by Mason King
During their stops, Kendall had only gotten out once to use the bathroom. The rest of the time had been spent in silence, ignoring anyone’s attempts to talk to her.
Hunter got off the exit that he had been waiting for and was amazed when no one asked him where he was going.
The amount of trust this group had in him was immeasurable, and extremely reassuring.
After a few more turns, everyone in the car started perking up, realizing he had a destination in mind.
Hunter finally pulled the Jeep up to the front of a gated community called Appalachian Hills. Frank and Diana exchanged a look, and even Kendall sat up and looked ahead.
Hunter said a quick prayer to himself before pulling up to the pin-pad and entering four little letters.
With that, the pin pad beeped, and the gate opened wide, allowing both Hunter’s Jeep and Brad and Trevor’s vehicle to pull smoothly inside.
Hunter drove in and everyone’s eyes got wide as they realized where they were; they were in a neighborhood. A completely empty, brand new, gated neighborhood.
Kendall finally turned towards Hunter with a look of pure relief, and asked him where they were.
“I’m a developer. This neighborhood was my first to be completely done. That’s why I was in Italy for the week, trying to get a financial backer because right at the end of the construction we ran out of funds. My original partner pulled out. So the houses are completely done, but there’s no power. There is water, if I’m not mistaken. So you may just get that shower.” He turned towards Kendall, hoping that might lighten her mood. She continued to look ahead, completely stunned, and just nodded.
Hunter took that as a good sign.
“I’m kind of taken aback no one else came here. I figured for sure with the gate some of my workers or someone would have sought refuge here.
Brad and Trevor walked up to Hunter, equally as stunned as everyone else, “So, like, do we each get our own house? Or what?”
Hunter smiled, “everyone can have their own house. There’s only 2 that are furnished because those were going to be show houses but even between those two, there should be more than enough furniture for each of us to be comfortable.
“Hell yeah!” Trevor whooped and walked into the first house they were parked in front of. Watching everyone head inside, he was actually starting to feel a swell of hope rise in his chest. Maybe this was it. Maybe they would finally find a new place to call home and they could start over.
“Every house is identical since it is a pre-constructed neighborhood. Each house has four bedrooms, two baths with two stories and a basement. Each house has a garage and within the community there is a park, a pool, a community center and a fitness center.” Hunter explained all of this as he had a million times while they looked through the house together. Hunter had not let himself be hopeful about this because he assumed it was a long shot.
Honestly, he assumed they’d be dead before they made it this far. They had lost so much, and experienced more than any normal person should, and they had made it out on top.
As they made their ways back to the living room, the mood was significantly lighter and, if he didn’t know any better, he’d say everyone seemed happy; even Kendall, who walked up to Hunter and gave him a hug. He knew Kendall well enough by now to know that, even with no words, that was her way of saying “thank you”.
Hunter told everyone he would take the first house, primarily because it was the closest to the front and he would feel better so he could kind of “keep watch.”
Kendall took the second house for the same reason, Brad and Trevor each took one on the opposite side of the street but also towards the front, and Frank and Diana took the one directly beside Kendall.
***
How is this even possible? Kendall thought to herself as she took a long, and mercifully hot shower. Hunter had, honest to God, saved their asses. She couldn’t bring herself still to really talk to anyone. Kendall always had a tendency to shut down when she was upset. But after the day they had experienced, her emotions were on high alert due to the emotional rollercoaster they had all experienced.
Losing Ashley and her family had been a huge wake up call to Kendall. Yes, she knew that she had watched Hunter lose Allison, but this is really the first person she had, knowingly, lost. It had hit her hard.
Then, to follow up that devastation with a new house in a safe neighborhood. As she washed the suds off of her body, smelling the citrus scent from the hotel style toiletries that had been available in the model house, it was almost comical to think about the ups and downs of her day.
As she stepped out of the shower, on to a plush bath mat, only to wrap herself in to a plush bath towel, she felt like a new person.
She followed up her shower by using the bathtub as a makeshift clothes washer. While there was a washer dryer in both her and Hunters’ house, they weren’t hooked up to be functional. He was confident he would be able to by the next day though, while they still had water.
It all felt so unreal. Regardless, Kendall was prepared to enjoy it for as long as possible. While her clothes were drying, she wandered about her new home in a daze. She stepped on the carpet with clean bare feet and let herself enjoy the feel of the softness between her toes. She went to the front door and locked and unlocked it multiple times, remembering the safety that that simple task brought her in, what she now referred to as, her previous life.
Before outbreak and after outbreak. Two completely different lives, two completely different Kendall’s.
***
Hunter looked around the first model home he had ever built as the primary developer. He had been in this house dozens of times doing the exact same thing. The different being what the future held as he looked around.
The first time he’d set foot in the completed model he had seen the future he’d worked so hard for. His name on the billboard that had been set to start being built two weeks from now. He and Allison, living in this very house, relishing the accomplishments they had made together.
Now, it was simply a safe haven from the atrocities he had experienced in the last 4 days. It amazed him that his entire life had changed so drastically in such a short time, yet somehow ended up in the same place.
Hunter showered, taking much longer than necessary but he was hoping the hot water would wash away the loss and death that he had been submerged in for days.
Hunter made his way outside as the sun began to set, planning to go to his car and retrieve some of the food. As he opened the door he was surprised to see that it was empty save for one case of water. Confused, he went in to the community center only to find everyone together. Kendall looked up at him from her seat beside Diana, finally giving him a small smile.
“There you are!” Brad exclaimed excitedly and gave him a slap on the back.
The supplies were all brought in, and were being divided evenly among everyone. Not divided by family or house, it was split equally for each individual person.
Hunter’s heart continued to ache, however the ache was becoming less wrenching and more pleasant. It felt like a real community; like a family.
They all ate dinner together and told stories about their lives before the outbreak. Fun times. No death or loss was discussed, and it was wonderful to see these people as the happy and care-free people that they must have been only 4 days ago.
As the night went on, it seemed as though no one wanted to be the first to break away from the group. They were completely safe, as evidenced by the gated community. But they just didn’t want to say goodnight.
Diana was the first to crash on one of the couches in the community center where they had been all evening. Frank curled up on the floor, right beside his wife. Brad and Trevor were on opposite sides of a large L shaped couch nearby, and Kendall and Hunter were the last two awake.
Hunter was playing with the lighter he’d retrieved earlier to light candles for them to see by.
“Allison really thought of everything.” He mused.
“Allison did all this?”
“The community center, yep. She wanted it to be stocked as we would our own house in the case of an emergency. Granted, her version of an emergency would have been more like a power outage or a flood. But still, it’s helping us out either way.” He continued, referring to the fact that they had been able to find enough candles to live by for weeks, if not months. Along with numerous flashlights, lighters, cases of water, toiletries, and even a small generator that Hunter intended to see what he could do with tomorrow.
“It’s interesting, had she not been the first to…contract whatever this is, she would be making it just as much as we are. Probably better. That woman was prepared for anything.” Hunter trailed off.
“It’s nice to hear you talk about her. I would have loved to have gotten to know her better.” Kendall was not going to lose the opportunity to finally get Hunter to open up about his loss. Ironic, considering she had yet to talk to anyone about Ashley and Jamie.
Hunter must have read her mind because he finally said, “its okay to talk about Ashley and Jamie, too. If anyone’s going to understand, it’s me.”
“I know. I’m just not ready quite yet. I know I didn’t know them for long, but it’s the first real loss I’ve experienced. But, I also know it won’t be the last.” Kendall looked off to the side, effectively putting an end to that conversation. Neither of them said anything else, and it wasn’t long before the two drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
***
Back in San Francisco, the FBI continue to question Paul about his involvement in bringing the outbreak to the San Francisco area.
“We know you started it, and we also know you weren’t alone. Tell us who was involved, and maybe we can discuss a deal.”
Paul stares straight ahead, not making eye contact with the 7th officer they’ve brought in to get him to crack.
Sam McMillian, head of the FBI San Francisco unit, watched from behind the two-way mirror. Sam was at a loss, but he couldn’t let his team know that he had all but given up hope. It was he who let the story about Hunter and Kendall slip so early on. He had been naïve and quick to believe any lead about what had happened, but his partner Lillian Turnmire had been skeptical about Paul from the very beginning. She had seen right through him, and had taken it upon herself to get Paul put in to an interrogation room so she could convince Sam that he was more involved than he was letting on.
Neither of them had slept in 3 days. Lillian had yet to question Paul because he had been profiled early on as having no respect for authority, especially women. They were saving Lillian for a last minute move, to throw him off. But it wasn’t time yet.
Since the initial outbreak at San Francisco Airport, there had been 3 other attacks within the United States. One was in Times Square, the second was at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the third and final attack, so far, was at Texas A&M University.
Each one had been more horrific than the last, and they determined there had to be at least a dozen people involved. It had officially been ruled an act of terrorism and the FBI all over the country were scrambling trying to find a cure for this outbreak. Paul was giving no leads what so ever, and he had been idiotic to come to the Bureau anyway. Sam still wasn’t sure about his motives behind that move.
Their only lead had been that phone call the first day from Hunter. They had been able to figure out who he was by Paul’s description, looked him up through their database and realized his history was completely clean. They also looked up Kendall and her record was clean as well. They were no longer considering them persons of interest, but they were still hoping to find them to get additional information on what they knew, what they had, and what they had seen.
Lillian was talking to herself, but out loud. “We need to find Hunter. He was with Paul and spoke to him. He had the vials of whatever the hell this is on his person. Maybe they’ve figured something out.”
Lillian walked to her office and Sam followed. Lil was already looking through files when Sam walked inside her office.
“Kendall was a nurse working on her doctorate, and Hunter was a Developer, correct? Maybe we need to start with that. It looks like Kendall was working on her doctoral dissertation with a Dr. Lattimore. Have we tried contacting him?”
“We have. No answer at home, office, or cell.”
“Maybe we need to give him a visit in person? We don’t know where Kendall is, her house was deserted, and maybe she sought him out for guidance.”
“Good point. You want to plan to go, or me?”
“You go. I’ll stay here for the right moment to completely throw Paul off. You have your phone, so we can keep each other posted. And Sam…be careful, okay?”
“Of course.” Sam gave her a curt nod and walked out of the office.
Sam proceeded to get a Hummer ready and he picked one of the veteran agents to accompany him to find this Dr. Lattimore. Maybe he could glean some insight in to Kendall and Hunter’s whereabouts. Hell, maybe they’d get lucky and he’d know something. Either way, Sam was more than ready to finally have a plan of action. He was tired of sitting on his ass talking to that prick Paul. Sam had no tolerance for terrorists, and no respect for any person willing to attack innocent bystanders for any political or religious gain. It had been why he had joined the FBI to begin with.
Sam would figure out what this shit was, and how to stop it, if he had to die trying.
*****
Volume Four
Two weeks. Had it really been two weeks? Hunter couldn’t help but think to himself as he looked outside the window of his house.
Across the street he could see Frank and Diana going for their walk, as they did every day around 3 PM. Hand in hand.
Hunter took a swig of water and continued to think about how long it had been since they had found this haven.
Yes, they’d had their fair share of scares in the two weeks since they had sought refuge in Hunter’s development. They had experienced several Dead that had been close to making it in the fence. It seemed like it came and went when groups of them would stumble upon their location and make their attempts to get inside.
Hunter, Brad and Trevor generally thwarted the would-be attacks pretty quickly, and were able to get the bodies away from the fence so they could still get in and out when needed.
They had made several trips out of the complex, to find additional resources, but they had yet to run even remotely low on any supplies; throw in the fact that they continued to find food, water, and fuel on their rounds, showed Hunter that they really didn’t have things so bad.
There was, obviously, still no power in the complex, so the group had learned to go to bed when the sun set, and wake when it rose again. They’re water was going strong and they had yet to have any issues what so ever. Hunter had been able to get the washer/dryer hooked up, and Diana and Kendall had actually gone out one day and surprised everyone by returning with clothes, shoes, underwear, blankets, pillows, the whole nine yards,
Hunter still laughed to himself when he thought about that day.
“Shopping? You girls seriously went shopping?” He had scoffed as he tried to hold back his laughter.
Kendall had swatted his arm and threatened to not give him any of what she’d gotten.
The entire compound had been able to settle in to an easy going and family-like routine.
Hunter had to admit, he was damned lucky.
***
Sam and Lillian were back at FBI headquarters in San Francesco, planning their next move.
Paul was gone. They had no idea how, and no one seemed to be able to tell them when or how he had gotten away. All agents that were in the building and on duty that day were being questioned by the higher ups. Normally the agents would have been suspended immediately, but with what was going on…well, there really wasn’t much choice. It was, and had been, all hands on deck since day one.
Sam had gone to the University of California to search for Dr. Lattimore, he ha
d been unsuccessful but he had found and an unnamed woman being held for, what he could only assume as, research.
It appeared that the unnamed woman was affected by the virus, and the Dr. was with her, studying her behavior as the sickness progressed. There had been several microscopes with different samples in them as though they had recently been looked at, and there was a notebook on the table with a lot of writing in it; all dated the day of the initial outbreak at San Francesco international.
Sam’s brain continued to rotate around and around, making sense of all that had happened. It was clear now, especially since his escape that Paul’s hand had directly been in this pot. He knew what was happening, and he had been a prime executor of it.
The biggest difference now, was that Sam had the case of vials in his possession. It had been left behind when it’s owners had left the University. Sam had been equal parts elated and disturbed upon finding it.
It was always hard for him to understand how something so tiny and seemingly inconsequential, could have such monumental effects on the world. Even if the scientists at the Bureau weren’t able to make heads or tails of it, Sam figured they could use it as a bargaining chip to get Paul to finally confess whatever he knew about what Sam was carrying around.
***
“Yahtzee!”
“Not again!” Everyone groaned simultaneously. Kendall had won every game of Yahtzee, no matter who she had been playing against.
The first few days at the complex had been a huge sigh of relief for everyone. They would finally be able to relax and regroup. However, after day 6 or 7 everyone was starting to get pretty antsy. So on one of the resource runs, Trevor had stumbled upon a backroom in a gas station that had contained dozens of different games.
He had made sure to bring every single one back, and the group had been playing at least one game every day ever since.
Hunter’s favorite game to play was charades, because it reminded him of his childhood. They had played that game several times and the entire group ended up laughing so hard their bellies hurt every single time.