Exodus

by Michael R. Watson

  “Of course.”

  “Then you wouldn’t want anything to happen to him, is that right?” the governor continued.

  Damon was smiling as he watched. Levi spoke directly to Ryder, “Whatever he wants, don’t do it. It’s not worth it.” He paused. “I’ll be fine.”

  “We both know better than that, don’t we, Ryder?” remarked the governor for Levi’s benefit. “I understand you, Ryder, were a Guard here for a while, so you know what I’m capable of doing.”

  “You’re not capable of doing anything yourself, you coward. But you are capable of giving the order.”

  Damon swiftly backhanded him again.

  Ryder flashed a look of rage at him, “Keep it up. I’ll make you pay just as soon as I get free.”

  Damon only smiled as he backhanded him once more, just to make a point. He and the governor were the ones in control.

  “Here is what I want,” began Governor Davis, “I want you to lead my Guard to the valley and convince the people there that it’s in their best interest to join our community so we can help each other survive. They can continue to live just as they do now, working in the fields and caring for the livestock. The only difference will be that I’ll place a few select individuals there to make sure my interests are protected and that the work continues uninterrupted. When it’s time I’ll take a portion of the harvest and of the processed meat to help sustain us here at the capitol.”

  The governor was right. Ryder did know what he was capable of and he knew that once the governor had a hold on the valley, things would never be the same again, regardless of what the governor promised. Without the slightest hesitation, Ryder gave his answer, “No!”

  Davis appeared to be puzzled and surprised by the quick response. “Why not?” he asked.

  “Because I don’t trust you.”

  “Oh, I forgot to mention one critical detail. If you do this, I’ll release your brother so he can go back home. But if you refuse … well, I’m afraid I would have no choice but to … you know …” He pulled his finger across his throat.

  “Don’t you do it!” blurted Levi. “He’s bluffing.”

  Damon started to strike him, but the governor shook his head. He felt he may have been making some progress with Ryder and didn’t want to destroy it, however little it was.

  “I’m not going to accept your answer right away. I want you to think about it. Guards, take them back to their cells. Ryder, I expect the right answer by first thing tomorrow morning.”

  The guards led them both away, the sound of their shackles jangling and dragging along the floor of the hallway, becoming faint in the distance.

  “Do you think he’ll do it?” the governor asked his counselor.

  “Only if we find the right motivation, and I think the odds are in our favor,” said Damon.

  “Then let’s make sure he stays motivated.”

  ***

  It was late when Darby rode into Paradise, the houses were dark and quiet except for a barking dog down the street. The man on sentry duty must not have seen him since the church bell hadn’t been rung. When he stopped in front of Samuel and Emma’s house, his horse was covered with sweat. The lights were out there as well. He hated to wake them with the bad news, but they needed and deserved to be told and he knew they would want to know what had happened. They would probably be a little upset if they found out Ryder had wanted to temporarily withhold the news about Levi. He would keep that part to himself.

  Darby knocked softly on the door frame, not wanting to jolt them out of a sound sleep. With no response after waiting a couple of minutes, he knocked slightly harder, listening for activity inside with his ear near the door. There was no sound or sign of movement. He banged loudly with the side of his fist, loud enough for even the neighbors to hear. He heard movement and then saw a light appear in one of the upstairs windows followed by footsteps. The curtain at the side window was pulled back. Darby saw the surprise on Samuel’s face. He opened the door, looking past Darby.

  “Kind of late isn’t it, Darby?” asked Samuel. “Are you alone?”

  “It’s just me.” Darby was unsure how to give him the news. He’d had a lot of time to think about how he would do it, and still didn’t know. He really had only two choices, either to work up to it or come right out with it.

  “What’s wrong? Where’s Ryder?” asked Samuel. He knew the two were almost inseparable, always traveling together.

  A few of the windows in nearby houses came to life.

  “Do you think we could …,” asked Darby, pointing inside.

  “Oh, sure thing. Sorry. Come on inside,” invited Samuel, opening the screen door wide open.

  As he came inside, Darby noticed Emma was standing near the kitchen doorway. “Evening, Emma.”

  “How about a cup of coffee?” she asked. Not waiting for a response, she went to the stove and lit a fire, setting the coffee pot on one of the hot plates.

  Samuel motioned for Darby to take a seat at the kitchen table across from him. Emma, standing behind her husband, quietly looked on, a worried look on her face, too afraid to ask the question, afraid of the answer. Samuel remained silent too, giving Darby the opportunity to say what he’d come to say in his own way.

  Finally, Darby spoke. “We found Levi.”

  A smile spread over Emma’s face, raising both hands to the sides of her face. Looking skyward, she said, “Thank you.”

  “There’s more, isn’t there?” asked Samuel.

  Darby hated this. “Yes.” He took a deep breath, looking down at the table, not wanting to make eye contact with either of them. Emma placed her hands on Samuel’s shoulders as they both leaned in, toward Darby.

  “Governor Davis has him.” He hesitated. “And now they have Ryder too. He’s holding them both hostage.”

  Emma, in shock, pulled out one of the chairs and slowly eased into it. Samuel reached out and took her hand.

  “Why would he do that?” asked Samuel.

  “He wants this valley and everything in it.” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” said Darby. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

  “It’s okay,” said Samuel. “Thank you for letting us know.”

  “Is there anything you’d like me to do?” asked Darby.

  “There’s nothing to do except to pray for God to deliver them both safely back to us,” replied Samuel.

  Darby knew from Ryder that his father’s faith was strong, but these were his sons. How could he be so calm? Darby could tell from the look in Emma’s eyes she was questioning whether prayer was the only thing they could do.

  “You should know,” said Darby, “we think the governor has plans to use Levi as leverage to take over this valley. Now that they have Ryder, too, they’ll probably use him for the same purpose.”

  Samuel smiled. “God will take care of us just as he always has.” He paused. “You look like you could use a good night’s sleep. Why don’t you take one of the cots at the Town Hall? We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

  Darby was frustrated and angry that Samuel was taking the news so casually. He slid back his chair and stood up. He wanted to say something to convince Samuel of the seriousness of the trouble his sons were in, but knowing it was of no use, remained silent. He nodded to both Samuel and Emma and let himself out. He hadn’t expected help from Samuel, but he had expected at least a little concern. His objective had been to let them know about their sons, and he had done that. His conscience was clear, but he had no intention of abandoning Ryder or Levi.

  Darby led his horse to the livery stable where he gave it a quick rubdown with a bit of oats and water. He couldn’t hang around though; he had to start spreading the word and gathering all Raiders willing to help. They needed to be ready when the governor made his move.

  ***

  Samuel began to get up from the kitchen table, but stayed seated when Emma reached out and grasped his hand. He could see the worry in her eyes.

  “Our boys are in God’s hands now
,” he said. “Have faith that he’ll take care of them.”

  She didn’t want to argue, even though she didn’t completely agree. They had been soul mates for a very long time, with rarely a disagreement between them. Emma had always supported her husband, but this time it was different. These were her boys and she was having a difficult time with the idea of leaving their fate totally in God’s hands, hoping they would be miraculously returned to them.

  “How do we know God doesn’t want us to help them?” she asked. “We were given free will for a reason.”

  He remained quiet for a while as he thought about how to answer her. Perhaps he was too set in his ways, perhaps she was right. He wouldn’t let his pride get in the way. “What would you have me do?” he asked.

  “Ask your friend, Daniel, for help. He knows the governor and what he’s capable of doing.”

  “I don’t think he’d help. He put all that behind him,” answered Samuel.

  “I’m sure he’d help … if you asked him.”

  Her moist eyes begged him to try.

  “I’ll ride out tomorrow morning at first light,” he announced.

  She smiled at him as she took both of his hands into hers. “Thank you. Now, let’s pray for the safety of our sons.”

  ***

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Ryder’s cell was bare except for a stainless steel toilet in the corner and a metal framed cot anchored to the wall. He sat on the cold concrete floor with his back against the concrete wall. He wasn’t sure where Levi was being kept. When they brought him in, the cells around him had been empty and there had been no sounds. He tried to think of a way to get Levi out of this mess. He wasn’t concerned about himself so much, but he knew his brother was in real danger. Damon and the governor wouldn’t hesitate to kill either one of them to get what they wanted.

  Billy had been right, a lot had changed since he’d been a guard there, but the governor and Damon were exactly the same. He decided to reach out to one of the guards for help. He hadn’t recognized either one that had placed him in the cell. Both must have been new recruits since he’d left.

  “Guard!” he yelled.

  He heard footsteps approaching. A guard stopped in front of him, their faces only inches apart, separated only by the cell bars.

  “What do you want?” asked the guard gruffly.

  “I used to be a member of the Guard like you,” said Ryder. “How about helping me and my brother get out of here?”

  The guard just stared back, expressionless.

  “We’ll make it worth your while. You can even come with us.”

  “You don’t have anything that’s worth risking execution,” said the guard, before turning and walking away.

  Ryder had just eliminated the most obvious means of escape. It had been a long shot anyway. Time was running out. Governor Davis wanted an answer by first thing in the morning, whenever that was. Since there were no windows in cell block A, he’d lost track of time and had no idea how much time he had left before sunrise.

  He wondered if Billy was in one of the cells or if he’d already paid the ultimate price. Ryder’s guard had been eager to tell him Billy had been arrested. He was sorry he’d been captured, but he wasn’t sorry for trying everything to help his brother.

  It appeared help would have to come from the outside. He was sure Darby knew by now what had happened. If there was going to be a rescue, it would be up to him to figure it out. Darby was his best friend and he had complete confidence in him.

  A blood-curdling scream carried down the hallway. Ryder jumped up and rushed over to the cell bars, listening intently. He couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like Levi. He was worried. His heart was beating rapidly. Another scream came followed by “Ryder!” Now he was sure. It was his brother.

  “I’m right here, Levi!” yelled Ryder. “Leave him alone!” he yelled at the guards.

  The guard returned to the cell, walked up to him, and took a quick step back just as Ryder grabbed for him. Amused, he taunted, “I hope your brother can last until morning.”

  There was another scream. The other guard continued to work on his brother. Ryder knew why they were doing it. It was all for his benefit. And they would keep it up until he gave them what they wanted, Paradise. There was no reason for him to let his brother continue to suffer.

  “Okay! Enough!” yelled Ryder, getting madder by the second. “Let the governor know I want to talk.”

  His guard smiled. “He’s probably asleep at this hour, but I’ll see if he’s available.”

  Ryder listened as the guards footsteps faded in the distance.

  After what seemed an eternity, the screaming stopped. Ryder didn’t know whether to be afraid or grateful. Either they had stopped torturing his brother or he was unconscious or dead.

  Soon, the guard returned with another guard, unlocking the cell door. “You’re in luck. He wants to see you too.” The shackles were placed back on Ryder. As they walked down the hallway, Ryder glanced inside the passing cells on both sides of the hallway, trying to get a glance of his brother. It had sounded as though he was at the other end of the cell block. The direction of the sound had been deceiving as it echoed off the concrete walls. They left the cell block without Ryder seeing any sign of Levi. He also thought it strange that all the cells appeared to be empty. When he was there as a Guard, at least some were used for disciplinary purposes. Perhaps when the food supply began to dwindle, the governor had eliminated mouths inside the walls too.

  Governor Davis was smiling and having a hushed conversation with Damon when Ryder was led into the office.

  “I hear you want to talk?” asked Davis.

  “I’ll take you to the valley if you let my brother go.”

  “Is that all?” asked Damon.

  Ryder couldn’t tell if the counselor was being sarcastic or sincere. He had the same hard-to-read smug look on his face most of the time.

  “That’s all and I want him released before we leave.”

  “That’s not going to work for us,” said Damon. “He’s going to have to stay here until you’ve fulfilled your promise. You know, just in case you were to change your mind along the way. After we have the valley, we’ll let him go.”

  “And that doesn’t work for me. What assurance do I have you’ll let him go when I’ve done my part?”

  The governor interjected, “Because, I’m the governor and I give you my word.”

  Ryder couldn’t help a snicker from escaping followed by, “You must be kidding.”

  The governor’s face quickly turned a bright red with anger.

  Damon backhanded Ryder. “You’re a slow learner. I told you to show the governor respect.”

  The act seemed to calm Davis down as he cracked a smile. “You misunderstand, Ryder. This is not a negotiation. Your brother is staying here and you are going to take us to the valley. And if you choose not to, you’ll never see your brother alive again. Understand?”

  Ryder knew when he was brought to the office that this was most likely how it was going to turn out. He had nothing to bargain with, not as long as they had Levi.

  Now, it would be up to Darby. Agreeing to lead them to the valley didn’t mean they would ever get there. He was confident they never would. His friends would make sure of that. That still meant something had to be done to save Levi.

  “When do we leave?” asked Ryder.

  “That’s more like it,” said Damon. “There’s no reason to put it off. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

  “Does that mean you’re going too?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss the ride into Paradise.”

  ***

  Darby rode to the encampment closest to Paradise. There was already a flurry of activity. Raiders from the surrounding areas were gathering. When they had heard Ryder needed help, they had jumped at the chance, hoping to pay back a fraction of what he had done for them. Under his guidance, most groups had agreed to keep things civil, establish borders, and allow limited cont
act for bartering.

  When they saw Darby ride in, he was immediately surrounded, bombarded with questions, the people wanting to know what had happened and what they could do to help. He remained mounted so everyone could see and hear him.

  “If you haven’t already heard,” said Darby in a loud voice, “Ryder and his brother, Levi, are both being held prisoner at the Sector 4 compound. We believe the governor intends to use them as leverage to take over the valley at Paradise. As you may also know, that is where Ryder and Levi were raised, and where their parents still live.”

  One of the men in the crowd, which Darby recognized as Cole, spoke up, “I’d do anything for Ryder, but why should we care what happens to that valley?”

  There was a rumbling from the crowd, many criticizing the man for even raising the question.

  Darby held up his hands to ask for silence. When it had become quiet again, “There are two reasons. First, after everything Ryder’s done for us, I’m sure he’d appreciate it and we owe him. Second, it would be a strike against the governor to prevent him from getting his hands on it.” He saw many heads nodding with agreement in the crowd. “But, I want to make this perfectly clear, no one is being forced to help out. Whatever needs to be done is strictly on a voluntary basis.” Darby paused to allow anyone else the chance to speak up.

  Cole spoke up again with a tone of apology, “I didn’t mean anything. I was just asking. Of course I’ll help. What’s the plan?”

  Darby didn’t have a plan. That was usually Ryder’s specialty. All he had was an idea of what might happen. “That’s hard to say. I’m sure they’ll send someone, but we don’t know when they’ll come or how many there will be. And we can only guess what they’d do to Ryder and Levi if we attacked them and word got back to the governor.”

  “Then, what would you like us to do?” asked another man. “We can’t just wait.”

  “We can prepare and be ready. I’d like a small group to go near the prison and keep watch. It doesn’t make any sense for all of us to go. If and when they come this way, I want someone to hightail it back here with a report of how many there are, and whether Ryder or Levi is with them. In the mean time, I want the rest of you to continue to spread the word and have the men gather at the old Hwy 183 encampment, ready to move. I’m going to Haven and gather all the men I can there. Get everyone you can, so if it comes down to a matter of numbers, we’ll have the definite advantage. Anything else?”