Without Law 18 Eric Vall (reading well TXT) 📖

asked. “We can’t just send a group up there without them knowing. They’ll get killed.”

“We can give them a message,” Bailey suggested. “From us. That way Rolly will know they’re legit.”

“I think Bailey’s right,” Paige said, and she bit her lip. “We need to send them back to campus.”

Anna and Tara looked at each other, and it was clear they weren’t completely on board, but looking at the group behind us, it was difficult to take the stance of sending them out into the wilderness with nowhere to go. Granted, they didn’t have to leave, but if they didn’t there was a good chance they’d get spotted by NK soldiers and wind up dead anyways. Either that, or they could get caught up in an explosion, especially if we decided to use this area for our ambush. It was in their best interests to get away from this place.

“Tav, what do you think?” Anna asked.

“My gut tells me these are good people,” I said. “I think Bailey’s right, we should send them to campus.”

“Really?” the redhead asked. “You aren’t worried about sending strangers to our home?”

“There’s risks with everything,” I said with a nod. “But look at them. They’re clearly not assholes running around stealing supplies or anything. They don’t even have any actual weapons.”

“And like Bailey said, we can send them with a code from us,” Paige added. “Something Rolly will know is from us.”

“The group on campus is more than capable of dealing with anything that comes their way.” I nodded. “They’re smart, and they’re not going to shoot someone who’s unarmed. I think sending them back home is the best thing to do. They clearly need somewhere to go. They’re struggling.”

“Yeah, that’s apparent,” Anna sighed, and she glanced back at the group. “Alright, if you think that’s best.”

“I do,” I agreed.

“What message should we send them?” Paige asked. “And how should we give them directions?”

“That’s a good question,” Anna said. “We can’t exactly just give them directions to home that explain how to get there perfectly. What if they get captured or something?”

“That’s a good point,” I said with a nod to the redhead. “Paige, do you have a pen and paper?”

“Yeah,” the brunette said. “Always.”

“Alright.” I smiled softly. “I want you to write out the directions, but with the opposite lefts and rights. And make sure to give them a route that will avoid the Boston troops.”

“Okay.” Paige smiled back. “I like that.”

“And Bailey,” I instructed. “I want you to write down something you think Rolly will understand.”

“I’m on it,” the blonde told me with a grin.

“I’m going to let them know,” I told the girls. “Come over when you have everything ready.”

“Sounds good,” Paige said as she reached into the jeep and pulled out her backpack.

I walked back over to the group, and the tall man made eye contact with me, but it was apparent how nervous he was. His eyes flickered between the girls and I, and I could see his chest rise and fall quickly with his breath.

“We’re going to give you directions back to our home,” I told him. “We live in a small community in Vermont. It’s safe.”

“You’re…” he stopped for a second, and his eyebrows pulled together as he looked at me seriously. “You’re giving us directions to your home? Why?”

“Because we want you to be safe,” I said seriously, but gently.

“Th-thank you,” the man stuttered, and I could hear the emotion in his voice when he spoke. “I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s alright.” I smiled. “You don’t have to say anything. But you’ll need to leave today, okay?”

“Alright.” He nodded. “We can do that.”

“You’ll like it at our place,” Tara said as the girls walked over. “We have running water.”

“What?” the woman with the dirty-blonde hair asked with wide eyes. “Did you say running water?”

“Yeah.” Tara nodded. “And hot water, too.”

“You all look like you could use a nice hot shower,” Anna said with a small smile.

“I don’t even want to think about how long it’s been since I’ve had a shower,” the woman in the blouse whispered almost to herself.

“I wrote up some directions for you,” Paige said, and she held out a piece of paper. “Just remember that they’re all opposite. So left actually means right, and right means left. Everything else is pretty straightforward.”

“Why would you--” the man started to ask.

“In case somebody stops you on the way up there,” Tara explained. “We don’t want to just give out directions to our home to just anybody.”

“It’s just a precaution,” Bailey assured them with a smile. “Just follow the directions, and you’ll be fine. And once you get up there, whoever you see first, just tell them you’re looking for Rolly.”

“Rolly.” The man nodded.

“Yes.” Bailey nodded back. “And tell him that Tav and the girls sent you because you need help.”

“What does Rolly look like?” the dirty-blonde-haired woman asked.

“He’s old as dirt,” Tara joked.

“He’s in his seventies,” Paige corrected with a smile and a shake of her head.

“Probably wearing denim,” Anna added.

“And a newsboy cap,” I chimed in.

“Once you find Rolly, tell him that Bailey says to say hi to Winchester for her,” Bailey said. “That will be kind of your code phrase so they know you’re for real.”

“Okay.” The man nodded and looked down at the paper in his hands. “I can’t believe you all are doing this… we’ve been here for so long just watching all this craziness unfold.” He looked up at us with tears in his eyes. “It’s nice to know there are still good people out there.”

“We’re happy to help,” Bailey said softly, and she looked over at me and smiled.

I knew the blonde was happy with our decision. She’d advocated it from