"And the things that come at night. The things we call Mastiffs?"
"I don't know what those are. But if they were at all common, we'd have seen 'em by now. But it doesn't matter. When it happens, we'll deal with it, same as any other problem that stands before us."
Donny was on the fence.
"We aren't staying here. We’ll head back to your people, but tomorrow we'll be moving on. While there’s an invading army occupying our lands, we will do everything in power to find and destroy them, because that’s who we are. The Minutemen. We won't stand for what is going on here. We won't hide or hope to live in peace with these oppressors. I know you don't want to either, and I hope you'll come with us. We can achieve great things together."
Donny sat back down, mulling it over, but it seemed like in no time at all they were rolling back into the camp. They were met with cheers and jubilation, and Travers was more than happy to take it all in. Ross was waiting for them. He looked pleased to see the two brothers as they leapt from truck, but also awkward. He wasn't happy with the whole situation.
"How'd you get on?" Ramos asked as they approached.
"We hit those assholes, and we hit 'em hard!" Lee shouted back.
But Ross wanted to hear it from Donny, a soldier who he put more stock in than his younger brother. Donny seemed almost ashamed to admit it.
"Go on, tell them. You blew the shit out of them like a total badass."
"We did well, for sure."
"How well?" Ramos asked.
"A couple of hundred enemy dead. Their base trashed, vehicles destroyed. Nothing short of a complete success."
"Well, I'll be damned," replied Ortiz.
Travers strode up to them with the swagger of a triumphant leader.
"Ross, I want us to work together. We can do a lot together."
But Ross had no words for him.
"Come on, you've seen what we can do, and I know you can provide a valuable resource to this team."
But Ross was already shaking his head.
"What? Why not? Give me one good reason," said Travers angrily.
"Because you've not met the worst of them, and when you do, you’re going to fall hard."
"Yeah? So you couldn't handle them, maybe we can," he snarled.
"You've no idea what you're talking about," replied Ortiz.
"Yeah? Well, show me. Show me one of these things you keep talking about. Show me a Mastiff, so I can see for myself. I've shown you what we have to offer. There are no secrets here."
"Yeah, just show them."
Travers looked at Lee in surprise.
"So you do know where we can find one?"
"Sure, we got one..."
"Lee! Enough!" Ross ordered.
Travers looked furious.
"You've got one of these Mastiff's, and yet you kept it to yourself?"
"We don't know you. We had no idea whether we could trust you."
Travers ignored his statement entirely and went back to Lee, knowing he would get some answers out of him.
"You've got one of these things, alive?"
Lee nodded.
"You have one of these abominations, Ross, and you let it live?"
"I want to understand this enemy, so yes."
"Are you insane!" He rushed towards Ross.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Donny leapt in their way, holding them apart as they screamed at one another.
"You have no right to hold out on us after all we did for you!"
"We don't owe you a damn thing!"
"Enough!" Donny pushed them back one last time, and others stepped in to help pull them back. Both of them looked furious, as if wanting to tear each other apart.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Donny yelled at both of them, "There aren't enough of us left to go at each other like this. We have enough enemies to fight!"
"Yeah, can't we just have a few beers and celebrate this success? Good news is rare these days," added Lee.
"Wise words," replied Travers, "Crack open the supplies, and we’ll drink to a great success today!"
Cheers rang out, but Ross still looked angry, painfully aware of how good Travers was at whipping up a crowd. That was a dangerous trait. He must be a capable enough soldier, yet a dangerous one to them all. Donny handed him a can of beer, but he took it cautiously. He wasn't going to sleep easy this night, and neither was he going to risk becoming inebriated. This was his home, and he didn't feel safe in it.
Chapter 6
The sun was coming up on the skyline. It was always a welcome sight these days; when the most horrifying of enemies came at night. They'd been attacked enough times in the daylight to be cautious at all times of day, but it was far worse at night. At least in the day they could see what they were doing, as they had no NVG gear left, and the Mastiffs were the most terrifying soldiers any of them had ever seen.
"Can't sleep either?"
Emma hunkered down into Ross' foxhole. It was not even 6am yet, and he'd never expect a youngster like her to be such an early riser. He'd had a few hours’ kip between watches, but that was enough. The concern and adrenaline flowing through his body were keeping him alert and awake.
"Too much to think about," he replied, as she made herself comfortable and laid her rifle down beside her.
"Ortiz says the enemy, they don't let their women fight?"
"That's right."
"Why?"
"It’s not like it's been a thing for us until that recently either."
"But...they're an advanced race, aren't they?"
"Advanced enough to bring the most powerful nation on Earth to its knees, yeah."
"Then how are they still hung up on this ridiculous notion their women can't fight? I'm not saying I've been all that useful in all this, but I'm not a soldier. Kim kicks ass."
"You've done plenty. Lee tells me they'd never have gotten out of town if it weren't for you."
"I still don't know how I did that. I just picked up that shotgun and...well...did what I could."
"You're wrong about not being a soldier. Maybe that was true a few weeks back, but not anymore. You're as much a soldier as I am."
She looked doubtful. "Come on?"
"I'm not kidding around. So you never signed up like I did, but none of that matters anymore. There's no chain of command, no one giving us orders. My rank and title count for nothing. People follow me because they choose to. They take my orders because they believe in me, not because they have to."
"I don't think your team would ever have followed you because they had to. They're loyal, and they believe in you."
"Yeah, well, we've been through a lot together. Didn't think we'd ever end it like this, though."
"End?"
"Come on, you can't think we can win this? The country has fallen, and we're hanging on by a thread."
"But what about Travers and his army? They’re making progress."
"Yep, for now. But it’s all going to come crashing down when they see the true face of the enemy. They ain't seen nothing yet."
A loud and high-pitched cry rang out. More like a squeal in pain. It couldn't have been human. Ross leapt to his feet with his rifle in hand.
"What the hell was that?" She was terrified and had ever right to be. Ross looked around in every direction for some sign of an enemy attack. Another scream rang out, a little quieter than before. Ross rolled his eyes, realising what it was and where it was coming from.
"Have they found us? Are they coming for us?"
"No, that's coming from our camp," he replied angrily.
He rushed out of the foxhole and stormed towards the shack where the Mastiff was being held. But as he drew near, the front door swung open, and none other than Travers himself stepped out. There was blood on his hands, and he was wiping a large knife clean before sheathing it on his side. He looked mightily pleased with himself.
"What the hell did you do?"
"Only what you should have done from the start!"
"What the f
uck do you think you're doing? This place is ours. You had no right!"
"Right? I don't give a goddamn what you think your rights are. They don't count for shit anymore. You let one of those things live among you. You endangered all of us."
"What the hell are you talking about? You'd never even seen one of these things before! What the hell do you know about them? We had a chance to learn something here. We’ve already learnt more from it than we have found out since this all began. That thing was a resource!"
"You're wrong, and it's about time the folks here saw it. Back in the normal world before all this, you might have been some big shot. But out here, you'll be judged by us all, and you have failed these people!"
Ross could barely believe it. He'd never been openly challenged in such a way before.
"You’re incapable of leading these people to victory. You’re unfit to lead!"
"You're calling me out?" Ross gasped.
"Damn right, I am. These people need someone clear-headed. They need a winner."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means I’m taking charge. From now on, we are as one. You're in the Minutemen, and you will follow my orders, or get the hell out of my sight!"
Ross was stunned by his outburst.
"Of course, if you want to fight for command, you can step up, see if you’ve got what it takes?"
Travers drew the knife from his side once more. But he was smiling, knowing Ross would almost certainly not accept such a challenge, or maybe he was crazy enough to assume he could win without much of a fight. Travers was pacing back and forth along a line of his own troops, armed and ready to fire at the first sign of trouble. Ross looked to his own team, and then to the others they had picked up along the way. Few seemed willing to stand with him.
"Maybe this is best for all of us," said Sheriff Willis.
Ross wanted to punch him. For all they had done for the ungrateful Sheriff, and yet he knew it would do no good.
"Travers is kicking ass like we never could, maybe he's right. That thing in the basement could have killed us all if it got out," added Lee.
He looked to Emma for one last opinion, as she seemed to at least have a mind of her own.
"I...I..." she stuttered, clearly not sure either way, and that was enough for Ross.
"Well to hell with you all. I fought for you when you needed it. If you won't fight for me, I'm done here."
He walked away as the group split to allow him to pass. Travers was smiling triumphantly.
"Is this what you want?"
"Not particularly, Donny. I want every fighting man and woman to be here as one. But that man has lost sight of what it is we are trying to do here. He left one of the enemy among you, endangering us all, and he will not fight."
"Don't you dare say he's a coward!" Ramos pointed his finger at Travers.
"No, he's not a coward. He's just not got the stomach for this fight. Maybe you've been fighting too long to keep going anymore. But we here, we're here to fight, and we know what we have to do. Those who want a chance at taking their old lives back, you’d better come with me. Following him is a sure fire way to burn out. I've no time for it. We're here to win."
"Well good luck with that. You just lost the best soldier here!" Ramos angrily walked away.
"Dick move," said Ortiz, and the rest of Ross' team followed Ramos to catch up with their leader.
Travers had nothing else to say. He'd seemingly achieved everything he wanted, almost as if the killing of the enemy captive was fully intended to get this result. Donny looked disappointed and angry with his brother, but Lee couldn't understand why.
"You saw what we were able to do with Travers and this army of his."
"We wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for Ross."
"And I’m very grateful for that, but it's time to move on, and you know it. No more running and hiding. Hoping we can survive one more day. I'm choosing the winning team."
Donny sighed as he was torn between the two. He far preferred Ross as a man, but he could see how powerful Travers was.
"What'll it be, you going to come with us, and win this war?" Travers asked.
Only Ross' team had walked away. All of the others they had picked up along the way had stayed put, in part because of Lee and Willis' support for Travers.
"I'm with you, but just give me one more chance to get Ross on side. We could sure do with all the help we can get, like you said."
"Then give it another shot. But he needs to fall in line and get with the programme, or he's dead to us."
Donny and Emma ran on after Ross. They caught up with him at his foxhole where he was gathering his equipment, ready to leave.
"Ross, you have to re-think this. I know you two don't get along, but this is about more than any of us."
"I don't have to do a damn thing, Donny!"
"Please, for all of us. We need to stick together."
"That asshole is going to get a lot of you killed, Emma. He's got a whole lot of toys to play with, for now. But he might as well paint a huge target on you all. The enemy are gonna come down on him like a tonne of bricks before long, and once those toys are gone, he'll have nothing."
"He has us," replied Donny.
"So you're going with him?" Ortiz asked.
"I have to. You didn't see what we did back there. We killed more in one attack than we've managed in weeks. We're making progress. Do you know how impossible that seemed before they came along?"
"This, all of this, it's nothing but a dream. A vision. Travers may even believe his own shit, I don't know. But if you follow him, you'll be following him to your deaths, all of you."
"And that's different, how? We're getting our asses kicked anyway, and we have been since the start."
"That's what you think, is it? That we’ve been losing since day one?"
"Haven't we?"
He was most surprised to hear Emma ask it.
"All I know is we have a lot more people than when this began. We set people free. We hit the enemy where it hurts them. We have defeated Mastiffs and enemy officers. We've seen and learnt more than Travers can imagine. At some point soon he's gonna go through the same. How do you think that's gonna go?"
"With the amount of troops and weaponry he's got, pretty well I'd say."
"You're dreaming," replied Ortiz.
"Yeah? Well, why don't we dream together? Let's do this together. We have an army. You keep talking about unity and sticking together, well, let's stick together," demanded Donny.
Ross was already shaking his head.
"Are you sure this isn't about losing your command?"
"Losing my command? Emma, I was never in command."
"Of course you were. You've been our leader since the beginning, and you've done a great job. But maybe it's time to let someone else take over. Maybe give Travers a chance. He's clearly achieved great things."
Ross gritted his teeth, unwavering in his opinion. He looked to the rest of his team to see the sadness in their faces, yet they were behind him.
"This is crazy. We have a chance to do so much here. Why are we splitting up?"
"Some things weren't meant to be, Emma," replied Ortiz.
"Bullshit. You just won't take commands from someone you consider less than all you all!"
"If that's what you need to believe, Donny, you go right ahead," Ross sounded weary.
"You know what I need? I need my friends to stand with me, even when things get tough. So what, you don't get on with Travers, get over it. You're telling me you got on with all the soldiers you ever worked with? That you agreed with every decision a leader made?"
"Is that what he is now?"
"Yes. Look at him. He has a goddamn army! Look at them. This is a miracle. How can you not see that? Why can't you put your differences aside, for all our sakes?"
"Because that man is going to get you killed."
"And you weren't?"
"Take that back," replied Ramos.
&nb
sp; "I will not. We've lost people. We've all lost people. I'm not saying I could have done it better, nor Travers, or any other son of a bitch. This is war, and soldiers die. But at least this way we have a fighting chance. We need an army if we're gonna keep fighting this war."
"I thought we had one."
"Who are you kidding?"
"You, too, Miles?" Ortiz asked.
"Of course you like him. He's a goddamn anarchist nutjob," replied Ross.
"And you wonder why I don't want to follow him?" he asked his sister as he walked away.
"Please, can we all just stop? This is insanity."
"No, Emma, the only insanity is where that asshole is gonna take you. I'm sorry you can't see it." Ross gathered the last of his equipment in readiness to leave.
"Ross! Ross!" yelled a voice in the distance.
It was Burns and Jay. They both looked filthy and worn out. Burns was cut on the side of the head, and his jacket was ripped. There was blood on his hands, too.
"My God, what happened?" Emma asked.
"We found a group or survivors, a family and a few others. But we got attacked while we were patching up the wounded."
Travers had seen the commotion and come over to see for himself.
"Where are they now?"
"A few kilometres East."
"Enemy numbers?"
"We finished them off. A scouting party I think, but they could be back with more, and those people need help."
"No sign of any more Skinnies, though?"
"None yet."
"Then we're moving out. We've got a target to hit."
"What about those people?" Emma asked.
"The enemy aren't there anymore. We go where the enemy is. We’re soldiers, not nurses," he replied and walked away.
"Load up, load up. We're moving out!"
"What?" Burns asked in disbelief.
"Been a bit of a schism, you could say," replied Ortiz.
"A schism? What? What the hell are you talking about?" Jay asked.
Burns could already see for himself. He didn't have all the facts, but he knew the sort of man Travers was. They all did, even if some were willing to ignore it.
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