The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 2): The Aftermath [Town of the Dead]

by Smith, Daniel

  “Hi” he began before Katrina leaned forward and kissed him. He turned red almost falling off the side of the truck if Katrina had not caught him.

  “Man is she strong,” Dan thought as she held his arm in an iron grip. Mabel was smiling with that large white smile of hers standing out against her dark skin at him. Her thin framed with short graying hair made her look small behind the wheel of the big rig. Dan locked eyes with her for a moment when he noticed she was staring at him with her dark eyes. It sent shivers down his spine, as she seemingly looked through him at some object behind him.

  Hi,” he managed to say. “Glad you’re here. Got a job offer that might interest you,” he said hopefully. Mabel just nodded her head as she turn to face forward.

  “I know, Get in,” she said, her voice rich and smooth sounding in her slow southern drawl. This freaked Dan out like last time as he stepped off the chrome fuel tank so Katrina could open the door to let him in the cab.

  3 The Business Offer

  The camouflage figure of Captain Jones stood just past the metal detectors just inside the tinted front doors. Standing in the middle of the lobby of city hall. The two police officers watching with interest as she argued with Sandra standing in front of her.

  “I find it unacceptable I have to leave my pistol with them,” Captain Jones said angrily. Pointing over to the two police officers and her Beretta 92 pistol sitting in a blue plastic bin in front of the metal detectors.

  “That is the town policy no weapons inside city hall,” Sandra said her voice sounding strained.

  Captain Jones stared at her angrily trying to make Sandra back down. All she faced was the same look coming from Sandra towards her. Captain Jones finally broke the staring match with Sandra by averting her eyes.

  “Fine I will pick up the pistol after the meeting,” Captain Jones stated trying to move past her.

  Sandra moved in front of her as she motioned to the two police officers. Stepping away from the metal detectors they approach. Captain Jones looked at them before glaring at Sandra.

  “What do you think you are doing,” she demanded.

  Sandra smiled as she looked at Captain Jones.

  “The meeting is by invitation only,” she said. As Captain Jones silently fumed.

  “I am with the military,” she spat out. As Sandra continued to smile the two police officers looking over to the soldier still standing by the front doors.

  “So,” Sandra asked.

  Captain Jones’s watery brown eyes went wide at her statement as the anger flared on her face.

  “Do I need to remind you the President of the United States has declared martial law,” she spat out. Sandra shrugged her shoulders.

  “In the areas they control. If you wish to try that here go get all your soldiers and bring it on,” Sandra started putting her hands on her hips. As Captain Jones backed up a step.

  “I am interested to see how they fair against Commander Hudson’s self-defense forces and the entire town,” Sandra spat out angrily at her.

  “But until you can take and hold the town you will follow our rules,” she said turning to the two police officers. She is leaving.”

  Sandra stated walking away from a stunned Captain Jones. One officer approaching her while the other started moving towards the soldier standing near the tinted door. Sandra turned after a few feet to address Captain Jones.

  “I will call and talk to Mr. Pennington later to discuss this,” she said moving on.

  “This is the way out,” he told Captain Jones pointing to the door.

  Dan could not believe his eyes riding in the cab of the big rig to Main Street. Behind the sign marking the entrance medium sized asphalt parking lot to City Hall. The parking lot was full of cars and trucks of all sizes, different color golf carts and even a few horses and wagons. Mabel with the other truckers managed to park the big rigs on the street around city hall. Dan with Katrina and Mable were walking passing the white hardtop golf cart with a built in solar panel in the roof parked occupying the spot marked with a sign.

  “Reserved for the Mayor.”

  Making their way towards the well-kept concrete sidewalk. Leading into the open area between the buildings holding a small three-tier square water fountain ringed by concrete benches and well-tended flowerbeds. Turning as the rumbling sound of a powerful engine came from behind. They spotted the bulky shape of the military Humvee overtaking then passing them in the parking lot. Passing to spot in front of them near the well-kept concrete sidewalk leading to the open area. Between the buildings that held a small three-tier square water fountain ringed by concrete benches and well-tended flowerbeds.

  Dan felt uneasy now as he turned slightly to see the dark eyes of Mable seemingly staring threw him. Dan turned his attention back to the walkway separating the two buildings, to see two uniformed figures exiting from city hall moving towards the now idling Humvee. Recognizing Captain Jones his hand going for the forty-five under his left arm. She had just reached the door of the Humvee before she took notice of the group of people behind the Humvee. Her sallow face darken as she spotted Dan in the group of people. She looked nervously to where his hand was as she gripped the handle of door. She only paused a moment before she jerked the door open and hurriedly entered the Humvee. Dan with the others became encircled in a plume of thick black exhaust erupting from the Humvee as the engine revved, causing the bulky machine to pull away. He was the only one coughing slightly as he used his hand to fan the exhaust away from his face. Dan turned to Mable just in time to see her turning away from him with what he thought was a smile on her face as she started towards the building again. Dan still had his hand on the hardwood grips of the forty-five as Katrina tug on his arm.

  “Come on,” she said unconcerned at his action in her southern drawl. They approached the first one a modern two-story office style building made of bright metal frames with a dark tinted glass. Facing an identical bright metal frame and dark tinted glass two story building of the same construction with the white sign with black letters identifying it as the police station. Behind this building, stood the tall tops of the wind generators with their slowly turning three blade propellers whining slightly as they supply power for the buildings, they past the splashing fountain. As they started up the three large flat concrete steps to approach the side by side white columns supporting the arched entranceway roof. Over the tinted black double glass front doors that where the entranceway into city hall. The delay at the metal detectors just inside the front doors by two police officers cut short as Sandra hurried over to escort them in. No one had been willing to give up their weapons they were carrying to enter the building. Dan and the rest of them followed Sandra down a light gray hall.

  “Captain Jones was here,” Dan told Sandra as they walked over a spotted linoleum floor.

  “She wanted to attend the meeting,” Sandra told him sounding distracted as they approached a set of wood doubled doors that had a sign above them the read Council Chamber.

  “She didn’t seem too happy,” he said smiling as they entered the doors. Entering a large gray auditorium style room that was mainly rows of chairs with a low decorative wood rail separating the chairs from a small podium. Sitting on the other side of the wood rail a long table with chairs. He never remembered seeing so many people here all the chairs filled with people others standing or leaning against the walls.

  “Wait here. I will call you if I need you,” Sandra told him.

  Dan nodded as he found a spot and watched her walked down the center isle between the rows of chairs and went through a small swinging gate set in the railing. To take the center seat at the table flanked on either side by four members of the town council. She tapped on the microphone on the table in front of her and created an electronic thump causing the people in the room to quiet down.

  “Good afternoon, I would like to thank you for coming,” she started and Dan heard a few murmurs through the room.

  “I will get to the point on wh
y we asked you to come today. As you can see, all of you in this room does salvage, recover or transport work.” Once again, Dan heard a few murmurs throughout the room.

  “The town has a business offer for you.”

  This caused the largest mummer from the crowd stopping when someone asked.

  “What offer,” Sandra smiled at this.

  “Glad you asked, we are undertaking an opportunity to pick up some needed items for the town to ensure out prosperity. In addition, we need your help in getting them here.”

  This time Rex spoke up.

  “Why not contract with some truckers,” he asked. Dan could see Sandra pause taking a deep breath.

  “The items are in a town,” she paused a moment to choose the right words. “Untouched since the plague began.

  This news caused an excited and almost dubious reaction from the group of people in the room and it took a few moments for Sandra to restore order.

  “The town would like to negotiate with you for cargo space on your trucks and your skills to recover the items,” Sandra continued.

  “What are you offering,” someone in the crowd shouted.

  “That will depend on skills and equipment you have,” Sandra started.

  This continued for some time before Dan started getting bored and decided to slip out. Sandra had not called on him tiring of listen to everyone ask the same question repeatedly just to receive the same answers. Several other people including Rex, T-bone and Katrina followed him out.

  “Dan,” Rex said as he approached, Dan turned to face him.

  “Yesterday on the bridge, you were coming from there,” Dan nodded his head slowly in a yes gesture.

  “So is it as she says, Untouched, Asked T-bone.

  “As far as I can tell,” he said quietly.

  “So why share the find,” Rex asked getting to the point.

  “Besides what the town needs, I left some stuff there I would like to recover,” Dan, answered.

  “So why not hire one of us,” Rex asked getting straight to the point. Dan looked at them for a moment while he thought.

  “You have been to Jackson,” he asked them, Both T-bone and Rex nodded.

  “You think it is full of zombies,” once again, they nodded. “This place seemingly has more,” Dan paused. “And I would swear they want to keep people out of their town. I would not think of going back without a small army,” he told them looking them in the eyes. He could see both of them thinking and for a few moments of silence. Then Rex started nodding his head and said.

  “That is different then we better hear what the offer is,” Rex said before reentering the council chambers.

  Dan sat with Katrina under the gray cloudy afternoon sky in on the concrete benches that ringed the small three-tier square water fountain set between the well-tended flowerbeds that separated the two buildings. They would occasionally look towards the three large flat concert steps that flanked either side by white columns. Supporting the arched entranceway roof over the tinted black double glass front doors, talking with her as they waited for them to finish their meeting.

  “I keep telling you, it sounds like the battery,” Katrina told him while looking idly at the clouds.

  “I know,” Dan replied watching her with a smile.

  “It will not take me long to replace it, so stop asking me how,” she said.

  “I know,” Dan replied. She stopped watching the clouds and looked right at him.

  “You are not going to tell me it is too dangerous, are you,” she asked him a look of annoyance in her face.

  “No,” he said slowly. “I’m not that dumb, I am just not looking forward to talking to Mabel about it.”

  The look of annoyance left Katrina’s face as a concerned look crossed over it.

  “I have not thought of that,” she said quietly.

  It was sometime later people finally started coming out of the building. Dan and Katrina spotted Mabel and the other truckers as they left the building and started to approach.

  “The offer is good and we will discuss it,” Mabel told them as she indicated the other truckers.

  “If you need a place to stay and something to eat,” Dan started too say, But Mabel stopped him.

  “We have both but thank you,” she smiled showing white teeth she remembered the last time he had offered to cook.

  “Can I go,” Katrina added in, Mabel looked at her then Dan and he could see that look again as if she was looking at something behind him. She turned to Katrina.

  “Yes, be back tomorrow,” she said then paused to think for a moment before adding.

  “If you two are planning something. Think long and hard about it. Then we will talk to see if I can help you,” she finished giving Katrina a hug.

  “Thanks Mother” Katrina said unfazed at what she had said. Once again, Dan stared at Mable as she looked at him before she turned to leave with the others in her group she freaked him out sometimes.

  They made it back to Sandra’s house just as it started to rain lightly. Sandra did not make it home for dinner. Dan pleasantly surprised the neutrality between Sara, and Katrina was holding and even edging to civil. Doug, Sara, Dan and Katrina where in the living room with Luke in his room playing a video game when Sandra arrived home. She looked tired but happy; she grabbed some food bringing it out to eat while they all sat in the living room.

  “So how did it go,” Doug asked her.

  “Better than I thought. We got all the locals to give fifty percent of their cargo space to the city. I was expecting forty percent,” she said between bites.

  “What did they get,” Doug asked.

  “Fuel for the round-trip. Plus their tanks refilled on return. Protection while there, we are sending a large number of the self-defense force who can work with the salvage groups,” she said.

  “I take it for a cut of the take,” Dan asked.

  “That is up to them; the town will let them use the town gear on their off-hours if they want. Plus they get the map to the lost city of gold.”

  “The what,” Katrina asked puzzled, Sandra regarded her for a moment.

  “You know all of them will head straight back there as soon as they can unload,” Sandra said. Everyone just nodded.

  Sandra looked over to Dan from her plate of food.

  “I need you to meet with Commander Hudson tomorrow morning around eleven,” she said.

  “I can make it,” Dan replied.

  “So why are you going back,” Sara asked Dan and he could see everyone go silent. He studied them for a minute before a long sad look crept across his face before he quietly answered.

  “I left part of me there and I want it back.”

  Dan spent the next morning getting everything ready, even though the city had not announced the date they were leaving, he figure why wait. As he rode his well-ridden tan mountain bike with the trailer attached to it towards Main Street, he could feel the tension start to race inside his chest. He heard the people before he saw them moving about on the four-lane road flanked on either side by one-story stores all sporting the same types of paint jobs to make them look uniformed. He constantly scanned the area as he made his way to the grocery store that used to belong to a big brand chain. Now housing the farmers market the number of people moving around him made the tension in his chest seem worse.

  He saw the bulky Humvee sitting to one side of the store as he approached. Stopping the bike in the street he looked carefully around looking for soldiers. Wondering if it was empty when he saw three soldiers wearing the standard issue Molle gear leaving the market. Carrying several old reusable shopping bags with the tops of a few loafs of bread and green leafy material showing over the tops. They never turned towards him as they walked towards the Humvee talking between them before entering and driving off. He waited a few moments before continuing. The tension eased a little as the Humvee passed the furniture store that now sold used furniture recovered from abandoned homes and business. The people started thinning
out on the street here letting him feel better. He might even stop at the street sellers that worked in the open areas. Between the stores and in the parking lots. They used anything from a blanket to fold up canopies to sell various salvaged items unless more people showed up, If Dan thought.

  Pulling the bike into an open spot near a bike rack made of a U shape design meant to hold several bikes at the farmers market. Taking the plastic coated bike chain and lock from the trailer to lock up the bike before letting out a long slow breathe bracing himself before walking in. Once inside he needed a moment to let his eyes and ears adjust to the almost overwhelming sights and sounds and the smells of the market. They did not turn the lights on inside unless they had to. He started looking over the small stands and booths arranged in aisles where once metal shelves once stood, in fact some of the booths where made from those former shelves. Dan looked around uneasily at the crowds of people until he saw Jeb standing by a door that held a sign-saying manager.

  “Morning” Jed said shaking hands with Dan as he approached him.

  “Moring,” Dan replied.

  The two of them made some polite small talk for a moment or two before Jeb excused himself. Going into the office to return with a ledger book and handed the plain green book to him who opened it looking at the preprinted columns on the pages.

  “When you need anything just come in to the office and take the book. Do your shopping with any farmers of the cooperative. Once you agree on a price they will write it down in the book you just sign. We do this until you reach the agreed on price for the horses,” Jeb said as Dan looked at the header on the first page of the book.

  “Any questions” Jeb said curiously at the look on his face.

  “Maybe, the amount is wrong,” Dan started to say cautiously.

  “Ah,” Jeb said with a smile starting to form on his mouth. “You see one of the female horses gave birth after we got her home and we found out the other was pregnant.” Dan looked up from the book seeing the smile on Jeb’s face before looking back to the ledger’s pages.

  “So what you’re saying is I sold you six horses for the price of four,” he said slowly still looking at the book.