The Longest Road (Book 1)

by Thompson, A. S.

  Steve set the photo back inside his notebook and walked over to the infirmary to check on Collin. To his surprise, Sarah was already inside, attending to Collin. She had finished changing his bandages and was refilling a cup of water when Steve entered.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” she said, smiling.

  “Hey yourself. So this is where you are,” Steve said, closing the door. “I was wondering where you left to.”

  “Oh, I just left an hour ago to clean up and check on Collin. You looked exhausted and I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Yeah, I guess I really needed that sleep,” Steve said, yawning. “But I feel great now.”

  She walked over and gave him a kiss. “Good, I’m glad. I’ll leave you two alone. Come find me later,” she said, closing the door behind her.

  “How are you feeling this morning, Cully?”

  Collin lay awake, but looked physically exhausted. “Like I got shot in the leg,” he said in a raspy voice.

  “Here, drink some water. Save your energy, man. We need you to get better so you can take over. I’m not good at leading.”

  Collin downed the entire cup and handed it back to Steve to refill. “Speaking of us,” he said, clearing his throat, “how’s Bill doing?”

  “I’m not sure. I didn’t see him yesterday, but I guess the colonel has him under lock and key. I wanted to see you first. I’m heading there next.”

  With Steve’s help, Collin lifted himself up to a seated position. Steve could tell Collin wanted to say something.

  Collin brushed his hands over his face and through his hair. “Hey, Steve, could you do me a favor?”

  “Anything, cuz. What is it?”

  “Well, when you go see Billy, can you tell him… can you just let him know that I know he didn’t mean to shoot me, and he lost it when he heard about Alex? Can you just—”

  Steve cut him off. He knew the exact words Collin was trying to say, and the emotions behind them. He could read them through the tears forming in Collin’s eyes. “I know, man. I’ll tell him for you. I’ll tell him how sorry you are. How sorry we all are.”

  “Thanks, man,” Collin said, turning away to wipe his eyes.

  Steve leaned in and hugged Collin tight. “No problem. I’m going to go, but I’ll be back in a little bit.” He filled up another cup of water and left it by Collin’s side.

  Collin went back to sleep, allowing his body to recover.

  1041 hours

  After the shooting, Billy had been escorted to a supply room on the first floor of the Inner Eye, near the kitchen. After the horrific events of the previous day, the last thing Steve wanted to do was step on any toes, so he decided to ask the colonel for permission first. The hallways were lit by the sunlight, and Steve had no problem navigating to the stairs that led to Mark’s chambers. Mark answered the door after Steve’s first set of knocks.

  “Yes, Steve? What is it? Is Collin okay?” he said, opening the door halfway.

  “Yes, sir, he’s doing fine, just tired. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I may speak with Billy. I have been wanting to talk with him since he was taken away,” Steve answered with the most sincere voice he could muster.

  Mark opened the door fully and massaged his forehead. “Fine, but only five minutes, understood?” he said after a short deliberation.

  “Five minutes,” Steve repeated. “Thank you so much, sir!”

  “I believe Jeff is on duty. Just tell him I said it was okay. But hold on one-second,” the colonel said, stepping out of his room. “Come back here for a minute. We still haven’t talked about yesterday. I was going to talk to you last night, but I wanted to give you some time to mourn for Alex, for which I am sorry. But that doesn’t negate the fact that you broke the second rule, and I told you what breaking the rules would mean, didn’t I?”

  ”But sir, I,” Steve started to say but was stopped with a lifted hand from the colonel.

  “Listen. I’m not saying you have to leave, at least just yet. Both you and Robert have two very different accounts of what really happened back in Paso Rio. Iwill find out what really happened, this much I promise you.”

  “Absolutely. Whenever you would like to sit down and talk about it, I am more than willing to tell you my side. To tell you the truth.”

  “Good. I will find you later. And remember, five minutes.”

  Steve shook his hand in gratitude, then departed.At the sound of Steve’s voice on the other side of the door, Billy quickly rose. “Steve! I’m so glad to see you, cuz! How’s Collin? Is he going to make it?” Billy immediately asked, opening his arms for a bear hug.

  Steve accepted Billy’s hug. “Hey, Bill. Yes he is. The colonel patched him up good. He’s in the medical room resting. In a few days, he should be able to walk.”

  Billy let out a huge sigh of relief. “You have to believe me, man. I never meant to pull the trigger. I love Collin, you know that. And, I don’t know, hearing that Alex died, I just lost it, ya know?”

  Steve patted him on the shoulder, consoling him. “I know, man, and Collin knows, too. He wanted me to tell you how sorry he was, how he couldn’t protect him.”

  “He has nothing to be sorry about,” Billy said, lips quivering. “I was always giving him shit. I know how much he’s trying to take care us. When you see him again, tell him how sorry I am.”

  “Will do.”

  Before Steve could say anything else, Mark opened the door. It had not been the full five minutes Steve had been promised, but Mark pulled him out.

  “Steve, I need you to come with me now,” Mark ordered sternly.

  Without hesitation, Steve followed the colonel across the courtyard toward the scout’s perch on the second story of the Outer Eye.

  “Mark, what is this about?” Steve asked.

  The colonel said nothing and led him up the stone steps to the lookout perch over the gate. Travis, who was on lookout duty, handed a pair of binoculars to Mark.

  “Look at this,” Mark instructed, passing the binoculars to Steve.

  Down the valley, a mile away, a trail of dust stirred behind a vehicle. For the first few seconds, Steve couldn’t make out the driver through the trees and terrain.

  “Who is it? Another survivor? What is this all about?” Steve asked, but stopped his string of questions when the picture became clear. He vividly saw the face of the man who was barely hanging on to the ATV. “Alex? How is that possible?” Steve asked, barely believing his own eyes.

  Mark nodded.

  “Didn’t Collin say that he had died in Paso Rio?” Travis asked.

  “Yes, that’s what Corey had told us. Said he had been attacked.”

  “I don’t get it. It doesn’t make sense,” Steve said, handing the binoculars back to the second lieutenant. “He wouldn’t be driving if he were infected.”

  Mark scratched his beard. “I already thought of that, and looks like Corey has some explaining to do.”

  Steve didn’t waste another second. He jumped down the stairs and waited for Travis to lift the gate. As soon as there was enough room, he crawled under and sprinted down the dirt path. The ATV crashed against a boulder on the side of the road, throwing Alex face down onto the ground. Steve slid next to him and turned him over. Alex looked in bad shape; Steve noticed a fresh wound and bleeding from his shoulder, and could tell his cousin was beyond exhaustion. Before he passed out, Alex kept repeating the same mumbled words. Steve only made out a few, but heard them clearly.

  “It’s them.”

  Unsure of what Alex meant, Steve and the colonel carried him to the medical room. As they passed the gate, Travis cranked it down and locked it in place.

  1050 hours

  The medical room door slammed open, stirring Collin to a groggy daze. “Alex is alive?”

  The colonel swept a stack of papers off a table and laid Alex on top. He ripped open Alex’s shirt, to examine him for bite wounds, but could not find any. Instantly, the colonel drew back. “A gunshot wound?�
��

  “Wait, you’re saying he was shot?” Steve asked. “How did he get shot?”

  Behind them, Sarah rushed in. Steve fought to stay, but Sarah grabbed him. “It’s okay, Steve. Everything will be all right, but you have to let us work. I’ll come and get you when we’re finished.”

  “But a gunshot? I don’t understand,” Steve mumbled as Sarah politely ushered him out. He didn’t take his eyes off of Alex until the door had closed.

  Steve ran and told Billy the news through the door. All he could hear was Billy’s fist pound against the wood and muffled cheers of celebration.

  “I’ll be back later, when I know more. Sit tight,” Steve said, leaving to go wait next to the infirmary.

  Around the corner, Brian, who had been walking to the kitchen for a latebreakfast, had stopped to listen. He couldn’t believe the news.Alex is alive?

  1055 hours

  Robert sat up in his bed and supported his back with two fluffy pillows. He nursed his wounds with damp cloths and Neosporin, but nothing took care of his pounding headache. His cheeks were puffy and swollen, and his left eye was covered by an apple-sized bruise. Corey lay on the bed next to him, reading an old copy ofSports Illustrated. Suddenly, Brian stormed through the door.

  “Alex is back! Alex is back! He’s passed out or something, but he’s back! What are we going to do, Rob?”

  Robert thought about it, but was more interested in his injured face. He pushed himself off of his bed and walked over to a vanity mirror next to the bathroom. “We stick to the plan. When we get the other two kicked out, the rest are bound to follow.”

  Corey tossed his book aside and sprang to his feet. “I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t think there was any way he could have made it.”

  “Sorry for what, Corey?” Robert asked, turning to face him.

  “I never thought in a million years he would have actually survived!” Corey said, pacing back and forth.

  “What happened back in Paso Rio, Corey?” Robert demanded.

  Corey immediately went for their stash of cocaine, but Robert blocked him.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Corey cursed, momentarily neglecting Robert’s question. “It’s Alex…”

  “Alex what, Corey?” Robert yelled, spinning Corey around to face him.

  “He fucking knows everything! The whole plan! The fake apology, how we were going to kill Steve and Alex and plant the supplies in the RV to make it look like the others were stealing!”

  “And how the hell does he know the plan?”

  “I had my gun pointed at him, and I told him, okay?” Corey finally admitted. “Right as I took the shot, I got attacked. Then he climbed up some ladder to the roof. I know I hit him, and I thought it would be enough, but—”

  “But I guess it wasn’t, was it? You fucking idiot!” Robert roared, only backing down when the stretching of his face became too painful. “Do you have any idea how bad you just fucked us over? As soon as he comes to, he’ll tell them everything!”

  Corey couldn’t handle it. He needed an escape. He scrambled for the cocaine and snorted an oversized line.

  “Maybe we should just come clean and tell your dad?” Brian suggested. He was immediately silenced by a smack to the head.

  “And maybe you want to pack our bags when he kicks us out? Or dig our graves when the cousins come and kill us? You’re such an idiot! Give me a second to think!”

  Robert walked over and shoved him out of the way. He did two lines in quick secession, offering Corey no more for his idiocy. The drugs kicked in and his face went numb. He paced back and forth, mumbling incoherent thoughts. The situation was spinning out of control, and he was desperate to find a way to salvage the initial plan, or at the very least, to keep them in the safe confines of the Eye. Suddenly, he stopped and walked back to the other two.

  “I got it. Brian, go now, and when no one is looking, crank the gate up a few feet. Some infected will eventually wander in, and when they do, we can blame it on Steve when he goes on watch later. And if we look like heroes in the process, all the better. Corey, not now, but when Alex is alone, you go finish what you should have done in Paso Rio. I don’t care what it takes, but make it look clean. My dad isn’t going to perform an autopsy, but he’ll notice something like a slit throat. Got it? Or is that too hard for either of you?”

  “What are you going to do?” Corey asked.

  “Play off the original plan and persuade my dad to kick out the other two for us. I’m his son,” Robert said with a wicked grin. “He has to believe me.”

  1115 hours

  Mark opened the infirmary room door, but blocked Steve’s attempt to rush in.

  “How’s he doing, Colonel?” Steve asked, trying to peer over Mark’s shoulder.

  “You boys have some strong bodies,” the colonel responded. “Alex sustained a gunshot to his shoulder, has some mild blood loss, and is severely dehydrated. I hooked him up to an IV and gave him a small dose of general anesthesia. You can see him, but you need to let him rest. To let them both rest. When he wakes, we will both get to the bottom of this. Understood?”

  Steve agreed, hugged Mark for saving another of his family, then rushed over to Alex’s side. Sarah sat next to Alex, checking his bandages and fiddling with the IV.

  “I can’t thank you guys enough. You saved both of my cousins. I can never repay you,” Steve said, staring down at Alex.

  “How about you just don’t get injured, and we’ll call it even,” she replied.

  1120 hours

  Before the colonel could shut the door to his room, Robert appeared. “Dad,” Robert said, hiding his dilated eyes and puffed out face behind his Aviator sunglasses. The glasses barely helped mask his injuries; Steve had done a number on him.

  “You scared me, Robert,” Mark said. “I’m glad you’re here. I think you have some explaining to do.”

  “What are you talking about?” Robert replied, walking over to the liquor cabinet in the corner.

  “Oh, don’t play coy with me, son! You know damn well what I mean. Corey said Alex was killed, but here he is. You say Steve was attacked, but he says you abandoned him. Now tell me what the hell is going on!” Mark roared.

  Robert continued to face the expensive bottles of alcohol, stalling. “I can explain that, Dad, but I need to tell you something first,” he said, spinning around to face his father.

  “Fine. Go on,” Mark said, waving him to continue. “What is it?”

  “I wasn’t sure how to approach this, so I’ll just say it,” Robert said in his most sincere voice. “The cousins have been stealing food and supplies from right under our noses. We had our suspicions, but until recently had no proof.”

  “And what proof is that, Robert?”

  “Brian and I saw Billy and Collin, with our own eyes, sneaking into storage at nighttime, bringing back food to their RV. Not just once, but multiple times! Go see for yourself,” Robert said, motioning to the door.

  Mark brushed past his son and sat at the edge of his bed. He unlaced his boots and stretched his toes. “I find that hard to believe. They have been here for almost two months. Why would they steal, Robert? It makes no sense.”

  “It’s true, Dad! You have to kick them out. Your own rules say so!” Robert had thought for sure the plan would work. Stealing was one of Mark’s zero tolerance rules. Even though the claims against the cousins were fabricated, Robert thought he had portrayed the story quite well. Now, he was taken back. He could tell he was losing his father to indifference, so he pressed the issue harder. “What? You’re not even going to listen to me? I’m your son, damnit, and you don’t even trust me? We need to confront them and kick them out, now! Before they have a chance to hide the evidence or something!”

  “I’m sorry, but I have a hard time believing that Collin and his cousins would steal.”

  Robert’s temper had been slowly escalating, and at the sound of Collin’s name, it erupted. “Why is that? It’s no secret that you’ve practically adopted hi
m as your second son!”

  “Who, Collin?”

  “Oh, don’t patronize me like that, Dad,” Robert fired back, emphasizing the last word. “You guys are always spending time together. You tell him things you won’t even tell me. Whenever I come around, you always change the subject! And I won’t even bring up the multiple times you’ve invited him to your room for scotch and cigars!”

  “Now, Robert, what are you talking about?”

  Robert marched over to his closet and picked up his father’s secret stash of Cubans. “Don’t deny it. I saw you! When was the last time you invited me up? Never! And now you’re taking his side?”

  Robert began breathing heavily and tears formed in the pits of his eyes. Emotions took over all rationale. He wasn’t thinking straight. This was definitely not part of his plan, but he didn’t care.

  Calmly, Mark walked over to Robert and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “No one is taking sides here. You’re reading way too much into this. Military men just have a lot in common. We share a certain viewpoint you wouldn’t understand. Sure, we’ve enjoyed a cigar or two, but you’re being too dramatic. So emotional, so much like your mother. You need to grow up.”

  Robert could have overlooked the belittlement, even the reference to his passively emotional mother, but the words “grow up” pushed him over the edge. As Mark turned to put his shoes in the closet, Robert pistol-whipped him in the back of the head. “How’s that for growing up!” Robert roared.

  The blow sent Mark crashing to his knees. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, grabbing the back of his head. Warm blood began to trickle from the gash.

  At that moment, Brian and Corey entered the room. Corey quickly shut the door and locked it before anyone could look in. “Rob, what happened? This wasn’t part of the plan.”