Blue Plague Survival

by Watson, Thomas A

  Debbie looked up with tears on her face, “I’m sorry.”

  “I know you are baby and so are they,” Bruce said as he walked over to Debbie. Bruce bent down and whispered in her ear, when he was finished Bruce stood up and Debbie just looked at him.

  “Go ahead,” Bruce said.

  Debbie whispered in Angela’s ear then Angela whispered back in Debbie’s. Debbie repeated it with Stephanie after which Stephanie whispered back in Debbie’s ear. Debbie hugged both of them then kissed them.

  “She asked you both the same question and you both gave the same answer,” Bruce told them. Then he asked, “Angela what was the question?”

  “Why are you sorry about disappointing Bruce?” Angela answered.

  “Stephanie your answer,” Bruce asked.

  “I love him,” Stephanie said.

  Angela crawled over the covers and moved to the end of the bed and turned around. Kneeling down on her hand and knees, she lifted her butt in the air. Bruce asked looking at her small butt stuck up in the air at him, “Angela, are you mooning me with your panties on?”

  “No I’m waiting on my spanking,” Angela replied. They all started laughing and Stephanie was trying not to laugh hard because it hurt.

  “Angela, your butt is too small to spank,” Bruce told her.

  “Well, I’ll move it around to make it bigger then,” Angela said shaking her butt.

  Bruce laughed leaving the room to check on the kids. Debbie looked at the others, “Thank you two.”

  “Thank you, we’re a team here girl. We stick together,” Angela said.

  “Yeah we’re a good team,” Stephanie said.

  Debbie held out her hand saying, “Let’s make a pact. If one of us is hurt or worse, the other two will pick up the slack for the family.” Stephanie and Angela grabbed Debbie’s hand saying, “Agreed.”

  As Angela climbed back in bed, Stephanie asked, “Does that mean all of us are married now?”

  “Yep,” Debbie said.

  “Thank God, I didn’t think I could take care of the kids by myself,” Stephanie said.

  Bruce reached Danny’s door and knocked softly. Hearing Danny yell ‘come in Daddy’ Bruce opened the door asking, “How do you know it’s me?”

  “You’re the only one that knocks and waits for me to say come in,” Danny replied.

  Bruce looked at Danny, Mary, Buffy, Mindy and the twins painting finger and toe nails. “Where’s PJ and Cade?” Bruce asked.

  “Jake and Matt took them. They are mad at us because we put makeup on them. They said we were destroying their manhood,” Danny told him.

  Bruce agreed with the boys but did not voice his opinion. “You want me to get the girls?” Bruce asked.

  “Dad we’re doing nails,” Danny said as if that answered his question.

  Buffy looked up at him, “Daddy, this is important stuff, go away.”

  “Sorry,” Bruce said closing the door heading to Jake’s room.

  Bruce knocked and opened the door when Jake yelled come in. “Hey dad,” Jake said sitting on his bed playing a video game against Matt who was sitting on the floor. Bruce saw PJ and Cade asleep on the bed. Bruce reached to pick them up and Jake stopped him.

  “Leave them, they’re ok. We got off the makeup and nail polish the girls put on them,” Jake said with a little malice in his voice.

  “You sure?” Bruce asked.

  “Dad when they’re asleep, they’re fine. They are not that bad when they’re awake. Cade will just watch me play games and since I have everything off my floor PJ can only play with what I give him,” Jake stated.

  Bruce walked back to his room but stopped suddenly. Images of the shop torture came into his mind. Bruce just breathed slowly until he pushed them from his mind and continued to his room to find everyone asleep. Bruce climbed into the bed and joined them, praying for no dreams.

  Chapter 30

  Bruce woke up sweating wondering who turned the heater on. Then Bruce felt something on his chest. Looking down he saw Angela and Debbie lying on his chest and Stephanie burrowed under his left side. Bruce gently rolled them off and climbed out of bed. Looking at the clock reading 0412 Bruce gave up on going back to sleep. Grabbing his gear, notebooks, laptop and workout clothes he headed to the gym.

  After he worked out, Bruce went to the hall to wait on breakfast. Walking in, Bruce saw the family table had doubled in size. There where fifteen chairs on each side and one at each end. Looking at his end, Bruce noted the corners were extended out and rounded off. ‘The twins are so going to love that’ Bruce thought. Walking over, Bruce ran his hand over the middle section. It was lighter than the rest of the table but was a perfect blend of wood. If this is what Paul considered fast and sloppy Bruce was a shitty carpenter.

  Next to the table were two high chairs. Looking at the new chairs, Bruce noted several with booster seats. ‘That man goes way overboard’ Bruce thought as he sat his gear down, stripped out of his workout clothes put on his ACU’s, checked his camera on his boonie had and put on his boots. Grabbing his vest, Bruce thought it felt heavy. Damn going to have to work out hard for the next couple of weeks Bruce promised himself. Picking up his notebooks and laptop Bruce sat up to get some work done.

  Millie came over carrying the biggest coffee cup Bruce had ever seen. It held an easy eight cups of coffee. When she sat it down Bruce turned it around and saw the word BOSS written on the side.

  “A bit ostentatious don’t you think?” Bruce asked her.

  “No,” Millie said, “I asked ‘em if they saw a big mug to pick it up fer me so I could give it to ya. I painted that on the side fer ya. Just so people knows who’s in charge.”

  “Thank you Millie,” Bruce told her, “but maybe I’m getting tired of being in charge Millie.”

  Millie sat down at the table with him. “Bruce, you haveta stay in charge. We’re rebuilding America, rights here and now, the ways it’s supposed ta be, only better. You demand the same from everyone not caring about race or sex. Too many people countin’ on ya and no one else can do it. We’re gonna accomplish sumethin’ here, I can feel it. You could just stay here and we could survive but you’re going out into the wilderness and bringing in tha lost.”

  “I have to keep going out in the wilderness because I keep finding more lost,” Bruce said taking a sip.

  “Bruce quit actin’ like a sissy girl,” Millie said.

  “Millie I’m getting tired. There’s so much more to do and I’m feeling wore down to the bone,” Bruce admitted to her.

  “I knows Bruce, several of us sees it. You don’t haveta do everythin’ yourself,” Millie said.

  “Millie, I don’t do everything. I barley did any of the construction,” Bruce said.

  “That’s not what I’m talkin’ about Bruce. You goin’ into tha wilderness too much. Several people here can survive out there on these runs. That’s what’s wearing ya out. You have to let others lead out there or what you’re trying to avoid will happen anyway. They’ll get killed,” Millie said.

  “Those are my kids Millie, I can’t send them out alone,” Bruce told her.

  “Bruce, I’m talking about the others here not your family. You’re running your family and kids into the ground with ya,” Millie said.

  “I’ll try Millie, I promise,” Bruce said.

  “That’s good -nough for me,” Millie said as she got up. Millie looked down at him, “You weren’t too hard on little Debbie and the girls were ya?”

  “No Millie, even though I should’ve been,” Bruce said feeling disappointed again.

  “That’s good they was hard enough on they selves. I did try to talk ‘em out of it but even us big girls do stupid stuff sometimes. You boys don’t have the market on it,” Millie told him as she walked to the kitchen.

  Bruce started working again as people started drifting in. Mike came in later wearing workout clothes and sat down at his spot looking at the new table. “Dude you didn’t have to move me so far away. I wasn’t r
eally going to hurt you,” Mike said smiling.

  “I wasn’t so sure,” Bruce said looking up.

  “I’m sorry brother,” Mike said.

  “I’m sorry to brother,” Bruce replied looking at Mike then Bruce asked. “Nancy wore the high heels didn’t she?”

  “The red ones,” Mike said grinning.

  They laughed as the rest of the family came in sitting down at the table. Willie and his family came in and Bruce waved them over telling them to sit down. Stephanie hobbled to her spot on Bruce’s right as Debbie sat down on Bruce’s left. Angela sat with Cade beside Stephanie. Millie started bringing plates over with several others.

  When they had finished eating the family left to get dressed while Bruce finished up on his notes. When everyone returned Bruce called the meeting to order.

  “Ok I just wanted to meet with everyone because I wanted to hand out jobs for everyone. Debbie and Nancy you two are in charge of personnel. When you need someone for a job see them. Stephanie, Angela, Danny and Mary you are in charge of inventory. I want you to get five people to help you and start today. Don’t inventory anything until it finds a home. Mike you are in charge of security here at the farm. Jake and Matt you two are still the spooks. Let me know what you need to get those new UAV’s up and all those cameras you two took down at the base. Willie I want you to make a training rooster for 30 people at a time training them for one month to fight. After we train this group we will select some and advance their training. When they graduate they get one of these,” Bruce pulled out a yellow handkerchief.

  “Steve and David you two are in charge of teaching everyone to shoot. Once they’re cleared by you, they will get a pin,” Bruce held up a pin that had a small M-4 on it.

  “Once they earn these they are to wear them. We are getting to many people to remember who can and can’t have a weapon. I want to be able to know who can in a hurry go on a patrol by looking at them. Millie and Lynn I want to know how the food supply is and about the people that are assigned to help. Paul you’re the manager of the farm let me know how it is going. Cheryl you are in charge of produce. Conner I want you to build me two strike teams of ten men each but don’t use just men you know what I mean. Nobody in this family can be on them. Bill you’re in charge of policing the clan. If someone has a problem with an individual, find Bill. Susan I want you in charge of the kids. Get with Maria and get us a school schedule going.”

  “From now on, Friday night this group, the command group, will meet in the house to go over the week’s activities and what is said during the Sunday meeting. Now does anyone have anything to add?” Bruce asked.

  Willie spoke up, “I just want to warn you about one family that came with me here, the Green’s. The wife Jenny is a liberal bitch and was a thorn in my side. She’s not dangerous just a pain in the ass. I have already seen her complaining about kids with guns.”

  “Thank you, if she causes a problem I’ll deal with her,” Bruce said looking for any other questions.

  “Alright people let’s go to work,” Bruce said.

  Bruce left and headed to the back pasture to help with the second storage area. Working through till 1400, Bruce headed to the basement armory. He wanted a smaller rifle when he was working, the SCAR was seriously getting in the way.

  Walking into the basement Bruce stopped. Racks of weapons were everywhere with a small pathway around the basement. This was not all the weapons they had gotten and he called Stephanie over the radio to come to the basement. When Stephanie limped in Bruce asked, “Where are the rest of the weapons?”

  “In the underground storage, barn, machine shop, garage, game room and the rocket launchers in cases are under the fort. I put as many as I could down here,” Stephanie replied defending the chaos of stacked weapons.

  “I’m not mad, I just wanted the weapons all together,” Bruce told her.

  “Bruce you told me ammo was to go in the underground storage to keep it out of the weather. I knew the guns didn’t need to be outside so I did the best I could,” Stephanie let him know.

  “You did a great job. Do you know where all the weapons are at?” Bruce asked.

  “Of course,” Stephanie said.

  “Where are Debbie and Nancy?” Bruce asked.

  “In the kitchen,” Stephanie replied. Bruce radioed Paul asking him to meet Bruce in the kitchen. Paul replied he was on the way.

  Bruce headed to the kitchen with Stephanie in tow. Nancy and Debbie were at the table going over schedules and duty lists. Paul came in a few minutes later.

  “Paul, how many storage containers do we have left,” Bruce asked.

  “Sixty-four,” Paul replied.

  “I knew there were mountains of them around the farm, but sixty four,” Bruce exclaimed.

  “We wanted eighty more but stopped after the attack. We’re going to make four of those storage areas like the two in the northwest pasture. By the way the guys said thank you for the help. I didn’t know you could run a crane and bulldozer?” Paul inquired.

  “I couldn’t but I was going to. That crane is so cool to, but back to the point. You have four extra containers I want them for now. Can you have them moved by the machine shop? I’ll show you where,” Bruce said.

  “Ok let me talk to the machinist that are in the shop, they tend to get a little high strung,” Paul said.

  “High strung, those are my toys and I agreed to let the machinist use them. I’ll be damned if I ask for permission to put shit somewhere I want,” Bruce said heading to the door. Bruce snapped over his shoulder going out the door, “Get the containers up here. Debbie and Nancy get the family here; they should be on this detail.”

  Debbie jumped up following Bruce outside, “Baby, those guys are good, please don’t make them mad. They’ve made a hundred plus suppressors and worked on everything that has broken. We really need them. Besides you, they’re the only machinist we have and you have too much to do.”

  Bruce stopped looking at Debbie, “Debbie, I love you but not even you will tell me how someone can play with my toys. Now get the family together I’ll explain when they get here.”

  Bruce walked into the shop to hear someone yell, “Close the damn door!” Bruce thought about leaving it open but decided not to. Not because of the yell but he didn’t want his machines to get cold. Stepping around the corner Bruce saw two men in their fifties. They were standing in front of his two CNC milling machines. Looking around Bruce noticed both CNC lathes were running along with the regular lathe and shaper.

  The closest man looked up seeing Bruce said, “Sorry, didn’t know it was you Bruce, come on in.”

  Bruce almost spun off but held his tongue as he walked over. The man that spoke wiped his hands off on a rag holding it out for Bruce, “Names Joe, Bruce my partner is Harry. Sorry about yelling out like that but people come in here all the time wanting to see if we can do this or that. I just tell them bring it to us we’ll fix it.” Joe said as Harry walked over and shook Bruce’s hand.

  Harry replied, “We don’t mind the kids, most just sit and watch. Several have the bug, so we give ‘em small task, and they just love it.”

  “What can we do for ya?” Joe asked.

  Taken off guard Bruce just said, “I’m putting some shipping containers beside the shop.”

  Joe and Harry looked at each other moving toward the door and Harry said, “You need our help huh?”

  “No, I just wanted to see how it was coming along,” Bruce lied.

  Harry said turning around, “Come on then.” Harry turned back to Bruce, “Let me tell you first this is the best private machine shop I’ve ever seen. I have worked for companies that were not this well set up. How did you get all this stuff?”

  Bruce smiled, he liked it when people liked his toys, replying, “E-bay.”

  “No shit? That’s amazing,” Harry said with astonishment.

  “Where did you train at?” Bruce asked.

  “Navy both of us,” Joe replied.

  �
��Oh then you’re good,” Bruce said nodding his head. Navy machinist were regarded as the best.

  “You know the machine world I see. Where did you train?” Joe asked.

  “Right here, from a book,” Bruce replied looking at the stuff on the tables.

  “You’re kidding? I’ve seen your work around here and it is pretty damn good. For a self-taught it’s beyond top notch,” Harry said and Joe agreed.

  Bruce puffed his chest out with the compliment, he really liked these guys. They showed him the projects they were working on and the suppressors they had made. They talked until Debbie called over the radio telling him they were ready. Bruce told Joe and Harry bye but he really wanted to stay and talk.

  Stepping outside Debbie asked him, “Are they still alive?”

  “Well yeah, I like ‘em,” Bruce said as Debbie just muttered, “Boys.”

  “Ok everyone, I want to get the weapons in a secured area. I don’t want anyone playing with them until they have been trained. If some aren’t missing yet they will be soon. If they have been trained on it I don’t care if they check one out and keep it. Now the explosives are different. I or someone on the command group have to approve each time some are checked out and that includes grenades, mines, and rockets, mortars etc. Does everyone understand,” Bruce asked and everyone nodded.