Dylan nodded as a bleak smile curved his lips.
“I’ll work up a schedule,” Jeff began, “make sure we have good coverage night and day, yet still get enough rest.”
“Sounds good,” Matt said.
“For tonight,” Jeff said, “let’s take two-hour shifts.”
“I’ll go first,” Chris said. “Now until one a.m.”
Heads nodded all around. Matt offered to do the one to three shift and Derrick volunteered to take three to five.
“Works for me,” Jeff grinned. “I like to get up early anyway, so I’ll do five to seven. By then everyone will be up and we can figure out a more permanent perimeter security plan.”
“What about me?” Dylan asked, not about to be overlooked.
Matt smiled at him. “You can be with me from one to three.” That would give him a chance to talk with him in private as well.
Dylan grinned. “Okay.”
With that, everyone headed off to bed.
Chapter Five
Matt
“Time to get up,” Matt said a few minutes before one as he gently shook Dylan’s shoulder.
To Matt’s surprise, once Dylan opened his eyes, he practically leapt out of his sleeping bag. “Okay. I just need to put my shoes on.”
Chuckling, Matt said, “I don’t remember you ever being so eager to get up for school.”
Grinning, Dylan tugged on one shoe and began tying the laces. “This is nothing like school.”
No, sadly, it wasn’t. This was all about keeping bad guys away. Bad guys that they knew were out there. Bad guys that Matt desperately hoped wouldn’t show up anytime soon.
“Ready,” Dylan said as he stood next to Matt.
Matt looked at his son who was only a few inches shorter than his own six feet. When had Dylan gotten so tall? “Okay. Let’s head out.”
Cleo stood from where she’d been curled up beside Brooke, stretching her back legs before walking toward them.
“Let’s take Cleo with us,” Matt said. He was always happy to have the help of the German shepherd when he was on watch. With her ability to hear someone approaching well before Matt could, she was an awesome early-warning system. “Let’s go, girl,” he whispered as he opened the front door and stepped onto the large porch.
He closed the door behind them and stopped, scanning the area. Cleo stood at attention beside him. The moon cast enough light for Matt to see across the manicured front lawn. The grass needed a trim, but Matt remembered Frank mentioning that he didn’t want to waste gas running his lawn mower. Almond orchards surrounded the property on three sides, obscuring the drive that led out to the main road. Matt thought about when they’d arrived. The house hadn’t been visible from the street. They’d had to drive down the road before it came into view. Perhaps the Emperors had no idea that the house was back here. The turnoff hadn’t been obvious. That was a definite plus.
Cleo’s tail thumped against Matt’s leg, which was when he saw Chris striding toward them.
“Just did a perimeter check,” Chris said. “Everything’s quiet so far.”
Nodding, Matt said, “Good to hear.”
Chris reached out and gave Cleo a scratch between her ears, then straightened. “See you in the morning.”
“‘Night.”
Continuing to survey the area within his view, Matt asked Dylan, “You armed?” Not that he wanted his son to have to use a gun. Ever. But he knew the reality. If his son wasn’t prepared to defend himself, he would be vulnerable. Even so, Matt had every intention of keeping Dylan right by his side the entire shift.
“Yeah.” Dylan’s voice sounded more serious than Matt had heard it before. Good. He understood the gravity of the situation. Then again, Dylan had been there when the Emperors had held them at gunpoint. He’d seen all the terrible things they’d dealt with on the drive to California.
“Let me see your weapon.”
Dylan handed it over.
Matt reviewed with him how to make sure a bullet was in the chamber and the safety was off, then handed the gun back to him. He did the same checks on his .45, then tucked it into his waist holster.
Matt descended the porch steps. Dylan and Cleo were right behind him.
As the trio walked the perimeter of Frank and Sarah’s property, Matt thought about Dylan’s eagerness to take Randy down. “Earlier you said you wanted to go after Randy.” He kept his voice soft. In the silent darkness, every sound carried.
“Don’t you?” Dylan’s voice was incredulous. “I mean, he took our truck and RV. I know you must be pissed about that.”
“I am. No doubt about it. But those are just things. Objects that can be replaced. You and Mom and your sisters though…” He let the sentence trail off as sudden emotion clogged his throat. He swallowed over the knot. “People are what’s important. Not things.”
Dylan didn’t speak for several beats. “I know. It’s just…” He shook his head, his lips pursed in obvious anger. “It’s just not right, what they did. Besides, Walter’s grandkids are people.”
That stung. Deeply. But only because it was true.
They passed the garden, the white buds on the tomato plants glowing in the moonlight.
“We live in a different world now, Dylan. The way people are? Their deepest, darkest desires? Those are going to be magnified. That’s what happens when society breaks down, when the rules are gone and when people can get away with anything.” Matt paused. “The world’s become a very dark and ugly place.”
Dylan nodded. “But we’re not that way, right, Dad?”
A burst of warmth filled Matt’s heart and he threw one arm over his son’s shoulders as he tugged him in for a side-hug. “Nope. We’re not that way.” He released Dylan and they continued walking the property. Nothing moved as the stars shone above. It was difficult to see through the almond orchards, but from time to time Matt stopped and listened for intruders.
“I have a question.”
Matt stopped and looked at Dylan. “What is it?”
Dylan gazed at Matt, his eyebrows furrowed. “If we want to make a difference, shouldn’t we stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves?”
Matt’s heart did a kind of ker-thump. Dylan was right. Completely right. But the thought of putting his family in danger terrified Matt. Still, what kind of example was he setting? Standing by and doing nothing while two kids were in mortal danger.
“You’re talking about Walter’s grandkids,” Matt said, trying to buy himself time before he had to answer the actual question Dylan was asking.
“Yeah.”
Slowly nodding, Matt began walking again as he scrambled to come up with a way to explain why he didn’t want to get involved—he didn’t know Walter and his family, he didn’t want to risk the safety of his own family, he didn’t want to reveal to the Emperors that Matt and his group were around. But each and every excuse was just that. An excuse to stay safe and sound at the farm as others suffered.
“You’re right,” he finally said. Dylan paused beside him, and when Matt looked at his son’s face, he saw surprise. A smile played around the corners of Matt’s lips, until he pictured Randy’s dead eyes. “But even though you’re right, unless our entire group is on board with tracking Randy and his gang down and doing something to stop them…” Matt shook his head, his mind racing with the horrible things that could very well happen to Jessica, Kayla, Brooke, and Dylan if they did go after Randy.
“Dad? What were you going to say?”
Coming back to the here and now, Matt stopped and looked at Dylan. “This isn’t something we can do alone. You saw how many people Randy had. And that was just the people that happened to be with him when they ambushed us. We have no idea how many people are in his gang or how ruthless they are.” He shook his head.
Dylan’s forehead creased like he hadn’t considered how big a deal it would actually be.
Matt locked eyes with Dylan. “If we go after the Emperors—and that’s still in q
uestion—we would have to be deliberate in how we do it. There would be a lot of planning and training involved.” He exhaled softly. “We don’t even know where they are.”
“We can find them.”
Not replying, Matt lifted his gaze and surveyed the farm, then he began walking. Dylan fell into step beside him.
“Can we look for them?” Dylan persisted.
Matt glanced at his son before going back to scanning everything within view. “Tell you what. Tomorrow…” Matt chuckled. “Scratch that. Later this morning, some of us are going on a run for food and supplies. When we’re scavenging, we’ll keep an eye out for Randy and the other Emperors.”
“I want to go.”
Well, crap. Of course he did. But he was only fourteen.
When Matt didn’t answer, Dylan added, “I need to learn how.”
Matt thought about going to the Home Depot with Derrick back in Utah. It seemed ages ago, although it had only been a couple of weeks. They’d run in to those three men, one of whom had been ready to shoot Matt because he’d thought Matt had been watching him. The man had believed that since society had collapsed, he could do anything to anyone. The thought of taking Dylan away from the relative safety of the farm made Matt distinctly nervous, but he knew Dylan was right. He needed to learn. Still, Matt didn’t want to commit. “No promises. I don’t know yet what will be happening.”
“So, that’s a maybe?”
The unadulterated hope in Dylan’s voice was impossible to miss. Praying Jessica wouldn’t kill him for promising even that much, Matt reached over and ruffled Dylan’s hair. “That’s a maybe.”
Dylan pumped a fist in the air. “Yes.”
Matt just hoped they could get through the next day with no one getting hurt and without running into any bad guys—specifically, the Emperors.
Chapter Six
Derrick
Keeping his eyes peeled and his head on a swivel, Derrick drove up the long, dirt road that led to a neighboring farmhouse. That morning after breakfast—fresh eggs from the chickens—Frank had mapped out where nearby houses were and marked the ones where he was pretty sure no one was around. After that, everyone had gotten together and decided to send Derrick, Matt, and Dylan out to look for food and supplies while the others protected the farm.
Now, as the house they were about to check came into view, Derrick scanned the area for any movement, hopeful they would be successful in finding food. “No one around.”
“No red X on the door,” Matt said from the passenger seat. “Someone could be home.”
With a nod of acknowledgement, Derrick said, “We’ll be careful.” He parked his truck and led the way up the porch steps, knocking loudly on the front door. When no one answered, he knocked once again. Still no response. He peered into the nearest window. Nothing but furniture. Looking toward Matt and Dylan, who had their hands cupped to the glass of another window, he asked, “Anything?”
Matt turned to him. “I don’t think anyone’s home.”
He agreed, but even so, he approached the front door with caution. There could very well be someone hiding on the other side with a rifle locked and loaded, ready to blow the head off of whomever dared to enter.
Matt and Dylan pressed their backs to the wall on the opposite side of the front door from Derrick. He reached for the doorknob. It turned easily. Exhaling sharply, Derrick gave the door a shove, then pressed his back to the wall, out of the line of potential fire. There was no blast, no sound of the slide of a gun being pulled back. Just the sweet trill of a bird resting on the branch of one of the many trees in the yard.
“Can we go in?” Dylan whispered, clearly eager to do what they’d come to do.
Derrick held up a hand to indicate that Matt and Dylan should wait, then he poked his head around the door frame. Not a whisper of movement inside. With a single nod to Matt and Dylan, Derrick stepped through the doorway, his gun leading the way as his gaze swept the living room. Sunlight beamed in through the front windows, illuminating the fine layer of dust that covered all of the wood surfaces—coffee and side tables, entertainment center, dining room table. No streaks from a finger running across the surface could be seen. It appeared no one had been inside for a while.
Optimistic that they might actually find something useful, Derrick instructed Matt and Dylan to search the bedrooms and bathrooms while he searched the kitchen.
Despite hoping for a well-stocked pantry, when Derrick opened the door and saw a single can of green beans, he released a sigh. But it was followed immediately by a cock of his head. Someone had emptied the pantry and left the one can on purpose. Why? As a taunt? Or maybe a warning? To let the next person know that someone bigger and stronger had been there?
The Emperors. It had to be. Especially after Walter reported that they’d raided his farm a few nights earlier. They’d been here and they’d cleared it out.
Would Frank and Sarah’s farm be next?
Clenching his jaw, Derrick shook his head. As long as he had anything to do with it, Frank and Sarah’s farm would not be harmed.
Derrick searched the rest of the kitchen but found nothing useful and no other food.
“Find anything?” Matt asked as he and Dylan walked into the kitchen.
Derrick held up the can of green beans with a wry smile. “Just this.”
Narrowing his eyes, Matt stared at the can. “Just that? Nothing else?”
“Nope. And I’ll give you one guess who left it.”
“The Emperors,” Dylan said with a tone of disdain.
Pleased that Dylan had come to the same conclusion, Derrick tossed him the can, which he easily caught. “Yep.” Then he noticed Matt holding a bag. “What’d you find?”
Matt opened the bag and reached inside with a chuckle, pulling out a handful of sample sizes of toothpaste and dental floss. “Jessica will be happy.”
That’s right. She was a dental hygienist. “Guess the Emperors don’t care about dental hygiene.”
Matt dropped the items back in the bag with a grin. “Here’s to hoping they all get cavities. Big ones that rot their teeth right out of their head.”
His shoulders shaking with laughter, Derrick shook his head. “Come on. Let’s check the barn.”
The smell hit them when they were still a good distance away. Derrick was about to tell Dylan to wait outside, but if the kid wanted to go on these runs, he’d have to get used to the reality in which they now lived. They would see dead bodies. Lots of them. Some dead from the bird flu, others from… well, from any number of reasons. Although as he stopped in front of the man-door that led into the barn—the main door was basically a garage door that he couldn’t open from the outside—he suspected the bodies he was about to find had been murdered by whomever had taken all the food.
He tugged the bandana from around his neck to cover his nose and mouth, not that it would do much good. He looked at Matt and Dylan, who had covered their mouths as well. Dylan’s eyes were huge as he and Matt nodded.
Bracing himself, Derrick pulled the door open and stepped over the threshold. It was pitch black inside—the only light coming from the open door behind him. Flicking on the flashlight he’d brought along, Derrick breathed shallowly.
“It really stinks,” Dylan added. “Is it because there’s a…a body in here?”
Sweeping the beam of the flashlight across the spacious interior, Derrick saw several pieces of farming equipment. Taking a tentative step forward, it didn’t take long for him to find the source of the stench. A man and woman were crumpled on the concrete floor, puddles of dried blood surrounding them. He brushed the beam across their bodies and saw several bullet holes. They’d been murdered, just as he’d expected.
“The Emperors?” Matt asked.
“Seems likely, although it could’ve been anyone. But I’m not taking them off the suspect list.”
“Me either.”
Wanting to do the decent thing, Derrick searched for and found shovels and the three of
them buried the couple in the backyard.
Chapter Seven
Matt
“We should head into town,” Derrick said.
Matt nodded. They’d been to a handful of nearby farms and each one had had the same result. No food. But at least they hadn’t come across any other bodies.
They stood beside Derrick’s truck in the shade of a tree, drinking water from the bottles they’d brought along. They were parked in the driveway of a house they’d just searched.
“My guess,” Matt said as he screwed the lid back on his water bottle, “is that they’re hitting unoccupied houses. I think they came across that couple in the first house by mistake. Probably thought the place was abandoned until they went into the barn.”
Derrick nodded. “Makes sense. Although the Emperors hit Walter’s place. And it was occupied.”
Matt nodded. Then a new thought occurred to him. “Maybe they thought Walter’s place was empty and when they found it occupied they changed plans. Took his grandkids. Maybe that wasn’t the original plan.”
“Could be.”
Matt desperately hoped his theory was correct. If it was, then all they had to do was make it clear that their farm had many people there. They had to make the farm an unattractive target. But first they needed to find food. There was no way they could come back empty-handed. Not on their first run. They had to prove to Frank and Sarah that they would be an asset. Besides, they’d brought a lot of mouths to feed. They had to provide for themselves.
“Can we stop at houses along the way to town?” Dylan asked.
“Sure,” Matt said, then he looked at Derrick to see if he agreed.
Derrick shrugged. “Why not? Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
Matt hoped so. Thus far the trip had been a bust—except for the toothpaste and dental floss. He smiled at the thought.
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