Schism

Chapter 44 part 2

The floor near the factory entrance was bare except for a pile of disassembled crates to the right of the door.  To the left, the stairs led up to the loft apartment.  Straight ahead were the stacked boxes and crates of weapons, ammunition and gear.  Street light came in through the large windows on the long side walls.

He pulled Jessica up the stairs to the apartment.  He waited for Harold to finally make it up and then shut the door after them.  Jared walked to the windows and checked the streets below.  It looked clear.

Then, he turned back to look at the other two.  Jessica stood near the dining table in the large main room.  She turned a slow circle, obviously hampered by her handcuffs.  Harold had inched along the wall to the kitchen, as far away from the woman as he could be.

This was all a mistake.

"Harold."  Jared said and waved the man over.  It took a minute for Harold to join him.  Jared pulled him in close and whispered.  "Harold?  Are you sure about this?  I'm worried she won't treat you well."  What was the best way to handle this little fool?  Could he safely get rid of this woman, or did he have to keep her?

The only way to keep her for Harold would be to turn her into the man's slave.  It was a revolting idea, but if he could keep this man happy, Jared would have an invaluable weapon to use.  This city could be cleaned in days and many more could follow.  His people could be safe to live and work freely.  It was a dream worth hard choices.

As he waited for Harold to answer, he saw the shadows on the street stretch out and lighten.  It was headlights, two sets.  The vehicles stopped before they moved into his view.

At least the vigilante, William, had never driven a car.  That was a good sign.  If it was police, they could be handled.

Jared left Harold at the window, grabbed Jess.  He dragged her down the hall to the main bedroom.  "Harold!" he called.  He waited only a few seconds before locking the woman in the room.  Then, he turned into the office and unlocked the closet where his things were stored.

He pushed the few boxes aside until he could reach the long green locker.  From it, he pulled the seventy-year old M1 rifle.  He had never served in the military, but his grandfather, who had passed the gun down to him, had taught Jared how to shoot well.  There were other weapons stored on the factory floor, with larger magazines, higher calibers, but General George Patton hadn't been lying when he said that this was the deadliest rifle in the world. 

Patton had also said that duty is the essence of manhood.  Jared had tried to balance the duties he held, to protect both his men and his race.  Too many good soldiers had died in the last week and he hated the thought of sacrificing more.  But if he didn't do everything he could tonight, didn't draw in every resource, then it might all end.  If he failed, they would lose this city, and that meant losing the whole country.  He had to call in more men.

He stuffed the extra eight-round clips into his pockets and hurried back to the main room.  He saw Harold's eyes grow at the sight of the gun, but didn't bother to reassure him.  "Harold, stay up here.  It's probably nothing, but stay up here and wait for me.  If it's the police, I don't want you getting hurt."  The man, with his ability, would be perfect for stopping nearly any police assault, but he would need training first.  Jared would need to be able to trust him.

He locked the door on the way out, hurried down the stairs and into the maze of supply crates at the far end of the factory floor.

He picked his spot carefully, with a distance of about thirty yards.  He would let them come in, through the unlocked side door.  The sightline to the stairs was clear.  Even with non-critical shots, he could drop six or seven police with the first clip, reload and finish before any of them could make it back to the door.

Jared set the extra clips on the crate by the rifle and settled in to wait.

Only then did he pull out his phone and make the call.

*

(Author's note:  Jared with a rifle he knows really well... not good, right?  What do you think?  Let me know and thanks in advance for the votes!  And...please remember that Schism makes an awesome gift!  Signed copies are available...just PM me for details!  Thanks to all, I hope you're having a great time with the story.)