The Jared Chronicles | Book 3 | Chains of Tyranny

by Tippins, Rick

  Deep down, Jared knew there was a very real risk he would not only fail to find and assist John, but could very easily be killed trying. Jared’s analytical mind marveled at his own personal transformation after the solar flare. Yes, he was worried, even frightened at the thought of being injured, captured or killed, but still his will to do what the new Jared felt was right overrode all former self-preservation instincts. Those instincts to run, hide and avoid conflict were replaced with systematic, tactical scheming.

  Running and failing to complete John’s rescue was not an option in the new Jared’s life. Dying foolishly also wasn’t an avenue he cared to explore, so he planned, strategized and worried a little. In this approach was born the opportunity for overall victory, John’s rescue and Jared’s life. Then and only then would he return to this life on the ranch, where he would settle down, raise Essie, and let Shannon and his budding relationship take its natural course—if it was still a thing when he returned.

  After Essie fell asleep on the couch, Margie appeared, holding a blanket and beckoned Jared toward a hallway. He smiled tiredly and got to his feet before scooping Essie’s prostrate form off the couch.

  “You know,” Margie started in a soft voice, “you can’t fault any of these good people for wanting to stay and be part of a bigger community. We all need help in life; it’s not just mankind, it’s everything. No one thing can make it for long all by their lonesome.” Margie’s face warmed in a motherly smile as she turned and led Jared to a bedroom off the dark hallway. What Margie hoped this young man understood was grass wouldn’t grow without soil, sun and water, and people were no different.

  On a dresser sat a small candle, its dim shadowy light flickering and dancing with the rhythm of the air currents in the smallish bedroom. Jared laid Essie on one of two beds in the room and took the blanket from Margie, gently draping it over the girl’s tiny frame before stepping back into the hallway. Margie gesticulated to the second bed, turned, and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway. Jared unslung his rifle and removed his gun belt before sitting on the edge of the bed, where he removed his shoes.

  Once his shoes were off, Jared ensured both his weapons were easily accessible, blew the candle out, then lay back on the bed, staring into the velvety blackness. Jared didn’t know how long he lay when his eyes snapped open. The room was still dark, and someone was standing over him. He started for the rifle, but felt soft but firm hands push him back on the bed. As he was pushed back down, Shannon followed her actions until she lay atop a very confused Jared Culp. Her hair draped across his face, catching in his facial hair as she pressed her body even closer to his.

  Shannon’s lips pressed to his ear. “I know you’re going, and I know you expect me to care for Essie, I just want you to know what you’ll be missing.” Her mouth moved from his ear to his mouth, and Jared didn’t try to stop it. When their mouths finally parted after what seemed like both an eternity and too short a time, Shannon rolled off him, nestled into the crook of his arm, and fell asleep.

  Jared lay on his back, staring toward a ceiling he could not see through darkness so black, he could almost feel it. As spectacular as it was to feel Shannon curled up next to him after having just felt her weight on his body and her warm lips pressed against his, he was now frustrated and unable to sleep. Jared nearly nudged her awake in an attempt to continue what the woman started, but caught himself. The time wasn’t right, or Shannon would have pressed on. Essie lay less than six feet from the two, so Jared let the idea of begging Shannon for more go and tried falling back asleep.

  The following morning, Jared woke and was mildly chagrined to find he was alone in the bed. Essie was also gone, probably having got up with Shannon when she woke. Jared changed his socks and checked both weapons before strapping on the gun belt and slinging the rifle. He made his way out to the kitchen, where he discovered Shannon, Essie, Margie and Stephani sitting at the table, eating breakfast. Barry was still asleep, but Carlos was out with Quinten and Cody, feeding and checking on the livestock.

  With their chickens out for the day, Quinten hadn’t trusted Crank and locked him in a horse stable in the barn. Devon, in turn, freed the dog early in the morning and vanished, much to no one’s surprise. Jared knew it was happening the evening before but chose to remain mute on the subject, knowing country folks before the event hadn’t taken kindly to dogs killing livestock, including egg-laying chickens. Jared could only imagine if Crank killed a couple of chickens, Quinten would have killed the dog, after which he would have unapologetically informed Jared and his people of their dog’s demise.

  The Thacker family possessed no coffee to offer their guests, but they did have fresh eggs, which Jared hadn’t enjoyed in a very long time. The Thackers’ propane tank wasn’t drained yet, so Jared got scrambled eggs and ate them hot, which was more of a treat than he would ever have imagined possible. In the mixed company, Shannon neither said anything about the previous night, nor did she so much as give Jared a look. Essie came over and sat next to Jared as he ate.

  “You’re leaving again?” Essie asked in an accusatory tone.

  Jared was horribly outnumbered as all three adult females turned and stared at him as if waiting as a group for his answer. Jared choked down the eggs he was chewing on and forced himself to focus on Essie and not the three other women.

  “John saved my life, so I can’t very well leave him on his own, Ess,” Jared asserted, thinking he’d answer her and be done with the interrogation. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

  “If you didn’t go the first time, he wouldn’t have had to save you.”

  Jared thought back to his trek across the Bay Area and all the death and violence he and John were witness and nearly victim to. Jared’s face contorted in a frown as he looked down at the little waif perched on a stool next to him, her eyes telling him she felt strongly that her counter to his answer nullified his explanation.

  Jared’s mouth opened slightly, but no words came at first. When he did speak, he was careful not to paint himself into another corner. “Anytime I leave and you have to stay with Shannon, I do it to make our lives better. The last time—you’re right, if I hadn’t gone, nothing would have happened. That wouldn’t change me leaving now though. John is one of us. I wouldn’t just try to rescue John, I’d do it for any of you.” Jared reached out and drew Essie to him, squeezing her tightly for a moment before pushing her back to her own seat. “When you’re older, I’d expect you to do the same, Ess.”

  Essie thought about this for a moment before answering, “I need a gun.”

  “You need to learn how to use one first,” Jared said as he stuffed his mouth with more of the delicious eggs.

  “Okay, can I use Devon’s little gun?”

  Jared stopped chewing and just stared at the waif for a moment. “Naw, I have a little Marlin rifle for you,” he garbled through a mouth full of breakfast.

  Without a word, Essie climbed off the stool and left as Shannon shot Jared a puzzled look. When Jared finished eating, he thanked Margie and headed out the front door of the house. As he stepped out onto the porch, he caught the end of a conversation between Essie and Devon, where the girl was letting the teen know she was about to learn to shoot. Jared smiled to himself as Devon shot him a questioning stare, which Jared returned with a wink.

  Jared struck out across the yard to where the VW was parked next to the now ominous red barn. He fished around in the back and found the Marlin .22 caliber he and John had taken after their bout with the men at Dwight’s place in Woodside. Jared had since cleaned the little rifle, making sure there was no blood from its previous owner on the action. He found a box of .22-caliber shells in the VW and stuffed it in a pocket before heading back to the porch.

  Ten minutes later, Essie and Jared were sitting on the back porch with the little varmint rifle. Jared set about teaching the little girl about the firearm in the same meticulous manner in which Bart had instructed him less than five months prior. First, he show
ed Essie all the parts of the rifle and how each piece worked in conjunction with the next. Jared demonstrated for Essie how the weapon was disassembled and then how it was reassembled. After Essie understood how to dismantle the small rifle, they went over how to clean its parts and why it was important to keep the weapon clean.

  Jared made Essie disassemble and reassemble the rifle over and over until he was sure she would ask to quit, but the little girl never complained even after her tiny hands were red and nearing the point of fresh blisters. Jared made sure he didn’t push her too hard, stopping their weapons-manipulation drills before Essie had anything more than some hot spots on her palms. By this time, it was after noon sometime, so they sat down to eat a small dehydrated meal Jared retrieved from the VW. The meal took less than twenty minutes to finish before Jared continued his firearms instructional session with Essie.

  Jared felt he and Essie needed to be on an accelerated training cycle compared to the one Bart had previously put him thru. Jared planned on leaving the following day although he hadn’t been specific with Shannon or anyone else regarding his departure plans. He hadn’t even told Devon, and as far as Jared knew, the kid was coming with him.

  Jared next guided Essie through the prone, kneeling and offhand shooting positions after lunch, which she did for the most part, only struggling with the offhand position due to the weight of the rifle in relation to her slight build.

  Jared planned on leaving the weapon with Essie when he departed, taking the magazine out so as to make the weapon inert. He told her of his plans and impressed upon her the importance of carrying the rifle at all times and not forgetting to practice the dry fire and positional training he’d showed her. Jared further explained that not only would she become more comfortable with the weapon, it would build her strength and, over time, make the little Marlin an extension of her body. The two worked with the rifle most of the day, only moving out into a pasture in the early evening so Essie could get a feel for live fire.

  Jared took with him an old shovel he’d retrieved from the barn. Once he and Essie were in the field, Jared paced off twenty-five yards and drove the shovel shaft first in to the earth. He adjusted the blade so the back faced Essie. Finished, Jared returned to where Essie patiently waited, rifle in hand and a smile on her face.

  “Now see if you can hit the top of that shovel.” Jared said, gesturing toward the upside-down tool.

  When the first round lit off, she turned to Jared. “That was easy. I thought it was going to hurt my shoulder.”

  “Not this little gun, Ess.”

  Essie smiled, then turned and aligned her eye with the sights and squeezed off another round. Twenty rounds were gone within five minutes, and most of the little girl’s shots found their mark. When the projectile struck the back of the spade, it gave a resounding ping, letting both Jared and the little shooter know the shot was true.

  After Essie finished shooting, Jared laid the rifle out to be cleaned before Essie did anything else. Again, Jared imparted on her the importance of a clean firearm. He went to great lengths explaining carbon buildup and how it could and would eventually cause the weapon to malfunction.

  Chapter 8

  That evening there was no drinking, nor did the entire group eat together. Calvin, Quinten and Cody were out late, while Carlos and Barry seemed to have forgotten the tragedy in the barn the day before and set up camp inside the large red building. When Calvin finally came in, Jared asked to speak with him and Shannon. The three walked out onto the front porch, where Jared turned, leaning back on the railing, facing the two.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow. Devon is most likely coming with me. We need to set up some sort of messaging system in case you are all not here when I get back.”

  “Where would we go?” Shannon asked flatly, her eyes burrowing holes in Jared, who shrugged, started to answer, but was cut off by Calvin.

  “I think it’s a good idea. Nothing is for sure anymore. We also don’t know when you’ll be back. I mean, hell, this could take months.”

  “What do you think we could use as a signal?” Jared questioned.

  “I say we keep it simple. Leave a note on a tree back at last night’s camp spot,” Calvin offered.

  Jared thought about it for a minute, then nodded his agreement with the older man’s plan. It was simple, and Jared doubted anyone would be up at the site monkeying around. The note they left at the ranch house for John was a good idea, but if something happened to the house, the note would be gone. If the Thacker place was overrun, burned or otherwise destroyed, leaving a note here would have been for nothing. Jared sighed, thinking that any man who amassed wealth nowadays just made himself a target.

  It was downright dangerous to have the bare essentials for living. People seemed more than willing to toss aside their civility in order to take from others what they were too domesticated to get for themselves. On the flip side, there were still good people in the world, like the Thacker family and the Tongans Jared and Stephani had met the month before.

  That evening, Shannon did not come to Jared in the night like she had the evening prior. He lay awake, staring up into the darkness, waiting and maybe even hoping the woman would come, but she never showed, leaving Jared with nothing but the blackness of night coupled with Essie’s steady breathing. Before Jared knew it, he was awakened by the first delicate rays of morning light that crept through the curtained windows of his and Essie’s bedroom. Jared rolled onto his side to face the girl, who was still fast asleep. Jared watched the girl for a few seconds before quietly slipping out of bed and gathering all his gear.

  Outside the bedroom, Jared donned his shoes, gun belt, and slung the rifle. He tiptoed down the carpeted hall toward the kitchen, hoping to at the very least be fully packed and ready to go by the time everyone began to wake for the day. This would make the goodbyes much shorter, and he could be on his way with the least amount of guilt. Jared wasn’t so lucky. As he walked into the kitchen, Shannon and Stephani sat at the table, sipping on two hot cups of tea, staring down the hall as if they’d been waiting for their prodigal son to slip into their sights.

  When Jared saw the two women, his breath caught in his throat for a moment, and he almost stopped dead in his tracks, but instead he charged headlong into the room, ready for whatever they were going to lay on him.

  “Morning, ladies,” Jared whispered, not wanting to wake any reinforcements.

  Shannon was the first to speak. “You’re not leaving without me and Essie.”

  “And me,” Stephani chimed in.

  This was not what Jared expected to hear. “What are you guys talking about?” he asked carefully, his face clouded with suspicion.

  Shannon leaned forward, speaking softly out of respect for those still sleeping. “Steph and I stayed up pretty late last night, talking about everything we’ve been through. You and me.” Shannon pointed at Jared and then at her own chest. “We’ve been together through a lot, and to just let you walk off not knowing if I’ll see you again.” The woman fell silent.

  “John is the reason I’m alive,” Stephani added. “I mean, I know you both are the reason, but I can’t let him rot somewhere after what he did for me.”

  “Who else?” Jared questioned dubiously.

  Shannon shook her head sadly. “They are all staying, and I don’t blame them. Calvin is too old to be out on the road, and Barry, well, this is kinda what he was after from day one.”

  Jared had been so laser focused on getting to Stockton, he’d failed to really think about being without these people. Carlos and Salvador wouldn’t bother him terribly since he’d just met them and had not shared much in the way of hardships and dangers. Carlos was a nice enough guy and as hard a worker as Jared had ever met, but Jared didn’t share a connection with him like he did with Calvin, Shannon and Stephani. Maybe it was because strong relationships were built over time, and the only shortcut was sharing life-threatening experiences with someone.

  Jared had shared plenty
of those with Calvin and Shannon. Stephani and he had traversed a good portion of the greater San Jose area, looking for shoes and other hygiene-related items. They’d spent a night out in the city on their own and shared some harrowing experiences, so Jared felt he and Stephani enjoyed a strong bond, the same as he and John did.

  If he was going to leave with Devon and the three females, he’d miss Calvin and maybe Barry a little. The more he thought on the matter, the more he liked the thought of them accompanying him, until he thought of Essie.

  “We can’t drag Essie into the middle of a gunfight with the military,” Jared said lamely.

  “We’re not,” Shannon countered. “We’re all coming, and we can figure out who stays with Ess while you do whatever it is you have to do. She gets nowhere near any nonsense with those guys from the helicopter.”

  Calvin stepped into the room as Shannon finished her declaration. “It sure would be nice if we had some coffee,” the older man groaned as he settled into a chair at the table.

  No one at the table responded, prompting Calvin to take a closer look at what he’d walked into. These younger folks could change moods, their minds, and God knows what else like a derecho windstorm changed direction.

  “What?” Calvin finally grunted.

  “The ladies say they’re coming with me,” Jared disclosed.

  Calvin’s eyebrows rose as he searched the faces of both women.

  “We can’t stay here and be separated from Jared,” Shannon blurted out in a hushed voice.