherson before you get to elated be aware we will capture your husband and when we do he'll become another of my toy soldiers.”
Ivy turned to see Sergeant Andrews and Slinger, now Dee's like Carol Nader, with their jaws screwed shut and arms hacked from their bodies.
Matt Brenner squeezed Amy's hand hard and whispered, “I know baby, but there is nothing you can do for them now.”
Blade didn't have a staying hand and the sight of his comrades turned into a pair of macabre pets was more than he could endure. With a roar he charged the nearest soldier and knocked him to the ground. Pulling a knife he had managed to secret away, he rushed towards the porch, to attack General Mayhue. Mayhue raised a hand to stop his men, pulled his sidearm and at point blank range pumped two rounds into Blade's chest. As Blade collapsed the knife in his hand clattered to the flagstones.
General Mayhue went down and picked up the knife, “It's a good knife Sergeant, how is it this man still had possession of it.”
Sergeant Redding shrugged, “He's good at hidin stuff I guess.”
General Mayhue held his anger in check, “Tear this place upside down if you have to. If you find anything bigger than a nail clipper I want it confiscated.”
General Mayhue prodded Blades dead body with his foot, “and Sergeant prepare my latest toy soldier.”
General Mayhue screwed a smile on his face as he addressed the townspeople, “It looks like we are clearing the dangerous elements here. You'll also be glad to know I've authorized Mister Grey to prepare an evening meal for you all. First if any of you are holding any weapons turn them over. We'll find them eventually and it will be better for everyone if you hand them in now.”
Little Bobby Smith felt in his pocket and then shook himself free from his father's hand. Bobby walked up to the General and handed him a tiny Swiss army knife, “It belonged to my Grandpa, I'm supposed to take real good care of it. I wasn't trying to hide it or nothin. You promise not lose it don't you?”
General Mayhue beamed at the little boy, “It will be well taken care of son.”, then spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear, “You see folks it's as simple as that.”
A few more people stepped up handing in hunting knives, pocket knives, tools, even a derringer. Percy leaned on his “cane” hoping no one would recognize it as Crystal's baton. The baton was a symbol and in time he was certain Crystal would find she had need of it.
Once the turn in stopped General Mayhue had one final announcement, “I'm sure you all are ready to eat, but I need a little insurance that nobody else is going to try and go over the wall. I'll be holding ten of your children and as long as there are no problems they will be well looked after.”
Cassie turned to Amy and Matt, “I need to go. I can make sure the other kids are OK.”
Mary Kay was next to step forward. When Bobby Smith saw her go up he shook himself free from his father's hand for the second time, “Don't worry Daddy, MK will look after me.”
Britney looked up at Lou, “Well big guy I can't handle the sound of your stomach rumbling any longer. You gonna be ok without me for a bit?”
Four more children quickly stepped forward and then Sara Parsons turned towards the couple next to her holding back their two children, “What are you waiting for? Send those brats up there so we can go eat.”
The meal that awaited them was simple fare, largely rice and beans, with just a trace of venison. The greenhouses were in full production allowing for plenty of vegetables. To increase the calories Tobin had rendered the fat trimmed from the meat given to the soldiers into the rice.
In spite of the murder of Blade, the children held hostage and the lackluster meal, everyone dove into the food. The instinct to survive outweighing their sorrow, fear and apprehension. For the most part they ate in silence until the food was gone. The soldiers were still searching for hidden weapons, so the townspeople were kept confined in the community room.
Hushed conversations began to break out with several furtive glances towards the soldiers keeping watch over them. Sergeant Stuart Redding satisfied the weapons search was well underway entered the community room to make sure the situation was under control. When Stu entered, the room went quiet anticipating he would make some announcement, but he just took a position at the edge of the room and leaned against a wall with his arms folded against his chest.
Stuart Redding watched the crowd, with McPherson gone and the Corporal dead, he wondered who would rise as a leader for these people. His eyes fell on the pretty blonde girl, who was at their initial meeting. She was seated with an older couple, holding the old woman's hand and talking quietly with the old man, who held an odd looking cane.
The girl got up and moved next to an odd looking old woman. This old woman was dressed in buckskins and her long gray hair was braided with simple leather strips. Next to the old woman was a young, black haired girl, who quickly got up and hugged the young woman. The blonde spoke
briefly to the child who beamed up at her. The blonde placed a reassuring hand on the old woman's shoulder before moving on through the crowd.
She briefly paused by the doctor to pat his shoulder and came to two young men seated with an attractive black woman. Stu recognized the man with his arm protectively around the shoulders of the black woman, as being in charge at the gate. As the blonde approached both men unconsciously stiffened to attention. Stu had been a soldier long enough to recognize both of these men recognized her as a superior officer.
Rather uncharacteristic of an officer she gave both men a hug and then patted them on the back and moved on to a small family group. The family consisted of a tall red haired woman, a middle aged man and the boy who had insisted on burying the baby. Since the General had assigned Stu a job to give the boy, Stu walked over to the group.
As Stuart approached he heard the blonde women remark, “I know, none of them deserve to be treated like that.”
>
Looking up to see Stu looming over her Crystal queried, “Yes Sergeant is there something we can do for you?”
Stu immediately recognized the command in her voice, “The General had a question for the boy here. Young man do you think you can break down the confiscated weapons?”
Travis looked to his father before answering and when Matt nodded, Travis replied, “I know a little about guns, I should be able to.”
Stu nodded, “Very good, I'll get it on the mornings work schedule.”
Stu struggling to see these people as the enemy lingered by their table. Crystal again confronted the soldier, “Is there something else you need?”
Again Stu felt like he was addressing a superior officer, “No ma'am”.
Crystal looked at the big man without a trace of fear, “Then if you don't
mind we are mourning are friends here.”
Dead States | Year Zero | Nebraska Page 29