During the six months after Bobby, Neil and I returned to Haven with a semi trailer loaded with supplies, the population of Haven had continued to grow. People continued to trickle in from the surrounding rural areas. Occasionally, there were still refugees from the large population centers getting picked up by Haven's roving patrols or just showing up at our gate. There were approximately 90 residents living in Haven currently.
The committee we had elected continued to govern the neighborhood. We held monthly meetings to discuss and vote on rules and regulations to insure resources were distributed fairly and equitably. The committee also settled disputes between neighbors.
I was still functioning as the Guard Commander. I had to organize the guard shifts and the training of personnel in order to maintain our security.
Four months ago, a security subcommittee was formed to formulate long term security measures. This allowed me to concentrate on the day to day activities and duties.
Rob announced at the last monthly community meeting that he and Luther were going to go out and scout the National Guard Armory.
The stock at Haven included several thousand 5.56 mm rounds in its Armory. But we only had about 12 m4 weapons to fire them. There was a severe shortage of shotgun rounds, 9mm, and 30 caliber ammunition. There was even less ammunition for the various other calibers of weapons that the residents of Haven possessed.
Rob said their plan would be to break into the National Guard Armory and clean out any arms and ammunition that were there. They would also check for any equipment that might prove useful to Haven. The present generator was operating at or near its maximum load. A backup generator would assure power could continue without interruption if anything happened to it.
The meeting chairman, Fred, suggested that while Rob and Luther were in Sacramento, they might make a second stop. Go to the power plant which was just down the road a few miles and check the possibility of negotiating the loan of some of the plants electrical experts.
Neil, who had been living at the power plant since the Zombie outbreak started, said the leadership at the power plant consisted of a group of bullies and toughs. They controlled the rest of the people through intimidation which resulted in the majority being outright afraid of them.
Neil also said the leaders might not see any advantage to loaning the people to us when they needed them for their own survival.
Fred said they could offer to trade supplies for the loan of the people.
Neil was skeptical, but Rob wanted to know what the alternative was.
Neil said that with help, he might be able to sneak into the plant and help any of the plant workers that wanted to escape.
There were objections that this action could cause such anger to the ones running the power plant that they might attack Haven to retaliate.
Rob said that a couple APC's using 50 calibers would discourage anyone from following them back to Haven.
The subcommittee, to oversee the security of Haven, was headed by Ted Winters, who was both a councilman and security subcommittee chairman. The subcommittee had already brought up the danger of relying on the operation of one generator.
Ted stated that the biggest points of concern here at Haven were the single generator and the low stock pile of ammunition. He said the generators and ammunition should be the number one priority for this trip. Ted also said that approaching the power plant people could be done at a later date and would first need the approval of the committee.
By the end of the meeting, Rob wished that he had never brought up the trip and had just gone with Luther and checked out the armory on his own. But, after bringing it up to the committee, it grew like it had a life of its own.
Now after the meeting, Rob and I were sitting at my kitchen table and cursing the committee, and generally ranting.
"I can't believe the committee has decided I should take a six man crew to Sacramento just to checkout the armory. But then they ORDERED me not to make contact with the Power Plant because I might upset or anger the power plant bosses. What the hell is that about, professional courtesy between bosses? I'm surprised that they didn't appoint their own expedition leader and just allow me to be the driver." said Rob sarcastically.
I tried to calm Rob down. Although I completely agreed with Rob, we both believed that the committee was smart enough not to piss him off on purpose (even though I was beginning to have my doubts about them).
The committee wanted to be in complete control of us. However, there weren't many of the residents, and none of the committee members, who were willing to leave the safety of Haven to venture into the outside Zombie infested world.
These trips were always led by Rob or me. Because of this, the committee usually tried to tread softly around problems in their efforts not to upset Rob or me. But this time they had gone too far with their hunger for power and control issues. And now we were both really angry.
"Just look at the best crew they could assemble to accompany you." I said. "A bunch of inexperienced teenagers; the only ones not too scared to go into the city. The committee needs us more than we need them Rob. They're like the majority of politicians generally are. They aren't capable or willing to do much of anything themselves. But they want to control the ones that are putting themselves in jeopardy. So, I know what you mean about them and I'm also getting tired of making every decision by committee. But, let's keep in mind there is only your and my APC's. They also know we would use the 50 calibers to prevent their taking them. And now they are willing to send a bunch of green kids out there. But none of the committee members volunteered to go did they. I wanted to go for a couple of jugglers when they agreed to send Bobby, a mere 14 year old." I added.
Although Bobby had accompanied Rob and me several times on previous trips and is competent, he is still just a kid and I didn't think he should have to jeopardize his life in order to keep the committee members safe and secure.
"Why didn't you just say you didn't want him to go?" asked Rob.
"I knew Bobby wanted to go, and that you would look out for him. And I was hoping Bobby would think his number one priority was to protect his sister, especially with you gone. You were at the meeting Rob. I volunteered to take Bobby's place. And what did Bobby do? Remember? He jumped right in and suggested Jenny and Veronica could stay with Betty and me. It was obvious Bobby wanted to go, and then when he said if I was here with all the girls, there would be no need to worry about anything happening to any of them while you and he were gone. How could I argue with that? But it does show you how much he's grown up since he's been at Haven."
I had seen the sense in what Bobby had said. Between Rob, Luther, Bobby and I, we had more experience in dealing with the Zombies than all the rest of Havens residents put together. And one of us probably should always be here.
"I didn't want to make him feel like a little kid by negating his solution to the problem of me going instead of him." I explained in answer to Rob's question.
Even though I believed that Bobby knew what he was doing out there, and that Rob could take care of everyone, he still was just a kid forced to grow up too soon. If I could have had time, I would have talked Bobby into staying and then I would have been able to go in his place.
But the committee decided to allow him to go by taking a vote. Before they voted I told the committee, "If anything happened to Bobby, they could also consider themselves dead men".
I had hoped they might back down. At least the more prudent members called for a voice vote in order to clear their own names. Then Ted Winters gave his impassioned speech about Haven being governed and run b
y the committee, not by reckless individuals who would rant and threaten the committee itself. In the end, the majority of committee members voted to allow Bobby to accompany Rob and Luther.
Rob and I continued our rant while at my kitchen table.
"The nerve of those jerks to think they can tell us who we'll take out with us and what we'll do once we're out there. I think we'll have to put an end to the committee trying to exert control over the foraging trips." I said.
"The time may be near for us to standup to them. If they want to make decisions, they should be out there in the real shit, facing the Zombies. They just want to sit here in the safe haven we have created and maintained. And then have the gall to give us directions on how to make them safer and happier." said Rob.
"Amen to that." I said.
"I'm ready to kick a couple of them in the butt right now. I'm through taking orders from them. I think this will be my last trip outside for the benefit of Haven." Rob said.
At this point, I was as worked up and angry as Rob. Fortunately, alcohol was getting harder to come by because if we had been drinking, we might have solved the problem right then with guns.
"We really do need to find a beer distributer to loot on one of our trips." I said.
"Well Ralph, since I stirred you up instead of you being able to calm me down, I'll just call it a night and go home before we agree to shoot somebody." laughed Rob.