The Kingdom

Chapter Fourteen

 Reilious climbed back through the helicopter and finished his route, only finding a little bit of money in a fireproof case. He walked back to the main room, looking down to see if the others had returned. Only the soldier was back, and he looked like he didn't get anything.

Reilious walked down the stairs and up to him, who saluted in response.

"You don't need to salute to me," Reilious said.

"Oh, alright," the soldier replied.

"Didn't find anything, I'm guessing?"

"No, sir."

"Alright," Reilious finished. "I never asked, what is your name?"

The soldier took a look of surprise. "My name is Dawson, sir. Dawson Peabody."

"Pleasure to meet you Dawson, I'm glad you came to help." Reilious smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

The soldier held out his hand to shake, and Reilious took it as Talia and Deryle walked up, their backpacks looking a little fuller than when they had split up. Reilious nodded to the two and the small group walked out of the front door of the mansion, down the path and to the gate. They walked up to the back of one of the Silverados, emptying their baggage on the bed and searching through.

"I found around a thousand dollars in one of the bedrooms," Talia announced, putting the slightly smoke damaged money on the tailgate.

Deryle pulled out a few jars of coins, setting them next to the stacks of money. He also took out a couple guns, slightly damaged but still could be repaired. Reilious nodded and put down the money he had collected, about $500. His hand brushed against Fules' skull in the bottom of his bag, and he decided to leave it there.

A hellcat drove up to the group, the driver and passenger getting out.

"We have found what could be a suitable building for a base," the driver announced. "It's the high school a few blocks away. It wasn't hit as hard as downtown, just a few broken windows from what we could see. The fields can also be used for housing or defenses."

"Good, let's get headed there then," Reilious replied, pointing to another soldier. "I want you to contact the other groups and tell them to report to the coordinates."

The soldier nodded and took out a radio as the group started packing things back into bags and putting them in the truck. Reilious yelled to the rest of the group to get packed, and the soldiers followed his order. Within five minutes the group was getting into the vehicles and driving to the high school.

Reilious stopped in front of the high school and looked at the sign.

NEW HEAVEN HIGH

"Been awhile since I've been here..." Reilious said as he shut off the ignition.

"My mother used to work here," Talia said, a grim look on her face.

"It'll be alright, Tal. We'll make sure it is of good use," Reilious replied, putting his hand on hers.

She nodded and smiled a little, opening the door and getting out. Reilious followed, looking up and down the street like he had used to do. As the saying goes, old habits die hard. He walked up to the front doors of the large red and white school, opening them and standing in the doorway. He scanned the hallway.

Lockers were left open, papers blowing in the breeze created from the doors. As Reilious started walking down the hall, he looked into the classrooms, papers and books strewn across the floors, chairs and desks toppled over in the mad dash for the students to escape. Bodies lying on the sides of the hallway suggested that not all of the students made it to safety, their lifeless eyes staring at Reilious. He knew he would have to bury them, it would only be right.

"Hey! I need a few guys in here, we've got bodies!" Reilious called out to the front doors.

Soldiers hurried in, finding the bodies. They started picking up the bodies and carried them outside, laying them down on the front lawn before they planned to bury them. The rest of the soldiers walked in with flashlights attached to their guns, scouting out the different rooms.

Reilious walked into the main office, sitting down at the secretary's seat and pressing the power button for the computer. No power. Reilious called over a soldier to the window in front of him, asking for a cord to one of the truck generators.

The soldier nodded and a minute later a truck backed up to the front door and he got an extension cable over into the office. Reilious plugged the computer and monitor in, and it powered to life. He looked around the desktop, set as the school's symbol. He looked through the files written by the secretary, and oddly enough, one was marked "draft."

He clicked on it, and it looked very unprofessional for a school secretary. There were many mistakes, as if it was written in a hurry...

"i need to get the students out of here, theyre coming. if i dont make it out, tell my family, if they're alive, i lo"

Strangely enough, the file ended there. Reilious looked around the room, there was no sign of a struggle by anyone, or any blood. He opened the desk drawer, and it was empty, all except for a gun and a couple rounds of ammunition. There was also a gun permit, signed by the Royal government. He left that open as he searched the rest, then moving on to the filing cabinets. Only files were found, basically useless at this point.

Reilious exited the main office and unplugged the extension cord, walking back outside. The group had set up a perimeter around the front of the school, a small camp was created. The soldiers were making plans on the backs of trucks and around cars, looking around at the city around them occasionally.

Reilious walked over to a small group next to a SUV, who all saluted in response, turning to face him.

"I need you guys to follow me in the van, we need to head back to the mansion," Reilious ordered.

The soldiers were a little confused, but nodded. Reilious walked over to Talia and Deryle, who were with a couple soldiers other soldiers, including Dawson. He told them about going back to the mansion, then telling them to stay here and plan out the uses of the school. They nodded, and went back to what they were doing.

Reilious walked over to the van and got inside, a couple of the soldiers getting in as well. He drove off, the SUV following. The sky was beginning to get dark, the night creeping closer as the two lone vehicles drove towards the mansion.

Reilious got out of the van, taking out his gun and turning on the flashlight.

"Stay here, I need to make a call in private," he ordered, the soldiers nodding.

Reilious walked back into the mansion and down to the bunker, turning on the computer once again. He waited for the rebel symbol to show up and the profiles to appear. Like last time, they showed up one by one.

Reilious pressed the call button and waited as the lights flickered. The leaders answered the call, looking at Reilious intimidatingly. Reilious saluted to the leaders, and they saluted back.

"I apologize for calling this late in the evening, but I have news for where I need you to send your soldiers," Reilious started. "We have moved and built a base at the New Heaven High School. I will send the coordinates shortly, and until then, you won't hear from me."

The leaders nodded, and Reilious hung up. He typed out the coordinates and sent the message, turning off the computer and walking back up to the van. He nodded to the soldiers and they packed back up, driving back to the high school.