Roland: Reluctant Paladin

by N. C. Reed

  “Why should we go with you?” a woman asked, looking up from one of the dead biker woman’s victims.

  “Well, you ain’t got to,” James replied. “I just figured you might want outta here and away from these people.” What the hell is wrong with them, James thought.

  “Who says you’re any better than they are?” the man with the pistol demanded.

  “I ain’t got time for this,” James snapped, his patience at an end. “Any of you wanna come with me? I can get you somewhere safe, with food and water, and a medic. All I can offer.”

  “I want to go,” the woman holding her dress together raised a hand. “Please, please get me out of this,” she held up the collar. James started toward her, only to have the man block his way.

  “You just hold it right the...” He didn’t finish as the butt of James’ rifle smashed him in the mouth, sending the man to the ground and the gun flying.

  “Had just about enough from you,” James muttered. “Either of these murdering skunks have the keys to these locks?” he asked the group.

  “She does,” a man pointed to the woman James had shot earlier.

  “Get’em, and start freeing yourselves,” James ordered. “Any of you know how to shoot?” several hands came up, including the woman who had asked to go with him. He picked up the discarded pistol and handed it to her.

  “One of you grab his guns, too,” he pointed to the dead biker. “Least wise you can protect yourselves after I’m gone. Now. . .” he paused as the man who had taken the keys started releasing the others.

  “Now, does anybody else want to go? Last chance.” Several hands went up this time, but not all, much to James’ amazement.

  “All right then, start gathering up over here as you get free.” He walked to where one of the women was kneeling over the teen girl.

  “Ma’am, is she alive?” he asked gently. The woman shook her head.

  “No, she’s gone. All three of them are,” she added, rising. “I’m. . .well, I was a nurse. There was nothing to be done,” she said tearfully.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” James said softly.

  “I want to go with you,” she said firmly. “Any of these sheep that want to stay here are welcome to, far as I’m concerned.”

  “Suits me,” James nodded. They walked back to where eleven others had gathered together.

  “Anyone else?” James asked. He shook his head sadly when no one else came forward.

  “I don’t know when they’ll be back,” he warned. “Last chance.” No one moved, or spoke.

  “Good luck to you, then,” James said sadly. He turned to those who wanted to follow him out.

  “Let’s move.”

  -

  Roland had selected full auto on his M-4, and when he turned he emptied the entire magazine back in the direction he’d just come. It wasn’t good tactical shooting, but he wasn’t looking for tactical. He wanted to give his pursuers something to think about.

  He heard a startled yelp and realized he’d hit at least one of the men following him. He turned swiftly, picking up his pace again, changing the mag out in the rifle as he ran. He could still hear startled shouts behind him, and there was random firing, but this time nothing came his way. He smiled grimly.

  This rabbit’s got teeth, boys. As he ran, another thought hit him.

  Wonder how James is makin’ out?

  -

  James was angry. He was working hard on not being angry, because he needed to be focused entirely on getting clear of this farm and then heading back toward the school. The people he was escorting were in bad shape, though, and he knew they wouldn’t make good time. Once they were in the woods that would be okay. He wished he had some food to give them, but the only thing he had were two MREs and that wasn’t much for so many. They also couldn’t be eaten on the run very well.

  He decided that at the first stop he’d give them the MREs and his water.

  He wasn’t mad about the people with him not being able to go faster. No, his anger was reserved for the idiots that had stayed behind. What on earth were they thinking? Did they like being held prisoner?

  Another thing was eating at him, too. The death of those three people were direct consequences of his actions, and that hurt the teenager more than anything else he’d been through. And that was saying something.

  “What’s wrong?” the nurse asked him, as they entered the tree line. James had stopped to check behind them as everyone found a place to rest for a few minutes.

  “What?” James turned to her.

  “I asked what was wrong,” she repeated. “Name’s Melissa, by the way. Melissa Andrews.” She held out her hand.

  “James,” he replied. “There’s nothing wrong,” he shook his head. “Just checking our back trail, that’s all. I don’t think anyone’s left there to give chase, but there’s no harm in being cautious.”

  “That’s true,” she nodded. “Thanks, by the way,” she added. “We were in a bad way, James. I’m sure you saw that.”

  “Welcome,” he nodded. Suddenly he blurted out, “What the hell was wrong with the others? Why would they stay?”

  “They’re beaten,” she replied sadly. “Given up. It’s been rough, James. Some made it better than others.”

  “I can’t imagine not taking any chance at freedom I had,” James shook his head. “I just can’t.”

  “Neither can I,” Melissa shrugged. “But not everyone’s made that way. I’m used to a hard life, I guess. Worked my way through nursing school, and then worked three doubles a week to get my student aid paid off. Had I known this was coming, I’d have let it go,” she laughed. It was infectious, and James grinned.

  “Know what you mean,” he nodded. “Well, we need to get moving. We’ve got a ways to paddle, and we won’t get there today unless we can find some transport.”

  “You won’t be able to push too hard,” she warned. “Some of us. . .well, some were there longer than others.”

  “I won’t,” he promised. “Just until we get clear of this place, and somewhere I can defend for the night. If I get lucky, my radio might reach far enough to get some help, but I can’t count on it. We’re looking at a ten mile hike, minimum.”

  “We’ll make it,” Melissa said confidently. “We’ll just have to take it slow, that’s all.”

  “Let’s get to it, then.”

  -

  Roland had gained some ground at last. The running was starting to take a toll on the beer and cigarette crowd behind him. The dogs were still there, but whoever was using them was smart enough to know if he let them go, Roland would shoot them.

  There were a couple of guys that seemed to be out in front, and Roland decided they were probably the better woodsmen of the group. From what little he’d seen of them, they moved well, and didn’t waste that movement.

  The rest were just typical thugs, as far as he could see. That meant the two in front had to go.

  Never stand out, fellas, he thought to himself. It’s the nail that sticks up that gets hammered.

  Roland checked the sun. He still had a good bit of light left. More than enough to put some serious hurt on his pursuers, and gain some more ground on them. He eased his suppressor out, and attached it to the M-4. No sense advertising his presence more than necessary.

  He picked a good spot and settled in. He had to do this quick, since the rest of the group was still coming as well. He hated the thought of giving back the lead he’d built up over the last hour but it had to be done. He couldn’t risk these two following him on into the night.

  There. Just a flash of the wrong color. Roland put his scope on the area, and started searching centimeter by centimeter. Suddenly, there was an eye, looking back at him. He squeezed the trigger without thinking.

  He put the scope back on the area as soon as he had the recoil under control. It was only a second, but the bullet had already gone home by then.

  Nothing. He searched for fifteen seconds, all the time he could allow. Still
nothing. Had he missed? He didn’t think so, but...

  It didn’t matter. He had to move. The sound of the others tramping through the bush was getting closer. He moved carefully out of the brush, as started moving again.

  He had been moving less than a minute when he heard the screaming.

  -

  BD stood looking down at his younger brother. He could tell it was him because of the clothes. His brother’s head was pretty much gone. After a moment of just staring, BD tilted his head back and let out an animal like scream that echoed through the woods around them. His men, having never seen this kind of behavior from their leader, hesitated, not knowing what to do.

  When he was done, BD knelt by the body, carefully straightening his brother’s arms, then his legs, laying the body out as if on view. He removed his own leather vest and gently covered his brother’s ruined head with it. Sobbing softly for a moment, he looked up.

  “Carry him back,” he ordered.

  “What about the guy, boss?” one of them asked. “Do we...”

  “Carry him back,” BD repeated. “We’ll get him, but first we bury my brother. And the others. See to the hurt. I know where that guy’s goin’,” he added. “We’ll get him. We’ll make him pay. All of them pay.”

  Nodding, the group set off back the way they came. They would bury their dead, tend their hurts, and then start again.

  -

  Roland stopped to check his back trail, and get his breath. He hadn’t heard anything in a while, and wondered if their leader was finally wising up.

  Roland was positive he’d gained some ground and decided to risk some of it to check behind him. Using his rifle scope, and then his binoculars, he scanned behind him.

  “That’s odd,” he murmured. “There ought to be something.”

  But there wasn’t. No one was following. No dogs braying. His trail was clear.

  “Well, no point in looking a gift horse in the mouth,” he decided. “Time to go home.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  James looked at the group worriedly. They weren’t in the best of shape, just as Melissa had warned. He’d known that, of course. He just hadn’t factored that into the trip.

  Why does this shit look so much easier in the movies? he wondered, snorting mentally. He and Roland really had to re-evaluate their decision making paradigm. To be fair though, these people had thrown a monkey wrench into their scheme.

  The two of them had been intent on an ambush and nothing more. They had literally derailed their own plan when they decided to try and help the prisoners. Considering all that, he couldn’t be too unhappy with the way things were going and that buoyed his spirits somewhat.

  Besides, they’d make it. Just had to be careful, that’s all.

  He had led them a good mile into the woods before turning for home. He figured it was roughly a twelve-mile hike as the crow flies, but wasn’t anticipating it being that easy. There were more than a few rough spots between where he was and where he wanted to be, and these folks would need more rest than he would.

  And some of the obstacles would have to be gone around. There just wasn’t any way that the people he was leading could make those climbs or hump deep brush in their weakened condition.

  James was breaking trail and suddenly stepped into a small clearing. The ground was level, and the woods surrounding it were thick. He made a decision to stop for the night. He estimated there was about two hours left until dark, and he wanted their camp to be set up by then.

  “We’ll stop here,” he ordered. “You folks take it easy.” He shrugged out of his pack, and set it on the ground.

  There were eleven people in all, including two men, and a boy of about fourteen, James guessed. Six women, including Melissa and the woman in the tattered dress, and two girls, tweens it looked like. Maybe even sisters.

  James dug into his pack, pulling out a clean shirt that he had left and a pair of sweats. He took them over to the woman still holding her clothes together by hand, and knelt down.

  “Ma’am, this isn’t much, and they won’t fit good and proper, but you take ‘em, okay?” he held out the clothes. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, and tried to smile.

  “Thank you, so very much,” she whispered.

  “It’s no trouble, ma’am,” James assured her. He motioned for Melissa to come over, and returned to his pack, pulling out his first aid kit.

  “You don’t mind, how about going with her, and letting her change. You’ll know more what she might need, and how to use this,” he handed her the kit.

  “All right,” she nodded. She helped the woman to her feet, and the two slipped into the trees on the far side of the clearing. James watched them go, and then turned to the others. He reached into his pack again and produced the two MREs. He looked at them pitifully, shaking his head. It was all he had, so it had to do.

  “These aren’t much, but it’s all I have,” he told them. “You’ll have to share, and I mean share,” he stressed. “I’ll try and find you something else as we move, but all of you need food and these are pretty high calorie.” He opened them both, and started passing the contents out, setting aside some for Melissa and the woman he’d given the clothes to.

  The two men refused anything, insisting that the others take their share. James nodded his understanding, and allowed the three younger members of the party to share the men’s portions. One of the women frowned at him over it, and James glared at her until she went back to her own.

  Melissa and the other woman returned, and James gave them their share. Both took it gratefully, and sat down near him to eat. Melissa noted he wasn’t eating.

  “Don’t you need some of this?” she asked.

  “I’ve eaten since you have,” James shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Eat up,” he encouraged. She smiled at him, and he couldn’t help but notice how pretty she was, even in the state she was in.

  “We’ll rest here tonight,” he told them all. “Start again tomorrow at first light. We’ll try to move as quick as we can, but when you need a break, tell me. We’ll stop as we have to, but remember that until we get where we’re going, we’re in danger.”

  “Where are we goin’?” one of the men asked. His tone wasn’t unfriendly, or demanding, just curious.

  “Place called Bethesda School,” he replied, and the man nodded, as did several others in the group.

  “Know where that is,” the man replied. “Name’s Mackey, by the way. Tom Mackey. I’m right beholden to ya son, for rescuin’ us.”

  “Mackey?” James looked at him closer. “Any relation to a soldier named Mackey?”

  “I got a nephew in the Guard,” Mackey nodded. “What’s his given name?” James thought about that for a minute.

  “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard it,” he admitted finally. He described the man he knew as Mackey, and Tom Mackey nodded.

  “My sister’s boy,” he said. “He’s a good boy.”

  “He is,” James agreed. “He and his girlfriend are staying at the school as well. With luck, you’ll see him tomorrow. Day after at the latest,” he added.

  “Well I’ll be. That’s right good news, son. Thank you.” James nodded, then stood.

  “You folks rest up. We don’t have any blankets and a fire’s a bad idea, so it’s liable to get cold before morning. Best make some sleeping arrangements that let folks use each other’s body heat.”

  “We’ll see what we can do,” Mackey nodded.

  “I’m gonna take a look around us, make sure we’re clear,” James told him. “Make sure everyone keeps the noise down. Last thing we need is them on us.”

  “Maybe we better keep movin’,” Mackey suggested, but James shook his head.

  “That’s no good, sir,” he replied. “Too many of you are give out. You need rest tonight, and a chance to recover. We’ll move out at first light.” The same woman that had frowned when James had given the men’s portion of the food to the teens, looked up at that.

 
; “You can’t expect us to walk all that way,” she objected. “Send for a vehicle to carry us.”

  “I have no way to do that, ma’am,” James told her. “We’ll have to do the best we can on foot.” The woman sulked, but said nothing else. James was starting not to like her. At all.

  He drifted into the woods, traveling roughly one hundred yards out before starting his circle around the camp site. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. They were exposed here and James could count only on himself to defend the camp. If they were attacked in force, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to do much.

  Once he had circled the camp, he returned only to see the other man stacking wood for a fire.

  “I said no fire,” James reminded him.

  “Women and kids need to get warm,” the man replied. “We’re makin’ a fire.”

  “No, we’re not,” James told him, and kicked the wood pile apart. “That fire could be seen for miles. Smell of smoke could lead them right to us. Tonight is a cold camp, mister.”

  “Who the hell put you in charge, anyway?” the woman who had complained earlier demanded.

  “I did,” James told her simply. “You want a fire? The two of you? Then you head on off somewhere and have one. There won’t be a fire here tonight.”

  “I’m not gonna be told what to do by some kid,” the man said quietly.

  “Then it’s time you went,” James replied coldly. “You will not put the rest of these people at risk for personal comfort. That’s not open for discussion. Anyone who tries to start one, leaves. One way or another.” He looked the man straight in the eyes, and the older man broke eye contact first, muttering under his breath.

  “Now everyone try and get some rest,” James ordered. “I’ll stand the watch.”

  The sullen pair glared at him hatefully, but obeyed. James shook his head. Why would they deliberately want to draw attention to themselves? Asking that question made him think of an answer he didn’t care for.

  He resolved to watch the two very closely from now on.