Chapter 19

[Preservation – Janice]

We went back to Amy's horses and got mounts for everyone. We went back to Walmart and picked up rifles and pistols with all the ammunition we could find. We pulled out of Durham heading back toward Atlanta and Preservation on I-85. Once on I-85, we painted over a billboard with a message.

Only three of us were experienced riders so our initial few days were slow with many rest stops so they could ease their legs. It takes some time to adjust your body to riding and we were going slowly to allow the rest to get used to the feelings. Even Amy wasn't used to the long time in the saddle that travel really required. There was some discussion the first night about using a car or truck but Bennie stopped that by telling them to go ahead and get one, check the tires, figure out how to start it, and gas it.

He said, "If you can do all that, great. However, we decided in Preservation that a reliance on automobiles was not a wise survival option. Horses reproduce themselves and eat grass. If you think long-term, you have a different slant on things. Jack thought all that through and using gas and diesel is not one of his approved options. We've stopped our reliance on cars and trucks with little or no trouble for us. We only keep them for emergency situations and, even then, it hasn't been often."

Two days later, Bennie stopped us and then hurried us off the road and into hiding. He told me that he heard something and to keep everyone hidden and quiet while he checked things out. We went further into woods while he went to the edge on foot. We kept going to get four or five hundred yards away as I could now faintly hear motors. Amy looked troubled. We found a small clearing at a creek and stopped. We hobbled the horses to let them have water and graze.

Amy looked at me and said, "What happened?"

"Bennie heard a motor. His hearing is phenomenal. I heard it faintly after he did. He will check out what's going on and find us."

"Will he be okay by himself?"

"Amy, he has eyes in the back of his head and is naturally cautious. You may have noticed that he and I dress in 'camo' colored clothes. That's the reason. He is quieter than the wind and almost invisible in the woods. He will handle the situation."

"You trust him, don't you?"

"Of course. He's my husband and my friend. We've been through a lot together and know each other well, very well." I smiled gently.

"I hope I can meet someone like him." She said.

"You can. Just be patient."

We all took it easy and waited. It was about an hour later when Bennie came into the clearing. He gave my shoulder a quick squeeze. All the others were surprised when he spoke because no one had heard him approach.

Bennie said, "I believe the Penn's were in those vehicles. There was one truck followed by a couple of SUV's. They don't seem as well organized as the Triple-A's or as well equipped. They haven't had any organized resistance and totally lack caution. Janice, get out the GPS and the radio. We will need to stay off I-85 and also tell Preservation what we know." I nodded and went about my work. The others crowded around Bennie wanting information except for Amy who was helping me. Bennie cut them off. He didn't like to repeat himself and wasn't going to babysit their emotions. I set up the radio and he came over and smiled at Amy and at me. She glowed in response to his approval. He helped us finish hooking everything up and turned the radio on. He called for Preservation and waited a moment and called again.

He sat back and seemed to go to sleep. Our guests began to clamor again, this time wondering why Preservation didn't answer. Bennie didn't respond so, after a minute, I did saying, "They have other things to do than wait beside a radio for us to call particularly in the middle of the day unexpectedly. They'll be on soon."

A minute later, Momma Shirley came on saying, "Station calling Preservation. This is Shirley from Preservation standing by to copy. Go ahead."

Bennie took the mike. "That's a pretty close listening watch, Shirley. We are not under threat but have a potential situation and I would like your and Jack's opinion on our course of action."

"Okay. He's on the property. Stand by and I will get him here."

"Roger."

We sat around for a few minutes waiting. Bill started up. "Why aren't they listening? We shouldn't have to wait like this."

"Bill, shut up. You are so far out of line that I don't know if you can ever get back." I paused for a second. "But if you don't shut up, I will shoot you myself." Bill looked shocked but had the good sense to keep his mouth shut.

Jack came on the radio and said, "Bennie, what's happening? Shirley and I are here and listening."

Bennie said, "We painted your sign up here first and a first group in vehicles has gone by. I'm wondering how we should contact them. Should it be easy or hard? I'm guessing it's a scouting group that I saw. We are still in North Carolina. I know they had to have seen my sign though. They were looking for us so we will stay away from I-85 taking back roads. We will watch our backs. My initial opinion is to carefully try easy. What's your read?"

"I would agree. You know I prefer non-violence when possible. Can you set it up safely?"

"I think so. Other than myself, there's only one and a half to provide backup. The rest are too noisy and impatient to be of any use other than creating targets of themselves or exposing us to danger. It will have to be a trap to keep us protected."

"Bennie, I trust you and Janice to handle things totally. As usual, be careful but you do that anyway. Is everybody okay?"

"Thus far. We will bring Amy to see her sister. I will head further toward the Georgia line and try to make sure we have a good place that let's us set up as safely as possible. I will also paint a few more signs as we go. It will slow us down a bit but we will keep safe."

"That will work. Keep us informed. When you are ready to make contact, let us know and we will monitor constantly then."

"We will do that. I'm hoping we can stay out of trouble for a week or so and get closer to Georgia before any contact with them. Janice and I send our love. Clear on yours."

"Very good. Shirley and I send our love to you. Come home soon. Jack is clear."

We turned off the set and put it back in its traveling case. Bill hadn't learned yet. He said, "You're going to risk our lives! That's not right."

Bennie responded before I could, 'No problem, Bill. Leave. Get your stuff and get out. You will not be welcome in Preservation and, if I see you again, I will shoot you. You can take what supplies you want. You and anyone else who wants to go with you, leave now."

"But I just wanted to express my thoughts. You don't have to be so bossy."

"Bill," I said, "you should be gathering your things and preparing to leave with any who want to go with you. Neither Bennie nor I have the patience to put up with you questioning everything. Not only is our judgment better, it's you who wanted to go with us not the other way around. Now, pack and go!" I pulled my pistol and pulled the slide to chamber a round and cock it for firing.

Everyone but Bennie was tense. He looked bored. He said, "Well, Bill, are you leaving or does she shoot you?"

"I'll leave. You can't tell me where to go or what to do."

"Other than staying with Janice and me, we aren't. You can go back to where you were with better equipment with whoever might want to join you or go anywhere else in the world but Preservation. The only remaining question for the rest of you is, 'Who wants to join Bill?'"

Finally, Rob began to gather his stuff. No one else moved. They rode off almost due north and away from I-85. A quiet minute passed and Bennie said, "Okay, let's pack. I want to put a few miles behind us and get somewhere unexpected before the Penn's start looking for us with Bill's information in hand."

Amy asked, "Do you really think he or Rob would give them information?"

"Yes," Bennie responded, "for two reasons. First, the Penn's may be into torture. Second, if he thinks they will let him have you or Janice, he probably would. It's just as likely that they'll kill them before they have a chance to make a deal."

Mac said, "Those two came later to join us. I had noticed how Bill looked at you two," nodding toward Amy and me, "and wondered if he might try something. He was scared of Bennie and of you, Janice."

Bennie chuckled, "He has no idea. Janice could tie him up in knots with hand-to-hand or a weapon. She likes knives." He grinned at me.

I grinned back. We mounted and left heading southwest. When we got to I-85, we looked around carefully before crossing the road and heading back into the woods. Bennie stopped us and went back on foot to cover our trail. We continued on for about ten miles until everyone was tired and sore before stopping.

Bennie insisted that our fire be hidden and that we use dry wood to cut the smoke. We kindled our fire under a small group of trees to further hide any smoke. While supper cooked, we radioed in and then pulled our maps and set out an approximate route to take us to Georgia at I-85. It wouldn't be much longer and would keep us off the interstate. There looked to be some overland sections but we both knew there would be some farming roads that we could follow. We might see some more people who we could warn.

Bennie told everyone that we would be moving fast for Georgia. We wanted to be a moving target and did not want to catch anyone's attention as we traveled if we could avoid it. He explained that our intent was to get to Georgia, determine what the Penn's intentions might be if they came that far down, and to set all of them on the path to Preservation while we watched the line for the Penn's. Only Amy looked unhappy. I think she didn't want to be separated from us. We could address that later. Right now, the thrust was to get to the line safely.

Two weeks later, we had entered Georgia but not at I-85. We had stayed south and took another route into the state. We found a safe place for our people and Bennie and I went to I-85 to look at the area close to the state line. Bennie is patient and pointed out that one car in the Georgia rest area was parked on top of some brush though it looked dusty. He said, "It's a trap for the unwary. They know we are horsed and expect us to get back on the Interstate to enter the state. They were even probably surprised that there wasn't a barricade here. We waited.

Evening came and Amy called into Preservation with our evening report. We were listening on earphones on a small HF receiver we had liberated in Charlotte on the way up. Amy knew Poppa by now and he knew her. She passed on our message and he agreed that he would wait but ready a group to assist us if we requested it. Since she also told him about the receiver, he admonished us to be careful.

After they signed off, I called Amy on the HT that we had taken with us. I told her that we suspected a trap and were planning to remain out tonight to find out what pattern might be developed from the activities. We weren't sure that it was the Penn's or someone else who had come here by accident.

Late afternoon went to dusk and then to dark and finally full dark before Bennie and I moved. We carefully went toward the Welcome Center watching around us and looking again carefully and closely at the ground for any signs of a trap. We crouched next to the building waiting for next step in our process. I waited while Bennie worked his way around the corner and watched his back. He made his way around to the front whispering into his throat mike while I listened and watched. He described to me and to those who were left back at the camp what he was seeing.