by Victor Zugg
Tiff heard a man’s voice from down the hall. “We’ve waited long enough. You either tell me how you got here or we take you out back.”
Tiff then heard a familiar voice. “Like I said, we walked,” Chet said.
“Have it your way,” the man said. “Tony, where the hell are you?” he yelled.
Tiff heard footsteps coming down the hall. She stepped into the hall and saw a man silhouetted by the faint light from behind. She pointed her pistol at him.
“Tony is indisposed,” Tiff said. “Now back up!”
Jones raised his hands and stepped backward. “Who are you?”
“A friend of the two you have back there,” Tiff said. “Who are you?”
“I’m the police chief and you’re in a lot of trouble.”
“Bull shit! Back up!”
Jones backed into the room, lit by a couple of candles, and stopped in the middle of the floor.
“Uh-oh, he went and pissed her off,” Chet said to Sam.
Tiff took careful aim at Jones’ forehead. “Two fingers, remove the pistol.”
Jones pulled the pistol from the holster and placed it on a desk nearby.
Sam and Chet stood in their locked cage and watched.
Tiff glanced at Sam and Chet. “You guys okay?”
“Yep,” Sam replied.
Tiff looked back to Jones. “Keys!”
Jones hesitated a moment and then pointed. “They’re in my pocket.”
“Remove them… carefully.”
Jones reached into his pants pocket and came out with a key ring full of keys.
“Place them on the desk and then step into the other cage,” Tiff said.
“Where’s Tony?”
“I said, in the cage!”
Jones stepped into the empty cage and pulled the door closed behind him. Tiff picked up the keys, moved to Jones’ cage door while keeping her pistol pointed at him. She tried several keys until she found one that fit. She turned the lock and then tried the door to make sure it was secure. She kept her pistol on Jones while she walked to the other cage and handed the keys to Sam.
Chet looked at Sam. “This is getting embarrassing.”
Tiff raised her eyebrows.
“I’d rather be embarrassed than dead,” Sam said. He fiddled with the keys until he had the door open. “We owe you another one,” he said, as he stepped out of the cage.
“You can pay me later,” Tiff replied.
Chet followed Sam out of the cage. “What do we do with this guy and his friend?”
“The other one is out front, tied up,” Tiff said.
Sam turned to Jones. “What happened to Chief Daniels?”
Jones sat on the bunk and said nothing.
Sam rummaged around the room until he found his and Chet’s guns and knives. Sam walked over to the cage holding Jones and pointed his M&P. “What happened to the Chief?” Sam pointed his gun at Jones.
“We had a disagreement.”
“What about his other officers… he had three?”
“Disagreement with them too.”
Tiff moved closer to the hall and cocked her ear. “I hear voices.”
“That will be my officers,” Jones said.
Chet retrieved his Glock and took a position behind a desk.
Sam motioned toward a small hallway in the rear of the room. “There’s a back door down this way.”
Tiff followed Sam and Chet as they hurried down the hallway. They bunched together at a metal door at the end of the hall.
Sam pushed on the metal bar. “Locked.” He still had the keys in his hand and fumbled with them trying to find the one that would open the door.
Tiff turned to face the holding room and raised her pistol expecting the men she heard to walk in any moment. She heard the keys jingle as Sam tried each key on the ring. Finally, she heard one slide into the lock. She turned back to Sam and Chet as Sam pushed the door open. Tiff followed Sam and Chet out the door to a metal landing. Metal stairs led to the ground, the same stairs she saw before. Sam closed the door and locked it with the same key. They ran down the stairs and trotted north across an empty lot to a line of trees. They took cover behind a clump of bushes.
“We’ll have to deal with these characters eventually,” Chet said.
Sam pointed to the silhouette of four men running down the side of the police department. They converged with two other men who had run down the other side.
“I don’t think now’s a good time,” Sam said in a low voice.
“I second that motion,” Tiff said. “Let’s wait until they cool off some.”
“And we’re better armed,” Chet added.
Sam turned and made his way farther into the trees. “This comes out on the highway,” he whispered.
“Any sign they had a running vehicle?” Tiff asked.
“Not that we saw,” Sam replied.
They came up on the highway and waited in the tree line long enough to make sure no one was around. Sam stepped out, followed by Tiff and Chet. They started walking west.
“Finding the Hummer in the dark could be a chore,” Chet said.
“Just finding the spot where we pulled off could be a chore,” Tiff added.
Twenty minutes later, they slowed to a crawl as they began searching for the spot where they pulled the Hummer into the woods.
“There’s no way we can find the exact spot,” Chet whispered. “Even with the moon, it’s too dark out here.”
“Keep looking,” Sam said.
“Hey!”
Tiff jumped at the sudden voice from behind a tree.
“Dammit, Elliot…,” Sam said.
“Sorry, you guys looked lost,” Elliot said. “I thought you might have trouble finding the Hummer in the dark.”
“Temporarily disoriented,” Chet said.
“Thanks,” Tiff said.
“How’d it go?” Elliot asked.
Sam stepped into the woods and stopped next to Elliot. “Not good. Shitheads have taken over the town.”
“They killed the police chief and his three officers,” Chet said.
Sam led the way through the woods. “If it wasn’t for Tiff, we’d still be locked up… or dead.”
“She saved your butts yet again?” Elliot asked.
“It’s becoming a full-time job,” Tiff said.
Sam stopped next to the Hummer. “Uh-huh.”
Chet opened the driver’s door and got in. “What now?”
“First, we get out of the mosquitoes,” Elliot said.
Sam, Tiff, and Elliot got into the Hummer.
“I repeat—what now?” Chet asked.
“We can avoid the town,” Sam said. “Side roads work their way around the south side. We’d have to do it without lights. Plus, we don’t know what’s waiting for us at the cabin.”
“Wait here until morning?” Elliot asked.
“That would be my choice,” Sam said.
Tiff snuggled closer to Elliot on the Hummer’s rear bench seat and then slid her butt forward so she could rest her head on the back of the seat. She drifted off while the guys talked.
***
Squirrels rummaging in the leaves and barking at each other woke Sam. He opened his eyes to the light just starting to filter through the trees. He sat up in his seat and then poked Chet who was slumped against the door.
Chet opened his eyes, sat up straight, and put his hands on the wheel. “Where to?”
Sam opened his door and stepped out. “Let me make sure the coast is clear.”
Sam stepped carefully through the woods. At the side of the highway, he scanned in all directions while he peed on the asphalt. He returned to the Hummer and slid into his seat.
He heard Tiff and Elliot move in the back.
“How’s the arm?” Chet asked.
“I’m alive,” Elliot replied.
Tiff sat up. “We need to replace that bandage before we start moving.”
“Do it quickly. We need to be moving before
anyone else,” Chet said, as he stepped out of the Hummer. He walked a few feet away and relieved himself behind a bush.
Sam watched as Tiff grabbed the med kit from the back and went through the same routine as before.
“How’s the wound?” Sam asked, as Chet got back behind the wheel.
“About the same, no worse,” Tiff replied.
“There’s no one about,” Sam said. “We need to backtrack a bit and then we can take the back roads.”
Tiff and Elliot opened their doors and stepped out. “Bathroom first,” Tiff said.
With everyone back in the Hummer, Chet started the engine, put the truck in gear, and backed out the way he drove in. He backed onto the pavement, changed gears, and then sped off to the west.
“There’s a turn up here on the left,” Sam said.
Chet slowed and turned down the road which was paved but barely more than a single lane. Sam gave directions as they slowly drove through thick forest and hills. There were no people or buildings along the side, just forest. Finally, they came up to an intersection and Sam stuck his head out the window to get a better look at the road sign. Laurel Creek. He motioned for Chet to turn left and then pointed to an almost immediate right. Sam glanced at the road sign as they rounded the corner. Tremont Road.
“The turn off for the cabin is about two miles up on the left,” Sam said. “We’ll pull off before that and go in on foot.”
“This area is desolate now, it must have really been desolate when your father built the place,” Elliot said.
“I was too young to understand much of anything back then but that’s apparently what he wanted,” Sam replied.
“Off the grid,” Tiff said.
“That it is,” Chet agreed.
“The last power line I saw was miles back,” Elliot said.
“The cabin has a whole house generator,” Sam said. “It runs on pretty much any kind of fuel. At least, it used to.”
“Probably doesn’t work now,” Chet said.
“I didn’t know they had those back then,” Tiff said.
Sam glanced back. “My brother and I put it in about five years ago.”
Chet motioned with his arm. “How much farther?”
“Pull off anywhere along here,” Sam said. “The cabin is about half mile down.”
Chet slowed, turned, and maneuvered around the trees until the Hummer could not be seen from the road. He clicked off the engine. “Honey, we’re home.”
Everyone got out and joined Sam who had walked a few feet away from the truck.
Sam motioned with his arm. “The cabin is that way.”
“What about snakes?” Tiff asked.
“Oh yeah, watch out for snakes,” Sam replied. “There are lots of them—copper heads and rattlers.”
Sam watched Elliot take furtive glances around the area. Sam winked at Chet who glanced at Elliot and then smiled.
Everyone drank some water, grabbed their rifles, and then stood looking at Sam.
“Well?” Tiff asked.
Sam started walking, being careful where he placed each foot. The others followed keeping about ten yards between each person. Chet brought up the rear. They had walked about forty minutes when Sam raised his fist in the air. Everyone stopped. Sam hunched over and scurried back to Tiff. Chet and Elliot came up and joined them.
“The cabin is visible through the trees,” Sam whispered. “Chet and I will go forward.” He pointed at Tiff and Elliot. “You two stay back in reserve.”
“You mean, in case we need to save your butts again,” Tiff said.
Sam smiled. “That’s right.”
They all moved forward, using bushes and trees as cover. The tree line gave way to a small clearing beyond. Everyone took a knee. Sam scanned the area. The cabin, garage, and pump house sat in the middle of the clearing. There were no people in sight and there were no obvious signs that anyone had been there recently. Sam pointed at Chet and motioned for him to follow.
The two of them stood, shouldered their rifles, and dashed forward. The only sounds Sam heard were his and Chet’s boots hitting the ground. Even the birds and squirrels stopped what they were doing to watch.
CHAPTER 17
Sam and Chet covered the open ground in seconds and took cover behind the pump house. From the pump house, Sam could see the back of the garage and the back and north side of the house. There still was no one in sight and no activity. In fact, the shovel Sam forgot to put away the last time he was there was still leaning against the north side of the house.
Sam motioned his intention to head for the garage and then stood and raced off. Chet waited until Sam plastered himself against the back of the garage and then made his way to the southeast corner. Chet rushed forward and joined him.
“I don’t think there’s anyone here,” Chet said, panting.
“I think you’re right.”
Sam motioned again and then took off for the north side of the house. He came to a stop next to the only window on that side. Sam peered inside and saw no movement. He waved for Chet to move up. They both crept along the wall to the northwest corner of the house which gave them a view of the front entrance and the driveway.
“No tracks and no footprints,” Chet whispered.
Sam nodded and then stepped on the front porch. Chet followed. Sam looked in both the front windows and tried the knob on the door. Locked.
Sam stood up straight and relaxed. “I think we’re good.”
Chet waved for Tiff and Elliot to join them. Tiff swept her head back and forth, keeping an eye on her surroundings, as she and Elliot walked to the house and joined Sam and Chet on the porch.
“Your dad must have liked wood,” Elliot said. “The place is beautiful.”
“Thanks,” Sam said, as he dug into his pocket. He came out with a set of keys, inserted one in the door’s deadbolt lock and twisted. The bolt clicked back. He then stuck a different key in the knob lock and turned. The door opened and everyone stepped inside.
“Excuse the mustiness,” Sam said, as he stuck his head in each room for a quick inspection. “And the dust.”
“Even if the generator works, I wouldn’t recommend it,” Elliot said. “Might draw attention to the cabin.”
“Agreed,” Sam said.
Tiff’s shoulders slumped. “No shower?”
“There’s a shower,” Chet said. “You’ll just need a bucket of water.”
“Our water will come from the stream out back since the pump doesn’t work,” Sam said. “And we’ll need to boil or filter before drinking.”
Tiff, smiling, started for the front door. “Let’s have a look.”
Everyone walked out of the cabin, around the back, and continued toward the trees.
They had walked about fifty yards, with Tiff in front, when she glanced back. “I can hear the water.”
A few more yards brought them to the edge of an embankment looking down on a crystal-clear, rocky stream, about fifteen feet wide and two feet deep in places. Tiff jumped down to the bank and stuck her hand in the water. “Chilly, but not too bad.”
“It’s okay this time of year once you’re in there,” Sam said. “I recommend bathing from a bucket.”
“Of course,” Tiff said. “Don’t want to pollute the water.”
Sam turned to the woods. “I’ll get the Hummer.”
“The rest of us can start hauling some water,” Chet said.
***
Tiff put a bowl of rice on the kitchen table and then took a seat. “I think everything’s ready.”
Sam, Chet, and Elliot sat down and started spooning food onto their plates.
Chet was the first to take a bite. “Beans and rice have always been a favorite,” he said, munching.
Elliot took a bite. “Just pretend the spam is steak and the canned green beans are fresh.”
“It’s better than MREs,” Tiff said.
Elliot took a bite. “True,” he mumbled.
Sam finished chewing. “About tom
orrow…”
“I’m anxious to get started,” Tiff said. “I’m worried about my parents.”
“Do we need to leave someone here to watch the place?” Chet asked.
“I say we all go,” Sam said. “The cabin has been okay this long—a couple of more days shouldn’t matter.”
“We get a good night’s sleep and head out first thing,” Elliot said.
Chet pointed to Elliot’s sling. “How’s your arm?”
Tiff spoke up. “I changed the bandage after we showered. It’s no worse. He’s feeling better, so the Cipro is working.”
“How’s the pain,” Sam asked.
“Better,” Elliot replied. “I can actually move my arm a little.”
“Not too much… don’t want to open those wounds,” Sam said.
Elliot nodded. “Just wearing clean clothes again helps.”
“I agree,” Sam said.
Chet finished eating and slid his plate forward. “Tiff, you said your parents are in Lebanon, where is that in relation to Cincinnati?
“Ten miles northeast of the beltway.”
“Two hundred miles straight up seventy-five,” Sam said. “We should be able to do that in a day, easy.”
“Lexington might slow us some,” Chet said.
“Maybe, but the highway runs east of the main part of town,” Sam said. “And then there’s Cincinnati.”
Elliot nodded, stood, picked up his plate, and took it to the sink. “I guess we need another bucket of water for the dishes.”
Chet got up. “I’ll get it.” He walked toward the door. “In fact, we should put several gallons in the bathtub for flushing the toilet.”
“Hold up,” Sam said. “I’ll give you a hand.”
Tiff brought her plate to the sink and edged Elliot out of the way with her hip. “You can’t wash with one arm.”
“I knew there was something positive about getting shot,” Elliot said.
Sam brought his and Chet’s plate to the sink. “Two positive things.”
Elliot turned to Sam and raised an eyebrow.
Sam thrust his chin toward Tiff who had her back to them.
Elliot smiled, nodded, and turned back to the sink.
Sam and Chet walked out.
***