ALICE, page 6
In the end, all agreed to would fly so long as it was low and slow.
Jake got the women to help him unhook or unsaddle all the horses, figuring they would find their way home or go wild. Then, as they all climbed in and strapped into seats in the helicopter, he checked the posse on his display and found they were still over an hour away.
He stowed the rifles and climbed in himself, taking the seat next to the door with the little brunette next to him and the blonde across the way. Jake was glad the brunette was next to him and not across the way. The movement of the helicopter was doing interesting things with her chest, and it was hard not to stare as her nightgown did little to hide it.
Switching off his external audio, Jake said, “Ok ALICE lets go. I figure we meet the posse first, then on to the farm town.”
As the door slid closed, and they lifted off, she responded, “How would you like to approach them? Pop up close or let them see us coming?”
“Yeah, I have been thinking about that, just about any way we go, I think they are likely to take a shot at us.”
“Their weapons can’t harm us,” she replied, “the outer skin of the helicopter is similar to your uniform, only a hit to the fan blades is a risk,”
“Then let them see us, but stay low so they can see the ladies in the windows.”
That would be a certainty as the windows on both sides had faces plastered against them. They were flying no more than 100 feet off the deck, as promised, and banking wide to avoid hard turns.
Even so, two of the women in the middle just sat rigid, eyes screwed tightly shut, praying for it to be over as quickly as possible.
In minutes, Jake saw the posse fly past, as ALICE rotated broadside circling around behind them, then set lightly down. She opened the door on the far side, placing the helicopter between the posse and the women spilling out.
As Jake cleared the front, he was in time to see three of the women running across the span between the helicopter and the posse. The posse members all had their guns pointing in his general direction. Several of the men lowered their guns and raced to meet the three women.
Jake turned to the four women with him, the blonde, the brunette and two that looked like sisters. With external audio back on, he asked, “Why aren’t you off with them?”
The brunette answered with a sniffle, “My families all gone. They were killed in the raid!”
“Us too,” one of the sisters added.
“I want a ride back,” the blonde said with a smile, “those bastards killed my parents, but I hid my sisters before they got me.”
Jake remembered the feed from this morning of the two women digging graves.
He looked back at the posse, and saw an animated conversation between the women and men, the latter somewhat hesitant to come any closer.
Finally, a small group of men started in Jake’s direction. As Jake reciprocated to meet them half way, the four women followed him, apparently not wanting to let him get too far from their presence.
Jake did his best to appear non-threatening, but the men kept their guns at the ready. They had them up, just not pointed in his direction.
When they got about 10 feet apart, the men stopped, and Jake offered, “I’m Captain Thomas of the United States Marine Corps. I hope we didn’t alarm you flying in like that?”
“Scared the crap outta me,” one man offered.
“Sorry,” Jake replied, “I only wanted to get the ladies returned as quickly as possible.”
“Who the hell are you,” someone asked, “and what the hell is that?”
Big sigh, Jake was sensing a theme developing here.
“I’m a Marine, and that is my helicopter. I’m from what used to be the United States Marine Corps. I was part of the military that protected this country before all this.”
“Looks like you fucked up, then,” another commented with supporting chuckles afterward.
Well, no fear of them not speaking their minds, Jake thought.
One of the men stepped forward, hand out, “Well, I for one would like to thank you for the return of my daughter.”
Jake took the offered hand and with that, everyone stepped up to close the gap.
“What’s with the helmet?” someone asked.
Thinking quickly Jake responded, “It’s part of my combat suit, I can’t take it off, see it’s all attached,” he pointed to the seam where the helmet skirt attached to the under suit.
“Oh,” he heard from several places.
Jake continued, “About an hour up the trail are a good wagon and several horses. We turned them loose so they may come back. Didn’t know if you cared to retrieve any salvageable items they stole from you. Sorry to say we shot some of it up pretty bad getting the women back.”
“You kill’em all?” someone asked.
“No, a little over two thirds I’d say. We purposely let some go to tell the tale. It’s more effective to let them spread the word for you than have people wonder what happened. Eventually, more come looking.”
He got several nods of understanding of that. By now, the entire posse closed in and some even wandered close to the helicopter. Jake asked ALICE to open both doors and let them look around inside.
Jake answered several more questions, and at one point asked in reply, “So who’s the leader of your town?”
An older gray haired man with a full beard raised his hand, “Burt’s the name.”
Jake replied, “Pleasure to meet you.”
“We sure want to thank you for saving the ladies and kill ’n those assholes,” he said.
With that Jake walked over to the helicopter and reached in, pulling something out of a storage panel. He walked back over to Burt.
“This is a long range communicator, any more issues like this in the future, just speak into it and someone will answer.”
“Me,” ALICE whispered in his ear.
Jake continued to the larger crowd, “We want to try to reestablish order.”
He noted some worried expressions until he added, “by helping you protect yourselves.”
That brought smiles from the group.
“With that,” Jake pointed to the box, “you can call for help now, but eventually we want to set you up to help yourselves and others around you.”
Jake focused back on Burt, “I need to go now, but we will be back to discuss what your needs are.”
Turning, he found the four women between him and the helicopter.
“We want to go with you,” the blonde said, “my little sisters are alone, and think I’m dead or worse.”
“Climb in,” Jake said, while pointing at the helicopter, then turned, and announced, “Please stand back.”
That turned out to be unnecessary, for as ALICE started spinning blades, everyone backpedaled rather quickly.
With everyone in, the doors closed, and they lifted off. Jake assumed ALICE was headed to the blonde’s farm, so he didn’t bother asking.
He did ask, looking at the others, “So where would you three like to go?”
He got the deer in the headlights look back from all three. He noticed the blonde watching him intently.
“We have no homes,” one of the women said, indicating her sister and the little brunette, “they killed our families and our farms were burnt to the ground. Our only hope is if someone will take us in. With so few men around, marriage isn’t likely.”
“And you?” he said, looking directly at the blonde.
“I still want that job,” she replied, “as long as my sisters can come too.”
Jake sat back for a moment, considering how to proceed. He would be getting six for the price of one, but at least one of them, the brunette, was way younger than he’d considered suitable for the work he knew needed to be done. The assault on the raiders proved this was going to be a bloody business.
Then again, he really had no idea what work he needed done besides his own. Someone always had to file and answer phones, he thought, then laughed privately at the sexist nature of that statement. This was a brave new world, and he had a feeling at some point everyone was going to get bloody.
“OK, for anyone who’s interested, we’re recruiting. What that means is we are looking to take you in, room and board, and train you to help me.”
He turned back to the blonde, “and yes, your sisters can come.”
“That translates to room, clothes, food, an education, and learning a profession that supports the community.”
Jake lets that sink in a minute, then adds, “any questions?”
No one responded verbally, all just shook their heads no.
“So I take it you all want to come?” Jake asked of the group.
There were smiles and nods all around.
At that point, ALICE chipped in over the internal speakers, “Ladies we will be landing shortly, please gather any personal items you wish to bring with you, but do it quickly. Don’t bother with food or clothing, just take personal items, everything else will be provided.”
The women, confusion on their faces, searched for the source of the voice.
“That’s ALICE, she’s back at base.”
The blonde said, “Ah like the box you gave Burt, she can hear us and we her.”
Jake was optimistic for this one. He was trying hard to keep his personal feelings out of things, but she was a looker, “What’s your name?”
“I’m Sara, that’s Sandy,” she pointed to the brunette, “and they are Linda and Kathy,” she said, finishing up with the sisters.
The helicopter flared and gently touched down in front of Sara’s house.
The door slid open and everyone hopped out, with Sara leading the group out and she headed at a dead run toward the house.
----*----
Becky and her sister Bonnie sat crying by the window at the front of the house. They had buried their parents that morning and were back inside waiting to see if the others could get their sister Sara back.
They were hiding in the barn last night, under the hay in the loft where Sara had covered them, when the raiders hit their farm. Their father had seen the fires from the other farms and taken them out to hide in the barn. They never saw their parents shot, or their sister carted off. They heard the men leaving and saw Sara in the back of the wagon in the distance as they came out of the barn.
Becky was considering their future, not sure what she and Bonnie would do. They couldn’t work the farm alone, so they would probably have to marry one of those losers in town, if they could even find one. None of the sisters had found a husband as they were too stubborn and independent for the local men to consider as wives.
Becky dreamed of working for the Doctor, maybe becoming his nurse, but the community was too small to support a full time hospital. The doctor even had to work as a vet to cover his living expenses. As she was considering all this, a clearly shocked Bonnie pointed out the window and Becky turned to see a flying machine land in front of the house and Sara climbs out!
----*----
Jake climbed out of the helicopter last and waited with the other three women as Sara ran for the house. Before she got half way, the door opened and two younger versions of herself, one about 20 or 21 and the other close to Sandy’s age, came running out to meet her.
There were hugs, kisses, and tears, and then three sets of eyes settled on Jake. He could see Sara explaining to her sisters, and the confusion on their faces.
After Sara waved them over, Jake and the other three slowly approached.
Sara made the introductions, “Becky, Bonnie, this is Captain Thomas. Captain these are my sisters.”
“It’s a pleasure,” Jake replied, not reaching out to shake for fear of startling them “you can all call me Jake.”
The youngest, Becky, turned away from Jake and said, “Sara, they killed mom and dad” and started a muffled sob, her hand over her mouth.
“I know,” she replied, “but Jake made them pay, he killed the bastards.”
Becky looked up at Jake and stated “Sara says we are going in that,” pointing to the helicopter “and are going to live with you. You are going to teach us how to be like you?”
“Well, yes, but it’s not about learning to be like me, it’s about learning things to help people,” He replied.
“Like what?” she asked.
“Well, like learning how to farm hundreds of acres using machines rather than these small parcels by hand,” he said pointing out to the fields.
“Or maybe becoming a teacher so you can teach the others all the things we have lost over the last 80 years.”
“Or maybe even a doctor?” Becky asked.
ALICE pinged in Jake’s helmet, “Jake we need to get them moving or it’s going to get dark in a few hours and I don’t think they are ready for night flights just yet.”
“Roger,” he replied, external audio off.
“Or a doctor,” Jake replied to Becky.
He then turned to Sara and said, “Sara, have your sisters gather any personal items they want to take, but keep it to a minimum.
“Sandy,” he said, turning to her and the sisters, “sounds like you guys really have nothing to go back for?”
All three nodded in agreement.
“Then can you help them? I’ll meet you all at the helicopter, go as fast as you can OK?”
Everyone nodded and headed back into the house while Jake headed to the helicopter.
More quickly than Jake expected, all six came out of the house heading for the helicopter. Each was carrying a small bag or bundle.
“I guess when you don’t have much, it doesn’t take long” Jake thought to himself. He also suspected in the weeks to come most of it would be quickly discarded.
As they climbed in, Jake seated the newest arrivals in the middle seats, with the more experienced on either side to help calm them. With everyone strapped in, he gave the all clear to ALICE.
“OK, we are good to go,” and with that, they lifted off, the doors sliding closed.
“How far do we have to go?” Sara asked.
“A little over 300 miles,” Jake replied.
“How many days will it take?” Sandy asked
“More like about an hour and 45 minutes.”
“HOW FAST ARE WE GOING?” Linda said, looking out the window.
“Over 150 miles an hour, we could probably go a little faster, but this way the ride is smoother.”
That got all of them looking out the windows, even the newest members. Clearly, the sisters shared Sara’s sense of adventure, not showing any fear.
The rest of the ride back was mostly in silence. Now and then, someone would spot a town or heard of livestock, causing everyone to crowd the window.
It was dark by the time they arrived back at the facility. As they dropped into the hangar with the doors above it closed, Jake actually had the feeling of coming home.
Stepping out of the helicopter, Jake grabbed his rifle and then popped the seal and removed his helmet, leading the six women to the facility doors.
“Hey, you said that didn’t come off,” Sara commented.
“I lied,” He replied with a grin, “I am not allowed to take it off when I’m outside. I just didn’t want to insult anyone by saying I didn’t trust them.”
“Why can’t you take it off?” Becky asked
“It’s my combat suit,” Jake indicated his uniform from head to toe “it protects me from being stabbed or shot. If I take my helmet off, my head is unprotected, and I am exposed, even possibly killed. That would ruin my day and make ALICE very mad. So at least until we tame the outside world, I can’t take my helmet off.”
“Who’s ALICE?” Sandy asked.
“You’ll get to meet her later though you can talk to her just about any time. ALICE,” Jake boomed.
“Yes?” an echo answered from somewhere in the hangar.
“Can you please send some attendants to help get the ladies settled?”
“They are on the way,” the echo replied.
A few moments later, six of the little robots rolled up, meeting them about half way to the facility doors. Extending arms to relieve them of their loads, one rolled up to each woman.
“Just give them your bundles and they will carry them to your rooms.”
Cautiously, each of the women handed their loads over, with Sandy jumping as the bot spun in place. They all watched it heading off to the door, leading out of the hangar area.
Once inside, the women marveled at the lighting in the halls. The doors of the elevator were a mystery. Jake ushered the women into the elevator first, as there wasn’t room for them and the bots. The decent caused a stir, but just as quickly the doors opened again and he led them into the hallway and down the hall of the quarter’s level his room was on.
“We have a room for each of you,” ALICE stated, her voice coming from all around “or you can room together if you like in any combination you are comfortable with.”
The doors of the elevator opened again, and the bots came out behind the group.
“Your assigned rooms have clothes in your sizes, and other personal supplies.”
A door to the right opened, “this is Sara’s room, if you will all step inside, I will explain.”
Jake led them inside the room. It was a little smaller than his room, but the same basic layout. It contained the same small sitting area the in front, minus the wet bar, the bedroom was next, then a bath. ALICE went through a more detailed explanation for the women than she did for Jake, as the women had never seen running water, electric light, or functioning indoor plumbing.
“We each get a room like this?” Linda asked.
“Yes,” Jake replied, “but you can sleep with your sister or friends if it makes you feel any better?”
She looked at her sister who gave the slightest headshake, “no, I think we want our own rooms!”
In the end, Sandy and Becky chose to room together for now, the rest were delighted with the prospects of their own space.
ALICE continued, “There is a dining area at the end of the hallway to take meals.”
This was news to Jake as he’d been eating in his room.
