by Bobby Akart
Alex barely nodded in response. “What do you want to know?”
“Names, for starters.”
Alex hesitated as her eyes darted back and forth. Thinking.
“I’m Jennie Dalton, My parents are Josh and Carol.”
Junior stared at her for nearly a minute. “You mean Rennie, don’t you?”
Eyes darting. Sweat beads were forming on her forehead.
“No, sir, Jennie.”
“Well your father, if he really is your father, said your name is Rennie. Rennie! Not Jennie!” Junior slammed his hand on the desk and started to get up.
“No, it’s Jennie, I swear it! My dad lied because he was afraid your men might try to hurt me. He didn’t want to say my real name.”
Alex had regained her composure as she began to play a role. She continued. “I don’t mind telling you the truth because I know you won’t hurt me. You’re the sheriff.”
Junior nodded his head and sat down. “Where are your parents?”
“I believe that they’re on their way to get me as we speak.”
“What makes you think that?” he asked.
“I could hear the gunfire and the explosions. They’re probably outside now. Wouldn’t it be better to let me go?”
Junior laughed hard and deep from inside his belly. Her statement was genuinely funny. “Yeah, I don’t think so. My guess is that they’ll walk right in the front door and unselfishly offer themselves in exchange for your safety.”
“That only happens on TV shows,” said Alex dryly. “The good news is, they know exactly where to look for me. I mean, duh, I’m a prisoner. You’re the sheriff. This is a jail, right?”
Junior stood and holstered his weapon. He opened the drawer to his desk and grabbed a set of car keys.
“You’ve got quite a mouth on you, Jennie, Rennie, or whatever your name is. You’ve also got a point. Plus, there’s someone else that needs to see you live and in the flesh.”
Alex stood as well. “Let me guess, you’re taking me home to meet your mama. I can hardly wait.”
Junior bristled at the girl’s smart mouth, but he wanted to take her to Ma before he taught her a lesson or two. He flung the door open and instructed his man to get the cars ready. They were gonna take Alex across town to Cherry Mansion. Her parents would never go looking for her there.
Chapter 34
10:00 p.m., November 1
Coach Carey’s Home
Savannah
Colton and Coach Carey spent several minutes catching up on the events since the Rymans and the Tiger Resistance parted ways that early morning at the Clifton Bridge over a month ago. There hadn’t been any memorable events in Savannah. Junior and Ma continued to exercise dominion and control over the residents as well as the newcomers. Carey and his gang of disdants, as Junior referred to them, continued to be a source of aggravation for the Durhams.
When Colton reached out on the radio, Carey already knew what had happened. His boys were spread throughout the town, keeping a watch on Junior’s primary locations such as the checkpoints, the Detention Center, and Cherry Mansion. When the Chevelle returned earlier in the day and a girl with long blonde hair was hauled into the jail, Clay Bennett happened to be on watch from the upper level of the abandoned hotel across the street. He had no doubt that the captive was Alex.
Since that time, Carey had positioned the Tigers strategically around the Detention Center to observe the manpower of the deputies posted there as well as devise a strategy for rescuing Alex.
Tap—tap. Pause. Tap—tap—tap. Pause. Tap.
The conversations stopped as the knock at the front door indicated one of the Tigers had returned. Carey stood to the side of the front door and pointed a handgun directly at the bolt lock. Jimbo Bennett took the other side and slowly eased the door open. A set of hands popped into the doorway first and then the rest of Clay Bennett quickly followed.
“Jeez, guys,” he said under his breath. “Junior and them don’t know the code.”
“We’re on high alert, bigger brother,” chimed in Clay.
“I am bigger and smarter, doughboy,” shot back Jimbo. “Coach, they’ve moved her. I didn’t call it in ’cause we’ve been keeping chatter down on the radios.”
“Which way did they go?” asked Carey.
“I was positioned at the top of the hotel and ran to the Main Street windows. I’m not a hundred percent, but I believe they left for Cherry Mansion.”
“How many?” asked Carey.
“Three cars with a couple of men each. Junior took Alex in the back of the land-yacht Caddy with two other guys. Cherry Mansion is the only location north of the bridge and near the waterfront that makes sense.”
“Good work, son,” said Coach Carey. “Beau! Let’s put out an APB on Alex. Try Cherry Mansion first.”
Beau cued up his two-way radio. “Tiger Tails. Tiger Tails. Blue left. Blue left. I-formation. I-formation. On two-six-five. Hut-hut. Hut.”
“Wow,” said Jake. “What did all of that mean?”
Beau adjusted the squelch on his radio and then explained, “Blue left, of course, means the northwest quadrant of Savannah. I-formation refers to keeping watch over a particular location. Two-six-five is the street number and code for Cherry Mansion.”
“What about the hut-hut-hut?” asked Chase.
“I’m the team quarterback,” replied Beau. “That means the play is in motion and they need to get on it now. We should get a response quickly.”
The group stood around the kitchen table, nervously waiting for a response. After several minutes a faint voice came across the radio.
The member of the Tiger Resistance whispered, “Tiger Tails. First down.”
“She’s there,” said Coach Carey. “Apparently they’ve just arrived. Please, everybody grab a chair.”
The three adults and four young men exchanged ideas on how to rescue Alex unharmed. The first debate revolved around why Junior would remove such a valuable asset from the most secure facility in town. Some voices in the group were of the opinion that he didn’t know Alex’s true identity, but Colton disagreed. The blown-up Wagoneer would give that away.
Others in the group thought they were laying a trap for Colton and Madison. Junior was smart enough to know that the jail was impenetrable. They needed to lead her to a location that appeared, at least on the surface, accessible. Cherry Mansion made sense.
There was a regular armed contingent protecting Ma and Bill Cherry. Plus, one of the girls that the Tiger Resistance had rescued from the forced brothels established by Junior told stories of girls being held in the basement of the mansion for the personal benefit of Junior and Cherry.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Jake. “What’s wrong with these people?”
“They were power hungry before the collapse and were forced to restrain themselves because of the law,” said Carey. “Now, they openly defy the laws of man and the laws of decency.”
“This is why we have to save Alex, Dad,” said Beau. “I mean, Junior will keep her there, you know, for himself.”
Colton shuddered and buried his face in his hands. Jake, who still held Chase responsible for Alex’s abduction, stared at his son until he looked away in regret. Colton took a deep breath and turned the conversation toward Cherry Mansion.
“What do you know about the place?” he asked.
“Well, the good news is that all of us have been there,” replied Carey.
“Me too,” added Jake. “It’s been years, but I remember the layout.”
“That’s good,” Coach continued. “She’s likely being held in the basement, Junior’s home on the property, or one of the outbuildings. We have at least two Tigers watching the building at all times. They’ll be able to bring us up to speed when we get there.”
“Won’t they be watching for us?” asked Jake.
“Probably,” replied Coach Carey. “We’ll set up several diversions. They’ll assume that you folks are coming across the r
iver, Colton. We’ll give them what they want. We’ve been saving several old trolling boats for something like this.”
“Plus, we’ve got a friend on the other side,” said Beau. “He’s a hunter with some kind of high-powered rifle. It’s a fifty-caliber or something.”
“That sounds more like a cannon,” joked Colton. “Is he tapped into your network?”
“He is,” replied Carey. “His place sits up on one of the mounds at the top of Lemert Road. We’ll send him instructions. When this all goes down, calling plays and using code will be out the window. There can be no misunderstandings of the plan.”
“That’s a long way to fire a rifle,” said Chase.
“He claims it will send a bullet a mile. I reckon we’ll find out.”
Chapter 35
11:40 p.m., November 1
Savannah
It would’ve been suicide to drive the old Chevy too close to Cherry Mansion. On a normal day, Junior’s men closed off the perimeter access to the house, which included a roadblock where Riverside Drive intersected with Main Street near the mansion’s grounds. Carey drove the group to a safe house several blocks away, where they met up with several members of the Tiger Resistance.
Over the two months following the collapse of the grid, the Tigers had become adept at moving on foot through both wooded and subdivision environments. Over time, they’d become comfortable with both types of surroundings as they learned to use their senses like animals do. Sounds, smells, and movement all impacted their ability to survive as they had been on the run, hiding from Junior’s men from the moment they realized they’d be enslaved to work in the quarry.
The Tigers began living in the shadows of Savannah, where dogs became accustomed to their activities. Neighbors began to appreciate the resistance that these young men put up against Junior. Over time, the disdants—the mispronounced word for dissidents, as Junior referred to anyone who opposed him—became well known throughout the community.
The Tiger Resistance activities were never disclosed to civilians until they became widely known. The boys adopted a solemn oath to tell no one about their resistance operations. When questioned following the assistance given to the Rymans, the members of the resistance claimed ignorance. They would do the same after this night was done.
The boys had become masters of urban concealment and camouflage. They learned to dress according to their surroundings in both the daytime and night. They moved through the shadows and learned to hide their silhouettes. They effectively disguised their shapes by using foliage, rags, and color variations to break up their outlines.
Lastly, and most important for tonight’s operation, they learned to move without drawing attention to themselves. The teams would remain spread apart. They avoided any source of light that would cast a shadow that increased the likelihood that their movement would be detected.
The Tiger Resistance moved like ghosts through a haunted cemetery, unafraid and undetected. These young men had learned that the evil of the living was far more menacing than the fear of the dead.
Coach Carey’s team was in place. They remained a hundred yards away from Junior’s men, who’d blocked the driveway entrance to Cherry Mansion with two of the cars from his earlier motorcade. Junior’s car was parked in front of his separate, bungalow home located on the east side of the Cherry Mansion estate.
Candles were flickering in the upper windows of Cherry Mansion, but the first floor was dark. From recollection, the master suite in the nearly two-hundred-year-old home was located on the upper level as well as a butler’s quarters. Downstairs, two guest rooms, one of which was occupied by the owner of the home, Bill Cherry, and the primary living quarters consisting of parlors, dining rooms, and the kitchen remained dark at this late hour.
“Our watchman tells me that Junior took Alex inside,” started Coach Carey. “Moments later, candlelight appeared in the upper windows. There is a sitting area at the top of the stairs and Ma’s bedroom. My guess is that Junior was anxious to show off his notorious prisoner.”
Colton looked down and shook his head. His daughter was being paraded around like someone’s prized heifer. Within minutes, she’d either become Junior’s latest conquest, her childhood being ripped from her, or Colton would have her in his arms. Her life hinged upon the elaborate plan of these strangers who’d saved them once before and relished the opportunity to do it again.
“I see shadows moving behind the sheers,” said Jake. “Look, the guard at the side door turned on his flashlight to light up the entrance. Someone is coming out.”
Junior had a firm grip on Alex’s arm as he dragged her through the door frame and onto the porch. He was being rough with her, which raised Colton’s ire.
“I’m gonna kill that guy!” he whispered.
“Let’s watch how this plays out,” said Coach Carey. He was calm under pressure. They listened as Junior’s voice carried across the lawn and into the neighboring yard where Carey, Colton, Jake and Chase crouched behind a one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old stone wall.
“You stupid child!” shouted Junior at Alex. “You insulted my mother. If you weren’t valuable trade bait, I’d give you to the boys and let them pass you around.”
Colton started to jump the fence, but Jake pulled him down. “Hold up, buddy.”
The partly cloudy skies allowed enough moonlight for the men to be seen in their tan uniforms and white shirts. They clearly stood out against the graying clapboard walls of the mansion.
“Jessie,” shouted Junior to one of the men guarding the entrance to his residence, “come get this girl for me. I need to talk to Ma about tomorrow.”
A man darted across the lawn in between the hedgerows and centuries-old oak trees. He was dressed in darker clothes and was difficult to see.
He bounded up the porch steps of Cherry Mansion as Junior shoved Alex in his direction. She stumbled over her ankle cuffs and fell toward the deck, but one of the men caught her.
“Get your hands off me!” shouted Alex.
“Ah, sorry, ma’am. Did I grab too much? Would you rather I let you fall down?”
With that statement, he pushed her back towards the other guard. Alex screamed as the two men tossed her back and forth like a rag doll.
“Look here, don’t damage the merchandise.” Junior laughed. “Take her to my house. I’ll be there in a minute. I gotta finish this conversation upstairs first.”
Junior turned and moved back inside the dark first floor of the antebellum home. The two men each grabbed one of Alex’s arms and began to drag her across the lawn.
“I can take them out,” whispered Chase. “I’ve got ’em in my sights.”
“No, son. It’s too risky. You might hit Alex. We stick to the plan.”
Coach Carey turned to Colton. “Last chance. We can try to negotiate, but I know these people. They are depraved human beings and they will not deal fairly. We have the element of surprise, and with Alex isolated, the odds just shifted in our favor.”
Colton looked to Jake, who nodded once. Colton’s love of Alex was like nothing else in the world. There were no laws or levels of pity that could protect those who would do her harm. He would destroy the Durhams and all that stood with them without remorse for the fear they’d placed in his daughter on this night. There would be no mercy.
“Let’s roll,” he said with conviction.
Coach Carey nodded. “Tiger Tails. Tiger Tails,” he said before pausing. “KICKOFF!”
Chapter 36
Midnight, November 1
Cherry Mansion
Savannah
KICKOFF!
During an NFL football game, a fan watches a period of four to six seconds of quickly moving interactions between twenty-two men. There are violent collisions as the opponents dial in on their adversary. Every player has a specific, primary assignment in addition to multiple reactive duties based upon conditions on the field. If a defense is slow to react, the offense can move the ball for big gains. If the o
ffense misses a key element of a play, like a block, or if the play is slow in developing, a defense will likely stop them or throw the ball carrier for a loss.
When interviewing NFL players, the one consistent comment they make is the difference in the speed of the game at their level of play compared to college football. The speed of the athletes is incredible and so much can happen in just four to six seconds.
A military-style assault on a defensive position is similar. The attacker, which is on offense, has a plan to circumvent the enemies’ defenses to achieve an objective. Those defending a position must rely upon preplanning in order to anticipate an attacker’s possible tactic. If the defender has planned well in advance, they can repel their attacker. However, like in football, if the defense is slow to react or fails to execute a key duty in performing their role, the attacker can make great gains.
Cherry Mansion was surrounded, but not by an overwhelming force. Coach Carey and the Tiger Resistance didn’t have many weapons and they certainly were not as powerful as those carried by the Hardin County deputies within Junior’s charge.
However, just like an onside kick could catch the receiving team off guard during a kickoff, a well-executed plan involving trickery and misdirection could confuse an overwhelming force into making mistakes.
“This way!” shouted a man on the porch of the mansion.
“No, this way!” responded one of the men in the yard.
The scene was reminiscent of a bunch of seven-year-olds chasing a tennis ball back and forth over the net during a match. The men within the protective gates of Cherry Mansion would race toward the lake only to turn around and run towards town. They’d dart south toward the bridge checkpoint and then run back toward the house.