by Reed, N. C.
Jake Sidell followed them expertly in the Beast with Tandi Maseo once more riding shotgun. He'd taken time to clean his own gear and shower before heading back out and now smelled much better.
Finally came the camouflaged MRAP with Titus Terry driving, Kaitlin Caudell in the passenger seat and Nate in the gun tub.
As they traveled, everyone was reminded of the massive fire they had fought just weeks ago. Everywhere there was charred wood and burned over grass. New grass was already peeking out from the ashes, but the overall look was one of devastation.
“I had forgotten,” Jose almost murmured. No one else spoke of it.
“You guys hold here,” Jose radioed after another ten minutes travel. “No sense in scaring them to death. We’ll approach and make contact. If they're agreeable then we’ll bring up the truck and the rest.”
“Copy that,” Tandi replied.
“Roger that,” Nate was right behind him.
“Be alert,” he told Martina. She grinned at him.
“Yeah, we always need more ‘lerts,” she laughed.
“Such a smart ass,” Jose sighed and she laughed again.
“You love my ass,” she replied.
“I'm pukin' back here,” Leon growled, making Martina laugh yet again. Leon was shaking his head but Jose could see the unmistakable sign of an almost smile on the Old Man's lips. He was having a good time.
“Here we are,” Jose slowed as the house came into view. At least what was left.
The small outbuilding Jose remembered had survived, but the house itself was damaged to say the least. The roof has apparently caught fire, burning most of the upper floor before either burning itself out or else being extinguished.
The tractor in the yard was blackened from fire and the nicely appointed yard that Jose remembered was nothing but ashes.
“Damn it,” Leon muttered behind it. “Why in the hell didn't we think of this?”
“Too much else on our plate, sir,” Jose shook his head. He angled into the drive but then stopped, not venturing into the yard. He turned the PA system on and keyed the mike.
“Mister and Mrs. Talbot, we came to check up on you. We were here a few weeks ago and gave you a hand-,” That was as far as he got before Charles and Dee Talbot emerged from behind the small shed, looking very poorly indeed. Ragged and dirty, exhausted and malnourished, the two waved in a subdued manner. Clearly, they recognized Jose's voice.
“Everyone stay put,” Jose ordered. “I'm going to speak to them and see what's going on.”
“Be careful,” Martina said, though she knew it was useless. Jose winked at her and stepped down.
He approached the couple slowly, unsure of what kind of welcome he'd get.
“Looks like you folks have been through it,” he settled for an opening statement.
“Got caught in that big fire a few weeks ago,” Charles nodded. “Managed to save most of our stuff, or at least a good bit of it, but the house is. . .we've been living in the shed. Our surviving possessions are stored in the house on the lower floor.”
“I'm sorry we didn't come by sooner,” Jose told them, meaning it. “We were fighting the fire trying to save ourselves and then. . .well, not everyone is friendly these days, but you already know that. How are your little ones?”
“Jimi, my son, got burned trying to get stuff from the upstairs,” Dee told him. “I've treated it as best I can, but it still looks bad. I don't suppose your medic is with you?” she asked hopefully.
“He is, and so are some other people, including a man who wants to make you an offer,” Jose nodded. “I've got two other vehicles down the road. Okay to bring them up? The medic is on one of them.”
“Of course!” Dee nodded eagerly.
“Doc, Scope, come on up,” Jose said into his radio. “Doc, you got a patient when you get here.”
“Roger that,” Tandi replied at once. “Beast moving.”
“Phantom moving,” Nate followed him.
“Beast?” Dee asked, a look of concern on her face. Jose smiled ever so slightly.
“You’ll see,” he promised even as the sound of a revving diesel reached their ears and smoke billowed above what was left of the trees. Two minutes later the big rig rolled to a stop in front of the house, looking almost like a motorized dragon.
“Beast,” Dee nodded. “How very appropriate.”
Doc was climbing down before Jake had gotten stopped completely and was hurrying across the yard.
“Mr. and Mrs. Talbot,” he nodded to them. “How can I help?”
“My son has a pretty nasty burn on his arm that I haven't been able to help him with,” Dee explained. She was self-conscious about her appearance but forgot that in the face of getting possible assistance for her son.
“Take me to him,” Tandi said at once and followed her toward the shed. Charles watched them go before turning back to Jose.
“You mentioned an offer?”
-
“So, you've got a place for us to stay?” Charles asked Leon. He had remained quiet as the Old Man had described his offer and what he wanted.
“A small cabin,” Leon nodded. “It's not as large as your house was, I'm afraid, but it does have two bedrooms and a loft. No kitchen because meals are in a communal kitchen in the square where the cabins sit. Same for the bathhouse. It sits in the middle of the square, back to the back of the kitchen.”
“And you've got a doctor?”
“No, but we do have a nurse practitioner, my daughter-in-law Patricia. A small clinic. It's not a hospital, or even an emergency room but. . .it's all we got.”
“How do you still have running vehicles?” Charles asked. “Or anything else for that matter?”
“We were well prepared for a disaster, but the vehicles run because they were parked inside when the light storm hit,” Leon explained carefully. “The tin roof and what not protected them, most of them, anyway. There are a few that don't work no more. And them military rigs can be reset if a pulse hits 'em like that.” Jose nodded in agreement but stayed quiet.
“I thought you told us there was nowhere to take us before,” he looked at Jose accusingly.
“There wasn't,” Leon answered for him. “We had a group leave. Some returned but a lot of them didn't. We've got an empty cabin now. Just the one.”
“And you're offering it to me why?” Charles asked. He couldn't help but to be suspicious.
“You can farm,” Leon shrugged. “You can manage a tractor and a harvester, I guess?”
“Well, yes,” Charles seemed surprised.
“We need help with the farm,” Leon said simply. “We have a large operation and my grandson can't keep working the farm while he runs other things. My great grandson is still working the cattle, but he also has other duties so we're stretched thin. We have a good group of people, but very few of them know anything at all about farm work.”
“More like none of us,” Jose shrugged.
“I also heard you was a professor of something or other,” Leon continued. “Mind if I ask what you taught?”
“I teach plant and soil science,” Talbot replied.
“Say what now?” Leon's attention suddenly ratcheted up a notch.
“Hoping for something more exotic?” Talbot asked.
“I wasn't hoping for anything except someone we could slide into our operation,” Leon admitted. “The fact that you could do a lot more than just drive a tractor is just gravy. Good gravy I will admit, but extra nonetheless. You willing to put your knowledge and experience to work helping us maintain our ability to feed everyone?”
“I would be, yes,” Talbot nodded. “Tell me more about your setup.”
“We've got a school, we're pretty well protected, we have some technology that still works, and while we don't have anything fancy we do eat regular,” Leon told him. “It ain't like it was, and won't never be if we're honest, but it's better than it could be. It's a big outfit these days with about seventy people, a lot of whom are chi
ldren. Fact is, if we factor in the kids in the orphanage and the women caring for them, I guess we're up to around eighty people now.”
“You have an orphanage?” Talbot looked shocked.
“Yeah,” Leon replied a little warily. “That a problem?”
“No, I just didn't expect someone like you to do something like that,” Talbot shrugged. Setting Leon off immediately.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he demanded sharply. “Someone like me?”
“Well, you guys did just leave us here,” Talbot replied. “That doesn't speak much to any kind of charity or neighborliness. Not to mention civic or social responsibility.”
“This is your place, ain't it? We didn't leave you here, we found you here. You think we owed you something?” Leon demanded. “That it?”
“I didn't say that,” Talbot shook his head. “But those who are more fortunate should look after those who aren't as well off. Certainly, that would include now.”
“I see,” Leon was fuming now. “And my grandson and his friends risking their lives to save you and your family, I guess that don't meet your idea of neighborliness either. Huh?”
“Your grandson was one of the-,”
“He was in command,” Jose broke in. “It was his decision to help you, not mine.”
“You ungrateful son-of-a-bitch,” Leon was white hot now. “You ain't my responsibility and neither is anyone else other than my family. I have taken in as many as I can and done for others beside them. Placed ourselves in danger to help some of them, including a purpose-built building full of children who can't even tell us who they are! Our people rescue you and your family, provide you with the means to feed yourself, give you medical supplies and treatment, and you still have the nerve to tell me about neighborliness? Preach to me about responsibility and charity? Stand there shrouded in your left wing, liberal bullshit ideology and dare presume to preach to me! Lecture me?”
“Calm down, Leon,” Brick told him quietly from behind him. “Do not over tax yourself.”
“Bah!” Leon waved him off. He turned to Jose.
“We're done here as soon as your medic is finished treating the boy.” Without another word he turned to head back to the Hummer.
“Wait!” Talbot called after him. “What about us?”
“Hell with you!” Leon called back as loud as he could. “Be damned if I invite someone on to my own land to lecture me! Stay here and wait for the socialist revolution to feed your ungrateful ass!”
Talbot looked almost overwhelmed by the abrupt change in the way things had been going. He looked to Jose, who was simply watching him, stone faced.
“But I... .my children!” Talbot said suddenly. “What about my children?”
“I'm sure you can do a good job indoctrinating them,” Jose said with careful indifference. “You hit a sore spot with the Old Man with that line. Maybe you should have thought about that before you started lecturing him. Especially since you don't know him at all.”
“But. . .we all have the freedom of expression!” Talbot exclaimed.
“And he's expressing his dislike of your attitude,” Jose shrugged. “It's a shame, too. Been nice to had the extra help.” Tandi was coming back, shouldering his pack as he spoke to Mrs. Talbot.
“It's not too bad,” Tandi said. “Painful, but I've treated it with a pain relief gel for now. The blisters are protecting new skin is all. Patricia can take a look at it when we get back, but I think it will be fine.”
“Thank you so much,” she told the little medic. “I’ll be glad to get him somewhere that he may can get the proper treatment. I had some aloe plants but the fire got them,” she sighed.
“So, what's the verdict?” Tandi asked as he stopped in front of Jose.
“We're on the move,” Jose said simply. “Offer went south.”
“Really?” Tandi looked mildly surprised. “Well,” he pulled his pack back off and set it down.
“What does that mean?” Dee Talbot asked, looking from her husband to Jose and back again.
“I'm afraid Mister Talbot has offended the man who owns the operation where we live,” Jose said neutrally. “The offer has been withdrawn.”
“What?!” Dee Talbot's head whipped back to her husband. “What did you do?” she demanded.
“I was just speaking to Mister Sanders about social responsibility,” Charles Talbot look distinctly uncomfortable.
“That liberal horse-,” she caught herself and cleared her throat before continuing. “That left-wing ideology you've been spewing?”
“It's not spewing,” Talbot defended. She turned to Jose.
“Look, let me talk to this Mister Sanders before you leave,” she pleaded. “My children need help that I can't give them, and his,” she jerked a thumb at her husband, “bullshit isn't going to prevent that if I can help it. I will do whatever I have to do to earn myself and my children a spot on that farm.”
Jose stood silent, considering. Tandi waited, supplies in hand to give Mrs. Talbot for her son.
“What do you do?” Jose asked finally. “I mean, what did you do, before things hit the skids,” he clarified.
“I was a teacher at MTSU,” she said. “I taught domestic animal behavior and reproductive physiology for domestic and companion animals.”
“We probably know one of your former students,” Tandi said, and she turned to him as he stood.
“Who?”
“Samantha Walters,” Tandi said before Jose could stop him.
“I remember her,” the woman nodded. “She is very smart. Driven, too. Her family owned a major breeding program just north of Peabody.”
“Let’s get back on point here,” Jose took control of the conversation again.
“Dee, you. . .what are you doing!” Charles Talbot demanded suddenly.
“I'm taking care of my children, you selfish prick,” she told him coldly. “Can I talk to Mister Sanders? Please?”
“I suppose,” Jose shrugged. “But he's crabby on a good day and your husband already ruined his day so... be prepared.”
“Duly noted,” she nodded. Jose turned and led her to the Hummer.
“Dee, you get back here!” Charles started after her, but a hand fell on his arm and held him fast.
“I'd wait here if I were you,” Tandi warned. “They're both pretty pissed. Might be safer for you back here with me.”
“Get your damn hands off me!” Charles jerked his arm away and started down the drive.
“Your funeral,” Tandi shrugged. He watched as Dee Talbot leaned into the Hummer to speak to Leon through the window. Tandi whistled sharply to warn Jose, who turned to see Charles Talbot stalking toward them.
“That's far enough,” Jose said calmly, his rifle coming up just slightly. “You had your shot.”
“This is still my land!” Talbot shouted.
“So suddenly your socialism has turned to capitalism, is that it?” Jose's face betrayed his humor at the irony. “Mister Talbot, don't do something we both may regret,” he added as Talbot kept coming.
“Dee, get your ass back up here where you-,” Talbot had taken three more steps as he yelled at his wife. As his foot took the fourth step Jose's hand lashed out, hard fist catching Talbot in the nose. Eyes filling with tears, Talbot had to stop then, hands shooting to his face as he was momentarily blinded.
“I'm sorry you had to hear all that drivel,” Dee Talbot was telling Leon. “He's been that way for some time but wasn't like that when we married. At least I don't think he was. Maybe he hid it from me. But regardless, my children and I need your help and I'm more than willing to work for it.”
“She's some kind of animal doctor,” Jose told the Old Man. “Knows the Walters girl, too.”
“That so,” Leon mused. “Still, I ain't one for taking children away from a father, no matter how stupid he is.”
“He's their step-father,” she said at once. “Their father died in Iraq seven years ago. I had just delivered my youngest da
ughter. He never even saw her.”
“That so?” Leon repeated, his face showing more interest. “You understand how hard things are for us, right? Everyone working at least two jobs? We've got well over a thousand head of cattle, two dozen hogs and a half dozen dogs we need to turn into a good blood line. No doubt we can use your talents.”
“I can do all of that,” she assured him. “I can do whatever I have to do for my children.”
“Who did your husband serve with?” Jose asked. She turned to look at him.
“He was an Army Ranger,” she replied. “I don't know where he died exactly, the Army never told me. Wouldn't tell me,” she amended.
Jose looked at Leon. The Old Man knew that Jose was asking him to consider that information and he did. While she wasn't what Leon had come here looking for, she would still be a good asset to the farm. She wouldn't be a ‘net loss’ as Clayton called it.
“Mrs. Talbot, you have to understand that things aren't sunshine and roses for us, either,” Leon told her finally. “Might look it when someone is in your position but it ain't. It's hard work and there's always some kind of drama going somewhere. We can't seem to get a calm day on the water for love or money.”
“It can't be worse than where we're living now,” she replied at once. “My children are more important than anything else, and that includes me. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to provide for them.”
“I don't suppose you can drive a tractor, can you?” Leon asked suddenly.
“Mister Sanders, I grew up on a farm,” Dee actually laughed. “I can do just about anything you need done other than mechanic work. I never could so much as manage an oil change on my father's tractor without screwing something up.”
“Load them up,” Leon ordered abruptly, catching Jose by surprise. “Get the truck in here and get her things and her children's loaded. You sure you ain't gonna regret leaving that jackass?” he pointed to her still struggling husband.
“Not even on cold nights,” she grinned and Leon cackled. He liked this woman's grit.
“Get them loaded,” Leon ordered again. “And get that shithead out of the way.”
CHAPTER NINE
