Chapter 9: Janice - In El Paso

The ambush plan was ready. Dale had added his other council members to the group along with a few other men who I didn't know. I learned that they had a lot of involvement with the prior defense of El Paso. Dale looked up as I approached. He was embarrassed.

I said, "So Robby and Bennie want to use me as bait again?"

Dale said, "Yes, but I'm not happy about that."

"Where will Robby and Bennie be located?"

"They will be less than a hundred yards away."

"Guys, your rifles are in the plane. What is the plan?"

"We have been offered some great arms to sight in and check out. If they're satisfactory, then it will be okay."

I said, "Okay."

Tim said, "No, it's not okay! You are a beautiful woman with children. It's not right to risk you."

I replied, "First, Robby and Bennie are deadly shots. If they find weapons that suit them, I will have backup. Second, we've done this before. I do make great bait particularly with a pair of real short shorts and a smaller, tighter top. Finally, I know what I'm doing. If there are less than five, Bennie and Robby won't have anything to do."

He looked at me and then smiled slowly. "You weren't having to try with me, were you?"

"Nope. I really didn't want to hurt you unless I had to."

"Thanks again. Janice, whatever you want to do, I will support it and you without reservation."

"Thank you, Tim. Tomorrow, we will work together and end the raids on El Paso."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mindy came up to me next. "I want to go with you, Janice."

"Some other time, Mindy, after I have taught you how to fight. If you went, it might get us both in trouble."

Charlie said, "Mom, I could go with you. I know how to fight."

"I know you do, Son. Unfortunately, you don't have the right physical equipment to be good bait."

Andrea said quietly, "I would be good bait."

I looked at her. I said, "May I call you Andy?"

"Only if I can call you Mom. I plan on that in about two years anyway."

"Oh! Well, Andy, you would be good bait, as would your mother. Unfortunately, the same thing goes for you as for your mother. I need to teach you how to fight. In this world, bait that doesn't want to be eaten has to be able to protect itself.

"Two years! Does your mother know?"

"I think so though I haven't told her yet. She's pretty smart. Charlie explained the rules. We'll abide by them."

"Hmmm! Life gets interesting. Well, if that comes to pass, I will dance at the wedding."

The rest of the afternoon went quickly. Supper came and went followed by the radio net. Dale and Poppa Jack talked a bit. They seemed to like what they heard but both were smart enough to know a real relationship would take time.

Finally, we all went off to bed. My fellow wives sent both our husbands to my bed. We did eventually get some sleep and I woke up in the morning feeling that I had been well and thoroughly loved.

We met our ambush crew in the morning and headed out. Charlie and Andy stayed back to mind the radios. To my surprise, Mindy and Herb were on the crew. I noticed that both had sniper rifles and wore city camouflage. We headed out to find our victims. I was dressed in my favorite short shorts. They looked like I had been poured into them. The top was a cut off thin tee shirt that exposed my midriff. A couple of guys whistled. Mindy smiled and said, "Very appetizing bait there. I hear we are going to be related."

"I have heard that rumor."

"Do you suppose Charlie will go along?"

"The only reason I can think of him not going along is losing his mind. He's fairly smart."

"Andrea thinks he's a genius." We both laughed.

We took trucks to the selected part of town. I got out along with my husbands, Herb and Mindy, and Tim, and one other man named Tom. To my surprise, he had a sniper's rifle. Tim said, "You be careful. I'll do what I can." He gave me a hug. My husbands each hugged and kissed me and I started out down the street trying to keep to one side but looking like I didn't know what I was doing and like I might be fleeing from someone.

After three blocks, I was getting bored. In the fourth block, I heard voices in front of me. I stopped and wiped my forehead to signal those behind me that something was up. I continued to advance like I had heard nothing. I completed that block and was half way down the next when four men approached me from behind a fence. I had heard them and knew where they were though I acted surprised.

One of them said, "Girl, you shouldn't be out here. There are some dangerous people here."

"I-I'm trying to get away from the Pasos. They wanted to make me marry a guy."

The same guy said, "We won't make you marry." The others laughed a little as they surrounded me.

I said, 'I don't want trouble. Just let me go my way."

"Oh, we couldn't do that, darlin'. Our leader wouldn't like that."

I said, "I don't like going where I don't want to go."

"Well, I guess you will have to be disappointed."

"I don't think so." I didn't wait for them to be ready but struck quickly. All four were down. The fourth had hurried me. I broke his arm. One of the others was holding his groin and groaning. The rest of the group came up.

Mindy said, "I saw it and I'm not sure I believe it."

I said, "They do. Now." I went over to the speaker who was holding his arm. I had Bennie take him into a house away from the others. Joining him, I said, "It's your turn to talk. This is the only time I'll ask you before I begin to break things off your body. Now, it's your decision and your pain. Scream or talk!"

He looked at my face and Bennie's and talked. He told us even more than Bill and verified everything Bill had told us. When he finished, I told him, "After we defeat the marauders, you will be given the choice of exile on pain of death or try to become part of the El Paso community. That will either work or will be the death of you. Think about it."

We grabbed another and went through the same process. He talked and verified what we now knew. We had two left and I wasn't sure it was worth taking the time and trouble to question either of them. We left all four tied tightly and separately and moved down the street looking for the next group. They were a bigger group and were supposed to be about four blocks away.

We resumed our formation, such as it was after Mindy reported to her daughter what had happened and where our four prisoners were located. The first two blocks went without any issue. Bennie reported that he had seen men in the next block. He and Robby were going around to surround them. We had worked out signals. I realized how much I missed our HT's with ear buds and throat mikes. Bennie let me see him and gave a thumbs-up sign for me to continue. I had been sitting like I was resting. I was walking like I was tired going along the sidewalk to show a minimum amount of prudence.

As I just finished crossing a street and entered the next block, two men stepped out to intercept me. One said, "Stop!" I stopped and waited. Fifty feet down the block were four more.

I said, "You are covered. Very slowly, lower your weapons. Any move that looks like aggression will get you killed." I gave the signal behind me to shoot when I dodged. One started to me and the other raised his rifle. I dodged behind a car to protect me from the four down the street. Two shots rang out almost as one and both men dropped dead. More shots and the four up the street from me were dead or seriously wounded. Robby came out and checked the bodies. None had survived. We gathered together to meet Bennie and Robby.