Mark nodded. A gathering crowd had closed in to take a look. Lynn’s voice boomed over the talk. Disregarding names, she barked orders. “You get blankets. You three go to the barn and set it up for an operating room. You, go get my medical kit.” She reached the truck and paused as she took in the bodies. “Move people. You know what to do. We’ve all been through it before.”

  So true. Mark stretched down a hand to help Lynn up on the bed. Unfortunately, they’d had to deal with wounded people far too often. However, he’d never had to see one of his own children unconscious and bleeding. The sight unnerved him.

  “Mark! Mark, help me.”

  Again, he snapped from his anxiety-induced trance.

  “Slide the mattress to the edge,” she said.

  “Wait, Lynn,” Bobby said. “The other woman is hurt worse. She’s been unconscious for more than a day. She’s burning up. You should take her first.”

  Lynn looked from Bobby to the other two women to the body of the unconscious black woman. She stepped over Becca and examined her other patient. After a moment, she turned to Bobby. “You and you father get her to the barn, fast.”

  As the two men slid the mattress to the edge of the truck, Lynn looked at Mel and Caryn. “Are either of you hurt?”

  Caryn shook her head.

  Mel said, “Nothing serious. We’ll keep. Just take care of Tara, please.”

  Lynn nodded and backed off the truck. Bobby and Mark carefully lifted Tara to a folded blanket and, using it as a stretcher, carried her off. Lincoln and Caleb were already moving Becca as Lynn strode to the barn.

  Mark and Bobby placed the injured woman on a large wooden table where a white sheet had been spread. Two bright lights on stands had been placed at the ends of the table. Lynn came in seconds later and checked vitals. Someone had placed her medical kit on a small table next to the makeshift operating table. She pulled out some scissors and cut away the woman’s clothes. The wound had festered. If the infection hadn’t progressed too far, she could deal with it.

  Continuing the examination, Lynn ran an exploring hand down the body, then said, “Help me roll her on her side. Bobby grabbed Tara and pulled her onto her uninjured side while Lynn checked her back. She stopped, bent, and looked closer. “She’s got a bullet wound too.”

  Bobby looked at Mel. “Did you know she’d been shot too?”

  The shock on her face was answer enough. “No, we were so concerned about the knife wound we never thought to check anything else.”

  Lynn probed the wound and shook her head. “This is beyond my abilities. I’ll get an IV started, and do what I can, but Doc’s going to have to work on her. She doesn’t look good. Bobby, go get one of those IV bags that Doc left here. Mark, I need something to hang the bag from.”

  He nodded and went to find something as Becca was brought in. “

  “Set her on that work bench and set up a light for me,” Lynn ordered.

  Mark passed by his daughter’s inert body and touched her arm. As he looked for a pole to use, he released a long breath. This promised to be a long day. He prayed Becca would be all right. But he also vowed that whoever had hurt his daughter would pay.

  He found the length of pipe he’d been looking for. He glanced at Becca again, lying there bleeding. His distress turned to anger. Someone would definitely pay.

  Twenty-Three

  Mark sat at one of the picnic tables used for family meals and stared at nothing. His mind had gone blank from the endless prayers for his daughter.

  “Mark?” A soft voice spoke in his ear as a light touch found his back.

  He looked up at Lynn’s weary face. She gave him a reassuring smile and sat next to him.

  “Is that coffee?”

  “Yes.” He handed her the half-empty cup. “But it’s cold.”

  She took the cup. “That’s okay. I just need a jolt of caffeine.” She tipped up the cup and drained it.

  He watched and waited until she set the cup down, aware she would talk when ready.

  She looked at him, studying his face. A smile creased hers, lighting her eyes. “Relax. Becca will be fine. She lost some blood and has a lot of scrapes and bruises, but the wound was superficial. I cleaned and stitched her. She’ll have a scar, but she’ll recover. She’s awake if you want to talk to her.”

  He returned the smile. She squeezed his hand. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” He stood, took a few steps, then stopped. “What about the other woman?”

  Lynn’s features clouded. She shook her head. “Not good. Doc’s still working on her. I think it’s a matter of time.”

  Mark frowned at the news and walked toward the barn. Inside, Doc, a tall, slender brunette, who’d been an emergency room physician before the world changed, stepped away from the table. A white sheet covered the injured woman. Her black face looked gray, but her chest rose and fell beneath the cover.

  “How is she?”

  “About as well as can be expected, considering she’s been shot and stabbed. I wish they could have brought her sooner. I’d feel better if I had the right antibiotics, the right tools, the proper setting and some oxygen but at this point, I’m guessing she’s got a fifty-fifty chance if I can control the infection that already set in. She needs nutrients too and those are in limited supply. We need to raid a medical facility to stock up. Especially if people keep getting shot.”

  “Why don’t you make a list of things you need and I’ll go hunting for you.”

  She smiled. “Okay, Mark. I’ll do that.” She offered a tired smile. “Your daughter will be fine. She just needs to rest and let the stitches mend. Lynn did a good job with sewing her up. The scar should be minimal even though the furrow was wide and fairly deep.” She stretched and let out a groan. “All things considered, with all we’ve been through, we’ve been very lucky we haven’t lost more people. And I don’t mean just these types of injuries. Anything, from a splinter to a broken leg could cause death without the right medical supplies and equipment.”

  “Yeah, that’s true.”

  “Of course, that may change when the winter comes. I’m concerned about colds and flu. We may not be able to fight them off.”

  “Is there anything that might help with that?”

  “Well, if they’ve been preserved, vaccines would help, but without research or lab facilities it’s a guess as to which ones to use. All I can do is use my knowledge and my best guess. After that, it’s all in God’s hands.”

  “Dad?” A weak voice called out.

  Mark looked where his daughter rested.

  “Go see your daughter. We can talk later.”

  “Okay, but I’m serious about you making that list. We might as well try to prepare now. Cold weather will be upon us before we know it.”

  Mark approached Becca. She reached for him. He took it and gave a reassuring smile.

  “You just can’t go anywhere without finding trouble, can you?”

  She gave a feeble smile back, her face pale and suddenly very childlike. “That’s me, the trouble magnet.”

  He brushed her hair back and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Doc says you’ll be fine. You need some rest, is all.”

  “No argument here. I’m ready to sleep for a week.”

  “Then why don’t you get started? I’ll check on you later.”

  Becca grabbed his arm. “Dad, those people are crazy. They could’ve let us go, but they didn’t. They came after us. They’ll be back.”

  “If they do, we’ll deal with them. You just rest and get healed.” He gave her another quick squeeze, planted a kiss on her forehead and left the barn.

  Outside, lunch was being prepared for the community. Mark walked toward Bobby, busy setting the cooking grate over the fire pit. The two new arrivals stood behind him looking as out of place as they probably felt.

  Seeing his father, Bobby stood.

  “Bobby, why don’t you introduce me to your new friends?’

  “Sure, dad, this is Mel and Caryn.”

  Mark extended a hand and shook both women’s. “Nice to meet you both. Sorry, it’s under such strained circumstances.” He pointed at Caryn. “I see you’ve been bandaged. I hope your injuries were not too serious.”

  Caryn shook her head but avoided his eyes.

  Mel said, “No, just scratches and light cuts. Ah, thanks, for taking care of us.”

  “I’d like to hear what happened. Would you sit with me a bit and fill me in?”

  Mel shrugged. “Yeah, I guess, but, uh, how’s Tara?”

  “Doc tells me she’s still not out of danger. She can give you the details.”

  “Do you know when she’ll be ready to leave?”

  Mark eyed the young woman. “I don’t think it’s anytime soon. At this point, we’re just hoping she’ll live. You can worry about leaving after we know she’ll be able to. Is there someplace you need to be?”

  Mel gave a nervous glance at Caryn, but the older woman still stared at the ground.

  “I-I just want to make sure we can leave when we’re ready.”

  Understanding came to Mark. “You can leave here whenever you want. You can stay as long as you want. You are not prisoners. We don’t operate like that. We do not turn anyone away who wants to join our ever expanding family, but we’re not some cult that latches on and never lets go. As long as you follow our few rules you are welcome to stay as long as you want. No one will hurt you, nor are there any requirements or obligations, other than to contribute to the daily chores.”

  He motioned to the picnic table. “We can talk more about that later. You’re our guests until you decide to stay or not. Please, sit and tell me your story. Bobby, join us.”

  With everyone seated, Mark turned to his son. “Why don’t you start with where you met Mel and Caryn? They can fill in the rest afterward.”

  Bobby described the meeting and ensuing battle. While he narrated, Lynn joined them. She carried a fresh and hot cup of coffee. Finished, Mark said, “Ladies, this is Lynn. She runs the compound. She’ll set you up with a place to sleep. If you need anything, just ask her.”

  “Welcome, ladies,” she said, shaking each woman’s hand.

  Bobby finished his version of events.

  “Mel, can you tell us about your journey?”

  “The three of us been together about two months now. First Caryn and me, then Tara joined us a week later.

  “Tara is in the Air Force. She said there was a base around here where she thought we would be safe. On the way we ran into a few other people. Most avoided us, some were okay, but didn’t want to leave the area in case loved ones showed up.

  “Then, we came across this group of people living in an old junkyard. They have it all fenced in, blocked so you can’t see inside. They saw us and invited us to stay, offering us food and water. We were short on both and tired. We almost decided to stay, but then one of the few women we saw shook her head at us as if telling us not to enter. She looked so frightened.”

  Mel shuddered. “I can’t help but feel bad for those women. God knows what they must go through. It chills me to think we could’ve been stuck there with them.”

  Caryn covered her face and moaned.

  Mel patted her arm. “It’s all right, Caryn. We’re safe now.” She glanced, questioningly, at Mark. “I think.”

  Mark smiled.

  “Of course, you are,” Lynn assured her. “If there’s anything I can do for you, ask.” She reached across the table, took Caryn’s hands and gently pulled them from her face. “Caryn?”

  The scared blonde gazed up. Tears rolled down her face.

  “You are safe here,” Lynn said. “I promise you. You are not a prisoner or slave. You can choose to stay or go when your friend is ready to travel. No one will stop you. I know that might be hard to believe right now, but give us a chance to prove it, okay?”

  She nodded, but the tears continued. She wiped her face and Mel wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

  “We’ll be all right, Caryn. I’m here with you.” To Lynn, she said, “We’ve been through a lot.”

  “As have we all,” Lynn said.

  Twenty-Four

  The meal gave Mark a chance to digest what his son and Mel had told him. By the time the table had been cleared he had an initial course of action. “Before everyone gets back to their chores I need to say something.”

  The assembled family grew quiet. “This may be nothing that affects us, but it is always better to be prepared. For now, no one is to travel off the grounds alone or without telling someone. In fact, at this point, I’m going to insist you clear any trips with me or Lynn. Also, I need four teams of two to drive to the other families and tell them about the threat.”

  “Couldn’t we just call them on the walkie-talkies?” Ruth asked.

  “Yes, but I want a visual on all off-site houses. Just … for safety reasons.” He paused. “Again, this threat might be nothing for us to worry about, but we’ve all been through enough to know it’s better to be ready.”

  “What about the army?” said Caleb.

  “I’ll go talk to General West. Since losing more than half his men he might not want to send anyone out to check, but I’m going to make him aware there could be an aggressive, roving band in the area. Any questions?”

  No one responded.

  “Okay, then get your teams, check out a vehicle and get going. I want this done now. Oh, and everyone should have a radio with them, and be armed.”

  The small crowd dissipated in a hurry. Lynn and Doc stood at the end of the tables. Mark went to them.

  “Doc, you want to take a ride?”

  “To the National Guard base?”

  “To start. Then I thought we’d look for some medical facilities and try to stock up your supplies. Since you know what you need and are looking for, I thought it might be easier to have you along.”

  She pinched her lips together. “Sure. Let me just check on my patients.” She walked toward the barn.

  Lynn stepped forward, her arms wrapped around her body. She leaned her head against Mark’s chest and he enveloped her, rubbing her back.

  “Oh, Mark, will this ever end?”

  “I’d like to say yes, but human nature, being what it is, there’s always someone looking to take what you’ve got. Everyone wants to look out for themselves. That’s why we’ll survive and others not. We stay together, as a team, a family. But, if we didn’t have each other to lean on, we might be takers too. Everyone’s trying to survive. It’s a constant struggle and an endless hunt for things we need to stay alive.”

  “I guess. It just seems like we finish one crisis and move to the next.”

  “The more good people we can draw around us the stronger we will be and the less likely others will attack us. These pockets of raiders will be something we may always have to contend with. I’d like to say otherwise, but that wouldn’t be realistic.”

  She inhaled deeply and stood back from him. Her eyes met his. “As always, be careful.”

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I promise.”

  “Excuse me, uh, Mark,” Mel was approaching with Caryn tagging behind. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “Not a problem.”

  Lynn moved to the table to pick up a tub of dishes.

  Caryn moved next to her. “Can I help you do something?”

  “Sure. We can always use more help.”

  The two women went into the house.

  “How’s your friend doing?” Mark asked.

  “Which one?” Mel said, with mild sarcasm.

  “I guess both.”

  “Your doctor says Tara is resting, but there’s no change. It’s still ‘wait and see.’ Caryn? I don’t know. She’s a nervous wreck and so afraid of everything. Physically she seems okay, but I don’t know mentally. She’s been through some shit, that’s for sure.”

  “Maybe she just needs to be around a stable environment for a while. Lynn will be good for her. Did you have a question about something?”

  “Yeah, the doc said you were going to the army base. I was wondering if I could tag along.”

  “I don’t see why not. I intended taking an extra body anyway. We’re going to search for medical supplies afterward, if that’s all right.”

  “That’s not a problem. I just wanted to know where the base was for when Tara wakes up.”

  “Okay, we’re leaving in about five minutes. Go get your weapon and extra ammo if you have it.”

  She lifted an eyebrow.

  “Just in case,” he said.

  She nodded and trotted off to the garage where she had placed her gear. Mark went into the house, grabbed his rifle, a handgun, extra magazines for both, binoculars, and a phone book.

  Mel was already waiting outside. He pointed to the somewhat battered white pickup and climbed in the driver’s seat. Doc was on her way as Mel slid in beside him. With all three were inside, Mark handed Doc the phone book. “So we’re not just driving around clueless, look up places that are close, but maybe not in heavily populated areas. Hopefully, they won’t have been looted yet.”

  “Okay,” she said. “Road trip.”

  Twenty-Five

  Mark pulled up the long double-wide driveway of the Air National Guard base and stopped at the gate. Two armed guards stepped from the small booth to the left. One held an M-16, though not pointed, at the ready. The second, a smaller, but higher-ranking soldier stepped toward the truck’s open window.

  Recognition showed on the man’s face. “Sir, what can I do for you today?”

  “Hello, Sergeant, I’m here to see the General.”

  “No appointment, right?”

  Mark shook his head. “Just have some information I think he might want.”

  “Information, sir?”

  Mark smiled. He knew he wouldn’t get in unless he explained more. “Have your patrols noticed any wandering groups of men of late?”

  “As in hostiles?”

  “Potentially.”

  “Can’t say that I’ve heard of any.”

  “We have. I wanted to apprise the General.”

 

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