Read Online The Day After Never - Purgatory Road (Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller - Book 2) by Russell Blake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Russell Blake
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computers.
“Fish in a barrel,” Boyd said, and the men laughed. Lucas would be safe until near the highway, and then the Raider would make short work of him.
“Give him a decent lead. No rush,” the mayor instructed.
“Roger that,” Boyd said, and went in search of his horse while his boss watched Lucas disappear into the scrub.
Chapter 11
The horizon swam from heat waves rising off the desert as Doug peered through the guard station telescope at an approaching group of riders still a half mile off. He caught sight of the pair in the lead and called behind him to the trading post building.
“Duke! We got us a potential situation.”
Duke appeared in the doorway. “What is it?”
“Visitors. About fifteen riders. Look pretty hard.”
“Crap. Bolt the gate.” Duke yelled into the interior of the building, “Aaron, Slim, get your asses out here, and come hard. We got company!”
His men came at a run, armed to the teeth, and Duke ducked back inside to get his assault rifle and don his flak vest. After Lucas’s warning about the cartel, he’d been on edge, but had decided to remain open – if he’d closed up shop, it would have simply delayed the inevitable, assuming the Locos were still looking for the woman.
They moved to the sandbagged guard stations on either side of the iron gate and waited as the riders neared, dust trailing behind them like beige smoke. When the group was no more than fifty yards away, the lead rider raised his hand, signaling his men to stop, and turned to a formidable-looking stranger on his right, his face covered in prison ink.
Luis called out to Duke, “Open up.”
Duke shook his head. “Sorry. We’re closed.”
“You’re open now,” Cano yelled.
“Not how it works.”
“Open the gate,” Cano ordered.
“You boys must be hard a hearing. I said we’re closed. Come back some other time.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Luis warned.
“You come to my place and start threatening me, you’re gonna find out right quick that you’re not bulletproof. Friendly word of warning,” Duke said.
“We’re looking for someone,” Cano snarled.
“Try a lonely hearts club.”
Aaron couldn’t help but snicker, and the big Crew boss caught it. He eyed Duke’s men as though to melt them with the intensity of his glare.
“Let one of us come in and verify you’re not hiding them,” Luis tried.
“Why would I let you dictate terms to me? I’m curious. ’Cause I got enough rounds to mow you all down without breaking a sweat, if I want. What am I missing?” Duke asked.
“What you’re missing is we have a good working relationship, Duke. We don’t want a fight. We just need to cross your place off our list, and then we’ll move on,” Luis said.
“You think you’ve got the right to show up whenever you want and search my place? Have you lost your frigging mind?”
“I’m not telling you, Duke,” Luis tried. “I’m asking.”
“Funny way of going about it.”
“Been a long ride.”
“Might want to remember you’re a long way from home out here,” Duke warned.
“Let my man here come in and look around. Won’t take too long.”
Duke appeared to consider the request. “Gonna cost you.”
“What do you want?”
After a minute of negotiation, Duke was ten magazines of ammunition richer, and Slim was opening the gate. Cano handed his rifle and pistol to Luis and rode forward, his body language relaxed, his posture easy. When he was at the gate, Duke stepped from behind the sandbags and walked toward him. “Keep a bead on him, Aaron. He so much as farts, drill him,” Duke instructed.
Aaron nodded, his AR-15 pointed at the newcomer.
“Gonna have to search you, make sure you aren’t carrying,” Duke said.
“You saw me hand over my weapons.”
“I have trust issues.”
Cano stared off at a point a thousand miles past Duke’s shoulder. “Get it over with.”
“Off the horse.”
Cano frowned but complied and put his hands in
“Fish in a barrel,” Boyd said, and the men laughed. Lucas would be safe until near the highway, and then the Raider would make short work of him.
“Give him a decent lead. No rush,” the mayor instructed.
“Roger that,” Boyd said, and went in search of his horse while his boss watched Lucas disappear into the scrub.
Chapter 11
The horizon swam from heat waves rising off the desert as Doug peered through the guard station telescope at an approaching group of riders still a half mile off. He caught sight of the pair in the lead and called behind him to the trading post building.
“Duke! We got us a potential situation.”
Duke appeared in the doorway. “What is it?”
“Visitors. About fifteen riders. Look pretty hard.”
“Crap. Bolt the gate.” Duke yelled into the interior of the building, “Aaron, Slim, get your asses out here, and come hard. We got company!”
His men came at a run, armed to the teeth, and Duke ducked back inside to get his assault rifle and don his flak vest. After Lucas’s warning about the cartel, he’d been on edge, but had decided to remain open – if he’d closed up shop, it would have simply delayed the inevitable, assuming the Locos were still looking for the woman.
They moved to the sandbagged guard stations on either side of the iron gate and waited as the riders neared, dust trailing behind them like beige smoke. When the group was no more than fifty yards away, the lead rider raised his hand, signaling his men to stop, and turned to a formidable-looking stranger on his right, his face covered in prison ink.
Luis called out to Duke, “Open up.”
Duke shook his head. “Sorry. We’re closed.”
“You’re open now,” Cano yelled.
“Not how it works.”
“Open the gate,” Cano ordered.
“You boys must be hard a hearing. I said we’re closed. Come back some other time.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Luis warned.
“You come to my place and start threatening me, you’re gonna find out right quick that you’re not bulletproof. Friendly word of warning,” Duke said.
“We’re looking for someone,” Cano snarled.
“Try a lonely hearts club.”
Aaron couldn’t help but snicker, and the big Crew boss caught it. He eyed Duke’s men as though to melt them with the intensity of his glare.
“Let one of us come in and verify you’re not hiding them,” Luis tried.
“Why would I let you dictate terms to me? I’m curious. ’Cause I got enough rounds to mow you all down without breaking a sweat, if I want. What am I missing?” Duke asked.
“What you’re missing is we have a good working relationship, Duke. We don’t want a fight. We just need to cross your place off our list, and then we’ll move on,” Luis said.
“You think you’ve got the right to show up whenever you want and search my place? Have you lost your frigging mind?”
“I’m not telling you, Duke,” Luis tried. “I’m asking.”
“Funny way of going about it.”
“Been a long ride.”
“Might want to remember you’re a long way from home out here,” Duke warned.
“Let my man here come in and look around. Won’t take too long.”
Duke appeared to consider the request. “Gonna cost you.”
“What do you want?”
After a minute of negotiation, Duke was ten magazines of ammunition richer, and Slim was opening the gate. Cano handed his rifle and pistol to Luis and rode forward, his body language relaxed, his posture easy. When he was at the gate, Duke stepped from behind the sandbags and walked toward him. “Keep a bead on him, Aaron. He so much as farts, drill him,” Duke instructed.
Aaron nodded, his AR-15 pointed at the newcomer.
“Gonna have to search you, make sure you aren’t carrying,” Duke said.
“You saw me hand over my weapons.”
“I have trust issues.”
Cano stared off at a point a thousand miles past Duke’s shoulder. “Get it over with.”
“Off the horse.”
Cano frowned but complied and put his hands in
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