Fall of Houston Series | Book 5 | No Man's Land

by Payne, T. L.

  Lugnut and Ryan studied the map laid out on the hood of their Humvee, while the others listened.

  “After we pass through this town coming up and then turn onto Route 21, the road looks pretty straight. We may be able to spot anyone coming at us. We could leave the vehicles there at the junction with Routes K and B. That’s like five miles. That’s doable—even for you.” Ryan smiled showing a mouth full of bright white teeth. He was shorter than Lugnut and Rank but the three bearded men carried themselves with the same bold confidence.

  Lugnut looked up from the map and flipped Ryan the bird. “Okay. Dustin, Jaxon, let’s load up.” The two men turned and sprinted back to their Humvee.

  “How are you doing, Will?” Stephens stopped and asked on her way to her vehicle.

  “I’m okay, I’m just anxious to get to her,” Will said.

  Stephens touched his arm. “I know. These guys know what they’re doing. I trust them—you can trust them. We’ll get her and be back at base in no time.”

  As she turned to go, Will grabbed her hand. “Thank you for this—for everything.” Will knew that she’d stuck her neck out for them—again. She had called in favors or maybe even threatened someone to make this happen. He wasn’t sure what it would cost her, but he appreciated her friendship immensely. It was such a strange world he’d entered since he’d encounter the CIA analyst back in Houston. They’d formed a bond through all they’d experienced together. He wasn’t sure what would have become of them if they hadn’t met her and Sharp.

  “We’re all in this together, Will,” Stephens said, placing her hand on top of his. “Together, we have to get the country back on its feet. I’m glad there are still people like you and Isabella in the world. It gives me hope.”

  Will nodded toward the Humvee carrying Lugnut and his band. “People like that give me hope.”

  Stephens smiled. “Me too!”

  After camouflaging the Humvees in the woods behind an old barn near the junction of Routes K and B, the group marched east in two columns, one on each side of the road, toward Highway 60. Will expected to encounter Region Five forces over every rise and around every bend in the road. He listened intently for the sound of engines. He scanned the fields and woods near the road looking for scouts or combatants, but he saw nothing.

  No one spoke as they walked at a brisk pace. The two young guys, Dustin and Jaxon were on point and were several paces ahead. Stephens followed behind Lugnut and Ryan on the opposite side of the road from Will, Jason, Walker, and Rank. Everyone carried their rifles ready to engage the enemy.

  Will noticed Ryan had a slight limp. He rubbed his own leg where he’d been injured. It had taken months to heal and still gave him problems. Nearly everyone he knew carried their own battle scars, both mentally and physically. His heart ached for his wife. He couldn’t stand the thought of her in pain. He pushed himself and picked up his pace, ignoring his pain.

  When they approached Highway 60, Lugnut ordered everyone to take a knee while Dustin and Jaxon ran ahead. Long moments passed while they waited hidden in the tall grass under the hot sun. Will started to take a sip of water from his canteen and then shook it. He’d save it for Isabella. She was likely out and needed it more than he. He made a mental inventory of the medical supplies he’d been able to gather for her. There was no morphine or any strong painkillers, but they could cleanse the wound and dress it for transport. The doctors back at Texarkana could do the rest. He thanked God for the two doctors and three nurse practitioners. Without them, a lot more people would have died over these last months.

  Dustin and Jaxon returned. The taller of the two gave a thumbs up and the group all stood and proceeding toward the intersection of Route B and Highway 60. Will noticed how rundown the house on the corner had become. How quickly nature had reclaimed the space. The roof was barely visible behind the overgrown bushes and weeds growing in the yard.

  The group crossed over to the northbound lane and proceeded south toward the convenience store. Rank was in the rear of Will’s column walking backward at times watching their six. The road was straight and flat along this stretch of the highway giving them nearly a half mile of clear visibility. Will noted how quietly the group moved. They were much quieter than when his platoon did a road march. Nothing clattered or clinked as they walked. He could barely hear their footfalls on the pavement.

  Will continued to listen for anything that might indicate the presence of enemy forces. Not that he was a pessimist, but the fact that they’d not had any sighting of the enemy made him suspicious. Were they waiting for them at the store? Were they holding Isabella and Fisher waiting for their rescuers to come for them, only to be ambushed—again?

  The stretch along Highway 60 to the store was the longest mile-and-a-half Will had ever walked. When the sign for the store finally came into view, Will wanted to run toward it, but Lugnut stopped and gestured for everyone to take a knee. Dustin and Jaxon dropped back and the three had a hushed conversation. Will strained to hear what was being said even though he knew Lugnut was telling them how he wanted them to scout out the area around the store. The waiting was unbearable. They were so close. Will’s stomach roiled, threatening to evacuate its contents. His chest tightened as all sorts of negative scenarios ran through his brain.

  When the two men returned with smiles spread across their faces, a shot of adrenaline jolted through Will’s body. It was as if every cell had awakened. He jumped to his feet ready to race to the bridge on the other side of the parking lot to get his bride.

  Rank grabbed him by the pack and held him back. “We need to move in quietly.”

  Will nodded his agreement even though his insides disagreed immensely.

  The group left the highway near a cell phone tower and metal building and entered the north side of the convenience store’s parking lot. “Wait here,” Rank said, and he and Lugnut disappeared behind the store. After a search of the inside of the store and every car in the parking lot, Lugnut sent Dustin and Jaxon to check the store for Isabella and Fisher.

  “They’ll find them,” Walker said as he and Will leaned against the fender of a fairly new Ford F-150.

  “They should be there. Sharp told them to stay put. Fisher said they would stay there at the store,” Will said.

  Jason had cupped his hands around his eyes and was staring inside the cab of the truck. Dustin appeared from the other side of the parking lot by the bridge and ran over to Lugnut. Will saw Dustin shaking his head.

  They aren't there. Will’s legs nearly buckled. He grabbed the mirror to steady himself.

  Lugnut pointed at the auto repair shop on the other side of the creek and Dustin took off toward the building. Jaxon popped up near the bridge and ran to help Dustin clear the last building.

  Long minutes crept by in the summer heat. Sweat poured down Will’s face.

  Dustin was suddenly crouching behind Will. He put his hand on Will’s shoulder. Will turned to look at him and Dustin looked Will in the eyes. “They’re across the creek at the auto repair shop.” “They’re both good to go.”

  Will turned and ran across the parking lot toward the repair shop. He could hear Walker and Jason behind him. Dustin passed him and ran ahead. “Watch yourself when you cross the creek. Those stones are slippery.”

  Thirty-Three

  Isabella

  Wilson’s Auto Repair

  Poplar Bluff, Missouri

  July 16th

  Event + Ten Months

  When Fisher had shaken her awake to inform her that people were coming, Isabella’s first thought was to run. They’d expected Region Five soldiers to catch up with them at any moment. They hadn’t moved far from where they’d made the call to Colonel Sharp for extraction. If the enemy could somehow monitor the calls, they would have known right where they were, so Fisher had decided to move to the repair shop building.

  Fisher shoved a rifle into Isabella’s hands and went to look out the front window.

  “Fontenot—two guys in tac
tical gear outside the building—hide and get ready to fire at them if they aren’t our rescue party!” Fisher said.

  Isabella scrambled behind a large crate and took up a supported position placing the barrel of her rifle on top of it. The door eased open. Fisher yelled, “Freeze! Who are you?” when the first man came through the door. The man ducked back just as Fisher fired.

  “Are you Fontenot and Fisher?” the man yelled through to open door.

  “Fisher—it's us—don’t shoot!” Stephens yelled.

  When Stephens poked her head around the door, Isabella thought she was dreaming. It was unreal. Help had finally arrived. She was safe. Isabella burst into tears, unable to contain all the emotion.

  “It’s okay. You’re safe. We’re going to get you back to base and get that arm taken care of now,” Stephens said, coming inside. She dropped down beside Isabella and began pulling her medical kit from her pack. Isabella was speechless—a first for her. She was still trying to wrap her head around how it was that Stephens was there to rescue them.

  “The gold?” Isabella managed to croak out between sobs.

  “We got it. It’s on its way to Houston now.”

  Isabella’s eyes lit up. They’d done it. They’d somehow managed to accomplish their mission. She broke down again at the thought of what it meant for the nation—for their future.

  A man Isabella didn’t recognize suddenly ran up behind Stephens and Isabella stiffened and reached for her rifle.

  “It’s okay. He’s with me,” Stephens said, moving the rifle out of Isabella’s reach. “Dustin, go tell the others we found them.” The man disappeared and Stephens continued pulling things from her pack to attend to Isabella’s wound.

  “It was awful, Stephens. Enemy soldiers were everywhere. The squad was dropping like flies around us. The squad leader gave the call to un-ass the AO and then all hell broke loose. We hit the woods and didn’t stop until we were too exhausted to go any farther. I don’t know how the hell we made it here, honestly. It’s a blur.”

  “You had to have been in a lot of pain.”

  The pain was the least of it. The fear of being caught was debilitating.

  “Isabella!”

  Isabella straightened. “Will?” She looked up at Stephens and broke into tears. Her right hand flew up to cover her mouth. “Will’s here?”

  Stephens smiled and nodded as she stood and stepped back.

  Will dropped down, threw his arms around her, and held her so tight she could barely breathe, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care that he was crushing her injured arm. She was so grateful to be alive and be in the arms of the man she loved and adored. Isabella had nearly given up out there and resigned herself to the fact that she’d never see Will again. To be in his arms now was beyond fantastic—it was a miracle.

  Will finally released her and allowed Stephens to continue to dress Isabella’s wounds. He held her right hand as Stephens placed Isabella’s left arm in a sling and helped her to her feet.

  A man rushed over. “We have to go, Stephens. Can she travel?”

  “What is it, Rank?” Stephens asked without answering him.

  “We’ve got vehicles moving toward us from the south,” Rank said.

  “Oh shit!” Stephens scooped up Isabella’s rifle from the ground as Will helped Isabella to her feet.

  “Where’s Lugnut and the others?” Stephens asked.

  “They’re going to buy us some time.”

  Walker appeared from nowhere, pushed Will aside, grabbed Isabella around the waist, and threw her uninjured arm around his neck. The sling around her left arm pulled on Isabella’s neck as they moved quickly toward the highway. As they left the building, Isabella noticed Will wince as he walked. His leg was hurting again. Between both of their injuries, they would have slowed everyone down. Isabella admired the old Texas Ranger even more. She tried to move faster and not put too much of her weight on him. She had no idea how far they had to travel. Will followed them with his weapon slung, the toe of the buttstock in his shoulder with the muzzle pointed, ready for enemy contact.

  “Rank said they saw a convoy of five vehicles moving quickly north,” Walker said.

  “They know where we are,” Isabella said. “They were waiting just like I feared they would be.”

  “They’re in for a big surprise,” Stephens said.

  “They won’t be expecting it, that’s for sure,” the unfamiliar voice replied.

  “Fisher?” Isabella called over her shoulder.

  “She’s not here at the moment,” Stephens said.

  “Where is she?” Surely they hadn’t left her battle buddy behind.

  “She’s with a couple of Marines setting up a little surprise for the enemy,” Jason said from behind them.

  “Marines?” There weren’t any Marines on this mission. In fact, she didn’t know of any stationed at Little Rock.

  “Don’t worry. She’s going to meet up with us back at our vehicles,” Jason said.

  Rank rushed past and across the north and south-bound lanes of the divided highway and disappeared into the woods on the other side. He reappeared and waved them over. Isabella kept her eyes peeled on the road to their south expecting the enemy to crest the hill at any moment. They entered the woods near a fence line and then veered north. Brambles tore at her pant legs and ripped at her skin as they pushed on deeper into the forest.

  “Will, head to that big cedar tree,” Rank said, pointing. “Jason, on me.”

  Jason ran up beside him and followed Rank down into a dry creek bed. Walker led Isabella forward toward Will. She looked back to see where Stephens and the other man were, but they were no longer back there.

  Walker cursed and laid Isabella on the ground. “Stay down, Isabella.”

  Gunfire echoed through the valley and Walker dropped to his stomach. Isabella tried her best to crawl back toward a tree stump. Walker ordered her again to stay down as he placed the barrel of his rifle on top of a small rock.

  “What’s happening, Walker?”

  Walker didn’t answer. He pressed his eye to his scope and scanned from left to right. “Shit!”

  “Walker, what’s happening?”

  “We have to go, Isabella. I can’t carry you. You’ll have to walk on your own.”

  “I can walk. It’s my arm that’s shot,” Isabella said. “Where is Will?” she asked—she had lost sight of him.

  The thunderous sound of automatic gunfire rang out. Isabella heard Rank shouting orders to Will and Jason. She crawled over to Walker, who helped her to her feet and pointed her north toward the wet weather creek bed. “We need to go.”

  “I’m not leaving Will and the others behind,” Isabella said. There was little she could do to help her husband and friends, but she wasn’t about to abandon them.

  “Here.” Walker handed her a pair of binoculars. “Be my spotter.”

  As she peered through the binos, Isabella’s stomach lurched. It was like a repeat of the night her squad had been overrun. The forest floor was crawling with Region Five soldiers. They were behind almost every tree and boulder. How the hell were they going to get out of this shitstorm?

  Rank ran over to where Stephens was positioned behind a large tree trunk. He pointed back toward Isabella and Walker then opened up on the two enemy soldiers as Stephens crouched and ran toward a rock jutting out of the ground. Isabella scanned to the left of Rank and spotted Will. He had taken a knee and was firing into what appeared to be a pile of brush. Isabella scanned back to the right of Rank. Jason was pinned down taking heavy fire from four combatants. Every time he moved an inch, rounds kicked up soil to the right and left of him.

  “Jason needs help,” Isabella said. “He’s ten yards to the right of that large boulder. There are shooters near that group of cedar trees thirty yards in front of him. See them?”

  He peered through his scope. “Got them.” He fired and one enemy soldier fell to the ground. Walker continued firing and picking them off until they realiz
ed where the rounds were coming from and began returning fire. Walker shoved Isabella to the ground as round after round flew overhead. He clutched his rifle to his chest and they crawled from the rocks to a thicket of brambles. Walker continued moving west until they could once again see Jason and the others. Stephens was halfway down the hill, followed by Aims. Will had moved to the rock Stephens had vacated.

  Isabella raised the binoculars and searched for Rank who was at the top of the hill and more and more soldiers were advancing toward them. Will and Jason were pinned down. There was no way for them to move without being fired upon. She had to do something. They were running out of time. They were going to be overrun at any moment.

  Thirty-Four

  Will

  Poplar Bluff, Missouri

  July 16th

  Event + Ten Months

  Region Five soldiers were descending the hill like ants. They were everywhere. He couldn’t move in any direction. He tried to make himself small behind the rock he was using for cover. Every few seconds he’d glance over to see if Jason was still okay. He was in the same situation. Will prayed Walker was getting Isabella the hell away from there and back to their vehicles. He had no idea where Lugnut and the others with him had gone but he doubted there was anything they could do for them now. It would take a miracle for him and Jason to make it out of this one.

  Will heard more gunfire from behind him and the next thing he saw was a Region Five soldier tumbling down the hill past him. He leaned and looked toward the enemy soldiers who had been advancing on Jason’s position. Two more soldiers were on the ground. Jason rose slightly, and seeing the same thing, he opened fire on the remaining soldiers.