Chapter 21

Junior woke before dawn, his internal alarm clock waking him as it had done so many times before. He climbed out of the truck, working out the kinks the truck seat had put in his back. Stepping around the truck he nodded to Cole, who was yawning. He stepped around the truck, watered the lawn and rubbed the last remains of sleep from his eyes.

Shelley gave him a good morning kiss, followed by a yawn.

"Get in the truck and catch a few winks," Junior said. "You too Cole, I'll take over the watch and we'll head out in about four hours or so." Father and daughter took his advice quickly, as both were tired from standing watch while the others slept.

Junior stood watching the sun burn the dew from the sagebrush around them. The sun hit the tops of the mountains first, painting their snowy peaks a brilliant red. Junior thought of the old saying "Red sky at night, sailor delight, and Red sky in morning, sailors take warning," and hoped it wasn't true.

They had only eighteen miles left to go, but they would be as tough as the rest of the trip. A short section of their route, nearly three hundred yards, followed the bed of a ravine, which was normally dry. However, if it rained, the ravine could become a river in minutes. On his last trip here Junior had witnessed a twelve foot tall wall of water come sweeping down the watercourse, boulders and small trees being pushed before it.

The short trip up the watercourse could take a long time however, as it had a tight bend or two that might be a problem for the long trailer behind the big Ford. Junior figured they might have to do some excavation and move a few rocks to get through.

Junior knew that was a hurdle they would have to jump when they got there, but also believed in planning ahead. He entered the cargo portion of the trailer to make sure he had shovels, picks, and pry bars handy if they were needed. Once he was sure everything was handy he went back to watching the sunrise.

He heard the trailer door open, and turned to see Jessica emerge, dressed in a long t-shirt. Junior couldn't tell if she was wearing anything underneath, and thought she looked damn fine. Jessica tried to comb her sleep tousled hair with her fingers as she joined Junior.

"Don't," Junior said as he stilled her hands, "you look great like that." The blonde's only response was a snort as she stepped into Junior's embrace. The door opened again, and Sarah joined them, snuggling up to Junior's other side. A kiss from Sarah was followed by one from Jessica followed by the two girls sharing a kiss. Junior felt a hardening in his jeans as he watched the two girls kiss.

The trailer door opened again and Juanita joined them, kissing them each one by one. Junior told them he had sent the Walkers to bed to get a few hours nap. Upon hearing this, the three women tried to drag Junior toward the trailer. He almost gave in, but reminded them that someone needed to keep watch.

"I'd hate to get caught with my pants down," he said, chuckling at the looks his bad pun generated. "As much as I would love to join you ladies, someone has to keep watch." After a little discussion among themselves the girls changed direction, pulling him around the back of the trailer.

Before he knew it his fly was undone, and the three beauties were taking turns trying to deep throat him. Sarah, having had more practice, succeeded on the second try, Juanita could only get about half, and Jessica finally made it on the fourth try, although the effort brought tears to her eyes. All the slurping and gagging soon had Junior ready to explode and Jessica took his load without spilling a drop.

Laughing and teasing Jessica about already having breakfast led to the girls telling Junior about the previous morning, a tale that had his flagging interest beginning to stir again. Noting this Sarah tucked him in with a kiss, and told him to hold the thought while they made breakfast.

After another pancake breakfast, "They're quick and easy," Sarah said with a shrug, they sat around and waited for the Walkers to wake up. Junior let them sleep till ten before waking them. Shelley fixed herself and her dad some pancakes before plopping into Junior's lap to eat.

"So are we going to get there today?" she asked Junior.

"Sure will, little one," he replied. "We're less than twenty miles from there now."

"Then why did we spend the night here?" Jessica asked.

"Wait until you see the road we have to take to get there. I didn't want to try it in the dark; it will be hard enough in daylight." Junior explained.

"Then let's get going," Shelley said as she jumped off Junior's lap, pausing to give him a syrupy kiss.

They were rolling within fifteen minutes, the others understanding his reluctance as they turned off the poorly maintained gravel onto a faint dirt road. Grass grew in the center, leaving two dusty tracks to follow. They traveled at a sedate speed due to the rough condition until they suddenly came upon a ravine. The road angled slightly down the side, barely wide enough for the vehicles to make it. They could see a cut in the bank leading straight up the other side. However once in the bottom of the watercourse, Junior turned and headed upstream, a trickle of water in the rocky bottom the only clue that this could become a roaring river. A slight bend hid the first and most formidable obstacle, a sharp bend to the left.

"Ok, here's where the fun starts," Junior said. Having Cole get behind the wheel of the truck, he guided the man slowly around the curve until he could see where the side of the trailer was going to hit. Grabbing a shovel he began digging, trying to widen the sloping walls enough to get the long trailer through. Once this was accomplished he had the other man pull up some more stopping him when the back bumper of the trailer began scraping against a partially buried boulder. Grabbing a pry bar Junior set to work on this obstacle.

Two hours and three such bends later a dirty sweaty group finally spied tracks indicating a way out of the ravine. Junior walked to the top of the bank, M16 in one hand and shovel in the other. He waited as the others joined him, Jessica gunning the Hummer as she climbed the steep incline.

When both vehicles were safely on top Junior breathed a sigh of relief. Thunder clouds were forming on the high peaks to the west, and the ravine behind them could soon be running bank full.

Junior waved at the others as he walked to the top of a small rise. Cliffs rose steeply on either side, making a narrow pass forty feet wide and nearly one hundred yards long. Before him lay his valley, the small lake in the center reflecting the noon day sun. A small herd of elk grazed less than a half mile from them, and Junior watched them as the two vehicles pulled to the crest and stopped.

Cole Walker and the three girls climbed out and joined Junior.

"Is this it?" Sarah asked, taking in the deep green valley, the deep blue of the lake, and the pine covered slopes of the mountains surrounding it. When Junior nodded yes the others looked over the valley in silence for a moment.

"Where's the cabin at?" Shelley asked. "Can we see it from here?"

"No, it's at the far end of the valley, where it makes a turn to the left. It's also a little higher up on the side of the mountain," Junior explained. "You might be able to see it with binoculars if you knew exactly where to look, but it's pretty well hidden in the trees."

"What's that moving down there," Juanita asked, pointing to the far end of the valley. Although it was several miles away, Junior could tell something was moving, a whole bunch of some things actually. It didn't look like a herd of elk, as the animals, and that's what Junior decided they were, moved quickly out of the tree line and down toward the lake.

Sarah had grabbed a pair of binoculars from the truck, and soon focused in on the animals.

"Hey, they're cows," she said. "You didn't tell us you had cows."

"I don't," Junior said, taking the binoculars from Sarah. He had a gut feeling, and watching the tree line, soon saw he was right. Three men on horseback came out of the trees behind the herd of cattle. Junior studied them for a moment, noting they all carried rifles across the saddle in front of them.

He turned the glasses toward the hillside that hid the cabin. What he saw first was a flash of white that shouldn't have been there. The cabin was made of weathered pine logs, and the gray color would blend with the cliff behind it. This was something different, and after careful study he realized it was a vehicle. Lowering the glasses he watched the herd of cattle for a moment, quietly thinking.

"What is it?" Shelley asked. She watched as Junior checked the action on his M16 after handing the binoculars to Jessica. The blond studied the herd and the three men for a moment before lifting the glasses to see if she could find what Junior had studied for so long. Not knowing where to look, she saw nothing besides trees, and passed the glasses to Juanita.

"Hey," Sarah said. "What's going on?"

"We've got company, the cattle are being herded by three men, and there is a white vehicle of some kind up by the cabin." Junior explained. "It looks like someone has moved in and made themselves at home."

"What are we going to do?" Shelley asked. She eyed Junior nervously while he handed the binoculars from Juanita to Cole.

"Whatever we have to," Junior said. "Ok, listen up, Cole you drive the Ford, stay back about a hundred yards. Shelley, you and Sarah go with him. I'll go with the two J's in the Hummer. Juanita, you're on the gun, Jess you drive. I imagine they'll spot us as soon as we come out of the pass. If they wait for us, we will pull up to within thirty yards or so. If they come out to meet us, we will stop when the distance is about the same. We'll talk to them and find out who they are before we do anything. It may be we can settle this peacefully, but I have a feeling they aren't going to want to give up this valley. I wouldn't if I was in their shoes."

"So what will you do if they won't leave?" Cole asked Junior as they stood studying the valley below.

"I'm not sure I want them to leave," Junior said. "It depends on how they act and what they have to say." He glanced sidelong at the big man beside him. "This could get messy, I hope it doesn't, but I want you to understand, this is MY valley and I won't give it up to anyone." Junior took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh of frustration. "I should have thought of this, that someone might already be here. But now we have it to face. You see, it's not just the valley, in a cave hidden behind that cabin are enough arms, equipment, and food to keep us going for a long time. I'm not going to give them up, not if there is any way of keeping them."

"Let's get it done then," Cole said. As Junior turned to walk away Cole continued. "You be careful, you here. That girl of mine thinks the world of you, me, I haven't made up my mind yet, but if something should happen to you, she would be devastated. So for her sake, don't do anything stupid." Junior grabbed his flak jacket from the back of the Ford where he had thrown it while digging a route for the trailer. He shrugged into it, getting a quick kiss from both Sarah and Shelley, took the Kevlar helmet Sarah offered him and jogged to the Hummer.

"Let's roll," he said to Jessica as he climbed in. Junior watched the moving dots in the distance, resorting to the naked eye when the bouncing of the Hummer made it impossible to hold the binoculars still enough to see. They had made it to the valley floor and covered half the distance to the herd when the three men on horseback finally noticed them.

Two of them began trotting toward them, rifles held in their hands, while the other galloped toward the hillside that hid the cabin. Junior scanned as much as he could see on each side of the vehicle, looking for other men they had not previously seen.

When they had gotten within a hundred yards of the oncoming horsemen, the horsemen reined to a stop. Jessica continued driving slowly, her eyes as active as Junior's. They both knew Juanita would be focusing on the horsemen, and if they started something, she would be able to respond quickest.

Jessica slowed to a stop approximately 30 yards from the two horsemen, angling the Hummer so that Junior had partial protection from the front fender when he stepped out. She quickly exited, taking up a station behind her open door.

"Hello," Junior called out to the two men. "Could we talk with you for a minute?"

"Ain't nothing to talk about," one of the two said, his rifle held ready across his chest. Junior noticed it was a lever action rifle, probably a 30-06 or 30-30, both common calibers for varmints that preyed on cattle. "You just turn around and get out of here before you get hurt," the man said.

"Now that's not too friendly," Junior said. "And besides, if anyone starts anything, you'll be the ones getting hurt." To emphasize his point Juanita worked the charging lever on the .50 caliber. Both men eyed the gun nervously before the second one spoke up.

"What you all want?" he asked.

"Well, you see, this is my valley," Junior said. The two men glanced at each other, and then the first spoke again.

"What do you mean, your valley?" he asked.

"I mean I own it, I bought it about four years ago." Junior said. "I also built that cabin up on the hill." He paused, waiting for a response. Getting none he continued. "It took us a while to get here, but we're here now. Now, I don't mind sharing, as a matter of fact, having cattle here is a good idea, but that cabin is mine, and I WILL be moving in."

Junior noticed the first man fidgeting slightly, his horse, picking up his mood, snorted and tossed its head, shuffling a little sideways. The second man's rifle lay across his saddle, and he wiped his sweaty hands of his pants legs. Junior concentrated on the first, watching him closely.

"Well, I don't know about that," the man said. "You'll have to wait for the boss to get here and let him decide."

"There's nothing to decide," Junior told them, "but we'll wait for your boss, if that makes you feel better."

Junior heard the sound of a motor starting in the distance and watched as a white Jeep made its way down the mountain. Arriving at the bottom it sped toward them, stopping near the two horsemen. Two men got out, both carrying AR-15's with large varmint scopes attached. Junior knew the scope was good for long range, but up close it was a hindrance.

The driver was a small man, barely 5'8", slight of build. He moved like a cat and carried his weapon like an extension of himself. The passenger was a slightly overweight man, hair streaked with gray. He held his weapon awkwardly, like he wasn't used to handling a firearm.

The fat man spoke up, his beady eyes glancing up to Juanita at the big gun. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked belligerently. Junior did not like his attitude instantly and made up his mind no matter what this guy wasn't staying. However, he watched the driver closely, as he figured he was the most dangerous of the four.

"This fellow claims this is his valley, and your house is his cabin," the first of the horseman said with a sneer.

"Oh really, we'll just see about that won't we," the boss said. "You're mighty pushy for a fellow that's out manned."

"Oh, I don't see it that way," Junior said. "You might have us out numbered, but we've got you outgunned, seriously outgunned, I would say." He jerked his head in the direction of the long barrel on the machine gun above him.

"You think that thing scares me?" the boss said. "I doubt you could find ammo for that thing, and if you could, ain't no bitch could handle a gun like that in the first place."

"I'm tired of talking about it," Junior said. "You've got 10 seconds to lay down your guns or you'll find out not only does the gun have ammo, the bitch knows how to use it." He watched the little man, knowing he was the most dangerous. Out of the corners of his eyes he watched the boss and the loud mouthed horseman. He almost missed the tiny twitch of the boss's shoulder that preceded him raising his gun, but Juanita did not.

The roar of the big gun shattered the air, sending the cattle running in panic. Juanita hadn't fired more than a two second burst, but the ground immediately to the boss's right looked like it was fresh tilled. So close had the bullets came that they threw dirt on his pants and boots.

Several things happened at once; the boss man pissed himself, dropped his gun and cowered on the ground. The little man who hadn't spoken a word dove for the jeep, crawling under it. So fast was he that Junior got off only one three round burst before he was out of sight. He wasn't sure, but felt confident he had hit him with at least one round. He heard Jessica fire, and turned to see the more obnoxious of the two horsemen on the ground, his horse running off. The second horseman sat with his hands in the air, rifle still balanced on his knees.

Time snapped back to normal as Junior turned back to cover the cowering man on the ground. Crouching low to stay out of Juanita's line of fire, he moved in on the prone man, keeping an eye on the jeep for movement. Jessica raised her rifle as he passed in front of her then covered the remaining horseman.

Crouching low Junior approached the man on the ground; he could hear him saying something and thought at first that he was speaking to the man under the jeep. As he got closer he realized the man was crying and sobbing, begging them not to kill him. Taking a quick second to toss the man's gun farther from his reach he crouched lower, attempting to see under the jeep.

Seeing nothing he worked more to his left, eyes searching for the slightest movement. A sudden shot sounded and Junior dropped to the ground. When no more shots were fired he slowly came to his knees.

"I don't think he was shooting at us," Juanita said from her perch on the Hummer. Junior nodded in acknowledgement then worked his way around the Jeep until he could see the other side. Juanita was right; the man laying there had placed his gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. The top of his head was gone, and looking closer Junior saw where his round had hit, going through the man from side to side right above his hips.

"Looks like he didn't want to die from a gut shot, so he finished himself off," he informed the others. Junior looked to the man still on his horse. The rider had made no move except to quiet the animal when it had jumped at the sudden shot.

"What's your story?" he asked harshly as he stood over the boss man who still lay on the ground sobbing.

"I just joined these guys four days ago," the man said, his arms obviously beginning to ache as he tried to keep them up. "Didn't know any of them besides the loud mouth she shot. I worked with him once on the Circle K near Billings. He told me they had a good place here, so I joined up."

"How many more are there?" Junior asked the man as he waved to Cole, motioning for the man to join them.

"That's all I've seen or know of," the man said. "I hadn't seen the boss there until today. He stayed up in the cabin, and only the little guy and he were allowed in there. Me and Joe there stayed in a tent down here."

Cole and the girls piled out of the big Ford, Sarah grabbing Shelley as she headed for Junior.

"Not now," she said, "he's busy." Shelley nodded her understanding, and then returned to the truck for her shotgun before rejoining Sarah.

"Cole, do you have any handcuffs?" Junior asked. The big man nodded, returning to the truck for them before joining Junior.

"Cuff him," Junior said, indicating the now quiet man at his feet. When the man was secured Cole frisked him quickly but expertly before dragging him to his feet. Leaving Cole to handle the now secured man he approached the horseman.

Taking the man's rifle he stepped back, tossing the gun to Cole. He motioned for the man to dismount before he checked him for other weapons. Other than a belt knife he found none and stepped back.

"You don't have a pistol?" he asked the man as he motioned for him to lower his hands.

"It's in my bedroll back at the camp," the man said.

Junior looked him over for a moment. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Matt Crafton," the man said. "What are you planning on doing with me?" he asked.

"To tell the truth, I haven't figured that out myself yet," Junior replied. "You're sure there aren't any more people up at the cabin? Who was the third horseman that rode away when you saw us coming?" he asked.

"That was Jeff," Crafton replied, nodding toward the jeep. Junior understood he meant the small man who had shot himself.

"Alright, here's what were going to do. You," Junior pointed to Crafton, "look after the cattle if they need it. If not, get a shovel and dig a grave for these two. One hole will suffice; they ain't going to know the difference." Matt nodded his understanding, looking at the body of Joe with distaste. "Sarah, Shelley and Cole, keep an eye on him." Junior walked over to the Jeep looking it over. Other than a round hole in the driver's door where one of his rounds had went through, it seemed fine. "Jessica, grab your rifle and come with me, we'll take this and go up to the house. Juanita, keep an eye out here, and don't get too far from the Hummer in case we need you." Junior grabbed a radio from the truck and made sure everyone else had one too.

Jumping into the Jeep, he gunned the engine into a U turn, heading for the cabin. The road, if one wanted to call it that, up the hill followed a narrow steep shelf of rock that topped out in a flat area where the cabin stood. Junior stopped just below the crest out of sight of the cabin. He and Jessica made their way to the crest on foot, keeping low. Nearing the crest, Junior led the way up the small bank to the left, weaving his way carefully through the trees.