by Dulaney, C.
“They in the back?” she asked.
Marlo nodded.
Kasey stopped in front of him. “Why don’t you make your rounds.” She motioned to the door. “Make sure folk are getting ready for another round. See who’s trickled in. If anyone needs sleep, make sure they get relieved.”
“Sure thing.” Marlo pulled a pack from behind the counter, grabbed his shotgun, and together with his buddy, headed outside.
Kasey tipped her head toward the back and said to Jake, “Let’s go.”
She heard them arguing before even opening the door.
Michael, Jonah, and Caleb stood in the center of the room, and all three shut their mouths as soon as the door swung open.
Kasey gave the air a moment to settle, then said, “What’s the problem?”
They glanced at each other, then Caleb turned his back to them and walked to the window. Michael held Jonah’s eyes until the cowboy finally nodded.
Growing concern knitted her forehead. “Seriously, what’s wrong?”
Michael swallowed, hard. “Jonah thinks he knows what’s wrong with the terminators.”
“More or less,” Jonah said.
Kasey turned to Jonah. “Yeah. Whoever the hell’s at the CC fiddle fucked around with them again. I thought we already figured that out. And?”
Jonah took a step closer. “I did a lot of driftin’. Before. Hell…” He lowered his face and rubbed his beard.
“Yeah,” Jake said. He stepped up to the pair. “We know. What’s your point?”
Kasey and Jake exchanged a confused glance.
“I think I know who that group is,” Jonah finally spit out. “I think it’s the same bunch of assholes that chased me around for so long.”
“Chased ya around? Like the mob or somethin’?” Jake asked. “The government? It’s the government, isn’t it. You were a fugitive. What’d you do? And what the hell does that have to do—”
“Jake,” Kasey said.
Jake threw his hands up, but shut up regardless.
Jonah nodded. “Not the government. But real official-like. Organized. Global. Powerful people. Calls themselves Phoenix.” He took another breath. “A long time ago, they were after the folk I used to run with. So I ran. They needed me, they were my friends, and I just took off. Stayed on the road after that.” He shrugged and shook his head.
“I remember seeing that,” Kasey said. “At the CC. When we went down there to shut it down. On that front entrance.” She spread her hands out, indicating the size of it. “I thought it looked like a Phoenix.”
“Yeah, I saw it, too,” Jake said. Then, to himself mostly, he added, “I was big into comics, when those were still a thing.” He stared at Jonah a moment. “So this ‘organization’ hunted people like you. Superheroes and shit.”
Jonah looked at the ceiling. “Jesus Christ, Jake. I already told ya. I’m not a goddamn—”
“Enough,” Kasey said. “None of this matters. Not a damn bit of it.”
Caleb turned to face them and walked closer. The sun shown in behind him and cast his shadow across the room.
“And I don’t know why you were in here arguing about it,” Kasey continued. “You’re wasting time. It doesn’t matter.” She emphasized with her hands. “Here’s what we know: Fuckwads moved into the CC and rewired the terminators. Don’t care if they’re the same fuckwads as before or not. Don’t care if you know them or not. That doesn’t help us. And you standing around in here arguing over bullshit doesn’t help us.” She spun on her heel and went for the door.
It took a few seconds for her abrupt departure to register, but when it did, Jake and Gus jogged to catch up. They caught her out on the street and headed for the Suburban.
“We leavin’?” Jake asked.
“No,” Kasey said. “Just getting our gear. Enough bullshitting around. We’ve got work to do.”
The other three followed them out, but stopped and continued their argument on the sidewalk.
Kasey went on as she dug the keys out of her pocket. “There’s people out there, right now, getting slaughtered. Hell, we don’t even know where Bill is or what happened to him. And here we are, throwing moot points around like there ain’t nothing better to—”
She popped the backdoor of the SUV and Mia’s corpse, still wrapped in a blanket and slightly more odorous than before, threw everything else right out of Kasey’s head.
“Oh,” she breathed. “I forgot about Mia.”
✽✽✽
It took several moments, but Kasey finally realized she wasn’t breathing. She sucked in a big lungful of air and pushed herself away from the Suburban. Without taking her eyes off Mia’s body, she whispered, “Jake, top off the tank.” She turned and started down the street, away from everyone. Gus cringed and ran to Caleb.
The others stared after her back. Jake yelled, “Where are you goin?”
Kasey’s heart beat out a polka in her chest. Her feet sped up. She cut the next corner, took a few more steps, and fell to one knee. Her arm came up to brace against the wall of the building, and her other hand went out to the ground in front of her, or else she’d have face-planted in the dirt.
She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She needed to forget. Needed to calm her heart down before it beat right out of her chest. It already thumped so hard it caused her whole body to tremble.
A lighter flicked behind her. Her eyes popped open and she caught her exhale on its way out.
“You alright?”
She ground her teeth together to keep from answering him.
Jonah’s boots scuffed across the gravel and the crunching stopped right behind her. She tried to breathe easy through her nose, but all that did was cause sweat to break out on her forehead.
Kasey’s voice box bobbed in her throat when she swallowed. “I don’t know what kind of association you got with those cocksuckers at the CC, and I don’t care,” she whispered. “I don’t know why those fucking terminators ignore you, and I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. You’re Jonah, and I fucking forgot to bury my best friend.” The words that rushed out of her went up an octave and cracked completely. “What the fuck’s wrong with me?”
Jonah sighed. A few crunches later, and he stood in front of her. She stared at the tips of his beat-up boots. He bent at the knees and squatted in front of her, his head ducked low so he could see her face around her hair. He took another drag and flicked the ashes away. He pursed his lips and huffed again, glanced at her arm that was pressed against the wall, and flipped his cigarette away.
“Better pull yourself together,” he whispered.
She lifted her head and saw what he meant. The tremors weren’t being caused by her racing heart. She clenched her fist as tight as she could, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. Her hand, arm, right down into her core shuddered and shook.
What do I do? she thought.
“You know what you have to do,” Jonah answered. “You’re in the shit now, girl. You deal with what’s in front of you. You’re in it, with us, to the end. No more standin’ around with one foot out the door.”
She looked up and he pulled the handkerchief from his back pocket. He wiped her cheeks dry and the hair out of her face, then rested back on his haunches and waited.
Kasey snorted. “How do you do that?”
He shrugged. “I know your tells. Nothin’ special.”
“Nothin’ special,” she repeated, and shoved herself off the wall and to her feet. He rose with her and stuck out a hand for support. She let him take her arm until she was sure on her feet.
“Alright,” Kasey said. “Guess I’ve got shit to do.”
“You do. I’ll hold it down here.”
“You will.” She smiled and walked away.
✽✽✽
Kasey stomped past the store. She didn’t look in either direction, but snapped her fingers once. Gus shot out the store’s door, fell in next to her, and trotted along. Caleb ran out after the dog and came to an abrupt stop when
he saw his daughter.
“Kasey? Where are you going, come here.”
“No time, Dad.”
Caleb ran into the street and caught Kasey by the arm. He spun her around and took hold of her shoulders. She was surprised to see he was crying.
“You can’t leave,” he said. “I know…what you did, we can’t…” He shook his head. “You can’t leave.”
Kasey pressed her hands to his forearms and stared up into his face. Flashes of her mother’s face, just before she put a bullet between her eyes, filled her mind. She tried to give him a small smile, but he wouldn’t have it.
“We need to bury her,” Kasey said.
He just shook his head again.
“I have to go get more help,” she finally said.
“There is none.” Caleb struggled to find words and glanced around the street. The sun reflected off the wetness of his face. His pleading eyes met hers again, and he said, “We’re all we’ve got. You’re all I’ve got left. I know I’m losing you, like I lost them. I know I’m—”
“No,” Kasey said. Her voice was firm, and it got his attention. “I get it now. You’re not losing me, Dad.” She held his face and shook him a bit for emphasis. “You’re not. Hear me? You’re not. Not ever.”
He deflated like a balloon and hugged her. His voice was muffled against her shoulder. “I know why you had to do it, but I still can’t accept it.”
He’s never going to let go of Mom, she thought.
She squeezed him and hesitated. “I know. I don’t want you to.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.” She pulled away and strode off while she still had the guts to do it. He didn’t follow her.
Kasey opened the back door and let Gus jump in. Jake threw one more bag into the back and slammed the door.
“We ready?”
“Yep,” Kasey said and walked to the driver’s side. “You got shotgun.”
Jake fist-pumped and got in. Kasey turned the key, fastened her seatbelt, and drove out of town.
Michael drifted out onto the sidewalk and waited for Caleb to join him. “She say where she was going?” he asked.
“Bury Mia,” Caleb said. “Said she was going to get help.”
Jonah stomped onto the wooden walk outside the store and went right up to Michael. “She’s gonna check about Bill and his people. In the meantime, we wait for the riders to bring back whoever’s still alive.” He looked up at the sky. “We can protect ‘em if they’re in one spot.”
“Won’t that just lead all the terminators here?” Caleb asked.
Jonah and Michael traded a look, then Jonah said, “We’ve got some work yet to do.”
Michael thought a moment. “Block off the streets with some cars. Cut off access to the middle of town?”
“Yeah, that’s a start,” Jonah said.
“Caleb,” Michael said, “you do an ammo check?”
“Good idea.” Caleb nodded. “Make sure Marlo did his job, see if everyone is stocked and reloaded. I’ll send some of the boys down to help block the streets.”
“Good,” Michael said. “Alright. Let’s get to it.”
Chapter Nine
Kasey hit the end of her driveway faster than she should’ve. She slammed on the brake, jerked the wheel, and spun gravel off in all directions.
“Jake. Gate,” she said.
Jake flung off his seatbelt and hopped out. He ran over, fumbled with the chain holding the gate, and then swung it open. Kasey drove through and Jake shut it. After he was in, she hit the gas again and sped up the mountain. Gus bounced around in the back seat and thought it was awesome. Jake held onto the oh-shit handle by his door and glanced back and forth between the rocky drive ahead of them and Kasey next to him.
“You know,” he said, “if you don’t slow down, you’re gonna blow a tire.”
Kasey’s hands gripped the steering wheel until they were white and her eyes never left the road.
“We’ll be fine.”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “Really?” The SUV hit a rock in the road and bounced sideways. Kasey corrected and kept going.
“Yeah,” she said. “We will.”
They hit a pothole and the suspension groaned its displeasure.
“Well?” Jake said.
“Well what? We’re fine.”
They cleared the trees and the sky opened up. The cabins were ahead, so Kasey finally slowed down.
“See?” she said to Jake. “Just fine.”
Jake made a face and got out as soon as the SUV stopped. Kasey opened the backdoor and Gus flew out. He made a couple laps, then followed his people to Michael’s cabin.
Jake pulled out a chair in the kitchen where he could watch Kasey and sat down. He leaned back and took a deep breath, rubbing his belly. “Well, what are you lookin’ for?”
Kasey rummaged around in the living room, through all the drawers of Michael’s desk, and through the mess on top of it. “That satellite phone,” she said.
“Should be there somewhere,” Jake said. He leaned forward and watched her. The meltdown he’d been expecting still hadn’t come, and it scared the hell out of him.
“Yeah, it should be.” Kasey straightened and glanced around. “What a damn mess.” Then she started through the drawers again.
He waited until Kasey cussed for the fifth time, and said, “Check underneath the logbook.”
Kasey did and there was the phone. She mumbled to herself and fiddled with powering it up.
“When was the last time Michael talked to Rabbit?” Kasey asked.
“When we were in Bentree,” Jake said.
“I have no idea how to work this thing.” Kasey poked some more buttons and the phone made a noise. “Oh, there we go. Hey,” she said, raising her voice this time. “Do you know the number?”
Jake rubbed his forehead. “Why the hell would I know the number? Check the damn logbook.”
Kasey walked partway to the kitchen. “… you alright?”
“I’m fine.” Maybe I’m worried about the wrong one meltin’ down, Jake thought.
Kasey dropped the phone onto the kitchen table and knelt down in front of him. Gus jumped and put his front feet on Jake’s thigh, scratching at him with one foot. Kasey patted his head to quiet him and simply waited. Knowing Jake, she wouldn’t have to wait long.
“She’s dead, man,” Jake finally said.
Kasey didn’t say anything at first.
Jake opened his eyes and tried to focus on Kasey. “It’s always somethin’. Can’t catch a damn break.” He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back. His voice cracked when he said, “Our girl’s dead.”
Her jaws clenched. “Yeah,” Kasey whispered. She grabbed his knee and squeezed, deciding it best to keep her thoughts to herself. She motioned for Gus to stay with Jake, then she grabbed the phone and slipped back into the living room. She heard Jake mutter under his breath. After finding Michael’s logbook, she opened it from the back and looked for Blueville Correctional’s number.
“There it is.” She punched it into the phone. She had to do that three times, because the stupid thing didn’t want to cooperate. That, or she was having a hard time seeing through unshed tears.
Finally it rang, and a man answered.
“Hell’s bells, Rabbit. Thought I was gonna have to drive to Blueville just to talk to your ass,” Kasey said. She took a step away from the desk so she could keep one eye on Jake.
“Still there?” Rabbit asked.
She’d missed everything he’d said before. “Shit. Sorry. Yeah, I’m still here. We’re just a little occupied at the moment. Listen. Have you had any visitors lately? Maybe from the CC?”
Rabbit laughed. “Yeah, I did actually. An old man and two others. We talked, they left. Michael told me they replaced my boys down in Bentree.”
Kasey pulled a face. “Yeah. I took care of them.”
“Good girl,” Rabbit said. He covered his phone and Kasey heard him shout orders in the
background, but couldn’t tell what he said.
“Hey, what’s going on? You guys okay?” Kasey asked.
A rough, scratchy noise as Rabbit slid his hand away from the mouthpiece, then he said, “Yes, ma’am. We’re fine. What’s your situation?”
“Uh,” Kasey met Jake’s stare, then filled Rabbit in on what had been happening, most of which he knew already from his phone call with Michael before they left Bentree. “And I wanted to know if you’d had a visit from the heavies, and if you had a lead on any dead zones left out there.”
“Copy that,” Rabbit said. “And… I’m sorry about Mia. Damn sorry.” The phone went quiet for a moment. “Don’t worry about the heavies. I sent them packing. And yeah, we just updated our map not long ago. There aren’t many dead zones left. Hell, might only be two or three, I’d have to check. But there’re a few zombies still out there. But, Kasey, you’d have to drive out all your fuel doing it. And even then, you might only be able to herd up a dozen or so. It’s not worth it.”
“It has to be worth it. The terminators don’t go after the dead anymore. We’re using the zombies as sort of a buffer. Let them do the killing, save us some work. And save us some lives and ammo, for chrissake.” Kasey ran a hand through her hair and yanked on it. Jake motioned for her to keep her cool. Kasey shook her head and said into the phone, “We’re trying to save who we can here, man. And if we go at these fucking things head on, we’re gonna lose. We’re gonna run out of ammo, and we’re gonna run out of people. The dead can protect us.”
“I know, you’re right,” Rabbit said. He covered the phone again, mumbled something, and then came back. “You’re moving everyone into one spot, right?”
“Yes?”
“And you’ve got some zombies already.”
