Chapter 5 #2
The sounds of several more explosions could be heard farther off in the city.
Deb had no idea what was causing them, but she also assumed it didn’t much matter in the end.
She was certain that if she asked such a question of Sean, it would only further ruffle his feathers.
He had no idea and voicing her confusion would have only served to help herself.
“There we go,” Sean said, pointing ahead.
She could see two large bay doors under a worn sign that read “Miller Automotive.” Or at least it had clearly once read that. Several letters were missing.
They pulled up on their horses, and Deb held Jimmy tightly as she dismounted, watching as Sean climbed down off of Buttercup.
“This is your family’s shop?” she asked, looking up at the dilapidated sign.
“Yeah,” he replied. “This is where I used to spend my days as a kid.” He moved toward one of the bay doors, inserting a key into a lock. He then pulled the door sharply upward and revealed the fortress within.
Sean led Buttercup in with him, and Deb pulled Clomper along with one hand while holding Jimmy in the other.
Once she had crossed the threshold into the space, Sean slammed the door back down, locking it.
This left them in pitch darkness for a moment until Sean ignited a kerosene lantern that hung by the door.
“Wow, you thought of everything,” Deb said, looking around the huge space.
“Yeah, well, this was definitely going to happen someday,” he spat bitterly, walking around the room and lighting more lanterns.
It was a windowless space and very open. There were two old vehicles in the back, seemingly in pieces. On the walls were huge shelving units filled with canned goods, soap, water, first aid kits, and every kind of weapon imaginable.
There were guns of all shapes and sizes, along with grenades, knives, and even a few fire axes. There were also some intricate-looking martial arts weapons, a few machetes, and a row of brass knuckles of various sizes.
“Home sweet home,” Sean said, looking around as though he hadn’t stepped foot in this building in quite some time.
“Wow,” Deb said, walking into the space, holding Jimmy against her. She hadn’t even thought for a second of putting the toddler down and letting him explore this new area. There seemed to be dangers around every corner, and the world was dangerous enough right now.
“Yeah,” Sean said, removing his hat and setting it on a small table covered with maps and charts. “It ain’t subtle.”
“I should say not,” Deb replied.
“I’ve had a lot of offers from a lot of people to buy this place over the years,” Sean said, looking around as if trying to take in every corner of this long-lost locale. “But I knew I’d need it someday. And that’s worth a lot more than any amount of money.”
Deb nodded, crinkling her nose at the stale smell that permeated the building.
“So, what do we do now?” she asked, her heart sinking into a dank darkness that matched her surroundings.
“I need you and Jimmy to sit tight here while I try to secure us a route out of this city,” Sean said, looking toward the door.
“What?” Deb exclaimed, looking at him in shock. “That’s insane. You can’t go out there by yourself!”
“I can and I will, Deb,” he replied, moving off to the side wall where he began to rummage through the weapons found there.
“Sean, that’s suicide,” she replied, following him over.
Jimmy started to fuss and squirm, and Deb tried to gently rock him while continuing this uncomfortable conversation.
“You need someone watching your back.”
“I’ve made it out alive through a lot worse,” he said, sinking into that maddeningly grim stoicism that he shared with Vin. When these men stepped into that mental place, there was no pulling them out of it.
“Why can’t we just make a break for it?” Deb asked, pointing at the horses. “We can ride right out of here and use these weapons and supplies to make it home.”
Sean shook his head as though he knew something Deb didn’t.
And, in all likelihood, he probably did.
“Deb, it ain’t gonna be long before the military rolls up in here to try to regain control of the city,” he said.
“I’d be shocked if it hasn’t happened already.
And when that happens, it’s gonna be damn near impossible to get in or out. ”
Deb was quiet for a long moment. She hadn’t given any thought to the military stepping in. Of course, they would try to. It made sense. The city was descending into chaos, and the police were overwhelmed.
“But then how are we going to get out?” she asked, her voice suddenly shaking as she pulled the baby closer against her.
“I have some friends who can help,” he replied, slinging a rifle over his shoulder and sifting through a number of large knives.
“What kind of friends?” Deb asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“People who can get things done,” he replied, still not giving her a full-on answer.
“Who, Sean?” she asked again, starting to lose her patience. “If you’re gonna leave me here, the least you can do is tell me where you’re going and who you’re going to meet with.”
“Trust me, Deb,” he said, holstering a pistol at his side. He turned and walked up to her, laying a hand on the back of Jimmy’s head gently. “There are some things you’re safer not knowing right now.”
Deb swallowed hard at that statement. It unnerved her but also stirred deep anger within her heart. She wasn’t some weak-willed damsel. She could ride, she could shoot, and she had been scrapping with the boys on the ranch since she could walk.
But there was going to be no turning Sean’s mind from this. She had known him for a long time now, and she knew how stubborn he could be. And it wasn’t as though she could just leave him here and strike out on her own. She was going to have to play this game by his rules, if only for Jimmy’s sake.
“Do you trust these people?” she asked, looking into his eyes with hope.
“No,” he said honestly.
She was thankful for the truth in his statement, but it did nothing to reassure her.
“But right now, they’re all we got.”
“I understand,” she replied, looking down and away.
She didn’t like this. Not one bit. In fact, she downright hated it.
But she understood his logic and saw the way he had touched Jimmy’s head.
He wasn’t thinking about himself right now.
He was thinking about her and Jimmy, and he clearly felt this was the course of action that gave them the best possible chance at surviving to see home again.
“You just take care of yourself, Sean Miller,” she said, bringing her face back to his to show him the seriousness of this command. “You hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, giving her a wry smile before leaning forward to press his lips to hers.
She returned the kiss and allowed herself to get swept up in it for a moment. Then she signed and shook her head. “Well, you better scoot,” she said, pointing at the door. “Quicker you leave, the quicker you’ll come back.”
“All right,” he said, looking at her seriously. “Take care of yourself and Jimmy until I get back. You don’t open that door for anyone unless it’s me, you hear?”
“I gotcha,” she said with a nod, looking around at the dingy shop. It suddenly seemed much larger and more foreboding with the knowledge that she and the baby were going to be alone in it together.
“And you pick a gun and keep it near you,” he said, pointing to the wall of weapons. “If anyone besides me tries to get in that door, you open fire.”
“Will do,” she said.
“All right,” Sean whispered, as though he desperately didn’t want to go all of a sudden. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she said, meaning every word.
Sean turned and walked away from her, pulling on the chain that opened the bay door. Light shone into the space, illuminating it fully once more, and the sounds of far-off explosions, gunfire, and screaming could be heard out in the danger zone.
Sean approached Buttercup and swung up onto him, spurring him into action. He trotted out into the sun, made a hard right, and vanished into the daylight and danger.
Deb rushed forward, struggling to pull the door closed once more and seal it, leaving her husband out there to come face to face with Lord knows what.