I sent my senses around us once more to make sure we wouldn’t be surprised by any of the creatures, mounted Freedom, and then looked around to check on the others. Everyone seemed to be situated, although this time Mike was on the outside seat with Kate. He held a rifle across his lap, but seemed pretty relaxed.
“Everyone ready?” I asked.
Kate got Chance moving, and said. “Yup. Good to go.”
I urged Freedom to walk alongside the wagon until we reached the road. “I’m not feeling anything right now, so I think we should stick to an easy trot. I don’t want to risk injuring the horses by pushing them too hard if we don’t have to.”
“That’s a good idea,” Kate said. She looked at me and added. “We really should keep an eye out for another vehicle, Zero. The horses were a Godsend, but if we’re going to make it in time…”
“We need to go faster,” I finished. “Yeah. I know.” I patted Freedom’s neck. “I hate the idea of leaving them, but I know you’re right.”
We let the horses walk for a couple minutes, then urged them to a steady trot. I had a feeling everyone would be pretty exhausted after riding for most of the day. Those in the wagon would get assigned first watch so the people riding could get some sleep. Except Jake, of course. He was off the work rotation until his wound healed.
My thoughts shifted to thinking over how we could go about trying to rescue our friends. The guards would have no way to know how long it took us to get their message. Their deadline was unreasonable.
Then again, these were the people who signed on to help those behind the outbreak to begin with. How reasonable could they possibly be?
“Zero!” Rex called from his position at the front of the group. “Someone’s coming!”
I stood in the saddle to get a better look. Sure enough, there was a solitary figure running in our direction. “Let’s check it out!”
“Be careful! Could be a scout for a larger group,” Kate warned as Rex and I urged our horses to a canter.
I waved a hand to show I’d heard, then concentrated on staying on the horse as she sped up. Looking to one side, I saw both dogs keeping pace with me. They would be tired after running like that.
Rex pulled to a stop, still a short distance from the approaching figure. I stopped next to him. “Am I going crazy?” he asked. “Or is that-”
“Caleb!” I called. I dismounted and ran to the boy. “Caleb, are you okay? What happened? Where are the others?”
Sweat dripped down the older boy’s face. “Z, I’m glad I found you!” He looked past me and knelt as the dogs came up to him. “Siren! King! I’m glad to see you two are doing okay.”
I let him have a moment, but then I cleared my throat. “Right. Sorry. I honestly didn’t think I’d find you so quickly, although one of the guards seemed pretty certain you’d be along this route.”
I frowned. “How would they know?”
He shrugged. “Dunno. He was kinda weird all around. Young, like maybe seventeen or eighteen, but seemed to be in a position of power among the group that grabbed us.”
My frown deepened. “How did you escape?” I asked.
“I didn’t,” he explained. “They let me go to make sure you were on the right trail. And to tell you that you’re down to twelve days.”
The wagon approached and I ran back to it to get some water for our newly recovered friend. “Here. We’ll be stopping at nightfall, but you can ride in the wagon with Jake and Shanti.” I pulled the door open, and the dogs jumped in. “And the dogs, apparently,” I added with a smile.
He gave a grateful smile and guzzled the water. “Thanks. The others are okay for now. Scared, but they’re covering it with anger. They’re watching for any opening they can use to get free. Not a lot of chances though. The guards have helicopters and tanks. Not a lot of them, but enough to keep a bunch of kids under control.”
“So, why didn’t they just come after us that way? Why this whole… countdown thing?” Rex asked.
Caleb shrugged. “Not sure. I just know they really want Zero. And a few others, including Shanti.”
He glanced up at Alex and Lia. “They got really mad when you managed to take someone from them; those two, I’m guessing. Their compound was overrun by the enemy, and they lost a lot of people that day.”
I cringed at the idea of what these people might do for revenge. “We’ll talk again later. Everyone is trying to come up with ideas for rescue. Rest, and if you’re up for it, try to recall anything that might help us.”
“They still have Kristy,” he growled. “I’m up for it.”
I’d never considered Caleb an intimidating guy. Generally easygoing and friendly, Caleb was one of the easiest people to get along with. But when his twin was in trouble? It was better to stay out of his way.
We’d learned that several months earlier when Kristy had been threatened by a man while we were trying to find some food. Caleb had been only a couple aisles away, but when Kristy screamed for him, he’d immediately drawn his gun and did what he needed to do to protect her.
I exchanged a look with Rex. We would have to keep an eye on Caleb.
Freedom had wandered to the side of the road and was munching some grass by the time I got back to her. “Come on, girl. We’ve still got some miles to put on.”
The remaining daylight hours were spent in near silence for those riding. Kate occasionally called out directions, and we had the horses walk periodically to let them rest. As much as we wanted to push on quickly, it would save us time in the long run if the horses were used properly.
And, no matter our circumstances, I couldn’t see myself doing anything that might harm an animal. I patted Freedom’s neck and noticed she was pretty sweaty again. “Time to walk again, guys. And keep an eye out for a place to stop.”
The shadows had started to grow, but we’d been lucky today. No hostile interactions to slow us down. With the stakes we were facing, I could only hope our luck would hold.
Chapter Twenty-Three
We were supposed to go over ideas, but after a full day in the saddle, everyone just kind of crashed. Rex cleaned and cooked the fish. He’d gotten enough that everyone could have a piece, and it was wonderful to have something so fresh. Throw in the garden veggies some of the others had picked and it was the freshest meal we’d had in ages.
I let the last of the flaky, delicious fish practically dissolve on my tongue, then washed it down with some cool water. The muscles in my legs jumped, and I groaned at the sensation it spread.
“Long day, huh?” Rex asked.
I shrugged. “Aren’t they all? I just used muscles I didn’t even know I had. All day. They’re a bit sore and jumping, that’s all.”
Everyone did their part in setting up sleep areas for the night. “Is the watch set?” I asked Rex while we cleaned up from supper.
“Yeah. I’ve got Mike and Shanti on first watch, Kate and I are second, and Alex and you third. I know Lia doesn’t like to talk, and I’m not going to push her into a position where she’ll have to yell for us to wake up. And I figured Caleb would need some solid sleep after everything.”
And of course Jake couldn’t be expected to pull watch. He was hiding it well, but I could see from the pursed lips and stiff way he held himself that he was hurting after all the travel today. His arm was crossed over his abdomen as a brace.
I nodded to Rex and turned my attention to our wounded friend. “Jake, lie down before you fall down,” I said. “Let Kate check your wound again.”
He gave a weak grin. “On it, boss girl.”
Rex pointed Jake over to one of the sleeping areas. “That’s yours, Jake. I tried to make it a bit more comfy, but with everyone… well, we’re a bit short on bedding.”
“It’s good, Rex. Don’t worry so much. Just being on my back and not moving will feel like heaven tonight. I’m fine.”
Kate walked over to him. “Okay, tough guy. Get over there and let me take a look at that wound.”
B
etter her than me. I’d seen enough when I saw him covered in blood on the road. And in my thoughts, when I heard the last gunshot in the woods. I never wanted to see him injured like that again.
I lowered myself onto my sleep area with a groan. We hadn’t run into any trouble, yet I was never this sore when we did. We wouldn’t have time to discuss our rescue options. Other than Rex, Kate, Jake, and me, everyone else had already gotten comfortable on their blankets, and some were even sleeping already.
“Early start tomorrow, guys,” I reminded them. “We can’t waste any more time.”
Alex called over, “I’m on last watch, so I’ll get Chance hitched before everyone wakes up.”
“And I’ll get breakfast going right away,” I said. “Good night.”
Everyone still awake called their goodnights to me. I fell asleep on my side with Siren’s warmth along my back, and the sound of horses munching on grass nearby.
I woke an unknown amount of time later to Siren’s low growl and the horses prancing in fear. “What is it?” I whispered to Rex. “Is something out there?”
He put his finger over his lips and motioned for me to listen. It took only a couple seconds for the howls to fill the air once again. “Wolves?”
“Sounds like,” he answered in a low voice. “They’re not overly close, but are definitely making our animals a bit nervous.”
With the outbreak basically shutting down many towns and cities, wildlife thrived. While previously wolves wouldn’t have been in this area, now they were taking over.
Kate approached. “You should get some more rest. It isn’t your turn for watch yet.”
“Nah, I wouldn’t be able to sleep again,” I told her. “You guys see or hear anything else?”
“Couple footsteps, but they passed by without noticing us,” Kate answered. “I couldn’t tell you for sure if it was animal or human either. That was about an hour ago, and I haven’t heard anything since. At least, until the wolves.”
I shivered as the wolves howled once again. Goosebumps raised on my arms. Odd how, even in the midst of an actual horror movie-type life, the normal sounds of nature could still give me the creeps.
Of course, it hadn’t been all that long ago that I’d nearly been attacked by a cougar. So nature hadn’t always been the most kind to me.
I wrapped my blanket around myself before sitting against a tree. The other two stayed nearby, but continued keeping their eyes open for trouble. “We need to find another vehicle,” I said. “As much as I love the horse thing, we just aren’t moving fast enough.”
Kate nodded, her shadowed form just barely visible in the filtered moonlight. “I agree,” she answered softly. “I’ll have to double check, but I think there was a town not too far away. It could have a car lot.”
Siren stopped growling and came to settle next to me. Her warmth was welcome on the cool night. “Where’s King?” I asked.
Rex pointed. I squinted through the darkness and saw that the big dog had settled in next to Mike. “He’s been sticking to Mike like glue tonight.”
I smiled at the sight. Mike and King must have bonded when they escaped together. I leaned back against the tree and closed my eyes. My hand stroked Siren’s head.
The tingle was an unwelcome addition to the calm evening. “Rex!” I called in an urgent whisper. “We’re about to have company.”
“Which direction?” he asked.
I focused on the warning signal in my mind, and pointed back the way we’d come. “There.”
Another moment of concentration had me pointing across the road as well. “There too.”
“Two directions?” Rex asked. “Large horde?”
“Big enough.”
“Do we have time to get everyone up and moving?” Kate broke in.
I considered. “Up, yes. But not moving. Not unless we want to leave everything behind. We can’t afford to do that.”
“Then get Shanti, Alex, and Lia up, and try to drive them back. Kate and I will get the horses ready, and pack stuff into the wagon.”
The others must have heard our urgent whispers, because Alex said, “I’ll get Chance ready. We can deal with this.”
I let Rex tell the others what was going on, and allowed him to tell them their jobs for getting everything set. I focused on the horde and tossed my pillow and blanket into the small storage cubby at the back of the wagon, away from everyone else’s bedding.
After a couple minutes, I felt the others connect to me, and I was able to use their focus to send commands toward the horde… well, hordes. I could feel them slow down, but they seemed to be resisting my commands. They needed to slow down or back off in order to give us time to get everything together.
As I pushed harder against their instinctual drive, I realized the creatures felt almost familiar. My thoughts wove into their web, and I knew they’d scented us before. “They’re following us,” I said. “Even after we pushed them away.”
“That’s a problem,” Rex agreed. “Unfortunately, now isn’t the time to deal with it. Get on the wagon, Z. Caleb has Freedom for now. You need to concentrate on the horde.”
I wanted to argue that I could do both, but he led me to the wagon and practically shoved me onto the seat next to Kate. To avoid losing them, the dogs were urged into the wagon, and suddenly we were ready to go.
“I managed to slow them down a bit, but they’re still coming,” I said. “They seem more driven than normal.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Rex said. “The horses can go faster than them.”
In the dark with little sleep? I wasn’t as certain, but I couldn’t do anything more than continue to push against the approaching creatures.
“Are you all concentrating?” I asked as everyone got the horses moving.
Shanti answered from inside the wagon. “Yes. Unfortunately, they aren’t responding the way they normally do.”
I growled angrily at the approaching threat. “Back OFF!” I shouted.
Kate jumped in her seat next to me. “Will yelling help?”
Alex answered. “Not really, but she sent the feeling at the horde, and it pushed them back a little.”
Apparently, knowing the horde was close enough for Alex to feel made Kate a bit nervous. She urged Chance to go faster. The moonlight allowed us to remain on the road, although I wasn’t certain it would be bright enough for us to see our next turn.
“I’m going to sit on top for a minute,” I told Kate. “If they’re that close, I need to be ready to make them back off again.”
She frowned. “If they’re ignoring your mental commands, will the scream even work?”
“It has to,” I stated.
If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be in any better shape than our friends. The darkness hid my doubtful expression, and Kate seemed to take comfort in my certainty. What I couldn’t tell her was that I had no idea why my mental commands weren’t working; therefore I had no way to know if the scream would be any more effective.
The horses were moving faster than the horde, but the enemy was boxing us in. We only had one way to go, which made me feel as though we were being herded. I climbed on top of the wagon, thankful there were a few things strapped to the top that I could use as hand holds.
If I had my way, I would go back the way we came and find a different route. The idea of being pushed in a specific direction didn’t sit well with me. “Caleb…” I muttered. He had said something about a young man who seemed to know where we would be.
We should have switched our path right away. If our enemy knew where we were, we should have gone elsewhere. How had he known though? Was it just a hunch, or something else?
“Z?” Rex’s voice was uncertain, and I could feel the wagon slow to a crawl. I turned to face the front, and saw exactly what I’d been dreading.
We’d been pushed into a trap.
Twenty-Four
Mike
Zero called us to a halt. Her voice remained strong, but in the lights from the vehicles boxin
g us in, I could see a hint of trepidation cross her face.
“What do we do?” Rex asked.
Our leader shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. I could feel her attempt to once again sway the horde.
“Don’t even try it, little girl.” A young man, probably a year or two older than me, stepped out of one of the vehicles. “Those creatures are quite firmly under my control.”
“The sixth experiment, I presume,” Zero said. Her voice showed no hint of her fear. She climbed off the top of the wagon and jumped down to the road.
The new arrival chuckled. “Guilty as charged. You can call me—”
“A traitor to the human race?” she cut in. “Sounds good. You’re old enough to know better. Why would you work with those who started all this?”
The yet-unnamed traitor huffed. His apparent amusement now dimmed into anger. “They keep me safe. They treat me like a king. If you wouldn’t make things so difficult, you could be treated like royalty too.”
“Right,” she shot back. “As soon as they were done mucking about in my DNA and starting the freaking zombie apocalypse, they were going to suddenly turn around and make me a queen.” She tilted her head as if thinking about it. “I can totally see that. You’re brainwashed, traitor. You should be on our side of this.”
I stepped out of the wagon, suddenly sure of what I needed to do. “Zero,” I said quietly. “Instead of pushing the creatures back, try to simply change their target.”
“My name is Brent!” he yelled. “If anyone here is a traitor, it’s you!”
Zero raised an eyebrow at the boy. Clearly, he hadn’t been taught how to control his emotions. “You think a redirect will help?” she whispered. “I need everyone. This guy wasn’t kidding. These creatures are quite firmly under his direction.”
Another thought struck me. “Then try to connect with him as well. You seem to be the one who can use everyone else’s connection alongside yours. Do your thing, Z.”
Countdown to Zero (Patient Zero Book 2) Page 11