Ava's Crucible- The Complete series Box Set

by Mark Goodwin

  “Ma’am, I’ll do what I can to relay the message, but we’ve just committed all of the available Alliance resources to the invasion. I’m afraid there is very little he can do.”

  “Then can you patch me through to the Austin Company safe house? I know Barr has back-channel communications with the resistance members there. Maybe they can send help.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. The regime disabled all landlines, cell towers, and internet when we began the invasion. Markovich is even using jamming signals to interfere with radio frequencies. You may even begin to experience disruptions with your satellite phone.”

  “A lot of good it’s doing me. Please, just get the message to the colonel for me.”

  “I’ll do what I can.” The call ended.

  Murphy looked up at her. “Not good?”

  She exhaled deeply. “We’re on our own.”

  “Here’s the remote.” Elizabeth handed Ava the small device, which had cost so many lives.

  Ava quickly took out her multitool and used the screwdriver to remove the back panel. She removed the battery, then used the wire cutters to snip the power supply. Afterward, she pulled out the circuit board and snapped it into pieces.

  “Ava, you should take a look at this.” Elizabeth stood by the broken window.

  Ava peered through the broken glass. “Oh, no.”

  “What’s happening?” Murphy inquired.

  “Three armored personnel carriers just pulled into the lot,” she replied.

  Captain Murphy struggled to get up off the floor. “If you guys get me a chair, I can shoot from a stationary position.”

  Elizabeth quickly rolled the office chair around from behind the desk. “Should we move the bodies out of the way?”

  Ava looked at Raquel and the dead SJL soldier. “No. They’re not really hindering our ability to target, and they might even block a few bullets.”

  Ava pressed the mic key. “Octavio, you and the other two men head on up here. We’ve got company coming, and we’re going to have to make a stand.”

  Sergeant Prindle replied, “We’d be better off trying to get out of the building, maybe find some cover or fall back to the ORP.”

  “Foley is unconscious and Captain Murphy can’t walk. I’m not leaving them behind.”

  Prindle replied, “We’re trapped in here. Nowhere to go. Staying here is equivalent to sealing our own coffins.”

  “I appreciate your commentary, Sergeant, but we’re making our stand here. Get to the third floor, pronto. Collect as many grenades and as much ammo from the fallen soldiers as you can on your way up. We’re going to need it.”

  Octavio replied, “Roger that.”

  Prindle, Octavio, and Dillon, the other survivor from Team Five soon arrived, carrying several full tactical vests they’d taken from the dead.

  Ava pointed to Prindle. “You and Dillon stay in the stairwell. As soon as you hear SJL troops hit the first flight, start dropping grenades on them. Unless they brought a ladder, there’s only one way up.”

  Sergeant Prindle seemed less than enthusiastic about Ava assuming the role of CO in Foley’s absence, but because of her knowledge of Austin, the matter had been decided long ago at the outset of the planning stage. “Yes, ma’am. If I may offer a suggestion.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “That window will be a target for RPGs. You should move your wounded and munitions into the hallway.”

  She nodded. “Thank you, Sergeant. That’s a good call.”

  Ava motioned to Elizabeth. “Can you help Captain Murphy into the hall? And Octavio, we need to relocate Foley as well.”

  Murphy objected, “I’m no use in the hallway.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. Your medical skills may soon be required.” With Octavio’s assistance, Ava tenderly picked up Foley and moved him.

  Reluctantly, Murphy followed her directive.

  Ava, Octavio, and Elizabeth hurried back to the broken window. Immediately, they began firing on the SJL soldiers exiting the personnel carriers. Six SJLs fell, then the vehicles sped away without unloading more troops.

  Ava sprinted away from the broken window. “Hurry, they’re headed to the south side of the building. We need to get to the corner office across the hall.”

  Ava rushed to the window, slamming the butt of her AK against the glass to provide an opening to begin attacking the troops who were pouring out of the personnel carriers. Elizabeth and Octavio were soon at her side shooting.

  “Watch out!” Elizabeth screamed and pointed to the top hatch opening on the vehicle. “RPG!”

  Octavio pulled Ava to the floor, just as the rocket-propelled grenade smashed into the wall, only inches away from the window. Chunks of the concrete block wall rained down on top of them. A cloud of dust filled the room. Ava’s ears rang and she couldn’t see because of the haze.

  “You all okay in there?” Captain Murphy yelled.

  “I think so,” Elizabeth replied.

  But, before Ava could get up, a second grenade struck the wall. Once again, smoke and debris permeated the air.

  “We have to get to the hallway!” Octavio grabbed Ava by the back of her tactical vest and pulled her toward the door.

  Elizabeth coughed and trailed close behind.

  Seconds after they cleared the door, a direct hit from a grenade coming through the window shook the walls.

  “How many did you kill?” Sergeant Prindle yelled from the stairwell.

  “Nine total, I think.” Ava wiped the powdery dust from around her eyes and mouth.

  “That’s a good start. Each one of those APCs probably carries eleven SJLs.”

  “Yeah, but there could have been fifteen or twenty guards left over from the detention center.” Ava peeked around the side of the door frame into the room where she’d been moments before. The exterior wall was nearly gone and in its place was a gaping hole, which allowed her to see the vehicles sitting empty in the side parking lot.

  “We’ve got our first contestants!” Sergeant Prindle yelled. “Fire in the hole!”

  Ava watched him pull the pin from the grenade and toss it down the stairs. She heard it bounce off of several stairs while Prindle dove to the ground and covered his head.

  KABOOM! The blast echoed off the walls of the stairwell.

  Dillon looked down. “Got a couple of them.” He readied the next grenade and waited for the next wave of soldiers to advance.

  “Here they come!” Dillon pulled the pin and dropped the grenade.

  BOOM! Once again, the explosion reverberated through the building.

  Dillon stood back up with another grenade. “This is like shooting fish in a barrel.” He pulled the pin.

  A single rifle shot rang out from the stairwell below and Dillon collapsed backward, letting the grenade roll freely around on the landing.

  Prindle scrambled past his fallen teammate to grab the explosive device and quickly chucked it over the rail.

  BOOOM!

  Sergeant Prindle pulled yet another pin and, looking over the rail, threw it down the stairs. POW!

  KABOOM!

  When Ava opened her eyes, Sergeant Prindle was also dead. She clamored to the stockpile of grenades near the stairwell door. Obviously, she couldn’t look over the rail to see where or when to toss the grenades as that method had proven fatal for Dillon and Prindle, so she’d just have to keep pitching them down, one after the other, until she ran out.

  With each successive explosion, the stash of grenades grew smaller. She looked at the last three remaining bombs. “Anyone have any ideas?”

  Elizabeth suggested, “We can take cover inside the offices. Pick them off when they top the stairs.”

  Ava realized this was the end, but she wasn’t going to give up without a fight. “Okay. Get Captain Murphy and Foley in the last office. You and Octavio take the room across from them. I’ll deploy the last three grenades, then I’ll join the captain and Foley. I want to be by my husband’s side when . . . the time comes.�
�

  Elizabeth forced a smile and nodded.

  Ava tried to space out the remaining bombs to give the others time to get into position. She pulled the pin of the last grenade and hurled it down the stairwell.

  BOOOM!

  Ava darted to the office where Foley and Murphy were. She kissed her sleeping husband on the lips. “I love you, Foley Mitchem. It’s been such an honor to be your wife.”

  She looked up at the captain who was in a seated position with his rifle tucked against his shoulder.

  Murphy smiled at her. “I’m sorry it had to end like this.”

  “Me, too. But thank you for all of your help—with Dad, and with Foley. It has meant a lot to me.”

  “I’m glad I could be of service.”

  She nodded and shouldered her rifle.

  CHAPTER 27

  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

  Psalm 91:7-8

  Machine gunfire reverberated up from the stairwell into the hallway. Ava leveled the front sight of the AK-47 just above the last stair at the end of the hall. As soon as the first SJL showed his head, she’d open fire. “We may very well meet our Maker today, but let’s take as many of Markovich’s troops with us as possible.”

  Murphy’s jaw was set like a steel trap as he took aim. “Let’s do it.”

  The noise of battle continued to pour out of the stairwell, but Ava still didn’t see anyone coming up the stairs.

  Elizabeth yelled from across the hall, “What are they shooting at?”

  “I don’t know. I assumed they were laying down cover fire. Like maybe they thought we had shooters on the other floors.” Ava turned to look at Murphy for his opinion.

  The doctor simply shrugged. “Beats me.”

  “It’s dying down.” Octavio lifted his hand, signaling for the others to listen.

  Ava tilted her head in curiosity. Moments later, only an occasional gunshot could be heard. “I’m going to look out the window.”

  “Keep your head low!” Captain Murphy warned.

  She nodded and stood to look outside. Men in civilian clothing were opening the doors of the detention center. “Somebody is letting the hostages out of the prison. They’re instructing the men to get the guns from dead soldiers.”

  “I’ve gotta see this.” Elizabeth hurried across the hall into the office were Ava stood. “It’s the resistance. It must be.”

  “We’ve still got to watch those stairs.” Ava turned around to make sure the captain had his rifle ready.

  “I’m on it,” Murphy replied.

  “Ava?” A voice called from the stairwell.

  She turned, instantly recognizing the source. “Dad?”

  Ulysses’ face soon crested the top stair. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” Overwhelmed by yet another brush with death, she lowered her weapon and rushed into her father’s arms.

  Ava cut the embrace short. “Foley is hurt badly. He needs surgery, and soon.”

  Ulysses looked toward the office. “Okay. We’ve got a trauma center set up nearby.”

  “Back at the safe house?”

  “I’m with a different group of resistance fighters, so not the safe house you’re thinking of. Colonel Barr sidelined me because of my episodes. I can’t say I blame him, but I couldn’t sit idly by while I knew you were in danger. I put together an off-the-books team—it’s what I’m good at.”

  He glanced down the hall. “We need to move your husband now. More Social Justice Legion fighters are probably on the way here now. Help me get him down the stairs.”

  Ava called out as she led her father to the office where Foley lay fighting for his life, “Elizabeth, Octavio, can you guys help Captain Murphy back down the stairs? It looks like we might live after all.”

  Carefully, Ava and Ulysses carried Foley’s limp body down three flights of stairs. Once they were outside, Ulysses pointed to the abandoned armored personnel carrier. “Let’s take that vehicle. It’ll give us some cover if we run into enemy troops. It also gives us plenty of room for Foley and the doc.”

  Ava got in and sat beside her husband. Octavio and Elizabeth gingerly assisted Captain Murphy into the vehicle while Ulysses located the keys to the APC.

  “Come on, get in!” Ava offered her hand to Elizabeth.

  Octavio looked at Elizabeth. “I think we’re going to stay back. The hostages have guns to defend the compound until the Alliance forces arrive, but they’re going to need leadership and direction. You take care of Foley. We’ll catch up with you at the big celebration—when Texas officially becomes a member of the Alliance States.”

  “Thank you both; for everything.” Ava nodded and pulled the door closed.

  CHAPTER 28

  Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.

  Isaiah 43:19-21

  Two weeks after the successful invasion of Texas by the Alliance States forces, Ava sat on the couch in Ulysses’ living room. She held Foley’s hand firmly, not wanting to ever be away from him again. Buckley sat on the other side of her. Ulysses stood at the edge of the sofa with his arms crossed, scowling at the dog who had taken his seat while he went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

  Captain Murphy had agreed to come stay at the farm and keep an eye on Foley during the initial stages of his recovery. This allowed Foley to come home to recuperate rather than staying in the overcrowded, makeshift hospital at Altus. Murphy had voiced his regret over not being able to attend to the wounded coming off the battlefield, but with his own injury to care for, a single patient was about all he could handle. The captain sat on the loveseat next to Charity with his wounded leg propped up on one of the kitchen chairs.

  Octavio and Elizabeth had come to visit and to give the captain a ride back to the base now that Foley was up and about. Elizabeth was in the large easy chair and Octavio sat next to her in another of the kitchen chairs, which he’d brought into the living room.

  The group paid close attention to the television as they witnessed the most momentous event in US history since General Lee surrendered to General Grant at the Appomattox Court House ending the first American Civil War.

  The Patriot News Network reporter narrated the scene being played out for all of America. “In a few minutes, roughly a hundred miles away from the Appomattox Court House, the Second American Civil War will come to a much less conclusive end than the first.

  “I’m here on the North Carolina side of Knotts Island. The large farmhouse you see behind me is situated right on the Virginia-North Carolina border. President Ross and Vice President Blackwell will be meeting here with General Secretary Markovich in what will be perhaps the most-tense two minutes ever recorded. They will sign the previously-agreed-upon ceasefire. In addition to the armistice, today will be the date of record on which two separate nations are born out of one.

  “E Pluribus Unum, or out of many one, was the motto of the old United States, but today we will witness the opposite being manifested as, out of one, two countries emerge providing the political and geographical separation which has existed in the hearts and minds of two very different sorts of Americans for decades.

  “Drastic governmental reorganizations have been taken by both sides with new flags representing each country. The United Alliance States has the flag most resembling the old Stars and Stripes. Eleven red and eleven white stripes represent the twenty-two states as do the twenty-two white stars on the field of blue, which remain in the top left corner. The United Alliance States has retained the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the other active amendments except for the 1
6th Amendment. The UAS Congress also added language to the 14th Amendment granting at conception, the full rights and protections provided to all UAS citizens. Additionally, they have stripped away all legal decisions by the Supreme Court. The UAS Congress has also vowed to pass legislation which will restrain the judicial branch from creating new laws through interpretation and legal precedent.

  “The new flag for the People’s Republic of America replaces the red and white stripes with solid red. The blue field in the top left corner has been replaced with white which serves as a background to a single red star representing the socialist progressivism embraced by the country’s leadership. The PRA Politburo has abandoned the founding documents in their entirety and has adopted new models, which have been personally hand-crafted by General Secretary Markovich under the guidance of billionaire investor George Szabos and a special advisory committee from the UN.

  “Reporters have been restricted from attending the signing for security purposes, but we will be airing the live feed provided by President Ross’ administration.

  “Okay, I’m getting a message from my producer, both parties have arrived, we’ll go to the signing now.”

  The television cut to a scene inside the old farmhouse. A long wooden table was the centerpiece of a large formal dining room. Markovich walked in, flanked by his security team, which all wore red armbands. Next, President Ross hobbled into the room. His skin was pale, his eyes sunken, and his appearance gaunt. It would be a long time before he fully recovered from his period of incarceration and abuse at the hands of the man sitting across from him. Vice-President Blackwell escorted Ross into the room, steadying him by his arm, as if he were too debilitated to stand on his own. Ross’ emaciated jaw was locked tightly as he glared across the table with a deliberate snarl for his communist counterpart. Blackwell helped him to his chair, then sat down beside him.