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

by Michael R. Watson

  “We can discuss that later,” he replied.

  As they neared the gate, John and Daniel saw the neatly hand-painted sign hanging overhead.

  “Welcome to Camp Liberty,” announced Don with a wave of his arm to the sign.

  ***

  Damon could hear an increase of voices and activity. They had to be getting close to their captor’s camp. Heads still covered, they had no idea of where they were. Their horses were brought to a stop. Roughly, they were pulled from the horses once again and their hoods yanked off.

  Damon was reassured to see Davis and Peck were still with him, but wasn’t expecting to see what surrounded them. They appeared to be standing in the center of what remained of a small town. All around, the earthquakes had caused extensive structural damage and whatever had survived the shaking had burned to the ground when ruptured gas lines had mixed with downed live electrical lines.

  After the quakes had stopped, and no one knew for how long, these people must have felt it was safe enough to move back into town. Most people had abandoned the towns initially because the earthquakes had made them a hazard.

  It appeared they were in the town’s park by the number of trees, lack of debris, and the presence of playground equipment. It was still dark, but from what he could see by the light of their captor’s fire, there had been no effort to clear away what was left of the nearby residential structures. It was too dark to see any further.

  While Damon was trying to see something that looked familiar, he was shoved toward the playground equipment with his companions. Before having a chance to resist, they were separated and each chained to a different leg of the swing set and forced to sit on the ground.

  “You don’t need to do this,” objected Davis. “We’re not a threat.” Getting no response, he asked, “What do you intend to do with us?”

  He was ignored again.

  Damon knew their captors would do whatever they wanted with them and there was apparently nothing they could do about it. He needed time to think. However, he didn’t know how much time they had. There had to be something he could use to bargain with. Peck was quiet, continuing to think that if he didn’t draw attention to himself the better off he was. So far, it had worked.

  “Would it be too much to ask for some food and water?” Davis asked the assumed leader of the group.

  Before the man could answer, another man, older and bigger, came out of a large shack nearby and stepped forward. The first man moved back out of the way. “My name is Morgan. We don’t like anyone who intrudes into our territory.” Just from his outward appearance, he looked like he’d had a rough life. He had shoulder length matted hair, a muscular physique, a nasty scar across his forehead, and an intensity and craziness in his eyes that could have been mistaken for insanity. An unexpected difference from the surrounding men was that he was clean shaven. Obviously, he was the true leader of this group, and equally as apparent, everyone was afraid of him. Damon noticed none of his people made direct eye contact with him, a possible sign of challenge.

  The other man spoke up, “We brought them back here so you could decide what to do with them.”

  Morgan turned to look at him. “Jake, what do we usually do to intruders?”

  “Kill them.”

  “Well, then, why bother me with this?”

  “I thought maybe we could hold them for ransom.”

  “And tell me, who do we ransom them to?”

  “This one,” answered Jake, pointing at Davis, “said he’s the governor of Sector 4. Someone must be willing to pay to get him back.”

  “I doubt if anyone wants him,” replied Morgan, “or either of the other two.”

  Jake looked confused. He thought he’d done the right thing, what Morgan would want.

  “I heard just today, through the grapevine, that there isn’t a governor there anymore. It seems he was ousted. Isn’t that right, Governor?”

  Davis was silent.

  “What would you like me to do with them then?” asked Jake.

  “Get rid of them. I don’t want to waste any of our resources on them.” Morgan turned and began to walk away.

  That sounded awfully final to Damon. His mind went into overdrive to come up with a way of getting them out of this. He had even less time than he had thought. An idea popped into his head, but Davis wouldn’t like it.

  “Wait! Morgan!” yelled Damon.

  Jake kicked him. “Shut up!”

  “No, wait!” he appealed to Morgan. “There is someone who’ll pay.”

  Morgan stopped when he heard Damon’s plea. “Who?”

  Davis and Peck looked at Damon, curious as to what he had in mind.

  “The chief governor. He wants Davis back and I’m sure there’s a reward.”

  Peck’s eyes became wide with shock. And Davis couldn’t believe his ears. How could Damon turn on him like this? “He wants him too!” screamed Davis, pointing a finger at Damon. “He killed his own men!” He turned to Damon, his face red with rage. “How could you do this to me?”

  Damon moved as close to him as he could, pulling on the chain. “To keep us alive a little longer,” he whispered just loud enough for only Davis to hear.

  Davis was taken by surprise, his expression softening as he came to understand Damon’s reasoning, with the slightest of a grin appearing for a brief moment. He hoped neither Jake nor Morgan had seen it.

  Morgan stepped next to Jake. “It seems there may be a reason to keep them around after all, at least until we can check out what…”

  “Damon.”

  “What Damon claims.” He paused. “For now, give them food and water, but leave them chained up. I don’t want any of them to wander off. And Jake, I want you to personally go to the old prison in Sector 4. See if you can find out exactly what happened there and if there really is a reward being offered for them. And ask about contacting the chief governor.”

  “When would you like me to leave?” asked Jake.

  “Why don’t you wait until daylight? We’re not in any hurry and they’re not going anywhere.”

  ***

  The funeral was short and Ryder thought Darby would have approved. Only a few in Paradise knew who Darby was, mostly from his association with Ryder in recent years. However, a large crowd had attended out of respect and support for Ryder.

  Ryder felt empty inside and he knew why. That hole would never be filled. And he couldn’t foresee a time when he would feel any different. He didn’t deserve to feel better. Darby hadn’t been himself. Ryder couldn’t justify to himself what he’d done.

  Samuel, Ryder’s dad, had conducted the service, and Ryder was sure he had said all the right things, praising his friend. But he hadn’t heard any of it, the guilt of what he’d done weighing heavy on him. Levi had to nudge him to let him know when it had ended.

  Now, he sat at his mother’s kitchen table, silent, staring at the flame burning inside the lantern in front of him. His mother had tried to get him to eat something, but he didn’t have any interest in food at the moment. She didn’t like seeing him this way and was worried about him. She had Samuel join her in the living room.

  “Samuel, please talk to him,” she said in a hushed voice.

  “It wouldn’t do any good. Give him time and he’ll come out of it. It’s still too soon.”

  “Did he tell you what happened?” asked Emma.

  “No, and I didn’t ask. He’ll open up and talk about it when he’s ready. We just have to be patient.”

  Ryder stepped into the room. “Mom, Dad, I’m going for a walk.”

  “Are you okay?” asked his mom, concern on her face.

  “Yeah. Fine.” He turned to leave. “Don’t wait up.”

  The screen door slammed shut as he stepped off the porch.

  “Do you want some company?” asked Levi, who had been sitting on a corner of the porch.

  “No thanks. I just want to be alone for a while.”

  “I wasn’t there, but I know you didn’t have
a choice. Something inside Darby snapped. You were just reacting. No one blames you and neither should you. I know you’re hurting, but get over it and move on.”

  Levi had never talked to his older brother this way before. Ryder was surprised and temporarily tongue-tied, not sure how to respond.

  “The real person you should be angry with is Governor Davis,” continued Levi. “He’s responsible for everything that’s happened.”

  Ryder stared at his brother with disbelief. He couldn’t help a hint of a smile. “Thanks, I got it.”

  Well, what are you going to do about it?” asked Levi, continuing to push.

  “What do you expect me to do? I don’t know where Davis or Damon are by now, or Gant or John. I wouldn’t know where to start looking.”

  “You have people scattered throughout this part of the wasteland, don’t you? Someone must have seen them. Right?”

  “They’re not my people, but I know what you mean. I could ask them to spread the word and see what information, if any, comes back.”

  “So, do it.”

  ***

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Uncle Don led John and Daniel through the gate to the inside of the fortress, describing it proudly like a host leading a tour for his guests. A major difference was the armed escort.

  “You must be famished,” he surmised. “Please let us get you something to eat.”

  “Thank you,” replied Daniel, “but if you have no objection, we should probably be on our way while we still have light.” Then he added, “If that’s alright with you.”

  Don didn’t reply, continuing to lead them down the main thoroughfare, continuing to point out houses and other buildings along the way. Everywhere they looked it was meticulously clean and organized. It was obvious that a great deal of effort had been made to keep the place uncluttered and clean with everything in its place. John and Daniel were both surprised and impressed.

  “You have a nice community,” commented John.

  “Thanks,” replied Don. “We try.”

  “But really,” said John, “we need to go while the sun is still up.”

  Don stopped and faced them, smiling. “The truth is, I am going to keep you here until morning. I owe my nephew that much of a head start anyway.”

  He continued to lead them deeper into the compound. John and Daniel exchanged puzzled looks as they were persuaded by others to follow.

  “Your nephew?” asked John.

  “Yes. Francis Damon. He is one of the men you’re looking for, isn’t he?”

  “Francis?” remarked John.

  “Yes,” answered Daniel, “he’s one of them.”

  “I thought so. I hear he’s been a bad boy.”

  “You could say that,” confirmed Daniel.

  They received stares from everyone they met. Small groups whispered, pointed, and smiled. The smiles weren’t the friendly nice-to-meet-you type. The eyes said it all. They were smiles of crazed minds. It made John and Daniel uncomfortable. The hairs stood up on their arms and the back of their necks.

  “Here you are,” said Don, stopping in front of a small thrown-together shack. It was nothing like the quaint, neat, and well-built structures they’d seen up until then. “It would probably be best if you didn’t wander off. I’ll have some food brought to you and leave someone here to make sure you’re not disturbed. Just relax and get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.” At that he opened the door and waved them inside.

  John had another question before stepping inside, but when he turned around to ask it, Don was already walking away. A guard blocked him from following. Not given a choice, John and Daniel stepped inside the shack. There wasn’t a window, the only light a candle burning on a small makeshift table. There were no chairs and the floor was dirt. There was only the one room. If they were going to sleep, it would be on the ground.

  “You may not believe it, but this is worse than what we had at Tent City,” replied John. They had gotten to know each other pretty well while working together at the new valley and had become close friends, making it slightly easier to joke about such things. Each was still careful not to cross the line, some subjects were still a little sensitive.

  “I believe it. And just so you know, it wasn’t any picnic for my family to be crammed into a single jail cell.” He paused. “But, to be honest, I’m sure we did have it better than you and your family did.”

  “Do you think?” John stated sarcastically.

  “I’m sorry. I know you were lied to and abused.”

  “It’s in the past,” said John, not wanting to rehash those times. “What I’d like to know now is what’s going to happen to us here.”

  Daniel kicked the door shut for a bit of privacy. Curiosity had drawn a stream of people past their doorway, wanting to take a good long look at the strangers. John assumed they probably didn’t receive many visitors out here.

  There was a knock at the door. John opened it to see a lovely young woman holding a bowl. He smiled at her, but she didn’t reciprocate, handing him the bowl and two spoons. The bowl was half full of an almost clear brownish liquid. He raised it to his nose and smelled the wonderful aroma of what appeared to be a beef broth. He looked at the one bowl and the two spoons, amused.

  As she turned to leave, John asked, “Do you think we could have a couple of chairs?” She looked back at him over her shoulder and re-closed the door, followed immediately by the sound of a chain and lock being placed on the door. There was no point in checking. John looked through one of the many gaps in the wall. A guard was smiling back at him.

  “I guess we’re in for the night,” speculated John.

  “That’s okay,” replied Daniel, “I hadn’t planned on going anywhere anyway.”

  John set the bowl and spoons on the table. “You first,” he said to Daniel, “I’ll finish what’s left.”

  Daniel took a spoon and stirred it through the liquid. There was no sign of vegetables or meat. He raised a spoonful and took a small sip. “Not bad for cold watered-down broth. Beef, I think.” He put down the spoon and picked up the bowl in one of his huge hands, taking two big gulps before handing it to John.

  John tipped the bowl up and took a sip, smacked his lips, and downed the rest. “Better than nothing, I suppose. You don’t think they’d poison us, do you?”

  “If they wanted us dead, we’d already be dead. Regardless, I’ll take the first watch.”

  At first, John thought Daniel was kidding. But then, he realized shifts was a good idea, just in case they had unwelcomed visitors during the night. However, if someone did come, he didn’t know what difference it would make, except to prevent being taken completely by surprise.

  Daniel took up a position sitting directly in front of the door. If anyone came in, they’d have to come through him. John sat on the dirt floor across from him, his back against the wall. He closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep, but found he couldn’t with so much going on in his mind. He was thinking about everything that had taken place over the last couple of days, their current situation, what would come next, and about Davis and Damon, wondering where they were and what they were doing. If given the chance, they were probably taking advantage of some other poor souls. It then occurred to him that this had been Damon’s intended destination all along. But why had they left? This could have been their sanctuary. There had to have been a good reason.

  Neither John nor Daniel knew what awaited them in the morning. John jerked awake, knowing he must have nodded off. At that moment he became aware of a silence all around them. It hadn’t been that quiet earlier. It gave him a strange sensation. Something didn’t seem right.

  “Daniel?” whispered John. “You still awake?” He knew Daniel had volunteered to take the first watch, but after a day like they’d had and the current silence, there was always the chance he’d dozed off. And he wouldn’t blame him if he had.

  Daniel’s eyes lazily came open. “Yeah. Just resting my eyes.”

 
“It’s so quiet out there. What do you think?”

  “Nothing to worry about. I think the community has gone to bed.”

  “I suppose so. It’s almost too quiet though.”

  There was a light knock on the door. Daniel and John, surprised and wide awake, got to their feet. Daniel looked through a gap between the boards of the door. The young woman who had brought their supper was standing there.

  “Yes?” he asked

  “I’m here to help. To let you out.”

  It was too good to be true. Daniel smelled trouble. “Why would we want to leave now? Don said he’d let us out in the morning.”

  “And he will.” She looked around nervously. “But, if you stay, you’ll die.”

  Daniel looked at John. “I don’t like it,” whispered John. “It’s a trap.”

  “I think you’re right,” said Daniel. “But, what if it isn’t and she’s telling the truth? It could be our only chance to get out of here.”

  “It sounds like too much of a risk,” said John with concern.

  They heard the sound of the key in the lock and the chain dropping to the ground. The door opened slowly. She stood alone in the doorway. John looked outside. The guard was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where’s the guard?” asked John.

  “I told him to take a break while I watched you,” she said. “We have to go now.”

  “What’s your name?” asked Daniel.

  She had a puzzled look on her face. “Lena. Why?”

  “Well, Lena, we just wanted to know who was helping us,” answered Daniel.

  “We’re wasting time. Are you coming or not? The guard will be returning soon.”

  “Won’t you get in trouble for helping us?” asked John.

  “I’ll need you to hit me.”

  “So they’ll think we overpowered you, right?” asked Daniel.

  “That’s right.”

  “I can’t do that,” said John.

  “And I won’t,” declared Daniel.

  She acted confused and nervous. “Do you want them to blame me?”