Everyone woke up before dawn without being prompted. The nervous energy was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Joe divvied up the berries evenly, and everyone ate one in preparation. Chatter was limited and died off quickly. No one was in the mood to talk. Joe felt nervous like everyone else, but he focused on what was important. Today they were going to rescue some families.

Also, he had new toys. Mike had outdone himself, considering that he had essentially no tools and workspace. He took the old whetstone in Joe's pack and managed to make his and Diana's knives sharp again. Then he found some copper wire torn out of an alternator and redid the spears. They were still pretty shoddy, but every little improvement helped. The real feather in his cap had been a present for Joe.

Mike had found the old riding mower and removed the blade. He'd managed to cut a salvaged 2x4 down to five feet and put a deep notch on one end without the split running the whole length. The mower blade was wedged securely in there, and the whole thing was wrapped tightly with the lion's share of copper wiring that Mike had liberated. He'd carved down the wood as much as possible and wrapped most of the bottom third with cord, starting a foot from the base. The top third was still big and heavy, though Mike had carved some notches to help keep the wire snuggly in place. Sharpening the mower blade and the knife again had done a number on the whetstone, but Joe wouldn't dream of complaining. He had a glaive.

Sure it was just about the most redneck glaive ever conceived. It was also poorly weighted and heavy enough that Joe was the only one with a hope of using it effectively, but it was intimidating as hell. Not to mention Joe was looking forward to seeing if he could cut a monster cleanly in half with this thing. Diana had found him an ax for the treant, but this baby had monster hound written all over it. To Joe, it was a thing of beauty, and he figured using it consistently in the rift would probably earn him some Strength.

Everyone else geared up. Joe was wearing a shirt that was at least a size too big, but that was the best option Deena had found on their outing. There was nothing else keeping them at the house, so they went out and immediately separated. Joe went to the hiding spot where he could see the rift. He was still the fastest, so the point farthest from town was his. The others broke into two teams. Diana and Carl watched the south gate while Deena and Mike watched the western one. Joe would bet that Frank would use the south gate when leaving, but it was best to keep an eye on both.

A few hours later, Joe was bored out of his mind. He couldn't do anything except sit in some dubious shade and watch some guards scratch their asses while standing around the rift. There were six of them again, but the day shift guards mostly watched the streets towards town rather than the fields to the west. Joe figured they were keeping an eye out for the same thing he was. Finally, Joe heard a soft noise behind him and turned to see a softly panting Diana. South gate it was. Joe waved her off and continued his watch, now with significantly more interest.

Finally, Joe saw Frank and four guards marching down the street. They were kitted out in new gear. It looked like twisted metal arm guards and shin guards. Joe thought they looked stupid as hell, but he admitted to himself that he still wanted a set very badly. He saw the guards pull themselves into a semblance of order. One man who was asleep on the ground got a kick to the side for not waking up fast enough.

Joe watched Frank come over and say something to the group. He gave a little speech that Joe was sure had his skill layered all through it. Then he and his personal entourage squared off and marched into the rift. That was Joe's cue. He took off in a dead sprint, heading for the south gate rendevous point. Even with the new weapon, he made good time, having plotted out the path first thing this morning.

A few minutes later, he was joining the rest of the group. Everyone stood together in the shade of a tree in a nameless fenced backyard. They gave Joe a minute to catch his breath before they silently moved out. Well, it was somewhat silent. Mike knocked over a mailbox after stumbling on the curb. Everyone turned and shook their heads in his direction. Mike's face turned cherry red, but he stayed quiet and moved on with everyone else. Just before they were in visual distance, Joe and Diana peeled off the group, each going into the yards on opposite sides of the street. The trio still on the road slowed down slightly to accommodate Joe and Diana's more challenging paths.

The wall loomed close as the former guards approached the downtown area. This was the first time Joe had seen the construction, though he'd certainly heard it going on when the wind carried the sound down from the north. He was impressed that it was standing. A hodgepodge mix of plywood, corrugated metal, and the occasional stop sign roughly formed a ten-foot wall. It looked like it stretched all the way around town, so the builders deserved some praise for that, he supposed. He wasn't an architect, but there had to be a better option somewhere.

The guards near the gate had spotted Carl, Mike, and Deena at this point. The gate itself had probably been stolen from a warehouse somewhere. It was a pair of tall chain link fence gates that were doubled up to increase its stability. Metal flashing had been woven through the links, blocking the view. The guard's heads popped over the fence periodically, and they looked like nothing so much as sizeable nervous prairie dogs. Joe's team stood outside and waited for some sign.

After a minute of inaction, Deena yelled a boisterous hello at the wall. There was no action, and her foot tapping gave away her impatience when nothing happened. They were on a time frame, and potentially every second would count. Finally, enough was enough.

"Tell your master we require food and shelter for the night," Deena yelled. "And in return, he can join us on our quest for the holy grail."

Joe snorted and bit down on his hand. He doubted anyone was scanning the trees to look for reinforcements, but it wouldn't do to give his position away, no matter how funny the situation was. Joe made a mental note that Deena seemed to have a sense of humor. So much for judging a book by its cover. Deena's outburst finally garnered attention as the gate opened and six people walked out. One man walked in front of the other five. He stopped ten feet away and leveled his spear in their direction. The rest of the guards fanned out around them.

"I didn't think we'd ever see you three again. Frank says you let some dangerous stranger go after he attacked us. He said you got Dylan killed."

Heat had entered the man's voice at the end. They had all expected the story to be something similar to this. There was no way Frank or anyone associated with him was going to tell their developing city-state that they had attacked people for trying to prevent a kidnapping. Even in the current situation, that wouldn't fly for a lot of people. Deena replied with a little heat of her own.

"That's bullshit. Frank got Dylan killed when he attacked two innocent people. They fought back, and Dylan was knocked unconscious after he stabbed the guy. Those damn monsters out west killed him because Frank was too busy running away to help someone who'd fallen."

That statement did not have the impact Joe was hoping it would. A few guards seemed nervous and looked around, but no one moved to break the circle they'd formed. Joe was hoping they would see reason, and this could be handled quietly with Frank out of the picture. If something didn't change soon, it would be a different kind of quiet.

"You didn't help him." The guard's voice could have been frozen granite for all the warmth it held.

"No I didn't. That's something I'll have to live with." Deena was somber, and her face was pale. Joe knew this wasn't an act. The group talked over dinner the previous night, and no one felt good about that young man's death. Hell, Joe had been stabbed twice, and he still felt guilt over the whole thing.

"Doesn't matter. Frank said to take you into custody if you showed up. Drop your weapons and step up to get your hands bound."

All the guards had some rope on their hips, and now Joe knew its purpose. Things had broken down in almost the worst way possible. The only scenario they planned for worse was if the three had been attacked on sight. Joe didn't like the fact that this exact situation was the one he had felt was the most probable when they were planning. He really wanted a positive surprise at some point. Then he looked at the three standing together. They had been a great surprise.

"I don't think that's going to work for us."

Joe walked quickly out from behind a nearby lilac bush and stood between the guards and the gate. It had almost closed behind them, but it hadn't been locked up tight. Across the street, Diana mirrored his actions. She had her heavy staff again, preferring a weapon that would drop people without leaving dead bodies. They had debated long and hard about what to bring. Ultimately Joe had brought his new glaive for the intimidation factor. If he had to knock people out, Joe still had his fists.

"You lying bitch! It's all true and you brought them here for what?"

Deena scowled and didn't say anything further. Carl and Mike stood back to back with her, keeping an eye on all the spearpoints facing their direction. Fortunately, Joe and Diana's arrival had swiveled most of them his way. The last thing Joe wanted was someone getting stabbed today. Not even the gate guards in front of them. He slammed the but of his weapon into the ground, causing half of his opponents to jump in startlement.

"That's enough name-calling. We're here to get their families and leave without causing any trouble. Now, you can come with us and keep quiet while we handle our affairs, or you can come with us and then nurse a hell of a lot of bruises for the coming week. The choice is yours, but we're in a bit of a hurry, so make it quick."

The spears leveled in their direction shook slightly, but they didn't move away either. Joe took a deep breath and psyched himself up for what was coming. It wouldn't be easy to do this without seriously injuring the guards, but that's how it needed to be. None of them wanted unnecessary blood on their hands. Just as he was about to launch himself forward and try to knock away their spears, a clatter stopped Joe short.

The head guard had dropped his spear and motioned for the others to do the same. Mike ran over and gathered them up, relief showing across his sweat-stained face. Everyone took a deep breath, and then they moved forward. Joe hadn't wanted to fight, and it might not be necessary for a change. They stashed the spears in the brush near the gate and tied the guard's hands behind their back. They found a large plastic shed next to a ten-foot ladder, set back from the gate. The chairs inside left no question as to its purpose.

Joe ushered the men inside, and then they sat them in a circle, back to back. Mike moved through and looped more rope around all of their wrists, tying them into one giant knot. He checked to make sure no one was losing circulation while he was doing it. Mike honestly was too nice a guy for this shit, Joe thought. They needed to get that man a workshop and let him build in peace. Surprisingly it was Carl that took the lead after the group was secure.

"Where are they, Jason? We just want to find Jennifer, little Jake, and Deena's family. Everyone talks in this town, so tell me where they are."

The man stared at Carl for a moment before giving a resigned sigh and slumping his shoulders. There was nothing to leverage except making a commotion, and that would get him and his men hurt.

"Are you really only here for your families?"

"I swear it. We don't want to take anything or hurt anybody. But you know our families aren't gonna be safe anywhere around Frank after the last few days."

"Yeah, I know. They are all in the work lodge by the west wall. Frank wanted them kept together so someone could keep an eye on them."

The admission took the last of the fight from the guard. The mood of the rest of the captives didn't look much better. Joe reminded himself that these weren't bad people. They were scared and trying to protect themselves and their families. They deserved his understanding. Frank, on the other hand, deserved a boot so far up his ass that he could tie the laces with his tongue. Joe spoke up as his group moved to leave and shut the shed door.

"Stay quiet please. Once we have their families we'll leave. Please don't make me fight my way out of here."

His words may have been pleading, but there was iron in Joe's voice. His grip was tight on the glaive, and none of the guards who could see him doubted that the man speaking words of peace could back them up with sudden violence.

After leaving the guards tied in their closed shed, Joe signaled Deena to lead the way. She knew where everything was located and could get around without it being obvious they didn't belong here. This whole thing was a gamble, though. It was a small town made even smaller. News travels fast, and the wrong person spotting them could send the whole plan to hell. If that happened, the backup plan was simple. Run as fast as possible and try to get ahead of the chain of command.

That as much as the reduction in guards was why they had waited until Frank was in the rift. People would waste time and be unsure without a clear chain of command, and the trio had said that Frank was the first, second, and third man in charge. Joe hoped it wouldn't be necessary, but he knew that this plan relied on more luck than he usually had in the tank.

They took the long way around, skirting the major buildings that had been turned into bunkhouses and dormitories without walking right next to the wall. There were men on ladders or bare-bones platforms every couple of hundred yards. The guard's attention was focused out of the walled compound, but there was no reason to risk undue attention. Joe wrinkled his nose at the pungent odor of human waste carried on the breeze. Ahead there were tents next to freshly turned dirt. Given the overturned soil, the latrines had already been moved more than once.

Sanitation without power was a nightmare. There was a reason almost every major city had access to either a river or ocean. Waste disposal wasn't the first reason, but it usually made the list. Modern education in medicine and science highlighted how quickly poor sanitation could decimate a community. Joe made a mental note to dig a latrine once they were back at the house. Hauling water to toilets would stop working soon, he thought.

After fifteen minutes of walking as casually as possible, they approached the west gate. Joe saw what appeared to be a roughly constructed pole barn with a decided tilt sitting twenty yards north of the gate. There were six guards milling around the area. One woman sat at the top of a ladder, watching out over the road heading west. The other five lounged in the shade of the shed or trees nearby. They were obstacle number one.

Around the barn itself, another three guards sat playing cards. They were facing the door of the barn, making their job clear to anyone watching. Deena stopped, and the group huddled around the edge of a nearby row of shrubs. Joe went up, and they discussed the plan. They would spare twenty minutes, give or take and see if there was something to exploit. If there wasn't, it became a guessing game.

As they watched, there was a clear knocking on the barn door. One of the guards walked up and knocked back before stepping away from the door. A young woman stepped into view and said something to the guards. Carl sucked in a hard breath next to Joe, but he ignored the man and kept watching. The guard nodded, and they walked towards the shade on the far side of the barn. Hidden there was an honest-to-goodness old-school plastic port-a-john.

A few minutes passed, and the woman left, pouring some water from a small bucket nearby into her hands. The same movements repeated as soon as the young woman returned inside. A new man went out to the facilities while the guard kept watching. Joe looked away now and saw Carl had moved next to him, and the man's eyes were glued on the building with unwavering focus.

"That was Jennifer."

That confirmed it then. Carl's daughter was in the building, and according to the other gate guards, everyone else should be as well. Joe pulled everyone back, and they agreed to try and circle around to come up on the building from the other side. It heightened their risk of discovery, but if this turned into a smash and grab, it gave them a headstart towards the building. It took a careful and nerve-wracking twenty minutes, but they made it so that they were only a few houses away without being spotted.

The group had lined up behind a raised front porch. The swing softly creaking in the light summer breeze provided small amounts of sound and motion that everyone in the area was used to hearing and seeing. That made the little fumbles in everyone's stealth technique surmountable obstacles. They had agreed to wait another twenty minutes. If no opportunities showed themselves, it would be a rush to the barn and a show of force to try and bluff their way out of the gate.

A sudden noise outside the gate accompanied the hurried descent of the woman on the ladder. More importantly, it caught the building guards attention and drew them away towards the gate. Joe missed the initial sounds, but he caught them when they repeated themselves, louder this time.

"Hey, Habibi! Open the gate."