Chapter 42
“It’s not their fight,” Colton said. “I don’t think it’s right for us to ask for their help. What we have established is a good trade route with Sherman. I don’t want to jeopardize it. Before that pact was agreed on, no one in this town could get a decent bottle of wine.”
“Need I remind you that it was Veronica who set up that agreement?” Mauve asked.
“It is a two-way street. They provide us with things, but we provide them with several resources as well. Without our generosity, they would not have their medical clinic up and running. I volunteer there once a week; I think I know how they will respond to being asked.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with the trade route, nor does it have to do with any favors they might owe us,” Veronica said.
“The simple fact of the matter is that if we don’t stop Markwood now, he’s just going to move on to the next town when he is done with us.
It’s obvious that there is no reasoning with him.
They will want to help us to save their own asses as much as ours. ”
“I don’t even know why I pretend like I’m in charge anymore,” Colton grumbled. “It’s obvious you are going to do whatever you want.”
Veronica chuckled and shook her head. Colton knew he was a valued member of the community and the council was running the village.
With Veronica, Darrell, her mother, and two other locals on the board, they often voted on the best course of action.
Once already, they had voted on whether to ask the neighboring city of Sherman for help in bringing down Markwood.
It had been nearly unanimous, with only Colton holding out on the idea.
She knew he was only trying to protect the people he cared about and make sure they made it through the winter, but he was misguided if he thought Markwood would take any defectors.
Now, the corrupt man had discovered what a burden it was to have to feed so many mouths.
The crops would be drying up in the gardens that were planted behind homes Starver City.
His people would be asking questions and starting to rebel against his authority.
He would need to act swiftly and not take anyone hostage who might be another mouth to feed.
The only choice they had was to strike him before he had the chance to hit the village.
To Veronica, the plan was obviously the best they had.
It was infuriating that Colton was still more focused on the long term as opposed to the short term.
There would be no villagers left to trade with if they didn’t deal with the militia first.
“I am going to talk to the city leaders in Sherman. I will be back in a few hours. In that time, I need every man and woman who can shoot a gun, along with all the munitions we have, to be gathered up and brought here to City Hall. Hopefully, when I get back, it will be with reinforcements,” Veronica said.
Colton glared at her. “I still don’t think this is a good idea?—”
“You have made your opinion on the matter known, Colton,” Mauve snapped. “Now it’s time for you to follow orders, just like the rest of us. My daughter is trying to save this damn village, so maybe you should shut your mouth and get to work, too.”
The others chuckled at her mother’s curt response to the man as Veronica turned and headed back for the door.
She was happy when Darrell joined her. The idea of going to the Sherman by herself had been a daunting one, but with him at her side, she felt a world better.
As the pair rode out of town, she gave her brother a nod before galloping past him.
There was no time to stop and talk with Nick.
She knew her parents would fill him in along the way.
She could appreciate the silence between them, but at the same time, as they rode, she found herself desperately seeking out her partner’s advice.
“How are we going to get to Markwood without anyone getting hurt?” Veronica asked.
“I have no idea. It seems like whatever we do, someone is going to get caught in the crossfire. I would say if we knew more about where he lived and what his schedule was, we could do an assassination.”
“As much as I like that idea, I also feel like someone else would just step into his shoes. We need to take down the entire structure of his system, and that won’t be as easy as slipping in and out in the middle of the night,” Veronica said as she worked through all the holes in their plan.
“What if we did another meeting? We could surround him and take him into custody there.”
Veronica shook her head. “I feel like that would just piss off his followers more. We don’t want them coming into the village, guns blazing. There has to be a way to get him and his generals out into the field without killing any of our people.”
Darrell gave her a wink. “I know if anyone can think of something, it’s going to be you. You just let me know what it is when you get there. I would follow you into battle anywhere.”
She chuckled and rolled her eyes at him, adoring him for trusting her so much.
Veronica’s stomach rolled, unsure if his faith was misplaced.
Markwood wasn’t from the area, but he had followers who were.
It would be easy enough for the villagers to defend their homes, but she didn’t want them to be constantly on edge.
They had to take the fight to Markwood and hope the city dwellers stood behind them and not Markwood.
Their numbers had to be in the high hundreds, despite those who had defected or been murdered by Markwood’s men.
“Even if the people of Sherman do agree to fight with us, I don’t think it’s going to be enough. Markwood and his men have been growing in numbers for some time now. What are we going to do? Ask a bunch of farmers and women to fight skilled killers?” Veronica said.
“What are you thinking, then?” Darrell asked.
“We have to bring the fight to Markwood and catch him off guard. I wish we had a way to communicate with Nick. We need to strike as soon as possible.”
“Then let’s get to Sherman and haul ass back home to the village. But the sooner we get this over and done with and have a few more allies on our side, the better off we’ll all be,” Darrell replied.
With the winding path leading them toward Sherman and their destination, Veronica retreated once again into her thoughts.
She still felt like it was their best plan of attack.
They would move under the cover of night, find Markwood, and warn the people in Starver City of the attack so they had time to take cover.
Those who wanted to stand against them could, but those who simply wanted peace in the end would have the option.
She hated to think of leading her people into battle but knew a sneak attack would minimize the risk of losing lives.
By the time they left the city of Sherman again, they had fifty-two able-bodied men and women with guns willing to fight.
As the people gathered their supplies and headed for the village, Darryl and Veronica rode ahead to let their sentries know to expect movement in the forest and on the path.
She didn’t want anyone to get injured accidentally, especially not those who were fighting for their side.
It felt good knowing they had a small army ready to attack Starver City if needed.
They weren’t hardened killers. Some had never held a gun before the EMP strike.
It was hard to tell how much good they would actually do or if all their loss would be for nothing.
Only time would tell if she had made a mistake in roping the people of Sherman into her war.
In her gut, though, Veronica knew Markwood wasn’t going to stop until he had gotten his grubby paws on everything within a fifty-mile radius.
He was a man who needed to be ended. Moving silently back in the direction of their home, Veronica questioned how she was going to tell Bella she was leaving once again.
Already she could see an argument looming.