Reclamation (Best Laid Plans Book 4) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Nathan Jones
far away at the moment, but that could change fast with the vehicles they have.”
Lewis nodded, although he was too lost in thought to speak up. After a short silence Matt turned and stared out the window, as if imagining a convoy of enemy troops driving right down Main Street. “So what do we do about it?”
“Keep our ear to the ground, I suppose,” the retired teacher answered. “Be alert for trouble heading our way, and when it comes have the best plans we can think of for how to deal with it.”
“Right,” Lewis agreed, straightening. “And one of those plans should be for evacuating everyone up Aspen Hill Canyon if need be. We should get everyone together and talk it through.”
Matt turned to him. “You mean a town meeting?”
“Eventually. Although first things first we should talk it through with the Mayor and the other town leaders.” Lewis glanced at Chauncey. “Should we gather them all up here?”
Their friend grimaced and glanced down at the stump of his leg. “Sure, I'll be around.” He tried to make the words humorous, but more than a little bitterness crept in.
Chauncey had made it clear on previous visits that his bitterness was for his situation, not Lewis for suggesting they hit the raider camps or Matt for leading the disastrous attack. Lewis didn't know about his friend, but that didn't help much with the guilt. He knew rationally that the retired teacher had made his own decision and was facing the consequences of it as well as he could, but still . . .
It
had
been Lewis's idea. He would always shoulder a bit of the burden for what had happened because of it.
In the face of Chauncey's bad mood the crowd sort of naturally broke up after that. Lewis said his goodbyes along with Matt, then followed his friend out the door in the direction of town hall. About halfway there Matt abruptly straightened, a grin breaking out across his weary features, and bolted up the street to where Sam had just come outside through the auditorium door, leaving the combined clinic and storeroom that had taken over the large space.
Matt filled his wife in on what they'd heard over the radio, at least until Sam begged him to stop, clearly distressed by the grim news. So as they sought out the Mayor they talked about the work they'd done that morning instead, filling the conversation with more pleasant, hopeful things.
At least until they had to broach Lewis's idea to prepare the town for evacuation in case it was ever necessary. Catherine had been listening to the news on her own radio, since Chauncey had retransmitted it on the town frequency. She clearly wasn't pleased by the idea of another evacuation, remembering the chaos of the one they'd carried out when the raiders first showed up, but she reluctantly agreed that planning the next one in advance would make it go much smoother.
So they began preparing a checklist of things the townspeople would want to do to get ready, as well as dates and times for a few drills so everyone could practice. It was a shame to have to take people from their other necessary tasks for this, and Lewis expected some grumbling. But if a Gold Bloc push into the area was a “when” rather than an “if” the time wouldn't be wasted, and could save lives and leave everyone in a much better position if they did have to abandon their homes and flee up Aspen Hill Canyon into the mountains.
During the planning Jane arrived, finished with her shift at the gardens. She'd spent part of the time caring for their remaining crops as best she could, and part of it on sentry duty in case of thieves or vandals or, more likely since the raiders were defeated, four-legged varmints that were too big for the traps or managed to avoid them.
She came over to stand beside him, content to listen in on the discussion. Although she did have a few tips to give about how to pack and what to bring from her days as a refugee, although she hated being called that and instead described it as
Lewis nodded, although he was too lost in thought to speak up. After a short silence Matt turned and stared out the window, as if imagining a convoy of enemy troops driving right down Main Street. “So what do we do about it?”
“Keep our ear to the ground, I suppose,” the retired teacher answered. “Be alert for trouble heading our way, and when it comes have the best plans we can think of for how to deal with it.”
“Right,” Lewis agreed, straightening. “And one of those plans should be for evacuating everyone up Aspen Hill Canyon if need be. We should get everyone together and talk it through.”
Matt turned to him. “You mean a town meeting?”
“Eventually. Although first things first we should talk it through with the Mayor and the other town leaders.” Lewis glanced at Chauncey. “Should we gather them all up here?”
Their friend grimaced and glanced down at the stump of his leg. “Sure, I'll be around.” He tried to make the words humorous, but more than a little bitterness crept in.
Chauncey had made it clear on previous visits that his bitterness was for his situation, not Lewis for suggesting they hit the raider camps or Matt for leading the disastrous attack. Lewis didn't know about his friend, but that didn't help much with the guilt. He knew rationally that the retired teacher had made his own decision and was facing the consequences of it as well as he could, but still . . .
It
had
been Lewis's idea. He would always shoulder a bit of the burden for what had happened because of it.
In the face of Chauncey's bad mood the crowd sort of naturally broke up after that. Lewis said his goodbyes along with Matt, then followed his friend out the door in the direction of town hall. About halfway there Matt abruptly straightened, a grin breaking out across his weary features, and bolted up the street to where Sam had just come outside through the auditorium door, leaving the combined clinic and storeroom that had taken over the large space.
Matt filled his wife in on what they'd heard over the radio, at least until Sam begged him to stop, clearly distressed by the grim news. So as they sought out the Mayor they talked about the work they'd done that morning instead, filling the conversation with more pleasant, hopeful things.
At least until they had to broach Lewis's idea to prepare the town for evacuation in case it was ever necessary. Catherine had been listening to the news on her own radio, since Chauncey had retransmitted it on the town frequency. She clearly wasn't pleased by the idea of another evacuation, remembering the chaos of the one they'd carried out when the raiders first showed up, but she reluctantly agreed that planning the next one in advance would make it go much smoother.
So they began preparing a checklist of things the townspeople would want to do to get ready, as well as dates and times for a few drills so everyone could practice. It was a shame to have to take people from their other necessary tasks for this, and Lewis expected some grumbling. But if a Gold Bloc push into the area was a “when” rather than an “if” the time wouldn't be wasted, and could save lives and leave everyone in a much better position if they did have to abandon their homes and flee up Aspen Hill Canyon into the mountains.
During the planning Jane arrived, finished with her shift at the gardens. She'd spent part of the time caring for their remaining crops as best she could, and part of it on sentry duty in case of thieves or vandals or, more likely since the raiders were defeated, four-legged varmints that were too big for the traps or managed to avoid them.
She came over to stand beside him, content to listen in on the discussion. Although she did have a few tips to give about how to pack and what to bring from her days as a refugee, although she hated being called that and instead described it as