Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home (25 page)

Bart looked over and gasped. “How the hell did you get internet?”

“It’s a program,” Nathan explained.

Chuckling, Bart looked at the satellite image. “See this little glade? Its twenty yards east of his cabin. His horses graze there. The fence is inside the tree line.” Bart looked at Nathan and saw doubt. “Nathan, I assure you it’s there, I was there three weeks before all this started.”

Nathan looked at the table, at his group looking at him. He smiled at them, then turned to Bart. “Write him a letter. If he’s not at the cabin I’ll leave it. We aren’t searching for him.”

Bart hugged Nathan. “Thank you. I can’t go or send anyone with the way things are now. We are moving cattle and tending crops now. In a few weeks I can make a run up with the boys and bring him home.”

“Don’t drive,” Nathan warned.

Letting Nathan go, Bart leaned back. “The only reason we drive around here is we have the area secured. The only ones that can get fuel are farmers and ranchers. You drive too far out and you get shot.”

Nathan’s group was totally lost in the conversation. “What’s your son’s name?”

“Frank,” Bart said as he headed to the house.

Jasmine stood up, putting Chip down. “What was that about?”

Nathan looked at the others at the table. He didn’t know how much they knew, so he motioned her over and walked away from the table. When he turned around, saw his whole group standing beside Jasmine. “Since everyone’s here,” Nathan said, “it turns out F-U is Bart’s son. He’s outside of Yellowstone broadcasting. Bart wants us to drop him a message.”

Jasmine scoffed, “There is no way. We are being set up.”

Nathan looked at her in shock. “I’m curious how you came to that conclusion.”

“Nathan,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. Nathan fought the urge to run. “What are the odds we would even find out who F-U is, much less run into his family?”

“When you put it like that, I can see where you are coming from. But I believe Bart,” Nathan admitted.

“How far out of our way do we have to go?” John asked.

“Actually not far, just down the dirt road to his cabin and back. We can continue on the road we turn off heading to his cabin,” Nathan said.

Amanda looked at the group. “I want to meet him.”

Jasmine cut her eyes at Amanda. “Nathan, how do we know we aren’t being set up to turn ourselves into a camp?”

Nathan just shrugged. “I don’t know, but the only liberal area near there is Jackson Hole. Outside of that, you have some good ole boys running around Idaho and Montana.”

They continued talking about it until Bart came back out, carrying a letter. As he walked over, Jasmine spun around, pointing her finger at him. “If this is a trick to get us captured I will be coming back and you will wish Nathan had gotten a hold of you.”

Bart held up his hands. “I swear to you this isn’t a set-up. I’m just worried about my boy.”

Jasmine narrowed her eyes, studying Bart. After what seemed like a lifetime but was only a few minutes, she turned to Nathan. “I believe him.”

Slowly, Bart lowered his hands and looked at Nathan. “You never had a chance getting away from her.”

“Ya think?” Nathan said, taking the letter.

Gathering up their stuff, the group followed Bart around the house to the horses. “We added some more supplies for you and fed and watered your horses,” Bart said, climbing up on his horse.

“Damn, thanks,” Nathan said, fighting Emma to get in her sling. Finally, Nathan gave up, picked her up, and climbed into his saddle on Knight. He figured Smoke was tired. Nathan sure was.

Once again they formed up two columns and headed out. They rode past farms and saw people working out in the fields. Many waved at Bart and his men. When they rode into the small town of Henry, people came out to watch the group ride by. Nathan was shocked at how well the town looked. They didn’t see any cars moving but did see a bunch of people and even a few soldiers.

Just before they crossed the bridge outside of town they heard horses gallop up behind them. Nathan turned to see three riders coming up behind them fast. As they neared, the three slowed and trotted up to the front beside Bart and Nathan. Seeing all three wearing deputy badges, Nathan slowly wrapped his hand on the grip of the SAW.

“Bart, is this the group Andy reported?” the deputy in the lead asked.

“Yeah, Eric, we are taking them out,” Bart said.

Eric shook his head. “Sorry, but the sheriff wants to talk to them.”

Nathan took a breath to speak but Bart spoke first. “Nope, they are heading out. They aren’t a gang, government troops, or loyalists. I talked to them and will tell Tim what they said.”

“Sorry Bart, but the sheriff said they had to come back and without weapons,” Eric announced. Nathan was shocked. As he lifted up the SAW to aim at Eric, Bart pulled a 1911 .45, aiming it between Eric’s eyes. Nathan noticed every one of Bart’s men was aiming at Eric and the other two deputies. Nathan didn’t have to look at his group, he knew they were aiming at them.

Bart cleared his throat. “Eric, my family got Tim elected, and we can get you fired. How well do you think you can work in the fields? I’m the colonel of the county militia and this falls under my jurisdiction. Now get off your horses and hand over your pistols. I’ll give them to Tim and you can get them back from him.”

The three slowly pulled out their pistols and rifles as members of Bart’s team moved over and took them. Eric looked at Nathan with hard eyes. Nathan just smiled. “Be glad he did that. I would have just killed you. You wouldn’t be the first and I have a feeling you wouldn’t have been the last.”

When Bart kicked his horse to go the others followed, leaving the three deputies in the middle of the road. They turned their horses and galloped back to town.

Nathan watched the three gallop off and turned to look ahead. “I hope that doesn’t get you in trouble.”

Bart and most of his men started laughing. “Nathan, Tim is my brother in law. I went to high school with him. I joke all the time that the only reason he married my sister was to get elected sheriff.”

“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” Nathan asked.

“Seven brother and four sisters,” Bart said. Nathan raised his eyebrows, making Bart laugh harder. “I have six boys and three girls.”

Nathan smiled. “That is cool. I’m an only child.”

Bart looked at him. “Nathan, here you have kids to help out on the farm. Granted, my kids didn’t help as much as I had to but they helped.” Nathan laughed as Bart turned down a dirt road, easing into a trot.

They rode with Bart and his men for two hours before Bart reined in his horse. “This is as far as we can take ya. You be careful, and take care of these kids,” Bart said, extending his hand.

Reaching over, Nathan shook his hand, “You too, Bart. I promise to stop by the cabin, but I’m not going to look for Frank.”

Bart nodded in understanding. “Thank you for doing this. I really want to go but this event brings a whole new meaning to ‘Can’t put something off.’”

The two groups parted, and Nathan’s group followed behind him as Jasmine rode up to him. “How long before we stop?”

“About an hour. There is a small stand of trees in a ravine up ahead. There’s a creek running down the ravine so we’ll have water,” Nathan said.

“Aren’t you tired?” Jasmine asked.

“Humph,” Nathan snorted. “I’m ready to fall asleep right now.”

“Yeah, me too,” Jasmine said. “What do you think the Sheriff wanted?”

“Information,” Nathan said.

“It’s kind of rude to hold someone without weapons for information,” she pointed out.

“We don’t give up our weapons,” Nathan said. “We die standing up.”

Hearing it put like that, Jasmine startled. “We have kids.”

“Yes, and they die standing with us,” Nathan said. “Better to die fast than a slow death.”

Jasmine shook her head and changed the subject. “Why didn’t your parents have other kids?”

“Mom couldn’t after me. It was probably for the best. When I was born Dad was still in the army and Mom had to take care of me alone. Dad retired when I was six and we heard about Mom taking care of me by herself at least once a week,” Nathan said.

Jasmine smiled. “I’m taking her side.”

“I didn’t take either side, I remained Switzerland. They really loved each other so it wasn’t a real retort. Mom just wanted dad to know he missed a lot,” Nathan said.

Watching Nathan as he spoke, Jasmine could see memories crossing his face. She stopped that conversation and started another line. “Have you ever let a girlfriend move in?”

“No, not really,” Nathan admitted. “They stayed over sometimes but they each had their own place. I never wanted any one of them to move in, to be honest.”

“Since we are ‘married,’” she said, smiling, “you don’t seem to mind me ‘living’ with you.”

Nathan laughed. “Did you see the heartbreak cross those younger boys face ?”

“I don’t care. Like you said, they’re boys,” she replied.

Feeling Emma tap his chest with her sippy cup, Nathan refilled it. “To be honest, you are the first woman I’ve been with night and day for over a month, ever. My best is a week, I think.”

“Wow,” Jasmine exclaimed. “I have to say I’m honored.”

“Well to be honest,” Nathan said looking over his shoulder. “This is the most I’ve ever been around this many people for an extended period of time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not socially deformed, but I liked my space.”

“I hope we are worth you losing your space,” she said, smiling, happy that Nathan referred to her as a woman.

Turning back around, Nathan looked at her and smiled. “I have to say, I like it. At times I love it. Other times I want to dig a hole and hide.”

“That’s family,” Jasmine said, giggling. “Can I ask you something and you not get mad?”

Closing his eyes, Nathan shook his head. “I hate it when a girl says that. It usually means something bad. Go ahead.”

Talking a deep breath, Jasmine knew she was on thin ice. “Did you not want anyone close so you wouldn’t lose them?”

Nathan didn’t answer but just rode in silence. Jasmine was really getting worried she had pissed him off, but when she looked at him she saw just remorse on his face. When Nathan spoke, she jumped in shock. “Yes, I guess you could say that. When they died I was totally alone. I had a few friends but they really distanced themselves from me. It could’ve been because I was alone or the way I acted after they died, but they weren’t really there.”

Looking over at Jasmine, Nathan gave a weak smile. “I wanted and needed a buddy, but I only had friends. They were only teenagers but I thought one would be a buddy, but they weren’t. It took a while but I finally just made peace with it. I’ve had lots of friends but it wasn’t till I met Rusty that I had a buddy. Then came Billy, Aiden, and Tim. I now see that I look at their kids like my own. I love their wives, but they kept trying to fix me up with every woman they know.”

“Kept trying to fix you up?” Jasmine asked.

“Yeah, Billy’s wife Janice fixed me up with one of her friends. We went out for a few months and the girl told Janice I needed some work before anyone would marry me. Seems that pissed Janice off and she beat the hell out of her. Had to go to court and everything. Janice got fined, which I paid, and had to take an anger management class. After that Billy told me the wives got together and agreed they would quit fixing me up with people they knew,” Nathan said, breaking into a grin. “Billy said they really didn’t want to beat down friends when they talked bad about me.”

Jasmine busted out laughing. “I think I’m really going to like them.”

“Oh you will,” Nathan agreed. “They’re a good group.”

“You think they’ll like me—and the kids?” Jasmine asked, throwing the kids in the last second.

Nathan nodded. “Yes, they will love you guys.” He looked off. “After they get over the shock of me riding in with a passel of kids and a ‘wife.’”

“Shock?” Jasmine asked.

“Yeah, the longest I’ve ever dated someone is six months. I’ve been with you and these young’uns more than I’ve been with anyone except my dogs,” Nathan said.

“Oh,” Jasmine said, finally seeing the real Nathan. “I’m going to tell you something so don’t get mad,” she said, and Nathan groaned on the inside. “I fell in love with you when we camped beside that lake on the second day after I met you. Seeing how you cared for Amanda and John, I knew I loved you. You have no idea how upset I was when you kept referring to me as a girl. I knew you didn’t see me as a woman you could be with.”

Thinking that wasn’t so bad, Nathan nodded in agreement. “It wasn’t by choice that I looked at you as a woman. You have no idea how many times my heart skipped a beat when you stood up in the morning. I used to think I was a gentleman. Now I know I have an Id, and it’s a bad one.”

“Then I can be thankful for the Id,” Jasmine said, smiling.

They rode side by side for an hour, then Nathan looked over at her. “I fell in love with you in Arkansas. When you sat up with me outside of camp, throwing your legs on me, I knew then you didn’t see me as an older man. You saw what you wanted and were going to do what it took to get it.”

Hearing that, Jasmine floated in her saddle. “You’re right. I was going to do whatever it took to get you.”

Nathan smiled as he led Smoke off the road crossing a small ditch leading the group across the rolling hills. Looking over to still see Jasmine beside him, Nathan grinned. “I’m hard-headed but even I take the hint when it’s beat over my head for weeks on end.”

Riding closer, Jasmine put her hand on Nathan’s leg. “You have to admit, we make a good family.”

Nathan nodded. “Yes, but I never knew being a father would cost me my self-esteem.”

“What?” Jasmine said, dropping her hand.

“When a toddler assumes the position to be wiped, you know in your heart, you have no pride in yourself anymore,” Nathan confessed.

Letting out a giggle, Jasmine covered her mouth. “You don’t even say anything about that anymore.”

“Yeah, because my pride has been ground out,” Nathan said, leading them into the ravine. Up ahead they saw the trees, tall bushes to Nathan.