The Hunters

by T J Reeder

  Well this was another fine kettle of fish Ollie ! I looked at them all and said so y’all had nothing to do with this rumor? All said no, and how was it that we just happened to decide to go East? That was my idea they all said and in their defense none had heard the rumors until I made the decision which I was thinking real hard about if I had been lead to the idea of going East but I decided it was all me. But the timing was really spooky.

  I needed time to think and this was as good a place as we could find at the moment. We were out of sight and hopefully out of mind. So we set up a full camp with the big tents and everybody had some privacy, we also had the portable shower trailer and plenty of hot water so the ladies got first go. While this was going on I took Walker for a walk with my 308 bolt gun with the suppressor on it in case I saw fresh meat.

  Walker was working out just great except he hated being away from his lady. He would hang with me for just so long and then would go find her which was what I wanted of him.

  We were in open country with rolling hills, in the spring it was beautiful but ion late summer it was burned ugly and hot. Right now it was wonderful. I walked up on a hill to see the surrounding area but eased down and crawled up to the top and behind a bush that broke up my silhouette.

  And right there on the other side was a herd of wild cattle. I picked out a fat yearling and dropped it with a head shit, the can did it’s job by not sending them running in every direction so I picked out a second one and dropped it.

  After doing the math I figured we needed one more at least maybe two to feed this mob for a few days so I dropped two more and was getting up to head back for help when I saw a HV easing over the hill behind me.

  I just shook my head knowing it was Sandy, I assumed she was worried about her mutt learning bad things from me. Walker took one look and took off at a run down the hill and raced around the HV as it rolled up to me.

  She got out and walked up and put her arms around my neck and pulled her self up so her feet were off the ground, I always admired her strength for her size she was stronger then me!

  I took her in my arms and held her close until she leaned back and kissed me then said “we friends again?” I laughed and told her I was the one who decided to head this way nobody else.

  She looked at the dead cows and said OH!! Goody, steak!! I swear she could eat more then her body weight three times a day and still run mile after mile, hell maybe that was her secret! Maybe I should try running and eating. Shit I’d be dead in a week if that long.

  She went to the HV and made a call on the radio and we sat on the hill watching the clouds until the sound of vehicles came to us. The food crew was very happy to see the meat and took to the skinning and dressing it out in fine order, They had a flat bed truck with a hoist and soon had the job done and headed back to camp while Sandy and I spent some alone time. It was very nice.

  We had a feast that night, Every cut of meat one can name was grilled and all the lesser cuts were saved to make ground beef for burgers the next few days.

  One of the cooks had a way with meatloaf that just could not be beat and I knew that was gonna be on the menu tomorrow evening with baked potatoes from the Rawlins outpost. With baked bread and real butter from the same place it was gonna be a good few days stand down.

  For the next four days we just stayed in camp and cleaned weapons, worked on vehicles and napped, lots of naps. We had eaten the four cows to bones so it was decided to get more for the reefer truck, today’s armies sure travel better then us old mud Marines did.

  Charley and I went out to get some meat and after seeing the cow herd had moved on we headed cross country just looking, Deer just won’t do, it would take 10 a day to feed this mob but it was well worth having to add into the menu. So we were looking for deer too. After having covered several miles we eased up a hill and Charley got out to look over the crest and instantly made hurry up motions at me so I shut the motor off and headed over to him, right on the other side was the king of meat! Prairie Cows! Tatonka !! Buffalo!..

  WOW!! This was flat amazing! In just a couple of years and the herds were forming and moving back into their ageless migration patterns. Well maybe that was a bit of an early statement but there they were, several hundred of them.

  We just laid on the hill and looked at them, they were beautiful! I watched Charley whose people weren’t Buffalo hunters of note but his eyes were smiling. After almost an hour I asked him what he wanted to do and he said I think we should leave them be, they have a long way to go before they are back, and there are plenty of cattle to eat.

  I agreed whole heartedly so we drove away from the wonderful sight. I wished Sandy was with us. We turned back toward the camp and came up on the cattle herd and put down eight head of yearlings and called for the meat crew.

  After we got that job done we headed to camp and a shower to wash off the blood and sweat. After that we met under the awning set up over the dining area and had coffee and just relaxed remembering a special we had shared with a brother.

  Sandy joined us and just snuggled into my lap and never said a word. But none were needed, she knew Charley and I had shared a life experience even tho she didn’t know yet what it was. I knew I was going to head back there in the morning with her so she could experience the awesome power the herds just seemed to put off.

  I was pleased we didn’t kill any of them and I knew I never would unless it was out of need and that time was not now. I wondered if one day we would see the plains tribes once again hunting them from horse back. I kind if doubted it except for maybe some who have even today clung to the old ways.

  I’ve found myself dragging my feet about moving out for the east. I knew what was bothering me and I had to work it out alone first then with my leadership people. So I spent a couple of days just wondering over the open land and I would have given most anything to have Buck here with me, I think better sitting on Buck.

  At last I woke up with a plan or at least a solid thought. After morning chow I asked Joe, Willy, Charley and the runt to stay with me.

  I laid out my plan or thoughts whatever and asked for feed back which I knew would come and it would be for the best, I trusted these people as family. After just a short hour of talking quietly among ourselves I called a general meeting to beheld right after lunch.

  When everybody but the scouts on over watch duty was present I took my place in front of the bunch and laid it out.

  As best I can recall I said “ Thank you all for coming, which got a loud laugh. I then laid out as best I knew the situation back East. I told them that for some reason somebody back there had it their minds that I was leading the advanced unit of a vast Army. This also got some laughs.

  I said I had little or no information of the true situation in the East but that apparently some of the old Liberals were seizing the opportunity to turn America into another Red Stared “Workers Paradise”.

  No Constitution, No Bill of Rights, and pretty much no freedom and while I was pissed off to the max and wanted to do something to stop it I couldn’t ask anybody else to go along with me. I laid out my plans based on what I would like to see.

  First of all I know nothing about leading troops in real battle and my bumbling would most likely get folks killed.

  So, my plan, or those willing to come along to a war with no pay, no nothing really to show for it except a good way to get dead was to pull all the recent Vets with actual combat time and to use them to for a real training plan so that those who were willing to come along would at least have a good idea what to do once we found ourselves in a bigger fight then we were used to.

  I told them my plan was to pull back to Rock Springs and regroup and use the area for our training and that I was gonna put out a call for volunteers who wanted to join this Charley Foxtrot ( cluster FK) and at the same time I wanted the Air Base stripped of anything we might use.

  I wanted all this just as soon as I knew if I had an army or not so saying that I said think about it, talk i
t over with your friends and then we can meet again tomorrow.

  Before I could move Joe stood up and said I’m in to hell with tomorrow, if you in remain seated if you’re out then go ahead and

  head to your sleeping area. With that he sat down and Willy stood up and said “What he said” and sat back down.

  So I waited and at last a woman spoke up and asked if she was willing to help but not fight could she stay? I said well I don’t believe everybody here is cut out for a shooting war and somebody has to roll the bandages and cook the food and maintain the supply line so I’m not calling on fighters only. But if you stay you will train with the fighters simply in case our rear area gets over run the folks there will be able to at least maybe save their own lives. I saw Joe nudge Willy and both smiled a bit. They knew that just training for a fight was the best way to get everybody into the spirit of it.

  Most people never know or want to know and can’t begin to understand the term “ Brotherhood of War” and have no idea the bonds that spring up between people who fight as a part of a unit. It’s not something that can be explained to an outsider but in essence they don’t fight for God, Country, Flag or Mom’s home made apple pie.

  They fight for each other, for their family, their immediate family, the guy who just shared his last smoke with you or his last can of fruit cocktail. The one you dragged out of the line of fire with not a seconds thought to your own life. You’re not a hero, you’re not even concerned with thoughts of a medal, you only know you’re brother is hurt and you are gonna get him.

  Some of these people had yet to learn these things but they would, in time the woman who asked that question will shoot another human in a heart beat and not give a moments thought about it, simply because he ain’t in her tribe and is trying to bring harm to her family. I feel for her because it’s not an easy journey.

  Well nobody stood up and walked away, so I asked for everybody who had had recent combat experience to stand up and this did not include the stuff we had done in the time we chased the cannibals.

  About 20 did, I asked them to meet with Joe and Willy and tell them what their specialty was while in combat.

  I explained that we needed shooters first and foremost and that I understand not every person in combat uses a rifle, some are medics, supply or one of hundreds of fields. We needed all of them to be able to teach their skills to the raw recruits up to and including myself. Which seemed to attract more attention then I wanted so I ignored the looks.

  After Joe and Willy had taken the Vets off to the side I asked for anybody who had service time but non combat time to stand up, that got a bunch. I told them that after I dismissed everybody they were to get with Joe and Willy.

  I told everybody else to go clean their weapons and make sure their gear was in top shape and dismissed them. Shit I’m talking like I know what I’m doing.

  After they had all the information they could get Joe and Willy joined Sandy and Charley and me for a brain session. I explained that Charley would deal with his people since as scouts they had other skills we needed but we knew they could shoot so that was that.

  Joe said we had a good cross session of Vets and could most likely handle the training with them. We set up a schedule for training that got everybody moving including the cooks and medical people. We would just have to work around the cooks because I wasn’t gonna interfere with the food. And that as long as they could all shoot I figured their training would center around their job.

  Mostly our pattern of conditioning with daily walks or runs plus the active life had us mostly in shape. I know I was 100% better off then the day the lights went out but I was also about the oldest man here and no amount of exercise was gonna improve me beyond where I am right now.

  And of course the mind reader leaned over and said “it’s ok pops you can lean on me”. Which got the laughs she was after plus it did pump up my spirits because I was gonna run her skinny ass into the ground. And she again leaned over and said “ Wanna bet?” some day I’m gonna find out how she does it.

  We sat a while and Charley who was just staring up into the sky said “ Birds” I said “huh” Sandy said “YES!!” Joe and Willy said nothing but were used to this crap and just waited.

  Sandy said “ Birds!! We need Birds!” I’ll admit I’m slow but damn it. She laughed and said John don’t we control an entire Air Base with planes? And aren’t there some small prop jobs that could be scouts in the air?

  I’ve worked really hard to stop slapping myself on the forehead but this time it was close. Willy said “Shit” and slapped himself on the forehead. Then he said one of the new people who came with us from Rock Springs is a pilot, I don’t know what he can fly but anything is better then we can do.

  I looked around and said I could kiss you right on the mouth Charley but she might shoot me. So accept a pat on the back which I did! Now what?

  Willy jumped up and took off so fast he excited Walker into leaving Sandy’s side and he tore off right behind Willy. It took Willy less then 5 minutes to find his man and return with a disgusted looking Walker. He flopped down by his lord and mistress and sighed and went back to sleep, so much for stupid humans.

  The man with Willy was about forty years old and had the look of a working man. His name was Ralph Goode and had been a

  Pilot for most of his life and had flown most of the different small craft and was working as a crop duster when the EMP went off, he said he was lucky it happened at night because if it happened while he was close to the ground and with full tanks he would have been flying a brick.

  My only experience with small planes was the ones we called “ Bird Dogs” way back in the last century and that was all I had my mind on, Ralph said if we had one working he could most likely get it off the ground and was willing to try.

  Now we needed to figure out how to get Ralph and the planes at the air base together. Charley said that was not a problem since he could have a scout unit head that way right now and one coming from Shiprock to pass Ralph off to. With two drivers they could make good time and have him there in good time.

  Ralph said fine I’ll get my gear and headed off to return shortly with a pack and a rifle. My kind of man! Ready to go anyplace anytime. With little or no time wasted the scout team was rolling with extra fuel and plenty of ammo for the MG just in case.

  After they were gone I paused to ask the new Platoon leaders ( Joe and Willy) why we hadn’t thought of airplanes and if a car could be made to run again with some parts changing why not a plane? Both shrugged.

  I grabbed a radio mike and called the scout unit with Ralph and when they answered I asked the same questions. Ralph answered with

  “ Well I guess I didn’t think about it and with no parts and not being a mechanic I just blew it I guess”.

  I told them to pull over and stand by for a bit. I asked Willy and Joe if they thought we had the fire power to risk a parts raid on an airport say in Cheyenne ?

  Both said sure unless the big Air Base is still under control of some form of security.. And even then we had plenty of fire power if push came to shove but if it was easy to repair an airplane why wasn’t it being done?

  I had to call Ralph back and discuss it, He said there was a big difference between his spray plane and a military craft. I asked about the smaller prop jobs the Military uses for small jumps, he allowed that mostly they used small jets for that but otherwise he had no idea.

  I told them to head back here because we had more brain storming to do.

  While we waited I said come on boys lets go talk to the main gear heads and see what they can come up with. It was an eye opening and very short conversation. The head of the Mech teams was a knarley old fart with more tattoos then a ship full of sailors.

  He scratched his head and said “Well shit John why you just now asking this? I fired back coz we now had a pilot and needed a plane. He nodded and said well if it has an internal combustion engine and damn little computer shit on it we can fix it but
we may need some special parts, won’t know until we get into it. I told him I’d get back to him but for him to start packing up some tools and grab two of his best wrenches and be ready to roll out soon. He just nodded and walked off, Surly old bastard. Sandy busted out laughing and said “I like him! He reminds me of you”! I couldn’t tell her I hated her since I had used that already so I just ignored her. Which lasts about 10 seconds since she knew all the buttons to push.

  We headed back to the big awning at the cook tent where most people hung out when not busy so there was several people there who started jumping up which pissed me off so I yelled SIT! When they all had I said “people we are a free wheeling band of land pirates not some damn corporation who watches a time clock.

  You are all free citizens and if you want to sit in the shade and have coffee or even a shot of booze feel free for Christ sake. It’s not like we punch a time clock.

  And this General Walker shit best not be said in my presents. I’m John or Walker or Hey Asshole but not General, I think I killed the last one I saw or maybe Wyatt did , I can’t remember. So please, relax, smoke em if ya got em which brought a laugh since smokes had been one thing that just kind of disappeared.