Regan Wolfrom - After The Fires Went Out - Coyote

“I’m not sure I can make that promise.”

“So wait,” I said. “So you’re actually telling us that you’re going to send your kids back to steal some more?”

“We need those supplies,” Gerald said.

“Then get ‘em from the Walkers, Gerald. Or from your new best friend Ryan Stems.” I shook my head at him. “We’re going to be adding even more security over the next few days. You should tell your people that it won’t be safe to sneak up on us anymore.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It can only mean one thing,” Sara said. “We are going to protect ourselves. Obviously no one wants things to get out of hand.”

“I don’t do well with threats,” Gerald said. “And neither does Ryan Stems.”

“Let’s make this simple,” I said. “If anyone approaches McCartney Lake from anywhere other than the main road, they are putting themselves in harm’s way.”

“It’s not a threat,” Sara said. “It’s just the way it’s going to have to be from now on.”

“We are stronger than you,” Gerald said. “The Mushkegowuk Nation is sovereign and it is powerful. We want peace, but we won’t let our people starve while you hoard supplies.”

“Hoard?” I said. “Are you kidding me? We need those supplies to live.”

“So do we.”

“No you don’t…I’m sure Ryan Stems and your precious Nation have tons of supplies in some warehouse in Kapuskasing. If they aren’t cutting you in on that…well, then you’re a sucker.”

Gerald sighed. “I guess there isn’t anything more to talk about.”

“I guess not.”

Gerald turned and started to make his way back to his pickup truck.

Sara looked at me and frowned. “That didn’t go well,” she said.

“I don’t see how it could have gone any better. At least we know where we stand.”

“Yeah…around six feet underground.”

I heard footsteps behind us. I swung around to see Justin. He was dressed in a riot suit, vest and helmet and holding his hunting rifle.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked him.

Justin ignored me, pushing right by. “Hey! Asshole!” he yelled out.

Gerald turned to look.

“Yeah…I’m talking to you,” Justin said. He pointed the rifle and fired.

Gerald starting running towards his truck.

“Dammit, Justin!” I yelled. “Put the rifle down!”

He fired again.

Gerald fell into the snow.

I ran towards Justin, hoping to tackle him.

“Back off, Baptiste,” he said. “I’m going to teach these shits a lesson.”

“Then you’d better shoot me,” I said.

He pointed the gun at me.

I didn’t slow down. I went for his knees, bringing him down to the snow and gravel. The rifle flew out in front.

Sara walked over to it but she didn’t touch it.

“What the hell?” I said to him. “Are you a fucking lunatic?”

“Maybe,” he said. “Did I get that fucker?”

I couldn’t help myself. I punched him right in the mouth.

I heard the sound of boots; a number of people rushing towards us. Before I could look, my face was in the dirt.

They wrenched my arms behind me and I could feel the plasticuffs tightening around my wrists.

I watched from the mud as they did the same to Justin.

“Fuck, Baptiste,” Justin said. “Who’s side are you on?”

“Baptiste’s the one who stopped him,” Sara said. “This isn’t right.”

Two of the men from New Post grabbed Sara roughly and bound her wrists as well.

“Start shooting, dammit!” Justin screamed. “Shoot these assholes!”

“No one listens to you,” I said. “Just shut up.”

I looked over at Gerald; two of his men were helping him up. One was applying pressure to his shoulder. The other was scanning the trees as he lifted one of Gerald’s arms.

Lisa didn’t show herself.

I saw Sky walking up to me, his rifle drawn.

“I don’t know what just happened,” Sky said. “But it was a huge mistake.” He reached down and picked up Justin’s rifle.

“So that’s it,” I said. “You’ll take us up the road and put bullets in our heads.”

“We’re not the ones who started shooting.”

“It wasn’t me, either.” I nodded my head at Justin. “That idiot doesn’t speak for the rest of us.”

“He’s wearing your equipment, isn’t he?” Sky said. “We’re taking all three of you back with us. The council will conduct an investigation, and they’ll decide what actions need to be taken. You’ll have due process.”

“You have no right to take us,” Sara said. “This is kidnapping.”

They shoved me into the first truck box, and Justin into the second. He and I both got two men by our side. Sky handed Justin’s rifle to one of the men beside me, and the one on his shoulder to the men watching Justin. He then loaded Sara into the second truck, while Gerald was helped into the passenger seat of the first by one of this other men.

And that’s when Lisa started shooting.

Two shots rang out, and then I heard Gerald’s man start the engine. Two more shots and he reversed too quickly, slamming into the front of the truck behind him. Two final shots made him ditch the truck completely, running towards the other one and climbing into the box.

Gerald opened the passenger door, but I could tell he wouldn’t make it on his own.

I wondered if Lisa was going to take him out. I wasn’t about to tell her not to.

The two guards who were with me jumped out, leaving me in the box. They grabbed Gerald and pulled him into the box of the second truck as Sky started it up and slammed into reverse.

Lisa came running by, with Graham not far behind, both with helmets on.

“Don’t shoot,” I called out to her. “Sara’s in there. It’s too risky.”

“ Takay, ” she said. “They’re too far out. Let’s go.”

She and Graham helped me out of the box and into the cab of Gerald’s truck. As Lisa drove, Graham cut my cuffs with his pocket knife.

I wondered if any of her shots had done enough damage to the engine block that we’d be left stranded halfway to New Post.

“I didn’t see many weapons,” I said.

Graham pointed behind us at a couple of rifles mounted on a gun rack at the back of the cab.

“So a gun each, maybe?” I said.

“More than we have,” Lisa said. “But since we’ve got the body armour, we can take them. As long as we catch them before they get to their gate.” With that, she sped up some more, even though I already couldn’t believe how fast she was driving.

Sky didn’t seem willing to go as quickly as Lisa; we were gaining on them quickly.

“We’ll catch up to them,” Lisa said. “I can run these assholes right into a snowbank.”

“Don’t forget about Sara,” I said.

I could see Sky slowing down as they reached New Post Road. As the truck turned the corner, I saw someone get thrown from the side of the box.

“Shit,” I said.

“What?” Lisa asked.

“They just threw Justin out of the truck.” I took a breath. “We’ll have to come back for him.”

“We’ve got to check him over.”

“Sara’s more important.”

“Sara’s okay right now…I’m not sure Justin is.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck about Justin Porter.”

“Well, his kids do.”

I knew she was right. “Dammit.”

She stopped at the corner and Graham and I hopped out. Justin was lying in the snow. He was unconscious, but I could see his breath in the cold air.

I wanted him to stop breathing.

“We’ll have to get him back home,” I said. “God-fucking-dammit.”

I turned to look at the truck that was speeding away. It was already past Brower Road, almost at the front gate of New Post. They had Sara now, and I didn’t know how we were going to get her back.