“No,” Sophia said.
“Thought so.”
“There was a team of National Guardsmen we hooked up with,” Sophia said. “And my uncle and a security guy. And it was Washington Square.”
“So that’s no shit?” Parker said. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Sophia said. “And it wasn’t fun. Well, Faith had fun. Me, not so much. I’d only brought along a forty-five and I just about ran out of rounds. When the lights went out, every fucking zombie in New York descended on the concert. It… Yeah, it wasn’t fun.”
“Sorry,” Parker said, nodding. “I thought that was bullshit. But…wow.”
“Estrella,” Sophia yelled, cruising down the side of the Risky Business. “Coming aboard with the unrep team. Tell Lillie.”
“I was sweating having to figure this out,” Rainey said, watching the unrep crew handled the lines. “Glad there’s somebody else to do it.”
“Every one of those people could be doing something else,” Sophia said. “Running boats, some of them even running ships…”
“Like me,” Parker said, watching the unrep to make sure nothing was going wrong. “I’d much rather be running a freighter or a supply ship. Or even one of these. Instead of dealing with mostly moronic or bitchy captains. You’re an exception, ma’am, let me make that clear.”
“Oh, I can be a bitch,” Lillie said, laughing. “But I’m so grateful I don’t have to do this I’d discuss having your babies if I didn’t already have a bun in the oven.”
“When are you due?” Parker asked.
“February, March,” Rainey said. “Like most of the squadron.”
“And that’s gonna be a time for any man in his right mind to be at sea…”
“And, we’re away,” Parker said as the unrep of the Bella Senorita was completed. “Jesus, three tons of stores from you guys. Might I officially say thank you for that and for the way your people were prepared.”
“Put it in your report,” Sophia said, smiling. “And thank you for your professional help. Hope you get that boat someday soon.”
“Eh, I’m doing good work,” Parker said, shrugging. “Any time I wonder why I’m bothering, I watch the night sky video.”
“Night sky video?” Sophia asked.
“They run it in the theater on the Boadicea on a regular schedule,” Parker said. “It’s sort of mandatory for freshies but a lot of people attend. You should see it. It’s… Yeah. Anyway, I’ve got to get going. Light a candle and all that. Thank you, again.”
“And thank you,” Sophia said. As the unrep boss boarded his boat she keyed the radio for TraffCon.
“TraffCon, Division Seven. Unrep complete. Marching orders. Over.”
“Move to rear of small boat flotilla, north side. Switch to channel twenty-three for orders.”
“Rear of flotilla, north side, aye. Switch twenty-three, aye,” she radioed. She picked up the mike for division ops and keyed it. “Okay, ladies, follow me. And let’s give them a show…”
CHAPTER 4
“We’ve got the grain silos cleared in south Vicksburg and as long as we don’t show any lights at night the zombies don’t cluster. Bring ammo if you’re coming in. Even any reloading material you find. We’ve got the equipment if you’ve got the primers…”
“…Understood. Division out.” Sophia switched back to division frequency.
“Business, Friday, Bella, over.”
“Risky Business.”
“Finally Friday, over.”
“Here’s the orders. We have until day after tomorrow, oh-eight-hundred, for rear area activities, whatever those are. So we’ve got the rest of the afternoon and all day tomorrow. Rotate your crews as you see fit. Crews and skippers can visit Boadicea or Tan. Tan is for supply issues. Boadicea is for downtime. Either the skipper or two crew members must be onboard. I’m hereby amending that to two crew, period. So figure out your rotation schedule and then send them off to the Bo. Friday, clear, over?”
“Bella, Friday. Two aboard, day and a half off. Over.”
“Business, clear, over?”
“Got it, Bella. Will do.”
“Okay,” Sophia said, turning around. She’d taken the belowdecks helm for the short conference and the crew were in the saloon directly behind. “You all get that?”
“Got it, Skipper,” Walker said.
“Tom, you probably want to get your head down?”
“I could use some sleep, yes,” Walker said.
“I’ll take first watch on the boat,” Sophia said. “You can be the second onboard. Rest of you can head out if you want. I need at least one of you back by midnight. Any questions?”
“There’s a market on the Bo, ma’am,” Batari said. “I could use some spices and condiments. Can I take some stuff to trade?”
“Go and look, first,” Celementina said. “I would like to go over to the Tan, too. For the same. Look and see what they have t’ey’re not giving up. We might still have some stuff t’ey want to trade. I can’ believe you gave up all my spares.”
“They don’t fit our boat,” Sophia pointed out.
“I could have used them to trade with t’ese other boats, Skip,” Celementina said. “I bet I find parts for t’e Friday.”
“Just don’t lose the offshore,” Walker said. “I guarantee that people are just taking off in those. If I may suggest, Skipper, one of us stay on the offshore. I can stay up, run people around. Then go back and get them at midnight. That’s plenty of sleep. Probably they can cadge rides around. Then tomorrow, if they’ve made any deals, we can close them. But that would leave just you onboard.”
“Friday, Business, Bella, over,” Sophia said, keying the radio.
“Business.”
“Friday.”
“Have the second crewman take your people where they want to go. Pick-up will be at the Bo at midnight. If they want to go someplace else, they can catch a ride. Do not leave your dinghies or offshores tied up and unattended. Copy?”
“Business. Why, over?”
“They go missing,” Sophia radioed.
“Got it.”
“Friday, aye.”
“Okay,” Sophia said. “Any more questions or comments?”
“When are you going to the Bo, ma’am?” Walker asked.
“Not sure I am,” Sophia said, shrugging. “I’m good onboard. You can either head over on midwatch or you can head over tomorrow.”
“Do we have to be back by midnight?” Olga asked, pouting. “There may be interesting things going on afterwards. Parties don’t usually get really going until around eleven. And there might be handsome Marines aboard.”
“No,” Sophia said. “That’s when the boat’s coming to pick people up. If you stay overnight, we’ll run another boat over at oh-eight hundred. And I’m sure you can convince somebody to give you a ride.”
“I’m sure of that,” Olga said, brightening. “Oh, you meant on a Zodiac? That could be fun.”