Mercy

by Tara Ellis

  Sandy was currently doing an expert job of directing them, and was already organizing another workforce to do something similar at several other farms in the valley. Sort of like an old-fashioned barn raising, only for harvesting, instead.

  Ethan was glad to have a few minutes alone with Sam because he wanted to let him know about the disturbing conversation with Russell from the day before. He’d had time to process it while cutting grass that morning, and just laid it all out for him. Ethan chewed on a piece of straw while waiting for his friend’s reaction.

  Running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, Sam cursed under his breath before turning to look down at Ethan. His face was noticeably flushed, which was saying a lot considering his Hispanic complexion. “I’m afraid that poor excuse for a priest did get his information from me. I thought it was a confidential way for me to talk through some things. I can’t—” Sam stopped and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “I spoke about a lot more than you, Ethan. There were some heavy things on my heart regarding my wife, and I never thought my trust would be violated in such a way. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Ethan immediately regretted telling him. His goal wasn’t to make Sam feel bad, and there really wasn’t anything to be done about it. “Oh, jeez, Sam…it’s not your fault. I’m not mad at you about it, so you don’t need to apologize to me. I just thought you’d want to know you can’t trust the guy. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  Sam jumped down from the fence and began to pace. “So, we’ll agree that neither of us needs to apologize to the other. You know what? I feel the deep need for another confession coming on.”

  Ethan smirked, relieved that Sam was able to keep a sense of humor about it. Except he hoped he wasn’t serious. The last thing Ethan wanted was to be in the middle of yet more drama. “Don’t you think we already have enough to fight about right now?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at Sam.

  Sam stopped his marching and shook his head. “I suppose you’re right, but something needs to be said about Father Russell. Maybe I’ll corner Patty tomorrow after the barbeque. I think she’s on some sort of church committee. It’s a serious breach of etiquette that they need to be made aware of.”

  “How’s the whole indoor farming going?” Ethan asked, eager to change the subject. “Anyone come up with some other sites yet? I know Henry’s Hollow is big, but it won’t be enough for everything we’ll need.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” Sam confirmed, leaning back against the fence beside him. “It’s going to come down to a combination of existing greenhouses, barns, and a couple of caves. At this point, I don’t think it’ll be a lack of growing space that will be our greatest challenge.”

  “Water?” Ethan guessed.

  “Nope.” Sam narrowed his eyes at him. “Guess again.”

  “Dirt?”

  Sam laughed. “Dirt is the one thing we have plenty of. No, it’ll be finding an adequate supply of what we need to plant. We simply don’t have enough seeds, and with the acid rain already having an impact, I’m concerned what our success rate will be. It’ll be hard enough to overcome our lack of artificial sunlight.”

  Ethan was at a loss as far as having anything intelligent to add. “We’ll be working on our water problem here once the hay is done, but then Chloe and I should be able to help with the cave. At least, for a little while.”

  “Cleanup won’t even start for a couple of more days,” Sam said, kicking at a clump of soil. “We need to wait until we have a better grasp on what’s happening outside of Mercy before we get too many people tied up inside the mountain.”

  Ethan found it frustrating that they were having to delay important work because of Dillinger. He wished he could have thought of a way to sabotage him back when he had basically free range at the FEMA shelter. Of course, he had no way of knowing then that the guy would come back to haunt them.

  A rapid string of barks caused both Ethan and Sam to turn away from the fence. Grace came bounding across the grass towards them, tongue lolling. The retriever loved farm life and although she was constantly running around, had even managed to fatten up to a healthier weight. Ethan knelt down to greet her, only to be bowled over by the dog. “Hey!” he grunted as he fell onto his back, trying to fend off his excited friend. “Down, Grace! Ugh, that’s enough tongue.”

  Sam laughed as Ethan struggled, not offering any help. “That’s what you get for not taking her on a walk last night.”

  “I was busy,” Ethan muttered as he staggered to his feet. “I was finally beating Chloe at Risk. No way could I walk away from that.”

  “And who ended up winning?” Sam gave a wink, not expecting an answer.

  The sounds of an approaching wagon spared Ethan the need to make up any more excuses, and he smiled when he saw that it was Danny and Chloe. It had been nice having both Grace and Danny around the farm and he hoped they’d stay longer. He understood why she wanted to be with her dad, of course. He also knew how small Tane’s house was, so there was always a chance of the ranch luring her.

  “Think they’re ready for us yet?” Danny called out as they pulled up.

  Sam scratched at his head and gestured down to where Tom and four other men and a woman were gathered. “I’m not much of a judge, but it sure looks like they’ve got some pieces piling up.”

  Chloe grimaced and Ethan tried not to laugh at her expression. “You sure you want to be a part of this?” he asked.

  Straightening on the wooden seat next to Danny, she set her lips in a thin line. “Absolutely. I need to learn about this stuff if I ever hope to call myself a farmer, and I will do whatever it takes at this point to get me out of that hayfield.”

  Ethan noticed she was wearing her custom Star Wars tank top, and for some reason it gave him a sense of contentment. He’d given it and all of his other clothes she’d been wearing back to her, since most didn’t even fit him anymore. They’d come to a mutual understanding about most of it, except he still suspected she’d been using his toothbrush, though she passionately denied it.

  “Great timing!” Tom called out as he trudged up the sloped ground to where they were gathered. “If you pull the wagon up around the corner, there’s a smaller dirt road you can use to get closer.” His hands were covered in blood and there were flecks of it splattered on his jeans, making him look like some character out of a backwoods slasher film.

  “So long as you guys do all the loading and unloading, I am happy to drive this wagon,” Danny offered, smiling warmly at Tom even though her head was still thick with bandages and she looked like someone who’d been in a war.

  Watching the exchange, and the way his dad responded by looking away, almost…shyly, Ethan got the sense that something had changed between the two. He grinned. If things were going that well between his dad and Danny, that might mean a better chance of her staying there. Which meant Grace would stay, too.

  He waved at Chloe when the wagon started moving again as his dad led them to the other road. Ethan was cautiously hopeful. It felt right, all of them together again. Except he knew that just like when they were on the road, nothing was certain anymore and it could all change quickly.

  Sam told him they were basically in a wait-and-see situation. They were monitoring the radios, and the riders who continued on to the Pony Express station two days ago should be coming back anytime to give a report. Hopefully, after his dad’s recruiting announcement at the barbeque the next day, they’d have enough volunteers to get some good patrols going so they at least wouldn’t be an easy target.

  Meanwhile, Ethan was eager to move forward. He needed to keep busy or else his thoughts had too much time to turn inward.

  “Break’s over,” Sam said, slapping Ethan on the back. “If we don’t get back to that field, your grandmother will have us slinging cow dung for the next two days straight.”

  Ethan watched Grace chase after the wagon before turning to follow Sam. He only made it a few feet before he paused and looked up at the clouds
to the east he’d spotted earlier. Sure enough, they were already changing. Much like the other threats looming over them, they were beginning to cast a shadow as they steadily crawled closer.

  Chapter 14

  DANNY

  Main Street, Mercy, Montana

  Danny had no idea what she was getting herself into when she offered to drive the wagon. Her head injury prevented her from doing anything too physical, so it had sounded better than lying on the couch. However, watching the raw meat loaded into the wagon and smelling it the whole way into town was bad enough. Then they had to help unload it and wash the blood out of the back afterward. By the end, she and Chloe had as much blood on them as Tom had.

  “Ugh,” Chloe gasped as she scrubbed her hands for the third time. “I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to eat a steak tomorrow.”

  They were standing behind the farmers’ market, at a handwashing station that Patty had insisted be set up to help keep the area sanitary. Smoke from the huge smokehouse Caleb had built in the city square was already wafting through the town, and despite everything, Danny’s mouth was watering. “I dunno, Chloe,” she said, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. “I’ve always loved a good steak.”

  Mercy was bustling with activity as confidence was gradually being restored after the attack. The farmers’ market was back in full swing, and Patty had a horde of people setting up tables and decorations for the Fourth of July celebration-slash-barbeque. One of the working generators was out and rumbling away. Valuable fuel was being used to power up a large freezer unit to keep the meat fresh until the next morning. Danny was impressed that someone had gotten a freezer to even work, and assumed it must have been Frankensteined with various parts to achieve it.

  “Danny!” Tane called in surprise.

  Danny smiled before she even turned around, happy to see her dad. He was on foot and walking fast, not looking nearly as pleased. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  His step faltered slightly before he stopped in front of them with his hands on his hips. Chuckling, he shook his head at her. “Danny, you’re the one who was shot in the head yesterday. And here you are, already being put to work! You’re asking me if I’m okay when you’re bandaged up and looking like a mummy.”

  Cringing, Danny reached up absently to pat at the dressing she kept forgetting about. Way to make her feel embarrassed. “I wasn’t shot in the head, Dad,” she corrected while looking around to see if anyone was staring at her. “Stop making it sound so dramatic. It was just my ear.” A fresh throbbing in her damaged ear reminded Danny that she needed to stop at the clinic for some Advil.

  “Whatever. Your ear is attached to your head. What is she doing out here?” he asked, turning to Chloe. To the girl’s credit, Danny noticed she didn’t back away from the huge man.

  “We just drove the wagon with the meat in it, Mr. Latu,” Chloe said innocently, failing to mention the physically taxing unloading they’d been roped into. Tom had stayed behind to finish butchering the rest of the cow, and then load it into the second wagon. They thought there’d be more help on the other end.

  “Oh! So you’re the ones who hijacked my wagon,” he said, his grin returning. “That’s why I’m here, actually. We’re getting further behind on the water by the hour, especially with so many people coming into town tomorrow. They’re going to want to fill up before going home. Where’s the wagon?”

  “City square,” Danny said, gesturing to the nearby, large grassy area outside City Hall. “It’s already been washed out and is ready to go. Sorry, Dad, we should have brought it back out to you.”

  Tane raised a meaty hand and waved her off. “Are you kidding? If this means I get to cut into a large chunk of meat tomorrow, I’ll work twice as long moving water between now and then.”

  It was Danny’s turn to frown as he walked away.

  “What’s his meds situation like?” Chloe asked, correctly interpreting Danny’s concern.

  “Only a couple doses left,” Danny replied absently, still watching him as he crossed the street and made his way into the courtyard. She turned thoughtfully to Chloe. “Once the watershed was done being built and the supply train all figured out, it’s been primarily handled these past few days by my dad and a handful of other volunteers. I know he doesn’t mind, and it’s actually a great way to keep him busy. He’s always been happiest when he has too much to do, which is one of the reasons he had a heart attack in the first place.”

  “So, what can I do to help?” Chloe pushed, again accurately reading into Danny’s dialogue. She hadn’t realized how perceptive the teen was.

  Danny grinned at Chloe before draping an arm conspiratorially around her shoulders. She was so much shorter than Danny that it was almost comical. “Patty already corralled me into helping her all morning with the cooking and prep work for the party. Plus, my dad would never accept my help. You heard him!”

  Chloe turned her head enough to look up at Danny, but she was smiling and didn’t pull away, so Danny continued. “As far as I know, there’s only going to be one other gal helping with the water run in the morning. Do you think you—”

  “You don’t even need to ask,” Chloe interrupted. “With the hay getting done today, Ethan and I will be free all morning. We’ll both go and make sure your dad doesn’t have to do anything except sit and watch.”

  Relief flooded Danny and she gave Chloe a squeeze. She admired the girl’s intelligence, as well as her work ethic. Maybe she’d end up recruiting her for the fire department. She had the right personality for it.

  The sound of another wagon jangling down the street reached them, and they both quickly scooted around the back of the booth they were behind. Danny was surprised to see Tom and Bishop so soon, though she certainly wasn’t disappointed. Maybe, if they finished unloading fast enough, they could get back to the farm in time to eat dinner together. She’d heard a rumor from Sandy that they would set aside a small amount of meat. Her mouth watered again.

  Before anyone could call out a greeting, Sheriff Waters came running up in a hurry, pushing around a couple in the road and causing some inquisitive looks from some bystanders. “Tom! Do you have your radio on?”

  Tom yanked the radio off his belt and twisted the dial. “No, the battery was almost dead, so I turned it off during the ride into town. What’s up?”

  “Sheriff, do you read? What should we do? Over.”

  The voice squawking over the radios was high-pitched and clearly stressed. Any feeling of contentment Danny had evaporated in an instant. It could be anything, of course, from someone falling off a ladder to an all-out attack, but she knew instinctively that it was something significant.

  “Soldiers,” Waters said without any preamble. “At the north gate. Not sure how many.”

  Tom leapt down from the wagon and keyed up the radio. “How many, and what’s your situation?” There were a few seconds of silence before he got a response.

  “We’ve got six armed soldiers and a couple of…civilians. Guy named Hicks says Bishop will want to see him.”

  Danny felt uneasy as Bishop jumped down next to Tom, who was eying him suspiciously. Chloe gasped at the same time and took a step in their direction.

  “Hicks is the other counselor!” Chloe exclaimed. “The one who left our hiking group to go find the other kids.”

  Danny could tell by Bishop’s expression that there was a whole lot more going on. He took the radio from Tom’s hand without comment and spoke into it. “This is Bishop. Hold your position. Let them know I’m on my way with Mayor Miller and Sheriff Waters.”

  Tom snatched the radio back from Bishop right as he finished the transmission, his anger barely contained. “You care to fill us in on what we’re walking into?”

  “Hicks wouldn’t lead anyone here if it wasn’t safe,” Bishop said.

  Unsatisfied with the explanation, Tom took a step closer to him. “I want to know who he is, and why the hell he’s led a group of soldiers to my town!”

&
nbsp; People nearby were beginning to take notice and stopping to listen. Danny cautiously moved in between the two men and set a hand on Tom’s arm. “I think we should trust him,” she said quietly, glancing around at the onlookers. “We have to trust someone, Tom.”

  “Hicks is a captain in the US Army,” Bishop whispered, so that only those closest to him could hear. “I have no idea who’s with him, but if he’s here, it’s important, and we’re going to want to at least talk to him.”

  “I’ve already got one of my deputies on his way here,” Sheriff Waters said. “How about the four of us go see who’s knocking?”

  “Five,” Danny corrected.

  “Six,” Chloe said, moving closer to Danny. “And don’t even try to tell me to go home,” she added, before Tom or Bishop could give her the order. “I know Hicks. He was kind of a jerk, but I don’t think he’d hurt anyone.”

  Bishop scoffed, and everyone visibly relaxed slightly, including Danny. “Chloe’s right on both counts,” he confirmed.

  Tom still looked irritated, but he reclipped his radio and gestured up the road with his head. “All right. I don’t see that we have much of a choice. Let’s go.”

  Danny smiled reassuringly to the couple of people lingering near them, and she didn’t notice anyone following as they walked together up Main Street. Her stomach was in knots, and didn’t improve after the sheriff’s deputy joined them with an additional rifle. Since Tom and Bishop already had theirs, she took the extra. However, if there were really soldiers at the gate, Danny doubted any of their weapons would do much compared to automatic rifles.

  It didn’t take long to travel the mile to where the road was barricaded at the northern end of Mercy. The buildings thinned out fast and what houses lined the street were spread out over several-acre lots. The roadblock was closer there than the one to the south, as the north road didn’t lead directly to any other towns. It was very rarely used by anyone trying to gain entry into Mercy.