Greetings fellow readers, as promised another update for you.

Enjoy.

Chapter21: Fait accompli

When Mickie and John finally awoke it was to the sounds of birds singing, and to the sun light streaming in through the moth eaten drapes that covered the windows. Mickie rolled over and immediately saw the other sleeping bag, unoccupied and she sat up with a start.

"John, John wake up." Mickie said shoving him in the shoulder to make her point as John sleepily opened one eye and looked up at her.

"What is it, it's not even dark yet." John stated, not realising that they had slept then entire night. Crashing back down into the sleeping bag he tried to pull the cover back up as Mickie climbed out and stood next to him.

"Beth and Randy have gone, it's not night yet because its already morning." Mickie stated as she spied the note left on the table in the centre of the room.

"You what!" John sat up suddenly and was now fully awake, he jumped from the sleeping bag, getting tangled in it in his haste to get out and go and join Mickie who was scanning the note. Mickie turned to John as he finally prized himself from the sleeping bag and reached her location.

"It's from Beth and Randy, it says; Left you too sleep in piece, but we decided to go and check out this encampment. If we are not back by the morning come looking for us, but do not under any circumstances get caught. Hope to see you soon, but if not, we know you will know what to do. Yours Randy and Beth." Mickie finished the letter and looked up at John slowly, both of them knowing something had to have gone wrong as neither of their friends were here.

"Dam idiots, I knew they would pull a stunt like this, now they expect us to come along and clear it up for them, well I say let them rot in their own problem. Maybe it will teach them a lesson." John almost shouted, feeling the anger boiling up inside him. He didn't have any intention of leaving Randy and Beth to it, but it did feel good to vent. Mickie's hand on his shoulder got his attention once more as he turned his head away from the view from the window.

"I will pretend you never said that, put it down to shock, we can't leave them John. I know they were stupid trying to do this alone, but it's done now and we can't change that. Maybe we should look at this as an opportunity." Mickie said as John looked at her sceptically.

"An opportunity, what kind of opportunity?" He asked folding his arms and holding Mickie's gaze as a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"I'm not sure yet, but maybe Beth and Randy got caught on purpose, so they could launch their attack from within you know. They are just waiting for our help on the outside." Mickie said but even to her own ears she knew what she had said was unlikely. John was still looking dubious about her response and for a moment silence was the only thing that filled the air.

"Well I guess the one good thing is, now we can devise a plan, and not have to worry about those two going all gung hoe on us and getting into trouble." John said picking up his bag and noting the extra weight in it. Opening up the zipper he looked inside to find all their guns, for a moment he didn't know if he should tell Mickie or not. The thought of Beth and Randy going looking for this camp unarmed was worrying him enough, and John was worried that it might tip Mickie over the edge. As he heard her cough slightly John lifted his head to see her brown eyes looking at him with concern.

"What is it, did you find another note?" Mickie asked as John tilted the bag towards her to let Mickie see for herself. John had realised a long time ago, that shielding people from the truth only delayed the inevitable. And Mickie had proved a long time ago that she was far stronger than people gave her credit for.

"They didn't take any guns." She stated simply as John allowed the bag to drop slightly at his side and swing there for a moment.

"Probably didn't want to make a scene if something went wrong. They get caught with guns they would likely get shot on site. At least they weren't that stupid." Mickie said and John realised that she was right.

"Ok then, we won't be that stupid either, but we do need something. Obviously Beth and Randy's plan didn't work or they would be back here. Perhaps we should consider thinking outside the box." John said a small smile coming to his face as Mickie looked up at him quizzically.

"John you have been spending far too much time with Beth, you have that I have a plan look on your face. I never like Beth's plans when she has that look, please don't tell me you're thinking of doing something stupid." Mickie said as John's face didn't lose the small smile that had made its home there. His head turned slowly as he looked back out of the window once more and he looked at the cloudless sky. For once the sun was shining and the thought of all that snow was left long in the past.

"This may take a little time, but I think it is far from stupid." John said still facing the window as he heard Mickie huff behind him. He could picture her face now, but John knew this plan would work, he just hoped they could pull it off in time to save their friends.

As Beth and Randy launched themselves at the two unsuspecting soldiers both their hearts were hammering in their chests. Grabbing them from behind and coving their mouths with their hands they dragged them back down the hill side. Shoving them to the ground Randy stood over both men and brandished his knife at them while Beth took their guns and threw one to Randy. Keeping the other gun trained on the men she felt her body shake, not only from the cold but also the rush of adrenaline that still caused through her veins.

"One word and we kill you, you hear." Randy hissed at the soldiers, both who were not much more than boys both nodded their heads and kept silent. Randy was grateful that the two soldiers they had chosen were obviously inexperienced. Better trained officers would have put up more of a fight, and probably forced them to have to take more permanent action. These two however were meek as lambs as Beth held their own gun at them and stood over them looking as menacing as possible.

"Now out of your clothes." Randy demanded aiming his own gun and pointing at the taller of the two soldiers. They both looked at each other for a moment, neither wanting to comply with the request, but both too scared to speak up.

"Now!" Beth hissed and that got them moving, both stripping of their clothes until they were down to their underwear.

"That's far enough, we not perverts, now hold out your hands." Beth said lowing the gun slightly and pulling out a rope from her bag. Placing her gun down well out of reach she tied the two men together then rapped the end around the tree. Randy kept his gun raised at all times, but he suspected these two were not going to provide them with too many problems.

"Eyes front." Beth snapped as she began removing the outer layer of her clothing and picking up the smaller of the two uniforms. Both soldiers snapped their eyes towards the tree, and Beth quickly stripped and pulled on the uniform. Glancing at Randy she saw that he was doing the same, not wanting to linger here too long Beth zipped up the tunic and pulled the belt tight. The clothes were still a little loose looking but for now it was good enough. Randy looked like he had shrunk his clothes in the wash, and Beth had to supress a small giggle as the trousers hung just above his ankles, showing off his white socks.

"Expecting a flood are we." She said her smile large causing Randy to frown as he checked on their prisoners who were still facing the tree.

"No, but at least I don't look like I stole my clothes from my big brother." Randy snapped back with a smile of his own as Beth picked up her gun and lifted it to shoulder height. Looking at the two men now shivering slightly naked in the cold she turned to Randy. Both of them knew the two men would be a problem. They would get loose or be found eventually and as soon as that happened the game would be up.

"If they are found quickly we won't stand a chance." Beth voiced after a few moments and Randy had to nod his head in agreement. They had not really thought this through and now they seemed to have painted themselves into a corner.

"We have to get rid of them." Randy said under his breath as Beth snapped her eyes up to his and shook her head. It was one thing killing that man back in the church in self-defence, but killing these men. No she said to herself, boys for they must have only just be out of their teens, was cold blooded murder.

"No Randy we find a better way, take them somewhere, get John and Mickie to watch them, I don't know, but we can't just dispose of them like last week's garbage." Beth said not looking at the two men now as they both began to shift in their positions next to the tree. It was obvious from the way they kept looking around, and fidgeting that they had overheard their conversation.

"It would take too long, they are a loose end Beth, and I wish it hadn't gone down like this but we have no choice." Randy said raising his gun and taking a deep breath. Randy didn't want to do this just as much as Beth, but he was a realist, and the time they were living in now was worlds apart from the one they had known before. This was truly dog eat dog, and right now Randy knew he had to act like a wolf.

"Stop." Beth said a hand on Randy's shoulder as he made to move towards the tree. It was a light pressure and would in no way prevent him from moving forward once more, but the tone of her voice made Randy pause.

"Can't we at least try and find a place to hide them and secure them properly. It has to be worth it Randy." Beth said as Randy looked down at her and nodded, when it came right down to it, Randy didn't know if he could have done it anyway.

"Ok we give it half an hour, any longer and we will be running out of night." Randy said looking at his watch and noting that it was almost six am.

"Deal." Beth said now smiling slightly as she went over and untied the rope from around the tree. Handing the end to Randy he took it from her hand. Their fingers brushed slightly as Beth passed him the rope and for a moment everything in their world seemed too narrow to that fleeting contact. Backing off first Beth went behind the pair of soldiers and pointed her gun at them.

"Get moving." She said her voice still low, afraid they might be over heard but they had not seen a single patrol since these two walked past. Both men moved forward following Randy deeper into the woods that surrounded the encampment. Walking through the forest Beth noticed that the sky was getting lighter, its deep black turning to an inky blue and the stars were retreating for the day time. she could tell it was going to be a bright crisp morning as not a cloud hung in the ever lightening sky as they continued on their trek through the woods.

Beth's thoughts about the day were ripped from her as all of a sudden one of the soldiers made a run for it. He had slipped his ties and was now making a dash for the camp. Randy was trying to hold on to the other soldier as he fought for his freedom also. Beth took one look at the ensuing fight and decided that Randy could probably handle the smaller man. Her main concern was their runaway. Dashing after him through the damp under growth she saw him disappear around a tree. Leaping over a fallen branch Beth poured on the speed and began catching up with the escaping soldier. Her arms felt heavy, and her legs were filling with lactic acid, but Beth knew she had to continue or she and Randy would be the ones in chains.

Beth could also see that the man she was in pursuit of was also flagging. He stumbled over a branch and fell to one knee. It allowed Beth to catch up to the point where she was almost on top of him, before he managed to slip from her grasp. Running through the now thinner tree line Beth could see the sight of the fence in the distance, she was running out of road and knew it was now or never. Slowing slightly she pulled her lucky knife from her pocket and pulled her arm back. Stopping as the young soldier avoided a tree she took aim and threw the knife. She watched as it flew end over end until it landed in the fleeing man's back. He fell to the floor with a hollow thud, his arms out stretched and his face in the dirt. Beth ran to him quickly pulling on his legs to drag him back into the wood. The pool of blood coming from the wound and the lack of movement told Beth her lucky knife had done the job.

Pulling him until her muscles gave way from the effort Beth checked behind her to see Randy approaching alone. He took one look at the man at her feet and nodded. Beth didn't need telling that Randy had killed the other soldier she could see it in his eyes as he bent down and pulled her lucky knife from the man's back.

"We go now." He said passing her the knife as Beth accepted it and placed it once again into her pocket. Moving silently through the trees, back to the camp neither of them spoke about what had happened. Nor did they mention the fact that they wouldn't have to worry about the soldiers any more. Moving this time towards the main entrance Beth and Randy stopped as they reached the gates. Keeping in the shadows as they watched the guard in the watch house flick through a magazine.

"We will wait for day break, then when the next transport arrives we just walk on up like we just got off it." Randy said as Beth nodded her head. There was nothing left to do but wait again, and right now they both needed the time to think.

It took nearly an hour for a transport to arrive, Randy and Beth dashed over as the soldiers began piling off the back. Waiting until the last few had gone through the check in Randy and Beth attached themselves to the back and walked up to the guard at the station.

"Name, and number!" The guard barked and Beth and Randy looked at one another as the man held out his clip board and gave them a cursory glance.

"You two got tongues in your heads." He said his eyes finally falling on Beth and his eyebrows shot up.

"Well now, don't get many women through these gates, well not ones that don't skink of garbage, or look like they could do with a good bath in disinfectant anyway." He said a smile coming to his face as Beth returned the smile and played along.

"Well I guess you don't get as many real women as you used to, not now they have to do a proper days work." Beth replied as she spotted Randy leaning over to get a good look at the list of names and numbers on the guard's paper.

"True very true, now if I can just get your details, I can let you get on with your work." The guard winked at Beth as she smiled right on back at him. Randy knew Beth was thinking about how many ways she could kill him with just one hand, as he saw her subtle eye roll as the guard shifted his gaze to Randy.

"Stafford, 619." Randy replied as he smiled as Beth raised her eyebrows slightly, but Randy wasn't done yet.

"And this is Hawkins 360." Randy now turned to Beth with a smug smile on his face. Randy couldn't believe it when he read a few of the names. His eyes immediately drawn to the two numbers still unclaimed by the soldiers who had already passed through the gates. As the guard checked his list and found their credentials he waved them through.

"Ok go in and find your wing commander, he will sort you out with some breakfast and your sleeping accommodation." Beth hurried on through as the man behind the desk was starting to worry her as he gave her a small tip of his head as they made their way into the camp.

Walking through the huge door into the main building Beth could smell the damp clinging to the peeling wall paper that covered the crumbling walls. It wasn't much warmer inside than out and as they walked the corridors, following some of the other soldiers the cries of children could be heard coming from a distance.

"You will get used to it, it's our job to see that they work, feeding them and caring for them is not our job, we leave that to the red band inmates. I will tell you about them later. For now this will be your accommodation for your stay here." The man at the front stated as they paused outside a door and Beth looked at Randy as he shrugged his shoulders slightly.

Beth understood, right now they could do nothing, an opportunity would come but this was not it. Following the rest of their group into was amounted to a dorm room they felt the temperature immediately increase. The beds looked soft if not a little cramped, but at least they had pillows and blankets. Beth was sure it was far more comfortable than what the inmates had.

"Sort your bunks out, breakfast will be served in half an hour. The dining room is located down the hall, and third door along." The man who had lead them hear shouted, it was obvious he had been here a while and was at least in charge of them. Beth and Randy picked bunks next to one another in the far corner. Having hardly anything to unload they quickly made their beds. The only things they had with them was their discarded black clothing and a pair of flash lights. Hiding the clothes under their pillows they stood by their bunks and silently observed the room. Beth noted that there was only one other woman present and all the men looked young. She wondered if they had been recruited straight out of school, knowing that the army was probably offering them their best chance after the collapse of the country. It saddened her to think that no one had any options now, it was either be the oppressor, or the oppressed. Neither option seemed to be appealing, and looking at the faces of these young men, Beth seemed to understand now, how they had chosen this over the alternative.

"No matter what Randy, we come out of this having made a difference, for both sides." Beth whispered to Randy as he turned to look at her, his gaze having moved from face to face and the understanding was clear in his eyes.

"Too right no going back now, if this is where we make our stand, let's make it count."

There you go another chapter, so what is John's plan, and do Randy and Beth really need saving? Stay tuned to see it all unfold. Thank you for reading XxX