Chapter 13

I hadn't been outside but about three minutes when I was joined by BK, Zeke, Kittrick, and Daryl. I knew Daryl would be the first one to speak and I was right.

"Do you think what you said in there will really happen?"

"Daryl, I know you have worked your ass off to make your place a home as well as a living but yes, it will happen and it's just a matter of when it will. I can't make you move into town, but I strongly suggest you do so as soon as you can. When the good law abiding people die off, what we have left is the dregs of society and they wouldn't blink twice about killing and raping."

I watched as he nodded his head and went back inside. Before the door closed, the monologue started.

Zeke: Thom, I thought maybe you were pouring it on a little thick, but after thinking about it, I believe that something like you described could easily happen. We need to remember, we also have several state and federal prisons within a hundred miles or so from us and even if they catch it, some are gonna survive. We need to think about that too. Have you thought about where we are going to get some better firearms? What we have are not good enough for the job that will be facing us.

Kittrick: Well, I think some of the things I brought on the helicopters this afternoon will help out a lot. I gave six little towns still untouched by the bug some weapons to help. Now they aren't the best nor American made but I think they will do a good job if you give them a chance. I don't know about the Sheriff though. I can't believe he still thinks he is still in charge. Thom, you said what needed to be said and I think they will bring their families into town. I think we will take the Sheriff with us when we leave, just to make sure he will survive. We need him to be a figurehead for the area since everyone knows him. Oh, before I forget, we lost contact with Safford this morning just before we flew here. I checked in with my radio people and they still haven't been able to raise anyone. I am worried about the prisons up there but until this bug runs its course, I am not going to put my personnel at risk. We will stay in the areas that haven't been infected and try to keep them from being so. Thom, I will try to back you up in any way I can, but we will be keeping a lot of personnel on the border.

BK: I know Thom and Zeke and I don't know the Colonel, but I would be willing to bet our first trouble will be with that bunch of RVs over in Steins. I don't know how many days' supplies they have, but when they start getting low they will be looking for somewhere to stock up. There is only one well over there, if I remember correctly, and the few people who still lived there all used it. It's alkali water, but drinkable. If Safford has been infected, then there will be lots of people headed for our area and north towards Phoenix and Willcox. We need to warn Bowie about it also. They are closer than we are to Safford. There are lots of back roads from Safford to Bowie that the locals know about and will use to get out of Safford.

Kittrick: We warned them earlier, but they seem to think it's just a radio glitch or something. I told them twice to watch all the roads in but I was more or less told that they could watch out for themselves. The Fire Chief is in charge over there by popular vote. Thom, is there anything else you can think of that I can provide to help? Since the base was supposed to be the host for reserve and active desert training this year, they have been stocking us all winter. We have a lot of stuff we can hand out if someone can show cause that they need it. My Commanding Officer was called back east three weeks ago for briefings and we haven't heard a thing from him. If he showed up now, I would refuse him or anyone else entry to the base for any reason.