Chapter Thirteen Spears

Ahmad and Rasul help two women and a baby escape pursuers from Eagle's Nest. The villagers prepare for a visit from the US Army Corp of Engineers.

Chapter Thirteen

 

Spears

 

In the hollow, the two women were shaking with fright.  Ahmad covered the baby with his jacket to muffle the child’s cries.  Luckily, the wind was blowing from their direction, preventing the baby’s cries from carrying toward the men.  Rasul thought about what the men had said.  He believed that he now knew what had happened to Luis.

"Hell with it," the cold voice said.  "They're down there.  We'll find them first thing in the morning.”

They heard the men moving away from the ridge.  Later, they smelled smoke from a campfire.

"This is not good," Rasul said.

"No it's not," Ahmad agreed.  "We can't move in the dark, and we can't stay here.  They'll find us in the morning."

"Yes, we've got to do something," said Rasul.  "We need a plan.  Where's the Chief when we need him?"  Ahmad laughed.

“Who are, you boys?” the older woman asked.  “Where are you from?”

The teenagers began talking about Petersburg, frequently interrupting one another.  The women were astonished to hear their story, and their spirits rose when they realized that there was a community of decent people who might be willing to help them.

“So you are Rasul and you are Ahmad,” Diana said, pointing at each boy.  “Are most of your people, uh, like you?”  Embarrassed, she tried to explain what she meant.

Rasul grinned, and Ahmad laughed.

“No, you were lucky,” said Ahmad.  “You have the only Pakistani Moslem and Hindu Indian in the camp, here.  I was born in Karachi and Rasul was born in Mumbai.  Our families moved to the US when we were babies.  But don’t worry.  We are savage warriors, and besides, we belong to the Spears.”

“Yeah, right,” Rasul scoffed.

"We've got one thing going for us," Ahmad said, “They are looking for two ladies and a baby.  They are not looking for two guys."

"True," said Rasul.  "On the other hand, they have a flashlight and we don't."

"I have a flashlight," Diana told him.

"Why didn't you say so?" Rasul grumbled, irritated at her announcement.  "We could have broken our necks climbing down that slope."

"I'm sorry.  I wasn't thinking.  I'm just so frightened," she replied.

"Why are you out here anyway?" Ahmad asked.

"Imee had to leave.  They were going to do something to the baby.  They didn't like having it around.  They said it was a nuisance, and that it cried too much.  I couldn't let Imee run away by herself, so I escaped, too."

As Diana said Imee's name, the younger woman began to unbutton her dress.  The boys watched wide eyed as she lifted up one cup of her bra, so the baby could suckle.  They looked at one another, and then they averted their eyes.

"You have a flashlight?" Rasul asked.

"Yes, I stole it from them,” Diana replied. “I thought we might need it.  We left five days ago.  They bragged about killing a kid in this area.  We thought if there was a kid here, then there must be some other people over here, someplace.  We thought we might find someone to help us.  Was the boy they killed your friend?”

"He was a member of our village," Ahmad said, he expression grim.  He looked at Rasul.  "I think that I know what the Chief would do if he were here."

"Hang them," Rasul said, nodding.

"Yes."

"We have a rifle," Rasul said.

"Have you ever fired one?”

"I never even held one before we left, except for that one time when I fired a single shot," Rasul admitted.  "And I wasn't even close then."

Ahmad thought.  "I have my spear," he said.

"We took down the bikers with our spears.”

"Yes."  They thought some more.

"If we could get close to them in the dark while they were sleeping, I could spear one of them," Ahmad said.

"And I could bash the other one’s head with the rifle," Rasul added.

"What if they’re awake?" Ahmad asked.

Rasul thought about that.  He looked at the woman.

"What if the man on guard thought we were the women coming to surrender?" he mused thoughtfully.

"How are we going to make him think that we are the women?"

"They are looking for two women."

"And a baby," Ahmad said.  "We don't look like two women."

"If we attacked them when they could barely see us... I have a plan, Ahmad," Rasul said.  He explained his plan to Ahmad.

"That might work," his friend said.  "Even if one of the men is awake, it might work."

In the early morning hours, the man with the cold voice was watching.  It was just light enough for him to distinguish individual trees, close by.  The wind was still blowing hard, and the man was tired and cold, but he was alert.  When he heard the snap of a tree limb behind him, he sprang up and looked around.  He saw two shapes wearing dresses.

"It's the b*****s," he yelled as he kicked his sleeping comrade.  The two figures turned and fled.  "Come back, you stinking b*****s," he roared as he followed them.  The other man grabbed his rifle and hurried after.

Abandoning their plan, Ahmad and Rasul ran as hard as they could, up the ridge, away from the direction of the women.  They could hear the pounding feet of the man following.  He was closing in on them.  He was still screaming at them.  Their young hearts pounded with fright, and their breath became ragged as they ran.

"Rasul, fall down now," Ahmad yelled, as they began to pass the steep cliff on their left.

Ahmad dove behind a boulder.  Rasul looked back.  He had never been so afraid, but he fell to the ground with the rifle beneath him.  The man came running up, and as he passed the boulder, Ahmad sprang out at him, and the teenager jammed the wooden shaft of the spear into the man’s ribs.  The man cried out in pain, as Ahmad forced him to the side.  He stumbled at the edge of the cliff, lost his footing, and then he screamed as he fell over the precipice.

Ahmad turned to look for the man’s companion, just as the other man swung his rifle and smashed Ahmad in the face.  Ahmad fell backwards as blood gushed from his mouth and nose.  The man raised his rifle to give Ahmad another blow, but instead he took a blow in his own face from Rasul's rifle.  He staggered back.  Rasul dropped the rifle, grabbed Ahmad's spear, and shoved the point into the man's belly.  The man screamed, staggered back, and then he too fell over the cliff with the spear still stuck in his body.

Crying, Rasul ran to Ahmad and fell to his knees beside the Moslem boy.  "Ahmad, Ahmad," he yelled, panicked, tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Oh, man," Ahmad managed to gasp.  "That was one screwed up plan."

Rasul sat down next to his friend, weak with relief.  "I thought you were dead, man," he huffed.

"I think I was already falling backwards when he hit me," Ahmad moaned, the pitch of his voice markedly different due to his injury.  "Did we get them?  He caught me off guard."

"Yes, we got them.  I think they are both dead," Rasul answered, staring at the rim of the cliff.

"We better get back to the women," Ahmad said.

"You stay here.  It's getting light.  I'll go back and get them.  You rest."

"Help me back to their camp.  They might have something there that I can use to stop the bleeding."

Rasul helped Ahmad to his feet, and as the sky lightened, they stumbled their way to the men's campfire.  It was still burning, and gratefully, Ahmad sank down next to the warm fire.  Rasul searched the men's packs and found a cloth that Ahmad held against his face.

“I think my nose is broken,” Ahmad said.

“Both of your lips are split, but luckily none of your teeth are damaged.”

"My beautiful smile is intact," Ahmad mumbled.

"Yes," Rasul said with a grin.  Ahmad was rather vain about his smile.

Rasul left to find the women.  Presently, he returned with the three fugitives and the boys’ gear.  Gently, Diana examined Ahmad's face.  She wiggled his nose, and he yelped.

"Yes," she said.  "Your nose is definitely broken."

She used a t-shirt from one of the men’s packs to bandage Ahmad's nose.  She was surprised when Rasul handed her a tube of Neosporin.

"Chief's rules," the boy explained.

Diana gave him a wan smile.  “He must have a good understanding of teenage boys,” the nurse said.

“You could say that,” Ahmad croaked.

Rasul looked at the women who were dressed in the boys’ clothing.  Even Diana, as tall as she was, had struggled into Rasul's clothing.

"Um... about our clothes," he said.

"Oh, yes," said Diana.  "I'm sorry.  It's just that we have been so cold for so long.”

Imee started to unbutton Ahmad's shirt.  She shivered.  Rasul looked at Ahmad who shrugged.

"Ah... why don't you wear them for a little longer," Rasul said. "But only until the sun comes out.”

“Thank you,” said Diana. “But at least take back your jackets.”

The two women and the two boys built the fire higher and rested for a time, and then the boys hoisted the packs of the two men onto their shoulders.  Rasul led the way, as they started back toward Petersburg.  He carried Imee’s baby inside his jacket.  The women followed Rasul, and Ahmad brought up the rear while alertly watching the trail behind them.  The women answered some of the boys’ questions as they traveled.  The boys learned that Imee was from Hawaii, and that she was the daughter of Filipino immigrants.  Diana was from Bodega Bay.

“I was there once with my parents,” Rasul remarked.  “We collected sand dollars along the edge of the ocean.  That is where they filmed a famous horror movie.”

“Yeah, 'The Birds’,” Ahmad mumbled.

They walked back along the ridge, and when they got to the cliff they looked down.  The two bodies were awkwardly arranged.  One of them had Ahmad’s spear still stuck in his belly.  A large grey bird stood nearby.  The bird looked up, became aware of the people high above, and flew away.  Already, the scavengers were about.

Imee leaned over and spat down the cliff.  She pointed to one of the men.  "Diego's father," she said, indicating the baby.

Rasul and Ahmad looked at one another.  There was nothing to say.  They found two rifles at the edge of the cliff.  One of them looked familiar, and the other belonged to Rasul.  They left the cliff.  There was no talk of climbing down and burying the bodies.

It was a cold cloudy day.  They made their way back towards their original trail.  At noontime, Rasul could stand it no longer.  He had to get out of this dress, and get into his own clothes.  But, before he could say anything, they heard a noise.  The two boys quickly put the women and the baby behind them.  They pointed the rifles in front of them and held their breath.  They could feel fear emanating from the women, matching their own fright.

"It's Jacob," they heard a voice call.

Ahmad expelled an exhausted breath.  Rasul was so happy, he felt like weeping.  Jacob stepped out of the trees.  He stared at them as they stood there in the dresses, but he didn't say anything.  Ahmad and Rasul looked at one another and then at the scout.

"Jacob, I know that you like my pocket knife," said Rasul.  "I'll give it to you, if you promise never to tell anyone that you saw me wearing a dress."

The next day, the group met up with the burial detail.  The detail listened to Diana, and then they heard the story of the fight on the cliff.  There was a certain satisfaction in knowing that Luis' killers were dead.  The burial detail made its way back to Petersburg.

By the time the burial detail returned to Petersburg, Tyler and his unit had left.  Tyler felt strange leading the guard post unit down the road.  At any moment, he expected someone from Petersburg to catch up to them, and to tell him that a horrible mistake had been made.  He would never forget the look on Gabby's face when he told her that the Chief had put him in charge of the guard detail.

At first, she thought he was joking.  Then she was perplexed.  She wondered what devious plan the Chief had conceived, that he would put Tyler in charge.  To her surprise, no one else seemed to think that putting Tyler in charge was all that unusual.  Finally in the days before they left, Gabby had looked upon him with grudging admiration.  He would always treasure that look.  The day they left, she had kitchen duty, and she had personally packed a set of two day rations for his unit.

My unit.  That sounds so cool.

Tyler's unit hiked southeast to the RV guard post and spent the night there.  The RV guards kidded him good naturedly about his new found respectability.  He just laughed, and the other members of his unit did not laugh at all.  The Chief had not seemed amused when he told them that Tyler was in charge of the unit, and they got the feeling that the Chief would not be happy at any sign of disrespect toward Tyler.  And, after all, no one wanted to incur the wrath of the Chief.

The next morning, Tyler's unit continued on to the Brown farm.  They arrived that evening, just in time for dinner.  Meals at the Brown farm were definitely a perk.  Everything tasted scrumptious, and there was always plenty to eat.  That night they feasted on rabbit, chicken, mashed potatoes slathered with fresh butter, Chinese peas, and cold milk.  Paige asked about Nathan.

The boys in the guard post unit were given the attic as their quarters.  The only girl in their unit, Makayla, stayed in the girls’ room at Mary's insistence.  Comet demanded to be allowed to stay with the boys, but his dad refused to permit it.

“The older boys needed their privacy,” he said.  Tyler had a serious talk with the small, unhappy child.

"I need you to guard the back porch," he told Comet.  "The Chief is expecting visitors.  If they get past us, you’ll be the next line of defense."  Wide eyed, Comet agreed to protect the back porch from invaders with the blunt edged spear his father had made for him.

Tyler set up his guard post a mile to the east of the Brown farm.  One person stayed on the road, while the other three were hidden in the trees, back toward the Brown farm, well away from the road.  The guard on the road carried the radio phone.  They alternated positions early every morning, because the Chief had insisted that they be in place before sunup.  It was boring to be the person on the road, but the Chief had insisted that there must be no interaction between the guard on the road and the guards in the trees, unless they made contact with the Army.

In mid-May, on a late afternoon, Tyler was the guard on the road, when suddenly he was grabbed from behind.  A large hand reached around him and snatched the radio phone.

"Hey!" he yelped as he spun around and backed away.

Standing before him were two men wearing United States Army uniforms.  They had packs on their backs and were carrying rifles.  Pistols were strapped to their sides.  The older man had a sprinkling of freckles across his face.  Tyler put his hands in his jacket pockets and waited for them to speak.

"I'm sorry, son," the older officer said as he smiled grimly.  "But I’d like to arrive unannounced.”  He handed the radio phone to the younger officer.

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with us," Major Collins told Tyler, indicating the road ahead.

Tyler shrugged and began walking.  The three of them trudged toward the Brown farm.

They had not gone far when Lieutenant Kennedy remarked, "Sir, this radio phone is dead."

He handed it to the Major.  Major Collins studied the phone.  Why carry a dead phone, he wondered.

Then Lieutenant Kennedy spoke again.  "Uh, Sir we have company."

The Major looked around.  Two boys and a girl were walking quietly behind them.  They carried what looked like handmade spears, and their feet were wearing moccasins.  The Major looked at Tyler who still had his hands in his pockets.

"Apparently we were expected," he said.

Tyler nodded.  "Mrs. Brown's place is over there," he said, pointing in the direction of the farm.  "She has little kids there.  I know she would like it if you let us carry your rifles.”

“I don't mean that you should surrender them," added Tyler hastily, seeing the Major's stony look.  "I just mean that we would like to carry them for you.  We'll stay right beside you, and you can keep those."  He pointed to their sidearms.

The Major glanced at the Lieutenant, and then he looked back at the boy.  "Very well," he said.

He handed his rifle to Tyler.  Lieutenant Kennedy handed his rifle to one of the other boys.

“Be careful with those,” Major Collins instructed Tyler.

"Makayla, run ahead and tell them we’re coming," Tyler said.

“Okay, Tyler,” said Makayla, and she ran toward the farm.

"How did you alert the others?" the Major asked.  Tyler took his hands out of his pockets.  He was holding a walkie-talkie.

"Ah," said the Major.  "You held the button down as we talked.  They heard everything we said.  Simple, but effective."

"Yes," Tyler replied.  "It was our Chief’s plan."

"Do you mean, Mike?" the Lieutenant asked.

"Yes, I mean our Chief," replied Tyler, emphasizing the word, ‘Chief.’

The Lieutenant nodded.  "Your Chief," he repeated.

They were getting close to the farm.  Alert to everything around him, Major Collins noted the fields, the barns, and the other structures.  A well kept place, he thought.  Orderly.  A lady, a young man, two little ones, and five older kids came out of the house; among the kids was the girl, Makayla.  The lady was carrying a shotgun, and the little boy had a toy spear.

"Welcome to Davis Brown Farm," the young man said.  "I assume that you are Major Collins."

"Yes, I am," the Major replied.  "And this is Lieutenant Lincoln Kennedy.  I thank you for your welcome.  It's the second one today."  He looked at Tyler and smiled, as Tyler blushed.

Ralph introduced his workers and the guards from Petersburg.

Then he said, "This is my son, Comet, and my daughter, Star.  This is Mary, their mother.  And these are my nieces, Kylie and Paige."

"Please, come in," Mary said.  "You are just in time for dinner."

"Uncle Ralph, me and Kylie will take dinner with the guards and the boys in the barn," Paige said.

"Kylie and I," Mary corrected the girl, but her kind smile took the sting out of it.

"Kylie and I," Paige repeated. "That way, there’ll be more room at the table."

"Thank you, Paige," Ralph replied formally. "That would be nice."

"We can eat in your barn.  We're not here to cause you any trouble," the Major protested.

"Oh, it's no trouble," Mary assured him.  "The kids like to get together without adult supervision."

"Dad, can I go too?" Star pleaded.

"Me, too," Comet insisted.

"Yeah, you can both go," said Ralph indulgently. "But Tyler, you stay here."

Once inside the house, the officers’ rifles were discretely locked in Mary's gun case.  The soldiers were not happy about this, but Major Collins decided to accept it.  Shortly after, they sat down to dinner.

Nectar, thought Major Collins later.  He could not remember the last time that he had been so full.  When they were finished eating, the four adults and the boy went into the living room to talk.

"How is your area doing, Major Collins?" Mary asked.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," Major Collins replied, "Given the nature of our situation.  Our greatest difficulty is finding or producing food for everyone at our post.  We were glad to rescue those children, but of course, then we had extra mouths to feed."

"Oh?" Mary said.

The Major hesitated, and then he said, "We have plenty of meat.  We came across a shepherd with a flock of sheep.  We've started a breeding program.  Our men have brought in plenty of mule deer.  Our real problem is finding starches and vegetables.  We don't have enough of either.  I'm afraid that some of our people are suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiencies."

Mary glanced at Ralph, and then she looked back at the Major.  "How many people are at your post?" she asked.

"There’s thirty five of us.  Nine Army Engineers, eight Army Rangers, five adult civilians, counting Erin, and thirteen children.”

"Thirteen children.  Thirty five in all," echoed Mary.  She looked at Ralph.  "That's not so many.”

Ralph said nothing.  It was Mary's decision.  She looked at the Major.

"I think we can help you, Major," she said.  "The problem is going to be transportation.  But maybe we can let you take our wagon, or at least take it part of the way.  We’ll have to dry some of the vegetables, otherwise some of them will ruin before they get there."

"That would be very decent of you, Mrs. Brown," replied the Major gratefully.  "The haulers could eat some along the way, and even if some of the produce spoils, we can use the seeds to replant.  We’re trying to develop a biodiesel fuel to run our trucks.  If we ever manage that, we can cut the travel time down to about a day or two."

They talked well into the night, and Tyler listened carefully.  Ralph had taken him aside before dinner, and he had instructed Tyler to remember what was said.  The Chief would want a report.  Information was valuable.

Before dawn, the Army officers, and Tyler climbed into the wagon with Ralph, who drove them to the RV guard post.  Ralph told them that he regretted not being able to take them the rest of the way, but that he needed to return to the farm.  The Major thanked him for the lift.  Soon after they arrived at the RV guard post, one of the guards mounted the motorcycle and roared off towards Petersburg carrying the heaviest part of the officer’s gear.

"And I thought we could scout them quietly," said the Major to the Lieutenant with a rueful glance at Tyler.

"If we hurry, we can reach Petersburg by nightfall," Tyler said.

They hurried, and they did reach Petersburg by nightfall.  On the way, they passed a tree with a noose hanging from a branch.  There were four graves nearby.  Tyler gave them a brief account of the hanging.  The officers looked at each other with worried concern.

When they arrived, there was no welcoming committee.  The few people still out of doors looked at them with natural curiosity, and they nodded politely.  Tyler was greeted warmly though.  The Major noticed one young girl, hanging around, pretending to be busy, but she was obviously waiting for the boy to notice her.

"Hi, Tyler," she finally said, glancing bashfully at the Army officers.

"Hi," Tyler responded.  "This is Gabby," he said to the officers.

"Gabriella, actually," said Gabby primly.

They made polite noises, and then she followed them to Chief’s Headquarters.  While the officers and Gabby waited, Tyler knocked.

"It's open," they heard.

Tyler and the officers entered.  Gabby snuck in behind them, before Tyler shut the door.

"Hi, Chief," Tyler said. "Got them."  He pointed to the officers.

Mike gazed at the officers.  "One moment, please, Major," he said.

He got up from his desk, went to Tyler, and stuck out his hand.  Startled, Tyler shook it.

"Good work, Tyler," Mike said.  "I knew I could depend on you.  Go get something to eat and come back here in a half hour.  And take Miss Nosy with you."  Gabby blushed, and she followed Tyler out of the room.

Then Mike greeted the officers.  "Hello, again, Major Collins. I'm happy to see you too, Lieutenant Kennedy."

"Mike," the Major acknowledge the young man.  "You're looking well."

"You too," said Mike. "Thanks for getting those kids out."

"You're welcome.  Of course, it was your plan."

Mike laughed.  "What are you talking about?" he asked innocently.

The officers chuckled, and then Major Collins’ expression turned serious.

"You could have explained, you know," he said.

Mike shook his head.  "My people were not willing to make contact then.  To be honest, they are not exactly happy about you being here now.  But I knew you would come, so I thought that we might as well meet you."

The Major nodded.  "Your man, Tyler, did well," he said.

"Yes.  Look, it's getting late," said Mike.  "You're here.  Let's get used to that fact before we try to feel each other out.  When Tyler gets back, I’ll have him take you to a room in the Lodge.  Just rest, look around, and we'll talk in the morning.  Okay?"

Major Collins nodded, "All right.  You're the Chief."  Mike was surprised at the statement.

Lieutenant Kennedy laughed.  "We've already heard that a dozen times," he said.  Mike grimaced ruefully. The three of them talked until they heard a knock.

"It's open," Mike said.  Tyler entered.

"Tyler, take Major Collins and Lieutenant Kennedy to my old room in the Lodge,” Mike ordered.  “We've already cleared it out."

Collins and Kennedy followed Tyler up the grassy slope to the Lodge in the deepening gloom.  It was difficult in the dark to see how the building had been constructed.  They passed the platform of Porta Pottys, and then they went inside.

"Wow," Kennedy said, as he took in the whole area.

"An inadequate statement," the Major suggested.

He looked up.  Above him, he saw a catwalk in front of some second story rooms.  A girl with a baseball cap on backwards was hammering a small log into an opening between two other thin logs that were part of the wall fronting the room.  A bird fluttered by her head, but she ignored it.

"Quit whining about the noise," she shouted into the room.  "You're the ones complaining that the guys can see your tits."

Behind her, several grinning boys were hanging over the railing of a loft.

"You never let us have any fun, Kat," one said.

A door opened, and a young pregnant girl stepped out from one of the rooms on the ground level.  Seeing her, Tyler shrank back against the Major.

Spotting the boy, the girl said, "Oh, hi, Tyler.  I heard you did a good job at the guard post."

Tyler seemed to relax.  "Uh, thanks, Desi," he said.

"I think Gabby was really impressed," Desi replied.  Then she smiled at the two officers.

"Your room is right there," she said, indicating the door next to the Lieutenant’s shoulder.  "I hope the beds are comfortable.  We only have twin size beds for you."

"Thank you," chorused the officers.

"And thank you, Tyler," the Major added.

Kennedy opened the door and looked in.  There were two single bunks against opposite walls, a white plastic table, and two white plastic chairs.  The officers went into the room and shut the door.

"Well," the Lieutenant said.  "This community is not what I expected.  They are not exactly hanging on by their bloody fingertips."

"No," the Major replied. "Of course, first impressions are often false.  But, I admit that they appear to be just as well organized as our post, and so far, this community seems to be healthier in body and spirit.  Let's see what tomorrow brings."

It had been a long journey from the Army Post, and their bodies were tired.  While many in the community were still awake, the two soldiers went to sleep.

The officers were awakened by someone shouting, "Breakfast in thirty minutes!"

Kennedy sat up and looked at his watch lying on the table.  It showed the time to be six o'clock.  He yawned, stood up, and grabbed his pants and shirt.  The Major was also on his feet.  There was a knock at the door.  When Kennedy opened it, a teenage boy handed him a basin of warm water.  The men used the water to wash and to shave with the single plastic razor they shared.

When ready, they left the room and looked around.  All about them, sleepy eyed teenagers were rousing.  Some were coming out of the rooms above and next to them.  Some were climbing down the ladder from the loft.  Some were emerging from a smaller rock room.  Some had obviously just slept in the common area.  Kennedy mumbled that he had to use the latrine.  He went outside.  There was a short line, so soon it was his turn.  He saw a girl leave one of the Porta Potties, and he went towards it.

"If you’re pissing, put the seat up," she warned him as she passed by.

Kennedy used the Porta Potty, and then he went back inside the Lodge.  Major Collins was standing at the entrance to the small room off of the main area, examining some barrels.  A man came out of the small room bare-chested but carrying a t-shirt.

"Morning," he grunted, giving the officer a suspicious look.

"Excuse me," the Major said.  "But are these part of a heating system?"

Hector introduced himself, and then he began to explain how the system worked.  Quickly he warmed to the subject, becoming friendlier as he spoke.  They were joined by the girl in the baseball cap.  She went to Hector, who lifted her onto her toes, wrapped his arms around her, and gave her a generous kiss.

"Morning, Kat," he said.

"Good morning, Hector," Kathy replied.  "Stop talking shop, put your shirt on, and let's get some breakfast."  She turned to the Major.  "We only have bread, butter, and milk for breakfast, unless you want oatmeal.  It's enough to get us going."

Kennedy joined them.  "What, no eggs?" he said facetiously.

"Only two days a week," Hector replied. “Not today.”  The girl nodded, and then she and Hector exited the Lodge.

"I was kidding," Kennedy said to the door.

The Major gave one last glance of admiration at the heating system, and then they also left the Lodge.  Now that it was light, they could see around them.

The Major pointed to the fields encircled by the track.  "Grain," he said.

When they were almost to the dining hall, Lieutenant Kennedy looked back at the two-story Lodge.  He surveyed the latrine area, the log wall, the shingled roof, the solar panels, and the rock fireplace.

"Damn," he exclaimed in astonishment.

He and the Major went into the dining hall.  There were more white plastic tables and more white plastic chairs.  They stood in a buffet line and received a plate of bread, a pat of butter, and a plastic cup containing cold milk.  They took their plates to a table and sat down to eat.  Gabby passed by them, as she was cleaning the tables, and she stopped to talk.

"Did Tyler do as good a job as everyone says, or are they trying to make me think he did?" she asked, as she wiped their table.

"If your Chief would let me have him, I'd sign him up in a minute," the Major replied.

"That girl at the Brown's place sure thought he was something," the Lieutenant said.

Gabby stiffened.  "Which one?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.  "Kylie or Paige?"

"Um... I think her name was, uh, Star," Kennedy answered with a smirk.

Gabby gaped, and then she huffed and walked away.  Collins frowned at Kennedy.

Kennedy started laughing.  "I'm sorry, Sir," he choked out between guffaws.  "I just couldn't help it."

Major Collins saw Desi and a young man standing in the buffet line.  The young man had his arm around her ample waist.  Hector and Kathy waited behind them.  A boy came into the dining hall, and he sat down across from the officers.  He did not speak, but he nodded to them.  Soon, the two couples had their plates, and they sat at the table with the officers.  A young woman came by, and she placed a plate with bread and a plastic glass of milk in front of the boy.  The bread was buttered and cut into squares.  The young woman sat next to the boy.

"Why do you rate such special service, Jacob?" the young man with Desi complained.

Jacob looked up at John, mystified.  "I don't know," he replied.

Kathy and Desi laughed, and Lily smiled demurely as John grumbled under his breath.  While the officers lingered over their meal, the others ate and left.  Gabby came by again as she was wiping tables.  Lieutenant Kennedy noticed an Asian-American girl enter the room.  His eyes widened.

"Wow," he said softly.

"Oh, her," said Gabby.  "That's Yuie.  She's the Chief's, 'Special Friend’." She made quote marks in the air with her fingers.

Kennedy scowled.  "I see," he said.  Gabby walked away with a naughty, satisfied smile on her face.

The officers finished eating breakfast.  They went back to the Lodge and made their beds, military style.  Then, to their surprise, Desi told them that they had been bumped to the head of the shower line.

"We can wait our turn," the Major stammered, not meaning it a bit.

"No, you guys go ahead," Desi said.  "These stinking boys can wait."

"Hey!" a nearby group of outraged boys chorused.

The shower was heaven.  Ten minutes went by too fast, but while it lasted, it was wonderful.  Back in their rooms, Major Collins stared at the Lieutenant in stunned amazement.

"They have hot showers," Collins stated reverently.

"Uh, you know, Major, my term of enlistment is almost over.  I was thinking of asking Tyler to recommend me for a job here," Lieutenant Kennedy said.

"L.O.L," was the Major answering growl.

The surprised Lieutenant’s eyes widened.  “I didn’t think that you even knew what that meant, Sir,” he said.

“I use the internet,” protested the Major with a frown. “Or at least I used to.”

There was a knock on the door, and when the Major opened it, Tyler said, "The Chief wants to see you, if you're ready."

The officers went down to Chief's Headquarters and found Mike inside, seated at his desk.

"Good morning," Mike said.  "Our Council meeting will start in a few minutes, but before that I want to explain a few rules we have here in Petersburg."

Mike mentioned several rules of Petersburg including those concerning sex.  Lieutenant Kennedy was outraged.

"I can't believe you think we need a lecture from you on sexual protocol.  Especially, since the rules apparently don't apply to you."

"Lieutenant," the Major said sternly.

Mike held up a hand.  "Wait, please," he said to the Major, and then to the Lieutenant he asked.  "What do you mean?"

"I know that even though you are not sixteen yet, the girl named ‘Yuie’ is your 'Special Friend’," the Lieutenant sneered.

Mike gaped at him in astonishment, and then he burst out laughing.  A moment later Yuie knocked and entered the room.

"Hey, Yuie," Mike said, collecting himself.

"Hey, Chief," said Yuie wondering, what’s so funny?

"Yuie, guess what?  Lieutenant Kennedy, here, says that someone told him you're doing it with me," Mike said.

"What?" Yuie exclaimed.  She turned to Kennedy.  “Who told you that bullshit?”

"Conned again," murmured Major Collins.

"Oh, boy," Kennedy muttered.

"I'm sorry," he added hastily.  "I must have misheard or maybe I misunderstood."

Yuie glared at him.  "Military pig," she mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Now that’s settled," said Mike.  "I want you to understand, that I tell these rules to everyone.  It's not just you."

"Understood," the Major replied. “And those are good rules.  I have similar rules at our post.”  Kennedy nodded, and he gave Mike and Yuie an apologetic smile.

The rest of the Council arrived, and Mike allowed the officers to witness the Council meeting.  Hector talked about his plan to build a sawmill.  John reported on the status of the patrols.  Yuie, with a sniff in Kennedy's direction, reported that Diana and Imee were settling in nicely, and that Diego was healthy.  Diana had suggested that she give a physical examination to everyone in the village, and the Council agreed to accept her offer.

“We’re getting refugees from the Retreat,” Mike noted.  “Does anyone have any ideas on that?”

They discussed the Retreat for a few minutes, but there was no consensus on what to do.  When asked, Major Collins agreed that the situation at the Retreat was serious, and he said that he would consult with his people when he got back to his base.  Lieutenant Kennedy explained that much of the Ranger’s munitions had been expended during the rescue of the children.  There were other reports before the Council meeting came to an end.

Then Mike suggested that the officers observe a disciplinary hearing.  A boy and two girls were brought into Chief’s Headquarters.  The boy was accused of deliberately urinating on a toilet seat.  The two girls had reported him.

"I went in first, Chief," the first girl said. "And when I left, I made sure that everything was clean.  Then he went in."

"And after he left, I went in," said the second girl.  "There was piss all over the toilet seat.  It was deliberate."

The boy smothered a laugh.  "It was an accident," he said.

Mike asked the girls to leave, and then he turned to the boy.

"This is the second time you’ve been in here for this offense,” he said.  “What the hell is wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," the boy said insolently.  "The girls just like to complain."

Silently, Mike stared at him for a long time.  Gradually, the boy’s indifferent smile left his face.  He grew nervous.  He glanced at the unsmiling officers.

"I wonder, Major, if you can find a place for this person at your post?" Mike asked.

The Major exploded.  He slammed his hand down on the desk.  The boy gasped and jumped back.

"Yeah, I've got a place for this shithead," the Major stated loudly.  "In the bottom of a shithole.  Let me have him.  I'll teach him what it's like to clean a latrine from the bottom, up."

"No!" the alarmed boy squeaked. "Don't let him have me, Chief.  Please!  I’ll be good.  I'll never do it again, I swear, Chief, I swear."  He cringed away from the still growling Major.

"Give 'em to me, Chief!" the Major begged, practically slavering.  The terrified boy thought he saw drool dripping from the Major's red mouth.  "Give 'em to me!"

"No, Chief.  Please, don't let him have me!" the boy pleaded, his eyes moistening.

Mike put up a hand.  The Major sat back with a last growl.

"I'm going to give you one last chance," Mike said.  "You are going to clean toilets for one month.  But if this happens again, I'm shipping you off to the Major.  Understand."

"Yes, sir.  Yes, sir," the boy said eagerly, hoping to get away from the crazy man.

"Now get out," Mike ordered.

“Yes, sir.”  With one last terrified glance at the Major, the boy fled.

Mike and the Lieutenant looked at the Major.

"Damn," said the Lieutenant.  "When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Major."

"Me, too," Mike said, grinning at the senior officer.

"It was nothing," the Major replied modestly.