Praying for War: The Collin War Chronicles

by W. C. Hoffman

  Major Logan followed Brady. They walked side-by-side across the room, heading for one of the three tunnels that led away from the chamber at a leisurely pace. The rock walls were bare except in some places, little ledges had been carved out for small lights. It was strange because they weren’t torches or candles, they were actual lights. Upon closer inspection, he could make out a tiny wire that ran along the wall.

  “Yes, we have electricity and real lights, thanks to a particularly talented Viper named Jones. The guy’s a whiz with electronics and whatnot. He setup solar panels on the mountain.” Brady looked proud.

  Major Logan grunted in approval. “Very impressive.”

  He didn’t know a lot about such things, but guessed it actually wasn’t too difficult. Back in Goshen, Kobyashi could easily setup something similar if they had access to solar panels. He made a mental note to look into acquiring some of their own.

  The tunnel they walked through was long and winding. Undoubtedly, Brady chose it for those exact qualities.

  “Tell me. How is Anna?” Major Logan glanced sideways at Brady. “You understand that I must see to her safety and well-being before we proceed.”

  Brady snorted.

  “Major, this is the safest place for her,” Brady said. “Not to mention the happiest place.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Yes, of course she’s fine and well taken care of,” Brady said, with a heavy sigh. “I would never harm or mistreat her.”

  “Perhaps we should go check on her now, so we can move on to other topics?” Major Logan eyed Brady, assessing the level of persuasion this topic may require.

  Brady chuckled and patted him on the back. It was an overly familiar move, considering how little they actually knew each other. He took it because it was less important than securing Anna’s release and assessing the Viper’s strengths.

  “You are too suspicious, my friend. You should probably take a vacation, the stress of your work may be affecting your judgment,” Brady said with a chuckle.

  “How I wish I could.”

  The tunnel curved to the left and then opened up into another chamber, albeit much smaller than the first one. No sunlight streamed in here. Light came from the bulbs installed along the walls, it was sufficient. The ceiling was lost in darkness.

  In the chamber, a pair of women sat on small stools knitting something that had yet to take a recognizable shape. Major Logan nodded at the women with a slight smile but they just stared and didn’t react.

  “You have sheep?” he asked.

  “Very perceptive, Major,” Brady said. “We have a number of sheep that we raise and care for.”

  “Smart. We do as well,” Major Logan said.

  “We know. Where do you think we got them from?” Brady winked at him.

  The bastard is cocky, Major Logan thought. He slowed his pace and when they reached the next chamber, he stopped walking and leaned against the wall.

  “Feeling tired, Major? We can stop at the next chamber to enjoy some hot tea, if you’d like?”

  “There’s no point leading me around your tunnels, wasting both of our time. Especially, when we haven’t dealt with the primary issue yet,” said Major Logan.

  “What’s the primary issue?”

  Major Logan scoffed. “Obviously, Anna’s well-being and release.”

  “All in due time.” Brady walked toward a tunnel on the opposite side of the chamber with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “No.”

  Brady stopped and slowly turned his head. He took on the look of a predator, prepared to pounce at any movement. “Say again?”

  “No. Not in due time. I demand we discuss and resolve this issue now,” Major Logan said. “There is no valid reason to withhold Anna from me. We already have a deal and discussing terms is a part of it.”

  A smile curled the corners of Brady’s mouth. He let out a barking laugh. Turning on his heel, Brady strode back and stopped right in front of Major Logan, nearly toe to toe. The smile was gone. Brady was several inches taller than Major Logan and used that to his advantage, but Logan was a tough, stubborn man and he wasn’t budging on this issue.

  “You are in no position to be demanding anything,” Brady said, his hands still behind his back. “We have no reason to harm Anna, especially when her mother is so close to finding a cure for the fever.”

  Major Logan’s eyebrows rose slightly at that.

  “Yes, we know about that little project.”

  “How?” Major Logan asked. He planned to keep that to himself, it would have been a huge bargaining chip. Now it seemed like Brady was going to use it against him.

  “We can be persuasive when we need information,” he said, smirking. He reached up slowly and adjusted Major Logan’s uniform and patted him on the chest. “Some are more willing to share than others.”

  “If you hurt her at all-”

  “No!” Brady growled.

  “If she’s hurt, Collin will ensure that she’s a rallying cry for the town of Goshen, and if the citizens want action, there will be little I can do to stop them,” Major Logan said.

  “She will not be hurt by our hands, unless you force the subject.” Red faced, Brady turned away from him and said, “Follow me.”

  Brady began to walk slowly. Major Logan waited for him to take a few steps before he started walking. He didn’t rush to walk beside Brady, he waited for the other man to match his pace. It was a small victory, but it brought a brief smile to his face.

  “This Collin guy is quite annoying,” Brady said, chuckling.

  “You have no idea,” Logan said in agreement.

  “I have a question for you.” Brady clasped his hands behind his back again and leaned forward slightly.

  The move made him look older and tired, belying his youthfulness. Logan hoped he would be able to contain this wily Viper so that he could carry out his plans.

  “What’s your question?”

  “Why didn’t you warn us about the claymores being placed by the medical crate that was dropped the other morning?” Brady turned his head and watched intently for a reaction.

  Major Logan met his gaze and held it steady.

  “I had Pastor Pendell and Collin on my ass the whole time. It wasn’t possible,” he said.

  Brady grunted and nodded his head in understanding.

  “Well, when we take over Goshen, whoever shot at my son is going to be drawn and quartered in the public square,” Brady said, watching him intently again.

  Major Logan wasn’t intimidated. “That’s understandable. It may interest you to know that Collin shot at the boy. I had to disrupt his shot as the boy ran away with the mines. I wasn’t about to let him murder a child.”

  “Sounds like Collin and I have a lot to discuss then,” Brady said.

  “Indeed.” Major Logan smiled in his mind but didn’t let it show. If Brady killed Collin, it would make it that much easier to wrestle control of the town away from the Vipers when it came time.

  “These are turbulent times, Major. We’re making moves and HAGS is making moves, on top of all the usual shit we have to deal with to keep our respective groups alive,” Brady said.

  “HAGS is certainly throwing a wrench in things. You obviously received the drop of BT76 but did you receive any notifications from them?”

  “About the supply reduction?” Brady nodded. “We sure did. It sent a wave of panic through the ranks.”

  “Same with us.” Major Logan looked farther down the tunnel and saw another chamber glowing in the distance. He was stunned at how extensive the cave system was.

  “Thankfully, Dr. Horner is close to a cure, or at least some sort of treatment for the fever.”

  “I’m actually surprised HAGS knows your location. Do you have a contact with them?” Major Logan scratched his cheek.

  “No. We’ve never had contact with them,” Brady said. “Maybe a month ago, we noticed an airplane flying relatively low. It went in slow circle
s overhead. My guess was it was a surveillance mission and so far that seems to have been true.”

  “Doesn’t it concern you that HAGS apparently knows so much about your whereabouts? And who knows what else?”

  “Logan, why would that concern me?”

  His eye twitched at the sound of this Viper using his name so casually. He bit his tongue to hold back a rebuke, for the time being he needed to play nice with Brady.

  “It’s simply a variable that cannot be fully accounted for,” he said. “They can be a meddlesome bunch and like you said these are turbulent times.”

  “True enough.” Brady pointed out their path since they’d reached a split in the tunnel.

  “Thankfully, you, Anna, and I will be walking back into Goshen soon,” Major Logan said. He nodded to himself and grunted. “It’ll be nice to return to Goshen, especially with Vipers by my side.”

  “We look forward to that moment as well, Major.” Brady slowed down and pushed open a door that Major Logan nearly missed. Brady motioned for him to enter and have a seat. “Speaking of, how do you plan to execute this coup of yours?”

  Inside the small room were more lights embedded in the walls. Atop a small, square table in the middle of the room were several large candles burning brightly. The seats left something to be desired. They were bare, carved wood.

  Major Logan inspected the room, suddenly doubting his personal safety for a split second. Brady walked over to a wooden bookshelf, picked up a silver tray. On the tray were two cups and a large glass bottle with a cork in it. He couldn’t tell what was inside.

  Whatever it was, he wouldn’t drink until he saw Brady do so first. Major Logan hadn’t survived the fever and the chaos left in its wake by being careless.

  Brady sat down like he didn’t have a care in the world. He set the cups down, motioned for Major Logan to sit since he was still standing, and began to fill the cups.

  “Please, sit and enjoy a beer. I’m sure it’s been a while since the Eagle’s Bar went boom.” He made a fist, spread his fingers, and imitated the sound of an explosion.

  Major Logan just stared at him.

  “Too soon?”

  Logan narrowed his eyes, but took the seat opposite Brady. The decision to allow that attack go forward still haunted him. He’d lost some good soldiers in that blast, so it was hard to hear Brady joke about it.

  He cleared his throat, and then began to explain. “You have already dealt with the Eagles of questionable loyalty, plus a few vocal residents I was able to pull into service following your attack on the bar. Their bodies now litter your courtyard. The ones left back in Goshen are loyal to me and won’t hesitate to support me.”

  Major Logan shifted in his chair. His butt was already falling asleep, sitting on the hard wood. Brady took a long drink from his cup and refilled the cup.

  “You will present me and Anna to the town, and demand Goshen’s next drop of BT76 along with a few dozen vials up front, to seal the deal. Pastor Pendell will be the one to negotiate with you at which time you kill him.”

  “And then?”

  “Naturally, I am next in line. I will succeed Pendell. We will fake our escape from capture, and after a brief cooling off period, I will invite you and the Vipers into Goshen as brothers and sisters,” Major Logan said, raising his glass. He chugged the beer.

  Logan enjoyed the tantalizingly hearty amber ale. It had a crisp finish that shocked his palate.

  So god damned refreshing, he thought and nearly moaned in pleasure. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had beer. It wasn’t cold but it was roughly the same cool temperature as the tunnels.

  “What about non-compliants? Every group has them. Not everyone will be thrilled when you invite us in. Are you prepared to deal with them?” Brady asked. He took another swig of beer and topped off their cups.

  “I don’t imagine that will be a big problem. The pastor has them well-conditioned to accept almost anything without question. Ultimately, I think their will to live will trump any anger they have about you guys offing the pastor.”

  There was a light knock on the door and then it swung open. A pair of armed young men carrying trays of food walked in and set them on the table. Major Logan eyed them but they didn’t do anything untoward. The boys walked out and disappeared without a word.

  On the tray before Major Logan were pieces of dried fruit, a few strips of jerky, and a thick wedge of bread. It looked fresh and delicious. Since Doris had fallen ill, the kitchen had yet to produce any fresh bread. Major Logan briefly wondered if the woman was even still alive. His stomach wrestled his attention back to the food before him. He reached for a few dried berries that sat among apple slices and dried strawberries.

  “Resistance is futile, huh?” Brady remarked.

  “Basically. Then I will run the town, and you’ll be head of security and the combined Eagle and Viper army. Combining our resources, we will have enough BT76 until Dr. Horner figures out this treatment she’s developing, and we all live in peace,” Major Logan said.

  “I look forward to the day,” Brady said, raising his glass and leaning forward to cheers with him.

  Major Logan raised his cup and bumped it against Brady’s cup. They made dull clicks since they were plastic. He felt giddy and the sound of the plastic cups made him chuckle.

  In the small room, underground, sitting by candlelight, he felt like a spy from the Revolutionary War. Drinking ale and shooting guns in time honored American fashion.

  Logan smacked his lips as he emptied his cup and slammed it down on the table, gesturing for more. Brady obliged him and topped up his cup.

  “And I’ll finally have Anna,” he said. A burp escaped his lips, which he found hilarious.

  Brady set his cup down carefully and leaned his forearms against the edge of the table.

  “You’ll have Anna?” Brady asked in a dark tone.

  “Yes, she’ll finally by mine. To the victor go the spoils, right?” Major Logan smiled proudly and chugged his beer. He reached for the bottle. When Brady didn’t stop him, Logan happily poured himself another round. “And I intend to spoil her. Fact is, that little bitch is sexy as hell, and I deserve something sexy.”

  Brady coughed in his beer. He lowered his cup and wiped his chin off on his sleeve.

  “She’s been through a lot,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to be ‘yours.’” He stood up and stretched.

  A devious smile curled Major Logan’s lips.

  “Between you and me, that cherry’s already been picked by yours truly. Right after you snatched her up the first time.” Major Logan quaffed his beer and settled back in his chair like they were old friends hanging out in a bar. He put his hands behind his head. “I had some of that pie on the way back to town.”

  Brady looked surprised, which gave Major Logan a shot of satisfaction. He thought he spotted rage flare in his eyes, but it passed too quickly to know for sure. It made him feel good, rubbing it in Brady’s face.

  Brady wants some of that too, Major Logan thought. Soon, she would be his, and no one else would be able to touch her.

  Major Logan leaned forward to reach for the bottle of beer, but it was empty.

  “Any chance we could get some more of this?” he asked. “It’s fantastic.”

  Brady shook his head and stood up. “That’s all for now. Come on, I want to show you something.”

  Major Logan stood up to follow Brady into the tunnel. He felt good. Relaxed and just a little buzzed. He smiled to himself. All of his plans were going perfectly.

  “Where are we going?” He put a hand on the wall to steady himself. Then gritted his teeth, stood tall, and matched his pace with Brady.

  He never received an answer from Brady, they just walked in silence for several minutes. The tunnel began to glow around a corner.

  When they turned, Logan saw the tunnel opened up to the outside. The mouth of the cave framed the glory of God’s creation. He could see the birds soaring through b
lue sky, tall pine and spruce trees rising toward the heavens. All set against the gray-blue canvas of distant mountains.

  Doors appeared along the wall set into the stone at regular intervals. All of them were closed. Which was fine, Major Logan wasn’t as interested in them despite their beauty. They were carved with the same intricate designs that they’d seen on the door that was blown up earlier. Instead, he focused on the view and the obvious lack of a railing along the ledge.

  What is he playing at?

  Brady led the way to the ledge. He stood within feet of the edge and looked down into the valley and meadow below. Major Logan was shocked at how high they were above the meadow where he could see that Vipers were still moving the bodies of his former soldiers. He hadn’t climbed any steep inclines, but he had to admit they had walked quite a distance.

  Major Logan realized what a great defensive position this cave complex was. The view from where they stood was amazing, they could see for miles. He wondered how long the Vipers had watched them. There was no doubt that they had watched as the Combat Action Wing moved past the squirrel cages, setup the explosives on the first gate and then enter the courtyard.

  “Incredible place you have here,” he said.

  “We like it,” Brady said.

  “Soon, you won’t have to live in caves though. You’ll have houses with electricity, running water and a great food supply,” Major Logan said.

  “Have you spotted any deficiencies here, Major?”

  He looked at Brady, confused. “Not exactly.”

  “So what’s wrong with the way we live?”

  Major Logan smiled. “I guess you just don’t remember what it was like to live before the fever hit. Goshen is a gem. Our town serves as an example, as hope for the future of America, or what’s left of it, and the rest of the world.”

  Brady made a face. “Ambitious words.”

  “I’m an ambitious man. You should have figured that out already.”

  Brady raised his eyebrows briefly and made an affirmative sound.

  “What exactly did you bring me up here for?” Major Logan asked. He took a step forward so that he stood even with Brady. He fought against the churning sensation and tension he felt being so close to the edge. To prove he was as brave as Brady, he took a small step forward and leaned over to look down on the meadow with what he hoped was an appraising look.