After a quick search of the area, they broke out the garbage bags and got to work.
Trev had put Gutierrez on far scouting at the man’s own request. The former soldier preferred moving around to manning a lookout post, and since a lot of the defenders requested the less calorie-burning sentry duty everyone was on board with the arrangement.
Which meant that at the approach of the military convoy coming down the road from the west, Gutierrez was the first to radio in the alert.
Deb, with Trev as usual, gave him a concerned look when he lowered the radio after receiving his friend’s report. “Are we in danger?” she asked.
Trev shook his head. There was probably no cause for alarm, since their interactions with the military up to this point had been friendly. Even when they came for the town’s supplies, the fact that they were risking their lives to protect the town from the blockheads had helped blunt some of the resentment.
All that said, Trev’s duty was to defend the town. “Probably not. But better safe than sorry.”
With Deb’s help he got to work mobilizing the defenders to unobtrusively prepare for trouble. It was a precaution he sincerely hoped wouldn’t be needed: a convoy of soldiers and whatever weaponry they carried, fresh from defeating the Gold Bloc forces, would be difficult for the town to handle. Probably impossible, if they called for backup.
As Trev and Deb prepared their defenses Matt gathered up the town’s leaders to go out and meet the convoy. That included Ben Thompson, Chauncey Watson on the crutches Rick had carved for him, Catherine and Scott Tillman, Lucas Halsson, and a handful of others. Not to mention the crowd of curious bystanders who followed a safe distance behind.
A small crowd, considering these troubled times and the fact that they were greeting soldiers. But that didn’t stop more Aspen Hill residents from watching from within the safety of the town, peeking around the corners of cabins or out of the few windows.
The convoy was already heading down the road winding down the western slope of the canyon by the time Trev and Deb joined the delegation, well away from the houses where the gravel path leading into town met the road. The line of vehicles stretched back over the ridge, already over a dozen and no end in sight.
“That’s a big convoy,” Matt said hopefully. “Bringing a lot of supplies, maybe?”
“Or come to take more of what we’ve got,” Lucas replied.
Trev snorted. “If that’s why they’re here they brought way too many trucks. They could’ve done the job with a wheelbarrow.”
“Or they’re just passing through and aren’t interested in the town at all,” Catherine said, looking a bit amused at the speculation.
Lucas shook his head. “Not much east of here aside from Aspen Hill Canyon, which is blocked off to vehicles. Unless they’re here to clear the road they’re probably here for us, and I don’t see any heavy machinery in that line.”
The first truck in the convoy approached within a hundred yards, and the group fell silent as it continued on to half that distance before rolling to a stop. A soldier with a corporal’s insignia hopped down from the passenger seat and approached, calling a greeting. Matt returned the greeting and stepped out to meet him.
“Is this Aspen Hill, sir?” the corporal asked.
Matt nodded. “It is.”
The man gave him a slightly uncertain look. “I’m looking for Mayor Catherine Tillman.”
Catherine stepped up to Matt’s shoulder. “I’m Catherine Tillman, but I stepped down from the position of Mayor recently. This is Matthew Larson, the new Mayor.”
At that the man brightened. “Really? Corporal Bryant.” He stepped forward to eagerly shake Matt’s hand. “I was part of the group defending just south of you near 31. We talked over the radio a few times.”
Matt looked as if he didn’t remember the man, but Trev did. He stepped forward to offer his own hand. “Trevor Smith,” he said. “Your name’s not familiar, but I recognize your voice. You warned us of a few attacks headed our way, probably saved some lives.”
Bryant’s handshake was just as eager for him. “And you did the same. We learned to feel pretty secure about our northern flank with you there.” He hesitated, then lowered his voice. “And I was really impressed by how you went in and freed those civilians from the blockheads. A lot of them ended up in the refugee camp I’m currently stationed to. They owe you their lives.”
“Not just me,” Trev replied, embarrassed. “How are they doing?”
“Not bad, all things considered. Although we’re all in the same boat these days, aren’t we?”
“Speaking of which…” Lucas cut in, offering his own hand. “Lucas Halsson. Mind if I cut the reunion short and ask what the trucks are for?”
“Of course.” The corporal turned businesslike as he shook Lucas’s hand as well. “Although let me say it’s an honor to meet you, too, if I’m right in assuming you’re Lewis’s dad?” Lucas nodded, and Bryant’s grin broadened. “The blockheads eased up on attacking our area almost completely after your son dropped a mountainside on a few hundred of them, so I’m doubly in his debt for likely saving many of my squad mates’ lives. I’d like to thank him personally, if possible.”
Trev’s uncle shook his head. “He’ll be out of town most of the day.”
“Ah. Well it’s a shame to miss him.” The corporal turned to the truck. “As for why we’re here… the military discovered a massive windfall of nonperishable food. We’re here to distribute Aspen Hill’s share.”
Trev felt his heart soar, and beside him Deb grinned like a loon. He could see the others in the delegation grinning too. That was a lot of trucks, and hopefully they were all filled to capacity.
But Lucas quirked an amused eyebrow. “Timely windfall,” he observed.
Bryant turned back to him, his smile becoming sheepish. “Specifically, this windfall was discovered before we even arrived in the Rocky Mountains. But let’s keep that between us, okay?”
“How does that work?” Matt asked, frowning. “I heard the military barely had enough food to feed everyone for a month on strict rationing, back before the blockheads even got here. You had all this food back then?”
The corporal rubbed his chin in embarrassment. “Well it’s like this. The higher ups couldn’t just focus solely on the blockhead attack, dire as it was. They knew that even if we survived that, we were still facing a nuclear winter almost on its heels. Even with this windfall there isn’t enough food to last through it, so the rationing had to start immediately.”
Lucas was nodding in understanding. “But try telling a bunch of people about to face an enemy army a million strong that they need to starve themselves, so just in case they survive they can have a better chance of lasting through the winter.”
Bryant nodded back eagerly. “Pretty much that exactly. The military isn’t lying, we’re just neglecting to say when exactly we discovered this windfall.”
“I appreciate the honesty,” Matt said. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep it to ourselves.”
“Good.” The soldier started to turn towards the trucks, but Lucas clearing his throat turned him back.
“Question,” Trev’s uncle said. “You’ve had this windfall all along, but you also came in and took all our stuff. Was that to keep up the ruse that supplies were running out to keep the rationing tight?”
Bryant winced. “Kind of. But mostly it was to instill a sense of unity through sacrificing for the greater good.”