Behind The Curve-The Farm , Craven Boyd [little bear else holmelund minarik .txt] 📗

should I go get some medicine from the big house?” Angelica spoke up, and stood.

“You have any left?” Andrea asked, surprised.

“Tons. Rob knew we were pretty well stocked up on everything but our own personal booze, so he ordered a ton of it.”

“Better make it a big bottle then,” Andrea said, looking at Bailey, who was confused.

“Medicine?” she asked as Angelica took off jogging for the big house.

“Sounds like you girls are going to be chasing worms tonight. Maybe we should call Anna and Leah over and have a girls’ night.”

“Chasing worms?” Bailey asked, still confused by the turn in the conversation.

“She ran off to get a bottle of tequila,” Andrea explained.

Bailey downed first her screwdriver, then took Angelica’s and tossed that back as well. She figured if her tastebuds were already scalded, she wouldn’t choke on the tequila too horribly. She was right, more, or less.

Thirty-Two

The market was buzzing with activity. As word spread about the group’s membership only market, more and more people showed up. The numbers had almost doubled, but the vendors were running out of supplies. Most folks still paid in cash, but more and more, barter was becoming a way of life. The choices that had been broadcasting over the public radio and TV was that the shelters had food and safety. Many took FEMA’s message to heart and voluntarily relocated.

Without a way of working, money was getting tight. The stores had virtually closed in the past week. They weren’t getting the trucks to replenish them. Those who hadn’t already taken the Lt. Governor’s offer had started thinking about it. Many didn’t have a garden, livestock, or the skills to provide for themselves. The government did, supposedly. Bailey and Angelica had heard the broadcasts and had rolled their eyes. They knew the three squares a day equated to three meals of oatmeal, and some fruit of questionable origin. If they were lucky, they had tacos with more beans than meat in the mix.

“We’ve got a black SUV coming down the road, looks like the same plates as last week.” Luis’s voice came over the radio.

He’d elected to stay with Goldie in the big house, preparing a big meal for the group for when the market day was done.

“The FBI guys?” Rob asked over the radio.

“Looks like it. Kerry, do you copy?” Luis asked.

“I do. What do you want me to do?”

“Let’s get the bosses on the horn.”

“Andrea and Curt here, we’re at the egg stand.”

“Dante and Leah here, we’re mingling.”

“Steven and Anna?” Rob asked.

“Working downstairs,” Harry said over the radio. “Want me to go get them?”

“Yes, but go through Luis’s cabin.”

“Ok Daddy. Harry out,” he said, and everybody could tell he was amused. He’d been given his own radio by the group. The little man was mature for his age and had proven himself.

“Bailey and Little Angel are headed to overwatch. We were in the greenhouse working on seed starts.” Bailey’s voice came over the radio.

Rob was glad his wife hadn’t answered. They’d bought some gizmo and software from Sherry’s electronics friend that allowed them to reprogram the radios. Their radios were now encrypted, which was technically illegal, but more and more they felt that breaking such little laws didn’t matter. Look at what the government was doing, right under the nose of the president.

“I can’t tell if there’s more of them in the SUV or not, but it’s the same guys. Goldie says she’s coming up. She has her spoon.”

Repeated cursing came over the radio and was cut off when they heard Harry giggling as he added to the conversation.

“I got one too. Watch your language, we’ve got little ears on this doodad.”

“Yes Mamma,” Rob replied.

“Excuse me… um…” Agent Korey said, “I, uh, what’s all of this?”

“This is the community cooperative. It’s a membership only market held on private property so DHS and FDA goons can’t raid us. They tried it twice and twice they were sent away. The first group didn’t get tarred and feathered though.” Kerry was smiling and straight to the point. Jeff, her new love, was sitting beside her in uniform.

“So, the stories of the tarring and feathering were true?” Agent Gorman asked.

“Sure are,” Jeff Daniels told them. “Some of the local state police were involved as well. We figured it was a lot better than shooting them on the spot or finding a tall tree to ugly up.”

“Ugly up?” Korey asked, suddenly looking up and seeing everyone at the market was looking their way. All were armed, and many had their weapons ready.

“They mean lynching,” Rob said, walking up. “Aunt Kerry, these two fellars are here to see the owners I reckon. You two aren’t coming for any sort of arrests or forcing any issues we’d be against, are you?”

“Not at all,” Gorman said. “We looked up the orders your group gave us and… um… Can we speak more privately somewhere?”

“That’s up to the owners I guess,” Rob said. “Half of us at least are probably needed for security.”

“Rob, would you escort our guests to the egg stand?” Curt asked. “We’re about out here, and we can talk and pull security at the same time.”

Rob had his radio broadcasting out loud. He grinned and tipped his head at the agents in a follow me gesture.

“You forgot to pay your dollar,” Kerry called.

Gorman started pulling out his wallet, and then saw both Rob and Kerry chuckling.

“Humor is the last thing I expected,” Korey said with a laugh, and slapped his fellow agent on the shoulder. “But if it costs us a dollar…”

“Don’t worry, my aunt is a funny one.”

“It looks like you guys have the full gamut of groceries being sold here,” Gorman said aloud.

“Food, as well as trade items. Since fuel has become almost as impossible to find as food, folks are truly shopping local for once. We got lucky since we have our own fuel for the farm, and got refilled before the crunch.”

“This is like the Farmer’s Market I used