Money Grab

"Thank you, Davis, but we have already had this conversation and you know how Calley and I feel about this," Malina pulled on his ear. "We don't need you to fight our battles for us."

"No you don't," Angus said. "You're a little spitfire, Malina and I wouldn't want you mad at me. You were ready to scratch my eyes out though when I told you Davis was lazy. Seems to me like you've got the same idea he has."

"Yes, it makes me very angry for anyone to speak about him like that. But I am Latin and we have fierce tempers. I am trying to be more calm."

"You're perfect just the way you are, little girl," Davis kissed her cheek. "Don't ever change."

Anthony talked for a while about the progress he had made in getting a group together for the trip south for fuel. He was experiencing difficulties in dealing with a militia group headed by a former governor of Oklahoma that had control of the nearest refinery. The man wanted a prohibitive cut of the fuel produced and so far Anthony had little success in talking him off his position. His brother-in-law had agreed to use his truck fleet to haul the fuel but he also wanted a cut and by the time they paid everyone involved it just didn't look like the trip would be worthwhile.

Davis suggested that they think about the abandoned Coastal refinery in Wichita, but the dangers of going there were a huge deterrent. He also had another idea.

"Why can't we make alcohol?" he asked. "It's a fine fuel. We might have to tinker with our engines a bit but we have grain. We can produce more grain and I don't see any end to the amount we could make. Another possibility is natural gas. How many of our oil wells make natural gas? I know five of mine do. I know how to do the conversions and I have the parts for conversions to either. I don't have a still but I know how to make one that will produce 95 percent pure alcohol. The natural gas conversion would be easier. I can convert a small gas engine like a generator in about four hours. People burning propane just have to change the nozzles on their furnace. The biggest problem would be getting the gas to the engines or furnaces. I have about 30 tanks. The coop has compressors for propane we could scavenge. They aren't being used anyway; there's no propane."

"I already have a line," Anthony said. "We quit using it about five years ago when salt water came down the line and ruined the furnace."

"That's just a poor design," Davis told him. "Put a couple of dryer tanks in the line and they collect the salt water. All you have to do is drain them once a month. I know how to install them and I can teach you."

"When can you start?" Anthony asked.

"We can get all the pipe we need from abandoned oil yards. I know where seven are within 20 miles. I can start next week. People will have to get their own pipe. I'm not hauling it for them. I won't install it either. They can do that themselves unless they can't weld. They'll have to find somebody that can and trade with them. Also, while I'm working on their stuff I'm not letting stuff go here. I'll trade for work here. The girls go everywhere I go and I won't leave Will here to do all the work we should be doing. If you pass the word I'll get started. I won't work after the first snow, so we need to get cracking."

Seventeen people wanted to convert to natural gas. Davis started with Joel Anthony. Anthony sent two men to work Davis' place and Davis and the girls had his generator running on compressed natural gas in two days. They converted his tractor and pickup as well, and the girls quickly picked up on the process. Malina turned out to be a very good welder and Calley was a good fabricator. They worked quickly, and by Thanksgiving everyone who wanted to convert was finished.

Davis and the girls took two weeks off and went hunting. Calley didn't really care for hunting, she discovered. She killed a deer and a turkey and retired. She was happy to go with them, and she ran errands and did most of the meat packing after Davis butchered, but she didn't like killing the animals.

They killed 10 deer and 20 turkeys before Davis was satisfied. They went pheasant hunting on abandoned farms to the north and killed 50 pheasants and twice that many quail. Malina loved hunting. Davis taught her how to shoot a bow and all winter, she was as likely to be found sitting in a tree stand as at home. She hunted along the creek inside the fence and took the dogs and hunted the corn fields for pheasants.

Calley and Malina wanted to invite the Ray's for Thanksgiving. Davis smoked a wild turkey and Susan cooked a ham. They played board games and popped maize in the fireplace. Susan and Calley were becoming very close, while the younger girls adored Malina. Her quaint way of talking charmed them to the point that they began to adopt some of her mannerisms, and she was teaching them Spanish.

Davis had made apple cider from some of the apples off his six trees and they sipped hot cider with cinnamon.

They all hugged goodbye and the Ray's went home. Davis sat between his girls on the sofa and ate a turkey sandwich while they drank more cider. Calley was holding Boris on her lap. He was already nearly 40 pounds and Davis declared that he was getting too big to hold.

"No, he's just a baby," she cooed. "Look at him. He loves me."

"Everyone loves you, Calley," Malina told her. "You are so squishy."

Calley was indignant. "I told you she wouldn't like that," Davis laughed.

"But you are," Malina objected. She reached over and squeezed one big breast. "See? I love to squeeze you Calley."

Mollified, Calley arched her back, pressing into Malina's hand. "Okay, I guess I am, but I wish you'd find another word."

"You're getting a little squishier yourself little girl," Davis tested the weight of one of her firm breasts. My little girl's getting big."

"Yes, soon I will no longer look like a little boy. Calley will not be able to tease me anymore."

Davis put Boris on the floor and held his hands out to them. "Let's go to bed and compare squishiness," he laughed.

They lay breathless in the darkness, the girls on each side of Davis, knees touching and cheeks resting on his chest while he ran his hands up and down silky skin and tangled in the tousled hair.

"What do you girls want for Christmas?" he asked.

"I don't know," Calley told him. "Let me think about it."

"I know what I want," Malina said. "I want two days and two nights."

"I don't understand, kitten," Davis said. "Two days and two nights of what?"

"I want you to go somewhere so I can have Calley all to myself for one day and one night. Then I want you all to myself for one day and one night. I do not know how to accomplish this, but this is what I wish for."

"That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard," Calley told her. "I don't know how that can happen, either, but we'll find a way, baby."

"Maybe I know," Davis said. "How far away do we have to be?"

"Not far. I wish for you to be close in case I need you, but not so close that you interrupt me."

"Will is going home for Christmas for two weeks. His folks live out at Coldwater. How would it be if I spent the day and night at his house and Calley stays there the next?"

"Oh, Davis, that would be perfect. You could stay in Will's cute little house and if I need you I could just walk down the bunker and knock."

"I think I know what I want, too," Calley told them. "I think this is what I want but I wanted to talk to you both about it. I'm not sure yet, but I think I will be sure by Christmas."

"What is it, Calley?" Malina asked. "We will give you anything you want."

"I don't want anything from you, Malina, except for you to love me and give us your permission."

"Permission? It is a silliness, Calley. You do not need my permission to do anything."

"I do for this. I would never do it unless you wanted me to."

"You're killing us, Calley," Davis said. "Come on, baby, out with it."

"Okay, here goes. I want an engagement ring from you, Davis. I know you won't marry me until Malina is ready, and I don't want that either, but I want your promise. I want something I can hold on to so I'll have the courage to do the other thing I want.

"What is it, Calley? I cannot stand the suspense any longer," Malina begged.

"I think I want a baby." She burst into tears.

"Oh yes, I should love a baby," Malina squirmed with excitement. "But why are you crying, Calley? Babies should not make one cry. They are very happy. We would be very good mothers, Calley, and Davis would be a wonderful father."

"I know, I was just afraid that you wouldn't want me to. Davis still hasn't said anything. Please, Davis, say something."

"Yes, Davis, you must tell Calley that you love her and that you would love our baby as well. She is very sad and you can make her very happy."

Davis took Calley's right arm and pulled her on top of him and held her tight. He pulled her up so that he could reach her lips and kissed her for a very long time. "You just took me by surprise, Calley. I had no idea that you were even thinking about such a thing."

"But do you want to, Davis?" she asked anxiously.

"I think so," he finally said. "Give me a minute to think. You can't spring this on me and expect me to decide all in a minute. I do love you, Calley, with all my heart, and I love the idea of you having our baby. I just don't know if now is the right time. It might be dangerous for you. It would kill Malina and I if something happened to you. There aren't any hospitals, if you have complications I wouldn't know what to do. How much hardship would a child face being raised in the world right now? I just don't know. Let me think about it. Let's talk about it. Convince me. I'm not saying I don't want to, I do, but I don't know about right now."

"No, I won't convince you Davis. I understand that you need to think about it. I've been thinking for three months. I'm sorry I cried and made you feel like you need to answer now. But think about this; I'm 26 and you're 36. I want to have a baby while I'm still young. I want to be young when our child grows up. I won't ever love anyone else besides you guys. That's all I'm going to say, and Malina, I forbid you to pressure Davis. Let him make up his own mind. If he doesn't think the time is right I'll be fine with that so long as he thinks there will be a right time."

"No, Calley, I promise, but I do want a baby, Davis. I want to have one myself in a few years."

"You know what?" Davis said. "I do know some doctors. Two of my best friends are doctors. The Berkley's live just across the Oklahoma line. His name is Ricky and hers is Kathy. He's a surgeon and she's a pediatrician. I went to grade school with him, and his mom and dad were our neighbors. We've been close ever since. It's only about 40 miles down there. We could go down and stay a couple of weeks. They have a huge house out on a horse ranch, and we could take the Airstream down and stay there for a couple of weeks or so before the baby was born. They could take care of you, Calley. But I'm still getting ahead of myself. Let me think."

He felt Malina's little hand stroking along his thigh. Her fingers danced and his excitement rose again. She moved him into position at Calley's entrance and whispered, "Let's practice."

Calley slid down and he was enveloped in her heat. She sat up and began a slow, languorous movement, her breasts bouncing with her movement and he forgot all other thoughts.

Chapter 12

Reverend King looked out over his congregation with satisfaction. The small church house was nearly full. The gospel had been well received lately, he thought. Numbers had swelled over the last few months. These people knew the millennial reign was about to begin and the last battle was on the horizon. God's enemies were about to be overthrown and the axe was laid to the root of the tree. The chaff was about to be separated from the wheat and cast into the fire.

The chief obstacles to his success in uniting the whole community in the truth were the German Baptists over at Sawyer. They were standing firm in their opposition to the truth. They refused to allow him to preach in their building and denied that he was the Lord's prophet. Ever since Davis Rade had murdered the National Guard unit out of Pratt, more and more people had started attending church at Sawyer. For some reason most of the ranchers west and south of Medicine Lodge regarded Rade as a hero. The Reverend knew how to cope with wickedness. Cut off the head and the snake might writhe around for a while, but the body would die.

The problem was getting to the head. As long as Rade was in his compound he was invulnerable. The Reverend had tried to build enthusiasm for a raid on the compound but the stories of the destruction of the Guard unit had made the rounds and his people viewed an attack on Rade's home as a suicide mission.

The two whores were the key. If the Reverend could get his hands on them, Rade could be lured outside and destroyed. They never went anywhere alone. That difficulty had to be overcome. Rade never left them alone. One of the dances seemed to be the best opportunity, but the Reverend wasn't being invited to those anymore. He had been preaching against revelry and debauchery lately so that he could separate his followers from Rade's influence. His moralizing hadn't gone over well among the independently minded ranchers to the southeast and they had simply ignored him. If he could gain the support of the Rocking Ladder and Z Bar he would have a strong base from which to operate.

With that kind of numbers he could expand to Medicine Lodge, Pratt and Greensburg. The whole of south central Kansas would be under the Lord's control and the gospel could be spread throughout the Midwest. Rade was the obstacle standing in the way.

"My text today comes from Revelation chapter 16, verses 13 through 16," the Reverend began his sermon. 'And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.'

"Make no mistake, my brethren; the final battle is upon us. This is the great day of the wrath of Almighty God. You have seen the first six vials poured out upon the earth. All that remains standing between us and the great day of the Lord when the saints emerge victorious and the faithful are raptured is the appearance of the three unclean spirits.

"But what would you think if I told you that your servant has discovered the identity of the three unclean spirits? What if I told you I know where they are? What if we had the ability to remove them from the face of the earth? Do you want to be saved from the wrath of God? He is depending on us for the spread of his kingdom on earth. Yes, the people in this one little congregation in Kansas are the ones he has chosen as his instruments to cleanse the earth of these vile creatures.

"God has chosen me to lead you and he has revealed to me the location and the names of the three unclean spirits. They have lived among you for years, hiding their evil natures. Who is it that has prevented the spread of the gospel among you? Who is it that has defended the spawn of the false prophet and prevented the outpouring of the seventh vial upon the servants of the beast at Sawyer?

"There are three unclean spirits among us. So long as they go unpunished, God's purpose will be halted. His will cannot proceed so long as they go unpunished. Shall we join together and march toward salvation or shall we cower in fear while the enemies of God move forward boldly. God has chosen me to lead you in this righteous cause. Are you with me, my brothers and sisters?"

A chorus of "Amens" rose from the congregation.

"I can't hear you. Did someone say 'Amen?'"

There was an even louder chorus.

"Who are the unclean spirits, Reverend?" Tom Clanton spoke up.

"They are the three people standing in the way of God's plan," the Reverend thundered. "You know them well. They are Davis Rade, Calista De la Vega and Malina Nebrija. Who was it that defended the spawn of the false prophet in Sawyer when the wrath of God was falling upon them? Who is it that has deceived your neighbors and uses their influence to keep them away from our church and fighting against the will of God? Who is it that attacked the servant of God when called to repentance and held weapons at the ready to murder brother Clanton when he attempted to defend God's servant? God's word reveals that judgment must fall upon the two whores. 'I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore.' These women are her children. 'And by them the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of their fornication'. Your neighbors have been deceived by them and now is the time of God's judgment.

"God has revealed to his servant a plan. Brothers and sisters, will you stand on the Lord's side? Will you join with his servants and overcome these evil spirits?"

The response was everything he had hoped for. He met with his leaders after church and they began to form their plan. It would take a great deal of planning and execution, but he was confident that the truth was mighty and would prevail. The reign of Christ was at hand.

Chapter 13

The three unclean spirits, unaware of their designation, were attending church at Sawyer. It was a cold, clear morning and Malina had risen early, did the chores and cooked breakfast. She dragged a complaining Davis and the somewhat more cooperative Calley out of bed and got them dressed and in the car.

They spent a pleasant day in the company of the Rays. They stopped by the Z Bar on the way home and Angus told them that there would be a dance on Friday at George Lane's house. Lane lived about 10 miles west of Davis, and he really didn't know the man that well. He had come to two of the events, and Angus was planning to go with many of his hands.

Malina wanted to go very badly, and so Davis relented and agreed to go. Lane had primarily been a wheat farmer and Davis had traded some of his Turkey Red to him for seed. They arrived a little late and the dance had already begun. Davis danced with Malina a couple of times and Greg Wilson asked her to dance while Davis went looking for Calley. He found her dancing with Anthony and tagged in. She was looking very beautiful in an electric blue gown and diamonds.

"I told you you would look good in diamonds," he whispered in her ear. "I was right. You're glowing tonight, baby."

"Thanks, Davis, I feel really pretty. I've been wondering if you've given any thought to what we talked about; you know, about a baby."

"I haven't thought about much else. Calley, I love you and I would like nothing better than to make that happen. I know it's what you want and if that's what you want I want it, too."

"That's not good enough," she told him. "I don't want you to want it because I do. I want you to want it because you do."

"Well, I do want it. I'm just afraid."

"What are you afraid of? Are you afraid you won't be a good father?"

"That's not it. I mean yes, I am afraid of that, but what I'm really afraid of is that the world isn't safe for a baby. In ten years I might feel differently, but that window might close for me. I'm just conflicted, Calley. I want you to be happy and I would love to be the father of our baby. I guess I'm telling you I still don't know."

"That's okay, Davis. I'm already happy. I don't want a baby to make me happy. You and Malina make me happy every day. I don't need anything else. I'll wait until you're ready. If you never are, that's okay too. I'm happy you love me and Malina loves me. You're all I need. I just want a baby. I don't have to have one." She reached up and pulled his head down and kissed him.