by Robert Boren
“Those two were made for each other,” Sydney said, shaking her head. “She’s a handful. Hope Curt’s ready for that.”
“I barely know Curt,” Don said. “I came into this with Eric. Didn’t meet Curt until he came to hit that supply depot.”
“I know,” she said. “How’s your daughter and her friend?”
“Shook up, but good. I think they feel better now that we’re part of a larger group.”
“This feels so exposed,” Sydney said. “I hope we really have the air support they said we did in the meeting.”
“Yeah, me too,” Don said. “Where you gonna stay?”
“I don’t know,” Sydney said. “Amanda will probably end up with Curt.”
Don chuckled. “Yeah, probably. I’ll need to find someplace. We have Dirk’s trailer, but it won’t sleep everybody in our group. Dirk, Chance, Francis, and Sherry pretty much fill it up. The girls were sleeping in the back of the SUV, and then in the house back in Fredericksburg.”
“What about you?”
“Tent,” Don said. “Not the best. I’ll have a chat with Moe. I think there’s a few park models here. He also has some consignment RVs for sale. Noticed them when I was walking around the far side of the park, past the office on the road.”
Sydney laughed. “Think the society is together enough for those types of transactions?”
“That’s a good question,” Don said. “Do you like me, or am I getting the wrong impression?”
“I like a man who’s not afraid to ask a direct question,” Sydney said.
They walked along silently for a few minutes. Then Don pointed. “There’s those RVs for sale. See them? In his storage area.”
“Yeah,” she said. They walked towards them. “None of them are in perfect shape.”
“Yeah, I know. Look at that little trailer. I’ll bet my SUV will tow it.”
“Only five grand,” Sydney said. “Must have some issues.”
“It’s old,” Don said, looking at it. “You never answered my question.”
She stopped and looked him in the eye. “I’m not ready to answer yet. You going to be okay with that?”
“Yeah,” Don said.
“Good,” she said. “We’ll see what develops.”
“You aren’t going to ask if I like you?”
She giggled. “No, I don’t think I need to. Better go find my sister. We have a still to set up.”
“I’ll walk you over to the office,” Don said.
They got back there in a few minutes. Don saw Moe sitting on the steps of the office, talking to Nate. He went towards them as Sydney joined Amanda, Curt, and Kyle, who were standing by the Barracuda chatting.
“You’re Moe, right?” Don asked.
He and Nate looked at him. “Yeah,” Moe said, standing up. He extended his hand and they shook. “You’re Don, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I saw that little trailer back there for five grand. It still for sale?”
Moe got a grim look on his face. “The owner got killed in the Austin invasion,” he said. “Haven’t been able to find the next-of-kin.”
“So you can’t sell it?”
“I got permission to sell it,” he said. “I hold the money in case the next-of-kin show up.”
“You don’t look too hopeful,” Nate said.
“I’m not,” Moe said. “He was killed at his house. Tank round blew the place up, from what Austin PD told me. Sad. He had two small kids. Wife had left him. That’s why he was selling the trailer.”
“So maybe she’s the next-of-kin,” Don said.
“Their divorce was final, and he got the trailer,” Moe said. “You want to look at it? I’ll take you over there.”
“Well, since I don’t have a place to sleep tonight, that would be good,” he said. “Know how many it sleeps?”
“Six,” Moe said as he got up. “It’s pretty crowded with that many in it, though. It’s about right for a family of four. Fridge is a little small, and the shower ain’t much, but we’ve got showers in the park.”
They walked toward the storage area, Don glancing back. Sydney was watching him, but she turned away quickly when they locked eyes. There’s my answer.
“Caught you again,” Amanda said.
“Stop it,” Sydney said.
Curt laughed nervously. “You want to see my workshop? I should get back there and set up to make gimbals.”
“Yeah, I’m game,” Amanda said. Sydney nodded yes.
“Let’s go then,” he said. “I’ve got some beer in the fridge.”
“I could use one of those,” Kyle said.
“Where’s Dirk’s truck?” Amanda asked.
“He’s about forty yards from Curt’s rig,” Kyle said. “We might have to wait until they wake up to move the truck closer.”
“No problem, I got stuff to set up before I need the weapons anyway,” Curt said.
“Hey, Jason, you want to go back?” Kyle shouted. Jason was talking in a circle with Kelly, Nate, and Junior.
“Later,” Jason said. “We’re still busy down here for a while.”
“Okay, I’ll let Carrie know,” he said.
“Thanks, man,” Jason said.
“You two are close, aren’t you?” Amanda asked Kyle.
“Jason’s my partner on Austin PD,” Kyle said. “And we were friends before that.”
“You still work for Austin PD?” Sydney asked.
“Yeah,” Kyle said. “They put us on paid leave after the incident at the Superstore in Dripping Springs.”
“Shit, you’re those cops?” Amanda asked. “I should have figured that out.”
“Oh, you heard about that?” Kyle asked.
“It was all over the news,” she said. “Fredericksburg isn’t that far from Dripping Springs, you know.”
“So Kelly and his guys are the rednecks who were involved in the early battles?” Sydney asked.
“Yeah,” Curt said.
“We’re going to have a big target on our backs,” Sydney said, eyes wide.
“Yeah, the enemy would love to destroy this group,” Curt said. “We’ll handle them and then some.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you will,” Amanda said.
“There’s my baby,” Curt said, pointing to the big toy hauler.
“That looks pretty new,” Amanda said.
“It’s a couple years old,” Curt said as he led them to the back. “Help me with the ramp, pencil neck.”
Kyle shook his head and helped Curt lower the ramp, exposing the garage.
“So I take it you just drive the Barracuda in here when you travel,” Amanda said.
“Yeah,” he said. “I could tow it too, but I usually don’t.”
“What’s that sticking up there?” Sydney asked, pointing to the barrel sticking out over the roof.
Curt chuckled. “My last project. I’ve still got to finish it. That’s a remote-control machine gun. I can fire it from the driver’s seat if I’m being followed.”
Carrie came out of her coach and walked over.
“Hi,” she said. “Where’s Jason?”
“He’s not quite finished up at the clubhouse,” Kyle said. “He’ll be along.”
“Okay,” she said. “You ladies hungry? I can whip up something for you.”
“No thanks,” Sydney said. “We snacked on the way here. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she said, then glanced over as Kate walked up. “So’s she.”
“Hey, don’t tell everybody,” Kate said.
“You said we could after Kyle found out,” Carrie said.
“Yeah, I’m proud of my handiwork,” Kyle said.
“Men.” Amanda shook her head. “You two really want to be knocked up in a time like this?”
Carrie and Kate looked at each other and cracked up.
“What’s so funny?” Sydney asked.
“You two have no idea,” Kate said. “Too bad Rachel isn’t here to join in the fun.”
“Who’s Rachel?” Sydney asked.
“Junior’s woman,” Kate said. “Wonder if she’s been successful yet?”
“Wait, you have somebody trying to get pregnant right now?” Amanda asked.
Kate laughed. “I just found out I was pregnant two days ago,” Kate said, “and yes, we did it on purpose.” She put her arm around Kyle’s waist and pulled him closer.
Amanda and Sydney looked at each other and chuckled.
“You two better watch out,” Carrie said. “It’s catching.”
“No way,” Amanda said.
Kate snickered. “I can see it now. A little Curt running around.”
“God help us,” Carrie said.
“Oh, please,” Amanda said. She looked over at Sydney, who was eyeing her with a big smile on her face. “Shut up, sis.”
“I’m right here, you know,” Curt said, looking embarrassed as he climbed the ramp into the garage. “Hey Kyle, want to give me a hand?”
“Sure,” Kyle said, climbing up after him. They extended a table from the wall and moved the 3-D printer onto it. Curt plugged it in, then brought over his laptop and turned it on.
“Nice setup,” Amanda said as she climbed up.
“What are we gonna make first?” Kyle asked.
“Well, let’s see. We got Dirk’s truck. We could set that up the same way we did your truck, with the .50 cal. I could make another gimbal from that drawing.”
“Dirk gonna be okay with that?” Kyle asked.
“He suggested it,” Curt said. “Then there’s Jason’s Jeep. I’ll have to design a new gimbal for that. Probably mount an M-19 on that one.”
“You want to put one on my bobtail?” Amanda asked.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Curt said. “Sure, I could do that. I’ll probably have to beef up some structure to put it on. I can use roll bars for the pickups and the Jeep, but there’s probably nothing that sturdy on the top of the bobtail.”
“Should I bring it over here?”
“Where you planning on setting up the still?” Curt asked.
“How about that space over there, by the back fence?” Kyle asked. “It’s fairly flat and there’s some cover between it and the road.”
“Yeah, that’d probably work,” Amanda said. “I can park next to it.”
“That way you can bed down with Curt,” Sydney said from outside. Carrie and Kate snickered with her.
“Two can play that game, Sydney,” Amanda said. “I saw Don going with Moe to check out your love nest.”
“Oh please,” Sydney said.
“Let’s start a pool,” Kate said. “Which one of them gets knocked up first.”
Curt turned and chuckled. “You women are just gonna keep going, aren’t you?”
“You know you want it,” Kyle said.
“Shut up, pencil neck.”
“Did I hear that somebody else is getting knocked up?” Rachel asked as she walked over.
“Hey, girls, this is Rachel,” Carrie said. “Junior’s woman.” Kate and her giggled.
“You think that bothers me.” Rachel chuckled. “I pretty much owned that one before he got back here.”
“You girls joke a lot, don’t you?” Sydney said, face turning red.
“Yeah, sorry,” Kate said. “You’ll get used to it. I did.”
“Oh, they messed with you too, eh?” Sydney asked.
“Well, Carrie did, the first time I was with Kyle. It was at a barbeque at their house, after the Superstore attack.”
Carrie laughed. “Yeah, that was a hoot.”
“It was embarrassing,” Kate said. “I didn’t even know if I liked the guy yet. I was reluctant to go out with him.”
“That changed in a hurry,” Carrie said.
“It did,” Kate said. “I couldn’t believe it when you said that Chelsea had my seat.”
“Chelsea?” Amanda asked.
“My little girl,” Carrie said. “When we walked into the backyard, she was sitting on Kyle’s lap.”
Kyle snickered. “I forgot about that. Seems like so long ago.”
“It does,” Kate said. “I thought you were such a blowhard.”
“But you spent that night with him,” Carrie said.
“Shhhh,” she said.
“When did you fall for him?” Sydney asked.
She laughed. “I’m not saying.”
“Hey, I’d like to know that,” Kyle said.
“Never you mind,” she said.
“Shit, it was the first time you saw him, wasn’t it?” Carrie asked.
“No,” Kate said.
“It was?” Kyle said, coming out of the garage. He took her into his arms. “I knew it.” He kissed her hard. The other women giggled. Curt rolled his eyes.
“Okay, okay,” Kate said. “You had me from the start. Satisfied?”
“I felt the same way,” Kyle said.
“I know,” she said. “How much longer do you have to help the genius there?”
“Why, you got something else for me to do?” he asked.
“You see, this is the problem,” Curt said, shaking his head. “Too much kanoodling, not enough work.”
“Oh, we’re gonna do more than kanoodle,” Kate said. “C’mon.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, following her back to their trailer.
Curt sighed. “Thanks a lot, girls. I wasn’t done with him yet.”
“I’ll help you,” Amanda said.
“With what?” Sydney cracked.
“Stop,” she said. “Why don’t you go decorate the love nest with Don.”
Curt made a few adjustments with the 3D printer and turned it on. “There. It can crank out the gimbal for Dirk’s truck while we do other things.”
“I’ve got stuff to do,” Carrie said. “Talk to you all later.”
“I probably should go find out what Junior’s up to,” Rachel said. “Oh, excuse me, my man.”
Carrie and Sydney chuckled.
“I guess I’ll go see what’s going on down at the clubhouse,” Sydney said. “Call me if you need help with anything, Amanda. I’ll be back over before too long, and we can start setting up the still.”
“Okay, hon,” Amanda said. “Sorry I teased you.”
“It’s okay,” Sydney said. “Same here. Was kinda fun, though. We haven’t been able to laugh much lately.”
“True that,” Amanda said, watching as she walked away. “What now, Curt?”
“Let’s bring your bobtail over here,” Curt said. “I’ll help you set up the still, and then we can take some measurements. I’ll have to do a new CAD drawing to feed into the 3D printer.”
“Okay,” she said. They walked down the ramp and headed for the front gate.
“How long have you known those other gals?” Amanda asked.
“I’ve known Carrie for years, since before she and Jason were married. I’ve only known Kate and Rachel for a short while. Met Kate on the way here, and Rachel after I got here.”
“Interesting,” she said.
“You knew Jason and Eric from way back, I take it.”
“Eric used to date Sydney,” Amanda said. “I used to flirt with Jason, but I could never get him interested. I was a little too wild for him.”
“Yeah, I’ll just bet you were,” Curt said.
“Not sure how to take that,” Amanda said.
“I just know him, that’s all,” Curt said. “You aren’t his type. Didn’t mean anything bad by it.”
“I know,” she said. “I can be hell on wheels, and I gave my parents a real run for the money.”
“Got the keys?” Curt asked as he opened the cab door for her.
“Left them in it,” she said. “Who’s going to steal it from here?”
“Good point,” Curt said. He rushed around to the passenger side and got in as she fired up the diesel.
“Where you going?” Clancy asked from the roof.
“Back by my space,” Curt shouted. “We want to get the stil
l set up.”
“Okay, see you two later,” Clancy said.
Amanda put the truck in gear and drove forward, glancing at Curt every so often.
“You didn’t tell me how you felt yet,” Curt said. “About earlier.”
“You’re right, I didn’t,” she said. “Why, you interested?”
“I was wondering,” he said.
“It showed promise,” she said.
“That’s all?”
“My, but you get more talkative when we’re alone, don’t you?”
“Maybe I like some privacy in situations like this,” he said. “Can’t believe you guys joking around so much.”
She giggled. “You know that’s how girls get.”
“Well?” he said. “You gonna get more talkative?”
“What do you want me to say?” she asked, looking at him.
“Just the truth,” Curt said, locking eyes. She started to go off the road, then snapped her head forward and righted the truck.
“See what you almost made me do,” she said.
“Sorry,” he said.
“Okay,” she said. “Sydney will probably tell you anyway.”
“Sydney?” he asked.
“She asked me the same thing when we were driving here,” Amanda said.
“What’d you tell her?”
“I said that if the kiss would have gone on any longer, I would’ve been pulling your clothes off,” Amanda said, as she parked the truck. “There, satisfied?”
He chuckled.
“Shit, I shouldn’t have told you that,” she said.
“Why not?” Curt asked. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“I know,” she said. “C’mon, we’ve got work to do.”
They got out of the cab and headed towards the back. Amanda unlocked the padlock on the door latch, and then stood aside as Curt pushed it up. He climbed onto the back and helped her up, then pushed her against the wall, just out of sight, holding her wrists above her head as he kissed her hard. She moaned, pushing back at him, passion rising fast.
“Oh, geez,” she said when they broke the kiss.
“Did that curl your toes?” he asked.
“It did more than that. C’mon. Work before fun. Let’s get this stuff unloaded.”
“Woman after my own heart,” he said. They got to work.
Chapter 27 – Air Power
“Listen,” Lita said. “Somebody just parked outside.”