The process of searching us was similar to the one we’d faced when we got to the hotel a few nights ago. Cursory and quick, more of a formality than anything. Unlike the other day, these men didn’t seem to know Logan, and when the one searching me caught sight of the bite on my arm, he froze.
“I’m immune,” I said.
The man’s eyebrows jumped. “I’ve heard people can be, but I’ve never met anyone who was.”
“Well,” Juliet said, “now you’ve met seven of them.”
The guards exchanged a shocked look.
“Seven?” the other guy said.
Juliet gave him a tiny smile and a shrug but didn’t explain.
The guy just shook his head in disbelief.
There were only three sides to the iron fence, I realized, because the river sat where the fourth side should have been. We stood in the parking lot of what had once been a docking station. Signs, faded and worn from time, still displayed ticket prices for whatever ferry had once stopped here, and the small building where passengers could wait had been transformed into living quarters. A few other people were on the other side of what had once been the parking lot hanging clothes on a line to dry, and there were a few children, too.
“You live here?” I asked the guard next to me.
“We do.” He nodded to the other man, and then to the people milling around. “People pass through on the American Queen, making it easy to trade for supplies, and it gives us more privacy than the bigger settlements.”
“We tried it there,” the other man said. “It was too confining.”
I looked between them then across the parking lot to the others. “How many of you live here?”
“Fifteen,” was the only answer I got.
When I turned again, Juliet caught my gaze and gave her head a little shake, so I decided it was best not to ask more questions.
“The boat should be along any time,” the man who’d searched me said. “You folks can wait down by the river, but we ask that you stay clear of the kids.”
The way he said it was menacing, making it clear that outsiders were only welcome here as long as they were on their way out. Whatever. It wasn’t like we couldn’t relate. We’d been hoarding our underground shelter for years.
We headed toward the river in a group, and Juliet slowed so she was walking at my side.
“What’s their story?” I asked her.
“Polygamists,” she said. “Or something like that, anyway. There are just the two men, but five women. Since they said there are fifteen of them now, I guess that means they’re up to eight children.”
I looked back toward the men then over to where three women stood hanging clothes. “Weird.”
“Yup,” she said, popping the P like it was a bubble. “Even in these crazy times, the settlement wasn’t a good fit for them. I mean, there are a lot of odd couples out there, but I don’t know when the average human being will ever be able to adjust to polygamy. It’s just not natural.”
I couldn’t disagree. There was no way I would ever be willing to share Kellan with another woman. It was too disturbing for words.
8
I was the first to spot the American Queen. Still a good distance away, the large, white ship cut through the murky water of the Mississippi River at a steady pace, headed our way. It was bigger than I’d expected and had to have at least a hundred rooms on board. Four stories high, walkways trimmed in red lined each level where here and there a person stood, watching as the ship drew closer to shore.
“Look.” I nodded toward the boat, and Kellan turned, letting out a low whistle.
“She’s big,” Jim said, nodding like he understood the reaction.
He was still smoking—something he seemed to do constantly—and his expression was emotionless as he watched the boat’s approach.
“The people you know,” I said, eyeing him as I tried to figure him out, “the ones who live on the boat. How do you know them?”
“Mutual friends.” He shrugged, not looking my way as he tapped his cigarette against the railing at his side, letting the ash fall into the river. “We met when I was here a few years ago and realized we had mutual acquaintances.”
“That’s lucky,” I said.
“Not really. It’s always been a small world, and thanks to the zombie virus, it’s even smaller now.” Jim shoved off the railing he was leaning against as he sucked more of the chemicals into his lungs. “They’re stopping.”
He was right about that.
The boat slowed as it drew closer until it finally drifted to a stop. There was a metal walkway at the back, pulled up so it was out of the way, but the dock we stood on wasn’t set up for it, meaning the people on board had to improvise. A different metal walkway was lowered by the same men who’d met us at the gate, extending across the gap between the dock and boat. On board, a couple other men were waiting to connect it to the ship once the walkway was in place while others worked to secure the boat to shore.
The second it was secure, the men from this settlement climbed aboard, talking quietly amongst themselves. I assumed they were going to trade.
“Be careful out there.” I turned as Alex patted Logan on the shoulder. “We’ll catch back up with you here in about two weeks.”
“Should be more than enough time,” Logan said. “Don’t get into any trouble while we’re gone.”
Alex grinned. “Not me. I’m just going to relax.”
At his side, Juliet had her arm around Beth. “I predict two days of lying in bed at the settlement before he gets antsy and wants to be on the road.”
“Just watch your back,” Logan said.
Hickory was still by the truck, leaning against it with a scowl on his face, but when Logan waved, the older man returned the gesture. He did the same with Beth, but purposefully ignored Ash, who looked like a five-year-old as he waved enthusiastically, a huge smile on his face.
After Kellan and I said our goodbyes, each of us once again thanking Juliet and Alex for their help, the two headed back to the truck. Hickory had already climbed into the driver’s seat, and the engine was running, so the second the others were in, he’d put the truck in gear.
“What about you?” I asked, turning to Jim.
“I’ll be fine,” he said, smoke coming out with the words. “I have transportation not too far from here. Stashed away where no one will find it.”
“You going to walk there?” Kellan asked, looking doubtful.
“Never had a problem before,” Jim said with an unconcerned shrug before turning to the boat.
He led the way, flicking his cigarette into the water as he went. Kellan followed him, taking my hand so he could pull me along, and I ventured one last look behind me to the group of people living inside this fence.
The children, dirty and barefoot, looked healthy and happy as they played, digging in a pile of sand that had most definitely been brought in from somewhere else. The women, too, looked satisfied with their lives as they worked and chatted. I didn’t get it, but it wasn’t like they were hurting anyone. To each his own.
The metal walkway creaked and swayed as Kellan and I followed Jim and the others, crossing over the churning water of the Mississippi River to the American Queen. Up close, she seemed three times bigger than I’d originally thought, towering over us with her impressiveness. Here and there I spied people, but for the most part the ship looked deserted. Like a ghost from the past intent on haunting the world, reminding everyone what they’d lost.
In the lead with a cloud of smoke practically hanging over him, Jim reached the boat first. He didn’t even pause before stepping on board, and he didn’t look back to make sure the rest of us where behind him. Logan did, however, pausing to hold his hand out to Beth once he’d set foot on the boat, his gaze moving past her to us.
Ash followed them, and when it was our turn, Kellan copied Logan, waiting for me when he stepped off the walkway and offering me his hand. Jim was now a good ten feet in front of us,
and we had to walk faster to catch up. We headed up when we reached a set of stairs, making our way to the second level before following Jim toward the other end of the walkway.
“There they are,” he called over his shoulder, nodding.
We’d reached a deck where about a dozen people milled about, and I followed his gaze, trying to figure out who he was referring to just as a teenage girl turned our way, her big, brown eyes lighting up and a smile curling up her full lips. She was Hispanic and classically beautiful, and while she couldn’t be much older than fifteen, she was nearly as tall as I was. Slim, too, with curves that at first glance made her look older.
Ash’s eyes practically popped out of his head at the sight of her.
“Jim!” She waved enthusiastically, her dark braid swishing back and forth as she did.
“Ava,” Jim said, giving the teenager the first smile I’d ever seen on his face. It was small but tinged with affection.
At her side, a boy with shaggy brown hair stood with his back to us. He turned at Jim’s greeting, giving me a start when I realized he wasn’t a child at all. Despite the fact that the top of his head barely came up to the girl’s chest, he had to be in his mid-forties, and what I’d first thought were highlights in his hair were actually streaks of gray.
“He’s a dwarf,” I said, and instantly wanted to slap my hand over my mouth.
“Don’t let his size fool you.” Jim didn’t look at me as he led us toward the unlikely pair. “His mind is as sharp as your knife, and not only is he wickedly smart, but he’s also a hell of a survivor.”
“He must be to have made it all these years.” Kellan tilted his head, studying them thoughtfully. “And with a kid.”
“She wasn’t always with him,” Jim said, his usual frown deepening. “Although I’ll let Brady tell that story.”
“It must be quite a story to tell,” Beth said, sounding awed.
“It is.” Jim’s brows lifted, his eyes finally darting to me. “And Angus James plays a pretty big part in it.”
“Brady knew Angus, too?” I asked, still amazed I’d met anyone who actually knew the man.
“Brady can tell you lots of stories about Angus,” Jim replied. “A lot more than I can, that’s for sure.”
Jim stopped in front of the pair, and the girl—Ava—threw her arms around him. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” Jim replied, his voice low.
The hug was brief, and once Ava had released him, Jim turned to the other man and clasped his hand. “Brady.”
“It’s good to see you, my friend,” the smaller man said, nodding. “I hope everyone in Atlanta is still doing well.”
“The same,” Jim said, but his mouth turned down in the corners. “But it’s been a few months since I’ve been to the city. I’ve been on the road and haven’t wanted to go back.”
“I understand,” Brady said, a note of sympathy in his voice. Then he turned to us. “New friends?”
“Brand new.” Jim jerked his head to the short man in front of him. “This is Brady, the man I was telling you about.”
“Good to meet you,” Kellan said, taking Brady’s hand.
He introduced first himself, and then me, Beth, Logan, and Ash, taking the leading role as he so often did. I was used to it, but Logan, who was clearly the leader of his own group, wasn’t, and I didn’t miss the way his eyebrows lifted as he studied Kellan.
“We’re hoping to hitch a ride down river so we can get home,” I said once the introductions had been made.
“And where is home?” Brady asked.
“Oklahoma.”
“Oklahoma?” His eyebrows jumped in surprise. “I can think of a dozen places more suited to living out the apocalypse.”
“I’m sure,” I said, “but we have family there.”
“We thought we could grab the Arkansas River and head up to Oklahoma that way,” Logan piped in, almost like he was trying to take over before Kellan could again.
“I see.” Brady’s mouth turned down, but only for a moment before the smile was once again on his face. “I’ll be sure to talk to the captain. Assuming he hasn’t already promised anyone that we’d take the Mississippi all the way south, I’m sure he’ll be happy to oblige. Generally, we’re a pretty flexible group.” His gaze moved to Jim. “Will you be coming with us?”
“No.” The other man blew out a stream of smoke. “Just wanted to stop by before heading out.”
“What is it?” Brady’s expression darkened. “Vivian? Axl?”
“Angus.” Jim’s gaze darted around, and he nodded to the other end of the deck. “Let’s talk in private.”
Brady nodded twice before looking at Ava. “I’ll be right back, my dear.”
She said nothing as they walked away, her gaze following their progress. Like Brady, she looked troubled.
“You live on this boat?” I asked, hoping to distract her.
Ava turned to face me, rearranging her expression in an effort to hide her worry. It didn’t work. “Yes, for a few years now.”
“How’s that?” Beth asked.
“Safe.” She shrugged. “Of course, I’ve been other places that were supposed to be safe, and they didn’t last.”
Her tone was blunt, but there was pain in her eyes, so I didn’t ask. We ended up lapsing into silence.
Ash, who seemed to always be smiling, had a difficult time standing still in the presence of this beautiful girl. Ava, on the other hand, couldn’t stop looking Logan’s way. I couldn’t blame her. He was the type of man who would draw the attention of every straight woman he passed, but it was still amusing to watch. Logan seemed to either not notice the attention or not want to acknowledge it, but he did roll his eyes at Ash more than once. Beth, on the other hand, couldn’t hold in her grin.
Kellan seemed not to notice any of this.
Jim and Brady came back a few minutes later, the smaller man’s expression now doubly troubled while the other man didn’t seem the least bit affected by whatever they’d spoken about.
They stopped in front of us, and Jim pulled the cigarette from his mouth. “This is where we part ways.”
“You sure you’ll be okay?” Logan asked, shaking his hand.
“The bastards haven’t gotten me yet,” Jim replied. “Of course, I’m not going to lie. If it happens, I’ll consider it a blessing to finally be rid of this rotten world.”
I swallowed, wondering not for the first time what kind of darkness this man had lived through.
“Thank you,” I said once he and Logan had said their goodbyes. “For everything.”
Jim nodded, first to me and then to Kellan, before turning to Brady. “You sure you don’t want me to tell them?”
Brady exhaled, his focus on Ava when he said, “As much as it pains me, I prefer that our existence not become common knowledge inside the walls of New Atlanta. I don’t know if it would matter, but I do know I cannot in good conscience risk Ava in that way.”
“I don’t blame you.” Jim exhaled, giving a slight shake of his head like he was trying to push some dark memory aside. “Until next time, then.”
“Until next time,” Brady repeated.
We stood in silence, watching as Jim walked away, heading to the stairs.
Once he had disappeared from view, Brady turned to us. “And now it’s time to find you lovely people some accommodations.”
“Afterward, we can do a tour,” Ava said enthusiastically, her eyes on Logan.
“A tour sounds great,” Ash gushed just as Brady said, “Follow me!”
Ava practically skipped as we walked—the gesture making her look younger—while Brady led the way, the whole time telling us about the American Queen and its many trips up and down the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers. The rest of us trailed after them in silence—Ash’s silence slightly less reserved than ours.
“We didn’t plan on staying when we first arrived,” Brady said. “We’d been working our way across the country, hoping to make it to
Atlanta, and hitched a ride on the illustrious American Queen. Like so many before us, it seemed like the safest way to travel. And it is.” He looked over his shoulder, shooting us a grin.
“What made you stay?” I asked.
“Jim.” Brady pressed his lips together thoughtfully before continuing. “Ava and I had been on the ship for a couple weeks when we finally reached the port we’re at now. The plan was to stock up on supplies and head to Atlanta, but I asked around first, hoping one of the people who’d come aboard would be traveling the same direction and might be willing to let us tag along.”
“That’s how we met Jim,” Ava said.
“We’d had mutual friends back in Colorado, you see,” Brady continued, “but had never actually met. But it only took a few minutes of talking to make the connection. He’s the reason we’re still here.”
“Because of the things he knows about Atlanta,” I said.
“Yes,” Brady replied, but didn’t elaborate. Looking at the dark expression on his face, I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to.
“You and Ava have been together for a long time?” Beth asked.
“For many years now,” Brady said, his velvety voice low and somber. “But not from the beginning.”
“I was with my mom,” Ava told her. “Traveling with a group we met in San Francisco. Angus James was one of them.”
Angus James again. It seemed he had more of a connection to this world and this virus than I’d ever realized.
“I was alone for the first few months,” Brady went on. “After I buried my wife, I cleaned out the gated community we’d lived in and did my best to survive. That was all I had until some of the people Ava was with saved me one day when I was out. They seemed like good people”—his lips twitched—“most of them, anyway.”
“Most of them?” I asked.
“Angus James was a colorful person.” Brady shot me a grin. “Which is putting it nicely.”
The Oklahoma Wastelands Series Box Set | Books 1-3 Page 65
