An infected man rambled toward Max, and she thought someone must have tried to kill him already. His scalp flapped over, revealing skull that was turning a shade of brown from being exposed. Every step the infected took caused the flap to bounce, and Max had to force her eyes away to focus on the task at hand. She used the spiked side of her tomahawk to swing into the man’s temple.
Rafe moved slowly toward the entrance he had created in the shop. Max followed, keeping her eyes on his back, just as he did for her. Once they were inside, they were shrouded in shadows. The infected Max hadn’t killed continued to move their way, however their movements were less sure as they lost sight of their goal. They waited, ensuring there were no additional infected in the shop.
Carefully, Max walked in a crouch toward the section of maps held in a display. It was near the checkout counter, which left her partially exposed as she got to it. She glanced out the window and open door and didn’t see any infected waiting for her to make her move. Once she was at the rack, she quickly flipped through the states until she found California. Then she grabbed a west coast road atlas, hoping the more detailed views would be the areas they were looking for.
She turned to head back the way she had come, and Rafe motioned her toward the far back of the shop. When they got there, he pointed out boxes stacked up of dry and meat snacks. Without speaking, Max nodded, knowing they needed to get the boxes into their vehicle. The siblings could easily function without saying a word and when they were hiding from the infected, it was the perfect tool.
Together, Max and Rafe ran back to their vehicle that was parked on the street across from the gas station. Quickly, Rafe backed up so loading the back would be easy. Once they got out of the truck, the infected were more riled than before, the noise of the vehicle wetting their whistle for a meal. Max jumped from the passenger seat and immediately engaged with the nearest infected that was coming toward her.
Max knew the moment she jinxed their whole situation. In her mind, she thought about how easy the trip was going. The infected were sparse enough that they were dealing with them one on one. The gas station had the maps they needed and supplies they could use. Rafe opened the back of the truck and they prepared to grab everything they could from the store.
A flock of birds about a block away shot into the air, their angry calls echoing around Max. She stopped to look for a moment, but she didn’t see an immediate threat. As she turned to go into the store to help Rafe, she picked up a sound that stopped her. She looked back toward the same block and her eyes widened at what approached.
Rafe came out of the store to see what was keeping Max. When he saw her face, he immediately went into defense and followed her gaze. His curse was low and harsh as he took in the scene. A horde of infected were converging at the intersection the gas station was on. What had drawn them, Max couldn’t be sure. A lone vehicle shouldn’t have been loud enough, but it seemed they were close enough to be alerted.
“We should go,” Rafe said.
“We need those supplies,” Max replied.
“We can’t handle all of those, Max.”
“Obviously. We need to load quick.”
The two ran inside and started to grab boxes. Rafe ran into the storeroom, lucking out when he found a dolly. Moving multiple boxes at a time, they had five boxes loaded when they stopped to take the temperature of the situation. Walking around the front of the vehicle, they got a full view of the four-way stop they were at. The news wasn’t good.
“They’re going to cut us off,” Rafe yelled as they both ran to the truck.
Max jumped in and pulled out the rifle they had in the back, making sure it was loaded and ready to go. Rafe ran to the back and slammed the back door before jumping into the driver's seat. Their movements only created more chaos among the infected as they finally got a good look of their prey. They sped up their movements, only making the exit more slim for the two Duncans.
“Charlie is going to kill you if you get me killed,” Rafe grumbled.
“Why is it always my fault?” Max asked.
“Usually is,” Rafe replied.
Without warning Max, Rafe slammed his foot down on the gas and the vehicle lept forward. They sped toward the small area where no infected were yet. It was over a curb and small dirt plot. Luckily, the SUV they drove would easily be able to make it over the barrier.
When they hit the first curb, Max’s head slammed into the car seat and almost hit the window. She grabbed at the handle above her head, hoping to keep her rear in her seat while they bumped over the dirt and second curb. Max glanced over at her brother and laughed when she saw the look of glee on his face. Apparently, he was enjoying the drive.
When they hit the asphalt, there were two infected wandering into their path. Rafe didn’t hesitate before ramming the dead with the vehicle. The two easily bounced off, one falling under the wheels and the other slamming into infected that were turning toward the vehicle. Max watched out the windows to make sure they weren’t in immediate danger. However, the faces grew smaller in the side mirror as they hit the main road and picked up speed.
“That was too close,” Rafe said.
“Maybe. But we got what we needed. Where do you think they all came from?” Max asked.
“I don’t know. We’ve seen big groups, but nothing like that. It’s like they all just congregated, waiting for someone to call them,” Rafe replied.
“They are closer to the theatre than I’m comfortable with. We’re going to need to leave sooner than we planned,” Max replied.
“We’re going to need to start round the clock watches from the roof. You can see the roads from up there, at least a few blocks out. We need to pack to be ready to run at a moment's notice.”
“What are we waiting for?”
“We still need a plan, Max. If that horde stays away, the theatre is as safe as anywhere else. Once the plan is in place and we’re sure Easton can move, we go,” Rafe said.
Max knew Alex had plans and lists in her head. They sent two teams that morning to track down the maps and any supplies they may come across. Rafe and Max were one team, Alex and Cliff the other. Max hoped that Alex and Cliff had better luck with supplies. They were running low on the items they had brought with them from the compound. If they were all going to California, they needed to have a lot on hand for Max to feel safe.
As a group they all knew how to do with less, which was helpful. But no one wanted to get to the point of rationing if they didn’t need to, especially for the kids. The boxes in the back of their vehicle would help, especially the bags of jerky. They would be out of their canned fruits and vegetables soon too.
“I hope this California thing doesn’t take too long. I want to go home,” Max said, bringing her inner monologue out.
“Me too. This is the longest I’ve been away from there since Dad died,” Rafe replied.
“How bad do you think things will be when we get back?”
“Depends if Callahan sent his men to trash it. I’m hoping they just realized we were gone and left.”
Max hadn’t thought about the compound being destroyed. Now that the thought was out there, she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were going to be much harder before they got easier. The thoughts they had around how the compound could grow were grand, but would create a safe place for more than just the Duncans. If they had to start from scratch, those plans would never work out.
She shook that image away, not wanting to think of their home as a smoldering mess. They had all worked so hard to get there. For the time they did get to spend there, they had created a working life where everyone contributed, they were surviving happily together. Callahan was the cog in that wheel.
His perfectly groomed face loomed in Max’s mind, and she could feel her fury burning through her blood again. She would never feel safe with that man walking the Earth. She tried to keep herself from wandering too far into the past, but as they drove, her mind opened the door she had closed.
>
Callahan had ordered her torture, day after day. Max never would have given up her family or their secrets. Though at that time, she actually didn’t know anything about what Callahan had asked. She hadn’t known Rafe was at the center of the plague. She hadn’t known he was hiding. She didn’t know Charlie or where Rafe had worked. All she knew was he was in security. Callahan hadn’t believed any of that.
Now, Max, Rafe, and Charlie were enemies one, two and three on Callahan’s list. When she thought about Callahan’s desire for control, she imagined not getting his hands on the Duncans was one thing that shook his put together self. That made Max grin.
“What are you smiling at like a lunatic?” Rafe asked.
Max hadn’t realized she was actually smiling, and not just in her mind. She imagined it looked slightly deranged, since that was how she felt inside.
“I was thinking about how much we’ve pissed off Callahan by eluding capture. I bet his perfectly styled hair is slightly out-of-place now,” Max replied.
“It probably makes him even more dangerous,” Rafe said.
“Sure, sure. I mean, that’s a given. I was just hoping he’d lost some of his cool.”
“Especially after Alex shot him,” Rafe replied.
They pulled into the area behind the theatre. In anticipation of leaving, they had created a circle of vehicles and garbage dumpsters around their back door. It wouldn’t stop a living threat, but the dead couldn’t easily get through without notice. Max jumped out and moved one of the cars so Rafe could pull the SUV through into a parking spot.
Once Max had closed the circle, they took note that Alex and Cliff didn’t seem to be back. Max hoped that meant they had scored big with supplies. Max and Rafe began the task of unpacking what they had and finding a place for it all within the vehicles that would be used for their westward caravan. It didn’t take long with the little they had been able to grab.
They went inside with the maps they had obtained, Max ready to start talking to Liam immediately about location. Rafe broke off to go find Charlie, while Max continued to the lobby. They had set up a separate table from where they ate to discuss the moving plans. In her mind Max called it the war table.
Max was spreading the large California map when Liam entered. Max found San Francisco on the map and folded it again so the target area was all that showed. Liam waited until she was done.
“So, where is it?” Max asked him.
Liam leaned over the map and took a moment before he found the freeway that crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. His finger traced the 101 freeway until he pointed to an exit off of the freeway. He then traced his finger over until he was almost to the coast.
“The center is here. This is where the underground bunker is. But there’s much more to the site that we need to discuss,” Liam said.
Max circled the location in red sharpie. She could feel pieces falling into place each time she obtained a little more information. Using the road atlas, she worked on studying the routes they could take to get to San Francisco. Since they were following after Callahan should be at the bunker, they could use some main freeways if clear.
Liam stood nearby, watching Max work, not saying anything. She chewed her lip as she contemplated some of the freeways closer to San Francisco.
“Most of those bigger freeways are trash. You can’t drive through there. Such a large population in that area. Everyone tried to flee in the same directions. Most didn’t make it,” Liam said sadly.
“That’s how it’s looked in most large places,” Max agreed.
“There are side highways and smaller roadways that the military have cleared so they have a clear path between Rapid City and the bunker.”
“You can show those to us?” Max asked.
Liam nodded and Max narrowed her eyes as she examined him.
“I’m still not sure about you,” Max finally said.
“The feeling is mutual.”
“How do I know you won’t lead us into a trap?”
“Well, right now your plan is to take everyone. If I led you into a trap, that would hurt my kids as well. I guess you’ll have to trust that I wouldn’t do that,” Liam replied.
“That’s all well and good, but we’re still going to keep an eye on you,” Max said.
“I expected as much. For what it’s worth, I’m not ok with what happened to you while you were at the installation. I was definitely not ok with the execution of Marcus,” Liam said.
“I guess that’s one step in the right direction.”
Max dropped the maps on the war table and decided the conversation would need to be with her siblings. Alex would have different ideas than Max, so it was better to start off together instead of butting heads later.
“I’m sure Alex will want your input when she gets back. I’m going to go check on Griffin,” Max said.
She shifted uncomfortably, not really sure about how to act around the man. He nodded and turned on his heel, leaving the lobby. Max stared at his back until he had disappeared toward the tents. He had taken Easton’s spot in the tent with Candace for now, spending most of his time in there when he wasn’t with Easton.
Max headed to the medical room, guessing Griffin was due for a check up. She was surprised when she entered and found all the kids with Easton. Charlie was at her microscope with Rafe looking over her notes. Griffin sat on the bed he had been sleeping on before, watching all the kids.
“Are we having a party that no one invited me to?” Max asked him.
“Easton is recovering nicely, I guess. Just like he had a normal wound, not a death causing plague. Charlie thought it was ok for the kids to see him. They have all wondered what was going on,” Griffin replied.
She leaned a hip against his bed and eyed him speculatively. He raised his eyebrows at her comically, making her bark out a small laugh.
“How did things go out there?” He asked.
“It was a bit dicey. But we got the maps we’ll need, I think. And a few boxes of food items that will help bolster what we have,” Max replied.
“Dicey? How?”
“We’ll have to talk about it when Alex and Cliff get back. We’re going to need to make some moves sooner than we anticipated,” Max said.
Griffin took her hand, forcing her to look in him the eye. She knew he did that to make sure she wasn’t keeping anything from him.
“What was dicey?” he asked again.
“Nothing that we didn’t think we could get away from. It’s more than just something we haven’t seen before.”
“I don’t like you taking risks when I’m not there. I can’t watch your back.”
“I know. I’m pretty good at taking care of myself,” Max said.
“Doesn’t make me feel any better about being useless,” he said.
“You aren’t useless, you help me sleep,” Max joked.
“Not without nightmares,” he said, bringing up her screaming out in her sleep.
“We all have our demons these days,” Max said defensively.
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m antsy. Charlie says I need to relax because my leg isn’t going to magically heal.”
“She’s right. And you’re lucky that’s the worst of your injuries. Do you know how bad that fall could have gone? If you had died, I would have brought you back just to kill you myself,” Max said.
Griffin was about to make a smart reply when Alex walked into the open door. She caught Max and Rafe’s attention and nodded out of the room. The young kids didn’t seem to see her, though Easton was completely focused on her when she entered. The little kids continued to play go fish around Easton as he tried to figure out what was going on. Alex smiled softly at him and waved him off before walking out of the room.
Max and Rafe’s eyes met and they nodded as they moved to follow her. Rafe leaned down to whisper in Charlie’s ear. She nodded without taking her eye away from her instrument. The doctor was buried in trying to figure out what was going on with Easton. Max turned and g
ot a quick kiss from Griffin. He didn’t say anything, knowing she would fill him in once the conversation was over.
In the hallway, Alex waited for them. She was covered in gore and was wiping down her skin with a rag.
“Rough day?” Max asked.
“We almost got caught in the biggest horde I’ve ever seen,” Alex replied.
Max and Rafe exchanged a look. Alex caught it and waited for them to speak.
“We almost did too. But we went to opposite sides of town,” Rafe said.
“How is it possible that an entire town is being overrun?” Max said.
“There’s no knowing what brings them all together. There’s a few towns nearby, maybe the dead from there were attracted to the movements of ones going by and they just merged? Either way, it’s not good news for us,” Alex said.
“We got the maps. I think we can make a plan and get going by tomorrow morning,” Max said.
“Charlie seems to think Easton can move whenever we’re ready. He’s doing a lot better today,” Rafe added.
“Does she have any idea of what’s going on with him?” Alex asked.
“Nothing yet. She’s trying, Alex. She’s as frustrated as everyone else,” Rafe said.
“I know. Ok. So, we keep Easton in the RV. I’ll drive the RV and that means Liam and Candace, Billie and Henry in there as well,” Alex said.
She began to walk toward the lobby. Margaret and Issac were sitting at their dining table, drinking coffee in silence. Margaret was studying a canning recipe book Alex had found on a run. They both looked up when the Duncans walked in. Seeing the determined looks on their faces, they rose and walked to the war table to join them.
Max laid out the map she had looked at earlier with Liam.
“This is where Liam says the compound is. He had more information in regard to routes, but I wanted to wait until we were all together to get all the information.”
Issac left wordlessly, knowing someone needed to fetch Liam. The rest of them looked at the red circle Max had made on the map.
“He said there’s not much main freeway access when you get closer to the city which makes sense,” Max said.
Sundown Series | Book 5 | Vengeance Page 21
