I sat at the middle of the small table with my foremen on either side of me. The other workers crowded benches around the larger tables on the porch, trying to fill up on sausages, pancakes and hot coffee before having to brave the rainy weather. I idly nibbled a pancake-wrapped sausage while considering what tasks matched the present conditions.
"Check for roof leaks in the house, the bunkhouse, the barn, the garage and the smoke house. Mark them if they aren't too bad. We can fix them when the weather improves. Patch the really bad ones, though.
"There will be some flooding. I still don't want to tear up the beaver dam, so make sure none of the animals bog down there or in any of the other low areas. This is our first big rain of the year and the animals will probably be a little stupid for a while, particularly the young ones.
"Apart from that, try to keep everybody out of the weather as much as possible. This storm will probably last another day or maybe two. Make sure that anybody who has to go very far alone carries a radio. I'll stay by the office, catching up on paper work, and I'll be able to monitor the traffic most of the time. Keep me informed.
"We have plenty of supplies right now, as long as nothing starts to rot. We just have to keep our eyes open and keep on top of any problems that pop up."
The housekeeper, MayBelle, came out of thehouse with a pot of coffee in one hand and a telephone in the other. As she filled my cup she said, "Wilson's calling about some kind of pig problem they're having."
I took up the phone. "Henry, what's up?"
"Well, it seems like a bunch of pigs went crazy and started killing people. They hit the Warren place, the Anson place and the couple that have been building near Anson's, all last night apparently. A couple of places don't answer. Have you seen anything?"
"No, we're pretty remote and this is a big place, so even if they've hit the animals anywhere they haven't gotten to any of the main buildings. Who's not answering?"
"The Carters, for one. A family that big, there should be somebody to answer the phone. And Old Man Kincaid. They're both fairly near your place. Can we get you to send somebody out to check on them?"
"I'll send a truck and crew over to Kincaid's, but the road to the Carter place is going to be a mess. I'll take a bunch of workers over there on horseback. The usual emergency frequency for radio contact?"
"Yeah, we've forted up over here, so my wife or daughters will monitor both channel 7 and channel 11, with the routine stuff on 11. I'm taking a crew down to check out the Buckley place. We've notified the authorities, but they'll probably drag their feet, as usual. I've got another call to make, then I'm out of here. Keep in touch."
I thumbed the phone off and laid it on the table. "Forget the routine stuff; we have an emergency situation with pigs killing people. It sounds organized. Several places were hit at the same time and several more places aren't reporting. Send four men to the Kincaid place. Make sure they're armed. Take somebody who knows how to handle medical emergencies and take along a first aid kit. I want eight or ten men with me on horseback to investigate the Carter place. Again, armed and prepared. Get the most experienced hunters we have. Both crews are to shoot any pigs they see. The same goes for anybody who stays behind: armed and keeping watch. Make this place a fortress.
"MayBelle, I'm going to be gone for a while. I want you to keep everybody inside and monitor the radio closely. I want ranch traffic on channel 3, emergency traffic on 7, and the crews looking into this problem should report their progress on channel 11."
I went inside to dress for a wet ride and grab a radio and a rifle. The horses were all ready when I came out into the yard. The truck was already on its way, the smaller utility vehicle still being loaded. I tested my radio as I waited for everybody to mount, then took the drag position as the group headed out towards the hilly wood we would have to cross to get to the Carter ranch.
I told Rasputin to check on our destinations. He told me there were no survivers of a pig attack at the Kincaid ranch, the pigs having broken in to the ranch house and killed everybody as they slept. There were two survivors at the Carter ranch, a woman and boy trapped in the barn. We climbed a slight rise into the woods as I asked about the pigs.
::The pigs that attacked the Kincaids are on the road heading towards your ranch. There are two groups with a total of twenty animals. There are six groups with a total of fifty animals headed towards your ranch through the woods. They will become aware of you in a few minutes. There are a dozen animals patrolling the Carter ranch, waiting for the survivors to come down from the loft. You are already in danger of being cut off from your ranch when the pigs discover you. You should return quickly.::
Stopping the group, I repeated what Rasputin had told me and ordered most of them to head back as fast as they could go. I assigned one man to call the truck and order it to return before they were attacked. I called the ranch house and ordered them to fort up in the barn and ranch house against the seventy pigs that were on their way. As I followed my men I heard a scream behind us. The pigs had discovered us. Now we were in a race for our lives.
One of the lead horses fell. Another picked up its rider, carrying him double. Shortly after passing the animal we heard him scream as the pigs attacked him. A branch swept me off of my horse, who continued following my men. I quickly climbed a tree and started shooting at the first pigs to pass me. I quickly scored three kills. Then the remaining pigs avoided me, continuing on in their pursuit of my men. Half of a later group, five or six animals, kept watch on me, remaining just far enough into the woods to avoid becoming targets. I still managed to kill one more.
"Rasputin, these pigs are too organized. Why? Has somebody been modifying them genetically?"
::Yes, the pigs have increased intelligence due to genetic manipulation, particularly the addition of human genetic material associated with communication. Other animals have received similar treatment but only the pigs became organized while keeping their abilities secret. They can understand your speech and with a little practice you should be able to understand theirs.::