Charit Creek

by D A Carey

  “What about your buddies? How do they feel?”

  “I don’t know for sure. Early on, I confided my concerns to them. After that, Clyde started treating me different and giving me remote assignments, so I stopped sharing my concerns. Since then, they keep me out in the country on scavenging missions and run interference on any interaction I might have with residents that aren’t in their inner circle.”

  “That all has the ring of truth except for one part. How’d you know who we were and about the other women with me if you were in the field the whole time and the electronics gear is ruined?”

  “Some of the men weren’t handling the scavenging missions the way Clyde wanted, so he issued Midland handheld CB radios.”

  “Where’d he get those?”

  “They were part of the equipment I stored in the Faraday cage. When I saw that, I asked him about the other stuff. He said the other stuff was ruined and that he personally had been able to repair the handheld CBs. I checked later, and the seal on the back plate was intact. I decided not to challenge him and bide my time.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.”

  “I heard a lot of stuff they were doing to people on the scavenging missions and was having a crisis of conscience on what to do about it. I could intervene and possibly help a few, though I’d probably get killed or imprisoned and more would be hurt. Or I could wait and find a way to get news to Levi and your uncle.”

  “You did the right thing. Not sure I could have done it, though. I don’t have much of a track record for patience.”

  Gary smiled. “If half the stories I hear about you are true, I can believe that. In any event, I heard them on the radio talking about you leaving today in the Bronco and Clyde and some men following later. Then this morning Clyde was screaming mad about those two ladies joining you. He about had a fit, and that gave me a good laugh. He told some of the scavenge crews the route you’d be taking so it was an easy matter for me to find you.”

  “If all you say is true, then by now they’ll suspect you warned me. They won’t be talking much on the radio.”

  “Right. At least now I can get word to Levi and your uncle as soon as we get out from under this EMP blackout area.”

  “You can travel with us, but you need to understand that I’m a trust but verify kind of guy. You’re on probation with us. Sit a little apart so I can keep an eye on you, and do what I say. In a day or two, we might level load some of the passengers and supplies with you if we decide we trust you.”

  “I get it, and thanks.”

  “Let’s go join the others and get a bite to eat. Besides, I want to hear Christy and Mary’s story and see how it gels with yours. Do me a favor and only give short answers when they speak. I don’t want your experiences to color their story so I can get it straight from both parties and form my own judgment.”

  “Yes, sir. One more thing, though, Vince. Don’t forget that Clyde and some men are following you. I don’t think they mean to bring you cookies and set up your tent for you. If you saw anything you shouldn’t or those women know too much and Dave finds out, then Big Jim’s mini kingdom here could come crashing down. They mean to stop you any way they can.”

  “Noted. Thanks.”

  “No, seriously, Vince, these are extremely bad men and better trained than you know.”

  Vince made eye contact with Gary, using his cold blue eyes like daggers to drive home his point. “I can be a bad man, too. And I’m hard to kill. We’ll deal with them when we have to. Now let’s eat.”

  Gary laughed. “Reminds me of a scene from The Outlaw Josey Wales.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Josey and the old Indian with him were talking about violence and people he cared about dying or not being around long. The old Indian, Lone Watie told Josie, ‘I’ve noticed when you get to disliking folks they ain’t around long neither.’ That’s what I’ve heard about you.”

  Walking to the camp, Gary thought that perhaps the outlandish stories about Vince were true. One thing for certain, as of two minutes ago, he was one hundred percent sure that as weak as Vince looked, he’d rather ride with Vince than ride after him.

  << Dave >>

  Dave made the decision to close off Chartertown South Park. Many of the South Park chartertown residents had not made it to the town. After this much time, Dave didn’t think any more were coming. SOP-Town was running smoothly like a small town high in the Rocky Mountains. They had movies, power, and town activities. The school was even putting on a play for the citizens.

  When he met with the valley council, they finally agreed to close off the valley. Initially, his request was met with resistance. People held out hope of seeing trucks containing food, supplies, and military troops rolling through the pass at any time. They hoped the state police might come help and were concerned that fire or medical teams might need access. Some even held out hope for electrical and other utility workers to be back on the job soon, restoring power and other resources.

  Dave convinced some of the more levelheaded valley members of the fallacy of this thinking by showing them satellite pictures and reports from Denver and other western cities. While this valley was remote and off the beaten path, they’d had more than a handful of outsiders sneak into the valley to steal. The council considered the effort in manpower to patrol and set up checkpoint guard stations at all the access roads and finally sided with Dave in choosing to disable roads and bridges leading to the valley in such a way that they could be fixed relatively easy by someone with heavy equipment, yet not by roving bandits. Additionally, Dave committed to assign some of his own people to help guard the access route left open into the valley to augment the local police and guardsmen in the area.

  This valley was in great condition compared to much of the country and even the world. They had food and safety, and much of the valley had power due to wind and other renewable sources and the hard work of local engineers. If the comparative wealth and comfort were known to outsiders, it could make them a target.

  The valley council accepted Dave’s proposals to expand the weekend farmers market to run daily and allow people to barter for food and supplies, as well as his request for a census in the valley and welfare checks so that valley officials could help people struggling for food and warmth. If the people were elderly or disabled, a charity program could be arranged. If they were only poor or doing without, a barter system could be arranged involving goods for labor.

  While SOP-Town was Dave’s main focus, keeping the entire valley happy and fed only made sense and made him feel like he was giving back a little.

  << Robert >>

  Robert Lewis had been raised in Oklahoma City and spent his whole life in construction. He didn’t think of himself a country boy, a cowpoke, or even a prepper. He merely liked building things and was good at it. Landing a job at Cavanaugh Corp. eighteen years ago was a dream come true. He never expected to do anything more than build things, get paid, and have a little fun shooting pool and drinking a beer. He thought himself a simple man.

  Cavanaugh Corp. was different than any other place he’d worked. They soon discovered he was a perfectionist with an eye for detail and an ability to understand the big picture. On top of that, he was a natural mediator between what workers knew how to do and what the customers wanted. Despite his rough appearance and lack of formal education, they promoted him, gave him additional responsibilities, and he responded by being one of the best employees they had.

  Robert and his crew had been making great progress at the East Canyon Reservoir location when the power went out. They’d already dug storage bunkers and began erecting buildings. The crew were living in the mobile RV buildings, with the exception of the Suarez family, who’d come up to manage the goats and hogs. Building a small, basic spartan home for the six of them had been one of the first things on Robert’s to do list. Francisco wasn’t an old man even though he already had four children, three of whom were teenage girls. While Francisco wasn’t one to as
k for favors, Robert couldn’t stand thinking of those girls living in a trailer when he had the supplies and skills to build them a house.

  When the power went out and much of the equipment stopped working, all Sad-Town had was a single home, some RV trailers, some storage bunkers, and a whole lot of foundations, supplies, and a prime location. It never occurred to any of them to leave. They were comfortable and had work to do. They were in luck in that not all the equipment stopped working. One of the bulldozers and one of the excavators was still working, along with the Jon boat for fishing. Robert wasn’t one to overthink things. He didn’t know why they worked; he was just glad they did.

  “Cisco, how are things in your house?” Robert asked using Francisco’s nickname.

  “Bueno, Señor Robert. The solar panels don’t work, and we don’t have electricity. However, the well works, and we have an outhouse. Perhaps the kids miss their tablets and cell phones. We live good, though, like people did a hundred years ago. That’s not such a bad thing.”

  “I’m glad to hear everyone is fine.”

  “We have the goats for milk and the hogs for meat. We have plenty of forage for them. Goats and hogs are not so finicky as cows.” Cisco chuckled. “We can fish for extra food too. We will do okay if we can keep it safe.”

  “What do you mean keep it safe?”

  “Señor, this place is no big secret. Even if it was, I’m sure Salt Lake City and Ogden are getting crazy by now. Some people will want to escape to the mountains for peace and safety. This reservoir will attract people.”

  “I see what you mean. We don’t own the reservoir, though. We can’t tell people they can’t come to this whole area.”

  “No, señor. Nevertheless, people will see your supplies and our herd. They’re hungry and without laws. They may even see my family. We need to be ready to protect all that.”

  “I see what you mean. I expect we can use the remaining equipment to build some earthen walls and defenses. We have plenty of weapons and ammunition in the supplies, and my men can fight if we need to.”

  “Si. We should trade for vegetables if we get the chance. Perhaps some of the people who come up here will be good people we might choose to invite in.”

  “Maybe, but we’ll have to be careful.”

  “Si. It’s possible my brother and his family could come.” Seeing Robert’s face, Cisco hastily added, “I did not invite him. I would not do that, Señor, without asking you. It’s only that he too has a family and lives in Ogden working as a plumber’s assistant. He knows where I am and will want to keep his family safe. It’s possible he may come.”

  “If he comes, he will be welcome. In the meantime, let me talk to the men and see what we can do about some defenses. I may want to move the trailers closer to your home to circle the wagons, so to speak.”

  “Si, Señor. Bueno.”

  Heading Out

  “All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.”

  - James Madison

  << Clyde >>

  Not long after Vince and his crew left, Big Jim pulled Clyde aside. “Clyde, I need you to take a couple of men and follow that Bronco. They could be a big problem for us.”

  “Maybe so, boss. I know we talked about this, and I been doing some thinking. They’re gone now. What does it matter? They didn’t see much. Even if they did, what can they do about it?”

  “Don’t forget that Vince is Dave Cavanaugh’s nephew and he was poking around. He will put two and two together.”

  “I guess you’re right. Those damn women who went with him will talk. I don’t get the big deal, though. The world has come to an end. Dave Cavanaugh won’t be making any money off us. Why should he care if we run this place the way we want? Heck, we’ll sell him beef if he pays well. Besides, even if he does care, what’s he gonna do?”

  “I don’t know why he cares,” said Big Jim, frustrated that he had to explain this to Clyde. “He shouldn’t. The man is a freaking boy scout, though. He might take issue with us running off some of the undesirables. He was so emphatic that we follow the rules and set up that damn charter for him to approve. Hell, we put in the money. We created a town here outta nothing, and we’ll have the largest cattle spread in this part of the country. When the lights come back on, we can attract business because we will be the only stable place in the region. We’ll run this area like part old fashioned cattle baron and part governor.”

  “I like it.”

  “The federal government would probably love what we’re doing. It’s the only stable place producing food and maintaining law and order in this part of the country. They won’t pay attention to some pissant human rights issues or a little prostitution with everything that’s going on the country right now.”

  “Then why care about Cavanaugh?”

  “Because he has a small army of his own in Colorado and he cares about us. I met him, and I know his kind. He’d try and stop us if he was aware of what we’re doing. So we need to stay outta his sight and outta his mind ‘til we’re too big to stop.”

  “Okay, so what’s your plan, Big Jim?”

  “Vince and those damn women can’t make it to civilization. It’s that simple.”

  “Then why didn’t we just lock ‘em up before they left or poison their food or something?”

  “Too many people would know and trace it back to us. My preference would be that they get themselves killed without our help. That’s why I’m sending you to follow them. If you think they are going to make it across the Mississippi and back into civilization safely, then we need to take ‘em out.”

  “Okay, but—”

  “But what?” Big Jim said, losing his patience. “I brought you in to keep things in order and clean up loose ends. You didn’t have the money to join this place and had been in and out of jail too much to get accepted. It’s my money and your new identity that got you in.”

  “I know, Big Jim, and you know I’m grateful. I’ve done all you asked. Hell, I loved doing it.”

  “You loved setting up the cathouse.” Big Jim snickered. “Your sacrifices are appreciated, though,” Big Jim said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Yeah, you got me there, boss. This is different than setting up a cathouse or roughing up some people to take their stuff, though. This is being a hit man to take out Vince Cavanaugh and kill three women, one of them a famous movie star. I hear Vince is a tough hombre, and he has that other man with him that was a Marine.”

  “So what are you trying to say?”

  “Only that accomplishing something like that should entitle me to more stake in the game is all. I’m getting to like being in charge and respected. I never had it before, and it fits me well.”

  “Don’t get too big for your britches there, Clyde. You know I can find someone else to take care of this.”

  “I hear ya, boss. I’m not pushing. I don’t want too much, and I know I can’t plan and scheme like you. I’m only saying a little more would be nice. I’ll earn it in kind of foreman role.”

  “You make this happen and we’ll figure out how to take care of you.”

  * * *

  Clyde stayed a few miles behind Vince and the others and didn’t push the pace too hard due to a GPS locator device Big Jim had ordered planted in the Bronco. It was lucky they had it thanks to Dave Cavanaugh’s supply list that came down with the instructions for each community to create underground Faraday cages for electronics. Originally, Big Jim created the cage and stocked it merely to placate Dave Cavanaugh rather than believing it was needed. He had no idea why Dave’s people had insisted on all the stuff they did, yet it was coming in handy. The only downside was that the handheld devices to read the satellite GPS coordinates had sporadic connection to the satellite. That didn’t matter, though, because Clyde knew Vince’s planned route. The GPS was only for the occasional confirmation that they were on the right trail.

  Clyde planned to take his time and enjoy some scavenging along the way. He hoped he might f
ind something to drink or smoke, and if he was very lucky, another lady like the one he recently took back to Turk-Town. He didn’t try to stay too close because his instructions were not to engage until Vince got close to the Mississippi River. If Vince got into trouble with some local thugs, Clyde would only need to observe and collect evidence to report afterward.

  The route that Big Jim and Clyde had helped Vince and Liz map out was to head toward New Braunfels on Highway 46, circumvent the heart of the city by taking 337, then take Highway 1102, which ran parallel to I-35 for a while. The plan was to get under I-35 before they hit Austin then head northeast on two-lane roads roughly going toward Tyler, Texas. They’d mapped out the route for Vince and impressed on him their local knowledge and the importance of staying on course despite Vince having an atlas and an independent streak. That made the GPS tracking device important.

  After dodging past Tyler, Vince was supposed to head toward Texarkana and then Memphis. Clyde wasn’t sure where Vince would cross the Mississippi, and Big Jim and Clyde hadn’t made any suggestions on that part of the route. They only said that by that time he should see more of civilization and the military. The hope was they could cross at Memphis. If that didn’t work, they had marked other bridges both north and south of the city that Vince could attempt. In reality, neither Big Jim nor Clyde had any intention of allowing Vince’s group to cross the Mississippi, so that part of the route mattered little to them.

  As an extra safeguard, Big Jim had graciously offered a small U-Haul tow-behind trailer so that Vince’s group could carry more fuel and supplies. At first Vince resisted since it would slow him down and keep him on more paved roads. However, when he took on extra passengers, he relented. Big Jim wanted Vince moving slower and more predictably and looking like more of a target to some of the predators roaming the countryside. As a final ace up his sleeve, Big Jim had ordered one of the fuel cans on the bottom sabotaged with sugar as an extra measure. He dared not sabotage more of the fuel Vince would use sooner for fear Vince would find out or use one of the bad cans too close to Turk-Town.