Republic of the Living (Novella): Vengeance by Taz Gallaher Read Free Book Online Page A

beyond Pearly.  Another soldier dressed in blue
appeared suddenly on the path with a rifle in his hands.  A second soldier
hopped onto the path behind the first.
    Hanrahan froze, his eyes searching Pearly’s.
 Pearly pulled his rifle tight to his body.
    “ That will be far enough,
gentlemen,” the soldier closest to them said.  
    He sensed movement behind him.
    “ Corporal
Whitney,” the soldier nearest Pearly said.  “Take these men into custody,
if you will.”
    Hanrahan straightened and turned back to the
clearing.  Both soldiers stood next to the campfire now.  Each aimed
a pistol at him.  
    “ Whoa now,” Hanrahan said,
raising his arms.  “We’re friends.  We’re on your side.”
    “ If you will, corporal,” the
voice behind him shouted.
    The two soldiers approached Hanrahan slowly.
 
    “Hands in front,” one of them said.
    He pushed his wrists forward.  One aimed a
pistol at him while the other reached into his pocket to produce a looped piece
of plastic.  He slipped the cord over Hanrahan’s hand and quickly tugged
both wrists together.
    “Go on,” the corporal said.  “Move to the
fire.”
    Hanrahan stumbled into the camp, his hands
extended forward.   The soldier’s gun tracked him into the clearing
    “ Lay the gun down,” the
soldier behind Pearly said.
    Pearly lowered his rifle to the path and Hanrahan
turned to watch the corporal secure his friend.  The pair of soldiers
marched Pearly toward him.
    “ Go on, sit down,” the man in
charge growled and shoved Pearly down onto the ground.
    Hanrahan lowered himself next to his friend and
gazed up at the soldiers.   They spread out around the two men, guns
pointed to the ground.  The soldier who commanded the others slipped his
arm through the sling of his rifle and squatted, eye-to-eye with Hanrahan.
 His face was raw and thin-boned and covered in a patchy beard.  A
pair of bulging, green eyes scuttled back and forth over the two prisoners.
 The man’s lips were flaked with white crust.
    “ What have we here?” He
whispered.
    Hanrahan opened his mouth and the man’s hand shot
forward, cuffing him across the chin.
    “ Two stragglers.”  The
man continued.  “Trying to sneak up on a squad of state troops.”  He
stood.  “What do you think, Whitney?”
    The younger man looked down at Hanrahan, confusion
spreading across his face.  “What do I . . . ?”
    “ Murphy,” the thin man
barked.  “Go get those horses.”
    One of the soldiers nodded and turned to sprint
back down the path.
    “ You boys just relax,” the
commander said.  “I need to consult with my colleagues.”
      He
grinned as he pulled the remaining pair of soldiers alongside him and strode to
the edge of the clearing.  While they mumbled together, Murphy appeared at
the edge of the camp holding the horses’ reins.  He led them across the
clearing and Bama whinnied as she loped by.  After tying off the reins to
a low tree branch, the soldier joined his friends.
    “ Fucking crazy bastards,”
Pearly muttered at him.   “Fucking crazy retarded bastards.”
    He turned and Pearly scowled at him.  “Let me
handle this,” Hanrahan whispered.  “You got your knife?”
    A tight smile unfolded across Pearly’s lips and he
nodded.  “Stupid fuckers,” he muttered.
    The soldiers returned to the two men.
    “ I’m Captain Fremont,” the
thin man said, standing over Hanrahan.  “Duly appointed representative and
agent of the California Permanent State Government.”  He tapped Hanrahan’s
boot with the toe of his shoe.  “You marauders have anything to say for
yourselves?”
    He glanced at Pearly.  “I’m John Hanrahan,
overseer of the Fruitvale Station.  This here is James Pearl, my
assistant.”  He nodded at Pearly.  “We’re in pursuit of two fugitives
who . . . .”
    The captain raised his hand.  “That’s
enough,” he said.  “We’ve heard all these stories before.”
    “ Captain Fremont,”