Chapter 8

We were all on foot and Bennie and I seemed to have our hands tied behind us. We came into a subdivision and I noticed four or so homes that looked occupied. People came out and began to gather around. Jerry said, "They fly. Joe and the others are looking over their plane. Marty and Jamie, you are to take the girl back with Sheila, Angie, and Joan. We're to hold the man here. He wants you to bring the trucks."

One man said, "Jamie, I'll get the truck and then you get the other." I saw another man nod and marked him as Jamie. Bennie and I knew that they were definite bad guys but that left three more men and the woman.

A woman spoke up. She was dressed in better clothes than the rest but looked mean. She said, "Why didn't Joe come?"

Jerry said, "He knew we would do what he told us." He made a grimace. A man standing next to the woman grinned cruelly. That left two unknowns in the equation.

The woman looked over and said, "Bobby, Nate, see to our prisoners. Check him carefully. She looks like fun." We now knew the other two! They approached me with lusty grins. I whipped my hands from behind me and launched at them. Jamie wasn't back and Bennie launched himself at the woman and the man standing next to her.

Jerry was looking at his wife and yelled, "Duck!" He shot the man behind his wife while Bennie decked the man and seized the woman. She was quick grabbing a knife and trying to stab him. He redirected it into her midsection and she grunted as it went in to the hilt. Her eyes bulged as she realized she was going to die. While that was happening, I hadn't been idle. I charged the two and, with a quick kick to the groin, put one on the ground. The other backed off long enough to pull a knife and say, "Bitch!" He charged me and went down. I threw him and shoved his knife hand in his stomach. The knife went in and he went to the ground screaming. The other started up going for a gun. I caught him with a kick to his chin that tried to remove his head from his shoulders. It did break his neck and he went down. Jamie came back and exited the truck pulling a pistol. Jerry shot him twice and he fell limply. Bennie picked up the one man still alive and removed a pistol and two knives.

He said, "You will be leaving here today, dead or alive." The man charged him and Bennie grabbed his head and twisted violently. He fell at Bennie's feet limp and exhaled a last breath.

Bennie and I looked around. I said, "Now, does anyone else want to dominate?" No one moved except Sheila who came to her husband and hugged him tight. The other two men went to women and held them. One of the women, who was exceptionally beautiful, looked about vacantly and I guessed she might be Mabel. With the exploitation ended, perhaps she would heal.

It was quiet. Bennie said, "Jerry, why don't you gather everyone and we can talk. You folks will have to consider your futures and how you want that to play out. Janice and I are on the way home. We are interested but you have to handle life for yourselves."

Jerry nodded. He went to a few men and talked with each for a moment. Four of them left while we waited. A couple of other men pulled the bodies away for whatever disposition there would be.

About fifteen minutes later, Jerry and the rest of the men returned with some more couples. Jerry said, "This is everyone."

Bennie nodded at me so I said, "I am Janice Cook. That's my husband, Bennie. We come from the communities of Preservation and Protection and have been on an exploration trip for the last couple of months. We are returning from Hudson's Bay on our way back home.

"The communities are allies along with Pintlala, which is south of Montgomery, Alabama. Preservation is located southwest of Atlanta, Georgia, though has spread into the old state of Alabama and north and east to South Carolina. Protection is located west of Nashville, Tennessee. All three farm, have electricity, and elect their leaders. We don't tolerate people trying to dominate others.

'Bennie and I explore on behalf of them and have covered most of the eastern half of the United States over the years. We have also been involved in defending our communities from aggression. Since we don't have any children, we can go on these trips and our communities are big enough to support us in our travels.

"We have one other thing that helps. We have radios and maintain contact with one another that way. Some of our earliest members were ham radio operators before the Day and they brought their abilities and radios to the communities. We talk with our homes almost every night.

"You folks need to make some decisions. I believe any of you would be welcome at either community or you can remain here. You do need some method of governing yourselves. Lastly, you need to decide if you want contact with Preservation and Protection."

Jerry said, "I would like to be part of a bigger community or at least allied with one, or more. I'm not sure I want to leave what we have built here."

Sheila had introduced herself to us while Jerry was gone. She said, "That goes for me, too. I hope the days of lawlessness are done. There are too few of us to keep killing each other in an effort to dominate others. Also, a larger community may have doctors available." Others gave their opinions and the discussion continued on. Sheila came to us and said, "Come to our house and have some lunch."

We went into her house as Jerry tried to conduct the discussion. There were many opinions voiced and he was trying to let everyone be heard. Inside, Sheila said, "I would like to have electricity again and people who could help in times of trouble. We have been lucky here except for Joe and his gang.

"Are there many Joe type individuals around?"

"There aren't as many as there had been. That kind of group is basically unstable. If not for others to victimize, they would eventually die. They are dependent upon preying upon others to survive."

She fed us sandwiches with homemade bread and sliced beef with mustard and lettuce and tomatoes. She apologized, "We are working on mayonnaise but don't have it right yet." It was a good meal and we were thankful to get it.

I asked, Sheila, would you leave here for Preservation or Protection?"

"Yes," she answered eagerly. "Jerry and I have talked about it. This is good land but winters can be harsh and we need more people to have a good community. Jerry is a better rancher than farmer and living where others farm would be good because we could trade." She thought another minute. "Electricity would be nice, too."

Jerry came in at that moment grumbling. "I don't understand some people. The consensus seems to be staying here regardless of other possibilities. It's not smart."

Sheila said, "We could leave even if no one will join us. Jerry, I'm pregnant. I want to have our baby where there are doctors."

Jerry's eyes misted over. "Oh, She! That's great!" He gave her a quick hug and kiss, took a breath, and said, "I think some will come with us. Mack and Mabel will come for sure. I think Bill and Mary and some others will when they think about it more."