The Sanders Saga

by N. C. Reed

  “No, but it will work in a camp stove that burns white fuel,” Leanne told her.

  “Well aren't you two just a fountain of information,” she bragged and both twins preened at that.

  “And we bought two grain mills, both hand operated,” Deuce informed her. “Just in case.”

  “I bought some fabric yesterday, but it was mostly for making shirts or skirts,” Lainie added. “If we can find denim in a good quantity, we could make jeans and even overalls.”

  “Do you have a pattern for overalls?” Angela asked, clearly not expecting a suitable answer.

  “Don't need one,” Lainie shook her head. “Take someone's old and worn out overalls, cut them along the seams to separate them, and use that as a pattern. Works every time.”

  “Yes, it does,” Angela nodded, surprised at the answer and pleased as well. “Good thinking.”

  “Thank you,” Lainie smiled.

  “Do you have a machine?” Angela asked.

  “Yes, a Brother Dream Weaver multi-tasker,” Lainie nodded. “It will do just about anything, including quilting or embroidery. I love it.”

  “Oh my,” Angela sounded interested. “I've seen videos of those, but I've never seen one for real. They seem frightfully expensive.”

  “Worth every penny,” Lainie assured her. “Makes it so much easier to stitch straight, and faster than you can imagine. I've made...”

  And so Clay and the twins listened to sewing stories for most of the trip into Murfreesboro. They didn't mind though as it seemed Angela had finally found something about Lainie she could appreciate.

  -

  Angela Sanders was a smart and patient shopper. You didn't raise three kids on a farm by buying the first thing to come along. You couldn't afford it.

  But time was an enemy in this case, and Clay was quick to remind her of it. She would not be rushed, however, as she insisted that overlooking anything would possibly lead to the ruin of all. Rolling his eyes at the drama, Clay could only wait.

  The twins had discovered that most places had restored card service today, using dedicated land lines rather than depending on servers and transfers that relied on satellite. There was now a bit of notice being made in the media concerning the lost of satellite service, and one news source was even reporting that a 'solar storm' was to blame. That report had been on the net for less than an hour before disappearing, the twins noticed.

  “What are you doing?” Clay asked as Deuce sat in the back of his truck working feverishly at his laptop.

  “Wait,” Leanne told him. “Let him finish.”

  “Leanne, what is he doing?” Clay asked, looking around him to make sure no one was watching.

  “He's trying to hack a military satellite feed,” Leanne told him without any hesitation. “From that we may can get a look at-”

  “Stop!” Clay demanded at once, showing panic for the first time that either one had ever seen. “Stop right now, and disconnect that thing from whatever you're hooked to. Do it now!” he hissed when Deuce looked up at him. Startled, he didn't even think of arguing and did as he was told.

  “Don't ever do that again,” he ordered sternly.

  “But this is the perfect place!” Deuce objected. “Public venue, public Wi-fi still working. There's almost no way to track something like that, and no way to trace where the signal went at all!”

  “It will call attention to this place, though, and have Federal agents swarming here inside an hour and probably much sooner,” Clay told him. “That last thing we need is any kind of involvement with the Feds. Period. We need to be as far off their scope as possible guys. That means you do not try to hack anything under Federal control. Got that? I mean nothing.”

  “I have treated you two more or less as adults since we brought you into this, so I'm going to keep doing it now and trust you to do as I say,” he added sternly. “Don't try to go around me and do it anyway. If you do it could ruin us all. The last thing we want is to start this disaster off sitting in an interrogation room. Doing this violates the Patriot Act among other things. And I absolutely do not need the attention it would bring. Understand?”

  Neither of the twins had seen their Uncle Clay look even slightly alarmed before, so this was a sobering moment for them. Both nodded slowly and Leon closed his computer and set it aside.

  “Please don't do anything like that again,” Clay said once more. “We know what's coming and we're preparing. We don't need any more information bad enough to risk that. Do anything else you want, but not that. Okay? We clear on that?”

  “Clear,” they said in unison, very subdued.

  “Good answer,” he nodded.

  The two sat there for a minute, silent and still, until Clay looked at them again, smiling.

  “We may as well roam around and take a look at things ourselves. Right?”

  “Right!”

  -

  “Does this work?” Angela asked the sales clerk. She and Lainie were in a sewing store and had already bought everything they might need supply wise other than fabric when Angela had spotted the old treadle sewing machine.

  “Yes, it does,” the clerk beamed. “A real find, to be honest. Want to try it?”

  “Is it for sale?” Angela looked surprised.

  “Sure is!” the clerk nodded.

  “Then yes,” Angela nodded. A minute later she was seated before the antique machine, trying it out on scraps the clerk had provided.

  “Very nice,” Angela nodded as she finished. “I'm sure it costs a fortune,” she sighed.

  “Not as much as you might think,” the clerk promised and named a price. Angela thought for a moment and then nodded.

  “Done.”

  “Excellent!” the clerk beamed. “I have a crate it fits in for shipping. We 'll put it in there for you.”

  “That would be great,” Angela agreed. “My son is around here somewhere with a truck and trailer. We can pay for our purchases and then pick them up on our way out?” she asked.

  “Absolutely!” the clerk was willing to give this big spender pretty much anything she wanted.

  “Do you have any denim?”

  -

  “So,” Clay said, “what do you two think will be the hottest trade items, assuming that things are as bad as we think they will be?”

  “Batteries,” Leon said at once.

  “Candles,” Leanne said at the same time.

  The two exchanged a glance while Clay raised an eyebrow. The two were rarely ever out of sync with each other.

  “Rechargeable batteries will be a sought-after resource,” Deuce argued.

  “Candles will be more affordable and attainable than batteries, or the necessary equipment to recharge them,” his sister countered.

  “If I may?” Clay cut in. “Both are right. So long as we have the ability to recharge them, the batteries will be a hot item, but assuming we're right and the damage is so great that we don't see any short term recovery in our infrastructure, then candles will end up being the most plausible. And remember that candles, modern candles anyway, will be limited to available wax supplies. We aren't likely to run into any whale oil, either. Which leaves beef tallow, and that stuff will stink when it's being burned.”

  “Ew,” Leanne grimaced.

  “So, we need wax and candle making equipment,” Leon didn't bother making a face. “I mean if we're looking to make trading candles. Or even make them for ourselves.”

  “We do need to think about trading,” Leanne nodded. “If we never seem to need anything, that will be suspicious.”

  “That is true,” Clay nodded in agreement. “Okay, this town it pretty good sized, so. . .where do we go to get wax and candle making gear? And what else should we think about getting?”

  “A drone,” Leon said.

  “A dog,” Leanne said at the same time.

  “That's twice in a row you two haven't agreed,” Clay noted. “Should I be worried?”

  “We need a drone with a camera to use f
or reconnaissance,” Leon looked at his sister.

  “We need dogs to protect the livestock and us,” Leanne insisted. “Anatolian shepherds would be my first choice,” she added primly. “They can be trusted with the livestock, are protective of their owners and their land, and teach their young to do their job.”

  “I had thought about that,” Clay admitted. “The dogs, I mean. I hadn't considered the drone idea, but it does have merit,” he nodded thoughtfully. “Any other trade ideas?”

  “Fishing supplies,” the two said in unison, back in sync.

  “Good one,” Clay nodded.

  “Hand tools,” both noted.

  “Another good one,” Clay agreed, taking notes. “Axes, hammers, pry bars, shovels, rakes, hoes and so forth.”

  “Goats to eat grass,” Leon said. “To keep the yards mowed,” he added when both looked at him.

  “We've got a herd of cows and a good number of horses that can do that,” Clay reminded him.

  “Oh, yeah,” Leon nodded. “I was just thinking we wouldn't be able to use the lawn mower much.”

  “Could get a manual mower,” Leanne noted. “Attach it to a bicycle.”

  “Now that's the kind of thinking that might make some money if things are as bad as we fear,” Clay chuckled. “Get on that computer and see how many places might sell candle gear. And see if there's a hobby store that sells RC stuff, too. Then we 'll see about the hand tools and fishing gear. Oh, and look for second hand stores and flea markets,” he added.

  -

  Angela and Lainie seemed to have made peace as they informed Clay they would continue drifting from store to store in the huge strip mall they were in. Clay informed them of his plans with the twins and the women agreed it was a good plan, assuming they could continue to leave packages for pickup at the end of the day. Their one proviso was not to visit the large chain hobby store without them, which Clay and the twins readily agreed to.

  Thus began their own adventures in the large college town, in search of toys and tools. There were a number of second hand stores and they hit all of them they could find, including pawn shops. Some were of no use, but they did purchase seven adult and four children's used bicycles, stopping at a sporting goods store for parts and supplies to repair other bikes, including tire patches and inner tubes.

  Finding an old manual lawnmower turned out to be more difficult and they struck out despite four second hand stores, two antique stores and five pawn shops. Pawn shops in a college town tended to run more toward stereos, musical instruments and things of that sort. They did manage to find a number of good hand tools at one pawn shop, Clay making a fairly good deal for four axes, a chopping maul, three shovels, two garden rakes, a yard broom and a garden hoe. Leon found two decent quality hatchets the owner threw in for free.

  Next was a hobby store that specialized in RC type stuff. Clay and Leon had debated over whether to just buy a drone at a box store and had decided they might do that to learn, but for what Leon wanted, they went to a pro. The clerk listened at Clay explained that what they wanted and needed was something long ranged with a decent video that they could use to monitor their cattle with.

  “Got just the thing for something like that,” the clerk nodded. “Thing is this; it's expensive, and you've got no experience with drones, right?”

  “No, we don't,” Clay admitted.

  “Well, I can sell you exactly what you want, but you do not want to try and learn how to operate a drone with something this expensive. Also, operating drones is costly. You break parts, you lose them, you crash and have to repair them. I recommend you learn on a much cheaper drone before you start using the one I think you want.”

  “Well, show us both and tell us what we need to get started,” Clay asked. “You seem like a pretty honest guy, telling us all that. Set us up with what we need to do what we want, and with one we can learn with too, and clue us in on what parts to buy and so forth. We're not shy about spending, we just want the best we can get, and to get our money's worth.”

  “I can definitely hook you up,” the man nodded. “Lets take a look first at a learner craft, okay?”

  Forty-five minutes later Clay and the twins left a very happy hobby store owner behind having purchased three top-of-the-line camera drones, six much cheaper 'learner' drones that would also take pictures but not video (and could fly much less time on a battery charge), and copious spare parts, batteries, cases, software and chips, boosters to aid performance, controllers and every thing else they might possibly need, including a manual that helped them learn as well as a CD-Rom showing them a series of tutorials on how to fly.

  “That was a quick way to spend ten thousand dollars,” Clay noted as they stored the new 'toys' in the back of his truck and locked the cover.

  “We 'll be glad to have them if we really need them,” Leon predicted. “We can just fly that one really high right over the farm and look in every direction,” he indicated the expensive one with the video. “That kind of eye-in-the-sky will be valuable, Uncle Clay.”

  “I suspect you're right, Deuce,” he nodded. “All right, back to scavenging we go!”

  -

  “Hey, should we order some knives?” Deuce asked, looking up from his laptop.

  “We should have plenty,” Clay replied.

  “No, I mean like, to trade to others. Knives, machetes, stuff like that? Not to mention some throwing knives!” the teen almost drooled. “And a blowgun! Yeah, dip the arrows in poison? Would that not be cool?”

  “You mean darts, don't you?” Clay grinned.

  “Oh, yeah,” Deuce slowed down. “Arrows are for bows. Hey, we don't...” he broke off and went to typing again.

  “We have a couple bows in the family,” Leanne told him. “Gordy and Abby both have compound bows they hunt with I know for sure.”

  “We should get more,” Deuce said. “In fact, did any of those pawn stores have them?” he asked. “That's definitely something that will be a good trade item if things go as far south as we think.”

  “I didn't see any,” Clay admitted. “Honestly, the stuff we saw there is pretty typical for a college town like this. But we can probably find bows somewhere. Arrows as well. Might find some arrows that are cheap even. Should be able to find some smaller compound bows for you two if you want.”

  “We won't be kids forever,” Leanne crossed her arms, lips stuck out.

  “No, but there might be other kids some day,” Clay told her. “Those bows would still be there for them to learn on. Right?”

  “Well, yes,” she admitted. “I guess it can't hurt,” Leanne sounded as if it caused her physical pain to say.

  “What about the knives and stuff?” Deuce pressed.

  “Kid, where are you getting this from?”

  “There's a place on line that can guarantee delivery in two days!” the boy replied.

  “That's cutting it mighty close,” Clay noted.

  “Well, so long as we only order what's in stock, we can get overnight for twenty-five dollars extra, so long as we order by three. Today,” he added. Clay checked the time and sighed. One thirty.

  “Go ahead,” he told his nephew. “Get what you want.”

  “Can I have a sword?” Leanne asked suddenly, and Clay almost ran off the road.

  -

  “What have you three been doing?” Angela asked when she and Lainie rejoined them. “We need to start picking up our purchases, Clayton,” she added.

  “Just tell me where to stop,” Clay was agreeable. “And then what?”

  “We go to Hobby Lobby,” Lainie said. “Candle supplies and fabric, some assorted other sewing supplies. Any kind of hobby gear you might want.”

  “And then somewhere to eat,” Angela nodded from where she was sitting between her grand-twins in the back seat. “And no drive-thru fast food, either,” she added. “I want to eat somewhere we can go inside and be comfortable.”

  “Chop House!” both twins instantly cried. A local chain, it was a fa
mily favorite when making the trip to Murfreesboro. The last time had been when Gordy had visited the MTSU campus as part of their attempt to recruit him.

  “Yes, that will work,” their grandmother agreed. “But business first.”

  Which meant picking up a lot of stuff.

  -

  While his wife was away spending money, Gordon and his son and grandson made a stop off in town to pick up seeds and pay the bills that Angela had accrued the day before, then stopped at a local diner for lunch after spending the morning running down odd and end supplies. Unlike Clay, Gordon had thought of lumber and had stopped by the local lumber yard to ask for a supply of building materials, notably two-by-fours, two-by-sixes and four-by-fours to be delivered the next day along with several sheets of treated plywood.

  “Doing some building?” the owner had asked.

  “And some repair,” Gordon sighed. “Always something though,” he added.

  “Ain't it though,” the man nodded. “Be there tomorrow, after lunch.”

  “Sounds like a winner,” Gordon smiled. Once back in the truck Robert looked at his father.

  “Does it not bother you?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “Not telling them what's coming,” his son clarified.

  “No,” Gordon admitted. “They wouldn't believe me if I did. Just make fun and then try to have me committed. I'm not starting the apocalypse in a car headed for Downy's. Not to mention that warning them now would lead to it somehow being my fault when it happened.”

  “We know these people,” Robert waved a hand to encompass the town.

  “Yeah, we do,” Gordon nodded. “We know them in pretty good times, anyway. Any idea how some of them are gonna react when this hits? Especially if it's as bad as the kids think it might be? Cause I don't. I wish I did. I'd feel more comfortable.”

  “When the trucks stop delivering groceries, that's when you 'll see what kind of people we really know,” Gordy said suddenly from the back seat. “I read once that most stores only maintain enough stock for three days of sales. That's it. Stores with stocked warehouses are a thing of the past with all the new computer ordering and shipping and what not. So at any given time, most of these stores that we depend on to have what we want and need will have it for about three days.”