Apocalypse in the Homeland: The Adventures of John Harris Read Free Page A

town.
    “We need to talk with some of the local people and see what is going on. The bad guys don’t appear to be as bad as what we’ve run into before. It’s hard to see if they are forcing these people to work or are just protecting them from invaders. Joe, after dark sneak down to one of the houses and see if you can listen in on any conversations. Imelda and I will try to find the guard’s barracks and see what they are talking about.”
    They watched the guards come and go until sunset and noticed that they were all coming and going from a hotel west of the airport. They left the airport and infiltrated the city without being detected.
     
    ***
     
    Joe tried several houses before he found one where he could hear the residents talking.
    “We need the weather to break before we try to get away from here. Damn it, Jackie, you know that we’d be dead in less than a couple of days if we get caught out in the open.”
    “Hon, we can’t keep Betty hidden forever. One of our neighbors might turn us in just to get more food. I couldn’t bear her being treated like the rest of the women.”
    “I know, dear, but hang on for a week or two and we’ll try to head up towards Powell or Garland.”
     
    ***
     
    Imelda placed her hand over John’s mouth and pointed at the door, which was opening slowly. They saw a young girl slipping out and gently closing the door. She walked past them heading across the street when the door burst open and a large man ran after her. She tried to outrun him, but lost the race. He grabbed her by the collar and slapped her twice.
    “Bitch, you know better than to try to run away from me. I take good care of you. You are warm and well fed and only have to take care of me. You are going to get a beating and the next time I’ll break your leg so you can’t run. Now get in the fucking house and fix my supper. I’ll be there in a minute."
    Just as John was getting in position to cut the man’s throat, three men walked up and two of them grabbed the big man and threw him to the ground.
    “Zeke, you've been warned about beating your wife and spent a week in the cooler. This is against our laws and beliefs; you are going to jail until we have a trial. I can tell you now that you will be run out of town and if you come back, you will be shot on sight. Boys, take him to the jail.”
    “But Joel, I just drank a bit too much. I promise that I'll stop and be good.”
    “Too late! You're lucky we don’t take you out in the mountains and shoot you.”
     
    John and Imelda found Joe back at the hanger and immediately began comparing notes.
    “I heard the family discussing they had to escape to avoid their daughter being treated like the other women. I assumed the girl was to be a sex slave for the bad guys.”
    “We saw a guy beat his wife and three men arrested him and put him in jail. The leader told him that he was lucky to be alive. We need to listen more before we start shooting.”
    They watched the entire next day and noticed that the town was orderly and many of the town folk waved and smiled at the guards. There was no evidence of any abuse or gang activity. They went back to the hanger after dark and regrouped.
    “Joe, I want you to make contact with the father of that girl and find out what they are afraid of. I am going to try to find someone to question and see what is going on here. Imelda, be ready to come out shooting if one of us gets in trouble.”
     
    Joe went back to the house he'd had under surveillance and waited for the father to come outside. He caught the man from behind and dragged him behind the garage with a gun to his head.
    He asked the guy, “Why are you afraid of the guards and why are you hiding your daughter? Tell me now and I’ll let you go.”
    The man was scared to death, but responded, “They want to make her take a job. We’ve been on disability and welfare all of our lives and there is no need to start working now. They have plenty of food in those