by Chris Pike
“I’m sorry,” Oliver finally said.
Nico whisked Oliver to where he stood in front of the shower. “I’m going to let go of you. If you try to run away, I’ll tell your mother what you’ve been doing.”
“Please don’t tell my mother.”
“If you do as I say, I won’t. Put the towel and Kate’s clothes back where you found them.
Sullenly, Oliver did as he was told. Once Kate had dressed, she exited the shower, and put her hands on her hips.
“Tell Kate you’re sorry again,” Nico said.
Oliver eyes bounced from Kate then to the ground. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
Kate said nothing, only stared daggers at the kid.
“Don’t do that again,” Nico said.
“Okay, I won’t.” Oliver rubbed the toe of his sneakers into the dirt.
“Let’s go over there.” Nico jerked his head to a picnic table. “I want to talk to you.”
Out of earshot of Kate, Nico kneeled to where he was about eye level with Oliver. He cupped his hand and whispered into Oliver’s ear. Whatever was being said was something that kept Oliver’s attention.
“Go on home.” Nico gave Oliver a slap on the butt, sending him scurrying.
“What did you say to him?” Kate asked, walking over to Nico.
“I gave him some advice.”
“What was it?”
“I told him to stop being a little pervert, then I told him to do what all little boys do.”
“What’s that?”
“Look at magazines that belong to their friends’ fathers. He said he already asked his friends and they couldn’t find any, so I told him where he could.”
“Where’s that?”
Nico bobbed his head in the direction of the tool shed.
“The tool shed?” Kate repeated incredulously. “That’s where Uncle Billy keeps all his junk.”
“Right, Kate. Including an entire stack of Playboy magazines.”
Kate put a hand to her mouth and stifled a laugh. “Recent ones?”
“No. From the 70s or 80s. All in good condition. Your uncle takes care of his prized possessions.”
“How would you know?”
“How do you think?”
Kate scoffed.
“I told Oliver he needed to offer to help out your mom or dad, like doing yard work or other odd jobs where he might need tools from the tool shed. Because that way, he could look at the magazines without being discovered. I told him it was our secret and I gave him strict instructions not to steal any magazines otherwise I’d arrest him and throw him in jail.”
“He believed you?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, especially after I showed him my Border Patrol badge. He was quite impressed.”
“I still can’t believe that about Uncle Billy.”
“From what Luke told me, your uncle was quite the ladies’ man back in the day, and the more I get to know Uncle Billy, the more I like him. Luke told me about the shootout at the tower, and how Uncle Billy came through for everyone. He’s a real stand up kind of guy, the kind who has your back in a dark alley. Don’t underestimate someone due to their appearance, Kate. While your uncle seems harmless and soft on the outside, he’s a warrior on the inside. He’d give his life to protect you. Just like I would.”
Kate wrapped her arms around Nico. “I know you would.” She paused a moment. “There’s one thing I don’t quite understand.”
“What?”
“What made you get out of bed?”
“Reload needed to go outside to do his business.”
Kate acknowledged the explanation. “Where is Reload?”
“I’m not sure. The moment I opened the door he hightailed it over to the neighbor’s yard. More than likely to leave a present.”
Kate chuckled. “Fortunately there are a lot of leaves on the ground, so you won’t be able to tell what’s a leaf and what isn’t.”
Nico huffed in exasperation. “Dogs.” He shook his head. “Let’s go back inside and get our things together. The chopper is already fueled up, so all we need to do is to say goodbye and get going. In a few hours, and with any luck, we’ll be in East Texas and talking with your brother Chandler.”
* * *
The time had come for Kate and Nico to say goodbye. Nico was already sitting in the pilot seat of the helicopter, while Reload was in the back. Nico had the map Tatiana had traced for him, set out so he could follow the roads to where Holly and Dillon were, which was where Chandler and Amanda would probably be. Tatiana wasn’t quite sure of the directions to Amanda’s ranch, but estimated it wouldn’t be far from where Nico and Kate were traveling.
Tatiana had packed them enough food to last for several days, including dog food for Reload, which Uncle Billy had traded for with a neighbor whose dog had recently died.
“This should get you through,” Tatiana said, handing a paper bag to Kate. The backwash of the helicopter blew Tatiana’s hair around her face. She wrapped her hands around her hair, putting it in a ponytail. “I packed some dried fruit and pecans, a few cans of tuna, half a loaf of homemade bread that’s a little hard as of now, but if you’re hungry it won’t matter. There are two jars of wild mustang grape jelly I made myself, which are a little tart. I found a chocolate bar I had been saving, and—”
“Thanks, Mom,” Kate cut in. “Nico and I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done.” She tilted her head indicating it was time to say goodbye. “I have to go.”
“I know you do,” Tatiana said.
Kate hugged her mom, then said goodbye to her dad. She told Luke she and Nico would be back, and when they did come back, he and Nico could go hunting or fishing together. Finally, she addressed Uncle Billy.
“I’m going to miss you too, Uncle Billy.”
“You’re my favorite niece.”
Kate laughed. “That’s a no brainer because I’m your only niece.”
“Even if you weren’t, you’d still be my favorite. Take care, Kate.” Uncle Billy gently brushed hair out of her face. “No goodbyes, okay? What did we used to say when we didn’t want to say goodbye?”
“Later gator.”
“Roger dodger.”
Kate waved to her family, ducked her head, and sprinted to the helicopter. She climbed in and shut the door without looking at Nico.
“You okay?” Nico asked. He sensed she wasn’t, but asked anyway to give Kate an opportunity to say what she needed to say.
“Good enough,” Kate replied. Her face was red and eyes teary. She blinked several times. “Let’s get going.”
“Everything will be okay. Don’t worry.” Nico patted her on her leg. “We’ll be there before you know it.”
Kate swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. Her eyes flicked once to Nico and she patted his hand. As the helicopter gained altitude Kate took one last look at her family and waved, knowing change was difficult, but necessary.
Chapter 15
East Texas
Holly Hudson’s Ranch
“Think those are deep enough?” Holly asked. She stepped back from the empty graves she had been digging, and leaned the shovel against a tree. The bodies of the elderly married couple killed when the Russians attacked had been lying on the ground nearby, along with Sarah Monroe still in her blood-splattered dress. Earlier, Holly had covered their faces with burlap sacks she had found stored in the barn. Flies had buzzed the bodies, and she noticed several crawl under the burlap.
Holly peeled off her canvas work gloves one finger at a time, and set them on the ground. Sweat poured off her brow and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. She had on an old T-shirt, ragged jeans, and a wide belt holding a holstered Glock and two magazines. She vowed she’d never be caught unarmed again.
Anna offered Holly bottled water. She thanked Anna then guzzled the entire bottle.
Cassie was armed and stood to the side, holding an approximately nine pound AK in a sling across her chest so as not to fatigue her arms. She ha
d been forbidden by Ryan to do any hard manual labor or to stress her muscles considering she was with child. He explained if her body temperature rose too much, it could harm the baby.
Dorothy, who was not proficient in handling firearms, stood next to Cassie helping her with guard duty. She had a pair of binoculars around her neck, and would intermittently scan the sky for any sign of another helicopter.
Amanda was standing in the shade trying to stay cool. She was just as hot and sweaty as Holly, seeing they had been digging for hours. “It’s deep enough so the animals can’t get to them. I’ll help you move the bodies.” She scrunched her nose. “They are already starting to smell.”
Holly donned her gloves. “Amanda, be sure to put your gloves back on. We don’t need to be handling dead bodies with our bare hands.” Holly rubbed her temples, trying to ward off a headache. If Dillon was here, he could work his magic by massaging away the nagging headache. Her thoughts briefly took her to Dillon, and she wondered how he was doing. Knowing him, he and the others were already formulating an escape plan. “Anna, where are the masks I gave you to hold?”
“Right here,” Anna said. She dug around in her pink backpack decorated with a picture of a cartoon kitty. She pushed around several bags of high protein nuts, two packs of gummies she was saving for an emergency, a change of clothes, and her favorite doll. Retrieving the masks, she handed them to Holly and Amanda.
Continuing the gruesome task, Holly and Amanda worked together to place the bodies in the side-by-side graves. During the move, the burlap sack fell off the elderly woman’s face. The mottled skin and dead eyes were swarming with flies, and Amanda gagged at the grisly sight. She recoiled in disgust and breathed through her mouth. The stench of the bodies was something she’d never forget.
“Are you okay?” Holly asked.
It took a moment for Amanda to compose herself. “I’ll be alright. It’s bringing back memories of my grandpa.”
“If you can’t do this, I can handle it myself,” Holly offered.
“Just give me a moment.”
Anna made a move to put the sack back on, but Holly said, “Stay back, Anna. You don’t need to see this.”
“I’m braver than you think I am,” Anna said defiantly.
“I’m sure you’re indeed brave, but you’re only ten and you don’t need to see things like this.”
“I’ve seen a dead body before, haven’t I, Mom?”
“She’s right,” Dorothy added. “She’s been to a funeral.”
“This is different,” Holly said. “Much different.”
“I’m not afraid either.” The little girl picked up the burlap sack and tossed it on the woman’s face.
Once the bodies had been placed in the graves, Holly and Amanda worked to shovel dirt over them. Anna and Dorothy pitched in by scooping handfuls of dirt into the graves. Cassie had been told to stay back.
Holly shoveled the last of the dirt on top and patted it down with the shovel. Digging the graves had been hard work, and had taken longer than expected. It was hot standing in the shade, and the humidity was only making things worse. Amanda looked like she was about to pass out, but not once did she complain.
It was quiet and still in the early afternoon hour, and the sun beat down hot on the land. The woodland animals had taken shelter in the shade of the trees or in their burrows, away from the heat. The sprinkling of rain the night before added to the rising humidity. A lone cloud drifted in the sky, casting a shadow when it moved in front of the sun.
“Let’s all bow our heads and say a prayer for these good people who were taken away from us too early,” Holly said. “To let everyone know, I’ve noted their names and time and date of their deaths in our family bible. At some point, we’ll need to contact their next of kin.”
“Why in the bible?” Anna asked.
“That’s how people used to record births, marriages, and deaths,” Holly explained. “Before the time of the internet or any certified register, it was a way to record important dates. People don’t use them as much as they used to, but I still have my family’s bible dating back to the 1800s.”
“Can you show me?” Anna’s eyes were wide with wonderment. “I’d like to see it.”
“Of course I’ll show you. First let’s pray.”
The four women and one child stood in solemn silence, each keeping their thoughts private as they listened to the sounds of the country. The wind whistled through the trees and a cicada chirped. A symphony of buzzing cicadas filled the air, reaching an unusually loud crescendo before falling quiet in unison as if a conductor had lowered a baton signifying the end of the musical piece.
Holly said, “Amen,” took a big breath, then sighed heavily, as if she was expelling all the stress of the morning out of her body. She straightened her back and rolled her shoulders to work out a tight muscle that had been bothering her while digging. When the cicadas became quiet, she said, “I think that was a nice send off. The cicadas sang better than any choir I’ve ever heard.”
Dorothy said, “I’ll take the shovels to the barn. Holly, you and Amanda have done enough work.”
“Thank you. Let’s go in and rest. I think we all need it.”
“I’m not tired,” Anna said. “I can stay up and be the lookout. I’ll yell if I see anything.”
“Okay, sweetie,” Holly said. “As long as it’s okay with your mother.”
“You have to stay on the porch, okay?” Dorothy said.
Anna grumpily nodded.
As the group left, Cassie stopped in mid-stride. “Wait.”
“Why?” Holly asked.
“Shhh. Don’t you hear that?” Cassie cocked her head, trying to discern which direction the sound was coming from.
The rhythmic thumping came closer, louder, until it was obvious what was making the sound.
“Another helicopter!” Holly shouted. “Take cover behind the trees!”
The women scattered into the dark woodland canopy, thick with vines and underbrush. Cassie dropped to the ground carpeted in a thick layer of pine needles. She stretched out and propped her AK on a fallen log to steady it for accurate shots.
Holly crouched behind another tree and pulled her Glock out of the holster. She pulled the slide back a bit and checked to make sure a round was chambered. It was, so she let the slide ride back into place.
Amanda had her own Glock and held it in both hands, peeking from around the massive girth of a bullet-stopping oak.
Dorothy and Anna took cover behind the trunk of a large pine tree located deeper in the woods. Dorothy wrapped her arms around Anna’s head to protect her. They remained motionless, melting into the shadows of the woods.
Holly, Amanda, and Cassie were equally camouflaged in their working clothes, stained with honest ranch work and the subtle colors of the outdoors of dried leaves and grass woven into the fabric.
“Don’t anyone make a move or make a noise. And don’t shoot unless we are shot at first. Whoever it is doesn’t know we are here. Let’s try to keep it that way.”
* * *
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Kate asked.
Concentrating on maneuvering the helicopter for a smooth landing near Holly’s ranch house, Nico didn’t answer.
While the helicopter hovered over the landing spot, Kate scanned the ground, searching for any sign the ranch was occupied. Perhaps clothes hanging on the line, children’s toys, a freshly tilled garden. A strange sensation came over her and she shuddered. “Nico, I don’t like the feel of this place. Something is wrong. I don’t see anybody. Let’s leave. It might be the wrong ranch.”
Nico set the chopper on the ground and powered it down. He waited for the blades to come to a stop then shook open the map to double check the location.
“This is definitely the right place.” Nico surveyed the land and adjacent buildings, noting the chairs and makeshift tables. “Kate, there’s nothing to worry about. I bet Holly and Dillon are out somewhere or preparing for whatev
er party was planned. Besides, the house, the barn, and the pump house are exactly where Chandler told your mom they would be. Your brother was quite thorough in the directions and landmarks. Kate, I think your nerves are getting the best of you. It’s been a rough several days.”
Kate accepted Nico’s observations. “You’re right. I’m still jumpy from all that has happened.”
She opened the door, stepped out, and helped Reload exit the helicopter.
The big dog stayed close to Kate and eyed the unfamiliar surroundings. He lifted his snout in the air, tasting the land and the nearby animals. A horse was pastured nearby, while another one had recently walked the same spot where Reload stood. Other scents of a strange culture were noticeable from dried sweat lingering on the ground. Reload put his nose to the ground, trying to understand the people and what they meant.
Reload’s acute senses indicated some type of conflict had taken place recently.
Grass mashed down from heavy boots told the tale of many men who stood in this same place. Gunpowder residue lingering on the grass indicated weapons had been fired. Men carrying weapons had been clothed in uniforms stiffened from a cleaning solvent. A man with a commanding presence had walked among the crowd of men who had stood rigidly when the man came through.
Charred grass and timbers lined the porch, rimmed with some type of accelerant indicating a fire had been set, and the amount of footprints and dampness of the ground told the rest of the tale.
Reload huffed the ground, taking in the jumble of humanity and testosterone laced scents, and men who captured and took what they wanted.
Reload’s attention was interrupted by a strange scent wafting on an air current, and his mind whirled trying to identify the odd odor. It was similar to the odor of the humans who had been killed at the Alamo shootout, and Reload tried to make sense of what it meant. The odor was not repulsive, only one he had filed away in his mind for future use. An earthy, pungent odor of freshly dug dirt mingled with and covered the lifeless human scent.
He sniffed the air again.
Nearby, several females hid among the trees, and Reload’s eyes gravitated to the direction where they were. He did not recognize any of the human scents, yet he understood the meanings of flight or fight the humans were experiencing. The ruff on Reload’s back bristled and he growled low in his throat.