"Okay, first, let me tell you about Greenburg," Frank began. 

Allison knew of Greenburg, of course. For years, the McGees had purchases feed and seed from the [i]Mom-n-Pop[/i] location there, as well as selling cattle, pigs, and goats to a slaughterhouse there. She'd known of the grocery distribution center, too, though they'd never been patrons of the stores it served.

The McGees had kept up on community events during the first months of the pandemic via television, radio, and the internet. Greenburg had suffered like all communities, small and large, but after the television and internet news ceased and the radio service became little more than a repeated national broadcast, news of what was happening in Greenburg and other, larger cities near the Montana/Wyoming border ceased.

Allison hadn't heard any of what Frank was telling her now, but to be truthful, none of it surprised her. She'd watched her share of post-apocalyptic movies at the end of workdays or during the winter when her days were typically shorter. 

Frank talked about the militia and about how it was anything but benevolent. She mused, "Getting out of there was probably the best."

He talked about the people he's most like to see join the [i]team[/i] at the McGee ranch. Allison had to admit that it would be good to have a nutrition-knowledgeable doctor around, particularly with a baby present. She knew absolutely [i]nothing[/i] about childhood illnesses. Another handyman would be welcome, too. She wasn't that keen on having a [i]foreign fighter[/i] join them, but she trusted Frank's opinion about the man.

The women he spoke of piqued Allison's interest as well. Candice Keen had been a nurse before going into teaching. Frank said the woman had [i]six[/i] degrees, making her what he called the smartest person he'd ever met.

Priscilla Parker had been an All-Star high school athlete before joining the US Navy with the goal of becoming one of the Service's first female graduates of the SEAL program. An injury -- unrelated to her Navy service -- ended that dream, though. She was in a San Diego Naval Medical Hospital undergoing rehabilitation when the pandemic got bad, and while she [i]should[/i] have reported to her station for duty, she instead [i]borrowed[/i] a car and drove home to Billings to be with her family. When I-55 took the last of them, she went out looking for resources and, unfortunately, found the Greenburg Militia.
 
The last suggestion was the most interesting to Allison. Hanna Breed had come from a farming and ranching family and, from Frank's description, sounded like a younger copy of Allison herself. She'd convinced the Militia to put in a huge garden and to begin collecting stock animals from all about the area. Her hope was that Greenburg could eventually feed itself without having to raid homes and communities in the adjacent area. 

"I know how to get us back into Greenburg," Frank said. 

"You just got out of there, and almost died trying," Allison reminding him with a laugh. She then recalled specifically what Frank said and asked, "[i]We?[/i]" 

"I'll go in alone," he clarified, "but once I'm inside, I can make contact with those people you like."

She hadn't had enough time to make a decision on any of them yet. How does one choose strangers to come live with them during a pandemic?

"I can get in and get out in just a few hours, maybe less," Frank reassured her. "If something were to go wrong ... if I wasn't able to get out again ... you'd take care of Little Bit ... right?"

Allison hadn't considered that yet, either. She followed Frank's glance toward the infant. If something were to happen to the man, if he wasn't to return, how the hell would she continue to care for the property [i]and[/i] care for a baby? 

"Tell me more about how you would get back in [i]and[/i] get back out again," Allison requested, adding, "keeping in mind that last time you got chased across the countryside and ended up in a shootout and crashed in a ditch, where you only survived because I killed the men chasing you."

They spent more than an hour going over Frank's plan. He'd been thinking the strategy over for a while, and had weighed the dangers enough to present Allison with a plan that sounded feasible. When they were finished going over the [i]operation[/i], she reminded Frank, "I still haven't decided on whether we're doing this or not yet. And if I decide not to, I hope you'll honor my decision. It [i]is[/i], after all, my place and my decision."

It was getting late, and Allison still had her evening patrol to finish. She went inside to prepare, then found herself deciding to blow the tour off this one night. Instead of going downhill toward the highway, Allison headed up the slight rise on which the estate sat until she reached one of her favorite places on the property. Some relative long ago had carved a bench seat out of a gigantic fallen tree. 

Allison sat there and watched the red sky in the west slowly go black. The stars filled the sky, presenting a magical look most people didn't get to see because of urban light pollution. She sat there a couple of hours, thinking about Frank's proposal. Allison had never had to be brave about things, and taking this leap required major bravery.

Eventually, she headed back down to the house, and finding Frank in the living room playing with Robert, Allison told him with a firm tone, "Okay. Let's do this. I approve of all of your people ... except maybe the Ukranian. Tell me more about what he has to offer."

They talked about Victor some more, after which Allison said, "Fine. He can come, too." She considered the list a moment more, then added, "If there are others you think should come ... you have my permission. But keep in mind something important. Robert will be living here with you ... with me ... with the others. Anyone you bring here poses a threat to the health and life of that little boy. Use your common sense."

They chatted a bit more before they set about feeding the dogs, securing the property, and closing up the house again. Robert was [i]dead to the world[/i] and was put down in the crib without complications. When Frank turned away from the boy, Allison was standing close to him ... intimately close.

"I don't want to imagine that you might not come back again," she said softly, moving closer to Frank. She reached out a hand to his chest, caressing it softly as she informed him, "I haven't been with a man in a long time. If you thought you'd want to be with me..."