“And lone snipers,” Jared said, putting an arm across the back of her chair.
“When does this all stop?!” Juan said, putting his elbows on the table and clutching the sides of his head. “I mean, we adjust to one disaster and another one comes at us. We barely survived the regular old biters and now we’ve got mutant biters! What the hell is coming next?!” He jumped up and paced the room.
She knew how he felt.
“We can’t let ourselves get overwhelmed, man,” Jared said. “We’ve got to take it easy. Take things as they come.”
“And how the hell do you expect me to do that when I’ve got two little kids to keep safe? You don’t have kids! You only have to worry about yourself!” He threw his arms down to his sides and scoffed before stalking downstairs.
“That is another thing that I wanted to bring up,” Bradley said, looking at Maria. “I wanted to get your thoughts, well…yours and Juan’s, about moving you and the boys over to Harry’s compound where it will be a little safer.”
“Move away from here?” Maria said, like she had never even considered it. “I don’t know. I don’t know those people. We don’t know that it is any safer than here.”
“They have much better security, better defenses, better shelter. There are other kids there too. It would be worth considering,” Bradley said.
“We don’t want you to leave,” Anna added. “But if it is better for Alejandro and Carlos, maybe you should talk to Juan about it. We could come see you guys there.”
Anna got up and felt the coffee pot. It was still warm from the grill. She poured a cup as silence permeated the room. She heard a big sigh and looked over. Jared’s chair scraped the floor as he got up and paced the room, much the same was as Juan had before. She frowned at his agitation.
“I didn’t want to say anything yet,” he began. Her heart pounded and her mouth went dry. Whatever he was going to say couldn’t be good.
“But since we’re all here…once things are settled here and safer, I’m going to find my sister.”
The bombshell he dropped had a quiet impact. She was shocked. They all seemed to be. She looked to Bradley who seemed to be the only one not completely startled by Jared’s pronouncement.
“When?” Enid asked.
She looked hopeful, and Anna really didn’t like her in that moment, though she understood her predicament.
“A few days maybe? I was hoping to get Bradley’s insight on the logistics of everything.” He looked at Anna apologetically. She shook her head, still reeling.
“You can’t leave! It’s too dangerous! There’s fallout, and those things are everywhere. You don’t even know where she is!” Anna yelled.
“The fallout was limited. I’ll avoid those places. If she made it through the bombs with the guys in Bradley’s unit, then it is likely that she’s still with them. They are probably headed for Cheyenne Mountain.”
“If she made it!” Anna shouted and Enid made a noise.
She spun around and placed her hands on the countertop. She couldn’t look at him. She could barely stand being in the same room. She was angry, but more than that, she didn’t want to break down in front of him or anyone else. She clenched her fists and slammed them on the countertop.
The truth is, they hadn’t been separated once since D-day. Not once. They had fought everything together. Not just the biters, but the despair and the boredom as well. She didn’t know how to make it without him, and the odds were against him coming back. It was almost a suicide mission.
She needed time. Jared looked as if he was going to come to her, but she gave him a warning shake of her head. She made a split-second decision and left the room. She went into the laundry room with Stew and shut the door.
She had avoided being too close to Stewart since he had changed, and especially being in an enclosed space alone with him. She wasn’t really afraid of him anymore, but he was still disconcerting. She felt guilt for it too. He was still Stewart, that much was clear. He still knew things that he used to know. He still thought. He still had feelings. He had lost who he used to be, physically anyway, and everyone had forgotten that in the flurry of shock in his transformation.
“You okay?” she asked him.
He was looking at her strangely. Well…more strangely than usual. Probably because she had never willingly sat with him before like this, not since his turning.
He put the book on his lap, and she saw that it was some sort of military handbook. That proved to her more than anything else that he was still himself inside. It was such a Stewart thing to read. He stuck his arm behind him and fished around in the crack between the washer and the wall. He pulled out a whiteboard and marker.
He held the marker in his fist like a child, but his control was a bit better than it used to be. She wondered if anyone had seen him write before now.
Fine. Wish to talk better.
“It would be easier, wouldn’t it,” she said. He nodded.
“Do you…feel different? Than you used to, I mean?” she asked, leaning forward a bit.
Feel same. More. Have all the memories. Everything seems different. New dimensions. See more, know more. I feel others. Large group. Its somewhere else.
He erased it after she read it and went back to writing again.
I think its Them.
Them. The muties.
That scared her. If he could sense that, did that mean the others could too? Could they send messages back and forth to each other, even just in a rudimentary form? Stewart was obviously more human than the others, or maybe more advanced. He was different in some fundamental way. She wished she knew why.
You okay?
“Yeah. I can’t believe he wants to leave and go out there. I don’t know how he thinks it’s going to turn out. If Kate wanted to come back here, then she would have. If she cared about Jared at all, then she would have been back here already. Instead, she’s either dead or off playing soldier. Now I could lose him because of it.”
She thumped her head back against the wall. She wished she didn’t feel so selfish wanting him to stay here with her. She didn’t know the right thing to do.
“I guess I’m just going to have to go with him,” she sighed.
Stewart cocked his head to one side and scribbled again. He thrust the board up in her face.
Dangerous. Death.
She smiled sadly and shrugged. “My whole life is dangerous now. At least we’ll be together.”
He drew back his legs and prepared to stand up. His twitching had turned to tremors, which weren’t nearly as bad as they used to be. He put his book in his little hideaway between the wall and washer and stood. He rubbed the side of his hand across the words, erasing them, and wrote again. She stood and looked over his shoulder.
He faced her as she read.
I go too.
Bradley wasn’t going to like this. Jared probably wouldn’t either. She smiled again, this time with warmth. There was no way they would let Jared go alone. There was no way she was going to let him get killed out there.
Chapter Nineteen
Planning Stage
Jared
The concrete had set on the posts the next day by noon and so he and Fletch got to work putting up the fence sections. It was easier than yesterday’s work, and it went by fast. Hank was finishing up the last of the trench digging.
“We’ll have to find some steel or aluminum panels to cover this chain link soon,” Jared said, wrapping his fingers in it and pulling himself up a little.
“Be cool to have a moat,” Fletch said, eyeing the deep channel that surrounded most of the immediate property. The only entrance was a large gate across his driveway.
“Yeah, but water won’t stop those things,” he said. “Sharpened sticks will though.”
“The punji pit idea is a good one. It’s going to be gross though, when we have to come out here and take out any survivors.” Fletch tested the panel they had just finished. It was solid. They moved on.
“Yeah man. She’s my sister. I’ve got to go.”
“From what the guys said,” he stopped and closed his eyes and swallowed and Jared realized Fletch was about to cry. He didn’t say anything, just kept working to give him time. The guys that he was talking about had died back in the armory, and he had likely seen them being ripped to shreds. He hadn’t talked about that night. None of them had. It was bad.
Fletch cleared his throat. “The guys said she was a real badass.”
“She’s an interior designer. Not exactly Lara Croft. Up until this all happened, she spent her time sipping lattes and organizing pillows and shit.”
Fletch smirked at that. “Whatever you say.” He shook his head.
“What?” Jared asked, taking off his gloves and tossing them to the side. He uncapped a bottle of water and drank it down. Fletch did the same.
“People change. They’ll surprise you,” he said to Jared.
Jared sighed. He supposed it was true, but he was having a hard time imagining it. His sister, the woman who jumped up on chairs and shrieked when she saw a spider…it boggled the mind.
“Hey, where’s Stewart going?” Jared asked, nodding toward the side yard.
They watched as Stewart walked over toward the newly constructed fence.
“Hey Stew!” Jared called out.
Stew turned.
“Where are you going?”
He held up a hand in farewell then climbed the fence. Jared was glad to see that it held with no movement whatsoever. They watched as Stewart crossed the last portion of grass that Hank hadn’t gotten to yet. Jared was a little concerned.
“Let’s go see Bradley.”
◆◆◆
“That’s all he said?” Jared asked with a frown.
“See for yourself,” Bradley said, handing over Stewart’s whiteboard.
Back in 3 days. Do not leave yet.
“Seriously?” Jared asked. “Did anyone think to try to follow him?”
“He’s not a prisoner, Jared. He’s a person…sort of,” Anna said.
“Yeah, but he’s Stewart. He shouldn’t be wandering off alone. What if the muties get him?”
“I think he’ll be fine,” Bradley said.
Jared sat at the table and ate some Cheetos from Anna’s bag. He didn’t particularly like Cheetos because they left his fingers and teeth orange, but hey…they were there.
“What does he mean ‘Don’t leave yet’?”
Anna snatched the bag back and crunched on one before answering. “He’s going with us to find Kate.”
Jared jerked his head around and stared at her. “Us? US? There is no us about it. I’m going to find Kate by myself. You are not going, and neither is Stewart, and that is final.”
Bradley widened his eyes and watched them from across the table. Jared sensed that perhaps he made a mistake.
He probably should have gone about this in a different way.
Anna tapped her finger on her lips and wrinkled her forehead. “I guess I could follow you there. I’m sure Stewart wouldn’t mind riding with me instead. Though, it will be a lot more dangerous for us that way.”
“I said no,” Jared said.
“What are you going to do? Chain me up here?” she asked sarcastically.
“That’s a damned good idea!” Jared said and she yelped as he picked her up out of her chair and stalked off toward the bedroom. “I’ll chain you to my bed,” he grumbled in her ear.
“That’s barbaric!” she said.
“Yeah, pretty much,” he said, and kicked the door shut with his foot. “I think you’re going to like it.”
◆◆◆
“Jared?” Anna said softly, gliding her hand up and down his chest and stomach.
“Yeah, babe?” he asked. He knew what was coming.
“I’m still going. I have to. You can’t make me stay here while you go out there. We stay together, always.”
He said nothing, only sighed. He shouldn’t let her do this, but he knew she really would follow him. She wasn’t bluffing. He could have Bradley physically restrain her, but that just wasn’t right. She’d hate him forever.
“You wouldn’t let me go off alone,” she reminded.
“You’re damned right I wouldn’t,” he said, clutching her closer. It was really too hot to be covered up with the sheet, but the door wasn’t locked, and he didn’t want anyone walking in and getting an eyeful.
Especially his mom. Or Violet. He’d be scarred for life.
“You think Stewart is okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. He can take care of himself,” Jared assured her.
“I just wish we knew where he was going and why.” She sat up and he enjoyed the view.
“Yeah. He’s different now, babe. He answers to no one, not even Bradley anymore.” He ran his hand down her back and she shivered. “Where are you going?” he asked.
“Don’t we need to start planning for the trip?” She paused her fumbling with her shirt and looked back at him.
He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. “Later,” he said and jerked her back down under the sheet.
She giggled and the conversation was over.
◆◆◆
“I’ve decided that you are officially my war chief,” Jared said.
“That’s my official title now? War Chief?” Bradley asked. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve already declared it among the clan. It’s final.” He held his hands out to show there was nothing else he could do about it.
“Jared, we don’t exactly have a clan. Did you get this from Sten? You can’t just copy Sten.”
Jared didn’t like his condescending tone.
“Pfft. Please. Sten and his people are Vikings. We are going to be clansmen.”
“I’m not doing that,” Bradley said, raising an eyebrow. “Is there something you haven’t told me about your past?”
“What?” Jared asked, confused. He thought a moment then it dawned on him. “What! No! Not that clan! A Scottish clan! Damn, what is wrong with you man?”
Bradley failed to hide his smirk. Score one for Bradley.
"You aren't even Scottish!" a woman said from behind him.
He looked over Jared’s shoulder and Jared sighed as he saw Anna.
"I could be! You don't even know."
He turned back to Bradley and scoffed, only slightly perturbed at not getting to be laird of clan Carson.
“Anyway, I need you to help me plan the route and the stops. I can do it, but I don’t have actual experience with tactics like you do. I’ve read the manuals, but it has been a long time and I’ve never put the knowledge into practice.”
“I can do that.” Bradley stopped and turned around. “As long as I don’t have to wear a kilt.”
Jared grinned. “I’d never let you do that. I value my eyesight too much.”
“Actually, I think kilts are a great idea,” Anna contributed. “I think you guys should definitely wear kilts.”
Jared turned and smirked at her, and he saw that Bradley had a distressed look on his face. “Okay, the lady has spoken.” He gave Anna a wink and looked back at Bradley.
“Think we can hold on to Stew long enough to get a kilt around him?”
Bradley grimaced.
Anna shook her head and left. He thought he heard her muttering something about T.V. shows.
◆◆◆
They spent the next day going over the route with Bradley. He advised them to stay on the back roads and smaller state highways as much as possible.
“Visibility is your enemy. You don’t want to be seen. You don’t want to be heard. You don’t want any attention at all, from the muties, the military, or anyone else. I guarantee you that most people that are out on those roads now are only looking for trouble.”
He looked at Anna and saw that she was concerned. She should be. By not staying here where it
was safer, she was putting herself at risk. She would be an easy target out there for anyone lacking in morals or decency.
“I’ve been thinking... I need to go along with you, especially if Anna is going. You’ll need an extra set of eyes, and if my guys are still alive out there, I want to see them. I need to find out what is going on with this deal with the government. They’d be more likely to hear you out and help you find your sister if I’m there.”
“If you’re going then I’m going too,” Fletcher said from the corner where he was leaning his chair back off the floor.
“We can’t leave them here unprotected,” Jared said, motioning to the basement where the others were likely resting during the hottest part of the day.
Bradley scratched his face and considered that. Jared knew he would likely come up with a good plan for the people they would be leaving behind, but what about their supplies?
“What if we send Violet, Enid, Juan and his family, and Hank over to Harry’s compound until we get back? Would they go for that? It would be too dangerous here for them alone.”
Jared considered that. “I wouldn’t leave them a choice. I don’t want them alone here. One attack like we had the other day, and they wouldn’t make it. I highly doubt they’d want to lock themselves in the basement again until we got back.”
Anna shuddered at the thought, and he didn’t blame her. That was a rough time.
“All right,” Bradley said. “They go to Harry’s, and we lock everything of value in the basement. We can make this place look uninteresting and deserted. I highly doubt anyone would look here for supplies in the short time we’ll be gone—”
“Hopefully,” Anna added.
“I think that’s wise,” Fletch said. “And who knows, maybe we’ll be bringing the unit back with us…whoever is left anyway.”
Bradley got a faraway look in his eyes and Jared wondered how many of his men were left. Was his sister still with them? He hoped they were fighters, every last man.
The Salvation Plague | Book 2 | The Mutation Page 15
