World War III

by Heath Jannusch

  Josh nodded, imagining the look on the women’s faces. “I don’t envy you your task either,” he said, looking passed Mason at the Russian Lieutenant.

  Mason watched until Josh was gone from sight, before stepping inside and closing the door. He turned around to find the room full of people. In addition to two guards standing by the door to the inner cell room and two more within, he saw Shiloh and Ian sitting at the Sheriff’s desk, engrossed in a game of chess.

  “It took you guys awhile to get back,” said Shiloh, looking up from the chessboard in front of him. “We were gonna start searching for ya after this game.”

  “Yeah,” grunted Mason. “As you know we had to deviate from the plan.” He shoved the Russian Lieutenant forward, knocking him to the floor at Cleo’s feet.

  Ian glanced down at the wounded officer and asked, “What about Lex?”

  “We didn’t get there in time,” replied Mason.

  “They took him,” added Cleo, pressing on the Russian’s wounded leg, with the heel of her boot.

  “Ouch!”

  “Where did they take him?” Shiloh asked, leaning back in the chair and folding his arms.

  “We don’t know yet,” said Cleo, pressing harder on the man’s leg. “But we’re bloody well gonna find out!”

  “Lock him in a cell by himself,” said Mason. “The tools are at my place. I’ll be right back.”

  Shiloh noticed the Russian’s head snap up at the mention of the word ‘tools’. He could see the white of the man’s eyes and could only imagine the fear he felt. He glanced at Mason and Cleo, wondering if they were bluffing. Seeing the grim look on Cleo’s face made him lose all doubt. They had every intention of using whatever means necessary to extract Lex’s location, whether the officer knew it or not.

  Mason turned and opened the door, allowing a cold breeze to enter the jailhouse. He tightened the collar around his neck, before stepping out into the soft falling snow and closing the door behind him.

  “I wouldn’t want to be that poor bloke,” replied Ian, as Cleo pulled the officer to his feet.

  “Move!” She said, shoving him into the inner cell room. When Cleo saw the cells were already occupied by Lieutenant Sawyer’s Chinese prisoners, she knocked the Russian to his knees and said, “Don’t move.” She grabbed the cell keys from off a nearby hook and unlocked the cell on the far left.

  “Hey,” said one of the Marines on guard duty, “what do you think you’re doing?”

  “Moving the prisoner to another cell,” said Cleo flatly. “Get out of my way.” Without waiting for the soldier to respond, she shoved passed him and locked the Chinese prisoner in the center cell, with his comrade. She turned and kicked the Russian officer in the leg. “Get in,” Cleo said, pointing at the empty cell.

  The officer did as commanded and crawled into the cell, glad to be free from Cleo’s vicious kicks.

  Cleo locked the door and hung the keys on the hook, before stepping into the outer room. She pulled a chair over to the fireplace and sat down, staring silently into the flames.

  Ian was about to stand up and console her, when Shiloh reached out and gently grabbed his arm, shaking his head no. “Let her be,” he whispered softly.

  “Is there any coffee?” asked Lieutenant Sawyer, entering the jailhouse to check on his prisoners.

  “On the stove,” replied Ian, pointing to a blue kettle.

  “Thanks,” said Sawyer, pouring himself a cup. “Anybody else want any?”

  “Sure.” Shiloh said over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on the game in front of him.

  “No thanks,” said Ian.

  The Lieutenant glanced at Cleo sitting alone by the fireplace, watching the embers burn. “Did you find your boyfriend?” He asked, rubbing his hands together over the fire.

  “No,” said Shiloh, answering for Cleo, as he moved one of his pawns forward, “the Russian’s still have him. However they did capture an officer and they’re hoping he can shed some light on Lex’s location.”

  “I see,” said Lt. Sawyer, pouring another cup of coffee and handing it to Shiloh. “Who’s winning?”

  Before anyone could answer the door swung open and Rupert walked in, carrying a bible in his hand. “Why hello everyone,” he said, glancing around the room. “I heard we have more prisoners to share the gospel with. Does anyone mind if I talk with them?”

  “Help yourself,” grinned Ian, as he moved his bishop and removed one of Shiloh’s pawns.

  “You’re just wasting your time,” hissed Lt. Sawyer. “Those barbarians don’t believe in God or the Bible.”

  “Well then we should educate them,” smiled Rupert. Without another word, he turned and walked into the inner cell room, closing the door behind him.

  When Rupert entered the room he found the Russian prisoner lying on his cot, rubbing his wounded leg and muttering something. Two Chinese prisoners were locked together in the center cell, with a third locked in the cell on the far right.

  The Russian Lieutenant looked up, glancing at the Bible in Rupert’s hand. His lips parted in an evil smile, before he rolled onto his side and faced the wall.

  The Chinese prisoners watched Rupert, as he pulled up a chair and sat down. One of the two prisoners locked together, seemed especially curious, his eyes flickering back and forth between Rupert and the Bible

  “Hello,” said Rupert, greeting the prisoners with a smile. None of them responded. “My name is Rupert Powers,” he continued, undaunted by their silence, “and I’d like to talk with you gentleman about God. Are any of you Christians?”

  The Chinese prisoner sitting in his solitary cell grunted, before lying down on his cot with his hands folded behind his head. Of the two prisoners locked together, one of them hissed in disgust and turned to face the wall, placing his back to Rupert. The other man however seemed interested, his eyes fixated on the Bible as if trying to decide if it was a figment of his imagination. He gazed deep into Rupert’s eyes, wondering if this was a trap.

  Ignoring the other prisoners, Rupert devoted his attention to the man who showed interest. “What’s your name?”

  “Cheng,” mumbled the prisoner.

  “Oh good,” smiled Rupert, “for a moment I was afraid you didn’t speak English. It’s nice to meet you Cheng. Are you a Christian?”

  “No,” said Cheng, sitting up straight on the cot. His body stiff and rigid, as though he expected a beating.

  “Are you familiar with God?” Rupert asked, saddened by the man’s frightened reaction.

  “Yes,” answered Cheng, glancing at the Bible in Rupert’s hand.

  “Good,” smiled Rupert, “what about the son of God, Jesus Christ, are you familiar with Him?”

  “I hear His name before,” answered Cheng, glancing cautiously at his fellow inmates. None of them seemed to be paying any attention, but he was nervous none the less. In his home country, Christians were not only persecuted, they were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered on a daily basis. Although the Peoples Republic of China claimed religious freedom, it was not truly the case. Any citizen caught with a Bible, or worshiping under any faith other than one of the five state sanctioned religions, was brutally victimized.

  “Would you like to read the Bible with me?” asked Rupert, noticing Cheng’s interest. “Don’t worry, you won’t be punished. To the contrary. In this book you will find peace and the undeniable truth. Here, take a look,” offered Rupert, sliding the Bible through the prison bars.

  Cheng reached for the book, but when he noticed the other prisoners watching he quickly withdrew his hand, lowering his head in shame.

  “No problem,” said Rupert, opening the Bible. “I’ll read some of it to you. You know,” he added, glancing at the other prisoners, “ya might find this interesting. The end talks about war, famine and disease. Not only does it explain this current war and predict the future, but it also explains the how and why of it all. Of course a lot of that is in the Book of Revelation, but for now I’ll start in the beginning, with
the Book of Genesis.”

  Although interested in hearing what the book had to say, Cheng had been conditioned to fear the mere mention of words like God, Christ, and the Bible. Yet, so far the Americans were treating him better than his own superiors. In fact, he was being treated better as a prisoner of war in America, than as a freeman in China.

  Rupert opened the Bible and began reading. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

  Cheng listened intently, as Rupert explained the beginning of time and all of creation. After hearing of Noah’s Ark and the great flood, he became very excited. “I know this story,” he stammered, in broken English.

  “Oh yeah,” said Rupert. “It’s a popular one, shared by many different cultures around the world.”

  “It doesn’t make any since,” hissed the Russian Lieutenant from his cot. “It’s not mathematically possible.”

  “Really,” said Rupert, excited at the prospect of saving another soul. “In what way?”

  “If you were to add all of the species on earth and try to cram them into a boat of the dimensions you described, they would not fit. There is simply not enough room.”

  “The Bible doesn’t say God sent Noah two of every species,” explained Rupert. “It says God sent Noah two of every kind. There’s a huge difference.”

  “It sounds like word games to me,” replied the Russian Lieutenant.

  “Let me explain,” said Rupert. “There are many different species of dogs and cats, do you agree?”

  “Yes,” declared the Russian, “too many for this ark.”

  “Okay,” continued Rupert. “So when the Bible says God sent Noah two of every kind, it doesn’t mean two German Shepherds, two Black Labradors, two Golden Retrievers, and so on and so forth. It means God sent Noah two dogs, plain and simple. And from the offspring of those two dogs, came every other species of dog. It was the same with cats, horses and everything other kind of animal. Just as all of mankind have come from two people, Adam and Eve, so too have all living creatures.

  I wouldn’t be surprised,” he continued, “if God sent Noah two babies of every kind. It makes since, babies are smaller, they eat less food, sleep more and they’re less aggressive. And of course Noah didn’t need to bring any water animals or insects onboard. If you actually do the math, I think you’ll find it’s quite possible.”

  “How did the boat not sink?” Cheng asked, more curious than ever.

  “Wonderful question! The design of the ark was unprecedented,” explained Rupert, “and still is today. Scientists built a small replica of the ark and tested it to see what it could withstand. In every simulation conducted, the ark never sank or capsized, regardless the size of the waves. Its design truly is one of a kind.”

  “If there was a boat of such size and magnitude,” asked Cheng, “why has it never been found?”

  “Another good question,” cheered Rupert, full of excitement. “After the water from the flood rescinded, Noah and his family would’ve needed wood to build fires, homes, wagons, fences, furniture and so on. I believe they dismantled the ark and used it to build a new future.”

  “And if your God is so loving and kind,” declared the Russian Lieutenant, “why would he destroy the earth and kill all of those people?”

  “To purify the bloodline of mankind for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ,” declared Rupert. “You must remember, the world was full of evil when the great flood came. Lucifer and his fallen angels were living upon the earth, mating with human women and creating Nephilim offspring. People had lost their faith and were mocking God. The flood was God’s way of cleansing the earth and purifying it for the birth of His son.”

  “I understand,” said Cheng, “please continue reading.”

  Rupert picked up where he’d left off and was almost finished with the Book of Genesis, when he heard raised voices coming from the other room. Curious as to what the commotion was about, he closed the Bible and stood up. “I’ll be right back,” he said, turning to leave. He stopped when he noticed a frown appear on Cheng’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “You not finish reading book?” asked Cheng.

  “I’ll come by in a little while and read some more,” answered Rupert softly. “Here you go,” he added, handing Cheng the Bible. “Why don’t you read ahead and we’ll discuss it when I get back. Can you read English?”

  “A little,” answered Cheng.

  “Good,” smiled Rupert. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Thank you,” said Cheng, admiring the Bible in his hand. He held the book gently, as if it were made of fragile glass and if squeezed too hard, would shatter.

  “Sure,” smiled Rupert, “no problem. We’ll talk again soon Cheng.” He turned and left the Chinese prisoner sitting on his cot, carefully examining the leather bound Bible between his hands.

  When Rupert entered the outer room he found the jailhouse full of occupants. He glanced around the crowd, taking note of everyone present.

  “All I can tell you is what we saw,” said Mason. “The enemy is mobilizing and it won’t take them long to cross over the mountains.”

  “But there’s too many of them,” complained Luke Slater. “We’re going to die!”

  “Oh shut up you bloody fool!” Shouted Mayor Sullivan. “What do you suggest?”

  “Well,” said Mason, looking up from the knife he was sharpening, “your Deputy Mayor isn’t wrong. You need more men.”

  “We could recruit men from nearby towns,” suggested Ian. “After all it’s their freedom at stake too.”

  “That’s a grand idea,” agreed Mayor Sullivan, “but it’ll take a while. We need to figure out a way to stall the enemy and buy some time.”

  “What about the old World War II cannon up at Spooner Summit,” Billy suggested.

  “What about it?”

  “It’s what we used to create avalanches during winters with heavy snow,” he explained. “I spent a winter working with the ski patrol once.”

  “That’s a great idea!” Shiloh exclaimed, patting Billy on the back. “If we can cause an avalanche at Spooner Summit and another at Kingsbury Grade, it should buy us the time we need.”

  “We don’t have much time,” pointed out Ian. “If we’re gonna do this we’ll have to divide and conquer. How many men does it take to operate the cannon?” He asked, looking at Billy.

  “Two or three at the most,” said Billy. “It’s heavy, but has wheels and can be dragged behind a vehicle.”

  “I need three volunteers!” Mayor Sullivan shouted, his voice booming above the commotion.

  “I’ll go,” said Billy, emboldened by his last mission.

  “Not this time bro,” said Cole, pulling his younger cousin back.

  “But I’m the one who knows where the cannon is and how to fire it,” pressed Billy. “Stop trying to hold me back!” He pulled away from Cole and stepped closer to Dakota.

  “The lad’s right,” replied the Mayor. “Without him there’s no point. Who else?”

  “Fine,” said Cole, “count me in.”

  “Augh,” mumbled Billy. He yearned for respect from the others, especially Dakota, but he’d never get it if Cole was constantly trying to protect him.

  “That’s two,” hollered Sullivan. “I need one more.”

  “I reckon I’ll go,” offered old man Sampson. “I too am familiar with artillery from the second great war.”

  “The boy said the cannon is heavy,” observed Lt. Sawyer, glancing skeptically at the three volunteers. “Do you really believe the three of you can lift it if needed?”

  “I may be old,” spat Sampson,” but I’m wiry.”

  “Nevertheless,” said Lt. Sawyer, “defending the mountain passes is my responsibility and I have no intention of shirking it. I and two of my men will accompany you, just in case.”

  “Very well,” agreed the Mayor. “Now, I need volunteers to travel to surrounding towns and recruit fighting men. Whose it gonna be?”

  “I’v
e made several trips to Yerington over the past few weeks,” offered Rupert, “and I’ve made a lot of friends both there and in Smith Valley.”

  “Perfect,” agreed Mayor Sullivan, “you take both of those and I’ll head to Carson City. I need someone to go to Gardnerville and Minden, any takers?”

  “I’m friends with the doctor down in Gardnerville,” suggested Dr. July.

  “We need you here doc,” replied the Mayor, “but thanks for the offer.”

  “I’ll go,” said Ian, stepping forward.

  “And I’ll take Virginia City,” replied Casey. “I’ve done some trading up there before.”

  “Very well,” bellowed Mayor Sullivan, glancing at the map spread across the sheriff’s desk. “That leaves Dayton and Mound House.”

  The room suddenly became silent.

  “Come on people, I need someone to head east.” The Mayor glanced around the crowded room, but no one made eye contact. “I’m sure the rumors are highly exaggerated,” he said, searching for a volunteer.

  “What rumors?” Whispered Kye, looking at Cole.

  “It’s been said that Mound House has been overrun by a rough element,” answered Cole, whispering softly. “They eat their dead and drink their blood, and fornicate with wild animals!”

  “That’s ridiculous,” replied Kye, rubbing his injured ankle. “I’d volunteer if it wasn’t for this damn leg.” He desperately wanted to get back in the fight, but unfortunately there weren’t any fighter jets lying around in need of a pilot. Although highly trained, he felt obsolete fighting in a war without an aircraft at his disposal. “Has anyone actually seen these heathens in action?”

  “No,” admitted Cole. “No one’s ever returned.”

  “I’ll go,” said Shiloh, when no one else volunteered.

  “Someone should go with him,” suggested Mayor Sullivan.

  “I’ll go with him,” offered Ian.

  “No,” said Shiloh. “You’re already going to Minden and Gardnerville. We’re spread too thin as it is. I’ll go alone.”

  “Is it sure that ya are?” Asked Mayor Sullivan, a grim look upon his face.