“Sir, we are ready for weapon and supply inspection, sir,” the corporal said flatly.
MSgt Bennet carefully checked over their supplies and confirmed they were sufficient. He watched, lost in thought, as the corporals loaded them into a jeep. Leaving the base in Shreveport, Louisiana, they aimed toward Old Austin.
Secretly, Bennet loved to be heading this direction. He was returning to his native state of Texas. Maybe if things had been different he would have returned to his parent’s ranch there, but they hadn’t talked in years. In the still of quiet nights he had wondered what had happened to them and if they were still alive. Their ranch had been in Southern Texas, where the Militias had mobilized after the Great Quake and established the People’s Republic of Texas where freedom still reigned. Federal and Mercenary soldiers alike had not been welcomed back. The people of Texas saw them as traitors for supporting this new socialized system.
“Sir.” Corporal Smith broke his train of thought.
“Yes, Corporal,” Bennet replied. His eyes were glued to the road.
“You know we’re headed into hostile territory, right?” the corporal questioned.
“Hostile for some, boy. This was my home once,” he responded.
“In these uniforms, with this jeep, it’s hostile for us, sir,” the corporal said nervously.
“You’re not scared, are you, Smith?” The master sergeant glared at him for a moment.
“No sir, it’s just…” The corporal was unsure how to respond.
“It’s good to be aware of the threats, boy. Check out the bag,” the master sergeant said, pointing to the back seat. “Civvies for all. I may be good but I’m not stupid.”
Corporal Smith exhaled and relaxed a little.
“We’ll dress in the civvies and say we stole the jeep. I’m not going to enter the Freedom Zone, but it should keep us under the radar and alive in Austin,” Master Sergeant Bennet explained.
Chapter 7
“You must be the luckiest sons of bitches alive!” Melvin declared as he opened the back of the truck. “We’re finally here.”
“Where?” Erika wondered, noticing a crowd had gathered around the truck.
“Welcome to New Austin! Home of the free,” Melvin announced to the cheer of the crowd.
Erika didn’t feel ready to face a crowd. She still stunk of dying flesh. Vince felt her exhaustion and hugged her tightly.
“Go for it, Sparkplug,” he whispered to her.
Erika gathered her strength and appeared gracefully in front of the throng of people.
“It’s her! It’s Erika Moore!” someone shouted.
Erika smiled and waved, feeling recharged by their excitement. The crowd quieted in anticipation of hearing her talk.
From somewhere deep down inside her instinct took over, “I know it has been a long road, for all of us,” she announced, looking into the hardened eyes of these unknown survivors. “But America is in shambles, broken by the very systems put in place to save her destruction,” she continued, pausing to let the crowd cheer.
“No doubt we have been tested, and each one of us has found a unique way to survive!” she congratulated them. “But survival is not enough anymore. We are fighting for the future of this great nation. It was once a place where all people were created equal, regardless of land-ownership status…”
The crowd roared in response. “And so it shall be again!” Erika screamed, raising her hand into the air.
The mass of people chanted her name and celebrated her arrival merrily. Vince had appeared behind her and, at Melvin’s urging, he pulled Erika away from the crowd. Guards at the gates of a large white building welcomed them warmly. The building looked like a castle and Erika was in awe. They followed Melvin to a U-shaped complex that stood beside the manor. It was like a small village with a restaurant, a medical center, and additional buildings where Militia soldiers were entering and exiting. Erika assumed these were residences.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Melvin commented to Erika. “I think I’m going to like you.”
“Thanks,” Erika responded quietly. She had expected a scolding like she the ones she usually received from MSgt Bennet. She didn’t really know how to feel about all this praise, but she was beginning to like it. “Where are we, Melvin,” Erika wondered.
“This used to be St. Edward’s College or St. Ed’s, as we alumni call it,” he explained. “We fought bitterly for this piece of land in between the highways so we could have access to the Colorado River. The damn feds kept pushing us south. The city was in big trouble after the quake. The dams that controlled the Colorado River broke. The skyrises toppled over. But after the fighting, Austin was annihilated. The buildings at this college fared well, and the governor likes the campus.”
Melvin opened the door to one of the residential buildings in the village area. A tall lady with long brown hair met them at the door and welcomed them into the lobby.
“Hello, Janelle,” Melvin greeted her.
“Hello, sir, how was your trip?” Janelle replied formally.
“More exciting than I would have liked but we made it. I’d like to introduce Erika and Vince Moore,” Melvin announced. “This is Janelle Akerson, my most trusted confidant. She’ll make sure you are taken care of,” he directed Vince and Erika. Then he turned back to Janelle. “We have a meeting with Governor Dixon at 17:00, make sure they are provisioned.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied as Melvin left them in her care.
Janelle turned to Vince and Erika. “It is my absolute pleasure to meet you.”
Erika could feel her sincerity and took an immediate liking to her.
“Thank-you, it’s very nice to meet you,” Erika replied.
“I have followed your story closely. You’ve given the people some hope and spirit! And it’s really working! Another Constitutionalist was elected to the Federal Governing Board! The tides are turning. Maybe we’ll be able to rejoin the country again soon,” Janelle speculated.
“How do you mean?” Vince wondered.
“It’s like Melvin was telling us before; the southern tip of Texas claimed their own sovereignty in exchange for oil and chemicals refined here. They call it the Freedom Zone and it is not patrolled by the Federal Forces or the mercs,” Erika explained to her husband.
Janelle stepped back. “Wow, you really know your history. We would have no problems rejoining the country if they reinstated the constitution,” she commented. “Anyway, I thought we were the government’s best-kept secret.”
“You are,” Erika replied. “But I have been doing a lot of research on this new system they created, and I’ve met a few friends in high places.”
“I’m impressed,” Janelle replied honestly. “I assumed you would be a babbling freedom-fighting figurehead like so many others that have come and gone.”
“I’m impressed with this place,” Erika exclaimed.
Inside, the layout was not what Erika expected. Many of the walls had been removed from some of the residence rooms to allow for supply storage and communal gathering places. The whole place seemed welcoming and centered around a sense of community.
“There’s a lot more considerations nowadays. We had to come together if we wanted any sort of a life like we used to have. Luxury has to be maintained with a solid base of supplies,” Janelle explained as they turned the corner and waked into another hallway.
The corridor was beautifully decorated with various types of soaps packed onto shelves. The smells the bars produced wafted together into a delightful aroma. Erika anticipated how much better she would smell once she had used one of them.
“Here’s your room,” Janelle declared as she opened the door.
There was a time when entering a room like this would have been perfectly natural to Erika, but it was something she had not seen in a very long time. It was like stepping back into the past. The furniture strongly resembled the sets her husband and she had shared before the quake. The bed was nothing
elaborate. Just a simple wooden headboard with a queen-size mattress attached to it.
“Is this going to be okay?” Janelle asked, noticing Erika’s hesitation.
“This is going to be perfect,” Erika replied, still in shock.
“The bathroom is right over here,” Janelle declared, walking over and opening the door on the right. “It’s a composting toilet, so don’t worry about flushing.”
“Okay?” Vince replied, unsure how the thing worked.
“There’s towels over here and clothes over there in the closet. Do you need anything else?” Janelle wondered as she headed toward the door.
“No thanks,” Erika answered.
“I’ll have Badger bring some food from the kitchen, and then you’ll have some time to rest before the meeting,” Janelle concluded from the doorway.
“Sounds great. Thanks again,” Vince declared as he closed the door.
He turned and stared into Erika’s chestnut eyes, cracking a smile. Then he grabbed her and held her tightly.
“We made it! Holy crap! We made it, Erika,” he exhaled deeply.
“That was crazy, Vince,” Erika agreed. “I can’t believe we’re doing this…but my mom.”
“And Greg, Penny, Harold, all of them, Erika. They’d all die,” Vince worried, holding her tightly.
“And we may too, if we don’t move fast enough. Brad didn’t know the exact timing of the next quake.” Erika shared his concern.
She backed away from him again. “What about all these people, Vince? Aren’t we just doing the same thing if we don’t tell them?”
“But we can’t create panic when we don’t even know when it will hit,” he countered.
“Exactly, Vince. That’s why the officials won’t say anything. That’s why Bennet didn’t want to tell me,” Erika reminded him.
“Let’s meet this governor first and then decide if we should tell him or not,” Vince suggested.
“I like it,” Erika countered. “Now, let’s get this stink off us.
Chapter 8
The warm water cleansed their bodies as they showered together, enjoying the companionship and fresh feeling. After the shower, Erika went to the clothes closet and, to her relief, she found jeans in various sizes and plain green t-shirts to wear. The weather was warm, and the humidity was intense for this early in the summer. There was no need to pull her camo jacket out of her bag.
Before long there was a knock at the door and a small boy appeared, pushing a cart. A white tablecloth wrapped over the top of the cart and wonderful-smelling dishes covered with cloches adorned it.
“You must be Badger,” Vince declared, welcoming the boy into the room.
Erika’s heart couldn’t help but ache for Daniel as she watched the young man perform his task with absolute seriousness. Vince had always loved kids and teased light-heartedly with him. Badger’s baby blue eyes danced on his caramel skin as he smiled at Vince’s jokes, but he remained quiet until he was leaving.
“Nice to have met you,” he declared, closing the door.
The couple quickly focused on the food that had been brought, distracting them from the pain ripping them both apart. They longed to be with their children again. Under the cloches they found steaming-hot beef stew with a loaf of bread and butter waiting for them. It tasted wonderful. The carrots were still a tad crunchy, but the potatoes were soft and flavorful. The bread was warm and squishy, and the butter melted in your mouth like fresh cream.
“Oh man, this is good,” Vince declared, devouring the bowl.
Erika mumbled something undecipherable as she stuffed her face with bread. A piece of butter stuck to her cheek and Vince chuckled at her as he used his finger to wipe it off. They gorged on the fresh food until only crumbs remained on the plate. Sitting back, bellies full, they wished the knock at the door had not come, but it did.
Janelle entered the room. “The governor is ready to see you now. Are you done eating?” she asked rhetorically, staring at the empty tray.
“Yes, ma’am, we are,” Erika replied, “and it was so good!”
“Isn’t it? Chuck and Darleen do their best to keep us well fed around here,” Janelle replied.
“And I’d say they do a damn fine job,” Vince agreed.
“Let’s go, guys, we can’t keep the governor waiting,” Janelle urged.
Vince and Erika rose from their seats and followed Janelle back down the hallway to the main lobby area. They passed Militiamen headed one direction or another. Exiting out into the courtyard, they headed back toward the castle building. This building was one that used to host classes on various subjects. The rooms were full of Militia soldiers, eyeballing them carefully as they ascended to the middle floor of the building. More Militia awaited them as they stepped off the landing. However, it appeared to Erika that these soldiers had already been informed of these guests arriving. Instead of feeling like a tick ready to be plucked, the fighters clapped and cheered for Vince and Erika. Erika blushed, not feeling worthy of all this attention, but she waved at them and shook their hands. Janelle urged them along through the soldiers. Finally, they reached a grand wooden door. Erika figured the governor was living lavishly behind it.
When it was opened, she was surprised to see a rather different sight. The large room was set up with a desk in one corner and a simple bedroom in the other. There was a large round table in the middle, and the corners closest to the door were filled with bunks for Militiamen.
There were two men seated at the table along with Melvin. The two men could have been twins, and Erika saw the potential usefulness of this situation immediately.
“Welcome, friends,” one of them said, rising to a standing position.
He was not a large man and stood about the same height as Vince. His straight brown hair was neatly trimmed around his head and his smile was contagious.
“Hello,” Vince and Erika replied, smiling back at him.
“Please come in and sit down,” the man urged.
As the couple sat down the man made the introductions.
“My name is Jason Dixon and I am the governor of the People’s Republic of Texas. This is my counterpart, Bob Thornberry. I’m sure you can see the benefit of having a double. Your story and Melvin’s assurance encouraged me to be honest, so we can have all our cards on the table and formulate a plan that will be most beneficial to all of the people.” He spoke straightforwardly with honesty in his voice.
He seemed very regal to Erika and all his talk of straightforward honesty made her feel guilty about the secret she was not sharing. She looked to Vince for direction. She could see the same thoughts buzzing behind his eyes.
Mr. Dixon didn’t seem to notice and continued his introduction. “Melvin is the leader of the Northern and Western resistance units. I would never have dispatched him for an escort mission, but yours was a case of severe importance, and bless the heavens above that all three of you made it back safely.”
He sat down between the two men, consumed with his prayer. When he was done thanking the Lord for their safety, he continued, “I trust you have been well fed and obviously cleaned up?”
“Yes, sir,” Erika replied. This man was so upfront. Erika felt an immediate pull toward him. She wanted to tell him everything, but something made her hesitate.
“Mrs. Moore, we took exceptional pains to honor your request and defy federal law to get you and your husband to the free zone. No doubt your presence is welcome, as it has brought hope to many desperate people both in the country as well as my little slice of Texas, but why have you come? If you are caught, there is nothing saving you from many years in a prison camp or even execution on the spot. Why would you risk this?” he wondered anxiously.
“I am going to get my mother,” Erika replied. It was an honest answer, she told herself.
“I see. Is she in a prison camp?”
“No, she is employed in a textile factory,” Erika responded.
“I see…” Mr. Dixon replied.
Erika still hesitated despite sensing that Mr. Dixon knew they were holding something back. The door opened and a soldier hurried in. Removing his hat, the soldier’s blond hair was pasted to his head. He charged across the room and whispered to Mr. Dixon and Mr. Thornberry.
“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, it seems your mother is going to have to wait a little while longer. We have a hurricane moving in on Houston and little time to prepare for its arrival,” he announced, clearly still curious about their intentions. He didn’t understand why they would take such a risk when work at a textile factory was a safe place for someone to be employed at.
“We’ll finish this conversation later,” Mr. Dixon announced.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Erika wondered. “We used to be on a rescue team for the Federal Forces.”
“Any help would be greatly appreciated,” Mr. Dixon replied. “No doubt you are tired, though. Go rest and report to Janelle at 05:00 to get your caravan assignment.”
“Yes, sir,” Vince replied, eager to have a focus and concerned for the people that would be in harm’s way.
“Nice to have you on board,” Mr. Dixon concluded as the soldiers entered the room and his attention shifted to readying teams for tomorrow’s mission.
Janelle had entered with the soldiers and led Vince and Erika out of the room. The whole building was buzzing with activity. Soldiers were carrying out supplies and medical rooms were being readied for the incoming injured. Erika almost felt bad as she and Vince were ushered into their room to rest. Janelle left them in a quiet space and Erika exhaled deeply.
Vince, eyeballing her, knew she was in deep debate in her mind. “What?” he asked.
“Mr. Dixon, he seems so honest and forthcoming. How can we not tell him?” Erika spoke her mind.
“Not yet, baby. Let’s just see how things play out. I mean, with his double right there, how do we know we were even talking with the real Mr. Dixon?” Vince countered.
“Why would he have shown us at all if he was deceiving us?” Erika argued.
“To seem forthcoming and honest and find out what we know,” Vince responded.
The Changing Earth Series (Book 4): Battle for the South Page 4
