Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 5

Margo may not have done any scavenging today, but she does put some stuff off to the side for whenever she doesn't feel like going through the city for stuff. This was one of those times. She'd put them in the bag before leaving the house so that they wouldn't have to go back.

When Margo got to the Colony it was the same thing as yesterday all hustle and bustle.

Today's trade for Margo was going to be coil spring. Not a big find, but the last time she heard one of these went for two half portions of food. That'll feed her for a day or two depending on how long she wanted to stretch it.

Just as he did the day before Martin examined the pieces thoroughly before giving Margo his verdict.

"These two pieces are worth…Let me see here…One half portion," said Martin.

"Last week they were a half portion each. You said you were looking for more," exclaimed Margo, incredulous.

Shrugging, Martin sneered "I was. Until some other scavengers brought in a barrel full a couple of days ago. Now I have all I need. The price has gone down. Take it or leave it."

Not like Martin was giving her much of a choice. She needed the food.

Muttering curses under her breath so he wouldn't hear what she was saying about him Margo accepted the ration payment. Margo was preparing to go when she remembered something.

"Hey, Martin, there's something else I need to talk to you about," said Margo.

"Oh and what might that be," said Martin, arms crossed, brow cocked.

"I was at San Francisco Bay and saw some cars crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. What do you know about it," asked Margo.

Martin tapped his chin thoughtfully thinking it over to see if he could recount someone talking about it around him.

Snapping his fingers, Martin said "Yes, I do believe I heard someone mention a trip outside the city limits. If I heard this right Dreyfus was sending a team up to the old dam to see if they could get it working again."

The dam?

Margo now remembered there was a dam up high in the valley past the Muir Woods. When she asked herself why it all became clear to her.

A new power source.

As far as everyone knew every other place had been drained. No other power plants were working. Too much time had gone by for solar panels to work and there isn't even close to being enough fuel to run the much bigger power plants. What people found could only be used on smaller things. Dams are so much simpler, their basic technology unchanged since the invention of the steam turbine. All they really needed is to get the machinery up and running again if they could.

Dreyfus better have sent an expert up there or he would be toast getting the hopes of the people up like that only to end in failure.

Margo had mixed feelings about this.

While she was excited at the prospect of running water going through the house again and electricity since power would be streaming through the entire city this may decrease her leverage where it pertains to food. The highest value is in amounts of fuel. So if power freely ran through the city again like it used to then she'd be sunk. Margo would have to work three times as hard as she is now in order to just make ends meet. That is not a prospect she is looking forward too. But like everything else she is going to have to live with it.

Just as Margo and Ranger were getting ready to head home something unexpected happened.

Dreyfus appeared on the next floor with his back to the front gate holding a megaphone in his hands. Once he had everyone's attention he told all that he was putting the Colony on lockdown through the night into the next day. When the citizens of the Colony expressed outrage by this he quickly explained using an excuse that he and a couple of others decided to put the Colony on regular drills in case something were to happen. This left many people confused as this didn't really make much sense.

On the other hand Margo was angry. She didn't live in these walls so she shouldn't be relegated to staying her against her will. Others voiced their own objections, but Dreyfus put his foot down saying quite clearly that no exceptions would be made. He would allow people to retrieve stuff they left outside and bring it in, but that was it.

"Great just great," muttered Margo, going out to get her motorbike.

Now Margo would have to scramble for a place in the Colony to spend the night. With it already being so cramped in there it wasn't going to be a piece of cake. Especially since she wasn't really that well acquainted with anyone residing there.

Fortunately this problem was soon solved for Margo.

Barely halfway in through the front gates Margo was stopped by Alex.

Stepping in Margo's path, timidly, Alex said "Hey, Margo."

Rolling her eyes annoyance, Margo said "That's my name, don't wear it out. What do you want?"

"Uh…," said Alex, a bit taken aback.

Motioning with her hands for him to hurry it along, Margo said "Come on, what is it? I don't have all day."

Ranger didn't share Margo's disinterest. He sat in front of Alex and offered his paw to shake. Alex smiled taking Rangers paw in hand and shaking it.

Gathering his courage, Alex said "Well I was wondering if you had a place to stay for the night?"

Narrowing her eyes, Margo said "What's it to you?"

Getting a boost in confidence after the acceptance from Ranger, Alex said "My family has a spare bed and I was wondering if you'd like to borrow it for the night."

Technically the bed was Alex's. But he'd sleep on the floor if it meant the girl of his dreams would spend the night at his place.

"How do you know I don't already have a place here already," said Margo.

Shrugging, Alex said "Everyone knows you don't live in the Colony like everyone else."

Okay so trying to keep from getting notice apparently didn't repel everyone's attention. She was going to have to work on that in the future.

Margo squinted at his face starting to conclude who he was.

"Wait a minute. You're Malcolm's kid, right," asked Margo.

Margo had met Malcolm once or twice. Each encounter was over a dispute over parts to trade and which belonged to whom. They were brief, but here was one when he went to talk to his son afterwards and learned their identities. Also, Ranger got hurt occasionally and she brought him to Ellie, Malcolm's wife, to get healed. Ellie is a doctor for people, but there are times when she extends her expertise to pets. Ranger is one of them. There were times he was there too simply watching her. So in a way she's familiar with this family, just not that much.

"You sure your fathers cool with you extending an invitation to someone like me? I mean I barely know you guys," said Margo.

Nodding, Alex said "Yeah, he won't have a problem with this. He always likes to help. This is no different. Honestly if it's not you then it'll probably be offered to someone else."

Rubbing her eyes, Margo sighed "Got anywhere I can keep my back where no one can steal it?"

Smiling, Alex said "Yeah."

Looking down at her dog, Margo said "What do you think, Ranger?" Ranger barked wagging his tail as if in agreement with her.

"All right that settles it then, but only for the night," said Margo.

"Of course," said Alex, pointing in the direction he wanted her to go.

Behind Margo's back as she went Alex raised his arms up shaking his fists in victory. Up above Malcolm and Ellie laughed softly at his reaction to Margo agreeing to spend the night.

It's rare Alex is this happy nowadays. Definitely is a good thing to take his mind off of the encounter with the apes in the forest and losing his art stuff there.

Contrary to that Alex isn't going to have to wait long to get that back.

Authors Note:

I think you can all guess what's coming next. ;D