He had a brief moment of feeling special until he realized they were probably just taking what they could get. It was a humbling experience. Even so, he expected to see looks of gratitude, but other than those he received from Dorothy there were none. Evidently, the others were as unsure of him as he was of them. He would have to win them over somehow. The women dispersed, heading back to their own shacks, and the children disappeared. Only Joshua remained, Dorothy’s self-appointed protector. It was clear that he took his role as the oldest very serious. Perhaps he saw Peck as a threat to his position in the group.
Dorothy motioned for Peck to follow her. Joshua stepped to go with them. Dorothy stopped and looked back at him. “I’ll be okay.” She smiled with a nod.
He began to argue, but decided against it, returning her nod.
Inside his shack, Peck peeked out to see Joshua looking back. He had followed anyway.
Peck had a restless night with his new surroundings, catching only a few winks of sleep. He jolted awake at every sound. He couldn’t help thinking about Davis who had felt safe up to the moment he was killed by a seemingly harmless family. Was he in a similar situation, being lulled into a false sense of security?
At some point he had dozed off, waking to sounds in the camp and sunlight shining through the gaps in the building scraps used for his shack. Before going out he peered through the cracks. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. He pushed the tin doorway aside and stepped outside. Joshua was no longer standing guard over him. He decided to test his freedom and explore the small community. A couple of women with smaller children greeted him warmly as he passed by. It made him feel a bit more at ease. Off to the east side of the camp was a small clearing with half a dozen crosses. He wanted a closer look, but as he approached it his arm was grabbed from behind. It was Joshua.
“Dorothy wants you to join her for breakfast,” he said without expression. He then forced a smile and added, “Please.” Then released Pecks arm.
“Who’s in the cemetery?”
“What cemetery? Dorothy is waiting.”
Peck would have to ask her about the cemetery if he wanted any answers. He obviously wasn’t going to get anything out of Joshua. He followed him back through the camp. Joshua kept looking back to make sure he was still with him. Peck was surprised to see everyone standing around the campfire, all staring at him. It gave him a very uneasy feeling.
“Come. Eat,” Dorothy said pleasantly with a smile, extending her arm, offering him a bowl.
Reluctantly, he accepted it. It was the same food as the day before.
“Please, have a seat,” she said.
He took a seat and looked over the group looking back at him. “Isn’t anyone else going to eat?”
“We already did. Eat up.”
Peck took a bite, uncomfortable with eating while everyone else watched. Now was as good a time as any to ask about the cemetery he’d found. “I saw a group of crosses on the other side of your camp. Who’s buried there?” he asked as he chewed.
Dorothy and Joshua exchanged a look. The question seemed to bother some of the others as their eyes turned away from him toward the ground.
“What’s the matter?” asked Peck.
“We don’t like to be reminded,” answered Dorothy.
“I’m sorry,” said Peck, “but since I’ve already brought it up, who were they? Friends? Family? Strangers?”
“Mostly strangers like you.”
“They all died here?”
She took a deep breath. “They made the ultimate sacrifice so we could survive.”
Peck was confused. He tried to understand what she was saying. Then it hit him. He stopped chewing, spitting out the food in his mouth and dropping the bowl. His eyes grew wide with alarm. “What have you done?” He stood, looking at their faces. All of them were solemn except for Joshua who seemed to be taking some pleasure from this.
He had already eaten enough to do the job. He was becoming light headed, his legs unsteady. He stumbled. “Where is my horse?” He grabbed his stomach and fell to the ground as he was struck with cramps. Peck wasn’t going anywhere. Someone grabbed him and began to drag him.
The last words he heard were from Dorothy, “We’ll give you a proper burial with the other men. Thank you for your sacrifice.”
***
CHAPTER TWELVE
It took two men to bring Jenny to Uncle Don with her fighting them all the way.
“Bring her!” ordered Uncle Don as he led a small group of followers to a position facing the front doors of the prison. He didn’t think those inside would shoot as long as Jenny was with them. He forced Jenny to move ahead of him toward the doors, stopping when they were halfway, next to the bodies of his men. “Ryder!” he yelled. “I have someone for you!”
Jeremy stood beside Ryder, both peering out through bullet holes. “He’s got Jenny. I don’t like the looks of this.”
“I thought she was in here with us,” commented Ryder. “She must have been trapped outside when the gates were locked.”
“I’m here!” shouted Ryder. “Let her go!”
“Gladly. Just come out and bring Amy with you.” Uncle Don had decided she’d turned traitor. And now he would get even with both her and Ryder.
Amy was still near Ryder and could hear Uncle Don. She stepped closer to the door. “I’m not coming back!” She turned to Ryder. “Please don’t make me go out there.”
Jenny was able to break free with one arm, striking the man across his face, knocking him to the ground. Angry, he jumped up and pulled his knife, determined to make her pay.
“No!” shouted Uncle Don. “We need her.” He smiled. “At least for a little bit longer.” Uncle Don pointed his pistol at Jenny, inches from her face, making sure she got the message. “That will be enough!”
Jenny stopped fighting, but she was sure he wouldn’t shoot, for the same reason he had stopped his man from harming her. “Go ahead! Shoot!”
Instead, he quickly stepped closer and struck her over the head with the butt of his pistol grip. She collapsed to the ground, but remained conscious, moaning and attempting to get to her feet. “Stay down!” he said as he kicked her back to the ground.
From the ground she kicked at him, but was a bit groggy and missed. He smiled at her unwillingness to submit.
Seeing her struck, Ryder yelled out, “Hey, there’s no need for that.”
“Then come on out with Amy!” replied Uncle Don, edging toward the door. He didn’t necessarily care that much about Amy. There was still a reasonable doubt as to whether she was at fault. It was still Ryder who he wanted. The request was just a distraction to allow them to get closer to the door and then inside. He still had a few sticks of dynamite in his backpack.
Amy looked at Ryder, pleading with her eyes not to send her out.
“Don’t worry. Neither of us is going out there.”
“Give me your rifle,” Ryder said to Jeremy, “he’s going to kill Jenny.”
A bit confused, Jeremy handed it over.
Ryder bounded up the stairs to the upper level followed closely by Jeremy. Levi started to follow. “Stay here with dad and Eli. Get them back away from the doors.” Levi nodded.
Ryder entered the guard tower nearest where Uncle Don stood. Jeremy wasn’t sure what his friend had in mind. The others in the tower were surprised when they entered. They had heard the exchange of words between the man outside and Ryder at the front doors.
Ryder, without a word, rested the assault rifle on the edge of the towers window opening, sighting through the scope.
“What are you going to do?” asked Jeremy.
Without taking his eye from the scope, “Remove the head from the snake.”
Through the scope, no one below was looking up at the tower, instead focusing their attention on the doors. Ryder took his time. Uncle Don was obviously feeling impatient, constantly moving. Thankfully, there was an opening between him and Jenny. Not only was he brazen, but stupid too. All w
ho were in the tower remained silent and motionless, not wanting to be a distraction. This shot was a true matter of life or death, Jenny’s. If Ryder missed, he was sure there would be immediate retaliation against Jenny. He took a breath and held it. The crosshairs were dead center of Uncle Don’s chest.
“We’re waiting!” yelled Uncle Don.
Ryder applied pressure to the trigger and pulled. The shot’s recoil jerked against his shoulder and the sudden loud discharge filled the tower, causing the others to jump. Ryder reset his eye to the scope. Uncle Don had gone down, lying on the ground, flat on his back. The two men who had been watching Jenny were backing away, staring up at the tower just like everyone else below. It appeared Ryder had been right about removing the head. Uncle Don’s people began to run for their horses and wagons.
“You got him!” exclaimed Jeremy. They also heard yells of excitement from inside the compound, below them. Obviously they had seen what had happened.
Ryder continued to watch Uncle Don’s body. He thought he saw a slight movement. Then Uncle Don slowly rolled onto his side, and then up onto an elbow.
“You coward!” yelled Uncle Don, still on the ground. Slowly, he rose to a knee and then to his feet, his hands to his chest. He looked around, seeing that his people had deserted him. “I’m surrounded by cowards!”
Ryder, Jeremy, nor any of the others could believe he was still alive, mouths gaping open. Ryder knew it had been a good shot, right on target. There was only one explanation. He was wearing body armor under his camo shirt.
Jenny, realizing she had a chance to get away, picked herself up off the ground and began to run toward the main entrance doors. She was still unsteady on her feet. Uncle Don reached out to grab her but missed, shaken up himself.
“Awww!” screamed Uncle Don to the sky, standing alone, both angry and frustrated. He had underestimated these people.
“Shoot him again,” urged Jeremy.
“No. I don’t think I need to now.”
“You think he’s going to give up?”
“Wouldn’t you?” asked Ryder. “We held them off, and now his people are deserting him.”
Ryder shifted his thoughts to Jenny. He looked down from the tower but didn’t see her. He hoped someone had let her in the door below.
He continued to keep an eye on Uncle Don. He was holding his chest while walking back to his people, who were gathered at the wagons. They knew he was upset with them and were backing away, afraid of what he might do. Whether he liked it or not, they were still his people, and he needed them as much as they needed him. Ryder was sure there would be some kind of retribution when they returned to Camp Liberty. He almost felt sorry for them. Almost. Ryder was hoping Uncle Don would realize how hopeless their situation was and take his people home.
It was over as far as Ryder was concerned, but decided to stay in the tower where he had the perfect vantage point, just in case. He wanted to make sure there weren’t any more assaults on the prison.
Uncle Don, it appeared, had momentarily forgiven the indiscretions of his people. He gathered them around the wagons.
“What do you think they’re doing?” Jenny asked no one in particular, as she watched from the doorway, wiping blood from her head where Uncle Don had struck her. “Someone, get me a rifle!” she shouted.
“I hope he’s breaking the news to them that they’ve failed and are going home,” said Levi.
They continued to watch Uncle Don and his people gathered at the wagons, looking for a sign that they were leaving.
Roy, curious, came up behind Jenny. “You alright?”
“Yeah.”
He looked at her head. “You should probably go to the infirmary.”
“Maybe later. I’m not missing any of this.”
“Do you think it’s over?” asked Roy.
“I hope so, but that maniac might do anything.”
“What should we tell our people?”
“Nothing yet,” suggested Samuel. “If they stay where they are, they should be safe.”
Ryder noticed suspicious activity at the wagon nearest the gate. Uncle Don’s people were unhitching the horses and leading them away.
Jeremy noticed Ryder’s heightened interest in something below. “What’s wrong?”
“They’re up so something.”
“Not leaving?” asked Jeremy.
“Doesn’t appear so.”
Everyone in the tower crowded toward the window openings in order to see for themselves.
“I don’t like it,” commented Jeremy.
While a few of the Camp Liberty people remained at the wagon, some were clearing away the remains of the gate, and the others ran into the woods. For some reason, it appeared they were going to bring the wagon inside the fence.
Ryder had an idea of what Uncle Don might be planning, and he didn’t think there was any way to stop them.
Suddenly, everyone clearing the gate area took off to join the others and scatter into the trees. Only a handful stayed with the front wagon. With Uncle Don shouting orders, they began to push the wagon forward. Once it began to roll down the gradual slope and gain momentum, they ran away to join the others. The wagon continued toward the wall of the prison. They had given up on going through the doors and now were attempting to breach the wall.
“Jeremy, come with me!” shouted Ryder as he rushed out of the tower.
“What are we doing?” asked Jeremy, staying on Ryder’s heels.
“We’ve got to get to Cell Block A. They’re attempting to go through the wall. I believe they have the wagon rigged to blow.”
When they reached the top of the staircase overlooking the foyer, Ryder looked down to check everyone’s safety. He saw his dad, Eli, Levi, and Jenny, all together and safe. There was another group huddled behind a line of overturned desks, weapons ready. Another group was behind them, huddled in the doorways of the offices. He made eye contact with Levi, waving him over.
There was a loud explosion that shook the foundation and walls of the building. Ryder held onto the stairs railing to maintain his balance. Without turning to Jeremy, he said, “I hope we’re not too late.”
He met Levi at the bottom of the stairs. “Take the women and children to Cell Block C and lock yourselves in as a precaution. Take dad and Eli too.” Levi looked confused. “They may be coming through the wall right now,” he quickly explained, still on the move, continuing down the hallway. “Jeremy,” he said, looking briefly over his shoulder, “gather everyone that’s armed and come to Cell Block A. We’ll make our stand there. I’m going there now to see how bad it is.” Jeremy nodded and went back to the foyer.
As Ryder rushed down the hallway, he could hear the confusion and commotion behind him, but he didn’t have time to stop and help. He passed through the first security door next to the guard’s station at the entrance to Cell Block A. He couldn’t tell how bad the wall had been damaged because of the concrete dust in the air, but he knew the wall had been badly compromised. Daylight was entering the corridor. If their attackers started coming through, he wouldn’t be able to hold them off for long by himself. He slid the second security door into place and locked it. If Uncle Don still had explosives, it wouldn’t last long.
Hopefully, before that happened, he would have reinforcements. Just then Jeremy came around the corner with a dozen armed men. “We need to make a stand here. Take up positions at the corner, the rifle ports, and in the guard’s station.”
As the dust settled, they saw the first ones enter Cell Block A through the breach, Uncle Don leading the way. They paused briefly to get their bearings. Don saw the closed security door with faces looking back at him from the other side. “Get into the cells!” he yelled as they dove across the corridor. He stood his ground in the center of the corridor, daring them to shoot.
Uncle Don still didn’t know what Ryder looked like, but by the description Amy and Chris had given him, he was fairly sure he’d just seen his face.
“Ryder? Can yo
u hear me?” he yelled.
There was no response. “I’m coming for you.” His eyes were crazy and maniacal. He raised his pistol and fired three quick rounds at the faces behind the door. None of the bullets had any effect on the bullet-proof glass. He knew his shots would be useless. A smile came to his face. He removed his backpack and pulled out a single stick of dynamite. His people continued to come through the breach and enter the cells behind him.
“This doesn’t look good,” commented Ryder. He took a rifle from one of the others and moved to one of the ports. He was sure Uncle Don would lead the attack. He remembered the body armor. His shot would have to be either above the shoulders or below the waist. He aimed high. This was his second chance to kill their leader and hopefully end the assault.
Uncle Don saw a rifle muzzle appear, pointed down the corridor in his direction. He dove into the closest cell.
Ryder cursed under his breath, removing his finger from the trigger. He’d been too slow.
***
“I hope we’re not too late,” said Charles from the Blackhawk co-pilot seat. The sun had already set behind the trees, but it was still light enough to see the silhouettes of the prison towers straight ahead.
“Slow down,” Charles told the pilot. “I want to know what we’re up against before moving in.”
The pilot moved them into a position where they could see the front of the compound. The LED accent lights were on, outlining the sidewalk, but not bright enough to see much else. “Look there!” exclaimed Charles. “There’s a hole in the wall and a group of people filing inside one at a time.”
“This looks bad,” commented Blake. He had moved up between the pilot and Charles. “What should we do?”
Before he could answer, a bullet struck the windshield followed by several more in quick succession. The muzzle flashes told them they had come from the crowd at the wall.
“Give them a short warning burst to let them know we mean business,” said Charles.
Without hesitation, a quick series of shots blew a line of holes into the wall just over their heads, showering those below with fragments of concrete.
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