Days of Terror

by Jack Hunt

  “A cop in Lake Placid, before that I was in the military. The same as Elliot.”

  “I figured as much. No wonder they follow him.”

  “I wouldn’t say they follow him. I have as much say in what we do and where we go as him.”

  “Right.” He nodded with a smirk on his face. “That’s why no one came with you.”

  Gary immediately got defensive. “No, I just didn’t think it was worth all of us going.”

  “Yeah I bet.”

  Gary scowled. He didn’t like the idea that anyone thought he was some mindless follower of Elliot. The fact that he’d set out to go by himself to the FEMA camp was proof of that. “You don’t know me.”

  He shrugged. “No I don’t but I’ve seen it. We have a council, a group of people who make some of the bigger decisions, but when it really comes down to it, everyone will push that to one side if Mack tells them how high to jump.”

  “Sounds like you’re jaded and you’re projecting that onto me.” Gary inhaled deeply the nicotine, letting it flood his system and bring it to life. He’d missed the taste of a good cigarette. It was like anything that was hard to find. It tasted that much sweeter the next time he indulged.

  “Nah. I just see the way things work.”

  “So what’s the deal with Mack and Shelby? Obviously he killed his wife and daughter but is that it? Does he know the other militia?”

  “Most of them. He’s a bit tight-lipped about it all but I know him better than most. He knew Shelby and his brother way back in the day. So did I. It was his idea to start the Texas Defense Force but at some point we had a disagreement about the way forward. It always happens. Take you, for instance. I’m gonna go out on a limb here but let me guess. You wanted to go to a FEMA camp and Elliot was all gung-ho about heading to New Hope Springs, am I right?”

  Gary didn’t like how Calvin seemed to be able to read him like a book.

  He nodded.

  “Told you. It’s always the same. Look at any form of business, partnership or group that exists. They all start off on the same page but eventually some folks come to realize they are riding the coattails of someone else’s dream and so they want to create their own offshoot. They want to call the shots. They want the admiration. They want the bigger payday. They want the solo album. You see it happen in society all the time. It screams that no one has the answer but of course no one is going to admit that. Can you imagine anyone stepping forward and confessing that they don’t have it all figured out? Churches would split, government would fold, businesses would fail and so on. But the ironic part is, no one has it figured out. We are all just gliding through this life trying to fill up time with something meaningful. When we find it, we think everyone else should embrace it and when they don’t… well that’s when the whole us vs. them mentality emerges and arguments break out, nasty attitudes are seen and we end up with a country like North Korea dropping a bomb on our ass.” He snorted, finding it all amusing. He tapped ash to the ground and rubbed the sole of his boot on it.

  “So why bother staying with Mack if you don’t agree with everything he does?”

  “Why do you stay with Elliot?” he tossed back.

  Gary nodded. He’d given it some thought since losing Jill. He had no real reason for staying with them. He didn’t owe them anything and they didn’t rely on him to meet their needs.

  Calvin snorted and kept peering over his shoulder nervously like they were about to encounter a bear or be attacked by a roving gang.

  “Have you been inside the FEMA camp?” Gary asked.

  “Nope. I’ve seen it. We were there four months ago. Mack wanted to see what kind of operation they had set up but back then they were only taking in those who held a prominent position in society — you know, doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers and so on. There were a limited number of spots.”

  “That’s what they told you?”

  “Didn’t need to. The conversation bouncing around the mammoth crowds that had shown up for food and water made it clear. You could see the look of disappointment on people’s faces. There were even a few fights that broke out. Soldiers had to fire their weapons and threaten people if they didn’t leave.”

  “So why are you coming with me now?”

  “That was four months ago. Maybe things have changed.”

  “But you seem content with Mack.”

  “I might not complain but that doesn’t mean I’m content. Things are changing in the camp. The brutality has been stepped up. It never used to be that way. Mack has become lost in it. I don’t blame him, it’s probably what I would do if I lost a kid and wife but he’s banking on us being prepared and we’re no soldiers. And every day Shelby’s group is gaining in size. He holds all the cards. He has leverage over the people inside those walls. Think about it. How far would you go in order to ensure your family was fed and protected?” He got up. “Well we should keep moving. We’re losing light.”

  He dropped his cigarette and was crushing it below his boot when nearby gunfire erupted. They both dropped to the ground with their rifles on the ready. Gary’s heart was hammering in his chest as he scanned his field of vision. He couldn’t see anyone and neither could he pinpoint where the round came from.

  “Stay here, I’m going to check it out,” Calvin said.

  “Hold up,” Gary said but it was too late. He rose to his feet and in an instant, another round was fired and Calvin spun hard. Gary crawled over to him. He was gripping his shoulder and groaning in agony.

  “Get out of here. Now!” Calvin said.

  Chapter 11

  Elliot didn’t know who to believe. He was terrified by what might be happening to his kids. It had been a good hour since Mack had sent out some of his men on a reconnaissance mission to the compound. He sat and waited for news, then got up and paced around again.

  “Relax. It’s gonna be okay,” Mack said.

  “You don’t know that,” he fired back. “I’m not sitting here any longer.”

  As he grabbed up his rifle just as the group returned, pushing their way through the dense forest. Mack jumped up and crossed the campsite. Rayna was quick to ask them if they’d seen them. He didn’t need to hear confirmation. A simple nod was enough.

  “I’m going in.”

  Mack grabbed him by the arm. “You can’t do that. Lucas knows your face.”

  “Oh so he’s got a name, has he? How many others do you know from his group?”

  Mack refused to reply instead he remained on topic. “You go running in there, you are a dead man.”

  Elliot shrugged him off. “If I do nothing, they are dead.”

  “No. He won’t kill them, they’re of use to him. You need to trust me on this.”

  “Trust? You haven’t exactly earned it. First your men bring us here at gunpoint, and then you kill four men and torture another. On top of that you withhold information about your connection to Shelby. Why should I trust you?”

  He nodded. “Okay. I get it. You’re angry. You’re reacting just the way I did after they killed my wife and daughter. Now had I gone after him then I would have been dead now. The only reason we have eighty-odd people prepared to fight is because I have been patient. You need to be patient, Elliot.”

  “That’s my kids in there. Screw patience!”

  With that said he stormed off taking Rayna with him. Behind them he heard a few of Mack’s people ask if he wanted to stop them but he told them to stand down. Elliot glanced over his shoulder and glared as they disappeared into the forest heading for the compound. His mind wasn’t in the right place. Of that he was sure but there was no way he was going to leave his kids in there, or any of his friends for that matter. He had something in mind but Rayna wasn’t going to like it — hell, neither was Mack.

  “Slow down, Elliot,” Rayna said trying to keep up with him. For every two strides he took, she took one. Tired of trying to reason with him she caught hold of his arm and he brushed her off like she was nothing more than another o
ne of Mack’s people.

  “Elliot.”

  He stopped and looked back at her.

  “They’re my kids too.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “That’s why we need to go now before anything happens to them.”

  “You think Maggie, Damon or Jesse would allow that?”

  “They might not have a choice in the matter,” he said not even looking at her. As scared as she was of losing her kids, she was equally frightened of losing her husband. She’d seen the way he could snap. How his PTSD could make him think irrationally. What was going on in his head? Rayna got close and placed both hands on the sides of his face trying to get him to calm down. A tough task when she wanted to break down herself.

  “Mack is right. We can’t do this alone.”

  “Yeah, well he has another agenda. If we wait around for him they could be dead.”

  “Didn’t you hear him? Shelby is looking for whoever is responsible for killing his men. They’ve seen your face. You can’t walk in there and you sure as hell can’t take on an army.” She stared into his eyes not looking away for even a second. “You’re strong, Elliot, but not that strong.” She stepped back from him and her arms dropped to her sides. “You remember when you were in New York and those men tried to get into the bunker? I was scared. Terrified. It wasn’t what they would do to me that bothered me. It was our kids. All that mattered to me was protecting them but in order to do that I had to think smart. I couldn’t go on my emotions otherwise I wouldn’t be here now.”

  “What are you trying to say, Rayna?” Elliot asked.

  “You’re letting your emotions guide you. Our kids need you to think smart. We have to trust Mack.”

  Elliot looked back towards the camp. The wind howled through the trees rustling the branches. They could just make out Mack’s group gathered together, and the distant hum of chatter carrying on the air.

  “We can’t trust them.”

  “We have to trust someone,” Rayna said. “We can’t do this alone. You know it.”

  Elliot ran a hand over his head and tossed his bag down. He yelled at the top of his voice. “FUCK. FUCK!” He punched the air and clenched his jaw. “We should have been there.”

  “No. No.” She moved towards him fast and took hold of him by the arms. “Don’t you dare start playing the blame game! I won’t have it. It doesn’t help us. We need to think about how to get them back. And that begins by returning and apologizing.”

  “Apologizing? Fuck that. I’m not apologizing. The reason we are in this mess is because of him.”

  “Is he any different than us? Think about all that we have done since the EMP. Think of all the people we have killed. We are no better.”

  “We didn’t torture people, Rayna. Everything we did was for our survival.”

  “And maybe what he did was for his group’s survival. Would you want anyone to judge you for your actions?” She paused waiting for a response.

  “It’s different,” Elliot said dipping his chin.

  “Bullshit. Tell me what you would have done if you’d returned and found me and the kids dead?”

  He looked away for a second, then back at her. “But you weren’t.”

  “No. That’s right. We weren’t. But his family is dead because of Shelby. Cut him some slack.” She stared at him and he sighed. “You know it makes sense. We are going to have to trust someone else, Elliot. I know you’ve been self-reliant for so long and lost your trust in people but I’m asking you, as your wife, as a friend, for this… if you can’t trust them, trust me.”

  Elliot raised his eyes and looked at her.

  She could see the conflict in his expression. It wasn’t his way to rely on others but they had to now. It was the only way forward. He gave a nod. “Okay.”

  “Yeah?”

  “All right.”

  He wasn’t looking forward to this but in all the years he’d been married to Rayna, she had yet to steer him wrong. That woman was filled with more wisdom than he could ever hope to achieve. He’d let down a lot of people in his life through being stubborn but not this time. As they wandered back into camp, Mack rose to his feet near the campfire. Elliot looked down for a second before summoning the strength to spit out an apology.

  “Look, I’m sorry for going off on you. All of you. I don’t know all the shit you’ve been through. I just want my kids back.”

  Mack glanced at Rayna as if he knew who was responsible for changing his mind. Mack approached and placed a hand on Elliot’s shoulder. “Like I said, you have my word, we will get them back. I was about to head to the compound and see the situation for myself. Seems Shelby has changed his game plan. I want to see it. You can tag along.”

  Elliot nodded and they got ready to leave.

  They were hunting them like animals. Gary had crawled on his belly to a nearby tree and pushed his back against it. He snuck a peek and saw one of three individuals dressed in hunting gear. Had they not shot Calvin in the shoulder he might have tried to reason with them. His experience as a police officer meant he knew how to talk someone down from a ledge. Communication was the first weapon they had in their arsenal. However, shooting someone without a warning meant they had done this before. It wasn’t the first time he’d encountered those who’d rather kill than talk. He thought back to Saranac Lake and the guy with the katana who’d attacked him and Elliot. That’s what the world had become. Fearful. Desperate. Murderous.

  Gary pulled back and took a few deep breaths before darting out at a crouch for the next tree. A round lanced the bark and wood spat in several directions.

  “Come on out. We know there’s only one of you left.”

  “We don’t have anything,” Gary replied.

  “That’s what everyone says,” he said. There was a rocky overlook thirty yards away. If he could make it there it would give him a better view of the terrain, it might also give him an advantage over them.

  Gary didn’t think about what would happen if he was shot. The rustle of legs making their way through the high grass meant they were trying to pin him in. He could hear shuffling from his left and right. He took a couple of breaths, then darted towards a bush while unloading several rounds. He landed hard like a baseball player reaching home plate. Soil and dust lifted and he breathed heavily. His eyes scanned through branches. He heard movement but because they were wearing fatigues it made them harder to see. Managing to kill them would be tricky unless... his thoughts slowed as he stuck the rifle barrel through the bush and focused on movement to his left. A head peeked out and he squeezed the trigger. One round punched through the man’s skull dropping him where he crouched.

  “Last chance!” Gary yelled.

  He heard voices, then cursing. He shifted position. Adrenaline was pumping through him as he darted in and out of the trees under heavy gunfire. They could tell where he was heading and he was pretty sure they knew if he made it he’d have the advantage. His only concern was Calvin was still lying on the ground wounded. If they were smart they would double back and use him as leverage, but they must have figured he was dead, as he hadn’t raised his head since.

  Crouched behind a thick tree, he gazed off towards the overlook. How many yards left before he reached it? His heart was hammering in his chest as he made another run for it. Rounds tore up the ground around his feet, and pieces of bark broke off and one piece hit him in the face. Gary zigzagged his way over. Blood rushed through his ears, his thighs were crying out for him to slow down.

  He returned fire, raking the gun from left to right while staying mobile. Once he made it to the rock, he climbed up and launched himself over a boulder just as he came under heavy fire. With his back pressed to the rock he waited for it to be over but rounds kept coming. He knew what they were doing. Both of them were moving forward unloading nonstop at the rock preventing him from returning fire. He heard the slap of a magazine going into a rifle through the staccato of AK gunfire.

  Rolling onto his belly he
clawed away staying as low as he could until he made it to a moss-covered rock. The only thing he had going for him was his wits and experience as an officer. Rounding a boulder he took cover in the tree line and waited for them to make their way up to the overlook. The gunfire continued and slowly he saw a head peek over a rise of rock. One of them climbed up while the other on the ground continued to fire. They must have thought they were fooling him but they were just setting themselves up for failure. Gary raised his rifle, brought the scope to his eye and placed the fleshy part of his finger on the trigger. “C’mon!” he muttered under his breath.

  Within a matter of seconds he had the guy lined up in his sight.

  Gary squeezed the trigger once, and he collapsed. He fired again, shooting another round in his back, then shifted position. A man’s cry echoed and he figured the guy he’d killed was someone’s brother.

  As he made his way around hoping to take him out from the ground, he slipped on some wet rock and slid down the side of a steep incline, his gun fired and it clattered to the ground a few feet away. He landed hard and groaned.

  Before he could get up and make his way over to his rifle, the third guy emerged over the rock with a rifle on him.

  “Go on!” he said daring him to go for the gun a few feet away.

  The hunter made his way down. He wore camouflage hunting attire with a hood, and a black scarf covering the lower half of his face. He had a hunter’s bow strapped to his back and pads on his elbows and knees. As soon as he was down he kicked Gary in the face sending him reeling back. A shot of pain went through him and he cried out. The man didn’t say a word but came over and plowed the tip of his boot into Gary’s back making him scream out in pain. He thought he’d broken his spine as it hurt that bad.

  Immediately after a gun barrel was jammed against his cheek.

  “It’s over, old man.”

  Gary waited for the bullet to turn his world into darkness but it never came.

  A crack of a gun and the man’s eyes widened. Shock took over, then he collapsed.