Alpha Farm: The Beginning (Prepper Chick Series Book 1)

by Annie Berdel

  Stepping inside the store, he made his way to the counter where his best friend was behind the counter. “John,” he said as he nodded in his direction. “Ben. ’Bout time you got here. Let’s get this party on the road! I’ve got an itch I need scratched!” They all filed out one by one, each grabbing a snack on the way out. “I need to move that shit away from the door,” Mike thought as he locked the door behind him.

  Ben, John and two deputies, Josh and Mark, piled into the back of Deputy Mike’s truck along with several cases of beer and hard liquor. Steve stepped in and rode shotgun and made sure they had plenty to drink up front also. Mike started the engine and dropped the truck into gear without warning, almost sending his cargo over the sides onto the ground. Laughter echoed down the road and the truck headed for tonight’s hot spot, Emerson Avenue.

  50

  “Mom, you’ve been awfully quiet tonight. You OK?” Kevin asked.

  “Just a lot on my mind. I was doing some digging around earlier on the owner of that car,” Emma replied.

  “I’m shocked!” Kevin shot back with a grin.

  Ignoring the sarcasm, Emma continued, “I found out who rented the car last and where it was rented at.”

  “Oh ya, do tell.”

  “It was rented in Miami by a woman named Elsie Baretto.”

  “Florida? She have her seasons mixed up? Usually people were heading TO Florida this time of year!”

  “No idea but notice anything else? Anything about her name?”

  “Not really, why?”

  “Baretto is Hispanic in origin.”

  “And?” Kevin replied

  “My two guests are Hispanic.”

  Kevin stopped and looked at his mom. “You think those kids were in that car?”

  “Possibly. Think about it. From where the car went off the road, if they went over the creek using the railway bridge and traveled away from the house, they could have very well ended up at the cabin.”

  Everyone was silent as they traced the possible steps in their minds.

  “You find out anything about this Elsie Baretto?”

  “No. I’ll wait until I get the kids down tonight and keep digging,” Emma responded. “But I can tell you one thing. If she had enough sense to ditch the car in the water, someone was after her and probably still is.”

  Kevin exchanged glances with Tom. They had figured that into the equation already.

  51

  Back roads and lots of alcohol later, the boys rolled into a predominately Latino section of the town of Dover. While Dover was not located in the county they had jurisdiction in, it was close enough to the county line to get back home in a hurry if they were called for official business. It also helped that no one in the area knew who or what they were.

  Coming to a halt at the stop sign, the boys got real quiet. Mike turned the corner and slowly let the truck carry itself down the side street. Their first victim was in sight.

  Sonya was walking home from visiting a friend. It wouldn’t take her long as it was only a few blocks and the fresh air and walk would do her pregnant body some good. Placing her hand on her now growing stomach, she felt the baby kick and it made her smile. Shining her flashlight on the sidewalk, she carefully chose her steps as not to fall. Deep in thought of getting home to her husband, she didn’t hear the truck approaching.

  Mike turned the headlights off on the truck. Slowly coming up behind the girl, he was surprised at how close they got before she noticed them. Ben, Josh, and John hopped out of the back of the truck and had the girl surrounded. Mark kept an eye out for anyone getting nosey in the surrounding houses. One thing they liked about these sections of town is everyone minded their own business. They were outcasts, loners in the country they were thrown into and knew enough to stay quiet and not bring a focus on themselves and anyone they might be hiding.

  “Hey baby, whatcha doin’ out here all by yourself?” Josh asked as he tilted his ball cap back on his head “You out trying to sell your pretty little ass? Cat got your tongue?” He taunted, knowing she didn’t understand.

  “Mark, you ready?” Ben called out

  “Yup,” he heard in the darkness.

  With synchronized precision, all three men acted together. John slapped his hand over the girl’s mouth while Ben and Josh lifted her from both sides, hoisting her over the side of the truck. By now Steve had climbed in back and as the frightened girl came over the top, both Steve and Mark grabbed her and slammed her onto the bed. Josh and John hurriedly leaped into the back where the girl was being held down as Ben scrambled into the front cab. “Let’s go,” was all he said as all eyes were on anyone watching from the houses.

  52

  Taking Emma a cup of tea, Tommy sat down in the chair in her office. She was like a pit bull when she was onto something and knew she was destined to be up all night, or at least until she found what she was looking for.

  Search engine after search engine, every rabbit trail was searched and checked against each other. Elsie Baretto had a life somewhere out there and Emma was going to find it. Printing leads, double checking facts, within three hours the office was strewn with papers of information.

  Tommy stood up and stretched his back. Walking over, he placed a kiss on the top of his wife’s head. “One of us has to be awake with these kids tomorrow. You keep digging, but I’m calling it a night.”

  Emma placed a hand on top of his on her shoulder. She loved this man and was glad he understood all her quirky, crazy obsessions.

  “Dixon, stay,” Tommy said and then chuckled to himself as he walked out of the room. Like that dog would listen to him with Emma around…

  53

  Mike drove the truck off the main road. Slowing slightly, he was looking for the dirt road that branched off the main road that the oil well guys used to check their tanks. “There you are,” he muttered as he lowered his headlights and turned onto the path.

  The truck bounced from the deep ruts dug into the dirt from the big tankers emptying out the oil. Straddling the path with one tire in the middle and one up on the side seemed to help a little, but the destination was chosen for a reason. Privacy.

  Even with all the alcohol they had consumed, the men had calmed down considerably. John, who had his hand over the girl’s mouth was closest to her hair, all splayed out in the back of the truck. Soft as silk, he ran his hand through it. It made his dick hard. Grabbing his crotch with his free hand, he almost lost his balance in the back of the truck as Mike hit a dip. “Dammit Mike!” he yelled out. “No names you dipshit,” Brad yelled back.

  They were as far back as they could get, so Mike pulled the truck around facing back towards the way they had come in. If anyone just happened back in there, they would see the headlights of their truck first and not what was going on in the back. No homes for miles, they were feeling pretty comfortable that they would not have any visitors. But better to be safe than sorry.

  Hopping out of the cab of the truck, both men walked around to the back and let the tailgate down. Grabbing Sonya’s ankles, they pulled her to the edge and sat her up.

  “Welcome to the party, little lady,” Brad said as the rest of the men paced around nervously.

  Sonya, her eyes wide open was already in shock. She had heard the rumors. Girls disappearing, but she thought they just were told by the elders to scare the young girls into marriage. Laying her hand on her stomach, she prayed…. And prayed.

  “Come on bitch, let’s go! Gimme some of that la-tee-no pussy!” Mark said as he grabbed her, ripping her shirt exposing her bra-covered breasts.

  “I see boobage! Josh giggled as he reached over and ripped the strap from her shoulder.

  Trying to cover herself, the tears started to flow down her face.

  “Turn the spic over, I don’t want her to ruin my hard-on,” Brad said, grabbing his crotch

  “But Boss!” Josh whined… “I like those little titties!”

  All the men were laughing now. Josh and Mark pulled her of
f the truck until she was standing on the ground. Josh ripped the rest of her bra off, exposing her completely. Taking turns, the men pinched and twisted her nipples until they were bleeding.

  “Enough of this shit! Turn the bitch over,” Brad yelled.

  Grabbing her by the back of the neck, Mike slammed her face into the back of the truck bed, the edge of the tailgate pushing into her stomach. Lifting her skirt and pulling out his knife, he cut her underwear off, falling at her feet.

  “Alright Boss, she’s all yours!” Mike said, smiling at the man he admired most in the world.

  “Thank ya Deputy, don’t mind if I do!” Brad said as he drove his throbbing penis into Sonya. Over and over the men took turns, either holding her head down in the bed of the truck of pounding her with his cock.

  Crying hysterically, Sonja felt the small life in her belly get crushed into the edge of the truck bed over and over. “Que Dios se apiade,” she whispered.

  54

  “That blasted noise needs to stop,” Emma thought, coming up out of the fog she was in. Reality setting back in, she realized it was her phone ringing.

  “Who the heck calls at this hour of the morning?”

  She rolled over to try and stop the blaring noise and noticed Tommy wasn’t in bed anymore. Glancing at the clock, it was almost noon. “Shit,” she muttered

  Grabbing the phone she punched the talk button, “Hello?”

  “Emma, its Brian. I need to see you right away.”

  “Today? Or is tomorrow OK?” she asked

  “Today,” he replied rather sternly and then added, “You feeling OK? You sound tired.”

  “Ya, I’m fine. About 3 O’clock OK?”

  “Is that the soonest you can get here?”

  “I’ll get there as soon as I can, no later than three,” she said and hung up the phone.

  Rolling off the side of the bed and wrapping her robe around her, she went into the kitchen. Stopping in front of the sink, she realized how oddly quiet the house sounded. Looking out the kitchen window, she caught sight of Tommy and the kids, Dixon in tow, feeding some carrots to the rabbits she was raising for meat. “The kids look so peaceful here,” she thought and poured herself a cup of coffee.

  55

  Emma quickly showered, dressed and ran out to the barn to let Tommy know she had to run into town for a bit. “Brian called and wants to talk to me about something,” she explained.

  “Well, be careful,” he said as he gave her a kiss. “Kids and I are going to finish with the rabbits here and then go check on the baby chicks. Probably make a little lunch in between.”

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I love you,” she told him as she held his face between her hands. “Never forget that” They locked eyes for a moment, just a moment, and then she turned to leave.

  “Mi amor, de prisa a casa,” he said smiling. Both could feel the climax coming, the quickening of life ahead.

  56

  “Hey sweetness, you ready for an early dinner?” Brian said to Emma as she was walking into his office

  “Um, sure, I guess,” she said as he about faced her and escorted her into the hallway.

  Turning to give a quick wave to Brian’s secretary, Emma allowed him to escort her away from his office towards his car.

  Once they were alone, Emma just had to ask, “What is going on?”

  “I’ll explain in the car so hush and act happy.”

  “Hmpf,” Emma snorted. Act happy? What was that about?

  Brian opened the passenger door of his Tahoe and Emma got in and slid her seat belt into the lock. Brian did the same and then engaged his firearm under the steering column within easy reach. Emma had done some Force on Force training in Indy at Mindset Laboratory on drawing a handgun from a seated position and she discovered it wasn’t as easy as it looked. She quickly sought out the inventor of the vehicle holsters and became a distributor, adding them to her website store.

  “Would you tell me now?” she asked as they approached their first red light.

  “Something is going on,” he replied

  “Really, that’s a startling revelation!” she snipped back.

  Brian turned and looked at her with a surprised look on his face. “Sorry, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night,” she said

  “Everything alright on the farm?”

  “Yes, just animal issues.”

  “Wolves again? Have they been back?”

  “Oh no… not that,” she shot back quickly “So, when you say ‘something is going on’ what are you referring to exactly?”

  “Got a call from John Kendrel, he’s the Emergency Management Rep for Carroll County. A girl was brought into the hospital last night, pretty banged up. They still aren’t sure if she is going to make it. Raped pretty brutally. She’s from Emerson… Latino community… and you know how closed lipped they are. Emma, we need answers as this isn’t the first girl this has happened to,” Brian said as he slid a file over to her.

  Opening the folder, Emma caught her breath. “Sweet Jesus” she said, slowly flipping through the pictures.

  “Any ideas on who would do this?”

  “None,” Brian replied, “and we need your help”

  “What do you want me to do?” Emma asked

  Brian pulled the car into an alley and driving to the end, garage doors opened as he approached. Driving inside, Emma was surprised to see herself sitting in an elevator. Brian punched a couple buttons on his cellphone and the elevator descended into the floor of the building.

  Emma was quiet, scanning her surroundings. Not really scared, but hugely inquisitive on what was going on and where they were going.

  The car stopped and the gate in front of them opened, revealing a huge warehouse full of individual blocks of computers with a bank of huge monitors on each of the walls. People were buzzing around, talking to each other, pointing at computer screens and drinking lots and lots of coffee. If Emma would remember anything from this visit, it was the amount of coffee cups sitting all over the place.

  “Come on, I want you to meet someone,” Brian said as he unbuckled and slid out of the SUV. “No chivalry here!” Emma quipped with a grin as she exited her own door.

  They walked together to a row of doors on the far side of the room. Brian knocked and quickly entered without waiting for a response.

  Inside the office, a rather plump man was sitting behind a mound of files covering a cheap metal desk. Glasses on top of his head, pen behind his ear, he had the air about him of the wizard of Oz.

  “Johm, Emma, Emma, John,” Brian said, looking from one to the other.

  Emma walked over and reached out a hand, only to be met with a blank stare. Recovering coyly, Emma turned just as fast and said, “Nice place you have here,” as she started looking at the files on his desk

  “Here, sit,” Brian said pointing to a chair. “Let’s all chat”

  “John here,” nodding towards the man behind the desk, “Is my counterpart in the next county over. You are now located in the state emergency offices that were designed in case of a... as you so lovingly refer to things, a shit hitting the fan.”

  Emma’s eyebrows arched as a lopsided smile crossed her lips. “This should be quite interesting,” she thought.

  “We talked briefly about a possible coup within the government,” Brian said looking directly at her

  “What you don’t know is how much of the present government, and its resources are involved. Each state is currently set up with a ghost, or as some refer to it, a gray government. They have been working non-stop to step in when the time comes.”

  “Why don’t they step in now?” Emma asked

  “We still have some things that need to unfold yet. And that’s where you and your band of merry women come into play.”

  Emma sat up straight in her chair. “What are you talking about?”

  “Your girls, the chicks, whatever you call them,” he said, aimlessly flipping his hand in the air. “You have one mighty ne
twork set up across the country!”

  “And? You want me to put these girls in danger? And for what exactly? These are moms…and grandmothers for Heaven’s sake,” she stammered, “NOT flipping CIA agents Brian!”

  “Calm your ass down. I don’t want an answer today. Just think about it. We are going to need all the help we can get when this goes down…and we need someone to get info out…an old-fashioned, on the ground pony express if the power goes down,” he snapped back at her.

  “Is that why I am here? What about that girl in the file?” She shot back. “Or was I just totally set up?”

  John’s head shot up on cue. “You told her about the girl?” he asked, looking at Brian.

  “I had to get her here somehow. Trust me, she wouldn’t have come if she knew what I really wanted.”

  “So this girl is real? Not some story you made up?” Emma asked.

  “Oh, she’s real all right, and not the first,” John piped up now. “Problem is getting anyone to talk”

  “Ya, Brian said it was over on Emerson in the Latino part of town,” Emma said.

  “I’m surprised the poor girl’s not dead yet. They took the baby this morning right after they found her. Coroner thinks she lost it at the time of the rape from the bruising and damage,” John added

  “My God, she was pregnant?” Brian asked

  “My guess is, it’s someone from outside the community. She was last seen leaving a friend’s house and never made it home. Found her this morning dumped behind the local Laundromat. Latinos don’t like to talk, but they don’t usually do this to one of their own in a tight-knit community. Bigger city, maybe. Not here though.”

  “How can I help?” Emma asked

  Taking a deep breath, John locked eyes with her. “Can you talk with them? You’re a woman and I don’t have one in my department. Brian trusts you, which is good enough for me. You also know how to protect yourself if something happens.”