will fill you in on the details, now, about that trade. We’ll also throw in a hundred rounds for each of the rifles. What’da ya say?”
“What kind of car?” Josh asked suspiciously.
“Who cares if it runs!” said Jim impatiently.
The debate ended as Trudy’s best car came towards them. Beacon saw that the ammo consisted of five fully loaded 20 round magazines for each of the two AK-47 style rifles and then waited until the crying and hugging died down a bit before showing them all how to safely operate the two semi-automatic rifles, "Remember, never let the muzzle point at anything you don't want to kill." and a 20 gauge double-barreled shotgun Doc had selected from the trade goods.
Beacon concluded his conversation with Trudy had had a 20 gauge with box of birdshot effect on the good doctor's conscience as he pulled the boy's Ruger 10/22, a canteen and two jackets from the Humvee. He tossed them into the trunk of the car as the kids climbed in the front.
As the car full of happy kids drove back up the hill Trudy, Rick and his wife pulled up beside the Humvee in the fuel truck.
Beacon didn't begrudge the Rich Guys Survival Club their status in the new order of things. They'd worked hard and invested heavily to prepare for a future they'd hoped would never come. Now that their worst fears had been realized they found themselves in a position of strength. They could fritter their strength away giving their resources to the thousands of unprepared needy or husband those resources dispensing them in ways that would maintain or add to their strength while the country, indeed the entire world, rebuilt itself. Civilization would be rebuilt by groups like the DDL&BSG LLC.
Unlike the feudal societies of the Middle Ages the Pease clan, and any other "new hires" the DDL&BSG cared to take on, would be free to move off and create their own enclave someday when starvation and depredation by pillaging bandits was less likely. Until then they were dependent upon the goodwill and charity of the better prepared survival group for safety and the bread of life.
Over the River and Through the Woods to Old Bill's
As prearranged with Doc, Beacon pulled out of the Rich Guys Survival Club convoy shortly after noon the next day as it passed the dirt road he'd pointed out to Doc on the map.
The Peace Humvee had been issued a radio with the call sign "Stinger" on the LLC's radio net and positioned as the convoy's last vehicle. "Tail Gunner" Rick manned the turret. As Trudy drove by she tried to thank Beacon for all he'd done for her family as they passed but most of her words were lost in the dust and rumble of vehicles. Beacon just waved smiled, and nodded.
Once the convoy was out of sight he drove back down the hill to another less obvious turnoff point and headed for Old Bill's log cabin.
At nightfall a day later he turned off the dirt Forestry Service road onto an overgrown two track trace that was Old Bill's winding seventeen mile long driveway. He unlocked Old Bill's four inch tubular steel security gate with his key and relocked it behind him. He was careful to approach Old Bill's cabin with only his parking lights on as he tooted his horn every few yards so Old Bill would know it was him.
"Ya alright, Bill?"
"Yeah. You?"
Had to fight off some Indians on the way up here, but I kept my scalp."
"C'mon inside and tell me about it over some venison stew."
Old Bill had built his log cabin decades ago by hand with an Adze, bucksaw and axe so it looked like something out of the late 1800's both inside and out with wooden shingles on the roof and a hand hewn door hung on leather hinges. Inside the hand carved wooden spoons weren't decorations on the wall, but utensils on the table. A cast iron pot hung beside the fireplace keeping venison stew warm.
Old Bill's weapons made no concessions to
“What kind of car?” Josh asked suspiciously.
“Who cares if it runs!” said Jim impatiently.
The debate ended as Trudy’s best car came towards them. Beacon saw that the ammo consisted of five fully loaded 20 round magazines for each of the two AK-47 style rifles and then waited until the crying and hugging died down a bit before showing them all how to safely operate the two semi-automatic rifles, "Remember, never let the muzzle point at anything you don't want to kill." and a 20 gauge double-barreled shotgun Doc had selected from the trade goods.
Beacon concluded his conversation with Trudy had had a 20 gauge with box of birdshot effect on the good doctor's conscience as he pulled the boy's Ruger 10/22, a canteen and two jackets from the Humvee. He tossed them into the trunk of the car as the kids climbed in the front.
As the car full of happy kids drove back up the hill Trudy, Rick and his wife pulled up beside the Humvee in the fuel truck.
Beacon didn't begrudge the Rich Guys Survival Club their status in the new order of things. They'd worked hard and invested heavily to prepare for a future they'd hoped would never come. Now that their worst fears had been realized they found themselves in a position of strength. They could fritter their strength away giving their resources to the thousands of unprepared needy or husband those resources dispensing them in ways that would maintain or add to their strength while the country, indeed the entire world, rebuilt itself. Civilization would be rebuilt by groups like the DDL&BSG LLC.
Unlike the feudal societies of the Middle Ages the Pease clan, and any other "new hires" the DDL&BSG cared to take on, would be free to move off and create their own enclave someday when starvation and depredation by pillaging bandits was less likely. Until then they were dependent upon the goodwill and charity of the better prepared survival group for safety and the bread of life.
Over the River and Through the Woods to Old Bill's
As prearranged with Doc, Beacon pulled out of the Rich Guys Survival Club convoy shortly after noon the next day as it passed the dirt road he'd pointed out to Doc on the map.
The Peace Humvee had been issued a radio with the call sign "Stinger" on the LLC's radio net and positioned as the convoy's last vehicle. "Tail Gunner" Rick manned the turret. As Trudy drove by she tried to thank Beacon for all he'd done for her family as they passed but most of her words were lost in the dust and rumble of vehicles. Beacon just waved smiled, and nodded.
Once the convoy was out of sight he drove back down the hill to another less obvious turnoff point and headed for Old Bill's log cabin.
At nightfall a day later he turned off the dirt Forestry Service road onto an overgrown two track trace that was Old Bill's winding seventeen mile long driveway. He unlocked Old Bill's four inch tubular steel security gate with his key and relocked it behind him. He was careful to approach Old Bill's cabin with only his parking lights on as he tooted his horn every few yards so Old Bill would know it was him.
"Ya alright, Bill?"
"Yeah. You?"
Had to fight off some Indians on the way up here, but I kept my scalp."
"C'mon inside and tell me about it over some venison stew."
Old Bill had built his log cabin decades ago by hand with an Adze, bucksaw and axe so it looked like something out of the late 1800's both inside and out with wooden shingles on the roof and a hand hewn door hung on leather hinges. Inside the hand carved wooden spoons weren't decorations on the wall, but utensils on the table. A cast iron pot hung beside the fireplace keeping venison stew warm.
Old Bill's weapons made no concessions to
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