by Brant, Jason
Cass’ fingers kneaded the handle of her axe. “So we would go in a caravan, like Ralph did? Take some of the tankers and RVs?”
“Exactly.”
“I like it.” Cass used her own finger to follow the turnpike from Greensburg to Philadelphia. “We would have to go around Philadelphia. We can’t afford to get bogged down if a block is closed off, and we have to turn around. But I don’t know that we could plan to spend the night out in the middle of nowhere. That might have worked a month ago, but not now that the infected are figuring out our little tricks. We either make it, or we don’t.”
They looked to Brown, who stood silently, staring at the map. He grunted after a few seconds. “This feels suicidal. What about finding a boat on a river or a lake? Maybe work our way to the coast in stages?”
Eifort shook her head. “That won’t work. A lot of lakes didn’t allow boats to sit in the water. Owners had to take their boats out every time they wanted to go fishing. We can’t risk getting to a lake and finding it empty.”
“You really think this is our best shot? This is what you think we have to do?” Brown glanced out the window again. “You better convince me in a hurry, before Colt comes back in.”
Cass continued, “We wouldn’t want to use the beltway around Philly. That has to be in rough shape too. So add another few hours to work our way around the city.”
“We would need a hell of a big boat for everyone to stay on,” Brown said. “A yacht or something similar.”
Eifort snapped her fingers. “The Wildman said a cruise ship is coming in soon, didn’t he? Maybe we could get on that and take it back out.”
“Too big. None of us would even know how to operate something of that size. The logistics of it are too much.” Brown leaned closer to the map. “But if a port is big enough for a yacht, then we can probably find something of a decent size nearby. Assuming all the boats haven’t been taken already. We surely aren’t the first people to think of escaping to the open water.”
“Even if a cruise ship is too big, we just have to get it a little ways off the coast and we’ll be fine. Even if we take several smaller boats for the first night, we could search for something better later.” Cass sifted through the maps, searching for one of Philadelphia. “We can still go ashore during the day to search for supplies and another ship.”
Brown rubbed his chin. “It could work. I still don’t like placing everyone’s lives in danger while we hope we can make it to the coast in less than a day.”
“I think Cass is right, Emmett. We can’t stay here much longer. The infected are pressing in, and Colt is getting shadier by the day.” Eifort reached out and grabbed his hand. “If we want to protect everyone out there, then we have to get them away from here. If we’re going to die, I’d rather do it while fighting for something better, rather than waiting around here.”
“Even if we could, what dock are we aiming for? We can’t drive the whole way there without having an exact destination in mind.”
Eifort studied the map some more, before turning to them with a grin. She recounted several vacations during her childhood when she’d gone on trips to her uncle’s home. He had a house on a river close to the ocean. He often took them fishing in his boat. If he had put down a beer or two, he would take them out to the open sea. She found the dock where he’d kept his boat on the map and tapped it. That was where they would go.
Brown looked out the window again. “What about the major? How could we get away while he’s here? There’s no way he’ll let us leave.”
Cass leaned against the table and pursed her lips as she thought about Colt. As much as she’d grown to distrust him, she still wanted to use him to help destroy the local nest. The Vladdies had killed Lance, and she would have her revenge. Beyond that, Cass feared what the major had planned.
How would he react if he discovered they were planning to flee the camp? She agreed with Brown that he wouldn’t let them leave. He wanted everything controlled. If they were to have a chance of escape, then he would have to be taken out of the picture somehow.
Cass had little doubt that she could kill the man, if necessary. She could get the drop on him. But his men would kill her, and possibly everyone else, in retaliation. They had a tank, helicopter, and LAVs. It would be a massacre.
“I’ll go with him to take out the nest. When we’re gone, you get everyone out of here.” Cass tapped her finger on the turnpike again. “Stay on the highway, and I’ll catch up to you.”
“Absolutely not,” Brown said. “If he finds out what we’re doing, and you’re with him—”
“He won’t. We’ll be too busy with the nest. When we’re finished, I’ll sneak away, get a motorcycle or dirt bike, and take off. I’ll put my axe in his chest if I have to.”
Eifort leaned back, frowning. “Why not stay with us when he goes after the nest? Pretend you’re sick or that you’ve twisted your ankle. Being with him when the rest of us are on the run is a huge risk.”
“Because I want to wipe out those fucking vampires, that’s why. I owe them. I owe them for Lance.”
Chapter 22
Sweat covered Lance as he struggled to rest. He fell in and out of sleep, lulling at the edge of nightmares about vascular horrors.
Hushed voices from the other room brought him the rest of the way to consciousness. He focused on them, hoping to hear what Liz and Paul, the Yinzer of Monroeville, were whispering about.
He gave up after half a minute and called out to them. “I’m awake so you might as well speak up. It’s easier for me to eavesdrop that way.”
Liz appeared in the doorway, her cheeks flushed.
Lance recognized that pissed-off expression. She’d spent years aiming it at him. He asked, “What?”
“We’re having a disagreement, that’s all.”
Paul peeked at Lance over Liz’s shoulder. “You might as well tell the truth. It’s about him, after all.”
“Me? You’re the one who is saying we should leave him here.”
“Leave me here?” Lance braced himself and sat up. It was the first time he’d successfully done it since he’d woken up in the safe room. The pain in his chest was white hot, barely manageable. His empty stomach twisted, and he fought against dry heaves.
“Lance, what are you doing?” Liz rushed over, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Lay back down!”
“I’m fine. Tell me what you meant by ‘leave him here.’ That sounds less than pleasant for me.”
Paul shrugged, “We’re abandoning this place tomorrow. You’re too weak to go with us.”
“Why would you leave? You have everything you need here.” The pain in Lance’s chest made him want to weep, but he held it in. He thought a sign of weakness might not bode well for him at that moment.
“The infected have almost broken through a spot on the rear wall. They’ve been working at it with tools, and it’s about to give.” Paul walked into the room and plopped into a chair by the workbench against the far wall. “I figure we can make it one more night before they get in here. It’s time to skeedaddle.”
“Where are you going?”
Liz sat on the cot by Lance’s leg and gave Paul an ugly glare. “We’re going to the British Virgin Islands. Supposedly, they’re still free of the infection. Paul has been talking to a man on the radio there for over a month.”
“That’s right. It ain’t optimal though—some of the islands ain’t got any natural water, so we gotta get a boat that can convert seawater to drinking water. But it sure is pretty, and we don’t have to worry about any vampires taking bites outta our asses n’at.”
Lance could barely understand the man when he really got going. His Pittsburghese grew so intense, his drawl so thick, that he came across like a caricature of Appalachia.
Liz said, “But we aren’t leaving you behind, as hurt as you are. I’m just having a hard time driving it through his thick skull.”
“He can’t make the jump with a goddamn hole in his chest.” P
aul smacked himself in the forehead. “How many times I gotta tell you? And I’m the one with the thick skull?”
“What jump?” Lance asked.
“We’re taking a Cessna out of the Latrobe airport tomorrow morning,” Paul said.
“A Cessna? An airplane? You’re a pilot?” Lance’s felt a pang of hope. “That’s great! We could shuttle people around and—”
“Lance,” Liz interrupted. “He can’t exactly fly it.”
“The hell I can’t.” Paul grabbed a book from the workbench and held it up. “I already know enough to do what needs doin’.”
“You can’t land the damn thing!”
“Landing and flying ain’t the same thing.”
Lance listened to them volley insults back and forth before he held up a hand. “Hold on a second. You can’t land?”
“Not exactly, no. But I don’t need to land, just get it over my destination.”
“But how—?”
“Parachutes.” Paul grinned. Yellow tobacco stains covered his teeth. “Gonna jump out and parachute to safety.”
“Holy shit. You really are a lunatic.” Lance coughed and winced at the misery that followed.
“That’s what I keep telling him,” Liz said. “And he doesn’t think you could make the jump.”
“He can’t. It would kill him.”
Lance waved them off. “It doesn’t matter; I’m not going with you. I have to get back to my camp and warn everyone about Colt.”
“You hear that, woman? That settles it then.” Paul tossed the flight manual back on the desk.
Liz grabbed Lance’s forearm. “You can’t go back there, Lance. He’ll kill you.”
“Maybe, maybe not. If everyone in the camp sees me alive, then they’ll know what he did. I’m sure he fed them some kind of bullshit story about how I died.”
“He must have,” Paul muttered. “He showed ‘em where he shot you.”
They’d watched from a camera-mounted drone as Colt took Cass, Eifort, and Brown to the tunnel. Seeing Cass standing beside the man who’d tried to kill him made Lance’s blood boil.
Lance looked to the Wildman. “Can you put me in a truck? I think I can drive to the camp on my own.”
“Don’t do this.” Liz raised her hand from his arm to his chest. Even the light pressure of her touch made him wince. “Stay with us.”
“Goddamn it, Liz. He can’t make the jump. Don’t know how many times I gotta say it.” Paul turned his attention to Lance. “I got a four by four that’ll get you there. I won’t be needing it anymore, anyway. You sure you can make that trip? Hell, you can barely sit up.”
“I can make it. Not like I have a choice. You’re leaving in the morning, and I can’t exactly take care of myself.”
Liz stood and stormed over to Paul, standing over him. “I told you to reinforce the wall! Do whatever it takes to keep them out of here for a few more days. We can’t just—”
“You know I already welded a plate over it twice. They just tear it back down.” Paul averted his eyes and inspected the floor. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“Liz, I can’t stay here anyway.” Lance eased back down. He’d already grown tired from sitting up. “I have to warn Cass.”
“But—”
“You two have helped me enough. You need to get out of here and go enjoy some sandy beaches. Both of you deserve it.”
Liz’s shoulders slumped. Her head hung down, hands on her hips. “I feel like I’m abandoning you again, like I did at the hospital.”
“You saved my life. This is a bit different.” Lance managed a smile. “Besides, you’re about to take a flight with a guy who apparently learned how to fly from a manual.”
“Hey now, I’m about tired of taking shit about my flyin’ skills from yinz. I’ve flown before, just not a Cessna. I got it, for Christ’s sake.”
Lance nodded. “I take it back. You’re about to take a flight with a yinzer who can’t land.”
“Aren’t the two of yinz... goddamn it... you... just hilarious?” Paul pulled his can of snuff from his back pocket and rapped it with his finger a few times. “This is the thanks I get for all my good deeds,” he muttered.
“And you’ve somehow talked Liz into jumping out of an airplane before it crashes.” Lance forced himself not to laugh. He didn’t want to deal with the pain.
Liz moved back to the cot and sat down again. She lifted the blankets covering Lance’s legs and checked his bandages. “She’s worth this? Worth facing that man again?”
“She is.”
Her eyes flicked up and met his. “Did you ever feel that way about me?”
“A long time ago, yes.”
That seemed to satisfy her. She pulled the blankets back down and turned to Paul. “What time are we leaving?”
“First thing in the morning.”
Lance stared at the ceiling as they worked out their escape plan. He was worried that he wouldn’t have the strength to drive to the compound, but he didn’t dare tell Liz. She needed to get out of there while she still had the chance.
What would he do about Colt? Was there anything he could do? Would warning everyone that the man was crazy be enough?
He didn’t know, but he was about to find out.
Chapter 23
The plan felt sloppy at best.
It would be difficult to pull off.
Cass didn’t see any other way out.
She stood from the table and adjusted the axe on her back. Brown and Eifort stood across from her, each nodding their agreement to go forward. There wasn’t a bit of confidence among them.
They were to spread the word as soon as they left the room—everyone was to pack the bare necessities and prepare to abandon the camp. But they had to do so without being seen by Colt or his men.
This required no one, Greg in particular, to spill anything to the military men. That was the part of the plan that bothered Cass the most. People liked to talk.
Cass needed to convince Colt to go into the city tomorrow to take out the nest. She figured that wouldn’t be too difficult since she was going to tell him that she knew the location of the Wildman of Monroeville. She didn’t, of course, but she was a damn good liar.
When the men were gone, the tankers and RVs would file out and make their way to the turnpike. The tankers would take the lead, so they could push aside any minor obstacles along the way. Major roadblocks would require a detour using the exits.
Brown calculated that it would take a minimum of twelve hours, probably more, to make the trip. The timing would be tight.
More people had fled the camp that morning. If any positive could be taken from that, it was that their caravan to the coast would be significantly smaller. Cass tried not to think about the fates of those who were striking out on their own.
Any of Colt’s men who remained behind would have to be dealt with. Since they’d arrived, the major hadn’t left the camp unattended. The odds of him doing so tomorrow were slim.
How Cass would escape from the group tomorrow after they took out the nest, she didn’t know. She would feel the situation out and make her play when an opportunity presented itself.
Several people walked by the window, casting shadows into the room.
Brown peered through the glass. “Everyone is gathering around the front of the cabin.” He looked back to Eifort. “Did we have a meeting planned?”
“No.” Eifort joined him. “I don’t know what this is.”
“Colt.” Cass left the room at a brisk walk and made her way through the cabin. She left through the front door with Eifort and Brown at her heels.
The major stood in front of the tank, leaning beside the massive barrel. Cigar smoke puffed from slightly parted lips. His men flanked him on either side.
Cass hadn’t spoken to any of them other than Colt since Lance had died. They kept to themselves for the most part and seemed to hold most of the civilians in the camp in disdain.
Those who hadn’t fled the compo
und stood in a rough line in front of the major, listening to him.
“I need two men to volunteer to go on a hunt with us tomorrow,” Colt said around his cigar. “We’re going to take out the nest in Greensburg. It’s going to be dangerous work, but you’ll be protecting this camp.”
No one moved. Most looked everywhere but directly at him.
“What’s going on here?” Cass pushed her way to the front and burst through the line.
Colt ignored her. “No one is willing to volunteer? None of you are brave enough?” He pushed away from the tank and took two long strides forward. “Fine. Time for the draft.”
“Answer me, you son of a bitch.” Cass angled toward him, balling her hands into fists.
“Pick their two strongest men and bring them to me,” Colt said to the man to his left.
Cass’ anger, frustration, and despair all roiled into one uncontrollable emotion. Before she knew what she was doing, she threw a punch at Colt’s chin.
His arm snaked up, his hand latching onto her wrist, stopping her punch in mid-swing.
Her fist stopped inches from his face.
“I’ve about had it with you,” Colt said without looking at her.
He yanked her sideways, into the waiting arms of the man to his left.
“Enough!” Brown broke the line. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Taking charge.” Colt’s voice remained calm, though Cass saw something in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. It was an intensity, an insanity, that she’d recognized somewhere else.
She’d seen it in the eyes of Ralph’s henchman, Tony.
“Let her go.” Eifort stepped beside Brown, already sighting her rifle on Colt’s chest. “Or I’ll drop you where you stand.”
“And what good would that do?” Colt asked.
The men on either side of him raised their weapons, aiming at Brown and Eifort.
A dozen of the civilians in the crowd raised their guns then. Silence swallowed the standoff for several seconds, an eternity when rifles are pointed at you, before Colt laughed again.
