They rode away with Kate and Granny B following just behind Greta’s horse, with guns ready. Kate winced every time the horse bounced her up and down. She’d only suffered bruised ribs, but her chest would be black, blue, and yellow for a month.
*
Chapter 23
The Community
Tom talked with Colt on the way to find his brother and sister. Colt told him more about the problems in Ashland, but surprised Tom with several positives. The town manager made sure everyone had food who worked in the fields or primitive factories. Doctors and nurses provided the best free health care they could with the limited supplies. Schools were back in session for kids below twelve. The university served as the gang’s headquarters, and Mendoza had city sub managers hold community bitch sessions where, within limits, they could gripe and suggest changes. While people had to work, Mendoza punished any gang member who abused working people.
The bad news was that Carlos Mendoza allowed his trusted men to choose the women they wanted, even if they were already married. The men’s new wives had to be treated well and didn’t have to work, so some women chose to lead the life of a gang member’s spouse. His men confiscated all firearms and didn’t allow any meetings without his representatives in attendance.
Colt said, “More and more people are fleeing from Ashland. The gang’s trying to catch them and place them in work camps with armed guards. I stayed in Ashland because my parents died in a plane crash the day the lights went out. I thought we’d be better off in the city, but finally realized we were becoming slaves and forced workers to support the gang. I led my brother and sister away from Ashland a couple of weeks ago. We’ve slowly worked our way east and up into the hills after staying at a deserted farm the first two weeks.”
Tom listened to Colt and then told the young man about the Community and his community goals. Tom stressed security, plenty of food, and everyone was treated as equals. The man liked what he’d heard, but still had some doubts.
Colt reluctantly led them to his brother and sister. He had trouble getting them to come out of hiding with Tom around him. “Come on out! I want you to meet my new friends. They have food and shelter.”
A young man and a teenaged girl climbed out of a brush pile and meekly walked toward them. The boy had a pistol strapped to his hip, and the girl had a Ruger 10/22 rifle held ready for a fight.
“George and Carla, this is Tom. He has a group of survivors, and they want us to join them. They’re taking us to their community to live. We’ll have food and shelter without becoming slaves,” Colt said.
Tom knew the man still had doubts and was just probably playing along until they could escape. Tom introduced himself and then said, “We’ve been hiding from the gang since the crap hit the fan. We’ve fought and killed a dozen of Carlos’s men, but never try to tackle them head on. We prefer to scavenge around the area and only kill the ones who try to give us trouble. We have a couple of people with military experience, and they train all our people to fight, win, and survive. Everyone works, everyone fights, we all eat the same food, and all live in the same accommodations.”
George asked, “Are you going to take our guns?”
Tom still had Colt’s rifle and pistol. “I want to be honest with you. There are three of my people with guns trained on you right now. Sorry, but we don’t trust anyone until we get to know them. If you join us, you’ll be given some work assignments like everyone else in our group. We’ll get to know you before we give your guns back to you. I wish I could trust every person we find in our woods, but we’ve had a bad experience with spies from the gang trying to infiltrate our group. Now, stay calm, lower your weapons to the ground, and walk toward your brother. My friends will join us and take your weapons. I know you’ll feel helpless without your guns, but I know we’ll gain your trust if you give us a chance.”
George asked, “What if we don’t want to join?”
Tom gave a straightforward answer. “If you don’t join us, we’ll give you a week’s worth of food and transport you a hundred miles from this location. We can’t take the chance of anyone giving Carlos Mendoza any clue to where we operate.”
George and Carla reluctantly lowered their weapons. Greta and Kate came out of the bushes while Granny B kept watching over the two. Greta said, “Now, spread your legs, and I’ll search you.”
The man flinched. Greta said, “Don’t worry. I expect to find a gun or knife on you because that’s what I’d do.”
She pulled a .38 revolver from the man’s pocket and a knife from his waistband. “Well, you certainly didn’t disappoint me. Step over by your brother while I frisk your sister.”
Granny B stood behind Greta with her pistol ready for action. “Greta, you’re frisking the man, not giving him a massage. Move along.”
The girl wore a hoodie and jeans with fancy basketball shoes. She reached under the hoodie and used two fingers to pull out a Kel-tec P3AT and then a folding knife. Greta said, “Even the little girls have big boy weapons.”
Carla snapped back. “I’m sixteen, and if I knew you would be taking our weapons, you would be dead, now.”
Her brother tersely replied, “Let’s give them a chance. I’m tired of sleeping in brush piles. Besides, we would have disarmed them
