“Probably.”
“We also have mountain lion, cougar, raccoon, fox, and I have seen the occasional bear. Pretty much every animal that lives in mountains is here.”
The two men fell into another comfortable silence and listened to the sounds of the surrounding forests. The insects chirped, and an owl screeched in the distance.
“You want some coffee?” Stryker asked.
“Sure.”
“I made the last pot.”
Frank sighed and rose to his feet. “Be right back.”
Five minutes later the men sat on the porch and sipped their coffee. Stryker watched the clouds disappear, and a cheerful star-rich sky revealed itself.
“So, why did you guys move to the park from town?” Stryker asked.
“Well, for starters, it has power and water. But, it was more than that.”
“Go on.”
“Things got a little odd in town after the first few weeks. Two of the survivors shot each other, and we decided to come here to stay out of the fray.”
“How many survivors were there?”
“Seven, including us.”
“So the two who shot each other are dead?” Stryker asked.
“Yes.”
“That means two are still living in the town?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t been back there in a few years.”
“We didn’t see anyone when we drove through town,” Stryker said.
“They might have done the same as us and left.”
Stryker shrugged, and the men fell silent for a bit, listening to the sounds of the forest and sipping coffee.
“You guys still want to tour the park tomorrow?” Frank pierced the silence with his question.
“If the women do, sure.”
“Well, I guess I’ll go back to the condos. I wanted to stay here to look over Annie, but I guess she’s fine and Tom is going to be wondering what’s going on.”
“That’s fine. Just keep him away from us until we leave. I really don’t want another run in with him. He won’t survive the next one and I’d rather not kill him.”
“He always has been a bit twitchy.” Frank looked apologetic.
“To say the least.”
“You want me to take the next watch?”
“No, Erin and Haley have it,” Stryker replied.
“Okay, goodnight.”
“Sleep well.”
CHATER EIGHTEEEN
Stryker woke up to an empty bed. Erin and Haley had watch, and the sun shone through the hotel room windows. He lay in a dream state for a minute, and then got up. After putting on his clothes, he stumbled to the kitchen and found the coffee pot filled with his version of black gold.
“Thank God,” he muttered, after taking a sip from the mug he filled. He walked out to the porch, where Erin and Haley sat in the chairs he and Frank used the night before. Haley was sleeping, slouched down in her chair, and Erin was drinking her coffee.
“Good sleep?” Erin asked in a whisper.
“Best in a long time. Those beds are really comfortable.”
“You were half asleep when you got me up.”
“I pulled eight hours and was pretty tired.”
Stryker moved to the front of the porch and saw, for the first time, the beauty that surrounded them. They were in what appeared to be a canyon, surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides with vegetation growing from the sides and along the narrow trails that snaked off in every direction.
“What a gorgeous view.” He sipped his coffee.
“It is. I watched the sunrise coming up and it’s pretty flat in that direction, but some of the light reflected off the red rocks to the west and it looked like a surreal painting.”
“You still want to do a park tour?”
“I guess. We’re here and not in hurry and who knows if we will ever get back here, so sure.”
“I’ll talk to Frank when he gets up,” Stryker replied.
“How about that cabin we talked about?” Erin said, smiling with a small girl’s mischievousness.
“How about we just take a hike and find a place to have fun?”
“Too cold,” she replied with a false shiver.
“So, you want to stay tonight?”
“I guess.”
An hour later, Stryker, Haley, Erin and Frank stood in front of one of the Humvees, getting ready to depart on their tour of the park. Annie and Tom decided to stay at the lodge. They all wore side arms and carried their M-4s.
“No need for the rifles,” Frank said.
“They’re our American Express cards; we never leave home without them,” Stryker replied.
“You’re the first people we’ve seen here in two years.”
“You ever notice how when you carry an umbrella, it never rains?” Stryker asked.
“Yes.”
“There’s your answer.” Stryker looked away, ending the conversation.
“Before we leave, let me give you some quick facts about the park,” Frank said in his best tour guide voice.
“This is going to be fun,” Haley whispered to Erin.
“The park was established in 1919 by President Taft. The name of the park comes from the Hebrew language and means ‘a place of peace and relaxation’. The canyon was named by Mormon pioneers who settled in the area to farm.” He paused for a moment, and then continued.
“The park is home to 800 native plant species and has one of the richest plant diversities in the country. We also have 79 species of mammals and 289 bird species, as well as 32 types of reptiles and amphibians. The park is also home to the California condor, which was considered to be one of the most endangered species in the nation.”
“What about predators?” Haley asked.
“We have cougars, gray fox, ring-tail cats and coyotes,” Frank answered by rote.
“Did Native Americans live here?” Erin grinned as she saw Stryker wince.
“Yes, and we have abandoned cliff houses that were left behind by the Anasazi people close to 1500 years ago.”
“Are we going to see that?” Erin asked.
“And a lot more. Let’s get going and we’ll do a quick driving tour and then, if you like, a hike.”
“Works for me,” Stryker said.
They all got into the Humvee, with Frank at the wheel and headed North on the park road. They quickly gained elevation, driving past rocks that looked melted and seemed to be flowing over the landscape. Others shot straight up, reaching for the sky.
They continued the drive, passing numerous scenic outlooks, and passed through a tunnel, after weaving through a switchback and again gaining altitude. The dark green of the trees stood in stark contrast to the red-hued rock cliffs behind them. The cliffs seemed so close Stryker felt as though he could almost reach out and touch them.
They noted they were at the bottom of a canyon looking up at towering mountains all around them. Below them lay the Virgin River, surrounded by at least four species of trees. Frank pulled off onto one of the scenic lookouts, and they all tumbled out of the vehicle and walked to the edge of the outlook.
The full majesty of the canyon revealed itself to them as they stared at soaring mountains, deep green forest, the river below, and a herd of bighorn sheep moving over the crest of a ridge in the distance.
“My God,” Haley whispered. “This must be the most beautiful place on the planet.”
“I’ve never been anywhere else that was prettier,” Frank allowed.
“Thanks for showing us the park,” Erin added.
“Glad to do it. It’s kind of nice to be working again.” He emitted a quiet chuckle. “This is the end of the driving tour, but we can take a hike into the narrows. It’s the inner gorge of the Virgin River and has a bunch of waterfalls and hanging gardens.”
“What are hanging gardens?”
“There is a lot of moisture in the canyon from the river and water that is embedded in rock formations. It takes over a thousand years for the water in the roc
ks to make its way up to the springs here, so the moisture in the rock has created gardens that grow out of the sides of the canyon along the river. Basically, you’re in a gorge that was created by the river and the canyon walls are around a thousand feet high.”
“That sounds pretty interesting,” Haley said.
“It is,” Frank agreed. “The only thing is the gorge is so narrow that there’s not a lot of light in it, so you have to wait for a day of full sunlight, like today, to have good lighting.”
They got back into the Humvee, and started their descent back into the canyon, passing the switchbacks and going through the tunnel. They continued on until Frank pulled over and parked under a sign that said “Stop Nine.”
“This looks like a bus stop,” Stryker said.
“It was,” Frank replied. “We used to get around two million visitors a year and the park couldn’t handle that kind of traffic, so we put in system of propane powered buses and set up the stops close to the trailheads.”
“Not a problem anymore,” Stryker said.
“No.” Frank shook his head sadly.
They got out of the vehicle and started down a well-marked trail that descended into a forest and followed a concrete footpath that cut through the forest. It felt as though they had entered a tunnel, with a canopy of trees above and the dense forest closing in on both sides.
“This is where we start wading.” Frank stepped into the water and headed upstream. The canyon walls seemed to narrow as they continued, and the closeness of the walls created an echo of the sound of the river.
A small herd of deer appeared in front of them, and then quickly fled upriver with a startling swiftness.
“My god, this is idyllic.” Erin looked around them in wonder. They all stopped for a moment and looked at their surroundings. The river, the trees and the flowering plants that sprouted from the canyon walls all seemed a bit surreal. Some of the vegetation was flowering and there were spots where the walls were a riot of red and yellow flowers that drooped toward the canyon floor, appearing to dangle from thin air.
“This is what the Garden of Eden must have looked like,” Haley whispered.
“You’re probably right,” Erin said. “Can we just sit for a while before we go back?”
“Sure,” Frank replied.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Stryker was loading the Humvee they used to tour the park when the sat phone rang.
He plucked it off the solar charger in the rear seat. “Yes.”
“It’s Edwards,” came the reply.
“Who else would it be?” Stryker said with a note of irony.
“Good point.”
“Any good news?”
“No,” Edwards replied after a moment’s pause.
“Sorry.”
“It was a long shot. We knew that when we started.”
“Still, it’s got to be a disappointment.
“It is. They weren’t at the cabin either, and there’s nowhere else they would go.”
“So, you didn’t find the bodies?”
“No, that’s the part that bugs me.”
“Maybe they went early on and were taken to a morgue or maybe they were in a hospital. But, if you’re sure they would be in one of those places, and they’re not, I guess you have to accept it.”
A long pause followed and Stryker was about to ask if Edwards was still there.
“Well, we are starting south today,” he finally said.
“Same route as we discussed?”
“Yes, and you?”
“The same. Our detour through Zion is done now, so we are going to head back the way I outlined it to you.”
“ETA?”
“Two days. Maybe three if we have any problems.”
“I am four to five days out.”
“You call if you have any problems,” Stryker said.
“You do the same,” Edwards replied.
“See you in a few days. Good luck.”
“Same to you, and say hi to the ladies and tell them that Elle misses them.”
“Got it.”
Erin and Haley came out as Stryker was finishing his third cup of coffee. Earlier, Annie and Julie had already passed by on their way to the garden, and Tom and Frank were in the lodge’s kitchen drinking coffee.
“I already said goodbye to everyone, so as soon as you two do the same, we can get on the road. Annie is with Julie in the garden,” Stryker said.
“Why is only one Humvee loaded?” Erin asked.
“We’re leaving the other one.”
“That’s a change of plan,” Erin looked curious.
“Well, it is, but I was thinking it’s too hard to defend the vehicle when you have to drive, they’re new so a breakdown is unlikely, and one trailer is enough to haul what we have.”
“Okay, I guess,” she replied.
“We’ll be fine.”
“We’ll be right back,” Erin replied, and they moved down the side of the lodge.
“Okay.” Stryker looked sadly at his empty cup, walked back into the lodge and past the table where the other men sat.
“Heading out?” Frank asked.
“Yep.”
“I’ll come outside and see you off.”
Stryker glanced down at Tom, who looked away and studied the far wall intently.
“That works.” Stryker filled the cup, and then walked back outside to wait for the women.
He was leaning against the hood of the Humvee when the ladies came into view. Annie walked up to him, and hugged him briefly.
“Thank you,” she said in her quiet voice. “I know I wasn’t easy to be around, but that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful to you.”
“I never thought that. I just want you to get better,” he replied.
“I’ll try.” She hugged him again as he stared over her shoulder at Erin and Haley with a look of confusion. They both just smiled back.
Frank came out and walked over to the group. After the ladies thanked him for the tour and hospitality, they both hugged Annie.
“Be careful out there.” Frank said as he approached Stryker with his right hand extended.
“Will do. And thanks for everything.”
“Come back and visit sometime,” Frank replied with a crooked grin.
“Doubt that, but maybe we’ll see you in San Diego.”
“Who knows? We might just do that.”
Stryker nodded at Erin and Haley, they all got into the Humvee, and stowed their weapons. They started down the park road, got on Highway 9, and passed through town.
It was another cloudless beautiful day with the road stretching off in the distance until it disappeared on the horizon.
“I’m going to miss the food,” Erin said.
“Me too,” Haley added.
“That makes three, but I’m glad we’re on the road again. To be honest, both Tom and Annie really got under my skin. Between Tom being so jittery and her seeming to change personalities every five minutes, I pretty much had enough.”
“I didn’t see the incident with Tom, but yes, he was definitely wound way too tight,” Erin replied.
A pause followed as they again passed through La Verkin, seeing everything in reverse order, and then exiting the town and continuing south.
“Where are we staying tonight?” Haley leaned forward between the two front seats.
“On the west side of Barstow, California,” Stryker replied.
“You know anything about the town?”
“Not a thing, except we need to turn due south there on Highway 247.”
“We’re getting off the interstate?” Erin asked.
“It’s either that or go through the eastern side of Los Angeles, and I would rather go around the city. It’s a little longer drive, but L.A. could be a nightmare of stalled cars and God knows what else.”
“I went to L.A. during my sophomore year of high school on a field trip to the studios. It was exciting, but the people there were pretty weird and the ci
ty was really dirty and kind of scary,” Haley said.
“There’s another good reason,” Stryker smirked.
Erin sighed. “There probably isn’t anyone there anyway, so I’m not sure it matters which way we go.”
“I already got it all mapped out so let’s just stick with the plan and, either way, we will get there,” Stryker said.
Two hours later, after passing by several small towns that lay at a distance from the freeway, they stopped in the northern approaches to Las Vegas. The city began with the predictable warehouse areas, auto dealerships, billboard signs, and industrial parks.
Stryker again had to navigate around stalled cars, and he stopped once when a pack of feral dogs loitered on the freeway until he fired his XD in their general direction, dispersing the pack to both sides of the freeway. They drove on for a few more minutes, and he noticed the gas indicator was down to a quarter of a tank. A few miles later, he spied a stalled semi with no trailer, pulled up next to one of the saddle tanks, and got out of the vehicle.
He used the foot pump to drain the tank of the big rig into the Humvee, and then they continued south on the interstate. After miles of emptiness, the buildings crowding the freeway seemed too close, and Stryker felt himself getting a bit edgy.
“I hate being in cities. There is just too much stuff to try to keep an eye on. Too many buildings, too many stalled cars, and too many hiding places.” The freeway was alarmingly close to buildings as they drove further into the city.
“Guns up,” he said.
“On it,” Erin replied.
Both women picked up the M-4s and aimed them out the windows of the vehicles, scanning the passing city for threats.
They spent the next twenty minutes in silence, with all of them scanning around the vehicle. Then they passed the airport and again found themselves in a more rural environment. Stryker visibly relaxed.
“What was that about?” Erin asked.
“About ten years ago, I went to Vegas between tours and the place was a freak show. I saw drug dealers and prostitutes selling openly on the streets, with the cops doing nothing. Transvestites and cross-dressers, clubs that advertised everything you could imagine, and some things I couldn’t. It made Sodom and Gomorrah look like an Amish community. The place kind of freaked me out.”
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