“The head guy was some kind of Colonel, I heard. Can’t remember the name, though.”
“Was it Baker?” I asked.
“That’s it! How did you know?”
“I’ve just heard it is all. Okay, so why are you walking here? I’m surprised they didn’t shoot you.”
“I don’t rightly know,” the man replied. “Up until yesterday, or maybe the day before that, they would just shoot anyone who couldn’t keep up. Then they just told us to catch up later and left us behind, with no food or water.”
“How many of you? How many do you think are just wandering around like you?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. Probably more now, since they stopped shooting folks.”
“What can you tell me about the Baker guy?” I asked.
“Well, let me see. I only spent a few days with the outfit altogether, but from what I saw he stays pretty well protected—got about 15, maybe 20, men around him all the time with guns. He’s got some kind of harem, with all these women he keeps for himself… Must be at least ten of those.”
“Have you heard anything about one of them having a son she lost?” I asked.
“Well, I reckon,” he said, rubbing his chin. “There is one Spanish gal said her son was back up on the Pass, and she wanted him back.”
“On Raton Pass?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s the one we just came over, son. Poor lady cries out for him day and night.”
“What’s his name?” I asked.
“I don’t recall. Some Mexican name…maybe Pablo, Julio, Juan.”
“Javi…I mean Javier. Is that it?”
“That’s the one! I knew it started with a J,” he responded.
I made a note not to bring that up to Mike, as I didn’t need any more trouble with these guys.
“Anyway,” the man continued, “the main guy gives two speeches a day. One in the morning and one at night and makes us pledge loyalty to him, like he’s some kind of god.”
“How many people are there altogether?”
“Hundreds, maybe a thousand or more. For every one that falls behind, the scouts add five more new ones.”
“How are they feeding them all?” I continued, already having a good idea.
“They take everything they can from good people and just keep walking. We got two meals, if you can call it that, per day. It was never the same and just a mix of whatever they could find the day before.”
“Did he ever say where they were headed or what would happen in the future?” I continued.
“Said they were headed north to a place with a lake and a rock-like kind of tooth.”
“Horsetooth Reservoir?” I asked, already knowing.
“Yes, that’s the one, I think.”
“Then what? They’re just going to stay put?” I asked, hoping I was right.
“No, not exactly. He talked about the ‘Promised Land.’ A lush valley not far from there where they would finally settle, with large gardens and livestock. It supposedly is protected on all sides by mountains and a river.”
My stomach tightened.
“What else?” I asked.
“They wanted loyal followers to prepare for the great battle,” he said.
“What battle?” I asked, my head spinning.
“Well, for the valley, of course… Are you okay?” he asked. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
“I did!”
We gave the old man a lift in the back trailer and promised to drop him off at or as close to Trinidad as possible. And we gave him one of the maps to the FEMA Camp there.
* * * *
I sat quietly on the front trailer, deep in thought. I already knew they were going to end up close to Saddle Ranch, and maybe even pass right by. There’s a big difference, though, in being nearby and planning to run over it.
I sat, feeling conflicted. Should I tell everyone what I knew and that the very place we worked so hard to get to was on the chopping block? Or should I keep the information to myself, and nobody would ever have to know…well, at least for now?
We could be back on Raton Pass in a couple of hours if everyone voted to turn around, and we would probably be safe. The problem was that we almost outstayed our welcome the first time, and we would surely tax David and his group in the food department if we stayed all winter.
I went back and forth in my mind about the right thing to do.
I was good at keeping secrets, but this one was eating me up inside already, and it had only been a matter of 20 minutes since I had learned of it.
* * * * * * *
Chapter Thirty-one
North of Raton Pass, New Mexico
“Vlad, Jake,” I called across the trailer. “Come on over for a minute.”
They gathered around.
“You don’t look so good,” said Vlad.
“Yeah, I keep hearing that,” I replied.
“You look like Vlad did before you guys took him to the FEMA Camp,” said Jake.
“Yeah…well, you will join me soon, I’m sure.”
“What’s going on?” asked Jake.
I paused, not sure how to continue with the bad news.
“A lot of things are better if you just get them off your chest,” said Jake. “Come on now.”
“All right, all right.” I relayed the limited information I had to them, wanting to gauge the reaction of both a single and a family man.
They listened without saying a word and, in the end, I felt better.
“I literally wish I hadn’t heard that just now,” said Jake.
“Sorry, brother. I’m torn on what to do here, and I need some help. Plus, you asked,” I replied.
“You did insist,”
