Almawt Virus Series (Book 3): Days Since...Jenny [Day 986]

by Wilson, Robert

  “Out with it, Matt.”

  “He said he was proud of you. Probably only said it out loud cause you wouldn't be able to hear it,” Matt joked.

  “What exactly did he say?” Her voice had an urgency to it.

  “Said you hesitated a little but got the shot off then tracked the deer.” Matt took a breath before continuing, “Someone else tried to say that tracking it in the snow wasn't a big deal, you know, trying to make it sound like anyone could do it. But Danny—”

  “Who said that?” Jenny interrupted with a fierceness.

  “Don't remember.” Matt's eyes didn't meet with hers.

  “Matt?” she pressed him.

  “Doesn't matter. Danny stuck up for you. Said the other guy hadn't bagged meat in like 4 months. You should’ve seen his face when Danny said that. He shut up quick.”

  Jenny laughed, bringing back some of the same stares from earlier, which caused her to shut down again.

  “Why do you get like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like that. You act differently here. This place has changed you or at least while you're actually here in the walls. When we're out on a scout, it's usually normal Jenny. Then, back here it's—”

  “I don't know what you're talking about.” Jenny gulped her soup down and shifted from the seat.

  Matt squeezed her arm before she turned completely. “Hey...”

  Jenny brushed it off, speaking over her shoulder, “I've got the daily checks to do until I'm told otherwise.”

  “You don't have to—” He scurried after her, shoveling the last bit of stew into his mouth. “Hey, come on...” Both of their bowls and utensils rattled in the bus pan. “Just...” Matt tried again, but she continued on her way. “Please, Jenny.”

  “What?”

  “Just give me a chance to talk to Danny and see what the plan is.”

  “What plan?” Danny asked from in the soup line, both his hands readying his bowl for a portion of the stew. “You guys planning something?”

  Jenny nudged Matt. “Go on. Tell him,”

  Danny chuckled. “I think I already know, and I've already decided what I want to do.”

  I figured as much. Expelling a curt breath, she waited for the people in front of Danny to carry their bowls off toward the fire. “Really, Danny?” Her annoyed tone slipped out, but at least she had kept it at a whisper. “I can't believe—”

  “I didn't say either way yet.” He took a bite. “Don't jump to conclusions.”

  Jenny drew in a deep breath, sucking in the hope from those words. “Well...?”

  “Come on, Danny,” Matt urged. “After downing that deer, you're gonna keep her from this? She's clearly able.”

  “Like I said, I already made my mind up. I'm going to enjoy Jenny's kill right here then maybe, just maybe, I'll let you know.”

  The smug look on Danny's face dug under her skin. “Danny—”

  “Get started on your checks.”

  “So. There's my answer.” Jenny nodded slowly, biting sharply into her bottom lip. “Alright...” She brushed past Matt, shuffling off toward the back of the Garden Center along another concrete path carved in the snow.

  He told you no, and you took it. That's what you just said you wouldn't do. She drew in a sharp breath. Tell him you're not doing the daily checks. Tell him you’re doing sentry duty or remaining on the scout team. You're not taking no. Not today. Her steps slowed to a stop. For a moment, she watched Danny as he took his bowl and sat by himself on the edge of a raised garden bed. I'd better do it now before other people start to gather around him. Nervously, Jenny made her way back over to Danny.

  “Hey, Danny...”

  “Already finished with the checks?” He raised both eyebrows and smirked.

  Jenny said nothing, unable to gather her thoughts from only a moment ago.

  “No? Not finished?” Danny stressed the question.

  Speak up! “Danny—”

  “Look, last night you said you were going to listen to me no matter what, right? And you couldn't even make it what ten, twelve hours?”

  “I'm sorry, I just—”

  “Why can't you listen? Why?”

  “Why can't you listen to me for once?” she managed to keep her voice down, calm, focused. “I understand why you think I shouldn’t be on the scout team, so I thought up another idea, something I think we can both agree to.”

  “I'm listening...” He shoveled another spoonful in his mouth.

  “Why don't you let me and Derrick switch spots? Derrick's already trained for scouting and I can manage a post on the roof. I've already proven I have a good shot. Plus, I'd be close to home for meals and rest. It works out for everyone. There's no reason we can't—”

  “I see you've actually put some thought into this.” Danny set his bowl down on the ledge next to him. “But even still, you're not doing sentry duty”

  “You can't keep me—”

  “From being on my scout team?”

  “I wasn't going to say that.”

  “Good, I don't want to keep you from the team.”

  Jenny's face beamed. “Really? And Griffin's okay with me not doing checks?”

  “He didn't fight me on it, so yes, you're still on the team.”

  She cocked her head sideways expecting a different truth to come out.

  “Really.” Playfully, Danny stole the sock hat from her head. “And I'm serious, you better start listening, damn it. First things first...”

  “I'm listening.”

  “Go get Sherman from my room then check your firearms out for the day.” He handed his keys over to Jenny. “Don’t lose ‘em.”

  Jenny fumbled through the crowded keyring.

  “That one there,” Danny said, “and don’t get any ideas of snooping around with my master set. We have training to do.”

  Chapter Six

  Trudging forward, Jenny pried each boot loose from the snow—one miserable step followed by the next. Danny and Sherman seemed unhindered in their movements. Jenny, however, was falling behind, winded already from her effort in keeping up. Getting close. Just suck it up a bit longer. She took a deliberate eye to her surroundings. I think... With each bend in their path, she was beginning to doubt her judgment. The wooded trail to the training grounds seemed longer than before. Nothing seemed to trigger familiarity. Any landmark hidden or disguised by snow. The little nuances gone. Everything changed by the season. Danny knows where he's going. Focus on you—what you need to be doing.

  “You look good with that rifle,” Danny called back to her.

  “I know.” She canted her M1A Scout rifle, admiring it—the walnut stock, polished, beautiful. A little heavier than an average rifle, but she loved it.

  Over a month ago, when they first went out to fire it, Danny tried to warn her. But of course, Jenny thought he was teasing, or simply overexaggerating what was to come. Unsurprisingly, he let her try it her way—the way she insisted—with her sloppy stance, her loose grip. It took only one press of the trigger and she found out the truth while falling to her ass. Danny never teased when it came to firearms.

  Luckily for her, it didn't take long for Danny to fix her issues and the bruise on her face to heal. The lesson was learned. Now, the rifle was hers. Assigned to her. Perfect for her. Efficient and deadly with her.

  While walking, she tried to cover the endless list of things Danny inundated her with every day. Finger off the trigger unless you're ready to shoot your target. Keep it at a low ready, but able to snap on target in an instant. Be vigilant, but not scared. Breathe. Reload behind cover. Know what cover's available. Always know your next move, where you're going.

  Danny stopped and turned back toward her, squinting into the sun. “Only a little bit longer.” He watched her as she made up the ground between them. “Good grip. And, not pointing it at the people in front you. Things seem to be finally sinking in with you.”

  “I learned from the best...” She slid the kerchief from her
mouth and leaned in toward him, whispering, “Or is it just the only person left? I can't remember.”

  “Both?” He chuckled, flipping the kerchief back over her smiling face. “Better tighten that thing up. Not even your big nose can keep it in place.”

  “Big nose? You're one to talk...”

  “Maybe you're right...”—he pinched along the bridge of his nose—“Oh, well.” Shrugging his rucksack to the ground, he began sorting through his equipment. “Alright, kiddo, you ready?”

  Jenny nodded, struggling to convey a cool exterior. Why does this happen every time? Her nervousness, her fear of failure took grip. Get it together, Jenny. It's just Sherman. It's just Danny. It's training, Jenny, training.

  “Do me a favor and take a couple breaths,” Danny said. “Long ones. I can see it in your eyes already. Don't be too eager for this, alright?”

  She did as she was told. Long, biting breaths, driving air deep into her lungs. The cold was too much, and she coughed.

  “Maybe not so much,” Danny said. “In... Out... There you go. In... Out... Good. Keep that up.” Danny wiped a few strands of hair from his forehead. “So, I know we haven't been getting out here as much as you'd like. Sorry about that, but you've been getting your reps in elsewhere. Well, kinda. We'll forget these last two weeks or so that you've been draggin' ass on us.”

  Jenny narrowed her eyes at him while he chuckled again.

  “I know why. I'm not trying to start anything, okay? All I'm saying, or trying to say, is that besides those two weeks, you've been doing great. All these scouts we've been doing are keeping you fresh. Or, hell, making you better. The other day, when those shots came out, I...” He paused, seemingly unwilling to let what was to follow leave his lips. “I... I was impressed. All I can hope is that what we train for becomes second nature. The stuff that happens without thinking. What you and Matt did was pure reaction. It was great. Nothing like some of the idiots I've seen before. Some might have just sat there in the window. Frozen. But not you guys.”

  The kerchief kept Jenny's blushing cheeks hidden. “Thanks, Danny.”

  “Welcome. Now listen up, from here on, I'm gonna let you take Sherman. Take him across the flat and down the hill to get the feel for him again. Remember, he needs to be handled. For the most part, he can be pretty self-sufficient, but if he needs corrected, do it before shit goes bad. Once we get to the training grounds, you'll need to be a little more thoughtful. Take your time with your technique, with your gun work.

  “Here, you'll need this.” From his ruck, Danny took a leg holster and handed it to her.

  “Awesome.” She smoothed her pant leg and wrapped the holster around it. “That look right?”

  “One sec...” He stretched her cargo pants pocket further down, and Jenny cinched the holster tighter. “There. And, now just the top loop through your belt here. Good. Looks good, but it's missing something pretty important.” Danny held out the Glock he'd found on their last scout, magazine ejected, slide locked to the rear.

  “Well, yeah.” Taking it, she checked that it wasn't loaded, then popped in the magazine, worked the slide, and dropped it into its holster. “Now, I'm ready.”

  “Not quite. I got you something else.” Danny dangled a brand-new canine lead from his hand. “I prefer a leather lead, so now you prefer a leather lead too.”

  Proudly, Jenny squeezed it in her gloved hand. Man! I can't believe I finally got my own lead. The black leather felt tight, crisp, rigid, nothing close to Danny's worn lead where the slack bounced nicely with Sherman's pace. This one was hers to break in. Hers to put the miles on. She wrapped it around her wrist a few times and jerked it with her other hand. Sturdy. “This means everything to me, Danny.” Their rifles clacked together as she leapt into him, squeezing him with a big hug. “Seriously, you didn't have to do any of this. Thank you.”

  “We're not having a moment here, so don't get too whatever with the sappy stuff.” He peeled her from himself. “It's not yours yet. You've got to earn it to keep it. It's just for training today.”

  “Right!”

  “I’ll be covering you now.” He unclipped his lead from Sherman's harness and ruffled his fur, riling him up. “Ready, boy?! You ready?!” Sherman sprung up from the ground, circling around Danny, splashing through the snow. A whine. A few barks. “Alright, alright, Sherm'.” Danny gripped the harness, clipping Jenny's lead to it. “You're listening to the lady now.”

  Jenny forced a deep, frozen inhale to try and calm her nerves again. This is it, Jenny. You got this. Get this training done. Show Danny you still know what you're doing. Own this. You can't afford to slip up. “Hier.” Sherman took to her side, and Danny took to his rifle behind them.

  Through the twist of branches below the crest of the hill, sat the Depot's training ground—a cul-de-sac with houses in various stages of construction. Jenny had cleared those homes before, more times than she cared to remember. She knew the layout. Knew what to expect for the most part. Even with Sherman, this wasn't much different. It might not be the most exciting training, but it was this or daily checks, and she’d take most anything before that. Don't make Danny regret this decision. Don't give him a reason to send you back.

  “Let's go, boy,” Jenny said.

  Sherman bounded off, and Jenny suffered a quick jolt when the lead reached its limit. With him, there was no in between. He was all-go, despite Jenny pulling him back. His legs churned at a vigorous clip, his paws shooting puffs of snow into the air behind him. Some chunks thrown so far back they struck against her pant legs. Damn, pup! You're making me look bad. She didn't want to say anything. Didn't want to give Danny the impression she was hurting to keep up. And to her fortune, he didn't seem to notice, or at least didn't say as much.

  After half a mile of fighting through his exhausting pace, they met the hill's descent, and Sherman finally slowed. Phew! He was relatively surefooted and seemed almost annoyed at Jenny’s tentative, choppy steps down the face of the hill. She found staying balanced difficult, one hand outstretched, pulled by Sherman, the other pressing against the ground or grabbing hold of brush to help regain her footing. When the hill bottomed out, they came to a small creek winding its way through the beginnings of an open field which led to the training grounds. Jenny brought them to its edge, wiping the snow from a large rock so she could sit and rest while Sherman drank.

  “Okay, kiddo?” Danny's breathing seemed heavy too. “This snow's deep, huh?”

  “Yeah...” Jenny gazed out at the training grounds. The yards. The houses. Familiarizing herself with the path she'd be taking.

  “Never seems to bother him, though. He's always loved the winter.” Danny balled up some snow. “Right, boy?” Sherman turned from the creek, and Danny tossed the snowball toward his mouth. He caught it, enthusiastically chewing through the powder. “Always willing to play.”

  “He seems to like the work too.”

  “He doesn’t know the difference. Work is play to him.”

  “That makes sense.”

  The two of them chatted a while longer, allowing Sherman to get his fill. Once the sound of his tongue lapping water ceased, Jenny got down from the rock, dusting her pants off before kneeling next to Sherman. “Ready, boy?” she whispered to him.

  “He’s listening to you better lately.”

  Jenny simply nodded, trying to regain her focus.

  “Seems you're ready then. I want to see what you can do with this pup.”

  “Let's go!” With her first step, Sherman took many, skittering across the creek, not paying any mind to getting wet. It left Jenny with little choice but to follow, hastily placing her feet across the stones. To her surprise, she made it with little difficulty, although soggy from where her boots had slipped once or twice. In the openness of the field, the lead's slack quickly ran out, and she fell behind again. I can’t keep up. Why can’t I think of the damn word to get him to stop?

  “Platz!” Danny called. Sherman responded immediately, laying down, b
ut his paws kneaded at the ground, still wanting nothing more than to go.

  Jenny threw her head back in disgust. “Damn it, Danny,” she huffed. “At least give me a chance.”

  “You have to correct him.”

  “I was about to do—”

  “Was that before or after he started pulling you around like a sled?”

  “Before…” she muttered, hustling through the calf-deep snow to Sherman.

  “I gave you a little leeway up top with him, but not here. You need to treat this as the real thing. There can’t be any excuses. You’re in control. He’s your dog right now. Act like it.”

  He's right. Sherman's my dog right now. My dog. I’ve done this before. Act like it! Jenny swiped the fresh powder from her eyes as she came even with Sherman. Kneeling down, she scratched under his muzzle then across the top of his head and ears. “Come on, boy, you’re making me look bad.” He whined while still pawing at the ground. “The better we work together the more we can do stuff like this.”

  “He’s ready,” Danny said impatiently.

  “I know—” Jenny turned, only to find Danny essentially on top of her, watching her every move. “How about some space?”

  “How about no? We’re close to home, but not close enough. If the wrong sort of person comes through here, then we have to be ready.”

  “No one comes through here anymore.”

  “I'm not taking that risk.” Danny shook his head. “Just… Jenny, I’m giving you the chance to train outside of my better judgment. Take this blessing and for once, just once, quit fighting every damn thing I say and think for a second. What’s stopping someone from coming through here?”

  “I…” Jenny looked around her. Sure, this was their group’s training ground, but there was nothing that secured it. It was an open street with open houses. Only a few of them even had the ability to be locked. And that wouldn't really stop anyone. To a stranger, there would be no way of knowing the Depot used this cul-de-sac for training. Anyone coming through here might decide this was their new home. It didn't take much. A person only had to throw their bag down and it was theirs. “I understand.”