A pale-yellow sky blanketed the horizon with scattered grey clouds. The sun was growing low it is wake and light from the rays shimmered through the branches of the trees. Avery walked a few paces next to the river, enjoying the scenery and breeze the day offered. The tranquility of the afternoon was something she was gaining more of an appreciation for as days passed. Lately, it seemed that she was running around fighting battles more than resting. It was to be expected, she supposed, but she could only take so much at once.
Bounding through the tall fescue grasses, Boomer reached her feet, wagging happily as he dropped his stick. He seemed to be enjoying the calm as much as she was, although Avery wasn't sure where he got all the energy from.
"Good boy," she cooed while grabbing the stick and chucking it as far as she could. The stick veered slightly and landed in the shallows of the river but that didn't deter the eager canine. Smiling to herself, Avery continued her walk along the river until Boomer returned with his stick, and the cycle continued.
After a while, Avery came upon a boulder on the bank and pulled herself on top of it. The stone was warm from the sun and she leaned back on the palms of her hands to take in the scenery. Shortly after, Boomer returned and set his front feet on her legs, offering his stick again. Avery reached for it reluctantly, growing bored of the game but she was still willing to throw the stick if that was what he wanted. Who was she to deny her companion of some fun? Taking it from him, she shifted her weight and hurled it where it landed in the tall grass. As Boomer charged after it, all she could see was his tail waving like a flag from the top of the grass.
It had been four days since her first encounter with John and she knew she had to keep busy with her tasks. The quicker she commandeered property from the Project, the less time they had to reorganize a counterattack.
Unfortunately, she was feeling less motivated as time passed. Of course, she didn't voice this to anyone, in case they didn't take it so well. If she was being honest, she didn't know how she wanted them to take it either. With all her running around to lessen the sway the cult had on the valley, she was getting burnt out. The life threatening scenarios were becoming more frequent and she was afraid how much good luck remained in her metaphorical bottle. Avery wasn't foolish to think it was an unlimited supply, which left her alarmingly aware of her situation and, admittedly, a little afraid. One of these days, it would be the cult that got lucky and she would be the one to pay for it.
A hand went to her throat at the memory of the last encounter with the Project. During the cleansing she had been afraid that John was going to drown her. If he didn't then she was certain she would be in for a long night of torture. Despite his furious remarks and actions, he had left her throat relatively unbruised. His grip was strong enough to keep her submissive but not enough to inflict damage. Nothing like Burk had caused when she had last seen him. Then again, Burke was trying to kill her whereas John was not.
That's a strange turn of events, she thought bitterly. Her supposed ally was actually the one trying to kill her.
Movement to her right pulled her attention away from her pondering and Boomer dropped his stick to the ground. Breathless from the constant running, the older dog stretched out on his side against the rock and lay there panting; his tongue lolled out to the side with a wide grin on his face.
"You had enough, bud?" she asked while gazing down at her friend. The dog's eye shifted to see her but all she got in response was a tired wag of his tail.
Leaning back again, she returned to her thoughts while enjoying how the breeze shifted the warm air around her.
After the cleansing took place, and after Pastor Jerome saved her, she had taken a day to recuperate from her stressful evening and to shake off the effects of bliss. Mary May and a few others from Fall's End were eager to meet her and discuss what was happening since the officer's arrival, but she had been exhausted. Someone, Hurk was it?... had commented on John having that effect on people, and how she was lucky it was just a few hours of being with him.
Luck… there's that word again.
What really surprised her was having to control her temper after hearing that comment. Who cared if it was just a couple hours? Did they think she wouldn't get tired of being pushed to take care of the Resistance's To Do list?
But somehow, she managed to take a breath and keep her frustrated thoughts to herself. It just went to show that she needed to slow her pace down. Her temper from the stress was going to cause her to make mistakes.
Avery was pleased that she had someone like Grace around through this as it was a weight off her shoulders. Boomer too. Between them, it was easier to intercept some of the supply runs and destroy some of John's damn silos.
So after her day of rest, and the eagerness of the others to cause more trouble to Eden's Gate, Avery turned her focus on one of the outposts. When she mentioned it to Pastor Jerome and Mary May, it didn't get the support she expected. Both seemed hesitant and disinterested in the prospect of gaining an Outpost with the limited people they had. In fact, they didn't seem to care for the benefits an Outpost would supply them with. Finding the lack of encouragement disheartening, she had questioned their reasoning.
./././././././ Three days ago ./././././
"Your resources are getting low and John keeps gaining more property as the weeks pass. You are losing people and towns to the Project—why wouldn't you be interested in this?" she questioned with furrow brows.
"Because we are losing people. Avery, it's dangerous and I'm not too eager to send my people into harm's way and risk their lives. Besides, that's something John would have prepared for," Jerome explained calmly.
Mary May nodded in agreement. "You can't underestimate John. I had and I paid the price for it. Now it's something I have to live with."
"I don't understand," Avery said while shaking her head. "At the rate you are going, maybe you won't lose a large amount of people, but your resources are dwindling fast. I would estimate you have maybe 3 three months of rations if you're careful."
"We have hunting parties in the meantime. River runs all year round for water, and we can keep resupplying our food from their convoys," Pastor Jerome countered in his deep voice before adding, "The convoys are much lower risk than an Outpost."
Avery sat back in her chair and regarded them quietly. She understood why they were hesitant, but they needed to understand that they couldn't play the long game if they only performed occasional small raids. A plan like that would make it too easy for John to lock down their supplies for a month and starve the resistance out. She needed them to see reason.
"Let me take a team of people. We can go in, scout it out, and then come up with a plan. Then we can return and take the outpost. We'll be smart about it and they won't see it coming."
Both members of Fall's End exchanged glances, but it was Mary May who spoke first. "I can't allow our people to risk their lives for something that isn't needed."
Standing up, the blonde woman set a hand on Avery's shoulder and offered a smile. "We made it this far. I believe we have a lot of fight in us yet to make it last."
Avery didn't offer any acknowledgement that she heard but it didn't seem like Mary May was really looking for it either. Instead she walked out of her bar without another word.
Green eyes looked to Pastor Jerome expectantly once they were alone. He seemed to know what was coming because he took his glasses off and wearily pinched the bridge of his nose. Avery waited patiently, feeling a little guilty pressing the subject if he had a headache coming on. Unfortunately, she couldn't spare his feelings with the matter. Continuing 'business as usual' seemed like a poor decision that would either work out for the short game or bite them in the ass.
At that moment, the door behind her opened suddenly. Expecting it to be Mary May, Avery didn't bother turning around. Instead Pastor turned his attention to the door and greeted the newcomer with a warm smile, despite the troublesome topic at the edge of Avery's tongue.
"Grace, it's good to see you."
Avery glanced over her shoulder to see her friend who offered a casual wave. The lack of response from Avery was noted by Grace.
"Sorry. I was just looking for Avery, but it seems I'm interrupting something."
"Not at all, I was just finishing," Jerome replied in a pleased voice and stood to his feet. Avery gave him a disapproving look, seeing as she was not done arguing her point. Of course, he would use this time to escape while he could…
"Pastor, please reconsider. I'm offering to do this as safe as I can make it. A day of recon prior can allow for us to make a solid plan so we take the outpost easily," she attested in her best military briefing she could muster. "I promise it will be limited risk involved."
Jerome sighed and looked to the Junior Deputy. "Maybe we can consider it in a month or two. Right now, it isn't necessary…. But if it makes you feel better, I'll think it over for the time being and let you know if we change our minds." With that, he bid his farewells and left the two women in the room.
Grace sighed and walked around the table to take the Pastor's empty seat while Avery glared at the tabletop.
"So," Grace drawled out slowly. "They don't want the outpost…"
A moment passed as Avery gathered her thoughts together. After a while, she turned her attention to the other woman.
"…You want a beer?" Avery asked while standing up suddenly. "I'm getting a beer."
Grace laughed softly and nodded. "Sure, I'll have one, but May will kill you if she finds out you're helping yourself to her bar."
"I'll just blame you," Avery joked while pulling two bottles from the fridge and bringing them back to the table.
Grace laughed again but shook her head in disagreement. "Nah uh, I'm ratting you out first. She doesn't even know I walked in here."
Avery popped open the first beer off the tabletop and handed it to her companion before helping herself to the second beer. Sitting back down, she took a drink followed by an exhausted sigh.
Realizing she hadn't answered Grace's question, she started to explain. "They plan to survive the foreseeable future by stealing a few supply runs when they get low. I don't think they realize John can stop those convoys easily enough and it won't hinder him one bit. Then what will they do?"
"Well, that's been our plan so far and it's worked. How's the saying go? Don't try to fix something that's not broken," Grace commented in amusement.
"Are you playing Devil's Advocate now, or are you switching sides?" Avery teased with a grin.
Grace retuned it. "Haven't decided yet. You still seem like a sketchy outsider."
"Yeah, ok." Avery gave a roll of her eyes to show she didn't believe her.
After a moment, Grace continued. "I agree that John could easily enough counter our plan but there are other convoys throughout the county. It would be unrealistic for the cult to shut down all of them just to flush out this little rabble."
"That may be so, but is that something you're willing to risk? Because I wouldn't. I have a hard time putting my trust in my enemies' schedule." Avery replied smartly.
Grace shrugged. "I'm sure Dutch would be able to narrow down their supply schedules. But no. I don't like that idea, but that's why I have my own bunker."
"Clever you."
Grace chuckled. She could tell Avery was in a foul mood, but she didn't take it personally. The annoyance wasn't aimed at her so she couldn't be bothered by it. It wasn't common for Avery to be in a bad mood, despite all that was happening around her. It was one of the reasons that made it easy for Grace to interact with her. Overall, Grace appreciated having another capable shooter who shared a mellow personality. It was a nice change from the loud, bickering group she was normally stuck with.
"If you want to take out that outpost, I'm willing to help you. We work pretty well together, I'm sure it wouldn't be too bad for us."
/./././././././././././././././
././Present ././
Avery had considered the idea before Grace brought it up but decided it was a risk she wasn't willing to take. It went back to the unknown amount of luck she had left. If any of the outposts were as formidable as May and Jerome made it sound, she wanted a team to help her. If she decided to have Grace help, and something was to happen, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. It didn't help either that Grace was a valued sniper to have but her gun lacked a silencer. Perhaps Dutch would have one he could lend…
Thankfully, Grace didn't seem to mind not going but told Avery to drop the subject if that was the case. She didn't like the possibility that Avery going alone would leave her vulnerable to John if he went after her again.
Instead of making an empty promise, Avery joked about it before skillfully changing the subject.
Poor Grace didn't know that she never got her answer.
The plan that the deputy concocted was that she would run recon alone and see just how advanced the outpost security was. Perhaps if it was feasible then she could convince Jerome to allow her a team to try. The sooner they acted on it, the better off they would be. At least if it was a failed attempt then they had resources to fall back on. If the Resistance waited until they were low and hungry, then there was less of a chance at succeeding. Not to mention, John was a capable opponent and it would be too late if they didn't realize that now.
So later that evening, Avery stuck out of Fall's End with her trusty canine and went to the Copperhead railyard outpost.
/././././././. two nights earlier /./././././././
Avery settled down in a spot that she thought provided a good vantage point. Finding a good sniper position was something that couldn't be rushed and took a couple tries to get right; similar to a dog choosing a spot to sleep. She shifted her weight, pushed some rocks, and twigs out of her way and inspected her line of fire. After breaking some branches that impeded her sight and burrowing her elbows into the dirt, she hugged her rifle and took a few breaths.
Good.
Beside her legs, Boomer laid patiently with his ears twitching at different sounds in the forest around them. Avery had brought him so she could keep her entire focus on the outpost in front of her and not worry about scouts sneaking behind her. Recon work was something that could take hours and it was imperative that she stayed as still as possible during that time. She had once heard of snipers staying in their designated spot for an entire day or two and dozing for 20 minutes here and there for sleep.
Thankfully, she would never have to be that diligent.
As Avery looked through the scope, she felt the familiar tingle that came with long distance hunting. It was a preferred method for her, though she never got to practice it often. Being a K9 handler, she was usually one of the first to go into close combat, searching for explosives or enemy lurking in the shadows.
Long distance was something else. Even if you never hurt anyone in your life, when you looked through that scope, knowing it was real, it was exhilarating. Like some remnant of predatory instinct first experienced by Neanderthals hiding in the brush with a spear, waiting for prey.
Avery scoped the compound and took her time with it. There were a few sets of patrols and what looked like a pair of men scouring the property line. She began to organize and prioritized the peggies as they appeared in her scope. The guards were high on her list.
She didn't know these people like the others did in Fall's End, and Avery thought that' might have been why Jerome and Mary May didn't want to send a group with her. Maybe, that was why they were so eager to have her run their errands rather then get their own hands too dirty.
The ambitious confidence she had was something she learned from experience, not that she was born with. Avery could look through the riflescope and not see a face she recognized, therefore wouldn't be hindered with a biased decision of sparing or taking a life. To her, if you held a rifle and you were unlucky enough to be patrolling the western property line, then you were probably going to die.
The idea of 'probably' was becoming more likely as she made note of the lack of security.
The more Avery gazed through the scope, the more she realized how low the defenses were. A part of her wondered if John knew the Resistance wouldn't attempt to take an outpost, so he didn't bother with increased defenses. Or maybe there was something going on elsewhere that left this post with minimal manning…
Either way, Avery couldn't ignore her instinct to take the post herself.
Yeah, that is not how this night was supposed to happen, she contemplated callously. She had been so adamant about having a team and now she was going to take the outpost single handedly? Ha! She was only supposed to run recon to support her argument to Pastor Jerome and Mary May.
"I guess some things can't be helped, Boomer," she smiled wryly. "I'm too stubborn for my own good."
She felt his tail hit the sole of her boot in response but otherwise he remained diligent at her side.
Glancing back to the pair of sentries, she felt a small swell of guilt. They were her fellow countrymen, not the enemy she had grown accustomed to overseas. Regardless of the weeks she spent here in Montana, it didn't get easier on her conscious. She knew it couldn't be avoided. If they lived, then Avery and her team would likely be the ones dead. She didn't like playing God when it came to choosing who lived or who died, however she was going to protect her people regardless.
Morally right or not. Those poor bastards on guard duty… they had made a decision. And they made a bad one.
Best not to think about it.
Something at the edge of the scope caught her attention and she shifted to peer at a pole that held a flashing light on it next to a speaker. Curious, she traced the pole down to the ground until she saw a flat, grey box at the base. Glancing to another pole that ran alongside a building, she saw a matching set.
Alarms?
She wasn't sure if that was the case but looking around the railyard, it was the only thing that made sense to her. Glancing back to the second pole closest to her, she took a mental note of the abutment that lined the taller building. If anyone got onto the roof, Avery would let them have it until they got the fuck down. Even if they could duck beneath the short brace, she was confident her .308 would pierce through it.
On the ground, the peggies had a better chance of running. She wasn't the quickest sniper so running would be their best bet. The roof was just a death trap as most high places were.
"Never go up if you get pinned," Michael began as he explained the vital rule to evasion. "Always run down like water."
Avery pulled her head back and looked at the clear night sky. It was a half-moon out which offered a fair amount of light in the sky. It would make it easier for her to see movement in the railyard, though it also made her position easier for the peggies to spot.
Reaching a hand behind her, she rubbed Boomers soft coat, finding comfort in having him by her side as his tail hit her boot again.
Pulling out her magazine, she set it next to her and began counting her rounds one more time.
_ - _ Railyard -_-_
Sam wiped a sweaty hand against the front of his tan stained shirt with his other hand balancing the rifle.
"I'm tired of sharing that damn room. In the morning, I'm telling Harris I'm moving to a different spot."
His companion kept a watchful eye along the fence line but was casual in his stance. "Is your roommate really that bad?"
"Damn straight he is," Sam grumbled. "Snores constantly and doesn't bother cleaning up after himself. I wouldn't mind moving to another post honestly. Anywhere away from him."
The other man hummed in acknowledgment but didn't offer any respite.
"And to make matters worse," Sam continued, "he will be moving back onto the night crew again which means I have to share a room with him during the day too."
He took another step, and then a series of things occurred to him. First, he registered a muffled rifle shot followed by a crackle of air breaking; the sound of a bullet. He thought, for a split second, that it was his friend that might have shot at something in the forest but no, that shot came from a distance. The next moment, he heard the heavy thud of something dropping next to him and he looked to see his companion dead on the ground.
Mortified, Sam turned and began to launch into a sprint when his calf suddenly exploded. He didn't feel it initially as it felt more like a tug of someone tripping him. After falling to the hard dirt, he tried to make sense of what had happened. Shakily, he looked to his leg and saw a tattered exit wound. With panic brewing beneath his skin, he began to crawl away as the burning agony started to make itself know in his leg.
He had to get to the alarm box, but at that moment, it seemed miles away to him.
As he reached the corner of the building, he glanced at the railroad obstacles he would have to crawl over and cringed at the thought of dragging himself over the unmoving steel beams.
Another dull explosion sounded followed by a new crackle before the alarm box closest to him shattered in a slew of sparks. Sam shielded his eyes before looking back hopelessly at the dangling door of the box. Another muffled rifle sounded, and he saw more of his comrades entering the railyard armed. Waving an arm to get their attention, he choked out a cry for help, before everything went black.
_._._._ End Railyard ._._._._
The two men had been walking along in a carefree manner. Avery did not look at their faces, did not think about if they had family or why they wanted salvation. She wouldn't allow herself to humanize them. It didn't do any good for her or her team. That was just a recipe for self-torture and she had enough of that to last her through the lifetime. These two people were simply Tan shirt and Grey shirt.
Seeing Grey shirt glance more often to the forest that cloaked her from view, she chose him as the first target. Accounting for the trajectory, distance and lack of wind, she held a vertical line of the crosshairs in the bulk of his body. Taking a few calm breaths, she waited until her body reached that second of complete stillness between breaths and applied the pressure to the trigger.
Grey shirt took the bullet to the chest and tumbled over. No follow-up was necessary.
Tan shirt began to panic.
Avery worked the bolt, seated another cartridge and repeated her process. The second shot was a little lower, clipping Tan shirt in the calf. Avery cursed under her breath but forced herself not to dwell on the bad shot.
A few other gunshots fired from somewhere inside the railyard. She wasn't sure what the other patrols were shooting at, which made her think they were just hoping to get lucky.
Tan shirt pulled her attention again as he made an attempt to crawl away. Racking another bolt, she was about to end his suffering when she realized he was crawling towards the pole.
So, it was an alarm after all…
Shifting the scope over to the right, she fired her shot, causing it to erupt into a flurry of sparks. Like a bevy of ants, more peggies poured into the railyard and surrounding buildings. Cursing again, she slammed her bolt and laid her sights on Tan shirt who was calling for help.
Fired.
Like an instant reaction, Tan shirt slumped forward with his arm going limp across the steel beam. Avery watched him for a moment, unsure where she struck him but fairly certain he wasn't getting up.
Beside her legs, she could feel Boomer growing restless. Avery imagined he was fighting an internal battle, in that moment, with his feral instincts struggling over his domestic loyalty.
A flicker of movement pulled her attention like a magnet and she shifted her rifle closer into the pocket of her shoulder. Turning her focus to the side of another building, she realized that one of the peggies were going to make a run for it to Tan shirt.
A small wave of nausea hit her at the realization, but she forcefully shook it off. It was a tactic used by many ruthless soldiers, no matter what side you were on. They would wound the enemy and wait for their companions to come out and waste their lives on poor attempts of rescue. The poor baying lamb…
She hadn't intended to leave Tan shirt wounded as she had, finding the act of bait to be distasteful, but found some comfort that his suffering was over now. The Peggie who had meant to rescue Tan shirt must have realized it was impossible now because he turned his attention to the next box along the building.
In that moment, everything seemed to happen at once. The man began to make a sprint to the opposite building in hopes of triggering the alarm. Simultaneously, the bevy of people who spread throughout the railyard had narrowed down which side of the property Avery was on and began open firing; spraying bullets along the landscape in hopes of one catching the attacker. A few rounds embedded in the dirt near her area, but she had been smart in her layout and was deeper in the tree line than the peggies expected. At the same time, Boomer's guttural snarl alerted her to a much closer danger, and he launched into action.
Keep your focus, she reminded as she forced herself to trust her canine.
Instinct told her to concentrate on the threat closest to her or to run for better cover, but she stayed where she was; unmoving besides the slight shift on her elbows as she lined her sights on the man nearly to the alarm box. Knowing another bad shot would give the advantage over to the cult, she steadied herself, blocking out the hollow threats from the compound, the spray of bullets getting closer, the gurgle of blood from the man only feet away as Boomer tore his fangs into him.
Her world only consisted of the man's back as he closed the last few feet between him and the grey box.
Breath, squeeze.
Fired.
The force of the shot pushed the man forward in his momentum and he collapsed right into the pole.
Avery looked over her scope and allowed a breath of relief that she had stopped him in time.
"Tree line! In the tree line!"
Avery's solace was short lived as the cult tightened their targeted range. They must have saw her muzzle flash. Though she had a suppresser on her rifle, it didn't render her shots invisible or completely mute as a silencer would. With the forest shadows shrouding her, the fire from the muzzle was sure to catch their attention. But she had to get that last alarm disabled before she could regroup.
Resetting herself back into her rifle and seating another cartridge, Avery allowed herself to retreat to the world within her scope. A few whizzing bullets passed overhead but she refrained herself from flinching.
I'm a small target. They don't know where I am… she tried to encourage herself.
Boomer's panting was heard behind her but she didn't spare a glance to him.
"Lay down, Boomer." She ordered firmly with her focus on lining her crosshairs to the blood splattered box above her latest victim. Boomer did as he was told and she felt the comforting warmth along the side of her leg.
Firing, she saw the well-deserved sparks from the alarm box and the light at the top of the pole die out. Unfortunately, the gunshot revealed her exact location to the cult below.
A crack sounded next to her head and the tree to her left splintered from the impact.
Getting to her knees, she backed away deeper into the shadows, leaving her .308 in its place. She would come back for it after she dealt with the outpost.
Switching her favored M4 around to the front, she crouched low and wracked a round while switching it from safety.
"Stay, Boomer. I don't want you coming with me."
The blue heeler watched her with his honey eyes, recognizing the words 'stay, Boomer' but not knowing what his packmate was going to do. The gun fire persisted in shorter bursts but he was deeper in the protective trees.
Once convinced he wouldn't follow, Avery turned, glancing thoughtfully at the mangled corpse, before jogging around the trees to the south side of the railyard.
As she made her way to the closest building, she hit the corner and observed the area quickly. Straight ahead was the main building where the remaining peggies were still firing at her hillside. She started moving.
She kept the front sight of her M4 on the corner in case someone popped out and she could get a shot off. She moved a little quicker than she normally did due to being without backup. Even though she wanted to tread carefully, she couldn't afford taking her time especially when she was now in the open line of sight if someone just looked to their left. She needed to get around the next corner. The long, straight, empty wall she was on now was just some shooting gallery. A no man's land.
A great place to get shot.
As she reached the corner, she kneeled down, making a mental note to stay an arm's length from the wall, and checked the new surroundings. Human instinct was to hug the wall, but training taught her ricochets had a habit of travelling along the walls and the buildings didn't do anything for you but make you feel protected.
Behind her, she heard the footfalls and she was grateful for reaching the corner when she did. Shifting on the balls of her feet, she brought her rifle up and readied it at the corner. A few seconds later, two men broke her sight and she fired two at the first one and one at the second. The first man dropped to the ground, causing the second to trip and her shot to miss. Instantly, she was to her feet and fired one more, forcing herself not to think on the fear and realization of her target.
Shouting drew her attention, causing the once distant shots to zero in on her area again. The building across from her had another couple men lingering behind the corner of the building. Crouching to make herself a smaller target, she fired at them before they could make sense of the scene around her.
She managed to hit one while the other disappeared, most likely to regroup out of range. Taking this opportunity, Avery darted across the railyard with her rifle up and scanning the building. The air crackled as bullets impaled the earth around her, drawing her attention to the window where a gunman lined his sights onto her. Snapping her muzzle to his direction, she fired a few cover rounds, forcing him away from the ledge as she reached the walls of the building. The first Peggie leered around the corner at her and began firing before retreating. Avery refrained from returning the favor, knowing she needed to conserve her ammo. She hadn't packed spare magazines so she needed to be smart with her gear.
Deciding to change her position, she dropped her M4, letting it catch on the sling, and retrieved her pistol from the holster at her back. Willing to waste a couple 9mm rounds as a distraction, she fired three to the Peggie on the opposite side of the building before retreating to the safety of hers. This caused the reaction she had hoped as he renewed his efforts once more at making a hole through the cement wall.
Taking this time, she sprinted around the building, knowing that if there was another enemy besides the remaining two, they weren't in the vicinity or else they would have made an attempt on her life already. As she reached the last corner that shared the wall of the shooter, she switched back to her M4 and took a breath. Fortunately, she had managed to reach him as he ran out of ammo and was reloading. Taking this chance, she spun around the corner and fired a round in his thigh, causing him to cry out and fall to his knees. Glaring over his shoulder at her, she narrowed her eyes and shot him once more.
Heavy fire rained down on her from inside the building and she lunged out of the doorway that she was next to. Avery gave herself a once over, knowing that if she had been hit, there was a chance she wouldn't know right away from all the adrenaline in her system.
A small sigh left her as she realized how luck she had been that the shooter didn't manage to even knick her.
For ten drawn out seconds, Avery stood there at the doorway, blinking bits of dust and debris from her eyes. Risking a quick glance inside, she saw the man, who had been at the window moments ago, was now behind a door at the top of the stairs. He sent round after round exploding through the cement wall of the doorframe, just inches from Avery.
A gunfight, she knew, was not a sterile environment. It was a constantly moving, constantly changing dance with death. And in those long seconds, there were plenty of other things vying for her attention and focus.
Boomer was somewhere along the outside of the property, where barking and shrieking were heard as he took down another enemy. The man with the high ground, getting closer to her by the seconds was an ever-looming threat. Paranoia whispering that someone would come around the corner any moment and gun her down like she had to the last man. The thought of any stragglers calling for backup for more peggies to join the fight.
Ten seconds.
She needed to contain the shooter quickly before anymore enemy showed up.
She took a breath, because that was all she could afford, and moved around the doorway.
Major Biggs' ghost from the past rang in her ears, "Never clear out a building alone!"
But she forced the memory away, knowing it was a useless piece of advice when she was without a team.
Avery took the center of the stairs and charged forward, firing as she went and gaining confidence at the sight of a muzzle peering through the doorway rather than a person. Little dots appeared on the door as the bullets punched through and the peggy's own rifle spewed smoke between rounds in return.
Anger fueled her over fear and she gripped the handle of the door, pulling it taunt against the gunman's rifle so he couldn't withdraw it. She reached down and grabbed the hot muzzle, ignoring the burning she felt eat at her palm, and ripped it from his grasp. Shouldering the door open which knocked the man over, Avery tossed the gun down the walkway behind her. Looking at the man, she noted the blood-soaked shirt from a wound in his shoulder, not sure if it was from her charging the stairs or when she fired at the window earlier. He opened his mouth to yell something, but Avery kicked him in the jaw, where he fell unconscious.
Another person, who looked to be 16 or 17, was off to the side with his rifle at his feet and hands in the ar. "Don't shoot me! I'm sorry!"
Sea green eyes blinked, with previous anger diminishing and all the tension leaving her shoulders at the sight of the panicked kid. A knot tightened in her stomach at the pitiful spectacle and she looked back to the discarded gun at his feet.
Raising her own, she pointed the muzzle at the kid, but didn't bring the sights to her eyes. It was more of a display to deter him getting any ideas.
"Kick the rifle over," she demanded in an emotionless tone.
The kid did as he was told and kicked it away while keeping his hands up. "Please…"
"Shut up," she ordered and stepped to him. Once she reached the kid, she dropped her M4 to its sling and gripped the boy's arm while twisting him to lay on his stomach. Quickly she searched him for any more weapons before standing up and backing away to check the unconscious man for the same. The kid returned to a sitting position cautiously and returned his hands back to the air. After she was satisfied that neither were going to cause any more issues, she looked to the boy and sighed.
"You can put your arms down now."
The teen didn't seem so sure about it but did after a moment. When he had realized it was a female that was attacking the outpost, he instantly knew who it was from all the rumors going around the Valley. After she shot his uncle in the shoulder, and ripped his rifle away, he knew there was no chance in hell he could take her. Looking at her now, he could see why the rumors held truth.
When she entered the room, the viridescent eyes were hard, and cold, like steel. The gleam of the moon reflected back, and her rifle smoked from the muzzle like an angry dragon.
But after she frisked them, her demeanor seemed to change, and her gaze softened. Now she just looked tired.
"Do you have a radio?"
Blinking, he pulled himself from his thoughts. "Huh?"
The deputy gave him an impatient look. "A radio. Do you have one?"
Nodding, he motioned downstairs and explained where it was in the office area.
Avery looked at the man behind her and then to the teen. He looked strong for his age, and relatively healthy with his brunette hair and fairly clean clothes. She wondered why he joined the cult in the first place. Why would he even be interested in something so complicated when he should be worried about prom or getting his license? Come to think of it, this was one of the few kids she had seen in the area as most families had left the valley when the cult began to take over. Internally, she wanted to know the answers to these questions but a part of her was afraid to hear the responses. She wasn't here to fight kids and knowing that they were mixed with the cult just made her job that much harder.
Now those targets in the scope would need to be evaluated before that trigger was squeezed.
Preparing herself the best she could mentally, she kneeled in front of the kid, so she was eye level. She was silently grateful he was sitting on the ground, which gave her more of an intimidating appearance. If he was to stand, she could tell he would stand taller than her. "What's your name?"
The question seemed to surprise him, no doubt, but he answered after a moment of hesitation. "Liam… Liam Jones."
Avery turned to look elsewhere as she took a deep breath. What was she doing? Humanizing the enemy was only going to make matters worse. But she wanted answers. She wanted to hear his story because living in ignorance only eased ones conscious, but didn't prevent wrongdoings. She refused to be responsible for further damages then what was necessary. Sometimes, she needed to hear the hard truth to center herself.
"Where is your family?"
"…Dead."
Still staring at the wall, she could feel her glare harden and a wave of nausea washed over her. Avery steeled her composure and prepared to ask the dreaded question of how, but luckily he continued on his own.
"They died about a year ago… car accident."
The tautness of her shoulders released along with the breath she had been holding. She had dreaded to find out they had died by her hands, but it was something she had to know.
The silence was heavy in the room causing Liam to shift uncomfortably. "Are you... going to kill me?"
Sea green eyes landed on him for a moment and she studied him as if looking for any sign of weakness or dishonesty. "Why are you with the Cult?"
The nervousness increased in his posture, but she only waited patiently while he contemplated his answer. She was sure that her avoidance of the question didn't help his fear, but she wanted answers. Holding fear over someone was an easy way to get them.
"After my parents died, I had nowhere else to go. My uncle… He is part of the Project and he took me in..."
She didn't miss the glance he spared to the man behind her who lay unconscious a few feet away. "He's hurt… Is he going to die?"
The kid was young, but Avery had to remind herself he wasn't far from the age to serve in the military. He was handling the situation rather well, though it could be shock that he was feeling. Looking over her shoulder, she regarded the man before returning her gaze. "The shot went through and didn't hit anything vital. Do you think you can take him to a different outpost?"
"Wh-what?" he asked, baffled for what she was implying. "You're letting us go?"
She knew it was a risk, letting them go. A part of her thought about tying them up and calling for Jerome to bring men over to secure the outpost, and possibly talk sense into these two. But it all seemed like more trouble than it was worth if they refused to see reason. She knew one thing though.
She wasn't going to kill senselessly. She killed those who were deemed a threat.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
"I saw a couple vehicles outside that you can use. I'll help you get him downstairs, but you need to promise not to come back here, understand?"
Liam nodded his head. "Yes, ma'am."
After she had helped him move his wounded uncle to a truck, she was soon greeted by her trusty canine who looked rather ecstatic for being in a gunfight moments ago. She bent down and petted his fur, commenting how he needed a bath. Liam had perked up at the sight of Boomer and he offered a smile. He was familiar with the famous canine since before the cult and was pleased when Avery allowed him to pet him.
The site made Avery smile fondly at the scene and for a moment, everything seemed right in the world. As Liam climbed into the driver's seat, Avery pulled out some clotting powder from her bag and antibiotics she kept on her. Offering some last advice to him, he thanked her for sparing them to which she didn't reply. Instead she told him to be careful and not to forget what she said about returning.
././././././././././
/./././ Present/./././
After the outpost, she got quite the earful from Pastor Jerome and Mary May. Then was chastised further from Grace, though the latter wasn't as surprised as the others when she heard what Avery did.
She defended her reasoning, stating it had very few men guarding the outpost and she needed to take the risk. It paid off in the end, with ammunition and food to last the resistance for months longer then they had previously. When asked how she did it, she explained briefly, omitting the part of Liam and his uncle. Although the resistance was her and Whitehorse's allies, there was something about telling them what she did that made her feel they would not be pleased.
My old team wouldn't be angry… The thought surprised her when she didn't imagine her sheriff's team, but rather her military. Where had that come from? Was her subconscious implying that her current allies were not of equal mind? Perhaps it was just her way of missing them.
Shaking the thought away, Avery took a breath and watched as the sun sank lower in the sky.
John had been pissed about the outpost, judging by the way Dutch explained it. But what was surprising was the Baptist never bothered to reach out to her.
Actually, the last time he had reached out to her was before the Cleansing when she had blown up the YES sign. Really, she had just done it more to familiarize herself with explosives again, and she figured that was as good a target as any.
He didn't think so…
"When this little uprising is over, you'll rebuild that piece by piece. You'll work until your fingers are worn to the bone. And when you're done, I'll bury you beneath it." He said grimly.
She didn't doubt that he meant those words. His temper was definitely one she didn't enjoy bringing out.
Static broke her reverence as a voice crackled through her radio. Boomer perked upright and gave her a look which she smiled at as she picked up her device.
"Avery here," she greeted in reply.
"How you holding up, kid?" came the welcoming voice of Dutch.
"Not too bad."
"Good to hear. I know I said it before, but good job on the outpost. That was quite the statement you made."
Still a little upset over the whole situation, she shrugged it off while offering a hollow thanks. "It really was a minor risk when you think about it..."
There was a delay before Dutch responded back to her in a skeptical tone. "You got something on your mind?"
The question threw her for a moment as she tried to catch his meaning. Did she sound upset? She didn't think so. Despite hardly having any face-to-face interactions with the old veteran, she couldn't help but be impressed with how well he could pick up on her moods.
It was both a comfort and a pain at times.
"I'm… just tired," she answered slowly. Besides Grace and Whitehorse, Dutch was the only other person she felt she could vent to. "I don't understand why Jerome and the others are not willing to take more risks. It's not like I can do it all on my own. I'm lucky to have gotten this far."
Dutch sighed from his side of the channel. "They lost a lot, kid. You are seeing the aftermath but not what led to it. I know they appreciate your help but don't try to push them too hard. They have to work through it in their own time. Try to give them a break."
Avery pursed her lips in a tight line but knew he had a point. This whole adventure was taking far too long for her liking and she wanted to be home already working in the office and taking inmates to their new cells. Not playing war with her countrymen.
"I'll work on it."
Another tense moment passed, and she wondered if he was going to reply. Shortly after he did.
"Well, I know you're tired, but I was reaching out to let you know of a convoy of hostages will be passing your way later if you were up for it."
"Putting me to work already?" she teased to lighten the mood, though deep down she just wanted to sit on the warm rock the rest of the evening.
His chuckle answered her. "I didn't want you getting too bored."
She scoffed. "Oh, of course, how considerate. What info do you have?"
/././././
An hour later, Avery found herself back in the woods, though this time alone. The task was easily enough with her skills that she didn't need back up. The sun had now disappeared behind the mountains, leaving the pale navy-blue lingering in the sky but darkening as the minutes passed.
Dutch had given her the route that the vans would be taking along with the time they would leave their compound. This allowed her enough planning to return to Fall's End and trade Boomer for her weapons, allowing the old dog to have the night off. She later traced the route until she found her ideal location among the feet of the pine giants.
The deputy didn't have to wait long before the distant sound of engines woke the evening. She shifted her weight to the balls of her feet and brought her M4 to her shoulder. The road was only about 25 feet away from where she lurked in the shadows and the curve of the road allowed her a good vantage point to target the driver, and not the hostages. After a few seconds ticked by, the two vans' headlights peaked through the trees as they closed the distance.
Flicking her safety off, Avery shifted again while bringing the rifle up, and leaning against the tree for support. The revving of the engines grew louder as they crest the hill and Avery took aim; her target the front van's driver. Firing three rounds, the vehicle swerved off the road across from her. The second started to speed as it dodged the wreck but Avery managed to shoot the tire, causing the driver to lose momentary control before stopping at the tree line ahead of the previous vehicle.
The deputy was thankful the drivers were predictable or else she wouldn't have managed to stop both vehicles.
Certain that the first driver was incapacitated, Avery waited for the passenger to exit, and when he did, she shot him. Standing, with her rifle still up, she stalked towards the back of the first van and stepped to the side of the door. It was awkward for her to hold her rifle upright with just one hand holding the grip and her left on the handle of the door. Despite the discomfort, she somehow managed to swing the door open, returning her left hand to her rifle's guard, before peering inside. The hostages flinched at the sight of her while a couple cried out. Viridian eyes scanned the five men over briefly before lowering her weapon once certain there was no threat.
"It's ok, I'm with the resistance. I'm getting you out of here," she stated calmly and revealed a pocket knife that she used to cut the closet man free with.
The sound of a door closing reminded her that there was still a threat outside of the van and she handed the knife to the unbound man. A silent agreement was made as she picked up her rifle again and stalked around the back of the van to see if it was the driver or passenger that dared to stop her. The man with the knife quickly went to work cutting the zip ties from the other hostages.
As Avery cautiously circled to the front of the van, she saw that the driver door of the second vehicle was open which meant there were two threats lurking near her. Pausing along the side of the car, she waited unmoving while glancing at the corner of her eye to the woods on her left to see if there was any sign of enemy.
Nothing.
Returning her focus on the front, she stayed diligent until the hostages escaped from the van and out of the line of fire. She didn't want to move too far away from them, nor did she want to have the peggies start shooting at her incase a stray bullet made it to the fleeing men.
Once she was sure the hostages escaped, she moved forward. It only took two steps before one of the cultists popped up by the headlight of the van and fired a few rounds over the hood at her. Avery flattened herself to the side of the vehicle, but she knew she couldn't stay there any longer. As soon as there was a lull in shots, she spun off the side and rounded the front of the van while firing consistent rounds at the target.
Bap, bap bap, bap!
Just as she caught sight of the man, she fired once to his thigh, causing him to fall and she followed it with a sharp hit to the head with her rifle, where he fell unconscious. More gunfire sounded and she ducked down, trying to gain a sense where it was coming from.
Unfortunately, she realized it was coming from the front of the second van with the flat tire. Growing a little frustrated of having to repeat the process, she stepped to the side once more, prepared to replay her strategy.
Just as she was about to make her move, the radio on her belt came to life, causing her to startle. She refused to reach for it, keeping her rifle and focus at the engine side of the van that protected her from the shooter.
"Deputy…" the radio purred, causing Avery's eyes to widen in stunned silence.
Focus on your target, she reminded, resisting the urge to throw the offensive radio away from her in that moment. The fact that the man opposite the vehicle stopped returning fire didn't escape her knowledge and she wondered if he was waiting for the Baptist to finish. There was no doubt he could hear the voice from where he was at.
"I see you have been busy lately… I've allowed you to have your fun, but all sinners must confess. This is the will of the Father."
Avery swallowed trying to not listen too intently for fear it would distract her. She didn't bother to reply to him incase it was a trap. She wasn't stupid to leave herself open just to get shot.
If John was waiting for a reply, he didn't imply it as he continued with his voice dripping with self-assured arrogance. "I assumed you were so eager to get my attention of late and I apologize if I haven't been giving you the attention you deserve-"
Fuck off, she growled in her head. A part of her wanted to use this time to take out the lingering peggy before he had a chance to attack again. But John's voice held her in place.
"So, I decided I would make it easy for you by having my men bring you in…."
Avery let the words sink in before she realized what he meant. Viridian eyes widened and she gripped her rifle tighter until her knuckles were white; panic setting in her bones.
The doors behind her slammed open and men rushed out to surround her.
Shit…
As she spun to see the peggies with their weapons drawn, the first man at the engine came around before hitting the butt of his rifle to her head.
She watched as the world shifted onto its side as she fell to the ground with blackness swallowing her vision.
"I'll be seeing you soon, Deputy."
Firstly, I hope everyone is safe and well!
Also, a huge thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I tried to add more action in this one to display her skills a bit seeing as I have skipped over most of it in previous chapters. Hopefully it wasn't too confusing to read with the time jumps in this one. I wanted to try something a little different while summarizing her interactions with others and humanizing the Project members.
I'm really excited to get the next chapter out seeing as I have been building up to this next interaction that will really kick off the plot! Until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!