HADRON Dark Matter

by Stephen Arseneault

  Chapter 27

  _______________________

  The helicopter landed in the next field, extracting the final defenders before heading back to the cave. Everyone averted their eyes from the slaughter that was happening on the roadway below. Tears were held back as the anger welled up inside them.

  After landing at the cave, a decision was made to evacuate. Jasper held his ground and his shotgun as he rocked back and forth on the gift shop porch, refusing to budge from his beloved property. Don lifted off in the helicopter with Cam, Vanessa, Tonya, Jeff, and the two dogs.

  The RV was backed around and the trailer hooked up. As the rig came up the drive toward the roadway, the first of three trucks skidded to a stop. Dozens of high caliber bullets began to spider the bullet resistant glass of the heavily armored vehicle.

  Jane yelled. “Hang on! Gonna have to push 'em!”

  As the RV plowed into the first truck and the high torque hybrid drive engaged, the pickup began sliding backwards. As it pressed up against the second truck the RV powertrain showed its mettle. The third truck was collected and pushed with the first two.

  Jane was grinning. “Come on, you big buffalo! Push those swine off the road!”

  A fourth marauder vehicle, a sedan, skated across the grass on the road's edge, plowing into the left front wheel of the RV. Jane was thrown to the side striking her head against the glass. A small drip of blood ran down from her forehead as she pushed herself back into the captain's chair.

  The forty-five foot, heavily armored monster came to a sudden stop, the traction of the back wheels unable to overcome the now locked up left-front and the skid of the trucks it tried to push.

  Jane yelled, “Crap! Just lost the drive!”

  Mace popped open the front portal and began to spray the men outside. The door was opened, Johnny jumped out, finishing off the last two. The hum of approaching engines could be heard from down the road.

  Jane yelled, “Watch out! Taking us back!”

  The big rig began to slowly back down the drive, dragging the left front wheel across the asphalt. “It's no good! We have to leave her!”

  Mace, Jane, Johnny and Tres sprinted back down the drive and across to the gift shop. Jasper was collected from his chair by Johnny and carried the last fifty yards to the cave entrance in protest. As the five entered, a makeshift door was closed.

  Mace said, “Tres, you and Johnny bring up ammo. We have four portals to shoot through. We have lots of rounds, but we need to make them count. Jane, get Jasper to sit down and shut up. Then get back up here on this wall. You pop everything that moves out there. That will give us time to plan out a longer defense.”

  Mace yelled back to Johnny: “How sturdy is this wall?”

  Johnny nodded. “It'll hold. Two sheets of three-quarter plywood on the outside, six inches of packed dirt in the middle and another three quarter inch on the inside. Nothing they're shooting is coming through. Unless...”

  Mace asked, “Unless what?”

  Johnny shook his head as he set down a box loaded with prefilled magazines. “Unless they bring that cannon.”

  Mace let out a long breath. “OK, Jane, you see them positioning that cannon, anyone who is around it has to be taken out. I'm betting there are only a handful who know how to operate that thing. You take them down and that problem solves itself.”

  Jasper came waddling up the ramp. “Look, I'm sorry. I just got spooked. Tell me what I can do and I'll do it.”

  Mace said, “Can you prepare food?”

  Jasper scowled but nodded. “I can.”

  Mace replied, “Then scrape something up for us. We're gonna need our strength, and we may not have another chance to eat anything. Oh, and by the way. If they come through this entrance, you’re in charge of leading us out of here.”

  Jasper replied, “Out there?”

  Mace laughed. “No, you numbskull! Back through the caves!”

  Johnny set down a box of magazines and began to howl with laughter.

  Jasper again scowled. “Oh shut up, you overgrown moose!”

  Jane took aim. “One down! They're moving in on us!”

  Mace looked out through a portal. “We have a clear shot at that diesel and propane tank. If we have to, we'll take them out. Don't want them using our fuel against us.”

  Jane continued to pick away at the marauders as they moved down toward the gift shop. After the first half dozen deaths, the attackers quit coming.

  Jane said, “Been quiet out for ten minutes.”

  Johnny replied, “Listen, I don't hear any engines running out there.”

  Tres agreed, “Haven't been running for the last five.”

  Mace shook his head. They're still out there. A group like that will want revenge. They'll camp out here for a month if it takes that long to get it.”

  Tres said, “We've got food in here for three. And water. And hand-crank lanterns if we need light. If they want to camp out there for a month, let 'em.”

  Mace frowned. “They won't just be camping, they'll do whatever it takes to get in here.”

  A voice could be heard from above the cave mouth. “You in there! Come out peacefully and we'll let you go!”

  Johnny laughed. “They must think we're dumber than Jasper.”

  Jasper came back. “I heard that!”

  Johnny turned and grinned. Jane punched his arm with a scowl.

  Mace yelled out. “We aren't coming out, so you might as well go ahead and leave.”

  The voice replied, “I've taken a few minutes to analyze your attempted ambushes. Impressive. We could use people like you. All transgressions will be forgiven.”

  “Don't think that's gonna happen, Paco.”

  The voice hesitated before asking, “Is that meant as a slur against my ethnicity?”

  Johnny flinched. “What kind of an idiot is this guy?”

  He yelled out: “Doesn't much matter what color you are on the outside, a turd is the same color all the way through!”

  The voice replied, “I see. Then you have made my decision for me.”

  Mace shook his head. “Not trying to piss him off, are you?”

  Liquid began to splash down from above the cave mouth.

  Jane stepped back. “Gasoline!”

  A heavy thump and a roar told of its ignition. Flames flickered through the gun portals.

  The voice called down. “What kind of fighter builds a fortress out of wood? Didn't you study history?”

  Johnny pointed at Tres. “Hit the pump!”

  Water jetted from two nozzles positioned on each upper corner of the manufactured wall. The flames were soon dowsed, the gasoline rinsed from the face of the wood, burning out on the ground.

  Johnny yelled out with a grin. “Fighters with a sprinkler system, asshole!”

  Jane yelled at Johnny, “Enough, we aren't in a comedy faceoff here!”

  The voice again called down. “Inventive. But not effective for what's coming. And please be patient with me, I have other callings at the moment!”

  The remainder of the afternoon was quiet. The occasional body could be seen sprinting one way or another in the distance. The attackers remained, pinning them in the cave.

  The long afternoon turned into a sleepless night, followed by another long and uneventful day. On the third day, activity picked up. Engines could be heard approaching, along with the big diesels and their air brakes. The full force of the marauders had arrived.

  The cave top was quiet for fifteen minutes as the others rested back in the main room. Jane swiveled from side to side. “They're not in line of sight. I'm getting a bit nervous up here.”

  Johnny stepped forward. “Here, put on these goggles. That'll give you 3X at high resolution, and some eye protection.”

  Jane said, “I'm not as worried about my eyes as I am this wall crushing in on me from a cannon round.”

  Jane spun to the right, looking left. “Wait... I see movement to the left over behind the gift shop. And... it'
s the cannon. Four, no, five men moving it. OK, I have the guy directing them ID'd. And the loader. Come on, someone else show me something.”

  The wall was silent for several seconds before five short bursts left Jane's gun. “Hold it, one's still moving. And... done.”

  Mace said, “Did they load it?”

  “They did. Charge only though. Cannonball is sitting on the ground next to the guy that was holding it.”

  Mace glanced out the portal. “Think you can get a shot down that barrel?”

  Jane grinned. “I was just thinking the same thing. Give me a second to see if anyone else comes up to it.”

  Ten seconds of silence passed before two short bursts ignited the cannon charge. A thunderous boom echoed back and forth within the cave.

  Jane laughed. “OK, I know that was somebody dying there, but I have to admit, that was kind of fun.”

  Johnny said, “Who's working the comedy show now?”

  Jane replied, “Shut it.”

  Jasper chuckled.

  “I can hit anyone coming in contact with that cannon from this spot. They move it two feet to the left, not so much. Crap. They just parked a big truck in front of it.”

  “I would suggest the rest of you get back away from this wall. If they hit it, it's gonna be a mess in here.”

  Johnny said, “Baby, you don't have to do this.”

  Jane winced. “Oh but I do. If I can catch them before they light that fuse, they can't shoot that thing.”

  The others moved down the ramp.

  Mace said, “If you don't have a shot, get your ass back here.”

  Jane replied, “I got this. Hang on.”

  The engine of the truck came to life. As it slowly rolled back the cannon became exposed and Jane got her chance. A quick burst from her AR-15 saw the trigger man flop over before the fuse was lit.

  Jane grinned. “Turkey shoot. Who's next?”

  Several minutes passed before a long branch, lit with fire on the end, came into view.

  Jane frowned as she took several shots at it. “Not fair!”

  The cannon fuse was lit.

  Jane dove onto the ground as she yelled, “Incoming!”

  Seconds later, the cannon round impacted the cave mouth beside the door, blowing it half way from its hinges.

  Tres held his ears. “Where on Earth did they find live cannonballs?”

  Johnny sprinted up the gangway, rolling his wife over. “Jane?”

  Jane scowled. “Ears are ringing, can't hear a thing!”

  Johnny picked her up, running down the gangway as Mace ran up to the portal. “They're loading it. Don't have a clean shot. Time to fall back. Jasper! You’re up!”

  Jasper stood. “Bring what you can and follow me.”

  The group moved back in the cave, stopping to take up position where they had a final view of the door. Three additional cannon blasts took out three quarters of the makeshift wall. Daylight streamed into the mouth of the previously darkened cave.

  Voices could be heard from outside.

  The leader's voice sounded. “Trapped like rats! Still not too late to join us! As I said, all will be forgiven! We could use your talents!”

  Mace leaned out from around his corner position, pumping three slugs into the first silhouette that appeared in the entrance. “We'll take you down one at a time if we need to!”

  The voice came back. “Wasting your time. We pick up a dozen new members with every town we visit. There are leaders like me, there are followers like these people around me, and then there are victims like you. And you will be a victim, it's only a matter of time.”

  Mace yelled back: “And what makes you so qualified to be a leader?”

  The voice replied, “Not really sure. Just a natural ability, I guess. Before all this I wrote crime fiction. It was fun having characters who tortured, maimed and killed whenever they liked, taking whatever they wanted, but I have to say, doing it in real life is far more entertaining. I almost wonder why I didn't do this before.”

  Mace responded: “Should have your brain carved out and fed to the pigs. In fact, when I take you down, I think that's exactly what I will do!”

  The man could be heard yelling, “Bring those generators and fans around. Set them over here.”

  Johnny said, “If he's talking regular fans, that can only mean one thing—he's planning on pushing air into this cave. Jasper, tell me there is another way out.”

  Jasper replied, “There are several, but I haven't been all the way back to them. I mostly stayed on this end of the cave. Never was much of a climber, and those exits include some climbs, or so I've been told.”

  Mace shook his head. “If there are other exits, they'll be able to force air through here. Could be an attempt to smoke us out.”

  Jasper half frowned. “This is a big complex. We could find pockets to stay in that wouldn't be affected for days.”

  Jane added, “If they force us away from the entrance, who’s to say they don't move their smoke fires further in, keep pushing us back.”

  Jane yelled back, “Light your fires, asshole! We aren't scared!”

  The voice laughed. “Fires? Oh goodness no. Why waste time on fires when your chemist enjoys making arsenic pentafluoride! You can filter smoke for a time with a wet cloth. This, however, this is pervasive! You will be my first experimental rats! What a wondrous villain I would have made for one of my books!”

  Mace turned to Jasper. “You have to get us out of here.”

  Jasper shrugged. “I can take you to what I know, but that isn't out. I'm sorry, Mr. Hardy. I—“

  Automatic gunfire and yelling could be heard from the cave entrance.

  As Mace leaned out to look, Jane asked, “What is it? What's going on?”

  Screams of rage echoed, along with explosions. Thousands of gunshots sounded for most of ten minutes.

  As the din began to die down, Mace stood. “I'm going to check. Keep an eye on that entrance. You see anybody coming after me, take them out.”

  Johnny and Jane each positioned themselves for clean shots at the cave entrance. Mace sprinted down and across the floor before hopping back up on the gangway going out. He slowed as he reached the top.

  After several minutes, curiosity got the best of Jane. “I'm going up there.”

  Johnny and Jane dropped to a crawl as they came up behind a prone Mace. “What's going on?”

  “Someone is attacking the marauders. I can't see who. A couple dozen of them just ran up that hill.”

  Seconds later, the first of dozens of green camo uniforms emerged from the woods by the roadway.

  A Marine captain stood in the drive. “I want every one of those scumbags rounded up! Time they saw justice! Bowers! Take your men around through that field. Cut 'em off before they get to those woods!”

  Three Humvees and two dozen uniformed men scrambled down across the small creek and up into the field.

  Mace looked over to Johnny and Jane with a smile. “Looks like the good guys finally made it!”

  He stood with his gun raised over his head, walking slowly out on the ramp.

  The captain pointed. “We have a live one over here! Bring him to me!”

  Seconds later, a disarmed Mace Hardy was standing in front of the Marine captain. “Can't say I ever wanted to be rescued by a Marine, but thank you, Captain. There are four more of us they had trapped in that cave, including the owner.”

  The captain turned to the man next to him. “Lieutenant, go clear out that cave!”

  Mace said, “One second, Captain. I don't want anyone shot by mistake.”

  Mace yelled out, “Johnny, Jane! Come out with your guns up over your heads! Everyone!”

  The others emerged from the destruction surrounding the cave entrance with their weapons in the air.

  An ornery Jasper had his shotgun aiming at the ground.

  The lieutenant barked an order. “You! Get that weapon held high!”

  Jasper replied, “You want it held high, y
ou come do it yourself! I ain't got the arm strength to do that anymore!”

  The captain shook his head. “Now that sounds like a local.”

  Mace replied, “He's the owner.”

  A barrage of gunfire, lasting several minutes, erupted from a home up on the hill behind the cave. The last of the marauders would not be taken alive.

  When the final gunshot cracked, Johnny said, “Good riddance. That filth wasn't worth keeping alive to just lock up.”

  After validating the group's stories and gathering up the dead and the few that were captured, the military units that had come to their rescue packed up to leave.

  Mace asked, “Is this the start of the government trying to reestablish order?”

  The captain replied with a frown: “We still haven't received orders. We sent two teams of couriers out to our commanding base. They never returned. If they want to give us orders they will come out and do so.”

  Mace caught a glimpse of the patch on one of the men's arms. “Wait, that a Virginia National Guardsman?”

  The captain nodded. “As are most of these men. We came over from Bedford.”

  Mace said, “This is West Virginia. I would've thought you'd stop at the border. Glad you didn't, by the way.”

  The captain pointed up at the sky. “Your friend up there alerted us to this gang and what they were doing. I decided it was time to act.”

  Jane said, “Glad you killed that ass that was running this show—please tell me you did so.”

  The captain shook his head. “He was definitely crazy. We have four of his men. The rest fought to the death. His body is over there in front of the cannon.”

  Jane scowled. “Excuse me while I go spit on his dead face.”

  The captain held up his hand. “You won't find a face. He knelt in front of the cannon. Took his head clean off.”

  Jane walked toward the body. “Then I'll spit down his neck!”

  The captain turned and watched as the five-foot-four-inch woman stomped on and kicked the body repeatedly.

  The captain chuckled. “Doesn't hold a grudge, does she?”

  Johnny had a stunned look on his face. “Never did before. Sweetest woman you could ever know.”

  The captain sighed. “Well, folks, would love to hang out, but your friend told me thugs were running Roanoke. I suppose it’s time we reasserted control.”

  Mace asked, “Any word as to whether or not power will be coming back?”

  The captain shook his head. “You know as much as we do. For whatever reason, there have been no orders coming out of D.C. or from the governor. It's like they're all hiding out from something. You know those EM waves aren't coming from here, right? And they aren't natural.”

  Johnny said, “What's that supposed to mean?”

  The captain shrugged. “Draw your own conclusions.”

  Mace grabbed the captain's hand. “Thank you for your help, sir. If you ever find yourself in need of a place to shelter, try coming back here. You'll be most welcome.”

  The Guardsmen and their Marine captain emptied the back of a semi before loading it with the bodies of the dead. The captain gave a furtive nod as his transport pulled away, with the other vehicles following.

  Johnny said, “What you make of his comment about the interference?”

  “If it's not natural and not from us it has to be from someone. Maybe we're not as alone in this universe as we thought we were. Tres' little green men might be out there.”

  Johnny laughed. “Thought he said gray.”

  Tres replied, “You said gray. I said they may not be little.”

  Don landed the helicopter. Vanessa ran to meet Tres. Dr. Jeff walked over with the others, stopping on the porch of the gift shop where they stood. Jasper Collins rocked in his chair with his shotgun as Derwood and Molly settled at his feet.

  Don said, “I can't believe they made it.”

  Johnny replied, “They were just about to gas us in there. Those Guardsmen couldn't have arrived at a better time. Thanks for risking the bird to save us. I know they could have taken it from you.”

  “Bird's not important. This group is important. I'm just glad the captain was a reasonable man. I think he's been itching for an excuse to take action. The gang I described to him finally set that pot that had been simmering for the last few weeks boiling over. Hopefully, this is the start of order being restored.”

  Mace shook his head. “Order for us maybe. The rest of the world will be hitting starvation soon. Things could easily get just as nasty as we saw here, only the murderers and thugs could be normal families just trying to survive.”

  “Always the ray of sunshine,” said Johnny.

  Jane crossed her arms. “Looks like they were trying to fix the RV. Bum wheel's off of her.”

  Johnny hopped down from the porch, walking over for a look. “Axle looks OK. Frame is bent. We find a welder and Tres could probably fix her up.”

  Jane walked around and up into the cabin. “Uh, reeks of the unwashed in here. I bet wacko was looking to turn this into his parade bus for his crazy tour. Gonna take a month for me to fumigate this place.”

  Over the week that followed, the valley around Organ Cave returned to one of normal peace and tranquility, but a pall of sadness hung over her. Thirty homes around the cave complex had been burned to the ground, their residents chased away or killed. Three quarters of the town of Union had been executed on the roadway. The valley had been severely wounded. And time would not bring back those who were gone.

  The wall of the cave was rebuilt, supplies were stored, and trade with the local towns and co-ops reestablished. The wheel of the RV was fixed and the rig once again parked in its usual spot. A half dozen horses from a neighboring, burned-out farm now grazed the small pasture by the horse pen. The group was slowly getting back to their new normal.

  Mace stood by Don in the field, halfway to the helicopter.

  Don said, “Just making the standard run down to I-77, over through Blacksburg, and up by Roanoke. I can't stand not knowing if another one of those gangs are running around. Should be back in about forty-five minutes.”

  Mace replied, “I think we all want to know. After this, we really have to watch our fuel. Having that bird doesn't do us any good if we can't fill it up.”

  Once Don lifted off, Mace walked over to the porch where Jane was taking a rest from her morning chores. She stared at the cannon that now sat in the grass in front of the gift shop.

  Mace asked, “What's picking at your brain this morning?”

  “Am I the only one who thinks the wacko didn't blow his head off with that cannon? I mean, no doubt he was insane, but he didn't seem insane in that way.”

  “I had the same thought. My last trip to Caldwell, I asked around to see if anyone had come through there on that day. One van. It had a black man with a beard driving it, a big white man with a round bald head in the passenger seat, and a red-haired woman covered in tattoos, with a little red-haired boy in back. Barricade guard said they looked nervous, but no more so than any other car they ever stopped. They let them through. We have no way of knowing whether that was our guy or not.”

  “Hate to think he just skated away. I just don't understand how people can be that messed up.”

  “You put people in a desperate situation and you'll find a lot of us have at least a little of that in us. Not to justify what he did in any way, but maybe it just comes as part of being human. None of us are wired exactly the same. Leaves room for lots of errors.”

  Johnny walked up.

  Jasper said, “Speaking of errors...”

  Johnny looked at Jane and Mace as they both chuckled. “What? What'd I do?”

  Laughs persisted until Mace stood. “Come on, we have a lot to accomplish today if we want to keep this camp running. Hope you brought your boots. We have two dozen cattle we need to bring down the road to this pasture over here—owners were killed. We'll share the beef with anyone in the valley who needs it. It's getting time for us
to focus on the long term.”

  Johnny shook his head as he followed Mace off the porch. “End of the world and I end up a cowpoke. Go figure.”

  Mace stopped to look up at the sky. “Strange how something you can't even see can so wreck the world. We're a lot softer than we thought we were.”

  “Who's softer?”

  “People. We totally weren't prepared.”

  Johnny looked up. “You think we'll ever know what really happened?”

  Mace shook his head. “Who knows. We'll survive, if we can survive each other. But those who grow up after this... they're gonna have a hard life. We've only just had a taste of it.”

  Johnny chuckled. “You just keep pumping out the rainbows don't you.”