Free RATH - Redemption by Jeff Olah Page A

take you from me. I don’t know where, but I’m sure of it. Call to him.”
     
    Sarah stood motionless, staring back at him.
     
    “Your choice.” He held out his right hand and after being handed a pistol, fired one round into the forehead of the bloodied man to his right. Before his victim’s body hit the ground he again made his demand. “Sarah, this is the last time I ask.” He turned the weapon on the next man in line and pushed the barrel into his ear. “Call to him.”
     
    The three men lying before her we’re already dead. Boothe would execute them either way, although she knew her husband, and how this situation would have played out had he been anywhere within earshot. Shouting his name wouldn’t change the events about to unfold either way.
     
    Sarah closed her eyes and melted as the words left her lips. “Benjamin, please do not show yourself. If you love me, I want you to get as far from—”
     
    As Boothe discharged the three remaining men from this world, Sarah flinched and dropped to her knees. She wept as the drone opened its rear cargo doors and as the dust settled around the massive airship, she noticed those exiting were not Boothe’s people.

14
 
    The turquoise ocean sat fifty feet to the left, framed by the morning fog and fading trails of sand. Archer stepped from the cockpit and lowered the rear doors as the warm coastal breeze filtered in. This was the first actual sunrise he’d seen in months; if he didn’t already known better, he’d have guessed that this part of the planet was about to experience its first summer day in over a year. Although with the colossal winter storm just miles to the east, it reminded him of why he was here today, fighting for his life. “Everyone out!” Archer moved into the rear cabin and began herding the residents out onto the beach. “There isn’t time, leave your things; we’ll come back for anything you may need.”
     
    Many did what they were told without question and marched out into the sand. Others, including Vera stayed behind, looking for answers. “What’s happening, where are the others? The beach looks deserted.”
 
    “I’m sure Rath, Symon, and the others will be coming up over that ridge any moment now. That is if they haven’t already moved on Boothe’s compound. Let’s get the others out onto the beach so we can get a head count.”
     
    A familiar voice flooded the interior. “Archer… move them out.”
     
    Standing between Archer and her people, Vera reached back and slapped him with an open hand. “What did you do?”
     
    “What I needed to do to survive.”
     
    “So, you sacrificed everyone that you’ve ever known to that murderous sociopath to save yourself? Like father like son, I guess.”
     
    He turned to strike her and then lowered his hand. “Just get outside. It was over for you and the others the moment you allowed Benjamin Rath into our mountain.”
     
    “I’m not willing to believe that you brought everyone here, simply to just let us die. You’re a disgrace. Not only to the people who trusted you, but to our race as a whole.” As Vera turned and walked into the daylight, many residents had already begun to turn back the moment they noticed Boothe’s men striding toward the aircraft.
     
    Through the passenger bay and out into the sand, Archer moved around and passed the former residents of the Patch, as they were being herded back toward the dune. He marched through the packed sand toward Boothe and eyed his target, Benjamin Rath’s wife.
     
    Many horrified and frozen in place at the sight of the four casualties tried to run, only to be brought down with a hit from a well-placed stun baton.
     
    .      .      .
     
    As his men lined the residents three deep, just feet from the fallen prisoners, Boothe stood between the two women as Archer joined them atop the dune. He ordered the six children removed from their families and taken inside the facility. Three boys and three