Gant and John entered the utility room. Levi looked at the open door. “I thought you were going to get us out of this place?” There was an edge to his voice.
John turned to him and Ryder and smiled. “We are.”
Gant pulled the panel open and waved them in.
“You first,” said Ryder.
Gant nodded, lit his lantern, holstered his pistol, and crawled in.
“I’ll bring up the rear,” offered John.
Ryder helped Levi into the tube. He was still moving slow from the aches and pains he had sustained from the beatings. “Just take it slow and easy,” he told Levi.
“But not too slow,” added John.
After torturing their knees again, they approached the end of the passage, the light from Gant’s lantern illuminating the back of the closed panel. Gant, assuming his boys might be on edge, called out, “It’s us, boys. Don’t shoot.”
There was no answer. Gant had an odd feeling suddenly hit him in the pit of his stomach. He motioned for the others to stay where they were. He applied a slight amount of pressure to the panel door. It swung open slightly where he could peer into the room. A short candle remained burning on a small shelf, sitting in a pool of its own melted wax. The room was empty and the door to the room was closed. He slowly pushed the panel door all the way open while drawing his pistol. He crawled out of the tube and waved for the others to follow.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ryder.
“We left my sons right here and told them to wait for us,” answered Gant.
“Don’t worry. They’re smart boys,” John pointed out.
“So, you wouldn’t worry if it was your kids out there?” asked Gant.
“Point taken,” replied John. “They must have had a reason to leave. I’m sure they’re close by.”
“Let’s look for them,” said Ryder, heading for the door.
“No. I’ll do that,” said Gant. “John, do you think you can get them back to where we came in?”
“Yeah, I think so, but wouldn’t it be better if we all helped?”
He looked at Levi, sitting on the floor, head in his hands. “He needs medical attention as soon as possible, so go ahead and get him out. Like you said, they’re probably nearby. I’ll find them and catch up.”
“Then I’ll stay and help,” offered Ryder. “John can take Levi out. It’s the least I can do after you’ve gone to this much trouble. The two of us might be able to find them quicker.”
Gant was silent while he considered the offer. Precious time was being lost, time that could be used looking for his sons. They could be in trouble. He nodded, bringing a smile to Ryder’s face. Gant reached for the door knob, but it wouldn’t turn. He tried to force it, again without success, then threw his shoulder against it. It still wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked from the outside,” he declared. He remembered that many of the locks in the prison only locked from the outside, for obvious security reasons. The keys in his pocket wouldn’t do any good here. He turned to face the others. John, Ryder, and even Levi were staring back at him.
“What do we do now?” asked John.
“Yeah, what do we do now?” asked Levi sarcastically, his ordeal and the nagging pains all over his body making him irritable. Being young and impatient wasn’t helping either.
Gant didn’t answer right away. He’d have to think about it.
“I guess we could go back through the passage,” mentioned John. “Maybe we can get out through the cell block.”
“I’m not going to leave my sons down here,” said Gant.
“Then why don’t you just shoot the lock out?” asked Levi.
“It’d draw too much attention,” said Gant, quickly dismissing the idea.
“Well, we have to do something,” continued Levi. “We can’t stay here.” His voice had climbed an octave from the fear and stress.
“Those two choices seem to be the only ones we have,” replied Ryder. “I say we take the risk and shoot out the lock. If it draws the Guard, you and I will deal with it. Then, John can get Levi out and we can proceed to finding your boys.”
Ryder, John, and Levi waited for Gant to decide. “Okay,” he finally said. He aimed his pistol at the lock. “Get back,” he warned.
As he prepared to pull the trigger, there was a sound from the other side of the door. Gant placed his finger to his lips for the others to be quiet. It sounded like a key being inserted into the lock. Gant waved for everyone to get back from the door as he blew out the lantern. John rushed over and blew out the candle. They kneeled on the floor, guns drawn, prepared for whoever came through the door. The doorknob turned and the door cracked open, allowing a slit of light to appear.
“Dad,” came a whisper.
They all sighed relief. Gant rushed to the door and yanked it open. Both boys stood outside the door. He looked them over quickly to make sure neither was injured. He rounded them up into his huge arms and then released them as quickly, his initial smile turning serious. “Where have you boys been? I told you to stay here.”
“I told you we wouldn’t get back before they did,” Adam told Aaron.
“So, what happened? Why did you leave?” demanded their dad.
“Aaron thought it would be a good idea to collect a few things while we waited.” He held up a knapsack that was stuffed full.
“That’s good, but I told you to stay here. I was worried and now we’ve wasted valuable time. Why did you lock us in?”
“We wanted to leave the door the way we found it and to protect you in case someone came along,” answered Aaron with all sincerity.
Gant looked at John who was smiling. “Okay, let’s go then.”
“The sooner the better,” said Adam. “We heard voices.”
***
Peck could see everything going on in cell block C through one of the small windows in the doors. The corridor inside was crowded with the traitorous former Guard, ushering their families out the far set of double doors with all they could carry. Within a span of fifteen minutes all but a few stragglers were left. Soon it was as quiet as a church on Monday with not one soul in sight. Piles of discarded and abandoned items were scattered across the floor. He waited a few minutes longer, in case there were others still packing.
“I’ll be right back,” Peck told the Guard at his side. He then ran through the administration office doors to the governor’s office where he knocked loudly.
“Yes?” answered Damon in a calm voice.
The governor was once again cowering behind his desk.
“Governor, I doubt if it’s them,” reasoned Damon. “I don’t think they’d knock.” Davis considered that, then rose to sit back into his chair, still noticeably terrified.
“Counselor? It’s Peck, sir.” He didn’t feel comfortable referring to himself as Master Peck. “They’re all gone. The living quarters are deserted.”
Damon kept the door closed and locked. “Spread out and check everywhere and I mean everywhere. When you’ve confirmed they’ve all left the compound, close and lock the gate. Then come back and report to me. I also want to know how many of the Guard are still with us.”
“Yes, sir!” acknowledged Peck. He ran back to the other guard to order him to help with the search. Peck was glad to see the guard had remained where he had left him and hadn’t left with the others.
“So, why did you stay?” Peck asked. “Didn’t you want to leave too?”
Kyle was a fairly new recruit, young and inexperienced. There’d been no way to anticipate any of this happening. Peck’s recruitment speech had highlighted the good points of being in the Guard, but it was turning out to be quite different in reality. He shrugged. Peck was wasting time and couldn’t contain himself as he backhanded the boy out of frustration, bringing an immediate flow of blood from the corner of his mouth.
“You’re either with us or against us,” stated Peck.
Kyle, unsure of what to say, said nothing.
Peck knew the boy didn’t have a
ny family there. That had been one of the reasons why he’d been selected. And since he didn’t know if the boy was the only Guard to remain, he needed to give him a chance. They would need his help, any kind of help. Peck’s features softened.
“If you’ll stick it out, I’ll make it worth your while. Are you willing to do that? Or you can leave right now with the others. But, before you decide, I just want you to think about a few things. Here, you have shelter, food, and clothing. Do you know of anyone else who can provide that for you?”
Kyle wiped away the blood with the back of his hand and looked at it and then looked at Peck. “I think I’d like to leave,” he stated with a hint of anger and defiance.
Peck stared into his eyes, his features once again becoming hard, his anger erupting. “I thought you might say that,” said Peck, pulling out his pistol and shooting Kyle where he sat against the wall, killing him instantly. He took a deep breath as he shook his head slightly from side to side. If he’d been able to stop Gant and his family from leaving, none of this would have ever happened.
Once the other guards had come to realize they had an option too, and that there was a chance of another life, there had been no reason to stay.
He walked briskly through the living quarters, taking out his aggression by kicking anything and everything that got in his way, including piles of uniforms. He continued through other hallways and checked the staircase, never seeing another person, Guard or otherwise. The only sound he heard was that of his own footsteps. Then he remembered the prisoners in cell block A. Ryder and Levi could still be a bargaining chip. They had not come out of this empty-handed. The anticipation of finding them locked in their cells put a little spring back into his steps, looking forward to seeing them and gloating over them for being their prisoners. There was still a card to be played.
Peck was disappointed but wasn’t surprised when he found no guard at the door to the cell block. He proceeded to the cells where Ryder and his brother were being held. He was already running over in his mind what he was going to say. As he walked up to Ryder’s cell, his mouth was already open, ready to tell him how hopeless their situation was. He had already decided not to volunteer any information as to what had happened.
Instead, he saw that the cell door was ajar and the cell was empty. He slid it all the way open, going inside and seeing that Ryder was gone, even though it had been obvious. Peck cursed loudly. He rushed to the adjacent cell, confirming what he already suspected, that his brother was gone too. Perhaps they’d been moved. Out of desperation, he ran down the corridor, checking every cell. “Ryder!” he yelled, not expecting a response.
Now, he was as afraid as he was angry. He would be blamed. Regardless, Damon and the governor had to be told. His only saving grace would be that they needed guards and he knew he was one of the very last ones.
Peck walked back toward the governor’s office, in no rush to make his report. He wasn’t sure why, but he had to assume that the deserters had freed the brothers. Maybe it was time for him to leave too. He dismissed the idea as soon as it entered his head. He was probably in the best position of his life with a position of authority and all the comforts he could want. He claimed he had no family. That was only partly true. He’d never known his mother or father, who had died in a car wreck when he was very young. After that, he’d been passed from relative to relative, never living in any one place for very long. He was always the new kid on the block, having to prove himself, always getting in trouble, and developing a chip on his shoulder.
When he passed through the double doors, just past the living quarters, he almost tripped over Kyle’s feet. He stopped and looked at the body, grabbed his feet and dragged the body into one of the side offices, closing the door. He proceeded to the governor’s office and pounded loudly on the door.
Damon stepped to the door. “Master Peck?” he asked through the door.
Peck acknowledged the use of his title to be a good sign. “Yes, sir.”
“Are they all gone?”
“Yes, sir, everyone’s gone,” he reported.
Damon unlocked the door and cracked it open, verifying it to be Peck before swinging it open completely. Damon joined Peck in the hallway. “How many guards stayed?”
“None, sir.”
Damon cursed.
“Did you lock the gate?” asked Damon.
Peck had forgotten with everything else going on. “Sorry, sir. Not yet.”
Damon stared at him. “Wasn’t that what you were sent to do?”
Davis joined them. “Did you check on Ryder and his brother?” he asked, now standing at Damon’s side, nervously looking up and down the corridor, now feeling vulnerable.
“Gone.”
“But why would they let them out?” Davis thought out loud, asking no one in particular.
“I don’t know, sir,” answered Peck.
Taking a deep breath, the governor stated, “I guess it doesn’t matter. They were our bargaining chips for taking over the valley, but now I don’t know if we can even take care of ourselves.”
Damon had no immediate words of reassurance for the governor. Then something dawned on him. “Do we know if the guards at Tent City and the ones overseeing the workers are still here?” he asked, facing Peck.
“I don’t know, Counselor,” answered Peck.
“Well, go find out,” demanded Damon. “We’ll still need someone to watch over the workers to keep them productive. If they’re still there, bring some back here to help protect the governor and the compound.”
“Perkins can drive you,” offered Davis.
“He must have left with the others,” replied Peck.
Davis kicked his trash can across the room.
Peck turned to leave. “And,” continued Damon, “recruit any workers who appear qualified and who would like to be a Guard. We can’t be overly picky right now. We can weed out the worthless ones later. Now, go! And lock the gate when you come back.”
“Yes, sir,” said Peck as he rushed out, the echo of his footsteps disappearing down the hallway.
“We’re going to have to start all over,” said Davis, slumping back into his chair.
“We still have this compound,” reminded Damon, “with water and stockpiles of food and supplies in here. As long as the gate remains closed, it’ll keep any other threats out. We won’t have to start from scratch. We can rebuild, sir. We still have workers, crop fields, gardens, and livestock.”
“I hope you’re right,” mumbled Governor Davis, forcing a weak smile.
***
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Darby and the other Raiders came to a stop within view of the prison, approximately a half-mile away. They could see a wooded area immediately to the west of it and a wall of cars, SUVs, and pickups to the east. Even at this distance they could also see a large number of people hurriedly moving through the prison’s gate, coming toward them. The longer Darby watched, he could distinguish that the flood of people included men, women, and children. And there didn’t appear to be any sign of anyone attempting to stop them. He had to assume they must be the guards and their families, doing exactly what they had said they would.
Maybe he’d been wrong about the guards. Apparently, what he expected was a lie about leaving the governor hadn’t been just a ruse after all. Darby nudged his horse forward. The stream of people parted as he and his men approached, with no sign of stopping or even slowing down. As they passed by, Darby recognized a few of the men’s faces, verifying that these were the ones they’d temporarily held prisoner. Not one remained in uniform, back into their tattered garb from before their recruitment. The women and children stared at them with varying degrees of anxiousness and suspicion. They’d been uprooted and rushed out of the only home they had come to know without any warning and now they were facing a group of men on horseback they had always been told to fear and avoid at all cost.
Whispers spread throughout the moving crowd. The former Guard members were attempting t
o explain to their families what had taken place during the last few days and that these men were indeed the Raiders, but that they no longer needed to fear them, that they were now allies or at least not enemies for the moment. Acceptance would take time.
Some of the children were riding on horses liberated from the governor’s stable, with their mothers walking to the side and led by their fathers. Darby was sure the wrapped bundles tied to the back of the horses probably contained all of their worldly possessions. He was beginning to see them in a new light. He had hated the Guard so long it came as quite a revelation. But as he looked at their faces, it became obvious to him they hadn’t had it much better on the inside than he or any of his men had had it in their attempt to survive in the wasteland. They too had done the best they could with the hand they’d been dealt.
Darby scanned the faces of the men, looking for one in particular from the group of their former captives. Darby thought his name was Jason. Then he spotted him, coming toward him on his left. He reined his horse into the flow of people, forcing them to split again, stopping in front of him, blocking his way.
“What happened?” asked Darby.
Jason and his family stopped while the flow of the others continued by on both sides. “They let us go. At first, they attempted to stop us and then suddenly they just gave up and let us leave.” Jason pulled on the reins to lead the horse around him. “We have to go, to get away from here.”
Darby nudged his horse forward, once again blocking his way. “What happened to the men from our group who came back with you?”
“They split off from us before we reached the compound.”
“And you haven’t seen them since then?” asked Darby.
“No, but I wasn’t really looking for them either. I just wanted to get my family out of there as safely and quickly as I could. Now can we go?” asked Jason.
Darby nodded as he stood in the stirrups to gain some height and looked toward the prison gates, wondering where the others were. The ex-Guard and their families were now clear of the compound and there was no one in pursuit. From what he could see, there didn’t appear to be any activity near the gate or inside the fence. All appeared quiet. The only movement was the twirling blade of the wind turbine extending high above the buildings top level.
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