The Remaining: Fractured by D.J. Molles Read Free Book Online Page A

palms. “Why?”
    Jim seated the glasses back on his face. “I think something is wrong. We haven’t been able to raise Camp Ryder on the radio in two days. I know the mission is important, but so is Camp Ryder. If they’re in trouble, we should go help them.”
    “We don’t know that they’re in trouble,” Wilson said. “You’re just assuming that because we haven’t been able to get the radios to work. Could be something as simple as one of our repeaters going down.”
    “But do we want to take the chance?” Jim asked. His voice was low. “I don’t think we should take chances with other people’s lives. We need to work on the side of caution here.”
    “And if we go back now, and it turns out that nothing was wrong, then that’s six days gone. For nothing.” Wilson addressed himself to LaRouche this time. “You heard Lee when he briefed us. We’re already behind the ball on this thing. We don’t have time to waste.”
    Jim rubbed his head, seemed exasperated. “Wilson…we’re talking about our friends. Our families.”
    Wilson raised an eyebrow. “We’re also talking about the entire eastern seaboard, Jim. We’re losing time as we speak. What happens if we don’t blow these bridges in time? There’s more at stake than just our friends and families.” Wilson seemed to not like the sound of the words coming out of his own mouth and looked like he’d tasted something sour. “It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth.”
    Jim’s jaw locked. “Fine. Let me and four others take one of the Humvees and backtrack.”
    LaRouche gave him a pained look.
    Jim continued. “We’ll head back towards Camp Ryder, but we’ll check the repeaters as we go. If we can find the problem and fix it, and reestablish contact with the camp, then we’ll head back and rejoin you guys.”
    “Absolutely not,” LaRouche shook his head.
    “Why?”
    LaRouche spit off to the side and wiped a string of tobacco juice from the stubble on his chin. “I’m not splitting up the team,” he growled. “Jesus, Jim, you know what’s out there right now—you’ve seen it with your own eyes! We’re already looking at long odds, I’m not gonna cut my team in half.”
    Wilson spoke evenly. “Well, then we really only have two choices. We either all go back, or we all go forward.” He shrugged. “I say we go forward.”
    “I say we go back,” Jim said stubbornly.
    They both looked at LaRouche.
    The sergeant shook his head. “We’ve gotta keep going. I said it two days ago, and I haven’t changed my mind. We’ve got a job to do and Lee is counting on us doing it as quickly as possible. Whatever is going on…” he trailed off for a moment, then simply stated, “We’re gonna keep going.”
    “LaRouche…” Jim began.
    “Decision’s been made,” LaRouche said, curtly.
    The ex-priest looked at him from under his brow. LaRouche knew that Jim wouldn’t defy him, but that didn’t mean that he agreed with all of LaRouche’s decisions. In fact, he seemed to disagree more often than not.
     “Does everybody else know the situation?” Wilson asked.
    “Seems like it would just invite argument,” LaRouche sighed. “I hate to keep things from them, but it’s better that we make the decisions and go with it, or we’re going to be sitting around, discussing it for days on end.”
    Wilson shifted uncomfortably. “Sarge, you know I have your back, whatever decision you make. But I don’t think keeping it a secret is going to go over well.” He turned partially so he could look at the others as they pulled out blankets and foodstuffs to prepare dinner. “Some of these guys have family back at Camp Ryder. I don’t think it would be right not to give them the option of going back.”
    LaRouche pursed his lips in irritation, but didn’t respond immediately.
    “I know you don’t want to split up the team,” Jim lowered his voice. “At least explain the situation. Let them come to their own decisions.”
    “How many