by Cooper, DJ
The weather was cold for the Kentucky hills dipping into the upper thirties, low forties at night but the days could rise into the sixties making the January weather feel almost balmy to the northerners. Cold frames were still in use for some of the winter hearty crops, but the biggest task was the tilling of the main garden area. They wouldn’t be able to plant for months but it would take some work to dislodge the sod and prepare the soil. The chickens and goats were fine in the pens that Mark and John had built them. The community was growing in its ability to be self-sustaining, but it still needed to trade for other goods.
As the weeks passed, life seemed to settle into a routine. Winter would soon be over, and they planned for spring planting. Trading began with the surrounding neighbors. The group had foreseen many needs and stocked a number of needed items but one of the most popular was Tawny’s honey mead. Bringing them to the realization that they would need much more honey. Danny and Loel were busy building bee hives in preparation for the spring when the bees would swarm. Laurie, Janice and Julie were fast becoming friends and discovering some of the wild root edibles on their hikes and making note of areas of berries and other useful medicinal plants.
Dez sat in the sun watching as the community buzzed about her, marveling at how they’d come together and created this family. Rita and Rich had come in feeling like outsiders and were now taking on jobs of their own while Aaron just fell right back into the security detail with Jeremy. The kids all played in the yard of the barn while Charleigh and Toni watched over them like mother hens.
Amy who’d been shot in the leg and was also being forced to remain in the kids area doing small tasks that didn’t require she be up on her leg. Both her and Dez were nearly healed but the shot had left her with a limp. Dez looked over at her and smiled. “I’m so glad you and John are here.”
Amy looked back at her like she’d said something strange. She smiled and nodded saying, “I don’t think we could have made it in the north. It is I that is glad he had you as a friend.”
Dez looked away saying nothing. Amy realizing that John was Matt’s friend stuttered. “I ma… mean, ummm.”
Dez looked at her and smiled, “It’s ok, I know what you meant. He’s been gone nearly two months now and I’m honestly not really upset. I’m glad to have all of you here.” Pointing to the garden area where Rita and Rich were working. “See there? Rita would never have been a valued person in my life before now, nor you and John. All things happen for a reason and I believe that you all are the reason. I’ve found out many things about many people that I’d had no idea about. What’s happened is terrible but I’m grateful for the chance to get to know everyone on a more visceral level.”
Amy started to speak, “Yea but Matt…”
Dez winked at her. “I’ve known about Matt for some time now. He was never going to be a permanent fixture in my life although he tried to wrangle my money and property away. I think I’d always known he was only here for what he thought he could gain.”
Amy looked sad as Dez continued. “I’m really not that upset. Well, besides being shot. That kinda sucked, but I’d always expected he’d leave once he found out there was no money for him.”
“Really? Wow, doesn’t it make you mad about Morgan?”
“Well, yeah… I will admit I had no idea about that. I had no clue he was going up to see her and not Matty.”
“John and I didn’t really see him when he came up except the days he brought Matty to visit. When Morgan killed Kevin we couldn’t believe this was someone he was involved with.”
“Yea, well.. it is what it is I guess. I’m ready to just move forward and keep this clan safe and thriving.”
“Clan, I like that. We’ll call ourselves Clan Destiny. It’s your land after all.”
Dez thought a minute and nodded with a slight smile. “Clan Laurel from the heart of Laurel.”
Amy giggled with her and asked, “Why Laurel?”
It was my grandmother’s dream to have the family together on one farm. This land here sits between the two ridges with the bump in in the center. Both ridges come close together at the bottom where the stream flows out. From the aerial view it looks like a heart. I’d already named it ‘The Heart of Laurel’ after her.”
Amy smiled at her repeating as though she were a Viking, “I am Amy of the Clan Laurel from the land of the Heart.”
She and Dez giggled about it for a few minutes and continued making funny sayings up. Both sat enjoying the view, The Heart of Laurel was a family and working together to thrive.
Watching as Danny and Julie came walking over Dez waved to them and smiled. Even if tomorrow brought more gangs, today they were all happy. Danny walked up and asked if he could talk to Dez. Amy excused herself making up some excuse for needing more iced tea, that was actually lukewarm tea but still tasted refreshing.
Dez motioned for them to sit and asked, “What’s up guy?”
He looked at his feet shuffling in the dirt. “ummmm…”
“C’mon, spit it out.”
“Can you help us with my mom and Janice?”
Looking to Julie and back to Danny, Dez asked, “Why would you need my help?”
“Because they’re gonna be pissed.”
“Well, I can’t help if I don’t know why.” She said expectantly.
Julie nudged him and he fidgeted a bit before saying, “Julie and I wanna get married…”
“Oh?”
“Next week.”
“You don’t say. And why so soon?”
“We just wanna.”
“I see. So, what do you need me for, go talk to your mom and Janice. You’re both adults.”
“Well, they’ll insist we wait till spring or something.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“We just don’t wanna, ok?” He stood and walked to the other side with his arms crossed back to Dez.
She looked at Julie and her gaze softened as she spoke. “Would you care to enlighten me?”
Julie looked down and shook her head.
“Well neither of you have convinced me of a reason to talk to Laurie and Janice. It seems to me your minds are made up and you don’t need my help.” She said with a slight grin, knowing there was more to this sudden fierce need to wed. Pointing to the hillside where they were descending she said, “There they are, why not head on over and get it all settled.”
Danny looked at Dez horrified. “Dez she’s gonna have my hide.”
“And why pray tell is that?”
He again turned away. Looking to Julie for the answer she found none and shrugged her shoulders at them.
Julie began to cry, “I’m pregnant.”
Eyes wide Dez replied. “Oh… I see.” Looking to Danny, who’d turned around. “Your mother will indeed be pissed.” Shaking her head. “What were you two thinking?” Stopping to compose herself. “No matter… go do something and I’ll talk to them.”
Danny began to thank her, and she pointed to where they were approaching saying, “shoo, now git.”
Laurie and Janice came over to sit with Dez and asked what was up with Danny and Julie. Dez just shrugged and smiled, tilting her head a little to look at them. “It’s nice they’ve been hanging out, there really isn’t anyone else their age here.”
Janice just grunted and wasn’t really listening until Dez said, “They make a cute couple, don’t you think?”
Janice looked up at them and then to Dez. “Wha? Wait, who does.”
“Danny and Julie.” She giggled a little.
Laurie looked at the young people wistfully. “Yea, I see them working together and sometimes I hope for Danny, so lucky to have such a quality girl as Julie.” Looking over to Janice who took on a look like she was cornered.
Dez burst out laughing. “I just can’t.”
Laurie looked confused raising her eyebrows. “Can’t what?”
“Sit here and have this conversation with you two.”
Janice sat straighter and
looked back and forth from Danny and Julie to Dez. “What do you mean?”
Dez shook her head and looked at them hard. “Now, hear me out before you flip.”
The two started to object but Dez put her hand up. The both nodded and waited for her to tell them what she had to say. “Danny and Julie want to marry.”
She waited a moment for the objections, but the two women just sat blankly staring at her. “Next week.”
Janice gasped, “She’s only just turned eighteen.”
Dez quieted them and continued. “They’d like your blessing and my personal feeling on the matter is that you should give it. We’ve had a rough couple of months. Think about it Danny nearly died crossing the country and Julie barely made it here. I think their need to have the adult life stems from the adult situations they are and will be in. None of us know if we will be here tomorrow.” Raising her shirt to expose her wound. “I think if you don’t they will run off and do it anyway. They’ve had a tough time. Let them have this.”
Laurie looked at Janice who smiled at her and looked back to Dez and said, “Do you know that Julie is pregnant?”
Dez was the one shocked now, she sat down. Furrowing her brow at the two of them. “You knew?”
“Of course, who can miss Julie’s morning run to the outhouse and vomit loudly routine?”
“Well obviously me, because until ten minutes ago I’d had no idea.”
Janice continued, “We’ve been waiting for them to come tell us.”
“They’re afraid you’re gonna be pissed.”
“Oh, I was at first. I was fit to be tied and spitting nails. That is until Laurie caught hold of me and made basically the same argument you did. We were both upset at their timing. But now we will look forward to our new grandbaby. That is if they ever get around to letting us in on their secret. They’re grown now and can choose for themselves. I only said that earlier to get you going.”
Dez looked at them a little longer and without a word stood to walk away. Turning back she said, “You two are downright rotten. Making me go through all that when you knew all along.”
They giggled at her and smiled. “Oh Dez…”
“What?” she replied angrily.
“We got us a wedding to plan!”
She smiled back at them and went to give them the news.
Chapter 15
“Deceptions”
It's the great deception in modern culture: Bad things call for noble names to cloak their evil outcomes.
-Greg Gutfeld
During the next week they planned for the wedding. Danny and Julie still didn’t know that Laurie and Janice had already known about the baby. Everyone was wrapped up in the festivities but never forgot the security. Patrols had turned up things that made them believe they were still being watched. The camp now empty and many of its men dead or wounded slowed the patrols on the farm. But someone was still watching them. With Roger and Ray in Texas the security fell to Sam and John. None of them could match the stealth and prowess of Roger but they didn’t need to at the moment.
No one had heard from Kimmie or Renee’ and Matt was still out there with Morgan who could still be alive after the wounding Dez gave her back at the infirmary. So much had happened in a brief time they’d hoped for some peace. While they hoped, Sam was sure something was brewing and kept a vigil watching for anything. Tawny became frustrated with his obsession with security and begged him to join the party. He finally agreed but not before setting extra watches in two of the trees facing the road.
Cory came to the festivities and brought news of more communication interruptions. Standing with a glass of mead they chatted about the radios. “I’m tellin ya Sam, someone is jamming the signals.”
“How can they jam all the signals?”
“Can’t say, maybe by satellite?”
“Who would have access to satellites and be jamming both ours and those at the camp’s radios?”
“I have no clue, but something is up. Mark my words.”
Aaron came over to them and shaking both hands asked, “what’s up?”
Cory told him about the interruptions. “I think we heard some kind of robotic voice. It just says the same one word here and there. Happened three times now.”
“Hackers!” Aaron said.
Sam looked at him with furrowed brow, “what?”
“It’s hackers. They had their mitts in everything. I watched a video and it had some guy in a mask saying stuff in a computer voice. They’re a bunch of hackers messing with you. Betcha!” Taking a big swig off his cup he raised it to them, turned and headed back to the food table.
Sam stood without words a moment as he considered the possibility then looked to Cory. “You think?”
Shrugging his shoulders, he raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips before speaking. “It’s as good an explanation as any of us have had.”
The evening went well and without incident. Ryan even asked Dez to dance. He was awkward as he approached and asked, looking at the ground and shuffling his feet. Dez had no mercy on the poor man and took a moment to consider it. Then laughed, “You know that’s payback for making me stay at the command tent.”
“Oh, I see… I’m never going to be forgiven for that am I?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but you’ll definitely not live it down.” She smirked at him and grabbed his hand.
As the evening was ending, Gary, who’d been part of Ryan’s team since the initial stages came over. He danced around Dez and Ryan trying to tap him on the shoulder. Dez seeing this stopped dancing and said, “Gary, I know it’s fun dancing but you look like you got ants in your pants. What’s up?”
“Sorry to interrupt but we found something up on the hillside.” Pointing to the western ridge he asked if they’d come have a look.
There was a small logging road that went up the ridge and they climbed onto one of the four wheelers and followed Gary up the small road. They had to climb the final few yards up a steep incline to an outcropping near the apex of the ridge. Dez was out of breath and holding her side as Ryan reached under her arm and across her back to help her the rest of the way.
Panting, “I guess maybe I’m not as well as I’d thought.” She stood hands on her knees trying to catch her breath.
Ryan smirked at her, “mhmmm.” But refused to incur her wrath with anything further.
Walking over to the outcropping Kimber and Eric stood beside what they’d found. It was a large cache of food and a note. Once Ryan opened it and began to read, horror struck his face and his arm dropped with the note in it as he tried to process what it meant.
Dez was impatient and snatched the note from his hand and began to read it. “
RADIO CODE:
FORMULA TO DETERMINE CHANNEL ON CB USE.
MONTH + DAY – 3…
“This is our radio code.” She looked up at them confused and then began to go through the box. Finding things that came from the farm. She stood holding a drawstring bag that had a picture of an elephant on it. Holding it up she shook it angrily. “This belongs to Dylan. I gave it to him myself when he was three and had a huge elephant thing going on.” Fishing through the bag she pulled out food and small utensils. “This stuff all came from the farm.” Looking up at them. “What it looks like is strangely familiar.”
None of them knew what she meant, looking at her with raised eyebrows waiting for her to elaborate. “We had an issue with someone stealing food and stashing it to leave. But this… This is different. This note has our radio code, watch changes, supply locations and even who sleeps where. It hasn’t been updated for a bit because the sleeping has changed but still.”
They took the note but left all else. Added a walkie left on channel eight. Everyone would be instructed not to use it except to share disinformation. Absolute radio silence but for the disinformation. They would use runners until further notice. This would be done throughout the day and they planned to set one of the watches with only trusted members to w
atch the location.
Two days went by with no action at the location. Just after sunrise on the third day a figure approached the location and could be seen going through the box. Connor was on watch and radioed to Dez. “Connor to Dez, we have a winner, over.”
“Do not engage! Switch over and listen, monitor for reaction.” Dez then switched the CB to channel eight. “Shift check, four hours to go. Over.”
Connor replied, “Post one, check. Over.”
Dez passed the walkie to a few others who repeated it. This now set shift changes to twelve-hour changes at noon and midnight. If they would attack it would be a likely time and they could plan for it. It had been relatively quiet since the liberation of the camp, but they knew it was not long term and there would be reprisals.
Still they had no idea who left the information. The men stayed at the outcropping for the evening and they carried out the watch change as they’d said over the walkie. This was done so that the men could observe it. Jeremy replaced Connor in the post that monitored the outcropping because Dez wasn’t sure who could be trusted and would only use those she was absolutely sure of. A few questioned the strange watch change as it was outside the normal schedule. It varied by the day; even days were three hours forty-five minutes and odd days were four hours fifteen minutes. That way the time was always changing and unless someone knew the schedule, which the note detailed, it would never be at the same time of day. Everyone was told that there was to be some trainings and they wanted to start off on a new schedule to get watches fresh and give those on watch first round so they could rest.