“We saw your campfires,” I said, attempting to bait him into admitting the fires were theirs.
“Those aren’t our fires,” he corrected.
Levi, Taylor, and I exchanged glances.
“That’s right,” he said, “those are the Guard fires.”
So, we had our answer, if we could believe him, we still had the Guard to contend with and now Raiders too.
“What did you want to talk about, taking everything we have or our surrender?” Taylor asked sarcastically.
I glared at him in a way he would notice and understand. We didn’t want to start any trouble. We had no idea how many more Raiders were waiting in the dark.
“Not at all,” the man said. “We’ve been watching you since you left the city and I’m here to offer our help. We don’t have any more use for the Guard than you do.”
“So, Levi was right, you are Raiders,” I stated, looking for confirmation.
He looked at Levi, once again attempting to make eye contact. Levi remained silent. “I’ve heard some call us that,” he said.
“What do you want in return for this help?” I asked, suspicious of his generous offer.
“Nothing, except maybe a new ally. We look forward to striking back at the Guard every chance we get. If helping you will do that, then we appreciate and look forward to the opportunity.”
He didn’t give me the impression of your typical thug, but more of an educated, reasonable, and rational man.
“As long as you know we’re not going to help you fight them,” proclaimed Levi.
“I understand. If there is any fighting to do, we will do it. Agreed?”
“How many men do you have?” I asked. “We only saw the three of you.”
“Enough,” he said, “but I didn’t mean we would strike at them directly, it was more figurative than literal. An indirect approach seems to work best for us. Any kind of trouble or harassment we can cause them is a treat.”
“What did you have in mind?” I asked. I could tell by the look Levi was giving me he didn’t like associating with this Raider.
“We know a thousand places to hide from them. We’re just offering to help you get away from them. By the way, where are you going?”
Exactly what I had been waiting for, the hidden agenda. They wanted to lose the Guard so they could follow us instead. I didn’t know if he knew about the valley or not and I wasn’t going to mention it. Levi sat in silence slowly shaking his head. He finally looked up at the man, eye-to-eye. The Raider just smiled.
“Well, it doesn’t matter,” said the man.
“We’re just trying to get as far away from Tent City as we can,” I offered. “No place in particular.”
He nodded and smiled a Cheshire cat type of smile. He obviously knew something I didn’t and he seemed to understand our lack of trust. After all, he was a stranger, and a Raider.
“No strings attached. We’ll help you get away and then if you like we’ll part ways as friends. The satisfaction of helping you and making the Guard look like idiots is the only reward we need.”
“Would you mind if we talked it over?” I asked.
“Please,” he said, standing and walking away to the edge of the campfire light.
We huddled close together.
“Should we accept his offer?” I asked the others.
“We don’t need him. We’ll be fine without his help,” commented Levi.
“I don’t trust him,” said Taylor, “but that’s not the point. If he can protect us from the Guard and he’s willing to deal with them, it could be worth the risk. We can worry about him later. Then we’ll be eliminating one of our problems.”
“I agree,” I said. “Levi? What do you think?”
He remained silent for a moment. “Whatever you think, John. I guess a little temporary help couldn’t hurt.”
I turned to face the man. He was still smiling. His disposition was a far cry from what I had expected from a Raider.
“We’ve decided to take you up on your offer,” I said.
“Good! I’m so glad. Please start gathering your things together and break camp. I’ll let my friends know you’ve accepted my offer and we’ll be leaving soon.”
“You should know there are more than just the three of us,” I informed him.
“Yes, I know,” he said, smiling, “a woman and two almost grown children.”
As he began walking away, I asked, “What do we call you?”
“Ryder,” answered Levi. Ryder showed a huge smile and gave us a wink. Obviously, I had missed something. Wait a second. I knew that name. This was Samuel’s other son and Levi’s brother.
* * *
Chapter 9
Days went by and Governor Davis became concerned when he hadn’t received any news about the escaped family. He was afraid the workers would see him as weak or his Guard as incompetent. If the family of workers had been able to escape and evade capture so easily, he was sure others would attempt it. And he couldn’t have that. The family needed to be brought back to serve as an example and a deterrent, especially the mother. And if the aid of the father was confirmed, he would experience a worse death than one of hunger and thirst in the wasteland. The children would go unharmed, but would be forced to witness the punishment of both parents. After all, they were still a valuable asset and would provide many years of service.
By now, the entire city knew what had happened and that the Guard had been sent to bring them back. Silently, the residents of Tent City were rooting for the Thomas family, but were also curious as to what would happen if they were returned. The governor was quick to announce a warning, if anyone else attempted to leave, punishment would be swift and extreme. Davis summoned Damon to his office.
“Counselor, what news do you have to report about the search?” asked Davis.
“I’m sorry, Governor. It would seem they’ve disappeared. I have sent word to the men to keep looking. I’m confident they will be successful.”
“It’s been three days! The Guard should have found them by now.”
“I know, sir. We think they may have received help.”
“Help? Help from whom?”
“The Raiders.”
Governor Davis swore loudly as he picked up a polished stone paperweight and threw it at the concrete wall, shattering into hundreds of pieces. The prison, containing the governor’s residence, had been overdesigned and built to withstand the test of time and any of nature’s destructive forces, including earthquakes.
“I thought you had the Raiders under control?” asked Davis.
“Governor, the only times we see them is when they ambush our men while they’re making collections. They strike without any warning.”
“Do you think these recent workers have joined with them?”
“I don’t know, sir.” He paused. “I have learned something else you should be aware of. It has been confirmed the father of the escaped family did help them to get away. He returned after being sent to the wasteland during the last culling two months ago.”
“How is that possible? The only way he could have survived for that long out there is if he had help. Do you think he was rescued by the Raiders?”
“It’s a possibility, sir.”
“Who else could it be? He couldn’t have survived on his own.”
“If that’s true, then it brings up another question. Have any of the others taken to the wasteland joined the Raiders too?”
“If so, their numbers would be growing along with our problems,” determined Davis. “It would explain why the raids have become more frequent. These people were taken to the wasteland because they were obsolete and food was too precious to waste on them. Now, they are stealing the food they were once denied. We can’t let this continue. I want you to send more of the Guard to help in the search for those workers. Their orders now include eliminating any Raiders encountered, but I still want the workers returned here alive, if at all possible. We must make an example out of them
.”
* * *
Ryder led us through an area of rocky terrain, making it extremely difficult for anyone to pick up our trail. Very few words were exchanged between him and his brother. Something had happened in the past, but neither was willing to talk about it.
I was still wary of Ryder, not fully believing he was doing this out of the kindness of his heart. Now that I knew he was Samuel’s son, I could see similar mannerisms, especially their disposition, but he was also a Raider. Perhaps that was what Levi had a problem with.
After two days with Ryder and his men, we hadn’t seen any signs of anyone behind us or anywhere else. Without any sign of danger, Levi came to me and suggested it was time to go our own way and let Ryder go his. I’d say we discussed it, but that wasn’t easy to do with him. I kind of liked having Ryder around, just in case, but Levi wanted him gone. Whatever had happened between them seemed to have stuck with Levi more than his brother. Ryder didn’t appear to hold any animosity against Levi.
At camp that evening we approached Ryder and told him we appreciated his help, but since it appeared we were out of danger, perhaps it was time to go our own ways. He didn’t seem surprised or offended, just giving us a pleasant all-knowing smile.
“If that’s what you want. We can give you some supplies in the morning for your journey. Are you sure you wouldn’t like an escort a little further?”
“Thanks for the offer,” I said, “but I think we’ll be alright.”
“Okay. Then I hope you have a safe journey.”
The next morning we said our goodbyes and thanked them once again for all their help. Levi remained silent, standing at the edge of the camp, waiting impatiently for us. Ryder smiled and waved. The six of us set out on our own, Sarah and Cindy riding the horse together.
After we were out of earshot, I asked Levi, “Do you know where we are?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, you know where Paradise is from here?”
“Yeah.”
I looked at Sarah and the others and shrugged. Sarah found Levi’s reluctance or inability to carry on a conversation amusing. I just found it frustrating. We’d just have to trust that he did know. However, I couldn’t help having second thoughts and wondering if we should have asked Ryder to stay with us. Evidently, there wasn’t any reason now to keep our destination a secret. It was where he had been raised.
Regardless, we were back on our own. And over the next few days, I continued to check behind us, unable to shake a feeling of uneasiness as though someone was watching. First watch tonight was my turn. Christopher joined me on a hilltop where I had a good vantage point. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. It was a beautiful night. Whether it was his or his mother’s idea to join me, I didn’t know and it didn’t matter. I was just glad he was there with me.
I watched as Levi disappeared into the brush every so often, always coming back after only a few minutes. I suppose he was checking things out on his own. Taylor though, seemed perfectly at ease, sitting by the campfire chatting with Sarah and Cindy. Even though he had initially complained, it seemed he had become comfortable with doing nothing and having no responsibilities. I couldn’t shake a feeling of uneasiness about him. My children, on the other hand, seemed to have accepted him fully. But they had an excuse; they were young and naive, easily swayed by a kind word and a friendly smile. I think Sarah was still trying to make up her mind. My gut told me he shouldn’t be trusted. I couldn’t understand why they refused to see it.
Christopher stayed with me all night, and even though he was asleep most of the time, it was nice to have him with me. The night passed without incident, all remaining quiet. Levi joined us at dawn, wanting to leave early, telling us we could be at Paradise by the end of the day if we pushed through. I hadn’t realized we were so close, but it put me a bit more at ease. I was anxious for my family to see our new home. I had attempted to describe the valley, but I knew my words had been inadequate. No words could do it justice. Only when they saw it first hand would they fully understand.
After a long hard day, stopping only long enough to tend to the horse, the sun began to set. It was appearing as though we weren’t going to make it there today after all. Then we heard a church bell begin to ring repeatedly. I let out a sigh of relief, explaining to Sarah, Christopher, and Cindy what it meant. We were almost there. Smiles immediately appeared on their faces. Cindy squealed with delight. The sound of the bell was loud, letting me know we were close. I still couldn’t see anything other than the same arid and desolate wasteland we had been traveling through. Then a man appeared on the horizon on the trail directly in front of us. When we were close enough I recognized it was Samuel. The sentries had probably seen us coming when we were still a ways off. As we walked toward him, the valley began to open up. Levi was the first to reach Samuel, handing him the special bag from Sector 4. Samuel patted him on the back as Levi continued down the sloping trail into town, never saying a word.
“John, I’m glad to see you made it back,” said Samuel, shaking my hand, “and this must be your family.”
“Samuel, I’d like you to meet my wife, Sarah, and our two children, Christopher and Cindy.”
Taking Sarah’s hand, “It’s very nice to meet all of you.” He then looked at Taylor. “John, who’s this?”
“This is Taylor Grey. He heard us talking about Paradise, so, we didn’t have much choice except to bring him along. Sorry.”
“Thanks for the great introduction,” said Taylor sarcastically.
“It’s not a problem,” said Samuel. “We’re glad to have you here, Taylor.”
“Thanks,” said Taylor. “It’s not like I had somewhere else to go.”
“Did you explain the conditions, John?” asked Samuel.
“No, it never came up.”
“That’s okay. I’ll explain everything tomorrow. Right now there is a group at Town Hall ready to welcome you all here.”
“We met your other son, Ryder, on the trail,” I mentioned. “He traveled part of the way with us after helping us get away from the Guard.”
“Really? How is he? Is he coming?” asked Samuel. “His mother will want to know.”
“He looked fine, but I don’t think he’s coming,” I said.
“That’s too bad. I mean about the not coming.”
We walked over to where Sarah, the children, and Taylor were already standing near the rim, staring out over the valley.
The dimming sky was still light enough to see the valley clearly. It appeared to be even more beautiful and peaceful than I remembered. Sarah had her hands on both sides of her face, as though she were holding her head steady from the staggering view.
“John, it’s beautiful. It’s everything you said it was and more,” said Sarah.
“Yeah, Dad, this is great,” echoed Christopher. “This is a lot better than Tent City.”
“Very nice,” said Taylor. “It’s amazing it’s been a secret for so long.”
I didn’t like the way Taylor said it or the smirk on his face. His expression wasn’t just the joy of finally arriving here. There was something else, something sinister behind his eyes.
“Yes, and we expect to keep it that way,” said Samuel. “We’ve been very blessed and I’m afraid it wouldn’t last very long like this if the governor of Sector 4 found out about it.”
We followed Samuel down the switchback trail as it sloped toward town. A small group of familiar faces was waiting for us at Town Hall with Jill, Paul, and Gary in the foreground. It was good to see them again. They must have come when they heard the church bell begin to ring. Jill rushed past Sarah and gave me a hug that lasted a bit too long. I looked at Sarah who raised an eyebrow and gave me a knowing smile. When Jill had set me free, I introduced Sarah to my former travel companions and friends.
Even though a potluck dinner had been prepared, we were more tired than hungry, exhausted from the long day and ready for a good nights sleep. Since arriving and being back with friends, I ha
d let down my guard, realizing how tired I really was. The people who had come to welcome me back and to meet my family had started to leave, one and two at a time. Sarah helped a couple of the ladies clean up before they left. Soon we were alone with Samuel and my former traveling companions. We gathered at one end of the long community table.
“Did anything exciting happen while I was away?” I asked the group.
“Nothing here. We’re more interested in what happened with you,” said Paul.
“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” I asked.
“We’ll make sure you don’t forget,” said Jill.
“And tomorrow we don’t want you to leave out any of the details,” said Gary, as the three got up from the table to leave.
“We’ll walk with you,” I said.
“I think we’re going to turn in now,” I told Samuel. “It’s been a long day. I really appreciate everyone coming to welcome my family.” I began to direct my family toward the door behind Jill, Gary, and Paul.
My cozy cabin had been fine for one person, but it was going to be a tight fit for four.
“You may want to sleep upstairs tonight,” Samuel suggested. “We’ve been preparing you and your family more suitable quarters, a larger cabin. Unfortunately, it’s not quite ready yet.”
I saw an expression of uncertainty cross my previous traveling companion’s faces. I was sure they were recalling our first night in the upstairs room, behind locked doors.
“With real walls?” asked Sarah, her expression of surprise and joy was priceless. We’d all been living in a tent for five years now. Real walls would be a welcome change.
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