all god's orphans
Chapter 57

If anyone had bothered to look, they would have seen a strange crew in their midst, but just as Brian had hoped, the chaos of the camp meant that no one was paying any attention to them. Millie sort of blended in, but she was terrified that someone here might recognize her. Kite, too, became suddenly aware of how much darker she was then the rest of the women here. They followed Brian as he led them between tents and vehicles towards the other side of the camp. From there, they would be able to make it to Wes’ van, as soon as they found Wes.

When they got about halfway through to the other side, the speakers crackled to life once more and issued a cure but dangerous order.

“Now hear this. All soldiers are to remove their balaclavas immediately and keep them off until told otherwise.” Brian pulled his off without a second thought, but Grey now had cause to worry.

“What if someone recognizes me?” He whispered to Brian. “There were two guys guarding the door that I tricked. They would know me if they saw me.”

“I doubt it.” Said Brian. “These aren’t the brightest candles on the birthday cake. Besides, people pay less attention to each other than you think. Just keep your head down.”

“What’s going on?” Carla had finally realized that today was somewhat strange. Brian stopped so he could look her in the eye.

“We’re in danger, okay?” His eyes pleading with her to understand him. “We’ll be okay. I’m going to take care of you, but you have to do what I say. It’s dangerous.”

“Oh.” Carla said, seeming to get it. “Will I need this?” She asked as she pulled a Colt 1911 pistol from her pocket.

“Jesus!” Brian snatched it away from her before she could hurt anyone with it. “Where did you get this?”

“They gave it to me.” Was her only explanation. Brian shook his head and tucked the pistol into his belt at the small of his back. Who in their right mind would give Carla a gun?

With pandemonium on all sides of them, the motley group was able to make it to the other side of the camp without harassment, but they still had not found Wes and Brian was loathe to leave without him. Besides everything else, it was his van they were taking, after all. Brian decided he couldn’t wait. For all he knew, Wes had already ducked out. They were in the homestretch now, almost at the fence line, and all that mattered to him was getting Carla out of here and somewhere safe. Brian lifted the wire to let Carla through as the others slipped over and under the fence.

“What are you doing?” Brian heard the voice calling to him from the camp. Before he turned to face it, he knew who it was.

“MacDunn.” He said. “Don’t do this.” MacDunn stomped in his direction, the sharp incline in volume had drawn too much attention. Everyone froze in place as MacDunn crossed the short distance to them, raising his weapon as he did so. Brian caught a glimpse of Wes over MacDunn’s shoulder. He was nearly on the opposite side of the camp. They looked at each other and Wes knew immediately what he was planning to do. Instead of making his way in that direction, without another look, Wes slipped away towards the woods behind the motor pool heading away from them. Brian didn’t have time to wonder what he was doing. MacDunn was still pointing a gun at him as others were now moving in their direction.

“Put your rifle on the ground.” MacDunn ordered and Brian let it slip from his shoulder. Then, in one fluid movement, Brian pulled the Colt from his belt and fired two shots into MacDunn’s left leg. MacDunn hit the ground in agony as the report from the gun turned every eye in their direction. Brian snatched up his rifle and grabbed Carla by the arm, running through the forest as fast as he could.

It took Grey several seconds for his brain to register what had just happened, but as soon as it did, he took off after the two of them, followed by Kite and Millie. Behind them, a dozen soldiers were behind them now, some of them firing their weapons. Loud bangs bounced in the air and rounds slammed into tree trunks, spitting splinters at them as ran past. Brian began to zigzag through the woods, but the underbrush made it difficult. After a few feet, he gave up and simply ran in a straight line. He tried to tell himself that these guys were terrible shots, anyway, but the POP POP of rounds zipping past his head made it hard to believe that. When he reached a fallen tree, he grabbed Grey buy the shirt.

“Take Carla!” He yelled. “Keep running that way until you replace a road and then go left. I’ll be right behind you!” Grey obeyed and he and Carla continued their flight as Brian steadied himself and aimed his rifle.

He counted seven men chasing him and zeroed in on the first one who stopped to take aim. In an instant, the crosshairs of Brian’s rifle were over his heart and he had fired. The shot hit him in the left lung, spinning him to the ground. Brian realized he was jerking the trigger and he told himself to relax. Another stopped and raised his rifle, getting off two shots that went way over Brian’s head before he squeezed the trigger and shot the man just below his sternum. Through his scope, he could see the surprise on the man’s face before he crumpled to ground holding his wound and moaning.

The other’s were now nearly on top of him and he could hear more of them pouring into the forest from the camp. He turned and ran faster than he ever had in his life while shots rang out, seemingly from all sides. He didn’t have time to think about that. His entire being was focused on running. He dodged trees, jumped over logs and prayed he was still heading in the right direction.

Suddenly, the trees stopped and he dropped down onto the dirt road that lead to the trailhead where he and Wes had stashed the van. In the distance he could see Carla and Grey still running along the road. For a moment, he thought about heading deeper into the forest to lead his pursuers away, but they would be here before Grey and Carla disappeared around the bend, so there was no point. He just had to slow them down a little.

He dashed into the forest and dropped into a prone position. His breathing was fast and his pulse was throbbing. He took a moment to focus on breathing and concentrate. A few seconds later, five of the soldiers burst from the forest and onto the road. They easily spotted Carla and Grey, but they were too far away to shoot. One of them took aim anyway and fired off a couple of rounds. Brian let him. There was no way he was going to hit anything shooting the way he was. Three of the men ran off in pursuit, while the other two, less fit soldiers, stayed behind.

Brian watched the runners and let them get a little down the road before he fired and dropped the first one with a bullet to the back. In a panic, the other runners stopped and tried to help their fallen friend, but Brian sent them both to Hell in quick succession. By now, the two fatter soldiers had realized where the shots were coming from, and had taken off back towards camp. Brian broke from cover and sprinted down the road, his lungs burning. As he past the three bodies, he realized the first one he’d shot wasn’t dead. He heard the moaning and kicked the man’s weapon away, just in case. He thought about putting him out of his misery, but the idea made Brian’s stomach turn and he left him to his fate.

A few minutes later, Brian made it to the parking area to replace Millie, Kite, Grey and Carla all waiting for him. He found the rock under which Wes had hidden the key and opened the back doors of the van. Kite shrieked at the sight and everyone except Carla took a step away from Brian.

“What the Hell are you?” Asked Grey. Brian was confused until he looked into the van. He gasped. The little girl was about nine years old. She was dressed in the AGO uniform and was surrounded by army issued MREs. Her eyes were eaten away by insects and there was dried blood on her hands and on the floor.

“What the fuck?!” Brian fell backwards.

“Who is this girl?” Kite asked. Brian’s eyes were wide and fearful.

“I…I don’t know!” He looked back at her. “She must have run away from the camp and found the van!”

“Why should we believe you?” Asked Grey while in the distance, the steady drone of engines were getting increasingly louder and they could hear shouts filtering through the trees. Brian looked at them and at the girl.

“You don’t have to believe me.” He told them. “But I’m leaving. Now.” He put Carla in the front and opened the driver’s door. He started the engine and the other three exchanged a silent look. Without a word, they climbed in. Brian didn’t wait for the doors to shut before slamming into reverse, throwing it into drive and bolting out onto the dirt road.

Kite found a blanket and covered the small body after she moved it to the front away from the open door. Behind the driver and passenger seats, a metal grid separated the front from the back. Millie had seen this before. It was to keep the tools from sliding forward and hurting the occupants in the event of a crash, but right now, it felt like a cage in a slaughterhouse. Smelled like it, too.

In the rearview mirror, Brian could see two black SUVs barreling after them. He checked the fuel gauge and wanted to kiss Wes. They had a full tank! He floored it and then backed off when he felt the wheels sliding on the loose grit of the road. He wasn’t going to get this far only to run off the road.

Behind him, he could hear the sound of gunfire and before he could react, the loud CLANG of a bullet hitting the van reverberated through the metal interior. This van was a big target, but luckily for them, so were those stupid giant SUVs.

“Shoot back!” Brian shouted from the driver’s seat.

“What?!” Grey wasn’t sure what he was saying.

“Shoot back!” Millie saw what he was getting at and grabbed the rifle. For a second, she was glad that her father had taught her how to shoot. The back of the van had a metal rack on one side that was filled with a variety of tools and wires. Another small shelf stuck out about halfway across the width of the van and Grey pushed Kite behind it to try and give her some form of cover. Doing so put her into contact with the tiny corpse and she didn’t know which was worse, that or getting shot.

The SUV behind them was so close that Millie could see the eyes of the driver through the scope. A man in the passenger seat hoisted himself halfway out of the window and trained his weapon on them, but Millie was faster, and sent a bullet straight through the middle of the windshield. Glass crumbs jumped up as a spider web of cracks appeared and the driver jerked the wheel too hard to the right causing the tires to lose grip on the gravel. The backend fishtailed, just a little at first, but overcorrecting to the left caused it to worsen. A few quick back and forths across the road and the vehicle was suddenly in the ditch.

Behind that one were two more, about fifty yards away. Millie peered through the scope of the rifle, putting the crosshairs between the eyes of the driver. She pulled the trigger but the shot sailed over the top, missing the SUV entirely. She chambered another round and switched tactics. This time she aimed directly for the center of the truck’s grill and fired. A direct hit and steam sputtered from the hole in the radiator. The truck didn’t slow down, but it was only a matter of time before they would have to.

Brian could see the road emptying into a paved street ahead. They were getting closer to the highway. He slid around the turn onto a proper paved road and floored it. The van didn’t have much in the way of power, which disappointed him. He needed to put some distance down.

The two pursuers hit the turn and the lead vehicle suddenly died from overheating. Millie could see it lurching in its death throes and jerk to a halt off to the side as the one behind it took over.

“What are they doing?” Shouted Brian. Grey didn’t know how to answer. The other vehicle was staying far back and not shooting at them.

“Nothing!” Grey replied. Brian glanced back through the open door. He realized immediately what they were doing. They were going to follow him and relay his movements back to base. Goddamnit. His mind raced as he hit the on ramp to the highway and tore north as fast as the pudgy little van could carry them. He only hoped he could outlast that gas-guzzler and put enough distance between them that he could lose them completely. If he couldn’t, that would be the end of it.