by Ray Wench
She turned her attention back to the standoff. “Hmm!”
Despite his fear, Myron pivoted and looked out the window.
“What’s going on?”
Lynn bit her lip. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think I like it.”
The voices were more conversational now. Myron could only make out a few words, but what he pieced together sent him stiff with fear.
“That’s the deal,” Mark said. “You release our friend, and I’ll take his place.”
Myron yelled, “No!”
A vivid picture of Mark torn apart from a barrage of bullets sent him into action. He bolted for the back door and banged down the steps. His feet carried him toward Mark and the general.
Both men turned toward him.
Mark raised a hand and shouted, “Don’t shoot!”
“No,” Myron shouted again. “You can’t go with them. They’ll kill you.”
Mark spun in a circle and held his hands high. “No one shoot.”
The general held up one hand to his men, but did not speak.
Myron stopped near Mark. “I saw what they do to people who don’t want to join them. You can’t go.”
Mark looked from Myron to the general and then back. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw them.” He pointed to the jeep. “They shot down a man and a pregnant woman. They were running from them. The machine gun opened up and then, and … and their bodies …”
Tears streamed down his face, but anger had replaced his fear.
Mark said to the general, “Is that true?”
West stiffened in defense. “They were shooting at my men. They had no choice.”
“Bullshit!” Myron said. “They were two people running from armed men. They were afraid. The man was trying to protect his family. They never had a chance. The gunner laughed when he was done.”
“Maybe the murderer is within your ranks, General,” Mark said.
The general turned toward the jeep for a moment and then back to Mark. “It’s only this boy’s word against my men. They have a right to defend themselves if fired upon.”
Mark faced the General. “How much of a threat could a man and his pregnant wife have been?”
“It doesn’t change a thing. We have a job to do defending this country.”
“No, it changes a lot. You come in here accusing us of murdering your men, and you’re the one killing the very people you say you want to protect. And what the hell are you protecting the country against?”
West worked his jaw again. This time, however, his eyes held no anger. He put a hand to his jaw and massaged it as if he’d been punched. “Haven’t you wondered what happened to everyone?”
Mark was stunned by the change of tone and topic. His voice softened. “Do you know?”
“Not completely, but we have been in contact with other forces like ours. They say there is an invasion going on. Speculation is that some foreign power, perhaps several, released some form of chemical or biological weapon in our atmosphere. Their troops are now moving across the country, eliminating any opposition.”
“What? And you believe that?”
“I don’t see that I have any choice in the matter. Isn’t it better to be prepared rather than surprised and not be able to stop them?”
“Don’t trust him, Mark,” Myron said.
Mark rolled the new information around his head. Could what West said be true? It would explain some things.
Mark made up his mind. “The deal still stands. You release Juan, and I will go with you. I will help you find the person responsible for killing your men. Like I told you, I saw and heard someone in those woods. When we find him, you can deal with him as you see fit, but then we’re done. I’m going home. But I will add one more part to the deal.
“There is no reason for us to be enemies, especially if what you say is true. So I will offer this. If at any time you need us to help you fight intruders, you send word and we’ll come. That’s the best way for both of us to get what we want.”
West made no reply. He crossed his arms over his chest.
Mark waited for a moment and then stretched out his hand. “Deal?”
Something hard passed through West’s eyes.
“Come on, General. From one American to another, isn’t it good to know there are others out there you can call on when needed? It’s better and a lot less costly than trying to force us to join you. Just consider us your militia.”
“And I’m just supposed to believe you? How do I know you’ll do what you say?”
“Because, as promises were once made in the past, I’ll give you my word.”
Mark’s hand still hung out there.
West accepted the hand and the deal. “Okay. I’ll trust you, American to American.”
West walked to the truck and spoke to one of his men. That man opened the door and helped a battered Juan to the ground. Juan stood until Mark called to him. Juan walked slowly toward him, the pain from moving evident with each step. A flash of anger hit Mark. He tried to swallow it.
He walked toward Juan and wrapped an arm around his waist to help him walk. Juan’s face was bruised and swollen. One eye was almost closed. “Myron, come here.”
Myron ran toward the two men and took Juan around the other side.
“Take him to Lynn and stay in the house until everyone leaves.”
“Are you really going with them?”
“I’ll be all right. Just stay in the house.”
Mark released Juan, and Myron continued guiding the injured man toward the back steps.
West had already motioned his troops back to their trucks. Mark came up behind him. “I’ll accept that the damage you did to that man was before our deal. It doesn’t excuse it, but I’ll let it go. But understand that if any of your men touch another one of my people, I will kill them.”
Leaving West with his jaw open, Mark turned toward the house.
“Are you going to honor the deal?” West called after him.
“Yes, I’m going to say goodbye.”
Fifty-Eight
In the house, everyone rushed to him and began talking at once. Mark hushed them, his gaze locked on Lynn’s. “I’m going with them to help find whoever’s been killing their men.”
Voices exploded all around, imploring him not to go.
He quieted them again. “I made a deal and I’m going to honor it. You should be all right, but keep everyone close to the house for a few days. Set a watch. Send teams two blocks in each direction with the radios.”
Outside, one of the trucks pulled away from the property.
“I shouldn’t be long. Everyone go back to your windows and make sure all the soldiers leave.”
The group moved away. Lynn stepped forward. There was so much Mark wanted to say, but too many eyes and ears were focused on them. He grabbed Lynn’s hand and led her to his room. With the door closed, he scooped Lynn into his arms and held tight.
“I won’t beg you not to go,” she said. “I know you have to. Just please come back to us.” Her lips quivered. “Come back to me.”
“I will.”
Lynn reached behind his head and pulled his face down to hers. Her lips touched his gently at first, and then pressed harder. She broke the kiss, gave one more firm embrace, and then backed away to let Mark go.
“Lynn, please take care of my kids, and don’t let them follow me. Tell them I’ll be back and I’m counting on them to protect the camp.”
She nodded, and Mark left. He trotted down the back stairs and jogged to the waiting truck. The quicker he got into the truck and off the property the harder it would be for his children to follow.
Mark climbed into the cab and shut the door. As it reversed down the driveway, Becca ran from the barn. “Daddy! Wait!” Her voice screeched with a touch of desperation. She ran harder.
In the distance, Bobby walked, carrying the rifle. He lifted a hand as a wave.
The truck drove off leaving Becca behind. M
ark didn’t want to watch. He was afraid of how far Becca would chase them on foot. He closed his eyes, but it wasn’t enough.
“Stop!” he said.
The driver looked at him. The General narrowed his eyes as if expecting a double cross.
“Please, General, just for a moment.”
The General nodded to his driver and Mark jumped to the street. Sure enough, Becca was still following. With a leap she was in his arms.
“Daddy, you can’t go. We just found you.”
Mark held her tight and then roughly pulled her arms apart and separated from her. He squeezed her arms tight. “Becca, you need to listen to me. I have to go help these men. I am not in danger. I need you to stay and protect the others.”
“No! I’m coming with you.”
He shook her. “I am your father. You will do what I tell you to do. Go back to your brother. Go now. I do not want you with me. Do you understand?”
Mark climbed back into the truck without another word and without looking back. His daughter was fragile. He had seen that. Mark could only hope she would survive his rebuke until he returned.
If he returned.
Fifty-Nine
At the base, Mark stood in a semi-circle of uniformed men giving a briefing. A map was taped to a board behind him. “I first saw this person here.” He pointed to the wooded area across the street from the base. “I’m not sure what he looked like. It was just a dark hulking shape. He looked like a moving mound, like he was wearing camouflage. But it wasn’t so much the shape that stuck in my memory as the maniacal laugh. I remember the first time I heard it, it sent chills up my spine.”
One of the soldiers said, “Yeah, I remember hearing that too.”
Mark nodded. “There was a scream too, as if someone were hurt. I wasn’t sure what was going on, so I just ran. I heard that same laugh again over here.” He pointed to the building Becca and Bobby had been held in.
“We had captured one of your men and tied him up. We were going to leave him for you to find. When I returned to the clearing, he was dead. I heard the laugh, but we weren’t about to stick around. The killer was in those woods.”
The lieutenant said, “So how do you propose we find this invisible killer?”
Clearly the lieutenant did not believe him. Mark looked around the faces of the other men. He wouldn’t find many allies here.
“We go out into both sets of woods in groups of two. If the group is too big, the killer may not strike. But we have to stay close enough to help if he does attack. We have to be alert. The other times he struck, there were other things going on to mask his approach.
“And you’re going out there with us, right?” the lieutenant asked.
“Yes.”
“But if you’re the killer, like I think you are, we’ll all be looking for someone else, giving you the chance to kill more of us.”
Mark ignored the comment. “I’ll be in front of you. You’ll be chasing me. That will be the distraction the killer will need. He will attempt to take out the flanks or any stragglers. That’s why you have to keep close to your partner.”
“I’ll be watching you,” the lieutenant said, moving two fingers from his eyes toward Mark. “Any sign of you moving toward one of my men and I’ll kill you. Also, you are not carrying any weapons. That will keep my men safe.”
“And what if the killer tries for me? I’ll have nothing to defend myself with.”
“Too bad. While he’s killing you, I’ll kill him. Besides, we all know we’ll be chasing the real killer. So if nothing happens out there, we’ll bring you back to face a firing squad.”
Mark didn’t reply. There was nothing he could say. The lieutenant pointed to one of his men. “Take his gun and knife.”
Mark didn’t move as the weapons were taken from him. If the bait didn’t entice the killer, Mark would somehow have to disappear. He would not go quietly to a firing squad.
One of the soldiers said, “How will he know we’re there?”
Mark said, “One of you fire a few shots into the woods. That should draw his attention.”
The lieutenant laughed. “That won’t be a problem. I know right where I’ll fire too.”
The lieutenant took a bright orange hunter’s vest from a table and tossed it to Mark. “Put that on.”
“If we don’t make it look real, he’s not going to take the bait.”
“Well, that’ll be too bad for you then, won’t it?”
Sixty
“Dad said for us to stay. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Of course he’s going to say that, Bobby.” Becca paced the barn floor. “He’s our dad. Keeping us safe is his priority. But he doesn’t know how tough we are or what we’re capable of. We make a good team. We can help him.”
Bobby shook his head. Becca’s eyes flared. Snorting out an angry breath she stopped pacing and closed on her brother. “Bobby, he needs us whether he realizes it or not.”
“Even if that were true, we have no idea where he went.”
“Yes, we do. They’re at the base. That’s what Myron told me. He heard them talking. Isn’t that right, Myron?”
Myron had been sitting on a workbench in the back corner. He jumped down and walked toward them. “I tried to warn him. I saw what they did. They shot down two people. The army guys were looking for a killer, and your dad volunteered to help them.”
“You see, Bobby. They’re the killers … and Daddy’s in danger. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t come this far to find him only to lose him again. He needs our help.”
Bobby looked from his sister to Myron and back again. “All right, what do you propose we do?”
Becca smiled. “I think we take a vehicle and go after him.”
“We need more of a plan than that, Sis. We can’t just try a frontal attack. Remember, they think we’re escaped prisoners. They’ll just recapture us.”
“Well, we have to do something.”
“We could take back roads, hide the truck and approach through the woods,” Myron said. “That’s how I did it when I, uh, you know …”
Becca turned her best smile on Myron. “Rescued me? You are just too sweet.”
Becca smiled as Myron blushed beneath the shaggy beard.
Myron added, “We could try that and kinda scout the base out before making any solid plans.”
“That’s a great idea.”
Myron blushed again.
“Come on, Bobby, let’s at least try.”
Bobby nodded.
The trio left the barn and walked toward the pickup truck. Bobby opened the door. “No keys.”
“Let’s try the house,” Becca said.
Lynn met them coming down the stairs. “What is it you think you’re going to do?”
“We’re going to help my father,” Becca said with attitude.
“Your father doesn’t want your help. He told me to watch you and keep you safe. You need to stay here until he comes back.”
“I don’t think so, lady. We don’t need your permission. He needs our help. Now get out of our way.” Becca’s voice was confrontational.
Bobby moved to intervene. “Sis, be nice. I’m sure …”
Becca whipped around and glared at her brother. “No, Bobby. Daddy needs our help, and I’m not going to let anyone stop us.” She spun on Lynn and took a step closer. “Now, we need the keys to that truck. Either give them to us, or get out of our way.”
Lynn glared back at Becca with equal determination. “No. I made a promise to your father to keep you safe, and that’s what I’m going to do. You stay here.”
In a flash, Becca’s hand went to the sheath on her thigh. Her rage so consuming, she wanted to gut this bitch, but her hand closed around nothing. She looked down at the empty holder. “What …? Where’s …?” Then she remembered. The soldiers had taken it from her when they’d been captured. That was another reason Becca wanted to return to the base. She wanted her knife back, the knife her father had given her.<
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Bobby stepped in between the two women and faced his sister. In a harsh tone he said, “You’re out of control, Sis. That’s enough.”
She moved her hardened glare from her brother to the woman over her shoulder. “If anything happens to my father, I’ll be coming for you.”
“That’s enough,” Bobby said, grabbing Becca by her shoulders and shoving her backward. “Myron, grab hold and walk her back to the barn.”
“Becca,” Myron said in a soft voice, “come with me.” He touched her.
She turned on him. Her fury blinded her and she did not recognize the person who stood before her. Myron flinched away from her. Then, as if some magical transformation occurred, the fire left Becca’s eyes and the light returned. Her shoulders and jaw relaxed, and her face became less taut. A long exhale released some of her hostility. “Okay, my brave savior, we’ll go. For now.” And as simple as that they walked away.
Lynn watched the two leave, surprised Becca had gone that easily. When Myron and Becca were almost to the barn, Bobby turned to Lynn.
“I’m sorry for my sister’s behavior. She’s afraid of losing our dad, especially after just finding him. The struggles we’ve had to survive in this new world have been hard on her, but I think the shock of seeing my mother’s and brother’s graves may have pushed her over the edge.”
Lynn responded, “I do understand. It’s been hard for all of us.”
However, this girl was completely out of control. She would have to be watched closely. She could be a danger to the entire community.
“I know you’re worried about your father. But this is what he does to protect us. He takes on the burden himself to spare us. I’ve seen him do some amazing things. He’s a survivor. He’ll be back.” She tried to smile. I have to believe he’s coming back.
“I don’t want to cause any trouble here. And I do respect you as leader here. But he’s our father. If he’s not back by nightfall, we will go looking for him. Please understand I am not trying to cause trouble or threaten you. It’s just the way it is.”
