“On your feet!” the same voice snapped at them.
Collin stood, helping Julie and Hunter to their feet as the people around them shuffled.
Armed soldiers flanked each of the doors on a train platform.
“Everyone out,” yelled the same voice. Collin identified the source as a vile looking man with a pointy, hooked nose. His eyes were dark and narrow under a furrowed brow. Despite his sharp tone, the guards looked relaxed and confident.
As they shuffled out of the train car onto the platform, their eyes began to adjust to the bright sky. Collin noted that, as far as he could tell, the station had been purpose-built for dealing with captives. Metal railings corralled everyone exiting the cars into a neat, orderly queue. On either side of the concrete platform were built-in fighting positions manned by soldiers. He saw gun barrels barely concealed within narrow slits. The machine gun bunkers reminded him of German emplacements in Normandy. Behind the makeshift train station, Collin saw a small emerald lake stretching out between the station and three impressive looking buildings in the distance.
“Do you recognize those?” Collin asked Julie, pointing at the buildings.
She shook her head.
Armed guards flanked the path they walked down, which led to a large fenced area.
“Are we heading over there?” Collin asked one of the guards. He knew it was risky to question the guards, but he wanted to gauge their mood.
The man frowned at him but gave a slight nod.
“Thanks,” Collin said with a smile.
Julie’s hand tightened on his. They jerked to a halt as the gate to the fenced area was opened. Since Collin was tall, he could see over most of the crowd ahead of them.
“What is it?” Julie whispered.
“Looks like they’re handing out food and water,” Collin said, his voice tinged with suspicion. So far, things were panning out much differently than he expected.
The line before him moved much slower as the captives received their rations from people oddly dressed in white outfits. More people dressed in the strange white uniforms appeared from around the corner of the platform and began administering doses of what looked like BT-76 to everyone.
Julie caught a glimpse too because she gave him a questioning look. He shrugged.
Whoever the people in white were, they were not soldiers. They must have been some kind of medical unit or something based on the way they were helping the prisoners in line ahead of Collin. Even those who were too weak to stand were given wheelchairs. It was an amazing turn of events from what they’d witnessed in Missoula.
Why kill the men and keep the women? Collin couldn’t help but think the worst.
A gust of wind rustled through the crowd, rattling the chain-link fence and momentarily clearing the air of the grungy oiled scent of the train. Something fluttered down from where it had been caught in the rafters of the roof that provided some shade as they stood in line.
Collin came to an abrupt stop. He squinted. Surely this couldn’t be.
A red banner with bold letters and a familiar flag on it stared back at him.
Welcome to the Republic of California.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Collin was certain the train ride was only a few hours long. No train in the country could go from Montana to California so quickly. As far as he knew, the California of the past no longer existed. Yet, the banner proclaimed this as part of the state.
The woman handing out water bottles gave a slight smile as Collin approached.
“Is this really California?” he asked, gesturing at the banner.
“This is the Republic of California,” she said pleasantly, placing a chilled bottle in his hand.
Collin nodded and moved to the next station. He took a small brown bag from the next person and walked a few feet away, until Julie and Hunter could join him.
Hunter looked up from his sack lunch and smiled. He looked around at the people in white and whispered, “These people are weird.”
“Let’s find a place to sit.” Julie pointed to the far corner.
Collin steered Hunter in the right direction and then followed behind, keeping an eye on the nearby people. Something felt off about this place. Even though they were in a fenced area, they weren’t being treated like prisoners.
After everyone from the train disembarked and filed into the holding pen, the train let out a shrill whistle and began to pull away. The collective group flinched and many turned to watch it lurch away from the station. Some turned away, perhaps trying to forget the awful journey or the life they’d been torn from. No matter the reasons for their actions, all were lucky to have arrived. The less fortunate still lay in a pile near the tracks in Missoula.
Collin watched the soldiers and the workers in white. The guards didn’t seem tense or suspicious. Most of their attention was spent conversing in small groups. Once all those who wanted water and food were supplied, the people in white gathered their things and left the holding pen. They exited through the gate Collin and the others entered through and then disappeared through a double-door underneath the raised train platform where they had arrived.
A man approached the fence near two guards. They began speaking. Collin saw one shake his head and wave away the man, who began to wail. The guards looked at him dismissively and then walked away.
Nothing else happened until the sound of engines revealed the approach of several school buses. Or at least they looked like they had served as school buses at one point in the past. Now they were white with a red band painted along the side. Centered on the side of the bus was a flag with bold words - Republic of California.
“Everyone up. Form two lines here,” the man from the train platform was back. He held his hands up, pointing to indicate where he wanted the lines. The crowd began to converge on the two points, shuffling and nudging until two lines were formed.
Collin stood in the left line with Hunter and Julie behind him. He held Hunter’s hand and he in turn, held Julie’s hand. They couldn’t bear the thought of being split up.
The buses sat idling. The drivers emerged and stood off to the side, chatting with each other.
“This line, wait here,” said the man, indicating the line beside Collin. “This line, listen up. Stay in line. Do not run. Do not push.” He rattled off a list of rules and instructions with the enthusiasm of a robot.
After the short briefing, Collin’s line began to move forward. The line turned left toward the buses and snaked its way around and into the first bus. Once that one filled up, they began to fill the second bus. Collin had to sit behind Julie and Hunter, which was fine since he could still keep an eye on them.
Loading the buses was quick and efficient. There was minimal fuss. One woman looked stricken when she was separated from her family. The guards shuffled people around so they could stick together, a surprising show of compassion for a group that clearly worked for HAGS.
Collin reluctantly admitted to himself that things were far more complicated than he anticipated.
The buses ferried everyone around the lake to the three large buildings he had noticed earlier. Two short structures flanked a taller central building, like an unintentional fuck you to the world. Collin grinned.
It was a smooth ride. Collin watched trees glide past as they cruised down the road. Despite the circumstances, it was a beautiful place. For all its charm, Goshen was never beautiful in quite the same way. The mountains and river held perfection, but the world as a whole had become gritty. This place was not new but felt almost ... fresh. The other side of the road was all trees, too. Almost like they were screening the view. He hadn’t noticed any other buildings or hints of a larger town from the train platform.
Collin leaned forward and whispered, “Be subtle, but keep your eyes open for anything of interest.”
Hunter and Julie gave small nods.
Collin leaned back and glanced at the young woman sitting next to him. She was staring out the window, seemingly obliviou
s to anything else.
When they arrived at the buildings, the buses went around the side of one of the central tower. Double-doors opened on the side of the building and guards stepped out, holding them open. The bus driver stopped parallel to the door, turned off the bus, opened the door, and walked out without a word.
“Exit the bus and come inside, please,” a voice said.
Julie glanced at him in confusion. “Who was that?”
Collin shrugged.
Hunter stood up. “Let’s go see what we’re in for.”
Collin didn’t like the resignation in the boy’s voice. Looking up at him, he saw a fierce twinkle in Hunter’s eye and the corners of the boy’s mouth turned up slightly. Collin stood. “Yes, let’s.”
As they exited the bus and walked inside, Collin noted a few interesting details. The doors held open by the guards had the faint outline of a familiar logo underneath a fresh coat of paint. The guards wore bored expressions and cradled their weapons loosely.
Snatching a weapon and disabling the door guards wouldn’t be too difficult. Collin wasn’t sure what would happen after that - steal a bus? He had no idea where they were or where the roads led. This business complex looked important and even if the security was lax, they surely had more personnel than he could deal with single-handedly. So he continued into the building with the herd, like a good cow.
The hall went twenty feet into the building and ended at a T-intersection. The air inside felt cool and had the processed smell of air-conditioning. At the junction stood a short woman in a lab coat flanked by two others like her and several guards with their weapons slung across their back and pistols in tactical holsters on their thighs.
“Greetings,” the woman said cheerfully. “We’re going to do a quick vitals check and make sure everyone is healthy. Please follow my associates so we can get started right away.”
Down the left hallway were at least half a dozen doorways. Each stood open with a nurse standing beside the door. Another hallway branched off with even more doors open and waiting to accept the new patients.
Hunter and Julie made it into examination rooms before things filled up. Collin stood in the hallway waiting for his turn.
The health check was as advertised, nothing strange or sinister. Afterward they were given time to use the restroom. A water fountain hummed in the hallway. Collin raced over and gulped down the frigid water until he had a brain freeze.
Glorious pain, he thought, savoring the delicious water.
“Please follow us this way,” a soldier said, interrupting Collin’s respite.
A set of double doors at the end of the hallway opened up, and piercing lights flooded the hallway brightening it further.
“Hurry, take a sip,” Collin said to Hunter and Julie.
Hunter tried it. When he stood up, it was with a wide grin. “It’s as cold as spring water.”
Collin smiled, although his heart skipped a beat at the realization that his grandson drank from his first water fountain was while in captivity.
Julie took a long drink too before the guards ushered them away.
Inside the next room, which turned out to be a massive conference style room, was a stage guarded by soldiers and a large screen overhead with the flag of the Republic of California flapping in a digital breeze. It was the same as the old state flag, a field of white with a red stripe along the bottom, a grizzly bear in the center atop green grass, and a red star in the top left corner. The only change Collin noted was the name.
The lights dimmed, and a video began to play.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The road stretched out like a winding river of black top before Hannah and Frank. They rode in silence having exhausted much of the conversation. The steady clatter of horse hooves on the pavement marked time. The occasional bird squawked at them as they passed.
Hannah turned in her saddle to look behind them. “Did you hear that?”
There was a rustle of leaves and trees swayed and creaked as a breeze picked up, sweeping Hannah's hair across her face. She tucked it behind her ear and furrowed her brow.
Frank turned around in his saddle, craning to listen. He squinted and scanned the road to see what might be approaching them. After a moment, he shook his head. “I’ve got nothing.”
Hannah turned back around with a shrug and patted the neck of her horse. She started to second-guess herself until she saw the horse’s ears twitch. A lull in the breeze revealed the same low rumble that caught her attention the first time.
“I definitely heard something,” she said. “Something is coming up behind us.”
Hannah pulled the reins to the side, nudged the horse with her heels, and made for the side of the road so they could disappear into the forest without being seen. “Come on, Frank.”
Frank was already making a clicking sound with his mouth and slapping the reins against the horse’s flank. He caught up at a trot. Both of them melted into the shadows of the forest. They went far enough to not be seen but close enough that they could still see through the trees and catch a glimpse of whatever was coming up behind them.
Frank unslung his rifle and cradled it in his arms, calm but ready for action.
They sat facing the road and waited quietly. Hannah’s horse dipped its head and began nibbling on a small shrub. Nothing happened for a full minute.
Finally, Frank grunted. “Guess it was nothing.” He nudged his horse forward, but before he made it four steps he had to yank hard on the reins.
The growl of an engine was definitely audible.
“That’s so weird,” Frank muttered.
It felt like eons since Hannah heard anything like it. She couldn’t identify the vehicle, but something in the back of her mind told her it was familiar. Memories from before the fever eluded her. She had been young.
Then in a rush of sound, the red cab of a tractor trailer sped past them on the road pulling a trailer. Painted on the side of the trailer was a HAGS logo below a prominent rectangular logo with bold letters declaring itself as the Republic of California.
Frank glanced back at her with questions swirling in his eyes.
Hannah shrugged her shoulders. She had never seen anything like it. HAGS was an independent company as far as she knew. When the truck cruised by, Hannah urged her horse to move up next to Frank. Both of them continued staring after the tractor-trailer.
“What’s this shit?” he asked.
“I'm as surprised by the truck as you are.”
“The truck’s not confusing,” Frank said in a firm tone. “What's this Republic of California shit?”
“Oh, right.” Hannah shrugged again. “No idea.”
Frank frowned. He had no reason to think she would lie, but the thought still crossed his mind ... She had proven herself, but he couldn’t help the seed of doubt his brother’s death had planted. He shook the thought away.
With the vehicle gone and nothing following it, they made their way back through the trees to the road where it was quicker and easier to travel. Less work for the horses meant they could cover more distance. Now they knew they had to be careful. Each of them glanced back once in a while so they weren’t caught off guard.
Frank grunted. “If HAGS is transporting goods on this road without a security escort, they must feel quite safe.”
“Makes me wonder what we’ll find closer to Echo,” Hannah said.
Would they be able to persuade the Saviors to help them? Where there any of them left?
A familiar whump-whump sound startled them. Without a word, they both charged back into the forest barely making it under cover before a helicopter came over the mountains behind them and flew past their position. It was surprisingly low and seemed to be following the road.
“Security escort,” Frank muttered.
Hannah spotted movement on the road. “Look.”
Another tractor-trailer drove past them.
“Quite a popular route we have here.” Frank turned to Hannah with his
eyebrows raised. “Looks like we should stay in the forest.”
Hannah agreed reluctantly, knowing their progress would dramatically slow down. The pines filled the air with a pleasant Christmas smell, but it did little to ease her concern about the horses. Or wandering into an outpost of HAGS soldiers. She had to admit Frank was right. The road was far too risky for them to ride in the open. Rather than constantly ducking back into the forest in to hide, it was more prudent to stay under cover.
“Echo must be far more important to HAGS then we thought,” Frank said. “From your experience, what do you think they're hauling in those containers?”
“I’m just guessing here,” she said, “but Echo might be a central outpost for HAGS. I mean, they seem to fly these helicopters all over the place. We’ve seen that. So they must have staging points in order to refuel and resupply. I didn't have any logistics experience or training; that wasn’t relevant to my job with the company. They do so much more than you can imagine, than I can imagine really, especially these days. Kaeton and I were just tiny expendable cogs in their giant machine.”
Frank evaluated her for a moment. He shuddered at the pain etched on her face at the mention of Kaeton’s name. He regretted doubting her loyalty. Then a Humvee growled into view, dashing away his thoughts, leading a transport truck filled with boxes. Underneath a mesh covering to secure the cargo, brown boxes were stacked up to the top of the cab. The vehicles raced by too quickly to read the words on the packages.
Silence descended upon them again while they rode through the forest, weaving around blowdowns and outcroppings of mountain rock that only served as time-consuming obstacles. At one point, they even crossed a wide stream filled with slippery rocks. Hannah patted her horse’s neck, grateful it hadn’t broken a leg or thrown her into the water.
“Do you know much about this part of the state?” Hannah asked.
Frank thought for a moment before answering. “I think we’re starting to reach the oil country. Which now that I say it aloud, it’s obvious why HAGS has such a strong presence here. Before the fever, Montana actually produced a decent amount of oil. I don't know if there's a refinery in the state, but it’d explain how HAGS is able to fly around like you said.”
Fighting for War Page 6
