Braving The Storms (Strengthen What Remains Book 3) (18 page)

Chapter Thirty Two

Westmore Farm, Rural Lewis County, Friday, October 16
^th

Caden sat on the front porch two days after the funeral, trying to enjoy the sun of an unusually warm autumn morning. The house had always been so full and active. Now the silence and stillness reminded him of a morgue. His mother sat in the living room and stared from grieving eyes. Caden tried to comfort her, but such gestures felt awkward to him. Maria and Sue did a better job of providing solace. Caden wanted to be of help, both physically around the farm and emotionally for his mother and sister, but he knew his efforts in both areas had been mediocre at best.

Movement caught Caden’s attention. A lone figure walked along Hopps Road. Unusual, but not cause for alarm. He leaned back and tried to relax. His own walks had grown longer with each day and he did additional chores around the farm. He would be well enough to return to the armory on Monday, but wondered if he should. General Harwich phoned Brooks each day inquiring about Caden’s recovery. Each day Brooks put his progress in the worst terms possible, short of an outright lie. This had brought Caden some down time, which he appreciated, but he knew the time had come to phone the general. He tapped out the number.

“Are you near a secure terminal?”

“No, I’m still at home.”

“Are you well enough to go to the armory?”

“I think so.” Caden didn’t want to appear overly ready for work in light of the more negative reports Brooks had provided the general.

“Get to the secure phone this morning and call me.”

“Yes, sir.” He set down his cell, but remained seated on the porch. He felt well enough to go to the armory, just not well enough to hurry.

In a time of pandemic and lawlessness unscheduled visits to the farm made Caden nervous. The walker, a male with auburn hair, turned from Hopps Road onto the long driveway. He didn’t know many people with red hair and none had cause to be coming to see him. His heart pounded. He laid his hand on the holster and gun beside him.

Caden recognized the stress that led to irrational actions and heaved a slow, deep breath. Things were better now. His recovering continued. Hoover had pushed the state crime lab to examine the bullets found at the Wilson and Harper farms. They matched the one that killed his father. He’d never met Bachman, the felon that killed his dad, but the criminal had torn through Caden’s life and those dear to him, like a tornado. That storm had died, but the destruction remained for the living to deal with.

Caden squinted and though he recognized the hiker, now halfway up the driveway. He stood and leaned on the rail for a better view and relaxed. It was Zach. Feeling his legs wobble, Caden sat and waited.

* * *

Hansen Armory, Friday, October 16
^th

Brooks had worked to provide time for Caden to recover over the last few days. He told his boss only the most pressing news and kept General Harwich at bay with slanted medical updates.

The general clearly didn’t want to talk with Brooks about the mission Caden would lead, so he had only learned that the command officers were eager for him to recover.

While Brooks gained little information regarding Caden’s mission, news from the various fronts dominated television, radio, and military message traffic.

Kern flu had slowed the civil war in the American heartland to a series of skirmishes. In Hawaii the war waged hot. The Kern flu ravaged the Chinese population, but they had a vastly larger pool available for the war effort. So, after days of conflict the Chinese controlled most of Hawaii. Only scattered American resistance continued. Half of the American Pacific fleet had been destroyed before retreating to safer waters.

News commentators called for a quick return to liberate Hawaii. That combined with the ongoing civil war and the destruction of the Pacific fleet led military planners to decide on defeating Durant, before taking on the Chinese. Reporters seemed to think the next major push against New America forces would occur in the spring. Brooks heard rumors that something would happen sooner and wondered if Caden would be a part of that.

* * *

Westmore Farm, Rural Lewis County, Friday, October 16
^th

Caden stood again as Zach approached. “Hi. It’s good to see you.” They exchanged pleasantries, shook hands, and Caden motioned for him to sit beside him on the porch. “Why did you walk all the way out here?”

Zach sat beside him. “Actually I walked out to the Armory first thing this morning. I thought you’d be there, but Lieutenant Brooks said you hadn’t returned to work.”

“I’ll be back on Monday.”

“I didn’t want to say anything at the funeral, but … well I got this on Tuesday and I’ve been wondering what I could do.” Zach handed an envelope to Caden. “I’m not a coward, but I don’t want to fight and kill anymore.”

Caden knew the contents before he opened the letter. “No sane person wants war, but sometimes evil people bring the fight to us.” He read the document. “You could apply as a conscientious objector but, considering your combat record, I doubt the board would accept that.” He sighed, wanting to say something hopeful and encouraging. “You might be able to serve as a medic, but you’d need to be in before that was determined. I could help you get a deferment, but that would only be a delay.” He locked eyes with Zach. “You’re young, healthy and have military experience. Sometime, somewhere, you’re going to be in the fight.”

* * *

“I won’t be long but I have to do this.” Caden picked up the keys from the bedside table.

Maria crossed her arms. “You’re not well enough and you know it.”

He frowned. “I’m well enough to talk on the phone. The general needs to tell me something classified. I have to use the secure phone at the armory. I won’t even be in uniform.”

“Oh?” Maria huffed. “That makes all the difference. I’ll drive.”

“I can drive.”

She gave him ‘the look’ and held out her hand for the keys.

He groaned and dropped them into her hand. “Okay, you drive.”

Silence reigned during the trip until Maria pulled into Caden’s parking space at the armory.

He opened the passenger door. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

She nodded. “Should I wait here or do you need help with the stairs?”

Upstairs. The KY-68 secure phone they had received during Operation Hellhound, sat in a locked cabinet in the conference room, on the second floor. He didn’t have the energy to be climbing steps, but male pride forced him to say, “No. I’ll take them slow. It should be easy.”

Minutes later Caden stood just inside the stairwell on the second floor breathing deeply and wiping sweat from his forehead. When he felt composed, he continued on to the office.

Brooks and two enlisted soldiers came to attention and saluted as Caden entered.

“At ease. I need to make a secure call to General Harwich.”

“Should I be with you?” Brooks asked.

“No.” Caden continued across the office toward the conference room. “I think the general wants to talk with me alone.”

Brooks nodded.

Caden walked into the room and shut the door behind him. He sat at the large table and caught his breath before dialing the general’s secure number.

An unrecognized voice came through the phone first. “Washington Military Command Center.”

“This is Major Westmore. General Harwich is expecting my call.”

It took less than a minute for the general to come on the line. “I’m glad you made it to the armory so I can share additional details about the operation. The first part of the mission will be recon along a certain portion of the Mississippi. Most of your men will remain in areas we control, providing backup and assisting as needed. When you’ve found a good location, you and a few of your men will infiltrate territory controlled by Durant’s New America forces and retrieve an important package.”

Caden shook his head. Considering he remained weak and Maria was still upset that he left the house, he wanted more details for his effort. “Is there anymore you can tell me, sir?”

“No, not now. NSA developed the KY-68 we’re using and they remain under Durant’s control. I’m reluctant to go beyond secret in this briefing.”

“Many soldiers could lead an op like this. Why am I so critical to this mission, sir?”

“The answers will have to wait until you’re healthy enough for us to meet in a SCIF. Then, I’ll answer some of your questions.”

The secrecy surrounding the mission, that General Harwich would be briefing him, and that it would be conducted in a room designed to prevent any form of eavesdropping, piqued his interest. “Yes, sir. I’ll update you on Monday.”

“Can you be ready by then?” General Harwich growled.

“Yes, sir.” He stood and his legs wobbled beneath him. “I’ll be ready.”

* * *

Hollister Hotel, Saturday, October 17
^th

Zach needed to rest at the end of a long day. Vicki had been the first to mention how hard DeLynn’s father had been working. All he did was labor on the hotel since his wife died. How could he work so long? Zach had left him last night at eleven and returned before eight to find him already covered in sawdust. Mr. Hollister took most of his meals while working and rarely talked to anyone. He didn’t seem angry, just brooding.

He entered the elevator and reached for the penthouse button, then changed his mind and pushed the number five. Exiting, Zach walked toward carved double doors. He had noticed the extended patio on the roof of the fifth floor when working in one of the nearby hotel rooms. A quick search revealed the entrance. Wrought iron railings and tiled floor told him this had once been used for gatherings or parties.

The rusty hinges protested as he pushed the door open and stepped outside.

Pleased he could be alone there, he breathed deep the crisp autumn air. Many places in the mostly empty hotel provided privacy, but he preferred to be outside. Looking about, he imagined the deck with tables, chairs and happy people.

Somewhere nearby an engine backfired.

The party image dissolved into worry. He would soon be training for war. With a sigh of resignation he leaned against the railing and recalled the first combat he’d experienced. Everyone called it the Battle of Hansen, and thought he fought in it. He had been there, but had cowered behind a tree.

He had killed people while rescuing DeLynn at the ranger cabin, in the riot on East Bridge, and just days ago during Operation Hellhound. All those faces still haunted his dreams. He didn’t think he was a coward, but he didn’t feel particularly brave either.

The door creaked behind him.

Zach glanced over his shoulder.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Vicki walked to the railing and leaned beside him. “Nice view.”

He nodded. “Why are you here, Sis?”

“You’re going to have to tell DeLynn about the draft notice.”

He certainly didn’t want to go to war, but more than anything else he feared DeLynn’s reaction to his departure. She had lost her home, her mother, and perhaps she was losing her father. Would he lose her when he had to leave?

Vicki placed her hand on his shoulder. “She deserves to hear it from you.”

“I know.”

Chapter Thirty Three

Hollister Hotel, Sunday, October 18
^th

Zach looked into the sky and thanked God for a mild, cloudless day. Earlier he had found old Christmas lights, a metal table, two chairs, and a few plastic plants to adorn the fifth floor patio. He wound the lights along the railing and in the plants. Then he took a bedsheet, and with Vicki’s assistance folded it for a table cloth.

With his sister’s help, he prepared a meal of chicken, potatoes and corn. It wasn’t fancy, but it would have to do. Finally, he added the cutlery and hurried to the penthouses.

Zach entered the elevator with DeLynn in tow and pressed five on the control panel.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“You’ve never been on the fifth floor?”

“No. None of the rooms have been renovated. What’s there?”

The elevator dinged, stopped, and the doors slid open. “You’ll see.” Zach led her down the hall and held opened the wooden door. When she walked onto the patio, he followed her.

“Wow!” She put her hands to her face. “What’s this for?”

“You!” He clasped her hand and continued on to the table. “We haven’t had a regular date this year.”

“Well … these last few months have been….” She shook her head.

Zach smiled and pulled out her chair.

Her eyes were on the table as she sat. “You didn’t cook this, did you?”

“Don’t worry the food is safe. Vicki cooked most of it.”

She giggled. “I’m sure she did a great job.”

Zach worked to keep the chat on light topics as they ate, but war, plague, and chaos had replaced the weather as common subjects of conversation. “When do you think school will reopen?”

DeLynn swallowed a bite of chicken. “Maybe in the spring. That’s the rumor going around.”

Conversation ebbed and flowed until they finished the meal. DeLynn smiled and held out her hand. “You look like you have something serious to say.”

He clasped her soft hand. “Yeah, I’ve got something I really need to tell you.”

She smiled, but said nothing.

“There’s no easy way to put this so, I’m just going to say it.”

He felt her tense.

“I’ve been drafted.”

She gasped and her eyes shot wide. “Into the military?”

He nodded.

She yanked her hand back. “Tell them no.”

“They’re not asking.” He frowned. “I can’t say no.”

She shook her head. “But you’ve been in the military. You fought.”

“I wasn’t in the Guard or army, I just helped out.”

“But … but you quit.”

“I could quit because I wasn’t really in the military. Now they’ve drafted me and I’ll actually be in the army.”

“You sound like that’s what you want.” Her voice went from incredulous to angry.

“It isn’t, but I’ve talked to people.” He reached out to hug her. “This is something we need to accept.”

“No!” She shoved away from the table. “No! It’s not. You can’t do this.” Tears and sobs burst from her and she ran back inside.

* * *

Westmore Farm, Rural Lewis County, Sunday, October 18
^th

As Caden lumbered down the stairs on Sunday morning a strange mixture of feelings occupied his mind. It would be days before his stamina returned and he felt reluctant to encourage General Harwich with reports of his growing health. At the same time his curiosity about the mission made him eager to call. He reached the bottom step and stood there for a moment. All he knew for sure was that he would be at the armory on Monday morning.

Multiple voices and the smells of breakfast wafted from the kitchen into the vacant living room. His stomach grumbled as he followed the aroma.

Pushing the door open, the smell of bacon tickled his nose. Maria stood with her back to him at the stove. Sue sat at the table slicing and buttering bread. His mother sat beside her with an open Bible. Adam pounded on the tray of his highchair. Little Peter somehow slept nearby in the playpen. Curled up under the table, Nikki lifted her head as Caden entered.

An echo of greetings filled the air.

Caden walked over to Maria and kissed her on the cheek. “Nice perfume. It smells like breakfast.”

She smiled. “Well, you’re feeling better.”

“Hungry, that’s what I’m feeling.” His gaze dropped to the dozen strips of bacon sizzling in a pan. “Where did we get that?”

“I traded eggs, milk, and butter for bacon and chops. I wanted a couple of live pigs, but the farmer wouldn’t go for that.” She shrugged. “At least we’ll have some variety for a while.”

He admired her ability to figure out such trades at a time when so many were going hungry.

She flipped a couple of eggs over. “Sit down. Breakfast will be ready in a minute.”

Sue and Maria filled plates with food and slid them in front of everyone at the table.

“Will you go into the armory tomorrow?” Maria asked as she fed Adam.

Caden already had egg in his mouth, but swallowed quickly. “I think I should.”

“Will you meet with the general?” Maria sat across from him.

He didn’t want to lie, but he suspected General Harwich would ask him to travel to Olympia for a meeting soon. He also knew that would upset her. Stillness came over the room. Even Adam stopped whacking things and now stared at him.

“Ah, I will need to call him, but we don’t have a meeting planned.”

That seemed to placate Maria and she continued with breakfast. When they were nearly done the phone rang.

Since the only phone for the house hung on the wall near her, his mother answered it.

“Hello. Yes. Is everything okay?” Her face paled and her shoulders slumped. “Oh, no. I was praying so hard for him. Sure, I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up the phone and for a moment stared out the window. Then in a soft voice said, “Pastor Higgins died last night. They were going to try and get services started when he recovered, but now … well, Ken, the youth pastor may be recovering, but they don’t know for sure yet.”

This had become such a year of death: his father just days ago, many soldiers at the armory, friends like Dr. Scott and now the pastor of the church. Caden knew him, but not that well. However, looking at his mother, he saw the impact on her. This year her son, Peter, had died, then her husband, and now an old friend and spiritual counselor. He feared for both the mental and physical health of his mother.

He glanced at Sue. She still grieved for her husband. Maria had lost her entire family. Caden rubbed his forehead. He had lost a father and brother this year. Those around him were survivors, but death lurked nearby.

Caden sat in the living room after breakfast.

Nikki curled up by the fire.

Minutes later Maria sat close to him on the couch and held his hand. “I’d been talking with Pastor Higgins about our wedding.” She sighed. “Will we ever be married?”

He pulled her closer. “I asked you to marry me once and you said yes. I admit the world seems to be fighting against us, and I guess I’ve procrastinated some—”

She shook her head. “Remember, I said no to getting married earlier this year.”

“You didn’t want to marry me in order to survive.” He nodded. “Yeah I remember that. Well, do you
still
want to marry me?”

She held up her hand with the engagement ring still on it. “Yes.”

He kissed her and in that moment forgot all else. “Okay then let’s not worry about the right date, the setting or anything else. As soon as we can get a pastor, or even a judge to do the ceremony, we should go ahead.”

She smiled. “I like that idea.”

* * *

Westmore Farm, Rural Lewis County, Monday, October 19
^th

“I won’t be doing anything stressful today.” Caden pulled the key from his pocket as he neared the old pickup.

Maria frowned. “You haven’t fully recovered; remember the general wants you to do that secret something.”

Caden hadn’t forgotten, he just wished Maria would. “I’m sure we will only be talking about it today. I still have a lot of work for whatever this turns out to be.”

They kissed before he climbed in the truck and started the engine. His thoughts were a jumble of Maria and the mission as he drove to the armory. Both were compelling and enticing in their own way, and both demanded his attention. He felt like a juggler attempting to keep two objects in the air at the same time. Not a difficult task for a real juggler, but he had never found it easy.

He entered the main building of the armory and took the stairs one step at a time. It pleased him that he didn’t need to catch his breath on the landing. Certainly an improvement over Friday, but his heart thumped in his chest, and he felt the stress in his legs. Still he pushed on to the office and the conference room where he picked up the secure phone’s receiver and dialed.

The general answered and Caden said, “When and where shall we meet, sir?”

“As soon as you can get here.”

Caden had expected the general to say, “Meet me tomorrow morning,” or perhaps to meet in the afternoon. “Ah … yes, sir. I’ll be there in an hour.” As he hung up the phone he winced, Maria would not be pleased. Exiting the conference room he spotted Brooks. “I’m going to meet General Harwich.”

“When?”

“As soon as you get me a car and driver.”

Brooks raised an eyebrow, and then called the motor pool.

The jumble of responsibilities continued to fester in Caden’s mind as he traveled to Olympia. He was a military officer during a time of war. He had duties. Like any military wife, Maria needed to understand that. He rubbed his chin. Wait a minute, she wasn’t a military wife; she wasn’t even a wife. He sat in frustrated silence as that thought rolled around in his head. He needed to make a commitment to Maria before placing expectations on her. “Okay, I’ll do it,” he mumbled.

“What’s that sir?” the driver asked.

“Nothing.” Caden spotted the off ramp to the capital plaza. “Pull off at the next exit and park at the Wainwright building.”

Caden took the long stone steps one at a time. As he entered a soldier saluted. “Who are you here to see, sir?”

“General Harwich.”

“May I see your ID?”

Caden pulled it out and waited as the soldier checked his list. Two guards, in full combat gear, stood watch behind him. The nurse’s station of partitions and plastic sheets remained off to the right. He wondered if he would be going through that once again.

The soldier in front of Caden dialed a phone and said, “Major Westmore is here to see you sir. No, sir, he can come straight up. Yes, sir. Right away.”

Caden glanced to his right. Apparently he would not be getting his temperature taken.

Another soldier trotted across the lobby. “If you’ll follow me sir, General Harwich is waiting.” The soldier led him to the elevator and up to the third floor. Caden knew his destination before he arrived, room 315, the SCIF conference room.

The soldier tapped the combination on the keypad. “The general is already inside.”

General Harwich sat at a table in the center of the room. A single chair stood vacant across from him.

Caden saluted. “Reporting as ordered, sir.”

“Yes, come in. Sit down.”

A moment later as Caden looked across the table at the general, he said, “All this secrecy is intriguing, but I hope you can clear up a few things.”

The general leaned back in his chair. “I’ll be as honest as possible without jeopardizing the mission. There is a package that could change the course of the war with Durant, but the courier will deliver it only to you.”

“What’s the package? Why only me?”

“The contents are too sensitive for me to say what it is. If you are captured during the mission many lives would be at stake.” He leaned back and sighed. “To answer your second question I would have to reveal the identity of the courier, and that is almost as sensitive as your first question.”

“How will I know the courier if—.”

“More answers will be provided once the operation is underway and you will understand more as it moves forward. Have you gathered your team?”

“My XO assembled a rifle platoon.”

The general pursed his lips. “I’d like you to have more support. I’ll have another platoon waiting for you when you arrive.”

“How long do you expect us to be deployed?”

“This mission will need to wrap up quickly, a week perhaps.” The general shook his head. “But with the current situation, who knows what will happen after that.”

Caden felt relieved that the mission wouldn’t take long, but felt he should be honest about his health. “I’m getting stronger daily, sir, but I’m still not one hundred-percent.”

“I suspected that would be the case, but we’ve lost time due to your illness, so we need to move rapidly.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

“I need you and your team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord tomorrow at 0800.”