Small Town Survival -Twenty Five

25

Tiny Tony’s plan seemed to be a good one. The main body of the crowd was going to storm onto the college grounds while a small team went in the “back door” and tried to find exactly where the women and children were. They were hoping that the distraction out front would allow the small team to succeed. Brooke quickly offered a suggestion.

“I’d like to take the lead in the small team. If there is anyone here with some martial arts training, we could take out the guards and then a few others could direct the women and children out the “back door” while the rest of you are conquering out front.”

The small team ended up with ten members, they had just thirty minutes to take out as many of the lookouts they could. Brooke took her small cross bow out of her bag along with two dozen small arrows.

“Let’s make it quick” and off they went circling around to the back of the college using the various buildings and vehicles for cover.

From the information that Tiny Tony was able to obtain from one of the punks that had been inspired to tell all they knew, the women and children were all in the Briggs Student Center and since that was smack dab in the center of the campus, it would be rough getting there without being seen. Everyone that was going to storm the college was on North Parkway right now and they were going to go up University Street and then just cut through and storm the college from that way. Brooke and her team decided they would go further east just past the North Parkway Entrance and then use the apartment buildings and sorority houses for cover. They would end up pretty close to the student center. With just an open parking lot being their main worry. Hopefully, they would be in place and be able to cross undetected with the distraction from their new and old friends.

Just before Brooke left, she spotted a young man that was about 14 and who didn’t look like he could fight his way out of a paper bag.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“JP” he replied.

“Would you do me a great favor and watch our truck and bikes while we go take care of this business?”

“I want to go too, my twin sister is in there and she is all I have. We’ve been trying to make it and while I was out looking for food, she went out because she thought she wasn’t pulling her weight. Our so-called neighbor saw a couple of the gang members snag her and didn’t do a damn thing to help her. Then when I got home, they told me what happened. As I started out, they were going into our home. I doubt there is anything left there now.”

“I’ll tell you what, not only will I get your sister out of there, if she is still alive; but, you both can come home with us when we leave. That is if you are up to some hard, honest, and character building work.”

“Ma’am, I’d just be glad to get my sister back. We’ve never been apart and have always been there for each other. Would you really take us with you?”

Sparky had to speak up just then and say “Son, this lady doesn’t say anything that she doesn’t mean. So if she says she will get your sister and take you both home, that’s exactly what will happen. And if you do stay here and keep an eye on our things, the boys and I will come up with some kind of payment also.”

“Ok, I really would like to go too, but I don’t think I’m capable of doing much good especially since I don’t know how to shoot a gun.”

“When we get home, we’ll fix that problem.” said Big Mac.

“What is your sisters name?” asked Brooke as she and her team started off.

“JJ, it is for Jasmine Jovan and you better tell her that JP stands for Jordan Paul or she won’t believe that you know me.”

“Ok, be back soon.” and they were off.

Its funny how sometimes time seems to slow way down for some, but for others it speeds by like a bat out of hell.

For JP time seems to stop all together and for Brooke and her team, it went by way to quick. They were almost to the north entrance when they could hear all hell break out back where they had just been. They saw two so called guards who looked like they were smoking crack. Two silent arrows ended the party. They dropped without a sound. Quickly Brooke and her team wound there way through the apartment building managing to stay unseen. The Robinson and the Blount buildings were the only things in their way. As they scouted the area with a small but powerful pair of binoculars that Brooke had in her backpack, they spotted just four more guards in their way. Again, silent arrows took care of the problems. They slipped over to the side of the building quickly and found that the entrance to the mailroom receiving had been left unlocked, which they had thought would be barred by the gang. The noise from the front of the campus was coming closer. Knowing they didn’t have too much time, the group quickly split into two smaller groups and Brooke gave the lead to a former student who knew the way to the most likely place the hostages would be. The second group kept the way back out clear.

There ended up being ten members of the gang left in the building watching over their victims and a fierce but short fight ensued with victory going to Brooke and her team. It was amazing how quiet and effective hand to hand combat could be. Since they had taken the gang by surprise, only one member was able to even get their gun into action and he only got one shot off before one of Brooke's knives found its way to his throat. She quickly retrieved it and wiped it off on the members shirt.

When the team opened the door to the room the gang was guarding, they were met with a sight they hoped they would never see again. The room was only about twenty feet by thirty feet and it was filled with women and children. Brooke quickly took in the situation and blinking back tears from the sight and smell, spoke up.

“Ok, we are here to get you out and safe.”

One of the women stood up and said “How are you going to get us out of here? None of us have any shoes and some of us don’t even have decent clothes. Some of the children are sick and some of the women are in shock.”

“What’s your name?” Brooke asked.

“My name is Mary and I guess you could say I’m the moral officer here.” she said with a sarcastic snort.

“Ok Mary, this is how we will get you out of here: I need your absolute cooperation and we need to move fast. There is a rather large group of men and women out there fighting for your freedom, let’s make this worth their sacrifice. You will need to follow this young man right here and he will lead you to safety. Please stay very close to each other and please help each other. If some of you would help with the children and the women who are in shock, we can do this. By the way, is there a girl here named JJ?”

“I’m JJ, how did you know my name?” asked a young girl who looked like she was sporting a black eye.

Brooke took her chin in her hand and slowly turned her head back and forth, taking in the damage to the young girls face.

JJ piped up and said “You should see HIS face!” with a big grin.

“Jasmine Jovan, Jordan Paul has sent me to get you out of here, stay right by my side, OK?”

“Let’s go! I’ve had enough adventure for a lifetime!”

Nickolas, the young man who was part of Brooke’s team, began to lead the women and children back out the way they came. Brooke and JJ waited until they all had cleared the room and brought up the rear. Many of the women were carrying the children to speed the ragtag group along. And some of the women had their arms around those in shock and gave them encouraging words to move them along.

Their exit went smoothly and the two teams merged back into one as they escorted the frightened and tired group back through the apartment buildings and down toward the north entrance. They ended up by their circling, behind the group of town people who saw them at the same time that the gang members did. Brooke and JJ ended up getting separated from the group because Brooke had to take care of one gang member that had come upon them as they were leaving the building. The gang member had been up in the library and saw them enter the building. He had just got to the student center when the group was coming out. He tried to grab JJ as he tried to sneak up behind her and Brooke. Before he felt it, he had two broken arms, his “jewels” smashed, half of his teeth knocked out, and then his last thought was “damn”, and then he knew nothing.

“Wow,” said JJ “I’m impressed.”

“I’ll teach you.” Said Brooke as they tried to catch up with the group.

Brooke pulled JJ close as they rounded the corner of the last apartment and she noticed that they were cut off by the fighting. Quickly glancing around, Brooke noticed a small opening that led to Charles Place Street and decided they would head that way.

“Come on, this way. Be real quiet.”

They slid through the bushes and came out on the road. Brooke decided that they needed to get one more street over and cut through the trees and yards over to West Drive and headed back south. They stopped for a moment when they got there and Brooke took off her back pack and grabbed two bottles of water out of it and some jerky for JJ. She looked like she could use some food.

“Thanks, I hadn’t eaten since before they took me.” Just as they were about to start walking again, a menacing growl came from behind a parked car. Looking over, Brooke saw the lion just as it began to spring towards them.