Z14 (Zombie Rules) (18 page)

             
I sat back down. “Well sir, a dentist would inject your gum with Novocain. Then he, or she, would drill out the cavity and fill it with silver amalgam.”

             
“And if there is no dentist available?” He asked.

             
“From what I’ve read, back in the old days they’d take a pair of pliers and pull the tooth out. Of course, the patient would be drunk or would have ingested a healthy dose of laudanum beforehand.”

             
The Captain frowned and nodded. “I see. Let’s defer the topic of my tooth for now. Tell me what your ideas are.”

             
I enumerated with my fingers. “Crop production, cattle production, trade.”

             
The Captain looked me over. “Explain.”

             
“First, there is a lot of land here in this area which is not being farmed. We, and I use ‘we’ in the vernacular, need to farm this land and sow crops. The overage can be distributed, bartered, or stored in silos. I believe, in the long run, this will help abate any possible food shortages. I don’t know about you and your group, but my group is going to be hard pressed this winter.” I took a breath and casually looked around.

             
“Second, there are stray cattle roaming all around. They need to be rounded up and tended to before they’re killed off by coyotes and these feral dog packs I’ve been seeing. This is a very good source of food and trade, which leads to the third idea I have. I think we should set up a trading post. We’re inevitably going to have a good harvest of some crops and a shortage of other crops. You may have an abundance of cattle, and I may have an abundance of vegetables. This is where a neutral trading post will be beneficial. You and I both know there are other survivors out there. A central meeting place will establish networks with these people.” I sat down in my chair. “I have a comprehensive plan all written out if you’d like to see it.” I said.

             
The Captain looked at me somberly. He was wearing a tight fitting olive drab tee shirt today. His muscles bulged underneath.

             
“Zach, I have been thinking exactly along the very same lines.” I doubted it, but nodded in agreement anyway. “Much like a Greek agora perhaps?” He asked.

             
“Yes sir, exactly. A trading hub is much more than just a trading hub, as you well know. When people get together, they talk, and when they talk they give out information. A trading hub is considered a cornerstone in a basic society. At the moment, we’re nothing more than a couple of small bands. We need to expand and grow.”

             
“Did you have a location in mind?” He asked.

             
I shrugged. “There are several possibilities. We want a trading hub close to our respective homes, but accessible to others. I say we go with a pre-existing building, maybe a truck stop. A large parking lot would be beneficial. People would come and camp out. We’ll need to harden the building of course.”

             
“Yes, I see where you’re going with this. It would be a community gathering place, so you’ll need plenty of room.” He said.

             
I nodded. “We start with something small and build from there. We can do it Captain, if we work together.” The Captain nodded while holding his jaw. It was obvious he was in pain.

             
“Zach, I have this scenario in my head where you and I spend many an evening around the fire, enjoying a fine glass of cognac, and having many interesting philosophical discussions.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “The people in my group, they’re fine people. Hard workers, but dumber than rocks.” He leaned back. “When I was a younger man, I worked part time at a convalescent home. It was shitty work for the most part. But there was this one highly decorated World War Two veteran. He was a most interesting man. The stories he had!” The Captain stared off into space wistfully.

             
“So, you and I are about to embark on a great journey in which we rebuild society. In the meantime, what do you recommend I do about my tooth?”

             
I shrugged. “Take someone you trust, Andie perhaps, go to a dentist’s office, and use the equipment to fix it.” I pointed at my own mouth. “There is a risk factor of course. If it were easy, dentists wouldn’t have to go through so much schooling.”

             
“Zach, there is nobody else, what should I do?” The Captain asked.

             
I shrugged again. “There’s no dentist anywhere around, as far as we know. I’ll take my Leatherman tool and pull it out if you want. The extent of my experience is a video I once saw in the Internet. I imagine it will be very painful.”

             
He looked at me. “Do it.”

             
The Captain grunted a few times, but never once cried out in pain. It was impressive. I worked the tooth with my pliers for several minutes before it dislodged. After I extracted it, I packed the hole in his gum with Neosporin and gauze. He looked at my work with a small mirror, inspected the rotten tooth, and nodded in gratitude.

             
We said our goodbyes and drove away at the same time. I drove a short distance, stopped, turned my radio on, and waited. Howard called me approximately forty minutes later. I answered immediately.

             
“Do you have Macie?” He answered in the affirmative. I was relieved she was okay and headed home. They were waiting for me when I arrived.

             
“What in the world were you doing to him?” Macie asked. Howard and Julie looked at Macie questioningly.

             
“I’m watching them through the rifle scope, and before I know it, Zach is bent over him and has a pair of pliers in the Captain’s mouth. It was weird looking.”

             
“I have discovered a skill I didn’t know I had.” I said smiling and explained what I did. They looked at me incredulously.

             
“And he didn’t scream out in pain or anything?” Howard asked. I shook my head.

             
“Damn.” He said in amazement. He looked at his watch. “You guys need me for anything else? I’d kind of like to get going.” I extended my hand and shook Howard’s.

             
“Howard, you’ve been more than helpful. Tell Lashonda and the boys hello for us. Oh, I think Julie has a care package made up for you.” Julie limped as she walked into the kitchen and returned with an assortment of vegetables and herbs fresh from the greenhouse.

             
We stood on the porch and waved as Howard drove off. “Zach, I think you owe me a hot bath.” Macie said. I readily agreed.

             
Fred saw her as they walked down the road. She was in front of her apartment on the sidewalk performing an endless series of calisthenics. Fred also noted she was clad only in nylon shorts, running shoes, and an athletic bra.

             
“That’s Major Fowkes.” Sergeant Fandis said softly. “She’ll probably cuss us or something. She doesn’t seem to like anyone.”

             
“I can hear you Sergeant.” She said as she finished fifty push-ups and stood. Sergeant Fandis saluted when she stood, which she ignored. She was lean and muscular. Fred could not help but notice her taut and defined abs. Her hair was cut short and tied back in a very small ponytail. Her features were sharp, she’d never win any beauty contests, but still, Fred thought of her as attractive. If she let her hair grow out, and perhaps some makeup, he saw possibilities. He could not tell how old she was, she could have been anywhere from early thirties to late forties.

             
“What are you gawking at cowboy?” She asked roughly.

             
Fred took off his hat. “I apologize, ma’am. Sergeant Fandis here says you are a Major. I guess I was expecting you to be all spit and polish, and in uniform.”

             
She stared at Fred coolly. “Who the hell is this man Sergeant Fandis, and why did you bring him to me? Are you trying to play matchmaker or something?”

             
“Oh, no ma’am. I’d never do such a thing, trust me.” Sergeant Fandis said, to which she glared at him. “I’ve got somewhere I have to be Fred. I’ll come back and get you in a few.” He quickly saluted and ran off before Major Fowkes could say anything.

             
“Alright, start with your name.” She ordered.

             
“Fred McCoy.”

             
“Where are you from, Fred and why are you here bothering me?” She asked as she wiped the sweat off of her face.

             
“I’m recently from Tennessee. I’m trying to find my daughter. The young sergeant said you’re the only pilot left. I want to know if it would be possible for you to fly me to Los Angeles.”

             
Major Fowkes looked at Fred with incredulity and chortled. “You got some balls cowboy.” She finished wiping the sweat off, tossed the towel to Fred, and walked inside.

             
Fred followed after a moment and walked in as she put a tee shirt on. The apartment was Spartan in appearance and furnishings. It looked more like a college dorm room to Fred, without any posters or photographs. There were two beds with desks and wall lockers on the end. There was one bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower. It did not appear there was any electricity or running water.

“What’s your daughter doing in California?” She asked. Fred calmly explained while wondering what to do with the towel.

              “So, let me get this straight.” The Major said as she started mixing a protein drink with water from a canteen. “Your darling little girl thought she wanted to be the next superstar actress, headed out to Los Angeles, and you’ve not heard from her since the world went to hell?” Fred nodded. “That’s been over eighteen months ago, cowboy. She’s dead or a zombie by now. You know that, right?”

             
“Do you have any children, Major?” Fred asked quietly. She arched an eyebrow and scowled. “Betsy is my only child.” Fred continued. “She’s the only family I have left. For the past year, I’ve been asking myself what kind of a father am I to not go find her. It’s something I’ve got to try.”

             
“Los Angeles is a big town cowboy. Do you even know where to look?”

             
“All I have is the address of her apartment.”

             
“You’re fucking crazy, you know that?” She asked rhetorically.

             
Fred draped the towel across the back of a folding chair beside the door. “Probably. Would you be willing to fly me out there? You don’t have to stay. I can find my way back.”

             
Major Fowkes finished her drink and set it down. “Fred, you’re totally wrong on this one.”

             
“Am I? What would
your
father do?” Fred countered.

             
“Leave my fucking father out of this!” She suddenly shouted.

             
Fred looked at the floor, and slowly put his cowboy hat back on. “I apologize for troubling you. I’ll find my way back to the sergeant.” Fred walked out and was half a block away when he heard someone running up from behind. He stopped and waited for her.

             
“You’re going to try to drive all the way there, aren’t you.” She phrased it as a statement rather than a question.

             
“Yep.” Fred said, and then added. “I’ve made it a thousand miles already, so, I only have a thousand more to go. Unless you know of another pilot around here I could talk to, it looks like I’m going to have to drive.”

             
She sighed and shook her head. “Let’s go talk to General Shoemaker.”

             
Winter is supposed to officially begin on the twenty-first of December, the day when the sun is furthest from the planet. Someone didn’t get the memo. On the morning of the tenth, the rain began. As the sun set, it turned into an ice storm. It lasted most of the night.

             
We awoke the next morning to everything coated in a thick layer of ice. I’ve seen beautiful paintings and pictures of a frozen landscape, with glistening icicles hanging from tree limbs and waterways covered in a shiny sheet of ice. In reality, ice can destroy trees as easily as fire, lightning, or pestilence. It sure did a number on our radio antenna.

             
We had a few sunny days after, but it was a two-edged sword. The ice would melt a little bit, and then refreeze at night. On the fourteenth, it snowed. Beautiful, heavy snow flakes, almost eight inches worth. Not a great deal in the northern states, but quite a lot in Tennessee. The three of us gazed out of the window, looking at the snow covered fields.