“Where did Hector end up going?” I ask William.
“I believe he went to another group around here. He has family there,” answers William.
“You have quite an operation of combat training here,” says Phil as he sees several people running on the track, several people performing hand to hand combat training, and another small group sparring.
“We have to stay fit in our minds and bodies as we have had a couple run-ins with a group recently,” says William.
“Conquerors?” asks Jon.
“We don’t know who they are yet, but we’ll figure it out and make sure we end the threats to our people,” answers William.
“Glad to hear that. We are meeting with DK tomorrow,” I say to William.
“Where is the meeting?” asks William.
“Inside Level 2 at World of Trade,” I answer William.
“Walk with me gentlemen,” says William and then William starts to walk away from the track and football field.
“Have you been inside Level 2 before?” asks Jon to William.
“I haven’t even been to Level 1,” answers William with a big smile on his face.
“What does DK want to meet with you about?” asks William.
“I don’t know, but I fear for our safety as DK seems off and he threatened my community when we last talked over the radio,” I answer William.
“What did he say?” asks William and then William stops walking right before the entrance doors to the Haven indoor hallway.
“Basic threats, but that he could send his drones or his group to easily take out our Citrus Oaks community,” I answer William.
“Do you think he would do that?” asks Jon.
“I don’t know as I’ve never met the man,” answers William.
“Has anyone met DK before?” asks Phil.
“I believe Hector is the only person here that has talked with him before,” answers William.
I feel an instant sense of anxiety after hearing that Hector is the person we need to talk to about DK.
“Let’s get inside and get something to eat,” says William and then William pulls open the entrance doors to the Haven indoor hallway.
Shaun finds us as we enter the Haven hallway and asks, “Where are you guys going?”
“To get something to eat,” answers Jon.
Shaun gets a big smile on his face and says, “Well alright.”
Shaun, Matt, Jon, Phil, and I sit with William, Bruce, and Jeremy at a long table inside the Haven cafeteria.
“What is the plan for the meeting tomorrow?” asks Bruce.
“Are you going to kill him?” asks Jeremy.
“We are going to meet with him and see what he says,” I answer.
“Who is all going tomorrow?” asks Phil.
I look at Phil and answer, “I don’t know. I only knew I was, but haven’t thought about who else would come with me.”
“Who do you want there with you?” asks Shaun.
I look at Shaun, and then Matt, and then Jon, and finally Phil. I don’t know how to answer Shaun and then I see Jeremy.
“We only have three other passes for Level 2,” I say.
“I’m going with you. I can’t let you go in there alone,” says Phil.
“You don’t have a pass though,” says Shaun.
Phil looks at Matt and Matt says, “He can have mine.”
“You know I’m coming tomorrow. I have to see what they have inside Level 2,” says Shaun.
So we have me, Phil, and Shaun going tomorrow, and Jon holds the other Level 2 pass.
“You coming tomorrow?” I ask Jon.
Jon feels everyone staring at him and answers, “Man I feel like I’m getting interrogated here.”
Shaun leans in closer to Jon. Jon laughs and says, “Yeah I’m in for sure.”
“But how can we help you with the meeting, if we can’t get inside with you?” asks Jeremy.
“Good question Jeremy, but I just wanted to tell you about the meeting and also set up a meeting with Dr. Vargas and some people from our community that may need her services,” I answer Jeremy.
“Well this sucks,” says Jeremy and then he quickly leaves the table.
“What’s his problem?” asks Shaun.
“I think he wanted to come to the meeting tomorrow,” I answer Shaun.
“I will talk with Jeremy, but any news on the whereabouts of Jacob?” asks William.
“No news about Jacob. I’m hoping to learn where Jacob is tomorrow in the meeting though,” I answer.
“Very good, anything else for us to discuss?” asks William as he looks at me and the guys.
The guys shake their heads and say, “No.”
But I answer William, “Yes, one more thing actually.”
William and Bruce look at me and William asks, “What else would you like to discuss Ryan?”
I anxiously look at the guys and then answer William, “I wanted to make sure that if something happened tomorrow or down the road with DK or whoever comes along that we can count on you and your community. I need to know that my people will have access to your community if something happens to ours.”
“Of course Ryan. You and the people of Citrus Oaks are always welcome here,” replies William.
“I just wanted to make sure, especially with all the Hector trouble and everything,” I say.
“You and your people will always be welcome here,” says William.
I thank William, say goodbye to William and Bruce, and make my way back to the Medical office.
“Bye little guy,” says Dr. Vargas as she waves bye to Mason.
Mason smiles and he is put back into his car carrier by Nicole.
“How is everyone looking?” I ask Dr. Vargas.
Dr. Vargas tosses a rubber glove in the trash can and she doesn’t answer me.
“We’ll be by the cars Ry,” says Shaun as he stands by the entrance to the Medical office.
“Okay, I’ll be right there,” I reply to Shaun.
I stand with Dr. Vargas in the empty Medical office in the Haven.
Dr. Vargas is being cold to me, and I’m not sure why. She is making limited eye contact with me and something is clearly bothering her.
“The babies look great and Kylie is doing well also,” says Dr. Vargas.
“Did I do something wrong or something?” I ask Dr. Vargas.
Dr. Vargas takes a deep breath and answers, “You shouldn’t have hit Hector Ryan. He’s pissed and he might come after you now.”
“What do you mean?” I ask Dr. Vargas.
Dr. Vargas runs her hands through her pulled back hair and answers, “I don’t know. He left here after you choked him and then he went to some other group that he knows, and I heard they are bad people.”
I step closer to Dr. Vargas and say, “Dani, I need to know specifics. Where did he go?”
“I don’t know, but I think it’s called the Factory and it is somewhere in St. Pete,” answers Dr. Vargas.
“I don’t have time for this shit. I have enough on my fucking plate and this bullshit with Hector is something I don’t need right now,” I say angrily as I look at the wall behind Dr. Vargas.
“I’m sorry Ryan, I tried to calm him down, but he’s super pissed and I fear that he could do something against you or your group,” says Dr. Vargas.
“Thanks for the information. Anything else you can tell me?” I reply to Dr. Vargas.
“You need to cut your hair, it’s getting too long,” jokes Dr. Vargas.
I’m not sure if Dr. Vargas is joking or not, but then I see her smile and let out a little laugh and it’s a nice tension breaker.
“You always loved to tell me when I needed a haircut,” I reply to Dr. Vargas with a smile.
“This has to be the longest you let your hair and beard grow out,” says Dr. Vargas.
“It definitely is, but are you doing okay here?” I reply to Dr. Vargas.
“Yeah, I love it here. This place is pretty secure, a
nd everyone is nice,” answers Dr. Vargas.
Dr. Vargas sees Dr. Morris slowly walk by the open door to the Medical room and Dr. Vargas cautiously closes the door to the Medical room.
I see Dr. Vargas close the Medical office door and I ask, “Everything okay?”
Dr. Vargas looks through the small window on the door of the Medical office door and she answers, “I don’t trust that Dr. Morris.”
“Why? What happened?” I ask.
“She doesn’t know anything about medicine, and I’m pretty sure I heard her talking to someone about this place over the radio,” answers Dr. Vargas.
“What? What makes you say that?” I ask.
“She doesn’t know basic medical stuff. I even asked her several basic medical questions and she didn’t know the answers. Basic stuff like anatomy and when to use heat or ice on a patient,” answers Dr. Vargas.
“What about her talking over the radio? Did you hear the name Jacob or DK?” I ask Dr. Vargas.
“I don’t know, but I’ll have to look into that and make note of any names she says over the radio,” answers Dr. Vargas.
“Thank you Dani. I really appreciate your help. You are a great doctor and a good friend,” I say to Dr. Vargas.
“Don’t you forget it,” jokes Dr. Vargas.
“You should come by our community sometime; it’s called Citrus Oaks,” I say to Dr. Vargas.
As I’m talking with Dr. Vargas in the Medical office inside the Haven, Dr. Morris is standing against the wall next to the closed Medical office door and trying to listen to my conversation with Dr. Vargas.
CHAPTER 5
THAT’S ENOUGH
“You sure you want to meet with that bald weirdo today?” asks Phil as we wait around Shaun’s electric truck for Jon and Shaun.
“I want to get the meeting over with. Waiting and not knowing is the worst part of this,” I answer Phil.
“What if he tries something? What if it’s a trap?” asks Phil.
“We’ll have some Ghosts’ around World of Trade and outside of Level 2 to keep an eye out for us. That’s still happening right?” I answer Phil.
Shaun exits from his house and asks, “Jon still coming?”
“Yeah, he’ll be here in a couple minutes,” answers Phil.
I look at Phil and ask, “The Ghosts will still be at World of Trade right?”
“Yeah, as far as I know. Bakari told me over the phone that they’ll be there.”
I see that Phil and Shaun have their oversized cloth face masks, that Bakari gave us, around their necks and I ask, “You finally wearing those face masks that Bakari gave you?”
Shaun pulls at his black face mask that is around his neck and answers, “Yeah, I had to wash mine first, but I’ll be rocking it now.”
Phil can sense my anxiety and nervousness about the meeting and says to me, “We got your back with DK today. Don’t worry about him.”
“But what if he tries something? Are we looking to take him out or what?” asks Shaun.
I think about Shaun’s question and I see Jon come walking around the corner near Matt’s house.
“I’m glad that we are meeting inside Level 2. DK shouldn’t have any guns but let’s make sure, and keep a close eye on things around World of Trade,” I answer Shaun.
Jon, while holding an empty duffel bag in his left hand, walks over to us and says, “Sorry I’m late. Kelly wasn’t feeling the best this morning.”
“What’s wrong with Kel? Anything serious?” I ask Jon.
Jon answers, “She had a little temperature but nothing too bad. Might be the flu or just a bug.”
“You let me know if you need me to check on her. How much medicine do you have left?” I reply to Jon.
“We are running a little low on medicine at the house. I checked the Medical house this morning and it looks like the count is off for the medicine and medical supplies. Where any of you guys in there?” says Jon.
“I haven’t been in there, but I’ll ask around when we get back,” I answer Jon.
“I rarely go in there, but I did hear some gunshots the other day outside of the closed entrance,” says Phil.
“Outside or inside the walls?” asks Shaun.
“Sounded like right outside,” answers Phil.
I see Brody standing outside on the platform at our main entrance and I say, “Pick me up at the entrance. I want to talk with Brody before we leave.”
I walk down the street, with my katana on my back in her red scabbard, and pass Bobby G’s house. Brody sees me walking and he waves.
“You got a second to talk?” I shout to Brody.
“Yeah, what’s up sir?” asks Brody.
While standing in the grass next to the platform that is next to the Citrus Oaks main entrance, I ask Brody, “Have you seen anyone around our walls or around the closed entrance?”
“Just a couple small groups of zombies this morning at this entrance and a couple dead ones right outside of the closed entrance a day or so ago,” answers Brody.
“Keep an eye on the closed entrance if you can. Phil heard gunshots there the other day. It’s probably nothing but let’s make sure,” I say to Brody.
Shaun drives to the main Citrus Oaks entrance with Phil and Jon. I see Shaun stop his electric truck at the entrance and I ask Brody, “Are we still getting a couple people from the Haven today?”
“Yeah, we should be getting about five or six I think,” answers Brody.
“Maybe you can take them around the walls, clear out the dead, and check out the closed West entrance today,” I say to Brody.
“Yes sir. I hope your meeting goes well today,” replies Brody.
I say goodbye to Brody and get in Shaun’s electric truck, the guards open the entrance to Citrus Oaks, and Shaun exits Citrus Oaks.
Shaun drives down the street, and from the passenger seat of Shaun’s electric truck I see a small group of people walking down the sidewalk.
“Is that Jerri-Lynn’s group?” asks Phil from the backseat of Shaun’s electric truck.
Shaun slows down his electric truck and Jerri-Lynn’s group aim their guns at Shaun’s electric truck.
“It’s only us!” I shout out my passenger side electric truck door window.
“I almost shot you,” says Chelsea.
“Where you guys going?” I ask Jerri-Lynn.
“We are going to check out the zombie pile around the fallen tree in the road. I won’t be able to sleep right until I know they are gone,” answers Jerri-Lynn.
“Don’t do anything crazy. I told you we will help you with it,” I say to Jerri-Lynn.
“We won’t. I’ll make sure we stay safe,” says Sam.
“Those stupid zombies aren’t worth losing any of you guys,” I say to Jerri-Lynn and her group, which consists of Sam, Kiersten, Chelsea, and Andre.
BANG!
The sound of a rifle gunshot is heard in the distance. We all look towards the direction of the gunshot, and Chelsea says, “That’s gotta be from Chase.”
“Stay safe. We’ll see you later,” says Jerri-Lynn to me.
I say goodbye to Jerri-Lynn and her group and Shaun drives away from them.
As Shaun drives away, Phil sees Chelsea and Sam running towards the direction where we heard the gunshot and he says, “I hope they don’t do anything dumb today.”
“I hope we don’t either,” says Jon.
“Well, we got Shaun driving us around so that’s pretty dumb,” I joke.
“You are more than welcome to walk. You can go hang out with that group of dead ones right there,” says Shaun as he approaches a group of three zombies aimlessly walking down the right side of the street that Shaun is driving down.
“But seriously though, is it a smart move to meet with this guy today?” asks Jon.
“Well, I think we need to hear him out. He seems a little off, but I think we need to keep him on our good side,” I answer Jon.
“Did he really threaten you over the radio?” asks Phil.
“Yeah, but then he apologized. He seems like a complicated person,” I answer Phil.
“What if he has split personalities? Like he’s a nice guy one minute and then a lunatic another?” asks Jon.
“Let’s hope we get the nice guy today at the meeting then,” answers Shaun.
Shaun parks his electric truck in the parking lot at World of Trade, and I start to get really nervous for the meeting with DK.
“I’m kind of glad that we finally are getting into Level 2 today,” says Jon as Jon exits from the electric truck.
Phil, Shaun, and I exit from Shaun’s electric truck and we are searched by the armed guards at World of Trade.
I feel a sense of relief knowing that we were searched by the guards and that DK should be searched also.
“Everyone got their badges?” asks Phil.
Everyone has their badges and we make our way to the Level 1 section at World of Trade.
We approach the location of Dutch and Cage’s booth and there is nothing there but an empty tent.
“Isn’t this where Dutch and Cage usually are?” asks Phil.
Shaun looks at the empty booth and answers Phil, “Yeah.”
“You want this booth?” asks the male vendor that is next to the empty Dutch and Cage booth.
“No, but I’m curious what happened to the vendor here? Are they coming back?” asks Shaun to the vendor.
“I doubt it. They packed up their things and haven’t been back for several days now,” answers the male vendor.
“When did they leave?” asks Phil to the male vendor.
“I’m not sure exactly, but it was right around the time when that group attacked this place,” answers the male vendor.
“Thank you for your time,” says Phil to the male vendor.
Phil, Jon, Shaun, and I walk down the outdoor path that leads to the main entrance at Level 2. As we approach the entrance, I can feel the nervousness, excitement, and apprehension with Shaun, Phil, Jon, and myself.
I look to my right and I see a small group of vendors and two Ghosts blending in with the group of vendors. One of the Ghosts sees me, and they nod their head and I nod back at them.
Shaun makes it to the main entrance of Level 2 and Phil, Jon, and I am right behind him. I look at the brick walls around the entrance to Level 2 and I notice the marks in the bricks, the dark circles, bullets that remain in various bricks, and black, white, and red stains on different bricks.
Fight 4 Us (Book 11): Access Page 5
