Avalon: Beyond the Retreat (The Avalon Series Book 2)

by L. Michael Rusin

  “Anything interesting?”

  “They mentioned some names, but we don’t know for sure who those people are. We know they talked some about Bone Breaker and Slasher. Slasher is Alvin Cobb, the new mayor of Wormwood. We also know the spies were frustrated at being so closely watched. They figured it out after a couple of days but there wasn’t much they could do about it.”

  “Sending them back is probably a good idea. The townspeople will make trouble if those two are allowed to stay. Lord knows she’ll need a doctor once she’s a little further along.” Caroline rubbed her stomach as she talked.

  Mike stood up and put his arms around her waist. He liked to feel the baby kick inside her stomach. “Do you have anything planned the rest of the day?”

  “No, I don’t. What’s on your mind, Sailor?”

  “Let’s go home and talk about it. I feel a little like a nap comin’ on.”

  She laughed and grabbed his hand in hers. Then she led him out the door.

  The morning was cool as the sun rose over the mountains. Birds flew about in search of breakfast and their chatter filled the air as they called out to one another. Breakfast was on the stove and people were gathering to eat. Mike strolled into the restaurant with Caroline in tow.

  Crystal saw them walk over. “The Sheriff said he’ll be at the airport to pick you up himself. He said it’s getting hostile down there and for you to hurry.”

  “Please tell him we’ll be on our way as soon as we finish eating.”

  Crystal turned and went to notify the Sheriff on the radio. Randy, his wife, and two kids came over and asked if they could join Caroline and Mike for breakfast.

  “You’re all welcome to join us,” Mike invited the troupe graciously.

  Breakfast consisted of fried potatoes, sausage, gravy, eggs, bread and butter, cold milk, coffee and ice-cold juice. After breakfast, Mike drained his coffee cup and excused himself from the table to make the trip to Fitch.

  “Another trip to solve some problems,” he made a face and everyone laughed.

  Dennis Post came in hurriedly, wasn’t watching where he was going, and bumped into Mike. He looked up and apologized.

  “Problems Dennis?”

  “We had a horse kick a cow and kill her. I’m on my way to talk to the Chef and get it butchered. Sorry about that, I’m sort of out of it today, I sure liked that cow. She was a good milker. Gotta go.” He waved his hand over his shoulder as he hurried toward the kitchen.

  Mike and Caroline went out to the front meadow airfield and Mike released the plane from the tie downs and prepared to conduct a pre-flight check. Caroline got in the plane and fastened her seat belt. She was showing, but not overly. Mike climbed in and set the altimeter to the field elevation. They were at 4,300 feet ASL here in the meadow.

  “PROP CLEAR!”

  The engine started immediately. He taxied down to the end of the field and did a run up to check the mags, the RPM, and the prop. Satisfied all was okay, he turned into what he considered the middle of the runway strip and came in with full power nice and slow until he reached maximum power.

  The airplane rolled down the grass, and the plane’s nose quickly lifted into the air, climbing straight ahead. Mike set a course of 085 degrees and headed for the airport at Fitch. In twenty minutes, he was making a final turn to land. He taxied up to the office and shut the engine down. Mike got out and secured the plane. Then he and Caroline walked over to the patrol car where the Sheriff waited.

  The Sheriff called through the rolled down window of his car as the couple approached, “Hi, Mike. Hi, Caroline. Hop in. How was the trip?”

  “Smooth as glass.”

  “Sorry to ask you down here so soon after you left, but it’s quite the situation. The townspeople are quite upset with the spies still being here. They were about to form a lynch party before I intervened. I managed to calm them down a bit, but we have to resolve this somehow. The people aren’t happy with the decision to allow the slavers to get off without punishment.”

  The Sheriff seemed a little out of breath when he stopped talking and Mike looked at him with some concern. The man’s face was a little red and Mike wondered if he was okay. “Sheriff, I think we should escort them to the outskirts of town, give them enough food and water to make the trip to Wormwood and warn them to never cross us again or they will be hanged.”

  “Great idea, Mike. We’ll get them on their way. In fact, I’ll do it myself.”

  The drive to the office was rather quick, and the Sheriff sent Marcie to pick up the carpetbaggers.

  “I’ll get them right away, Sheriff.”

  Twenty minutes later, Marcie opened the door and directed the couple to the table in the main office.

  “Have a seat,” the Sheriff’s statement clearly wasn’t a request.

  Mike looked at the couple. “We’ve known since the day you arrived that you were sent here to spy on us.”

  The man tried to deny it but Mike cut him off. “We’re going to give you the same break we gave Alvin Cobb, the man you call Slasher. You’ll be given enough food and water to make the trip to Wormwood. If we ever hear of you doing anything contrary to the law again, we will give you a fair trial before hanging you by the neck. You never fooled anyone and now it’s unsafe for you to remain here in Fitch. As of this moment, whatever you have done is forgiven but only up until today. The decisions you make from here on out will determine the future of your family.”

  Just then Marcie came over and placed several water jugs and a bag of food on the table. She didn’t say anything. She just turned and walked away. Her contempt for the spies was obvious.

  The Sheriff looked sternly at the man and woman before saying, “You’ve been our guests, you’ve eaten our food and you’ve received competent medical care. I’ll take you to the edge of town where you’ll be allowed to leave here safely. Don’t ever come back. We don’t want you here and I cannot assure your safety if you return. There are many here who hate you and would just as soon kill you on the spot.”

  Mike agreed. “I’ll go with you Sheriff.”

  Chapter 24

  Militia

  EARLY IN APRIL, people from communities south of Fitch and Avalon began drifting into town. They came to express their hope for a better life in a mixed up world full of deprivation and desire.

  Everyone wanted a return to the days of electricity at the flip of switch. They wanted to be able to go to the grocery store to purchase goods without fearing brigands would swoop down from hiding to rob, enslave, or kill them. The reports Mike was getting showed that things were beginning to change for the better. It would be a slow process, but it was something to look forward to.

  After some initial discussion, Mike and the Governor called a formal meeting. It was time to put together a statewide police force that could travel quickly and make arrests when necessary. Everyone out and away from Avalon and Fitch wanted peace of mind. It was important for people to understand that although they had to remain independently vigilant, they also could depend on protectors who could hunt down the bad guys and bring them to justice.

  Mike introduced himself to the three hundred plus people who had gathered at the Fair Grounds. The remnants from the former slaver camp served as reminders of the terror they had inflicted on the innocent.

  The weather was cool, but the sky was blue and a slight breeze blew gently across the crowd. “Thank you all for coming. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Michael Reynolds. I am a former Navy SEAL, called back to active duty by our new President, and appointed Admiral shortly after the end of the war.”

  He paused temporarily and allowed a little time for some of the stragglers to find a seat before continuing. It was important that they hear what he had to say. This was a significant undertaking for all of them. Mike felt that once the new procedures and processes were implemented, a big burden would be lifted from him, and Avalon, itself.

  “All of us have been affected by the slavers and their ways. But
that is behind us now. We’ve made peace with them and they have promised there will be no more raids or slavery.” This set the crowd off in a thunderstorm of groans and exclamations. Mike put his hands up and motioned for them to hear him out. They calmed down to let him speak.

  “It’s true. We made peace with the former slavers who remained alive after this last battle. They’ve moved to a town called Wormwood, just west of here. We have their assurance there will be no more raids or attacks and that their slaving days are over.” A roar of approval rose through the crowd.

  “We’re creating a militia that will act as a roving state police force that will have jurisdiction throughout the area. Much like the U.S. Marshals of the old west, they will have the power to arrest. For the time being they will work directly under the Governor, and hand-in-hand with Beth Kelly of the FBI. She and her people will handle all investigations.”

  “Until we have permission from the new President, the militia will be restricted to California. Until we know our boundaries, we’ll concentrate on taking care of our own. If we’re called upon to go out of the state, we will do so with the sanction of our Federal Government. We will remain a lawful entity.”

  Several people raised their hands to ask questions so Mike paused to answer them. “State your question.”

  “I am a former California Highway Patrolman. I was a Sergeant before the war started. Can you use any experienced people in this new militia or police force or whatever it’s called?”

  “We will be making these positions available to qualified personnel, and yes, we need as many trained officers as we can find. Anyone with a law enforcement background should leave their contact information on the table by the door. Be specific so we can find you. Remember people, we no longer have normal addresses.” He pointed to a table where the Sheriff, Marcie and FBI Special Agent Beth Kelly were sitting.

  “We’re going to need about two hundred men who own side arms and ammunition. It’s preferable that the rifles be .223/5.56. We’ll also have a few snipers assigned to each group. The troopers will be divided into blocks of fifty. Each block will be divided into units of twenty-five. There will be a Blue and a Gold unit.”

  “When one unit is out patrolling, the other unit will remain home and act as a local police force protecting our homes and towns. They will work one week on the Blue unit and one week on the Gold unit. The rotations will be scheduled fairly to accommodate everyone as best as possible. If you know of anyone who is qualified to serve with this group, but they are not here, please have them contact the Governor’s office.”

  “Money has been an issue with everyone. There will be two metals we will use as a lawful trading commodity. One will be gold and the other will be silver. Denominations of those two metals will be specified as bars and coins.”

  “Many years ago when our Republic was founded, counterfeiting was a major problem. The penalty for counterfeiting was death back then, and that is the way it will be from now on. We cannot accept anyone breaking this law, because it goes to the root of who we are and what we stand for. Cheats are an abomination to a civilized society and will be dealt with quickly and appropriately.”

  “The days of someone convicted of a capital crime languishing in a prison for years is a thing of the past. The condemned will be dealt with within a year. That will give them adequate time to have their cases reviewed. They will be released if a jury of their peers think that is justified; otherwise, they will be executed at one of the town squares.”

  “However, there is one thing that everyone must understand, and understand it well – there will be no mob justice. Those who go outside the boundaries of the law will face the law, themselves. Just because we have been reduced in population does not mean we cannot abide by the laws of civilized men and women.”

  “Since the legal profession and lawyers have been eliminated by our new government, arbitration will rule. We will all decide guilt and innocence together. That does not mean we cannot defend ourselves using deadly force. That is a basic law that we should and will adhere to. I now turn this meeting over to Special Agent Beth Kelly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

  Mike stepped away from the megaphone and waited for Beth to approach. The people responded with applause. Beth approached the megaphone.

  “Can you all hear me?” The crowd applauded.

  “Freedom is a gift. One we must always cherish. We should never lose sight of what has happened in the past. We must vow never to take this great country or its principles for granted. If we are not diligent about our freedoms, there will always be a faction that will try their best to usurp our freedoms at every turn.”

  “I know it’s cliche to say that we must never forget, but it’s a simple truth: if we lose sight of what has transpired in the past, we will be forced to revisit it again. Slavery was the law of the land in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world at one time. It took many years for people to recognize that system was wrong and abolish it. Slavery was abolished to economically ruin the southern states and help bring the War Between the States to an end. Regardless of the reasons, however, slavery was brought to an end in this country and the moral good of that decision was eventually recognized. We must never allow this inhumanity to rear its ugly head again.”

  The crowd erupted with shouts and yells. Whistles penetrated the air. Beth stood waiting for the noise to subside. “We are still a nation. We have a new President and a new Congress. We’ve organized and we will gradually get back to a more normal and familiar standard of living, most importantly a life without fearing for our lives,” Beth looked over the crowd and paused for effect, “and with your help, ‘We the people’ will be able to accomplish a great many things.”

  The crowd again roared and Beth smiled. “Thank you for your patience. Rebuilding our country is a serious and difficult undertaking. We’ve all suffered a blow from this war. The population of our planet has been greatly reduced. Some of us think we’re lucky to have survived all that has happened, but are we really? I don’t know the answer to that question but I do know this, if we roll up our sleeves and work together as we once did, we can accomplish almost anything.”

  “We are descended from people who carved out canals with picks and shovels, building the Erie Canal, and passable roads. We are the children of men and women who built an empire with their sweat and labor. Our ancestors traveled across a continent risking their very lives to build a new life in what was a wild, wild west. They did it by following wagon trains and pushing handcarts filled with their possessions to build a new life over the horizon.”

  “We’re Americans, first and foremost, and we will not only survive – we will thrive! This is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. We will never relinquish our freedoms to anyone!”

  Beth stepped away from the megaphone and pointed to Mike and Governor Waters. And she began to clap. The crowd joined her in a thunderous applause. The Governor stood up and approached the large funnel.

  He raised his arms up over his head and clenched his fists. The crowd was charged. At last, they had hope for the future. And hope would keep them striving for a better life. The Governor motioned for all of the speakers to come to his side and they approached the podium with huge smiles.

  The Governor cleared his throat and began to speak as soon as the crowd quieted and sat back down on the grass. “My friends and fellow Americans, this is an exciting time to be alive, and to be a part of rebuilding this great land. We all lost someone to the war and the plague… but we survived. We’re here, we’re strong, and we are going to rebuild our land and our Nation.”

  “Our culture was beaten into the ground. We were made to feel ashamed of our accomplishments, our wealth and our society. We allowed others to come to our land and tear it apart from within. The travesty is that we, as a people, allowed it to happen. We elected traitors to our high offices and they instituted laws that went contrary to our basic fundamental freedoms and beliefs, the very beliefs ou
tlined in the Constitution and by our founding fathers.”

  “We let those same people teach our children and fill them with anti-American rhetoric. We saw it happen and we did nothing to stop it. Fortunately for us, most of the traitors are dead. We have been given a second chance to turn it around and make it right.”

  “I hope and pray that we’ll take advantage of that gift and never again allow ourselves to become neglectful in our responsibilities as a nation and a society. We will rebuild this land into something our founding fathers would be proud of. Let’s go forward and, once again, make the United States of America the greatest country in the world! God bless us all.”

  The Governor stepped back to join the others. As the crowd dispersed, many of the men came to the table to pledge their support. These people had survived the worst man made disaster ever to have befallen any people in recorded history. They were ready to move forward and build a new life.

  With the announcement of the militia, people could feel more comfortable about traveling to barter for goods with other communities. A state fair was being planned and they would be able to exchange a variety of food, wares and services they had lost, and yearned for, since the war began.

  Most had remained in hiding for too long, afraid to seek out others, not knowing friends from enemies. Now they had something to look forward to. Soon they would be able to go out and about in safety.

  They were happy to know that a standard of money would be developed in the near future. Barter was good and filled a need, but it was sometimes a bit lopsided in favor of those with stronger bargaining chips. A form of money would help even things out somewhat.

  It was an exciting time and the electricity in the air seemed to crackle as the people mingled and talked about various issues. One big topic of conversation was the peace with the slavers and the new police force. Everyone felt safer with that news. Vigilance was the order of the day. They could never let their guards down completely. But this was a start toward better times and perhaps a time when they could relax and enjoy life.