Children of Wrath

by Ryan King

"And could just as well be something," answered Evan. "And if it is something, then it's probably bad."

  The booming suddenly stopped. Joshua and Evan looked at each other with wide eyes.

  "It stopped," said Evan.

  "I know. Why?"

  "Let me go see," said Evan, running off before Joshua could say anything. Within a few minutes, he ran back.

  "They went outside!" Evan said. "They voted, and Kenneth and a couple others went to check it out, but they haven't come back yet."

  "It hasn't been that long," said Joshua.

  "Long enough for bandits to kill them," said Evan. "Maybe even long enough to skin them."

  "Why would they do that?" asked Joshua.

  "For clothes," explained Evan authoritatively. "Everything's running out topside. So people either run around naked, or they kill other people and make clothes out of their skins like people used to do with deer."

  "That doesn't happen," said Joshua.

  Evan looked at Joshua like he was a moron. "Whatever, dude." He looked at his watch. "Let me go check and see what's happening now." Then, he ran off again.

  "It's only been a few minutes," Joshua said, but it was too late. His guard was gone.

  Another fifteen minutes passed before Evan walked in slowly with his face slack.

  "What?" asked Joshua.

  "It was people doing it," said Joshua. "They know we're here. This is bad."

  "What people?" asked Joshua.

  "Who cares? Any people knowing where we are in not a good thing. It says so right in the bylaws."

  "What are they doing about it?" asked Joshua slowly.

  Evan looked at Joshua sharply. "Can you believe Meryl is going out to talk to them? What the hell does she think she can do? You can't reason with bandits looking to steal your skin."

  "Enough with the skin-stealing stuff. She's probably negotiating with them or something."

  Evan nodded. "That would make sense. We give them some people to skin and eat, and then they'll go away."

  "So now they not only wear people's skins, but eat them too?"

  "Who knows with these crazy sickos," said Evan. "Their brains are all fried from radiation and shit."

  "I don't think the radiation is that bad in this area," said Joshua.

  "You're just a little know-it-all, aren't you?" asked Evan defensively.

  "No," said Joshua. "I just don't think the radiation is that bad. We have radiation detectors that we use to measure that sort of thing. Unless you get around the cities, it's fairly safe."

  "These bandits might have come from the city," explained Evan. "You ever think of that, Mr. Know-It-All?"

  Joshua sighed and turned his back on Evan. "Can you go check again and see what's going on?" At least, that would get rid of the little shit for a while.

  "Good idea," said Evan running off.

  A half hour later, he heard steps and turned to find not only Evan, but Meryl and Kenneth as well.

  "Looks like you're going to get what you want after all," said Kenneth, unlocking Joshua's cell.

  "Ah, hell," said Evan, looking like he might be sick. "Meryl, it does make the most sense that it be Joshua here, but won't that just piss them off? They might feel cheated."

  "What?" said Meryl.

  Evan hooked a thumb in Joshua's direction. "I mean, look at him. A good bit of his skin is already burned up."

  "What?" said Kenneth and Meryl together.

  Joshua couldn't help but laugh. "He thinks you're throwing me out there as an offering to appease human-skin-wearing cannibal bandits."

  "Oh," said Kenneth, turning back to Joshua, "I wish it were that simple."

  Joshua's smile vanished. "What then?"

  Meryl sighed. "There's some man out there who claims to be your father and really wants to see you."

  "Dad?" said Joshua, not believing what he was hearing.

  "What's your father's name, son?" asked Kenneth.

  "Nathan Taylor."

  "What does he look like?" asked Meryl

  Joshua held his hand up to his chin. "Short, stocky but strong. Light hair like mine...like mine was. Probably has a beard, but I don't know. If he doesn't have a gun with him, something's really wrong."

  "Sounds like him," said Kenneth, throwing the door open.

  "Are you serious?" asked Joshua.

  "Yes, we're serious," said Meryl. "Now come on. The longer your father is up there with the ramp up, the more chance someone will see it."

  Joshua decided to roll with it. He jumped up, and as they walked out of the office, he grabbed his boot bag off the nearby shelf. Out in the hallway, Henry and Aaron were waiting.

  "We heard," said Henry.

  "Good for you," said Aaron. "No hard feelings, I hope."

  "You're coming too right?" asked Joshua, then turning to Meryl. "They get to come too."

  Meryl smiled sadly.

  "We're going to stay," said Henry.

  "But why?" asked Joshua.

  "We like it here," said Aaron.

  Henry looked embarrassed. "Nothing personal. But neither one of us has much to go back to the JP for. Here things are more like before. People are nice."

  "And they got karaoke," said Aaron.

  Joshua looked from one to the other. "We've got electricity in the JP. I'm sure there's a karaoke machine somewhere we can hook up."

  Aaron shook his head sadly. "It wouldn't be the same. Sorry, Josh."

  Henry held out his hand. "Best of luck."

  Anger threatened to consume Joshua. These men had turned on him, and Aaron had betrayed them. But they were also the men who had risked their lives to rescue him from death in the camp. He slowly reached out and grasped the man's hand and then Aaron's. "Good luck to both of you. Thanks for rescuing me."

  "Our pleasure," said Aaron. "Say hello to your dad for us."

  Henry looked at Aaron and then Joshua, "If it's all the same to you, don't mention it to anyone that we're here."

  "That goes for us too," said Meryl. "Your father has agreed to keep this place secret. I hope you will do the same. Although you didn't sign the bylaws, your friends did it for you in good faith."

  "No refunds I guess," asked Joshua.

  "Sorry," said Meryl. "It's in the—"

  "The bylaws," answered Joshua, "I know. You do realize you all can't stay down here forever, don't you?"

  Meryl nodded. "Just not yet. The time will come, just not now. We'll know."

  "I hope so," said Joshua. "Thanks for taking us in."

  "You didn't give us much choice," said Kenneth.

  "True," said Joshua, "but thanks anyway."

  Meryl was starting to tap her foot impatiently. "We need to move this along, folks."

  "Got it," said Joshua. "Bye, everyone." He was surprised to see the number of people who had gathered in the central dome and were waving back at him.

  He followed Kenneth and Meryl to the vault door where they were quickly locked in. As soon as the inner door sealed, the outer door opened. Joshua stepped through it and then turned when he saw they weren't following.

  "Farewell, Joshua," said Meryl, pushing a button to seal the outer door again.

  "Better run," said Kenneth, "unless you want to get smashed by the ramp.

  Joshua turned to see the upper ramp lowering down on the stairs. He sprinted upwards and made it though without having to dive. A moment later, the ground sealed, and for the life of him, Joshua couldn't tell when the opening had been.

  "Joshua?" asked a voice to his rear.

  He turned to see his father, grayer and gaunter, but Nathan Taylor nevertheless. Before he could start toward Nathan, the man was there holding him.

  "Ah, son," said Nathan, reaching up to tentatively touch his scalp. "What did those bastards do to you?"

  "It's a long story," said Joshua. "Maybe we should get out of here. I promised them we wouldn't do anything to compromise their location."

  "Good idea," said Nathan. "It's starting to get dark anyway
."

  "Damn, son," said an old man who seeming to appear out of nowhere. “You are in desperate need of a wig if anyone ever was."

  "You get used to it," said Joshua to the old man. "And who are you?"

  "Joshua meet Jack," said Nathan, "Jack meet Joshua. We'll have time for more formal introductions later. For now, let's get out of here."

  "Fine by me," said Jack.

  They walked across the field. As they converged on the motorcycle, they all stopped and looked at it and then at each other.

  "This should be interesting," said Jack and turned to Joshua. "Remember to lean."

  Chapter 8 - Doing One's Duty

  Beau Myers didn't want to leave his house. He had heard about Clarence Anderson's execution and still couldn't believe it. He would have preferred to stay home with Amy after all the time he had been in Missouri, but when the Head of the JP Defense summoned you, you answered.

  "Major Beau Myers reports as ordered, sir," he said.

  General Butch Matthews saluted back. "Have a seat, Major."

  Beau did and sat silently as the general looked at him.

  "I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about General Anderson," said Butch. "I know you two were close. He was a friend of mine too."

  "Thank you, sir," said Beau, trying to hold back emotions.

  Butch flipped open a folder and pulled out a report. "I also wanted to personally congratulate you on the superb execution of the mission in Missouri. Not very many officers could have done what you did. Clarence was right about you."

  Not knowing what to say, Beau simply nodded.

  "If I had my way, I would give you a medal, promote you, and put you in charge of something much, much larger."

  "Is there something else going on, sir?" asked Beau.

  Butch sighed heavily. "I've been given orders to relieve you and place you under arrest."

  "Whatever for? You said the mission was a success."

  "It was," said Butch. "This is about something else. Evidently, you've been implicated somehow in this whole Fulton Massacre horseshit. They want to try you down in Jackson."

  Beau's mouth hung open. "But I didn't do anything wrong. I actually stopped the men from killing prisoners."

  "I know," said Butch. "This is just awful."

  "This has to be a mistake, right?"

  "I don't think so, son," answered Butch. "To be honest, I think this is all about politics and power, which has nothing to do with the truth. It's unfortunate, and I'm sorry."

  Beau slumped in his chair. "So, am I to be placed under arrest?"

  "No," said Butch. "Handing you over for trial would be like handing you over to the slaughter."

  "But you've been given an order," said Beau.

  "I'm well aware of that, Major. Remember, I'm the one who told you about it."

  "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

  "I'm officially placing you under house arrest on your honor as an officer," said Butch. "By the time the police realize you haven't been given into their power, and I explain my misunderstanding of my instructions, you will be long gone."

  "Gone? You mean run?" asked Beau.

  "That's exactly what I mean," answered Butch. "There's a car downstairs; you'll climb into the trunk and then be transported to someplace in the Land Between the Lakes where Harold can keep an eye on you, but no one else can find you. Officially, you'll be a fugitive and a deserter."

  "Deserter," said Beau.

  "It's just a word," said Butch, "and in this regard, it doesn't mean anything. You have to do it."

  "What about Amy?" asked Beau. "I can't leave her."

  "Another car is picking her up now," said Butch. "My men will help her pack some things. She'll link up with you at LBL."

  "For how long?" asked Beau.

  "What do you mean?" said Butch.

  "Hiding in the woods," said Beau. "How long am I supposed to hide in the woods? The rest of my life? The rest of Amy's life?"

  "I don't think it will be that long," said Butch. "You may not be able to see it, but things are starting to fall apart. It won't be much longer."

  "What do I do then?"

  Butch smiled. "When we get to that point it will be easy. Just do what you can to protect your family and friends."

  Beau put his face in his hands. "I wish General Anderson were here."

  "Me too, son," said Butch, walking around his desk to place a hand on Beau's shoulder, "but he's not. It's up to us to do the rest. Can I count on you?"

  Beau nodded and then stood. "Yes sir. You can count on me."

  "Good," said Butch. “Now get the hell out of my office. Try to look sad and forlorn for everyone's benefit in the waiting area."

  "That won't be hard, sir," said Beau as he departed.

  Chapter 9 - The Burning City...Again

  CONFIDENTIAL REPORT

  EYES ONLY FOR: President Campbell, Vice President Schweitzer, and General Matthews

  SUBJECT: Situation Report

  FROM: Captain Frank Simm, Chief JP Federal Police

  Gentlemen,

  Although the official report will say that the shooting began when the protesters threw a Molotov cocktail, no one really knows for sure. There was confusion and anger and loud words. It was only to be expected that something would happen. Our soldiers and police withstood as much abuse as they could without giving ground and were finally forced to fire into the crowd to disperse them.

  Twenty-two civilians were grievously wounded. Thirteen died, including the chief protest organizer Pastor Guy Lancourt of the Freedom Baptist Church. As you ordered, Paducah has been put under martial law, but the protests and violence continue to spread.

  Colonel Timothy Brazen Walker was relieved of his position as the McCraken Country Regimental Commander under your executive order on grounds he was associated with the protests through his long-time friend and mentor, Lancourt. Although stripped of his title, Brazen's power does not appear to be significantly diminished. He has holed up in certain parts of the city, and his gangs and deserting regimentals fight our police and army to a standstill in scenes reminiscent of the situation here a year earlier.

  Given the grave state of affairs in Paducah, your decision to move the seat of government to Fulton may need to be more than temporary. I cannot tell you when we anticipate restoring control.

  The addition of the tank company has assisted greatly and has helped us take back the western part of the city, but we are now experiencing serious logistical problems. Brazen's forces have intercepted many of our fuel and supply shipments, and we can no longer afford to start the tanks for fear of being unable to move them again. Additionally, we are beginning to run low on medical supplies, small arms ammunition, and food. Also, the nights are getting cooler, and we only have summer uniforms. Any assistance you or General Matthews could provide in these regards would be greatly appreciated.

  At the vice president's suggestion, I sent a delegation of five senior and respected men to try to negotiate a cease-fire with Brazen Walker. He told the delegation that he would only negotiate through one mediator, Pastor Guy Lancourt. When the delegates informed Brazen that regrettably Lancourt had died, he stated that he knew and then proceeded to have all but one of our delegates strangled to death. He allowed one man to return unharmed to give us his answer.

  Our ability to send and receive reliable messages is now suspect due to Brazen's forces' sabotage of the electrical and telephone networks, and I must resort to sending messengers through couriers, which of course significantly delays the reporting. If you have satellite radios or phones, please send them soonest.

  Although I am confident of our eventual success, the situation is becoming grave. I recommend a concerted effort from the JP military and security forces to crush this insurrection. In the meantime, we will continue to resist and advance as the opportunity presents itself.

  Respectfully,

  ORIGINAL SIGNED

  Captain Frank Simm

  Butch read the report aga
in, laid the piece of paper on his desk, closed his eyes, and thought. Much in the report was new to him, especially the part about moving the council to Fulton, but he didn't doubt for a minute that everything in it was true.

  It had only been a day since he had sent Beau away. He was sure he would be summoned to explain himself to the president and vice president soon enough. Butch had no illusions that he would leave that meeting a free man despite his flimsy story.

  He looked on the wall of his office. There hung the framed American flag his battalion had presented to him in Jalalabad, Afghanistan so many years before in recognition of his time in command. He was seen as a good leader because he had only lost nine marines in the year-long tour. They said he had done his duty. That he had kept the faith and never despaired. Not forgotten his country.

  An old quote came to Butch's mind, unbidden. It was one he hadn't previously agreed with, from E. M. Forster: If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friends, I should hope I have the courage to betray my country.

  Butch picked up the report on his desk and carefully slid it into the shredder behind him.

  Chapter 10 - A Social Call

  Reggie had a sense of foreboding as he watched Ethan Schweitzer get out of a sedan in front of the Philips' house. Two large men in suits exited the vehicle and stood nearby as the vice president walked up the front sidewalk. Reggie watched it all frozen. He couldn't imagine any realistic scenario where this man would be at his house.

  As if in a dream, Reggie walked from the living room window to his front door. He opened it just as Ethan was raising his hand to knock.

  Ethan smiled at Reggie in surprise. "Good afternoon, Mr. Philips. Please pardon my dropping in on you, but I was in the area and realized it had been quite some time since we last spoke. Might I come in?"

  Reggie couldn't immediately think of a reason to refuse, so he nodded and held the door open.

  "Thank you so much," Ethan said, stepping in the door. He looked into the living room and saw Janice sitting in a chair, her one remaining leg up on a stool. "Oh, good afternoon, Mrs. Philips. Please forgive me for intruding. I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting you. My name is Ethan Schweitzer, from Tennessee. Your husband and I worked very closely together when he was in office. I have to say I sorely miss his sound council."