Without II: The Fall

by E. E. Borton

  “Do you think this Paul guy knows the general’s plan?” asked Daniel.

  “I’m not sure,” I said, “but we’ll approach him as if he does.”

  “Looks like he’s coming now,” said Doug, pointing with his chin.

  It was déjà vu. Four men in military uniforms were walking toward me. Alan and another man in uniform were behind them. One of the four approaching me put his hand on his sidearm. I turned my head and looked up at the corner of the building where I knew JD and Tucker were watching us. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t standing in their way.

  “I’m Captain Turner with the Tennessee State Army. You men need to surrender those weapons right now.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” I said.

  “I’ve got thirty men behind me who will make sure it does,” said Turner.

  “You’re not the only one with men behind you,” I said. “And before you think about pulling that pistol, you need to know you’re in the crosshairs of a man who never misses.”

  He looked over my shoulder. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was deciding on whether or not I was serious. Guys like him don’t like being challenged. Neither do I.

  “We didn’t come here looking for a fight,” I said, “but don’t think we’re not ready for one.”

  “Alan says you’re not bluffing,” said the uniform behind Turner. “He says you’ve got men on the roof next to ours. That’s smart. From that vantage point, there’s nowhere to hide down here. I’m Major Paul Conner. You wanted to talk to me?”

  “That’s why we’re here,” I said. “Like I told your man, we’re not looking for a fight.”

  “I believe you,” said Conner. “If you were, I don’t think Alan would be standing here with us. Who are you?”

  “My name is Henry,” I said. “This is Doug and Daniel.”

  “Well, I guess I should thank you for not killing my men,” said Conner. “Was it that easy sneaking up on them?”

  “We got lucky,” I said, “but there was no reason to take them out. I would suggest putting a man or two down in the lobby as security for your shooters on the roof. That’s a valuable position that you don’t want to lose.”

  “I know who you are,” said Conner, moving in closer, “but I don’t know what you are.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” I said.

  “You disable four of my men without firing a shot,” said Conner. “You’re carrying military hardware that I’m sure you’re capable of using. You have a good head for tactics, and you control the high ground with snipers who I’m sure are also capable. Special Forces? SWAT? What are you?”

  “Neither,” I said. “Doug and Daniel are veterans, but we’re all just men trying to stay alive.”

  “And you need my help for that?” asked Conner.

  “We do.”

  “Well then, how can I help you?” asked Conner, reaching over and moving Turner’s hand off of his weapon.

  “All we want is to cross that bridge and move along,” I said. “We’re not asking for food or supplies, and we’re certainly not trying to take anything from you. Safe passage. That’s it.”

  “May I ask why?”

  “We heard about your militia and the man who’s in charge,” I said. “I think his name is Castle. General Castle.”

  “Yes,” said Conner. “He’s the man in charge.”

  “We’re from LaFayette,” I said. “It’s a small town in Georgia about twenty-five miles south of here. We’ve been taking a beating from looters and refugees coming up from Atlanta. We’re going to lose the town if we don’t get help. We have plenty of food and supplies, but we don’t have enough people to defend it.”

  “He would help you,” said Connor. “General Castle is a good man, and he’s doing everything he can to restore order. His plan is to take back our cities and towns from the invading savages and give them back to the people. He’s been very successful, and Chattanooga is next on his list.”

  “That’s good to hear,” I said.

  “You have the upper hand at the moment,” said Conner. “You could take me and most of my men out with a wave of your hand. Am I right?”

  “You are,” I said. “But the chances of us making it out alive are slim. Then you’d hunt down my friends on the roof and kill them as well. Am I right?”

  “You are,” said Conner. “I’d prefer to avoid any scenario that involves my death.”

  “I’d prefer to live as well,” I said.

  “Good,” said Conner. “I can let you walk across that bridge right now, but there would be no safe passage. There are over forty men on the other side who are just as capable as your men. They’re trained soldiers with heavy weapons, and they won’t be as easy to disable as Alan and a few teenagers. These bridges are very valuable, and safe passage over them isn’t free.”

  “You want us to pay to cross?” I asked.

  “A toll, Henry,” said Conner. “You have to earn your passage. The men on the other side expect a toll. I’m the guy who collects it.”

  “What do you want?” I asked. “We don’t have much, and we’re not giving up our guns.”

  “It’s not what you have that I want,” said Conner. “It’s what you and your men can do.”

  “Okay,” I said. “What is it you want us to do?”

  “A rescue mission,” said Conner, motioning for Alan to join us. “Most of the men on this side of the bridge have either lost their homes or are currently defending them. Myself and the soldiers on the other side aren’t from here. We’re helping them defend what’s left and eventually take back the city.

  “Before we arrived, those gangs of savages were destroying everything. They were also kidnapping women and young girls. Alan saw a group of them being moved from one project to another.”

  “At least fifteen,” said Alan, joining us. “I saw them four days ago while I was on the roof. I know exactly where they are.”

  “With the recent increase in attacks,” said Conner, “I can’t spare the manpower right now, but I’ll let Alan go with you. He can show you where they are. You bring them back to us and I’ll grant you your safe passage.”

  “Sounds more like a suicide mission,” said Doug.

  “For the most part, I’d agree with you,” said Conner. “But if they stick to their recent schedule, they’ll hit us again tonight. Every able body they have will be here trying to take the bridge. That should leave their complex somewhat undefended.”

  “I recognized one of the girls they have,” said Alan. “The man I was with, Steve. It’s his oldest daughter. I didn’t tell him I saw her. He still thinks she’s dead.”

  “You get those girls out of there, and you’ll all be heroes,” said Conner, smiling. “That’ll get you to the other side of the river.”

  Chapter 32

  Abominable Snowmen

  Dusk was settling over the city as we made our way back to the office complex. Alan found an office with a couch to get some rest. If everyone in my group agreed to the mission, he’d need it.

  JD and Tucker were still in their positions as the rest of us made it back up to the roof. Boyd and Jackson were at their post on the other side. They were far enough away for us to have a private conversation. If one of us didn’t want to accept Connor’s offer, none of us would go. We’d have to find another way to cross the river.

  “Doesn’t sound like we have much of a choice,” said Tucker. “Either we do it, or we swim across.”

  “I could see movement and uniforms on the other side,” said JD, “but not as many as he says. He could be bluffing about the number of soldiers. I’m thinking we could take out Connor and most of his men from here.”

  “We have the position,” I said, “but we don’t have enough ammo for a sustained fight. And if he’s not bluffing, we could be walking into a hornet’s nest on the other side.”

  “We’ll be taking their ammo when we’re done with ‘em,” said JD. “That’ll give us enough to keep fig
htin’.”

  “I like where your head’s at,” I said, “but if we take them out, the families on the other side won’t stand a chance. They’ll be overrun by morning.”

  “I don’t wanna sound like an asshole,” said JD, “but that’s not our problem. Neither is rescuing folks we don’t even know.”

  “Do you trust that Conner guy?” asked Tucker. “What if we do this and he still doesn’t let us cross? What then?”

  “I think he understands we can cause a lot of trouble for him,” I said. “He’ll keep his word.”

  “JD,” said Doug, “I understand where you’re coming from, but we have an opportunity here to reunite a few families. If my daughter was taken from me, I hope someone would help me get her back. It’s also our best chance to cross over that freezing river instead of going through it. I say we give it a shot.”

  “I’m with you, brother,” said Daniel.

  “Let’s go take a look at what we’re dealing with,” I said. “We’ll make our decision then.”

  JD and Tucker agreed. We moved to the other side of the roof next to Boyd and Jackson. They identified the building where Alan had seen the group of women being forced to enter. It was a mile away, and we could see the rooftop down to the second story window, but we couldn’t see anything on the ground.

  As darkness enveloped Chattanooga, my suspicion that activity would increase was correct. The Westside projects occupied close to a square mile of land. The first building was six hundred yards from us. We could see burn barrels being ignited and residents congregating around them. We focused on one area that had several barrels lighting up a small courtyard. It was easy to see that they were preparing an assortment of weapons.

  “Yeah,” said Boyd. “They’re coming again tonight.”

  “Looks like a bigger group than the last one,” said Jackson, peering through his scope. “Bad for us, but good for you guys.”

  “How many people live down there?” I asked.

  “About two hundred or so,” said Jackson. “A bunch of them left the projects and moved into the civic center down the road. They tend to stick to themselves over there. We don’t usually see them coming over and joining in, but that doesn’t mean they won’t. If they all came at the same time, we wouldn’t be able to stop ‘em.”

  “Why don’t they?” asked JD.

  “I don’t know,” said Jackson.

  “It looks like most of the activity is toward the front,” said Doug. “There are fewer barrels and less movement where we need to go. I think they’re more concerned about what’s in front of them than what might be coming up behind them.”

  “I’ll buy that,” I said. “We’ll be able to move faster along the route we used to get here. Going through the neighborhood would be a bad idea. We’ll need to go around.”

  “So we’re really gonna do this?” asked Tucker.

  “That’s up to you and JD,” I said. “Just say the word, and we’ll figure out another way.”

  “You can’t do this without us,” said JD. “We’re in.”

  “All right,” I said. “Try to get a little rest. We’ll head out in a few hours and get into position. When we hear the shooting start at the barricades, we’ll hit the building. We need to be in and out before all those guns come back.”

  We found more offices with couches, and we each had our own room. I was more hungry than tired, so I used my lantern to heat up some water. After rehydrating some meat, rice, and an assortment of vegetables, I settled into the couch.

  Our new world wasn’t kind to those who were afraid of the dark or uncomfortable with silence. I dealt with it by remembering my last night with Kelly as I closed my eyes. It only took the thought of her warm body next to mine to fight off the chill around me.

  I wondered if she’d be proud or pissed that I put myself, and everyone with me, at risk again. We had no idea how many people would be inside the apartment building we were about to breach. I had no idea if we’d all be coming out. I did know that there wasn’t another group of men I’d rather be in a fight with than the ones sleeping in the rooms next to mine.

  I had no idea how long I was asleep when I heard knocking on my door. However long it was, it wasn’t enough. JD identified himself on the other side.

  “Wake up, sunshine,” said JD.

  “I’m up,” I said, rubbing my eyes as I opened the door. “How long was I out?”

  “About three hours,” said JD, turning down his lantern. “We should probably get moving. Put on whatever you brought with you. It’s snowing like hell out there.”

  JD had lived most of his life in the hills outside of Stevenson, Alabama. I wondered if he really knew what snowing like hell meant. When I looked outside, I realized he did.

  Visibility was less than a hundred feet as I looked out the window on the fifth floor. The ground was a blanket of white and growing thicker by the minute. Any other time, I would look at it as beautiful. As I walked back into my room, I thought about the many ways it was going to make a hard mission harder.

  As I opened my pack, I gave Kelly a silent thank you. She insisted that I carry more cold weather gear. I thought it was overkill and took up too much valuable space. It became the most valuable gear I brought with me. After I put on multiple layers of clothing along with waterproof gloves and a wool hat, I headed down to the lobby. I was glad to see that my men had brought similar cold weather gear. Alan, Boyd, and Jackson weren’t as prepared.

  “We couldn’t see shit up there,” said Boyd, shivering and rubbing his exposed hands. “Your guys told us to come down and warm up.”

  “Did you thank them?” I asked.

  “Many times,” said Jackson. “That storm came out of nowhere. The wind started howling for a bit, and then everything got quiet again. A few minutes after that, it started coming down hard. Hasn’t let up since. Must be two or three inches out there already.”

  “Closer to four with no signs of letting up,” said Doug. “That’s going to change some things for us.”

  “It’ll probably keep everyone inside behind locked doors,” said Daniel. “I doubt they’ll try another attack on the barricades tonight.”

  “I don’t think they will either,” I said. “They also won’t be expecting anyone to be coming through their doors in the dead of night.”

  “Getting there isn’t going to be the problem,” said Doug. “Getting in without waking everyone up will be.”

  “We’ll know soon enough.”

  “We need to change our colors,” said JD. “Woodland camouflage isn’t going to work for us anymore. We’ll be sticking out like sore thumbs.”

  We split up and started searching the building. Tucker hit the jackpot and returned to the lobby with armloads of white towels and tablecloths. As if it were craft night at Mrs. Cromartie’s house, JD and Tucker started ripping, cutting, and lashing.

  We all looked like Abominable Snowmen an hour later. None of us minded the extra layer, and we were impressed with their work. As Doug and Daniel took point and headed out into the courtyard, the snowmen disappeared into the bleached landscape.

  It was cold, but it wasn’t bitter. The temperature was low enough to prevent the snow from melting, but it didn’t bite through our clothing. The wind was light and bearable. With a towel wrapped around my neck and face, the only part of my body that was chilled were my eyes.

  It was light and dark at the same time. I don’t know where it was coming from, but there was a blue hue bright enough to light up the snow on the ground in front of us. It allowed us to move at a faster pace.

  After taking the familiar route along the riverfront, it was time to move into dangerous territory. We slowed our strides and took cautious steps through the accumulating snow. The wall of white around us muffled any noise we made. We went from snowmen to snow ghosts as we approached the apartment building.

  We crouched behind a row of vehicles frozen in time at a stoplight. We had a clear view of the building in front of us. Burglar
bars over the boarded windows would be hard to defeat. The burglar bars over the doors wouldn’t be. Crowbars came out of our backpacks and safeties came off of our triggers.

  There were four units in the large brick building. Each had a front and back door, but they weren’t connected with an internal hallway. Until we found the prisoners, we’d have to breach and then search them one at a time.

  Most of windows on the second floors were intact and dark. We scanned them until we were satisfied that nobody was looking back. The snow around us and across the short distance to the first door was pristine. The lack of footprints indicated nobody had come in, out, or around the building for hours. I gave Doug and Daniel the signal, and we moved in. JD and Tucker would cover us until we gained entry into the apartment.

  We were all surprised when the bars on the door gave way without resistance. JD and Tucker moved in closer to us as Daniel lit a lantern that had black tape on the backside. Anyone looking at the bright light from the front wouldn’t see the face or gun behind it. The tape prevented us from being blinded as well. The apartment door behind the burglar bars didn’t fight us either. Doug turned up the lantern to its highest flame and moved inside.

  The building was large, but the apartments were small. We cleared the rooms on the first floor in thirty seconds. It didn’t take us much longer to clear the rooms on the second. We regrouped in the hallway. There wasn’t a soul inside.

  “This is the right place,” said Doug. “I’m sure of it. I hope they didn’t move them to a different building.”

  “We have three more doors,” I said. “If they’re not behind one of them, we’re done here. We’re not going into every building in this complex.”

  “Let’s do this and get the hell outta here,” said JD. “It’s too damn quiet.”

  “Why did you have to say that?”

  Chapter 33

  Sleeping Beauties

  We snaked down the landing and moved up to the second of four doors. As we scanned the windows around us, there was still no movement or light coming from inside any of the apartments. JD was right. It was too quiet.