Bishop, with a smirk, replied, “I’d say you pissed her off.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Jeb blasted.
Greek spoke up, “Wanna know what you did?”
Jeb looked at him. “Did she tell you?”
“Nope. Doesn’t need to.” Greek shook his head. “I was married for many years.”
“Aw,” Jeb whined. “She’s menstruating, isn’t she?”
Across the open air, from the bus, Robi’s voice carried. “Oh! I heard that. You suck. Fuck you!”
Slam. The bus window slammed.
“She is.” Jeb nodded. “I mean what else would cause this sudden switch.”
“You are offensive and it is apparent that you never had a long term relationship when you make comments like that,” Greek said. “It’s not her cycle, it’s you.”
“No, shit.” Jeb snapped.
“Fine, you don’t wanna know. Go ask her yourself.”
“You know what? I will,” Jeb said as he started toward the bus. He stopped when Bishop whistled. “What is your problem?”
“You really want to go and talk to her, right now?” Bishop asked. “Go on. She’ll lay you out.”
Jeb scoffed. “You think I’m scared of a little woman with a loud mouth.”
“I am,” Bishop said.
“Me, too,” Greek added.
Manny raised his hand. “Count me in.”
“Dude,” Nick said. “I know her. Be scared.”
Tate interjected as well, “She did kick my ass the first day I met her.”
“Pansies. All a bunch of pansies.” Jeb ignored their warning and went to the bus. When he arrived, he tried the door. It was locked. He knocked.
No answer.
“Robi. Robi, you locked the fuckin’ door. Now, do you honestly think I can’t get in?” he asked.
Robi slid open the back window and stuck her head out. “Go away, Jeb. Right now, I am not in the mood to talk to you.”
“How about argue?’
“That either!”
“I can get in.”
“Don’t break the fuckin’ door, I mean it or I’ll shoot you.”
Jeb snickered. “I don’t need to break the fuckin’ door.”
Robi laughed. “Then fine, try to squeeze in one of these windows. I’ll lock them all” She slid back in and slammed the window.
Jeb spoke quietly, “Lock them all. Go right ahead.” Like a burglar, he crept around the bus, and silently climbed to the top.
“Hey, Robi!” Bishop called out, “Jeb’s coming in the roof hatch.” No sooner did he say that than a single shot seared by his foot sending dirt in the air.
“Next time!” Jeb yelled. “I’ll hit you.” He lifted the hatch and climbed in.
Robi shifted the barrel of the shotgun. “Did you just shoot at my friend?”
“Yeah,” Jeb lowered her weapon.
“Get out.’
“No!”
“You and your big mouth are gonna wake the baby.” Robi pointed to Martha who was sound asleep.
“I got news for you, Robi. A nuclear bomb couldn’t wake that baby. Now, what is your problem?”
“You.”
“Established. Give me more. Care to tell me why you keep telling me to fuck off.”
“I believe I said, fuck you,” Robi stated.
“Yeah, yeah. Now spill it. I won’t have this tension.”
“There you go again.” She waved her hand. “Taking charge, giving orders.”
“I’m confused.”
“Figures,” She said. “Look, I don’t need you to take charge and give orders for me. I don’t need anyone to do that.”
“Want to tell me when I did that?”
Robi laughed in ridicule, “You can’t be serious. Tonight asshole!”
“What? Because I told you to get back to the Humvee.”
“That and the fact that you popped open a few beers, poured a few shots, started to negotiate with Pervert Bud and his crew before you even let me know.”
“So this is what it’s all about?”
“Yes,” Robi said. “Look Jeb. I want no one but myself to lead me. That includes you, got that? You took it upon yourself to make decisions for the whole crew.”
“No one seemed to mind.”
“I did,” Robi said. “I did. How do you know I want to meet up with them in So-Cal?”
“Robi, you know what? You don’t have a choice,” Jeb stated.
“No, you didn’t give me one.”
“No, not me. The fuckin’ aliens didn’t give you one,” Jeb argued. “Like it or not, we are going to be at war. At war with a force we know nothing about. We are a minimal army and we need men. They are men.”
“So, it doesn’t matter what he did to me?” She asked.
“Yeah, it matters. And if he ever tried anything again, I’ll kill him.”
Robi scoffed.
“What? What is that for?” Jeb asked.
She shook her head.
“If you wanted him dead before, you should have said something,” Jeb said. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you didn’t want to kill him.”
“It has nothing to do with that,” Robi said. “It has everything to do with your chivalrous attitude toward me.”
“And I’m not supposed to have that?”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Like you did with Bud?”
Robi folded her arms. “That was a low blow.”
Jeb’s hand shot to his forehead. “You know …. Not a couple hours ago, you were thanking me. Now you’re giving me a hard time.”
“I just don’t need you to jump to my rescue or make deadly threats on my behalf.”
“Well, get used to it,” Jeb said. “I will. Especially since you and I seem to have something happening.”
“We don’t have anything happening. Based on everything, I’d say I have more of a relationship with Bud.”
Jeb bit his bottom lip. “You know what? Fuck it. Fuck it. I’m not going to argue with you. Wanna know why?”
“Why?”
“Because tomorrow you’ll be totally different. Why? You’re more female than you give yourself credit.”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re fickle like every other female. And tomorrow, when I’m still pissed, you won’t be. Plus it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if you just started your period.”
Robi gasped.
“You did, didn’t you?”
She gasped again.
“Go on, gasp. Inhale that shock. I’m right.”
“What makes you so sure of yourself?”
“Because that …” he pointed, “box of tampons wasn’t there an hour ago.”
Robi’s mouth dropped open.
Jeb smiled. “So …So, I’m gonna go out with the guys, have a drink, leave you be and deal with you tomorrow. Goodnight.” He kissed her on the cheek, turned, walked to the door, unlocked it and left.
Robi grimaced. Then after a growl of frustration, she spun to the counter and looked at the tampons. “I can’t believe I left these here. Fuck.” She snatched up the box and stormed to the back of the bus.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
July 7th
New Mexico, Texas Border
Robi never got over the smell of the rotten eggs to enjoy the fresh ones. The hen house was packed with egg-laying chickens left to their own resources. Some were dead, some kept laying eggs. Most eggs had rotted and the putrid smell filled the air.
Manny swore he saw the farm in the dark hours as they looked for a place to stop for the night after leaving Red River. It was only three miles and back tracking wasn’t a total loss.
They salvaged four chickens. They all were pleasantly surprised at the eggs they were able to determine were freshly laid. In fact, the men stopped to fry the four eggs up over an open fire, scrambled.
They shared four eggs.
Robi declined her forkful.
It wasn’t a
matter of needing food; it was a matter of taste. And at the moment that they all indulged, she still had that rotten egg smell in her nostrils.
Just as that smell started to leave her, something else arrived to annoy her senses.
Singing.
It started just as they arrived at the Oklahoma border and was still continuing as they neared New Mexico.
It was bad enough that Jeb started humming it. Then he went to singing it. But when the new guy Ben said he knew it on guitar, she knew she was in trouble.
Outvoted.
Everyone thought it was a good idea to stop at the first town, hit a music store and get Ben a guitar. Music for the trip would be nice.
In a sense, Robi agreed, until Jeb and Ben began to play the same song over and over in an attempt to get it right.
Robi suddenly hated the song Amarillo by Morning.
She hoped that in the few miles into New Mexico, he’d find another song. It wasn’t that Jeb was bad a singer, he wasn’t. Not the greatest, but not bad. But the repeated singing of the same song worked her nerves.
“Mummy.” Martha approached Robi. “Martha drive?”
“No, no, sweetie, you can’t,” Robi told her. “And can you please sit down? In case I have to stop.”
“Martha sit by Dudday?”
“If you want,” Robi’s eyes shifted to the rearview mirror as Jeb announced ‘from the top,’ and she added, “and Martha, make him stop singing.”
“OK.” Happily, Martha raced to the section of the bus where Jeb sat with Ben. “Mummy said stop singing.”
“She did, did she?” Jeb lifted Martha to his lap. “Do you like the way I sing?”
“Pretty.” Martha laid her hands on Jeb’s cheeks.
“I’m a good singer, huh?”
Martha smiled and nodded and with the same innocent smile said, “Dudday mean. Very Mean.”
“Really?” Jeb asked. “Who told you Daddy was mean?”
“Uncle Bishop.”
“Well, Uncle Bishop is a dick.” Jeb said pleasantly. “And I’m gonna sing. OK?”
“Ok.” Martha said, and then turned his face to look at her. “New song?”
Jeb chuckled. “Sure, we can do a new song.” He winked at Ben and appeasing the three year old he asked, “What song?”
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” Martha said brightly.
Jeb and Ben just looked at each other.
<><><><>
Tucumcari, NM
Mama Mia
Mama Mia
Mama Mia….Let me go…
It was far too much for Robi to handle, everyone that was on the bus excluding her, jumped in with the acoustic rendition of Bohemian rhapsody. Every man thinking they could hit that high note in a prepubescent manner.
The sign was just that … a sign.
The two miles was a long trek, mentally. When they pulled into town, Robi announced, with a slight edge to her voice, “Lunch,” as stepped from the bus. They stopped singing and playing.
Jeb turned and looked out the window. “Why does she always pick the quaint little fuckin’ towns?”
Bishop said as he stood, “The question should be: why did she get off the bus without someone with her?” He walked to the exit.
Outside Robi met up with Manny and Doc. “Boy, you two were lucky you rode in the other car,” she told them.
Manny chuckled. “Tate slept, Doc read and the ET twins were jabbering in their own language. I kicked back and drove in my own world.”
“So did the goddamn aliens,” Doc added.
Robi turned to the Humvee and the presence of Bishop startled her. “You emerged.”
“Everything OK?” he asked.
“I’m noticing Mas not getting out of the Humvee. Worried maybe?” She shrugged.
“Want me to find out if it’s a safe stop?” Bishop asked.
Robi nodded.
Bishop walked over to the Humvee parked not far from them. He knocked, opened the door, conversed for a second, and returned. “Fine. They didn’t even know we stopped. This is … Tucumcari?’
“Yeah, why?” Robi asked.
“I have that on my list. Four people.”
This caught Robi’s attention. “Really? Maybe we should fan out. Look.”
“That’s what I think. Whose next scheduled to make lunch?”
Robi pointed to Manny.
Bishop said, “If you want I can make lunch.”
Manny shook his head. “No. No Spam. I’ll cook. And why is everyone taking so long to get off the bus.”
“I don’t know.” Robi walked to the bus door and stuck her head in. “We’re stopping for lunch. We need to fan out. We have reports of survivors here.”
Jeb yelled, “Be right out.”
Stepping back to Manny and Bishop, Robi said, “Someone want to wake Tate?”
Manny replied, “He said unless it’s an emergency, let him sleep. He stayed up all night. He had watch.”
“OK,” Robi agreed.
At that moment, Jeb, Nick, Ben, Travis, and Greek emerged from the bus.
“What were you guys doing?” Robi asked.
Nick answered, “Planning our next list of songs.”
Robi turned toward Manny. “Wanna drive the bus?”
“No.” Manny raised his hand. “No way. I’d rather deal with the ET twins and Doc bitching about them, than that. No.”
“Swell. OK.” Robi looked at her watch. “No supply searching unless we find something valuable. It’s just about noon. Fan out. Look for survivors. Be back in an hour. Manny will set up camp for cooking. Sound good? Teams …” Robi paused and then went on, “Tate is sleeping, so me, Bishop and Nick will go south, Jeb, Greek, and Ben, north, Travis stays here with Manny. Questions?” She saw Jeb raise his hand. She ignored him, “OK, let’s go.”
“I’m raising my hand,” Jeb said. “Boss.”
“What?” Robi asked.
“Are you still not talking to me?” Jeb asked.
Robi ignored him,
“God, how long does this attitude last?” he asked.
Robi snapped a view to him. “Grow up.”
Bishop smirked and inched up to Robi. “My rifle is on the bus. I’ll be right out.”
Robi nodded.
Jeb shook his head, “We need more ammo. I’ll get it out.” He walked to the side of the bus and lifted the hatch. As he crouched down, a ‘ping’ sounded against the metal.
He stood straight, and turned to Robi. "Did you just throw something at me?”
“No.” She replied.
“What was that?”
“What was what?” she asked.
‘Ping’
“That.” Jeb said. “I hear …Ow!” His hand slapped down to his leg. “I got bit or something.”
Everyone raised their weapons.
“Bug?” Robi asked.
“I don’t know.” Jeb started to turn. His body jolted, and his hand grabbed his backside. “Fuck.” He jolted again. “Fuck.”
“Something’s biting your bum?” Robi asked.
‘Ping’ the noise rang out again.
“The bus, it hit the bus.” Jeb turned to the bus. “There.” His finger extended to the side. “It’s … Ow … goddamn it!” he yelled and grabbed his head. “Fuckin BB’s.” He bent down, growling with each jolt of his body. “BB’s.”
Robi choked a laugh. “As in BB gun?”
“Yeah.” Jeb started to look around. “I'd say everyone take cover but … Ow …Shit ... Goddamn it.” He rubbed his arm. “I’m the fuckin’ target.”
“Because you’re the biggest target.” Robi shielded her eyes.
Bishop came from the bus. “Is someone shooting BB’s at the bus?” he asked. “From inside it sounds like it.”
Robi snickered. “No, they’re hitting the bus when they miss Jeb.”
Bishop looked and laughed when Jeb jolted. “Who’s shooting?”
“I can’t see.” Robi peered around. “Whoever it is means no real harm. T
hey have a sniper position and ….” She stopped.
“What?” Bishop asked.
Robi cocked her head to the store two buildings down.
Jeb bit his bottom lip, “I’ll be right back.”
“No.” Robi said and lowered her voice. “I say we just surround the building. They’ll come down or we’ll go in.”
Jeb nodded.
Robi gave a twitch of her head and the entire group of them raced to the building.
On the left side of the front door, Robi closed off her ear to hear what Bishop was saying.
“Back is secure,” Bishop reported. “Unless they can sneak underground, they aren’t getting out without us getting them.”
“Give it a minute,” Robi whispered.
“No storming?”
“No. Not yet.” She leaned toward the front door and aimed her ear.
Jeb whispered, “I’m fucking welting here and you want to …”
“Shh,” Robi told him, and then spoke into the microphone. “I hear footsteps. Get ready.”
“Roger.”
Robi raised her weapon and mouthed ‘get ready’ to Jeb.
He nodded. Just as he did, the door to the store flew open, fast and with a vengeance, smacking Jeb right in the face.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have, but Robi laughed, and by the time she was over the shock and amusement of what transpired, the person was a blur.
“Fuck,” Robi blurted. “They took off.” She then, began to the chase.
Jeb shook off the pain in his nose, wiggled it a few times, turned, and saw Robi running. He, too, took off.
Down the street Robi raced, and within a second, Jeb had caught her.
“Slow poke,” he commented as he passed Robi and noticed the shooter veering down another street. “Left.” He charged, and turned the bend. “It’s an …”
He never got the word ‘alley’ from his mouth. The shooter was ready for him, sending a garbage can to the ground as a blockade. One that Jeb tripped and fell over.
Robi heard the clunk, rattle and Jeb’s grunt. She cautiously turned the corner, called out, ‘Klutz’, as she jumped over Jeb, and saw the shooter was climbing a fence. Robi forged ahead, full speed. “No you don’t.” She grabbed the foot. “Stop. We aren’t gonna hurt you.” She got a good grip on the wiry and kicking legs. “And don’t you dare nail me or I won’t hesitate to kick your ass. Now stop!”
The Last Mile Trilogy Page 25