Ella & Vlad at the end

#41 - bovine dealings

Mid afternoon all stitched up the wolf wanders to the woods when Manuel returns with Miles, Mary-Lee and Jamal. All hearing about the wolf, follow behind hope to view it.

Curiously studying Ella slip away Fil inquires, "Vlad why'd Ella leave when those guys are coming back now? Do you think this is a trap?"

"Hey don't say that. I got the sense of nothing to fear from them. Just poor sick bastards trying to continue in life." Vladimir studies them coming up the drive, "did you notice the wolf seemed a bit HAPPIER, when a doctor was mentioned." Vlad sees a few scenarios, one involving Ella seeking help for a transfusion, "an actual doctor?" Knowing Ella's history it's possible there's a deeper interest, "Ella is a single woman looking for aid."

"Oh might be more than a doctor," Fil says it for him. "What should I say if asked about Ella? I'm still wondering what she's up to?"

"She's not needed right now." Vlad wants to meet the doctor to be sure, "I think we'll find out shortly. But like Ella, you and I have our reasons. Go with, out patrolling or something."

"Okay," she's fine with Ella watching their backs, no matter what.

Leading the group is Manuel and Mary-Lee. Jamal keeps close to her with Miles a pace or two behind, interested in an encounter with the wolf Ida and Adan freed.

Slowing up near the porch they can't help but notice, Hoss and his men piled past the Hummer. 

The sight startles Jamal and Miles, Manuel and Mary-Lee are impressed. With a 'thumps' up' to Vlad and Fil, Mary-Lee speaks freely, "Vladimir is it? I'm Mary-Lee, this is my husband Jamal to my right. You've met Manuel and the man in the back is Miles, he's our doctor. We're four of seven from a council of people trying to make what we're calling New Washington a functioning city. It's of course not the American capital. Just the city down the road from here."

Putting Filomena on the spot Vladimir shows he has confidence in her, "I am, and this is Filomena, she'll be my spokesperson and decision maker. I just do the dirty work."

"Oh thanks Vlad, I guess." Fil waves to them, "hey glad you could come out today and lend a hand. Before we talk about the beef we need to chew the fat."

Vladimir lightly chuckles, curious how this is going to go.

Filomena's friendly face and tone relieves Mary-Lee, as they are wondering if Hoss was to be replaced by Vladimir, who seems much more dangerous. "Oh hello Filomena, first thank you and your man here for doing this. It would seem we're all trying to survive in the area. We've got a city trying to exist peacefully. We need things, you have disease free dairy cows. We've got stockpiles of left over goods and freshly grown produce. We did lose six good people today trying to help and a few others were wounded."

"Wow straight to the point," Fil glances back to a shrugging Vladimir, "I am sorry about your friends. I'll say a little something in remembrance for them later. We agree you can have some of the cows but Vlad and I would prefer to be the complete owners, under THE-WE-found-it-first principle. We'll allow you a cow for every man you lost. Seems silly to say their life only worth a cow but that's what we were fighting for."

Content with that as a start Mary-Lee hopes they won't say anything about the items they've been acquiring in the village already. "Yes it does seem strange and sad. What times we've been left with... We were however wondering, and I'll just lay it out there, co-existing without negatively interfering with one another?"

"Of course," despite the wardrobe Filomena smiles feeling like royalty the peasants look up too, "as far as us living there it's a possibility. Vlad and I are trying something different. We have yet even lived together, but have lived everywhere together."