***
In the end, Luke’s makeshift road block held up Christ’s Chariot by forty minutes.
Senior Brother Rex took the opportunity to let the men in the trailer out for some fresh air. God knows he used to hate sitting in that sweat box.
Brother Simon did his thing, climbing over the barrier and disappearing while Rex and Brother Michael looked at the unlikely but effective barrier. Jarryd for his part stayed out of the way. He couldn’t help but feeling Rex suspected he was to blame for Brother Taylor’s demise and disappearance. If that was the case, when they returned to their headquarters, things could get very… difficult for Jarryd.
“Could we not just crash through these branches?” asked Rex.
A look of incredulity passed fleetingly across Brother Michael’s face, replaced quickly by thoughtful consideration.
“I don’t believe so Brother Rex. The top of the tree is quite woody and high, we would risk damaging the truck’s wheels or axles, maybe even the drive train.”
Rex sniffed.
“I suppose. What do you suggest then?”
“Obv… um, well we’ll have to move this vehicle, Sir,” said Michael, patting the hood of the Toyota.
Rex’s eyes narrowed.
“Alright, get to it. We certainly have enough men. Push it out of the way.”
“It will need to be dragged out of the way, Sir. With the truck.”
Senior Brother Rex looked heavenward.
“How long?”
“Not sure, Sir. Half an hour maybe.”
“Well! Get to it!”
Michael knew the best idea was to unhook the Mac from the trailer and use chains to drag the pickup out. He also knew Rex wouldn’t allow him the extra time that would take. It was still a better idea to pull rather than try and bulldoze the pickup and risk damaging their transportation. He’d just have to do it while the trailer was still attached.
It took a five-point turn to swing the big rig around and even though Michael tried to avoid looking at Senior Brother Rex, he could almost feel the waves of irritation at the delay emanating from the big man.
Finally, he backed it up to within a few feet of the Toyota and with a whoosh of the airbrakes jumped out and left the engine running. He helped a few of the men fix chains to the pickup then to the foot rail of the trailer.
Back in the cab, Brother Michael put the truck into first, leaning out the window to look back as he slowly pressed the gas. There was a brief screech of metal on rock, then it was free.
He dragged the wreck effortlessly along the blacktop and stopped thirty yards down the road.
“Well done Brother Michael,” yelled Rex, as the other Brothers clapped and whistled.
Happiness washed over the young man. Any praise from Senior Brother Rex was rare praise indeed. The other men unhooked the chains and Michael started forward, wrestling the steering wheel of the big rig as he moved it back and forth until he finally had it facing the right direction.
Michael hid his disappointment when Rex directed him back into the trailer with the others. He had hoped to drive again, but apparently Simon was still needed up front.
Jarryd closed the roller door on those in back and headed back to the cab, where Rex was already seated firmly in the driver’s seat, Brother Simon next to him, his fingers busy running over the map.
“Well?” Rex asked impatiently.
“I’m sure there are only two destinations they can have in mind. They won’t just be running blindly, because they’d have to know we’d catch them eventually. I’d say they’re most likely heading here,” he pointed to the city of Concord. “Or here.” His finger landed on Manchester. Perhaps the hook-handed man hails from one of these cities?”
Senior Brother Jarryd snorted.
“Or anywhere in between!”
Rex turned his steely gaze on Jarryd.
“Do you have a better suggestion, Jarryd?”
Jarryd bristled but held his tongue and shrugged.
“I think you’re right,” said Rex, turning the ignition. “If they were just looking for somewhere to hide, Rochester would have been as good a place as any.”
The truck jerked forward.
“I want to catch them before they have a chance to reach wherever they’re going. We don’t have the manpower to search a city for them.”
Branches whipped and scraped along the cab as they squeezed through the gap.
“How far behind are we?”
“I’d say they passed less than two hours ago, Sir,” said Brother Simon.
“Excellent.”
Rex planted his foot.
33
Luke and the Willatan Green people had passed Epping and were now approaching a tiny McDonald’s store. The big M didn’t interest Luke, but the fact that it marked the turn onto the 101 did.
They were about to begin the last leg of their journey.
“Luke, we have to stop!”
“We can’t,” Luke said and barreled on single-mindedly.
“Luke!” yelled Diana, and stopped in her tracks, pulling down hard on the rope to stop her horse. The tired animal whinnied in protest.
The pissed off mom tone in her voice brought him to heel and he slowed the horse he was leading to a standstill and turned to her.
She looked exhausted. So did everyone else… including the horses. His horse had foam on his flanks and so did Diana’s.
“Okay. You’re right. Sorry I just…”
“I know. But there is only so long we can go at this pace. We need to let them rest.”
Luke didn’t fight. He had been certain that they would be caught somewhere before Epping, so it was a bonus they had made it this far. As much as he had tried to cover their tracks by picking up the horse droppings as they went, if they had half a brain between them and a keen eye, the Brotherhood would be following their trail.
He had no doubt they would be caught somewhere on the 101 and the only question was, had Jacob made it? Was he bringing help? If not, none of it mattered. They wouldn’t make it to Manchester.
“Yes, let’s rest. Hopefully we’re close enough.”
They brought the rest of the marchers to a halt in front of the turn-in to the old McDonald’s. Diana and Cathy organized the group and rationed out the last of the water and bread they’d brought along. Luke tried to play it cool. He made a halfhearted joke that he’d kill for a Big Mac, but he was anxious, and it showed. He busied himself tending to the horses and entertaining the kids in the carts.
Finally, Diana called an end to the rest break.
“Okay!” she called. “We need to get moving again! We’re nearly there.”
There were groans all around, but Luke was impressed how quickly the people of Willatan Green got themselves up and ready.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. Just as they were about to move off, Luke heard something. He strained to hear, but the noise of the people milling around him meant he couldn’t quite catch it.
“Shh!”
Diana’s head snapped around. She saw the concern in his eyes.
“Quiet!” she screamed.
Silence fell over them.
Luke’s eyes widened, and he looked back the way they’d come.
It wasn’t the distant rumbling of a truck. It wasn’t the marching of feet. It was... music. Like a leaf wafting on a breeze, the faint music waxed and waned, but Luke recognized it immediately. It was sweet and terrible to his ears. Flight of the Valkyrie.
Behind him he heard whispers and whimpers of fear.
“What the holy hell?”
“It’s them,” said Diana. “They play it when they’re coming to battle.”
“Just like Apocalypse Now…” he said.
“What?”
“Never mind. They’re trying to scare us, but all they did was give us warning they’re coming,” he said.
He pointed down the driveway that led past the McDonald’s to the abandoned car dealership that sat behind it. The big white b
uilding had large plate glass windows with a sun faded Toyota symbol on it. Toyota again?
“Diana, you need to get everyone down into that building. Hide in there and make sure no one makes a noise. I’ll stake out the McDonald’s. Cathy, you lead my horse and Sam, you give Mom the shotgun and take her horse. Hurry!”
If Diana was put out by his abrupt orders, she didn’t show it. Cathy grabbed the rope and with the help of the other mothers in the group, hurried the entire population of Willatan Green down the small road towards the dealership building.
While it may indeed have given them warning, the threatening music and its ever-increasing volume also did its other job. Luke’s heart beat like a jackhammer and he fought to stay calm.
“Diana!” he called.
She stopped and looked back.
“I should take my gun,” he said, removing his axe from its sling as he ran down the narrow road to meet her. He held out the axe. She nodded grimly, tucked the shotgun under her arm and pulled the pistol out of her belt.
As she traded it for the axe, he saw fear, defiance and something else in her eyes. Something he didn’t like. Resignation. He held the gun up.
“Guns are for insurance only. Hopefully they go right past without a clue that we’re here, just try to keep everyone calm and quiet.”
He started to turn when she grabbed his wrist and looked at him earnestly.
“Thanks for everything.”
He nodded.
“Thank me after they’re gone.”
He turned and ran for the restaurant in a crouch.
He had barely found himself a position in the front of the restaurant under the main window when the Flight of the Valkyrie ended, and he heard the rumble of a truck engine. It was drowned out when the music started up again.
“Geez, change the song, why don’t you,” he whispered.
34
Rex turned the music on about twenty minutes after they cleared the roadblock. The road was in surprisingly good condition. There were no more fallen trees, and the only real sign they were travelling in a post-apocalyptic world beside the lack of other vehicles was the encroaching forest on either side of the road.
“Keep your eyes peeled,” said Rex.
He didn’t need to tell Simon. Like he had been since he’d graduated to a seat in the cab, the younger of the three sat forward in his seat, peering this way and that with the utmost concentration.
Jarryd, bored stupid, pondered the silliness of that phrase. Keep your eyes peeled. Frankly, he didn’t expect one would see a lot with peeled eyes.
Not long after the Calef Highway transformed as homes, then buildings became more frequent. Epping was a name that started appearing on signs. Jarryd glanced down at the map on Brother Simon’s lap.
“Okay, we’ve reached Epping. The next turn is the 101. They surely can’t have got too much further,” said Simon.
Senior Brother Rex slowed the vehicle a little.
“Very good.”
Two minutes later, Simon pointed into the distance.
“Look there’s the turn, right after that McDonald’s!”
To his surprise, Senior Brother Rex brought the big vehicle to a halt. Jarryd and Simon looked at him expectantly. He didn’t say anything, just left the motor running and climbed out.
“Where’s he going?” asked Simon.
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s letting the gunmen out.”
***
Luke ducked a little lower when the truck finally came into view. It was travelling slow, barely a few miles an hour, right down the center of the two lanes. He could see three men in the cab but couldn’t make out their features. The music echoed around the parking lot as he watched them almost inch their way towards the McDonald’s.
It was excruciating.
He put the pistol on the dusty floor and wiped his sweaty hand down his thigh before picking it up again. If all went well, they would cruise right past and he wouldn’t need to use it. The Willatan Green people were safely hidden, and he didn’t intend on drawing any attention to himself.
That was when he spotted the four men carrying rifles walking behind the semi-trailer.
“Crap.”
They were dressed in the same monk habits as the Brothers he’d seen before, just with rifles instead of staffs. Luke willed himself to stay calm. This development didn’t change anything. He’d known all along they would come with guns, Diana had been certain of it. But, seeing four men carrying was a lot different to imagining it.
Still, as long as they kept going, everything would work out.
Luke didn’t realize he was holding his breath until his lungs began to burn. He slowly exhaled as the big rig passed the driveway and kept rolling along, the men behind it scanning the area around them.
Keep going. Keep going. Keep going.
The truck stopped.
35
Luke, his hand trembling, watched as the doors of the truck opened. A stout man in a black habit jumped lightly from the driver’s side. Luke recognized the first one out of the passenger side immediately. Jarryd. Tommy’s killer. A younger man with sandy hair got out behind him. He almost pushed Jarryd out of his way in his enthusiasm to get to the driveway.
For a second Luke wondered what he was doing as he walked in a wide circle, pointing at the road and mumbling to himself. He stopped at the mouth of the driveway and pointed down the driveway at a pile of horse droppings.
Luke muttered an expletive. In the rush he hadn’t noticed.
He didn’t waste any time watching what happened next. They were made. What was important now was that he got back to the others. He tucked the gun into his belt and crawled his way from the window to the back of the restaurant.
He risked a glance back through to the front window and made sure he wasn’t in their line of sight before jumping the counter and running through the kitchen. At the back door he paused before sprinting in a crouch towards the left corner of the Toyota building. He was careful to keep the restaurant between him and the Brotherhood as he jumped the small rail fence and dashed between used cars towards the smaller of the glass doors. He couldn’t see any movement behind the windows.
Thankfully, the door was open. He stepped through.
There was a movement to his right and he jerked around to find himself staring down the twin barrels of a shotgun. Diana was pointing it at him over the top of a partition.
“It’s me,” he said needlessly – she was already lowering the gun. “Where is everyone?”
“In the service center out back. I take it they didn’t go past?”
“No, they’re coming. I didn’t stick around to see how many, but there are at least four carrying automatic weapons.”
Her eyes grew distant.
“So, this is it then?”
He nodded.
“Afraid so.”
“Well, let’s give ‘em something to remember us by.”
“Yep.” He pointed to the other side of the building. “They’ll probably come in those doors. You stay there and pop up just like you did with me. I’ll get behind that red Scion there. Wait till a few are through the door, then we’ll see what we see…”
Diana ducked back down, and he rushed to the dusty blue Toyota Scion in the middle of the floor. He hunkered down at its rear. No matter which way they came in, he would have good line of sight.
He didn’t have long to wait.
***
“It’s fresh!” called Brother Simon, squatting next to the horseshit.
“Let the others out, Jarryd,” said Rex, a tremor of excitement in his voice. He waved the four gunmen to him.
“You want to leave the truck out here?”
“Yes! No more questions. Do it now!” Rex said, walking down the driveway to watch the building in the distance.
Jarryd burned with anger, but he managed to manufacture a curt nod before walking purposefully to the rear of the truck and pulled the door open.
“We have them
cornered,” Jarryd said, as the men blinking in the daylight began to pile out. “Go to Brother Rex.”
As they were jumping out, Jarryd disappeared around the corner of the trailer, headed for the cab.
Senior Brother Rex was watching intently as the gunmen split into two pairs and moved towards the building. They stayed low and looked all business.
Luke's Trek (America Falls Book 5) Page 16
