Chapter 15
Crawfordton
January
It became evident that someone had been abducting people from Crawfordton again. There was some evidence that the perpetrators were the Hexmen.
It was thought by some that the disappearances was the work of the Gofinns getting rid of any possible rivals. But Constable Colonel Jayden Phipps had a spy in Delburg working under the alias of Rocky Smillen. Nearby Delburg was controlled by the Gofinns. Smillen seemed to know everything about Delburg, but Smillen saw no evidence that the Gofinns were involved in any such activity. In fact, the Gofinns never seemed to go anywhere near Crawfordton. So Delburg was ruled out in the matter.
However, Smillen said people were also coming up missing from Delburg, a fact that could not be accepted. It was reported to Jayden that someone tried to, but failed to abduct a woman. When the woman's husband got a brief look at the man, the perpetrator had some kind of "symbol" tattoo on his face. This suggested that the perpetrators could be the Hexmen.
Since the Crawfordton Guard did such a good job of helping the Raiders to dislodge the Hexmen out of the Shanesville area, the Hexmen may have relocated closer to Crawfordton.
It was the coldest day of the season. It was so cold that school was cancelled and the around the clock sentries at the House were only sent out to do an occasional patrol.
Everyone in the House was staying near the fireplace. Both of the doorways leading into the room had blankets tacked up over them to keep the warm air in the room.
Angela was reading by firelight. Angela said, "It says right here, 'When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him; when well fed, to starve him; when at rest, to make him move. Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.'"
"Aren't you sick of this book yet?" Phil asked, trying to take a nap.
"No. Why do you keep saying that?"
"Oh, I don't know. . .maybe because you have read that thing for half a year."
Angela quoted again, "The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand."
"So you're a General now, and this House is a temple?"
Angela said, "If we hit the Hexmen now, they will be easily destroyed."
Phil sighed, "But also, we have to know when to fight. It is too cold out. Our people will freeze to death out in that. And I don't know if anyone knows where the Hexmen are. Those Hexpukes are suffering a lot worse than we are right now."
Angela said, "Fine!"
Phil asked, "What?"
"Nothing. I'm going to Hunter's house."
"Just stay here. It's too cold out."
"Fine. Let's talk some more."
"Okay, okay. Go ahead and go out. Don't stay too long?"
"Why not?"
"I want you back here, that's why."
Angela went to her clothes pile by her bed on the floor and found more garments to put on, adding multiple layers. Then she put on her warmest coat, gloves, hat and boots.
She went across Harris Road to the Thomas's house. The snow had piled up over the past couple of weeks and none of it had melted. Angela wondered what everyone's big deal was with the cold. As long as you dressed for it, the cold wasn't that bad.
Much of the Thomas house was not habitable because of the destroyed roof. Angela knocked on the door. Sophia came to the door and let her him. They had to pass through the front room that had a partial roof over it. Snow was all over the floor. They made their way past some crude makeshift repairs to an inner sanctum of the house.
The house also had a fireplace. The room was packed with heat seeking people. It was nice and warm in the room, almost hot.
Angela waded over the people, many who gave her a hostile glare, until she found Hunter. "Hunter!"
"What are you doing here?"
"We have something important to do."
"Me too. Stay warm."
"Its business." She gave Hunter a token kick in the butt.
"Okay. Okay."
She motioned for him to go into the snowy living room. He put on his coat and followed her.
Angela said, "We gotta go do something."
"Why?"
"Do you want to keep the Hexmen away?"
"I dunno. Are they here?"
"No, but what if they come here?"
"Today? They gotta be near a fire somewhere."
"I know. That is how we will find them."
"Find them!"
"Shhhhhhh! Shush!"
"Why would I want to find them? You don't make any sense."
"So the army can get them."
"Why don't they do it themselves?"
"They're a bunch of babies."
"No they're not."
"Come on."
"Let me tell my Mom first."
"No. You can't"
"She's gonna be so mad."
"She'll get over it. Go get some more warm clothes, let's go."
"Okay. Hang on. Man, what a . . ."
"Soonzoo says, 'If fighting is sure to result in victory, than you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it.'"
"Sounds like Sunzoo got into a lot of trouble."
"No. If you win, people forget about it. I think."
The days were very short and the two Cadets headed out into the darkness straight north up Harris Road, which was more of a random first place to look than anything else.
Amy nudged Phil, who was getting a nap. She asked Phil, "Where's Angela?"
"She's over at Thomas's."
"Well go get her. I want her over here now."
Phil grumbled. "All right." Phil didn't dress overly warm since it was a short trip, but before he got across the road he regretted it. He knocked on Thomas's door.
Sophia opened it. "Hi Phil."
"Hi."
"Come in and get warmed up."
They meandered through the baffled mess until they got to the heated area.
"Thanks. Where's Angela? I want her to come back home now."
"Angela? She's not here. Neither is Hunter. Liam! Have you seen Hunter?"
"No."
"Phil. What's going on? Where's Liam?"
"I don't know. Dang it! This really gets me! Don't worry Sophia, I'll get to the bottom of this."
Phil returned back at his house and burst open the door. He let a big burst of cold air into the House. He was welcomed with a chorus of "Shut the door!"
"I can't find Angela!"
Amy said, "Whaaaa. . ."
"Sophia can't find Hunter, either. Check the House!" Phil said. "Angela! Angela! Get in here! Dang it!"
They looked through the house.
" Jayden!" Phil said, "You gotta sound the rally bell!"
"Now wait a minute, Phil. We can't just send everyone out in this. Just because this is your kid. . ."
Phil snarled, "If this was any other kid, what would you do?"
Jayden dropped his head. He told a sentry who was spending his outside time warming up inside instead, "Private, go toll the rally bell."
Amy said, "Phil, can't we get the Confederation to help out?"
Jayden interrupted, "They won't help with this. This is our problem."
Amy pleaded, "What if someone took her? What good are they?"
Jayden said, "Oh maybe you're right. I'll go talk to Anderson."
Throughout the town, grumbling and groaning was pervasive as the Guard members heard the bell and readied themselves to meet at the rally point at the House.
After they arrived at the rally point, each platoon was given an area of the town to check for the children. Once completed, each platoon was to report back to the rally point. If no one had seen the children, then all the platoons were to head out of town in an assigned direction the distance of not more than three miles. If they saw nothing, they were to come back.
Jayden still had not promoted anyone to Captain yet to fill Henry Miller's position. Jayden thought that appointing a Captain may not be necessary at this point, since the Guard was now a smaller force.