Living for War: The Collin War Chronicles

by W. C. Hoffman

  Collin felt his stomach drop. Really? Julie? Then he realized the truth. If anyone had justification to kill Pastor Pendell, it was her.

  Julie looked at Koby. “I did it for Doris.” Turning back to Collin, she continued, “And I did it for Anna. That monster took my little angel, the only good thing I had left in this fucked up world. He murdered her ...” Her voice trembled. “He killed her because she somehow managed to find the one thing he never would. Love.” She gave a knowing glance to Brady before turning to face Collin again. “You said you saw it, you know what he did. He deserved this and more.”

  “I know, Julie,” Collin said. Then his voice caught as Anna’s last moments played again in his mind. The shock on her face, the pain in her eyes, it would haunt him forever.

  “He was consumed by power and hate, and he died because of it. Arrest me, kill me, do what you will,” Julie said, clenching her fists as her anger filled her with strength. “I did this for Anna. I did this for Goshen, and it’s my burden to bear.”

  Standing defiantly, she watched for everyone’s response.

  Silence.

  Collin stared at her, his jaw on the floor.

  “Sir?” Sergeant Gibbs asked, cautiously.

  Collin closed his mouth. His tongue felt dry and clumsy, so he looked around. Everyone looked as stunned as he felt. No one spoke. They all waited for his response.

  Brady met his gaze, looking concerned.

  Turning back to look into Julie’s eyes, Collin felt her pain and immediately understood. If someone killed Brady, nothing and no one could stop Collin from the doing the exact same thing.

  “How ... did you kill him without anyone knowing?” Collin asked, glancing pointedly at the two soldiers who were supposed to be guarding Pastor Pendell.

  “I lied. When you and Koby left to deal with the Vipers, I told them you ordered them to leave and help with the defenses. They put up a good fight,” Julie said. “Don’t be mad at them. I used my position as a Council member to persuade them to help defend Goshen. Eagles are sworn to defend us, and Pendell was in a cell. How could they have known what I’d do?”

  Collin glowered at her. Deception, false orders, and murder put him in an uncomfortable position. “I’m not mad at anyone. I’m disappointed.”

  Looking from Julie to the soldiers, he continued, “You think I didn’t want to kill him? It took all my strength not to put him down in the fields, but it wouldn’t have been the right thing to do. In Goshen, we still operate under a semblance of law and order. This is not a situation to be dealt with lightly. To some people, this might look like a conspiracy to seize control from Pendell and Major Logan, both of whom are now dead.”

  He then turned his attention to the Eagles standing by. “Dr. Horner passed along what you two thought was a valid order from me, and considering the circumstances, I can understand your compliance. But you will serve one week extra duty for not communicating the revised order when you reported to your Sergeant for duty.” Collin saw a wave of relief wash over them. “Carry on, then. And keep this situation to yourself until we’ve disseminated orders. You’re dismissed.”

  “Sir!” they said after coming to attention. Spinning on their heels in a smart about face, they walked down the hall and up the stairs. Collin watched them go.

  “What would you like me to do, sir?” Sergeant Gibbs asked.

  “I suppose the most obvious thing we need to do is get to finding the goddamned body. If he’s truly dead, where the hell did his body go?” Collin replied.

  “Can we discount the possibility he ascended to heaven surrounded by angels?” Koby asked with a nervous smile.

  Collin surrendered a brief smirk. Hands on his hips, Collin turned to Sergeant Gibbs and jerked a thumb at the cell. “Let’s get this mess cleaned up.” He groaned. “I’m going to have to call a town meeting to announce this development. Hopefully we can avoid dissent, because now is a time for reconciliation, not division.”

  Brady nodded. “We’re with you, whatever you need.”

  “I’m sorry to put you in this position, Collin,” Julie said.

  “I understand where you’re at with this.” He gestured toward the cell.

  She hadn’t apologized for killing Pendell and he didn’t expect her to, but he appreciated her concern about the town politics. The perception Collin had executed Pendell in a coup could be disastrous, especially with their pending merger with the Vipers.

  She looked up at him with big, sad eyes. “No, you really don’t,” she murmured.

  “No, I suppose not.” Collin’s shoulders slumped a little. “I can empathize though, and I’ve decided I’m not going to arrest you. Considering what he did to Anna, and to this town, it was only a matter of time.”

  Koby looked surprised.

  “We do need to find out how, why, and most importantly, where his body was taken. Presumably, you didn’t move it,” Collin said to Julie. Pendell would have been a hefty load for the slender doctor to carry.

  She shook her head.

  “Sergeant, did any of the men move the body? Perhaps to the hospital?”

  “No, sir, unless they didn’t tell me. Which would be unlike them,” Sergeant Gibbs said. “I’ll go check right now just to be sure.”

  “Very well, carry on.”

  Sergeant Gibbs started down the hall. “And I’ll keep the situation contained until your announcement, sir. No one in or out ... for real this time.”

  Collin nodded.

  “Let’s go upstairs and discuss how the hell we’re going to break the news,” Collin said to the rest of them.

  “Lead the way,” Brady replied.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  An hour after learning Dr. Horner killed Pastor Pendell and his body disappeared from the cell, Collin stood before a gathering of the townsfolk.

  They held the town meeting in front of the high school, which still served as the Eagle’s headquarters. Soldiers stood by for crowd control, while Collin, Koby, Dr. Horner, Brady, and Tiny stood on the steps of the school overlooking the crowd. It was the first town meeting since the HAGS choppers interrupted the unification ceremony.

  Collin felt like the crowd was watching him intently. These were the very people Pendell had led for nearly two decades before Collin woke up mere months ago. These people only knew him as the man who beat the fever. It was a thought that kept him on edge. He wondered if anyone knew what the agenda for this particular meeting truly contained.

  Was the person or persons responsible for stealing the pastor’s body out there right now? Why had they taken it? It made no sense.

  With the same loudspeaker he used on the bridge, Collin pressed the call button and said, “Good afternoon, folks. I appreciate you coming out at the last minute like this. Please quiet down and we’ll get started.”

  He waited a few moments while conversations died off. A tremor of anxiety rippled through him. With a deep breath to steady his nerves, Collin started.

  “As I’m sure everyone knows by now, Pastor Pendell was placed under arrest, at my order, for the murder of Anna Horner. Pendell shot her once he learned the Vipers killed Major Logan for being a HAGS secret agent. Many of you witnessed this,” he said with the full conviction of truth. Pausing to let them digest the information, he watched their faces, looking for any sign of anger or dissent. There was none. Their faces were a patchwork of shock, confusion, and sadness.

  “After placing Pastor Pendell in his cell, we were distracted by the Vipers, whose approach, we thought, was going to be an act of war. Little did we know they came in peace,” Collin said. “And while our brave Eagles were preparing for battle and the defense of this town, a distraught and understandably furious mother took vengeance.”

  Silence and curious looks.

  “Pastor Pendell is dead. He was killed by Dr. Horner shortly after she learned he murdered her daughter, the last surviving member of her family.”

  Surprised townsfolk glanced at Julie who stood on the steps, star
ing out at the crowd. The mumbles grew louder, yet there were no outbursts. A few residents frowned, but after a long moment passed, there was still nothing resembling anger. So, Collin continued.

  “In addition to killing Anna, I discovered Pastor Pendell had been hoarding BT76. I found a room full of it in the basement of the church. While it’s true HAGS recently cut our supply of the medicine, it was not true that the town was suffering a shortage. In fact, based on the quantity of hoarded medicine, it’s quite possible the town had never faced a true shortage.”

  The beast stirred. Curiosity twisted into scowls and the muttering grew. A few people now shouted in anger.

  “Yes, that’s right. All of those people we just lost could have been saved. My friend Doris and your families. People we loved and will never see again. Pointless suffering. Unnecessary death. We suffered many losses under Pendell’s rule, unnecessary losses. So, in a way, justice has been served. It is with great confidence that I tell you Dr. Horner put down a sociopath.”

  Collin took a breath, the emotion of the revelation and the town’s response gripped his chest. They were mad, and not because Julie killed Pendell, but because Pendell betrayed them and murdered their families through his willful inaction and greedy hoarding.

  “Like I mentioned, we also learned Major Logan was an agent working for HAGS. It turns out the Vipers were not the ones who bombed the Eagle’s Bar, it was Major Logan and HAGS,” Collin disclosed.

  Silence fell over the crowd at this revelation. He heard a woman burst into tears. They were fully his audience now. His people to lead.

  “The new council, made up of Koby, Dr. Horner, Tiny, Brady, and I will be meeting to discuss how we should move forward. It’s vital we reconcile our differences and unite. HAGS is our main enemy. They are the ones who made the world what it is now. They worked their tricks to pit Goshen against the Vipers, and used Major Logan to manipulate things here,” Collin said. “I understand it’s a lot to take in. We all feel a little overwhelmed, but we have big problems on the horizon and we need to work together to make Goshen strong. We are survivors. Together we will face our enemy. HAGS will not control us. Not now and never again.”

  Cheers erupted. Shouts of “Not now” and “Never again!” filled the air.

  Collin looked out at the town with pride.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Collin stood on the bridge and looked out over the fields. Brady stood next to him, also watching.

  Hundreds of Vipers, soon to be residents of Goshen, were marching back into the forest to return to their caves until the elementary school would be suitable as accommodations. After some consideration and feedback from his people, Brady had opted not to camp in the forest. Their cave system was safer, more comfortable, and familiar.

  Ideally, it wouldn’t have to be this way, but there simply weren’t enough homes for the Vipers. A few special cases with elderly parents had already taken up in the few remaining houses. The rest would end up in the school.

  Collin grimaced at the thought. He didn’t want them to be separated from the rest of the town. Integration was important; yet, he had no choice. At least they’d be able to work with Goshenites.

  Brady said, “It’s quite a sight, huh?”

  “Sure is. I wish you guys could just move right in.” Collin sighed. With any luck, they could start constructing a few new homes. Space was available and it’s not like they had anything else to do, really. Especially now that they wouldn’t be fighting each other. “In the meantime, we’ll get everything sorted.”

  “How long do you think it’ll take?” Brady asked.

  “A couple of days at the most. I’ll assign extra hands to help. I want you guys in Goshen as soon as possible. It’s better that way, for a lot of reasons,” he said.

  Especially if HAGS returns, he thought.

  Brady nodded in agreement. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you in a couple of days.” He spread his arms out for a hug, just like he used to do as a kid.

  Collin obliged him. In fact, Collin enjoyed it, as if he was getting the hugs he missed during all those years. A sense of cheerfulness filled him and made him smile. This was his boy.

  We have so much to catch up on, so many questions to answer. I hate saying goodbye, he thought.

  Releasing the hug, Collin turned and was shocked to see the entire women’s auxiliary standing there with arms full of baked goods and other treats. They started across the bridge, chattering with large grins as they crossed the span.

  When they reached Collin and Brady, the women lined up. The first woman stepped forward and handed him a tray of cookies.

  “This is for Doris,” she said with a beaming smile. “Like she always used to say, nothing brings people together like some home cooked food.”

  Collin didn’t understand. The next woman approached, so he passed the tray to Brady, who eyed the cookies greedily and licked his lips before shouting and waving over a fellow Viper.

  “Get some people lined up to take these goods,” he said quietly to the girl, handing off the cookies. A flash of envy crossed his face as he let the fruit filled treats disappear. She jogged away and came back with several others to help.

  By then Brady was already holding an armful of bread and another armful of small cakes topped with fresh strawberries. Each was placed in his hands by a member of the auxiliary who delivered it with the same message: “In memory of Doris.”

  “Thank you so much,” Collin said, accepting more and more food from the church group. “This is wonderful.”

  Pride beamed in his smile and the sparkle in his eyes. Gestures like this were not only thoughtful, but also crucial to mending the divide between the two groups.

  With the last of the food distributed to grateful Vipers, Collin said, “See you in a few days.” Then he waved goodbye to Brady and started back across the bridge.

  “Hey, new boss man, what do you mean you’ll see them in a few days?” a man said as he strode across the bridge toward Collin.

  This one’s hostile, Collin thought. Interesting.

  “Hi, what’s your name? I’ve seen you around, but we haven’t had a chance to talk,” Collin said calmly, with a polite smile. The man was a foreman on the construction crew that was building the wall, but he was always quiet and kept a distance. Unremarkable was the word that popped into mind.

  “My name’s Mac,” he said, stopping within arm’s reach of Collin.

  A cloud of alcohol surrounded him. It was all Collin could do not to cough at the pungent odor of the intoxicants emanating from Mac.

  Crinkling his nose, Collin said, “Nice to meet you, Mac.”

  So, this is the brew master he’d heard about. Not impressed.

  “What do you mean you’ll see them in a few days?” Mac repeated, clenching his jaw.

  “In order to grow and survive as a community, we need to be a community. Once we free up some space, they’ll be coming back.” Collin watched Mac closely.

  He wobbled slightly, but managed to point a finger at Collin’s chest. “Logan is dead because of HAGS.”

  “That’s true.”

  “They’ll take your head just like that,” Mac said.

  Collin shot him a skeptical look. “Major Logan dug his own grave and jumped into it by conspiring with the enemy to seize Goshen.”

  “That’s a goddamned lie,” Mac said, his voice rising.

  “It’s the truth, even if it’s hard to hear.” Collin smiled as he shifted his feet in case Mac took crazy to the next level.

  “You bring the snakes in ...”

  “Vipers.”

  “Whatever. You bring them in and think we’re all just going to sit here and let them kill us? You must be mistaken.” Mac burped, a wretched stench filling the air.

  “They’re not here to kill us, Mac. We worked it out. Not to mention, my son leads them,” Collin said politely. Others would likely share the same sentiment as this fellow. People like Mac rarely kept their opinions to themselves. Th
is was the kind of guy who loved to stir the pot. “HAGS is the real enemy. It would behoove you to keep that in mind.”

  How much liquid courage did it take for him to have the balls to approach me? Collin wondered.

  “You’re using big words and I don’t like your tone. You disrespecting me?”

  Laughter erupted before Collin could suppress the urge. Mac’s face grew red. “HAGS ain’t the enemy. You’re the enemy.”

  “No, you see, that’s where you’re dead wrong.” Collin glared at him. “The enemy is the one with helicopters, drugs, and weapons. Or have you forgotten what happened earlier? How are your ears feeling?”

  It was Mac’s turn to laugh. “Mine were just fine. Hell, I was passed out.”

  “Too much celebrating, I suppose,” Collin said with a grunt.

  “Yeah, that’s it. Hip, hip, hooray! The fucking Vipers are here to stay,” Mac shouted, waving his arms. “We are sooooo lucky!”

  “You keep saying we this and we that, but all I see is you standing here. Alone.” Collin folded his arms over his chest. “There’s no we. Just you, and that is going to get pretty lonely.”

  The drunk resident walked toward Collin closing the space between them to mere inches. “What the hell would you know about loneliness? You were asleep as the world died. I lived it. So don’t tell me you know a damn thing about being lonely.”

  “I’ll advise you to step back, sir,” Collin said in an authoritative tone.

  Mac looked around, perhaps realizing for the first time that he actually was alone. Eagles stood at their posts, watching with a mix of amusement, disappointment, and embarrassment. Collin motioned for them to stay put.

  Noting his isolation seemed to enrage Mac further.

  Collin took a deep breath and relaxed his arms, letting them fall back to his sides.

  “WE WILL KILL THEM!” Mac shouted spinning back to face Collin. Spittle flew from his mouth like a rabid dog. “Or they will kill us. Just the way it’s gotta be. We’re like the Jews and they’re the palasides.”