by Cooper, DJ
She sat stoic taking in the scene. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel, but more that it felt unreal. Speaking to no one she got up and walked to where the picnic table once sat. “We’re in over our heads.” Squatting with her head in her hands she cried.
Matty remained on the rock holding onto Ariel who cried although she didn’t know why. She cried because Mimi cried, and it made her sad.
Ryan arrived taking in the scene, he looked at Matty and tousled his hair nodding to him. He walked over and tapped Dez on the shoulder. She raised her head and looked at him with tears streaking the dirt on her face. Squatting beside her he touched her cheek wiping the tears away. She sat blankly looking at him as he gently wiped her face. “What’s this?”
The tears began again as she looked at him. No words only the tears rolling down her cheeks. He reached down and lifted her to her feet, steadying her in his arms. He spoke softly. “It’s alright, no one was seriously hurt.” Motioning to Matty to follow and bring Ariel he walked her to the barn.
Most of the damage was to the outside of the barn, inside there was little indication as to the hit. Other than some light coming through and some dust it was structurally sound. Jeremy and Connor were already gathering the wood to fix it. While Janice was cleaning up what little debris that was inside.
Ryan sat Dez on the sofa as he headed to the kitchen to get her something to drink. Janice came over and waved him off. He already knew better than to get into her kitchen. A few moments later she returned with two glasses bearing an amber liquid. He looked at her as though asking and she simply nodded. He took them and offered one to Dez who just looked away. Shrugging at Janice he was at loss for what to do, he just wasn’t good at this girl stuff.
Janice walked over and took the glass from him shoving it at Dez. She looked up at her as she stood over her as a mother would to a child whom had just been caught misbehaving. Janice nodded her head at her. “Drink up girl, you’re gonna need it!”
Dez took a big gulp and choked a little sputtering. “What the hell Janice? I thought it was mead, where did you get amaretto?”
Grinning at her she said, “I made it. Well… Tawny and I made it.”
Swallowing the rest, she handed the glass back and nodded for another. Wiping her mouth, she made a half smile. “I should’ve known.”
Ryan sat quietly sipping his own glass waiting for the ladies to finish talking. When Janice walked back for more he asked, “feeling better?”
Dez looked down, “I feel so defeated, I’ve felt this way for a few days now. Everyone looks to me to know the answers and I don’t have them. Sometimes I have no idea what to do.”
Ryan nodded, “I know, I feel like that too sometimes. I didn’t ask to lead the militia but somehow I was thrust into the spot and all I can do is hope I don’t screw it up.”
She looked down tears welling up in her eyes. Swiping at her face she tried to stifle them. “How can I protect them from that?”
“You don’t need to protect them, just lead them.” Reaching out and touching her hand, he held it. He loved her. This he knew but would never tell her. She had too much now to deal with, he just wanted to be by her side.
Janice arrived with the second glass and handed it to her. She quickly pulled her hand from under his and took the glass. Janice glanced at Ryan and winked as she turned and left to return to clean up the debris.
They sat and talked about their next move while sipping their drinks. Standing by the table, they’d gotten a map out and began to assess the area. Ryan pulled out the radio calling for Jeremy and Sam to come and locate the areas where they were firing from. The map was all of eastern Kentucky. Placing red X’s on the known areas of camps, with circles for other opposition like the gangs and rogue militia, using orange for resources held by these. Known allies were blue while the big farms were labeled green. Still an ally but also a resource, other resources were green, and towns held by the constitutional militias were purple.
Quickly they began to piece together the sector. The farm sat directly in the middle of a rich coal vein and was a large working farm and was therefore classified a resource which would be given priority protection. As Sam and Jeremy began to add marks to the map others filtered in from around the farm.
Some had a few cuts and bruises, but amazingly no one was seriously hurt. John walked in with Amy who went to sit next to Dez asking her. “Are you ok?”
Dez nodded that she was. “You?”
Amy reached over and hugged her. “Everyone is fine.”
“Thank God!”
Each person was asked if they had any information to add to the map and Aaron recalled amazing amounts of information about the area. He’d been stuck doing the patrols for nearly two months and had seen much of the area’s resources, strengths and weaknesses.
When they were finished Ryan asked Dez to come to town the next day with Aaron, so they could work on the area information with some of the others in the area. She agreed and began to head outside.
“Oh, and can I keep this map?”
She laughed and opened the drawer of the sofa table where a handful more of the same map sat.
“Where did you get all these.”
She looked at him furrowing her brow, “Have you never been to a rest area?” He raised his eyebrows in shock. “I have maps for most of the surrounding states as well. Need any?”
He smiled at her shaking his head side to side and half laughing. “Yes, that would be great.”
She went to the trunk behind the sofa and opened it where there were dozens of maps for each state. Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina. Looking up from the piles he grinned. “Is there any you don’t have?”
“Yea, California…Didn’t figure we’d need it that far.” Shuffling though the pile as she spoke. "There’s one in here for Alaska though.”
“You collected these from rest areas?”
“Yep.” She grinned at him. “I’m all about the freebies.”
“I had no idea.”
“Not all of them have them. Seemed like I often found them at the welcome center ones.”
“We need to pass this information to the other militias. I’m sure some people know but I’d bet most don’t.”
“With GPS people quit using maps. They just sat there collecting dust. I always wondered… What if GPS doesn’t work and made sure the kids collected them too.”
“You are full of surprises, I’ll give you that.”
Dez just smiled and continued out the door. Grabbing another glass of the amber liquid on the way. Outside it was sunny and she felt renewed. The events over the past few weeks had become overwhelming in that so much of what she’d thought about things turned out to be wrong. She knew Matt wanted money but had no idea about Morgan or the depths he would go to. Having been shot she was still not fully recovered. She’d had no clue about the camps or that George would go so far as to attack them. She sat on the rock across from the barn thinking about the world around her.
The war was on their doorstop, she wished Roger and Ray would come back. She’d not realized how much she’d relied on them for insight.
The next day at the sheriff’s office in town, there were people milling about, each offering information on their own areas. Places of safety, hotspots, resources and issues. By the time Dez and Aaron arrived the map was covered in marks, hung from a board with pins marking locations. A hub of information for the entire area that was now to be the central command location for the militia and constitutional military.
They set up a military command center in the city hall and an aid station at the high school. The militia continued to use the sheriff’s office and then collaborated with the military leaders for the sector. It all seemed organized but terrifying. Dez looked around eyes wide and asked Ryan. “How did all this come to fall in our area?”
“We sit somewhere around the middle of the eastern part of the state. We don’t have a gang presence here that has taken o
ver parts of the town. And for the most part the town is still standing, which seems to be an issue.”
“I still don’t understand, Richmond is so much bigger and well equipped.”
“Richmond is too close to Lexington.” A voice came booming from behind her.
Turning wide eyed she saw Roger and behind him stood Ray. Reaching out as though he would shake her hand, she bypassed it and wrapped her arms around his neck, exclaiming. “I’m so glad you’re both ok.” Stepping back to regain her composure she shot them questions rapid fire. “Where have you been? How long have you been back? Did you find out anything? Oh goodness, I can’t wait to tell the others…” She continued trailing off talking more to herself.
Startled she looked up when Roger reached out for her shoulder. “Woah now slow down.”
She smiled at them. “It’s good to see you.”
Ryan stood off to the side watching. The scene made him look away. He’d felt rejected, thinking Dez loved Roger. He stood looking down at the desk fumbling with some papers to appear disinterested and was surprised when Dez rushed to him burying her face in his chest with a hug he could only have dreamt possible. “I just know we’re going to be ok. Our friends are back and with them help.”
Looking up at him still pressed against him she smiled. He smiled back and brushed a wisp of hair from her eye. “See? I told you everything would be fine.”
Noticing the others observing the embrace she stepped back and tucked the loose hair behind her ear while clearing her throat and looking away sheepishly.
Roger laughed boisterously and slapped Aaron on the back. “I understand you’re the man in the know around here. Let’s go have a look at the security information on the camps you’ve been to.”
Ryan’s demeanor changed as he straightened up walking with a slight spring in his step. The men headed over to city hall to meet on the security information, while Dez and others from local farms and emerging communities sat to discuss trade.
Chapter 17
“The world now”
Change or be changed, right? And what we mean by that is that climate change, if we don't change course, if we don't change our political and economic system, is going to change everything about our physical world.
-Naomi Klein
The old Regent farm was decided to be the rally point for trading and commerce. A barter system had to be established or the prices would be out of reach for some. To keep everyone on an even and level trading ground prices had to be established. Initially everyone agreed that the head of each community would sit on a board that would decide if trades were fair. They called this the trade panel and Dez would be elected head of the panel against her own wishes.
As the weeks passed the war raged on as targeted attacks against the old administration and their camps continued. The more people they released the greater the constitutional army grew. They’d captured a member of the old Supreme Court out in Salt Lake City and the community listened over the ham radio as the proceedings against him for treason played out. A tribunal of states convened to handle the prosecutions as conspirators were found. Anyone found guilty of treason and complicities in the crimes against the country were hanged.
The first trial heard was swift, the evidence against them being the very papers Roger and Ray brought from the north. The directors of Homeland Security and FEMA were the first trials. They heard witnesses from the camps and testimony against them and they were allowed to speak in their own defense as was afforded to them by the original constitution including the bill of rights. No amendments were permitted under the provisional administration. They opted to abide by the original constitution and its bill of rights as ratified in 1790. Now being called the law of the land.
While some of the conspirators were caught and the prosecuted always ending in a decree. “To be hung by the neck until dead.” Just like tales of the old west. Others were still at large and continuing to wage war on the ever-growing constitutional army and surrounding communities.
Six months had passed with only a few skirmishes near the farm. Some had become complacent while Sam and Tawny remained ever focused on security. The war was rarely waged in the community, but George and his group of rogue bandits and fighters still hit farms and houses in raiding parties. For the most part all seemed to work itself out and life, while different was not at all bad.
Ryan came to the farm like he did most days. He and Dez had grown close and spent many afternoons together. This day was different. He looked troubled, Dez could see it in his look and his walk. He sat with her as they would do and said, “Have you been keeping up security and training on the farm.”
“Mostly, Tawny and Sam are kinda militant about it.”
“Ok, good. I’ll speak to them about it.”
He gave her a quick peck on the forehead and stood to leave. She grabbed his arm. “Hold it right there pal.” Coming around in front of him. “What’s this all about?”
Looking at her sternly, “All this time we thought we were gaining but we weren’t. They’ve been massing in California, the Northeast and up in the Dakotas. We thought we’d been cutting off the heads of this but its bigger. Much bigger.”
Her eyes went wide, she was scared for the first time in a while. She was really scared. “What should we do?”
“I don’t know but we’ve had reports of fighter jets bombing cities and towns, tanks and high-tech weapons.” Grabbing her arms, he looked at her. “Destiny keep your people on the farm. Don’t go to town and don’t go to Blackridge.”
“But we have to. We need that trading post and I’m on the panel.”
“They are targeting these places to keep us hopping. I can’t do my job if I have to worry about you too.”
Angry she put her hands on her hips and retorted. “Well I can’t do mine if you’re gonna be constantly worrying about everything I do.”
His look softened as he held her hands. “That day you were shot crushed me. I thought I’d lose you and I never got to tell you how I felt. Destiny please, all I ask is that you be more careful.”
She hugged him and agreed she would get some extra security. Also that they would begin to rotate the barter days and begin to coordinate on location transactions with each clan.
“Why does everyone keep calling them clans?”
Laughing she said, “it’s stupid, really they’re just picking on me. Amy started it and it’s been rolling on ever since.”
“Yea but clan?”
“Yea, one day we were sitting, looking over the farm and some Viking reference she made about her being Amy of the clan Laurel. Next thing I knew it was this big joke and now everyone is doing it.” Shaking her head she told him. “Ever since Aaron moved into the Fedder farm at the end of Redbow Holler, taking in some of the people out that way they’ve been calling themselves Clan Redbow.”
Ryan laughed and it was good to see him smile, she said so and smiled back.
“Well, I’m headed over to see chief Redbow himself after this.”
“It’s not cowboys and Indians silly. We are Vikings!” she said with her hands on her hips, chest out and a scowl on her face. They both laughed. He shook his head at her.
“Just be careful.”
“I will… Darling.”
Ryan stopped short and blushed, looking back over his shoulder at her as she giggled and waved running over to Charleigh as though she were fifteen. He liked seeing her like this. It was only a few months ago that she sat so defeated. Walking back to his truck mumbling under his breath, “Darling…” He smiled.
Dez went to a meeting that afternoon of the panel. It was called at Blackridge to establish a trade schedule. They thought runners with lists of offerings and needs from each community should be sent to one on the panel. All would be correlated into pickups and deliveries. This seemed to keep within Ryan’s wishes to keep her at home and the others from gathering in a single place too often. He wanted to avoid creating large targets of people together.
Arriving at the Sheriff’s office Ryan was surprised to see them and pulled Dez aside. “Go back to the farm… Go! Now!”
She looked at him in anger, furrowing her brow. “Don’t you dare tell me what to do. We came to get Jeremy after the meeting of the panel to set up runners to keep the families in supplies and trade.”
“I’m sorry but you can’t be here.” Looking up he saw Charleigh and the kids. “Please Dez, get them out of here! There is some chatter on the radio of an attack coming. This is the central command for the east side of the state. We’ve already dispersed most of the command personnel.”
Tawny came out from the office with Sam. “Let’s go, we’re done here anyway.” Jeremy waved at Ryan as he followed them out. “We’ve got them, see you later on.”
Nodding at them and waving he watched as they turned and headed to the truck.
Dez turned and looked over to where the others were standing and began to walk towards Charleigh and the kids. Out of habit looking left and then right as though it were a busy day crossing the street, she saw a rough looking man sprinting towards them. In his hand he carried something burning. Charleigh and Matty were at the window to the bakery but Ariel was on the tailgate of the truck. The man was running straight at her, not looking at anyone else but the child that sat legs swinging, singing and playing with an old cell phone. Dez bolted for Ariel snatching her from the truck moments before the man tossed a pipe bomb into the back of it. Tawny saw too and took off after Dez. She grabbed Dez and Ariel throwing them to the ground just as it exploded.