A Surprising Asset

 Raven woke to knocking on the basement door. Frank was standing there smiling when he moved the curtain. He had an excited look on his face. Raven opened the door and waved him in. Frank barely allowed Raven to shut the door before grabbing the slimmer man by his arms.

 "He said he is fine with us building a fence that connects to these houses. I went and talked to the old man first thing this morning. He just wants to be able to get ahold of us in case he needs our help."

 "So," Raven paused for a moment, "we are definitely going to need to get a hell of a lot more wood. Any ideas?"

 Frank smiled even broader, "oh yeah, the old man, Jim, said his friend had a whole stockpile a mile or so away down Metcalf. Next to a place that does pallets or somethin. He also said he has a surprise for us. To come over when you were awake."

 "Well hell bubba. Why're we standin here runnin our mouths? Le's go."

 Raven grabbed his jacket and followed Frank through the door. Together they went through the gate behind Margaret's house. Jim sat in his wheelchair with a pipe in hand as they rounded the corner.

 "Well boy, looka here. Looks like ya done got yer boss man to come for a visit eh", he asked with a charming twang.

 Frank looked back at Raven but didn't bother to correct Jim. No point in denying it, the younger man was most certainly the one in charge.

 Raven smiled, "yessir. Not sure if you remember me. Been over here a couple times helpin ya or deliverin groceries to ya. Just don't think we've ever had a reason to exchange names. I'm Raven."

 "Hope yer not a flighty thing like yer name. Don't see much blue on ya though lad," the old man chuckled.

 Raven smirked at the old man's dad joke. It wasn't the first time he had heard similar, and he secretly hoped it wouldn't be the last. He shook the old man's hand firmly before responding.

 "Frank here said that you had a surprise or two to show me?"

 "Good, never liked small talk much mahself either. Not unless it was a with a purty gal."

 He spun his wheelchair around and rolled himself inside. The two other men followed close behind. Jim pointed to a door towards the back of the house.

 "Ain't got much use for too much space, so there's some stuff I got stashed between me and mah friends. I'll show ya'll downstairs first."

 Jim slid a well-disguised wooden panel to the side and rolled in. He locked his tires into place with a lever to the side. Next, he untied a chain and began lowering himself down into the basement. He reached his hands out to Raven and Frank as they finished descending the stairs. They to eachother and each took an arm.

 "Ya see boys, I can't really walk anymore. But I got just enough in me to piddle around from time to time. My daughters don't come down here and neither do my grandbabies. Ya'll givin an old man some excitement comin to visit."

 Again the two looked at eachother.

 "Lemme show ya'll what me and my friends have been gatherin since our time overseas with the Cong."

 He pulled back a curtain. There were several safes, many crates of varying sizes and a few rows of shelves loaded with goods. Jim moved to the first of the safes and unlocked it. Inside were a half dozen large rifles along with a few shotguns. The next held similar while a third had a dozen AR rifles. 

 "We been ready for this place to fall apart for a long time and decided when we finally got our just pay for service, well, we were gonna get a little security out of it. Got guns, ammo, food, all kinds of shit just waitin ta be used."

 Raven couldn't speak for a moment. He just looked around, taking it all in. Frank stood obviously gob smacked. Neither of them had expected more than maybe some stockpiled canned goods and the like. 

 "Hell, even got some older electronics and parts to throw some stuff together if you boys know how. I was one of two radiomen in mah Company back in that shit-show. Even almost got mah Engineerin Cert after I checked out."

 Mind calculating everything, Raven started nodding, "looks like we were meant to be neighbors boss. There's a reason I love old-timers like yerself. Anything you need? We could move ya into one of the other two houses with the rest of us."

 "Nah youngbuck. Been here through all kinds of good times and bad. Bought this land straight from Margie's daddy himself. Young Frank here done told me what ya'll had ta do the ol bird. Sorry thing. Got through all the bad times only to get sick and try to chew on her own youngin," he shook his head.

 The three spoke for a bit longer before Raven and Frank headed back to the Alexander house. There, they told Lyn and Sascha of the goodie stash that Jim possessed. Of course, the twins looked to one another with less than noble intentions. What comforts did the old man have in his stash? Maybe chocolates, candy, pop?

 They had a bit of each, but Raven insisted on rationing those, claiming that they were better used for trading and rewarding. He was already going to be pissed when he discovered that they had drank through over half of the pop in the back storeroom. While the twins returned to the kids, Raven took Frank to another corner of the basement.

 "Bubba, we are gonna have to figure a few things out. It took enough wood to get these three houses and the side yard fenced in. We're lookin at like three times the property being added to the rest. Probably gonna need to take the girls over to Jim's so he can keep an eye on em. He always seemed to be a decent man and now we know he knows damn good and well how to handle himself."

 Frank nodded, "he'll probably let us borrow his truck. I know it runs smoother than mine even."

 Raven returned the nod. It sounded like they had a plan. They just needed to confirm with Jim and they could head out to the stockpile Jim had mentioned. Perhaps they would verify exactly where to go to get the wood.

 The radio crackled to life, causing them all to jump. They had all forgotten it had even been on sharing dead air.

 "This is, was, t102. We have heard an update over the airwaves an hour or two ago. We know it's late folks. The Vice Governor has asked for any law enforcement and medical service individuals to report to their employers and precincts. They want to start gathering any who have passed away so that they can be taken care of. Also, the wasting whatever disease mutation seems to be killing or infecting an increased number of people. This is causing issues with power, communicating, and infrastructure more than anticipated. While most large cities and well-developed areas are still going, the government is trying to get itself situated on local, state, and national levels."

 A long pause.

 "We don't know who can hear this, but please try and pass the word to anyone and everyone. Once communications are restored, hopefully banking, cell service, and power will stabilize. This is everything we have at the moment. We hope now that we have basic power at our downtown Lima station that we will be able to keep communicating any information we hear as well as get some music going for you all once again. Keep your heads up people. There is a silver lining somewhere in the dark cloud hanging over us all, we just gotta find it. Godspeed folks."

 Lyn ran to Raven and jumped into his arms. The broadcast was meant to give hope to anyone listening. It sounded great on the surface. Raven hoped things would start to get better again. While a part of him worried that it was a false hope, a smaller part of him thought that perhaps everything had happened for a reason. A reset for humanity, maybe rebuild things back, but better than they had gotten. There had to be better ways to deal with their fellow man.