“I’m to assume command of the Hansen armory and the governor wants me to act as a liaison to county leaders and local farmers.”
The sheriff walked across the room and stood before him. “Liaison? Has martial law been declared?”
Caden recalled Becky’s assertion that the whole nation would soon be under martial law and simply said, “Not yet.”
Hoover shook his head. “I’ve been here trying to protect these people for weeks while you’ve been who knows where. Now you want to march into Hansen in your army suit and take command.”
“I don’t want any such thing.”
“But, if martial law is declared in this county, you will be the senior officer here.”
“That hasn’t happened yet and I hope it doesn’t. Look, I’m not taking command of anything but the armory. Everything else we can discuss later. Right now I want to get home and see my Mother and Father.”
“What?” Hoover said in a surprised voice. “Michaels didn’t you tell him?”
Chapter Fifteen
Michaels looked at his feet. “There never seemed to be a good time to tell him.”
“What?” Caden asked.
“There never is a good time.” Hoover sighed. “I don’t know the details, but…your father is missing.”
“Missing?”
“He drove up the North Road on the morning of the Seattle blast. He was going to your brother’s place, but he hasn’t come back.”
“Peter? Sue?” Caden recalled details from the disaster map in the capitol briefing room. He was certain his brother’s home was outside the blast line, but the fire and radiation zones were larger. “The Seattle blast was six days ago.” Once again he tried to remember exactly where his brother lived. “Okay, we’ll talk later.”
Hoover nodded.
As they walked from the office Maria said, “Take the baby. I’m driving.”
Caden looked her in the eye and didn’t argue.
In the car, several minutes went by in silence as they backtracked their way out of town. Caden shifted in his seat. He glanced at the speedometer, sighed, and tried to will himself home. “Growing up I just wanted to get away. First college, next the military and then a job in D.C. Now all I want to do is get home. There’s Hops Road. Turn.”
“Okay. I remember.”
Farm fields and pastures spread out in all directions with just a couple of houses visible.
“Where’s your family’s home?”
“You can’t see it from here. Turn there ahead; see that dirt road up on the left.”
She nodded and for another half mile the SUV bumped and splashed along the rutted road.
“Just beyond those trees go up the driveway. It’s at the top of a small hill.”
As she turned, Caden saw the white home he had grown up in. “Drive past the barn, there’s a place to park between the buildings.”
“It looks nice, like a traditional American farmhouse.”
“It should look traditional; the original part was built by my grandfather. My father did an addition and it has been remodeled, but much of it is nearly a hundred years old.”
Even as Maria pulled to a stop, Caden stepped from the car and looked toward the covered porch of the house. From behind him came the unmistakable pump of a shotgun. For the second time that day he slowly spread his arms away from his body.
Maria stepped from the car and looked toward the barn with a smile. “You must be Lisa.”
“Who are you and why are you here?”
His back to his sister, Caden smiled. “Sis, is that anyway to greet your older brother.” Gradually he turned and faced her.
She squealed and ran toward him, fumbling with the shotgun.
Boom!
Caden awoke to darkness. What happened? He remembered hearing his sister’s voice and turning to face her. She shot me! His right leg throbbed. He reached down and felt the moist bandage. Slowly he rose and sat on the edge of the bed. Robbers didn’t shoot me, the guys at the blockade didn’t shoot me—Lisa, my own sister, shoots me. He looked at the bloodstained dressing around his lower leg and wiggled his toes. Muscles in his leg hurt, but the toes worked.
He looked about. On his right was the world map he had put up in high school. Pins and string still traced the route of trips across the globe he had hoped to take when he grew up. Over the years he had visited many far off lands, but now he was glad to be in his old room at home.
Gingerly he touched the back of his head, the door opened with a squeak.
Maria smiled and then called over her shoulder. “He’s awake.”
Before Maria could reach his bedside, Lisa burst in. “I am sooo sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t know who you were and when I realized it was you…. I’m really sorry. I could have killed you.”
He smiled as he looked up at the sister he had not seen since high school. “I’m really glad you failed.” She was still the wavy-haired brunette he grew up with, but she was now, a grown woman.
Lisa sat beside him on the bed. “After the D.C. blast we were afraid…. I was really surprised to see you.”
Maria turned on the light, pulled a chair over, and sat.
Floor boards creaked in the hallway. He looked toward the door. She had more gray hair than he remembered, but the smile from the woman coming toward him was clearly that of mom. He tried to stand, but the pain told him to sit.
His mother sat beside him on the bed and they embraced.
Wiping tears from her eyes, she said, “You being here is a bright spot in all this darkness.”
Caden looked around the room with a smile. Even if I did get shot upon arrival, it’s good to be home. “I guess I don’t need to make introductions. Maria, I know you’ve met Lisa, but have you met my mother, Sarah?”
Maria nodded, “We’ve been talking while you slept.”
His mother took his hand, “She’s told us about your journey here, but if you’re up to it,” she smiled, “I’d like to hear it from you.”
“The leg hurts, but I can talk.” He felt the back of his head, “I’ve got a bit of headache. What happened there?”
Lisa blushed. “You fell against the car when I shot you.”
“There’s a dent in the door where your head hit it,” Maria said. “The doctor thinks you have a mild concussion.”
“How is my leg?” he asked.
Again Lisa blushed. “It was buckshot and most of it went in the ground. Doctor Scott thinks she got the rest out.”
Caden had a thousand questions, but they were waiting to hear his story. “Okay.” With a glance at Maria he said, “I’ll tell you how we got here, but when I’m done you’ve got to answer my questions.”
They agreed.
With as little emotion as possible, he described the D.C. blast and his race to leave the burning city.
His mother nodded. “The news said tens of thousands left Seattle that day. They just kept coming.” She shook her head, but said no more.
“I wanted to get to Atlanta and Becky.” Caden noticed the awkward glances toward Maria. “I headed through Maryland into West Virginia. I was at the Georgia border when they bombed Atlanta. I assumed Becky was dead, but she isn’t.”
“Where is she?” his mother asked.
“New York. She’s working for President Durant.” He took his mom’s hand. “Things have changed between Becky and me.”
“Well son, I hate to say it, but I never did think she was the right one for you.”
Caden shrugged and then described the fiery wreck and finding Adam not far from his dead mother. “I took Adam with me to Fort Rucker hoping to find someone to take him.” He looked around. “Where is Adam?”
“Asleep in the spare room,” Lisa said.