by Dennis Elder
It wasn’t long before the team had to pull over. Susie was throwing up again. This time she was crying too and cursing a bit.
Everyone waited patiently by the side of the road. They always sat or laid down whenever they stopped for a break. They’d learned the value of rest after just a few days of riding. Doc checked on Susie and made sure she was keeping herself hydrated. Finally, Doc walked back to talk with Mark.
“We are definitely going to have to slow our ride,” said Doc. “Susie may have been our best rider a few weeks ago, but she’s not anymore.”
Susie heard what Doc said to Mark.
“The hell I am!” barked the bent over pregnant lady. She had one hand on a mile marker sign for balance. “I can still ride with the…”
And then she barfed again. The retching noise made everybody look in Susie’s direction.
After a second Mark looked back at Doc.
“What are looking at here,” asked Mark. “How much longer do you think she’ll be able to ride?”
Doc shook his head from side to side.
“’I’m not sure,” he replied. “She’s in excellent shape and strong as an ox. The pregnancy is at best two weeks old. I think she just needs a few days to find out what her body can manage. Pregnancies affect different women in different ways. For now, I’d recommend we adjust our pace to match hers.
Mark heard Doc’s advice but didn’t like the implications. His plan was to keep moving every day, or until the roads were covered with snow. But at the pace they were going now, they’d never make it to Salt Lake before winter hit. The major took a deep breath and weighed his options.
Chapter 151: Stronger and Stronger
Ivan had the men up at dawn. It took a full hour to get everyone’s camp stoves working and cooking breakfast. The scouts had to help the men ignite their stoves and boil water, before adding it to their freeze dried food pouches. The cooks back at the Bellagio had fed the ex-convicts regularly ever since they walked out of their maximum security prison and into Vegas proper. Even in jail they were use to just showing up for their meals at the prison commissary. They struggled to feed themselves.
“They will learn much on trip,” Ivan realized as they ate.
Soon they were riding North again, in a long single file. The Boy Scouts, Beaver and Harold, were riding at the front and setting the pace. Ivan rode at the very back. He felt this would help the men resist any misplaced temptations to accidently fall behind. He knew he would need all his men to ensure the capture of the women.
During a break at the Moapa Valley turn off, Beaver suggested to Ivan that they take turns riding at the front.
“We can move faster if we take turns,” suggested Beaver.
Ivan gave the command that they’d rotate riding at the front of the line. It took a few miles before the men got the hang of the switching, but they adapted fairly quickly. However, Ivan always remained at the very back of the column.
They were still 30 miles from Mesquite when it got too dark to ride any further. The men pulled off the road and set up their tents for the night. This time they ignited their stoves without the Scout’s help.
“We rode about eight miles farther than we rode yesterday,” reported Harold to Ivan. “Over roughly the same time span.”
This was good in the eyes of Ivan. He knew these were tough men and with each passing day they would grow stronger and stronger.
Chapter 152: Just passin South
Billy, Patti and Nancy had walked all day, South on I-15. Each of them was a little downhearted having to walk back the same way they’d come the day before. They were hoping to make it back to the Virgin River campground before it got to dark. It was the same place they’d slept the night before last. Their plans to go North on I-15 were dashed by a group of gun toting locals blockading the road just South of St. George. The idiots were convinced they might be Zombies and forced the teenagers to turn around. All through the day they discussed what they should do. They could stay in Mesquite or keep going to Vegas, and maybe even further South to LA. Billy always wanted to live by the beach. He pushed pretty hard for that option. But Patti had a bad feeling about Vegas. She suggested they could still make it to Salt Lake City if they took the long way around on old highway 91, to the West and around the back side of St. George. Nancy listened to the options but kept silent most of the day.
Just after they spotted the off ramp to the campgrounds, Billy suddenly noticed a group of bike riders coming toward them on the North bound side of the freeway.
Billy instinctively reached out to stop the two girls from advancing. Nancy had her head down and didn’t notice the approaching riders.
“Hey stupid,” shouted Nancy, objecting to her brother’s outstretched arm.
But Patti now saw the riders too.
‘No, look,” Patti said to Nancy, as she raised her arm and pointed South.
Nancy looked South down the road and instantly understood Billy’s apprehensions. They had discussed and decided that if they saw anyone on the road they’d jump down into the road’s gulch to hide. The experience in St. George had made them wary. However, based on where they stood, there really wasn’t any place to hide. The cliffs to the right rose high above their heads and the shallow ditch to their right wouldn’t give them much cover.
Billy realized the riders were still a good half-mile down the road. He and the two girls were only a hundred yards from the off ramp leading to the campgrounds. Billy made a quick decision.
“Run to the overpass and we’ll hide on the bridge while they pass under us,” shouted Billy. He took off without checking if the two girls agreed with him or not. The three kids ran as fast as they could. They got to the over pass and then crept low out on to the bridge. The concrete wall on the South side of the bridge gave them a good hiding place. The teenagers came to rest when they got to the center of the bridge. They put their backs against the wall and tried to slow their hard breathing. After a minute passed, Billy turned and peaked through a split in the wall to check on the rider’s progress. He figured they’d pass under them in less than a minute.
All three kept silent. They didn’t want anything to do with these people. The St. George incident had taught them to distrust strangers. As the seconds ticked away they began to hear faint sounds of the bike riders as they continued to rid toward them. Sounds of breathing and equipment noises were weak at first but grew louder and louder as they drew closer.
Billy drew his finger to his lips to emphasize the important of silence. The sounds of the riders continued to increase slightly, but then, suddenly, they stopped. Billy gave his two traveling companions a confused look and then carefully turned back to the split in the concrete wall. He looked down to the road, but the riders were not there.
“Where’d they go?” asked Nancy.
Billy turned back to the two girls. “Don’t know,” he offered.
Maybe they’re under the bridge,” suggested Nancy.
“I don’t think so,” said Patti.
“Yea, why’s that,” countered Billy.
“Cause they’re standing right there,” said Patti as he slowly pointed her index finger toward the East end of the bridge.
The group of riders were now straddling their bikes and looking back at Billy, Patti and Nancy. Two of the men had nasty looking guns that were pointed right at the kids. Slowly the three teenagers stood up. Billy put his hands in the air.
“We don’t want no trouble,” offered Billy. “Just passing South.”
The girls noticed that Billy’s hands were in the air, so they both raised theirs as well.
Chapter 153: Freeze dried whatever
It was only 3:30 in the afternoon when Ivan and what was left of the convict army pulled into Mesquite. Beaver had brought the group to a halt at the Falcon River off ramp. Ivan continued riding forward and pulled up next to Beaver. The ex-Boy Scout had already pulled out his road map and was unfolding it.
The two men looked at the map. Bea
ver put his finger on the little town of Mesquite.
“Were here,” began Beaver.
Then he traced his finger along I-15 North until he came to St. George.
“Doesn’t look like there’s much between here and St. George,” he continued, as he looked at his watch.
“I suggest we find a place to bed down here and then try for St George in the morning,” he continued.
Ivan looked at his watch too. There was at least another hour and a half of light left. He hated to stop. He bit his lip as he considered what Beaver suggested.
“I think you are right,” said Ivan, as he looked down the freeway embankment to his right. There was a large Casio below them.
“We will stay there for night,” added Ivan. “Good beds and something to drink, I think,” the crazy Russian barked so all the men could hear.
It got a few approving grunts from the convicts. But they were all pretty tired and more interested in taking a break than paying much attention to whatever Ivan had just bellowed. With each passing hour some of the men were starting to doubt the wisdom of this trip.
They spent the early evening hours searching the building for some regular food. But time and desert heat had taken its toll on any canned goods they found. After a dinner of freeze dried whatever, the men took solace in the liberal quantities of alcohol. By eight PM everyone was sound asleep in their motel rooms, spread throughout the multi-story building. Even Ivan had drunk a little too much. But he realized the men had worked hard and earned their reward.
Chapter 154: Join us
Once Mark was convinced the three teenagers on the overhead bridge were harmless, he invited them to camp with his team at the Virgin River campground. The grounds were about a hundred yards East of the freeway and well above the road. As usual, Frank posted guards and would rotate each group of four on and off, every 2 hours. Mark was still not convinced they were free of the men they’d escaped back in Vegas. The only person who didn’t get guard duty was Susie. She’d get a full night’s rest. After dinner she didn’t even want to talk. Sam zipped her into her sleeping bag and she was out in a matter of minutes. He just hoped she wouldn’t have to get up in the night to pee, or worse, throw up again.
Mark’s marauders were gathered around a small campfire built behind one of the campground maintenance sheds. It was a long building and provided shelter from the wind. It also did an excellent job of blocking any light from the fire. It turned cold quickly and the fire was appreciated by all. Everyone huddled in tight around it. Their tents were spread out behind them on the flat ground.
“We were just trying to get through,” said Billy. “We were on our way up North to Salt Lake.”
“And they forced you to turn back,” said Randy.
“Right,” answered Patti, as he continued chewing the food the group had given her and her friends. “They threatened us with guns and told us they’d shoot if we didn’t go back.”
Nancy had been her quiet self since the conversation began, but suddenly she chimed in.
“Said we were Zombies,” offered Nancy, with a tint of her well-developed sarcasm.
“Zombies?” questioned Lenny.
“Yea,” added Billy. “Said we might be bitten and infected.”
“Infected?” asked Sylvia. “What did they mean infected?”
“You know like in zombie movies,” offered Teresa.
“No, I don’t know,” responded Sylvia.
“Jeez, miss Sylvia,” didn’t you ever watch a Zombie movie or nothing.” continued Teresa.
“No, I did not young lady,” said Sylvia, projecting a little maternal indignation. She had been mother and primary caretaker of Teresa and six of the other teenagers when they lived back in Los Angeles. Now It seemed like a lifetime since they spent their last night in her home.
“I never had time for such nonsense raising you and the rest of the kids, she continued. “And, the proper term is nothing, not nuthin.”
Teresa still respected Sylvia and had learned years ago it was unwise to cross Miss Sylvia.
“Yes mam,” said Teresa.
“Anyway,” said Patti. “They had the guns and we didn’t have much choice.”
“Zombies,” said Jake with his own rash of sarcasm. “Sounds like a bunch of morons.”
“That’s what I said,” added Nancy. “Morons.”
There was quiet for a moment. Then Mark took over.
“How many were there?” asked the Major.
“Maybe twenty, at the most,” replied Billy.
“And they were all armed,” said Mark.
“Yep,” answered Billy.
“What kind of guns,” asked Randy. Randy was their resident expert on weapons. He was always interested in firepower. Knowing what your enemy had in their arsenal was half the battle in combat.
“The lead moron had a shotgun,” offered Nancy.
“And the others?” Randy pressed.
“A few had handguns, the others had like hunting rifles. Maybe one guy had a gun like the ones’ you’re carrying,” answered Billy.
“They were spread across the entire road,” added Patti. “On both sides of it.”
“And they were standing behind a barrier,” said Billy, as he sipped his hot chocolate.
“What kind of barrier?” asked Frank.
“Mostly wooden crates, there was one car near the center,” said Billy. They were mostly crouching down behind it.”
“Any side roads around the barricade,” asked Jake.
“Nothing we could see,” said Patti. “But we were focused pretty hard on their guns and not much else.”
Mark shook his head. He had what he needed for tonight.
“You kids still want to go North, but with us?” asked the Major, as he turned his head to reference the entire group.
“We were planning on going South,” said Billy.
“Not much back that way,” said Doc. “We were lucky to get out of Vegas alive. Lost one of our best friends fighting a large group of convicts.”
Doc’s words impacted Billy and his two female companions immediately. They suddenly weren’t so sure about their decision.
“You could stay in Mesquite, I guess,” offered Mark. “But the food supply will run dry in a few months. You might make a year there.”
Patti licked he lips and swallowed. She knew what Mark said was true. It had been harder and harder over the last two weeks to find food that wasn’t spoiled.
“We came all the way from Los Angeles,” added the Major. “Bad place, Los Angeles. You don’t want to go there.”
Most all the other teenagers shook their heads in support of Mark’s comment. They’d lost good friends back there and knew the dangers.
“Dude, you do not want to go South,” said William, with some conviction. “It’s all bad that way and probably a lot worse since we left.”
“And there’s the convict army too,” said Connie.
“Army,” questioned Nancy.
“Well, maybe not an army,” replied Connie. “But they came after us a couple of times already that we know of. So, you’d have to find a way around them.”
“Honey,” offered Mary to Patti, as she put her hand on Patti’s shoulder.. “South is definitely not for you or your friends.
Silence reigned for a moment.
“But we can’t go North,” offered Billy. “Those guys at the barricade. They won’t let us through.”
Mark slowly smiled as he caught Jake’s eye.
“Would you, each of you, like to join us?” offered the major again. “We’ll take you in as part of our team.”
None of the three teenagers replied immediately. But Patti knew a good thing when she saw it.
“What would we have to do,” inserted Nancy, with suspicion in her voice.
“Nothing all of us are already doing girl,” said Mary. Mary had obviously taken an interest in these three kids. She wanted to make sure they made a good decision here.
“What d
oes that mean?” asked Nancy.
“Means you’d be one of us,” said Mark. “You’ll pull your weight equally like anyone else. And, until we get to our destination, we all work together like a well-oiled military machine.
“You mean like in the army?” asked Patti.
“Well, mostly like in the Army,” offered Mary.