All were staring straight ahead with blank stares and carrying weapons, from shovels to pitchforks and pickaxes.
“Is that who I think it is?” I asked out loud. “Look at the lead guys,” I told Jake, as he looked through his binoculars.
“No way!” he remarked. “Is that Ronna?”
“It can’t be,” said Lonnie, reaching for my binoculars.
“I thought he was dead,” said Mike.
“Me too, but we never actually saw him,” Lonnie added. “Could have been anyone falling out of that helicopter, I guess.”
The marchers were flanked on either side by men with rifles. The entire procession was backed up by twelve vehicles that we could see, with most pulling trailers.
“The vehicles,” Jake called out, “they’re military.”
Getting my binoculars back, I observed an elderly man fall out of line and on to his knees. One of the guards shot him in the back of the head without missing a step.
The rest of the walkers were not even phased. No one stopped to intervene or look; they all stared straight ahead and marched.
“That’s not good,” said Jake, watching the commotion.
“Where do you think they’re headed?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” said Lonnie, “but I damn sure don’t want to be in their way.”
Everyone helped, even the kids. We were crudely loaded up in 15 minutes. Not the best pack job we had done so far, but it would have to do until we could fix it.
Joy and Tina initiated the Hendrix Plan and got a full count.
“We’re going to head north for about an hour to get some distance between us. Then we’ll take another look at the map,” announced Lonnie.
Jake and I discussed the marchers as our caravan headed north.
“Is Ronna working with the military?” I asked him, already knowing the answer.
“The group is three times the size it was just a couple days ago. How did they get this far?” he asked.
I didn’t have any answers but replied that we need to spend some more time on the radio and see what we can find out.
Lonnie stopped our group about an hour later to repack from the morning and decide the route forward.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Six ~ Saddle Ranch Loveland, Colorado
Mac headed back up to the Ranch with a permanent smile. He hadn’t felt this way in a very long time. He hoped John and Bill would understand and approve of his feelings for Sarah.
He had planned to wait a few days to discuss it with them, when he saw Bill walking just up ahead.
Maybe I can detour, he thought, just as Bill spotted him.
“What’s the story?” asked Bill, with a slight grin and raised eyebrows as Mac pulled up.
“There are only two things that make a man smile like that. And I’m pretty sure you didn’t just win the lottery,” he continued.
“Well, it’s Sarah…I mean…Dr. Melton,” said Mac. “I showed her around the property, as you know, and I may have had some lunch with her up on the hill earlier.”
“I appreciate your honesty,” remarked Bill, “but this is a situation that could have consequences down the road. Does Samuel know?”
“Sarah said he knows and is okay with it,” Mac replied.
“I’ll check on that,” said Bill. “No more lunch dates or anything besides your medical visits until I get back with you. Are we agreed?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Mac.
Bill was headed down to see John and thought it best to find Samuel and get this out in the open before it caused any issues between the groups.
Samuel was in the machine shop, checking on the new mechanics he had recently acquired.
He had been in the shop for more than an hour, and it was evident that one of the new hires named Jimmy was an asset to the group. He was observed to be a hard worker and fell in with the others like he had been there for years. The other recent hire was not.
It took all of five minutes for Bill to observe that this man was lazy, argumentative, and didn’t fit in with the other mechanics.
“Well,” said Samuel when he saw Bill. “We hired two and got one good one.
“Ralph!” called Samuel in a stern voice that Bill had never heard before. “Let’s talk over here for a minute.”
“When I’m done!” yelled the man, without turning around, as he continued hammering a piece of steel.
The other mechanics stood in amazement as he ignored Samuel.
“You had better get your butt over there, and quick!” said one of the veteran mechanics to Ralph.
“Or what?” he replied in a sarcastic tone. “He can’t fire me. I’m not even getting paid.”
“Ralph!” Samuel said in a loud voice. “Let’s talk outside now!”
Ralph turned, beat red, his face contorting from smug to rage. He was walking fast, with his hammer tightly clenched in his right hand, towards Samuel and Bill.
As he neared the halfway point across the garage, Bill could hear his mumbling voice saying, “Nobody talks to me that way,” over and over.
“Samuel, please step outside and close the door,” said Bill.
Samuel hesitated but did as he was asked.
Bill was talking calmly to Ralph as he advanced, raising his hammer over his right shoulder.
Thirty feet, thought Bill, as he attempted to calm the man down…
Twenty feet, as Bill drew his Glock 17 from his holster, leveling it at the man.
Fifteen feet, as Bill yelled, “Stop!”
The man with the hammer didn’t seem to hear or care about the orders given.
“Ten feet…nine…last chance!” yelled Bill. “Don’t make me do this!”
Ralph was shouting an inaudible cry, like he was going into battle on the front lines.
Everyone in the shop was focused on Ralph and didn’t see Jimmy coming up behind him at a full run.
Bill saw him at the last second and held his fire as Jimmy jumped on Ralph’s back, wrapping his left forearm around Ralph’s throat, arching his back and blocking the swinging hammer with his right arm.
Bill watched in slow motion as Jimmy squeezed the man’s neck. Ralph dropped the hammer and was frantically clawing at his throat, while Jimmy slowly lowered him to the floor without any sound or emotion.
“Just tell me when,” said Jimmy to Bill, as Ralph stopped struggling.
“Now,” replied Bill, “let him go.”
Jimmy did as instructed and slowly released his chokehold on the now-unconscious former mechanic.
Samuel burst in the back door with two of the new doctors he had just hired. He wanted to know everything that happened while the doctors tended to Ralph.
“He’s breathing,” one of them called out.
“Let’s be real careful with him when he comes to,” instructed Bill.
A minute later Ralph was awake, as his hands and feet were being bound with electrical tape.
“You’ll untie me right now, if you idiots know what’s good for you,” he spat out.
Everyone ignored him, and Samuel pulled Bill aside. He wanted to know everything that happened after he left the machine shop.
When Bill was finished, Samuel stated bluntly, “Now I’m down two mechanics.”
“What do you mean, two?” asked Bill.
“We are not a violent group, as I told you before,” Samuel continued, “so they both have to go.”
“Do you mind if I give you my two cents?” asked Bill, as more of a statement than a question.
He continued, “With all due respect, Samuel, neither of our groups condone violence, but it’s here on our soil. Jimmy is a hired hand, and I’m guessing he does not practice your beliefs.
“He just saved someone’s life, maybe Ralph’s…maybe mine, or even yours. He seems like a good man to have around, if you ask me.
“Jimmy could have easily killed Ralph, but he didn’t. He neutralized a potentially deadly situation without a weapon, and stopped when
told to do so.
“I think you should keep him around, but if you decide not to, I’ll talk to John about keeping him on with us at the Ranch.”
“I’ll think on it,” said Samuel, as he asked for Ralph’s wife and 10-year-old boy to be brought to the machine shop with their belongings.
Twenty minutes later she walked up with her son and their belongings in a wheelbarrow, escorted by two of Samuel’s men.
When Ralph saw her crying, he began swearing at her. “What did you tell them, you ungrateful woman? And where’s the rest of our stuff?!” he yelled, realizing only his belongings were in the wheelbarrow.
“Samuel, can we talk over here?” his men asked, pointing to the side of the shop out of ear reach of the others. “You too, Bill?” they asked respectfully.
When Bill and Samuel reached the woman and her boy, her crying was uncontrollable as she fell to her knees in front of them.
“Please, please don’t let him take us,” she begged.
“Ma’am, you and the boy are his family, and that’s not any business of ours,” said Samuel sternly.
She stood without a word, and her crying all but stopped. She proceeded to lift her shirt to just below the bra line, revealing a bruised and battered torso. Dark black bruises appeared recent and were intertwined with pale yellow ones from previous encounters.
Bill and Samuel shared a look that was both sympathetic and concerning.
“Son,” Samuel asked her boy, “do you know anything about this?”
The boy said nothing, staring at the ground. He was shaking, and a dark stain ran down the legs of his jeans.
“It’s okay, son,” he continued. “I know you’re scared, but you can talk to me.”
“Joshua,” said his mother, “please stand up straight and pull up your shirt.”
He did as he was told and revealed bruises much the same as his mother’s.
“Did your father do this to you and your mother?” asked Samuel.
“Yes,” Joshua replied. He was still looking at the ground. “He…” the boy started to say, and then said, “Never mind.”
“It’s okay,” said Bill. “Go on, we’re listening.”
He looked at his mom for approval to continue. “At first,” he said, “he used to hit her in the face, but he got in trouble. Now he hits us where nobody can see.”
“Doesn’t anyone hear you?” asked Bill.
“No, sir,” he replied. “We used to scream, but no one ever came, and it just made my dad even madder. Now we…me and my mom…stay quiet.”
“Son, listen to me, because this is very important. Your dad is leaving this place very soon,” said Samuel, “and I need to hear from you if you want to go with him or stay here with your mom. Once he’s gone, you won’t see him again.”
“I know he’s my dad,” said Joshua, “but I hate what he does to us. I only want to be with my mom,” he said, looking Samuel in the eye.
“Okay, you both go on back to your house and I’ll send Dr. Melton up to check on you in just a bit,” said Samuel.
“Thank you so much,” Joshua’s mom said. “My name is Patty, and this, of course, is Joshua. I know you weren’t expecting to take in two extra people, but I can contribute as a chef or anything else the group needs to be done.”
“I’m sorry we didn’t meet before this. It’s good to meet you, Patty, and you, Joshua. My name is Samuel. And we could always use an extra chef in the kitchen. If you need anything, you ask for me.”
“Mind if I help you take care of this?” Bill asked Samuel.
“Sure, old friend,” Samuel replied. “I have some other matters to attend to.”
Bill radioed Mac. “I need you down at the West property right away.”
“Uh,” replied Mac in a panic. “You already talked to Samuel?”
“Not yet,” replied Bill. “It’s something else I need your help with. Meet me at the machine shop with a couple of your guys.”
“Be there in ten,” said Mac.
Mac gathered two of his best men and headed down the road. All he could think about was Sarah. Bill said he hadn’t talked to Samuel, so it can’t be about that, he thought.
Pulling up to the machine shop, Mac was calmed by the image of the 250-or-more-pound Ralph, bound by his hands and feet. This I can deal with, he thought to himself.
Bill filled him and his guys in with the details and tasked them with removing the former mechanic from the property.
Before Bill left, Mac pulled him aside and asked, “Please let me know when you talk to Samuel. I’m real nervous about it.”
“Ha!” said Bill. “You’re tough as nails, Mac, but I get it. Can’t promise anything, but I’ll try to get it done while you’re escorting this man over here off the premises.”
“Thanks, Bill.”
Mac glanced over toward the hospital, about 30 yards away, and saw Sarah standing outside. She gave a quick wave and walked back inside.
“Okay,” said Mac. “Let’s get this done.”
Without having Ralph try to walk, all three men lifted him into the back of Samuel’s pickup truck.
“Sorry, boys, that I couldn’t help much, but I only have one good arm for now,” announced Mac.
From the start of the short trip down the valley, Ralph was swearing and threatening everyone…from his wife and boy to Samuel, and now Mac.
“Let’s put one piece of tape over his mouth, so he can hear my exit instructions clearly,” said Mac.
Once the tape was secured in place and Ralph quieted down, they were at the south perimeter. The very place they had recruited him from just a day earlier.
“Okay, Ralph,” said Mac. “Here’s the deal.
“The kind of man who beats his wife and boy has no place in this valley. You will be leaving without them, and you won’t be back.
“Truth be told, I’m the last person who would want to split up a family, but yours needs splittin’,” he said, as he ripped the tape off Ralph’s mouth.
“You’re just trying to get to my wife,” Ralph spat out.
“I can assure you,” replied Mac, “that is the furthest thing from my mind.” He fought hard to hold back a grin, as he thought about Sarah and the best date he had ever been on in his life just a couple hours ago.
“We’re going to cut you loose in a minute, but I want us all to be on the same page here.
“You ever watch Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, Ralph?” asked Mac.
“What’s that got to do with shit?” asked Ralph.
“Well, when they get a hostile animal that they are about to release, there is a proper way it’s done. Now, the interesting thing is that the animal always runs away when released and doesn’t turn back.
“Can you imagine,” Mac continued, “if that animal were to turn on the very people who released it? I’m sure that particular scene would not make it into the next episode.
“So, to be perfectly clear, my guys are going to cut you free, and you will walk away from here with your belongings, never to return. Is that clear?” Mac asked.
Ralph gave no response. “I’ll take that as a yes,” said Mac.
Mac drew his pistol and pointed it at the ground. “Okay, boys. Feet first, then hands.”
As the last tape was cut, Ralph began to spew a long list of threats, including “You haven’t seen the last of me!” and “I’ll be back!” reminding Mac of the old Terminator movies. This time he did grin just a bit.
“I’ll be back!” he said to his boys in his best Austrian accent. Mac briefed the men on the southern border about Ralph while on the radio with the men from the north. All agreed to keep an eye out for him in the future.
Bill caught up with Samuel and asked what he knew about Mac and Sarah.
“Everything there is to know, I suppose,” replied Samuel. “She is a prominent member of our community and she is family. What are you asking, Bill?”
“Well, it seems like they are getting to be something of a thing. They had
a date earlier today.”
“Yes, I know,” replied Samuel. “I gave Sarah my permission; I assumed you did the same for Mac.”
“Well, we are working on that,” replied Bill. “So, you’re okay with it, Samuel?”
Next World Series (Vol. 2): Families First [The Road] Page 7