by Payne, T. L.
“Do you see anyone?” Maddie asked.
“No. I don’t think they tracked us…yet,” Harding said.
They followed the creek for a quarter-mile before exiting into a clearing on the south side. They could no longer see the building where Gene went to talk to the Quincy. If he got into trouble, they couldn’t have his back. Gene was taking a great personal risk to confirm Stephens’s story.
After waiting ten minutes, they rode along the creek to the northern edge of the field where they could now see the building with the tower.
“How does he plan to get out of there?” Maddie asked.
“Quickly,” Aims said, pointing to a spot in the field where the grass was rustling.
“Is he crawling?”
“Good thing they don’t mow behind that building,” Harding said.
Gene dropped into the creek, crouched, and hauled ass toward them.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Gene said, gasping for air.
“Did you find him? What did he say?” Maddie rapid fired.
“Let’s get to the road, and then I’ll tell you all about it,” Gene said.
Aims threw a log on the fire. As the embers drifted into the night air, Gene filled them in on his conversation with Quincy.
“So Nelson’s known for weeks?” Aims asked.
“He has. He’s made contact with Dempsey. It was his men that took out Stephens’s team. They knew all about the gold. They’ve been looking for it almost since the lights went out. Quincy said they nearly tore St. Louis apart looking for it. They knew it had been brought to southeastern Missouri, but not where it had been stashed. Not until they gained inside information about the mission to retrieve it.”
“Inside information,” Maddie asked. She was still trying to wrap her mind around so much fuss being made about gold. Sure, nine months ago, a shipment of gold would be worth millions, she imagined, but now? What would Dempsey or Nelson do with it?
“Dempsey planted someone inside the new government. They’ve been reporting troop movements, covert operations, and other sensitive matters straight to Dempsey,” Aims said.
“So Dempsey’s looking for the gold, and so are we?” Maddie asked. She felt panic rise into her throat. Dempsey’s men were well armed and not malnourished like her group. “What about that army Stephens said was coming to help?”
Gene frowned. “They’re going to meet some resistance. Nelson sent his men to take them out while Dempsey’s team locates the gold.”
“So, what now?” Maddie said.
“We have to get back, gather some more men, and go stop Nelson’s men so that army can secure that shipment,” Harding said.
Nelson must have had every warm body he had out searching for them. There were roadblocks on all the major roads. They were forced to take backroads, adding miles to their trip. Maddie was frustrated, tired, and hungry by the time they moved through Raymondville. They still had nearly thirty miles before reaching home and the sun was setting, but they couldn’t stop now. They were already at least a day behind Nelson’s men. They’d need time to round of up enough fresh horses. Folks weren’t keen to just give them up. It would take some convincing and a lot of food they couldn’t spare.
I hope Zach and the others are successful in finding the Eminence herd. We need those horses. Maddie didn’t relish the idea of breaking wild horses, but they desperately needed them.
Chapter 13
Carver Cave
Pulaski County, Missouri
July 14th
John David Wilks remained behind with his four draft horses on the old logging road that led to Carver Cave. Rank looked back as he stepped off the road and into the forest. He sure hoped that Fred was able to deliver the extra four gallons of root beer Rank had promised the man in time for Little David’s party. The old man might be pissed that he’d bartered it away without his knowledge, but he was a patriot. He’d understand that it was for the republic. If not, Rank would owe the old man. As long as it wasn’t helping to cut off nasty bunions from Fred’s feet, Rank was good with that.
Ryan, Lugnut, and Rank led Stephens and her two men through the woods to the entrance of Carver Cave, once a popular hangout for teens before the lights went out. The cave was one of several in the area that the Godwin gang could have driven into with a wagon of gold. Carver was the easiest to access.
Lugnut pulled a pair of binoculars from his pack and glassed the trail leading to the mouth of the cave.
“You see any sentries?” Rank asked.
“No, but I see wagon tracks.” Lugnut handed him the binoculars.
“Those are definitely wagon tracks,” Rank said, handing them to Ryan.
Stephens yanked the binoculars from Ryan’s hands and placed them to her eyes. “It looks like it was carrying a heavy load. That’s my gold.”
“How are we doing this?” Ryan asked, taking the binoculars from Stephens.
“Either they're all inside, or they were too stupid to post guards,” Lugnut said. “We’re going to have to flush them out.”
“Going in there will be dangerous. They’ll see us coming,” Stephens said.
Lugnut smiled. “I have something that will get them out.”
Stephens tilted her head. “Are you going to elaborate?”
“It’s classified,” he said with a straight face.
She started to protest, but he cut her off.
“Hogan, you and Collins watch the entrance. Stephens, you guard the road. If they’re in there, they’ll likely run that way first. Watch for their buddies to return,” Lugnut said.
“Ryan, you guard the entrance. Rank and I are going in to confirm if the gold is even in there.”
Stephens nodded and took off toward the road.
“I sure hope my NVGs last that long,” Rank said.
Lugnut dropped his ruck by the entrance. “We need to find more rechargeable batteries for them,” Lugnut said, pulling his from his pack. He unclipped a flashlight from his belt and shined the light inside.
A shot rang out. The sound reverberated inside the space. Lugnut jumped back and pressed himself against the rock. Rank and Ryan dove to the opposite sides.
“Yep. There’s still someone in there,” Rank said, getting to his feet.
“We knew they’d leave a guard. Justin was full of shit on that one,” Lugnut said, pulling his pistol from its holster.
Rank dropped his pack and unholstered his 1911. He checked the magazine pouches on his chest rig and stepped back to the entrance of the cave. Whoever was in there was trapped. There was only one exit to Carver Cave. The other side faced the river and had been barred up by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to protect the bat population from boaters. The only way to reach it from here was by diving underwater. Rank doubted any of these guys could navigate through the underwater section of the cave, even with a diving suit.
“You ready?” Lugnut asked.
“As I’ll ever be,” Rank replied.
Ryan gave them both a thumbs-up.
Lugnut pulled a mason jar from his pack and stepped inside the mouth of the cave. He reared back and threw it as hard and far as he could. Rank buried his mouth and nose in the crook of his elbow and waited for the raunchy odor to fill the space.
“Oh my God!” a young male voice cried out. “What the hell, man.”
A moment later, a young teenager emerged from the cave, tears streaming down his cheeks and holding his nose.
“What? You don’t like eggs?” Rank laughed through his shirt.
“How many more are inside?” Lugnut asked, grabbing the kid by his collar.
“Nobody. Just me. The rest are all dead,” the kid said.
Rank grabbed the boy's hand and twisted it behind his back. “What happened here?”
The boy looked up. “Your guys came in guns blazing and shot everyone dead.”
“Not us. Was it Nelson’s crew?” Ryan asked.
The boy’s head shot up. A look of fear fad
ed from his eyes. “You’re not with Nelson’s crew?”
“No. I’ll ask you again, who did this?” Rank gave the boy’s arm a little shake. They didn’t have time for twenty questions.
“Jep will kill you if you hurt me,” the kid whined.
“I ain’t going to hurt you if you tell me the truth,” Rank said.
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“Was it Nelson?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah. Chase shot two of them, but he ran out of ammo, and they killed him.”
The kid started sobbing. Rank waited for him to take a breath. “You hid?”
He nodded.
“And they took the gold?”
The boy nodded again. “Momma told them it would get us killed. She said there was no way Nelson wouldn’t track us down. Jep thought it would be safe here, but it wasn’t.” His shoulders slumped, and he began sobbing uncontrollably. Rank almost felt sorry for the kid.
“Hogan, come secure our prisoner,” Lugnut called.
“You want to let it air out a bit before we go in to confirm his story?” Rank asked.
“Nah. No time. Pull your bandana up and let's go.”
Rank pulled his bandana over his nose. “Shit, Lug, you know it won’t block that smell. I’ll throw up.”
“You wanna stay out here and watch the prisoner? I can take Hogan or Collins. They aren’t being whinny little bitches.”
Rank glanced over to Ryan. He was doing his best not to laugh.
“Geesh, Lug. Lighten up. You know I was just kidding.”
Lugnut stopped and twisted to face him. “This isn’t a time for kidding around, Rank. We have to find that load of gold and get it on that plane. Now we have to track down where Nelson’s men took it, steal it from them, and then haul it all the way to Fort Leonard Wood. Dempsey’s men could be looking for it, too. We have to be on our toes. Got it?”
“I got it. I do.” Rank pulled his night-vision goggles down over his eyes and followed Lugnut into the dark cave.
The smell of rotten eggs was overwhelming. It took his breath away even through his bandana. He couldn’t imagine anyone could still be in there with that odor. Despite the lingering smell, the cave felt nice. It had to be at least twenty or thirty degrees cooler inside. The group had discussed possibly building earth berm houses to make living without air conditioning easier. Earth berm homes were easier to heat in the winter as well. He was all for having to cut and stack less wood. Zach and Larry were moving forward with the log cabins up on the bluff overlooking the river down by Greg and Beth’s old place. Larry felt digging required for earth berm houses would be too hard and time-consuming. Bo Johnson had claimed he could have a cabin up with his method in a matter of weeks. Rank wasn’t yet sure whether he would move back there or stay on at the Henson farm. With all the work they’d put into the gardens and things, he’d imagine some of the group would stay to guard it and continue to work the land.
Lugnut shined his light on the bodies on the floor of the cave. The kid had told the truth. Two of the men were Nelson’s—confirmed by their black clothes and tattoos. They had been stripped of their gear and the bodies had just been left there. There wasn’t much loyalty or brotherhood in Nelson’s group. Rank imagined Nelson didn’t have any use for dead men. Rank and Lugnut cleared the small chamber and stepped outside into the fresh air.
“Is it gone?” Stephens yelled.
Lugnut turned his back to the mouth of the cave.
“Yes, the kid was telling the truth,” Lugnut said as he approached her. “I want to secure the boy. We don’t want him running off and alerting Nelson. I’ll let John David know he can take the horses back home.”
As Lugnut walked off, Rank leaned his back against a tree and lowered his bandana. “Nelson’s crew has your gold. That’s going to be much harder. Just locating it could take days. He has dozens of men with an almost endless supply of ammunition.”
“You backing out on helping me?” Stephens asked.
“No. We won’t back out. We’re Marines. I just wanted you to be clear what we’re going up against. With those odds, even if we get the gold, we may not make your deadline,” Rank said.
“Are you sure that planes can even land at Fort Leonard Wood?” Ryan asked. “I haven’t been to the base in months, but the last time I was there, things weren’t all that secure.”
“My team scouted the base before we went to retrieve the gold. The runway looked clear. There was no one around.”
Rank could barely make out her form the dim light of his flashlight’s beam. “Is there a plan B?”
She moved toward him. “Plan B is to get it to the airfield at Little Rock, Arkansas, by any means necessary.”
“Three hundred miles?” Ryan asked.
It might as well be a thousand. There were so many obstacles with lawless bandits, desperate people, and washed-out roads. Just getting the gold to Fort Leonard Wood would be a major undertaking. They would need to scout ahead and find a passable road. The interstate was too dangerous. There were too many abandoned vehicles and too many places for people to hide and lay an ambush. With a heavy wagon of gold, there would be no way to retreat. They would be forced to stay and fight.
“You could come to Arkansas with me,” Stephens said.
“I… I couldn’t. I have people,” he stammered.
She moved closer. He could make out her face now.
“You could come back when the mission is complete.”
Rank glanced over to Hogan and then back the Stephens. Without a good-sized team, it was a suicide mission. He loved his country, but he was no hero. Flashes of Roger’s head whipping back with each blow from the huge black-clad men invaded his mind. Roger was a hero. Lugnut and Ryan were heroes. But not him. He was no hero.
“Nah. I better stick around here. We’ve managed to piss a lot of people off today. I need to make sure they don’t come after my friends.”
Stephens was quiet for a moment. Was she disappointed? He imagined she must be very concerned about making it all that way without her team. She had to know how impossible it would be.
“That’s understandable,” she said, her voice low. “I had to try.”
As they made their way back to the horses, Rank thought a lot about her offer. He was a Marine. There was a mission. They were trying to arm troops to take back their country. He’d lost hope, long ago, of life returning to anything even resembling normal. Now, she showed up talking about a new government and showers with running water. There was likely even cold beer. Could a new life really be possible? If it was, was it worth risking his life for?
“Tell me about this new president and his cabinet.”
Chapter 14
Carver Cave
Pulaski County, Missouri
July 14th
“How long do you think it will take to get to Fort Leonard Wood from here?” Stephens asked, climbing into her saddle.
“With Hogan, who knows. He rides like my grandma,” Rank said.
Hogan stuck his right hand in the air and flipped Rank the bird. Next to him, Lugnut strapped a shotgun to his pack. The kid back at the cave only had two shells for the gun, so he’d have to make them count if they encountered any trouble. They were all extremely low on ammunition. It was a growing problem. Rank wondered if they’d all have to resort to arrows and spears soon. That would spell their doom. The only ones with ammo now were big and powerful groups—the takers. And the armies.
Rank turned to Stephens. “From here? It’s going to be a long ride.” Rank studied Stephens. Was she giving up?
“Yes. How fast can we get there?” Stephens asked again.
Rank glanced over to Lugnut. He lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug. “I don’t know, maybe five or six hours. We can trot or canter on the dirt roads, but the gravel and blacktop will slow us down. The horses are already tired.”
“What are you thinking?” Lugnut asked her.
“We’re going to need more weapons, more ammo, and
more men,” she said, climbing into her saddle.
Rank and Lugnut looked at each other. “You’re planning on waiting for the plane to arrive and then go for the gold? Rank asked. “What if the plane never comes?”
“We can’t take them on with two shotgun shells and a few boxes of ammo. Didn’t you say he had dozens of well-armed men?” Stephens said.
“I agree. We should go to the fort and wait for our team,” Hogan said.
“What do you think, Lug?” Ryan asked.
Lugnut looked to the ground. He ran his hand down the length of his beard, drew in a breath, and let it out slowly. “I’d sure like to get my hands on a .50 cal. Some flash grenades would be helpful if we have to clear buildings and shit.” He took off his hat and ran his hand through his long, greasy hair. “You think they got any meatball marinara MREs?”
“I’m sure they do. You coming?” Stephens said, urging her horse toward the main road.
Rank shrugged. “I like meatballs.”
The roads were worse than the last time they had been this way. Large trees were still down over the roads from the spring storms that had devastated the cabin and taken Jason’s life. Small bridges had even been washed away by the flooding. Rank pulled a length of rope from his pack and secured it to one of the tree trunks while Lugnut tied the other end to one of the horses. Neither of them had much experience with working horses in that manner.
“Will we make it there by dark, you think?” Stephens asked.
“Not at this speed, and we can’t afford to push the horses too hard. We can’t replace them,” Rank said. “We’ll likely have to find a place to camp for the night and make it there early tomorrow morning.”
Stephens ran her hands through her hair and sighed heavily.
“It’s the best we can do,” Rank said.
