“No, I guess not, Dad.”
“I hope she's not been touched, but these men we hunt are little more than animals.”
Dave, wanting to change the subject asked, “What's for supper?”
Grinning, Dan said, “I don't know, you didn't tell us.” He then broke out laughing.
“If I'm cooking, let me look and see what choices we have.” He moved to the tree and lowered the bag. “It looks like we'll have beef steaks, canned green beans and fried taters.”
“Sounds good to me, but we lost a lot of stuff with the RV burning up.” Jonas said. The vehicle was still sending dense black smoke high into the air overhead. Small flames, while dying down, were still seen.
“For dessert,” he announced, “we'll have watermelon from the Baker farm.”
“Sounds really good to me.” Dan said and glanced at Jonas. He said, “There is nothing we can do about the RV and it's gone, but if we can run those idiots away from the barn, we'll move in there. Right now, I need you to get us a tent made of canvas up, just in case the weather turns bad tonight.”
“The melon we have will be good. Pa was a watermelon growing fool. He grew great veggies, but his apple, peaches, and melons were the very best in the region. A number of grocery stores in Rolla only bought produce from my dad.” His eyes suddenly watered and he said, “But, I think those days are over now. I . . . I miss . . . him more than . . . I thought . . . possible.”
Dan said, “Jonas, we all have lost someone we loved and miss.”
He didn't mention Carol by name, because it would have meant both of them would have been crying. Losing an almost adult child came close to killing Dan and June. They both loved Carol, and while they still got emotional just thinking about her, they tried not to bring her up most of the time. They knew, or hoped, that over the years their pain would lessen or so they hoped.
“Your Dad was a good man.” Dave said and then began fixing supper.
The meal was good, very good, and he was voted the cook for as long as June was gone. Both of the other two could cook as well, but neither was as good as Dave. As Jonas said, “I can make a peanut butter sandwich without burning it, but anything else comes with no guarantees.”
After supper, as Dave did the dishes, Dan said, “All of us will be up at 0400 in the morning and we'll hopefully be at the farm at sunrise. No shooting unless I start, then shoot to kill. If June steps outside you can get ready, because someone will die shortly after. Any questions?”
Silence.
Jonas asked, “Are we riding there or walking?”
“We'll ride there and then sneak up on the camp. I fully intend to get June when we go, but this is no suicide mission and if we can't save her we come back home.” Dan said.
“Hopefully we can surprise them and take her off their hands.” Jonas said.
“You never know, but we'll give it our best try. Now, everyone in bed and let's get some rest. Dave, you have the first watch and then Jonas” Dan said as he stood.
The next day was sprinkling rain as they walked to the deserted farm. The temperature had fallen, but it was not even close to freezing or even being cold. All three were wrapped in their ponchos, attempting to stay dry. No one spoke and Dan liked it like that. It gave him time to think about what could go wrong and how they'd fix things if they turned rough. Finally he gave up; there were too many things that could go wrong and the only answer he had was to fight harder.
Thirty minutes before dawn, the three men were in position and Dave was in the middle. Dan wanted a cup of hot coffee and knew even if he survived it would be hours before he got his hot brew. He close his eyes to rest them and when he opened then again, the sun was up and off in the distance a rooster crowed. Smoke began to climb for the low gray clouds, which promised more rain, and Dan was hoping to get a glimpse of June. He and the other two had their safeties off and all they needed now was to see his wife.
“Here she comes.” Dave whispered and around the corner she moved, a rope tied at her neck, connected to a dog collar. They were moving for the outhouse Jonas had dug after the fire destroyed the house. “When she goes in, I want you and Jonas to fire. I'll move closer to the outhouse so I can rescue her. Give me a few minutes to get into position.”
Dave saw his mother scanning the countryside because she expected something, but she had no idea what. She moved slowly, as if in pain, but Isaac had raped her a number of times and each time he turned violent with her. She had bruises and bite marks all over her body.
The man kept the rope in his hand as June entered the outhouse.
“Kill the man by the door.” Dave said, “so Dad can fetch her.”
“On the count of three. One . . . two . . . three!”
Both rifles fired and the man by the outhouse door fell, his spine broken by the big 30.06 round fired by Dave and his heart was drilled through by a 7 mm slug fired by Jonas. The men lounging by the barn disappeared, all seeking cover from the rifle fire. Dan ran for the outhouse, pulled June out and ran for the brush. A number of rifles fired at him, but all missed. Dave and Jonas returned fire and kept their heads down long enough for the two to get away. Then, they backed into the brush and moved toward June and Dan.
About a quarter of a mile from the barn, they met.
“Keep an eye out and listen for a vehicle. They have motorcycles and a truck. The pickup truck used to be mine.” Jonas said as he jogged beside the others.
Dave said, “They may have a tractor too, because the one in the barn I used once to pull some dead bodies out of the barnyard.”
“Yep, the tractor works, but I forgot about it.”
It was then high pitched motorcycle engines were heard off in the distance.
“They're on the bikes. Everyone, hide, and we might not have to walk home if we do this correctly. We'll ambush them when they are near.” Dan said and then looking at June, he asked, “You okay?”
“I’ll live.”
The bikers brought their motorcycles at a breakneck speed as far as Dan was concerned. When the first bike was about twenty feet away, Dan stood, aimed his shotgun at the rider and jerked the triggers. The blast of the big 12 gauge shotgun was loud and the shot took the rider in the chest and head, removing his head from the neck up and puncturing his chest with 00 buckshot. The man didn't even have time to scream and fell from his bike a dead man.
Dave fired once, and as he worked the bolt action to place another bullet into the chamber, he saw his target falling and heard his loud scream of fear and pain. Aiming at the center of the downed man’s chest, he fired again and saw blood and gore fly from his back. His man was down for good. The man on the third bike stopped, fired a shot and Jonas screamed. When Dave looked at Jonas, the man was one the ground twitching and jerking.
Dave fired a split second after Dan and both shots hit the last rider, who took the shotgun pellets in his left chest and arm. The arm was essentially blown off, because only a strip of skin, maybe an inch wide, remained. The bone and most of the flesh on the arm was gone. Dave's bullet struck the man in the very center of his torso and he folded up as he fell. After striking the ground the man lay still.
The last man shot was alive, but fatally injured, so Dan said, “Check on Jonas as I check the downed men.” he then pulled his big sharp Bowie knife and moved for the first motorcycle operator.
He discovered two of the men were already dead, but the last man shot was alive, only not for much longer. Dan slid the two inch wide blade under and up his chest as he stabbed him slightly below his rib cage. The wounded man gave a horrific scream and then began to jerk. Dan jerked the sharp blade from side-to-side as he twisted the handle, knowing he was slicing the man's major organs. When he removed the bloody blade the injured man tried to sit up, but failed and his eyes grew huge. Two minutes later the man was dead and the smell from his muscles relaxing, which allowed his bowels to empty, was nasty.
“How is Jonas?” he asked as he approached Dave.
Ch
apter 17
“He's dead.” Dave replied.
Dan noticed the farmer was not moving and his eyes were rolled back in his head. His chest and lap were covered in bright cerise. He saw no chest movement.
“No? Are you sure?” Dan moved to injured man, felt the side of his neck and then added, “You're right, I feel no pulse at all. Looks like he took a bullet to the throat.”
“Do we take him back to bury?”
“No, we leave him; we are in a hurry now, and tomorrow I'll return for his body. Right now I'm worried they'll come after us. We need to move, and now. Pick a motorcycle and go, son, now.”
Turning to his wife, Dan asked, “Can you drive a motorcycle right now?”
Nodding her head violently, June said, “We must leave, because they will come for me. Yes, yes, I can do what it takes to reach a safe place. I will do anything to leave!”
They moved to the bikes just as Dave took off toward the RV. It took Dan a good dozen kicks to start his motorcycle and by then June was moving in behind Dave. He was getting concerned when the motor came alive. He mounted, turned the throttle and moved in behind June.
Once at camp, the motorcycles were hidden under a tarp close to the skeleton of the burned RV. Dan then sent Dave up a tall oak, so he could work as an advanced warning if anyone neared.
“Dave, if anyone nears, shoot at them for us. You can be our sniper, but not more than two shots, then out of the tree. If you stay up there shooting too long, they'll kill you. So, take two shots and then out of the tree.”
“I hear ya, and most rifles will shoot right through this tree.”
Turning, he then walked to June. He pulled her into his arms and said, “Are you okay? I wanted to rescue you last night, but had no idea where you really were. This morning was the best we could do. I hope they didn't use you too hard.”
“I was, uh, given to one of the leaders. He got drunk, slipped his hands all over me, especially my breasts, and even tried to kiss me a few times. When I refused him, he got mad, slapped me hard a time or two, and then started drinking Moonshine whiskey. Not long after that he raped me twice and then got sleepy and passed out. I'm lucky the guard allowed me to put some clothes on before they took me out this morning to pee. I spent the whole night naked, and I got cold near dawn. Dan, I've never been so frightened in my whole life. I thought they were going to use me more than they did and that terrified me.”
“How many men are there?”
“I'm not really sure, but I'd guess between fifty and sixty. They're nasty looking animals up close. The next time no surrendering, I'd rather die than return with them and become their whore.” She started crying as soon as she said die, and the rest of her words were hard to understand.
When she lowered her head, Dan raised it with his right hand and said, “Sweetheart, you were a brave woman and I'm sure if they'd all raped you, I would still consider you my lady and the love of my life. They can use and hurt your body, but your mind and heart belong to me.”
She kissed his cheek and whispered, “I knew you'd still love me, no matter what happened and that gave me power. I was determined to survive, no matter what I had to do to live. I am so glad you came for me and we're together again. Only when will one of us die next? I was hurt to learn Jonas is dead. He was a rare man for his age, disciplined is what my daddy would say.”
“I'll go back in the morning, place his body in a rolled up canvas sheet and then drag him back here for a funeral. In a couple of hours all of us will take turns digging him a grave.”
“Right now I need a couple of shots of whiskey, something for breakfast and some sleep. I am so tired. Every noise I heard last night I thought was the man coming to hurt or use me. I'm home now and that is all that matters.”
“Have a few drinks as you cook something to eat. We all ate a couple of hours back, so we're okay until lunch. After that, lay on the kitchen bed and get some sleep. I'll wake you last to dig some. If we can dig down 4 feet in this rock soil, we'll be lucky. Now, go.”
Watching her walk away, Dan smiled, because she was a beautiful woman and he knew she loved him. At that moment he was a very happy man.
*****
Jonas was laid to rest and his grave quickly filled in with dirt. They then carried rocks to cover the grave and maybe discourage any animals from digging him up for food. On the way back to the RV, no one spoke but all three were thinking of the price they were paying to remain free. It would be easy to just give up, but they'd never do that, because they were made of determination and had absolutely no quit in them.
When the entered camp near the burned RV, June turned on the spare portable black and white TV and placed it on a partially decayed stump, as Dan poured himself a double shot of whiskey. He sat on an old log as he listened to the news . . .
“. . . world news tonight is gruesome. I take you to Tom Livingston in Dallas. Tom?”
“Sally, world officials stated today that the world's appearance has changed drastically compared to just last year. The United Kingdom, three hundred miles of France and Australia are gone forever. Just imagine 200 to three hundred miles on any land mass that borders the coast has been cut away and that is what we have. Over a billion people are assumed dead or dying, with the majority dead. Worldwide, at least 50,000 hospitals are gone and so are the patients if they were there when the tsunami hit. Some officials give the number of hospitals damaged or destroyed actually double that figure. In the US today alone, 100 million people are estimated to currently be starving or without shelter. Many millions are dead, and they are the direct results of the tsunami, while many others were killed by the earthquakes that hit worldwide shortly after. The quakes were so strong they could not be measured by any of the machines currently used by geologists. It is estimated that 70 to 80% of all the buildings in America are no longer safe for occupancy, but they are being used anyway. I spoke with Mark Hess, Chief of the Missouri Emergency Management Agency and he said, 'They lost gear in the quake and ran out of supplies in less than a day. There are no supplies due in and surely not expected by the Red Cross or Salvation Army either. Both are running low and estimate they will be unable to assist at all within two days. Word from the Federal Government is that they are doing all they can to assist Americans but they too are facing serious shortages.' At the UN today, the word is they are unable to help anyone and crime is reported as very high, especially in third world nations. Most of the crime is food or shelter related and murders have become common. Folks are now killing others for their food. Communications are down, but we do know the President is on Air Force One and the Vice-President has relocated to Cheyenne Mountain, an Air Force Station. The Air Force Station is located in the Rocky Mountains, in an unincorporated area of El Paso County, Colorado. The Worlds leaders are to meet tomorrow and start working on a plan of recovery. Channel Seven News, 'news when you need it,' I'm Tom Livingston, covering live from the state capital, back to you, Sally.”
“In other news today, the governor, William “Bill” Martin, stated we as a state are in serious danger. Due to our state being right on a fault line along the Mississippi River, each quake destroys structures and kills our citizens. Martin said, “I suspect around 70% of the state’s population is gone and it's a shame to have that many people killed and not be able to do anything to prevent more deaths. I am working closely with MEMA in an attempt to get food and potable water for our citizens, but so far we've had no luck finding either.”
“Turn it off, baby. I have enough to worry about here. I don't need to start worrying about my family here in the state and wondering if they are alive or dead. My brother is a good 200 miles away and that's a long drive on these roads. My other brother and sister live in Rolla, but that town is more or less gone now.” Dan said, his eyes reflecting his deep concern.
“If they are in Rolla, the odds, honey, are they are all dead. As for Gene, he's a smart man like you, so he's probably alive, but it's so hard to say, really.” She clicked the
TV off and turned to Dan as she asked, “If the TV works, will our phones?”
Both are used with satellites, so there is chance the phones work now, if they are charged up. I think it depends on how many towers still stand too. I tried to use mine the first day and got nothing.” He pulled his phone from some supplies he'd brought from the small gear tent, where it had been for a good ten days or so. He'd had all the phones, spare batteries, and flashlights plugged in to charge. He could still see the charging cord, an extension cord, running from the gear tent to about 4 feet from the camper, where it had burned and melted.
Dialing a number, he waited, smiling.
June’s phone rang.
“Oh, baby! They work! Try calling your family now, please.” she saw his number on her phone and grew excited.
Dan punched in the phone numbers of those in Rolla and got no response. Then he called his middle brother, Gene, and waited as it rang.
“Uh, hello?” Gene answered the phone. He was obviously confused with the phone working.
“Gene, this is Dan. Are you okay?” He was unknowingly smiling.
“Well, I'll be, it's really you, huh? I have Lynn here with me, but all the rest of the family in Rolla are dead. She said a quake swallowed some and the collapsing buildings and fires killed the rest. She stole a motorcycle from the parking lot of Save Big, where she worked, and made her way to me. I have my two sons here though, Melanie is alive, and my boys both lost their wives. Most of my grand-babies are alive and many are with me.”
“Tell that sweet wife of yours, Melanie, that we miss and love her. Let sis Lynn know we're alive and we love her too, but we lost Carol. She died with a gun in her hand, defending us. It's turned to survival of the fittest here in Rolla. We moved deep into the Mark Twain National Forest, about 5 miles from Lane Springs and the best trout fishing in the world.”
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