Youngblood

by H. Peter Alesso

  As his doubts bubbled to the surface, he blurted out, “Kira, I don’t know if I can do this.”

  He despised himself for being weak and indecisive. He hated moments of negative self-reflection, but it seemed to be part of his nature to question himself endlessly over vexing problems.

  His face contorted as he added, “I’ve no experience leading military forces. I could lead these men and women to death and disaster.”

  Kira stopped and grabbed his arm. “You’re the best we’ve got. I know you won’t fail us.”

  “Why? What have I done that would indicate that I have the judgment that’s needed?”

  “Stop that! Don’t doubt yourself . . . or these people.”

  “But . . .”

  “Listen to me. This is a fight that cannot be deferred or wished away.” Then Kira said with more passion than he had ever seen in her eyes, “I saw you standing in the saloon with Lorrie in your arms. You said, her death was unforgivable.”

  Youngblood was taken aback with the emotional impact of her words.

  They stood staring at each other for a long moment, then Kira said, “This battle must be fought . . . and you must lead it, or . . . or we’re all lost. The people believe in you. I believe in you.”

  Youngblood drove away the doubts and fears. He was finally resolved on a course of action, he said, “Call the captains and staff together in the command center for a council of war.”

  ◆◆◆

  William sat in a corner of the room anxiously discussing the situation with Mack. Despite the breeze, the crowded room was like an oven because of the roaring fireplace. Several oil lanterns hung in the room as were others around the encampment. Youngblood felt the perspiration prickling under his collar. He chose to ignore his personal discomfort and concentrate on reaching a consensus on his plan of action.

  Youngblood said, “Reading manuals about military tactics and operations is not the same as having an experienced leader who understands how to implement them, but I intend to do my best if you will follow me.”

  Kira said, “We’ll do our best to carry out your plans. We’re ready.”

  “We should call this place ‘Valley Forge,’” said Pyro, “but without the snow. It’s nothing more than a crude combination of buildings, tents, and campfires, but hopefully, it will our first step to victory.”

  “I don’t know,” said Lew. “It would be safer to retreat to Jamestown.”

  “Yes, that seems prudent,” echoed Henry.

  “I wouldn’t advise that,” said William.

  The weight of responsibility was on Youngblood, but he needed to let everyone have a say and become invested in his plan. Only then could he trust that they would carry out his orders. He struggled to find a way to turn simple countrymen into warriors.

  He said, “If we head for Jamestown it’ll be with our tails between our legs and Jarod will have time to rally his forces.”

  “That’s true,” said Malcolm, shrugging his shoulders.

  Youngblood said, “If we give Jarod time, he could consolidate his victory over Blackheart and reorganize his forces. Then he could attack Jamestown at a time of his choosing.”

  “Yes, but we’re not ready to fight. We have limited supplies and arms and training. What if the men panic and run?” asked Lew.

  “Have you forgotten the beating we took at Jamestown a few weeks ago? The dead and wounded, including Ben and . . . and . . .,” said Mack. He couldn’t bring himself to say “Lorrie,” but everyone pictured her in their minds.

  Youngblood recalled his combat experience at Jamestown. He felt the exhilarating rush of adrenaline that comes from facing a life-or-death gamble.

  He said, “It’s better to take a chance to achieve something now that the video recording I released to Jarod has turned him against Blackheart. There is fighting going on in the Yosemite bunker as we speak. It might be the only chance we ever get.”

  “To hear you say it, its now or never,” said Malcolm.

  “Damn it,” said Williams, “We did our best at Jamestown, but we were outnumbered and outgunned. Things are different now. After the battle going on inside Yosemite, we should outnumber Jarod’s remaining forces and with the weapons Youngblood brought us, we are as well armed, if not better.”

  Youngblood said, “William is right. We have the numbers and the weapons. I also broke into their security system and stole access codes to some of their tunnel doors and hatches. My plan is that we march up the Yosemite canyon and scale the mountain ridge. From there, we can launch a surprise attack on their surface portal and break into the hatches and tunnel doors and attack the bunker complex. What do you think?”

  “Well, . . .”

  “Huh?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The wind picked up and set some of the lanterns to swaying, throwing moving shadows about the room.

  “An assault through the compromised doors and tunnels has the best chance,” said Youngblood. “But we must act immediately,”

  “Immediately?” asked Lew with a frown.

  “Immediately?” asked Henry, his jaw dropping open.

  “Otherwise, we’ll lose the advantage we’ve gained from sowing dissent inside Jarod’s camp.”

  “Yes,” said Pyro. “We should set out tonight.”

  “Tonight is our call to action,” chimed in Kira.

  “It’s the best time,” said Youngblood. “Jarod will not expect us to move so quickly from our encampment.”

  “How would you make the attack, Youngblood?” asked Williams.

  Youngblood had his ideas organized now. He brushed aside the weariness of weighty responsibilities and replaced it with a glow of enthusiasm.

  He said, “It will take our troops several hours to get into position on the ridge. By that time, we can haul our heavier weapons into position and be ready to stage our attack before dawn. The canyon and mountain ridge are lightly guarded, if at all, given the disruption Jarod’s men have been through.”

  “Then what?” asked Henry.

  Youngblood reached the realization that not everyone could leap to the understanding of the plan that his imagination had created.

  “The militia will make its way up the crest of the canyon without difficulty. They can continue forward along the ridgeline in a column to a gully very near the portal entrance into the Yosemite bunker.”

  “You make it sound easy. But we must keep hundreds of men together in the dark on the side of a mountain,” said Lew, shaking his head.

  “It wouldn’t be easy,” said Henry, shaking his head in unison.

  “We can do it,” said William.

  “What makes you think so?” asked Lew.

  Youngblood said, “Jarod had several hundred men when he attacked Jamestown. But he had causalities too. Now he is engaged in a heavy battle inside Yosemite where he is suffering more casualties. He can’t spare many men as sentries outside the mountain to guard the entrances. We can get into position before he’s aware and with more men at the point of attack than he can muster.”

  “So, we will succeed?” asked Lew.

  “Is it possible?” asked Henry.

  Kira said, “We must try, but again, time is short.”

  Youngblood said, “Once we’ve reached the ridge and entered the hatches and tunnel doors, we can split up and take the different sectors of the bunker. I have a diagram of the layout and we can take key junction points and prevent Jarod from gathering large numbers of men to form a counterattack.”

  “That’s true,” agreed William.

  The building’s wooden beams creaked when a wind gust struck the shelter causing a momentary distraction that had a few heads turning.

  They cast hard stares at one another for several more seconds until . . .

  “Damn it,” said Mack. “Let’s do it. We’ll show them.”

  “Great,” said Pyro.

  “I’m in,” said Williams.

  Lew squirmed in his chair, willing to encourage othe
rs to fight, but now feeling the pressure that he too would have to join. Finally, he said, “I guess we should do it.”

  Henry echoed, “We should do it.”

  Malcolm nodded.

  Youngblood said, “Very well, then, we are all agreed.” It was the decisive moment. Everything so far had been preparation. Now was the moment of action when things would be implemented. It meant commitment. With unflinching eyes, he issued a series of rapid-fire orders to implement the decision. “Captains brief your men and get them in gear. Be ready to march in one hour.”

  “Yes, sir,” they chorused together and a moment later they were off to attend to their duties.

  Kira and Pyro remained. Youngblood couldn’t tell what emotions were playing out across their faces; anxiety, fear, enthusiasm, concern; they were all there. He had his own as well. He knew they were active subordinates, though restless ones, yet they were capable of aiding in this venture. Even so, he was putting them at risk and that made him uncomfortable. His internal mental debate weighed the pros and cons of his decisions; it was more his personal instincts and biases rather than any logical judgment. He decided he needed these two at his side if he were to go into battle. He had grown fond of them and trusted them, and he needed them. Would he regret putting them in harm’s way?

  “Stay close to me.” The words formed without his volition exposing his emotional attachment.

  Pyro and Kira nodded, affirming their own affection for him.

  He added gruffly, “I’ll need your advice and you can relay orders to the captains.”

  “Sure.”

  “Yeah.”

  They spent the next several minutes going over details of the march and organizing the deployment for battle. The discussion included equipment and weapon distribution as well as how many supplies to carry.

  Pyro asked, “Should we bring several days supplies and prepare for camping in the hills?”

  “No. Carrying and transporting significant supplies is too much of burden. Each man is to carry only a knapsack supply for a day. If we haven’t succeeded by then, we’ll have lost the battle and been forced to retreat.”

  Kira said, “I agree. Move fast. Strike hard.”

  “Anything else? Is it all settled?” asked Youngblood.

  Kira and Pyro nodded.

  “Very well. Issue the orders and let’s be off.”

  They left the house and joined the militia forming up in the meadow. Time slipped by fast as they completed their preparation.

  ◆◆◆

  The wind had died as the night cooled but the air remained humid while the men marched in a ragged formation along the canyon trail. The granite cliffs loomed above as they trod upward on the rocky slope. The ascent was easy at first, but as the slope increased so did the toil. With their knapsack on their back, a pistol in their holster, and a rifle slung over their shoulder, each man and woman kept up a strong pace.

  As Youngblood led the vanguard, a dark figure caught up with him.

  “All companies are moving as ordered,” reported William, waving his arm at the raggedy column of men and women. “Mack is bringing up the rear.”

  “Very well,” said Youngblood. “Keep up the pace of the advanced guard. I’m going to scout ahead. I’ll send instructions as we continue.”

  William tensed and said, “Shouldn’t you stay with the main body?”

  “The men are well underway. I need to know what’s in store for us before it happens if I’m going to make good decisions in this battle. The best place for me is at the forefront.”

  “Yes, you’re right,” said William, but the hesitation in his voice made his reservations clear.

  Youngblood said, “Keep the men quiet. And keep them together. Don’t let anyone fall too far behind.”

  William nodded.

  Youngblood set off with Pyro and Kira at his side. In the darkness, they could hear the scrambling footsteps behind them. The companies were straggling along the trail with occasional swearing as someone fell and cried out.

  A few men were on horseback riding alongside and a few horses were used as pack animals. After they crossed the causeway and the slope became too steep, the horse’s packs were transferred to men.

  It was a long hard climb up the canyon, hard ground soon became loose rocks, and then small boulders and scraggly bushes became obstructions. Men sweat and clumped along the trail with their weapons and equipment clinking and making random noises.

  “Silence!” rang out several times but to little avail.

  Mosquitoes and insects jabbed at them as they worked their way under the faint starlight for the moon had not yet risen.

  “Pyro go back and tell William to keep the men quiet. Tell him we’re about to reach the top of the ridge and we’re getting close to the final gully. He should bring the men forward in good order.”

  When Pyro was gone Youngblood and Kira surveyed the landscape.

  “We’re on the crest,” said Kira. “You can see the gully and outcrop where they should have sentries guarding the portal hatches.”

  “About a mile?”

  “Possibly less.”

  “Let’s get closer and see how the ridge lays out.”

  He felt reassured to have Kira at his side.

  “It’s a useful path with no obstruction. You go back to William and guide him to this point. I’m going onward. I want to see how many men are guarding the portal area and what defenses they have.”

  After an hour, William had brought the five companies to the one-mile point and they stopped to rest. It was an anxious moment as the militia approached the dominating physical feature, the Yosemite bunker portal with its entrance hatches. Though none had slept and had marched a long hard distance, they were in good spirits as they chewed on a bit of beef jerky and rubbed sore limbs.

  Youngblood joined his captains to discuss final preparations.

  He said, “There are thirty to forty guards on the ridge around the portal. They have a defensive position with a moat-like trench followed by a low barricade that will provide cover for firing positions.”

  “Not what we were expecting,” said William, with a frown.

  Youngblood ordered, “We need to get more info.”

  “Mack, what’s your assessment?”

  Mack thought about the position of the planned assault. He said, “The above ground defenses are stronger than we thought, but what’s inside that bunker waiting for us?”

  William interjected, “Once we can take this key position, those inside don’t have a chance.”

  Youngblood studied the map.

  Mack said, “Those men will want to surrender the first chance they get. Jarod made as serious blunder letting us reach this portal to the bunker.”

  Events were evolving.

  “What do we do?” asked Lew.

  William said, “We charge headfirst before they realize their exposure.”

  Youngblood wavered.

  I must decide.

  He said, “We need to move cautiously and not waste lives.”

  Henry took a step back “What can we do?”

  A plan was already forming in Youngblood’s mind. “If we act immediately before they call for more reserves, we can overrun them. Our men will get as close as possible before charging at them.”

  Henry shook his head in doubt.

  “They might seal the portal with explosives. Will our men be fast enough?” asked William.

  “Possibly,” said Youngblood. “Jarod can’t have many more in the area protecting their position.”

  William and Mack exchanged glances.

  The ridge barricade was the key defensive position of high ground overlooking the approach. Beneath it was the tunnel system that extended throughout the mountain range. Once they took that strong point there was no stopping them.

  From Youngblood’s study of the tunnel network, the underground city was built to withstand nuclear bombs falling from the sky. However, its tunnel entrances were not intende
d to be defended from a direct ground assault.

  He said, “Once we have the portal, we can drive off the others and penetrate into the tunnels.”

  He hammered home that seizing the portal was key to their fortune. The portal was protected by a trench and a barricade running around a wide perimeter, if Jarod’s men put up a stout defense they could cause many casualties.

  He said, “Surprise is everything”

  A figure appeared out of the dark.

  “Everyone’s ready to move,” reported Pyro.

  “Okay,” he said, “I’ll go with the lead company for the final push. You tell Mack to keep the rest together. Don’t get distracted or lost.”

  The most difficult climb was ahead of them as they approached the portal. It was full of jagged and irregular shaped rocks. There were many cases of someone slipping and falling.

  Pyro and Mack chide the men to keep together and keep quiet.

  Kira said, “The main party is a quarter mile behind.”

  “Very well,” said Youngblood as he moved stealthily toward the portal.

  He gave the final orders as the men prepared for their assault. They remained hidden from detection in a gully a hundred yards from the portal barricade while the final minutes ticked away.

  A half dozen enemy men were patrolling, but they failed to notice Youngblood and his men sneaking ever closer until it was too late.

  “Prepare to attack.”

  But some men were already stirring and advancing.

  Youngblood rose up out of the gully, ran forward, and without looking to see if anyone was following him, he shouted, “Charge!”

  Scrambling and yelling like madmen they swarmed up the gully slope in a jumbled mass of arms and legs slipping and sliding, but finally finding their footing and running.

  A moment later, Youngblood yelled, “Fire!”

  The next second seemed like an eternity as he waited with everything crystallized and suspended as if he were frozen inside a painting.