The Emerald Virus (32 page)

    
“Up to that point I had cared for horses like I cared for a good tool, if you
know what I mean. But after watching how the kids loved him and how he seemed
to love the kids, I look at him differently today.”

    
“Noah, I’m so sorry you lost your family, and that I raised the issue. But I
thank you for sharing the story with me. And yes, I do know how you feel about
the horse. Steel has always been special to me in that way. By the way, Steel
is very particular about who is around him also. I’m the only one who has ever
been on him, although he does let Ben help care for him. That’s the reason I
feel sure Ben will be okay around Palouse.”

  
  They were now at the filling station and they found that they had to break a
pane of glass in the front door in order to get in. They found the switches for
the pumps, and next to them they found a shutoff switch for the main generator.
They walked around the back and found the generator enclosed in a wooden shed.
They managed to pry the lock open and found that the generator started easily
enough. The noise was almost overwhelming in the perfect silence of the park.

     
The pumps came on when they flipped the switch and they walked back to get the
RVs and snow plow. They found there was plenty of fuel for all of the vehicles,
but with the number of RVs coming, each with a fuel tank capable of holding
anywhere from sixty to eighty gallons of fuel and some with additional
auxiliary tanks, the storage tanks here would be emptied soon. They decided
they would have everyone fuel up in West Yellowstone.

    
Water was going to be tough in the park also. With everything shut down for the
winter finding water for the RV tanks would be hard. They would probably have
to keep the road to West Yellowstone open all winter so they could dump the
tanks and replace the water in town. That would work until the electricity shut
down and water pipes started freezing.

    
An hour later they had finished fueling the vehicles and Ben had finished with
the horses. They climbed into their equipment and headed for town.

    
Noah realized that Sam was right in her assessment of Ben. He wasn’t a kid
anymore. While he wasn’t yet an adult, if he got the right kind of help he
would learn how to make adult judgments soon. The only thing to worry about now
was his lack of experience.

    
Sam had called Lily this morning and told her to sit tight until they got there
with the plows, which Sam still thought would take at least two days. Noah did
the same with Lou, who had stopped at Butte last night. Four other RVs from
both north and south on I-15 had joined Lou, and Lily’s group now had seven RVs.
When they had checked email they found there were at least another twenty or so
RVs scattered over Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, all heading slowly to the park.

    
The driving was slow going for all of the RVs, but over the next couple of days
they would all make it to Bozeman or Butte. They found they had both sides of
the Interstates to work with. If one side was covered with a drift they could
backtrack to the last exit and try the other side. Some of the RVs were
equipped with four wheel drive, and all of them wore snow chains.

    
Sam realized again that was what she loved about living in the northwest. There
weren’t many whiners in these parts, and everyone knew how to work hard. Those
were traits they would all need in the future.

    
By dusk on Thursday the three of them had cleared 191 to 287 to Cameron. They
made the slow drive back to the lodge, took care of the horses, fueled the
equipment and spent the evening contacting other survivors.

    
Warren told them that he and a friend had tried to get through to Butte but
found the road was impassable, with much more snow as the elevation of I-90
increased as they moved towards the divide.

    
Noah let Lou know that they would have to clear highway 2 to 41 to 287 and that
would take an additional three to four days. Lou told Noah they had found a
D.O.T. equipment shed late yesterday, and this morning they would start
clearing the road from Butte towards highway 41 and on to 287. They agreed that
if they didn’t get more snow they should be able to make it to the park.

    
However, if another blizzard came through they would have to find a different
place for their winter camp.

    
They started early Friday morning with the hopes of reaching Bozeman by
nightfall. They found the snow deeper than they had hoped and they had to stop
for the night a couple of miles past Norris, just south of Red Mountain. They
started early again on Saturday.

    
It was four o’clock when they reached the intersection of 191 and I-90. They
cleared the ramp and met a group of fifteen people. Twelve of them were driving
RVs while three were too young to drive, although the 13 year old and the 14
year old were already being taught. The group decided that there were no more
rules to follow and that these youngsters would have to learn to fend for
themselves early on.

    
Lily explained to them that some in the group thought they had asked too much
from kids that young, but the others had convinced them that they needed to
expect more from the young ones in the future than they had in the past. After
all they would be driving on roads without traffic, in the middle of a group of
RVs. They would practice during the winter if they could, and by springtime
would be ready for their own RVs.

    
After saying hello to everyone they explained that they would go directly to
West Yellowstone, and they would stop there to fuel the RVs and the snow
equipment. They would then go to the lodge in the park for the night, and in
the morning they would again start clearing roads, this time to Butte.

    
I was eight o’clock that evening when the RV caravan reached the lodge. They used
the grader to clear the entire parking lot while some of the group fed the
banked fire in the lodge.

    
After dinner Sam and the group met in the lobby of the Inn. Sam stood on a
table and addressed the group, “We have a lot to talk about but some of us have
had a long day and will have an even longer day tomorrow. If anyone would like
to help clear the roads form here to Butte we would appreciate it. We’d like to
get the other group to the park before the next big snow comes. If we don’t they’ll
be stranded for the winter I’m afraid.  For now I just want to ensure everyone
that I’m glad you’ve joined our group. You’re welcome here and I’m looking
forward to working with all of you.”

    
A middle aged man with brown curly hair and a stocky build loudly and
sarcastically said, “My name is Bob Turner and I’d like to say I really
appreciate you letting us in here, but I’d like to point out that this here is
a public park and it’s open to anyone who wants to come in. And I don’t need
you to let me know what you think of me being here.” He finished the statement
with a satisfied grin on his face, much like a school yard bully.

    
Sam started to apologize by saying, “Bob, I didn’t mean to…”

    
But Noah interrupted her by saying, “Sam, let me answer Mr. Turner Please.” He
looked at Bob and then looked around the room. What he saw were a lot of
uncomfortable looks, a couple of people who looked angry, and only one or two
who seemed to enjoy what Bob Turner had to say. He wished it had not come to
this so soon, since he was dead tired from wrestling the snow all day, but he
knew the kind of person Turner was, and that this had to be dealt with quickly.

    
Noah continued, “Mr. Turner, there are some things you don’t seem to understand,
so this one time I’m going let you know what you missed. But I want you to know
that this is the last time I’ll be nice about you saying anything else in that
tone of voice to Sam or anyone else.

    
“First, this isn’t a public park. There is no government left, and no public
left. There is no United States, no state of Montana or Wyoming, no government
except what we’ll start ourselves. This is a new world and possession is going
to decide who owns what in the future. Right now Sam possesses this lodge. You
are here as her guest and because she chose to work her butt off helping you
get here.

    
“But you don’t have to stay here. You do have freedom of choice. You are free
to join Sam’s group or you are free to leave. You are not free to come in here
and talk about what you don’t like or to act contrary to the good of the group.
 

    
“You do need to change your perspective on life since you have no right to be
here, and you have no right to walk in here and cause dissention. I’m not
interested in dealing with people like you and I’d much rather just kick you
out of here. But I know Sam well enough to know she wouldn’t want that.

    
“So Mr. Turner, you have this one warning and that’s it. Now you can apologize
for your erroneous beliefs and your sarcastic tone of voice, or you can leave,
and you’re welcome to do either one.”

    
By now the lobby was dead quiet. Everyone was looking at Bob Turner wondering
what he would do. Everyone realized that Noah wasn’t just talking. They knew he
had explained the rules, and he expected everyone to follow them if they
stayed.

    
Turner looked at Noah and decided his best choice was to get angry and ask the
group for support. He said, “You have no right to talk to me that way or tell
me what to do or who to follow. This is a democracy and the group should rule.”
He looked around for support and found a couple of people nodding in agreement,
and he continued, “I think the majority will decide that you need to keep you
opinions to yourself and let someone more capable lead this group.”

    
Noah let the silence drag on for a minute and smiled and said, “Mr. Turner, we
probably will at some point turn the group into a democracy, and we may vote on
a leader. But we won’t do that yet because the only thing we know right now is
that Sam is a capable leader and loud mouths like you are not. I told you a
minute ago to either apologize or leave. It doesn’t look like you want to
apologize so I’m going to have to insist that you leave. You need to get out to
your RV and move on out of here, right now.” As Noah started to walk through
the group towards him, Turner yelled, “You can’t do that. Hey everyone, this
isn’t fair. Tell him he can’t do this. Tell him we won’t let him tell us what
to do.” When no one moved he started to panic a little and yelled again, “Keep
him away from me, he has no right to touch me. Somebody help me. Help me.”

    
And then Noah had him by the elbow in a steel grip. He walked him forcefully to
the lobby doors and listened to Turner yell, “Stop, I’ll freeze, let me get my
coat.”

    
Noah stopped and waited while Warren brought Turner’s coat to him and then he
started moving again. He walked Turner outside and told him to show him where
his RV was. Noah walked him to the RV and helped him in.

    
Some people from the crowd had followed them outside. Noah ignored them, not
because he was sure they wouldn’t help Turner, but because he knew if he acted
anything other than totally confident anyone straddling the fence on this issue
could come down on the wrong side.

    
He pushed Turner into the driver’s seat and waited until he had started the
engine before he said, “Turner, you’re one of those people that got by in life
by being a bully, and because the civilized people around you put up with you.
You need to remember that the world has changed.”

    
Noah was bent over and the interior lights were off so he was sure no one could
see him, although he really didn’t care. He said as he pulled out his gun and
pushed it against the side of Turner’s head, “If I ever see you anywhere near
here again I’ll kill you. On the spot, with no hesitation and no remorse. Do
you understand me?”

    
When he didn’t receive a response Noah pulled the hammer back on the gun. The
click was deafening. Turner immediately said, “I understand,”

    
“Good, now drive out of here. You can backtrack all the way to Bozeman and from
there go wherever you want. But remember, you don’t ever want to cross paths
with me again.”

    
Noah holstered his gun and stepped out of the RV and without looking back said,
“Folks let’s go back inside. This man doesn’t need us to help him out of the
park.” Ben was in this group and Noah knew he was there to cover his back. He
looked at Ben and nodded while he smiled slightly.

    
When they were all inside and Noah was next to the fire he looked at Sam and
said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Sam, I’m sorry to have been a part
of that mess, but I believe that Mr. Turner is just another bully, and I didn’t
think you would have wanted people like him in your group. I tried to give him
a chance to let us know that wasn’t his real nature, but he didn’t take it.”

    
Before Sam could respond Lily looked at Noah and started clapping. The rest of
the group joined in immediately. Noah looked shy for the first time and said,
“Thank you folks. Sam invited me to join her group and she was gracious about
it. I thought she deserved my support.”

    
Sam had not yet said a word. She was trying to adjust to the fact that this
tough man had just solidified her position as group leader. He had done so
unselfishly and with danger to himself. She had not expected this vote of
confidence from anyone except maybe Ben. Western men tended to follow other
men, not women.