“Did you hear the discussion?” Darren asked.
“Yes,” Yuki said.
“And?”
“The Captain seems nice, but I don’t know…” Yuki said.
“You don’t know?” Darren said.
Yuki sat up, and the blanket fell down to her waist. She wasn’t wearing any clothes. Her small firm breasts glowed in the low light of the lantern.
“I want to get to the cabin.” Yuki said, “Maybe we can join up with them later, but I don’t know if it’s a smart thing now.”
“Granted.” Darren said, “What’s your argument against?”
“Three hundred people.” Yuki said, “Lots of mouths to feed. Plus the JDF will attack here.”
“There is the problem of my brother,” Darren said.
“I know.” Yuki said, “You can stay with your brother. I’ll go on alone.”
Darren wrapped his hands around her and pulled her close.
“I love you.” Darren said, “If you go, I go.”
“What do we do with your brother?” Yuki said.
“We can convince him to come with us.”
“Good luck with that. The kid has a girlfriend.” Yuki said.
“You should get dressed, and we should go see him,” Darren said.
Yuki got dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a t-shirt.
Darren and Yuki exited the closet they were using as a bedroom. The little meeting room was empty of people. As well as the central temple area.
They exited the temple into the compound and walked around exploring it. The compound was a busy hive of people. To Darren, it looked like everyone had a job and they were doing it. People were washing clothes, or cooking food. Others were cleaning the grounds.
Darren saw a bunch of armored vehicles lined up in a row, as well as a few covered trucks. At the end of the row was the truck with the light. The one that the four JDF soldiers had ambushed them with. A couple mechanics were tinkering with the truck. It looked like they were going to detach the broken light.
Turning the corner was a line of young teenagers. There were stripped down to shorts, the girls wore tank tops, the boys were bare chested. They were running around the compound. In the middle of the group were Anthony and Mika. Anthony held up his hand as he ran by.
After the running teenagers disappeared into the distance, Darren turned to Yuki.
“It looks like they’re building an army,” Darren said.
“That it does.” Yuki said, “It makes sense.”
“Yeh.” Darren said, “It does, and that’s scary.”
After a few moments, Lt Harrito walked up to Darren.
“Not a bad base?” Lt Harrito said, “No?”
“Busy,” Darren said.
“That it is.” Lt Harrito said, “Shall we go find breakfast? I am sure the cantina has something made.”
Darren’s stomach growled. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded his agreement.
Darren and Yuki followed Lt Harrito into a canvas-roofed tented off area. The area had many tables lined up in neat rows with a couple chefs cooking over a pair of bulky looking wood-fired stoves.
“Porridge.” Lt Harrito said, “My favorite.”
The Lieutenant grabbed three small bowls, and they sat down at a table.
“So?” Lt Harrito said, “What do you think?”
“Weren’t you a police officer?” Darren asked.
“I am.” Lt Harrito said, “But before that, I was a Lieutenant in the JDF. I was actually Captain Yusako’s commanding officer.”
“Then what happened.” Yuki asked between mouthfuls, “Get kicked out?”
“No.” Lt Harrito said, “I retired from the army. Joined the police instead. When the Captain pulled us off that hill, he pulled me into his company. Luckily, I was able to get my family out as well. My wife is the one cooking.”
“I see,” Darren said.
“Anthony is your little brother?” Lt Harrito said.
“Yes.”
“It’ll be good to be here with him then.” Lt Harrito said, “He talks about you lots.”
“We aren’t staying,” Darren said.
“Why not?” Lt Harrito said.
“I’m sure they have reasons,” Anthony said from behind him.
Darren jumped slightly.
Anthony and Mika sat down beside them. They were still in their shorts, but sweat glistened off of their brows. Mika’s white tank top was dripping with sweat.
“I’m sorry,” Darren said.
“No worries.” Anthony said, “I might only be thirteen, but I understand.”
“You do?” Yuki said.
“Darren has a look in his eyes.” Anthony said, “He has only had it once before.”
“And what look is that?” Darren said.
“You know the look.” Anthony said, “It tells me that you’re going to do whatever it takes to be with Yuki. No matter what.”
Darren blushed.
“I made him blush!” Anthony said to Mika, “Pay up.”
Mika glared at Anthony. “I’ll pay you later. Jerk.”
“You two are impossible.” Lt Harrito said, then laughed.
Darren finished his bowl of porridge.
“Are you going to stay here for a few days?” Anthony asked.
“No.” Yuki said, “I get nervous sitting in one place for too long.”
Anthony nodded.
Darren and Yuki packed up their supply carriers. The Lieutenant watched them pack it up. Darren pulled out the six pack of beer.
“Is that beer?” Lt Harrito asked, “Like real beer?”
“It is.” Darren said, “Are you guys allowed beer in this camp?”
“Yes, but I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Cause I’m an alcoholic.” Lt Harrito said.
Darren put them back into the carrier.
“I don’t drink beer.” Darren said, “But I’ll find a good use for them somehow.”
A few minutes later, Anthony, Mika, Lt Harrito and Captain Yusako stood next to the gate of the camp. Darren pushed his bike up to the entrance with Yuki close behind.
“I wish you would change your mind.” Captain Yusako said.
“Maybe one day,” Darren said.
Anthony walked over to Darren and gave him a hug.
“Be safe out there,” Anthony said.
“Be safe here.” Darren said, “I still have to find dad.”
“I know.”
Darren and Yuki mounted the bikes and rode out of the temple compound.
The compound had been built on the top of a large hill. The hill looked like someone had cut a large sausage in half lengthwise. The hill stretched into the distance and ran into a mountain.
Yuki turned down a small street that led up the mountainside.
Darren followed Yuki up the hill. He started out riding his bike, but the hill quickly rose up. Darren was forced to change gears to make it easier. But that didn’t last, and Darren found himself pushing the heavy bike and trailer up the hill. Darren was walking up what looked like a long and wide curved valley that rose up between two small mountains.
Yuki grunted with effort.
“I didn’t think about this part.” Yuki said, “It always looked so easy to get to when you’re in a car.”
“It could be worse,” Darren said.
He looked up at the reddish glow from the sun.
“How can this get worse?”
“It could be ashing or raining,” Darren said.
“Oh.” Yuki said, “Ashing?”
“You know when ash falls from the sky,” Darren said.
“We have raining, and snowing.” Yuki said, “So why not ashing.”
In the distance, he heard the rumble of a motorbike. Darren looked around to see if he could spot the motorcycle.
“Do you think that’s Captain Yusako’s men?” Yuki asked.
“Probably not.” Darren said, “I didn’t see any motorbikes in the compound.”
Darren listened to the rumble. It was getting closer, and it wasn’t coming from the mountain valley.