Money Grab

The day the bottom fell out Davis Rade hardly noticed. He knew when the inflation rate reached 20 percent. Of course, the Federal Reserve System didn't intend for that to happen, but they had no choice at this point. The national debt was soaring and the only way they could even make interest payments was to print trillions of dollars of money. He noticed when inflation reached 1000 percent, then 1000 percent per week. He also noticed when his cell phone service died and when his satellite dish quit working. It didn't really bother him. He listened to ham radio broadcasts and discovered that the bank in Medicine Lodge had closed its doors and there were a lot of angry people out there. There wasn't a bank open anywhere as far as his set could reach, and he could reach a long way. The government had abandoned the dollar as a currency. He had about 500 of them in the bank but he wasn't going to miss them.

Some smart guy at the Federal Reserve came up with the bright idea of converting to blue dollars instead of the green ones and that lasted about a week until the blue ones were as worthless as the green ones.

Davis knew what the problem was. When you print money by the tens of trillions of dollars, sooner or later people are going to catch on. Their money is suddenly worth half what it was two years ago and people notice that. The price controls lasted about a month and then merchants started ignoring them. The last time he was in Medicine Lodge gas had been 12 dollars a gallon. That was a year ago and you would have had to bring in a truckload to fill your tank last week.

It took about three days for things to begin to unravel. Runs on grocery stores soon emptied shelves and with no currency with which to restock, hunger stalked the streets. Hungry mobs rioted in the cities and roamed the streets, stealing from those who were unable to defend themselves. Fuel vanished and people began to die of starvation. Barter was the only system of exchange and could only be attempted by the bold and those who could ensure their trading items would not simply be stolen. Sewage systems quickly failed and disease walked on two feet. In its death throes the government thrashed about trying to restore order and failed.

Davis heard on the ham radio about the food riots in Wichita and Kansas City. The National Guard had been pretty brutal about putting them down and that triggered a lot more violence. It sounded like full scale chaos. Ordinary people were hiding in their houses and bands of thugs ruled the streets. The pitiful National Guard force had gone rogue and violence seemed to be the order of the day. By the tenth day, barbarism reigned.

The powerful had moved pretty quickly to secure hard currency supplies, fuel storage facilities, flour, sugar and commodities and the powerless and weak starved or became slaves.

Davis wasn't worried. Sitting in the middle of 100,000 thousand acres of open range land in the middle of Kansas, he was pretty hard to find. If someone wandered up by accident he was prepared to deal with that too. People were fleeing the cities and he decided to close the gates in the fence in the morning.

At three AM the dogs woke him up. They were making quite a fuss out by the wall and he got up to investigate. He turned on the flood lights and he could see a motorcycle outside. The wall gates were always closed, and he heard the intercom buzzer.

He pulled on black sweat pants and a black hoody and picked up his M16. He didn't bother with the intercom. He walked down to the gate. The dogs were at the gate milling around and barking. He stayed behind the bunker and walked down the wall. He peeked around the corner and saw two people on the bike. He didn't see any weapons so he shouted at the dogs.

"Anubis, Isis, Lilly! Heel!"

The three Cane Corso mastiffs came running and sat down beside him. They stopped barking and looked up at him, big pink tongues lolling. 400 plus pounds of dog waited for a command.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he called.

The driver of the bike got off and came close to the gate. Davis could tell by the way she walked that it was a woman. She unsnapped the chinstrap and took off the helmet. She looked familiar.

"Who are you?" he called again.

"Mr. Rade? Do you remember me? I'm Calista De la Vega. I work for Channel 3 News. We met at the Peace Treaty Festival three years ago. I did a feature piece about you on Channel 3."

"I remember. You told me you wanted to do a human interest piece on the only baseball player to ever retire at 30 after getting 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases the year before. I also remember that you said I was a racist gun nut that was waiting for the end of the world on a remote ranch in Kansas."

"Look, Mr. Rade. I don't know how much news you get out here. Do you know what's going on? Wichita is in flames, people are killing each other in the street and I'm desperate. We had to get out of there and I thought of you. You were right and I was wrong. The world did end, just like you said. I know you've got a fortress in there. I saw it when I interviewed you, remember? I'm sorry about the story. I just reported it the way I saw it."

"You still haven't told me what you're doing here?"

"We need help. Will you open the gate and at least let me talk to you?"

Davis pushed the button and the gate rolled back. She walked through and into the yard. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and a leather jacket and he remembered. She had looked very good three years ago at 22 and at 25 she was stunning. She had that Latina curve going on and the mane of black hair with its auburn highlights framed a face to die for. Huge dark eyes and flashing white teeth in that mocha complexion lit up the television screen like a light bulb.

"Listen Mr. Rade, the world is going crazy. We're starving. We're almost out of gas and if you don't help us we're going to die, or worse. Did you know that there are gangs in Wichita that are enslaving women and children? We need help or we're going to die. We're desperate, Mr. Rade. Please help us."

"You keep saying us and we; who's we?"

"Malina," she called. "Could you come here please?"

The bike passenger got off and walked toward them. Davis could see that it was another woman. Calista was a tall woman, nearly six feet, but the passenger looked more like five four. She removed her helmet as she walked and a cascade of golden hair fell out.

"Mr. Rade, this is Malina Nebrija. Malina, this is Davis Rade."

Malina extended her hand and spoke with a Spanish accent, "I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Rade."

She had the most beautiful blue, almond shaped eyes in one of the most beautiful faces Davis had ever seen. She was obviously very young. Her skin was a golden honey color and the dark blonde hair had hints of brown here and there. Her little mouth formed a recurved bow with the some of the fullest lips he had ever seen. She was gorgeous.

"You're Hispanic?" he was more than a little surprised.

"No," Calista told him, "she's a foreign exchange student from Spain. She picked a very bad time to come to Kansas. She can't get home now. Her host family lived next door to me. They were killed 4 days ago during one of the riots. Some men were breaking in her house and she got away and ran out the back door and over to my house. The men who were breaking in saw her going across the alley and down to my house. They set her house on fire and were coming to my house. We jumped on the bike and got away. I didn't know where to go. We have been running and hiding for three days. We're thirsty and starving. Our bike is almost out of gas. I was racking my brain trying to think of a safe place and then I thought of you. You've been expecting this for ten years and I knew you'd have the right preparation. Please, Mr. Rade, will you help us?"

"Why should I?" he asked. "The last time I saw you was when you told me you'd meet me at Griffin's restaurant. You never showed and that night the story ran making me sound like a dangerous lunatic. It started an ATF investigation and cost me 50,000 in legal fees. You used me and threw me under the bus."

"I'm sorry about that. You seemed like that to me. I just reported the facts. The reason you should help us is because I have a hundred pounds of South African gold coins in my saddlebags. My father bought it years ago and I inherited it. That's all we were able to take when we got away. We'll pay you to help us."

"I don't need your money. You forget who I am. You know I made 80 million playing baseball for the Cardinals, remember? I've still got most of it and it isn't in paper money. I made twice that much from endorsement deals. You didn't understand me three years ago and you don't understand me now. You used me to jump start your career. You can't pay me to take you in. Is that all you've got?"

"Yes. If you don't want money, what do you want? Please, we don't want to die and that's what's going to happen to us if you turn us away. Neither one of us have any family we can turn to. We haven't eaten in days and we're afraid to go up to houses."

She paused for a moment. "If you help us I'll be very grateful." She stepped closer and fluffed her hair with one hand.

"Now why does that sound familiar? I think that's what you told me the last time you were here." He deliberately looked her up and down. She was a goddess, no doubt.

She walked closer, her hips swaying in an exaggerated runway walk.

"Do you see anything you like?" She put her arms around his neck and melted against him. "I'll do anything you want if you help us."

The dogs stirred and growled.

"Anything I want?" he asked. "Does that mean what I think it does?"

She looked up at him with half closed eyes and nodded.

He disengaged her arms and stepped back. "Anubis, guard," he said.

The big mastiff moved between Davis and Calista and sat down, teeth showing and a growl rumbling in his throat.

He moved behind her and patted her down.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm checking you for weapons." Inside her jacket he found a large kitchen knife.

"Jesus you're a slut. I'd rather sleep with a rattlesnake," he told her. "You were going cut my throat in my sleep."

"You bastard!" she yelled, "Who do you think you are? You can't talk to me like that. That knife was the only thing we had to protect ourselves." She took a step toward him and the Cane Corso rose to his feet with a menacing rumble. She froze.

He walked around her and spoke to the other girl.

"What about you, Malina? Are you willing to do anything too?"

"No," the girl answered. "I will not do what she said."

"Why should I take you in, then? What have you got?"

"I do not have anything," she said. "Mr. Davis, if you help me I will be your friend. I will protect you and your things with my life. I will work hard and obey everything you tell me to do, but I won't do that. I will not be a slave but I will be a very good friend. I will love you if you help me. You should take me in because I need your help and you can. I am a person that needs help and you have the ability to help me. I will be very grateful and good to you if you help me, but I will not do that. Please Mr. Davis, do you not need a friend? Calley has told me that you are alone here. I can only offer my friendship and my need."

"Yes," he said. "I would like to be your friend. That's the right answer. You seem like a very good kid to have as a friend. What about her?" he indicated Calista. "Will you stay if I kick her out?"

"No, I love Calley. No matter what you think of her, she has been very good to me, even before. She saved my life. I will not stay without her, but if you help us I will love you as well."

"Well, I guess I'll have to take the package deal to get you then," he said. "Pull your bike up to the house and come inside and we'll talk."

Calley walked angrily to the bike and drove up to the house and Malina walked with Davis, the dogs trailing close behind. Calley was furious.

"Hold on a minute Miss Vega," he called as she walked toward the door.

She stopped and waited for them to catch up. "It's De la Vega and it's Ms," she said.

He ignored her. He snapped his fingers and the dogs crowded around. "Friends," he said and snapped again. The dogs walked around the two girls, sniffing their clothes and Lilly licked their hands.

"What kind of dogs are they, Mr. Davis?" Malina asked.

"They're a type of Italian mastiff," he told her. "They're called Cane Corsos."

"Why do they have such little ears?"

"They were cropped when they were puppies. Anubis and Isis are 4 years old. Lilly is their puppy and she's 2."

"They are very well behaved," she said. "I like their little tails. Can they understand English?"

"Some words: maybe about 30. They recognize voice commands and hand signals."

He opened the door and ushered them into the living room. A huge leather sectional faced a big fireplace. The floors were hardwood and the walls were roughhewn logs. There were a lot of animal heads around the walls and Calley thought it looked like a hunting lodge.

He pointed to the sofa and they sat down. He went to the refrigerator and brought back three bottles of Heineken. He popped the tops and handed them each one of the bottles. They drank thirstily and he sat in a recliner across from them and took a drink of his beer.

"Miss Vega, I think we should get some things straight."

"I just told you, it's Ms. De la Vega."

"That's one of the things we need to get straight. You're a guest in my home. I took you in because Malina asked me to. I call the shots here. You don't tell me what to do. If I want to call you Ned or Bill, that's what I'll do. If you don't like it, you know where the gate is."

"You're a Neanderthal, Davis. You think because you're a man you can do anything you want because you're stronger than me."

"See, you don't get it. It has nothing to do with strong or weak. It has to do with human decency. You don't get to call me Davis. You lost that right when you told those lies about me on TV. Only my friends get to call me by my first name. You aren't a friend of mine. You came here with your hand out and expected to bat your eyes at me like you did last time and I'd just drool all over myself. I didn't invite you here and I'll kick your ass out if you so much as look crossways at me. You better get over being sensitive fast. The next Neanderthal you meet may take you for a love slave."

"How come Malina gets to call you Davis?"

"She hasn't stabbed me in the back. Besides, I like her. I don't like you. If you'll notice, she doesn't call me Davis, she calls me Mr. Davis. I'm Mr. Rade to you. You can call me Davis, Malina."

"Oh no, I could not do that. It would not be enough, como se dice, respectful. Yes, it is not enough respectful. You are saving our lives, Mr. Davis."

He threw back his head and laughed. "You're ok little girl. I knew I was going to like you."

Calley hated him. She had never had a man tell her that he didn't like her before. Most men fell all over themselves to impress her. How could he speak to her like that? He was a cave man. But, he had agreed to let them stay so she supposed she had no choice. They really had no place else to go.

"What else do we need to get straight?" she asked.

"See, that's the right attitude," he said. "All you ever had to do was treat me decently. You didn't do that. If you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you. Malina, you said you'd obey everything I told you to do. That's good, and it may save your life in an emergency, but ordinarily, I don't want to tell you what to do. I won't be your boss and I won't tell you what you do. I don't need slaves or servants that do what I tell them to do. It's like you said, I need friends. I want you to be my friends. That's the only way I'll let you stay. If you will be my friends you can stay. If you can't get over hating me, Miss Vega, I'll still help you, but I won't let you stay here. I need you to be people that I don't have to tell what to do. I need people I can trust. I don't trust you, Miss Vega. I did the first time I met you and you betrayed me. You're going to have to earn that back. You need to be just like me. If you're going to stay with me permanently, we're going to have to be partners. I see something that needs to be done and I just do it. If the garden needs water, I water it. If I need to burn the trash, I do it. If I'm hungry, I cook. I'll cook for you too, but I don't want you standing around waiting for me to tell you what to do. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Calley said. Malina nodded.

"Good, then I expect we'll get along just fine. We're going to have to work pretty hard. We can't run in to the store when we need something. If we can't harvest it or pick it or hunt it, we can't eat it. I have a huge garden. That's because everything we eat this winter we have to grow. I didn't plan on three of us, but we'll be fine. We're going to have to harvest the wheat and corn. I have 50 cows, 5 horses, 11 pigs and 10 chickens. They have to be taken care of. So do the dogs. We're going to have to hunt and fish. I have three big freezer units in the bunker. They need to be full when winter comes so we won't have to go out much in the cold. We need to cut enough wood to last. We heat with wood."

"Will we have electricity?" Calley asked.

"Yes, I have six solar panels on the roof and a windmill out back. I have replacements and we can keep them going for a long time. We have a generator too if we need it, but I don't want to run it if we don't have to. I have 4500 gallons of fuel, but who knows how long it will be before we can get more?"

"We will work very hard, Mr. Davis. You will not be sorry you let us stay," Malina told him.

"That's what I need from you. Do you girls need anything from me?" he asked.

"Yes, we do," Calley said. "I'm sorry to have to ask you but we don't have anything. If you won't take our money, we have nothing. We'll work to pay you back. We only have the clothes we have on. We're beggars. We had to leave everything when we ran away."

"I don't have any girl's clothes. I have things like toothbrushes and soap, but no girl's clothes. I didn't know I'd have girls over for breakfast. Let's go see what we can find for you to sleep in. I don't expect you to pay me back. If we're friends we think like that."

They followed him into his bedroom and into the big, cedar lined closet. "Knock yourselves out, he said. "I've got boxers and t-shirts and wife beaters in those drawers there. Gym clothes over there, that's probably all I've got that will fit you."

Calley shot him an angry glare at the 'wife beater' reference. He raised one eyebrow. "Was that a look?"

"No, sorry," she said.

"Good, you're trying," he told her. "Just don't be so prickly. Relax; I always liked you Miss Vega. Just give me a chance, ok?"

Calley nodded.

The girls took the undershirts and boxers. He led them off to two more bedrooms. "These are yours. Fight over them. I know you girls are hungry. Would you like to shower before you eat?"

They did, and he went off to cook breakfast while they changed.

When they emerged, he was cooking sausage, and biscuits were in the oven. They sat at the bar and drank coffee and he got out plates and silverware. He poured milk in tall glasses. "Did I mention I've got a Jersey cow in the barn out back?"

They laughed. "You have everything, Mr. Davis," Malina complimented him.

"Can I help you with anything?" Calley asked.

"Thanks, do you know how to make gravy?"

She didn't and they both got up and came around the stove to watch him. It was evident that neither girl had anything on but the undershirts and the boxers and Davis' eyes bugged out and he choked a little.

"Well girls, I'm glad you aren't shy," he stuttered. "Just let the boobs hang out there, don't mind me. Are you trying to embarrass me?"