Forsaken World | Book 6 | Redemption

by Watson, Thomas A.

  “Ian, have Jennifer cut loose on that group coming,” he called out.

  Before Ian responded, they heard a steady ‘burrrp’ of sonic cracks from the ridge. Diane gasped, watching the stinkers explode as the stream of ball bearings poured into them before sending up a dirt cloud when the projectiles buried in the dirt road.

  “Momma Mary, tell Diane to get in and we’ll pick up the two with her up the slope,” Lance called out.

  Waving Diane over, “We’ll go and get the girls,” Mary said, and was thankful Sandy hadn’t blown up since Lance had talked to his Momma Mary and not her.

  “It’s okay?” Diane asked turning to Lance but was moving toward the UTV.

  “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. Now if you’re coming, come on,” Mary told her and glanced around. “I trust that’s the girls up the slope?”

  Not even acting startled Mary knew that, Diane just stared at Lance and nodded as she headed over and climbed in. “Dino, follow,” Mary called out and climbed back in.

  When Sandy dropped into her seat, Lance turned to the back of the house and drove into the trees. “Ian,” was all he called out over the radio.

  “Forty yards up and about fifteen to your right,” Ian called back.

  Navigating up the steep slope, Lance spotted the small ledge where Ian had guided him. When he neared the spot, he saw the ledge wasn’t even big enough to park the UTV on, but spotted two girls stepping out of the bushes.

  Not saying anything and just holding the brake on the slope, Lance was really expecting the UTV to start sliding back any second. “Tell them to get in your lap so we can go,” Mary told Diane.

  “Girls!” Diane called out, and they ran over when she motioned to her lap. After the girls squeezed in, Lance let off the brake and quickly hit the accelerator, but the buggy still rolled back several yards until the tires dug in.

  Afraid to turn on the slope, Lance just headed straight up it until he reached the ridge. Pausing on the ridge, “Ian, we still good?”

  “Yeah, don’t see anything near us,” Ian replied and Lance spun the wheels, following the ridge around to where Ian was parked.

  When he stopped and climbed out, “Why aren’t we going back?” Sandy grumbled.

  “We need to watch the area and make sure they weren’t followed, Momma,” Lance told her, and Ian thought it sounded very affectionate, considering the tension in the air.

  Having no intention of giving Sandy the opportunity to reply, “Diane, you can get out,” Mary said quickly. “Where are the horses?”

  “Tied up on a ridge to the south. Well, two are. One got taken down by a pack of stinkers in Tennessee. I was lucky to get off before they got me as well.”

  Turning her gaze to the two girls, Mary saw the oldest was holding the 10/22 and the other had the pistol on her waist. “Sorry, I never introduced myself. I’m Mary,” she told them.

  Both smiled warmly, “Karen,” the oldest answered.

  “Penny,” the other said, and walked over and hugged her.

  After Mary introduced the others, she asked, “I take it, you ran into trouble trying to get home?”

  Giving a sigh, “That’s one way to say it,” Diane answered. “We ran into packs of stinkers and in Tennessee, a mass of them. Met another group of survivors and found out the mass stretched east to west over thirty miles. With only two horses, I decided to just turn around. I prayed I’d find you two okay so we could ask to stay until winter at least, and wait before trying again.”

  “Heath, can I ask a favor?” Lance sighed moving toward him. Praying the favor wasn’t ‘Spank Sandy’, Heath nodded. “Can they join up with the Bear Trap Clan?”

  Thankful he hadn’t been asked to spank Sandy, “Sure,” he said. Since the moms had agreed that his and Dwain’s kids could stay at the cabin, “We’ll put them in Lori’s room.” Even if his kids had been made to come home, Heath still would’ve done whatever the boys asked.

  When Sandy spun toward Lance, everyone gave a groan: on the inside. “They can stay with us,” she popped off.

  “No, they can’t,” Lance replied curtly. “We have fourteen living in the loft and don’t have any more room.” The moms hadn’t stayed in the rooms downstairs. They’d brought two of the twin beds and had moved upstairs, so the loft now really looked like an army barracks. With eight bunk beds on the back wall and the twin beds at the front along the railing, it was somewhat packed when you added dressers and footlockers. The two rooms downstairs, the moms had turned into classrooms to get all the desks out of the living area.

  Knowing another fight was brewing, Mary stepped between them. “Both of you, come with me,” she told them gruffly. Leading Sandy and Lance away from the group but still close enough that the group could cover them, Mary looked at Lance. “What’s the real reason you don’t want them there?” Mary asked. She knew Lance, and room wasn’t the reason he didn’t want Diane at the cabin.

  “Diane,” was all Lance said.

  “Really? You don’t trust her?” Sandy snapped like she was insulted.

  Before Sandy cranked up, Mary put a hand on her chest to let Sandy know to shut up. “You don’t trust her?” Mary asked in a soft voice.

  “No, I trust her,” Lance scoffed. “But if any of Victor’s group spots her, they’ll want to take her alive. They’ll sacrifice a lot of bodies to take her alive, and I don’t want her to be able to give information about the cabin.”

  Never in a million years would either of them have thought of that. Hearing the reason, now even Mary didn’t want Diane at the cabin. An attacker would have to waste huge amounts of bodies to attack the cabin but if they knew where the traps and cameras were, that wouldn’t happen. “So, you’re willing to let the Bear Trap Clan take that risk?” Mary asked.

  Shrugging, “It’s not a risk for them, they don’t have much out. But if they found her, as soon as Diane disappeared, we could just move them and lay an ambush. We can’t do that at the cabin without losing a ton of shit,” Lance answered, and neither mom startled at his casual cussing.

  Even though she was still mad, Sandy had to agree but wondered if Lilly wasn’t somehow responsible. “Fine, they can go to the Bear Trap Clan,” Sandy decreed, and Mary rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.

  Walking back over, they found Diane waiting with a hopeful expression. “Heath says you can join them, but it’s not a free ride. You have to work and learn how to fight,” Mary told her and Diane visibly relaxed.

  “Um, I’m not asking if they can join, but I promised I would mention them,” Diane said and everyone turned to her. “A group joined around us when we were heading back. I never told them how we’d met or where. I only told them we were heading to someone I knew.”

  Ian was the first to speak as he climbed out of the track. “How many?” he asked.

  “Twenty-nine.”

  Somewhat surprised, “Can you vouch for them?” Ian asked.

  “All I can say is they aren’t a gang and everyone pitched together fighting and working to get here. There was one more but we left his ass a week ago. He was worthless,” Diane answered.

  When Ian turned to Lance, he found Lance shaking his head. “No,” Lance said flatly. “We damn sure can’t take in that many. Hell, the GTs are going to put a hurt on us in supplies after we brought that last group in to join up with them.”

  Nodding, “Yeah, I know we took them in too soon,” Ian agreed. “Okay, what about Plan Bravo?”

  Jerking back several feet in disbelief, “Are you serious?! Already?!” Lance cried out and everyone was lost, but they were used to it with the boys. “We just started on the ‘master plan’! Alpha’s still not done or even half way and you want to start Bravo?! Are you fucking insane?!”

  “Brah,” Ian barked. “We wait much longer and there won’t be anyone to start Bravo. We’ll have to do it, and then find people, and nurse them back to health, and then let them join Bravo.” There was no denying the longer they waited, the weaker surv
ivors got, not to mention fewer. That had been proven with the GT group.

  Rolling his head back to look up at the sky, “Ian, I’m asking you, are you sure you want to start Bravo? If you do, I’ll agree, but you better be damn sure,” Lance told him.

  Not hesitating, “Yeah, I’m sure,” Ian answered.

  Dropping his head down to look at Ian, “I’m with ya, brah,” Lance told him.

  Turning to Diane, “Where are they at?” Ian asked.

  Jerking a thumb over her shoulder, “Two valleys north at a farm with two barns and three houses up a long draw. But the farm wasn’t an active farm before this. Jarvis said it looked like maybe at one time the farm used to be a chicken and dairy farm, but the buildings and storage tanks are gone now,” Diane answered.

  Behind his mask, Lance’s eyes got wide hearing where they were and glanced at Ian to find him shocked as well. “Who’s the strongest leader there?” Lance asked.

  “Jarvis,” Diane answered. “He’s smart and everyone listens to him. After my horse got taken down, he was the one who helped us and joined in with us.”

  Ian was about to tell his mom to load up in the UTV and they would ride over to talk, but quickly forgot that idea. He wasn’t about to leave Lance, Sandy, and Lilly without his mom there, since she was the only one who could shut Momma Sandy up. “Let’s all go over,” Ian offered to Lance. Somewhat shocked, Lance just nodded. “Will you let Jennifer stay in the turret?” Ian asked and the others in their group gasped in shock, even Sandy.

  Knowing Ian had his reasons and Lance was sure he wasn’t operating up to par, “Yeah, brah. She can stay on the big gun,” Lance said without pause or shame.

  Turning toward the track, “Heath, I need you and Dwain riding in the UTV to provide cover. Diane, you, Karen, and Penny ride with us in the track. Mom, you’re driving the UTV and Momma Sandy, you’re shotgun,” Ian assigned.

  Still in shock that Lance wasn’t on the turret, everyone moved to where Ian wanted them. Before walking around to the left side to get in the front, Lance stopped beside the track where Lilly was still sitting. He reached in and patted her leg, then walked around to climb in.

  When she climbed in the Razor Mary started it up, then looked at the instrument panel to confirm it was running. Adjusting her rifle in her lap she saw Ian pull out, driving along the ridge. “Sandy, this is enough,” she said, fighting to remain calm. “I hope you know Ian didn’t want Lance on that weird gun because he’s not thinking straight. I’m tempted to drive your ass back and drop you off at the cabin. This needs to stop now.”

  “I’m good, and I’ll tell Ian thank you tonight.”

  Following the path Ian was taking, Mary fought not to roll her eyes. “Sandy. Tonight, you, me, Ian, and Lance are sitting down to talk, and I mean talk.”

  “I do talk, he yells,” Sandy shot back.

  “No, Lance only yells when you get ugly with Lilly. There won’t be anyone there but us four during this discussion,” Mary informed her.

  It didn’t take long and Mary saw the valley and farm Diane had described below. She could tell the boys had known of this area just from their reaction while listening to Diane. “Heath,” she called over her shoulder as she followed Ian down the slope. “You know what Plan Bravo is?”

  “I don’t even know what Plan Alpha or the ‘master plan’ is, and they’re already working on ‘em,” Heath responded as Ian stopped just outside the tree line in a thirty acre field. Directly across from them was a large house and two smaller ones, and behind all three were two massive barns. They were bigger than the one at the build house. “Those barns aren’t cheap and this isn’t an active farm. How could anyone manage to maintain one, much less two?” Heath gasped.

  After scanning around Mary had to agree, both barns looked well maintained. “Have no idea,” she said watching Diane get out and walk across the field toward the house.

  “I got two in the loft of the closest barn with rifles, and three at the back of the closest house. One has a rifle, one a bow, and the last one has, I think, a bat,” Ian called over the radio.

  “Call me a pussy but if I see someone coming with a gun, I’d drop the bat,” Dwain mumbled and Heath nodded as they both watched around them.

  When Diane reached the big house, several came outside and then Diane’s voice came over the radio. “Come on up,” she told them.

  They pulled up and Ian told Jennifer to stay in the turret and for Heath to take Dwain and watch the back. After introductions were made, Ian turned to Lance. “You start,” he said. Ian knew the fastest way to get Lance’s head in the game was to get his brain working.

  Not in the mood, Lance sighed but started, turning to Jarvis. He was a black man nearly six feet tall with a medium build. “I’m sorry, but we can’t take all of you in,” Lance said, and the smiles and grins fell off all those present. “Yes, we’re taking in Diane, Karen, and Penny, but we have a proposition for any who want it.”

  “Proposition?” Jarvis asked with a deep natural voice.

  “We’ll help you set up an area as much as we can, but you will lay it out like we’ve planned. If you think something won’t work, you can voice your opinion and we’ll listen. If you’re right, you don’t have to do it, but if we don’t agree, it still has to be done,” Lance told him, and Jarvis raised an eyebrow in alarm. “We’ve built enough to ward off stinkers and gangs, so we know something about building stuff. We don’t want you wasting our time because we’ll be helping you, and we don’t want our efforts to be pissed away.”

  “How long do we have and just what are we building?” Jarvis asked.

  “A place that will protect you. How long depends on this group,” Lance answered and Jarvis gave a relaxed nod.

  Jarvis turned when Ian started talking. “Now, any who don’t work, they’re to be thrown out,” he said and noticed several startles in the group. “Hey, be glad. You don’t work alongside us in our area, you get shot. Everyone works hard and we don’t tolerate free loaders.”

  “That’s harsh,” Jarvis mumbled, but did tilt his head in agreement. “What if someone gets sick?”

  “Dude, I said work, not grind everyone into the ground!” Ian cried out. “I hope you understand what we’re saying. If they work and get sick, they’ve earned the right to get better but more importantly, someone sick and working is a danger to the group. You don’t have long until winter, so you’ll have to work fast.”

  A big grin split Jarvis’ face. “Naw, I understand what you were getting at. I just wanted you to clarify that this wasn’t going to be a work camp.”

  “Oh, it is, but it’s going to be y’alls work camp. We’re still busting our asses building ours, but we’ll help you as much as we can and if you’re attacked, you have someone to call on. But we expect the same,” Ian told him.

  Glancing around at the group before him, Jarvis studied the skull masks on everyone. “Are you part of the Wild Ones?” he asked very hesitantly.

  “Yep,” Ian said grinning, but Jarvis couldn’t see it. “Just to inform you, because we’re offering you protection, you will become a target.”

  “Shhiiit,” Jarvis huffed. “Every person walking around is a target. Whether it’s from a gang or stinkers, without friends to call on, the world is a very dangerous place right now.”

  “Very,” Lance said and Jarvis turned to him. “We’ll go and get some supplies so you can secure this area first and bring you some protection.”

  Giving a relieved sigh, “Oh, thank you. We barely have a hundred rounds between all of us,” Jarvis said.

  Laughing, “We’ll bring what ammo we can, but that’s not the protection I’m talking about,” Lance told him, and Jarvis was clearly confused. “You’ll understand when we get back. Now, while we’re gone, everyone needs to decide if they’re staying. Those who stay will be working hard and trust me, the work never seems to stop. But the alternative is death or living in torment under a gang. Under a gang, you’re still getting worked hard
with nothing in return. We should know because we’ve taken out quite a few.”

  The group standing behind Jarvis all nodded because they had heard of the Wild Ones.

  Pointing at Jarvis, Ian looked at the others behind him. “We’re putting him in charge and if he doesn’t work out, we’ll choose another. But if we find you aren’t listening to him for personal reasons,” Ian paused, “let’s just say, you won’t like it.”

  Nobody in the group seemed to have a problem with that as Ian turned to Jarvis. “If we find you abusing your position, I guarantee you that you won’t like it, because we’re always watching,” he warned.

  Shaking his head, “I don’t ask anyone to do something I won’t do myself,” Jarvis replied.

  Lifting his hand and removing his right glove, Ian held his hand out. “We’ll be back in a few hours with supplies and protection. You need to talk to everyone. All of you need to make the choice of staying or leaving, but if you ever burn us we will attack, and there won’t be anyone left when we pull back.”

  Staring at Ian’s eyes behind the mask, “The only reason I would ever burn ya would be because you sold us out,” Jarvis replied with a hard stare.

  “Then it’ll never come to that,” Ian replied still holding out his hand.

  Shaking Ian’s hand, Jarvis saw Lance pulling his right glove off and then holding out his hand. “I’m not lying when I say the work never stops,” Lance said in a tired voice. “Being a grown-up sucks ass.”

  Shaking Lance’s hand, Jarvis and many of those behind him nodded. “Yes, it does suck being a grown-up,” Jarvis agreed. “But it sure beats being toes up with a stinker ripping into ya or a gang beating you to death just for the fun of it.”

  Letting Jarvis’ hand go and putting his glove back on, “Oh, I’ll die by my own hand before either of those happen to me,” Lance replied nonchalantly. “We’ll be back in a few hours,” he said then stepped over, taking the radio from Diane. “This is on the frequency we’re using today, so don’t change channels or you’ll lose the encryption code. If you have problems before we get back, just call us.”