by Nikki Landis
The first few houses were mostly empty – of both the undead and supplies. It didn’t take long for us to finish the left side of the street. The first home on the right was tucked into the corner of the cul-de-sac with the front door partially open for any stragglers to wander in. A suitcase had propped the door open, bloody clothes trailed across the carpeted floor. We found several H.I.M.S. and took them out quickly with headshots and a few arrows from Chewy’s crossbow, beginning our search while hoping to have better luck.
I made my way upstairs and into what appeared to be a child’s bedroom. Bright handprints in primary colors painted the white walls and matched the curtains over the open window. Toys were strewn about next to the bunkbeds. I was glad no children were here. They were the most frightening to encounter and usually freaked me out.
Rummaging through the drawers and lost in thought, I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.
Mistake #1 of the day – I let my emotions overload my good sense.
The loud bang behind me was the only indication that I wasn’t alone.
Clicking and gnashing teeth were too close and located behind my left shoulder. Thinking I could outmaneuver the undead, I spun and launched my knife into the young man’s temple, stabbing repeatedly. Something slammed into my side and I lurched sideways, barely managing to remain upright.
Shocked, I gaped at the room which now held several more of the H.I.M.S. as they entered through the bathroom doorway. How did I miss this?
Wait . . . did the zombies open the door!?
Mistake #2 – I was caught off guard when the closet door splintered open next and a woman fell through wearing a neon American flag t-shirt, knocking me flat on my back.
The scream that erupted from my throat sounded foreign to my ears. With my left elbow, I kept the snapping jaws of the first undead from taking a chunk out of my face and with my right I frantically searched for some sort of weapon.
My fingers closed around the smooth surface of something metal. As I raised my hand, I caught the gleam of light as it reflected in the sunshine and stabbed the undead in the eye with the letter opener. I didn’t pause to wonder why the damn thing was here, just grateful I found it. The woman fell to the side as dark blood oozed from her wound.
Several more of the H.I.M.S. fell to their knees as I struggled to get off the floor. Kicking out, I managed to shove the two adults backward but something launched into my back and I was knocked down again, the letter opener skidding across the floor and underneath the closest dresser. My eyes widened when I saw the young child that snapped her jaws together and let out an inhuman howl as she swiped her dirty and mangled hands in front of my face.
Screaming again in horror, I fought her back as the other two adults lurched forward.
“Bailee!”
Sawyer’s concerned voice reached my ears as I heard the pop, pop of his revolver. The two adults fell like ragdolls as blood spurted from the perfect headshots Sawyer executed. The child’s mouth bit down on my arm and I screeched as her sharp jagged teeth filled with the sleeve of my jacket. Sawyer’s knife made a sickening squelch as it entered her temple and the little girl’s milky eyes rolled back in her head. I shook her off my arm as Saw snatched me up from the ground.
“Were you bitten?”
I couldn’t seem to focus on his words. My eyes remained locked on the dead girl’s face and the dark blood that trickled freely down from her ear.
“Bailee? Hey,” he turned my chin away from the carnage. “Are you alright? Were you bitten?”
I shook my head, a sudden cry launching from my throat.
“Shhh,” Sawyer soothed, pulling me into his embrace. “I’ve got you. It’s over now.”
Shivering and sobbing, I wrapped my arms around his neck, frightened and overcome with emotion.
“Hey, it’s okay. They’re gone. I promise,” he reassured me. “You’re safe.”
I didn’t care if he thought it was okay now or not. This was too much. My knees buckled. “I’m so tired, Saw,” I whispered as he brushed the tears from my eyes. “I don’t want to search anymore houses.”
He nodded, his expression softening as he lifted me. “No problem. I’ll take you back to the compound.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, laying my head on his shoulder. My fingers gripped the material of his shirt and I was pretty sure I wasn’t letting go anytime soon.
FUCK!
Sawyer was pissed. How did those Rotters get upstairs? He cleared that room minutes before Bailee went inside to search. He purposely made sure she was safe, only to find her about to be eaten – for the second time since they met. Someone led those H.I.M.S. upstairs. There was no other explanation.
A traitor was in their group.
Someone who was willing to risk their own safety in order to take Bailee out. It didn’t make sense.
Was she a threat? He didn’t think so. Who had motive? Who wanted Bailee gone?
Sawyer held her as tightly as he dared, thankful he wasn’t too late to rescue her. Another few minutes and she would have been a mangled mess with several undead consuming her body.
He shivered.
That was a close call. Good thing he was only in the next room when he heard Bailee scream. Since they searched houses in groups of four or five, it prevented most mishaps from becoming too serious. If Bailee wasn’t so pissed at him, she probably never would have been so distracted. He felt bad about that since he knew he was partially to blame, but someone had sabotaged her for sure.
She sniffled, her warm breath fanned across his neck as he held her closer. His reaction was instantaneous. A part of him never wanted to let her go and if this moment was all he had he would snatch up the opportunity to have her in his arms. This ridiculous tension between them needed to end. He would apologize once she wasn’t so upset and maybe then he could make things right between them.
Once they returned to base, he carried her into her room. Charlotte called out as soon as she saw them both.
“Is Bailee hurt?”
He shook his head. “No, but she’s had a bad fright. Would you stay with her? I have to talk to Razz.”
“Sure.”
Bailee shook her head. “Don’t leave me, Saw.”
He blinked at the fear in her voice and had to take a deep breath, shutting down the sudden anger that consumed him. Whoever did this to her was going to pay. “I won’t, not for long. Charlotte will stay with you. I’m not going far. I have to talk to Razz, okay?” He cupped her left cheek and leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead.
Bailee brushed away her tears as he stood, clenching his fists to keep from punching something. He didn’t like to see her so vulnerable and afraid. That protective urge swelled inside him and Sawyer’s jaw locked.
Charlotte saw his reaction and placed a hand on his arm. “I’ve got her. Don’t worry.”
He nodded, unable to speak aloud as he spun on his heel and met Razz in the corridor.
“What the fuck is going on?” Razz tried to lower his voice, but Saw could tell he was concerned. “Was Bailee attacked?”
“Yes,” he pulled Razz to the side and kept his voice low. “We have a traitor in our midst.”
Razz shook his head. “No way. We’re all Marines. No one would . . .” his voice trailed off as he began to pace. “You’re certain?”
“I cleared the room five minutes before she entered, Razz.”
“Fuck,” he cursed. “What do we do?”
“We watch everyone closely.”
“Saw, this needs dealt with. Now. What if she’s attacked again or worse?”
Sawyer cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders as the tension in his back increased. He was wound up tighter than a coiled spring. “I’ll stay with her. Nothing else will happen.”
Razz gave him a look like he wasn’t so sure. “You don’t want to say anything? Give the group a heads up?”
“No, because right now I don’t trust anyone except you and Charlotte
.”
“You don’t think Tonya . . .”
Sawyer sneered. “She has plenty of motive, but I don’t think she’d do something so reckless and vicious. I can’t be certain who it was. Almost the entire squad was out there today. Everyone is a suspect, civilians and Marines.”
“Then we do some recon. Charlotte and I will see what we both can find out while you stay with Bailee.”
Saw nodded, turning back toward her room without another word.
Chapter 9
Day 392, A.Z. –
“Morning, Saw.”
Tonya’s voice interrupted his thoughts as Sawyer poured a steaming cup of black coffee. He didn’t get much sleep last night. Holding Bailee most of the night, his thoughts had run rampant for hours, much too active to allow any rest. Several times she called out in her sleep and he hugged her body close, hoping to chase the terror and nightmares away.
Sweet Bailee.
He could have slept in his own bed and she probably wouldn’t have said a word but he couldn’t force himself to leave her, and anyway he promised to stay. So, he did.
“Tonya,” he greeted, unable to say anything else. As suspicious as he was, he didn’t want to believe her capable of murder. Sure, they were Marines, but shooting the enemy was one thing and killing in cold blood was another.
“How’s Bailee?”
Searching her eyes, he couldn’t find any hidden meaning in her words. “She’ll be fine,” he answered crisply, leaning against the counter.
“Good.”
An awkward silence stretched between them. In all his years of working side by side with Tonya, he’d never felt more hostile or unsure toward her. It didn’t sit well with him to feel that way about someone in his inner circle.
“I didn’t do it, Saw.”
He met her hard gaze and noticed the stiff square of her shoulders. A defensive posture. He didn’t reply.
“I know how it looks, but . . . damn. I may not like her, that’s no secret. Hell, I don’t need to kill the poor girl just to get her to leave.” She folded her arms across her chest as she blushed, clearly agitated.
“I haven’t accused you of shit.”
“No,” she agreed. “But it’s in your eyes. You think I let those Rotters into the room.”
“Someone did and they intended for Bailee to be harmed.” His jaw was tight as he forced himself to remain civil.
“I agree with you. It’s a massive problem because someone is a fucken traitor, Saw.”
“Someone certainly is.”
She stood and walked toward him, a look of desperation in her eyes he’d never seen before. “I know you care about her. How could I do that to you? I couldn’t take someone away from you that you love, not in the middle of the fucken apocalypse when the world has gone to shit.”
He wanted to believe her. Tonya had always been honest, even when it was brutal. Sawyer sighed. He didn’t acknowledge the love comment. No point. “I know, Tonya.”
“Do you?” she asked as her hand rested on his arm. “I’d do anything for you, Saw.”
Including murder? He didn’t say it aloud, but he couldn’t help the thought. He believed her, but he couldn’t say she was innocent and that bothered him more than he could explain. Was she capable of hurting Bailee? The answer was yes. Would she do it? He honestly didn’t know.
“I’ll see you later, Tonya.” It was the best he could say in that moment.
She nodded, “I’ll prove it to you. You’ll see.”
He paused, then ticked his head toward the door. “We’ve got a lot to do today.”
She smiled sadly and turned away, walking with her head held high as she left the room. Sawyer watched her as he contemplated who else had motive besides Tonya. He’d been so preoccupied with Bailee that he was distracted often and probably missed any indication that something was wrong with his team.
Fuck.
He needed to focus his efforts and find the person responsible for all this chaos. Leaving Bailee was out of the question and taking her on another raid after yesterday was foolish even if there were things that needed to be done. She was too vulnerable. The restless feeling in his bones wouldn’t dissipate and the resulting anxiety was seriously grating on his nerves. A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach forewarned something bad was coming and he should be prepared.
He always obeyed his gut. His life had been saved more than once as a result.
Stick to the mission.
The thought bounced around in his head as he gulped down the last of his coffee. It always came back to this same decision. Why did he hesitate so much? Why was he so torn?
Placing the empty cup in the sink, Sawyer strode forward with determination.
Before he met with his team, he needed to speak with Bailee.
“BAILEE?”
Sawyer’s voice called out moments before he opened the door. I watched his tall frame as he entered and sauntered across the room, sitting on the edge of the bed as I sat up.
“Hi,” I answered a bit awkwardly, not sure where the two of us were after the last twenty-four hours. He slept next to me last night, but I wasn’t sure what that meant. Was he making sure I was alright or were there deeper feelings involved? The way he held me indicated more than friendship but Saw was a hard man to read.
“How are you feeling?” He picked up my hand and held it, running his thumb over the top. The gesture was sweet and entirely too distracting.
“I’ve been better,” I whispered, my chest aching with the thought that nothing that happened between us mattered to him the way it did to me. I couldn’t help but view him as a savior, but it was more than that. I was attracted to him and I admired his strength and courage. Despite how he hurt me, I cared deeply for Sawyer, “I . . . thank you, Saw.”
He smiled but it didn’t extend to his eyes. There was a distance there and I wasn’t sure if it was me, the attack, or something else that was occupying his thoughts. “You don’t have to thank me. It never should have happened in the first place.”
“Sawyer,” I said his name firmly and our gaze met, “this wasn’t your fault so don’t shoulder the blame.” A flash of pain was quick to disappear in those solid blue orbs that held more emotion than I could pretend to discern. “We live in a dangerous world now.”
He frowned. “Bullshit, Bailee.”
I tried to pull my hand from his and he held it tighter, slipping an arm around my back as he inched his way closer. “Don’t you understand?”
Not that again. Last time he made that statement it didn’t go so well. I sighed, “Understand what?”
“I can’t –”
“Yo, Saw.”
Matt’s voice interrupted whatever Sawyer had been about to say.
“What is it, Matt?”
“Razz and Iceman said they need you right away. Something about the radio.”
Saw released my fingers after a light squeeze. “We’ll continue this discussion later, okay?”
I nodded as he turned to Matt, gesturing for him to leave first. Matt shot him a quick glare that proved he didn’t appreciate being ushered from the room so quickly. Sometimes Sawyer acted just like a jealous boyfriend. If I didn’t know better, I’d think his protectiveness came from romantic feelings.
“RAZZ, WHAT’S UP?”
His entire team were located inside the control room, at least all of the guys. Saw left Matt with orders to check on the other civilians and make note of their current supplies. He used to like helping out, eager to please Saw and their group. That was before the accident with his sister.
Something about the guy felt off. Saw brushed it off as paranoia after what happened to Bailee but there was something about Matt’s behavior that seemed almost hostile or indifferent. He had been a part of their group for a long time now, ever since his sister and fellow Marine Elizabeth found them. Matt had been a productive part of this group until recently. Lately he seemed withdrawn and angry whenever Sawyer tried to make conversation.
He wished he knew how to reach Matt. The other guys had all made an effort to reach out, but he was closed off. He never enlisted and perhaps that gap was too wide to breach. The pain of Liz’s death was still too raw and fresh. Saw knew it would take time and so he left the young man alone to deal with his grief and pain without hassle. Maybe he gave Matt too much space. The thought was sobering.
Liz’s death was tragic and sudden. She’d been overtaken by a horde when her vehicle broke down in the heart of the city. Matt had been devastated, locked in his room for days and barely ate or spoke during that time. Sawyer wanted to believe he’d been there for him during his grief but maybe he’d done more harm than good. She was the only loss. All the others survived that day and Saw had to own that.
It was Sawyer’s orders to send Liz out for patrol. Matt never let him forget it.
“Saw, what’s up?”
“Why you here, bro?” Jester asked, playing with several different wires that hung outside the radio’s exterior.
Saw frowned. “You didn’t need me?”
“Nah, this is just routine maintenance. Found a faulty connection in the wiring.”
Sawyer scratched the back of his neck in confusion.
“Come to think of it, why are all of you here? It’s like a gang bang, man. We’re just short a hot chick.” Jester and Iceman laughed, sitting next to one another as the others looked around.
“Matt said Sawyer needed me,” Razz answered the same moment Maverick shook his head. “I heard the same thing from Matt.”
Chewy, Hawkeye, Fisher, and Casanova were all given similar messages from Matt over the last half hour. Sawyer was immediately on alert. His gut began to churn as he realized this wasn’t a coincidence.
“We need to get back to the girls. Now!”
He spun on his heel and didn’t wait for his men knowing they would be right behind him. A few seconds later he heard the dull boom of an explosion, followed by several loud thuds and raised voices. Fear clenched his stomach tight as he yelled for Bailee. As soon as they entered the main corridor black smoke filled the air and reduced visibility.