Annette exploded. “Jesus Christ, Tempest, a person has to love your confidence in the outcome of a situation. Are you planning to kill them?”

  “I’ll know when the situation is over. How about that for an answer to an unknown; live or die will be up to them.”

  Annette, looking for an assurance, “You promise not to kill them out of hand… you’ll give them a chance?”

  “Annette, I’m not planning to go guns blazing, but I won’t handicap myself with that promise. You’re welcome to walk with them.”

  Annette spoke to the Kincaid’s standing with their mouths open. “Follow the map I drew. I’m sticking with her.”

  We rode in silence. A mile before the gravel road on which the Ellison’s house was located, I called to Annette that we were close and we’d walk the rest of the way. I left the roadway and drove far enough into the trees that the four-wheeler wasn’t visible from the road.

  Stepping from the seat, I said, “Carry an extra magazine for your rifle and pistol.”

  “I already have them. Are we going through the woods or taking the road?”

  “We’ll use the road, too many low wet areas for the woods. We’ll sneak close enough to see how it is at their house.”

  Annette said, “Lead on. I’ve got our six and nine.”

  Nearing our goal, we passed a house just before a curve and I slowed. Barely out of the curve, but far enough to see where the graveled road met our paved one, I saw movement at that corner, half turned to tap Annette’s arm and swerved from the road into the bordering underbrush. I parked the vehicle behind a clump of cedars and led us back toward the road.

  Hiding behind a sagging, neglected barbed wire fence overgrown with vines, I whispered, “I saw the boys. They’re coming this way.”

  “Did they see us?”

  “Don’t know. Maybe, but they won’t know exactly where we are.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “Wait for em and then challenge em. Order them to stop and drop their weapons.”

  “And if they don’t?”

  “If they start shooting, shoot back. Shoot to kill.”

  “They’re just boys.”

  “They’re boys with guns who will shoot you. Damn it, Annette, you heard what Abby said. They want to kill me and take you. What do you think Bobby wants you for, a game of freaking horseshoes? I know Bobby. No matter what else he does to you, he’ll hurt you. He’s a bully, a mean, nasty bastard.”

  Casting about on the ground around me, I plucked small plants that I stuffed into the vines to create a better shield. Annette saw what I was doing and began plucking weeds of her own.

  She shushed me. “They’re getting close, I can hear them talking.”

  The three came closer with the youngest boy lagging behind. Bobby carried an AR, the rifle Abbey called an assault rifle. The other two had no holsters and carried pistols in their hands. Forty feet from us, close enough to hear what they said to each other, the younger boy called, “Hey, wait up, my shoe’s untied.”

  Bobby told him, “Hurry it.”

  Jack, his brother asked, “Are you sure you heard an engine. I don’t see shit on the road.”

  Bobby answered, “Yeah I heard it, an ATV for sure. They could’ve stopped at old man Jerry’s place; probably checking it for food.”

  Jack said, “They won’t find nothing but Jerry’s stinking body. Daddy killed him for nothing. The old man was eating cat food and dog food. Must've been a hundred empty cans in his trash basket. We’ll need to sneak up so they don’t take off on us. Do you think its Tempest and that girl?”

  Bobby said, “I’d almost bet on it. If we find them there, I’m going to shoot a tire on the ATV. I can patch a bullet hole.”

  Annette nudged me. I glanced her way. She shrugged and raised her hands as if to ask, ‘what are we waiting for’.

  I put a finger to my lips and then used two fingers to show I wanted them closer.

  Bobby shouted at his younger brother who was only a few feet away, “Goddamn it Jimmy, what’s taking you?”

  “The plastic is broken off one end. I can’t get it in the shoe hole.”

  “Stupid retard. Jack, tie his fucking shoe for him.”

  Jack tied the shoelace and they joined their brother.

  “No more talking from here,” Bobby said, “Jerry’s place is close.”

  When they were twenty feet from us, I didn’t shout, but said loud enough, “Bobby, I’ve got a shotgun pointed at your dick. Stop or I’ll blow it off.”

  They stopped. Bobby brought his rifle up, searching the side of the road for me.

  I had a bead on his heart. If he located me, I’d pull the trigger. “Remember that time I blacked your eye while you were taking a shit at school. Lower that rifle or I’m blowing your dick off.”

  I think my tone convinced him. He let the barrel of his rifle dip.

  I spoke louder. “Annette, don’t answer me. Take a bead on the back of Jack’s head. Blow his brains out if either of them moves a weapon.”

  Jack turned to look at the trees bordering the other side of the road.

  “Yes, we’ve got you from both sides. I’m going to say it simple. I’m going to count to five. If any of you are still holding a weapon when I finish, we’re killing all of you. Remember my fist hitting your eye, Bobby. You know I’ll do it.”

  His brothers let their pistols fall before I began counting. On three, Bobby bent to lay his rifle onto the pavement.

  I stood and pretended to shout across the road. “Annette, I’m going out. If any of them move, kill em.”

  I slung my rifle and ran the twenty-feet to the four-wheeler, snagged a partial roll of tie wire from its toolbox and ran to the road, slowing and drawing my pistol as I gained it and stopped twenty-feet away with my Pistol aimed at Bobby’s groin.

  To him I said, “Good boy. If you treasure your dick, you’d better keep standing still.”

  Now that I knew his younger brother’s name, I tossed the wire toward his feet and used it. “Jimmy, use that and tie your brothers wrists together. Start with Bobby.”

  “I don’t have no cutters.”

  “Don’t mess with me. Everybody knows how to break wire by bending it back and forth. Get em tied and tied tight. If you don’t, when it’s your turn to get tied I’ll do it so tight your hands will turn black and die.”

  Jimmy knew how to break wire and I knew he took my warning to heart when Bobby said, “Goddamn you, Jimmy. I’m going to beat the shit out of you when this is over.”

  When he finished tying Jack, I told him to move away from them, break off a two-foot section of wire and stand with his back to me. I tied his wrists together, called for Annette to join me and went to Bobby to check Jimmy’s work.

  As soon as I touched his wrists, he spun and head-butted me. He hit the exact spot on my temple already bruised. My brain exploded in white-light. I wasn’t knocked unconscious, but I felt myself fall, felt him kick my side and then my neck.

  I heard a high-pitched scream, heard a thud and Bobby fell onto me. Heard more thuds closer. Felt Bobby’s weight leave me and Annette’s hands pull me to my feet.

  “Are you okay?”

  I was, but needed time to shake off the blow. “Give me a minute. I’m going to sit down. Watch em. Shoot em if they run.”

  I sat with eyes closed and used both hands to rub my temple, realized my neck felt worse and rubbed it until it was better. Raised a hand and said, “Give me a boost.”

  Annette lugged me to my feet. It was then that I saw Bobby’s bashed and bleeding head. “I think he’s dead. What the hell did you hit him with?”

  She used the hand holding a pistol to indicate her AR lying on the pavement. There was a pronounced bend where the receiver joined the barrel.

  “Dang, Annette, you could’ve shot him instead.”

  “I could’ve, should’ve, but didn’t.”

  Jimmy said, “Is Bobby really dead?”

  I bent to check. “Yep, the asshole is dead as dead can be. I ought to kill the two of you. Lay face down on the road so Annette can tie your ankles.”

  Annette picked up the wire, stared at it a moment and then brought it to me.

  “Show me how to break it,” she whispered.

  She responded to my eye-roll with a raised middle finger.

  After she tied their ankles, I had them roll until they were back to back so she could wire their bound wrists together.

  Satisfied, I said, “Good enough for now. Let’s go clean out the rats nest.” Then pointed to where we parked. “Grab Bobby’s AR and the pistols. I need medicine.”

  Walking to the four-wheeler, Annette asked, “Are you sure you’re all right? Are you dizzy? I heard his head thunk yours.”

  “I’ll have a headache tomorrow, but I’m okay for now. I’ll take some Ibuprofen and we’ll continue our walk.”

  “What are we going to do with the boys?”

  “I have no idea, but I’m sure we’ll both know when this is over.”

  “Jesus, Tempest, that’s the best non-answer I’ve ever heard.”

  “Yeah, I’m good at that.”

  Back on the road, approaching the turn that led to the rats nest, I heard a small engine start and then roar to life. Steering us back off the road, a moment later a man driving the Kincaid’s ATV reached the corner, slowed and then turned in the direction of the tied up boys.

  The butt of my rifle found my shoulder, my eyes found the side of his head in the open sights and I pulled the trigger.

  The man lurched as if electrocuted and he sagged sideways. The vehicle slowed to idling speed, swerved and went into the drainage ditch. With not enough power to climb the other side, it stalled.

  Beside me, Annette said, “Well, another part of the situation is finished.”

  “Yeah, the daddy rat is dead. Let’s find the breeder.”

  “Enough of that crap, Tempest. Seriously, I’m barely holding on.”

  She was right, but flippancy made it better for me.

  We passed by two houses on the way to the Ellison’s. I checked both and found them empty and ransacked. We took to the woods close to our destination and snuck until the house was in view forty-feet from us.

  I stood and shouted, “Missus Ellison, this is Tempest. You know me from church.”

  A long moment passed. She didn’t come out onto the porch, but did open the front door a crack to shout, “Tempest Fuller, why are you here? I heard a gunshot. What was that about?”

  I didn’t bother correcting her about my name. “I shot that sorry son of a bitch you married. I thought you should know.”

  There was a pause, and then she shouted, “Can’t undo what’s done. What about my boys.”

  “Bobby’s dead. We’ve got the other two tied up.”

  There was a pause and then she said. “Bobby’s no loss to me, but it’d please me if you spare Jimmy and Jack. I can do something with them with the other two out of the way.”

  “Send your daughter out with the rifles and pistols they stole and I’ll send em home, but make sure they know if they act like hoodlums they’ll follow their daddy and brother to hell.”

  "I don't know which ones you're talking about. I'll send Mazzie out with what we have.

  We waited a long two or three minutes. The door opened and a severely obese girl came out burdened with rifles tied in a bundle and a cloth bag that I figured held pistols.

  I shouted, “Come to the trees,” and then spoke to Annette. "Let's back away." I led her from the edge of the forest. A soon a Mazzie entered the trees, I shouted for her to lay the weapons on the ground and go home.

  I motioned to Annette and we gathered the weapons. She carried the tied together bundle of rifles and I carried the heavy bag of pistols.

  "There must be six or seven rifles," she said.

  "I think there are more pistols then that. You know how they got so may, don't you?"

  "Yeah, they robbed people."

  Leading us back to where the ATV stalled, I said, "Probably killed some of them.

  Together we dragged the dead man from the ATV. To Annette I said, “My head’s throbbing. You’ll have to drive us back to the boys.”

  There, I went to them, squatted and said, “Your brother is dead. Your daddy is dead. I’d kill the two of you if your mama hadn’t begged for you. I’m going to loosen your legs. I’m not going to untie your hands, not even going to untie you from each other. You’ll have a hard time getting home that way.

  “On your way, think about what happens to people who rob and hurt other people. Think about how lucky you are that you’re not lying here dead in a puddle of blood.”

  Jack spoke, “We’re sorry we—.”

  “Shut your damn mouth.”

  I began undoing the wire from their legs, but a sharp pain shot through my head and rocked me back onto my butt. Hands to my head, I said, “Annette,” and reluctantly loosened a hand from my head for an assist to my feet.

  Shielding my eyes from the suddenly over bright sun, I drew my pistol and said, “I’ve got em covered. Take care of it. Free their legs and get em gone.”

  She got em gone. Pistol holstered, both hands clamped to my head, I said, “My tomorrow headache’s here today. Our four-wheeler is okay where it is, we’ll pick it up later. Fetch more Ibuprofen from it. You’ll have to drive us home.”

  “What about Bobby.”

  “Leave him for now. We’ll drag him off the road when we come with a load.”

  ************

  At the cabins, waving a multitude of questions onto Annette, I went to my cabin to lie down. Laid down, pulled the blanket over my head to block the excruciating light from windows that sent my head throbbing. I either fell asleep or passed out… same difference.

  I woke once to Annette forcing me to take a pill. Woke again, headache dulled, glanced at a window, saw it was night, tried to go back to sleep, but found I couldn’t.

  Sitting on the edge of the bed didn’t make me feel worse, so I stood. Yea, I didn’t wobble. The way my life was going, I should start wearing a helmet. I was damn tired of being head bashed. Once thought, the idea of wearing a helmet didn’t seem like a dumb idea. Maybe we should go full combat ready, helmets, body-armor; the whole nine yards.

  I struck a lighter to read my alarm clock. It was four a.m. I’d slept most of the day away and all of the night. Preeja would be up starting breakfast in an hour or so.

  Thinking of breakfast brought with it ravenous hunger. I squatted to drag a box from under my bed containing an assortment of Billy’s little cans of human-style cat food and tins of crackers. Decided on potted meat and used it as a dip. Two cans of it brought a belch I wished I could have saved to reward Annette.

  Five-thirty came. Tired of waiting, I went outside, found a chunk of wood and tossed it hard against the side of the big cabin. The clamor from inside told me it did its job. I went back into my cabin to lie down and pretend innocence.

  A few minutes went by and a knock came to my door. It was Annette. “Open up.”

  “I’m trying to sleep.”

  “Open the freaking door.”

  I got up and unlocked the door. Annette brushed past me and went to a bench to light my lamp. As she did, she said, “I found the wood you hit the house with. That was damn stupid. You scared the crap out of us. Jesus Christ, Tempest, didn’t you stop to think given the nature of things that we’d expect the worst?”

  Shielding my eyes from the glow of the lamp, I replied, “I was hungry and you all should’ve been up already.”

  “Oh, the little baby was hungry. Give me a minute and I’ll warm you a bottle. Unlike you, the rest of us put in a long hard day of work yesterday. We carried three loads over to the ranch. The cabin is empty of everything but our bedding. Breakfast will be leftovers from last night. We made a huge dent in the stuff at the barn as well.”

  “You left me alone here sleeping. What if—?”

  “Preeja stayed to guard our sleeping beauty. Seriously though, think before you do something like waking people with a loud noise.”

  “Yes Mama.”

  “Keep it up and I’ll convince Preeja to spike your food with a laxative.”

  “I thrive on laxatives.”

  In the lamplight, I saw her give me a middle finger. “If I were your mama, you’d be due for a spanking. Christ that was so childish.”

  In retrospect, it was a stupid thing to do, but I was done with it. “Okay, okay, message received loud and clear, no more waking people with a loud noise. You’re right; I should have considered the effect it might have. Do you think we can finish the move today?”

  “Vikas thinks one more load in all our vehicles including the tractor pulling the rest of its attachments on the big trailer should do it… Oh yeah, we retrieved your ATV from the trees. It’s at the ranch.

  “You all have been busy.”

  “We have. How is your head today?”

  “It hurts. Thanks for the medicine last night.”

  Annette grinned and laughed, Wow, unsolicited thanks, the world’s coming to an end…,” she considered the sentence she’d uttered, “Oh hell, it really is.” She paused and then said, “You’re not dizzy or pukey?”

  “No, but I’m seriously considering wearing a helmet.”

  “We all talked about you last night.”

  “Oh yeah. Did ya’ll decide to build a facility and commit me?”

  “No, quite the opposite. The consensus is that everything you’ve done to protect us goes against our moral core, but everything you’ve done is the rational course for the times.

  “Yesterday when Bobby attacked you, I should have shot him, but I’ll tell you, breaking the rifle on his head was very satisfying. Then later when you shot their father, I was shocked, mainly because of how sudden you did it, how fast you made the decision.

  “Thinking on it, what else could you do? He would have found his son dead. The other two would have given him your name and then he’d be a threat from then on. That was the conclusion of the others as well.”

  “So I’m safe from the mental ward for now?”

  “You’re not crazy, just different in a way that’s needed.”

  “I’m glad you all concluded that, because I know I’m not crazy. Crazy is not protecting oneself. Crazy is living in fear of a threat rather than eliminating the threat. I can’t bear living in a state of constant paranoia.”

 

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