Days of Want Series (Book 6): Mayhem

by Payne, T. L.

  Mayhem

  Days of Want Series, Book Six

  Copyright © 2020 by T. L. Payne

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Deranged Doctor Design

  Edited by Mia Darien at LKJ Books & Freelancing

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Preview of Seeking Safety

  Also by T. L. Payne

  Contact the Author

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Highway 63

  Phelps County, Missouri

  July 9th

  “How long do you think he's been dead?” Maddie asked.

  Maddie Langston had grown so used to death and the sight of blood that she didn’t even flinch as Lugnut rolled the man over. The dead man’s eyes stared up at her. Blood caked his cheek. He’d been lying there for a while.

  Lugnut placed two fingers on the man’s neck. “At least twelve hours,” he said as he removed the man’s helmet. He slid the helmet onto his own head, pulled the modular mounted goggle binocular down in front of his eyes, and looked around.

  “Whoa! What the heck is he doing with that thing?” Larry asked, walking up to him. Ryan and Jacob pushed in to see for themselves.

  Larry had been the leader of a preparedness group located east of Peoria, Illinois. Maddie’s Uncle Ryan had trained with him prior to the lights going out. When they’d fled to Peoria following Ryan’s farm being attacked by DHS, Larry had had an impressive armory and array of tactical gear of his own.

  “I don’t know. As far as I know, civilians weren’t able to buy ENVG III night vision goggles and FWS-I thermal weapon sights,” Lugnut said.

  Maddie waved her hand in front of Lugnut’s face. “What are they?”

  “ENVG III/FWS-I,” Lugnut said.

  “In English, please?”

  “High-tech night vision goggle binoculars. A thermal scope with day or night technology with rapid-target acquisition that allows the shooter the ability display the weapon sight image and aim point. The shooter can aim the weapon at targets without even shouldering their weapon. Meaning they can shoot over top and around cover without exposing themselves.”

  “That sounds super high tech,” Maddie said, reaching up and touching the helmet.

  “It is. Last I knew, these were only available to the military. Even if they were sold to the public, they would’ve been too expensive for the average civilian to buy. Too bad they’re broken,” he said, removing the helmet from his head.

  Maddie’s gut clenched. There had been rumors of military-type raids south of Dent County. Was this dead man part of that? What was he doing in Phelps County with that type of sophisticated equipment? Maddie picked up the man’s rifle and studied the strange-looking thermal scope mounted to the weapon.

  “Was he military?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I’d say he was. Someone could’ve acquired these since the lights went out, but my bet is he’s a skilled operator,” Ryan said.

  Maddie’s eyes widened. She had no reason to question Ryan and Lugnut’s judgments on the matter. As Marines, they’d seen more than their share of combat in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. If they believed this guy was the real deal, then Maddie was truly concerned. They had adequate security at the farm. The neighbors, the few who had survived this long, had pulled together and installed checkpoints at the junctions into their area. They were, however, very low on ammunition, and they certainly didn’t have enough for a protracted gun battle. The sight of this man’s weaponry and ample ammunition sent a shiver down Maddie’s spine. She handed the dead man’s M4 to Lugnut and scanned the field for signs of his companions or attackers. She saw no sign of anyone else.

  “What would he be doing out here all by himself?” she asked.

  “I doubt he was by himself,” Ryan said, rolling the man back over onto his stomach. “I don’t think he shot himself in the back.”

  Maddie leaned in close and examined the small hole just below the man’s plate carrier. From what she could tell, it appeared to be an entrance wound. There was very little blood around it. Maddie rolled him onto his side and looked for the exit. The front of the man’s tactical shirt was caked with dried blood. “The exit wound must be under his plate carrier.”

  Lugnut unsnapped the man’s plate carrier and ran his hand under it.

  “There’s an exit wound just below his right rib cage.”

  Maddie furrowed her brow. “You think he died from internal bleeding then?”

  “Must have.”

  Maddie climbed out of the ditch and walked a few paces away, studying the ground. “He obviously couldn’t have been out here all alone, and maybe they’re still here. There could be more of them in the woods.”

  Highway 63 was well-traveled with people coming and going to the trade fair in Rolla. People from all over Phelps County came to buy and sell there. How many of them had ridden past the man that morning and not known it?

  Maddie likely wouldn’t have seen him if Mugsbie hadn’t decided to follow her. Despite having tied him up prior to leaving, he’d showed up at their camp in the middle of the night. Cooper, Buster, and Mugsbie were good for keeping predators away from the farm animals and barking to alert them to any human intruders, but the dogs could be a handful at times.

  Mugsbie circled Maddie, then sat next to her foot. He still reminded her of Ron. Maddie felt a pang of grief and guilt. She glanced at her palms. She could still feel Ron’s blood on her hands.

  Jacob reached down and placed his hand in hers. “You okay?” he whispered.

  Maddie smiled and nodded.

  “Should we look for his buddies?” Maddie asked, walking in a circle and scanning the road.

  “I’m not sure we should go looking for them. Not without backup,” Ryan said.

  “You guys stay here. I’ll be back,” Lugnut said, checking the M4’s ammunition.

  Maddie leaned in close. “You should take Ryan.”

  “It’s rough terrain, Maddie. He’s not ready.”

  “Are you sure that’s it?” Maddie asked.

  Ryan and Lugnut had had a few words about how things should be done back at the farm. Ryan had been in charge while Lugnut and other teams had been away scavenging for food and supplies. There seemed to be some tension still between them even after everyone had voted on merging with the group from Houston who were living at the Grayson farm. They had all agreed—against Lugnut’s advice—to establish checkpoints in and out of the major
roads into the community, and to combine security efforts to protect both groups.

  “Ryan. You want to just take a look in that field and around that stand of trees so we can get an idea of a starting point to begin scouting when we return?” Lugnut asked.

  “Sure. We could do that,” Ryan replied, handing Jacob the reins to his horse.

  After retrieving four extra magazines from the dead man’s pockets, Lugnut marched off across the field with Mugsbie on his heels.

  Maddie handed Ryan her spare ammunition pouch. “You guys don’t go too far, okay? I don’t feel good about hanging out here if his friends come looking for him. Or worst yet, whoever did that to him.”

  “You probably should have told him that,” Ryan said, nodding toward Lugnut. “You keep the ammo. I’m good,” Ryan said, patting his tactical vest. “We won’t be long.”

  After about fifty feet, Lugnut stopped, bent down, and touched the ground. Mugsbie sniffed where Lugnut touched. Lugnut changed course and walked to his right another twenty feet. He stopped twice more before he and the dog disappeared into the brush.

  Maddie climbed out of the ditch and took hold of her horse's reins. After leading him into the shade of a large oak tree at the edge of the field, she removed her canteen from her saddlebag. As she took a long drink, Bluejeans smacked her with his tail as he attempted to swat away the flies swarming them. Maddie wiped her brow with the bandana she wore around her neck. She wore it to shade the back of her neck from the harsh rays of the summer sun. It was the best she could do since they’d run out of sunscreen. She took one last drink before returning the canteen to her bag.

  “What do you think all this means, Larry?” Maddie asked.

  After going through all the dead man’s pockets, pouches, and saddlebags, Larry placed the man’s gear into the back of their horse-drawn wagon and joined Maddie and Jacob in the shade upwind of the ripening dead man.

  “I’m not sure what to make of him. I agree with Lugnut and Ryan. He’s not just some average joe who stumbled upon that high-tech loadout. If he was out here alone, it could be some sort of reconnaissance mission. Harding and Aims might be able to shed some light on whether this guy was with General Dempsey or not,” Larry said.

  Reginald Harding had been the regional director for FEMA in Illinois, and Gerald Aims had been his director of the response and recovery division. When they’d found themselves targeted by General Dempsey and the Department of Homeland Security’s regional director, they’d both fled to Missouri, eventually finding their way to Fort Leonard Wood. They had been instrumental in locating vital medical supplies after Emma and many of Larry’s group had contracted a contagious and deadly disease from one of the refugee shelters that Missouri’s governor had established near the Illinois state line.

  “What would Dempsey want down here? It’s not like we have abundant resources he’d need,” Jacob said.

  Larry twitched his bushy mustache, then removed a bandana from his front pocket and wiped the back of his neck. “Maybe he wants to expand his authority.”

  Maddie stared off in the direction Lugnut and Ryan had headed. She was concerned about what they might find. The last thing the community needed right now was a dictator forcing his way in and stopping what little progress they’d made toward rebuilding some sort of life. Resources were so scarce that the only thing he’d really gain was power. After all they’d been through to survive, most people around there didn’t have the mental or physical strength to resist an authoritarian takeover. Maybe that was why he’d waited this long.

  Maddie turned back to Larry. The once-hulking man was now thin and malnourished. They’d just started eating enough to hopefully put some weight back on to make it through winter, but if they were forced to fight or flee, Maddie wasn’t sure any of them would survive.

  “I wouldn’t be too worried just yet, kiddo. There could be any number of reasons the dead man was out here. Hell, he could be looking for his family or just doing what we are—trying to survive,” Larry said.

  Somehow, Maddie’s gut told her she was right to worry. Jacob took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She knew what he was thinking. It had taken a lot of discussions to get him on board with her coming on this trip. Since their wedding, Jacob had become even more protective of her. But he knew her well enough to know that she’d do whatever she thought was necessary to make sure their friends and family not only survived but thrived. It wasn’t enough just to live. They had to find hope if they stood a chance of rebuilding a life worth living. She’d feel much better after Lugnut and Ryan returned, so she’d know if they had cause to be concerned about Dempsey and his army.

  In the meantime, she mentally weighed their options if this turned out to be a threat to her group. Was the land worth fighting for? It wasn’t anything special. There were hundreds of thousands of acres in south-central Missouri just like it—some far better, she imagined. Zach’s dream of reestablishing their father’s homestead, and their plans to build more cabins, would have to be abandoned if Dempsey got a foothold in the county. From all she’d heard of his modus operandi, he would seize the farm and force everyone into work camps—at least, that was what he’d done in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Did he have a large enough army now to expand south? If the dead man was one of Dempsey’s, she’d have her answer. But how would they be able to find out who he was with?

  A rustling of leaves startled Maddie, and she spun around, her rifle raised and pointed in the direction of the noise.

  “Cinnamon,” Lugnut called out.

  Maddie lowered her rifle and exhaled. “Latte.”

  Lugnut and Ryan emerged from the brush. Lugnut was leading a saddled horse.

  “Where’d you find her?” Jacob asked, stepping up and taking the mare’s reins.

  “Her reins were stuck in a thicket. She scratched her legs up pretty bad in the brambles.”

  Jacob ran his hands over her, checking for injuries. She bobbed her head and pulled back as he examined the scrapes. He walked her in a wide circle. “I think she’ll be fine.”

  “You assuming she belongs to him?” Maddie asked, pointing over her shoulder toward the dead man.

  Lugnut nodded as he lifted his canteen and took a drink before answering. “Makes sense. He was shot. He rode off, eventually fell in that ditch there, and his horse ran off.” Lugnut wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and returned the canteen to his rucksack. “I think he traveled pretty far from where he was shot. He was moving pretty slow.”

  “How can you tell that?” Maddie asked.

  “The blood trail. There’s blood on the saddle and stirrups. The drips and smears I found indicate he dismounted a few times—maybe to get his bearings, take a compass reading or something.”

  Larry led the horse over beside his, filled the collapsible water bucket, and placed it on the ground in front of her. She eagerly accepted his offering. Mugsbie gave the horse a wide berth as he walked over to Maddie. His fur was full of cockle burrs from his run through the woods. He would not be curling up in her sleeping bag tonight.

  “Any sign of any of his compatriots or anyone tracking him?” Larry asked.

  “No. That’s one of the reasons I think this didn’t happen near here. Besides, if there’d been some troop movement in the county, we would have heard about it at the checkpoints in Licking or Vida. Someone would have seen or heard something and reported it,” Lugnut said.

  Between the new sheriff and a Dent County cattle rancher, Clark Nelson, there was a pretty good network for gathering information about things like that in the region. Although Lucas Bryant had appointed himself the new sheriff of Dent County and parts of Phelps County, he’d done a good job bringing law and order back to the region so far. He and Clark Nelson’s men had clashed a few times, but Maddie had heard they’d managed to avoid an all-out war.

  Maddie didn’t like the idea of a cattle rancher running his own lawmen around the area. He’d hired people to provide security to keep thieves f
rom stealing his cattle, which was fine, but when they’d started hunting down people and accusing them of being cattle rustlers, Maddie thought that was going a step too far.

  “It had to have happened in the county. He couldn’t have traveled much farther than that. I think I’ll get Rank and come back, see if we can find out where that guy came from,” Lugnut said.

  Lugnut and Rank had both served with Maddie’s father in the Marines. They were excellent trackers, but Maddie wasn’t sure if Rank was up to the task these days. It was hard to say, though. She’d barely seen him in weeks. He spent all his free time at a drinking establishment opened by Clark Nelson to keep his security team occupied on their time off. Rank hadn’t confirmed it, but Maddie suspected he’d been moonlighting at the Nelson ranch. She hoped her old crush hadn’t been involved in any of Nelson’s heavy-handed night raids. Maybe with Lugnut reaching out and including Rank in this mission, they could steer Rank away from that mess.

  “Are you sure we should abandon going to the trade fair? Can’t it wait until we get home?” Maddie asked.

  “No. If we get rain, we’ll likely lose his tracks. I need to get back and round up my team. It’ll take a day to get the wagon back to the farm and get ready to come back—and another half-day for us to get back here. I can’t afford to wait.”

  “We could…”

  “No. Not without security,” Lugnut said, cutting her off.

  “What do you think you’ll find?” Maddie asked.

  Lugnut hesitated before answering.