Later that night, as he buried their bodies in the woods across the street, Gordon contemplated his actions. It wasn’t that he held that much anger against Aaron and Jamie; it was more about the betrayal they represented. There had to be a way he could get back to New York and put the entire mess behind him. The train, he kept telling himself. The train will come soon.
Gordon never did encounter Bryce and Scott like he had planned to. Life after the EMP strike took some adjustment, but he tried his best. He missed the city and his job, but he imagined that many people were suffering just the same.
A week later, he was helping Bobby's group gather some supplies when the end finally came. A rogue group of survivalists, who had quite the reputation around town, ambushed the group for their supplies. Their group lived far from town at a secret hideout called Camp Liberty. It was a place no one could find. Whenever they hit the town for supplies, they hit it hard.
Gordon had heard of their ruthless and cunning nature and immediately fired at them with one of Bobby's loaner rifles. He took one of theirs out and was met with a hail of gunfire in return. Bobby and his group retreated into the night, narrowly escaping the shootout. Their haul lay scattered on the ground along with Gordon's bullet-ridden body, staring into the dark sky one last time.
On Their Own
James examined the carnage that surrounded Camp Liberty. The sights and sounds were as potent as anything he had experienced in the Gulf War. Daren and Dustin both ducked back inside the house after seeing Russell personally torch alive the people who had come to save them. James called for them, but they chose to retreat instead. Frustrated, he stormed into the cabin after them and closed the door.
Russell stood outside the gates proudly overlooking the charred bodies in his wake, scanning the forest for any others. Kyle and Eli ran outside the gate to meet up with him. They were stunned and had to cover their mouths with their hands to counter the noxious fumes of burnt flesh surrounding them. The blackened bodies were frozen in agonized positions. Eli wanted to vomit. He didn't know how much longer he could stand among the bodies. Kyle had apprehensions about even approaching Russell.
“You all right, man?” he asked, keeping his distance.
Russell stared ahead with his back to Kyle while still clutching the hose of his flamethrower.
“I can't take this,” Eli said with his hand over his mouth. He ran back into the camp while the other men surveyed the stunning aftermath of the attack all around them.
Russell finally addressed Kyle, though his eyes remained forward. “I was sick of playing around with these people. It was foolish of them to get in our way.”
Kyle walked in front of Russell to get his full attention. “I know, but we have to consider that more will come. This could be just the first wave.”
“What are you suggesting?” Russell asked.
“Relocation, for starters.”
“There's no time for that. This minor skirmish will set us back weeks. Relocation will set us back months.”
“We gotta be smart here, Russ.”
“Agreed, but let's not be rash in the process.”
Kyle looked at the contorted bodies around him and couldn't believe his own ears as Russell advised against becoming rash.
“We pick up the pieces from here. Properly deal with our KIA. Dispose of the rest of theirs. We make the repairs necessary and we continue training.”
“Russ, I--”
Russell turned directly to meet Kyle’s gaze and pointed in his face. “That's what we do! You hear me? It's my call, and it's the right one. I don't need you getting all weak-kneed now.”
Kyle didn't want to push the matter anymore. They had plenty of their own dead to tend to. It was disappointing to have their numbers drastically reduced just when they should have been increasing. “I'm gonna help clean up,” he said to Russell, walking away.
***
James followed Dustin and Daren back into the holding cabin and pleaded with them to make a move. “If you ever plan to get out of here, it's now or never.”
The boys were understandably frightened and unsure about exposure amid so much danger. Regardless, James's patience was wearing thin. “My friends and I are leaving, and that's final. I'm not going to put them at further risk by trying to convince you to come with us. The choice is yours.”
“We'll go,” Daren said.
“Are you crazy? They'll kill us!” Dustin objected.
James looked at them both. “You two figure it out. I'm going to get my friends.” He walked between the boys and then snuck out the back door, leaving them to ponder their fate in the empty cabin where evidence of their brother's murder still remained on the bloodstained floorboards. They knew that at any moment, one of Russell's men would be back to guard them again.
“You know he's right,” Daren said.
“You think I want to stay here?” Dustin asked. “I'm just trying to be smart about it.” A purple bruise had nearly consumed Dustin's face. He vividly remembered getting buttstroked and winced as he lightly touched it. “If we link up with those people, it puts a big fat target on us.”
“Then what's your plan, genius?” Daren asked.
Dustin stared down at the floor while scratching his chin.
“Well?” Daren said impatiently.
Dustin shook his head. “Hold on, I'm thinking.”
Morning sun shone through the windows, providing some much needed light in the darkened cabin. They could hear the commotion taking place around the camp, coming from all sides. Bodies were being loaded up, embankments were being reinforced, and repairs were being made to the damages done to the wall surrounding the camp. It seemed as if, for a moment, Russell and his men had forgotten about Daren and Dustin.
“Hear me out here,” Dustin continued. “That dude is set on getting out of here. So we take the moment when all attention is on them and make our escape.”
“What do you propose, tunneling below ground?” Daren asked. “There's only one way out of here, and it's through those front gates.”
“Not necessarily,” Dustin said, walking to a corner of the room next to a pile of boxes. He signaled Daren over and pointed to a trapdoor. He lifted the door, revealing a large hole leading underground, which was totally dark. “The tunnels are already made for us.”
“What the hell? How did you know about this?” Daren asked.
“I noticed when they hit me and I fell to the ground. Must be some kind of emergency escape.”
“Or maybe it leads nowhere.”
“There's only one way to find out,” Dustin said, pulling a lighter from his pocket.
“Where did you get that?”
“Swiped it from that James dude.”
The boys laughed, then looked at the black hole at their feet apprehensively. Crawling through a small, dirty tunnel wasn't the most appealing of options, but for them, it was better than being shot. Dustin placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and looked at him with a sobering expression. “We owe it to the people who tried to free us to get out of this thing alive.” Daren responded with a knowing look.
James ran into his cabin. Christina held Paula tightly, trying her best to put a good face on everything. “We're leaving soon, honey, and you'll never have to see this place again,” she said.
Janice was beyond anxious and ready to get the hell out of there. The screams of the men as they were torched alive had shaken her to the core. Jacklyn, Sally, and Jeff stood near James's group, stricken with fear over the fate of their friends.
“All right, is everyone ready?” James asked. He hated the idea of risking another standoff, but he knew, as well as they did, that the only option they had was to go right out the same way they came in.
As James's group grabbed their things, Christina knelt down in front of Paula, speaking calmly and directly to her. “I want you to do me a favor.”
“What's that?” Paula asked.
“You hold onto my hand tight, and don't let go for
any reason.”
“OK.”
Christina pulled her close and hugged her tightly. James threw on his backpack and grabbed his rifle. Mark and Janice were armed and ready to go as well. Christina stood up and wiped her eyes. “We're ready,” she said. Suddenly a hush came over everything as they all looked over to Jacklyn, Sally, and Jeff.
“You guys stay safe,” James said. “I hope the rest of your friends are all right.” They looked too shaken to offer any goodbyes. Jeff stared ahead unresponsively.
James turned around to address his group. “Maybe I should talk to Russell first and clear everything up. There's literally no reason why he would still need or want us here. I think before, he was just a little on edge.”
“We go out there together, show a united front. That's the only way this is going down,” Mark said. He looked at Janice. “Agreed?”
“Agreed,” she said.
“What do you think, Christina? I would hate to put Paula in any more danger than necessary,” James said.
Christina looked determined. She had wiped away any sign of vulnerability and replaced it with defiant strength. “We stay together, like always.”
James nodded. “Very well. Stick close to each other and remain alert.” He took a step back and then swung the door open to the destructive aftermath before them and the path to freedom that lay beyond.
Russell, Kyle, Eli, Quinn, and Billy were huddled together at the front gate assessing the overall losses and damage to the camp. Six of their men had been killed during the attack, leaving a total of nine, including them, though some had been wounded. They still had the college kids, which put their numbers at fourteen. And of course, there were the two teenage boys, who Russell hoped would join them. The important thing for Russell was to rebuild and push forward, just as he had explained to Kyle.
Their six KIA were carefully carried to a burial site outside the camp, while the bodies of the townspeople were to be piled together and buried in a mass grave, thirty-two bodies in all. There was a certain despondency in the faces of Russell's men. Though they had managed to stave off an attack on the camp, there seemed nothing to celebrate. All the death around them seemed like a pointless waste. They didn't understand it any more than anything else that was happening around the world.
Russell, observant as he was, studied his men as they worked together to repair the camp and remove the bodies. He noticed Shane and Danny stumbling around and trying to keep up. Their slung rifles swung awkwardly from their necks, and their expressions were like that of ghosts. The men would need a hell of a morale booster after this episode, Russell thought. He would have to do his best to keep them united beyond all costs. It would require pulling out all the stops.
After contemplating the delicate task of keeping the men motivated, Russell suddenly noticed a very determined and familiar group leaving Cabin B and marching toward them, apparently ready for another showdown.
“Looks like we got company,” Kyle said into his ear.
James's group was distraught to find that the front gates had been closed in haste. It was clear that Russell's men weren't going to make it easy for them. The stench of death was in the air, even though most of the bodies had already been moved. Brass ammo shells littered the ground along the walls, especially at the bottom of the makeshift towers.
Camp Liberty was consumed by a haze of smoke from all the burnt wood, burnt bodies, and abundance of gunpowder in the air. All eyes were on James and his group, and they knew it. Activity in the camp came to a stop as Russell's men slowly formed a human barrier at the front gate.
James stopped walking and told the others to wait. He had almost forgotten about the Wilson brothers. He ran quickly to the next-door cabin and swung the door open as his group nervously waited.
“What the hell is he doing?” Mark asked Janice. She shrugged as they gripped their rifles tightly, ready for anything.
James looked inside the cabin and called out to the boys. No one was inside. He shook his head and slammed the door shut. His group eagerly waited as James ran back to them in a hurry. The situation at the gate had only gotten worse. Every remaining man in Russell's militia had gathered with their weapons drawn. It appeared they were approaching another standoff.
“Christina and Paula, I want both of you in the middle,” James said. “Mark, Janice, and I will form a circle around you.”
Christina was confused, but nodded her head in agreement with Paula close by.
“I'll lead up front,” James continued. “Mark takes one side, Janice takes the other.”
“What do you have in mind, James?” Janice asked with a worried look.
“It's just a precaution,” he answered. “Everything is going to be fine.”
They formed an adequate circle—even with its noticeable gaps—and proceeded to move toward the gate in one singular, vigilant movement. Christina held Paula's hand tight with one hand and James's pistol in her other.
Russell's men stood together watching the approaching group with curiosity. Among the militia was Shane, Danny, and Leo. Their exhaustion pushed them to a state of paranoia close to that of Russell's. They considered that James's group could possibly have been aiding the attackers. Perhaps Camp Liberty had been infiltrated from within.
Kyle leaned into Russell's ear again. “Just what in the hell do they think they're doing now?”
Russell took keen notice of their defensive formation and found it somewhat amusing. “Go check on the prisoners,” he said back.
Kyle turned then turned to Eli. “Go check on the prisoners, Eli.”
Eli grunted and ran off to Cabin C. He was in no mood to argue or make a scene in reaction to Kyle's demands.
As James's group got closer, Russell's men aimed their weapons into the air. Russell suddenly waved them off. “Lower your weapons.”
James stopped in front of the mass gathering of men, a few feet from the gate. Mark and Janice kept their positions while Christina and Paula huddled in the middle. They did their best not to show any fear.
Russell looked at their circular formation with befuddled amusement. “I gotta tell ya, James, this standoff routine of yours isn’t really necessary.” He was no longer wearing his flamethrower, but James knew better. They would have to stand tall against whatever mind games Russell used against them.
“We would like to leave, and there's really nothing more to say on the matter,” James said.
Russell brushed his long hair to the side. He then took an American flag bandana from his pocket and wrapped it on his head. James suspected he was stalling. Once Russell looked up into the blue sky, not saying a word, it became clear that their exit was going to be problematic.
“I think we can all agree that too much blood has been spilled today; too much loss of life, with no reason to escalate it further,” James said.
Russell brought his head back down and looked at James with understanding. “I agree, I really do. To have to bury six of some of my finest men leaves me heartbroken enough. There's been enough death today for all of us. The important thing is that we held our own against an unwarranted attack. Today we were victorious, but tomorrow might be a different story. The point is, James, we're sorry to see you go.”
James's group sighed with relief. Mark attempted to make eye contact with his friend Leo, but was met with only a cold stare. Janice kept her rifle at the ready, wondering about the purpose of all the chitchat. She just wanted to see the front gates open, end of story.
James took a few steps forward, hoping that the militia would part to the side and let him through. Instead, they stayed firmly in place. “We appreciate that, Russell,” he said. “Now if you'll kindly let us through, we'll be on our way.”
“One moment, please,” Russell responded, holding his hand out. Everyone stopped, and Christina rolled her eyes. The urge to take Russell out herself was hard to fight. “You're quite aware of what just happened, right?”
James looked around, trying to understand th
e question. “Yes,” he answered.
“You're aware that the entire damn town just tried to take everything we have, right?”
“It appears that way, yes.”
Russell raised his finger to his mouth as if delivering a rehearsed lecture. “So, as we were attacked from all sides, as we were ambushed, my men were overwhelmed in the chaos. They were overwhelmed, but they fought on. It is because of them that this camp still stands. Because of them, I'm still standing here talking with you. Through all of that, where were you guys? While we risked our lives out here, you were all MIA.”
Russell paused as James tried to choose his words carefully. “It wasn't our fight. We're not soldiers.”
“You were a Marine.”
“Yes, I am a Marine, but my duty is to protect my group. We have no place here among your well-trained and selfless men.”
Russell rapidly scratched his scraggly face. He then flippantly threw his hands up in the air. “All right then, fair enough. Open the gate.”
“What?” Kyle asked.
“I said open the gate. How many times do I have to say it?”
James was surprised by Russell's reaction. His group took a collective breath of relief. Kyle stumbled around and then signaled to Billy and Quinn to unlock and open the gate. Just as the decision was made, Eli stormed out of Cabin C in a frantic state.
“They're gone!” he shouted.
Everyone stopped. Quinn and Billy turned around as Eli ran toward the group, swinging the rifle he held in his arms.
“What do you mean, they're gone?” Russell asked. His first interpretation was that they were dead.
“I mean that they're not there.”
Russell took a step back. “They've escaped?” he asked, astonished.
“They sure as shit ain't in there, that much I know,” Eli said.
James didn't know what to think. He hadn’t seen them in there either.
The mere thought of their escape triggered a mountain of fury within Russell. He whipped around and pointed at James like an accuser. “You did this! You helped them escape, didn't you?”
End Days Super Boxset Page 209