RESTITUTION
Dark Road, Book Eight
Bruno Miller
Will they ever see home again?
Colorado seems farther away than ever for Ben and his crew. Especially when a road block lures them deeper into the Appalachian Mountains.
Ambushed and captured, they fall prey to a gang of backwoods moonshiners turned post apocalyptic outlaws. After being led back to camp and locked up, the crew’s morale is at an all time low. Ben knows they must come together as a team if they are going to survive.
As the moonshiners’ intentions for them and their dogs comes to light, Ben and the others realize they must devise a way to escape no matter the risk. The alternative is unthinkable.
But sometimes even the best laid plans fall apart in the heat of battle, as Ben and the others soon find out while fighting for their freedom and their lives.
Deception: Restitution, Book Eight
Copyright © 2020 Bruno Miller
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
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NEWSLETTER
Table of Contents
RESTITUTION
About the Book
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
About the Author
Chapter One
Ben’s field of view was limited by the dank, hot shipping container they were being held in. There were a few containers next to theirs, but he couldn’t really see them very well. He was curious if they were alone or if others were being held captive as well. Listening carefully, he tried to pick up on any noises or voices from the other containers, but all he could hear was Emma sobbing quietly.
Joel and Allie were doing their best to console her, but they were worried, too. They all were, and rightfully so. Ben did his best to reassure Emma and the others that they would figure out a way to escape and that everything would be all right, but he was beginning to doubt that would happen anytime soon.
The thick chain and padlock that held the container door closed were just out of reach, and even if he could squeeze his arm out of the narrow slot cut into the door, the possibility of picking the lock was slim. Unfortunately, they would have to look for an opportunity to escape elsewhere.
Ben began to feel his way around the inside of the container.
“What are you looking for?” Joel asked.
“I don’t know. Anything we can use to our advantage. Maybe a weak spot in the metal.” Ben continued to feel his way to the back of the container. Along the rear wall, it was dark, unlike at, where several holes were drilled around a slot in the door, presumably for passing food through to the prisoners. As his eyes started to adjust to the poorly lit space, he came to the conclusion that there was no way out of this thing, at least not one that he could think of right now.
“What do you think they want with us?” Sandy asked.
“I think it’s less about us and more about what we have.” Ben thought about the trucks and envisioned the old man and his crew of goons rummaging through the vehicles. Thinking about it made him mad, and he tried to focus on something else, but it was no use. The trucks would be gone through and their gear divided up and passed out. Or maybe the old guy would keep it all for himself. He seemed like the type of person who preferred to rule with a heavy hand. Based on how the old man’s lackeys fell into place when he barked, Ben figured the place ran more like a dictatorship than anything else.
Just then, they heard Gunner somewhere off in the distance. By the sound of it, Gunner wasn’t happy, not that it came as any surprise, but Ben feared the worst when his barks were followed by a yelp and then more barking. Ben didn’t think it was possible to be any angrier than he already was, but Gunner’s cries stirred something deep inside him, something that was nothing short of pure hatred for the people who were doing this to them. Not that he needed any more reason to wish them harm, but it solidified his resolve to exact revenge somehow.
Emma jumped when they heard Gunner and pushed her head down farther between her knees as she sat on the floor and cried. Sandy sat down next to her and put one arm over her shoulder and the other on Bradley, who joined them on the floor. Joel gave Ben a look filled with both fear and frustration, then turned to Allie. “We have to do something,” he said.
“I’m afraid right now all we can do is wait.” Ben paced back and forth by the doors, fighting the urge to kick at them. It wouldn’t do any good. They were trapped. For now, that was the reality of the situation. And it was hard to stay levelheaded and observe their surroundings, but that was what they needed to do. Ben was sure
