Free The Liddy Scenario by Jerry D. Young Page A

the services. But yes. This place is a ripe plum, ready for picking by anyone with enough firepower. Fortunately there isn’t much of an organized group in this area. We’ve run off several individuals trying to sneak in and steal food from the fields.”
    “People are hungry,” Julie Anne said. She didn’t want to start an argument, but she had to express her beliefs.
    “I know. Toby knows. He has some, what we call ‘humanitarian supplies’ for people in real need. Primarily families with children, pregnant women, women with babies…”
    “Ranger said something similar once,” Julie Anne replied.
    “Almost all of us in this group feel that way. Not everyone does. But we have to be careful. If word spreads far and wide enough, this place will be swarmed with unprepared people. At least unprepared except for arms. and ammunition to try to take it over. Always seems. like people that are anti-gun are more than ready and willing to use them to get what they want.”
    Julie Anne was taken aback by Brody’s bitterness. “I… I… Perhaps I should go,” she said.
    “I need to go get some sleep. I’m on duty again in a couple of hours.”
    Julie Anne watch Brody walk away, his shoulders slumped. She didn’t know what to do. Ranger was acting chipper at breakfasts and suppers, which he had, along with the other single people, in the house. Only Brody, as far as she knew, was eating alone. Those with families had bungalows or trailers on the property and prepared and ate their meals as family units.
    Going back into the kitchen, Patricia saw the concerned look on her face and asked, “What’s troubling you, dear?”
    “It’s Brody. He doesn’t look good. He just seems.…different.”
    It was Darlene that told her, before Patricia could. “He had to kill a man two days ago. He was trying to steal a horse and started shooting when Brody braced him.”
    “Oh, no!” Julie Anne said. Brody and Ranger had spoken of using fire-arms. so casually. Apparently it wasn’t a casual thing, at all.
    “Brody’s taking it hard,” Patricia said. “He’s a sensitive man and always wanting to help people. Something like this hits a man like him hard.”
    “I think I’ll go check on him,” Darlene said, a gleam in her eye that Julie Anne didn’t like. “Did he say where he was going?”
    “To get some sleep,” Julie Anne said firmly. “I don’t think you should bother him.”
    “I’ll let him tell me that,” Darlene replied, already taking off her apron and heading for the door.
    Julie Anne watched Darlene leave, but did nothing else, except frown.
    Two days later Julie Anne took Ranger aside after supper and told him, “I want to learn to shoot. Can you teach me?”
    “I could, Julie Anne, but I’m not that good of a teacher, and I’m pretty busy with security patrols. You should ask Toby. He taught several of the people here now how to shoot. They all do very well for people that shoot very seldom.”
    “I will ask Toby, then. Thank you, Ranger.”
    She found Toby where he usually was after supper, in his den, listening to shortwave and Amateur Radio traffic. Julie Anne knocked on the open door and waited for Toby to invite her in.
    “How are you acclimating, Julie Anne? You certainly seem to fit in here quite well. Patricia says you’ve taken to the kitchen with a vengeance.”
    “I just want to do my part. Which is why I wanted to talk to you. Ranger said you might be able to teach me to shoot.”
    “Oh, I’m quite sure I could. Most people can learn to shoot. If they really want to. Not everyone is cut out to own and use weapons.”
    Julie Anne bit her lip for a few moments. “I really want to. I think… with things the way they are… I should learn to defend myself effectively. There might not be someone around to save me the way there has in the past.”
    “Think it over tonight. If you still want to do this, catch me in the morning and we’ll set up a training schedule. I take it you