by N. C. Reed
“Works for me,” the teen agreed.
“George?” Billy asked. “What you think?”
“I think it’s the best plan we’re going to get,” he sighed. “You’re right. We don’t have enough people. But I don’t relish the idea of adding any more to our group. At least not yet. We’ve pretty much exhausted all the people we know of that we can trust. At least, the one’s that survived. Sure, there’s others we know, but I got no idea where they are, or if they made it.”
“We’ll go with you idea, Billy. I think it’s the best idea.”
“Well, then we need a plan,” Billy said as they entered town. “We need to make us a plan for all this, get it nailed down, and then stick to it.”
*****
The plan was pretty simple. They went store to store, marking things to take first, things to take if there was room, and things that would be worth an extra trip, if necessary. The entire first day was consumed with that. Lowe’s, Wal-Mart, grocery stores, hardware stores, even the local fuel distributors.
“I like the idea of takin’ one o’ these tankers home,” Billy told them, pointing to a truck normally used to deliver gas and diesel to service stations. “Small enough we can handle it, but it’ll give us an edge on gas. And we need it.”
They encountered some good fortune where gasoline was concerned. The distributor also stocked the highly valuable Pri-G, Pri-D, Stab-bil, and Lucas additives. It wouldn’t last forever, but then neither would the gas. All of that material was considered high priority.
For three days, two of which it rained solid, the four of them went from store to store, using a forklift that operated on propane to load trailer after trailer. Fortunately there were several trailers to choose from, and one trucking company had even had seven wonderfully empty trailers on their lot. They managed to coax a semi into life, which they used to haul the trailers, an extremely reluctant Billy Todd at the wheel.
On the fourth day, it snowed. The men had made camp in the Lowe’s store, and stood looking out the front doors are the white flakes.
“Figures,” Billy almost spat. He didn’t like being away from home.
“Well, we were going to work in the Wal-Mart today, anyway,” George sighed. They had left it for last, since the thugs they had eliminated had made it home for so long. There was some usable stuff left, to be sure, but the bunch had pretty well trashed the place.
“We did find that one pharmacy,” Peter mentioned. “I don’t know how that bunch missed it, but I’m glad they did.” Everyone nodded. The medicines and equipment would come in handy.
“Well, let’s get started.”
*****
After six days of hard, back breaking work, the four of them were satisfied they’d gotten everything they had need of.
They stood behind the Lowe’s looking at thirteen box trailers.
“Bad luck,” Billy muttered.
“What?” George asked, looking over at Billy.
“Thirteen. Bad luck,” Billy repeated.
“Well, it’s actually fifteen,” George reminded him. “We’ve still got one trailer at the oil place loaded, plus the tanker.” Billy brightened at that.
“Forgot that,” he nodded eagerly. “Reckon it’s time we called the cavalry?”
“I think so,” George nodded. “Whatever else we want we can finish today.”
*****
Terry and Jon rolled in early the next morning. Rhonda had rode with Terry.
“Don’t you dare,” Rhonda ordered when Billy went to hug her. He frowned, then realized what she was worried about.
“We rigged us a poor man’s shower. I’m all fresh and clean.”
“Well,” Rhonda hesitantly hugged him tight. He was right, she decided, kissing him.
“Would you really not o' hugged me?” Billy asked.
“Of course I would,” Rhonda replied at once. “Just. . .carefully,” she added, grinning.
“Okay, let’s get this done,” George ordered. “How many runs can you guys make today, you think?” Jon and Terry conferred for a moment, then Jon answered.
“At least three,” he said firmly. “Possibly four, but we’d get home after dark.”
“That means, if all goes well, we can have this done in two days,” George mused. Terry pointed to the truck they had used to move trailers about while loading.
“What’s wrong with that truck?” he asked.
“Nothing,” George asked. “Why?”
“Was just thinkin’,” he shrugged. “Use that one too, and we can move almost all the trailers today.”
“Who would drive it?” George asked. Everyone looked at Billy.
“No you don’t!” Billy stepped back a few paces. “I ain’t drivin’ one o’ them things no more if I can help it!”
“It would make things go faster,” George told him.
“I ain’t a doin’ it,” Billy shook his head firmly.
“It would get us out of here faster, Billy,” Peter threw in.
“Not happenin’,” Billy continued to shake his head.
“Be safe at home tomorrow night, work all done,” Rhonda added. Billy shot her a look that practically screamed ‘traitor’.
“C’mon, Billy,” Toby pleaded. “Let’s get this over with and go home.” The teenager was proud to be treated like a man, especially among these men, but he was tired, too. He wanted to be home for a while.
Sighing in defeat, Billy ground out one word between clenched teeth.
“Fine.”
*****
Billy driving a third truck did put a monkey wrench into their plans.
“You gonna be here all by yourself, if Toby rides shotgun with Pete,” Billy told him. George nodded.
“I’ll make out. Ain’t but one night,” he said.
“I don’t like you bein’ here alone, though,” Billy pressed. “Somethin’ might happen.”
“Well, someone might also steal these trailers we’ve worked so hard to load. I don’t aim to let that happen.”
“Trailers ain’t worth losin’ you, George,” Billy told him bluntly. “Whatever we lose on them trailers won’t even matter, we lose a friend.” George smiled.
“I’m glad you think of me as a friend, Billy,” he said earnestly. “You can’t know how much that means to me. But I can take care of myself. I’ve done stuff just like this way more times than I can count.”
“But not lately,” Billy shot back, frowning.
“No, not lately,” George agreed. “But it’s a bit like riding a bike. It’ll come back to me.” Billy didn’t seem convinced.
“Billy, I’ll be fine. Now you guys need to get going. Got a lot of miles to cover today.”
Billy finally gave up. George was right. There was a lot to do. The last snow hadn’t stuck around, but the skies were threatening. They would be lucky to get everything hauled before the snow fell.
“Okay, let’s get’em rollin’,” he ordered. Rhonda joined him in the truck, as Toby got behind the wheel of the Ford, allowing Pete to ride hands free. The truck would lead, unless they picked up a follower.
Ten minutes later, the trucks were on their way, the first of a hopeful four trips.
*****
George watched them go, sighing as they disappeared from sight. Truth be told, he wanted to go home, but he didn’t.
He hadn’t bothered to see Debbie while he’d been home. He was sure they would fight, and that was the last thing he needed. But sooner or later, they would have to address the problems between them. They couldn’t let them fester much longer.
He thought of his son, then. He wished he could have seen little Georgie. The boy deserved better. But he also deserved better than for his parents to be fighting all the time.
He’d have to find a balance, George knew, if he was to ever make Georgie’s life the best it could be. If he and Deb couldn’t work out their problems, then he had to make that as easy on the boy as he could. He wouldn’t let whatever life Georgie might find in th
is knew world be screwed up by his and Deb’s problems. His son would have a chance.
These days, that was all he could hope to give him.
Sighing again, this time in hopelessness, George turned and made his way back inside. He had at least four hours, he figured, before they were back.
He had a special project he wanted to work on.
*****
Three times the trucks went back and forth to the farms. Each time the tension increased, as things went well. Each time Billy, as well as everyone else, expected something to go wrong.
By the time they returned for the fourth run, everyone was on edge. It was already dusk. They would be driving in the dark. Billy had enough NVG’s, barely, for the drivers, and one each for Toby and Rhonda as lookouts.
“Take good care of’em,” he warned. “Ain’t got no more, and I couldn’t even guess where to replace’em.”
George didn’t say anything, but he had an idea where to replace them. He’d been working on it most of the day.
“George, I really wish you’d come with us,” Billy said, cutting into his train of thought. “I don’t like you bein’ here all alone, even for one night.”
“Don’t worry about me, Billy,” George smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
“I still don’t like it,” Billy told him.
“I know,” George nodded. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. But this was my trip, remember? You said you had taken my orders because this was my trip. And it still is. This is the way of it. Someone needs to keep a watch. And I slept some during the day.” The lie came easily.
“I don’t believe a word o’ that,” Billy told him bluntly. “But it is your trip,” he sighed reluctantly. “Well, reckon we better go. Already gonna be drivin’ in the dark as it is.”
“Get going, then,” George nodded, shaking hands with Billy. “See you at first light.”
“Your lips to God’s ear,” Billy murmured, shaking hands.
“Don’t worry so much, Billy. Everything will be fine.”
Billy drove away shaking his head. He didn’t know why, but he was sure things wouldn’t be fine.
But they had moved twelve trailers, so far, and the gas tanker. Not a bad haul. He wished they could have moved more, but their manpower was stretched to the breaking point now. The Farms were almost bare of people, with Jerry, Ralph, and Ben making almost constant checks on things. Mary was still at the Clifton house, while Danny and the dogs guarded the Todd farm.
It was all they could do.
Billy just hoped it was enough.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
As soon as the others were gone, George took the truck he had appropriated, and drove to his special project.
The Tennessee National Guard Armory sat on Campbell Boulevard, in the city’s industrial park. The unit was a maintenance outfit, so there wouldn’t be any real military vehicles there, to amount to anything. At least no major combat vehicles.
There were a few Humvee’s of course, and trucks, but George wasn’t especially interested in them, although a Hummer would be nice, if time allowed. What he was really interested in was the armory, and the supply section.
He had approached the armory cautiously, aware that someone might be there. He also worried that the idiots they had taken out at the Wal-Mart would have been there.
He needn’t have worried. They had apparently decided that they had all they needed under one roof. As near as George could see, no one had disturbed the armory at all.
He had thought sure that at least some of the Guardsmen would have reported for duty, but it appeared that no one had. He shook his head sadly. As fast as the virus had moved, it was entirely possible that most of them had succumbed to it before they could get here.
And if they hadn’t, who could blame them for staying with their families? It wasn’t like there was anything they could have done. There was no way for them to fight something they couldn’t see. They couldn’t win against such an enemy. Activating them would have been nothing more than a feel good gesture, made for the public.
George examined his handiwork. He had finally managed to open the armory. The weapons had been undisturbed, as had the ammunition supplies, and various and sundry parts and equipment.
He had managed to find a large U-Haul trailer, and had spent the day loading everything he could find onto it. Rifles, handguns, heavier weapons, though there weren’t many, even some grenades. Every part and piece, cleaning equipment, tools, whatever he found. He had found several cases of MRE’s, which he had also loaded.
BDU uniforms, boots, radio equipment, a small generator meant for field deployment. Finally he'd selected an armored HumVee from the motor pool and attached it to the trailer, then loaded it to the brim as well.
He had left behind some things that might be useful, but weren’t needful. That was the way of things, he knew.
He also knew that they would never need such a great amount of weaponry, but it made sense not to leave it for others to use against them. Satisfied that the truck and trailer were ready, George climbed aboard, and headed out of town.
He would store the truck and it’s trailer behind what was left of Regina Townsend’s home, and probably sleep in the cab.
He could always hitch a ride back with the returning trucks.
*****
Billy surveyed the line of trailers at the Clifton Farm, and felt some relief. They had elected to store them here, since it was out of the way, and far enough past the other houses to be out of sight. Billy figured if someone made it this far, there was no way to save anything, anyway.
He had also started thinking about a back-up plan, among other things.
“What we need is a school bus,” he murmured, unaware he’d spoken out loud.
“What?” Terry Blaine asked, standing nearby.
“What?” Billy looked at him.
“You said school bus?” Terry looked at him.
“I did?” Billy frowned. “Well, I was thinkin’ it, anyway,” he shrugged. “We need a good school bus. We got a lot o’ people, now. Say we all wanted to up and go somewhere. Or had to run for it. Ain’t no way we could make it, with ever body pilin’ in the few trucks we got. We need somethin’ that’ll carry most everyone, and use the trucks to protect it. Ought to have one o’ these rigs packed with enough gear to start over somewhere, too, was we to have to.”
“Huh,” Terry grunted. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He shook his head.
“You don’t think so?” Billy asked.
“No, I think you’re right,” Terry laughed, though without any humor. “I just hadn’t thought about it. And I should have,” he added with a grimace.
“Why?” Billy asked.
“Because this is what I do,” Terry told him. “I’ve always been prepared for anything, Billy. If I could imagine it, I was ready for it. Done it my whole career. My whole life. I shouldn’t be overlooking these things. And you always seem to think of them. Boggles the mind,” he sighed.
“Because I can think of them?” Billy asked, frowning. He didn’t like the way that sounded.
“Because I don’t,” Terry corrected him. “Hell, Billy, I was trained to think about these things.”
“So was I,” Billy shrugged. “All my life.”
“You were?” Terry asked in surprise.
“Yep,” Billy nodded. “My folks was always prepared for any emergency. All the time. Never did have anything catch’em by surprise that I knew of.”
“Well, that’s good,” Terry nodded. “Most folks don’t bother. They just assume the government will take care of it.” Billy snorted at that.
“My momma and daddy didn’t have a real high opinion of the gover’ment’s ability to take care o’ nothin’,” he said.
“Wise thinking,” Terry nodded. Having served his twenty and a little more, he knew all too well how inept the government could be. Anyone left alive after the plague should be able to see it now.
“Anyway, once we’ve r
ested up, I think I’ll work on it,” Billy told him. “Make a plan for in case we have to head out, unexpected like. We got a plan, we can avoid makin’ a mistake.”
“You’re a big believer in plans, aren’t you?” Terry asked.
“Got to have’em,” Billy said firmly. “You ain’t got a plan, and don’t stick to it, you’re askin’ for trouble. Be runnin’ around like a chicken with it’s head cut off.”
*****
“One last run,” Billy said, as he and Rhonda crawled into the cab.
“Yep,” she replied, tiredly. She had wanted to come, but she realized now that Billy and the others had to be near exhaustion. All she had done was ride, for the most part. And she was give out.
The trip was uneventful, and quiet. The entire group was tired. The radio startled them.
“Anyone awake out there?” George’s voice cut across the air.
“We’re here,” Rhonda replied.
“Need you to stop at our new friend’s place, and pick me up, you don’t mind,” George told her. “Didn’t feel like walking back, last night.”
“We’ll get him,” Toby’s voice came through. Billy wondered why George was out there, but figured he had a good reason. They’d know soon enough.
Peter and Toby caught up quickly after stopping to get George. The three rigs were backed in to the trailers and hooked up shortly. They were all getting good at that, by now.
“What were you doin’ all the way out there?” Billy asked, as George got out of the Ford.
“Took a Hummer and trailer from the Guard. Loaded it up from the Armory,” George smiled.
“Huh,” Billy grunted. “Never even thought o’ that,” he admitted.
“I have to get one on you every now and then,” George winked. Billy just chuckled.
“All right, are we sure this is it?” Jon asked. “Something about this morning is giving me the willies.”
“This is it,” George nodded. “Have to stop on the way out and get the truck I left, but that’s all. Won’t take five minutes.”