by Reed, N. C.
“Silence!” Whitten demanded even as Adcock had his mouth open to make the same demand. “I think you’ve done enough damage today, Lieutenant. Get your ass in the Hummer and stay there. Now!” his voice crackled with command presence that he’d hidden until now. Clay was impressed by that as much as he was anything else about the man.
With a growl, and a final glare at Clay, Flores got to her feet and stomped to the nearest Hummer, climbing into the rear seat and slamming the door.
“I am so sorry, Clay,” Adcock was already saying. “I had no idea she had done that. Or even when,” he added. “It had to have been before we got here. Before we even left to come here.”
“I suspect he’s correct,” Whitten nodded. “And let me add my own apology to the Captain’s, Mister Sanders. And she actually is an excellent officer, at least she was in her previous assignment. But that assignment was in Operations as one of my officers. You are right, I suspect, that the combat soldiers under her command view her with little to no respect. But I have a shortage of officers now and needed her where she was.”
“I would respectfully suggest you promote from the ranks, sir,” Clay said, and he did speak respectfully. “I’d also suggest that you make sure she stays away from here. She will be shot on sight if she returns.” He looked at the sketch book that Poncho was still studying. “That is all the proof I need to treat her as an enemy combatant.” His choice of ‘combatant’ rather than soldier wasn’t missed by Whitten or Adcock.
“Not much for the Geneva Convention, Mister Sanders?” Whitten asked with a slight smile.
“Never had any use for it, Major,” Clay refused to act mollified. “With this unpleasantness at least temporarily dealt with, what else can we do for you today?”
“I really did just want to meet you folks,” Whitten said easily. “I came down here to look around and see Lake, Captain Adcock. He told me what had happened at Lewiston and since I was here, I wanted to meet the people who had helped him and offered to help him more through the winter. And just so you know,” he looked at Jose and smiled, “Captain Adcock has my complete trust and confidence, but I’m sure he’s gratified to hear you speak in his defense, as well as that of his troops.”
“Thank you, sir,” Adcock said quietly, but winked at Clay and Poncho, hopefully without Whitten seeing it.
“Now then,” Whitten sat back, speaking as easily as he had been before. “What am I going to do about all of you?”
“Well that’s a rather loaded question isn’t it Major?” Clay almost smiled. “What is it you think needs doing with us?”
“You’re essentially running a private military operation around here, Mister Sanders,” Whitten replied. “I can’t have that.”
“Well, first off, you’re wrong about the private military operation,” Clay shook his head. “We helped the Captain out, yes. We also helped Jordan out when some out of state militia types came looking to strip the town. But we have no interest of any kind in operations off this farm when they can be avoided.”
“You were operating somewhere today,” Whitten noted. “And those were definitely military vehicles.”
“We were looking for fencing and the hardware to put it up this morning,” Clay nodded. “And those vehicles were purchased well before the current state of emergency. Engines rebuilt, transmissions reworked, new tires and so on. They are not tied in any way to any armory or base anywhere around. We have taken nothing that belongs to the Army or the Guard. And like I said, we have zero interest in operating anywhere off this farm. None.”
“Second, while you may oversee this region, you have zero authority on this farm. We’ve kept to ourselves except to answer calls for help from other people. We’ve been attacked numerous times here at home, but we have not initiated any offensive operations of any kind against anyone. We will continue to defend ourselves, but our assistance to the good Captain will like as not be the last time we do anything of that sort for anyone. As I mentioned before, the only reason we helped him this time was because one of the victims was known by my boys. They wanted to get revenge, so we let them. If it happens again, I would imagine you’d need to be able to deal with it yourselves.”
“Where are these boys of yours?” Whitten asked. “I’d like to meet them.”
“You just did,” Clay smiled slowly. “They caught your men prowling around my farm, remember?”
“Those were teenagers,” Whitten almost scoffed.
“Caught your soldiers, didn’t they?” Jose chuckled. “I was a teenager when I first deployed overseas.”
“I was the first two times,” Clay agreed. “They’ve been very well trained. Likely have as much combat experience as many of your men, soldiers like Maxwell and Gleason aside,” he motioned to the two NCOs.
“Now,” Clay leaned back in his chair. “We’ve agreed to let Captain Adcock post a small garrison here over the winter under Sergeant Gleason’s command. We even offered to try and feed them once and a while, assuming we have the extra food to spare. We’ve also offered to teach his men horsemanship if they’re not familiar with horses. He mentioned that one day soon you would be back to being actual cavalrymen and they would need to know how. In return, he helped us go and get what we needed to build them a barracks, as well as build us some much-needed residential buildings. There are a lot of people here and we were running short on room. With one building taken up by an orphanage and two others as a mess hall and a bathing and restroom facility, we were pretty tight on space. His help has alleviated that. We think that’s a pretty fair trade.”
“I can’t argue that, and I approved him doing it myself,” Whitten nodded. “That still leaves me with what is essentially a private military group running around in my AO.”
“Tell me, Major,” Clay leaned forward a bit now, his natural aggression starting to come out. “Where were you when a militia from out of state was operating in your precious ‘AO’? Where were you when a rogue outfit posing as a unit under government orders to collect supplies and firearms came through your damn AO, taking young women prisoner and killing everyone else they found? Where were you when the ‘Citizen’s Committee’ in Peabody formed, killing anyone who disagreed with them and stripping the countryside of anything they wanted, including women and children?”
“Where were you during all that, Major?” he concluded, eyeing the Major just shy of belligerently.
“We were trying to get organized,” Whitten managed not to stammer. “And that isn’t the-,”
“Oh, hell yes, it is,” Clay’s teeth were almost bared as he interrupted. “You think after all we’ve been through you can just come in here, throwing your weight around and making decrees? It seems very convenient that once those problems have been dealt with you suddenly pop up trying to give orders. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, based on the Captain’s behavior and his opinion of you, but you’re starting to strain that a little. We’ve kept this area safe while you ‘got organized’,” Clay used air quotes, “but otherwise minded our own business. Something we intend to keep doing if we’re allowed to.” He calmed slightly as he leaned back again.
“Now, I suppose the question is, are you going to allow us to do that?” he concluded.
“I was prepared to offer you the chance to be folded into my outfit,” Whitten said. “To add you-,”
“We’re not interested,” Clay replied before Whitten could finish. “Flattered, but not interested.”
“Hear me out, Mister Sanders,” Whitten raised his hands in a placating manner.
“We aren’t interested in hearing you out on that subject, Major,” Clay shook his head. “I told you, we’re not going that route. We’re trying very hard to be farmers. We’ve been interrupted more than once in that attempt, but that was through no fault of our own. You weren’t here to help when we needed you, so don’t imagine you can just roll in here and start dictating terms. I assure you that’s a very dead-end road to travel.”
“I wasn’
t trying to do anything of the sort,” Whitten promised. “This conversation has become far more confrontational than I ever intended or imagined it could or would. Up until now you’ve essentially been an entity unto yourself, Mister Sanders, but we both know that can’t continue. Things are going to change, and order be restored.”
“We’ve done most of the restoration around here so far,” Clay shrugged. “So far I haven’t really seen you do anything but talk. And while I don’t want a confrontation of any kind, your lieutenant was already trying to get the layout of our farm so she could attack us. You can deny it all you want,” Clay help up a hand to halt those very denials, “but there’s only one reason for her to have men roaming my land, taking these kinds of notes. The problem I have now is, did one of you order her to do it? Or was it just her natural dislike of us that led her to try and get a schematic of our defenses? Hm?”
Whitten face had reddened at the mention of Flores’ actions, but he didn’t object.
“So, you see, Major, the trust that the Captain and I had managed to build up with mutual assistance and respect? That went right out the window when I found Flores plotting an attack on my farm. A farm with far more children than anything else, I might add.”
“Understand me well, Major,” Clay decided it was time to conclude this. “We don’t want trouble. Of any kind. We’ve had more than enough of it already. I wanted, and I still want to have a good working relationship with you people, but finding one of you planning an attack on my family farm kind of dampens that desire.”
“We are not going to be folded into anything, Major,” Clay promised. “You aren’t going to backdoor your way into controlling this farm or my family or my people. That may not be your aim, but you can bet it is Lieutenant Flores’ aim, and I will not have it. I want peace between us, Major. Ideally, once we’ve established a solid breeding plan and can start producing young horses and more cattle, I’d like to be a trading partner with you. By the time you need horses, I hope to be in a position to provide them. I hope in another eighteen to twenty-four months to be in a position to regularly supply beef to anyone who wants to trade for it.”
“But when I say trade, that is exactly what I mean. We aren’t going to be a base for your people, we aren’t going to be your supply depot, nor are we going to part of your operation. We also won’t be in opposition to you, so long as you’re not pressing us or violating the law. Just so you know, the chief remaining law enforcement officer of this entire county is also a resident of this farm, so we do have some civilian authority left. If he were to request our assistance with a law related manner, then of course we’d render him whatever aid we were capable of, but that’s at his request. Not at our instigation. We’re not knights trying to tilt windmills. We’re just trying to protect our own people and our own homes.”
Whitten stared at Clay for a full minute of silence, then suddenly turned to face Adcock.
“I like him,” Whitten said suddenly, nodding once, and Adcock’s face broke into a smile.
“What?” Clay looked from one to the other.
“I really do trust the Captain, Mister Sanders,” Whitten told Clay, “but I am ultimately responsible for everything in this operational area. For something like he described here, I needed to be able to see it for myself. To test you, so to speak. Sorry,” he shrugged slightly. “You brought up a lot of the things that have happened here, and you’re right to do so, but it hasn’t just been here. I’ve had to make some hard choices at times, and that usually means that someone gets left out. You don’t know how sorry I am about that,” his tone did sound regretful. “But those choices still have to be made. I made them, and I’ll have to live with that, even as others died because of it. I have a feeling you, at least, know how that is.”
“I do,” Clay agreed.
“Anyway, as I said, I trust Captain Whitten, but I am responsible for what happens in this area. A group of former military veterans, likely commandos, running around with military grade hardware, able to take out an entire platoon of terrorists in less than a day? Had to check on that for myself,” Whitten almost snorted.
“Captain Adcock has told me all that you’ve done or agreed to do to help us, and I appreciate that. I do. We need all the help we can get, and that’s not likely to change even in the next few years, let alone few months.”
“We know,” Clay agreed.
“I don’t know what Flores was thinking with that stunt, but I will make sure she pays for it,” Whitten promised. “I’ll put her back to work where she belongs and bust her back to Second Lieutenant. That’s about all I can afford because I really do need her. I’ll put someone else here in your area. Someone that isn’t out to prove something.”
“She wanted to use this place as a training area for new recruits,” Clay said. “I refused, saying we couldn’t and wouldn’t risk having nearly forty strangers running around our homes when there was no way to check their backgrounds, medical histories or anything else. There are women here that are survivors of brutal attacks and others who were traumatized by fake soldiers. I won’t put them through the risk of having so many people that may or may not be under control.”
“Having your active soldiers here is a bit different,” he continued. “They obviously take their jobs seriously or they would already be gone. I also trust Sergeant Gleason to keep order among his men, and to work with us as we try and work to make them at least a little more at home. We don’t actually have much in the way of amenities, but we do try to gather every so often and play cards or board games and eat a bit. It’s all we have left, now,” he shrugged.
“And I’m highly appreciative of that, Mister Sanders,” Whitten promised. “I would like for you to rethink your plans not to be of service in the future, however,” he went on. “I’m not asking for you to actually be part of my command, or even fall under our authority. Just to think about being available to help us when we need it. We’re spread very thin, and the few units in other regions are spread thinner still. We have limited contact with the states around us, at least in some places, but it’s so limited as to be of very little use, to be honest. I wish it were better, but at the same time we’re lucky to have anything at all.”
“Sounds like you’re still thinking of us as a private military outfit,” Clay mused.
“Not entirely wrong, I suppose,” Whitten shrugged. “But I hope we won’t need your help often, or even at all if I’m honest. I know things have been rough. I do. Hell, I’ve seen it and helped break some of it up myself. Your county took it harder than any other rural area I’ve seen, but the Captain explained that your local authorities being on the take had a lot to do with that and then that rogue unit coming through finished it off. The larger towns are much worse than most rural areas, yours aside. I don’t honestly know if or when those areas will regain any semblance of normality at all. Maybe they will, and I certainly hope so, but right now I can’t see that far.”
“You mentioned having a deputy from your local sheriff’s office here?” he asked, and Clay nodded. “If he really is the senior or only surviving member of the sheriff’s department, that makes him the Sheriff, now. I would ask you to help him in keeping civil order. Even allowing him to deputize some of you if you’re willing. Use your resources to help him when Captain Adcock and his men aren’t available. It sounds as if you were pretty much doing that already, so I’m really asking you just to continue doing so, I guess, but officially, as the commander of this region.”
“He’s one of my best friends,” Clay explained. “We’ll do whatever we have to in order to help him. He came here, shot to pieces, trying to rescue several young women who had been taken prisoner by a gang that turned out to be run by the department’s chief investigator. We nursed him back to health and he’s been with us since.”
“Sounds like a hell of a man,” Whitten complimented.
“He’s okay for a Marine,” Clay shrugged easily, and Whitten gave a belly laugh at that.
&
nbsp; “I won’t be able to get down here often, Mister Sanders,” Whitten got to his feet. “There’s too much to cover and not enough to cover it. Captain Adcock and his men are spread over three counties. Other areas are just as bare. We’re doing what we can, but we were really hurt when they didn’t give the activation order when this thing was first spotted. We’re playing catch up, and there’s no way to actually get caught up. It will make me feel much better about your area if I know that Captain Adcock, or whoever he places here, can depend on you in an emergency. It’s a lot to ask, and I know that. All I can do is ask and make it worth your while any way I can later on. I won’t promise you anything, because I have no idea what I can or can’t deliver. Our situation is extremely fluid and changing every day.”
“I can understand that,” Clay nodded. “I won’t promise to render aid under any circumstance, but I will certainly consider any request that the Captain makes, or that his deputy might make in his absence. That’s not a promise to help, but we won’t dismiss it out of hand. I ultimately have to make this place and my own people our main priority.”
“Of course,” Whitten agreed at once. “Any man would.”
“We will also assist Greg, Deputy Holloway,” he clarified, “with whatever problems he may encounter as a law enforcement officer, and in maintaining civil order. I would suggest that if you intend to recognize him as the Sheriff here in Calhoun, you make sure that the people in Jordan know you’ve done so. They may or may not like it, I don’t know. Greg and Sienna Newell, a former MP, helped them form a constabulary in Jordan, and we helped them train and equip a militia force to defend the town. At some point we’ll have to figure out a legal system again. Probably be a lot easier without any lawyers,” he chuckled.
“Can’t hurt,” Whitten agreed, also laughing lightly. “I’ll let them know as I pass through. And let me apologize again for that stunt Flores pulled. While I may need her still, I can’t have officers who act like pouty children commanding districts in the region. I’ve never seen her act in such a way, but she’s never had to work in the field before, either. Some people can’t make it when there’s pressure on. Not in the field.”
