by John O'Brien
I look to Robert on the next cot down. He is looking right at me and smiling, apparently alerted by the youth above me talking. I place my fingers on my lips and he nods. I raise my head a touch and see the guards still locked in conversation. I slowly slide until I’m next to Robert; our heads only a foot away.
“Are you okay?” I whisper.
“Yeah. I figured you’d be here. Are the others with you?”
“No, it’s just me for now,” I answer. “There are a couple of teams in the hills close by. Where are the girls?”
“They keep them in the classroom buildings. Gonzalez says there are two guards in rooms at night and one during the day,” he answers.
“Good to know,” I reply. “Are they okay?”
“Bri might have a fracture or broken arm but other than that, they’re fine,” he answers in a whisper not moving his head off the cot.
“Fuckers! Payment’s coming. What’s the story here?”
“Two guards are always on the balcony with two more at night at the entrances as far as I can tell,” he answers. “The guys are kept in here and the girls in classrooms.”
“And, Dad, Mom’s here,” he adds with excitement edging into his voice.
“Really? That’s great,” I answer with a touch of confusion. I could have sworn that was her in the house when I went to get the kids. I truly thought she had been turned into a night runner. This evening just gets crazier.
“Yeah. Pretty cool. What’s the plan?” He asks.
“Well, I think I can get you out of here. I’m not sure about being able to sneak in the classrooms and getting the girls though. That’s my next stop,” I answer.
“I’m not leaving without Michelle,” Robert replies.
“This is no time for heroics or the knight in shining armor bullshit. When I say so, roll off the cot and follow me,” I say.
“Dad, I’m not leaving her,” he whispers adamantly.
“Ah, fuck! Dammit! Okay, fine,” I say fully understanding. I mean, I went half way across the world for that very same reasoning. “I have to go check the classroom layout. We’ll be back in two nights. Don’t do anything foolish and stay under the radar.”
“I will, Dad, and thanks,” he replies.
“For what?” I ask.
“For coming,” he answers. This confuses me to an extent as I can’t fathom doing anything else. I guess it’s my night to be confused.
“The second night. Tell the others if you can. I love you, Robert.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
I reach up and grasp his shoulder for a moment and then slip back to the first cot when the opportunity affords. I’m over to the bleacher corner and out of the door with a heavy heart. I really wanted to bring him with me and I feel a weight settle in leaving him. I understand but still feel like heading back in and knocking some sense into him. With a heavy sigh, I retrace my route carefully and am back outside with the resolve that, if I can extract the girls safely tonight, I’ll be back for him as well. Lynn’s words of not doing anything foolish echo in my mind.
I was just planning to look around and that still may be just all that I do, but seeing Robert in the gym and knowing Bri is close by alters some of my thinking. I know this puts the others captured at a greater risk and would make it hard to also get them out. I feel a quandary as to what the right thing to do is. In a perfect world, it would be to get everyone out but this is far from a perfect world and I am far from perfect myself. If I have a chance to get my kids, Michelle, and Gonzalez out, I’m doing it. I guess that also includes their mom. I would feel their wrath and disappointment if I didn’t bring her as well, especially after they have just found her. That is still confusing. If that wasn’t her in the house, then who was it?
I listen for any sounds of disturbance or of my potential roving friend. It appears everything is the way I left it. With my goggles back in place, I see the doors to a classroom building across the dark road. I know it’s dark but they are all visible in the green glow of my vision. I’ll be a visible shadow crossing the road though. I move over to the trees that are close to the pavement and cross quickly. Against one of the double-entry doors, I peer in through the glass pane that occupies the entire upper half of the door.
A long hallway stretches away with lockers placed up against the walls. The only break in the line of lockers is where classroom doors exit off the hall. I see the pale glow of the starlit night enter another set of doors at the opposite end of the hallway. Nothing moves within. I raise my goggles for a quick glance and see it’s pitch black inside. The green glow comes alive again as I lower them back into place with a soft click. Testing the door closest to me, it opens easily and I slip inside.
Silence reigns in the darkened interior. My pulse rises yet again at being in a dark building. My heart hammers in my chest knowing that discovery is only a quick coincidence away. I slide softly across the fake tile floor to the first classroom door and listen. Nothing. The small-paned windows are frosted so I can’t readily see inside. I do notice a gap between the floor and bottom edge of the door. Withdrawing the fiberscope, I slide the end under the door, keeping a large part of my senses oriented to my environment. The viewing screen will cast a small amount of light around me so I listen for any doors opening or hint that the hall is about to become occupied by someone other than me. What I really hope for is that, if any door is going to open, it won’t be the one directly behind me.
With another look around, I turn on the screen. The image becomes instantly visible. The low light capability of the scope shows the interior of the room. A little grainy but objects are distinctly visible nonetheless. Cots similar to the ones in the gym appear and seem to be formed in two or three rows. I see a lump on the one closest but can’t discern anything other than that from the low point of my view. Bookshelves line the rear of the classroom and I see the blinds over the far windows are closed. The vantage point doesn’t allow me to see the front of the room clearly. Movement in the room. A guard stands in the far corner. I make ready to pull the fiber out and beat cheeks outside.
He leans back and is apparently working kinks out of his back. I’ve seen enough here though. I won’t be able to see where anyone is unless I can gain a different angle. That may be difficult as I don’t see any apparent gap on the sides or top of the door. I mark this room as occupied in my head and move across the hall to do the same.
The first four doors, two on each side are subsequently marked as occupied as I slowly progress down the hall. The fifth door is across from another frosted paned door marked “Girls.” Sliding the fiber under the fifth classroom door, I hear the handle move on the next door up the hall. I quickly turn off the screen and pull the fiber out from under the door. I see the door swing open into the hall and creep to the corner where the line of lockers, between me and the door, meets the wall. The beam of a flashlight sweeps out across the floor. I have the lockers between me and yet another flashlight holder.
“Make this snappy,” I hear a male voice echo in the hall.
Footsteps make their way closer; one is the sound of boots stepping heavily on the floor and another is the soft padding of bare feet. Yeah, bare feet slapping on the floor in a darkened building does nothing to steady my nerves. I know it’s not a night runner but it dredges up bad memories anyway. The beam and footsteps draw rapidly near. Once they reach my position, it won’t take much to see me. Maybe I’ll just wave politely and all will be good. This stress must be taking a toll psychologically.
The light flashes on the bathroom door across from me and a young girl, silhouetted in the beam, reaches out to open the door. She steps inside and the man follows; the door closing slowly behind them. The light glows faintly from behind the window pane, catching and keeping the man’s silhouette. What is it with everyone having to go to the bathroom when I’m in a hallway? With a moment of revulsion, I rise and gingerly step further down the hall closer to the entrance and once again seek a corner of the locker a
nd wall. If I was to stay in my previous location, it would have been a given that I’d be seen when they emerged. I do listen closely for any signs of foul play; a scream or a pleading whimper. If that happens, all bets are off and the rain will begin.
I have my signal mirror out close to ground level looking down the hall. A muted sound of a toilet flushing a minute or two later is the only noise that comes from the bathroom. The light against window brightens and the door swings open. The young girl yawns as they both tread back to the classroom they originally exited from. No use looking in that sixth room as I now know it’s occupied.
It is, however, the last room in the building to be occupied. The remaining rooms consist of boxes and assorted goods with the very last two still having their original desks in place. I exit quietly and proceed to the next classroom building to find it is being used as a barracks; at least as far as I can tell. This must be where the dayshift guards stay; maybe trading off with the nightshift. The third classroom building is unoccupied except for several rooms full of boxes. I leave and find myself back at the dumpster outside of the gym.
It’s here that I realize Greg was correct in that I didn’t think this all of the way through. Getting back out will be in the same manner as my entrance. However, that would put me outside in the night with the possibility that night runners are about. I can’t very well wait it out and stroll out through the front gate during the day. I sit and ponder the options. I could take my chances with the night runners but that doesn’t leave me with warm, fuzzy feelings. I could hole up and wait until the day and try to sneak out then. The side towers would be vacant and, if I can make it to the fence, then I should be able to get out okay. The problem with that is the daytime activity is increased. I could wait until Greg and crew assault but that isn’t a very happy thought either.
I guess a third option is to start taking guards out now but my sneaking around would end with the first shots. Yeah, didn’t think this one all of the way through for sure. How did I not think about this before? Wanting to get to the kids blinded my usual pretty thorough planning process. I only thought about getting in. Getting out was obviously left as an afterthought. Well, I guess it’s get out, stay close to the lights, and take my chances with the night runners. Being caught inside certainly isn’t going to do me any good.
With my mind made up, I creep slowly until I’m adjacent to the third tower. On my way across the open ground, I hear shrieks from time to time around the camp. The very sound freezes my soul, especially thinking I’ll soon be on the absolute wrong side of the fence. I should listen to Lynn better, I think crouching close to the tower. I notice the spotlight is fixated on a point in the woods. I crouch and wait.
A loud shriek erupts from within the woods. The spotlight swings a few feet to the left. “See, I told you I saw something,” I hear a voice say in the tower. “Base, we have company in the woods outside of tower five.”
I don’t hear the reply as I’m already on my way back to the copse of trees between the tennis courts and gym. Well, that’s not going to work, I think leaning against one of the trees. Think, Jack, think. I ponder many courses of action but find problems with each one. The best option I come up with is to find a place to wait out the night close to the fence, wait for the guards to leave the side towers during the early hours of morning, and make my way back. It will be riskier with more light but not riskier than wandering through woods loaded with night runners. Several shrieks echo in the forest as if in answer to my thoughts.
The lack of gunfire from the towers tells me the guards can’t see the night runners. Believe me guys, they’ll find a way in through your fence given time, I think looking around for a suitable place to hole up in. I see a depression in the ground close to the tennis courts and just inside the small stand of firs. I edge over. It appears to be used for drainage and is actually fairly deep. I crawl in and up to a point where a couple of bushes overhang the depression.
I look around. From my new vantage point, I should be fairly invisible from the classroom doors and hopefully away the route the guards will take from their towers. With it being in close proximity to the tennis courts and out of the way, no one should venture this way unless they have a specific reason to do so. I cradle my M-4 without silhouetting myself and prepare to wait.
“Greg, this is Jack,” I whisper into the radio.
“Yeah, Jack, Greg here,” I hear him answer.
“I’m going to be a little late,” I say.
“Anything wrong?” He asks.
“I seem to have gotten myself stuck,” I answer and give him a synopsis of my situation. I also quickly brief him on what I found and the layout of the facility just in case.
“Copy that, Jack. I’ll move the teams closer when it gets light,” he replies.
“Okay. If you see a guy dashing madly through the trees like his ass is on fire, be ready for company just behind,” I say. “Oh, and please don’t shoot at said madly running guy.”
“Not to worry, we’ll be able to spot you by the way you run,” Greg responds with a chuckle.
“Very fucking funny. Jack, out,” I reply.
“You know, it’s a very good thing they decided to end radio calls with ‘out’ instead of ‘off’,” he says chuckling.
“I only have one thing to say in regards to that and it involves the process of biting and my ass,” I respond.
“See you in the morning, Jack,” Greg says with a final laugh and signs off.
The night passes slowly. Shrieks and howls come periodically from near and far. I’m rather thankful I didn’t venture out. There’s only one interruption to my otherwise semi-peaceful evening is from the ever alert and vigilant guard making another round. Yeah, that was sarcasm. The sky to the east lightens with the coming dawn. The screams and shrieks end along with it. The coast is clear. Well, at least as far as outside of the fence.
I hear movement over by the towers as ladders are lowered. My headache has returned but not the deep pounding it was. Voices drift across the fields as guards begin to make their way back to the central compound from the various towers. I know the corner towers will remain manned but that shouldn’t be a problem. The eastern sky has the bright blue portending the sun’s appearance. I watch as the guards skirt the copse of trees and head toward the inner buildings. So far, there isn’t any other stirring from within. I raise my head and see the fields are clear of movement.
“This is Jack, I’m moving out,” I say.
“Copy that, Jack, we’re on the move as well,” Greg replies. His voice sounds as tired as I feel.
“Is anyone still overlooking the camp?” I ask.
“Henderson is with the radios and Denton is on overwatch,” he answers. “They didn’t want to but stayed anyway.”
“Good. I may need eyes on the towers soon. Out,” I say.
Lying on the ground and being up all night has taken its toll. My eyes feel gritty from the lack of sleep and I don’t even want to think about how my breath smells. I know my senses will be off so I need to take extra care. A tired mind misses aspects and that could end up being a very bad thing. I almost wish for the “pep” pills we used to take that would help out in these situations. They made it rough on the appetite and body in general but kept us alert in the field.
I look around once more and know I have to be off soon before the activity of the day starts. That won’t be far off. I rise slowly feeling every bone creak in protest. The sounds are similar to gunshots going off. At least that’s the way it feels and sounds. Shaking my head in an attempt to clear some of the cobwebs, I move slowly through the remaining trees. I skirt the tennis court keeping low. Adrenaline has found its way into my body once again but it seems to do little as I just want to lie back down and go to sleep.
At the fence, a short distance away from my ‘door,’ I lie down and creep along close to the edge. I think about just spraying another opening at my present location but the risk of discovery of a fence breach increase
s with each one created. I reach the opening and uncoil the wire holding the corners together. This is where the chance of discovery increases with it being so much lighter. A fence being peeled back will be easily seen from either corner tower should they look in this direction at the wrong time. The sun hasn’t crested the mountains as yet but the pre-dawn light definitely makes it easier to see.
“Denton, this is Jack,” I say lying alongside the fence.
“Go ahead, sir,” I hear him reply.
“Can you see the corner tower guards clearly?” I ask.
“That’s affirmative, sir,” Denton answers.
“Okay, tell me when they aren’t looking back along the western fence line,” I say.
“You’re good to go, sir. They’re not looking your way,” he replies.
I quickly bend the fence back and slip through. Immediately falling to my stomach, I pull the fence back and coil the wire once again. I play the same game of parting the grass and moving forward using Denton as my eyes on the towers. Slipping inside the tree line never felt so good.
“I’m out,” I say. “Thanks for your help.”
“My pleasure, sir. Glad you made it,” Denton says.
I edge deeper into the line of trees between the camp and the road. Footprints show in the dirt and needles strewn across the forest floor. The night runners have been busy here. I’m guessing there was a lingering smell from my passage and I make a mental note to put on the scent eliminator earlier. I seem to be making a lot more mental notes these days. Hopefully some decide to stick around.
I arrive at the grass strip separating the trees from the road. Two heads rise from the tall grass on the other side of the road close to the highway.
“I’m in the edge of the trees across from you,” I say into the radio.
“We see you. It looks clear from here,” I hear Greg respond.
The sun crests the hills. Sunlight spreads through the trees and beams of light paint strips of brown grass in their radiance. Small wisps of steam begin to rise from where the limited sunlight strikes the stalks. I edge toward the road pulling the grass up behind to cover my tracks. Reaching the road, I sprint across. I’m so tired that it feels like I’m running in slow motion. My legs feel like I’m dragging a block of cement behind but I eventually reach the far side, leap over the ditch, and climb the small embankment. With McCafferty and Greg following, we make it into the trees. Greg covers our tracks and we head out for our little camp.