Borders: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Aftershock Series Book 3)

by Michael R. Watson

  BORDERS

  A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller

  AFTERSHOCK SERIES

  Book Three

  ****

  MICHAEL R. WATSON

  BORDERS: The Aftershock Series, Book Three

  Copyright © 2018 by Michael R. Watson.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, without prior permission of the author, who is the copyright holder.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Cover design by LLPix Designs, www.llpix.com, Laura Wright LaRoche - Designer

  This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All characters, incidents, and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  ISBN: 978-1726435895

  Dedication

  To my grandchildren, Ethan, Paige, Kinsey, Lilly, and Macie, who have always enjoyed reading.

  Acknowledgements

  I’d like to thank my family and friends who helped throughout the writing, review, and revision process.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Damon, Davis, and Peck escaped from Chief Governor Grayson’s two-man detail, killing both. Now they are wanted men and on the run for their lives, but where can they go? Surrounded by the wasteland and its unforgiving dangers, Damon can only think of one possible destination, a compound a few days to the west, a fortified refuge controlled by his uncle. There is a potential problem, his uncle hates him. But he is family.

  ***

  “How much further?” asked former governor Davis.

  “Not far,” answered Damon.

  “That’s what you said before. Can’t we rest? I’m tired and sore from riding. And I told you I’m hungry.”

  “I heard you and I’ve been watching to find you something.”

  “Then you’ll just have to try harder!” demanded Davis. “I must have something to eat.”

  Damon pulled back on his reins, abruptly bringing his horse to a stop with the governor’s and Peck’s horses almost running into the back of his. Slowly, Damon turned back in the saddle to face the governor. “I’m doing the best I can, Governor. Instead of complaining, perhaps you should be thankful you’re not on the chief governor’s helicopter right now headed for Springfield and a noose.” He began to wonder if keeping Davis around was worth the trouble. He took a deep breath to regain his composure. “Be patient a little longer. We’ll find something for you to eat.”

  He turned to Peck. “We’re going to rest beneath those trees,” motioning ahead. “Go and see if you can find anything for us to eat. Check farmhouses or find some game.”

  Peck acknowledged the order with a nod and rode away.

  “Finally,” Davis said as he exhaled deeply.

  ***

  It was early morning. Former Master of the Guard Daniel Gant and former Tent City resident John Thomas watched as Levi, still suffering from the Guard’s beatings, and his brother, Ryder, wounded by his close friend, Darby, rode away in the supply wagon for Paradise.

  John and Daniel were determined to bring Davis and the others back to Chief Governor Grayson for sentencing. They couldn’t be allowed to get away scot-free. They didn’t know how far Davis and his men had gone after their escape, only that the wanted men had left the chief governor’s helicopter on foot. Both Daniel and John hoped Davis would slow them down, making it easier to catch up to them. If they were right, the former governor would insist on stopping for the night rather than pushing through. Another thing John and Daniel didn’t know was where they were going, whether they were just running to get away or if they had a specific destination in mind.

  They rode to the chief governor’s landing site, both dismounting for a closer look. Waiting until daylight had been a good decision, making it much easier to pick up their trail. Daniel, having some experience with tracking down escaped workers, estimated five men had left the site together heading west.

  “What’s out that way?” asked John.

  “Not much, just a few isolated compounds, mostly made up of families or neighbors who banded together after the devastation for safety and to ward off dangerous scavengers. We’ve left them alone since a few very unfriendly encounters early on.”

  “Do you think Damon could be going to one of them?” asked John.

  “I don’t know. I never heard him mention any of them. But then, we didn’t talk much either.”

  John re-mounted. “Well, I guess we better get going if we’re going to find out.”

  “Follow me,” said Daniel, leading his horse. “I’ll track them on foot for a while to make sure they don’t change direction or split up.”

  ***

  Ryder and Levi rode along silently in the wagon. Levi had the reins even though he was still weak from the beatings he’d received from the guards. But he was in better condition, physically and mentally, than his brother, who had been shot in the arm by his best friend just the day before. Both were heavy in thought. Levi was thinking about the ordeal he’d been through during the last week and Ryder was thinking about how he’d been forced to kill his good friend Darby. He glanced over his shoulder into the back of the wagon where Darby’s wrapped body lay. They were taking him home to Paradise for burial.

  Ryder replayed the scene over and over in his mind, trying to think of what he could have done differently. Darby had become irrational, locking himself inside the prison compound and everyone else out. Ryder had used the same hidden passage to get inside that John and Daniel had used to rescue him and Levi. And when he’d gotten close enough to see Darby, he’d announced himself, hoping to keep from startling his friend. However, Darby must not have recognized him. There was no other explanation for Darby shooting him. It had all happened so fast, with no chance of reasoning with him. The people outside the fence had needed the supplies in the lower level of the compound. Usually, he’d been able to talk things out with Darby. But this time he hadn’t acted like himself. Ryder hadn’t intended to shoot him; it was just a reflex reaction. Now his friend was dead.

  Levi knew how much his brother was hurting. Even though he was still angry with his brother for abandoning their family and home in Paradise to pursue his own dreams, they were brothers and he didn’t like seeing him like this.

  He was the first to break the silence. “Mom and Dad will be glad to see us.”

  Ryder sat quietly, lost in thought. “What was that?”

  “Mom and Dad. I’m sure they’ll be glad to see us.”

  Ryder forced a smile. “I’m sure they will be.”

  ***

  The governor was glad to be off his horse, walking his soreness out, not anxious to sit again anytime soon. They had been riding for hours. He watched as Damon gathered firewood. “Won’t a fire give away our location?” he asked, concerned.

  “Perhaps, but if Peck returns with some game, I’d prefer to have mine cooked.”

  “I’m glad you’re so optimistic. I’m not.”

  Damon hoped Peck would find something for two reasons. One, it would be one less thing for Davis to complain about and he was feeling the pangs of hunger as well. Whether Peck would be able to find something or not, making a fire gave him something to do to keep busy, rather than being at the governor’s side listening to him complain and make small talk. Once the fire was going, he continued to collect more firewood, just to keep the gover
nor out of his hair.

  The sooner Peck came back the sooner they could be on their way again. Damon wasn’t sure who would be coming after them, but he was sure someone would be, whether it was Grayson and his man Blake, Gant, John, or Ryder. Whoever came, they needed to stay ahead by keeping on the move.

  Damon heard the sound of a galloping horse. He grabbed the assault rifle he’d claimed from one of Grayson’s dead men. Not sure if it was from their pursuers or Peck returning, he raised the rifle, ready to fire, relieved to see it was Peck riding fast toward him. Peck appeared excited and was shouting something, but still too far away for Damon to make out. He looked over to check on the governor, who was now sitting by the fire, quiet and sulking, oblivious to Peck’s return.

  “We have to go!” yelled Peck.

  Damon ran to meet him as he rode toward them. Peck brought his horse to an abrupt stop next to Davis, kicking up dust and startling him.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Damon, taking hold of the horse’s bridle.

  “Men…they’re coming!” blurted Peck between breaths.

  “Who?” asked Davis.

  “Men! I don’t know who!” shouted Peck.

  “Take a breath and tell me what happened,” said Damon, trying to calm Peck down.

  Peck did as he was told and took a deep breath, having the anticipated calming effect. “I was looking for food like you told me and came across the skeleton of a burned out house. In the rubble I found a couple of unopened cans with their labels burned off. I grabbed them and was getting on my horse when I heard gunshots. A bullet splintered a piece of wood near me. I took off as fast as I could. I think I lost them, but I can’t say for sure. We need to go!”

  “It sounds like you crossed someone else’s border,” speculated Damon. “It was probably just a warning shot. People can be very territorial out here. But, you’re right, just to be safe, we should go.” Damon began to kick dirt onto the fire.

  “What are you doing?” asked Davis, jumping up. “Didn’t you hear? Peck found something to eat.”

  “It’s in a can, so we can probably eat it without cooking it first,” explained Damon, as though talking to a child. “So, get on your horse. We could be in danger if we stay here.”

  Being told what to do and in such a disrespectful tone caught the governor off-guard, continuing to stand still, silent, and dumbfounded. Damon would never have talked to him that way back at the compound. The longer he thought about it, the angrier he became.

  “Let’s go!” demanded Damon.

  “You shouldn’t talk to me like that!” said Davis, his face becoming red. “I am the governor.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but you’re not the governor of anywhere anymore.” He half regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. Damon, more than once, had already wondered whether Davis was worth keeping around. However, there was a reason to stay together. Davis had an ability to take advantage of a bad situation. That was how he’d become governor of Sector 4 in the first place.

  Davis was fuming, but said nothing else. He stormed off to his horse, shoulders slumped and mumbling to himself. Damon helped him mount up. It was a small gesture, but Davis seemed to appreciate the act, giving him a slight nod.

  Mounted, Damon continued to lead them west. The others had little choice but to follow. He was the only one who knew where they were going. Before they’d ridden one hundred yards a single rider appeared directly in front of them. All three fugitives came to a stop. Damon began to unsling the rifle from his shoulder while looking in all directions to see if the rider was alone. Several others appeared, surrounding them. They didn’t stand a chance. He left the rifle where it was.

  The riders formed a circle around them and stopped, sitting on their horses, the butts of their rifles resting on their thighs, the barrels pointing skyward. Damon, Peck, and Davis waited nervously for the riders to make the next move.

  “What are they waiting for?” asked Davis in a low voice.

  “Probably letting it sink in how hopeless our situation is, Governor,” responded Damon. Using Davis’ former title was a forced attempt at reconciliation because of their earlier confrontation. Davis seemed to sit a little taller in his saddle as a result. “Might as well raise your hands into the air,” Damon suggested.

  “What? Give up?” asked Davis, a bit of panic showing.

  “I don’t see any other option, do you?” He raised his hands. Peck and Davis watched and followed suit.

  The riders slowly tightened the circle, converging on their position. The one in front gestured to two others who rode in, searched for weapons, and took Damon’s rifle. Passing it off, they tied the hands of the three.

  “I am Governor Davis of Sector 4,” he stated with an air of authority. “What do you intend to do with us?”

  “You’ll see soon enough,” the leader stated. He then turned his horse and led them further west, the same direction they had been going. Some of the leader’s men flanked the three and the rest followed. Within minutes, they were on a well worn and maintained dirt road.

  Davis bombarded the leader with questions, but was completely ignored. He and his men kept silent and kept their eyes forward.

  The longer they rode, Damon could see a grim look of concern grow on his companions’ faces. Damon was surprised they were giving up so easily.

  Davis’ stomach was growling loud enough for those nearby to hear. It was early afternoon and it had been over twenty-four hours since any of them had eaten.

  “Hey, you!” shouted Davis to the leader. “How about something to eat?”

  Surprisingly, the man answered, “We’re almost there. You’ll be taken care of then.”

  Soon afterward, Damon caught sight of a wooden stockade fence ahead, just like those used for forts in days gone by. Lookouts were posted at the corner towers. From where they were, the fort appeared to be about fifty yards across the front. They rode by food plots on the outside of its walls with the workers stopping to look them over. The gates were wide open. Over the gate was a hand-painted sign in large bold letters, ‘CAMP LIBERTY.’ As they entered, they saw rows of small cabins with streets and walking paths outlined with white stones, and many men, women, and children coming out to see the strangers. They seemed especially happy to see them, reaching out to poke at them.

  Davis rode up beside Damon. “This looks pretty good,” he whispered. He was actually smiling. “The people look friendly.”

  Damon wasn’t smiling. “You have no idea.”

  A serious, fit, and rough-looking man, fifty-something with a military haircut, stood blocking their path, backed by a handful of equally intimidating men. He was obviously the leader. Their escort brought them to a halt in front of him.

  The community leader walked directly to Damon, pulling out a Bowie-like knife, reaching toward Damon.

  “Don’t!” shouted Davis, afraid for Damon’s life.

  The man cut Damon’s hands free. “Hello, Francis.” He turned to the surrounding crowd. “Sorry, folks, he’s family.”

  Smiles turned to frowns as they walked away, noticeably disappointed.

  ***

  CHAPTER TWO

  John let Daniel take the lead as they tracked Davis, Damon, and Peck. Their direction didn’t seem to waver, as though their quarry moved with a specific destination in mind. The further they followed them, the more confident Daniel became, picking up the pace. They came up on an old partially collapsed and burned out farmhouse. Daniel motioned for John to stay back and remain quiet while he investigated, approaching cautiously. John didn’t plan to argue since he had no experience with this sort of thing. Daniel raised the assault rifle given to him by Grayson, ready to fire.

  Looking through the still standing doorway, he saw recent footprints in the thick dust on the floor. Sunlight entered through the non-existent roof, lighting the interior. Daniel stopped to listen. The only sound he heard was that of a cricket in a corner, somewhere under the fallen debris. He moved
inside as quietly as he could, watching where he stepped. Almost immediately he located two of Davis’ Guard, their backs against the wall of the front room. There was no evidence of a struggle, looking as though they were shot where they sat. Daniel assumed these were the men who had aided the governor in his escape…and were rewarded for their efforts. No doubt Damon’s doing.

  John watched as Daniel came back out, waving him to come ahead.

  “Anyone?” asked John.

  “They were here. Two of them still are…dead. Executed in their sleep it appears.” Daniel began to search outside on the ground. “Look here.”

  John came over to where he was pointing. There were hoof prints. “So, now they have horses.”

  “My guess would be three. Not enough for the two inside. They’ll be moving a lot faster now, but they’ll be easier to track too.”

  ***

  “Hello, Uncle Don. Please don’t call me Francis. Damon will do.”

  “No, I don’t think so. That would be awkward since it’s my name too. How about if I call you Frank?”

  “Better.”

  “Okay, what do you want, Frank?”

  Damon began to dismount.

  “Stay where you are,” directed Uncle Don.

  Damon settled back into the saddle. “We need sanctuary. There are people after us.”

  “I’m not surprised from what I’ve heard. So you brought your troubles to us?”

  “We’re family. I knew I could count on you.”

  “And I’m Governor Davis of Sector 4,” interrupted Davis.

  “I know who you are, or were,” said Uncle Don, glaring at him. “I know what you’ve been doing, with my nephew’s help.” He looked them all over. “I don’t want any of you here. And I don’t want any part of your problems.”