Jansa nodded that she could.
As expected, there with no prior notice of any road block on the street at this junction. It was definitely a horde bent on scavenging anything they could. The women had to stop before their makeshift blockade. It was packed with too many old cars, beat up machinery, spikes, concrete blocks, and all of that sort of stuff. All of it was stacked into a mess of a pile to stop anyone from passing.
There appeared to be about ten of them. Humans all dressed in random clothing and armor. Generally speaking, these hordes that put up these things were not well-armed, other than with the basics of weapons. Firearms being off limits to general civilians helped some, but most people in the cities of fallen America scrounged up guns whenever possible. So, besides hand-held weapons, they still could easily have some sort firepower. The women had to be careful.
It was a rough crew; they certainly had seen better days. The women were in no hurry to move any closer as they looked forward.
“Hello, hello, hello,” called out a redheaded man, who even in this fall-like weather wore no shoes. He had a red mustache and matching beard. A thick beard, in fact, hanging down his face, all bushy and unkept. The guy also had the biggest of bushy red eyebrows. He came closer, walking with slight limp.
The women guessed he was probably around 50 years old or so. The average life expectancy could go as high as 140 years old, for the privileged. Yet for this fellow, today could very well be his last day on earth.
It was then that he called forth again.
“Well usually there's a toll to pass by this road. But if I don't see two blondes that looks so sweet, well shucks, I think you just made my day. I mean, just getting a look at the two of you sweethearts is wonderful. I'm going to waive your fee. See, you both were thinking I was an asshole and you are wrong!”
Each woman looked at one another, knowing very well that there was more to come. Old red was most likely full of shit.
Raegan, the leader of the Mystical Slayers organization, was a fierce woman, but the bottom line here was that they could die in such a dangerous scenario out on the open road. Anything could be lurking around any corner. She was not taking it lightly.
So, as she contemplated her and Jansa’s next action, the redhead turned back to a short midget-like fellow, with long, stringy black hair, that had moved up closer to him.
“Hey, rat brains, bring me my polaroid camera,” He insisted. “Hurry up, you short little shit.”
The curly brown-haired midget, who had a machete strapped to his side, went about going to a camper off to the side of the blockade and brought back a camera. He passed it to his boss.
The leader pointed now at the short man before him. “Meet Bomb-Bomb. Well, that’s at least what we call him. His real name is Sean.” Bomb-Bomb gave the ladies a smile.
The girls said nothing, just keeping an eye out on the other eight men and women scattered about the roadblock.
It was clear from looking at these ragged folks: all eyes will definitely on the women now before them.
“Can I be in the picture, Dana?” the small man asked the red-haired dude. Evidently this horde’s top dog was called Dana. He looked at Bomb-Bomb, who was staring at both the women, his eyes glazing over with lust.
Dana smacked him in the head.
“What you looking at? You think these two would ever give you the time of the day? You’re just a short little dick-head. They are way out of your league. Get your ass back to the blockade and get out of my face.”
Bomb-Bomb lowered his head somewhat ashamed.
“Who are you two anyway?” Dana asked, turning back to the two blondes.
Reagan simply said, “We’re just two people that need to pass by. It’s as simple as that. No need for any trouble.”
Jansa could see it in Dana’s eyes. He was not a good man. The eyes, as she very well knew, were the windows to a person’s soul. His soul was dark.
“Oh, I didn't say there was going to be any trouble,” Dana announced, sticking his tongue out thereafter. “I just want to get a picture with you two if you don't mind. This here camera spits out a photo right away.” He showed them the camera more closely next.
“So, I'll have it in a bit so I can prove to all my friends that I was just hanging out the other day with my two hot girlfriends. You know I want to look good. Do you guys think I'm good-looking, kind of sexy?”
Jansa accidentally spit in disgust, making a sound that even her sister Raegan could not help but shake your head at.
“Oh, you think that's funny?” Dana said with a frown on his face. “I bet next you two will make fun of the fact I wear no shoes?”
Jansa nor Raegan couldn’t care less actually.
He then looked back to the pile of junk and old cars blocking the road and hollered to a few of his guys. “Hey, Raleigh, you and Paulie come on up here.”
Two twins, big boys, maybe 6’6” each came at his call. Each had their head shaven clean and both had oversized, weird-looking ears.
They each carried spiked maces, the kind with nails sticking out of planks of wood. They strode up to stand directly before the women. Dana laughed.
“Ladies, meet Paulie and Raleigh. I think you two girls might need a spanking.” He added this with a small laugh.
Raegan bit her lip some. “I said, we don't want any trouble. It’s best you let us get by without issue.”
Dana raised a very bushy red eyebrow at her words.
“What about my picture?”
Reagan looked at this man stating such a stupid wish. She let her tongue slip a bit with her next statement. “You know, you’re just a bit deranged.”
Jansa pouted her lips forward, making a woah-like sound after hearing such a comment.
It was then that Dana said, “Oh yeah, ya think? How about I have my crew just throw both your little asses in that there camper? We can all have our way with you, and then you’ll end up being our maids from here on out.”
His other men, and a few women as well, now came more forward to join the big twins and Dana. A few called out howls of approval to Dana’s words.
Each of them carried knives, meat cleavers, and swords. One even had a bow and arrow, with an arrow ready to fire at any time, which he pointed at Jansa and Raegan.
Trying not to give themselves away, neither of the woman drew any firearm, though each had one available on the motorcycle hidden to the side close to them.
Raleigh and Paulie with their spiked planks attacked first, while in the back the midget cried out in enthusiasm, “Hell yah. We got us a fight people!”
Paulie swung his morning star at Reagan's leg. She stepped back at a 45-degree left angle, avoiding it, and then leaped forward and punched him with her left fist in the face.
Raleigh watched as his brother have no success, yet the punch barely moved him. So, he charged at Jansa, now trying to hit her.
Jansa pulled back as the twin’s weapon grazed in front of her and missed her kneecaps by mere inches.
She followed the evasive maneuver with a roundhouse kick to this brute’s head, but he was too tall and she ended up hitting him in the ribs instead. He, too, barely flinched.
Dana himself took a step back and looked to be pulling something out from behind him. It was some sort of a gun. Raegan had no time to react as the thug with the arrow aiming at her, shot at her chest. The Sisterhood leader slipped to the right, turning her body sideways and parrying the arrow with her right hand just in the nick of time.
She then put her attention on Dana, who was pointing his gun towards her.
“Stop right now,” he said, “or I'll blow your face away. I wouldn't want to shoot that pretty little mug. I have plans for it.”
Two more of his dirty horde dogs were now attacking Jansa at the same time his words of warning were spat out.
The first swung out with a knife at her neck, which she ducked under with a bob and weave motion. She then threw a fake jab, drawing the man's attention more to his
left, and spun around with a follow-up spinning backfist. The blow landed right into his jaw, sending the man sprawling to the hard street turf.
Her second attacker, a woman, tried to kick her in the stomach but Jansa moved to right and over hooked the leg, catching it under her left armpit. She swung the leg now forward, down and right, making the woman lose her balance. Jansa then followed up, sweeping her attacker’s feet right out from underneath of her.
Jansa then kicked her in the face, so she would not get back up all too soon.
Using one of the big lugs as a shield, Raegan fought the twin off some as she maneuvered close to the motorcycle and quickly retrieved her laser rifle. This was too much not to use such a weapon. It was much larger than Dana’s small pistol, an old-school, traditional gun. She fired out a couple of warning shots and immediately zeroed in on Dana.
She gave him a big grin.
“I think mine's bigger than yours,” she said with a wink. Her black rifle with red lights illuminating from it was now aimed squarely at the red-head’s face.
Dana was gritting his teeth. She had a point. He raised his hands up, his gun still in his right hand.
“Okay, you make me want to give up here. So much for at least having a nice picture with you two beautiful ladies. No need for trouble, as you said earlier. Boys and those who think you’re ladies, simmer down.”
It was then that Jansa called out, “You already asked for trouble by attacking us. We ought to throw you guys all in a ditch, off the side of the road. Leave you for the vultures.”
Reagan looked at her sister, eyebrows both raised. “That's a bit harsh don't you think, Jan?”
Jansa just kind of raised her hands, like the words just came out.
The rest of the ragtag group backed off, lowering their weapons.
Raegan then pointed at Dana. “Put the gun down.” The bearded man did just that. He then yelled at his people.
“Go ahead, you dummies, move the shit out of the way so they can pass.”
But it was then, out of the blue, that the midget Bomb-Bomb charged towards at Jansa. She sidestepped him, yet he kept going, circling about, trying next to tackle Raegan by the legs.
He had lost all sense of reason. He was berserk!
He was too slow, though, and she was too fast. Raegan immediately kneed him, raising her leg up into his face, cracking him a good one right in the nose. He stumbled back a little bit, grabbing at the blood squirting from it. He then kind of just fell down to his knees and toppled over.
Jansa got on her motorcycle, revving up the engine. Raegan followed, joining her. Her laser gun was still in her hand, making sure no one else made a move at them.
She then smiled at Dana. “Well, it's been nice meeting you people,” she sarcastically said, seeing that the pathway was now clean of debris and blocking material.
Jansa gave them all a big smile as well and then flipped them off. She cranked on it and the two of them zoomed past the roadblock, heading to the midsection of Washington, D.C.
CHAPTER THREE
The women made it down the long highway and eventually turned into the city district, heading into the tourist region.
There were soldiers about, representing the new governor and the alliance. That was obvious. Yet every so often a drone about the size of a small horse was seen flying about, monitoring the situation here as well. These were not part of the alliance. They were, indeed, Y-Wood Corporation spy drones.
All in all, though, things seemed in place. The various monuments representing the area appeared intact.
The women stopped alongside the street, contemplating what the first checkpoint would be for them to take a look at. It was then that Jansa explained how she was feeling.
“How do I keep going? How do we compete against those that opposed democracy before and still do? Arn Marcou was a sly and sneaky president, one bent on making the world the way he wanted it. His Great Hunt, the killing off all male of the species, was sheer madness. But now, Purcell is in charge and he's more of a tyrant, a power-hungry individual. I mean, he’s blatantly forward with his approach. I just don't know how we can win.”
“That's the thing,” Raegan said, removing her helmet and placing it on the back of the motorcycle as they pulled it off to the side, hiding it. “We don't have to win. You can't win the world. I've learned that through the years. We just have to do everything we can to make a difference. America will never go back to the way it once was. But, without hope everything is lost.”
Jansa placed both her hands on her hips.
“We built up a pretty good sisterhood did we not? All good people. I just keep wondering what we can do to keep up the fight.”
“Like I have said, we keep doing what we're doing. We fight,” Raegan called out. “We battle to give everyone a fighting chance to feel like a difference can be made. A change for a future for my son and for everyone else, including the young women that are now in the sisterhood. Each of them has to believe in something. Or the world is just chaos. You know what I mean?”
Jansa nodded, adding, “I can't help but wonder what the Corporation is doing now, since it’s been all silent as of late.”
Raegan knew very well they were at work. “I'm sure they're up to something. I do know that! But you know what, Jan, I'm glad I met you. I'm glad I went through all the training and schooling and camaraderie among all the sisters. I mean, now even men have joined with us. It has all been worth it. I still believe in the cause. I won’t quit!”
Jansa curled her lip some. She would not quit either.
She and Raegan were now walking down the road, still discussing things more and more. Jansa was still concerned.
“I just find myself questioning everything more and more these days, and it worries me.”
“I've done my share of worrying too,” Raegan explained. “We won't go there right now. Let’s make sure the region here is safe, and perhaps pay a special surprise visit to Governor Bends, if time permits.”
“I think we’re better traveling on foot like this; that way we won't draw any unneeded attention. But it’s a long walk,” Jansa answered, walking even faster now. “Can you keep up? And yeah sure, I think seeing Governor Bends is a good idea. Oh, wait, wasn’t that sort of my idea from the get go?”
Raegan smirked. “You know that the Capitol building is 750 ft long and 300 feet high. It's pretty crazy. It’s said that President George Washington came up with the architecture for it like in 1793.”
Jansa nodded. “All these monuments and buildings out here are pretty amazing. I'm so happy they have stood the test of time. That in itself is unreal.”
“Our new governor is trying to keep these buildings in good order, and it looks like the Corporation is allowing her to do it; that tells me that they want these in the long run for themselves as well,” Raegan pointed out.
“Right,” Jansa added. “That's why they haven't done a full-out assault here, cuz they'll ruin everything. It was a strategic move for the alliance to take this area and give people hope, at least for the time being. Either way, we still have to watch out for a hostile takeover. They could be infiltrating the area as we walk.”
Raegan agreed. “We'll do a quick check of the Lincoln Memorial than the Jefferson Memorial and see what's going on at the Pentagon, maybe stop at the White House, which I'm sure is still in ruins mostly, then, lastly, we can head over to Arlington Cemetery. It should be an interesting, full day of so-called sightseeing for the two of us. It feels good to be out and about.”
Jansa smiled.
“It's good to just move, woman. So far it looks to be pretty calm too. That’s a good sign. Look, they never did get the Washington Monument back up, did they?”
Reagan shook her head. “Nope. It’s still lying there, a giant obelisk commemorating the very George Washington that helped design the Capitol building. Look up. I can spot some Alliance Patrols here and there, but to me, they seem small in number. Do you think this is a concern?”
Jansa studied the sky some and also ground level movement. “Anyone here could be in cahoots with the Corporation. So, let us not tell anyone who we are, if we can help it. The small number of flyers bothers me too.”
Raegan started to slightly jog while calling out, “Let's get to the Lincoln Memorial first. I can see it now in the distance.”
“I think sometimes when we’re out in places alone together,” Jansa tried to explain to Reagan, “all the martial arts training that we've had is pretty helpful. It gives me a feeling of strength. You know what I mean?”
“Oh, I hear what you're saying,” the Sisterhood’s leader replied. “Right now, there's only a small amount of people out and about, walking around. Keep up with me. I think fear has kept more people from still coming here. It's nice to see some people of various races still, though, visiting the monuments. As to the training, oh yes, I feel safer especially when you’re with me.”
Jansa gave her good friend a grin, now almost running beside her. She then grabbed her sister to slow her down some. “Just so you know, we are being followed,” she whispered.
Raegan then added her own thought. “I’m not surprised,” she said, trying not to look over her shoulder.
The two women said hi to some of the pedestrians walking about, trying to not act suspicious to those behind them.
When they finally reached the stairway out front of the Lincoln Memorial, both women knew that they could be easily trapped inside of the statue area, so neither went up there just yet. Each took a couple steps up the white stairway heading towards the giant 80-foot Lincoln statue. But they then stopped.
They both turned around to see a group of people that seemed to be very interested in them. The ladies could tell they were of one particular race mostly. There was definite Asian blood mixed into this group.
A short, black-haired man in the front, who wasn't very tall, gave them a big smile. He bowed, and then said boldly, “Nice to see two American women out seeing these beautiful things.”
Reagan gave her sister a sly smile, wondering just what these people were up to.
ONE NATION: A Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian Saga Page 2