“Do you know why they came here?” Ed asked.
“They wanted my cows. That one by the barn was trying to steal one when I shot him. Little bastard took a shot at me when I challenged him. Guess he thought I was just going to stand by and watch him leave with my property.”
“Bad guess,” Don commented dryly.
“Damn right,” Ben replied.”
“Ben, we gotta get going. Ed is leaving tomorrow to meet Cory and his family. Do you want us to stay and help you bury them?”
“I’m not burying anyone. I got a bobcat with a bucket attachment. I’ll just dump them in the woods. I got no time for that. I gotta get packed.”
“You’re coming over?” Don asked.
“Yeah. I was being a stubborn old coot thinking I could defend this place. If you boys hadn’t come along I would’ve got shot. Sooner or later they would get lucky at the rate they were firing.” They walked out to the porch, where Ben picked up one of the filthy rifles and said, “men who treat guns like this are no better than animals. Look at this thing.” He set it down with an expression of disgust.
“Ben we’re taking off now. When are you coming over?”
“I’ll come over tomorrow. But, I’ll leave moving the bodies until right before I go. That ought to give folks a second thought or two.” They shook hands and left Ben’s property. They were exhausted, the adrenaline rush now gone.
When they were five minutes out, Don radioed the ops center. The entire group was waiting for them when they walked up the stairs to the porch. They all began talking at once, asking questions about the incident and expressing relief. Don raised his hand and said, “we don’t really want to talk about it now. Give us some time to process things and then we can talk about it.”
Don was not bothered by the incident. He had seen too much during his time as a soldier to let what happened affect him in any meaningful way. But, he also didn’t want to embarrass Ed by seeming as though his reaction was more muted than Ed’s. He looked at the group again, and said, “by the way, who is manning the ops center?” Mary got a look of both contrition and surprise, turned, and disappeared into the house.
“I think I’m taking a nap,” Ed said.
“Do that,” Don replied. “But can you meet me in the barn in about an hour?”
“Sure.” Ed went in the house, with Ann trailing behind, while Don stripped off his vest, handed it to Kate, and said, “stow that for me, would you hon?”
“Sure. Tell Ed later that I am doing dinner tonight. It was his turn, but I think it best he have some down time.”
“Good thinking.” Don kissed her, gave her a hug, and walked to the barn. He killed time until Ed appeared.
Don walked to the back of the barn, where the provisions were stored, and pulled a bottle of bourbon from a case. He pulled a chair up to the table that sat on the side of the barn and motioned for Ed to come over. Pouring two shots of bourbon into each of the glasses, he silently raised his glass in a toast. Both men took a deep drink and remained silent for a few moments. Finally, Ed said, “you want me to talk about it, don’t you?”
“If you want.”
“Well, I don’t. At least not for now.”
“That’s fine.” Another long silence ensued as the men sipped their drinks and watched the sun begin to sink into the horizon.
“It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it,” Don said, taking another sip. “But, if your head isn’t straight, I don’t want you out there tomorrow. I know you’re not scared, and that scares me. The fact is you should be scared. Either way, if you’re out there and you’re not paying attention, bad things can happen to you and Ann. But it will also affect our ability to get the work done here, defend the place, and look out for each other. We can’t afford to lose anyone.”
“Don, I’m fine. Yes, I was a bit rattled and maybe a little confused earlier. But, I’m not in a coma or sleep-walking. When we are out there tomorrow, my game face will be on, and we will take care of business.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“All right, but let’s talk again tomorrow before you go. I’m not trying to be your mother, but I am the head of security here and I am going to assure myself that you are ready. Okay?”
“Sure.”
“Let’s go get some supper.”
After supper, the group quickly dispersed. Bud manned the ops center and Kate and Don sat on the porch watching a beautiful night sky with their ARs propped against the house wall. Don described his conversation with Ed, and his worry about the journey the following day. When he said he might take over the trip if Ed wasn’t up to it, Kate put a hand up.
“You can’t do that,” she said.
“Why not?”
“Because you and he are a lot alike, and imagine how you would react if he pulled rank on you?”
“I can’t think about that. I have to do what’s best for the group, and losing them would render us unsustainable.”
“You still can’t do it. What you are missing is if you stop him from going, you’re going to damage his pride. When that happens, he loses confidence and you won’t be able to put the pieces back together. You have to take a longer view.”
“I don’t know if I can afford to do that.”
“Don, I love you with all my heart, but you have the sensitively of a pack mule. You’ve gotten better,” she allowed. “I’ve seen you struggle to be inclusive, even though that is not your nature. I’ve seen you bend, and even apologize. But, no matter what you do, this group will continue to see you as the leader. We all admire you and want your respect. That would crush him. He would be embarrassed beyond repair.”
“I think the leader thing has changed. People are stepping up to the plate and making decisions without me. I think of everyone here as my equal.” He was getting a bit testy and Ann recognized he was getting peeved.
“When we all heard the gunfire at Ben’s, did Mary lead the charge? Did people wait for Ed to tell them what to do? Of course not. When the shit hits the fan, everybody looks to you.”
“Well, I am the head of security.”
“That’s not why people follow your lead. That’s a title, nothing more. If you do this, people are going to wonder why you embarrassed Ed. They are also going to wonder if Ed can be trusted. It’s a bad idea, hon.”
“I’ll think it over. But I’m making the decision tomorrow, based on his state of mind. That’s final.”
“I know you’ll do the right thing,” she replied. “I love you babe.”
“Same here. Okay, there is only so much of this touchy feely crap I can take. I’m going to bed.” She stood up, pulled his lips to hers, and gave him a passionate kiss.
“I’ll be in in a bit.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he growled.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The following morning Don rose early, determined to take his run before starting work. When he got to the ops center, Kate was at the desk, watching the monitors, and Bud was dressed in shorts and tennis shoes.
“I thought I’d start running with you. So, Kate lent me a pair of your old tennis shoes,” Bud offered by way of explanation. “I got so out of shape over the years, I’ve got to do something. That ride up here really took it out of me, so time to toughen up.”
“Sure,” Don replied. “But, just take it easy the first couple days, and see how quickly you can get up to speed.” He turned to Kate and said, “please turn the sensors off for the next five minutes.”
“I already did that yesterday. I know they have to be turned off.” Don walked over, kissed her cheek, and the two men left the house and began jogging to the west at a leisurely pace.
They ran in silence, both appreciating the beautiful sunrise and the incredible scenery. Mingus Mountain soared in the distance and Granite Mountain lay ahead. Both were covered with sparse vegetation, and clouds peeked up behind them in a brilliant pink display of sunrise. When they reached the one-mile mark, Bud was gasping
for breath.
“Why don't you rest here? I'm going to run another half mile and pick you up on the way back.”
“Sure thing,” Bud wheezed. Don again began jogging, moving at a quicker pace, and ran until he reached the fence of his property. Although Don ran the same route every day, he never tired of the sense of freedom and solitude running gave him. He stopped at the fence, took a couple deep breaths, and started back, running faster. He slowed as he approached Bud, and they started back to the ranch. Running at a slower pace, Don looked over and saw Bud seemed to be breathing more normally. When they reached the ranch, Bud doubled over, placed hands on knees, and took deep breaths until his breathing normalized. He stood straight and said, “what do you have planned for today?”
“Well, right now I'm going to go shower, and then I'm going out to the barn to build some solar ovens.”
“I've never built one of those. Would you mind if I watched?”
“Not at all. In fact, why don't we each build one. We need two ovens anyway. So, just mimic what I do, and we’ll be done in half the time. One of them probably can't cook enough food to feed six people. But, with two quart pots it probably would be enough to do things like stew, taco meat, and even cook rice and vegetables.
“How hot will the ovens get?”
“Well, from what I've read, they pretty much max out, at least around here, at around four hundred degrees. That's plenty to do most anything. I’ll see you in in a few minutes.”
They parted ways, showered and changed, and walked to the barn together. Don was doing the project as much to take his mind off Ed’s upcoming trip as a real need for the ovens. On the other hand, he knew that eventually the five-hundred gallon propane tank would be empty. Although it wouldn't be a problem getting more propane tanks, they would probably have to use the five-gallon tanks, as they were easy to find and move. So, while a solar oven wasn't an absolute necessity, it would make the larger tank last longer.
After entering the barn, Don pulled four cardboard boxes from the corner of the building, grabbed a roll of aluminum foil and a tube of glue, and set everything on the floor. He began by applying glue to the inside of the smaller box and then placed sheets of aluminum foil over all four corners and bottom. Placing the smaller box into the larger box, he glued aluminum foil to the upper flaps of the larger box. Punching holes in the corners of the upper flaps, he used twine to hold each of the flaps at a thirty-degree angle from the box. That angle best reflected light downward into the smaller box, where it reflected off the aluminum foil to provide the heat.
Bud mirrored everything that Don did, and the two completed the ovens in less than 15 minutes. Don then placed two black one-quart containers in each box, and said, “let's go ahead and move these over to the patio at the back of the house. That's where we will get the most sunlight during the day.” Once they placed the boxes on the porch, each grabbed one of the heavy metal pots and went into the kitchen. They filled the pots half full with water. Don then pulled six chicken breasts from the fridge, placed three in each pot, and put the pots in the solar ovens.
“How long will it take to cook?” Bud asked.
“Well, right now it's about eighty degrees out, and they’re in direct light, so they'll get plenty of heat. To just cook the breasts probably takes somewhere around 90 minutes, once the ovens heat up. But, I want to make chicken tacos tonight. It's my turn to cook, so I want to keep it simple. We have to cook them until they shred easily. Otherwise, it’s gonna be tough and stringy. So, probably closer to three or four hours will do it. The nice part about this is you just put the food in the pot with the clear lid and walk away. You don't really have to do anything else until it's ready to shred.”
“Nature’s crock pot,” Bud joked.
“Exactly.” They both headed back to the house, where Ed and Ann had just finished loading the ATV.
“You heading out?” Don asked.
“Yep, should be an hour each way. If they don’t show up, we’ll wait for an hour and then come back. Either way, we shouldn’t be gone for more than three hours.”
“Okay.” Ed looked at Don doubtfully. Don returned his stare, noting that he seemed calm and focused. “If we don’t see you by sundown, we’ll come for you in the morning. Just get out of sight off the side of the road and wait until you see us.”
“You got it.”
“Good luck.” Don turned and entered the house, as the ATV roared off. Kate was alone in the ops center. Don sat next to her and said, “I really hope I haven’t made a terrible mistake.”
“It’s going to be fine. Relax. They’ll be back in a few hours, and then you’re going to feel foolish for fretting so much.”
“I’ll take the ops center for a bit. Can you go make us some coffee and sit with me for a while?”
“Sure,” she replied. Kate rose and disappeared into the kitchen, returning in a few minutes and handing a coffee cup to Don. They sat in a comfortable silence, sipping coffee. Every thirty seconds Don’s eyes would go back to the monitor to review the status of the sensors and cameras. The minutes ticked by with an agonizing slowness. Kate knew Don was worried to the point of distraction. She also knew he had to come to grips with the fact that the danger of losing someone in their group was not going away. So, she said nothing, letting him sort through it himself.
After an hour, he seemed to brighten up and they started chatting. He glanced out the window and saw Bud opening the gate for Ben, who was in his fully loaded ATV. The vehicle sped to the house and parked, with Bud following on foot after he closed the gate.
“He’s not supposed to open the gate without telling the ops center,” Don complained.
“I’ll talk to him later. He thinks I’m manning the center now,” Kate replied. Don shook his head
“Could you get Ben settled? I want to stay here.”
“Sure.” Kate got up and walked to Ben’s ATV, where she hugged him and said, “you want the bunkhouse or the fourth bedroom?”
“I guess the bedroom for now.”
“Follow me. Bud, let’s all grab an armload of stuff and get him settled in.” They disappeared into the house carrying as much as they could, and Don waved a greeting as they passed.
“Ops center?” Ann’s voice squawked from the speaker.
“Copy.”
“We are five minutes out.”
“Status?”
“Four friendlies. No incidents.”
“Copy that. You’re cleared in.” Ann heard the relief in his voice.
Kate saw the ATVs approach the house. Ed was followed by a green ATV, which was followed by Ann in an identical vehicle.
Everyone went out to meet the group. Hugs were exchanged all around. Don came out last, and gave Ed and Ann each a fierce hug. Mary looked around and said, “who’s manning the ops center?” The group burst out laughing as Don fled back into the house.
Kate looked up to see the most strikingly beautiful woman she ever encountered. She had hair so blonde it was almost white and emerald green eyes. She approached Kate and said, “I’m Julie,” as she extended her hand. Kate gaped at her for a moment then recovered.
“I’m Kate.”
“So you’re married to Don?”
“Only on the good days.” They both chuckled.
Her two children approached and Julie did the introductions. “This is Tommy and Angie.” The boy manfully shook each offered hand, and the girl followed. Kate looked at them with confusion. The children were clearly mixed race. Julie, apparently having seen Kate’s expression before said, “they’re from Cory’s first marriage.” Kate nodded her understanding.
“Where’s Cory?”
“We got to the meeting point early and found his horse. He’s behind us and will be here by nightfall.”
“Well, let’s get you settled in.”
“I can’t thank you enough for taking us in. I didn’t want to leave our house, but it got so bad that we just couldn’t stay.”
“Let’s ta
lk about that after you’re settled,” Kate replied after glancing at the children. “Follow me and we’ll have you comfortable before dinner.”
Three hours later, as the sun was beginning to set, Don saw a rider approaching on one of the cameras. He turned to Kate and said, “can you and Ben get the gate?”
“Sure.” She found Ben in the living room, chatting with Julie and the kids. Kate motioned for Ben to follow he and they walked to the gate together. After they opened it, Cory rode through and dismounted.
“I’m Cory,” he said, extending his hand. “You must be Don.”
“No, I’m Ben. I just got here today myself. I’m Don’s neighbor.”
“I’m Kate.” When Cory extended his hand, she brushed it aside and gave him a warm hug.
“Well, looks like your little tribe is growing,” Cory said.
“Our tribe,” Kate replied. “It belongs to all of us, including your family.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“There’s a man at the gate. He looks to be law enforcement.” Julie, Cory’s wife, was staffing the operations center and her voice, although calm, carried a note of concern.
“Copy that. Cory, can you meet me by the gate?” Don said into his radio. “We got it from here, ops center. Out.” Cory emerged from the house carrying one of the AR-15s from the gun locker and approached Don with the rife at the low ready position. They met on the porch and spied what appeared to be a deputy sheriff mounted on a large dark horse. He looked relaxed, with his rifle in a scabbard, and he was shading his eyes with one hand.
“Is that you, Don?”
“Baxter?” Don replied.
“Yes, it’s me. Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?” Don approached the gate, opened it, and allowed the deputy to pass him on his way to the house, where he dismounted and shook Don’s hand.
“Cory, this is Baxter. He patrols this area for the sheriff’s office, and has been pretty helpful on a couple of occasions.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Cory said, extending his hand, and offering a firm handshake. Cory stepped back, examining Baxter carefully. He was a large man, burly with no excess weight.
Prepper's Crucible (Omnibus, Volumes 1-3): A Post Apocalyptic Tale (Preppers Crucible) Page 15