by Newman, AJ
Rick kept them awake by making them play word games and singing. Jackie had a pleasant voice, but Rick’s sounded more like a cat with its tail caught in a slamming screen door. Tom stuck some wadded up paper in his ears. “Darn, you sound like a hog getting its nuts cut off. I feel sorry for my sister if you sing in the shower.”
Tom saw the rutted road and turned north to the ranch. He stopped at the usual place and motioned to his friends on guard duty. James and Alice were standing watch, and Alice greeted them. “Looks like you had a successful trip.”
Tom nodded. “Yep, we found some medicine, two crossbows, and only killed a few people. I think we should start one of those big thermometers on the living room wall that has the red go up every time we kill someone.”
Alice grimaced. “Who pissed in Tom’s Wheaties?”
“Don’t ask,” was all Jackie said.
Tom parked the truck in its hiding spot, and then they carried the medical supplies back to the barn. Jack brushed away any footprints and helped them take the bags down into the below-ground bunker. The multiple hidden doors were a pain in the ass for Tom and his band of survivors but were necessary to protect them from being found.
*
Chapter 2
The Clark Ranch – East of Ashland, Oregon.
Tom walked through the last door into the bunker with a big smile on his face whistling The Ballad of Jerry Jeff Walker. “Hey, everyone, we’re back, and we have gifts and toys for all of you good little boys and girls. Well, anyway, we have medicine and a new way to kill people silently. Anything happen while we were gone?”
Tom held out his bag full of booty while Granny B and Kate stared at him as if he was standing there naked with a giant snake around his neck. Kate stifled back a laugh and took the bag. She whispered in his ear. “I’ll bet you had a crappy day.”
Tom turned, smiled, and then laughed. “It was a fabulous day. It was so good I’d have to be two people to have really enjoyed it to its fullest.”
Granny B placed her hands on her hips as the others walked into the room. “Are you okay, son?”
“I’m finer than frog hair split three ways.”
Granny B looked at Jackie. “By any chance, did y’all stop by a liquor store?”
Jackie shrugged. “Nope. He’s been that way since we started driving back from Ashland.”
Kate interrupted the conversation when she saw the crossbows. “Oh, my God! That’s a Tenpoint Rubicon model. It was only released this year! I had one on order from Amazon when the crap hit the fan. And you have the carbon fiber bolts with the hunting arrowheads. Can I see it?”
Tom handed the crossbow to her. “Are these better than the compound bows?”
“Hell, yes! This model has the push button bowstring pull back and is as accurate as most rifles at close range. It has a dozen doohickeys that assist the archer in aiming.”
Tom said, “The pullback motor probably won’t work thanks to the EMP blast. Tell me about the doohickeys.”
Kate demonstrated the manual crank. “See, it works in the manual mode. I’ll try the auto-mode later. The red dot and range finder appear to be working. This is the ultimate silent but deadly bow. Let’s go out to the range, and I’ll demonstrate this fine weapon.”
Tom avoided looking her in the eyes and then turned to Granny B. “First, I need to give Granny an update on our trip, and then I’ll join you on the archery range. Give me twenty minutes.”
Granny B had just opened a vacuum-sealed bag of rice and beans. She saw her grandson. “We sealed these up ten years ago using my old vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of the bags. I’m trying to use them up, making some red beans and rice. All of the ones we did after that were sealed after flushing the bag with nitrogen.”
“I’m glad you and Grampa taught us all the prepping methods. Well, I came in to tell you about our trip.”
“You get all poopy after having to kill people. Is that what happened?” Granny B asked.
Tom smiled. “Not at all. Jackie killed two. Rick and I killed one each. We saved two people, who promptly raided a crack house and killed everyone in the house. Those were the last two we killed.”
“So why are you acting like a smartass?”
“Granny B, it’s just my way of dealing with the unimaginable things we have to do to survive. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but I’m an adult and can deal with things in my own way. I’ll never be disrespectful to you or our team, but it is what it is.”
Granny B’s lips thinned, and then a big smile washed over her face. “You deal with the monkeys on your back the best you know-how. But you know I’ll never stop worrying about my boy.”
Tom hugged his grandma and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’m okay. It’s just setting in that half of my future life is fighting for our survival and killing when I have to kill. I’m going to put on my happy face when everyone’s safe.”
Granny B knew she might step on a toe or two but opened her mouth anyway. “My advice is to enjoy the good times when we’re not scrounging to eke out a living. You need to …?”
“I know! Get back on the horse.”
“That’s not what I was going to say. Son, just don’t be lonely too long.”
“Granny, I don’t plan on being alone for much longer. I’m thinking about going into Ashland, capturing some of those wild women and bringing them back to the ranch. I could start my own harem.”
Granny B shook her head and then chuckled aloud. “Well, at least you have your humor back. I like to see you telling jokes.”
“Who's joking? I could use a redhead, a blonde, and a brunette around the ranch.”
Granny B punched him in the arm. “Okay, Mr. Piss and Vinegar, go work your charms on that little black haired girl with the big bow.”
He pulled Granny B close and kissed her on the top of the head again. “Cupid, you’re working overtime. Bye!”
***
Tom grabbed four bottles of homebrew on the way through the kitchen and went out to the archery range. He stopped and watched as Kate nocked bolt after bolt and shot them into the target at sixty yards. The bolts were so close that several were split down the middle by William Tell shots. He walked up behind her clearing his throat to get her attention. She turned. “I saw you five minutes ago.”
She noticed he was looking down at his shoes. “Usually, men at least act like they’re not talking to my tits. I do have eyes.”
Tom’s head snapped upward and stuttered as he peered into her gold-flecked eyes and felt a tingle run down his spine. “I uh …uh … wasn’t looking at your boobs. I was staring at my feet.”
“Well, now, I think I feel insulted that you’d rather look at your feet instead of my tits.”
Tom took a minute to compose his thoughts. She asked, “Cat got your tongue?”
He continued to gaze in her eyes and then exclaimed, “You’re just too darned beautiful. You take my breath away, and I tingle all over when I look into your eyes. Oh! Crap! I can’t believe I said that. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for not looking at my tits or telling me I’m beautiful. I might feel insulted depending on the answer.”
Tom was flustered by now and couldn’t get his thoughts worked out. Then he felt his heart race. “Granny B taught me to look into a woman’s eyes and not at her boobs. I can’t look into your eyes without melting inside.”
“So, you won’t look at my tits or my eyes. Are you sneaking looks at my backside? I think that’s what you were doing when you stood there so long.”
She had Tom twisting in the wind, afraid to say anything. He finally said, “I wasn’t looking at your butt. I was amazed at your accuracy with the bow.”
“So my butt and tits aren’t worth looking at? Now, I’m insulted. I think I’ll leave the group.”
“No! Please don’t go! Oh! Crap! I’m not good at this relationship stuff. I like you and want to see more of you.” Tom exclaimed as he reached out and grabbed her shoulders.
&n
bsp; Kate had the boy totally unhinged. “So, you won’t look at my tits or butt, but want to see me naked? Was that what you meant by – ‘see more of me’?”
Tom had a moment of clarity. “Stop playing with me like a cat playing with a catnip mouse. I like you, and just want to get to know you better.”
Kate knew she’d almost pushed the wrong buttons. “I was just yanking your chain. I’ve liked you since we first met. I was wondering when you’d make a pass at me since day one. Your Granny B raised a fine man who maybe respects women a bit too much. We’re not to be abused, but we’re not china dolls on a pedestal. You can take me off my pedestal and play with me every now and then.”
Tom pulled her close, and they kissed. He whispered. “There are cameras everywhere out here.”
Tom helped gather the bolts from the targets and helped Kate carry them and the bow. They walked past the barn and saw Rick and Greta building something. Tom said, “That looks like a rabbit cage.”
Rick looked up and hit his thumb with his hammer. “Darn it to hell. That hurt.” He sucked on his thumb. “Ith is a brabbit cuge.”
Kate snickered. “Stop talking with your mouth full. My dad and I raised rabbits for one of our preps. Rabbits are a great source of protein and fur for gloves and coats. Plus, they multiply like …”
Tom replied. “Rabbits. Rabbits multiply like rabbits. I don’t see any rabbits. You do know it takes a buck and a doe to start the manufacturing process.”
Greta wisecracked. “No kidding, Sherlock. I remember something about that back in high school. Mom even talked about how to use protection during the trial runs of the manufacturing process.”
Rick’s thumb popped out of his mouth. “I guess that was one of those – out of the mouths of babes comments.”
Greta laughed so hard she snorted. “Tom, I have six rabbits and should have a hundred soon. I’d like you and Rick to build one of those moveable cages so they can graze in different plots of grass.”
Tom thought for a minute. “We can do that. We’ll also cordon off an area in the barn for the rabbits. That will give them some relief from the wind. Add some hay bales, and they’ll be as happy as a pig in poop.”
Greta hugged Tom. “Thanks, I appreciate the help.”
Kate said, “I thought you had thousands of cows. Isn’t this a cattle ranch?”
Tom saw a weird look on Kate’s face. “We only had a few hundred cattle, and they’re spread all over the area. This is a cattle ranch, but rabbits multiply much faster than cattle. Both sources of meat will come in handy.”
Jackie looked across the supper table at Tom and Kate sitting side by side. “How did the archery practice go?”
Tom grinned. “I’m not as good as Kate, but I’ll do. I can hit a pie plate at thirty-five yards pretty consistently. The static bags protected the electronics, so they all work, but the motorized cocking device is dead. The thing practically shoots itself.”
Kate snickered. “Don’t let him fool you. He’s a natural with the crossbow and has an amazing touch with the bow.”
Jackie was close to Kate and whispered. “I’ll just bet he has an amazing touch.”
Kate’s face turned a bit red, but she kept bragging about Tom’s ability with the weapon.
Tom made the timeout sign. “Now, we need to translate my training and Kate’s teaching ability into making more of you proficient in shooting crossbows. I want everyone except Jack, who is on guard duty, to meet Kate and me at the archery range in an hour.”
Jackie huffed. “Hey, Adolf. Could you make it in two hours? We ladies have to plan my wedding, and Kate is part of my wedding planning team.”
Kate looked at Tom and slightly shrugged her shoulders. Tom rubbed the back of his neck. “Granny B and I have been trying to get rid of you for years, so who am I to stand in your way? Ladies, please join us at the range in two hours. Men come with me now.”
Bill asked, “Is it okay if I finish my gun safety and handling course with Greta and Lucy before joining you?”
Tom replied. “Of course. How are they doing? What are they shooting?”
Bill said, “They’re becoming quite the markswomen. We’re just shooting pellet rifles. You said not to use the firearms due to the noise.”
Tom thought for a minute. “Bill, just go on about what you were doing until the girls are ready. I just remembered a task Rick and I have to accomplish. Follow me, Rick.”
Tom waited until the others had left to go outside and motioned for Rick to follow him into the barn’s corridor. Tom stopped in the fake supply room and found a hidden switch. A secret door opened, and Tom led Rick into a space that looked like a combination of survival bunker and command center. Monitors and electronics covered an eight-foot table and the wall above the table. Tom looked at Rick, whose mouth was agape. “This is our last hope for survival bunker and command center for every surveillance device. Every room except the bedrooms and bathrooms has listening devices and cameras. I need you to take on more responsibility.”
Rick was surprised at the advanced equipment in the room. “You know I’ll do anything to help the family.”
“I know, and with your wedding on the horizon, it was time to bring you into the loop. Frankly, trying to watch all the surveillance footage and listen to the recordings was wearing us out. We needed some help to find our spy.”
Rick deliberated for a few seconds. “Have you eliminated anyone from the possible suspects?”
“Yes, Granny B, Jackie, you, Kate, and me. I’ve only eliminated Kate because she wasn’t with us on the plane and didn’t know Samantha before we captured her.”
Rick’s brow dropped, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Doesn’t that eliminate Jack, June, James, and Alice?”
“Maybe, maybe not. They had a bunch of contacts with outsiders who squatted here and could have known someone in Carlos’s crew,” Tom said.
“But why would they have contacts with Carlos’s men, and if so, why didn’t they tell him about this place?”
Tom looked up, astounded at the question. “I hadn’t thought of that. What we know is Carlos was tipped off about Sam and my team being in Ashland, but Carlos’s men never came to the ranch.”
Rick tilted his head, and his brow wrinkled. “How do you know Carlos’s men haven’t visited the ranch? Thugs burned the ranch down. Another thing is that someone was looking for you when you took Bill and Brenda to Medford. They chased you on your way back also. Now, the big one. No one has attacked or chased us since Bill and Brenda left us.”
Tom replied. “But they’re back with us and have been here for over a week. We need to set a trap. Carlos can’t care much about the rest of you. I think he wants me.”
Tom was silent as he went out to the archery range. He had a lot on his mind and no concrete plan to find the spy.
*
Chapter 3
The Clark Ranch – East of Ashland, Oregon.
Tom had asked Kate to train Granny B and Jackie on the hands-on part after the classroom training. He wanted them to take the class seriously, and didn’t want to worry about pissing them off. Kate could bust their balls and get away without much of the scorn they’d pile on him. They’d split the team down the middle with a mixture of men and women. Tom took Greta, leaving Lucy with Kate. Tom still didn’t trust Greta with a bow that could accidentally shoot Kate since Kate had killed Greta’s mother by accident.
Tom and Kate were dividing their trainees. “I’ll take Greta, and you take Lucy. That will keep Greta from accidentally shooting a bolt in your butt.”
Kate tersely replied, “I’ll take rabbit lady, and you take Lucy. That will give me a chance to bond with her.”
They only had two crossbows, so the hands-on training went much slower. They started them out shooting at targets only ten yards away. Everyone was soon hitting a tight circle, with only Lucy struggling a bit. Tom took her to the side. “Girl, you’re shaking a bit. Pretend you have to stay still to hit Carlos between his devi
l’s eyes.”
“I’m aiming at the man who kidnapped my mother. Carlos would never harm Mom. When we find her, I’m going to put a bolt right between the jerk’s eyes.” The little redhead placed the next two bolts in the center of the target’s head. Lucy still couldn’t believe her mom was dead.
Lucy was soon as good as the others. Tom worried a wee bit because every time an arrow hit its mark, the girl had a wicked grin on her face. Tom began to notice the women were getting tired, even with the crank handle taking most of the strain from cocking the bow. “I think we can call it a day. Everyone has made great progress and can hit a man’s chest at forty yards. I want everyone hitting a pie plate-sized target by next week. I need Jackie, Rick, and Kate to stay behind with me. The rest of you can leave.”
Kate walked over to Tom and bumped him with her hip as he leaned against the back of the barn. Tom placed his arm around her waist and watched the others leave. Jackie had a wicked grin on her face. “Well, this is a surprise. I never thought my brother would have that kind of smile again.”
Tom looked at Kate, ignoring Jackie. “My sister likes to tease people a lot. You can hit her if she plays too rough.”
Kate laughed. “Jackie and I are becoming best friends. I knew we had to be the first day I set my eyes on you.”
Jackie snickered. “I knew it was only a matter of time once Tom asked about the zing.”
Tom laughed and then said, “We can talk about Kate and me later. I need all four of us to become proficient in using the night vision scope on the crossbows. I want to be able to eliminate threats at night, silently and efficiently. We’ll scavenge some more crossbows and maybe find some suppressors for the rifles. We’ll become the black ops squad for the ranch. Now, to a more important topic. I filled Kate in on our spy situation, and I want us to brainstorm the perfect trap to catch the asshat.”