Families First: A Post-Apocalyptic Next-World Series Volume 6 Battle Grounds by Lance Ewing (ereader for comics .txt) 📕

Mac made a mental note to talk with Lance about little Javi. It wasn’t his place probably, but he was the head of security, and someone did lose their life on my watch, he thought. Either way, he still wasn’t sure how the new group would assimilate into the Ranch.

“It’s strange,” he told Cory. “When individuals like you and your son come here, it’s easy. Here are the rules, stay or go, but with a group that size traveling all together, they already have a set of rules—probably quite different from our own.”

“Just give it time,” replied the always level-headed Cory. “It just takes a bit for everyone to get on the same page, just like we did with the new security team.”

* * * * * * *

Chapter Nine

Saddle Ranch

Loveland, Colorado

Mike and Sergio

The defectors, as Baker now called them, drove slow but steady towards Saddle Ranch. Baker put out a bounty of one rifle and 20 rounds of ammo on each of their heads, minus his granddaughter that he told everyone was kidnapped.

Max was excited and nervous about his arrival in the Valley, wondering if they would let him in. Dr. Baker would be even a tougher sell, given her name, he suspected. But maybe they will be so happy to get another doctor that they won’t make a big deal of it, he thought.

“How many people do you think you will have to kill, Sergio, between here and Saddle Ranch?” asked Max, making New-World small talk.

Sergio shook his head, laughing. “I don’t know, Max, but you’re a funny one, that’s for sure. You sound like Billy Crystal in that movie City Slickers when he asks Curley that. ‘Hi, Curly—kill anyone today?’” said Sergio in his best Billy Crystal impersonation.

The answer would end up being “two,” with a third credited to Mike from the back and Sergio repeating that he could use a man like Mike in the organization. A small detour and two mild skirmishes, if either Sergio or Mike were asked about it, had them turning at the elementary school near Saddle Ranch mid-afternoon.

Reaching the northern gate, the same as the first group, they parked. Sergio walked slowly towards the barricade, hands to his sides.

“Hands up!” called out someone, getting a “nope” reply from the military man, not complying but also not taking another step.

“I’m Sergio, and my boss’s boss is the Colonel that knows Samuel like a father. Also, we have Mike with us.”

“Who?” they asked.

“Mike—part of the Saddle Ranch group that should have rolled in here recently. He’s just a late arrival, is all.”

“Do you mean Lance’s group, the ones who rode in with a tank?”

“Yeah, I guess,” he said. “The name is right.”

“Hold on,” said the guard, as Sergio walked up to the truck’s back to talk with Mike.

“You didn’t tell me your group has a tank?!”

“It’s the first I’m hearing of it,” replied Mike, “but they did know they were coming here to fight. Must have picked it up after I left them.”

“Bring Mike up here,” called out the guard.

Mike did his best to slide out of the truck and walk straight enough.

“I’m not drunk,” he called out as he approached. “Just gut-shot is all,” getting a grin out of Sergio.

“Sergio,” said the guard, “you check out. Mike, it’s going to be a bit.”

“Why’s that?” asked Sergio.

“Different groups,” he replied. “Saddle Ranch is at a funeral right now, and we can’t get hold of them,” said Samuel’s guard.

“Who died?” asked Sergio.

“Some woman mechanic—part of your group, I guess, Mike. Got squished last night by a school bus, of all things.”

Mike’s right arm shot forward from his body faster than the guard had ever seen before. He had the man’s collar in his fist and demanded to know her name.

“Easy there, Mike,” said Sergio. “This man is just telling the facts,” although he did think he could have been more tactful about it.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t, but she has a little boy with some Spanish name I heard.”

“Where are they?” Mike demanded, not letting go of the man.

“Up the road one mile, then on your left up against the Rimrock.”

“Move aside,” said Mike, letting him go and walking right through the barricade.

“Hey, mister, you can’t just...” called out another guard.

Mike kept walking and tried to run before tripping and nearly eating pavement. He made it 50 yards and was out of breath when the horn honked.

“Get in,” called Sergio, with him and Max helping Mike climb into the back.

At exactly one mile, according to the odometer, Sergio pulled the truck off onto a dirt road to the left, heading towards a dark red Rimrock and what appeared to be almost a hundred people gathered at its base. There were a few trucks and four-wheelers parked, but many had just walked the half-mile over, and most of those looked wide-eyed at the speeding truck heading towards them.

“I’m slowing down,” called out Sergio to his passengers. “I don’t want us getting shot at out here.”

* * * * * * *

Chapter Ten

Saddle Ranch

Loveland, Colorado

Bill stepped forward, as did Samuel, assessing the situation. I started to walk over, with Joy trying to hold me back. The passengers headed out slow—three men and a woman.

“It’s Mike,” I called out to Jake and Lonnie, both not far from where I stood. “I don’t know the other three, but that’s Mike for sure,” I added excitedly, before remembering why we were all standing out here in the first place.

Javi let go of Joy’s hand and ran to him, crying “Daddy! Daddy!” nearly knocking the strong man over, jumping up into his arms. “She’s gone, Daddy. Mommy died and went to heaven,” he said, through his sobs.

Of all the scenarios Mike thought