The Changing Earth Series (Book 5): Dark Days in Denver

by Hathaway, Sara F.

  Erika stood up quickly, facing him.

  “And see, there you go, fellas,” he boasted proudly.

  Erika glared at him fiercely but said nothing.

  “What?” he asked her.

  Erika wanted him to approach. Just come a little closer, she demanded in her head.

  “You want to discuss it with Sheila?” he asked, fondling the handle.

  “Swenson, that’s enough,” CDR Grey snapped at him. “Let’s just take a break. Serge, you want to make some grub?”

  “I’m not cooking. Let’s let the girlie do it. I carried her half the day anyway,” Serge answered.

  Erika looked over at them, curious about what their decision would be. If her hands were free for just two minutes, she might be able to break free and get back to Denver. The men looked at Erika.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” CDR Grey agreed. “Serge…”

  “That’s a horrible idea,” Swenson interrupted. He was standing back, watching Erika’s mind work. There was a spark when the suggestion was made. He knew little rats like this girl. They would keep gnawing and gnawing until the rope that was holding them was snapped. “Chain her to a tree. She’ll be good for nothing except headaches, and I don’t want any of you getting too close to her, either.”

  CDR Grey trusted Swenson’s instincts. He was a dark man, but he knew how to get a job done and CDR Grey respected him for that. “Do as he says, and then make some food, Serge.”

  “Make Merkley do it,” Serge protested.

  Serge took the end of the chain and hooked it around a tree with a lock.

  “There you go, little pet girlie dog,” Serge cursed at her as he left.

  Erika sat quietly, watching the men. Bishop was on weapons detail, cleaning armaments for the next round of battle. She watched him dismantle the gun and run the smooth rag over the tiny surfaces. Merkley was forced to make the meal while Serge played solitaire with his cards. Swenson was often not present from the party and then Erika would spot him, remotely watching her.

  Erika never wanted to hate people, even people that did her wrong. She believed everyone had their reasons and everyone was a child of God. Swenson was an exception to the rule. This man took Vince from her and she hated him. When she would catch him watching her, she would hold his gaze, knowing that one day she would kill him.

  She looked around at the ghost town they were in. Even back before the Great Quake this town probably wasn’t much more than a gas station, hardware store, and a restaurant. Nowadays it was a minuscule stop on the way to the Canyon ferry crossing. Maybe they would come this way looking for me, she thought. Scooting up closer to the tree, Erika tore off a small strip of material from the back of her shirt. She dug into the wounds on her back, making them bleed. Then she painted the initials EM on the material in blood. She put it into her waistline, reserving the flag for the perfect spot.

  “We got visitors,” Bishop announced quietly as a group of four men came around the edge of the building.

  Swenson was already covering Erika’s head with a burlap sack that he fastened with a chain around her neck. Erika’s experience under a black cloth hood was dark and she couldn’t see a thing. The burlap hood allowed her to see and there was air, but the material was itchy beyond belief.

  “Hey fellas, how we doing?” a man from the group asked.

  “Just fine. How ‘bout yourselves?” CDR Grey answered.

  Erika watched the approaching men fanning out slightly around the talker. CDR Grey’s men closed in tighter to protect him.

  “See you got a fine woman chained to that tree over there,” the man commented.

  “She’s not for sale,” CDR Grey replied.

  “What about for rent?” the man asked. “My boys sure wouldn’t mind getting a piece of that tonight.”

  He turned and laughed with the group of men he approached with.

  “She’s not for rent either,” CDR Grey said flatly.

  “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re gonna keep some refugee whore all to yourselves,” the man argued, upset. Now even Swenson took his focus off Erika and applied it to the men.

  “I can make it worth your while,” she heard the man say.

  CDR Grey’s men set up a barrier between Erika and the approaching men, shielding her from their advances. She scooted her butt through her arms, so her hands could reach her shoelaces. She tied her boots’ laces together through the zip ties on her wrists. Then she rocked back and forth, pumping her legs in and out like she was on a bicycle. The friction heated the zip tie and it broke, freeing her hand. She rapidly went to work on her feet.

  The men were still engaged in conversation, so she swooped backwards around the tree, working on the lock and retying her boots. Then following the tree’s line of sight, she ran as fast as she could. Reaching the other side of the building, she slipped behind it and picked the lock on the hood, tossing it to the ground. She grabbed a piece of broken glass, tied her tiny strip of material to a sign and continued to run out into the forest that was outside of the town. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her until she heard Swenson’s voice.

  “Come out, come out where ever you are,” Swenson yelled into the forest. “Sheila wants to have a little chat.”

  He pointed to the sides and Bishop and Serge headed out on the left and right flank. Erika slid to the ground, wanting to just disappear, become one with the tree so they could never find her.

  “Dammit, Swenson, I told you she was your responsibility,” the commander chided him.

  “She’s right here, Carl. I can smell her,” he assured his commander.

  “Yeah, well, I better see her real quick,” CDR Grey snapped.

  “She’s here, boss,” Serge confirmed looking at a small screen on a device in his hand.

  Erika melted down into a tangle of branches and held as still as possible. Steadying her breath, she took the piece of glass and held it to the tattoo on her arm.

  Serge was closing in on her location. She heard his footsteps crackling through the branches. She closed her eyes, hesitant to shove the glass into her arm to remove the tracker.

  “She’s in this area, but I can’t pinpoint the signal,” Serge told Swenson.

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” the commander spoke to the forest. “That tracker is hooked to your artery. You’ll die if you try to remove it.”

  Erika stared at the glass shard, watching it cut into her hand, but it was her only weapon.

  “Let’s check over this way,” Erika heard Serge whisper to Bishop.

  Listening to the sounds of Serge and Bishop’s steps walking away, she slowly peeked up out of her hiding spot. Just as she was about to make a break for it, a whip collapsed around her neck. Swenson pulled on the handle and she was ripped back out of the brush.

  “Here she is,” Swenson boasted, holding her up on her tippy toes with the whip around her neck.

  Erika lashed out at him with the piece of glass, but he held her up higher. She dangled, choking in the air, her hopes of escape deflated. Swenson squeezed her hand with the glass in it. It cut deeper into her flesh. When he released his hold, she dropped the shard.

  “Don’t let it happen again, Swenson,” CDR Grey insisted, looking him in the eye. “This capture is going to make our careers.”

  “It won’t,” Swenson promised, holding her up a little higher. Then he pulled on his whip in such a way that it broke free from her neck.

  Erika fell to the ground, gasping for air. As Swenson approached, her training kicked in and she rapidly regained her composure. The moment had come. Her restraints were gone. She rolled over to her side and stood, looking Swenson in the eyes.

  “Get on your knees, now!” he insisted.

  She stood defiantly in front of him.

  “Get on your knees!” he barked, trying to shove her to the ground.

  Erika evaded his attempt. Her eyes locked on him.

  “You think you can take me, girlie?” Swenson asked her.
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  Erika looked up and down. Set on doing whatever she needed to for her freedom.

  “She does, she thinks she can take me,” he laughed at her. “Carl, come on. You have to let me.”

  “Erika, just get on your knees,” CDR Grey told her.

  Erika stood there, her gaze never left Swenson.

  CDR Grey huffed deeply. Swenson gestured with his palm turned upward.

  “Fine, go ahead,” CDR Grey acquiesced. “But leave Sheila out of it.”

  Erika went into a fighting stance.

  “Check this out,” Serge laughed. “She’s so tiny.”

  Swenson circled around her. “You’re going to regret this girlie,” he teased her.

  She waited for him to grow impatient. When he did he swung for her head and she ducked. She came back up with an uppercut, but he reached out and caught her arm. Pulling him forward and further off balance, Erika hooked his foot and he fell hard on his face. She smiled at him as he got up.

  “Cute trick,” he told her, reaching for his whip.

  “Swenson, don’t do it,” the commander insisted, entertained by the sparring match.

  Swenson came in after her with a flurry of punches, which she avoided, but it was all a ruse to get her off guard. He tackled her suddenly, landing in a fully mounted position. He rained down a flurry of punches at her face. Some connected, but most of them she deflected with her elbows as she protected her face. When he went to land his next punch, Erika reached out under-hooking his arm, and rolled him over into an arm bar. Swenson knew the moves from his years as a mixed martial arts fighter and rolled back through her arm bar. He pressed his knees hard into her abdomen.

  “What you got now, girlie?” he asked, smacking her in the face, repeatedly. “You got tricks. Well, guess what, I got tricks too. Now, get on your knees!”

  He backed off and stood over her. Erika turned and shot at his ankle, taking him back down to the ground. She went to flip his leg and end up by his stomach, but Swenson saw it coming and kicked her furiously in the stomach. Erika lost all her breath and heaved over, gagging. She hadn’t eaten in so long, there was nothing to throw up. But she would not be bested; she regained her composure and stood in front of him again.

  “Really, Carl, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?” Swenson asked.

  “I don’t know. That’s your realm,” CDR Grey responded.

  “I’ll tell you what I do with disobedient refugees,” Swenson responded, grabbing his whip from its housing.

  “Do what you got to do, but not the face and don’t break a bone,” CDR Grey acquiesced to Swenson. “Now it’s gonna get fun,” CDR Grey mentioned to Bishop. “Here comes Sheila.”

  The men watched Erika standing defiantly, staring down Swenson. She was confident Swenson would not do it. The Supreme General would be furious if she came in all cut up, but Swenson was skilled. He threw the whip out and caught Erika around the neck. Then he ripped her to the ground. She went to get up, but he wrapped the tip around her ankle and pulled her leg out. She flipped in the air and hit the dirt again. Before she could pick herself up he flicked it again and laid another strap across the same one he put vertically on her back before. The pain of the lash connecting with the old strike made Erika scream out in pain. She fell on her side.

  “Get on your knees!” Swenson told her, standing over her.

  She slowly shoved herself up, her back screaming in pain. Kneeling in front of him, she awaited his next move.

  “See that wasn’t so tough,” he laughed. “Look up at me,” he insisted.

  As she did, he punched her across the face.

  Kneeling by her in the dirt, he whispered in her ear, “Don’t you ever run from me again.”

  “Dinner is ready, guys,” Merkley announced to them. He was questioning the traitorous choice he made, but it was too late now.

  “Swenson, chain her back up. No mistakes,” CDR Grey ordered.

  Swenson delighted in the pain it caused Erika to strap her arms back. He rezipped her feet as well. Everything was tight and cut into her skin. Her mouth watered as she watched them eating. It had been days.

  “You guys got scraps?” Bishop asked the men, looking at Erika.

  “She doesn’t need it,” Swenson insisted.

  “You want to carry her again?” Bishop asked, gathering the scraps from the other men.

  “Fine, let me have the plate. I don’t want anyone near her. This dog can bite,” Swenson told him. “You want food?” Swenson asked.

  Erika stared at him quietly, grateful Bishop spoke up on her behalf.

  “Here’s your food,” Swenson taunted her, spitting onto the plate.

  He mixed it up with the other food that everyone pitched in. Erika was sickened by Swenson’s actions. Somewhere in the food he was shoveling into her mouth was his saliva. She wanted to puke, but she was so hungry. Plus, she knew if she wanted to survive, she needed the nutrition. She ate the slop, gagging after every bite, while Swenson sat there laughing at her.

  Chapter 33

  Bennet stood in front of LtGen Merkley. The orange haze had thickened again, but at least the faint glow made day distinguishable from night.

  “Our forces are so scattered. There is no way we can expend anyone to go after her, Bennet,” Merkley insisted. “Trust me. I’d like to send a group just to collect my traitorous son.”

  “Sir, we wouldn’t take longer than we have to. I bet they’re not even out of the western zone yet,” Bennet explained.

  “I understand that, 1st Sgt, but with communications down, it could be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Now, I need to know that I can count on you to follow your orders, Bennet. We have a lot on our plates right now and I’m going to need strong men like you,” Merkley insisted.

  “Yes, sir,” Bennet answered.

  “Erika was just a figurehead. The legend will fade with her. We can still do this. We won the battle in Denver, now it’s on to the north,” Merkley concluded.

  “Yes, sir, I understand, sir,” Bennet agreed.

  “Good,” Merkley said, happy to have a man who could follow orders and move on. “Now, I need you to start organizing men for a mission northward. Report to LtCol Jackson.”

  “Yes, sir, thank you for your time, sir,” Bennet concluded, leaving his tent.

  He walked down the row of tents to where Vince was waiting to find out Merkley’s answer.

  “Looks like we’re on our own, Vince,” Bennet told him.

  “What?” Vince wondered.

  “He won’t send anyone. It’s up to us,” Bennet repeated.

  “Really? What the hell? We go to battle, risk our lives and our family for the cause, and he can’t even send a handful of soldiers to get Erika back. What a freaking…!” Vince was getting too fired up.

  “Come on, Vince. We’re out of here,” Bennet assured him.

  Heading back towards Geir’s shop, Vince inquired, “Any news on Michelle yet?”

  “No, no one knows where she is. I haven’t found a body, so hopefully she evacuated towards Denver and we just missed her,” Bennet speculated.

  “So, what did he say?” Nancy asked as they approached Geir’s shop.

  “Nada,” Vince said, cursing Merkley’s decision.

  “I should go over there and give that no-good pile of dirt a piece of my mind. My daughter’s out there!” Nancy responded.

  “We’re going with or without his okay. I’m done with this shit!” Bennet declared, ripping his stripes off his uniform in disgust. “If it weren’t for Erika, none of us would have our freedom right now.”

  “I’m going with you guys this time,” Daniel insisted. “I can fight, and I am not getting left behind again!”

  “What about you, Nancy?” Vince asked.

  “I’m not going to fight, if that’s what you’re wondering,” she answered.

  “We’ll be close to Dallas,” Vince said. “You could stay with Brett and we could rendezvous back there.”

 
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Nancy agreed, unsure of her place now.

  Trucker started barking in the front yard but quieted quickly.

  “Knock, knock,” a familiar voice said from the door. “I heard the Moore family returned.”

  “Greg!” Vince elated. “Oh man, am I glad to see you, buddy.”

  “Likewise, bro,” Greg agreed.

  “How are my parents?” Vince asked.

  “A little banged up but they are going to be fine. Megan is alive. We were some of the lucky ones. It’s such a mess, Vince,” Greg described with a far-off look.

  “Erika’s been taken by the feds,” Vince told him flatly.

  “What?” he said, looking around like it was a joke and she was really hiding somewhere.

  “They took her. Ambushed us and shot us all. My helmet and my dad’s watch saved me. We lost Kyle, Phillip, and Hensley, though,” Vince explained.

  “Oh man, I’m so sorry,” Greg replied. “Are you going to get her?”

  “Of course, we’re gearing up right now. Merkley wouldn’t give us any reinforcements to help. We’re going solo,” Vince explained.

  “You got us,” Geir stated, strapping down the straps on his backpack.

  “Come with us,” Vince urged Greg. “I’m a mess, bro. Erika is my everything.”

  Greg turned on his heels, thinking hard. “You know I love you guys but I gotta take supplies back up north. People are counting on me. “

  “I’m counting on you, Greg. I really need you for this, please,” Vince begged.

  “Vince, I’m so sorry but I can’t. My family, these people, they need me too. I promise, I’ll take care of your parents,” Greg replied.

  “I understand,” Vince acquiesced, deflated. “You gotta do what you gotta do, right?”

  “I’m sorry, Vince. I really wish I could,” Greg admitted. “When are you leaving?”

  “Now,” Vince told him. “We’ve already spent days coming up here. Hopefully we can still find some kind of a trail.”

  “I hope you do,” Greg said thoughtfully. He was all twisted and torn inside by his love for his friends on one hand, and his love and commitment to his family on the other.

  “I’m sure,” Vince huffed angrily.