The woman smiled and picked up the phone. When she was finished, she pointed to the elevator. “Go up to the penthouse.”
“Thank you.”
Once we reached the top floor, a man in a dark suit waited for us. I recognized him as the security guard from when I was there, and he nodded in my direction. He took us to the sitting room where Olivia waited. She smiled as we approached and held her hands out to embrace me.
“Krista, darling, it has been so long.” She took a seat on the couch and patted the space next to her. “You must tell me everything.”
I took a seat where she indicated, and Pam sat across from us.
“There’s really nothing to tell. We supervise the workers as they build the wall, and we fend off any attacking zombies.”
Olivia waved her hand in the air. “Nonsense. I’m sure you have plenty of adventures to regale me with. How’s Liet?”
I forced a smile. “Fine.”
“Oh, I’m sure he is. Now who’s this?” She directed her attention to Pam.
“This is Pam. She is one of Liet’s colonels.”
Pam nodded in the woman’s direction.
“Very nice to meet you. So tell me, what is it that brings you back to Florida?”
“Liet wanted me to bring you a gift.”
“Really? What is it?”
“A truckload of supplies from the West. He figured you might be running low on things, so he sent stuff to replenish your stores.”
“Wasn’t that thoughtful of him? What is it that he wishes in return?”
I cleared my throat. “He needs some different workers. Preferably ones who aren’t the dregs of your society.”
Olivia’s mouth opened in mock horror. “Is he insinuating that I’d send our criminals and undesirables to him? I assure you, those who make the trip to North Platte have every intention of working hard for their country.”
I shook my head. “No, no. He’s not accusing you of that. He wants a few more…professionals to work with. Say, some of your engineers.”
Olivia glanced from me to Pam and back to me. “I’m not sure we can give up any of our engineers. We need all of them here. Give me a couple days to confer with the other families. I’ll let you know.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“Now, what can I do to make your stay more comfortable?”
“I was wondering if you knew where I could find Pearl.”
Olivia smiled. “Of course, dear.”
Since I’d left, they’d converted the rooms on the second floor into apartments. Most of the teachers lived there, along with the Johnson family servants. I found the number on the door and hesitated before knocking. Again, all the different scenarios of how Pearl would react ran through my mind. I imagined she’d slam the door in my face. Pam stood next me. I felt her breath on my cheek.
“Well, are you going to knock?”
I took a deep breath. Raising my hand, I tapped quickly on the door. I heard the shuffling of feet, then the door swung open, and I was face-to-face with Pearl. At first, she stared at me blankly, then realization hit, and she threw her arms around my neck. I was so relieved, I let out the breath I held and hugged her back.
“Oh, my god,” Pearl spoke as she pulled away, “I would have never guessed in a million years that you’d be standing at my door.” She turned and held out her hand. “Please, come in.”
We stepped into the apartment. “Pearl, this is my friend, Pam.”
Pearl shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.” She placed her hands on her cheeks and stared at me. “I still can’t believe you’re actually here. I know it’s only been several months, but it seems like forever!”
“It’s been a while.”
Pearl stepped forward and embraced me again. “I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered.
Tears stung my eyes. I missed Pearl too, way more than I imagined.
Pearl pulled away. “Let me get you two something to drink.” She stepped into the kitchen while Pam and I took a seat on the couch. “I want to hear everything that you’ve been up to,” Pearl called from the kitchen. She brought out lemonade and handed the glasses to us.
“No, you first. I want to hear what you’ve been doing.”
Pearl grimaced. “Oh, not much has changed since you left. Obviously, I’m still living in the same place and I still have the same job, but I was reunited with my uncle.”
“Really?”
Pearl nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, my dad’s brother. It’s been great. We both miss the rest of the family, but at least we have each other.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s an electrician. He and his company pretty much keep Florida running. He’s hoping they’ll approve our application so we can go with the first wave and start colonizing the East Coast.”
My forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Why do you have to apply? Why don’t you just go?”
Pearl took a drink. “Because it’s not safe. Just because the majority of the zombies have migrated west that doesn’t mean all of them have. The Families send out crews to make sure the cities are safe, and they come back with reports all the time that there are still zombies out there. As soon as they come back and say it’s clear, The Families will send out engineers and architects to rebuild the U.S., starting with the East Coast. Tom, my uncle, hopes to be a part of the original colonists.”
It was possible a few zombies lingered behind, but nothing that one person couldn’t handle. I couldn’t believe it. Quinn was right. Not that I really doubted him, but I had to hear it with my own ears. Fear kept these people in Florida. I wondered what other lies they’d been told.
“That’s enough about me. I want to hear about you now. Tell me everything.”
I did.
CHAPTER 16
It was almost midnight by the time the three of us went to bed. Pearl’s uncle was away on business, so she insisted that Pam and I stay. We had nowhere else to go, so we agreed. The next morning I stood out on the balcony, enjoying the sun and watching as the students headed to school. Pearl brought me a cup of coffee.
“So is it as bad as they say it is?” Pearl cradled the cup in her hands.
“Is what as bad?” I blew on the coffee before taking a sip.
“North Platte. They say zombies attack daily, taking at least three people with them.”
I shrugged. “Well, it’s not paradise, for sure, but it’s not that bad either.”
Pearl shook her head. “I can’t even imagine. I know you’ve been through a lot, but I can’t imagine why you stay out there. I mean, look at you. You’ve always been skinny, but you look downright starved. If it weren’t for your muscles, I’d think you were about to waste away to nothing!”
I set my cup down. “Life is difficult, Pearl, but it’s not impossible. Like I told you last night, there are survivors on the other side of the wall. You just have to be cautious.”
Pearl shivered. “I heard that even if they touch you, you become one of them.”
I got angry. Pearl was a smart girl, why was she falling for their lies? “Who told you that?”
“The Families. They receive reports all the time from North Platte and air them on the TV and radio. It’s because of those reports that I don’t really want to go colonize the East. I want to stay here where it’s safe.”
My eyes widened. “You have TV and radio down here?”
“Of course. How do you communicate with the world?”
“CB radios if we’re lucky.”
“So, it’s not true? How do you turn into a zombie?”
“I don’t really know, but I know that it takes more than a touch.”
“Have you ever seen anyone change?”
I hesitated. “No.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Quinn, the guy I told you about last night, has seen people change. He says that it takes twenty-four hours.”
“Then how do you know a touch won’t do it?”
I put my leg up on the rail and pulled up my jeans, exposing the deep purple scars caused by the zombie’s nails. “Because I was attacked, and I haven’t turned yet. That was weeks ago. Plus, there are these checks we have to go through. Even the doctor wasn’t worried about these marks.”
Pearl visibly paled, and I pulled my pant leg down. “So, we didn’t really talk about it last night because we were busy catching up, but tell me about these crews that get sent out to the cities.”
Pearl drank her coffee. “They are basically cleanup crews that go in and destroy any zombies that are still in the area. According to them, there is still a serious threat out there.”
I scowled. “The only zombies that are left behind were probably trapped in something. There are no longer roving bands in the East.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know a lot more than you do. I’ve been east, Pearl. We used to get our supplies from there. Trust me, it’s nothing like the West.”
Pearl lowered her gaze to her coffee, and I stared out at the horizon. I set my jaw. I wasn’t really mad at her, but I was frustrated that she took The Families’ word as gospel. I guessed following them blindly was better than actually living her life. That required risks, and risks could be scary. I knew she wasn’t the only one. There were a lot of people out there who believed everything they were told. There had to be or else society couldn’t function. If everyone was a leader, there would be constant wars. Followers kept the world balanced. It was too bad they were following the wrong leaders.
Not that I thought Quinn and his friends were necessarily better, but at least their plan called for action. They weren’t driven by power but a desire to see the human race survive. That was at least a noble cause. Could The Families claim that?
“So,” I interrupted the silence, “when is Tom supposed to be back?”
“Oh, he won’t be back for a couple days. One of the transformers in Miami went down, so he’ll be there until it’s fixed.”
“When are you hoping to head to Georgia? I mean, when is he?”
Pearl stared at me, a small smile on her face. “He wants to go as soon as possible, but I’m trying to postpone it. I want to stay here where it’s safe. He’s my uncle, so what can I say?”
I turned back to my cup. Pearl hadn’t changed at all since I’d left. It became painfully apparent we didn’t have anything in common, and that I couldn’t count on my friend to help distribute the firearms. We were going to have to figure something else out, but I didn’t know what, and I was sure Liet wouldn’t let me come back to Florida.
A soft knock resounded through the room, and Pearl went to answer the door. While she was gone, Pam joined me on the balcony. We looked at each other, but didn’t say a word. Pearl returned a few minutes later and told us Olivia was ready to open her package.
I handed her the coffee mug. “Well, I suppose we’d better get down there. Thanks for everything.”
Pearl looked shocked. “You’re leaving? I was hoping you could stay a couple days and I could take you around and show you the new Florida.”
I grimaced. “Unfortunately, we have to get back. Liet is short-handed.”
Pearl raised her eyebrows. “I can’t believe you’re going back to that awful place.”
“We all do what we have to do.”
Tears formed in Pearl’s eyes. “I’ll miss you.” She stepped forward and embraced me.
I wrapped my arms around my friend and laid my chin on Pearl’s shoulder. “I’ll miss you too.”
That wasn’t a lie. I did miss sitting up and talking to her. I thought if I could tell anyone about Quinn and my feelings, it’d be her. I also knew it wouldn’t take long for us to run out of things to talk about. She had her vision of the future and I had mine. It was a shame they weren’t the same. We let each other go.
“If you’re ever back in Florida,” Pearl wiped the tears from her eyes, “make sure you look me up.”
I smiled. “I will.”
Pam and I went downstairs where we met Olivia and her entourage in the lobby. Walking to the semi, I opened the back. Olivia smiled with satisfaction.
“I believe the other families can be persuaded to fulfill Liet’s request.” She snapped her fingers, and her men got to work unloading the trailer. “You can expect them in the next couple weeks.”
“I’m sure Liet will be ecstatic.”
Olivia smiled, then headed back into the hotel.
As Pam and I watched the men work, I heard someone call my name. I turned and scanned the area, and a girl with blonde hair ran toward me. I stared in disbelief.
“Krista, is that really you?”
“Tanya?”
Tanya giggled. “Yeah, it’s me. What are you doing here?”
I was stunned, and it took me a minute to collect my thoughts. “We’re dropping off some supplies.”
Tanya continued to smile. “I know, I know, you’re surprised I’m speaking to you.”
I nodded. “Yeah, a little.”
“All of that stuff that happened at school is in the past. Things have changed since you’ve been gone. How’s everything going?”
“Fine.”
“Oh, we really should catch up. When you’re finished here, do you want to meet me at the coffee shop over there?” She pointed across the street.
“Sure.”
“Great. See you in a bit.” She turned and headed to the shop.
“You sure are popular down here,” Pam remarked.
“I guess,” I replied.
After they finished unloading the truck, we went to the shop. Tanya stood behind the counter and smiled as we walked in. She grabbed some coffee, gestured to one of the tables, and we all sat.
“Have you seen Pearl yet?”
I nodded. “Yeah, we stayed with her last night.”
Tanya clicked her tongue. “She hasn’t changed much, has she?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“You know, I used to believe if I pretended the zombie attack wasn’t happening, then it would stop happening or just happen to other people. When they started migrating west, I thought it was the best thing that could happen to us. I didn’t realize there were far worse things. Unlike Pearl, my eyes were open.”
Curiosity coursed through me. “What do you mean?”
“She believes all the hype. She thinks if we leave Florida, we’re sacrificing ourselves. Lambs to the slaughter, if you will. I know she’s wrong. She has to be. I mean, you’re still alive.”
I drank as she spoke and almost choked on the liquid. I decided to probe further and played a little dumb.
“What hype are you talking about?”
“Oh, the crap The Families bombard the airwaves with. They tell us if we leave, we’re going to wind up dead. Or worse, undead.” Tanya leaned forward and lowered her voice. “They tell us that so they can keep control. If everyone spreads out into the East Coast, they lose their grip on society. They don’t want to leave Florida. It’s their only safe haven.”
“Eventually they’re going to have to go somewhere,” Pam interjected. “Florida can’t sustain population growths forever.”
“I know that, and they know that. They don’t want to make it easy. Until they can figure out how to enforce their power outside the Florida border, they’re going to keep us here as long as they can.” She turned to me. “You were smart. You got out of here when you got the chance.”
I laughed. “Yeah, my life has been a cakewalk since I left here.” I glanced at Pam, and we chuckled.
Tanya shrugged. “Maybe not, but at least you’re doing something. Most people here are biding their time and waiting to die.”
“Isn’t that what Florida’s always been for?” Pam smiled.
Tanya either didn’t catch the sarcasm or chose to ignore it. “I think it’s wonderful you’ve gotten out and decided to do something.”
“It’s not too late for you to leave, you know.” Tanya was really weirding me out. What h
appened to make her change her mind?
Tanya shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been reunited with my dad, and he wants to stay here. After watching my mom and sister die, he’s extremely overprotective. I can’t blame him, though. I don’t really want to leave his side either. There’s no way I can go to North Platte. He started this business, and everything has been great. It does make me sad, though, to think I’ll never be able to experience the world like we used to.”
“You can’t change the fact that zombies attacked. The world is different, no matter how you look at it.”
“I know, but it’d be nice to once again experience what it’s like to live free. To not be ruled by tyranny. If I could change that, I would.”
Pam stood abruptly from her seat. “Coffee’s going right through me. Where is the bathroom?”
Tanya pointed to the other side of the room. I waited until the door closed, then leaned forward and folded my hands on the table.
“How far are you willing to go to ensure change?”
Tanya lowered her voice to a whisper. “I shouldn’t say anything because if someone overhears me, I’m on a one-way trip to Nebraska, but I’d love for The Families to be taken out. We can’t live in fear. If we’re going to reclaim the land, then we need to get off our butts and do something about the zombies.”
I heard the bathroom door open and close. “I know of a way you can help.”
I straightened as Pam came back to the table.
Tanya smiled. “How much longer are you two planning on staying?”
“We should really head back,” I said. “There’s nothing here for us.”
Tanya stood and held out her hand, which Pam and I shook. “It was nice to see you again.”
Pam headed for the door.
“Hey,” I called after her, “I’m going to stop by the ladies’ room. I’ll meet you at the truck.”
Pam nodded and headed out. I turned toward Tanya.
“There are people in the West who feel the same way you do. Although I find it weird that you even feel that way. If we ever get the chance, you have to tell me what changed your mind. We want to arm the people so they can overthrow The Families and help destroy the zombie horde. Can I trust you with this?”
Life After The Undead Omnibus Page 16