by Cooper, DJ
Quickly the invaders crouched near the door firing at them, the two were tucked behind a hospital bed turned over on its side in front of the children. They fired back in a valiant effort to protect the young ones. Unfortunately, there ammunition did not hold out as long as the men’s coming through the door did.
As the smoke began to clear Matt and Morgan stepped through the doorway together. Rita gasped as Charleigh clicked the trigger of the gun that was now empty. It made a clicking sound as she continued to pull the trigger on her empty gun.
Matt called out, “Matty! It's daddy, come over here son.” Rita turned to Matty and shook her head no. Matty held tighter to Ariel, whispering in her ear. “Don't you worry, I'll protect you.” Joseph who was holding the tiny infant crept over to join the huddle with Ariel and Matty.
Rita called out from behind their barrier. “You will never get near my son, ever again.”
A look of shock came across the faces of both Matt and Morgan. Until now, they’d had no idea that Rita was even alive. Morgan, through clenched teeth, looked at Matt. “I killed that bitch, I threw her ass into the River. I saw her go downstream.”
Matt looked at her, then back to Rita. A look of confusion crossed his face, yet he said nothing. That moment of hesitation and confusion gave Dez the opening she'd been seeking.
The men who were with her crept up on the attackers from behind. Each dealing a deadly blow from the point of their knife. Destiny hobbled towards another where she pushed herself into the man wedging her knife upward through his rib cage. The man looked to her, horrified and pushed her. She fell to the floor blood seeping from her stitches. Wincing in pain she grabbed at her side. Using the wall, she pulled herself up. Her guards stood on either side of the door to the room firing on the invaders. Leaving Matt and Morgan to stand alone guns pointed in their direction.
The guards, parting slightly as Dez walked through. Matt looked at her with shock as she looked to him shaking her head, a tear in her eye. She approached Morgan who lashed out at her. Ducking she dodged the fist, plunging the knife deep into Morgan’s side. Hitting precisely the same place Morgan had shot her. Whispering in her ear, “How do you like me now?”
Morgan fell backwards into Matt who caught her just as more shots rang out from the corridor. Matt scooped her up and ran through the door. Retreating with the members of the gang who’d been waiting outside.
Dez fell to her knees clutching her side where the stiches had torn. Running over and squatting beside her Ariel grabbed her arm to help her up. Charleigh and Rita rushed over and helped her to a bed to lie down.
Charleigh shook her head at her mother, with a look that crossed between amusement and fear. Trying to lighten up the situation she said to her. “You know Ma, you could have put some damn pants on. Walking around all six-gun Suzie with her ass hanging out ain’t exactly instilling fear in the minds of our enemies.”
Dez groaned as though some revelation had struck, and the thought of pants were a novel one.
The men who’d guarded her door came in. “Is everyone alright? Someone's gone for the doctor, he'll be here shortly.” Looking to Dez, “Ma’am, would you care to return to your room?”
Dez nodded no. “I'd like to stay here with my family.”
They nodded, turning, they exited the room and took up positions outside the door.
Charleigh looked troubled and Rita asked. “What's wrong? We are all OK… I think we're safe for now, and the guys are right outside the door.”
“We were holding our own, that is until we ran out of rounds. I don't like our position here, there’s no escape and we’re not armed in such a way as to be able to protect ourselves.”
Dez looked over at her daughter. Pride in her eyes, she was listening all this time. “You're right honey, this place is poorly defensible and we were clearly outgunned. They sent word to the others back at the farm. We will definitely need to address this with them.”
Ariel climbed up onto the bed and snuggled in under Dez's arm. Dez was tired, and so was Ariel. Charleigh and Rita were busy discussing the way things went down while sipping on a cup of coffee that the nurse brought in. By the time the doctor got there Ariel and Dez were fast asleep. Briefly checking her wound, he noted that she’d torn a couple of stitches, but thankfully the bleeding had stopped. Rather than bother with them right now, preferring the rest for Dez, he placed a dressing over it and said that it could wait until after their nap.
Chapter 9
“Diversion”
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
-Winston Churchill
The attack was less intense and not as precise this round, which got Sam thinking that something was amiss. Sam and Roger along with the two men that Ryan had sent crept from tree to tree in silent pursuit of their attackers. Something was nagging at Sam; the fight was too easy. The barrage of fire was intense, and they lost another friend, but the fight was halfhearted and over just as swiftly as it had begun. Recalling those first moments, there was no rhyme or reason; or for that matter, even what appeared to be a target.
The realization finally hit Sam. He crept up next to Roger and whispered to him. “I don't think we were the target. I think what this was, was a diversion. Do you have the radio? “
“I do.” Reaching into his pack he produced the handheld walkie and gave it to Sam.
Sam keyed the mic, whispering. “Scout team to base. I don't think we were the target of this attack. I am worried about the infirmary. Send help to check. No response. Going dark to maintain stealth in pursuit. Key twice if received. Over.”
Two clicks came over the Airways and Sam shut off the walkie. Nodding to Roger and waving to the other two they proceeded cautiously up the hillside.
Once they'd reached the top of the ridge they could see, at the base of the hill; a group of men and trucks gathered in the old quarry awaiting the return of their comrades. They were on foot and there was no way that they would be able to follow the trucks. They waited and watched as the men returned to the trucks and they drove off down the road heading east.
From this vantage point they could see the intersection where the vehicles could only turn left or right. Waiting to see when the trucks reached the intersection, they turned left heading north. Now at least they had a direction that they would need to go to find this band of thugs; and the staging area for attacks.
Making their way back down toward the barn, Sam caught sight of a reflection on the hillside. Waving the others to get down he pointed to his eyes and then in the direction he saw the flash. They all sat frozen, watching the area of the hillside for any sign of movement. Sam whispered to Roger, “I know I saw something, it was like a reflection of the sun off something shiny. Over that way… there I saw it again.”
Roger nodded, he’d seen it too.
They split up, with Sam taking one of the militia guys with him and returning to the top of the ridge. While Roger and the other guy made their way in the direction they saw the flash. Sam would come in behind and Roger would provide distraction once he got below the area.
They could see it periodically flashing as the sun reflected off whatever it was. As soon as Roger was at the base of the hillside below the flash they began thrashing through the woods making as much noise as they could.
Sam was above and could see someone crouched down behind a down tree with binoculars scanning the farm. Like lightning Sam was up on him. They captured him covering his mouth to keep him from crying out in case there were others nearby. Once they had him they quickly questioned him, asking if there were others on the hillside. The man sat stoic refusing to give any indication of anything.
They couldn't take the chance anyone else was watching, they couldn’t let them know that this outpost had been taken.
Sam asked him one more time, “I will turn you over to Ryan in the militia if you tell me what you know; otherwis
e I’ll just dispatch you immediately because I have no further use for you.” The man didn't understand what he meant by dispatch and just glared at him. Sam rephrased his questions. “You'll tell me everything you know right now, or I will cut your throat and wipe the blade on your dirty shirt.”
The man's eyes widened as he gauged whether he believed that Sam would kill him so unceremoniously. The militia guy began to object, but Sam put his hand up for him to be silent. Looking back to the gang member, “I have no time for you to be indecisive; start talking or this conversation has ended.”
“You’re full of shit, we know how you people are. Taking in every stray that comes around. You wouldn’t dare.”
Sam pulled his knife from a sheath and quickly moved behind the man. Grabbing him with his left hand across his forehead, he began to drag the knife around his throat. With a tiny cut to show the man that he would indeed end him. The man immediately began. “Alright, alright… Holy shit you’re crazy.”
“Start talking.”
“Look man, I don't really know nothing. They told me to stay here and watch you guys. I was just supposed to write in this book what you guys do.”
“What things are you supposed to write down?”
“How many people there are, what time you change shifts, what you have for supplies, you know man… whatever I can.”
“Who told you to do that?”
“Goat, man, he came with that bitch Morgan.”
“How many guys you got in your group?”
“Dude, I don't know shit. I was up in Lexington until two days ago, when Rocco sent me and ten other guys down to meet up with these dudes.”
“Did he say why?”
“No man, I just wanted some food. I went to one of them camp places 'cause they said I could get food there for my girl and little bro. But when we got there, they took my girl and made her do some girl shit. They put my little bro in a tent with other kids. Then they put this damn tattoo on me and told me I would need to go and take care of some bad guys or I'd never see em’ again.”
“Show me the tattoo.”
The man rolled up the sleeve on his right forearm and about midway up on the inside was a circle with 2 arrows pointing toward each other going into the circle.
“Seriously, I really don't know anything else.”
“Is there anyone else on this hillside or any of the other hillsides keeping watch?”
“Yeah, there were 2 other guys they came with me out of Lexington. Dude, their not bad guys. We're all in the same boat, we didn't have a choice.”
“Do you know where they are?”
“Yeah, listen man don't hurt em’ one of them dudes got a wife and two kids.”
“Can you communicate with them?”
“No, but we can see each other through the binoculars.”
“Show me.”
The man got up and set the binoculars to where the man on the right Ridge was located. Sam looked and took careful landmarks from the top of the Ridge down. Doing the same for the other side he located the other two guys.
Grabbing the walkie talkie Sam called down to Roger. “There are two other guys. One is on either Ridge, I have their locations, I'll walk you in. Capture only, do not kill unless necessary. Over.”
Two clicks on the walkie signaled he’d heard. A few minutes passed by and the two clicks happened again. Sam returned the signal indicating it was safe to speak. It was Ryan. “Sam can you give the locations I have teams going up from either side of the valley. Over.”
Sam said he did and gave approximations and landmarks at the tops of the ridges for them to begin closing in on the two men.
Watching through the binoculars he could see when each of them was taken. Making their way down the hillside they brought the men to the barn for further questioning.
Once they were all in the barn, the three men stood together. The two men recently captured had masks on their face. As soon as Sam began to speak to them, one raised his mask and winked. Gasps could be heard around the room. The chatter got louder instantaneously. Sam looked at his friend Aaron Mills, tilted his head as if questioning what he was doing with these guys.
“Come on Sam, you know it's cool. I gave you the thumbs up the other night.”
“Yeah man I saw you, what are you doing with these guys?”
“Within a day after getting to Georgetown, the FEMA guys came and started rounding everybody up. Man, I can't believe I got caught in that net. Anyway, they got my wife and kids. But you know me, and you know I ain’t doing their dirty work you saw me take out at least 5 of their guys in that first battle.”
“That I did. But I don't understand, what are you doing here?”
“Is there any way I can get a cup of coffee around here? I know you guys, you got coffee hiding somewhere.”
Sam looked at Tawny and nodded for her to grab him a cup. He motioned him and the other guys to go over and sit on the sofas, nodding to the others. “Care for a cup?”
They both nodded enthusiastically. Sitting on the sofa's they each looked around and Sam admonished them to keep their eyes front.
Aaron still standing shook Sam and Ryan’s hand. “Y'all better grab a Cup too 'cause this is gonna take a minute.”
Walking over to take a seat on one of the sofas he waited for them to join. Sam and Ryan conferenced over at the stove questioning whether Aaron was on the level.
“I think we need to hear him out,” Sam said.
Ryan nodded and the two headed for the living room area to hear the tale.
“Just so you know,” looking to Ryan. “This last run was a diversion; the real target was the infirmary. They know that Dez is there and that's who they’re after.”
Ryan quickly called a man over and sent a group to the infirmary. Sam had already said it earlier, there was something not right about this attack.
“I'm not exactly sure why they want Dez, but it has something to do with Morgan. Who exactly she is I don’t know but she’s barking out an awful lot of orders to be a nobody. Y'all gonna need to watch out for her.”
Sam and Ryan looked at one another passing knowing looks back and forth but saying nothing and allowing Aaron to continue his tale.
“As I already told you they have my wife and kids. These guys over here?” Pointing to the other two that were on the mountain. “They’re in the same boat. Each has someone that they’re holding, enforcing loyalty. You must believe me that we weren't gonna be doing their bidding. Look at the notebooks, we all have the same things, but all of the information is wrong.”
Sam and Ryan peered through the books and compared them. Aaron was telling the truth, clearly the information that they’d written down was fabricated. Looking up from the books Sam asked. “Why?”
“I told these guys that y'all would help them. I'd never betray this group, you did so much for me. I've been doing everything I could to derail them until I could contact you.”
Rolling up his sleeve he showed the tattoo that he also had been given. They looked at it and there were a few murmurs.
“I saw a version of that tattoo on our travels down here.” Danny said.
John and a few of the others were talking about the tattoo they saw when the group attacked them at the trailer.
Sam asked, “Are you sure it's the same?”
“It's a little different, but yeah it’s the same.”
Aaron continued with what he knew. “This isn't a gang tattoo, it's got a special kind of ink that somehow is also a tracker. We need to have these removed before we can go anywhere. This isn’t a gang running things at all. It's what's left of the old government. I'm not sure of all that's going on but the bits and pieces that I've been able to pick up indicate that the old government was behind much of what went down. There is a new government that is trying to get us up and running but they’re suffering losses, major losses. Unfortunately, it's difficult to tell who was with the old government and who is with the new one because all of the insignia for
the military that split looks the same.”
Roger nodded in affirmation.
Sam looked at him, “Any thoughts?”
“Not yet.”
Aaron continued, “All I know for sure is that camp up there, is more like a prison camp then a relief camp. We can't get our people out of there without your help.”
At that moment Janice came running into the barn. Her tear streaked face told everyone something was very wrong. Not long after, Amy burst through the door followed by Connor and Tawny who carried Herb. He’d been shot. Sam assessed it saying it was a clean shot. Through and through but he needed to get to the infirmary. “He’s lost a lot of blood and with his other issues we can’t take a chance.” Janice was right on their heels as they loaded him into the back of the truck. Climbing in behind, she sat holding his hand. He smiled at her. “Here’s looking at you kid.”
Roger and Ray asked to come along. Roger looked to Herb and back to Ryan. “We need to talk to Dez about some thoughts.” Ryan nodded and waved them to the back of the pickup with Janice and Herb.
One of the guys captured rode with Ryan and Janice while Jeremy hopped into the Jeep with Sam and the other two. They wanted to get with Cory and Arthur to corroborate their story and find out about this camp.
Chapter 10
“The Greatest Lie”
A tragic situation exists precisely when virtue does not triumph but when it is still felt that man is nobler than the forces which destroy him.
-George Orwell
Dez lay still, sleeping peacefully while all around her the chaos reigned. Herb arrived in a whirlwind of action as he was being triaged. Losing blood in a sticky spotted trail behind the stretcher, his skin pale and ghostly. Charleigh held Janice’s hand supporting her. That normally stable person was now a trembling ball of confusion, her eyes begging the doctor for answers as they wheeled Herb past. His hand falling and dangling off the side of the stretcher as they entered the door to the surgical room. Janice sobbed in silent acknowledgement that she would never again speak to her husband.