“You have a girl! You lucky buck! I didn’t even know you were dating anyone. Wait, is it the new waitress at the diner?”
“No. Can you keep a secret?”
“You bet!”
Paul leaned closer to Greg and said, “I told you my crosser is male, but that wasn’t true. I’m actually caring for a girl, and today we kissed.”
“Get out!”
“It wasn’t any old ordinary kiss either. It was … amazing.”
“A girl, in your room? How come you didn’t tell me sooner? How old is she?”
“Old enough. She’s not jailbait, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Who is she? Can I see her?”
“You know I can’t tell you, and no, you can’t see her.”
“I won’t try to steal her from you. Come on, don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you enough to share this much information with you. Isn’t that enough?”
“Are you going to kiss her again?”
“Probably, if it feels right.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know, if I sense she wants me to, then I will.”
“I hate you, you know that?” Greg smiled a particularly evil grin at Paul.
Exhausted and sweating from exertion, Paul stood in the shower once again. He had a smile on his face that probably shouldn’t be there, but it wouldn’t go away. He scrubbed his face violently to try to rub it off, but it was no use. Paul was simply happy and possibly in love.
Once he’d finished with his shower and had dressed again, he entered his room. Sierra was lying on her back on the bed with a smile on her face too.
“You look refreshed,” she said.
“I don’t feel it. Every muscle in my body hurts. What didn’t hurt from digging hurts now from chopping wood, but not to worry. I’ll live.”
“Your Grandma Martha is something else. She was full of questions about Rendier and Reginald Rawlings.”
“What sort of information was she after?”
“She wanted to know where my father’s grave is. I think she plans on investigating his death. If she can prove he was murdered, it would look bad for Reginald Rawlings.”
“That’s actually a good idea. Maybe it would be enough to cause an overthrow of power,” Paul agreed.
“I’m glad you finished the tunnel today. Now we won’t feel so trapped.”
In the kitchen, Martha, Elsie, and Zachary sat at the table with Sam.
“Reginald’s presence is increasing,” Zachary said.
Sam added, “Peter from Sophie’s said a large truckload of soldiers arrived tonight. If you ask me, a raid is going down soon.”
“I agree,” Martha said.
Elsie nodded.
“Make sure each crosser wears their shoes tonight,” Zachary said, “and have their belongings close by for an easy, organized escape.”
“Zachary,” Elsie said worriedly, “we’ve never evacuated seven before. In fact, there isn’t enough room in the escape car for all seven plus a driver. I’m sure you’ve already thought about that.”
“I’ve arranged for two vehicles already. Paul and Sara will take one car, and Sam will take the other with his six crossers.”
“What about Paul?” Sam asked. “He doesn’t know what to do or who to avoid. Plus, he’s gone and fallen for his crosser.”
“That’s an easy thing to do. Wouldn’t you agree, Sam?” Elsie said.
“His mind isn’t clear. It’s muddled with feelings. He’ll botch this up,” Sam said.
Zachary jumped in. “All the more reason to keep Sara separate from the others. Should Paul mess up, they’ll capture her. I don’t believe Paul is in any danger because he’s so young. He wouldn’t be viewed as a threat to anyone and would be left alone.”
“I think Paul and Sara should sleep in the crawlspace tonight,” Elsie stated. “The bedroom is so close to the front door. It’s not like the crosser room downstairs. Paul’s bedroom will be one of the first rooms to be searched. If they stay in the crawlspace tonight, they’ll already be down below in the morning if a raid happens.”
Zachary nodded to Elsie. “Go have them move down, but take extra blankets. It will be considerably colder down there than his bedroom.”
“Not to worry,” Sam said wryly. “I’m sure he’ll love the opportunity to keep her warm.”
“Sam, keep your crossers in the room tonight. If the raid happens in the morning, then evacuate. We shouldn’t lose sleep over a raid that may not happen.”
“But it will happen, won’t it?” Sam voiced the thought on everyone’s mind.
“Probably so.” Zachary’s tone said it all. Undoubtedly, their lives were about to change.
The instructions to sleep in the crawlspace had Paul on edge. His mother acted calm and collected, but the undertones of this move signified an imminent raid. Both Paul and Sierra were dressed in blue jeans and long-sleeved shirts and wore their shoes to bed.
Several additional blankets were added to the already large pile of bedding on the foam mattress for comfort and warmth. They were instructed to use only minimal light and even less talking.
Elsie took her son by the arm after Sierra was situated under the house. “You need to be careful here,” she said.
“I know.”
“No, listen to me. The stage is set for a raid. It’s going to happen. Don’t be caught off guard, Paul. Keep your mind focused.”
“Mom.”
“Don’t let yourself become consumed with her. You are her protector, not her boyfriend.”
“Mom! I know.” Sam must have told her about finding them kissing.
“Be ready at first light. If you’re caught, don’t fight. They’ll take her and probably leave you alone.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Don’t be arrogant.”
“Are we done here?” He hated being rude with his mother, but she wasn’t giving him enough credit.
“No. I love you, Paul, and I’m so proud of you.”
Paul wasn’t expecting that. “I love you too. Thank you. It will be alright, you’ll see.” He closed the trap door and went over to Sierra. His mother’s obvious fear was something he hadn’t seen before.
“What was that all about?”
“She’s just worried.”
Sierra cuddled up next to him.
“My mother is also concerned that I’ll be too distracted with you to notice a raid. As much as I’d like to get close with you again, we shouldn’t. Sam was able to sneak right up on us. We can’t afford for that to happen again.”
“You’re right.”
“Escaping a raid is a precision-timed thing. If we leave too early or too late, we’ll be caught, and as I’ve never done this before, it could get interesting.”
“When is the right time to flee?”
“During the crashing and breaking.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just what it sounds like, crashing and breaking. Raids always start quickly. They tear through the house looking for crossers. The idea is to catch everyone off guard. So when the damage is going on upstairs, we flee.”
“Won’t they see us leave?”
“No. The tunnel exits quite a long way away from our house. They monitor the doors and windows for escapees, but they don’t know about our tunnel. When they raid and find nothing and no one is caught fleeing the home, they figure the crossers were moved already or were never here. Well, anyway, that’s how it’s supposed to happen.”
“Why does your family house crossers if this is what you have to look forward to?”
“It’s the determination of my mother and father and their hatred for the Rawlings family that fuels their desire. Things can all be replaced, but lives can’t.”
“You know, even as I asked the question I already knew the answer. I feel the same way. I want to defy Reginald Rawlings by helping people flee the country. Help me survive this, Paul. Help me to be able to he
lp others.”
“I’ll do my best.”
She smiled at him then leaned toward him and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Not a passionate kiss like earlier, but a thank you kiss.
They snuggled down into their warm bedding and eventually fell asleep. During the night, he awoke to her shaking. He pulled her closer and shared his warmth by wrapping his arms around her. She fit so perfectly in his arms.
The wee hours of the morning brought the realization that he had slept very intimately with Sierra in the crawlspace of his home. Paul inhaled the uniquely sweet scent of her and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. He saw a faint light coming in through one of the vents. He heard soft footsteps overhead and figured his mother was up early to prepare breakfast. Sierra stirred in her sleep, and Paul held her tighter. Any moment it would all be stepped up. Any second this serene setting would be shattered. Paul couldn’t believe he had actually wished for this responsibility. The thought of how simple his life had been prior to finding Sierra made him shudder. His life would never be the same, but that wasn’t a bad thing.
*****
Elsie and Zachary lay in bed as the first light from the impending dawn began to filter into the room. Elsie’s mind was busy. She thought about all the possibilities of the day and the dangers. What-ifs filled her soul. What if things went sour? What if anyone was killed during a raid? What if Paul was captured or harmed? Elsie concluded that she was ready to get out of the crossing business. She had raised two boys to adulthood while hiding defectors from Rendier.
Sam had experienced devastating trauma during the last five years, and now Paul was in up to his neck. Sam’s traumatic experiences had also involved a female crosser, and his judgment was clouded by emotions. He tried to hide his emotional scars from it, but every now and then, she saw through her son’s facade. What she saw was pain and longing.
Paul, on the other hand, had been protected. Elsie prided herself on keeping Paul out of the crossers loop. She kept him in the dark and didn’t give him many responsibilities, all in the hope that he would be able to make a life for himself someday. It wouldn’t matter if he chose to house crossers if it was his own choice.
However, her intentions to protect him had only upset him. He didn’t feel like anyone believed in him or his abilities. Nothing could be further from the truth. She did scold him on occasion when he would verbalize his disinterest in helping crossers, but in all honesty, she hoped he could figure his own life out.
Elsie heard the quiet knock on her bedroom door and assumed it was Martha. She slid out of bed and into her house slippers then walked to the door. She opened it expecting to see Martha, only to see no one. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she stepped out into the living room. Immediately a strong arm wrapped around her neck with a large gloved hand covering her mouth before she could scream in terror.
Chapter 8
The raid was already in progress, but it was all wrong. Why was this raid being executed differently? Did they know for certain their targeted crosser was here?
The gloved man dragged Elsie over to the couch, and as she passed Paul’s bedroom door she strained her eyes to see in. She was so glad they decided to hide them in the crawlspace that night. Hopefully, Paul would hear the commotion and get out in time, except there wasn’t any commotion yet. She saw Martha already sitting on the couch with her mouth taped shut and a gun to her head. What about Sam? Had he escaped with his crossers?
Elsie was pushed down onto the couch next to Martha, and Duck Tape was slammed across her mouth. Her eyes met Martha’s then switched over to the bedroom door to see four men hauling out Zachary. He was deposited next to Elsie on the couch with his mouth already taped.
The three of them looked toward the front door as a figure stepped out from the shadows. He walked over and stood in front of Martha. His size and bulk dwarfed her.
“We know she is here. You’re hiding her. I don’t have a beef with you three, but I do have to report to my boss, who is outside right now, and he isn’t very kind when he’s angry. Tell me where the girl is, and everything will go smoothly. Try to hide her from me, and, well, let’s just say things won’t go so well.” The brutish-looking man threaded his fingers slowly into brass knuckles.
Martha moved so quickly that brass-knuckles-man didn’t even see her coming. She rammed her body into his, making him fall backward onto the coffee table. She fell also and split her head open on the corner of the table, but it was a far better injury than the thug. He smashed the glass fruit bowl with his back, and blood began to pool around his sides on the shattered tabletop. His howl sounded like a little girl.
Zachary and Elsie jumped to their feet and rammed into the nearest brute. Paul needed to hear the commotion to know it was time to leave. Elsie kicked her would-be assailant in the family jewels, doubling him over in pain. Zachary plowed into a man sending him flailing backwards into Paul’s bedroom door, slamming it into the wall behind.
Paul heard the melee of loud sounds upstairs. Both he and Sierra bolted straight up. They heard shouting and screams of pain along with the sound of broken glass and his bedroom door banging against the wall as it was pushed open.
“Time to go,” he whispered. He helped Sierra over to the tunnel entrance. She was shaking from head to toe, and Paul felt sorry for her. It was difficult to help her through the narrow tunnel and keep the weight off of her foot, but they did it anyway.
“Crashing and breaking. I get it now,” she whispered.
“They’re just getting started. Now is our window of escape.”
*****
Victor Rawlings stood outside the Bronson home smoking his cigarette. He admired the view to the south. The Trejo Mountains framed the huge lake in front of him, and the enormous mountain range behind almost made him feel insignificant.
Almost.
He listened to the raid going on behind him and smiled an evil grin at the thought of finding Sierra. How dare she try to evade him. How dare she think she even could. No one gets away from the Rawlings. No one! They’d find her and get her back to Rendier soon, and the postponed wedding would be able to proceed at its originally scheduled time: four o’clock this afternoon. No one in Rendier would be aware of her disappearance. It would be as if it never happened.
“Sir,” a voice came from behind him, “we’ve searched the home. She’s not here.”
“Yes, she is. Keep looking,” Victor stated plainly.
Victor heard the door close behind him. The sun was thinking about making its presence known to the east, and a bluish pink hue covered everything. Once we’re back to the palace, Victor thought, she’s going to be married to me ASAP. No more waiting. She won’t escape me. The fake threat on her life would be reported as canceled, making his father look all the more powerful against weak countrymen.
He waited for several more minutes for the word that they’d found her, but it never came. Flicking his cigarette in no particular direction, he whirled around on his feet and headed to the door. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
Victor entered the home and was immediately flanked by two guards for his protection — from whom he didn’t know. Everyone here was adequately subdued. Three adults sat on the sofa, each bleeding in some way. The sight made him feel powerful. Anyone who thought they could defy his father and hide crossers deserved to be caught and made to suffer.
One of his top bodyguards lay on the floor in front of the couch.
“Get him out of here,” Victor said to no one in particular. Two men stepped forward and pulled the injured man away.
“Sir, we’ve searched everywhere. The perimeter guards reported that no one left the premises during the raid. She’s not here.”
Victor turned to the three bleeding adults on the sofa. “I know you’ve been housing Sierra. Now where is she?”
The Duck Tape was ripped off their mouths. Martha replied with a snide remark, “Thanks, honey, now I won’t have to wax.”
Zachary spoke up. “It’s true we housed a female crosser, but she’s already gone. Once they leave our home, we don’t know where they go.”
“Liar!” Victor roared. One of Victor’s guards stormed over and backhanded Zachary across the cheek. Victor liked the unspoken understanding he had with his men. They could almost read his mind. Almost. “I have it on good authority that your younger son is housing Sierra. Where is his bedroom?”
Zachary’s eyes looked in the direction of Paul’s room off the living room. Victor followed his direction and walked over to the entrance of the room. Slowly, he investigated the room. Quite simple: a double bed, two end tables, a lone armchair in the corner by the window, and a closet. He looked in the closet to see organized shelves and compartments. Victor studied the wood floor in the closet and throughout the room for tell-tale signs of secret trap doors, but he didn’t see anything. No strategically placed rugs to hide one. No unusual patterns to catch his eye. Victor left the room.
“Where did your son go? Clearly he didn’t sleep in his room last night,” Victor said to Zachary.
“He left with the girl already.”
“Yes, but when?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“Your son was seen here late last night. I’m losing my patience with you, and when that happens, people start to die.” One of his guards shouldered his automatic rifle and aimed it at the three terrified people on the couch.
“He left during the raid,” Zachary conceded.
“Impossible. My guards have been watching and saw no one leave.”
“I assure you they did.”
Victor began barking out orders, “Search every garage and woodshed in the near vicinity. They haven’t gone far. Find them.” He turned back to Zachary. “Defying Reginald Rawlings is a crime punishable by death.”
“Only in Rendier,” Zachary stated calmly. “Killing people in Baylend because Rendierians escaped under Reginald’s nose will only encourage the anti-authoritarian governments to issue an investigation. I don’t think your father wants that kind of publicity.”
Scars Of Defiance Page 10