“Any idea what that’s about?” Lauren asked.
“I don’t have the foggiest clue what it could be,” Jean said.
“What it could be,” Woo Tang said, reappearing seemingly at the last minute before departure, “is that our trip has distorted into a shitshow.”
Lauren giggled and pulled her beanie over her head and ears. “Truer words were never spoken, my friend.”
Lauren and Jean took the lead with Lazarus and Francis hiking alongside one another behind them, where they continued their strife. Woo Tang took up the rear, eyeballing both of them as their quarrel went on nonstop and intensified.
“Have they ever argued like this before, Jean?” Lauren asked, turning to check on them periodically.
Jean shook her head. “No, never. If they weren’t cousins, you’d think they were best friends. They’ve known each other forever, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen them at each other’s throats like that.”
Lauren didn’t say anything and kept her eyes on the prize, pushing forward through the mountain pass. Another mile underfoot, then another, and before long, the argument reached a fever pitch. Lazarus and Francis began pushing each other and a scuffle ensued. Both men wrapped each other up and fell into the snow, rolling over one another, throwing wild punches at each other’s faces amidst curses and blasphemes.
Woo Tang went into action and tried separating them on his own, but the men were skinny and strong, entangled like steel cable. No sooner did he gain control of them did he misplace it.
Jean made her way over and moved in behind Francis. She pled with both of them, did what she could to help, and even tried stopping Lazarus’s punches from striking her husband’s face.
Growing frustrated with her interference, Lazarus took a break from his assault on Francis and switched targets. He drew back and belted Jean in her cheekbone with a right, sending her reeling backward into the snow.
Seeing this, Lauren lost every bit of her restraint. “No fucking way!” She dropped her rifle and pack and hurried into the fray, tackling Lazarus head-on to the frosty terrain.
The two men separated now, Woo Tang pulled Francis from the fight and held onto him, motioning for Jean to accompany him.
Lauren grabbed Lazarus by his jacket collar and rose, pulling him upright along with her. Still entranced by rage, Lazarus pushed her off him and swung on her wildly.
Lauren blocked the punch and the man’s arm caved onto hers. She secured it, pulled hard and twisted it, then used its leverage to adroitly throw his body headlong over her shoulder, doing so as if he were weightless.
Lazarus landed fiercely with a loud grunt and lay flat on his back in a daze.
Lauren stood over him, awaiting a counteroffensive, but Lazarus only lay there like a slug, his chest pounding, whimpering and defeated.
She panted and pointed a finger in his face. “I don’t care who you are, if you ever raise your hand to a woman again, I’ll kill you. And that includes me.”
Francis went to consoling his wife, and Woo Tang stood silent and alone for a moment, surveying the abomination his new mission had become.
After Lazarus gathered himself, he surveyed his options and came to the realization he was slowly but surely running out of supporters. He noticed that Woo Tang was by himself now, and cautiously slithered in beside him. “Hey, thanks for your help breaking that up. I know, I probably screwed up back there. I’ve been meaning to tell you thanks for coming along and I appreciate everything you’ve done so far. You’re, uh…pretty impressive.” He paused dramatically, motioning to Lauren. “Not sure about that one, though. Wish I knew what her deal was. You…got any idea?”
Woo Tang squared off with him but said nothing.
“It’s just that…you seem to know her. Is she…bipolar? Have a rough childhood or something? Seems a might off-kilter to me.”
The SEAL sent a searing glare to the long-haired man. His face went rigid as iron, and the scar on his face stiffened, giving the impression of a lightning bolt, jagged, encrusted with grime, ire, and brutal murder. “Lazarus…at present, you are standing in my personal space.”
Lazarus stammered. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped open; then he promptly measured the distance separating him and the shorter, much broader, now highly agitated man. Deciding it best not to push his luck, he backed away, palms held out in subtle surrender. “I’m…sorry to bother you.”
Chapter 17
The cabin
Trout Run Valley
Tuesday, January 4th. Present day
“You want some help with that?” Grace called, rounding the rear corner of the cabin.
Michelle was using a scoop shovel to clear a path between the driveway, the cabin, and the shed. At present, she was working on the wooden bridge that stretched over Trout Run, and the soreness in her lower back was menacing. She’d taken breaks often, but there seemed little she could do to alleviate the pain.
Michelle dumped a shovelful of wet snow over the bridge’s edge, sending clumps splashing into the icy water below. “I’ll manage, Grace, thank you. I’m fairly certain it isn’t advisable for pregnant women to engage in manual labor. Hope that doesn’t sound too judgy.”
“Oh, no,” Grace responded clumsily. “I wasn’t offering my help. No…I was going to have Christian put his back into it.”
Michelle chuckled. “It’s very kind of you to offer his assistance. I guess I should’ve known…considering your slight aversion to working with your hands.”
“Slight?” Grace pulled the collar of her jacket tightly around her neck and observed the scene. “You’ve got a lot done. You’ve been out here all morning with that thing.” She pointed at the shovel. “I bet you have blisters all over your hands.”
“Actually, I do. And my blisters have given birth to more blisters.”
“Baby blisters,” Grace remarked. “Cute analogy. Why aren’t you wearing gloves?”
“I can’t find them, for some reason,” Michelle said. “Looked over the house forever…I don’t know what I did with them. Then again, knowing me, I probably moved them and set them somewhere they shouldn’t be, making these blisters some form of penance.”
Grace nodded and shivered. “Serves you right. Well, if you don’t want any help, I’m going back inside where it’s warm. Dr. Doolittle has me reading that What to Expect…pregnancy book.”
“I didn’t even know we had that one.”
“We didn’t. Kim had the paperback in her library, conveniently enough.”
“I read it a long time ago.” Michelle tilted her head. “What do you think of it?”
“What do I think of it?” Grace quipped. “I think it’s bizarre. But then again, finding out I was with child was a pretty damn bizarre occurrence too.” She rolled her eyes crazily. “Oh well, call me if you need me. You know where I’ll be.” She then turned and scuttled along the path Michelle had made back to the cabin.
Michelle smiled, watching her prance away. “If you only knew the half of it.”
She resumed her work and finished clearing the bridge. A few minutes after, she heard an engine on the approach. As she turned toward the gate, a multicolored snowmobile with a driver and passenger came into view. It stopped at the gate and the rider hopped off and sent a wave to the driver while fumbling with the gate. The snowmobile made an incredibly tight U-turn and sped away in the opposite direction.
Michelle squinted over the snow’s brightness as the figure moving toward her slipped off a protective ski mask, exposing the face of a friend.
Norman waved to her while making his way over. “Looks like you’ve been doing some trailblazing,” he said, studying the path.
“Look who’s talking. I didn’t know anyone in the valley owned a snowmobile.”
“Yeah, me neither. Kristen dragged it out a week or so ago,” Norman said. “Evidently, Michael bought it a couple of years back with some of his ‘mad money’. He has quite a collection of recreational goodies collecting dus
t in that metal shed behind their old place. Kristen’s been reluctant to go in there since he passed…but she’s coming around, slowly.” He inched closer. “That’s a lot of slogging there, Michelle. You didn’t do all that by yourself, did you?”
Michelle pushed the shovel into the snow and leaned on it with both hands. “No, it’s been all me. The holidays are over now. And we might as well get the routine going again…or some semblance of it, anyway.”
Norman nodded. “Not a bad idea at all.” Then he went silent for a time and stared at the ground.
“Norm? Did you come here to talk? Lend a hand? Or gawk at my boots?”
“Actually, I came by to ask you something.”
“Then ask me.”
“Sorry, just that I’m trying to find the right words,” Norman said. “It’s more of a favor I need to ask of you. Seeing as how I no longer have a vehicle of my own and we kind of lost both trailers a few weeks back, I was wondering if I could borrow the Suburban for a couple of days.”
Michelle’s posture stiffened and her brows drew in. “I…don’t have a problem with that. What do you need it for? Actually, never mind that—why are you even asking? You’re approaching me as if we don’t know each other, and we do.”
Norman hesitated a long moment. “Yeah, I know. And I’m sorry, it just feels funny asking to borrow it, that’s all.”
“Well, it shouldn’t.” Michelle looked away and lowered the shovel’s handle for another scoop. “You know where the keys are.”
Norman nodded. “I appreciate that. Thank you.” He paused. “Michelle, I think it’s only fair to tell you what the plan is. In the coming days, I’ll be moving some things.”
“Moving some things where? Such as?”
“Well, it’s probably more accurate to say that I’ll be moving everything.”
Michelle stopped working and set the shovel aside. She began rubbing her hands. “I don’t understand. You never hinted to this…or mentioned anything about doing this before.”
“I know I haven’t, though I probably should have a while back,” Norman replied, digging his boot into the snow.
Michelle sent a gracious smile. “Is it Kristen?”
Norman hung his head, opting not to answer.
“Norm, it’s okay—it’s seriously okay. I’m not the only one who’s taken notice, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. I think it’s good that the two of you found each other. I certainly never expected you to hang around here and be alone the rest of your life. That wouldn’t be fair.”
Norman’s head bobbed. “I appreciate you saying so. I don’t want there to be any hard feelings, Michelle. And yes, a lot of this does have to do with Kristen. There’s something there, though neither of us has been able to put our fingers on what exactly it is. But it’s making us happy and we want to pursue it, and it’d be awkward doing so with me living here. Looking back, I probably should’ve said or done something about this…living arrangement sooner. I think it would’ve prevented some folks from getting…I don’t know—”
“The wrong idea?”
“Yeah, that.”
“It’s ironic. I was just talking to Kim about that very thing the other day,” Michelle explained. “Our…relationship hasn’t been easy for those watching from the sidelines to comprehend. I blame Alan for that…I blame him for a lot of things. But what he asked you to do, he knew he couldn’t ask of anyone else. Of all his friends, he trusted you more than any of them. And you know what? He was right about you. You dropped everything and helped us; you got us here and helped get us started. If you feel you need to leave, then please don’t let us stand in your way. And don’t feel like you owe us an explanation. We all love you. But you have a life to live and two sons to look after, and you almost lost one of them. If you feel this is for the best, then go. Do it. Live your life. And the Suburban is at your disposal.”
Norman locked eyes with her. “Thank you, Michelle. That means a lot. I’ll keep the truck in one piece, though it probably won’t do me much good until we finish this little portage you started.”
“Until we finish?”
Norman gestured for Michelle to hand the shovel over. “Give me that. You go inside and warm up. Put some comfy clothes on, prop your feet up, and slather some lotion on those hardworking hands. I’ll take it from here.”
Chapter 18
Hardy County, West Virginia
Wednesday, January 5th. Present day
Jean’s terrified echoes awakened Lauren from a short-lived slumber. She and the others had slept in shifts overnight to keep watch over the camp, and the latest one was presumed covered by the likes of Lazarus and Francis, allowing her, Jean and Woo Tang some time to rest.
When she pried her eyes open, she could see Jean scurrying about the camp, going through her husband’s things as well as those belonging to the militia leader. Woo Tang had risen and was on his way to join her so he could ascertain just what in the hell was going on this time around.
“I don’t know where my husband is,” Jean snapped. “He and Lazarus got up to pee over an hour ago, and they haven’t come back yet.”
Lauren unzipped her bivy and pulled herself from her sleeping bag then went to stuffing overnight items into her backpack.
“In what direction?” asked Woo Tang.
Jean put the back of her hand to her forehead worriedly. “I don’t rightly remember. I want to say they went down yonder, but I don’t know. I was half asleep when Francis told me.”
Jean indicated the deep gully below them. The camp had been selected on high ground so anything or anyone coming their way could be spotted long before becoming a threat.
Woo Tang walked to the embankment’s edge. “The snow reveals two sets of overlapping tracks that persist beyond my line of sight.” He looked to Lauren. “Remain with Jean. I will look to this.” He then gathered his weapon and rucksack and started off.
“What do you think he’s going to do?” Jean asked.
Lauren put a hand on her shoulder. “Whatever he can. I’m going to make us some hot tea. Want some?”
She nodded, looking frazzled. “That sounds nice.”
Woo Tang returned an hour later with a vinegary look on his face. “The tracks lead to an area of levelling terrain and converge with another set of tracks one half klick from here.”
“What does that mean? Were they taken?” Jean asked.
“That is unclear. The tracks file into a portage that leads to a dilapidated wooden structure approximately one hundred meters south, possibly a dwelling. Wood smoke is rising from the chimney. I presume Lazarus and Francis to be held inside.”
“Any idea who with?” Lauren asked.
“That is also unclear, as were signs of struggle,” Woo Tang said. “The whole scenario has me puzzled, Lauren Russell. It is not adding up.”
Jean’s worry started to overtake her. “Well, puzzled or not, we’re not just going to leave them there, are we? Can’t we do something?”
Woo Tang didn’t answer her, only stared malcontentedly into the forest.
Lauren squeezed Jean’s shoulder, then pulled her friend aside.
“I know what you wish to ask,” Woo Tang said. “And you should know my feelings on this matter are very much in conflict.”
She frowned. “Jae, that’s not like you.”
“I do not believe either of us has been ourselves as of late.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Woo Tang’s brows knitted. “I understand this may come across as sounding insensitive, but I do not desire to involve myself in these matters. That is not why I am here—this is not why either of us are here.”
“And you think I do?” Lauren queried. “I never expected this trip to be easy, but the plan was cut and dry. I was going home, and for some reason, this whole thing has turned to shit since we left. Regardless, I can’t in good conscience just stand here and do nothing about this. Lazarus is one thing, but I can’t leave Jean’s husband down there to di
e. Inaction has consequences too. And that means I have to go. And that means you have to go with me. Otherwise, you’ll be disobeying orders.”
Woo Tang squinted one eye. “Remind me not to be so forthcoming with you in the future,” he said. “Point taken, Lauren Russell. However, hearken this: we have no support element of which to speak. It is only you and me. There is no way to estimate the size of the opposing force or their objectives. The environment in which we are located is both unfamiliar and unforgiving. Forget rules of engagement, as those rarely coincide with acting on sentiment, what we feel to be proper and just.”
“It’s not like we haven’t done anything like this before,” Lauren said somberly, recalling the time she and Woo Tang had gone together into coarse territory to take on Sir William.
“The situation to which you refer bore some similarities, though not many,” said Woo Tang. “In retrospect, it was foolish to act as we did, without the advantage of support. Choosing to act on this situation now is one and the same, divergent of judiciousness.”
“I know that,” Lauren said. “And I know the risks. Going after baldy wasn’t smart, but he’s dead, we made it out of there alive, and I’m thankful.” A pause. “I’m not Lazarus’s biggest fan; the man repulses me. And I don’t know the details about the arrangement the Sons have with Bernie and Ruth. If their leader gets hurt or killed or never makes it back, what happens to the protection they provide? If that goes away, what would happen to those kids? Where do they go without Bernie and Ruth and without that farm?”
Woo Tang exhaled and turned his head away. “You need not convince me further.” He started off, gathered his things, and performed a weapons check.
“Hey, just wait, you two,” Jean said. “Are you really going down there?”
“There is no other option,” Woo Tang responded.
“Oh my,” Jean reacted. “Listen, I don’t want y’all to think I’m a coward. I love my husband, but I don’t have a clue what to do here.”
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