Imperium: Volume 1
Chapter 22.

There was a big jolt, that was felt by all of us when we set off the charge, that busted the tire. We were officially in stage 3. I looked over the faces of the refugees that sat with us in the back. The only two that knew of the rescue was my wife Anja and Richard. We weren't out of the woods yet, so we didnt tell the others we were from the resistance.

I heard Jay exit from the front of the vehicle, and I hopped out of the back. We went and assessed the condition of the tire, and saw that the charge worked just as it should have thanks to Johansson.

We watched as the line up of trucks passed us, and looked back to the city.

"We should wait a bit longer to make the call and ensure most of the vehicles make it past us." Jay said.

I nodded. I stood outside the vehicle, making sure no trouble came our way, ensuring I gave a nod to the passing drivers.

I could see the end of the line down aways, and I signalled Jay to make the call. I went to the side of the truck where the tire blew apart and looked over the damage again, kicking some of the rubber.

It was dark on the road, and the only thing that lit our way was the headlights of each truck. Then the side of the truck lit up where I stood as one of the many drivers decided to make nice and pull over behind us.

"Great." I said under my breath.

I watched as the driver jumped from the front seat of his truck and walked over to me.

"Is everything alright?" He yelled over the sound of his engine.

"Ya, just the stupid thing got a flat." I replied.

I quickly looked back to Jay who was now sitting back in the driver seat, but I could see him watching it all go down in his side mirror.

"That's looks like a good one!" The man said as he inspected the wheel.

"Damn, it looks like the rim got damaged as well." He said. He turned to me and looked to be pondering something. "Well we have room in the back for the prisoners if you want to stick them with us. What camp are you headed to?"

How the fuck was I to answer that! We didn't even know where they were even located.

"Fuck if I'd know, I just do what I'm told." Was the best I could come up with.

He looked at me, and was quite before he finally spoke.

"I hear ya." He said before he chuckled.

Then Jay came into the rescue. He jumped out of the truck holding the walkie.

"There sending another truck to pick us up, they should be getting here anytime now. I called awhile ago." He said to the driver.

The man looked at the two of us, and stayed silent for a while. I could feel my hands grasp the rifle that laid against my chest.

"That's them." Jay said as he pointed to a trucks headlights in the distance.

The driver looked back, and smiled.

"Right! well you guys take her easy then." He said and made his way back to the truck.

We watched as he backed up a bit and turned back towards the road. I gave him a nod of the helmet before we watched him drive off in the distance. We felt the relief hit us as his truck made it's way into the distance. Jay gave me a look as if to say that was a close one. I felt the same.

It was another 10 minutes of waiting before team 1 effectively made there way to us. All the other trucks were long gone and we were the only two remaining on the road.

I saw Johansson hop out the back along with the other men and June. I went to her immediately, and I grabbed her hand. I didn't need to say anything, she just knew. Team 2 started exiting the truck with the refugees and had them transfer to the next truck. I could see June with her head down, trying to hold back the tears. It wasn't over yet till they were all in the truck. I hopped in the back and pulled June in the back as she was the final one to hop in. As she entered we heard someone speak up.

"Juniper?" It was Richard.

I watched as he jumped up from his seat and ran to his daughter with tears in both their eyes. I looked over to my Anja, and she too was crying. I winked at her which was something we did all the time. I could see the confusion in the other refugees faces as they saw a member of the Dom Squad reuniting with a fellow prisoner.

"Listen up!" I said to all of them.

I paused to ensure I got all their attention and flashed a smile.

"Welcome to the resistance." Was all I said.

I watched as the days, months and years of torment washed off their faces, and the sounds of relief and joy filled the back of the truck. I could see my men comforting some of them, and watched as they learned that they had family waiting for them at base camp.

We stayed there for a few minutes, before Jay took over the driver seat and took us back to the road. I sat next to my Anja, and held her as we both cried into eachothers arms.

We still had a bit of road and about an hour to drive around the mountain before we made it home. I looked over to June, and she had her father laying in her lap. She was stroking his hair behind his ear, and he looked to be asleep. Johansson who beside me moved in closer. He talked to me in Russian, so only I could hear and understand him.

"It couldn't have gone any better." He said to me.

He cleared his throat and started whispering. "Did you know what she could do?" he asked.

I looked at him confused, and he quickly glanced over to June then back to me. I just shook my head to tell him I had no clue what he was talking about.

"Did you know she was an Imperium? He asked.

"Yes. That is why she was put on your detail. She can do force fields." I told him.

"That's not all." He told me.

He informed me what she did to the two soldiers in the office, and how she used her hand to blast a hole in the ones face. The way he told me, was like listening to my father back in the day telling me a fable. I listened and looked at June.

For some reason I couldn't picture what he told me. They way she sat there comforting her father, told me she was kind and gentle, but the look on Johanssons face told me differently. I looked at her again and she saw me.

She mouthed the words thank you and smiled as she went back to her father. I couldn't help but smile myself.

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"I'm glad." I told him.

"What?" He answered confused.

I turned to him. He had a look of fear in his eyes.

"I'm glad she's on our side and not theirs." I just watched as Johansson scooted back in his seat and nodded.

Typically nothing bothered Johansson. He was a brute himself and some of the shit I've seen him do was questionable at times, but I'd never seen him this way......not from a tiny little thing such as June.

I relished in it.

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