We were terrible patients. Joe would turn and walk quickly in the opposite direction when he saw us. Sarah sat us at the same table, alone, for each meal like little children in grade school who'd been bad. No one wanted to be near us. I don't blame them...we were miserable and argued all the time making our friends want to kill us. I had no idea how we planned to manage the next four weeks but something had to be done.
I sat on the back deck in the sooty smelling, morning air while I watched the guys dismantle the greenhouse so they could put it up in a different place. They planned to build a mill where the greenhouse was because it's closer to the spring and they could use the water to power the mill. We were planning to plant wheat and needed the mill to grind flour. The greenhouse would be re-erected near the spring farther from the lodge to use water without having to use a pump. They had worked it all out without my input. They didn't ask Mason either and he was just a hurt as I was.
The fire was still fresh in our minds. The RV..MY RV..was hauled around the mountain so I couldn't see it and bitch anymore about MY RV being junked. I wasn't bitching that much but you would think I was harping on it or something the way they hauled it off while I was in the bathtub. It took me three days to discover it missing. Geez.
I was watching them work when Joe started to come outside, saw me and hesitated.
"I won't bite your head off."
He slowly came forward, one tentative step at a time.
"Have a seat," I said gesturing to the chair next to me.
He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out the trap. But, I just ignored him until he got comfortable.
"Tell me about Sissy."
He started to rise and I grabbed his hand, "Don't. Please Joe. Not one person here will tell me what happened. They're your friends is why and I respect that. But I need to know. Beside if you don't tell me, I'll just go over there and confront her myself.
He sat up straight at that, "Don't do that, JD, please, she's scared of you. Some silly nonsense about hogs she won't elaborate on. I'll explain it, just promise me you won't talk to her about it...ever."
I smiled at him and patted his hand. "She's safe from me, Joe, I promise. I can't promise about the hogs, though, she's on her own there."
When he frowned, I just laughed and he calmed down, again.
"You know she's been going over to Valley East to help out." I knew and thought it a good idea. "I didn't know it then but she was getting friendly with Don, their resident medic there. I didn't think anything about it. She was helping him set up the clinic like I'd showed her and they were getting along pretty well. Then the night Mason called to say you were on your way back, the first time he called, she told me they were in love and she planned to move there. That night. It's like she couldn't wait for you to get back. Like she was afraid of what you might do if she waited."
He had no idea what I would have done to her. The hogs were too good.
"I tried to find out what I'd done wrong. She said that I hadn't done anything. That her and Don hadn't planned to fall in love but since they had, she had to be with him. She was sorry." He laughed. "Sorry, she says. Like that helped. She packed up a duffel bag of clothes and didn't even say goodbye, just got into their four wheeler and left. Duke let her out of the gate, then closed it behind her and that was it. I haven't heard from her since."
"How are you doing? And don't say okay."
"How about I'll be okay, in time. I think it takes a bit of time to get over giving someone all you have and they take advantage of it to hurt you. But I'll get over it with the help of all these friends I have. They haven't pestered me about it, and for that I'm grateful. I know they're there for me. That's something. You know?
"I know, Joe. I had it done to me at this very lodge several years ago. You have us to hold you up. We won't hurt you and will stand behind you no matter what. I gave her a chance a year ago to be a member of this group. We were good to her, treated her the best we could, although I never could get close to her. She just never seemed to fit in. Well, she's gone and I have to tell you, Joe, she'll not be allowed back except to visit. She had her chance."
He seemed to sit a bit straighter. I hoped something I had said contributed to that.
"Would you mind telling Mason? I don't think I want to go through telling it again. I'm done with the whole thing. I'm okay talking to Don about medicine but I won't ask about her. He seems to understand. The clinic is too important to be interrupted by anything so we put it behind us."
"Well, I can tell you from the stand point of a female, she is hounding him to tell her everything you say. She wants to know you care enough to miss her. By not discussing her in any way, you're driving her to distraction. She's probably driving him nuts and going nuts in the process. So, good for you. Forget her. We're planning another trip to town in a week or so, do you have a list of things you might need for yourself or the clinic?"
I changed the subject on purpose.
"I was wondering if there is a library or medical college nearby that would have some medical books or magazines available? I'd love to read something else beside the books I've already re-read a million times."
"I'll look but maybe it would be better if you go this time. You haven't been away from this place in six months and so much peace and quiet will drive you nuts."
As soon as I said it I realized what a mistake it was. Peace and quiet does not equal one forest fire and a siege. Not to mention taking care of two patients with gunshot wounds and terrible tempers.
We both laughed which drew the attention of the construction crew. They stopped for a break and gathered around us. We were laughing and kidding around when Mandy came running out with the sat phone.
"Dad said it's Clint. If you're going can I go too? Clarissa and I can have a tea party while we're there." I took the phone and smiled at her. "We'll have to see, sweetheart."
"Hey Clint, what's up."
"Hello JD, I was wondering if Howard had that part for the four wheeler fixed yet. He said to call today and I know since he got shot he's probably a bit slow."
Warning bells started sounding in my head. Howard didn't get shot, so he was wrong on purpose.
"Slow isn't the word for it. Not to mention grumpy. I'll see if I can find him and send him over."
"Okay, that sounds great...and.. a, why don't you and Mason come over with him. That beer I've been brewing is about ready to test and Mercy said she had ten of those dozen tea towels almost embroidered for Sarah."
"Hey, that's great," I replied sounding as normal as possible. "Give us about an hour and we'll head over there. Joe is trying to change the dressing on my hand."
"Great, an hour, sounds perfect. We'll see ya then." Then the line went dead. I looked up and everyone was staring at me.
There's a problem at Valley East". I told them the other side of the conversation. We decided since I hadn't ordered any tea towels, that ten was the number of people there. Clint never brewed any beer because he was allergic to the hops. He said it was a shame because behind the house would be a great place to plant hops. I figured that meant the 'company' was hiding behind the house.
Mason had come out when I was relating the conversation to everyone. Valley East was being held hostage and we were being summoned. What better way to get the lodge than to go through the people we cared about. Although, how they knew about our friends was a mystery. The men continued the conversation while I hunted for Howard. I found him in the tool shed sharpening a hoe for Samantha. When I explained the problem and what we wanted him to do he followed me back to the lodge and removed a part from the four wheeler there.
I watched as James, Brandon and Randy geared up to play snipers. They each had infra red cameras and were dressed like Rambo. When we were ready, I had my handy, hide-away, double barrel derringer strapped to my arm. He had a gun hidden in his sling, that we intended them to find and one hidden behind the sling inside his shirt we hoped they wouldn't find. Howard had a gun taped to the
inside of his hat which was perched on top of his shinning bald head and the four-wheeler part, so he looked 'authentic'. It would take ten minutes to get there so we gave the boys half an hour to get set up.
We knew there were ten of them. That must of been what was left. Why were they so desperate to have the lodge? There were other places in the mountains, I knew because I would've chosen several of them myself except this place had the spring and a wind turbine already. It had been my second home for years and I loved it here but why did they want it so bad? I shook my head, and climbed into the four wheeler with Mason. Lacy and I had argued about her going in my place the whole time we prepared to leave. She finally stormed to her room and slammed the door.
Mandy was out front playing with her dads toy helicopter when we stepped out on the porch. It had the video camera mounted to the bottom.
"Wait a minute, guys. Dad wants to check and make sure this isn't a trap."
We looked at each other and smiled. Duke always has a reason to use his toys. He doesn't fly it, so he can watch the monitors but Mandy is a expert with it. She was hooked up to ear phones so he could direct her from inside while she flew the toy around the area. It had a radius of five miles which was more than enough to check out Valley East. While we waited I helped Mason with his seat belt then he helped me with mine. Don't get shot this time, okay, Brat?
I'll see what I can do if you can keep from jumping in front of bullets too. I shouldn't have to keep showing you how much I love you. You should know by now.
He grabbed me and kissed me. When he was done I noticed people standing on the porch clapping. Yep...every one of them were smiling big and hooting. We hadn't been fighting that much. Geez.
We finally pulled away, while Mandy landed the toy and Melody helped her carry it inside. I almost punched him in the shoulder then remembered it was his bad shoulder just in time. He ducked anyway. Howard adjusted his hat as we waited for the gate to open, then we held on as we made our way around the some of the debris left from the last siege and over the bumpy road. We don't have the state road department to take care of the roads anymore so they were getting in bad shape. I thought before winter we should 'borrow' a road grader and at least grade it from our place to Valley East.
When we turned the corner to their place and I could feel the gun sights on me. I reached out to the minds holding the guns and felt fear, resentment and hatred in an overpowering flood. The one closest to us really hated us. I didn't know it then but later I would find out the other one's fear was of his partner not us. I didn't blame him one bit. That kind of hatred is all consuming, like a vampire sucks up everything good to the point that all that's left is blackness. That's what I was feeling if you could feel a color. Blackness. It made me feel a bit better that the other person didn't want to hurt us. They even thought if they had to shoot they'd miss on purpose. Yea.
We pulled into the drive and slowly made our way around the drive to the steps. It was then I heard in my ear bud that everyone was in position. I had told them before we left once they radioed they were ready to take out the ones they could using the silencers on their rifles, but to wait till they'd heard from their leader first. We were met by a very pale Clint. He 'thought' to me that Mercy was being held in the first room to the right, a gun to her head. I nodded slightly and smiled really big.
"Here we are, I hope we didn't keep you. Howard got the wrong part and had to go back and find the other one." I put my good arm through his and walked him into the house. We were met by Clarissa or 'Rissa as Mandy calls her. She's Clint and Mercy's daughter. Her and Mandy were best friends. She started to say something to Howard when Clint got a scared look on his face. They must have sent her out to test us.
"Hey, Rissa, you remember Mason, my husband, and our mechanic Howard right? Why don't ya show Howard where the four wheeler is so he can start on the repairs right away." She looked confused and I didn't blame her a bit. I nearly messed up the introductions myself. She looked at Mason (Howard) and he smiled big at her and held out the part so she'd associate the part with Howard. For some reason she smiled back and took his hand, leading him down the steps and around to the garage. I knew there were people waiting there to capture him but so did he and he promised me he wouldn't get killed. He'd better keep that promise.
I was ready when I entered the front room and it was a good thing because the man hiding behind the door grabbed Howard and put a gun to my head. This guy must be related to the nasty one outside. He wanted to kill me really bad too. Going to assess my life and figure out why everyone wants to kill me. Might give me an inferiority complex.
"So," said a voice to my right, "it's the great, queen bitch herself." I turned towards him as he walked Mercy out in front of him, holding a gun to her head. She was terrified. Her beautiful green eyes were puffy from crying and her left eye was turning black and had swollen almost closed. Her lip was bleeding too. I'd like to have the privilege of killing him but I had a hunch Clint, being an Indian and all, would do a much better job.
"What? No response?" he said, sneering at me while he rocked Mercy gently back and forth. I don't think he was aware he was doing it but the nervousness of his actions told me he was close to coming apart. I kept my mouth shut. See? I knew when to shut up.
"And this is the famous Mason? Your king?" He laughed and waved the gun in the air while he held on to Mercy with his other hand around her throat. "For a half way decent looking bitch I'd think you pick someone a little more fit and better looking. Not some old fat man." Howard just stood with his hat in his hand. Waving the gun at us, the big mouth, motioned to the couch. "Sit, join us while we decide what to do with you."
"I'd have thought you had already made that decision." I said, still standing in front of the couch.
"Shut up, Bitch. You don't say anything unless you're asked." Said the voice behind me, as he grabbed a handful of my hair pulling it so tight my head back was jerked back. "Or he'll beat up on the sweet little thing some more. She screams so nice." The 'he' in question then licked the side of her face. Licked! I was too shocked to say anything. The fool behind me, laughed. Yuk!
Mason, how's it going out there? Things are getting out of hand in here.
You haven't been in there long enough to screw things up yet. Geez, JD. Just do whatever they say and keep quiet. We just moped up out here and are coming around the side of the house. It'll be there to rescue you two in a few minutes.
Good, this guy is either high or crazy and the guy behind us is no better. Neither can be redeemed so take them both out. Although, I think Clint wants the one who beat up Mercy.
If someone beat up on Mercy, I say let Clint have him. I know I'd want the privilege if I was in his shoes. Okay, we're in position. Oh hell, the guy behind you is playing with himself. I see what you mean. You need to move to the left a little bit, dear, to give me a clear shot. OK, sweetheart that works.
Just then I noticed how pale Mercy had become, her eyes started to roll up and her knees buckled. Oh crap!
"What the...." shit head said and looked down. I flipped out my sleeve gun and shot him in the crotch at the same time as a shot behind me sounded. It was followed by a thump. Howard jumped towards Mercy the same time as Clint did and but Clint reached her first. Howard didn't have anything else to do so he kicked her captor, hard. The man didn't notice because he was too busy screaming.
Don came in an looked at the dead guy briefly, then saw Mercy, picked her up and took her to the clinic, followed closely by Clint. I noticed Sissy standing in the doorway to the restroom where she'd evidently been hiding and squinted at her. She paled and stepped back into the room closing the door. Smart move.
Mason came straight to me, where he patted Howard on the arm and turned to me. Before he opened his mouth I let him have it.
"Screw things up? Rescue us? Are you serious? I'm at the mercy of two gunmen and you tell me to quit screwing things up?"
"Oh man, Mason," Howard said, "you didn't. Really? Man,
what a glutton for punishment." Shaking his head he went out to check on things in the yard mumbling about not getting to use his gun.
"Well, I was just worried about you. You scared me to death when I saw that guy behind you acting all stupid and the guy holding Mercy, waving his gun all over the place and you were getting your back up. I could tell cause your shoulders get tense just before you do something stupid. OK, maybe stupid is the wrong word..."
"Maybe?"
"OK, it is the wrong word, sure, absolutely the wrong word and..."
I grabbed him and kissed him then put my head on his chest and told his belt buckle, "I don't care anymore. I'm tired and need a break, and peace, and relaxation somewhere safe like the moon or something." I looked back up at him and whispered, "Let's mop up here and go home. You can tell me what happened in the garage on the way."
Mercy was awake and alert by the time we decided to leave. Don wouldn't let her up to see us to the door so Clint did it for her. "He's bleeding pretty good ya know, you might want to lock him up in the coal shed for a bit." He glanced behind him in the direction of the fallen idiot and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't think he'll be in there long enough to matter since he won't live out the night anyway." I kissed his cheek, "Make it hurt," I whispered and turned to go. I didn't care, not really. The man had terrorized my friend and for what? I slipped into his mind before he was shot. He was thrilled he was going to finally get to mine the gold from the creek in back of the lodge. Gold! He hurt all these people for a rock.
I just wanted peace. We vowed to help finish up the security on the place as quickly as possible in the coming days. We'd get together tomorrow and decide on the particulars.
The people left from the invading force were lined up on the front lawn. There were three of them. They'd all helped us instead of their leader because they were more afraid of him than us. One female, Lizzie was a computer geek, so she'd be of use. A communications officer named, Milton (Ton to his friends) and a weapons specialist, Larry also came to our aid. They'd spend the night in the basement until it was decided what to do with them and they seemed happy to do it. I don't think their life had been a very good one lately. If they stayed it would even up the numbers between us a little more. That would give us 15 and them 14 people and with winter peeking down our necks we all needed the extra hands. We'd have to double up on the people going to town but I think getting Valley East up and running efficiently and secure was our main objective.
Walkers (Book 2): The Rescue Page 15