Roland: Reluctant Paladin

by N. C. Reed

  Brick charged up the hill, breathing hard from exertion and fear. Every step he took he expected to feel a bullet impacting him. No bullet came, however, and sooner than he would have thought he was standing atop the hill.

  There was no one there.

  “Son-of-bitch!” Brick hissed quietly. “No tellin’ how long he’s been gone!”

  “There’s a trail, Brick,” Wilbur called gently from where he was studying the ground. “Looks like this is where he was holed up,” he pointed. “Little pool o’ blood here, too. And look here. Lot o' disturbed ground, leadin’ off this way.”

  “All right, listen up,” Brick told his remaining men. “This guy’s probably hurt bad, but he’s smart, and he’s sneaky. We know roughly which way he’s headed, but he may double back or hole up again and try to ambush us like the last two times.”

  “We’re gonna split up,” he told them. “Me and Wilbur will stay on his tail. Clay, can you walk on that leg?” he asked.

  “Just a crease,” the biker nodded. “I can hack it.”

  “Then you and Tim take the right, about seventy-five yards out. Move quiet. If we run into an ambush,” he indicated himself and Wilbur, “that should put you two in a place to flank him. Hoss, you take the same on the left, and we’ll get him in a pincer. Use the ear buds on the radios and call in anything, no matter how little it might seem, okay? I don’t want anyone else gettin’ hit.”

  “Once we’ve got this guy, we can concentrate on gettin’ the women back. Clear?” Heads nodded all around.

  “Then let’s get to it.”

  -

  James staggered slightly, missing the tree he had aimed for and falling to the ground. He managed to bite off a scream of pain as his injured leg hit the ground. He lay there for a minute gasping for air, trying to force the pain down.

  The Lab lay down beside him and licked his face, forcing him to stay awake.

  “Okay, girl, I get it,” he whispered hoarsely. “I’m gettin’ up.” He managed to lever himself onto his stomach, then used his rifle as a crutch to get to his feet. He wobbled for a minute trying to overcome the wave of nausea that assaulted him, and barely kept from vomiting.

  I’m not gonna make it, he decided grimly. I can’t go much further, not like this. I’m gonna pass out. I need to find a hide, and either ambush these guys, or let them pass by.

  That sounded simple, but in his condition James knew better. He hobbled to a nearby tree and leaned against it, working to steady his breathing while looking around him. There wasn’t much of a place to choose from within view. He had a choice to make. Either find a place here, or risk moving further on hoping for a good hide up ahead.

  He listened for a minute, trying to force his heart to stop hammering in his chest. He couldn’t hear any indication of a pursuit yet but by now his pursuers would be more cautious, so the quiet wasn’t a guarantee that they weren’t close behind him.

  Still, the choices here were slim at best. He decided his best bet was to push on a little further, and see if he couldn’t find a better place to defend.

  Five minutes, he told himself. I’ll go five more minutes, and then I’ll take whatever I can find.

  As he hobbled off, he wondered if Mackey and the rest were making good time. He hoped so, because he was about at the end of his rope. He’d done all he could. He could buy them a little more time, with some luck, but not much.

  He smiled slightly as he thought about Melissa Andrews. She was pretty hot. And a nurse, too. He wished he was a little older. Maybe he would have a chance with her, then. He snorted at that.

  I’ll be dead in a few minutes, he thought sarcastically. Even if I was older, that wouldn’t happen.

  With that less than inspiring insight James abandoned that train of thought completely, concentrating instead on finding a way to make his enemies wish they’d never met him.

  -

  At that very moment Melissa Andrews was thinking about James Henry Golden. Not only did she think he was cute, and interesting, thinking about him allowed her to ignore Shirley’s incessant grumbling.

  It was probably not a good idea to be thinking along those lines, she knew, but she found her thoughts wandering back to him as she walked along. He was far more interesting that any man she’d known her own age. And it wasn’t like she was old, anyway. She was only three years older than he was, and with the world like it was now that really didn’t mean anything.

  Melissa was smart. Both academically and in common sense. She knew that the world had changed dramatically in the last few months. It would be a long time righting itself, and whatever recovery happened might or might not restore the world they had once known.

  Life would be difficult and dangerous for some time to come. As a nurse, she knew that poor hygiene and medical care would lead to disease and sickness, possibly even epidemics of no small proportions. Medicines that might once have stopped, or at least slowed such outbreaks, would no longer be readily available, at least for the time being. She had seen that before during the last days of the hospital she was working in, as doctors were forced to ration medicines due to shortages.

  As she thought about the courage and skill that James had exhibited, she found herself comparing him to men she had dated in her life. She had always been discriminating in her taste, but most of the men she’d dated had been academics. She didn’t know what had become of them since society had crumbled but she doubted they had fared well in the new normal. That wasn’t a judgment of their personalities, just simple facts. None of them, or many others she had known, had the ability to survive in this kind of dog-eat-dog world that James had.

  In these new times it wasn’t going to be the men who could provide a fancy car or a fancy house that made the best mates. It would be the men who could provide protection, food, and shelter.

  She blushed at the thought of the word ‘mate’, chiding herself for thinking such a thing about a man she barely knew. Yes, he’d rescued her, and yes he was fighting for her and the others even now. But she couldn’t allow herself to be carried away by that.

  Then again, she mused, what was wrong with a little forethought and planning? He was cute, after all. And strong. Courteous, and brave, and behaved like a gentleman.

  So yeah, she would indulge in a little innocent day dreaming. It distracted her from Shirley, from hunger, from her aching feet.

  And from wondering what was happening to James.

  -

  Roland awoke all at once, sitting straight up when he did. He looked around him wildly for several seconds until he remembered where he was. He had been sleeping outdoors for several days, and waking inside was a shock to his system.

  Must have been more tired than I thought, he mused to himself. Wondering how long he’d been asleep, he looked at his watch.

  Four hours.

  He scrubbed his hands down his face, and then got stiffly to his feet. He realized that all the water he’d drank before sleeping was now ready to leave his body, and hurried to the bathroom. Once finished, he wandered toward the kitchen, hoping to find some lunch and see James.

  Maria saw him coming and smiled prettily, walking to him.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked.

  “I’m stiff, sore, and hungry,” he admitted, smiling in reply. “James get in yet?”

  “No, he has not,” Maria shook her head. “Jesse has gone to look for him, and found the people James freed from the bikers. Mackey has gone to pick up those people, one of whom is his uncle.”

  “Jesse is continuing to look for James, who left the group to hold off pursuit by the bikers. That is all that I know at the moment.”

  “Jesse left without telling me?” Roland asked, shocked.

  “His exact words were you were at the end of your rope, whatever that means,” Maria told him. “If it means you were beyond your limits, then he was correct. Roland, you could not go further without sleep. Jesse is able. Allow him to help.”

  “James is my respon
sibility,” Roland shook his head. “I have to go…”

  “We are all your responsibility,” Maria interrupted, taking his hand. “Roland, we need you. You can’t go out there without food and rest. And we may still be facing an attack, you said so yourself. James, Mackey and Jesse are all out. You cannot leave us even more shorthanded. Let. Jesse. Handle it.”

  Roland looked at Maria, and realized that she was concerned about him. Personally. When had that happened?

  “Maria, are you. . .are you worried about me?” he asked, too surprised to hide it.

  “I am,” Maria replied directly, her face darkening in a blush that made her look adorable. “I. . .I have feelings for you, Roland,” she admitted softly. “I don’t even know when they began. I do not want you to take chances, please. At least no more than necessary,” she added. “I know there are risks, but please, I ask you, do not add to them. Please,” she repeated.

  “I… I don’t know what to say,” Roland admitted. “I thought. . .well, it’s not like you and I really got along before. I mean, you’re really pretty...”

  Did I just say that? Roland wondered. Maria’s renewed blushing answered that.

  “Thank you,” she murmured, eyes down cast.

  “Well, it’s true,” Roland told her, grinning slightly. “I… I guess you’re right,” he said. “I can’t just run off. And I am hungry,” he admitted. “I don’t suppose there’s any lunch left?”

  “I will make you whatever you want,” Maria promised, beaming at him.

  “Well, that’s an offer I can’t really refuse, now is it?” he laughed. “Have you eaten?”

  “Not as yet, no,” Maria admitted.

  “Then make enough for two and have lunch with me,” he said. She beamed even brighter if that was possible.

  “I would like that very much.”

  “Well, I’ll check in with Vaughan, and then meet you in the cafeteria. I don’t suppose we have the makings for a tuna salad do we? Pickles and onions only?”

  “We do,” Maria nodded. “One tuna salad coming up, with fresh homemade bread.”

  “Sounds like a date,” Roland smiled. Maria blushed again, and hurried away toward the kitchen.

  “Well if that don’t beat all,” Roland shook his head, walking off to find Vaughan and get an update. He had taken three steps when it hit him.

  Hair like coal, Roland Stang. If you got a future that ain’t covered in blood, she’s it.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  James struggled to stay conscious. He had found a good place to hide, in a small circle of cedar/fir trees. In a part of his pain and blood-loss addled mind he remembered that the trees most people referred to as ‘cedar’ were actually not real cedars, but a type of fir tree. Sage grass growing in and around the small copse of trees provided additional concealment for him.

  The Lab lay on the ground next to him, head on her front paws. He reached out absently and stroked her head, earning a lick on his hand and a wagging tail. He smiled weakly and rubbed her head a little more vigorously.

  Lying next to him were two full magazines for his rifle. He had already checked his pistol, and his knives. He doubted he’d be able to physically confront any of the enemy that managed to get to him, but it cost him nothing to be prepared.

  He relaxed against one of the trees, trying to steady his breathing. His leg hurt worse now, the pain approaching the worst he’d ever felt, including a kidney stone he had endured at the age of twelve. His foster parents at the time hadn’t really been too concerned about his wellbeing, and had refused to take him to the doctor. He had eventually passed out at school and the administrator had called an ambulance.

  The resulting investigation had seen him moved to a new foster family after surgery, and his former foster parents going to jail for three years. His last view of the man in the courtroom had been one of his former foster father promising retribution someday.

  With time off for good behavior the man had been released after eighteen months, and had made good on his promise. Or tried to.

  James’ deepest, darkest secret rested with the man in a shallow, unmarked grave in one of Nashville’s many small parks. The disgraced and exposed foster father had caught up to James leaving school one day, and had bitten off more than he could chew. Not even Roland knew that.

  He never would, now.

  James didn’t regret killing the man. He’d been a pig even on his best days, and he hadn’t had many of those. James was certain that the man had been molesting his foster sisters, and wasn’t sure the woman hadn’t been as well. The woman had been smart enough not to look James up after prison, though.

  The events had hardened James, forging him into the iron-willed teen he now was. The teen that had killed at least ten men in the last two days was not wasting a single second of regret on any of them.

  James closes his eyes, using his breathing to try and ease the pain. He was starting to regret leaving his first aid kit with Melissa. He would keep a smaller kit on him from now on, he resolved, forgetting for a moment that he wasn’t likely to have a ‘later on’. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of that before.

  Suddenly his eyes shot open, and he looked around him. He’d almost gone to sleep. That would be certain death. He had to stay awake. He rolled his head side to side, trying to loosen up, and found that to be a mistake, as it made his head swim much worse. A wave of nausea swept over him and he went still.

  Better not do that again, he thought to himself.

  Beside him the Lab’s head came up sharply. Seeing her reaction, James readied his rifle.

  -

  Brick knew he was making too much noise, but he couldn’t seem to be any quieter. Focusing on what was in front of him kept him from looking for obstacles in his path that made noise when stepped on.

  He’d never have admitted it to anyone but himself, but Brick was scared. This was supposed to be a kid. Easy meat.

  But that ‘kid’ had already killed six people the day before, and now at least three more today. Whoever the boy was, someone had trained him well.

  Through the trees he could see part of a small clearing up ahead, and he slowed without thinking. He was starting to understand how this kid thought. How he made his decisions. This was a good place for an ambush and Brick doubted the boy would pass up the chance to take out another of his men.

  He held up a hand to slow Wilbur and reached for his radio bud. Softly he warned the others, waiting for their hushed replies before slowly moving forward.

  He wouldn’t be fooled again.

  -

  Jesse was in stalking mode now. While he still didn’t know where James was, or his pursuers were, the back of his neck was itching, always a bad sign. While he wanted to find James as quickly as possible, rushing into the situation and getting himself killed wouldn’t do the boy, or him, any good. The plan was to extract James from the trouble he was in and get the both of them safely away. Roland would need them both if the gang was able to follow through with its planned attack.

  That didn’t make it any less frustrating, however. Jesse felt the pressure of getting to James as quick as possible, and of securing the rear area of the fleeing group of former captives. Allowing the gang members to get past him and return to their pursuit of the group was unacceptable. In their weakened condition, the prisoners might never be able to get to the rendezvous point before being overtaken and either killed or recaptured.

  Jesse stopped short as he heard the deep growl of a dog up ahead. Stepping into cover, he lifted his rifle.

  -

  James reached out to still the Lab as she growled deep in her chest. She looked at him, ears up, alert for anything. He gently shushed her, rubbing her ears. The dog licked his hand again, but returned her attention to the area before them, still alert.

  James didn’t know what she would do when the shooting started, but hoped she’d run away. The men following would probably kill her if she stayed around. He didn’t want that. He had tr
ied to send her away, but the dog would have none of it, remaining stubbornly at his side.

  James stiffened slightly as the leader came slowly into view. He smirked slightly, noting the caution the man was using. They had started out the day cocky, but James had taken that away from them he was happy to see.

  But it had come at a cost. The pain in his leg was almost unbearable now, and blood loss was threatening to send him into unconsciousness. Before that happened, he had something to finish. Lifting his rifle slowly to his shoulder, he breathed deep and slow to steady himself, and laid the rifle barrel on the branch he’d chosen to help him.

  He would finish his job.

  -

  Jesse heard the crack of a suppressed rifle, close by. Right to his front he was almost sure. He managed not to move, despite being startled.

  That had to be James, didn’t it? He waited.

  -

  “Brick’s down!” Wilbur shouted into his radio, too startled to realize that he was giving away his own position. Without thinking, he ran toward his friend and leader.

  He almost made it to his side.

  Almost.

  -

  James waited for sign of the others, eyeing the two to his front. He’d taken the leader, and the louder one as well, both with head shots. They wouldn’t be getting back up. By his count, there were at least three left. He hadn’t been sure of one guy in the last ambush, and was counting him as being part of the group, just in case. Even if his shot had put that man down, there were still at least two.

  With the leader down, what might the rest do now? Would they cut their losses and run? Would they re-double their efforts to finish him off? That wouldn’t take much, he snorted mentally. Still, he had to stay alert. Moving was out of the question, so if his two shots had given away his position then he was done for. At this point, he doubted he could get to his feet again.

  Since his decisions were already made for him, he just sat as patiently as he could.

  Waiting.

  -

  Jesse was almost certain that James was just a few yards to his front. He’d heard the one man yell about someone being down. That meant, he hoped, that James was alive and alert and had taken down one of his pursuers.