by Victor Zugg
Chet followed as Hank turned off, headed into the northeast section of town, up and down some one lane roads, and finally came to a stop in front of a small frame house that backed up to the deep forest.
Hank got out, walked up to the door, and knocked.
Sam, Chet, and Tiff joined him at the door.
Hank knocked again, louder.
Sam noticed the corner of a curtain in the front window being pulled back and then released. Then the lock on the door clicked, and the door swung open. Jimmy stood there yawning.
“Sup?” Jimmy asked.
“How the hell did you survive the carnage at the barricade?” Sam asked.
Jimmy swung the door wider. “Bill had me on duty at the school, keeping watch over the kitchen. I was inside. I wasn’t at the barricade.” Jimmy surveyed the group. “Where’s Bill?”
Hank looked back at Sam and then back to Jimmy. “I’m afraid he’s dead.”
Jimmy stopped in the middle of a yawn and stared at Hank. “At the barricade?”
“No, after that,” Hank said. “He was creased at the barricade. Might have been that, or it could have been the wallop he took in the head at the food riot in Marysville.”
Jimmy shook his head. “I liked Bill.”
“We all did,” Hank said.
“Is that why you’re here, to tell me about Bill?” Jimmy asked.
“Well, that,” Hank said, “and I wanted to run something past you.”
Jimmy lifted his chin slightly.
“I’m taking that truck into Saint Louis, leaving right now. I need someone to ride shotgun. Interested?”
Jimmy scratched the top of his head. “Why me?”
“You’re capable,” Hank said. “We run up and we run back. Hopefully, I find my ex-wife and son in the middle.”
“You’re going to find your wife?”
“Yes. Ex-wife. I plan to avoid trouble, move fast. In and out.”
Jimmy looked behind him into the small house.
“What else do you have to do?” Chet asked.
Jimmy rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing, I guess. Okay, let me throw some stuff together. You guys want to come in?”
“Nah, we’ll wait out here,” Hank said, as he turned to Sam.
“In and out,” Sam said.
Hank nodded.
Sam pulled a folded envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Hank. “If you happen to find yourself in the northwest section of town, and have the time, this is my brother’s address. It’s easy to find. I drew a map. If he’s not there just leave the letter.”
Hank took the envelope.
“Only if you have time and it’s not too risky.”
Hank nodded. “Will do.”
Jimmy bounded out the front door carrying a rifle and a small grip. He slung the bag into the back of the truck. “Guess I’m ready.” He pulled a folded map from his back pocket. “Thought a road map might come in handy.”
“They’re in vogue again,” Chet said.
Hank turned to Sam. “I guess we’re off,” he said, as he shook Sam’s hand. He then shook Chet’s hand and gave Tiff a hug.
“We’ll see you in a few days,” Tiff said. “Looking forward to meeting your ex-wife and son.”
“Ditto,” Chet said.
Hank slid behind the wheel and started the truck. Jimmy hopped in and slammed the passenger door.
“Look for us in a few days,” Hank said, as he waved and pulled away.
Tiff started walking toward the Hummer. “I hope they make it.”
“Yeah,” Sam said, as he opened the passenger door and slid in.
Chet walked up to the closed driver’s door and put both arms on the window frame as he leaned in. “Toby or the barricade?”
“Not looking forward to either one,” Sam said. “Barricade, then Toby. And hopefully then Fred, if we can find him.”
Chet opened the door, slid in the seat, fired the engine, and drove off.
***
As Chet made the final curve leading up to the police department, Sam saw Toby and two of his men standing in front of the old Chevy and the pickup. The hood was up on both vehicles. The town’s other truck, the old Chevy, was parked next to the sedan.
“Looks like they had the same idea,” Chet said. “And they got their hands on the town’s other truck.”
“Yeah,” Sam said. “Looks it.”
Chet stopped forty yards short of the building and clicked the engine off. “Tiff and I should wait back here.”
“Good idea,” Sam said, as he slipped out of his seat, adjusted the holstered pistol on his hip, and walked toward Toby.
Toby turned to greet Sam as the other two men picked up their rifles.
“Think you can get them to run?” Sam asked.
“Maybe,” Toby said. “Will need to find replacement radiators.”
“I know someone who can do the work.”
“So do I.”
“Fred?”
“Yep,” Toby said. “He’s fixed the flatbed more times than I can count.” He rubbed his hands with an old rag. “What can we do for you?”
“There will be a lot more people coming into town,” Sam said.
Toby raised his chin as he continued to wipe his hands with the rag.
“You will be overrun, eventually.”
“Maybe,” Toby said. “And then again, we might not be here that long.”
“Get the vehicles running, take the food, and off you go,” Sam said.
“Something like that. We’ll take what we need and can carry. You can have the rest.”
Sam nodded. “How long before you get the truck and car running?”
“I have Fred and some others out looking for radiators now,” Toby said. “We’ll see.”
“And the people that come up here for food?”
“Already turned a bunch away. That’s the way it has to be until we’re ready to leave.”
“I was going to suggest a mutual aggression pact,” Sam said.
Toby pursed his lips and stared at Sam for a few moments. “I’ll give it some thought. Like I said, I know where to find you.”
“Okay,” Sam said. “I guess we’ll be going then.”
Toby nodded. “We all have to do what’s needed to survive.”
“I get that,” Sam said. “I’ll see you around.” He turned around and stepped off toward the Hummer.
“You do that,” Toby said.
***
“What did he say,” Tiff asked from the back seat as Chet wheeled the Hummer down the main road.
“He made it clear he intends to survive,” Sam said. “And he seems like the type to do it.”
“Are we the type to survive?” Tiff asked.
Sam glanced at Chet and then Tiff. “I remember a quote that had to do with survival. It went when you’re surrounded by carnivores, one of the best strategies is to fade into the background and disappear.”
Chet glanced at Sam. “We could do that, or we could become one of the carnivores.”
###
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victor Zugg is a former US Air Force officer and OSI special agent who served and lived all over the world. He has researched and published a number of nonfiction articles, all historical in nature. Real apocalyptic events in our past and his interest in dystopian fiction is what led to this book. Given his extensive travels and opportunities to settle anywhere, it is ironic that he now resides in Florida, only a few miles from his hometown of Orlando. He credits the warm temperatures for that decision.
Be sure to leave a review and follow the author on Amazon.com. He can be contacted directly at [email protected].
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