Crenshaw leaned forward, guilt and defensiveness giving way to impatience. “Listen, Hendrickson. There are over fifty thousand refugees in the League, and more coming every day. We don't have the capability to support them over the winter, and they're putting a tremendous strain on our resources. We've already sent thousands south out of our territory since Sangue withdrew, and turned away thousands more. But most of the people who remain have settled in, just like you, and they don't want to leave. The only thing keeping them from really raising a stink about this is that we warned them it would happen, and they know that everyone is being asked to go, not just them.”
He pointed an accusing finger at Lisa's family. “If I show even a few refugees special treatment, especially the better off people, the rest get unpleasant. I don't want to replace an army of Panteras beating at our door with a horde of newly minted bandits who feel bitter at us, instead of grateful for what we did for them.”
“We are grateful,” Lisa's mom said fervently. “It's just . . . this place has become our home. A place of sanity in an insane world.” She took her husband's arm. “What will we do now?”
In spite of her sinking spirits, Lisa's heart couldn't help but leap as she latched onto a sudden hope. If they had to leave, did that mean they could go back to Utah? That now that the threat of Sangue seemed past, she could finally be reunited with Skyler and they could be together? The chance to go home, where her friends were waiting, would make having to leave her new home and friends behind more bearable.
In fact, she could even be excited about the prospect.
Crenshaw once again shifted guiltily. He glanced around, then stepped closer to them. “Look,” he said, so quietly that Lisa could barely hear from where she stood a few feet back. “There's good grazing land just south of our border. You can't stay here, but there's no reason you have to leave, if you catch my drift. We still protect that territory with patrols, and we wouldn't say no to you ducking across the border temporarily to trade in New Bozeman every now and again, or our people heading out to visit you. And once this crisis with the refugees passes, you'll have a much better chance of being invited in permanently.”
Her dad glanced at her mom. “I . . . see,” he said. “I suppose we were getting close to grazing these pastures bare, and it'd be nice to have grazing land rent free. And would I be wrong in guessing a lot of the other more prosperous and productive refugees, many of them our friends, have received a similar invitation?”
The major nodded, giving them a conspiratorial wink.
That seemed to be the end of the visit. Crenshaw made a few final arrangements for escorting them out of League territory, giving them a few days to get ready. Then he shook hands all around, even with Bryant, expression solemn, before turning and striding briskly back into New Bozeman.
A heavy silence settled, as if they were all steeling themselves for the coming move, still adjusting to this sudden upheaval of their lives.
“Why don't we go back to Camptown?” Lisa finally blurted, unable to hold it in any longer.
Her dad stiffened but didn't turn around from staring grimly southward, while her mom gave her a hard to read look. “Oh, Lisa,” she murmured.
“Why not?” she pressed. “If the danger from Sangue has passed, why wouldn't we go back home? We were prosperous there, and that's where our friends and loved ones are.” She thought of Skyler and felt her face flush, but was too embarrassed to mention him specifically.
Her mom seemed to guess anyway, expression turning warm and sympathetic. “I want to see them too,” she said gently. “More than anything. But just because the League's managed to push Sangue away from their borders, that doesn't mean the rest of the country is suddenly safe. We had a long, hard, dangerous journey to get here, and I'd be wary of repeating it.” She hesitated, then her tone became even more gentle. “Besides. We might have to accept the possibility that there's nothing left to go back to.”
Lisa's heart lurched in horror at the thought that Camptown might've been destroyed. That Skyler might be dead, and his parents and Fiona and Tabby and Logan and Brandon and all her other friends. Or, even worse, that they might've been captured. What would she do if they were?
“You don't believe that!” she said fiercely.
Her dad finally turned, looking resolved. “We can hope for the best,” he stated. “And it might be that someday, when things settle down, we can go back to Utah and see for ourselves. And we can always check with trade convoys who've come from that area and see if they have news.”
He looked south again, to the great rolling hills in the distance. “But your mother's right that it's too dangerous right now. Too difficult. New Bozeman has become our home, and they've offered us an olive branch, a possibility we can stay. And, much as I hate to say it, we can have a better life in the League than we ever did scraping and toiling in Utah like Old West pioneers.”
Her mom nodded and chimed in. “They have medicine here, Lisa. Even hospitals! And they're rebuilding fast to all the technology we had before the Ultimatum. If we stay here we can be part of that, part of the world finally becoming what it once was. Hopefully even better.”
“But-” Lisa began in frustration. But Skyler. She'd almost given up hope of ever seeing the boy she loved again. Having it rekindled, only to be crushed anew, was devastating; no amount of factory woven cloth or chocolate or movie theaters or streetlights could make up for that.
She hung her head forlornly, tracing her fingers across the hidden pocket where she kept Skyler's beautiful ring. Her mom noticed and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “We can try to get word back to the Millers,” she murmured. “If things are stable down in Utah after all, maybe we can consider risking the trip.”
Lisa shook her head dully. She knew that once they settled in here, it would become harder and harder to leave. After all, even after the relatively short time they'd been in New Bozeman it already felt like home, and she'd been conflicted about leaving.
If they stayed, they'd probably never leave. Not even for visits down to Utah. Not unless the League's cars became prevalent enough, and their influence expanded to the point where her family could drive down to see their friends.
Which meant the only hope she really had was to try to get word down to Skyler that she was still alive. If he knew, she was sure he'd come for her. Somehow, they could figure out a way to be together. Who knew, maybe he'd see how amazing the League was and want to live here with her. The best of all possibilities.
It was something to hope for.
End of Final Stand and the Mountain War.
Skyler's story continues in Lone Valley,
Sixth and final book of the Mountain Man series.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading Final Stand!
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Links to books by Nathan Jones
POST-APOCALYPTIC
BEST LAID PLANS
Fuel
Shortage
Invasion
Reclamation
Determination
NUCLEAR WINTER
First Winter
First Spring
Chain Breakers
Going Home
Fallen City:A Best Laid Plans Standalone
MOUNTAIN MAN
Badlands
Homecoming
Homeland
Mountain War
Final Stand
SCIENCE FICTION
Boralene
STAG PRIVATEERS
> Last Stand
Caretakers
Mountain Man (Book 5): Final Stand [Last Ditch] Page 42
