Lone Survivor (Book 4): All That Rises

by Hunt, Jack

  Max stuck the blade between his teeth and slipped down the rope as fast as his body would drop. As soon as his boots landed he hurried over to Eddie and cut his ties. “Eddie. Wake up. Let’s go.”

  “What?” he said in an almost delirious state.

  Right then just as they were about to leave, someone started clapping.

  “Bravo. Bravo! I must say that was a brilliant performance. What do you think, Lindsay?”

  She slipped down the rope. “One of the best.”

  Max eyed her with a narrowed gaze as Caine stepped out into the clearing along with several others who surrounded them with AR-15’s. “You get what you need?” he asked not taking his eyes off the two of them.

  “I did,” Lindsay said staring at him.

  She’d played him and he’d walked right into it.

  14

  The echo of gunfire grew loud. Landon was laid back on his son’s bed staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought when the staccato caught his attention. Instantly, he swung his legs off the bed and headed out of the room and made his way into the bathroom which gave him a clear shot of Battle Avenue. There, under the glow of the moon he saw several horses in full gallop turning onto Manor Drive, the driveway which led to his home. He couldn’t make out who they were but they were clearly in trouble as they were returning fire. His initial thought was Sam. Had Bennington forced him back this way?

  Landon bolted down the stairs almost losing his footing.

  No sooner had he reached the downstairs than Jake burst through the side door, a rifle slung over his shoulder and one hand gripping the upper portion of his arm. His hand was gloved red. He stumbled into the wall smearing it with blood.

  “Jake!” He hurried to his aid as more people came in: Tim Jenkins, a guy who worked for Jake, Aaron Baulman, the owner of a restaurant, and Nia Peters, a woman who worked at the Yacht Club. There were another four but he had never seen them before. Tim dropped to a knee in the doorway and unleashed a flurry of rounds. Two more hurried into the living room and took up position near the windows.

  Jake groaned. “Sara. Is she here?”

  “Sam took her and the others to Nautilus Island.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Good.” He was out of breath and wincing in pain. “Bennington and a large number of military entered, shot a number of our guys. It’s a massacre out there.”

  “Ray. Where’s he?”

  More gunfire ensued, a deafening chorus of bullets snapping and tearing into the home. “They left for Belfast. Bennington killed Ray’s brother and from the looks of it was responsible for the attack on Benjamin and several other residents’ homes to make it look like Ray was behind it. Didn’t Sam tell you?”

  Before he could reply a voice bellowed over a megaphone. “You’re outnumbered. We’ve got the place surrounded. Lay down your weapons and come on out.”

  “Bennington,” Jake said.

  Landon hurried into the kitchen and pulled out a med kit. He tossed it to one of them while he went to an upstairs window to get a better look at the situation. Soldiers everywhere, too many to count, they darted in and out of bushes and trees, taking up position behind anything that could provide cover.

  “Listen up!” Bennington bellowed. “You can either come on out or we’ll come in, and you know how that ends.” Someone smashed a window downstairs and opened fire on the military, the reaction was swift and deadly. Gun muzzles all over the property flashed, lighting up the night like fireflies. As the walls were peppered with rounds, Landon hit the floor and belly crawled his way toward the landing. Glass and debris rained down on him.

  He went to the rear of the home but there was no way out. “Shit!”

  Landon hurried downstairs. “Cease fire. Cease fire!” he bellowed.

  “And do what? Let them kill us?” Aaron asked.

  “Let me speak to him.”

  Jake reached over and grabbed Landon. “He won’t listen.”

  “Maybe not to you.” Landon yanked his arm away and hurried into the living room. He got close to where there used to be panes of glass, now there were only frames. “Bennington. It’s Landon Gray. You hear me?”

  He peered around the frame and could see some movement.

  A crackle from a megaphone then he replied. “Landon Gray? I heard you were gone. I bet you wish you were now.”

  “I guess I’m just lucky that way.”

  That got a laugh out of him.

  “Look bud, I don’t know what has happened since I’ve been gone nor do I wish to get involved but I have no issue with you. You know that’s true.” Everyone in town knew Bennington or had heard of his reputation. Landon’s introduction to him had been on a sleepy Sunday afternoon when he took Sara out for lunch. Like many weekends, Bennington was liquored up and in the same establishment that day. He was there celebrating a bet he’d just won on a horse race and was buying rounds for everyone — mostly to fluff his ego and give the appearance that the win had been much more than the actual four hundred bucks. According to him it was in the thousands but they soon learned from a sober friend of his that was horse shit. Either way, he’d bought Sara and him a round and struck up a conversation with him about planes. By any measure, his recollection of that day was good. He was on his best behavior, in a good mood and from what he could recall no fists were exchanged, which made a change from what he heard usually happened when Bennington frequented the bar. “I’m staying neutral through all of this.”

  “A little late for that, Landon. Is Sam in there?”

  “Nope.”

  “You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”

  “I’m staring at fifty-odd soldiers, do you think I would be that stupid?”

  He heard him chuckle.

  “Then send on out Jake and his crew and after I have my men check the house I will leave you be.”

  “See, that is the problem. I can’t do that.”

  “Then we have a problem,” Bennington said.

  “No. You have an opportunity to walk away and leave us be.”

  “See, I can’t do that,” Bennington replied. “Too many good people have lost their lives because of them.”

  “And you think shedding more blood is gonna help?”

  Nothing but the sound of crickets and tree frogs.

  “Surely there is a better way to move forward.”

  “There is, with those folks dangling at the end of a noose.”

  Landon cast a glance over his shoulder at Jake who raised his eyebrows. Clearly he was right. Bennington wasn’t a man to be reasoned with. Since he’d arrived in Castine, he’d only caught wind of a few incidents that had occurred since he’d gone. But this kind of hatred went far deeper.

  Jake chimed in. “Give it up. He won’t listen.”

  Landon’s thoughts went back to the cabin in North Carolina, the feeling of being surrounded, those final moments and what Beth did. Those were drug dealers. A different kettle of fish. Bennington was a local, a neighbor. He glanced outside. There was no way in hell they would survive an all-out battle with trained military and especially not this many.

  He set his rifle down and removed his handgun.

  “I’m coming out. I’m unarmed.”

  “What the hell are you doing?” Jake asked as Landon headed his way to exit through the side door. “You wanna die?”

  “I have to try.”

  “He’ll kill you.”

  “No he won’t. Let me speak with him.”

  Jake raised a hand. “That’s exactly what he wants you to do. You step outside, Landon, and it’s over.”

  “It’s already over, Jake.”

  Jake looked at him carefully as if he knew what he was referring to — him and Sara, his life here in Castine. “It’s not over until you say it is. Now there must be a way out of here.”

  “Yeah, that door,” he said pointing behind him. Jake turned, a momentary distraction, and in that instant, Landon stepped outside with his hands up. “I’m unarmed,” he bellowed
. “Don’t shoot.” Several bright flashlights lit him up and he squinted as he walked toward the silhouettes of horses and men. His pulse sped up. There was a good chance Jake was right but he had to believe there was some good left in Bennington. If he’d learned anything in his time in Pawling, New York, it was that change, real change often looked absurd in the eyes of many until it was accepted.

  “Turn around and walk back to us.”

  Landon complied until he was told to get on his knees and lay face down. Quickly some soldiers moved in and restrained him. They strong-armed him over to Bennington and a soldier whose uniform made it clear that he outranked the others. “Landon Gray. I bet you wish you hadn’t returned.”

  “Something like that. Look, Bennington we don’t—”

  Bennington didn’t listen. With a quick jerk of the head Landon was shoved on past him. “Now the rest of you do the same!”

  As he was being pushed forward Landon glanced over his shoulder at the sound of someone shouting “Fuck you!” What came next was deafening. A chorus of rounds shattered remaining windows, peppered walls and turned the once beautiful historic Manor into a bullet riddled structure. When the gunfire ceased, orders were given for soldiers to move in on the Manor. All he could do was watch as the military swarmed the Manor, a few more rounds were heard and then one of them emerged from the house and gave a thumbs-up. “Jake.” Landon closed his eyes, realizing they had just wiped out every single one of them.

  They kept him with a group of soldiers until Bennington emerged from the house. He made a beeline for Landon with a fierce expression of anger or disappointment. “Where did he go?” he bellowed.

  “Who?”

  “You know full well, who!”

  “Sam?”

  “No. Jake!”

  Landon frowned. “He was inside when I stepped out.”

  “Well he’s not among the dead. Now which way did he go?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Bennington looked at the guy beside him. “Then perhaps you know where Sam, your wife, Carl and the others went?”

  Landon sucked in air. “Can’t help you there.”

  Bennington nodded, a smile forming before it vanished and he lashed out striking him in the face. “You want to play games? Take him away!”

  Jake heard Bennington yelling at soldiers to tear the place apart. He’d heard the sound smashing, turning and destroying furniture as they searched every inch of that house for him but he wasn’t in the house, he was on top of it. Minutes earlier, under the hail of gunfire he’d ascended the steps and searched frantically for a place to hide, a way out, anything to avoid capture. As the soldiers moved in on the house, he saw his opportunity and climbed out Max’s window, lowered it behind him and scrambled up. He knew he couldn’t make it out of the grounds as there were still too many, but hide, he could do that. Had the night not been as dark as it was, he was sure they would have spotted him. Even as he lay low against the shingles, hidden by one of the many dormers, he assumed it was only a matter of time before they found him. At least if someone stuck their head out he would get a clear shot and take a few of them down before he died. Fortunately it never happened.

  The ruckus died down and he saw them leave taking Landon with them. Poor bastard. What was he thinking? Jake winced in agony from pain in his arm — they’d got a clean shot on him. It burned like hell. He remained there on the roof for at least another thirty minutes before sliding down the rough shingles and leaping to the ground.

  With pain soaring through him, he staggered into the night.

  On Nautilus Island, Sam had told them to not use any flashlights or candles. Although he was certain FEMA’s military wouldn’t head over to the island, there were no guarantees. As soon as the last of them were inside the house, Sam told them he would keep watch down at the dock just to be on the safe side. When asked why they didn’t just stay on the boat out in the water, he said it was easier to stay out of sight if they docked it on the opposite side of the island, which was exactly what they did.

  Worried about Landon, Beth made her way down to the dock on the north side. Sam was crouched by a tree with a pair of NV binoculars scanning the bay. He heard her approach and cast a glance over his shoulder.

  “You should be in the house.”

  “Can’t relax.” She stood there looking out, hoping to see a boat with Landon and Max in it. “How did you know the island was empty?” she asked.

  “Max. The militia were using it for a while.”

  She nodded. “This Bennington guy. How dangerous is he?”

  “Dangerous enough.”

  “You think he’d harm Landon?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past him. The guy is a first-class lunatic.” Sam ran a hand over his tired eyes and pawed at them.

  “And the militia?”

  “Gone.”

  Sam looked at her. “What made you come all the way from North Carolina with Landon?”

  “It’s a long story,” she replied.

  “You think he can handle himself?”

  “Possibly.”

  “You don’t sound very convinced.”

  She smiled and then it faded.

  “You any good with that bow?”

  “Not bad.”

  He was about to ask another question when he spotted something. “We got movement. Go tell the others to be prepared to leave.”

  “Is it Bennington?”

  He shook his head. “Not sure.”

  Beth turned and hurried up to the house to alert everyone. With only a few backpacks they didn’t have anything or anyone besides Carl that would slow them down. They gathered outside in the pool area while Beth raced back to the dock to get an update. As she came around the bend that led to the dock she saw Sam helping someone out of a boat. Her heart sank as her mind immediately went to Landon. It wasn’t him.

  As the stranger lifted his head she saw it was Jake.

  She looked beyond him hoping to see Landon but the small fishing boat was empty.

  Wrapping an arm around Jake’s waist, she aided Sam in taking him into the house. As soon as they were in the door, Sara rushed over. “Jake!”

  They sat him down in a chair, someone came over with water. He was panting hard and sweating as he downed the contents of the canister.

  “What happened?” Sam asked.

  “Bennington. There were too many of them. We couldn’t hold them off. The rest of them are dead.” They looked on, jaws agape. “I was lucky to make it out of the Manor alive.”

  “The Manor?” Beth asked. “You were there?”

  He nodded.

  “What about Landon?”

  His head dropped and for a second, Beth thought he was dead. “Bennington took him in.”

  Sara took a few steps back and looked at Beth. She could see the worry spreading. “And Max. Did he return?”

  “I never saw him,” Jake said. “But Landon’s alive. At least for now.”

  Sam peeled back Jake’s shirt to get a better look at his injury. Someone had patched it up in a hurry. The bandage was bright red and blood was trickling down his arm. “Tess, can you check the house for a med kit?”

  She nodded and took off to the kitchen with Rita to see what they could find. Beth turned and headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To help Landon.”

  He hurried over and slammed the door shut before she could exit.

  “Are you out of your mind? There is an entire army over there.”

  “I’m not leaving him behind. You heard what Jake said. He’s alive. That could change at any moment.”

  Jake spoke up. “Sam’s right. You can’t go over there. You could jeopardize everything.”

  “Everything?” She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “Step out of the way.”

  “I can’t do that, Beth,” Sam said. “You’re just a kid.”

  “You can’t hold me here.”

  “For now I can. W
e just got here.”

  “You expect me to do nothing?”

  Jake backed Sam up. “He chose to stay.”

  “Because of Max.”

  “Yeah, well…” Jake said. “He wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “Get out of the way.”

  “No,” Sam said, his outstretched hand preventing her from getting near the door. “It’s not just him we have to think about. It’s all of us. We will help but I need time to think.”

  “Yeah, well he might not have time.”

  As quick as a flash she unslung her bow and brought it up, pulling back the string with an arrow in one smooth motion. “Open it. I won’t ask again.”

  “Beth, honey,” Sara said. “Lower it.”

  Beth didn’t take her eyes off Sam for even a second.

  “Open the fucking door!” Beth said loudly and with conviction.

  Sam reached for the handle and pulled it back. Beth kept him in her sight as she backed out. “Look after Grizzly for me,” she said before turning and disappearing into the darkness.

  15

  Bennington felt vindicated as he took his first sip of hot coffee and stood at the bow of the TS State of Maine. He glanced out across the pier of Castine with Colonel Lukeman at his side. The chilly morning wind nipped at his ears but couldn’t distract him from celebrating the previous night’s victory. He couldn’t wait to see that sniveling FEMA rep David Harris and rub it in his face.

  Everyone doubted him.

  But he was made for this. Sam Daniels, the militia, those who thought they could stand toe to toe would need to be a hell of a lot smarter if they thought they could outwit him. He breathed in the salty air as choppy waves lapped against the vessel, and twenty men on the dock kept an eye out for trouble. This time around he would do it right. There would be no ambush, no one to pull the wool over his eyes.