Chapter 17

It seemed like my head no sooner hit the pillow than I was asleep. For a change I didn't dream, at least not that I remembered. The loud knocking at the door woke me from the first sound sleep I could remember having since this all started. "Yeah, I called out?"

"Hey Pops, Mom said to wake you as breakfast will be ready in about a half an hour."

"Thanks, Shelly!"

"You're welcome!"

The giggle I heard as she walked away made me smile. I headed for the bathroom off the office and quickly grabbed a shower and shave. I got dressed, making sure I had my pistol and the extra magazine pouches on as I headed out to see what would happen today. I did notice that a laundry basket had appeared in the corner of the bathroom for my dirty clothes, or so I thought. When I walked into the dining room that had been set up in the gym, I saw that the blockade guards were already there and I headed for the coffee pot. I sat down and listened to the conversations going on around me, trying to pick up on any gripes or problems that I could pass on to Barry in case it was necessary. Although I heard the normal gripes and bitches, I didn't hear a thing other than normal conversations from the men sitting around me. Zeke joined me and we both sat in silence, sipping the coffee we both needed to wake up. Shelly came over and set two plates in front of us with silverware. I looked around and noticed that all the older kids were doing the serving and they seemed to be doing a good job; kidding with the men as they served them breakfast. I wasn't a big breakfast eater, but the eggs, fried potatoes and toast seemed to hit the spot. It didn't take me long to gobble them down and as I got up to get more coffee, Shelly asked me if I wanted more food. When I said no, she gave me a dirty look as if she thought I didn't like the food or something. I slurped the sip of coffee left in my cup and she got to giggling at me and almost dropped the plate.

"Pops, if I did that Mom would smack me!"

"Well, I am happy you're not your mother 'cause I am too old and decrepit to be smacked. Besides, it might break something if that happened. Remember, I am a senior citizen!" Well that really set her to laughing, and I listened to her all the way out of the room after I refilled my coffee cup. When I got back to the table, Zeke was grinning at our little conversation.

"You know she really cares a lot for you. For some reason she took to you right away."

"I think it's because I don't treat her like a child like a lot of the other adults do. Besides, I promised her some rattler meat if we ever clean that cave out."

I thought he was going to snort coffee out his nose after I made that comment. He was coughing and gasping and trying to laugh all at the same time. I took a small sip of the hot coffee while I waited for him to get himself back under control. When he did, I got a dirty look and then that grin of his.

"Well, that explains it then, that girl loves rattler meat and her brother is almost as bad. Those two have shot more of them than anybody I know. Have you ever eaten any of her mom's cooked rattler? I can see you haven't and you are in for a treat when you do. I don't know what spices she puts in it, but it tastes better than any chicken I have ever eaten. Now, not to change the subject, but I got a couple of messages for you from McGuire and Kittrick. First McGuire says that bunch from Steins looks like they are getting ready to move out again. They are planning on stopping them before they go much further so he is sending the small chopper at eight to pick you up to go along. Thom, I think I know a place we can send them to that has water and shelter as well as wild goats and some stray cattle they can use for meat. There is an old ghost town over by Granite Peak that has been almost completely restored. There is only one way in and out of it and it could be easily guarded against attacks. The fella that owned it passed and it was never completely finished. It has a large stock tank and a good windmill as well as several small springs in the lower canyon that produce year around. Hell, I think they would be safer there than running around the desert looking for someplace to settle into. Do you know the place?"