Before they reached me I could smell the gasoline and I suddenly understood what should have happened but by some miracle didn’t. Inside I was filled with rage and despair. Right before they reached me, a small girl in the back, about eleven or twelve years old, suddenly bolted for the flaming house, screaming for her mother.
“No!” I yelled, trying to intercept her, but she slipped past and ran into that inferno. Her gas-soaked clothing burst into flame and in seconds she was a spinning, screaming ball of fire. She didn’t last long and crumpled quickly to the ground, the flames turning her small body black and red.
I hung my head and tried to hold back the rage I was feeling. I couldn’t let the killer loose. Not yet. I snarled and thought Another debt to pay, Thorton. Even if this wasn’t about the documents, I would hunt you down for what you’ve done!
“We found them in the last house,” Nate said, putting down the two little ones. They ran to a couple of older girls in the group who picked them up. “It looks like someone started a fire, but the kids managed to free themselves and put it out without getting hurt.”
“Guess the parents weren’t so lucky,” I said. I pointed to the man on the ground. “Seems like he tried to make a break for the kids and was shot for his trouble. He died a few minutes ago. Said something about getting back at them, but I have no idea what that might mean.
“Let’s get the kids cleaned up and see what they can tell us,” I said, walking over to the children. I squatted down and looked at them. They all looked back with big frightened eyes. “My name is John. My friends and I are going to try and help you. You don’t need to be scared anymore. I promise you no one will hurt you.”
A little girl maybe four years old, detached herself and came over to me. She looked at my rifle and then turned big blue eyes on me. “Will the bad men stay away?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
I put my rifle down and reached out to her. She came into my arms and I hugged her tight, ignoring the gas on her. “Sweetheart, bad men are afraid of me. And if they’re not, by God they will be. You’re safe.” I looked up at all of the kids. “You’re all safe now.”
We spent a good deal of time getting clothes for the kids and getting them cleaned up. We searched each house for usable items and food and came away with a good supply of essentials. Janna took care of the baby and although I had a whole lot of experience in that arena, I didn’t argue.
What we gathered from the older kids was a group of military looking men came to the subdivision and tricked everyone into letting them in. Once they were in, they shot the leader and herded all the kids into a house. They poured gas on the kids and around the house, telling the adults if they fought the kids would burn. The children had no idea what happened after that, although they heard a lot of screaming, yelling and laughing. The little girl who ran into the fire was brought to the house after the leader had been with her for a while, but they didn’t know what had happened to her. She cried the whole time, they said and held her stomach like it hurt.
Someone started a fire but the older kids managed to free themselves and put it out. They were afraid to leave because the military men had said if anyone left they’d be shot.
“Sounds like Thorton, all right, ain’t no way it could be anyone else,” Tommy said in the little powwow we held at a house.
“I agree, it’s his style,” Nate growled. “Can’t wait to kill those sons of bitches.”
“One thing at a time. Question now is, what do we do about the kids?” Duncan asked, looking over at Janna who was feeding the baby. We had found the infant’s house and supplies, so we were good to go for the little guy. Just seeing him reminded me of Jake and once again I quietly prayed my family was safe.
“We can’t take them with us and we can’t leave them here,” I said. “We need to get them back to one of the communities where they will be taken care of.”
Tommy thought that one over. “Okay, makes sense. How and who?”
I thought a minute. “A road trip is too dangerous and would take far too long. We need fast and safe.”
“Like what?” Duncan asked.
“Well, the easiest way I can see is to send them on the river. Get a good boat, load it with supplies and gas and hope to hell they make it,” I said.
The rest of the men thought a minute and the nods I received told me they figured it was the best and safest route. It was going to be a long haul, but I had a feeling they would make it. The trouble would be deciding who would go. I put the question out there, but before we even had a chance to discuss, Janna spoke up.
“I’ll do it,” she said quietly, bringing the baby up to her shoulder and patting its back.
I nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
The baby gave a good belch then settled down to sleep. Janna rocked him gently and said, “I need to do this. I’ve done some not-so nice things and I want to contribute to the new country. If saving these kids and seeing them to safety does it, I’m happy.”
I knew she would be safe and I knew Duncan would be sorry to see her go, but I understood where she was coming from. I stood up and went over to her. “Thanks,” I said, offering my hand as an equal. She looked up at me and smiled, firmly shaking back.
“All right,” I said. “We know what we’re doing tomorrow. Let’s get some rest.”
It took us nearly half a day to get the supplies and boat we wanted for the trip. Nate found a nice Bayliner and bass boat and we took them down to the river and got them set up at a boat launch.
Duncan spent some time with Janna going over maps and routes and I used my time looking for gas cans. The idea was for Janna to travel as far as she could every day and night without having to stop anywhere to refuel or even look for supplies. The bass boat was intended to be pulled along and it would hold the spare gas cans. In case of a fire or something, at least the gas wouldn’t blow everyone up.
We set the kids on the boat, after getting some hugs from all of them. Janna had one of the spare ARs, her pistol, and plenty of ammo. Below decks was crammed with foodstuffs and baby supplies.
Janna gave each of us a hug and none of us was surprised when she gave Duncan a huge goodbye kiss. The rest of us found other interesting things to look at while they were so engaged. I thought the milkweeds were particularly fascinating. When she finished with Duncan, she hopped aboard the boat and fired up the motor. Nate had instructed her on how to operate it, so it was time for departure.
“Good luck!” I called. “If you see anyone at Starved Rock, tell them we’re okay and will be back soon.” My heart ached and I desperately wanted to go home with her, but I had a duty to take care of and a man to kill.
Janna waved and pulled the boat around. The kids waved to us and we waved back. We hadn’t fully won this one, but I guess you could call it a tie. As we boarded the RV and started down Route 50 again, my mind went back to the burned home and murdered people. I hoped that wasn’t what I was going to find when I returned to Starved Rock.
Tommy must have been reading my mind when he said, “Charlie won’t let it happen. Our families are safe. You’ll see.”
“I wish I had your faith, my friend,” I said soberly.
“Only thing that keeps me from losing my mind.” Tommy replied. “Did I tell you Angela is pregnant?”
I smiled. “Congratulations. That’s good news.”
“We have to win this,” Tommy said. “We have to.”
I sighed. “God only knows.”
“Well, I keep praying He watches over Starved Rock real particular-like,” Tommy said.
“Me, too, brother. Me, too.”
Chapter 4
Captain Tamikara was pissed. They had spent over eight days traveling to this middle of nowhere state park, staking out the resort, fighting a few zombies that had been lost in the woods, only to finally realize they were in the wrong place.
The ten men had arrived at a resort, thinking it was the correct one. It looked like a wilderness reso
rt and it was in the right area. They stormed the lodge and the guest houses, breaking into the indoor amusement park and trashing the miniature golf facility.
It wasn’t until a private noticed the local attraction brochure stand by the check-in desk and saw a Starved Rock brochure. After looking through the literature, Tamikara realized they were at the wrong lodge.
Consulting several tiny maps, Captain Tamikara realized he was closer than he thought and given where he was, could tactically maneuver men from three different directions to attack the right place.
Gathering his men around some tables in the lodge’s Häagen-Dazs café, Tamikara outlined his plan.
“We’re here, thanks to the ineptitude of our map reader.” The Captain said, pointing to a spot on a brochure map. One of the privates scowled but wisely said nothing. “Where we want to be is about five miles to the east of here.” He pointed to a second spot on the map. “What we will do is divide into three teams and attack from three different points. Team Alpha will proceed along this road and come in through the main gate.” Tamikara pointed to another part of the map. Team Bravo will backtrack and take this secondary road which looks like it leads directly to the main lodge here.” The captain looked around at the faces. “Team Charlie will go the farthest, making their way to the river and coming in through the trails, here.” There were looks around the table. That part of plan looked like it involved some serious hiking.
Tamikara continued. “The main objective is to come in from three points and to engage as many targets as possible, keeping them from concentrating their defense after the initial surprise wears off. I am hoping that they can be picked off one by one and since they aren’t expecting us, this should be easy.” The men around the table grinned and anticipated some overdue fun.
“Just to keep things interesting, there should be four women here and only two men. One of the men might give us some trouble, but I doubt any of you should have trouble dealing with the women.” The captain’s voice fairly dripped with innuendo and a couple of the men leered.
One of the privates raised his hand.
Tamikara raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“What’s the plan for the residents?” he asked.
Tamikara snorted. “Kill them, idiot. Now, if there aren’t any other stupid questions, Corporal August will give you your team assignments.”
Corporal Will August stood to his full height and looked down on the men. “Team Alpha will consist of myself, Hernandez and Showers. Team Bravo will be Sergeant Dent, Private Lapinski, and Private Ness. Team Charlie will be Privates Cruz, Inglis and Corpin. Captain Tamikara will be leading Team Charlie. Any questions?”
The men looked at each other and shook their heads. They had done this sort of thing before and it didn’t bother them at all.
Ted spoke again. “All right. We want to move in as close to tandem as possible. Team Charlie will take the truck, Team Alpha and Bravo will go overland. Get your gear and check your weapons. We’ll move out first thing in the morning.”
The men headed to their rooms and the captain watched them go. He walked up to the balcony and looked out over the lodge lobby. Might be nice to settle down here, he thought as he stretched out on a couch. Hopefully Talon’s men will be able to thin the herd considerably before they’re killed. Then I can cash the rest and be free of Thorton once and for all.
With these thoughts Tamikara drifted off to sleep.
On a hill to the north, a pair of eyes watched through binoculars the lights flicker off at Grizzly Jack’s Hotel and Water Park. Those same eyes had watched the progression of the men through the lodge and it was immediately clear who they were and what they were doing. The silent watcher had been briefed thoroughly on the men he was observing and it took only a moment to identify the main target. The way they attacked the lodge, it was also clear they had no clue what they were doing and if there had been any number of zombies in the place, the job would have gotten easier.
As it was, Charlie back-crawled out of his observation post and hurried down the trail. He was going to try and be as prepared as possible for an assault and sell his life as dearly as he could for his family and for John’s if need be.
As he silently made his way back to his home at Starved Rock Lodge, he was reminded of his home in Missouri and the strange path that took him to where he currently was. Charlie James grew up poor and spent much of his life outdoors. His father was a backwoodsman, claiming ancestry to the Jesse James clan, although no one really believed that. Charlie learned to stalk and hunt at an early age and many times the supper table had meat he himself had taken. Charlie had not expected much out of life, figuring to do pretty much what his father had done, but surprised everyone, including himself by getting a scholarship to college. He did well, eventually earning a degree in forestry, intending to become a conservation officer. But during a weekend trip to St. Louis, he met a girl going to school there and like many turns of fate, took Charlie out of the woods and brought him to civilization. A quick romance turned to love and Charlie followed the young woman out of Missouri and up to Springfield, Illinois. They married, Charlie found a job and they settled into what he considered the good life. In short order they had a baby girl and friends and family thought it was funny to see the huge country boy turn into a pile of mush when he was holding his daughter.
When the Upheaval hit, Charlie was away from home. He returned to find his wife fighting off three attackers, trying desperately to save her baby. Charlie killed the three with his bare hands, but it was too late. His wife had been bitten and the baby had gotten infected fluids in her mouth, causing them both to perish. Charlie buried them together in his back yard, then turned his back on civilization, intending to die avenging his loved ones.
His overland travels took him north, where he met a fellow survivor. John Talon was the first man he had met who hadn’t given up on the notion of life after the zombies and made him believe it was possible to live again. Charlie owed him more than he would admit and when John entrusted Charlie to watch over the baby Julia, Charlie forged a bond with the other man that was stronger than brotherhood.
John and Charlie had a bond of honor and Charlie was humbled and proud to be asked to care for John’s family, his reason for living. Charlie would not let him down and now called on all the reserves of his upbringing to keep his oath.
Living in the state park had re-honed the woodcraft that had dulled over the years and Charlie was as deadly a predator that had ever stalked prey. Tomorrow, he was going hunting and the men he went after would quickly realize you never chase a dangerous animal into his own lair.
Charlie entered the lodge and hurried to the main room. He called down the rest of the families and outlined the situation and the plan.
“Well, they’re here. They took longer than I had dared hope, but at least they hadn’t arrived before Winters could warn us.” Charlie still resented having Dan Winters around, but couldn’t refuse the fact that without Dan’s warning, things could be much worse.
“They attacked Grizzly Jack’s, thinking it was the right lodge, but they probably have figured out their mistake by now. I expect them to attack in the morning, so we need to be ready tonight.” Charlie looked around at the grim faces before him. Sarah was holding a sleepy Jake and Rebecca was settling Julia down. Angela looked worried and passed a hand over her stomach. Sarah saw the motion and reached out to grasp Angela’s hand in a comforting squeeze. Angela smiled and offered to take Jake, who reached out for his aunt. Mike was standing over Nicole, holding her shoulders, his face a mask of grim determination.
“I don’t know how they are going to attack, but I will know more in the morning. As soon as they move out, I’ll radio back and we can do one of two things.” Charlie laid out a map of the park on the table. “If they all come down the main road here, Mike and I will ambush them on the way, taking stragglers out as we need to. If they split up and I hope they do, we’ll be able to take them out piecemeal.” Charli
e indicated three points on the map. “Sarah, the lodge is yours. You and Angela keep an eye on the roads, I don’t expect these guys to go overland. Mike, you head towards the back entrance and keep an eye on the back door. Rebecca, I need you to stay with Winters. He might need some attention and you’re all we’ve got.”
Charlie turned to Nicole. “I need you to take the kids and bring them to Wild Cat Cave. They’ll be safe there and if the worst should happen and we all don’t make it or are captured, you need to get out, get to the boats and get the kids to Ottowa. They’ll be able to help you there.” Nicole bit her lip but stayed steady.
Charlie looked around the group. “From what we heard from Simon and from Winters, this group is nothing more than renegades, sent on a mission to punish. John has his job and he gave me mine. I’ll see this through. Get some rest and I’ll be radioing in the morning what our plan is.”
Everyone nodded and drifted off to their rooms. Sarah took a now sleeping Jake back and headed to his bedroom. As she passed Charlie, she stopped for a second.
“Do you think he’s all right?” she asked, looking up into Charlie’s eyes.
Charlie nodded. “If he were dead, we’d know it somehow, you and I. I think he’s okay.”
Sarah smiled. “Thanks, Charlie.” She walked away and patted Jake’s back, settling him into a deeper sleep.
Charlie watched them go and turned to Rebecca. “I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. But I wanted you to know that while John showed me how to live, you and Julia make it worth living.” Charlie reached out and pulled Rebecca close, taking a free hand and gently placing it on Julia’s little head.
Rebecca fought back tears as she turned into Charlie’s embrace. She knew her husband and had every confidence in him, but there was always a doubt something could go wrong. She had to trust him, however, as they all needed him to survive.
Rebecca turned her face up to Charlie. “I believe in you. You’ll get us through this.”
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