Read Online The Day After Never - Blood Honor (Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller) by Russell Blake - Free Book Online

hold till we mop up.”
    Aaron motioned to the smoking crater created by the grenade. “I’ll go get a couple more bulbs for the field lights.”
    Duke nodded. “We’ll hold the fort.”
    When Aaron was gone, Lucas joined Duke behind the bags and looked out over the darkened field. “Any idea who they are?”
    “No. They came straight at us. We mowed down a half dozen of them before they fell back and dug in. Then they waited for nightfall. Which is what they should have done all along.”
    “Strange, isn’t it?”
    “I’ve known stranger.”
    Five minutes later the lights went on again, illuminating the field to the three-hundred-yard markers. Nothing stirred. Aaron rejoined them and wiped his face with a trembling hand. Duke grunted and stood. “You boys keep watch. I’ve got to patch Doug up.”
    He walked to the main building and disappeared inside, leaving Aaron and Lucas alone. Lucas looked over to his right at the grenade tosser’s corpse sprawled by the wall, and his jaw clenched. They must have been desperate, or high, to try to take on Duke’s group.
    “How’s the girl?” Lucas asked.
    “Out of it. But you could light a smoke on her. She’s that hot.”
    Lucas nodded. At least she was still alive.
    Aaron eyed Lucas. “Clem?”
    “Didn’t make it.”
    Aaron nodded. “Figured as much. When your number’s up…”
    “Yup. Rest in peace.”
     

Chapter 8
    The interior of the trading post main building was bathed in the dim glow from two LED lamps. Doug lay on the table, biting a strip of leather as Duke finished his ministrations.
    “This will hurt,” Duke said, and Doug looked away as Duke seared his leg wound with the soldering iron, the sound like a steak frying on a too-hot grill. Doug’s scream was muffled by the leather strap and faded to a moan as Duke set the instrument aside and carefully bandaged the damaged flesh.
    Duke stepped away and regarded Doug. “Sorry about only using lidocaine, but I need you sharp in case there’s more fighting to do.”
    Doug grunted. “Burn’s worse than the bite.”
    “You can have some morphine come sunup. Till then, we’re all on duty. Can you walk?”
    “Should be able to.”
    “I’ll help you out to the sandbags.”
    Nearby, Lucas stood over the woman, noting the sheen of sweat on her face. When Duke returned from helping Doug, the trader sat down on a hardwood chair nearby and took a swig from a plastic water bottle. Lucas turned to him.
    “She’s not going to make it, is she?”
    “The truth? No,” Duke growled. “Not without antibiotics. Danger is sepsis, and her fever tells me she’s going in the wrong direction.”
    “I was afraid of that.”
    Duke nodded. “What about you?”
    “Looks like I can either chase horses or risk it all to get her to Loving before she dies.”
    “You thinking about taking her?” Duke asked, his tone skeptical.
    “Be faster than a round trip, don’t you think?”
    “Yep. But traveling at night… And your horse has been through a lot.” Duke hesitated. “You don’t look so spring fresh yourself.”
    “We’ll be fine.”
    Duke fixed Lucas with a probing stare. “What is it about the woman that’s got you sticking your neck out, Lucas? This ain’t like you. No offense.”
    Lucas’s voice was soft when he answered, “None taken.” But he offered no elaboration, and Duke didn’t ask again.
    Duke gave the woman another injection of morphine and helped Lucas carry her outside to the travois. Lucas rigged the contrivance as Tango waited patiently, and then they set her onto the sling between the two poles. Lucas patted his empty magazines and held one up.
    “Used up a lot of ammo,” he said.
    Duke nodded. “Fair’s fair. Fill ’em up. Cost of doing business.”
    Lucas wasted no time reloading and, when he was finished, shook hands with Duke.
    “See you soon. With mustangs,” Lucas said.
    “Best of luck.”
    Lucas offered a curt nod. “You too.”
    Once on the trail north, Tango