01 - Nomad Found

Ages - Kurtherian Gambit - Terry Henry Walton Chronicles

Nomad Redeemed >>

It was twenty years after WWDE day, World's Worst Day Ever, that Terry Henry Walton decided to return to civilization (such as it was), to try to bring honor and responsibility back,something he felt he had been remiss in administering in the prior years. He saw changed lands, met changed people, and yet it was still the same, in many ways. Bullies were still bullies, and good folk still existed, trying their best. This first book, Nomad Found, tells of his first experiences with the people he met, the activities in which he participated, and his hopes and plans for his future.

MEET THE STARS

Chapter 01

THE STAR A man came out of the mountains, needed water, food, a bed. Came to Margie Rose’s cabin, was given all, without even asking him his name. He worked around the cabin, then beat off the four bullies who had come to ask for “tribute”. She asked him why he had done that. “Because you gave, with nothing asked in return.” Name? Terry Henry Walton, TH to my friends.

In discussions following, TH offers that there are only two ways to take care of bullies. Either kill them, or make them so scared they won’t be back, and that’s what he was going to do. He had come out of the mountains because he had been hunted there by a pack of were wolves. Had escaped, but needed to move. He was looking for a town where he could help people learn to help each other, make life livable again. He was ashamed of how selfish he had been when he fled after the fall of the world by Chinese hacking, 20 years before. 87% of the world’s population had died off by the end of the first year. The only survivors were the strong – the ones who took all, and gave nothing. Coming out was a chance at his redemption, and he was going to make the most of it, starting with helping Margie Rose. Strongly believed in making your own luck!

THE MAYOR Billy Spires, leader of the closest small town, on the outskirts of old Boulder City, Colorado, had survived by living through a terrible childhood, then the end of civilization, as it was, by being street smart, and controlling people by bullying and access to their food, and Felicity, his girl (the power behind the throne). Controlled him by giving him “Whatever”, “Whenever”, but only after he had asked twice! Average, lower class. Billy had strong-arms, men who did his bidding, protected him, enforced his requests, etc. Four of them had gone to Margie Rose’s cabin, fought, defeated by TH. John, the leader, the most beaten. James (Jim), badly beaten because he wouldn’t keep his mouth shut to TH. Mark lost two teeth and split lips, the fourth man undefined.

THE WERE PACK Were wolf pack who had moved into the territory: Marcus, the Alpha, had begun to like human flesh and blood a few years back, and wanted more of it. His mate, Carumati, was disgusted by this, and avoided him whenever possible. They had chased TH, but he escaped by jumping into the river off of a cliff. Had hunted another man, killed him, but Marcus been wounded in shoulder in the chase.Ted, Simmons, Adams, Merrit, followed Marcus. All had mates back in their camp.

MORE FIGHTS WITH BULLIES

Chapter 02

Another Fight with the Bullies TH followed blood trail back to house the next morning, watched them back-hand their kitchen servant (Mrs. Grimes), went ballistic and jumped into the house, literally. Killed John, rabbit-punched Jim, convinced Mark and Devlin to take Jim with them, and they would all go to meet Billy Spires, or he would kill them now. They agreed.

Chapter 03

Terry Henry Meets Billy Sipes Billy Spires was angry about smaller crops. Farmers should get booted out and others in their place! Ruled by fear. Felicity trying to convince him to mellow. “You want them to work hard, don’t you? Imagine what they would do if they farmed because they loved it, not because they were afraid of you. That used to love farming, now I expect he’s wasting time planning to run away from here.” “You don’t know what you’re talking about. They only know fear.” Terry fought his way in (the other three following), met Billy, sat and said, “My offer is simple. I will work for you as your chief of security. I don’t want your position as mayor or your better half. I want to secure this town so it can grow, become the basis of a new city-state, a nation-state. I don’t do that management stuff, but you do and you do it well. I’ll train these men and others like them to protect and defend this town. I will help you protect your engineers, the people you have to have and who will flourish with freedom and support. Power for all. Water for all.” “Accept his offer and then come to my bed and make love to me,” Felicity taunted. Billy took him up on it, temporarily, until he proved he could be trusted. Sent TH after the hunter who had gone into the hills for elk.

Marcus and his Pack Were pack had dined on man, but only Marcus enjoyed the meal. He wanted to get more information about the humans in town, to try to conquer/destroy, eat. Others ate, but only as little as they could. Maybe pack needs a new Alpha?Marcus angry with pack, finds them plotting against him, fights, almost kills Simmons. Marcus still alpha.Char had gone down to town, to try to gain info re people, so pack could be more successful. Marcus took pack up into mountains to hunt elk, was insisting that they hunt singly, more successful.

Chapter 15

Ted, one of the weres, was wondering if and when they would attack town, eat have humans, live with the Forsaken.

THIRD FIGHT WITH BULLIES

Chapter 04

Terry Henry tells Margie Rose about his past- Marines, left and took private work, end of world, wife and child died, he took off into mountains for 20 years. . I bailed out on it all. Ran away to the mountains to hide. I’m so sorry, Margie Rose, that you and people like you had to go it alone. For you and for them, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for my disgrace, my running.” Business. He was back into the business of humanity, but this time, he bore the burden alone. “You’ve made me believe that people can be good to each other again. All it cost me is a pan of scrambled eggs in the morning and something for dinner? It’s a deal, Terry Henry Walton. You keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing,” Margie Rose said.TH wants to keep Felicity around. Sensed something special about her.

Felicity torments Billy into visiting farmer he had thrown out, apologize. Getting Billy to apologize was only so they could get better vegetables. It was all part of her plan, because she deserved the best.After Billy enjoys complimenting people instead of ordering them around, she supports him in his new “role”. It was the first big step in a long line of steps that would ultimately lead to her riding in a vehicle.

Chapter 05

Terry Henry goes to wake his men, get out to the mountain to find hunter. They’d had breakfast, went back to bed. Not for long. Last threat given. Shape up, or they’re dead.TH goes into the Mountains with Mark and Devlin (Jim home in bed, concussions). Discovers they will be a liability, sends them back to work with farmer, to help with crops. TH finds body, killed, takes ammo, cleaning kit, turns horse free. Starts home to Margie Rose, decides to hunt on way, so he doesn’t come home empty handed. Killed and cleaned a spike buck, kept on walking home.

TERRY HENRY, BILLY, AND THE FUTURE

Chapter 06

Terry Henry tells Billy about the dead hunter, asks for gun and ammo for his Security Force. Billy agrees to M-4 and .45, with ammo. TH and Felicity talk, TH making it clear that he wants NOTHING to do with Felicity. That she needs all three of them doing their job if town is to get off the ground. Billy overhears, is happy about it. TH wants to go into countryside to enlist population to come to town to live. OK with Mayor? Yes!Goes to farmer’s greenhouses on way, talks to Mark, Devlin. They want to be warriors, like he is. He agrees, they go home to fix door, clean up hose, TH takes peppers and flower to Margie Rose.

Chapter 07

Terry pushes the men hard, and seven days later Jim shows up to begin training. Terry lets others take him on first run. Still needs larger force, more people in town.

Chapter 08

The Were Pack and the Town Marcus in watch over town. Wants to capture, destroy it, but needs more information before he can. Charumati volunteers to go into town, get info, come back. Billy decides to go hunting, shoots a small deer. Charumati comes down hill, meets Billy. Char dirty, full of twigs, “alone in the mountains for years.” Go into town, Felicity decides Char should stay at Margie rose’s house, along with the other stray from the mountain. TH upset. A Were? At his house? They’re Dangerous! If she finds out he knows, she could kill him. He’ll need to keep a weapon available at all times! Live in the barracks? No! Don’t want to leave Margie Rose alone with her!

ANOTHER BULLY, SAWYER BROWN

Chapter 08

Sawyer Brown, General of the Army of the Rockies. 23 men, horses, ammo. He loved civil war history and considered the fall to be a second round in the north versus the south. He never knew that the nukes that fell weren’t from the United States and the destruction wasn’t self-induced. He didn’t care about any of that, because he was somebody, and had been ever since the fall. Because the biggest and strongest survived. And that was him. Sawyer had been in his prime, a man twenty years old, when the end came. A construction worker since his early teens, he moved materials through brute force. At six and a half feet tall, he towered over his co-workers and after the fall, he towered over the other survivors. He took what he wanted, gathered minions to serve him, and turned them into the ultimate scavengers. They were set to become the ultimate raiders, too. He was on his way to building an unstoppable army. But they were all second class citizens. No one mattered but him. Men building saddles for recently acquired horses, to go on raiding expedition. Clyde, his dog, goes along, too.

Chapter 09

Start off on journey east, then north, to Billy’s town. Nine people on horses. Camp out first night, three rabbits, one small deer. Clyde enjoyed his feast.

Chapter 10

Three days later, men approach close to Billy’s town, find outlying cabin, a couple just sitting down to dinner. Brown and company fight them, kill man, woman stabs herself, suicides. They warn Brown that Terry will get him. Brown slept comfortably in their bed that night. Group awakens the next morning, sets fire to the cabin, get ready to ride into town.

As Billy and Felicity come to their security group, watch them practice shooting without ammo, they all see greasy smoke of cabin burning close by. Terry and Char reconnoiter, see Brown’s group riding away, towards town. Terry plans, sends Billy and Felicity off with Ivan for protection, places others of group in position to intercept (with ammo for guns), with himself and Char in the middle, head-on.

Chapter 12

“What business do you have here?” Terry Henry asked. Trading. Sawyer Brown, Denver Way. Char approached Brown and men, while Terry prepared to shoot. Terry shoots two men on right, char attacks Sawyer, right jab to jaw. Sawyer falls off horse, Clyde barking all of the time. Char kills two men in front of Sawyer, whom TH had brought to the ground. TH waits for clear shot. Char turns into wolf in fight, kills more.

Mark and Devlin running, shooting, distracting men in center, giving Terry opening he needed, but Sawyer and two men riding away, escaping. A successful mission. Terry reassessed the tactical situation. Six enemy down, no friendlies injured. Three escaped, including the leader and that was a major shortcoming. Five rifles and one shotgun recovered. Four rifles functional. Once they checked the saddlebags, they found more ammunition, an entire brick—about a thousand rounds for the AK-47s. They only found four shells for the 12-gauge. And then there were the six horses. But they should go after Sawyer and men, and kill them. But first things first. “Listen up, we’re going to walk through this engagement, talk about every aspect of it, what we liked, what we didn’t like, and what we need to do better.”

Chapter 13

Brown’s group of three run for home, will come back with entire group to take Walton and Char. Two horses die shortly after they got home “Something they ate”.

Brown prepares to go back to Old Boulder, take TH and Char. Collects people, maybe 100, including families, to walk the 100 miles, to “start their new life”. Jagoff, his 2nd, doesn’t like the way he’s lying to everyone, wants only able-bodied to walk with him, and doesn’t care about others.

Chapter 15

Fifteen can run with group. Sawyer irritated. Shoot first, talk later. After dark Brown hears a howl, recognizes Clyde’s sounds. Tells men to prepare, be ready to shoot, know that battle was coming. Senses TH’s group close ahead, waits for morning dawn.

Chapter 17

Terry Henry attacks, both sides fight, but James, Jagoff, one of Sawyer’s men shot him, so others could surrender and live.

TERRY HENRY AND WEAPONS

Chapter 08

TH stops by Billie’s to ask him about additional weapons for men, find Felicity burning all of his clothes for bringing Char home.

TH asks Billie for weapons, horses to go on recruiting expedition. Terry now has four men, as John (Ivan, Billie’s brother) joined the group. Will try him out. Billie took him to the Armory. There were two more M16s, the older style. There were four total boxes of ammunition for them and a .38 with six cartridges in the cylinder and six more in a small bag. Billy offered it all. Terry took the two rifles, one box of ammunition, and the pistol. Stopped by the barracks to show the munitions to the group, caught Ivan about to cuff Mrs. Grimes on the head, threatened him instead. Gave munitions to group to practice dismantling and refitting three times, come to him when done. Gave empty guns to men, giving them responsibility for them. Went home to Margie Rose’s, find Char and Margie grilling venison.

TERRY HENRY AND TRAINING

Chapter 09

TH took group out on a run, found that Devlin, Mark and Jim had all left Ivan behind. NO one leaves a comrade behind! Asked Ivan what he was good for? Standing night watch! Everyone is good for something!! Reprimanded them, and asked what they thought FDG stood for? “We take the battle to others. If someone wants war, let us bring it to them. New Boulder is a place where people need to not just feel safe, but be safe. That’s our job. It’s best if we protect them as far away from our town as possible. They don’t need to know that we’ve fought our mutual enemies on their behalf. They need to go about their business, enjoy their lives. Then we come home and continue ours, just until the next time,” Mark told the group. TH made Mark a corporal for that answer, and told them that they were now a military unit, and would operate as such. Dry shooting for several days, to become familiar with feel, then maybe one or two shots downwind. Meanwhile, work with farmers, make people happy. Terry has plans to wheedle barley from the farmers, to make beer. First beer in 20 years!

Chapter 10

Char and Terry hand-to-hand fight, Terry bests Char. Char surprised, humbled, wants to join his security force, learn from him.

Margie Rose tries to match make with Terry and Char, but TH wants to keep it professional for a while. Takes Char to group, has her fight and mangle each one, in turn. Never underestimate opponent! Don’t be deceived by looks!

Felicity and Billy, on way to see security group practice, noticed Char had joined them. Felicity not pleased.

Chapter 11

As Billy and Felicity come to group, watch them practice shooting without ammo, they all see greasy smoke of cabin burning close by. Terry and Char reconnoiter, see Brown’s group riding away, towards town. Terry plans, sends Billy and Felicity off with Ivan for protection, places others of group in position to intercept (with ammo for guns), with himself and Char in the middle, head-on. As TH Char and group go off, Billy, Felicity and Ivan run for their house, into town. Felicity and Ivan can’t keep up, so Billy runs ahead, gets to upper floors with gun, watch Ivan and Felicity saunter towards the house. Billy instructs Ivan to get shotgun, and watch out the back.

Chapter 12

TH sends Mark and Jim to cabin, to find whatever was there, TH, Char, Devin come back to Billy’s, Felicity gets Char clean clothes. TH decided he could trust Char to fight for them, not to betray them. She could have, and she hadn’t. Good enough. TH and Char go back to Margie Rose’s, with Clyde. Tell her all is OK, she will be safe.

Chapter 13

BEER ! ! Beer! Billy and Felicity decide to go to visit farmers, TH and Char decide to do same. Devlin to first greenhouse, Ivan to second, Mark and Devlin to fourth, where Billy and Felicity would show up. TH and Char to third, where Pepe Morales. (See Beer, Miscellaneous)

TERRY HENRY TAKES THE BATTLE TO SAWYER BROWN

Chapter 15

After Brown and the remaining horsed heal, he and his men take off for battle with TH. Brown wants Char! And to kill Terry Henry.

Terry Henry and Force de Guerre set out, also, one week after their engagement, with Clyde to lead the way. Six, armed, on horseback. Plan with group how to succeed. We see them first, spread out, hunt” alone. Three groups of two, center front, right side back, left side farther back. Arm, hand signals for communications. Has ulterior motive. Wants to find Air Force Bases, with guns and Ammo, wo take back as well, once they finish off brown. Don’t tell anyone yet. Char goes off to hunt after dark, camp shuts down, Clyde alongside TH.

Char hunted, caught, ate a javelin, and was struck in back leg by a snake as she finished. Fought it, killed it, healed because she was were, brought it back to group for stewpot.

Chapter 16

During night watch, Char takes off, doesn’t tell TH she’d gone. Ivan reports sounds, seeing men on horses. TH sends Char out to scout, readies men for when she comes back. Char back, they plan for four of them to get behind Sawyer’s men, Char and Terry to take the front, with Clyde. TH and Sawyer talk, Sawyer says to send Char to him. She starts walking. TH fires, Sawyer fire, everyone fires. Sawyer hits TH, but his Colt took the shot at his chest, and saved him, but for a bruise. Char hit twice, leg and chest, will heal, but refuses to eat/drink humans fore energy. Will just take longer to heal.

Chapter 17

Jagoff, James, one of Sawyer’s men, shot him so that the others could surrender and live. Terry Henry offers them respite ahead, in their town in Boulder. They accept. Took two days to go back to their original town, horses with travois for ammo and supplies, pick up townspeople. TH wants to take Char and go further South, to find the armament posts he knows are there, but Mark insists that he act as a true leader would, and bring them all back to Boulder. No decision made.