Entering the school, she went straight to Helen’s classroom. The older lady was inside, grading papers. Helen had found her place in this new world doing something she loved and had been doing for years. Alexis had hoped the infirmary would be that for her, but after the first day it had felt more like a prison than anything else. This whole town felt that way to her, and she hated to be in a cage, even if it was safe. She wanted to go for a walk out in the woods where no one could see her and just enjoy the peace and quiet. Instead, she was stuck in a town that was maybe a square mile with over four hundred other people.
“Can I come in?” Alexis asked, knocking on the open door.
“Of course, dear,” Helen said, looking up from the papers.
“How are the kids doing?” Alexis asked, sitting down in the chair across from her.
“Surprisingly well, all things considered,” Helen said. “They’re adjusting better than some adults now that they have the semblance of a normal routine again. Most miss their parents and have lost a lot of their friends, but they’re pressing through it. It helps that they have others their own age who’ve been through the same experience.”
“How are you doing?”
“Great, actually. It feels good to be teaching again. How about you? I hear you and James are together.”
Alexis blushed a little. “Yeah, we are. With everything going on, we’ve only been on one date, but it feels so natural.”
“That’s how you want it to be. My husband and I only went on two dates before he asked me to marry him, but our generation was a bit different.”
“Wow, just two dates?”
“Yeah, they were long ones mostly spent talking. We hadn’t even known each other before the first date; it was all arranged by one of our mutual friends. Within a week, we were engaged.”
“How long were you married?”
“Forty-two years before the cancer took him. They weren’t always easy years, but we never gave up on each other. That’s what you have to remember—no matter how hard it gets you can’t give up.”
“Thanks, I’ll remember that.”
“Now, I’m sure you didn’t come here to ask for relationship advice.”
“No, I wanted to see if you knew anything about Mark.”
“I heard about what happened. I had no idea he was taking those drugs. He’d been clean for years.”
“Have you seen him today?”
“No, I haven’t seen him since he left for lunch yesterday. What’d they do with him?”
“They admitted him to the infirmary. I talked with him yesterday, but now I’ve been told he left.”
“What?”
“Yeah, he left town. At least, that’s what they told me.”
“Mark wouldn’t do that. He had nightmares about being out there.”
“That’s what I thought, but they said he’s gone. Where was he staying?”
“Down the hall to the left. Is that what those men were doing here yesterday?”
“What men?”
“The ones wearing those black uniforms. They said they were looking for the drugs, but they walked out with all of his belongings.”
“They took everything yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Can I see his room?” Alexis asked, standing.
“Sure, it’s just down the hall,” Helen said. “Why are you asking all these questions? They may have just moved Mark to a different house.”
“Maybe, but something doesn’t feel right here,” Alexis said as she left the room, heading down the hallway.
Mark’s room was empty. A cot sat against one wall with a small table next to it and a set of shelves against the opposite wall. There was nothing else; they really had taken it all. Why would they take his belongings? Hadn’t Dr. Hart said Mark had gathered his things this morning and then left? Maybe the doctor had given him the drugs back, and he left. Or maybe they made him leave, not wanting to have a drug addict in town. Alexis left the room, walking by Helen’s classroom.
“Find anything?” Helen asked.
“Nope, but thanks for the advice,” Alexis said.
“You’re welcome, hon. I’m sure everything is going to work out.”
“I hope so,” Alexis said.
She exited the building, waving to Olive as she walked by. She and Felix had finished their shelter, and Neil was inspecting it with a small smile on his face.
What had really happened to Mark? Did it have something to do with whatever was going on in the basement? She was tired of guessing. It was time to make a move.
30
Massacre
“Holy shit,” Tank said, stifling a gag.
Over seventy bodies—men, women, and children—littered the dining area in piles. Almost the entire floor was covered in dark blood that stuck to their boots. This had been the scene of a massive slaughter. No one had been spared, not a single resident. The closest pile contained six bodies, mostly adults, but there was a tiny hand sticking out from the middle of it, stiff with rigor mortis. This was too much, it was all too much. James bent over and wretched up the contents of his stomach onto the crimson floor. When he looked back up, he didn’t see just the scene before him but one that was rising in the back of his mind as well.
“Connor,” James said, desperately. He needed to let his brother know that he wasn’t himself. Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes against the scene before him as another one took its place.
Lord help me! James cried out. I can’t do this alone!
The episode still came, like it always did, but it was less intense this time and had more of a dreamlike quality. He still felt his back pressed against the cold wall and he could hear Connor and Tank talking around him. It passed quicker than usual, too, but left him sweating and feeling drained. He opened his eyes to see Connor standing just in front of him, ACR up and ready. Tank was beside him, watching the room they’d just come from. James took a deep breath and then spit some of the bile from his mouth.
“I’m good,” James said, moving from the wall.
“For once, I don’t think that could’ve been helped,” Tank said.
“No, this is brutal,” Connor said.
“You don’t think it was…” James started to say.
“Has to be,” Connor said.
“Who else is this heartless?” Tank asked. “You heard what she made Ana do.”
“Then they did this because of us,” James said, unable to look away from the massacre before him. So many bodies, so much blood. The loss of life was staggering.
“Don’t even start down that path again,” Connor said with an edge to his voice.
“I’m not,” James said. “But why? Just to send us a message?”
“I don’t know,” Connor replied. “But we need to report this.”
“Good idea,” Tank said. “I’m ready to get the hell outta here.”
“Me too,” James said and turned away. “Let’s go.”
Exiting the door in the dining area, they quickly jogged over to Scourge. They loaded in and Tank took off back down the dirt road. James couldn’t get the image out of his head. So many innocent people had died, and for what? Why did the Reclaimers kill all of them? It hadn’t been a trap, or they wouldn’t have been able to leave so easily. So why?
They didn’t fully let their guards down until they passed through the gate into Coutts. They immediately pulled up to HQ where Emmett was outside talking with Cpt. Miller, who was smoking a cigarette. Tank stopped Scourge in the spot closest to them and they climbed out.
“Back already?” Cpt. Miller asked.
Emmett read their faces as they walked over. “What happened?” he asked.
“They’re all dead,” Connor said.
Cpt. Miller looked confused.
“The entire Red River Colony has been slaughtered and piled in the dining hall,” James said.
Cpt. Miller cursed. “All of
them?” he asked.
“Every last man, woman, and child,” Tank replied.
“We didn’t check all the apartment buildings,” Connor said, “but the one we did had no one inside, only blood.”
“And there were over seventy bodies piled in there,” James said.
“Was it them?” Emmett asked.
“Not sure,” Connor answered.
“It doesn’t make sense that it would be anyone else,” James said.
“Assuming makes an ass out of you and me,” Cpt. Miller said.
“I agree,” Emmett said. “But this sounds like the Reclaimers.”
“They had freezers full of food,” Connor stated.
“Yes, all of last fall’s crops are in there,” Cpt. Miller said, dousing his cigarette. “We need to recover that food before someone else does and then figure out what happened. You three hold tight. I need to get Cpt. Sanders.”
“Yes, sir,” Connor said.
James slumped down against the side of the building.
“That bad?” Emmett asked, looking at the three of them.
“As bad as the big house back in Meriden,” James said.
“That is bad,” Emmett said. “Did you see anything else?”
“No,” Connor answered.
“I just don’t get why,” James whispered.
“Because she’s loony,” Tank stated. “She probably just enjoys the killin’.”
“That could be,” Emmett said. “But she’s also sharp. There may be something we’re missing.”
Cpt. Miller came back, followed by Cpt. Sanders.
“You said all of the residents of the colony are dead?” Cpt. Sanders asked Connor.
“All the ones we saw,” Connor replied. “There could’ve been more in the other buildings, but from what we gathered, they killed ‘em all.”
“So there could be some alive?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then this is part supply run, part rescue mission, part investigation,” Cpt. Sanders said to himself.
“We can—” Connor started to say.
“No, you three stay here,” Cpt. Sanders said, walking away and pulling out his radio.
“Go get some lunch,” Cpt. Miller said. “You look like you need it. Meet back here in a couple of hours. We may still need your help.”
“Yes, sir,” Connor said.
Tank helped James stand, and they walked the three hundred yards to the Mess Hall in their gear. How could this keep happening? He’d begun to feel settled in this place. Just last night, he was thinking about how this could be their home, but then something like this happened and caused everything to be turned upside down. The Reclaimers needed to be taken care of once and for all. How else would they ever be able to make a life for themselves? That last question brought up even more questions. How had they found them? How many were there now? And why did Jezz want them so badly? So far, she hadn’t tried to kill them. That first encounter had been a trap to catch them, alive. Had there been more to the slaughter out there? Or was Jezz just letting off steam or doing what she called “reclaiming”?
James was still absorbed in his thoughts when they entered the Mess Hall. He numbly took a tray and let the server dish up some food, even though he wasn’t hungry. They sat down at a vacant table and he took a long pull of water to wash the rest of the bile down. James forced himself to eat in spite of the queasiness. He could go the rest of his life without seeing something like that again. There’d already been too many of those scenes.
“What would they gain from it?” Connor asked as he took a bite.
“I thought it was gonna be a trap,” Tank said.
“Me too,” Connor said. “And yet, here we are.”
Tank shrugged. “I still think she’s just crazy and likes killin’.”
“It could be for shock value,” James said, setting down his half-eaten sandwich.
“If so, it worked on you,” Connor said.
“That’s low, bro,” James said.
“I was okay with your episode back there,” Connor said. “But now you have to get up and prepare yourself because I can tell you one thing for sure—shit is about to go down. They wouldn’t show their hand like that if they didn’t have something planned.”
James started to respond, but Tank cut him off, stopping the argument before it began.
“How did Emmett know the colony wanted to trade?” he asked.
“Someone radioed in yesterday,” James said.
“It could’ve been the Reclaimers then,” Tank said.
“Yep,” Connor said. “It would’ve been a perfect trap.”
“So how are we sitting here?” James asked. “Did we just not spring it?”
“Who knows,” Connor said. “If it was a trap, they’d better step up their game.”
Cook walked out of the kitchen, heading straight for their table.
“You get my stuff?” asked the large woman, holding a wooden spoon threateningly in one hand.
“No, ma’am,” James said. “We went to the Red River Colony, but I don’t think they had anything.”
“You’d better not forget,” Cook said.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” James said. “Next time we get a run into town, I’ll grab some.”
“Good,” Cook said. “Now eat the rest of your sandwich. No one leaves here hungry on my watch.”
“Yes, ma’am,” James said, picking it up.
She watched him take a bite and then nodded, heading back into the kitchen. “Don’t forget,” she called as she disappeared through the doors.
“That’s one helluva woman,” Tank said with a laugh. “You’d better get her soda or she may beat you with that spoon.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” James said.
They left the Mess Hall and James decided to go for a walk while the other two returned to Scourge. He still had an hour before they needed to be back. Moving helped him sort through his thoughts, yet no matter how he looked at it, he was having a hard time figuring anything out. On the one hand, he wanted to stay there and hoped that this place was truly safe so he could start a family and put down roots. At the same time, he just wanted to leave and get to Alaska where he knew it would be safe. He might be more inclined to leave if they didn’t have a group of killers following them. By the time his hour was over and he was heading back to HQ, he hadn’t figured anything out.
A couple of soldiers ran from the building, heading for the infirmary while a few Marines exited and stood by the front doors. Emmett stood over by the entrance to the building, talking with Cpt. Miller.
“What happened?” James asked Tank and Connor as he walked up to where they stood next to Scourge.
“No idea,” Tank said.
“We’re about to find out,” Connor said.
The sound of multiple engines coming from the south reached their ears. Were they under attack? He had his answer soon enough as Cpt. Sanders’s lead Humvee pulled to a stop right in front of them. The captain jumped out of the passenger seat and walked right up to James, who was standing between Tank and Connor.
“What—”
It was all James got out before a fist slammed into his gut, and he crumpled to the ground as his side exploded in pain. Cpt. Sanders swung again, but Tank stepped between him and James, shoving the little man back. James looked up through blurry eyes, his side on fire. Connor stood next to him with his hand on his handgun while Tank stood in front of him, fists raised.
“I wouldn’t,” Tank said to the smaller man.
Emmett and Cpt. Miller came running up.
“Stand down!” Cpt. Miller called out.
“Those bastards just got five of my men killed and another four wounded!” Cpt. Sanders yelled, red-faced.
“What?” Connor asked, moving his hand away from his gun.
“I said stand down!” Cpt. Miller said, looking between Tank and Cpt. Sanders.
&nb
sp; Tank lowered his fists but didn’t move from in front of James. Cpt. Sanders stormed off, walking towards the infirmary where another of the Humvees had gone.
“What’s he talkin’ about?” Tank asked as Connor helped James to his feet.
“There was a bomb in one of the small freezers,” Cpt. Miller said. “It killed five Marines and wounded four others. It seems that it was a trap after all.”
“And that’s our fault?” Tank asked.
“No,” Emmett said. “Sanders just doesn’t want to take the blame right now, not that I can fault him much. Losing men is hard.”
“Me neither,” Cpt. Miller said. “But his reaction was uncalled for. Are you okay, James?”
“Yeah,” James said. The pain in his side was decreasing and now his stomach ached. “The captain has one hell of a punch.”
“It’s surprising for his size,” Cpt. Miller said.
A Marine ran up to Cpt. Miller and whispered something in his ear.
“Damn,” Cpt. Miller said, looking at Emmett. “Col. Briggs is calling an emergency meeting. He wants you and Cpt. Sanders there.”
“You can go ahead,” Emmett said to Cpt. Miller. “I’ll catch up.”
“Roger,” Cpt. Miller said. “You boys are dismissed for the day.”
“Yes,” Connor said, then added, “sir.”
Cpt. Miller walked off and Emmett turned to them.
“That could’ve been us,” James said.
“Yes, it could’ve,” Emmett said. “Just like every time you go out.”
“How’re we supposed to go out on a run again knowing that the Reclaimers could’ve set up another bomb?” James asked, rubbing his aching side.
“You do what you do every day,” Emmett said. “You gear up, walk out that door, and go to war to protect those you love. It’s no different than what soldiers have been doing for years to keep our country free and protect their loved ones. Now you do it to protect others from what’s beyond these walls—hell on earth. If you don’t go out there, someone else will have to while you sit in here unable to come to terms with the fact that every moment you’re alive is a gift that shouldn’t be wasted. I thought you knew that, being religious men.”
The Brother's Creed (Book 4): Bad Company Page 20