penalty for breaking this law was death in every country.
He was well aware of the requirement and of the consequences of not complying, but he would not be bringing Elizabeth to such a site.
He whole heartedly believed she would get better and he intended to have her at home with him while he nursed her back to health. He flicked the switch on a small battery operated radio on the dresser hoping for some music to lighten the mood in the room.
“The CDC is urging all Americans to get their flu vaccine this year,” he clicked the radio off in disgust.
With his index finger, he pulled the bedroom curtain aside just enough to see out, he knew just how much light he could let into the room, too much and his wife would scream in agony.
“Would this rain never let up?” he whispered to himself.
He turned from the window when he heard a strange sound coming from Elizabeth’s disease wracked body. He put his hand on his wife’s forehead, she was ice cold. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, her eyes became fixed on his and she weakly grasped his other hand.
“Elizabeth, Elizabeth,” he said as he gently shook his wife. Her eyes slowly dulled, the light went out and she was gone.
Chapter 10
Gradually, the sun settled on the horizon, orange hues turned to blues which in turn faded into black. He carefully moved out of his hiding spot and sat down on the side of the bluff and put his binoculars to his eyes. He could see a fire and two men moving around a campsite, he put the field glasses around his neck and tucked them under his jacket.
Carefully he began to make his way toward the camp. He found a dry, sandy wash and followed its natural flow toward the arroyo. Soon he was within about seventy-five yards of the encampment. He squatted and observed. Through the binoculars he could now see there were several more men.
He had not been watching long when he heard a scream, and then another and it sounded very much like that of a female. He moved in for a closer took. When he was within twenty-five or so yards he stopped again.
Through his binoculars he saw a woman, she was tied to a post not far from the fire and had a look of anger mixed with fear on her face. A man approached her, she screamed and spat at him and the man slapped her knocking her head back hard against the post.
Charlie put his binoculars down and sat in the sand. He pulled his pistol out and checked the magazine, it was full, and then he pulled the twelve gauge from the scabbard on his back and quietly chambered a round. He put the pistol back in the holster stood up and moved toward the camp.
All of his attempts at stealth were for naught for when he was within a few feet of the fire brightened perimeter of the camp he lost his footing and fell into the arroyo. He quickly recovered but his position had been compromised. The men in the camp heard the sound of his fall and they began firing in his direction, he lunged for the side of the arroyo.
One of the men came around the bend in the gulley, he could not see Charlie in the darkness but Charlie could see him and let go with a round from the shotgun, the man fell back in the gritty sand. Charlie ran for the other side of the arroyo firing as he went, one round fired, and two men went down.
Suddenly he was pounced upon from the rim of the arroyo by three men and knocked to the ground, the men held his face into the sand. Soon he was surrounded by the others.
They beat and kicked him and then dragged his limp body to the center of their camp next to the fire. Two of the men subdued him from behind while the others relieved him of his weapons.
“Who the hell are you,” one man screamed at him.
“He’s here for the girl, ain’t that right you’re here for the
He was well aware of the requirement and of the consequences of not complying, but he would not be bringing Elizabeth to such a site.
He whole heartedly believed she would get better and he intended to have her at home with him while he nursed her back to health. He flicked the switch on a small battery operated radio on the dresser hoping for some music to lighten the mood in the room.
“The CDC is urging all Americans to get their flu vaccine this year,” he clicked the radio off in disgust.
With his index finger, he pulled the bedroom curtain aside just enough to see out, he knew just how much light he could let into the room, too much and his wife would scream in agony.
“Would this rain never let up?” he whispered to himself.
He turned from the window when he heard a strange sound coming from Elizabeth’s disease wracked body. He put his hand on his wife’s forehead, she was ice cold. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, her eyes became fixed on his and she weakly grasped his other hand.
“Elizabeth, Elizabeth,” he said as he gently shook his wife. Her eyes slowly dulled, the light went out and she was gone.
Chapter 10
Gradually, the sun settled on the horizon, orange hues turned to blues which in turn faded into black. He carefully moved out of his hiding spot and sat down on the side of the bluff and put his binoculars to his eyes. He could see a fire and two men moving around a campsite, he put the field glasses around his neck and tucked them under his jacket.
Carefully he began to make his way toward the camp. He found a dry, sandy wash and followed its natural flow toward the arroyo. Soon he was within about seventy-five yards of the encampment. He squatted and observed. Through the binoculars he could now see there were several more men.
He had not been watching long when he heard a scream, and then another and it sounded very much like that of a female. He moved in for a closer took. When he was within twenty-five or so yards he stopped again.
Through his binoculars he saw a woman, she was tied to a post not far from the fire and had a look of anger mixed with fear on her face. A man approached her, she screamed and spat at him and the man slapped her knocking her head back hard against the post.
Charlie put his binoculars down and sat in the sand. He pulled his pistol out and checked the magazine, it was full, and then he pulled the twelve gauge from the scabbard on his back and quietly chambered a round. He put the pistol back in the holster stood up and moved toward the camp.
All of his attempts at stealth were for naught for when he was within a few feet of the fire brightened perimeter of the camp he lost his footing and fell into the arroyo. He quickly recovered but his position had been compromised. The men in the camp heard the sound of his fall and they began firing in his direction, he lunged for the side of the arroyo.
One of the men came around the bend in the gulley, he could not see Charlie in the darkness but Charlie could see him and let go with a round from the shotgun, the man fell back in the gritty sand. Charlie ran for the other side of the arroyo firing as he went, one round fired, and two men went down.
Suddenly he was pounced upon from the rim of the arroyo by three men and knocked to the ground, the men held his face into the sand. Soon he was surrounded by the others.
They beat and kicked him and then dragged his limp body to the center of their camp next to the fire. Two of the men subdued him from behind while the others relieved him of his weapons.
“Who the hell are you,” one man screamed at him.
“He’s here for the girl, ain’t that right you’re here for the
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