Flashpoint (Book 3): Fallout

by Ellis, Tara

  Without thinking, Danny leapt forward, grabbing at the weapon and forcing it upward at the same time that it erupted with gunfire. The trained soldier was stronger than Danny and she easily ripped it from her grip, slamming it back into Danny’s forehead before leveling it again at her target.

  “No!” Danny wailed while stumbling backward. Before a second burst of gunfire could be deployed, a booming voice drowned out everything.

  “Belay that order!”

  Danny wiped the blood from her eyes and looked up from where she’d fallen to see the giant of a man get right in Dillinger’s face. “You have some explaining to do, Corporal!”

  Chapter 21

  TOM

  FEMA Shelter M3, Monida, Montana

  “It’s good to have you on board.” Dillinger paused on the front steps of the police station and turned with his hand extended.

  It took all of Tom’s resolve not to look at the corporal’s hand like a snake, and instead accepted it in an extra-firm grasp. He didn’t think his ploy to be released immediately would ever work. However, Corporal Dillinger was more than happy to oblige. That was, with some conditions. In exchange for not rotting in the cell for an indeterminate amount of time, Tom had to sign up, forget about returning home, and put on a good show for whoever flew in on the helicopter.

  “I’ll arrange for the paperwork to be drawn up and we’ll swear both you and Ethan in later today,” Dillinger was saying.

  Tom was having a hard time focusing. Aside from a small glass of water the night before, he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since he’d been arrested. The lack of food and sleep amplified the lingering concussion symptoms. Instead of trying to form an acceptable response, Tom simply nodded in agreement.

  They reached the road and Dillinger stopped and faced the direction where the helicopter landed, apparently waiting to meet the entourage. “I’ll be needing you to ride out with some of my men over the next few days, to some of the outlying farms,” he said, barely glancing over at Tom. “You’ve come at a good time. I can use your ranching expertise on how best to handle the cattle.”

  “Cattle?” Tom didn’t like where the conversation was headed.

  “Of course.” Dillinger waved a hand at the structures around them. “We’ll be getting a lot more refugees, soon. How do you think we’re going to keep them all fed? MREs and fish from the lake will only go so far. We have to look at long-term sustainability. That’s where you come in.”

  Tom’s cheeks reddened and he looked around, hoping to spot Ethan or Danny. If they had some sort of plan, they’d better implement it soon, because there was no way he’d help the man requisition any farms.

  “Is that going to be a problem?” Dillinger was staring at him, his jaw clenched.

  “Whatever you want,” Tom said non-committedly. “I’d like to see Ethan and Danny. Tell them what I’ve agreed to myself.”

  Dillinger tsked and then squinted up at the sky. “Well, Tom, Ethan is busy at the moment with his morning duties. He’s really taken to the enlisted regimen. A fine boy you’ve got there. As far as Danny and Sam, unfortunately they didn’t feel the same as you and your son. They left this morning.”

  Confused, Tom frowned and turned away from the corporal. It didn’t make sense. Why would Danny and Sam leave? They didn’t even say goodbye.

  “Ah, there’s Sergeant Campbell,” Dillinger announced.

  Tom looked up and saw one of the largest men he’d ever seen walking around the corner of the building. The two other soldiers with him were small in comparison. The sergeant was at least six foot five, and easily over two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle. His square jaw looked just as solid as the rest of him and without even seeing his eyes, Tom had no doubt why Corporal Dillinger was intimidated by him.

  Before they were close enough for introductions, a sound Tom was familiar with rose from somewhere nearby. While everyone else looked around in confusion, Tom smiled. He had no idea what Ethan was doing, but his son was definitely responsible if there was a stampede in the camp. Stepping away from Dillinger, he dropped to a crouch and prepared to move quickly.

  An unfamiliar horse was the first to leap out into the road, reeling when she encountered the people standing here. The sergeant and his men jumped onto the porch, giving the horse an open route, and she took it, but was closely followed by several others.

  Among the newcomers was a solid white mare. “Lilly!” Tom called before whistling for her. The fact that she responded was another testimony to the horse’s intelligence and bond she had with Tom.

  As Tom captured Lilly’s lead rope and got her under control, Ethan made an impressive entrance on Tango, the black-and-white gelding rearing up in front of Dillinger as if he were challenging the corporal himself.

  “We’re leaving!” Ethan shouted at the corporal. He was holding the lead ropes for the rest of their horses, all of them saddled and laden with their gear. Tom was impressed with his son’s resourcefulness, although concerned with how Dillinger was going to react. He wasn’t someone they could strongarm into compliance. If this was all of Ethan’s plan, it probably wasn’t going to work.

  There was a moment of silence as Dillinger stared up at Ethan, never wavering from where he stood. Slowly, almost casually, he pulled out his sidearm. Without raising it, he issued an order to the rest of the men. “Shoot him!”

  At the first sight of the gun, Tom was already moving. He slammed into Dillinger while he was still commanding the soldiers to kill his son. They hit the ground as a burst of rapid gunfire exploded nearby, causing them both to freeze.

  “Belay that order!”

  Tom had managed to get a hand around Dillinger’s throat and he would have squeezed, except that he was suddenly grabbed roughly by both arms and yanked backwards. He rolled once and sprang into a crouch, ready to defend himself, only to see that the sergeant had turned away from him and was lifting the corporal to his feet.

  Holding Dillinger by the front of his shirt, Campbell glared down at him. “You have some explaining to do, Corporal!”

  Tom looked around wildly, horrified that the shots fired had found their mark. His breath came out as a grunt of relief when he saw Ethan still seated on Tango, unscathed. There was movement to the north of them, and he turned to see one of the guards by the roadblock gesturing angrily at the other. Getting up slowly from the ground, her face bloody, was Danny. Tom knew he was somehow indebted to her for once again saving his son’s life. Turning back to the confrontation that could determine their fate, he resisted the urge to intervene too soon.

  The leader of FEMA Shelter M3 didn’t miss a beat. Without actually resisting his superior officer, Dillinger instead took a step back and stood at attention. “Sir, this young man is attempting to steal our horses and break his father out of prison.”

  “That’s a lie!” Tom shouted.

  “Shut up!” Campbell bellowed at Tom and then pointed a finger at Ethan. “Get down off that horse, son.”

  Ethan looked at his dad first and then begrudgingly complied, landing solidly on his feet close to where the sergeant stood. “I’m not stealing them. They’re our horses.”

  “Is that true?” The sergeant directed the question to Dillinger. The man didn’t mince words and Tom appreciated that.

  “These horses are the property of the United States government,” Dillinger intoned. “Turned in willingly at the time they accepted shelter.”

  “He’s lying!” Tom insisted. His anger was winning out and he knew he was teetering on the edge of losing control again.

  Campbell must have recognized it, because he abruptly stepped in between him and the corporal and gestured for Tom to take several steps back. “I’d like to know who you are and how you came to be here,” the sergeant said to Tom. “And I’m going to need you to do that in a manner that doesn’t end with me putting you in restraints.”

  Tom stared up at the sergeant and then shook his head, a smile creeping onto his face. “I can live wi
th that.” Gesturing to the horses and Ethan, he kept it as simple as possible. “My name is Thomas Miller, and this is my son, Ethan. We’re just trying to get home to my ranch in Mercy, Montana, and had to pass through here due to the roadblock. Two other people were traveling with us and one of them needed some medical care. We never planned on staying for more than a day and were never given any other options. When I found out they weren’t going to give us our horses back, I, um…got upset, and was thrown in jail. The only way Corporal Dillinger would let me out was if I agreed to enlist, convinced you I was here willingly, and then helped him steal cattle from the ranches around this valley.”

  Dillinger grunted. “It’s all a matter of interpretation. However, I clearly notified Mr. Miller that his horses and property were being requisitioned. He was arrested after he assaulted me, which he just did, again.”

  Sergeant Campbell crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Where are the civilian leaders for this town?”

  When the corporal didn’t answer right away, Tom spoke up. “The mayor died during the flashpoint, but the sheriff is locked in the cell next to the one I was in. Apparently, it was because he didn’t agree with the tactics being used when they took over Monida and forced several families out of their homes.”

  Corporal Dillinger stiffened. “Sir, I don’t need to stand here and defend myself for following orders. Especially not to a civilian.”

  The sergeant looked from Tom to Dillinger, then to Ethan and the horses. “It would be in your best interest, Corporal, to remember why I’m here.”

  Dillinger’s eyes narrowed slightly and his nostrils flared while his men stood awkwardly watching the exchange. “If you have any concerns, sir, then I encourage you to take it up with General Montgomery. His orders were explicit and I am carrying them out to the best of my ability.”

  Campbell nodded. “Excellent idea! In fact, I’m on my way to the mountain to report directly to the general. I hope your confidence in interpreting his orders is as precise as you think. I’ll need access to everything and I’ll be gone in under two hours, so I certainly hope we don’t have any more…delays.”

  Dillinger blanched. “Yes, sir. I’ll personally escort you.”

  “And us?” Tom interjected. “I actually do understand following orders, Sergeant. We’ve been out there, on our own, since the flashpoint. We’ve seen what’s happening so I can say that I also understand why martial law is necessary and even taking what’s needed in order to save as many people as possible. But has it really taken less than two weeks for our own military to devolve to the point of stealing from kids and beating women to fan the ego of some zealot tucked away in the mountains?” Tom finished by pointing at Danny for emphasis. She was leaning against the barricade, watching intently, her face streaked with blood.

  “They don’t even need our horses,” Ethan added, stepping next to Tom. “I’ve been helping to care for them and the soldiers here don’t even know how to handle the horses they’ve got. They were letting them graze on the wrong grass, and the field they’ve set up isn’t big enough. Before they start stealing more, or especially any cattle, they should take better care of the ones they already have.”

  “Requisitioning more from the farmers here isn’t the answer,” Tom rushed to say, not wanting to lose the sergeant’s attention. “They’re a valuable resource and if you alienate them, they won’t want to help. Set up a system that benefits everyone. Let them keep and tend to their own cattle and trade with them for what you need.”

  “Enough,” Dillinger said without vigor. “We aren’t wasting any more of Sergeant Campbell’s time.”

  Campbell turned to Ben, the soldier Tom saw Ethan with the night before. “Do you know where the rest of these people’s belongings are stored?”

  Ben nodded emphatically. “Yes, sir!”

  “Get it.” Turning back to Tom, he pointed at Lilly. “Take your horses, and go home. I never want to hear your name again, Thomas Miller.”

  When Dillinger began to object, the sergeant cut him off. “I want to start by talking to the sheriff of this town.”

  As Campbell waved his men forward and began to walk toward the police station, Corporal Dillinger paused next to Tom, his face a mask of contempt. “I know where you’re going, Miller.” His voice was low and dangerous. Dillinger leaned in even closer, so that Tom could feel his breath on his face. “I won’t forget you.”

  Chapter 22

  PATTY

  City Hall, Mercy, Montana

  Patty sat staring at all of the different ongoing projects represented by the piles of paper on her desk. The mayor’s office on the second floor of city hall wasn’t large, but the desk was. It was solid mahogany and over a hundred years old, passed down through several generations of the town’s leaders.

  Patty felt small behind it. Insignificant. Like she was an imposter, the way she had felt as a small child when she snuck into her father’s home office and climbed into the plush, leather desk chair. Patty knew she would get in trouble, yet kept doing it, and she wondered if her tenure as mayor was following the same path.

  The early-morning meeting with the city council and team leaders had just concluded. It went well, and there was currently a score of people out gathering up supplies and people to begin work on the spring.

  Patty fingered another list on the desk, a completed plan for the farmer’s market. Construction was to begin on it as soon as the spring was done, which she expected the majority of that to happen before the end of the day. The way Bishop presented things, it was feasible they’d be producing drinkable water by dinner. She thought he was rather optimistic, though the spring was capable.

  Tapping a pen, Patty stared out the nearest window, which overlooked the town square. They’d left the stage erected, and the barbeques and tables were still there. That had been another topic of discussion. Sandy had arrived at the meeting with the promised schedule and the first steer would be butchered the following day. Everyone was happy to agree to a weekly town BBQ, and the tasks of preparing the cuts and smoking the appropriate amount were assigned.

  While Sandy didn’t voice any objections, she avoided eye contact with Patty and left immediately following the adjournment. Patty knew her friend was hurting. Tom and Ethan were her world, and if they didn’t come back, she didn’t know what would happen. It turned out to be a good thing that Bishop and the girls had come into Sandy’s life.

  They’d had some good news from Dr. Olsen. Melissa was happy to report that there weren’t any new cases of the cholera-like illness. They seemed to have dodged a massive bullet. There was only one person in quarantine, and no new deaths in twenty-four hours.

  Patty shook her head. She never thought she’d be celebrating going a day without anyone dying. The reality was that in spite of their best efforts, they were going to be dealing with it a lot more in the coming months. People were already running out of their medications, ranging from allergies, to heart conditions, to psychiatric illnesses. They’d begun adding a “medication wish list” to the Pony Express trips, in hopes of being able to set up a bartering system between towns.

  A knock at the office door startled Patty, and she looked up at the clock on her wall, out of habit. It ran off a battery and was fried during the flashpoint. She kept meaning to track a working one down from Al, but it seemed that whenever she spoke with the storeowner, there were much more pressing needs at the time.

  “Come in,” Patty called out, although the door was already opening.

  Gary stuck his head inside and raised his thick eyebrows at her. “Do you have a minute, Mayor?”

  Patty sighed inwardly. Anytime the councilman called her by her title, she knew it would soon be followed by some sort of complaint. “Of course I do, Gary. Please, come in. I was just going back over everything from the meeting. There was a lot of good information shared. I feel like we’re making some great progress in critical areas.”

  “Funny you should phrase it that way,” Gary sai
d casually as he sat in one of the two leather chairs facing her desk. “Information. You’re right, there was a lot of it revealed today. Enough to satisfy the majority of the people in the room. My concern centers on what wasn’t discussed, Mayor. Such as your making unilateral decisions that impact this town without the consensus of the council or team leaders.”

  Patty stared blankly at Gary while carefully folding her hands on top of the desk. Her heart hammered in her chest and her mouth went dry.

  “Come on! Don’t play dumb with me,” Gary pushed. “It isn’t going to work. I gave you the opportunity to bring us in on your ploys at the meeting, but you chose not to.”

  “Perhaps you’d like to fill me in?” Patty said evenly. “You know, on what it is you’re accusing me of.”

  Gary leaned back in the chair and folded his arms over his chest, exhaling loudly in a huff. “We all agreed on the very first day to make decisions together. You, we council members, and the people we all chose as our community leaders.”

  “And we have,” Patty insisted. She couldn’t help but sound defensive.

  Gary stood and slammed his hands down on the desk. “No! We haven’t.”

  Flustered, Patty stood and copied Gary’s stance, placing her hands opposite his and leaning forward. “You have some nerve coming into my office, where I’ve spent countless sleepless nights these past twelve days trying to figure out how to save us all!”

  “Including Mr. Craven?” Gary smiled smugly when Patty was unable to hide her reaction. “Don’t you think the decision to take—no, steal from the people of Mercy wasn’t one for you and the sheriff to make on your own?”

  “Where did you hear that?” Patty demanded.

  “It doesn’t matter, if it’s true!” Gary retorted.