JAA Ch. 01: Aftermath

Molly and Mishca laughed at Sue's berating of the mayor.

"I really hate dumbasses such as you, they give all the good-hearted dumbasses a bad name. Well, kids I really have to go now. Why don't you drop over some time and we'll do some catching up? So long Mayor Dumbass, I hope this village doesn't run into any bandits that have been roaming around these parts the past couple of months. Oh, and Cappy will be over with the bill for all the supplies and my time."

Sue turned and walked out the door leaving the Mayor sputtering. Jimmy was waiting outside next to the doorway.

"I saw Jenks go in and didn't want to disturb you. Mayor Dumbass? Is that the best you could come up with?"

"Jimmy shut up, I'm in no mood after dumbass in there."

"And threatening him with a bill that was genius, pure genius... "

"Oh do shut up Jimmy," Sue said starting to walk away.

Jimmy caught up with her, grabbed her arm and spun her around wrapping her in a big bear hug. Sue hugged him right back and kissed him on the cheek.

"You take care, Jimmy Foster, you hear me?"

"I will Sue. You take care too!" He slapped her on the ass causing her to jump.

Sue sighed and waved as she turned toward the path leading to her valley. Soon she was into the woods and on her way home. The sun was out and the air was clearer than it had ever been. She was happy, happy that the virus had run its course so quickly with but one death.

As she walked, she watched the trees. She missed the birds that used to live in the air and sing pretty songs to each other. She even missed the flying insects. She walked along without paying too much attention to her surroundings and did not notice those waiting until it was too late.

Before she knew what was happening three men jumped out of the brush and tried to grab her. One swung a large stick at her. She ducked, turned, and took the hit on her backpack. While turning she reached to her boot and pulled her knife coming up with the sharp blade out and slicing through the clothing of the second man.

His scream of pain drew the attention of the third one long enough for her to spin and clear from their center where she flipped her rifle into her hands. Not really aiming she pulled the trigger five times. Two of the men dropped in heaps immediately. The third back peddled trying to get to his weapon. One bullet hit him in the knee, the second in the throat. He was dead before he hit the ground.

A shot rang out and Susan felt the pain in her thigh as the bullet passed through her flesh. Spinning to her right she saw a woman standing with a handgun trying to line up another shot. Susan ducked and weaved getting closer to the woman who just stood there trying to line up her sights.

Before she knew it, Susan was on top of her a knife in her ribs. Sue watched as the life beneath her slowly leaked away. Tears rolled down Sue's cheeks, as she knew there was nothing she could do for her or her mates. On reflection, Sue realized if they had not been after her, she Sue, would be dead. They, trying not to kill her had given her an advantage, even though they had the advantage of surprise.

Getting up, Sue turned toward home and limped away from the death she had caused. As she walked, the pain in her leg became worse and worse. Soon it was to a point she could no longer stand and flopped to the ground. She took her pack off and started to rummage around for the things she would need to stem the flow of blood.

As she was pressing gauze to the wound, she heard a vehicle coming down the road.

"Sierra one-one-five come in."

Sue pulled her radio out. "Sierra one, you're almost too me. Slow down, I'm on the right side of the path, your right."

"Roger."

Sue saw the hummer crest the rise and slow down. Mark was in the turret, ducked down, and jumped out of the hummer when it stopped. He ran to her side and looked down at her leg.

"It will be fine, it's a through and through," she told him smiling at his concern.

Michelle ran up next to her and plopped down. She slapped Sue's hand out of the way and grabbing the material of her pants ripped the pant leg wide open.

"Gee thanks, those were my favorite," Sue said sarcastically.

"Good, 'cuz I never liked them on you. They always made you look fat," Michelle, quipped back.

"Bitch."

"Slut."

"All right you two stop with the pleasantries. What happened, Sue? Where are they?"

"Four tried to jump me. They're back, about five hundred meters, the way I came and all dead."

Cappy nodded at the four marines with them and they went on the double back the way Sue had come.

Michelle continued to work on Sue's leg. Mark kneeled by her side holding her hand as she winced in pain as the wound was cleaned and dressed.

"There that should do it, the bleeding is stopped so don't go running any marathons and stay off it for the next couple of days. And take two aspirins and don't call me in the morning."

"Sure thing doc!"

The marines came trotting back to report to Cappy.

"Cappy, we found four individuals, three men, and one woman, all dead, three by gunshot the woman by knife, nicely done Doc." The last addressed to Susan as Mark helped her to her feet.

"No it wasn't I should never have been touched, I should have seen them long before they could reach me."

"What you should have done is call for an escort! You are not a one-woman army! You got that young lady?" Cappy yelled.

"Young lady my eye..."

"Shut up Michelle!" Cappy yelled at her.

"Yes sir," Michelle said meekly.

Cappy knew she was not like that but let her shenanigans go, this time.

"Mark, get your lovely wife into the hummer. You two, go with them. You two are with me."

Michelle started to walk to the hummer.

"And where are you going, Doctor?"

"I thought...I mean I should," she looked at Cappy and realized she was in trouble. "I don't know where am I going?"

"We'll need a doctor to verify the dead are dead so you're coming with us."

"I see, lead the way then."

"No, walk beside me, young lady." Cappy signaled the marines to take point and rear positions.

"Humpf." Michelle walked along with Cappy.

"What's up with you two?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"The name calling, what's with you two?"

"She's," Michelle started, then looked around and whispered, "jealous of me."

"Why?"

"Because you have been in my bed more than hers, trying to get me pregnant."

"Ah. Do you two really mean what you call each other?"

"No, well I don't. I love Susan with all my heart. She's like my sister. Better than my sister because she isn't related to me."

"Well, could you two keep the name calling to when you're in private? Doing it out in public like that upsets people, namely me."

"I'm sorry Cappy," Michelle said taking Cappy's hand in hers.

They walked like that until they caught up to the Marine on point. Michelle went to work checking over the bodies. The Marines collected anything useful from the bodies while Cappy started digging graves.

One of the marines stopped what he was doing and froze looking toward the village Sue had been helping. The other marine shouldered his weapon, as did Cappy. Seconds later a group of people broke through the tree line fifty meters away.

When they saw the three men pointing rifles at them they froze. One of them raised a white flag and stepped forward. Cappy lowered his rifle and waved him forward. The marines kept theirs pointed at the group of men.

It was Jimmy the medic. He trotted up to Cappy, waving at the two marines he knew as he passed them. When he saw Michelle bending over a lifeless female body he stopped dead in his tracks. When she moved and he saw that it was not Susan he signed heavily and turned to Cappy.

"Hi, Cappy, for a minute there I thought Susan had been hurt."

"She was. What is it that you want?" Cappy said dryly.

"We heard the gunshots and hurried out here." He then noticed the three male bodies up the hill. "Sue did all this?"

"Yes. Why didn't you escort her back?"

"Most of the men are still sick."

"They look pretty healthy to me. Go home. I'll have Sue radio you when she feels better."

"How bad is it?"

"Left leg, through and through, go home." Cappy turned, moving his rifle around to his back and picked up a shovel.

"Need any help?" Jimmy asked.

"No, go home."

"Yes sir," Jimmy said softly turning and walking back to the group.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cappy saw him explaining to the men what had happened. One of the men started to come forward. Jimmy grabbed his arm but he broke free. Cappy signaled the marine not to shoot.

Cappy stood, waiting for the man to get to him.

"Hey, who do you think you are telling us to go home?"

"I," Cappy shook his head, "am the man with the gun," Cappy finished, pulling the gun around to point at the man in front of him. "And you are a dumbass, now go home before you get hurt."

"You son of a...that's what that arrogant woman doctor called me..."

"That woman most likely saved your life which was a waste of time."

"What do you mean a waste of time?"

The crack of Cappy's rifle echoed around the woods as a tiny hole appeared, as if by magic, in the forehead of the man before him. Jimmy started forward but Cappy raised his rifle to his shoulder. Jimmy stopped and backed up.

"Go home, now," Cappy called out.

After the group had left, Cappy and the marines finished digging the graves and rolled the bodies into them. They covered them and geared up for the walk back home. The man Cappy shot was left lying where he fell, the marines and Cappy knew the men would be back to fetch his body.

"Why did you shoot him?" Michelle asked as they walked back.

"Because he was a dumbass, Susan worked her ass off to save them all and he couldn't spare anyone to escort her back home. More likely didn't even think of doing that. He was a complete and utter dumbass."

"Did you notice that none of them had guns except Jimmy?"

"Yes, how dumb is that in this day and age? Just look what happened back there and Susan is a fully trained warrior. What do you think would have happened to the guy I killed?"

"He would have been dead or a slave."

"Yep. Dumbass. If things don't change fast in that village a lot of people are going to be dead."

They made it back without further incident. Sue was resting comfortably at home. Cappy went to his office and Michelle went to the infirmary. All was back to normal with the exception of Sue being shot, the day was a good day.

Chapter 39

Five long days, since those bandits had shot Susan, five days she had to stay home and keep off her feet as much as possible. Five days of eating Michelle's cooking, five days, she was going nuts. She wanted to do something, anything but sit at home. Yes, the kids were little dears and helped mommy all they could. It was good to be with them. And Mark was more attentive than he had been the last couple of years. Nevertheless, she was bored out of her mind and she felt the research they were doing needed her.

Michelle was supposed to be here already to look at her wound and pronounce whether she could return to a limited work schedule. Mark was here today also, taking time off from teaching. He had fixed her breakfast, which had been delicious. He was in the kitchen getting her lunch.

The front door opened and in strode Michelle with her pack. Behind her were Cappy and Rudy. Rudy rushed in before the door could close and was standing beside the couch upon which Susan reclined. He was licking her face and wagging his tail so hard that no one could get close to her.

"Rudy, it's good to see you too boy. Now back off," Susan said laughing.

"Rudy, out!" Cappy shouted.

Rudy backed away and sat beside his master, still wagging his tail as hard as he could. Michelle was now kneeling down next to the couch pulling things out of her bag.

"How are you feeling today?" Michelle asked.

"Just great, bored out of my mind but, great," Susan answered.

Michelle pulled her gown up until she could see the bullet wound on Sue's leg. The wound on the top of the leg looked to be about healed although still red and angry looking. The wound on the bottom of the leg was bigger and still had not closed all the way.

"This might sting," Michelle told Susan as she applied some salve to the wound.

Susan jumped at the touch of the salve, grimmest in pain as it touched the spot that had yet to close. Michelle then gently placed a gauze pad on the wound and gently wrapped more gauze around the leg. She pulled Sue's gown down when she was done. Mark came into the room just as Michelle was finishing.

"Will she be able to go back to work?" Mark asked.

"She is free to work a limited work schedule. Three hours a day, three days a week to start and the days should not be consecutive. However, you are not to stand for long periods of time, nor are you to walk more than the distance from here to the infirmary. Clear?" Michelle started packing her bag.

"Clear." Susan smiled as Mark caressed her hair.

"Mark I'm going to depend on you to keep her off her feet as much as possible while she is at home."

"You got it Doc."

"And you Michelle will be responsible for keeping her off her feet at work," Cappy said to Michelle.

"You got it Doc."

"What about physical therapy?" Cappy asked.

"Dave will handle that," Michelle responded. "I have already made arrangements with him about Sue."

"Good."

"Susan, I'll bring dinner over tonight and I'll change that dressing before you go to bed."

"Ah, sure why not." Susan looked up and back at her husband.

Michelle finished packing and stood to go. Rudy took that as a signal that it was his turn to check Susan out. He stepped forward slowly and sniffed her foot then her leg then jumped up on the couch next to her and started to lick her face once again. Sue wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her tightly, laughing at his antics.

"Rudy, out!" Cappy shouted.

Rudy jumped down off the couch and retreated to the door where Cappy was waiting. Cappy opened the door and Rudy scuttled out as quickly as he could.

"See you later Sue," Michelle told her friend and went out the door.

"See you two around," Cappy said as he pulled the door closed behind him.

Chapter 40

Cappy sat comfortably in his chair on the porch of his office gazing out at the people who hustled and bustled up and down the street. The street was made of dirt and the people were dressed much as their ancestors had been over one hundred and fifty or so years ago. A black dog sat by his side, watching, waiting. A man, a big man came striding with purpose up the stairs and onto the porch.

The black dog sat there wagging its tail, happy to see the big man. Another man came striding around the corner of the building. The dog immediately started a low-pitched growl, deep in its chest. The big man rolled his eyes at Cappy in explanation.

"Rudy, out," Cappy said softly. "Waylon my friend a hearty good morning to you, Beltzer a good morning to you also."

"Don't you good morning me Cappy Abernathy!"

"You will keep a civil tongue in your head Beltzer."

"Of course, I'm sorry, good morning to you Cappy Abernathy."

"That's much better. What can I help you with?"

"That big brown dog, Sunny I believe you call her, won't let me near my children."

"I'll take care of it. Rudy, go get Sunny, go."

The big black dog zipped down the stairs and around the corner on its mission for its master.

"Jim would you like a glass of tea while we wait?"

"No thank you. You actually believe your dog will go get your other dog?"

"He will."

Two dogs came running around the corner and up to sit in front of Cappy. Cappy praised both dogs for doing such a good job.

"Jim step up here would you?"

"They don't like me."

"They won't hurt you, come up here."

Jim stepped up on the porch and stood next to Sunny. She snarled at him until Cappy snapped his fingers. Then she sat there staring at Cappy intently.

"Sunny, this is Jim you are to allow him to get his children." Sunny looked up at Jim and snarled then looked back at Cappy. "Jim, go get your kids while they are here with me and it might be better if your wife came for them from now on, the dogs don't seem to like you very much."

"I got that impression. Fine, I'll have Cathy get the children."

"Jim, the dogs are just protecting the kids, they are our future."

"I know, it's just I go down there and the kids won't come to me and the dogs won't let me get the kids and the kids know it. "

"Have Cathy get them. Or if Michelle, Susan or Linda are down there have one of them get the children for you. The dog will listen to them as they will your wife, Cathy."

"Fine, I'll have Cathy get them from now on," Jim said in a huff, turned and left.

"Now for you two, bad dogs, you know you're bad too, don't you?"

Both dogs hung their heads, ears back, in shame. Waylon just snickered to himself as Cappy scolded the pair.

"Now, get behind me and lie down," Cappy scolded them. The dogs scuttled behind his chair and lay down. "Now what can I do for you, my friend?"

"Not much, you already took care of the problem I was coming to tell you about."

"Great! Why don't you pull up a chair and join me? As you can see I'm working really hard at not working."

"I see," Waylon replied as he pulled a chair from the other end of the porch and sat.

Chapter 41

Michelle was slowly crawling forward through the thick underbrush. She was trying to catch a glimpse of the three people who had shot at her, Luke and Freddy as they topped the rise of the hill down which they were now crawling. The brush was so thick that they had literally disappeared from sight. Now that Michelle was further down the hill, she could hear the three whispering to each other.

Michelle slowly pushed her rifle through the bush in front of her until the front of her scope was on the other side of the bush. Placing her eye to the scope brought the other side into sharp focus. She was at the edge of the brush on the hillside. In front of her was a dirt road of sorts. On the other side of the road were some large boulders, behind which the three men who had taken shots at them, hid.

To her right, she more sensed than saw Luke's slow movements in the brush. Looking through her scope again, she lined up the crosshairs on the man closest to her. She really hated killing. She hated it with a passion, but to protect herself and her friends, she had learned how to kill and learned it well.

"You three behind the boulder, drop your weapons and come out with your hands up," Freddy yelled from somewhere off to Michelle's left.

The three behind the rocks spun and started shooting in Freddy's direction. Michelle squeezed the trigger and watched the head in her sights disappear as the man dropped to the ground dead. The report from Luke's weapon almost matched hers as a second man slumped to the ground. The third man scuttled between his dead mates trying to become as small as possible.

Luke broke cover and walked up to the rock behind which the man was hiding. Michelle placed her crosshairs where she thought the man might pop up if he was so inclined to do so.

"You better come out now. There are two sniper rifles lined up on your head right now. The only reason you're not dead is we want to talk to you."

"Right, talk."

Luke picked up a stone and tossed it over the boulder. It hit the man square in the back. He jumped and whimpered thinking he was about to die any second.

"Put your gun down and come out and talk, then you'll be free to go, gun and all."

"Sure, sure. What do you take me for a retard?"

"No, I just figured you would want to live. I could have chucked a grenade back there instead of a stone if I wanted you dead."