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

by Michael R. Watson

  They both turned and began the long walk to their wives who were rushing to meet them.

  “Why are you here?” asked John, as he hugged Sarah and his daughter tightly. He pulled his wife back to an arm’s length away, hoping she hadn’t taken that the wrong way. “I mean, I’m glad to see you all, but…why?”

  “Because we were worried and it’s been so long since we’d seen you or heard anything. We didn’t know if something had happened to you.”

  “As you can see, we’re fine,” answered John.

  “Why didn’t you come home after rescuing Ryder and Levi?” asked Sarah. “I know about Davis and Damon, but why you? It wasn’t your responsibility?”

  Daniel and Donna stood nearby with Aaron and Adam. Daniel answered Sarah, “You’re right. It wasn’t our responsibility, but someone had to stop them from doing the same thing somewhere else. Ryder was injured and going home to bury his friend and Grayson was taking his dead back to Springfield. No one else was interested, so John and I took it on ourselves.”

  “Did you catch them?”

  “No, but someone else did and brought them to the compound in exchange for supplies. They just left here with Samuel. Now, Davis and Damon are in cells back at the prison.”

  “And why were you being held hostage?” asked Sarah.

  “Just more leverage to help them get away.”

  “Are you coming home now?” she asked. Cindy and Christopher anxiously listened for his answer.

  John exchanged looks with Daniel. He and his family were listening too. John smiled. “Just as soon as we know Samuel and his sons are alright.”

  “I suppose someone needs to go help Ryder and Levi then?” asked Donna.

  Jeremy and his small group were nearby, listening in. “Not us,” he said, as he stepped closer. “We’re going home.” He turned to Governor Grayson, “Can we escort you back to New Eden, Governor?”

  “Yes, thank you. I’d appreciate that,” he answered.

  Daniel looked at John. Was it up to them again? John looked at Sarah. “Go!” she said. “Help Samuel.”

  “Sorry,” said John. “I just can’t leave until I know they’re alright.”

  “Mom, we just got daddy back,” stressed Cindy, surprised and confused.

  “We owe Samuel,” explained Sarah. “He’s always been there for us.”

  “You should go too,” added Donna to Daniel, knowing he wouldn’t want to let John go alone.

  “We’d like to go this time,” Aaron said, volunteering himself and his brother.

  “No,” said Daniel, “It’s more important you stay here to help Christopher watch over Sarah, Cindy, and your mother until we come back.” They looked disappointed, but neither Aaron nor Adam argued. He turned to Jeremy. “Think we can borrow a couple rifles?”

  Without hesitation he unslung the one from his shoulder and one of the other men handed his over. He stepped closer to John. “We’ll see you when you get back.”

  “You can count on it.”

  “Don’t worry about the tunnel,” whispered Jeremy. “I’ll keep it a secret. Who knows, we may need it again one day.”

  “I hope not.”

  Jeremy then turned and joined the rest of his group along with Grayson and Blake. As they prepared to leave, Grayson stopped and turned back to John and Daniel. “Sorry you two got involved with all of this. I’ll repay you somehow.”

  John didn’t reply, just waved goodbye. Daniel didn’t bother to respond.

  John turned back to Sarah. “Please stay together right here. We’ll be back before you know it. They couldn’t have gone far.”

  “Look!” shouted Adam.

  Everyone turned to look down the road where he was pointing. It was Samuel, Ryder, and Levi coming toward them. They were walking arm-in-arm and they had huge smiles on their faces. It appeared the danger was over for everyone.

  Sarah and Donna were smiling too, glad to see Samuel and his sons returning and safe. It meant their husbands wouldn’t be leaving after all. They ran to Samuel and gave him a huge hug.

  “What’s this all about?” he asked. “I told you everything would be alright.”

  “Forgive us,” said Sarah, “for having doubts.”

  “You must have had some faith in me or else you wouldn’t have let me try.”

  “Hold up!” shouted John to Jeremy and his group. “We’ll go with you!”

  “Why go back to the compound?” asked Sarah. She had put that life and place behind her and wasn’t thrilled with the idea of returning, even temporarily.

  “We need to gather supplies and horses,” answered John. “For now, you, Donna, and Cindy can ride with Samuel in the buggy.”

  “We’ll walk with you, Dad,” announced Aaron. Adam nodded agreement.

  That brought a smile to Daniel’s face. Together, they all headed back to the compound at a casual pace. There was no reason to rush. Morgan was gone and Davis and Damon were behind bars. The sun was up and there were no dangers ahead. They would reach the compound in a couple of hours.

  “What do you think?” John asked Daniel. “Do you think Morgan will be back?”

  “We didn’t exactly discourage him, did we?”

  ***

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Damon reined back his horse and stopped.

  “What are you doing?” asked Davis. “We need to keep moving. Someone will be coming after us when they discover we’re not in our cells.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Damon. “No one saw us leave this time so they won’t know which way we’ve gone.”

  “So, why have we stopped?”

  “I have to go back. I have unfinished business with Grayson for putting us in those cells.”

  “You did kill his men. He could have had you shot instead,” Peck pointed out.

  “And soon he’ll wish he had.”

  “It was your idea we go toward Oklahoma City to start over, so let’s go,” urged Peck.

  “We will, just as soon as I settle up with him.”

  “I don’t want any part of it,” blurted Davis. “We got away…for the second time. It’s stupid to push our luck and go back. I’m ready to move on and put this place behind us. It was a good five-year run while it lasted.”

  “I’m with the governor,” agreed Peck. “Let’s get away from here as far and as fast as we can.”

  “No!” yelled Damon. He took a deep breath, calming down. “Not before I do what I have to do.”

  “He’ll be heading back to Springfield anyway,” Peck pointed out. “He may have already left. Let it go.”

  “I don’t think so. Before, he wouldn’t rest until we were behind bars. You think he’s just going to write us off when he learns we’ve escaped again? I guarantee you that he won’t. So, until he’s eliminated, we’ll never be able to let down our guard. He’s got to go.”

  Peck and Davis went silent. This didn’t sound like the practical, level-headed thinking they’d come to expect from him. He’d never been one for emotional outbursts.

  There may have been some truth to what he’d said though. It was likely that the chief governor wouldn’t rest until they were hunted down and captured again or killed.

  “Are you going to kill everyone who wants you behind bars?” asked Peck. “If so, there are a lot of people on that list. And don’t forget about Grayson’s friend Blake. If you kill Grayson, you might as well kill him too, otherwise he won’t stop until we’re all dead.”

  “You’re probably right, so I’ll take care of him too. But I’ll get the most satisfaction by taking care of the great chief governor.”

  “We can’t go back,” pleaded Davis. “I won’t risk being put back in a cell or worse, as Peck pointed out. If you insist on going after Grayson, you’re doing it on your own.” He looked at Peck for support, but Peck remained silent. “Tell him you agree with me!” demanded Davis.

  Peck was ready to start over somewhere else, but if something happened to Damon, he’d be stuck with Davis. That
didn’t work for him. Davis was unreliable, helpless, and in his opinion, an idiot. He needed to make sure Damon returned. “I’ll go back with you,” he told Damon.

  Davis’ mouth gaped open, speechless. Slowly, he dismounted, tied the reins to a low-hanging branch, and sat at the base of the tree. “I’ll be right here, if you come back. It’s dark, so maybe you’ll get lucky and no one will see you. I’ll wait until first light and then I’m leaving.”

  Damon didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Enough time had already been wasted with this ridiculous discussion. Davis was right about one thing, since it was night, this would be his best opportunity. “We’ll be back,” he told Davis.

  Davis rested his head back against the tree. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Somehow, he’d get even with Peck for turning on him.

  Damon and Peck stopped at the edge of the community and dismounted. “I’m glad you decided to come along,” revealed Damon. “You said only one person recognized you, so as long as you don’t run into him again you should be able to move around freely and locate the governor. And while you’re there, find me a rifle.”

  “It may not be that easy,” said Peck. “There are others here who know me, like Grayson, Blake, Gant, Ryder, John, and the guard who remained here.”

  “Then you better be careful.”

  Peck knew he was being used again, and even though he didn’t like it, he’d become used to it and even expected it. He didn’t have much of a choice, he couldn’t stay in Sector 4 and he couldn’t survive alone out there. As long as he stayed with Davis and Damon he’d have to continue to perform menial tasks for them, but at least he would have a chance at survival. They’d never see him any different than as a grunt. He nodded agreement to Damon. Before heading into the community, he stopped and turned back to Damon, “Do you hear that?”

  Damon cocked his head and listened. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “Exactly. Don’t you find that odd?”

  Damon shrugged. “Not really. Didn’t we already have this talk? It’s late. Everyone should be asleep.”

  “I suppose. But don’t you find it a little disturbing they haven’t discovered you’ve escaped yet?” A grin came to his face. “Davis would have died of thirst by now.”

  “Just go find Grayson.”

  Peck passed by Tent City, seeing the flicker of light from campfires through the gaps in the car barrier, but didn’t see or hear anyone. He kept walking toward the prison compound, surprised to find a large gathering of the residents standing quietly, all looking down the south road.

  He approached a man at the back of the crowd. “What’s going on?”

  The man looked at him strangely, like he should know. “We’re waiting for the chief governor to come back.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The strangers took him, his man Blake, John, Ryder, and Gant hostage when they left with the supplies.”

  Peck acted shocked but inside was smiling. Every one of their enemies had been taken away. Damon should be glad to hear this. “Then what’s everyone waiting for? It’s the middle of the night.”

  “The strangers were supposed to let them go when they were a safe distance away.”

  “How long’s it been?”

  “Hours.”

  The fact that neither Grayson nor any of the others were anywhere near the compound was all he needed to know. He would tell Damon the chief governor had been hauled away by Morgan and his people. Hopefully, it would be enough to convince him to leave and move on. He wouldn’t mention that he was expected to come back.

  He couldn’t have planned this any better, rushing back to Damon, anxious to give him the news. He grinned all the way.

  When he told Damon the news, he was surprised by his reaction. He seemed disappointed, perhaps because he’d been deprived of his revenge.

  “So, can we go now?” asked Peck.

  “You go back to Davis and tell him we’re leaving,” instructed Damon. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled with the news. I’ll be along in a little while.”

  “And what are you going to do?”

  Damon ignored the question. “I see you found me a rifle.” He held out his hand for it.

  Peck had almost forgotten he had it. He unslung it from his shoulder and handed it over. He’d been lucky enough to find it in one of the tents he passed on his way back.

  Peck took a few steps, and then turned back to ask Damon specifically what he intended to do, but stopped when he realized it wasn’t worth the trouble. He probably wouldn’t tell him anyway. Peck returned to Davis and told him about Grayson and the others who had been taken away. Davis seemed as happy as Peck had been when he found out.

  Several minutes later, Damon re-joined Peck and Davis. He had a smug grin on his face that Peck and Davis both noticed immediately.

  “What have you done?” asked Davis.

  “Not much. Just a little payback. Ready to go?”

  ***

  The sun had been up for some time when Grayson and his companions returned to the community, the women in the buggy with Samuel and the men on foot. Sarah and Donna liked the “NEW EDEN” sign posted along the road at the edge of the community, showing their desire for a fresh beginning.

  A small group of die-hard and anxious residents were still waiting to meet them on their return. There was quite a fanfare with clapping and shouts of excitement, glad to see that Grayson and the others were all safe. After welcoming everyone back, the crowd began to disperse, tired and ready to get some rest after waiting up a good part of the night and into the morning.

  “When do you want to head back?” Samuel asked Sarah and Donna as he brought the buggy to a stop. “I’d like to get back as soon as possible. Emma will be worried.”

  “As soon as we gather a few supplies and horses,” answered John, who had been walking beside Sarah. “Then we can all ride back together.”

  “I’m staying here, for a little while anyway,” announced Ryder.

  John looked at him, puzzled. “Why?”

  “I’ve been thinking about it all the way back here. When Grayson, Blake, you, and Daniel leave here, these people will be vulnerable again. Even though most of the Guard are still here, they’re not organized. Someone needs to teach them how to protect the community and their supplies. I can help do that. I don’t think I’ll receive any argument from the Council.”

  “It didn’t seem to make a difference when all of us were here yesterday,” John pointed out. “Why do you think you’ll make a difference next time?”

  “They weren’t prepared for what happened. Next time they will be.”

  Grayson overheard Ryder, coming over to him. “I’m glad to hear you’re going to stay. Thank you for wanting to help these people. And I’ll do what I can to help you. How long do you plan to stay?”

  “Until I’m convinced they’re ready.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “Continue to make deliveries. Every bit will help until we get re-organized.” Ryder appreciated everything Grayson had done and his well-meaning intention to provide aid. But he was also to blame for establishing the location as a ‘safe haven’ while not providing the proper oversight and for putting a dictator in charge. Granted, his base of operation was four hundred miles away, but if he wasn’t going to do it right, the people may have been better off on their own. Ryder knew he had established other sectors, but perhaps he’d taken on more than he should have. He wondered if there had been similar problems at any of the other facilities.

  “I’ll keep the supplies coming,” claimed Grayson. “Blake, could you check on Davis and Damon. I’m sure they could use some food and water like I promised. I’ll check on the helicopter to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with. After a little rest, we’ll take them back to Springfield with us.”

  After Grayson left, Samuel came to Ryder. “I’m proud of you, Son. It’s a good thing that you’re doing for these people.”

  “They
don’t need much help. At Grayson’s suggestion, they already took a huge step by appointing a three-man council to oversee what goes on here and they have a guard keeping order in the supply room. However, they’ve gone a complete one-hundred-eighty degrees from when Davis was in control. Now, the supplies are too accessible. Gluttony and hoarding could become problems. And when word gets out, like it did with Morgan, others will come. Since most of the Guard stayed and are good men, organizing them will be easy. They’ll be ready next time.”

  “Can I stay?” asked Levi, listening in. “I‘d like to help too.”

  Samuel looked at Ryder. “It’s up to your brother.”

  Blake came running out the main doors of the prison, waving his arms and yelling to get their attention. Ryder ran to meet him at the fence. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Davis and Damon are gone!”

  “Get someone to help you search inside,” instructed Ryder. “We’ll search out here!”

  Blake hesitated before running off. He wasn’t used to taking orders from anyone other than Grayson.

  Jeremy, John, Daniel, and Levi joined them, curious about the commotion. “I can help,” Jeremy volunteered. The others who had been with him had returned to their families. “I’ll check the camps to the west.” He ran off without any acknowledgement from the others.

  “Daniel and I will check east to the corral,” said John. Before heading off, they went to their families.

  “Davis and Damon have escaped, again. Please stay here with Samuel while we try to find them before they get away,” said John. “They’re both dangerous and desperate.” He looked at Samuel, hoping it had been alright to volunteer him. Samuel smiled and nodded. Sarah started to object but kept quiet and nodded.

  Donna looked at Daniel. “Go ahead.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on them,” said Samuel, “with the help of the boys.” They perked up and beamed at being included.

  “How about inside Tent City?” Levi asked Ryder.

  “No need to look there. Neither Davis nor Damon would hide there,” Ryder assured him. “Why don’t you come with me? We have to hurry since we have no idea when they got out or how much of a head start they have.”