“When you put it like that, I can see where you are coming from. But I believe Bart,” Nathan admitted.
“How far out of our way do we have to go?” John asked.
“Actually not far, just down the dirt road to his cabin and back. We can continue on the road we turn off heading to his cabin,” Nathan said.
Amanda looked at the group. “I want to meet him.”
Jasmine cut her eyes at Amanda. “Nathan, how do we know we aren’t being set up to turn ourselves into a camp?”
Nathan just shrugged. “I don’t know, but the only liberal area near there is Jackson Hole. Outside of that, you have some good ole boys running around Idaho and Montana.”
They continued talking about it until Bart came back out, carrying a letter. As he walked over, Jasmine spun around, pointing her finger at him. “If this is a trick to get us captured I will be coming back and you will wish Nathan had gotten a hold of you.”
Bart held up his hands. “I swear to you this isn’t a set-up. I’m just worried about my boy.”
Jasmine narrowed her eyes, studying Bart. After what seemed like a lifetime but was only a few minutes, she turned to Nathan. “I believe him.”
Slowly, Bart lowered his hands and looked at Nathan. “You never had a chance getting away from her.”
“Ya think?” Nathan said, taking the letter.
Gathering up their stuff, the group followed Bart around the house to the horses. “We added some more supplies for you and fed and watered your horses,” Bart said, climbing up on his horse.
“Damn, thanks,” Nathan said, fighting Emma to get in her sling. Finally, Nathan gave up, picked her up, and climbed into his saddle on Knight. He figured Smoke was tired. Nathan sure was.
Once again they formed up two columns and headed out. They rode past farms and saw people working out in the fields. Many waved at Bart and his men. When they rode into the small town of Henry, people came out to watch the group ride by. Nathan was shocked at how well the town looked. They didn’t see any cars moving but did see a bunch of people and even a few soldiers.
Just before they crossed the bridge outside of town they heard horses gallop up behind them. Nathan turned to see three riders coming up behind them fast. As they neared, the three slowed and trotted up to the front beside Bart and Nathan. Seeing all three wearing deputy badges, Nathan slowly wrapped his hand on the grip of the SAW.
“Bart, is this the group Andy reported?” the deputy in the lead asked.
“Yeah, Eric, we are taking them out,” Bart said.
Eric shook his head. “Sorry, but the sheriff wants to talk to them.”
Nathan took a breath to speak but Bart spoke first. “Nope, they are heading out. They aren’t a gang, government troops, or loyalists. I talked to them and will tell Tim what they said.”
“Sorry Bart, but the sheriff said they had to come back and without weapons,” Eric announced. Nathan was shocked. As he lifted up the SAW to aim at Eric, Bart pulled a 1911 .45, aiming it between Eric’s eyes. Nathan noticed every one of Bart’s men was aiming at Eric and the other two deputies. Nathan didn’t have to look at his group, he knew they were aiming at them.
Bart cleared his throat. “Eric, my family got Tim elected, and we can get you fired. How well do you think you can work in the fields? I’m the colonel of the county militia and this falls under my jurisdiction. Now get off your horses and hand over your pistols. I’ll give them to Tim and you can get them back from him.”
The three slowly pulled out their pistols and rifles as members of Bart’s team moved over and took them. Eric looked at Nathan with hard eyes. Nathan just smiled. “Be glad he did that. I would have just killed you. You wouldn’t be the first and I have a feeling you wouldn’t have been the last.”
When Bart kicked his horse to go the others followed, leaving the three deputies in the middle of the road. They turned their horses and galloped back to town.
Nathan watched the three gallop off and turned to look ahead. “I hope that doesn’t get you in trouble.”
Bart and most of his men started laughing. “Nathan, Tim is my brother in law. I went to high school with him. I joke all the time that the only reason he married my sister was to get elected sheriff.”
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” Nathan asked.
“Seven brother and four sisters,” Bart said. Nathan raised his eyebrows, making Bart laugh harder. “I have six boys and three girls.”
Nathan smiled. “That is cool. I’m an only child.”
Bart looked at him. “Nathan, here you have kids to help out on the farm. Granted, my kids didn’t help as much as I had to but they helped.” Nathan laughed as Bart turned down a dirt road, easing into a trot.
They rode with Bart and his men for two hours before Bart reined in his horse. “This is as far as we can take ya. You be careful, and take care of these kids,” Bart said, extending his hand.
Reaching over, Nathan shook his hand, “You too, Bart. I promise to stop by the cabin, but I’m not going to look for Frank.”
Bart nodded in understanding. “Thank you for doing this. I really want to go but this event brings a whole new meaning to ‘Can’t put something off.’”
The two groups parted, and Nathan’s group followed behind him as Jasmine rode up to him. “How long before we stop?”
“About an hour. There is a small stand of trees in a ravine up ahead. There’s a creek running down the ravine so we’ll have water,” Nathan said.
“Aren’t you tired?” Jasmine asked.
“Humph,” Nathan snorted. “I’m ready to fall asleep right now.”
“Yeah, me too,” Jasmine said. “What do you think the Sheriff wanted?”
“Information,” Nathan said.
“It’s kind of rude to hold someone without weapons for information,” she pointed out.
“We don’t give up our weapons,” Nathan said. “We die standing up.”
Hearing it put like that, Jasmine startled. “We have kids.”
“Yes, and they die standing with us,” Nathan said. “Better to die fast than a slow death.”
Jasmine shook her head and changed the subject. “Why didn’t your parents have other kids?”
“Mom couldn’t after me. It was probably for the best. When I was born Dad was still in the army and Mom had to take care of me alone. Dad retired when I was six and we heard about Mom taking care of me by herself at least once a week,” Nathan said.
Jasmine smiled. “I’m taking her side.”
“I didn’t take either side, I remained Switzerland. They really loved each other so it wasn’t a real retort. Mom just wanted dad to know he missed a lot,” Nathan said.
Watching Nathan as he spoke, Jasmine could see memories crossing his face. She stopped that conversation and started another line. “Have you ever let a girlfriend move in?”
“No, not really,” Nathan admitted. “They stayed over sometimes but they each had their own place. I never wanted any one of them to move in, to be honest.”
“Since we are ‘married,’” she said, smiling, “you don’t seem to mind me ‘living’ with you.”
Nathan laughed. “Did you see the heartbreak cross those younger boys face ?”
“I don’t care. Like you said, they’re boys,” she replied.
Feeling Emma tap his chest with her sippy cup, Nathan refilled it. “To be honest, you are the first woman I’ve been with night and day for over a month, ever. My best is a week, I think.”
“Wow,” Jasmine exclaimed. “I have to say I’m honored.”
“Well to be honest,” Nathan said looking over his shoulder. “This is the most I’ve ever been around this many people for an extended period of time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not socially deformed, but I liked my space.”
“I hope we are worth you losing your space,” she said, smiling, happy that Nathan referred to her as a woman.
Turning back around, Nathan looked at her and smiled. “I have
to say, I like it. At times I love it. Other times I want to dig a hole and hide.”
“That’s family,” Jasmine said, giggling. “Can I ask you something and you not get mad?”
Closing his eyes, Nathan shook his head. “I hate it when a girl says that. It usually means something bad. Go ahead.”
Talking a deep breath, Jasmine knew she was on thin ice. “Did you not want anyone close so you wouldn’t lose them?”
Nathan didn’t answer but just rode in silence. Jasmine was really getting worried she had pissed him off, but when she looked at him she saw just remorse on his face. When Nathan spoke, she jumped in shock. “Yes, I guess you could say that. When they died I was totally alone. I had a few friends but they really distanced themselves from me. It could’ve been because I was alone or the way I acted after they died, but they weren’t really there.”
Looking over at Jasmine, Nathan gave a weak smile. “I wanted and needed a buddy, but I only had friends. They were only teenagers but I thought one would be a buddy, but they weren’t. It took a while but I finally just made peace with it. I’ve had lots of friends but it wasn’t till I met Rusty that I had a buddy. Then came Billy, Aiden, and Tim. I now see that I look at their kids like my own. I love their wives, but they kept trying to fix me up with every woman they know.”
“Kept trying to fix you up?” Jasmine asked.
“Yeah, Billy’s wife Janice fixed me up with one of her friends. We went out for a few months and the girl told Janice I needed some work before anyone would marry me. Seems that pissed Janice off and she beat the hell out of her. Had to go to court and everything. Janice got fined, which I paid, and had to take an anger management class. After that Billy told me the wives got together and agreed they would quit fixing me up with people they knew,” Nathan said, breaking into a grin. “Billy said they really didn’t want to beat down friends when they talked bad about me.”
Jasmine busted out laughing. “I think I’m really going to like them.”
“Oh you will,” Nathan agreed. “They’re a good group.”
“You think they’ll like me—and the kids?” Jasmine asked, throwing the kids in the last second.
Nathan nodded. “Yes, they will love you guys.” He looked off. “After they get over the shock of me riding in with a passel of kids and a ‘wife.’”
“Shock?” Jasmine asked.
“Yeah, the longest I’ve ever dated someone is six months. I’ve been with you and these young’uns more than I’ve been with anyone except my dogs,” Nathan said.
“Oh,” Jasmine said, finally seeing the real Nathan. “I’m going to tell you something so don’t get mad,” she said, and Nathan groaned on the inside. “I fell in love with you when we camped beside that lake on the second day after I met you. Seeing how you cared for Amanda and John, I knew I loved you. You have no idea how upset I was when you kept referring to me as a girl. I knew you didn’t see me as a woman you could be with.”
Thinking that wasn’t so bad, Nathan nodded in agreement. “It wasn’t by choice that I looked at you as a woman. You have no idea how many times my heart skipped a beat when you stood up in the morning. I used to think I was a gentleman. Now I know I have an Id, and it’s a bad one.”
“Then I can be thankful for the Id,” Jasmine said, smiling.
They rode side by side for an hour, then Nathan looked over at her. “I fell in love with you in Arkansas. When you sat up with me outside of camp, throwing your legs on me, I knew then you didn’t see me as an older man. You saw what you wanted and were going to do what it took to get it.”
Hearing that, Jasmine floated in her saddle. “You’re right. I was going to do whatever it took to get you.”
Nathan smiled as he led Smoke off the road crossing a small ditch leading the group across the rolling hills. Looking over to still see Jasmine beside him, Nathan grinned. “I’m hard-headed but even I take the hint when it’s beat over my head for weeks on end.”
Riding closer, Jasmine put her hand on Nathan’s leg. “You have to admit, we make a good family.”
Nathan nodded. “Yes, but I never knew being a father would cost me my self-esteem.”
“What?” Jasmine said, dropping her hand.
“When a toddler assumes the position to be wiped, you know in your heart, you have no pride in yourself anymore,” Nathan confessed.
Letting out a giggle, Jasmine covered her mouth. “You don’t even say anything about that anymore.”
“Yeah, because my pride has been ground out,” Nathan said, leading them into the ravine. Up ahead they saw the trees, tall bushes to Nathan.
Still giggling, Jasmine climbed off her saddle, then pulled Chip down. “Emma doesn’t really want anyone but you.”
“Of course,” Nathan said, climbing down and holding Emma out at arm’s length. “She wants to let me know she’s the boss, and my pride would stop that.” Letting out a squeal, Emma gave him her toothy weird smile. “I wish you would quit that,” Nathan said, pulling her in for a hug then setting her down. Emma immediately ran over to Ares and Athena. The dogs were lying down panting as Emma dove on them laughing. Neither moved.
They set up camp and sprawled out under the tarp shelter as the sun rose in the sky. Amanda rolled over till she was beside Nathan. “We are still leaving tonight, right?”
Nathan closed his eyes. “Amanda, we traveled for sixteen hours. Let’s rest and take some time off.”
Amanda shook her head. “We can leave later, but let’s go tonight. I don’t like being here.”
Nathan looked around at the group. “Anyone else for some downtime?”
Everyone shook their heads and John stood up. “Nathan, I have to agree with Amanda. It feels weird here.”
Nathan studied John and nodded. “All right. We will leave later and only travel till sunrise.”
Jasmine picked up Emma. “Get some sleep. We’ll wake you for your shift,” she more commanded than requested. Knowing better than to argue, Nathan closed his eyes.
Chapter 18
Day 51
Jasmine gently shook Nathan. “Nathan, it’s time to get up.”
Slowly, Nathan opened his eyes, seeing Jasmine smiling at him. “Boy, that was some hard sleep,” he said, then noticed it was dark. Sitting up and looking at his watch, Nathan saw it was past nine p.m. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”
Jasmine stood up. “I let you sleep.”
Knowing arguing about it was hopeless, Nathan looked around to see the camp was packed up. “I’m surprised you guys didn’t just throw me over my saddle.”
“Never thought about that,” Jasmine admitted, and grabbed Nathan a plate. “We fed Emma already and it wasn’t easy. We left you some water in the shower bag.”
Feeling very useless, Nathan ate, led the morning routine, and showered. When he was done, Emma was standing in front of him, holding out Woof. Picking her up, Nathan tucked her in the Emma sling and climbed on Smoke. Pulling out his map, Nathan kicked Smoke into a walk.
Satisfied with the route, Nathan put the map up and eased Smoke into a trot. Amanda rode up next to him as Nathan lowered his monoculars. “Nathan, F-U reports the government pulled a lot of troops out of here, sending them east. Only Denver and Boulder have a large military presence.”
“Good news for us,” Nathan said.
“Maybe,” Amanda said. “Since about four this afternoon some of the channels on the scanner have blanked out when people start to talk. I think they are jamming them.”
“Makes sense. If they are moving troops out, they don’t want people calling out what roads they are using so ambushes can be set up,” Nathan said, and picked up the thermal binoculars, turning them on.
“What if they’re really moving here?” Amanda asked.
“Doesn’t make sense if they are, and they can’t block all frequencies, we would know,” Nathan said, flipping up his monoculars and scanning around with the thermal binoculars.
“I was just worried,” Amanda con
fessed.
Nathan finished scanning, turned the thermal off, and lowered his monoculars. “Worry is good. We have more than troops to be worried about. Keep listening and let me know if you hear something about us or near us.”
Giving Nathan a big smile, Amanda pulled back on her reins and fell back in the line behind him. They continued northwest, seeing small herds of antelope around them. Stopping anytime they came near water, Nathan could see the group was on edge.
“What’s wrong, guys?” he asked.
“Something’s not right,” John replied in a quiet voice, and the others nodded in agreement.
Nathan looked around. With the exception of some antelope, mule deer, and cows, they were alone. “Guys, you need to relax.”
“Nathan, I’m with them. Something feels off. Like we’re being watched,” Jasmine said with a nervous expression.
Nathan pulled out his map. “We are making camp.”
“Are you crazy?” Amanda asked.
Nathan shook his head. “You guys are so wired up, if one of you were to fart your head would blow up. You’re too edgy.”
“We’ve barely gone fifteen miles,” Amanda objected.
“I don’t care. And all of you are going to sleep after camp is set up,” Nathan said, leading them away from the small stream. He stopped the group in a deep gully that emptied into a small ravine. When camp was set up Nathan made everyone lie down and when he heard them all breathing in a deep rhythm he crept up to the gully looking out over the small hills.
Not seeing anything, Nathan climbed back down and watched Ares and Athena. They were lying beside the group. “They just didn’t get enough sleep,” Nathan mumbled. Creeping up to the side of the gully, Nathan sat watch.
Day 52
There he sat for several hours as the sun slowly broke the horizon. When the sun was over the horizon, Nathan had to agree with them: something didn’t feel right. Slinking back up the gully, he scanned around and still didn’t see any sign of humans. He looked back down the gully, and Ares and Athena were still sprawled out. “They are freaking me out now,” Nathan concluded.
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