"It's time to explain the reason for this visit. Beforehand I'd like to explain our living conditions. We have the top floor of a clothing store blocked off for our use. The walkers have tried on numerous occasions to break in but we have managed, just barely, to hold our ground. Just this morning we were attacked, and we lost two of our people. We can't keep this up. We're outnumbered and tired and running low on ammo. It seems like every place we go, we get overrun. I think it's the helicopter since they seem to be drawn to the noise but I can't help that. We need it. It's kept on the roof of the building next door along with arms and fuel. Winter's been hard on all of us, as heating has become a problem and now we have a member that's expecting."
"You're looking for a home and I understand that, but Major, we aren't a military unit nor do we want to be. I won't put these wonderful human beings under the rule of the military who haven't done even a decent job of protecting us in the past. No offense intended, Major, but we're doing fine on our own. We are a group of citizens, trying to survive. I can understand, your position, we've all been in something similar but your people move in here, they will just be civilians, nothing else."
"YOU, won't allow it. I thought Mr. Mason, here was the leader of this group." Mason shook his head. "No, sir, I'm sorry if I gave that impression, but we're a democratic society here. No one is a leader of this group, although JD is the who led us here. We all decide what is best for us. We wouldn't let you or anyone else do that for us."
"Major Jacobs, the last person that wanted to lead us, was shot in the head and fed to the hogs." Major thought about it for a minute, sipping his coffee.
"We became people trying to survive the moment that virus popped up. I do have one hot head, but I would prefer you didn't feed him to the hogs, might give em indigestion. To counter him is our medic, who is a wonder with a great disposition." That brought smiles all around.
"There'll be seven new people, can you accommodate that many?"
"I thought you said eight." asked Duke.
He didn’t say anything and I finally figured out why.
"Major, when were you bitten?" I said softly.
The tension level soared though the roof. Everyone sat up straighter. Even Private Christman became more attentive.
Major Jacobs’ smiled, "You're very observant, JD. I don't think my men knew that much."
"No, sir, we didn't. I'm sorry sir".
"Bullshit, Private, you all know what you have to do, and I'm sure you'll do it. It will be the last order I give, and the last one you have to obey. I'll be with my Bonny soon, and I'm looking forward to it. I won't be returning with my people, JD, that's why I'd like to know they have a home where they'll be safer than I've been able to make them."
"Well, sir, we'll have to take a vote, so if you’ll excuse us..."
"I don't need to talk about it, JD", said Sarah, "I vote, yes."
"Me to, JD, there's room, I vote yes to." Lacy said with tears in her eyes.
It was unanimous. After we packed up some of the leftovers to send with them, we said goodbye then set about making rooms ready for the newcomers.
We had to take time out for the play though. Mandy had worked too hard and been too excited to forego it no matter the reason. It was hilarious and Sissy was commended for the direction, with Mandy receiving a "Oscar" which was actually a statue of a cowboy on a horse that was sitting on my bedside table. Duke was great as John Smith, although his hat was almost bigger than he was and he kept tripping over his boots.
I was trying not to mourn the Major since I'd just met him, but he was heavy on my mind when the helicopter returned later that evening. We directed it to land in the back area, while we sent out snowmobiles to receive the guests. The major was not with them and it was a solemn group that came in, tired, sad and bearing gifts. It was a good thing they had lived above a clothing store because they all had new clothes except for one. I figured him to be our hard case as he stomped around and gave orders. The others seemed frightened of him and I think he liked it that way.
Lacy and Randy had made up the other honeymoon suite for the married couple. She was about 7 months pregnant and the sitting room would make a great nursery. The other female, whose name was Sandy, was put in the room adjoining mine. The rest of the men found rooms in the basement.
We found out later, the major died about three hours after he left us. An hour after he died he awoke a zombie and was put down. They had brought his body back, which I didn't like, and we had him stored in one of the caves. Come spring we'd bury him somewhere nice on the north fourty, with full military honors, whatever that meant.
The newbies slept in the next day. I don't know if it was weariness or they just felt safe for the first time in nearly a year. They started filtering down to the dining room around 10 am. Apologetic, they got their own coffee and after some encouragement got their own breakfast which was in warming trays on the buffet. They were a quiet bunch that first day, but we quickly figured out the hothead.
He stomped into the room and plopped down in a chair at the head of the table and glared at the rest of us. Looking at Sandy he ordered coffee. I got up, grabbed his mug, filled it and slammed it down in front of him splashing coffee all over both of us. He started to jump up when I grabbed his shoulder, pressing on the nerve there. He froze, obviously in pain. I leaned on him till I was near his ear.
"That is the last time you will be served in this lodge. You are just another flunky like the rest of us. If you can't live with that, you will be relocated. Any questions?"
He glared at me until I stepped back. He looked at the rest of us and we all just smiled back at him.
"We are an elite military unit..."
"Were." said Flynn
He looked at Flynn, wanting to do something else so badly he nearly vibrated with it.
"I am commander..."
"Were."
"The major is dead and since I'm next in line of the chain of command that makes me the new commander."
"This ain't a military compound; you ain't any major, or commander of nothin. You gonna cause trouble you leave, now." Wow that Howard sure could talk. "You think you can be a contributor around here you're welcome but no one waits on you or takes orders from you. End of story."
"Look...what's your name?" I thought I'd better say something before this got out of hand.
"Major Calvin Sweets."
"Look, Sweets we would love to have you here if you can follow the standard rules of civilization. No one runs this place, we all have a say in what happens here like one big happy family. We had a stupid ass and I'm not implying you're stupid, that wanted to be the boss, we ended up killing him in order to have any peace. Now, we don't want to have to do that to do you but we'll do what we have to, to survive. So, give us trouble and we bury you with the major next spring."
He looked at his ex-military soldiers, who wouldn't look at him. They just sat and ate their breakfast and drank their coffee like we were talking about the weather. He slowly got up, gave them each a glare and said "If any of you agree with these people then you will be committing treason and in a court of law that is a death sentence."
Private Blain, or just Blain now, looked at him and said "What part of what they said don't you understand? Even the Major told you the military was done for, the government was done and law was nonexistent. None of us are part of anything anymore except life and these nice people are decent enough to bring us into their home. We appreciate it but you can't seem to grasp the fact that you will never be anything more than a stupid ass, embarrassing yourself in front of a bunch of strangers who only want to help you." His voice had started to get louder and louder. "I won't let you ruin this for the rest of us. You have done nothing but cause trouble since the moment you arrived and I, for one, am sick of it. You cause one bit of trouble, Calvin, and I will be happy to smother you in your sleep."
The others stood at that and backed him up. Calvin, backed up a step and when he realized it he had
, he stepped forward again but it was too late.
"You can't do this".
"Consider it done."
He looked at everyone in turn, and then left the dining room. A collective sigh of relief was heard and then everyone started talking at once. Someone told a joke and we laughed but in the back of my mind I wondered how soon old Calvin would show his ass. I wouldn't have to wait long.
CHAPTER 15
I was hanging Christmas garlands over the fireplace mantle when I felt a familiar tug on my pants "Hold on a sec, Mandy, I just need to get this ..."
"Where's Sweetie going with the toper?" she asked. Sweetie was her name for Calvin Sweets, our resident pain in the ass.
"Hmmmm?" I mumbled, reaching to loop the garland over a hook.
"Sweetie?
"What about him?"
"He took the toper off by himself, and you said we can't go anywhere by ourselves. Dad said it to, so he's really in trouble, right JD?"
I froze, and then yelled "Duke! Mason! Flynn! Joe!" and jumped from the ladder. Running into the Dukes Den I found him unconscious behind a chair and the monitors dark. "Medic!" I yelled, moving the chair aside and feeling for a pulse. He moaned then and tried to sit up. There was a deep cut above his eye so I pressed my hand over it too staunch some of the blood. Joe, our new medic, ran in and began to examine him. I could hear the sound of helicopter rotors pounding outside the lodge.
While Sarah and Joe helped Duke to the clinic, I ran to the door and looked out. Mason, Flynn and Randy were busy putting on coats while I watched the helicopter approach the front of the building. Lacy and Melody raced up to give them their rifles.
"That isn't good." I whispered. They stepped out onto the porch as the helicopter hovered in front of them sending dirt and snow everywhere. Calvin tried to operate some kind of control and clearly frustrated at not getting a response, he gave us the finger and turned the copter to the side racing towards the 'smurf garden'.
Suddenly, it spit, sputtered and began to spin. Veering sharply to one side it dropped into the ravine with thunderous crash, throwing up snow, rocks and debris. The noise seemed to last forever then just as suddenly it got quiet.
We were in shock. My mind couldn't comprehend what my eyes and ears had just experienced. Duke popped into my mind the same time Mason did.
Check on Duke for me would you? I'll check on this idiot and he better be dead or I'm gonna kill him
Kill him once for me will ya?
I found a drowsy Duke trying to get off the exam table while Joe hovered nearby with a hypo-dermic so he could stitch Dukes head. Duke kept pushing him away while Sarah tried to talk to him. Joe finally gave up, prepared another needle and injected Duke when he wasn't looking. Soon a sleepy Duke was mumbling about his babies, which meant his computers, while Joe stitched his cut. Lacy brought Mandy in, who immediately crawled onto the table with Duke and started telling him the story of the 'toper.
"He'll want to go to sleep but I'd rather he didn't for a while. That was a nice knock on the head he got. If he hadn't been fighting me I wouldn't have had to sedate him. Mandy can keep him awake, I'm sure."
"We'll take care of everything, Sarah, you stay with Duke." Samantha, the new mechanic, said. Sarah smiled her thanks and sat beside the table, gazing lovingly at him.
Duke's gonna be ok. I thought to Mason. Have you found that bastard yet?
The copter is totaled, and let me see...Shit!
What?
Damned smurfs scared the crap out of me. I forced my mind to be still, I would laugh later.
Aw, lookie here, he's still breathing.
Quiet.
Mason?
Opps, I was wrong. Too bad, so sad. And cold. I'm coming back now.
We had another body to dispose of now but not with military honors. I think, if he had been able, he would have blown us up, killing everyone, so I had no pity for him.
I checked on Duke again, and then walked into the kitchen to see what the kids were up to. Samantha, or Sam as Howard like to call her and a very pregnant Melody was busy working on lunch. I wasn't surprised to see Howard sitting at the table. I think he was developing an interest in Sam. She was closer to his age and I think the feelings were mutual. I thought it was cute. I scooted into the booth, forcing Howard to move some. I still have to have my back to the wall. Go figure. Melody brought me a glass of tea.
"How ya feeling kiddo?" I asked sipping the cool tea. It's funny how we had a life and death situation minutes ago and the next thing you know, we are chit chatting and drinking iced tea. That tells you have far from civilization we had actually come.
"Good. Is it true about Sweets? Is he really dead?"
"Yea, sorry about that, but he brought it on himself. He just didn't want to or was unable to accept his demotion to human being."
"Please, don't apologize; I'm glad he's gone. He was going to get us all killed eventually with his recklessness. He came close a few times but always blamed it on someone else. It's a relief we don't have to put up with his crap anymore."
Sam came over and sat at Howard's end of the table, making his eyes shine. They spoke low for a few minutes, then Bubba walked over to her and begged to be held. I was a bit surprised about that but he was an equal opportunity dog and took advantage shamelessly.
Melody said "Sam and I were talking and we were wondering about the old greenhouse. I'm a fair gardener but Sam is better and we thought if we could find some seeds, we'd like to plant some vegetables. That is if it's ok with everyone else."
"If you two are interested in the green house then consider it yours. It'll need some fixing up and Duke would have to see how much electricity it would use, but I think in the long run it'd be a great asset to our food supply. We'd love some tomatoes in winter and potatoes and lettuce salad." I closed my eyes, “Man I would just love to graze." I opened my eyes and saw them looking at me. Ok, so much for this. "Go for it," I said and left the room.
I stuck my head in the clinic and when I saw all was well, I started to back out when Duke gestured for me to come in.
"You should be resting."
"Bull...” He looked over at the sleeping Mandy..."crap. That so and so took down our security system, so as soon as these crazy people..."
"Duke" Sarah admonished.
"Well, I need to get the system back up and see if he broke anything and fix it. I told Mason and Flynne what to do but unless I..."
"...do it yourself you aren't gonna trust anyone else to do it right."
"Something like that yea," he whined.
Just then Mason came in, sat down and looked at Duke. "It's all up and running like before. Looks like he just disconnected the system. One of the cameras is all snowy but otherwise, it looks good."
"How can it look good when one of the cameras is down?"
"You can check it out yourself as soon as Joe releases you and not one second before. Do you hear me? You, little jackass. You scared the hell out of me and I'm will fight you tooth and nail to do what the doctor says. Now shut up and rest."
We took the hint and left, just short of running out of the room. Hell, she scared me when she got like that and I know she's mad when she in any way refers to his size. He knew it too, that's why he shut up like he was told.
Mason walked beside me to the dining room, coming so close to holding my hand that I felt the heat from his arm. If he knew how close to jumping his bones I was he would've run. But, I could control myself...couldn't I?
Joe had been eating lunch with Sissy and things were looking cozy with them to, but I sensed his side was just offering friendship. What was up? Everyone seemed to be pairing off like we were on the ark or something. Oh, wait we were, sort of. At the very least we were insolated, it was winter, cold nights and all that. I'm gonna ignore it, that's what I'm gonna do.
Just to make sure I could do that, the powers that be sent Flynn into the dining room to sit next to me. That put me in-between them. Oh, for heaven’s sake.
"Duke just told me he was the one that sabotaged the chopper."
"You’re kidding? Is there nothing that guy knows?"
“He did something to the stabilizer prop. That's the small prop at the end of the tail which keeps the helicopter from spinning like a top. That's why Sweets couldn't control it. He also disconnected the weapons control module. Remember when he hovered in front of the porch? He was trying to shoot a missile at us. When it didn't work he shot us the bird instead. Duke said when he was released from solitary, he'd help scavenge the parts from the copter, just don't ask him to help remove the body. His choices of words were rather inventive to describe what he'd do to Sweets if he had survived the crash."
"I bet. Sweets were probably lucky from the way it sounds. I don't think anyone is gonna miss him."
The ladies brought out lunch and we ate in silence. Flynn leaned toward me and whispered loud enough for Mason to hear, "I found a crib in the attic, and I thought it would make a great gift for Melody and Dave, for the baby."
I looked at him like he'd grown horns. "Well, aren't you just full of surprises?"
He shrugged and wandered back to the basement. He had some kind of project he was working on, but I had no idea what. It was getting close to Christmas so I wished him luck. Randy was manning the monitors and after mind searching for Lacy, I found her in her room, reading a magazine. How many of those things does she have?
I went back to hanging garland again. It seemed like days since I started, so much had happened. It was hard to imagine this was even the same day. I thought of the crib in the attic and decided there was something I could do about personalizing it, so my mind was centered on baby things till I finished the great room.
I had worked on it non-stop for days and it was really looking festive. All we needed was the tree. The guys were going out tomorrow to get the one Lacy and I had picked out months ago. We'd found some popcorn and tiny lights and ribbons which were actually hiding in the crib, and we planned to show Mandy how to make paper chains for the tree. It was such a normal thing to do we were all looking forward to it.
Walkers (Book 1): The Beginning Page 12