The Siege Read Online Free PDF

shared some of their cattle, with the agreement that Frank would grow a small herd and then share a small number with another group of survivors.
         “Resist the urge to eat them all,” John had said. “Instead, let them grow, so that in a generation there will be small pockets of cattle all over the area.”
         The survivors on Buena Vista Drive now had a steady supply of milk and eggs, and a bit of fresh meat on occasion. Only Frank had ever met John personally, but to Frank’s people John was a saint.
         Frank still stayed in touch with John by ham radio, but hadn’t been able to reach him for several days. He was becoming worried.
         “Johnny Bravo, this is Frank Furter. Haven’t heard from you for awhile, just doing a check-up call.”
         He got no response, but he didn’t expect one. He and John never talked on the radio real time. They just left short messages, several hours apart. It was John’s idea, and the intent was to keep the government or anyone else with the ability to track radio signals to get a bead on their location. By talking only in short bursts, they’d hoped that outside tracking equipment wouldn’t have time to work.
         Normally, Frank would have expected to hear a short message from John a couple of hours after his own call went out. Usually, John’s message would sound something like, “Johnny Bravo to Frank Furter, all is well on this end, hope same is true for you.” The two were careful never to mention livestock, or crops, or anything else that marauders or looters might be interested in.
         Frank turned to his wife Eva and said, “I’m getting concerned, hon. This is the fifth time I’ve called in the past few days, and they still haven’t responded.”
         “Oh, don’t fret, Frank. This is about the time of year that farmers plant their crops. You said they had big fields to plant corn and wheat in. This is probably one of the busiest times of their year. I’m sure he just hasn’t had time to turn on his radio lately.”
         “But he said that his ham radio was on twenty four seven. And that it was in his security control center, which was always manned. Surely someone would have heard my messages and let him know I was calling.”
         “Honey, don’t be an old mother hen. If something was wrong with your friend, I’m sure someone would have let you know by now. Just keep trying. They’ll eventually answer, I’m sure.”
         “Maybe I’ll take another hunting trip up that way. Maybe check on the deer population and see if it’s growing.”
         Eva laughed.
         “The last time you went hunting for deer up there you came back with chickens instead. Why would this trip be any different?”
         “Because this time I could check on my friends.”
         It turned out that Frank’s words were being heard at the compound. But not by the good guys.
         Davey Douglas, a three time felon who was serving forty to life before the meteorite hit the earth and gave him his freedom, heard them. He was sitting in an easy chair adjacent to the security console and eating a sandwich when Frank’s concerned voice came across the airwaves.
         But they meant nothing to Davey Douglas. He was much more interested in his sandwich.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
         Little Markie looked at Hannah with the saddest of eyes.
         “Mommy, how long are we gonna have to stay here this time?”
         “I don’t know, little sailor. Why?”
         “I used to like it here. But now I don’t. I like the other place better. I like the grass. It was cool. Especially when you took me out to play with the Frisbee or Daddy played football with me. And I liked the swing that Uncle Bryan hung in the tree for me. There’s not much to do here.”
         “Oh, that’s not true. Everything you used to do before