Vengeance: A Post-Apocalyptic, EMP-Survival Thriller (Seven Cows, Ugly and Gaunt Book 4) Read online

  Gwen glared at Arlene, as if she were challenging her to continue the debate.

  “You don’t have to convince me, young lady, you have the people of Concord to answer to at the town hall tonight.” Arlene’s voice dripped with a toxic condescension. She turned away and stepped off of the wall. “Everyone, make sure you are back here tonight for the town hall. We mustn’t let Parnell drag us off to destruction.”

  The protestors seemed to thin out once Arlene stepped down.

  Parnell crossed the street with Danny and the others following behind. He shook hands with several of his supporters. “We sure appreciate you folks coming out. Often times, people who support a particular issue aren’t quite so passionate as the ones who oppose it.”

  “Well, we’re not about to let Ron Haskell’s people ruin this town." One man patted the sheriff on the back.

  "We're with you, Sheriff!" another said.

  Parnell introduced Danny, Gwen, and Antoine to the group of supporters, then gave them a brief synopsis of what was going on. Afterward, he said, “We could sure use your support at the town hall tonight. Tell your neighbors, and bring your friends. If the council and the commissioners don’t see this action as the will of the people, they’ll deny it. You folks know what happens next if we get a no vote. It won’t be pretty.”

  The sheriff waved as he walked away, leading Danny’s group down Cabarrus Avenue toward Union Street. “We’ll stop by every shop on Union and talk to the people. We’re campaigning at this point.”

  Danny waved at the supporters as they walked off. “We understand. We’ll try to be likable.”

  “That comes naturally for all three of you. You’re genuinely good folks. But, what we really need is a few more speeches like Gwen gave when she was up on that wall.”

  “Arlene inspired me,” Gwen said with a smirk.

  Parnell laughed. “She and her ilk will be all over town today, so you should have plenty of inspiration.”

  The group made the turn onto Union Street. Parnell introduced Danny’s team and gave his call to action to everyone they walked by. Finally, they reached the courthouse where another band of protestors carried homemade signs. Likewise, a group of supporters stood nearby. They had also made signs. Parnell shook hands with his supporters and walked up the steps of the courthouse. He made his plea and gave his call to action.

  Parnell, Danny, and the others walked across the street to the Sheriff’s Department. They ate and rested, in preparation for the town hall.

  At five-thirty, Parnell drove Danny’s group back to City Hall. The surrounding streets were abuzz with the people of Concord. Most grouped up with others who supported their view of the heated topic. Some argued with the opposing side. When the debates grew overly vehement, tempers flared, and a light smattering of fights broke out. Parnell once again ushered Danny’s team in the back door. The meeting hall was filled to capacity with people standing all around the walls. The mayor called the meeting to order, and the room grew quiet.

  Parnell was the first to speak, giving the overview of the situation and explaining what Danny, Gwen, and Antoine had seen and done since they met at the airport. He was followed by Henry’s highly-sanitized presentation of a battle plan. This time, Henry did not use the map. He made no references to the size of the Concord force, nor did he mention the amount of troops in Schlusser’s army. And he did not speak of Danny’s covert force, which was to invade the peninsula.

  After the presentation, questions came at the panel like a barrage of missiles. Parnell simply refused most of the questions on the grounds that it would compromise the mission to release such details to the public. His supporters understood, but the opposition used it as political ammunition to assault the action altogether. Afterward, he asked Danny to speak to the crowd.

  Danny stood near Parnell. He looked at the group of protesters and supporters. “We came to Cabarrus County to ask for help on behalf of our small community in Anderson, South Carolina, and the brave people in Pickens, South Carolina. You don’t know us, and you’re under no obligation to grant assistance to us. But, I will tell you that if you love freedom, if you cherish the liberty given to us by our forefathers, then our cause is the same.

  “When we arrived in your town, we saw a level of prosperity and a standard of living only dreamed of in the rest of the country. For that, we applaud you. But, know that you are the exception and not the rule.

  “You need to take a road trip once in a while to see what the rest of the world looks like. Let me tell you about the two girls we rescued from the highwaymen we encountered on the way here from Anderson. They were chained up in the trailer of a semi-truck and being held as sex slaves for a ravenous band of marauders. If you think I’m lying, ask the doctor here in Concord that treated them. Or ask the ladies from the Concord Baptist Church who cleaned them up, clothed them, and are providing them with a place to stay. Ask anyone except the two poor girls themselves because they been through enough.

  “Just as ruthless as the highwaymen we ran into is Regent Schlusser. While my family and friends were struggling to survive after the EMP, this man sent a detachment to my farm. His ruffians threatened to steal our food, take our livestock, and confiscate our firearms, relieving us of our ability to defend ourselves.

  “When we resisted, Schlusser sent armored vehicles and heavy weapons to wipe our mutual assistance group from the face of the earth. I have stood up to the bully, but it has cost me my best friend, my brother-in-law, and the lives of several other brave men I’ve had the honor to fight beside.

  “Unchecked by good men like Sheriff Parnell, monsters have risen up from the ashes, which were left by the EMP. These wicked creatures lay claim to the lives of men, like dragons seeking treasure. One such demon from the underworld shares a border with Cabarrus County. He isn’t yet strong enough to take what you have and make it his own, but I assure you, that day will come.

  “Your time to fight is now. Join us, strike down this authoritarian ruler, free surrounding areas from his oppression, and secure your own future.”

  Parnell’s supporters stood up and cheered for Danny. Some of the opposing crowd seemed to be swayed by Danny’s comments, but many others booed him.

  Parnell put his arm around Danny’s shoulder. “Let’s go home so you folks can rest. We’ve done all we can do. It’s in God’s hands now.”

  Sunday morning, Danny awoke and folded up the sleeper sofa in Parnell’s living room, just as he had done the day before. Myrtle made breakfast for everyone once again. Danny joined Parnell and Myrtle at the table for coffee while they waited for Gwen, who was running behind.

  She soon made her way to breakfast, Parnell blessed the food, and they began eating. Everything was delicious, but a cloud of anxiety replaced the aura of hope, which had been above the table on the prior morning.

  Danny broke the silence by stating what he assumed everyone at the table was thinking. “Victory seemed so certain yesterday.”

  Myrtle looked at Parnell. “You don’t think they’ll approve your plan?”

  “I don’t know sweetheart. It’s hard to say. The mayor is behind us, but under the emergency charter, he serves as the executive branch. Councilman Arkwright was a vocal supporter during the town hall. Small, Brown, and Green are dead set against it. The other council members and commissioners were very silent last night.”

  After breakfast, Danny and Gwen accompanied Parnell and his wife to the Baptist church where they attended. The preacher gave a message about the military campaigns of Joshua and related it to the responsibility of Concord to take the Promised Land. Danny hoped all the preachers in Concord were delivering similar messages, but he knew it was highly unlikely. Danny recalled the words of Pastor Earl back in Savannah. He had explained that it was the mass apostasy in the pulpits of America which was primarily responsible for the judgment upon the nation in the form of an EMP.

  Danny figured that Parnell had searched far and wide to find such a preacher and
that his willingness to speak in such a manner was the reason the sheriff attended this particular church.

  As they exited the church, Danny spotted two young ladies waving at him. “Taylor and Willow.” He waved back.

  “They’re so cute! They really belong here, Danny.” Gwen waved at the girls as the two young women made their way across the pews to where Danny and Gwen stood.

  Taylor wore a bright yellow sundress and white sandals. “Danny, Gwen, it’s so good to see you both.”

  “You both look beautiful!” Danny smiled. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

  Taylor looked at Willow. “We’re going to stay in Concord. But, we really appreciate your offer. And there’s nothing we could ever do to repay you for getting us out of there and saving our lives.”

  “We’re so glad we could help.” Gwen hugged both of them. “And, for what it’s worth, you made the right choice. I’m considering staying here myself.”

  “Hey, now! Alisa will kill me if I don’t bring you back.” Danny chided Gwen playfully. “You girls take care. I’m so glad you have a nice place to live with good people.”

  They said their goodbyes and parted ways.

  Myrtle made fried chicken after church and a blueberry cobbler from dehydrated blueberries. Michael brought Antoine over to Parnell’s house. Deputy Rick Grisham brought Jack and Chris. Al Douglas also came for lunch. After they’d eaten, everyone traded stories of the experiences they’d had since the EMP to pass the time. Danny felt better in the midst of the group, as if by all of them sharing in the heavy burden, no single person could be crushed by its immeasurable weight. Danny watched the antique clock on Parnell’s mantle. The hands ticked past one o’clock. The more Danny looked at the clock, the slower it moved. Eventually, the clock read 1:40 p.m.

  The sheriff stood and strapped on his pistol belt. “Anyone interested in the outcome of the vote is welcome to ride with me.”

  Danny sprung out of his chair, as if he might miss his chance if he were not first out the door. The others gradually stood and gathered their belongings. All except for Myrtle made their way to the door.

  The sheriff’s wife stepped out onto the porch and waved as they got in their respective vehicles. “I’ll be praying for you.”

  When they arrived at City Hall, the surrounding streets were filled with even more people than they had been for the town hall meeting. Danny exited the truck and looked around. “I guess we’re not the only ones anxious to hear the outcome.”

  Parnell put his white cowboy hat on. “They should be. Whether the people know it or not, this vote could determine if they’ll still have a town six weeks from now.”

  Antoine and Gwen followed close behind. Jack, Chris, Michael, Henry, Deputy Grisham, and Deputy Douglas all walked in the back door with Parnell and made their way to the closed meeting. Danny walked into the room next to Parnell. The air possessed a heaviness; it felt bleak and ominous. Danny looked at the mayor, the council members, and the commissioners as he took a seat across from them. He watched as Parnell sat down at the table with the other voting members. The tension felt to Danny as if he were on trial, rather than the proposed military action. Nevertheless, when the gavel fell, they would all be condemned if this board of thirteen people failed to grant his request for assistance. Anderson, Pickens, Concord, and all of Cabarrus County would be vassals of Regent Schlusser.

  The mayor passed a glass bowl down the line, and each of council members, and the commissioners dropped in a hand-written ballot. Parnell dropped his ballot last. The mayor pulled each ballot out one at a time and read it aloud. “Yes. No. No. Yes. Yes. No. No. No.”

  Danny’s heartbeat quickened. Two more no votes would mean the action had been denied. He made a conscious effort to breathe, counting to four as he breathed in, holding his breath for four counts, and then releasing it slowly for another four counts.

  The mayor continued. “Yes. Yes. No. Yes.” The mayor’s hands quaked as he picked up the final ballot. “We currently have six votes to approve the action and six votes to deny.” Sweat beaded up on the mayor’s head.

  The room was silent. Danny ceased his breathing exercise. All the other people in the room seemed to be holding their breath as well.

  The lines on the mayor’s face seemed to grow deeper. His brow heavily furrowed, like trench lines in some war fought long ago. His jaw locked tight, and his eyes batted, as if the stress of the situation was blurring his vision. He unfolded the ballot. It slipped from his quivering hands and dropped to the floor.

  Danny took one deep gasp of air as he waited for the mayor to pick the ballot up from the floor.

  The mayor swallowed hard as he looked at the final vote, the words written by the councilman or commissioner that would seal the town’s fate.

  The mayor cleared his throat. “The final ballot is . . . no.”

  The groans from the councilmen and commissioners quickly burned away the veil of confidentiality created by the secret ballot. Danny saw the looks of relief and satisfaction come across the faces of Green, Small, Brown, and the other four members they had convinced to shut down the action against Schlusser.

  Danny stood up in his chair, and with his face downtrodden and marred by disappointment, he looked at Gwen, Antoine, Chris, and Jack. “Let’s go home. There’s nothing more for us here.”

  Silently the four of them got up and began following Danny to the door with all the joy of a funeral procession.

  Parnell called out from the front of the room. “Danny.”

  Danny paused and turned around. He certainly didn’t blame Parnell, but he could say nothing to ease Danny’s discouragement.

  “I’m sorry. We did all we could.” Parnell’s eyes were filled with pity and regret, like those of a man who’d just ran over a child’s beloved pet and now stood at the doorway of that child with the lifeless body of the small animal in his arm.

  Danny could feel the man’s remorse from across the room. “I know you did, Sheriff. We appreciate your effort, but we have to go. We’ve already stayed longer than we were supposed to. We have to get home, tell the others, and figure out what we’re going to do.” Danny turned around to continue his arduous march of defeat.

  Parnell’s voice suddenly regained the fire he had spoken with the night before. “Mr. Mayor, you need to find another sheriff for Cabarrus County. I’m resigning!”

  Danny was completely caught off guard by what he heard. He turned around and observed the spectacle unfolding behind him.

  The mayor’s eyes were as wide as saucers. His mouth hung open like the tailgate on an old Chevy pickup. His jaw wagged like the tail of a hound dog; his lips fumbled for words like a drunken quarterback. “Wh . . . ho . . . Parnell! You can’t quit! Concord needs you!”

  “No, they don’t. They need to get their heads out of the sand.” Parnell pulled the badge from his chest and tossed it on the table in front of the mayor.

  All the council members and commissioners jumped to their feet. The lot of them looked like a cat who’d just had his tail sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. Even Leonard Green protested. “Now, Sheriff! We all appreciate what you’ve done for this community in keeping it safe. Perhaps we haven’t been open enough in displaying our gratitude. I really hope you won’t take this vote personally!”

  Commissioner Small was next. “Sheriff! This town can’t survive without someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to law enforcement. At least give us ninety days to find a replacement and get them trained.”

  “Mrs. Small, Mr. Green, all the effort and time I poured into securing this town have been for naught. Concord is finished. There’s no point in me wasting another second of my life on this doomed piece of real estate. Heck, I haven’t taken any compensation from the city since the lights went out anyway. I was just doing my job for the sense of satisfaction it brought me. But, that’s gone, and so am I.”

  “I can’t say that I blame you.” Councilman Arkwright sat back down and cros
sed his arms.

  The mayor lowered his gaze in dismay. “Me, either.”

  “What will you do?” Councilman Brown asked.

  Parnell turned to look at Brown. “I’m going to start a militia for Cabarrus County. I’ll fight Schlusser on my own.”

  Before Parnell had finished speaking, Douglas stood up and removed his badge. “I resign also. I’m joining the Cabarrus Militia.” He walked up and placed the badge on the table in front of the mayor.

  “Me, too.” Deputy Grisham was right behind him, removing his shield and tossing it before the mayor.

  Henry and Michael lined up behind Grisham and took their badges from their wallets as they waited their turn.

  “I resign, Mr. Mayor.” Henry shook the mayor’s hand as he handed him the badge.

  Michael offered the mayor a smile as he turned in his shield. “It’s been a pleasure serving the Concord Police Department, but I’m joining the militia.”

  It was exceedingly obvious that Parnell was exerting every ounce of willpower to resist smiling. Even beneath the permanent frown of his handlebar mustache, it was evident. Parnell also attempted to conceal his sarcasm as he said, “You might want to hire some more law enforcement officers. I won’t ask anyone from the police department nor the Sheriff’s Department to join the militia, but I won’t turn them away if they volunteer.”

  “What about the civilian auxiliary?” Leonard Green sounded as if he were about to have a tantrum.

  “They’re all volunteers. They don’t have any obligation to Concord. I’m inviting them to join the militia. And I expect every last one of them will come with me. They have been giving their time to help secure Concord. Since that’s a lost cause, I doubt they’ll have any interest in sticking around.”

  Parnell adjusted his hat and pointed at the table of councilmen and commissioners. “Any of you that don’t have a gun better get ya one. And learn how to use it. Not for Schlusser, but for the marauders and the looters who are going to see this town as a soft target after that thin blue line is no longer separating you from the animals.” Parnell turned and followed Danny out the door.