Edward had tears in his eyes. “We were the ones responsible for doing that other farmer. We stole the food and escorted it back to Grimes. He’s using it as proof that you’re doing better than we are, and that is what is making the men willing to fight. He’d convinced them we could have slaves doing all the work.”
“When is this attack supposed to happen?” Damon asked.
“In a matter of weeks, but we haven’t reported back. They might come sooner looking for us.”
“Shit, I need to get to Don.”
He gained the other men’s attention. Pearce brought the other men over to the shed. Damon locked them inside the shed and made Edward tell the others the plan.
“Shit, fucking shit. I knew that bastard was a crazy fuck. What are you going to do, Damon?” Pearce asked.
“Is there enough sunlight to get me back home?”
Pearce looked at the sky and did some calculations. “If you floor it you will.”
“Great. I need you to stay here. We don’t know what is going to happen. If you see signs of Grimes then get the fuck out of here. Hide out, or go and alert the other farmers. Whatever happens we need to get Don and the other men here.”
“Then you’re going to need this,” Pearce said, handing him a key.
Damon looked at the keys in confusion.
“You’re going to need a lot more jeeps to get the people up here. If you bring Don and his men it is going to show leadership. It is the only thing they’ll listen to. Don knows I’ve been storing the jeeps around the city when I finished making them. It is time to take them out for a test drive,” Pearce said.
“I thought you only had one of these jeeps?”
“I lied. I take it you’re taking Penny with you?”
“Yes, we’re leaving right away. I can leave you to handle everything.”
Pearce nodded and then turned to the other two. Damon left him to it. He was the best man to be in charge.
“What’s going on?” Penny asked. He caught her hand leading her out to the front of the house. Damon lifted her up into the jeep. “Damon, what is going on?” she asked again.
He waited until they were on the road travelling towards the city.
“Grimes is planning a war, a flat out war with every area. He intends to take full control. This is what they tried to avoid before.”
“The reason you started fighting?”
“Yes. The farmers were the first step. They’re taking out our food in order to get us to weaken. We’re loyal to Don and would fight back.”
Damon cursed. He should have seen it sooner. He’d known something else was going to happen.
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“We’re going to the apartment first. By then it will be close to sunset. We’ll get everything we need to pack up and drive to the club. By the time we get to the club it’ll be nightfall. Tomorrow we’ll head back out.”
He turned onto the main road. Penny had to grab onto the bar above their heads. The roads had too many potholes in it. Damon tried to avoid the potholes.
“What do you think Don is going to do?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Hopefully what he does best.”
“Which is?”
“Lead.”
She grew silent, and Damon was thankful. The sun glared down on them. Penny handed him a drink in a plastic bottle that Laura had made for them. He took a sip at the liquid and stared at the sun. The day passed with him driving. He stopped once for them to walk out the kinks in their legs and relieve themselves.
The sun was setting in the sky as he pulled up outside of his apartment. He didn’t grab his knife as he was too preoccupied with getting everything collected before nightfall arrived. Damon took her hand and pushed her in front of him. They took the stairs together. Damon rushed behind her. The door to his apartment was locked. He handed Penny his key. She took it and walked inside.
“Go and pack,” he said. She went through to the bedroom. Damon grabbed his box of weapons from the hole he kept next to the door.
He looked up as Penny walked back into the room. She wasn’t alone. The man who wore the sweater with the hood had a knife pressed against her neck. His hand covered her mouth. Where the knife was pressed against her neck, there was a tiny dot of blood.
Damon felt the anger consume him. His fists tightened, and the need to kill rose within him. They had their hands on his woman. They were threatening his woman. He was going to make all of them pay. She looked terrified. Tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes. There was nothing for him to say to comfort her. Damon needed to deal with the situation. The rest of his men would be lurking about.