Chapter 31

Some of the women were sitting to one side. One of them said, “Sir, what if they were bad?”

Sheila said, “We don’t jail. There are no repeat offenders.” The woman nodded. The men in front of us looked uncomfortable.

Joe began. “Margaret’s platoon was charged with containing the LRA while other platoons attacked the alien base. She took as captives the remains of the LRA. In the process, she was told of a ‘survival location.’ She investigated that area.” He looked over at Margaret.

Margaret gathered her thoughts quickly. “We were tasked with protecting our assault crew against the LRA. When out, we saw two cars which we identified as LRA. We were able to capture the men within those vehicles without casualties to our troops. In our preliminary questioning of our captives, we heard of a ‘survival location’ and conducted a search for it. By the time we found it, it had been abandoned except for two male guards. We captured them without any fuss. Two of my squads found two groups of women who had been located at that location prior to overcoming the guards and escaping. Our questioning resulted in evidence that the LRA practiced methods that our policies do not tolerate. With some help from a couple of Joe’s squads, we brought everyone here for more questioning.” She nodded back at me.

I said, “Thank you, Margaret.” I shifted in my chair. “Would any women be willing to tell their story. We will listen.”

The woman from that group who had spoken previously stood. “I will tell my story.” She gave her shoulders a shake and started. “My name is Amy Donaldson. Before the aliens came, I was married and had a son. When the aliens attacked, my husband was killed in the bombing. My son ran outside when the aliens landed and was immediately shot. I was slower or would have been killed, too. I saw Jimmy killed and went to our gun cabinet. I grabbed my deer rifle and shot the alien from cover. It exploded. I was knocked out by the blast.

“When I came to, I was hogtied and gagged. That man,” she pointed at one of the prisoners, “was standing over me gloating. He cut my ankles loose and pulled me up. He forced me from my home and into a truck with other women. We were taken to what I later learned was called the ‘survival location.’ We were herded into a room and cut loose. We were then told to strip. One young girl wouldn’t strip so he and another man took her outside, raped her and then shot her dead. The rest of us were warned that that would happen to the rest of us if we didn’t follow instructions.”

“Once all of us were naked, men came in and took turns on us. I don’t think any of the women had had anal sex before nor been forced to suck a penis from another woman’s body. It was sickening but the choice was death.

“After a week, something bad happened to many of the men. Some of the worst were gone. They were also the ones who watched over us most closely. Two other women and I decided to make a try to get out. I had decided that death was better. We attacked the two in the building taking their pistols and using them on them. We were outside in two groups when Margaret and her troops showed up. We were glad to see a group with women in charge. We saw others of our former captors who had been taken prisoner.

“We want justice done to those who abused us.”

Margaret said, “Thank you.”

Sheila said, “Do any of you men have anything to say in your defense?”

One of them said, “If you’re just going to believe those women, it won’t make any difference what I say.” He paused and then continued. “I never went to the ‘survival location’ suspecting that something bad was taking place there. I and the men in my truck were one truck of two that were left after we attacked the alien base. We attacked in the day and the aliens came after us.”

A woman sitting next to Amy said, “I don’t remember ever having seen him.”

The man nodded toward her and said, “Thank you, ma’am.”

I said, “This puts a slightly different picture to our interrogations. I think we need to let the surviving women have much say in who might or might not be guilty. Once we’ve sorted the sheep from the goats, then we’ll have to figure the next steps.”

Sheila nodded. She said, “Ladies, I will talk to you right now.” She looked at Joe. “Get them into a room. I will want them in one at a time later.” Joe nodded and herded the men out of the main room into a holding area.

Sheila said, “Ladies, you will assist us in gathering evidence. Joe will have the prisoners brought out one at a time. If they were active to your knowledge at the secure location, that will be considered as evidence as we try them. Please understand that none of these men will be allowed to threaten you. Riley doesn’t allow activities of that sort; As you have noticed, many of the leaders are women. Do you understand?” There were nods as she looked over the group of them.

I looked at Joe and nodded. “Please bring in contestant number one.” Joe grinned and nodded toward one of his bigger men who opened the door as another big guy escorted a prisoner out.

I was watching the women. Three of them shuddered and motioned a thumbs down.

I said, “Tell us your name and your history in the LRA.”

He tried to shake loose from Joe’s guy without success. He said, “I’m Ed Sampson. I was never at the secure location. I knew there was a place that the leaders went to but I knew nothing about it.”

One of the women whispered loudly, “Bull. You forced me and killed Leslie when she objected to being raped.”

I said, “Any other comments about Ed one way or another?”

One of the other women said, “I had seen him there coming out of one of the girl’s rooms. He didn’t see me.”

Sheila said, “Ed, I believe you have a problem.” She looked at his holder. “Place Ed in room one, please.”

He did and we could hear a thump of a body hitting a wall. He came back and went into the other room bringing out contestant number two.

I said, “Tell us your name and history.”

He said, “Why? You’re just going to shoot me anyway.”

Sheila said, “With that attitude, you are probably prophetic.” She grimaced. “I guess you should take him away and put him in room number one.”

He looked worried. “Wait. I’m Marvin Branch. I lost my family in the initial attack. I joined another group which the aliens wiped out except for me. I was given a chance to join the LRA and did. We attacked the alien base but they beat the hell out of us. Then, you guys captured me.”