Fortunately Asher chimed in. “Would you care to share what led to you making the decision to bring them back? I mean, were they friendly? Antagonistic?”
“Would you like to handle this one?” Jessie said, posing it to Colby. “As you seem awfully quiet over there.” He grinned, knowing that Nina had been the first to suggest they come back to the city. The deciding factor on who could find shelter in Eureka had been heavily argued. He knew bringing up the circumstances that led to it would only throw fuel on the flames of what was already a heated discussion.
Instead of Colby answering, Johnson was quick to reply. “I’ll answer that. We discussed this. Due to our numbers declining we’re opening the doors to Eureka to outsiders.”
“Oh, that,” Asher said, folding his arms and leaning back in his seat. “Yes. I recall we didn’t all agree on that.” He’d been opposed to it from day one. The room had been divided the day it was brought up by Johnson. He had his reasons. More people meant less work. The other half felt more people meant more trouble. Both were right, both were potentially wrong. Bringing people in didn’t mean they would help nor did it mean they would turn on them. It was a gamble. Plain and simple.
“Do I need to remind you that we voted on this?” Johnson said. “Whether the group they encountered were hostile or not, they were to be given the opportunity to return to Eureka.”
“And look where we are now. Seems I was right,” Asher said.
“Asher, three months ago you weren’t even part of this council. In fact, I believe you weren’t even a resident of Eureka. We took a gamble on you. Would you have rather we left you outside the city?”
He shrugged but said nothing. What could he say? Everyone was afforded the same opportunity to be valuable members of the community and contribute. Asher had experience as a council member in a small town in Mendocino County. His family didn’t want to go to a FEMA camp so they’d headed north to a cabin in the Six Rivers National Forest. One month in, he knew he wasn’t made for hard living and had opted to see if Eureka would take them in. They did, with open arms.
Murmurs spread. Why Asher had been allowed to oversee one of the wards was still a mystery. He clearly didn’t support the sheriff and he’d been one of the many that had rallied behind Captain Evans when the militia attempted to overthrow the hierarchy. That matter still hadn’t been addressed. Sure it made sense to have leaders that dealt with matters in each of the five wards, a go-to person who would address issues as they arose, but why these people? Three of them were previous council members from Eureka but Maxwell and Asher weren’t.
“I’m not going to argue about this. This isn’t getting us any closer to the answers we need. How they managed to get explosives inside is far more important.”
“Are you sure they were explosives?” Rachel said.
All of the council members looked at her like she was insane. There was no gas being pumped beneath the homes and a fire wouldn’t have caused that level of destruction.
They let that question slip by.
“I agree we need answers,” Jules said. “But right now that isn’t what the people need. They need reassurance that they are still safe in Eureka.”
“I agree,” Johnson said. “And I want to make that clear to them but can we really be sure?”
“Tighten up security. Pat down everyone. Search every working vehicle, trailer and horse that enters the gates. No one gets in without…” Rachel went on to say.
Colby chuckled.
She scowled. “Something amusing?”
He nodded. “What makes you think those explosives came in through the gates? Chances are they arrived by boat or were already here and were taken from the armory.”
“Hardly.”
“The waterways are still not protected.”
“We have the guard towers and people patrolling,” Asher added.
“Yes, but are they paying attention?” Colby responded. “I’ve seen guys drinking on the job, looking the other way. How the hell do you think we got past Captain Evans’ men?”
Johnson nodded, pacing, running a hand around the back of his neck. “I want people to feel protected but I don’t want them to think this is a prison. If we put up more fences, barbed wire, and get too heavy-handed, residents might be inclined to leave for one of the FEMA camps.”
“Let them,” Asher said.
“I like you, Asher, but you really do give me doubts as to your intelligence,” Johnson retorted.
“Excuse me?” he replied in a harsh tone, rising to his feet.
“He didn’t mean it like that,” Colby said.
“Oh I’ll decide what he meant. You take that back.”
“Please. What are we, five-year-olds on a playground?” Martha said before taking a sip of her coffee. “And to think the people are looking to you all for guidance.” She chuckled. It helped shift the attention away from Johnson but didn’t help the situation.
“What I’m saying is you focus on your ward, Asher, and I will focus on my job.”
“Trust me, I would like to,” he replied. “Except my ability to run mine is affected by those around me. If this happened in ward one, don’t you think it could happen in ours? Rachel’s job might be to oversee one ward but yours is to oversee all of them. And right now it doesn’t reflect well on you.”
A few of the other council members nodded.
“Asher,” Rachel said. “I think that’s enough.”
“Hey I’m only saying what is on everyone’s mind.” He gazed at them all.
Colby chimed in. “You certainly sound confident. How about you tell us who you think caused the explosion.”
“Seems obvious to me. It wasn’t those men. I wouldn’t be surprised if their bodies are found amid the rubble. Who else lives in ward one that is pissed off at the city?” He let his question hang out there for a moment before he answered it. “Dan Wilder.”
“Oh
