Woman of the Past

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Peyton felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach just before a loud crashing noise came from the direction of the entrance. Vehicles rammed through it with relative ease. Unimpeded by gunfire since the soldiers were distracted as they tried to put out the fires.

They came to a stop surrounding the soldiers around the building and women began filing out of them as fast as possible. Each armed and determined. Their weapons pointed towards the soldiers as they closed ranks around the President. Peyton’s shout of joy rang out over the stunned silence, “Mr. President I believe these women want to talk to you!”

Peyton could see his expression clearly, as she stood watching the stand off between women and soldiers. Irritation and anger crossed his features igniting a spark of recognition within her before he schooled them into an easy smile, “Ladies, let’s calm down a moment before anyone behaves rashly. Let’s sit down and talk about this.”

“Why, so you can lie to us again? I don’t think so President Pachelo. Tell your men to drop the weapons and we’ll let you live.” Alicia’s voice cut through the President’s political politeness. Her threat was clear and concise, her determination ringing through every syllable spoken.

“I am the President of the United States and I do not take orders from a woman. You will drop your weapons and return to the Safe Zone dorms for disciplinary action.” He ordered.

“Like hell we will!” May’s young voice rang out. “Most of these women are pregnant and all of us are pissed. Everything happening here is broadcasting to the world. You and General Bouffant are public enemy numbers one and two. You hold no real power anymore.

The President growled out one word, “Mason.”

Peyton’s body jerked in surprise at the way the President said Mason’s name. He made it sound like he was spitting out a mouthful of poison and Alicia called him President Pachelo. Shock slithered through her body at the realization of what that meant.

Multiple vehicles broke onto the scene at breakneck speeds before anyone could say more. Peyton ignored them and ducked back out of sight. Jupiter was still lying on the ground beside her, “How’s the wound?”

Jupiter smiled, a wry crook of his lips, “It hurts like hell, but I think the bleeding is slowing down.”

“I can probably fix that if you don’t mind a belly shirt.” Peyton waited for his nod of acceptance before grabbing the edge of his t-shirt and tearing it. She tried to block out the sounds of the others as she worked concentrating on wrapping up Jupiter’s wound until she heard her name. Her fingers fumbled with the bandage causing a grunt of pain from her patient, “Sorry…”

He put his finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. She finished tucking in the edges of the bandage when the call came again. This time she recognized the voice, “Peyton, answer me!”

She stood up and went back over to the edge of the building, surveying the scene below. The President still stood next to General Bouffant surrounded by his bodyguards. The women formed a line in front, guns ready to fire at anyone willing to challenge them in their fight. The soldiers were finally getting the fires contained but that only meant they’d soon be free to cause trouble for the others. Except now, all around the fence were thousands of men of all ages and color. Heshas mixed in with the men, standing out in their brightly colored feminine clothing.

Standing behind the line of women that refused to part in order to let them through were her men, all of them. Carter and Jaxon stood to the outside guns pointed at the soldiers. Logan was trying to convince the other women to pull back, an argument they pointedly ignored. Law and Mason stood side-by-side. Both stood tall with that stubborn gleam in their eyes.