Options Are Good (6 page)

“I do, Sir. I intend to see that they are, just like you.”

Bob nodded and Bandy went on up to the room. He was going to be a very busy person for a few days.

CHAPTER THREE

Bandy’s offer to help with the Thanksgiving preliminaries that evening was declined and he spent the late afternoon with Bob, looking over the ranch in detail.

He could tell Bob was curious about the notes Bandy was taking, but he didn’t want to discuss them until he had time to analyze them. Bob Sheridan had good people working for him. Things weren’t great for defense, but they weren’t terrible. Especially if the defensive shelter Bandy was beginning to envision was acceptable to Bob and his family.

After a quiet supper, with the conversation mostly centered around Ana-Bella’s last few runs and the operation of the ranch, Bandy joined the family in the study. Ana-Bella and Magdalene were both reading, and Bob, like Bandy, was on a computer.

There was the occasional interruption as the public service band scanner broke squelch with some type of activity and everyone stopped to listen. There was a little chatter on the ranch’s radio system, but not very much.

A bit before nine, Bandy spoke to Bob. “Sir, I will send over some links for you to check into, if you’ll give me your e-mail or Skype address.”

“Yes. Of course.” A minute or so later and Bandy was sending a series of links to websites that Bandy wanted Bob to look at. Ana-Bella put her book down and went to watch over her father’s shoulder as he began to open the various websites and check them out.

“Honey, if you would get your computer, perhaps Bandy will send you the links,” Bob finally said, after Ana-Bella stopped him, pointed out something, or suggested he click on this or that link.

“Of course,” Bandy said.

Ana-Bella grinned and stood up straighter. “But it won’t aggravate Dad as much. But it sure would be better for my back. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

Just as she’d said, Ana-Bella was back shortly with her own laptop. After another minute or two to get it up, running, and connected to the Wi-Fi, Bandy was sending her the same links he’d sent her father.

“Either of you… I’d rather wait on questions about what to do until I have a better plan laid out. That should be Saturday night. But if you have general questions about something on the websites, feel free to ask.”

Bob immediately asked, “People are actually paying this much for being prepared? Especially for shelters!”

“Yes, Sir. Some do spend large amounts. Into the millions. Not necessary for most people and certainly not affordable for the majority, but the capability is out there for those that want it. For a price.”

“Hmm. I know Angus dropped a bundle on that load that Ana-Bella picked up for him.”

“It doesn’t include a couple of key items, either,” Bandy said. “Expensive ones.”

“He said he had everything he needed but labor and concrete,” Bob protested.

“‘Almost everything’, I believe was the quote, Bob,” Magdalene said without looking up from her book.

“Perhaps it was,” Bob admitted.

“There is more than one way to skin a cat,” Bandy said carefully. “Options are good, and there are plenty of them. Some better than others, some more expensive, some less. All depends on the ultimate goal and budget.”

“Well,” Bob said, looking first at his wife and then his daughter, “The budget will be there. Though I can’t speak for Angus, I think he’s willing to do almost anything to get out of this mess.”

“I hate to say it, Sir, but it is almost better that it has come up now. Forewarned is forearmed. I suspect if they are this overt now, they would be a real danger in the PAW, especially if no one knew of their plans. They would come out of nowhere and do their thing, before anyone could react.

“Now, at least two people with the means to take action know. And will be prepared for not only just what is going on, but for what could happen in the PAW.”

“What is ‘PAW’?” asked Magdalene, looking up from her book.

“Post-Apocalyptic World,” Ana-Bella said before Bandy could respond. She looked over at Bandy. “I’ve been doing some research,” she added with a smile.

Bandy smiled back. “You pick up quick.”

“Fortunately I found a preppers acronym list that has covered all of the acronyms I’ve run across. Preppers use a lot of acronyms.”

Bandy laughed. “Yes, I suppose we do.”

There was silence again as the four went back to what each was doing.

Bob was obviously disappointed when Bandy didn’t offer up any additional details before all were ready to go to bed, but didn’t protest.

The next morning Bandy was up even earlier than usual, due to being in unfamiliar surroundings. He almost just stayed in his room, to work on the computer, but went ahead and showered and then dressed in a nice pair of slacks and dress shirt.

He headed downstairs to get something out of the truck. When he came back in he found Magdalene already at work in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Dinner.

“Is there anything I can help with, Mrs. Sheridan?” Bandy asked, expecting a quick negative. But Magdalene surprised him.

“Sure,” she said. “Wash up and you can help me with chopping some vegetables and things. My arthritis is acting up a little this morning. Seems cold.”

“It is quite chilly out,” Bandy said, setting his attaché case at the end of a kitchen counter. He washed his hands at one of the two kitchen sinks and took over the chopping chores Magdalene had been doing.

“Oh, the house is quite warm enough. I just get a chill from time to time lately over the way things are going.”

“I understand,” Bandy said.

“I think you probably do,” Magdalene replied. “Would you care for some tea? That might help warm me up this morning.”

“Yes. Please.”

Magdalene set about making the tea, and finding out a few things about Bandy as she guided the conversation skillfully, and subtly, about Bandy and his life.

Bandy wasn’t unaware of what she was doing, but she was easy to talk to, and he decided that her knowing some of his background would be better in the future than her not knowing. So he followed along, and let out a few minor secrets.

But when Magdalene asked about his military service, and she saw his reaction, she quickly changed the subject. But there was something about his military service that bothered him more than a little. She decided speculating about it wouldn’t do any good. It would probably be something that Ana-Bella might get from him, but Magdalene doubted that she could herself. At least right now.

Ana-Bella came in then and quickly ushered Bandy out of the kitchen, taking over what he was now doing. “Sorry I overslept, Mother,” she said, watching Bandy pick up the attaché case to head for the study.

He’d barely been at it fifteen minutes when Bob came into the study. “You’re up early,” Bob told Bandy. He seemed pleased.

“I’m a fairly early riser anyway. Being away from home I tend to get up even earlier.”

“I’m rather that way myself. Always wanting to check things out before really needing to do anything. Been getting up early all my life. Have to, working a ranch.”

Bandy smiled when Ana-Bella came into the study a bit later to announce that breakfast was ready. She’d been in a robe earlier, but had changed into a nice skirt and blouse, suitable for the day’s activities.

Bandy asked to help do the cleanup after breakfast, but was again ushered out of the kitchen. It turned out just as well, for Angus Longhammer, his wife June, and their two children showed up shortly after Bandy got back on the computer, with Bob watching ESPN, being a huge football fan, there in the study.

There were quick introductions, and June joined Magdalene and Ana-Bella in the kitchen. Fifteen year old Desiree asked for and received permission to go out to the barns to get in a ride before Thanksgiving Dinner. She apparently knew her way around, for neither Angus nor Bob offered to take her out.

Angus, Junior, sixteen, and the spitting image of his father, in features and in size, stayed with Angus, Bob, and Bandy in the study. “Junior, we have a few things to discuss,” Bob said before Junior could sit down. “I was going to turn down the sound until the games start.”

Junior looked first at his father, and then Bandy. “It’s about the… problem… I’d like to stay.”

Bob looked a bit reluctant, and Angus even more so, but Bandy, seeing the intense look on the young man’s face quickly said, “I don’t mind. Everyone is going to need to be brought up to speed. I have a feeling that Angus might have some sources of information we might not be privy to.”

“Just call me Junior,” Junior said. “Everyone does.” Bandy nodded.

“I don’t know, son,” Angus said softly, not wanting to hurt the boy’s feelings, but not sure he was up to being involved in what they would be talking about.

“Dad, I know some of what is going on. That Colin… I don’t like him, and I don’t like the way he and a couple of his group look at Mother and Desiree. I liked getting the shooting practice at first, but they talk really coarse, and are very disrespectful of women.”

Angus’ eyes narrowed. “They said things about them?”

“Crude things. Colin laughed it off when he saw me get upset, saying it was just guys being guys. But I think, given the opportunity, they would more than likely hurt them both, if you know what I mean.”

“We know what you mean,” Bandy said.

Angus was livid. He knew his family was at risk, due to something he’d done, but Junior’s comments really brought it home. “I am not going to let anything happen to them, Junior.”

“I’m not either,” Junior replied. “I’d rather be in on it from the beginning. One of the militia guys’ brother is in a couple of classes with me. He’s just like the others, and is always in trouble, but he likes to tell me what the group is doing and how they are going to take over when the… well… when things get really bad. Like in a war or something.”

“Bob, do you mind if…”

Bob cut Angus off. “He’s almost a man. He does probably need to be in on this. I’m not so sure about Desiree or June…”

“You know Magdalene is going to know everything you know and do,” Angus said with a laugh. “And Ana-Bella is like her mother. And they are both like June. I’d like to keep it low profile around Desiree, but I’m not sure we can.”

“Sir,” Bandy finally said, “I think everyone at risk should be made fully aware of the risks. They will need to be on guard against all sorts of things. Not just in the distant future, but now, before anything major happens.”

“She’s only fifteen!” Angus said the fear visible in his face.

“But she’s tough,” Junior said. “Just like Mom.”

“You think she should be part of this? I was thinking more of sending her up to Sophia’s.”

“She would hate that,” Junior immediately replied. “Just like I would. If this family is in danger, we should face it together.”

Angus sighed, leaned back in the chair, and closed his eyes for a moment. “Yes. Yes, of course. But allow me to have my innocent and unsuspecting daughter for a bit longer.”

“Not that unsuspecting,” Junior said. “I clued her in about Boots… That’s the guy in my class. That she should be careful about him. And she wanted to know why. And well… we talked a little about what is going on. She’s scared, too.”

“Man, I have so let my family down,” Angus said, on the verge of actually wringing his hands.

“So she does know a little of what is going on?” Bandy asked Junior. He could tell Angus was distraught at the situation. Bandy would try to give him a little time to get back in focus.

Junior nodded. Bob had turned the TV sound down and the four were totally ignoring it. “What can you tell me of the militia group?”