Ninety Degrees Out

“Do you want to go up to the Markham place with me?” Jett was cleaning the shotgun, as Catherine dismantled her Glock pistol. Sitting at the kitchen island in Chay’s place, she felt protected, by both the man and the alarm system.

“I’ll come with you. I want to check the gardens. We’ll take the baskets Killika wove for us. She’s so clever. The design fits perfectly behind our saddles and gives us loads of room for vegetables and fruit. Alicia has turned out to be one heck of a gardener.”

“Are there containers for us to use while we’re picking?” Jett asked.

“Inside them. She’s a genius at it. It all fits together like a giant set of blocks.” Catherine reassured him. She slipped the spring back into the upper rail of her handgun after oiling everything. Sliding the upper receiver onto the main body, she checked to see if everything was aligned properly and flipped the safety on. “There, that’s done. I go get my holster, and when you’re done with the shotgun, we’ll saddle our horses and head on over.”

“Are you okay with going over there?” Jett wondered if she was ready to face the place where her attacker was buried.

“As long as I’m not alone, I’ll be fine. Being alone, is still the one thing that makes me shaky. And I get really panicky too. Remember when you walked in on me in the radio shack?”

“That’s why I was asking.” Jett tried not to stare at her. She was driving him crazy. Had it been long enough for her to heal? At least enough that she wouldn’t cringe when he touched her? Her honey gold hair had streaks of pure silvery white running through it. Sun bleached, it shone under the hanging over head lamps above the kitchen island.

“Jett, of everyone here, you’re the one I feel safe with. So, let’s go saddle our horses. I’ll be fine, and if I’m not I deal with it. I have to learn to put it all behind me.” Catherine rose to head for the stairs. “I’ll be right back. Do you have enough shells for the shotgun?”

“Yeah, I’ll load it. It’s great that we’re going to be able to make our own bullets, reusing the casings we’ve got. Those big tents the military set up for Dr. Anya are turning out to be the best thing since sliced bread.”

He went out the garage door, whistling softly as he approached the stalls occupying one side of the double wide area. Chay’s truck was parked with two barrels of gasoline stored outside the door behind it. They were chained to eyebolts welded into the steel corner supports. Even the screw in caps on the top of the barrel were protected by a nifty locking mechanism. They used a hand pump to move fuel from barrels to tank, and then only when there was an emergency, they couldn’t deal with from horse back.

His horse nickered softly as he opened the big garage doors.

“You glad to get out, Rocky?” The gelding butted into his chest, nuzzling his pocket.

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of sugar cubes. We’re almost out of them though. You’re going to have to settle for carrots and apples once we can harvest them.” He rubbed the white star on Rocky’s coal black forehead.

“One cube for you, and one for Gypsy,” he said as he heard Catherine close the door and come down the four steps to the garage floor. “Here, give your mare her treat. I hope the carrots are ready because these are the last two.”

“Rocky’s sweet tooth is legendary, and Gypsy is no better. It’ll be healthier for them to eat a carrot instead.” Catherine said. “Um, do you hear that?”

The muffled roar of motorcycles drifted through the spicy scent of spruce trees.

“Shit, do you still want to go?”

He saw his answer in the steely glint of her blue eyes.

“We’ll go the back way. Use the canyon trail.”

“You know we’re going to have to kill them. They aren’t going leave because we tell them to go away.”

“I don’t have a problem with it. Call Erik on the radio, will you? I’m going to grab Ari’s rifle. I’m glad Chay convinced her to leave it here. I have a bone to pick with that gang. Tell Erik we’re going to take care of them whether he comes up or not.”

Jett shivered as he went back inside to turn the radio on. Hopefully, Erik was ready to help. Catherine sounded like she was ready to take on the gang single handed. He couldn’t blame her. Rummaging through the back entrance airlock, he found another box of shotgun shells and dropped them into his hoodie pouch.

No doubt the gang remembered how comfortable the house was, even with the missing windows. He wondered if they would notice the glass had been cleared, and the house was clean again? Would they recognize they might be walking into a trap? Because that’s what it was now.

He went over to the table by the sliding doors to the deck and turned the base station radio on.

“Jett to Erik, come in Erik.”

“Erik here, what’s up?”

“Erik, we have a problem.”

“Well, let Catherine know, Yellowstone’s caldera crust has collapsed.”

“Shit, shit, shit,” Jett swore.

“What’s your problem?”

“Nothing, considering what’s going on with that volcano. But the bikers are back. And Catherine is ready to hunt them down like the pigs they are. She’s arming herself. She’s on a mission. Can you get up here quick?”

“On my way. By the way, Apolaki in the Philippine trench is active too. It’s producing a hot spot on the ocean surface, and there is a massive cyclone forming. The weather service in Asia is expecting a sustained wind speed of over two hundred and twenty miles an hour. They are worried. They think the warm area will spawn repeated lows and storms of bigger magnitudes as the water gets warmer. Right now, it’s only three degrees difference.”

“Bring Armaruq too.”

“He’s gone to saddle horses. We’ll take the canyon trail and catch up with you as soon as we can. Erik over and out.”

“Jett, over and out.” Silence greeted his words as he hurried back out to the horses.

Catherine jammed Ari’s rifle into the pocket specially added to her saddle to keep it handy for a rider patrolling fences. She swung the baskets across her mare’s rear quarters and pulled the stomach strap tight.

“Do you need any help with that?” Jett asked.

“Just keep up with me, I’m about ready to go. I did Rocky’s baskets for you. Is Erik coming?”

“Yeah, remind me to tell you about what Yellowstone is doing when we get back.”

“Did it blow?” Catherine was already swinging up onto her horse.

“No ash eruptions. But the magma is overflowing the plateau.”

“Damn. Not good. That’s four states we can kiss goodbye.”

Jett handed Rocky’s reins to Catherine. “Lead him out. I’ll drop the door and set the alarm.” He ducked out under the bottom of wooden panels, before they hit the concrete. Turning to the right he entered the code to arm the alarm before he stuck his left foot into his stirrup and settled into the saddle.

“Let’s take our time. More of us is better. We have no idea how many of them came back.” Jett sent Rocky into an ambling walk.

“Erik had better hurry his ass up. I don’t want those assholes tearing every up.” Catherine kicked her mount into a canter.