Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2)

by Michelle Lynn

  People are saying that Jonathan has gone mad. He isn’t sleeping or eating. He’s not even marching with us. Everyone around here is a bit scared because we don’t know what we’ll be walking into. Some of the officers have even taken it upon themselves to create contingency plans. If Jonathan finds out, we're all buggered.

  “You ready?” Jeremy asks as he walks up behind me and hoists his pack onto his shoulders. He has been assigned to what we’re calling the bomb squad or the runners. They will place the bombs at their designated targets and then the explosives will be detonated remotely.

  “Can’t wait!” I grin. He doesn’t return my smile but he also doesn’t lecture me on being too eager for the fight. Ever since my sister’s death, he has been walking on eggshells around me. He’s been trying harder to be my friend, but that’s it, my “friend”. He has made that perfectly clear.

  The ramp opens and everyone shields their eyes at once. Most of the soldiers have not been outside in a very long time and the sun is blinding. I am one of the lucky few who have spent an enormous amount of time out here lately.

  We move as an elite force, as one. Having left our uniforms at base, we wear plain clothes that will be less noticeable. Of course, before entering the Texan cities, we will have to change again to blend in with them.

  We march down an old road, littered with broken pieces of concrete. It takes us all the way to the river and, by then, the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement. By dusk, there are three boats moored nearby. We are all surprised to find Jonathan standing on the deck of the nearest one. He was missing when we left base but Miranda had taken charge.

  The man up ahead is not the same man I met at the compound. He is unshaven and unkempt. As I get closer, I can see that the wild look in his eyes has only gotten stronger.

  “Welcome!” he booms. We salute and he continues. “Come aboard, soldiers. If you have been assigned to the capitol you are with me. In the second boat, Captain Collins will take those headed for St. Louis. Everyone else is in the third boat. Hurry up, we need to get moving.”

  “I hate sailing at night.” Captain Collins steps forward but he shuts up immediately with one look from Jonathan. Fear flashes across his face before he limps away.

  “You will sail tonight,” Jonathan calls after him. Something has happened to the captain but I doubt I’ll ever get to find out.

  We’re told that all three boats will stay together for a couple days. I walk past Jonathan and almost run into Jeremy who has stopped suddenly in front of me. I am about to push him along when I see what he is staring at. There is a smear of blood on the railing and another one on the deck. Shite.

  “Jonathan,” I hear Miranda behind me, “where is the captain? I must speak with him.”

  “I am the captain now Miranda,” he says harshly. “That old man was useless. What was his name? Slater?” I don’t hear anything else because Jeremy pulls me through a door.

  “You don’t think Jonathan…” my voice trails off.

  “He probably killed the captain,” Jeremy states. “He’s clearly gone off the deep end.” I feel light headed so I take a seat.

  “At least Captain Collins is still alive to take troops to St. Louis. I wish we were on his boat because I trust him a hell of a lot more than Jonathan.”

  “Who's Captain Collins?”

  “He got us out of Texas before,” I explain before asking, “What do we do now?”

  “Nothing, Jonathan is dangerous.” I stand, unable to take this any longer.

  “Jonathan is only one man,” I say. “He is not the rebels.” This is more to comfort me than anything else. As more soldiers pile into the room, Jeremy sits down and leans back, lost in his own thoughts.

  Around dusk we drop anchor and take a small boat to shore before sending it back to pick up more people. Further inland we come upon a set of ruins in the middle of a patch of wild forest.

  “This is where we spend the night. I hate sleeping on a boat,” Jonathan says as loudly as he can. “Let’s get some fires started and some food cooking. Get to it.”

  I join the group looking for firewood because it gives me a chance to explore. I’ve never seen any of the ruins in the colonies but from what Dawn told me, they are usually not this well preserved. I walk around the outside to look at the walls. Enough of them are standing to be able to imagine what this place was like. It’s a massive structure that once had many rooms. Large scorch marks mar much of the surface. Something happened here. A shiver runs down my spine.

  “Gabby.” I jump as Lee walks up, his arm loaded down with brush to fuel the fires.

  “You scared me,” I say.

  “Sorry.” He smiles before saying, “this place has always been kind of creepy.”

  “Yeah,” I respond, “but also brilliant.”

  “These are the most well preserved ruins in the colonies. No one can explain why.”

  “So you’ve heard about them?” I ask.

  “I’ve actually been here before, a long time ago.” He looks away.

  “Really?”

  “I was raised near here.” His voice grows quiet, solemn. “My sisters and I used to run through these rooms all the times. I was usually chasing them.” He laughs softly.

  “I didn’t know you had sisters.”

  “I had three. All younger than me.”

  “Where are they now?” I ask, regretting it instantly. Dawn was always telling me I’m too nosey and I know she was right.

  “The youngest two succumbed to illness,” he explains, his voice hoarse as he tries to control it. “The third was taken by the British along with my mother and another girl that I knew.” He shakes his head as if to clear it of those thoughts. “Let me drop this stuff off and then I want to show you something.” I follow him to one of the fires that is being started and he drops the brush on the ground. When I first met Lee in the camp, I thought he was just some brainless American prat who had nothing better to do than follow Dawn to Floridaland. I was wrong. In reality, he is just like me. His family was taken from him and he is a survivor.

  “We call this place The Mall,” he tells me. “This is why.” He points to the wall in front of us where the word mall is etched into the stone. It looks like something else used to precede it but that is gone now.

  “That’s really cool,” I say. Lee stares at that word until Miranda’s voice calls out, announcing meal time.

  Chapter 68: Gabby

  I wake before sunrise to screaming. I quickly get up and run outside. Something is burning in the distance as fires stretch across the horizon. Miranda pushes past me cursing.

  “Where is Jonathan?” she yells. We also seem to be missing quite a few soldiers. “Shite! What is that arse thinking? Everyone, prepare to move out.” We hurry as we pack up camp and get into formation. We march straight towards the burning fields.

  Jonathan and his troop walk straight towards us and then stand across from us as if this is a battlefield. Jonathan leaves his men and comes close to us.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Miranda screams at him.

  “It needed to be done.” He shrugs. “This way, whatever Texan troops aren’t fighting in Mexico will be called out to the fields.” He seems pleased with himself.

  “We cannot afford to be burning crops.” Miranda is angry. “Whoever planted them. Have you forgotten that we’re going to be inundated with new mouths to feed from England? Don’t even get me started on the fact that we just warned Texas that someone is coming for them. Let’s just hope we get there before their reinforcements do. The next time you get one of these brilliant ideas, try sharing it with your second in command.”

  I am stunned that Jonathan does not seem bothered by what Miranda said, even if it is the truth. He just turns around and starts issuing orders.

  “Back to the ships,” he commands. Half the soldiers stay put, unsure if they should follow Jonathan. I am among them.

  “Just go,” Miranda barks at us.

&n
bsp; When we disembark next, we’ll be in Texas so it is time to say our goodbyes and good lucks to those not going to Vicksburg with us.

  Lee wraps his arms around me first. “Stay safe,” he says. I hug Drew next.

  “For Dawn,” he whispers.

  “For Dawn,” I respond, quickly wiping away the tears that come to my eyes. They shake hands with Jeremy and then they are gone.

  “You good?” Jeremy asks.

  “Yes,” I grunt. “Let’s go.” I sling my bag over my shoulder and step onto the boat.

  Things are quiet on board as people are frightened and confused. The unit that set fire to the fields also destroyed the farming village but they don’t speak about it. There seems to be a clear divide between the soldiers that are completely loyal to Jonathan and those of us that have started to question him. Anyone can see that our leader has cracked and we could be screwed if we follow him.

  The next day, we come upon a Texan checkpoint but there is no one in the tower. All we see are the bodies along the riverbank. Jonathan sent people on ahead to make things easier down the road. This is what that meant. Day after day, each checkpoint, it is the same. We pass the last one and pull up along a makeshift dock. We are given orders to disembark and the dock sways beneath my feet. I have never been more happy to be on solid ground.

  Jonathan is ahead, calling out orders. Most of us, though, rely more on the orders from our officers. I stand behind Officer Lincoln with the rest of the snipers, waiting for his order to move.

  After a day of hard marching, we come over a hill and see them. The walls of Vicksburg seem even more massive and impenetrable than I remember.

  “Miss it?” Allison asks as she walks up beside me, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

  “Like I miss hot pokers in my eyes,” I snort. She laughs before yelling.

  “Pick it up everyone! The quicker we move, the sooner we can tear those damn walls down!”

  “Yeah!” I roar along with everyone else.

  Chapter 69: Drew

  "Unlike our counterparts in the other cities, we will be sailing right into the city," the officer informs us. Her name is Officer Mills and she has been put in charge of the attack on St. Louis. I can't look at her as she speaks because she was there when Dawn died and it hurts too damn much to think about it. She must sense it because she never meets my eyes and she has never spoken directly to me.

  Lee drops into the seat beside me and Lucas sits across from us. When I look at him, all I see is another person who let Dawn die. He treats me like I’m wounded and that only fuels my anger. I stand up from the table in one brisk movement and push my stool back. Lee looks as if he’s going to say something so I hurry up the stairs for some much needed air. I grip the railing tightly and lean over the side to stare into the dark water. I hear a door open and turn to see Captain Collins limping from his quarters. I follow him aft.

  "Why are you following me?" He stops walking but does not turn.

  "Are you okay?" I ask.

  "Why wouldn’t I be?" His voice sounds tired. He turns and leans on the railing for support. His every movement is slow and strenuous. He scans my face before saying, "I know you."

  "You saved my life," I say gratefully.

  "Oh yes, I remember. Glad to see you’re alive boy. Now, leave me be." He tries to walk past me but his hand slips on the railing, sending him sprawling onto the deck. I run forward and help him to his feet. He doesn't protest as I let him lean on me to get to his door. I get the big man in bed but not before seeing a bruise along his shirt line.

  "Who did that to you?" I demand.

  "Get me some rum, boy." He points to a small table in the corner. "And close the door." I do as he asks. He sips his rum and sighs. "Go on then, I see there's no getting rid of you so you might as well pour yourself a glass and sit.” It is not a suggestion but I don't listen, instead I walk straight towards him and lift his shirt. He tries to push me away but he is too weak. His torso is covered in dark purple bruises. I remember his limp and roll up his right pant leg, revealing a festering knife wound.

  "Like your irony, boy?" he asks with a harsh laugh. "The only person on this ship that could fix that is me." His laugh turns into a cough. He downs the rest of his rum and holds out his glass for more.

  "What happened?" I ask again, this time holding his rum just out of reach. I want answers. He sighs.

  "So that's how it's going to be? You are stubborn boy. I guess this is what I get for helping rebels." He pauses. "The name itself should be enough to warn people from getting involved. It wasn't."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Can I trust you boy?" He stares into my eyes and laughs when I shift them away. "You have secrets."

  "Everyone keeps something to themselves."

  "Don't worry, boy, I don't trust a man that has nothing to hide. Men experienced in secrets are better at protecting them." I nod and let him continue. "I was like you once. Young and idealistic. Making choices that you think are right. Eventually you grow up. Eventually you realize that you never really had a choice at all. Doing right for one group means doing wrong for another. Over the years you learn to cope with failure until the one time when it is all too much. I couldn't protect them." He turns his head away as a tear runs down his cheek.

  "Who couldn't you protect?"

  "Dana," he says quietly. "Henry. Tony."

  "Are they your family?" I ask softly. "What happened?"

  "They're the only reason I'm doing this. I am a Texan. I do not want the rebels to win, but I cannot abandon my family."

  “What if we could save them?” I don't know why or how, but I get this feeling that this is something we need to do.

  “Who do you think you are?” the Captain growls and I am thrown off by his sudden change in tone. “You come in here and offer false hope? You're just rebel scum. You say what you think I want to hear. You don't really care about my family. Get out” I don't move until he yells, “Get out! Get out! Leave me alone!” I leave without another word.

  My mind is elsewhere as I walk around the deck. I hadn't even noticed the people out here until I run directly into Officer Mills.

  This snaps me out of my stupor and I see that I have spilled rum on her. I must have taken my glass with me when I left the captain.

  "Soldier." Officer Mills looks at the glass in my hand. "Where did you get that?" She doesn't even seem to notice her wet jacket.

  "Oh." I think for a second. "The captain." She looks deep into my eyes, probably trying to obtain my level of drunkenness. In truth, I have had no more than a sip. She must accept my soberness because her voice softens. "Are you okay soldier?"

  "Sir," I begin but I can't finish that sentence. I really don't know how to answer her. This is the first time I am talking to my superior and I am acting like a proper toss pot. She probably thinks it’s because of Dawn because she guides me down the stairs to an empty table in the corner. She takes the glass from me and sets it aside as she sits across from me.

  "I like to know what is going on with my soldiers," she begins.

  "I don't think I can tell you," I say quietly.

  "Do you trust me soldier?" she asks simply.

  "I don't really know you sir."

  "Fair enough. Can you tell me if something is wrong that will affect our mission?"

  "Something is wrong with the mission," I blurt before realizing what I just said. I prepare myself for a reprimand but it never comes.

  "Soldier," she begins, "command is not on this ship with us. In fact, now that we are a separate force, I think I have some information that will make you trust me. Not all of us believe every word that Jonathan Clarke spits out. Your friend Dawn helped me see who he really is." I look away to hide the grief that comes every time I think about her.

  "I'm starting to think Dawn was right," I mutter.

  "I know she is," Officer Mills states. I focus on the grains of the table until her words sink in. I look up slowly.

  "Yo
u mean was?"

  "No. I mean that she still is right because she's alive." Officer Mills looks as though a huge weight has been lifted from her as I try to process her words.

  "Dawn," I say and Officer Mills nods. My heart pounds faster with each passing minute and the sadness of the past few weeks is washed away with one phrase. "Dawn is alive."

  Officer Mills explains to me everything that happened on their mission and I instantly know what I have to do. The thinking that was tethering me to Jonathan Clarke is replaced by a need to do the right thing. The need to do what Dawn would do. I tell the officer everything and then we go barging into the captains quarters so she can look at his leg and get more information about my new mission.

  Chapter 70: Dawn

  We cover a lot of ground during the day but I cannot wait to be out of this saddle. My arse and my legs are killing me. My back doesn’t feel so good either. We go out of our way to stay out of sight of any of the farming villages. I made the mistake of suggesting we ride at night to keep from being seen and Emily bit my head off.

  “Do you want to get our horses injured?” she yells. Ryan tells me to ignore her and then explains that we can’t risk running our horses over the rough terrain in the dark. I suddenly feel daft. Emily tends to make me feel like that a lot. I think she takes pleasure in it. Her horse is quite a bit faster than Duke since she only has one rider and Emily uses that to her advantage. She runs ahead of us and comes back with scouting reports. Ryan tries to stop her every time but she doesn’t listen to him. Emily is only ten but when she is on a horse you would assume she is older.

  We stop for the night on the outskirts of a town, if you can call it that. There are about fifteen shacks huddled together on the edge of a spud farm.

  “We’re getting close,” Ryan states. I stare at him in surprise. I’ve been hoping for those words for days.

  “How do you know?” I ask but it is Emily that answers.

  “Because, we’ve been riding hard for almost a week and any brain dead fool should know how far Texas is.”