With the snow reflecting every measure of light from the gibbous moon, the backyards were relatively well-lit. To her right stood a stretch of chain-link fences which would prove difficult with Sherman. You weigh maybe, what—She patted against his side—seventy pounds? The idea of lifting the Belgian Malinois up and into each yard seemed impossible—a likely injury for at least one of them, if not both. The path to the left was longer but unhindered, so… Left it is. They trudged through the backyards toward the end of the block, taking care not to be seen, not to make a sound.
After rounding the last house in the row, they raced for the other side of the street. From this angle, Jenny observed an extra line of smoke rising from the backyard of the Second Alliance camp. Damn… So, we still have the two up front and the people inside, but now there’s probably another crew in the back. Great! This is way more than the four from earlier. Way more! I’m in over my head. I can’t take all of them on… She shook her head. Danny, what the fuck am I doing? What if Matt and Grant aren’t even here? What if they already moved them? I gotta get closer.
“You have to wait here, buddy.” Jenny tucked the lead into one of his harness pockets. “It’ll only be a sec, then I’ll be back for you,” she whispered while switching out the pistol for the rifle. At least I’ll have a bit of range with this thing if I need it. She’d only managed a few steps before Sherman bounded through the snow after her. “Bleib!” she hissed. He whined in response and took closer to her. “Bleib! Stay!” Come on, boy. She knelt beside him, rustling his fur. I can’t risk it. I wasn’t expecting all this extra shit. You’re too loud. Just stay. “Please, Sherman.” She put a hand, palm out, toward him, trying to settle the eager canine as she backed away. “Bleib!”
The command finally seemed to take—his butt slowly sank into the snow. She turned from him, half expecting the crunch of his steps to follow, but none came. Good, boy.
With the rifle up and at the ready, Jenny took to the street just one block over from the Second Alliance camp to keep some distance between them and her movements. Please still be there guys. Slinking along the fronts of each home, she slid behind hedges, between abandoned cars, fled the gaps between the houses on her way back toward the middle of the block. So far, so good. She slowed, nearing the two pillars of smoke rising from the camp. Now, with only one yard away, Jenny edged along the side of the house and lifted the latch to a chain-link fence. A sharp clink and she stepped through, leaving the gate open behind her if she found escape necessary.
In front of her, the wavering light from a fire struggled through a stand of evergreens separating her yard from theirs. She plucked the pair of binoculars from her chest harness. No good. The branches, the trunks too thick. Every angle provided nothing but darkness and shadows. Disappointed, she replaced the binoculars then pressed her hands against her brow. This is it. All or nothing, right? Her stomach felt hollow. A painful familiarity. She lowered her kerchief, only to take a few breaths to calm herself, to prevent herself from succumbing to her nerves. I have to get closer. Have to! Twenty strides along the fence led Jenny right into the nest of evergreens at the back end of the yard.
From here, Jenny spotted two Guards, both warming their hands at a fire built within a wheelbarrow—their rifles leaned against it. This isn’t gonna be easy. She pulled her rifle up and into her shoulder, aiming it squarely at one of the Guards. This is crazy. Knowing a simple pull of the trigger could end him. That he’d never know what happened. His life would just be over. But really what use would it be? I can’t take out the whole camp by myself. Stay hidden and wait for the opportunity to find Matt and Grant and get them the hell out of here. She dropped the rifle to a low ready and moved closer to the fence. The Guards’ low grumblings grew into a conversation.
“Whew!” The smaller of the two rubbed his hands together. “Shit, man, how much longer ‘til we’re relieved and back inside.”
His counterpart flipped his wrist over toward the fire. “Looks like maybe fifteen minutes.” He scoffed. “If they’re even still awake.”
“If they’re late, even a minute, I’m gonna kick their asses.”
“Like hell you are…” They broke into a fit of laughter.
“Well, if that don’t work, I say we hand our two new friends our rifles and let them”—The smaller Guard thumbed back toward the house—“stand out here in the cold. Hell, they’re gonna be out here anyway…”
Must be talking about Matt and Grant. They’re still here. Jenny studied the house. Underneath the deck. The windows. The yard. Still unable to zero in on Matt and Grant, she continued to listen in, hoping for some clues.
“…Don’t think they’d run off at this point, doubt they’d know their way back. Probably be too scared to try headin’ home anyways.”
“Probably freeze to death.”
“Not sure Haverty would care if they did.”
“I’m not willing to test it.” The larger Guard shook his head. “With my luck, I’d be reassigned to guarding the moonshine camp. Heard the place changes a man in no time.”
“Probably from getting blitzed out of their minds, then having to come back to reality once the tour’s over.”
“Doubt they’re drinkin’ it. They guard the shit like gold.”
“Gold ain’t shit anymore.”
“Damn it, you know what I mean.”
The two carried on with their conversation, and Jenny listened, shivering, nervous her trembling body would somehow alert them to her presence. Squatting down, she tried to preserve her body heat. At least the trees blocked some of the wind, but not enough to stop the numbness crawling from her toes and up her legs, prickling at her fingertips. Something’s gotta give here. Not sure how much longer I’m gonna be able to do this.
Some time passed.
“It been fifteen minutes yet?”
He checked his watch. “Nope. Twenty.”
“Shit, man, you fall asleep standing there?” The Guard scraped his rifle from the wheelbarrow and traipsed off toward the house.
His partner did the same. “Wait up. Who takes our place?”
“Not my problem.”
Monitoring their path to the house, she waited, sucking in quick breaths to prepare herself for the impending task—she couldn’t help her body from leaning closer to the fence, eager. Their long march up the back steps of the deck chipped away at Jenny’s patience. Maybe I should have shot them… Their voices carried, nonchalant, oblivious to her presence, her intentions. Hurry up! She readied her footing as the back door creaked open and the two finally disappeared into the house.
Within seconds an argument erupted inside.
Here’s my chance! Jenny bounded over the chain-link fence and stumbled forward, crashing against the base of a pine tree. Damn it! Flustered, she peeled herself from the ground and brushed the pine needles from her clothes. She took her rifle across the yard. Alone as far as she could tell. Cautiously, she padded over to the edge of the lawn. There!—Underneath the deck, nothing to distinguish between the night and the shadows—The perfect hiding place…