He told Joel to have them concentrate on locating food and water, not only for themselves but for Rita and Carlos as well. No amount of nourishment was going to turn the couple into competent fighters, but they could help out by pulling their weight and standing watch. That was as important as anything else, and it would at least give Ben and the others a chance to organize and pack up without having to constantly glance over their shoulders.
Ben needed to buckle down and fight through the fatigue. The sooner he got this place buttoned up, the sooner he could slow down. He couldn’t stop, but he could certainly shift gears. This process would be nerve-wracking enough with the constant possibility of an attack on their minds, so the least they could do for themselves was make sure they were safe inside the fence while they worked.
The first few containers were just as empty as the first one, and he was becoming more confident that the last of the moonshiners were in the truck. He still had to make sure, though, so he and Gunner continued on. Ben was impressed with Gunner’s aptitude when it came to searching the containers and made his work all that much easier without having to use a flashlight.
When Joel caught up to him, Ben was more than halfway through the compound. He told Joel to help the others and start with the first container he and Gunner had cleared. He told his son to grab anything of value—weapons, ammunition, gear, or food—and pile it up outside of each house so that it could be collected by vehicle later. He still wanted them to focus on food and water, but there was no reason they couldn’t start gathering other supplies as well.
Joel looked disappointed, but his time would be better spent helping the others. The containers were small, and adding another person to help clear them would have been overkill; there was barely enough room for him and Gunner at the same time. Ben was also hoping that they could come up with something for everyone to eat. It was going to be a long day, and they all needed fuel or they wouldn’t make it. He was looking forward to a cup or two of strong coffee as much as he was the food. Even a Clif bar would be enough to get by until they could afford the luxury of something more substantial and some sleep.
Plus, the sooner they all got a little nourishment, the faster and smoother things would come together around here. When it came to his reaction time, Ben felt his sharpness fading, and even his thought process about things seemed to be more labored than usual. They were definitely suffering from the effects of dehydration, among other things. He could only imagine the mental and physical deficit that Rita, Carlos, and Martin were operating on.
Sandy would see to it that they had priority when it came to food; he was sure of that. And that was good because the sooner they were back on their feet, the sooner they could start helping out. Ben wasn’t selfish and planned on reciprocating by helping them as well. Rita, Carlos, and Martin would all want to continue the journeys they were on before being trapped here. For the help they had given him already, Ben owed them that much at least. Besides, they were regular people, just like him, and had family waiting for them somewhere out there, so they deserved a little assistance.
Ben imagined that they would all drive out of here together and maybe even run the interstate for a while until eventually they went their separate ways. He remembered Rita saying they were headed to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where her daughter lived. He needed to check the map before they left, but he was pretty sure that it wasn’t too far from Cloverdale.
He didn’t remember Martin saying anything about where he was from or where he was going. Maybe he was headed east and they would part ways as soon as they hit the blacktop. Ben would tell them all about Cloverdale, and they could do what they wanted with the information. He knew Vince was trying to build a community of like-minded people. And if nothing else, it would be a good place for them to get a few days’ rest before continuing on their way. Ben would be willing to caravan with them all the way to Cloverdale. There was strength in numbers—or some weakness, too, possibly—but in this case, he thought the risk worthwhile since these people were willing to help him and the kids escape this place.
Ben prepared to enter the last single-container home. Gunner knew the routine at this point and was already waiting by the door when he arrived. This was it for the small makeshift houses. Only one more place remained after this.
The large standalone, multi-container house sat uphill and about fifty yards away from the rest of the camp and the last house Ben was getting ready to search. If this container turned out to be empty like the rest, all their hope would lie in finding their gear in the big place.
The tactical placement of the dwelling wasn’t lost on Ben, and he began to think that having Joel along to help clear the structure might not be a bad idea. It’d be nice having an extra pair of eyes and ears just for getting up to the place. If any of the moonshiners were brave enough to make a final stand, that would be the place to do it.
Ben threw the door open on the last house, and Gunner rushed inside the container. This one was just as sparse as the rest. Other than a mattress
