“I have to try, Jessica.” She crossed her arms and exhaled slowly.
“I know. Just…if anything feels shady, promise me you’ll trust your gut. It got you this far, so if something feels off, bug the hell out of there.”
Someone cleared their throat behind us and we both looked to find Dave standing at the foot of the stairs, his eyes shifting suspiciously between us.
“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Badass here wants to go back to Austin alone,” she mocked.
“The hell he is!”
“Not you, too, Dave!” I felt slightly betrayed, which was ironic since I’m sure they did, too.
“I’ve got a debt to settle with you,” he responded, keeping his tone level.
“I told you before, there are no debts out here.” Dave walked closer until we were a foot apart.
“You don’t have a choice in this, Eric. I’m coming and that’s final.”
“What about your son?”
“When Murphy comes, I’ll have my answer. If he’s here with his wife, I’ll find them and it will be a beautiful, tear-jerking reunion. I’ll bring flowers.”
“Come on, man, I’m serious.”
“So am I, Eric. If they’re here, it means my family is safe and I can rest easy. I’ll stop by, share a meal, and leave with a smile on my face. But your family is still out there, Eric.” He glanced at Jessica. “Half of them, anyway.” I swear Jessica blushed, but she turned away quickly. It was clear I wouldn’t be changing any minds, so I sucked it up and nodded.
The timing was great, because Murphy walked in the door of the hotel shortly after exchanging salutes with the guard on duty. He seemed surprised that we were all gathered in the lobby already, but nodded to us in greeting, all business.
“I checked the names you gave me against our records. A while back, a couple signed together and they’re currently living in a hotel a few blocks away.”
Dave closed his eyes with relief written all over his face, a smile threatening to crack through the rough exterior.
“Can I see them?” He almost whispered the question, probably afraid of waking from a dream, or the nightmare that these weren’t his family, but Murphy stepped aside and gestured toward the exit.
As he led us through the streets of San Antonio, I mentioned my intention to leave. Murphy stopped and looked out over a park across the street. The ground was still a lush green, kids playing as their parents watched in the morning light.
“I have to say, there aren’t many people that would willingly leave this place, especially after being out in the world for so long. You must be one determined son of a bitch.”
“I am.”
“Then I suppose there’s nothing I can say to stop you. Are your friends going, too?” I glanced back at Dave and Mills.
“I think so, yeah.” Murphy frowned, but resumed walking.
“That’s a shame. I was hoping at least one of y’all would stay behind and help us update our records, but I understand. You’ve been through a lot together, so it makes sense to stay that way until you get back.” He stopped walking. “We’re here. Second floor, room two-oh-four. I’ll see what I can do about transportation and have it sent here.”
“Thank you.” I reached out to shake his hand, but he waved it away.
“Thank me when y’all come back alive.” He flagged down a Humvee and got in, leaving us to go inside the hotel. Dave took the stairs two at a time, clearly excited to see his son.
The door to two-oh-four opened when Dave knocked, revealing a man in his early thirties, sandy brown hair, a stunned look on his face. Dave grabbed him in a tight hug, both men tearing up. Rebecca’s hand shot to her mouth as she came from the other room, joining in on the hug and completing the Hallmark moment
After the crying part was done and everyone was cleaned up, Tom invited us to join them for breakfast. He was already making pancakes for Rebecca, so he insisted we weren’t an inconvenience. Who were we to deny pancakes and good company? Dave introduced us and it was an incredible feeling to sit down and laugh over a breakfast table. When we made ready to depart, Dave shared one more hug.
“I’m really glad you’re okay, Tom. You and Becky.”
“Me, too, Grandpa. We’ll get together again when you get back.” With that, Dave hugged Rebecca goodbye and joined me and Jessica in the hallway.
“That’s a really great family you’ve got there, Dave.”
“Thank you, Eric.” The look of pride on his face was incredible, but he quickly went back to business. “Now let’s go get yours.” We headed downstairs to find a soldier driving up in the truck we arrived in. Stepping out, he held out the keys
“Refueled and ready to roll, sir. Lieutenant Murphy said good luck.”
“Thank you, Corporal. I’ll try to bring it back in one piece.” He nodded and jogged to a waiting police car. I got behind the wheel of the truck and rubbed my hands over the leather cover. Dave held the passenger door open for Jessica, but she shook her head.
“I’m staying.” I glanced at her, but she gave me a half-smile. “Our experiences would help their planning a lot, especially coming from another lieutenant.” She walked around to my window, which I rolled down. Reaching in, she hugged me and whispered, “Besides, I know how much you worry.” I couldn’t help but smile.
“Thank you,” I whispered back, and she eased back onto her heels.
“Just come back safe this time, okay?”
“I’ll try to.” Knowing things tended to go wrong, though, I added, “If I’m not back in twenty-four hours, though—” She leaned in quickly and cut me off with a kiss. I was thrown off by the sudden display of affection, but I definitely didn’t mind it, reaching up to rub her cheek. Her lips left mine, but she stayed close.
“I’ll bring the cavalry.”
“Okay.” Something felt warm in my chest, but Dave cleared his throat to my right and ruined the moment.
“I’m leaving, too. Do I get one?” Jessica laughed and looked past me.
“Afraid I’m a one-man kind of girl.” I raised my eyebrow and we both smiled as Dave put on his seatbelt.
“Better that way, I suppose. I’d hate for you to fall in love.” He grinned. “I guess I’ll settle for a fond goodbye and a hug.” Jessica stepped around and hugged him.
“I know it’s an impossible task, but keep him out of trouble, okay?”
“I’ll do my best,” he replied with a wink. Remembering something, I leaned forward.
“I almost forgot, I kind of snuck out and left Marcus in the room. I’ll come back with Antoinette and Teresa, so he doesn’t need to worry.” Jessica laughed and shook her head.
“I’ll let him know.” We exchanged a smile and I had a moment of hesitation before driving away.
Our weapons were returned to us when we arrived at the gate, where we waiting for the large doors to slowly part.
“You sure you don’t want to stay here? Gabriel might end up being a psychopath,” I joked, strapping the shotgun to my thigh. Dave’s hand found my shoulder.
“Let’s go get your girl, Eric.” We drove through the gate and I watched it close behind us in the rearview mirror as we drove out of the FOB. We were both pretty quiet as we made our way to the city limits of Austin, driving slowly once we entered the downtown area. The truck crept forward over the pavement, trying to avoid drawing unwanted attention from the zombies we could spot roaming around.
I knew we had pulled onto the right street when we saw smoldering corpses in the open, the scent of burnt flesh thick in the air even with the windows up. I drove ahead ten more feet before a bullet pinged off the road in front of us, ricocheting into a nearby car door. Pulling the truck to a stop, I eased my door open and stepped out with my hands in the air.
With exaggerated motions, I moved to the front of the vehicle and set both of my guns on the hood. Seconds later, five men poured out of the building to my left, rifles trained on me as two of them circled around t
o Dave’s side of the truck. He followed my lead, stepping out with his hands up and begrudgingly parting with his rifle.
“My scouts haven’t found anyone waiting around the corner and I’m not dead by sniper fire, so either this is a poorly planned trap or you’re crazier than I’ve been led to believe.” Gabriel stepped into the open, his eyes constantly scanning the surrounding buildings, until he stood directly in front of me.
“I don’t think I’m crazy, but then again the crazy ones never do.” He grinned.
“Perhaps I should just finish what we started earlier and end your life right here,” he calmly spoke, his hand resting on the Beretta in the holster at his hip. Reflexively, I flexed my fingers and recalled the distance from my hand to the grip of my handgun. Suddenly, he laughed and lifted the tension.
“Relax, Eric, I have no intention of killing you. You’re a living legend, based on what I’ve heard from your friends. Matthew, Katherine, even Antoinette, couldn’t stop telling stories of your exploits, so if anything I feel like you’d be one hell of an asset.” I couldn’t tell if he was joking, but his tone and body posture suggested he was being honest.
“Gotta admit, I’m a little hesitant to just trust you while your men have guns aimed at my forehead.”
“That’s understandable, especially given how we were introduced, but hopefully we can change that.” He waved a hand down and the guards’ weapons lowered with it. “I do need to tell you, before we go inside, that Katherine has come a long way and seeing you might not be the reunion you were hoping for.”
“You’re not the first person to suggest that.” He nodded, his lips tight.
“As long as you’re prepared. She’s a survivor now, like us.” He stared past me for a moment and cocked his head, probably listening to someone on his radio. “Enough of this. Let’s get inside before we attract unwanted attention.”
He stepped back toward the building and I was about to follow him when something hit me in the back of the head and I fell, barely catching myself as my vision went blurry. I could see Gabriel’s men react, raising their weapons as Gabriel himself looked confused.
“What the…hell?” I eased my weight onto my forearms and tried to roll over, but something slammed into my head again and I blacked out.
Chapter 97
I woke in a haze, but before I could consider the ramifications of another concussion, my eyes began to focus on Gabriel. He was crouched in front of me, his arms resting on his knees, as he waited for me to come to.
“You son of a bitch,” I spat, my arms tugging on zip ties. At least he was smart enough not to use rope, though, as I could have wiggled out with enough effort. “If and when I get free, I’m going to take all that ‘nice guy’ bullshit and cram it down your throat along with my fist.”
“You certainly have a way with words, but, whether or not I feel threatened, your anger is misdirected. I didn’t knock you out.”
“No, you keep your hands clean and let your men do the dirty work.”
“Regardless of what’s running through your mind, I do have a few questions while I have you here.” He stood and walked to a nearby table, pulling up a chair and sitting across from me.
“I’m a little tied up right now, but I think I can squeeze you in. What do you say I pencil you in for go fuck yourself?” My eyes had finally adjusted and I studied the room in front of me. It was some kind of office, but the far wall was gone, whether by Gabriel’s doing or the bombings. In the next room, I could see desks pushed to one side with boxes piled up. I guessed it was a storage area, limiting visitors who weren’t aware of Gabriel’s extracurricular activities. Dave was nowhere in sight.
“I have to say, the fact that you’ve still got your sense of humor is inspiring. Unfortunately, I feel like mine has dwindled lately.”
“What happened, Gabriel? You get tired of kidnapping people? Don’t let me bring you down.” He gave a half-smile and looked at the ground before lashing out, punching me so hard my chair rocked. I blinked rapidly and clenched my jaw.
“Out of respect, Eric, I need you to understand something. My brother was my best friend, the reason I continued to fight, much like Katherine is to you. After searching for a long time, I finally found him. He had fallen prey to the infection, a mere ghost of the man I once called family, and I had to put him down. So, you’ll forgive me if I’m not in the mood for jokes.” Feeling like a real asshole, I was taken aback. I had come here expecting a fight, or maybe to find out Gabriel was a villain, but I felt like his antagonist instead. I mean, aside from having me tied to a chair, I got the impression he was sane and, even worse, we did have a lot in common.
“I’m sorry, man.” His eyes narrowed for a moment, but he took a deep breath and nodded.
“Thank you, but the time for grieving is long past. Right now, I have a group of people depending on me, and I need to know why you’ve come. Obviously, Katherine was the main reason, but what do you hope to accomplish?”
“Ideally, I’ll convince her to come back to San Antonio with me. I assume that would mean you’d also lose Matthew, but I can’t help that.”
“You realize that means I would lose two assets, right? The people under my command depend on each other, and every man and woman with a weapon is another trigger against the enemy, be they zombies or the worst examples of humanity.” I thought for a minute.
“Let me talk to Katherine and, if she wants to leave, I’ll take her place here.” Crossing his legs and leaning back, Gabriel rubbed his chin.
“That is definitely an offer I’ll have to consider, but for now, I have plans in order that need my attention. I’ll be back.” He stood and slid his chair back under the table.
“Just like that, you’re leaving me alone? No torture tactics, no weird threats?” He stopped at the door and turned back, his eyes thoughtful.
“I read your journal while you were unconscious, Eric. You’ve encountered several examples of the kind of people I like to…remove from the world, so I understand what you expected when you came here. While I am certainly no saint, as I’m sure you’re not, I am nothing like the monsters that we’ve both fought. Still, I do wonder, what makes you think that pacifism is the answer to your demons, after the trail of bodies you’ve left?”
“I haven’t hallucinated lately, but mostly I just trust that I’m on the right path.”
“Ah, right, your righteous beliefs.” He paused. “Tell me, Eric, as much destruction and evil as you’ve witnessed, has it never occurred to you that maybe God no longer believes in us? That maybe this is the clean slate humanity needs?”
“I have to believe that as long as good people still fight, there’s hope.”
“I lost my brother, Eric. That was the only good person I had left, so you can imagine where that leaves my hope for humanity.” With that, he left the room and I sat in silence, reflecting on our conversation. I had a creeping sensation that I wasn’t alone, though.
“Were you ever going to tell me, or did you really not know?” I recognized the voice as Dave stepped into my view.
“What are you talking about?” He nodded and his jaw clenched.
“I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.” He continued to pace in front of me, stopping behind me.
“Look, Dave, I don’t know what’s going on, but untie me and we can figure this out while we find Katherine.”
“You know, I read your journal back in that hospital, with Captain Murray.” I was still confused, trying to figure out where this was leading. I knew he had been a little…off since then, but I didn’t know why. “I told you about my family, Eric.”
“Is that what this is about? Dave, what the hell are we doing here?”
“He was my grandson, dammit!” he yelled, his voice filling the space. He stepped in front of me and his fist caught the side of my face. I cursed and gritted my teeth as he punched me again, stopping at two. Tasting blood, I spit on the floor and tried to piece things together.
“What are we talking about here, Dave? Just talk to me, man.”
“He was named after me, Eric. I’ll wait.” Dave was short for David, but what…oh, shit.
“Your last name is Schafer? Your grandson was David Schafer?” I could feel how wide my eyes were as the answers added up. If you had already figured this twist out, I apologize. I’ve been a little preoccupied surviving and hallucinating my ex-wife, so things slip through the cracks.
“He was the man you murdered in a courthouse in Indiana. I’ll never see him again, because you decided to kill him. You, and Katherine!”
“Wait, Dave—” I saw it coming, so I gritted my teeth and braced myself as his fist impacted my jaw once more, knocking my chair over. My shoulder landed on the hardwood floor, sending a shock through my arm, but I couldn’t be angry. Dave had lost family, and I knew that pain. He calmed down enough to set me up right, but his breathing was uneven.
“I know you’re angry, Dave. You’re pissed, and you’re grieving, and I can’t blame you for that, but you read the journal. You know we had no choice, especially Katherine!”
“There’s always a choice! You made a choice at that dock to stop killing! Why couldn’t you do that before?” His eyes were red, torn between tears and vengeance.
“It was Katherine! It was a young woman going through hell and still having the strength to believe in people! I couldn’t…” I exhaled slowly, taking a deep breath of my own. “I couldn’t let her down, Dave. Not again.” He stared at me with hard eyes.
“I know what he had become, Eric. I’m not blind to the truth. I just…” His shoulders slumped and he placed his hands on the nearest wall. “I wish there had been another way.”
“Believe me, Dave, I do, too. This world, everything, had gotten to him, changed him, in ways that so many people have fallen prey to. Good people, so disturbed or broken down that they resort to anything, moral or not, to survive.” The truth was, I did fail Kat in the courthouse. By not killing Schafer myself, I forced her to pick up my slack and endure the haunting memories that accompanied the action. While I sympathized with Dave, I would have done it myself a hundred times if it meant sparing Kat from the blood on her hands.
A Broken World (Book 2): Shattered Paradise Page 21
