A Private War (11 page)

The fire collapsed in upon itself and burned to ashes by the time Peters men had gotten the last of the food moved out of warehouse. There was no sign of Murdock and his men as dawn lit the fires in the center of town. The camp at the edge of town was a ghost town, with hundreds of bodies lying in the frozen snow. Fires burned here and there, and fed upon the green mist that covered the low spots in the valley. Death Valley. Gaylon, Kate, and Jill said they goodbyes to Peters and his men at the edge of town. The fires were out and most of the dead were buried. The valley dead would have to lay there awhile longer. No one was in any hurry to go there yet. Gaylon told them that by the end of the week it would be safe. The cold weather was keeping the gas in pockets but the sun was shining for now. Jill's home had been destroyed by the fires and she did not want to live here with all the bad memories. Kate told her about Gaylon's library and green house and that was all it took.

"Damn, Gaylon, do you have to take all the beautiful women with you!" John Peters explained, "Couldn't you leave some of them for me."

"Sorry, bro, I guess I just have the touch but, come and see us any time. The door is always open to you and your men." Gaylon said as he shook Peters’ hand. Then turning, Gaylon shouldered his pack and after helping Kate and Jill with theirs, they started off. The snow was melting in the open fields but was still heavy in the trees and the three of them had a heavy going of it. By dark they were over ten miles from Austin and deep into the trees. Kate and Jill lay talking in their sleeping bags as Gaylon made Jill her own pair of snow shoes. "Gaylon, what about Murdock?" Jill asked, "His body wasn't with the dead by the warehouse. Do you think he'll come back with more men?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that Murdock is not going to take a defeat like this lightly. Yes, I think he'll be back and soon."

"Will your town be safe if he does, I mean it was so close, I don't know how anyone of us survived as it was?!" Jill said as she started to cry.

Murdock lay in the back of a truck as it drove south on it's way back to Murdock's base camp. Bandages covered his chest and the left side of his face where the explosion burned the flesh away. Each bump jarred him and he twisted in pain while one of his men prepared a shot of Demerol to kill his agony. Reaching up with his right hand, Murdock  grappled the shot away from his man and jammed it into his leg and pushed down the plunger. Pulling it out he threw it out the back of the truck just as it hit another big bump. Murdock bit his lip until blood ran down his chin and across his face.

"Tell that son of a bitch that's driving that if he does that one more time I'll skin him alive and let the dogs have his guts!" Murdock screamed. "As soon as we reach the camp I want you to send out a squad to find the German guy and bring him back to camp."

"You mean that damn Nazi, I thought you didn't have time for his line of shit?"

"Just do as I say!"

"Ok, boss, we'll find him."

Gaylon pushed his hair out of his eyes as sunlight filtered through the open tent door. Rolling over on his elbow he looked out on the frozen landscape and wished for spring. Then sitting up Gaylon gripped one of the stainless steel cooking pots and reaching outside, filled it with fresh snow. After lighting a small pack stove Gaylon put the snow on to melt for breakfast. Kate looked up as Gaylon prepared the instant oatmeal and smiled.

"Gee, you'll make someone a good wife someday," Kate said as she laid back on her sleeping bag and reached her arms up over her head. The only answer she got was face full of snow. Kate brushed the snow from her face as she sat up. And reaching outside, gripped a hand full of snow and threw it back at Gaylon.

"Boy, aren't we touchy this morning!"

"No, just a hungry man trying to get something to eat, and by the way do you want the instant oatmeal with raisins, brown sugar, or plain?" Gaylon said as he looked into his pack, a smile forming on his lips. "Raisins!" Jill said from under her sleeping bag, her head completely covered. Gaylon looked at Kate, looked at Jill and then back to Gaylon. A giggle burst from her lips, in a second, Gaylon and Kate were laughing uncontrollably, rolling from side to side. Jill raised her head and looked around at the two crazy people she was with and started to laugh too. Later Gaylon finished packing the tent in its nylon bag and strapped it to the back of his pack and reaching over, picked up one of his snowshoes and started to put it on.

"Gaylon, how far is it to your place from here." Jill asked.

"Oh, I think with all this snow it will be sometime tomorrow afternoon before we'll get there. We'll be in Redway by tonight for certain and spend the night there and push on the next morning."

"What do you think will happen to the people of Austin now, after the fire and all."

"I don't know, Peters will have to think things over, to see if it might not be better to move everyone that's left over to Redway. I told him we would take them in as best we could."

"Do you think that's wise with the snow and all. People would have to walk all that way. Could trucks be sent back for them?"

"We aren't that must better off in Redway, there just isn't the gas for that big of a move and still have enough for spring planting. I know that sounds heartless but we have to plant as much as we can come spring or there won't be anyone left this time next year."

"I know but I wish there was something we could do."

"Let me think on it, maybe there is at that."

The three of them started off into the snow as clouds covered the sun. By two in the afternoon it was snowing again and the temperature dropped with each passing hour. Gaylon's face was red from the freezing wind and snow melted on his beard. To the point of covering his lower face with a blanket of ice.

"Gaylon, we can't go on, the storm is getting worse!" Kate shouted.

"Yes, I know, we have to find a place to dig in and wait it out for awhile. Redway is only about six more miles, I can leave my pack with the two of you and push on to town and be back with help in a few hours. Samuels has four or five snowmobiles that just love the snow."

"Ok, but you'll be careful won't you?!" Kate said as she placed her hand on the side of Gaylon's face," I want my cook back in one piece!"

Gaylon's side hurt from the heavy pace that he had set for himself through the darkness of the cold winter's storm. The snow cave that the three of them had dug into the drift of snow was to protect Kate and Jill until Gaylon could return with help. Pulling his compass from inside his coat, Gaylon looked at the glowing luminous dial and after replacing the compass inside, started off again into the darkness. Kate stomped her feet against the cold and thought of Gaylon as the wind continued to howl through the trees. Turning her watch to reflect in the light of the small candle, Kate checked the time and mumbled under her breath. Jill looked at Kate and back at the snow as it melted in the pot. She took some instant coffee from her pack and measured some into each tin cup. Giving the cover a final twist she replaced it in her pack and then poured the now hot water into each cup and passed one to Kate.

"He'll be ok, you said yourself that Gaylon can take care of himself."

"I know, but the storm is really bad and Gaylon was already tired when he left. Oh, why did I let him go!"

"Do you love him?"

"Yes, I do. I wish things were different right now. You heard Gaylon talk about the coming spring. What if there isn't one, what if the war has screwed up the world so bad that we have that nuclear winter they were always so worried about. I mean look where we are right now. This is only October, there's three feet of snow the ground already!"

"Kate, there is nothing you or I can do about that. We'll survive, Gaylon will see to that. Listen, I hear something!" Jill and Kate gripped their rifles, blew out the candle, and looked out into the darkness. Light reflected off each snowflake and the rush of engines filled the trees around them. A black snowmobile stopped facing the snow cave the headlight shining in and the engine died. A masked face climbed off the machine and standing, reached up and started to pull the mask from his face. The lips were smiling as the woolen mask uncovered them, then the eyes came into view, they were blue.

"Gaylon!"

Kate dropped her rifle and threw both her arms around Gaylon's neck, her lips searching for his. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, picked her up off the ground and kissed her back. Jill ran from the cave, Gaylon opened his arms and jested to her. Then the three of them were in the snow, rolling, laughing, and crying as the others in Gaylon's party looked on.

"I guess they're  happy to see you, Gaylon." one man said as he stepped forward into the light. "All though I don't know why."

"Samuels, I see you haven't changed since I last saw you." Kate explained, "But if it makes you feel better I'm happy to see you too." And walking over to him, kissed him on the cheek and gave him a big hug.

"I feel better now, so get your packs and let's get back to where it's warm. I'm not into this cold shit."

A half hour later Kate was sitting in front of a roaring fire drinking hot spiced rum and wiggling her toes in a pair of sheep skin slippers. Around her a party was going on, town's people and member's of Samuel's paramilitary listened to Gaylon tell of the battle at Austin. The major defeat of Murdock's army was welcomed by all because they knew that such a major blow would stop the Pirates cold for a long time to come. It bought them priceless time, time to rebuild, time to better prepare, time to survive. Jill sat down by Kate and shared the warmth of the fire. Jill drank the last from her cup and placed it floor beside her.

"Kate, I've got a question I need to ask you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Do you want me to stay here in town, or to go with you to Gaylon's place. I don't want to go where I'm not wanted. And I don't want to get between you and Gaylon. Samuels said I wouldn't have any trouble finding a place in town to live. I kind of feel like a fifth wheel around here."

"Jill, whatever Gaylon and I have together is strong so stay with us. You are family now, the only family any of us have. I couldn't stand it if you left us now after all we have been through together. Whatever comes I want us together, please stay." Kate answered as tears ran down her face and opening her arms, Jill buried her face in Kate's hair and they cried together. Gaylon looked across the floor at Kate and Jill as they cried. A small smile crossed his face and faded. Murdock was still out there somewhere and he knew that their paths would cross again in the near future. Jerking his head at Samuels, Gaylon motioned him over and the two of them talked far into the night.

Murdock cursed as a doctor changed the bandages on Murdock's face. The burns on his faces were black and raw as the doctor worked to debridge the dead tissue from that still living. The doctor shook his head as more of the bandages came free. The right eye was a mass of puss and blood and bone shone through the right cheek where the flames had burned deep. Blood ran down the side of Murdock's neck as the wasted tissue was cut away. Packing the empty eye socket as best he could the doctor redressed the burned face and turned to the other wounds on Murdock's body. As he worked the doctor prayed, if Murdock died the pirates would kill him too. Reaching into his bag the doctor removed the last bottle of penicillin he had and prepared a massive shot.

"Remember what I told you, Doc. You screw up and my men will eat you alive. And give me something for the pain, my face in killing me!"

The doctor swapped the side of Murdock's arm and injected the penicillin, and mashed the spot with his thumb to rub it in. Murdock's fist struck the doctor in the face and knocked him to the ground. "What the hell are you doing you little shit!"

"I was just rubbing in the penicillin, it's thick and hard to get into the tissue. I didn't mean to cause you any more pain. Let me give you that pain shot now." the doctor cried, "which will help you."

"Asshole."

The doctor's hands shook as he prepared a shot of Morphine, if he gave Murdock too much he would die, but the doctor's thoughts were on the town of Austin and all the killing that Murdock's men had done. Just for fun. A big shot would save more lives even if he was killed, a massive one then. Turning, the doctor reached for Murdock's arm as a bullet entered the left side of the doctor's brain and exited out the right ear. Murdock dropped the gun and motioned to one of his men. "Get the other doc we got in Austin, make certain he sees that  when you feed his body to the dogs. No one tries to kill me and live!"

"Yes, Murdock!"

For many days, the snow continued to fall. Covering the land in a thick blanket of white and making it impossible for Gaylon to return home. A radio was listening to the shortwave bands in hope of a signal. They did hear of other survivors from time to time. And a large Army unit was currently encamped a 120 miles to the south and was caring for itself and the local population. They were lucky there in that the Mississippi River was still open to fishing. And even when tiring, the fish caught was a welcome addition to the corn mash that was their normal diet.  The Army Unit was the same unit that had supplied Samuels with the Armored Personal Carrier and the twin 105mm Howitzers as few as they may be.

“Hi, Gaylon. I was just listening to a Weather report from the west of us. They were still getting heavy snow and low temperatures. So, it may some time before you can leave. So, while I have you. I would like to start planning what to do with the Austin survivors when they get here. I just got confirmation that over 200 survivors are coming as soon as the snow lifts. That is way more then we can handle here. You have any idea of how to move that many people with the weather this piss poor?”

“Well, in fact, I do!” Gaylon as he explained the desperate plan he has discussed with Peters before they left Austin. The timing and the weather would need a great deal of luck if the plan was to succeed. The current plan called for the route to follow Interstate 90 East and it would use two County Snow Plows to clear a path of snow and it then would be secured by patrols of Paramilitary. The snow equipment was available. But, the fuel needed would seriously cut into the hopes for spring planting. Gaylon explained that Austin had two snow plows, drivers, and a single tanker of fuel which should be more then enough for the journey. Samuels got on the radio to the Army unit and talked at some length with the Commander there. Finally an agreement was reached. Now the weather would decide on the future. Three weeks later it did.