“You have a lot of orphans around?” Naomi asked.
“Sadly, yes,” Brian said. “Many were lost during the blackout. Car wrecks and the like.”
I’m sure that’s what happened, Naomi held her tongue as she recalled what his journal said.
“Ms. Banks has been part of this town for many years,” Brian said. “She’s actually the pastor of the church.”
Naomi sent a weary smile her way.
Ms. Banks smiled back, seemingly amused by Naomi’s appearance.
They took a turn and headed to the old Irish pub. “If church ain’t your fancy, we have an active bar. It’s one of the few institutions we’ve kept running since the blackout. I’ll get you two a drink.”
Before they could answer, he was already going through the door. Naomi hesitated as she looked up the large sign. “Penny’s.” She thought of the Ryan family. A dark feeling twisted in her gut.
“Naomi.”
She snapped out of her daze and blinked at her anxious husband. He gestured for her to enter. Naomi followed. A coal heater in the corner of the bar warmed the room. The tattooed bartender wiped down the countertop. He was a strong handsome man with spiked red hair.
Brian leaned on the bar top. “Whiskey water. What do you two want?”
“Cider,” Calvin said without hesitation.
Naomi mulled over the wall of bottles lined up behind the bartender. “Water for me.”
The bartender gave Brian a look of uncertainty. The mayor nodded. Keeping his forearms on the bar top, he looked back at them. “The townspeople were generous enough to donate their booze. We also get a supply from outsiders.”
“Logan?” Naomi asked.
A few patrons playing cards shot her dagger-eye glances. A wickedly handsome man with dark hair and naturally slanted brows stopped flirting with the blonde bimbo next to him to study Naomi with his lustful eyes.
Brian faced Naomi. “Yes. One of the perks of keeping the peace. Just a few days ago, a group of his people dropped off four crates’ worth of booze.”
The bartender returned with the drinks.
“Have a seat,” Brian said. “We’re in no particular rush.”
“We kinda are,” Calvin said as he chugged his cider.
“It’ll be good for you to get off your feet,” Brian tempted.
Naomi eyed him, keeping her suspicions hidden behind her mask. “Just until we finish our drink.”
“Fair enough,” Brian said.
Naomi inquired about the various patrons at the bar. “I thought everyone had work.”
“Most do,” Brian said. “But if you’re willing to spend cans of food and tools, you can celebrate at the bar. Everything here is on the barter system. Jesse, our bartender here, is a fair negotiator. Besides, a lot of these people are in charge of supply runs. We like to take care of them on their off days.”
“And what do these supply runs consist of?” Calvin asked.
“A little this and a little that,” Brian said vaguely. He sipped his whiskey water. “On second thought, let’s get out of here. There’s still a lot to see.”
The three of them took their drinks to go and left the bar behind. Brian sipped his whiskey liberally while Calvin nursed his cider. Naomi savored the water. It didn’t have the best taste, but she wanted to stay hydrated. Brian led them down the market district. Most restaurants were closed, but a few had become food banks. They continued past by convenience stores. Most of them had plywood boarded over the front door. Brian seemed particularly pleased with that addition. “We know this blackout won’t last forever, so I’ve vowed to keep our shopkeepers’ goods safe until the town is back on the grid.”
“Is robbery a problem?” Naomi asked.
“Not for long,” Brian said cryptically.
They passed by the hospital. “There’s our clinic. Much of the generators were too outdated to be of any use when the power went out, but we still have medication and a hospital facility working very hard to make sure everyone is healthy.”
Seated by the window upstairs was an intense young man with a tapered haircut with shaved sides and back, a spider web neck tattoo, and big, bug-like eyes.
Brian took them past the diner and the small hotel with serviceable rooms. Eventually, they looped back around to the town hall. “At 3 p.m. today, we’re having a festival.”
“Why?” Calvin asked suspiciously.
“Because Eagleton is family,” Brian said as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. “We’ve been pushing ourselves this past month, so I thought it would be best to celebrate life. Stay around. Enjoy. We’ll have a bonfire, smores, hot chocolate, and some other treats.”
Naomi sighed. “Brian. Tell us the truth about Logan. We know he tried to attack you and stripped you of your weapons.”
“Where did you hear that?” Brian asked, growing peeved.
“It’s obvious,” Naomi lied. “The police are disbanded. No one has firearms. Yeah, you’re keeping the peace, but I haven’t seen any young women. Was that part of the deal? We know that Logan likes prostitutes.”
Brian’s lip twitched. Anger rushed to his cheeks. “I don’t know where you heard these lies, but Eagleton is completely safe and content with where we are.”
“Maybe,” Naomi said. “Or you’re terrified that Logan will storm in again. It may not have been that big of an issue if your weapons weren’t surrendered. Nevertheless, Logan has hostages. Who does he have of yours? Your niece? Sister? Daughter?”
The men following them stood their ground, looking to the mayor for orders.
It didn’t faze Naomi. “I’ve seen Logan’s compound firsthand. I know his defenses, and soon I’ll know his weakness, but I can’t stop him with just my husband. With even a third of your able-bodied men, I could put him down.” Naomi took a step closer to him. He took a step back and his men became tense.
“Your people don’t need to live in fear,” Naomi extended her hand. “Help me help you.”
Brian eyed her outstretched hand, but didn’t shake it. He bounced his flat eyes to Naomi. A heavy frown sank his face. “I’ll think about it. We’ll talk after the party.”
Calvin shook his head. “Every second we waste--”
“I know!” Brian lashed out. “If you want my answer, stay.”
He gestured for his men to follow. They hiked up the steps. A few of them turned back to give Naomi looks. One was angry. The other one was desperate.
Naomi and Calvin walked over to the Rover. Calvin sat on the back fender. When it nearly snapped under his weight, he decided to stand and rest his back against the back door of the Rover. The spare tire was shredded, but he didn’t bother taking it down. “What do you think?”
Naomi chewed her bottom lip anxiously. “All things considered, he does have a nice community. Though the supply runs are probably robberies. Without firearms, I assume they aren’t violent.”
“I was more asking about leaving,” Calvin clarified. He scrutinized the quiet streets. “If we want to go, this might be our best chance.”
Naomi breathed in through her nose and captured the air in her lungs. Leaving now would be safest, but nothing would be gained from the trip. Nevertheless, she didn’t trust Mayor Brian. If he changed his mind and helped her, the risk of staying would pay off twentyfold. If he refused to help, that meant another day of Trinity under Logan’s care. “Screw it,” Naomi said. “We’ll stay.”
“You think that’s best?” Calvin asked, almost shocked. “The mayor could run out and kill us right now to keep peace with Logan.”
“True, but if we don’t risk it, we’ll be back to square one. As much as I want to trust in our own combat prowess, Logan is better equipped, better organized, and much more ruthless.”
Calvin’s mouth scrunched to one side. He scratched the side of his nose as his eyes looked off to nowhere. “Okay, if you think this is best.”
“I never said it was best,” Naomi replied. “It just had a bigger potential pa
yoff than the alternative.”
“And if the mayor refuses to let us leave?” Calvin asked.
“We’ll get out. No matter what it takes.” Her own words terrified her.
They stayed in the Rover until it was time for the party. Part of their reasoning was to keep it safe, but the other part was to see if Brian would be watching them. Sure enough, two of his cronies lingered on a bench across the street. Naomi didn’t know if they were armed, but she had to assume as much lest she let her guard down. Naomi and Calvin napped in rotations. A few pedestrians passed by during Naomi’s watch. They seemed curious about the vehicle, but that curiosity died the moment they noticed Brian’s men across the street. Keeping their heads low, they dashed across the sidewalk as if escaping a heavy rain.
Soon it was 3 p.m. Calvin double-checked his pistol magazine and hopped out of the car. Faint folk music echoed down the street. Calvin led while Naomi kept an eye on the men behind her. She adjusted her rifle strap. It had become heavier as the day went on. The men followed a solid ten paces behind. Naomi smiled at them when she got the chance. They rounded a corner on the sidewalk and spotted the park in the distance. A bluegrass band played on stage. People from all walks of life, shapes, and sizes began to funnel into the park. Most of them seemed alarmed by the presence of Naomi and Calvin’s weapons, but despite the disapproving or fear-filled glances, Naomi had no intention of surrendering her assault rifle. They might have the numbers, but few would be foolish to try to disarm her. With the fully-auto calibration, she could drop half the partiers with a single long pull of the trigger. To add to the intimidation factor, Allen had customized the rifle with an extended magazine and a bar grip at the middle of the barrel for better support. Needless to say, the people gave them space.
Naomi and Calvin lingered at the crowd’s outer ring, never ceasing to scan the area around them. Mayor Brian went onstage after the first song to make a speech about community and oneness. He thanked the people for their cooperation and making the community sing so to say. There was scattered applause. He promised to take the community to bigger and better heights. He seemed completely convinced they would be better off after the blackout than before. The bold claim earned few claps. Brian, noticing he wasn’t winning the crowd, turned it over to the band.
They started with something upbeat with a fast tempo. Without microphones or a soundboard, the sound was raw and authentic. The crowd didn’t talk loudly, otherwise they would’ve lost the singer’s words. Naomi and Calvin stayed back as Ms. Banks danced with the children. She kept an eye on Naomi, but not in a judgmental way like most did. She was more intrigued, with a small smile tugging at the corner of her lip.
Not wanting to cause a stir with the crowd by getting too close to the children and young ones, Naomi held her place. Eventually, Ms. Banks took the children somewhere else. Calvin found a park table. Naomi followed him over there and put her gun on the tabletop.
A plump server woman gave them hot cocoa and s’mores supplies. “From Brian.”
Calvin thanked her.
“Hey.” Naomi stopped the woman as she was turning.
A nervous expression appeared on her face. “I should really be going.”
“One question,” Naomi said honestly. “Promise.”
Shoulders sinking, the server complied.
“Do you feel safe here?”
The woman looked them both in the eyes. Hers were starting to water. “Yes,” she said quickly and rushed off.
Calvin blew the steam from the Styrofoam cup. “You think she’s scared of the people here or Logan?”
“Maybe both,” Naomi replied.
Soon it was dark out and the bonfire was raging. Most of the townsfolk had thrown away their inhibitions to dance. Growing cold, Naomi took Calvin’s hand and headed to the bonfire. They toasted marshmallows on skewers. As Naomi watched the marshmallow catch fire, she thought of the first sight at Allen’s house, where the attacker had thrown firebombs and Molotov cocktails at the gate, sending fire leaping across the walls until they eventually collapsed. She remembered Cathleen Ryan standing behind her when Cathleen was shot. Naomi didn’t try to stop the bleeding, knowing that she could not be saved.
“Hey,” Calvin’s soft voice broke her out of her daze.
She looked at him her weary eyes. She felt aged. She had shunned mirrors for a while now, no longer pleased with the woman who looked back at her. Calvin took her skewer out of her hand and bit into her marshmallow.
“Wow,” Naomi said dryly. “Real mature.”
Calvin smiled, showing off the white goo in his teeth. “Let’s dance,” he said.
“I don’t know, Cal,” Naomi said hesitantly.
Calvin took her hand and looked at her with puppy-dog eyes. “Pretty please.”
Naomi rolled her eyes. “I guess.”
She got up, brushing her fingers through her hair. She adjusted the rifle strap so it was diagonal across her chest instead of just one shoulder. They moved to the crowd. Calvin put his hands around her waist. She put hers on his shoulders. The song was smooth and sweet. The other couples danced around them, without a care in the world. After doing a few turns, Naomi rested her head against Calvin. He brushed his hand through the back of her hair.
“I love you,” he said softly. “Sorry I don’t say it more.”
Naomi glanced up at his handsome face and kissed him until he couldn’t help but smile. Closing her eyes, Naomi danced with him. The world broke away. The heat of the nearby fire, the intimacy with her man, this was what life felt like. For a moment, she forgot about the blackout, her destroyed home, her injuries, the lives she’d taken, the death of her brother, her ambitions, and selfishly, her daughter. As the soft music played, Naomi felt like she was twenty and in love.
Looking down at her loose ponytail, eyes lined with purple circles, and gaunt cheeks, Calvin said, “You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Naomi wrapped her arms around him tightly.
“I’m sorry it took me to the end of the world to tell you that,” Calvin said.
Soon the music stopped, but they didn’t stop slow dancing. They eventually separated, and reality came crashing down as she noticed Brian and twenty strong men forming a circle around them. The firelight reflected off their stony faces. They each held their own melee weapon: axes, baseball bats, crowbars, railroad wrenches, etc.
Calvin kept his arm around Naomi’s shoulder as he scanned the crowd. He adjusted his fractured glasses. His mouth formed a line across his mouth.
Naomi felt her rage spike, but she kept her calm face. “I assume these men aren’t here to fight Logan.”
Brian gave her a smile that was one part guilty and one part empathetic. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. War with Logan would mean more death. Not in my town. Not today.”
Naomi bounced her eyes between the men and the silent crowd of people. “Is this what you want? To be oppressed? I read your journal. That monster killed your people, took your loved ones, and disarmed you. I’ve been doing this for many years; I know how to read people. All Logan wants is control. He will press until you break, and then he’ll press harder because he enjoys it. Is that the type of man you want to submit to?”
Brian frowned. “That’s enough.”
Naomi continued, making sure the townspeople standing far off heard her. “He kidnaps underage girls. You might think that will never happen to your child, but just you wait--”
“I said cut it out,” Brian said through his teeth.
“If you stand by and wait, Logan will do it,” Naomi said.
“Enough!” Brian shouted. He pointed a condemning finger at her. “You’ve done nothing but cause trouble since you got here.”
Calvin locked his eyes with Brian. “I don’t want to die. You don’t want to be shot in the face. Let’s come to an agreement.”
Brian sized them up. “Don’t threaten me.”
As the crowd swarmed in, Naomi and Calvin d
rew their weapons and stood back to back.
“Back away,” Calvin said.
“Or come closer,” Naomi taunted. “I’ll shoot you in the gut. It will be a slow, painful death that your medical facility won’t be able to treat. Following the gunshot, injury would spread. You’ll shake with cold sweat and die in pain. Your carcass will spread disease to your loved ones. In this type of cold, recovering from such a thing would be near impossible, and all this would’ve happened because you won’t let us go free.”
The crowd was silent at her words. The fire crackled. Its flame reflected on the glossy sheen of sweat on the right side of Naomi’s face. She kept her gun level and ready to pull the trigger. There was no shaking to her arms this time. She’d moved past that. Even Calvin was steady. The various men glanced to Brian for further instruction.
Naomi and Calvin held their ground, ready to die before they’d let themselves get captured.
The fire crackled again.
A wrinkled forehead broke Brian’s tough demeanor. He cursed under his breath. “Fine. Go. Go!”
The crowd parted as Naomi and Calvin moved forward. Calvin watched the front while Naomi watched the back, keeping the rifle aimed. The firelight illuminated the terror in the people’s eyes. After a few tense moments, they were away from the crowd and sprinting to the Rover. They were winded by the time they arrived. Calvin climbed into the driver seat while Naomi took shotgun.
They reversed the car out of the lot. Naomi put the assault rifle in the seat behind her and let her head fall into her palms.
A few people from the crowd followed after.
Calvin gently squeezed her knee. They started to reverse. “It’ll be okay. We’ll find some people who see logic.”
An idea sparked.
Impulsively, Naomi rolled down the window and stuck out her upper body. “Anyone who is sick of running has a place in this truck!”
The distant crowd was silent.
Suddenly, the small group of people swayed like a lion moving through tall grass. A little woman moved out in front. Ms. Banks. Wearing a backpack, she started toward the Rover. “Mind if I join you?”
Not in a place to choose favorites, Naomi nodded. Though she couldn’t hide her surprise that the nursery leader was joining in her combat against the worst man she’d ever met.
Aftermath (Book 2): Aftermath Page 8
