A Powerless World | Book 3 | Defend The Homestead Hunt, Jack (read my book TXT) 📖

I mean, we’re having a baby. I’m about to bring a life into this world.”

“That’s what worries me,” he said, sliding out from underneath her and padding across the room to collect his underpants from a chair. Nina sat up in bed, her long hair draping down past her shoulders.

“It’s no different than before.”

“You don’t honestly believe that, do you… that it will get better?”

She frowned, as he tugged up his jeans and buttoned them, then began putting his boots on. “I have to believe so. If we don’t have hope, what do we have?” She asked.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking it all. I just don’t like the idea of bringing a kid into this world. It’s full of suffering, and pain, and people who…”

“Who murder? Like Hank? Your mother?” she asked.

“I was thinking about myself.” He shot her a glance. “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of, things I regret, things I wish I could change. I mean, look at our history. Look at how complex it’s been just for us. But this kid is going to have a father who’s a Riker, and a mother who’s from the line of Stricklands. Could it get any worse?”

“You say that with such disdain.” She climbed out of bed and slipped into her black panties and put her bra back on.

“But I have good reason to, right? It’s not just your family, it’s mine.”

She made her way over and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him tight. “We can change that. It doesn’t have to be this way for our child. It can be different but we have to be the ones to break that cycle of violence and hatred. Don’t you think?” She looked at him with those big doe eyes of hers that turned his heart to mush every time he was around her.

Before he could reply, Jessie heard the front door open. He gave Nina a confused look and then opened the bedroom door to find armed militia strolling into the house. One of them was Captain Evans, the same guy he’d seen in Wilder’s office. “You don’t mind if we step inside, do you?” he said with a smug grin.

“Get the hell out of my house,” Nina yelled, pointing.

They ignored her and continued walking toward the bedroom.

Jessie went to reach for his handgun when a rifle was raised by the captain. He tutted. “I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” Four of his guys entered the bedroom without any concern. Jessie’s eyes darted to his gun then back to Evans who looked at it.

“That yours?” Evans asked.

“That’s right.”

“You don’t know the rules, do you?” He jerked the barrel of the rifle to motion for him to step away from the gun. “No guns are allowed in Eureka.”

“Says who?”

One of the militia went to take it and Jessie swung at him, knocking him back. Before he could take out another, the other three charged him and tossed him on the floor, and began kicking him with heavy boots.

“All right, all right, that’s enough,” Evans said.

The men parted, allowing Evans through. Jessie looked up to see Nina trying to cover herself with one of the sheets. One of the militia soldiers close to her touched her hair and she slapped his hand away. His response was to backhand her to the bed. Jessie bounced up. “Get your fucking hands off her. She’s pregnant.” He didn’t manage to take more than three steps before the captain used the butt of his gun to knock him down again. Then coolly and calmly Evans handed off his rifle to one of his men and crouched beside Jessie. He sniffed, looked around, and then met his gaze. “I heard you Rikers are a little hard of listening so I’m going to make this loud and clear for you. It’s come to my attention that not only are you carrying in the city of Eureka but that you know where an arsenal of weapons and gold are. Where are they?”

“Fuck you.”

Evans smiled then grabbed the back of his neck and fired three hard jabs to his jaw. Nina screamed, “Leave him alone.” She tried to intervene but was quickly pulled back by a soldier. The guy wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.

“Let’s try this again. Where are the rifles and gold, son?”

“I’m not your son and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Evans rose from his crouched position. “Get up.”

Jessie looked up at him.

“GET UP!” Evans bellowed. Slowly he rose, blood trickling from the side of his lip. “Now move,” he said, directing him toward the door.

Jessie glanced at Nina. “It’s going to be okay, Nina. Don’t worry.”

“No, you should worry, Nina. You two are in a whole heap of trouble and like my mother used to say, shit gets worse before it gets better.”

Jessie felt a boot kick him in the back, sending him sailing out of the bedroom and down to the floor. He slid across the hardwood. “You know, you fucking hicks are all the same. You grow up in a town and think you own the damn place.” Evans went to kick him again but Jessie grabbed his boot.

“Don’t,” Jessie said.

“Get your filthy hands off.”

When he didn’t release it fast enough, Evans rained down hard fists, beating the side of his ear. He then grabbed him by the back of his neck and hauled him and tossed him into the living room. His body went over furniture and came to rest near the far wall. “Like I was saying. You think you’re untouchable but you’re not. Not anymore. So I’m going to give you one more chance, son. Tell me where the weapons and gold are?”

Who had told him? Alby would have never said anything about his stash.

Had someone seen him go down below the garage? Had he been careless and left it open? No, they would have stolen it. Perhaps someone had just made this up. Seth, perhaps? It