Roland: Reluctant Paladin Read online

“Greed, mostly,” Roland told him. “Money and greed. I spent a lot of time in foster care, growing up. Your foster folks okay to you?”

  “They always treated me decently, sir. More than I can say for others.”

  “I know that tune,” the soldier nodded back. “Anyway, if you can drive nearly anything, then we can make some better plans. I’ve got a Hummer stored not too far from here, with a trailer. Know what a Hummer is?”

  “Yes, sir,” James replied.

  “You know, you can call me Roland, James.”

  “Yes, sir. Roland.” Roland sighed.

  “Anyway, I was thinking that you and me could go and collect that Hummer, and see what else we can see or find. I want to take that bus, and whatever supplies we can find, and get out of this town. Take these kids somewhere at least marginally safe. You game to help me with that?”

  “Of course, Roland,” James replied at once. “Whatever you need.”

  “Can you handle a gun, James?”

  “I can, sir. Roland,” the teen corrected himself.

  “Ever fire an AR?”

  “AR, AK, shotgun, and handgun, sir,” James nodded. “My foster father was a hunter, and a shooting enthusiast. I learned from him.”

  “Do you think you could kill someone, if you had to?” Roland asked. “It’s okay if you can’t.”

  “I was going to kill Wright and his friends, before you took that on,” James said softly. “He was too evil to live, at least around these children. I can kill anyone who threatens any of these children, and be fine with it, Roland.”

  “That’s a good answer, James,” Roland smiled. “You know, I think together, the two of us, and the others, just might be able to save these kids. At least get them out of the city.”

  “That’s a worthy goal, sir,” James smiled for the first time Roland could remember seeing it.

  “It sure is. So, here’s my idea. . .”

  CHAPTER THREE

  I’ve had to re-think my sketchy plan. I realized I can’t just load this bunch up and head out to the country side, moving by the seat of my pants. For one thing, I need a place to go. That, I think, I got figured out.

  But then, what happens when we get somewhere reasonably safe? Kids need stuff. They need clothes, shoes, food, toys, and things to keep them occupied. Things to learn with. Geez, I need school books. And who’s gonna teach them? I sure can’t.

  This is enough to give a man a migraine. And I don’t suffer from migraines. Not for the first time, I’m thinking how nice it would be to track down the bastards responsible for all this misery, and shoot them. With a LAW rocket.

  In the face.

  Anyway. So now, in addition to all the other things I need, I have to start trying to scavenge for the stuff we’ll need when we get where we’re going. Which will probably mean we’ll need another vehicle.

  Which means one of those other teenagers better be able to drive. James, Ralph, and the other teen boy, Willie, I think, are currently removing unneeded seats from the bus. We need seating for only thirty, at most. The rear seats are being removed so we can use that part of the bus for storage. You know, for all that stuff we need that we don’t have, and I have no idea where to get.

  -

  “We’re done with the seating, sir,” James reported for all three of them.

  “Good deal, Lucille,” Roland smiled. “Now, you boys know this area some?” All three nodded.

  “Good, ‘cause I don’t. Here’s what we need. First, we need food. That’s obvious. We need water, too. Again, obvious. But we also need clothes, blankets, tents, cookware, shoes and socks, hand tools, and the list goes on and on. Get me?” All three nodded.

  “So, where can we get those things? And forget Wal-Mart, Target, and places like that. They will have been picked clean already. Think storage places. Warehouses like this one. Come to think of it, has anyone looked to see what’s in this warehouse?” Roland mentally scolded himself for not having thought of that sooner.

  “Mechanical items, mostly, so far as I’ve seen,” James replied. “Parts for vehicles of all kinds.”

  “Anything useful?” Roland asked.

  “Not unless we need a car part.”

  “Well, I guess that was too much to hope for. This area is basically one large storehouse district. Other than fuel, we might find everything we need in these warehouses. I doubt it, but it’s worth checking out. Ralph, Willie, that’s us. James, you’re in charge until I get back. Let Maria and the others deal with the children, I want you making sure this place is safe, okay?”

  “I’ll take care of them Roland,” James said quietly, but firmly.

  “Okay, you two go get ready,” Roland ordered Ralph and Willie. “James, do me a favor and go get Maria.”

  -

  Maria approached him a little hesitant, worry on her face. She didn’t know Roland from Adam. The fact that he had protected her and the others from Wright didn’t mean he wasn’t a threat.

  “Take a seat, Maria,” Roland told her. When she did, Roland smiled.

  “I know you’re scared. So am I,” he admitted, and saw surprise on her face. “I figured it was time I let you know what I had in mind. And to get your input. What I want is to get us out of this city, to somewhere that’s at least marginally safe. To do that, we need transport, hence the bus. But we need a lot of other things, too.”

  “Clothes, food, shoes for the little ones,” Maria started. “Medicine and first aid supplies, and a way to filter water. Cooking equipment, maybe some tents. . .”

  “Well, you already got this figured out, I see,” Roland chuckled.

  “I’ve been thinking about what I’d need, if I escaped from here,” she admitted.

  “Still want to escape?” Roland asked. If she left, he was screwed. No one was better with the little ones than Maria.

  “I don’t know yet,” the girl admitted. “I’m weighing my options.”

  “Fair enough. I would ask that if you decide to go it alone, please let me know ahead of time. I’ll have to see if someone can fill your shoes, or if I have to learn to take care of the young’uns myself. That sound fair?”

  Maria studied Roland for a long time, and Roland waited patiently, even though he really didn’t have the time. Finally, she spoke.

  “I’m not going to lie. I’m not sure you aren’t as big a threat as the others were. It’s difficult for me to trust you.”

  “I can understand that,” Roland shrugged. “Even sympathize. Is it something in particular I’ve done, or maybe just a good, cautious nature?”

  “It’s because you’re a gringo,” Maria admitted, her voice slightly bitter.

  “Ah. . .oh, you mean white?” Roland had to guess at that. Maria nodded.

  “Well, again, I guess that’s fair. I’m not a bad guy. . .well, that’s not true,” he stopped himself, and she looked surprised.

  “How old are you, Maria?” he asked suddenly.

  “Nineteen,” she didn’t even think about lying.

  “Adult, then,” Roland nodded, sitting down. “Look, I’m not really a good man, to be honest. I mean, I’m not like Wright, or the others, but. . .I’m a soldier, Maria, or I was before the world imploded. I’ve been all over the world, meetin’ new cultures and killin ‘em.” Her eyes widened at that, and he held up a hand.

  “It’s an old joke, Maria. Sorry. But it is sorta true. Thing is, I’ve never seen myself as evil, just. . .well, not good, per se. I only meant to stay here overnight. It was raining, and this was a good shelter. I didn’t count on seeing all of these kids, alone. I… I can’t just leave ‘em. I’m not that bad. I’ve got to get them somewhere safe.”

  “To do that, I need your help, if you’re willing. If not, I understand, and if you want to go, I’ll try and make sure you have everything you need to make it. And no hard feelings, either. You should have your whole life ahead of you, and taking on a responsibility like this isn’t something you should have to do.”

  “I don’t mi
nd,” Maria said softly. “I worked in day care before. . .before,” she said firmer. “I love children. I was studying to be a teacher.”

  “What happened to you, Maria?” Roland asked softly. He knew the signs, and Maria had them all. She’s suffered some kind of trauma. Recently.

  “Nothing that hasn’t happened all over the world,” the girl didn’t quite snap. “So long as you’re on the level, then I’ll help you. At least until the rest are safe. I make you no promises beyond that.”

  “I couldn’t ask for more,” Roland nodded. “And thank you.”

  “I’m not doing it for you,” she said flatly. “I’m doing it for them.”

  “Works for me.”

  -

  “James, you said you’ve used an AR. Can you show me how to disassemble this, check it, and reassemble it?”

  James nodded, and quickly and efficiently stripped the civilian model rifle, checked if for dirt and debris, then correctly reassembled it, slamming the magazine home with authority, but not chambering a round.

  “I’m convinced,” Roland nodded, handing the teen a bandoleer. “Be safe, and please don’t shoot anyone by accident. Especially me,” he added, grinning.

  “Never by accident.” James actually told a joke.

  “All right, we’re outta here. James, keep a good watch. We’ll be back.”

  “We’ll be here.”

  -

  The warehouse next to theirs was a bust. Empty except for a few odd and end boxes of junk. Roland and the boys searched the office, and found some snacks, peanut butter crackers and the like, which they bundled up for the smaller kids. There were also two cases of bottled water. Roland sent the two boys off to deliver the food and water to the warehouse. When they returned, the trio set off for the next building.

  A chemical warehouse. Mostly petroleum based products, like grease and motor oil, machine oils, and so forth. Nothing here really that they could use. Roland did set two cases of two stroke motor oil near the door, intending to take it with him when they left. Never know when you’ll want to run a chainsaw.

  There was another small find of water and food in the office areas of this warehouse, so the bounty was once again sent away to their own warehouse. This cycle went on for the remainder of the day. Despite the smaller successes, Roland found nothing of real use in any of the warehouses they searched. With the light fading, he decided it was time to call it quits.

  It was a dejected trio that wandered back into the warehouse they were using for shelter. Although they had found some things that would extend their supplies, the day was pretty much a bust except for that.

  “There’s always tomorrow,” Roland reminded them. “Tomorrow we’ll head out and around the neighborhood some, and see what we can see. I’m sure there are a few things lying around we can use. Cheer up!”

  The two boys grinned slightly, then went to their bed rolls. They were tired.

  They’re not getting enough to eat, Roland realized. None of us are. I’ve got to do something about that, but what?

  He still didn’t have an answer when sleep claimed him at last.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I’m trying to be upbeat, but it’s getting harder every day. We’ve spent three days going through every building within walking distance. Twice we’ve been shot at by unseen attackers. No one’s been hit, but that’s due more to dumb luck and poor shooting than anything else.

  I used to think I could tackle any obstacle and overcome it. In combat, I was always able to get the job done, no matter what, and then RTB. I’m learning that when there’s no Base to return to, and no logistics to support you, things are a lot tougher.

  I’ve got a few MREs stashed with my Hummer, but I’m not sure how well the kids will handle them. And let’s face it, twenty-four MREs, which could last me for two, even three weeks in a pinch, would last less than two days with as many as there are here to feed. I want to save them for a real emergency.

  Providing I can get to them, of course.

  Today we’re trying something different. Din. . .Da... Deena, yeah, Deena, looked through the phone book last night, and may have found the answer to our food situation. A warehouse foods company about five miles from here. It’s possible there’s food left there that would be more palatable for the younger children. Ralph, Willie, Deena, and myself are going to take the bus and check it out. If there’s food there, we’ll cram everything we can find onto the bus, and then come back here.

  We’re still working on our list, and starting to pick things up as we go, hoping to assemble all we need so we can get the hell outta here. We need to be able to plant a garden when we get where we’re going. And we need to get going there soon, so we can plant the garden, and get some food from it for winter.

  I honestly have no idea how people cope with being responsible for the lives of children. I’ve never been as stressed over anything as I am the care of all these children.

  Please, God, help me find a way to take care of them. Don’t desert them now.

  -

  “There it is,” Deena said softly from her seat behind Roland.

  “Well, it looks intact, anyway,” Roland nodded, pulling into the empty parking lot. “I think we’ll head around back, out of sight. I’d rather no one knew we were here.”

  He maneuvered the bus into the rear of the building, pleased to find four cargo doors. Opening the rear emergency door on the bus, Roland backed into one of the cargo bay doors.

  “All right, let’s see if there’s anything to find, here, boys and girls.”

  Roland had to pry the walk-through door open with a crowbar, which he considered a good sign. If the door was still locked, maybe no one had been here. Most people thought of grocery stores when they thought of food. This place supplied grocery stores, so maybe no one had been here yet.

  He was relieved they hadn’t encountered anyone on the way here. The populations were probably thinned some since the Crash, with all the wanton destruction, but there were still plenty of people running around. He wanted to avoid them if at all possible.

  Once inside, it was dark. The only light came from the open door. Roland muttered curses under his breath at his carelessness. Of course, it’s dark. No windows in a place like this.

  “Here,” Ralph said, handing Roland a headlamp. He took it, noticing the others had one also.

  “Where did you get these?” Roland asked. “Good thinking, by the way. Better than mine.”

  “James had them,” Ralph replied. “Said we might need them.” James slid upward another notch in Roland’s estimation. Good kid.

  “Okay, let’s see what we can find. Stay together. If we encounter trouble, head to the bus immediately. Got it?”

  “Got it,” all three whispered in tandem. They followed him, lamps searching everywhere for labels and signs.

  “This is a pallet of cereal,” Deena called softly five minutes later. “We don’t have milk, but the kids can eat it dry as a snack.”

  “Good call, Deena,” Roland grinned. “Remember where it is. We can look for powdered milk, too.”

  “Hey, this is canned tuna,” Willie announced. “Lots of it,” he added.

  “Another good one. Deena this looks like a good trip. We all owe you.” The girl was grateful that no one could see her blush in the dark.

  In thirty minutes, they had located more than enough food stuffs to keep the children and themselves going for some time. Now, it was time to start loading.

  It would have to be done by hand, since there was no way to get the pallets into the bus. With nothing else for it, Roland placed Deena on watch, and he and the boys started muscling the pallets for loading with a pallet jack.

  “Fill the seats, too,” Roland ordered. “We’ll eat some of this stuff long before we can leave. We’ll find another way to carry it if we have to.”

  It took two hours of continuous, back breaking work to get everything loaded. Two hours in which Roland sweated furiously over being spotted. Deen
a turned out to be an excellent choice for over-watch, her eyes keen and her mind sharp. Twice she had called a halt to their work from her perch atop the bus. Each time she and Roland watched as battered convoys of “technicals” prowled the streets and highways around them.

  Roland decided then and there that the bus had to be painted. Sitting on a giant yellow target made his skin crawl.

  Finally, they were finished. The last thing crammed aboard was a pallet’s worth of bottled water.

  “I think we can go now,” he said to the exhausted boys, and grateful girl. “Let’s load up and get the hell out of here.” They had left a narrow pathway between the seats, and while the teens took that route, Roland closed the overhead, then came through the walk through. He secured the door with a block of concrete, hoping no one would notice. He’d already decided that if they could find a box truck, they’d return to fill it before leaving.

  With the bus heavily loaded, handling was a little tricky. If they had to move at any real speed, turns would be a problem. Roland eased the bus along, everyone’s eyes scanning around them.

  “Hold it!” Deena called as they approached an intersection. “There are vehicles approaching the intersection on the cross street! I can see them through the alleys!”

  Roland slowed at once, and turned the bus into a through-way alley, hopefully hiding. Without being told, Willie exited the rear door and ran to the alley entrance to watch. He was back in five long, stress filled minutes.

  “They’re gone, and the coast is clear,” he announced a little breathless from both exertion and fear.

  “Good job, Willie. You too, Deena, way to be looking,” Roland praised, and started them on the way home again.

  When did I start to think of that place as home?

  -

  The teens were all glad to see them back, and thrilled with the food. But there was a small problem.

  “Can opener?” Roland looked at Maria as if she’s spoken some long dead language.

  “Yes, a can opener,” the small woman sighed. “You know, to open all these cans you brought back?”