by David Nees
“I’m sorry for whoring around. I know it made you sad. You didn’t get mad or hurt me, but I hurt you. I shoulda stopped when we got together. It was just easy to do, and it made it easy to get things I thought I needed...”
“It’s all right—”
She put her hand to his lips. “It ain’t. I’m sorry, but that ain’t happening anymore. I’m your girl all the way. Nobody gets my lovin’ but you. You’re my man and I’m your gal.”
“Yeah. That’s the way it is…the way it will be.”
She reached up. “Kiss me, Billy. I miss your kisses.”
He kissed her gently.
“Don’t hold back. Your kisses give me energy. I need that now.”
He kissed her harder as she did her best to respond.
“You got to breathe,” Billy said, breaking off the kiss.
“Kissin’s like breathin’ for me,” she replied, but she was panting when their lips parted.
The towels were getting redder. And wetter.
“We need more towels,” Billy said. His voice was desperate.
Donna got up and was back in seconds with more, along with a couple of clean sheets. When she changed them out she gasped at the heaviness of the towels. Billy could sense their weight, as if he were lifting them himself.
“It don’t hurt,” Lori Sue said.
Billy clamped both his hands on the fresh cloth. He found himself speaking. “Run and get help. Maybe Catherine didn’t make it.” He was beginning to panic. Donna looked at him. “I can do this,” he said, making his voice sound calm. “Get some help. You know where the hospital is. Go.”
Lori Sue reached up suddenly and grabbed Donna’s arm. “Go, do what Billy says. Girls got to help each other out.”
“We stick together,” Donna said, her voice sounded choked with tears. Donna bent and kissed Lori Sue on the forehead. “I’ll be back as quick as I can,” she said. “Stay with us, don’t quit. Don’t give up. Remember, you’re a fighter.”
Lori Sue smiled.
Donna got up and ran out. Billy heard her footsteps fading down the hallway. He thought of her trying to get to the hospital, braving the militia. Could she bluff her way through them? He thought of Catherine, probably still on her way—where? To the hospital, or had Catherine gone back to Charlie’s people to get help in transport? There could be no help closer at hand they could trust. His heart bled.
He bent his head close to Lori Sue. “You stay with me. You gonna be okay. We’re gonna have that bar…all the things you want.” Another groan came out of him. “I ain’t never figured I have someone like you. You can’t die. You can’t leave me.”
Her voice was so calm. “Remember when you saved me? It scared me so when that guy stuck his knife into my neck. Scared me just as much when you shot him…right over my head. You coulda killed me, but you was a good shot.”
“I remember.”
“Why’d you take that chance?”
“Didn’t think about it. They wasn’t treatin’ you right.”
“Were you nervous? Shooting over my head like that?”
He shook his head. “I took harder shots than that hunting. I knew I could make that shot.”
“I’m sure glad you did.” Lori Sue started to laugh, and it turned into a cough. “That woulda been a hell of a thing, if you had shot me.”
“Don’t say that. I never would have missed.”
“Lucky for me. I think I fell in love with you that night. Or I decided I wanted you around. You had somethin’ I wanted.”
“I fell in love with you that night,” Billy said to her. “I never experienced anything like that before.”
“Yeah. I was your first.” She smiled at him. “It was fun, wasn’t it? It’s always been fun with you. Never felt like that before with anyone else. Sometimes a rush, but never fun and with a good feeling after. You know what I mean? Course you don’t. I’m the only girl you ever had…I like that. And you’ll be the only guy I’m having from here on out.”
He had been listening to her voice growing weaker. It seemed to him that he had never listened to anything so closely.
She had been holding her head up a little, but now she sagged back.
After perhaps twenty seconds she spoke again. “This ain’t workin’, Billy. Don’t think I’m gonna make it till help comes.”
A terrible dark wave had been building in Billy, and now it broke. He shouted, shocking himself with his intensity, “Yes you will. You hold on!”
“Don’t yell at me. I’m tryin’. Just hold me and kiss me.”
He started kissing her face, her cheeks, her forehead.
“Mmmm, that’s nice.”
He kept kissing her, kissing her chin, her neck, her face. Nothing in his world now but holding her tight and kissing her. He felt her slowly relaxing.
She whispered, and he heard the smile he felt under his lips. “We gonna have a bar and a big family…big as you want, Billy…I love you.”
And she breathed her last and went limp. He kept kissing her face, crying harsh tears, calling her name out over and over in choking sobs. He had to keep squeezing the sodden towel, he could not let go, so he leaned down against her and rocked her with his whole body, his hands straining beneath him, refusing to let her go, refusing to acknowledge that she was gone.
“Hang on, hang on,” he kept repeating, mixed in with, “I love you, I love you.”
But she could not hear his words.
Chapter 61
___________________________________
C atherine rushed back to the planning room. She had given up on going directly to the hospital before she had gotten down the stairs; she didn’t know how fast she would be able to get any help to come back with her, and the important part was to get Lori Sue there. Maybe the police had a hidden vehicle that she could use.
Her hopes were dashed as soon as she got back. Everyone was still there, she found the conference still in progress, but Charlie told her that even the van that had been used in the armory raid had been dropped off back at the station. “We didn’t want to show our hand,” he said.
“But I need some help,” she exclaimed to Jason and the others. “We’ve got to get Lori Sue to the hospital.”
Jason looked at her with a pained look in his face. “I’ve got to get this attack started or we’re all in trouble.”
Catherine turned. to Kevin, “How about you?” She could see the conflict in his face.
Jason spoke, “Why don’t you go with Catherine? Rodney and I can get everything ready on this end. Just join us as soon as you can.”
“All right. You know how we’re dividing up the forces. I’ll take some first aid supplies and after I’ll meet up with the north attack team.”
“Bring a morphine injector as well,” Rodney offered.
“Catherine, take the M110 with you as well,” Jason added. “We’re running out of time.”
Catherine nodded and she and Kevin left the room.
They set out on a jog with their rifles concealed under coats as well as possible. They were lucky and saw no patrols. On arriving at the condo, they saw Donna approaching the entrance with a nurse. The nurse was carrying a folding stretcher under her arm.
“You went to the hospital,” Catherine exclaimed.
“Yes. Billy asked me to go, he wasn’t sure you’d make it through any militia.”
They went through the door and quickly climbed the stairs. They burst out into the hallway and started down it. The nurse gasped and stopped at the sight of Leo’s body.
“Keep going,” Catherine said, shoving her forward.
When they got to the open door, they found Billy rocking Lori Sue in his arms on the floor. A loud keening sound was coming from him.
Everyone stopped and stood still.
Finally Catherine slowly approached him and touched him on the shoulder. He flinched, growling like a feral cat. “Don’t touch her. Stay away!”
Everyone backed up.
“We
brought help,” Catherine said, her voice coming out in a shaky whisper.
“Don’t need your help. You too late!”
She straightened and looked back at the nurse.
“Let’s wait outside,” Kevin said.
“Billy, I’m so sorry,” Donna said in a broken, choked voice beside Catherine. Catherine took her arm and pulled her away. They went out into the hall.
Donna was sobbing. She sank down against the wall, her face contorted with grief.
“Billy lost his dad,” Catherine mumbled to her. “He’s got no one. This may be too hard for him to take.” Donna looked at Catherine in confusion, and Catherine remembered that Donna didn’t know Billy at all. Donna only knew Lori Sue.
She looked at Kevin. His eyes were full of sorrow, but his expression was firm. “I’ve got to go,” he said. “We can’t help Lori Sue now and I have to get on with this battle. Leo may be dead, but the militia is assembling their defenses. If we wait, more people will get killed in the fight. We’ve got to attack as soon as we can.”
Catherine looked at her fiancé. “I know. You go. I shouldn’t leave Billy now.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then met his gaze again. “Tell me your plan so I can join you. I’ll come as soon as possible.”
Kevin glanced toward Donna and the open door. He stepped closer to Catherine. “We’re dividing into two attack groups,” he said quietly. “Both groups will consist of members of my squad and clansmen. This arrangement will balance the clan’s shooting ability with our larger weapon capacity.
“Charlie’s going to lead the civilians.” He grimaced. “Not the best soldiers, but we need the bodies. And they’ll be fighting for their town, as well as their own lives. I’m putting some of them in the attack groups and some to go after the patrols out in the city. That’ll give us two groups of about twenty-five to thirty fighters each.”
He led her a short way down the corridor and knelt. He took out the street map and spread it on the floor. “My group will be on the north side. Rodney and Jason will come in from the south.” His finger traced the approach routes. The barricaded blocks had been thickly outlined in pencil.
“And I go on a roof here,” Catherine said. She knelt with him and pointed to a block to the west of the pincer attacks. “I can snipe at the militia and try to keep them pinned down while you’re attacking. I’ll be a block away, but if they have mortars I may be able to spot them and take them out.”
Kevin nodded. He folded the map quickly. “Sure you’ll be able to find a good rooftop?”
“I’ll find one.”
He touched her cheek, and then he rose. “Be careful.”
“You do the same,” Catherine replied. She felt a sudden swell of sadness. “I love you.”
He smiled down at her. “I love you too,” he said. She saw his eyes go behind her to the doorway, and pain crossed his face. Then he turned and hurried toward the stairs.
She remained on one knee watching him stride down the hall. Then she turned and got up and went back to the room. The nurse had come out and was standing awkwardly next to Donna.
Catherine went back into the apartment, with Donna following. She sat against the wall and motioned for Donna to do the same. She sat to wait for Billy to finish his grieving.
Finally Billy stood up and carried Lori Sue back into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. He had stopped crying some time back, and a grim purpose had begun to fill the emptiness inside him. He felt them come into the room behind him.
“You take care of her?” he asked.
“I will.” Donna replied.
“I’ll be back. I’m goin’ huntin’ now. Gonna kill that man responsible for all this mess. Man who started up the killin’ again. Cost me my pa, now my girl.”
“Billy, let me tell you what’s going on,” Catherine said behind him. “There are plans, and the fight is going to begin soon.”
“You can tell me, but I know what I’m gonna do. I know where he stays. I’m going after him.”
“Who are you going after?”
He finally turned his gaze from Lori Sue. “Stansky.”
“Can we work together? I don’t think you should just run into this battle by yourself. You might get killed. You could be caught in a crossfire.”
Billy shook his head. “I’m huntin’ alone. You do what you gotta do. I’ll do what I gotta do.” He glanced around for his rifle. It was still out in the front hall where he had dropped it. He moved past Donna, and Catherine stepped in front of him.
“Billy, let me help.”
He stood there, looking at Catherine. The sight of her penetrated the darkness growing inside him. This was a girl he had known growing up. There was a bond between them. They had never been close, but they had been part of the valley, and they had both fought to defend it from Big Jacks and his gang. That day had only been two years ago, but it seemed to him now that they had only been children then. The killing and the hard decisions since the EMP attack had put childhood behind them both. He didn’t see the young girl anymore, and the boy in himself was gone.
He shook away those thoughts; there was no time for them. This was a time for fighting, and revenge.
“You do what you gonna do,” he told her again. He didn’t speak harshly but there was no give in his voice. “Don’t follow me. No one’s waiting for me, I’ll do this by myself.”
Catherine sighed. “At least let me show you how the attack is going to take place. I don’t want to see you get caught up in the middle of it. Here. I’ll show you in here.”
She turned and led the way to the kitchen. Billy reluctantly followed. She was hunkered down on the floor tiles, scratching lines on the floor with a kitchen knife, showing Billy where the attacks would come from. He took it in mechanically.
The map gave Billy an idea. “I can go in opposite of where you’ll be. Like using the back door.”
“That might work. But you should take a carbine, not your hunting rifle. Take the guard’s weapon. You need to be able to shoot faster than you can with your bolt action.”
That made sense. He nodded and turned to go. He stopped at the door to the bedroom and took a last look at Lori Sue. Then he headed out, picking his rifle up from where it lay beside the bloodstain on the carpet. He would hide his own rifle in the shrubbery along the edge of the apartment building.
He didn’t expect to live to retrieve it.
Catherine pulled on her pack, slung the M110 sniper rifle on her back, and picked up her Bushmaster carbine. She turned to Donna Bishop. “Are you sure you want to stay? This was Leo’s place. Someone might come by.”
Donna looked at Catherine. “I’m going to take care of Lori Sue,” she said. Her voice was dull and soft. She had changed out of the gown into a dark blue sweater and jeans.
“Do you have a weapon? You should have a pistol at least. In case one of the militia comes in.”
Donna nodded and picked up the 9mm lying on the floor. Catherine looked at the way she was holding it. “Do you know how to use that?”
For an instant the woman’s tired eyes lit up, and her voice was sharp with anger. “I shot Leo with it.”
Catherine just nodded.
“Will you win?” Donna asked. There was something—an almost apologetic pleading—in her eyes. “Will this be the end of people like Leo and Stansky?”
Catherine ignored the first question. There was no point thinking about that. “I don’t know. Probably won’t be the end of bad people. But with him gone, we’ve got a chance to make a normal life again.” Catherine looked at the carpet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Then she looked Donna in the eye. “I don’t know how many bad people there are out there. You’re older so you should know. They probably crop up everywhere. And I don’t know if we’ll ever have a real country back again.
“So we have to build something good right here and help it grow,” Donna said.
Catherine nodded. She picked up her carbine again. “It seems to me that the more good
people we can bring together, the more we can run our lives with respect and the less chance bad people will have to get power.”
She turned to the door. “I gotta go. No more talking.”
Chapter 62
___________________________________
C atherine ran down the stairs and crossed the lobby to the entrance, past the guard who was just regaining consciousness. She didn’t even look at him. She did see that his pack had been tipped on its side, and the M16 carbine was gone. Billy had taken it, and whatever extra magazines had been in the pack. If she ran into a patrol there would be no talking her way out of the encounter but she needed to move fast. She had to get to the spot she had picked.
Her backpack and the M110 made an awkward combination bouncing on her back. While jogging through the streets, she tried to keep a mental picture of the map in her head. She was passing through unexplored territory.
Coming around the corner of a block, she surprised a small militia patrol. Five men turned towards her. “Stop!” one of the men shouted.
Catherine spun and ran back around the corner. Shots rang out. She sprinted down the block. She counted down the seconds she thought it would take the militia to make it to the corner. A third of the way down the block she ducked into a doorway that shielded her from the street. The entrance was made of granite. She dropped to the ground, hoping anyone aiming for her would be focusing higher up. She peeked around the edge, with the tip of her rifle leading the way. There were three men just coming onto the street.
Catherine didn’t hesitate. She put her sights on the one farthest out in the road. Her shot hit him in the chest, knocking him backwards. Before he hit the ground she brought her aim back to the middle one. She hit him in the gut. He staggered back and slumped to his knees with a loud groan. The man nearest the corner had now reacted and Catherine’s third shot missed him as he ducked out of sight.
Can’t stay here and get trapped. Catherine jumped up and ran further down the block, looking for another doorway to hide in. Nothing. But one building was set out further than the others. She ran past it and stepped into its shadow. It provided a few feet of cover. She swung her rifle around the corner of the building and watched the street. Nothing moved. There was just the dead man in the street and the one dying on the sidewalk. She watched for tense seconds that dragged into a couple of minutes before she concluded that the third man had decided to go another way, not wanting to risk getting shot.
