WFOL 2016
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Chapter 5
by Kathy De

 

Jamie sent word out over the pipes and it wasn’t long before Cullen, Mouse, Matthew, and Michael were headed their way. She waited at the junction for only a few minutes before they all started showing up from different directions. She apprised them of the current situation, and they followed her immediately to catch up with Vincent.  

Meanwhile, Vincent had planned on staying true to his word to Jamie but he didn’t think doing a little reconnaissance work until she returned would hurt their cause. He inched his way closer to the entrance of the cold storage room. He could detect faint noises coming from inside and slipped into a small chiseled alcove next to the entrance. Against the back wall, he could discern a shadow moving around inside. He watched intently and could only see one form, and was pretty certain that the “Carmen” was alone.

Deciding to head inside and confront her, he pushed off from the wall – then he suddenly stopped and looked out into the distance as he carefully listened to Catherine’s message over the pipes. He frowned as he stepped back down the tunnelway so he could formulate a plan. If this person was tied to Mitch Denton, there was a good chance they were armed and dangerous.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard light footsteps out in the tunnelway. Jamie walked past his hiding place, and Vincent slipped out behind her. Jamie felt his presence behind her and whirled around quickly to confront a would-be attacker. Her face showed relief when Vincent held a finger to his lips to silence her then nodded behind him, indicating she should follow him.

They were a safe distance away when Vincent gasped in surprise to see the other four men from the Tunnels waiting for instructions.

“Never alone…” Mouse reminded him.

Michael piped up from the back, “Did you hear Catherine’s message?”

“Yes,” Vincent stated flatly.

“So, somehow, this ‘Carmen’ is tied to Mitch Denton?” Matthew asked.

“Perhaps,” Vincent replied.

Jamie wondered, “What if Mitch is working with her? What if he’s Below right now?! At least that would explain how she got this far into our tunnels!”

Cullen stepped forward. “Answers we’ll get after we detain and question our intruder.”

Vincent nodded. “Yes. I was able to determine that there is only one intruder in the storage chamber and, based on the length of her hair, I do believe it’s a woman.”

Jamie glanced at the chamber doorway and frowned. “So, do you think I should confront her?”

“I think we should confront her,” Matthew corrected.

“No.” Jamie shook her head as she looked at Vincent. “Look…you said you knew she was in there alone. I can take care of myself against one lone woman, and there doesn’t seem to be any reason for you to reveal yourself.”

Vincent looked at Jamie as he tried to pierce the logic of her plan. Finally, he shrugged in compliance and he touched her arm. “All right. Know that we’ll be near.”

“I know,” she said confidently as she walked towards the storage chamber.

“Wait!” Mouse whispered as he walked up behind her. “No good. Father said it’s not good to be alone. Safety in numbers.”

Matthew looked at Vincent. “He’s right. Jamie can’t do this alone.”

Vincent held up his hand to silence their protests. “’Carmen’ is alone, and I don’t want to alarm her in any way. Jamie is a capable young woman; she’s proven she can handle herself, and I know she’ll be able to diffuse the situation if it starts to escalate.”

Cullen thought for a moment. “Let Michael go with her. He’s young and less threatening-looking then the rest of us.”

Michael nodded his approval and stepped forward as Vincent nodded. “Yes.”

Mouse grabbed Jamie’s elbow. “Best friend…next to Vincent…be careful.”

“I will, Mouse,” Jamie assured him before she cautiously made her way again.

Jamie stealthily disappeared inside the chamber entrance, followed closely by Michael.

Mouse turned to the other men and frowned. “Mouse’s stomach hurts.”

Nerves,” Matthew supplied.

Vincent squeezed Mouse’s shoulders. “No harm will come to her, Mouse, I promise.”

He slipped against the side wall nearest the chamber entrance, and Cullen slipped in beside him. Matthew went to stand on the other side, and Mouse took his place next to him. All four men strained to listen to what was going on.

Jamie and Michael walked into the outer chamber and saw that “Carmen” had gone through several crates of supplies. Jamie could see the same shadow play against the back wall, and silently agreed it was being cast by one person. She motioned with her hands that she would walk to the left while Michael was to walk to the right, and after he nodded with understanding, she confidently strode forward.  

Jamie stood for several moments as she observed. The woman was sorting through cans of vegetables and fruits and stacking them in a corner, presumably to repack into her bag after she was done.

Jamie grew angry as she crossed her arms over her chest and puffed up to her full height. “Can we help you?”

“Carmen”gasped and dropped a can of green beans as she whirled around at the sound of someone’s voice. Her face grew fearful when she saw both Jamie and Michael standing behind her, blocking her passage to the only door.

Jamie saw the woman’s fear but kept her guard up. “I asked if I could help you with anything.”

“I was hungry…I saw this food and…” Her voice trailed off as she looked around.

Jamie took another step forward. “Did it cross your mind to find out who owns the food then ask if they’d be willing to share any of it?”

“Carmen’s” face fell. “I…” she stammered, “I had no idea this belonged to your community.”

“Who said anything about a community? Maybe it’s just for my sister and me,” Michael countered as he nodded towards Jamie.

Jamie shook her head dismissively. “She already knows about us. She’s been sneaking around for weeks, haven’t you?” When the woman started to shake her head, Jamie sighed. “Now you’re going to lie? That’s my sweatshirt you’re wearing, I put it in the wash over two weeks ago and never got it back because you stole it!”

“Carmen” said with false bravado, “I don’t steal! I have everything I need.” Shestarted to walk towards the door; Jamie and Michael both took a step sideways to block her progress. Her brows rose with surprise. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not done asking questions,” Jamie stated flatly.

“Maybe I’m done answering them,” “Carmen” said haughtily.

Jamie stepped closer and picked up the two cans “Carmen” had set down and held them out in front of her. “Please, you must be hungry or you wouldn’t have stolen all of this.”

“I don’t steal.”

“Doesn’t matter, because I’m asking you to take whatever you want - but only take what you need.”

“Carmen” flushed with embarrassment at her offer but was too hungry to turn it down. “Thank you,” she said as she slowly packed her bag.

“How many people are you feeding?”

“What?” “Carmen” asked suspiciously.

“Are you alone. or do you need to pack some extra cans for your family?”

“Who said I was with anyone?!”
Jamie blinked with surprise at the woman’s sudden anger.

“Have you seen me with anyone else?” “Carmen” snapped worriedly. “I am alone…” she stammered.

“Alone?” Michael questioned.

“Yes.”

“Really?” he asked as he folded his arms across his chest. “You expect us to believe you’ve been sneaking around our tunnels unseen without any help from anyone else?”

“Mitch sent you, didn’t he?”

“Mitch? Who is Mitch?”

Jamie was certain the woman was lying, and rolled her eyes. “This is getting us nowhere. You need to follow us to speak with Father.”

“What if I refuse to go? They sent a young girl and a boy to get me?”

Matthew immediately pushed off from the wall to walk inside. “And a few of the older men from the community,” he announced as he walked into the room, quickly followed by Mouse and Cullen.

“Carmen’s” shoulders slumped in defeat as she looked at the men. “I have no choice, do I?” She followed behind Matthew and Cullen as Jamie, Mouse, and Michael followed behind her.

Vincent had remained hidden but motioned to Michael after the group walked passed.

“Yeah, Vincent?”

“Will you please tell Catherine that all is well, and that ‘Carmen’ has been caught?”

 

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