The Soldier
Chapter 22

By the time Jonathan, Mandy, Caitlin and Logan made it back to the minuteman camp, the bug out was in full swing. People were scurrying everywhere. What had appeared to be permanent cabins were being easily broken down, with wall and roof panels placed on the back of waiting trucks. Most people were helped break down the camp, but a few women were charged with overseeing the children in a field adjoining the main campsite.

As Logan watched he was somewhat impressed with the organization that was apparent in how the camp was being prepared to move. Larger structures were tackled first, with individual living structures left for later.

“You’ve done this before, I see,” he said to Jonathan.

“More than once, unfortunately,” the Minuteman leader said. “I wish it didn’t have to happen, but we have to stay one step ahead of the Federals and this is about the only way. If we remained in one place for too long, they’d find us eventually and take us to a re-education camp.

“That doesn’t sound pleasant,” Logan said.

“It’s not.”

“How can we help?” Logan asked as Willie and David walked past carrying a panel that Logan recognized from the mess hall to a truck. “Ah, I see we already are. So let me re-phrase. What can I do?”

“Just find a team and pitch in,” Jonathan said. “An extra hand is always welcome.”

“And me?” Caitlin asked.

“You’re with me,” Mandy said, sounding more like a commander than a freedom fighter. She started walking off towards where the children were playing under the watchful eye of several older women.

“I’m not babysitting, if that’s where you’re headed.”

“It’s not. As Jonathan’s second, my job during a bug out is to set up defense perimeters in case the Federals get here before we’re gone.”

The two women walked past the field into the surrounding forest.

“Logical,” Caitlin said. “How can I assist?”

“Well, actually the planning is done, I just have to supervise. And we can always use another set of eyes on lookout. How good a shot are you?”

Caitlin raised an eyebrow.

“Not bad, why? I would assume that being on lookout meant that I would send up some kind of warning.”

“Maybe that’s how you Brits do it, but we have a different take on it.”

Mandy and Caitlin had reached a tree that had hand and foot holds carefully carved into it. At first glance they just looked like natural knots in the wood.

“There’s a camouflaged platform at the top.

¨In a locked box,” she said as she handed Caitlin a key, “You’ll find a silenced sniper rifle, binoculars and a radio. You’ll run into one of two possible scenarios. Best scenario is you’ll get an advanced scouting party of one or two. If they’re heading in the wrong direction, let them be and call it in. If they’re heading toward the camp, take them out. And be quick so if there’s more than one they can’t get on the radio. When you’re done call in and then beat it back to camp.

“If it’s an assault squad and you should spot them far enough way that you can use the radio without revealing yourself, call it in and get back to camp. And be double quick because we’ll already be moving when you get there. And if you miss the bus, we won’t come back for you.”

“Understood,” Caitlin said.

Thomas Clifford leaned against a tree, drinking what passed for beer and watching the frenzied activity around him. Part of him mourned for the Morning Star, now rested on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Why he mourned he wasn’t quite sure, since he felt no particular loyalty to the shipping company that actually owned her. She wasn’t his ship after all, he was just another hired hand.

“You know, during a bug out everybody works.”

Clifford looked up at the speaker, an auburn-haired woman. A little extra padding around the middle, but otherwise fit. Sweat caused her shirt to cling acceptably to her skin as she stood there with her hands on her hips.

“Not my problem,” Clifford said as he continued drinking. “I don’t even want to be here.”

“Well, you are here,” she said. “And unless you pull your own weight, you’ll get left behind when we pull out. From where I stand, you have quite a bit of extra weight to pull.”

Clifford eyed the woman, it was apparent she wasn’t flirting, or even kidding.

“And trust me, the Federals will be lot less kind to you than we have been,” she said.

“Perhaps, and then again perhaps not,” Clifford said. “Whatever the case may be, I just really don’t have the least inclination to help you people.”

“Then don’t be expecting any help from us,” she said. “Then what exactly are you planning to? Just sit here in the woods by yourself?”

“Haven’t really given it all that much thought. But tell me, you Americans still believe in personal freedom, don’t you? At least you rebels do, I would think.”

“Yes we do, it’s what makes us different from them.”

“So you say,” Clifford said. “Anyway, I thank you for your somewhat underwhelming concern for my well-being miss.”

Clifford stopped. “By the way, what is your name, if I may ask?”

“It’s Rebecca. Rebecca Donovan.”

“Thank you, Rebecca Donovan,” Clifford said, trying to stand up, but failing due to his state of inebriation. “I am Thomas Clifford. It was my ship that your new friends used to get over to this God-forsaken country, a good ship she was, now resting on the bottom of the Atlantic thanks to your Federals I’m sure. So, as I said I am dis-inclined to help them, nor to help any of their friends, which your lot seems to have become.”

“Be that as it may,” Rebecca said, “one of those Brits, the female computer nerd I think, apparently wasn’t as good as she thought she was so we’re getting the hell out of here while we still can. And despite your personal feelings, you really need to get off your drunk ass and come with us.”

Clifford grunted.

“Well, again, I think you for your concern, but me and my beer are doing just fine where we are. If your version of America is still about choice, well then I choose to remain here with my beer. If and when I should decide, or be able to stand up again – well, if you’re lot isn’t around I’ll just wander around until I find someplace to set up housekeeping. Because I’m bloody damn sure that Logan will never find any way to get us the hell out of here and back to England. And that damned fool and those that run with him need to figure that out and start planning the rest of their lives rather than chasing an unobtainable dream.”

“Suit yourself,” Rebecca said as she turned and walked back to camp.

Clifford casually watched Rebecca walk off, his eyes following the sway of her hips, thinking she was a bird he wouldn’t at all mind bagging.

The sun was setting when Jonathan finally gave the order to move out. The trucks began to slowly rumble out of the clearing, their headlights covered with a red film to minimize the chance of being seen.

“We move by night and rest during the day,” Jonathan said.

“What about us,” Logan said, observing that there weren’t any other vehicles other than the trucks.

“We walk. Like I said, the route is already set, complete with layover points. The trucks will get there first and set camp and get food prepared for when we arrive. The system has worked like that for quite some time. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, my granddad used to say.”

“The Federals, they haven’t figured it out and try to track you at night?”

“If they have, they’re not very good at it. With the headlights masked, it’s hard to spot the trucks and they won’t venture to far into the wilderness at night. I assume the old spy sats failed long ago or they’d be using them against us, and we’ve seen no evidence that they have any idea what we’re doing out here unless one of their patrols stumbles onto us.”

Before Logan could say anything else, Jonathan grabbed Mandy who happened to be walking by.

“We’re ready to go, pull everyone in from the observation posts,” he said.

“I’m on it,” Mandy said, lifting a radio to her lips and walking a short distance away.

As Logan watched her, he could see her expression change as a worried frown appeared. She turned to Jonathan and Logan.

“We have a problem. Caitlin isn’t responding.”

“Caitlin? Where is she?”

“She wanted something useful to do, so I put her up as a lookout,” Mandy said.

“Which post?”

“South Two.”

Jonathan reached down and picked up his rifle, which had been leaning against a stump.

“It’s not too far, let’s go see what’s up. She’s probably just fallen asleep up there. It happens from time to time. Mandy, get everyone else moving, we’ll catch up.”

“I want to come with you. I put her up there - it’s my responsibility.”

“You know how things work. Given the circumstances, we both can’t be at the same place. Too high a risk factor.”

“Then let me go with Logan to look for her and you head out with the walkers,” Mandy said. “Besides, if she wandered off and got herself lost in the woods, you know I’m the best tracker around.”

“I can track,” Jonathan said in a mock sulking tone.

“I know you can,” Mandy replied. “And you’re good. It’s just that I’m better.”

Jonathan thought for just a moment.

“Very well, but be careful.”

Without another word, Jonathan shouldered his rifle and walked off to join the departing minutemen.

“Let’s get going,” Mandy said, heading off towards the south.

Logan and Mandy cautiously approached the tree that contained the lookout platform. Worried that there might be a Federal patrol in the area, Mandy motioned Logan to remain silent even as she wanted to call out to Caitlin. Logan holstered his pistol as they reached the tree and began to climb.

It took only moments for him to reach the platform. The lid to the lockbox was open, but no sign of Caitlin. Logan returned to the base of the tree.

“She’s not up there,” he whispered. “And no sign of a struggle of any sort, no blood at least. Which means that either she wandered off on her own accord or perhaps she was hit by a tranny dart.”

“Tranny?”

“Tranquilizer dart gun. We used them quite a bit in the Special Forces when we wanted to take someone alive for questioning.”

“Well, I’d prefer option one that she wandered off someplace” Mandy said. “Let’s get moving.”

“How long do we look before we have to catch up with the others?”

“The short answer is as long as we want. In reality, I wouldn’t advise getting more than a day’s walk behind the main unit.”

“In the service, our motto was ‘leave no man behind’ ”

“No man?”

“Well, ‘person’ at least,” Logan said. “And I’d like to keep to that motto if at all possible. But not at the expense of putting you or your people at risk. So I would say we give it a couple of hours maximum. I really don’t think Caitlin, would go wandering off. She has a good head on her shoulders and would know better. I suspect your Federals have her in custody.”

Mandy nodded. “But what puzzles me, is if a team were that close, why didn’t they come after us?”

“Good question indeed,” Logan said. “I can only assume they had other orders, but as to what those orders might have been, I could not begin to guess.”

Logan and Mandy walked out of the tree line and into the clearing, both with their weapons ready. Mandy looked around at the trees and shrubbery that had become so familiar to her during the almost year the Minuteman team had made camp nearby. Then she smelled the jasmine and realized they were walking through the same clearing she and Logan had visited several nights earlier, before his flashback. She looked up at him and wondered if he realized it as well. Probably not, she thought, as he was focused on finding Caitlin.

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