Compton most likely would be dead if it hadn’t been for him. He had been with the doctor since the first days of this crisis, serving as his sounding board and supporting his decisions. He even protected the doctor both from the criticism and verbal attacks of their colleagues as well as from the rotters. Compton wasn’t the type of man who altered his opinions easily, so what happened back at the camp fire could not be written off as the doctor having a change of heart. The only reason he could think of was that somehow he had lost the doctor’s confidence, though for the life of him he could not see how….
The crunching of gravel from a few feet behind interrupted Thompson’s musings. Shit, he had been so self-absorbed with his own emotions he had not heard the rotter approaching. In one motion, Thompson reached for his Colt, pulled it from its holster, and spun around to take aim.
He was surprised to find himself staring down the barrel at O’Bannon.
O’Bannon stopped short and raised his hands in front of his chest as if to ward off the bullets. “It’s cool, man. I’m not the enemy.”
“Sorry,” Thompson reholstered the sidearm, “my mind was elsewhere.”
“You gotta be more careful. Out here, a mistake like that can get you killed.”
“I’m sure most of you wouldn’t mind.”
O’Bannon stepped up to Thompson and looked him in the eyes. “As I said, I’m not the enemy.”
“Interesting choice of words.” Thompson left the statement hanging.
“I’m not playing word games. Truth is, I don’t like or trust the bloodsuckers any more than I do the rotters. The only difference is that the rotters aren’t as cunning. And I think you feel the same way.”
Thompson nodded in agreement.
O’Bannon’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “And neither of us is too happy with the vamp lovers around here, or with the way Robson’s running the show.”
“You have that right.” Thompson grew cautious about where this conversation might be heading, and chose his next question very carefully. “What are you planning to do about it?”
“Nothing. And you should do the same thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just lay off with the bloodsucker comments. Like it or not, Robson’s in charge out here. And although he’s an asshole, he’s done a good job keeping us alive so far. Besides, most of the others like and respect him, and none of them would go along with us if we tried anything.” O’Bannon cast a disparaging glance back toward the convoy. “Most of them have been buying into this alliance with the bloodsuckers for so long they can’t see the reality from the bullshit.”
“So that’s what you came to tell me?” asked Thompson, the anger returning to his voice. “To lay low and shut up?”
“I’m advising you to lay low and shut up until we reach Site R. Then you and the doctor are in charge, and you’ll have the advantage.” O’Bannon’s voice went softer, not that there was anyone else around who could overhear. “Once you have the vaccine, if you and the doctor decide you’ve had enough and want to set off on your own, I want to go with you.”
“You hate the bloodsuckers that much?”
“It’s mostly a question of self preservation. Sooner or later it’s gonna come down to humans versus vampires, and I don’t feel like fighting them by myself.”
“I’ll mention it to Compton.”
“Good.” O’Bannon gave Thompson a friendly smile. It was the first time the colonel could recall seeing genuine emotion from the man.
O’Bannon headed back to the convoy, passing by Compton who approached the two. The two exchanged a few pleasantries. A minute later, the doctor joined Thompson.
“What was that all about?”
Thompson watched O’Bannon as he walked back to the campsite. “He was just warning me to lay low until we reached Site R.”
“Good advice. You should take it.” The colonel started to protest, but Compton cut him off. “Look, I’m sorry I dressed you down back there, but we’ve discussed this before. Robson’s in charge and we can’t go bucking his authority. Besides, like it or not, we need the bloodsuckers to ensure we make it back to the site. Once we get there, we’ll take care of this problem once and for all.”
“I understand.”
“So we’re okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Compton turned and headed back towards the convoy, motioning for the colonel to join him. Thompson fell in beside his boss. “What else did O’Bannon say?”
“Well, for starters, he hates the bloodsuckers as much as we do.”
“That’s good. We know we can rely on him when the time comes.”
“He did warn me that the rest of the group respects Robson, and will probably follow his lead when it comes to the bloodsuckers.”
Compton frowned. “That’s too bad. I’d hoped we would have more support.”
“What happens if they don’t go along with your plan?”
Compton thought for a moment. “When the time comes, they’ll have to decide which side they want to be on.”
Thompson did not like the implications of the doctor’s response, but decided not to pursue it any further.
Chapter Twenty-nine
“What are you listening to?” asked Dravko.
“The humans.” Tatyana lay on the top bunk, her head pressed against the inner wall of the Ryder. “They’re arguing.”
“About what?”
“I can’t tell.”
“Probably about us,” chimed in Tibor. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re debating the best way to get rid of us and make it look like we were rotter casualties.”
“Enough,” barked Dravko. “Tatyana, move away from the wall and get some rest. You’ll need it tonight.”
Tatyana obeyed reluctantly, mostly because the shouting had ended and she could no longer hear anything.
Rest was the last thing any of the vampires could hope for. The death of Sultanic weighed heavily on them, not only because he was their friend, but because the scarcity of their numbers was such that the loss of even one member proved devastating. Combined with the uncertainty of what would happen to them in the next few hours, both at the hands of the rotters and their human comrades, they were too agitated to sleep.
After several minutes, Tatyana leaned her head against the wall. “It’s quiet out there. I can’t hear anyone.”
Dravko sighed. “You have to trust the humans.”
“Why?” asked Tibor. “They despise us as much as we despise them.”
“You really hate the humans that much?”
“I despise what we’ve become living with them. Having to rely on them for our safety, having to feed off livestock so we don’t offend them, having to treat them like equals. It’s… it’s….”
“Demeaning,” Tatyana concluded his sentence.
Dravko found himself at a loss for words. He felt the same way at times, although he would never voice those feelings to anyone other than Elena. Nor would he admit that taking down those gang members offered a thrill he had not experienced since before the outbreak. The way each man had screamed and struggled, pumping adrenaline into the bloodstream, sweetening the vital life fluid. It may not have been as exhilarating as a hunt through the streets of New York City, but it provided more of a rush than feeding off cattle.
Strangely, the kill also dredged up an emotion Dravko had not felt for centuries. Guilt. Not for what happened to the gang members, because he could have cared less about them. They had to die if the rest of the raiding party hoped to survive, the manner of death being irrelevant. The guilt resulted from the awkward position he had placed Robson in. After spending so many months repressing their natural instincts in order to fit in with the humans, their feeding frenzy only reinforced the vast differences between the two. Robson had put his reputation on the line defending them, especially while on this insane mission. For the first time since humans and vampires had reluctantly agreed to join forces, Dravko felt a te
nuous bond developing between the two species. At best, yesterday’s lapse would make Robson’s efforts to defend them that much more difficult. At worst, it could well have undone months of reconciliation.
Still, he empathized with Tibor and Tatyana. “I know it’s not our way, but we’ve had to adapt. Without the humans, we’d be dead by now.”
“I could say the same about the humans,” said Tibor. “We lost Sultanic because he tried to save Whitehouse, and the humans could care less.”
“That’s not true. Robson was upset about Sultanic.”
“I wish all the humans were as decent as him,” said Tatyana.
“Robson’s not the threat to us,” admitted Tibor, “but there’s only a few like him. Most of the humans would drag us into the sun without a second thought, especially Compton and the colonel.”
“Those two are evil.” Tatyana sneered.
“And once we get to their compound, they’ll be running the show,” Tibor added ominously. “We won’t be able to rely on Robson to protect us.”
“Then we rely on ourselves,” Dravko responded defiantly. “When we get to Site R, we don’t stop looking over our shoulders. We stick together, or stay with the humans we trust, like Robson or Natalie. No one goes off alone or puts himself in a situation where Compton or Thompson can isolate and take us down.”
Tibor raised himself in his hammock and looked over at Dravko. “And what happens if Compton or Thompson try something?”
Dravko shrugged. “Then we’ll do whatever we have to in order to survive.”
Chapter Thirty
Preparations for the final run to Site R were completed by noon. Since the convoy would not be setting out until after dark, Robson advised everyone to get a few hours of rest. Once the others had bunked down for the afternoon, he made his rounds of the perimeter to check on the Angels standing guard duty. Before heading back to the armored car and settling down himself, Robson strolled a quarter of a mile down the road, stopping by a small bridge that crossed over a creek. The road continued straight as far as he could see until it disappeared in the distance.
It reminded him of the autumn Sunday drives he used to take with Susan when they would stop for a picnic lunch. A warm sun mixed with the chill of an October day, the two blending into a comfortable afternoon. The foliage had just started to turn down here, small patches of red, orange, and yellow blotting the trees. Around him, the sounds of nature echoed through the woods. Birds chirped, insects buzzed, and occasionally some hidden animal scurried through the brush, all of them oblivious to the near extinction of the once most dominant species. This stretch of road lay in stark contrast to the urban nightmare not far removed from them.
Robson didn’t want to think about what waited for them beyond the horizon.
“A penny for your thoughts?” The voice came from behind him. He turned to see Natalie standing directly there.
“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking.”
She moved up close beside him. “Worrying about what we’ll face tonight?”
“Partly.” Robson kept his gaze focused on the far end of the road. “You realize less than ten miles from here sits a horror none of us have ever experienced, at least since the first days of the outbreak?”
“I’m trying not to dwell on it.”
A moment of silence passed between them, a few brief seconds where they enjoyed each other’s company in a pristine countryside left untouched by the living dead. It reminded Robson of better days. If this raid succeeded, the world might enjoy days like this once again.
“What else is bothering you?”
“Huh?” Robson had only half heard the question.
“You said you were partly worried because of tonight’s run. What else is bothering you?
“I’m concerned about what we’ll find at Site R. Compton and Thompson aren’t telling us everything.”
“If it’s any consolation, we’re all worried about that.”
He had not heard any of the others voice concern about their mission. “Really?”
Natalie nodded. “I overheard some of my girls complaining that no one is leveling with us. And Daytona and Ari were bitching about it just this morning.”
“And here I was thinking I’m just being paranoid.”
“I prefer to think of it as you being cautious. Whatever you call it, it’s kept us alive this long, so don’t stop now. And for what it’s worth, no matter what we face in the next few days, my girls are behind you all the way. Especially me.”
Natalie reached out and wrapped his hand in her own, gently squeezing it for mutual reassurance.
Robson desperately wanted to take Natalie in his arms and kiss her, but refrained from being impulsive. The last thing either of them needed right now was a physical distraction that took their minds off of the task at hand. There might be time enough for that later.
Instead, the two of them stood quietly on the road, holding hands and enjoying each other’s company.
Chapter Thirty-one
The sun had set nearly two hours earlier. Everyone had eaten dinner. For the humans it consisted of MREs and fire-brewed coffee, and for the vampires stored cattle blood. Afterwards, Robson took aside the drivers and those who would navigate and, huddled together in the glare of the armored car’s headlights, each of them reviewed the maps and satellite photos until they practically knew the route to Gettysburg by heart. Even that familiarity did not evoke much confidence, for each member of the raiding party knew that the toughest part of the trip lay just ahead, and the success or failure of this mission could well hinge on what went down in the next hour.
When the drivers and navigators felt fairly confident of what to anticipate, Robson gathered everyone in a circle, bathed in the lights from the armored car and bus. He carefully studied each of their faces, assuming some of those gathered probably would not make it through the night. A nagging part of him wondered how many more of his people he would lose before they made it to Gettysburg. Pushing aside the negativity and focusing on the task at hand, Robson took a deep breath.
“At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I want to warn you about what we face. A few miles down this road we’ll be entering the suburbs around Harrisburg. The satellite photos don’t tell us much. We think it’s clear of traffic and debris, but the photos are months old. And we have no idea how much rotter activity we’ll face. The safest best is to expect the worst.
“The goal is to make it to Site R. If we don’t get Compton and his team to the facility to get the vaccine, then we’ve wasted our time and lives for nothing. In other words, every one of us is expendable. So be careful out there. If any of the vehicles get separated from the convoy, haul ass out of the area and make your own way to Site R. We’ll meet you there. If we find ourselves in a clusterfuck of rotters and one of the vehicles gets stuck, we’ll try to get you out as long as it doesn’t endanger the rest of us. If we can’t get to you, you’re on your own. We can’t risk any heroics that’ll get us all killed. Are we all clear on that?”
No one answered.
“Are we clear on that?”
The group responded affirmatively, though with little enthusiasm.
“Good. Compton will ride in the bus with the Angels. Jennifer will go with Tatyana and Mad Dog in the Ryder. Thompson is with me and Dravko in the armored car.”
Thompson shook his head. “It’s better if I stay with the doctor.”
“Sorry, but each vehicle will carry one member of your team. God forbid, if something happens to the bus and the Ryder, I don’t want this whole mission to be a failure.”
The colonel started to protest, but Compton cut him off. “He’s right. Besides, if these young ladies can’t protect me, there’s not much you’ll be able to do.”
Thompson backed down. He turned and stepped away from the group, clearly upset at being dressed down yet again by his commanding officer.
Robson resumed the briefing, this time trying to make eye contact with everyon
e standing around him. “I don’t know if any of you still believe in God after what we’ve been through the past eight months, but if you do, now’s a good time to pray for success. We’ll pull out in five minutes. With luck, we’ll all meet up at Site R.”
The group broke up and went their separate ways. Some went off into the woods to relieve themselves, while a few found a private spot away from the others and prayed. Only Natalie stayed behind, waiting until the others had cleared out before stepping up to Robson. A look of concern replaced her usual smile.
“Do you really think it’ll be that bad?”
“We’d be foolish to think otherwise.”
Natalie forced a smile. “Expect the worse, hope for the best?”
“Something like that.”
“Just don’t do anything foolish.”
“I don’t intend to. Me, Dravko, and the colonel can take care of ourselves. I need you to keep an eye on Compton and get him to Site R in one piece.”
“You can count on me.”
“I know I can.”
Natalie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Robson, hugging him. He could feel the warmth of her body even underneath the leather pants and jacket. She held the embrace for several seconds.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“You too.”
When Natalie finally broke free, she turned and headed back to the school bus without looking at Robson. He thought he noticed tears in her eyes. He watched until she boarded the school bus, and then made his way to the armored car and climbed into the passenger seat. Dravko sat in the driver’s seat, the engine idling. Thompson sat in back, staring at the interior wall. No one spoke.
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