by Reed, N. C.
“Clayton, don't make me get out of this chair,” Leon growled. “I am bone tired and hurting like hell and yes, I can read and know who the hell Cortez was. I am not some uneducated heathen I will have you know!”
“Never thought so,” Clay held up a hand in surrender. “Anyway, if we burn them, we don't tell them it was us, right?”
“Right,” Leon nodded. “Whoever is going, have them talk to the kids and ask them is there anything in particular they want. Anything hidden somewhere they want us to retrieve, anything like that. Make sure we don't destroy nothing that's really important to them. Now, can you do it, or not?”
Clay sat for a minute, thinking things through. Yes, technically they could probably manage. Probably.
“Probably,” he gave voice to his thoughts. “It will take at least five and better six people,” he mused. “It would be better to send four of us and two or maybe three other people,” he added. “That would leave eleven proven guns here in case there was another attack.”
“Take Abigail,” Leon said at once. “She can shoot and her attitude seems to be in check. She can handle it.”
“I agree,” Clay nodded. “Who else?” he muttered to himself, tugging at his chin. “I suppose we could ask Samantha,” he said finally. “She went through this with her own house, minus the bodies, thank goodness. Who else, though?” he returned to his thinking.
“Take Gary Meecham,” Leon said suddenly. “He can shoot and he should be able to handle it if things are bad as we fear.”
“Okay,” Clay agreed. “I guess that would do it then. We’ll take one Hummer and one Cougar. We won't be able to bring back any furniture or anything, not doing things like this,” he warned.
“What would it take for that?” Leon asked.
“Last time it was their whole family and four of us, plus Ellen and Gordy,” Clay sighed. “This trip will be none of them. Even if they were able, I'd not have them see all that.”
“No, that's for the best,” Leon agreed. “Could take two of them youngsters,” Leon added. “Gordy's friends.”
“Any who didn't go as part of that four would be part of the eleven we were leaving to fight off an attack,” Clay shook his head slowly. “But. . .no. You know what, considering we're planning on burning those houses, I don't know that I want anyone else along.”
“If you take a truck as well, then let the rest of them head out and you and you and someone else stay behind long enough to fire the houses and then get,” Leon ordered. “Simple, easy. Little diesel and there you are.”
“That would work,” Clay nodded. “We need to go in daylight. Let me get with Jose and we’ll plan to go in the morning if nothing happens. I’ll see if we can get Nathan Caudell and Anthony Goodrum to go and help load. They're good, healthy boys.”
“Take two of them women from the orphanage,” Leon said suddenly. “They was supposed to start working tomorrow anyway while Malitha George and Lila Webb sat them babies. Part of our project to try and develop trust of them so they ain't a... a... what was, how was it you put it?”
“Net loss?” Clay asked.
“Exactly!” Leon raised a hand, pointing toward somewhere on the horizon. “Thank you. Net loss. We're trying to get to a point where they ain't that. Net loss, I mean. The start of it is to let them start working around the place. That lets Malitha rest her back and hip some, and it will give Lila something to do. It'd be great to take John and Seth, but that's back to them seeing. . .stuff,” Leon finished, reluctant to voice it.
“I'd rule against John anyway,” Clay was shaking his head. “Sam and Luke may have him under control, but if we got to their place, on his turf, there would be problems and that ain't no place for it.”
“True enough. I’ll leave it with you, but make them two women go and help, hear? Leave Gary here and take them. And don't let 'em steal nothing, either! Though. . .with poor Bernice gone, and that Hurley girl, I guess if you found some clothes that would fit 'em, it would be a help.”
“Didn't consider that,” Clay admitted. “I’ll take them with us.”
“You're going?” Leon asked.
“I don't ask my men to do anything I won't do,” Clay said firmly and Leon almost smiled but caught himself.
“Your men?” he asked instead. “That mean you're gonna get back in the saddle, then?”
“Yes, Leon,” Clay sighed. “You got what you wanted.”
“We're in better hands with you running things, Clayton,” was all Leon added. “Let me know if you need anything.”
-
“Are you serious?” Jose asked at once.
“Afraid so,” Clay nodded. “I almost said no, I admit, but. . .truth is, Leon is right. If we can get most of their stuff, clothes, furniture, what have you, then they’ll be more at home here. From that standpoint, it does make sense.”
“We carrying any of them with?” Jose asked.
“Negative,” Clay said immediately. “We will be asking them if there's anything in particular they would like us to check for, or anything hidden somewhere they'd like us to retrieve, but none of them are going. The bodies are still there. None of them need to see that.”
“You know, if you take those teens, they're gonna see it,” Jose cautioned.
“It won't be their family laying there, though,” Clay shook his head slowly. “And bad as I hate it, it's time to grow up. In the world we live in now, just like back in the eighteen hundreds, sixteen is grown. Hell, I went through basic with a kid who was sixteen. Lied his ass off to get in.”
“True enough,” Jose nodded. “I suggest we get Beverly to ask them about hidden or important things,” he added. “Other than John, anyway. I’ll ask him myself. Meanwhile, we need to gather the people that are going and brief them.”
“Some of them,” Clay agreed. “The two women from the orphanage we won't. They’ll find out in the morning. We can tell the Goodrum kid and Nate's nephew though. We’ll take Ellen and Tandi of course, then me, Gordy and Mitchell probably.”
“You need one more man,” Jose objected. “With Tandi riding with Ellen, you're short. Plus, if someone gets hurt, Tandi will be out while he treats them. I know you wanted to stick with four, but I'm strongly urging you to reconsider. Take Zach. He's steady and can get the job done. He and Gordy make a good team, and I daresay you could trust Gordy to stay behind with you and... finish up.” He was reluctant to speak of burning the homes even when he was sure they were alone.
Clay considered it for a minute before finally nodding.
“You're right. I will add Zach in. And that's plenty. If someone is hit then Abby can ride with Ellen in the Beast on the way back. Okay, let’s get the briefing done. I’ll gather folks up while you talk to Beverly about questioning the Webbs.”
-
“Wait,” Anthony Goodrum said. “You mean we're going off the farm?” His eyes were wide.
“We are indeed,” Clay nodded. “Don't panic on me, now,” he grinned. “We just needed some muscle and decided that you and Nathan could help us. But both of you need to bring your rifles just in case. Don't load them unless we tell you, but bring them. Got it?”
“Off the farm?” Goodrum repeated, as if he hadn't even heard Clay.
“Anthony, we have to do this,” Clay said a bit more firmly. “Do what we say and things will go just fine. However,” he turned to the rest of the group. “The fact of the matter is that there are several bodies still in the houses. Have been there for several days now. Four or five at least. So, we're going to experience some unpleasantness to say the least.”
“That's why John, Seth and Lila aren't here, isn't it?” Abby asked.
“Got it in one,” Clay nodded.
“That's good, though,” Abby said, looking at the others. “They've been through enough already. They don't need to see that.”
“Exactly so, Abby,” Clay smiled briefly, the first smile he had given her in a very long time. “To deal with that, we’ll be wearing dust masks, and
before we go in we will coat our nostrils with menthol. That will kill your sense of smell for a half-hour or so. And we’ll have gloves with us just in case.”
“Now,” he turned back to the mission itself. “We will recon first. If there's no one there, then we get in, we do what we aim to do, and we get moving back here. Ideally, we're on the ground less than an hour, so we have to be moving as soon as we land. We’ll have a couple more people with us to help but they couldn't be here this afternoon. Do not say anything about this to anyone, understand?” he stressed. “Once we get back you can brag all you want, but not before we go. I want everyone over here, geared up and ready to go by zer. . .six in the morning. We will leave then, and try to be back here in time for lunch. Any questions?”
“Why me?” Samantha asked. “I don't mind going but. . .” she paused and looked around the room. “I'm not nearly as strong as anyone else in here,” she admitted. “What good can I be?”
“Someone needs to gather clothing and other personal items, at least as much as possible,” Clay told her. “And you may be small, but you can shoot just fine,” he added with a grin and Samantha actually blushed just a little as Abby shoulder bumped her.
“Nothing else? Then you're good to go, but don't forget to set your alarm. Don't wanna miss the bus.”
-
“They didn't mention anything hidden, but Samuel did ask for the family bible their mother kept in her bedroom, as well as any of her things you could manage. He expects anything of real value to be gone, and I assume he's right, but if you can get their clothing and even a few pieces of furniture, then it will help them settle in I think.”
“We’ll do our best,” Clay promised. “They didn't mention anything else at all?”
“No,” Beverly shook her head. “Samuel did say to thank all of you for doing this,” she smiled. “He seems like a good guy. Lucas does, as well.”
“They are as far as I know,” Clay nodded. “I barely knew them before they moved here, but Sammy has been solid the whole time and Lucas right behind him. Once they're back on their feet the two of them will be a great asset to the community.”
“Speaking of, make sure you all come back,” Beverly raised a sculpted eyebrow at him. Mitchell Nolan was going so Clay knew what she was really saying.
“I’ll get him back to you unless he runs off with some hooch,” Clay promised.
“If he tries, shoot him in the leg and haul him back here,” she replied calmly. “Don't hit anything vital,” she added as in afterthought. “A flesh wound should do it.”
“Want him back pretty bad, huh?” Clay teased, but she nodded quite seriously.
“I do indeed,” she said simply.
“I promise to do my utmost to look after him.”
-
Gordy cornered Clay not long after Beverly was gone. Clay wasn't surprised and had in fact been expecting it.
“Why is Samantha going?” Gordy demanded at once.
“Because we need her, Gordy,” Clay replied.
“That's bullshit,” Gordy shook his head. “There are plenty of others who could go. Why her?”
“She's the best shot,” Clay said simply. “And, I can trust her not to pilfer through any valuables that the Webb family may still have. So, she's going.”
“I don't like that,” Gordy said frankly. “She shouldn't be out like that.”
“Gordy, I get it,” Clay sighed. “You like her. Maybe more than like her. But the time when everyone can just sit here and pull their head in is gone. That all ended when your grandparents and your sister decided to let everyone know we still had working vehicles and reminded them we had 'plenty' of food. We're doing this because Leon asked us to as a way to get the surviving Webbs settled in, permanent. And no, I don't want to do it, but for once someone actually made a reasoned argument for doing something like this rather than just demanding or decreeing that it get done, so. . .I cut him some slack and said yes. Plus, I hope this will improve our relations with them.”
Gordy seemed to be looking for something to say but finally gave up, coming up with nothing.
“I really do understand, Gordy,” Clay promised.
“I notice Aunt Lainie isn't going,” Gordy replied.
“I love Lainie very much,” Clay admitted. “But she can't shoot half as good as Samantha can. A sad but true fact, nephew. But never fear for she will be doing something far more strenuous than we will.”
“Huh?”
-
“How much bread?” Lainie asked in disbelief. That couldn't be right.
“At least thirty loaves,” Angela sighed. “You and I and Alicia got bread because I've got the adobe oven,” she admitted. “Sorry.”
“Well, don't be sorry,” Lainie shook her head. “Don't forget we're lucky you have it. We need to make another one or two. Somewhere besides here,” she added wryly.
“Good idea,” Angela nodded. “Meanwhile though, here we are,” she sighed again. “We have until Thursday afternoon. You and I, plus Alicia and perhaps Olivia. I suppose we should light the oven and let it heat while we're working. We may get some dough ready this evening. It takes anywhere from three to four hours to bake a loaf of bread. No idea if baking five or so at a time will make it take longer. I've never done it.”
“Meantime I’ll start gathering ingredients,” Lainie agreed. “This will take a trip to the warehouse.”
-
“This one will do,” Robert said, eyeing the nearly year-old calf. “About six hundred pounds give or take?”
“At least,” Gordon agreed. “Well, let’s get it back to the barn and get started.”
-
All over the ranch people were preparing for the cookout. News that they would have a social gathering had spread and soon everyone was working on whatever they were doing for said gathering. Cooking, cleaning, butchering, preparing a fire pit, all that and more going into the efforts.
But on the pad, the smallish convoy was being assembled for the next day. Jake checked the Beast as well as the other vehicles and pronounced them fit and ready to go. The trailer was shorter than usual as they were using a bob trailer that was normally used to 'piggyback' two trailers with one truck. They didn't have a second trailer, having found this one near the Interstate exit on the road to Jordan. They had grabbed it because it was empty, thinking it would be good for storage if nothing else. For now, it was perfect for this and would make maneuvering the Beast much easier and thus quicker.
Clay and the others mounted weapons on the Cougar and the Hummer. He opted for a fifty-caliber machine gun on the Hummer and a Mk 19 grenade launcher on the Cougar. He had debated about using the grenade launcher, but the simple fact was that if they ran into some kind of homemade armored vehicle then the grenades might come in handy. That made him think of something to add to each vehicle, just in case.
He wasn't as reluctant as he normally would be about this trip and that almost bothered him. For some reason he was much more at ease about this than normal. Perhaps because it was something to help a group of people who had suffered through a terrible ordeal, he didn't know. Either way, tomorrow they would be moving.
-
Leon was leaned back in his chair using his oxygen when he heard a pounding on his door. Janice Hardy more or less bounced over to the door and opened it to reveal Darrell Goodrum's angry visage standing on the porch.
“Where's Leon?” Goodrum demanded, storming past Janice and very nearly knocking her over. Leon removed his mask and looked up.
“I'm right here you jackass,” he growled. “And if you ever damn near knock that girl over like that again I will have your ass whipped til you can't walk. Now what do you mean, storming into my house like this? What in the hell do you want?”
“My son says he's going off the farm tomorrow with Clayton!” Goodrum all but yelled.
“That's right,” Leon agreed. “Clay is going-,”
“My son is not going off somewhere off and away from here to figh
t someone else's battle!” Goodrum interrupted. “That's what got Mark Webb killed!”
“I'm trying to tell you that Clayt-,” Leon tried again only to be cut off.
“And who the hell said you could even give orders to my son to start with!” Goodrum demanded.
“You want to stay here, Darrell?” Leon was tired of being spoken to like this in his own home, but he fought the urge to just shoot Goodrum, since that would ruin his rug.
“What?” The simple question seemed to bring the blacksmith up short.
“Do you want to stay here?” Leon repeated. “It's a simple question. We all have got to do what we can, where we can, Darrell. Simple as that. Clayton is going to try and go to the Webb farm and retrieve as much and as many of their belongings as he can in about one hour and return with them. Your son isn't going anywhere to fight battles that belong to somebody else. He's going to help tote furniture.”
“Why ain't them Webb boys going?” Goodrum asked. “Them that's well, I mean?”
“Darrell, if you was laying dead in your home for days, would you want your kids to go in there to get clothes and furniture? Or would you want someone else to do it for them?”
“You want my son to go into a house full of dead bodies?” Apparently, that part was all the bigger man had heard.
“No, your son is going to go into those houses and help carry out anything usable,” Leon replied. “All he has to do is carry what he's told to carry. And he is going to help because there's no one else to send that we can spare at the moment. Your son is sixteen. That was once considered old enough to marry, own a house and farm or even join the army. But all we need him to do is tote furniture.”
“Then why is he supposed to bring that rifle they gave him?” was the next question.
“He's supposed to be carrying it everywhere he goes, for his own protection,” Leon reminded him. “For that matter, I reckon you was gave one too. Where would it be at?”
Once more Goodrum looked stumped at the question.
“Things have got to change around here, Darrell, or else we're finished. We were okay until Josh did what he did. Now, we're in a bind because of it. We can't keep on as we were. Your son ain't the only one going, either. Kaitlin Caudell's son, Nathan, is going too, and he's the same age as your boy. Going to tote furniture, just like your boy. My great-grandson is going and he will actually be fighting if it becomes necessary. My great-granddaughter Abigail is going to help load stuff and so is Samantha Walters. Older than your boy, but not by a great stretch and Samantha ain't as big as a fly's shadow. So, you need to suck it up and get with the program, hear?”