“So, you went to Merkley and he wouldn’t change his mind, so you hit him?” Erika asked.
“I don’t know what I was thinking, Erika,” Bennet admitted. “You never, ever disrespect a ranking officer, and I hit the man. But everyone was counting on me. I knew the orders, but I . . .” He paused his explanation, pacing the cell. “Oh, Erika, what did I do?”
“You hit the acting leader of the mercenary army in the face!” Erika chuckled at him, wishing she could hug him. “Guess I’m wearing off on you. Way to go, Captain Cantaloupe!”
“Oh, you think this is real funny?” Bennet defended.
“I didn’t ask you to clock Merkley in the kisser,” Erika told him.
“Whatever,” Bennet replied.
“No really, Bennet. You put the ones you love before your orders, sounds much more like something I would do,” Erika explained.
“You’re right,” he admitted, chuckling at himself.
“What are you going to do?” Erika wondered.
“Wait to see what Merkley has to say. What else can I do?” he asked her pathetically.
“Nothing, I guess. I’m sure Cole will be here soon, and he’ll fix this,” Erika said.
“No, Erika. I’ll face the consequences of my actions. I screwed up,” he said quietly, stopping his pacing and putting his head down.
“I brought you something,” Erika told him.
He looked up at her, curious what she had in store. She dug into her cargo pocket and pulled out a black hood.
“Try this on,” she said, throwing it at him through the bars. “Now imagine a chain, holding it in place around your neck, and turn the temperature up about a hundred degrees.”
He held it in his hands, staring at it.
“Erika . . . I . . .” He looked up at her, his eyes scanning hers.
“I didn’t bring it to make you feel bad. I brought it because that’s what I endured, Sgt Bennet. Weeks in a box, being treated like dirt, all because I wouldn’t give up on my beliefs. Honestly, I’d do it all again. So, you stood up for your beliefs and now you must live with that decision. I lived in that thing! So, suck it up, buttercup! I’m proud of you,” Erika told him, smiling at him warmly.
He came over to the bars. Slowly, he put his hand through and touched her shoulder.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you are a leader of leaders. It’s me that is proud of you, Erika,” he said honestly. “Now, get the hell out of here before those boys get into trouble for letting you in.”
He took his hand back through the bar and smiled gently at her. Erika returned his smile, then turned to leave. She met Kyle at the doorway and entered the dark of night. They carefully rounded the corner of the building and entered the brightness of the floodlights out front. They were met by LtCol Virgis arriving at the compound.
“Oh, shoot,” Erika whispered to Kyle.
“There’s no avoiding him now,” Kyle replied quietly.
“Erika! What are you doing here?” he wondered.
“What do you think?” she asked him quickly, but before he cold answer, she added, “It’s good to see you safe. You got here quickly.”
“It’s good to see you too. You went to see him, didn’t you?” he asked.
“I did,” she remarked flatly.
“What did he say?’ Cole wondered.
“I don’t know. The young men down there wouldn’t let anyone in,” she told him, trying to keep her voice steady.
He looked at her, studying her. It reminded Erika of the day they had first met. It had been at a celebration after her first rescue mission when she was working for the feds in Vegas. He’d questioned her intensely, testing her character. His baby face had the same searching look to it now. Erika knew any break in normal character would be immediately detected. He was a skilled interrogator.
“Where’s Vince?” he added.
“At the tent, sleeping. He got messed up in Vegas,” Erika told him.
“I heard and prayed for him. Is he gonna be okay?” Virgis asked sincerely.
“His smile won’t ever be the same, but yeah, he’ll be okay,” Erika told him.
“And, how are you?” he asked.
She sensed he was still searching. His questions went from one that was focused to questions that would relax her and let her guard down. Erika learned this pattern long ago, and knew he would soon be coming back to what he really wanted to know.
“I’m just peachy, Cole.” Her patience was wearing thin. “Why did Merkley lie?” she asked, breaking his pattern with a question of her own.
No sooner had the words left her lips when LtGen Merkley appeared through the door to the main building. As he approached, Virgis snapped to attention.
“LtCol Virgis, just the man I’ve been waiting for,” the lieutenant general grumbled.
“Sir,” Cole responded.
Erika had not met this man before. He looked to be about sixty-five years old. He was tight, neat, and orderly. His gray hair was perfectly trimmed around his head and went all the way down to an impeccably trimmed beard. The only thing out of place was a bruise on the side of his face.
Merkley’s eyes met Erika’s as she evaluated him. He held her gaze as he told LtCol Virgis, “Go meet me in my office.”
Cole replied, “Yes, sir,” and left without another word.
“You must be Mrs. Erika Moore,” he told her, recognizing her face from the trial broadcasts.
“Yes, sir. We’ve never formally met, but I understand I have you to thank for a series of times you sent Bennet to help me and my family,” she communicated sincerely.
He smiled, charmed by her frankness.
“Can you please come up to my office as well. I’d like to talk with you more,” he requested.
“Yes, sir,” she replied. She felt an uneasy pit in her stomach. It was a reflex from a life on the other side of a federal fence.
“I’ll catch up with you later, Kyle,” she told him, going in the door with the mercenary soldiers.
Inside, it smelt of sweat, like a gym. It was an old brick building that was well used. There were offices located along the front and the back opened into a large gymnasium. Erika was escorted into one of the offices and left alone.
She waited and waited. There was water on a shelf, so she went and poured herself a glass. She sipped the warm water, but still Merkley didn’t arrive. She got as comfortable as possible in the chair by the desk and waited. Her eyes drooped, and her breathing grew heavier as she sat in the silence. Just as she was falling asleep, she heard the doorknob start to turn.
She perked up and sat attentively in the chair.
“Erika Moore,” Merkley declared, entering the room.
She was groggy and replied, “Yes, sir,” snappily out of habit.
He sat down in the chair across the desk from her. His eyes were sharp and focused.
“The Lone Survivor of Sacramento,” he commented, studying her.
She smiled at his comment.
“You certainly have made a name for yourself,” he continued. “Thank you for your efforts. I know it wasn’t easy to stand in front of that board. It wasn’t easy to be the public face of a movement that so many of us supported in the background.”
His sincerity moved her deeply. “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that,” Erika replied.
“That being said, I have to manage a lot of moving parts all at once, if we are going to win this war. Now that our stance is known, and the battle has begun, you’ve become a target. There’s no need for the feds to keep you alive anymore and your public death would only strengthen their position,” he explained.
Erika had heard this before when she was held captive by the western FEMA director.
“I know, sir,” she told him flatly.
“So, it’s in our interests to keep you alive and safe. It strengthens our position. Bennet has stuck his own neck on the line for you many times,” he told her.
“I know, sir, and I
. . .” she countered.
“Listen!” he snapped at her. Then he regained his composure and continued, “Bennet is one of the most patriotic, duty-bound men that I have ever known. He impressed me from the first moment I met him, and I gladly accepted his transfer. This type of behavior,” he said, pointing at his face. “It’s completely against his character. He did this for you!” the LtGen told her, raising his voice a little bit. “My soldiers are loyal to you,” he admitted, staring into her eyes. “I made the decision to ground those choppers against your wishes and look what happens.” He pointed to his face again. “That makes you a threat to our operations. One I honestly don’t have time for. You must understand that I’m seeing the bigger picture and maximizing our resources to fight a much larger, better armed one. I’m sorry that some of your friends got left behind. I truly am, but you and your family are safe and we’ve all made sacrifices.”
Erika was trying to keep an open mind and listen carefully to what he was telling her, but the last statement stung deep into her heart. She heard that same exact statement from men in power too many times throughout her life. Maintaining her calm, she tried to stay focused on his words.
“We don’t have to be at odds. We’re on the same side, fighting to restore a Constitution we swore to and the people respected. I need your voice singing in unison with mine. Can you do that?”
“LtGen Merkley, I assure you that I never, ever, meant any disrespect. I didn’t ask Bennet to hit you. I didn’t even know what was going on. He didn’t come talk to me,” she defended, in disbelief that Merkley was blaming her for this.
Merkley took a deep breath. “Erika, he didn’t have to. What did you make him promise before you would go with him?” he asked.
“That he would go back for them and I don’t regret it. We just got them back. They’re more than friends, they’re family. Our families survived California together!” she explained, raising her voice to make sure he understood how passionate she was about this.
“Good for you! So many other families got destroyed, other families died, other people have been living as slaves. We’re fighting for all of America, for the future,” he countered fervently.
“You’re preaching to the choir, LtGen Merkley. You don’t think I know? I freaking know! I’ve been in it, in that system for a decade! You owned a private defense company and became a soldier defending the country for years while I ate scraps! You don’t think I know?” she insisted as tears formed in her eyes. “I wanted to give up so many times. Take my family and find a hole to crawl into, but I believe in a country that stood for something beautiful. A supreme message that gave all its citizens equal rights to exist. That’s why I’m here, sir. But I assure you, I’m a free individual. I don’t take orders anymore,” she finished confidently.
“Why not?” he asked.
The question caught her off guard. Usually, she was met with a forceful “Yes, you will.” She thought about it for a moment.
In her hesitation, Merkley continued. “You took orders from MGySgt Nickleton in Reno,” he declared. “I have an outstanding performance report regarding you from him.”
“That was different,” Erika replied.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because we were training to go get our friends back,” Erika explained.
“Because your goals were the same as Nickleton’s?” he countered.
“Yeah,” Erika agreed.
“Our goals are still the same. Don’t you think I want to get those people out of there? What do you think we’re doing here? I’ve seen enough death, but resources are valuable and must be allotted properly if we want our country back. We’ve sent as many trucks as we can into Nevada to get those people out. We all have friends there,” he told her.
She thought about his words and they made sense to her.
“These people want to follow you, and I can’t have dissention. We all need the same focus. That means you must trust me and your superiors.” He looked at her, his eyes begging for her compliance.
Erika had no reason to disagree. He’s right, she thought.
“Okay,” she agreed.
Merkley took a deep breath and sighed in relief.
“Bennet is going to receive a formal reprimand. I’m giving you an honorary title of Staff Sergeant. You’ll continue your training. I need you sharp and able to defend yourself. You’ll have a guard for protection as well. You’ll respect the orders of the officers above you and you will report directly to MGySgt Nickleton,” Merkley ordered her.
“Yes sir,” Erika agreed, unsure she had made the right decision, but she needed to trust in someone.
“You’re dismissed,” the LtGen told her.
She left the office and headed towards the reception area.
“Erika,” LtCol Virgis called, ending his conversation with another soldier.
He jogged up to her.
“LtCol, I’m tired,” Erika admitted.
“Oh, it’s LtCol now? What happened to Cole?” he asked, smiling widely.
“Guess I’m an honorary Staff Sgt now,” she replied unenthusiastically.
LtCol Virgis’s eyes opened a little wider as he tried to quickly regain his composure.
“The LtGen made a lot of good points,” she explained.
“Well, in that case, I better get a salute next time I approach. A real one too, not one of those crappy things you give Bennet to piss him off,” he joked, chuckling at himself. “What’s Vince and your family going to say?”
“I don’t know, LtCol We’ve been through so much. I’m tired,” she told him again.
“Go get some shut-eye. Are you coming over to train tomorrow?” he wondered.
“Of course,” she replied, unsure that the choice was hers anymore.
“I’ll see you there,” he stated cheerfully as he left to go talk with some other soldiers that had just arrived.
Erika walked alone through the glow of the tents illuminating the darkness. She wondered, Would this battle ever end? Was there a peaceful existence to be had anywhere anymore?
As she neared the family tents she found her mother sitting outside and smelled cigarette smoke in the air.
“Don’t tell me you’re smoking again?” Erika startled her as she approached from the shadows.
“Damn it, Erika, I hate it when you do that!” Nancy snapped at her.
“It’s Karen, remember, Mom?” Erika corrected.
“Oh yeah,” Nancy commented. “It’s so stupid you have to have an alias.”
“If the feds knew I was here, they’d come for me, Mom,” Erika declared matter-of-factly.
“You think so?” she asked, taking a deep drag off the cigarette.
“I know so,” Erika confirmed, smelling the tobacco smoke. “Give me one of those.”
“You sure?” her mom asked.
“Yeah, give me one.”
Erika sat down next to her mom on a small blanket and lit the smoke. It had been years since she smoked one. She felt light-headed as she blew the smoke out, but she reveled in the familiar feeling as the nicotine surged through her body.
“You’re out late,” Nancy said, trying to figure out what was on her daughter’s mind.
“I went to see Bennet,” Erika replied, taking another drag.
“What happened?” Nancy wondered.
“He hit LtGen Merkley because they wouldn’t send the chopper back for Greg, Penni, Terrance, and everyone,” Erika explained.
“Good for him!” Nancy elated.
“Not really, Mom. We have to maintain order to win this battle,” Erika told her.
“What? That’s Greg and Penni out there. Carmen and Roxy. What’s wrong with you, Erika?” Nancy asked her.
“I know, Mom. We’ll get them back, but we must trust that LtGen Merkley is managing resources in the way that’s best for all of us. Sometimes our personal interests need to be put aside,” Erika explained.
Nancy took a drag and stared at her in disbelief. “They�
��re our family,” she countered.
“I know, Mom! But there’s a bigger picture here,” Erika contended, sticking to her argument.
“You’re working for them, aren’t you?” Nancy asked, seeing through her.
“We’re fighting for the same goal, Mom. We’ve been working for them since Virgis and Bennet found us in Montana. I can’t do anything alone. I’m just one woman. I can’t help that people follow me. I never asked to be a leader or any part of this,” Erika explained, flailing her hands around. She took another drag from her smoke. “But I can’t go along with the Federal System. They’d kill me. We’ve been there and tried that. I can help restore what is right. Don’t I have a responsibility to do that? Is that why God put me on this planet?” Erika looked at her mother with questioning eyes.
“You’ve always been so strong, both your mind and your body. You’ve always chosen your own path and stayed true to your beliefs. You keep on doing that and you’re going to be just fine,” Nancy assured her, putting out her cigarette.
“I hope so. I feel like I’m not even in control anymore. Life just throws me one challenge after another and I’m feeling lost in the wave,” Erika tried to explain.
“When you can’t stand it anymore, get on your knees and give it to God, Erika. He’ll lead you,” Nancy said.
“I always have,” Erika agreed.
“Come on, it’s late,” Nancy told her.
Erika reluctantly stood up. Field-stripping the cigarette, she watched the embers fall to the ground and squashed them with her boot. Nancy went into the tent and Erika went into the adjacent one where her family was located. She smiled, watching them sleep. Each one of them was so beautiful as they slumbered peacefully. She quietly removed her boots and clothes. Then she climbed into bed with Vince.
“Fun night?” he asked.
“Oh yeah,” she answered. “What are you doing up?”
“Waiting for you.” He smiled at her with his missing tooth as he propped himself up on one arm.
The Changing Earth Series (Book 5): Dark Days in Denver Page 3
