The Changing Earth Series (Book 5): Dark Days in Denver

by Hathaway, Sara F.

  “Oh no, you didn’t?” Bennet told her, chuckling to himself.

  “We did,” Erika admitted with a sly smile.

  Bennet turned around to look at Vince in the seat behind them.

  “You were in on this?” Bennet wondered.

  Star laughed at the antics of the three of them, but listened intently. This was all news to her as well.

  “Yeah,” Vince confessed.

  “What’s back there?” Bennet asked, turning back to Erika.

  “Scientists, I guess. We ran into Brad,” Erika told him.

  “That little turd from Minnesota?” Bennet asked.

  “Yup, he told us that Yellowstone is erupting,” Erika informed him.

  Bennet pondered the information for a moment. “Then we’re all screwed, right?”

  “Brad doesn’t think so. He thinks the quakes and fissures have released so much pressure that the eruption shouldn’t be as impactful as predicted, but Merkley thinks he can use the eruption to keep us secure from the air attacks,” Erika told him.

  “We have anti-aircraft missiles on hand. They will attack from the air. The air force academy was in Colorado Springs. We’re hoping we can recruit some of their pilots,” Bennet told her. “That explains why the brass insisted we have gas masks for everyone. There weren’t enough, though, so they had soldiers making them with activated charcoal. I thought it was because of a chemical threat, not a volcanic one,” Bennet thought out loud.

  Erika watched the spruces and firs going by out the window. She would have loved walking through the woods, collecting juniper berries and wild strawberries. The mountains loomed gloriously in the distance as they bumped along the deteriorating road.

  “How did you let your parents go north, when you knew about the volcano?” Bennet asked Vince out of the blue.

  “They couldn’t go south,” Vince answered, looking at Bennet with sad eyes. “The refugees are flooding the small slice of Texas that’s left. Brad said they would be okay going north. They may have to shelter in place for a day or two. If I had told them, it would only have given them more to worry about. I told Greg and he said he’d look out for Mom and Dad,” Vince explained.

  Erika was lost in thought, still staring out the window. She was thinking about Dexter. Worrying about him was breaking her heart.

  “You here, cupcake?” Bennet wondered.

  “Yes, sir,” Erika replied instinctually, but her eyes were glassed over and her mind was elsewhere.

  “Remember what I said about staying focused,” Bennet corrected.

  “I’m here, sir, go on,” Erika snapped.

  “These people we’re going to meet have only heard your legend. We need you to make a strong appearance as well,” Bennet instructed as the bus traversed the mountainous highway.

  “Don’t I always?” Erika replied.

  “But I know your head is somewhere else,” he told her.

  “Same place mine is, worrying about Dexter,” Vince said.

  “Look, guys, I’ve been out with Dexter and Johnny. Those boys can blend. If they wanted to disappear, they easily could, especially with Pontever on the trail. No offense to her, but she’s not the best tracker. Wherever they went, they didn’t want to be followed. They’re probably fine,” Bennet assured them. “Regardless, we still have a mission to do, and I’d like to see you live through it.”

  “Yes, sir,” Erika agreed.

  “Vince,” Bennet wanted confirmation.

  “Yes, sir,” he concurred sharply.

  The bus turned right down Highway 65. It was a small backwoods road that had sustained a lot of damage in the Great Quake. The natives patched it and it was passable, but it was not a smooth ride. There were aspen trees lining the canyon bottoms and great pines loomed in the distance. They were entering more of a riparian area as they closed in on Denver.

  “Once we rendezvous with this cell, we’ll attack south Denver. We’re going to try to draw the feds out of the air force base and the airport tunnels,” Bennet explained. “Then the mercs can attack their flank and drive a wedge in their forces. Our biggest threat is going to be snipers in the shells of the city. Hopefully, the planes will stay grounded, but if they go up, we’ll take them out.”

  “I’m with you, sir,” Erika replied attentively. She knew the time for action was approaching.

  “That’s Sedalia,” Bennet pointed out as the sun dipped into early evening.

  Chapter 23

  The bus rolled into Sedalia to the cheers of a large crowd gathered in the town. These people were making their presence known for a reason and the town was packed.

  Erika’s heart pounded in her chest as they drove through the shells of buildings towards an old supermarket. Bennet stood up and paced down the aisle. Erika knew his stride. It was the same walk he reduced his nervous energy with before every battle.

  “Remember, guys, when we exit the bus here, Erika and Cassidy are our top priorities. We box around our persons of interest and take them into the building, and then we extend a perimeter. You got that?” MGySgt Nickleton directed.

  “Yes sir,” everyone answered.

  The bus rolled to a stop in front of an old grocery store. It was mostly intact. Erika noticed a corner that sustained quake damage, but it was rebuilt using remnants of other buildings. Nickleton, Gleeson, Hensley, and Ned exited first. Bennet stood in the doorway of the bus waiting for Erika. Cassidy went down the stairs first and the crowd cheered, but when Erika went out the door the mass of people roared like thunder and closed in on them.

  Erika raised her fist up into the air.

  “Are you ready to take back your country?” she called upon the crowd.

  “Yeah!” they cheered.

  “Are you ready to fight for your freedom?” she asked.

  “Yeah!!” they responded.

  “Tonight, we bring you weapons so you can fight! Fight for a free America! One where everyone is created equal!” she professed.

  Her guards closed in behind her as she was ushered into the building, but she kept pumping her fist into the air each time they would chant her name.

  As they entered the building, nothing of the interior resembled the grocery store it once was. It looked more like a town hall. Erika chuckled, remembering the first time Daniel saw an old grocery store from the past. He’d marveled at the size and thought it was used for community gatherings.

  “On point, cupcake,” Bennet said, watching her mind wander.

  They were approaching two men and a woman who looked to be in charge. One of the men was a tall guy with a bald head. The other man was much shorter and wore a ball cap. The woman wore the same ball cap and her hair was pulled through the back of it.

  Cassidy greeted them warmly as if they knew one another for years.

  “Just like I told you, Craig, weapons to fight the good fight,” Cassidy said to the bald man.

  “It’s not just about weapons, Cassidy, you guys brought hope and motivation,” the shorter guy with the hat said.

  “Don’t you think the feds are doing a fine job of that on their own?” Cassidy remarked.

  “They sure are,” the woman interjected. “The feds are only letting landowners back into the north. All refugees are being turned away. They said their camps are too full and they don’t care where their loyalties lie.”

  “If they’re not sending help, then we want them out of the west,” the taller man said. “We’d be better off without them. But enough of that, we haven’t been introduced to your traveling companion yet,” he said, indicating Erika.

  “This is Mrs. Erika Moore. Her presence is sure to draw the feds out of their holes,” Cassidy said proudly, introducing Erika.

  Erika stepped forward.

  “Hello, nice to meet you,” she greeted them.

  “Darren Pattel, and my wife, Sabrina,” the short man said, introducing himself and his partner.

  “Craig Winters,” the bald man said.

  His eyes watched SSgt Merkle
y enter the building.

  “Will you excuse me?” he asked, heading towards Merkley.

  Cassidy and her entourage went with them, leaving Erika and Vince with Darren and Sabrina.

  “How did you two get wrapped up in this?” Erika asked.

  “I’ve always loved camping and outdoor stuff. My wife, Sabrina, grew up in a prepper family. When I met her, and she started showing me the preparedness lifestyle, it just made sense. We even ran a survival training school before the Great Quake. When everything went down, the community of survivors started looking to us for direction,” Darren explained.

  “And here we are,” Sabrina added. “It wasn’t by choice. It just kinda happened. I’m a nurse so I’ve been organizing medical needs, which I assume are about to get a lot more demanding.”

  “I never chose to be in this position either,” Erika admitted to them.

  They looked at her curiously.

  “Sometimes life deals you cards and you just have to play them,” Erika added.

  They nodded their heads in understanding.

  “Guess we should head out to check out these weapons,” Darren noted.

  “I’m going to check in at the medical tent and make sure we’re ready. It was so nice to have met you,” Sabrina said, walking off with a small escort of guards.

  “Let’s go check it out,” Vince said, eager to see what they brought.

  Exiting the building, Erika’s guards closed in tight around her.

  “Good people?” Bennet questioned quietly, joining her side.

  “Seem decent enough to me,” Erika replied. “I bet we would have been friends in another life. Their man, Craig, runs the military operations.”

  “Good job. Keep those ears open, okay?” Bennet commanded.

  “Yes, sir,” Erika replied.

  The people outside assembled into teams, and each team took a turn coming forward and receiving new weaponry. There were military-grade automatic weapons, an assortment of shotguns, and even a grenade launcher for each team. Some of the fighters were no older than thirteen.

  Erika hated the calm before the storm. She knew, looking out over the assembled individuals, that many of them would not live to see the sun rise.

  “We gotta do what we gotta do,” Vince assured her, knowing his woman’s thoughts too well.

  “I know, Vince,” she replied solemnly.

  As they gathered their new weaponry, the teams would head north into Denver. Some were on foot and some were taken in transports.

  “Come on, cupcake. We’re headed out,” Bennet told her, breaking her train of thought.

  The time for thinking was over. They boarded a transport headed for Littleton. They needed to sweep the feds out of the area, so they could continue east to Centennial. There, they would make a stand and try to draw the feds out. As Erika sat in the transport, tapping her foot, she could hear the sound of gunfire in the distance.

  “It’s started,” Nickleton announced, gripping his rifle.

  His radio chirped, and he responded to it.

  “Okay, people, we have federal turret sites up ahead. They’re armed with .50-caliber machine guns,” Nickleton announced. “We’re going to swing around to the back to take it down.”

  The sun was dipping into late evening. Soon it would be pitch-black.

  “Cloaks?” Erika asked Bennet.

  “Not yet. We want them to know we’re here. I’ll let you know when,” Bennet responded, watching the action outside.

  The transport pulled to a stop in an old parking garage.

  “This is our stop,” Nickleton directed the team.

  They filed off the bus and took up a wedge formation. Vince and Erika took up the rear positions with long rifles to pick off any snipers and make long-range shots to keep the team safe. They walked down the strangely quiet street, ready to take on anything.

  “Stack up down this alley,” Nickleton commanded.

  Erika shuffled to the middle of the line. Normally, she would have been in the front of the group because she was short and easy to see over. Now, they stacked her in the middle for her protection. 1st Sgt Bennet put his hand on Erika’s back as he stacked up behind her. Vince, Victoria, Star, and Kyle composed one group with Bennet and Erika. The other group, Cassidy, Phillip, Ned, Nickleton, Hensley and Eli, headed down the parallel alley. As they emerged they saw the place where the feds were dug in, peppering the militia group with rounds. It was an old storefront with bags of concrete stacked in front. Erika knew that the recent rains would have turned the bags hard, and they would be tough to shoot through and impossible to move. Nickleton signaled for Erika’s group to stay put as they entered the buildings behind the storefront. Gunfire was heard as the federal guards inside the buildings were alerted to their presence.

  Erika’s team spread out into hiding positions as a large group of federal reinforcements approached. Bennet had them wait until the approaching soldiers were in the perfect position and then they opened fire. Unaware of their presence, the federal soldiers scrambled, but it was too late. Erika’s team shot them down and then closed the circle around the feds manning the defensive position. Before long, Cassidy’s team fell on them and they were annihilated by the assault force, but not before they had radioed to the command center that a large invading force was overtaking the south of Denver.

  Chapter 24

  The next step was to push on through the city to the town of Centennial. The mercs were stealthily moving through Denver to the west. The mercenary army took D’lores’s cloak idea and multiplied it. All the mercs were equipped with the cloaks that kept them hidden from thermal detection. The radio on Hensley’s pack would crackle every now and again, and the person on the other side would announce their position to Nickleton.

  The gunfire continued to echo through the night. The muzzle blasts, illuminating the darkness, displayed a strange mist that floated in on the breeze.

  “What’s going on here?” Nickleton asked Darren as they met in the street.

  “We’ve run into a large group of feds hell-bent on holding their position. It’s in that shopping complex up ahead,” Darren explained, his eyes wild with combat.

  Nickleton came to confer with Cassidy and Bennet. “There’s no superior position to take them out from,” he fretted. “This is going to delay us too much.”

  “Then part of the force should stay here to take care of them, and part of the force should press on,” Cassidy suggested.

  “It’s a valid plan, Gunny,” Bennet told him.

  “Who’s staying and who’s going?” Nickleton asked.

  “Take Cassidy, Phillip, Ned, and Eli,” Bennet told him. “We’ll stay to mop up this mess.”

  “Sounds good, Patrick. We’ll see you in Centennial,” Nickleton told him, gathering up his forces.

  Darren stayed behind to direct his people that remained to help, and Bennet oversaw them. They finally punched a hole in the defenses. Erika squatted by the old sign, waiting for the signal to move up through the parking lot. The sign read: The Streets at Southglen. Fancy, Erika thought.

  She took up her position at the back of the wedge formation with Vince as they pushed forward. There was a slurry of gunfire as the militia members comprising the wedge next to them moved in to take out some men behind a mass of old cars. Erika watched two of the militia members fall as they overtook the federal soldiers. There were no prisoners. There was nowhere to keep them and no food to feed them. Slinking through the maze of old vehicles a man popped out; he fired at Star and it clipped her ear, but the girl was fast, and he fell dead before anyone could even blink. Star held her ear for a moment, but there was no time to worry about it now.

  “Keep your heads up, people. They could be anywhere out here,” Bennet instructed.

  The wedges were finally collapsing on the building when suddenly a grenade exploded, blazing brightly in the night. Erika watched body parts flying through the air and an arm landed at her feet.

  “Holy shit
!” Erika yelled.

  “Keep moving, guys, we need to breach those doors in three seconds,” Bennet commanded, keeping everyone focused. There was a loud boom, as another grenade exploded.

  This one was mis-thrown and didn’t connect with its target, but it blasted bits of sidewalk and chunks of metal at the militia members, pressing in towards the door. The force hesitated its advance.

  “Go, go, go!” Erika yelled, pressing them forward with urgency.

  The horde of attackers dashed forward suddenly and breached the doorway. She watched the first line of people flood in. They were met with a barrage of bullets and fell dead in their tracks. The feds were waiting for them.

  Erika hit the deck, watching the bullets fly out the door.

  “Everyone okay?” Bennet asked, checking on the status of his team.

  They answered back positively.

  “Darren,” he called to the man leading the team beside them.

  “Yeah,” Darren replied.

  “Get that shield team over here,” Bennet commanded.

  A line of militia members with riot shields moved into place. They were backed by individuals with automatic weapons.

  “Let’s move them forward, Darren,” Bennet instructed, moving his team into position behind them.

  The group pushed forward as one unit. The shield bearers stayed low and held tight to the only defense they possessed from the spray of bullets coming out the door. It was essential that they hold the line so the gunners behind them could press forward. The gunners tried to pop up and fire shots aimed to kill the soldiers firing the bullets without hitting their own shield protectors in the process.

  Erika crept forward behind the shield man. Her heart was pounding like crazy. She heard the federal soldier on the other side of the line calling for another magazine, so she popped up and put a bullet in his head. She was so thankful for all the accuracy drills Bennet had run her through over and over. Her muscle memory took over and the soldiers dropped like flies.

  The gunfire began to slow as Erika breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Vince. He was smiling a little, showing off his missing tooth. They breached the doorway and now they pressed through the building.