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Post by bitsmith on Jul 22, 2017 19:30:09 GMT -6
Chapter 1
"Mart, I think this is just the way it has to be." Dave says to his second. "We have a real chance here, to be more than we ever thought possible. We may not be stinking rich like we wanted, but did you ever expect to be?"
"I get it, Prez. I really do. But ... Some of the men, well they just don't get it." Mart, VP of the OKC Chapter of an outlaw biker gang admitted. "And without the men, we don't have anything going for us. We can't man the stores you want to expend to, so fast. There are only 22 of us, man. We lost most the rest, when we told them we were going legit. The fakes, the frauds and thugs. Basically, our soldiers are gone. We don't have the man-power to do this."
"Then ... let's find it." Dave said, with a grin. "What do we need to start with?"
"OK. We are here, in this Petro. It was a decent place, but with power gone, it's hot has hell in here."
"And it's only going to get worse. I mean, it's only March. So, what do you think we need to do?"
"We need to get power to the building. Somehow, we need to power the place. That will bring the fridges online. Letting us store and hold food, longer."
"Right." Dave said. "But I think we are missing an important piece, prior to that."
"Yeah, I know, we need to clean the place up."
"That's a given. I was thinking abotu that and I have an idea that can be used to help us with other things." Dave continued. "Look over my shoulder, across the street. What do you see over there?"
"I see a Ramada, a 24 hour breakfast place, another truck stop. Some kind of grocery store, a couple of motels and a bus station."
"Yeah. Do you see any people?"
"Yeah, I do. A few. Mostly homeless or people that had a reason to be in the area. And some kids, scavenging."
"Right. Kids, scavenging. Kids that can probably find us anything we need. Kids that are probably hungry."
"OK, so how do we feed or pay these kids to clean up around here?"
"What? No! The kids will be our first trading partners!" Dave said. "We need stuff to stock the store with, right? I'm willing to bet those kids know where to find all sorts of stuff. Let's start by getting one or two of those trucks running. And get one of the reefer boxes up here, running, too. Also, I want filtered water in jugs, of some kind. Something those kids can take home."
“Water?” Mart asked. “You want to start with water?”
“Mart, I want to start with cool, filtered, SAFE water.” Dave said. “Make it happen. I’m going to try to draft a partner or two into helping us get some inventory. Let’s see what we can do about getting this place cleaned up.”
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"Hey, guys? Hold up a second." Dave called out as he approached a group of kids on bicycles. "I was wondering if you might be able to help me find a few things?"
"What's in it for us?" one of the kids spoke up.
"I'm not sure, yet." Dave admitted. "I'm new to town. What do you need?"
"Food and safe water. I got a baby sister who needs formula."
"OK. Then we may have somethign we can work on. I'm trying to find stuff to filter and bottle water, so it will be safe to drink. But I need a few things to make that happen. But I bet you guys know where to find stuff to help with that?"
"What do you need?"
"First, I need barrels. Big barrels. But they have to be special barrels. What's called 'food grade'. Then I will need a few hoses. I can pump water from the river into those barrels, take them back to my Safe Stop, where I can then filter the water and bottle it for people to carry."
"Why do you want to do that?" the same kid asked. "Money is useless. Are you just going to give it away?"
"Maybe." Dave said. "To be honest, I had not thought that far ahead, yet. First I need to find the containers, the bottles, some dish soap, those hoses and a pump to bring the water up from the river."
"I think my dad can help you. He worked for a company that made the big plastic containers with the metal fence stuff to keep them from bulging." one boy said.
"That would be great!" Dave said. "I knew I was asking the right people. What is your name, buddy?"
"I'm Dave." the kid said. "What's yours?"
"Well, Dave, I'm known as Dave, too, to my brothers. But some just call me Prez."
"This is too corny, I'm out of here." the first one to speak said. "No one will want your water, old man. It's too far to come all the way out here just for a few bottles of water."
"And what can I call you?" Dave asked, trying to diffuse the attitude.
"None of your business." the kid answered back, starting to take off on his bicycle.
"OK." Dave answered. "Did not mean to pry. But I see your back tire is almost flat. I think we have a way to fix that, over where I'm setting up business. I would ba hppy to look into it, for you. All of you can come along, if you like. It looks like a few of your tires are low. They will last longer if they kept at the right air pressure."
"Man, who are you? Some kind of freak? Nobody does anything nice like that, for anyone, any more."
"I know. I used to be in prison. And no one did anything nice for anyone else, either." Dave admitted. "Then one day I met a man who changed my opinion of other people."
"Yeah, right. We've all heard about Jesus. Thanks, but no thanks."
"Jesus? Oh, no, not Jesus. He was in the Mexican gang. No, I met a guy named Dan. Little guy. Quiet guy, too. But he was different, too. His first couple of months, he was constantly in fights. Then, one day, he was done fighting. No one wanted to mess with him. Not because he always won, but because he always, ALWAYS, made beating him expensive. When we all started leaving him alone, then we could talk with him and he started helping people. People he had beaten or been beaten by. He helped them and asked them for nothing."
"What was he, some kind of pervert? It's always the quiet wierd ones who mess iwth kids and creepy shit like that."
"No. He stole a car." Dave said. "He stole a car. Basically, the wrong person's car. He was a soldier in the Army and they put him out for it, when he was convicted. He became my best friend. And after several years, we just ran into each other again. He has asked me to help set up this business, not to make money and get rich, but to help people. He saved my life, more than once, from rival gangs. I owe him and he has called in those debts, asking me to help keep other people alive. And I want to start with clean water. But you are right. There are people that can not get here, because it is too far away. But you have given me an idea I need to check into."
"Yeah? Well if it's such a good idea, then I deserve part of it." the kid said.
"Maybe. It depends upon how the idea works out." Dave said. "But to find out and keep everyone honest, you would have to stay around and help make it happen, right?"
"Man, you are just weird."
"Dave? Can I bring my sister's tire to tomorrow to fix it?" the smaller Dave asked.
"Sure, bud. You bring me the tire and I will fix it, if I can. I may not be able to fix everything, but we can try." Dave said. "But come back with me to the store, and I will see about airing up everyone's tires. No strings. I just want to start doing what my good friend Dan has asked of me."
"How long do you have to play the good guy to pay off your debts to your friend?"
"That's a good question. I know of at least 8 times he saved my life. So how long do you think that is worth?" Dave asked, as he started walking back towards the Petro stop, now his Safe Stop #1.
The kids hung back for a bit as Dave started walking away.
As Dave was crossing the parking lot, he saw that Mart had gotten two trucks with reefers in the car parking lot.
"Good job, Mart!" Dave said as he approached. "Are they up and running? Getting cold?"
"Yeah, they are. I thought it was going to be more difficult." Mart said. "And what have you got following you? New recruits?"
"Something like that." Dave admitted. "But I have a few ideas, thanks to them. Can you have someone check for food grade tankers in the lot? Having water here, is not going ot do much good. We need to get water to the people in those parts of town that do not have water. We need to be able to take it to them. THis guy, here, is Dave, too. and his Dad used to work for a company that made the big plastic water containers. But before we start talking abotu future business, I promised to make sure their tires were at the right air pressure. Can you find me a guage inside?"
Mart smiled as he saw how Dave was trying to build trust. "Sure, Prez. The hose is on this side of cab."
Dave nodded as he approached hte side of the running semi rig, opening the side panel to pull out an air hose and tire chuck. "Who is first?"
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Post by cutter on Jul 22, 2017 20:37:58 GMT -6
Good to see Brother Dave back in the game. Nice start.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 22, 2017 20:53:57 GMT -6
Chapter 2
"Hey, Prez?" Mart called out to him as Dave was working a mop, cleaning the floor between the empty aisles.
"Hi, Dave."
"Hey, bud! What's up?" Dave asked the younger version of himself.
"I brought my sister and her bike with me. Can you fix her tire, please?"
"Well, I promised to try, so ... let's go try?" Dave said. "Mart, can you finish this, please? Oh, and where are the keys to the shop?"
Mart tossed the keys to Dave as he came out from behind the cashier counter. "Yo! Gary! Go with the Prez! Make sure these rough ones don't mess with him!"
Little Dave smiled while his older sister just rolled her eyes at the joke. As they left the building, Bother Dave stopped and turned around to the kids. "Hey. Where is the bike? We need to get it to the shop to fix it, right?"
Again, she rolled her eyes, as she turned to get it. "Come on, squirt. Better get yours, too. Don't want it stolen, like your last one."
"Don't call me squirt, Scary Carrie!" Lil' Dave said as he ran off, past his teen aged sister.
Dave and Gary just last as she took off chasing her little brother. It was obvious that no one was allowed to mess with him, but her. And anyone that did would answer to her.
"Say, Prez, I've been thinking about that clean water issue you want." Gary said.
"Yeah? Got any ideas?" Dave answered.
"Well, yeah. It kind of fell on me, this morning, when I saw that." Gary said, pointing a water tower, right on the trusk stop property.
Dave looked up at the tower. "Somm-bit---! Yeah! Alright, Gary! I want you to be in charge of making sure it is working, full and clean. Can you do that? Maybe find where the water comes from? It looks like it has some kind of propane setup. "
Lil' Dave came running past the two men on his bicycle chanting his nickname for his sister as she tried to keep up on her bike with a flat tire.
"Well, I think I better get to work. You got this?" Dave asked.
"Yeah, I think I got this, Prez." Gary said.
"Gary, this is important. You need anything, you let either Mart or I know. We will get it for you." Dave instructed. At Gary's nod, he turned and started trotting towards the shop.
"Stop it!" she was saying to Lil' Dave. "You know I don't like that name!"
"Yo! Squirt!" Dave called out, and both kids stopped arguing.
"Don't call me that!"
"Then don't call your sister names." Dave said. "You don't like that as much as she does not like being called the other. A little respect, man. It goes a long way with people. Especially in a world where everyone is out to get for themselves and not help anyone. And best of all, it does not cost anything to be nice to someone."
Lil Dave sat on his bike, arms crossed, sulking, as the bigger Dave tried different keys top open the shop. Once the door was open, he turned to the kids, "Take your bikes over there, to the big doors. It is dark in here, and I need to find my way around. I will open it, as soon as I get there." He then went in, closing the door after himself.
Looking around, Dave saw what he expected to see, an oversized quick oil place for cars, but for semi tractors. Once through the lobby and into the work area, he saw the farthest bay had all of the tire equipment. Being careful of the pits in the first two bays, he made his way to the far side. Looking about, he found the chain to open the large door. Using his weight, he got he door open enough to comfortably walk in and out, with ducking. With more light, he started looking around for tube patch. He was remembering the nice old guy next door to him, when he was a kid who showed him how to do what he was about to do for these kids.
"Dave, can I trust you run an errand for me?" He asked of the young boy. "I forgot, we are going to need an air pump. Can you go ask my friend Mart to send a tractor over here?"
"Oh, man! I want to know how to fix my tires!"
"It's OK, Dave. I need to find a few tools, then the leak. That is going to take some time to do."
"OK, but dont start without me!"
Dave chuckled as he found an adjustable wrench and a fixed wrench to fit the bolts holding on her rear tire. "He seems like a good kid."
"He's a pain, is what he is." she said.
"All younger siblings are." Dave replied.
"Some days I just wish he would shut up, you know?"
"Oh, yeah. I had the same with a younger brother, too." Dave said, as he turned her bike upside down. "Do see that roll around seat, over there? Think you can find two of them, in here? I feel too old to stand and work on this. And little brothers ... they can be so slow, as I remember."
She smiled a little as she turned to search for two of the roll around tech seats. She returned shortly, as Dave was untangling the chains from the gears on the rear axle.
"So ... how do you know so much about repairing bicycle tires?" She asked, when she grew tired of the silence.
Dave was using two screwdrivers to get one wall of the tire outside the wheel. "Well, when I was a little older that your brother, we lived in town and I was always getting thorns in my tires. And when I could not be on my bike, I was stuck at home and always in trouble. Momma would yell at me for being inside, all the time. It was different back then. We could go for hours and be safe. Not like it is, today. And we had no cell phones to check in with. But I was always home for lunch, and again, just before dark, for dinner. But one day, I was especially underfoot and Momma was louder than usual and angrier, too. She and her boyfriend were fighting, again. Anyway, there was this old guy, next door. And he heard Momma. So, he called me over to the fence that day. Told me to bring my bicycle around to his garage. It was a little building on the back of his lot, barely wide or long enough for his car. But he had a work shop in there. He loved working on and fixing everything. Anyway, he taught me how to patch my tubes, so I would not get in trouble so much. All I had to do was knock on his door and ask to use his workbench. And I'm going to show you both, what he showed me. But I promised to show you both, so I'm going to wait for your brother com coem back. What about you? What are you good at?"
"I'm not good at anything." she said. "I mean ... I'm 15 and according to Dad, I don't know anything. He's out every day, trying to find work. I'm stuck watching Dave and he jsut disappears. I'm also supposed to wash and do laundry and all the chores. And even make dinner, since mom left."
"I'm sorry to hear your mom left. Dave told me, yesterday, that your Dad worked in a factory making water containers?"
"Yeah, they made those and other stuff, too."
"Is the factory still open?"
"No. It's closed. Dad goes by, every day, though, hoping to find someone who can give him his last paycheck. Even though the banks are closed. He says it's a matter of principle to get paid for the work. Hypocrit. He says that and tells me doing all the stuff that mom did is my responsibility and not a job."
Dave nodded. He understood what she meant. He remembered the old guy, next door, telling him much the same, when his mother needed him to mow the lawn or do something he did not want to do.
"Here comes 'The Pest'." she said, focusing back to the now.
"Remember what I said about name calling and respect?" Dave asked. "Give a little and you will get a little. At first, he won't understand it, but eventually, he will. He's too young to appreciate it, but if you give him an example of how you want to be treted, he will follow. He is looking for someone to show him how to act. And soem of those kids I met him with, yesterday are not good examples."
"Yeah. I know them. That Brian kid is a foul-mouthed punk. And if he ever tries to touch me, again, I'm going to break his arm." she said, instantly pissed.
"Hey, Prez!" came a man's voice, followed by a huge box comming aroudn the corner of the building. "Check out what I found!"
Dave and Carrie stood, just as the littler Dave was arriving, sliding sideways to a stop, grinning ear to ear. "OK, Beaver. What have you found?"
"Well, that place next door is a distribution center for FritoLay! I got bags of chips!" he said, exciedly, as he opened the box.
Everyone looked inside the large box seeing bag upon bag of chips.
Little Dave reached in for a bag, then dropped it, as he realized everyone was watching him. Laughing, Dave told both the kids to take a bag out. Reaching in, he found a bag for himself, setting it aside. "Good job, Beaver. Take the rest into the store. Work with Mart to search the building for more. Also, would you send someone out here with three waters? These salty chips are goign to be hard to enjoy without something to drink."
"Sure thing, Prez!" The big burly biker was happy and excited to have found the treasure trove.
Snapping his fingers, Dave started looking around. "Stay here, guys, I need pen and paper. I want to make a list of things to find."
He did not need to go far, as the tech station had a clipboard with forms and a pen. As he sat down, he turned the form over, writing on the back of it 'sport water bottles/Canteens'.
"What did you write, Dave?" little Dave asked.
"A note to myself that I need to find those sport water bottles and canteens. We have clean water, here, not every one does. So I want to have containers people can carry water in. If we can get keep our water supply flowing and clean, I will help people with water to drink and cook with."
"I know where there are a much of metal water bottles." Dave the younger said.
"Oh? Where is that?"
"A place near downtown. Dad liked going there, before the world died. They sold boats, camping stuff. We bought Carrie's bike there."
"Sounds like some place I need to check out." Dave said. "I wonder if I can find who still owns it."
"It's empty. No one stays there. All the tents and camping gear is gone. But I remember, yesterday we were in there, and they had the metal bottles with a big black cap that screwed in."
"Thanks, Dave. I will go there and check it out."
"Take me with you and I can show you how to get in."
"Just might do that." Dave said. Beaver was in a pickup truck with two other guys in the back.
"Here ya go, Prez!" one of the guys in back, said, as he handed Carrie three water bottles. The truck took off, slowly climbing a curb and crossign grass, to get to the FritoLay parking lot.
"Good. Those guys will get more chips for the store, so we can help others who are hungry." Dave said. "Now, let me keep my promise to both of you. Once you have the wheel off the bike, gently use flat screwdrivers, like these, to gently pry one side of the tire, outside the rim ..."
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 22, 2017 20:55:19 GMT -6
Good to see Brother Dave back in the game. Nice start. Not back in the game. Parallel story line. This starts the day after leaving the lake in book one.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 23, 2017 11:24:22 GMT -6
Chapter 3
"So ... Any questions?" Dave asked.
"No, sir!" the smaller Dave said, as I considered what he had just been shown.
"Carrie? You look like you have a question."
"How do you find the leak, if it really small?" she asked.
"Good one! Take the tube out, like I've shown you. Make sure there is air in the tub, then hold it under water. The bubbles will show where the hole is. Sometimes, you may have to squeeze the tub, to get the air to come out of the hole." Dave explained.
Dave started to say more, but was interrupted by Gary. "Prez? I think I have the answers you wanted."
"Good. We will take about it, in a few minutes." Dave said. "Can you check with Mart about the tractor I asked for, a bit ago? I need an air compressor to fill these tires."
"I'll get you one." Gary stated. "Be right back."
"Good. So while we wait ... Do you guys think you get me introduced to yoru Dad? I really do need some big containers for water, so I can take it to the neighborhoods without water. I think your Dad can help us with that."
"I will ask him. But he is always so busy, trying to find food and take care of us." Carrie said.
"I think I can help with that, some, too. And Dave? I need you to show me how to get into that sporting good store. Think you can do that, this afternoon?"
"We both can, 'Prez'." Carrie added to the little Dave's nodding. "I've been in there, and I want to look for a couple of things."
"OK. Let's make a list. What do we need to look for, in there?" Dave said, picking up the clip board. "I want to look for, water bottles, canteens, maybe camping gear. "
"I want to look for tools to work on my bike!" little Dave said.
"OK. Bicycle tool kit, maybe a patch kit, and extra tires and tubes?" Dave asked, while writing.
"I want to find a way to carry stuff while I'm on the bike. And I need a bag. Like a backpack, but only one strap." Carrie added. "And ... I need to look from something else, too."
"OK, Those are messenger bags. Great for bicyclists. And you want ... what? A basket for the handlebars?"
"And maybe the things that go on either side of the back wheel?" she asked.
"OK. Saddle bags, like on our motorcycles." Dave wrote. "What else?"
"Uh ... lights!" again, little Dave spoke up.
"Um, ... Dave, I need women things." Carrie said, shyly.
"Oh." Dave said, also slightly embarrassed. "I don't think we will find those in a sporting goods store. But we will look. Hang on a second." Dave finished his water. "Hey buddy, Can I ask you to do me a big favor? Get this refilled in the store, for me, please? Maybe you can fill all of them?"
"You just want me gone, so you can talk about adult stuff, right?" the little guy asked.
"Yes, that is true. Some things in life, you are not yet old enough to understand and your siste explaining it just is not right." Dave said. "Now, scoot!"
"OK. Ok. I will go." He siad with a huff, as he tried to balance his bike while holding three water bottles.
"There are special things for ladies who are active in sports. Instead of an absorbent pad or other, it is a little cup. When you need, you take it out, empty it, wash and put it back. A lot of our ladies used to them, because on the motorcycles things can be uncomfortable. I think you might want to look for those, if you are going to be on your bicycle, a lot."
"Uhm ... OK?" Carrie said uncomfortably.
"Look, hun. If there was a woman here, I would have her talk to you about it. But there is not. So we both just have be as grown up about it as we can, OK?" Dave said, trying to put both of them more at ease.
"I get it. But... Well, Dad does not talk about it, and I don't know you. So ... it's just weird, is all."
"How do you think I feel? I'm a guy! I've got no daughters. And I'm telling a young lady, who could be my GRAND DAUGHTER, about female hygiene products! If my friend Dan could hear me now. He would be rolling. "
"He thinks it's funny?" she asked, getting upset.
"No. He would be laughing at my being so uncomfortable. Dan is a good man. I mean a really good man. He has saved my life, several times. But he also just does not always have a filter on what is and what is not 'right' to speak about. I mean he won't be graphic about some things. But other things, like this. He would just throw it out there, for open disucssion, you know?" Dave said. "And here comes our $80,000 air compressor."
"$80,000?" she asked. "Really?"
"Oh yeah. When I got out of prison, a brother wanted out of the MC. He wanted to be a cross country driver. So he started shopping for rigs. Brand new, never driven before can be like a small house on wheels andmay cost as much as $250,000. But this one is older and probably only worth about $80k."
"So truck drivers are rich?"
"In some ways, they are. In others, they are not." Dave said, as he walked up to the side of the rig. While digging out the compressor hose and tire chuck, he looked up to Gary. "So ... What did you find out about the water?"
"The tank is full and self-filling. The propane powers an electric pump from a well. And there are three filter systems." Gary said. "As long as we don't hit a drought, I think we will have plenty of water, for a long time. "
"How can we fill up a tanker from it?" Dave asked. "Is there a large hose port or something?"
"I'm not sure about that, but I will look, again." Gary said, uncertain.
"It's OK, Gary. I just need to know our options. I want to get the tankers over there, set up to run water to the dry neighborhoods." Dave said. "Speaking of dry, here comes our waters, Carrie. And he does not look to be alone."
"Oh, shit." Carrie said. "That's my Dad! What is he doing here?"
"OK, Gary, get this rig out of here." Dave said. "No need to intimidate the guy. He's probably just checking on the safety of his kids."
Gary jumped in and smoothly drove away with the rig, making sure to give the father and son duo plenty of room.
As they got closer, Dave noticed there were no water bottles.
"Hello, sir!" Dave announced. "I'm Brother Dave. A couple of good kids you've got here."
"Why are my kids here? What are you doing with them?"
"Well, not much. Just helping them with a flat tire, that is all. We had the resources, so I showed them how to patch their tubes. that is all." Dave said. "Thinking about offering them jobs, if they are up for it."
"Jobs?" he perked up, concerned and interested. "Doing what?"
"Well, that depends." Dave said. "It depends upon what you and I can work out. You see, we have this big water tower. It is pulling water up from a well. I want to clean out a couple of the tankers, to haul fresh water to parts of the city that are dry. But, if the tankers are unavailable, or parts of town, that we can't drive them into, I want to set up a flat bed truck with those large re-inforced tanks, your boy says you used to make. If we can make that work, then I would like your kids to help get the word out to the neighborhoods on where we will be, and what day and time, so people can show up with their own containers for free water."
"You are going to GIVE away the water?"
"Yeah, we are." Dave said. "I've seen enough bad in my life. I have a chance to make a difference. I want to do something right for a change. Do you think you can help us with those containers?"
"I don't know." he said learily. "Even if I could, I have no way of moving them. It would take four strong men to lift them onto a truck bed."
"Men and trucks, I have." Dave answered.
Looking about, the father saw the chip bags. "Do you have food?"
"We are finding it, where we can. If you would not mind driving, I can make sure you get enough for you and your kids."
Dave was interrupted as the lights and fans of the shop came on. He smiled as he looked around at the change.
"You have power, too?"
"I'm not sure, how it happened, but evidently, we do." Dave said. "By the way, you don't happen to know of an electrician, do you? I think we may have more need than we have generators for."
"Yeah, I think I can find you one." the father said. "I'm Robert. Most people call me Robby."
"Nice to meet you Robby. I'm Dave. President ... Of the SafeStop chain of convenience stores and refuges." Dave said, smiling. "Come to think of it, we also need a tow truck driver and a mechanic. Know anyone interested?"
"I think I know a few people. But why are you doing this? OKC is all but dead."
"Then I want to resusitate it." Dave said. "Look. There is A LOT of stuff that travels through OKC. A LOT of trucks. Without trucks carrying goods, the nation dies. I want to keep the trucks going. That means truck stops. Places for them to sell what they pickedup somewhere else. Places to buy fuel. Places for people to gather to trade and sell wahat they have/salvage/grow. My guys are all experts in security. So, we will keep the places safe."
"I will think about it."
"Hey, Dave! We found more! A LOT MORE! " Beaver shouted as the truck full of boxes and men came to a stop. Smiling, one of the guys in the bed of the truck handed down a bag of snack foods. It was full of chips, jerky, a jar of salsa dip and even a couple of bags of cookies. "I thought the kids would like these. Water is good for you, but actual food is better!" Then the truck drove off.
Smiling Dave handed the bag of goods to Robby. "Well? What do you think?"
"I think it is a long walk from the house to here, for a job." Robby said.
"That may be. So, let's see what we can do to fix that?" Dave said. "We have LOTS of space. Do you know where to find trailers? Like camping trailers? Small mobile homes? And maybe someone who can help with sewage?"
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Post by gipsy on Jul 26, 2017 18:19:43 GMT -6
Cool new story. Thanks
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 30, 2017 9:35:51 GMT -6
Chapter 4
"Carrie! Dave! " Robby called firmly to his children. "Get in here! We need to talk."
Both kids left their bicycles leaning against the newer mobile home, they now called their house. Each with their own bedroom. Though sparsely furnished, it was comfortable, safe and livable.
"Listen up, you two." Robby started in that 'this is my law' voice all fathers develop. "I don't understand these guys, or what they are doing. They seem to be common thieves. Biker trash. I don't want either of you eating anything they give you. No drugs. No pills. Nothing. Do you hear me? And Carrie ... you are growing into a young woman. You let me know if anyone of them touches you. Hear me?"
"Yes, Dad. But I don't think - " she started to defend.
"Stop!" he said more forcefully than he intended. Softer he continued, "Carrie, your mom was a good, trusting gentle woman. You are a lot like her. I just ... I just don't want you to get hurt. OK?"
"Davey, I know they are your friends, but I really want you to start staying away from those punks you bike with. Especially that smart-assed one. He is going to get himself hurt. He's writing checks with his mouth that his ass is not bad enough to cover. Some of these bikers are the real deal. He keeps spouting off and disrespecting them, one of them will hurt him. I've never known a strung out biker to have any patience. Now listen to me, as soon as we are back on our feet and have saved up a litte, we will leave. Find someplace safe to be. Someplace we don't have to worry about thugs and gangsters messing with us."
"Dad. I'm going to be late. I need to go." little Dave said. "I have a job, now. You always said to never be late for work. I need to go."
"You have a job as long as I say you do, David!" Robby barked back, watching both of his kids recoil from him. "But you are right, son. Go. Both of you. And see if you can find us something canned for dinner? Chips and jerky are good snacks, but not full meals." he added, softly, realizing he was falling back into his old pattern.
-----
"Morning, Robby!" Called Brother Dave as he was walking up to the store part of the Petro station.
"Dave. Can you spare a few minutes to chat?" Robby asked.
"Sure, do we need some privacy?"
"I would prefer it." Robby stated.
"OK. Let's go to the office. We can sit in there and discuss anything you need." Dave promised. "Just give me a minute to get a few things started, up front?"
"Sure. I will meet you in the lounge."
Dave nodded, smiled and moved on to the cashiers stand.
"Beth! Good morning, young lady!" Dave greeted the mature woman. "How are you doing, today?"
"Oh, Dave!" she smiled and laughed back at him. "Stop it, already! You keep up those compliments, I will just break your heart!"
Dave laughed back at her, enjoying the friendly flirting and parry. "So, are you getting settled in OK? Better than staying out at the lake, I hope?"
"Oh, the lake had it's promises. But I do like being nearer the city. And yes, we are getting settled in just fine." Beth replied. "And how about you and all your big, bad, bikers? Getting the hang of a straight and narrow life?"
"Oh, hun, we are far from living a straight and narrow life." Dave said, grinning widely. "We are full of all sorts of thievery. To be honest with you, Beth, There are days I ask myself, was Dan right in telling me how to get started. I feel like I'm stealing from people."
Both look up as they watch a pickup pulling a trailer leave the lot, with men and little Dave standing in the bed. The men had adopted little Dave as a kind of mascot. The search was on to find a cut small enough to fit him. And one for his sister, too.
"And then I see that." Dave says watching several kids on bicycles start following the pick-up. "I think those men of mine are getting soft. And that is a good thing."
"Where are they off to?"
"They are off to do more thieving. The kids told us about a sporting goods store, near downtown. We need a few things they may have in there. Of course, ammo, fishing gear, bed rolls, and so on. But also tires, tubes and patch kits for those bicycles. Baskets and panniers, too. I'm hoping to talk to those kids, later this week, and put them to work on finding stuff for us. We REALLY need to find some groceries. And soon. Chips and junkfood are not that good for us."
"We need to get some trucks coming in, too." Beth said. "That could help. Help, A LOT. I used to be a business manager and I can tell you without customers, we will never get this going. Do you think you can get your friend to come set up the radios for us? Let us start transmitting that we are open? And maybe start getting a few trucks in here?"
"I think we can get that started, and then have him tune and tweak it for us." Dave said. "Have the men start looking for another pick-up and an enclosed trailer. I'm sure there were businesses around that sold trailers. Let's try not to take anything from people who may be coming back for it."
"OK. I will let them know." Beth agreed.
"Now, if all is well, here, I have an appointment with the 'Water Man'." Dave said, as he smiled and turned, walking towards the office and the driver's lounge.
"Dave, thanks for agreeing to see me." Robby said, as Dave turned the corner.
"Hey, Robby, relax." Dave said, trying to give a disarming smile. "What ever it is, we can find an answer. It may not be immediate, but we will get there. Come in. Have a seat, and tell me what is on your mind."
"Dave, I'm worried about my kids. Davey ... he is young and impressionable. I don't want him going out with your guys. It's dangerous. He could get hurt, or worse. And my daughter. She's only 15. She is starting to feel comfortable around you and your men. I don't like that, either."
"Robby, let me make sure I'm getting this right." Dave said, to open other subjects with Robby. "We are on the front end of a societal collapse. The world, OUR world, as WE built it, is falling apart. We are taking over a truck stop, to set up a business, in a post crash world. And we both know the worst is yet to come. Winter will be a bitch. Many are going to die. They will die from the cold. The hunger. Thirst. Bad hygiene, animal and bug bite infections. Bad food they find, somewhere. Food they know is bad, but they will be so hungry. You now have a comfortable home. One that will be easy to heat and keep your kids warm. Your guy will be here, next week, with the equipment needed to run water and set septic tanks in that back field, so life will be more normal for you, yours and the rest of us.
"Your son, and his friends are under tight supervision. My men have the strictest orders to protect those young people. They go and know things we do not. And at the same time, my men are taking only what is abandoned. You know what we went through to get those trailers moved here. We went to the yard they were stored in. We did not pull them from a mobile home park, where they might be someone's home. Yes, we are thieving. Thieving the abandoned. Thieving to help others. My men are looking for supplies. Supplies for us, for this place, for your home. Food for your kids, and those kids following my men. Before coming back in here, I saw your son standing in the back of a pickup, pulling a trailer. His bicycle strapped to the front bumper. 'Big bad bikers' on either side of him. Each with a hand near to catch him, if he fell.
"Did you see your son, last night? He was helping those other kids on bikes, fill and load water bottles to take to their homes. Kids who previously tried to beat him, are now looking up to him. Do you know what he was charging for each bottle of water? A promise to tell others that we had fresh water. He also asked that they check with their neighbors about who does not have water to drink. Your son is doing what I did not know how to do. To find who needs our help. I did not ask him to. He did in on his own. He did ask if he could give some water to the kids on the bicycles. He is a bright kid. And NOW he has something to look forward to, each day. He feels like he is doing something important."
"I did not know." Robby said.
"And your daughter? She went to Beth at the front desk to ask about one of my men who looks at her in a way that makes her uncomfortable. Beth spoke to Hammer. Hammer pulled out a photo of his sister. Whom Beth looks A LOT like. So, Beth sat them down and they had a talk. Hammer's sister's name was Delaney. What was your wife's name, Robby?"
"Dee. She was just Dee. And she had no brother. She was adopted." Robby said.
"If you get a chance, talk to with Hammer." Dave said. "But back to other more immediate issues. You are welcome to leave anytime you want, Robby. We owe you nothing. You owe us nothing. We would hate to see you go. But we will not keep you against your will. Most of my guys know what that is like and will not be a part of such to anyone not deserving."
"Thank you. I don't mean to be ungrateful ... I'm just worried about"
"... worried about your kids. I get it. Would you believe I worry about them, too! And you. And everyone else, here. I have a driver ready to take you to your old work to look for food grade containers. They have a large flatbed trailer. Also, can you look for a few of those small fuel barrels? Liek 35 gallon in size, I think? And maybe pumps and hoses, of some kind? Our road crews will need it for vehicles in trouble."
Robby stood feeling like he was just told to 'get back to work'.
"Also, I have my men looking for another truck and an enclosed trailer. I will ask Beth to start getting us some moving tubs and such. That way several of us can join you at your house, to pack up everything and move it here. Maybe that will help you feel more comfortable in your new digs. I think the kids will want more of their stuff, too."
Pausing, Robby looked back at Dave. "I'm sorry. Thank you for everything you are doing for us."
"Robby, you are a good man. But let me tell you this. Those kids of yours ... they are like our kids, too, already. It's only been a few days, but look at what we are getting accomplished! And on another note. Myself and most of my men have been to prison. The very worst and most endangered person in a prison are those who touched or hurt kids. None of my guys will hurt your daughter. She is becoming a young woman. But none of them will touch her. I will take the life of anyone who does."
Chilled by the sincerity of the promise, Robby waited a moment, not knowing what to say.
"If you would, please, Robby. We really do need your help." Dave said.
Robby nodded, as he walked through the door.
Dave sat in the office a few minutes longer, realizing it was getting hot in the small room. Yet, he stayed, head in his hands as he realized the truth and facts of what he told Robby. Things he really had not thought about, but knew to be true.
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Post by boomerweps on Jul 30, 2017 11:20:15 GMT -6
I look forward to each installment. You have real talent. Please continue to use it
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Post by ydderf on Jul 30, 2017 16:01:05 GMT -6
I'd like to add my voice to the hoards that are calling for more.
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Post by gipsy on Jul 31, 2017 10:35:24 GMT -6
Good update
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Post by boomerweps on Aug 2, 2017 9:47:12 GMT -6
As always, your stories are worth the wait. However, sometimes the wait can be agonizing;)
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Post by bitsmith on Aug 6, 2017 10:34:04 GMT -6
Chapter 5
"Hammer!" Dave called out to gathering of bikers. "I need a moment, please."
Hammer, tall and solid and always looking as though he were both angry and in pain, waived and turned back to those he was talking to. A few moments, later the group dispersed. "Yeah Prez? What's up
"Robby is getting concerned about his kids getting to be so attached to us." Dave said, watching Hammer's shoulders droop. "I want you to just get the word out to EVERYONE if anyone, and I mean ANYONE touches that girl in the wrong way ... I will gut them like a fish. Make sure they all know it. We are her and her little brother's Uncles. And we don't mess in the family. Make sure the message is clear. There is no room for any misunderstanding ... Come to think of it, anyone of our men messing with any woman under 25 or taking advantage of a woman's situation will answer to me. There is not a single member of our crew under 30, right? So 25 is fair. And I want any women that come here to work or live fully vetted as best we can. Get this to Mart. Then get it done."
"Yeah, Prez. But about those kids ... I swear she looks just like my sister did at the orphanage."
"I know, Hammer." Dave answered. "But let's take this slow. With any luck, we will find her and can re-unite her family. Maybe that will get you some answers, too."
"Anything else, Prez?"
"Not this instant." Dave said. "But if I think of anything, I will find someone to deal with it. ... who is this?"
Dave, Hammer and everyone else turned to watch as a convoy of customized pick-ups, SUV's and vans rolled into the lot. The lead vehicle looked like it was something right out a sci fi movie about end of world or zombie survival. Everyone watched in muted awe as a short, stout man climbed down out of the cab.
"Hello!" he called out, waiving. "hehaha 'We come in peace!' hahaha I always wanted to say that and MEAN it! Do you have gas? We have silver to pay."
Dave and his men cautiously approached the vehicles, awed as those they were looking at something from another world.
"Uh .. Hello? I'm Saul. Can we buy some gas?"
"Oh, yeah, sure!" Dave said, as he overcame the hypnosis of what he was seeing. "Let's find out how much you need and we can negotiate."
"Great. Also, one of my vehicles broke down. Does your shop have an open bay? We have our own tools." Saul asked, with hope in his voice.
"Sure. All the bays are open. But we don't have enough electricity to run the lifts. Will a pit work?" Hammer answered as he almost lovingly touched the front bumper of the truck Saul came out of.
"A lift would be better, but we can manage with a pit." Came another voice from a turret in the second vehicle.
Dave had a moment of flashing ideas, seeing the push and brush bars on the different rigs. "Did you build these, yourself?"
"Yes, my family did. I'm Saul of Mario and Saul's Kustom Karz. Formerly of Brooklyn. About five years ago. we left Brooklyn and landed in Memphis. Then the rising waters, we saw so many heading east. We went west. We had the vehicles to do it, so we we went across the rough country."
"Can you repair and customize Semi rigs?" Dave asked, starting to smile as Saul looked around at what he saw.
"What are you offering?" Saul asked.
"A home." Dave answered. "Safe harbor in uncertain times."
"Let's talk." Saul said. "Meanwhile, my men will fix our rig. Just in case we do not reach an agreement."
Dave smiled widely, offering his hand to Saul. "I'm Dave, Saul. Welcome to SafeStop #1! An anchor in rough times. We intend to open many others in the coming months."
Dave turned to see Hammer looking under the lead vehicle. "Hammer!" Dave barked loudly. "Stop trying to look under that mechanical ladies skirts! Go open the shop for these good people to work on their rig!" Hammer reacted so quickly to Dave's bark, he banged his head on the same bumper he had been caressing a few moments before.
"Yes, Prez." Hammer said, as he rubbed the back of his head to the laughter of those looking on.
"This way, Saul." Dave said, as he extended a hand towards the store.
-----
"That is our operation, Saul." Dave said, after laying everything out on the table. "We want to help and save as many people as we can. We don't want to have a total and complete social collapse. We want to help prevent it as much as we can. And to do that, we need help. What are you looking for?"
Taking his wife's hand in his, Saul started. "We are 22 with 2 on the way. We have another group of 11 a few hours behind us. A total of 10 vehicles. The other 4 vehicles are our households. My brother and I ran a great business in Brooklyn, doing customized cars, street racers and so on. Then our clientele started turning on us. Wanted to own us. Some things happened and we decided to move. After several places we settled in Memphis. We grew and had to expand, into West Memphis. We did well enough with the street racers and such, but saw a real opportunity for the survivalist crowd to get customized vehicles. So, we started doing that more in West Memphis and continued the car business in Memphis itself. Then the quakes happened, so everyone came to the western shop, as it was more defensible. When the waters started rising, we moved out. We are uncertain where we are going. But we just knew we needed to get to higher ground, so we went west." Looking to his wife of a life, she nodded. "We want a place to live, free. We want to contribute to helping people. But we also want to run our business. What are you offering? We need access to parts. Fuel. Electricity. Water. And the essentials of life."
"We need mechanics. People who can not only fix a broken vehicle, as you evidently can do. But can also create a fix with limited parts. It is very possible that the parts for a vehicle may not be available, anymore. So ... if your people can create the part from others, or ... ? I don't know. Make a solution to get a vehicle back on the road ... That will be most important to our customers." Dave answered. "I'm offering the shop space. It is yours. You pay us rent and contribute to the general welfare of the SafeStop. We are currently having water and septic run in the field over there. We are also bringing in new mobile homes from the show lot."
"How much is the rent?" Saul asked, cautiously.
"To be honest, Saul, I have no idea what it should be. The economy is upside down. Money means nothing, if anything, anymore. We are still trying to get things set up around here. How about you check it out for a week? See if this works for you. Get to know my people. Check the local sources for parts, and such?" Dave watched as Saul's wife squeezed his hand. She liked the idea, but Saul was much more difficult to read. He was a shrewd business man, and Dave knew he was in over his head.
"I will need to take this to the other men in my group. I need their support on such a decision that impacts us all." Saul answered. "You will have my answer, day after tomorrow? It is late. We have a vehicle to repair and as you suggested a local town to search and look through for parts. In fact, do you know where the nearest auto scrap yard is? We will need truck parts for our damaged vehicle."
"I will find out." Dave promised, again offering his hand to Saul. "By the way ... do you have anyone in your crew who knows anything about two way radios? We need to get our CB's working to let people on the road know we are here and open. Any help with that would be greatly appreciated."
"I think one of my sons can help with that. Mother?" Saul asked. "Shall we go check on the others?"
Together they stood, shared their good byes and left the store. Shortly, all the vehicles were at the shop, without a drop of fuel purchased. Dave took that to be a good sign. As Dave looked around the store and the rest of his SafeStop #1, he could help but smile as he started to realize parts of a dream falling into place. A dream he did not realize he had had. 'Damn you, Professor! I'm a biker, not a business man!' Dave thought with a widening grin.
-----
"Davey!" Mart shouted. "Where are you, kid?"
"I'm over here!" came the call. "By the canoes! I found something!"
"Beaver! Meet me by the canoes!" Mart called out. Everyone started converging on the canoes. "The rest of you keep looking for what we need." A few moments later, Beaver and Mart were standing under a canoe on the wall. "OK, kid. Show yourself. Where are you?"
"Over here, Mart!" Davey's voice came out lightly and excited from between two rows of shelves fallen against each other. There was a whirring sound, too, that Mart could not place. As he knelt down to look under the shelves, Mart was immediately blinded by a bright white light and the laughter of the boy. "I found lights! Crank up lights!" Davey laughed.
Mart fell back, cursing and barking like he had been physically hit.
"Dammit, Davey! That is not good! That is how someone gets hurt." Beaver yelled at the boy, as he put his pistol away.
"I'm sorry." Davey said, sheepishly, turning off the light. "I did not mean to hurt anyone."
"We know, kid." Mart said. "It is dangerous enough in here in the dark, we don't need to be playing silly games. OK? This is work, buddy. Not game time."
"OK, Mart. I understand." Davey said.
"Now, how many of these lights did you find?"
"I don't know. A lot." Davey said as he came out, with a light in his hand.
"OK, son. Shine the light in there, for us to take a look." Mart said, as he pointed Beaver to look.
Davey turned on the light, pointing it into the little cave. Beaver knelt and crawled in. He started passing the lights out. "I count 23, Boss. Oh, hey! Got any double A or triple A batteries? Here are a dozen or so head lamps!"
"OK, Davey. Good job! Shine that up on the ceiling in the middle of the store, OK? Just keep it there so others can find their wat to us. Yeap, just like that." Mart walked over the railing of the second story. "Hey, the rest of you, get over here and get a light. Also, be on the lookout for double and triple A batteries."
"Aren't those usually kept at the front of the store, Mart?" Came a voice.
"Yeah, I think so. Look in the checkout stands." Mart answered. "And watch your step. The place has already been looted, so don't break a leg or anything."
Mart looked around as he saw the light moving. He saw Davey setting the light against a few items, to keep it angled onto the ceiling, reflecting light down on the rest of the store. Just enough to help people see better, but not well. Shortly, Davey was cranking on another light that Beaver had torn open. His little hand spinning fast and furious on the crank. Liking the idea, he returned to help crank up another light. Shortly, there were three lights giving enough light to help the others open the packages of the others and start loading a few batteries into headsets. Davey was given his choice of light to be his personal find. Davey chose crank up light with a radio in it.
Everyone smiled at his hope of getting music on it, someday.
"OK, everyone. New items for the list." Mart answered. "Rechargeable batteries. Small solar panels. Meanwhile, Beaver and I are going to check the back. Put everything into backpacks, duffles, anything that will carry AND CLOSE! We don't want people knowing what we are after, if they happen to see us."
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Post by bitsmith on Aug 6, 2017 13:18:40 GMT -6
Chapter 6
"Hey, Boss. Why the paranoia on people seeing what we get?" Beaver asked.
"OK. let me put it in really simple perspective, Beaver. How many bullets do you have in that gun of yours?" Mart asked very simply.
"14, with one in the pipe." Beaver answered. "And I have a second magazine in my belt."
"OK. So let's call it 30 rounds." Mart said. "I've got 15 total, for my .45. How can we hold off a crowd of people wanting to take what we have? And keep in mind what the Prez will do, if we let that kid get hurt."
"OK, Mart. I get it. Incognito mode." Beaver answered. "We need more guns and ammunition. Fast!"
"Yeap, that is pretty much why we are here, first. We may need to protect ourselves, if we find a good stash of food. And we have others to protect." Mart looked around in the storage room. "Damn. OK, people have already been through here, too. Find boots and running shoes. Put them in that big tub on rollers. Don't need the boxes. Just the shoes and sturdy boots. I'm going to check the office. I bet they kept spare ammunition in a safe of some kind. And be careful." Mart watched as Beaver's head lamp bobbed up and down with his nodding.
Mart went in search of the office. Instead, he found a large vault. The size of a walk in freezer in a restaurant. Someone had already attacked it with various pry bars and hammers, still scattered about. 'Damn! I wish we had a radio. I bet that Dan guy would know a way in.' Mart thought.
"Hey, Mart!" Davey asked from behind. "I sat down for a minute and found a radion station. Wanna hear it?"
Sitting to think on the situation, Mart answered half minded. "Sure, kid. Let's hear what you got."
Davey sat beside Mart, cranking furiously on the little box. "Kill the light, Davey, and the radio will probably last longer." Smiling, Davey did as he was told, then flipped another switch.
"... an hear me. I'm in need of help. I'm a disabled veteran, wheelchair bound. I've not eaten in 3 days and ran out of water, yesterday. My wheelchair is electric and dead. If anyone can hear me, I'm ... damn. How can I get help without telling my address and bringing a danger to myself? Is there anyone listening on this frequency?" The signal stopped.
"Mart? Can we help him?" Davey asked.
"I don't know, kid. It depends upon where he is. We may need to get back to the store, before we can go anywhere. In fact we will have to, because I can't take you into an unknown situation." Mart answered. "But I want to help that guy. It must really suck to be stuck in a wheelchair, like that."
"Is anyone listening? This is Marine Corporal Donald Harris. I have not eaten in three days. My water ran out yesterday. I am near the intersection of 61st St and Memorial Avenue in Tulsa. Can anyone hear me? Please respond."
"OK. That answers that question, Davey. He is all the way up in Tulsa. We have no way to call anyone up there to help him." Mart answered. "And even if we did, we have no way to talk to him, to get a more exact location."
"Corporal Harris. This is Michael Benson of the Tulsa Amateur Radio club. I know another HAM in your area. He is on 2 meters. Do you have a 2 meter radio?"
"Benson, this is Harris. Yes, I do. But I need a few minutes to get switched to it. What frequency should I find you on?"
"146.520, simplex. See you there, Corporal." came back through the radio.
"It sounds like he is going to get the help he needs, Davey." Mart said. "Go back to the main floor and tell everyone to look for little radios and more batteries to operate them. We need to be able to communicate. With radios like that, we can have someone outside watching to make sure we don't get hit from a blind side."
"OK, Mart!" Davey said, excited. "This is so cool! Thanks for letting me come with you."
"Thanks for bringing us here, kid."
-----
"Excuse me?" a young man interrupted Dave and his musing. "My father said you had a radio you needed setup?"
"Huh? Radio?" Dave asked as he was getting his mind on the same track as the young man. "Oh yes! Radio. I'm sorry my mind was elsewhere. Yes. We have a radio at the front desk. But I don't think it is working. Can you check on it, please? We would like to tell trucks and others we are here and open for business. Let Beth know anything you need. She will help you get it."
"OK. I will."
"Oh, and uh, Thanks for doing this."
"My pleasure. I like working on radios. I will get you working."
Dave nodded, giving the young man a weak smile.
"Pardon me for asking, but are you OK?" he asked.
"I've taken on a load I'm not sure I'm prepared for." Dave answered. "A good friend of mine, a man who saved my life several times, asked me to leave the rogue outlaw life that I know and to do this. He believes in me. But I do not know what I'm doing. I'm just 'winging it'. And I'm afraid, if I'm not more careful, I'm going to get someone killed."
"Give it up." he said.
"Huh? Give up what?" Dave asked, surprised by the question.
"Give up what you can not control. Don't worry about what is beyond your control. Give it up. Give it to God. He will guide if you, just ask him to."
"Thanks, but, I'm really not the church going type. As I said, I've been an outlaw most all my life. I don't know how to do this legit stuff." Dave answered, "especially in a screwed up world like we have, now. That is part of why I want the radio set up. I need to be able to call my friend and get his guidance. This is all his big idea."
"Is it really his idea?" the young man asked. "Or is maybe an idea given to him to give to you?"
"hehahahehhaeh! Man, if you knew Dan, you would know that is far from the reality of things. He is a pagan, first off. And a spy. And the baddest badass I have ever known. And I've known many. And on top of that, he is just super smart." Dave laughed.
"Does he make mistakes?"
"Well, yeah. He is only human."
"Right. You are, too."
Dave sat there a moment, letting that sink in.
"I'm sure your friend will be happy with you, if he knows you gave your very best to what he asked of you. If he is as smart as you believe him to be, he knows you will stumble. You will make mistakes. Just try to make your mistakes on little things, that won't cost people their lives. I think that is the best you can do, right? "
"Yeah. I guess it is."
"See? That is what happens when you give up trying to control the big things beyond your control."
"Thanks, young man." Dave said. "I'm Dave."
"I'm Yoseph, Dave. Nice to meet you." Yoseph said, shaking hands. "Now, if you will excuse me, let's try to get your radio working."
Dave nodded as the young man walked away, feeling better about what he was doing. He went to his office and started going through the inventory. After a bit, he started adding notes to a pad of paper on the desk. An ongoing list of things he needed for the safe stop. The office was small, cramped and hot, with no air flow. When he noticed he was dripping water off his forehead onto the pat of nores, he decided it was time to get some fresh air.
Taking a walk out the back door, he saw Saul and his crew gathered together, with their vehicles in a semi-circle. Dave watched as four more vehicles arrived, each pulling a travel trailer. Dave now understood what Saul meant when he said the other vehicles were pulling their households. Each was pulled in, expertly, completing the circle, cutting off Dave's view.
Carrie was in the field behind her trailer home, watching a backhoe operator dig trenches and deeper holes for septic tanks. Seeing Dave, she waived and started running to him.
As she got closer, he saw her pigtails bobbing and swaying as she ran up to him.
"Dave! Dave!" she called out. "I'm glad I saw you! Do you know of a nursery near here? The kind that would have trees?"
"I don't know of one. But I'm sure in a city of this size there has to be a few. Why do you ask?"
"Because I want us to put trees at the end of the leach lines. Fruit bearing trees won't make us sick from the waste water, according to Stan."
"OK. Slow down. Who is Stan?" Dave asked.
"He's the guy running the backhoe. I was talking with him and he commented how the winter winds out here, will blow cold in from the north and west. He was saying to plant pine trees and those really tall shrubs to block the winds near our trailers. And fruit trees on this side, to block the summer sun, but let it through in the winter."
"I like that idea, Carrie. Get the phone book from the front desk and get me some addresses to have the guys go check out. I will put it on the schedule of places to go."
"Thanks, Dave!" She said, as she jumped into his arms, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. Just a Robbie was getting back with a load of water containers. Robbie was able to see Dave pushing her away, gently.
"Carrie, don't do that." Dave said. "Your father is already really worried about you and I don't want any problems with him. He's a really nice guy and is sincerely concerned about you."
"What did I do wrong, Dave?" Carrie asked.
"Nothing, Carrie. Honestly, nothing. But those displays of affection should really be saved for your father. I'm just your boss. So, get back to work, OK? I want to know where those tanks are, so we don't damage them bringing in new mobile homes."
"Ok, Dave." Carrie said. "I'm sorry. I thought we were friends."
"I know, kid." Dave said. "But right now, let's all concentrate on surviving, OK? You can trust me to do what is right by you and your family. Let's hold off on the friendship for a while, OK? We need to build trust, before we build friendship."
"What? You don't trust me?" Carrie asked, starting to cry.
"Carrie, you should not be trusting me. I'm a felon. The leader of an outlaw motorcycle club. My men here, all of us, are convicts. I just don't want you getting hurt. And I don't want you father getting the wrong idea and getting hurt or hurting one of my guys. Get it? Just give it time, Carrie."
"oh." she said. "I did not know."
"Well, now you do. " Dave said. "And now you understand why your father is so worried about you and your brother around us."
"Yeah. I see why he would be." Carrie said. "I was just thinking you guys were like family, already. I mean Hammer could be my uncle! His sister might be my mom."
"I know." Dave said. "Oh, by the way, Beth has some tubs for you guys to use, moving your personal stuff from your house to here, tonight. You might want to collect them over your at your trailer."
Dave turned and walked away, knowing he had just hurt the girl. As he turned the corner, he bumped into Yoseph. "I guess you heard all of that?"
"Yes, Dave, I did." Yoseph admitted. "I'm sorry for eaves dropping. I turned the corner and saw you talking with her. It looked personal, so I ducked back around the corner to give you privacy."
"Thanks for that." Dave said. "Do me a favor, remember what you heard and saw."
"You were right, Dave." Yoseph said. "Trust takes time to build. And you do not need personal problems with her father getting in the way of building that trust."
Dave just nodded.
"Oh, and your radios are working. I disabled the ability to transmit from the majority of them, by taking the microphones off. But they can still listen." Yoseph said. "And I think you may want to get a HAM radio set, too. CB's are OK, but HAM radios can reach farther and have a broader frequency range."
Dave again just nodded to the young man as he turned to walk away. Realizing that he was starting to care for people outside of the club family. And it was dangerous to him and to them.
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Post by 9idrr on Aug 6, 2017 14:10:01 GMT -6
Thanks for the two chapters. Nice to find them today. BTW, in a couple of place you've used the word waived where you might've meant to use waved.
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Post by bitsmith on Aug 6, 2017 20:03:13 GMT -6
Chapter 7
Dave entered the store, hoping to avoid Yoseph, Robbie and Carrie. Those two were going to be a boiling pot, soon, if he did not find a way to handle them both.
"Beth?" Dave called out. "Have those kids returned with the addresses for water delivery?"
No answer. Dave immediately was on alert. It was not like Beth to leave the store. And she had a pistol she could shoot well enough, too.
Dave continued into the store area, looking for Beth. Checking behind the counter of the raised pay stand, Dave looked outside to see Beth, Robbie and a few others being held at gunpoint by a band of 5 or 6 thugs. Grabbing the pistol from under the counter, Dave ducked and returned to his office for the rifle they had found stashed away. It was an old Mosin-Nagant, bolt action and the ammo was huge. Slinging it over a shoulder, Dave went back out the back door and up the ladder to the roof. Crawling to the front of the store, Dave was able to take aim on the men holding Beth, Robbie and the others.
"Turn on the pumps, man!" one of the punks was yelling at Robbie.
"I don't know how! I told you that, already." Robbie screamed as the brute pulled harder on his hair.
"We can't!" Beth screamed. "There's not enough power to run the pumps and the computers that control them!" Another punk punched her in the face. Beth went limp.
Taking careful aim, Dave rested the rifle on a pipe sticking out from the side of an air conditioner unit. He tried to hold the rifle steady, but was having a hard time as his breathing was rapid and erratic. Then Carrie came around the corner.
"DAD!" she screamed. Everyone looked to her. Dave fired the rifle, unprepared for the kick and the noise. That huge cartridge sounded like a canon going off. One of the punks fell to the ground. His left shoulder just gone, along with part of his chest. Ducking back around the air conditioner, Dave cycled the bolt, putting another cartridge in the chamber.
'What would Dan do?' Dave asked himself. "How the hell would I know? I'm no spy!" Dave whispered angrily to himself. "OK. That is a loud shot. Dan would move, so they could not pin down where it came from." He again whispered as the punks were shouting amongst themselves and checking on their down friend. The one that punched Beth started marching for Carrie. She was terrified, frozen in place. Saul and his family were screaming at her to run, but she did not move. She just called for her father to help her. Robbie was screaming for her to run, but it was too late. The punk was already on her. Dave moved, there was no way he could hit that punk on Carrie without hitting her, too. Dave moved to another big box on the roof, taking careful aim, this time standing up, leaning over the box, using it for support of the long, heavy rifle. His breathing was no longer rapid. The sights were rock solid as he sighted in on the man standing behind Robbie. 'Good thing you are on your knees, Robbie' Dave thought to himself. Another huge bang, as the rifle again went off. As if in slow motion, Dave saw the bullet enter the dumb shit's chest, just below the collar bone. His body just collapsed.
Robbie realizing what had happened, grabbed up the knife in the dead punks hand, sprinting for his daughter and the punk on top of her, fighting her. Dave cycled the rifle, again, aiming for the punk taking aim on Robbie. Both guns went off at the same time. Robbie went down a half step after the scum bag who shot him. The other two dropped their guns and took off running. Robbie got back up, trying to get to his daughter. He managed to get three more steps, before he fell, knife first, into the back of the guy trying to rape his daughter, there on the pavement of the SafeStop.
Just as the guy arched up from the knife in his back, his jaw was knocked clean off his face by a tire iron swung by Saul's hand.
Dave stood up, just in time to see the mouthy kid on the bicycle take off on his bike. Dave cycled the rifle, again, taking careful aim ... but could not pull the trigger. He was just a kid.
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"Yoseph!" Saul called, "Get on the radio. Try to get some police out here. Maybe a medical team of some kind." Dave watched from the roof, as Yoseph ran inside the store. Saul's wife was looking after Robbie. Another young woman, possibly one of Saul's daughters was holding Carrie, as she screamed and cried. Together they walked over to the water station where she started washing the blood of the dead creep from Carrie.
"Who shot them?" Saul called out. "Did anyone see where the shots came from? Are we still in danger?"
"I shot them," Dave answered, causing everyone to look up. "Clutch! Mercy! Go check those vehicles for supplies, weapons, and ammo. Saul, can you send one of your people to go ask Stan to dig a grave for three?"
Looking around, Saul nodded to one of the young men with him. The young man went sprinting for the backhoe operator.
Dave climbed down the ladder. Clutch met him at the bottom. "Boss, one of those Jeeps is toast. You put a bullet through the radiator. It is leaking oil and water. We got it emptied. Where can we stash the other two, before the police get here?"
Looking to Saul, Dave said, "Put them in the far, empty bay of the shop. Cover them, if you can."
As Dave got to the corner of the building, he could see the punk with no jaw was still alive, barely. He was literally drowning in his own blood, with his tongue flopping about. Looking him in the eyes, Dave knelt beside him. Talking gently, Dave held his head still so he could see no one else. "You piece of filth. That is not how you treat women. I would put a bullet in your head, but you don't deserve the mercy of such a quick death." Dave was quick enough to move to the side, just as Carrie's booted foot kicked the head like it was a soccer ball. She was screaming and stomping on the face when the police arrived with an ambulance. Saul's wife got her calmed down before the police could shoot her, too. Everyone put their weapons down. Dave and the other bikers just laid down on the ground, ankles crossed, hands behind their backs. They all knew the drill.
The paramedics were divided between Robbie and his daughter Carrie. Robbie was refusing and fighting against the paramedics, demanding they see to his daughter, first. Finally, he calmed down when he saw Carrie collapse to her knees into the arms of Saul's wife and daughter.
Dave and his men just stayed on the ground, cuffed and silent, as Saul explained what happened.
"You got lucky, sir." Dave heard one of the medics tell Robbie. "It was a clean shot, through and through. No bone or major vessel damage. Just some serious muscle damage in your thigh. We will have a doctor come by tomorrow to follow up on you. I hope you have a way to pay him."
A pair of black patent leather boots were in Dave's face. "I don't like you, biker scum." came the dark voice. "You filth always bring trouble. I have to release you because it was clear you were defending yourself. Where are the guns they were using to hold your people?"
Dave tried to look up at the cop. "The other two, the two that got away. They must have picked them up. Or maybe it was the kid on the bicycle? I don't know. I was busy worried about the girl."
The cop watched as a pickup with a trailer went by on the road. After standing there a moment, Big Boots ordered they be released. "As convicted felons, you are not allowed to have firearms. These are forfeited under the civil forfeiture laws. If I had the time and the resources, I would run you all in for this. Do yourself a favor. Get out of my town. You are not welcome here."
-----
Sitting in the dark of the storage area in the sports store, Mart sat staring at the safe. Two of his guys were tearing apart the office, methodically looking for the key. But to Mart it was torture. He had an idea. Barely. He was trying to remember something he had been told once about how to open a safe in an emergency. He did not believe it when he was told. Somehow the steel of the safe was burnt. He just could not remember it. Getting up, he walked out into the store. Looking for books, any books on survival.
Davey sat in the chair of the office, holding a small key that would not fit the safe. Beaver getting upset at not finding anything, knocked the chair over, dumping Davey onto the ground. As the chair started to fall on top of him, Davey kept rolling, under the desk that was attached to the wall.
"Damn, kid!" Beaver shouted. "I'm sorry about that. Are you OK?"
"Yeah, I'm OK," Davey said looking about, from a different perspective. Rolling over onto his hands and knees, Davey put the key between his lips and started crawling out from under the desk. His light shown on Beaver's feet, as he stepped away. "Stop!" Davey yelled. "Look at your feet! The floor moved under your foot!" Looking down, Beaver saw what the kid meant. The floor was bowed a little, showing a corner sticking up.
"Alright!" Beaver shouted, as moved the chair out of the office. "Let's see what you found, kid." Shortly, the floor panel was removed to reveal a floor safe. Davey's key opened it. Inside was a much larger key. Beaver pulled it out, handing it to Davey. "You found it, you get to test it."
Smiling Davey took the key, ran to the safe. He waited until Beaver was with him. Beaver's head lamp lit the safe face, as Davey put the key in. It turned, but only part way.
"Hang here, kid. Let me get Mart. He's smarter than me on this stuff."
Davey kept trying the key. He moved the large spoke handle that pulls the bolts back and the key moved further until is clicked. Davey spun the large spoke handles around three times before they came to a stop. He was tugging and pulling with all his weight, but the door just would not open for him.
Mart and Beaver returned with the other two. "Good job, kid. Let us give that a try?" Mart asked, gently, seeing how hard the little guy was trying to open the safe.
Disappointed, Davey steps back as Mart started looking over the safe. The door was slightly skewed and damaged from previous attempts to open it. Looking for the crack of the door, he could see that one of the upper bolts had not retracted. He spun the handle all the way through a full cycle, seeing the bolt move, but not fully retract.
"Hammer, you are the biggest of us. There is a bolt here, that is not retracting fully. I think the way the door is slightly bent is why. Can you use that sledge and hit, right here?" Mart asked, marking a spot with his finger.
"I can do my best. But it would be easier if there was actually something to see there." Hammer said.
"I think I can help with that, Hammer. Hang on a second." Steve said as he ran out of the store room.
They all looked at each other with a 'what the hell?' expression. Steve returned shortly with a label gun. The bright orange sticker was the perfect target for Hammer. Once the spot was labeled, everyone stood back, as Hammer picked up the sledge. With a mighty swing, Hammer made a solid contact with the face of the safe. Unfortunately, it was two inches low. Again he lifted the sledge, lifting it, turning his torso to maximize the travel of the head. Another solid hit, right on target, left everyone covering their ears as the safe made a loud noise.
Looking closely, Mart saw that the bolt had moved, just a little bit. "Do it again, Hammer. That was the spot."
Steve put a new sticker on the door.
Hammer set his feet, again. Pulling the sledge up in his large hands, he twisted his whole body, again. Pausing a moment, he took a deep breath letting it out with a grunt as he again hit the target with another solid thud.
Again, Mart checked the bolt. "Hammer, come look at this! The bolt has a bevel."
"Yeah, I see it. A couple more hits and we should be clear."
When they cleared out of the way, Steve put another sticker in place. They all watched, intently, as Hammer wound up, again. This time, was different, though. Hammer recoiled the sledge, swinging again and again. Four rapid blows. Mart stepping up to him, to stop a fifth hit as the door was partially open.
"Good job, Hammer!" Mart said. "And good job to Davey, too!"
Once the safe was open, they all were anxious to look inside. But Mart was in the way, handing things out to them to set aside. Mart was surprised at some of the stuff he found inside. Some video tapes and an external hard drive. He handed Davey a Crown Royal bag that was heavy. "Here, Davey. Inventory this for me. I think its small pieces are just the right size for your hands."
Davey took the bag to the side, being careful not to spill it, he opened it to find coins. Money. Leaving it where it was on a box, he returned back to the safe. "It's just a bunch of old coins, Mart. Prez said money was no good to us, anymore." They all looked at each other, as Davey used the familiar term for their leader, smiling.
"How old, Davey? Paper money is no good to us. But old coins might be. They could be made of silver. That makes them valuable. Take a closer look for the years. If they are older than 1964, they are good for us." Mart answered back as he handed boxes of ammo to Steve.
Several minutes later, Davey was only a third of the way through the money bag, when Mart interrupted.
"OK, guys. I think that is it. Let's get out of here. Davey, pack that up. Let's get back to the store. The Prez will want to see what we have. You can do a proper inventory, when we get there, Alright?"
With a sigh, Davey started putting the coins back into the bag. "Yeah, sure, Mart."
They all carried stuff out to the trailer. Even Davey was carrying ball bats, boots, and shoes to the truck. Soon they were all on their way. Mart and Hammer standing in the bed, with Davey between them. As they were getting off the interstate, Mart and Hammer both saw the police cars, ambulance, and flashing lights. Hammer knelt down to Davey, turning him away from seeing the SafeStop.
"You know, kid. You are pretty sharp. Calling you Davey really does not match up with how smart you are. And 'kid' ... well, some people just won't think much of that. We need to get you a biker name. An MC name. Now you think on it, alright. Usually, the club chooses a name for new members when they become a member. But I think, for now, we will call you 'Prospect'."
"Yeah!" Davey shouted with laughter. "What does 'Prospect' mean?"
As they continued past the SafeStop, Hammer kept Davey's attention elsewhere, explaining how a prospect is a probationary member. They are given a vest with the club colors on it, a rocker that labels them as a prospect. And they have to be very good at being a prospect if they want to earn full membership.
As they turned a corner, away from the SafeStop, Mart turned him around. "You see, we use a point system. Each day you show you can be a good member, you get a point. Any time you make a mistake or show you are not a good member, you lose a point. When you get 100 points, then you are a full member. But with you being a little guy, we will have to come up with some other tests for you. You are a bit small to be riding a motorcycle. So, we will have to find something special, just for you. But right now, we are going to make a pit stop at the trailer houses. I want to take a look to see which one of them I might want for myself."
Davey sat down on the spare tire he had been standing on, to think about a name for himself. Mart and Hammer just looked at each other, uncertain about what they had seen and when they should return. With small motions and facial expressions, it was agreed to spend an hour or so, with the mobile homes, then try the SafeStop, again.
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Post by gipsy on Aug 9, 2017 7:58:51 GMT -6
Nice to see where the law stands, now we need to change their mind.
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Post by bitsmith on Aug 20, 2017 7:21:08 GMT -6
Chapter 8
"Saul" Dave said, as he approached the collection of vehicles. Immediately, Saul stood, aknowledging the guest. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner. I just wanted to catch you all, together. Thank you. Thank you, all, for your help, earlier. If not for you, I'm afraid things would have been much worse."
"Dave, I will tell you, I did not even think. I just reacted. I killed a man, today. That is something I have have never had to do, nor imagined I would ever need to do." Saul said. "May God have mercy upon me. I beleive I did what was right, at that moment."
"Saul!" his wife barked. "You saved that young woman. Not just her innocense, but probably her life. You stopped a murder!"
Saul replied in a language Dave did not know.
"Seriously, Saul," Dave interrupted. "Thank you." Turning, Dave nodded to Saul's wife, "And thank you, as well, ma'am. You helped a lot in keeping that girl calm."
Both just nodded, before Dave nodded to each of thsoe gathered for the family meeting.
"Dave?" Saul called, as Dave was some steps away. "I understand you want to open more than one of these SafeStops?"
"Yeah. I've got crews checking on other suitable places." Dave answered.
"I want to franchise, as well." Saul stated. "Let me know, when you are ready to open another. I will send one of my crews with you."
Dave smiled, shaking Saul's offered hand. "That makes me very happy to hear, Saul. Thank you."
"But, I do need to ask a favor of you, Dave." Saul stated.
"Anything I can deliver, Saul, I will do."
"I need a synagogue. Preferably one with a rabbi present." Saul answered.
"OK, Saul. I will see what we can find."
"I'm willing to bet one of those police officers would knwo where to find one or both."
"I will look into it, Saul." Dave said. "Give me a couple of days?"
Saul nodded and smiled.
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"Hey, Dave!" Beth called from the sales counter of the SafeStop. "I've got a truck near Yukon on the radio. He needs help! Marauders!"
"Sound the alarm, Beth!"
Beth tripped the fire alarm for the SafeStop, kicking claxxons sounding all over the place. Every biker present grabbed their gear, their guns and jumped on their bikes.
Dave was the first to pull out, all others followed him. One of the bikers jumped in a huge tow truck, taking off after them.
"SafeStopOne, this is Tow One. We are on the highway and passing I44. Do you have any landmarks for this truck?"
"All he told me was that he was between El Reno and Yukon." Beth called back. "He thinks he is closer to El Reno, than Yukon."
Carrie and Robbie listened, intently to the static, waiting to hear anything, until Beth changed channels on the radio.
"This is SafeStop One, on the East side of OKC. Are there any Law Enforcement officers listening?"
"Go ahead, SafeStop, this is Lt. McAndrews, of the State Police." came an almost immediate reply.
"I've got guys responding to a call for assistance from a semi between El Reno and Yukon." Beth announced. "He is on Channel 19 calling for help."
"Understood, SafeStop. Switching to 19."
Beth changed channels, again. "Tow One, be aware, Oklahoma State Police have been notified."
"Tow One?" came McAndrews voice. "Where are you and how are you responding?"
"Ma'am, I'm driving a huge tow truck. The kind used to recover semi's with trailer." Baron replied. "I'm following 6 brother motorcyclists, responding to the call. We are on the way to HELP, ma'am."
"As civilians, you should not be responding, unless we call you, first." McAndrews stated, flatly.
"Then get in front of us, and lead the way, ma'am." Baron shot back. "We are here to help."
"I will be there, as quickly as I can be." she radioed back. "And for Christ's sake, be careful!"
Just a few very short minutes later, Dave called for a halt of the group. The semi tractor was disconnected from the tanker trailer, with the trailer's front end on the ground. The tractor was smoking and at an odd angle on road. Someone was connecting a hose the to tanker as everyone else appeard to be watching and guarding. As Dave was evaluating the situation, State Trooper McAndrews pulled up, stopping near him. One of Saul's vehicles was right behind her with Yoseph and another young man stepping down.
"I count 6 armed bikers and 5 others from that pick-up." Dave said, pointing.
"Anything from the driver?" McAndrews asked. Dave shook his head.
"I don't like going down into that, without any cover."
"We can provide cover." Yoseph stated. "Our vehicle is heavily armored. If they are not shooting 20mm anti-aircraft or larger rounds, we can get you right in the middle of them."
"This might work." Dave said, seeing an alternative. "Brody, check on that driver! If he is there, tell him to get down, but to stay IN the rig, if he can. Ma'am, you follow right behind Yoseph. Yoseph, ram your way in. I need you to take out that pick-up. The rest of us ... we are going to cross over, try to come at them, from the other side. They just cleared that little bridge, but that will be enough of a bottle neck to help keep them contained. And remember, everyone, Their lives are not as valuable to you, as yours is. No unnecessary risks. Nice and easy. Watch where you shoot."
McAndrews started to argue, but Dave was already walking away, as was everyone else. With no options, she got in her car, following right on the rear of Yoseph, who sped away from her, just a few seconds, before impacting the pick-up. She watched as Dave and the others on bikes sped past the scene on the other side. Brody was short distance behind her, pulling in a way to shelter the semi tractor.
Brody was out, climbing into the tractor, to check on the driver when he was grazed on the upper arm. McAndrews was chasing a man with her pistol, until he turned to face her. He lifted a gun to point it at her, just before he fell. Before recovering fully from the recoil of her pistol, she was taking sight on the next to have jumped from the pick-up. Yoseph backed his rig off of the pick-up, moved over to protect the tanker from stray bullets. Most of the marauders were leaving on their bikes, just as Dave and the others came roaring in, shooting and driving them back towards McAndrews.
The last 6 marauders gathered together, throwing their weapons down. With an apparent practiced ease, Dave and his bikers surrounded the 6, keeping them covered as McAndrews waded inside the circle of bikes.
"Who will speak for you?" she asked, full authority in her voice. No one answered.
"I will speak against them!" came a voice from behind, as Yoseph was helping the semi driver limp up to them. "I was trying to make it to the SafeStop, when I was attacked by these hooligans! They wanted my load."
"What are you hauling, driver?" Dave asked.
"Half of my tanker is gas. The other half is truck diesel." he said.
"Thank you. Please, take a seat over there and I will get your statement, shortly." McAndrews stated, before reaching to her lapel microphone. "Headquarters, this is McAndrews. I need a wagon for 6 plus medical support." The reply was not heard by all.
Dave left the 6 with McAndrews and some of his men. "Driver? Do you think you can move your rig out of the way, for my wrecker to lift the front of your tanker? Maybe we can get you hooked back up."
"I'm banged up pretty bad. My head got knocked around a bit. I'm a little unsteady. Give me a few minutes and I probably can."
"Good enough." Dave said, nodding to Yoseph, as he went to check on Brody. "How are you doing, Brody?"
"Not good, Prez. I took a shot. Just a graze, but damn does it hurt!" Brody answered. "I could realy use a few pain pills, boss. But I will keep to me word. I promised to stay off of them. And I will."
"Good man, Brody." Dave said, understanding the man's predicament of addiction versus need. "Can you still operate the tow truck?"
"Sure, boss." Brody answered, smiling. "I was thinking about using the wheel lift to lift the front end of that tanker high enough to get it's legs under it. Then the driver should be able to just back in and go."
"I was hoping it would be that easy, Brody."
Laughing, Brody answered, "But it never is, Boss."
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Post by papaof2 on Aug 20, 2017 19:08:53 GMT -6
Things rarely fall into the "easy" category. Good update.
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Post by udwe on Aug 20, 2017 21:46:18 GMT -6
Please don't leave us hanging!!!!!!!!!
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Post by bitsmith on Sept 17, 2017 8:47:41 GMT -6
Sorry for the delay, folks. Life is often stranger than fiction and tends to get in the way of hobbies.
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Post by bitsmith on Sept 17, 2017 9:42:05 GMT -6
Chapter 9
"Beth?" Beaver called as he entered the store.
"Back here, Beaver!" she called out from the one of the cooler doors.
"What are you doing, in there?"
"Cleaning. Someone left some opened packages in here, and they spoilt." Beth answered. "I will be very happy, when we can get these turned back on. It will be nice to be able to store produce and such."
"Yeah. Right." Beaver responded. "We drove by, earlier. Kept going when we saw the police. What happened?"
"Dave will tell you, himself. He's around here, somewhere."
"Is it safe to bring the kid and the stuff we got from the sports store?"
"Dave said he wanted it unloaded in one of the bays of the shop. Wants to use some of that as warehouse." Beth answered. "So, yeah, I would bring the kid back. But we need to keep him away from his Dad and sister for a bit."
Perplexed, Beaver agreed to keep Davey from his family. Unloading the trailer and counting those coins would be good way to do that.
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"Here we go, Prospect!" Hammer called out from the back of the truck. "Time to get back to work."
"Yes, sir!" Davey asnwered back. "What do I need to do?"
"Let's start by emptying this trailer. Then we need to inventory everything. Beaver and Steve will help us unload the trailer. But you and I will do the inventory. We have a lot to do, so let's get busy with it!"
"Will Mart be helping, too?"
"Prospect, what the VP is doing is not your concern. If he joins us, it will be because he thought this was important enough to spend his time on. I'm sure there is other club business he needs to look into." Hammer answered, tursely. Seeing Davey was upset by the change in attitude, he softened his tone. "Davey, that is part of being a Prospect. Showing respect and honoring the privacy of our leadership as they do what they need to do to help take care of us all. I know you want to do bigger, more important things. But this is where you start, to earn the trust needed to do those things. So ... let's get this started so we can finish sooner, OK?"
"Right, Hammer." Davey agreed. "But I need to use the bathroom and I'm hungry. Can someone bring us something?"
"Let's find the radios and batteries. When the unloading is done, Beaver and Steve can pass out some radios and we can ask about lunch."
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"Beth? This is Dave." the radio crackled.
"Beth at SafeStop, what's up, Dave?"
"We are 5 minutes out." Dave answered. "Get everyone out and on guard. Also, get us medical support."
"Will do, Dave." Beth answered, as she tripped the notification alarm in short bursts. Everyone came running to the store, including Davey and Hammer as well as Carrie and Robbie.
"Listen up, people!" Mart called out from the checkout counter. "The Prez and his team are roling in here, in 2 minutes with we don't know what. He called for guards and a medical team. We will be ready. Our newest Prospect and Hammer have radios to hand out. Everyone on channel 1, unless told otherwise. One radio per team of two. Pair up, people. Robbie, you are with me. Carrie, I need you in here with Beth. Prospect, I want you on the roof. of this building. Stay away from the edge. Take binoculars with you. Call out on teh radio, when you see them. They are supposed to be comming from that direction. MOVE!"
In the confusion, Davey handed out more radios than he should have and he did not have any left over to leave with Beth and Carrie. "Davey, listen to me." Mart interrupted Davey's search for a radio. "You get up on that roof and you stay there. You stay there until one of us calls you down. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Mart. But I don't have a radio for you or for Beth."
"That's fine, Davey." Mart said. "You get up on the roof. Be our eyes."
Davey tossed the duffel he and Hammer had carried the radios in, onto an empty shelf and ran out the door to the back of the building.
"Carrie? Listen to me." Mart started.
"Stop it, Mart. I have the girl." Beth interrupted.
Mart stopped, amazed at Beth's tone. "But, I ..."
"I. HAVE. THE. GIRL." Beth stated and punctuated each word, carefully and with precision. "I will keep her safe. Do YOU hear ME?"
Mart simply nodded and went to join Robbie. "And NO questions, until you speak with Dave!" Beth called out after him.
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Davey got to the roof, just in time to see the truck hitting the bottom of the exit ramp, being escorted by a police cruiser and followed by bikes.
"I'm sorry, Mart! I just got up here!" Davey called out on the radio. Mart turned and waved at him, then held a finger over his pursed lips.
As soon as the cop car, truck and the bikes were through the entrance, men stepped in place to block that entrance. Davey watched as that tanker was pulled in and smoothly parked at the edge of the fueling area. It dawned on him, what those disks in the cement were for. The truck was pulling a fuel tanker and it dumps the fuel into tanks underground, through those disks in the pavement. Davey watched as his Dad blocked the entrance with the water truck. About half of the men there, jumped up on the truck, taking up positions of elevation.
Davey continued to watch all that was happening. Mart pointing and waving at people. Those people running off to do something. Mart really did not need a radio. Finally, he got one, though, from one of the men on the back of Robbie's truck.
Another was given to Dave. "Listen up, everyone!" Dave called out. "We have a high value load, right here. Half this tanker is gasoline. The other half is diesel fuel. There are a lot of people out there in the city who want this fuel. And even more who need it. And far too many who believe they are deserving of it. Right now, the fuel belongs to the driver of this rig. No one else. We are to protect it and him. Period. Any questions?" silent pause "Good. Now keep this place locked down, while we figure out what to do next."
"OK, Mart. Where is that medic?" Dave asked as he started walking towards the cab of the tanker.
"On their way, Prez." was all that Mart could give him. Carefully, both men helped the driver down.
"Thank you, boys." he said. "Take what you feel you deserve for rescuing me. I'm not hauling like that, ever again. I'm done. I will get word to the refinery that I quit. If they want to be paid for this fuel, they can come get it, themselves!"
"Are you alright, though?" Dave asked. "You said you had been banged up. Are you hurt, though?"
Shaking both men off, he stood a bit taller. "I'm fine, son. It will take more than that to break me! I'm a veteran, ferChrit'sSake! I've been through worse!" As he took a step away from Dave and Mart, his knees went soft like noodles as he slowly started to sink to the ground, Dave and Mart each grabbed him under an arm, taking care to lay him on his back, gently. Dave noticed the driver's eyes were not focusing.
"Mart, I think he took a bad hit on his head. Get something to use as a pillow for his head, and something to elevate his feet. Maybe a blanket to cover him with."
"I've got all that in my cruiser." McAndrews stated as she turned back to her car. Davey could hear all her gear jangling as she started running. Everything had an odd quietness to it.
Davey heard a siren, so he started looking about. Once spotted, he opened the radio channel. "Mart! I see an ambulance! A couple of police cars and a big dark van! It says SWAT on the side of it!"
Everyone who heard Davey instantly got restless as danger was certainly on the way.
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Post by bitsmith on Sept 17, 2017 11:01:14 GMT -6
Chapter 10
McAndrews heard the announcement from Davey. Immediately, she got on her radio. "City police! City Police! This is Leiutenant McAndrews of the State Police. All is secure, at the Safe Stop. Acknowledge."
Silence from the radio.
"HQ! HQ! This is McAndrews at the Pilot station on the east side of town. I'm uncertain, but I believe we are about to be attacked by City Police elements. Please respond!"
"We hear you, McAndrews. Backup is 10 minutes out."
Dave heard the conversation, as he was standing ouside her cruiser.
"10 minutes?" Dave asked. "Then we better stall. Come with me, I have an idea."
"Robbie? Keep that truck in place! If anyone tells you to move it, just ask them, patiently, to wait for me to get there." Dave called into the radio. Robbie waved at Dave, as he turned the turck off, set the parking brake and got out of the cab. "All you men on the bed of truck. Holster your weapons. Do NOT provoke." Dave and McAndrews watched as each of them put away their weapons.
"Now what?" she asked.
"We wait." Dave said. "We wait until they get here. And we are slow about getting there. Slow to do anything they ask of us. Let's see to that driver, first. We can use that as an excuse for making them wait."
"You are sneaky."
"No, Ma'am." Dave answered. "When you live your life on the other side of the law you learn how to push back to control a situation, while letting others believe they have control. Work it from the backside, not right in their face. I'm thinking this is the same jackboot, here, earlier today. I bet he heard we had this tanker and is here to take a 'tax'. If not all of it. Either way, he's a bad cop. Bad cops I can deal with. But this one ... there is more to him, than that. He's a smart, bad cop. That makes him dangerous. And that makes him even more power hungry. And there is an environment I can work within."
"Here you go." McAndrews said, as she handed Mart a pillow. "Put that under his head. And have him take small sips of this water." Dave was putting a tool box under the driver's feet.
"Just stay here and rest, buddy."
"What's going on?" the driver asked, under Mart's restraining hand.
"I think we have some bad cops coming to take your tanker away." McAndrews answered. "But don't worry. I'm going to help keep that from happening. Where were you taking it, anyway?"
"I was supposed to go our as far as my tanks would take me, find someplace that was open, like this and sell it to them."
"What was the price?" Mart asked, seeing an opportunity.
"Two silver dimes per three gallons." he said.
"And you have how many gallons?"
"Close to 5 thousand each, gasoline and diesel."
"Prospect!" Mart called into his radio. "Take your radio to your sister. Have her take your place, then report to me, immediately. Hammer, report to me, as well."
"Mart?" Dave asked. "What are you thinking?"
"Dave, we found a bag of silver coins, earlier." Mart said. "The kid was supposed to count them. I need to know what he discovered."
"Now, driver, Shake my hand, with the understanding that as of this moment, you are in exclusive negotiations for ALL of your fuel and a continuing contract for escort services within 100 miles around our store. We will be the ONLY non-military station you deliver to, within that same 100 mile radius. We will escort you within and across that distance, for ... 5 cents silver per gallon." Mart said.
Shaking hands, the driver sealed the deal. "Leiutenant McAndrews, you just witnessed an agreement to be written, signed and notarized, as soon as we resolve this emergency."
"Driver, here, take this." Mart sais putting a silver dollar in the man's hand. "Consider this a partial down payment for the fuel. This is the legal stuff to keep the city from trying to take it."
"Done." the driver said. "But do you guys think you could put me in the cab of my truck? I would be much more comfortable in the sleeper. And ... Well, I have a surprise or two to keep anyone from taking the trailer. Just don't touch anything metal, without letting me power down, first."
"I think I like the way you think!" Dave said, as he offered the man his hand. "Let's get you into your cab. If any shooting starts, it's unlikely anyone will be wanting to shoot at the fuel everyone wants."
"I'm not sure that is legal and binding." McAndrews stated. "But I witnessed it. And, that should be enough, as it was an agreeable agreement between two private parties. But I need to ask, Driver, do you believe you have been coerced into making this agreement? Have you been promised anything or threatened in anyway?"
"Not by these men, Ma'am." the driver said. Then he stood straighter, again, cleared his throat, turned to face her. "Ma'am, I enter into this agreement of my own free will and as a representative of my employer."
"Good enough for me!" McAndrews said.
"Nice touch!" Dave said, just as Hammer and Davey were approaching.
"Prospect!" Mart said, as he turned to face them, while the driver was starting his rig. "I need you adn Hammer to get those coins. And we need their inventory written down."
"I made the list, already." Davey said, reaching into a pocket. "We had just over $500 dollars in old silver coins. Hammer says some of them may be worth more."
"Driver? 10000 gallons at 5 cents silver is about $500, right?" Mart asked.
"Sounds good to me!"
"Davey, go get those coins. Give them all, to this man, then get back up on that roof. You understand me?"
"Yes, Mart!"
"Hammer, keep him and his sister safe." Dave interupted. "Also, check on Saul and his family. Tell them to stay inside and out of the way."
"Who is 'Saul and family'?" McAndrews asked.
"Good people looking to rent the shop area and turn wrenches for a living." Dave answered. "By the way, do you know of a synagogue with a rabbi in residence? Saul needs one."
"I can check into that, later." she said. "But I think we are going to be called to the gate, any moment. Those SWAT boys are looking ready."
"Hey, Prez!" came the radio call. "We have guests at the gate asking to speak with you."
"Thanks!" Dave called back, via the radio. "Trooper McAndrews and I will be there in just a few moments."
"Now, McAndrews, I would hate for you to have to lie to your fellow law enforement officers and agents." Dave said. "Given our experience this morning on the highway, I would like to offer the local State Police services gas at 10 cents, silver and diesel at 11.5 cents silver. There we have opened communications and you are going to report this to your superiors whom you expect will be out in a few days to negotiate further."
"But ... I know what you are paying for that fuel. And your prices are high, considering what you pay."
"What I charge covers what I pay, the escort costs, local distribution costs and probably some very stiff taxes and other grafts. I expect to make maybe 1/10th of a sliver cent on any fuel I sell."
"Oh. I see what you mean." McAndrews stated. "Should we really be walking this slowly?"
"Well, I honestly would rather walk slower. Like right now, we need to stop, turn to each other. I waive my arms about a bit. You shake your head side to side in disagreement. I laugh like this ... HAHAHA! and now we turn again, and start walking back to the gate."
"Dave? This is Carrie! We have two more police cars coming on the side road."
"I hope those are my people." McAndrews says.
"What color are the cars, Carrie?" Dave asks back.
"Black sides, brown top sides." She says.
"Attention everyone!" Dave calls out, looking straight into McAndrews face. "The state troopers are to be let in at the truck entrance."
"This is McAndrews. Who is approaching the Petro Station on Martin Luther at I40?"
"Mac? This is Henderson. What is going on?"
"Henderson, Use the truck entrance north of the city police and SWAT vehicles."
"Roger that. North truck entrance. And did you say SWAT?"
"Yes, I did. And I have been offered a fair and reasonable price for a fuel contract. We need to get the commander out here to discuss it with the business owner."
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Post by pbbrown0 on Sept 17, 2017 12:15:34 GMT -6
Thank you for the update. Great chapter! I like the way you think.
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Post by bitsmith on Sept 17, 2017 13:06:27 GMT -6
Chapter 11
"Hammer?" Davey asked the big man helping him collect the coins. "What is going on?"
"I'm not sure, Prospect." Hammer answered. "But I do not that the Prez and Mart asked us to do something. And we are going to do it. We need to get busy with it."
"OK." Davey answered. "Mart and Dave were scared, weren't they?"
"More like worried. A lot of unexpected stuff happening real fast together." Hammer said.
"You are worried, too?"
"Yeah, I am. I'm worried that someone is going to get hurt. Too many people we don't know and don't have trust with. We con't knwo how those state troopers are going to respond. We don't know how they are going to help with the city police. We just don't know enough."
"So ... we just follow Dave?" The young boy asked. "Even though we kknow he is worried and does not know what to do?"
"Oh, he knows what to do, that is why we follow him." Hammer said.
"But if he is worried about not knowing so many people, how will he know what to do and when?"
"That's the point, kid." Hammer said, stopping to look the boy in the eye. "We trust that the Prez will know what to do, when it is time to do anything. We follow knowing that he will do everything he can to keep us all whole."
-----
"So, do we start walking back towards the front gate?" McAndrews asked.
"No, I think we make nice with your friends, first." Dave answered. "I see Mart is already greeting them and sending them this way."
"Henderson will be the tall one. It will look like he unfolds himself, when he stands out of his car." McAndrews said. "He's my superior and a good man. I believe he will help keep this from escallating."
"Whoever is in charge in there. You have ten seconds to get this vehicle out of our way." Came an announcement from a city police car PA system.
"Robbie?" Dave called over the radio. "Do you have one of those police officers near you?"
"Yeah, I do."
"what does he look like? High boots, that come way up the leg?"
"Yes. That is him."
"OK. Does he have anyone else with him, that you can speak with?"
"Oh ...yeah. I think so." Robbie answered.
"OK, turn to the other one. Hand him the radio. Explain that I will speak with him, but not the other one, because of a ... misunderstanding earlier this morning."
"He heard you. He nodded until the ... jerk told him he would do no such thing."
"Then stand your ground. This is provate property. They have no warrant to enter. State Police are here. Keep them out. Invite them to let the medics through. Our injured are not in a life threatening condition. Naturally, the sooner they are seen, the better, but a few more minutes is not likely to kill anyone." Dave paused a moment, before continuing. "Mart can you take the front gate? I need to finish negotiations with the state troopers."
Mart waived as he was approaching, then changed course heading for the front gate.
"Dave? This is Henderson." McAndrews introduced, as Dave turned and approached her and the other two men. "And this is Tomlin. He's not funny, so don't ask about any relationship to Lily Tomlin."
"Damn, Mac!" Tomlin muttered. "When are you going to let that go?"
"I sense a story in there, somewhere." Dave said, "But I think it will need to wait. Henderson? Are you in a position you can negotiate fuel prices and volume purchase commitments?"
"I'm not the finaly authority, but I have been tasked with finding us bids for fuel for our force."
"I offered McAndrews 10 and 11.5 cents silver, per gallon of regualr gasoline and diesel fuels, respectively." Dave stated. "I have just agreed to a contract with a distributor for regular fuel deliveries with escort. He has agreed to give us exclusive rights to his fuel within a 100 mile radius. Now down to the scary part. We are a bunch of bikers. Formerly criminals. Not the kind of people you are accstomed to doing business with. Then everything collapsed. And a very good friend of mine showed me that we can be more than we ever dreamed, just by standing up and being a a part of the new society that will come from this crash. Are we still law abiding? Depends upon the law. But know this, as long as the laws are right, equally upheld, we will stay within them. I give you my word on that."
"Then why do you have SWAT at your door?"
"Because we had an incident here, this morning. That black jack booted thug out there has made it clear to us, that 'HE' is the only law in this city and he wants us gone. That truck blocking the way? Yeah, it was full of water, this morning and was out making rounds, delivering fresh drinking water to people who needed it. Parts of the city with no working water. And at no charge. We have a bunch of kids helping us find things that people need. Some of which we will sell in the store, much of which will be given to people in need. It is my belief that the officer out there does not want independent business growing up out of this mess, without his boot on thier throat."
"Yes, we were thugs and criminals, ourselves. We never ran drugs. We do carry guns. It would be ridiculous not to, these days. We believe that a minority of people have controlled the law makers to define laws of a specific moral level that does not accurately represent everyone. We do have a few girls, next door, that are looking to be sociable with others. But it is a concious choice and not a necessity to them." Dave continued. "Choices made by free people who do not want the boot of some self important, armed, hypocritical thug controlling their lives and decisions."
"We also got a call, this morning, on the CB. A trucker in need. We responded. That is when and how I met McAndrews. Now, the driver has a probable concussion. And one of my men has a flesh wound. Before we could call out to ask for medical assistance, we saw these officers coming here, I assume with the intent of taking the fuel we have legitimately purchased from the driver of that rig. So we have been stalling them at that entrance, until you or other help could arrive."
"I see." Henderson answered. "Mac? Care to add anything?"
"Other than him and his men probably saving my life? Or that at this point, I am open to starting to trust them? No. I have nothing else to add." she stated. "My report will be more complete, but his statement does sum it up."
"OK. Then I believe I should go have a talk with this city police officer." Henderson stated. "I feel very uncomfortable with him and his so heavily armed people present. We need to de-escallate this situation. Shall we?"
"Tomlin, hang back. Keep us covered and radio for everyone to get within a 1/4 mile of this location. If they hear gun fire, roll in." McAndrews suggested.
-----
"So? Who is in charge out here?" Henderson asked.
"Get out of our way! We are responding to a call about a stolen fuel tanker." Black Boots yelled, getting into Henderson's face.
"What is your name, Officer?" Henderson asked. "I'm Captain Mark Henderson of the Oklahoma State Police."
"I don't give a damn who you are. Right now, you are helping these criminals steal that tanker of fuel. And I'm here to get it back for the rightful owner."
"First, calm down. Second, share your name with me, so I don't have to put in my report 'self centered asshole on a power trip' every time I mention you. Third, tell your people to stand down."
Everyone looked to the south, as a state trooper call pulled across road, closing the route to the interstate. Then another state SUV cut off the road to the north, as well. Both officers stepped out of their vehicles, taking position behind them for cover.
"Now, as you can see, you and your men are no longer in a favorable tactical position. Please, let's avoid bloodshed and tell your men to stand down. Either you do, or I do. And if I have to, you are going into the back of my cruiser and to my house, where you will be processed for threatening the safety of a trooper." Henderson stated clearly. Looking about, he saw the local police officers starting to get very nervous.
"I'm Reed. Commander Reed of the OKC Police department and you are interfering in City business."
"And you, officer? Your name?" Henderson asked of the man behind Reed.
"Jefferson." he said. "The Commander's driver."
"I see, Jefferson." Henderson stated. "And what were you told, when you were instructed to drive here?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Jefferson stated.
"That will be enough, Jefferson." Reed ordered. "Get our men out of here. I will deal with this. Send the ambulance away, too."
"Uhm, sir? They will all want to get paid. You promised them fuel."
"Promised them fuel?" Henderson asked. "How does that work, Reed?"
"Emergency proposition from the City Council. Passed three nights ago. My men and I are supposed to keep the peace, run off the riff-raff. In order to do that, we need certain resources. We have been authorized to confiscate those resources, as needed."
"So, you are here to confiscate that tanker?" Dave asked. "And how, as business man, am I supposed to be compensated for what you 'confiscate'?" Dave continued, complete with waiving his fingers in 'air quotes'.
"Shut up, convict!" Reed barked. "If I want any shit out of you, I will tell you when to speak!"
Henderson went to 'high alert' as a reaction to Reed's comments. "Jefferson? I just heard your boss say a few things, in the heat of the moment. I suggest you take him away, before he gets himself into more trouble than his uniform can protect him from."
"Uhm sir?" Jefferson stated, realizing that the situation could get real bad, real quick, if Reed was not removed from the equation. "I believe he has a good point, sir. Let's get you out of here, sir?"
Jefferson guided Reed to his car. As he walked around behind the car, and thereby behind Reed, he gave a nod to Henderson and to Dave.
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Post by 9idrr on Sept 17, 2017 14:27:56 GMT -6
Good stuff.
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