“Service road, they got a big ass Cat. Dude, they are going to roll right in, it’s time for you to leave.” Tim replied, in clipped sentences.
“Turk make it out of the trench, yet?”
“Almost.”
“Then we ain't leaving, we're holding tight. Let me know, when Turk is clear.”
Turk could see the end of the trench, about seventy yards ahead of him. With the exception of a few zeds stuck in the mud, Tim had cleared this end of the tunnel. Turk, grudgingly, conceded that Tim was a hell of a shot.
Turk's immediate problem. was the next ten yards. He had run out of bodies to walk across. The leather suit was protecting him from bites, but it was also damned hot. The leather hood, seemed to make it almost impossible to breath. Turk was exhausted already and struggling even ten yards in the mud, would tap him out.
Before Turk could make a plan, dead hands grabbed him from behind and cold teeth, tried to bite at the backs of his arms.
With the dead trying to pull Turk back, he reached behind with a gloved hand and pulled one of the dead forward, finishing it with his knife. The zeds teeth had not pierced the leather suit, but the pain to his pinched flesh, gave him a burst of energy. He tossed the body ahead of him and strode forward, dragging zeds behind.
When he finally reached the end of the trench, Turk made a pile of bodies. Standing on top of the bodies, Turk was able to peer over the edge. Seeing the way clear, he drove his knife, to the hilt, into the soil ahead of him and dragged himself out, kicking zeds off his legs.
A short crawl through the grass, brought him to the trailer they had seen Josiah using. With no guards present, Turk entered the trailer.
“Come in my good man, how may I be of assistance?” Josiah greeted, looking up from the book he was reading.
Turk snarled angrily. “I'm here for the children you took and then I aims to kill you.”
“You must believe me, I am truly sorry about the children, but that was Delilah's doing and she is holding them.” Josiah responded.
Turk's eyes narrowed, trying to gauge, Josiah's truthfulness. “We didn't want any of this, all we want is to be in peace and to care for our children.”
Josiah considered his response for a moment. “Rachel will not allow you peace, she sees no place for you in her world. As you have no place for her in yours. I was fooled by Rachel at first, but then I watched it all get perverted and twisted. I've been looking ever since for people like you.”
Turk shook his head. “I don't know about any of that, I just need to get our children back.”
Josiah pulled out a bottle of Kentucky bourbon and poured a bit, into a couple of glasses. “You know back in the day, if you were to ask someone about the persecutions of the inquisition, or Salem witch hunts, most folks would scoff at how people fell for the fearmongering. Yet here we are and this True Believer faith is just another pack of lies, using people's fears against them.”
Josiah paused to let his words sink in and when Turk raised no argument, Josiah continued. “You strike me as a man who enjoys a good whiskey, join me in a glass, we have a good deal to discuss.”
Waiting for Tim to let them know that Turk was clear, Tom called out. “Will, we've got to move the catapult, maybe we can slow them up a bit.”
Will readied the catapult to be moved and the three men began dragging it, towards the service entrance.
“I really miss Sam right now, he made moving this look easy.” Will joked
After they got the catapult to the gate, a shot rang out and Tom went down, clasping his leg. A second shot rang out and a bullet whizzed by Will's head, splitting his ear in two.
Jimmy, from his hiding spot, screamed. “Dad!” As he and Jackson began to fire at the handful of assailants, trying to come over the fence.
“That's about it son. As far as Rachel is concerned, I'm on the outs now, but most in our group still believe I walk on water, because of my magic coat there. If they see that I can join the fallen and you show them the coat, they'll know they've been lied to.” Josiah concluded.
“Don't feel right killin you, though.” Turk fretted.
“Son, for whatever reason, I've been the cause of a lot of deaths, a lot of pain. Frankly, you'd be doing me a favor, I can no longer stomach myself. If my death can save lives and bring a measure of peace to this world, I would thank you.” Josiah encouraged.
Josiah extended his hand. “What do you hail by?”
Turk shook the offered hand. “Terrance....Turk to my friends.”
Josiah placed his left hand on Turk's shoulder. “Pleased to meet you, Turk.”
Holding the other man's hand tightly, Turk thrust his knife through Josiah's ribs, in an upward stroke, piercing the lung and heart. Josiah gave a single cough as the blood flowed into his lung, spraying Turk with a bloody spittle, before dying. Turk sat the man's body back in a chair, refilled his glass and raised it in silent toast to this man, willing to sacrifice himself as a stand against the True Believer's.
Jeff and Will went to Tom's assistance and pulled him to cover, behind the catapult. The two then joined Jimmy and Jackson, taking down the attackers who were attempting to breach their fence. As soon as that threat was eliminated, Jimmy and Jackson ran up to their fathers.
“I thought you two had left with the others?” Tom asked his son.
Jimmy fearing his dad may be angry, explained quickly in one breath. “Prescott thought they might try to flank you and asked Jack and I to keep an eye on you. Are you okay Dad?”
Tom hugged his boy. “I am now.”
Tom turned his attention to the business at hand. “Jeff, take Jackson and keep watch”.
Tom turned to Will. “Are you ready to give up on this place yet?”
Will's response, was an emphatic. “Hell no”.
“Then stop that earth mover.” Tom responded.
Tom slit open his pant leg, revealing the bullet wound through his calf. “James, help me with this, will you?”
Zachary was riding on the back of the earth mover, urging the thirty armed men and women to stay close. The blade held high to deflect bullets, the big earth mover just plowed over the posts and gates placed in the service road, meant to slow vehicles coming in. Will underestimating the slowness of the CAT, dropped his first charge short and it burst into flames, in front of them.
“Drop the blade Zeb and clear that crap out the way.” Zachary ordered, encouraged by the failure of the napalm to connect with them.
Will reloaded quickly and correcting his aim, dropped the second charge directly on top of the cab of the earth mover, engulfing the operator and three of the men in flames. Zachary seeing that the second charge was going to hit, jumped free and watched as the rest of his soldiers, turned and ran.
The first indication Turk had that the dead man was beginning to turn was its fingernails, scraping on the chair. Turk slipped the dead man's coat over his shoulders, retching at the smell of zed fluids, oozing from its fibers. Turk removed a length of cord from his possibles bag and looped one end, over the creatures head. Giving the eerie moan of the risen dead, Josiah turned his cold dead eyes on Turk and rose from the chair. Not sensing a meal, the creature began to move about the trailer.
Turk was still determining, how to present the walking corpse of Josiah to the True Believers, when Zachary, followed by the remnants of the True Believer army, came knocking on the trailer door.
“Josiah, come out here, we need to regroup.” Zachary demanded.
Turk maneuvered Josiah to the door and as Zachary flung it open, Josiah fell upon him. The intense hunger of the newly risen, driving him to tear huge mouthfuls of flesh from Zachary. The crowd behind him, screamed in confusion.
Turk raised his hands and in a loud voice, exclaimed. “Take it easy folks, let me explain”.
The shocked crowd remained silent, so Turk continued. “Josiah sacrificed himself, so that you would learn the real truth. They don't have any answers, or a way out of this. He didn't want you
to wage a senseless war.”
A man in the crowd, shouted out. “Don't listen to him, they've killed more than a dozen of us, already. The Mother has kept us safe for the past year, we need to stay on the path of Truth.”
Clay Albright, stepped forward. “Phil, are you stupid, or do you take lessons?”
“Huh .. what?” Phil said, in dismay.
“Your acting like the school yard bully that runs home crying to mommy, when the kid in glasses punches him in the nose, instead of giving up his milk money.” Clay answered.
The crowd was looking for answers and Clay, seized the opportunity. “Look at yourselves armed to the teeth, ready to tear down their fences. We are the aggressors here, not them.”
Clay turned to Turk,. “Uh, would you mind? You made your point, no sense letting Josiah there turn on any more of his flock.”
Turk drew his pistol and put a round, first through Josiah's skull and then one through Zachary's.
Clay continued. “Thank you, now where do we go from here?”
“Me … I just want our kids back, our group wants, no needs, a truce.”
“Delilah lit out with the children as soon as Zachary's big plan, went up in flames. Zachary didn't allow much fuel, in any of the vehicles, She'll be lucky to get fifty miles. There is another problem, we've been leading the fallen away from here. There are sizable herds held north and south of here they'll be released, if they don't hear from Zachary soon.” Clay informed Turk.
Turk pulled out his radio. “Tom?”
“Here.”
“Have Will bring me all three horses, my bow and backpack. You need to come out here and talk to...” Turk turned to Clay. “...what's your name?”
“Clay … Clay Albright.”
“Tom, you need to come here and talk with Clay Albright.”
As they waited, Turk went into Josiah's camper, returned with a blanket and covered the bodies of Josiah and Zachary. Clay turned to a couple of men, nearest him. “I guess we should bury them.”
A voice in the crowd called out. “Hell, they don't deserve that much, just drop em into that trench.”
Turk shook his head, “Go ahead and bury em, I know you're angry with em, I know you been lied to, but you got to find a way to be better than that. You got to take back, who you are.”
A few more tense minutes passed and then Tom called over the radio. “We’re coming out.”
“Roger that.”
Jeff opened the service entrance gate and Will exited, riding Bo and leading Sassy. Tom and Jimmy followed, riding Ghost. As they got close, Turk cocked a quizzical eyebrow towards Tom, as he caught sight of Will's wounded ear and Tom's bandaged leg.
In response to the unspoken question, Tom announced. “We were almost overrun, if it weren't for Prescott sending Jimmy and Jackson to guard our flank, we would have been.”
“That young man does think a step, or two ahead.” Turk acknowledged.
The crowd began murmuring as they realized, that the plans of the people that they had allowed to lead them here, had been thwarted by children. Turk checked Jimmy's field dressing of Tom's calf and then dressed Will's ear with supplies from his pack. Satisfied that his friends injuries had been addressed, Turk filled in Tom and introduced him to Clay.
“How many zeds, you say are penned up?” Tom questioned.
“We cleared a ten mile radius and there are two groups, gotta be a few thousand, in each group.” Clay answered.
“How long, before they get set loose?” Tom followed up.
Clay looked up to the sky. “I'd say, you got till dusk”
“Tom, that Delilah has got a head start on me, but Clay assures me she can't get far. I got to get movin, in order to get the kids back. I reckon you got a decision to make. Those herds get loose, they'll rip through our fences. Right now, you got em penned up and a few napalm charges will torch em. That would give us, a ten mile circle of clear salvage and some time to breathe.” Turk advised.
Tom's answer, was filled with caution. “I hear ya Turk, but we only got the one catapult. We can't take out both locations, at once. If one of those herds get loose, whoever goes in with the catapult, could be up to their ass in zeds.”
Clay interrupted. “I can't speak for everybody.”
“You do and you have been, Mister Albright. I don't know why, but you stepped up and these folks need a man like that.” Tom interjected.
Clay nodded, slowly. “We helped make this mess, we'll help clean it up.”
Turk smiled. “I got to go Tom. I figure I can catch up to them that hightailed outta here sometime tomorrow. Josiah gave me a way to contact a feller inside their compound, tell Red once I have the kids I'm gonna try to return Chloe to her family.”
Clay perked up, at the mention of his daughter. “Chloe that's my daughter, she was here?”
Turk pulled a map that Josiah had used, to identify the location of their compound. “In three days, meet me here.”
Clay nodded, then asked, “Wouldn't it be quicker, if you took a vehicle?”.
“All the vehicles are going to be needed, if you evacuate. Besides, I could blow right by em in a car.” Patting the big stallion, Turk continued. “Bo here is going to let me know, when I'm close to Margo.”
Clay watched Turk ride off on Bo, leading the other two horses, then Clay turned to Tom. “Is he really able to catch them on horseback? I mean, my daughter is with them.”.
Tom gave an angry laugh. “Turk's woman was shot up pretty bad, in your groups raid, the other night and instead of lying in bed healing, she's bouncing around on the road. Turk wants nothing more than to be here to look after her, but he is without a doubt, the absolute best person to come to the rescue of those children.”
Clay was still incredulous and needed to push the issue. “I know there is a trust issue between us and I know, you don't approve of the choices we've made. For a long time just being alive, knowing my family was alive, was enough. I …. we need to look to our own,like you do.”
Tom gave the man a cold stare as he considered his options. “You're perceptive, I'll give you that, but you just don't roll out of bed one day and your a changed man. Lets deal with the problem at hand, so you can look to yours and I can take care of mine.”
Clay turned to the crowd, “I need everyone to stay calm and not do anything stupid, while we are figuring things out. Frank, get some folks busy fueling up our vehicles, you'll have to search Zachary for the key to the supply trailer. Joe, get everybody else busy, breaking camp. Give me a little time to talk with Tom here and then we'll decide, who heads out to the rendezvous spot and who will stay and help.”
The tranquiliser used on Mitch and Margo kept them asleep, until after Delilah and Sister Agnes loaded them in a car and headed out on the road. Margo woke confused and still a bit groggy from the sedative. The last thing she remembered was going to look for Chloe, now she was in a car, her hands bound behind her. Margo continued to feign sleep and cracked her eyelids, just enough to get a look.
Through the slits of her eyelids Margo could see Mitch sleeping next to her. Seated next to Mitch was Chloe, nervously wringing her hands and bouncing a knee. The car hit a bump and Margo used it to swing her view towards the front seat. Driving the car was a blonde woman and seated next to her was a large, older woman. Margo strained to focus on their hushed conversation.
“Delilah, how much farther, before we are out of gas?” Sister Agnes questioned.
“We are down to the last of it, no more than twenty miles.” Delilah replied.
“What then?”
“We walk of course, have some faith Sister.”
“I don't mean to show a lack in faith, but it is a long walk back to the compound.”
“We just need to get within radio range, two days of walking should get us close enough.”
“One more question, wouldn't it be best if we stayed to the highway? Brother Zachary and the others are most likely to head back that way.”
“The ti
me of Zachary and Josiah is over, they will not be returning. Any of those that survived Zachary's ill fated plan, will have been turned against the way of Truth and will offer no assistance to us. It is best, we avoid them.”
Delilah seeing the perplexed look on Sister Agnes' face, reached over and patted her on the hand. “The Mother has foreseen all of this, the Sisterhood and the children that is our future. A time of culling is at hand, you and I will return to a new era.”
Margo smiled inwardly, she knew that attack on her home had failed and Turk would be looking for her. Over the next two days, she needed to slow their progress and leave Turk whatever clues she could.
Red Rises (Book 2): Dead To Rights (HZA, Vol. 4) Page 27