Dark Titan Journey: Wilderness Travel (3 page)

“Gee, thanks,” John said, holding them up.

“We’ll get you some more clothes in a few days,” Nathan said. “You shower first then go to the lake and wash your clothes. Then you, Wonder Woman. I’ll go last. I want to be done in an hour so we can hear the broadcast after we’ve eaten,” he said as John stood up and took his shirt off. Nathan grabbed the shower bag and filled it with the cold lake water and dumped a pot of hot water in. Shaking the bag, he put his hand in to find it warm. “Hang it up,” he said, holding the bag out to John. Nathan noticed the red areas on John’s body were nowhere near as raw looking as they’d been last night.

While John was showering Amanda leaned over to Nathan. “John looks like he lost weight today,” she said in a low voice.

“Oh I’m sure he did,” Nathan said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he lost five pounds, maybe a little more,” he added.

Raising her eyebrows, she said, “I thought you couldn’t lose that much in a day.”

“Under normal circumstances yes, but this isn’t normal. I’m sure John was used to eating what you would eat in a week for one meal,” Nathan said.

“You would die if you ate that much,” she said, leaning back.

“No, you’d be surprised,” Nathan said, taking his shirt off.

Amanda pulled her shirt up to her nose. “Wow I stink,” she said, grabbing her shirt to pull it off. Nathan leaned over, grabbing her arms to stop her.

“You are a girl and don’t have a bra on,” he said, leaning back.

She looked at him in shock. “Last night you made a fuss when I talked about wearing panties and bras and today you complain I don’t wear a bra,” she said, letting her hands fall into her lap. “Make up your mind,” she said.

“It’s the same thing. You’re a little girl,” Nathan said, and Amanda didn’t like the way he called her a ‘little girl.’

Seeing John walking to the lake, she stood up and stomped off to the shower. Ares looked at Nathan. “Don’t look at me, I don’t know,” he said to Ares. Not understanding, Ares laid his head down, staring at the bag of hamburgers that smelled real good. He was kind of hoping one of those might end up his.

Once Amanda finished, Nathan ran over and showered after filling the bag up again. Drying off, he looked for his dirty clothes and didn’t see them. Putting on some clean ones he walked down to the lake to find Amanda scrubbing his clothes. “I could wash them,” Nathan said.

She turned around and looked up at him, her hair wrapped in a towel. “I was washing mine so I just grabbed yours,” she said then turned around and continued. He smiled and left her gently singing a song softly to herself. It was from that boy pop star. Shaking his head, he walked back to the camp as Ares headed over to Amanda.

“Oh, you’ll go check on her but not me,” Nathan said as Ares walked past. Ares never paid him any attention.

A few minutes later Amanda joined them and they ate the burgers, Ares getting his fair share. Then they sat and waited on the broadcast. The radio station suddenly came on and they all listened as a woman announced the President.

“My fellow Americans. We have been hit with something the likes of which mankind has never before faced. Let me assure you, America and her allies will survive. Power outages on the North American continent are reported at ninety-eight percent. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has assured me that steps are being taken to get the plants back on line. As many of you have heard, I have ordered Martial Law in all cities with a population over one hundred thousand. This is to maintain civil authority. I have signed an Executive Order limiting the Interstate travel of civilians.

“Travel within the state will be dictated by the local governments. I have urged the governors to declare martial law when and where needed. We cannot have people moving from city to city as we drop off food and supplies, taking away from those that live there. Food shipments started going out to every major city in America two days ago with the military transporting and dispensing the food. Now to make sure people only get what is allotted to them a national identification card is being issued to each person at time of the first pick up. You must bring proof of who you are and it will be checked with the Social Security Administration and the FBI.

“I must warn you not to try to falsify your identity. The issuing people will have access to the information and anyone trying to falsify their identity will be detained. All those that are detained will have to wait until this crisis has ended before they get their day in court. I have been told by several experts that it will take several months to do this.

“All those in the martial law zones will turn over all firearms effective immediately. We must remove the weapons so criminals cannot have access to them. In New York alone they have lost two hundred and seventeen officers since this event started. I’m told that the story is the same across the country. Any person that does not turn over firearms to the police when ordered can and will be detained. Resistance to the confiscation of firearms can be viewed as the need for deadly force. The ATF and Homeland Security are assisting in the removal of firearms from the martial law zones. Rest assured once the crisis is over the weapons will be returned to their owners.”

Hearing that, Nathan scoffed as the President continued.

“I have signed another Executive Order suspending all mortgage and rent payments, but taxes are still due. Since this crisis has thrown so much confusion into our economy I’m postponing due date for taxes till June the first. You need to make arrangements to pay your part. If you cannot ascertain how much you made due to this event you are to use the prior year’s taxes as your guide. Make arrangements with your local tax assessor’s office. The IRS will be able to gain access to your account to help you make your payment. No refunds will be sent out for obvious reasons.

“Now, as many of you have heard, China and the Soviet states are at war with each other. I have sent diplomats to each side to see if we can get the war stopped in this time of global crisis. In the Middle East, Iran launched what was thought to be a nuclear warhead at Israel but it was shot down by their defense system. Israel retaliated with four nuclear strikes against Iran and has closed its borders. No other exchange from either has occurred and again we’ve sent envoys to pursue peace.

“Until this crisis is over I will be making weekly radio addresses, as will the heads of both parties. Every day at this time on the broadcast network, daily updates will be given. Let’s stand together and unite to get America going again,” the President finished up. Another man came on then and started going over firearm collection points in cities across the country.

The man was rattling off details, but Nathan didn’t hear anything as he leaned back against his pack. Amanda looked at Nathan, “What’s that mean?” she asked.

Not even looking at her, Nathan said, “We’re fucked.”

Chapter 2

Day 7

John was sitting up with his back against the tree, looking out across the lake. Every few minutes he would turn his head around and gaze back into the woods. When it was dark he used the cool NVG to see what was out there. He had seen a few deer and a raccoon by the lake, and had watched it catch a fish. He had never felt so good in his life. Nathan and Amanda were the coolest people he had ever met.

Nathan talked to him and not down at him. John loved learning about the woods and guns. Thinking about guns, he looked down in his lap at the Taurus lying there. Nathan had said if he played with it he would spank him and bite off his finger. Just to be sure holding it in your hand wasn’t playing with it, John left it in his lap. If someone tried to get them in camp then he would use it.

John had thought about that last night and knew he would use the gun if someone tried to hurt any of them. He wasn’t losing these two for anything. They had not once called him any names, and they included him in everything. Nathan even checked him every day to make sure he was doing good with his infection.

Though he would never admit it, John hated being fat. When people made fun of him he would come home and just eat and play on the computer. His mom would hug him and try to make him feel better but it never helped.

Thinking of his mom, John started crying softly. She was the only person before Nathan and Amanda who had never made fun of him. She made him laugh, and she’d listen to him talk about his games. His mother was the only thing he missed from the old world, and he hoped she was happy in heaven. He prayed she could see him now. At the store yesterday he had stepped on a scale beside the door after he took off his pack and he almost passed out. He had lost almost thirty pounds since the power went off and now was less than three hundred pounds.

John noticed the sky was getting brighter and looked at his watch that Nathan had given him, seeing it was almost six. Carefully laying the pistol beside him, he crawled over and tapped Nathan on the shoulder and Nathan lifted his head up. “It’s almost six, sir,” John whispered to him.

Nathan sat up, rubbing his face. “Anything happen?” he asked John.

“Just some animals,” John said. Making sure the safety was on, John picked up the pistol, ejecting the magazine and taking out the live round. Putting the bullet back in the clip John put the magazine back and handed the pistol to Nathan.

“Keep it, but still don’t play with it,” he told John, yawning.

“Thank you sir,” John said, putting the pistol on his pack. Nathan looked over at John and grinned at the kid. He really liked him a lot. John was always eager to please and very attentive.

He leaned over and tapped Amanda, “It’s time, so get up, sleepy head.”

Amanda sat up, rubbing her eyes. “The sun’s not even awake yet,” she said grumpily, stretching.

“You’re the one that wanted to stretch and exercise, so don’t complain at me,” Nathan said, standing up.

“Man you’re crabby in the morning,” Amanda said. He turned around and looked at her and started laughing. Her hair was puffed out like an afro that was ten inches tall. “What?” she said.

“Your hair is going everywhere,” he said.

“It’s not my fault. You said you were going to braid it again for me and then you fell asleep,” she said, crossing her arms.

“I’m sorry. I’ll braid it before we leave,” Nathan promised, making her happy.

Amanda jumped up and put on her socks over her bandages. Then she moved over to Nathan.

“Copy what I do,” he said as he started stretching.

John watched them start stretching. “What are y’all doing?” he asked.

“Amanda wanted to stretch and exercise with me before we start,” Nathan told John.

“Can I?” he asked hopefully.

“Not sitting down,” Nathan said.

With a grin that filled his entire face, John jumped up and joined them. An hour later they were all sweating as they sat down and started fixing breakfast with real eggs. After they ate and cleaned up, Amanda filled all the water bottles and hydration bladders. Nathan drained the water out of the container and they packed up the camp. Nathan made Amanda lead them back to the road and then he led them out for the day.

Holding his hand, Amanda looked up at Nathan. “You said we could average about fifteen and sometimes twenty miles a day but we’ve only been doing around twelve,” she pointed out.

“Yes, I want to get you conditioned for it. That’s why I’m teaching you along the way and taking a lot of breaks. We will travel for four days and take one off to rest when we start moving. Not even I can just take off and go that far, even with food prepared along the way,” Nathan said.

“We have food,” she said.

“Not enough to make it. We will have to hunt, fish, gather plants, and live off the land. By then I expect we will be resting every third day to secure food.”

“What will we hunt?” she asked.

“Birds, rabbits, squirrels and any game that crosses our path,” Nathan said.

Feeling a little squeamish, she murmured, “Okay,” more to herself than him.

Continuing the lessons, Nathan showed them edible plants and poisonous ones. Much to Amanda’s delight, he didn’t find any more snakes. He showed them animal tracks and told them what made them. When they rounded a corner a rabbit was sitting in the middle of the road. Nathan reached over his shoulder and pulled out his .22 and aimed at the rabbit’s head twenty-five yards away. The suppressor muffled the shot as he pulled the trigger, taking the rabbit’s head off.

Putting the rifle on safe, Nathan slid it back in its scabbard on his pack. “How many suppressors do you have?” John asked as they walked to the rabbit.

“Nine all together,” he said then remembered he had one more. “Make that ten now,” he added. “I only brought the ones for the M-4 and 10/22. I had the one on the HK 23 delivered,” he said.

“What?” John asked.

“He killed the guy that was carrying it,” Amanda said in a very cheery voice.

“What was he doing to you?” John asked.

“He was going to kill us so Nathan killed him and his friend. The next day when the others came back he killed seventeen more,” she said nonchalantly.

Looking up at Nathan as they walked, John asked, “Is she joking?”

“It’s a bit more involved, but she covered the high points,” Nathan said, looking at Amanda. “I had to take out those that were coming or they may have followed us,” he said.

Seeing Nathan stare at her out of the corner of her eye, she said, “I’m not saying anything about you fighting an army.”

Nathan stopped and looked down at her with a fake scowl. “I think I’m fixing to hold you down and spit in your ear,” he delivered the mock threat, pulling out a can of Skoal.

Seeing the can of snuff, Amanda looked at him with a mad face. “When are you going to quit that nasty stuff?” she screeched.

“When I want to,” he said, filling his bottom lip up and putting the can back in his pocket. As he started walking, she caught up and grabbed his hand.

“It’s not good for you,” she said earnestly.

“I know,” he said, nodding and spitting a stream of tobacco on the road.

“And it’s gross,” she added.

“Yep,” Nathan agreed.

“Then why do it?” she asked.

“I want to,” he said. “There will not be any more in a few weeks so I will have to quit again,” he informed her.

Shaking her head softly, Amanda closed her eyes. “You mean you had quit once already and started again?” she asked.

“Yep. Being trapped over two thousand miles away from home upset my nerves. I’m sorry,” he answered, spitting out a stream of tobacco.

Amanda pulled his arm so he would look at her. “If you hadn’t been trapped there I would be dead,” she said. “I don’t want to die,” she said with sad eyes.

Seeing the sad face, Nathan stopped and took off her hat, kissing her on the top of her braided head. “I didn’t think of it like that. I will do everything I can to make sure you grow old and have kids that pester you,” he said, smiling.

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging his waist. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. I know you wanted to be home and not here with us,” she said sobbing.

He lifted her chin up and wiped the tears off her face. “To be honest, I’m glad that I’m here to help you and John,” he said. “Even if you are trying to steal my dog,” he added.

“I’m not trying to steal him, he loves me,” Amanda said indignantly.

Nathan laughed and kissed her head. “Yeah and I can see why. I love you too, little one,” he said and started walking again, pulling her along.

“Ah sir, I don’t want to be rude, but I’m glad you’re here too,” John said.

“John, if you call me sir one more time I’m holding you down and spitting in your ear,” Nathan warned him.

“Amanda’s right, you need to stop that stuff,” John said.

“You too?” Nathan said, stopping at the rabbit. “Amanda, get out a zip lock bag.” He pulled out his Playtex gloves then grabbed his knife. “Watch,” he said and skinned the rabbit in four minutes flat. He threw the skinned bunny into the bag and had John pour water over his gloves so he could wash off the blood.

“That was fast. I went hunting one time with a man in our neighborhood and it took him two hours to skin a deer,” John said with awe.

“I raise rabbits so I have practice,” Nathan said, drying his gloves and putting them up. He turned to see Amanda still holding the bag at arm’s distance, looking in distaste at the skinned bunny.

“You raise rabbits and kill them to eat?” she asked, making a funny face.

“Why else would I raise them?” Nathan asked, taking the bag.

“Ah, because they’re cute and fluffy?” she answered.

“Yes they are, but they’re tasty and a rabbit will produce a thousand times its body weight a year in offspring. It only takes a few to feed a family. By the way, Ares loves them,” he said, putting the bag in her pack.

Looking over her shoulder, she warned him, “That better not leak on my clothes.”

“Hey, you sealed it,” Nathan said, grabbing her hand and setting off.

The lessons continued until lunch, when they stopped and ate. John looked at Nathan curiously. “Nathan, were you in the military?” he asked as a soft wind rustled the trees, the only sound they could hear except each other.

“No,” he replied.

“Where did you learn all this stuff?” John asked.

“My dad was in the military and started it,” Nathan said, getting a faraway look. Shaking his head, he came back to the here and now. “Then I started taking classes for this. Everything from survival in the desert to scuba diving. I traveled the country and learned where I could. In Maine was one of the best survival classes I’ve ever been to. In Washington State there is a place that has classes on combat. I learned a lot when I joined SRT, but they taught me so much more. There’s another one in Texas. The point I’m making is the knowledge is out there. You just have to find it,” Nathan said.

“Man, I wish I would’ve known you before this,” John said, dreaming about the possibilities. Then a thought hit him. “Nathan, do you know any martial arts?” he asked.

“Yes. Black belt in three forms. I’m studying two more right now.”

“Can you teach me?” John asked hopefully.

“If you want to learn,” Nathan said.

“Me too?” Amanda chimed in.

Nathan laughed, turning his head back and forth and looking at them sitting on each side of him. “If you’re serious I’ll do it, but at any time I see you’re not I’ll quit and won’t start back up.”

“Okay,” they said together.

“After we work out in the mornings we will have a class,” he promised them. John just looked off, dreaming of being super cool. Amanda just wanted to be able to beat the crap out of someone. Finished eating, they hit the road and Nathan continued with the lessons, making them pass the map back and forth to find the places around them. During the afternoon break he showed them a bend in the road.

“If we are separated this is our rally point. If you get lost you know what the area looks like. Go to this area and wait for two days. If no one shows, they’re dead,” Nathan told them. “Every morning at breakfast we will set up a rally point of the day,” he added.

“Why do you keep saying dead?” Amanda asked with a pissy voice.

He looked at her and put his arm around her. “It’s possible Amanda, and you have to remember that. If you try to act like it’s not then you will lose focus and it will happen. I’m sure those bangers never considered the possibility of them dying,” Nathan said.

“But we’re with you,” she pointed out.

“That is an edge, but I’m not Superman. It doesn’t take something make believe to kill me. That is why I’m teaching you,” Nathan said gravely.

She smiled at him, “It’s going to take years for you to teach us what you know. So you can’t die till then,” she said.

“I’ll make a special note in my project book,” Nathan said. “Ares is trying to get the bunny in your bag,” he told Amanda.

She turned around, seeing Ares pawing at the zipper of her backpack. “Ares, no,” she said, and he looked at her like, ‘Well you don’t want it, it’s in here.’ She reached over and petted him then hugged his neck. Picking up his bowl off the ground, she poured out the water then folded it up, putting it in his pack. “Ares, here,” she said and he trotted over, still looking at her pack. “You carry yours, I’ll carry mine,” she said, putting his pack on and buckling it.

With gravel crunching underfoot they continued on. It was around three when the mosquitos swarmed in. Struggling on down the road, after soaking down each other in bug spray, they finally made camp. Setting out the ThermaCELL they started getting a reprieve. Even Ares learned that if he stayed near the little things the biting things left him alone.

Getting out his folding shovel, Nathan showed them how to dig a fire pit and build a fire. The two loved the fire since it seemed to help from being eaten alive. They cleaned up and washed clothes as Nathan pulled out some aluminum foil, placing the bunny meat in it. Using the plants that they had gathered through the day then washed, Nathan cut them up, added them to the meat and sprinkled some spices all over. Then he wrapped the concoction up in the foil; when the fire died down he dug out the coals, laid the foil in and raked coals over it. Then he covered the pit with dirt.