by Ryan King
"Are those the turbines?"
"Yes," answered Frederick, leaning out over the rail and pointing downward on either side of them. "There's the other two."
Joshua leaned out himself and looked each way to see two identical turbines on this side of the river. He could also see railed catwalks leading to the turbines on their side and two that led up over the river close to the cavern's ceiling. He also spotted a line on the wall with numbers indicating water height. "What do you do when it floods," he asked.
"Good question," Frederick asked, looking surprised. "You might be cut out for this work after all. You see those tubes over there?" He indicated two openings about a foot above the current water level. The openings were approximately three feet in diameter and covered with a wire grating. "When the water level gets too high, we open one or both of those to let the overflow out so the water doesn't get too high."
"And flood the cavern," said Joshua.
Frederick nodded. "Or worse, ruin the turbines and generators. There are two other similar tubes under the surface right now letting water flow through them. If the level gets too low, we close them off to raise the water higher."
"So what do we do?" Joshua asked.
"Mainly keep an eye on things," Frederick said, handing him a long pole with a metal hook on the end. "And make sure debris doesn't clog the turbine or tubes."
"Debris?"
Frederick nodded. "Yeah, you'd be amazed what comes down this river. Lots of openings up top before it gets down here and things get washed to us. Most of the time it's just branches or trash, but every now and then we'll get a body part or even a whole corpse."
"Seriously?" asked Joshua.
"Yes, seriously. Gotta keep them out of the turbines, or we have to shut it down to remove the body. And man, does a waterlogged rotting body stink. They don't like power stoppages up top, so we have to clear it quickly. Any loss of electricity makes everybody edgy."
"What do you do with the bodies?" asked Joshua.
"Just pull them loose and let them be on their way," answered Frederick. "I imagine they end up far underground or getting spit out into some river somewhere."
Joshua wasn't sure if he should be upset with this or not. It wasn't like they had an underground graveyard to give them a decent burial. He gazed at the overflow tubes.
"Where do those lead?" asked Joshua.
Frederick shrugged. "Don't know, but another good question. I imagine they dump into some other river or pond or lake to the east of here. There are schematics in the chart room we use to troubleshoot issues. You can probably look there later if you'd like."
"Sure, thanks," said Joshua, trying not to show his excitement.
"Okay, time to get to work," Frederick said, pointing at a small branch swirling in the water and headed toward them.
Chapter 10 - On the Other Side
Beau Myers finally got his tanks over the bridge and into their prepared defensive positions facing west. He eagerly gave the order to shut them all down, not even wanting to think how much fuel it had cost to move them up from the WTR border. He knew the big armored monsters well and gazed at each of the four carefully. Three were the original ones he had helped liberate during the conflict with the WTR and another they had taken from Milan afterwards.
"Can the men take a break?" asked First Sergeant Clemens, his senior NCO.
Beau shook his head. "Not until they checked out the tanks and topped them off again. Then, we need to go out there and clear any obstacles we can in our fields of fire.
"We could always get the infantry to do that," offered Clemens hopefully.
"I'll talk to them," said Beau, "but we know better than they do about our guns and their ranges. We'll have to make sure it's done right." Not waiting to get an answer, he climbed out of the M1 Abrams and then down to the ground and stretched. He saw a lean figure walking up to him.
"Are you Major Beau Myers?" the soldier asked.
"I am," answered Beau. "You must be Sergeant Billy Devers."
"Yes, sir," said Billy. "You'll understand if I don't salute; we're pretty much being watched all the time."
"Are you the senior person here?" Beau asked.
"Yes, sir." My platoon leader is still missing along with most of our original platoon. Major Carter sent me a few more squads and told me to hold here and run recons until an infantry company relieved us."
"Any word on the infantry company?" Beau asked.
Billy grinned wryly. "No, sir, and I wouldn't count on them any time soon."
"What happened to your platoon leader and the rest of your platoon?"
Billy told him the story. "We've been trying to gather as much info as we can. I'm pretty sure the main MA camp is to the west of here. Some think Sikeston. Others as far as Poplar Bluff."
"How large a force are we talking about?" asked Beau.
"Not sure," answered Billy. "Probably a few hundred men at least. We've seen a few Humvees, but nothing larger."
"What are your orders right now?" asked Beau.
"To provide security for your tanks," said Billy, "and of course to take orders from you."
"And your men are long-range recon, right?"
"Yes, sir," answered Billy, drawing himself up a little bit.
Beau nodded. "I think we can pull our own security for a while. It's wide open here, and I don't think anyone is going to sneak up on us."
"What would we do then, sir?"
"Go recon," answered Beau. "Do you know what my mission is?"
Billy shook his head.
Beau smiled. "I'm supposed to take my tanks and go hit the MA fast and hard. Destroy them if I can, but a good scattering would be just as acceptable. Might even find your lost squads in the process."
A smile had begun to form on Billy's face. "I think I understand, sir."
"I think you do too," answered Beau, "but just to be sure, I'll need locations, strengths, schedules, maps, routes, possible fuel points, and by all means, any heavy weapons you see. We'll also need to know the condition of any bridges and if they'll support tanks. Do you have radios?"
"Yes, sir," answered Billy.
"Good, let's make sure we're all on the same frequency before you head out. I'd like at least one of your squads here at all times in case I need them for something, but everyone else can be out there." Beau pointed vaguely toward the setting sun.
"I got it, sir," answered Billy, nearly hopping up and down.
"Carry on then," said Beau.
Billy turned and took off at a jog toward his men smoking in the shade of a nearby tree.
Beau felt his first sergeant at his side.
"They're not going to help us clear our field of fire, are they?" the first sergeant answered.
"Nope," answered Beau, "but I will. Let's get to it before we lose the light."
Chapter 11 - The Eye Snatcher
Despite his mother's warning to be careful, David found it hard to change. He still led patrols in his sector, but he did manage to keep his mouth shut—and his vague and outlandish plans for vengeance to himself.
"Let's go through the main town," David told his squad leaders as they rode on their mountain bikes. "Been a while since we were there."
Instead of following the usual route that would lead them to the bridge across Lake Barkley, they made a sharp turn to the right, and after several hand signals, fanned out on different streets to have a look at Cadiz's town square.
David didn't expect to encounter anything unusual. He just wanted to break up the monotony of the patrol. He was surprised when he saw several men ahead stop and look toward an abandoned Marquee movie theater.
Pulling up beside them, David looked in that direction, but didn't see anything. "What's going on?"
The man on the left shook his head. "I thought I heard something."
"Like what?" asked David.
He shook his head again. "Not sure. Might have been a cry or call for help. Probably nothing."
David l
ooked around and saw with approval that the rest of his recon squad had gathered around them in a defensive perimeter. "Well, we don't have anything else to do; you two come with me."
They pushed open the broken frame of what had once been a glass door. Inside, it was dark and smelled of old rat turds.
David looked to the men questioningly, but they both shrugged. He started to lead them into the main theater, but heard a noise from the floor above. He motioned for the two men to follow him and crept up the stairs as silently as possible. Taking the steps slowly, David eased around the top of the stairs and sensed an open area in front of him in the dark. He pressed the button on the front of his rifle to activate his flashlight.
Right in front of him was a man swinging a sword at his head. David dropped, and the metal flashed over him, taking his hat with it. He fired in the general direction of the man, but he sensed rather than saw in the dark that he had missed.
There was yelling and heavy steps from the stairs as his men rush up.
David triggered his light again and saw the man wielding the sword downward toward his head in a vicious two-handed stroke. He spun away and felt a catch and then a sharp burning in his left shoulder.
More flashlights and quick shots rang out as the men rounded the landing, but all they saw was the edge of a fleeing figure. One of the soldiers pulled out a flashlight to examine David while the other pursued the fleeing man.
"I'm fine," said David, seeing that it was only half an inch deep and confined to the muscle. It bled like hell and would require stitches, but no permanent damage. "Go get that bastard." The soldier nodded and took off toward where the man had vanished.
David triggered the flashlight on his rifle again and shone it around. In vivid stark contrast, he saw two dead figures propped against the far wall. A girl who looked about ten had been decapitated and then had the severed head carefully placed back in its rightful place. The boy was older but not by much, and he had several vicious wounds to his stomach and chest. Both had gaping vacant holes where their right eyes should have been.
"He got away," said one of the men as they returned. "Ran into the projector room and then out onto the balcony. Crazy nut jumped to the bottom and then got up and ran. We couldn't see where he went in the dark.
The other man was looking at where David's flashlight was shining. "That was the Eye Snatcher, wasn't it?'
David nodded. "Go tell the men outside to search the entire block. He might be holed up hiding if he's not still running. Go!"
The first man ran down the stairs yelling. The second kneeled down beside David and put a bandage on his shoulder.
"I thought those were only stories," the man said.
"We knew they weren't," David answered. "Too many bodies found this way. We just presumed it was a group of sickos. Might still be."
"Guy had a freaking sword," he said. "Can you believe that?"
"I sure can," said David, tilting his head toward his shoulder. "I'm just glad he didn't have a knife instead, or I'd be dead."
The first man came huffing back up the stairs. "We're looking, but nothing yet. He might have gotten away."
David nodded toward the two kids against the wall. "Let's get these two out of here and buried. Scavengers will be eating on them by nightfall otherwise."
"Who do you think they are?" asked the soldier who had bandaged him.
"Just kids," said David. "On their own more than likely. Trying to live another day."
"And didn't make it," said the second man.
"True," answered David. "It could happen to any of us."
Chapter 12 - Wheels In Motion
Nathan waited nervously in the back of the abandoned barn. He'd already searched the farmhouse and the surrounding area and found no one. It had been Conrad's idea to meet here instead of at Jack's cabin or his main house on the road.
"If this plan goes to shit," Conrad had told Nathan, "I don't want anything blowing back on Grandpa."
So together they had found this abandoned farm a few miles from Conrad's cabin. It was still isolated, but relatively easy to get to from the main highway. Nathan had spent a cold night there up in the loft and most of the next day pacing. Conrad was supposed to have been here by now, but Nathan figured he would wait as long as it took.
His head jerked up as he heard the unmistakable sound of a Humvee. Climbing up the ladder into the loft, Nathan peeked out through a crack in the boards and saw the military vehicle approaching the barn slowly. He could see Conrad sitting in the front passenger seat.
Climbing back down, Nathan waited and watched in the barn as he heard the engine turn off and several doors slam. Looking out, he saw Conrad wave two men forward. Both of them kept looking back at Conrad nervously.
"Conrad, sir," asked one, "what are we doing out here?"
Nathan noticed that neither one of the JP men had weapons, whereas Conrad had a pistol in his hand. He also realized why the two men were so nervous. They probably thought Conrad had brought them out here to kill them. Nathan stepped out of the shadows into the middle of the barn where they could see him.
The two men froze. Conrad smiled mischievously and holstered his pistol. Everyone stared at each other wordlessly.
"Holy shit," said one finally. "I think that's Nathan Taylor."
"Can't be," said the other. "He's too freaking short."
"I've heard he was short," said the other. "Besides what's that got to do with anything?"
"Hello," said Nathan. "Yes, I'm Nathan Taylor."
The first man leaned over toward the second one. "Told you so."
"Can you please give me your names, where you're from, and ranks?" Nathan asked. "Your JP ranks, not the MA crap."
The one on the left smiled. "Sir, I'm Corporal Edgar O'Reilly from Benton."
The man on the left answered. "I'm Specialist Tarl Summers from Atlanta. I was going to school at Murray State on N-Day," he added as explanation.
"Nice to meet you boys," said Nathan. "As I'm sure you have gathered by now, Conrad McKraven and I are working together. Our goal is to free you and every other JP soldier stuck in the MA."
Both men turned and looked at Conrad incredulously.
He waved playfully back at them using just the tips of his fingers.
"All right then," said Nathan. "I understand there are twenty-one of you in the camp."
"I guess," said Edgar. "I've only seen probably about half that."
"Me too," answered Tarl.
Nathan nodded. "Well, your first task is to make contact with the other nineteen JP soldiers in the camp."
"Sir," asked Edgar with a raised hand, "are you saying we have to go back? Can't we just escape...like...now?"
"And leave everyone else behind?" asked Tarl. "Some mate you are."
"Right," said Nathan. "Anyway, you'll need to locate them all and discreetly let them know that the plan is to escape."
"The MA will torture us if they find out," said Edgar.
"What's the plan?" asked Tarl.
Nathan looked back and forth at both men and made a quick decision. He pointed at Tarl. "Son, congratulations, you're now promoted to second lieutenant. You're in command of every JP soldier in that camp. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Tarl.
Edgar was smiling. "What about me sir? Am I going to be a lieutenant too?"
"Uh, no," said Nathan, unrolling a crudely drawn map with sketches on it. "Here is the perimeter of the camp." He indicated a series of markings that ran around the center camp roughly in a kidney shape. "And here is where Joshua, Henry, and Aaron got away."
"They got away?" said Edgar.
"We were told they died trying to escape," added Tarl.
"That's what we were told to tell everyone," Conrad said. "We still haven't found them and probably won't."
Edgar smiled and clapped Tarl on the shoulder. "I'll be."
Nathan smiled himself and then focused their attention back on the map. "This is where they went out
."
"At the main latrines," said Tarl. "Outside the perimeter."
"Yes," said Conrad, who had moved up to look at the map also. "It's wide open, but at night, black as hell."
"In five days," said Nathan, "the moon will be fully obscured."
Tarl smiled. "We're to sneak out at night when there's no moon."
"Right," said Nathan. "Five nights from now, all twenty-one of you will casually converge on the other side of this latrine. Stash your weapons, supplies, food, whatever you'll need ahead of time so it doesn't look suspicious for you to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night with all your kit."
"Midnight is the shift change," Conrad reminded Nathan.
"Yes," said Nathan. "The most confusing time is the shift change. Everyone makes their move at midnight. If someone questions you, talk your way out of it. If you can't do that, then get rid of them quietly. If you can't do that, at least don't screw it up for everyone else."
"Then what do we do?" asked Edgar.
"You come here," said Nathan. "Stay off the roads and stay silent. I don't have to tell you to treat it just like a recon into enemy territory. They might be hunting you, so move fast."
"What if we run into MA on the way?" Tarl asked.
"With twenty-one armed men?" asked Nathan. "You do what you got to do, but I'd feel comfortable taking on just about anyone with those numbers."
Tarl smiled. "Right."
"And whatever you do," said Conrad, "don't talk to me about any of this. You don't know me and I don't know you. Got it?"
Both men nodded.
"Seems simple enough to me," said Tarl.
"It's never that simple, Lieutenant," said Nathan. "Something will go wrong. Have no doubt. When it does, take charge of your men and use your best judgment. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Also, if something major happens before five days, like breaking camp or a large movement, move the timeline up to that night. This plan only works here."
"Understood, sir," said Tarl.