Chapter 7: The Return

Hitch and Kieu-Linh set out April 19th carrying heavy rucks and as much of the remaining meat as they could carry. Kieu-Linh brought her journal and wrote in it during rest breaks. She'd gotten her period the day before, which made her a bit uncomfortable, but she refused a need to delay and sucked it up. The young woman's stubbornness was one of her many assets, so Hitch believed. It made her push through and keep going when others might have asked for a mulligan. He really admired that about her.

It was one of the characteristics which had led him to court Julia. Like Kieu-Linh, his dead wife's personality was one of resolve, intelligence, a quick wit and quicker mind. All of her strengths were bound by a stubbornness bordering on defensiveness, at times. But she was right about her stances far more often than she was wrong, and it caught the attention of her superiors immediately. It also caught Hitch's eye when he'd met her during a formal officer's dinner at Camp Pendleton while Hitch was still recovering from wounds inflicted during his time in Afghanistan in 2002.

He happened to be seated next to her during the meal, and they clicked immediately. They traded more than just bravado, discussing analytical thoughts of the war in Afghanistan, everything from high-level strategy and end game to platoon-level tactical challenges. They kept talking long after the event and spent a few days meeting for coffee before he finally asked her out.

At first, Julia had refused, saying that her work left her no time for a relationship. But Hitch didn't give up, convincing her to spend one afternoon with him on the beach. Instead of trying to woo her with cheesy lines and promises of eternal love, he got her talking about what she wanted out of life, about what the Corps meant to her, and how she planned to take on the challenges of being a woman in a male-driven community.

Hitch was inspired by her, and after their date, he ordered books to be sent to her apartment. She called him and asked why he'd done it. He explained that, whether she wanted to see him again or not, he was well read and thought that the works he sent represented the best sources he knew to help her achieve the goals she described. He included works on military tactics, women in the military, and how to challenge leadership while still getting ahead.

Julia wasn't sure how to take that and soon ended the call. But a couple of days later, she'd thought about what he'd done without expecting her to give in, and she found she both liked and respected Hitch enough to try dating him, even with the challenges of their active duty status.

They clicked again and within weeks were living together. They married soon after, and, despite precautions, Julia got pregnant. Even though it stuck a fork in her immediate plans for her career, Julia didn't let it cause despair, welcoming Willow into her life with the same passion with which she'd joined the Corps. It pained her tremendously when she was passed over for a desired role, but before long, she found a way to alternate time at home with Hitch so that she, too, could deploy and continue her career.

It had meant they saw little of each other. Hitch in Iraq for several months, then Julia going off to God knows where on an intelligence deployment. But Hitch always loved that Julia was stubborn enough to get her way when she knew what she wanted. It made him respect her more, and it was one of those things which he was really beginning to recognize in Kieu-Linh.

He sipped from his canteen on the second day of the hump, miles north of the bunker and on track to arrive at the cabin around nightfall the following day. He watched the sixteen-year old as she penciled her thoughts on the pages of her journal. He wondered what she wrote, but he would never ask her to show him. He'd helped with the first couple of entries, but only because she was still learning to spell. Once she had her bearings, she was on her own, and her private thoughts were none of his business.

Kieu-Linh looked to see him watching her, and she smiled, "just a couple more minutes, almost done," she told him, then returned to her writing.

Hitch pulled out binoculars and slowly scanned the valley below for the third time since they'd stopped. They were deep in the forest, and as before, he saw no sign of other humans. There might be some down there, but if they were smart, they were keeping their heads down and, like he had at the bunker, vented their smoke through a series of diverging pipes which led to little, if any, sign of a fire visible from more than a few meters away. It was an old-school tactic to survive a long period in a cold, hostile place.

Kieu-Linh closed her journal and stuffed it into her ruck, then slung the pack over her shoulders, picked up her rifle and took her place behind Hitch as he headed down the ridge line.

"Dad!" Kieu-Linh rushed forward as soon as she saw the mountain man carrying a jug up from the barn.

The man turned, and grinned, "My girl!" He sat the jug down as she jumped into his arms and spun around. Miller held her tight a moment, kissing her cheek before finally setting her down, laughing. "My good grief! Yer shootin' up ta tha heavens!" He cupped his hands and shouted towards the cabin, "Kim-Ly! Come on ou' now!"

Hitch hung back a moment, letting the family enjoy their reunion. Kim-Ly burst through the door and raced down to hug her daughter, holding her tight and kissing her cheeks. "Oh, Kieu-Linh! How I've missed you!"

Miller spotted Hitch and headed towards him. Hitch offered his hand and Miller ignored it, wrapping his thick arms around him and squeezing him tight. "My friend, my friend. Goddamn, i's good ta see ya again, Hitch."

"You as well, Miller. How are you and the misses?"

"Humpin' like rabbits, we are." Miller laughed. "No, no' quite like tha', bu' we've been good. Weatha' was a bi' much this Winta', bu' we survived." He glanced to where Kim-Ly and Kieu-Linh were talking in low tones. "An' my daughter?"

For the first time since he was boy, Hitch felt a blush rush over his face. He couldn't stop from smiling. "A fine young woman."

Miller watched him a moment, then grinned his crooked grin, "well, we'll see wha' ya two been up'ta. Dollars ta dingleberries it'll make ya blush again, I can tell."

Hitch laughed and felt arms wrap around his body. Kim-Ly hugged him tight, saying, "Hitch, it's wonderful you've come! We talked all Winter about you two, we were even thinking of coming down soon. I'm glad you beat us to it." She pointed to her husband, "this one here probably couldn't keep his hands off me long enough to get anywhere ... took us two hours to get to the barn earlier..."

Miller guffawed and smacked Kim-Ly's bottom. Hitch joined in the laughter. Kieu-Linh walked from behind her mother and stood beside him a moment, perhaps a touch of uncertainty on her face. Hitch wondered if she was suddenly unsure of what affection to show him in front of her parents. Whatever reservations she had, she set her jaw and took his hand, pulling it around her waist. That's my girl.

Kim-Ly smiled at her daughter and winked, then took her husband's hand. "Come in, come in, we're just finishing up for the day. Please, let's take a meal together and catch up!"

Hitch slid his fingers into Kieu-Linh's and walked with her into the cabin. The inside was as it had been before, a comfortable room, warm and cozy. Kieu-Linh helped her mother finish getting supper together while Hitch and Miller took seats at the small table.

Miller watched his daughter a moment before turning to Hitch. "So, Major, any news?"

Hitch shrugged, "little. We went down to Mountain City last Fall before the long snows. Goods are drying up. Word is some partisans have been turned, working with the Imps now. Just a rumor, but I don't doubt people are weary and looking to strike peace where they can find it. We saw jets a few times, heading east, didn't look like US fighters, maybe Brits, or Canadians. Don't know what that means."

Miller nodded, "saw 'em too. Reckon tha' headin' ta tha fightin' 'round Wilmin'ton an' Charleston. Still a figh' goin' on thar'." He leaned forward, "I got more. Started listenin' on tha waves again. Seems a push is happenin' in tha Rockies agains' tha Imps. Free Americans, I hear. Seems sum no' givin' up tha figh'."

Hitch thought about that a moment. "Doubt they will for some time. But I don't know how much fight is left. Gotta be supply issues for anyone left."

Miller shrugged, "dunno. Tha' fightin', though. Tha Russians an' tha Chinese still at it, sound like Somme, or Verdun ta me. No nukes, yet, very surprisin'."

Hitch replied, "with what's on the line, you'd think they would have unleashed. Odd. Never quite understood why we didn't send our own into Mexico. It would have possibly stopped their advances immediately."

Miller said, "I know why."

"Oh?"

"Chinese ha' ou' gullet before The War. Ha' control of tha nukes. Even if we'd'a tried ta fire 'em, Chinese ha' overrides."

"How do you know this?"

"Get a signal sumtimes, good info or no', Hitch. Sumone go' tha info years ago."

"Could just be rumors and guessing," Hitch said evenly. "Can't say I'd trust the rumor mill on anything."

Miller shrugged, "migh' be righ', migh' be righ'. Anyway ... Patriots still fightin' in places, still givin' 'em hell." He finally leaned back, once more looking at his daughter. "Make ya wanna go back, Major?"

Hitch shook his head, "no. No, I'm through. Can't see going back now. The reasons I fought for are gone, long gone."

Miller nodded slowly towards Kieu-Linh. "No' all of 'em, Hitch. No' all of 'em."

Hitch didn't reply before Kim-Ly dished out heaping servings of venison stew along with a moist, crumbly cornbread. Kieu-Linh brought over glasses of apple cider. She smiled at Hitch, and he returned her expression.

"So," Kim-Ly said as the women sat down, "not here an hour and already my husband is talking about The War. He's been fixed at his set into the night lately, picking up any rumor or nugget of information he can find."

Miller added, "ignored it fa years, didn' wanna know fer a while ... bu' ... par' of me needs ta know."

"Can't change anything, Miller," Hitch replied. "All you can do is make yourself doubt and fear that way."

"Maybe," the man replied, "maybe. Bu' my home is my castle. My home is my castle, Major. I wanna know if tha Imps thinkin' of movin' in 'ere. Cause if tha' do, we'll figh' 'em an' bleed 'em."

Kim-Ly was nodding slowly, and Hitch didn't respond. Instead he dug into the delicious, rich stew and in moments, had downed his portion, chasing it with the cider. He let out an unexpected belch, and Kieu-Linh laughed and did the same.

Miller laughed, and Kim-Ly said, "I'll take that as a compliment." She leaned back and looked at Hitch quietly a moment. He noted that the desperate desire, the woman's clear intentions he'd seen the last time he'd been there were no longer in her eyes. There was a more measured glance casting his way, perhaps just a touch more peace and satisfaction. Hitch was thankful. Since he'd grown close to Kieu-Linh, there was no way he was going to accept an intimate moment with the teen's mother.

Kim-Ly finally spoke, "so ... tell us about you two." There was an edge of understanding in her words, as if she knew the answers before she'd made the request.

Kieu-Linh looked at Hitch, smiling, "we're in love!"

Miller guffawed, a big belly laugh, and said, "I knew it was ta be tha' way!"

Kim-Ly smiled. The woman added, "well, I could see that already." She looked closely at Hitch's face, measuring his reaction. "You feel this way for my daughter, Hitch? You love her?"

He took Kieu-Linh's hand and replied, "I do. I really do. I still don't know how I got so lucky. This was, by far, the best Winter I've had up the mountain, she's ... she's been wonderful..."

"Made 'er a woman, yet?" Miller asked, amused.

"Uh," Hitch stumbled, "y-yeah. Though, she was a woman before ... uh ... before then ... an amazing young woman."

Kim-Ly replied, "that she is. Stubborn sometimes, but that can be a good thing."

"Very much so," Hitch replied.

"He taught me to read and write!" Kieu-Linh said with excitement.

Miller said more quietly, "than' goodness. One o' our bigges' regrets were no' takin' tha time ta teach ya tha'. Good on ya, Major." He smiled then, said to Hitch, "my thanks, Hitch. I knew ya an' my daughter'd come together like this. I knew it. Good tha' ya seein' it through..."

Hitch nodded but said nothing.

Kim-Ly eyed her daughter, glancing down her body to where thick clothing which had once been loose on her frame now hugged her growing curves more tightly, and asked, "are you pregnant yet?"

Kieu-Linh shook her head, "no ... no. We're ... being careful."

Kim-Ly nodded and looked satisfied, turning to Hitch. "Don't get me wrong ... I'd welcome and cherish a grandchild, just that ... just that..."

"Tough world to bring a child into right now," Hitch completed her thought. "I know, that's why we're being careful..." Hitch was uncomfortable discussing their sex life in front of the girl's parents, and he changed the subject. "Linh killed a black bear last year. Big sucker, too. Two clean kill shots brought him down fast."

Miller nodded and smiled, "tha's my girl. Always could'a handle a rifle. Proud of ya, Kieu-Linh. Proud of ya, an' I love ya."

Kieu-Linh rose and walked to her father, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Love you, Dad." She looked at Hitch, grinning, "I want to go bathe," she said moving over to put her arm around Hitch's neck.

Kim-Ly replied, "I think we could all use that. God knows my husband is a bit gamey after we ... uh..." she started laughing and Miller's face grew a broad grin.

"Go on, kee' braggin' 'bout me," Miller said with amusement. "Canna' help satisfyin' my woman when I can. Still got tha wood, see?" He quickly took Kim-Ly's hand and slid it to his crotch, then laughed again.

"Good grief, Jefferson," Kim-Ly exclaimed, only slowly removing her hand, "like a damn teenager." There was no shame or anger in her voice.

"I'd like a bath myself," Hitch said, chuckling as the couple joined for a kiss framed by Miller's wild, white beard and Kim-Ly's rich, cinnamon skin. He took Kieu-Linh's hand and they fished towels out of their rucks before moving off towards the spring in the cool darkness, the girl's parents trailing slowly behind them.

"They seem much happier," Kieu-Linh said quietly, "I like seeing them happy."

"They do," Hitch replied. "I'm glad for them."

"You're happier, too," she said.

"Because of you, Sweetheart."

He could hear her smile in her reply. "I'm happy, too. Are we going to stay here?"

Hitch said, "maybe. We still need to discuss it. The idea is growing on me. I know you'd like that."

"Yes. I miss this place," Kieu-Linh stated. "I mean ... I loved being with you this Winter, and if you said you wanted to go back, I'd go without a thought, but..."

"But this is home, and your parents are here."

"Yes."

"We'll see what we can work out. Bit tight, perhaps. Only the one bedroom."

"I liked when we slept on the rug by the fire, that first night I met you," the teen replied, "you made me comfortable."

"That was a night to remember ... holding you ... even if it was just ... innocent then," Hitch said, thinking back to the night the previous Spring when Kieu-Linh had seen him in weakness when he cried over his daughter, Willow. The young woman's comfort had been offered freely and warmly, and, even though he hadn't realized it at the time, was the first moments when their relationship began growing towards something more than a casual friendship.

They stripped off their clothing in the darkness beside the spring and slid into the warm water quickly. Hitch drifted a moment, his body tired but soon relaxed. Kieu-Linh floated beside him, holding his hand. He heard Miller and Kim-Ly approach, but in the darkness, could see just a hint of them on the edge of the pool. Miller laughed and Kim-Ly did as well, then they slipped into the water a few yards away.

The calm sounds of the spring made Hitch feel light and refreshed in moments. A soft trickling of the nearby creek and the occasional giggling from Kim-Ly were delightful to take in. He found himself pulling Kieu-Linh to him and kissing her gently, dropping his feet down to the slightly-mucky bottom of the spring so that he could pull his young lover into an embrace. "I love you so much, Linh."

He heard a light moan from where Miller and Kim-Ly were wading in the spring and realized they had started to make love. While he couldn't see them, the sounds of water slapping against naked flesh, the man's steady grunts, and Kim-Ly's delighted, soft moans captured his imagination. He remembered what it was like to fuck the woman in the spring.

Kieu-Linh whispered, "they're having sex."

"Yes."

"Let's have sex, James..."

Hitch hesitated a moment, then decided not to try to sort out the confusing thoughts about fucking the teen while her parents mated nearby. Kieu-Linh turned to him and kissed his lips, bringing a knee up firmly to his hip. It was the same way her mother had initiated their coupling months before. Hitch took hold of Kieu-Linh's knee, and helped her bring her other leg up to his waist.

She settled down and took him inside her body, the teen's tight pussy slick and a bit sticky, her menstrual blood washing away quickly as she began to ride him. Hitch heard Miller grunting louder, and he heard Kim-Ly's soft cries grow stronger, the woman soon climaxing with her husband not far behind.

"Stay in me this time, James ... just this once ... please ... I'm still bleeding ... just stay inside me..."

Hitch had a moment where he thought of protesting, the risk of pregnancy something they'd greatly minimized by having him pull out or using her ass. But the moment was one of soft love, of romance and emotional closeness. He kissed his young lover's lips, holding her up and against his body. The water splashed lightly against their bodies as Kieu-Linh moved her hips, her tight young pussy milking him and making him tense.

The teen climaxed easily, as she always did, crying out softly into the dark night. Hitch knew her parents could hear Kieu-Linh's pleasure in the stillness, knew they understood the two were mating close by. He started to release, grunting. He rested his head against hers, panting into her ear as he came inside the girl's vagina. "Oh, Linh ... oh, god ... oh ... oh..." Semen flooded her menstruating channel, quickly washing away in the water around their coupling. He came in slow spurts, ejaculating his seed against her cervix, growing warm and tingly as pleasure enveloped his mind and body.

Gradually, he lowered Kieu-Linh and let his penis slip from her vagina. She kissed him in the darkness and he used his fingers to gently wash away the seed he'd left inside of her. The teen rocked her hips as he touched her sensitive flesh below the water, and moments later, she climaxed again, hugging him tightly and grunting against his shoulder.

They relaxed again in the warm spring, ignoring the world around them, holding hands, lightly touching each other's bodies, the silky mineral water making them slippery. Hitch was vaguely aware that Miller and Kim-Ly had left the pool, and by the time he and Kieu-Linh finally climbed up onto the edge of the spring, her parents were already well out of earshot.

"Thank you, James," Kieu-Linh whispered as they slid back into their clothing after drying their bodies in the cool air. "I love feeling you do that inside me there ... I just ... love that feeling..."

"I know ... I do too..." He didn't feel the need to discuss, again, the risks involved in doing so.

Kim-Ly and Miller were retiring for the night by the time Hitch and his young lover made their way back to the cabin. They exchanged pleasantries, a happy, knowing look passing from Kim-Ly to Hitch, but no one mentioned the lovemaking they'd shared near each other moments earlier. Kieu-Linh and Hitch bedded down on the oversized bearskin rug near the fireplace, and he held her lovingly as they grew sleepy.

Hitch was nearly asleep when Kieu-Linh's soft voice broke in. "Did you make love to my mother out of pity?"

He was silent a moment, his thoughts disorganized on the edge of sleep. "Uh ... what?"

"When you made love with her last year ... you said it wasn't love, that it was just sex ... and when I wanted it from you ... you said you wanted to go slow with me ... I wonder why you had sex with her then ... you waited so long with me ... did you feel sorry for her?"

Hitch tried to formulate a reply which made sense. "I ... No. No, it wasn't ... pity. Not really. I suppose ... part of me felt a bit sorry for her..."

"Sounds like pity to me..."

"Maybe so ... but ... it was more than that ... I mean ... the way she looked at me ... there was a ... a hunger ... for me. I know it might have been any man who'd been kind to her in those moments, but right then ... it was me she looked at ... I was ... attracted to her ... and ... and when she made her needs clear, I ... I was very willing to join her that way ... I don't want to think of it as pity ... no, I don't like that word..."

"But ... when I looked at you ... when I wanted you," Kieu-Linh said quietly, "you made me wait..."

"Because ... You were different, Linh. For one thing ... you were ... young ... a virgin ... and ... unlike your mother, I knew ... I knew there was a chance that we ... might be more than just lovers ... I resisted it ... for a while. I told you I didn't want to risk being hurt again ... to risk loving you only to lose you ... and so ... for those reasons, I put off being with you ... I put off ... risking all that ... I didn't want to take your virginity ... only to find myself ... unable to love you as you deserved ... I waited because ... because I don't know if I'd have respected myself if I'd have given in so quickly with you. With your mother ... there wasn't that same risk ... she had your father ... what she needed from me ... was sexual ... not really emotional ... With you ... with you, I knew you loved me and wanted more than just to give your body to me..."

Kieu-Linh was quiet a moment, then said, "okay. I guess ... I guess that makes sense ... I should ... I should be thankful, James, that you cared enough about me to wait ... to be sure ... I wanted you, you know ... that night I touched myself ... with you watching ... I wanted you to be with me then ... I hurt wanting your touch ... It was ... painful when you wouldn't touch me ... I felt ... rejected, I guess."

"I never meant that, Linh, never."

"I know..." she said softly.

"Linh ... that's behind us now ... right? We're past that. I found I loved you and cared for you and when I came to know that ... about myself ... I knew we should be together completely. It took time ... I'd ... I'd lost so much before you ... Old wounds never fully heal, Linh, and some of them make it hard to return and risk new ones ... But ... I'm so thankful you saw in me what I couldn't, that you were patient even when you felt rejected. I love you so much."

Kieu-Linh turned over and wrapped her arms around Hitch's neck, sliding a leg over his thigh. "I know. I love you forever, James. I love you forever."

Kim-Ly and Kieu-Linh had gone down to see to the milk cows as dawn began to rush over the mountain. Hitch had risen early and sat on the porch, wrapped in a blanket, staring out into the darkness, listening, as he always did, for any sound which might signal danger. He'd heard nothing of concern, the crickets and tree frogs joining a chorus every few minutes as a light rain shower pushed through and cleared out quickly.

After the women had gone down the rise, Miller sat with Hitch on the porch, sharing a pipe of tobacco and a pinch of cannabis. Although Hitch had smoked the small measure of pot Miller had given him the year before, it still unsettled him a bit to know it could impact his ability to respond quickly to threats. Still, that morning, he shared a bit of a buzz with his friend, and they talked about what came next.

"Given any thought ta my offer ta come live 'ere?" Miller said after a long yawn.

"I have. Linh and I have discussed it at length. I really appreciate the offer. She wants us to stay here, and I'm coming to like the idea, myself." Hitch looked over his shoulder into the cabin. "She loves it here ... and I want her to be where she loves."

Miller watched him a moment, said, "I thin' she's so taken with ya tha' she'd love wherever it is ya call home, Major. Bu' tha offer holds. We'll be cozy, ta be sure, bu' we'll make it work. Kim-Ly misses Kieu-Linh bein' here, an' I do too."

Hitch nodded. "Well, we aren't decided just yet, but like I said, we're seriously considering it."

"Plannin' ta go back ta yer bunker soon?"

Hitch shrugged. "Hadn't really thought much about it. I figured we'd stay here with you a few days at least, as you will have us, then we'd decide what to do. If we do stay here, I'll need to bring some things from the bunker. I don't want to risk bringing the truck through the valley, I fear too many eyes down there are not so friendly, so I'll have to hump it up. Might take a couple of trips."

Miller nodded. "I'd like ya ta stay, Hitch." His voice grew thin and gravelly. "I may be gettin' it up downstairs these days, bu' I'm an ole man, Major. I seen my betta' days fall into my past. Kim-Ly's gonna need help 'ere when I canna keep goin'."

"She seems like a woman capable of taking charge and seeing things through. I'm not so sure she needs me around to keep going."

"Tha's true, tha's true," Miller replied, "bu' I canna bu' wan' 'er ta do more 'an jus' survive, Hitch. Lonely world outta thar', as ya know, dunna wan' 'er ta be lonely when I'm gone."

Hitch didn't respond, unsure how to take in what Miller was implying. With Kieu-Linh as his emotional and physical partner, he didn't see how he could do for Kim-Ly what Miller seemed to suggest he do. Hitch shrugged it aside for the moment and said, "any trouble this Winter? With raiders or Imps?"

"Nah," Miller said, "seen nothin', heard nothin'. Bu' they's 'round, I know. They's 'round. Matter o' time."

"I've been teaching Kieu-Linh how to fight. Marine martial arts, guerrilla tactics."

Miller eyed him a moment, then said directly, "plannin' ta get back in tha figh', Major?"

"No, no. Not at all," Hitch said firmly. "No, but I'm not naïve enough to believe the fight might not come to us. To Linh. I wanted her to have some understanding of how to survive, how to attack and defend, both herself and anyone with her. She's sharp. She picked it up quickly, and she thinks fast on her feet. I was hoping you could help me while we're here. I'd like to give her some field exercises, get her used to being out and considering the layout of the land, the things she'd use for cover or advance. I'd like you and Kim-Ly to help teach Linh more than I could back at the bunker."

Miller nodded, "I thin' I can round up a thin' or two tha' migh' help. Never lose tha', do we, Major?"

Hitch shook his head, "I hope not. I don't want to fight again, but ... if it comes to me, I cannot help but be thankful I have the training and experience to help those around me survive."

Miller was silent, staring over the clearing below as the sun started to slip above the eastern ridge. "Semper Fi, Major."

"Semper Fi."

Miller looked at Hitch and said, "whelp, if ya gonna thin' 'bout stayin', le's have a loo' 'round tha place, give ya a lay'o tha land, see wha' ya migh' be missin' if ya dun'. Then I could'a use ya help with sum chores."

"I'd like that, thanks."

"There's'a ole ranch down tha' way a coupla klicks." Miller pointed off to where the ridge continued down towards the hidden valley below. "Ain't been no one thar' since we came 'round. Fallin' 'part from disuse. We too' wha' was'a value few years back, jus' tha bones still lef' o'tha place."

They'd walked the property for most of an hour, through the fenced-in upper and lower cattle fields. Miller showed Hitch the barn and unused stables, as well as the hand-tilled grounds where they grew vegetables, only new plantings poking out in spots above the dark soil. Then Miller guided him through a second small apple orchard and past a robust grape arbor. The six milk cows had watched him idly as they strolled past, chewing cud and otherwise unimpressed to see them in the lower field.

"No real demarkation o'tha property. Land's been in my family fer a coupl'a generations. We usually only go outside tha fence lines on tha hunt, mos'ly ta tha eas' an' south," Miller explained. "Up tha ridge it ge's dense, an' tha ridge drops off ta tha wes'."

They'd passed Kieu-Linh and Kim-Ly earlier that morning, the women cleaning out the stale straw in the barn. Hitch was always impressed to see Kieu-Linh work when she had something to accomplish. The young woman set her mind to the task and dug in with a resolve to see it through, even with the filthy, smelly muck she had to clear out of the barn. Her face was streaked with dirt and loose straw stuck to her hair, but she smiled at him with a warmth which said she actually liked what she was doing.