Post Plague Kidnapping - Published!

Chapter 3

7/21/2019: Updated to the published version.

James slowed as he pulled up to the outer perimeter. Leah switched off the radio, leaned forward, and looked around. There were tall guard towers set evenly apart every fifty yards with a tall chain link fence between them. There was a gate over the roadway. A guard opened it for them, clearly recognizing James and Dale.

After they passed through, Leah turned in her seat, trying to gather as much information about their security measures as possible. "Are yall trying to keep people out or in?"

James smiled. "It works for both."

They drove on through open grass fields. Cattle were out on the left and horses on the right. It took another fifteen minutes before the colony itself came into view. It was surrounded by a stone wall, like a medieval village, with more guard towers along its length. Leah said, "Wow, cozy. You really need two walls?"

James said, "There is an inner and an outer perimeter. Between the two are fields of crops like wheat and corn, orchards, and grazing lands for cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. There are a few buildings – dairy, barns, stables, and the like. Inside the inner perimeter are the houses and public buildings, stores, hospital, and that's where the vegetables are grown, some in fields, some in greenhouses."

"Stores? Do yall use money?"

"Sort of, we earn tickets for contributing to the colony in different ways. Then we spend those tickets to get things we want."

"But there are tons of things just lying around outside."

"Some people leave the colony and go pick up things from the outside. That's one way of contributing. Most people don't leave. So, they work a job, and earn tickets to buy what they want."

Leah frowned. "What's my job going to be?"

James smiled. "You don't need one. I'll take care of you. I've already earned more tickets than you could spend."

Resentfully, she asked, "By kidnapping women?"

He grinned. "By finding survivors and bringing them here."

"You're like a slave trader." That wiped the grin from his face.

It was Dale who said, "Most people want to come here, Leah."

She turned to Dale and said sarcastically, "Yeah, like me and Lacy."

Dale said, "Most of the women who come here, come voluntarily. They're set up in a house and courted by a lot of men. They choose which one they want to settle down with in their own time."

Leah looked at James. "Do I get a choice then?"

James smiled. "Sure, you get to choose when you give in."

"What if I don't want you? What if I want someone else?"

"What if hell freezes over?"

Leah let out of a huff and turned to him. "Seriously, why don't I get a choice?"

"Because I'm in love with you already." James smiled at her. "And I caught you myself."

Dale said, "Everyone knows James wants you for himself, Leah. There isn't a man in the colony that would go against him for you."

She asked, "How do they know about me?"

Dale answered with a smile. "It's a small town, with small town gossip. James is kinda famous for bringing people in, so when he was gone for a whole month without the crew, people asked questions. We didn't see any reason to keep it a secret."