Betts in her usual bubbly, almost dim-witted way could not contain her 100-mph chatter. "Don't you just love these gatherings? It always reminds me of the old days when families would get together for a celebration or Sunday dinner. I miss that so much. It isn't often that everyone in the village is together for a meal.� Flitting from here to there trying to look busy, but really doing nothing at all, she continued to talk almost to herself, not seeming to care if anyone listened. �I know it's dangerous, but maybe we could train more dogs, or they could make a new alarm system and we could do this every Sunday. Her eyes sparkling over her broad happy smile she asked, �Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Yeah Betts, and how long do you think it would take before some raider figured out we changed our system on Sundays, slipped by the dogs, and raided your house or your neighbors house?" Ann snapped.

"Oh, Ann, you're always so negative," she quipped back.

With a hint of bitter resignation in her voice, Ann replied, "You're probably right." Then, changing her tone, she gently added, "I know it's just a wish, Betts, and that you know the reality. I'm sorry, go ahead and wish. Maybe wishing will make it so one day. It's good to see you happy." With skillful manipulation Ann added, "Have you heard anything about the surveillance report yet?"

Realizing that her silliness had not been appreciated, but never for a moment letting the happy smile leave her face Betts answered, "No, they put the plane away and we came right over. They haven't even washed up yet. I hope they remember to clean up before we sit down to eat.� Digressing for a moment she added, �Anyway, I don't like to hear it alone. It's better for me to hear it in the company of everyone so I don't get too up set.� Sadness filled her voice as she continued, � There's never any good news." Betts was always the most distressed by bad news. She lived in an unrealistic pretend world. She was not unattractive, but her little frame had been overweight most of her life. It seemed she tried to make up for her weight by acting as the little girl woman. Betts simply refused to see or accept that her world had changed.

Chris often remarked she expected �to see braids poking out the sides of her head and Pippy Longstockings embroidered across her chest.�

"Well, maybe there will be good news this year Betts," Marie said, trying to reassure her with an arm around her shoulder and a little pat.

With a little soft sigh Betts answered, "You say that every year, Marie,� and lowering her voice to almost a whisper added, �and we both know it won't be better." Quickly putting the smile back on her face, a little twinkle sparked in her eye and with child like excited anticipation she asked, "Did you get a communication?"

"We did," Marie answered almost emphatically. "Chris will read it after breakfast."

Andra felt the tiny shudders of terror move through her body, but only her shaking hands betrayed the outer calmness. She hoped with all her might that no one noticed as she stopped garnishing the plate in front of her and almost whispered, "Is it an inner group message, Chris?"

"Not entirely. I think it's about 60/40 on the side of the village and a little is coded for Randy." Chris� mind quietly registered Andra�s reaction to the mention of the communication and trying to turn Andra's thoughts in another direction, Chris asked, "How's the greenhouse coming?"

A greenhouse question always brought out the zealous plant biologist in Andra, and her enthusiasm for the subject was contagious. Tiny and fragile looking, it was astonishing to witness her knowledge and love of nature. Her voice now light and cheery she answered, "Quite good actually, she replied� The shaking stopped nearly as quickly as it had started and her hands unconsciously completed the task in front of her as she continued, �The new hot water system we put in had a trial run. The temp of the ground looks good. In fact, the citrus trees took on a real growth spurt after the week's run. We didn't expect that to happen; we were just testing the seed germination process.� Her face lighting up, smiling broadly she continued, �We were quite blown away by the results.� With a lighthearted rhythm she added, �Wait until you see Pat's report. He has a video showing the entire process and the plans for the green houses at the Northside Village."

Andra felt the heat of Lesters� eyes boring into her body, nearly singeing her heart and spirit but she dared not look around the room for his presence. She knew he was there, listening, watching her every move. The cold plunge of adrenaline spread through her stomach, something unseen grasped her chest threatening to steal her breath away. She knew what he wanted her to do, her mind wanted to fight to survive, but the echoes of pain in her body demanded surrender to his will. Without missing a beat in her dialogue, she changed the subject, "In what direction will the team be heading first?"

Chris nostrils flared, the dry sulfur odor assaulted her senses for the second time that morning. She shook it off as her eyes moved quickly from Ann to Marie. She tried to gauge their reaction to Andra's question.

Chris felt Ann nearly jumped out of her skin but she skillfully managed to hide her reaction. "You know that's very privileged information.," Ann responded flatly. The suspicion in her voice making her answer almost a question. Without waiting for an answer she added, �Why are you asking Andra?"

Over the past few weeks Ann had become more distrustful of Andra's emotional stability, and considering her developing relationship with Lester, the question about the travelers gave credence to her nagging suspicion. After a long conference with Leslie, the only Doctor in the village, she felt strongly that without appropriate medication another breakdown was probably imminent for Andra. What a terrible loss it would be for the village to lose a fervent plant biologist. Leslie would do what she could to keep Andra stable, but without medication there were no guarantees.

"No reason in particular, just wondered if you'd heard." Andra replied, unnoticed she choked back tears and composed herself.

In the calmest, smoothest voice she could muster, Ann responded, "Let it go, Andra. We'll discuss it later after they're safely on their way. I don't want to hear another word about this until I ask you. Do you understand?"

Ann's directness and absolute order startled Andra. She opened her mouth to speak, thought better of it, lowered her head in silence knowing she had failed Lester�s orders. She felt the terror welling inside as the thought of his reprisal for her failure twisted at the edges of her mind but knowing she had to control herself she quickly returned to garnishing the roast.

Betts surprised all of them with a biting, "You know Andra, there's a time and a place for everything, and this isn't the time or the place." Sweetly and offhandedly, she added, "Don't forget to ask Charlie to put the potatoes around the roast, dear."

Everyone laughed, not at Andra but at Betts. To the relief of everyone �Pippy Longstockings� had come to the rescue. The tension of the previous moment had been swept away in the silly and trite comment, and as if on cue the work and chatter resumed.

Paul and Tom had headed directly to the dining room to prepare their maps and charts for the surveillance report. They worked quickly and in comfortably in silence. Each absorbed in his own thoughtful preparation of what he would present to the group. Paul, breaking the silence asked, "What order are you going to use to present your report, Tom?"

Tom, still smoothly handsome in spite of his age, had a full stock of dark wavy hair, soft blue eyes, and a sensuous hypnotic voice. Though slightly over weight he still managed to charm women of all ages. He had been a civil engineer before the social and economic breakdown started. His biggest worry in those days had been making sure the septic systems he designed always went downhill, and that city and county governments gave his clients the permits required for their sewage systems. He went to work in his office each day and had slept soundly in his bed at night. He and Betts married young, and had raised three children. Love and caring long ago forgotten and left untended in their relationship. The two girls married directly out of high school and immediately began producing children, seven between them, including two sets of twins. Their son followed in his dad's footsteps, joined the family business, married, and added three more grandchildren to the family before the complete breakdown of the social system and government. Life had been good. There were little things along the way, ordinary life events, a daughter pregnant before the wedding, some violence in the son's relationship, and a few adolescent misdemeanor arrests. All three had adolescent drug use problems that eventually worked themselves out . Tom had a bout with alcoholism that became evident after the children left home, and he had been caught in a few marital indiscretions over the years.

Betts made several attempts to join different fundamental religious groups. She had tried to believe that somehow, at some level, a new religious ferment would remedy what she thought of as her fallen family. In her perception each group had failed to instill in her the desired revelations that she craved. It always seemed to eluded her, failed to capture her spirit and she would drift away, less zealous then the time before. She would try again, but each time she fell away she moved further from understanding that it came from within her not from outside of her. She would drift back to her accustomed lifestyle. A life that was simple, and yet emotionally trying and stressful but manageable, as long as everyone behaved according to her rules.

Tom had been blessed with a sixth sense and from the early 70s knew a holocaust was on the wind. In his spare time he studied survivalist manuals, collected guns, and learned about security. By the mid-80s, with no concrete proof he had become convinced these were the skills he would need to ensure his children's and grandchildren's futures. Quietly concealing his deep belief he concentrated his energy and he became an expert at survival tactics. He had proven himself an asset to the village as a good teacher, a good leader, brave, knowledgeable, and spiritually in touch.

He and Paul had a good working relationship, their skills complemented each other. Paul had been a well-trained fireman and EMT. He continued to work out daily to maintained the strong, fit body that had been required for fire fighting. He had worked for several years with the mountain rescue unit and had learned to fly in his early thirties. He was an excellent pilot. Paul had never given social breakdown and anarchy a second thought. The idea of such a thing occurring, he felt, belonged to the fanatics and rebels. He had lived his life simply, had three marriages, two children, a home and had planned to live out his retirement -- which he had expected to be long, healthy, and enjoyable -- in Montana.

He, too, had proven himself an asset to the village. At times his courage and natural know-how in the face of extreme danger had been a surprise, even to himself. Paul and Andra had been married only a short time when the recession began and breakdown started in earnest. Her fragile emotional state had taken him by surprise and, even though he was in a state of constant worry about whether or not his children were safe, he had handled the situation well.

Having made his mental list Tom answered. "I think I'll start with the video, then the map and follow it with the weather charts and Randy's latest satellite printout. What do you think?"

"Sounds fine to me.� Paul replied in the same matter of fact tone, then asked, �When do you want to put in the wildfire losses and the river report?"

After a moment of thought Tom said, "When I put up the map, we can talk about what we saw on the ground over the last three days. The hit on the plane will certainly cause a reaction.� He felt his heart pound as he continued his thought. �We were very lucky we were so close to the Bieter Village.� His voice dropped to a low reflective tone as he went on, �You know, we haven't talked about it yet, how close we came," he said, and after a pause, "to losing that airplane." Shaking off the thought of their near disaster, that could have ended fatally for both of them, he continued, "We need to talk to Randy and David. David and Matt are both flying well enough now that if they find a hidden or abandoned airport with an operational plane, it is reasonable to assume that one of them could fly it back. With Matt along, an engine overhaul wouldn't be a problem either. I don't know how many more times we can patch the ol' Bug Bomb.

"Let's save it for the inner circle meeting. Lester is still in the dead pool, and I for one want it to stay that way." Tom shared the same trepidation that Marie and Paul experienced.

Paul tried not to let the fear seep into his thoughts about Lester. He knew the best place to discuss the near disaster was with the inner group. He let it go for now, knowing he shared the same concerns as Tom.

Tom, muttered sardonically, "An amazing recovery, wouldn't you say? Too bad he has no memory of where he came from or why he was in that mine."

Before Paul could reply the children came bounding into the room and after the hugs and happy greetings, bombarded them with one question after another. Little Matt, although nearly sixteen, had been asked to help with the children this morning. A little miffed because he really wanted to be out helping the travelers, he found himself just where he loved to be, in a position to continue his relentless mission of begging Paul, trying hard to wear him down, so he would teach him to fly. Paul kept him at bay with the usual teasing and �wait and see put-off�. Paul promised to talk with the inner group about the subject. Matt perceiving he had gotten some of what he wanted soon had the children organized and moving chairs into place. The activity and excited chatter of the children created a clearly discernible electricity in the air.