The Emerald Virus (43 page)

Thursday:
Tennessee River Valley

    
Jack had become accustomed to the thought that he was going to survive. He
didn’t particularly like the thought, but there wasn’t much he could about it.
He now fully understood the guilt feelings the others had told him about.

    
He thought by now he had helped this group get a good start. He had liked the
progress Sam had made with the Yellowstone group and he thought it was because,
in large part, of the many meetings she had with the group and how she shared
everything. Of course being pretty much locked into the park added stability
the other groups did not have.

     
He had taken a group of veterans he thought capable of withstanding a trip into
Knoxville to bring back the equipment they would need to hold daily meetings.
He had found a catering firm who specialized in large outdoor weddings and
parties.

    
They found all of the tents they needed to sit a group of up to three hundred
people, although he fervently hoped the group would not grow that large. With
the tents and chairs they also found a large number of standing propane
heaters, made to heat the inside of the tents. Finally, he had found plenty of
outdoor carpet they could use as a floor so the tent didn’t turn into a mud
hole during the winter rains.

    
They had erected the meeting tent in the middle of a large meadow near the
parking area for the RVs. Almost everyone attended the meetings and Jack
realized the biggest problem would be keeping enough fuel on hand for the
heaters. But he knew they would work that out.

    
He had gradually spent less time conducting the meetings and Charlotte had now
taken over that task. The group seemed fine with that. Not everyone of course,
but most of them. He had not yet told them that he was leaving but he thought
he would do so either this evening or in the morning. He wanted to get on the
road tomorrow, or Saturday at the latest.

    
He had spent most of his time tracking survivors through email, cell phone and
radio. There were still hundreds of people out there who either hadn’t or
couldn’t get to one of the groups. Jack was going to find those that wanted to
join but for some reason or another had not. He knew he wasn’t obligated to do
this but he wanted to. He knew in the back of his mind it was probably just an
excuse to go and do something, but he was okay with that.

    
That afternoon Jack asked Charlotte, Jane and Heather to meet with him in his
RV. Jack opened by saying, “Ladies, I have good news for you. I’m going to get
out of your hair.”

    
The three women just looked at him, so he continued, “I feel compelled to see
if I can find and help some of the remaining survivors join groups. There are
so many out there that we haven’t yet found, I’m afraid they must need help.”

    
Charlotte said, “Jack, this is no surprise, but I’m sorry you’ve decided to
leave. I think before we go we should have another election to see who the
group wants as a leader.”

    
“I don’t think so Charlotte, the group has voted you and me into leadership
positions for a reason. I’m not resigning; I’m just going in search of other
survivors. I don’t know where I’ll go for sure, but I’m going to start along
the eastern seaboard and go as far north as the weather will allow. I’ll play
it by ear from there. It shouldn’t take that long, maybe a couple of weeks or a
month.”

    
Jane and Heather spoke at the same time and both said, “I’m going with you.”

    
No one laughed and Jane said, “Jack, you could use help and you know it. One of
us can drive while the other searches for survivors on the web and helps
navigate. It would save a lot of time. And, I’m a better cook than you are.”

    
Heather spoke up and said, “Jane, you are doing too much good here to just
leave, the kids would miss you terribly, and after what they’ve been through
already I don’t think you should leave them. On the other hand I don’t have
much to do here and I can help Jack also. Probably not as good as you, but I’d
learn.”

    
Jack said, “Ladies, I really appreciate the offers but I’m going alone. I agree
it would be more efficient with two of us, but I don’t know what’s going to
happen out there, and I don’t want to put either of you in danger.”

    
Jane said, “After what we’ve been though you think I can’t handle myself?”

    
Jack grimaced at that. Jane was quickly returning to her old self and after the
problem with Karl Schumann she was even more confident than before. Even
Heather had matured very quickly after that day. It seemed like a lifetime ago
but it was just a couple of weeks.

    
He responded, “I think both of you are capable. I’m not trying to insult either
of you by underestimating you, but this is something I feel I need to do alone.
If I find out I’m wrong, I can always come back for help.”

    
Heather had tears in her eyes when she said, “But Jack, we’ve made such a good
team, the four of us, how can you just leave us?”

    
“Heather, I don’t look at this like I’m leaving you. I’m just going to see if I
can help some other people. You guys are like family to me, I wouldn’t desert
you.”

    
Jane said, “Well call it what you want, but it sounds to me like that is
exactly what you’re doing. You don’t even know that anyone out there needs your
help.

    
Jack looked at Charlotte, almost in desperation. Charlotte said, “Don’t look at
me for help, I think you’re crazy for leaving, and even more crazy for going
alone. I know you’re a very capable man, but you’re also very stubborn, and I
think this time your stubbornness is getting in the way of good judgment. I do
agree with Heather, that Jane would be sorely missed by the kids if she left,
but there are others here that would be willing to help. I think any of the
military men would volunteer to help.”

    
Although Heather’s eyes had moistened she had not yet cried, and now she seemed
to have herself under control when she said, “Jack, I agree with Charlotte,
that you should take someone to help you. Your going alone just doesn’t make
sense. Just something like slipping on rocks and breaking a leg could be fatal
if you’re by yourself. But I’d like that someone to be me. You and Jane and I
have spent a lot of time together since we first met and you know that we would
get along okay, and that I am capable of doing some of the things you don’t
like doing. Please think about it for at least a little while.”

    
Jack had to smile to himself, that was quite a speech from Heather, and
unfortunately, it was extremely logical. He didn’t especially want to share an
RV with another man for the next month or two, especially one he knew little
about. And taking two RVs defeated the initial purpose of having a second
person along. On the other hand, he knew he could live with Jane. They had
shared an RV for the first week, until he found his own, but Charlotte and
Heather were right that her leaving the kids she cared for would be too hard on
the kids.

    
But, sharing an RV twenty four hours a day with a sixteen year old female made
him nervous. Something like that would be completely inappropriate in the old
world and if it was another man trying to do so, Jack would be suspicious. He
wasn’t sure he wanted to put either himself or Heather in such a position. He
trusted himself and her, but it still seemed inappropriate for some reason.

    
Jane spoke up and said, “Jack, I hate it that I can’t join you, but I know
Charlotte is right, I can’t just walk away from the kids. But I don’t see why
you don’t take Heather with you. We all realize she’s young enough to be your
daughter, and she could learn a lot from you. And if you aren’t expecting
serious trouble you could use her help. Why are you hesitating?”

    
Jack said, “I don’t really want to share an RV with a man that I don’t know, or
a woman that I don’t know as far as that goes. But Heather, as much as I know
you and I work well together I keep thinking about the fact that you’re a
teenage girl and I’m a grown man and I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to
team up.”

    
“Jack, I’m not planning on seducing you or anything, you’re almost as old as my
dad was. You know you don’t have to worry about that.”

    
“I do know that, but I still feel like it’s inappropriate. Charlotte, Jane,
what do the two of you think?

    
Charlotte answered first, “Jack, you are an honest and honorable man, we all
know that, and I know that Heather will always be safe with you. I think in
this new world that’s what we should go by. Not feelings that existed in the
old world where we protected everyone from everyone. That won’t work today.”

    
Jane said, “Jack, you need the help. We’re the only three you feel comfortable
around all of the time, and two of us really can’t leave with you. Take Heather
and all of us will feel better.”

    
“Let me think about it overnight. I’ll let the group know this evening that I’m
leaving to look for other survivors, and if they ask me I’ll tell them I’m
thinking of taking Heather along to help me, but I haven’t decided yet. If they
don’t ask me I won’t say anything about needing help. I think that’s the best I
can do for now.”

    
The ladies all agreed with Jack and they planned on meeting in Charlotte’s RV
for breakfast in the morning.

    
Jack made the announcement that evening and a couple of people asked him if he
was going alone. He told the group that he was thinking of taking Heather but
had not yet decided. No one seemed surprised. Jack knew in part that was
because not everyone in their group of 250 knew who Heather was, and those who
did assumed the best. Lastly, those that knew them well looked at Jack as a
father figure for Heather. What surprised Jack was that he enjoyed playing that
role.

    
The reaction of the group made the decision for Jack and after the meeting he
told Charlotte that he was going to take Heather, if she had not changed her
mind.

    
Charlotte said, “Jack, that girl will follow you anywhere you want to go.
That’s part of both the joy and the stress of being a parent.

    
Jane walked up as they were talking and Jack told her of his decision.

    
Jane said, “Jack, I think that’s the right thing to do, but be careful with
her. People that age get their feelings hurt easily, and they don’t normally
know what to say when that happens, so you might not even know you’ve upset
her, or why. I’m going to ask her to call me every day so I can offset any
damage you do. I know you’re sensitive for a man, but that isn’t nearly sensitive
enough for a teenager.”

    
Charlotte added, “Jack, don’t argue with her, she’s 100% right on this one.”

    
“Now I’m worried I’ve made the wrong decision, maybe I should go alone.”

    
“Don’t be silly, we just told you the right thing to do was to take her with
you. Jane’s just telling you that we know you’ll act like a man, and as women
we’ll have to do damage control for you now and then. That’s been going on
since the start of time.”

    
Jack shook his head and told the two of them he would still join them for
breakfast. Now he was going to go and tell Heather the news and let her know
what she should pack.

    
Heather opened the door immediately, and when she saw the look on Jack’s face
she said, “You’ve decided to go alone haven’t you?”

    
As Jack entered the RV he said, “No. Actually I’ve come to tell you to start
packing if you still want to come.”

    
Heather whooped and threw herself at Jack as she said, “That’s wonderful, thank
you for trusting me. I’ll work as hard as I can to help you. But why did you
look so serious when you came in?”

    
Jack disentangled himself and said, “Let’s sit down and talk for a minute. The
serious face is because I just told Charlotte and Jane that I was going to take
you and they both lectured me on lacking sensitivity or at least enough
sensitivity for a young girl. They’re going to call you every day to talk
through my mistakes, whatever that means.”

    
Heather giggled and said, “I think they’re just being protective of me, but
I’ve seen you when you’re upset, so maybe their right.”

    
“Heather, you’ve never seen me mad at you, in fact it’s usually myself I’m mad
at when something goes wrong.”

    
“I know that, but you still get darned grumpy when something goes wrong. But
that’s okay, I can handle it; you won’t have to worry about me.”

    
“Yeah, I just have to worry about you reporting to Jane and Charlotte things
that I won’t even be aware of. Instead of that why don’t you and I talk when
things don’t’ go right for us?”

    
“That’s fine with me but you’re the one who gets so quiet when you’re upset.
But anytime you want to talk I’ll be happy to listen.”

    
Jack realized that this conversation had gone straight downhill, and he had no
chance of turning it around. He wondered at what age young girls started
assuming everything their mother’s told them about men were true? Or did they
just believe all of this stuff through instinct?