by Dave Conifer
Nick heard somebody shouting his name from behind. It was Dwayne. He must have heard the shooting and was heading back toward camp, presumably to alert them about what was going on. Nick gave him a thumbs-up before turning back to the road. He could see at least a dozen men hunkered down around the truck, many taking a knee. Knowing what was coming, he dropped to the ground and rolled behind a tree just as the cannonade began. Bits of tree bark rained around him as he cowered. Somehow they’d managed to pinpoint his location. That wasn’t good.
He knew by the sound of the engines after the initial volley that they were moving forward again. Glad that the truck, at least, would have to stop at the roadblock he’d placed in their way, he scrambled to find a good vantage point to fire from, and let loose another ten or so rounds to give them even more to think about.
The response was immediate, and similar to the last one. Apparently the invaders were well-armed. Even before he was able to peek around the tree he heard the engines. The enemy and all their guns were getting closer.
It was only the bikes that he was hearing now. He thought he might have taken the truck out with his rifle. He could see at least one flat tire, and there appeared to be something dripping from the engine block. It was hard to feel good about it, though, as he watched men leaping out of the back and coming forward on foot.
When he heard the growl of a motorcycle again, he knew where it was headed. Instead of waiting, he aimed the gun as best he could and held the trigger down until he’d exhausted the magazine. With a yelp, the rider fell from the bike, which landed on its side in the dirt. Still, the others kept coming. He yanked on the strap and slung the now-useless rifle across his back as he retreated.
Two of the Harleys were parked at the edge of the road. Nick assumed their owners knew he’d emptied his last magazine, and were now creeping through the woods looking to take a shot at him. Even if Nick knew where they were, he was in trouble. And before long there’d be more than just two men after him.
Carlo had been right about what the invaders would do, but he’d been overruled and accepted it. Nick knew he’d been foolish not to do the same, and now he was in serious danger. As he considered the situation, he heard the truck back in action. Apparently determined to enter the camp with it, the driver had rammed the pickup and was pushing it out of the way. Meanwhile, men were now rushing back to it and hopping into the cargo bed.
There was only one course of action left for Nick. He sprung from his hiding place, threw the gun away and dodged trees as he ran as fast as he could back to safety. Gunfire rang out immediately, but it was tough shooting through the thick forest. The trees around him took a beating, but when the ring road was just a few yards away he hadn’t been hit yet.
Just a few more steps to the road, he told himself as he ran. Once there, he’d have enough of a head start that he could sprint back to camp and call for a counter-attack. But when he took his eyes off his own path to check the progress of the truck, he stepped into a hole and went sprawling head first into a bramble of young evergreens. He felt like his ankle had burst. It was on fire with excruciating pain. Sure that he’d broken something, he knew now that running back to camp was no longer an option.
He also knew his very life was at stake. If he didn’t move, he was a dead man. His face scratched and bleeding and one of his legs now useless, he nevertheless pulled himself up and limped through the trees toward the ring road as he reconsidered his plans. In this condition, continuing toward camp out in the open would be a death sentence. The best he could hope for was to save himself by getting across the ring road and back into the woods on the other side. That would leave the road into camp open, but maybe Dwayne’s warning would be enough to save it.
He groaned when he heard the engine again. That meant the pickup had been successfully shoved aside. Now the floodgates would open. But then he realized the sound he heard wasn’t coming from behind, but from the direction of the camp. He ignored the pain in his ankle and fought his way out of the woods in time to see one of the Sec Force vans racing toward him at breakneck speed. The driver slammed on the brakes at the “T,” skidding through the dirt and lurching sideways. As the dust cleared, somebody jumped out of the side with long tube in his arms. He knew what the weapon was from the movies. The invaders were about to feel the blast of a rocket propelled grenade, courtesy of Carlo Moriarty.
And just in time, too. The pickup truck had indeed been cleared from the road, and the flatbed, now loaded with armed fighters, was speeding to the intersection. Nick wasn’t sure whether they didn’t know what they were looking at, or thought they could beat Carlo’s trigger hand, but instead of peeling off, the truck came faster and faster.
The occupants of the Sec Forces van scattered, but Carlo held his ground long enough to aim and fire. As the grenade launched at the truck in a fiery woosh, Carlo dropped the tube and got out of the way as best he could. The truck exploded on impact, but continued to hurtle forward until it crashed into the van, knocking it backwards.
Another explosion came. The truck was completely engulfed in flames, as was the van now. Nick knew there would be no surviving that, but there were still a few invaders in the woods. When another van of Sec Forces rolled onto the scene shortly thereafter, Nick limped over to meet it, remembering too late that he might be mistaken for the enemy. After he told them about the stragglers in the woods, several jumped out of the van to pursue them. Nick never learned how that turned out, because he was loaded into the van and driven back to the Medical Center.
Twenty-six
The ankle wasn’t broken, after all. The nurse diagnosed it as a severe sprain. There might be ligament damage, she speculated, but it didn’t matter. They didn’t have the capability to do anything about that anyway. He was given a week’s worth of aspirin and a set of crutches, and told to stay off it as much as he could. In the old world they’d have applied ice, they told him, but learning how to produce ice during warm weather wasn’t something that anybody had gotten around to yet.
Sarah had been treated earlier. Her wounds were cleaned and sutured, and she’d been given a sponge bath. The nurses tapped into the dwindling supply of antibiotics, but only enough for three days. All the while the electrolyte solution dripped into her veins from the IV bag to alleviate the dehydration. She felt more hungry than thirsty, and was already looking forward for dinner.
While the rest of the camp was busy mopping up after the attack, Nick and Sarah spent the next few hours in their adjacent beds catching up on each other’s adventures. The more Nick heard, the more surprised he was that she’d survived. He asked her several times what happened to Dewey, even though he knew after the first time that she couldn’t tell him.
“I can’t say that I wouldn’t have walked away from those kids at the lake,” Nick said. “I’d like to think I wouldn’t have. I might have stayed forever in that little cabin you guys found. How did you keep going?”
“I’m not sure,” Sarah admitted. “If it was just me, I might have quit. But it seemed like there was always somebody depending on me. I couldn’t quit on somebody else. I never knew it would be that way for me. How would I know?”
“Well, it’s amazing,” Nick said. “You are one brave chickie.”
She smiled. “It isn’t that, I swear. I’ve never been so scared in my life. And I’ve never been in situations like that.” She paused to think for a moment. “It’s, like, you have to make a choice, and even if you’re scared, you know nothing would be worse than turning your back on your own people. I never thought it would be so simple, but that’s how it was for me.”
“Well, you would know,” Nick said. “I’m just glad to have you back. We all are, whatever happens.”
Allie still wasn’t speaking, but she’d reacted so badly when she saw the nurse try to hook her up to her own IV bag that they decided it wasn’t necessary. Instead they left a thermos of water, and instructed Sarah to get her to drink as much of it as possible.
N
ick hadn’t yet mentioned his concern that she wasn’t welcome to come back when Roethke barged into the room. “I heard you were here,” he said to Sarah. “Don’t get too comfortable. Grover will be here soon. We’ll be holding a Committee meeting somewhere around here. Then I think we’re all going to need to have a long talk.”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Nick asked, annoyed. “I mean, look at us.”
“It doesn’t involve you,” Roethke told him. “By the way, your slacker friend showed up at the school earlier today. He didn’t look nearly as bad as she does. They might be bringing him down for our little talk.”
“You mean Dewey?” Nick asked excitedly. “Dewey’s okay?”
“You could call it that,” Roethke said. “I suppose. He’s as good as he ever was, anyway.” He walked back out without anymore explanation. Nick grabbed his crutches and hobbled out behind him.
“Roethke!” he said. “Wait!”
Roethke walked a few more steps before stopping and turning to face Nick without a word.
“I just want to make sure you understand something,” Nick said. “It’s the same as last time. My people stick together. If she or Dewey go, I’m out the door with them. And probably her two daughters come with us. I’d appreciate it if you’d pass that on at your meeting.”
Roethke smirked. “Gladly. But I think I know what you’re hoping for. I’m afraid it might have the opposite effect.”
When Nick went back inside he asked Jenny to give him a moment with her mother. After Jenny left, he told Sarah the truth about what he thought was going to happen at the meeting. Then he told her that if she and Dewey were kicked out, they wouldn’t be alone. Sarah took it well. Probably because she was so faint, her protest against Nick’s decision about what he’d do was half-hearted. The only question in her mind was whether the girls should stay, or go with them. It was a question Nick was glad he’d never had to face.
~~~
The Committee meeting, which was held in the Cannery for reasons not known to Nick, ended up taking more than two hours. Sarah and Nick had agreed not to tell Jenny that their fate was in the balance. That would be clear soon enough. Sarah was too weak to leave her bed, while Nick paced nervously outside the room on his crutches despite doctor’s orders to stay horizontal. When Roethke came back to inform them that the meeting had ended, Nick tried to read the expression on his face. As usual, it was impossible.
Grover appeared moments later. Apparently they were coming to them, instead of summoning them, because of their physical condition. Each grabbed a chair and slid it across the room to the beds. Grover turned his backwards and sat with his chin resting on the back.
“A lot happened at our meeting,” Grover began. “As it always seems to when you’re involved. I’ll start from the beginning. It may not be clear at first, but it all involves you two.”
Nick nodded. It had only been a few months since he had a session like this with Grover, and here he was again. Hopefully for the last time, one way or the other.
“Nick, you witnessed a military blunder this afternoon,” Grover began. “The leadership set their men up in the wrong place, and we nearly got overrun. Those leaders have been demoted, are back in the rank and file now. The man who knew the proper course of action, but was overruled, is now in charge of the Sec Forces. That man is Carlo Moriarty.”
Nick nodded. “He had it right.”
“I understand that you had something to do with fixing the problem as well,” Grover said. “Carlo told me how you held them up at the front gate long enough for him to get there with his RPG launcher. Well done, Nick.”
Nick shrugged and looked at his feet. He wasn’t going to give Grover the satisfaction of a gracious reply, in view of what he thought was coming next.
“Next, we talked about our two members,” Grover said, “who went AWOL just a day or two after being admitted to the group. One of whom, obviously, is sitting in this room. On top of that, they led a dangerous mob back to our camp, as well as bringing about a dozen more unproductive children along with them.”
“You know, I was thinking about the kids,” Sarah said. “We have a lake here, right? They’re good at fishing. We can use that, right?”
Grover cast a withering glare in her direction before continuing. “I told you this before, Nick. These two aren’t what we’re looking for in our membership. We have to have unquestioned loyalty.”
Nick hadn’t given up yet. “What about her daughters? Are you keeping them? And dividing up a family?”
“I’m not through yet,” Grover said. “I understand that you, Nick, have declared that if the two are expelled, you’ll leave as well. Is that your intention?”
“Yes,” Nick said. “You know how I feel about that.”
“You make this difficult,” Grover said. “It’s impossible to reward you for your role in the battle when you introduce conditions like these.”
“I brought them into this,” Nick said. “I’ll stick with them if you throw them out.”
“That’s where the complication is,” Grover said. “Carlo accepted the appointment. But when he heard your plans, he was -- uncooperative, let’s say. He won’t take the job if we, in essence, throw you out into the cold, even if it’s by your own choice.”
“I believe his exact words were ‘That’s not how I roll,’” Roethke said, shaking his head as if he simply couldn’t stomach the phrasing, let alone the sentiment.
Nick nodded. He was trying not to show any emotion, but based on the last time he did this with Grover, there was some hope. It had gone a lot like this.
“On top of that, all three of you are still injured,” Grover said. “You two and Henry Bishop. I’m still bound by the Hippocratic Oath, which, as you know, I take very seriously. You sustained your injuries while defending this camp. That means something.”
“Okay,” Nick replied. “It means something. What does it mean, exactly?”
“We can’t afford poor military leadership,” Grover said. “We need Carlo to take that job.” He stood up and walked out the door without finishing the thought.
“What exactly does that mean, Roethke?” Nick demanded.
“It means that just like last time,” Roethke said, “you’ve wormed your way back in. You beat the system again. I never thought I’d see that from the likes of you.”
“So we all can stay?” Nick asked.
“It certainly looks that way,” Roethke allowed.
“Who?” Sarah asked. “Who are we talking about?”
“All of them,” Roethke answered. “Just don’t go flapping your gums about this. You’ve been very lucky. Again.” He rose and walked out to join Grover.
Nick joined Sarah on her bed, carefully nudging himself in against the pillows next to her. “Welcome back,” he said.
Sarah smiled. “Same to you. Thank you, Nick. This time it was me and my girls you stood by, and I won’t forget it.”
“You know, I’m starting to think Grover might not be the hardo we all make him out to be,” Nick remarked.
“He likes you, Nick,” Sarah said. “He may not show it, but he sees something in you. How else can you explain how he cut you slack like this? Again. And maybe the same goes for Roethke.”
“Don’t count on it!” yelled Roethke from the next room.
“Now you’re pushing it,” Nick said. They looked at each other and laughed.
~~~
That night, after dinner had been served at both the school and the camp, Nick and Sarah were treated to a reunion of sorts. Dewey, the teenagers and the siblings were delivered to Tabernacle and taken to the Medical Center. As soon as he walked in, Dewey awkwardly hugged both of them. After that, nobody was sure who to hug first. When Allie was brought in, Katie ran to her. Allie still didn’t speak, but she looked like she was at least considering it now that she was with a true peer.
Nick broke the news that they’d all been invited to join, but he got the feeling that they’d already been
informed. Gygax’s reaction when Sarah told him what had happened to his best friend Ethan brought forth a similar, muted reaction. There were no secrets around Tabernacle except the ones that Grover kept.
The grandest reunion of all involved Sarah and her youngest daughter, one which was watched by her eldest. Nick didn’t think Sarah would ever let go. Dewey tried to relate every detail of their journey to Nick in the space of about a minute. Nick already knew most of it, but didn’t let on.
There were too many bodies in the small room. Before long the entire gathering had been moved out into the lobby, including Sarah and her IV bag which was suspended from a rafter. Despite all that had gone wrong for everybody in that room, the atmosphere was like that of a cocktail party, as was the din of conversation. When he looked over at Gygax and Jenny, sitting against the wall by themselves in the corner, it took Nick a second to sort it out and remember that they’d just met.
“I wish they’d brought Tom and Penny and everybody else here,” Sarah said as she, too, eyed Jenny and Gygax. “I miss them all.”
“I’m, like, never leaving this place again,” Dewey said. “No way. Except if they make us go back to the school tonight.”
“I don’t know, Dewey,” Sarah replied. “You know the old saying about that word, right?”
“What word?”
“Never say never,” Sarah and Nick said at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed. Partly because they’d had the same thought at the same moment, partly because of the look on Dewey’s face, but mostly because it was the best evening either could remember in a long, long time.
THE END
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