A huge garden tub sat in the floor and it was half full of water. “Wawa,” the boy pointed at the tub.
“He drank that?” Jo Ann asked in a tearful voice.
“Yes, that’s all he had,” Wendy said, putting the boy down. “Thankfully, his parents filled up the tub. It has steps so if he fell in, he could get out.”
Taking the baby pack holding Ryan off, Wendy passed Ryan to Sally. When Wendy turned around, the little boy was holding onto the metal handrail beside the steps. He bent over and used his hand to scoop up water to his mouth. Walking over, Wendy grabbed a rag and bent down to get it wet.
“Wawa,” the boy said, shaking his head and pointing at the rag.
“Jo Ann, pull out a bottle of water,” Wendy told her, moving to the boy. “Water,” Wendy said as Jo Ann held up the bottle and the boy smiled. Wendy started wiping him off as the twins moved over.
“I’m sorry,” Jo Ann cried out.
“What for?” Wendy asked, but didn’t stop wiping the boy off.
“I didn’t want to come inside,” Jo Ann whimpered.
Turning around, “Jo Ann, I didn’t either. If Sally hadn’t crawled in, we would’ve been getting the gas from the vehicles outside and then leaving,” Wendy admitted and then went back to washing the boy off.
With most of the dried feces off, Wendy picked him up. “Let’s get his stuff and see if we can find out his name.”
“It’s Noah,” Jo Ann said, wiping her eyes. “There were birthday invitations on the refrigerator.”
“Can you go get one and meet us in Noah’s room?” Wendy asked and Jo Ann took off running.
If Jo Ann hadn’t known the name, they would’ve found out since there was a sign on Noah’s bedroom door with his name. Toys covered the floor and Wendy saw several places where Noah had taken a dump.
Walking over to a dresser, Wendy grabbed a backpack diaper bag. Inside, she found some pull-ups. Opening the dresser, Wendy started grabbing clothes as Jo Ann ran back and held out a card.
Wendy took it reading, ‘Join us for Noah’s Second birthday. Cake and ice cream will be served’. The date was May fourteenth. “Can we have a birthday party for him?” Jo Ann asked with dried tear streaks still on her face.
“Yes, when we get home, Noah will have his party,” Wendy promised with a nod, shoving the card in the bag. Grabbing some shoes for Noah, Wendy led them out of the room. Seeing a picture of Noah as a baby with his mom and dad, Wendy took the picture off the wall and shoved it into the backpack.
Walking downstairs, Wendy saw a small table by the front door with a purse on it. She walked over and took the wallet out and opened it up and saw the mom’s license. Closing it, Wendy tossed it in the bag and then saw a wallet on the table. Not looking inside, Wendy tossed the wallet inside the diaper bag as well. Before she turned, Wendy noticed a key rack and grabbed the keys.
As Wendy walked out the back door with Noah in her arms, Noah looked at his house. “Momma, bye,” he said and kissed his palm and slung his hand out, throwing the kiss. Then Noah kissed his palm again throwing it out. “Bye Da,” he called out.
Tears were pouring out from Wendy’s eyes as she walked through the gate and Noah hugged her neck and kissed her cheek. Noah leaned back to look at Wendy, “Luv ou,” he said with a smile.
Wendy stopped and hugged Noah tight, “I love you too, Noah,” Wendy cried as she dropped to her knees. Jo Ann and Sally, with Ryan in her arms, came over and hugged Wendy and Noah. “We all love you, Noah,” Wendy whimpered.
If a gunshot in the distance hadn’t have broken the moment, there was no way of telling how long the group would’ve stayed there. Jo Ann let go and looked west where the sound had come from. “That sounded further,” she said, wiping her face.
“It was,” Wendy said, getting to her feet. “Let’s get Noah cleaned up and dressed. I still have to get the gas from the vehicles.”
“If you take Ryan, we can do it,” Sally offered and Wendy looked down at her. “We can swim, but we will wash Noah on the steps that go into the swimming pool.”
Nodding as she looked from the girls to Noah, “Okay, but please, be quiet. I will never be far, but I don’t want anyone to know we are here,” Wendy said and the girls nodded.
Putting Noah down, Wendy took Ryan and put the carrier back on. “I fed him already,” Sally said as she and Jo Ann took Noah by the hands and headed to the swimming pool.
Wendy followed them over and set down the diaper bag. “I have the baby shampoo, washcloths, and towels in the diaper bag,” Wendy told them.
As the girls got ready, Noah seemed to be thrilled as he watched them. Since they were in wetsuits, the girls just sat down on the first step and started washing. When Noah didn’t fight them, Wendy moved off while grabbing the empty fuel cans.
She stopped at the house with the small utility trailer and set the gas cans down. Walking over, she picked up the tongue and pulled the trailer back through the fence to see the twins washing a very happy Noah. Putting the trailer down, Wendy went into the garage. Saying a soft prayer as she reached for the roll up door of the garage, Wendy saw the electric motor over the cars. ‘Battery Backup’ was in huge white letters on the box.
Debating on whether to try it, finally Wendy moved to the side and pressed the open button. The door rolled up as the motor hummed and Wendy was surprised at how quiet it was. When the door was open, she climbed in the Tahoe and backed it out into the yard. Climbing out, Wendy looked at the open gate and walked over, closing it but not locking it.
Patting Ryan as she walked back to the trailer, Wendy wondered how many more Noahs were out there. Finally, she reasoned not many because not many would have had access to water like Noah had. “I’ll take care of any I find,” Wendy pledged, picking up the trailer’s tongue and moving it over to the Tahoe.
Putting the trailer on the ball hitch, Wendy was thankful for that as she locked the trailer down. She stopped as she was about to hook up the lights. “Be damned if I drive with lights,” she mumbled.
It was four p.m. when Wendy stopped. She looked at the small trailer with six full red five-gallon gas cans strapped on. The minivan still had a full tank of gas, but Wendy hadn’t found any more gas cans and several more gunshots had sounded out to the west.
She walked over to where a very clean and dressed Noah played with Jo Ann and Sally. Before Wendy spoke, everyone stopped at hearing engines to the west. They all listened as the noise faded away. “That was more engines that time,” Sally said, looking up.
“Yeah, and they were heading the same way that the last ones were,” Wendy said, looking back down at the kids. “Guys, I want to leave at dark. I’m not driving with lights because I don’t want people to see us.”
“How will you see?” Sally asked, clearly not liking that idea.
“We will have a full moon tonight and the skies are clear,” Wendy answered, kneeling down and patting Sally’s leg. “But I have a night vision scope if I need it.”
“Oh,” Sally said, feeling a little better about it.
“Guys, can I ask a big favor?” Wendy grunted as she sat down on the grass.
“You don’t have to ask,” Jo Ann giggled.
“I need to get some sleep before we leave. Do you want me to sleep out here and you keep watch or inside?”
The twins didn’t even look at each other as they spoke simultaneously. “Outside.”
“Okay,” Wendy said, laying her head down on Ryan’s blanket. “You have your watches, so wake me at eight p.m. or if you hear anything close.”
“We will,” Jo Ann promised as Wendy closed her eyes. Before the twins went back to playing with Noah, Wendy was already asleep.
Chapter Twenty Seven
When in doubt, just aim and pull the trigger
Wendy felt a hand grab her shoulder and jerked back as she sat up. “It’s me,” she heard Sally say. Turning around, Wendy saw Sally kneeling in the grass beside her. “It’s almost eight.”
Blinking her eyes, Wendy looked around and realized the sun was already setting. “Did either of you hear anything?” Wendy asked, getting up and seeing Noah asleep beside Ryan on the blanket.
“A few gunshots and engines. One was from where we left the jet ski and it sounded like that big boat that passed us,” Jo Ann told her. “Um, we only have one pack of crackers, half a jar of peanut butter and one can of soup. Sorry, but Noah was really hungry.”
Reaching out and caressing Jo Ann’s face, “Baby, don’t apologize for taking care of the little ones,” Wendy smiled.
“But we have to find more food,” Jo Ann moaned.
“And we will, but not around here,” Wendy said, stretching out. Finishing the stretch, Wendy moved over to the Tahoe. “Follow me.”
The twins followed as Wendy opened the back passenger door and they saw something taped to the inside of the door. “This is a bulletproof vest. There is one on the other side and one behind the seat. If someone shoots at us, lay down on the seat.”
“What about you?” Jo Ann asked.
Opening the passenger door, Wendy pulled out the tactical vest. “I’ll be wearing this and I have a smaller one for when one of you sits up front,” Wendy answered.
“Are you going to shoot back?” Sally asked.
“My first job is to get you out but if they chase, I’ll shoot the assholes,” Wendy said, holding up the concealable vest.
“How far are we going?” Jo Ann asked.
Letting out a long sigh, “Fifteen hundred miles,” Wendy said, already feeling tired.
“When can we leave?” Sally asked, looking back at Noah and Ryan.
“Don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to leave now,” Wendy said with a grin.
“I’ll ride up front first,” Jo Ann said, tossing her backpack in.
They went back over and Wendy picked up Noah as Sally picked up Ryan and carried them to the Tahoe. Jo Ann packed up the stuff left as Wendy and Sally put the sleeping boys on the back seat. With a comforter spread over the backseat and pillows stuffed in each floorboard, Sally looked over at Wendy as she put Noah on the driver’s side back seat.
“They can’t wear seatbelts,” Sally whispered.
“I’m not wearing mine,” Wendy answered as she covered Noah up with a sheet. “If we wreck, we all get hurt. If we find car seats for them, then I will.”
Covering up Ryan with the sheet, Sally nodded. “I’m not wearing mine until we do either,” she said with a nod.
Smiling over at Sally, “Get in the middle and remember, you have to help keep an eye out until we get out of town,” Wendy said as Jo Ann ran over with the blanket and diaper bag.
As she tossed them in, Wendy came over and draped a bulletproof vest over her. Even though it was the female officer’s vest, it still swallowed Jo Ann’s body. Looking down at the vest, “I know you said we were driving without lights, but what about when we stop? The red lights at the back come on,” Jo Ann stated.
Shaking her head, “Not anymore, I pulled the fuse,” Wendy said, reaching up and scuffing Jo Ann’s hair.
Staring at Wendy in awe, “You think of everything,” Jo Ann mumbled.
“No, I learned from my husband. In his youth, Arthur was a bad boy, a very bad boy,” Wendy grinned, guiding Jo Ann to the passenger seat. “He stopped for the most part when we met, but he never lost his rebel heart of independence.”
Reaching out and grabbing Wendy’s arm as she was about to close the door, “Did he go to jail?” Jo Ann whispered in shock.
“He was arrested once when he was thirteen, but was found not guilty. After that, he became much ‘more sneaky’ I say; ‘careful’ he says,” Wendy chuckled and then closed the door.
Walking around the Tahoe, Wendy opened the driver’s door and pulled the M4 she liked the best off the dashboard. Checking it over and press checking it, Wendy put the M4 back. Grabbing her vest from the seat and throwing it on, Wendy looked down at the four magazines for the M4 on her chest as she tightened the straps down. Pulling the pistol from her holster and checking it, Wendy put it back. Looking down at the bin in the door and the Glock resting there, Wendy turned to the Glock 17 resting on the console.
“Don’t have to reach far for a gun now,” Wendy sighed with relief, walking over and opening the gate. When she climbed in, she glanced around and saw the twins almost vibrating with excitement and anxiety. Closing the door, Wendy started the Tahoe up.
“Wendy,” Jo Ann said, looking down in her floorboard. “Why did you bring the spear gun? You have real guns now.”
Shrugging as she put the shifter in drive, “It protected us, so call it good luck,” Wendy answered. “It’s not loaded, as you can see.”
“Okay, but why did you take the tires from the truck at Noah’s house?” Sally asked from the backseat.
“They are the same size as the ones on this truck and I only took the back tires,” Wendy said, tapping the GPS mounted on the dash. Out of everything she had done to get ready, the GPS system had proved the hardest. Using an atlas, Wendy had known the way she wanted to go, but the GPS hadn’t liked her route. Just as Wendy had been about to break the unit, she’d figured out how to program the route she wanted.
Pulling out the gate, Wendy turned on the back communal drive and drove along behind the houses. Reaching the road, Wendy turned and started driving west. Even with the GPS unit on night, the screen was too bright. Reaching over, Wendy tapped the screen until the contrast came up and turned it all the way down. Realizing that was too low, Wendy increased it until she was satisfied.
“There’s someone ahead,” Jo Ann said and Wendy’s hand dropped from the screen to the Glock resting on the center console as she looked ahead.
Pulling the pistol to her lap, Wendy saw a man standing in the yard of a very nice house. The man just stared in front of him at the road. Keeping her eyes on him as they drove through his line of sight, Wendy never saw any recognition on his face as she drove past him.
“What was wrong with him?” Jo Ann asked, scanning the road ahead.
“He’s in shock,” Wendy said, letting the pistol rest on her lap and turned the dash lights down to a very low dim.
“His nose didn’t look red,” Jo Ann noted.
“Think of shock as an injury to the mind,” Wendy explained, gripping the steering wheel with her left hand and dropping her right to the pistol. “He didn’t look sick, but he’s seen the world he knew die. He may look awake, but his mind is asleep, kind of.”
Leaning forward between the front seats, Sally looked at the speedometer staying at thirty. “Can’t we go faster?” she asked in a soft voice.
“The faster we go, the more noise the car makes; just moving the air and noise from the tires on the road,” Wendy explained. “When we get to our bigger roads I’ll speed up some, but a car going sixty can be heard from a long way off.”
“Where did you learn this stuff from?” Sally gasped in wonder.
“Arthur,” Wendy grinned. “He found out when he was younger that he could hear cops or security driving toward him if they drove fast, even if they turned off their lights and sirens. But if they drove slow at forty, he couldn’t hear them until they were right on top of him.”
“Did he steal from people?” Jo Ann asked as the GPS told them to turn right ahead.
“Not the way you’re thinking. Arthur broke into corporate warehouses and even government buildings,” Wendy answered. “Even when he was little, Arthur didn’t like the way the little guys were treated.”
“He was like Robin Hood,” Jo Ann said cheerfully.
Making the turn, Wendy laughed. “No, he didn’t give to the poor, baby. Most of the times, he broke in just to break in.”
“Didn’t his parents get mad at him?” Sally asked and then let out a gasp as a man ran out of a house, waving his arms in the air.
Wendy just gripped the Glock and pressed the accelerator, passing the man’s yard long before he’d made the road. “Sorry,” Jo Ann m
umbled. “He just ran out.”
“Baby, I saw him at the same time,” Wendy said, slowing back down and glancing back in the mirror to see the man was stopped in the middle of the road, still waving his arms over his head.
“Sally, Arthur never knew his parents,” Wendy said, looking ahead.
“He was adopted?” Jo Ann asked with her eyes scanning to their front.
“No, Arthur lived in foster homes his entire life. Nobody ever adopted him,” Wendy sighed. “When our son was born, I finally tracked down his birth record. His mom died two years after he was born from a drug overdose. The father wasn’t listed on the birth certificate.”
“That’s sad,” Sally mumbled as she glanced behind them.
“Yes, it is, but it taught Arthur independence,” Wendy said.
With the full moon and clear sky, the twins looked around in amazement. “Could you always do this?” Jo Ann asked. “Move around without lights?”
Laughing, “Yes, baby, even on cloudy nights you can see, just not as far,” Wendy said. “I wouldn’t be driving this fast if it was cloudy.”
Wendy slowed at seeing a wreck in the intersection ahead and steered to the side. Even at twenty miles an hour, the twins held on as Wendy weaved around the wreck and heard the tires squeal a little. After they rounded the wreck, “Person at the house,” Jo Ann called out. Everyone turned and saw a woman walk out of a house and look at them, clearly shocked to see a car rolling down the road without lights.
With Wendy accelerating back up to thirty, Sally turned around to keep watch on the woman. “She’s just staying there and holding a bunch of stuff in her hands,” Sally reported.
“People to the left,” Jo Ann called out and Wendy jerked her eyes over and saw several people next to a neighborhood grocery store. “I think one has a gun.”
“Get down,” Wendy said, hitting the window button and her window rolled down as she aimed the pistol across her body and out the window. Knowing it would be near impossible for her to hit the group, Wendy just wanted to be able to shoot back.
Viral Misery (Book 1) Page 30
