by R. A. Neely
Shirley bowed her head respectfully. For this initial meeting, she had adopted the uniform of the guard. The group had reasoned that this would put forth an image of professionalism. Hopefully the town would see them as such rather than merely a group of bandits and this could all go peacefully. They had discussed what she'd say beforehand but she wasn't particularly pleased to have them pointing rifles at her. She spread her hands to her side as if to indicate that she meant no harm.
"My name is Shirley O'Hara and I represent Gregoria."
"I'm Brian Hicksel, the mayor. Gregoria?" the man asked. "What's that? You some type of foreigner?"
Shirley shook her head, "Not at all. We're a group of survivors that banded together for safety. We've named ourselves after the man who's kept us safe all this time."
"What do you want with us?"
"We've been looking for a place to resettle and your town looks to be a perfect fit. Our leader was hoping you'd be willing to meet to discuss a possible arrangement." Shirley hoped this went over well. If the roles were reversed, she wouldn't be pleased about some random people showing up and saying they wanted to move in.
"I see," Brian said thoughtfully. "And if we refuse to come to an arrangement?"
"I can see that you need some time to consider. That's understandable. I'll give you some time to think. I'll come back around five this afternoon. If you decide to meet with us, there'll be fresh venison," she said with a smile.
"I see," Brian replied. "Haven't had fresh meat in some time. I'll have your answer then." She nodded and Brian watched as she led her escort back towards their camp.
Brian turned to the group behind him. "We're alright for now, guys. You can head on back to your chores." The group dispersed until David Renner, the town's sheriff, was the only one remaining.
"What do you think, David?"
David shrugged, "I think we might have to consider their offer. As it stands, they could simply come in and take over. If they're willing to play nice we should at least hear what they have to say."
Brian nodded, "Alright, let's call a meeting. We'll have to run this by the Three."
About half an hour later Brian walked into the council chambers. It was a fairly simple affair. A dais as the head of the room boasted a long table with several chairs. The floor of the chamber held several rows of chairs the citizens of Lakeside could use if they felt inclined to attend a meeting. Not that there was much point of that for years. Today everyone was seated around the long table. All the major players were there. David was there along with Mary Higgins, the village treasurer. After that there were the trustees. They were "elected" officials that were supposed to manage the village's assets in the best interest of the people.
For years there hadn't been an actual election. Years ago the village had hit some hard times. A significant portion of their population had left and the village had little in the way of income due to the lost property taxes. They had a single tourist attraction, a mock farm on the edge of town. It had been popular at the time but hadn't generated nearly enough income to keep the village solvent. Enter the Three, as they had come to be called. North of the village the wealth had taken to building lavish summer homes. For the most part it had been a good arrangement. They paid a significant amount in property taxes and weren't that disruptive to village life. They'd show up for two to three months in the summer, throw a few parties and then go back to wherever they had come from. That changed about fifteen years ago. Three of the families, the Apples, the Wests, and the Scalas decided to help the village.
They opened their wallets and the village's money problems disappeared overnight. In exchange however, they had themselves appointed to the village board of trustees. No one argued at first. These people had literally been the saviors of the town. Soon however, they began making decisions that weren't in the best interest of the village. They main goal was trying to look good so they would vote for policies that raised the profile of the village. It didn't matter if the policy was sound or not so long as it made the village look good. They had a brand new high school built that they didn't have nearly enough people to fill but it looked good so it happened. He could go on and on, he hated them fervently. All that influence and they just worried about themselves. When people complained and thought to elect someone else to the board, the Three implied that they'd withdraw their financial support. That quickly put an end to anyone interested in running against them. It wouldn't do to get rid of them only to find themselves back in financial straits.
"What's going on?" Roland Apple asked. "I don't appreciate being summoned outside of regular meetings.
Apple, such an innocent sounding name that concealed a complete snake. Roland's irritation did improve his mood somewhat. With the power out, the Three had to suffer along with everyone else. They probably didn't know what to do with themselves without access to their bank accounts and everything else that made their lives so easy.
"There's been a development," Brian said as he took his seat.
"Well? What happened?" Roland demanded. "I don't really care but anything is better than this incessant boredom."
Roland's wife, Kerri, laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. Roland's life of indulgence meant that getting overly excited probably wasn't good his blood pressure. Roland was basically the leader of the Three. Brian didn't know what he held over the others but they hung on his every word as if it were gospel. Even now they were laughing as if his comment was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.
Brian waited for the laughter to die down, "An armed group showed up today. They're camped near the edge of town."
"What do they want?" Roland asked. "We're cut off from our funds. There's little we can do for them."
"I think they want the town," Brian said.
"The town? Well they can't have it!" He glanced at David, "Do your job and get rid of them!"
David chuckled. He'd come to work for the village about six years ago and never toed the line like everyone else in Lakeside. This made Roland hate him. He fancied himself as the real leader of Lakeside and the thought of someone not bowing and scraping around him drove him insane. Unfortunately for Roland, David was good at his job. As much as Roland hated him, the village bylaws didn't allow firing someone because you felt they didn't show you the deference you thought you deserved. Roland couldn't get rid of David without risking a lawsuit and that would have been bad for the profile of the village.
"I've got three deputies under my command," David said calmly. "Their spokesman had an escort of twelve armed men. We're already outnumbered right there."
Roland waved a hand dismissively, "Then have the people of Lakeside fight. That should even the odds."
David shook his head, "We have no idea how many men they have in their camp. In addition, they had the look of being well trained."
"What do you know?" Roland asked.
David smiled, the way you would at a small child that was having trouble understanding you. "I spent most of my career working the streets of Chicago. I know the difference between an organized group and a bunch of thugs. These guys are professional. If we try to fight, we'll lose and they'll take the town anyway."
"What do you suggest then?" Roland asked with a sneer. "That we just turn over the village to them? That's preposterous!"
"They mentioned an arrangement," Brian explained. "It's worth hearing what they have to say. If we play our cards right we might still be able to have some influence over what happens here."
"Influence? This is my town!" Roland shouted. "I pulled it from the gutter and kept it afloat. I'll be damned if I'm just gonna turn it over to some lowlife who shows up with a gun."
"The woman mentioned resettling," David said. "That means they want the town intact. It's not a bad deal. Assuming they leave us alone, the next group might not be so generous."
Roland shook his head fiercely, "I still say no. I'm not turning over my town!"
"It's not your decision," Brian said quietly.
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"Excuse me?" Roland asked.
"It's not your decision," Brian repeated. "I'm the duly elected official and I'm going to meet with this man. If he has good intentions, it's in the best interest of the village to hear him out."
"How dare you talk to me like that?" Roland demanded. "What if he doesn't have good intentions? What then?"
"Then it's in the best interest of the village to hear him out," David said. "We'll lose if we try to fight. We've got a few pistols and some hunting rifles. They were packing assault rifles."
"This is happening," Brian said. "What will you do? Withdraw your financial support as you've threatened every time someone questioned you? Your money is worthless now."
Roland's face turned beet red at Brian's words. "Fine," he said. "Let's have the meeting. But I'll be coming as well," he continued, trying to maintain some sense of authority. "I'm not just gonna turn this town over to anyone."
"Thank you for your vote of confidence," Brian said sarcastically. "The woman said she'd return around five p.m."
"Fine," Roland said. "I'm going to go change. We'll need to impress this would be warlord." The Three stood and left the council chamber while the remaining village officers remained at the table.
Brian waited until the door shut and laughed. "That felt great! I've been wanting to tell that man off for years."
David chuckled, "I could tell you enjoyed that."
"Do you really think it's gonna go well?" Mary asked.
"It can't be much worse can it?" Brian asked.
"There's some hope here," David said. "They want to resettle so they're not looking to raid the village."
"If you can trust what they said," Mary replied.
"True," David said nodding somberly, "that's the kicker isn't it?"
***
Brian waited as the woman and her escort approached them. Brian nodded as she arrived. "We'd be happy to meet with your leader," he said. I have all of the village officials with me, I hope that's alright."
Shirley nodded pleasantly, "That's completely fine. If you'll follow me?" Brian nodded and followed Shirley as she led the way back to the camp.
The walk was fairly short, these people were nearly camped on their doorstep. He had to admit he was impressed as they arrived. All of the tents were set up in a neat and orderly fashion. Everyone appeared to be busy in some way, the whole place had an atmosphere of discipline. He also noticed more guards, a lot more. He relaxed a bit as he realized he had made the right decision. However this went down tonight, he'd saved the lives of his people. There was no way they would have been able to stop these guys if they had come in using force.
"I neglected to mention," Shirley said as they walked, "if you're armed you'll be permitted to carry within the camp. You will however be searched before your meeting. Your weapons will be returned to you when you leave."
"That's perfectly understandable," Brian replied. He hoped that Roland would keep his mouth shut. Now that he'd seen some of their camp, the last thing he wanted to do was antagonize these people.
Shirley led them to a large tent that stood in the center of the camp. Brian noticed white flag waving in the breeze and took note of the lion printed on it. "It's not much to look at," Shirley explained, "but we have to make do with what we find. If you'll excuse me for just a moment." She nodded to the guards standing on either side of the entrance and stepped inside.
She returned a few moments later and smiled. "We weren't expecting so many so while they're making arrangements I wonder if you might like a tour of the camp?"
"That would be appreciated," Brian replied. Shirley led them around the camp and Brian quickly noticed most of the sights were military in nature. This was planned no doubt. A subtle way of showing that they had no chance if this turned to open conflict. One of the last things Shirley showed them was a training session. Brian noted that it was an all-female class and was impressed. Not only did they have a sizable fighting force, even their women were capable of fighting. They looked pretty vicious too. Brian had little doubt that any of them would be able to take him down.
Shirley led the way back to the tent and Brian realized he had little choice in what happened tonight. The tour had the cemented the fact that these, what'd they call themselves? That these Gregorians could simply take their town if they were so inclined. But he took some comfort in the fact that this could happen peacefully. At least his people wouldn't be killed if their leader kept his word. When they arrived back at the tent, each of them was thoroughly searched. Fortunately, no one had tried anything stupid. David was the only armed with his pistol. Once they were cleared, the guards nodded and Shirley led the way inside the tent.
It was an open area dominated by a large table in the center of the room. The table was arrayed with a number of dishes and Brian's mouth watered and the cut of venison situated in the center of the table. He also noticed several bottles of wine. He might lose control of his city tonight, but at least he would eat well.
"Please have a set," Shirley said. "Gregory will be with you shortly." Shirley seated herself and looked at them expectantly.
Brian found a seat and got comfortable. Gregory, huh? That was the first time he'd heard their leader's name. David and Mary sat on either side of him and he smiled pleasantly. "At least we'll eat well he whispered quietly. David nodded and glanced towards the venison. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to eat this well.
Roland and his wife sat near the head of the table, no doubt in an attempt to ingratiate themselves with Gregory when he arrived. Brian really hoped they wouldn't do or say something stupid. The tent flap rustled and Brian turned to see who entered the room.
***
Greg entered the tent and looked around the table. He looked around until he saw the man fitting Shirley's description. This was the mayor, Brian Hicksel. Who were these others? The man next to him had the look of a fighter. He was probably the sheriff or some such. He hadn't let himself go either but stayed in shape despite working in so small a town. He had no idea who these others were. How had Shirley described them? Village officials?
"Hi everyone," Greg said, "thanks for coming." He made his way to the head of the table as the rest of his inner circle entered the tent. "How about some introductions?" he asked as the group made their way to the table.
He gestured towards James and Laura, "James Ruckley here is in charge of my personal security. Laura is my Director of operations, that's probably the best way to describe everything she does." He gestured towards Jackson and Shirley next. "Jackson is our sheriff and Shirley is our envoy."
He smiled as he nodded towards Carol. She was a few seats away due to the way the Three had chosen their seats. "Carol here helps me keep everything organized. We haven't come up with a fancy title for her yet," he finished with a chuckle.
Brian smiled and began the introductions on his end. "Brian Hicksel, mayor," he said indicating himself. This is David Renner, our sheriff. Next we have Mary Higgins, village treasure and the rest are the village board of trustees. Roland and Kerri Apple, Oliver and Patricia West, and Timothy and Wendy Scala."
Greg nodded once the introductions were complete. "Great. I thought we might eat first before getting down to business."
Brian nodded appreciatively, "I have to admit part of the reason I came was the chance for fresh meat."
Greg chuckled, "You won't be disappointed. My huntsman keeps me well fed."
"You have your own huntsman?" Brian asked.
"I do," Greg replied. "Helped him out of a jam some time ago. The man is an amazing hunter. He could probably keep us fed all winter if we had a way to preserve the meat. Hard to do that on the move though."
Brian nodded as he took his first bite of fresh meat in weeks. "Wow," he said after swallowing. "I don't know if it's the fact I haven't had real meat in weeks or if you also have a personal chef."
"A bit of both, maybe. I will admit our cooks have been doing a great job given the circumstances."
They continued to make small talk until everyone had eaten their fill. Greg looked around the table to ensure that everyone had eaten and nodded to himself. "Alright, I think it's about time to discuss the reason for your visit."
"I believe that Shirley told you why we were here?"
Brian nodded, "She mentioned that you were looking for a place to resettle."
Greg nodded, "That's true. We've traveled a long way and I have to say that your town suits our needs perfectly."
"Why us?" Brian asked.
"You've survived the Collapse relatively unscathed. Your infrastructure is intact and your isolation is a natural defense against the infected. You're also sitting right on the edge of Lake Superior. The location of your town also makes it easy to defend."
"I suppose I can understand that," Brian replied. "I went on your tour and I believe I understand the message you were making loud and clear," he said cutting to the heart of the matter. "What can we do to keep our people safe?"
"Now hold on there," Roland protested, "you can't just hand out my town like that!"
Greg raised an eyebrow and glanced in Roland's direction. "I find myself a bit confused," he said as he addressed Brian. "I thought you were the mayor."
"I am" Brian replied. "Roland here bailed the town out of some financial difficulty years ago. Since then he has used the threat of removing financial support to influence town policy."
Greg nodded in understanding. "Do you own any land, Roland? Farmland specifically."
"What do I need a farm for?" he asked.
"Do you have orchards, or livestock?" Greg asked.
"No," Roland replied wondering where this was going.
"So you don't have anything actually useful to me. Your wealth isn't tied to the land but to a currency that no longer has any value. As such, you're useless to me. I really don't understand why you think you have something useful to say."
"How dare you?" Roland said, his face turning red with rage. "I am Roland Apple! I saved this town when everyone abandoned it-"
