Fall of Houston Series | Book 3 | No Turning Back

by Payne, T. L.

  They had the plan worked out in less than ten minutes. Isabella glanced over at Monte and Walker. They’d been quietly observing the planning. There didn’t seem to be a role for them.

  “You four are going to escort Gabby to where you crashed your truck and—”

  “Cayden? You want to put him in the line of fire?” Isabella’s voice cracked. She couldn’t believe her ears. Who would put a kid in danger like that? Weren’t they supposed to be family?

  “You’re the bait to get ‘em out of the building. They’ll be so interested in you that they won’t notice me and my boys sneaking up on them. They’re cocky. They’ll all run out, and we’ll mow ’em down. While Vinnie, Troy, and the others are picking them off, me and Rick will slip in the back, take Buzz, and bring Will out.”

  Isabella spun toward Walker. He was law enforcement. He had training. “Walker?”

  Walker was quiet a moment and then stepped closer to the vehicle. He ran his finger along the crudely drawn street where they’d be acting as a decoy. “What’s the range?”

  “Over a thousand yards,” Tank said.

  “They got anything effective at that range?”

  “We’re not going to let them get a shot off.”

  “And you think they’ll even see us that far away?” Isabella said.

  “Their lookouts will.”

  “And they won’t shoot us?”

  “They’re kids. They don’t have guns.”

  Isabella could not believe that she was going along with such a hair-brained idea or that Monte and Walker had agreed to play decoys. Cayden didn’t seem nearly as nervous as she was.

  Will was going to be furious that she’d allowed Cayden to be involved in this.

  But at least he’d be alive to be furious.

  “Don’t look toward city hall. Just act like we are going to get the truck,” Gabby said as they walked past Brassourds’ Bakery.

  Fifty feet ahead was the truck parked at an odd angle with its rear end smashed into the side of a tow truck.

  “Earl’s going to be pissed,” Gabby said. “That’s his pawpaw’s old wrecker.”

  “He knows,” Monte said. “I had to restrain him from going after them when he saw it.”

  “Why haven’t you all done something about them before now?” Isabella asked.

  “Why risk it? They weren’t any real threat to us. The elders seemed okay with staying at the church, and Blanchard was leaving folks alone after he had his rampage against the town council. Everyone else cleared out. Wasn’t worth the trouble.”

  “What about the food at the grocery store?” Monte asked.

  “Mayor Thibodeaux and his boys cleared that out by the second day. I don’t know what they did with it. Buzz has had his boy, Valson, running all over the parish to keep them fed.”

  “What do you mean, running all over the parish?” Monte said.

  “They’re raiding the countryside,” Gabby said.

  Isabella’s stomach tightened as they drew near to the truck. From that point in the road, she couldn’t see city hall. She hoped that meant that no one from there could see them either.

  The report of a rifle broke the silence. Isabella grabbed Cayden around the neck and pulled him to the ground behind the wrecker. The glass shattered. One of the tires blew. Tank had been wrong. Someone was shooting directly at them.

  Thirty-One

  Will

  Day Eight

  Will heard the shot, so did Derek and Wade. They both ran to the window. “What is it? Is it Cayden and the others I arrived with?” Will tried to stand or move, but all it did was cause the cuffs to dig deeper into his flesh.

  “I can’t see anything,” Wade said. Derek moved in behind him to look for himself.

  A round struck Wade in the head, and he slumped onto the floor. Derek jumped back away from the window and stared down at Wade for a long moment before realizing what had happened. As he turned and started for the door, Will struggled against his restraints, trying to free himself, but the flex cuffs held firm. He leaned forward and let himself fall. He rolled in time to see the light as the door opened a crack. The next thing he knew, the door was flung back and two men raced into the room. Wade’s hands flew into the air as he scrambled backward.

  The larger of the two men stepped into view.

  “Tank?”

  He squeezed off two shots, and Wade dropped to the floor.

  “Tank? How did you—”

  “Your kid,” Tank answered before Will could finish his question.

  “Cayden? He’s all right. He’s safe?”

  “He’s waiting for you outside, so let’s go.”

  Tank nodded his head toward Will and the second man came into sight.

  “Troy?”

  “Hey, Will. Good to see you made it home.”

  To say that Will was shocked to see his cousins was an understatement. “I thought you were both still out on the west coast. You said you’d never come back here.”

  “We came back for Sissy’s funeral,” Troy said as he slid a long-bladed knife under the flex cuffs.

  “I’m so sorry. I hadn’t heard that your sister passed,” Will said.

  He lamented that the family had been so fragmented. They’d once been close. He’d played with all his cousins like brothers and sisters. That was before the falling out between his dad and theirs. It was just another thing his dad had taken from Will and Savanah. His grandfather had tried everything to get his boys to repair their relationship but the rift was just too deep.

  Tank extended a hand and pulled Will to his feet.

  “I’m sorry about your wife. We sent flowers,” Tank said.

  “Thank you.” Will didn’t know what else to say. He hadn’t seen him since his grandfather’s funeral, and they’d barely spoken then.

  Troy reached back and slung his rifle over his head. “Here. You still know how to use one, don’t you?”

  Will nodded. “Thank you, guys, for coming for me.”

  “We’re still family,” Troy said as he pulled a pistol from a side holster.

  “Okay, then. Let’s go do this thing,” Tank said, making a chopping motion with his hand.

  Will gritted his teeth as he tightened the strap on his rifle sling. Sweat dripped from his face as Tank pointed toward the door. Troy was smiling like he was enjoying himself.

  Tank stopped and peered around the door frame before stepping into the hall. Will went after him, followed by Troy. At the end of the corridor, Tank stopped, held up a fist, and flattened himself against the wall. He leaned forward and peered around the corner to his right. He crouched and traversed the hall, pointing the rifle to his right as he ran. When Tank reached the other side, he motioned for Will and Troy to proceed, then darted toward a door at the end of the hall. He kicked the door, and it flung open. Gunfire rang out. Will was aware of Troy moving parallel to him on his left in a crouch, his rifle at the ready-fire position. Will hugged the wall of the building as he inched forward toward the door. He made eye contact with Tank, who had made it into the council chamber. Will followed him through the doorway. It was dark, the only light shining in from behind him.

  A man popped up from behind the dais. Will ran forward while putting the HoloSight’s red, floating reticle on the center of the man’s face and squeezed the trigger. He watched as the man fell forward. Troy looked behind him, then back at Will—the smile gone from his face. Will sensed movement to his left. In a tenth of a second, he recognized Tank had stepped around him.

  “Run, Will,” he yelled, pointing to a set of double doors thirty feet away.

  Tank stepped forward and began returning fire as Will sprinted across the room, slamming his shoulder against the door as he dodged bullets. Rounds peppered the door and wall around him. He kept his eyes on the light coming through the next set of double doors. Troy was right behind him.

  “Where’s Tank?”

  “He’s coming,” Troy said, pushing through the doors.

&nb
sp; Troy froze in the doorway. Will slid to a stop behind him, crouched, and pressed himself against the wall, ready for incoming rounds. “Hands up, Troy.” It was Valson. Will glanced back over his shoulder, looking for Tank. He was still engaged with whoever had been firing upon them in the council chamber. Will leaned to his left slightly to see where Valson was standing as Troy slowly lowered his pistol to the ground. “Hey, Valson. We just came to get Will. There’s no need for any of this.”

  Will caught sight of Valson through the small rectangular window. He raised his rifle and found him in his sights. Will heard footfalls and assumed them to be from Tank. He was just about to squeeze the trigger to drop Valson when a round whizzed by his head. He spun and brought up his rifle to fire. Buzz sprinted toward him, his face contorted in some psychotic rage. Before Will could fire, he hit him with the full force of his weight, sending them both toppling to the floor. They rolled and clawed, both trying to gain control of the rifle that had skidded across the floor. Buzz grabbed for it, and Will slammed his elbow down hard into the middle of the man’s back, stopping him from reaching it. Buzz jerked back and clocked Will on the jaw with his elbow, causing Will to bite his tongue. He was momentarily stunned by the pain. It was enough for Buzz to roll, knocking Will off his back.

  Will was vaguely aware of Troy and Valson, struggling just outside the doorway. Buzz rose to his knees and looked back toward Will. Their eyes met. For a moment, all the hate and rage contorting the man’s face faded, and then he twisted his body to face Will who watched as he raised a rifle, pointing it directly at him. His life didn’t flash before his eyes. Images of Cayden did. Rage boiled in his gut. A bullet whizzed past Will’s left ear and slammed into the man, striking him in the face just above the bridge of the nose. A look of surprise showed in his eyes, and then he fell slowly forward. Will was frozen, watching as Buzz’s face hit the floor. A hand on his shoulder jolted him from his trance.

  “We have to move,” Tank said, yanking Will to his feet.

  Tank rolled Buzz over with the toe of his boot, bent, and retrieved Will’s rifle. He handed it to him and moved toward the door. Will wiped the blood from the grip as he fell in behind Tank.

  “Where’s Troy and Valson?” Will asked.

  “I don’t know,” Tank said.

  “They were just there.” Will pointed.

  Tank stepped through the doorway, and Will followed him. “Will, move left,” Tank yelled over a cacophony of rifle fire. Will dove behind the shrubbery by the walkway as bullets ripped up dirt ten feet from him. He’d lost sight of Tank. He was on his own. He crawled toward the end of the building and spotted Tank crossing the street and disappearing between two buildings. Will rose into a crouch and ran toward where he’d last seen Tank, his shoulder hugging the wall as he made his way to the back of the buildings. As Will crouched behind an air-conditioning unit, breathing in gasps, successive bursts of gunfire drowned out all other noise. He didn’t hear Troy come up behind him. A second later, Tank stepped out from the back of where the florist shop’s walk-in freezer jutted into the alley and gestured for them to follow him. Will followed and Troy followed closely, frequently looking behind them.

  “Where are we going?” Will asked. “Where’s Cayden and my friends?”

  Tank didn’t answer.

  “Valson got away,” Troy said when they stopped at the end of the alley.

  “Shit, Troy. I had to drop Buzz. We’ve got nothing now.”

  “We’ll figure something out,” Troy said.

  “We have to find Valson,” Tank said.

  “Why?” Will asked.

  “It’s personal. Has nothing to do with you,” Tank replied.

  Tank crouched low and checked the ammunition in his rifle. He dropped the magazine and replaced it with a fresh one before standing. “Your son and friends should be at the church. I suggest you get to them and get the hell out of here.” He stepped onto the sidewalk and then looked back. “You could tell the people holed up there that they might want to take this opportunity to unass the AO.”

  “Why, Tank? What’s going on?” Will asked.

  “Just get the hell out, Will.” Tank took off. Will stepped out to see where he was headed, but he’d disappeared around the corner.

  “Troy!” Will called to his back as Troy ran after Tank.

  “If Valson reaches King’s grocery store before we do, the streets will be flooded with shooters. That’s where his crew has been staying. Buzz promised to keep them out of the town if we left him alone,” Troy said as he ran.

  Will turned to his left and ran toward the church. He prayed he made it there and could get everyone out of town before World War III started.

  Will turned the corner and came face to face with a military Humvee. It was parked in the middle of Main Street. The driver spotted him. Will’s eyes traveled up to the turret. That was who he was concerned about. The gunner had the .50 cal pointed right at him. Will froze. The back passenger door opened and Walker got out.

  “Walker?”

  He smiled and stepped aside. Will saw the top of his son’s head as he exited the Humvee and his heart leaped in his chest. “Cayden!” Will ran toward his son and threw his arms around him. Tears streamed down his face as he kissed him on the top of the head and repeated his name. “I love you, son.”

  “I love you, too, Dad. I can’t breathe though.” Will loosened his grip and stepped back to look at him. He checked his arms and legs for signs of injury.

  “I’m fine,” Cayden said. “How’s your head?”

  Will raised his hand and touched the back of his head. It was a little sticky and hurt some, but he’d live. “Fine.”

  “You probably need a stitch or two,” Isabella said as she walked up behind them. “I can see that gash from here.”

  “It’ll wait. We have to go. Troy said there’s like an army of Blanchard’s men heading this way right now.”

  Isabella smiled.

  “What? I’m serious. We have to go now. These are sick and dangerous people.”

  She pointed inside the Humvee. “We have our very own army.”

  Thirty-Two

  Will

  Day Eight

  “Where’d they come from?” Will asked as Walker headed across the street toward an oncoming military transport truck.

  “Fort Polk,” the driver called back.

  The army base was over seventy miles away. They couldn’t have just been driving around the area. There had to be a reason for them being in Vincent. “So, what are you doing down here?”

  “Chinese scouts,” Cayden said as he climbed into Will’s lap.

  Will looked around the gunner’s legs toward Isabella.

  “They received a report of Chinese scouts in the area, so they came down to check it out,” Isabella said matter-of-factly.

  “Here? In Vincent?”

  “East of here,” the soldier said. “We came through to check with the authorities here to see if they’d seen anyone they didn’t know around the area.” The soldier put the Humvee into gear and pulled in behind a military transport truck filled with soldiers—along with Walker and Monte.

  “What about the issue here? My family members are—”

  “Being taken care of as we speak,” the soldier said.

  The convoy slowly moved through town and headed southeast toward Sugar Cove and the farm where he’d spent most of his childhood. Everything felt different. Somehow, Will knew that nothing would ever be like it had been.

  The homes along that stretch of the road looked deserted as well. Will was beginning to worry about what they might find when they reached the farm. Dread filled him as they approached the final turn. Finally, the convoy turned south and stopped at an intersection within a mile of Savanah’s.

  Will had his hand on the door to exit when the driver stopped him.

  “Hey, wait. You all seem like good people. Isabella said that your sister has kids. I think you deserve to know what’s going on.”

>   “We know. We were in Houston. We fought insurgents at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base.”

  The soldier’s eyebrows raised. “But obviously, you don’t know about the trouble along the coast near Cameron.”

  “We heard something about that,” Isabella said.

  “I think you folks should be prepared to leave the area.”

  “Leave?” Isabella asked.

  “You should think about heading north to Shreveport, or maybe even Texarkana. They are setting up a refugee facility there.”

  “Are you anticipating being overrun? Aren’t you doing anything to stop them from landing along the coast?”

  “I’m afraid they’ve already begun coming ashore. We’re moving all our assets down there to confront them, but you could very well find yourselves behind enemy lines soon.”

  Isabella gasped. “Gawd.”

  “I just thought you deserved to know. My commander didn’t want us telling folks yet. He doesn’t want the roads clogged with refugees as we move units from Shreveport and points north of us down south.”

  Will swallowed hard. It was a lot to take in. Just when he thought he’d reached home and things would improve, the rug had been pulled out from under him.

  “Thank you for alerting us. I hope you guys can stop them before they get this far,” Will said as he opened the door and Cayden stood. Will climbed from the vehicle and stood back as it pulled away. He stared at it until it disappeared from view and then turned to Isabella and Cayden.

  “You lost?” Walker said as he seemingly appeared from nowhere. Will hadn’t even noticed he’d exited the military truck.

  “You decide not to head down with Monte?”

  “I thought I’d stick around here for a bit if you think your sister wouldn’t mind one more.”

  When Will didn’t respond, Walker took that as she would object.