by Payne, T. L.
Rank scanned the area to his two o’clock looking for the enemy. They were spread out along the right side of the road. He counted six. One slumped over and then another as Lugnut’s well-placed shots took them out. Rank dropped to stomach, braced his rifle on the ground, and fired. Another man dropped. Three left.
The remaining three shooters all turned their fire toward Rank. As they did, Stephens sent rounds in their direction, taking the one closest to her out. As they turned their attentions back to Stephens, Ryan returned fire and took another. Seconds later, Lugnut took out the last man and the gunfire stopped.
“Rank? You see any other shooters out there?” Stephens asked.
He scanned the tree line and road.
“I don’t see any more,” he replied. “Lug, see anyone?”
“Clear from the east. Let me check back to the west again,” Lugnut yelled. “We’re clear.”
The sun was peeking over the horizon as Ryan, Rank, and Lugnut collected the enemy weapons, ammo, and gear.
“Were they Nelson’s guys?” Stephens asked.
Rank dropped two saddlebags by his horse and handled Hogan two of the men’s rifles. “Yep. I find it disturbing that they knew where to find us. Kinda makes me think the kid untied himself and got back to them somehow.”
“Maybe we should have brought him with us. I thought it was risky to leave him tied up by the cave,” Hogan said.
Rank shot him a dirty look. “It was likely your piss-poor knots that let him get loose.”
Chapter 15
Texas County, Missouri
July 15th
Harmony gave Chloe the last of her jerky dipped in raspberry jelly. They would need to find some food for the rest of the trip home. They’d been on tight rations even before discovering the children.
“Here, have mine,” Zach whispered, holding his jerky out to Harmony.
“No, Zach. You eat yours. I’m good. I’ll make us a big breakfast when we get back to the farm. I’m thinking maybe an omelet with jerky crumbles and goat cheese. I found wild onions growing out behind the barn that will add just the right flavoring. I could…”
Zach touched his finger to his lips.
“Sorry,” Harmony whispered. She tended to ramble on about food when she was hungry.
With the children fed and the horses watered, they were back on their way home a little after sunrise. As soon as the sun rose, the heat was nearly unbearable. Chloe scratched and picked at her bug bites, causing them to bleed. Harmony pulled a small jar of plantain salve from her pack and rubbed a generous amount on Chloe’s arms and legs. She glanced at Dillon. His arms were also covered in bites.
“Here, Dillon. Rub this on your bug bites. It will help the itching.”
Dillon flinched when Maria pulled her rifle to her cheek to scan the tree line as they passed a side road.
“She’s just being cautious. That thing on the top her rifle helps her see far away,” Harmony said, pointing to Maria’s weapon.
Dillon glanced over to his sister. “Chloe’s afraid of guns.”
“I can understand that, but we are very careful with them. Maria was in the military. She has lots of training on safely handling firearms.”
Dillon returned his gaze to Maria. Maria gave him a congenial smile. A smile spread across Dillon’s face and the kid blushed. Harmony smiled. It looked like Dillon may have had a little crush on Maria. Him and the rest of the male population. Harmony figured Maria would have settled down with one of the guys by now, but she seemed to be keeping her options open. Maria and Jaxon had been a thing after she and Rank broke things off, but they’d since pulled back from each other, too. Jaxon didn’t seem to be too upset, so maybe the decision had been mutual.
Zach slowed the wagon. Maria jumped down and began scanning the road ahead of them.
“What is it?” Maria called.
“It’s the horses. One of them is limping pretty badly. I need to check his hooves,” Zach said.
Chloe became fussy and wanted out of Harmony’s arms. The scorching sun was beating down on them and her face was getting red.
“Zach, I’m going to take the kids over to the creek and sit under that tree until you’re ready to go. I think Chloe is getting too hot,” Harmony said.
Maria wasn’t thrilled, but after Zach pried a stone from the horse's shoe, they spent time cooling off in the cool, spring-fed creek. It was dangerous to push the horses so hard in the unrelenting heat. Most of the time, people avoided traveling in the middle of the day.
“We should get going,” Maria said, dusting off her butt and rolling her pant legs down.
“Can we stay just a few more minutes?” Dillon asked.
“I’m sorry. No. We need to get you to our farm,” Harmony said, placing a wet Chloe on her hip.
About five miles past Raymondville, Zach turned around, flailing his arm. “Harmony, get the kids down.”
Harmony lifted a sleeping Chloe and placed her gently beside Dillon. She leaned in close and whispered, “Stay down.” Dillon didn’t protest or ask why.
Harmony glanced ahead at the road as she retrieved her rifle near her pack. She spotted a man and woman on foot about a hundred yards in front of them. They were running. A second later, the couple left the roadway and ran into a field to Harmony’s right. Maria was already peering through her scope scanning the road and fields to either side.
“See anything?” Harmony asked.
“It’s just those two as far as I can tell.”
Harmony glanced down at the children. When she looked up, the strangers were gone. “Where did they go?”
“They dropped down in that depression about twenty-five yards from the road. I can see the top of the woman’s head,” Maria said.
Zach slowed the horses, turned the wagon to his left, and stopped them in the middle of the road. He slid down and placed the barrel of his rifle on the wagon’s seat.
“We’re just passing by. We’re not looking for trouble,” Maria yelled.
No response.
“We can’t continue on until we know that you are not a threat. If you don’t come out and show us your hands, we’ll have to come in after you,” Zach called to the strangers.
The strangers were likely just frightened and trying to avoid trouble, but Zach was right. They couldn’t take the chance.
The strangers didn’t respond.
“Harmony, take the children down into that ditch. I’m going after them,” Maria said.
Dillion was already pulling on his sister’s arm trying to wake her. “It’s okay. I’ll carry her. It’s best to let her sleep right now,” Harmony told him.
Harmony pulled Chloe into her arms and slowly slid down from the wagon. Dillon was already in the ditch waiting for them. He held his arm out as Harmony approached him. After making sure that Dillion and Chloe were low enough in the ditch to be out of the line of fire, Harmony pulled her rifle to her shoulder. With the wagon in the way, she couldn’t see Maria advancing on the couple in the field. Not that she would have been able to anyway. Maria was really, really good. A moment later, Harmony heard her call out.
“Hands in the air, both of you.”
As she did, Zach moved from behind the cover of the wagon out of Harmony’s view. She hated him being out of her sight. She looked back at the children. She was torn. She should back up Zach and Maria, but she needed to make sure the kids stayed down in case shots were fired.
“They’re clear. No weapons,” Maria called out.
Harmony let out a sigh of relief.
“We’re coming out,” Maria said.
Harmony waited until Maria and the couple reached the wagon and Zach was back into her view before emerging from the ditch.
“Dillon. Stay here for a minute longer. We just need to make sure these people are safe. Understand?”
Dillon nodded.
The couple looked even dirtier than most people these days. The woman’s hair was matted, and her clothes soiled and torn. The ma
n had been beaten and his right eye was swollen nearly shut. The woman pulled the collar of her shirt up tight around her neck and glared at Maria. The man avoided eye contact.
“Where are you two headed?” Zach asked.
“North,” the man said, looking at his shoes.
“What’s north?” Maria asked.
The woman looked away.
“Home,” the man said.
“Oh yeah? Whereabouts?” Zach asked.
The man hesitated.
“I understand. It’s not safe to give out too much personal information to strangers these days. We’re heading north. We could give you a ride as far as Licking,” Zach said.
Maria shot him a dirty look.
The man looked up. His eyes brightened for a moment and then he returned to staring at his feet.
Zach leaned in close to Maria and whispered. “They can ride up front with me. You can keep an eye on them. It’s dangerous for them to be out here alone without a weapon—especially her.”
Maria glanced over to the woman. “I don’t like it, but I understand your reasoning.”
Harmony stepped forward. “Would you like a drink of water? It’s filtered.” She held her canteen out. “It’s not safe for you to be out here just the two of you, unarmed. There’s a sheriff in Licking. It’s safer there. Maybe you can meet up with other people traveling north.”
The man took the canteen and handed it to the woman. “We’d appreciate a ride to Licking. Thank you.”
“What’s your names?” Zach asked.
The man looked to the woman.
“You can make something up.” Maria said.
The woman gave a half-shrug. Harmony caught a slight smile forming.
“I’m Lady G.”
Harmony looked at her sideways. “The pop singer? Okay.”
“All right, Lady G, let’s get going down the road then,” Zach said.
Harmony wasn’t sure what harm it would do for them to give their real names. It wasn’t like they could Google them and locate their home.
As they climbed onto the wagon next to Zach, the man said, “I’m just Richard.”
“Who are they?” Dillon asked as Harmony helped him into the wagon.
The woman turned and stared at the children wide-eyed for a moment before returning her gaze to the road.
“They are just travelers. They needed a ride. We’re going to drop them off in the town up ahead,” Harmony said. She pulled Dillon and Chloe close and placed her hand on the rifle next to her.
It was a rare thing for her to meet strangers. To meet four of them in one day was somewhat overwhelming. Her world had shrunk so much since the lights had gone out. Harmony recalled all her so-called friends on social media and people she’d meet at school or at her parents’ country club. Now, she would go weeks without even leaving the farm and when she did, she’d only see neighbors. She’d wanted to go to the trade fairs, but Larry had said it was too dangerous. Harmony had sort of resented that Maddie and Maria could go, but the rest of the women barely left the same twenty-mile radius. Convincing Zach and the others to let her come on this trip hadn’t been easy.
Eight miles south of Licking, Harmony felt Dillon stiffen and looked up. Maria had pulled her rifle to her cheek.
“Zach. Stop the wagon!”
Time stood still. Harmony clutched the children as tight to her chest as she could. With Chloe wailing in her ear, she couldn’t hear what the men were shouting. When the masked man grabbed hold of Maria and pulled her from the wagon, Harmony knew they were in serious trouble. She craned her neck to see where they were taking Maria.
The man and woman were yanked from the wagon seat and thrown to the ground.
“Zach,” Harmony called over the sound of Chloe’s cries.
“Harmony,” Zach yelled as he too was pulled from the wagon.
“Stop!” Harmony screamed.
“Shut that damn kid up. All that noise is giving me a headache,” the barrel-chested man holding Zach said.
Harmony handed Chloe to Dillon and started to stand. A second man raised his rifle and pointed it at Harmony. She held her hands out and eased herself back down into the wagon.
“You just sit there a second. Someone will be right with you,” the barrel-chested man said.
In Dillon’s arms, Chloe’s screams lowered to a whimper, allowing Harmony to hear the men on the opposite side of the wagon yelling instructions to the man and woman. Lady G was begging.
“Please, Rafe. I just wanted to make it back home to my kids. They’re all alone.”
“Shut up, Janie. You’re not going anywhere except back to the ranch. But your man here, he’s going upriver,” the man holding her said.
Janie began sobbing uncontrollably. “No. Please no. I’ll behave. I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t sell him. Please, Rafe.”
“Don’t call me that. I’m not him anymore. It’s too late, Janie. The boss is fed up with you two running.”
“I won’t run anymore. I’ll stay put. Please, just don’t sell my husband. You’re my brother, for God’s sake. Please. Have some mercy.”
Harmony heard what sounded like a slap followed by the woman’s scream. Her husband was yelling and then he stopped. The man was beating him with the butt of his gun.
Harmony suddenly realized that they’d stopped and picked up a couple of escaped slaves. Slave trading had become the latest threat to everyone’s survival. Men like these were swooping down on homes and taking the occupants to be sold. Laborers were needed to work on large farming operations in the corn belt. They were being transported along the Mississippi River.
“Okay, little lady, your turn. You just hop on down from there and join your man over there,” the man said, motioning with the barrel of his rifle.
Harmony reached out to take Chloe from Dillon. “No. Leave it there. Just you,” he yelled.
It? Was this man one of the soulless ones? Would he dispose of the children?
Dillon’s eyes grew wide. He reached out and grabbed Harmony’s arm as she rose. “Don’t leave us.”
“It’s all right. I’m just going over there with Zach. We’re going to talk to these men and straighten this all out. We’ll be back on our way in a minute. You just sit tight here and take care of your sister, okay?”
Dillon nodded as tears streamed down his freckled cheeks. He looked so frightened. Harmony’s heart broke for him.
“Hurry up, now. I don’t got all day,” the man said.
Harmony craned her neck trying to see where they’d taken Maria. “Where did you take my friend?” Harmony asked.
The shorter man spun around, turning his back to Zach. “You just get over there and shut your mouth. You don’t speak unless spoken to. Got it?”
Zach seized the opportunity and lunged for the man, knocking him off his feet. Without even thinking, Harmony grabbed the man’s rifle, brought it up, and fired. The barrel-chested man stared back at her with a blank expression. She expected anger, or for him to shoot back, but he just stood there. At first, she thought she’d missed him until she saw the crimson bloom in the center of his abdomen. He was in shock at being gut shot, but he wasn’t down. Harmony locked eyes with the man as she squeezed the trigger a second time.
As his body dropped to the ground, she became aware of the struggle Zach was in with the short man. She was vaguely aware of the two men on the opposite side of the wagon shooting at her.
“The kids!” she yelled. She hadn’t stopped to think about them getting caught in a crossfire.
Stupid. So stupid.
She had to move the fight away from the wagon so Dillon and Chloe could get away. Harmony took off running toward the field to her left. “Run, Dillon!” Harmony screamed as she crossed the ditch.
As she reached the knee-high grass, the men continued firing at her. She ran to her right toward a thicket in search of cover. Harmony prayed she’d drawn the fight away from the wagon and somehow the others had gotten away.
Chapter 16
Fort Leonard Wood Military Installation
Pulaski County, Missouri
July 15th
Rank and Ryan moved the barrels off the roadway leading to what once was the busy main gate to the Fort Leonard Wood. A year ago, a gate guard would have scanned their identification and waved them through. Today, no one manned the checkpoint. The expansive military installation was just too big to guard. He wondered if they still had roadblocks near the Maneuver Support Center where they’d last visited with the de facto post commander.
Hogan and Collins rode past them, followed by Stephens. Lugnut had ridden ahead to scout their route to the airport. Rank hoped they would not have to stop and explain what they were doing there to whoever may still be occupying the base. The last he’d heard, most had left after all the food had run out to join up with Nelson.
Ryan replaced the barricades while Rank stood guard, then they hurried to catch up with Stephens. Just before reaching the roadblock in front of what had once been a busy convenience store, they stopped in the middle of the road.
“You see anyone manning the checkpoint?” Rank asked as he pulled up alongside her.
Stephens scanned the sides of the road. “No. Where is everyone?”
“Maybe they’re hiding?” Ryan said.
Rank pulled his binoculars from his pack and scanned to their right. “That’s a possibility. They likely don’t have any guns or ammo. Nelson would have taken those by now.”
“Why have you all let him become so powerful?” Stephens asked.
Rank wasn’t pleased with her accusatory tone. It was easy for her to judge. She hadn’t been in their position. She hadn’t experienced what they had. Where she was from, they still had ammunition and hot showers. She couldn’t understand what it was like to have to fight and claw every day just to survive. With every decision came danger, and they had to weigh the risks against the benefits very carefully. By the time they knew what Nelson was doing, he was already too powerful for them to take out without significant risk. So far, he’d left their little community alone, likely due to their reputation. How long would that last now?
