John O'Brien - Conspiracy

Greg nods, expecting Kyle to turn and go with the captives. The other soldier with them begins leading the prisoners out. They stagger with weakness but, holding onto each other, they walk slowly into the darkness. Kyle remains.

“What?” Greg asks, whispering.

“Sir, Diane mentioned six. With the one we rescued last night, there should be five and there’s only four,” Kyle says, nodding in the direction of the departing ex-captives.

Greg gets what he is saying. His sister mentioned that they periodically take a prisoner and haul them in front of the group to beat them. Greg has a sinking feeling and feels like throwing up. There’s nothing they can do, though. If they engage, they will get chewed up. Tossing a grenade in this enclosure to even things up will hit the team as hard as the others.

“Was your brother in those we have?” Greg asks.

Kyle nods his affirmative.

“As much as I hate to say this, we’re just going to have to call this a win and get out of here,” Greg says.

Accepting what Greg says, Kyle turns and heads toward the cavern exit. Greg stops to pick up an open padlock lying on the ground and then follows on Kyle’s heels.

Greg trudges down the narrow cave with a heavy heart. With his decision, he has possibly condemned someone to be beaten and tied to the crosses. This is where the tough decisions come and he has to draw a line between team safety and saving others. He wracks his mind as to how he can save that person — if there even is someone. Taking the group one-on-one is absolutely out of the question. He could wait until the one was tied and rescue them, but it won’t be long until this group finds their dead and missing members. They’ll be alerted.

Even with the Stryker, their chances would be risky. It’s apparent that these people have raided armories at Fort Carson and they may have anti-armor weapons at their disposal. He can’t hazard that. If he had C-4, he could attach it and bring the ceiling crashing down on them, trapping them inside. His decision is not only condemning that one person to die, he’s allowing this hatred and evil to continue. The weight is enough to drown him, but there’s nothing he can do. He’s saved five people and, providing they get out without trouble, his team will live to fight another day.

He knows this decision will stay with him forever, but he will mark this place and talk with Jack when he sees him. On this leg of their trip, Greg has encountered some of the highest examples of humankind in this new world — the people of Lamar and the peace they have there. From the evil he is now walking away from, he’s also come across the lowest forms of humanity.

He and Kyle catch up to the prisoners and they make their way quickly to the guards they posted at the entrance. Through gaps in the door, Greg sees two bodies lying in the tunnel just beyond the other side of the steel door.

“What happened here?” Greg asks, gesturing.

“They wanted us to unlock the door… and we didn’t want to. There was a disagreement… they lost… sir.”

Greg nods, his mood lightened a little, and they make their way through the other steel door. Greg reaches through once they close it behind them and padlocks it. He then slips the large key ring into his pocket.

At the edge of the drop, each team member takes one of the newly freed hostages. Hugging them against the wall, their bodies shielding them from falling, and helping them place their feet, they manage to get the weakened people down.

Greg climbs the rope with two other teammates. The climb is arduous but, with the help of the knots, they make it. Kyle remains below with another teammate. Using the other ropes they brought, they fashion Swiss seats on the four ex-captives. They tie a carabiner at the end of the rope dangling from the hole high above and attach it to the first person. With the job finished, Kyle sends the other soldier up the rope and stays behind.

“Hold onto the rope to steady yourself and don’t let go,” Kyle tells the people. “You probably won’t fall if you do, but being upside down sucks big time. If you do let go, spread your legs and try to orient yourself back upright.”

With two keeping watch, Greg and another soldier begin hauling the first of the former captives up. The knots help but their backs and arms strain with the effort. Eventually a head pokes through the sinkhole. With the soldier holding the rope steady, Greg grabs their shoulders and hoists them up. He sends them a short way down the path and tells them to wait there. The four on top alternate in teams of two with each person and, although it takes some time, they get everyone up.

As they drag the last person out of the hole, Greg hears a commotion from the other side of the building — shouting coming from the parking lot. He hustles the person down the path and drops the rope to Kyle. Time has run out. They’ve been discovered. Greg can only hope that the locked main entrance door and the bodies on the other side will suggest that they escaped in that direction, just as long as they don’t come around the back. Car doors slam and engines start. Soon, the sound of vehicles fades as they drive down the road leading to the establishment.

Kyle emerges and they haul up the rope. Greg wants to keep the route a secret in case they decide to visit again. He has to walk away now, but people like this don’t deserve to live. There’s no place on this earth for the likes of them. The nine of them descend the switchbacks and enter the deep valley. The sun has passed through its zenith and lowered into afternoon.

They travel slowly, due to the weakened state of the ones rescued. They also don’t want their movement to draw any undue attention. Water has provided the four with a little refreshment and their staggering walk steadies some but they aren’t up for wind sprints as yet. Greg knows they need to make cautious haste out of the area. He hasn’t heard any fat lady singing, and she won’t until they see this city far in their rearview.

It’s a trial getting everyone up the steep ravine that leads to the Stryker. The team has to help the others over every boulder and push them up the steep inclines. It’s apparent the ex-prisoners are near the end of their strength. The knowledge that they’ve been freed gives them the power to push on even though they feel like lying down and resting under the peaceful sun.

Panting and sweating, they crest the top. The team pauses with their hands on their knees and the others collapse in the dirt, not caring if they die where they fall. At least they will die free.

Greg gets the team in motion again and cajoles the others with the promise that safety lays just a few more steps away. The powder kicked up from their boots seems drier and dustier than before. They are all exhausted — the post-adrenaline let down. The Stryker is parked in the shadow of a sheltering bluff, almost hidden. They scramble aboard and cram into every available space. The boy they rescued the night before is awake and smiles at the soldiers entering. Diane gives a croaking cry and throws her arms around one of the four they brought. The ex-prisoners are given water and fall asleep almost immediately.

Greg turns to Kyle. “Do your magic. Get us out of here. There are numerous vehicles out and about looking for us. Make sure we stay out of sight and keep us heading south.”

Kyle takes over the commander’s position and guides the driver through a myriad of paths. The going is maddeningly slow due to the need to keep their dust trail down. Greg turns to the ones they rescued. Diane is holding a young man in her lap as he sleeps. This is obviously her and Kyle’s brother judging from the tears rolling down her cheeks. Even as they sleep, the others are being ministered to by the soldiers. The freed prisoners are all gaunt with malnourishment and look battered and bruised. However, it seems likely that they’ll survive their ordeal.