The Day After Never - Purgatory Road (Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller - Book 2) (16 page)

“Not a lot of calling for that these days.”

“No, but he can fix just about anything. Solar, batteries, you name it.”

“Seems like I remember the doc talking about a guy from up north like that – he could fix anything. But he said the fella was a nut job.”

Ruby nodded. “He’s definitely eccentric.”

Lucas studied her face. “How well you know him?”

“So-so. We had mutual interests.”

“You ever meet him in person?”

“Couple of times.”

“You trust him?”

“Much as I trust anyone these days. More important, we’re not going to figure out the note without some processing horsepower and some know-how. Right now I’m shooting in the dark. So is he better than nothing? Absolutely. Is it a lock? Nothing is.”

“What’s his name?”

“Bruce something…Combs, I think. But I’m sure about the Bruce.”

Sierra coughed and sat up. Ruby stood and stretched. “How far are we from Duke’s?” she asked.

“Maybe a couple hours’ ride.” He looked to Sierra. “Morning.”

“Good morning. Did I overhear you saying we’re leaving?”

“Yep. Either that or starve.”

“Do we have time to clean up?”

“Sure. Just don’t dawdle.”

“Yes, sir,” Sierra said with a half smile, and held out her hand to Eve. The little girl took it and they walked together to the stream. Lucas eyed them as they left and turned to Ruby.

“You get enough sleep?”

“More or less. You?”

“About the same.” Lucas paused. “You really think this Bruce character can help with the note?”

“I have no idea. But I do know that I can’t figure it out on my own, and he’s the only one I know I can reach out to. I’ve tried some substitution cyphers, but to have a chance at making those work, it’s trial and error. If you don’t know what the actual characters to be substituted are, it’s almost impossible to figure out – which is where a computer comes in. If you write the program correctly, it can try a million different variations in the time it takes to go to the bathroom. So unless we have unlimited time to decode the note, that’s our best bet.”

Lucas nodded. “Part of me thinks this may all be a wild-goose chase.”

“Not like we have any other options, do we?”

“True.” He smiled grimly. “What do you make of Eve?”

“Make of her? I like her. She’s whip smart and very mature. And she likes horses. Why?”

Lucas debated telling her about the odd feeling he had about the child, but decided it would sound crazy to give voice to his thoughts – thoughts he hadn’t fully processed. She was undoubtedly mature for her age, but that wasn’t it. There was something more to her, something he was having a hard time defining.

Whether or not it was important was hard to say. He couldn’t see how; but then again, you could fit under a microscope what he knew about children – especially females. He’d had a hard enough time figuring out the adult versions, much less the new models.

“Probably nothing. She’s just…really calm, you know?”

“Could be post-traumatic stress, Lucas. Or delayed shock. What do we actually know about her?”

“Just what Sierra’s told us.”

“Exactly. We have no idea what she was subjected to while she was a captive. But I think we can assume the worst, judging by the stories.” Ruby contemplated the rushing water of the stream for a moment before she spoke again. “Besides, even assuming that Sierra did tell us the whole story, think about what it must have been like. Whole town dead. You’re all alone. Then the monsters come and take you prisoner. Next thing you know, you’re in a strange place, being experimented on. I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see how that could scar a youngster. Remember before the collapse, the news stories of the child soldiers in Africa? Six-, seven-year-olds who had killed dozens of people? I remember seeing a special about them on TV. They had a similar detachment. Maybe that’s just how you get by in an impossible situation – you pretend it isn’t real, that it isn’t happening to you, that it’s not you doing the things you’re being forced to do. If they…if there’s more to it than what Sierra let on, you can see how that would be a natural reaction.”

Lucas nodded. “That might be it. I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

“She’s just a child, Lucas. She’s been to hell and back. That’s going to leave its mark.”

“Quite a world we live in, isn’t it?”

“We didn’t choose it, Lucas.”

“Nobody did.” He stopped. “Except scum like the cartel. Or Magnus. This is their wildest dream come true.”

Ruby rose. “Seems like the devil’s turn at the wheel, doesn’t it?”

“Can’t say as I understand much, Ruby, but for the life of me, the thought of what those animals do to innocents like Eve…”

“All we can do is counter it with good, Lucas. And believe that eventually sanity will be restored. It doesn’t stay dark forever.”

“It does for people like Hal. He’s gone. Nothing’s going to bring him back.”

“True, but a part of him lives on, Lucas. Like a chain. He passed on his good to you, and now you pass it on to others who need it.” She held his gaze. “Seems to me Eve needs it. And so does Sierra.”

“You really believe it’s that simple?”

She shrugged. “Sure. And no. Life’s complicated, but in the end, far as I can tell, it’s a sequence, like programming code. We’re born, we think we’re special and different, and as we get older, we recognize ourselves in others and see the commonalities. And it occurs to us that everyone who came before us also felt the same specialness, that same sense of being different and uniquely important. When you get to be my age, Lucas, you’ll see that there’s nothing but patterns everywhere for those whose eyes are open. Things are complicated on the surface, like each snowflake is intricately unique, but they’re all snow. Age teaches you to recognize the snow and stop being so concerned with the differences.” She offered a smile. “Try having a little faith in the species, Lucas. It’s not all bad.”

“Hard to believe you’re saying that after yesterday.”

“Everything happens for a reason.” She sighed. “Think we can risk a small fire so I can make some tea? Probably be all in our stomachs for a good stretch.”

He looked around. “Can’t see where that’ll cause too much harm.”

“Then gather some wood and get it started, young man, while I freshen up.”

With that, Ruby followed the path down the stream, leaving Lucas to ponder unsolvable mysteries while she cleaned off the road dust and prepared for another hellish day. Lucas looked over to where Tango was considering him with equine dignity. “You know everything, don’t you? You’re just watching me fumble around for fun. Don’t think I don’t know your game,” Lucas said, and then smiled. Talking to his horse once a day seemed reasonable under the circumstances. “Just don’t make a habit of it,” he muttered, and then went in search of enough kindling to warm Ruby’s charred pot. The pungent concoction she brewed would offer slim relief from the miles of misery they’d have to endure that day under the sun’s relentless fury.

Chapter 25

Duke’s compound was sealed shut, and Doug stood manning the guard post beside the gate with weary resolve. When they had approached within hailing distance, Lucas waved a greeting and called out, “Duke around?”

“Sure. Just the four of you?”

“That’s right.”

“Stand by. I’ll open the gate.”

The iron barrier slid aside and Lucas rode through the gap, followed by the women. Doug closed the panel behind them and yelled to the main building, “Duke! Got company.”

“Who is it?” Duke’s voice called from inside.

“Your buddy.” Doug looked at Lucas. “The Ranger.”

Duke poked his head from the doorway and eased himself down the stairs, clad only in shorts, revealing a hirsute midriff and shoulders that would have been the envy of any orangutan. “You back for more abuse?”

“Got some goods for you, you old pirate.”

Duke eyed the women, and his stare stopped at Eve. “What are you in the market for?”

“Food. More ammo for my long gun and the M4.”

“What’re you bringing?”

“AKs. Random pistols.”

“There might be a swap in there,” Duke allowed, and considered Sierra for a moment. “Look a damn sight better than the last time you were here.”

She offered a smile. “Thanks.”

“Horse treating you okay?”

“She’s a good one,” Sierra said, patting Nugget’s flank.

“Practically gave her away.” Duke looked over at the gypsy horse Ruby was now riding. “Where’d you find that barn-sore nag?”

“Had a run-in with some desperados. They felt bad about their misdeeds, so they gave us their guns and horse,” Lucas said.

“Ah,” Duke said, his face impassive. “You have that effect on people.”

“Need to use your radio, too.”

“Yeah?”

“I know. You’re going to charge me to use airwaves now.”

“Think of me as the local office of the FCC,” Duke agreed. “But I’ll be reasonable.”

“Always a first time,” Lucas allowed.

“Go ahead and let your horses drink. I’ll have one of the boys get them some hay.” Duke watched as Lucas dismounted. “Locos are all stirred up about you.”

“Yeah?”

Duke eyed Eve. “Offering a big reward.”

“No kidding. You tell them anything?”

He frowned. “What do you think?”

Lucas nodded. “Appreciate it.”

“You’re turning into one of my best customers. I feel like I’ve got a vested interest in keeping you alive.”

“A regular Samaritan.”

Duke grinned. “Runs in my veins. Can’t help myself.”

“Occupational hazard,” Lucas agreed.

Duke turned serious. “Let’s see the goods.”

Lucas spread the gypsies’ sad collection of AKs and pistols on the ground, and Duke eyed them with thinly disguised disgust. “Pile of junk.”

“Seen better, won’t argue that. But I don’t want much for them, either. Some food. Few rounds of 5.56 ball. You’ll come out ahead.”

“Have to hang on to ’em till hell freezes over.”

Lucas nodded. “Shouldn’t be long now.”

Duke issued a long-suffering sigh and motioned to them to accompany him into the building. “I’ll send Aaron out for this mess. Don’t want it stinking up my place.”

“Diamonds in the rough. Little oil and elbow grease, they’ll be good as new.”

“I expect that sorry mule could drop better out of his backside.”

“Mule? You mean the unicorn?” Lucas said, and both men cracked smiles.

They followed Duke inside, and Lucas nodded to a sleepy-looking Aaron. The Duke gave his man terse instructions, and Aaron went to gather the weapons. The trader padded to his customary seat and plopped down, rubbing a hand over his belly as he considered the newcomers. “Well, go ahead and take a load off. You’re making me nervous standing around like that.”

“Need as many dry goods as you can muster,” Lucas said, lowering himself onto a threadbare sofa that smelled of mildew. Ruby sniffed at it and sat on the arm. Sierra and Eve pulled chairs from the dining set and sat to their left.

“Got a decent amount.”

“Good. Could use another hundred rounds of 5.56.”

“Cleaning me out of the stuff, huh?”

“Been busy.”

“Target shooting, I expect.”

Lucas shrugged. “Idle hands.”

“That’s it?”

“And the radio.”

“Who you going to call?”

“Easter Bunny.”

“I think he monitors channel seventeen.”

Lucas and Duke prepared containers full of the dried jerky Duke prepared in a homemade smokehouse in the back, and when he was done counting out rounds for Lucas, they began the negotiations. Lucas had to part with some of the AK magazines and ammo they’d scrounged as well, but all in all it was a fair trade.

The trader escorted Ruby to the radio and powered it on, and then moved aside, giving her some privacy. Lucas leaned into him as she adjusted the channel selector and broadcast a call.

“This reward you mentioned. The Locos stop by in person?” Lucas asked.

Duke nodded. “Like you thought they would. Bastards were downright impolite till I schooled ’em on their manners.”

“How much they offer?”

“Enough so every lowlife in Texas will be after your scalps.”

“If it’s the same bunch that tried to bushwhack us in the desert, you’ll be doing a fair business in coffins.”

“Glass is always half full.”

“They say anything useful?”

“Don’t think they know about the girl, if that’s any consolation.”

Lucas nodded. “Was hoping they wouldn’t. That’s a break.”

“Big guy who did most of the talking seemed awful anxious to find your girlfriend there. Looked like he’d fallen into a threshing machine face first. Name of Cano. Lots of prison ink. Tattoo matches hers,” Duke said, tilting his head at Sierra. “Know him?”

“Can’t say as I do. All the same in the end.” Lucas waved a fly away. “Appreciate you sticking up for me.”

Duke frowned an acknowledgement and looked away.

A tinny voice answered Ruby over the speaker, and she had a cryptic conversation that sounded like a foreign language to Lucas. When she was finished, she pushed back from the radio and stood. Lucas raised his brows inquisitively. “Well?”

“He’s there. Said he’d be expecting me.”

“That sounded like that kook up north, in Artesia,” Duke said. “What’s his name? Bill? Bruce? What you want with a nutter like that?”

“Got an electric razor needs fixing,” Lucas said. “Appreciate it if you’d keep that under your hat.”

“I see nothing.”

Lucas shouldered the satchel containing the ammo and hoisted the containers with the food, and then Duke escorted them from the building. On their way out the front door, they were interrupted by Slim emerging from the back. The man nodded to Lucas and eyed Duke. “You need any help, boss?”

“No, I got it,” Lucas said.

Slim’s eyes roamed over Sierra and came to rest on Eve. He shrugged and cleared his throat. “Then I’m going back to bed.”

“No problem. Got it handled,” Duke said, and then they were outside in the swelter. Nugget and Jax were waiting expectantly; the gypsy horse looked stunned at having eaten as much hay as it could manage. Duke watched as they mounted up and shook Lucas’s hand. “Be careful out there. I hear the natives are restless.”