“It’s not too late,” the bloodied man said.
Mark desperately wanted to believe this stranger, but he knew the truth. And it didn’t matter how loud his brother’s voice grew in his head, and it didn’t matter how many people tried to come after him. He wasn’t going to break, no matter what kind of hell he might be creating for himself.
“Think about—"
Mark pulled the trigger and the man collapsed to the pavement. The rest of the men on their knees remained quiet, and Mark stepped back as he gestured to the scout. “No survivors.”
The scout nodded, and Mark eyed the sniveling cowards on the ground, kneeling before them. He would not be thrown off course by these weaklings. He would rise above this to reinstate himself and become one of the strongest individuals The New Order had ever seen.
And as his men carried out his orders, Mark listened to the screams of people begging for mercy. He made sure to listen closely because he had no intention of ever waning in his support of their mission ever again. No matter what it would cost his soul.
8
Jane watched as Ben rode off with the military man. She found it interesting how often he’d been gone lately, but she could use that to her advantage. If she were going to paint the Rikers as the irresponsible pair, Ben’s absence would be a good point to showcase. Nothing was as effective in smearing someone’s character than using the truth. And the truth was that Ben’s absence was causing a strain on the rest of the community.
“Hey,” Lester said, sneaking up behind her. “Danny came back. He says he wants to talk to us.”
“Where the hell has he been?” Jane asked.
“He didn’t say,” Lester said.
Jane didn’t like how Danny had been so secretive. If she were going to move against the Rikers, she needed to get her entire family on board. She didn’t think Danny would be a problem, but at the very least, he needed to stick around long enough to hear the plan.
“Any luck with Gray?” Lester asked.
Jane shook her head. “Last I saw him, he was thanking Ben Riker for saving his life. I swear sometimes I think that boy wishes he had a different family.”
Lester stopped and stood in front of Jane. “Don’t talk like that. This is his family. We just need to remind him who the real enemy is.”
“And who is that enemy?” Jane asked. “Because our son seems to think it’s us.”
“You will get him to come around,” Lester answered. “You love him too much, and deep down, he still loves you, even though he’s too stubborn to show it right now.”
Lester placed his arm around Jane as they returned to their portable. Danny was already inside, waiting for them, and Jane was curious what he had been up to.
“You know how you told me to keep an eye out for things that might help us?” Danny asked.
Jane nodded and then crossed her arms. “Yeah.”
Danny held up his hands and then retreated toward the back of the portable. “All right, but before you freak out, give me a minute to explain. Okay?”
Jane couldn’t imagine what Danny had brought back to show them, but she never would have imagined what stepped from the back of the portable.
It had been so dark, and Jane was so distracted by Danny that she didn’t even realize there was a person in the portable with them. And while the man stepped forward covered in darkness, it didn’t take long for Jane to recognize the face of the stranger Danny had brought them.
“You son of a bitch!” Lester lunged forward, but Danny intercepted him, holding him back. All the while, the man Lester tried to attack never flinched. “How could you bring him here? What the hell were you thinking?”
While Lester fought with his brother over their new guest, Jane remained frozen in shock. It had been a long time since she’d seen him. And while she had only met him a handful of times, each encounter was memorable.
Buford Percy, Lester and Danny’s father, stood motionless in the back of the room. He was a large man, more muscle than his two boys. Jane had always assumed that Lester and Danny took after their mother when it came to their lean frame because Buford Percy was built like a tank. And his time in prison over the past twenty years had only made him larger.
“Hello, son,” Buford said.
Lester eventually shoved Danny off of him, aiming an accusatory finger at his estranged father. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I know this is difficult for you,” Buford said. “Even I’m surprised to see you. But circumstances have allowed an early release for my time incarcerated.”
Lester paced around like an angry tiger. “Well, I don’t have any problem taking you back to prison and throwing away the key.”
Buford only nodded and then bowed his head. He clasped his hands in front of him, and Jane saw the tattoos scrawled around his forearms. He looked even more menacing than what she remembered. And when he turned his gaze onto Jane, she felt that tingly sensation of fear crawl up her spine.
“Jane,” Buford said, his voice deep but welcoming, “it’s good to see you again.”
“What are you doing here?” Jane asked, her voice incredibly dry. She wasn’t sure she would be able to get the words out.
“I brought him,” Danny said. “I found him on my ranging to the north when I was hunting deer.”
“He nearly shot me when I stepped out from the bushes,” Buford said and then laughed. “You always had a good eye, Danny. I appreciate you not pulling the trigger.”
“Yeah, well, it would have
