Rose sat down.
“So the Wadsworth men and the other Pennsylvania men are from the same unit. 149?” Lars asked. “Chances are they’re nothing but scavengers, not caring what they do or to who. And you think maybe these 149 people hit the Erie camp?”
“Birds of a feather,” Nelson said. “Just ironic that we had trouble in Wadsworth, that’s where the one unit went. And near Erie is where the others were at.” He shrugged. “I think it’s more than a coincidence.”
Tom asked, “Were these the only two places they were given?”
“That I can’t tell you because I don’t know. I can try to speak to the commander again to see what orders they were given. Radio contact is sketchy at times. But cell phones will be back tomorrow. For sure. We’ve been working on the towers.”
Lars said. “Gee, last I heard the government was working on it.”
“They may be, but we’ll make the progress,” Nelson replied.
Tom snapped his finger. “Rose, Mick has that cell phone on him. All you got to do is leave a message, text him, something. Cause you know damn well he’ll fire it up to look at pictures.”
Lars added, “Then you can find out where he is and help him.”
“Or,” Nelson interjected, “and this is just a thought, what about telling him to head to the main base in southern New York State? They may be able to help him find his sons. Or he may find them there.”
“That’s if those 149 rebels show up. Our last report there were some kids taken by them.” Lars said. “Really, they may have taken the supply information and are using it for their own benefit. Sure doesn’t sound to me like they’re team players.”
“Ha!” Tom coughed. “No one is a team player. What gives this commander and base camp the right to come and steal from our warehouse?”
Nelson appeared humbled. “Begging your pardon sir, but whose warehouse was it? Who gave you the right to all that food? Would you feel the same way if it was the government?”
“Yep.” Tom nodded. “I would. We laid squatters rights.”
“And what happens when that supply runs out?” Nelson asked. “Have you thought of that? What next?”
“We’re working on long term,” Tom said.
“Will that include medical supplies, too?” Nelson asked. “This is why restructuring—”
“Can we leave the campaigning for militia restructuring out of this for the time being please?” Lars cut in. “Allow me to acknowledge that both of you have valid points, whether I heard them or not. Right now…” he faced Rose, “what are you going to do? Will you hold off packing and leaving like Rambo in the night?”
Rose turned to Nelson. “Phones will be up tomorrow?”
“Yes, Ma’am for sure. Parts of Indiana are already getting signals. Just need to cross towers and we believe that connection will be tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’ll wait. I’ll call, wait until I hear back from Mick. But if he is still looking, then I am immediately heading out to help him.”
Briggs wasn’t a bad guy, or at least he never thought he was. He supposed people were intimidated because of his height. He never used it to push people around., but people did shrink out of his way when he approached.
It wasn’t like he demanded respect, nor did people go out of their way to give it to him. His men respected him but didn’t fear him. No one went out of the way to call him commander or say hello, they just stepped away when he walked by. The people of Damon and those who had joined up with his cause merely accepted what he was doing.
Doctor Fai Kiddi was wet behind the ears and finishing his residency at Allentown Memorial Hospital when the flu hit. Tossed in the throes of diseases, Fai, or Doc as everyone called him, was all they had as far as medical personnel went.
He was thirty, looked twelve to Briggs, and smoked a ton of cigarettes. When Doc first came to the town after the flu, everyone spoke loudly to him as if he were deaf, assuming he didn’t understand English. But Fai was born and raised in Miami, Florida.
Briggs walked into the medical facility, which was a mere twenty bed hospital. He asked where Doc was and only received a point to the back room.
Someone should have told him the door was an optical illusion, and that he had to duck. Briggs assumed it was a step down and not a short door, and smacked his forehead on the arch as he opened the door and stepped through.
“Son of a bitch.”
Laughter.
“Sorry,” Doc said. “Shut the door will you? I don’t want the smoke out there.”
Briggs coughed and waved through the thick cloud. “You’ll eventually run out of those things.”
“Please, I have an in. Tobacco plants are growing a plenty. Plus I have a closet full of cartons. Last me two years, maybe. Then perhaps I’ll quit.”
“I doubt that.”
“Me, too. What’s up?” Doc asked. “Aside from that doozy of a red mark on your forehead.”
“Fuck.” Briggs rubbed his head. “Really?”
“Um, no. I’m kidding.” He put out his cigarette.
“Good. It hurt. Anyhow, two women and a child were brought in. The woman was sick. You’re holding the other two.”
“Yep. What’s up?”
“Do they have our flu?”
Doc coughed a laugh. “No, what in the world would make you think that?”
“Municipal said.”
“They suck. No.” Doc shook his head. “I’m detaining the other two in case it’s something else, but I think it’s more a case of the woman ate something bad. That’s all. Stomach thing. They had a long journey. Your guys in Indiana found them and brought them here.”
“Where did they come from?”
“Oregon, I think. Yeah,” Doc said after a moment of thought.
Briggs whistled. “That’s a hell of a journey.”
“According to one woman, we’ll be seeing a lot of that. Nothing is left out west. Population is here.”
“I see. Well thanks…” Briggs turned and stopped. “Hey, did they say if my men were decent to them? Any problems?”
“None that were brought up. They weren’t scared of your guys if that’s what you’re worried about.” When Briggs didn’t reply, Doc asked, “You concerned about that?”
“No. No…” Briggs paused. “Well, a little. Got a few crews out there I’m not familiar with and I worry, you know.”
“I do. Well, no one brought in today showed any signs of fear or abuse if that helps.”
“It does, thank you. And keep me posted on the health issues.”
Doc gave a thumbs up then lit another cigarette.
“You just put one out,” Briggs remarked.
“And I’m lighting another.”
Briggs grumbled and started to leave.
“Hey, Jonah, duck so you don’t get another red mark to match the big one on your head.”
“So I have a red mark and you lied.”
Doc smiled.
“Ass.” With a shake of his head, Briggs walked out. He remembered to duck.
He had intended to check on the survivors, but he took Doc at his word and opted against it. and instead returned to the municipal building to retrieve his horse. Wentworth was there waiting as he had instructed.
“You wanted to see me?” Jon asked. “Jonah, did you know you have a red mark on your head?”
“Yes.” Briggs rubbed his head. “Doc threw something at me by accident. Anyhow…”
“No. Not yet. Tomorrow, I swear.”
“What?” Briggs asked.
“You wanted to know about the phones.”
“No, I didn’t, but thanks. I wanted to ask you something else. You seem reasonable, Jon. I’m looking for a right hand man and would like you to be it.”
“Really? Cool.”
“Thanks.”
“No.”
“No what?”
“Um, as nice as the offer is, I’ll pass. I don’t want that much responsibility.”