by Connor Mccoy
Sarah, now fully turned in her son’s direction, smiled awkwardly. “Guess I just have a lot on my mind. If this new army does show up, I just wonder what your father will do about it, and what he’ll ask all of us to do.”
“I don’t get it. Ask us to do what, defend ourselves? We’d do that anyway.”
“Liam, what if these people aren’t as bad as what your father thinks? What if it’s okay for us to go with them? Haven’t you wondered if maybe someday we can go home?”
“But Mom, we’re home now.”
“Not here. I mean home in Redmond. Home where we used to live. Okay, maybe not our actual house. God knows if there’s anything left of it now. I’m just wondering if we could have a normal life again. What if they have working washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, something other than farm and country?”
Liam frowned. “What are you saying? You hate it here?”
“No!” Sarah raised her hands. “No, absolutely not. With all that happened, I couldn’t be more grateful to be here and not running for my life on the city streets or…” Her voice trailed off. “…being locked up by horrid, evil gangsters.”
She leaned up against the back wall near the kitchen doorway. “I just want to know that this can change, that things can get better. I don’t think your dad feels the same way. In fact, I know he doesn’t. He’s never been able to. Sometimes he gets scary when he acts that way.” Her eyes met Liam’s. “Do you think if I wanted to leave he would let me?”
“I’m sure he would, but why not stay here with us, with me and little Conrad?”
“I know, I know. I haven’t decided. I don’t know whose this army is. That’s why I want to find out. And, if they can help us, I want to know I can leave without your father forcing me.”
Liam blinked his eyes quickly. He wasn’t expecting to hear this. His mother was thinking of leaving? This was insane. “Mom, I’m sure Dad wouldn’t stop you, but I think it’s crazy to want to leave. I mean, we’re all together again. Finally! I only could dream of this! Who cares if they have a few working appliances or lights or whatever? I’d trade all of that to have my mom and dad back. This is what I want, and you should want it too.”
Sarah cringed. “Liam, I want to be with you.”
“But you don’t want to be with Dad.”
Sarah tilted her head away. “You know we went our separate ways. I think fondly of him as a good friend, but…”
“It doesn’t matter to you either way. I guess that’s it.” Liam’s face twisted into a scowl. “Fine. But at least this time you can make the choice without involving me.”
He turned around, and now it Sarah’s turn to stop him from leaving. “Wait a minute! What do you mean by that?”
Liam spun around, the temperature rising in his cheeks. “C’mon, Mom. You really had to get sole custody of me? Not even tell me where he lived, give me any hope I could have him in my life again? Hell, I had to spend years trying to track him down. So, yeah, this time it’s all on you. You want to stay or go, at least now you’re not dragging me along with you.”
He couldn’t take it. His hand flew to the door and yanked it open. “I need to go outside for a bit.” He vanished out the door without giving his mother another look, to gauge what kind of damage he might have done by his words.
Chapter Thirteen
Nigel chuckled. “Is that arm still giving you trouble?”
“Screw off, Nigel.” Conrad realized he had been cradling his right arm for longer than he had intended. Yet, it was hard to stop holding it, if only to mitigate the persistent ache he had been feeling since arriving in Nigel’s store.
“Guess Doctor Ron took off part of your funny bone while he was at it,” Nigel said as he led Conrad through the doorway to the back room of the store.
Conrad took the opportunity, with Liam being gone, to shove his arm back in the sling under his coat. Father and son recently had arrived in Hooper City for another bartering run. Liam had parted to do a little shopping of his own, and Conrad eagerly allowed the young man his space. It also gave Conrad time to nurse his damaged arm without his son asking questions. “The damn thing sure is taking its time to heal.”
“All kidding aside, I’m glad you made the trip,” Nigel said as he circled a wooden bench. The back room was meant to be a small storage area for the store, but Nigel recently had added a small bench for resting and socializing, especially when sensitive information was discussed.
“I was going to radio you this evening, but I might as well tell you now. I was on the horn with someone last night. He ran into someone fleeing from up north. He had the whole story on our mysterious new military that’s trucking across the country.”
Conrad nodded. “Is that right?”
“Yeah.” Nigel placed a cup of apple cider on the table by the bench. “Sorry it’s not the Texas bourbon I promised. Turns out I got a bum lead on that.”
“I’d rather not be drinking right now.” Conrad picked up the cider with his free hand and drank.
“Anyway, this man, Jesse’s his name, he used to live in the Chicago suburbs. He got to witness firsthand what was going on in his neck of the woods. He lived in one of the refugee camps for a time. Some of the folks there resided far east. Jesse gathered a lot of info, and he told it to my guy Willard.”
Conrad relaxed on the bench while Nigel spoke.
“This is how the story goes. A couple of army units scattered around the hemisphere still had working vehicles, mostly boats, after the sun fried all the electronics. They set out to find one another, but it was very slow going. Along the way, they picked up units from other countries, European, South and Central American, some African. Not many Asian units, but a couple of survivors from Taiwan said the aftermath over there was pretty damn ugly.”
“Didn’t want to give specifics, huh?” Conrad asked.
“No,” Nigel said. “Anyway, a month ago the army finally came together. They called themselves the ALA, or America's Liberation Army. But it’s really a hodgepodge of a bunch of countries in one. Willard called it a regular chimera.”
“Chimera?” Conrad asked.
“It’s part dragon, part lion, part goat. You know, a monster that’s a whole bunch of animals in one. Something out of the Greek myths and all that. Anyway, that’s kind of like what this army is. About a third of the soldiers don’t speak English, and about a fifth speak it very badly. They don’t have enough translators to go around, so it’s a bitch to get the army to work efficiently.”
“But they’re working pretty good now if they’re swarming all over the country,” Conrad said.
“Yeah, and it’s a problem for us. The level-headed folks are taking on the cities. They figure since the cities are more reliant on supply chains for food and water, it’s easier to take those places. But out here in the countryside, it’s a different story. I wouldn’t call it paradise here, but we have managed to get on our feet, at least as far as survival goes. The ALA figure we’re more likely to cause a ruckus if they try to tell us what to do, so we get the meanest SOBs out of the lot.”
“In other words, they crush folks like us, so we don’t squeal,” Conrad said.
Nigel pointed to Conrad. “Damn right.”
“So, what’s the story with the actual U.S. government? If they’re not in charge anymore, who’s running this ALA?” Conrad asked.
“The President was at Camp David when the EMP hit. He did make it back to Washington, but by then the breakdown in the city was bad. It was basically a small civil war up and down the East coast until the beginning of winter.” Nigel sighed.
“Jesse didn’t know all the details, but he said even if the president, any of his cabinet, or anyone in Congress survived, not a one of them has any real power anymore. The ALA is run by a small council of officers, and God knows if they’re looking out for anyone but themselves. According to Jesse, discipline isn’t exactly an ALA priority, and some soldiers have been dishing out brutal punishment on the streets
.”
Conrad nodded. “As my Uncle Josh would say, ‘Now we know the lay of the land.’”
“Well, it seems as though the lie is that these people want to help us out. If they’re truly running a relief effort, they’d work hand in glove with us, instead of trying to crush us with an iron fist.” Nigel shook his head.
“But that’s not the worst of it. Willard confirmed that they’re coming this way. They came in from the north, then overran Redmond and Wynwood, and now they’re curving back in this direction. Now, if they’re taking Interstate 80, that will lead them to State Road 22 soon, if they haven’t taken it already. Hooper City will be in their crosshairs in a few days.”
“But my home will be even closer,” Conrad added grimly.
“I know.” Nigel shook his head. “I wish I could say you have nothing to worry about, but these guys are fanning out to get even the folks who are living off the grid. Still, you could pick up and make a run for it. It’s still easy to overlook a small group hiding out in the country.”
“Start all over again? Where? Nigel, I’ve got a small grandbaby who needs a home. Do I drag my little one out there among the feral animals, the numbing cold, the ticks or mosquitoes or whatever the hell is lurking in the weeds or the forest or the rivers?” Conrad braced his still weak arm. “Besides, it’s all I can do to rebuild my strength. I don’t know if I can take on the world like I used to do.”
The rancher sighed. “Besides, Sarah isn’t convinced this army is a bunch of bad apples. If they show up at my front door, she might want to go with them. I even could lose Ron. I know he’s been through a lot, given a lot for me. But I can tell he’s wishing for something better than just holing up at a ranch with just a few people, no town, no community.” Conrad exhaled loudly. “Damn.”
“You afraid Liam and Carla will leave?” Nigel asked.
“Not really. I’ve talked with those two. They know the risks if they leave and they don’t want to go for it, especially with little Conrad. If this group is run by a bunch of real fascists, they might take the baby away and raise him to be one of their little zombified henchmen.”
Nigel stared off into space. “Not something I’d ever imagine would happen here.”
Conrad raised his nearly empty cup of cider. “Few people do.” Then he drank the rest.
Conrad slowed his pace once again. “You okay, Dad?” Liam asked.
“What? Oh, sure. Just a little tired.” Conrad picked up speed, but he figured it wouldn’t last. Greater fatigue was turning out to be a regular feature of life for him, despite his efforts to build up his strength. But since they had been on their feet for the past three hours, at least he had a fair excuse.
I used to pedal a bike all the way to Wynwood, Conrad thought. I wonder if I could handle a bicycle that way again? He was becoming way too conscious of his shortcomings, and he hated it. Better to change the subject.
“So, find anything surprising for your boy?” Conrad asked, injecting as much cheer into his voice as he could.
“What?” Liam asked.
“C’mon, you pestered the hell out of me to go to Hooper City with me, so I figured you wanted to get your son something good.”
“Oh.” Liam put his hands in his jeans pockets. “Well, I did find something, but it wasn’t for little Conrad.”
“Well, spill it already.” Conrad laughed. “When you get quiet, I get worried.”
Shaking his head, Liam pulled out a gold ring with a sparkling diamond gem. Conrad stopped in his tracks and grabbed Liam by the wrist, hoisting the ring by the old man’s face.
“Son of a bitch,” Conrad said, “This is what I think it is?”
Liam swallowed before answering. “It is. It is, very much.”
Conrad laughed loudly. “Well, if my eyes and ears don’t deceive me, I think you’re finally going to pop the question!”
Liam yanked the ring back. “Dad, it’s not like that. I mean, it’s not what you think.”
“What’s wrong?” Conrad asked, “You got something on your mind.”
Liam sighed. “This…this might sound stupid. I’m scared to do this.”
“Well, it’s natural for a man to feel scared before asking someone for their hand. Although in your case, you kind of skipped over that step into the whole family life thing, so I’d think it’d be much easier now.”
“I thought it would be, too.” He sighed. “I don’t know. I keep thinking about you and mom. I had a little dustup with mom a few days ago, and it just brought up a bunch of bad feelings.”
Conrad put his hand on Liam’s shoulder. “The divorce. That’s what this is all about.”
Liam nodded. “I didn’t even know I had that stuff boiling inside me until I let it all loose on Mom. Damn.”
“And you’re worried that you and Carla might suffer a similar fate?”
“I don’t think it’ll end that way for me and Carla. I love her. I’d die for her, her and my son. But when I think of marrying her, I get these jitters. I don’t want to do anything wrong. I don’t want to mess up.”
“Mess up like I did,” Conrad added.
“No, not you,” Liam said, “It was Mom who made up those stories about you, trashed you to get rid of you. This is her fault.”
“Now hold on there.” Conrad released Liam’s shoulder. “I’m not going to deny that she hurt me mightily. But I can’t stand here as God is my witness and say I was an angel in that household. I didn’t do my best. Maybe we still would have split up. I guess we were both too different in our guts. But that’s not how you and Carla are. The way you two act around each other is like…”
Liam smiled. “Like what?”
Conrad shook his head. “Something really good. Just ran out of metaphors there. Grant an old man his foibles. The point is that you’re in the best shape I’ve seen a man with his lady to get hitched. I don’t believe your marriage is going to crash and burn like mine and your mother’s.”
Liam looked at the ring in his hand, then at Conrad. “Thanks.”
Conrad grabbed Liam’s shoulder again. “No problem. Now, how about we get going. I don’t want to be caught out in the dark before we hit the ranch. And you’ve got to rehearse your wedding proposal.” He started walking. “Now, if you want to ask me, I got some pointers that will make it sound lovely and flowery. She’ll melt in your arms.”
“I think I’ll ask Mom first,” Liam said as he put the ring in his pocket.
“The hell you say,” Conrad deadpanned.
Up ahead, a rusted, battered sign with a “22” against a dingy green shield emerged into view. “Almost home,” Conrad said with a happy sigh.
“Looking forward to checking the chickens?” Liam asked.
“Maybe,” Conrad said, though it was more likely he would collapse into bed not long after crossing the threshold. Camilla likely would fix him some soup and bring it to him.
Food brought to his room. Conrad bristled at the thought. It was like he was turning into an invalid. His condition wasn’t nearly as bad as his father’s when he had deteriorated, but the thought still terrified him.
As soon as they passed the sign, a lone figure quickly approached them from behind. “Hello,” the man said. Conrad and Liam stopped and turned around. The traveler, dressed in a flannel shirt under a heavy coat, walked up to them surprisingly fast.
“Afternoon,” Conrad said, a little wary. He fished his left arm down toward the gun on his belt. He didn’t care to be so suspicious, but nowadays it was rare to bump into somebody on the road.
The man was now close enough that Conrad and Liam easily could check his features. The man was young, clean shaven, with a cap covering a head of red hair. The traveler raised his hand, showing off a folded-up piece of paper. “This is for you. Just consider me the mailman.”
He shoved it near Liam’s chest. The younger Drake quickly snatched it. Conrad spoke, “What’s this about?” However, the man simply smiled and dashed off.
“What t
he hell…” Liam quickly opened the paper. He and his father read the paper.
“Shit,” Conrad said in a near whisper.
The screen door flew open. Conrad stormed through the living room. Camilla and Sarah were already in the kitchen when the rancher marched by the open doorway.
“Hey,” Camilla said, “what’s got your ass on fire?”
Conrad spun around, his eyes ablaze. Then he passed the paper to Camilla. She took it and read it. “We’ll be coming to your home in the morning. Please prepare to receive us. Sincerely, Captain Joanne Deaden of the American Liberation Army.”
Sarah gasped. “That’s the military you told us about?”
Conrad gritted his teeth. “Damn straight. Nigel told me all about them, and then all of a sudden someone on the road just hands me the letter like he was giving out mail from the postal service?”
“How in God’s name did he know you lived here?” Camilla asked.
Conrad threw up his left arm. “Who the hell knows? The bastards could have been watching us come and go. They sent out a scout to nail us just before we got home.”
At that moment, Tom stepped into the room from the side door, his shirt coated with snow. “Hey.” Then he spotted Conrad. “Welcome back. Trip went okay?”
“Question.” Conrad glared at him. “Did you ever see any visitors outside while you were out on patrol?”
“What?” Tom asked.
“Focus, man. We just got invited to a get together, courtesy of the American Liberation Army, and I think the invitation’s mandatory. They know about this house and that we live here. So, I’m asking you if you spotted anybody taking a gander at the farm.”
“Conrad, if I had seen somebody, I sure as hell would have told you,” Tom replied with indignation.
“You sure you’re remembering correctly?” Conrad advanced one step on him. “Might want to refresh that noggin of yours.”
“Conrad, stop it!” Sarah rushed to Tom and got between them. “What the hell is wrong with you?”