by Nathan Combs
Chapter Fourteen
Domicile
Anna had been watching Noah through the kitchen window. He was sitting on the ground in a cold late afternoon drizzle under the huge oak in the corner of the yard. He hadn’t moved for half an hour. He was drenched but hadn’t even twitched. Water dripped off the brim of his hat and ran in rivulets across his chest. She was concerned. She pushed the wheat she was grinding to the back of the counter, opened the door, and walked to stand in front of him. “Noah?”
Nothing.
“Noah!”
He blinked, then looked up and smiled. “Hi, Anna.”
“Where were you at?”
“Huh?”
“I asked you where you were at. Judging by your concentration, it must have been a pretty intense journey.”
He laughed. “Sorry. I was thinking.”
“Really! Are you going to share?”
He stood, tipped his face toward the sky, closed his eyes, and said, “Yeah. Let’s go inside. It’s raining.”
“Why don’t you go change into some dry clothes? I want to finish grinding this wheat and get a couple of loaves of bread in the oven. Then we can talk. Okay?”
He nodded and headed to the bedroom. Five minutes later, as she studiously ground the wheat, he came up behind her, put his arms around her waist, bit the back of her neck, and said, “Before we check out the ORNL, there are a couple of things we need to do.”
She scrunched her shoulders to alleviate the thrill that started at her neck and rushed at light speed to her toes. She twisted in his arms and grinned up into his blue and green eyes. “Like what?”
“Like, first off, we don’t know that the SPECOPS guys are at the ORNL. We’re assuming. We’re also assuming they have the same mindset they did before the shit hit the fan, or that they’d take us in. So before we go to find them, the first thing we’re going to do is pay a visit to the Patriots and get married. Then we’re going to concoct a simple story that details our married life. If my guys are at the ORNL, and I believe they are, I know how they think. It won’t be to our benefit to be entirely truthful about our relationship because they’ll be wondering who the hell you really are. That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but I don’t want to implant questions in their minds. We’re also going to expand the survival cache here. Just in case. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you and the baby are safe and that you both survive.”
“Assuming they are at the ORNL, what happens in the future if they talk with the Patriots and find out our tale of marriage is a lie? What if it became known, for whatever reason, that someone in the Patriots just married us? What do we say if they confront us?”
“Hmm… good point. Hadn’t thought of that angle.”
“Why don’t we just have a second ceremony? Repeat our vows, as it were?”
Noah laughed. “You are definitely more than a pretty face.”
“When do I become Mrs. Wallace?”
“I thought we’d leave tomorrow. Unless you have something more important to do.”
“I know you’re kidding. I’m not. Nothing in the world is more important to me than being with you. Should I wear cammies or find something white?”
After a simple ceremony, they rode home with a certificate of marriage. The former Baptist minister scrawled the particulars on a piece of wrinkled, lined notebook paper and affixed his signature, the date, the location, and the names of two witnesses. Noah and Anna were officially husband and wife.
“Does this mean I don’t get laid anymore?” He smiled.
“I don’t know, Noah. I have a headache.”
He laughed.
Their “honeymoon” consisted of expanding their survival cache and concocting their pre-collapse history. The story would be that they met in Chattanooga when Noah was home on leave and were married for six months before the shit hit the fan. Anna was twenty-eight years old and was born on January 20th in Atlanta. They spent the last three years crossing the country to check on their families and lived in the hills outside of Chattanooga the past four months.
“We keep it simple and vague, almost irrelevant. The main timeline is that we were married prior to the collapse and lived in DuPont, Washington, outside Fort Lewis. We don’t volunteer anything unless we’re asked. I don’t need the colored contacts anymore but I’m gonna hang on to them just in case.”
The morning of the trip to the ORNL was blustery and cold. It looked like rain. Felt like rain. They stood together looking at the home they shared the past four months. “I’m going to miss this place, Noah.”
“Me too. I have a lot of good memories from our time here. They’re memories, though, so they’re going with me. You ready to make some new ones?”
“Yes. One question, though. What do we do if they don’t allow us residency?”
“We come home.”
Mounting, they rode down the drive, paused, and looked back. Anna gave a slight hand wave and said, “Bye.”
They bypassed Delano and headed north in a light drizzle. They cleared Athens by noon and continued north on Highway 11. By three o’clock, they passed Lenoir City and started up US-321. The drizzle turned into a steady, cold rain. As they passed the Fort Loudoun Medical Center and were approaching Town Creek Road, two riders materialized in front of them, rifles pointed at their heads.
Holding up a hand, one said, “Stop! Stay on your horses and raise your hands.”
They complied. One of the men dismounted and covered while the other rode cautiously forward.
“Who are you and where are you going?”
“My name’s Noah Wallace.” Nodding to his left toward Anna, he said, “This is my wife, Anna. We’re heading to the ORNL.”
“Why?”
Noah knew SPECOPS when he saw them and said, “We were told there were SPECOPS somewhere in this vicinity and I thought the ORNL would be a good place to look for them. It appears we’ve found ’em a bit early.”
“What do you know about Special Operations?”
“I was a Captain. 75th Ranger Regiment, 2ND Battalion, Fort Lewis, Washington.”
“I don’t suppose you have ID?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. It’s in my wallet. Can I reach for it?”
The man grinned. “Wallet? You still carry a wallet?”
Noah grinned too. “Old habits are hard to break. Got rid of the plastic, though.”
The guy grinned, nodded, and said, “Okay. Carefully.”
Noah tossed the wallet containing his military ID to the man who looked at it, then at Noah’s face. He relaxed a bit. “All right. You can put your hands down, but sit easy for now. Deal?”
Noah nodded.
The guy said, “Why are you looking for SPECOPS?”
“They’re family. You’re SPECOPS. That makes you family. What unit?”
“1st of the 75th. Sergeant Joe Wilkerson. In a nutshell, Captain, what’s your story?”
Noah went on to explain how he and Anna survived the collapse, detailed their trip across country, and their life in the hills outside of Chattanooga. “We met the Patriots and they told us you guys were somewhere north. The ORNL seemed like a good place to check out. That’s it, Sergeant.”
Joe lowered his rifle, dismounted, and walked forward. Noah and Anna also dismounted, and Joe held out his hand. “Good to meet you, Captain.” Nodding at Anna, he said, “Ma’am.”
“So you guys are at the ORNL?”
“Yeah, but it’s not called the ORNL anymore. It’s Fort Hope. Has been for almost two years now.” He briefly gave Noah a synopsis of what to expect. “Mount up. Captain Coltrane’s our commander. He’s visiting from Fort Terminus. We’ll escort you in.”
Wade and Cole were at Fort Hope for the week so Joe took Noah and A
nna straight to the ops center and introduced them.
Wade said, “SPECOPS soldiers are more than welcome at Fort Hope, Noah. We operate exactly like we did before the shit hit the fan. Minus the political BS, of course.”
They chatted for over two hours while Wade filled Noah and Anna in on everything that had happened. He was especially detailed about The Light and Nina. “We never recovered her body, but we know she died that day in the river. Horst? He’s out there somewhere, but at the moment, he’s not a threat. In fact, this is the first time since the collapse that we’re not threatened by some derelict group.”
“I had a run-in with the Nirvana splinter group, Captain. After the Patriots told me you were somewhere to the north, I decided to check out Cleveland. Got into a firefight with them. They’re bad news.”
“How many did you take out?”
Noah grinned. “Nine or ten.” He explained what happened but substituted a vague area near Chattanooga as home base.
Wade and Cole locked eyes. “Do you want me to send a patrol, Wade?”
“Maybe. We’ll talk about it later. Anything else, Noah?”
“Captain, Anna and I are thrilled to be here. Whatever you need us to do, we’ll do.”
“You’ll be assigned to the SPECOPS group, obviously. Anna, do you have a specific area of expertise?”
Anna was strangely quiet.
Nerves, Noah thought.
She was nervous and took her time to think before speaking. “I’m sorry, Captain. I’m ashamed to say I don’t have a specific area of expertise. I can do a little bit of everything, though… maybe teaching?”
“The school can always use teachers, Anna. We can start there and play it by ear.”
Noah snapped his fingers. “Jeez. I almost forgot, Captain. Anna’s pregnant.”
Wade smiled. “Well, that’s great news. We haven’t had a birth since this began. My daughter-in-law, Sara, will give birth in July. That will be the first.” He turned toward Anna, “When are you due?”
Anna gave a wan smile. “I’m not exactly sure. In October, I think.”
Wade said, “Then the first order of business is to get you guys quartered. After that, I suggest you schedule an exam. Cole, take them to Tyler and get them squared away.”
Turning back to Noah, he said, “Cole will take care of you from here. We’ll talk again later. Welcome aboard.”
Six hours later, Noah and Anna were ensconced in their new quarters: a one bedroom, one bath, living room, and kitchen apartment located in the guards’ section of Fort Hope. Anna was strangely quiet, and Noah asked her what was wrong.
“It’s probably nothing, really. I was appalled at Captain Coltrane’s litany of Nina’s transgressions. She sounds absolutely horrifying.”
“You mean sounded horrifying. She’s dead.”
“But they didn’t find her body. What if she survived somehow? What if she resurfaces? I don’t know, Noah. I have a bad feeling about her. Maybe we should go back home. We have a baby to think about.”
Noah put his arms around her, took her face in both his hands, and said, “Anna, I hear what you’re saying, but I’m not worried. Even if she somehow managed to survive, how could she possibly be a threat to us? Right now, let’s go see the doc and get you checked out. Okay?”
Anna didn’t look convinced, but nodded and said, “Okay.”
Two days later, Randal arrived at Fort Hope and was informed about Noah and Anna. “Wallace? Noah Wallace is here? Where?”
Randal and Noah went through several in-service schools together and tipped more than a few beers. Hustling to Noah’s apartment, Randal knocked briskly on the door. It opened and the two men stared. Huge grins creased both their faces.
Noah said, “Son-of-a-bitch. Randal Coltrane.” A look of confusion cascaded down his face as realization dawned. “Wait a minute. You’re Wade’s son?”
“That’d be me.”
“Sorry, old buddy. For whatever reason, I didn’t connect the dots when I was introduced to him. Anna, come here, please. I want you meet the best damned soldier I ever knew.”
Anna moved to Noah’s side from the kitchen counter, smiling. She took Randal’s hand and said, “Hi.”
Randal stared for just a second, then grinned. “Damn, Noah, I don’t know what kind of lies you told to get a girl this beautiful to say yes, but they must have been huge. You’re a lucky man.”
Anna laughed. “Thank you, but actually, Randal, I’m the lucky one. Noah is beyond wonderful. Listen—how about if I make supper and you guys catch up?”
“Sit down, Randal. Anna’s right. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
When Randal left three hours later, Noah put his arms around Anna and nuzzled her neck. “Thanks, Anna.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For all you are, and for all you do.”
“What am I, a beer?”
He laughed. “No, I mean it. You made quite an impression.”
“I’m glad. I like him. Why did you never mention him, Noah?”
“Well, I never mentioned a lot of guys I served with. He was the best of the best, though. Good guy too.”
“I was grateful he didn’t ask a lot of questions about how we met or even how long we’ve been married. I was a little nervous about that.”
“He’s not the type. Anyway, it’s nice to know he’s here.” Then with a sly smile, he said, “It’s been a long day, Mrs. Wallace. You look tired.” Picking her up, he carried her into the bedroom.
She giggled and nuzzled his neck.
Two days later, Anna was a happy camper. The doctor proclaimed both she and the baby healthy, and she loved her job at the school teaching third grade. Noah was busy managing the horse patrols. They made friends with several residents of Fort Hope, and the shadow of a social life danced into view.
At the start of their second week at Fort Hope, Randal took Noah aside and said, “All SPECOPS forces live at Fort Terminus. You’re the only one who lives at Fort Hope. As a point of reference, no one, not even Stuart or Little Soldier, have ever been to Fort-T. No one knows exactly where it is. They have a general idea, but we decided long ago that Fort-T was our ace-in-the-hole. We’ve decided you should have the opportunity to live there. You’re invited to spend time at Fort-T and, if you decide it’s the place you and Anna would like to be, you’ll be welcomed. Your call.”
Fort-T was legendary in Olympia, and Noah was flattered. Sporting an ear-to-ear grin, he said, “Wow! Yeah, you know, you hear rumors about Fort-T, almost like it’s alive; kinda like Camelot. Anna and I would be honored to visit, Randal. When?”
“I’m heading back in two days. Dad returns next week. You can go with me and come back with him. You’ve met most of the SPECOPS guys. It’d be nice for Anna to meet the wives, especially Sara. She’s pregnant too. And, of course, Wade’s wife Maggie’s a doctor, so Anna can get a second exam and a second opinion while you’re there. Let me know.”
Anna was lukewarm to the idea but understood the honor of being invited to Fort-T. Noah didn’t comprehend the subtle change in Anna’s attitude, but attributed it to hormones and the acclimatization process. He frowned. “I know one thing, Anna. According to everyone I’ve talked to, Fort Terminus is considerably more secure than Fort Hope. Nina never did find out where Fort-T was, so you might feel safer there than you do here. Let’s accept the invite and see how it goes. Besides, if we refuse it might look… suspicious. Or at least weird.”
Anna thought about it and nodded agreement.
Chapter Fifteen
A Man Called Horse
Being in charge was a lot better than being Nina’s flunky, and although Horst learned a lot from her, he was confident he could improve upon her successes while eliminating her failures. His Nirvana troops weren
’t as smart as Nina’s cannibals, but were adequate woodsmen. They weren’t soldiers but made up for their inadequacies with an eagerness to learn and by following his orders to the letter. Plus, they were alive. Stupid, but breathing.
Dumb bastards can’t even pronounce my name.
They always called him Horse, almost as though they were incapable of enunciating the ‘T’. At first it annoyed him, but after a while he grew fond of the mispronunciation and went with it.
A month spent in Savannah convinced Horst it was not a good location. The weather was warmer, but there was something about the city that bothered him. In essence, he didn’t like it. No particular reason. But, since he had the entire continent to himself, he decided to find a place that appealed to him. From the veranda of an old Savannah home, he watched his men screw up door-to-door search techniques. He shook his head in disgust.
Jesus H Christ. I wish Cougar was here. These guys will never be worth a shit.
He yelled down to Ransom, “Call a halt to the exercise and get everyone together in the hotel meeting room in fifteen minutes.”
Because of the driving rain, Ransom had a hard time hearing what Horst said and committed the cardinal sin. “What?” he asked.
Horst went ballistic. Jumping from the veranda, he landed in front of Ransom and grabbed him by the neck. “Goddammit, Ransom. I told you before. Never say ‘what’ to me.”
Ransom tried to look away.
“Look at me.”
Ransom couldn’t do anything but look at him since Horst’s nose was less than two inches from his. “Get these assholes out of the rain and into the meeting room. Blink if you understand.”