Walkers (Book 2): The Rescue (21 page)

     "Hey, Rissa, you remember Mason, my husband, and our mechanic Howard right?  Why don't ya show Howard where the four wheeler is so he can start on the repairs right away."  She looked confused and I didn't blame her a bit.  I nearly messed up the introductions myself.  She looked at Mason (Howard) and he smiled big at her and held out the part so she'd associate the part with Howard.  For some reason she smiled back and took his hand, leading him down the steps and around to the garage.   I knew there were people waiting there to capture him but so did he and he promised me he wouldn't get killed.  He'd better keep that promise.

      I was ready when I entered the front room and it was a good thing because the man hiding behind the door grabbed Howard and put a gun to my head.  This guy must be related to the nasty one outside.  He wanted to kill me really bad too. Going to assess my life and figure out why everyone wants to kill me.  Might give me an inferiority complex.

      "So," said a voice to my right, "it's the great, queen bitch herself."  I turned towards him as he walked Mercy out in front of him, holding a gun to her head.  She was terrified. Her beautiful green eyes were puffy from crying and her left eye was turning black and had swollen almost closed.  Her lip was bleeding too.  I'd like to have the privilege of killing him but I had a hunch Clint, being an Indian and all, would do a much better job.

     "What?  No response?"  he said, sneering at me while he rocked Mercy gently back and forth.  I don't think he was aware he was doing it but the nervousness of his actions told me he was close to coming apart.  I kept my mouth shut.  See? I knew when to shut up.

     "And this is the famous Mason? Your king?"  He laughed  and waved the gun in the air while he held on to Mercy with his other hand around her throat.  "For a half way decent looking bitch I'd think you pick someone a little more fit and better looking.  Not some old fat man."  Howard just stood with his hat in his hand.  Waving the gun at us, the big mouth, motioned to the couch.  "Sit, join us while we decide what to do with you."

     "I'd have thought you had already made that decision."  I said, still standing in front of the couch.

     "Shut up, Bitch.  You don't say anything unless you're asked." Said the voice behind me, as he grabbed a handful of my hair pulling it so tight  my head back was jerked back.   "Or he'll beat up on the sweet little thing some more.  She screams so nice."  The 'he' in question then licked the side of her face.  Licked!  I was too shocked to say anything.  The fool behind me, laughed.  Yuk!

    
Mason, how's it going out there?  Things are getting out of hand in here.

    
You haven't been in there long enough to screw things up yet.  Geez, JD.  Just do whatever they say and keep quiet.  We just moped up out here and are coming around the side of the house.  It'll be there to rescue you two in a few minutes.

    
Good, this guy is either high or crazy and the guy behind us is no better.  Neither can be redeemed so take them both out.  Although, I think Clint wants the one who beat up Mercy.

    
If someone beat up on Mercy, I say let Clint have him.  I know I'd want the privilege if I was in his shoes.  Okay, we're in position.  Oh hell, the guy behind you is playing with himself.  I see what you mean.  You need to move to the left a little bit, dear, to give me a clear shot.  OK, sweetheart that works.

     Just then I noticed how pale Mercy had become, her eyes started to roll up and her knees buckled.  Oh crap!

     "What the...." shit head said and looked down.  I flipped out my sleeve gun and shot him in the crotch at the same time as a shot behind me sounded.  It was followed by a thump.  Howard jumped towards Mercy the same time as Clint did and but Clint reached her first.  Howard didn't have anything else to do so he kicked her captor, hard.  The man didn't notice because he was too busy screaming.

     Don came in an looked at the dead guy briefly, then saw Mercy, picked her up and took her to the clinic, followed closely by Clint.  I noticed Sissy standing in the doorway to the restroom where she'd evidently been hiding and squinted at her.  She paled and stepped back into the room closing the door.  Smart move.

     Mason came straight to me, where he patted Howard on the arm and turned to me.  Before he opened his mouth I let him have it.

     "Screw things up?  Rescue us? Are you serious?  I'm at the mercy of two gunmen and you tell me to quit screwing things up?"

     "Oh man, Mason,"  Howard said, "you didn't.  Really?  Man, what a glutton for punishment."  Shaking his head he went out to check on things in the yard mumbling about not getting to use his gun.

     "Well, I was just worried about you.  You scared me to death when I saw that guy behind you acting all stupid and the guy holding Mercy, waving his gun all over the place and you were getting your back up.   I could tell cause your shoulders get tense just before you do something stupid. OK, maybe stupid is the wrong word..."

     "Maybe?"

     "OK, it is the wrong word, sure, absolutely the wrong word and..."

     I grabbed him and kissed him then put my head on his chest and told his belt buckle, "I don't care anymore.  I'm tired and need a break, and peace, and relaxation somewhere safe like the moon or something."  I looked back up at him and whispered, "Let's mop up here and go home.  You can tell me what happened in the garage on the way."

     Mercy was awake and alert by the time we decided to leave.  Don wouldn't let her up to see us to the door so Clint did it for her.  "He's bleeding pretty good ya know, you might want to lock him up in the coal shed for a bit."   He glanced behind him in the direction of the fallen idiot and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't think he'll be in there long enough to matter since he won't live out the night anyway."  I kissed his cheek, "Make it hurt,"  I whispered and turned to go.  I didn't care, not really.  The man had terrorized my friend and for what?  I slipped into his mind before he was shot.  He was thrilled he was going to finally get to mine the gold from the creek in back of the lodge.  Gold!  He hurt all these people for a rock.

     I just wanted peace.  We vowed to help finish up the security on the place as quickly as possible in the coming days.  We'd get together tomorrow and decide on the particulars. 

     The people left from the invading force were lined up on the front lawn.  There were three of them.  They'd all helped us instead of their leader because they were more afraid of him than us.  One female, Lizzie was a computer geek, so she'd be of use.  A communications officer named, Milton (Ton to his friends) and a weapons specialist, Larry also came to our aid.  They'd spend the night in the basement until it was decided what to do with them and they seemed happy to do it.  I don't think their life had been a very good one lately.  If they stayed it would even up the numbers between us a little more.  That would give us 15 and them 14 people and with winter peeking down our necks we all needed the extra hands.  We'd have to double up on the people going to town but I think getting Valley East up and running efficiently and secure was our main objective.

                                                                     
Chapter 17

     I settled into the back seat of the four wheeler with Masons arm around me.  Actually, he was holding on to the frame so we wouldn't get bumped out on the way home, but I'd take what I could get.  I was needy.  It'd been a bad month for me.  Nuclear bombs under a facility housing walkers in freezers, falling off a broken road and getting smacked in the face, motorcycle gangs shooting at us, besiegements, getting shot in the hand and facing a crazy mad man with a God complex. Yep, I was needy.

     Mason had fared a little better but we were both tired.  I was gonna soak in a tub full of bubbles for a week and sleep for a month.

     "Me too,"  Mason said, reading my thoughts.

     "Mm mm, bubbles will look great on you.  So, tell me what happened when you left me back there."

     "Alright, but I'm doing it under duress.  If I don't, you'll just hound me..."

     "Mason, remember back about an hour ago?"  Howard said.

      Mason stilled while he remembered telling me not to "screw things up" earlier.

     "Yea, well, Clarissa took me back to the garage and when we rounded the corner of the house a  female dressed in camouflage stepped out in front of me and pointed to the garage.  When I got there Pete, Fred, Lizzie, Ton (Milton) and Larry was already there.  A young man was keeping them covered as well.

     "Just have a seat sir, I promise no one will get hurt."

     "You wouldn't hurt anyone, Sky." Clarissa said.

     "Thanks sweetie, you just be real still now and we'll go inside in a few minutes."

     Clarissa skipped over to Lizzie and started telling her about puppy she wanted.  I tried to read the soldiers mind but they were closed off.  We stood there a few minutes, then the radio went off.  "Report in Number 3".  She looked at her companion and replied, "All secure, sir."

     "Give us ten minutes then bring them around the front."

     "Sir, yes sir."

     She looked at her friend and then they both stood at attention and presented their weapons, "Sir, we respectfully surrender, sir".

     I didn't know what to do, so Larry and Ton stepped forward and took their weapons.  Then they stood at attention awaiting further orders.  I said at ease and they did.  Then I said, "Why did you surrender?"  and they replied " We'd rather be in your custody, sir, than his.  Sir."

     Just then James, Brandon and Randy came around the corner, behind a prisoner.  We now had three.  They told us the two inside with you were crazy as coons.  The ones inside with you.   Sky's words, not mine.  We sneaked around to the front window and watched until I shot the one behind you and you shot the leader.  Great shot by the way."

     "Thanks, I wanted to leave something for Clint to work with or I'd have aimed at his head."

     "I don't know what Clint plans for the prisoners but that's up to him.  It looks like the ones we brought back from our trip will be staying with us so we need to think about opening the big cabin.  Maybe, George, Riley, Lacy and Randy would like it."

     "Yea, I bet they would.  It has two bedrooms so they should all fit nicely and still be comfortable.  We need to think about another wind turbine or solar panels or something.  But, if we're giving it to them lets let them decide.  Sound good to you?"

     "Yes, it does."

     "Yep, sounds good to me too."  Howard said.  "But, no one thought to ask my opinion.  Still, I decided to give it anyway.  Someone want to shoot this walker wandering around on the road up ahead?"

     We both jumped at that.

     "Oh, well, look here, neither one of you  can shoot since you done went and got yourselves shot.  Reckon I'll finally get to use my gun after all.  Lessen, one of you want to try it one handed to prove how great ya are."

     The walker was getting closer.

     "For God's sake, Howard, just shoot the damned thing and quit talking about it."

     Bang!

     "Well, it looks like I can kill them as good as the rest of ya.  Looks like I'm as valuable to this group as any one else.  Yep, just as good."

     "Good shot, Howard.  I knew you could do it.   I just didn't want to bother you since you keep everything within five miles in great running condition.  A man as valuable as you doesn't want to waste his talents on shooting walkers.  They ain't' much of a challenge, you know?"

     He smiled at me and I knew we were ok again. He'd been ignored again and I realized we had all had a bad time of it.  Maybe a picnic was in order to lift all of our spirits.  Then it dawned on me.  In two days time it would be the Fourth of July.  What a great time for a picnic.  I glanced up at Mason and could see he had read my mind again.

    
You have some really great ideas, Brat.  Lets plan to invite the Valley East group and do it up good.             

     We staggered in the lodge and was met by a happy faces.  Everyone talked at the same time.  We smiled and laughed and patted Howard on the back for his involvement of the Valley East Rescue.  I knew Melody was keeping a journal so I promised to give her the details later.

     Lacy walked me to my room and led me into the bathroom where she had started a tub full of hot, bubbly water.  As she helped me ease into the tub, I told her about the picnic.  She was just full of ideas.  She left me to soak so she could make plans with the rest of the ladies and I nearly fell asleep. I opened my eyes to see Mason sitting on the edge of the tub.  I smiled sleepily at him as he stared at me.

     "I getting damned tired of nearly loosing you.  People are either shooting at you or beating on you.  I can't take it, JD.  I can't.  I know you want to be involved with everything that happens around here and I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of you for that. But, it's gotten out of hand.  There's enough of us now that you don't have to put yourself in harms way anymore.  We want to protect our families but we need our families to let us."

     I sighed. "I know, Mason, I really do.  I don't like getting hurt either.  But I feel like I have to be able to take care of myself if you or anyone else isn't around to do it.  If I get complacent, lazy and out of shape, I could get killed or worse yet get someone else killed, simply because I let you to it for me all the time.  I'll back off on being part of every operation, but I insist on being included on some of them just to keep my skills honed.  That's the best I can promise right now, Mason.  Take it or leave it."

      "I've learned to take what I can get from you, JD, because you don't give in much when it means something to you.  I respect that.  You'll be included in some operations but not all.  My heart can't take more than that."   He bent down and kissed me lightly and then smiled trying to see through the bubbles.  "Get out and send Lacy in to help me get dressed."