Paradise

by Michael R. Watson

  “It’s too late to change.”

  “Then do me another favor. Take your men back to Sector 4. Tell the governor you came up against insurmountable odds and you didn’t want to lose the governor’s men. He may not like it, but he’ll understand and bloodshed will be prevented.”

  “What do you mean ‘another’ favor?” asked Ryder.

  “Daniel agreed to keep an eye on you while you were in the Guard,” explained his dad.

  “What? You knew each other before the quakes?” This was all news to him.

  “Quite a while actually. We were good friends once, and I hope we still are,” said Samuel, smiling.

  “We are,” confirmed Gant.

  * * *

  News had spread through the Guard encampment that Master Gant was meeting with two of the Raiders. Most had gathered to watch, anxious to know the outcome. After seeing the line of men on horseback, they knew the odds were against them. Most of the men just wanted to go home. They weren’t soldiers. They had only taken positions with the Guard for the food and shelter.

  Taylor still wanted the Guard to attack. The meeting was taking too long. He paced back and forth in front of them, attempting to work the troops into a frenzy by questioning their courage as men and to provoke them into taking action. A few, as disillusioned as Taylor, were falling for it. A few battle cries began to rise, and the mood of the crowd began to change, with the chants spreading rapidly.

  A shot rang out from the Guard camp. Taylor swung around to see Samuel fall to the ground. A hint of a smile crept onto his face.

  * * *

  Chapter 13

  Ryder and Gant quickly dismounted. The initial shot was followed by a volley of others. Staying low, Ryder crawled to his dad, relieved to see he was still alive and conscious, bleeding freely from a wound through his upper arm. Gant grabbed the white flag lying on the ground and wrapped it tightly around the wound.

  “It was still a good idea,” moaned Samuel, wincing from the pain as he tried to get up.

  “Shut up and lie still!” demanded Gant.

  The Raiders, witnessing the shooting, came to high alert, ready to launch an assault, just waiting for Ryder to give the order.

  “We need to stop this right now!” said Ryder. Gant nodded agreement. “Dad, I need to leave you for a minute. Are you going to be okay?”

  “I’m fine. Go ahead.”

  Ryder stayed low as he worked his way over to Gant’s horse. Gant had been able to keep a firm grip on the reins. The other two had been spooked away by the gunfire. Ryder stood up, the horse between himself and the Guard encampment, facing his own men and waving his arms. Gant did likewise, facing his men.

  “Hold your fire!” they both yelled.

  They were each recognized by their own men. “Hold your fire!” they repeated. Weapons were hesitantly lowered on both sides.

  “Help me,” Ryder urged Gant. “Please.” Both helped Samuel to his feet.

  “Take my horse,” offered Gant.

  Ryder didn’t argue. He just wanted to get his dad to safety and it was the least Gant could do since his men had been responsible.

  In the saddle, Samuel placed a hand on Gant’s shoulder, “Thanks.”

  “Thanks?” asked Ryder sarcastically.

  “I’m taking my troops back to Sector 4,” Gant told Samuel. “I was looking for an excuse not to lead these men against you or the valley. From what I hear, you have a good thing there. I wouldn’t do anything to ruin it. If my punishment for failure isn’t too severe, maybe we’ll see each other again under more favorable conditions.”

  “I’d like that,” said Samuel. “I’ll see you again old friend.”

  They began the walk back to their own lines, Ryder leading the horse and supporting his dad. “Stay down, Dad.”

  “Mission accomplished,” said Samuel, slumped over and holding tightly to the saddle horn with his good hand. Ryder could only shake his head in disbelief.

  * * *

  Taylor made no effort to hide his anger, cursing loudly, when Gant returned and announced they would be returning to Sector 4, but fell silent and backed away as Gant strode quickly toward him.

  Gant was fed up with his antics, pointing a finger at Taylor. “I’m going to give you a choice, either return with us where I’ll report you for the death you caused or you can stay here with the Raiders and answer for it.”

  Taylor didn’t reply, biting his tongue, as his face turned red with anger.

  “Well?” asked Gant.

  “Governor Davis will hear about this and you’ll be the one who pays!” blurted Taylor.

  Gant didn’t have a chance to respond as Taylor had already stormed off. One of the Guard looked to Gant, wanting to know if he should go after him. Gant shook his head. They all watched as Taylor mounted a horse and sped away, whipping it into a full gallop. Gant was curious, but not concerned, about what Taylor would tell the governor, certain Taylor wouldn’t mention his actions had resulted in an old man’s death. But, even if he did, he was fairly certain Governor Davis wouldn’t care since the old man would have been one of the first eliminated after the valley was taken anyway.

  “Who fired that shot?” Gant asked his troops.

  The men looked around at each other, exhibiting innocence, with no one willing to speak up. Gant had no doubt they knew who had done it, but he decided not to push the issue.

  “Gather your gear and break camp. We’re going back home.” There was an audible sigh of relief, without one complaint. The Guard was made up of men from a huge variety of backgrounds, some had come from law enforcement or the military, but most were from backgrounds not familiar with confrontation or battle. And none were anxious to be thrown into a fight with overwhelming odds against them. Especially Raiders, rumored to be a seasoned and deadly bunch. Gant knew their hearts weren’t in it.

  He regretted that Samuel had been shot and he hoped it had been an accident, the result of fear and nervous energy. Fortunately, he knew Samuel was going to be alright.

  The men were ready in a matter of minutes, eager to go home.

  * * *

  Ryder returned to us leading a horse with one hand on the bridle and the other stabilizing his father in the saddle. When I saw them coming, I couldn’t tell how bad Samuel had been injured. I ran out and took up a position on the other side of the horse, helping to support Samuel.

  “How is he?” I asked Ryder.

  “I’m fine,” answered Samuel, forcing a weak smile. Until then, I wasn’t even sure he was still alive.

  “Did you see who did it?” I asked. “Was it Taylor?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” mumbled Samuel, still leaning over the saddle horn.

  Back at camp, I helped Ryder get his dad down. We had some of the men make a bed of blankets in the back of Samuel’s wagon, and set him gently inside. Ryder checked the makeshift bandage. The wound had stopped bleeding for the moment, but he’d already lost a good deal of blood. He looked pale.

  “Do any of you have medical training?” Ryder asked the men who’d gathered nearby.

  “Sorry,” came the response.

  Samuel cracked his eyes open and winced as he forced himself up on one elbow. “I’ll be fine, just get me back to Paradise where Emma can take care of me.”

  Ryder stared into his dad’s eyes for a few seconds. “Okay, Dad.”

  Samuel grinned as he lay back down, closing his eyes. “Thanks, Son,” he mumbled.

  “John, are you coming with me?” asked Ryder.

  “I might as well, I missed my chance at Taylor, and it looks like the Guard is moving out, so the danger is over.”

  Our horses were brought to us, which we tied to the back of the wagon.

  “Do you need anything, Dad? It’s going to be a rough ride back,” asked Ryder.

  “Don’t worry about me. Let’s get going.”

  Ryder and I climbed up onto the buckboard.

  Darby walked up to the wagon, asking Ryder, “What do you wa
nt us to do?”

  “Stick around until they’ve gone, then tell everyone thanks and send them home. I’ll see all of you back at Haven in a few days.”

  “Should we leave someone here on guard just in case they decide to come back?” asked Darby.

  “I don’t think they’ll be back anytime soon, but that would probably be a good idea. See if you can find a couple volunteers.”

  “No need. Sims and I will stick around a couple of days.”

  “Thanks, Darby,” said Ryder, reaching down to shake his hand.

  Darby never addressed me directly, either in a friendly or unfriendly manner. I guessed it would take a bit longer to gain his trust, even though Ryder and I had already become friends.

  Ryder released the brake and flipped the reins while giving the horse a ‘giddy up.’ I found I was finally able to relax. There was no apparent danger behind us and by tomorrow I’d be back with my family.

  Then I remembered something Ryder had said to Darby. “Where is this ‘Haven’?” I asked.

  “It’s where a large group of us live, but that’s not important. Let me tell you something that is and you’re not going to believe it. I just learned my dad and Gant are old friends!”

  * * *

  Taylor rode past Tent City, directly to the prison gates. The guard on duty refused to allow him to enter until Taylor pulled up his sleeve to show a tattoo signifying him to be a protector in the governor’s service. The guard waved him through after patting him down for weapons.

  A skeleton crew of the Guard was all that remained at Sector 4, just enough to maintain order, protect the governor, and to make sure the workers stayed productive. Taylor was patted down again at the doorway into the governor’s office. Announced and given permission to enter, Taylor burst into the governor’s office with Counselor Damon protectively stepping in front of the governor.

  “Master Gant has failed,” he blurted over Damon’s shoulder. “He’s bringing the entire Guard back.”

  Governor Davis looked up from the paperwork on his desk. He leaned back in his chair, noticeably disturbed by the abrupt interruption.

  “What happened?” asked Damon. “I thought you were going to lead Gant and the Guard to the valley.”

  Davis, silently, was giving his full attention, waiting for an explanation.

  Unexpectedly, Taylor immediately felt an air of animosity turn on him because he hadn’t done what he had promised.

  “I would have,” Taylor began to explain, “but the Raiders blocked our way and Gant refused to fight.”

  “And you just had to rush back here and tell us about it?” asked Damon.

  “It was my duty, Counselor. I thought you should know.”

  Both Damon and Governor Davis recognized a brown-noser when they saw one. Past experience with people like him told them he couldn’t be trusted, but a snake might still have uses.

  “Master Gant must have had a good reason,” stated Davis. “He’s always been a loyal follower. How many Raiders were there?”

  “More than I had expected,” confessed Taylor. “But I’m confident the Guard could easily have defeated them if only they’d tried.” Gant had humiliated him in front of the other guards and Taylor was determined to pay him back by making him look incompetent or even cowardly. But he would have to do it carefully because he also knew Gant was favored by the governor, preventing him from embellishing the situation too much. A misplaced word could potentially backfire, losing any chance of credibility with the governor.

  “I’m sure you’ll understand if we wait to hear Master Gant’s report before taking any kind of action,” said Counselor Damon.

  Governor Davis remained silent, turning his attention away from Taylor, back to shuffling through the paperwork on his desk. He didn’t like communicating directly with the lower classes and avoided contact whenever possible. Just being in Taylor’s presence made him feel dirty, wiping his palms on his pants legs repeatedly. The only reason he had made an exception this time was because of his extreme interest in the valley. Based on what Taylor had reported to the first Guard unit, the resources there would be extremely valuable and allow him to expand his territory considerably. Since hearing about it, he hadn’t been able to think about anything else. It had crossed his mind briefly that the valley was only hearsay, yet to be confirmed. And now, Taylor’s credibility was in question, but it was worth the effort to find out.

  Taylor stood uncomfortably in silence waiting to answer any further questions. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Damon, “That will be all. Stay available in case we have further questions after Master Gant’s return.”

  Taylor was puzzled by the dismissal. He had tried to do everything asked of him.

  “Guard,” Damon called, “please escort Mr. Grey to his quarters.”

  Dumbfounded, he was led away, the guard shutting the large office door behind them.

  “What do you think?” asked Damon.

  “I think he’s one of those people who’ll do anything to get ahead,” answered Davis. “Including stretching the truth.”

  “No. I mean about Gant.”

  “Gant is no coward. Whatever he did, it was for a good reason. I trust him completely.”

  After the governor’s statement, Damon was hesitant to bring up an all important question, but knew it had to be asked.

  “Governor, I’m going to play the role of devil’s advocate, if you don’t mind. What if there is some measure of truth to what Tyler said? Suppose Master Gant didn’t attack for some other reason?”

  Davis’ posture became rigid at the audacity of Damon to even mention such a thing. “Devil’s advocate or not, I don’t like what you’re implying. I suggest you withhold your comments and judgment until we’ve heard from Gant himself.”

  “Yes, sir,” answered Damon. He had raised the question. It was his obligation. Now, no matter what happened, he couldn’t be blamed if it turned out to be true. “There is another question needing to be addressed.”

  Davis sighed but remained silent. After Damon’s last comment, he wasn’t particularly looking forward to the next one. He waited impatiently for Damon to continue.

  “We may have acted in haste earlier when we sent the Guard to claim the valley. In hindsight, we only had the word of Taylor the valley existed at all.”

  “And your point being,” stated the governor.

  “Well then,” continued Damon, “I recommend we verify its existence before any further action is taken.” To make sure it didn’t seem as though he was placing blame, he made sure to use the inclusive ‘we.’

  The governor nodded in agreement. “That’s a very good idea, Counselor. And how do you propose we do that?” asked Davis.

  “We need to send someone we can trust to check it out first-hand.”

  “I agree completely. When can you leave?”

  “Me? That’s not what I do. What about my duties here?”

  “I trust you, Damon. I’d really appreciate your help if you’d do this as a favor to me. And I think your duties can wait until you return.”

  Damon recognized the familiar look in the governor’s eyes and the tone of his voice. Even though it would have sounded like a request to anyone else, it wasn’t. He wasn’t being given a choice.

  “But I don’t know where to go,” Damon pleaded.

  “That’s why you’ll need to take Taylor with you.”

  Damon didn’t like Taylor or trust him. The idea of spending several days alone with him on the trail wasn’t his worst nightmare, but could turn into one.

  “I doubt if he’ll be willing to go.”

  “I’m going to leave it to you to convince him.” Davis gave him a knowing smile.

  * * *

  Upon arriving at Paradise, we passed the small cemetery at the edge of town. It was hard to miss the fresh grave with wildflowers covering it. I had forgotten temporarily about Taylor until that moment. Somehow, he would pay for what he’d done. Then I remembered Jill ha
d been injured the same terrible night and wondered how bad her injuries had been, also a result of Taylor’s spree of violence.

  I didn’t have long to find out. The church bells had been sounded to signal our approach, and many of the town’s people had come out to meet us. Jill was one of the first to reach the wagon. She looked as though she would be alright with only a small bruise on the left side of her forehead. Ryder stopped in front of Town Hall. As I climbed down, Jill caught me off guard, throwing her arms around my neck. I gave her a friendly but brief hug in return.

  I noticed Sarah standing nearby, smiling. I wasn’t quite sure whether it was because she was glad to see me or because she was amused at Jill’s apparent infatuation. Maybe it was both. Either way, she appeared to be in good spirits and I was glad to be home. I stepped back, gently removing Jill’s arms.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked.

  “A few bruises, but I’ll be alright. Thanks for asking,” she said.

  I immediately felt as though I may have fueled the fire by asking.

  She now spotted Sarah, placing her arm around my waist for effect. Once again I removed her arm, receiving a sympathetic and understanding look from Sarah, who was now joined by Cindy and Christopher. From the looks of their clothes, they must have come straight from the fields to meet us.

  I moved to the back of the wagon where Ryder was helping his dad from the wagon. His mom, concerned to see Samuel injured, asked what had happened.

  “I’m afraid he’s been shot,” I answered.

  She looked at Ryder, looking for an explanation.

  “I’ll explain later, Mom.”

  Emma began to check her husband out, pulling the bandage back to look at the wounds, front and back.

  “Don’t fuss. I’ll be alright,” insisted Samuel.

  “Shush,” she said. Satisfied he would be alright, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on his forehead.