The Complete Deadland Saga

by Rachel Aukes

A ladder extended down the side of the tall riverboat. We climbed up in the same procession as we had at the bridge. At the top of the ladder, two men lifted me up and onto the deck.

  Griz was already chatting with the white-haired man I assumed to be Sorenson. A small terrier sat by his feet. The man said something that brought out Griz’s deep chuckle, and then the man narrowed his eyes at me. “You must be the pilot.”

  I nodded.

  “It’d be handy having one of you around, especially nowadays. I’m Captain Sorenson, and welcome to the Lady Amore.” He held out his hand, and I accepted it.

  “I’m Cash.”

  Tyler stepped onto deck, quickly followed by Jase. Sorenson smiled. “And I take it you’re Captain Masden.”

  Tyler gave his irresistible Homecoming King smile. “It’s great to finally meet you, Captain Sorenson. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve delayed our meeting until the spring, but some factors arose that forced the issue.”

  Sorenson nodded. “I’ve seen the herds with my own eyes, Captain Masden, so I’m not the least bit surprised at your visit.” He gestured to his men. “You’ve already met four of my men. Otto, Hank, Chuck, and Pedro.”

  Tyler dipped his head at the men who’d just come up the ladder.

  “You didn’t come all this way to swap nicknames and exchange pleasantries,” Sorenson said. “You’ve got a zed problem headed your way, and you need my help. Let’s go somewhere where it’s more comfortable to talk.” He paused. “I’m a fair man, but I won’t allow aggression on the Lady. All weapons must be holstered or sheathed at all times, or else they will be confiscated. Aggressors will be dealt with harshly. I’m assuming you find no issues with that?”

  Tyler looked at all three of us first, then back at Sorenson. “I can assure you, no weapons will be drawn as long as there’s no reason for them to be.”

  “Fair enough. I’d never ask for more than that,” Sorenson—with his dog as his heels—led us to a side door and entered. We all followed into a well-lit hallway. I glanced back to see Otto and Pedro stepping in behind us, and Otto closing the door. Inside, the hallway was straight with doors every ten feet or so. It reminded me of an old-fashioned hotel, and I realized that was exactly what the Lady Amore was.

  The end of the hallway opened into a winding double-staircase that led down to an enormous open area. Twenty or so poker tables dotted the colorful open space. Couches, beanbag chairs, and camp chairs looked out of place in the ornate room that reminded me of a scene from Titanic. The new furniture was likely replacements for the missing slot machines, and the area was now filled with people chatting and eating. At the far end of the casino was the restaurant area where a large buffet was set up against a wall. Twenty or so people stood in line.

  Sorenson had a good setup here, a safe little paradise that no zed could get to…though I suspected it was a different story each time they had to go to land to refuel and restock.

  He led us down the stairs and through the area, nodding, chatting, and smiling at folks as he walked. Beyond the buffet line, there was another winding stairwell. After climbing a flight of stairs and taking several hallways, we entered a bland corridor with beige walls and no artwork.

  “This used to be the staff quarters. My quarters are right on the end up here,” Sorenson said. “We’re a bit cramped around here, so this is the best place to chat openly.”

  “I would’ve taken the biggest room if I was the boss,” Jase said softly behind us.

  “A family of eight lives in the Presidential Suite,” Sorenson replied as he stopped at a door. “They need the space far more than I do. Besides, these quarters have been my home for nigh on thirty years. They’re plenty enough for my needs and suit me just fine.” He opened the door, and his dog bounded inside. Sorenson walked in and held the door open for the rest of us to enter.

  Inside, the area seemed to be as large as any suite, which I supposed was probably common for captain’s quarters. The room we stood in was a medium-sized living room area with a large wood conference table in the middle. A couch and TV sat in the far corner opposite a small kitchenette. Next to the refrigerator was an open door to a bedroom.

  Sorenson gestured to the table. “Have a seat,” he said before he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bowl.

  I took a seat next to Tyler, and Otto sat on my other side.

  Sorenson set down the bowl. “Pickled bass. Help yourselves.”

  His dog yipped, and Sorenson picked out a large piece of fish and tossed it in the air. The dog jumped, caught the chunk, and swallowed it in a single bite.

  Tyler reached in and grabbed a small piece of fish. “Bass? Haven’t heard of that being pickled before.”

  “You can pickle just about anything that can be eaten. It keeps food from going bad and doesn’t ruin the taste,” Sorenson replied. “But we steer clear of the bottom feeders. In fact, I lost one of my people from bad catfish. Too many fish have ingested zed-infected bits to be safely eaten anymore. It makes fishing more challenging.”

  “I can imagine,” Tyler said, after taking a bite. “We no longer hunt wolves since they’ve started going after zeds. We can’t trust that they don’t carry the virus.”

  “Speaking of zeds,” Sorenson said. “Looks like a heap of trouble about to pass through.”

  Tyler gave a tight nod. “We have a theory that they’re migrating south for the winter.”

  Sorenson cocked a brow. “Interesting idea, and what I’ve seen would support that. But I wouldn’t put much weight on that theory. I’ve yet to see the herds do anything logical.”

  Tyler shrugged. “I doubt it’s a planned event. I think it’s nature. As they get cold, they just start heading to where it’s not so cold.”

  Sorenson chuckled. “You’re assuming they can feel anything. I’ve speared a zed right through a kidney and it didn’t even wince.”

  “Call it a sense of preservation, then. Who knows what’s driving them, but we’ve mapped their paths, and all signs point to the herds moving south and picking up numbers along the way.”

  “Which is exactly why the Lady is going to head further north to find safe ports and food,” Sorenson said. “Once they pass through, the pickings should be easy.”

  What’s left of them, anyway, I thought to myself.

  “What’s your plan when you come face to face with one of the herds?”

  “Same plan as we have when we come across a herd of twenty. We’re safe as long as we are careful under bridges and keep plenty of water between them and us.”

  “What will you do if one of these herds comes across the Lady Amore? What then? You think they’ll ignore you just because they can’t get to you?”

  “No, they’re persistent bastards. We’ll head down river. If they’re migrating, then they’ll get the urge to keep moving. There are enough islands and turns in the river for us to break visual contact. You know zeds. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ and all that.”

  Tyler looked dubious. “You’re assuming the urge to migrate is stronger than their urge to eat. I’m guessing these zeds are hungrier than ever since they’re moving.”

  Sorenson leaned back and cracked his knuckles. “I’d worry more about what you’re going to do. You don’t have a boat. What’s to stop the zeds from walking right through the park? There ain’t nobody out there with enough firepower to cut down one of those herds.” A sly smile crossed his lips. “Then again, that’s why you’re here.”

  After a moment, Tyler nodded. “We need your help. If we can come aboard this riverboat, just until the herds pass through—”

  Sorenson lifted a hand. “I’ll stop you right now. The Lady Amore is at full capacity already. She can’t handle any more people. We can barely purify water fast enough the way it is. As for food…well, that’s all dependent on our next restock.”

  My heart plummeted. I wanted to jump in to talk about how they wouldn’t have to feed us, but I didn’t dare speak. Tyler was our leader, and we had to s
how we were one hundred percent behind him. We needed Sorenson to believe that Camp Fox would make good passengers on the Lady Amore, but after seeing the riverboat, I’d already suspected Sorenson wouldn’t risk the good thing they had going by doubling his crew with strangers. We were desperate, and it pissed me off, but I couldn’t blame him. I had the exact same mindset when survivors passed through the park. Still, knowing that we’d be on our own devastated me.

  I looked across the table at Jase and Griz. Both looked the same way I felt. Filled with utter despair.

  “It would only be for a week or two. Once the herds pass through, we’d head back to the park,” Tyler said. “We’d bring enough food to cover all Fox personnel while on board. With more hands for boiling water—”

  “You don’t understand. It’s not the manpower, it’s the facilities,” Sorenson interrupted. “We’re boiling water twenty-four hours a day as it stands. We’d have to turn on another bank of stoves, which would burn more fuel, and that’s our biggest concern. Fuel is our most precious commodity. It’s not easy finding safe ports to refuel. Hell, siphoning from crippled boats is nearly as dangerous.”

  Tyler held up a hand. “I understand. I’m asking you for a favor I might never be able to repay. Believe me, if we had any other option I wouldn’t be here. But the only way we’ll all survive in this new world is by working together. If I put my people on the road, any direction we head except south, we’ll run into more herds. If we run south, we’ll just be staying one step ahead of the herds. Eventually, something would happen, and the herds would get us. We need your help, Captain.”

  “Please,” I said softly, pulling my girl-card. But I wasn’t acting. I desperately hoped he would help us, and I wasn’t above begging.

  He came to his feet. “I never said I wouldn’t help you. Unfortunately, the Lady is full. I’m sorry, but I simply can’t take on any more souls. Not without risking the lives of the ones on board now.”

  Tyler came to his feet as well. “Your riverboat is doing okay now, but just wait. What about the trade agreement we’d discussed? Your fish for my livestock. If Camp Fox has to go on the road, we won’t be able to tend crops or share our livestock. Hell is coming our way, Sorenson. Don’t be so naïve to think that it’s going to bypass your boat.”

  Sorenson headed to the kitchen. He opened a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

  The room sat in silence before Tyler finally sighed. “I get it. I know the strain taking on my people would add to an already full boat. I wouldn’t ask if I knew of another way.”

  After taking a drink, Sorenson screwed the cap back on, turned around, and leaned against the counter. A moment later, he looked up at Tyler, then at his two men in the room. “As I told you before, I’ll help you, but I can’t take any more onto the Lady.”

  Tyler frowned. “Then what can you do?”

  Sorenson paced the room. “Awhile back, I came across a decent-sized towboat that’s run aground not too far from here. It’ll work better than any building would for keeping zeds out. I’d been planning to use her for overflow survivors we find. I can mark it down on a map for you.”

  Hope sprang from deep within. There was a chance!

  Tyler shook his head. “None of my people have any experience running a towboat, especially one big enough to support sixty-plus souls, our livestock, and food.”

  “There’s no need for that. That towboat isn’t going anywhere. It’s dead in the water. It ran aground on a small island that goes underwater every spring. A few of her barges have broken off, but there’s enough still connected that should hold you through until the island floods come spring. Even then, she should still hold together for a year or two.”

  I watched as Tyler thought for a long moment.

  He finally nodded slowly. “It could work. We should only need it for a couple weeks. Until spring, that is, when the zeds might return.”

  Sorenson pulled out a stack of papers in the top drawer and headed back to the table. He dropped a paper on the table. A map.

  Sorenson opened the map and pointed at an X marked on the water. “Here’s the island you’re looking for. It isn’t far from the mainland, so you’ll have a higher risk of zeds floating ashore, especially with how tiny the island is. But it’s the best I can offer. We’ve already had to start turning away survivors. If we bring on any more, we risk the lives of the ones already on board. I can’t allow that. These people are my responsibility.”

  Tyler sat down and examined the map before sliding it to me.

  I looked at the small island toward the east side of the river, and not far south of a four-lane bridge. I much preferred the idea of being on the riverboat casino. From what I’d seen of the Lady Amore, they had plenty of space to take on more survivors. Hell, the boat was so large it was like a mountain on the water. The idea of being stranded on an island made me feel like a sitting duck. If any herd spotted us, there’d be no running. “So, zeds can still get to the island?” I asked after sliding the map across the table to Jase and Griz.

  “Unfortunately, yes,” Sorenson said. “They can’t swim, but any that fall in the water could wash ashore easily enough. The towboat also likely had a crew of ten or twenty on her when the outbreak hit. That she ran aground isn’t a good sign. She might have been evacuated because I didn’t see any zeds on her deck. Even if she’s not empty, with enough firepower, it shouldn’t take you long to clear her out.

  Tyler sighed deeply and leaned back, closing his eyes. I placed my hand over his and he gripped it.

  “It could work,” I said quietly, as much to support Tyler as to convince myself.

  “Oh, it can work all right. Trust me,” Sorenson said. “Once you get the towboat cleared out, you’ll only have to deal with zeds that get to the island from the water. I’m sure the barges are all clear. I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t start moving your people and supplies over right away. From what I’ve seen of the herds, you have about two weeks before they make it this far down the river. You’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then.”

  “Except there’s a herd already coming straight through the center of the state,” Tyler said. “We have to be over here within a couple days or else we risk getting cut off.” He paused. “It can work. We’ll make it work.”

  “You’ll need to get moving then,” Sorenson said.

  Tyler nodded and motioned to us. “Agreed. Thank you for your help, Captain. I don’t have any marine experience, but I’ll take you at your word that this towboat and barges will make for a defensible position and that I’m not condemning sixty souls.”

  “Aye, she’ll be safe as long as you’re discreet and don’t do anything to draw attention,” Sorenson said. “I’ve kept an eye on her for just this sort of need. I’ll make sure there’s a pontoon or two for you to get to her by tomorrow. Be sure to bring enough folks to clear out the boat and possibly do some patching. The towboat is named the Aurora II. She’s built for a small crew, so she won’t hold sixty people. Maybe thirty if you push it. You’ll have to use the barges to house the rest of your people and supplies.”

  “Fair enough.” Tyler looked at his watch. “Sunlight is half gone. We’d better head back. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

  “You’re more than welcome to stay the night on board the Lady Amore,” Sorenson said.

  Tyler smiled and held out his hand. “Thank you, but we have to get started on preparations. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

  Sorenson shook Tyler’s hand before he headed over to the door and opened it. “Otto will see you back to the bridge. I’ll see if a couple of my people will volunteer to help you patch up the barge once you clear it.”

  Suddenly feeling a hundred pounds lighter, I came to my feet and followed Tyler into the hallway. For the first time since seeing the massive herds, I felt like we stood a fighting chance to make it through the fall.

  After Pedro, Otto, Griz, and Jase joined us, Sorenson shut the door, staying in his ro
om. I wondered how much time he spent in his quarters to avoid having to deal with all the problems of having people living in a floating hotel.

  Our trip back to the plane was uneventful. The sun had warmed the air, and I enjoyed the afternoon breeze blowing through my cropped hair as the boat cut through the water. When we reached the bridge, we said our good-byes and cautiously climbed the ladder, and Otto and Pedro pulled away.

  Fortunately, no zeds had come across the plane or blocked our takeoff path. In fact, the countryside was still wide open. We piled into the Cessna, and I started the engine. It coughed and sputtered and growled. On the third attempt, it kept running but was rough. “Keep your eyes peeled for zeds. This could take a while,” I yelled over the engine as I throttled up and checked the mags. The right mag had been running rough but now both sounded like metallic beasts about to explode. I leaned the mixture, trying to clean the spark plugs, to no avail. For several more minutes I tried to smooth the engine, all the while cursing and begging the plane.

  After I knew it was hopeless, I pulled the mixture all the way out and the engine quit. I leaned forward, resting my head against the panel for a moment, knowing I was about to let everyone down. I hated times like this. My first urge was to cry, but I refused to be the weak one, the one the guys felt sorry for.

  “What’s the problem?” Tyler asked quietly at my side.

  I leaned back and opened my eyes. “You heard the engine. This plane’s not going anywhere. With both mags running rough, it’s not going to be running for much longer. If the engine goes out while we’re in the air, we have to land, and it doesn’t matter if there’s a town of zeds below us or not.”

  “Will it help if you let it sit for a while?” Jase asked.

  “I don’t think so.” I scratched my head. “Fuck, I don’t know. I’m a pilot, not a mechanic. I have no idea how to fix it. I just know it’s not safe to fly it like this.”

  “Then we won’t risk it,” Tyler said. “We’ll find another way back home.”

  We climbed out of the plane and stood on the bridge.