by Payne, T. L.
Maddie climbed back down out of the truck and walked toward the barn.
"I doubt they'll run," a male voice called behind her.
Maddie looked over her shoulder.
"We need fuel. Farmers like this usually keep a lot of it around, right?" Maddie asked as she turned to face Jacob's father.
"They'd have to, I'd think. It wouldn't be very convenient to drive one of those big boys into town every time you needed to fill up," Jacob's father said.
That made sense.
"We have to get back to town, but would you mind looking around and seeing if you can find where they'd keep the fuel?" Maddie asked.
"Sure," he said.
Jacob came around the corner of the house and stood next to his dad.
"You ready?" Maddie asked.
"I think so. I'll see you later, Dad," Jacob said, turning to hug his father.
Maddie thought that was sweet of him. She thought about it for a moment. She regretted not hugging her mom and brother. Life was so fragile now. You never know when a hug will be your last. She pushed those thoughts from her mind as she followed Jacob and Rank back to the truck.
"You guys stay safe out there," Jacob's father said.
It appeared to be all falling into place. Jacob moving his family to the Henson's farm opened up all new possibilities. In addition to the Henson farm. There was the Grayson's farm that sat empty, as well as Ron’s place. Between them, they could house a significant number of Houston's residents, specifically those who volunteered at the prison. They'd be the first to be offered the opportunity.
After dropping Jacob off at the Justice Center, Rank drove Maddie back to the prison.
"I am not at all comfortable leaving you here alone, Maddie," Rank said.
"I'm not alone. There are a dozen people with guns right there," Maddie said, pointing toward the volunteer guards. "Besides, it's a forty-minute drive there and back."
"A lot can happen in forty minutes."
"I guess you should hurry, then," Maddie said as she walked off toward the southern guard tower.
From the guard tower, Maddie watched the truck pull out of the parking lot, make the right-hand turn, and disappear. She had put on a brave face for Rank. But honestly, she was scared shitless.
"I'll relieve you, Barb. Go get some rest and grab a bite to eat."
The petite woman in her mid-thirties nodded and slung her rifle over her shoulder.
"How would you feel about moving your family out of town? At least until things settle down and the lights come back on?" Maddie asked.
Barb stopped in the doorway. She turned and looked over her shoulder to Maddie.
"The lights are never coming back on."
"All the more reason to get your family out of the city. Don't you think?” Maddie asked.
Barb appeared to think it over.
"Where?"
"This morning, Jacob moved his family to the Henson's farm. There's room there. There are empty houses—and food," Maddie said.
Barb looked out of the door then looked back.
"How soon can I move them?"
"If you stay put and help us secure the prison, Jacob can have them moved tomorrow," Maddie said.
"Deal," Barb said, without hesitation.
"Awesome!" Maddie said.
She wanted to pump her fist up and down and do a little happy dance, but it didn't seem appropriate. She waited until Barb shut the door before giving in and shuffling her feet in a little celebratory dance.
An hour later, Maddie spotted the FEMA truck pull in and make its way around to the building that housed the volunteers. Maddie watched as Rank grabbed a couple of guys and they unloaded the cardboard boxes containing the mason jars filled with homemade liquor.
Twenty minutes later, Rank's head appeared in the doorway of the guard tower.
"All done. I wanted you to have the key, to keep the volunteer's from getting thirsty," he said, handing her the key.
"I'm on my way to make our first payment to the white-shirt guy," Rank said.
"How much are you giving him?"
"One case of shine and three cases of MREs. We broke the MREs down already, though. It looks like more."
"What about the drugs?" Maddie asked.
"Not yet. We'll save that in case this doesn't work."
"Good idea. I hope it works."
"You doubt my genius?" Rank asked.
"No. It's not that..."
Rank reached out and grabbed her around the neck. After he rubbed his knuckles across the top of her head, he shoved her away, then headed for the door.
"Lord, Rank. I'm not ten anymore," Maddie blurted out.
She hadn't meant it to sound so harsh, but she was frustrated with the kid sister routine.
Rank looked back. His eyes lingered on her long enough to make her uncomfortable.
"I know," he finally said, then turned and walked out of the door.
Maddie watched through the windows of the guard tower as Rank and two men carried the cases to the north gate. The prison was surrounded by a double row of fence topped with razor wire. A concrete walkway separated the two fences. On the other side stood their new prison leader and his crew. One man used a key to unlock the first gate, while the other trained his rifle on the inmates. Rank and the first man stepped inside the gate and placed the boxes in front of the second gate. The man with Rank stuck the key in the second lock and hurried back outside the fence.
Rank nodded. He and the two men backed away. Once they were far enough away, the inmates opened the gate and retrieved the boxes. They disappeared into the buildings, followed by other men from the prison yard.
"So far, so good," Maddie said out loud.
Maddie heard footsteps on the stairs of the guard tower. She pulled her rifle tighter against her shoulder and flung open the door. A wide-eyed African American man in his early twenties stared up at her. She recognized him from one of her rounds.
"Sorry," Maddie said, lowering the rifle.
"It's fine. I’d do the same," the man said.
"Rank sent me. I'm your relief."
Maddie nodded and grabbed her pack. After reaching into a pouch on the front of her rucksack, she pitched the man an energy bar and a pack of jerky.
"Thanks," the man said, genuinely happy for the food.
"I'll have someone bring you some dinner in a bit, but that should hold you for now."
"Thanks, ma'am," the man said. "Thanks for everything."
Maddie nodded slightly, then descended the steps.
I hope he still wants to thank me after this is all over.
Maddie walked the fence around the prison and spoke with each of the six guards on duty. She couldn’t believe they were down to so few volunteers. She hoped that the ones who left due to the stomach issues, caused by the bad drinking water, had recovered enough to return soon. She was just crossing the parking lot to return to the guard building when she heard the sound of a loud vehicle. She turned in time to see an old military truck pull into the parking lot. Roger was behind the wheel.
Maria jumped out of the truck with a huge smile on her face. She pointed in the direction of the road. More trucks pulled in. One was pulling a trailer. On the trailer were several ammunition crates and two weapons racks with some interesting, large, crew-served weapons. On top was a scary-looking gun with several barrels that evidently spun around as it fired.
Maddie's face lit up.
"That should do the trick."
Now they had both the carrot and the stick to persuade the inmates to behave. Things were looking better and better as the day progressed.
"You guys are awesome," Maddie said as Roger hopped out of the truck.
"They said these damn things still work, too!" Roger said.
"Are those guys here to stay and operate these guns?" Maddie asked, pointing to the truck drivers dismounting from their vehicles.
"Yep. We may have to pay them a little something, but they're here to stay," R
oger said.
"They agreed to join us. I know you were looking to add people to the group. Well, we brought you some badass dudes," Maria said, waving her hand from top to bottom like a game show model.
"Come on down. The price is right," Maddie said, leaning in close so they wouldn't hear her.
"And they've got some damned fine merchandise," Maria said, licking her lips.
"Like those big guns," Maddie said with a smile.
"Those aren't guns. They’re SAWs—Squad Automatic Weapons—and the big gun is a mini-gun,” Maria said.
“No—I mean that guy's arms. I've seen guns, but those are cannons right there."
"I know, right? I handpicked him. Keep your paws off him. He's mine," Maria said, giving him a little wave.
Big guns guy strode over.
"Oh, my God. He's headed this way." Maddie said, grabbing Maria's arm and hiding behind her.
"Don't you have guards to supervise or inventorying to do or some shit?" Maria said, never taking her eyes off the man.
"Okay. Okay. I get the point. I'm not wanted."
Maddie started to turn, then pivoted and leaned in.
"Afraid of some competition?"
"Girl, please," Maria said, giving Maddie a little shove.
"You know you are," Maddie said, over her shoulder as she walked away.
Despite their rocky start, Maddie really liked Maria, and she was glad to have someone close to her age to kid around with. It was nice to add hot guys to the group, but she hoped to find other girls her age. She missed "girl time."
Maddie was visiting with one of the female guards in hopes of convincing her to move her family out near the cabin when Jacob returned. The ear-to-ear grin on his face said that he was as pleased with the way things were going as she was.
"Now that we have the prison under control, for now, I think we should discuss securing our neck of the woods. Lugnut and Rank are scouting out the location of what is left of those damn Jewells, but we need to find a way to make it safer for all the families around Paddy Creek," Maddie said as they walked the fence.
Maddie shifted her rifle and let it hang from its sling. She rolled her shoulders and attempted to crack her neck. The stress of the last few days had her shoulders in knots. She desperately wanted some downtime, but there was just too much to do.
"I have an idea, but after convincing folks to leave their homes in town, they are going to have to be taught how to survive without grocery stores or FEMA food distributions," Jacob said.
"I know. As busy as we’ve been, I don't know how any of us would find the time. Ryan can teach them gun safety and work on their firing skills. Harmony could show them how to cook over a wood stove, but the rest… I just don't know. I'm not sure any of us really know enough to survive, ourselves."
"I want you to go with me to visit a friend of mine. He comes from an Amish family. They usually shun modern technology, but they did trade for the use of a phone or a car ride to Springfield or St. Louis, now and again in the past. I did some work alongside John, and I think if we could find something to trade them, they might share some of their knowledge and skills with us. We could have classes to teach the town folks," Jacob said.
Maddie stopped and turned to face him. She felt that flutter in her stomach again. He reached down and took her hand in his.
"We can pull this community together and survive this thing," Jacob said.
Maddie slowly pulled her hand free and continued walking. They were silent until they reached the volunteer building. Jacob held the door open for her.
As she walked through the doorway, she said, "Let's head over there to see your Amish friend while Roger and Maria are here to supervise."
Jacob's eyes lit up, and a broad smile crossed his face.
Chapter 21
South Central Correctional
Licking, Missouri
Event + 23 Days
Jacob was standing beside the Humvee as Maddie approached. As Maria opened the right rear door, Jacob glanced over to her, then back at Maddie.
"Maria seems to think we need a chaperone," Maddie said, staring at Maria through the driver's side window.
"I said you need someone to watch your backs," Maria said.
"Roger and Rank insisted," Maddie said as she threw her pack into the back of the Humvee and snapped the barrel of her rifle into the barrel clamp by the steering wheel.
Maddie slid in behind the wheel while Jacob shoved his pack onto the floor and climbed into the passenger seat.
Maddie waved at one of the guards on foot patrol as she drove toward the highway. At Highway 32, she stopped.
"Which way?" Maddie asked.
"Take a left here, then another left at Highway 63. You'll make a left onto Shafer Road. I'll direct you from there," Jacob said.
They pulled off the roadway onto a private drive blocked by a green pipe gate. A man stood by a corral pitching hay over a fence to black-and-white calves. He looked up from his pitchfork and Jacob waved.
"Hello," Jacob called. "I'm a friend of John's. I wanted to stop by and see if he'd be interested in doing some trading."
The man leaned his pitchfork against the fence and turned to face them.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Jacob Rawlings. John and I used to work together building sheds over at Long's Construction."
The man removed a white handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his brow as he approached them.
The man looked much like Maddie had expected. He was dressed in a plain-looking white shirt, black pants, and a black jacket. Gray tuffs of hair stuck out from under his straw hat. His beard was nearly as long as Ranks, but his upper lip was cleanly shaven.
"John ain't here. He left for a job about three weeks ago and hasn't come back," the man said.
Jacob turned to Maddie.
"He never made it home," Jacob whispered.
"Shit," Maddie said, clenching her fist.
Everything had been going so well.
"Thank you," Jacob said, turning to leave.
Before he could reach the Humvee, the man asked, "What do you have to trade?”
Jacob stopped and walked back to the gate. He waited for the man to reach him before responding.
"We are trying to set up a new community over by Paddy Creek. We're pulling together to help the residents of Houston during this crisis," Jacob said.
"What's that got to do with John?"
"Well, you see, city folks don't really have the skills to farm and raise livestock without modern technology. We were hoping to trade goods for some farming instruction. We need someone to show us how to raise crops, especially crops to feed livestock. Also, how to cut and bale hay, raise cattle, and the other hundreds of things we need to learn to feed ourselves."
"What do you have to trade for this training?"
Jacob turned to Maddie. Maddie put her hand on the door handle, but Maria stopped her.
"I wouldn't. I'm not really familiar with the Amish customs, but I'd bet one of them is that men don't negotiate with women. I could be wrong, but I'd let Jacob handle this one," Maria said over Maddie's shoulder.
"We have…" Jacob turned back to Maddie.
"We have sugar, peaches, and shotgun shells to start," he said, not taking his eyes off Maddie.
"Just you," the man said as he turned and walked away.
"What?" Jacob yelled after him.
"You show up with those things, and I'll show you. You can teach the others."
Jacob didn't respond at first.
"Tell him yes," Maddie whispered out of the driver's side window.
"Yes. I'll do that. I can come tomorrow—if that’s okay," Jacob said.
"Be here before the rooster crows," the man said.
"Yes, sir. I'll be here."
Jacob looked queasy as he got back into the Humvee.
"That went well," Maddie said, a huge smile on her face.
Jacob turned his head and offered her a forced smile
. She wasn't sure which part of the agreement had elicited his reaction. Was it the work or the being up before the chickens? She wanted to laugh but thought better of it.
He didn't say much on the drive back to the prison. Maddie was anxious to get home and tell her mom that they would be learning skills from a real Amish person.
Although she was thrilled that they would be learning skills they'd need to grow their own food, and likely other things that would make life a little easier around the home, she was upset that sugar was on the bartering list. Lugnut would likely protest shotgun shells being on there as well. But they needed to learn those skills. It was a necessity to survive long-term.
They'd no more than pulled into the parking lot of the prison when Roger and Rank stopped them.
"Took you long enough. We need to get back to the cabin," Rank said.
Maddie reached down and opened the driver's door and started to step out.
"You too," Roger said.
"I need to stay here and…"
"Todd's back. He and the two guys Maria and I brought back from Fort Leonard Wood can oversee things while we run home and make sure things are okay at the cabin. We can check in on Jacob's family on the way," Rank said as he tossed his pack into the back, opening the back door and climbing in.
"I want to talk to Todd. I need to know if he's heard when the governor will be sending those damn buses," Maddie said.
"You aren't gonna like his response to that question," Rank said.
Maddie glared at him and headed toward the volunteer's building.
"Last I saw him, he was over by the south guard tower. But don't kill the messenger, Maddie," Rank said.
She pivoted on her right foot, turned, and headed toward the south tower. She gritted her teeth so hard that by the time she reached Todd, her jaw hurt.
Todd threw up a hand. The grin on his face slowly faded as Maddie approached him.
"What's wrong, Little Bit?" Todd asked.
Maddie's stomach clenched. That had been the nickname Ron had given her when she was little.
She drew in a deep breath, exhaled, and pushed the images of Ron's last moments from her mind.
