“Just let him go, Liz,” Tony said, his voice pleading. “You know he deserves exactly what’s coming to him.”
“Does he?” Liz asked. “Because last time I checked, you weren’t a judge, Tony. And this wasn’t a court of law!” She raised her voice, challenging the others and their way of thinking. “No man deserves to be killed without due process. And this man hasn’t had his day in court.”
“There are no more courts!” Jane barked. “No more law. No more military. We’re on our own, and if we don’t deal with traitors like him now, then we’re going to be stuck cleaning up messes for the rest of our lives.” Jane stepped closer, raising her gun. “I don’t want this to end in bloodshed, Liz. For the sake of your family, give him up.”
Liz knew she was caught between a rock and a hard place, but before she could answer, Abe stepped forward. “It’s fine.” He gestured for her to lower her weapon. “You go. I’ll stay here.”
“No,” Nancy said.
“They’ll kill you,” Liz said.
Abe didn’t have the look of a man who feared death but instead welcomed it. Whatever pain he was dealing with must have been extreme to go to this level. “Your family should not die because of me,” Abe said. “I knew I would have to face the consequences of my actions one day. Turns out that day is now.”
Liz admired the man’s courage. But even after Abe turned himself over, it wouldn’t guarantee Liz and her family safe passage. She needed to make sure they were out and away from this place before that happened. Abe was her only bargaining chip.
“We’ll do the pass off at the gate,” Liz said. “You get him, and then my family leaves. Deal?”
Liz wasn’t sure if Jane would go for the deal or not, but she could see the woman’s wheels turning. She was considering just killing them all here, but then she would lose what small amount of clout she had with the rest of the community.
“Deal,” Jane answered.
The walk over to the front gate was tense. Nobody lowered their weapons as they moved, and Abe stayed with Liz and Nancy the entire way.
Liz struggled to keep her attention focused, but she knew that keeping her eyes on Jane was the most important part. The others wouldn’t make a move unless she did.
When they reached the front gate, Liz made sure that her family was well into the woods before the handoff happened. But when she looked to her left, she saw that Nancy was still nearby. She had her rifle aimed at Jane with a look of pure hatred in her eye.
“Nancy,” Liz said. “You need to lower your weapon and join the others in the forest.”
It was hard to tell now in the darkness, but Liz believed Nancy had tears running down her cheeks. “They can’t have him. He didn’t kill anyone.”
Liz was not sure what else she could say to Nancy to convince her to lower the weapon. But thankfully, Abe walked over to her and stood in front of the rifle.
“You need to go,” Abe said.
“Not without you,” Nancy said.
Abe lowered Nancy’s rifle and then stepped closer to her. Liz had noticed the two becoming close, but it was obvious to her now what was going on. They had come to care for one another.
“I got myself into this business,” Abe said. “I’m not going to let anyone else die because of me. Somebody once told me that I needed to take responsibility for what I’ve done. Let me do that now.”
Nancy stood there in shock, and it wasn’t until Liz walked over and steered her toward the forest that she moved.
“Go,” Liz said, gently nudging Nancy toward the tree line. “Keep my kids safe.”
Liz hoped the sense of duty would allow Nancy to focus on something other than losing a friend, and she reluctantly headed toward the woods.
Liz looked to Abe and knew that leaving him was condemning him to death. But she reminded herself that he had chosen this life and that he was volunteering to make things right. Not to mention this was keeping her family alive.
“Thank you,” Liz said. She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing else came.
Abe nodded. “Tell your husband thank you for listening to me.”
“I will.” Liz stepped back and then looked to Jane Percy and the wolves that surrounded her, all of them licking their chops at their fresh meat.
“Lester,” Jane said. “Go and grab him.”
Lester stepped toward Abe, but he only made it halfway before a gunshot caused everybody to freeze.
Jane immediately drew her weapon and aimed it at Liz, and Liz did the same to Jane.
“Who fired that shot!” Jane shouted.
“It wasn’t me!” Liz said, and then she turned back to the forest line where Nancy had stopped after the gunshot. “Nancy?”
“Not me!” Nancy shouted.
Liz looked into the crowd, trying to see who had the smoking gun and what they could have been shooting at? Because no one, not even Abe, had been shot.
“Let him go, Mom!” The voice shouted from the tower belonged to Gray Percy. He had his rifle aimed at the crowd below. “I have my bead on everyone. Abe doesn’t leave here, and I start taking you out one at a time!”
Liz couldn’t believe the extent that Gray was going to defy his mother. But even though Gray was trying to help, he could be making a sensitive situation worse.
“Gray!” Jane said, shouting up to the tower. “You drop that weapon and come down here right now!”
Jane’s voice was a mixture of anger and pain. Liz imagined it was very hurtful for a woman like Jane, who valued family above all, to have her own son spit in her face in such a public forum. Twice in one day, no less.
“It’s over, Mom,” Gray said. “I’m not letting this go.”
The stalemate was back on, and Liz didn’t want to be part of this anymore.
