State of Time: Beginnings Series Book 6 Read online

  Once inside he bent down to Dean and grabbed his radio, preparing to call for help. And then he saw it. It caught his eye lying on the floor, the neatly printed bible reference on the folded sheet of paper. Opening it, Henry’s heart sunk even further when he read the message inside. ‘You must take both of them to the gates of the town and stone them to death’. Fear struck Henry, fear like he had never known. Knowing it was a bible passage, and knowing who it had to be, Henry also realized where he had taken Ellen. With a trembling hand he depressed the radio’s button. “Frank! Frank! I’m at the mobile. Bill is dead. Dean is shot bad and Ellen . . . Ellen is gone. Frank. Moses got her. He left a note. I’m going. I think he took her out the tunnels.” Henry took a deep emotional breath as he wiped his head with the back of his hand. “I’m going after her.” Hooking the radio to his belt he stood up. “Help is coming Dean, I have to get Ellen.” Picking up his flashlight, Henry charged out. He stopped at Bill’s body to grab an extra ammo clip and without hesitation he raced for the jeep.

  The chairs at the dining room table all fell over as the three Slagel men jumped to their feet when Henry’s call came over Frank’s hand held radio.

  Frank flew toward the door, his heart racing. “Josh!” He yelled up the steps, “watch your sister and brothers, there’s been an emergency.” He grabbed for his coat and pulled his revolver from his shoulder harness.

  Joe, holding his own radio, charged at him. “Frank, hold up.”

  “Dad, I can’t.” Frank’s eyes shifted as Robbie now stood with him. “I . . . we have to go find her.”

  “I know this.” Joe held his hands up. “But we can’t do it half ass. I’ll grab Godrichson and we’ll head up to the mobile for Dean. You and Robbie take ten minutes to get some gear together. While Godrichson is driving, I’ll dispatch your men to ammo. Arm them. We’ll send out five groups to scout all night. They couldn’t have gotten that far. It hasn’t been that long and they’re on foot. Then after you get everyone suited up, I want you and Robbie to take the bikes and head out to where Henry is going. He’s alone. And if whoever this Moses is, has her, Henry may be heading in the right direction. He may need help.”

  Frank and Robbie agreed, and with frightful enthusiasm they raced to put Joe’s plan in motion.

  Henry shut off the jeep and stumbled in confusion. He felt he had lost all sense of direction, all sense of thought. Securing his shotgun, he grabbed the flashlight, the emergency pack, and a blanket from the back of the jeep. He was right above the entrance to the tunnels. His inner feelings told him that was where they went, the blood by the ladder confirmed it.

  Loaded up, but not too heavy, Henry climbed down and turned on his flashlight. He ran, without getting tired the whole four miles to the tunnels end only slowing enough to see another one of Beginnings guards dead. Slipping through the brush, Henry paused to think. The footsteps Robbie had found in the morning. Remembering Robbie saying that they headed north, that’s the direction Henry decided to take--north.

  With Ellen so strong on his mind, Henry trudged forth; praying the whole way that the blood that led him there was not hers. Henry did not walk. Though dark and dense and the terrain rough, he ran. He ran without stopping or losing his breath. Determination kept him going. Calling out gave him hope. Ellen was out there somewhere and Henry had to find her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  January 18

  Beginnings, Montana

  It was so damp, thick and cold, it burned against the skin of Ellen’s fingers as if it were hot. That was what awakened her. On her stomach, she lay confused. Opening her eyes and shivering from the cold, she peered her focus--so blurred to her hand above her head. A right hand, fingers buried into the mud. Moaning so softly, she lifted her head slowly, taking in the fact that she wasn’t in Beginnings anymore. The brown color of the winter spun around her in a fuzzy focus while the leaves crinkled beneath her knees as she weakly raised herself to a kneel.

  So cold, so weak, Ellen tried to stand up, stumbling back down to the ground with each futile attempt. She felt so in a fog as she made yet another try at standing. Taking a deep breath, she coughed and she found herself in a stand. Immediately with her first step, everything spun again and Ellen’s knees buckled, sending her back down. Grasping the ground in frustration with herself, Ellen took a moment to get her head together, readying herself to try it again. She wanted to go home.

  “Henry calm down!” Frank bit his lip as he pulled the radio from his mouth. “He’s losing it Robbie. Losing it.”

  “Let me try Frank.” Robbie held out his hand for the radio. “You’re upset too. And you yelling isn’t helping.” He pressed in the button. “Henry. Henry?”

  “What?” Henry sounded so sad on the other end.

  “Henry, listen to me. We’re on our way over to you. Just hold tight. Don’t wander off too far. We’ll join you to look for her. And Henry, stay focused.” Robbie handed the radio back to Frank who had his head down as he straddled his motorcycle. “Frank?”

  Frank gazed his eyes up taking the radio. “What if we don’t find her, Robbie.”

  “We will.” Robbie started his bike again. “We will.”

  Henry’s feet kicked up leaves as he stammered to a stop in frustration. Three shorts breaths came from him as his head dropped forward. Taking one more long breath, he lifted his head high, crying out long and with his heart in one more desperation attempted. “ELLEN!” Hearing the echo of nothing, Henry legs grew weak and he lowered himself to the ground in near defeat.

  Henry? Ellen’s head lifted from her stare at the ground. Did she just hear him? Or was it her imagination. “Oh God.” Giving it all she had, her chest feeling heavy, her body weak, Ellen brought herself to a stand calling out in hope and for help. “Henry!”

  Henry’s head sprang up and he jumped to his feet. The rush he felt drove from his ears to his heart. “El!” Emotionally he smiled when he heard his name being called in response. “El! I’m coming!” Grabbing his radio, he began to run to the voice. “Frank., I heard her. She’s calling me. She’s near.” With excitement he kept going.

  Ellen’s body swayed as she walked. “Henry!” The ground felt as if it were slanted, so hard for her balance, so difficult to move and see. Listening in relief to Henry calling back, his voice soon was lost as another overshadowed his. One she recognized, but she couldn’t see the man behind the strong voice.

  “You have sinned against God!” Moses called out. “And according to the law of Moses your punishment is death! By stone!”

  With one more step, Ellen heard it coming, it made its way through the trees, catching the air and landing hard just before her foot. She looked down at the large stone and fear, at that moment, struck her. And then . . . so did a stone. Hitting her hard in the back, Ellen fell forward, covering her head and picking herself back up. Another one sailed down, crashing into her hand, then her arm. The wooded area began to turn around her, spinning, and spinning and she didn’t know which way to turn.

  Henry felt horrified when he saw Ellen desperately try to run from the objects that sailed through the air at her, and around her. “No!” Henry called out from his gut, racing forth to her through the hail of hardened earth.

  Reaching her, Henry picked her up and tried to run from the semi-clearing with her. Not far into his run, he heard Moses call out.

  “Halt the stones!”

  Silence, dead silence, as Henry stopped running, looking around, not knowing what to do when he saw Moses walking to him then not just Moses but soon a small army. Ten or twelve men, all holding striking objects in their hands, walked with haste to Henry and Ellen.

  Henry set Ellen down, stepping before her. He raised his rifle at the wall of men who charged them with growing speed. Pumping the chamber he fired, down went one man. Henry fired again, and another went down. He wasn’t fast enough to take them all down before they reached them with their blunt weapons. Before Henry knew it, he and Ellen were surrounded closely, the
men and Moses held the clubs high.

  Then it happened. Like rain during a drought, a waited on relief, starting out slowly and building--the sound of motorcycle engines. Henry, like everyone else, looked to where they came from. Over the small grade, three feet in the air sailed Frank and Robbie on their bikes. He picked up Ellen into his arms knowing an escape would be imminent. Just as he lifted her, he heard the loud snarl of Moses, and saw through the corner of his eye--seemingly in slow motion--Moses swinging down his large heavy object toward them. And then . . . he saw Frank.

  Leaping from the moving bike, Frank hurled his body at Moses, crashing him to the ground in a roll at the same time his motorcycle did.

  A single gunshot from Robbie as he rode and Robbie’s call was Henry’s sign. “Get her out!”

  Raging forward, Henry, carrying Ellen, took her off into the nearby brush, He set her down and positioned his weapon. Stepping out, but not too far from her, Henry proceeded to help out Robbie in taking out the ten remaining men who ran, scattered about like chickens in a coop.

  The gunfire went unnoticed to Frank who fought his own war. He had the advantage against Moses. Frank had anger, hurt, and the frustration of his all night search behind every single blow he delivered to Moses. “I killed you once, you fuck.” Frank grabbed Moses by the hair, careening him face forward to meet his knee that rose with twice the force. Moses’ eyes rolled behind his head and he fell backwards to the ground. Placing his heavy boot upon Moses’ chest, Frank pulled out his revolver, clicking back the hammer, and extending it downward to Moses’ face.

  “Frank stop!” Robbie called out. No more gun fire was happening. There was quiet and twelve dead men. “Just stop.”

  “What the fuck!” Frank looked at him, securing Moses with the weight behind his leg.

  “There may be more men. Before you kill him, we should find out.”

  “He’s not going to tell us Robbie!” Frank yelled keeping his eyes on Moses.

  “Let me try,” Robbie pleaded. “Let me try. But wait . . .”

  Frank tossed his hands up, still securing Moses, watching Robbie run over and speak to Henry and Ellen. “He’s conversing.”

  “O.K.” Robbie trotted back. “Henry’s taking her home. Now . . .” Robbie clapped his hands together, “let’s try this.”

  “Can I put my gun away?”

  “Um . . . yeah sure.” Robbie answered and looked down at Moses. “Hey Reverend Thomas.” He knelt down to Moses’ level. “Do you happen to have any more men running around out here that we should know about?”

  First he grunted then Moses answered, “Burn in hell.”

  “Thanks.” Robbie stood up. “I guess we’ll have to try something else.” He took a few steps toward the legs of Moses. “Make sure he doesn’t move Frank.” Robbie reached his hand to his own thigh and the strap there. He pulled out his hunting knife, gripping it firmly with point down. “Moses, I need some information. You will help. See . . . we need . . .” With a power grunt and all his strength Robbie drove the hunting knife directly and center into Moses’ kneecap. He smiled at the shrill scream of pain that immediately happened when the knife cracked its way through. “. . . to know if you have any more men.” Holding the knife, Robbie leaned to Moses’ face. “Huh? I can’t hear you.” Moses didn’t answer he only clenched his jaws. “Not helping?” Robbie gripped the knife. “Do you have . . .” He twisted the knife, another scream. “…any more men . . .” Another turn of the knife. “…running around . . .” Though tough, he made another turn. “…out here?” On his final word, with everything he had, like a stake into the ground, Robbie rammed the hunting knife through.

  He let out a long scream of pain, his face and neck so red. “Yes!”

  “Thanks!” Robbie smiled then grabbed the knife strapped to Frank’s leg. Gripping the same as he did with the other, he held it above Moses’ knee. “Now, where are they?”

  “No.”

  “Where!” Robbie nailed it, like a twin, identically in the same spot on his other knee. “Where?!”

  “No!”

  “Where!” Robbie yelled louder as he turned the knife.

  He cried loudly in pain. “We have a camp . . .” Moses screamed, it gurgled deeply as it came out. “…four miles north of here.”

  Another grin laced Robbie’s face as he stood up. “Four miles out.”

  In a whisper, as if it mattered to Moses, Frank leaned toward his brother. “You think he’s being honest?”

  Robbie shrugged. “Might as well check it out. But, we shouldn’t kill him in case he’s lying. Not yet. So, what should we do with him?”

  After a moment’s thought, Frank nudged the one leg of Moses, saw it didn’t move, and then nodded to Robbie. “He’s pretty secure. Let’s go check out that camp.”

  That sounded good to Robbie and Moses really wasn’t going anywhere, so if the camp wasn’t there and they needed more information, they knew where to find him.

  ^^^^

  “Robbie!” Frank yelled over the helicopter noise as they flew outward to where Moses had directed them. “I think he lied.” Frank held tight to the machine gun, staring out the open side door as his footing braced him.

  “No way!” Robbie yelled back. “Check out at one o’clock.”

  Laughing loudly, Frank readied the machine gun as he saw below the camp. The men scattered about as they ran from their homes, homes that consisted of old trailers and tents. A huge bon fire--probably their heat--was Robbie’s guiding signal. “You ready Robbie?”

  “I’m getting you there!” Bringing the bird down some, Robbie positioned it for Frank.

  With a wide grin, the rumbling of shots began, sending the thirty or so men below scurrying about as Frank aimed on purpose to the ground around them. Dirt sailed upwards as he chased them back into the camp with his bullets, being careful not to take out too many.

  Robbie pulled the helicopter back turning away from the camp and circling back in. Then depressing a button, two small missiles launched from the helicopter. They whistled as they flew, sailing to their target below.

  Turning the helicopter just enough, but not too far that they couldn’t see, Frank and Robbie watched as the once campsite below them, set in a large cleared area, shook from the delivered explosives, and erupted into one huge roaring fireball below.

  With the helicopter filled with brotherly cheers, Robbie and Frank headed back to Beginnings, not more than a five minute flight away.

  ^^^^

  Like a spring, Ellen bounced up, but not without a moan of pain. The spinning room slowly came into focus, but she smelled it long before she saw it and she knew she was safe within the clinic.

  Gently, Jason Godrichson laid a hand on her shoulder. “Just relax.”

  “Dean?” Ellen looked around. “Is Dean all right?”

  Jason nodded. “Dean will be fine. The stomach wound will keep him down for a while, but the head injury seems fine.”

  “Head injury? Jason, can he see?”

  Jason snickered. “Of course, Ellen, where in the world did that come from.”

  Still feeling rattled, Ellen shook her head. “What about Frank, Robbie, Henry?”

  “Fine,” Jason answered. “I need to speak to you, but I feel it may not be my place. So . . .” Jason looked behind him, Joe walked in. “I called your father.”

  Ellen’s eyes shifted. “What did I do?”

  Joe smiled and closed the examining room door. “How are you, sweetheart? Jason, how is she?”

  “Aside from what we need to discuss, she’s fine,” Jason answered.

  “Good.” Joe walked over to Ellen, kissed her on the cheek, and grabbed her hand. “Now, my question right now is why? Why are you hiding it? What’s wrong?” Joe asked and saw Ellen’s confusion. “Jason, could you?”

  “Sure.” Jason stepped forward. “Let’s just say Ellen, it’s fortunate for you I did standard blood tests before I did any x-rays.”

  Ellen’s head sunk deep into
the pillow.

  Joe intervened. “Jason suggests you’re a couple months along. Is there a reason you didn’t let this out. Is it because you want to work on the virus?”

  “No.” Ellen slowly shook her head. “It’s because I don’t know who the father is.”

  “Christ.” Joe covered his eyes. “Ellen, there really shouldn’t be a question considering you finally reunited with my son a month ago. You’re further along than that.”