by John Grit
The man raised his shotgun. “I thought you needed them all dead.”
“I’d like to talk to at least one of them if possible.” Nate checked the wounded man for weapons and then examined his wounds. The man died before Nate was finished. “Damn it. I wanted to find out who sent them and why.”
Tyrone looked down at the body. “The president or one of his cronies.”
Someone yelled from the other end of the ambush site, “You want a live one? Here’s one.”
Nate ran up to the prisoner and saw that he only had a hand wound. He glared at the man, hate in his eyes. “I’m all out of patience. And I’m all out of mercy. You bastards have been trying to kill me and my family, as well as a friend and a little girl for days now, even calling in air strikes on us. You destroyed my home and left me with nothing but hate. If you answer my questions, no one will touch you. But if you hesitate or I think you’re lying to me, I’ll show you just how much I hate your guts.”
The man looked Nate in the eye. “I’ll answer your questions.”
Two men came up behind him and tied his hands behind his back.
Nate checked his wound. He got out his first-aid kit, cleaned the hand, and bandaged it. “Okay. Now let’s see if you meant what you said. Who do you take orders from?”
The prisoner didn’t hesitate. “Directly from the president. We’re contractors, soldiers for hire. Capinos offered us work with good pay and good food. That’s our part in this mess. Nothing else. The politics aren’t my concern.”
“Pay?” Tyrone asked. “Money’s not worth anything now.”
“It will be someday.” The man grimaced from pain. “He pays in gold. Gold will always have value.”
Nate wanted to get to the point. “I think you’re telling the truth about working for Capinos, so you’re on the right track so far. Why does Capinos want me and my family dead so much he sent you?”
“Capinos is after a man named Kramer and he thinks Kramer is with you. Kramer has information that could get Capinos and many others executed for the murder of most of the human population.” He looked up at Nate, sweat running down his face. “You, you’re wife and son, as well as your friends, aren’t exactly his favorite people either. But it’s Kramer he wants.” He swallowed and looked at Nate. “Personally, I have nothing against you. And after what you just did and the trouble you’ve caused us over the last days – well – I have a lot of respect for you.”
Tyrone reached over and snatched the man by the collar. He put both hands around his neck. “You mean to tell me Capinos was involved in causing the plague? And you knew and did nothing?” He shook the man violently. “Answer me!”
Nate tried to pry Tyrone’s hands off the man’s neck. “Damn it, Tyrone, you can wring his neck later. I still need more info from this bastard!”
Tyrone let the man drop to the ground, where he gasped for air, his face already turning blue. He pointed a finger at the prone, gasping man. “You damn well better have some reeeeaaally good information for Nate! I’m thinking of roasting you on a slow fire, just so you can get an idea of what’s waiting for you in hell.”
A combination of stunned silence and loud outrage shot through the other men. The plague wasn’t an act of nature? Some asshole caused it?
Nate jerked the man up and sat him down on a log. “Ever hear of a get out of jail free card? Call this your chance to get out of hell free. You tell me what you know about the plague and who caused it.”
“Kramer knows a lot more than I do.” The man still hadn’t caught his breath. “I mean, I can testify in court against Capinos, but Kramer’s the one you want. I and everyone you killed here today were hired after the plague had played out and done its killing. Kramer’s the one who knows a lot about Capinos.”
Nate became sick. Disgusted, he turned away.
“What is it?” Tyrone asked.
Nate ran his hand over the top of his aching head. “I’ll tell you later.” He turned around. “Strip the bodies of weapons, ammo, radios, and any papers. Bring the papers to me. They might be carrying something that could be evidence against Capinos and who the hell ever else is involved in the worst crimes since the Holocaust.”
The man in coveralls walked up to the prisoner. “What’s your name?”
The contractor asked, “Why, so you will know the name of the man you’re about to execute?”
“Nate and Tyrone don’t want you dead yet,” the man in coveralls answered. “I just wanted to know the name of pure evil.”
“My name is Paul Russell. I had nothing to do with the plague and learned of Capinos’ involvement after I went to work for him. I lost my entire family to the disease like most people. I’m just a contractor.”
Worried the man in coveralls would kill an important prisoner, Tyrone stepped between them. “We have to keep him alive. He may just help to prevent a civil war.”
“I know. That’s why he ain’t dead already.” The man in coveralls walked away.
Tyrone noticed that Nate still looked sick. “We might as well go pick up your family, Caroline, and the little girl.”
Nate took a deep breath. “Discovering that Susan and Beth were murdered, that some group of monsters purposely murdered most of the human population…” He shook his head.
Tyrone glanced at Russell for a second and put his hand on Nate’s shoulder. “I know. Feel the same way. Like a mule kicked me in the gut.”
Nate motioned for Tyrone to follow him. They walked far enough no one could hear. “I’m almost certain this Kramer is dead.”
Tyrone furrowed his brow. “How do you know?”
“Brian tangled with him and another CIA operative in the swamp not far from the farm. We think Deni got a bullet into him. We didn’t want to chance making sure and left him for dead.” Nate shrugged. “There’s a chance he radioed for a pickup, but by that time he had helped Mrs. MacKay and her people out. He may have been wanted by Capinos by then. If he was, he probably wouldn’t radio for help. Chances are he’s dead.”
“Damn it.” Tyrone looked at Nate, showing compassion. “You had no way of knowing. Hell, if this asshole shot at you right now, knowing what you know, you’d have to shoot back. You’re always the guy who keeps his head when the world’s turning to shit. Don’t change your ways now.” He took a step. “Come on. Let’s go get your family. You might as well catch a boat ride to town with us.”
Nate nodded. “Okay.” They walked back to the others.
Tyrone checked the items the men had taken off the contractors and examined two radios.
Nate stood in front of Russell, looking him in the eye. “Stand up. You’re going for a boat ride.”
Russell stood.
Nate glared at him for a second.
Russell stared back, not knowing what to expect.
Nate finally said, “Forget it. I was going to knock the hell out of you, but if I get started I’ll probably kill you, and we need you to testify. Maybe later.” He started to walk away and then turned and knocked Russell down.
Tyrone ran up. “Did he try something?”
Rage overtook Nate for several seconds. “He knew what Capinos had done and he still worked for him. My wife and little girl… millions and millions of people… He’s an asshole. And I have asshole proximity intolerance. I can’t stand to have assholes like him around me. The SOB gives Nazis a bad name.” Nate started for him again.
Tyrone braced to stop him. “Hold on! I lost family too. He’ll get his.”
“He’s spitting teeth now, but he needs to die.” Nate stepped away.
Someone turned on a radio he had taken off a dead contractor and changed frequencies until he heard something. Donovan’s voice came over the airwaves. “Capinos is dead. Pass the word that the president is dead. Anyone siding with Capinos and his cronies in Congress needs to know that it’s over. A new government will be elected by the American people sometime within the next few months. Give it up. You lost. The people won!”
A low murmur of confused voices rose to a roar, everyone demanding from no one in particular what the hell that meant and whether or not they could believe it.
“I believe Col. Donovan,” Tyrone answered.
“I’m pretty certain you can believe what Donovan tells you,” Nate said. “Whether or not it’s over and there’ll be no civil war, well, your guess is as good as mine.”
~~~
When they reached the river, Nate saw the armada of mostly jon boats and realized he just couldn’t take the chance of traveling that way. He told Tyrone, “I’ll ride a few miles with you. That’ll bring me closer to my family, but I’m not going to ride the rest of the way. It’s too dangerous. You’re an easy target on the river, and we don’t know if there are more search and destroy teams out here. And if there is another kill team, we have no idea how much air support they have.”
They traveled by starlight. Just able to see well enough to keep the boats between the banks, they were forced to go no more than five miles per hour. After a few miles, Nate told Tyrone he wanted to be let off.
Tyrone found a place where the brush wasn’t too thick and headed for shore. “But you’re going on into town, aren’t you?”
“Town might not be safe. Until any chance of a civil war has passed, we’re staying hid in these woods.”
“Here.” Tyrone handed Nate a radio they had taken off one of the contractors. “I don’t know if it’ll do you any good or not, but there it is.”
Nate took the radio. “Might be able to learn something listening in.” He shook Tyrone’s hand. “Thanks for helping me. You and your men went through a lot of trouble and risk.” He tried one more time. “I think you should leave the boats here and come with me. I’ll help you get back on foot. Traveling by boat is too dangerous right now.”
Tyrone smiled in the dark. “You saw how these guys are in the woods. I think we’re better off chancing it and using the speed of the boats to get out of here before daylight than we would be trying to walk out, even with you leading us.”
Nate nodded. “You made it here, so I guess the risk might not be that high. Good luck.”
Chapter 25
Nate traveled in the dark until he was several miles from the river. After a quick meal, he went to sleep, expecting to start out before false dawn and make it to Deni and the others early the next day. As he fell asleep, he wondered if the worst might be over. Could a real shooting war be avoided?
~~~
Instead of approaching the ledge from below, Nate decided to come in the way he left, through the ravine. He stopped just within hearing distance to listen. The first thing he heard was Samantha laughing. He moved in closer and could hear Caroline and Deni having a conversation about when one of them should go looking for Nate and who should go.
Nate spoke just loud enough they could here. “No need for that.”
Deni rushed to him. After they held each other, she looked him over and saw blood on his sleeve.
Checking what she was looking at, he noticed for the first time his left arm had been grazed by a bullet halfway between his elbow and hand. Surprised, he took his jacket off and looked at the minor wound. “I hadn’t even noticed that.”
“Uh huh,” she said.
He knew Brian must’ve been on watch, hiding in the stand of trees, looking downhill at the area bellow them. “Well, speaking of not noticing things, I managed to come right up on you. Who’s on security? Anyone? Who was watching the back door?”
“Don’t change the subject,” Deni said. “Sit down and let me clean that. You can tell us what happened while I work.”
Nate spoke to Caroline, “Might as well call Brian over so I don’t have to tell the story twice.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Something must have changed if you feel comfortable with not having anyone on watch. Did you get all of them?”
Nate nodded. “I had help. Go get Brian. Then I’ll tell all of you what happened.”
~~~
Fifteen minutes later, everyone sat around soaking in what Nate had told them. He pulled the radio Tyrone gave him out of his pack and turned it on. “Let’s see what we can learn.”
All they got was a small amount of traffic between soldiers, nothing about the situation in Washington.
Brian sat on his rolled sleeping bag. “We shouldn’t be thinking it’s over. Some other asshole could step in and take Capinos’ place.”
Nate turned the radio off to save the batteries. “At least we know nothing is going on at the moment. If they were fighting a battle, the traffic would’ve made it obvious.” He looked at the others. “All’s quiet on the southern front at the moment.”
“Okay, but what now?” Deni asked. Just stay here a little longer?”
Caroline butted in, “But how quiet is it on the northern front? Meaning Washington.”
“Well,” Nate pulled his pack to him so he could get out more rifle ammo to replace what he had shot and reload a magazine, “we can make it to that hunting shack before dark. It’ll be a good place to wait out a civil war.”
“Sounds good to me,” Brian said. “Let’s pack up and get a roof over our heads.”
The others seemed to agree, as they began to gather up their belongings and prepare to leave.
~~~
‘Free body piercing by Smith & Wesson.’ That’s what the sign said above the door of abandoned hunting shack. It was one of the hiding places Nate and the others had previously chosen and stocked with supplies. Nate had no idea who the owner was. Most likely, he had died in the plague.
Brian kicked mud off his boots before stepping up on the small porch, his rifle in his hands. “Lots of free body piercing going on nowadays.”
Caroline stood watch 30 yards off in the brush, where she could see the front of the shack and keep an eye on Samantha, who was half asleep on a bench near the front door. Deni stood watch 50 yards behind the shack.
Nate worked on his backpack, completing repairs he started days before, when they were being chased by Capinos’ private army. He looked up, put a finger to his lips, and pointed at Samantha.
Brian sat down beside him. Keeping his voice low, he asked, “How long are we going to stay here, not knowing what’s going on in the world?”
“We’re resting.” Nate pulled the sewing twine tight and tied it off. “I don’t know about you, but I was damn near dead by the time we dragged our asses up here.”
Brian jerked his head and looked away. “It was you that nearly killed us. We had to keep up.” He turned and looked at his father, smiling, respect showing on his face. “You don’t ever quit.”
“Nobody quit, not even Samantha.”
“Well.” Brian looked at the little girl. “She didn’t have much choice. But she sure is a tough little girl. I guess that’s the main reason she’s alive. That and Caroline.”
Nate nodded. “Our band of survivors has stuck together. That’s what pulled us through so far.”
“Yep,” Brian said, “we don’t quit on each other, and we don’t quit on our friends. You taught me that. I guess before it all went to hell I didn’t realize how important people are.” A thought came to him. “You think we could just stay here and wait out whatever happens? You said many times that we’re not going to make any difference if there’s a civil war.”
“We’re not. A civil war’s too big of a thing for a few people like us to influence at all. I’m thinking about going for a radio, though. We need to find out what’s going on. Hell, it could all be over.”
“Mel’s place?” Brian asked.
“No,” Nate answered. “Best to stay away from there. Might not be anything left but a crater by now, anyway.”
“Where then?”
“I think I’ll try to find MacKay’s people.” Nate took a stone from his pack and began to sharpen his knife.
“Alone?”
Nate stopped for a second and looked at his son.
“You told Deni?” Brian asked.
“Not ye
t.”
Brian pretended to mop sweat from his forehead. “You had me worried for a second. Now I doubt you’ll be going alone.”
Nate coughed. “You think so, huh?”
“I expect she’ll lay down the law and that’ll be the end of it.”
Nate laughed. “Maybe you’re right.”
“You should listen to that military radio one more time before you leave. Might learn something.”
Nate put his knife back in the sheath. “Why don’t you turn it on and we’ll listen right now?”
At first all they heard was an unusual amount of static. Brian switched frequencies and a man’s voice emanated from the speaker. “Continuity of government in Washington has been secured and things are stabilizing. All branches of the military are untied in America’s efforts to bring back full enforcement of the Constitution. Vice President Piers Trant has agreed to step down as soon as elections are held four months from now and is cooperating fully. Junior officers and noncoms in the field report great strides in the reduction of violence, and law and order has been restored to over half the country. Local people have cooperated with this effort and we are certain more people will volunteer to help out in this matter. Anyone with prior law enforcement experience should be sought out and asked to volunteer to serve their communities. In recent weeks, we have managed to pick up where we left off in our struggle to end famine, and progress in that area continues to amaze and please commanders, as well as those who enjoy full stomachs for the first time since the plague.”
“Sounds good anyway,” Brian said, a definite tone of doubt in his voice.
The batteries drained to the point the radio would no longer work.
“No more info by radio,” Nate said. “There’s only one way to find out what’s going on locally. As for Washington and the rest of the country, we may not know for months.” He got up from the porch, his rifle in hand. “I’ll go talk it over with Deni. It’s time for me to take over security in the front, anyway.”
~~~
Caroline slipped into the shoulder straps on her backpack and tightened the waist strap. “I’m glad we had a chance to rest up and eat regularly for a while. It’s going to be a long trip for Samantha.”