JAA Ch. 01: Aftermath

In the distance toward the village, she could see a person crawling toward her position. They appeared wounded by the way they were crawling. Sue waited, she did not know if they were friend or foe. After three minutes, she could see that it was Billy. She rushed to his side helping him roll onto his back. She ripped his coat and shirt open revealing his wounds. Two small round holes punctured his clean pink flesh.

"Oh god, Billy, what did you do?" It was a rhetorical question.

"I was saving you Doc, I was saving you. There is no village here, just that hut and it's fake. I knew something was wrong... "

"Don't talk you ninny. Just let me work."

Sue was frantically pulling things out of her backpack. She slapped two sterile bandages on Billy's wounds. Turning she saw that Dutch was rousing again. Getting up, she stepped to where he lies and hit him in the head with her pistol again. She did not care if she caused any damage to his already soft head. Looking down at him with disgust, she kicked him in the ribs.

Going back to Billy, she knelt down and continued to work on him. He was staring at her as she tried to stop the bleeding from his wounds.

"It's no use, Ma'am. I know I'm done for."

"You are not, Billy," Sue said hoarsely. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she realized he was right. She continued to try to save him anyway. He smiled at her and raised his hand to caress her face, wiping the tears from her cheek.

Susan's shoulders slumped as she gently brushed the hair from Billy's face. Leaning down she softly kissed his lips.

"Thank you, Ma'am," he croaked. She kept her face close to his looking into his eyes, watching the life leak from his body.

"Goodbye Billy," she whispered in his ear.

"Bye beautiful," Billy gasped, his last breath escaping softly.

Susan started crying as the light in Billy's eyes went out. Reaching out she pressed her fingers softly against his eyelids and closed them over his now lifeless eyes. Pulling a rag from her pack, she quickly wiped Billy's blood from her hands. Picking up her discarded pistol, she got up and walked to where Dutch lay unconscious.

Pointing the gun at his head, she cocked the hammer and put her finger on the trigger. She stood that way for a long time, tears rolling down her cheeks, the rage and despair racking her body and mind. Although the sight of the man, animal, at her feet disgusted her, she could not bring herself to pull the trigger. It was not as if she had not killed before, in self-defense, but she had never killed in cold blood.

Uncocking the hammer, she shoved the pistol in her coat pocket spun around and went back to her pack. She stuffed the things that were still usable back into it and swung it to her shoulders. Standing she picked up Billy's rifle, he had kept hold of it the whole time, and threw it into the brush with the others.

Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled the gun out and walked back to Dutch. His eyes were starting to open. Pointing the gun at his face, she waited until his eyes had focused on the gun and her.

"Don't you dare move scumbag. Don't follow me, don't come back to the compound. Clear?"

He did not answer. Sue kicked him in the head.

"Clear?" She pulled her foot back for another swing.

"Yes, yes, god yes."

"Good," Sue said softly, bending over Dutch. Before he could move, she hit him in the head with the pistol. Dutch moaned, then was silent.

Sue turned and headed back to the compound as fast as she could walk. In places, she knew were clear she trotted along until rough ground stopped her. Thirty minutes into her trek she heard or did she feel them, footsteps a fair distance behind her. Reaching down she pulled the knife from her boot top.

The stealthy footsteps got closer and closer until she knew there was someone right behind her. She did not stop, she just turned, to her right. It was Dutch.

After her encounter with Dutch, she was feeling a little better, but the loss of Billy would affect her for a very long time. The loss of Dutch was no problem as far as she was concerned. The kilometers went by swiftly after her confrontation with Dutch and she was back at the compound before she knew it.

Michelle was waiting by the gate, tending to those people who showed up to be treated. When she saw Sue alone her eyes got big and her mouth opened forming an 'O'.

"Waylon!" Michelle screamed, running to meet Sue, her patients forgotten.

Waylon came lumbering out of the main cabin and arrived at the gate at almost the same time Michelle did.

At the sight of her friend's realization, Susan stopped in her tracks and sank to her knees tears streaming down her cheeks. Unable to talk she just waved them off, but Waylon would have none of that. He scooped her up in his powerful arms and carried her back the way he had come.

"Lin, get out here and take care of these people," Michelle yelled while trying to catch up to Waylon. She had not had a chance to check Sue for injury before Waylon had snatched her from the ground.

Michelle rushed up the stairs to the infirmary, just as Lin was on her way down, where Waylon had taken Sue. Jenny was there beside her, holding her hand as Sue sobbed on her shoulder. Cappy was talking with Waylon in low hushed tones. Mark came rushing in right behind Michelle.

"Mark, darling," Sue whispered. Jenny moved aside as Mark took her place.

Cappy and Waylon continued to talk. When Cappy was through, Waylon turned to go.

"Stop!" Sue shouted. "You will do no such thing!"

She was talking to Waylon, who had stopped at the doorway. His back was to Susan, but he turned. His face was a mask of wrath. Sue sternly glared at him. The two stood glaring at each other for a long time. No one else said a word. Cappy was unusually quiet. Slowly, Waylon's shoulders sagged and he re-entered the room.

"I am fine. I am upset because Billy Johnson is dead. I am enraged by the actions of one Dutch Higgins who caused the death of Billy. He tried, repeat tried to kidnap me for some purpose that I don't know. He had at least four accomplices that I know of, who are dead or dying." She shut up and sat back down on the exam table, tears still rolling down her face.

"Why won't you let us go get Dutch?" Cappy asked.

"Because...I had the chance to kill that bastard and I couldn't. Even though he had caused the death of that dear boy Billy and tried to hurt me, I don't want him harmed now. However, if you run into him out there, you feel free to do whatever you want. I just don't want to know that is what you are going out there to do. I do, however, want you to go get Billy's body and bring it back so he can be buried properly."

Cappy nodded to Waylon.

"I'll take four of his mate's to get him," Waylon told Sue.

"You might as well get the guns I took away from them too. You'll find them forty paces to the east of Billy's body."

"Sure thing Sue," Waylon said as he left the room.

Mark stepped in and hugged his wife. Michelle's jaw dropped when Sue had first started relaying her story. Jenny just stood by Sue as she sobbed into her husband's neck.

Michelle went to her friend and looked her over as best she could. It looked like the blood on her clothes and hands was not hers, and she was just fine. Later after she had cleaned up and rested, her, Michelle, and Jenny would get together and hash out what had happened. Right now, though she needed Mark.

As Michelle cleaned the blood from her hands, three children came running into the infirmary, Sue and Mark's kids. Sue jumped off the table and hugged all of them, tears welling up in her eyes as she remembers the day she had just experienced.

"It's good to be home," she said to the room.

Chapter 19

The wind that gently wafted past them, chilled by the ice from the north, as it swept the mist from the air, filled with snow that started to fall from the sky, as the temperature plummeted. It was time to leave and head further south. Plans made, trucks and buses loaded, people bundled up and placed on board, everything ready to go.

"Linda, I'm leaving you and Seacrest in charge of the convoy. The plan is ten days for you. If you need more take it, don't rush, don't do anything stupid just to get to Texas quicker. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Cappy."

"You have four squads of marines with you. Listen to them, use them, don't you go running into the thick of things."

"Yes, Cappy."

"You know all the squad leaders. They know you. Work as a team."

"Cappy, we'll take care of her and the rest, don't you worry."

"I know you will Harley."

"You better get going yourself," Linda told him, stepping in close and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "You take care too mister."

"I will. See you all in Texas."

"You bet."

Cappy ran to the front of the line and climbed in the humvee waiting for him. Waylon was in the driver's seat looking anxious to go. Susan and Mark were in the back seat as Michelle stood in the turret swinging the muzzle of the fifty in the air. George was in the very back stretched out on the floor looking up at his lovely wife. Jenny lay next to him eyes closed, softly snoring to herself.

Cappy slapped Waylon on the shoulder and they were off, followed by two more hummers as they sped down the road south. Their plan was to get to Texas in five days, minimal stops and detour around any obstructions when possible. As the vehicles moved out a cheer went up from those waiting to load on the buses and trucks. Cappy smiled to himself knowing that the people climbing on board the buses were the ones who would have the roughest trip.

"They'll make it, don't worry," Susan said leaning forward and grabbing Cappy's shoulder.

"I know. Linda is not only a good doctor but she knows what she's doing when it comes to combat. I think Seacrest balances her out with his level headed approach to things. So I'm not really worried, those two work well together."

"They do at that."

"Looks like we have our first obstacle ahead of us, do we find a way around or plow right on through?"

"This close to home? We take it out for our family to come. That's what we do."

The sound of the fifty being locked and loaded woke Jenny. George was now sitting up looking out the front window. Waylon was accelerating toward the barricade in the road. Small arms fire started coming from the barricade pinging off the sides and windshield of the hummer. The thunderous chatter of the fifty started as Michelle pressed the trigger bar. The barricade ahead shook with explosions as the heavy slugs hit and burst, throwing shrapnel all over the place.

Waylon stabbed the brakes and the hummer came to a screeching halt just in front of the barricade. Cappy, Waylon, Sue, and Mark jumped out as Michelle continued to hammer the barricade with her heavy machine gun. Mark and Cappy broke to the right as Waylon and Sue broke to the left. Jenny and George were out the back and giving Michelle supporting small arms fire with their M4's.

The two other humvee's roared up to Michelle, Jenny and George's position, guns blazing. Four heavy explosions rocked the barricade. Michelle stopped firing and threw up her hand. All fire ceased. Michelle scanned the barricade for movement. Cappy came out from around the end to the right and waved the all clear. Michelle relaxed, dropping out of the turret and grabbing her bag she jumped out of the hummer and ran to the end of the barricade to see if she could help anyone.

"Don't bother," Sue, told her as they walked around the end toward Michelle.

"Oh dear." Michelle's shoulders slumped as she turned following Susan back to the hummer.

The barricade was not that big or well constructed and Waylon was able to push most of it out of the way with their hummer. They were on their way within minutes. Altogether, the whole firefight had taken ten minutes.

Chapter 20

In the sky, a lone eagle soared, riding the thermals of the early spring morning. On the ground, a small group of people struggled through the deep snow on their way to the valley floor below.

"How much farther?" a female voice asked.

"Not too far Sue, not too far."

"Cappy you say that every time I ask. So, tell me, how much farther?"

"Three klicks," Cappy answered.

"Thank god."

The rest of the group within earshot laughed at Sue's response. Michelle who was right behind her poked her in the ribs. Sue batted at her friend as they slogged through the snow. The going was difficult as they hiked through the pass in the mountains that surrounded the valley they would now fondly call home. In a month, the valley would be a picturesque place, with a stream trickling down the middle and wild game in the forest on the foothills. The group could already see the cabins on the valley floor below as they slipped and slid through the snow and ice above the tree line.

The group was an advanced party to ready the habitat for the rest of the residents who would follow in ten days. They had started out in four Hummers, which had lasted until they were fifteen klicks from their destination. They had a lot to do. There were cabins to clean and wood to gather and food to hunt and grow. So many things to do and so little time, the main habitat was mostly underground.

It took the small group, composed of twenty men and women in all, another two hours to gain access to the valley floor. Two dogs sat waiting for them in a clearing not twenty feet from the tree line. They both stayed until Cappy signaled them, then they ran ahead of the group casting from one side to the other searching, watching for anything out of place. These were the group's protectors. The dogs would die to protect anyone in the group.

A low growl from the black dog brought the brown dog running from the opposite side of the valley. Both dogs slowed, heads down, eyes forward as they slowly closed on whatever was in the brush in front of them. Cappy halted the group and gave the signal to take cover. Waylon and Cappy cautiously followed the dogs into the brush.

"Rudy, Sunny watch," Cappy called out to the dogs. "Who's in there? Come out now and you won't be hurt."

"Alright, we're coming out," a timid female voice called out.

"Hands empty and in the air," Cappy yelled taking a knee.

Three young people, two girls, and a boy came warily out of the thicket confronted by two growling dogs.

"Rudy, Sunny out!" Cappy shouted. The dogs retreated behind Cappy and Waylon but kept their eyes on the three strangers. "Michelle, front and center please."

Cappy rose and waved at the three to come out into the clearing where he and Waylon stood. Michelle ran to where Cappy was waiting, dropping her pack and rummaging around inside. Susan, without being called, was by her side to assist her. The three young people looked to be in pretty bad shape as the two doctors stood examining each of them.

"Who are you?" Cappy asked the oldest looking of the three.

"Betty Styles and these are my sister June and my brother Timmy. We came down from Weehawken when we heard about this place from a man called Phiser, I think he called himself, he said it was a safe place for kids to grow up."

"Is that old coot still wandering around up there?"

"He was three months ago, that's how long it took us to get here."

"Cappy, can the questions wait? These kids need to eat and get warm as soon as possible." Michelle said.

"Okay, let's go, it's just over the next rise. You, kids, stick to Michelle and Susan. Rudy, protect, Sunny, point."

The brown dog went running ahead. The black dog sat by Michelle as she repacked her supplies. Susan helped as the three children waited. The rest of the group headed in the direction of Sunny.

"I'm worried about the young man, he looks a little too pale," Susan said as Michelle hoisted her pack to her shoulders.

"Timmy, do you feel well enough to walk a little further?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You can call me Michelle, Timmy."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well they're nothing if not polite," Sue said with a laugh.

"There is that. Okay, kids let's go," Michelle said as she started in the direction as the rest of the group. Rudy brought up the rear keeping an eye not only on what was behind them but on their flanks as well.

"How old are you kids?" Michelle asked.

"I'm eighteen, June is fifteen and Timmy is twelve," Betty answered as she labored through the snow.

As they traveled, the snow was slowly giving way to the browns of dead leaves on the forest floor. Just up ahead Michelle spotted Waylon waiting for them to catch up. She waved as he pointed in the direction they should go, then started in that direction himself. Michelle who was in the lead cut across the forest floor in the direction Waylon was heading. The small group caught up with him as he turned again in a new direction.

Just fifteen paces beyond where they met, the small group broke into the open on the valley floor. Here the snow was only inches deep instead of feet. Ahead of them, Michelle could see the rest of the group slowly walking toward the cabins they had seen earlier. Once inside the main cabin, Michelle and Susan had the three teens huddle by the fire to warm up. Then one by one, the three went upstairs to the infirmary to be check by the two doctors. Timmy and June submitted without question and the doctors found them to be in very good health, if slightly malnourished. Betty, on the other hand, rebuked Michelle and Susan's attempts to examine her.

"Miss Styles," the deep booming voice of Waylon reverberated around the cabin even though he had spoken softly.

"Yes?" she said, her voice quavering with fright from the sound Waylon's deep voice had made.

"You will come with me, now."

"I am not going to be poked a prodded by a couple of quacks," Betty answered defiantly.

"Miss Styles, you have two options, either walk or I will carry you, your choice."

Betty sat there considering Waylon's words. As he rose from his seat and started across the room to where she sat, Betty hastily rose and almost ran up the stairs to the infirmary, closely followed by Sue. Fifteen minutes later, all three came downstairs to join the rest. Michelle quickly huddled with Cappy and Waylon.

"She is malnourished, numerous bruises and abrasions and she's pregnant."

"What?" Cappy said.

"She's pregnant."

"I heard you the first time. Not by Timmy, I hope?"

"No, no. On their way here a man, whose description is amazingly close to someone we all know, stumbled upon them. He told them he was traveling here also and during the time he was traveling with them, took advantage of Betty on multiple occasions."

"That son of a bitch," Cappy whispered, Waylon just growled.

"My words exactly, Sue had a few more descriptive expletives for the man. Anyway, Betty said she let him so he wouldn't touch June. She said she wasn't a virgin anyway and if she could save her sister from the likes of him, she was willing to do just that. Personally, I would have died trying to kill the son of a bitch but, that's just me."

"So he's followed us here, has he? What are Susan's feelings about us going out and finding that scum now?"

"She just doesn't want to know that's what you are doing, that's why I'm the one telling you two instead of her."

"Waylon, take Mike, Paul and Mark, I think he will enjoy the field trip."

"Is that what we're calling these now?" Waylon queried.

"Yes, old friend, indeed, field trips. Go find the son of a bitch. Take him alive if you can and bring him back. If he resists do what you need to so no more of ours are hurt. Clear?"

"Clear. Should I tell Mark what we are doing?"

"Use your own judgment. Just try not to let Sue get wind of this."