Logan pulled up next to him and got out of the car quickly. Tossing the keys to Paul, he said, “Get in the driver’s seat, but keep the engine off. Obviously, if we come running, be ready to start the engine and get us the fuck outta here.”
Paul hesitated, looking at the keys in his hand. “I, uh…”
Logan’s eyebrows raised as he looked at the young man. “What is it?”
“I don’t know how to drive.”
The Combat Medic recoiled slightly in surprise. “What? Seriously?”
“Yeah…”
“Why didn’t you say so? We can fix that. Alright, well, still, do as I said. Worst case, you start it and drive in a straight line,” he pointed down the ramp. “We get a bit of a ways away, and we can switch if necessary.”
Paul nodded, walking around the back end of the car. “Okay.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Logan pulled his AR-15 from the vehicle, ejected the magazine and checked it out of habit, then slapped it back in place before walking over to join Daniel by the other Prius.
Serafina stood next to Daniel on the driver’s side of the vehicle, her eyes scanning the restroom area, then the vehicles in the parking lot.
“Looks quiet,” she offered.
“Yeah, which is a bit weird,” Daniel replied, following her gaze. “Why would so many vehicles be left here? It’s a rest stop, after all.”
The three of them looked over the area, searching for signs of movement. After several minutes of seeing nothing, Daniel shook his head as he reached into the vehicle and withdrew his Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. “Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out.”
Logan nodded. “Let’s do this. What’s the plan?”
Daniel looked at the man, took a breath, then said, “You’re the one who’s been in combat, so tell me if my plan has any faults. I’m saying we start at the closest vehicle,” he pointed at a nearby semi, “then work outward from there. We’ll handle the restrooms last.” He turned to his wife. “Honey, be ready to bag out if we come running, but also keep an eye in that direction,” he pointed down the exit ramp, “just to be sure no one sneaks up on us.” Turning back to Logan he raised his eyebrows. “Thoughts?”
Logan nodded. “Good plan. I’d do it the same way. Now, if it’s alright with you, let’s get moving. I gotta take a leak.”
Daniel nodded, then leaned over and kissed Serafina on the forehead before bringing his shotgun to bear and starting towards the semi. He walked slowly and quietly, minimizing noise as he approached. The height of the semi made it difficult to see inside the vehicle’s cabin, so they likely wouldn’t be able to see anything until one of them climbed up onto the step that led into the vehicle. Reaching the side of the big semi-trailer, he looked back at Logan and nodded. Logan held the AR-15 up at his shoulder, looking through the sights of the rifle as Daniel climbed up. Daniel would look inside, then if all was clear, throw open the door and stand out of the way. After a ‘clear’ indication from Logan, he’d swing back towards the cabin and verify from up close.
They executed the maneuvers with precision, clearing the first two semis without issue, but also without finding any signs of the drivers, which presented additional questions.
Where were they?
In the restroom areas? In one of the other vehicles? Behind the small structure that held the restrooms? In the low brush of the surrounding area?
Moving from the semis, Daniel led Logan towards one of the passenger cars. The driver’s door was open, and the inside of the vehicle left no question regarding the location of the driver; he sat in the passenger seat, his hands holding his stomach. Underneath his hands, massive amounts of blood had flowed out of him, staining his shirt, pants, the seat, and the carpet on the floorboard.
From the car a wide, thick trail of dried blood led to the men’s restroom.
Though he had no real idea about how to measure the length of time a person had been deceased, the dried skin of the man told him the body had been there at least two days, probably more. Glancing towards the backseat, he saw reusable shopping bags filled with supplies, including bottled water.
They’d come back for that after they were done clearing the area.
Moving to the next semi, they cleared it the same way, again finding no sign of the driver or any riders. In the sleeping area connected to the cabin Daniel found both men’s and women’s clothes, indicating at least one passenger, but the pair had left the semi behind, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
The SUV provided the clue they’d been looking for: the body of a woman was in the passenger seat, torn and bloody, her face smashed inward below her left eye. Like the man Daniel had found, she appeared to have been dead for some time. In the back seat, a young boy had been killed as well, his neck twisted sideways in an unnatural position.
“Shit,” Daniel muttered, looking at the blood, then at Logan. He started towards the restrooms when he felt Logan’s hand grab him. He looked back at the other man.
“Clear the other car first. Stick to the plan.”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right. Thanks.” In his desire to get to the bottom of what had happened, he’d been ready to risk leaving their backs exposed to threats while approaching the restrooms. Shaking his head, he turned and headed to the remaining car, an older model burgundy colored Nissan Maxima with a roof that had been completely oxidized by the sun. The doors to the vehicle were all closed, and the windows were lightly tinted, but Daniel was able to see enough to determine the car was empty.
Nodding, he turned back to Logan. “Ready?”
“Born ready, sir.”
“Stop calling me ‘sir.’” Daniel kept the shotgun pointed in front of him as he approached the small building. When they were fifty feet away from the two entrances to the building’s facilities, Daniel pulled up short. He motioned for Logan to come closer. Lowering his voice, he gave the man his orders. “I’ll stay here. I want you to check the perimeter of the building. When you come around, extend your gun first so I know it’s you.”
“Got it,” Logan said before walking away slowly and smoothly, moving with a warrior’s grace. He ventured around the building before returning after a few minutes. Coming back to Daniel’s side, he shook his head. “Nothing. A bit of blood on the backside of the building, but nothing else.”
Daniel nodded. “Got it.”
As he started to turn back towards the building, Logan added, “One thing, though. There’s definitely something dead inside. It fucking reaks. Probably a whole lotta dead inside.”
“Any sounds of movement?”
“Not that I heard. Totally silent.”
Daniel took a deep breath, then nodded. “Alright. Men’s or Women’s first?”
Logan looked over at the building. “Pretty sure the smell was coming from the men’s room. How about I clear the women’s first so nothing sneaks up behind us. You stay outside and watch my back and the entrance to the men’s room.”
“Good plan, but shouldn’t I clear the women’s room? The shotgun’s better for close quarters engagement.”
Logan nodded, then quickly slipped the strap for the AR-15 over his head. He held out the gun. “Agree about the shotgun. So switch.”
“What?”
“Switch,” the man said, glancing towards where they’d parked the cars. “Look, you’ve got a hell of a lot more to live for than I do.” He continued looking in the direction of Daniel’s family. “A hell of a lot more.”
Daniel reached down and grabbed the loose t-shirt he kept at his belt. Pulling it free, he wrapped it around his head, covering his nose and mouth. “Thanks, but this isn’t a suicide mission.” He held up the gun. “I’ve seen what this baby can do. I’m pretty sure one shot would clear that entire room.” Without waiting for a rebuttal, he walked to the small building and positioned himself near the wall to the entrance.
Logan lifted the strap to his gun and placed it over his head as he made h
is way over to where Daniel stood.
Daniel looked towards the corner of the short hallway. Halfway down its length, a massive steel gate, which was probably used on the rare occasions when the restrooms had to be closed, stood open. Beyond that, the interior of the restroom was dark. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small torch flashlight he carried. Holding the shotgun pointing towards the dirt area off to his left, he held the flashlight against the barrel of the gun and wrapped a velcro strap around it, cinching it tightly to keep it in place. He nodded at Logan, then moved down the hallway, bringing the rifle back up to his shoulder as he did. The torch illuminated the hallway with brilliant white light as he moved forward.
Reaching the corner, he slowed his breathing momentarily, counting to three silently, then swung around the corner, pointing the gun into the room, the mounted flashlight illuminating the small space.
There were two small metal sinks on the wall to the right, a soap dispenser mounted in between them. In front of him were four stalls. The doors for the middle two stalls were open, showing nothing other than empty toilets and toilet paper dangling from the rolls. The two doors on either end were partially closed, but not latched. Stepping backward, Daniel squatted, grimacing as his knees protested the movement. Holding the shotgun low and parallel to the floor, Daniel shone the light underneath the stalls. In the stall on the right, he saw nothing other than the white ceramic base of the toilet. In the stall on the left, against the wall, he saw a pair of legs angled sideways. The legs were spread slightly, and both feet were pointed upwards, showing the dark rubber soles of the person’s shoes.
Stepping backward into the hallway, Daniel turned his head slightly to make sure Logan was watching. When the other man made eye contact, he pointed inside the room, then held up his forefinger, signifying the presence of one contact. Logan tapped his chest, then pointed towards Daniel, asking if he should join him. Daniel held up his hand, signalling that the man should wait. He glanced back at the stall, then squatted down again and directed the light towards the fourth stall again. The feet hadn’t changed position. Rising to his feet, he looked back at Logan and shook his head.
Choosing aggressiveness over tentativeness, Daniel strode over the stall quickly and kicked the door open with his boot, the door swung in, hit the sidewall, and bounced back, but the split second of view was enough to tell him that the person in the stall was not a threat.
Much like the others they’d encountered, she was dead.
Daniel stepped closer to the door and pushed it open more slowly using the barrel of the shotgun. The woman was slumped sideways in the stall, her pants still pulled down to her lower legs. As expected, she’d been violently attacked by someone (or something) that had slammed her head repeatedly into the tile wall behind her. Her neck was covered in dark bruises, likely from being choked during the attack as well.
Looking on the woman, Daniel made a mental note that when they removed the woman from the room, they’d pull her underwear and pants up.
She deserved at least some dignity in death.
But first they needed to clear the other room. Taking one more quick glance around the room, Daniel made his way back outside, holding his shotgun with the barrel facing down. Approaching Logan, he said, softly, “One woman, dead. We’ll move her later so we can use the facilities.”
Logan nodded. “Sounds good.” He looked towards the other restroom. “Same approach, or go in together?”
Daniel followed his gaze. From where he stood, he could smell the stench emanating from the space as well. “Same approach.” He brought his gun to bear and strode forward, heading towards the small hallway. Rounding the corner, he stopped and stared in disbelief.
Inside the restroom, looking outward through lifeless eyes, were five of the infected, all trapped behind the big steel gate, their arms stretched out in futility after death, reaching for the world outside.
A world that would have been available to them if they had pulled the door towards them instead of trying to push it outwards.
Their bodies appeared brittle and dry, frozen in time, slumped near the ground or atop one another as they’d tried so desperately to escape the confines of the restroom.
Walking backwards, Daniel motioned for Logan to come forward. He lowered the shotgun, relaxing after nearly 20 minutes of intensity.
Logan came forward and looked towards the restroom. When he saw the infected trapped inside, he shook his head. “Stupid fucks. Probably for the best, though.”
“No doubt,” Daniel said, turning away from the restroom as Logan checked each on up close.
“Hang out for a minute, will ya?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“Just a precaution.” Pushing his rifle to the side, he walked briskly back to the Nissan, reached inside and popped the trunk. Moving to the trunk, he withdrew the tire iron. He carried it back to the gate and slid the tire iron through opening for the lock, barring exit. “Just in case,” he said, nodding as he walked out of the small hallway.
“Might as well,” Daniel replied. Together, the two of them walked out to where they could be seen by the others. Daniel motioned for them to join him. Looking at Logan, he said, let’s get the woman out of the lady’s room.”
Reentering the women’s restroom, they each removed their leather protective gloves, then donned a pair of latex gloves. They moved the woman out of the stall, then set her down so that Daniel could get her dressed. When he was done, they carried her outside and over to the line of hedges near the edge of the fenced area. Not having shovels, they couldn’t give her a proper burial, but at least she wouldn’t remain half-dressed on the commode.
When they returned to the front of the small building, Serafina was backing the Prius they were using into one of the spaces near the curb. Ashley was in the driver’s seat of the other car, backing in as well as she talked to Paul.
Once the two cars were parked, Serafina and the others began setting up lunch while Daniel and Logan began revisiting the vehicles to gather what supplies were available in them. Though Serafina had initially balked at staying with the kids, Daniel made it clear he wanted an adult with them at all times. The fact that he and Logan were the strongest of the group was without argument.
Daniel and Logan’s efforts were highly productive. They gathered thirteen bottles of water, five small bags of chips and three large ones, two unopened bags of beef jerky, an unopened bag of walnuts, blankets, two flashlights, two pocket knives, an extra map, and a shotgun with three boxes of shells.
As they were sitting there, eating and relaxing in the shade of the small pergola, Logan stared at the semis. Stuffing the last bit of his dried fruit in his mouth, he washed it down with a long swig of water, burped loudly (earning a look of disapproval from Serafina and the girls), and said, “Let me check something out.” Swinging his leg out from the bench, he stood up and started walking towards the big trucks.
“Need some help?” Daniel asked, hoping the answer would be ‘no.’
“A little. Paul, can you give me a hand?”
Paul exchanged a surprised look with Daniel, his eyes wide, then said, “Sure,” before getting up and following the man.
Twenty minutes later, they returned to where Daniel and the others were carrying two cb radios and two giant antennas.
“We got time for me to hook these up?” Logan asked.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Chowchilla, California
Irritated by the inconvenience, Steve Sommer wiped flecks of blood from his sunglasses, glaring at the bodies of the people he and his men had gunned down.
‘Dirty shits,’ he thought, ‘they almost slipped by us.’
Forty minutes ago, he’d been riding in the passenger seat of the muscle car, with Hank behind the wheel and Randall in the backseat, when something caught his eye. Traveling south on Highway 99, he was looking towards the horizon to the west when his eyes settled on a small, standalone home far off the highway. As
the home began sliding its way past his field of view, he was almost certain he’d seen the curtain move in a window near the far corner of the house. Initially, he moved his eyes, focusing his attention on the trees near the base of the small hills to the west, but after a few seconds, he just felt something in his gut.
“Hold on.” He ordered, not bothering to turn his head. Instead, he stared out through the windshield, his eyes narrowing to small slits behind his dark sunglasses.
Hamk eased his foot off the gas a bit, allowing the car to slow some as he waited for further instruction. He took one more puff from his cigarette, then flicked it out the window.
“Turn around. We’re gonna check that house back there.”
“Cool,” Hank said, slowing and turning the wheel to the left slightly, towards the center divide. He coasted to a turnaround spot designated for California Highway Patrol, then swung across the center median and guided the vehicle out onto the highway, heading north. “I didn’t even see a house.”
“It’s probably nothing,” Sommer conceded. He spat out the open window before adding, “but we need to be thorough.”
In the backseat, Randall lowered his window and tossed an empty beer can out. “I hope someone is there. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do so I can be in ya’ll’s league.”
Sommer smiled as he looked out the windshield. He and Hank had done a lot of killing over the last week.
‘A lot of good work,’ he thought to himself, smiling even wider.
“No offense, brother,” he said, leaning over to look towards the small house, “but if all goes as planned, you’ll never catch up with us, and that’s okay.” Sommer removed his sunglasses before turning his head to look at Randall. “You put in work, like we do, you stay committed to the cause, and the world will be a better place.”
Randall’s face turned serious as he met Sommer’s gaze. “I’m committed, brother. I’ve dreamed of this day my whole life.” Once Sommer nodded in understanding, Randall turned his head and looked out the window again. “This country has needed cleaning for a long time.”
Surviving Rage | Book 2 Page 21
