Into the Apocalypse

by William Dunaway

  Tag spoke up, “That has to be the one that killed Abel.”

  I sat up, with anger in my voice, “Tell me this. Was this two to three weeks ago?”

  I think the change in my attitude shocked her and she timidly said, “Yes.”

  “Did the other people that were with him come back with meat? Beef?”

  “Yes, how did you know?”

  I stood up, “Good! He got what he deserved!” startling both Tracy and Jana.

  I saw the look on their face and then immediately calmed back down, “I’m sorry, but that happened when they attacked a friend of ours. Their dog was the one that attacked him. They killed the dog and later came back and killed the husband, which was a very good friend of ours.”

  Jana, with a look of remorse, replied, “I’m so sorry. They didn’t tell us too many details. Most of what I heard, I just had to pick up on. I hope you know that I wasn’t involved with that at all. All I did was clean, cook and gather firewood.”

  “Yes Jana, I understand that. It was just a shock to hear about Blake’s killer. You say the guy died from the bite?”

  Tag spoke up and with disgust added, “I hope it was a slow, painful death.”

  “It was. He was in serious pain at the end.”

  “Good!” Tag said with joy in his voice.

  “Jana, I know it sounds like we’re cruel and cold-blooded but Blake…., the friend they killed, well, his wife and children are here in our community. Please, do me a favor. Don’t say anything about it to them. Laura, his wife, is still having a pretty hard time getting over her husband's murder.”

  Jana started crying, “Oh, again, I’m so sorry. You don’t think they’ll hold it against us, do you?”

  “No, she’s not that way, but I don’t want anything said that would bring back the worst memories.”

  “I understand.”

  After dinner, due to the duty schedule, Brandy and Mia let Tracy and Jana use their room to sleep in for the night. Both Brandy and Mia said they’d find a place to sleep when they got off duty. I suspected that Brandy was going to stay with Mike and Mia with Paul, but I didn’t ask.

  As Kim and I were going to bed she asked, “We’re not done with the Pauley group, are we?”

  I grunted, “No. I wish we could say that we were but that would be wishful thinking. We’ll end up having a major confrontation with them sooner than later.”

  “I take it that’s what Jim was talking about when he said to do it on your terms. I guess we’re going to have to attack, aren’t we?”

  I could hear the worry in Kim’s voice, even more than when we were getting ready for the Pine City group. She had learned enough, listening to all of us to know that being on offense is very dangerous and could cost several lives.

  “You heard Jana. This Pauley guy isn’t going to let it go. If we wait on him, he could pick us off one at a time. Yeah, we’ll have to come up with some offensive battle plan, but after looking at his area and with the limited people we have that know what they're doing, it could turn ugly. To be honest, I don’t have a clue how to do it. It’ll probably have to be a night op, and we do have the advantage of knowing their layout and even where they sleep, but it’s still not going to be easy. I’m afraid some of us won’t be coming back.”

  Kim had tears come to her eyes. Compared to the person she was when I married her, she’s a warrior now, but still, she hadn’t mastered how to handle the worry and stress of warfare.

  I put my arms around her, “Don’t worry about it right now. We’re a long way from having any type of plan.”

  She wiped her eyes, “I know. We definitely need to pray about this though. It sounds like more than ever; we’re going to need God’s protection.”

  I chuckled a bit, “Well, you’re right there.”

  “Anyway, you have us ladies by your side this time.”

  I pulled back from her and snapped, “Oh no!”

  Kim smiled, “Oh, yes! That’s what you guys have been training us for, and I’m not going to take no for an answer. You’re going to need every one of us for something but I can tell you this, it’s not going to be sitting at home waiting and wondering.”

  I started to argue, but it hit me that she was right. We were going to need everyone, and this is the kind of thing we were talking about. But still, talking about it is one thing but actually putting Kim on the firing line is something else.

  “You know I’m right.”

  I just let my head fall back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. She didn’t say a word.

  After a minute or so, I finally responded, “Yeah, you’re right. You guys will be needed,” and then we both fell asleep not saying another word.

  The next morning we introduced Tracy and Jana to everyone that they hadn’t met from our primary group. The ladies made a large breakfast, even though Brandy and Wit both advised Tracy to eat smaller amounts and allow her body to adjust to eating on a regular basis again.

  She was shocked when she saw the fresh milk, pancakes, dehydrated hash browns and homemade bread. Even Jana couldn’t believe the spread of food. The Pauley group had food that they had stolen from other people, but it wasn’t served like normal meals. They just ate whatever was available at the time.

  Both remarked how they were amazed at the family atmosphere that we all had. The constant ribbing of one another and laughter was something that neither one of them had seen in a while.

  The priority for the day was to find a home they could live in. I had in mind a house that was on the northern perimeter, halfway between Pine City and our eastern perimeter.

  My personal priority was for us to get intel from Jana. I didn’t want to make it like an interrogation, but she would be able to supply a lot of information about the Pauley group.

  As we were eating, Mike was mentally preparing for his assigned crew to build the roadblock at Charlie’s place.

  “I think we need to build an extra large barrier. With the wood line being right next to us, it’ll make it so much easier.” Mike commented to Tag.

  “Don’t forget, we need to get everyone together at some time and help Charlie and Martha harvest their apples as well,” I said with a smile, knowing Mike would groan because he would probably have to change the schedule a bit when we did.

  Jana, overhearing the conversation, got a worried look on her face and then acted very uncomfortable.

  Brian, immediately picking up on it, asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Are Charlie and Martha an older couple that own an apple orchard on some gravel road?”

  Most of us hearing her ask that all quieted down.

  “Yes. Why?” Brian asked.

  Again, with panic on her face asked, “Were they bothered by a couple of guys around a week ago?”

  I spoke up and asked, “What are you leading up to, Jana?”

  “Well, Pauley called us all together to plan the raid on an older couple that owns an apple grove.”

  “When? I asked sternly.

  “This coming Sunday.”

  “Are you sure? Mo asked with urgency.

  “Yes, they have it all planned out.They’re in the process of building more trailers for the ATVs so they can haul the apples. Pauley told them that it’d be Sunday whether they had them all built or not.

  Wit asked, “So if they get them built before that, they could hit Charlie at any time? He then looked at me, “How are we going to handle that?”

  Jana replied, “No, I’m sure it will be Sunday morning. Pauley is very anal when it comes to schedules. He’s impulsive with his anger and emotions, but as far as raids and such goes, everything has to be scheduled out. He’s a nut job when it comes to schedules. If someone doesn’t do something exactly when he scheduled it, he goes off and starts screaming at people.”

  “How much did you hear? I mean, how many details do you know?” Red asked.

  “Well, pretty much all of it. Normally, he doesn’t include the women,but with this, he said everyone e
xcept him, would be involved so that they could get all of the apples quickly.”

  “Well, how do they think they’re going to get away with it. I mean, what’s their plan concerning Charlie and Martha?” Brandy asked with worry.

  Jana started tearing up and said timidly, “They’re sending two of the guys in early, and they plan on killing both of them while they’re sleeping. Then, everyone else is going to move in and get all the apples and any supplies they may have.”

  “Oh, my God,” Kim exclaimed with fear.

  “They’re animals, just like I’ve been telling you. This sounds exactly like Pauley.” Brian said with disgust.

  After several moments of comments, I spoke up, “Jana, finish your breakfast and then we need to talk. I need to know every detail you know. I want you to think about everything they said.”

  Mo, Tag, Mike and I didn’t even finish breakfast, but instead went into the living room to discuss it. Soon everyone was sitting in the living room, and I even had Mia go pick up Jake.

  “Ok, Jana, tell me everything you know. Do you happen to know what time they plan on doing this?” I asked.

  “Uh, yes, they plan on sending in two guys named Creighton and Hedge. They both wanted to do it as they said they were shot at by Charlie, even though they only said some old man. They’re going to sneak in thirty minutes before sun up while they’re asleep and cut their throats, so no shots will be fired. Then at daybreak, everyone else will come in to clean out their supplies and as many apples as they can get.”

  I sat there for a minute and then smiled.

  Mo, with a smile himself, asked, “Are you absolutely sure of the timeline. They plan on trying to kill them thirty minutes before sun up, and the rest will come in right at sun up? Now, you need to be sure on this.”

  Jana looked confused by our reaction but answered, “Yes, absolutely. Pauley acts as though he’s some military expert and he insists that timing is precise.”

  Wit started laughing, “Surely he isn’t going to gift wrap it like this?”

  Kim finally spoke up and asked with a little anger, “What are you guys laughing at? Did you hear her? They’re going to kill Charlie and Martha.”

  I looked at her and smiled, “Exactly. They’re doing us a big favor.”

  “WHAT?” Mia yelled out.

  We all laughed, and I proclaimed, “You guys are misunderstanding us. They’re playing into our hands. Now, thanks to Jana, we know when and where they’re going to hit, and we’ll be there waiting for them.

  We’ll get Charlie and Martha out of there, and we’ll be waiting for them with a surprise of our own.”

  Angela walked up and put her arms around Mo, “That’s still going to be dangerous.”

  “Yes, baby. It will be, but not nearly as dangerous as it would’ve been if we would’ve had to attack their compound. All the advantages will be on our side.”

  “They were going to attacks Pauley’s?” Jana asked Brian.

  “We talked about it. We weren’t going to leave you there. That’s why what the Colonel did was so important. If it wasn’t for him, we would’ve had to come up with a plan to rescue you.”

  Speaking to all of us, Brian remarked, “You know, after thinking about it, it’s a good thing we didn’t have to attack it. I think secretly Pauley was hoping someone would. He brags about how he set up the place and how hard it would be for someone to sneak up on the house. They say even before the power died, he bragged how he kept the place mowed so he could see anyone approaching. He was mad because he had night vision but they quit working when the power thing hit.”

  I asked, “Just out of curiosity, did you happen to hear how they got so many ATVs and motorcycles?”

  “Well, just overhearing conversations but apparently he would go to auctions and buy older ones that didn’t cost him that much. By what he said, half of them didn’t run. I guess when he first started putting his crew together, one of their main jobs was to repair and build them up. Most of the people that are there, were with him before the power went out.”

  Brandy asked, “The other girls there, are they like you? What I mean by that is, are they stuck there and didn’t really know what they were getting into?”

  She rocked her head side-to-side like she was thinking, then replied, “No, not really. Most of them are the girlfriends of his crew, and they have the same messed up attitudes as they have. Let’s just say; I wouldn’t have been friends with any of them during normal times.”

  Finally, I announced, “Well, why don’t you guys relax for a while. We need to make some plans. But we’ll have a lot more questions for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, I understand. Brian told me last night to expect to be questioned a lot. I’ll help any way I can.”

  “Well, this would be a good time for me to check you guys out medically if you don’t mind.” Brandy advised.

  They agreed, and Brandy grabbed the EMT bag and took them back to her bedroom.

  Mo asked quietly, “Well, what do you think? Can we trust what she’s saying? No offense, Brian.”

  “None taken. I will say that Jana wouldn’t be saying these things if they weren’t 100 % true. She wouldn’t make anything up.”

  “Well, if she’s accurate and Pauley sticks to his schedule, we got em. I mean, under the circumstances, we couldn’t ask for anything better. Especially if he sends everybody.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Paul asked.

  I replied, “Well, Paul, we’re going to set up an ambush. A couple of us will be waiting for the two that’s going to sneak in to get Charlie and Martha and then we’ll be set up for when the rest of them come in.”

  Mia had a strange look on her face and then asked, “You mean we’re going to be hidden and then just wipe them out? Isn’t that kind of wrong?”

  I looked at Mia with a little frustration, but then I realized that most people don’t understand some of the tactics that have to be used in warfare.

  “Mia, they’ve basically declared war on us. Think about it. They’re planning on killing Charlie and Martha, and they wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone else that gets in their way. Sometimes, in war, you have to be very cold-blooded. Listen, if you don’t want to take part, I completely understand. You can stay here to guard the house.”

  That seemed to wake her up, and she said sternly, “Oh no. I understand, and you can depend on me. I guess the idea just kind of shocked me for a moment.”

  “Mia, it wouldn’t break my heart if all you ladies stayed here at the house. You can call me old fashion, but the idea of all of you being a part of this goes against every grain in my body anyway.”

  “No, Vince. That’s what you guys have been training us for. We’re a part of the team, and it sounds like we’re going to need everyone we can get for this.”

  I knew the ladies were capable and the training had been going well but putting Kim and Mia in harm's way scared the hell out of me. I think a part of me was hoping it’d be too shocking for them.

  “Ok, Mia. But if you have any serious doubts, you need to let us know.”

  “No doubts.” She said firmly.

  Mike spoke up, “What about the roadblock? Are we still on with it?”

  “What do you guys think?” I asked.

  “There’s no way we can build it now. The minute they see it they may call off the attack.” Wit replied.

  “He’s right,” Red commented.

  “Yeah, you’re right, but what if they hit before then? I mean, I know she said he makes sure everything is done according to schedule, but if they change their plans, then Charlie and Martha will be in danger.” Mo stated.

  I thought for a moment and then replied, “Well, we’re just going to have to get Charlie and Martha to move out temporarily until this is all over.

  Red, you and Tag are in charge of setting up the ambush. Take the ATVs and cycles and take Mike and Robert and scout out those woods and see if you can find the trails they’re using.

/>   Once you get done with that, you need to find us some volunteers but only people you feel we can depend on and won’t freak out when it starts. We don’t want anyone that can’t handle it and we only have a week to get them trained. Mike that means you may have to change the guard schedules.

  Kim, Paul and I will go talk to Charlie and Martha. Any more questions or ideas?” Everyone shook their heads no. “Ok, let's get on it then.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Everyone got right to work. The guys finally figured out how Pauley’s group was using the trails through the woods. They were using fluorescent ribbon to mark them. So simple, I don’t know how we didn’t notice them before, except there are a lot of people in the area that used to use it to mark their deer stands. Now we know where they should come in.

  Red and Tag were always the best at setting up ambushes in our past army life, and they immediately started training everyone. The volunteers that we felt we could trust turned out to be Jake and Ben, Dean and Tammy Crumby, Bob Rowe, Len, Phillip, and Harold Akers. From our immediate group, it would be Paul, Mike, Brandy, Mia, Tag, Red, Wit, John, Robert, Kim, and myself. Angela would be staying at home with Lulu and the other girls, along with Brian, Jana, Tracy, and Santiago, just in case.

  I still had serious reservations about using the ladies and some may call me chauvinistic, but I was raised from a generation where we’re supposed to protect the women. But they had proven themselves, and in today’s world, I had to think differently. With this number, we’d now match them in strength. Tag gave me a hard time and told me the main reason I was letting the women be a part of it was I feared the wrath I would receive if I told them no. He was just having fun but what he was saying was probably half-way true. Either way, I knew I just had to have faith.

  Before training started, I had a long talk with everyone trying to get across the psychological problems that they may have with being involved in an ambush. For most, I don’t think it would bother them that much, but for those that have never taken a human life, it could mess up your mind. Plus, when you’re laying in hiding and seeing basically kids in their early twenties walking by, your mind starts having thoughts. The main thing you have to keep in mind is you’re killing to prevent others and yourself from being killed. In an ambush, you don’t give them the chance to surrender. It is a surprise attack when they least expect it.