“Are we burning down the gate?” one of the first asked ignoring the other man’s comment.
“Yes, they’ll bring some gas up with them. Did you search further down the road?”
“Not yet. The map doesn’t show anything down there except a Jeep trail. Maybe there’ll be more big properties like this one.”
“We’ll head down and check it out. Wait here for everyone else. This will probably be a good camp for now. It’s all hidden from everything.”
The two men that just arrived returned to their truck. They backed up and drove around the other truck and headed down the road. Will was panicking now. He held it all inward. His heart was pounding and he could feel his pulse all throughout his body. He started to crawl back towards the trees to make his way back to the others. Someone needed to get to Lewis and he still wanted to get to his go-bag.
He wasn’t being careful enough now. He heard it as if someone clapped their hands right next to his ear. He had crawled onto a stick and it snapped under his knee. It was like turning on a beacon and yelling loudly ‘here I am, I surrender’. Both of the men, now leaning against the truck, pushed themselves away from the truck and grabbed rifles that Will had not noticed before. They aimed in his general direction. Will lay frozen, his head was turned back to keep an eye on the men. Would they seek out the source of the noise or brush it off as possibly an animal, maybe a raccoon? Maybe they would fire off a few rounds towards him. He was at a loss for a decision. Lewis was alone with armed men headed for him. He was alone with armed men nearly standing on top of him. How big was this group? He was beginning to consider that firing at these men might be his only chance for escape. He could only hope they would retreat for cover behind their truck before firing back at him.
Will slowly reached for his pistol. His hand reached his holster and he covered the button to try to conceal the noise. He opened it and started sliding the pistol out, again slowly to prevent any sounds. This whole situation with two guns pointing at him could have been avoided had he been careful in the first place. He had panicked. He never considered himself as one to panic. Their whole future was in question again. Where were they going to go? Was everything, all the work they had done in the last two months, all of his prepping, about to disappear in such a short amount of time. He was taking aim at the closest man. Both men were still aiming in his general direction. He was certain that only thirty seconds had passed since the stick snapped under him, yet it felt like hours. The radio crackled.
“How far up this road are you?” a garbled voice said.
The two men turned to look at each other and then looked at the radio perched up on the hood of the running truck.
“That sounded like Gerard,” one said to the other. He picked up the radio, “A few miles. By the map, we are a couple of miles from the end of the road.”
“Be there in five or so,” the voice said.
Was this Will’s lucky break? Had God just opened a door for him? They seemed to completely forget they were concerned about the snapping sound just twenty seconds earlier. He quickly started to move, this time being careful to avoid or move any sticks he saw in his path. He glanced back to see the two men resting their rifles against the truck and recommencing their lean upon it. He sighed in relief as he arrived deeper into the woods. He raised up from his crawling position and brushed himself off. He looked back again to gauge the distance between himself and the men waiting to burn down their gate. He figured he was far enough away to be able to run, so he did. He arrived back at where he left the others to see no one in sight.
“Will,” a loudly whispered voice said.
Will turned trying to find the source of the whisper. Lea, Juana, and his mother approached from the dark depths of the trees.
“What did you find out?” his mother asked as she hugged him. A sense of relief shone on her face. “We couldn’t see where you were.”
“They are going to burn the gate down,” Will said shaking his head. Lea approached quickly after Beth to hug him as well. “They are bringing more people. They were talking to others on a radio. Did you see the other truck? Where’s Alejandro?” He had too many questions and too much he wanted to go over.”
“We saw the other truck,” Lea answered. “Once it headed down the road Dad ran to go after Lewis.”
“Good,” Will said. “That’s why I rushed back here. I need to go up to the house and get a few things. Did Alejandro say if he was coming back to this spot? Or another meeting point?”
“What’s at the house?” Beth asked.
“I have a go-bag,” he answered. “I want to get that and some other supplies before we have to find somewhere else to live.”
“Somewhere else to live?” Juana said. She still had the look of horror on her face from earlier.
“It sounds like they have a lot of people on their way right now,” Will said. “They’ll be here any minute now. They also talked about this being their camp. I need to get up there now.” Will was backing up with urgency to get to the house. “What about Alejandro? Once he gets Lewis is he coming back here?”
“He didn’t say,” Beth said.
“Wait here then,” Will said. “I’m assuming he’ll come back to where he left you. Stay hidden. I’m going up the property line and will jump the fence higher up the hill. I’m going to leave out the back,” he said pointing up towards the house, “I’ll cross at the back corner of the property and make my way back along the property line again back here.”
He didn’t wait for any more questions or conversation. He took off running into the trees. Will wouldn’t have seen it as he rushed away, but Beth, Lea, and Juana all turned at the same time to see a long line of vehicles coming up the road, their many headlights illuminating the trees. The convoy went as far back along the road as they could see from where they stood. All three started to back up further away from the road again. They knelt down near where they had hidden before. Juana was in tears. She folded her hands in front of herself and prayed. They watched as the first vehicle slowed and stopped by the other truck in front of their gate. Their gate they had spent over two days building to keep out people like this. All of their work was about to go up in flames if Will had heard correctly. They watched a man from the first vehicle get out and inspect the gate. He looked up along the driveway. A gas can was being held by another man by the gate but it was returned to a truck. A pair of bolt cutters was retrieved and brought to the gate.
Beth cursed. “Oh no,” she said.
“What is it?” Lea asked.
“I was hoping they’d go with the plan to burn it,” Beth said.
“Why?” Lea asked with a perplexed look on her face.
“It would take longer to get in,” Beth said. “It would give Will more time.” She paused and then groaned. “Why would they burn it down? That is a stupid plan. Of course they wouldn’t burn it down. They’d be sitting around forever for those logs to burn through.”
Lea didn’t say anything. Her face scrunched up in worry.
*****
Will’s lungs burned as he sprinted up the hill. He was abeam the patch of trees that their driveway curved through when he decided to jump the fence. Once over, he continued along the fence. He was slowing once he got to where the land leveled off and their house was just beyond the clearing. It wasn’t by choice, it was due to his lungs grasping for more and more oxygen. He made no effort to avoid the plants as he cut across the yard directly to the house and crossed the gardens. They wouldn’t need to care for them anymore.
He reached the porch and leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees. It was all he could do to draw in as much oxygen as his lungs desired. He looked back down the driveway for the first time since sprinting up. He saw a glow illuminating the trees from a distance. He thought it was the gate being set aflame. He had a little bit of time before it burned enough for the trucks to drive through but still wanted to hurry. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the house when they came up the hill. Drawing al
l the energy he could, he opened the door and rushed inside.
The go-bag was in the closet by the front door. He pulled it out and placed it on the floor in the middle of the room. He went back to the closet and grabbed an empty canvas bag that had been used for grocery shopping. He pulled all the boxes of ammunition from the shelf above down, placing them in the bag. He pulled two rifles that leaned against the back wall of the closet as well and placed everything on the floor by his go-bag. He ran back to his room and into his closet. He pulled out the tub of camping gear and carried it out to the living room and placed it next to the other items. Looking at all the things piled together, he wished he could use his Jeep. Maybe he could. He could load all the things and drive the Jeep across the back yard and to the back corner of the property. Beyond the back lawn, it was all trees again. There should be room in between the trees to get his Jeep through, he hoped. They had thinned the trees on their property to help prevent wildfires from burning through the area. The worst case scenario would be to hide the items there and come back with the others to get everything all at once. Perhaps he could break through the fence at some point up there and they’d have an easier way to travel.
He swung the go-bag on to his back and secured the front buckle across his chest. He took one of the rifles and put it on his shoulder. He picked up the tub of camping supplies and quickly went towards the back door. He wasn’t sure how he had any energy to carry one of these items, let alone being weighed down by everything he decided to pick up at once. He went around to the side of the house where his Jeep was parked. He paused for a moment considering the noise it would make. He could hear vehicles running from down the hill, presumably the truck that was there before and at least another. He thought he would be safe since their loud exhaust would conceal any noise his Jeep made. He opened the back of the Jeep and loaded the tub, go-bag, and rifle. He ran back in to get the other rifle and the ammunition and glanced out the large window as he picked everything up. The trees were getting brighter. It definitely wasn’t light from a fire. It wasn’t flickering. Were they already through? It seemed way too quick. He rushed to the back door. He had wanted to get more things. He got half way to his Jeep when he remembered he hadn’t carried his keys for at least a month. He turned and ran back in. He swiped the keys from the hook in the kitchen and rushed back out.
As Will approached the Jeep he saw headlights through the trees where the driveway curved. Not just one set, but several. He threw the bag of ammo and the rifle across onto the passenger seat and he jumped in. Some of the boxes of ammunitions spilled onto his lap. He put the key in and the engine turned and turned as it attempted to start. He could see the vehicles moving slowly, still in the trees. Will thought they must be making sure no one was about to ambush them. He wished he could.
“Come on,” Will said out loud to himself.
Will turned the key again. The choking sound was all he heard again. The Jeep hadn’t been used in over a month. It was another thing to add to the list of things he wished he would have done. This situation was eye-opening. All of his prepping and planning didn’t mean much for this situation thrown at them. He wished he would have started his Jeep every few days. Wishes weren’t getting him anything right now. In about thirty seconds he would have to bail and run. He could probably only get the go-bag and maybe one rifle and one box of ammo. He wouldn’t have time to get anything else. He would be too slow if he tried to carry everything with the vehicles nearing the house.
The engine finally caught and he threw the transmission into reverse. He backed up steadily, making sure not to have too much noise until he was fully hidden by the house and turned around. As he shifted into drive and started moving forward he saw all the trees on the edge of the yard become illuminated. The vehicles must have reached the leveled out front yard. He would have to stay in the shadow of the house. He hoped they kept their vehicles running so they wouldn’t hear his Jeep. He guessed they would since they were keeping all the lights on. He turned to what he thought would be the widest opening in the trees. He wished again, hoping for a more satisfying outcome compared to the last wish, that there would be a wide enough path all the way to the far corner of the property. There should be with the tree clearing they had done.
“Thank you, Jesus,” he whispered as he reached the corner section of the fence.
He brought the Jeep forward until the front bumper was up against the fencing. He slowly continued ahead waiting for the fencing material to break away from the posts. The Jeep struggled slightly and finally broke through. He passed through the opening and drove straight ahead, away from their property for a few hundred yards. He would hide the Jeep before heading back on foot to everyone else. He considered the possibility of this group noticing tire tracks across the gardens in the backyard and following them to find the broken fence. From there, they might be able to find the Jeep. He decided he would have to take the risk. He would take the go-bag and continue on foot.
*****
“Shoot. Shoot. SHOOT,” Beth said rapidly.
Beth, Lea, and Juana were all watching as the long procession of vehicles, cars and trucks now, turned onto their driveway and slowly started up the hill. About a dozen men walked along with the first couple of vehicles. They all had some type of military style rifle with long magazines protruding below them. They kept the rifles ready, sweeping both sides of the convoy. Several of the vehicles at the front had spotlights trained at the trees on either side. The three of them felt helpless as they watched all this unfold.
“Is that a semi-truck?” Juana asked, pointing down the road.
“Looks like a fuel carrier,” Beth answered. “I bet that’s how they can keep driving.”
“And we can’t,” Lea added.
“Will, you better be out of there,” Beth said openly with gritted teeth, staring at all the vehicles occupying her property.
The three were now all standing back up, feeling they were safely hidden in the trees. The noise of all the cars and trucks luring them into a sense of security where they could speak openly. The chances were so small that they would be seen. They didn’t realize how brightened the forest had become from all the headlights and spotlights. There were no lights directly pointed at them, however, the light found its way. It would snake through the trees unexpectedly. Every time a vehicle made the turn from the road on to the driveway and brief flash of the headlights would illuminate where they stood. Someone would have to be in just the right location and know exactly where to look through the trees to see the three women.
*****
The truck that had gone further down the road towards Lewis’s farm was returning to their comrades. The driver let off the gas as he approached his group. The passenger glanced up the hill into the trees just as another vehicle turned from the road to the driveway. He reached over to the driver, grabbed his shirt at the elbow area.
“STOP!” he yelled. “I see people in the trees. It doesn’t look like they’ve seen us.”
“Where?” the driver asked.
“Right up there,” the passenger said pointing into the trees.
The driver turned off his headlights and they both exited the truck. They left the doors open, presumably not to alert the people they saw in the trees. The driver joined the other man and they both kept their eyes and weapons trained on the people in the woods as they quickly crept up the slight hill into the trees.
Beth, Lea, and Juana were too focused. All of their hearts were pounding, palms sweaty, eyebrows involuntarily lifted in worry as they waited and wondered if Will was in the clear. The constant engine and exhaust noise overpowering all other sounds.
“All three of you hands up,” a voice said.
All three, startled by the voice, jumped in surprise. Juana, seeing the two men, started and suppressed a scream, holding a hand to her mouth. The blood drained from their faces as they all realized there were two men with guns trained on them. They couldn’t make out their faces as they stood i
n the shadows of the trees. They could easily assume these were the two men from the other truck.
“We could always use more women,” the driver said.
The other man laughed. “Use. That’s for sure.” He paused for a moment. “Say, look here. I call the young one. That’s some nice tan skin.”
“I’m sure Gerard might have other plans than you have,” the driver said.
“Gerard doesn’t have to know about them quite yet. He’s busy anyways,” the man pointed at the vehicles crawling up the hill.
Tears were now streaming down the faces of all three.
“Now don’t cry about something so fun,” the man said, still with his creepy smile. “Come on. What’s your name? Come with me.” He extended out his hand as if he were about to help Lea.
The three were in shock, frozen. The only thing moving was their eyes and the tears that fell from them.
Chapter Nineteen
April 2037
Marcus sat on the bed in his Conex container, laptop perched on his legs. He typed out a message for Thomas.
I’m in. 100%. Whatever your plan is. Millions around the country dead. CMA doing nothing about it. CMA purposely hiding this news from me and everyone. It sounds like they want people dead. Will find out more soon. Heading West this week on assignment.
Marcus clicked through the few options as he was instructed. He entered his password to run the encryption software. He copied and pasted the resulting gibberish onto the memory stick and then placed it in the breast pocket of his suit.
Marcus quickly walked in between the containers, turning left and right, weaving back and forth to head as direct as he could towards the camp exit. He concluded that he would just pretend it was his day off hoping they’d let him out of the camp so he could get to the cafe. He paused next to the last container before crossing the dirt road to reach the pedestrian exit. He was clearing his head before approaching the guard.
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