Exodus

by Michael R. Watson

  Blake clenched his fists and cursed loudly, storming off a short distance before coming back. He took the body from John and placed it beside the other bodies.

  “There was no sign of any of them,” continued Gant. “We didn’t know which way they’d gone and it was too dark to track them. We’ll go back in the morning as soon as we have enough light.”

  Grayson nodded that he understood. “Why would they kill Murphy?”

  “I’m just guessing, but he probably refused to fly them away,” suggested Gant.

  “That sounds like Murphy. He’d been a pilot during two tours in Afghanistan,” said Grayson.

  “How will you get home now?” asked John.

  “I can fly the helicopter,” admitted Grayson. “In the morning, I’ll take my men home to their families.” Then a thought occurred to him. “Was the helicopter damaged?”

  “Not that I could tell, it looked fine,” replied Gant.

  “Can you take me to it? I’d like to check it out and fly it back here tonight so I can keep an eye on it.”

  “Of course,” said Gant.

  “John, could you help Blake make a few small fires to show me where to land?” asked Grayson.

  Blake returned to Grayson’s side. “I really think I should stay with you. Davis and the others could still be nearby.”

  “No. I’d rather you stayed here. Keep an eye on our boys and help John.” He could tell Blake wasn’t happy about it.

  “I’ll be alright. I’ll be with Master Gant. Okay?” said Grayson. Blake nodded reluctantly.

  Gant and Grayson set off on foot while John and Blake began to gather firewood, making small piles around the perimeter of the clearing.

  ***

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Damon led the way, heading across country to the south-bound road. That was where he anticipated finding a scattering of Raider and former Guard campsites. Since the former guards had their families with them and it would have been too dangerous to travel at night, he assumed they would have set up camps along the south road. Each Raider had a horse and many of the Guard did too, having liberated them from the compound’s stable. Chances were favorable that Damon and Peck would find a suitable site to obtain a few horses.

  They intentionally avoided the direction back to the helicopter and the compound. If anyone was looking for them, which he was sure they were, that would be the first area for them to look.

  As they approached the road they saw exactly what Damon had expected. Spread out at irregular intervals was the glow of several small fires along what appeared to be the silhouette of a tree row. One fire appeared to be larger than the others and off by itself. That would be where they would look first.

  A larger fire might indicate that it accommodated more people, probably Raiders camping together, meaning more horses. Damon suspected the smaller fires may have been for the individual Guard families. Some of the food from the wagons was probably already being shared.

  Damon wasn’t too worried about sentries. There was no one for them to watch out for, as far as they knew. And he was sure they wouldn’t expect him and the others to still be in the area. Nevertheless, they still needed to be careful. If discovered, the Guard and the Raiders all had horses and guns, and knew how to use them. Even though armed themselves, they wouldn’t stand a chance. It was essential no one knew what they’d done until they were long gone. Damon knew he could pull this off as long as Peck didn’t mess things up somehow. So, he kept a constant eye on Peck, watching his every movement. The frustration of being treated as an imbecile could be seen on Peck’s face.

  When they got close enough, they could see who and how many were in the camp. It was just as Damon had hoped. There didn’t appear to be any women, most likely an encampment of Raiders. Off to the south a short distance their horses were tethered, grazing on the tall prairie grass. Damon motioned for Peck to follow him as they circled around to the horses.

  As they moved in, low to the ground, the horses became skittish, evidently reacting to the sound of unseen movements in the dark. The horses backed away from them, trying to pull free.

  “Someone, go check on the horses,” one of the Raiders said. “Something is spooking them.”

  “Stay here!” Damon ordered Peck in a whisper. He stood up so the horses could see him and began to whisper in a soothing voice, “Easy. Easy there.” It was working. The horses were becoming less fidgety, apparently no longer sensing danger.

  Noticing the horses calming down, the Raider that had been heading their way turned around and went back to the campfire. “It was nothing,” he declared to the others.

  Damon untied the ropes of three horses, patting them on their necks, while continuing to talk softly to them. Slowly, he led them away, back to where Peck waited impatiently.

  “Are you going back for two more?” whispered Peck.

  “We can’t risk it. Let’s go.”

  “What about saddles?”

  “We’ll have to make do without them.”

  “What about food? You know Governor Davis wanted something to eat.”

  “We’ll have to come up with something tomorrow.”

  “He’s going to be mad.”

  “Yeah, I imagine he will be.” There was a lack of concern in his voice.

  They led the horses approximately a quarter mile from the campsite before Damon slung himself up onto the back of one of the horses. Peck looked at him in disbelief.

  “Here,” said Damon, motioning for Peck to give him one of the ropes. “Now, get on.”

  Peck made a couple of sad attempts, not sure he wanted to be up there anyway. “I’ll just walk along with you.”

  Damon jumped down and took deliberate steps toward Peck. “Put your hands on his back.” When he’d done that, Damon leaned down and interlocked his fingers. “And put your left foot here.” As he did it, Damon lifted him roughly onto the horses back. If Damon had known for certain that he wouldn’t need Peck in the future, he wouldn’t have bothered. “Now sit up and hold onto the rope and the horse’s mane.” Peck did as he was told, a smile appearing, obviously pleased with himself. He’d never ridden a horse bareback before.

  Damon re-mounted, leading the extra horse. “Come on.”

  “Let’s go, boy,” encouraged Peck. As the horse began to move, his handfuls of mane became a death grip. From no effort on his part, his horse followed the other two.

  ***

  Picking their way in the dark, Gant led Grayson toward the helicopter on foot, reaching it within ten minutes. They could see the running lights still blinking through the trees and could hear the engine idling. When they entered the clearing the rotors were motionless. Grayson walked around the exterior, carefully looking it over, not finding any apparent damage. Then he entered through the side door. Before he saw it, he felt the thick, sticky blood on Murphy’s seat. He took his shirt off, wiped the blood off his hand and the seat before sitting in the pilot’s seat. Gant kept watch of their perimeter. Trouble could still be nearby. Grayson looked at each of the gauges one at a time, going through a mental checklist, verifying that the helicopter was safe to fly. The engine continued to idle smoothly.

  Satisfied, he yelled to Gant, “Get in!”

  “Thanks, but I’ll meet you back with the others.”

  Grayson started to attempt to persuade Gant that it was safe, but stopped himself when he saw Gant’s face. He realized there were some people who would never fly, for whatever the reason.

  “Okay, see you there.” Grayson raised the rpm’s to operating speed as Gant stepped back. The rotors began to rotate, steadily increasing in speed. He waved as the helicopter began to rise. As it cleared the treetops and headed back to the clearing, Gant began the walk, watching as the sound of the helicopter faded and its running lights disappeared.

  ***

  When Damon and Peck arrived back at the old farmhouse, all was silent and still. They tied the horses to neglected shrubbery and entered cautiously. All three in
side were asleep.

  Damon gently shook Davis’ shoulder. The governor, startled, jerked awake and his eyes popped open, taking a moment to adjust to the darkness.

  “It’s okay. It’s me,” whispered Damon, motioning for the governor to keep his voice low.

  “You’re back. Did you get horses? What about food? I’m starving.”

  “We got three horses,” Peck interrupted. “But no food.”

  Davis looked at Damon with disbelief. “What am I suppose to eat?”

  Damon figured Davis had probably never missed a meal in his life. “Sorry, governor, it was too risky. We’re lucky to have gotten the horses. I’ll find something for you tomorrow. For now, we need to ride and put as much distance between us and the compound as possible.”

  “You want to leave now, in the dark?” asked Davis, still tired from his short nap. “I don’t think I have the strength.”

  “Would you rather stay here and wait for the chief governor?” asked Damon rhetorically.

  “Well, how are we all going to ride on three horses?” asked Davis.

  “We’re not,” replied Damon as he pulled his pistol and shot both of their rescuers as they slept. The governor’s eyes grew wide from shock. Speechless, he stared at the bodies.

  “Why did you do that?” screamed Peck. “They helped us to get away.”

  “And I appreciate it. However, they would have just slowed us down. Now each of us has a horse and we have two less mouths to feed.”

  “And when will I be next?” asked Peck pointedly.

  “As long as you stay loyal, do what you’re told, and don’t become a nuisance, you’ll be fine.”

  Peck couldn’t believe his ears. He had done everything they’d asked, trying to prove his loyalty and trust to the governor, evidently without success. He was finally beginning to realize that they were taking advantage of him, expecting loyalty without any intention of reciprocation. He should have known.

  Hesitantly, Davis asked, “Have you figured out where we’re going? We can’t roam around aimlessly.”

  “There’s a place a day’s ride west of here,” answered Damon. “A group of survivalists formed a community there. They have land and a fortress where no one bothers them.”

  “And why would they let us in?” asked Davis.

  “Because my uncle is their leader.”

  ***

  Gant walked into the clearing, the Blackhawk sitting in its center, engine off and rotors slowing. Grayson and Blake were placing the bodies of their friends inside. Gant walked toward them preparing to offer his help. John grabbed him by the arm. “They said they wanted to do it themselves.” They stood nearby and watched, feeling helpless.

  When they were done, Grayson approached them. He placed a hand on Gant’s shoulder. “We’ll be leaving at daybreak.” He paused. “I know you said you weren’t interested in staying, but could you stay just until I can come back? I’m afraid for the people here.”

  “I’m sorry, but we’re leaving in the morning to track down Davis and his group and when we’re done John and I are going to get back to our families. We’ve already been gone too long and I’m sure they’re worried.”

  With a dejected look, “I understand. I’ll be back and this time I’ll have more men. If you don’t catch Davis, we will.” There was a brief pause. “What do you plan to do with Davis and the others if you catch them?”

  “You mean ‘when’ we catch them. There’s a prison right over there,” Gant said, pointing through the trees. “When you get back, you should be able to find him and the others in cells.”

  At that moment Ryder rode up, apparently in a hurry. “Has anyone seen Darby?”

  “Not since we left the compound,” said John. “Did you find Levi?”

  “Yeah,” said Ryder. “He’s resting comfortably. But I can’t find Darby. I’m afraid he’s gone and done something stupid. I’m going back to the compound to look for him.”

  “Hold up. I’ll go with you,” offered John, going for his horse.

  They rode to the entrance gate, finding it closed. A crowd had set up camp just outside the fence. John and Ryder rode over to their fire. When they came close enough, Roy recognized them and came to meet them.

  “Why’s the gate closed?” asked Ryder.

  “As soon as you left, a man on horseback rode through it, then closed and locked it. We yelled for him to let us in, but he ignored us and went inside.”

  “So, you didn’t have a chance to gather any of the supplies?”

  “No.”

  “I think we found Darby,” speculated John.

  Darby had made his feeling clear about giving up the facility and giving access to everything inside, but Ryder never dreamed he would go this far.

  John turned back to Roy, “Where is everyone else?”

  “Most went back to their homes in Tent City. It’s late and there’s nowhere else to go.”

  Ryder rode to the gate and dismounted. Pulling on the gate, it wouldn’t budge. He looked it over and found a wedge jammed into the gate’s track, only accessible from the inside.

  “Darby!” yelled Ryder. There was no answer. He yelled again.

  The front entrance door cracked open. By the dim light over the door, they could see it was Darby. “I’m not opening the gate!” Darby yelled back.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “I wasn’t about to just leave all of this. It’s ours. Survival of the fittest.”

  “We talked about this. We don’t need this place. Our homes are in Haven,” replied Ryder. “And there are enough supplies in there for everyone to share. Please open the gate.”

  “I said no. And don’t try to get inside. If you do, someone is going to get hurt.” He paused. “When the tent people leave I’ll open the gate.”

  “They’re staying,” Ryder informed Darby.

  “Then … I guess I’ll be in here for a while.”

  Ryder wasn’t going to leave with Darby in control of the compound. Something had snapped inside him. He wasn’t thinking right. Now he had become a danger to others and to himself. He whispered to John, “I can get inside through the entrance we used earlier.”

  “I’ll go with you,” stated John.

  “No, he’s my friend. I still think I can reason with him. You stay here and keep him talking.”

  Darby watched from around the edge of the door. He wasn’t sure what was happening. Ryder mounted and rode away while John stayed by the gate. Darby knew he was right, confident the other Raiders would agree with him and want to take possession of the prison compound, and all the goods in the lower level. Besides the stockpile inside, the compound had extremely solid walls, which would be an asset for security, safety, and if the earthquakes returned, as well as having solar collectors and wind turbines for power, and a fresh water well inside the walls. It was perfect.

  “Why are you still here?” Darby yelled to John. “Don’t you need to go with your new best friend?”

  John wondered where that had come from. He decided not to pursue it, but if he could keep Darby distracted, maybe it would help Ryder get close once he was inside. “I was hoping you might change your mind. There’s enough for everyone to share. Come on, open up,” John said as he tried to keep his voice calm.

  “You’re wasting your breath!” yelled Darby. “Why would I want to share with you? Since you showed up, you’ve done something to Ryder. He’s changed. You’re not one of us. You’re with that hulking devil, Gant.” He paused. “Just go away and take the tent people with you. You’re never getting in here.”

  John continued to stand by the gate as a distraction. Fifteen minutes had passed since Ryder had left. The door where Darby had been standing slammed shut. Perhaps he was tired of talking to John. He didn’t like him anyway. Or he’d gone to check on a sound. It wouldn’t take long to find out if Ryder had been successful.

  Within a couple of minutes, John heard a shot fired from within the walls, followed an instant later by a
second. There was nothing he could do but wait to see who came out the door. He waited an unbearable amount of time, and then the door swung open and Ryder stepped out. He was holding his arm, blood oozing out between his fingers. He slowly walked over to the gate and kicked the wedge out of the track. With his good arm he attempted unsuccessfully to slide the gate open. John yelled for Roy and some of the others who had been watching nearby to lend a hand.

  “Darby?” asked John, afraid of the answer.

  His eyes downcast, he slowly shook his head. He looked up at him, tears in his eyes, “He wouldn’t listen to reason.” He paused. “I didn’t think he would shoot. I just reacted.” He paused again. “He was like a brother.”

  They both looked up as a familiar sound passed overhead, the Blackhawk with Grayson at the controls, supposedly heading home. The people from Tent City were already filtering through the gate.

  “Should I stop them?” Roy asked Ryder, trying to be respectful of his fallen friend. “I could ask everyone to wait until morning.”

  “No. They’ve gone long enough without proper food and supplies. They deserve them. And it is morning,” he stated, pointing out the eastern sky as it began to lighten. “I would appreciate help with Darby though, if you don’t mind. Could you have some men bring him out so we can take him home?”

  Roy picked out a couple men to go with him. John brought over his horse and handed Roy the reins for them to use.

  “Are you going with me to find Davis?” Ryder asked John. He was worked up and anxious to go after them right then.

  “You need medical attention, and rest,” urged John.

  “It’s just a flesh wound and I don’t feel much like resting right now.”

  John convinced Ryder to let someone treat his wound and get something in his belly. Once John had his horse back, he packed both his and Ryder’s horses and found Gant. Together, they came to check on Ryder. He had either passed out or fallen asleep while sitting and leaning against a tree. They decided to let him be. He wouldn’t be much good to them in his current condition anyway. And when he woke up, he’d need to decide what to do with Darby. Davis wouldn’t be too far ahead, so there wasn’t any time to waste.