Merry's Marauders (Book #2 ~ Scenic Route to Paradise, refreshed 2016 edition)

by Andrea Aarons

  “Yes, I know how to shoot but all my expertise is of no use if we don’t have weapons,” he was saying.

  “Tom Biggs, we can get guns,” Mac responded to the older man. “You Americans are wonderfully supplied with guns. Besides the small hand gun I brought with me…” He pulled a 9mm from behind him, apparently held in the waistband of his bluejeans and concealed by his black leather jacket, laying it on the table. Merry hadn’t looked back to him although she felt he was still smiling, even as he spoke but she did look at the gun. Lenny was more surprised than Merry and young Junior seemed to take it in as an everyday occurrence; in his old world of drugs and lawlessness, it was common place. Merry wondered about how he brought the gun through airport security, et al.

  Interrupting, Tom Biggs in the wheelchair let off a burst of laughter. “Well, if it isn’t Marshall Mac Dillon!” he said.

  “… Besides this weapon I have obtained three more since my arrival,” finished Mac. Merry wondered if the three other guns would appear out of seemingly mid-air too. Mac didn’t produce any more guns but he explained that Mrs. Ortiz had handed over her husband’s .22 with a dozen boxes of shells. Also, the house across the street had a rifle and handgun hidden in the master bedroom closet.

  Lenny’s nighttime focus was to find food which the women could retrieve and bring back to the Hacienda but Lenny’s primary mission was to find guns and ammo for the group’s protection. Nightly for the next week or more depending on the danger level, Lenny was assigned to take two women with him and scour the surrounding area. Mac was expecting trouble beginning this very night but he also, expected periods of calm and if so, they needed to take advantage of the lulls.

  Junior would be the group’s eyes. “You will do what I did at your age. Espionage. It is dangerous, thrilling and extremely important during wartime. Did I say it was dangerous? It is. You and I will work closely together and I will teach you some important techniques that will be very useful to you,” Mac explained. That morning, it was at the breakfast table meeting when Junior was won over by Mac and Mac’s leadership strength.

  “Tom Biggs, I am truly sorry to find that you are the last of our elderly roommates. When we heard that some had died after the electricity was knocked out... we didn’t realize that meant all but one,” Mac addressed Tom.

  Tom said without remorse, “It’s a shame but they were a bunch of old people. This place is one stop from the River Styx. It must have been their time to go. We all got a calendar day.”

  Sighing, Mac said, “Yes, but I don’t like to lose anyone even the most feeble among us. You seem to be in reasonable health. Why are you in here?”

  “I’m recovering from the after effects of the flu... influenza. I got real sick during the holidays and so my family wanted me to recover without inconveniencing themselves. I was as mad as heck when I ended up in here. Friday I was to be released to go home,” Tom said. He added, “I live by myself up north. My children are grown and married, of course. My wife... dearly departed.”

  Mac nodded thoughtfully.

  Lenny thinking of his grandparents and his own grandmother being a recent widow, said, “Well, we’re glad you’re here with us, especially since you’re a widower. When did your wife pass on?”

  “Pass on? You mean die?” questioned Tom. Even as Lenny nodded, Tom Biggs spoke. “Oh, the little trollop didn’t die. She merely departed. She left me and took as much money as she could when she departed.”

  Silence and then Mac coughed. Radically changing the subject, he said, “Mr. Biggs, as you must realize this situation calls for all men on deck... even those who have retired to their bunks after a full life... er, full days work.” Mac looked around at the others although Merry noticed his glanced lingered with her. Uncomfortable about being caught admiring his appearance, Merry nonetheless gazed back at him with a straightforward look hoping to portray indifference. She wondered if anyone else noticed the imperceptible nod he gave her as his eyes shifted to Tom again. Mac asked, “Are you married to that wheelchair? You had influenza. In my country a severe cold does not result with retirement to a wheelchair.”

  Tom’s thick silver eyebrows responded to this challenge as if they were two rival gangs living above his pale blue eyes. He said, “Well, I perceive you’re a man of many professions, Dr. Kill Dare.” He motioned behind him with his head and said, “Nurse Ratchet put me in this chair when I first arrived and once I found out how deathly cold these tiled floors are... Well, I began moving about using four-wheel drive instead of fancy footwork.”

  Made sense to Merry.

  Mac shook his head. “Today, you put the chair away and join the ranks of our fine company of merry marauders.” Mac went on to detail Tom’s duties of managing the house when no other men were available. He said, “Counting young Junior here, there are four men. Three of us will be on duty much of the time but when were are not, this place must continue to be secure and provisioned.” Mac looked around the room appreciatively. It was a large kitchen and cafeteria set-up able to easily accommodate a dozen or more elderly or recuperating clients, like Tom Biggs and a staff. Besides the nurses’ quarters, there were seven patients’ rooms.

  Mac said, “Even with so few men, this place is idea for defense. One drawback is that there is no place to put the vehicles so we need to decide if we can afford to lose them or can we conceal them for future use? Tom you work on that and let me know later today. If we remain undecided, the near future will decide for us.”

  Mac emphasized discipline and hygiene. “Either area can be the weak link in morale but especially in times of severe hardship. Either one can mean life or death.” He looked at Merry. “You with your friend Patsy will keep the women in line. They need us and we need them... The fewer loyal people we have, the more vulnerable we are. Remember that.”

  Conscious of Sylvia standing in the kitchen area, Merry reasoned that most of this conversation would be repeated to Tina and then to all the others. She determined to make her next words significant.

  Merry said, “Malak, these women are loyal... to a fault and that is the reason some of them were in jail. Sometimes, they follow their loved ones right into the sewer pit. I know you won’t have to worry about loyalty. Fairness and understanding are what they... what we all want in return.”

  He looked past her to Sylvia, momentarily and then to Merry again as she spoke. Merry knew suddenly that he understood what she was trying to accomplish and she wondered how he would respond.

  “Agnes,” Mac emphasized her name, “I’ve told to you that war changes everything,” he paused before continuing. “And I know this to be true but the changes are not all evil. I ask for loyalty so we can plan and survive; you ask for something that comes only in return when loyalty is tested.”

  At this point, Tom Biggs interrupted. He had maneuvered his wheel chair away from the table and now stood behind it. Standing, he was over 6 foot tall. His shoulders were squared, insinuating a military past. He said, “Whoa, did you say Agnes? I thought your name was Mary or is it Mary Agnes?” Merry turned to him annoyed because of his disruption.

  “No. My given name is Agnes Merriweather. Most people call me Merry,” she told Tom. Swiveling back to Mac she nodded for him to continue. Again Tom interrupted.

  “Merriweather! Merry? So it’s Robin Hood and his merry men!” Laughing Tom left the kitchen, pushing his wheelchair before him down the hallway.

  Lenny and Mac were grinning but Merry just sat without expression wanting to conclude their discussion so she could finish her cold meal.

  Mac said to Lenny, “Take Junior and go hunt up some lumber to cover these windows. Take Mrs. Ortiz’s truck.”

  Merry felt for Lenny as she watched him interact doubtfully with Malak. She sensed Junior was a true godsend for the citified Lenny. It was obvious to her; Malak knew Junior would suffice in strengthening Lenny’s resolve to pilfer others’ goods before someone else got to those goods first. They left and Merry and Mac were sitting at the t
able. Merry could not see Sylvia but she knew she was loitering behind her in the kitchen area; certainly, eavesdropping.

  Mac said, “There is much to do, still. Did you notice the fires this morning? The smoke and fires tell us that there is looting going on. Tonight or tomorrow night this neighborhood may be burning too.” He was watching Merry, understanding her to be an easy person to read when he noticed a look come over her face that was unidentifiable. His left eyebrow shot up when she spoke.

  “No!” Merry said louder than she had planned. Momentarily she was looking beyond Mac and before she looked again to him, he glanced over his shoulder to see who she might be addressing; no one. Only Sylvia was before him in the kitchen. Merry blinked several times and then said, “I mean no...No! No, I didn’t see the fires but I’m sure you’re right about this neighborhood. Why should it be exempt from looting?” Merry looked back to Sylvia and then looked at Malak, her face ashen.

  Mac saw her expression go from defiance to resolute determination. He wondered at this silent declaration but as he had many important tasks to accomplish in the next several hours, he concluded his morning session with ‘his officers’ and left her sitting alone.

  Sylvia took Merry’s plate and brought it to her, sitting down in an empty chair at the table.

  “He would have made a good warden,” she said to Merry but Merry flinched at her words.

  Merry poked at the food and then asked, “Where’s Patsy?”

  Merry left Sylvia to finish the kitchen clean up while she went to get counsel and prayer from her mentor and friend.

  Patsy and Mrs. Ortiz were in a huge closet - there were two supply closets and this was the front one, next to the nurses’ quarters. The other was predominantly a food pantry in the rear of the facility next to the laundry room and staff breakroom.

  “Patsy, I have to talk to you for a minute,” Merry said as she stood in the doorway. “Mrs. Ortiz, can I have Patsy’s ear for a moment?” Mrs. Ortiz seemed surprised but then she left the room without word. Patsy looked to Merry quizzically.

  “Patsy, I need your help. I need your prayer, really,” began Merry. The older woman realized that there was an unseen although enormous burden on Merry’s shoulders.

  “Weeeh, coco! What is it? What’s happened, now?” she asked Merry.

  Biting her lower lip, Merry said, “I’ve never experienced anything like it but while I was sitting there at the kitchen table... I saw like a vision or something.” Patsy started nodding but quickly realized that Merry was taking her into unchartered territory.

  “I saw me... I was at the jail and I was taking Luz out. I am sure Luz is back in jail. Patsy, are they still arresting people with all this other stuff going on? Surely, there are more dangerous people out there... more dangerous than our Luz?” Luz had never been a violent criminal. She had been busted for heroin use but she had kicked it when she became a Christian the summer before.

  Patsy shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe she got popped for something before this started. I don’t know but why would you have that... that open vision? That is what we call it when you see something like that in the middle of everyday life. I mean...”

  Merry interrupted her. “I know God wants me to go to the jail and get her out. When Malak said something about things getting really bad it was like God showed me I have to do it now or the opportunity will be lost!” Her lips were trembling and Patsy could see by the opaque skylight, her face had gone white. Patsy was about to give Merry several reasons why this was an impossible and a futile errand when the younger woman grabbed her hand and started praying.

  It was a short desperate prayer. Patsy was convinced that there was no unconvincing Merry when they both said “Amen” a minute later.

  Merry left the closet with Patsy hurrying after her, wringing her hands nervously as she followed. First one and then the other, almost knocked Consuela off her feet when they brushed by her in the hallway. In the lounge, Merry was digging through her few belongings. She pulled out of a mall bag a pair of hiking sneakers that she had bought the morning of the attack after dropping the dogs off. Patsy fluttered about her trying to decide what to do but when Merry went out the front door some time later with a satchel of stuff, Patsy was still undecided.

  In the meantime, Merry instructed her “Auntie Patsy” to keep mum about her mission and especially, to cover for her with Malak. “Do whatever you have to do. Say whatever you have to say,” Merry had told Patsy concerning Malak.

  Patsy answered accusingly, “You want me to lie!”

  Merry shrugged and she drew her pistol from its hiding place to check the safety. “Patsy, war changes everything! If I can do a jail breakout, surely lying is the easier part! Come on!” Merry checked the clip too before sticking the weapon between her belt and jeans at her waist. She was not really comfortable with guns but she had practiced, learning to be proficient with this little tool.

  Patsy continued to wring her hands as Merry seemed to randomly pick items from her belongings.

  Consuela jumped out of their way when they burst from the lounge into the hallway. She had been listening but didn’t understand the full story. Patsy hadn’t like the look of the little pistol and she was saying, “You should leave that... uh,” she looked at Consuela. “You should leave that thing here. If this is God... that is not going to help!”

  Merry ignored both of them and hurried down the hallway into the kitchen. Patsy came crowding behind her, followed by curious Consuela who hoped to continue unnoticed by Merry.

  Merry opened a counter drawer. Frowning, she opened another one. “Ah! There it is just like I thought,” she said speaking to no one but perhaps herself. To the others it looked like a clothespin and some orange playing cards. Merry closed the drawer but still frowning, again she opened it. The women heard her groan audibly as she pulled another few clothespins out. “I don’t like this!” she muttered.

  For some reason, Consuela and now, Sylvia could see that this innocuous behavior upset Patsy. Consuela gave Sylvia a conspiratorial look.

  Merry pulled on her green parka, the heavier of her jackets as she headed back down the hallway with a now bulging pack. She said to Patsy, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” And then over Patsy’s shoulder to Sylvia and Consuela, “If you must talk about me... talk to God. I’m going to need your prayers.” Merry opened and then closed the door behind her.

  Patsy grabbed the two women and ushered them into the supply closet. She said simply, “Merry went to get Luz. She’ll be back tomorrow. Umm, let’s try to cover for her as much as we can. I don’t think we should tell the others.” Patsy really didn’t think Sylvia or Consuela could keep quiet and she was right but for now she prayed with them for Merry and for a successful return with Luz.

  Chapter 7 Arroyo Road

  As the crow flies, the county jail was fewer than two miles from the Hacienda. Merry decided to go on foot rather than take her car. Both options occurred to her and both seemed successful in her mind but she knew she would lose the VW if she took it and she wasn’t ready to give up her hard-earned convertible yet.

  For the first time since the blinding light and its aftermath, people were out again. There were various sorts, packing vehicles preparing to flee and there were others messing with their well-houses and garages. The activity reminded Merry of a beach town preparing for a hurricane.

  It was a warm day and she was glad for that, although she prepared for an approaching cold night. Merry ignored all the busyness and pushed forward in her plan before she could talk herself out of it.

  Passing in front of the halfway house, she followed the easement road along a line of utility poles until they crossed a creek bank. She looked around to see who might be watching her. There was no one.

  Scrambling down the sandy embankment, Merry hiked inside of the arroyo for almost two hours before climbing out again to get a bead on the real world above. She had hoped to be well past the outskirts of Santa Fe and she found that she was.r />
  Looking south, she saw the telephone wires that followed the two lane highway which she normally took when driving to the jail facility. Ahead, Merry remembered there was a newer expensive gated housing development. She wondered what she was to do as she needed to cross it before arriving at her destination. There weren’t as many Piñon and Juniper out here but the deep arroyos provided plenty of cover which she wanted.

  Another quarter mile of hiking and Merry saw that the gated community had a security flaw in that the fence went above the creek bed, leaving more than three feet of space underneath. This made sense. Merry understood that the debris washing through the arroyo after a rain would need to continue moving or because of lowered fencing, clog the passageway causing a flood. Merry went under the fencing.

  Outside the jail, several hundred yards from the front door, Merry sat down. She hadn’t seen one person as she followed inside the arroyo and for that, she was relieved.

  Praying, her plan gelled in her mind. She checked her supplies and waited for sundown. Last week, when she and the corrections ministry team had come out for their designated ministry slot at the jail, the sun was just setting. Although she didn’t have a watch and didn’t know the time, she used the sun as her timepiece.

  Why was Luz so important to God’s plan, she wondered? Merry thought about last summer, when she had taken her mother, Toni’s jail ministry - temporarily, she assumed at the time. Merry was planning on returning to Flagstaff to begin her third year of college. She had been taking a full load of business classes because she and her older sister, Coco or Kate as she was known by everyone else... had started a business together. It was really Kate’s business as she had financed it and was the locomotion behind it. Merry was sales, PR and eventually would be president. She didn’t want to think about that right now... It was Luz she had to concentrate on.