by Kate Morris
“What the hell are we going to do with them once we find Parker and handle him?”
“Not sure,” he answers his friend. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see what Doc and the sheriff decide.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s the way it’ll go,” Simon agrees.
They drive in silence for the most part, occasionally talking about the farm, the kids, the upcoming planting season.
“We’re almost there,” he says. “Derek said to find a house to leave the truck and the girls.”
“Yes, good idea. Let’s find somewhere far enough away that if Parker travels with men, he won’t see them. We don’t want them in a dangerous situation.”
“If he doesn’t show tonight, we’re gonna have to camp out and wait for him. This could take a few days.”
“Yes, possibly,” he says. “Do you know which trailer?”
“She told me which one it was,” Cory answers.
“There!” Simon announces. “Let’s pull in over there and check it out. This neighborhood looks pretty abandoned.”
“Yeah, we should only be about a mile away,” Cory says as he turns right into a what was probably a nice neighborhood at one time. The houses look like mid-range suburban homes lived in by middle-class families. Simon is right, though. There isn’t a soul around for miles. Sometimes they’ll see a car’s headlights here or there on the road when they travel but not tonight. Perhaps this is the reason Parker meets her here, because it is so desolate.
“Sam,” he hears Simon whispering. “It’s time to wake up.”
“Hey, sweetheart,” Cory says, touching Paige’s thigh. She instantly sits erect and at the ready. “We’re here.”
“At the trailer park?”
“No, we’re going to leave you girls in this neighborhood with the car while we check out the trailer park.”
“Ok,” his wife answers.
They troll the area for a while looking for the perfect place to leave the women. At the end of a cul-de-sac is a house off to the left that butts up to the woods behind it.
“This one looks like the best option,” Simon says what he’s thinking.
“Yeah, I agree,” Cory says and pulls into the driveway. “Wait here.”
He exits the truck, indicates Paige should lock it, and rushes up to the front door, which he finds locked. Whoever owned this home must’ve thought they’d be returning to it. He sneaks around back and finds a first-floor window unlocked and pushes it up with a lot of effort. Hefting himself up and into the home is easy, but he has to lower his night-vision goggles to see. The house is definitely empty, and it’s freezing. There is a fireplace, a real one, not gas, so he is going to have to light it for the women before they leave. After he has searched the entire house, including the basement, Cory unlocks the front door and waves to them.
Simon hops into the front seat and drives the truck into the empty garage. It just fits with the extended cab, and Cory is able to lower the garage door again.
“We need firewood,” he tells Simon. “I already looked out back. There’s a few logs in their storage, but they’re soaking wet. I figure it’s gonna be easier finding some already split in one of these houses. Someone else on this street has to have also had a real fireplace.”
“On it,” Simon says without pause and turns to go.
He finds his wife and Sam in the living room area of the house looking around.
“Hey, I found a candle,” Sam announces and hands it over to Cory, who always has a Zippo in his pocket. Once it’s lit, he hands it back, and Sam places it on the mantle, which helps supply the room with dim lighting by which to find their way around.
“We have enough food and supplies in the truck to last us for three days if we have to be here that long,” Cory tells her. “If we have to stay longer, we’ll have to meet up with Dave for a re-supply.”
“Oh, good,” Sam says. “Hope this doesn’t take that long. I just want to go home.”
“Yeah, sorry about this, kiddo,” he apologizes. “I know you didn’t really want to come. We didn’t feel comfortable letting you drive home by yourself. Besides, the guys are sending some of the sheriff’s men to get the Jeep anyway.”
“Plus, I’d have to stay here by myself, which would not have happened!” Paige announces with a laugh. “No thanks.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Sam agrees. “These empty houses are creepy to the max.”
Cory and Paige haul their supplies and crates into the home while Sam looks for more items that they can use that were left behind from the former owners. A knock at the back door lets them know Simon has returned. He has a wheelbarrow stacked to the brim with firewood.
“Cool,” Cory praises and helps lug it into the house. “It’s dry. Where’d ya’ find it? And is there more?”
“Yeah, a ton,” he answers. “Two houses down. They have a shed full of it. Even got some old newspapers.”
Cory says, “Good. Let me have some. I’ll get the chimney warmed up first.”
He ignites a good-sized wad and holds it up into the open flue to draw a draft upward full of fiery heat. After it has smoked out, he begins building their fire. He’s not a big fan of fireplaces for putting off heat, but it’s better than nothing. This one seems as if it had a blower attached, but without electricity, it’s pretty much useless. Within a few minutes, he has the kindling crackling. Another ten and the cut side of an oak log is burning, as well.
“Keep the radio with you at all times, even if you have to go to the bathroom,” he tells his wife as he and Simon prepare to head out a short while later. “Anything happens to us, take the truck and get out of here. Call Kelly. He’ll get to you as fast as he can, and, more importantly, he’ll send Dave’s men to you. Dave knows we’re here. He’ll probably be in better range anyway. If you can’t reach them, head north to the fort. General McClane will protect you guys. It’s a lot closer to there than to try and make it home to the farm.”
She nods with nervous gray eyes.
“It’ll be ok, Red,” he reassures her. “We’re not far. I can be back here in ten minutes. Hold ‘em off if you can. If you can’t, make your escape.”
“Got it,” she says. “We’ll be fine. Right, Sam?”
“Yep, piece o’ cake,” Sam jokes with a big smile and a thumbs-up.
“’Kay, kiddo,” he says to Sam. “Got your knife? That’s all you seem to need most times.”
“Aye-aye, captain,” she says with a perky salute, which he returns and pats the top of her dark head.
Then he pulls Paige to the back door near the kitchen and holds her for a few moments. He kisses her mouth, buries his head in her luxurious hair, and finally kisses her neck.
“Keep everything locked,” he says. “I’ll radio you before I come and knock. Anyone knocks or bangs, you’ve got trouble.”
“We’ll handle this end,” she promises. “Just be safe on yours.”
“You know it,” he says and puts pressure on the back of her neck to pull her forward so he can press a kiss to her soft forehead. “You should keep Damn Dog.”
“No, she’ll be better with you. She’ll hear Parker approaching before you ever do.”
“Alright,” he agrees, knowing his wife is right.
Without another word, they leave, taking the dog with them. They both did a perimeter safety check and then double-checked windows and points of entry.
“Don’t worry,” Simon whispers as they move out. “They’ll be fine. They’ve got two full ammo cans. I think they’ll be alright.”
He nods in the dark to his friend but can’t help that feeling of doom from creeping into his gut. Cory shoves it down and concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other until they are jogging along the road that will lead them hopefully to Parker.
They see a sign ahead after about thirteen minutes of jogging that reads, “Restful Acres Mobile Home Park.” It’s hanging askew and has rusted over the years. The groundskeeper must’ve also gone on perman
ent vacation along with the rest of the inhabitants during the fall because the place has been empty for a long time. There isn’t even the slightest glint of moonlight shining through the heavy cloud cover tonight, not like it was the other night. Good. Cory is glad for it. They don’t need to get spotted moving around in the dark.
He whispers, “She said it was a lime green one, number seventy-three Darling Street.”
“Which way?” Simon asks.
Damn Dog whines, and Cory pats her head, “Easy, girl.” He turns to Simon and says, “She said to pull in and go straight through three stop signs and turn left. The second street on the right after that will be Darling.”
“Got it.”
They slow their pace to a walk and move with more caution, both carrying their rifles out front and in the ready. Even though the place is abandoned, they know she was meeting with Parker here. That means his men may be camped out here, too, some of his most trusted comrades in the evil plotting he has written into his dictatorship. Cory hopes to put an end to the man’s reign tonight. He really, really hopes Parker draws on him. Court trials are so boring and tedious.
“Let’s split up. Head to the right,” he suggests when they come to the intersection he was looking for. “Circle around. Watch out for his men. I assume he travels with some of them for security purposes.”
“Ten-four,” Simon agrees and hurries away. A moment later, his friend says, “Mic check.”
“Got ya’,” Cory returns.
“Reading you, over,” Simon answers.
Within another five minutes, they’ve found the trailer Sofia told him about. Nobody is in it, though. Nobody is anywhere around, either. Simon takes point at the end of the street to keep watch.
“Think she lied?” Simon asks through Cory’s earpiece.
“I don’t think she would. She’s too scared,” he answers. “Look for signs of Parker or his men. Check the trailers on your side of the street. I’ll check this one and the ones beside it.”
“Affirmative, over.”
“Nerd.”
“Moron,” his friend returns, which makes Cory chuckle lightly. It’s been a while since they’ve been out like this.
Cory first checks the green trailer. The evidence he finds is damning. He can tell that people have been in it recently. There are also supplies like boxes of canned goods and fresh, clean blankets on the bed. She said that Parker stayed here sometimes when he was out scouting for new members to join Fort Knox, which she now knows was a lie. There is even a tiny cookstove in the corner. There hasn’t been a fire in it for a while, though. Damn Dog spots a home-canned jar of potted meat on the floor in a crate of other canned items, and whines before licking her lips and pawing the ground.
“Ok, just the one,” he tells her and throws the mason jar in his pack. She mewls again. “Soon. Try some damn patience.” His dog actually growls at him as if she understands. She probably does. She’s also probably smarter than him. She may bite him. She’s done it before when she gets pissed. She is a female, after all. They’re cute as hell, but some have claws and teeth. He saw his wife’s earlier this night when she’d given him the stink eye.
“I’m in the one next to you now,” Simon tells him. “I think some of his men must’ve stayed here. There are porn mags and food debris, recent.”
“How recent?”
“Within a week I’d say. Food doesn’t show mold yet.”
“Meet you across the street in the one on the corner.”
They meet up and shut the door on the trailer, a double-wide with an attached carport.
“This sucks,” Simon blurts.
“Yeah, I was hoping we’d just find him here.”
His friend goes to the window with blinds and cracks one open just slightly. “What now?”
“We’ll have to wait here,” he says.
“We could watch in shifts,” Simon suggests. “That way one of us could return to the house with the girls. I don’t like leaving them alone for too long.”
Cory considers this. It wasn’t a part of the plan that Derek schemed, but he does see the wisdom in Simon’s idea. “Yeah, that’s probably smart. Plus, we should sleep at the house and work this in shifts. Let me check the range on the radio.”
Paige immediately answers as if she was waiting for his call to come. She tells them that they’re fine, but he knows her well enough to distinguish that her voice trembles just slightly and that she is somewhat afraid.
“I think you’re right,” he says to Simon. “Let’s stick it out together for a few hours. Then you can go back, and we’ll take turns. This asshole may not come back for days.”
“Does he even know that Sofia was arrested?”
“The general said they did it very covertly so nobody would see,” he tells his friend. “He said they told the people that she was visiting another town with her sister and that they were taking a message to them, acting as an ambassador for the base or something. He doesn’t know who to trust up there now. Robert’s only got a small staff of people now that he trusts at all.”
“That must be terrible for him,” Simon speculates. “I wouldn’t like that. At least we’ve always known who we can and can’t trust.”
“I don’t know,” Cory rebuts. “We trusted those assholes you came to the farm with for a while.”
“Yes, but I never did. It just took me a while to let you guys in on it.”
“True. Too bad you weren’t able to tell us sooner. We could’ve gotten rid of them sooner.”
Simon nods and clears his throat.
“Sorry, man,” he apologizes. “I forgot how bad you two had it with them.”
“And Huntley,” Simon reminds him.
“Right, and Hunt. Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up shit from the past,” he says, getting a nod of understanding. “Let’s change the subject. How’d it go with Sam the last couple days?”
“I’m making progress,” Simon actually reveals.
Cory snorts. “How much progress could you be making? She still wants to go home. Are you sure you know what progress is?”
“I’ve got a lot of ground to make up. It’s complicated. I…I hurt her. I need to make it right.”
“Just lay one on her, bro,” he teases.
“That’s not always the answer, idiot.”
Cory laughs, his voice traveling in the small trailer. “Now, who’s the idiot? Sex is always the answer.”
“Sam is a complicated woman. She’s not going to be fooled by a bunch of caveman tactics.”
“Yeah, but she’s still a woman. And, seriously bro, all women are complicated. But she has feelings. Tell her you love her. Tell her you’re sorry and give her a knockout kiss.”
Damn Dog pads over to him and paws at his pack on the floor.
“Right, forgot it,” he admits and removes the jar of canned meat. He finds a bowl in a cupboard and opens the canning lid, listening for that tell-tale pop, which comes. “Think this is from Fort Knox?”
“Yes, probably. Don’t know where else it would’ve come from,” Simon agrees. “I’m quite sure if the people who used to live in the green trailer had potted meat and other things like it, they wouldn’t have left it behind.”
“Unless they were killed,” he suggests. “Anyway, back to the Sam situation. Are you gonna make your move or what, nerd?”
This time Simon snorts. “That’s not going to get it. I’ve basically done all of those things. She still hates me.”
“Then give her more than a kiss,” he hints with a wink.
“Don’t be gross,” Simon derides. “We’re not married.”
“Ah, I see,” Cory acknowledges. “Yes, that is a complication. You’re right. You should wait for marriage. That is the right thing to do. If that’s the way you feel…”
“It is,” Simon adamantly declares.
“Then you’re going to have to do something that will knock her off her feet. Get her looking at you like she used to.”
“You th
ink she used to look at me that differently?”
“And I’m supposed to be the dummy?” he mocks and receives a sneer. “Seriously, though, do something that she’ll love. Women like it when we do things that show them we not only love them but cherish them and are willing to put it all on the line. Figure out that line and take one step past it. She’ll go for it then. Big move. Look a little stupid. Eat some crow. Make a sacrifice or something.”
“Like building them a house?” his friend says in a teasing tone.
Cory just chuckles. “Yeah, something like that.”
“I know. I don’t need your advice, actually,” Simon says with a confidence he doesn’t usually exhibit. “I’ve got it under control.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“Or go back over there and get those porn mags. That might help.” Cory chuckles again, receiving a glare from his friend. Then he plops down onto the sofa. His dog immediately takes up a position in front of the entry door and lays with her head pointing toward it. “I’m getting shut-eye for ten. Wake me if anything happens.”
“Lazy bastard,” Simon jokes, to which he laughs loudly.
“Lazy bastard who has a wife,” he corrects and gets an empty beer can thrown at him. He just laughs again and rolls over to catch a few winks before the festivities begin. If they ever do.
Chapter Twenty-four
Sam
They’ve looted the house for things the family can use, and Sam even took items for some of the people on Dave’s compound. They found garbage bags under the kitchen sink and stuffed three of them full of the clothing and shoes they spotted in the closets upstairs and put it all in the truck’s bed.
“I’m going to add another log,” Paige says and leaves her spot on the sofa next to her to carefully place more wood on the fire. “Still feels cold in here. I made the mistake of actually sitting on the toilet seat and thought I was going to die!”
Sam laughs. “Yes, hovering is the better technique when they’re cold like that.”
“You got that right,” she says. “Hey, sorry I upset you earlier about your uncle moving to town. Reagan told me, and I thought you knew. She thought so, too. Then when we worked with him, he also brought it up.”