Simon shook his head. "Probably not. What's he's trying to say is that you got elected because of your legend, and with the attack…" Simon shrugged. He continued, "He's saying he's better for the job because he'll know how to delegate, talk to people, so on."
"I can talk to people," Jason said with a smirk.
Simon nodded. "I know you can, and you're a hell of a lot better at it than Norm. But, like I said, people are listening."
"So you mean I have to be a politician now?"
The other man laughed. "Sorry, I know you hate that crap, but it's just how it is now."
Jason nodded. "Maybe I should let him have it then."
"You're joking, right? Norman Botham as sheriff?"
"Yeah, I am." Jason's eyes drifted away from the other man, not focusing on anything in particular.
Simon leaned forward, forcing himself into Jason's line of sight. "Don't. We still need you. You know that."
Jason laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, right. The biggest threat we've had in the last couple of years is out there, and I can't do a damn thing to stop it. Maybe if I didn't have this badge, I could."
"And be a vigilante?"
Jason smiled softly. "Kind of what I was up to when we met."
Simon nodded. Jason could tell that he didn't exactly like agreeing, but he wasn't one to not acknowledge a fact just because it was inconvenient. "That was different. We've got law and order now. Your daughter has a future. Did you really think Rick would a decade ago?"
"We built it once. No reason I couldn't do it again."
"You don't know what it's like out there. I've talked to Milton, really talked about what it's like out there."
Jason crossed his arms and said, "Shouldn't be that bad. He told me it wasn't like the whole country was nuked."
"No, it shouldn't be. And it shouldn't have gone to seed so quickly either, but it did."
Jason dropped his arms and shrugged. "Maybe. Eh, I'm just talking anyways."
Simon nodded. "Yeah, I know. For what it's worth, this stuff with the Grand Council is pissing me off too. They won't do anything, but they won't let us do anything either."
"Sound like life before the nukes, doesn't it?" Jason said with a smile. This one was genuine.
He laughed. "You've got a point." Simon stood and moved toward the door, then turned and said, "I'm just giving you a heads up. For what it's worth, I think most people like you as sheriff, but you've got to remind them about that."
Jason nodded. "Understood. I'll see what I can do."
CHAPTER 11
"Are you serious?" Rick yelled, slamming his hands on Megan's table as he stood up. The news a few days earlier that the Grand Council was hamstringing them was bad enough. But this latest?
She merely nodded. "Yes, unfortunately. Commander Donaldson's convinced these attacks are the work of independent raider bands, so while it's necessary to track them down, we should be careful about our use of resources. Or some such bullshit."
Mal Kane sat next to the chair Rick had burst from, his face looking serene.
"You're not pissed about this?" Rick asked him.
Kane nodded. "Very much so. I'm just not surprised."
Rick pulled his chair forward a few inches and sat back down. "What do you mean?"
"I know Donaldson. Knew him from before the TVA. He's all about putting a good face on whatever the problem was. Hell, he described Somerton as a small group of rebels raising a little hell down this way."
Megan's eyes filled with fury, red touching her dark cheeks as she said, "He said what?"
The newer man nodded. "Yes, ma'am," he said simply.
Rick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's rich. Does he know what she went through? My family?"
Mal shrugged. "I don't know if he sees anything but what he wants to see, to be honest. I've never seen any evidence it clicked in his brain if he did."
"Great," Rick groaned. "So the guy we all swore and oath to follow is a complete and total moron?"
"Well, I won't say that," Mal said, then smiled. "But you did, so I don't actually have to."
"We'll do what we have to. Unless Donaldson comes down here and tries to directly control things, we'll keep doing what we're doing," Megan said.
"Are you going to defy orders?" Mal asked, his voice serious.
Rick looked at the other man, trying to get a read on his intentions. They knew each other well enough, but he wasn't sure how Mal would react to something like this. He had a tendency to be very black and white about things, so this could get interesting.
Megan, clearly, didn't know and didn't care. "Damn right I am," she said.
Malachi Kane smiled, his grin seeming to convey both happiness and a feral nature simultaneously. "Good. I hate idiotic orders. Where do we start?"
** ** **
Days spun into weeks. The attacks continued, with four more buses being hit. The TVA recovered them, patched them, then tried to push them back into service, but with no luck. People didn't want to risk their lives by climbing into them.
Which was why Jason found himself standing at the bus station, Simon to his right and Megan next to Simon. A number of Ranger behind them. The weeks were starting to transform the Rangers. While not carrying the dangerous swagger Rick had, they had something of their own. Better yet, there hadn't been a serious fight in at least three weeks.
The distinct putter of the bus alerted the welcoming party that the guest of honor was arriving. Jason stifled a yawn. An early morning workout deprived him of what little sleep he was likely to get. The guest? Well, that should have let him sleep just fine due to the excitement.
As the bus pulled up, it opened its folding door. The man that stepped out didn't look like he was the head of an elite law enforcement agency. He looked like he was the mousey school teacher that all the other kids took advantage of. Half a head shorter than Jason and broader across the shoulders, but Jason could sense the softness beneath his shirt. Jason patted his now diminished gut in silent thanks. However, Jeff Donaldson was the Ranger commander, and he was here to discuss the attacks.
"Commander Donaldson," Simon said, his diplomatic skills hiding any negative feelings he might have about the small man. "Welcome to New Eden."
"Thank you," the short man said. "It's nice to be here."
"Your trip was uneventful, I hope?" Simon asked with so much sincerity that Jason knew at least some of it had to be put on.
"Oh, of course. I keep trying to tell people that the bus route are perfectly safe, but hysteria…what can you do?"
Simon smiled and nodded, saying nothing. Guess Simon does have limits to how much bullshit he can spread, Jason thought, a discrete use of his hand hiding his smirk.
"I'm sure you know Investigator Hernandez?" Simon said, motioning toward Megan.
"Only by reputation, I'm afraid. However, what I know is outstanding."
Megan smiled, her skill at politics almost as good as Simon's. "A pleasure, Commander."
Simon motioned toward Jason. "And this is Sheriff Jason Calvin. I'm sure you've heard of him."
Donaldson's face lit up, as if he were meeting a rock star. "Sheriff Calvin. Both and honor and a pleasure. I've heard so much about you."
Jason dropped his hand and flipped his head up. "Sup?"
The rotund commander looked flustered, as if someone had just handed him a bowl of scabs when he'd clearly asked for corn flakes. "Um…" he stammered.
Simon fought to keep from smiling. "Well, Commander, why don't we head over to the sheriff's office were we can talk."
"Uh…yeah…yeah, let's do that," the commander finally stammered out.
The quartet made their way through the crowded, dusty road until they reached the mud-colored walls of the jail. Jason opened the door and allowed them all to enter before going in himself.
The other three were making themselves comfortable in the mishmash of chairs that littered the office as Jason walked around his desk and sat down, throwing his feet up on the d
esk and leaning back.
Donaldson wrinkled his nose as he looked at Jason, which prompted the sheriff to cross his arms and cock his head to the side as he looked at the commander. Donaldson avoided Jason's gaze and said, "Yes, well…I wanted to talk to you good folks about these attacks. I understand that you believe them to be the work of a single group?"
Jason nodded as Megan said, "Yes, sir. We do. We have intelligence that a breakaway group from a prison gang called the New Lords of Chaos has linked up with the remnants of the Republic of Somerton's forces that evaded capture during the war."
"And what is this intelligence?" Donaldson asked.
"The leader of the New Lords told me personally," Jason said.
"Can I talk with this leader?"
Jason shook his head. "If you can find him. In fact, if you do, find out where he gets his hands on hair product in this day and age. The Fauxhawk was kind of impressive considering."
"Yes, well," Donaldson said. "You'll pardon me if I don't feel it wise to mobilize all our resources based on something a criminal told you, especially since you didn't bother to arrest him."
"Arrest him for what?" Jason asked.
"The murder of your deputy. I'm sorry if you hold the life of your subordinates in such little regard-"
Jason erupted to his feet as Simon barked, "Commander!"
Simon's tone was all that held Jason in check. He forced himself to sit back down as Simon said in a harsh tone, "Commander Donaldson, you are a guest in New Eden and this office. I'll remind you to hold your tongue. Especially since Deputy Hector Martinez was one of Sheriff Calvin's closest friends."
"The fact remains," Donaldson continued, clearly oblivious to the warning, "that the sheriff did not arrest this man."
"No witness tied him to the crime, you dumb bastard," Jason said, the last part of his statement mumbled, but his eyes hard as diamonds.
"Now, you don't mean to tell me-"
"I said, there's zero evidence to tie the man to Hector's murder. The only tie was that apparently they were in the same gang. We have no evidence that Declan ordered the murder or had any involvement. By his own admission, his man was ordered to get my attention, but the specifics were ambiguous. Now, I think that's bullshit, but the last time I checked, the law required more than just 'get his attention'. Hell, he could argue that he meant for the guy to hire a damn stripper."
"Now see here-," Donaldson started to say.
"No, you see here," Jason interrupted. "I don't like the son of a bitch, and I know he'd just as soon kill me as look at me, but we don't arrest people for bad blood."
"Maybe you need to learn a bit more aggression," Donaldson quipped.
Jason stood up. Slowly. "Sounds like a hell of an idea. You bring your lesson plan?"
"Easy, Jason," Simon said. "There's no need for that."
"Yes, Chairman, you need to reign in your mutt here. I've heard all about you, Mister Calvin. I know all about your exploits. Always looking for a fight. The thing is, it looks like other people always pay the price for that. Maybe that's why you've turned so timid," Donaldson said.
Jason laughed. "So, I'm too aggressive, but now I'm not aggressive enough. Why don't you let me know when you can come up with a coherent argument?"
"Gentlemen," Simon said, desperation dripping in his voice. "We have more important things to discuss. For what it's worth, the arrest or lack of arrest for Declan is a local matter, and the New Eden Council stands by our sheriff in his decision."
"Be that as it may, I'm afraid I have zero reason to believe this intelligence is accurate. As such, I'm not going to permit the Rangers to participate in any actions designed to apprehend phantoms like this mystery army that we have no evidence of even existing," Donaldson said.
"Your funeral," Jason snapped.
"Is that a threat?" Donaldson barked.
"Nope. But you're the one traveling by bus. There's a reason most folks aren't riding these days," Jason said. "And it's not because the air conditioning is busted."
"Yes, there is. Alarmist rhetoric. I know you all have communicated with friends in other towns. There's no crime against that yet, but-"
"No crime against it 'yet'?" Simon asked.
"Well, I've proposed to the Grand Council for an ordinance against such speech. It's for the greater good, after all," Donaldson said.
Jason chuckled. "So, we can't mobilize our own militia without their permission, and now we won't be able to warn folks without their say so either?"
Donaldson nodded. "The negative impact on the economy is significant. You have to understand, without trade, some towns will be unable to feed their people."
"So why not find these people and end the threat?" Simon asked, his diplomatic skills beginning to show their limits.
"I'm unconvinced that the threat is that serious," Donaldson said, his expression smug.
"How many attacks is it going to take?" Simon asked.
"I don't see any reason to believe they're the same group."
Jason collapsed into his chair, leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk, placing his finger on the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.
"Do you have something else to add, Sheriff?" Donaldson asked as he glared at Jason.
Jason looked at the commander, fighting the urge to unleash the burning sarcasm he felt welling up within him. "Oh, just a dozen attacks at this point, all L-shaped ambushes, I might add. All done the same way, all hitting the same kinds of targets, and you see no reason to believe that military style attacks might possibly come from a group with similar training. I mean, even if you ignore what I've said—which you look determined to do—at least look at the hard facts."
"Military tactics aren't that uncommon these days, unfortunately." Donaldson stood and looked at them. "Now, if you all will excuse me, I have to be in Littleton shortly. Investigator Hernandez?"
"Sir?" Megan replied.
"I understand the loyalty you may feel toward Sheriff Calvin based on your history. However, if you use Ranger resources to search out this mythical group, you'll be looking for a new job. Am I understood?"
"Yes sir," she said, her voice defiant. If Donaldson registered the resentment in her voice, he gave no voice to his observation. Instead, he nodded and walked out of the office.
Jason sighed. "Well, that worked out worse than I expected. Sorry about that."
Simon shook his head. "The man came here convinced he was right. He didn't want any inconvenient facts to get in the way of that. Not that you did much to smooth the way."
He shrugged. "Probably not, but I've never claimed to be a diplomat." He smiled and continued, "That's why we keep you around."
"Great. Thanks."
Jason cocked his head to the side just a bit and shifted his smile into a smirk. "It's not like you didn't know I was a smartass before today."
"True."
"What you said about him coming here convinced? For what it's worth, that fits with what I heard," Megan said.
"Oh?" Jason replied.
Megan recounted the conversation with Mal.
Jason laughed. "Now I get it. Consummate politician, unless the masses aren't looking."
"Pretty much. And he'll say whatever will make those masses feel better, even if it's utter bullshit," Megan said. "I know he's the boss and all that, but…"
"But he's the reason Chu's been needed and is running your boys all over town."
She nodded. "Probably."
"I wonder…" Simon said. "Guys, give me a minute."
** ** **
Simon ran out of the jail and toward the bus station. He wasn't used to running, his current job not really requiring physical exercise. That said, this was an emergency.
He wove his way through the crowd, uttering apologies as he pushed his way through the throng. The bus station was in sight by the time he laid eyes on the Ranger Commander.
"Commander!" Simon called.
Commander Donaldson turned. "Can I help you,
Chairman?"
Simon stopped in front of the commander, his breathing heavy. He held up a finger, a beg for a moment to catch his breath. Donaldson seemed to understand and nodded as Simon fought to get enough air in his lungs.
"Why not…put…Rangers…on the buses?" he asked.
"I told you, I don't believe in this threat that Calvin seems to buy into," Donaldson quipped.
"You don't have to…just put Rangers on the buses," Jason asked, gasping for air. "It'll restore confidence…get trade moving. There are attacks. That's fact. Why not just…deal with them as it…is and put Rangers…on board to deal with whatever…happens."
Donaldson looked ready to dismiss the idea, then paused. "You know, that's not a half bad idea. Let me think about it for a bit. That should prove that Calvin's full of it, too."
Simon nodded. "If he is, then you should…have proof soon enough. If not?" He shrugged.
"I'll consider it," Donald said, then turned and walked toward the bus.
The chairman smiled. For better or for worse, he knew how to get what he wanted from someone. It was all in how you framed it most of the time. Especially with someone like Donaldson.
CHAPTER 12
Simon walked to the Ranger Garrison. The sun had only just started peeking over the pine trees, still early for most folks. However, as he approached, he heard a voice barking. He smiled to himself.
The garrison in sight, Megan's dark hair and figure made her easy to spot in the mostly boys club of the Rangers. Simon walked up behind her and cleared his throat.
Megan turned and, after recognizing him, smiled. "Hey. You're out and about kind of early, aren't you?"
Simon shrugged. "I was at the telegraph office when this came in. Thought you'd want to see it," he said with his mischievous smile.
Megan took the paper and read it. As her eyes scanned the paper, Jackson Chu was barking like a rabid Jack Russell terrier. "What you don't comprehend, Johnson, is the fundamental difference between 'cover' and 'concealment'. You're hiding behind a fucking bush. All that does his hide you, which makes it 'concealment'. It's not even big enough to do a good job of that, so you will fucking die," Chu yelled.
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