Roland: Reluctant Paladin

by N. C. Reed

  “Nah,” she grinned. “He’s a good kid. I like him.”

  “He’s a hell of a man,” Roland nodded. “I wish we had ten more just like him.”

  “If wishes were nickels,” she shrugged. “Oh, and I want Jesse to be the one who escorts me,” she grinned.

  “Oh?” Roland raised an eyebrow. “Anything I should know?”

  “Not a thing,” she laughed, heading out of the office. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.” Roland chuckled, shaking his head as she left. Jesse was in for a time, if Roland was any judge. It seemed like the good doctor had set her cap for his friend and she didn’t strike him as someone who did anything by halves.

  “Jesse, come to the office,” he called over the radio. “Vaughan, you too.” Both replied affirmative, and two minutes later were standing in front of him.

  “You’re taking the doctor into town to get her gear,” he informed them. “Round up two, maybe three guys to help you. You’ll need one of the trucks I guess, and you may want to take the Hummer. I’ll leave that up to you.”

  “Jesse, I want you to take Ralph with you,” he continued. “He’s a mechanical genius, but he needs stuff to work with. Let him see what’s available, and we’ll see what kind of a deal we can work out with whoever has it. He really needs some tools, though, for one thing.”

  “Got it,” Jesse nodded. “You know, maybe you should talk to Tom. Mackey, I mean. He may know where there’s a lot of stuff we can use just laying around. Either abandoned, or else the owners are passed on. No need to barter for what we can get for just labor.”

  “Good idea,” Roland nodded. “Ask him to come in here on your way out. Leave Ralph here this trip, I guess. Just take a look around at what’s available. And you guys be careful, all right?”

  “You got it, boss.” The two came to attention and saluted, resulting in Roland chasing them from the office, spitting a stream of expletives in their wake.

  -

  “So, I saw you and Roland at breakfast,” Deena said slyly. She and Terri were side by side, as usual, and had ‘cornered’ Maria in the storeroom where she was doing an inventory.

  “Yes, you did,” Maria nodded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

  “Well, give!” Terri demanded.

  “Give what?” Maria asked.

  “Oh, don’t hand us that!” Deena chided. “You know what we mean!”

  “Has he kissed you yet?” Terri asked, a goofy grin on her face.

  “That is none of your business!” Maria replied, turning away to hide her blush.

  “Then he hasn’t,” Deena giggled. “Why not?”

  “You would have to ask him,” Maria replied without thinking. Truthfully, she had been wondering the same thing.

  “Well, that’s out,” Terri sighed. “I can see why you’ve got the hots for him. He is totally dreamy.” The goofy look got worse, if that were possible.

  “I do not have any hots...” Maria started to fire back, but Deena cut her off.

  “Oh, bull-oney,” the teen waved Maria’s protest away. “You started looking at him funny at least three weeks ago. And that’s just when I noticed. For all we know, you’ve been gaga over him from the start, girlfriend!”

  Maria sighed, shaking her head.

  “You know that isn’t true,” she said calmly, sitting down on a nearby box. “At first, I really thought I hated him. I may have, even.”

  “Really?” both girls spoke in unison as they joined her on boxes of their own.

  “What changed?” Terri asked.

  “I don’t really know,” Maria admitted. “And that’s the truth,” she added when Deena started to object. “I don’t know. I…I think it was seeing him so tired and disheveled when he got back from. . .attacking those people. I think then I realized how worried I had been. . .no, that’s not true. I was worried the entire time, for both he and James.”

  “But. . .for some reason, that worry hit home when I realized how truly dangerous those days had been. We. . .I, might have lost him. And that made me think about it, I suppose.”

  “Wow,” both said softly. “That’s sooo dreamy,” Terri added.

  “We have spoken of it,” Maria admitted. “He knows how I feel, or at least how I think I feel,” she qualified. “And he thinks I’m pretty,” she said in a softer tone.

  “Well, you are!” both replied together.

  “Girl, with your figure, and that black hair framing your pretty face like that, you’re a doll!” Deena giggled. “I’m surprised he hasn’t already tried to sweep you off your feet!” Maria blushed furiously.

  “I told you, it’s somewhat complicated,” she pointed out. “We spent the first several weeks literally hating one another. That’s not easy to get over. I said some rather mean things to him, too.”

  “Really?” Again, in unison.

  “Yes, really,” Maria nodded. “I was. . .afraid of him,” she admitted. She briefly explained what had happened to her family, and what had transpired when Roland had taken her home. Both girls were goggle eyed.

  “He killed them because they threatened you?” Terri gasped. “My God that’s so - ”

  “If you say dreamy one more time, I’m coating your next cupcake with Ex-Lax,” Deena warned. Terri hmphed, but didn’t add the word.

  “I have to admit though,” Deena went on, “that is pretty awesome. To think that he was thinking of you, and what those guys might do to you. What I wouldn’t give to have a man that thought of me like that,” she sighed.

  “He protects you too,” Maria objected.

  “He protects us all,” Terri nodded. “But. . .Maria, that’s just. . .I mean, to have someone who is willing and able to do that when you’re in danger. It makes my knees weak just thinking about it,” the teenager admitted, longingly.

  “It’s like something out of a romance novel,” Deena nodded her agreement. “And Roland is all man, girlfriend. I’m happy for you, sister!” she beamed, and before Maria realized what was happening, Deena had embraced her tightly. Terri joined in a second later. The two pulled back, tears glistening in both pairs of eyes.

  “Why are you crying?” Maria asked, though her own eyes were damp.

  “We’re happy!” both replied at once. “Don’t you see?” Deena added. “This. . .this is normal! Life should be like this, not what we’ve gone through lately! And, hey! If things are getting back to normal, then we might just find someone too!”

  “Yeah,” Terri nodded. “James is off the market of course, but - ”

  “What?” Maria asked, confused.

  “Oh, honey, where have you. . .never mind,” Deena said with an impish grin. “Forgot you’ve been busy. That Melissa? The nurse that came in with the freed prisoners the other day? She’s got it bad for James. And if I’m any judge, he’s the same way with her. I’m fairly certain that boy is hooked, and good.”

  For the next little while, the three sat talking about normal things. Normal teenage girl things.

  And for that little while, life was good.

  Normal, even.

  -

  “Well,” Tom Mackey scratched his jaw, “I’m sure there’s a right smart o’ stuff just layin’ around. I hate to think about what happened to some of the folks that used to own it.”

  “Does it bother you to think about us using it?” Roland asked.

  “Nah, not especially,” Tom shrugged a bit. “I mean, if we need it, and the folks that owned it ain’t about to use it no more, makes sense to get some use of it, I’d think.”

  “Good,” Roland sighed. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel, and I didn’t want to ask you to do something you were uncomfortable with.”

  “After all you two have done for us, I can’t honestly think of a thing I wouldn’t help you do,” Tom admitted. “Things have changed, and we gotta change with ‘em.”

  “I can’t help but wonder how they got you,” Roland shook his head. “You’re just too smart an old fox for that bunch.” Mackey chuckled.

/>   “Caught me unawares,” he admitted. “I was workin’ on something, and ‘fore I knowed it, I was surrounded. Wasn’t no point in fightin’. Always a chance so long as you’re alive, so I went along and waited.”

  “Nice play,” Roland admitted. “And that ain’t the first time I’ve heard that,” he observed.

  “Probably won’t be the last, either,” Tom shrugged, ignoring Roland’s almost question. Roland didn’t press him.

  “Well, what should we do first, Tom?” he asked instead.

  “First thing, I guess,” Mackey sighed, “is to take one o’ these trucks and head over to my place.”

  -

  Tom guided Roland, Ralph, James Edwards, Gavin Douglas, two of the young men who had stayed behind when so many others left, and Rich Williams, the older man who, along with his wife, had also refused to abandon the school, to his home place. Terri and Deena also came along, glad for the opportunity to be out of the school for a little while.

  “Looks like that bunch would have taken anything usable when they got you, Tom,” Roland said, as they drove into the yard. Mack and Angie had stayed behind to provide security for the school. Everyone on the trip was armed, including the teens.

  “Would have if the dumb sons o’ bitches had known where to look,” the older man smirked. “Fortunately, they’re pretty much a bunch of idiots.”

  “One or two of ‘em seemed to have some sense,” Roland remarked, thinking back to his pursuit.

  “Oh, the leader, he’s pretty smart,” Tom warned. “And one of his chief lieutenants is almost as smart. But by and large the rest are cannon fodder. A few men looked like they knew what they were doing, but the rest are just common biker trash for the most part. Course, a bullet from their gun’l kill you just as dead as a professional soldier’s will.”

  Roland nodded. He’d heard that expression before, too. There was a lot more to Tom Mackey than the older man was willing to reveal. He wondered how much Mack knew about his Uncle.

  “Roll on up to the barn,” Tom ordered. “They did ransack the house. I’ll go in ‘fore we leave and see what they left me, but what we really want is out here.”

  Roland did as ordered, and Harrison followed in the bus. Tom had wanted to have plenty of room, but that was all he would say. Roland backed the truck into the barn door and stopped. Everyone got out, looking around for any sign of trouble.

  “C’mon,” Tom motioned, going inside. They followed him inside where Ralph was immediately distracted by the selection of tools.

  “Holy Moley!” he breathed. “You got ever’thing, Mister Tom!”

  “Well, not everything,” Tom chuckled, “but there is a right bit. We’ll have you outfitted ‘fore we leave,” he promised. “Roland, a little help, if you will.” He pointed to one of the barn stalls, and tossed Roland a pitchfork. “This hay has to go.”

  It was the work of only a couple minutes to clear the hay away, revealing a door in the floor of the barn.

  “Huh,” Roland grunted.

  “Fallout shelter,” Tom told him. “Hoped I’d never need it, but prepare for the worst, I always

  say.” He reached down, felt his way to a hidden lever, and pulled. The door hissed open smoothly on hydraulics, rising to stand at a ninety-degree angle.

  “Neat!” Ralph exclaimed.

  “Cool,” Terri and Deena said in unison.

  “That it is,” Roland agreed. The others nodded their own agreements.

  “Well, I figured I might need to get in here hurt or sick, so this was what I came up with,” Tom replied. Another switch turned a light on, revealing stairs leading down.

  “Well, let’s see what we got here,” Tom said, heading down the stairs. Roland followed, along with Ralph, the other two staying put to keep watch.

  At the foot of the stairs, Tom hit a series of switches, and lights began coming on. Revealing shelves and shelves of. . .everything.

  “Wow,” was all Roland could think of to say.

  “Took years of doing,” Tom admitted. “Had a larger family, then,” he added wistfully. “Wanted to be prepared, you know. Be able to care for ‘em, no matter what happened.”

  “What did happen?” Roland asked softly.

  “Car wreck,” Tom said simply. “Wife, son, daughter, all gone in a blink. Truck driver high on speed or such like. Doubt they felt a thing.”

  “Tom, I’m so sorry,” Roland said softly.

  “Been a while back,” Tom shrugged. “Ain’t no help for it now, I reckon.”

  “Looks like you stocked for them pretty well,” Roland told him. “Shows a lot of love.” Tom looked at him gratefully.

  “Thank you,” he nodded. “Anyway,” he sniffed, the moment gone, “ain’t no sense in it just sittin’ here, unused. I spent a lotta money on this stuff, proceeds o’ more than one good harvest the Lord blessed me with. Reckon we can make good use of it now, though.”

  “Tom, why didn’t. . .I mean, I’m grateful,” Roland said, “but I can’t understand why...”

  “Why I didn’t just come down here and sit things out?” Tom asked, smiling.

  “Well, yeah,” Roland nodded.

  “For what?” Tom shrugged. “This ain’t no way to live. And you’re doin’ a good thing, Roland Stang. A good thing. Reminds me. . .well, that’s no never mind,” he waved the comment away. “Thing is, you boys helped me. And I want to help you in return. And, truth be told, I think I can help you with more than just this stuff, but like I said. I spent a lotta time and money doing this. Might as well get some use out of it.”

  “Thank you, Tom,” Roland said sincerely.

  “Well, let’s get to work,” Tom declared. “Lots to get done, and we’re wastin’ daylight. Last thing we’ll do is pull the gennie and the tanks that feed it.”

  “Propane?” Roland asked. Tom nodded.

  “Yep. Ten thousand gallons or so, give or take.”

  “Good gravy,” Roland shook his head.

  “Let’s get started,” Tom repeated. “There’s a lot to see.”

  -

  There was indeed a lot to see. Tom had provisioned his shelter well. Roland couldn’t help but be impressed by it.

  Shelf after shelf of freeze dried foods, enough to feed his family and six more for five years. A dozen barrels each of rice, wheat, corn, and beans, grown on his own farm and stored against ruin in food grade barrels. Boxes of medical supplies, some of them far above mere first aid.

  “Wife was a nurse,” Tom shrugged when Roland asked about it.

  Clothing, paper goods, feminine supplies, which made both teen girls squeal, radiation detectors, you name it, Tom had stocked it. Roland had never seen, nor heard, of a better set-up than Tom Mackey had built under his barn.

  “Did it myself,” Tom said during a break, when Roland asked him how he’d built the place. “Took a little bobcat and started digging. Widened it out, placed some supports, and then started pouring concrete. After that it was just finishing work. Getting the concrete in place overhead, and that door, was harder’n anything else. Well, aside from gettin’ all that stuff down there in the first place,” he chuckled.

  Tom left some things behind, as a last resort kind of deal for whoever might need it. After everything else was loaded, Tom sent everyone out except Roland, who he led to a wall in back of the shelter.

  “This here, this is. . .well, just have a look,” he settled for saying. Pressing a lever that Roland couldn’t see, a spot on the wall popped open, revealing a keypad. Tom punched in a series of numbers, and the wall slid open.

  Revealing a small armory.

  “There’s a half dozen AK’s in here,” he told Roland. “They’re full auto, too. Got ‘bout ten thousand rounds for ‘em, and plenty o’ mags. Got a couple .308 rifles set up for long distance work, and a few Czech made hand guns. There’s four 870's too, with about a thousand rounds o’ slug and buckshot, and maybe three hundred game loads. Finally, there’s three Ruger .22 rifles, one of ‘em a bolt action, the o
ther two autos, and a couple Browning Buckmark pistols. I don’t even know how many rounds of .22 there are,” he admitted. “There for a while, I bought a brick ever time I went to town.”

  “Figured I had all this, better have a way to defend it,” he shrugged at the look on Roland’s face.

  “You want to take all this with us?” Roland asked.

  “Figured to leave one AK, one pistol, and one shotgun, with ammo,” Tom replied. “The rest, well, I figure we need it more at the school than sittin’ here drawing dust.” That had to be a figure of speech, Roland decided, since there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere.

  “Let’s slide what’s goin’ out, and then I’ll close’er up,” Tom ordered. “You and the rest of them strong young backs can load this while I see what’s left in my house.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Roland agreed, and got to work.

  -

  By the time the last of Tom’s ‘armory’ was loaded, he had finished looking through his home. He carried a duffle bag, along with a backpack and a suitcase. He placed the duffle and the suitcase into the shelter, and closed the door. He and Roland spent a few minutes hiding the shelter once more, and then he took one last look around.

  “Reckon Ralph’ll be some pleased,” he said dryly, looking at his now empty tool area.

  “That boy is a danger to public safety,” Roland shook his head. “But I’ve yet to see anything he can’t do. If we had another six like him I’d fear for the future, but I’d sure be glad to have them.”

  “He’s a good kid,” Tom agreed. “Seems smart as a whip, too, for his age.”

  “He had a very interesting grandfather, apparently,” Roland said. “I’m not sure I really want to know what all he taught Ralph.”

  “Well, you’re makin’ good use of whatever he did teach him,” Tom observed. “And that means the old man’s work was worth it.”

  “Amen,” Roland nodded.

  “Well, seems we don’t have anything left to load,” Tom sighed. “Have to come back some time for the gennies, and the propane.”

  “Good place to leave them until we need them,” Roland nodded. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yeah,” Tom sighed again. “Ain’t no reason to stay, and plenty to go. Let’s head back.”