Chapter Twenty-Two

Cass's darkly-dangerous plan is interrupted when New Danville heads to battle. 

Lena is now in the fight of her life with all her family at her side. 

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Some of this podcast has been recorded on equipment from the Billings Public Library Co+Lab. Thanks to Renee Barratt of The Cover Counts for the cover design. Music by Mikhail Smusev from Pixabay.

Transcript

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Welcome back to the serialized podcast production of The Scarring Underneath, written and performed by T.S. Dickerson.

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Chapter 22.

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Cass's manic attitude and pace hadn't left much time for talking once they'd left the shed. The blasting caps and fuses had been carefully removed and separated from the balls of C4 Billy carried in an open plastic container they'd found. Periodically Cass would turn back to check on him, and her eyes would flick down to his deadly burden as if wary it would explode at any moment. He was amused by her lack of trust in his knowledge, but not surprised or hurt. He didn't trust himself, truth be told. It was one thing to identify the explosive as homemade C four and speculate on its placement. It was another thought entirely to try to handle the stuff. But he hadn't blown them up yet. Cass assured him they would need it, that they would need a good distraction, but the thought of her planning to blow something up and her darkly efficient attitude were more frightening than the C four in his arms. Still Billy followed, the pistol at his side occasionally brushing against his elbow as he walked. It wasn't all that useful, as they only had a few rounds for it. He missed his knife. He had come to find comfort in having the antler handled weapon. The feel of it had been all familiar, whereas the gun jutting out from his lean frame was foreign. Brick romped along beside Cass, rarely stopping to sniff. The animal seemed to sense her determination as much as he did. How could he not? Everything about her posture and her movement was fiery, but though he was used to Cass leaving him out of her head, used to following her without knowing for sure the whys and hows, there was something different about this silence. Cass stop, he said. He planted his feet, but Cass continued forward. Can't walk and talk. Cass. This time she swung around, walking backward a few steps. The distance between them increased less and less rapidly, and finally she stopped. What? she asked. Billy approached, keeping his pace leisurely. What aren't you telling me? What's bothering you? When he came within a few feet, she looked away. What, Cass? She turned her gaze on Brick, who was digging for a field mouse or some other small animal hidden in the grass. There's only one way we're going to find out who their inside man is, Billy. Have you thought about that? He hadn't. He did now. The tone of her voice brought him swiftly to the conclusion that hiding in the bushes outside their compound and listening wouldn't do the trick. They wouldn't just overhear one of the leaders identifying the mole. The realization of her plan hit him, and he tilted his head back to gaze at the sky. It was lovely today, like blue glass with thin strips of white cotton scattered sparsely over it. It made what Cass said next seem all the more heinous. We'll have to capture one of them. Someone high up in the leadership, not John, but someone he trusts, and we'll have to get it out of them. Billy stared at her. Her hair was pulled back taut in a band, and she crossed her arms over her chest. She'd rolled up the sleeves of the clean navy blue t-shirt, exposing her arms and leaving free access to the knife. The strap of the rifle cut across her chest, pulling the tucked in end of the t shirt tight across her abdomen. The pistol rested in its familiar spot on her hip. The jeans were tighter than the ones she'd discarded, and new, clean, a stark contrast to the blood staining the tips of the worn boots that peeked out underneath. Those boots were what made her look capable of her plan. Impatient, she crossed her arms over her chest. Torture, Billy, she said. That's what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about blowing up their weaponry, grabbing someone in the chaos, and taking him someplace to beat information out of him. Her voice didn't waver. Maybe kill him. Billy's eyebrows lifted before he could school them into stillness. She shook her head and looked at Brick again. We may not get to the weapons building, and if we can't, we won't be able to risk him getting away and warning the others. There will be blood on my hands by the time this day is through, Billy. Will you still want to go off alone with me then? Cass, not for me. Don't do this for me. Not just for you. For Waylon and his daughters, for Doc, for Cam and Trista, for my niece or nephew. Cass paused to swallow, the first sign of emotion she'd shown throughout this speech. For Drew. Especially for Drew. Billy scrubbed a hand across his face. There must be some other way. Not any way that's fast enough. She sighed and dropped her hands. She pulled them into fists and released them twice at her sides. Listen, if you don't want to be a part of this, I get it. Go back to the house, and I'll come for you there when it's done. But take Brick with you. Cass turned and strode forward again. Billy watched her, indecision swirling in his chest. But as he stepped forward to follow, his doubts faded. He focused on Cass's bouncing ponytail and took deep breaths. He saw it flick sideways as she turned to look at Brick, and then she stopped. Taking in the sudden tension in her posture, he also looked at the dog. Brick was stiff, staring ahead with his hackles lifted. Cass turned back, wide eyed. Someone's coming, she said. She grabbed Billy by the arm and turned his body left ninety degrees before taking off running. Brick, come, she shouted. She brushed the dog's back with her hand as she ran past him, and the animal let out a low bark and followed. Billy caught up to Cass, despite the fact that he ran awkwardly with his arms loaded. He saw her intended destination. There was a ditch ahead, cutting through the middle of the field, with a trickle of muddy water running along it. A large metal pipe jutted out of a land bridge that crossed the creek, allowing the water to flow beneath. She barreled down the hill and he followed, nearly losing his footing as he splashed into the water. He slowed and let her take the lead as she shouted Get in and disappeared into the tunnel. Billy set the box just out of the stream, then reached out and grabbed Brick by the scruff as he entered behind her. He crashed into Cass's shoulder. Cass closed her hand gently over Brick's muzzle and said enough for the second time. The dog quieted, and she traced her hand back over his head and along his body. Her vision was beginning to adjust to the low light in the culvert. The cold, fetid water was soaking into her clothing. Beside her, Billy held Brick's collar firmly in one hand and scratched the dog's chest with the other. He met her gaze, and she knew he heard the pounding of hooves too. There were a lot of horses moving across that field, and Cass knew with Stronghold gone there was only one guess as to who was riding them. But this was too big a force to be retrieving a bomb from Stronghold. She was sure of that, despite the fact she couldn't be sure of their direction. Wait here, she whispered. Billy shook his head and reached for her, but she shoved the rifle into his hand and continued to move toward the end of the culvert. I have to see, she said, as she continued her awkward maneuvering down the narrow tunnel. She squinted as she came to where light shone in, illuminating the first couple feet of the tunnel. She took a deep breath and fell to her hands and knees, the cold water a fresh shock. She could feel the lazy current of it as she crawled out into the sun. Behind her, Brick let out a quiet whine. She crept up the side of the irrigation ditch, dropping lower to the ground with each advancement. By the time she was ready to crest the rise she was flat on her stomach, and she shimmied forward, hands digging into the earth. Grass obscured her vision, and she parted it. Drew had said New Danville had maybe seventy five horses, and she guessed they had every last one out in that field. A few pulled wagons and trailed near the back, but most bore only riders. Every rider held a gun, at least one gun, she corrected herself, and the wagons sported only a couple of humans apiece, so it was possible they were laden with weapons as well. The force had turned to the south, and they were running along the highway she and Billy had travelled beside the night before. They were not heading to stronghold, but to the campground. They were headed toward her people. She slid her legs around and let her body roll down the side of the ditch, keeping her arms tucked against her head on either side. When she splashed into the water, she unfurled herself and turned to see Billy peering out from the culvert, a hand shielding his eyes. Are you okay? he asked. We have to go right now. Cass stood up and held out her hand for the rifle. Billy handed it to her and crawled out of the culvert. What did you see? he asked. They're going to the campground, she said, already running. Cass the bomb. She stopped, balanced on the incline, and looked at where New Danville's force was already disappearing behind a tree covered hill. She clenched her teeth. The bomb would slow them down, but it could mean being able to end the fight when they did arrive. Go get it, she called. She leaned into her running and said a silent prayer her brother had left. Failing that she hoped they were prepared to hold off the onslaught until she could get there.

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Lena had watched the sun come up, again listening as people argued.

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The decision before them now was whether to hold the plan and fight or run for it, hoping Billy had somehow failed to deliver his message. Lena wondered if she cared anymore what they did. Stay or go, abandon Cass or look for her, leave now or wait. Lena was numb with it all. But when the final decision was made to leave, she found her will wasn't with the choice. She shared a glance with Cam over her horse's neck before she mounted. He didn't want to go either. But what choice did they have? They couldn't tell Cass's secret without admitting she had left of her own will. And they couldn't explain that without revealing they knew Drew's killer was among them still. At least they weren't going far. The leaders had poured over the maps looking for a defensible stop no more than a day's ride away. They would set up there and send a search party out for Cass and Billy. Lena was determined to be in that party, so she clucked to her horse, feeling fairly certain she'd be back soon, and taking pleasure in the idea she'd find the answers to the mystery. But her pleasure and her certainty disappeared with the echoing of fast approaching hooves. She tugged the reins around, turning her horse so she could see in the direction of the noise. People around her were beginning to shout and scream. Around the corner, down the same road Drew and Doc had taken to New Danville's camp, a cloud of dust hovered over the rapidly approaching forms of a number of horses. She took in a harsh breath, and then someone was tugging on her leg, yelling that she should get down and take cover. She dismounted, and the reins were ripped from her hands as a horse's chest crashed into her from behind, knocking her to the ground. She scrambled to her feet and hurried away from the chaos of horses and people panicking. We need to leave, someone shouted. Lena turned to locate Cam, whose eyes hardened. He raised his voice, straining to be heard over the din. We'll never outrun them now, he said. Ready your weapons and take cover. Lena pulled the pistol from her hip and checked it was loaded, watching out of her peripheral, as Cam gathered Hank and Derek and headed forward to meet the coming onslaught, arms raised. Her father's familiar voice was at her shoulder, and his arm spun her and pulled her away. A barrage of gunshots sounded, and there were several screams as the remaining crowd separated. Over her shoulder, Lena saw the three leaders dive to the ground, Cam turning in midair so that he could return fire when he landed. Weylon's hand on her neck urged her forward faster, and she felt smaller hands on her arm, squeezing. Darcy. The three of them ducked behind a lean to. Lena stumbled and felt Darcy's boot bite into her calf. The gunfire continued, and Lena pressed herself against the wall so she could see around the corner. Cam and a few others were cutting the frantic horses loose from the supply wagons and pushing them back into the road where the blockade had been the night before. They used them for cover and returned fire. Several others with rifles ran forward to help establish a defense. She watched as blood flew from someone's leg. He'd been hit under the wagon. As the man fell back and tried to crawl away, she saw that it was Adam. She felt her father touching her shoulder, telling her to stay put, and for once, Lena found herself lacking in courage. She had no intention of going anywhere. Her limbs were stiffened by her fear. A scream and a gunshot close by made Lena duck fully behind their cover. Darcy held her gun with both hands at arm's length like a pro. Lena looked where her sister had aimed, to see a man on foot just outside the tree line. He stared down at his chest and fell, his rifle falling to the ground beside him. Put the gun down, Darcy. You did good, Weyland said, as he ran forward to grab the fallen weapon. Darcy lowered her arms and looked at her sister, eyes wide. Lena managed a nod, and then turned back to the action on the road. Someone else had been shot, a woman this time, and she lay sprawled and quivering near the opposite tree line. Doc was picking his way toward her. Lena longed to scream at him to get back, but she only watched. Behind him a grey blur whipped through the trees. When it came out into open ground, Lena recognized its fast loping movement. It was the cat. It lunged straight into the line of horses, showing no fear of the bullets or the animals, and disappeared into the crowd. What the hell? Lena thought. Was the cat with them? The vision of the cat hissing at Derek and clawing her to get away flashed in Lena's head. All at once she realized who the mole was. The only person who'd ever seen the cat before last night. Derek. Her thoughts were cut off as a bullet struck the ground near the fallen woman. Dirt fell to earth as Doc shouted. He dropped to the ground, hands covering his head, and Lena scanned the woods behind him looking for the shooter. A man approached, aiming at Doc and shouting something. Lena didn't bother trying to comprehend his words, but took aim and fired her gun. The bullet struck the man in the shoulder and he stumbled back, hitting a tree. He looked from his shoulder to her. He stared right into her eyes as he lifted his gun. Thank you so much for tuning in to chapter 22 of The Scarring Underneath. A new chapter releases each week. Learn what's coming up next on my Facebook, Instagram, and Blue Sky pages. Links are in the podcast description.