Free Six Feet From Hell: Unity: 6FFH Book #5 by Joseph Coley Page A

Jebediah had an idea for Tazewell, and the loss of a single woman would not halt the process. He wanted to bring down the hammer of God on the inhabitants inside the wall, and even if he had to break one of Father Rife’s commandments to do it, he would.
     
    * * *
     
    After breakfast, Joe made his way back towards the jail. It was a walk that he wanted to make alone, to clear his head and organize his thoughts, but Rick and Kane had decided to accompany him. Joe trudged along the mostly empty streets, slowly pacing towards the jail, more than two miles away. There were a million ideas rattling around in his head, and it was next to impossible to prioritize them. First off, there were the outposts in Bluefield and Richlands. Both areas were tactically significant and both offered up derelict National Guard units that hadn’t been thoroughly picked over just yet. Some of the things that might still be there would be of use in a fight, and there was certainly a fight coming. That line of thought led him to his next problem – staffing the outposts. Jim and his people were at the top of a short list, but the logistics of getting all the way to Hazard, Kentucky were difficult at best. It was nearly 160 miles away, and they needed more diesel than they had. Both LMTV’s were still available, as well as the singular vehicle in the tunnel, and all three had fuel.
    The more pressing question of risk versus reward came into play as well. It would take an all-day mission to get the working LMTV and siphon the fuel from the others, adding more work to the list. On top of all that, he had plans to cross-train and better equip some of the people in town, and, with any luck, adding to the number of trained personnel at his disposal. There were enough rifles to outfit twenty or more, enough to put an additional ten people at each end of the county. The necessary supplies and personnel were spread out over a large area, and it was going to take a lot of work to get all of it lined up.
    “Penny for your thoughts.”
    Joe blinked away his thoughts. Rick had been studying his face, the worried wrinkles and creases of a forty-year-old man making themselves evident as he stared. Joe moved his rifle slightly, adjusting the feel of the M4 on his shoulder. “Just got a lot on my mind at the moment,” Joe answered as he walked on, still facing forward.
    “Like what?” Rick asked, adjusting his rifle as well.
    “We’ve got several things to work on and not enough people to make it happen. That, plus I have a feeling that I’m not as popular with the people in town as I think I am,” Joe looked over to Rick. “Any suggestions?”
    “Quit.”
    Joe’s brow furrowed. “Quit?”
    “Yeah, quit. Stop trying so damn hard to be a leader and just do what you need to do without making people do it. If they see you as one of them, just one of the guys, I think that would make them a little more apt to help.” Rick put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “Look, you and Larry do a great job around here, which is not an issue. Just ask some of the others if they want to go out and do a couple things, just don’t make it seem like you’re making them do it. Get some volunteers and do the work with me if you have to. You know I will always have your back, dad. It’ll be hard work, but I think it’ll be worth it.” Rick patted his father on the back. “Now, what’s the first thing we need to take care of?”
    “Captain White. I want to see what he’s willing to give us and I want to see how useful he will be on the mission today,” Joe replied.
    Rick motioned ahead, pointing towards Main Street and the jail. “So that’s why we’re headed to the jail?”
    “Yeah, well, that’s why I was headed to the jail. What are you doin’?”
    Rick shrugged as they walked together. “Nothing better to do I guess, plus Kane needed a little exercise. He’s gotten to be a lazy pooch here lately without any action.” As if he heard Rick speaking