by N. C. Reed
“Do what you want,” he called over his shoulder. “You will anyway. Why should any of you be different, right?”
“Yeah cause we're all so bad to not follow your orders,” Juarez wasn't backing down. Clay didn't respond and kept walking. Once he was out of earshot, Juarez looked at Abigail. He studied her in silence for so long that Abigail began to flush under his gaze, but she didn't look away. Finally, he turned away and started walking toward one of the storage buildings.
“Come with me.”
-
“Here,” Juarez told her simply, handing her a new set of gear.
“I…th...thanks,” Abigail took the rifle and other equipment as if it were the most valuable thing she'd ever been given.
“I expect you to compete the same program the others have as soon as we get time,” he told her. “You can't pass the physical then don't expect to be part of the team. That's non-negotiable. Understand?”
“Yes,” Abigail nodded.
“If you're going to be part of this outfit, no more running off on your own. I don't care what the situation is or who's in trouble. An outfit like ours can't function with people not following orders. You don't do your own thing anymore. From now on, no means no. That is also non-negotiable, and a deal breaker. Got it?” For all of his friendly demeanor, Abigail didn't miss the steel in Juarez's voice. Or his eyes. He might be giving her a chance, but he wouldn't tolerate her attitude or any disobedience to orders anymore.
“Got it,” she nodded. “I promise.”
“Make sure you keep it,” he ordered. “Now let’s go. We got work to do.”
CHAPTER FIVE
-
It was a small convoy with one Cougar leading the truck toward the forestry station. Zachary Willis was driving the Cougar while Kade Ramsey and Corey Raynard covered the sides. Victoria Tully manned the turret above them with an M-2 Browning 'Ma Deuce'. Behind them came the beast with Ellen Kargay driving and Tandi Maseo as her shotgun.
Juarez sat near the front of the Cougar with Jake and Abigail across from him.
“Left here, Zach,” Abigail said.
“Got it,” he assured her with a nod. “Turning left,” he said into his radio.
“Roger that,” came the reply from the truck behind.
“Feel better now that you've told Clay off?” Jake asked suddenly as Abigail returned to her seat.
“Yes,” she said at once, then frowned. “No,” she sighed, her voice far less vehement. “I'm just tired of his bull shit, Jake,” she said frankly. “I'm stuck doing work that others can do, while cut out of doing stuff that I'm perfectly able to do that others can't. All because he's got a stick up his ass about me trying to help my friend. And I've had enough.”
“Remember he lost just as good a friend helping you,” Jake told her.
“I know that and I 'll likely never forget it,” her voice softened. “I liked John Barnes,” she said very quietly. “He. . .he was cool as hell, you know?” she looked at the big mechanic, who nodded in agreement.
“I miss him too, and I didn't know him a tithe as well as the others,” Abigail went on. “He was a super nice guy and always had a joke going. He was fun to be around and didn't look down on people just because they couldn't do something he could.”
“I liked him,” Jake nodded. “Didn't know him long myself, but what I saw of him I liked. And yeah, he made the day go faster with that sense of humor,” he chuckled dryly.
“He was always like that,” Juarez told them without looking up from the book he was studying. “He kept something going all the time, even when we were in the field. It helped distract us from the fact that we were all alone in the shit holes of the world. He was a riot, and that's the truth.”
“I'm sorry,” Abigail said softly.
“He was a soldier,” Juarez shrugged. “It will get us all sooner or later. John was just sooner, that's all.”
Abigail frowned at that kind of fatalistic attitude and was about to reply when Jake placed a hand on her arm. She looked at him and found him looking at her, his features tight. Jake shook his head in slow, minute motions, warning her to let it go. She nodded and sat back, following the older man's advice. Juarez's attitude made her reflect again on what Samantha had said to her earlier about Clay and all of his men. About them being damaged.
“Tower ahead on the right,” Tully's voice broke the momentary silence. Abigail realized with a start that they were nearly to her old office.
“The road winds a bit Zach so the office is actually on the-”
“Left, I know,” the teen nodded without looking from the road. “We used to come up here in the off season to ride and drink beer.”
“Figures,” Abigail muttered as she leaned back again.
“Small towns ain't got much to do,” Jake chuckled. “Guys drink too much, drive too fast, and chase pretty girls. Course, you drink enough beer and all of 'em are pretty,” he winked and Abigail snorted in laughter despite herself.
“Ever happen to you?” she asked playfully. Jake's face fell a bit at that and he shook his head.
“Nah, I had already met Katie by then. She couldn't always go out with me because her old man was a dick, but I wouldn't step out on her anyway. So, I drank plenty of beer, but I didn't chase the ladies.”
Abigail patted Jake's bulging arm and then laid her head over on his shoulder.
“I'm sorry I said anything Jake,” she apologized softly.
“I'm the one brought it up Little Sanders girl,” he laughed softly. Abigail leaned away from him in mock outrage and punched his massive bicep.
“You ass!” she laughed.
“Here we are,” Zach called out just then as the Cougar slowed.
“Hold up while we take a look around,” Juarez spoke into his mike, already on his feet and looking around.
“Roger that,” Tandi replied even as the sound of air brakes came from behind them.
“Pull into the drive, Zach, and then hold up,” Juarez ordered. He turned then to address the rest of the vehicle.
“Kade, Corey, you're with me,” he ordered and the two moved to the rear door. “Rest of you sit tight until we check the area. Victoria, keep on the gun and be ready to provide cover if we need it.”
“Got it boss,” Tully called from the turret.
“Let’s go,” said and stepped outside, followed immediately by Raynard and Ramsey.
The rest sat in silence as the trio moved through the compound, checking every building and any place that offered enough cover to hide someone. Ten minutes later Juarez signaled the all clear.
“Someone has definitely been here,” he told them when Jake and Abigail dismounted. “Whoever it was spent some time here, judging by the trash left behind. Looks like they've been gone a while though. Lot of MRE containers laying around. Empty I mean.”
“We kept a few cases of them here for when we deployed to a remote area,” Abigail nodded. “Most places we would go to like that are in the middle of nowhere. MREs made it simpler to feed everyone.”
“Well they're gone now,” Juarez told her. “I'd say whoever was here stayed until the food ran out and then moved on. Just a guess, but I'd say it's a good one.”
“Well, no matter,” she nodded. “We're here for the plow, not the MRE stash. Let’s take a look,” she said to Jake. “Ask Miss Kargay to back the trailer in toward that door,” she pointed to the oversize bay in the shed. “That's where the truck is kept.”
“Right,” Juarez nodded, reaching for his microphone.
“Let’s go look at the truck, Jake.”
-
“One inch high, half inch to the right,” Jody Thompson's voice was soft for all that it carried. “Again.”
Heath Kelly settled behind his rifle again and peered through the scope. The big Barrett felt huge in his hands, but it didn't feel out of place. Heath had been shooting since he was four years old, taught by a father who had learned at the same age. It was something of a trait in his family.
No child in their family tree didn't know how to handle and operate firearms.
Heath was acknowledged even among the best riflemen as something of a marksman however, and Jody had quietly 'adopted' the teenager to train as a sniper. With most of the others gone for the moment and the rest working, this was an ideal time for the two to be on the range.
“Ready,” Heath said after a moment.
“Send it,” was all Jody said, and the rifle spoke before the sound of his one-word command had died out.
Five hundred yards distant across a narrow field that still showed bits of the corn that had been harvested from it that previous fall, a steel silhouette shuddered as the heavy fifty caliber bullet tore through it and the paper target attached to it as if it were nothing. Two seconds later the report of the bullet striking home came to them through the active ear protection they were both wearing.
“Bulls-eye,” Thompson said calmly as he viewed the target through his spotting scope. Heath nodded but said nothing, doing his best to emulate the quiet former soldier. Thompson had come to be someone to be admired and copied in Heath Kelly's eyes.
“Again.”
Heath nodded again and returned his eye to the scope.
-
“All right, I think that will do it,” Jake said as he got to his feet. “Abby, climb in and shift the truck into neutral. You 'll have to steer it-”
“Got it,” she nodded, moving to the truck and climbing into the cab. “Think it will hold?”
“It should,” the mechanic replied, checking the strap to the semi one last time. “Good strong frame on it. Ready?”
“Ready!”
“Okay Ellen!” Jake called out. “Nice and easy!” A muscular arm waved out the window of the Beast and smoke belched from the exhaust as she revved the diesel engine. Using her lowest gear, Ellen began to ease the truck forward.
The Forestry Service flatbed hadn't moved since the event and two tires had gone flat during the winter. Jake had anticipated that and brought a mobile air compressor that also doubled as a tank. While Abby had aired the tires, Jake had checked the truck over closely and attached the heavy towing straps between the semi and the flatbed. His idea was fairly straightforward, though that didn't mean easy.
Ellen had backed the trailer in close to the truck with the dozer on it, placing it where it was a straight shot from where the hauler was parked to move up onto the lowboy trailer she had pulled. After than she had disconnected the trailer, using the stand beneath the front to keep the trailer off the ground. Now, using the semi as a tow truck, she would slowly pull the forestry truck, complete with fire plow, up on to the lowboy. After that it would be the work of just a few minutes to strap the massive load down and be on their way home.
In theory anyway.
“Easy does it,” Jake spoke into the small radio that let him talk to Ellen without screaming. “Nice and easy. Looking good. Keep your wheels straight, Abby,” he added. Abby had an identical radio with her. Jake watched carefully as the truck slowly began to move forward. Ellen had done a great job lining the trailer up so minimal steering should be all that Abby needed to get the truck onto the ramps. Jake watched as the front wheels crept up to the two ramps.
“Okay, we're about to start up the ramps,” he said over the radio. “May need a little more power now, I don't know Ellen. Abby you're straight on so hold what you got.”
The semi crept steadily forward, pulling the heavy loaded flatbed up onto the ramps-
The sound of metal screeching was all the warning they had before the left-hand ramp fell, leaving Abby and her truck leaning precariously to the driver's side.
“Stop stop stop!” Jake yelled into the radio. “Ellen ease back! Slow and steady!” Jake tried to calm his voice, realizing he sounded panicky. “Easy does it. The driver side ramp has broke loose. Ease back and let Abby down.”
Ellen Kargay expertly reversed her truck and very carefully backed it toward the trailer, allowing Abby's truck to slide back down and level up. Abby engaged the parking brake and climbed down, instantly looking to her truck to see if there was any damage. Jake was beside her an instant later.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“Sure,” Abby nodded, peering beneath the truck. “That kind of thing happens all the time in this business. Worried about the truck is all. Be a lot harder to replace it these days.” Abigail didn't seem rattled at all by the near disaster.
“Damn that truck, girl,” Jake told her. “You can't be replaced at all!”
“Ah,” Abby made a pushing motion with her right hand even as her left tugged at the frame just behind the bumper. “You're sweet but I'm fine, really. Looks like the bumper strut is a little bent but I can't see anything else wrong. You?”
Jake hid his consternation as he knelt and began to inspect the undercarriage and chassis of the big truck.
“No, it looks good,” he assured her a minute later. “I was afraid it would be warped or even busted.”
“Heavy frame,” Abby shook her head. “You wouldn't believe some of the places I've taken this thing. They're built tough. Unlike that ramp,” she turned to look at the trailer, where Ellen was examining the fallen ramp.
“It's just come loose,” she told them, lifting the heavy ramp effortlessly and placing it back in the proper place.
“The pin came loose,” she told them, slamming said pin home and then locking it in place with an oversize cotter pin. “Shouldn't have but it did. We probably jarred it loose moving around and then when the truck hit it, the ramp fell off. We should have checked it before we started. I should have,” she amended. “You okay?” she asked Abby.
“I'm good,” Abby replied. “Ready to try again?” she asked with a grin.
“Absolutely,” Ellen smiled back. “I'm not going to let this beat me,” she added with a laugh.
Abby returned to her truck as Ellen climbed back into the semi. Jake checked the two straps once more, ensuring they were tight and well secured.
“Okay ladies, we're good to go,” he told them both. “Nice and gentle now.”
“That's what she said,” Abby snarked just as her truck began to move. She could see Jake laughing as she followed his steering signals, lining the truck up on the trailer once more.
“Truck's on the ramp, ladies,” Jake reported after a minute of tugging. “Abby, your wheels are straight. Ellen the straps are taunt and holding. You're both good to move.”
Once more the Beast belched smoke from its exhaust as the big truck moved forward by inches, towing its smaller cousin up onto the trailer. Ellen watched her mirrors carefully even as she moved, looking for any sign of trouble.
“Looking good, looking good, front wheels are on the trailer bed,” Jake reported. “Keep going, we're good.”
-
Jose Juarez was watching the work when his radio chirped.
“Pancho, I need to see you behind the office building,” Kade's voice sounded strained.
“What's wrong?”
“I…you need to see it,” Kade settled for saying. “And warn the others if they're not listening. Be careful and be on watch.”
“Copy,” Tandi said at once from where he stood near Ellen's truck.
“Got it,” Corey said right behind him.
“Roger,” Vicki chimed in from where she and Zach were still in the Cougar.
“On my way,” Jose reported, already moving.
It took him a minute to find Kade as the teen wasn't right behind the office but was instead about twenty yards distant, just about where the tree line started behind the office. Jose noted how Kade held himself, constantly scanning around him, rifle at the ready. Subconsciously Jose pulled his own rifle to ready as he approached.
“What's up?” he asked.
“Take a look,” Kade's face looked a little peaked as he pointed to a spot just inside the trees.
“What am I looking fo-” Jose cut himself off abruptly as he spied what had made Kade call him in the first p
lace.
“Jesucristo,” he whispered softly, crossing himself without realizing it.
Inside the tree line was a small mound of bodies in varying stages of decomposition. Some had obviously been pulled off the mound by scavengers who had torn at what flesh was left, and others showed signs of having been there for some time, probably well before winter had set in. One body that was less decomposed that the others showed signs of having been expertly butchered, cut open from belt line to neck line and everything inside removed.
“Animals don't kill like that,” Kade said, still looking around him. “And that one on top ain't been gone long, way it looks.”
“No, it hasn't,” Jose agreed. “Let’s get back to the others. We don't know them and this isn't our issue. We get the plow and we get the hell out of here. Comprende?”
“Works for me,” the teenager nodded jerkily. “This is some freaky shit, man. Some of them look like slaughtered farm animals. Like-”
“Yes, that's exactly what it looks like,” Jose agreed, watching their surrounding carefully as the two moved back. “That's exactly what it is.”
“You've seen it before?” Kade asked, interested despite his revulsion.
“More than once,” Jose nodded. “Never thought I'd see it here, though.”
“Here ain't the same no more,” Kade said simply. “I listened to you guys talking about things you've seen. There ain't no reason not to expect it here, now that things have gone to hell.”
“That is entirely too true,” Jose nodded again. He and Kade were back in front of the office now and Tandi walked over to them.
“What's up?”
“We have a major issue,” Jose told him. He briefly explained the situation and Tandi's face took on a grim expression as he listened.
“Get Corey and tighten up around the trucks,” Jose ordered. Tandi nodded and called the other teen soldier to meet him on the far side of the semi.
“Vicki, we have a situation,” Jose called in to the female soldier still manning the gun. “You and Zach need to be especially watchful and watch your back. We're going to try and expedite this action and RTB ASAP.”
