start over, maybe finding an abandoned house in a good spot. It was a long, hard journey. We camped without fire, got soaked whenever it rained or we had to cross a creek or river, and caught what food we could on the run. It was the worst time in my life I can remember, aside from Jeff’s death. We arrived here by accident, hadn’t heard of it. We were quickly welcomed when Roman found out I was a farmer, so we stayed. It’s a wonderful place and the people are so kind, but as luck would have it, the raiders now seem to be headed this way.”
Roman jumped in, “Linda has a degree in agriculture. She looks at a field and sees soil chemistry, erosion patterns, crop rotations—things like that. Her family were farmers, so she has both backgrounds: real-life farming experience and a college degree. She’s valuable to the village.”
Scott had finished eating and asked to be excused. He left the table and Bear followed him. They went to play in the den.
Tim said, “The boy and that puppy sure have taken to each other. There’s something about young boys and puppies that attract each other; must be that they’re both in that playful stage of life.”
Adrian said, “It’s unusual—that wolf pup hasn’t shown an inclination to stay near anyone except me since I found him. Linda, please remind Scott that Bear is a wild animal, not a domestic pet. If he plays too roughly with Bear, his natural instincts might flare up and Scott could get bitten pretty hard.”
Linda replied, “I’ve already told him, and he listens a lot more than you would think. If he gets bitten, it’ll be a lesson he won’t forget. He’s a resourceful boy, bright and quick. He’ll be okay.”
Roman stood up, groaning from a full stomach. “Let’s all go into the living room and talk. I’ve got some reserve whisky for you guys to try out.”
Linda replied, “You men go ahead; I’m going to help Sarah and get in some girl talk.”
Roman lit two lanterns, then retrieved a whisky bottle and passed it to Matt. “I’ve been aging this batch for a bit over a year, and it’s good—some of my best yet.”
Matt poured two fingers’ worth into his glass and passed the bottle. After each had poured their own, Roman raised his glass in a toast. “Here’s to good friends and good men, present and past.” Each man raised his glass in salute and took a sip.
Perry said, “Damn, Roman, this is fantastic. How do you make it taste so good in such a short time?”
“Trade secret. But here’s a hint: chipped wood. You’re on your own from there, but that’s a big hint. Adrian, these are the best three men I know. Between them, they more range of knowledge, experience, and downright contrariness than any three people on this planet. We’re damn lucky to have them here. I wanted you to get to know them, because it is my firm belief that they will be of great value in this coming war with the raiders. They are resources you need to take full advantage of.
“Perry, as I already told you, is an attorney, and has more wiles and ways than you can imagine. Just ask anyone who has gone up against him in a courtroom. He never thinks inside the box—that would be too mundane for him. When you want to analyze someone else’s moves, he’s your man. His critical thinking skills are unparalleled. When you want to figure out how to outfox an opponent, he’s the man to talk to.
“Matt you already know pretty well. What you may not know is that not only is he the village minister, blacksmith, inventor, and barber, but he has an analytical mind that can pick apart any problem, play with the pieces, and reassemble it the way it was or in whatever other form you might want. When you have to face a challenge of any kind that needs to be overcome, talk to him. He’ll figure out the best approach and, if need be, build the apparatus to do it with. Matt was an engineer in the past.
“Tim was an engineer, too, and has extraordinary analytical skills. Tim has a way of cutting through the bullshit and getting right to the heart of a problem and then finding the simplest way to fix it. He has combat experience from Vietnam and he’s a sniper extraordinaire. His combat experience plus his