So far, she counted thirteen people including two kids and a teen. About a third of the adults were women. The rest were men of varying ages, and they’d holed up in a mall on the edge of the town they now found themselves in. Cat couldn’t be bothered to remember the name. Somethingville or other.
She’d been watching them for two days now, and she was about ready to report back to base with her findings. A quick glance at her watch told her she had enough daylight left to make it back. “Thank, God. I was not looking forward to another night spent up here. Besides, Nadia and Lisa should be almost finished by now as well.”
Taking care not to reflect the sun off her binocular lenses, Cat lowered and capped them before packing her meager belongings into her rucksack. Bent over low, she made her way toward the fire escape at the back of the building and looked down. All clear.
With sure steps, she flew down the stairs and sprinted down the alley, one hand on her pistol, the other on her hatchet. The way was clear, though, and she ducked through the side streets and alleys with ease, having memorized the area a while ago.
It wasn’t long before she found their base, a block of flats that edged onto a big empty field. The place was derelict and empty, long since marked for demolition. Graffiti and rubbish littered the area and several rats darted out of her way as she raced up the stairs.
Their home, if it could be called that, was the third one on the left and the nicest of the lot, which wasn’t saying much. At least, the door was sturdy and could be locked from within. A small bonus.
Cat paused and tested the handle. Locked.
She raised her fist and knocked once, paused, then knocked three times more before waiting. Moments later, a key turned in the lock and the door swung open to reveal a smiling Nadia.
“You’re back,” Nadia said as they embraced.
“You betcha,” Cat replied with a happy smile. “Plus, I’m starving. I hope you’ve got something warm to eat.”
Nadia gestured toward the small fire she had going in the corner, the flames tiny and feeble, while the smoke escaped through a hole in the wall. A tree covered the hole, though, hiding both the smoke and fire from outside view. “There’s coffee on. Black, lots of sugar, and there’s a can of spaghetti in tomato sauce you can have.”
“Great,” Cat replied, dropping her rucksack and scooping up the can with a fork. “So tell me. What did you find?”
“Let’s wait for Lisa, shall we? That way we can all share at once.”
Cat shrugged. “Sure. I’m just glad to be off that roof.”
“I hear you. I slept in the back seat of a mini for two nights.” Nadia’s face twisted. “That was not fun. I swear I’ve shrunk three inches since then.”
Cat laughed, and Nadia joined in, but Cat soon noticed that her laughter seemed forced, and she studied her friend more closely as they talked. Nadia had changed, there was no doubt about it. Since they’d formed their newfound purpose, she’d rallied, or seemed to, at least. She’d joined in with gusto, helping to create the system according to which they worked as well as instituting fail safes in case of an emergency.
This was the third group they’d found by now. The first two were small, consisting of little more than a family or two who’d banded together. In each case, they’d scouted out the group in advance before sending one of their number out to approach the group while the other two remained hidden and acted as backup.
Each time, they’d been successful. The survivors were decent people who wanted nothing more than to live safe, ordinary lives and were pathetically grateful for the chance offered them by Nadia, Cat, and Lisa. It was the kind of thing that made you feel good, knowing you were saving lives and bettering futures, or at least, that’s how Cat felt.
Now she looked at Nadia, noting the purple shadows underneath her eyes and the lines around her mouth and she wondered. Was Nadia happy with the status quo? Was she as fulfilled by their job as Cat was? Or was she just acting? Maybe she’s just tired. It’s been a tough week. This group is a lot bigger than the other two and carries more risk too.
Cat finished her spaghetti and poured herself a cup of coffee, offering Nadia a second. They sat around the tiny fire, nursing their drinks by the flickering flames.
“Do you think Lisa will come back tonight?” Cat asked.
“I don’t think so. It’s late already, and she had further to travel than you and I,” Nadia answered.
“How have you been? Everything okay?” Cat asked, risking Nadia’s ire. She tended to get huffy when either Cat or Lisa pried, telling them she was fine and to mind their own business. To Cat’s surprise, Nadia hesitated, her eyes falling to the ground while her mouth worked. “Nadia? You know you can tell me anything, right?”
“I know.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Nadia replied. “I haven’t been sleeping well for awhile now. I get terrible nightmares.”
“About?”
“Nothing much,” Nadia said, looking away. “Logan, Caleb. You know.”
“I understand. It must be hard for you,” Cat said, though she got the feeling Nadia was being evasive.
“I miss them,” Nadia admitted. “All the time. Plus the guilt is eating me up.”
“Guilt? What do you feel guilty for? You didn’t have anything to do with their deaths.”
“I know, it’s just…never mind. Forget I said anything. I’m lonely, that’s all. I wish I could take back that day.” Nadia brushed a tear from her cheek before running her hand through her short hair. She’d given in, at last, and allowed Lisa to cut away the black edges, and she looked a lot younger now with the short, blonde locks that framed her face.
“It’s okay. I’m here for you,” Cat said, reaching out to squeeze Nadia’s hand. “Whenever you feel lonely, just remember that.”
“Thanks, Cat. You really are my best friend,” Nadia whispered.
That night, as they curled up next to the fire, Cat watched her friend’s sleeping face. She looked so different with the grief and anger wiped away. Innocent.
What did she mean by guilt? Surely, it’s got nothing to do with Logan or Caleb. Cat shook her head. No, this is different. This is something else. But what?
Cat fell asleep no closer to the answer, but determined nonetheless to figure it out. I will help her to get over this. Like all the times before. Whatever it takes.
***
The next day, Cat prepared a quick breakfast, putting a bit aside for Lisa should she show up early enough. Nadia slept later than normal which was unusual, but Cat put it down to exhaustion. She’s probably just tired.
When she proceeded to tidy up their things, though, her eyes fell on a bottle of pills nestled among Nadia’s clothes. With a frown, she picked it up and looked at the label. One hand flew to her mouth as she smothered a gasp. “Nadia, no. Tranquilizers?”
“What are you doing?” Nadia said from behind her.
Cat whirled, dropping the bottle. The top popped off and a ton of tiny white tablets flew in all directions. “Sorry, I was just…”
Nadia glared at her. “Are you scratching in my stuff? How dare you?”
Cat tried to form an answer, but nothing escaped her lips as Nadia dropped to her knees to gather up the little pills. “I…I…”
Nadia scooped up the last few and put the cap back onto the bottle. As she got to her feet, she snarled at Cat. “Stay out of my things.”
Cat reached out a hand. “Nadia, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“Whatever,” Nadia said, stuffing the bottle back into her backpack. “Just forget about it.”
Cat stared at Nadia, chewing her bottom lip. “Nadia. I’m your friend. Your best friend. Don’t you feel that anymore?”
Nadia froze, her shoulders stiff. Finally, she slumped. “Of course, I do, Cat. It’s just…I can’t stand another lecture, okay?”
“Lecture?”
“I know I’m fucked up, all right? I know my history, what
I’m capable of, but I can’t do this on my own. I need these pills, or else I’ll go crazy.”
“But you’re not alone. You never were. I’m here for you. So’s Lisa. You can talk to us any time you want.”
“I know that, but it’s not enough.” Nadia raised a tortured face toward Cat. “These pills…they help me stay in control.”
“What do you mean?”
“Without them, the anger is just too much. I can’t handle it, and I need an outlet. I’ll either go nuts and start killing zombies left, right, and center, cut myself, drink, go mad, or…”
“Or…?” Cat asked, afraid to know the answer.
“Or I’ll kill myself.”
“Nadia, no.”
Nadia shook her head, her lips set in a stubborn line. “Let me be, Cat. I’ll deal with this my own way.”
Recognizing the futility of arguing further, Cat sighed and nodded. “Just remember one thing. I’m here for you. Whenever you need me.”
Nadia managed a faint smile. “I know. I could always count on you. No matter what.”
Silence fell over the two after that, thick with unspoken words and emotions, so it was with relief that Cat welcomed Lisa back. “You’re here.”
Lisa tossed down her overnight bag. “Ugh, I know. Thank God. It’s been an awful three days without you two.”
“Are you hungry?” Cat asked.
“Starving.”
“There’s food by the fire. Coffee too.”
“Thanks.” Lisa fell onto the waiting plate, devouring the scant offerings within seconds. “We really need to stock up on supplies soon.”
“Agreed,” Nadia said. “We’re out of everything.”
“So? How did you guys do? I hope your news is as good as mine,” Lisa said after pouring each of them a cup of coffee and passing it around.
“My two nights were uneventful,” Cat said. “I watched them from the roof of the neighboring building and spotted nothing strange or alarming. They look pretty normal to me. The women are treated as equals, and they’ve got kids in the bunch too. One guy appears to be a former cop, judging by the remnants of his uniform.”
Lisa nodded. “Good to know. Nadia?”
“Same here. I saw nothing bad or out of the ordinary. I overheard a few conversations. It was mostly about survival. What they were going to do, where they were going to go. Their stores are pretty lean too. They’re living from hand to mouth,” Nadia reported, her voice dull and disinterested. “Weapons, as well. It’s mostly handmade stuff sprinkled with a few firearms. I’d guess they’re running out of ammo.”
Lisa nodded. “It all fits together nicely, I trailed them back a bit. No bodies. Nothing to suggest anything other than a small group of people trying to live during the zombie apocalypse.”
“Excellent. So when do we approach them?” Cat asked, leaning forward on her elbows.
“Tomorrow? I’ve got a good spot picked out already,” Lisa said.
“Sounds good,” Cat agreed. “Nadia? You in?”
“Of course,” Nadia answered, but once more, Cat noticed her decided lack of enthusiasm.
That night, after they’d discussed the particulars of their plan, she cornered Nadia. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you still with us? I mean, with the whole saving people thing?”
Nadia sighed. “Cat? Can’t you just let me be for once?”
“I’m trying to help, that’s all.”
“Well, quit it. I’m good, and I’m still with you two. Isn’t that enough? Do I have to jump for joy too?”
“I’m worried. You’re my friend, Nadia. I want you to be happy,” Cat said.
“Enough!” Nadia cried, causing Lisa to look in their direction with a frown. She lowered her voice to a fierce whisper. “Enough, Cat. I’ve got my own issues to deal with. Too many to care about yours.”
Cat watched as Nadia stalked away to sit in the corner by herself. She knew enough to know not to try any further. She’d already pushed Nadia far enough that day. It didn’t mean she was giving up, though. Because that’s what friendship meant. Never giving up.
Chapter 11 - Nadia
Nadia brought her ice ax down on the infected woman’s skull with terrific force. The sharp point sank in with ease, killing the zombie instantly. Her new favorite weapon, she’d found the ice ax in a former doctor’s house who’d had a thing for mountaineering. It had replaced her now useless t-bar’s. With its rubber grip and superior force, the ax far outstripped any other piercing she’d tried. There was always the possibility that it could get stuck, though, which was why she carried a hammer as a back-up.
A cry alerted her that Cat was in trouble, and she whirled to look. A crawler had snuck up on her friend and was trying to take a bite from her calf. Cat danced around, evading the snapping teeth while grappling with another zombie who had her by the shoulder.
Nadia launched herself forward and speared it through the crown, jerking her arm backward to yank it away from Cat who used the opportunity to kill the crawler too. Lisa decapitated one undead with a swing of her machete before taking the last zombie down with a backhand blow that lodged the big blade in its temple.
She grinned at Nadia, flashing a set of white teeth. “That’s the last one.”
Good riddance,” Nadia said, kicking the nearest corpse in the ribs. “Let’s get rid of the bodies.”
A few minutes later, Nadia was crouched behind a low concrete wall, her AK47 primed and ready for action. The machine gun packed a punch, but it also made an awful racket so it was mostly for show. Across from her, Cat was likewise sitting behind a barrier of old dust bins, rubbish strewn across the sidewalk.
Behind each of them was an alley to provide a ready escape should they need it, and two blocks further down, they’d prepped a small shop to serve as a safe house. With nervous tension coiled in her gut, Nadia ran over the plan in her head again, hoping they hadn’t forgotten something crucial. They planned these encounters with as much care as possible, but she knew from experience how quickly things could go wrong.
Low voices reached her ears at that moment, and she looked to the left, noting the usual patrol of three people walking their way. It was a pattern she’d quickly discerned among the survivors. Each morning, they walked this route looking for wandering undead, and each night they repeated the pattern in the opposite direction.
Today, the trio consisted of two women and a man, a good sign. Women were easier to talk to and negotiate with than men. In general, that was. There were exceptions to every rule.
Like me, she thought with a sardonic smile. Between the three of them, Cat and Lisa were by far the more reasonable, which was why she was never chosen to talk at the first encounter. It was always one of the other two. Not that it bothered her. In fact, it suited her suspicious nature.
As the trio of strangers drew neared, Lisa stepped out into the open with her hands empty and raised to shoulder height. “Hello, there.”
It was a gutsy move, and a risky one, but also the most likely to succeed. The group of survivors froze, the barrels of their guns raising automatically. Nadia swallowed, hoping that none of them were dumb enough to pull the trigger.
“I don’t mean any harm.” Lisa said, not moving a muscle. This seemed to reassure them, and they relaxed a bit, though their guns stayed up.
“Who are you?” one of the woman asked, stepping forward.
“My name is Lisa, and I’m here to talk to you. Only talk, I promise.”
“Talk about what?” The woman’s tone was wary, though Nadia thought she had an open and honest face.
“You look like nice people, and my group is looking for that.”
“Your group?”
“Yes. We’re searching for others like us. Decent people who don’t murder and steal. You don’t look like that kind. At least, I hope so,” Lisa replied.
The woman studied her thoughtfully. “We’re not. Now, tell me. How many of you are there?”
>
“Only a few,” Lisa said. “If you’re willing, we’d like to go back with you, maybe spend the night and talk.”
“They’re here?” The woman’s head swiveled, looking around her. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a sudden step back. “This had better not be a trap.”
Lisa shook her head. “It’s not, I promise.”
“Then tell them to show themselves.”
Lisa hesitated, but they’d known it would come to this. It always did. “Come on out, guys.”
Cat and Nadia left their perches and moved out into the open, holding their guns across their bodies but not lowering them. “Here we are.”
“Is that all of you?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Lisa said. “This is it, I promise.”
“And you only want to talk?”
“Nothing more,” Lisa assured her.
The woman nodded. “All right. Follow us.”
As they walked, the woman introduced herself as Tess. “This is Mel,” she said, pointing to the other woman, “and this is Dan. Say hello.”
Lisa returned the favor introducing each of them as well. Nadia nodded at everyone but hung at the back of the group, not trusting anybody yet. She studied the three strangers along the road, storing away their details for later. Tess was older, maybe mid-forties with strong features enhanced by her coffee colored skin. Mel looked like a younger version of Tess. Sisters, maybe? Dan was the youngest of the lot. Tall and skinny, he had a way of ducking his head that made him look shy.
They reached the strangers camp which was already familiar to Nadia in most ways. Tess introduced them to the rest of the group, but it was mostly a blur of names and faces, quickly forgotten. She wasn’t planning on making friends anyway.
The survivors were quite excited at the thought of visitors, and an impromptu party was arranged for the night. Lisa and Cat joined in the preparations with gusto while Nadia skulked in the corners, watching from a distance.
That evening, after the final patrol came in, the mall was locked up, two guards put on watch and the rest convened in the camping section of a large shop. An area had been cleared and a fire built inside a metal drum on a rubber mat.
Dead of Night (Dangerous Nights - A Zombie Apocalypse Thriller Book 1) Page 7
