When Hannah finally woke up, she felt like she slept the entire morning away. She'd slept hard and deep. She'd woken up warm and cozy. She noticed another blanket on her bed that hadn't been there when she fell asleep.
Sitting up groggily, she checked the phone… Nothing…
Groaning, she closed her eyes, frustrated. She hoped she would've gotten a call from Mike… a message… anything…
She heard banging sounds coming from the kitchen and cursing.
What the hell is that?
She got out of bed, toes freezing. She grabbed some socks out of her suitcase and pulled on an old college sweatshirt, grumbling.
Opening the door to the bedroom, she smelled bacon, eggs, and… what was that smell?
Hannah stumbled into the kitchen and Jason looked up, embarrassed.
He stood at the stove, hair falling into his eyes, looking very sheepish.
He was already in jeans, barefoot, and a flannel shirt rolled haphazardly to his elbows.
"Shit… did I wake you up?" he asked, embarrassed.
She frowned. Was that what woke her?
"I don't think so..." she said, unsure.
Jason slung a dish towel over his shoulder, tending to something in a bowl with a whisk.
"What're you doing?" Hannah asked carefully, suspicious.
"Making pancakes," he said embarrassed, "I'm craving them for some odd reason."
She stood skeptical. She'd never seen him cook, let alone in the kitchen.
"Heard from your friend?" Jason asked, looking up.
Hannah shook her head, phone still in her hand. "Not yet..."
She set the phone on the counter, giving up that it'd burst into a fit of vibration while in her hand. A watched pot never boils.
Jason poured pancake batter into the hot pan, sizzling and gurgling. Hannah spied dark chunks in the batter.
"Are those blueberries?" she asked incredulously.
"Chocolate chips," he said, wiping the batter from the edge of the bowl.
A phone rang and Hannah leapt towards hers, heart beating wildly, grabbing it up and... It wasn't ringing.
The screen stayed black.
Dismayed, her face fell.
Jason took a phone out of his pocket, feeling bad that she thought it was hers.
"Yeah?" he asked, shoving the phone between his ear and shoulder, motioning for Hannah to go sit at the table.
"No... That is not what I said. If Caleb wants security tightened, that is exactly what you will do. Don't argue with me, Richard... I mean it..." Jason said threateningly.
He hung up the phone angrily, dropping it to the counter. He flipped a pancake and it was so golden brown that it made her stomach grumble.
"Two or three?" Jason asked, getting down a plate.
The whole thing made Hannah very uncomfortable.
"Uh... Just one for now," she said, not used to people making her breakfast and serving it to her.
Jason smiled, anger gone, he dished up that golden brown pancake and set it down in front of her with a fork.
"Maple syrup?" he asked, opening the fridge.
"Ew, no," she wrinkled her nose, "You can't put maple syrup on chocolate chip pancakes."
Jason smiled, flipping his own pancakes.
"Sleep well?" he asked, watching her eat.
She nodded. "Like a rock."
A phone rang again and she jumped up from her seat.
"Easy," Jason warned, "It's me again..."
Hannah sat back down, saddened. She wondered if she would get a call today at all or if she should just give up hope now...
"What's up, Logan?" Jason answered friendly but careful, "Yeah I know, he's not too happy with me. Thanks for letting me know."
Jason hung up the phone and took another forkful of pancakes.
"I hate these damn things," Jason said, dropping the phone, "If Caleb didn't insist on it, I wouldn't have one at all..."
"That's why no one at home has your number?" Hannah asked, chewing.
Jason nodded. "Nothing good comes from phones."
Hannah thought about her next question carefully. "But Caleb insists on it?"
He nodded, mouth full. "He didn't use to, not for me at least, but now that I handle a lot more, he thinks it's necessary. I think it's a pain in the ass."
"So Caleb is like... The leader of the militia?" she asked, wondering how carefully she should take his advice not to ask too many questions.
Jason shrugged. "You could say that. The militia is a lot like any military unit... A lot of tiers but there's always someone who outranks someone else. Caleb is at the top."
"And where are you?" She asked carefully.
Jason smirked. "Well-"
Tires squeezed on the road behind them and Hannah turned suddenly. Jason stood up straighter, setting down his plate.
"If you want to get dressed, I'd say you have four minutes," Jason warned, watching a tall man get off a four-wheeler in the driveway.
Hannah made it back into the bedroom as she heard the front door swing open.
"Jason," she heard the man say, "Where were you this- wait… is that… is that a woman's jacket?"
"Logan…" Jason said carefully, "Listen…"
Hannah couldn't hear the rest of it. She got dressed quickly, not wanting to be seen or caught off guard in her pajamas.
She threw on jeans and a long sleeve shirt, still cold, and a jacket. She pinned back her bangs and tried to seem confident and certainly not intimidated as she stepped back into the kitchen.
Jason stood there sipping coffee with the tall, thin shaggy haired blonde man. He wore a big camo jacket and Wranglers, work boots just like Jason's.
They turned to her. The blonde seemed surprised, Jason looked casual.
"Logan… this is Hannah," Jason said casually, "Hannah… this is Logan."
"Uh… hi," Logan said uneasily. He couldn't be a day over 18.
"Hi," Hannah said, equally unsure.
Logan looked nervously to Jason.
"It's okay, Logan," Jason said, "I've already talked to Caleb… it's okay…"
"What's okay?" Hannah asked, unsure.
"I'll explain later," Jason said, swallowing his coffee. Hannah didn't like that answer.
"If she's okay…" Logan said, trying to comprehend it, "Can I show her around?"
Jason thought about it carefully, eyes looking from Logan to Hannah.
"Sure," Jason said approvingly, "But I'm coming, too."
Hannah frowned. Who was this Logan kid? And what was he going to show her around? All their guns and knives? Eek…
Logan smiled. He reminded her of a golden retriever. All blonde, broad, shaggy, and grinning. Except almost two feet taller than her.
"Hannah," Logan said, smiling, "Let's go."
She looked to Jason apprehensively. He nodded, telling her it was okay. She grabbed the phone off the counter and stuffed it in her pocket. No way she'd miss a call from Mike.
Logan led the way out of the house, bounce in every step. Hannah thought he looked far too happy to be a member of a militia group.
Jason followed silently, letting Logan lead the way down the front steps. Hannah noticed that Jason didn't lock the front door behind him.
Rather than head towards the four wheeler, Logan led them through a small trail through the trees.
"So, how much has Jason told you?" Logan asked, glancing back at her.
"Absolutely nothing," Hannah said, not happy about it.
"Well, here in the militia-"
"Not too much, Logan," Jason warned from behind them.
"Anyways," Logan said, not missing a beat, "We have everything here. Supply house, armory, our own range, everything."
The path opened up to a clearing with several house like buildings. There were numerous men, some with beards, some with hats, but none looked like the other. No uniforms, no identifying markers. It looked like a bunch of guys camping… and carrying a lot of guns.
Hannah could hear guns being shot not too far away. Logan smiled.
"Jason!" a voice called angrily.
Logan tensed and stepped in front of Hannah, broad chest and all. Golden retriever face scowling.
Jason calmly stepped beside her, hands in his pockets, face placid.
A tall man with dark black hair cut short stalked towards them, face angry.
"What the hell?" he barked.
Jason stood calmly. "Back at you, Richard…"
"Why the hell did you bring her here?" Richard barked, eyes angry, "You can't do that."
Jason wasn't phased. "Yes, I can… and I did… Caleb knows about her. She's okay."
"Like hell," Richard spat. Hannah could see the vein in his neck pulsing.
He peered around Logan at her, Logan sidestepping to stay in front of her.
"Knock it off, Logan," Richard snarled.
Logan stared at him defiantly. Jason stood calmly.
"Go ask Caleb, Richard," Jason said flatly, "He'll tell you… Or perhaps you should tell him that you questioned his orders…"
Richard eyed Jason carefully and then turned to Logan, sizing him up.
Angrily, Richard spun on his heel and walked off, furious.
Logan visibly relaxed, swallowing. He'd never defied anyone higher ranking than himself, before, especially Richard.
Jason put his hand on Logan's shoulder, jarring him from his thoughts. Logan was breathing heavily. Logan would've given Richard a run for his money in a fist fight… but Richard had a good ten, maybe fifteen years on him. And all of that was in authority and rank.
"What the hell was that about?" Hannah asked, flabbergasted, ready to call Ryan to ask her to get her the hell out of her.
Logan turned to her, eyes still wide.
Jason answered calmly. "Richard's a dick… no pun intended. He doesn't know how to place nice with others."
Hannah looked to Logan who nodded.
"No, I mean," she started, "What's his deal with me? Why aren't I supposed to be here?"
She realized Richard was probably pissed for the same reason that Logan was uneasy seeing her earlier. Something was not right with her being there…
"Jason…" Hannah pressed, "Why can't I be here?"
Logan shifted uneasily.
Jason shrugged. "Go ahead, Logan. Tell her."
Hannah looked to her shaggy haired Golden Retriever.
Logan looked down. "There's not supposed to be outsiders… The militia is secure because you're either born in or are brought in under very strict circumstances. Any strangers means the entire militia could be compromised. It's not safe…"
Hannah frowned. "Clearly I'm not a threat to anyone…"
"And…" Logan finished, "We're not allowed to bring women in. At all."
She looked around… there were no women… men… men… and men… everywhere.
"Why not?" she asked, voice unsure.
Logan looked to Jason.
"Caleb's rule," Jason explained, "Men want what other men have… Jealousy causes fights and distrust."
Hannah hesitated.
"Caleb already okay'd it," Jason continued, "He knows what happened and he said it was okay. More than okay. He wanted you to come."
Hannah opened her mouth but then heard a phone ring.
Her eyes shot open, looking to Jason.
He shrugged. "Not me this time."
Frantically, Hannah pulled out her phone, slipping on mud under her feet.
Logan caught her by the elbow.
"Mike?"
