Kyle Pratt - Through Many Fires

They walked together for a minute along the stalls when suddenly Maria tapped him on the arm and pointed, “We need a car seat.”

Caden followed her gesture to a stall that looked like a yard sale. There amongst the clothes, pots, pans and toasters was a car seat. “For Adam?” Caden shook his head. “No, duct tape will do.”

Maria hit him on the arm. She took several steps closer. “She has cloth diapers. We need those too.”

“I got cloth diapers back at Fort Rucker.”

“You got four.”

“What?” he smiled. “That’s not enough?”

Exasperation spread across her face. “No!”

Caden breathed out slowly. “Okay, do we have anything left to trade for it?”

“Probably not, the eggs and milk will have been exchanged for other food by now.”

Caden recalled the pink Ruger and retrieved it from under the seat of the car. He didn’t show the pistol when asking what the woman wanted most in trade for the baby seat.

“I need food for me and my kids.”

He headed toward the booth where the old man reloaded cartridges. Caden wasn’t concerned about ammo for his SIG, he could get that at the armory, but Maria had only a few rounds for her pistol. “I need .38 ammo and whatever else you will trade for this Ruger.” He laid the pink pistol on the table. Minutes later he walked away with 100 rounds of .38 and 550 rounds of .22.

Caden gave the .38 ammo to Maria. “This is for your gun. Now come with me.”

“How is this getting us diapers and a car seat?”

“You’ll see.” Caden went back to the first stall he had visited. “Pick a puppy.”

“Why do we need a puppy?” Maria asked. “It’s another mouth to feed.”

Caden pointed to the Future Guard Dogs sign. “If we had one, Lisa might not have been attacked and that guy might not have been shot.”

After a moment she nodded. “And this gets us a car seat?”

“Well, no this doesn’t, but be patient, and pick one.”

She pointed to a cream colored pup that was crawling on top of the others as if to get attention.

Caden traded 50 rounds of .22 ammo for the little dog and wondered if he overpaid.

Maria held it in her arms. “Well how are you…” she glanced at the belly, “little girl?”

The dog licked her face.

Next he stopped at the fishmonger. He smiled at the young girl helping at the stall. It was the same red-haired teen he had seen fishing at the creek the last few days. “Are the fish fresh?” he asked with a whimsical grin.

“Oh yes,” the girl replied, “my brother and I caught them this morning before church.”

He swapped 150 rounds for two large Rainbow Trout fillets.

At another stall he exchanged 20 rounds for two cans of mixed vegetables.

When Caden laid the food on the table the woman was eager to barter.

Walking away with the seat, he assessed the trades. I got rid of the Ruger and now have a car seat and more diapers for Adam, 100 rounds of .38 ammo for Maria and I still have 330 rounds of .22 ammo. I think I did okay.

Maria, still cuddling the puppy, leaned over and kissed Caden on the cheek. “Thanks.”

The deal just got better! “You’re welcome,” he said with a smile. “I don’t want to carry this seat all over the market. Let’s head back to the car. Maybe Mom and….” Seeing a man in camo uniform, he slowed and stopped. It was Lieutenant Brooks smiling and talking with Lisa as they, along with his mother, strolled in their direction. It’s been a great day, I hope there isn’t a problem.

As they neared, Brooks saluted. “Good afternoon sir; your father said you might be here. We’ve received word that a presidential delegation has arrived in Olympia and all Guard commanders are to report there on Monday for a briefing and orders.”

The first thing Caden noticed, as his five-vehicle-convoy approached Olympia, was that the freeway had been cleared of abandoned cars. Then he noticed the traffic. There wasn’t much for what should have been the morning rush hour, but there was some. About half-a-dozen cars, all with passengers, were in the southbound lane. As he scanned the roadway, two military fuelers passed him heading north.

But, there were many broken windows, wrecks and debris still visible from the highway and despite the cool February weather, the grass was long and unkempt.

Farther along he saw the old school bus with the wild paint job race south. He grinned as the smell of french-fries reached him and he recalled the vegetable oil fuel.

He also noticed lights in some homes and businesses. Even though power was out in Hansen, it was on in Olympia. As they pulled off the freeway, he hoped Brooks would be able to get the old coal power plant back online and restore reliable electricity to their small town.

Caden’s SUV, followed by two supply trucks and a fueler, rolled toward the capitol complex. He pulled into one of the many available parking spots and the Humvee and trucks continued on to the supply depot to get what they could.

As soon as he stepped into the capitol, aides informed him that a press conference with the presidential delegation and Chinese officials was in progress.

“Was I supposed to be at it?” Caden looked at his watch. It was only minutes after eight in the morning.

The aide caught his glance. “The new Secretary of Homeland Security wanted to start early. Evidently there is a lot to be done.”

At the back, where Caden entered the room, many were standing. Slowly he moved along the wall looking for a good view. Most of the room was filled with chairs that were occupied with reporters, Guard and regular military officers and, judging by blazers and badges, FEMA, DHS and other state and federal officials.

Becky’s voice caught his attention and he looked to the platform at the far end of the room. In surprise, his heart skipped a beat. There at the lectern was Becky, his fiancée. Impulsively he stood behind a tall reporter and was immediately disappointed in himself. He would need to talk with her, and put an end to their relationship, but right then he didn’t want to exchange smiles and possibly a discreet wave of the hand. With a sigh, he stepped out from behind the reporter and turned his attention to what Becky was saying.

“…efforts of FEMA and the entire Department of Homeland Security, there are still approximately 30 million displaced citizens. Estimates of those killed range from four to six million with an equal number of injured. That is why this country has recalled its military forces from Europe and Asia.”

As Caden listened he noticed a Chinese army general standing on the podium along with Carol Hatch. He had attended several meeting with Carol as an Under Secretary of Homeland Security, but he now assumed she was the new Secretary of DHS. He watched with growing unease as Carol and the Chinese general spoke to each other in whispers. Becky, never at a loss for words, continued to speak.

“While we believe that all the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks have been caught or killed, we are going to need long-term assistance to recover. Much of the aid has been promised by the government of China.”

When Becky paused a reporter across the room quickly spoke up. “General Lau, is it true that tens of thousands of Chinese troops are already in San Francisco and Oakland?”

The General stepped forward with a smile. “A few hundred soldiers are working in those ports to expedite food and medical distribution—not tens of thousands.”

“General, some are saying the treaty just signed by President Durant and your government formalizes repayment procedures for U.S. debt to China and that the Chinese soldiers are here as part of that treaty. Is your government attempting to ensure that America repays its debt?”