“We figured you would want to know,” Fred said, slinging his rifle over his back.
“I do, but he’s pissed he didn’t get to help arrest them!” Nathan shouted that time.
Billy waved his hand at Nathan. “He’s the baby brother so he comes last,” he said.
“Baby to you, maybe” Nathan pointed out.
“You don’t have to be worryin’ about Andy. I can fight him down in a few hours and Fred can usually do it in one,” Billy told him.
Nathan stumbled back in shock. “Dude, I’ve never been in a fight that went over twenty minutes,” he informed him.
Billy and Fred looked at each other, then at Nathan. “You need to come to the farm and wrestle the cows down,” Fred suggested.
“You mean calves, right?” Nathan asked.
Fred looked at him with displeasure. “What good would wrestling babies do? You wrestle the cows till you’re good enough to wrestle down a bull.”
Nathan pulled Allie in front of him. “Allie really likes me and if you guys break me she will get mad at you,” he told them.
Allie threw her hands on her hips. “Boys, don’t y’all go and get Nathan hurt,” she snapped.
“We ain’t goin to let him get hurt, honey pie,” Fred told her.
“Okay baby, and you did so good today. I’m so proud of you,” she said, walking over and hugging him.
Fred blushed as she hugged him, then she hugged Billy and went to help with the orders.
“Guys, watch the doors. I’m going to check on Andy,” Nathan said.
“Renee is with him,” Fred told him.
“You let Renee watch?” Nathan asked incredulously.
“Yeah, she was watchin’ us to make sure we didn’t hurt ‘em,” Billy said.
Nathan started rubbing his temples. “I’m getting a headache,” he said, walking back to the showers. He passed Andy on the way. “You got the names that fast?” he shouted.
Andy looked at him with a pouting face. “Yeah, I didn’t even get to rub salt in a bleeding hole,” he said.
Nathan walked into the showers to see the two men laying on their stomachs, hog-tied and crying. Renee walked over to him and handed him a piece of paper.
“Here’s the rest,” she said.
Nathan just took it, smiling as she walked out. He made sure they couldn’t get loose then went to the office and started going through their packs.
The packs were dirty but were actually very nice large expedition packs. He pulled out six pistols, a lot of magazines, boxes of ammunition, and two complete police duty belts. Then he found two Georgia State Police badges. Laying them on the desk, he continued the examination to find six wallets and a bag of jewelry, some with blood on it.
He left the weapons, magazines, duty belts, and ammunition on the desk and threw the rest back in the packs and closed them up. He held the badges in each hand, rubbing his thumbs over them. The men had admitted to catching a group of people camping last night beside the Interstate. The two troopers had been part of the group, along with two men, three women, and two kids. None of the captured group saw the sunrise this morning.
Chapter 7
Connie walked in as he was holding the badges. She coughed to let him know she was there. “Mark is here; Renee’s husband,” she told him when he looked up.
Letting out a long, mournful sigh, Nathan laid the badges down and followed her out. When he came around the corner, Nathan froze as he beheld the biggest man he had ever seen in his life. The brothers were all between six foot seven to six foot ten. The man Nathan was looking at could lick salt of the top of their heads, and stood an easy seven and a half foot tall. His shoulder span was twice Nathan’s, and Nathan put his weight well over four-fifty with very little of it fat.
The gigantic man was holding up Renee, hugging her; Renee’s feet were over a yard off the floor. She looked like a little bird next to a skyscraper. “What the hell do you people feed the boys around here?” Nathan shouted. Everyone turned to look at him. Mark moved Renee over and just held Renee in the crook of his arm like a child so she could look at Nathan. “I swear to God if someone tells me Mark isn’t the biggest person in this county, I’m leaving now,” Nathan said, making everyone laugh, but he was serious.
Mark laughed and walked over to him carrying Renee. Nathan had to keep tilting his head back and felt like he was looking at the sky by the time Mark stopped in front of him. Mark shifted Renee to his left arm and held out his right hand. “Sir, I’m indebted to you,” he said in a deep voice.
Nathan held out his hand, praying he would get it back in one piece. “I don’t taste good,” Nathan said as Mark’s massive hand engulfed his. Mark laughed again, releasing his hand and pulling Nathan to his chest.
Mark’s badge was just above Nathan’s eye level, and Nathan felt like a small animal, wanting to run for cover. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about you and you saved my wife and friends. I couldn’t hurt you,” Mark told Nathan, hugging him tight.
“Ah, not to seem too ungrateful but you’re really making me want to wet my pants,” Nathan said, his face buried in Mark’s chest.
Renee popped Mark’s chest. “He can’t breathe, baby,” she told him and Mark let Nathan go. Nathan took a step back and bumped into Ares. He looked down and noticed Ares was hiding behind him with his tail between his legs.
“Damn, I’ve never see you scared even when you fought a bear,” Nathan said. Ares looked up at Nathan, then at Mark as if telling him, ‘I’m not attacking that!’
“Put me down,” Renee told Mark, which he did. Renee got down on her knees. “Come here, Ares,” she said, clapping her hands.
Keeping his eyes on Mark, Ares slinked over to her, keeping her between him and the giant. “Ares, it’s okay,” she said, hugging him. “Nathan, will you introduce them?” she asked.
“Ares, this is Mark,” he told Ares. Ares looked at Nathan with a startled look, then turned to Mark and lowered his head.
Mark squatted down. He was still almost as tall as Nathan standing up. Renee was still much shorter. Mark rubbed Ares’ head, then started talking to him. Ares started panting and moved over to the giant, letting Mark scratch him. Then Mark picked Ares up like a puppy and continued to play with him. Ares didn’t mind a bit. Finally finished playing with Ares, Mark put him back down gently and Ares looked up at him, tongue lolling. He liked him now.
Nathan looked outside and saw an old Jeep Cherokee out front. “You got some wheels now?” he asked.
Mark looked over at him, grinning. “Yeah, we’re slowly getting enough cars to patrol again,” he answered.
“What’s it like out there so far?” Nathan asked.
The smile fell of Mark’s face and out of his eyes. “It’s bad. We’ve lost two officers and three are unaccounted for. The state police have called and said they have five missing in this area. We’ve had over two dozen murders and that’s just the ones we know of so far. I’m not even going to talk about rapes and assaults,” he told him grimly.
“Let me guess, most right around the Interstate?” Nathan asked.
“Yep,” Mark said.
“Any word from further out?” Nathan asked.
“Oh yes, and it’s all worse. Half of Atlanta is a war zone and the other half is on fire. Birmingham and Savannah are the same except without the fire. The military is sending in troops to all the major cities and the government has imposed martial law for all cities with a population over a hundred thousand.”
“When’s the last time you ate?” Nathan asked.
“A candy bar an hour ago,” Mark replied.
Nathan turned to Lenore and Jessie. “Will you fix Mark—” he hesitated. Then finished, “A cow.” They laughed and then headed to the kitchen.
“I really can’t stay long,” Mark said.
Nathan coughed. “Ah yes you can. I have to tell you some things and this little lady has been worried sick about you. I can’t physically stop you and I’m not sure if the
brothers could either, but if you leave I’ll tell Renee you were very mean to me.”
Mark let out a deep, rich laugh. “Okay, I’ll eat, but I think the three brothers could stop me,” he said, but Nathan had his doubts.
“Follow me,” Nathan said, walking back to the office with Mark and Renee following. Nathan picked up the badges and held them out to Mark. “I think you can safely say two of the troopers are dead,” he said, handing them to Mark.
“Shit!” Mark yelled. “Is this from the two you have tied up?” he asked.
“How long have you been here?” Nathan asked, shocked.
“Not long, but we got word from people at the center at the school who’ve come from here. Last night, four lawyers came running in telling the sheriff that someone had been shot here for banging on the door. From their descriptions, we knew everyone but you, and they said you had a sheriff shirt and a badge on. We figured you were an officer who got stuck here,” Mark explained.
“It’s that bad out there already?” Nathan asked, thinking it should’ve taken longer.
Mark nodded. “I wanted to come and check but the sheriff and captain said if an officer was here then y’all were safe,” he said and looked down. “I’ve been in two shootouts since this has started and shot one man.”
“Don’t feel bad about it. You couldn’t have done anything different unless you preferred you were the one who died,” Nathan told him, and Mark looked up. “It was their choice. Someone tries to kill you, you kill them right back,” he said.
Mark chuckled. “That’s keeping it simple.”
For the first time, Nathan noticed the sergeant stripes on Mark’s sleeve. “You’re kinda young to be a sergeant,” he said.
“The youngest the county’s ever had.” Mark beamed with pride.
Nathan handed over the transcript of the confessions. “It won’t mean much, but this is what they told us,” he said, and Mark took the pages. Then Nathan handed over the written statement for his shooting. “There is a memory card in there with pictures of the scene,” he said.
Mark laughed. “The sheriff and the DA have already ruled it a justifiable homicide, but thanks,” he said.
“Renee, please make sure they are getting his food ready while I show him around,” Nathan asked her.
Mark bent way down so she could kiss him, and she took off for the kitchen. Mark followed Nathan to the outside cooler. When Nathan opened the door, he pointed at the body. “His personal effects are wrapped up with him. I don’t know what will happen to them before you guys can collect them,” he told Mark.
“Renee told me where her gun came from,” Mark said.
Nathan shook his head. “His gun is wrapped up with him,” he said.
Mark nodded. “Yeah, I see the bulge and thank you.”
“I want to lose the weapons inside before you take those two. These people need them,” Nathan said, closing the cooler.
“I’m not taking them in. I’m calling someone to get them. If they don’t pick up the guns then that’s on them,” Mark said.
“You do have your officers riding double, don’t you?” Nathan asked.
Mark sighed heavily. “We don’t have enough,” he said as they walked back.
“Tell the sheriff to start deputizing people and double them up with regular officers. You need to deputize those three brothers in there,” Nathan said.
Mark nodded as they walked inside. “That’s a good idea,” he said.
“You’ll have to put them with an officer who knows the rules; someone they would listen to,” Nathan added.
“I can do that,” Mark said.
“Jessie and his sons want to help also but I want your word that you will not take all the men from those farms at the same time. Someone has to guard the home front,” Nathan said.
“Yeah I can see that,” Mark replied. “We could really use that help.”
“You need to get out of your house with Renee,” Nathan told him. Mark looked at him in shock. “You’re going to be a target that won’t be home but she will be,” Nathan warned.
“I’ll take her to her parents’ house. They live not far from Jessie,” he said.
“Another thing. If Brian comes out there, kill ‘im,” Nathan said.
Mark just looked at him incredulously. “He’s not really that bad,” he said.
“Now he’s not, but I think you’ll only get one chance before he realizes that he can get away with a lot of stuff now,” Nathan said. “He’ll hurt Renee,” he added.
Mark nodded. “I know a deep water hole,” he said as they walked into the diner.
Renee pulled out a chair and Mark collapsed in it. Nathan was surprised the damn chair didn’t break. “Fred, Andy, and Billy can I see you for a minute!” Nathan shouted and the three came over. “I asked Mark to present each of you to be deputies, and I’ll write a letter of recommendation for you,” he told them, and their jaws hit the floor. “You will be riding with other deputies to teach you the ropes for a couple of years, and you will have to listen to them,” Nathan said, and they still just stood with their mouths open.
“Other cops aren’t like me, so don’t be questioning people till they tell you to, okay?” Nathan told them. “I know those guys fell down in the shower several times but other officers might not like them falling down that much,” he added.
Fred closed his mouth and looked at Nathan. “Those two really did what they said, didn’t they?” he asked.
“Yes they did, Fred,” Nathan said.
Fred looked at his brothers, then back at Nathan. “Can we take them outside before we become deputies?” he asked.
Mark spoke up. “Guys, those two are cop killers and that is what I’m telling the sheriff. That you three helped to arrest them and got them to talk as you were treating their wounds after they fell down.”
Damn, that’s good, thought Nathan.
“Mark, they did other stuff, stuff you don’t even see on the TV,” Billy told him.
Lenore set down a plate for Mark as he looked up at the three. “Tell you what, when the truck comes to pick them up y’all can carry them out. Just make sure they don’t try to escape,” he told them.
The brothers started smiling and talking to each other as Nathan looked around. “Where are the customers?” he asked.
“The owner’s grandkid came by and said to close the store. They’ll be here tomorrow. They’ll pay us and give us bonuses for staying,” Connie answered. Nathan nodded and then turned to look at the Bedfords, who were sitting in a booth chatting amongst themselves.
Lenore came over to Nathan, already knowing what he was thinking. “Jessie and I asked the Bedfords to come and stay with us and they agreed,” she told him.
“Thank you,” Nathan relaxed back in his seat. He noticed Mark’s sidearm, a Colt Python with an eight-inch barrel. He laughed and leaned across the table. “Damn, didn’t think anyone carried those anymore. You a fan of ‘Walking Dead’?” he asked.
Mark grinned. “Yeah, but the department required all sidearms to be a .40 caliber or larger last year and I haven’t had the money to upgrade. I gave Renee my Glock,” he said.
“You really need something better than a six shooter out there,” Nathan told him.
“I know, and the sheriff is working on it, but I just bought a new trailer for me and Renee.”
“Eat up. I’ll be back,” Nathan said, standing up and looking at his watch. It was just past three. He felt like this had been going on for two years. He walked into the office, where he looked at the pistols on the desk and smiled. There was a Beretta 92F, a Glock 19, a SIG 226, a 1911 and two Smith and Wesson .38s with six-inch barrels. Then the two pistols in the duty holsters. He pulled one out and saw it was a Sig P226 tactical .40 caliber with all the bells and whistles. Grabbing the other one, he saw it was just a plain P226 .40 caliber.
Sighing, he laid both on the desk and went to his luggage and pulled out his new toy, the custom 1911 high capacity. He opened the
case and ran his hand over the gun with longing. It had an extended barrel, adjustable sights, the works. Nathan knew he couldn’t carry it. “Almost three Gs with all the holsters and magazines, and I didn’t even get to shoot you,” he said sadly, closing the lid.
Grabbing the bag with the duty holster, drop holster, waistband holster, magazine holsters, and magazines, he walked back to the diner. Stopping in front of Mark, he said, “Stand up please, and take your rig off.” Nathan opened the bag.
“Why?” Mark asked. Then Renee popped his arm and Mark stood up.
“I have something you need,” Nathan said, taking out the duty holster with the retention lock.
“That won’t fit my gun,” Mark said, handing over his rig.
“You’re talking,” Nathan said, putting the holster on its mount.
Mark shrugged and laid his rig on the table as everyone gathered around. Nathan took off Mark’s holster and speed loaders and laid them on the table and started mounting the holster and two double magazine holsters. Then Nathan opened the 1911 case and Mark sucked in a deep breath.
“Shit, man, I can’t take that,” Mark said, admiring the pistol.
Ignoring Mark, Nathan said, “Renee, go and get all the black boxes of the .45 caliber behind the counter.” She scampered off. “That’s the best load they have here,” he said, taking out the pistol. “I take it you know what this is?” he said, looking at Mark.
Mark cleared his throat. “Yes, a customized Springfield G.I. 1911 high capacity, and it looks like you got everything for it,” he said.
“Yep, it will do everything except fix you breakfast,” Nathan said, running his hands over the gun, then passed it to Mark. “Here, my gift to you,” he said.
“Dude, I can’t take that. Renee said you’re heading to Idaho. You’ll need that for the trip,” Mark said, not taking the pistol.
“I have the 1911 on my hip, a Springfield XD .45, and a snub .38 for pistols. I can’t carry all of them. Renee seems rather fond of you so I want you to be prepared for some shit,” Nathan told Mark, still holding out the pistol.
Dark Titan Journey Book 1 Page 10
