The Fighter Series (Book 1): Not Alone (The Beginning)

by Kolleen Bookey

  The Colton ranchland, inherited through Ben Colton’s side of the family, was a money making ranch up until 2014 when Jack withdrew his stock from sale and went private. Two months later, the Shift happened. In the past few months, Jack had been working with other surviving ranches to get Arizona feedlots functional so local people could acquire healthy meat to feed their families. If it worked, the Colton’s would have a buyer for their beef come spring. However, without the FDA and other federal and state agencies regulating standards, it was hopeless. Money still hadn’t made a comeback and progress was moving slow. People were hungry and they went to all extremes to acquire food, even stealing it.

  Their mother Julianne Colton was the only one in the family that hadn’t survived the Shift. All that remained were Jack and his younger brother Ryan, their sister Lynn, and Ben Colton, their father. Lynn was married to Nick Roberts prior to the Shift, and had been a respected internal surgeon who once practiced in Phoenix. Between them came their beautiful and spirited 5-year-old daughter, Lily whom Jack adored.

  Everyone lived in the ranch house with the exception of Ryan and Ben. Ryan lived in both the bunkhouse and the main house. Ben stayed in the apartment in the barn.

  The ranch, home to ten working horses, five pigs, a small herd of sheep, and several cats all named “Kitty”, two dogs (Sadie and Tank), a handful of unruly and sometimes nasty chickens that produced enough eggs for the large and hungry family of six, and sometimes a meal for coyote if a chicken got out. The Colton’s had a beautiful herd of Black Angus, which prior to hard times, had been a large herd. They had everything a family needed to survive food, water, solar panels, and a little extra.

  However, keeping trespassers off the property and keeping the herd secure was time consuming. Protecting the family from home invaders was also a concern, but it was all part of the family business now. Every day was a busy day on the ranch. Then once a week, Jack and Ryan took turns riding the perimeter of the grazing part of the property, all 200 acres of it. Because of poachers, cattle were no longer safe to graze on open range. Instead, they were fenced in and checked on daily.

  “You boys keep the cattle in. I’ll keep the women out.” Lynn teased on occasion.

  Both the Colton men were desirable catches and these days’ bachelors were rare. Both men had inherited the Colton traits, thick and curly hair and eyes that could melt snow in the North Pole. While Jack’s hair was dark and slightly salted, Lynn and Ryan had blonde hair. Jack was the tallest of the three, standing 6’4”, sporting 215 lbs. of broad shoulders, and muscle. The two brothers were like day and night in physical traits and in character, but not in fight. Jack’s ex-wife had claimed he was too quiet and dark, but for some women this would be enticing. Ryan on the other hand was witty, charming and playful. Both Colton brothers were intelligent possessing extreme skills they’d acquired from the military and being handsome as well made them a lethal combination.

  Prescott and the Prescott Valley had been quiet for over a month. It was too quiet and Jack was growing restless, his gut was telling him trouble was on the horizon. With a stainless steel cup of hot coffee in his right hand and a Beretta 1873 Renegade rifle in his left, Jack headed out to fetch Sam. The quarter-thoroughbred bay gelding was his horse and big enough to carry the like of him. The Beretta rifle was one of his favorite weapons and one in his private collection of many. Jack laid the rifle across his shoulder and was about to cross through the double doors of the barn when he heard the drumming of hoof beats. Ryan was coming in fast from an eight-hour property check for squatters and trespassers. By the sound of it, he was pushing his horse Moe hard and approaching the barn hot.

  “Trouble?” Jack grabbed a hold of Moe’s reins.

  Ryan jumped off the bay gelding with the same amount of energy he’d left with hours ago. He turned his blue eyes on his brother. Even in the darkness of the predawn light, Jack could see a dark bruise starting to form on the skin around Ryan’s left eye. A long stream of white frost flowed from his breath into the morning air.

  “I caught a few markers on the south end near Granite Creek,” he said “trying to set up camp.” Ryan caught his breath pulling his rifle out of the scabbard. “They put up a little fuss.”

  Ryan smiled. He loosened the cinch so Moe could breathe. The horse fidgeted urging the two men to hurry. Hay and a warm stall awaited him. Jack didn’t ask his brother if he was all right. If he were hurt, Ryan would tell him. This was how the family communicated. It was an age-old characteristic handed down from generation to generation. Strong and silent, that was the Colton way even in the weakest moments. It was expected.

  “You might want to check the south end while you’re out just in case they decided to give it another try.” Ryan pulled his pack from the saddle. “I watched them until they hit the boundary.”

  “How many?” Jack didn’t want this trouble on the ranch. He hesitated for a second and then looked back at his brother.

  “Three. Maybe two more.” Ryan said.

  “They may head this way.”

  Ryan gave him a nod. “I’ll tell pops. I’ll catch a few hours of sleep and then head out to make sure you don’t need any help”.

  “Let Lynn know where I’m going first. Just in case. Nick went into the city.” Instinct was pulling at Jack’s gut. “Let them know you had a problem.”

  “I’ll let her know.”

  When it came to their family, Jack and Ryan gave little reason for second chances. Lily, sweet little Lily was Lynn’s driving force to protect as well. It was a mother’s instinct to protect her child even with her own life if need be. Lynn’s dedication to her daughter was apparent, homeschooling Lily at the age of three. Molding Lily into a child more advanced than most children were at age six. Lily was the future and it was up to the family to see she lived it.

  “Just look at her Jack, all those dark curls.” Julianne would say. “Her smile could light up the cloudiest of days.”

  He coveted the vision of Julianne watching Lily on the swing that day. Her summer dress painted with lilies as the material flowed in the Arizona breeze. That image, when Jack needed it, had saved his life more than once. It represented not only his family, but also how precious life was and still could be.

  “Lily Bean” the family called her because she was as small as a bean and as beautiful as a spring lily. Her blue eyes sparkled like liquid sunshine and her pink lips pushed out into a pout when she didn’t get her way. Little locks of dark auburn curls framed her heart shaped face. Honestly, Jack was smitten with her. No one knew how many children had survived or were trying to stay alive, but that would never be Lily.

  Jack let out a soft whistle. A clatter of hoof beats sounded. A tall bay gelding appeared; head held high and ears forward. Jack opened the gate letting the gelding out without a lead. The horse trotted off a few feet and then stopped. He turned his head and looked at Jack.

  “Time to go to work, Sam.” He said.

  The horse neighed. Jack shoved his anxiety to the side and gave Sam a playful slap on the rump. The horse trotted to the entrance of the barn.

  By the time he and Sam headed out, dawn had broken through the Arizona skies. Normally, he rode the North end of the property line first. Instead, he headed for Hunters Creek. He wanted to make sure the markers had vacated. Afterwards, he’d head north and check on the herd. He’d wanted to stay a night at the lake cabin, but knowing Lynn and Lily would be alone until Nick returned gnawed at his stomach. There were several livable buildings on the property. A beautiful log cabin on the north end overlooking Colton Lake and another at the south end, which was much smaller, called Hunters Creek.

  The Hunter Creek cabin was named years ago when the Colton family allowed friends to hunt on the property. It wasn’t far from Granite creek and provided a cozy shelter during the colder hunting seasons. A wood stove fueled Hunters Creek and water accommodations were a bit old fashioned. Because of the easy excess from the highway to Hunter’s creek, vandals had de
stroyed it more than once.

  The lake cabin was far less accessible. Jack built it to keep whoever was inside safe. The stellar view, secluded location and hardware built into the structure made it a fortress. This had been Jack’s intention from the beginning. The chalet hugged a thick tree line and mountainous terrain camouflaging it from outsiders. Tall timbers and wide meadows covered the land splitting the rocky creeks and colorful rock formation in half. The land was both rising and falling in hills and peaks, which created a sort of maze.

  Jack let Sam have his head. The horse moved into a smooth lope. In the distant Arizona sky, dark clouds were gathering off to the north.

  FIVE

  The buildings on the property were just as unwelcoming as the house, but soon night would be closing in on her and the last place Riley wanted to spend the night was here. She moved from one building to the next quickly fishing for supplies and hoping for a lucky break. By the time she reached the third building the sun was beginning its descent. Picking the lock, she entered the darkness greeted by a greasy aroma of diesel and metal. Small cracks of sunlight penetrating through the slits of the giant doors leant little to no light. Something large settled inside the tin structure and she jumped. The silence returned and then a slight scratching noise began. More rats. She turned to see Max waiting outside the door.

  “Dam the dark,” she whispered. She traced her fingers along the edges of the door searching for a latch. She found it lifting the door to extinguish the darkness. The truck was the first thing she saw.

  “Nice.”

  The truck was near new, white, 2500 Dodge Diesel Ram. Sitting towards the back of the barn was a toy hauler. For now, she had a vehicle tough enough to handle the roads and rolling motel. The keys to the trailer were in the center console of the truck. For the first time in a long time, Riley smiled ear to ear at the UTV Wildcat strapped down inside. The cranberry business had been good to this farmer.

  The trailer was fully equipped, canned food, propane, and bedding but unless she found a water source to fill the tanks with, she’d been still without water. What she did have room for bottled water and extra diesel. Dusk fell just as she started the truck and thanked God for being so kind to this farmer. As the sun hid, Riley closed down the door and ate a can of expired cold soup. Finding batteries for her flashlight, she and Max agreed to share the double bed. For the first time in months, they slept on a bed with her pistol tucked under her pillow until dawn woke the crows.

  “What is that smell?” Riley said pinching her nose the next morning. “Is that you?”

  She looked at Max who looked guilty as hell. Rolling down windows helped but the rough highway was enough to jar her teeth loose. Pieces of cement had risen pushed up by land movement and growing grass out of control. The pace started out decent but fourteen minutes later, she braked to a crawl. Mother Nature had jack hammered the road and the rigid suspension on the truck was making for a rough ride. Concerned about her rolling motel, Riley pulled over near an abandoned building to check for damage on both vehicles. Never turning down a chance to find something good, she could do a quick treasure hunt on the abandoned building and get back on the road.

  “You want out Max?” She asked. “Max.”

  He yawned. “Okay” She said shutting the door. “You stink!”

  Without man, time had not been kind to anything left behind. Windows were broken, the siding wrecked, wires exposed, and chunks of old installation hung in chunks. Shards of glass lay scattered around the entry while some had slipped between the warped boards but once inside, she shut out the destruction and found treasure someone else had failed to see. She took what she could find and hurried back to the truck.

  “Time to go.”

  Slipping into the driver’s seat, she was slammed by the same rotten smell again. This time it stung her nose and made her eyes water. She looked at Max.

  “Phew.” She said. “You better not have.”

  Max looked at her letting out a high-pitched meow. Then something in the back seat moved. Drawing her pistol, she leaned over the seat to find two small dirt smudged faces. Two girls, thin and surrounded by long unruly locks of hair. Green eyes sparkled and cherry lips formed into fearful frowns.

  “Don’t hurt us,” whispered the smaller of the two. Her lips pouty and her button nose smudged with lines of dirt. Tiny fingers nervously tapped her lips.

  In complete shock, Riley stared at the faces. They were the first she’d seen in a long time. She could almost feel the beating of their hearts as well as the release of air in their breaths. Her voice caught in her throat. She wanted to reach out with her hand and touch their cheeks. Was she hallucinating? A tear the size of a Ping-Pong ball formed around the corner of the littlest one’s eye and then rolled down her cheek. She attempted to hide behind the other girl, but space was limited.

  “She might be a monster,” the smallest said.

  “I’m not a monster!” Riley replied.

  The older of the two pressed her brows together. She imagined that their muscles were beginning to cramp from crouching in such a tiny area. Their shirts were torn, stained, and hung loosely on their bodies. It dawned on her where the smell was coming from.

  Max looked at her as if saying, “I tried to tell you twenty miles ago.”

  “How…did…?” She fumbled at the words. Her social skills had become as rusty as the humidity plaguing the Oregon air. She watched the oldest of the two’s expression change.

  “We climbed in last night. While you were sleeping.” She answered. “You should have checked the back seat before you left.”

  “Really?” Riley said. “Yep, I should have checked the backseat. Shit!”

  The youngest girl shrank back.

  “Sorry,” Riley said keeping her eyes on both the girls. “Now what? Where do you live?”

  “We won’t be a problem. I promise.” The older girl said pulling her sister closer to her. Riley went silent. They looked small in comparison to the seat and fragile.

  “What’s your names?”

  Max watched.

  “Utah,” the oldest answered.

  “Megan.” Megan said, rubbing her eyes. She attempted to wipe the tear, which left a smudge of dirt. “What’s your name?”

  “Riley, Riley Collins.” She was smitten. Both of them had the biggest eyes and longest eyelashes and God if it wasn’t so good just to see another person.

  “Your parents?” She was sounding like a cop, but she needed to know.

  “Dead,” Utah said.

  Riley’s experience with children was limited and probably apparent. “I’m so sorry.” She paused. “Relatives?” She already knew the answer to that question. The two children had found her. Her life consisted of a feral cat. She owned nothing and lived nowhere.

  “Dead,” Utah repeated. “Everyone is gone.”

  “Where are you going?” Megan cocked her head to the side.

  Riley looked out the window. “I’m going north. To Prescott, Arizona to find my brother.”

  “Is he dead? Can we come with you?” Megan asked. “How far is Arizona?”

  “I can’t take you guys. It would be kidnapping and I…..” Stopping, she realized it all sounded unimportant.

  “I don’t think anyone is left.” Utah said. “Please help us.”

  “When was the last time you saw a person?” Riley asked.

  “A long time.” Utah said.

  Another strand of silence followed. Riley feared the worst. These two children had suddenly become her responsibility. “I don’t mind the company, if you don’t mind Max.”

  “We like cats.” Max jumped on Utah’s lap and purred. The girl settled into the seat with an expression of relief.

  Max looked at Riley, “I tried to tell you.”

  This wasn’t the plan she had in mind, but one she now faced. People needed a permit to have children and Riley didn’t have one.

  “Buckle up. There are goodies in this box if you’re hungry.” />
  In the rearview mirror, she saw two smiles. After all, she’d said the right thing. A bag rustled and a soft squeal ensued as Megan reached over the seat. Before returning to her sister, she put her hand out to Riley. Ignoring the dirt, Riley took a dark truffle from the hand. The chocolate melted on her tongue. How long had it been since she’d tasted something so sinful?

  “Mmmmmmm.” Riley forgot her new responsibilities.

  SIX

  The ice had been broken with chocolate but they were a long way from the finish line. Meanwhile, Riley was trying to keep the truck on the smoother sections of the highway for an easier ride. The truck’s rigid suspension forced her to work the wheel while keeping attention on the trailer fishtailing and bouncing all over the road. By noon, she was wore out and needed to make a pit stop. The girls hadn’t uttered a word and she hadn’t pushed any more questions. Megan had fallen asleep. Utah was wide-awake watching her, but saying very little.

  “You have to pee,” Riley asked. “Now’s a good time.”

  Megan woke. She swayed a little as she slid to the ground but her sister clasped her hand to steady her. Riley waited unsure of what to do next. Utah seeing her hesitance pulled her sister toward a clump of trees and the two disappeared into the shrubs.

  “Don’t go far.” Riley went the opposite direction. “I mean they’ve been doing this for a long time. Who am I to say where and how to pee?”

  When they emerged from the brush, Riley was leaning against the bumper. She dropped her jaw slightly when she saw Utah was half dragging and half pulling her sister in a full sprint. To avoid being ran over, she stepped out of their way. The girls scrambled into the truck leaving her standing there.