Ch 14
Duncan agreed to run a camera for Jackie. There was no official recording of the matches, so he became her cameraman. Although she claimed not to, he knew Jackie had an ego not far away from her sister. They loved to be active and love attention on themselves.
Not ever doing much recording himself, Duncan decided to practice some on their way in. He got a shot of the lobby, and the registration desk where a few men were hanging around. Testing the audio, he zoomed to listen to them.
"Monty, you're one of the best, just go out there and focus, I'm sure you'll win."
"Anthony, you're doing sabers this year?"
"Yeah I am, If I'm not the winner, I'm sure to be a contender."
"OH hell."
"The blonde, you know her Monty?"
"Yeah, had a match against her. She kept up with me using her off hand. She switched to her primary hand and I couldn't even keep up with her movements. That girl is dangerous out on the mat."
"She can't be THAT good."
"Strong as hell and faster than lightning."
"That tasty little bed muffin?"
"Don't say that to her face, trust me on this ... Hey Jackie!"'
"Montgomery? Wow! Never thought I'd see you here," Jackie beamed.
"I'd say the same thing. How have you been?" Montgomery asked and extended him hand.
Jackie shook it. "Been doing OK. How about yourself? Win any tournaments?"
"Two," he agreed, "That is after you weren't participating."
The taller man, Anthony, looked down on Jackie. "You won against Monty here? I'd have to see it to believe it."
"Then watch," Jackie told him. To Montgomery she said, "Make it to the final match with me?"
"You know I'll try my hardest. Registering for the Eepe tournament?"
Jackie nodded. "And the saber tournament."
Anthony clapping a hand down on her shoulder. "Jackie you could get hurt real bad, don't for your own good!" he said firmly.
Jackie cast a fake smile up at him then gave him a rib shot with her index finger. He recoiled like he'd been shot. "You better be careful, mister. Touch me again and you'll be leaving with broken bones," she said in a harder tone.
Anthony glowered at her, then flicked his eyes at the camera watching them. "I'll see you on the mat!" he growled.
"You better hope not," Jackie replied flatly.
Anthony stormed away.
"Ah, Jackie, he's one of the best saber fencers there is," Montgomery offered.
"Good, I like a challenge," She replied. "I suppose we can't do Indigo and the Man in Black again here?" she asked with a grin.
Montgomery laughed. "Pardon me, do you have six fingers on your right hand?"
Jackie held her hand up wearing a wide grin. "Do you always begin conversations this way?"
"That was fun doing that," Montgomery said. He then took on a serious look. "Can you fence with a saber? You know it' s not gong to be scripted."
"That's right," Jackie said, mirroring his now serious tone. "Montgomery, I was up in Canada. This bad guy up there wanted to duel. Sabers. Real army sabers. He didn't touch me but I stabbed him deep in the chest, then took his head. I still got the saber."
"You killed him?" he asked weakly.
"I've killed a lot of people. But only those who deserved it," Jackie said flatly. She then grinned a malicious grin and added, "Go tell Mr. bad-ass I'm nothing to worry about. I'll only break one or two of his bones. I have to go get registered now. Been good to see you." She clapped him on the arm and went to the desk.
Duncan was wishing he hadn't recorded that last bit.
The attendant registered Jackie in the Eepe tournament, but didn't want to register her for the Saber tournament. Jackie insisted, and wanted the saber that was reserved for her. He finally did, and after Jackie paid the entrance fee, he retrieved the sword for her.
Jackie hefted it and moved few moves with it while he got her in the computer, then she went into the girl's locker room to change.
Duncan found a place on the bleachers to watch. He panned the camera around the hall to show the insides to Charlie. Seeing Peyton coming in with most of the Dojo group, Duncan put the camera on him. "Hey Peyton! Come to watch the matches? I'm recording for Charlie."
Peyton waved. "Hey Uncle Charlie! We came down to see Jackie fence. We've seen what she can do in the Dojo."
"We want to watch her kick some ass!" a happy girl announced, holding up a fist.
"Have a seat guys, the matches are starting soon," Duncan told them.
A short time later, a man at the scoring desk beyond the fencing mat announced. "Welcome. Today we have two tournaments. The first will be the Eepe tournament, followed by the saber tournament. The winner of each tournament will win a $5000 cash prize or a place in the upcoming Olympic games. Due to Olympic rules, the athlete that wins cannot accept money for participating in the games. And now, for our first fencers, Jacob Ewing and Jackie Connor.
The crowd around Duncan cheered.
They came out holding their helmets. "Ready," the man announced.
They donned their helmets and saluted each other, then held their blades out. Jackie's in her left hand.
They came together. Jackie whacked his sword and leaned forward quickly. He jumped back. Duncan could see at the very beginning of this match, Jackie had the upper hand. Jacob was poised, waiting for her to strike. she faked a strike, he parried and lunged, she knocked his sword aside and touche'd him in the chest, then jumped back.
A red light lit up on Jackie's side, a short buzzed sounded.
"She strikes like a snake!" Peyton exclaimed.
The rest of the match was the same. Score, Jackie 5, Jacob zero.
Eight more pairs came up to fence the first round. A few were close, but Jackie was the only one to leave her opponent scoreless.
The second round came up and again, Jackie fenced left handed and left her opponent scoreless.
In the third round, The one facing Jackie was much warier and more aggressive. They clashed blades, jumping back and forth. Jackie got a touche, he got a touche, then Jackie got two in a row. He got another one, then Jackie got two more, ending the match. Instead of walking away, he saluted her again. She returned the salute. Since there was one odd man now, a volunteer came out to fence with him. It was Jackie. She beat him 5-1.
"Duncan, I didn't think Jackie was left handed." Peyton asked.
Duncan grinned. "She's not. Right now, she's still playing with them."
Peyton shook his head. "That's some damn good playing."
In the finals round it was Montgomery and Jackie.
"A re-match?" Montgomery asked.
"Indeed!" Jackie said brightly. "Best of luck!"
"To you too!" he replied.
They put their helmets on. Jackie tossed her sword up and caught it in her right hand and they saluted.
"Now, she's getting serious," Duncan told the crowd around him.
Both fencers were good. They jumped back and forth, nearly together as their blades were blurs in the air. Montgomery got a point Jackie quickly answered, then in a blur, she trapped his blade in a spin then dove in low to touche his belly and jumped back. He followed and frantic motions he tried to tag her shoulder. Jackie dropped at the last second and whacked him in the arm.
Everyone on the benches were slid forward on the edge of their seats. Montgomery got a third Touche on her, Jackie got her fourth. seven minutes into this frantic match, Jackie spun her sword around whistling his again and sent his sword flying. She jumped back and waited for him to retrieve it.
Montgomery retrieved his sword and saluted her. She returned the salute.
"She could have ended the match right then," Peyton said.
"To her, that would have been dishonorable," Duncan replied.
They went at it again in a frantic clash of blades. Jackie backed Montgomery up to the line where she could go no further ahead. He jumped forward, knowing she had to back up. Jackie dropped into a squat and touche'd him in the belly.
Match over, Jackie won 5-3 and won the tournament. After their salute, they took their helmets off and met to shake hands. Where they met was by a microphone. Their words were herd by the spectators.
"Congratulations, Jackie. You are one hell of a fencer."
"You're getting better, Montgomery, you made me use my right hand this match. Keep trying harder."
Montgomery laughed. "I'm beginning to think you should be my instructor."
"Naw, thanks for the vote of confidence though."
Peyton shot to his feet and yelled, "Now THAT'S sportsmanship!"
His statement got applause. Jackie and Montgomery turned and bowed to the crowd.
The announcer said, "The winner of the Eepe tournament is Jackie Connor! Jackie, which prize will you take?"
Jackie looked at Montgomery and said, "The cash, I think Montgomery here really wants to go to the Olympics. He's plenty good enough."
"There is no prize for second place, only a ribbon."
"Fine, then I'll take the Olympics and give it to Montgomery here," Jackie told him.
"Jackie, you don't have to do that," Montgomery told her.
"The prize is non transferable," the announcer stated.
"Then I forfeit!" Jackie barked at him and pointed to Montgomery. "He won!"
Montgomery stared at her.
"But..." the announcer stuttered.
"I forfeit, so he won!" Jackie said and walked away.
The announcer let out a sigh. "Jackie Connor has forfeited the match. The winner of the Eepe tournament is Montgomery Weston."
"WHY did she do that?" a girl behind Duncan cried.
Duncan chuckled. "I think because she knows Montgomery there wants to go to the Olympics. From what I've seen, they are friends, and she's helping her friend out."
.
In the athlete lounge, Jackie came in to grab a bottle of water after she put her sword and helmet away. Seeing her, Anthony got up and said, "Hey, little bitch! just quit now or you will be in severe pain. Yeah, I'm talking to you, miss bed muffin!"
Everyone in the room gaped at him. Jackie got her water and turned to him. Pointing a finger she said, "If you are unlucky enough to be my opponent, You'll never fence again after what I'm going to do to you."
Anthony growled. "You think a lot of yourself, you little..."
"THAT'S ENOUGH" another man roared as he shot to his feet. "Knock it off now or I'm turning you in for unsportsmanlike conduct!"
"I will too," someone else said.
"I'm thinking sexual harassment also," another guy added.
"Me too," yet another guy said.
"I'll agree with that," yet another guy said. "In fact, why wait. I can understand not liking someone, but this is the second time he harassed her."
.
Waiting for the saber matches to begin, Duncan noted a few fencers come out to stand across from the table. The mike was turned off. The fencers talked to the men , waving their arms to the side. The discussion went on for a short time, then the fencers walked back to where they came from.
After they went in the tall, broad fencer that had words with Jackie before came out. The announcer, microphone on, held up a yellow card. "Mr. Perkins, you have received a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct in harassing Jackie Connor. "If it happens again, this card turns red and you are ejected from the tournament."
Anthony stomped away, angry.
"Think he'll try to hurt her?" Peyton asked.
Duncan replied, "I think he'll end up in the hospital, if he's lucky."
The saber matches started. With the heavier blades it was easy to see why some people got hurt in these matches. In the second match, one guy chopped down hard on the other's right wrist, making that man drop his sword. Match over. that man had been winning 3-2, but once he was disarmed, he lost. He went back to the locker room, holding his wrist.
Jackie came out in the fourth match, and saluted, sword in her left hand. In the furious battle, she touche'd her opponent three times in his body. Frantic to get a point, he charged. she knocked his blade away and touche'd his belly. The momentum of his own charge made the touch she planned into a hard stab. He folded and dropped his sword. Jackie stayed next to him, got their helmets off and coaxed him to breathe. When he stumbled up, she helped him to stand up. He patted her shoulder and walked off the mat. She was credited with the win as she stayed by him as they left for the locker rooms.
Duncan noted the Anthony who'd gotten a card was unforgiving to his opponents. The first one he met, he'd come down hard on the man's wrist, then walked back to his start point as the man stumbled away. On his second round, he'd disarmed the man with a hard strike then stabbed him in the solar plexus. Jackie came out in the second round and beat her opponent with skill and speed and didn't damage him.
In the second match of the third round, the announcer said, "Next up is Anthony Perkins and Jackie Connor."
"Kick his ass!" a girl behind Duncan yelled.
Jackie got her helmet on and gave a fast salute, her sword was in her right hand. She also crouched low and waved him forward.
"She looks serious," Peyton noted.
"Someone's gonna get hurt bad," Duncan said.
"Kick his ass!" the girl behind him hissed.
The match started. Anthony came on, in a fast but even rush. Jackie raced at him. He came down hard with his blade, Jackie twisted and deflected it then slashed him on his knee and jumped back a bit and came on again as he was recovering. He tried to slash at her, again she blocked his blade and slashed his other knee so hard he stumbled. She jumped back again. Anthony limped back behind the line, getting his guard up.
Jackie waved him forward. "Not giving up, are you" she asked.
"Miss, Connor, you must go back to your start," the announcer said.
Jackie stood up and turned her back to Anthony and walked back up the mat. In fencing, this was an insult. In an angry growl, he charged.
Jackie listened, and when he was getting close she spun to him and dropped low. His slash came down hard on her back, making a thud that echoed though the room. Jackie jumped up and stabbed him in the right shoulder so hard, she forced him back. As he backpedaled, she jumped out enough to show a retreat, then charged in again. His shoulder aching, he tried to hit her again, She smashed his sword aside and chopped down on his right side collar bone. She could feel the snap through her blade when the bone broke. She jumped back and waited as he howled.
She motioned him forward.
Anthony let out pained sounds as he held his right shoulder. In his pained growl, he shifted his sword to his left hand.
"Glutton for punishment?" Jackie asked. She waved him on again."Come on, I got one more point to go," she chided.
The big fool came on. Jackie didn't try for a point, She bashed away his sword every time he tried to hit her. She just defended until his moves became even sloppier and slower. Upon him desperately trying to slash down on her, she hit his blade hard, knocking it back. He stumbled and she found her target. In a fast strike, she stabbed his right shoulder again. She heard a crack. He screamed and fell.
Medics came up to tend to him. Jackie backed away.
"The winner of this match is Jackie Connor, five to one." the announcer said.
The group around Duncan stood up and applauded. Jackie bowed to them and walked away.
The medics took Anthony to the hospital. His right shoulder was dislocated with the rotator cuff tendons ripped free, he had a broken collar bone, his left knee was bruised, his right knee was cracked and swelled up large. His fencing days were over. Jackie didn't just beat Anthony, she destroyed him.
.
Going back into the athlete's lounge, Jackie got stares from those there. Seeing this, she shrugged. "In saber matches, injuries do happen. Mr. Loud Mouth liked to injure his opponents. I think he got off on it. I showed him what injury was. He won't be back."
"Hey Jackie?" a brown hired man said, "You get all that anger out on him, right?"
Jackie eyed him. "Yeah, OK, we'll be going out soon for the final match. Don't worry, I won't try to take you out completely. That last asshole deserved what he got."
"That smack on your back was hard, we heard it. Aren't you sore?" another guy asked.
"Naw, bit of an itch, it's nothing," she assured him.
"For the tournament win, the next match is William Foster and Jackie Connor."
"Come on, William, we're up," Jackie chirped.
.
The had a good match. Instead of trying to take her out with every swing, William fought smart. Jackie had to stay on her toes with this guy, even right handed. She still won 5-4, but it was a good match. At the end they saluted each other then took their helmets off and met in the middle to shake hands.
William chuckled and said, "And I'm the gold medalist."
Jackie grinned. "Good! That means I can take the cash and buy Duncan dinner!"
William laughed.
.
The second day, Charlie woke up in the morning feeling great. In bed, he stretched and chuckled, he felt so good. He swore everything was fine, neither his back hurt, nor did he feel any prickly nerve pains. It was almost like he was in a new body.
A knock came at the door. "Charlie, you awake?"
Jackie had told him to take it easy until she got here today. He had to test himself a bit. "I'm up, Theresa," He said and moved his legs. They were a bit weak from not having done it in a while, but nothing hurt. Gingerly, he sat up. He then gently twisted side to side. No pain, no nothing. His door opened and Theresa came in with the stretcher with the board on it. She gaped at him.
"Charlie! You're not suppose to do that! You could break your back!" she cried.
"Theresa, I feel fine. Hell, I feel like going out for a run around the block!" he replied with a big smile. "So tell me, just what did Jackie put in her breast milk?"
She blushed and said, "Nothing. Straight from her nipple into the glass. I watched her. I couldn't believe she was doing that."
Charlie chuckled. "You know, Duncan told me it was magic. I'm beginning to really believe it."
"There's no such thing as real magic, Charlie," she reminded him.
"There is. Did you know I watched Duncan get shot in the heart? You saw the scars on my chest. I was shot and spent weeks in the hospital and almost died. Duncan catches one, possibly two bullets right in the heart. When I wake up, he's sitting there by my bed like nothing ever happened. At first, he wouldn't tell me anything. That McLeod secrecy of his. He finally asked me if I would believe it was magic." Charlie shook his head with a grin. "Now he shows up with a blonde bombshell who gives me her breast milk, and it has made me better. He said it was magic."
Theresa shifted in place. "Charlie, I don't know why, but you need to lay back down so I can get you onto this thing." he pushed it up beside him.
"OK, you're the nurse," Charlie said. He got up and got onto the stretcher.
"Charlie!" she cried.
"I'm on, drive on driver," he said with a grin.
Flustered, Theresa took him out to his living room. "Charlie, please, for me, behave yourself!"
"I'm OK now, allright?" he replied. "I haven't felt this good in years!"
"Let me get you into your chair, I'll call the doctor to get you an appointment for an X-ray," she pleaded.
Charlie suffered through Theresa getting him into his chair. He helped a bit, which made her frown and admonish him again. She went to make him breakfast. He grabbed his remote and turned on the news. He listened to the political shit and the local happenings, then the weather. Then the sports news came on. The man went through the baseball and football scores, who won against who where, then showed a picture of the fencing center.
"Yesterday was the tournaments for the fencing league to see who would be picked to be our Olympic champions. It was an unusual night. in the Eepe blade contest, Jackie Connor hands down, won that tournament, but in the biggest show of sportsman ship ever seen, she forfeited to her opponent, Montgomery Weston, so he could be in the Olympics AFTER she won their match."
Charlie sat up.
"In the Saber tournament, Anthony Perkins was so injured by his opponent, Jackie Connor, that he was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. Miss Connor went on to win that tournament also. She waved the Olympic offer to get the cash reward so she could take her friend out to dinner. All we have to say is, that must be some friend!"
"Charlie, what are you doing!" Theresa cried. Coming in holding the tray with his breakfast she barked, "Lay down!"
Charlie did and said, "That Jackie that was here with Duncan? She won both fencing tournaments, and put a guy in the hospital. I can't wait to see how she did that."
Theresa put his tray down across his lap. "She is a strong one, that's for sure. Scared the crap outta me. Never been picked off my feet like that before by anyone."
"Duncan said she was special. You know, I know Duncan has gotten into some heavy shit and walks the edge very closely at times. I'm thinking Jackie is the same. Maybe that's why they're together now. They know right where the other one is coming from. Tell you one thing, I sure as hell don't want to be the poor fool to challenge either of them."
"And I'm telling you, Charlie Desalvo, to stop sitting up and such before you hurt yourself!" She said frowning at him. "Her breast milk might have tasted great, but there's no way it can heal missing bone and cut nerves!"
"Then how come I can feel my whole leg now, even my foot?" he asked. "Go ahead, test me. I'll close my eyes, poke me and I'll tell you where you're poking."
"I'll test you, eat first."
After Charlie was done with breakfast, Theresa did test him. She put a cloth over his eyes so he couldn't cheat. To her shock, he accurately told her every place she poked up and down his leg, his foot and his side.
"It's a miracle," she whispered.
There was a knock on the door. Theresa let Duncan and Jackie in.
"How you feeling, Charlie?" Jackie asked as she came in.
"Fantastic!" he beamed back. "It's like there's nothing wrong with me. Heard you did real good in those matches."
"Yup! and I even got to take Duncan out for a nice dinner after."
Charlie saw Duncan hooking the camera to his TV. "What's this about you sending someone to the hospital?"
Jackie frowned briefly. "He was an asshole. Told me I was a cute little bed muffin, that I couldn't survive a saber match, shit like that. I held my temper, like Duncan helped me do, then when I met him out on the mat, I destroyed his chance to ever fence again. He'll be in the hospital a while." She then winked.
Duncan got the recording started. Jackie sat by Charlie."There he is," she said, pointing him out.
The guy was huge, he clapped a hand down on her shoulder and spoke to her. she jabbed a finger into his ribs, making him back up.
Charlie was riveted to the matches, especially Jackie's matches. She moved quick and struck fast fencing with her left hand. Then she fought Montgomery, she switched her blade to her right hand.
"I'm not left handed, I was just having fun up to this point," she told him.
In this match, she was a blur of speed. When she disarmed Montgomery, sending his sword flying, she stepped back and waited for him to retrieve it. Charlie watched the last part of the match and turned to her. "You won, you beat is ass, why forfeit?"
Jackie shrugged. "I know Montgomery really wants to go to the Olympics. I don't so I let him take the prize."
When it came to her Saber match against 'Mr. Asshole,' Jackie said, "He had way too much confidence and ego. Watch what I did to him."
Charlie did. Motioning him forward, Jackie egged him on. Even after she whacked both his knees and egged him on again, He didn't give up like he should have at that point. She turned around and walked back to her side, which was a big insult. He took the bait and charged. He did get a hard hit across her back, but Jackie stabbed him in the right shoulder so hard, Charlie winced. She then broken his collar bone and stabbed him again in the shoulder so hard he was pushed backwards. he fell screaming.
Charlie turned to stare at Jackie. "You really are a bad-ass."
"You know it! I am a Connor." she replied.
"I take it all your family are tough?" Charlie asked.
"Every one of us," Jackie beamed. "My sister Joan took after our Mom, Cameron, she had the second fasted thrown football ever. Clocked at 145 miles an hour."
"Your mother did?"
"No, Joan, Mom bet her by one mile and hour."
"I'd hate to try to catch that football," Charlie noted.
"Yeah, Joan has to slow her throws down so she doesn't hurt her receiver," Jackie said and giggled.
"What's up with you and Duncan? He like your mentor or something?'
Jackie grinned. Quietly, she said, "He's my boy friend. I don't care than he's older than dirt, he's good for me."
Charlie burst out laughing. He laughed so hard tears came to his eyes. Seeing Duncan eye him with a questioning look, he laughed harder.
Jackie chuckled along with him.
Theresa came over, looking worried.
"It's OK," Jackie assured her. "Charlie just thought it was funny Duncan is an old man."
Theresa frowned at her. "He's not that old! You are going to be that old some day too!"
"That will be interesting if it happens," Jackie said in a giggle.
"People do age, and you will too," Teresa said firmly.
"Maybe, that's yet to be seen," Jackie replied.
"OK, enough with the age comments," Duncan said in a huff.
Jackie turned her lower lip into a pout, and said, "Sorry, daddy." She laughed with Charlie.
With a roll of his eyes, Duncan said, "Jackie does like to pick. Little girl, we should head out."
"Oh before we leave!" Jackie said and got up. "Charlie, let me see your back."
"He's not supposed to sit up," Theresa said firmly.
"It's OK," Jackie said and helped Charlie sit up. She pretended to hold him up and lifted his shirt. Seeing the scar that was getting smaller, she put a finger on it and asked, "Right here?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"I can see the scar." she said. She prodded around it and up and down his spine a bit, then said, "All your bones seem to be all there. I think you're good to go."
"He is not!" Theresa cried.
"If you don't think so, then get him an X-ray," Jackie said in a huff. "The nanites I gave him will keep healing him until there's nothing left to heal."
"What are those?" Charlie asked.
"The microbes in my milk I gave you. I grow them, squish out in my milk, you drank it so they're in you now." Jackie explained and let him lay back down.
"Magic," Charlie stated.
"Close enough," Jackie agreed.
"You give these same things to Duncan, right?" Charlie asked.
Jackie grew a grin and winked. "Every night."
"Jackie we really need to go," Duncan told her.
"Yes, you do," Theresa said, glowering at Jackie.
"Hokay!" Jackie said in an exaggerated sigh. "Charlie, make sure Nurse Ratchet here gets you an x-ray. Sooner the better. Bye, Charlie."
Charlie waved to them. After they left, he said, "I think Duncan has his hands full with her."
.
JJ found the gardens that they had were still growing. The older kids, Ken, Danny and Sophie took on the task of weeding an watering the two large gardens. The only minor problems were garden snakes scaring them when they slithered away. Once the kids got used to them, they just let the snake go on it's way, then kept up what they were doing. They also learned not to mess with bees or the praying mantis they found. JJ explained like the garden snakes, those were good bugs they wanted in the gardens. Now the grasshoppers and beetles were another story.
Many of the protective clothing left behind fit the Taroten family. JJ took the kids and Hanson down to the boot shop in town. Very little traffic and no cops other than the sheriff, JJ let the kids ride in the bed of the truck but iniste d they stay sitting down n the bed. Not on the sides as they did on the farm.
They found many premade boots, so if the boots fit the kids, they were good. There were none small enough to fit Benny and Cassie. JJ also knew kids grew. There weren't enough of each size to get them, and he didn't know squat about making boots. He did find leather and strip leather in the back room. For now, making shoe covering lower leg protectors would have to work.
While they were in town, JJ brought the six 5 gallon cans and stopped by the alcohol 'gas station'. He filled the truck and all the cans for the electric generator at the farm. The tank there was still half full, but he didn't want to run out.
Gas in Driftwood was at a premium. His Father and Mr. Lupin were both making alcohol, as were a few terminators up at the Lewis farm. For payment, the distillers left a list of things they needed. If someone had them, they dropped the item off to be picked up.
A crude form of barter was the new currency in Driftwood. Looking at it, John and the sheriff didn't think it was going to last long. At the moment there were unused things lying all over Driftwood. There things incoming were paid for mostly by Cameron's unlimited funds from her ghost bank, or the Tanner's money they had gotten from playing football. As far as anything outgoing, there was nothing being sold. With Driftwood being classified as a radiation area, no was buying anything.
JJ found this out when he tried to arranging the normal buyers for all the grape juice and wine they were going to produce. Out of the five companies he usually dealt with, none wanted 'radioactive' product. At a loss of what to do about this, he went to see his father.
Meeting at the sheriff's office, John told JJ, "I highly suggest you make alcohol out of your crops. Looking at what we got right now, no one outside Driftwood will deal with us. Here we have things we need. Food and fuel. Face it son, at the moment, those are the only things we can produce for our own use. There's lots of things we are going to need eventually,and we'll get them eventually, but at the moment, this is what we have. Our workforce is mostly terminators. In fact, every one we know of if not already here, is coming to help."
"Grapes are high in sugar," JJ said in a musing tone. "Turning them into fuel, at least we'll get something out of them. We can expand gardens for more food too, and maybe if we can snag some smaller wild pigs, we can domesticate them and grow our own."
"Travel and do wild pig hunts," Anne suggested. "We know they are out there, we just have to find them."
"Good idea," the sheriff agreed. "I'm not sure about raising them. At least for a while. There's millions of them out there."
"If we raise anything, it should be cattle," JJ said. "Maybe lots of chickens too. Just about everyone can do that."
"Good point, JJ," John said. "Face it folks, we're going to have to be self sufficient here."
"Sheriff, "Anne said, "I'm going to see if that witch up by the big lake survived somehow. If she did, she could be of some help."
the sheriff nodded to her. "Do it."
Anne disappeared.