It was so easy.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
It was a silent joke that never failed to make Dr. Sage genuinely smile. The manipulation of the masses he always felt to be his personal calling. It was the thing he was born to do and now he reveled in finding himself at long last living that destiny.
Let Admiral Briggs rule his mountain. I intend to rule the world.
Sage scowled into the window glass as he recalled Agent Rydel’s recent warning.
The people you refuse to call rebels, the ones not yet willing to get onto their knees. They are not only surviving out there, they’re shooting back.
The doctor wondered if was possible he could be underestimating the threat of an actual armed insurgency against the Marshal Law authority that so dominated the urban centers. The Race Wars were meant to prevent that very thing – to divide people against one another so as to ensure such a threat never emerged. Was it possible enough of them could put their differences and fears aside and unite into some kind viable fighting force? Weapons had long ago been confiscated in the cities, but many handguns, rifles, and possibly more yet remained throughout the chaos that was the rural areas. And with Briggs’s demand that Sage halt his napalm campaign, could that threat in fact become a horrible reality? Could Rydel be right?
Sage shook his head, softly grunting to himself as he did so.
No, for if Rydel is right that means I would be wrong and that is simply not possible. Those creatures in Montana will be dealt with and made an example for all the others to learn from. And then soon after, the admiral will no longer enjoy his military authority over me. America will be no more and I will be everything. I cannot allow the doubts of those beneath me to cloud my judgment. Stay the course, trust my instincts, and see this thing to its rightful conclusion.
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EPISODE THIRTY-EIGHT:
72-hours after the events of Episode Thirty-Seven:
Sabina, her children, and their two dogs had been the captive guests of the Benton family matriarch, Tess for three days. Tess was a few years shy of seventy and wielded her four middle-aged sons like willing weapons of intimidation, keeping all others who sought her protection in line while they remained on the Benton property – forty acres of thickly wooded forest, with two small streams that merged several miles south into a large river that ran along the borders of Helena. The Benton home was an expansive three-story structure built by Tess’s father nearly eighty years earlier that sat some three hundred yards off the state road that dissected the property.
Three other large families were already there by the time Sabina was told to drive toward the house.
They were friendly, overtly so, seemingly desperate to have someone else other than themselves to talk to. The first of the families to arrive had been staying at the Benton property for nearly a month and kept repeating how grateful they were to have the four Benton men so well armed and threatening to “shoot to hell” anyone who tried to hurt their family or their guests.
Leaving no longer appeared to be an option for any of them.
“We can’t have others know of our place here. It’s just too dangerous!”
So said Tess Benton, and in this place, her word was the law and if anyone dared question it, she would simply give one of her sons a look and soon after, a rifle would be pointed at the offender.
Sabina again recalled the dream where Moses warned her to keep going until she found him:
You got to hurry, woman! Drive that thing as fast as you can and don’t look back! They’ll want you to stay, and you might think it a good idea, but it ain’t! Keep on going! I’ll be here waiting, but my time is short, so don’t you go wasting it!
As she watched her children talking and laughing with some of the other teenaged children staying with the Bentons, Sabina reminded herself it was just a dream, however real it felt to her at the time. Her kids were as relaxed and content as they had been since they had fled Washington State.
Maybe we should just stay here a while longer. What could it hurt?
Sabina looked to her left and saw the youngest of the Benton brothers watching her daughter Mika from behind a tree fifty yards away. His name was Milton. He was thirty-four years old, of average height and build, with thin, wispy blonde hair that hung down the sides of his face and neck.
Milton’s apparent interest in Mika stirred Sabina’s protective maternal instinct. She was about to call Mika over to their RV that was parked on the hard-packed dirt front yard of the Benton home.
“He don’t mean your girl no harm. Milton is kind as a kitten to all God’s creatures. Well, except for those that want to hurt us. Just last week he managed to shoot down one of those government helicopters. We watched it crash down somewhere on the other side of those hills over yonder - heard the explosion all the way from here. When it comes to shooting things, Milton has the knack. That he does.”
Sabina flinched at the sound of Tess’s voice while Tess herself moved almost silently toward where Sabina stood near the front of the RV. She wore the same simple, ankle long black dress and matching handmade leather boots that had adorned her feet for the last fourteen seasons. Tess’s lean face wore an almost perpetual scowl made more prominent by her sliver-streaked black hair always being pulled back tightly into a seemingly unbreakable bun.
“I’m sorry?”
Tess’s mouth tightened, an act which further deepened the multitude of lines that encircled her thin lips.
“No need to say sorry. I know what it is to be a mother, to live your life with one eye always open to the next thing that might threaten our children. And I’m saying now, as a mother myself, my boy Milton is pure of heart. He won’t do nothin’ that don’t come natural to us all.”
Tess’s description of her son Milton made Sabina’s skin crawl for reasons she did not yet entirely understand.
“He seems like a nice man.”
The left corner of Tess’s mouth twitched as she allowed herself just a hint of a grin.
“Yes he is, and he’ll make a fine husband to the right young woman.”
Sabina sensed the full implications of what Tess wasn’t quite saying and opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by the older woman’s hard-eyed glare.
“We don’t mind taking you and yours in, Sabina. You seem like good folk. That said, even something given freely deserves a price paid sooner or later. I’d ask you just keep that in mind as your family continues to enjoy our food and water…and protection.”
Tess was already moving on her way back to the entrance of her home before Sabina could offer a response. Her wide shoulders were pushed back, furthering the sense of defiant confidence that was a constant companion to the older woman’s presence.
Sabina looked again to where Mika remained laughing with the girls from the other families and then glanced toward the tree behind which Milton still stood.
He was fondling himself.
“Mika, come here!”
Mika’s face clearly expressed her confusion over the tense tone of her mother’s voice.
“Now!”
Mika moved quickly to do as she was told without knowing why her mother both sounded and looked so upset.
“What is it?”
Sabina’s voice lowered to a whisper.
“Where’s your brother?”
Mika pointed toward the vast expanse of woods on the other side of the house.
“He took the dogs for a walk, why? What’s wrong, Mom?”
Sabina gently pushed her daughter into the RV while she remained outside.
“Stay in there and lock the door. You know where the rifle is hidden, right? If anyone tries to get inside who isn’t me or your brother – you shoot them. I’ll be right back.”
Though she couldn’t see her, Sabina knew Tess was watching her from somewhere inside the house.
Mika quickly followed her mother’s orders. Sabina waited until she heard the RV door’s lock click into place and th
en began to make her way toward the narrow path leading into the woods behind the Benton home, trying hard not to break out into a run so as to avoid garnering too much attention from any members of the Benton family.
Within a few minutes she was deep into the woods and calling out her son’s name.
“Jackson! Jackson!”
Sabina stood still and waited, trying to hear where her son and the dogs might be. The tall Ponderosa Pines that dominated the forest looked down upon her with indifferent silence.
“Jackson!”
The only sound that returned to her was that of the wind moving its way softly through the trees and the far off call of a bird of prey.
Dammit, Jackson where are you?
Sabina began to move further along the narrow path when she froze at the sound of what she believed to be several motorcycles coming from no more than a mile or two east of where she stood.
Whoever that is, they’re coming this way.
“Jackson!”
Sabina’s eyes scanned the space between the trees hoping to catch sight of her son or the two dogs while at the same time she heard voices shouting from the Benton property behind her.
“Mom, what is it?”
Sabina whirled around and then felt a grateful breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding, escape her lungs as she saw her son making his way toward her. Bosco and Clyde’s tails began to wag in unison as they saw her as well.
“Did I hear motorcycles? What’s happening?”
Sabina motioned for Jackson to follow her.
“I don’t know, but we need to get out of here. I should have had us leave sooner.”
Jackson quickened his steps so he could catch up to his mother.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
Sabina stopped and glanced up at her son.
“I think we’re in some kind of danger if we stay here, especially your sister.”
Jackson’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched.
“Did someone threaten her? Who was it?”
Sabina was momentarily stunned at how much Jackson both looked and sounded like his father at that moment. She had never considered her husband Jack to be an angry man, but on those rare occasions when someone or something made him so, Sabina sensed a powerful force lurked beneath his normally serene surface that wasn’t to be trifled with.
“No, not yet. C’mon, we need to get going.”
Mother and son and their two dogs quickly made their way out of the woods and soon stood at the back of the Benton home. Sabina could hear Tess Benton screaming at her sons to go get more guns from the house.
“We got visitors and I don’t think they’re the friendly kind! Move your ass, boys!”
Two of the Benton men were running toward one the family trucks, each of them carrying hunting rifles as the other two loaded several more weapons while they stood on the home’s front porch.
Sabina began to make her way toward the RV. She glanced back to make certain Jackson followed close behind. When they arrived at RV’s side entrance, Sabina felt her stomach tighten as she saw the door hanging half open.
“You thinking of leavin’ us, even after all we done for you?”
Tess stood a few paces behind Sabina and Jackson, her hands placed on either side of her lean hips. The older woman’s eyes flashed indignant, simmering disappointment at having her hospitality so seemingly rebuked.
“I just want to keep my kids safe. Mika, are you in there?”
Tess snorted.
“She ain’t in there, woman. I made sure she’s safe and sound inside the house with all the others. You see, I take care of my guests. Now if you want to stay out here in this rusted out pile on wheels, you go right on ahead, but the girl stays with me.”
Sabina knew her daughter’s well being required she remain calm, even as nearly every fiber of her being wanted to claw Tess’s eyes out.
“Jackson, put the dogs in the back, inside the bed.”
Jackson paused for a few seconds to look directly into his mother’s eyes to make certain she meant what he thought she might. After confirming she in fact did, he nodded.
“Ok, Mom.”
As Jackson moved the dogs into the RV, Sabina glared back at Tess.
“That’s my daughter. She belongs with us, with her family.”
Tess shrugged.
“Families grow apart, people make new ones. That’s how things go. My boys are fond of your girl and I think over time, she’ll grow fond of them too.”
Sabina could feel herself trembling, so great was her rage.
“You give me my girl or I swear to god I’ll kill you.”
The deep, jagged lines on Tess’s face deepened yet further as her mouth crept outward into a sly, knowing grin.
“I don’t think so. You see, my boys over there will make certain if you try and harm one hair on my head, your girl will pay. Oh yes, she’ll pay something terrible, so you just shut your mouth and get inside this vehicle of yours and pray I don’t decide to end you and your son right here and now.”
Sabina could hear Jackson making his way toward the RV door and knew the next few seconds and whatever was to follow were entirely up to him.
“I don’t think so, you old bitch.”
Tess’s eyes grew wide as she saw the business end of a rifle being pointed at her face. Sabina’s son had in fact understood her hint that he get the gun they had carefully hidden inside the mattress at the back of the RV. They had told Tess and her sons they were unarmed and breathed sighs of relief when the Bentons failed to locate the weapon after going through the RV’s interior.
Jackson moved down the steps slowly, keeping one eye on the old woman and another on her two sons who were just coming to realize what was happening to their mother.
Sabina stepped two paces back, giving Jackson a more direct line on Tess.
“Turn around and get on your knees.”
Tess shook her head. Her haughty tone indicated a belief she remained in control.
“You don’t have the guts to threaten me, boy.”
Without saying a word, Jackson swung the rifle around and then brought the butt-end of the stock crashing into Tess’s forehead, causing her legs to buckle and then sending her crashing to the dirt below. Jackson then grabbed a hold of Tess’s hair and yanked her upward, thus enabling him to use her as a shield against the weapons pointed at him by Tess’s two panicked sons.
“You let our momma go! Right now or we shoot!”
Jackson aimed his rifle at the Benton home’s front porch.
“I don’t think so. You’re just as likely to shoot her than me. Get my sister and bring her outside – NOW!”
Sabina crouched at her son’s side, marveling at how Jackson was responding with such forceful determination. She looked up to see the two Benton men whispering to one another, an act which caused Jackson to curse under his breath.
And then he fired.
It was a warning shot, intentionally aimed far enough to the left neither of Tess’s two sons on the porch was in danger of being hit. One of the Benton brothers was Milton and after crying out in shock, he proceeded to try and point his gun at Jackson.
“What are you doing? You’ll hit Momma!”
Sabina recalled the name of the second son being Rybert. He was a few years older than Milton, tall with already thinning brown hair and an especially large, prominent nose that hung over a wide, thin-lipped mouth.
Rybert pushed Milton’s rifle down with his right hand and then called back to Jackson.
“Ok, we’ll bring her out. Just stop shooting!”
Tess began to struggle against Jackson’s grip on her hair.
“Let me go, you thankless son-of-a-whore!”
Jackson gritted his teeth and then gave the fistful of hair a hard tug which caused Tess to yelp in pain.
“I told you to shut up, old woman. Keep your mouth closed or I’ll break your damn jaw.”
Milton had returned into the house and then r
e-emerged a short time later holding Mika by the left arm. Jackson yelled out another order.
“You let her go and we let your mom go, nice and simple.”
RACE WARS: Season Seven: Episodes 37-41: MOLON LABE Page 2
