Paths of Righteousness

by Ryan King

Joshua looked up at the black area against the stars. The water tower.

  Chapter 13 - Sidelined

  Bethany tried to mask her emotions, but it was tough with the pregnancy. Just watching squirrels play in the trees made her want to cry. Nevertheless, she forced herself to be impassive. This was important.

  "They're saying you had something to do with what happened over at Murray State," she said offhandedly. Reggie and Janice froze and looked at her with concern.

  David meanwhile kept eating and acted like he hadn't heard anything.

  "I mean," she continued, "I understand why it was necessary to get rid of the gunpowder plant and maybe even the oil refinery, but...they say a lot of college kids got killed."

  Her son didn't even look up at her.

  "We're making tough choices," said Reggie softly. "You can't use old morals to judge what happens now."

  "Did you know about this?" she asked him, her emotional mask slipping.

  Reggie shook his head. "I'm trying to stay out of everything and not get in the way. But, I've been in those men's shoes and understand the position they are in."

  "Yes," said Bethany fiercely, "but why does it always have to bemy son. There are plenty of others here."

  "He's a soldier," answered Reggie. "It's his job to go in harm's way, he can't be safe all the time."

  "It's not his safety I'm worried about," answered Bethany staring hard at David. "I'm worried about the things they ask him to do. Just because he's willing to do them, doesn't mean heshould. Who is looking out for my son's welfare? They are using him and if it...destroys him later, they won't be there."

  Reggie started to answer, but his wife put her hand on his arm. "She's worried and has a point," Janice said.

  Bethany nodded. "It's too much. I talked to Butch and told him –"

  David's head shot up. "You told General Matthews what, mother?"

  She sighed and looked away. "Nothing that didn't need to be said."

  He pushed away from the table. "Mother, I'm an adult now. I don't need you meddling. What I do is none of your business."

  "Yes it is," she insisted. "If your father were here, he would say the same thing."

  "But father isn't here, is he?" said David cruelly.

  Bethany found herself near tears, but held it back. "He'll be back and when he is I want you to be able to face him, not be ashamed of things you've done."

  There was a knock at the door and David stood to go answer it. He opened it to reveal Jonah standing there nervously. "Major Carter said you needed to go report to the headquarters building ASAP."

  "What for?" asked David.

  "Not sure," answered Jonah, "but there's a buzz up there."

  "Okay," said David, "give me a second." He closed the door against the cold and put on his jacket.

  "David," Bethany said.

  He turned to her. "I have to go. I appreciate your concern, but in the future it's probably best if you don't ask questions when you don't want to know the answers." David opened the door and stepped out beside Jonah, closing the door on any response from his mother.

  They walked through the snow and David could feel a tenseness radiating off Jonah.

  "What is it?" hissed David.

  Jonah glanced at him nervously before he spoke. "Well, you know what we did at Murray, it –"

  David cut him off angrily. "Youvolunteered. No one twisted your arm to go. You knew what you were getting into and what was going to happen. We're soldiers and we had a mission to do. What the hell do you think they were going to do with those bullets and that gas?"

  "I know, I know," said Jonah. "I got no problem with that. It's just..."

  "Just what?" snapped David. "Spit it out."

  "Connor." Jonah said. "He was with us for a long time. Connor was my friend. Couldn't we have brought him back? Did you really have to...?"

  "Kill him?" asked David. "Yes I did. I really had to kill him. He pointed a gun at me and threatened to blow the whole operation. He would have been a liability. We couldn't take the chance."

  "Maybe he would have been okay," said Jonah. "I mean, after the bombs went off and there was nothing he could do to stop it, maybe he would have gone with us."

  David strode in silence for several seconds before answering. "Maybe, maybe not. We don't have the luxury of maybe. What I know is that we accomplished the mission and I brought most of my men home alive. There's no maybe in that."

  "But –"

  "And let me tell you another thing," continued David. "Anyone points a gun at me had damn well better pull the trigger because the very next opportunity I get that person is dead." He picked up his pace leaving Jonah behind. David marched purposefully toward the makeshift headquarters building and ascended stairs flanked by two saluting soldiers.

  Even a few weeks ago there wouldn't have been a need for guards, but with the murder of Jim Meeks and other threats, Harold Buchanan had decided it was better to be safe. David walked down the narrow rustic hall of what had once been the park ranger building and knocked on Major Luke Carter's office.

  "Come in," said Carter.

  David opened it to find General Butch Matthews sitting in a chair across the desk from Carter.

  "Have a seat, David," said Matthews. As soon as David complied, Matthews began to speak. "You are being reassigned."

  "Reassigned?" said David. "Sir, we are preparing to conduct harassment operations against the forces besieging Paducah. We're planning to depart the day after tomorrow."

  "Your platoon will still have that task," said Carter, "but you'll need to put your next in line as Platoon Leader. This is only temporary, but you won't be going with them."

  "What will I be doing, sir?" asked David tensely.

  Matthews sighed. "Well, since Jim Meeks died, we haven't had anyone to coordinate the defense of the dam. We have nearly a company of troops there and they need a good leader."

  David's fists clenched. "Sir, with all due respect, my place is with my men out there fighting. Not sitting back here, doing nothing."

  "Your place is wherever the general tells you it is," said Carter evenly.

  David dropped his head. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with my mother coming to talk to you would it, sir?"

  "This is my decision," said Matthews. "It's the right one."

  "Your father once made the same decision," said Carter. "I wanted to send both you and your brother into enemy territory and he would only allow one at a time. Your mother has lost her husband and possibly your brother. It's too much to ask of her."

  "You're not asking it of her," said David. "This is my life. I can't hide just because something might have happened to father and Joshua."

  "The dam's important," said Matthews.

  David stood abruptly. "Will that be all, sir?"

  Matthews stood quickly and put his face a few inches from David. "No goddammit, that isnot all! When it is you will know because I will dismiss you. Now sit your ass in that chair before I have you arrested."

  David sat slowly.

  General Matthews loomed over him a vein pulsing from his forehead. "What the hell do you think this is? You don't get to choose what orders you obey and those you don't. Superior officers issue you orders and you carry them out."

  "Sir, I don't –" began David.

  "Shut. Your. Mouth." said Matthews. "You're a good soldier and a good leader, but you're immature. You're willful. You're arrogant. I can work with those things as long as you are also obedient. If you are not obedient, then I have no place for you. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Good," said Matthews sitting slowly. "Now that we have that established, we can tell you the rest."

  "The rest?" asked David.

  "Do you know Alexandra Rogan?" asked Carter.

  David felt disoriented at her name. Why would she be brought up here? "Uh, yes sir."

  Cater nodded and continued on. "We've received a very sketchy report that she is tracking nine armed
men to the northeast of here. She's by herself and likely in danger. I don't have to tell you how difficult it is to recon and track a larger force by yourself. Given enough time she will either lose them or they will discover her."

  The thought of harm coming to Alexandra made David's hands start to tremble slightly. "Who are they?"

  "Don't know," said Matthews. "Probably from the WTR. They took great pains to avoid us here and are hugging the eastern shore. Our guess is they are headed for the dam."

  "But," said David, "you've got a whole company of troops there. Why me, they should be able to handle nine men"

  "Frankly," said Carter, "we don't know and don't plan on taking any chances."

  "Your job," said Matthews, "is to take care of the defense of the dam and intercept those men. Whatever their intentions, I do not want them realized. Also, if you could save Alexandra Rogan that would be a great help too, since I know her father."

  "Do you understand your mission?" asked Carter.

  "Yes sir," said David.

  "Good," answered Matthews. "Do you have anything else you need to say to me? Any more complaints or arguments?"

  "Yessir," answered David.

  Matthews sighed. "Let's hear it then."

  "You can trust me, sir," said David. "I apologize for my earlier attitude. I can be obedient."

  The general stared at him and his face softened. "Thank you, son. We've asked a lot of you and continue to do so and you haven't let me down, but you need to be careful to control your emotions. They will ever lead you astray."

  "You sound like my father," said David with a slight smile.

  "I will take that as a compliment," said Matthews. "Now, you have work to do and a journey to make, I suggest you don't delay any further. Especially if you care anything about Alexandra."

  David stood awkwardly blushing. He saluted and walked out.

  Matthews and Carter looked at each other quizzically.

  Chapter 14 - The Last Stand

  By the time Beau Myers and his men got the signal to advance, Paducah was already coming apart at the seams. Food was non-existent and the defensive perimeter was shrunk from twenty-five miles when Beau arrived to less than twelve. Thousands of refugees crammed into makeshift shelters or simply sat huddled together in the snow. The LBL barge still ran, working to evacuate as many people as possible, but there were just too many for it to accommodate. Many had allowed themselves to be captured by the advancing combined WTR and JP forces in hopes of better living conditions. Reports of vast internment camps to the south filling with former Paducah residents became persistent.

  Beau's tank led the other four west on the two lane highway. Beau had chosen the spot specifically to open a pathway to the I-24 bridge across the Ohio River. The closer and smaller Route 45 bridge had been destroyed by WTR gunboats the month before, so I-24 was their only option.

  They approached the edge of the frontlines, barricades of cars and trailers hastily crammed together with dirty and tired men on top. Their looks of resigned despair were momentarily replaced by wonder at the sight of these five monsters. Brazen's men in a car leading them stopped to open the barricade after making sure the enemy wasn't prepared to make a dash toward the opening. Soon, Beau and all of his tanks there through the breach. He stood up out of the open turret and looked back, seeing them close the opening behind them.

  Right now there should be thousands of people sitting on buses and trailers, waiting, he thought.Everything depends on us.

  He saw the edge of the enemy encircling perimeter in front of them and heard the metal tings of bullets striking the outer shell of his tank. Beau popped back inside the protective interior and pressed his radio to broadcast to all his tanks. "Approaching enemy perimeter. Alpha Team will stay with me and clear south. Bravo team with Givens to drive north and open the bridge and then make sure it stays open. Let's do it."

  Switching his radio to internal frequency he said, "Doug, main gun target the barrier on the road. Fire when ready."

  "H.E., one round," Doug yelled to the loader.

  "H.E., one round loaded," the loader yelled back and then moved out of the gun's recoil path.

  Beau looked through his viewfinder and felt the big gun fire. In front of him the dump truck blocking their path flew up into the air in a loud explosion, spinning end over end several times before landing thirty feet away. "Through the barricade and then hard left."

  The driver obeyed and they saw shocked men perched along the barricade and in tents back behind. Most stood and stared at them while others began to run.

  "Troops in the open," Beau said. "Main gun, fire when ready."

  "Beehive, one round," Doug said referring to the antipersonnel round filled with thousands of tiny metal projectiles.

  "APERS, one round loaded," cried the loader.

  Beau watched as the gun fired and scores of men fell, riddled with holes. Tents and vehicles were punctured in hundreds of spots.

  "Main gun, keep firing," said Beau. "Coaxial, open up."

  Within seconds the steady hum of the machine gun filled the air with death and men fell in bloody precision.

  "Stay to the left," Beau told the driver and then switched to the team frequency. "Team Alpha, come up on line to our right. We'll drive south don't have to go fast. Let's kill as many as we can and drive the rest away from the evacuation route."

  Beau looked back forward and saw that a full-scale retreat was in progress. WTR and JP soldiers were fleeing in all directions, even climbing over the barricades where they were shot by Paducah defenders from their fighting positions Beau switched to the Team Bravo frequency. "Sergeant Major, how are you doing?"

  "Almost clear," said Givens. "We're nearly at the bridge. The path should be open soon."

  Calling the radio they had left with Brazen's men, he heard it pick up almost immediately. "Paducah, this is Major Myers. Begin movement now."

  "Got it," said a voice at the other end and hung up.

  He hoped they moved fast. The enemy was disoriented and panicked now, but would recover themselves. Besides, the tanks didn't have much fuel.

  "Route to the bridge is clear," Givens said over the radio.

  "Good," answered Beau. "Buses should be headed your way soon along with some of Brazen's men for security. Go ahead and start wiring up the bridge for demo just in case."

  "Roger, sir," said Givens.

  They continued to drive south slowly, blowing up vehicles and larger defensive positions with HE rounds and hitting the personnel with Beehive. Beau reminisced that the scene was so like the attack on the Missouri Alliance camp several months before and not much different from the Battle of Fulton a year before that. Infantry simply had a hard time standing up to armor without anti-tank or engineer support to slow them down. Beau tried not to think that many of the JP soldiers he was killing were men he had likely fought with.

  I wonder what it would be like to face other tanks, he thought idly and then banished the thought. There were no other tanks and besides he needed to focus on the task at hand.

  "Alpha Leader, this is Alpha Two," came a voice from the radio. "We're getting critical on fuel."

  "Understand," said Beau. "Keep going until you run out and try to use up all your ordnance. Pop all your smoke canisters to cover your withdrawal. After that bug out and destroy the tank. Try to commandeer a vehicle and get across the bridge. If not, hide out to the west they won't be looking for us there." He realized he didn't need to say all of this they already knew the plan, but rehashing the scenario sometimes settled everyone down. It certainly calmed him.

  "Roger, sir," Alpha Two responded.

  "We got refugees crossing the bridge," Givens said. "Area still secure, mopping up some isolated resistance. My guys are wiring the bridge now."

  "Good job," answered Beau, "keep a sharp lookout. Prepare for a counterattack."

  "Alpha Three critical on fuel," said the third tank.

  "Sir, we're getting critical on fuel also,"
said Beau's driver.

  "Understand," Beau answered and yelled at his gunners, "almost done. Fire off everything you got."

  It reminded Beau of the grand finally of every Fourth of July fireworks display he had ever seen. Machine guns fired until their barrels were in danger of overheating. H.E., Beehive, and incendiary rounds flew from main guns as fast the loader could shovel in the heavy rounds.

  "Sir, this is Alpha Two. We're scuttling our tank."

  "Understand," Beau answered. "Thank you and best of luck." There was no answer so he wasn't sure if they heard him or not.

  A massive explosion right in front of their tank rocked the vehicle and caused Beau to strike his helmeted head painfully on a metal edge.

  "What was that?" asked Beau.

  "Not sure," answered Alpha Three. "Didn't see --"

  Another explosion that felt as if it lifted the tank off the ground.

  "Artillery!" yelled Doug from the gunner's seat. "Those might be anti-tank. Must have a spotter nearby. They're close to getting our range. We can't bug out now or we'll be dead."

  Beau realized he was right. They had likely done all the good they could at this point. "Alpha Team," he called on the radio. "Turn due west let's get out of the kill zone. Alpha Three do you see Alpha Two?"

  "All dead, sir," the radio answered. "They just scuttled the tank and were outside when the blasts hit. Concussion killed them all."

  "Are you sure?" asked Beau. "They could be just wounded."

  "Sir, I'm looking at them. Believe me, they're dead."

  "Okay, due west, let's –"

  Another blast, this one nearly on top of them.

  "Oh, shit," said the driver.

  "Go," said Beau. "Get us out of here."

  "We can't," said the driver. "That last blast blew the right track off. We're sitting ducks."

  "Everyone out," Beau yelled and then grabbed the radio. "Alpha Three, we're a mobility kill. Hold one while I send my crew over. Once they're in, take off. I'll scuttle my tank."

  A number of voices protested both on the radio and in the tank.

  "We don't have time!" screamed Beau. "Get out, now! That's an order!"