The Divide_Legacy

by Mitchel Grace

  “What about angles?” Roger asked.

  “What about them?”

  “I get what he’s saying. We don’t all need to approach from the same direction. If we do, it’ll be easy for them to pinpoint our location when we open fire,” Sarah said.

  “We’ll split into three groups then and approach from different directions. Just make sure that whatever you do you don’t fire back in the direction of our people.”

  “Great, but who goes where?” Lee asked.

  “That depends. I can handle myself, if the rest of you want to break into groups.” The truth was that Alex would have preferred to pair up with Sarah and make sure she stayed safe, but he knew that there were at least two people there who needed a little mentorship in Lee and Travis. They would need partners without a doubt.

  “Scratch that idea. Lee should be with one of you, and Travis could use some help, but I’m fine on my own,” Roger said.

  “Are you serious? You just got back out here, too,” Alex said doubtfully.

  “I’m positive. Besides, I can move better on my own. Who knows? Maybe I can even get close to the place before we open fire. That’ll give us an advantage if we have to try to get Veronica out quickly for some reason.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. Sarah, do you want to help Lee?”

  “Absolutely,” she said. It had always been her plan for Lee to go with her. She was a mom first and foremost, and making sure he stayed safe during all of this was Sarah’s main objective next to saving her daughter.

  “All right, then that leaves us working together, Travis. Follow my lead, and Lee, follow your mother’s. We’ll get out of this with all fingers and toes accounted for if we just act quickly and thoughtfully. Are all of you ready?”

  Everyone said that they were except for Travis, although Alex never thought he was ready. That was okay, though. Alex planned to show him the ropes, and by the time they went back home, Travis would be capable of just about anything if he had his way about it.

  The rest of the drive was a quiet one. No one said it, but they were all nervous. Even Alex had butterflies. It had been a while since so much was at stake. Back at the bar, he knew they could have been killed, but this was different. If things went wrong, his daughter would die, and if things truly went badly, he could lose everyone that mattered to him. It was almost too much pressure. Alex wanted to tell everyone to stay behind, but that wasn’t realistic. He couldn’t fight four men off by himself.

  Finally, they arrived at their destination and got out. They were less than a mile from Veronica’s location, and Alex could feel this coming to a close. He told Roger to approach the coordinates from the southeast, while Sarah and Lee would be positioned from the southwest. Meanwhile, he and Travis would work their way around to the north side where they would cut off anyone trying to flee. Sarah would probably open fire first, and then everyone would fall in line. Roger had said something about trying to get closer to Veronica’s captors. Alex didn’t know if that was a good idea or not, but ultimately, he left him to it. After all, he trusted Roger to come through for them, no matter what had to be done.

  In a little over ten minutes, everyone was in place besides Alex and Travis. They were still working their way around behind the cover of some brush. The house where Veronica was being kept was in the middle of nowhere and only surrounded by a few trees and a lot of desert outside of that. In some ways, it was the perfect location because it was so far back in the middle of nowhere that it would be hard for anyone to find them, but in others, it was a deathtrap for Veronica’s captors. They could easily be surrounded here, and no one would be coming to help if they were. That was exactly what Alex was counting on, but still, as they got into position a small spot of doubt clung to him. What if Veronica didn’t make it through this? They would be firing on the very house that she was inside, so it seemed like there was a good chance of something bad happening to her.

  “Are you okay?” Travis asked, noticing the desperate and troubled expression on Alex’s face.

  “I’m fine, but do me a favor. Don’t fire blindly. We’re not trying to simply shoot into the house. We’re aiming for specific targets, so aim carefully, and whatever you do, don’t hit Veronica,” Alex answered.

  “I promise I won’t shoot unless I’m sure of myself.”

  “Good, then you’ll be up first.”

  “What are you talking about? I thought Mrs. Morgan was starting things out.”

  “She is, but you’ll take the first shot from this side.”

  “All right, but why?” Travis asked with obvious doubt.

  “Because nerves are the hardest part. Once you fire your first shot, it’ll get easier. I want to make sure you don’t freeze up.”

  “Okay, but . . .”

  “No buts! This is what life is like on the outside, and you came to help, didn’t you?” Alex asked expectantly.

  “I suppose I did, although it wasn’t like you gave me much choice,” he said and scowled.

  “I guess I didn’t. I’m sorry for that, but Travis, we only get so many important moments in our lives. They decide what kind of man we truly are. So who are you - a coward who runs away or the man who saves a woman’s life when called upon?”

  “I know the right answer, but I feel like the coward.”

  “We all do. Even I’m nervous right now, but fear is a good thing. Sometimes it can even keep you alive. Just don’t let it petrify you.”

  At that moment, they heard the first shot. Sarah had spied someone through a back window and took that opportunity to make quick work of them. Alex nodded to Travis, and they got into position. Now all they could do was wait, however. No one was in a hurry to look out any windows, but at the angle they were at, Alex could see into the home. He had spied a man bent down in the corner of an old dingy living room. This wasn’t his shot to take, though. Travis needed to know he was capable of taking a shot to save a friend because some day he might just find himself in a situation with no one to take that shot for him.

  “Slide over to my position and look through the east front window. You’ll find your target there,” Alex said as he moved over.

  Travis did as he said and saw the man Alex had been talking about. The man looked afraid just like Travis was. Maybe these were bad people, but that still didn’t change how taking a life would affect Travis. He had never killed anyone before. In fact, he hadn’t even thought about doing the act. Travis had never even been in a fight, much less hurt someone. How was he going to deal with doing this?

  “Hey, it’s all right. Just breathe and do what you know you need to. I’m not going to tell you that you have to shoot that man, but there might come a time when your choices are kill or be killed. When that day comes, you’ll be glad you had this experience.”

  “I’m sorry! I just can’t! I’m not wired that way,” Travis said and looked away from the scope in shame.

  “It’s all right. I suppose this is all a bit much for someone in your position. I was born into fights like this, but people like you weren’t. I’ll do it, but Travis, remember that one day you really will have to decide what’s most important.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Are morals or results important? You see, I can live with killing a few people if it means Veronica won’t die. It’s not ideal that they have to die, but I don’t mind the guilt if it gives me the right result,” he answered and took Travis’s place where he lined up the sights, took a calming breath, and fired without a second thought. The bullet went straight through the man’s chest and ripped through his heart. That was two down, and they had two more to go.

  On the other side of the house, Roger wasn’t wasting time with shooting. He knew that Alex and Sarah had that covered. He wanted to get to that house and secure Veronica. As he snuck up to the home, Roger began to think of what he would do once she was safe. Would he apologize for not being able to help her before? Would he throw his arms around her, or maybe even kiss her? Honestly, he
didn’t know how to feel. He had known Veronica for so long that he didn’t even understand what they were anymore. Either way, it wouldn’t matter, though. She would be safe, and for Roger, that alone would be enough to make all seem well in the world, whether they ever figured out how they felt about each other or not.

  Finally, he made it to a window. He didn’t dare peek inside, however. By his count, only two shots had been fired. That meant if he went in there now he would be outnumbered. Instead, he waited patiently just out of view of the window against the house until he heard a shot cry out from Lee. That was his signal to move. Roger raised his gun and stepped into view of the window only to find that no one was in sight. He quickly raised it and stepped inside the house. He had tried to be quiet, but Roger knew that there was no way his lone target didn’t know he was there.

  Roger cautiously moved into the den where he found a dead body, and then he moved on to the kitchen where, once again, he was met with the unseemly sight of another dead man. A part of him hated these people. They had taken Veronica from him and even hurt him in the process. Despite that, he wished there had been another way to settle this.

  Unfortunately, while Roger was distracted by thoughts of how things ought to be, a familiar man was sneaking up behind him. Roger heard a board creak behind him. It was then that he knew he was in trouble. There would be no fight. This man had him dead to rights.

  “Drop it!” Desmond shouted.

  “Okay, but where is Veronica? We only want her. If you hand her over, we’ll leave. You have my word,” Roger said while laying the gun down.

  “Do you think your words mean anything to me? You’ve killed the only people I’ve ever really known today. I have no reason to do anything you say or even to live anymore, so I don’t care if your people kill me or not. I only wish I could gut that little bitch in front of all of you before that happens!” Desmond said with a crazed sort of grief.

  “Wait a second. What do you mean? Why wouldn’t you be able to do that? Where is she?” Roger asked in a panic. Had something happened to her before they could get there? Just what had these men done?

  “We already got rid of her. Given, it wasn’t for the price we asked for, but it was quick credits. We figured that we would wait here for you to arrive, get the credits we were promised, and then kill you. Two ransoms for the price of one was the idea.”

  “Who did you sell her to?” Roger asked as he turned around slowly.

  “The leader of New Vegas. He paid quite a bit for her, too.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he have even wanted Veronica?”

  “I don’t know, but three million credits were enough for us not to ask questions. We shouldn’t have gotten greedy and wanted what we assumed you were bringing. We could have bought our way into most settlements with the credits we already had. Oh, well. That doesn’t matter now. I can at least avenge my family from one person,” Desmond said and tightened his grip on the gun.

  Roger saw his life flash before his eyes. He was still so young. Was it supposed to end now before he even knew if Veronica was okay? For that matter, what kind of cruel fate did he have that he had to die before he could tell her how he felt? Roger had tried to hide it. He had even lied to himself, but his feelings for her had changed over the last year. For so long he had thought maybe that was wrong, but now he knew the truth. No one has forever to live, and he had wasted his chance to act on what might have been the most important part of his life.

  He closed his eyes, and then Roger heard it. A shot cried out, only he didn’t feel any pain. He slowly opened his eyes to find Desmond lying on the floor with a hole in his chest. He was still breathing but just barely as a crackling sound came out with every forced breath. A few seconds ago, this man would have killed him, but despite that, Roger didn’t have the heart to let him suffer. He picked up his gun and fired a kill shot into Desmond’s chest, ending his life mercifully. Then he looked up to see that his savior had been an unlikely person. Travis was standing there beside Alex in the doorway, still pointing his gun toward where Desmond had been and breathing hard. It was clear that he wasn’t taking this well.

  “Did you . . .” Roger managed to ask before Alex cut him off.

  “He did. Travis saved your life,” Alex said as he gently took the gun from him.

  “I . . . I didn’t mean to. I just kind of . . .” Travis stuttered before Alex reassured him.

  “You did well. You don’t kill without great thought, and that’s the mark of a good man, but you also acted when you had no other choice. That’s the mark of a man with courage. You’re ready for this world now.”

  “Thank you, Travis,” Roger said. Travis nodded and walked out the front door. Despite being okay with what he had to do overall, the moment was too much for him. He couldn’t be surrounded by dead bodies and the sight of what he had done for one more minute.

  “Where is she?” Alex asked anxiously as soon as Travis was gone.

  “Not here, and things are getting even more complicated,” Roger said and scowled.

  “What are you saying?”

  “That our journey has just started, and I have a feeling nothing is going to get any easier.”

  Roger didn’t know how right he was. If there was one thing that was harder than dealing with a gang of thugs, it was trying to reason with a politician.

  Chapter 6

  City of Evil

  In New Vegas, a girl named Alisa was struggling with a decision. Should she go with her brother into the city? It seemed like that would be best, considering it might be the last time she would see him, but could she handle watching him die? For that matter, if she was already counting him out, did it make sense to go? It would be best if Henry was confident, and she couldn’t give him the encouragement he needed.

  As she sat there in the floor where their kitchen table used to be, Alisa thought about what this meant. She had lost her parents, they had sold every piece of furniture they had just to survive this long, and now she might be losing the last bit of family she had left. Of course, Henry noticed the sad distracted expression on her face as she left her bread untouched that morning.

  “Relax. I’m going to be fine,” he said in his usually cheerful way, only now his smile was irritating. Why wasn’t he taking this seriously? It seemed like he always had the attitude that things would just work out, but when had it ever been that easy for them?

  “How can you say that so flippantly? You’re going to be risking your life today!” Alisa barked back at him, not meaning to sound so angry but not being able to control her emotions either.

  “Because I’m fighting an old man. You know Jesse Jenkins, don’t you?”

  “The shoemaker?” Alisa asked in surprise.

  “He’s the one. I’ll be able to take him down with no problem,” Henry said confidently.

  “Well, that’s not good either! We know his wife. If you kill him . . .”

  “I thought you knew me better than that. I would never kill one of our neighbors. I’ll take him down and make him give up. If I have to, I’ll knock him out. As long as it looks like we’re both trying, the government won’t punish us. It’s not necessarily a fight to the death.”

  “True, but do you really think he’ll be a pushover? I’ve heard some stories about Mr. Jenkins. They say this isn’t the first time he’s been drafted in the pit.”

  “Oh, really? What else do they say?” Henry asked with amusement.

  “I’m being serious here! People say that he survived because he literally crushed a man’s head with his bare hands! I know he was younger then, but still. You’ve got to take this seriously.”

  “Wow. And here I thought you were actually going to tell me something useful. No one is strong enough to crush a person’s head with their bare hands, especially that old man. Those are just rumors from the old people, and you know how they like to talk. Eat your breakfast. It’s going to be a long day, and I don’t have many credits to give you for when w
e’re inside the city.”

  “I don’t feel like eating. I’m just worried, Henry,” she said, desperation showing in her eyes.

  “Don’t worry about me, little sister. I’m not leaving you. We’ve still got too many things to do before we die,” he said and squeezed her hand encouragingly.

  “Maybe we could run,” Alisa said and bit her lip as she tried desperately to think her new plan through. They could steal a vehicle, get as far as Eden, and then find work in the crime world. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than staying here and watching her brother’s skull get crushed.

  “There’s nowhere for us to go.”

  “But what if we . . .”

  “Enough! Our home is here. Believe in me the way I’ve always believed in you. Please, I need that today.”

  It was then that she could see the fear in his eyes for the first time. Henry was trying to be positive, but it was all for show. He needed someone to tell him it was going to be okay, whether it was true or not.

  “I do believe in you. You’re the strongest, smartest, and kindest person I know. You’re all I’ve got left, and I know you won’t let anyone take you away from me. You’re going to be fine,” Alisa said, and for a second, she almost believed it. It was as if just saying the words, true or not, lifted a burden off her shoulders, and Alisa could tell that Henry felt the same way.

  “Then we don’t have anything to worry about. Now, eat. We’ve got to go soon,” he said and swallowed the last of his bread.

  Alisa ate all of her food that morning. She didn’t want any of it, but they didn’t always have bread. On most mornings, they didn’t have food at all. They got paid in the evenings, which meant that one meal at the end of the day was all they could count on most of the time, but Henry had saved up for a last meal of sorts. She would have preferred more than bread if this might be the last time they saw each other, but it was better than nothing.