Chapter 9

When they finally reached Jericho's City Hall hours later, it was almost sunrise.

He still couldn't believe that they had escaped; They hadn't stood a snowball's chance in hell just a few hours earlier.

Hawkins had created a diversion with Maggie's and Ted's help and they had been able to escape. Johnston showed up just in time to collect them and they had left New Bern using the escape route Russell had suggested.

They had run out of gas after only a few miles and had made their way to Jericho on foot, Jake and Johnston carrying Maggie in turns–Eric and Hawkins were both too groggy to be of help. Jake was still in awe of his father, who had carried her half of the way without complaint.

Maggie had lost much blood and had soon drifted into unconsciousness; Jake had been relieved that she was still alive when they left her, Hawkins, and Eric at the Med Center. Hopefully she would pull through, he owed her for helping them escape.

Eric had been in bad shape, not even complaining when their mother had started to fuss over him, and that spoke volumes.

As for Hawkins…that man was a miracle; he had let the doctor patch him up and was back on his feet again.

Adding insult to injury, Gray had blurted out the incident at the salt mine the moment they had shown up at the Mayor's office; and only a few minutes later the half-starved New Bern kid with the walkie-talkie had arrived.

Listening to Constantino's voice speaking coldly through the static of whose farms they wanted to occupy, of invading Jericho by force if they refused, sent a chill down his spine.

Jake was exhausted and slumped into a seat, ready to drop dead. He had been up and alert for over 36 hours now, starting with a shift at the rangers, then driving to New Bern, finding out about the planned attack of Jericho, getting incarcerated, learning of Heather's death, helplessly witnessing his brother's torture, being threatened with a knife held at his throat, witnessing Constantino creating a Casus Belli to bring death and destruction to Jericho, fighting for his and his brother's lives against Constantino's goons, and finally walking for several miles with Maggie's dead weight on his shoulders.

He'd had enough. Fatigue took over and desperation swallowed him.

How could have everything gone to hell in a hand basket so quickly?

All he wanted to do was to curl up into a ball and mourn Heather, to forget all of this madness surrounding him… he needed some time to adjust or he would snap. It was too much to bear.

He excused himself, ignoring the questioning looks of his father, Gray and Hawkins.

tbc...