by David Nees
“Lori Sue’s gone to rescue Donna. At Leo’s place.” Billy’s face was flush with frustration and alarm. “I told her to wait, but she don’t listen. Left me a note. I got the address. Leo moved to the south side. He’s back in town. She could run into him. We got to help her.”
Jason stared at him. “Billy…we’ve got to get ready for the attack. It has to be quick and effective. Before Joe gets things more organized. Before he finds out we’re in town and we’re the ones who get hit.”
Billy looked at Jason in surprise. “You ain’t goin’? I thought you was my friend.”
“Billy.” Jason rubbed his hand over his face. “Lori Sue should have waited, like you said. I can’t jeopardize the mission for her.”
“So you say.” Billy’s expression soured. “I helped you when you asked me to. Thought I’d get some help in return. Fat lot of good that did me.” He started for the door. “Guess I’m gonna have to do this without any help.”
“Wait,” Catherine called out. “I’ll help you.”
Billy stopped and turned to her.
“Catherine, we just talked about this last night,” Jason said sharply. “You can’t go off on your own, do your own thing.”
“Yeah, but this is different. A woman’s in trouble, another one went to help, and now Billy, a valley neighbor, needs help to go to them…and Leo may be there.” She stared back at him, driving it home. “You remember what I said, I get to take Leo out. This may be the best chance we have. And he’s boss of the whole militia. If I can kill him, they’ll be disorganized. Cut off the head of the snake, the body dies.”
“It’s what my pa said,” Billy said.
Jason just looked at her.
Catherine continued. “When we’re done, I’ll link up with you, or find that rooftop and start sniping. I can do a lot of damage from up high.”
Kevin said quietly. “Can we talk privately for a moment?” He looked alarmed.
She looked at him grimly, but she nodded. They stepped out into the hallway and walked to the stairs.
“Catherine, don’t do this. It could be suicide for you.”
“You’re telling me to not help two other women? One of them Billy’s girlfriend?”
“Think about the larger picture, the battle to free this town. It’s one of the reasons I stayed behind.”
“I thought you stayed behind for me.”
“You know I did. And now we’ve both gotten caught up in the town’s battle, in ending this, freeing up the town and trying to make a more normal life…for us and everyone else.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. Help Billy’s girlfriend and rescue a woman.” She stepped close to Kevin and tapped his chest. “You think she’ll have a normal life as Leo’s captive?”
“Catherine…” Kevin looked pained. “Why are you angry? Is this about Bird’s death?”
“Yes, I’m still mad about Bird’s death, but this is about lives. And this is a chance to get Leo. I need to do that for Bird…and for myself.” She gave him a sharp look.
He touched her shoulder. She could see him hesitate. Then he sighed. “I see I won’t talk you out of this.”
“No, you won’t.”
“I can’t go with you. I have to—”
“I know. I know, Kevin.”
“I just fear for you. It’s natural.”
“And I’ll fear for you when you’re in the battle. It’ll be in the back of my mind, but I’ll try to block it out so I can fight better. I’ve learned a lot about fighting…about needing to empty your mind of everything except the moment, about controlling the fear. You know what I’m talking about.”
She reached up around his neck and pulled him close to her. They kissed, long and deep. His arms were tight around her.
“This is hard,” Kevin said.
“Yes.”
Catherine saw Billy standing impatiently behind Kevin. Jason was with him. “Leave the M110 here,” Jason told Catherine. “The Bushmaster will be more useful to you. When you’re done, come straight back. We’ll be ready to go in about ninety minutes.”
Catherine nodded. Without a word, she and Billy went to grab their weapons.
Chapter 59
___________________________________
C atherine stuffed four extra magazines in her jacket pockets. She could see Billy’s pockets already bulging with his five-shot magazines. With no more words, the two headed down the stairs and into the streets. It was now midmorning. She had gotten only a couple of hours of sleep during the wait for the rest of the group to arrive. Fatigue was beginning to attack Catherine’s focus. She fought it off. Time enough to rest when this is done. The chance to find Leo and kill him drove her, pushing her fatigue aside.
They made their way towards the address. Billy walked a short distance ahead of Catherine, a few steps out into the street, so if a patrol came by they would see him first. They saw two patrols, groups of four men each. None reacted with alarm to Billy walking with his rifle slung behind his shoulder; it was clear that they knew him by sight. One of the patrols actually stopped to talk to Billy for a moment. Catherine had plenty of time to duck into a basement stairwell.
She heard Billy say, “You’re joking.”
“Not joking,” she heard a voice reply. “Reckon you can forget about hunting for a while. They’ll probably be telling you to join up with us. They think the attack will come anytime.”
“Who would be stupid enough to attack us? The whole city!”
“It’s for real. Knew three guys they pulled out to go on the valley raid, and they sure didn’t come back. Bet you get assigned to the barricades. I’d try to avoid that if I was you.” A couple of the others nodded.
“I will. You be careful then.”
“You know it.”
Catherine emerged, her mind focused on the tension she had heard in the man’s voice. They’re going to be ready. “I hope they don’t have a chance to start using their heavy weapons.”
They hurried on through the streets.
“They that dangerous?” Billy asked.
Catherine shuddered. “You don’t want to be on the receiving end of a mortar shell. There’s no place to hide.”
“Bad, huh?”
“Yeah. I was trying to crawl into the ground, laying there so flat so nothing would hit me. You just don’t know where it’ll hit and how the shrapnel will spread.” She shuddered again at the memory. Her mind swung to Bird. “I don’t want to talk about it. We’ve got something to do. Go back on ahead.”
When they got near the building, Billy told Catherine he should approach the guard. “The guard will be focused on me. I should look like I’m coming up alone.”
“Wait till we see the place. Maybe there’s no guards.”
When they came to the right street they carefully peered around the corner. The condo was half a block away, on their side of the street. It was a white stucco building, set back, with a U-shaped driveway. The front doorway jutted out from the rest of the wall, and, sure enough, there was a guard. He was seated on the steps, his rifle propped against the railing next to him. He looked bored. Catherine and Billy backed out of sight.
“Okay, then.” Billy thought for a moment. “Why don’t you go around the block in back and work up close from the other side. It looked like there was another driveway going down the far side of the building.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll just walk up like I’m allowed to be here. I can ask the guy what he’s doing way out in this part of town. If he asks, I’m heading out to do some hunting.”
“Don’t start until you see me in position, okay?”
Billy nodded.
After making her way around the back of the building, she saw Billy come into view, walking casually along the sidewalk. Billy turned onto the driveway and walked towards the front door. Now she could see the guard. He had stood up and grabbed his rifle. He stepped forward to meet Billy.
“Who’re you?” he called out.
Catherine began to crawl along the wall, behind the bushes. She had to get closer.
“Name’s Billy Turner. I hunt for the city. What’re you doing way out here? Hardly anyone lives in this area.”
“Question is, what are you doing out here?”
“Right now I’m looking for my girl.”
“This look like anyone hangs around here?” Catherine heard tension in the man’s voice.
“She said she was headed here. To see a friend. My girl’s name’s Lori Sue.”
Catherine kept moving forward. Now she was up to the corner where the entryway extended a few feet outward.
“Lori Sue?” The man repeated the name.
“That’s right. She’s friends with Leo’s woman. She come by?”
Catherine moved out to the end, holding her breath. There was a large shrub beside the entrance. She stopped behind it. She was now within five yards of the guard.
“Oh, yeah.” The guard snickered. “Yeah, she did. You’re her guy? Lucky dog. She’s hot.”
“She still here?”
“Yeah, she went up a while ago. I let her in. Why not? No one said not to. Didn’t really expect anyone to come by. Then Leo showed up. He said not to let anyone in, so you’re out of luck now. Lori Sue may be out of luck too, if Leo thinks she’s messing around with his property.”
“Shit! I got to get in there.” Billy moved towards the door.
The guard stepped in front of Billy. “No you don’t. It’s locked, and Leo said no one gets in.” He pushed Billy back. “So get lost or you’ll be answering to Leo.”
Catherine took three quick steps and was at the guard. She pressed her 9mm into his back. “Don’t move, don’t turn around or you’re dead.”
The guard started in shock. Billy reached behind him and drew his own pistol from his waistband. He leveled it at the man. “Give me the keys, or I’ll kill you myself.”
The guard took out the key ring and handed it to Billy. “You’re in a heap of trouble,” he said, in an effort at retaining control.
As Catherine stepped around him, he looked at her in surprise. “You’re that girl. The one from the valley. How’d you get here?”
She ignored him as Billy unlocked the door.
“Shoot him,” Billy said. “We got to hurry, Leo’s up there.”
“I can’t shoot him. It’ll make too much noise.”
“Good point,” the man said.
Catherine kept her pistol aimed at his chest. “I will, though, if you try anything.”
“We can’t turn him loose.” Billy was dancing around on both feet, in a panic to get to the apartment. “Turn around,” he ordered the guard. When the man turned Billy whacked him on the back of his head. The man fell unconscious.
“Why’d you do that?” Catherine asked.
“No time to do anything else. We got to get up there.”
They ran for the stairs.
“He’s in five-thirty,” Billy said his voice harsh with anxiety.
When they got to the fifth floor, they stopped to catch their breath on the landing.
“What’s the plan?” Billy whispered.
Catherine slipped her carbine off her shoulder and pulled the charging lever back, chambering a round. “We bust in and shoot Leo. I don’t have any fancy plan. Stay low and don’t shoot any females.”
Billy nodded.
They heard two shots, fast, and then a third.
Catherine gasped. Billy’s eyes opened wide. He grabbed for the doorknob and threw the door open. Another shot shook the air. To the left there was a long hallway, bright skylights spaced along it. The shooting came from that direction.
Billy broke into a dead run, and Catherine was right beside him.
They heard a door open far down the hall, and then a woman in a pale blue nightgown stumbled out and ran towards them. She was barefoot. Her eyes were wild.
“Leo!” she shouted. “He’s got a gun.”
The woman was almost on top of them when Catherine saw Leo stagger into the hall. He had a gun in his hand. The woman was blocking her line of sight.
Catherine gave her a violent shove to the side. The woman crashed into Billy. They both went down in a heap beside Catherine. Catherine dropped to one knee. Leo fired off a wild shot in their direction.
Catherine’s sights swung across Leo’s torso. She fired. He lurched back. She thought she had hit him in the stomach, but he was still standing. She fired again and saw the second round hit his shoulder. The pistol spun out of his hand. He dropped to his knees. He reached out, trying to find the pistol, while he glared at Catherine. His face was ugly with pain and rage.
“That was for me,” she shouted at him. “This is for Bird.”
And she shot him in the face. His head was flung backward, and his body sagged after it. He lay slumped in a heap with his legs folded under him, what was left of his face staring at the ceiling.
Billy was already up and running toward the apartment. He ran past the body without even looking.
Chapter 60
___________________________________
L ori Sue lay in the short hall just inside the doorway, a red stain of blood spreading out from under her and soaking into the beige carpet.
“Lori!” Billy shouted as he dropped to the floor beside her. “Oh my God, you’re shot.”
She looked up at him. It took a moment for her to find her voice, but when she spoke she sounded almost normal. “You came. I’m glad. I ain’t hurt bad…I’ll be okay now you’re here.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Yeah. From my gut. Guess I wasn’t so good at shooting Leo. He turned the gun on me.”
Billy cradled her head in his arms. He looked up as Catherine and Donna Bishop came in. “We got to stop the bleeding.” His voice was filled with a desperate intensity.
Donna stumbled past them and disappeared to the left. She was back in a moment carrying an armful of towels. She knelt down across from Billy. Her face was very pale, but she spoke with a mother’s authority. “Help me press these to her side to stop the bleeding. We get that under control, we can get her to the hospital.”
“Thanks, Donna,” Lori Sue said. “We girls got to stick together.” Her voice was softer, without its usual sharp edge.
“I’ll go and get some help,” Catherine said above them. “We have to get her to the hospital.”
“Hurry,” Billy said, but he could already hear Catherine’s footsteps receding quickly down the hall.
He told Lori Sue, “We’ll get you some help. You’re gonna be all right. Damn, I wish you hadn’t gone.”
“Had to go…promised. Gonna be all right. We’re gonna be all right.” She paused to gather her strength. “Leo?”
“Catherine shot the bastard. He’s dead in the hall.”
Lori Sue sighed. “That’s good. Glad he’s out of the way.” She turned her head towards Donna. “Now we got to get your son out of that school.”
“I’ll get him later,” Donna said. “He’ll be all right, Leo can’t hurt him. We have to help you now.” She looked down at the towels, and Billy saw the red seeping through. “Billy, hold them tight. We have to control the bleeding.”
Billy groaned out loud. “I’m trying. I don’t want to hurt her by pushing too hard.”
“You ain’t hurting me.” Lori Sue reached up and touched his face. “I love you, Billy Turner. We gonna have a good ol’ time when this is over. We gonna make lots of money with our bar. Everyone’ll come, you’ll see.”
Billy could feel tears streaming down his face. “I love you too, Lori Sue. We’ll have the best bar around. People’ll come from all over.”
“Yeah,” she said. Her voice was getting softer, breathier. “I know how to work a bar. I’ll show you too. You do the huntin’, make the liquor. I’ll even teach you how to make drinks. I can work the tables.” Billy just nodded, staring into her face as she looked up at him.
“It don’t hurt bad. I’ll be fine.” She paus
ed and seemed to gather her strength. “You want kids? I’d like kids someday.”
“Sure, we can have kids. Don’t know much about raising them, though.”
She smiled. “It ain’t hard. Just do what comes natural. Course, we got to make the bar work first. That’s how we’ll support them. How many you want?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, two, three? Can’t think about that now.”
“Hope it ain’t a lot. I ain’t a big girl.” She started to breathe harder. “Just thinking about it makes me horny. Sorry, Donna. Something about having babies with Billy just turns me on. That happen to you?”
Donna smiled back at her. “I guess so, when we did it…you know, conceived. I only got to have one child with Jim.”
“I’m sorry for you. I’ll have an extra for you. You be their grandmother? We could make you one.”
“I’d be proud to be their grandmother…or maybe their aunt.”
“Aunt Donna. That’s good.” She looked back at Billy. “See we already got us a family. She can babysit when we need to be alone…you know, when we get horny. Damn, I can’t wait.”
Lori Sue’s grin looked brave.
“Shouldn’t we get Lori Sue to a bed…or couch? She’d be more comfortable.”
“I don’t think we should move her,” Donna replied. “It might make the bleeding worse.”
“I ain’t hurtin’. You being here makes it okay. Just hold my head and keep telling me you love me. I need that now.” Lori Sue grabbed Billy’s shirt and looked hard at him. “You tell me every day we’re together, promise?”
Billy nodded.
“You’re gentle, that’s good. Promise you’ll tell me you love me every day and never beat me.”
Her words tore at Billy’s heart. “I’d never beat you. I love you. And I’ll tell you I love you every day of our lives.”
She relaxed and sighed. “I like that. Plus it’ll get you more lovin’. I got lots of tricks still to show you.” Her face turned serious. “I got to tell you something. In case things don’t go…in case I forget. Come close.”
Billy put his face close to hers, making a small, private place between them, shutting out the rest of the world.
