When Hope Dies

The Hunter (Jacob)

       We sat around, thinking and planning. That's all we did all through the early morning hours after I returned with Nick and Kim. And then, the idea hit me. Sure, it wasn't the best. I mean, going after Jacob first out of everybody would be more than dangerous, we might all die. But if we took out Jacob, we take out their army. Or the structure of it at least.

"Well what if... what if we get rid of Jacob first? Go up North and take him out. He has to be at that stupid Veteran's Center, we can just go get him. He's basically in charge of their army, why don't we kill him first?" I thought aloud, sitting down on the couch.

"Yeah, we could. But they might just swarm all over us and we'd be dead before we got too far." Adelaide pointed out, swirling around the amber liquid in her glass. She was right about that. We could try getting close but would we actually make it?

       "What if we went in guns blazing? Get there as fast as possible and storm the Veterans Center. Nick and Adelaide could fly up above, their aircraft has bombs. The rest of us go in cars." Grace wondered, looking around.

       "Well shoot I borrowed my daddy's truck. It's got one of those big guns mounted on it." Hurk said, looking at Sharky who simply nodded in agreement before saying, "I've got a car like that too."

        Two cars would fit everyone, especially if Nick and Adelaide were in the air. Everyone seemed to be in agreement. This was the plan.

        "I'm gonna say goodbye to the Mrs, don't you leave without me. We can't kick ass if we're missing people." Nick stated before getting up and going to his house.

        Adelaide went and opened up the hangar, revealing her helicopter, Nick's plane, and the two trucks with mounted guns. That must've been how everyone got here and got away from Fall's End. Hiding the vehicles was smart.

        I hopped into Sharky's car, waiting as Mary May, Sharky, and Grace got in. Jerome and Jess were with Hurk. Nick came back eventually, and we waited in the hangar as he and Adelaide got up into the air. Then we took off. Mary May was using the mounted gun in our car, Jess was using the one on Hurk's truck. Well, his dad's truck.

        It was only five minutes into the ride when we caught the unwanted attention of some Peggies. The good thing about it was they were under John's control. As soon as we crossed that bridge, they stopped. There seemed to be, for whatever reason, a rule or an agreement in which those under John's control were not to set foot in Jacob's region.

        The roadblock came into sight long before we approached it. They were expecting us. Several trucks with mounted guns blocked the road, along with barbed wire and stacks of tires and ply wood. Peggies stood in front of it, waiting with their rifles in hand. Hurk's truck was behind us, but I know that they could see the road block too.

        "Well now what." Grace sighed, mostly talking to herself. Sharky stopped and revved his engine a couple of times. Hurk, who had stopped right behind us, revved his engine twice in response.

       "And we're good to go! You guys better hold on, we're about to do some seriously cool off roading." Sharky said as he buckled up for the first time during the drive. Grace and I followed suit as Mary May climbed into the backseat with Grace.

       "Sharky we can't go off roading in this, it's not built for it." I tried to reason, fearing for my life at this point. This man was going to kill us. Sharky simply shrugged and stomped on the gas and turned the wheel sharply, sending us flying into the forest through a narrow path. Hurk's truck was right behind us.

        I was screaming, Grace was shouting at Sharky, and I think Mary May screamed at least once. The ride was not only bumpy and rough, but full of turns so sharp that I think I was starting to get whiplash. I could hear shooting coming from behind us, and a careful inspection of the sideview mirror showed me the two Peggie trucks following us. Both had mounted guns.