Chapter 72

"Jen, this is Scott and Michelle," Jessica said. "Guys, this is Jennifer, and her friends call her Jen."

"Jen is is," said Michelle, giving Jennifer a hug. "Any friend of Jessica and Alex."

Jessica and Alex had picked Jennifer up on their way through Jonesboro. They had left early, intending to show her Alex's new place as well as visiting Scott and Michelle.

"I told Jen we'd go see the new place while we're here," Jessica said. "Do you want to go now, or wait until after lunch?"

"It looks like it might rain this afternoon," Scott replied. "Probably best to go now."

"Let's see," Jessica said, "there are five of us. A little crowded, you guys want to follow us up?"

"Sounds good," Scott replied. "We're ready if you are."

Alex, Jessica and Jennifer got back in Alex's Trailblazer, Jennifer sitting in the front passenger seat at Jessica's suggestion.

"You can see better from there," she said. "And I can be a backseat driver."

Scott and Michelle followed in Scott's Jeep as they drove to Alex's new property.

"We haven't seen much of it," he told Jennifer. "We just closed a few days ago, and only been up here a couple of times since. So we'll be exploring."

"It really is peaceful out here," Jennifer said. "I've lived in the city my entire life. There's hardly any people out here."

"That's what we like about it. Too many people around, always some that aren't nice to be around. Out here you have a choice."

"Where are you living now," Jennifer asked.

"We're staying in a rented house in Trumann. I have a house in Paragould but couldn't stay there, the condition I was in. Jessica rented the house in Trumann and we've been there since. We hope to get started building one out here soon."

"Between Alex being sick and the plandemic," Jessica said, "everything's been moving slow."

"Plandemic?"

"What most people call it these days," replied Jessica. "now so much has been revealed about the hoax it was. I hope people are held accountable some day."

"First I want someone to account for my Matt, and Alex and Karen's brother. How many will they kill before we put them out of business?"

Alex glanced over at her.

Cold look on that pretty face. Don't blame her, he brother dead. Just kids really.

"We'll get them," he said. "They messed with the wrong people this time."

He turned off the highway onto a dirt road and stopped. Scott stopped and got out, walked up to the driver's window.

"It hasn't rained in over a week," he said. "So you should be good anywhere that isn't low ground. Stay away from water, you'll be all right. I'll hang back a ways, if you do get in trouble I can stop. This Jeep's pretty heavy and I can winch you out if you don't get buried too good."

"Sounds good. I'll just drive around and look the place over, it'll take a while to get to know it."

"Yeah. It did with mine, and yours is about twice as big. Lead on."

They spent a couple of hours driving over the gently rolling land, avoiding bodies of water and anything that looked less than solid. The dirt road was the only road on the place, and extended only about halfway across. Afterwards they stopped at the entry point and got out. Scott and Alex smoked cigars while the women chatted among themselves.

"You've got plenty to keep you busy," Scott said. "Once you figure out where you want to build you'll have to get a good road in. I can hook up with the guys that worked for me, anything you don't want to do yourself."

"I'm going to buy some new equipment," Alex said. "Probably the road is the one thing I don't want to do alone. And I'll hire the building done, I haven't got enough years left to use them on that."

"Now that the crazy is over for a while, it should go fast."

They drove back to Scott's place, where Jessica and Jennifer helped Michelle prepare some pizzas while Alex and Scott stayed out of the way. Afterwards they went to the armory to select some guns.

"You ever do any shooting, Jen?" Alex asked.

"No. Matt went hunting a few times with some friends, but I'm not even sure what happened to his guns. I guess they're with... I haven't been through his things. It still hurts too much to even think about them."

"Using a gun is a good thing to learn." said Alex. "And if bad things should happen - I hope to keep you and Karen out of sight as much as possible - but you never know what may happen."

".22's the best way to start with," Scott said. He took the Ruger he had taken on their first outing and handed it to Jennifer. She took it, holding it cautiously but firmly.

Her hands not too small, about like Jessica's. She should get used to it pretty quick.

"It feels heavy the first time," Scott said. "But you get used to it pretty quick. Want to give it a try?"

"Sure."

They selected several more guns and put them in the range bags with the accessories and went out to the range.

"Nice thing about living in the middle of nowhere," Scott said, "is the range is the backyard."

"Here you go," he said, handing a set of ear protectors to Jennifer, as the others put theirs on. "Let's move over here a little."

Jennifer walked with him over to a shooting position about twenty feet from the targets.

"Yeah, you practice on what you might have to shoot at," he said, noticing her look at the silhouettes. "Handguns are for self-defense."

"I know, I just never...."

"You wouldn't if you weren't used to it. But it's a pretty nasty world these days."

"Yeah, I know."

Scott handed the Ruger to her, and she held it muzzle down at her side.

"OK, good girl. Treat every gun as if it's loaded, don't point it at anything you don't intend to shoot. Now watch Alex, see how it's done."

Alex took a Glock 17 and assumed a shooting stance, aiming it at the targets.

"Right arm - if you're right handed - extended with the gun leveled at the target. Bend your left arm just a little, like Alex is doing. Now adjust it to get your sight picture."

Jennifer raised the Ruger and aimed it at one of the targets. She held it as Alex instructed and sighted.

"Good," Alex said. "Your hands will be a little shaky when you're not used to it. Ready to give it a try?"

She nodded, lowered the gun.

Scott handed her a loaded magazine.

"This is the safety. Make make the red dot is covered. Push it in all the way, it'll click. Just bang the bottom gently with the heel of your hand to be sure."

She complied.

"OK, good. Most auto pistols have a slide like the Glock Alex is holding. The Ruger is unusual. You pull on those ears at the back, as far as you can. Then let go."

She pointed the gun downrange, pulled the bolt back and released it.

"Looks good, now take your time, aim and fire. It'll jump a little, but not much."

Jennifer switched the safety off and sighted, squeezed the trigger. Even expecting it and with her ear protectors she was startled, but quickly recovered. She sighted and fired again. Each time was a little easier, and she emptied the magazine.

"Good girl. Not bad for a first time. Now pull back the mag release, there on the bottom of the grip."

They spent a couple of hours shooting, mostly getting Jennifer comfortable. She learned fast and seemed to enjoy it. The rain never came so they showed her around the place before leaving.

"I'd love to live out here," she said. "It's so beautiful, and peaceful. But it would be a long drive to work."

"There are some nice places closer to town," said Jessica. "Alex has a small place about ten minutes or so away. If you want to we can help you look around for something you like."

"I'd like that. Maybe when things are settled."