"Would you mind staying down here," she asked. "Maybe park yourself in the hallway at the staircase or in my office?"
"Sure." I wondered if she and Lori were worried that Heather might strike back at them out of some sort of revenge and quickly dismissed the thought. I scooted over to Emily and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going upstairs to check on Martin and then I'll be either out in the hall or the office."
"Okay."
Lori settled down on the other side of the bed and I exited the room and headed upstairs.
Five
Martin was sitting on the sofa, the rifle cradled in his hands. "Everything okay?"
I quickly checked the back deck and the shattered window. The sounds of the city drifted inside, along with the smell of smoke from the fires that were now burning in the city. We'd definitely have to leave as soon as possible, especially if the fires made their way north into the hills where we lived. The dry brush of the San Gabriel Mountains was ripe fuel for a massive fire.
Once I was satisfied the house was secure, I sat down on the other side of the sofa and told Martin what had happened downstairs while we'd been upstairs battling the primitives. Martin listened quietly, his pensive features turning into a frown of concern. For a moment after I was finished he said nothing. He appeared to be thinking about what I'd just said. Finally he said, "Heather's been the only one who's been hard for me to get a read on."
"What do you mean?" I asked. We were speaking in low tones and I deliberately kept my voice down to as low a whisper as possible to avoid our voices drifting downstairs.
"What do you think of Heather?" Martin asked.
I shrugged. "I think she's a typical teenager who's adjusting very badly to what's happening."
"I thought that about her too when we originally ran into her," Martin said. He leaned forward. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "When we came upon her she seemed...hostile...as if she regretted seeing Lori and me."
"What do you mean?"
Martin paused. "Are you Hispanic? Or Native American?"
Good guess. He obviously noted the high cheekbones, the color of my skin, combined with my straight black hair, which I wore at waist-length and was currently tied back in a ponytail. "I'm a rarity in the world of Native Americans. Full-blooded Apache."
"Then you've obviously experienced what I can only describe as 'the look'?"
I picked up on what he was saying immediately. I wasn't raised on a reservation by any means, but my parents had relatives who still lived on one, in Arizona. And aside from a brief flirtation with engaging in tribal rituals and ceremonies and dress as a teenager, my physical features were the only thing that told people I was Injun. Some of my more traditional family members referred to me by that derogatory term for selling out to the white man's world. I never sold out. I was proud of my heritage. But I had to live in modern society and pay my bills, just like everybody else. "You think Heather's...racist?"
Martin didn't answer me right away. He looked troubled as I thought back to what he meant. Growing up in a predominately white, suburban neighborhood, I'd had my share of run-ins with ignorant Caucasian punks. I was called a hippie, a redskin, a wetback, you name it. Most adults were no better. Ironically, I've never been discriminated against by publishers or film producers and production companies in the nearly twenty years I've been a professional writer, although I experienced some of it while working so-called "normal jobs." I did not get that vibe from Heather, and I wonder if Martin was just super sensitive to the issue of race.
"I don't know," he finally said. "I realize we've all been under a lot of stress today, that because of the horrors we've all been witness to, we've reacted to them in ways we might normally not." He looked at me. "Still, I know what I felt. When you're Hispanic and gay, you become especially sensitive to the vibes people throw out when they first come across you. I definitely felt it with Heather. It was really strong when we first came across her and it's subsided substantially since then, so I can't tell if what I'm feeling is just my over-reacting to her clothing or appearance. I've never had a run-in with what we call racist skinheads, or Aryan Nations or whatever they call themselves, but I've seen enough about them on documentaries to know they're still racists. And I realize that it isn't fair to judge her by her clothing or the way she wears her hair, but her appearance, combined with her body language...that feeling...that vibe I got...that's the first thing I thought of."
"That she's a racist skinhead?
He nodded.
"I just had the impression she's a typical teen. She was home when everything started going down and yesterday was a school day. She was probably ditching school."
"She had easy access to firearms in her house," Martin added.
"Yeah." For some reason that was troubling.
"She sure has a knack for hotwiring cars, too," Martin said.
We regarded each other in the dark living room. I could tell Martin wanted to be wary around Heather and I was okay with that. I didn't completely trust her yet, either.
"I agree we need to get out of the city." I stood up. "Let's talk about it first thing tomorrow."
"You got it."
"I'm gonna go downstairs. I don't think I can sleep after what Tracy told me about Heather, but come check on me at five."
"I will." Martin settled back on the sofa with my rifle and I headed downstairs.
The hallway was quiet. I stood there, trying to listen for any sounds from behind the closed master bedroom door. I didn't hear anything, and wondered if Heather had finally calmed down and gone to sleep. I hoped so. I could make out vague lumps on Emily's bed and I took a peek in Tracy's office. James was lying on the sofa, his back to the doorway. I heard his breathing, slow and steady. He was fast asleep.
I found a spot on the floor near the wall, just inside the door to Tracy's office. I checked to make sure the safety was flicked on the Sig and slapped a full magazine in. I placed the handgun just inside the closet, within easy reach, and sat down with my back against the wall.
And I listened.
I could hear soft snores coming from Emily's bedroom—Tracy's and Emily's snores were easy to identify. I thought I could make out the sounds of Lori sleeping.
But from the other bedroom, where Heather was camping out, I heard nothing.
Was she even asleep in there?
That made me nervous.
* * *
I must've fallen into a deep sleep because the next thing I knew Martin was shaking me awake. "It's five o'clock," he whispered.
I got up, grabbed my Sig. I couldn't believe I'd let myself fall asleep like that. For a moment I felt a brief burst of panic. "Everything okay?"
He nodded, handed the Ruger to me. We traded places without further comment.
I sat down in the living room and listened to the dying city outside. I thought about all that was lost, our sense of civilization and order. Most of all I thought of Eric, who I'd raised since he was an infant. Tracy's words from yesterday morning came to me and even though I knew they were hastily uttered in response to her own roiling emotions over that horrible day, they still stung. You never loved Eric because of his condition. That was so untrue and I cried silently to myself, mourning the only son I'd ever had and our fractured family that was now forever scarred by his absence.
At some point I must've dozed. The next thing I was aware of was voices downstairs. I snapped awake, noting the time on the battery-operated clock—7:45. The morning was bright, albeit smoky with thick bands of black gunk from the fires that were burning. The smell of smoke was definitely stronger now. I got up and walked over to the window, stepping around the large puddle of blood on the living room carpet from the primitive Martin and I had killed. Sure enough, the entire San Gabriel Valley was enveloped in light brown smoke and I could see half a dozen darker plumes rising here and there amid flickers of flames. I could taste the smoke in the back of my throat. It was going to be unbearable by noon. Amid the still
clanging sirens and fire alarms I could hear scattered shouts in the city below. It was hard to tell if they were from primitives or normal people.
Tracy, Emily, and Lori entered the living room. Emily was still wearing her nightgown from the previous evening. I hunkered down on my knees and smiled. "Hey Emily, come here." I held my arms out wide.
Emily ran to me and I swooped her up in a hug. I kissed her. "How'd you sleep, pumpkin?"
"Okay." Emily certainly looked better today. She turned to Tracy and Lori, who were standing next to me. "Lori told me a really good story!"
"Better than the ones I tell you?" I asked, mocking a sad face.
Emily giggled. "You always have the best stories, Daddy!"
I tickled her and Emily giggled some more.
Martin and James entered the room. Both of them looked refreshed.
"Anybody hungry?" Tracy asked.
"Where's Heather?" I asked.
"I think she's still asleep," Lori said.
"Let's let her sleep then."
Tracy headed to the kitchen and checked the gas on the stove. The utilities were still working. She glanced over at me. "Think it's okay to use the stove?"
"I don't see why not," Martin said.
"How about some eggs and sausage, then?"
That sounded fine with us. I put Emily down, got her some coloring books and crayons and sat her in her booster seat where she quickly began amusing herself. Lori sat with her and that freed me up to prepare a pot of coffee. Within minutes the aroma of brewing coffee, sizzling sausage, and scrambled eggs competed with the smell of the smoke that was creeping in through the shattered windows. I poured fresh orange juice for seven and soon we were at the table digging in.
"We should probably leave as soon as possible," I said. I was ravenous. I devoured that meal like I hadn't eaten in days.
"We're going to have to," Martin said. "If we can get over the San Gabriels we can reach Kern County by noon."
"If the roads aren't messed up that should be no problem," James added.
"We have a Thomas Brothers guide," Tracy piped in. She was sitting next to Emily. "I've never driven over to that side, but I'm sure we should be able to find a route."
"What kind of vehicle do you have?" Martin asked.
"We have an SUV," Tracy said. "I filled it up the day before yesterday."
"So it's got a full tank of gas?"
Tracy nodded.
"As long as the water is on we should shower, pack some essentials, get a route planned and get out of here," I said. I looked at Martin and James. "I don't know if any of my clothes will be a perfect fit for you guys, but I'll retrieve what I've got."
Tracy glanced at Lori. "I'll do the same for you."
"Thank you," Lori said.
"Where are we going?"
Heather had just entered the upper level of the house. She looked curious, but refreshed from sleep.
"Not sure yet," I said, gesturing toward the kitchen. "Help yourself to some coffee."
"Thanks." Heather shuffled into the kitchen and began serving herself.
Tracy and Lori were hunkered over their plates, ignoring Heather's presence, and I think Martin picked up on it. When he spoke it sounded like he was addressing Heather more than the rest of us. "We're thinking of leaving as soon as we can this morning. We're going to head into Kern County just to get away from the city. After that, we don't know yet."
"Wherever we go, it should be as far away from people as possible," Heather said. She poured herself the last of the coffee.
"I agree." Martin regarded the rest of us at the table. "Anybody have any suggestions?"
"Not yet," I said. "I say we take it one step at a time and try to make it over this mountain first."
"The sooner the better," James said.
Heather took her meal at the kitchen counter. I stood up, already finished. "Heather, sit down," I said, moving past her. To the others, I called out, "Anybody want more coffee?"
The answer to that was affirmative.
As I made a second pot of coffee we talked about a game plan. Most of the ideas came from Martin and me. The more I listened to Martin talk, the more I liked him. He had a take-charge attitude that was assertive and calming. It was obvious he'd been very successful in the corporate world, and it was good to have somebody with his logical and analytical mind on our side. Lori was just as sharp, and several times she countered some of Martin's suggestions not with a rebuttal, but with a devil's advocate type question. "Say we make it as far as Edwards Air Force Base," she mused at one point. "What the hell we gonna do out there in the middle of the damn desert?"
"We can at least see if any military personnel have survived," Martin explained. "I'm betting most of them haven't. If they're primitives, they've scattered by now. If any remain, we kill them and we can get more weapons and provisions from the base."
"And if anybody's human and they're hostile?" Lori asked.
Martin's face clouded. "That's a possibility, but to think about that will only hinder us."
"I say anybody we meet from now on who's human will need to be treated with extreme caution," Tracy offered.
As we debated this I watched Heather. She wolfed down her food, occasionally glancing at the others with a sense of distrust in her eyes. Yep, that girl could sure hold a grudge. I noticed Tracy watching her occasionally. I could tell she and Lori weren't taking well to Heather's presence. As long as they remained civil about it, I didn't care if they weren't speaking to her. Still, I'd have to keep an eye on Heather myself.
With a second pot of coffee brewed and breakfast finished, Tracy swung into action as director of evacuation. "There's showers in both bathrooms," she said. "Lori and Martin, if you want to go first, go for it. Towels are in the linen closet downstairs. I'll get some clean clothes for both of you."
As everybody sprang into action, Heather remained at the table eating. Tracy got Emily up and headed downstairs with her while Martin and Lori retreated to the bathrooms to shower and change. I headed downstairs to keep stock of the weapons and assist Tracy.
I was in the master bedroom gathering clothes for the guys and myself when Tracy came in with Emily. She closed the door. "Stay right here, sweetie," she told Emily.
Emily nodded and sat down on the floor. She looked solemn.
Tracy approached me and when we talked it was in low, yet passionate, tones. "I know Heather's just a kid, but I don't trust her," she said. "I'd like to get rid of her once we get on the other side of the mountain."
"Get rid of her?"
"Yes! Just dump her at the side of the road or something. Let her fend for herself."
"Tracy—"
"I. Don't. Trust her!" Tracy's features were grim. Determined. She had an icy sense of resolve in her eyes. Her decision was Final.
"I don't trust her completely myself, but we can't just drop her off in the middle of the desert and let her fend for herself!"
"What do you suggest we do then? We can't take everybody to the cabin?"
"No, we can't." I'm glad she brought the subject of the cabin up. We were on the same wavelength then. I'd been thinking of heading to the cabin ever since late yesterday when I realized things were no longer going to be safe for us in Los Angeles.
"I really like Lori," Tracy said. "And Martin and James seem like great guys. But I don't like Heather and after what happened last night, I don't know if I can trust her around Emily."
"I agree we need to be careful around her." I was choosing my words carefully, my brain on autopilot now. "And I think Martin is hip to what you're feeling." I gave Tracy a brief recap of my conversation with Martin last night.
"We still need to talk about the cabin," Tracy said.
I sighed. Tracy was right. The cabin would be empty now. Nobody in my family had been scheduled to be there this week, which meant the power would be turned off and there'd be minimal food there. There was the possibility the cabin was stocked with dry and canned goods, however. Thing
s like fresh juice or meats could be procured (again, depending if the power was still on and things weren't spoiled) from the local store once we arrived in town. The best thing about the cabin? Our closest neighbor was two miles away. The fewer people who were in the area when this hit, the fewer primitives there would be.
"I agree," I said. "What do you think we should do?"
"I trust everybody except Heather. I say we tell her she has to leave when we get over the mountain."
"What about everybody else?" I countered. "I have a feeling James isn't going to be so wild about that." My general feeling was that James was not only the live-and-let live type of guy, but very liberal. I mean, hell, he was a college professor.
Tracy didn't look happy. She glowered at me. "What if she does something to Emily?"
"She won't." I was serious about this. "There's enough of us now that if anything happens, Emily will be protected. And I hardly think you or I would let Heather be alone with Emily for even one second."
Tracy sighed. "You're right." She glanced at Emily, then back at me. "Okay. She stays."
"You and Emily are the most important people to me," I said. "I do not intend to let her out of our sight for even an instant. You got me?"
Tracy sighed, nodded, and we embraced quickly. "Come on," I whispered. "Let's get going."
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