Throughout the day, he kept a watchful eye on the intersection below.
Two militia search parties passed along Broadway around lunchtime, but he did not see anybody after that.
He figured that they had either lost interest or found a more promising target.
Either way, Teddy knew that they had to leave Nashville. But go where?
There were lots of buses parked at the terminal below.
He read the Red Cross evacuation destination banners on the buses with bored fascination: Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, St. Louis. Decently sized cities. Were any of those places still functioning? He already knew the answer in the back of his mind.
They’d have to find a place where they could live peacefully.
It would have to be a place unclaimed by marauders and would-be armies.
It also would have to be off of FEMA’s radar.
Teddy guessed that there was a slim chance that they’d eventually run into a place like that, but couldn’t offer the kid the assurances that he seemed to want.
At this time, though, he didn’t think that Ein needed many assurances.
As far as he could tell, their destination was the last thing on the kid’s mind.
After changing into some dry clothes courtesy of the gift shop, Ein and the girl spent most of their time in the restaurant downstairs.
Teddy heard them laughing and carrying on. He didn’t go downstairs to interrupt. Hell, he figured that they were getting along well enough without his grouchy ass around.
It dawned on him more than once that they most likely wouldn’t be going their separate ways after all.
The girl seemed to like Ein’s company just fine, and Teddy could tell that the kid felt the same.
Teddy didn’t like the idea of having another person around—especially someone he didn’t trust—but he knew Ein would veto his vote.
While they were busy entertaining themselves downstairs, he spent his time trying to think of their next move.
At first, he couldn’t come up with anything that made sense.
Even if they managed to find a car with a functioning battery, the roads were shit and would prove impossible to navigate.
A motorcycle or scooter would’ve been ideal for maneuvering through the traffic, but he didn’t know how to ride, and since there were no functioning emergency rooms, he didn’t think this was a perfect time to try his luck.
He briefly considered riding a horse, but quickly dismissed the thought. He couldn’t ride and was frightened of the damn things.
Just as he was about to resign himself to walking, his weary gaze spotted something promising outside.
Past the cul-de-sac and the overturned trolley, there was a concrete pier behind the bus station that had two motorboats and a pontoon anchored to it. The boats were all decorated with “Music City River Tours.”
Suddenly, an idea dawned on Teddy.
He didn’t know much about horses or motorbikes, but he knew a whole hell of a lot about boats.
When he visited Corpus, he would spend most of his time on the water. Even though he wasn’t much of a fisherman, he knew how to operate a boat.
Unlike the highways and interstates, the river would be clear.
If they took the Cumberland River out west towards the Mississippi River and then go south to the Gulf of Mexico then maybe, just maybe, they—
His chain of thought was interrupted when Ein pushed open the gift shop’s door. “Hey, dinner’s ready. Are you coming downstairs?”
Teddy looked over at him.
Ein wore a Hard Rock Café branded shirt, dark jeans, and a biker’s jacket.
Teddy didn’t think it was a bad look for the kid. “What’s on the menu?”
“A few cans of chili and kidney beans. Nothing special, but it’s better than nothing.” Ein held up two cans of peaches. “We even managed to find something for dessert.”
“Any luck on finding a camp stove?”
“Nope. It’s all practically frozen, but it does have some flavor.”
“Still better than what we’ve been eating, I reckon.”
“Yeah, I was surprised by how much stuff the kitchen had. “If you want, you could probably find something else to throw together.”
“It’s fine.” Teddy hopped off of the empty shelf and flicked his toothpick over a rack of novelty magnets. “At this point, I think I’d eat an old shoe if it were seasoned right.”
Ein laughed and followed him towards the stairs. Framed band posters, neon signs, and autographed musical instruments covered the walls.
“How’s the girl?” Teddy asked.
“Lizzy? She’s fine. Why ask?”
“I dunno.” Teddy shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think she was the kind to stick around. I expected her to make a run for it once she had her hands on whatever supplies she could get.”
Ein frowned and walked faster to catch up with Teddy. “She’s not like that, you know… She’s a good person.”
“I don’t know how good she is, but if she put up with you for a whole day, then she certainly has patience.”
“Teddy.” Ein placed a hand on his shoulder.
Teddy stopped and turned to face him. “Yes?”
“She’s a good person,” Ein emphasized. “I think she should be able to go with us if she wants.”
Teddy crossed his arms over his chest and cocked a brow. “You do, huh?”
“Yes, I do,” Ein said as he locked eyes with him.
Teddy wasn’t shocked by Ein’s request, but the forcefulness behind it was surprising. He never realized just how much of a toll that loneliness had taken on the kid. Despite his doubts about the girl, he yielded with a sigh and a wave of his hands. “Fine. She can come if she wants, but I’m against the idea.”
Ein’s expression immediately brightened. “Really?”
“She’s your responsibility and better carry her weight.” Teddy brushed Ein’s hand off of his shoulder and continued towards the stairs. “I hope you have thought this through.”
“I’m young, but I’m not some naïve idiot.” Ein followed after him. “I know how to use my head.”
“In this case, I’m just worried which head is thinking,” Teddy griped.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ein asked, defensively.
“Forget it. Let’s go eat before our cold food gets even colder.”
Downstairs, the debris left behind from the looting took up one side of the restaurant, and the floor had been swept clean. Cotton tarps and overturned tabletops covered the shattered windows and broken doors.
Teddy stared at their handiwork. “You two were busy.”
“That was Lizzy’s idea,” Ein said as he pointed at the covered windows. “Keeps the chill out.”
“I see.” Teddy started to point out the fact that it made the building stand out more, but he hadn’t seen any patrols for a long time. He decided not to bust the kid’s chops.
Thin rays of orange sunlight seeped through the cracks of the makeshift window coverings, but soon it would be gone, and the entire restaurant would be pitch-black.
“Where’s the food?” Teddy asked. “It’ll be dark soon, and I’d prefer to see what I’m eating.”
“We’re set up in the kitchen—there’s a skylight in there, and it’s warmer in the back.” Ein led Teddy towards the kitchen’s swinging double-doors and smiled. “Lizzy found a flashlight that works in the janitor’s closet, so you don’t have to worry about the dark.”
“Lizzy’s just full of surprises, isn’t she?” Teddy asked with mock enthusiasm.
Ein lost his smile. “Lizzy’s a—”
“Relax,” Teddy interrupted. “I’m just ribbing you. I’m not badmouthing your new girlfriend.”
Ein blushed. “She’s—she’s not my girlfriend.”
“Okay, kid, whatever you say.” Teddy laughed and slapped him on the back as he walked into the kitchen. “I’ll try to behave, I promise.”
One of t
he tables was brought in from the dining room, and it sat in front of the ranges. Three place settings were arranged on top. In the middle, a flashlight had been propped up inside a clear vase that served as a centerpiece. The kid and Lizzie had even put three chairs around the table.
A strong stench of flowery air freshener hung in the air, although it did little to mask the ripe smell of decay that wafted in from somewhere at the back of the kitchen.
Lizzy, her black hair pulled back into a ponytail, emerged from the dish room carrying an aluminum tray with three plates piled high with runny canned chili and beans. She wore a branded long-sleeve pullover and sweatpants. “I’m surprised you came downstairs.”
“And I’m surprised that you’re still here,” Teddy shot back.
“Teddy…” Ein said quietly. “Stop… You promised that you’d behave.”
“What did I say wrong?” Teddy asked, his hands spread out at his side. “I was saying that I was surprised is all. Can’t a man speak his mind?”
Lizzy let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head as she sat the plates on the table. “I told you that this wasn’t going to work out, Ein… Your friend is an asshole.”
Teddy scowled and pointed at her. “Look, I don’t need no third wheel tagging along and stirring up discontent.”
Lizzy dropped the empty tray to the floor and faced him with fiery eyes.
“She’s not stirring up anything!” Ein stepped between them but focused his anger at Teddy. “You’re doing a fine job doing that all by yourself!”
Teddy stared back at him for a moment and then reached up to rub his forehead with a sigh. “I didn’t come downstairs to argue with you.” He walked to the table, plopped down on one of the seats, and started eating.
Ein and Lizzy glanced at each other and took seats opposite him.
The meal was cold—the mood around the table was even colder.
Nobody spoke.
Teddy and Ein cleaned off their plates relatively quickly.
Lizzy poked and prodded at her plate with a fork, but didn’t take more than a few bites.
Ein watched her and was the first to break the awkward silence. “How is it?”
“It tastes okay.” Lizzy stared down at her plate and frowned. “I’m just not very hungry.”
“You should try to eat something,” Ein said. “You’ll need the energy.”
“I’ll be fine.” Lizzy gave him a thin smile and then went back to prodding the cold lump of chili.
Another ten minutes of awkward silence passed.
Ein nervously cleared his throat and smiled at Lizzy. “So, uh… Any thoughts about where you’ll be going to in the morning?”
“I’m getting those pills back,” Lizzy answered. “I can’t go back without them.”
“Good luck with that,” Teddy grumbled. “I’m sure they have their supplies on lockdown after your last attempt.”
Lizzy ignored him. “Where are you headed, Ein?”
“Um…” Ein looked at Teddy as if expecting an answer.
Teddy kept silent and pushed around the last kidney bean on his plate with his fork.
“I don’t know yet.” Ein turned his attention back towards Lizzy. “We’ve spent a lot of time running without much planning… It’d be nice not to have to run anymore.”
“Dover is safe,” Lizzy said. “We’re a small community, but we have good people.”
“Safe…” Teddy scoffed as he kept staring down at his plate. “Nowhere is safe as long as FEMA is around. Haven’t you seen the helicopters?”
“For the past few days, I have, yeah.”
“Care to guess why that is?” Teddy asked as he scowled down at the kidney bean.
“I’m not sure,” Lizzy said. “Maybe they’re finally coming after the pretend armies.”
“No, they’re not.” Teddy finally stabbed the bean with his fork and ate it. He looked up at her and swallowed. “They’re looking for someone.”
“Who?” Lizzy asked.
“Teddy, don’t…” Ein whispered.
Teddy ignored him. “They’re looking for us. I’m guessing Ein didn’t fill you in on that tidbit of information.”
Ein cupped his face and sighed.
“Why would FEMA be looking for you?” Lizzy looked at Ein with concern and confusion.
“Unbelievable…” Teddy looked incredulously at Ein and shook his head. “What sort of useless shit have you been talking to her about this whole time?”
“I didn’t want to spook her,” Ein said in a grave voice. “Why tell her about stuff that doesn’t matter?”
“Don’t you get it, kid? This shit does matter, especially if you’re going to get another person involved.”
“Tell me what?!” Lizzy balled her fists and struck the table. “Stop acting like I’m not sitting right across from you and just tell me!” Her eyes darted between the two men, searching their faces for answers.
Teddy leaned back in his chair and waited for Ein to speak.
After several awkward seconds that seemed to stretch into minutes, Ein spoke. “We’re fugitives, Lizzy.”
“From who…?” she asked with disbelief.
“FEMA,” Ein explained. He held out his arm and showed her the DataMatrix code tattooed on his hand. “We were prisoners at one of their labor camps in Kansas… When things fell apart, we stole one of their trains and escaped.”
“My God…” Lizzy stared at his tattoo, awestruck. Her gaze shifted up at Ein, who had a crestfallen expression. “Why did they do this to you—what did you do?”
Ein pulled back his hand and hid it under the table shamefully. He swallowed hard. Teddy looked at Ein—he seemed to be getting ready to tell her about the experimentation that he endured, but Teddy cut in before he could.
“Our only crime was surviving,” Teddy casually explained. “What do you know about FEMA, Lizzy? What have you heard out in Dover?”
“After the stadium quarantine centers failed, nobody heard much about them anymore… We heard that they were trying to fix the cities, but that’s all just rumor.”
“Fix?” Teddy gave a humorless laugh and shook his head. “They’re turning cities into fortresses complete with concrete walls, guard towers, and barbwire… I’d hardly call that fixing anything.”
“They don’t have the manpower to do that,” Lizzy said, sounding unsure.
“You’re right—they don’t,” Teddy acknowledged. “That’s why they have labor camps… They round up whoever is still healthy and imprison them. When it’s all said and done, they’ll either have you doing manual labor or wearing one of their uniforms—either way; you’re still their prisoner.”
Lizzy blinked, taken aback. She glanced over at Ein for confirmation.
“It’s all true,” Ein said solemnly. “Whatever this is, it isn’t America anymore.”
“Dover shouldn’t be on their radar.” Lizzy leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “It’s not a big city… It was barely a town even before the plague struck.”
“Folks in Dover are healthy, right?” Teddy asked.
Lizzy nodded.
“Then trust me, they’re aware.” Teddy pushed his empty plate aside. “Eventually, the good people of Dover will be helping rebuild Nashville or some other place they deem worthy.”
“People will refuse,” Lizzy said.
“Then they will die,” Teddy responded.
Lizzy went silent for a few moments, thinking. She looked up at Teddy and spoke. “Then my grandma and I are leaving… We didn’t survive all of this just to become someone’s slave.”
“Where will you go?” Ein asked.
All Lizzy could do was shake her head. She hadn’t even considered other options.
“You could come with us,” Ein suggested. He attempted to mask his excitement, but his anxious facial expression gave him away.
Lizzy looked at him and gave a weak smile. “Go with you where?”
“I…” Ein trailed off, unsure.
&n
bsp; Another brief period of silence hung in the air.
Teddy watched both of them with some amusement and decided to offer an option. “I have an idea.”
He saw that he had their attention immediately.
“The highways are impassible, and the cities are dangerous, right?” Teddy leaned over the table. “I say that we avoid all of that and take the river.” He smiled and continued, sketching out an invisible map on the tabletop with his index finger. “We can take one of the boats docked across the street and ride the Cumberland River out west to the Mississippi and go south past New Orleans into the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, we’ll pass by plenty of small towns so we’ll be able to take whatever supplies and gas we need. Once we’re in the gulf, we can go wherever we want to go.” He stopped and looked at them as he went on. “Maybe this flu didn’t spread across the globe and was just a United States thing… Maybe we can find an island that was untouched by the flu and still has a functioning society. Either way, we’ll be far away from FEMA, and we’ll be able to have a fresh start.”
Ein and Lizzy looked at each other doubtfully.
“Like… a fishing boat?” Lizzy asked.
“Yeah, I guess,” Teddy said. “A boat is a boat, so does it matter?”
“You know how to maneuver a boat?” Ein chimed in.
“If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t have suggested it.” Teddy was starting to become annoyed at their questions and lack of enthusiasm. He sat back in the chair with his arms over his chest, aggravated and slightly embarrassed. “If you two have a better idea, then I’d love to hear it.”
“It’ll be a lot of miles to travel by water,” Ein said.
“It would be even more if we tried to walk it,” Teddy shot back.
Lizzy thought about it for a moment before adding her two-cents. “I think it’s a good idea.”
Ein looked at her, surprised. “Really?”
“He’s right.” Lizzy shrugged. “The interstates are screwed up. Plus, the Cumberland River runs right through Dover. It’d be a safer route than traveling the highway.”
“I’m glad one of you have sense. If you two are on board, then we can leave at dawn,” Teddy said.
“It’s worth a shot,” Ein said somewhat reluctantly.
H7N9: The Complete Series [Books 1-3] Page 61