Rylee
Tuesday
Rylee, with Tank at her side, went down the stairs and walked out to the pickup trucks.
Hand to her heart, she used the area's formal greetings, words of welcome, and friendship. The words that conformed to the requirements of hospitality.
She spread a blanket, and they sat.
Then she pulled out her meager offerings from her bag, pouches of water and packets of trail mix.
They were patient as they moved through the rituals.
But now it was time to break the news. Rylee opened her computer to the pictures she’d saved of the landslide on the tracks. She showed the leader and explained the delay.
“My people are dying for lack.”
“I’m sorry for your suffering.” Tank sat at her back, guarding her six. Dakota was right. Tank knew what to do. “The people here are struggling, as well. This is a terrible disaster. I do not have the supplies that I wished to share with you. I do have this to offer.” She pulled out the cash, held it on the palms of her hands, and offered it with lowered eyes to convey the humility of her gesture. She maintained the posture until she felt someone pick up the money.
“It is my hope,” Rylee said, sincerely, “that with U.S. currency, you will be able to purchase supplies from your neighbors. This strategy has proven useful in such circumstances. And that is why I have this available for such emergencies.” She hoped it sounded like all the money she had to give. It was looking probable that her own team would needthe rest to scrounge up food and potable water. Their own supplies were dwindling quickly.
Rylee stood and put her hand over her heart. Then she extended her hand toward their trucks to signal it was time to go.
The leader called, Rylee turned to see the men coming out of the hangar and from the direction of the camp.
They’d been conducting reconnaissance.
Hopefully, they now realized, she was right; there was little here. And many to serve. They’d have to wait for the train to get through.
She went back up to the tower to watch the trucks head across the flat dirt, holding the binoculars steady until the last puff of dust disappeared over the horizon, then she called George to make her report. “I think you handled that as well as possible. It’s probably good.”
“Are you finding people?”
George’s voice was tight. “Right now we’re finding bodies.”
One of the benefits of being in the tower was that the keening was muffled. So much grief. So much pain. It was bad enough, man’s inhumanity to man. Why did it seem so much worse when it was Mother Earth who caused the destruction?
“Okay, George, I’m in the tower keeping an eye until the sun goes down.”
Her next call was to Ares, where she answered each question as precisely and dispassionately as she could.
And finally, she allowed herself to call Dakota and let the warmth of his voice blanket her and soothe her nerves. “Stay in the tower. Keep Tank with you. We’ve started pulling out the last of the students. We’ve got contact with all twenty-one now. Three of the Bravo guys went after McLeod at his last known location. I don’t think Bravo is going to wait on that rescue. It sounds like they’ll take off as soon as the students are all on the plane, and come back for the team and McLeod if he hasn’tbeen found. I’m going to go remind Ares that you need to be on that flight. Make sure your phone is charged. I’ll call you when there’s movement. Stay safe.”
She almost heard it in his voice. Did he just hold back an “I love you?”
Rylee closed her eyes. She was mistaken. It wasn’t what she imagined of the vibrations in his tone. She remembered all the people and things that had connected them, all the physical exertion and intense feelings that she’d gone through, and when you do that with someone, you are cemented for life.
And just like she was thinking of Benny and Bean Counter, Briefcase, and even Jesus and his kayaks. She wished them well.
Dakota and Tank were now cemented to her, too.
And she was pretty sure that was true for Dakota as well.
And yet …
And yet.
“What are you thinking, girl?” Rylee muttered to herself. “A man takes you to bed, makes you see fireworks, and you start to swoon like you’re a character in one of Neesa’s bad romance books that she reads aloud so everyone can have a good laugh.”
