Read Online ASCENSION: THE SYSTEMIC SERIES by K.W. CALLAHAN - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: K.W. CALLAHAN
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waiting curiously to hear what Gordon had to say as we sweated in the shade of the tiki bar’s awning.
“With the loss of my boys, I’m a little short handed ‘round here now. I could use some help, but I can’t bring just anybody onboard. First off, the labor pool ain’t what I’d exactly call full these days, and findin’ trustworthy individuals that I can depend on is near impossible. So many people these days will rip you off the second they get the chance or they’re drunks or drug addicts or just damn unreliable.” He took another long drink of his beer. “What y’all think of our families mergin’? I think it could be a good move for both sides. It’ll give me the extra bodies…trustworthy bodies I might add…I need to expand my little empire. Same time, it’d give you all fine folks the opportunity to settle down. Heck, I’d even consider givin’ you part ownership in the business with the opportunity to eventually buy out one of the stores from me once y’all understand the operation.”
The offer caught me slightly off guard, and while Gordon might not have wanted to throw a “kink in the works,” as he put it, that was exactly what he was doing, albeit a kink created from kindness.
“Well Gordon…” I started, but he raised a hand to stop me.
“Don’t answer now,” he said. “Think about it. Talk it over with the rest of your group. Sleep on it. There’s no hurry to make a decision. I want you and yours to be sure about whatever you decide.”
He pulled more beers from his cooler and lined them up on the bar before us. “For now, let’s just drink a while and enjoy ourselves,” he said, popping them open and passing them out to us. “We’ve all had a rough go of it, and the road ahead still looks pretty bumpy. So let’s enjoy good booze and good company,” he said, raising his bottle to us.
“Here, here,” we toasted him back.
* * *
Two days after Gordon’s incredibly generous offer, we were packed up and prepared to head on our way, determined to make our dreams of a home unencumbered by the unruly hands of outsiders a reality.
It seemed like a stretch in so many ways, but we felt it important to try. If nothing else, we owed it to our children who deserved to be raised without living in constant fear and having to look over their shoulders, watchful for the ever-present threat of being struck down by a hooligan gang of assholes over a tank of gas or a couple cans of baked beans.
We had been well-rewarded by Gordon for our assistance in his time of need. Besides letting us stay with him for three weeks, he provided us with two new vehicles – big SUVs in which we could all fit comfortably. Both vehicles came filled with fuel, plenty of food, and fresh drinking water. As a special gift, he also gave us a brand new assault rifle with several hundred rounds of ammunition, as well as some extra ammo for several of our other weapons.
We were in the process of loading our personal belongings into our new rides when Ray pulled me aside.
“Can I have a minute?” he asked quietly.
“Sure,” I said, following him as he led me away from the others for some privacy. “What’s up?” I asked, finding myself immediately concerned that something might be wrong with Pam and the baby.
“Pam and I are staying,” he said.
At first I smiled, relieved that nothing was wrong with Pam’s pregnancy, and thinking Ray’s words a joke, but as I looked at his face, I could tell he wasn’t just messing with me. And the totality of what he’d just said hit me right in the gut. The upbeat optimism with which I’d been trying to fortify myself for what I’d hoped would be the final leg of our trip south was suddenly shattered.
My mouth opened but I couldn’t talk I was so taken by surprised. Finally I mustered a flabbergasted, “Are you sure? ”
He nodded solemnly, “Pam and I talked it over together after Gordon made
“With the loss of my boys, I’m a little short handed ‘round here now. I could use some help, but I can’t bring just anybody onboard. First off, the labor pool ain’t what I’d exactly call full these days, and findin’ trustworthy individuals that I can depend on is near impossible. So many people these days will rip you off the second they get the chance or they’re drunks or drug addicts or just damn unreliable.” He took another long drink of his beer. “What y’all think of our families mergin’? I think it could be a good move for both sides. It’ll give me the extra bodies…trustworthy bodies I might add…I need to expand my little empire. Same time, it’d give you all fine folks the opportunity to settle down. Heck, I’d even consider givin’ you part ownership in the business with the opportunity to eventually buy out one of the stores from me once y’all understand the operation.”
The offer caught me slightly off guard, and while Gordon might not have wanted to throw a “kink in the works,” as he put it, that was exactly what he was doing, albeit a kink created from kindness.
“Well Gordon…” I started, but he raised a hand to stop me.
“Don’t answer now,” he said. “Think about it. Talk it over with the rest of your group. Sleep on it. There’s no hurry to make a decision. I want you and yours to be sure about whatever you decide.”
He pulled more beers from his cooler and lined them up on the bar before us. “For now, let’s just drink a while and enjoy ourselves,” he said, popping them open and passing them out to us. “We’ve all had a rough go of it, and the road ahead still looks pretty bumpy. So let’s enjoy good booze and good company,” he said, raising his bottle to us.
“Here, here,” we toasted him back.
* * *
Two days after Gordon’s incredibly generous offer, we were packed up and prepared to head on our way, determined to make our dreams of a home unencumbered by the unruly hands of outsiders a reality.
It seemed like a stretch in so many ways, but we felt it important to try. If nothing else, we owed it to our children who deserved to be raised without living in constant fear and having to look over their shoulders, watchful for the ever-present threat of being struck down by a hooligan gang of assholes over a tank of gas or a couple cans of baked beans.
We had been well-rewarded by Gordon for our assistance in his time of need. Besides letting us stay with him for three weeks, he provided us with two new vehicles – big SUVs in which we could all fit comfortably. Both vehicles came filled with fuel, plenty of food, and fresh drinking water. As a special gift, he also gave us a brand new assault rifle with several hundred rounds of ammunition, as well as some extra ammo for several of our other weapons.
We were in the process of loading our personal belongings into our new rides when Ray pulled me aside.
“Can I have a minute?” he asked quietly.
“Sure,” I said, following him as he led me away from the others for some privacy. “What’s up?” I asked, finding myself immediately concerned that something might be wrong with Pam and the baby.
“Pam and I are staying,” he said.
At first I smiled, relieved that nothing was wrong with Pam’s pregnancy, and thinking Ray’s words a joke, but as I looked at his face, I could tell he wasn’t just messing with me. And the totality of what he’d just said hit me right in the gut. The upbeat optimism with which I’d been trying to fortify myself for what I’d hoped would be the final leg of our trip south was suddenly shattered.
My mouth opened but I couldn’t talk I was so taken by surprised. Finally I mustered a flabbergasted, “Are you sure? ”
He nodded solemnly, “Pam and I talked it over together after Gordon made
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