Joshua (Book 2): Traveler (14 page)

They packed their gear and left him there naked on the floor as they didn’t even have a shovel to bury their friend. Before leaving, Rob said a few words over Peavey. The boys were in tears and Rob was nearly himself, as the rest of the men stood there looking down on him. Then the group was off again, towards that next chance at staying alive.

Chapter Seven

Alton told Rob of the opportunity only a few miles north, several people living in an old church just off of the highway. They were told by the couple that found Peavey and Rob decided it was the best option they had.

The group found it early that afternoon but waited until dark before they got close, stealthily setting up an observation post behind a tractor trailer down the road. The truck had gently rolled over into a ditch and despite lying on its side, there wasn’t a mark on it.

The men traded off between observing outside and resting in the old livestock trailer. It stunk but was still better than sleeping in the snow. The temperature was just at freezing that night and the men were cold without a fire, the two boys huddled together under the group’s only blanket.

Rob was already up as the sun was rising, Alton came in from the cold and offered him half his can of pork and beans. Robert wasn’t hungry and he kept his voice low, “No thanks, I had a few crackers. We can only stretch out our rations a few days more, and then we’re done. At least all this snow makes it easy to find water.”

“Yeah, I know, it’s all I’ve been thinking about. We’re going to have to take this house today, while we still have the strength. You want me to get the guys up, so we can brief them?”

“No, let them sleep a little more. Give it an hour or so.”

“Me and Cornwell went all the way around that church last night, to get a better look.”

“You weren’t seen, I hope.”

“No, we made sure of that. We kept far enough out so they couldn’t see us or our tracks. I’m going to take a short nap and then I’ll get everybody up.”

An hour later they were all awake and fed, as much as they could spare, and ready to work. Alton was prompt with his report as he quietly spoke. “Okay, everybody has had a look at that church by now. There’s five people inside, three men and two women; they’re all armed. Two of the men were up all night on guard duty so they’ll be tired. Martinelli, you said they just changed guards?”

“Yep ... about fifteen minutes ago.”

“I think we should get ready and take this place within the hour. Normally I don’t like to rush these things but everyone can see we’re kind of desperate here. We need to get some food and get out of the cold, now.”

Rob interjected, “What about the building?”

“It’s just a small church, a wood-framed building with a front and back door, no windows at all except in the doors which they watch all the time. They’ll see us coming, hopefully they won’t have enough time to do anything about it though.”

“I think we should use Nicky.”

“I’m not sure. You know I don’t like to.”

“I know that, and I don’t either, but we need him this time. He can keep them occupied at one door while we rush the other one.” Rob got up and sat down again right next to the child. “Nicky, we need you to do this.”

The boy was reluctant, “I don’t want to. I don’t want to do that anymore.”

But Rob turned on the charm, “This isn’t like last time, Nicky. I will never ask you to do that again. All you have to do for this one is talk yourself in, find a reason to go to the other door in back, then make a commotion. Just keep them occupied for fifteen seconds, that’s all you have to do. It’s easy. You’ve done that plenty of times before.”

“I don’t know ...”

“Come on, it’s easy, you’ve done it so many times, what’s one more? Besides, we’re all counting on you ...”

Alton had already heard enough from Rob, “Pouring it on a bit thick, aren’t we?” Then he turned to the boy, “Nicky, you don’t have to do this. You’re part of this family whether you do it or not.”

The child was now willing but not enthusiastic, “I guess I can do it.”

Rob was thrilled and that winning smile returned to his face. “All right, that’s settled.”

They made a plan and ran through it a dozen times and quietly exited the back of the trailer, leaving D’Cruz behind sleeping.

Rob, Alton, Martinelli, and James cautiously approached at the bottom of a snow-filled ditch until they stopped right across from the church. They waited ten minutes for McCain, Rudd, and Cornwell to stealthily take their position around the back side of the building.

At the designated time, Rob whistled and Nicky came around the truck heading for the church’s front door. A guard immediately noticed him from the window but did nothing, continuing to closely examine the child as he drew closer.

Unexpectedly, a burst of shots rang out. Martinelli had slipped in the snow and accidently pulled the trigger of his M4.

Hell was unleashed as the guard thrust his rifle through the window pane and began firing. Nicky stopped, dropped to his knees, and finally fell face down in the snow.

Rob gave the command to charge and the men rushed the church from both sides.

Instantly Rob and James raced to the boy with bullets flying in every direction. They turned him over and he was covered with blood, a single bullet hole centered there in his small sunken chest.

The firefight continued for only a few moments more and then the sound of gunfire ended as quickly as it began. Rob found himself there in the silence on his knees, kneeling next to the boy. He took his hand, “You’re going to be all right, Nicky ... I promise. Martinelli!”

Nicky was coughing on the blood in his mouth and staring up at the sky, at something unseen. “I can’t feel my legs. I don’t want to die in the cold.”

“You’re not going to die, stop talking like that. You’re going to be fine.” Rob turned and yelled towards the church again, “MARTINELLI!”

James frantically cut open the front of the boy’s shirt and pulled a large bandage from his pack. He put it to the child’s chest, applying pressure. “You’re going to be okay, Nicky, you’ll see.”

But the boy wasn’t hearing them anymore, “I don’t want to die. God ... please forgive me. MOMMY!”

Martinelli and Alton came running but it was far too late. The boy remained perfectly still as the life quickly drained from his eyes. All of them silently watched over him a moment, lying peaceful there in the blood spattered snow, looking like an angel.

Alton broke the silence, barely able to speak, a stone in his throat and the tears in his eyes. “We’ve secured the building. We’ve ... we’ve taken three prisoners.”

Rob stood up, his pants wet from the snow, and wiped his red, swollen eyes dry with the sleeve of his coat. “Is one of the survivors a man with dark curly hair and a green shirt?”

Still Alton could hardly speak, “Yes, him ... another man ... and one woman.”

He turned and marched right for the front door, something now inside Rob none of them had ever seen before. He stepped into the church and it was nearly empty. The podium and all but two pews were gone, obviously used for firewood over the years. Rudd, McCain, and Cornwell held three prisoners against the back wall, two corpses were lying on the floor.

As soon as Rob entered, he saw the man he was looking for, “You! You there with the green shirt! You murdering son of a bitch!”

Rudd, McCain, and Cornwell stood there confused. McCain spoke for them all, “What’s going on?”

They could all see the hate in Robert’s eyes. “That son of a bitch murdered Nicky!”

“Nicky?”

“Yeah ... he shot our boy!”

In a moment the realization came, and then you could see the hate in all their eyes.

The man denied it, “No, I ... it was an accident!”

“You lying bastard! I watched you! I watched you do it! You took steady aim on a little boy and you shot him right in the chest!”

“NO!”

Rob bounded across the room and pinned the man against the wall by his throat, “SHUT UP! I don’t want to hear another thing out of your lying mouth!” He pulled his KA-BAR and handed it to McCain, grip first. “McCain, show this piece of shit what we think of liars.”

McCain took the knife and that was enough to release the evil inside he had held back for so very long. While Cornwell covered the others, he and Rudd dragged the man to the ground. Rudd held down his legs as McCain straddled his chest, holding his arms down. Then he started and for more than half a minute there came the awful sounds of that man screaming while Albert McCain did some of his finest work. At last McCain held in the air a few bloody inches of the man’s tongue. He threw it against the wall were it stuck, and then it slowly slid down to rest on floor.

Alton and Martinelli were inside the door and by now Alton had his voice again. “What the hell is going on?! Rudd, McCain, get off of him!”

But this was Rob’s bloody show, “Shut up, Alton, I’m in charge here!”

“That’s enough, Rob! Martinelli, go help him.”

Martinelli ran and shoved a rag in the man’s mouth, which was promptly soaked.

“This isn’t right! Let’s just go, Rob!”

“I’m in charge! I say what’s right and I say when we go!” Rob turned to the other two still being held there at gunpoint by Cornwell, who wasn’t looking so well. “What about you two? You got anything to say for yourselves?!”

The woman, attractive and around thirty, spoke up. She seemed to know her life was nearly done and it gave her the courage to speak her mind. “We’re not to blame! You bastards were the ones that attacked us! You’re the assholes that put that child’s life in danger! His death is on you!”

Rob looked her up and down, the raw hatred still there in his eyes. “I don’t like your attitude one bit. Rudd, McCain ... any of you, you want her, take her.”

Rudd and McCain jumped up, they knocked her to the ground and started tearing off her clothes. She fought back but Rudd’s second punch to her face knocked her out cold. They bent her limp body over a pew, and then the fun began.

Alton had seen more than enough, “Martinelli, Cornwell, come on, let’s get out of here.”

Cornwell made a hasty retreat for the door while Martinelli stayed behind.

Alton was surprised, “Martinelli, come on!”

“No, I’m staying,” he said as he licked his lips in anticipation.

Alton turned to leave and there was James in the doorway with his mouth agape. Alton kept walking and turned the boy out the door. “Don’t look, James, don’t look at them.”

For nearly twenty minutes from inside the building came the vile sounds of the woman pleading and screaming, and Rob’s men having a good time. The others waited outside trying not to listen while all along Alton was pacing and in a deep deliberation. Finally it grew quiet inside.

At the end of their guns, they marched the three out into the snow covered yard, the man with a bloody rag dripping from his mouth, the woman, bruised and naked, and the other man that hadn’t said a single word, the only reason he remained unharmed.

By now Alton had made up his mind, “I’ve had enough, Rob.”

But Rob was preoccupied, “All of you start digging.”

The prisoners all got down on their knees and started tearing at the ground.

Although Rob wasn’t listening, Alton had plenty to say. “Rob, you’re not fit to run this group.”

The woman already had enough, “I’m not doing this, we can’t dig in the frozen ground with our bare hands.”

Rob was growing angry again. “You will do it! Start digging, bitch!”

“No!”

“DO IT! Or so help me I’ll kill you right where you are!”

The woman knew this was the end, “To hell with you, you sick bastard! We didn’t kill that little boy, you did, so you should dig!”

Rob reached out and took McCain’s carbine from him, “Let me see this a minute, McCain,” and aimed it right at the woman’s back.

She lowered her head as if in prayer.

Rob fired a short burst into the woman and she tumbled face first in the snow. He fired a second time as the bullets ripped through her lifeless body there on the ground. He stepped over and probed the woman’s wound with the end of the gun, her naked flesh was shredded and her shattered shoulder blade was protruding half way out. Rob handed McCain back his weapon and addressed the remaining survivors, “Keep digging.” Then turned and faced Alton, “I’m sorry ... you were saying?”

“I was saying you’ve gone too far, that you are not fit to lead these men, and you just proved it again.”

Soon Rob began speaking in the affable tone all of them knew so well. “Listen, Alton, I know you’re upset about Nicky, we all are, so just stop now and think about what you’re saying. We can still forget this. We’ll take what’s left of the day off, in the morning we’ll head out for Radley. After a good night’s rest, I know you’re going to regret what you’re doing. I understand, though, and don’t hold it against you, like I said, I know you’re upset.”

Alton had heard all of this before, “It’s not going to work, Rob. I can’t work for you anymore. It’s bad enough we have to steal food from hungry people, but this, I can’t take it. You’ve turned into a monster, and you won’t be happy until we’re all monsters too. You’re no better than that mob of animals that attacked us.”

“No better than them? Wow ... that’s saying a lot. Again, I’m going to ask you to stop and think about what you’re saying.”

“This is all I have been thinking about. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but today, this is the last straw. I’ll say it again, Rob, you’re not fit for the job.”

“I guess you think you can do better than me.”

“I couldn’t do worse.”

Rob put his hands in his pockets, “All right, I can see there’s no talking to you. I know now you’re not going to change your mind. I guess we’ve gone beyond the kiss and make up stage. I think the only thing we can do is split up. How about this, we’ll go our separate ways, the men can go with whoever they want, and we’ll split the equipment evenly, fair enough?”

“Okay, I can live with that, everyone that wants to go with me come over to my side.”

Cornwell and James stepped over to Alton’s side, Martinelli didn’t and appeared ashamed of himself, “I’m sorry, Alton, you know I like you but Rob has kept us alive this long and I’m staying with him, sorry.”