Part VII
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Shoot
Shoot straight
Shoot
Shoot to kill yeah
Blame each other blame yourself
You know that God is a bullet have mercy on us everyone
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Road to Boston
Sept. 22, 1777
"I love you Evie." a voice whispered. Evelyn's eyes flew open. The carriage had stopped. She turned to her uncle, "What is going on?" He was still peering out of the tiny window, "I do not know. I was about to investigate." he informed her. Just as he was opening the door someone from the outside yanked it open. A man with a redcoat stuck his head in, "Out!" he ordered. Evelyn and Oliver looked at one another. "Out!" he repeated. He moved out of the way and let Oliver down and he in turn helped Evelyn out.
Evelyn could see that their driver was now resting next to the wheel, dead. "What do you want?" she asked. "We need your horses." he explained. "So you had to kill our driver for them?!?" she demanded. "Evelyn!" Oliver cautioned. The man brought out his musket, but Evelyn was quicker and pulled out the pistol she had in the pocket of her dress. Both men were stunned. "I was sent here for your horses." he pleaded. "I do not care. You have deprived me of my driver and now I demand that you let me keep my horses." "I will take them by force." "You can not if you are dead." she lowered the pistol with deadly aim.
The soldier cocked his gun and aimed it at Evelyn, but before he could fire she shot first and with mortal accuracy the man went flying back and onto the ground. She turned to her uncle. "It looks as if one us are going to have to drive." Oliver was stunned by all of this. He had never seen Evelyn be so aggressive before. "Yes. I... I shall drive." he muttered. She turned to tend to the driver when Oliver saw that the redcoat was not entirely dead and was about to shoot Evelyn. "NO!" he screamed and dived in toward her pushing her out of the path of the bullet. He felt impact of his flesh and bullet meeting instantly.
Evelyn looked up in time to see the dying soldier shoot her uncle and his scream of pain. She rushed to his side, "Oliver. Uncle Oliver are you all right?" she pleaded. "I was hit." he whimpered. She rolled him onto his back and saw dark crimson blood starting to spread throughout his side. "Evie. I love you." he whimpered. "No uncle. You are going to live. We just have to find someone to help us." she ordered. He shook his head. "Save yourself Evelyn. Find your son and make sure your husband comes home. I love you." then he was gone. Evelyn fell down on top of him and started to cry. The injustice of this whole war was unbearable. It had finally succeeded in taking everything that she loved dear away from her. Her father, her brother, her husband, her son, and now her uncle. All gone for this cause. All because the British would not let them have equal rights.
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Boston, MA
Nov. 1, 1777
Jonathan was tired, cold, hungry, and annoyed beyond belief. Isaac, or Izzy as he liked to be called had found him nearly seven months ago. Ever since then they had been tracking Bennie. He was a squirmy little fellow. They had been in Boston only a day. Izzy had fought with him in Saratoga and on the 13th of October General Burgoyne surrendered to General Horatio Gates whom Jonathan had been transferred to shortly after he had gone to New York with Rick.
They hadn't been able to find Rick to tell him of Alex and so every where they had a chance they looked for him. Anything to tell them where Alex could be. They had found that General Ira Tep was located in Philadelphia now, but there was no sign of Bennie anywhere. They were now trying to get information here in Boston. A very likely place for Bennie be to at. He saw Izzy approaching him. "The man at the market said that here would be the best place to find him." Jonathan looked up at the wooden sign before him. "I can't go in there." he told him. Izzy looked at him incredulously, "And you believe I can? Look at the color of my skin!"
Izzy looked at Jonathan for a moment, "Wait a minute, why can't you go in there?" he demanded. Jonathan looked down at the ground and then back at Izzy. "No reason. Come on let's go." he said taking Izzy's arm and walking him away from the tavern. Izzy stopped him which made Jonathan fall forward. "I said come on!" "No. You are going to tell me why you can't go in there." Izzy ordered. "There is no reason. Let us go before we both get shot." "Are you making remarks about me?" demanded. "I wasn't the one who got myself shot by my own musket." he told him. "And I told you it was the first time I had ever fired a weapon." he spat back. "Yes, but generally as a rule one does not shoot oneself but the ENEMY!" "You are trying to get me angry so I will forget about why we can't go in there. Could it because you owe them money?"
"I owe many people money." Jonathan staggered. "Yes, but could you owe them more money than the others?" "No, now let us go. We have much work to do. We are trying to find Alex." That shut them both up and they hurried to the inn on the outside of town which served many dregs of society.
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Valley Forge
Nov. 1777
It has been no bed of roses. It hadn't even been a bed of nails. The winter was not kind to anyone, but most especially the colonial soldiers with only their ideals and hopes to see them through. To feed them and to keep them warm. Washington had sent Rick in search of supplies while he rallied his men together and 'trained' them for upcoming battles.
Rick had made it to the small town of Camden and had found a storage supply barn near a farm. He couldn't believe his luck when he had opened it up and had seen supplies that could last his men a few weeks. He went to grab the sack when it was seized. "Who are you?" the man demanded. "I'm a soldier and I am in need of supplies." "Get out of here. You do not want to be here." the man lowered his voice. "I can not leave sir. I need these supplies." keeping his voice deadly calm.
"AND I told you sir. You can not be here." "Why can't I be here?" Rick demanded. "You are not welcome. I've been hired to protect this land and you are not welcome here." "I am afraid I must contradict you. I have little choice. I will fight." Rick warned. "Then I too shall fight." Rick drew his musket but before he had a chance the man knocked it out of his hand. Rick reacted by punching the man in the cheek. The man didn't stop and swung back at Rick hitting him under the jaw which caused him to stagger back. Rick charged forward and with momentum barreled the man to the floor and started to hit him. The man reached for his own weapon, a sword, and Rick pulled it out of his hands.
Rick went and scrambled for his musket, but the man caught him and pushed him to the ground and kicked it out of his grasp. Rick got up after kicking the other man in the stomach and the man stretched out his hand pulled Rick's coat and jacket off of him. Rick turned around to hit the man when a woman's voice cried out "STOP!" Both of the men stopped their fighting and looked at one another and then to the source of the voice. The woman gasped, "Rick?" she asked incredulous. "Evelyn?" Evelyn came running toward him and he picked her up and wrapped her into his arms. "Oh Rick what are you doing here?" Not really caring just glad that somehow God had led him to her.
They heard shuffling in front of them and both remembered the other man. "Oh Ardeth." Evelyn said and slid down Rick's body, but kept him in her arms. "You know this guy?" Rick demanded. "Now Rick, don't get upset. He was in need of help and so was I." she explained. He looked down at her worried. "What kind of help? Is it about Alex?" Evelyn looked down to the ground. "No. Why don't we go in and discuss this inside where it is warmer." she suggested. Rick nodded and Ardeth followed the couple out, observing them together.
Evelyn had told him many things about their life and Alex's disappearance. But more than that her unsaid words and body language was of Love. He could tell every time she spoke of her family that she loved them dearly. He had only told her that he was on his way to Philadelphia and that he came here from Egypt. She had surprised him by knowing more about Egypt than other people seemed to. She was very smart and after talking with her he had started to suspect that perhaps her family was the pyramid.
They reached the house and Evelyn guided Rick to one of the chairs and when he sat down she sat on his lap. She had no care that they had someone else there. This was a miracle that she wasn't about to give up. Ardeth sat in one of the wing-backed green leather chairs and waited for Evelyn to speak. Rick placed his arms around her waist and she sat sideways so that she was able to look at both men and started her story...
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Evelyn stood up. Not even bothering to look at the bodice of her dress for she knew it was stained with her uncle's blood. She looked out ahead and saw nothing but smoke to the south near Philadelphia and nothing in front of her. She felt out of place. Rick had always told her how strong she was, but she didn't feel strong now. All she wanted was to have her husband there so that she could collapse into his arms and tell him to deal with it. Although not the right time the situation did remind her of when they were having terrible storms and she would wait up each night until he got home because they scared her. He told her that he couldn't stop the storm and she had told him that she stayed up because when he got home he could worry about it.
Now what to do? She didn't want to burry her uncle here in some unknown grave. He deserved better than that. So did their driver, Conan. The cabin of the carriage was big enough for them, but to get them in there was going to take some work. She looked around one last time and then started on her mission. She first moved them to where they were next to the carriage and it would be easier to place them in there. She opened the carriage door and let out a huge sigh. It was going to be a lot of work. She let out a scream when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned around and faced the person who had scared her. "I am sorry madam. I did not mean to scare you. It just looks as if you need help."
As she gained herself back she regarded the man. She wondered if he came from an Arab nation. He was dressed in black head to toe, but he didn't look menacing. He looked kind and there was something in her that urged her to trust him. "Yes. My driver and uncle have been killed in a fight for our horses. I was trying to get them into the carriage to take them home to be buried." she explained still wondering why she was telling a complete stranger this. He smiled at her. "Would you like some help?" he offered.
"You don't mind?" "No. Please let me be of service." he answered and together they got both Conan and Oliver into the carriage and secured it. "Thank-you very much... I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." "Ardeth Bay, at your service." he replied. "Well thank-you Mr. Bay, I'm Mrs. O' Connell." she introduced herself. "Mrs. O' Connell, if I may, I was wondering to where you are headed?" "I was headed toward Boston." she told him. "I have just traveled from there and, the road to Boston is treacherous, is there somewhere else you may go?" he warned her. Evie thought about it for a moment. Philadelphia was under siege and if Boston was treacherous than she couldn't go that way. Then it hit her. Oliver had a farm house out in Camden. In fact it was his first house. "Yes, I believe I do have a place. Are you familiar with Camden?" she asked.
"No, I am afraid that I am not from here." he explained. "Oh. Um.. may I ask where you are from sir?" He smiled at her, "Yes you may, I am from Egypt. I have come here to find something. In fact I was just on my way to Philadelphia." "I should warn you sir that the redcoats are trying to take over Philadelphia as we speak. It is not a place for anyone. Most of the city has already cleared out." He looked disappointed. Evelyn was struck with an idea, "Perhaps sir you could join me to Camden. I could hire you as a guard." "Are you sure madam? I wouldn't want to upset your husband." he responded. "My husband is at war Mr. Bay. I could really use the help. I need someone to protect our supplies and someone to help me bury my uncle and driver. Please. It would truly help me." He gave her a half smile. "I am at your service madam." He bowed down in front of her. "Thank-you. We better get going. Camden is to your left." she directed and then took her place by the reins.
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"We have had much trouble. So many people need the supplies that we have had to watch the barn." Evie finished explaining. Rick nodded his head. It was a lot to take in, but he understood. Ardeth seemed like an honorable person and of course he trusted Evelyn. "Well now that is clear, I believe it is time for bed." Rick said and stood up letting Evie slide down him. "Good night Mr. Bay..." "Mr. O'Connell, may I please see the mark on your arm." Rick gave him a strange look, but pulled up his shirt. "Sir, may I ask where it is that you received this mark?" Rick really didn't want to discuss it. "I don't remember." Ardeth nodded his head. "Very well. I will see you two in the morning good-night." he bowed to them and then left in the opposite direction.
"I wonder what that was all about." Rick muttered. "I don't know." Evie responded and pulled Rick to her bedroom not really caring. He leaned down and kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him with her every emotion. He picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.
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Boston, MA
Nov. 2, 1777
"What are we doing here? I thought you said that you couldn't go in here." Izzy exclaimed. "I did. And at the time I couldn't, but she isn't here now and we can go in." Jonathan explained. "Who is she?" "My stepmother, Angelica Moon." Izzy started to nod his head not truly understanding. They walked into the back of the tavern and Jonathan started to go down the stairs. "This is where Evie and I use to sleep when we were taking care of the tavern." he told Izzy and kept walking down the stairs. "Right."
"Is this where we will be sleeping?" Izzy asked. "Yes, there are a couple of cots down here and if we get up early enough we can sneak out without her ever being the wiser. No shh!" Izzy gave Jonathan a weird look but followed him. This white dude was going to be the death of him, he could just feel it. When they got downstairs Jonathan got a lantern and lit it with the candle they had and let it illuminate the basement. It was cold down there, but it was also musty so the senses couldn't decide what was going on.
It was in the middle of the night when Jonathan heard a noise. Almost a scream, but not as life threatening. He stayed perfectly still to see if he could hear it again. A few moments later he heard it again. It was coming from upstairs. "Izzy!" he hissed. Nothing. "Izzy!" he hissed again. Still nothing. Jonathan shook his head and started to follow the noise. He was in the main room of the tavern and was walking up the stairs when the noise became louder.
He got the top level and followed it to the last room on the right. He very carefully walked to it and slowly opened it up and saw that in the middle was a crib. The baby looked familiar and Jonathan walked over to it and sure enough, it was Alex. He looked almost the same. His blonde hair was still there and those eyes that could only be a combination of Evie and Rick were wide with shed and unshed tears. "Hey there." he whispered. He didn't want to frighten the child, but he could not believe that he had actually found his nephew. He felt so elated and couldn't wait to get him to Evie.
He heard a noise beyond the crib and looked up to see Izzy. "What are you doing up here?" But before he could say anything he heard a crunch behind him. He was about to turn around, but it was too late. He felt a hard blow to the back of his skull and that was it...
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End of Part VII
Okay, it is winding down. As I said. All the players have entered, the stage is set and it is time for fate to take it's course.
Thank-you Buffelyn for the wonderful review and KatG. Thanks to everyone else as well. I hope you all enjoyed and it should be wrapped up in the next three parts.