“I haven’t done it alone,” I said.
“I know, but you’re the heart of this group. They all look to you for advice and moral guidance. You’re more of a leader than you know.”
I nodded, appreciating how they’d let me take the lead on what to do with Cipher when he was sick. “I’m glad you’re here. Family should be together. The base is only a few miles away. We’ll come back to visit and you can come visit us as well.”
“I will. I’ll make you both care packages with all your favorite foods.”
I smiled at that. “And you have to write me letters. About our friends and the animals and what’s growing in the garden and any new recipes you try.”
“I’m afraid we haven’t been as diligent about weeding since you left,” Santi said with a frown.
“That’s okay. We can start again today.”
I foundCipher much later in the kitchen, wielding a can of WD40 and opening all of the cabinets and drawers, spraying down any squeaky hinges. Then he went over to the sink to test the water pressure, turning the faucet on and off while studying it intently.
“How’s she looking, boss?” I asked as I came up behind him and placed a soft kiss on his neck.
“Satisfactory. The front gate was rusty though. I told Wylie he needs to maintain it. If you don’t make it someone’s job, it never gets done.”
“Dinner’s ready, you know. We’re all waiting for you.”
He washed his hands in the sink and joined us at the table, which had been lengthened with an additional piece of mis-matched wood in the center so that it could accommodate the Assholes as well as the B-holes. My brother was sitting in Cipher’s former seat, but he stood and offered it to him.
“How have things been around here?” Cipher asked as we tore into our thick bean and vegetable stew with a side of grilled grit cakes. “A lot of what you all said when we first got here went in one ear and out the other. I was a little overwhelmed.”
“It’s been good, boss,” Artemis said. “No raiders or Rabid attacks. There was a pack of daylight Rabids, likely the ones who attacked you, but we took care of them. The others only come out at night.”
Cipher said, “What do you mean by ‘took care of them?’”
“We killed them,” Macon said soberly. “Too risky to have them prowling around. We’d be under constant threat when going out of the compound.”
“So, it wasn’t revenge?” Cipher asked, looking conflicted.
Artemis and Macon exchanged a look. “It was practical,” she said. “Do you disagree with that decision?”
“No, our safety comes first, always,” Cipher said.
She nodded, seeming satisfied. “Also, we’ve voted the B-holes into our squad. They’re full-fledged Assholes now.”
Cipher nodded, looking relieved. “That’s good because we’ve got some news ourselves. Kitten and I have enlisted.” Cipher glanced over at me and smiled as if he were truly looking forward to it.
“In the United Forces?” Macon asked, jaw dropping.
“That’s the one.”
“But you hate the military,” Gizmo said. “Like, utterly despise.”
“Yeah, well, they did me a solid. And Kitten looks good in green.”
“To be fair, I look good in all colors,” I reminded them, but only Cipher smiled at my joke. The others still looked shocked, except Santi who had a faint, perhaps even proud, smile on his face.
“Cipher,” Artemis said, and they did that thing where they communicated silently with each other. I used to think they were whispering without moving their lips, but now I knew it was just their way.
“I know that it may come as a surprise, but Captain Crenshaw isn’t the worst. She gave us back the Humvee, wiped our records clean, and gave us the goats to get our dairy operation going. And she said I’d be getting a gun.”
“That’s important,” Macon said with a nod.
“But we won’t be around here as much, and we can only stay for a week this time. So, we need to vote on a new leader. Officially,” Cipher said.
