EMP Sabotage, page 60
Daniel was standing with one booted foot resting on the gunwale, his arms crossed over his chest. He definitely had the bearings of a leader. Even Bestie seemed curious about the landing site they’d finally chosen.
“I don’t see any people,” Ruth said, coming back into the cabin. “And there aren’t a lot of places for them to hide in this area. There could be some in that boathouse.”
“It’s small,” John noted. “Looks like it’s mostly for storing equipment. Couldn’t be too many in there.”
There were trees along the shore, including some enormous live oaks, but they were spread out enough that John could see for quite a distance. There were no large groups of people, at least. He pulled up to the dock, and then Ruth went to drop anchor. He tied them to a cleat, then slid their crude gangplank over the port bow.
“We just need to scout the area,” John said to Daniel, “to make sure the location is safe.”
“Yes, of course,” Daniel said. “Why don’t we send out a few people on a reconnaissance mission? No need for everyone to deboard, not until we know what we’re dealing with.”
“Good idea,” John said. “I’ll go. Send three of your people with me. Ruth can stay and watch the boat.”
“I’ll be one of the three people,” Daniel said immediately. “Kate can come with us. You haven’t met her yet.” He turned and made a little hand gesture at the group of people gathered on the aft deck. A young woman stepped forward. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with bright green eyes and a friendly face.
“I would like to go,” Ignacio said, approaching. “I want to do something useful, instead of sitting here dreaming about revenge.”
“Okay, that’ll do,” John said. “Me, Daniel, Kate, and Ignacio, we’ll be the scouting party.”
John could tell by the look on Ruth’s face that she didn’t like the idea of staying behind while he went on shore, but he thought it best to leave her with the boat rather than leave it with islanders that they didn’t know. He didn’t want to explain this in front of her lest he offend the islanders, so he went to Ruth and hugged her.
“Is it okay?” he said, softly in her ear. “Do you mind keeping an eye on the Blue Diamond and our dear Bestie?”
“Yes, it’s probably for the best,” she replied. “Just hurry back. And be very careful out there. You know not to trust any strangers you encounter.”
“I do,” he replied. “Don’t forget, I’m armed.”
He stepped back and patted the bulge of the holster under his shirt at his right hip. Ruth nodded and went to sit near Bestie at the back of the cabin. John gave her his best, most encouraging smile, then he headed toward the gangplank. Daniel, Ignacio, and Kate followed him.
“There’s no reef,” John noted. “No visible wreckage near the surface of the water in the port. The water is safe. We just have to make sure there are no settlements, camps, or looters in the immediate vicinity.”
“Locals would be free to join us,” Daniel noted, “as long as they are hardworking and well behaved.”
“That’s your decision,” John said.
He stepped onto the dock and headed toward the boathouse. Along the way, he saw a large hemp rope still tied to a cleat at the edge of the dock. It looked like it had been cut, as if someone had taken a boat in haste.
“There’s a lot of room to plant crops here,” Ignacio said. “We could make a nice little farm with a big garden.”
“I don’t know if we’re planting crops here,” John replied. “This will serve as a short-term campsite until we figure out where to go long-term.”
John approached the boathouse. It had a pair of doors on the wall facing the dock. When he grabbed the latch for the right door, he half expected to find it locked, but it swung open easily. The interior was dim and looked as if it had been looted of most of its equipment. Shelves were bare. A couple of barrels were tipped on their sides and emptied, and a tarp was balled up in the corner.
“Well, it doesn’t look like anyone has been living here,” John said. “There’s no indication of food, water, or clothing.”
“That bodes well,” Daniel said, leaning through the open door. “We wouldn’t be stepping on anyone’s toes.”
Next, they headed for the nearby line of trees. The area seemed quiet. John made a broad arc through the trees, but he saw no sign of campfires or human habitation.
“We could live here for a while,” Ignacio said. “It would be very comfortable. Better than our quarters on the Mako, for sure.”
“Every family could have three times as much space as we did on the island,” Kate said.
A little farther on, they crested a rise and spotted a small lake in a shallow valley on the other side. It was fed by a creek flowing from the west.
“A good water source nearby,” Daniel said, gazing down at the lake with his hands on his hips. “I do like that very much.” He turned to John. “I think you’ve found us a good, safe place. We won’t do much better than this. More than that, I feel safe. My gut tells me this is the right location.” He turned to Ignacio and Kate. “What do you two think?”
“I like it a lot,” Ignacio added. His mood had visibly changed since they’d begun scouting the area. He’d been in a dark place since the death of his cousin, but he seemed energized now.
“Personally, I’m ready to clear a spot, get a nice fire going, make some dinner, and relax,” he said.
“Okay, I say we head back to shore and get the others,” Daniel said.
John didn’t feel as confident about the location as the islanders did. He was still feeling the effects of his last excursion on the mainland. But, if the islanders felt safe, he decided to trust their judgment.
He gazed across the lake. There was evidence of a small town far in the distance, a few buildings gathered around the intersection of two country roads. Nothing seemed to be moving there, however. Whatever the case, it was quite far. John nodded and turned, heading back the way they’d come. They walked back through the trees, down the grassy slope, and around the boathouse. All the way, they heard not a peep from another human being.
When they got to the boat, they found Ruth and the other islanders waiting anxiously near the gangplank. Even Bestie was standing alert beside Ruth, as if the dog, too, wanted to hear the report from the scouts. John expected Daniel to give the good news, but Daniel motioned for him to speak.
“We scouted the area around the boathouse,” John said. “All the way over the rise and to the valley on the other side. There’s fresh water, and there doesn’t seem to be any other inhabitants in the area.”
“We’ll clear a space and start making camp,” Daniel said. “Let’s go.”
He clapped his hands, and the other islanders began deboarding. They lugged bags, boxes, and backpacks with them as they crossed the gangplank and followed Daniel down the dock. Ignacio went with them, helping Kate carry a large box. John lingered, waiting for Ruth and Bestie. The dog refused to cross the gangplank, so finally Ruth and John had to carry her and set her down on the dock. From there, however, she happily raced to catch up to Ignacio, then padded along beside him. John took that as a good sign. The chocolate lab usually hid at the first hint of danger.
“It’s a lovely area,” Ruth said, taking John’s hand. “But it’s on the mainland and not that far from dangerous places. What’s to stop some roving gang from moving in and trying to take over?”
“We will have to be ready to defend ourselves,” John replied, “but is it any different from the island? The gulf has pirates and cultists roaming about.”
“Long term, I think we’ll need to move farther inland,” Ruth said. “I’m still thinking about my brother’s farm. It’s spacious, plenty of arable land for crops, and farther from danger.”
“You may be right,” John said. “Let’s get everyone settled here, and we’ll figure that out later.”
They caught up to the islanders beyond the boathouse, where Daniel was already directing them to clear a space just along the line of trees. Ignacio and Kate went to work chopping down trees, while two other young men cleared the ground of weeds and wild grass. A few others were digging multiple pits. When John walked up to the pits, Daniel pointed them out.
“That one will be a latrine,” Daniel said. “The other two farther out will be deadfalls. Just in case. We can’t assume wild animals or roaming bandits won’t be a problem.”
John was just about to offer to help, but he felt another tickle in his throat. That led to another wild coughing fit that went on for so long, his vision dimmed. Finally, Ruth helped him sit down on the ground. Bestie even came up and curled up on the ground beside him.
“You need to rest, John,” she said. “You can’t push yourself, not while you’re sick.”
John wiped his eyes and fanned his face with his hat. He realized Daniel was standing over him, giving him a long, probing look. It seemed like the island leader was about to say something, but finally, he shook his head and went to help dig the latrine.
John was troubled not so much by the coughing but by how weak and winded he felt. Yes, he was pushing himself too much. In reality, he needed to be lying in a comfortable bed somewhere, getting plenty of fluids, and maybe watching TV. That wasn’t an option at the moment.
After a while, he zoned out, his gaze fixed off into the distance. Some time had passed before he realized someone was standing in front of him. He looked up into the face of a profusely sweating Ignacio. He had just dragged a fallen log out of the camp, and he was drinking from a water bottle. He lowered the bottle, dabbed his forehead with his sleeve, and said, “Are you okay, John?”
“I’ll be fine, Ignacio,” John replied. Maybe if he said it forcefully enough, he could will it to be true. “I just needed to rest a few minutes, but I feel better now. I’ll get up and help.”
“Are you sure, man?” Ignacio said. “You could help me cut the branches off this tree, if you feel up to it.”
John pushed himself to his feet. He felt another tickle in his chest, but he refused to give in to it. No more wild coughing fits. If he had to cough, he would do it away from the others. His sickness was going to harm morale if he let it. Ruth gave him a concerned look, but he smiled and waved her off.
“A little rest helped,” he said. “I’ll be fine now.”
Tools had been lined up on top of a metal trunk, and John grabbed a small hatchet. Then he joined Ignacio and Kate. Later, when he felt another coughing fit coming on, he walked away from the camp, pretending that he needed to urinate, so he could cough in private. That seemed to work. The islanders got more excited as their camp came together. Unfortunately, John found that he couldn’t do much. It took a lot of effort just to hide how weak and miserable he felt. However, as Ignacio and Kate were lifting beams to begin constructing a crude framework for a house, he was forced once again to excuse himself and walk away.
This time, he went all the way around the boathouse and coughed until he felt better. As he was returning, he found Ruth and Bestie waiting for him at the corner of the house.
“You have to take it easy,” Ruth said. “You are wearing yourself out.”
“People need my help,” he said, fanning himself with his hat. “It’s just a cold. I told you that.”
Ruth came toward him, tears in her eyes, and grabbed his shoulders. “Even the common cold can turn deadly if you keep pushing yourself. John, I can’t bear the thought of losing someone else that I love.”
John felt a twinge of guilt, but it was mingled with a sudden warmth. Had she professed her love for him before? In his sickly state, he couldn’t remember if she’d actually said the words before.
“Okay, I’ll try to take it easy,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is, I can’t just lie down. We have to help these people, and then we have to help our own people. You’re not going to lose me, Ruth.”
He hugged her. He would have kissed her, too, but he didn’t want to pass whatever he had to her. They walked back to the camp. Things were coming together nicely. A simple frame was already standing for a basic building. A long latrine had been dug a short distance away from the camp. Deadfalls had been built and covered on either side of the camp. A large space was cleared, and some islanders were setting up a firepit.
John approached Daniel, who was standing proudly to one side admiring the handiwork of his people.
“It looks like things are coming together here,” John said. “Would you feel safe if I left now and returned to the island?”
“We have weapons,” Daniel said. “We have food and fresh water. Soon, we’ll have shelter and a fire going. Yes, I think it’s safe for you and Ruth to return to the island and guide the others here.”
He extended a hand to John, who accepted and shook it.
“I hope you feel better soon,” Daniel added. “We have some sick people on the island. Everyone worked too hard. It made things worse. Let Ruth do most of the work on the way back, while you rest.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him,” Ruth said.
“I’ll do what I can,” John said. “We’ll return as soon as possible with more of your people.”
Wanting to stave off any further debate or discussion about his health, he turned to leave. As he did, Ignacio approached, Bestie trotting along beside him. Ignacio seemed different. Even sweating and tired from preparing the camp, he seemed enthusiastic, excited. He stooped down to pet the dog as he stood in front of John.
“If you don’t mind, amigo, I think I’ll stay here and help with the camp,” he said. “Bestie can stay with us, too. It’s nice in this place, and there’s a lot of work to be done to get ready for the rest of the people.”
“Are you sure?” John said. “You really seemed like you wanted to help us fight AILS. You wanted to get revenge, you said.”
Ignacio bowed his head for a second and sighed. Then he held up his hands and looked at them with tears in his eyes. He had small hands, strong and callused from a lot of hard work, with ragged nails. “Yeah, I said that. But maybe I’ve changed my mind. Or my heart. I think I’ll fight them by helping these people, rebuilding, making things nice again.” He rubbed his hands on the sides of his pants. “And anyway, the little doggie doesn’t need to be out there fighting a cult. She can stay with us and be safe and happy.”
John nodded. It made sense. In fact, he envied Ignacio. Ruth had overheard the conversation, and she laid a hand on Ignacio’s shoulder.
“Take good care of our Bestie,” she said. “That poor girl has been through enough.”
“I will,” Ignacio said, smiling. “For sure.”
“We’ll be back soon with the others,” John said.
“We’ll have this place looking like paradise by the time you get back,” Ignacio said, “and we’ll put all of the evil behind us for good.”
And with that, John turned and headed back to the boat. Ruth came with him. They climbed back onboard the Blue Diamond and drew in the gangplank. Ruth pulled the anchor, and John unfurled the sails. He could feel fluid in his lungs, and phlegm in his throat. He really wanted to cough again, but he fought it off. It would only make Ruth worry. Once the sails were unfurled, he backed them away from the dock and turned them toward the open sea.
They caught a glimpse of the camp. A tendril of smoke was rising into the sky. John wished them the best and guided the boat back across the port.
“I really hope this place works out,” he said. “For a little while, at least.”
“I think we found the right place,” Ruth said, stepping back into the cabin. “Have a little hope and faith, John. You’ve done a good job. Now, we just have to deal with the enemy.”
12
Ruth saw right through him, but she wasn’t sure how to handle it. John was clearly sick, and getting sicker, but he was trying to downplay it. Sailing back to the island, the weather was nice, and the sea was calm, so Ruth tried to seize the opportunity to help him.
“John, why don’t you rest for a while?” she said. He was standing at the helm, and she was positioned near the cabin door. “We’re making good time. It’s smooth sailing. I can handle things from here.”
John started to respond, but he had to stop and clear his throat. He turned his head and spat onto the port walkway. “I’m not sure I could rest, even if I tried. Anyway, we’re tacking into the wind. Not easy.”
“You should at least try to rest.” She came to him and laid a hand on his back. “John, you’re not going to get better if you keep pushing yourself. We’ll be fine. Just show me what I need to do to keep the boat on course.”
He looked at her, gave her a pained smile, and nodded. “Okay, you’re probably right. I’ve picked up a little bug, I think, but it’s more irritating than anything. I don’t have time for this.”
“That’s why you need to rest and get over it,” she said, gently easing him away from the ship’s wheel. “You can lie down on the bench back there. Come on.”
He allowed her to turn him and guide him toward the back of the cabin. With a sigh, he sat down on the padded bench at the back of the cabin, then lay down on his side. “A little bit of sleep would be nice,” he said. “Look, you can’t sail directly into the wind, so you have to keep the boat in a zig-zag pattern. Can you do that?”
“Zig-zag pattern,” Ruth replied. “I’ll do my best. Rest.”
“Okay. Please wake me up as soon as we come in sight of the island again, would you?”
“Of course,” she replied.
Ruth went back to the wheel. The location of the island was marked on a map, and she had compass bearings to follow. While she lacked the experience of John, she felt fairly confident she could get them back on her own. She tried to do as John had told her, sailing the boat in a broad zig-zag pattern, beating to windward so they kept moving forward. She wasn’t the best at it, by any means, but it felt like they were making slow, steady progress. Within minutes, John was snoring softly from the bench, and that made her feel better.
She let him sleep as she guided the boat back down the coast and then out toward the island. The sun was just coming up when she finally saw the familiar hump of rock at the island’s center rising against the brilliant orange horizon. John awoke with a violent coughing fit that went on so long, he began to retch. Ruth went to his side to try to help somehow, but he waved her away. Finally, he rose, stumbled over to the port walkway, and spat a glob of phlegm into the sea.
