The Journal (Book 6): Martial Law

by Deborah D. Moore

  “Fine.”

  “We sent most of the force back to guard the prisoners. There are still a dozen here, put up in the Inn, as are we,” he told her. “We need to talk.”

  She opened her eyes. “Then I need a drink. I’m sure Tom still has a few bottles.” Allexa sat up straight. “You driving?”

  ***

  At the house on the lake, Mayor Tom White set up the bar, an unopened bottle of Gray Goose in the middle, with five glasses surrounding it. Allexa cracked the seal with shaky hands and blurred vision. She swallowed hard and let Tom pour.

  “To Colonel James Andrews. He was a very good man; may he rest in peace wherever he is,” Tom said, lifting his glass. Tom, Allexa, Steve, Dan, and Eric downed a shot of Gray Goose.

  Allexa coughed. “How could he drink that stuff?” They all chuckled except for Eric.

  “Ma’am, if you would excuse me, I need to check on Rayn and the kids,” Eric said, rubbing his still injured arm.

  “Of course, and tell her and Frank I said thank you.”.

  After he left, Dan looked at her in question. “Who are Rayn and Frank?”

  “Both sergeants, and both snipers who had the Inn covered during operations. Rayn is also Eric’s wife,” Allexa answered, letting her guard down a bit. Tom poured her a double shot of spiced rum over ice.

  “Sgt. Rush looked like his arm was hurting him,” Dan noted.

  “He was shot on our way back from Sawyer.” She didn’t elaborate, cutting off any further questions.

  “You have an interesting and close knit community here. I can see why you want to protect it,” Steve said, shifting the conversation.

  “Yes, for the most part, these are good people, survivors,” Tom said. “They’ve made it through killing flu outbreaks, dangerous weather, food shortages, and now invasion.”

  “Are they aware of Operation Boy Scout?” Steve asked.

  Tom looked warily at Allexa for the answer.

  “No, they’re not. They aren’t part of it–yet,” she replied after taking a sip from her chilled glass. “And I don’t want them to know either.”

  “Understood,” Dan replied. “With that in mind, how are you keeping the peace and keeping them safe with only five of you? For that matter, how did you do it with seven?”

  “We had nine. Two of our local officers were murdered last summer and then the perp had the decency to commit suicide. Anyway, mostly things were kept quiet with the early winter. When Jim and Perky left, our force was basically then cut in half, though we expected them to come back.” Allexa paused for another sip. She found it sad she was quickly becoming acclimated to the fact Jim was dead. “I will admit we are stretched pretty thin now, so I appreciate your quick reinforcement. Thank you.”

  “With your permission, Colonel, I’d like to leave a half dozen of my men here for a while,” Steve offered.

  “Let me think about that if you don’t mind,” Allexa replied.

  “We don’t know yet if this group was the only cell operating in this area,” Dan chimed in.

  She gazed at him, mulling over the possibility. “With that in mind, I accept your offer. Whoever you select, though, needs to understand that this martial law works well because we have integrated into the community and work with them to keep them safe and supplied. Tom and I share the leadership here.”

  “So you are head of security?”

  “Yes and no. Jim was head of security. However, now I am by default. Sergeant Rush coordinates the patrols. He’s good at it and I’ve seen no reason to alter that. If there is a problem that involves non-military, he brings it to us. There are times we call for a board meeting. The board is Tom, myself, Father Constantine, Art Collins, who heads a small community north of here, and Jim. We will now have to find a replacement for Jim, and that’s going to be difficult,” Allexa concluded with a sigh.

  “So your board consists of military, civilian, and religious leaders? Interesting combination and apparently well balanced,” Dan commented. “I’m hoping you can give us a tour tomorrow. This place is intriguing. On that note, we should take our leave. It’s been a very long day for all of us.”

  ***

  After the two majors disappeared up the driveway, Tom poured Allexa another shot of spiced rum.

  “Allex, I know it must have been very difficult to hear those confessions about Jim’s death. Are you okay?” Tom asked.

  “I don’t know, Tom. For me it’s been a long walk on a very fine line between being ready and prepared for anything, and not giving a damn. That line just got very hazy.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  At nine o’clock in the morning, Allexa heard the refrigerator start humming as the signal the generator was back online. She took her cup of coffee made with the French press and stepped into the backyard. A chickadee flitted away from the birdbath after taking a drink. Sleep had eluded her most of the night and she hoped the caffeine would wash away the grogginess she felt.

  “Mom, are you here?” Jason called out.

  Allexa stepped back into the kitchen to refill her cup before facing her youngest. “You want some coffee?” she asked, alerting him to where she was.

  “No thanks. I just wanted to tell you privately…” he choked. “I’m so sorry about the colonel. I know you two were very close. Eric told me about…the executions. I hope that helped ease some of the pain.”

  “Killing someone, even for a good reason, will never ease the pain, Jason. Even as vile as those three were, they were still human beings.” Allexa looked out at her much smaller yard before turning back. “Yes, Jim and I were close and cared for each other, but he’s gone. I’ve lost three men in the last three years. Three men that I cared deeply about, and it’s left a big hole in me. Fortunately that hole is numb, at least for now.”

  Jason gave his mother a long hug. “So what are your plans for today? You want to go fishing?”

  She laughed. “That would be fun, but I promised to give Major Kopley and Major Hogan a tour of Moose Creek. I think we’ll start with Lookout Rock, then maybe Eagle Beach and the marina. Any other suggestions?”

  ***

  “Wow, what a view!” Dan Hogan said, staring out from Lookout Rock. The town of Moose Creek lay at their feet, with Lake Meade shimmering in the late morning sunlight beyond the houses. The land bridge between the inland lake and Lake Superior was starting to shrink as the Big Lake continued to refill.

  “What’s on the other side over there, Allex?” Steve Kopley asked, pointing in the direction of Eagle Beach.

  “We’ll go there next. It’s our deep water port and marina, which looks like it might be useable for small craft before long if the water continues to rise at the current rate. You can see the lighthouse at the end of the strand. We’ll go there too.” She turned to face the two men and leaned against the railing, putting her back to the breathtaking view. “After that, I think we should start the interviews with who you think may be willing to stay on here.”

  “They don’t have to be willing, Allex, they can be ordered to stay,” Kopley answered.

  “I don’t want anyone staying under those circumstances. This could turn into a long assignment and I don’t need the unrest of resentment,” Allexa stated firmly.

  ***

  “We had seven volunteer and have yet to eliminate any. They all seem to be viable candidates for staying on. How do we narrow it down to only six? You two know these men best, what do you suggest?” Allexa asked.

  “The one that doesn’t get chosen is going to be greatly disappointed. If it’s within your scope of housing, why not take all seven?” Kopley suggested. “We’ll increase the food and gas shipments of course, along with their military supplies, like clothing and ammo.”

  She looked at the two majors sitting at the round table with her at the Inn. The young soldiers had been dismissed and were waiting in the larger conference room while the officers privately made their decision.

  “Sounds good to me, though I want to talk w
ith them individually before they accept the assignment,” Allexa stated, rising from the table. “When will you two be leaving?”

  “We thought in the morning,” Dan Hogan said. “The Blackhawk is still at Sawyer and can be here to pick us up within a half hour.”

  ***

  “Gentlemen, you have all volunteered to stay on in Moose Creek for security detail. Before you concern yourselves with who may have been bumped, it’s been agreed that all of you can stay. That is if you still want to after this talk we’re about to have.” Allexa paused to take a sip of water. “The security work here is easy, and unlike what you may be accustomed to. Here we ride around on bicycles, since it’s actually quicker, definitely quieter, and more efficient. We are expected to help the residents in any way we can, be it from holding a ladder to climbing it. You will be called on to settle minor disputes, and anything you don’t feel comfortable dealing with, defer to Sgt. Rush or myself. Speaking of Sgt. Rush, he is my eyes and ears and he is in charge of you, the duty roster, and will be responsible for your behavior. You go to him first with everything, is that clear?” She waited while they all agreed. “I understand that two of you are almost of equal rank to Sgt. Rush. You are E6s, he’s an E7. If it becomes a problem I will have only one option and that would be to send you back to Sawyer. I don’t want to do that. He has been here for some time now, and knows the ropes and the people. He is in charge. Are there any questions?”

  One young man raised his hand. Allexa nodded. “Ma’am, where will we be housing?”

  “Good question. For now you will be assigned rooms here at the Inn. As you get familiar with the town during your tour in Moose Creek and what houses are empty, you can decide if you wish to have your housing reassigned. And as you get familiar with the people, you may decide on…alliances. Relationships are usually discouraged, but not here. At that time living arrangements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. I want you to feel at home, and as part of the community you will serve the people better.” The men looked stunned, and a bit uncomfortable. “It will be your choice. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to come to me.”

  “Where do we find a bicycle?”

  “At the Down Riggers store which we now call the Nuns Shoppe run by the sisters. There is a collection for you to choose from. There is no theft in this town so don’t worry about locking the bike up, just leave them parked by the back door. You will also be expected to attend the non-denominational church services. Not only is it comforting, it’s where a great deal of community news is shared, and that will assist you in your duties.” She looked at the small sea of faces and smiled. “Your first assignment will be tomorrow escorting a group into Marquette to continue provisioning. Only three of you will go while four will to stay here for security. You have the rest of the day to yourselves, so wander around and get familiar with the area.” She turned away. “Oh, if after that little speech, any of you have changed your mind, please speak with me privately. Dismissed.”

  As Allexa was leaving the Inn, Marsha stopped her.

  “When I was cleaning the rooms upstairs, I found a drawer full of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other things that looked like they came from the Nuns Shoppe,” Marsha said, “so I took them back to Sister Agnes.”

  “Thank you, Marsha. I meant to mention to you those guys took several things from our supply, then things got a bit hectic rather quickly.”

  ***

  The two majors met Allexa at her house for breakfast before departing. Fresh scrambled eggs, a bowl of sausage gravy, and a platter of fresh biscuits sat in the center of the table. She filled three coffee cups and sat, picking up a biscuit and dipping it into a pool of gravy on her plate.

  “Sgt. Rush is a fine young man, Colonel. I can see why you want to keep him on as security officer, and your personal assistant,” Kopley said, pouring gravy over a broken biscuit. “He told me you once risked your life to save his.”

  “Once?” she laughed. “Likely he doesn’t remember the other times. He was kind of young back then.”

  Both majors paused, waiting for her to explain. When she didn’t, Hogan asked, “Is there something we should know about the sergeant?”

  “In time perhaps, but not now.” She stared off into the nothingness of her mind. “Father Constantine will be holding a short memorial service for the colonel and Perkins this afternoon. I won’t order you to, though it would please me if you both stayed for it.”

  “Of course,” Kopley stated. “And if I may make a suggestion, Colonel, I think it would be wise for us to have regular communications, just to stay informed.”

  “I agree, perhaps once a week?” she suggested. “We can set up a schedule later.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  “Do you have your team selected, Eric?” Allexa asked, watching her son finish emptying the back of the step van. There wasn’t anything of value there, only a few empty boxes.

  “Yes, Rayn and Tony are coming with me, and three of the new guys. It will give us a chance to get to know them,” he said. “And don’t worry, Mom, with the new bridge in place it will take us less than an hour to get to the subdivision. I figure two, maybe three hours there, and an hour back. We’ll be home by dinner.”

  “Only three hours there?”

  “If you recall, you and I went through those houses thoroughly, and put most of what was usable in the living rooms. All we need to do is load up.”

  “I hope we didn’t miss anything.”

  “I’m planning on an hour to re-scout. With Rayn and Tony as fresh eyes, we should catch anything you and I overlooked,” Eric reassured her.

  “Who’s watching Alan while you’re gone?”

  “Sister Lynn has him while Emi is in school. That nun loves Alan.” Eric laughed. “I’ve even seen her crawl around on the floor with him.”

  “Just be careful, son.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom, we’ve got more firepower right now than you and I did.” Eric looked pensive as he rubbed his arm that wasn’t quite healed. “Okay, I’ll be extra careful.”

  Allexa watched her son drive away with Rayn and a new guy, followed by the Humvee Major Kopley left behind manned by two of the new soldiers and Tony.

  ***

  Needing something to do, Allexa washed and pressed the two military shirts, Jim’s and Perky’s, and hung them in her closet as a reminder that even the bravest, strongest, and most well trained men sometimes got caught by surprise, and that could get them killed.

  Still feeling restless and fatigued by the adrenaline dump from the past few days, Allexa pedaled her bike around the town, checking on the new recruits. All seemed to be fine. The young men were walking their bikes instead of riding, and chatting with the residents as they made their rounds. It was good to see them getting to know the town.

  Passing by one of the bungalows on a side street, shiny disks caught her attention, twisting and sparkling in the sunlight. She stopped to admire them, until she saw they were gold and silver canning seals, strung together. She wheeled up to the house and dropped her bike on the parched lawn.

  “Hello, Ms. Smeth!” the young woman said, coming out onto the wooden porch. “You like my sun catchers?”

  “You’re using canning seals…” Allexa replied, her tone threatening under her breath.

  The girl took on a scared look. “I had to find a use for all those used and bent seals that come off the canning jars.”

  “Used seals?”

  “Oh, I would never use new ones. My gosh, they’re too valuable to us.”

  Allexa quickly realized how she had jumped to a wrongful conclusion and backed up. “Could you make me one or two? They’re very pretty, and might even be good for keeping the birds away from the strawberries.”

  The young girl let out a sigh of relief. “I would be honored, ma’am.”

  Allexa picked up her bike and went home, tears streaming down her face at having realized how close she came to verbally attacking the innocent girl
.

  She sat in her glider chair next to the birdbath and wept. The stress on her was worse than she thought and she had to find a way to deal with it. Before, what seemed a lifetime ago, she would sit in the hot tub and soak away the tension.

  Without the big tub, Allexa decided to try the next best thing, and ran hot water in the bathtub. Even though it was a large garden tub, it was still much smaller than what she was used to. Submerging her shoulders and the back of her head eased the tight muscles in her neck. She lay there and tried to empty her thoughts, trying to remember what else she did to alleviate the stress that would arise. Work.

  ***

  Dressed again in jeans, a khaki military t-shirt, a light jacket with Jim’s silver eagle on the right collar, and her weapon strapped around her waist, Allexa once more took her bike and went to the office. The day was unusually bright with full sunshine and she tried to enjoy the warm weather.

  “Anything of importance going on, Tom?” she asked, entering their joint office.

  “All is quiet,” he said. Glancing out the dusty window that overlooked the parking lot, they both saw the arrival of a pickup truck with several people riding in the back.

  “I don’t recognize them,” Allexa stated. “That could be good, or bad. Let’s see what they want.” The two stepped out of the building, trying to look welcoming.

  Tom opened the conversation. “What can we do for you?”

  “Allex?” a short woman said, elbowing her way in between the taller men.

  “Sherry?” Allexa said with a smile and took a step forward. Tension surged as everyone reached for their weapons.