The Changing Earth Series (Book 4): Battle for the South

by Hathaway, Sara F.

  Pulling up to the Mercenary barracks, Vince’s Dad, Earl, was waiting for them. There were hugs, and tears shed. Erika hugged him tightly, knowing he had taken care of her son and got him here safely.

  “Kay is eager to see you and we have places for you to sleep,” Earl urged them.

  “Hold on a second,” Erika said, heading over to Bennet. “What’s the plan, sir?”

  “You have two days. Then we start,” Bennet told her.

  “Good night, sir,” Erika said, heading back to join her family.

  She was in awe as they walked down row after row of tents. The camp was quiet in the morning hours, but Erika could smell breakfast getting ready in food tents. It would be day soon and all these people needed to eat.

  Erika broke into a sprint upon seeing Kay standing outside the tent with Star. They hugged tightly as Vince joined them. They had been apart too long, and the pain of wondering if they ever would ever see each other again was intense.

  “Oh, my goodness, Erika. What happened to you?” Kay wondered, noticing her black eye and stitches on her cheek.

  “You know, same old story, Kay.” Erika didn’t want to talk about her latest brush with disaster.

  Entering the tent there were sleeping mats on the sides and a table in the middle. Erika saw a teenage girl sleeping on one of the mats with an older male soldier nearby. She looked to Kay and Star with questioning eyes.

  “It’s Megan. Her family didn’t make it, and Johnny,” Kay replied. “You’ve probably heard about his dad.”

  Erika nodded in recognition. No more needed to be said. Erika focused in on her baby boy sleeping peacefully in the corner. Tears filled her eyes as she approached him. She put down her gear nearby and lay down beside him. His scent filled her being, and she wrapped her arms around his body. He had grown but he was still her little boy. She fell asleep faster than she ever had before.

  Vince stayed up for a while, watching the morning sunrise. He told his parents about their journey south but had to cut the story short. Kay was headed off to help in the nursery. There were now former landowners among the refugees that had not been given the infertilization procedure. Earl had to leave for his shift at the infirmary. They promised they would be back by dinner, so they could talk more. Vince was wiped out but the happiest he had been in a long time. He watched Erika holding Daniel. He turned and saw Dexter and Star sleeping peacefully. All his family was back under one roof. He sighed, relaxing as he curled up next to Erika.

  Daniel woke up in a few hours.

  “Mom,” he whispered, waking her.

  “Hi, baby,” Erika said, soaking in the sight of his beautiful eyes.

  “I missed you guys so much,” Daniel sobbed, hugging her tightly. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. Don’t you ever…ever do that again.”

  “We won’t, buddy. I promise,” she assured him.

  Vince awoke to the commotion and hugged them both tightly as they fell asleep again.

  Chapter 30

  The afternoon heat compressed the air in the tent and the stifling atmosphere awoke Erika. She was the only one left in the sleeping area. She jumped up, eager to see her family. She was met with happy faces around the table. Trucker was there, wagging his tail.

  After saying good morning, Erika asked, “Where’s Jack?”

  “Jack, didn’t make it, Mom. He protected me until the end,” Daniel said sadly.

  “I’m sorry, little man.” Erika felt bad for bringing it up.

  “I miss him…and Gage…and Jared…and Brendon,” he commented solemnly.

  “I’m so sorry we weren’t there, Daniel,” Erika cried, hugging him tightly.

  The family looked on with tears in their eyes. They couldn’t stay away. Everyone bound together in a giant hug and nobody wanted to let go.

  “Get over here, guys!” Star called Johnny and Megan over.

  There was a lot of pain that needed to be released. Megan had lost her whole family. She was the only refugee that had been adopted by the Moore Family that survived to make it to safety. Johnny was battling his own demons and needed support right now, more than ever.

  “Let’s go get some food and then we can talk. I’m starved,” Vince said, sidestepping the conversation that they needed to have. He wanted his parents involved in it.

  Dexter and Johnny excused themselves after the meal. They needed to go check in and had already heard the story of what happened up north, anyhow.

  When Vince and Erika returned with Star, Megan, and Daniel to the tent, Kay and Earl had come home early. Everyone at their respective places of work understood why they wanted to leave and covered for them.

  With everyone together, Vince said, “Do you guys want to talk about what happened?”

  Daniel looked down. “Not really,” he told his dad.

  “It’s okay, Daniel,” Grandma Kay said to him. “We need to talk and share our feelings. It’s a good thing.”

  “It’s okay, buddy. We’re all here together,” Erika assured him, hugging him tightly.

  He pushed away a little and said, “Yeah, but you weren’t there then. You weren’t there….” He paused and looked down. Erika was just about to say something when he started talking again. “Grandma Kay and Vanessa were in the kitchen canning jam. Gage and I were with Kristen, the tutor, in the family room. Jack started growling at the door and we heard someone on the landing. Two men in black burst in through the doors, pointing their guns at us. Grandma called Jack to her, so they wouldn’t hurt him. They put us all in the family room. The guy that was supposed to be watching us was looking out the window with his partner. I saw the soldier’s sidearm and told Jack to get him.

  “Jack did it and I grabbed his gun, but the man at the door shot Jack. I shot the man at the door in his neck but the man that Jack had bitten sprayed bullets from his gun across the room. Grandma was with me standing behind him as he shot them, so I pulled the trigger and shot him in the back of the head,” Daniel explained with tears in his eyes. “He killed my friends,” Daniel sobbed.

  Megan was sitting on the outside of the family group. She cried as she listened to the story of her mom and brother being murdered. Kay went and held the girl tightly while she mourned for her lost family members.

  “Grandma was freaking out,” Daniel continued, “But you guys taught me what to do. I grabbed my pack and told Grandma to get some clothes while I got food. We peeked out the window. There were more soldiers in the field, so we snuck out the back and hid in the woods.”

  Megan spoke to the group next, choking back tears, “They did kill them all. We were all in the field and they opened fire on us like target practice. My dad jumped in front of me when they shot. He landed on top of me and told me I shouldn’t move.”

  Kay patted her gently on the shoulder, encouraging her to continue.

  “He told me we would play dead until the soldiers left. He died while we were waiting.” she lost control at that point and couldn’t talk anymore.

  “I was at work when a client who lived down south came into town and told us about the invasion. Cole Virgis was in town as well. He received news that the base had already been overrun by the feds, so we took my car and headed directly to the farm. It was empty. There weren’t even guards at the gates. As we drove past the fields we found Megan running toward us. She was in shock; her father was dead. Then we went to the house. Daniel already told you about what happened there, but we couldn’t find Kay or Daniel.

  “We drove out to the trails and there were two soldiers out there. As they approached the vehicle, Cole shot them both. We went into the woods a few yards and called for Kay and Daniel. They were there. We all piled into the car and drove through the back trail. We didn’t dare go back into town. We drove north, ahead of the Federal Forces’ invasion. Cole had a place where we could get through the wall. Daniel’s the one who made sure that we had a tent and some clothes. That boy of yours saved my wife. Then he says: Come on, Grandpa, this is the way t
he Moore team does it.”

  Daniel smiled a little at the praise, “Well, it is the way we do it, Grandpa. You don’t get to live too long at one place if you’re not locked in. And sometimes…” he paused for a moment, “sometimes bad people make you have to do bad things or they will hurt the people you love. Mom taught me: You can’t hesitate.”

  “I’m just glad you guys are okay. I’m so sorry more of you didn’t make it here. I know how much you loved Vanessa, Mom,” Vince acknowledged.

  “Like a daughter,” Kay responded with tears in her eyes. “Thank God we have Megan,” she said, holding the teenage girl. “We’ll take care of her like our own.”

  Erika was horrified by the story. How could this happen in the United States of America? she wondered.

  The conversations fractured. Erika doted over Daniel, checking out his latest paintings. They were bright and beautiful. Vince sat with Earl, quietly watching his family.

  “They were looking for you and Erika, Vince,” Earl told him quietly. “Our farm was one of the first targets. I don’t think they had intentions of shooting any of the people in the house or they would have right away. They were looking for you and were willing to take your family as a bargaining chip. We’ve got to get the family out of here,” he worried.

  “And go where, Dad? There’s no place we can go they won’t find us. Trust me, we’ve been all around this country,” Vince reflected. “Did Star tell you about the next quake that is on the way?”

  “She did. A scientist said this?” Earl questioned the validity of the forecast.

  “He predicted the first one too,” Vince defended.

  “Hmm….” Earl wasn’t convinced.

  “It’s not worth taking the risk of it hitting while we are in the path of that wave, Dad. You don’t want to see that wave. I made diamonds in my butt crack when we made it out of California. Trust me, it’s not something you can run from,” Vince told him.

  “Then why don’t we leave now, Vince? Go north,” Earl begged him.

  “We have three weeks to get ready to infiltrate Vegas and get some key mercs out, plus Erika’s mom and Greg and Penny’s family. Then we can discuss our next move,” Vince informed him.

  “What? Why do you guys have to do this?” Earl wondered. His son and daughter-in-law weren’t soldiers.

  “Because, Dad, we know the facility better than anyone. We lived there for nine years. We have to get Nancy and we can get these key people out before the Mercenary army attacks, otherwise they may be executed when the first shots are fired,” Vince explained.

  “Just you and Erika?” he wondered.

  “And Dex and Star,” Vince told him.

  Earl’s eyes were on Erika and Daniel, laughing together. “I can’t stop you from doing what you think is right, but I don’t have to like it. What are you going to tell Daniel?” he wondered.

  “The truth. His grandma is in there. Carmen and Crystal are like a brother and sister to him. He’ll understand,” Vince assured his father.

  “He’ll understand, but I doubt he’s going to like it very much either,” Earl told his son.

  “I think you’re right,” Vince admitted, watching Daniel tease Erika. Vince was elated to have his family back. After Vegas, I’m done, he told himself.

  Chapter 31

  After one very emotional afternoon the family had a delightful evening together. They ate dinner and Daniel suggested they play a game of Uno together. Erika laughed at him as he proudly displayed the cards he had remembered to pack. Everyone joined in and even Megan was smiling as they teased one another with “Skips” and “Draw twos.” Playing long into the night, Erika wished this evening together would never end, but there were people missing. She was determined to get them out of Las Vegas.

  The next morning, Erika went exploring with Daniel. It was hot on the streets and it took a massive coordinated effort to keep the community functioning. Food was being transported in from the north. Colonel Andre Ward made a deal with the Canadian Government to receive aid. The Canadians were fearful that, with all the land the US was losing, the feds might start thinking about expansion once they had the resistance taken out.

  Waste management was a big issue as well. Most of the sewer system for the city of Reno was destroyed in the Great Quake and never rebuilt. They had started digging privies in the beginning, but as more and more people poured in, they were filling up too quickly. They started directing the waste out over the edge of a canyon. It was a horrible sight, but the whole setup was very temporary, and they were focused on leaving.

  Water was the other issue that required constant attention. They did have a dozen wells being powered by solar and gasifiers, but there were no pipes to move the water about. Usually they set up a wash tent near the well. Citizens would travel there to wash and collect water for personal use. There were also massive laundry tents hooked into the water supply. The residents could come by to wash their clothing and a group of workers washed clothes for the soldiers.

  Daniel chatted aimlessly as they walked. He was excited to show Erika everything. Taking her toward a soccer field, they saw Corporal Smith out practicing.

  “Is this your other boy?” Smith asked.

  “Sure is. Corporal Smith, this is my little man, Daniel,” Erika said, introducing him.

  “Not so little anymore, Mom. I’m turning eleven this year,” Daniel chimed in.

  “You know how to play, big man?” Smith asked, popping the ball off his knee.

  “You bet!” he said jovially. “Can we, Mom?”

  “You can, buddy, but your mom has had a rough few weeks. I think I’ll sit this one out,” Erika answered him honestly.

  “Oh, come on, Mom, please,” Daniel begged.

  “Really, Danny, I’m sore,” Erika told him.

  “All right,” he acquiesced, slowly heading out onto the field with his head bowed.

  Erika watched him, and her heart ached. Oh, what the hell, she told herself.

  “Come on, Daniel. Let’s go,” she yelled, running by him.

  “Hooray! Mom’s playing!” Daniel shouted, as Smith kicked the ball to him.

  Eventually, Vince, Dexter, Star, Johnny, and Megan came looking for them. They found them laughing and running on the field.

  “Come on, guys!” Dexter yelled, jogging out to join them. Trucker was barking and spinning by his side.

  The family played together late into the afternoon. When the sun began to set, they had to call it quits. If they didn’t get over to the food tent, there wouldn’t be anything left. They took a shortcut home which led them in the opposite direction from which they had come. The road passed by the Militia training grounds, and 1st Sgt Bennet was returning from dinner.

  “Hey, Danny,” Bennet said as they approached. “I told you I’d get them back, didn’t I?”

  “You sure did, sir,” the boy admitted and thought for a minute. “But I’m still mad you didn’t take me with you.”

  “Sounds like your Grandma is glad I didn’t take you,” Bennet responded.

  “Yeah…” he paused. “I guess you’re right.”

  “You know I am. High five, buddy. You did a great job,” Bennet told him, giving him a high-five. “Looks like you guys have been out working up a sweat,” he commented to the adults.

  “Sure have, sir,” Smith replied eagerly.

  “Good, you’ll all be ready for tomorrow. I’ll see you at 05:00 right here,” Bennet said cheerfully. He was back in his element.

  “See you in the morning,” Erika answered.

  “And guys, it’s really good to see you all back together,” Bennet added.

  “It’s good to be back together,” Vince told him. “Good night, sir.”

  “Night, Vince,” Bennet responded.

  “What’s he talking about, Mom? Daniel asked.

  “We’re training to get Grandma, and Greg and Penny’s family out of Las Vegas. Along with some important Mercenary soldiers. We start tomorrow,” Erika admitte
d.

  He thought carefully about her words.

  “Are you getting Carmen and Crystal too?” he wondered.

  “Yes, we are,” Vince answered.

  “Can I come?” he asked.

  “No, Danny,” Erika answered.

  “We need someone to stay and protect Grandma, Grandpa, and Megan,” Vince told him.

  “Don’t worry, little dude, I’ll be here too,” Johnny assured him.

  “We’re not leaving you,” Erika told him. “We’re training right here and when we go to Vegas we’ll only be gone a day or so. Then we’ll be right back with Carmen and Crystal.”

  “If all goes well,” he said. “But what if it doesn’t?”

  “Nobody has an answer for that, Danny. Anything could happen to any one of us at any time. Tomorrow is never a guarantee. That’s why we have to make every moment together count,” Erika explained, hugging him tightly, which turned into another big family hug.

  They headed to the food tent and ate some dinner before retiring to the family tent. Kay was sore at Erika for not relaxing with her injuries. She knew Erika would start training tomorrow and then she would be pushing it even more. Kay couldn’t understand why she couldn’t take a few more days to heal.

  Earl sat quietly, clearly upset that they intended on going through with this plan. He looked at Erika’s arm and confirmed that the infection was clearing up. He washed it and told her that the stitches needed to stay in for at least another four days. Erika would just have to take it easy.

  Chapter 32

  Erika always hated waking up early in the morning, but this morning she was ready to go. Vince was impressed with her upbeat attitude so early in the day. He handed her a cup of coffee. Star and Dexter were relaxing with a cup at the table. They tried to move around quietly, but they ended up waking the whole family.

  The sun was just rising, and the evening air held back the impending heat of the day. They hustled over to the training field, knowing from experience that showing up late on the first day would not be received well.