“Sixteen,” Sarge replied.
“Is that going to be enough?”
“For now. We can always add more once these trailers are unloaded. It’s just a question of how far we’re willing to drive.”
“How’s the garden coming?” Stryker asked.
“We just finished weeding it and Elle says we can start harvesting in about a week.”
“I guess we’ll have to go to the trading post and get more vegetables. I can’t say I’m all that fond of going there. Seems like every time I do, there’s a problem.”
“Well, you could try staying out of other people’s business,” Erin replied, grinning.
“That’s like asking a politician to do something useful. Just ain’t in the nature of the beast,” Sarge replied.
“Why don’t we go to Hank’s and get what we need there?” Stryker asked. “You guys could all come and we can have a visit with Jenna?”
“That’s a great idea!” Erin said. “I’ll go tell Haley and Ella. They’re going to love it.”
“That’s a little further away,” Sarge said.
“Yeah. But the women need some distraction.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You haven’t noticed they’ve been bickering a lot lately? They haven’t left the ranch in two weeks. I think they’re getting bored and need a change of scene.”
“Hell, I usually don’t listen to them. It’s mostly just nattering about clothes and stuff; but we could check out the swap meet that Hank told us about. Might be interesting.”
“First thing tomorrow?”
“Sure.”
Dinner that night was a much happier event without the quarrelling and barbs of the previous few evenings. Sarge ate silently as the women talked about shared experiences during the time they were locked in the dorm, and Stryker just let them enjoy the reminiscing. Haley and Elle were laughing about something hysterically.
“Our going tomorrow is no accident, is it?” Erin whispered.
“No.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. It’s more self-defense than anything. I really don’t like listening to the bickering and the innuendo I’ve been hearing. That sort of passive-aggressive behavior always drove me nuts. It strikes me as being dishonest.”
“Have I been doing it?”
“Yes.” She looked surprised at first, then looked away and thought about it for a while.
“You’re right. Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You guys are bored, and there’s not much to help with that. This is the sort of thing that’s going to happen to any small group that lives in close quarters.” He glanced over and saw the two other ladies still laughing and Sarge still silently chewing his food. They could have stripped naked and danced on the table and he doubted the older man would notice.
“Do you think I should say something?”
“If you ain’t the lead dog, the view never changes, and you spend your life staring at husky ass.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means be a leader. They both look up to you.” She thought about it for a while and then just nodded at Stryker.
“We’ll do the dishes tonight.”
“Good. Sarge and I can have a sip of whiskey after dinner.” They both went back to eating.
“What are you guys talking about?” Haley asked, still chuckling.
“About the trip tomorrow,” Erin replied.
“I know. I am so excited to go visit Jenna.”
“Me too,” Elle said. The upcoming trip must have prodded her memory. “When are we going to scout the area around Corpus for a house?”
Sarge and Stryker exchanged glances, then Sarge said, “It may not be necessary to take that trip.” Elle clearly looked disappointed, so Sarge added, “We can go there anyway to see it, but there’s added risk to living on the ocean. That’s hurricane country and one good blow could take out solar panels and wind turbines.”
“When did this come up?” Elle said. “Did you two talk about this without including us?”
“Yes, we did. It came up when we were coming back to the ranch with one of the trailers. I don’t know why it occurred to me then, but it did and so I talked to Sarge about it,” Stryker said. “It doesn’t mean anything is decided. This isn’t a dictatorship. We all can vote on it and I’m happy to live with the decision.”
“It would be nice to be included,” Haley pointed out, looking at Stryker.
“Heard, understood, and acknowledged.”
“You joined the army when I wasn’t looking? Sarge asked.
“Yeah, and I bought some skirts, too.” Both men laughed, but the women made disapproving faces. Stryker started to explain the term “HUA,” but they didn’t seem interested, so he sputtered to a stop. He decided to switch back to the topic at hand. “Well, there are some advantages to living around Corpus as well. Most of our population centers were along the coasts and we’re more likely to meet other survivors there.”
“By that, do you mean men for us?” Elle asked.
“Well, that couldn’t hurt.”
“So you want to marry us off like some sort of mail-order bride thing?”
“I didn’t say that,” Stryker protested feebly. For one of the few times in his life, he was almost squirming with discomfort. When the ladies saw the look of consternation on his face, all three burst out laughing. Stryker had been had, and started laughing too. Sarge joined in and soon the women were making mock faces of what he looked like while they skewered him, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. The volume of the laughter increased until they finally stopped making the faces.
“You know, this is really cool. You guys are a lot of fun. I’m so glad you’re with us. I’m not sure how to even express my gratitude at having you around,” Stryker said. “I can’t remember the last time somebody made me laugh that hard.”
“You might try loosening up a little bit. You’re always on edge and kinda hard to talk to most of the time,” Haley said.
“Well, I guess I’m sorry about that; but when we’re not on the ranch, I do feel pretty tense. Bad things happen out there and both Sarge and I feel like we have to make sure nothing bad happens to you guys. So yeah, I am tense when I think you guys could be in jeopardy; that isn’t going to change.”
“It’s okay, Stryker,” Erin said. “We love you guys. Even when you’re being total butts, we know you want the best for us. We don’t doubt your motives, but we do think you underestimate us and we do want to be a part of the decision-making process.”
“Guilty as charged,” Stryker responded almost immediately. “I’ll get better at it.”
“Can I get my whiskey now?” Sarge asked.
“Hell if I know. Ask them,” Stryker replied.
The women cleaned up the mess and Stryker and Sarge left for their bedrooms after sipping their whiskey and chatting briefly. Stryker fell asleep immediately and was in a state of half slumber when Erin entered the room. She slipped into bed next to him, curled up behind him, and placed an arm around his shoulder. Stryker could feel the pajamas she was wearing against his naked back and grasped her hand.
“Are you really that much of a sheepdog?” she whispered.
“Go to sleep,” he replied. “You feel good there.”
“It feels good to me, too.”
“Sleep,” he murmured.
Stryker woke the following morning to an empty bed and the smell of bread baking. He walked into the bathroom, washed his face and combed his hair, then brushed his teeth and put on his clothes. He entered the kitchen and saw the women standing over a loaf of bread on the countertop.
“Then,” Elle was saying, “You take a toothpick and push it into the loaf. If it comes out dry, the bread is done, and that’s it.” See how it’s dry?”
“How are my domestic goddesses this morning?” he asked as he moved around them to the coffee pot. He turned back with a cup in hand. “Where is Sarge?”
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“He went to hook up the trailer.”
“How did you sleep last night?” Elle asked with an impish grin.
“Never better. Having a foot-warmer helps.” Erin rolled her eyes and looked back at the bread.
“Can we cut it now?” she asked Elle.
“Just let it cool for a bit and we can eat it. So,” she continued. “Do you have anything to report about last night? Please, I want every detail.” She could see Stryker almost wince and beamed a knowing smile.
“We didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re asking,” Erin replied. Stryker almost spit his coffee out.
“I better go help Sarge,” he said and left the room.
“What an odd man,” Haley said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who is as bluntly honest about their feelings, but use the word ‘sex’ and he freaks out. Weird.”
“Most men want to talk about nothing but sex, and do everything they can to hide their feelings,” Elle said. “I think I know all of them.” Erin and Haley giggled.
“So, are you going to go for it?” Haley asked.
“Maybe. He does have an interesting side, but I’m not sure yet and neither is he. So, I guess we just wait and see. And, strangely, I’m fine with things the way they are. If things don’t work out, I end up with a friend who would do anything for me. If they do, I end up with a man who is as honest and caring as any I’ve ever met. I really don’t see how I can lose and I’ve never been in that position. Every man I’ve ever gone out with always forced a choice after a while. We had to be lovers or just friends. I think he’s trying to find a way to be both.”
“Well, I think that’s what they call true love,” Elle said. “Have you ever considered that he doesn’t want to choose because he thinks the attraction may be due to the circumstances?”
“Of course, I think the same thing.”
“Well, this is not exactly a news flash, but the circumstances aren’t going to change any time soon; so it probably doesn’t matter.” She looked away and then said, “Let’s eat.”
“What about Stryker and Grandpa?” Haley asked.
“We’ll leave some for them.”
An hour later, with the coolers strapped to the trailer, they left the ranch and drove south on Highway 83 until it joined with Interstate 10. The landscape whipped by because Sarge was driving ninety miles an hour. Stryker had the front passenger seat and the women were in the back seat. They only had three M-4s with them because of the limited room in the Jeep. Stryker, Haley, and Erin carried them. Stryker noticed an apparently abandoned car, with the doors open, at a rest stop on the opposite side of the freeway. He was sure it hadn’t been there the last time they made the trip, and filed it away to investigate on their return home.
They passed to the north of Kerrville, Texas, and continued on Highway 10 for another hour before exiting the freeway and driving up the hill toward Hank and Jenna’s house. As they pulled into the driveway, Hank and Jenna appeared from the side of the house. They pulled off work gloves as they approached, and the women took turns hugging Jenna. Sarge and Stryker went last, then shook hands with Hank.
“Just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by?” Hank asked, chuckling.
“No, just thought we would let the women have a visit and see if we can do some trading with you or at the swap meet,” Sarge answered. “Figured we’d kill two birds with one stone.”
“What do you need?”
“Meat and vegetables. Our garden hasn’t come in yet and we’re thinking about relocating, so we won’t try to start a ranching operation until we know where we’re going to be living.”
“Well, I got both. What do you want to trade?”
“Gold. We have some coins. You interested?”
“Sure, everyone takes coins at the swap meet. I can turn that into anything I need.” Stryker gave him one of the coins.
“How much will that get us?”
“More than I have right now.”
“Can we get a credit?”
“Sure.”
“Let’s get the coolers off the trailer,” Stryker said. The three men had the coolers on the porch of the house in no time. The woman had disappeared around the back of the house.
“Should we head to the swap meet? Sarge asked.
“That’s not until tomorrow,” Hank answered.
“I thought you said every Wednesday.”
“I did. But today’s Tuesday.”
“It is?”
“Last time I checked.” Sarge blinked a few times.
“What do you want to do, Stryker?”
“Beat’s me.” The women came back into the front yard.
“Where were you guys?” Sarge asked.
“Looking at Jenna’s garden,” Erin replied. Noting Sarge’s look of confusion, she asked, “What’s going on with you?”
“I got my days confused. The swap meet is tomorrow.”
“I guess you can stay here,” Jenna said. “We have two spare bedrooms.”
“Or we could go to Corpus Christi and come back tomorrow,” Elle said, hoisting one eyebrow.
“Can I go too?” Jenna asked. “The only place I’ve been since I got here was the swap meet.” Stryker glanced at Haley and Erin. They both looked at him expectantly.
“It’s less than two hours away. We don’t have anything else to do, so I guess we can go. Sarge, we can’t all fit. What do you want to do?”
“I can stay here and help Hank,” Sarge said. “You got any more bourbon?”
“Sure.”
“Can you teach me how to slaughter cattle?”
“Absolutely. But you can’t do both at the same time.” Both men chuckled.
“Will she be safe with you?” Hank asked Stryker.
“I believe so. We brought her home once.”
“Okay, but be careful.”
“Erin, you got front passenger and Haley has rear driver.”
“We’re going to use the bathroom before we leave,” Jenna said. The women all disappeared into the house.
“Does Jenna have a weapon?” Stryker asked.
“She has a Glock 9. She’s pretty good with it.” Hank sounded proud.
Stryker unhooked the trailer from the Jeep and everyone climbed in. He nodded approvingly when he saw that Jenna was armed. “We’ll be back tomorrow morning, latest,” Stryker said before driving down the driveway and onto a road leading to the freeway entrance.
They got on Interstate 37 and headed southeast. The ladies in the back chatted the whole time, catching up on what they had been doing since they last saw one another. Stryker and Erin fell into a comfortable silence, and Stryker’s eyes remained vigilant. He glanced over at her and saw she was doing the same.
It was around midmorning and the sun was starting to heat up the Jeep’s interior. He turned on the air conditioning and directed the center vents toward the back seat. The miles rolled by and they passed by several small towns, each dotted with billboards. From what he could see, they all looked pretty much the same: weather-beaten, dusty little municipalities. Empty fields filled in the landscape between the towns, and the earth looked as though it was baked into a solid mass of concrete.
They passed the welcome sign to Corpus Christi and crested a gentle hill. For the first time, they saw the ocean, vast and blue, sweeping across the horizon in a long, even line. Stryker pulled off the freeway at the downtown exit and drove the surface roads until he reached the county courthouse. After parking in front of the building, he got out and the women followed him up the steps. It was a modern-looking, limestone building, nine stories tall with a multi-story parking ramp on one side. The door was a massive steel slab that opened easily. They passed through the lobby and Elle went to the building directory while Erin and Stryker stood watch.
“Room 407,” she said. Stryker led the group up the stairway to the fourth floor and peeked out the door to the hallway, glancing in both directions. He saw nothing unusual. He hand-signaled them to remain in th
e stairwell and slipped down the hallway to the records room. He entered guns up and quickly swept the room. He went back to the stairwell and motioned the others to follow.
“Elle, get set up like we did last time and have Jenna watch the door while you guys work. We’re going to clear the rest of the floor.” He nodded at Erin, and they left the room, working the right side of the hallway and clearing each office. As they reached the end of the hallway, a single room faced south. Stryker entered it first, with Erin close behind.
The room was dark since the blinds were closed. Stryker went across the room and opened the blinds, then turned automatically to search the room. He paused for a second, then turned back to the window and gazed through it.
He stared in disbelief. Erin saw the expression on his face and moved to join him. She looked out and saw four ships, painted red, moving up the channel toward the pier. A fifth ship sat at the pier below them, and people moved around the pier carrying bundles. They were all dressed in black.
Stryker opened the window and looked through the scope of his rifle. A Russian Humvee equivalent, the Tiger, armed with a heavy caliber machine gun, drove down a ramp from the ship’s hold. It was followed by a URAL 5323, a heavy cargo Russian military truck that was converted to a personnel carrier.
He looked at Erin, then raised his carbine again and stared through the scope. A black flag with an irregular white circle in it with black Arabic script hung from a whip antenna mounted at the back of the vehicle. As the vessel continued to disgorge passengers and vehicles, he focused on the flag and recognized the script. It was written in three short horizontal lines:
“Allah.”
“Messenger.”
“Muhammad.”
He looked again to confirm the first read. “ISIS is invading us,” he said, staring at Erin with a dazed look.
“What?”
“Those are ISIS fighters down there.”
“How can you tell? How can that even be possible?”
“The flag on the Humvee variant is the ISIS flag.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He paused to think, but his mind was reeling from the possibilities. Stryker looked again through the scope and saw more Tigers coming down the ramp. He glanced again at Erin. She saw an expression on his face she had never seen before: he was scared, and that scared her more than she was already.
Stryker: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Page 17
