“I’ll drop the ladder if you agree that Ray stays outside,” Michael said, rubbing his chin in contemplation. “You can come back out later if you want to check on him, or Lydia can, if she’s willing to tend to his wounds.” The man’s calm demeanor never changed. “I’m not a bastard, Ben, despite what you might think. I have to look out for the best interests of the people in this camp who haven’t been infected. You know that’s true.”
“Bullshit!” Jeff yelled, unable to contain himself any longer.
Michael and Frank’s heads turned as Jeff burst into the clearing. Michael’s eyes widened, but he did not look surprised. Ben must have mentioned that he was still alive.
Jeff knew he looked like death warmed over. These days, that could be dangerous. Despite his best efforts to wipe away Ray’s blood, it had smeared across his hands and bare chest, mixing with his sweat and the dirt into which he had fallen. He looked like he had crawled out of a shallow grave. The only thing disrupting the image was the long bow he carried. Ben’s giant hunting weapon looked odd in the smaller man’s hands as he moved from the shelter of the trees out into the open.
“Jeff, it’s good to see you made it back. Looks like you’ve been through hell.” Michael produced a pained smile and got to his knees. Jeff could see him setting down the M16 as he rose from his prone position.
Jeff sneered at the leader, his fear gone for the moment. “Well that’s great to hear, Mikey, but how about you toss that ladder down like Ben asked so the three of us can go inside? I’d personally like to grab a shower.” He moved next to Ben and reached up to put his hand on the man’s ample shoulder as he spoke, patting him like they were best buddies. Ben showed no reaction, his eyes still burning holes through Michael.
Frank, who was also rising up next to Michael and still had a grip on his shotgun, leaned over to whisper to his boss. Michael raised his hand to interrupt and said something quietly in response. Frank glared down at Jeff and then back at Michael. The greasy hick frowned and nodded begrudgingly, then slipped back out of Jeff’s line of sight.
Michael smiled. “Jeff, I think you know I have to ask if you’ve been bitten. Have you?”
Jeff shook his head. “Nope, not bitten. This is all Ray’s blood.” He returned Michael’s smile. “So why don’t you drop that ladder down so we can get back inside and get the boy some real bandages? My shirt ain’t cutting it as a tourniquet.”
Michael shook his head. Jeff had already heard enough to realize it would be a cold day in hell before the man standing on top of the RV let Ray inside the fortress.
“Sorry, Jeff. No can do. You’re new here, so I’ll explain things reeeeal slowly for you. Once someone is infected, they are no longer welcome in our little community.” Michael shrugged his shoulders. “Call it a self-preservation policy if you want. We can’t afford to be exposed to infection, and we can’t spare the manpower to guard someone who's been bitten until they turn. Besides, it looks like you got the entire town’s attention. We can’t be dealing with another distraction with all of those bastards out there itching to cause us grief.”
Jeff kept the smile plastered to his face as he heard moans off in the distance. The infected sounded like they were inching ever closer to the hidden camp. Arguing with Michael was getting him nowhere, and time was running out. Jeff knew the smug bastard would force the issue, with the M16 if necessary, and command him and Ben to come inside while Ray died alone outside. There was no way Jeff was going to let that happen, not after everything he had gone through to get the boy back home. It was time to end this little game once and for all.
He broke eye contact with Michael and searched the clearing until he spotted his minivan. It was parked in the same spot as before. He walked toward it, ignoring Michael and Ray’s curious looks as he did.
He glanced back up at Michael, who had picked up his M16 and was walking across the rooftop, following his movement. Satisfied that he was still the center of attention, Jeff knelt in front of the bumper of his minivan and plunged his hand underneath it.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Jeff ignored the gristle stuck to the grille and Michael’s inquiry, shifting his hand back and forth, feeling his way along the undercarriage of the vehicle.
His grin widened. “Got it.” He pulled his hand out and held up a small magnetic box. Michael glared at him. Jeff moved to the driver’s side door and pulled up on the handle.
“Jeff.” The word was filled with as much menace as Michael could muster. Jeff opened the door, and when Michael caught sight of the spare Odyssey key in the other man’s hands, he raised the M16 to his shoulder.
Jeff shrugged. “I figure me and Ray could take off and get out of your hair. I mean, since you don’t want him here anyway.” He glanced over at Ben. “You have any problems with that, partner?”
Ben looked over at Jeff, a glint in the big man’s eyes as he realized what Jeff was trying to do. Looking up at Michael, a nasty grin formed on the bearded man’s lips. “Nope. No problem at all. Maybe I’ll join you.”
Michael’s shoulders slumped. He couldn’t care less about Jeff, but Ben was indispensable.
“Okay, Jeff, fine. So what do you really want?” Michael’s voice dipped in register, and he sounded exasperated.
“You know what I want. It’s the same thing Ben wants.” Jeff nodded toward the prone form of the teen, who fought to remain conscious, his face white as paste. “Let Ray come in with us. We’ll take care of him, give him some comfort. You won’t even have to concern yourself with him.”
Michael appeared to think about it before he sighed dramatically and then nodded.
Ben immediately moved to Ray and knelt before the injured boy. Before Jeff had even stepped back from the minivan, Ben was already hoisting the teenager up so he could wrap his arms around the man’s massive shoulders. Ray listened to his solemn guardian’s whispered commands and nodded, his eyes glistening. Jeff had no idea if the kid was happy or simply exhausted.
Michael lowered the bottom half of the ladder, and Ben motioned for Jeff to attach it to the back of the RV.
“You go first,” Jeff commanded. Ben nodded and smiled at him. Jeff was tired, and his head wasn’t all that clear, but he got the sense that he had just been thanked.
Ben tested the ladder to make sure it was secure, then climbed as Jeff wondered how much weight the metal bars could support. Enough, it seemed, as Ben carefully scaled the ladder with the teen latched to his chest. He made sure not to jolt Ray in the process. Jeff watched until they reached the top. Once they were out of his field of vision, he took a deep breath and started climbing.
As Jeff hit the last rung of the ladder, he saw Michael’s hand extended in front of him. He reached for it and was pulled to his feet on the roof of the RV. When he turned to follow Ben down the other ladder, Michael tightened his grip on Jeff’s hand and held him back. Ben glanced up from the extension ladder with Ray perched on his back. He gave a meaningful look to Jeff before his head disappeared beneath the edge of the roof.
Michael tugged on Jeff’s hand. Not enough to move him forward, but just enough to grab his attention, before he relinquished his grip. “I’ll be taking that key now.”
Jeff nodded and rooted around in his pants pocket until he found the Honda key and pulled it out. Michael snatched it away, and it disappeared into his jacket. The two men glared at one another for a moment until Jeff turned and walked toward the extension ladder.
“One more thing.”
Jeff paused, but did not look back at the other man.
“I’d be interested in getting your take on what happened out there. George and Teddy had some… interesting things to say. I would love to hear your side of the story.”
Jeff nodded casually as he began his downward climb. Things were about to get interesting, but at least he knew two things for certain: George and Teddy had made it back okay, and they more than likely stuck with the doctored version of what had happened to Marcus.
>
Jeff stepped off the last rung of the ladder and turned toward Ben, who was laying Ray down on one of the tables. No one else seemed to be around, and he guessed everyone had gone to their trailers when they heard gunshots coming from the town. He took some comfort from the idea that he might be able to clean up a little before Megan or any of the children, including Jason, had a chance to see him slathered in Ray’s blood.
Jeff moved toward Ben, but before he had gone three steps, he felt a pair of hands pushing him to the ground. A sharp pain followed as a swift kick crashed into his side and a thick, meaty paw grabbed him by the hair. Before Jeff could react, a knee slammed into his back and his head was yanked upward.
Exhausted, he could do little more than yelp in pain as he was flipped over violently and saw the porcine figure of Frank looming directly above him. The man’s meaty fist was cocked back, ready to plow into Jeff’s chin.
“You don’t know how much I’m going to enjoy this, you cocksucker.” The words, spoken through Frank’s clenched teeth, were punctuated by tiny globs of spittle that flew onto the dazed man’s face. Frank still had his thick fingers snarled in Jeff's hair, and he slammed his opponent’s head into the ground to put an end to any meager resistance.
“Careful there, Frank. That blood on him is tainted.”
Jeff felt Frank’s body move slightly. He was too tired to put up much of a fight and already had the wind knocked out of him. Frank kept his fingers intertwined in Jeff’s hair even as he looked up at Michael, who was still on the roof of the RV.
“If you punch him, you might get some of it on you,” Michael said as he climbed down the ladder.
He skipped the last three rungs and landed lightly on his feet. Turning, Michael stood above his subordinate; Ben watched from where he was tending to Ray.
“If you cut one of your knuckles on his teeth, the infected blood could get into your system. You follow me?” Michael spoke to Frank as if he were a child, the words coming out of his mouth very slowly.
Michael’s comments seemed to have the appropriate effect, as Frank released his grip on Jeff’s hair. Once his hand was free, he stood up and moved away.
“You mean this fucker is infected?”
Jeff continued to lie on his back, his hand finding the spot in his side where Frank had kicked him. It was another war wound to add to the collection. At least it was just a glancing blow. None of his ribs felt cracked as he gently probed them.
Michael barked out a contemptuous laugh. “No, Jeff isn’t infected. At least I don’t think he is.” He bent down over the prone man. “Are you, Jeff? You been bitten? Do we need to sit you on a table next to Ray?”
Jeff found the energy to shake his head and glare at Frank. Frank glared right back, angry that his attempt at revenge had failed. He stabbed a thick index finger at his enemy.
“You’re damn lucky that blood’s all over you, you piece of shit. But don’t think you ain’t gonna pay for Marcus. I’ll get your ass soon enough.”
Jeff didn’t bother with a retort. Instead, he raised his hand and gave Frank the one-fingered salute. Frank’s response was to spit at him and stomp back to his RV.
Michael grabbed Jeff by the arm and pulled him to his feet.
“You okay?”
Jeff nodded, though he suspected Michael couldn’t care less about his well-being. It was surprising that he hadn't let his flunky get in a few blows before calling him off, but Jeff guessed Michael wanted the pleasure of beating the shit out of Jeff all to himself.
“Good. Stay out here. Have a seat while I get you something to clean up with.” Michael paused, studying Jeff. “I’ll get you a shirt, too.”
Michael squeezed his arm a little harder, and Jeff resisted the urge to wince. “Remember, I don’t want you going inside. We need to have our little chat first.” He turned and walked toward his RV.
Jeff stood there for a moment, waiting for Michael to slip inside his trailer. He then walked over to where Ben was tending to Ray. The boy’s eyes were closed, and he was twisting and turning, like he was having a bad dream.
“He’s going to need something for the pain,” Ben whispered.
Jeff nodded, and they stood silently side by side, watching Ray struggle as the virus corrupted his body inch by painful inch.
After another minute, Ben spoke again. “You realize Michael is going to want to know what happened out there. Right?”
Jeff rubbed his forehead as he nodded. He looked up at Ben’s bearded face and saw curiosity in the man’s dark eyes. It was clear that Michael wasn’t the only one who was wondering what had actually happened to Marcus.
Turning away, Jeff looked at his RV. He wondered if George was in there with Megan and what, if anything, he had told her about what went on in Manchester.
“Jeff?”
He turned back to Ben and saw that the stoic man’s expression had changed. He looked concerned.
“Be careful.”
Ben glanced around the camp, paused, and then looked past the roofline. He appeared to be listening for something.
“What’s wrong?”
His eyes snapped back to Jeff’s, and he shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Would you watch Ray until Lydia comes out?”
Jeff nodded, puzzled. Ben took one last look at Ray and then turned away. Jeff thought he was going inside his RV, but instead the giant moved toward the ladder.
“Ben? What are you doing?”
Ben didn’t look back as he replied. “I have to take another look out there and make sure everything’s okay.” He climbed the ladder. Jeff could think of nothing else to say, and as Ben reached the top rung, he turned back to Jeff one last time.
“Besides, I need to get my bow back. You left it outside.” Ben winked, just like he did when they first met. Then he was on the roof and, after a few more seconds, disappeared from view.
Jeff looked down at Ray and shivered. They boy had stopped twitching, but was still breathing. Perhaps he might sleep until he succumbed to the virus. It was doubtful, but worth wishing for.
Jeff glanced around the camp and felt completely alone. It was the first time he had felt that way since meeting Megan, and it scared him. Looking at his RV, he wished he were inside with his friends. All he wanted at that moment was to see them again.
A few moments later, when he heard a sharp scream from beyond the camp walls, his blood ran cold. It was the same type of scream he had heard before.
This time it was much closer.
Chapter 19
Ben returned shortly thereafter and motioned for Michael, who had just tossed Jeff a clean shirt and wet towel, to come up to the rooftop. When the camp leader climbed back down a few minutes later, Jeff suspected he already knew the gist of Ben’s report: the infected were on the move and inching closer to the survivors' little hiding place in the woods.
After Michael ordered Frank to roust everyone from their RVs for a meeting, he glared at Jeff. There was a fury in his eyes.
“I’ll deal with you later,” he said before storming toward his RV.
Jeff was able to clean off most of the blood and don the clean shirt Michael had tossed at him just as Megan and George stepped out of the RV. Both were shocked when they spotted their friend, since neither had been made aware of his return. Jeff noticed Jason following them out of the motor home and hoped the threesome had put the ugly argument from earlier in the day behind them.
Megan rushed over and threw herself into Jeff’s arms. Before he had much of a chance to respond, she was already pushing him back so she could look at his face. She touched his cheek, as if to reassure herself that he was truly alive. George was not nearly as gentle when he scooped up his friend into a big bear hug.
“It’s good to see you too,” Jeff gasped when George dropped him back to the ground.
When Megan and George had calmed down sufficiently, Jeff stole a glance over at Jason. The boy gave him an awkward grin, and Jeff responded with a sheepish smile of his
own. Things were turning to shit fast in the camp, but at least the four of them were still alive and still together… for the moment.
After the quick reunion, Jeff watched as the other camp dwellers filed into the courtyard. Teddy ran over to Ray while Lydia, who had been tending to the injured boy, gave Teddy some quick instructions on Ray’s care. She then turned and scurried over to her Winnebago, where the smaller children were timidly stepping down from the doorway. She huddled them together, kissing and hugging them tightly. Jeff saw the terror on their little faces as their guardian whispered reassurances to them that everything was going to be just fine. Sadie was already crying, and the two boys looked scared as well, though they tried desperately to hide their fear. Jeff forced his eyes away from the makeshift family as Frank motioned for everyone to gather around.
Michael was at the center of the group with his crony standing next to him. Frank carried a rifle in his hands and had the double-barreled shotgun strapped across his back. Cindy hovered nearby, the same predatory expression on her face that Jeff had glimpsed the day before. She not only appeared to be comfortable with their present situation, she looked excited by it. Ben stayed at the edge of the crowd, his brow furrowed in frustration. Jeff had watched the animated conversation between the scout and the camp leader up on the roof and deduced rather quickly that it had not gone well. Whatever Michael had told Ben, it had infuriated him. When the giant of a man climbed back down into the courtyard and started snapping arrows with his bare hands, it told Jeff all he needed to know: things were bad and about to get a whole lot worse.
“For those who haven’t already guessed, we’re about to have company.”
No one made a sound, though Jeff could see Megan tense up. George’s shoulders slumped, as if he had been holding onto a thin sliver of hope and Michael’s words had crushed the last of it. Lydia held the children tighter, shushing them. A quick glance in Cindy’s direction verified she was feeding off everyone’s fear, enjoying the panic spreading through the small crowd.
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