Scars Of Defiance (13 page)

“Are you going to kiss her again?”

“Probably, if it feels right.”

“What does that mean?”

“You know, if I sense she wants me to, then I will.”

“I hate you, you know that?” Greg smiled a particularly evil
grin at Paul.

Exhausted and sweating from exertion, Paul stood in the
shower once again. He had a smile on his face that probably shouldn’t be there,
but it wouldn’t go away. He scrubbed his face violently to try to rub it off,
but it was no use. Paul was simply happy and possibly in love.

Once he’d finished with his shower and had dressed again, he
entered his room. Sierra was lying on her back on the bed with a smile on her
face too.

“You look refreshed,” she said.

“I don’t feel it. Every muscle in my body hurts. What didn’t
hurt from digging hurts now from chopping wood, but not to worry. I’ll live.”

“Your Grandma Martha is something else. She was full of
questions about Rendier and Reginald Rawlings.”

“What sort of information was she after?”

“She wanted to know where my father’s grave is. I think she
plans on investigating his death. If she can prove he was murdered, it would
look bad for Reginald Rawlings.”

“That’s actually a good idea. Maybe it would be enough to
cause an overthrow of power,” Paul agreed.

“I’m glad you finished the tunnel today. Now we won’t feel
so trapped.”

In the kitchen, Martha, Elsie, and Zachary sat at the table
with Sam.

“Reginald’s presence is increasing,” Zachary said.

Sam added, “Peter from Sophie’s said a large truckload of
soldiers arrived tonight. If you ask me, a raid is going down soon.”

“I agree,” Martha said.

Elsie nodded.

“Make sure each crosser wears their shoes tonight,” Zachary said,
“and have their belongings close by for an easy, organized escape.”

“Zachary,” Elsie said worriedly, “we’ve never evacuated
seven before. In fact, there isn’t enough room in the escape car for all seven
plus a driver. I’m sure you’ve already thought about that.”

“I’ve arranged for two vehicles already. Paul and Sara will
take one car, and Sam will take the other with his six crossers.”

“What about Paul?” Sam asked. “He doesn’t know what to do or
who to avoid. Plus, he’s gone and fallen for his crosser.”

“That’s an easy thing to do. Wouldn’t you agree, Sam?” Elsie
said.

“His mind isn’t clear. It’s muddled with feelings. He’ll
botch this up,” Sam said.

Zachary jumped in. “All the more reason to keep Sara
separate from the others. Should Paul mess up, they’ll capture her. I don’t
believe Paul is in any danger because he’s so young. He wouldn’t be viewed as a
threat to anyone and would be left alone.”

“I think Paul and Sara should sleep in the crawlspace
tonight,” Elsie stated. “The bedroom is so close to the front door. It’s not
like the crosser room downstairs. Paul’s bedroom will be one of the first rooms
to be searched. If they stay in the crawlspace tonight, they’ll already be down
below in the morning if a raid happens.”

Zachary nodded to Elsie. “Go have them move down, but take
extra blankets. It will be considerably colder down there than his bedroom.”

“Not to worry,” Sam said wryly. “I’m sure he’ll love the
opportunity to keep her warm.”

“Sam, keep your crossers in the room tonight. If the raid
happens in the morning, then evacuate. We shouldn’t lose sleep over a raid that
may not happen.”

“But it will happen, won’t it?” Sam voiced the thought on
everyone’s mind.

“Probably so.” Zachary’s tone said it all. Undoubtedly,
their lives were about to change.

The instructions to sleep in the crawlspace had Paul on
edge. His mother acted calm and collected, but the undertones of this move
signified an imminent raid. Both Paul and Sierra were dressed in blue jeans and
long-sleeved shirts and wore their shoes to bed.

Several additional blankets were added to the already large
pile of bedding on the foam mattress for comfort and warmth. They were
instructed to use only minimal light and even less talking.

Elsie took her son by the arm after Sierra was situated under
the house. “You need to be careful here,” she said.

“I know.”

“No, listen to me. The stage is set for a raid. It’s going
to happen. Don’t be caught off guard, Paul. Keep your mind focused.”

“Mom.”

“Don’t let yourself become consumed with her. You are her
protector, not her boyfriend.”

“Mom! I
know
.” Sam must have told her about finding
them kissing.

“Be ready at first light. If you’re caught, don’t fight.
They’ll take her and probably leave you alone.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Don’t be arrogant.”

“Are we done here?” He hated being rude with his mother, but
she wasn’t giving him enough credit.

“No. I love you, Paul, and I’m so proud of you.”

Paul wasn’t expecting that. “I love you too. Thank you. It
will be alright, you’ll see.” He closed the trap door and went over to Sierra.
His mother’s obvious fear was something he hadn’t seen before.

“What was that all about?”

“She’s just worried.”

Sierra cuddled up next to him.

“My mother is also concerned that I’ll be too distracted
with you to notice a raid. As much as I’d like to get close with you again, we
shouldn’t. Sam was able to sneak right up on us. We can’t afford for that to
happen again.”

“You’re right.”

“Escaping a raid is a precision-timed thing. If we leave too
early or too late, we’ll be caught, and as I’ve never done this before, it
could get interesting.”

“When is the right time to flee?”

“During the crashing and breaking.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just what it sounds like, crashing and breaking. Raids
always start quickly. They tear through the house looking for crossers. The
idea is to catch everyone off guard. So when the damage is going on upstairs,
we flee.”

“Won’t they see us leave?”

“No. The tunnel exits quite a long way away from our house.
They monitor the doors and windows for escapees, but they don’t know about our
tunnel. When they raid and find nothing and no one is caught fleeing the home,
they figure the crossers were moved already or were never here. Well, anyway,
that’s how it’s supposed to happen.”

“Why does your family house crossers if this is what you
have to look forward to?”

“It’s the determination of my mother and father and their
hatred for the Rawlings family that fuels their desire. Things can all be
replaced, but lives can’t.”

“You know, even as I asked the question I already knew the
answer. I feel the same way. I want to defy Reginald Rawlings
by helping people flee the country. Help me survive
this, Paul. Help me to be able to help others.”

“I’ll do my best.”

She smiled at him then leaned toward him and kissed him tenderly
on the lips. Not a passionate kiss like earlier, but a thank you kiss.

They snuggled down into their warm bedding and eventually
fell asleep. During the night, he awoke to her shaking. He pulled her closer
and shared his warmth by wrapping his arms around her. She fit so perfectly in
his arms.

The wee hours of the morning brought the realization that he
had slept very intimately with Sierra in the crawlspace of his home. Paul
inhaled the uniquely sweet scent of her and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
He saw a faint light coming in through one of the vents. He heard soft
footsteps overhead and figured his mother was up early to prepare breakfast.
Sierra stirred in her sleep, and Paul held her tighter. Any moment it would all
be stepped up. Any second this serene setting would be shattered. Paul couldn’t
believe he had actually wished for this responsibility. The thought of how
simple his life had been prior to finding Sierra made him shudder. His life
would never be the same, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

*****

Elsie and Zachary lay in bed as the first light from the
impending dawn began to filter into the room. Elsie’s mind was busy. She
thought about all the possibilities of the day and the dangers. What-
ifs
filled her soul. What if things went sour? What
if anyone was killed during a raid? What if Paul was captured or harmed? Elsie
concluded that she was ready to get out of the crossing business. She had
raised two boys to adulthood while hiding defectors from Rendier.

Sam had experienced devastating trauma during the last five
years, and now Paul was in up to his neck. Sam’s traumatic experiences had also
involved a female crosser, and his judgment was clouded by emotions. He tried
to hide his emotional scars from it, but every now and then, she saw through
her son’s facade. What she saw was pain and longing.

Paul, on the other hand, had been protected. Elsie prided
herself on keeping Paul out of the crossers loop. She kept him in the dark and
didn’t give him many responsibilities, all in the hope that he would be able to
make a life for himself someday. It wouldn’t matter if he chose to house
crossers if it was his own choice.

However, her intentions to protect him had only upset him.
He didn’t feel like anyone believed in him or his abilities. Nothing could be
further from the truth. She did scold him on occasion when he would verbalize
his disinterest in helping crossers, but in all honesty, she hoped he could
figure his own life out.

Elsie heard the quiet knock on her bedroom door and assumed
it was Martha. She slid out of bed and into her house slippers then walked to
the door. She opened it expecting to see Martha, only to see no one. The hair
on the back of her neck stood on end as she stepped out into the living room.
Immediately a strong arm wrapped around her neck with a large gloved hand
covering her mouth before she could scream in terror.

Chapter 8

The raid was already in progress, but it was all wrong. Why
was this raid being executed differently? Did they know for certain their targeted
crosser was here?

The gloved man dragged Elsie over to the couch, and as she
passed Paul’s bedroom door she strained her eyes to see in. She was so glad
they decided to hide them in the crawlspace that night. Hopefully, Paul would
hear the commotion and get out in time, except there wasn’t any commotion yet.
She saw Martha already sitting on the couch with her mouth taped shut and a gun
to her head. What about Sam? Had he escaped with his crossers?

Elsie was pushed down onto the couch next to Martha, and
Duck Tape was slammed across her mouth. Her eyes met Martha’s then switched
over to the bedroom door to see four men hauling out Zachary. He was deposited
next to Elsie on the couch with his mouth already taped.

The three of them looked toward the front door as a figure
stepped out from the shadows. He walked over and stood in front of Martha. His
size and bulk dwarfed her.

“We know she is here. You’re hiding her. I don’t have a beef
with you three, but I do have to report to my boss, who is outside right now,
and he isn’t very kind when he’s angry. Tell me where the girl is, and
everything will go smoothly. Try to hide her from me, and, well, let’s just say
things won’t go so well.” The brutish-looking man threaded his fingers slowly
into brass knuckles.

Martha moved so quickly that brass-knuckles-man didn’t even
see her coming. She rammed her body into his, making him fall backward onto the
coffee table. She fell also and split her head open on the corner of the table,
but it was a far better injury than the thug. He smashed the glass fruit bowl
with his back, and blood began to pool around his sides on the shattered
tabletop. His howl sounded like a little girl.

Zachary and Elsie jumped to their feet and rammed into the
nearest brute. Paul needed to hear the commotion to know it was time to leave.
Elsie kicked her would-be assailant in the family jewels, doubling him over in
pain. Zachary plowed into a man sending him flailing backwards into Paul’s
bedroom door, slamming it into the wall behind.

Paul heard the melee of loud sounds upstairs. Both he and
Sierra bolted straight up. They heard shouting and screams of pain along with
the sound of broken glass and his bedroom door banging against the wall as it
was pushed open.

“Time to go,” he whispered. He helped Sierra over to the
tunnel entrance. She was shaking from head to toe, and Paul felt sorry for her.
It was difficult to help her through the narrow tunnel and keep the weight off
of her foot, but they did it anyway.

“Crashing and breaking. I get it now,” she whispered.

“They’re just getting started. Now is our window of escape.”

*****

Victor Rawlings stood outside the Bronson home smoking his
cigarette. He admired the view to the south. The Trejo Mountains framed the
huge lake in front of him, and the enormous mountain range behind almost made
him feel insignificant.

Almost.

He listened to the raid going on behind him and smiled an
evil grin at the thought of finding Sierra. How dare she try to evade him. How
dare she think she even could. No one gets away from the Rawlings. No one!
They’d find her and get her back to Rendier soon, and the postponed wedding
would be able to proceed at its originally scheduled time:  four o’clock this
afternoon. No one in Rendier would be aware of her disappearance. It would be
as if it never happened.

“Sir,” a voice came from behind him, “we’ve searched the
home. She’s not here.”

“Yes, she is. Keep looking,” Victor stated plainly.

Victor heard the door close behind him. The sun was thinking
about making its presence known to the east, and a bluish pink hue covered
everything
. Once we’re back to the palace,
Victor thought
, she’s
going to be married to me ASAP. No more waiting. She won’t escape me.
The fake threat on her life would be reported as
canceled, making his father look all the more powerful against weak countrymen.