Chapter 39

I woke up with Sarah curled around me like a snake. I looked at her little face and she looked so innocent, hugging that teddy bear. I almost didn't get up, but I knew I had to because I had company coming from the Fort, and I also would have an unpleasant chore to do if my hunch was right. I finally got off the couch, getting dressed in the bathroom. I grabbed the AK and the vest, but when I got a whiff of the vest, I just took several of the mags out and put them in the side pockets of the cargo pants I was wearing. The rest I left on the desk, throwing the vest in the laundry basket. I leaned over and kissed Sarah on the cheek and made my escape without waking her.

When I got out to the dining room, Zeke and Barry were waiting on me and to my surprise, BK walked up and sat down with a coffee.

"I take it all of you are here for a reason?"

Zeke spoke up, saying that if I was going back out there to check the bodies again to get an accurate count they were going with me. I just shrugged my shoulders, finished my coffee, and headed for the door and my unit. As I was going out, I dropped the mag in my rifle and checked it to make sure it was full, and then checked to see if I had one up the spout. BK snorted, watching me go through the motions.

"I reloaded all your mags last night and cleaned the AK since I figured you would be too tired. It really wasn't that dirty, but I noticed you only had two loaded mags left after last night. Don't look at me like that; Sarah brought them to me after you passed out and helped me so I could show her how to do it. Man, you must have gone out like a light because you didn't even hear her come in. She put it all back on the desk and crawled into bed with you, then went out like she was exhausted. You know, you two looked so cute laying there that I almost went and got my camera to take some pictures. But I figured the flash would wake you up so I just closed the door and left. Thom, what the hell are you looking for out here? I know we got an accurate count last night, but knowing you like I do, I can see something is bothering you about those men. Care to share your thoughts with us peons?"

"I ain't trying to hold back on you guys, but I am playing an hunch and I don't want to give anything away until I can make sure of what I suspect. I would rather all of you be unbiased when I find what I think I will. Barry, I noticed you had a frown on your face last night almost the same one you have right now; care to tell me what is buggin' you?"

"Well, I was and still am a little pissed off because you didn't trust me enough last night to go with you to meet those bastards. Instead you sent me to the other barricade, trying to protect me. I am supposed to be your second, not some rookie you don't trust."

I slammed on the brakes and when the unit stopped, I put it in park and turned, looking him in the eyes as I spoke. "I didn't send you to the other barricade to protect you, nor do I not trust you. Let's get something out in the open right now. You are my second, so to speak, and I had Zeke to handle the fifty and BK to cover my flanks. But, you had the most important part. I sent you to B2 in case the bunch coming up the ramp was a ruse. I needed someone I could trust to run the battle on B2 if another bunch attacked it while we were tied up with our side. If they had separated us and both leaders were on one barricade, who the hell on B2 could take charge if they were attacked? If you don't like the way I handled it, then you can take over and run it to make you happy. I didn't ask for the damned job nor do I like doing it. But if I am going to do it, then you better believe I have a reason for everything I do. Now, if no one else has a bitch, I want to finish this before the chopper from the Fort comes in. I appreciate you wanting to fight, but when it comes to open and pitched battles I know what I am doing, and every move I make is to protect this town and its people. Barry, you do a helluva good job, but I won't ask you to do anything I wouldn't ask of myself nor would I not listen if you have advice that makes sense. You are in charge, but I won't risk lives on anyone's egos."

I pulled up to the barricade and parked, grabbing my rifle and got out. I was greeted by several men and again got congratulated on our victory. I was also told they couldn't wait to get the bodies buried because they stunk and it was getting worse. I grinned and walked to the left checking bodies as I did. Sure enough, the third body had a set of dog tags on as did fifteen others. I took them as I checked; not bothering to read them, just collecting. I met up with the rest after I checked the last body with them hanging from my hand. I handed them to Barry who was looking at them with his mouth hanging open in total shock. I didn't say a word, just headed back to my unit with them following. When I got to the barricade, I told the man there to have all the bodies buried in the same hole. I told him to try to take the vehicles to the diesel garage and put them in the lot there, because we could use them for parts if we needed them later on. He just grinned and said he was calling for the backhoe right away.