WWIV - Basin of Secrets

by lake, e a

  “I saw that,” he added, taking a large swig from his aluminum water bottle. “Good plan, Bets.” She frowned and shook her head at him. “Not a good plan?”

  Kneeling next to him she began slowly. “Carla Atwater. I’m Carla, you’re Joe. Right?”

  Letting out a frustrated sigh, he shot her a sideways glance. “New names, too. Okay, I get it.” Finally he focused on her eyes. “I don’t get it Betsi…Carla.”

  A slight film covered her eyes instantly. “They want my Dad, honey. And when they find him, they’re going to kill him. He did some terrible things a number of years ago.” She paused to wipe away those tears streaking her tanned cheeks. “But he only did what he was ordered to by the militia. There was a war, and yes, he did these horrific things. But it wasn’t him, really. It was just his job.”

  Jeremy tightly hugged his weeping wife. “I know babe, I know. I don’t want him caught either. But why all this if they’re looking for him?” Patiently, he awaited her answer.

  “I know Will Tarlisch. I’ve known him for years.” Rising, she began to pace, rubbing her chin. “Our families were acquaintances before the bad times. Before we lost the power…and everything else.” Turning again, seriously, she finished. “Will knows me. He knows I’m going to go warn my father of his plans. He will follow me. And I can’t bear to be the person that leads Dad to the gallows.” Kneeling again, she took his hands in hers. “We have to be careful, for Dad’s sake. We have to make sure Will doesn’t have any idea where I am. Where we are.”

  Nodding, Jeremy squeezed Betsi’s hands. “Okay then. What can Joe Atwater do for his lovely wife Carla to help out?”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Tarlisch paced, occasionally casting a glare at his men working on the old wrought iron fence. Finally, his patience gave out and he stormed over to his second-in-command. “What good are these dolts if they can’t cut down a simple fence?” he spewed between gritted teeth. Willem’s eyes stayed glued on the torch blasting through the century-old iron. “Well?” he demanded from his second.

  More interested in what was going on inside the house, he waved his boss away. “When they’re done, they’ll be done. Shouldn’t be long now.” His head spun and he came eye to eye with Willem. A quick nod toward the house preempted his next words. “See all the activity going on inside?”

  Willem’s eyes narrow as he focused on the massive front windows. He saw nothing there at first, but a quick movement in a curtain on the far end of the house caught his attention. “What do you suppose the Kanes are up to this morning? Thinking of slipping out unnoticed?” He laughed, finishing his thought.

  Howard chuckled softly. “Not likely. We got 110 men and women, all armed, surrounding this place. No one’s leaving anytime soon.”

  The loud sound of metal banging on the ground brought both men’s attention back to the gate. After an hour of work, it was finally down.

  Tarlisch pounded his open hand on Howard’s back. “Let’s go say hello to William and Sylvia, shall we?” They exchanged an evil grin as the troops rounded the fence and surrounded the home. Willem and Howard took their spots, some 30 feet straight away from the front door of the massive home.

  A short wait was rewarded with the door swinging quickly open. Anxious moments passed, but nothing happened. Then, a single gun barrel showed in the formerly empty space. A frightened voice called out from inside. “Whatever you think you want, you need to leave,” the frightened male voice demanded. “We’re armed, and we’ll use our weapons.” The long black barrel moved slowly from side to side as the voice disappeared.

  Sighing deeply, Willem stepped forward. “Mr. Kane?” He paused. “Mr. William Kane,” he stated a little louder. “Please come out. We have more than 100 well-armed soldiers out here. You have no defense, and we simply want to talk.” Peeking back at Howard, he winked.

  Suddenly, a large man appeared in the doorway, not the biggest man Willem had ever laid eyes on, but more sizable than he had expected. Kane was probably his height and had to have a good 100 pounds on him. Surveying the dire situation, the man stepped forward.

  “Mr. Kane?” Willem called out. “Please bring your family out with you.”

  The man’s eyes focused on Tarlisch. “Why?”

  Willem sighed and shrugged slightly. “Please?” His icy stare was meant to show Kane this was all business.

  William Kane disappeared inside for only a moment, and then reappeared. Descending the six concrete steps to his front drive, six family members followed shyly. The family’s eyes roamed the assembled mass of ragged men and women on their property; all carrying weapons, as promised.

  Kane studied the six men directly in front of his family. Stopping on Willem’s face, his mouth tightened. “I suppose you’re Tarlisch. What is the meaning of this intrusion?”

  Willem stepped forward with a small smile. Extending his right hand, he watched as Kane looked away from the greeting. “Mr. William Kane, what a pleasure it is to meet you, finally, after all of these years.” Willem continued to smile, easing his stance. Kane stayed stiff. “I see you’ve survived the onslaught of inhumanity well these past 12 years.” Willem’s eyes survey the entire length of William’s mansion. He brought his focus back to his opponent. “And according to the city records, you’ve only lost one family member during that time.” Willem could not have been any more pleasant to William Kane thus far.

  Kane loosened slightly. “Yes, just my father. Some seven years ago now.”

  Willem’s eyes showed sad sympathy, true sympathy. “I’m sorry for that William. I know what it’s like to lose your father.” Finishing, Willem’s face darkened, and he hoped Kane would see their mutual pain. “Now,” Willem started, spinning back to his men and then back at the Kanes. “Why am I here? Good question.” He smiled at Mrs. Kane and extended his hand again.

  Like her husband, Mrs. Kane refused to accept Willem’s greeting.

  “Sylvia, if I’m not mistaken?” A slight nod confirmed what he already knew. “Nice to meet you.” Shifting his gaze to the right, he silently counted bodies. “We seem to be missing someone this morning.”

  He snapped his fingers back in Howard’s direction and was immediately handed the household roster.

  “Let’s see,” Willem said going between the list and the faces. “We have here Kurt and Joe…” He nodded at the two older teen boys. “…and Miranda and Sophia.” They were the oldest and youngest Kane girls. “And of course…” he said with a large smile, “…the senior Mrs. Kane.” Strolling back to Mr. Kane, he counted, bouncing fingers in every direction. “That’s seven, Kane.” Willem’s dark eyes narrowed as he encroached on William Kane’s personal space. “Two are missing.” Staring at his paper again, Willem continued. “Kim, age 15, and Rachel, 14.”

  Folding the paper methodically, Tarlisch handed it back to Howard. Turning his attention on the entire family, he gave a pained smile.

  “If we are to get along, people, we need to trust one another. I’m not here to hurt you, I’m here to meet you and discuss several important issues with dear old dad over here.” Smiling more broadly, he stepped up to Sylvia. “So, tell me Mrs. Kane,” he began softly. “Just where in the hell are those last two girls of yours?” He grabbed Sylvia by her long dark mane.

  Mr. Kane moved to his wife’s defense but was met by a swift blow to his head by a rifle butt. He collapsed, unconscious. Mrs. Kane trembled, seeing the brutality, and shook as she tried to answer Willem’s question. Tears streaked her face. Her head shook as her hands trembled. “They’re inside,” she whispered. “They weren’t feeling well. I thought you wouldn’t mind.” She leaned forward, pleading with the iron-fisted man. “I’m sorry.”

  Willem released her hair and stepped back, grinning. “Well, that seems innocent enough.” Bowing slightly, he extended his right hand back toward the house. “Please, have them come join us.”

  Quickly, Sylvia turned and scampered for the house, calling the girls’ names as she ran. After di
sappearing into the open front doorway, she returned a minute later with the two missing girls in tow, each holding their mother’s hand.

  Tarlisch smirked as the trio approached. Slowly, he returned to the fearful family. Approaching the smallest child, he knelt in front of her and placed his hands on her tiny shoulders. “Sofia,” he said softly. “You will come with me and become my daughter. You will be treated like a true princess in your new home.” The six-year-old’s tear-filled eyes searched for her mother. Willem gently took her chin and directed her attention back at him. “It will be okay, won’t it, Mother?” Frowning, Mrs. Kane looked away.

  Rising, he next made his way to one of the two new girls. Placing his thin arm around her shoulder, he smiled. “Rachel, you will be my second wife.” A quick head shake from Howard told him he had messed up the order, again. “Make that my third wife…of four.” Rachel’s rail-thin frame shook with sobs as her family looked on and Tarlisch’s troops pressed closer.

  “Someday, not now – but soon – you will bear my children. And they, along with your sister and my other new children, will become the ruling class of Salt Lake. And for millennium to come, the Tarlischs will rule this land.”

  The oldest Kane boy, Kurt, stepped forward to assault Willem, but was driven back when weapons were leveled his direction. His mother further begged him to stop. Willem smugly watched as the lad stepped back into place.

  “Now boys,” Willem lectured, “you need to get ready. A wagon will lead you two from here to the north end of town to work with the sanitation crew. Plenty of crap to move still.”

  Turning, he came eye to eye with the smaller Mrs. Kane. “Yes?” he asked suspiciously.

  “What do you want from us? How can you come in here and tear my family apart? What did we ever do to you?” she asked, flabbergasted.

  Willem reached out and took her shaking hands. “You? Nothing. Your husband’s family, along with the Cormats and Williamsons, plenty. You see, they killed my father. They killed my brother. They took all of our land. And sent us to live in the salt flats.” Willem winked at her. “So I am here to exact revenge. And revenge will be mine, sayeth me.”

  “We did nothing to you,” Sylvia retorted. “We never set foot on your land.”

  Willem smiled widely, and then began to laugh. “Oh my dear woman,” he got out between hearty roars, “your men, your fathers-in-law, your husbands, ordered Talbot Bond and his unit to destroy us.” Collecting himself, he turned and addressed her children. “So when Talbot Bond returns, he’ll see who’s been destroyed.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Two more stops were on Tarlisch’s list for the early day. He hoped that each one would go easier than the last.

  At the next house, he and his troops easily routed a war of words at the home of Stephen and Charlene Cormat. A tense standoff began the one-sided exchange. In the end, Stephen was loaded on a wagon with a groggy William Kane and his mother. His wife and daughters were herded off to the east side of town to receive new clothes and sleeping quarters. Two sons joined the Kane brothers in their walk to the sanitation station.

  Willem grinned from the front of the wagon, admiring his new family members. In addition to the Kane sisters, he took from the Cormats his second wife – 18-year-old Suzanne, and his first son, eight-year-old Stephen Jr. He noticed the older Cormat girl, holding the younger Kane sisters away from his leering gaze.

  The residents of the next house were ready for Willem’s arrival. Drew Williamson and his wife Stella stood at somber attention as his wagon pulled in front of their large estate. His ruffians had gone ahead and roused the unsuspecting family from their morning meal. Alongside husband and wife stood his elderly parents, and seven children, ages 22 to five.

  Willem whistled, admiring the expansive house that housed the Williamsons, a home that had been in their family for more than a 120 years. Jumping down from the wagon, Willem was met head-on by a terse Drew.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing, Tarlisch? You have no right to drag us out of our own home. Regardless of your demented view of the past, we had nothing to do with any of your battle.” Several large men pushed the seething man away from their boss.

  Unflustered, Willem began. “Men, take the boys and head them up north. Take mom and all but these two young ladies for new outfits.” He culled two younger daughters from their family.

  Drew’s anger rose further. “Over my dead body are you going to split my family up. Whatever you have planned for us, we do as a family.” The last of his words came with spit that struck Willem’s face.

  Wiping his brow clean, he stepped forward toward the now subdued Drew. “Be careful what you wish for, Drew. I have a way of making bad things happen.” Turning, he circled his finger in the air above his head. “Split them up and move them out, people. We have a schedule to keep.”

  Drew broke free of Tarlisch’s henchmen and grabbed him from the back.

  Spinning, Willem thrust an unseen knife deep into Drew’s chest. Inching his face closer to his foe, Willem spoke through his gritted teeth, turning the knife slightly with each word. “Starting today, the only word that matters around here is mine. No longer will anyone ever take orders from any of you. Ever again.” He pushed Drew away with his final words.

  Falling back, blood poured between Drew’s hands from the gaping wound.

  Tarlisch turned to address a shocked, stunned family. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. Those who are coming to live with me will do so without any argument. Those being sent away, the same.” Staring back at the others in the wagon, his voice rose. “Any act against me or any of my people will cause a family member of yours to meet this same fate. Your mothers first, then your oldest brothers, then the oldest sisters.” Turning, he faced the remaining Williamson family one last time. “I will kill you all, if you make me. Every last one of you. And there’ll be no tears shed. You’ve brought enough pain to this world to last five more generations. Be happy I haven’t just killed you instead.”

  Handing the knife to Howard, he mounted his wagon. “Back home with our new family, Andy,” he said to his driver. “We’ve got a lot to get straightened out before sundown. And I want to know the location of Betsi Bond…now.” As the wagon pulled away, other family members were split apart and sent their separate ways. The body of Drew Williamson remained face down, motionless in the driveway.

  In the early afternoon sunshine, Betsi and Jeremy – now Carla and Joe – stopped for their second break of the day. Quietly, with arms crossed, Betsi stepped away and looked down at their former home. From this elevation, Salt Lake looked peaceful and serene below. But she knew the real truth – Tarlisch and his gang of thugs were hard at work causing trouble. And without the militia there to protect the city and citizens, his reign would move forward unfettered.

  “Bets,” Jeremy called out from behind, sitting on a large rock. “Are you mad about something? I thought we made it through the roadblocks pretty good. They hardly gave us a look, right?”

  Without turning, she prepared her response. “All except you gave them your actual birthday.” Finally she spun to face her husband, her expression softening. “But that’s probably not a big deal.” She paused, still looking at Jeremy. “Hopefully,” she added in a whisper.

  They passed through the first checkpoint with just names and birthdates. Having made it out of Salt Lake safely, they were shocked when they came to a second checkpoint three miles further up the road. Already into the steep climb, the guards eyed them carefully, paying special attention to the length and color of the hair under Betsi’s – Carla’s – ball cap. Once past that checkpoint, they climbed without fear of any more of Tarlisch’s traps.

  Starting in again, after taking in several sips of water and a handful of sunflower seeds mixed with bits of chocolate, their legs screamed from exertion and lack of oxygen. Jeremy stared ahead at the climb still remaining and shook his head. Betsi blanched seeing her husband’s weakness on display. Wanti
ng to stay positive, she patted his back and urged him forward, hand in hand.

  By early evening, they had made the first summit of many. Shortly after a beautiful sunset-filled the western sky with varying shades of orange and pink, the pair made camp. Betsi began making a small fire to cook over and keep warm by as Jeremy set up their small pup tent.

  “Remember babe,” he called out, nearly finished with his chore. “We don’t have any bags or pillows. Just one blanket each.” Rising, he stretched his sore back. “I guess we’re going to need to snuggle up pretty closely.”

  Staring into the new flames, Betsi sighed. She loved her husband, but sometimes he could be such a child. Lately, he had grown whiny to her, like a little boy, always wanting his way.

  He approached and sat next to her on a downed log. Reaching for her hand, she withdrew hers. “I need to get the little bit of food we have warm. You can be all lovey-dovey later.” After standing to retrieve the few items they had brought for supplies, she stopped. She knew her words were too direct, coming off callous instead of concerned. Mustering up all the reserve she could spare, she turned with a small smile. “We just really need to stay on task until we get there Jeremy. Okay?”

  He met her stare and nodded. “How much further tomorrow?”

  She frowned at his question.

  He tried to soften the mood. “About?”

  “Probably another 35 miles,” she replied. “Two hard days that means. Maybe two and a half.”

  “Where are we going, by the way?”

  Biting her lower lip, she crossed her arms. She knew eventually he’d have to know. “Camp Eight or Nine. One of the two. We’ll try Camp Eight first, then Camp Nine if we don’t find him at the first.” She hoped this would suffice, but she knew better.

  “And they’re by?”