Tawny stood up and turned to Mercy, “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Thank goodness for that. Little Fox has just passed Tawny’s acid test. Or maybe we’ve passed his test—
They left Little Fox and his mother and went to the rear of the room. A masked woman stood at a roulette table, she was sorting through bandages and dressings.
Mojito stood at a respectful distance, “Sara, where’s Dr Jackson?”
The woman pointed towards a door, “She’s in the store room.” The woman smiled behind her mask. “Those drugs came just in time for three of the other patients, they’re improving. But we have two who are still struggling.”
Mojito’s brow furrowed, “Thanks Sara, I’ll go find Dr Jackson. I’ll let you get on—”
They found Dr Jackson in the store room going through crates of medicine. A woman in her forties, she had her long black hair tied back in braids. An exquisite eagle tattoo graced the inside of her forearm. Mercy smiled.
My kind of doctor—
Mojito introduced them.
Dr Jackson eyed Mercy and Tawny, “So, it was you who had this medicine? The truck bore the Judge’s markings. You were either very brave or very stupid to steal it from those people. But you survived, so I guess we’ll call you lucky instead—”
“We lost someone,” Tawny said, her voice barely a whisper.
Dr Jackson face softened, “Forgive me, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Things have been… difficult here, we’ve lost people too. Ordinary accidents and infections are still out there, and take their toll. Without antibiotics and pain killers we’re in the Stone Age.” She looked at the crates, “But thanks to you we’re back in the game.”
Back in the game. That’s where we need to be too—
They spent time with the doctor hearing about the community’s use of herbal and natural remedies for a range of conditions. Dr Jackson detailed some successes, and a few failures. Eventually Mojito thanked her and they left her to continue her work. They headed back outside to the two pickup trucks. Mercy stared at the flamboyant sign above the casino entrance.
Paradise Casino? Well, it’s not paradise, and it’s no longer a casino. It feels more like an ark, a time capsule floating in a sea of chaos. They’ve got something here, an island of survival in a lake… in the desert. Good for them—
Mercy stopped at the pickup. Mojito pulled out the truck’s keys from his pocket. They were alone with him, his minders nowhere to be seen. Mercy caught Tawny’s eye.
Yes, this can work—
“Mojito, I think we can do a deal—”
Chapter 24
Lake Havasu
Baja Joe stepped off the boat onto the dock. Mojito walked up to his father and embraced him.
This was the right decision—
Flynn, Barnes, Jade, Annalise, and Rose came ashore.
“I’m glad this worked out,” Flynn whispered into Mercy’s ear.
“Me too Flynn, believe me. Once Tawny met the kid it sealed the deal,” Mercy answered.
“So, we’re really going down the lake in a boat to Parker Dam?” Flynn continued.
“Yeah, and meeting up with some dude on the California side, just north of Parker town,” Mercy said.
“This dude? He’s a cowboy or something?” Flynn asked.
“Yeah, he was a wrangler… or was it a ranger? One or other… back in the day. Apparently, he’s friends with Baja Joe and this community, although he’s a bit of a loner by all accounts,” Mercy replied.
“But he’s got horses for us? And supplies?” Flynn persisted.
Mercy nodded, “Yeah. Baja Joe’s people have a redoubt on the other side of Lake Havasu, deep in the mountains. Our guy’s supposedly the redoubt’s caretaker, and a kind of early warning system, or guardian, for the lands west of Lake Havasu.”
“So, he’s Baja Joe’s eyes in the west. What’s his name?” Flynn asked.
“Here’s where it gets weird,” Mercy said, glancing at the reunion between Baja Joe and his people. “We’re just supposed to turn up on State Route 62 north of Parker town, and this dude will make contact with us… not the other way around. And get this; the only way you get to find out his name is if he tells you it himself.”
Flynn pulled a face, “Mr Mysterious then? I guess we’ll have to call him that dude for now, huh?”
Mercy shrugged, “Reckon so, after what we’ve seen, I trust these people. Look, it is what it is Flynn. There’s a lot of weirdness out there. Hell, we’re kinda weird, just look at me, look at you—”
“What you sayin’ girl?” Flynn pulled Mercy close and kissed her on the lips.
Mercy returned the kiss then pushed Flynn away, “Hey Romeo, not here, save it for later. We’ve got an audience—”
“Later? I’ll take you up on that,” Flynn replied with a grin.
The next few days at the Paradise Casino passed in a blur. Mercy and Rose took what they needed from the Judge’s truck and desert patrol vehicle. Baja Joe gave Mercy a scoped Tikka T3x hunting rifle to replace the AR-15 she had lost in the dust storm. She spent some time familiarising herself with it on the island’s target range.
Barnes’s concussion and facial swelling improved with rest and the ministrations of Dr Jackson in the infirmary. Tawny spent the evenings with Little Fox, regaling him with stories from her childhood in the Bronx. He in turn told her of his hunting trips with his father and uncles in the wild lands, west of Lake Havasu. He described the plants and the animals to her in great detail. Mercy met the others to go over the route for the next leg of their journey, using the maps they had available to them.
“We need to avoid major roads, and keep to the aqueduct service roads where we can,” Mercy said.
“Yeah, we’ll need to go around Iron Mountain and Eagle Mountain, here and here,” Rose tapped the map.
“We’ll follow the advice of our mystery guide, when we get to meet him. Baja Joe’s been in radio contact with him, it’s all very need-to-know. Maybe they don’t want to let the Phoenix bandits know his whereabouts,” Jade said.
“Makes sense, those guys sound like real bastards,” Barnes added.
Mercy looked across at Barnes, “You up for this Barnes? You had a hell of a beating back there. You could stay here, winter it out, and follow through in the spring.”
Barnes shook his head, “You kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Figured you’d say that big man. Just wanted to give you an out if you needed one—
Mercy looked at the others, “Tomorrow it is then. First light. Mojito will take us down Lake Havasu himself, he knows a good landing spot for the boat, so we’re good. He’s marked our route on the map.”
“So, nothing could possibly go wrong, could it?” Rose said, a hard glint in her eye.
Mercy grunted, “Don’t joke about it Rose, plenty could go wrong as we all know. We just need to be prepared and alert. It’s been good to have a break here but, out there, it’s nightmare city.”
Nightmare city? Did I really just say that?
On the third day the news of two deaths in the infirmary darkened the mood. A young boy and an older youth had succumbed to spreading infection from their wounds. Their families were inconsolable, the community’s grief palpable. Mercy approached Baja Joe after breakfast.
“Hey there. I heard the news… I’m so sorry,” Mercy said.
Baja Joe nodded, “It’s hard to take when young ones die. It’s wrong, parents should never have to bury their children. But we need to accept it and move on. They’ll not be forgotten, those two boys will live on in our hearts until we die.”
Mercy nodded, “Listen, we can delay our departure—”
Baja Joe raised his hand, “No, you must stick to your plans. The dead are on their new journey now, and you must move on with yours. This is how it should unfold. I’ve told Mojito to prepare the boat. He should be down by the marina if you’re ready—”
Mercy chewed her lip, “Y
es, you’re right. Thank you Baja Joe, thank you for everything. We’ve met some good people along the way, but you, and your families here are some of the best. It gives me hope, hope that things can be better—”
“Kind words from a kind heart,” Baja Joe responded. “Go now, and be successful. Live every day to the brim, drink in your life, let nature and friendship into your heart.” He paused, “Now, if you’ll forgive me, I won’t come down to the marina. I have to be with the bereaved. Please… say goodbye and good luck to the others, and know that you will always be welcome here.”
Mercy’s face softened and she gave Baja Joe a heartfelt hug. She breathed him in.
He smells of smoke and cinnamon… and something else—
She let him go and watched as he walked off towards the infirmary.
Wisdom—
Mojito was waiting on a thirty-five foot cabin cruiser at the marina on the south of the island. He hailed them as they approached.
“Welcome to the Sweet Marie, she’s a fast mover, cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter. You guys ready to leave?” Mojito said, his tone upbeat.
“Wish we didn’t have to,” Tawny replied.
They climbed aboard the Sweet Marie. Mojito untied the mooring ropes. Five minutes later they were out in Lake Havasu. The breeze was cool on Mercy’s face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
I could stay out here all day, this is heaven—
The others chatted for a few minutes then the conversation dried up.
He’s keeping closer to the western shore. Figures—
Mercy sidled up to Mojito at the helm, “So, it’s what? Thirty klicks to Parker Dam?”
“Almost… twenty eight would be nearer the mark,” Mojito fired back. “I’ll be dropping you on the California side, on a beach near the dam’s hydro plant. It’s the deepest dam in the world apparently; three hundred and twenty feet high. A lot of that’s below the riverbed though. We’ll pass Whitsett Intake Pumping Plant for the Colorado River Aqueduct about two miles upstream from the dam, it’s a pretty impressive looking building.”
Mercy nodded remembering the photographs, on display at Lake Havasu Ranger Station, of the dam and its associated hydro-electric power plant. “Yeah, we can walk across the concrete gates to the left of the dam to Parker Dam Road. The power plant is just on the side of the road. That’s spot on. We’ll follow the road south, then west, to Route 62 just north of Parker town. Navigation shouldn’t be a problem—”
“You’ll be on foot. Remember, it’s broad daylight. The Phoenix bandits may well have eyes on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, so be careful. Keep a low profile. They probably won’t be interested in a few people on foot. Knowing them they’ll be after richer pickings, but just be careful.”
Mercy nodded, absorbing Mojito’s words, “Any advice in case we do run into these bandits?”
Mojito grunted, “Yeah, shoot first and ask questions later.”
Just over an hour later Parker Dam came into view. Mercy took a deep breath.
Jesus, that’s impressive—
Rose let out a low whistle, “Wow, for something built in the 1930s that looks really modern.”
“Yeah, though, all these structures need maintenance don’t they?” Jade commented. “Now that things aren’t being looked after, it’ll deteriorate over time. Who knows? It’ll probably fail and flood down river.”
Annalise looked alarmed, “I’ve seen pictures of the Hoover Dam, if that collapses this whole area would be flooded.”
“Cheerful thoughts people,” Mercy said. “OK, do a final check of your kit. Mojito’s dropping us off soon.”
Mercy turned to Mojito, “Listen, I didn’t get a chance to say this earlier but thanks for everything you’ve done for us. We couldn’t have gotten this far without you and your people.”
Mojito smiled, “You’re welcome Mercy Dawes. I recognise something in you. Your spirit; it’s strong. You’ll get to where you’re going but it may be difficult to find peace. Keep an open heart and mind. Don’t let the darkness in, the world is still wondrous—”
OK Mojito, let’s not get carried away—
“I’ll try and remember that Mojito, stay safe and watch out for the bad guys,” Mercy replied.
Mojito dropped them off on a stony beach just north of the dam. They waded ashore with their kit. Mojito reversed the boat and sped away. A few minutes later he had passed from view and they were alone. Mercy surveyed the landscape.
We’re in California, we’re actually in California—
“Damn, listen to that,” Flynn said.
They stopped what they were doing.
“It sure is quiet,” Jade said, her voice a whisper.
“Hey, is that an eagle over there?” Rose said, pointing to the eastern sky.
“Yeah, probably a golden eagle,” Barnes said, peering at the great bird. “They’ve got one hell of a wingspan… sometimes over seven feet.”
“I wouldn’t like to be attacked by one of them critters,” Rose replied.
“It’s very unlikely that an eagle would attack humans,” Barnes said.
“You said that about that scorpion we found back on the island and it tried to attack me,” Rose shot back.
“Yeah, well, come on Rose, you were prodding it with a stick,” Flynn said.
“It had no business being in my boot is all I’m saying,” Rose replied.
They’re nervous. We’re back outside, in the big suck. Anything could happen—
“OK people, settle down, cut the chit chat. Sound travels. We need eyes and ears left and right, guns ready. I’ll take point, Rose, you’ve got the rear. Let’s move out,” Mercy said, shouldering her pack.
We’re Oscar Mike as Barnes would say—
It took five hours to walk the sixteen miles to State Route 62 just north of Parker town. They stopped at a US Postal Service building on the side of the road and sat in the shade. They ate a meal of crackers, and wild honey from Baja Joe’s hives.
“So… what? We’re supposed to walk this road until this guy appears out of nowhere?” Rose said, through a mouthful of food.
“That’s it,” Mercy nodded. “We’re on his territory now. I guess he’ll want to make sure we’re not being followed.”
“Yeah, we are close to the Colorado River Bridge back there at Parker,” Jade added.
“Well, I for one hope he comes soon. We left Havasu island at 10 am, got to Parker Dam at 11:30 am, and now it’s… 5:20 pm. I’m just about done,” Tawny said.
“Lightweight,” Rose replied.
“He’s supposed to be bringing horses, isn’t he?” Flynn asked.
“Yeah,” Mercy answered, staring at the faded road markings in front of the USPS office.
“Well that must be him then,” Flynn said.
“Where?” Mercy looked up.
“Over there. West. On the road. About a hundred metres away,” Flynn said. He got to his feet.
Mercy jumped up and reached for her binoculars. She looked through them and adjusted the focus. A distorted image of a man on a horse shimmered in the heat haze.
It’s got to be him. But where are our horses?
Mercy held her breath and watched as the shimmering figure grew nearer. She gave a sigh of relief when she saw the silhouettes of seven more horses strung out in a line behind the rider.
“Woo-hoo guys. Looks like we’re in business,” Annalise said, excitement in her voice.
Seven horses, eight including his, he’s gotta have help, some others… a camp somewhere nearby. Baja Joe’s keeping it close to his chest, which is fair enough. As long as this gets us to where we’re going is all that matters—
Mercy waved as the rider approached. The man stopped ten yards away and remained on his horse.
“You the people Baja Joe sent?” The man’s voice carried through the air. His long hair was tied back under a leather bush hat.
Tawny stepped forwards, “Sure are. And you are?”
“Travis, lady. Folks call me Travis. Real pleased to meet you,” the man said. He looked Tawny up and down, then the others. “Well, you’d best be getting acquainted with your mares, we’ve got some ways to go before we can make camp.” He looked out across the Colorado River, south, to Arizona, “Best to be away from these parts by nightfall. You good to go?”
Tawny picked up her pack, “I’m Tawny and this is—”
“We’ll do the introductions later lady, if you don’t mind,” Travis said. “There’s only one of me and seven of you. I’ll not remember your names, best save it for later.”
Tawny glanced at the others then walked towards Travis and the horses.
Two gun holsters on his horse; a rifle and shotgun… and a hunting bow. OK, it looks like he can handle himself—
“I aim to get us to Vidal Junction by nightfall,” Travis said, scratching the stubble on his chin. “In the morning we’ll join US Route 95 which’ll take us North West to the aqueduct. Then we’ll be living the dream. Happy days folks… happy days.”
Vidal Junction… that’s about thirty klicks from here. Jesus, the man’s a slave driver. We’ve not been on a horse since back east. Maybe he’s trying to get our measure—
Mercy glanced at Flynn. He pulled a face at her.
I know, I know. We’ll be saddle sore tomorrow—
Chapter 25
Vidal Junction
Travis kept to State Route 62 west, riding the horses along the soft verge. He stayed out in front, saying little. They settled into a steady rhythm with hourly breaks for the horses. They arrived at Vidal Junction just over three hours later. The Milky Way sprawled overhead, timeless and majestic. A cool breeze blew in from the Sonoran Desert making Mercy shiver.
My spine aches, my hips ache. Jesus, I can’t feel my feet—
Mercy was relieved when Travis pulled away from the road ten minutes later and headed for a building on the right. The words CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL INSPECTION STATION, VIDAL adorned the front of the building.
Travis jumped down from his horse and spoke to the others. “This is our pit stop for the night folks. I suggest you get yourselves inside… and remember no torches or fires. Light can be seen for miles out here. There’s food and water in the main room. I’m gonna settle the horses down over there,” he pointed at a fenced off area ten yards away. “My compadres have left some feed for the horses, they’ll be safe enough there for tonight.”
The Survival Chronicles | Book 8 | Final Mercy Page 15
