Into the Darkness (Book 1): Vigilante

by Deane, Cliff

  For that, we were executed.

  Justice has been served…Cold.

  Courtesy of B Troop,

  1st Cavalry (Mounted)

  The men were offered hoods, but these gangstas were not cowards…all refused. They did die bravely.

  Romeo heard the shots and jumped for joy thinking his force had killed the sniper.

  After ten minutes no one had exited the forest. Pablo sent four more Crypts to find out what had happened. The reaction force took several slaves with them to lead the way. It took on a few minutes to find the bodies…and the signs.

  They cut the dead men from the trees and ordered the slaves to carry them back to camp.

  Romeo read the signs and went into a rage walking among the slaves and randomly shooting twenty in the stomach. The remaining slaves were ordered not to touch the dying. They were to rot where they lay. An inner seething rage began to spark in the hearts of the slaves…The screams of the dying pierced the nerve endings of every gang member except for Romeo and Pablo. Those screams also added fuel to the ember of revolt among the slaves.

  Romeo decided to lay low and had everyone move into the East End Elementary School on E Third St. The decision was made to remain in Robersonville until the threat was dealt with.

  *

  April 25th, 1800

  Troop B, 1st Cavalry (Mounted)

  Defiance Militia

  Encampment

  1Lt Pickett, the Troop B Commander sat in the Command tent speaking with the Troop 1st Sgt, Harley Hatch. They discussed the day’s events and were pleased to find that the Double R was settling in. The tactic of sniping and ambush had worked well in forcing the enemy to cease his advance and take up a holding position.

  Harley Hatch was raised near Robersonville and said, “I feel really bad for this little burg. Just three weeks ago the population was around fourteen hundred, and now it‘s completely deserted. When this is over, I bet there ain’t a hundred who’ll be back. Probly the folks from the Scattered Acres Farm, but whoever does come back will be here will have their ass in the wind for many years with no protection. It just makes me so sad, because this is a lovely little town that in six months will be a weedy ghost town.

  He and Hatch discussed the letter from Colonel Levins and were confident they would soon have sufficient reinforcements to seal the enemy into their neighborhood encampment. While Robersonville is really just a small community, the Double R had settled into an area with roughly a two hundred yard perimeter.

  The slaves had been set to work digging a moat around their camp. From the rate of progress, the moat should be finished in about two years.

  The two discussed the slaves forced into cannibalism. “What should be done about them, sir?” asked the 1st Sgt.

  “I don’t know Top, but just between you, me and the fencepost; I think they have to be put down. I tell ya’, I am really glad that decision belongs squarely on the back of Colonel Levins. This is one time I’m glad it’s not on me and I sure as hell hope he does not ask me for any input.”

  “I hear ya’, sir, whew I hope God tells him the right thing to do…whatever that is.”

  “Sir, I just have to tell you that I cannot believe how stupid the boss man of that bunch of crap is. Why; he’s penned hisself up. How long you figger before his rations begin to run low?”

  “Top, my guess is that they already are. They don’t seem ever to have a plan other than taking other people’s stuff, and that stuff in Robersonville is probably already gone.

  I figure they will begin sending scavenging parties soon, maybe even tomorrow and when they do, we’ll kill ‘em and take their vehicles…simple.”

  “Well, sir, I sure hope you are right, and yeah, it does sound simple at that.”

  They continued to discuss the cannibal problem for a few minutes more before getting down to business with the Senior NCOs concerning the next day’s move to encircle the Double R.

  With only twelve men in the saddle, encircling the Double R was, of course not possible, but by establishing observation posts around their camp, a force of six troopers could rapidly respond to anyone leaving their self-imposed prison.

  *

  April 26th, 0600

  Robersonville

  Pablo came to Romeo Cruz and told him that the food situation was bad. He suggested sending out foraging parties to the Robersonville grocery stores. They decided on the Food Lion on Main Street near the Bojangles chicken place to find food. He thought sending ten men would be a good way to go. They could take three carriages and twelve slaves.”

  “Thass a good plan, Pablo, go ahead and do eet. Juss don’t forget to tell the team to be careful of those fockin’ snipers.”

  Pablo immediately got with his lieutenants and tasked them to provide the manpower and slaves.

  Everyone agreed, but Madre de Dios, the Crypts were cranky about their losses yesterday. They wanted to go out and hunt down the murderers who killed their ‘brothers’ to make them pay.

  Around 1100 hours the team set out for the Food Lion.

  *

  The OPs reported the movement and Corporal Wilkes took six men to ambush them.

  The ambush party trailed the hostiles to the Food Lion and began setting up firing positions to cover the entrance. Corporal Wilkes thought it a good idea to let them do the shopping and then take the food.

  The Food Lion hadn’t really had much of a chance to be looted, but the pickings were still meager. The carriages were soon stacked with the available canned meats and Sauer kraut.

  Once the task was complete, the slaves prepared to begin pulling the carts back to the camp at the Elementary School.

  Just as they began to pull away, shots rang out dropping six members of the gang. Almost immediately the slaves lashed out at the four remaining tormentors by throwing cans at them, then smothering them to the ground where they began to bite large chunks of flesh from these men who had forced them to become cannibals.

  The screaming lasted for several minutes as the troopers approached and watched as the slaves finished biting and spitting, biting and spitting, leaving no gang member alive.

  At this point one of the slaves stood, his face and mouth covered in blood and asked if he could borrow a pistol. “We do not want to live after what we have been forced to do, and we do not want you to be responsible for our deaths.

  Please, you have freed us, so now let us end this torment, please.”

  Without saying a word, Corporal Wilkes went to his saddle bag to retrieve his Marine issue 9 mil. He then walked up to the saddest man he had ever seen in his life and handed him the pistol.

  Each of the slaves said, “Thank you, may God Bless your soul, and May He find it in His heart to forgive us. Then each man knelt in prayer as the sad man shot them in the back of the head.

  He then looked to heaven and prayed, “Dear Heavenly Father, I beg Your indulgence, and Your forgiveness, but I simply can no longer live with the evil I have done,” and he then placed the barrel in his mouth and quickly pulled the trigger, ending his life.

  Wilkes and every man jack of them had tears flowing down their cheeks as he retrieved his weapon. He then led these Southern Baptists in prayer asking God to forgive these poor people forced into slavery and cannibalism, “Please just forgive them, and let their souls find peace.”

  They left the food in the carts for a truck to pick later. Then, they mounted up and rode in absolute silence back to camp.

  Once back in camp Corporal Wilkes told the 1st Sgt where the carts were and asked if he could go to his tent for awhile. “Top, I’ll give a full report later if that will be ok, but right now I just need to be alone and cry myself to sleep.”

  Seeing the honest need in his eyes, the Troop Top Sergeant said, “Go ahead son, come back when you are ready, it’s okay, I think I understand.”

  Of course, he did not understand; he could not…until he led the detail to the Food Lion and saw what had happened. Then he understood, and he too wept
. The troopers on the detail did not have to be told to bury the slaves. It seemed like the thing to do…an honorable thing to help ease the horror each felt in his own heart.

  Each trooper swore a silent and personal vow that those monsters would pay for what they had done to these people.

  ***

  Chapter 29

  “Only the Dead Know the End of War”

  (Plato)

  April 28th, 1015

  Troop B Encampment

  Outside Robersonville, NC

  The convoy from Defiance pulled into Troop B’s perimeter and immediately began, again, to clean weapons and check all gear for combat by the fifty combat effectives of Troop A.

  On April 27th,Troop B had arrived with another three troopers bringing the total Defiance Militia numbers to sixty-five.

  Levi met with 1Lt Pickett in his Orderly Room tent where he presented his battle plan.

  “Sir, my recommendation for this mission calls for surrounding the elementary school where the Double R has decided to hole up and make a fight of it.

  Once the cordon is established we place the 60 mm mortar one thousand yards from the target area. The mortar teams will place their aiming stakes and prepare for a twenty round bombardment of the enemy positions.

  Two 40 mm auto grenade launchers placed in front of the main entrance and two covering the rear of the building.

  Our infantry force is to remain in place and firing only when a target presents itself, and in general conduct a siege. They are already short of food and will soon become desperate.

  I would recommend to you that we demand their surrender prior to engaging the enemy with mortars in an effort to save a potentially valuable asset like a functional school. Failing this we should fire one mortar round onto the area immediately in front of the main entrance and again demand their surrender.“

  Colonel Levins felt the plan was sound but was concerned about the fate of the slaves.

  “Sir, the slaves have been forced into cannibalism. We have had some interaction with several of them, and there is no question that they have no desire to survive this engagement. Fear of beatings and torture has kept them from defying their tormentors. My plan has no plan for freeing these people into the community. Perhaps if they had not been branded with a C, but sir, they have no desire for anything but a quick death.”

  “I see; all right Captain, I believe you are correct, but first tell me about this interaction with slaves.”

  “Excuse me, sir, did you say Captain Pickett?” asked Troop B’s Commander.

  “Why, yes I did. The Troop A 1st Sergeant had the orders typed up last night, congratulations Captain.

  Pinning Captain’s bars onto the collar points of 1Lt Pickett’s uniform, Levi said, “Leon, this will become permanent at the promotion ceremony upon our return to Defiance. I also want you to know how much I appreciate your mentoring Captain Eldridge during this campaign.

  Once this campaign is put to bed there will be a number of additional promotions, so please prepare your recommendations for 1st Sgt, Platoon Leader and any NCO positions not yet filled.

  Captain Pickett explained the action of the day before, and Levi agreed with his recommendation.

  At 1500 hours the encirclement was complete. The first in place were troop sharpshooters whose mission was to keep the enemies heads down, chip away at their combat effectives, and ruin morale.

  *

  Principal’s Office

  Eastside Elementary School

  Roberson, NC

  Pablo sat across from Romeo as they talked about what was going on around them.

  “Who are these people? Why attack us? We didn’t do nothing to them. “

  “Relax Pablo, what can they do? If they attack, we will kill them all. We are well protected behind our walls. Een fact, I wish they would hurry up and make their rush. I am tired of thees place.

  I don’t know about ju Pablo, but for me, I intend to have a couple of my little girls help me to relax. Ju should do the same.”

  “Si Romeo, I like this idea.”

  Across the hall, Pablo ordered his girls to undress and help him relax. They rushed to him and quickly had him erect. Then, without any warning, the child who had taken him into her mouth bit down with all of her might, amputating Pablo’s manhood. He screamed from the pain and looked down to see the blood flowing from where his penis had been.

  As he raged in pain, the girl removed his shaft from her mouth, threw it on the floor and all three girls began stomping on it.

  The pain was so intense that Pablo passed out just as Romeo came rushing in to see what was going on. He stood there too stunned to say anything for several seconds. After recovering from the shock of seeing his one trusted friend gushing blood from his missing penis, he turned to the girls and saw that one of the girl’s mouth was covered in blood and there on the floor was Pablo’s flattened penis.

  He immediately drew his pistol and shot the two girls showing no blood, then as he was about to shoot the third he heard a loud voice calling for him to surrender his army.

  Grabbing the girl by the hair and dragging her behind him, he went to the front entrance and shouted, “Fock ju, ju want us, come and get us.

  Within seconds he heard a whumpf sound and seconds later the flagpole erupted in a flaming explosion showering him with small pieces of concrete.

  Romeo dragged the girl to the hole in the ground and as he placed his pistol to her head he failed to feel the 7.62x.51 NATO round enter his left eye socket and explode out of the back of his head. As the round entered his left eye his finger convulsed causing the trigger on his own pistol to be pulled, killing the child.

  The sniper who fired the shot would never get the image of that little girl with the blood on her face as he saw her head exploding. This was truly his PTSD moment. He would, six months later, take his own life to stop the mental anguish of that ever-replaying memory.

  Pablo did not regain consciousness as he bled out while lying on the floor.

  The explosion and the loss of the gang leader caused the remaining murderers to surrender. Immediately after placing their weapons on the ground and following orders to back away from their weapons they were attacked by the entire slave population as the seething ember of hatred became a raging pyre of revenge. They fell upon their captors stripping the meat off their bodies as the gangsters screamed in pain.

  Captains Pickett and Eldridge watched the scene in horror of the savagery taking place in front of them.

  Captain Eldridge turned and walked to the auto grenade launcher and taking one from the designated user placed the weapon to his shoulder and fired all five rounds into the heart of what could only be described as a Hieronymus Bosch painting of Hell.

  Then, in a quiet voice, he whispered, “May God forgive them and give them peace.” He then took a ten-man squad and with pistols in hand applied the coup de grace to those still alive.

  The tragedy of Robersonville was over, and a silence fell over this field as the troops, using a backhoe, began the process of digging a mass grave to bury the slaves.

  Everyone there knew that there was no honor, or glory here and none would ever speak of it again…even among themselves.

  ***

  Chapter 30

  The Widow’s Sons

  May 17th, 1000

  Defiance

  The three weeks following the horror of Robersonville flew by, well, there were still the critter plagues of Levi’s prediction, but by this time everyone was used the situation and considered it just an irritant…except for the grass and wolf spiders…they were a disgusting irritant

  Troop A was well on the way to ridding a twenty-mile radius of criminal elements.

  Most of the neighboring communities had found a Dodge City type of Town Marshall to keep the peace.

  Defiance, however, had decided through a vote to allow the militia to continue in its role of keeping the peace. In fact, things were going so well that only three citizens of
Defiance had been forced to hit the road.

  Word had gotten around that the twenty or so miles around Defiance were not safe places for any criminal group.

  Three weeks after the victory at Robersonville another motorcycle group rode through and sent three representatives to meet with Mayor Ralph, as he had come to be called and Colonel Levins.

  The three reps arrived at the gate at the agreed upon time and after being searched and relieved of their weapons were shown to the Mayor’s new office where they were met by Ralph and Levi. The mayor deferred to Levi who bluntly demanded, “What do you want here?”

  The leader of the bikers said, “Colonel, our motorcycle club is called ‘The Widow’s Sons.' We are a Masonic group that has no ill intentions toward anyone unless we are endangered, and make no mistake we will defend what little we have.

  We decided that Defiance was the place to come to introduce ourselves and let you know that we are not a threat. Should we be allowed to settle in this area we will make good friends and true allies.”

  Ralph said, “Then you are a traveling man.”

  Jordan Daniels, the leader of The Widow’s Sons Motorcycle Club looked at Ralph and smiled, “Yes, I am a Mason and am currently in the East.”

  Ralph asked, “How do I know you to be a Mason?”

  Jordan asked for a private moment with Ralph who asked Levi to step outside for a moment.

  Levi asked, “Why? I am also a traveling man, though I have not been to the east.”

  After certain rights of passage to prove membership in the Masonic Family, all five of them sat down to talk about The Widow’s Sons introduction into the community at large.