Compass Call: Survival & Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 3) (28 page)

“Well, they were mostly men . . . around our age. But I can start writing that information on the coupon if you like.”

John nodded and said, “Yes. That would be nice. Thanks Paul.” He then turned to Adam and said, “Ready to make a mess?”

“Are you kidding? I’m ready for anything more exciting than guarding pool water,” replied Adam.

“Then show Marcus how to use your rifle and we’ll get to work,” said John.

Adam looked up at Marcus, and then back to his dad. His curious expression told John all he needed to know. “You already showed him how to use it, didn’t you?” asked John.

“Well, yeah. I mean, what do you expect, dad. We’ve been spending a lot of time together on watch. It’s not like I wasn’t safe and all,” replied Adam.

“There’s no need to get defensive. I just asked. I’m actually fine with it, and glad you took the initiative. Is it safe to assume you did the same with Corbin?”

“Yes, sir.”

John nodded and said, “Good. That will speed things up with training. But I want them to shoot the twenty-two before they shoot your rifle, so please don’t go . . . jumping the gun on that too. Please.”

“I’ve done everything but shoot it Mr. A. Adam’s a good teacher . . . just like the Sergeant Major,” replied Marcus.

John studied the eyes of the eager young man. He knew all innocence would be swept from those eyes the first time he had to draw blood, which was only a matter of time. Such an act had a way of changing grown men, let alone young men. And so did being shot at, though not quite as much. He wondered how the boys would hold up under enemy fire. Even Adam, who endured many hours of training, had yet to react to enemy fire. John would have been happy to keep it that way for the rest of Adam’s life, but the disaster changed that as well.

He reminded himself again that he didn’t cause the disaster; that he didn’t make it happen, but it stung him deeply whenever he thought about his children’s future. Whatever happened, for whatever reason, he wasn’t going to be caught sitting around on his back side. The road to recovery was going to be a long and dangerous road, and he was
glad Adam was prepared, and that Adam knew well enough to share his knowledge with Corbin and Marcus. He looked at his son and said, “Good work, Adam. Go ahead and give Marcus your rifle, and let’s get to work.”

John and Adam made short work of the project. They removed the plywood flooring and three sandbags, and John drilled a half-inch pilot hole in the alcove floor. With the saws-all, he cut away the floor to reveal the framing, insulation and wiring. After carefully removing everything, he drilled another pilot hole through the ceiling panel directly above the patio entry.

John got the idea from a memory of a castle he toured in German many years ago. In one particular castle there was a space, between the gate and portcullis that was covered by several “murder holes.” While invaders tried their way into the castle, guards could shoot down on them from protected slots above. John was more concerned about seeing who was standing next to the front door than shooting from the slot, but the option was a welcome one.

When he was done, John had a three inch by eight inch slot cut into the lower floor, and a six by twelve inch rectangle cut in the upper floor. He designed it to give the defenders room to tilt their weapons and shoot at an angle if needed. With the hole complete, John rigged a wooden cover for both holes, and replaced the sandbags over the opening. With a black marker, he wrote a large ‘X’ on the key sandbag, and cut another hole in the plywood flooring with the saws-all.

When the project was complete, there was little evidence that the house had been altered in any way. John inspected the work from the patio and saw that the hole, though not absolutely symmetrical, was very much inconspicuous. He doubted anyone would notice it, or know its true purpose until it was too late. Besides, he also knew people hardly ever looked up.

After cleaning up and storing the tools, John began to mentally prepare for his meeting with Tony. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but knew it had to be done. A part of him was rather curious about
what would happen, if Tony would propose some kind of cooperative leadership. Then there was the dark part of John that actually wanted Tony to grovel a bit. He quickly suppressed those feelings and instead looked forward to some kind of resolution that would actually benefit the entire neighborhood, and not just Tony’s cadre of yes-men.

CHAPTER 9

J
ohn and Marcus pulled their water shift, which concluded the two-person rotation plan and completely ignored the previously agreed upon buddy system, but John was fine with it. He liked spending time with Marcus because he wanted to get to know him better. John also liked the fact that Marcus was more willing to disclose the inner-workings of their little group of comrades than his own son. It didn’t bother John that Adam was tightlipped about their group, because that’s the way most young men were, but he did enjoy Marcus’ confidence.

In return, John shared a little of his own life story with Marcus, about his childhood, and joining the Army after high school. And when the subject of spiritual matters came up, John was surprised to learn that Marissa had already shared her story with him, which was something John hadn’t done with Adam. John wasn’t sure why he was hesitant to do the same, but he knew he was long overdue. He owed it to Adam.

They also talked about the people who came for water, and John learned that Marcus absorbed information like a sponge. He watched John’s every move, and listened intently to every conversation. There was nothing remarkable about the people that came for water, at least not that John could recognize as a predictable pattern. They came from every home around the loop, were mostly male, of mixed age, and they all needed water. Their need for water was the only common denominator, but he was looking for something more, something that would tell him – something about why these people didn’t prepare.

John felt almost entirely removed from their needs, but he tried to hide that attitude from Marcus. He didn’t want to bias Marcus against charity, but he did want to teach him prudence, a sense of caution that wasn’t judgmental. John new all too well that judgment had a way of hiding the facts. He was glad to share the pool water, and wondered how he’d feel if they were staying. Would he be so generous? He doubted it, but then again, he might have lost everything if he didn’t share. The pool was a learning experience for him in so many ways.

The trick for John was not allowing himself to be consumed by their individual needs. As a prepper, he struggled to understand why other people didn’t prepare. Now that he was actually seeing the effects of unpreparedness, it actually sickened him. He had to detach himself from the unprepared or go insane.

There were people outside the neighborhood whose needs were much greater than anyone nearby, but that too he had to suppress. He couldn’t allow himself to absorb the feelings of desperation that seemed to flow toward him from everywhere, and in unrelenting waves. Many bad things had happened, and they would continue to happen until a balance was reached.

Despite the neighborhood’s brief introduction to violence with the torching of the Hernandez house, everyone seemed oblivious to the overall change that was going on around them. It was as if they didn’t consider themselves a part of the bigger disaster scene. John wondered if his water had anything to do with that, but he suspected it was more shock and denial than anything.

Forty-eight people had come for water so far, and the pool looked to have dropped less than a few inches. He wasn’t interested in doing the math, but he figured the pool would supply the neighborhood for about two or three weeks, if they were careful. He didn’t know what they’d do after the pool ran dry, but they did have options. Again, if they were smart and careful, they could have water for many months, if not years to come. What they really needed was food.

John was prepared to put the neighborhood behind him, but thinking about leaving the house made him feel hollow. He wasn’t sure what would happen to his home when he left, but he knew it would help the neighborhood, especially the solar panels and the well. At first he actually considered sabotaging the house, not militarily speaking, just disable and preserve key parts of the solar power converter and well pump. He could do it in a way that wouldn’t damage the system, and hide the parts in the shelter for when he returned. But deep down, he knew they’d never return.

Once they left the neighborhood he knew there would be no coming back. He hated thinking about their leaving as being permanent, not with everything they were leaving in the shelter, it would be too much for Jenna to bear. He knew how she felt about their place, about returning to something known and comfortable. Because of her feelings, it became important for John. He couldn’t tell her everything would be better. He felt things would be better, but he couldn’t guarantee it for her, so he supported her belief that they would someday return.

As for the stuff in the shelter, John also wrote it off. The only reason he left food, water and supplies in the shelter, other than Jenna’s personal hopes, was to provide something for someone down the road; someone like Mark, if he ever made his way up. He wasn’t inclined to just leave everything lying about, not when it could serve some useful purpose in the future.

John decided to treat the departure as he would any of his previous military moves. During his twenty plus years of service, John and Jenna moved eleven times, and that wasn’t counting his overseas combat deployments. For John, this departure would be a reflection on his past, where a long road trip and finding a new home were once second nature. The problem was, not everyone thought like him, or handled crisis and change like he did.

After his meeting with Tony, John decided he would begin moving the surplus food, weapons and other supplies into the shelter, and then
seal it up. He didn’t want to mess with the shelter as they prepared to leave, mainly because putting things in the shelter while they were preparing to leave would be a huge distraction. The plan was, whatever he didn’t have stored in the shelter by tomorrow morning would either be taken with them, or left in the house when they departed.

John remembered that he also needed to put together a packet of important documents, and seal them up in a Mylar bag. He would take only those documents needed to prove his families identities and their health, but everything else, to include his investment portfolio, the deed on the house, and the vehicle titles, would go into the shelter. He didn’t think anything else would be necessary.

Following a lunch of less than remarkable design, mainly because the kitchen was pretty much inaccessible due to the on-going ration assembly operations, John, Pete and Paul met briefly on the front patio to discuss John’s upcoming private meeting with Tony Marino. John recognized Pete’s anxiety about the meeting, and wanted to give his friend an opportunity to settle his nerves before he left. Pete studied John intently, through squinted eyes, as if trying to see something in a brightly lit room.

“I wish you wouldn’t stare at me like that, it makes me nervous,” said John.

“You nervous?” scoffed Pete. “I don’t like the idea of you going alone and think you need to reconsider.”

John nodded and said, “I’m just going to meet with him for a few minutes. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Pete gave him another hard look and added, “It’s not like you to rush into something so hasty. You always have a plan. A plan for a plan even.”

“Pete, this meeting doesn’t need a plan. I’ll be fine. And really, we don’t have an option. I need you guys to stay here if the biker gang
shows up. Besides, there’s still the water to contend with,” said John, as he checked his gear. John was armed with his rifle, pistol, knife, and a radio, as well as extra ammo, and a few other favorite odds and ends. The only thing John excluded from his standard kit was the tactical helmet. In its place he wore a faded green ball-cap. After the biker’s fire-bombing raid on Paul’s house, John didn’t want to be caught away from home unprepared now that unexpected threats were a way of life.