by N. C. Reed
“Will do.”
Clay and Lainie headed for Leon's in silence, following the same route the twins had taken just minutes before.
“It's so quiet,” Lainie remarked.
“It's the battle,” Clay said idly. “The noise runs away everything. They’ll be back in a few days like nothing ever happened.”
“Does that always happen?” she asked.
“Nothing on a battlefield but buzzards and hyenas,” Clay nodded absently. “Coyotes,” he added after a few seconds pause. “I meant coyotes.”
They made the rest of the walk in silence, Lainie mulling over what Clay had said. Somehow, she hadn't considered that he would know something like that. She realized she still had a lot to learn about her Cowboy and his past. But tonight wasn't a night for that, and she didn't think there would be one for a while. Things had to settle down some first.
Assuming they ever did.
–
“What's doing, kid?” Vicki asked Zach as she walked outside the back door of Building Two, still toweling her hair dry.
“Just enjoying the night air,” Zach admitted, staring up at the stars. She joined him, leaning back on her elbows as she reclined on the ground.
“Stars look a lot brighter since the lights went out,” she commented.
“Yeah, I was just thinking about that,” Zach nodded. “Seems like the lights going out changed a lot of things.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “I would be getting ready to go off to college about now if the world was still normal. Instead I just fought a full-fledged battle today, and it wasn't my first. A year ago if you had told me I'd be sitting here looking at the stars after killing no telling how many guys today, I'd have laughed at you.”
“Is it bothering you?” she asked, wondering if she should be concerned.
“Nah,” he replied easily. “Probably should, but it doesn't. Not like I went looking for trouble. It came looking for me. None of those guys would have thought anything about blowing my brains out. Why should I think any better of them?”
“Good philosophy,” she nodded, feeling a little better about things. She let the silence linger between them, then asked something that had been on her mind since the afternoon.
“How old are you, Zach?”
“Why, worried you're cradle robbing?” he asked her point blank, grinning at the look of shock he knew had to be on her face even though he wouldn't be able to see it in the dark.
“I'm nineteen,” he told her, finally turning to look at her, though there was no way to see much more than her silhouette in the dark. “I was a late baby,” he explained. “Born right after Thanksgiving. Had to wait an extra year to start school. Then, when I was in fifth grade, actually just as I started fifth grade, I got sick. Stupidest thing. Something called Legionnaires Disease. Caught it from dirty air conditioner filters. No, from moldy air conditioner filters. Missed my fifth-grade year all together except the first two weeks. But thanks to all that, I had my driver's license just before Christmas my freshman year. Made me very popular,” he laughed, turning his gaze back to the stars.
“Still the smart ass,” Vicki finally laughed, once over her surprise. She hadn't expected him to be so forward. Nor be so cavalier about something as serious as Legionnaires Disease and what it had cost him.
“That's me,” he nodded. “Always have been I guess,” he lay back and placed his hands behind his head, making himself comfortable.
“Why?” she asked, curious. She rolled onto her side and propped up on one elbow, head resting in her hand.
“No idea,” he replied easily. “Cover up my insecurities I guess.”
“What insecurities?” she almost snorted.
“See how well it's working?” Zach came back at once. She laughed outright at that.
“What do you have to be insecure about?” she asked him.
“Nothing really,” he admitted. “I admit I've never worried over much about impressing other people. I did try to impress some college scouts, but it's hard to do that playing alongside Gordy Sanders,” he laughed.
“I remember,” she nodded. “I used to go to the games when I was home,” she said when he gave her a look. “I went to school here you know,” she told him.
“No, I did not know,” he admitted. “Never thought about it.”
“Trying to live in the now?”
“If that's what they call not looking back and not looking too far forward,” he replied.
“That's pretty much what it means,” she agreed. “I learned to do that first time I was wounded,” she added.
“Oh yeah?” she seemed to have finally peaked his interest.
“A bullet hitting your flesh will do that,” she nodded. “So, I don't look too far ahead. Nothing says I’ll actually get there, anyway.”
“Lost my home, my family, everything I own,” Zach nodded in the dark. “Nothing for me to look forward to anyway. The life we got now? What good does looking forward do me?”
“Bitter much?” she asked.
“Not at all,” he surprised her. “Didn't just happen to me. And I'm a lot better off than most of them. I don't have a right to be bitter about anything. If anything, I'm grateful. If Gordy hadn't seen us that day, we'd still be scrounging to eat, or else be dead, probably. I got nothing to be bitter about.”
“That's a good way to look at it,” she agreed. “Zach, I'm a lot older than nineteen,” she turned serious. “I'm not a teenager, and I'm not going to tolerate a bunch of teenager drama bullshit, either.”
“I don't do drama, it's a time waster,” he was just as serious. “Just how old are you?”
“You never ask a woman how old she is, kid,” she shot back.
“Truth is I don't care,” he admitted. “You're pretty hot. You're tough, too. That's a sexy combination. Too much for a mere boy my age to resist,” he laughed.
“Remember what I said,” she warned as she suddenly rolled over top of him, pinning him beneath her. “I won't put up with-”
“You talk too much,” he told her suddenly, and then kissed her.
–
“You wanted to see me?” Clay asked tiredly. He was dead on his feet as he entered Leon's house. Marla was checking on his oxygen while Brick was sitting by the window, almost as a lookout.
“Janice is sleeping,” Marla said. “She has to go and relieve that Jackson boy in a few hours.” Her disapproval was apparent.
“And she’ll have to do it again tomorrow, and then tomorrow night,” Clay agreed. “She and JJ have to take turns with the radio room tomorrow. The twins have the day off.”
“Why them?” Marla asked.
“Because they're exhausted after working through the entirety of our latest difficulty,” Clay informed her shortly. “While most everyone else hid, they were in the thick of it. So, Janice and JJ can damn well work tonight and tomorrow while they rest.”
“Stop that shit,” Leon ordered, looking at Marla. “He makes those decisions. Leave them to him. And it's good for Janice to be needed somewhere besides taking care of a dying old man.”
“Dying?” Clay raised an eyebrow.
“Figure of speech, but true anyway,” Leon nodded. “Technically we start dying the day we start crying. Simple fact. I've been privileged to live a lot longer than most, so you don't hear me complaining. Now,” he turned to business. “Josh Webb.”
“He's mad,” Clay nodded. “Blames us, and more directly me, for Mark's death. We had words this afternoon. While I hate what happened to Mark, it was not my fault.”
“No, and I told him that, too,” Leon nodded. “He says they're leaving.”
“Doesn't surprise me,” Clay nodded. “I half expected it after this afternoon.”
“Well it surprised his wife,” Leon replied. “Caught Deb by surprise if I'm any judge, and I am. I think he's just lashing out over his son, and I can understand that. But if he wants to go, then make arrangements to get all of them back home.�
�
“They're not keeping that gear we gave them,” Clay said at once. “They can take what they want from the stuff we've captured, but that stuff is ours and it stays here.”
“I got no problem with that, and they shouldn't either,” Leon nodded. “What was the final count?”
“Fifty-six,” Clay told him. “As near as we can tell we got them all. I don't know if they all came in just those four trucks or if something else dropped off the guys who came in on foot. We’ll probably do a scouting mission tomorrow to see what we can see, but I'm not positive. Not yet. I'm waiting to see what daylight brings. Meantime we’ll be trading out all night on watch so everyone can get some sleep. We can't rule out a few still hiding out, waiting for a chance to do damage. We have to be careful.”
“I don't think anyone else will want to leave, but I got no way of knowing that tonight,” Leon admitted. “No one else came to see me except Josh. It may be that my grand idea falls apart.”
“If it does, it does,” Clay shrugged. “We already learned a lot from them, and they've learned some from us as well. It's a tradeoff. They've already put a garden in up there. Did we give them the seed? I admit I don't know.”
“We did,” Leon nodded. “They still have theirs and should be able to get a garden in on their own I guess. I think Gary Meecham will stay, and so will Dixie. Don't know about Jessup, after his boy screwed the pooch today. I do think Franklin George will say on and I'm fair certain of Darrell Goodrum. This is a good deal for him especially. He’ll have a built-in service demand with the cars gone. Just a matter of time.”
“We need to find a leather worker,” Clay said suddenly, the thought coming from nowhere. “We're going to need saddles and tack eventually, as well as moccasins, belts, you name it. We learned enough from the Webbs to tan the hides of anything we kill, but that's not the same as knowing what to do with it.”
“I don't know anyone right off hand that does that kind of work,” Leon mused. “Probably come up with someone if I ask around. We’ll see. I’ll talk to your father in the morning. He might know someone. And I’ll ask him to deal with Joshua if they really do decide to leave. Better you don't have to go through all that if you don't have to.”
“Works for me,” Clay admitted. “I'm down a man for the next little while. Once of Gordy's friends, Corey, took a round and had a shower of splinters nearly blind him. He's gonna be okay, but he's down for now. Once he's up and able to get around we’ll probably let him work the radio room some, so that will help out, but he will have to recover and then get back into shape. And he may not still want to do that kind of work when he does. Sometimes being wounded affects a man.”
“I imagine so,” Leon nodded. “Well, I'm sure you got better things to do. I wanted to warn you about Joshua though, so you could be prepared. I take it getting them back home won't be a problem?”
“It will be a strain, but we can manage,” Clay admitted. “We probably won't be able to do it until day after tomorrow though, at the earliest. We've got to let people get some rest and we have to refit. Our gear took a lot of strain today and we burned up a lot of ammo. . .I have to go,” Clay said suddenly as something came to him.
“What's wrong?” Leon asked even as Clay started for the door.
“I left a mine armed in front of Building Two over at the other farm.”
–
“Slow down!” Lainie complained as she tried to keep up with him.
“I have to get that mine disarmed,” he shook his head. “You can follow but stay clear.” He keyed his radio as he moved.
“All units, this is Bossman. Stay clear of the area in front of Building Two and Sentry Two. I repeat, stay clear of the area to the front of Sentry Two. There's an armed Claymore I left there this afternoon. I'm on my way to disarm it so keep everyone clear of that area. Acknowledge.”
“I already got it, Boss,” Tandi was the first to reply. “I picked it up when I came out of the clinic earlier. I didn't get a chance to tell you but I didn't think you'd want it left there.”
“Doc, if I wasn't afraid Ellen would break me I'd kiss you,” Clay sighed in relief. “Thanks brother.”
“No problem.”
Clay had stopped running when Tandi called him and that allowed Lainie to catch up.
“That it?” she asked.
“For now,” he nodded. “I'm going to get about four hours sleep and then I have to be back. We're all taking turns on the watch so everyone can get some rest.
“Well come on,” Lainie tugged him toward their house. “I’ll make sure you're awake.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
-
Clay was up early and Lainie decided she would nap once he was up and going. She had stayed awake in order to wake him for his watch, which had left her being awake for a very long time indeed. With a gentle kiss to her already sleeping face Clay slipped outside and walked down the drive and over to the radio room.
“Morning Mister Clay,” Janice had to be tired but was her usual bubbly self.
“Morning Janice,” he nodded. He tried to smile but it was a lot of effort. “Everything okay?”
“Yes sir, but Mister Webb keeps calling wanting to talk to you,” she frowned at mentioning 'Mister Webb'. “He wouldn't tell me what he wanted so I didn't wake you.”
“You're an angel,” he thanked her. “Wait for Gordon, my dad, to get over here and let him take it. I have to stand a watch right now so I can't really go up there anyway. Okay?”
“Okay,” she nodded, writing Gordon's name on a tiny slip of paper with Webb's name at the top.
“Anything else?” Clay asked.
“No sir. It's been quiet.”
“Good,” Clay nodded. “See you later.”
–
Clay assigned himself to the eastern observation post, with Zach along for company. Clay noted that Zach was as blurry eyed as he was and commented on it.
“Yeah, I didn't sleep much,” the teen admitted.
“Anything wrong?” Clay asked.
“Nah, just didn't get to bed until late,” Zach assured him.
“We’ll have to keep each other awake then.”
“Yep.”
–
Gordon Sanders did not like being yelled at. He specifically didn't like being yelled at when he hadn't eaten breakfast. And he especially didn't like being yelled at in his own front door.
“You tell that damn son of yours he better get that truck up to us pretty soon!” Joshua Webb said for at least the third time. Gordon had lost count.
“Joshua Webb, would you tolerate a man standing on your doorstep, bellowing in your face, bad mouthing one of your sons?” Gordon asked with strained politeness.
“Hell no! I'd nev-” Webb caught himself as he realized what Gordon had said and that he was doing that very thing to Gordon.
“My apologies,” Webb said formally. “I need that trailer so we can pack our belongings.”
“Why are you packing?” Gordon asked, surprised. He hadn't heard this as he'd been in bed by the time Clay had come down from Leon's.
“We're leaving,” Webb informed him tersely. “Going home.”
“What in the world for?” Gordon blurted out. “I mean I understand wanting to be on your own land and in your own home, but after yesterday-”
“Yesterday is why we're leaving!” Webb came dangerously close to yelling again.
“Do you assume it won't happen at your place?” Gordon asked. “It will only be a matter of time.”
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes,” Webb said grimly. “We're not going to stay here so I can lose another son doing your son's job.”
“My son's job?” Gordon repeated. “Funny. I could have sworn that defending your homes was supposed to be your jobs, not his. My family defended their homes yesterday.”
“Them soldiers defended your home yesterday!” Webb was belligerent again in an instant.
“'Them soldiers' as you put it were defending us al
l. My son, son-in-law and granddaughter were manning defense positions along the back of this farm, facing the creek in case of attack there. My son and grandson were in the thick of the fighting, while my two youngest grandchildren were coordinating the communications for the whole place. The only ones of us not fighting or waiting to fight were me, my wife, and my pregnant daughter. So, I will thank you not to just throw random statements around that have no basis in fact!”
Webb's face was even redder than before after such a dressing down but while he toned things down some, he didn't back down.
“Well, my son is dead while I'm pretty sure yours are all right,” he nearly growled. “Now I want that trailer and I want it now.”
“People in hell want ice water,” Gordon threw back, tired. “I’ll get your trailer but it will later this morning before it happens. Until then you can pack your things or twiddle your thumbs or whatever the hell you want to do, but I suggest you not come back to my door screaming into my face and maligning my family!”
And with that Gordon slammed the door in Webb's face and went to have breakfast. A fine start to any morning.
–
“I seem to have misjudged some people,” Leon sighed. Brick had moved Leon's favorite chair to the window so the Old Man could see outside.
“People react to loss and grief in different ways,” Brick offered.
“I know,” Leon was surprisingly quiet. “But I thought Josh was made of sterner stuff. It could just as easily been any of us. Hell, we're lucky that it wasn't all of us.”
“No,” Brick shook his head. “No, there was no luck in yesterday. Had that bunch made a better tactical disposition then Mark Webb would probably still be alive. Clay had a sound plan and he and his men set out a good, strong defense of this place. All the people at the cabins had to do was protect themselves, and they didn't. They could have,” he stressed, “but didn't.”
“I know,” Leon said again. “Maybe we made a mistake. . .maybe I made a mistake in assuming that bunch could look after themselves.”
“They had the tools and the rudimentary training,” Brick insisted. “They lacked initiative and imagination. They were warned more than once what it would be like and ignored those warnings. That isn't your fault. It's theirs.”
