Without Law 14, page 2
“We did get some guns and things then,” Anna said. “But nothing like the equipment we need.”
“We had Brody with us, though,” Bailey pointed out. “And we left pretty quickly. We could have overlooked something.”
“That’s true,” I said.
She wasn’t wrong. We had gone through the arsenal that we’d found, but there was no guarantee that there hadn’t been weapons stashed elsewhere. Besides, I hadn’t wanted to let Brody get his hands on any more weapons, especially ones as powerful as the ones we were talking about now. It was completely possible that the arsenal we’d raided was just for basic combat rifles and things like we’d found. The guard or the druggies that came after them could have easily hidden the good stuff in another area so that even if the arsenal was raided they were left with something powerful.
“Do you think it’s worth checking out?” Kimmy asked.
“I think it is,” I said with a nod. “We were there under strange circumstances last time with Brody. It’s entirely possible that we missed something while we were focused on keeping him in line.”
“Sooo, we’re going to Burlington?” Tara asked.
“Seems like it,” I said with a smile.
“What about Brody’s dad’s house?” Anna asked, and I turned to look at the redhead.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” I said with wide eyes.
Brody’s father was a major drug lord, even before the EMP, and there were most likely some good weapons hidden around his house somewhere.
“Did we even search the place after Brody took off?” Tara asked. “We just got the fuck out of there, didnt we?”
“Yeah,” I said with a shake of my head. “We left just after he did.”
Brody had threatened us that day, and it had ended with him taking off in a speedboat with his goons after he tricked us into helping him kill his own father. I’d been so pissed about him threatening my women that we’d gone straight to planning how to take him down.
“We should check there, too,” Paige said. “I bet we can find something.”
“In some mob boss’ house?” Tara asked rhetorically. “Oh, definitely.”
“You watched too much TV,” Paige chuckled and shook her head.
“I mean, he’s a mob boss,” Tara protested. “He’s got to have guns, right?’
“It’s settled then,” I said with a nod. “We’ll go to both the fort and Brody’s father’s house and see what we can find.”
The girls and I were well prepared as far as skills went, but they were right, we were lacking when it came to large weapons. We had Bailey’s barrett and the SAW, but that was about it, especially as far as weapons that we could move easily. We needed something mobile that could do a lot of damage, and right then we just didn’t have it.
Burlington might turn out to be a dead end, but it was worth investigating. Both the National Guard and a group of well armed druggies had been there. Also, we had found out later that Brody knew the druggies that were there. It was entirely possible that he had known exactly where the larger weapons were and had purposefully led us to a different arsenal so he could go back and get the good stuff later. He was a sonofabitch like that, and I wouldn’t put it past him at all.
His father’s house might be a good score, or it could end up being a dead end, too. I hoped for the former, but I prefered to prepare for the worst and be surprised with the best.
It was definitely worth a trip up there, I just hoped it paid off. We needed to stockpile some good weapons, and we needed to do it fast. North Korea was here, on our side of the country, and we needed to fix that as soon as possible.
Chapter 2
The next morning we got ready to head to Burlington. It was still dark out when I woke the girls up, and after I was sure that Tara was awake and not going to fall back asleep after I left, I grabbed my to go bag and made my way downstairs.
We had packed the jeep the night before, so there was enough food for two days for all of us, and we each had our to go bag as well. They were filled with things like binoculars, extra ammunition, a flashlight, and fresh socks. I didn’t know if the girls had that last one, but a nice pair of fresh socks did wonders for me sometimes, and I was happy to have them with me if I needed them.
Winchester, our beautiful black headed shepherd, followed me downstairs to where Rolly, Betty, Kimmy, and baby Anthony sat on the couches. Kimmy was the only girl that didn’t sleep with me in the dorm common area, and I knew that it was because she preferred to sleep with baby Anthony in her own room. I respected that and admired how much love she had for her son.
“Good morning,” I said as I walked by everyone to let Winchester out and drop my bag by the door.
“Morning,” Rolly told me with a wide grin.
“Still liking being married?” I teased.
“Loving it,” Betty, his better half, answered with a smile.
“Are the girls awake?” Kimmy asked as she fed baby Anthony some mashed up fruit or vegetable. I couldn’t tell what it was, but he seemed to like it by the way he gobbled it up.
“They’re getting dressed,” I answered with a nod.
“Made coffee,” Rolly said, and he pushed a to go cup toward me.
“Thanks, oldtimer,” I told him as I grabbed the cup and took a long pull of the fresh java.
Rolly always made the best coffee, and whenever he knew that we were headed out early he’d make extra and pack to go cups for us. It was a small gesture, but one that I appreciated the hell out of.
“You’re sure you’re okay to watch Anthony?” Kimmy asked Betty with a slightly concerned look.
I knew it was hard for her to leave him sometimes, mostly because she never wanted to feel like a burden, but we needed her with us in case there were any valuable parts that could be used for radios or anything like that. Kimmy was able to rig up pretty much anything you asked of her. She’d even got an old CD player working for Rolly and Betty’s wedding, but I wouldn’t know where to start as far as getting supplies for her. It was easier if she came along. Plus, I liked having her with us.
“Of course, dear,” Betty answered with a smile. “Marla and I can handle him while you’re gone, don’t worry.”
“I really appreciate it,” Kimmy said sincerely.
“So do I,” I added.
“You’re welcome,” Betty chuckled. “Both of you.”
I reached over and squeezed baby Anthony’s foot, and he let out a little giggle as he pulled it away.
The rest of the girls all came downstairs then, and Bailey came right over to baby Anthony and stroked his hair.
“Someone sounds like they’re in a good mood this morning,” the blonde chuckled.
“Isn’t he always?” Paige laughed. “He’s such a happy baby.”
“Most of the time,” Kimmy agreed.
“Are we about ready?” Anna asked. My second in command was always eager to get started on mission days.
“I think so,” I said, and I gestured for them to grab the to go mugs on the coffee table.
“Yum, thank you, Rolly,” Bailey said, and she gave the old man a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re most welcome,” he told her with a smile that crinkled the skin around his eyes.
“Thank you, Rolly,” the rest of the girls chorused, and I chuckled to myself at their childlike response.
“Oh, just a reminder,” I said seriously to Rolly and Betty, “don’t let anyone go into the woods alone.”
“We’ll be careful,” Betty told me with a sweet smile.
“You all do the same,” Rolly added.
I smiled back at the pair. I knew they could handle things on their own, but there were still animals in the woods that had run from the fire, and I didn’t want anyone to get too comfortable and go out there unprepared. I trusted Rolly and Betty, though, and I knew that they’d take good care of the civilians while the girls and I were gone.
“Okay,” Kimmy said, and she held up baby Anthony and kissed him several times on the cheeks. “Mommy’s got to go. I love you.”
She gave him one more kiss, then handed him to Betty who snuggled him close to her chest and kissed his forehead.
“Go on, dear,” Betty told her. “He’s in good hands.”
“I know he is,” Kimmy said, and she squeezed Betty’s shoulder before she grabbed her to go cup and headed to the door.
We all made our way out to the courtyard, but I made sure to call Winchester back inside before we left. I didn’t think he’d follow us far, but I didn’t want to risk it, either. That dog meant a lot to everyone, and he’d been hurt once already. I couldn’t let that happen again.
The sun just came over the horizon as we piled into one of the jeeps, and I turned the engine on. It was a cool morning, but not cold, and I knew the day would be sweltering so I’d worn shorts and a tank top in preparation. The sky was a dim gray as I pulled out onto the highway, but as we drove it lit up with the beautiful pinks, oranges, and blues of the sunrise.
“We’re going to Renee’s first, right?” Anna asked from the passenger’s seat.
“Right,” I agreed. I didn’t want to communicate about the meeting place over the CB radio, so I decided that it was better if we just swung by on the way to Burlington. It was a little bit out of the way, but it was better than having someone overhear our conversation and try to surprise us.
Renee was a good ally, and I didn’t think there would be a problem with us using the fort as the meeting place, but I could be wrong. It did expose her people to others, but I felt that the fort was strong enough and manned well enough that nobody unwanted would be able to sneak by. Still, I wouldn’t set up anything without her permission first.
My team may have been the ones to take out Brody and give the fort to the civilians who were basically enslaved under him, but we hadn’t done that so we could bully them into doing what we wanted. It was the right thing to do, and the civilians deserved the fort. They’d put in a lot of work there already, and they’d done a good thing in electing Renee as the new leader. She was a smart, determined woman and someone that I could count on.
Renee wanted us to move to the fort, and even I had thought it was the best idea recently, but after seeing the fighter jet, I had other things to concern myself with than moving my entire community.
I sipped my coffee as I drove, and once the brightness of the sunrise became too much, I slipped on the aviators that I kept in the center console. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed sunglasses until Bailey had picked these up for me. I’d used them almost every time I’d driven since she gave them to me, and it was a small luxury that I appreciated.
To the right of us, I could see where the fire had come across the land and nearly taken out the farm where our crops were. We’d been able to save it, but that had been a scary moment, and seeing the damage the fire had done only made me that much more grateful that we still had our crops.
The landscape further north was burned badly, with nearly everything around blackened from the flames, and I shook my head. After a while the burned area disappeared into the mountains, and I no longer had a clear view, but I knew that the further north we went, the more damage we’d see.
I turned west to the fort, though, and the area there didn’t show any signs of damage. Fort Ticonderoga sat on the water’s edge, and I figured that the fire hadn’t come that far. Renee would have told us if it had. They had a scare with a smaller fire, but it was more west and had moved past them. It was only the beginning of summer, and we’d already had two fires to deal with, which didn’t bode well for the coming months. But, as long as we kept an eye on the surrounding areas, we would be able to get ahead of the flames.
If some actual survivors showed up to the meeting who were decent people, then we may be able to build a network so that if anyone saw a fire or something like that we could signal one another. That was wishful thinking, but I’d give whoever showed up a fair chance to prove that they weren’t complete assholes before I had my girls take them out.
It wasn’t long before we pulled up to the fort and someone at the gate recognized us and opened it for us.
Instead of pulling in, though, I parked the jeep and hopped out. We wouldn’t be there long so there was no point in pulling in.
“Hey, Tav,” a young man called down, and I recognized him as Andy, the man who I’d shown how to lay fire lines recently.
“Hey, Andy, right?” I asked.
“That’s right,” he chuckled. “You here for Renee?”
“If she’s not too busy,” I answered with a smile.
“I’m sure she’s in her office,” he said. “You want to come in, or I can go get her?”
“We can go in,” I said, and I led the girls through the gate, but kept the jeep parked outside.
I led the girls up the stone stairs and smiled at the men and women on guard as we made our way through the halls and down to Renee’s office.
I knocked on the wooden door when we arrived, and after a small ‘come in’, I opened it.
“Tav,” Renee said with a smile as she looked up from her desk. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
“Sorry to drop by unannounced,” I told her as I walked over and leaned against the wall.
“No problem at all,” the dark haired woman said as she stared at me with intense blue eyes. “So, what’s up?”
“I have a favor to ask,” I said.
“Anything,” she said quickly. “You know that.”
Renee still felt that she owed us for taking out Brody and giving her and the rest of the civilians the fort back. I’d told her plenty of times that she didn’t, but I couldn’t stop her from feeling the way she felt.
“You might want to give this one some thought,” I said.
“What is it?” she asked, and her dark eyebrows pinched together.
“I’m hoping that you’ll give us permission to use the King’s Garden for the meeting with the survivors we’re calling on the radio,” I said.
“Oh,” she replied, and her eyes widened with surprise. “Do you think that’s the best place for it?”
“I do,” I said with a nod.
“The fort is well manned,” Anna added. “Nobody can sneak up if you have men on the wall.”
“That’s a good point,” Renee agreed.
“And the fort is pretty badass,” Tara chimed in. “It’s basically a giant don’t fuck with us sign.”
“Alright,” the dark haired woman chuckled.
“It would be a show of power,” I said more seriously than my platinum blonde counterpart. “And none of your people would be in danger since it’s impossible to get in without the gate being open.”
“It’s also somewhere familiar,” Bailey said with a smile. “I’ve been posted there before so I know the area pretty well. And I’ll be hidden nearby in case anybody tries anything.”
“Well, that certainly is a comfort,” Renee said, then she bit her lip and looked down for a moment as she thought.
I would have loved to tell her that she didn’t have to answer right then, but we did need to update the broadcast, and the sooner the better.
“Okay,” the dark haired woman sighed as she looked up at me. “But on one condition.”
“What’s that?” I asked, and my own eyebrows pulled together with concern.
“I want to be there with you,” she said with a straight face.
“I’m not sure if that’s the safest place for you,” I told her.
“I’m sure it’s not,” she half chuckled. “But I want to be there and see these people for myself.”
I considered her proposal for a moment. Renee wasn’t the most skilled fighter, of that I was sure, but the girls would be posted around the perimeter in case anything went wrong. I didn’t exactly like the idea of putting Renee into the middle of a dangerous situation since she wasn’t as well trained as my girls, but I also understood where she was coming from. She was the leader of those at the fort, and she had been the one who had initially heard someone over the radio. It made sense that she wanted to be part of the meeting process, and I wouldn’t deny her the opportunity. As much as I wanted to protect her, I had to respect her as a fellow leader as well.
“Deal,” I told her with a smile. “But, I want you to know that if something goes wrong I’m in charge and you need to do what I say. Can you handle that?”
“I think I can manage,” she teased.
“Thank you,” I told her seriously.
“Of course,” she replied. “I just hope that we get some serious people showing up and no crazies.”
“Ha!” Tara scoffed.
“Tara!” Paige hissed as Renee turned to look at the platinum blonde with wide eyes.
“Sorry,” Tara said with a shrug. “But there’s always at least one crazy. I’m calling it right now. There’s gonna be at least one crazy guy with whoever shows up.”
“You can’t know that for sure,” Bailey said.
“Statistically, she’s not wrong,” Paige chuckled. “But it’s not a good thought.”
“It’s a pretty accurate one, though,” Anna said. “We need to be prepared for the worst.”
I was surprised to hear Anna agree with Tara. Most of the time those two argued like siblings, but Anna was big enough to admit when Tara had a good point. I wasn’t sure I could say the same thing about the platinum blonde, but we were working on it.
“We’ll hope for the best and take what we can get,” Renee said decidedly.
“Do you mind if we go look over the King’s Garden really quickly?” I asked. “I just want to refresh my memory.”
“Take all the time you need,” she said. “I’ll walk you over.”
“I would,” I told her. “But we’re on our way up to Burlington.”
“What for?” she asked as she stood up and led us back down the hallway.
“We’re hoping to find more weapons that are capable of taking out aircrafts and larger machines,” I explained.
“I swear we used to have some crazy guns and stuff around here,” Renee said. “I never knew what they were, but they were pretty big. I haven’t seen them, though, and I’ve gone through everything around here several times.”
