There was another long pause, with Adan now back on the line.
“I think it worked!” he said excitedly.
“How do you know?” asked Joy.
“Well, he just walked out and pointed his finger towards their caravan. Then everyone just went that way. Nobody ever said a word. It looks like they’re packing up and heading out.”
“That’s great,” I said. “Stay far enough behind them not to piss them off, but close enough to not be assaulted by someone else. Once you hit the top of the pass, we’ll guide you in.”
* * * *
Mike led a recon group of five back across the river from the main fighting yesterday.
“We’re looking for weapons and anything useful—not burned, of course,” he told them.
The landscape across the river was a hodgepodge of scorched earth, with clumps of trees and bushes somehow unscathed and others a pile of thick dark ash and still warm.
Bodies lay across the blackened earth, with most inside the former tree line. Most were burned badly, with a smaller number avoiding the flames.
“Grab the weapons and anything else we can use,” called out Mike.
“Listen,” said one of Nate’s guys helping Mike. They stopped and listened. At first, it was just the wind, but the sounds came from different directions… Moaning sounds and stifled cries for help became louder as they were spotted laying across the landscape.
“We should help them,” said one.
“No,” said another. “Let’s just go; it’s not our problem now.”
Mike didn’t say a word but just kept gathering the weapons he would give to David’s group for hosting him, which hopefully would help them repel another attack down the road. He instructed each man to carry them to the edge of the river, with some making more than one trip.
“Take these across the river,” he instructed, as the last one was retrieved, “and I’ll meet you back at camp.”
“Why is he staying back?” asked one of Nate’s men.
“He doesn’t want them to suffer,” replied another.
Crack, crack! followed by another, each spaced out by one to several minutes, with seven total shots fired.
“May they rest in peace,” I said, hearing the shots from camp.
David was thrilled with the weapons recovered and gave Nate’s group enough to defend themselves, should they move on after this.
* * * *
I asked my old friend to walk with me.
“I’m happy for you,” I told David. “You have a new family, and those beautiful little girls have a mom and a protector once again. If we had come up the other side of the freeway that first night, we never would have heard them. Now they get to start a brand-new life with loving parents again, and they are going to thrive, I just know it. Half of me just wants to say we made it, and this will be our final destination,” I added, with a sigh.
“We would love to have you, brother,” he said. “You know that.”
“I do. And between us, I hope I’m making the right decision for our group. I mean, what if we get halfway to Loveland and get into a scrape we can’t get out of? I’ll regret not staying here and settling for the safe route. And, on the other hand, I always knew this would be the halfway point, and we did stay much longer than I anticipated.”
“You have to follow your heart and stay strong as you work for good and battle evil,” David replied. “Let’s come up with some alternate routes, in case just following behind the groups is harder than it sounds. There are a few ways to get to where you’re headed that stay off the main Interstate, if it comes to that.”
We pulled out the Rand McNally laminated maps and looked up alternate routes.
“Here’s something to look at while the weather is still good. You can cut up into the mountains past Colorado Springs and go through the old mining towns of Colorado City and Blackhawk. It’s not a direct shot but it will get you there eventually. I wouldn’t even attempt it if it were closer to fall, but you’ve got a good shot if you can get through the small towns along the way.
“Most will be looking to trade something for safe passage, I imagine, but you’re all used to that already, I hear.”
“Yeah, we may know a thing or two about that,” I said. “And, along with Joy and a few others, your Tina has been a top-notch negotiator the whole way here.”
“That’s good to know. I’m going to miss you, my brother.”
“Yeah, me too, David.”
I had a flashback, as I often did when talking with him about my best friend growing up, also with the name David. He was tragically killed in a car accident in his early twenties, but if I had to sum him up in one word, it would be the same for this David. Adventurous would be the word to describe each of them to a tee.
We got back with the group, where some were still talking about the shots fired earlier. I didn’t weigh in. I had nothing to say.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-seven
Raton Pass, New Mexico
The children were given enough room in the middle of camp to run around and play games. Even Katie joined in, helping her brother play with other kids besides Javi.
Talk amongst the adults turned to preparing for the next leg of the journey.
David and Mel met with Lonnie, Jake, Mike, Vlad and me for a trade powwow.
We were able to supply their group with some gasoline, medical supplies, clothing from the outlet stores, heirloom vegetable seeds, and of
