make the mistake again."
"I can lead them," Jeff said, offended the boss hadn't mentioned him. These idiots would do as he said, and Jeff would have a more aggressive approach to the growth of the compound, as well as being well-stocked for prisoners and slave labor, something Russ balked at. This was a new age. Slavery was illegal in the old world.
"You? I haven't seen you do anything to show me you are capable. Perhaps finding the woman and her child will be the first part of your proving to me you deserve to take over. I have my own agenda and don't need to oversee the day to day operation of you inferiors. Show me you are worthy."
Jeff smiled. "I will."
"Now get out."
Jeff rose and walked back outside. The sky was overcast and it looked like rain at some point this morning. Great. He hated riding in the rain.
"Sir? What's going on?" a woman asked Jeff as he went back onto Main Street, heading to the garden.
"What do you mean?" Jeff asked. He didn’t know the woman's name but she was one of the original ones caged in the Ocean Center. Jeff had been the one to kidnap her from a group of survivors in New Smyrna, in fact. She was in her late fifties and must've been something half a life ago, but now she was sloppy and her hair was turned to gray.
"At least twenty people have packed up and are at the gate waiting to leave," she said.
"Then they can leave."
"There's no one in charge to let them go."
Jeff nodded. Another reason to slice Azrael's throat. As if he needed another one. "What's your name?"
"Veronica. Friends call me Vee."
"You know how to grow shit in a garden?"
"Yes. I had a small one back home in Georgia. Why?"
Jeff smiled. "I need your help. I'm promoting you, Vee. You get the responsibility of taking over the garden and staff, as well as getting the entire upper floor of Dirty Harry's."
"Why?"
"Because I need good help, and you seem like you have your shit together. Azrael has gone away on a sudden mission and we need someone to take over on a temporary basis, but there's a great chance it will be a full-time position. Interested?"
Vee smiled. "Of course."
Jeff patted her lightly on the shoulder. "Then your first order of business will be to find someone you trust to help you out and be your second in command. You'll still report back to me on any decision, so I can take it to The Lich Lord. Understand?"
Vee nodded. "Isn't it, uh… scary being so close to him?"
"At first," Jeff admitted. "But you get used to him. He's not so bad. Not like the rest out there, just trying to kill everyone. He has a plan."
"I just hope his plan doesn't include fattening us up with veggies and then eating us," Vee said.
Jeff laughed. He was starting to like her. In a sister or mom kind of way, though. She'd be the perfect fit to take over, especially since Russ wasn't coming back except in a body bag. "Maybe. But, in the meantime, we eat and enjoy the relative safety."
"I'll go find a second and report back to you," Vee said.
Jeff held up a finger. "Actually, there is something more pressing for you to do. I need you to go and let those people out, but make sure they aren't carrying anything other than what they came in with. Understand? Take Bryan with you. And a couple of other men you can find. They're allowed to leave but they aren't stripping us of what we need to live."
"You got it," Vee said.
Jeff watched her run off excitedly. He really hoped she was a good choice for the responsibility he'd just handed her. As much as he hated Russ and hated to admit it, the man knew his shit. And kept everything in order, without needing a secondary person.
Now I need to find something to kill a few hours , Jeff thought. He might need to find a loose woman to play with.
Jeff saw the newcomer making a casual beeline to him from the crowded street.
"I'm Doug. I'm the one who knows where the preggo chick was hiding out. When do we leave?"
Jeff shook his head. "Not until tomorrow. I'll let you know."
Doug
Maggie Brendan
Barbara O'Connor
Jan Washburn
Terri Blackstock
Norah Simone
Barry Kemp
G.P. Taylor
Alan Cumyn
Linda Barnes
Lisa Jackson