by Marcus Sloss
“That is fantastic, Perci. Hell, Jevon struggled to get the electric CarlCat Backhoe and he bought it on a Friday. Sandbags?”
“Yup, no sand though. Thank goodness, I love the spring up here,” Perci said with a content sigh. “Fuck the desert.”
“Indeed. Okay... Where to start after we store and organize the supplies?” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
Perci pulled out a black marker and wagged it at me. “I wrote in big letters what each of the trailers contains. Most of the trailers are electric vehicles and solar equipment. Emptying them for other things or living space is doable.”
“No hasty decision on the trailers of now. Low priority on the solar if we can secure the electric lines. I wonder why they did not bury them,” I asked indirectly.
“Probably some environmental rule,” Willow said, tapping her chin.
“So much to do. Okay, time to tour the little houses first and then the mansion.”
There was a red brick trail that went down a slight slope for guesthouse number one. The exterior was a replica of the big home and while the design was lovely it was very vulnerable. A glance up showed there was only a second floor on this home with a very tall roof. From a distance this home was tiny and you would think it not much more than an in-law suite. Up close with no mansion to dwarf its size, the structure was a large home.
We entered the first floor and a large living room utilized an open floor concept to tie into a large kitchen. The furniture theme matched the log cabin interior, even though the exterior was stone. The interior was designed for comfort with many reading nooks and plush couches with stunning views. Even the installed barstools were lush with thick furred padding. Obviously, this was not built with messy people or children in mind.
Moose antlers created a chandelier that illuminated the space with glued on LEDs. Additional recessed lighting shining from the ceiling brightened the entire space. I noticed a second-floor overhang that looked down on the living room. I was drawn up the stairs and found myself enjoying the view that the tall glass windows provided. The second floor contained three bedrooms with two bathrooms. There was a master bedroom up here that ate up the back half of the home.
“This must be three thousand square feet. I have to admit, I am super curious as to who paid all this money for the mansion and the homes,” I said, ducking my head into bedrooms for quick inspections. Everywhere I looked, there were fine details and lavish upgrades. The showers were massive, almost the size of my dorm room at DU.
“Mom was unable to figure out which of her co-workers built this retreat. She was certain it was one of her VP’s, but none admitted to it. Hacking our Gmaps to alter data is no small feat. They probably were scared to tell her. Or it could be something more nefarious,” Perci said hesitantly. I did not like that line of thought. “Regardless, we bypassed the door codes and it is ours. Mom even back filed some paperwork in case there is contested ownership later. An awesome part of finding an undocumented home is you can claim it as yours when you know how to.”
I shrugged, letting the worry drop. I noticed Willow was still downstairs, so I hollered over the interior balcony railing. “Is there a master on the first floor?”
“Two bedrooms and two baths. This is a replica of the other home I went into,” Willow shouted up to me. “This home alone is something my mom and me would dream about while watching those ‘buy a home’ shows.”
“A hundred people can sleep in here if we built bunk beds and rotated sleeping. Is the barn heated?” I asked Perci, using my hands to generate pretend bunk beds I had no way of making.
“Geothermal concreted heating is in all the flooring. Even on these upper floors,” Perci said, stomping her foot onto the carpet. “There are electric heaters tied into every structure, though. The barn would be drafty but it is built to keep horses alive in the winter. Air conditioning might be the real issue if you stuff a lot of warm bodies in these confined spaces.”
“Yeah, but it’s the mountains and you can always open windows. Okay, time to tour the mansion then. At least there are no exterior balconies on this home.” I muttered the last line.
“Why would that matter?” Willow asked, and I was surprised she heard me. I leaned over the railing and saw her looking up. We gave geeky waves before I replied.
“You want to assault a building from the top to bottom. The more vulnerable entry points up high, the harder it is to defend by a skilled enemy. There are no silent helicopters at this elevation and most drones that can operate up here struggle with the altitude, so they whirl loudly. Anyway, I would like to hunker inside a prison with tight corridors and limited entry points. We will make do, and I should not complain of the luxury these homes provide. They will make the transition infinitely easier. Hell, if you showcased a large tent to Tina and Denis like I planned to, would they have rushed to get on a plane?”
“Derek, not Denis. That is a fair point. Wait until you see our swanky room on the third floor,” Willow said as we met at the door to leave the guesthouse.
“Raincheck!” I said, bouncing my brows. “Time to unload some guns!” There was excitement in my voice as a large delivery truck entered our clearing from the woods.
“More than guns. That has our tents, armor, weapons, and more. After seeing the barn stalls, I will have them unload it into categories for us. I certainly paid for them to move the stuff into the barn for us,” Perci said with a huff. She gave me a loving side eye. I knew she had poured her money while forcing her mom to help. I kissed her cheek. She latched onto me in a tight embrace and tried to whisper into my ear. “You are too tall, you oaf. Bend over. Better. You are worth every bit of effort.”
“I can repay you with some of your money!” I said and we had a short laugh. “Does your husband need to sign, Mrs. Yang?”
“No, all this is in my name. I will handle this. Go check on Torrez,” Perci said. Willow followed as they left to greet the arriving driver. “He should be our armorer. Actually, please do so. And have him come help. His legs should be recharged.”
I enjoyed watching them walk away. Opposites in figure. Curvy and plush compared to tight and firm. My eyes finally let them fade and I left to find Torrez. I checked the power on my arm and it was still over ninety percent. I did not consume nearly as much energy using my arm as Torrez did his legs. Becca found me halfway up the path to the mansion.
“Hey Cap, I got through to my sister. She lives in Arkansas, and said they have a tornado shelter ready to go if things turn bad. I was unable to convince them to come,” Becca said with a deflating exhale of defeat. She glanced over to where the truck was arriving. “I will go help them out. Glad they are getting along. Things were tense there for a moment.”
“Conflict finds us even when we try to avoid it.”
“Ugh. Cap, don’t write fortune cookies-”
“Hey, that one is not mine! Where is Torrez?”
“Inside in the kitchen. He found some frozen elk steaks, or moose. Who knows? Taste fantastic though. I think he is coping by cooking,” Becca said, and left me standing there alone.
I entered a side sliding glass door and gave the see-through material a double knocking tap. Yup, no way it was bulletproof by how much give the glass allowed. The interior of the mansion was different than the guesthouses. The stonework continued inside, giving the interior space a more rustic feel. A blast of warm air from the floor told me the heater was on. My Gpad said the evening would get chilly tonight this high up and advised wearing a jacket by dinnertime. The interior temp was mid-sixties, so I could fathom why the heater was on.
Jasmine’s pitter-pattering feet were barely audible as she squealed at being chased. Miguel was right behind her shouting ‘fee-fie-fo-fum’! I smiled as they found a second hallway to run down. The smell of cooking food assaulted my nose and lured me in. I found the kitchen and sat at a tall, comfy barstool.
The sizzle of a steak on a flat grill caught my attention. No rest for the wicked, as t
hey say. I went to the cooking station, while grabbing the steak fork Torrez had abandoned to chase his daughter. A quick flip of the meat and all was right in the world again. I turned to the sound of a running video display to see the latest news.
A vid screen was up high, hanging down from the ceiling out of the way. The holographic image had a bunch of nothing being broadcast. No flashing alerts, or actual news in the breaking news. Some singer had cheated on her boyfriend, and Gzon was having internet specials on the latest kid toy. A craze of tiny dinosaurs that would be your friend. A friendly spay and neuter your pet or face a fine arrived with the first commercial. I was surprised I had made it over a minute without an advertisement.
I kept the video going, even if I wanted to turn it off. That would be our lifeline to the outside world in the coming days.
“Ellas idiotas ricos tienen tanto alces congelados,” Maria said without looking up.
My Spanish was horrible but I tried my best and said, “Are you wanting to make tacos?”
“Oh, where is Miguel? Ha! And no, not even close. There is a deep freeze filled with those steaks in the basement floor. Whoever owned this place was an avid hunter. Probably five hundred pounds of meat in there,” Maria said, while pointing at the cooking food. “Miguel!”
Torrez came jogging over and gave his wife a hug. “Thanks for saving the steak, Cap. Jasmine loves her new house.”
Maria gave an eye roll and said, “Who wouldn’t? There is enough food to feed us and Jevon probably…” Maria gave me a dirty look when I tucked inward anticipating her anger. “Why are you wincing?”
“We are expecting more people. A lot more,” I said. “Lots of MREs on the way.”
“The unit?” Torrez asked and I nodded. “We will make do. Now that Maria is done with her inventory, I will hand off Jasmine. What were you wanting me to do?”
“Hurray! You have been promoted. You are a Master Sergeant and head of our armory. Go out to the barn and start getting gear sets prepped. Unless you need to eat, do you want to join me?”
“Already ate about an hour ago. I will meet you out there. Maria, don’t claw out the Captain’s eyes. Kinda fond of the ugly bastard,” Torrez said with his self-induced laughter as he left.
“Momma, what is a bastard?” Jasmine said in a perfect three year old tone.
“Miguel Torrez, ¿qué te he dicho sobre maldecir delante de nuestro ángel?”
Torrez slumped his head and shoulders in defeat as his wife yelled at him in an angry tone. I had no idea what she said but was glad her anger was not directed at me. The door closed behind Torrez with Maria giving a mom half-answer to Jasmine.
I grabbed a plate of steak, slid it in front of an empty seat, and opened drawers in a hunt for silverware. The cutlery in this place was awesome; it had a solid feel with unique, intricate carvings. When you were super rich, I guess you spend that money on handcrafted forks and knives. Well, I wouldn’t complain.
“Where do you want this list?” Maria asked while indicating her Gpad.
“Can you read off the basics while I eat? The details need to go to Perci. She is in charge of inventory.” I paused to chew some food while Maria input data into her Gpad. “She will be my personnel and supplies officer for now. You will actually be working for her, and fret not, she is a gifted organizer.”
“I figured as much. I checked the dates on the stuff in the fridge. All spoiled. Whoever was here last was not worried about letting milk grow old. The cleaners probably hauled trash. We will need to build a burn pit,” Maria said, and I realized there were no dumpsters. Even if they had some, not like the trash man was coming when aliens were roaming. “I really think this was a hunting cabin. Anyway, there are a few issues if we start taking in a lot of people. Space is not one of them, as this place is glorious in its size. Where it is not divine is in spare stuff for extra guests. We are low on towels, blankets, and pillows if we take in more than the fourteen bedrooms were meant to handle.
“The other thing I noticed is toiletries are non-existent. We already are out of toilet paper. I tried to order some with the money Miguel got and they do not drone deliver up here. There are limited cleaning supplies, too. Just a guess, but I think the cleaners and owner brought their own supplies for each trip. The home, while furnished, is actually barren of normal fundamentals. There are a few cleaning bots, but they won’t wash laundry or dishes.”
“Want me to watch Jasmine while you report this to Perci?”
“If you don’t mind, and should we be calling her Perci or Persephone?”
“Ask her, not sure. She went by her fake last name when she served. Morrison. Doubt she uses that now since her alias is Persephone Yang.”
“She sure is smitten,” Maria teased. “Jasmine, mind your Uncle Yang.”
I pried myself out of the comfy seat and set my empty plate in the sink. Jasmine squirmed and fidgeted as her mom left, but did not cry out. We gave each other that look of what to do and I dramatically placed a finger to my chin. The little girl mimicked my gesture.
“Can you show me where the third floor is?” I asked and she nodded.
Unlike the guest homes, there were no overhanging balconies to chat with those down below. The only space that went from floor to ceiling was the main foyer. There were two carpeted stairways and we went up the nearest one. The second floor consisted of one living room per wing and a long hallway with bedrooms. Jasmine was quick up the stairs and when we arrived on the third floor, I was relieved. There were two master suites, one on each end over the second floor living rooms. The majority of the third floor was more bedrooms. I was worried the top floor would be some massive room that would be hard to segment.
A quick inspection of the master showed a large four-post bed with lots of ornate furniture. There were a few doors to other rooms, which were likely closets and bathrooms. I did notice the balcony had a hot tub facing the mountain views. I smirked at the sight and noticed Jasmine was heading back down the stairs.
“Thanks for showing me how to get up here. Have you seen an elevator?” I asked and the little girl shook her head no. “Do you want to watch cartoons or play in the park?”
“Park please,” Jasmine said, just loud enough for me to hear.
“Awesome, there are even tractor toys we can play with!” I said and raced her outside.
We played in the sand for twenty minutes and I built an awesome castle that a princess lived in. There was lots of make believe talk and I found the innocence of the interaction heartwarming. Jasmine had never talked to me much before today. She had seen me a few times and mostly hid behind her mom. When Maria relieved me of my babysitting duties, I was sad to be a grown-up again.
That feeling vanished when I saw all the man toys being hauled out of the back of the tractor-trailer. Becca intercepted me on my approach to fill me in.
“They are on the last of the carbines now. Most of this truck was ammo and supplies for making ammo. I thought there would be more tents and armor. There is only enough armor for a platoon,” Becca said with a grunt. “I know, be grateful for what we got. The three guys who made the trip had so many questions that Persephone barked at them to shut the fuck up. Well, she said it nicer than that, but the point was made.”
“You are a character, Becca. Thanks for the update.”
“No problem, Cap.”
We passed Willow and Perci, who were checking over inventory sheets. I found Torrez creating gear stacks near the back of the long barn. While I walked down the corridor, I looked into the stalls to get an idea of what was around. I quickly realized I would need more than a short glance, as there were frequently unlabeled boxes for discretion.
My feet halted beside a neat pile Torrez had created. It was time to shed my DU shirt and cargo shorts. There was a light green undershirt and boxer shorts in the pile. I snatched them up along with a set of jungle fatigues. With my gear in hand, I returned to the manager’s room.
A minute or two later, I was dressed lik
e a soldier, minus boots. When I returned to the first pile, I picked up a shoulder holster and found a ruger 9mm already clipped in. A quick inspection showed the reduced magazine size limited to ten by state law. We were so modifying our magazines to full capacity when we found the time. I cleared the barrel, ensured the safety was on, and returned the weapon to its holster. I did not put the straps over my shoulders yet because I wanted to check the vest.
I let out a low whistle. This was the two-piece dragon armor set.
“Yeah, Becca complained and I laughed,” Torrez said.
“What? We need more and it is flimsy?” Becca replied.
“So Becca, this company has gone in and out of business a few times. I would have returned home with more soldiers if we had these double sets. I dare say…”
“It is okay, Cap, Becca, these armored shorts would have handled me sitting on a grenade. I would have lost my ankles and knees still, but the tourniquets would have been much lower on my thighs,” Torrez said, while preparing a new stack against the wall.
I grabbed the jungle patterned armored shorts and slid them on. A few strap adjustments later, and they were solid. I jumped, trying to dislodge the armor bound around my waist. A few more leaps without it falling earned them a nod of approval. The vest was a one piece with thin plates under the interwoven scales. The armor overlapped my shorts that were high on my waist. The upper armor wrapped around my neck with a minor adjustment, and the sleeves went down to my elbows. A testing twist of my body left me feeling limber.
This armor had come a long way in the past decade. So far in design that the generals were begging for its inception when we deployed. Budget constraints were the cause for their request denial, and it felt good to have an heiress looking over me.
I smiled like a kid in a sandpit when I was fully armored up in forest camouflage. I immediately shifted out of the top armor piece and put my arms into the sidearm shoulder holster. With the pistol on first, I dropped the armor over my head and fit the neck protector into place. A helmet with soft padding was equipped; it required minimal adjusting as the interior gel formed to my head. I buckled the chinstrap while I kicked off my shoes, and Torrez held up a hand.