Exodus

by Michael R. Watson

  “I”ll take a group to the prison,” volunteered Cole.

  Darby smiled. “Thanks. You should plan to leave as soon as you can. Keep the group small.”

  Cole nodded and turned toward the crowd, picking a handful of men from those who were anxious to go.

  ***

  By request, Ryder had been placed in the cell with his brother to spend the night together before his departure. Davis had agreed as a concession to Ryder for agreeing to lead his Guard to the valley. He explained to Levi what he’d agreed to do as he tended to his brother’s cuts and bruises as best he could. He knew this could be the last time he saw his brother, alive or otherwise. There was no way of knowing how things would turn out. Darby and the others could come to his aid and capture Damon, turning the table, using him as leverage to trade for Levi, or it could go horribly wrong and he could be killed. In either case, he wasn’t worried about Levi, they would still need him for bargaining. The only reason he’d need to worry about Levi would be if Damon and the Guard made it all the way to Paradise. Then the governor would no longer need either of them.

  “You can’t help them!” shouted Levi in frustration. “You know you can’t trust them! They’re going to end up killing both of us anyway, no matter what you do!”

  Ryder smiled. “You don’t think I’d actually help them, do you?”

  Levi fell silent, realizing Ryder’s true intentions. He should have known better.

  “I’m just buying us some time. I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to get you out of here. All I can think of is to find something or someone to trade for you, something the governor can’t live without.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Just don’t let them get to the valley.”

  “Sorry, but I have to worry,” said Ryder with a hint of a smile. “You’re the only brother I have.”

  Both fell silent, no longer wanting to talk about the matter. With a little prompting from Ryder, they began to reminisce about their days as young boys growing up in the valley even before it was known as Paradise. Not only was it good for Levi to talk about home, Ryder also began to realize how good he’d had it. At the time he’d left, it had been with his father’s blessing, and he’d been excited to finally escape the humdrum farm life for adventure.

  He learned some hard lessons that first year with the Guard, and had been forced to grow up fast, but he was happy with the way things had ultimately turned out. He had been wrong about his reasons for leaving the valley. Being a farmer wasn’t boring, there was always something to do, and it was a respectable occupation. He had it pretty good, but hadn’t understood how good until he’d left it behind and had experienced the real outside world. In the valley, he’d had everything he needed, and was surrounded by people who loved him. He was different now. He’d never be able to go back to that life.

  They stayed up half the night talking until exhaustion of the long and brutal day took its toll on Levi as he nodded off in mid-sentence.

  When Levi awoke the next morning, he was alone in the cell. Ryder was already gone.

  ***

  Samuel rose early before the sun had come up, wanting to get started at first light. He hadn’t been able to sleep after he and Emma had gone to bed. And even though he’d prayed that this day would never come, it now looked like it would, with violence and evil from the outside world forcing their way into Paradise. If it did happen, things would never be the same again.

  The safety of both sons was constantly on his mind, but he had to think about the safety of the entire community too. They looked to him as their leader to keep them safe. It wasn’t something he had wanted, but he had accepted the responsibility and didn’t take it lightly. He counted on God and prayed often for his help. Perhaps Emma was right and going to Daniel was part of God’s plan to save Ryder and Levi, and to protect the valley.

  Emma, not able to sleep either, got up when Samuel did, fixing him a light breakfast and preparing a little something for him to take and eat along the way. He gave her a kiss goodbye before heading out the door.

  “Be careful,” she said through the screen door.

  He smiled and nodded.

  Instead of going directly to the livery stable, he walked to the small house next door. A light was shining through the curtains covering the front window, letting him know someone was up. He stepped up onto the front stoop, and as he raised his fist to knock, the door opened before his knuckles struck the wood. His best friend, Eli, stood in the doorway, smiling at his early visitor.

  “I saw Ryder’s friend pay you a visit late last night. Anything wrong?” asked Eli.

  “I’m afraid so. Governor Davis has taken Levi and Ryder prisoner and his Guard may be on their way here right now.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. What can I do to help?” asked Eli.

  “I was wondering if you would go with me?” asked Samuel. “I’m going to see Daniel Gant to ask for his help. We should be back before dark.”

  “Of course. When do we leave?”

  “As soon as I can get the buggy ready.”

  “Let me throw some things together and I’ll meet you at the livery stable.”

  Shortly thereafter, the two were on their way. It was only a half-day trip from Paradise to the valley where Daniel, John, and their families were establishing a new homestead. Samuel was looking forward to seeing both families again. He’d developed a real connection with John and his family, even though it had been for a relatively brief time.

  Samuel wasn’t optimistic about Daniel being willing to help. And he wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to. He was starting a new life there, and re-entering the old world to deal with the same old people could be a tremendous step backward. Samuel had already decided not to apply any pressure to get him to come back, but he’d appreciate and accept any counsel that Daniel could give him. Working closely for the governor for the last few years would have given him a special insight into how the governor might act or react to the current circumstances.

  He was glad to have Eli with him. He was a good listener and Samuel had a lot to say. He also knew he could count on Eli to let him know if he disagreed with him. They had been friends as far back as they could remember. Both had been raised in the valley, both fourth generation homesteaders. Over time, Samuel had assumed the leadership role without asking for it. It just happened.

  Eli always accompanied Samuel around the first of each quarter when they conducted a search for those unfortunate souls stranded by the disposal team. Never knowing the exact date or place, they were unsuccessful far more times than they were successful, but both agreed it was the right thing to do.

  ***

  CHAPTER SIX

  Cole and six other men left within the hour after saying goodbye to their families. They packed enough food for a one week period to cover the travel time and the time watching the front prison gates. There was no way of knowing how long it would be before the governor made a move, but Darby felt it would be relatively soon. They rode hard and in silence, Cole leading the way.

  They stayed on the main trail that ran parallel with old Hwy 183, the most direct and quickest way to the old prison, the governor’s headquarters. Most roads had become impassable after the earthquakes had done their damage, creating deep fissures all across the region, especially the asphalt and concrete roadways, where the surfaces had cracked, buckled, and separated.

  The small Raider’s group was caught off guard when a low lying dust cloud appeared faintly on the horizon in front of them, a strong indication of someone on the trail. Cole’s first impression was that it was the Guard, coming sooner than they had anticipated. The others saw it too. They hadn’t signed on for this. They were only supposed to be lookouts, to return and report any activity. They weren’t prepared for a confrontation, not against the Guard. He held up his hand for everyone to stop. He could see concern on the faces of the other men.

  “What are we going to do now?” one of them asked.

&nb
sp; “If it is the Guard, we can’t take them on directly, but maybe we can slow them down a little. We still need to know how many there are and whether Ryder or Levi is with them before we report back.”

  “What do you have in mind?” one asked.

  “First, we’ll spread out and gather all the dried branches and brush we can. Then we’ll place a pile of them across the trail and one on each side next to the tree rows. When they get close we’ll light all the piles, blocking their way. We’ll throw some green limbs and twigs on top so there will be a smoke cloud to further confuse them and keep us hidden. And if we are forced to fight, it’ll also make them easy targets when they come to a stop.”

  “So, we’re going to fight them?” asked one of the men, obviously afraid.

  “If we do it right,” answered Cole, “they’ll think there are more of us than there actually are. If you’re squeamish about shooting at them, fire into the air. The distraction should give us a chance to get away after we have a head count. Now go!”

  They rode a little ways down the trail, dismounted, and tied up their horses. They scattered through the brush, bringing back armfuls of dead material from the tree rows. It didn’t take long to gather what they needed.

  “Don’t forget the green limbs. We want plenty of smoke so they can’t see us. It’ll probably be the one thing to save us. Now scatter and watch out for Ryder and his brother. We don’t want either one to get shot accidentally.”

  ***

  Damon rode beside Ryder, letting Ryder show the way. He hadn’t known whether he would need Ryder as a guide, since he’d been to the valley only once before with Taylor. Ryder was just insurance, both as a hostage and in case he did forget the way. A dozen Guard accompanied them, not enough to make a difference in a fight, but hopefully enough to shield the counselor while he made his escape.

  Ryder knew Damon had been to the valley. He couldn’t help thinking about how Damon had left Taylor hanging spread-eagle on the cemetery fence. At the time, he hadn’t suspected Damon of being there, instead assuming he’d sent one of the Guard to do his dirty work.

  Ryder’s purpose as a hostage was to simplify the process of taking over the valley. The smoother the transition, the less damage there would be to the resources, and the workforce.

  Ryder had been watching his surroundings carefully, not knowing if or when Darby would come to his rescue. He had to be ready when the opportunity presented itself. He was the first to see what he thought was a dust cloud ahead on the trail. A hint of a smile appeared on his face, then, realizing he was being closely watched, replaced it quickly with a straight face.

  Damon had been watching Ryder, looking for any indication of something about to happen. This was Ryder’s backyard. He knew the landscape and the people. Damon hadn’t been fooled by Ryder agreeing to show them the way in return for his brother’s safety. He was sure it was just a delaying tactic. And that was okay. As long as they were still heading toward Paradise, progress was being made and their objective was still ahead.

  He would be disappointed if Ryder and his Raiders didn’t attempt something to stop them from reaching Paradise. It was all part of the game. Anything worth having was worth fighting for, or in Damon’s case, worth stealing.

  Damon watched as Ryder’s expression and body language changed as he sat up straight and alert in the saddle. Looking ahead, Damon, too, saw the dust cloud. Someone was approaching in the distance.

  “Stay alert!” he commanded. “I believe we’re about to have company.”

  Ryder was disappointed. If it was Darby, there would be no element of surprise.

  They continued to ride on. Within moments the dust cloud disappeared. Damon held up his hand and reined his horse back to stop. All the guards came to a halt behind him with their dust cloud catching up to them. Once it settled, Damon concentrated on the horizon, looking for any kind of movement while the others waited for orders.

  “What should we do?” asked one of the Guard.

  “You can shut up while I think!” yelled Damon, as he continued to look down the trail. He had been sure he’d seen dust in the sky moments earlier, but he couldn’t be sure whether it had been riders or just a dust devil, or would that have been too much of a coincidence?

  “Beginning to lose it?” asked Ryder, attempting to push his buttons. “If you’re having doubts or if you’re afraid, we can always turn back.”

  Damon ignored the remark.

  Ryder sat silently, enjoying Damon’s situation, not knowing whether Damon had actually seen something or not. He thought he had seen something too, but he wasn’t concerned whether it had been real or not. He was experiencing a small victory by seeing Damon struggle with indecision. Any kind of kink in Damon’s plan was reason to celebrate. He was a little surprised to see him acting less in control than he normally was back at the prison compound.

  Obviously, if someone had been coming in their direction, they no longer were. Damon focused back on the mission and it wouldn’t be accomplished by them sitting there.

  “Master Peck! Let’s move out!” commanded Damon as he took the lead. Even though he wasn’t technically a member of the Guard, he was in command and no one questioned it, ever. “Tell your men to be ready for anything. We could run into a Raider ambush anywhere along the trail.”

  They rode on with no signs of trouble. Ryder was enjoying the quiet, casual, and peaceful ride. It gave him time to think about Levi and wonder if there was a plan underway to rescue him. He was well protected within the prison walls. Without inside help, it would be impossible.

  If he still had friends in the Guard, they may think twice about helping, knowing what had happened to Justin. He remembered him as always wanting to do the right thing. That was why he’d agreed to help with supplies after Ryder informed him that he was leaving. Ryder felt responsible. Justin had been executed for taking supplies from the governor’s stockpile, and now Billy had been arrested and possibly executed. If he’d never included either one in his business, Justin would still be alive and Billy would be free and with his family. If he got out of this, he wasn’t going to involve anyone else. Ryder’s train of thought was interrupted by Damon’s yell, “Halt!”

  Ryder looked into the distance to see what appeared to be smoke rising into the air ahead. There was no confusion about whether it was smoke or dust; something was burning and with no wind, a gray column rose almost straight into the sky. The smell of smoke reached his nose confirming his assumption. As they rode closer, they saw a pile of burning brush across the entire trail, blocking their path. The smoke was so thick, they couldn’t see to the other side.

  Damon motioned for the procession to split up and go around the burning and smoking pile, only to have flames shoot up on both sides too. The smoke from the fires was thick and spreading toward them. It was becoming hard to see. The guards’ eyes and throats began to burn. They began to cough. One shot sounded, followed by a volley of others from hidden locations.

  Their path blocked, not able to see the aggressors, and his men in a panic, Damon did the only thing he could, shouting, “Fall back!”

  Ryder saw his chance. He grabbed hold of the saddle horn with both of his bound hands and kicked at the horse to gallop through the smoke.

  Damon reached out and grabbed Ryder’s horse’s reins. “Oh, no! You’re staying with us!”

  The guards swung around and galloped back up the trail to escape the smoke with Damon right behind them. Believing they were at a safe distance, Damon stopped to regroup. “How many men did we lose?” he asked to no one in particular.

  Peck took a head count. “None,” answered Master Peck, surprised.

  Damon cursed. He looked at Ryder. “I have to assume your men did this.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I’ve been in your custody the past two days.”

  Damon thought a moment. He wasn’t about to let this setback stop them. “You three and you three,” he said, pointing the men out. “Cut through the tree rows and swin
g out past the smoke and come in from behind. I want to know how many are out there. If we can’t see them, they can’t see us.”

  ***

  Damon’s men had made a feeble attempt at returning fire into the smoke before retreating. Cole signaled his men to join him back near the trail. He was glad to see none of them had been injured. The fire would quickly consume the dry brush with the smoke clearing away soon after that.

  “Did anyone see Ryder?” Cole asked.

  “I saw him,” answered one of the men, “and about a dozen of the Guard.”

  “We did what we set out to do. So now, we need to get out of here before they make a run at us. Johnson, you ride ahead of us and report to Darby.”

  They nodded agreement and mounted up. They could already see the images of the guards through the smoke as it began to clear away. The fires were dying out. They had ridden less than twenty feet when shots rang out from their sides. Four of the men with Cole fell from their horses, never to get back up. Johnson, who had already ridden away, broke his horse into a gallop. Cole and the one other remaining man tried to ride away, but their way was blocked. Cole sighed heavily as he raised his hands high into the air to surrender. The other man followed his example and did the same, dropping his reins. Johnson looked over his shoulder with Cole waving him on.

  One of the guards rode back to the smoldering brush on the trail and signaled to Damon that it was okay to advance. Damon pulled Ryder’s horse along with a firm grip. The remaining Guard followed behind, between the smoldering piles. Ryder recognized the faces of the two men who had been captured, but not their names. They had been forced off their horses and were kneeling on the ground, surrounded by the advance groups.