Trepidation

by Chrissy Peebles

“Are you okay?” I asked.

  “Just a headache. Just gimme a minute,” Asia said, waving me away.

  “You’ve been through so much. Those scientists did all sorts of horrible experiments on you. Maybe your body needs time to rest.”

  “I’m fine,” she said. “I just need...a minute.”

  Truth be told, we didn’t really know what sort of heinous things had been done to Asia or Kate. Neither of them wanted to talk about it, and I couldn’t blame them for not wanting to relive the nightmares; Kate had tried to talk to me about it once, but she’d just kept breaking down in tears. Whatever it was, I was sure it had been horrendous. I didn’t want to pry. Lucas had told me that Asia had a scar on her stomach, something he’d discovered when they were bragging about their battle wounds over a game of cards, but I’d never seen it, and I didn’t want to pry.

  In spite of her protests, I wrapped my arm around Asia’s waist and helped her to a worn-down bench in front of one of the stores.

  After a few minutes, she shook her head. “I’d love to know what they injected me with. Must be the same thing as Kate, because she gets headaches too.” She stood. “Okay. I’m good to go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  We kept walking down the lonely city streets, past abandoned buildings. We weaved slowly between trees, cars, buildings, and shrubs, careful not to be seen by anybody—an effort aided by our black coats and pants. Our feet crunched in the deep snow and ice, and a fierce wind whipped across our faces. Then, just as we got closer to our destination, laughter echoed through the air.

  On such short notice, there was nowhere to hide. Our only option to escape being detected was to hide under a nearby car, a blue Pontiac. Like lightning, I bolted under the car and scooted into place. Asia followed, and we stayed completely still as the men turned the corner.

  “So...you ever drive one?” one of the guys said.

  “Yeah, when I was stationed in Iraq.”

  “Do you really think you can get the thing going?” one asked.

  “Pssh.” The veteran laughed. “I can fix anything. I just can’t believe you got your hands on one.”

  “Well, Z wants it fixed fast. We’re gonna use it to blast those idiots still living in the city.”

  Another man laughed and kicked an empty Pepsi can that rolled very close to the tire right in front of my face. “Can’t they take a hint? After what we did to those people living at the bottom of the hill, you’d think the others would have enough brains to get the heck outta Dodge.”

  “They’re very...stubborn.”

  “Stupid, if ya ask me. They aren’t gonna be able to fight off a mighty and powerful tank.”

  A tank? What the...? I swallowed hard.

  “Z said once we take control of Fairport, which shouldn’t take long, we can have any house we want,” a different man said.

  “Whoa! I love this!” He let out a chuckle. “It’s like...the post-apocalyptic American dream.”

  More laughing ensued, and one man clapped another’s shoulder. Finally, they walked away, past the blue car, not suspecting a thing.

  Once they were out of sight and earshot, we climbed out.

  “Dean,” Asia said, “did you hear that? They have a tank!”

  I’d taken a herd of zombies down with a tank; I knew firsthand just how powerful they were. “It sounds like they’ve gotta fix it first though.”

  “We have to stop them from giving that tank the Midas touch.”

  “Let’s go back to town and let Max know,” I said.

  “Shouldn’t we find out where it is first?”

  “Hmm. I guess you’re right. Maybe we should follow Z’s men.”

  She pondered, then ran a hand through her hair. “We could just stop the whole thing if we shoot the mechanic. It sounded like only the one guy knows how to fix it.”

  “Asia!” I said.

  “What, Dean?” she snapped. “This is a matter of life and death—ours.”

  My eyes locked on hers. “Asia, we’re not murderers.”

  She looked away, obviously struggling with the decision. “No, we’re not,” she finally said, “but if they get that tank up and running, how many people will they murder? We can save hundreds just by killing one.”

  My face hardened into grim lines. “No. We can’t...I won’t sink to their level.”

  She gripped her rifle tightly. “Dean, this is war.”

  “If you kill him, Z will just find somebody else. Our best bet is to take out the tank.”

  “With what, Dean?” she retorted. “These wimpy little rifles?”

  “No, but if we find the location, we can go back and tell Max. I’m sure he’ll come up with a game plan to destroy it.”

  “Wait...didn’t you have a tank?” she said.

  My eyebrows arched. “Yeah, but it’s two hours away, and it doesn’t even belong to me.”

  “So we borrow it,” she said.

  I shook my head.

  She sighed. “What do you expect? We aren’t gonna win this war using high morals, Dean. This is about survival, and our enemy is a psychopath. Don’t you want to save lives? Z will slaughter the entire town without even blinking.”

  “Standing here arguing about it isn’t gonna help one bit. I say we trail ‘em and see where they’re storing the tank.”

  “All right, but we better hurry before we lose them,” she said.

  And with that, we raced up the street.

  Asia seemed to have a colder edge to her than I remembered, but I couldn’t really blame her for that after all she’d gone through. I just hoped she wouldn’t open fire on Z’s men the second we spotted them.

  When I heard voices, I peeked around the corner and saw a huge group of Z’s men loading boxes into an Army truck, presumably full of supplies and ammo.

  “So...how do we get to the tank driver?” Asia asked.

  “There’re way too many for us to take out,” I said, risking another peek around the corner.

  “I still say we put a bullet in the Mr. Fix-It.”

  “And how do we know which one he is?”

  “I saw him,” she said. “He has red, spiked hair.” She peeked around the corner, squinted, and saw a man fitting that description, then pointed him out. Concentrating as she looked through her scope, Asia pointed her rifle at him.

  I grabbed her arm. “Asia, no!”

  “I’m sorry, Dean, but I have to. Just be ready to bolt the second I nail him.”

  “Z will just get somebody else to fix it, and it’s not that hard to drive a tank. I did it with some instructions, and he’s got a lot of ex-military guys on his team.”

  As she focused, the gun started to shake in her hands. “I-I can’t do it anyway,” she stuttered. “I can’t believe it’s him.”

  “You know him?” I asked.

  “Yeah, from the lab. He was a prisoner, locked up right across the hall from me. His name is John. He has six kids and a loving wife.”

  “And killing him won’t solve our problems.”

  “I know. You’re right,” she said, dropping her head in shame. “What’s happening to me, Dean? I’m just not thinking straight. But how do you know Z has Army guys?” she whispered.

  “Well, for one thing, that guy back there, when we were hiding under the car, said he was stationed in Iraq. Plus, I met lots of them when Claire and I went undercover.”

  I peeked around and took another look. All the men had entered the building except John. When I saw him climb into the Army truck, I knew we had to stowaway on it, no matter what. Once we figured out where they were storing the tank, we could tell Max and come back with a team. Hopefully, less lives would be lost that way.

  “Any idea how we can get inside that truck without being spotted?” I asked.

  “If we’re gonna do it, now’s our chance, while they’re all inside,” she said.

  I nudged her. “C’mon then!”

  I ran to the first car I saw
and ducked behind it, and we moved from car to car that way. When there was only one car left between us and the truck, I peered at the scene.

  “Do you think there’s anyone in the back of the truck?” she whispered.

  I could see through the flap, and it didn’t appear anyone was inside it, but I couldn’t be sure from where I was hiding. “There’s only one way to find out,” I said. Once it looked as if the coast was clear, I knew we had to go for it; we likely wouldn’t have such an opportunity again.

  With my heart pounding in my chest like a college football fight song, I sneaked over and carefully peeked in. Clear. I motioned to Asia, and we climbed into the back of the truck and quickly and stealthily made our way toward the tangle of boxes and tarps. We dropped down on our stomachs and scrambled under the supplies, where I hoped we’d be well hidden.

  A few minutes later, we heard talking and joking outside. After we’d been hiding for an hour, I began to wonder if we’d made a mistake.

  The men and women outside the flap were talking about launching off. I only hoped our hiding spot was good enough; I was certain Z would kill us without a second thought if they found us, and I knew he’d take some sick pleasure in torturing us before he did.

  Finally, some men and women jumped into the back, and the truck took off with a jerk. As the stuff shifted and bumped all around me, I stayed completely still, and so did Asia.

  “We need to get that tank working by Wednesday,” said a voice that I recognized, the voice of a woman I’d chatted with when I’d gone undercover with Claire. “We’re gonna need a big power-hitter to face Max and his people and take that town from them.”

  “Z said not to take any prisoners,” a man said.

  “Yeah, it’s probably best to just take them all out.”

  “Even the women and children?”

  “When we start firing, there’s not gonna be any way to tell the difference. I don’t like it any more than you do, Betty, but it’s the only way to have a life.”

  “So killing children is...okay now?” Sandy asked in disbelief. “I swear, Z’s getting crazier and crazier every day. I didn’t sign up for this.”

  “Don’t ever talk like that!” a man snapped. His voice then melted into a whisper. “Gosh, Sandy. He’ll kill you if he hears—”

  “But we’re letting a nut-job tell us what to do,” she whispered.

  “He might be crazy, but he’s trying to make a home for us all, and I have to respect that. He’s taken care of us up to now, hasn’t he?”

  “So you’re fine with living in a house knowing the previous tenant was murdered?” she asked. “I’m not. Z is taking this too far.”

  “Zip it...and don’t let me catch you talking that way again, especially in front of the others,” demanded a man with a deep voice.

  Just like that, the conversation ended, and an uneasy silence took over.

  The ride lasted well over thirty minutes, and we had no idea where we were or how we were going to get back. When the truck stopped, I was relieved. Everyone climbed out, and no one noticed us. So far, our plan was going off without a hitch.

  Asia squeezed my hand. “Should we check it out?” she whispered.

  I slowly sat up and looked around. “It’s clear.”

  She moved the flap aside slightly, and I peered through the gap. I saw huge military surplus tents and uniformed soldiers guarding the perimeter against zombies, and it was clear that we were definitely in the danger zone.

  “It’s looks like an Army base,” I said. “Did he call in the Cavalry or what?”

  “He’s adding to his manpower all right,” Asia said, “and that’s way more than a few good men.”

  I shook my head. “This isn’t good at all. I bet they’re helping Z because he promised them sanctuary in the city.”

  “If we bring back a team, we could take out this camp. Z would be royally screwed without backup,” she said.

  “Well, they’re apparently planning to attack on Wednesday. If we destroy this camp and that tank before then, they’ll be their weakest, and we can put up a fair fight.”

  “We’ll hit ‘em full force,” she said. “They won’t even know what hit them.”

  “Exactly, but we can’t take ‘em out by ourselves. We’ve gotta get outta here and get this intel back to Max.”

  Suddenly, Asia jumped, startled. “Someone’s coming! Hide!”

  I crawled behind the boxes and threw the tarp over me.

  The next thing I knew, someone had hopped onto the truck and was rifling through the boxes.

  My heart stopped for a moment, then began to pound furiously. I hoped I wouldn’t be discovered, but I clenched my fists, prepared to fight if I had to.

  Snap!

  Just like that, the tarp was flipped side, and I saw a gun pointed right in my face.

  Chapter 19

  “I see you,” a woman said.

  Much to my relief, it was Sandy.

  “Come out, or I’ll shoot,” she threatened in a menacing tone.

  I crept out and slowly held my hands up. I looked deep into her eyes. When I had met her back at the warehouse, she’d really liked me. I was sure I could use that to my advantage and beg her to let me go. Surely she knows what Z will do to me if she turns me in. I waited for a second to see if she would come around; if she wouldn’t, I’d be forced to attack, and I knew hot-tempered Asia would have my back. My hands shook as I prepared to take her down, a last resort I didn’t want to resort to.

  “I know you aren’t here alone,” she said. “Your partner on this mission better come out before I shoot you right in the forehead.”

  Right on cue, Asia came out of hiding, with her hands up high.

  “Both of you,” Sandy demanded, “drop your guns and kick them over to me now.”

  We did as we were told, but we also knew something Sandy didn’t: We had backup.

  “Dean,” Sandy said, the gun shaking unsteadily in her hands, “you’re deep behind enemy lines. What are you doing here?”

  “You know what I’m doing here,” I said.

  She let out a long breath. “You know I can’t let you leave.”

  “If you don’t, I’m a dead man,” I whispered.

  She looked at me intensely. “Yes, and they’ll do it in...a very violent way. I’m afraid our fearless leader is a firm believer in cruel and unusual punishment.”

  “Not if you help us,” Asia said.

  “And why would I do that?” she retorted.

  “Because I heard you,” I said. “You don’t want this war. Look, there’s no need for the battle and all the bloodshed. We’re more than willing to give you and everyone else a place to live in the city, Sandy.”

  “Z is...crazy,” she admitted again. “He’s murdered some dear friends of mine for no reason.”

  “I’m well aware how unstable he is.”

  “We just want peace,” Asia said, “a place where we can all live in harmony. We took down the lab and saved many of your people. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

  “It does,” Sandy whispered. “We are so thankful that you rescued our men.”

  “Then why am I on Z’s hit list?” I asked.

  “Because you live with Max, his nemesis.”

  “That still doesn’t explain why you are willing to help them plan a bloodbath, the murder of innocent children and elderly people.” When she didn’t respond, I continued, “I watched the mother of small children die when Z’s zombies attacked our apartment building. Now those children are orphans! How can you condone this kind of behavior? You do that, and you might as well be a zombie yourself.”

  “I don’t condone it! I was completely on Z’s side at first,” Sandy argued, “but after what I’ve seen him do...well, it’s like I’m stuck in some kind of nightmare.”

  “Then join us,” I said. “Clearly, we’re the good guys...and I think you are too.”

  “Z has hooked up with this group of militants, a bunch of hothead veterans and s
oldiers. They plan to ambush your town tomorrow, and they’ll take everyone out. Their creed is to take no survivors, and everyone must die. They’ll handpick who will be able to live in the city, and I’m afraid...well, if I join you, I don’t think I’ll be given that chance, Dean.”

  “Sandy,” I said, as calmly as I could, “if you let me outta here, I can warn Max. We can destroy this camp, and that will leave Z weak and vulnerable so we can take him out.”

  “I can’t leave right now, but I’ll get you out. All I ask is that you promise me a place in the city. I want to live in peace too.”

  Asia shook her hand. “Deal. Max has nothing against peaceful people living in the city.”

  Sandy suddenly looked at me with a terrified look. “Have you seen those zombies...the smart ones?”

  “We call them hybrids,” I said.

  “They’re stalking us,” she said. “I’m worried.”

  “You should be,” I said. “The creatures are beyond dangerous.”

  “What are they?” she asked.

  “Half zombie, half human.”

  She cocked a brow. “They didn’t finish turning? They’re stuck that way. How?”

  “Charlie created them in the lab,” Asia said.

  “Z’s going to kill Charlie,” she breathed out. “For sending those things after us.”

  “We’ve got the same problem,” I said. “So far, there’s been no major attacks, and they’re not feeding on unsuspecting survivors.”

  “Like I said, Z will take Charlie out,” she muttered.

  “Not with an army of hybrids to back him up, he isn’t.”

  “Can you get us some wheels to get outta here?” Asia said.

  “I can’t get you a vehicle,” Sandy said. “You’ll have to make it back on foot, and there are herds of zombies out there.”

  “Just get us out of this camp,” Asia said. “We can handle the zombies. We’ve had plenty of practice.”

  Sandy nodded, then handed Asia a map and a compass from her coat pocket. “I marked out where you are with a red x. Head north.”

  “Thank you,” Asia said. “You’re doing the right thing.”

  “Well, we’re gonna be neighbors soon, and this is a little more important than lending you a cup of sugar,” Sandy said with a smile.