Free The Forgiven The Fallen The Forsaken by S.M. Armstrong

turned the boys loose to see their fifth wheel and to explore
the property while Susan and Jim talked over a coffee.
    “Jim, I just
can’t believe that they sent those kids with Matt and Luke.  This is starting
to feel way too real.”    
    “I know.  You
don’t have a 17 year old driving eight hours with an SUV full of kids while
towing a cargo trailer.  This is nuts.  Rob had him pay for the SUV, buy that
cargo trailer, and get a full load of MRE’s on the way here.  Each of the boys
has two suitcases worth of clothes and a few personal things.  That’s it.  Oh,
and they each have a shopping list to fill and an insane amount of cash to work
with.  I have a feeling it’s going to be a wild week. ” 
    Susan said,
“Make you a deal, I’ll take the girls out to pick up some livestock I found,
you take charge of the testosterone brigade and get them shopping for some
decent cold weather clothes and shoes before you let them get crazy on their
list of must have items.”
    He asked, “Sure
you don’t want to trade?” Susan just laughed at him and grabbed her truck keys.
     Susan took a
cargo trailer back out to pick up goats and pigs that she had found online.  Helen
and Julie asked to tag along to help before she even had the chance to ask them,
and Susan was delighted for the company and the extra pair of hands.
    Jim had the
rest of the boys pile into the diesel crew cab and he took them to pick up
another fifth wheel, after which they stopped at a large department store where
he turned them loose to fill their lists and drive store security nuts.  The
boys loaded a cart, paid for the merchandise with cash and loaded it into the
trailer.  They repeated the process four times before he decided that was
enough attention and took them all to a sporting goods store where he had them
buy good quality cold weather gear and several pairs of hiking boots, including
some for the boys to grow into later. 
    While the boys
shopped, Jim picked up more ammunition and hunting gear.   He also bought
several crossbows and compound bows and related equipment.  By the time he
finished, he had cleaned the store out of arrows, bolts, and targets.  It was
definitely time to head home.
    Once they
arrived, Jim parked the new fifth wheel in an RV port and the boys all piled
into the fifth wheel that Julie had initially picked out for them, inspiring
Helen to wryly comment “Lord of the Flies.”  Jim groaned knowing it was likely
true.  He’d seen the boys picking up posters, tape, DVD’s and CD’s.  Somehow he
doubted those were on their assigned lists.  When the music started, he was
sure of it.  He was now glad that Susan had the foresight to park the boy’s RV
in the port farthest from their own. 
    The more he
thought about it, the more Jim liked the idea of leaving the four of them in
the same RV as it would decrease their opportunities for individual mischief
and allow him to use the group to keep the individuals in line.  Like that’s
going to work.
    Jim, Susan, and
the two girls were playing a board game and sipping Chianti when they heard the
helicopter overhead.  With the game forgotten, they all threw on jackets and ran
outside to see a military chopper with its spotlight on landing on the pad. 
Susan looked at Jim and said, “Really?!”  Jim didn’t answer at all.  The boys
all ran up behind them.
    Once the rotors
stopped, Rob stepped out of the left pilot seat in jeans and a heavy jacket. 
Denise and a black woman Susan didn’t know jumped out of the side exit after
Rob opened the door.  Tim and Ricky ran forward yelling, “Mom!”
    There were hugs
all the way around.  Afterward, Rob grabbed Jim’s arm and said, “We need to get
this bird covered up now.  Let’s get it in the hangar.”
    They had to
move the Piper out of the hangar for the helicopter to fit, but soon had the
chopper safely secured in the hangar.
    Rob insisted on
unloading the cargo right then.  The cargo was