Chapter 10

Looking at our prisoner, I said, "Tell me about yourself."

"I lived in Lexington before the Day. My wife and kids all died of the virus. I met another woman who had lost her family. We were starting to farm along with three other couples who were similar. Then the Sin Loos came. You either cooperated or died.

"Ed, their leader, had Allan and Jack as his assistants. There were about sixty or so of them then. That was five or six years ago. They had some funny notions about women and you had to do things their way. Millie and I were able to get through things okay until Allan saw her one day. He raped her and, when she fought him, he killed her after he finished. He did it publicly to make an example. It worked because no one else gave trouble after that. I took her body down after she died and buried her. We had lived together for about a year and I liked her even if I didn't love her. She took a while to die and she didn't deserve that.

"I had nowhere to go and, if you left and got caught, they killed you slowly, also. They kept capturing more people and most of the men joined willingly. I was given a new woman. Jane is okay and helps with the farming. This was the first war party that I had been called to go on. Usually, they leave us farmers alone. The one you killed, Rob, was one of their regular fighters. I was told to stay with him at all times. I am not sorry he's dead or that I am captured. I would like to go back to farming and be left alone. My friends, Calvin and Joe, feel the same way. They are back in Lexington."

"How many men are in the camp?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not sure. I think about one hundred. Rob knew. I was with him because I was assigned to him. There are many more in town but no one likes Ed. The thing is fear stops us. We don't like what's going on but we aren't fighters. We do what we are told."

"Okay, Mike, you stay here and be quiet no matter what and you will probably get a chance to farm again. Do you understand?" He nodded.

Time passed. Al reported that they caught two more pairs trying to get out. All four of them surrendered without a fight. They were tied up and held.

Tom called me. "Granddad, I have been listening to the Sin Loos in town. Someone must have gotten through. They called Jack to tell him that they were coming in the morning."

"Okay. Thanks, Tom."

"Jim, this is Al. I think we should continue to watch and rest. What we are hearing is probably true but they could be trying to fake us out. We have some surprises being prepared."

"Agreed and good," was all I said.

We all passed an anxious night without fires. The Sin Loos in our decoy camp had fires but were quickly taught to stay down and out of sight by our sharpshooters. They would carefully pick off anyone who stayed in view and took out four or five during the night. In the middle of the night, one of ours threw a small bomb into the camp just to get their attention.

Wendy and I woke just after dawn. All was quiet for about twenty minutes. At the tree edge, we saw four men trying to get out. Wendy had a scope on her rifle and checked them out. "I don't know any of them."

"Shoot 'em." She picked one and tracked him and squeezed off a round knocking him flat. Two went over to him and tried to pick him up. That turned out to be a bad idea as she shot one of them and almost got the other. I was watching the other and pulled her down before he could get off a shot. He didn't know where I was but I knew where he was and put a couple of shots into the trees where he was hiding. I heard a groan but don't know if I got him and wasn't going to look. Wendy had picked a new place and took aim on the one guy she missed before. She shot him and he went slack. She ducked back down and moved again. I had moved and we started watching again.

Ten minutes later, Al called on the radio. "Are you okay, Jim? We heard shots."

"We're okay. There were four and we got three and maybe the other. We're watching for him or more. They are trying something in there."

"Right, we believe they are looking for reinforcements or a way out. They had a dry camp last night and it isn't going to get better. Stay alert. Observe silence from here on."

"I will. You, too."

We stayed down and listened carefully. I was concerned because we had a possible one who knew generally where we were located and we wouldn't find a better spot quickly because it commanded the old base location as well as the treeline. We two were trying to look in a complete circle between us which kept us busy and swiveling our heads. Our captive kept his mouth shut all during this time.

An hour went by. The radio crackled twice but no voice sounded. I continued to look and held the radio close to my ear. I heard a quiet voice whisper, "They're starting out." I heard a click in reply.

All was quiet for another half hour. Suddenly, there was another explosion in the decoy camp. Al must have rigged more than I knew which was okay with me. A few shots rang out. Then, all was quiet again.

Wendy and I relocated to our best spot for daytime watching and settled in. We were well hidden though were only forty feet from our prisoner who we could see easily. Perhaps, someone would try to free him.

An hour passed. In the distance, we heard an explosion and shots, the reinforcements had run into our people. The shots continued for five minutes or so gradually tapering off. Ten minutes later, there was another explosion and more shots. Hopefully, Al could convince the Sin Loos that their guys were not worth the trouble. The shots died out more quickly but never totally stopped. I would hear one shot and then a bunch in reply and then silence again.

I had the radio volume turned down and the speaker close to my ear. I heard Al, "Tom, broadcast over their channel that we demand they surrender. We've hurt them a bit. I want to see if someone stands up to talk on their radio, also."

A moment later, a single shot was fired in the distance. Tom came on, "A guy who says his name is Allan wants to talk. What do I do?"

Al came back and said, "Tell him we aren't interested in talking. They can surrender now or die. That's the only issue."