Rescuing Liberty: Perseverance Book 1

by Amanda Washington

  His eyes burned. He closed them and a tear slid down his cheek. “You are supposed to be all powerful; God of love, hope, forgiveness. Omnipresent, yet where the hell are you? Please. Just help them. I will do … anything. Be … anything. If you would just, this one time, please ...” Tears continued to race down his face. “I. Can’t. Kill. Them.” Then emotion overcame him, robbing Connor of his voice. Lost. Desperate. Outplayed.

  He was still on his knees when he smelled gunpowder.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CONNOR SNIFFED THE air. Definitely gunpowder. He was no longer alone. Knowing it would be the coward’s way out, he wished the newcomer was an executioner, death coming to greet him at last.

  “Then said He to Thomas,” whispered a man with a Latino accent.

  The familiar voice was only feet away. Connor knew he had to be either crazy or dead. There was no way the man he heard would sign up with the Progression. Maybe he’s dead, like Jacob. Connor’s heart sunk at the thought.

  “Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands,” the voice continued.

  Connor held his breath, waiting for more.

  “And reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side.”

  He mentally tracked the speech patterns and followed the scripture that had been quoted at him many times. His friend had loved to spout those scriptures every time Connor told him he didn’t believe in God.

  “And be not faithless, but believing."

  The scripture recanting was over. Outside there were normal shouts of a camp, but inside the tent was deathly silent. Connor opened his eyes, and looked up. The man standing before him kissed the crucifix around his neck and muttered a prayer of thanks. It was a habit Connor had seen him do a million times, but this time it brought unadulterated joy to his heart.

  “Boom?” Connor’s voice cracked. “What are you doing here?”

  “Me?” Boom looked around the tent. “You asked for help, so I came to get you out. So this is all it took to get the insufferable Connor Dunstan to ask for help?” Boom’s eyes sparkled with mischief and his 5’6”, 180 lb weapon of a body still looked like it could stop a Mac truck. His dark skin was covered in a filmy layer of dirt and gun powder. The once camouflage bandana on his head was blackened with grime and who knows what else, making it difficult to distinguish it from his short, dark hair.

  “You are a sight for sore eyes,” Connor told his friend. He knew somewhere within his fatigues, Boom was packing at least five guns, three knives, six grenades, and enough ammo to take on Arnold in a Terminator movie. A seed of hope planted in Connor’s soul, quickly taking root and blooming. If Boom was here, others had to be too. The weapons specialists never traveled solo. “If your God finally decided to get off His butt and send help, I guess you were an okay choice.”

  Boom’s shoulders shook with laughter. “It looks like you ran into a bit of trouble, Conman.”

  The old nickname fell around Connor’s shoulders like a worn sweatshirt. Neither of them were as young and daring as they used to be, but being around Boom was like Ben-Gay for the soul.

  “What, this?” Connor stretched his arms out, palms up; gesturing to the entire world that seemed to want him dead. “I got this.”

  Boom lowered his head. “Father forgive mi hermano, he lies like a lizard on a rock.” He crossed himself and offered Connor a hand up, which Connor accepted.

  Outside the tent, chaos erupted. Shouts of alarm were sounded.

  “How many did you bring?” Connor asked.

  Boom shrugged. “Enough, but we need to go. Now.”

  “I’m not alone,” Connor replied. “I was with a woman and a little girl.”

  “Yes, we saw them. They’re being retrieved.” Boom handed him a machine gun and two extra clips of ammo.

  “Two clips?” Connor asked, pretending to be offended. “That’s it? I know you have more ammo on you.”

  Boom shrugged, white teeth gleaming against skin the color of coffee as he readied his own gun and motioned for Connor to follow him. “Of course I do. If you can't make it go bang it is just an expensive club.”

  Connor chuckled and followed Boom. They reached the tent flap as the first bomb went off. Shielding their eyes from the flying shrapnel they stepped over the bodies of the men who’d been left to guard Connor’s tent.

  “You always did create the best distractions,” Connor said.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet,” Boom replied. “While you’ve been getting fat and rich, I’ve been perfecting my technique. Wait until you see the new Hail Mary.”

  Fires blazed from several tents, thickening the air with smoke. Kids carried buckets of water from the stream, and soldiers battled a small skirmish at the south end of the camp. A grenade appeared in Boom’s hand. He pulled the pin and tossed it into a nearby tent, signaling to his men that he was clear.

  Just like old times. Connor thought. He followed Boom north to the fence. Connor stood behind Boom and watched for threats as the weapons specialist tugged on a precut section of the fence. When the gap was big enough, they squeezed through and started inching toward the trees. A shot was fired and both men went prone, looking around for the shooter. Connor found him just as Boom’s bullet hit the shooter in the left shoulder, spinning him around before he went down. Connor’s ears rang and the smell of burnt powder filled his nostrils.

  Connor started to stand, but Boom grabbed his ankle and pointed toward a patrol group headed straight for them. He pulled the pin out of another grenade and lobbed it into the group. Connor covered his head and waited for the ground to stop shaking. When he looked up, most of the camp was aflame and Boom’s backup team had headed for the woods, making their escape. Boom tapped Connor, pointed at the trees and started crawling. Once under the cover of the foliage, they both stood and ran until they could no longer hear, see or smell the camp. Then they slowed their pace to a fast walk.

  “Where are we meeting up with your team?” Connor asked. He needed to see the girls and know they were safe.

  “The cave,” Boom replied.

  Trying to distract himself from the worry churning his gut, Connor asked, “How did you know I was in there?”

  “We got a tip about the camp a few days ago from a farmer. I sent a team to check it out, but they didn’t come back.” He ducked under a branch.

  “So you went to find your lost sheep,” Connor finished.

  Boom nodded.

  “Any luck?”

  “Not good,” Boom replied.

  Connor frowned. He knew the weight of losing men all too well. “How many?”

  “Six. Good men. Every one of them.” Boom crossed himself again. “You had me worried, Conman. When I saw you walking into that camp … of your own free will. I was … concerned at your allegiance. But then they brought the unconscious child and the redhead. she looked like she was about to start spitting fire. I knew she had to be with you.”

  “One time,” Connor replied. “That was one time, and how was I supposed to know she was the general’s daughter?”

  Boom smirked and stepped over foliage, pushing away hanging tree limbs. “That was the only one I knew about, but I’m sure there were others. Every time I saw you on TV you had a different girl on your arm. It’s good to finally see you in person again. It’s a shame it had to come to this.”

  Guilt twisted Connor’s stomach. He knew he should have returned calls and emails, but he had wanted to kill the past and feared that any contact with Boom would keep it alive.

  “Boom—” he started to apologize, but realized he had no idea where to start. “I …”

  Boom stopped and turned to face him, cutting him off. “Conman, I doubted you. Forgive me?”

  Connor had a million things to apologize for and yet here was Boom, extending his hand, begging for his forgiveness. No explanations or excuses were necessary. “There’s nothing to forgive,” Connor replied.

  Boom smiled. “Mi hermano. Always.”

  The two paused for
a sociably-acceptable two second man-hug—no more, no less—and stepped back like it never happened. And just like that, any transgressions between the two had been forgiven. They started walking again.

  “You saw me go in?” Connor shook his head. “I was in there for hours. Took you long enough to act.”

  Boom snickered. “It is good to see you, too.” His voice turned somber. “So many dead. So many worse than dead. My heart rejoices at the sight of someone I know I can trust.”

  “What about the others?” Connor asked. “You must have a pretty large company to stage a rescue like that. Is the army is going after the Progression?” The familiar thirst for action stirred Connor’s blood, flaring his desire to be at the heart of tactical planning.

  “You’re asking me to disclose classified information to a mere civilian?” Boom shook his head. “You must be an imposter. The real Conman would know better.”

  Connor held up his hands. “Oh a minute ago I was your brother, and now I’m ‘a mere civilian’? Where’s the love?”

  Boom walked for a few minutes before he replied, “Waiting to see where you stand.”

  “Hmm?” Connor asked.

  Boom cleared his throat. “Legend tells us of a man who was once more-than-a-man.” He looked at Connor sideways.

  Connor rolled his eyes and settled in for another of Boom’s wild stories. “Legend, huh?”

  He nodded. “This more-than-a-man had the potential to achieve any position in the United States Army that he desired, but he chose to be a Commander in the Green Berets.”

  “Any position?”

  “Oh yes. He’d earned medals of merit, commendation, service, honor, hearts, stars … there were so many colors on the front of his uniform that leprechauns used to show up looking for their pots of gold.”

  Connor chuckled. “Perhaps instead of Boom, we should call you Bard.”

  Boom ignored the jibe and continued with his story. “He chose to be a Commander, because he wanted to be on the front lines with his men. He never expected any of them to do what he, himself wouldn’t do. He was an honorable man.”

  “He sounds like an arrogant fool.” Connor said, stepping around a large rock.

  Again, Boom ignored him. “But one day he discovered that his superpowers were nothing more than fable. More-than-a-man turned out to be less-than-a-superhero. Crushed by his self-discovered inadequacy he buried his humanity deep in the earth’s core and became … undead.”

  “Undead?” Connor asked.

  Boom nodded. “Oh, yes. Only the undead would choose the path of an attorney.”

  Connor’s eyebrows rose in question.

  “I’ve been inside a courtroom, Con. If those people aren’t blood-suckers, I do not understand the meaning of the word.”

  “Indeed,” Connor conceded with a chuckle. “So, whatever happened to your friend?”

  “Ah-ah-ah.” Boom stopped walking and shook his finger in the air. “It’s not what happened, it’s what will happen. And that, I cannot tell you.”

  “So you made me listen to this bogus story and you’re not even going to reveal the ending?”

  “Nope. You tell me. You made a promise back there.” His eyes focused on Connor’s. “Go anywhere, be anything, you said. Now will you continue to beat yourself up over the past or will you man up and do the right thing?”

  “Man up?” Connor puffed out his chest. “Are you calling me a coward?”

  Boom chuckled. “You are a lot of things, but never a coward.”

  Connor’s chest deflated. “How can I man up when I don’t even know what’s expected of me? Okay fine, I made a promise. I intend to keep it, but tell me, how do you follow a leader who doesn’t give instructions?”

  Boom shrugged. “Well, the Bible is a good instruction manual. When I need additional direction I seek Him through prayer.”

  Connor tried not to smile. “Ten years. Ten bloody years since I last saw you, and you’re still barking at me to read the Bible and pray. Come on Boom, technology, evolution, there has to be some sort of easy button or divine messaging system by now. I’d even settle for one of those collars that electrocutes me when I make the wrong decision.”

  He laughed. “Yes that would definitely be easier. But then it wouldn’t be free will. How would we learn if not by our mistakes?”

  By the time they arrived at the cave, the sun was setting, cooling off the late June temperatures. Gnats and mosquitoes invaded, annoying and attacking whatever flesh was available. Connor brushed them away and admired the site. It was a large, natural cave in the side of a hill, hidden by dense evergreens and shrubbery. Boom’s team had created a single-riveted timber barricade reinforced with earth at the mouth of the cave. It was wide enough to shield about twenty soldiers, and the north and south corners of the barricade each supported a mounted machine gun, manned by two soldiers.

  “So few?” Connor asked.

  “Fort Lewis could only spare two teams. I had to take the majority of the men with me. They should be back soon.”

  “Two teams?” Connor scratched his head. “Twenty-four men? Surely they could spare more?”

  “Even at the Fort, our numbers are not great.” Concern was etched into the lines around Boom’s mouth.

  The numbers didn’t make sense to Connor. Sure, a lot of people had died. But where were the rest? “We came from Olympia and saw very few civilians. If they didn’t head for the bases, where are they?”

  “Conman, very few stayed with the army. Most went home to their families during the crisis. We had no control. But the Progression fanatics are dedicated, and the absence of monetary compensation did not discourage their loyalty.” His eyes scanned the area. “And now, they’re recruiting with very … compelling enrollment benefits.”

  Connor nodded. “Yeah, I got the whole ‘join or die’ proposal.”

  “I can’t believe you were not aware of this. Where have you been? In a hole somewhere?”

  “No.” Connor frowned. “In a safe actually.”

  “A safe?” Boom waited, but Connor just nodded.

  Talk of the safe reminded him that Ashley and Liberty still weren’t back. In response, anxiety started wreaking havoc on his stomach, giving him all sorts of disturbing images. “Where are my girls?” he asked. “What’s taking your men so long?”

  Boom didn’t answer. Instead he picked up a canteen leaning against the barricade, took a long pull, and then offered it to Connor.

  Connor drank then followed Boom to each of the machine guns, where he endured introductions to the four soldiers; Mathers, Stein, Shortridge, and James, while his heart screamed in frustration. Salutes and reports were given while Connor’s mind explored hundreds of scenarios that kept the girls from getting to the cave. Each ended badly. He tuned out the men and paced in front of the barricade.

  A loud, shrill whistle came from the trees, announcing incoming. Everyone drew their weapons and positioned themselves behind the barricade. Another whistle announced that the incoming men were friendly. Soldiers relaxed as a group of men emerged from the foliage on horseback; one of which was attempting to detain a writhing, shouting Ashley.

  “I said let me down!” she demanded. “If you don’t tell me where Connor and Liberty are right now, I swear I will—”

  “Ash,” Connor called out as he approached. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

  “And ano—” She turned, looked down at him then flung herself into his arms, still sobbing.

  “I told her you wouldn’t walk out on us.” She gripped Connor tightly. “Where’s Libby?” She craned her head around. “No one tells me anything. They won’t let me look for her. Oh and she’s sooo mad at you.”

  “Isn’t she with you?” Connor glanced from horse to horse, then man to man, but Liberty wasn’t there. “Where was she the last place you saw her? What do you remember?”

  “Uh, we were on bikes the last time I saw her.” Ashley studied the men around her. “When I woke up, that guy—” She pointed
accusingly at the mounted soldier whose horse she’d just leapt from, “was squeezing my arms and making me sit in front of him on the horse. No one would talk to me.”

  Connor’s stomach sunk. I should have gone back.

  Ashley’s face mirrored the anxiety he felt; eyes round, lips pinched. She grabbed his shirt and tugged him down to her eye level. “Where is she? You have to find her!”

  “I know. I will.”

  Boom appeared beside Connor, counting his men. “Twelve? Where is Simmons?”

  The men shook their heads as they dismounted. Boom crossed himself, said a few words and kissed his rosary.

  Another whistle sounded from the trees.

  Connor waited. Against all odds he prayed for good news.

  Three short whistles shattered his hopes. He grabbed Ashley’s hand and sprinted for the cave. Boom yelled at everyone to get into positions. Horses were pushed into the cave as soldiers prepared to defend. A line of men knelt behind the barricade, drawing weapons, and snapping on night vision goggles.

  “Get in the cave.” Connor pushed Ashley behind the barricade. “I promise. We’ll get through this, then find her.” He kneeled in front of Ashley, staring into eyes identical to his own. “I need you to stay in the cave. Get toward the back and hide under those blankets.” He pointed at a pile of linen. “Don’t come out until I come get you.” And if I don’t make it? The thought punched Connor in the gut. Moments ago he’d been resigned to take his own life, and now he desperately wanted to live. But he needed to be prepared, just in case. He pointed at Boom. “See that man? He’s my good friend. You can trust him if anything happens to me.”

  “If anything—” She shook her head, and then threw her arms around Connor.

  He hugged Ashley, and then tapped her shoulder until she released him.

  She pulled back and wiped away her tears, forcing a smile. “I knew you’d come back. And I know you’ll be fine. And we will find Liberty.”

  Connor smiled at the little girl he never wanted, but couldn’t imagine living without. Her eyes were large with hope and love and everything else that made life worth fighting for. He promised himself that if they lived through this he’d stop being a coward and tell her he was her biological father. “I love you, Ash.” He kissed her forehead and sent her into the cave to hide.