Feeling better but still wishing Jason would pick up his pistol, “They’re great kids. I should be able to remember their names,” Arthur mumbled.
“I’m telling you, you’re trying way too hard. You want it so bad and that’s why you can’t do it. Now, without your ‘papers’ you’ll relax and see, your best buddy knows he’s right,” Jason chuckled. “Don’t try so hard, you’ll see.”
“Whoa,” Chad mumbled in awe. “That’s a true buddy, willing to give up his cherry breaker,” he declared, then dropped his eyes to the pistol. Suddenly he stood up, leaning over the table and looking down at the pistol. “Holy shit!” he gasped snatching the gun up, and Arthur almost attacked him.
“You’re Jason Harris?!” Chad screamed and everyone in his group jumped to their feet, moving down to look at the pistol Chad was holding. The only reason Arthur stopped from charging Chad for touching the pistol was he’d yelled Jason’s full name, and they’d never told him Jason’s last name.
Confused, Jason turned to Chad. “Yeah, my name’s Jason Harris,” he answered.
“I rebuilt your gun!” Chad cried out, lifting his gaze to Jason. “We have the pictures and video you sent us trying to break it in the lunchroom!”
Somewhat pissed off that Chad could remember a fucking gun when he couldn’t remember the names of his kids, “You know each gun you build?” Arthur asked, not really liking Chad at the moment.
“Not all of them, but this one I do,” Chad laughed as one of the others took the gun, looking at it. “I’ve only seen those we pull off the line go through torture tests like that, not a gun someone bought. For a month, we had a TV in the lunchroom playing the video of Jason shooting this gun. We have a machine to pull the trigger and all we have to do is change magazines. My hand was hurting just watching Jason.”
Turning to Jason and then to Chad, “You’ve seen him before today,” Arthur stated, now mad that Chad hadn’t remembered his buddy.
Seeing Arthur seemed hostile, “Well, Jason’s hair is longer, and he’s lost a little weight,” Chad offered.
Laughing, “I lost my gut,” Jason stated and flipped his long hair off his shoulders. “Yeah, my hair is longer,” he admitted and turned to Arthur. “It was two years ago when Samantha and I started working out. Then this shit started and Rudolph. Then I get here, working out every day and busting ass, I’m buff and have a fucking six pack now.”
Appeased that Chad had a reason to not know Jason by sight, “You can’t cut your hair because Julie, Betty, Kandy, Carrie, and both Karens love it. And, I think, Robin likes it,” Arthur stated, and Jason fought not to point out what Arthur had just done.
Wendy fought not to grin because she’d damn sure heard it. A part of her was disappointed she hadn’t tried that, but when Arthur had wanted to learn something in the past, that’s how he’d always done it, beat it into his brain until it stuck. Granted, it’d never taken him this long, but there were two hundred and eight kids.
The one child he never forgot let out a squeal from her bouncy chair on the table. “What?” Arthur smiled and Nicole laughed. Letting out a gasp, Arthur dove at the chair and everyone moved wondering ‘what the fuck now’. Arthur started trying to pry Nicole’s mouth open, which it seemed she didn’t want to do, “Is that a tooth?!” Arthur cried out. He stuck his finger over in a glass of tea that wasn’t even his, then put it in Nicole’s mouth as Wendy moved around the table. “Holy shit, you got a tooth, Nicole!” Arthur cried out and picked her up.
Running over, Vicki skidded to a stop. “Are you sure? I’ve been checking. It felt like one was trying to come in because Nicole’s been grumpy,” she said and realized Arthur wasn’t letting her see. Grabbing his chair, she pulled it back and climbed up in it. Popping Arthur’s hand that was holding Nicole’s head to his shoulder as he hugged her tight, “Let me see,” Vicki told him, and Arthur watched as Nicole opened her mouth for Vicki. “She does have a tooth,” Vicki declared.
“Well, you had a reason to wake me up last night and you weren’t hungry,” Arthur told Nicole.
“I agreed with you, something was bothering her, but I figured she would be okay and we didn’t need to wake up Jason and Doc to CT Nicole,” Wendy laughed and could see the tiny white sliver on Nicole’s bottom gum.
Dropping the grin fast, “CT?” Jason blurted out.
Rolling her eyes, “When I said she was fine and that was a lot of radiation, someone wanted to go and wire up the portable MRI you brought in that’s still parked in the field,” Wendy grinned.
Turning to Arthur with a deadpan expression, “You aren’t allowed to make medical decisions for our kids,” Jason stated flatly and Arthur gasped.
“Don’t feel bad because he told me the same damn thing!” Samantha cried out. “I told you, Duke didn’t need to have an IV.”
Holding his chin up, “He got one and after fluids he felt better, so drop it,” Jason declared. “I cried more than Duke when I put the IV in, so back off.”
“I cried more than both of you!” Samantha shouted and many chuckled.
Slowly everyone sat down and enjoyed the moment. It wasn’t often happiness abounded in this world of viral misery, but at that time at the ranch it was overflowing, and all those present relished the feeling.
Chapter Eleven
The Ugly Truth
After lunch was done and tables cleared, some of the younger kids left with the younger guest kids. Kissing Nicole, Arthur handed her to Chloe who gave him a big hug. Wendy had everyone sitting on the left side of the tables grab chairs and move them to the right, so they could see the left wall where two eighty-inch flat screens hung. Then Arthur had the younger kids move to make room for adults and instructed the older kids who had notepads to take notes, just like he did. Arthur couldn’t help but grin, watching Shawn pull out his laptop and then saw Jill pull out one to set it up, as did two of her captains. Only one of Albert’s captains had a laptop but all, including Albert, had notepads.
Sarah came in carrying a stack of binders and started passing them out to the main guests and then to the captains in their group. Since she hadn’t made that many, Sarah passed out the remainder to the older kids and mini-mes who were taking notes and told them to share with the others.
“First,” Arthur said getting up and tapping his laptop. “You all know the main reason I called this meeting and I’ll get there, but I want to go over everything we’ve discovered here. Before you ask, yes, we’ll take you around to show you most of the ranch.”
“Oh, thank you,” Albert sighed out. “I can’t figure out how to make a command and control area, I need to see yours.”
Scoffing, “Fuck you,” Arthur snapped. “I said most,” he clarified. “You need to read that notebook. I clearly say, ‘No one who isn’t in your group EVER needs to see, know the location of, or function of your command and control area’,” Arthur quoted. “If you tried to show me yours, I’d punch you in the dick.”
Hearing that declaration, Albert’s face went pale and his mouth moved but nothing came out. “Albert,” Arthur said holding up a hand. “I told you in the notebook and to your face, I don’t want to know where you put it. I gave you suggestions, and I think in your area I suggested four locations, but I would have to check, and yes, I do have a copy of what I gave you. That’s how I made a notebook for Jill.”
Realizing he hadn’t made Arthur mad, Albert relaxed. “Albert, if I know, that means my wife, Jason, and my mini-mes at the very least, would know. I know for a motherfucking fact, I’m not going to be taken alive by an attacker because I carry a hand grenade for that reason alone. I can’t vouch for the others. What happens if we’re attacked here at the ranch? What if one of them is taken alive? That command area is how you’ll direct your fight. If they know what you have, where it’s at, and how well it’s guarded; I’m sorry, nobody lasts forever against torture. That’s why in each notebook I say, tell all your people to report anyone who asks about your command area. Eventually, we’ll
get others around us and I’ll get to that, but you want your people to always stay vigilant. The only reason someone would ask about it would be for nefarious reasons. Now, do I believe you have nefarious reasons, Albert? No, I don’t. I think you want to see it to get ideas on how to set yours up, but what happens if you’re taken alive? We call ours ‘the Tomb’ here and it’s up and running. There are feeds to over a hundred cameras now and by the end of December that’ll double if we don’t get buried in snow. My goal is three hundred, but there are other things in the Tomb that can be done and I gave you ideas in your notebook, like remote charges and other things. I don’t care if you don’t do any and choose other ideas on your own.”
Understanding very well now, “Sorry I asked,” Albert mumbled.
Grinning, “Jill wasn’t going to ask, but I’m sure one of her captains was. This is new to you,” Arthur said. “I know there’re all kinds of rumors, but I’m not a retired government agent, I’ve never been in the service, and I don’t have cybernetic implants.”
Raising her hand and then motioning to Chad and his captains, “Are you helping them like us?” Jill asked.
Giving half a shrug, “I’m offering assistance, but they don’t need my help,” Arthur told her. “They prepped for disaster to a degree I never would’ve believed. But, they agreed to join this merry little coalition. I’ve offered advice along with assistance and they’ve taken it.”
Clearing his throat, “You keep right on with your advice, Arthur,” Chad chimed in. “None of us would’ve thought of building a fifteen-foot wall around us until we were hit by a mass of dogs, and by then it would’ve been too late.”
Jill was still surprised Chad’s group had joined. She could look at them and tell they were fighters and could think. They had a great chance to survive without help, while her group was struggling to learn this new world. She and Albert were a drain to all of them, but Arthur gave them a hand. Then it occurred to her, Chad and his group had joined up because of Arthur and this group.
Staring at Jill, “Jill,” Arthur called softly, and she looked up at him. “No group can survive this alone, but now we have to start watching those around us and choose wisely on those we ally with. What’s the total at your group now?”
“641,” she answered.
“Albert, your current number?” Arthur asked.
“431,” Albert answered.
Turning to Chad, “How many did you bring in?” Arthur asked, causing Albert and Jill to gasp because Arthur said to bring in no one because of the killer kids.
“Eight groups for a total of sixty-nine. We’re at one hundred and forty-three,” Chad answered. “You’re right, that group north of Hasty…” Chad paused, “something’s just off about them. They have kids and such but… we watched them for a week and didn’t see anything, but something just doesn’t feel right.”
“Told you,” Arthur said tapping his computer. “The groups Chad took in were in Newton County, and I’ve been watching them since April. Chad asked and the only reason I mentioned the one group near Hasty is because they’re the closest group to him at twelve miles, and I wanted Chad to scout them.” One of the screens behind Arthur blinked and a map was displayed. Jill smiled seeing it was a topographical map with a satellite overlay of the area. The fact she even knew that made her very proud.
One wavy outline popped up like a kid was trying to draw a circle. Jill knew that was her group and the wavy line was the fence. “That’s my area,” she stated proudly to let Arthur know she was trying as hard as she could.
“So right, Jill girl,” Arthur laughed, and another outline came up below Jill’s and she knew that was Albert’s area. She hadn’t been inside, but had seen it from the outside. The reason she hadn’t been inside wasn’t because Albert was trying to keep his area secret, Jill just never had the time when she was close. But others in her group had been inside Albert’s, just like some of Albert’s group had been inside her compound. “That’s Albert’s and this one’s mine,” Arthur said as another loop appeared and it was much bigger than either Jill’s or Albert’s.
Lifting his eyes to Jill and then turning to Albert, “When I say distance, that means in a straight line, not how far you actually have to travel,” he said still looking at Albert. “It’s fourteen miles from me to Jill and ten miles from me to Albert,” Arthur stated as another loop popped up at the edge of the map. “This is Chad’s group. They’re thirty miles away in Searcy County.”
Finally turning from Albert and running his eyes over the group. “I say this, because every month I want us to meet up at one of these locations,” he told them. “We need all of our people to get to know each other. We can’t expect everyone to fight for each other if they don’t know each other. Next, I want us to know ‘SOME’,” he stressed, cutting his eyes to Albert, “of the layout of each other’s compounds. If Chad has to send fighters to Jill’s because a gang is scouting her, don’t they need to know the inside of the compound?”
They all nodded in agreement. “Now, as of right now, Jill, Albert, neither of you have enough food to take in such large groups and feed them. Chad, I know you have a stockpile, but you aren’t producing enough in your greenhouses yet for us to meet at your place without eating from your storage,” Arthur said. “No, we don’t have much of a stockpile here now, but we’re replenishing ours at a rate none of you can match, so for the next few meetings, we’ll do them here.” When he’d finished, Jill sheepishly raised her hand.
“Arthur,” she cringed. “I’m going to have to cut back on food. You told me to tell you before I did, but we aren’t going to make it through the winter if I don’t.”
Shaking his head, “No, that’s why we’ve been busting ass here,” Arthur replied. “When you and Albert leave tomorrow, each of you will be hauling back ten tons of food: rice, beans and corn.”
Hearing the amount, Jill just stared in shock. Yeah, Arthur had said he would help and she’d been expecting a few hundred pounds, but not tons. “We don’t want to put you short,” she offered.
“The only reason you’re not taking more back is you can’t haul it,” Arthur chuckled then stopped. “The fucking drums the food is in, you’ll take care of ‘em. When they’re empty, return them because we aren’t going to get anymore.”
“No fucking shit,” Jason blurted out.
“Yep, my asshole puckered up so tight on that run, it took me three days before it loosened up to take a shit,” LL proclaimed.
“We would’ve helped,” Albert stated.
Shaking his head, “You would’ve died and might’ve gotten some of us killed. I’ll show you later, but take care of those drums,” Arthur repeated.
“Arthur,” Jill called out looking at the map. “Can I ask, how did you choose where you set us up?”
Nodding, “Yes, you can ask and I’ll answer since we’re in that part of the discussion,” Arthur grinned. “I had a list of criteria each site had to meet. First, was remoteness. Next, the site had to be easy to defend. Then came water, was it there? And also, did it have sufficient flow to generate power? After that, was there land that could be developed downstream to generate larger amounts of power with sufficient elevation for water drop? There was one more criterion, can you figure it out? The reason’s right outside your wall, but when you expand your wall out to enclose the valley to the west, it’ll be inside your walls. Albert’s was already inside his first fence.”
Dropping her eyes to the table but not looking at it as she ran through her mind what was in the valley, all Jill could see were two farms. Albert was doing the same thing and finally shrugged, “The oil well?” he asked.
Slapping the table hard, Arthur watched Jill jump in her chair. “Very good!” Arthur cried out and Jill remembered the oil well in one of the fields of the farms.
“You’re going to make gas?” Jill asked in awe.
“No, I’m going to show you how to make fuel,” Arthur told her. “We’ll be making our own here.”
“How much gas can we make?” Albert asked with excitement.
With his palms to Albert, “Hold up,” Arthur chanted. “This is North Arkansas, not East Texas. There are three wells inside my fence, and all three together only put out like twenty-two barrels a day. The oil company only turned them on when oil got above eighty dollars a drum which was pretty rare,” he told them and saw some of the excitement gone. “Guys, they only started drilling up here in the last ten years. There are only two other wells in Newton county and they aren’t close together. Madison County only has five producing wells and I never found out about Johnson County, but like I said, this is North Arkansas. I do know with the price of oil fluctuating so much, the oil companies weren’t planning many more drill sites.”
“So, we’ll have fuel?” Albert asked and Arthur nodded. “Better some than none.” For a split second, Arthur almost told Albert he was happy that he hadn’t asked how much they could make at the ranch. Albert worked hard, but was a dreamer. He’d already proven his loyalty to Arthur, but Arthur just wished Albert was a little more, macho.
Glancing at his notes, Arthur tapped the computer and the boundary for Newton County appeared on the map, and then blue dots sprang up scattered about the county. “In case you didn’t know, that’s Newton County where my group is located. I used this as the base of my count. I have to say, the projected death rate was pretty damn close here. I’ve been to every house in this county. It started off as scouting around me, then morphed into who was alive and finally, a project to see what we’re dealing with,” he paused.
“Now, in those binders that Sarah, Wendy, and Samantha put together for you, it gives you the breakdown by age group, but for people over fifteen, ninety-two percent around the globe are dead. I know, Sarah,” Arthur said sensing Sarah about to object getting to her feet. “I’m being general. You give specific breakdowns of each age group, but I’m not here to lecture, okay?”
Viral Misery | Book 3 | Revelations Page 16
