by Ellis, Tara
“Include Craven’s as part of the town inventory,” Patty directed.
“You’re going to just take it?” Chloe interrupted, stunned by the implication.
“Not unless we absolutely have to,” Sheriff Waters answered, leveling Chloe with his steely gaze. “And this conversation doesn’t go beyond this room. Understand?”
Chloe swallowed and then looked at Sandy, who pulled a wisp of long dark hair back behind her ear and gave Chloe a barely perceptible nod. “I get it,” Chloe said to the sheriff. “If it comes down to people starving, we won’t really have a choice. I just…worry what the guy might do when you go to take his cattle.”
“Let me worry about that.” The sheriff turned his focus back to Sandy. “We’re going to need one or two in the next week.”
“My steers average around four hundred and thirty retail cuts,” Sandy said curtly. “By my estimate, that’ll feed over eight hundred people. So, with one steer, we can provide enough for a good meal for the whole town plus smoke and store another two hundred servings’ worth. I’ll do the math tonight and get you a plan by tomorrow. If we rotate through our farms, I think we can sustain those numbers until we start bringing in some elk and deer.”
“Tom’s our best rancher,” Patty said, her voice dropping. She clearly hated to bring his name up in front of Sandy. “Can you manage things here without him, Sandy? I don’t mean to be unkind, but your herd is going to be critical for Mercy. You already lost your only regular ranch hand when the flashpoint hit, and I’m sure Tom was counting on using Ethan as another one. Miller Ranch is easily a five-person operation.”
“We’ll manage,” Sandy said tersely.
“We’ve been doing okay so far,” Chloe added, feeling defensive of her friend. It was true that there was a lot of work to do on the ranch, and it was especially hard for her and Crissy to keep up with even the simple things while Bishop was gone, but Sandy seemed to be handling the herd.
“The cattle here on the farm has summer calving,” Patty said, turning to Chloe. “So they’ll be dropping their calves in the next month. We can’t afford to lose any.”
“Tom will be back soon,” Sandy implored, her voice rising. “He and Ethan are coming home. We’re going to be fine.”
“And if they don’t?” Sheriff Waters asked the hard question, and Chloe flinched at the change in Sandy’s expression and demeanor.
Standing, the ranch owner walked pointedly to the front door and opened it. “I’ll have those numbers for you tomorrow, Mayor.”
Clearly dismissed, Patty and Sheriff Waters stood and awkwardly looked at one another. Chloe remained seated next to Bishop, who handed his list to Patty. Chloe felt strangely at odds with the town’s leaders, and she wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. It was obvious that there was a lot left unspoken.
“Sandy, please,” Patty offered as the sheriff pulled her toward the door. “We just want to help.”
“The same sort of help you want to give to Mr. Craven?” Sandy snapped back.
Shoulders sagging, Patty followed the sheriff outside, leaving the three of them in a deep, empty silence. Chloe looked first at Bishop and then Sandy. She still wanted to get to the bottom of Bishop’s extracurricular talents, but it suddenly didn’t seem as important.
“They’re coming home,” Chloe offered when Sandy rose and went to stare at the picture of Tom and Ethan.
“I hope so,” Sandy said, her back heaving as she suppressed a sob. “Because Patty is right. We can’t do this without them.”
Chapter 15
ETHAN
FEMA Shelter M3, Monida, Montana
Dillinger was a total idiot. As soon as Ethan showed the slightest interest in joining the National Guard, he took him on a grand tour of the shelter and gave him a huge spiel on why it was the right thing for him to do. The corporal seemed to think he’d forget the fact that he’d stolen everything from them, and thrown his dad in jail.
“He’s just like Decker,” Ethan muttered under his breath, as he finished brushing down Tango. It was almost dinner time, around twenty-four hours since they’d arrived, and no one had even removed their saddles or properly cared for them.
“What was that?”
Ethan looked over at the airman who’d been gullible enough to allow him to see the horses. His name was Ben and he was from Arkansas, but had been stationed in Montana at the Air Force base. That was how Ethan found out that the FEMA camps were a mash-up of National Guard, state guard in the states that had them, and the Air Force and Marines. The camp they were in was mainly Army, National Guard, and Air Force, because of the nearest bases.
One thing Ethan was discovering during his experience since the flashpoint was how stupid most people were. All he had to do was observe, manipulate a little, and bide his time. He’d make Dillinger look like a fool and get his dad out of there, with the horses.
“I just said that their coats are already getting thicker. It’s strange ’cause that doesn’t usually happen for a few more months.” Ethan paused as he came up with his excuse, realizing that he wasn’t actually lying. Tango’s winter coat was already starting to grow. He frowned, forgetting for a moment he was on a mission.
“Huh,” Ben huffed, clearly not interested as he went back to pouring lake water into a makeshift wooden trough. “How do you know so much about horses?”
“My dad runs a cattle ranch.” Ethan studied the airman for a moment, and figured Ben wasn’t more than a few years older than him. They were about the same size, though Ethan was broader. When he’d first walked up to see Ben manhandling the horses, he’d almost blown it and gone off on him. Instead, he bit his tongue and worked on buttering the guy up.
“Well, thanks for helping me out,” Ben said, giving him a smile. “I got assigned animal duty since I’m the lowest on the totem pole, but I don’t know much. You’d think someone here would, since we’re in Montana. Isn’t this home of the cowboys?”
Ethan snorted, getting a kick out of Ben’s southern twang. “Yeah. My dad? Now, he’s a cowboy. I don’t know a lot about horses and cattle compared to him.”
Ben scratched at his head and stood awkwardly holding the empty bucket. “I heard what happened.” The young man looked over his shoulder, back toward the men’s tents to make sure no one else was within earshot. “Just so you know, not everyone agrees with how the corporal has been doing things. It’s been rough, you know? Of course, you know.” Ben stared vacantly out at the small lake. “I haven’t gotten any word about my family. Most of us haven’t.”
“I’m sorry,” Ethan offered, not sure what else to say.
“They already owned us, but now they really do,” Ben said, lifting the bucket for emphasis. “We don’t have anywhere else to go, and if you’ve seen what it’s like in the cities then you know this shelter is heaven in comparison.”
“Maybe,” Ethan said, carefully choosing his words. “For those who want or need to be here. Us? We just want to get home, and we’re going to have a hard time doing that without our horses and gear. We weren’t given a choice.”
“Martial law is in effect,” Ben explained, growing more uncomfortable and shifting from foot to foot. After looking over his shoulder again, he leaned in closer to Ethan. “Word is that tomorrow morning, some bigwig is flying in to check on us. We’re hoping Corporal Dillinger might get set straight on some things. Maybe allow some of the townspeople back into their homes and all.”
“You mean this town, Monida?” When Ben nodded, Ethan pressed for more. “So, they didn’t agree to setting this shelter up here? You guys just came in and took it?”
Ben nodded again. “Nothing more than a few blocks of buildings, but there’s a couple houses, too, that the corporal…requisitioned. More comfortable than a tent, I guess.”
“Wait.” Ethan realized what else Ben had said. “He’s flying in?”
“Yup. An old Huey. We’ve got a few aircraft that survived the EMP, but it’s sketchy working out how to get ar
ound in ’em without going too far. This one’s out of Ellsworth Air Force Base. Chatter is that it’s been to the east coast, and it’s not good.”
Ethan absorbed that bit of news slowly and began to formulate a plan. “Hey, Ben. I’ll keep helping you with the horses if you get me in to see my dad.” Ben balked and Ethan rushed to lasso him in. “Just a few minutes, I promise. I need to make sure he’s okay before I go to bed. He’s all I’ve got left,” he added, while looking away and wiping at his face. Guilt tugged at the edges of Ethan’s conscience, and he quickly pushed it aside. He had to keep things in perspective, and Ben was on the wrong side of his current battle.
“I guess since we’re already done here, I’ve got a little extra time before my dinner duties.” Ben set the bucket down next to the trough and then waved at Ethan to follow him. “I think Kenny is on watch tonight. He’s a good guy. Probably won’t say much of anything.”
“Thanks, man,” Ethan answered as he scooted after the airman, who was already walking away at a brisk pace. “I’ll come back before breakfast and show you the best spot to let them graze. Where you’ve got the other horses at now isn’t so good.”
Ben gave him a crooked grin as they crossed Main Street, not far from the northern barricade. They were headed for a low wooden building on the end of the street. Over the entrance was a sign declaring it was the Monida City Police Department.
The old floorboards creaked as Ethan and Ben stepped into the small, dimly lit outer office area. Ethan could easily imagine they’d gone back in time two hundred years before to when the place was truly run by cowboys. What did they use to call them…one-horse towns? Ethan thought of how they now had at least five more and his resolve hardened.
Kenny was seated at the lone mahogany desk, his feet up and a paperback in his hands. His boots echoed loudly as they slammed down onto the floor and he jumped to attention, then relief flooded his face when he realized who is was. “Ben! You nearly gave me a heart attack, man. What are you doing here? And who’s this?”
Chuckling, Ben went to sit on the edge of the desk. “This is Ethan. He’s been helping me out and I’m returning the favor. He needs a couple minutes with his dad, is all.”
“You mean Tom Miller?” Kenny’s demeanor changed and his features hardened as he shook his head. “The corporal would have me booted if I let anyone in here. Those two don’t get along.” He looked suspiciously at Ethan. “The guy won’t back down.”
Ethan felt a twinge of pride and fought to keep his expression neutral. “Only for a minute?” he asked hopefully, his voice weak.
Ben slapped Kenny on the back and then widened his arms to emphasize the empty room. “Come on, Kenny. There’s no one else here and we won’t tell anyone. Just a couple of minutes so the kid can tell his dad goodnight, and we’ll be gone. I’ll even bring your dinner to you and get you an extra helping.”
Kenny brightened. “Yeah?”
Ben smiled. “Sure. I know you like the instant mashed potatoes.”
Kenny pulled a ring of old-fashioned iron keys from a top drawer and led the way to the only inner door without saying a word. After unlocking it, he turned and looked pointedly at Ethan. “Five minutes. That’s it. And you were never here.”
Ethan nodded and then stepped through into a murky hallway. The building obviously wasn’t being fed any electricity by a generator as the office was lit by an oil lamp. The hallway ran the width of the structure and there was a small window high up at either end. Four closet-sized cells lined the back of the building, and each had a dim solar lamp that barely illuminated them enough for Ethan to see the occupants.
“Ethan?”
Ethan turned toward his dad’s voice, at the far end to his right. “Dad?” Rushing to the cell, he was embarrassed to find himself tearing up. That wasn’t part of the plan.
“What are you doing here?” In true Tom fashion, he jumped over the pleasantries and right to the admonishment. Even in the faint light, Ethan could see he had a fresh cut over his right cheekbone. Otherwise, he appeared okay.
Ethan glanced back down the hall to make sure Ben or Kenny hadn’t followed him. They were alone. “Listen,” he began, also skipping the platitudes. “We don’t have much time. What have they told you? Dillinger said he’d let you go after twenty-four hours.”
Tom frowned at him, clearly not expecting the conversation to go that way. “I’m not getting out of here.”
The last remnants of Ethan’s hope faded with the confirmation of what he’d already suspected. “Then, what? He’s just going to keep you locked up in here?”
Tom reached out to take a bar in each hand, and then leaned forward with his head lowered toward Ethan. “The corporal made me a generous offer to join his ranks. That was after he’d listed out all of the charges against me, having to do with assaulting an officer during a time of war, martial law stipulations, and how he can pretty much do what he wants with me, including execution.”
Ethan grimaced. “What did you tell him?”
“To go to hell.”
Ethan scoffed and his dad waved a hand dismissively. “I’m stalling. I need you all to leave in the morning and get as far away from here as possible, before he revokes that option. I know it’ll be tough without the horses, and to basically leave without anything, but maybe you can talk them into giving you some basics.”
“What about you?” Ethan asked, although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
“You’ve seen enough of this place. It’s huge, and there’s what…a couple dozen soldiers?”
“Twenty-eight,” Ethan interjected.
Tom paused and gave him another one of his confused looks. “The point is that it isn’t nearly enough to keep us all inside if we don’t want to be. It isn’t meant to, so it should be easy for me to slip out after you’ve had a good head start. I’ll try to take Tango and Lilly with me, if at all possible.”
“We’ll stay, and do it together,” Ethan countered.
“No!” Tom barked, and then lowered his head, resigned. “I need to know you’re safe. And it’ll be easier to do it on my own.”
“There’s a flaw in your plan.”
Tom looked up at Ethan, his brows drawn together. “What do you mean?”
“Corporal Dillinger already knows we’re going to Mercy. He’ll know where you’re running.” Ethan stared hard at his dad.
Tom averted his gaze. “He’ll have no reason to follow you, and while he seems like the kind of man to hold a grudge, I highly doubt he’ll waste the resources on chasing one man for two hundred miles.”
Ethan wasn’t going to argue with his dad, but he knew he was lying. He’d either stay long enough to make sure they were safely in Mercy before trying anything, or else his dad would lead them in a different direction. “I have a better plan.”
Tom looked sharply at his son. “Ethan, I want you to do what I’ve told you. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“You mean like attacking Dillinger?” Ethan spat. He heard Ben and Kenny approaching and leaned in close to the bars, dropping his voice to a whisper. “I need you to trust me, Dad. When you hear the chopper in the morning, demand to talk to Dillinger. Do whatever it takes to get him here, and tell him you accept his offer.”
“Ethan—”
“Just do it! Get released and head for the men’s barracks.” He looked over at Ben, hovering in the hall near the door. “Be right there!”
Tom took Ethan’s hand and squeezed it so tightly that it was painful. “I don’t want you to take any risks for me.”
Ethan pulled his hand away and made a grunting noise. “You still don’t get it! We’re family. If we don’t care enough to take chances for each other, then what’s the point of surviving?”
Chapter 16
GENERAL MONTGOMERY
Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado
“We will not sit idly by and allow war crimes to unfold in the aftermath of this event!” Vice Admiral Baker, former Deputy Commander of USN
ORTHCOM pounded his fist on the table for emphasis.
Four-star General Andrew Montgomery didn’t flinch, and he never looked away from the Vice Admiral. He could have taken the opportunity to remind Baker that the only reason the joint command hadn’t been disbanded was because he chose to still recognize it. The general was under no legal obligation to even hold the meetings or listen to their input, but for the sake of diplomacy and to keep the Armed Forces running cohesively, he kept up the pretense that they were the new Chiefs of Staff. Montgomery wasn’t a fool, and he knew it took more than a title to head such an organization.
“Vice Admiral, while I wholly appreciate your concern, I can assure you, and our other joint commanders, that the situation is being addressed.” General Montgomery barely raised a finger in Colonel Walsh’s direction and the other man leapt to his feet, a sheaf of papers in hand.
“Yes, sirs,” the colonel intoned. “We’ve taken the claims coming out of some states very seriously. I’ve compiled a list of known accusations and we’ve already initiated actions to ferret out the truth and deal with any subversions, where necessary.”
Major General Visor was nodding in approval before he’d even had a chance to look over the documents. The Army Chief of Staff had always been a proponent of the general and they went back more than a decade. “I have no doubt you’re doing all you can, General,” Visor said while looking at the admiral. “These are difficult times, where the area between right and wrong becomes gray, and requires a broader view.”
“You can’t possibly be condoning the forcible removal of families from their homes, and then butchering them when they refuse to give up their property?” Sergeant Major O’Shane bellowed. The Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the United States Marines was young to hold his rank and still new to his post when the flashpoint occurred. Montgomery didn’t know the man except for what was in his file.
