Rise of the Huskers (The Raven Falconer Chronicles) (5 page)

“Absolutely.  Believe me I’m glad to see that you’re ready to shoot first and ask questions later.  After the past couple of days, I’m afraid that’s the best policy,” he assured her, extending his hand to shake hers.

She looked down, then back at the girls, withholding her hand from the friendly gesture.  “No offense, but how ‘bout you come in and wash up so we can get you a bite to eat.  You hungry?”

“Uh, oh yeah, none taken.  Something to eat would be awesome; haven’t had anything since this morning.  I’ve been so busy I’ve not had time to even think about food.”

“We can’t offer you anything fancy but it’ll be hot,” Mick urged from the porch, swinging the door wide and inviting everyone back inside.

“Hot, now that’s an understatement,” Bobi whispered to Mick and Hannah, as she passed through the doorway.

Hannah swung the butt of her rifle, smacking the Egyptian in the behind and pushing her more quickly into the cabin.  “Bobi, he can probably hear you.”

“So what, he’s gorgeous and I’m guessing, in need of some female companionship.  You think he drove all this way for some mac and cheese?” Bobi yammered into her taller friend’s ear while pulling on her shoulder to make the connection.

“You may be right but give Raven a chance.  She just lost her dad and could use a little ego boost.”

“I suppose you’re right but if he shows any interest, I’ll be all over him like jam on toast,” she half laughed, knowing what she’d said was somewhat true.

The girls welcomed the officer into the cozy cabin and directed him to the sink where he washed his hands and face.  Raven stayed close by, appreciating having an authority figure in their home, and such a handsome one at that.  Mick debated among the various soups piled neatly atop one another in the cupboard and finally chose two.  “Chicken noodle or tomato?” she asked, holding the red-labeled cans for their guest to inspect.

“Let’s give the tomato a try,” he replied, after giving the option a second or two to resonate with his taste buds.

Rave tossed him a towel and opened the fridge.  “Do you want me to cut up some cheese and put in the soup for you?”

The question swirled through his mind for a second and he lifted a brow.  “I don’t know.   Is it good?”

“I like it,” Raven replied.  “My mom always did it for me when I was a kid. 
Kinda stuck with me.  Can’t even think of having tomato soup now without it.”

“Then we better give it a try,” he said, winking at the young, would-be author.  She smiled and turned her attention to the task of slicing the cheese into cubes.  Bobi and Hannah invited the officer to join them in front of the fireplace, initiating small talk and grilling him with questions.

“Hey, you two give him a chance to breathe.  I’m sure he’ll fill us in after he’s had a bite to eat and can warm up,” the teacher instructed from the stovetop.

The lab tech paused, but only briefly, before she continued her string of unanswered questions.  “Nowicki?” she said, pointing to the stitching across his shirt.  “Where you from?”

“Canada.  How ‘bout you?”

“Same, but my parents immigrated from Egypt years ago.  Nowicki is no way Canadian.”

“You’re right,” he said, pausing to take in the Falconer woman, busying herself in the kitchen.  “My parents immigrated from overseas years ago but I was born and raised in Canada.”

“I thought as much,” Hannah offered.  “Didn’t pick up much of an accent.”

“Oh, yeah . . . don’t really have one unless I’m around my folks for a couple of days, then it just naturally kicks in.”  There was a moment of dense silence as the mention of family took the officer, and girls alike, to a place of thoughtfulness and remembrance.  “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but have you been in touch with your families?  I mean, all of you, have you gotten any word on how they’re doing?”

Bobi was the first to chime in, telling him about her family struggling to stay out of har
ms way further north in Alberta.  Tall, slender Hannah simply shrugged and said she didn’t know what the story was with hers, even though she was holding out hope for their safety.  Finally, Mick told him a little bit about herself as she presented him with a steaming bowl of soup with orange, melting blocks of cheese bobbing in the slurry mixture.

“And how about you?” Zygmunt asked, nodding at Raven.  “Your folks okay?”  The young man knew he’d struck a tender chord when each of the women lowered their eyes and Mick slowly shook her head.  “Oh, Miss, I shouldn’t have intruded.  Sometimes I overstep . . . ”

“Don’t worry about it.  I’m a big girl . . . I’m . . . ” she hesitated, opting to return to the kitchen, pouring him a glass of cold, but nasty tasting powdered milk.  She handed him the drink and plopped onto the floor near his feet and spoke.  “My mom has been dead for years.  She was a wonderful woman and in hindsight I’d have to say that I’m glad she went when, and how she did.  I’d hate for her to have to see what the world has become.  My dad raised me with a lot of help from friends and family.  My uncle Smugs, the guy who owns this cabin, has been wonderful and I think he’s still doing okay.  Last we heard he was in Lethbridge.”

“And your dad, where is he?” Nowicki inquired, listening intently and periodically blowing on a spoonful of smoldering soup.

“He . . . he’s . . . ” Raven stopped and looked at her hands, clasped so tightly together the knuckles were white.

“We’re not sure where he is now,” Mick continued on her friend’s behalf.

“What do you mean, now?” Zygmunt asked.

“He was here a couple of nights ago.  He’s infected but came to say goodbye.  Shortly after he left we heard a gunshot.  Rave and I drove down the road and found a dead Husker but no sign of her dad.  You must have seen the body and the bumper on your way up here.”

“I’m afraid I did.  Was the bumper his?”

“We’re pretty sure.  The body was a neighbor boy, Benny, who we knew was infected,” Mick explained.

“Don’t know him but I think an older couple dragged his remains to their cabin and have been eating him.  They weren’t all too thrilled to see me today.”  The group sat speechless for a time, giving the man a chance to finish his soup and take in what had been said.  Ziggy hated to broach the subject but knew it had to be done.  “Miss Falconer, I . . . and stop me if you don’t want to know.”

“What?  What is it?” she asked, rising to her knees before the officer.

“Your dad, was he driving a light colored Lexus?”

“Have you seen him?  Where is he? 
Is he dead?” she blurted out, her hands mindlessly reaching and falling on his bent knees.

“I don’t know.”  The response brought a look of disbelief from Raven, who cocked her head and wiped at her eyes with her shirtsleeve.  “Really I don’t, but I have seen his SUV.  I found it earlier today at the bottom of the mountain.  It was still running but nobody was around.  Looked to me like one hell of a fight took place in the cab but he was gone.”  Something told him to hold back a further explanation and the conclusion he’d arrived at earlier, suspecting that Raven’s father had managed to walk to town.

“Oh no, no.  Do you think he’s dead?  Did it look like he was hurt?” she asked.

“I don’t know, there was an awful lot of blood but it may not have been his,” Ziggy suggested, unsure how he might smooth over the details and calm Raven’s anxious heart.

“If he’s left the Lexus, he’s either gone off somewhere to . . . I can’t even bring myself to say it,” Raven whispered.

“Rave, don’t do this to yourself,” Hannah calmly responded, kneeling at her friends side and smoothing her hair away from her face.  “You can’t bring him back, not now.  Remember what he said.”

“Thanks, Hannah.  I know . . . it’s just so hard and not knowing is the worst part.  What do you think, officer?  What’s your best guess?”

He considered telling Raven about the handgun safely tucked away in his trunk, then thought better of it.  Why cause her more doubt and anguish if he could prevent it?  “If I had to bet, I’d say he took the pistol he use
d on the Husker and solved the problem himself.  If he’s the kind of man I envision him to be, it’s the only logical explanation.  I found tracks going into the trees and didn’t follow ‘em too far but I’m sure he’s in a better place.”

“You really think so?” Raven asked, squeezing his knees, desperate for a reply that would bring her some closure.

“I do.”

Raven sat back on her haunches, pulled her hands from his legs and wept openly.  Hannah cradled her and offered words of comfort, as Mick and Bobi joined the grieving woman on the floor.  The display of raw emotion affected the young veteran more than he’d thought possible.  Tears burned their way down his dry, windblown cheeks and moistened his attire.  He stood, looking for an escape but understood there would be no true liberation, not now, not ever.  At least, not from the sadness and grief the world would continue to inflict on those who chose to survive.

Reaching deep, he pulled himself together and prepared to make his way back to the station.  “Listen ladies, I appreciate the hot meal.  Wish I could have been the bearer of brighter news but I’m glad to see you’re all safe and doing better than one might expect.  I need to be getting back.  Heaven only knows what’s happened today while I’ve been gone.”

“Do you have to go?” Bobi asked, coyly passing a knowing look at Hannah.

The suggestion was almost like a dream come true and perhaps under different circumstances he would have taken the brown, little beauty up on the implied invitation, but something more inbred and caring replied from his heart.  “Wish I could but I’ve got an entire town relying on me.  I need to get back.”

“What would you suggest we do?  Any hint help is on the way?” Mick asked.

“None.  Just stay here, keep your heads down and don’t go anywhere without each other and your guns.  Beyond that, I don’t know what to tell you.  Oh, there is one thing.  You have Huskers all around you and probably good people too.  I have no idea how many or how far but with the warmer weather they may venture out, especially when their food supplies diminish.”

Hannah gave Raven a final hug, then turned to face the RCMP officer.  “What if we don’t have a choice?  What if one of our neighbors decides we’re next on the menu?  Do we have the right to . . . you know?  Do we have the right to shoot them?”

“You do what you have to do,” he said, thinking back to the couple they’d been forced to kill earlier in the day.  “As far as I see it, there are no laws governing our actions but those of good people trying to survive in unrealistic circumstances.  Let your conscience be your guide and shoot straight.”

“We hear you and thanks for coming,” Mick concluded, extending her hand and warmly taking his in a strong embrace.  “Will we see you again?”

“I sure as hell hope so!”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that.  Will you be coming this way again anytime soon?”

“Likely.  I don’t know when but if you get lonely for some male companionship you know where to find me.”

The three roommates followed Nowicki
onto the front porch and said their goodbyes.  Raven listened from her spot near the fire, summoning the courage to express her own thanks and farewell.  From where she sat, the faintest of dialogue reached her ears, the young man offering his best and his parting thoughts for her.  She leapt to her feet, wiped her face with the bottom of her shirt and bolted for the door.  The sudden movement and rush startled everyone, including Ziggy, who turned and caught Raven as she embraced him and kissed his cheek.

She was never an impulsive woman nor was she forward, in any sense of the word, but times were changing and so must she.  “Zygmunt, thank you.”

“For what?” he questioned, enjoying the softness of her curves, which she pressed against him.

“For helping to take the hurt away.  It’ll take time but I appreciate you being there for us.  I won’t forget it.”

The lie suddenly seemed much larger than it had a few minutes ago.  He pushed it away: down into the recesses of his mind, hoping he’d never have to explain his actions further but only time would tell.  “Glad I could be of help.  Good night,” he said, as she pulled herself away and waved a gentle adieu.

The hug and softness of her lips clouded his thoughts.  An overwhelming call of duty drove the cruiser back down the
Norquay trail but his wants and desires longed to be encircled in the warmth and friendship he’d felt while surrounded by the beauties in the remote cabin.  His mind propelled him back to long nights in Afghanistan where he yearned for the touch of a loving woman and the understanding call of her voice.  He’d shared intimate moments and known love but it had been too long and too little, and now with the world disintegrating all around them, he wondered if he’d ever know it again. 
Perhaps
, he thought,
if I play my cards right and can manage to stay alive.

A smile slowly lifted the corners of his mouth as he rounded a steep, angular curve in the road, lifting his headlights away from the pavement for just a moment only to bring them back again, illuminating a horde of Huskers tramping steadily up the roadway.  Without a second thought, he executed a panicked three-point turn and gunned the engine for the cabin.  Huskers rushed to beat at the windows, some hurling stones and sticks but all falling short as the cruiser fishtailed ahead.