The Roadhouse Chronicles (Book 3): Dead Man's Number

by Cox, Matthew S.

  Marcus hummed with an exhale, and sent an uneasy glance toward the door. “Out there? Are you sure that’s what you want? I mean… they exile people as the greatest punishment.”

  “Dad…” It’s going to take a while to get used to calling him that. “They conditioned everyone to think of it as horrible. It’s not… I mean, okay it’s got its shitty bits, but for the most part it’s fine. The technology is lacking, but as this place pulls its collective crap together and starts contributing to the world instead of trying to destroy it…” She choked up. “I haven’t felt hope in a long time.”

  “Well, they did kind of misplace our house.” Marcus chuckled. “I couldn’t even find it. A lot changed out here in nine years. Wow. Core City never existed. I’m still trying to process that.”

  “Your house doesn’t exist either. Simulation, remember.” Tris sighed. “You don’t have a home to go back to.”

  Yana gave Tris a look equal parts happy and terrified. “I suppose we could try your Nederland for a little while. If it doesn’t work out, we can come back.”

  Tris spun into Kevin’s arms and kissed him. “I don’t know about you, but I am done with this place.”

  “Me too.” He nodded at the door. “Any idea how to get back to Amaranth?”

  She shrugged. “Well I could always go back the way we came.”

  He paled.

  “No. I said I. You are staying right here away from possible Infected in the subway.”

  He pulled her tight against him. “You know I’m going to go crazy with worry if we split up.”

  “You won’t worry; you’ll be unconscious.” She winked. “Did I mention my dad is a doctor?”

  “So?”

  “Hey, Dad.” Tris knocked on Kevin’s sternum. “Can you fix my man up here with ‘some of them Nanites?’”

  Kevin laughed.

  37

  Wishes

  After two days of long driving, ‘the parents’ still sat ramrod straight in the back seat of the Challenger, stuffed into a pile of children’s clothes. They stared out the windows with the kind of faces Kevin expected he’d make if someone had taken him on a safari tour through a city full of Infected. They seemed afraid to touch anything.

  ‘The Parents’ had more or less kept silent following Tris’ retelling of what had happened in Amarillo. They couldn’t believe that their Enclave would use such a horrible weapon at all, much less on innocent people. She’d gotten a little short with them, perhaps a taste of what the last year or two of her ‘home life’ had been like before Detention. He had to keep a hand over his mouth. She’d sounded so much like a teenager while shouting at them he started to feel like a dirty old man.

  At least it made for a quiet ride.

  Ugh. Kevin shifted in his seat and rubbed the middle of his chest. A slight pressure in his chest felt like a tiny rock balanced atop his heart. According to Marcus, random tingles and pins would continue for a few more days as his new nanites acclimated to his ‘DNA profile,’ whatever that meant, and repaired old scars. To him it had felt like only a minute or two had gone by, but Tris had been sitting next to him, already returned from the Resistance hideout with his stuff, Amaranth, the Challenger, and the rest of the crew in tow.

  She’d spent the ride in the Persephone’s lap, rather ‘Nikki’s.’ Since the artificial woman had apparently helped her deal with Nathan, she invited her to Nederland, and the android accepted. At some point between a four-hour meeting with what remained of the leadership structure of the ISF and their leaving, she’d found the time to issue some command or whatever to the android. She didn’t act like Bee anymore, or even like Snow, the one he’d met at Pinos Altos. ‘Nikki’ wasn’t scary or intimidating at all despite what that body could do. In some ways, the personality had come out like Tris. Not quite as…

  He smiled to himself.

  Not quite as ‘adorable.’ Nikki had a soft spot for people who needed a little help, but perhaps that part of her still controlled by tactical analysis algorithms kept her from being like Tris―no regard for personal danger when she had to help someone. Seeing the artificial woman giggle and tell jokes like some ordinary twenty-five-ish person unnerved him more than the emotionless android throwing people through walls.

  He shivered, picturing the hole in the front of the Council building he’d seen on the way out. The soldier who’d raised a weapon at Tris had more or less liquefied inside his armor when the android hurled him through the wall.

  With each mile closer to Nederland, his anxiety grew. Tris told him a drone had been within spitting distance, loaded with Virus. As far as the AI-dad-thing knew, it had turned the drone back before it released any of its payload. Bullet holes in things carrying liquid doom seemed like a horrible idea… who knew what might’ve leaked.

  Kevin rubbed his thumb back and forth across the little plastic button that would unload the M60s on the hood while picturing everyone in Ned lost to the infection. In his mind, Emma perked up from the gate as she so often did to wave when he pulled up, but this time she’d be staring at him with ‘nobody home’ eyes and bleeding sores on her face.

  His knuckles creaked on the wheel.

  Tris and Nikki looked at him.

  “Can’t wait to get back.” He kept his gaze forward. That android really does look like her older sister.

  Before too long, he followed the road west away from Boulder.

  “Are those… trucks?” asked Yana.

  He snapped out of his fog, startled by the appearance of Nederland’s gate. He hadn’t even noticed it in his morose thousand-yard stare. Much to his relief, a smiling (and quite normal-looking) Emma jumped up and down on the left side truck. After a few seconds, the thirteen-year-old guard trained a pair of binoculars on them.

  Kevin waved and smiled.

  Old Socrates emerged next, still wearing the same battered duster coat and hat.

  Emma yelled something that reached the Challenger only as a high-pitched warble, and jumped down. The dump truck bin on the left shuddered open. Emma darted across the road to the other side. Kevin rolled to a halt for less than four seconds before the other truck bed scraped over the paving to open.

  “Yes, I do believe those are trucks,” said Marcus.

  “You’re back!” Emma ran up to Tris’ door and grabbed on. “What happened?”

  Tris put her hand on top of Emma’s. “It’s over. We destroyed the Virus, and all the drones. I’ll tell you the whole thing sometime. Right now, I need to get home.”

  “Yeah.” Emma nodded. “Abby’s been kind of a mess. She’s hanging on, but she’ll be thrilled to have you back.”

  “Thanks.” Tris looked down as they pulled away from the gate.

  Kevin felt the same guilt, but let it out on a sigh. “She’ll understand.”

  “I hope so,” whispered Tris.

  He drove through the town, drawing a small group of curious followers, and pulled off the road onto the grass to the right of their house.

  “Well, place is still standing.” Kevin shut down the car’s six switches. “Oh, damn do I need to stretch my legs.”

  He opened the door and got out before pulling the seat forward to give Marcus room to leave the car with his case of Enclave-tech medical supplies. They’d last a few months here, but a trip to get more once the dust settled would likely occur.

  Abby’s scream carried from down the road back by Bill’s place. Her long brown hair trailed behind her and she made it about halfway before her haste sent her moccasins flying. Kevin left Marcus to fend for himself and rushed around the back end of the car. Tris sprinted to Abby, catching her in a kneeling hug a short distance away from the house.

  Everything Abby tried to say came out as sobbing. She reached toward Kevin as he jogged over. Tris stood, lifting Abby off her feet. Kevin embraced the pair of them; such relief and joy washed over him he couldn’t find words.

  “Kevin!” squealed Zoe. She hit him in the side like a blonde missile, grabbing on and
cheering.

  Abby clung to them both, bawling uncontrollably. A few times, she came close to forming words like ‘you’re alive,’ or a slurred mumble ending in ‘scared.’

  Kevin cradled the back of her head in one hand. “We’re sorry for scaring you.”

  “You’re back.” Abby sniffled, cried for a few seconds more, and gasped for air. “I was scared you weren’t gonna make it.”

  Me too. “Well… we did, and you’re stuck with us for a while now.”

  “We shot down drones,” chirped Zoe.

  “You did?” Tris gasped. “Or do you mean ‘we’ as in the town?”

  Zoe puffed up her chest, fists on her hips. “I shot one down. Abby spotted it. Militia got another one ’couple days after… and me an’ Abby shot at another one, but we scared it away.”

  Tris burst into tears.

  Abby went still; all the color faded from her face. “That was the one, wasn’t it? That one had the stuff in it…”

  Kevin nodded.

  “Uhh.” Abby looked ready to throw up.

  “It’s all gone.” Kevin patted her on the back.

  Tris clung to them both, fighting back trembles. “All of it. There’s no more Virus left in the world.”

  “Hey.” Kevin reached into his armored jacket. “I brought you something.”

  Abby bit her lip and canted her eyebrows up in the middle.

  He pulled out the silver cylinder. “This is a vaccine injector. It’s like the one they gave Tris when she was a little kid. Younger than you are now. After this, even if an Infected bites you, you can’t get sick. It won’t be too long before the Infected are gone for good.”

  Tris kept rubbing Abby’s back. “Some friends gave us that before we went to the Enclave. We had to get through a whole tunnel full of Infected. Kevin didn’t take it. He wanted you to have it.”

  Abby hugged him before breaking down and crying into his shirt.

  Kevin hadn’t thought much about it, but Tris insisted Marcus inoculate him too. At least the extra half hour in the infirmary let them confirm the cylinder Amaranth gave them checked out. Since they had the means to verify, he couldn’t think of giving it to Abby without being absolutely sure what it contained.

  “You could’ve died,” wailed Abby.

  “Nah.” Kevin ruffled her hair. “I’m too sneaky. And I had Tris to watch over me. I was only gonna run past Infected for a couple minutes. You needed to run through your dreams for a bunch of years still.”

  Abby looked up at him with a guilty smile. “I don’t wanna ever catch it.” She held out her arm. “Please?”

  “Maybe it’s a ass needle?” asked Zoe.

  “Uhh.” Abby glanced at her friend. “Is it?”

  “Shoulder’s fine,” said Marcus, walking over. “Do you know how to work it or would you rather I administer it?”

  “Who’s that?” Abby shrank behind Kevin.

  Tris smiled. “These are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Abby.”

  Yana snapped out of a fog at staring around at the countryside. She smiled. “Hello.”

  How the heck did he do this? Kevin fiddled with the injector, twisting a ring at the back end that caused it to chirp. “Aha!”

  “Push that little button there, and hold it against her arm for ten seconds,” said Marcus.

  Kevin grasped Abby’s bicep in his left hand, and pressed the injector down until it made a hiss. She went up on tiptoe and grimaced, emitting a long ‘eeeeee’ sound a little louder than a whisper.

  Bill, Zara, and a handful of militia came jogging up the road. Handshakes and hugs made the rounds.

  “Well, it must’ve gone somewhat okay if you’re back.” Bill clapped Kevin on the shoulder.

  “Yeah, it went okay.” Kevin picked Abby up and perched her on his hip.

  Zoe gave him a look.

  He picked her up and perched her on the other hip. “Ugh… Two of you is too much.” He feigned staggering under their weight, making them laugh.

  Tris looked up at Abby and took her hand. “The people who were responsible for Amarillo have answered for what they did. The former Council of Four―sorry three―were given the choice of exile or death, and they all opted for exile.”

  Zara gawked. “Seriously?”

  “Well, Kuroyama chose death.” Kevin shook his head.

  Abby sniffled and wiped her nose on her arm.

  “We’ll give you all a full rundown of what happened tomorrow. I’m exhausted and starving,” said Tris. “Oh, Bill… These are my parents.”

  When his arms reached critical mass, Kevin eased the girls back to their feet. “Oookay. Enough. Sixteen hours of driving.” He leaned forward a step to shake Bill’s hand. “Thanks so much for watching her. Hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

  “She’s got panic tacks and bad dreams, but I pa’tected her,” said Zoe.

  Blush crept over Abby’s face as she looked down.

  “Hmm,” said Kevin, rubbing his chin. “I don’t know anyone else with those.”

  Abby perked up with a grin and jumped into a hug. “You’re really back… I’m not dreaming?”

  “We’re here.” Kevin squeezed her. “Oh, hey Bill?”

  “Yo?” Bill turned away from a mumbled conversation with the militia and approached.

  “One, the drones are gone. Two, we found a store in the middle of Infected central. Got a ton of kid clothes.” He pointed at the Challenger. “After Abby and Zoe grab their share, what do you wanna do with the rest? Oh yeah, got a machinegun and a couple thousand rounds of ammo for the militia as well.”

  Bill laughed. “Well, keep an eye on them so they don’t take all of it… We’ll send the rest down to Clare and Mitch. They’ll get it distributed by size to whoever needs it the most. That’ll take some of the load off the people sewin’ up new stuff.”

  “Kevin! Tris!” said Bee. She ambled over and waved. “It is positive to register you on my optical sensors once more.”

  “You’re doing that on purpose.” He laughed and pulled Bee into a hug.

  Bee hugged him back. “You find it humorous when I talk like that. I like to make you smile.”

  Nikki smiled and waved at everyone.

  “Oh, yeah,” said Kevin, pulling Bill close. “Nikki over there is a Persephone. Probably get her on the militia. Might want to let some of the guys know not to play grabass with her.”

  “What’s a Persephone?” asked Bill.

  “Long story, but for now…” He nodded at Bee. “Advanced cousin.”

  “Oh.” Bill blinked. “One of those?”

  “Yep. And she’s on our side. Now…” Kevin picked Abby up again. “I need to make dinner. Hungry wife is angry wife.”

  Tris thumped him on the shoulder.

  “There still needs to be a proper wedding,” said Yana. “I insist.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” muttered Kevin. “Let me recover from one near death experience first.”

  He carried Abby inside their home, Tris right behind him. The parents followed, as did Zoe, who insisted on having dinner there that night as well as a sleepover. Bee brought up the rear after having retrieved Abby’s moccasins from the road.

  Abby stayed in the chair he put her down in for all of four seconds before she came up behind him and held on. Kevin gave her hands a quick pat where she clasped them around him, and got to work on food.

  “Everyone okay with dust hopper?” asked Kevin.

  Yana gagged.

  “What is a dust hopper?” asked Marcus.

  “I’m ready to eat the plate.” Tris rummaged the fridge. “I’ll help so we can eat faster.”

  “It’s good,” said Abby. “You’ll like it.”

  Kevin grinned to himself and fired up the stove. Abby held on the entire time he cooked.

  Tris killed Nathan again in her dreams. The seventh time she stabbed him in the back, his body morphed into a giant block of ‘beef spread,’ a staple Enclave lunch product often smeared onto pitas.

  The
utter oddity of it woke her up.

  She squinted at a sliver of sunlight that leaked in from the window. Her stomach churned, demanding beef paste and pears. The idea of combining those two particular flavors made her grab her gut and gag.

  Kevin, at her side, snored with his mouth wide open.

  Wow… we both slept late. She peered at the hollow between them where Abby had spent the night. Not like either of them had the energy to do much anyway. She didn’t wake up in the middle of the night… that’s something.

  The room swirled around. Tris sat up fast, expecting to throw up, but only a cough came out. She held her head for a few seconds waiting for the dizzy to go away. Great. I get a cold. All the technology of the Enclave, and nanites still can’t kill colds. She sat on the edge of the bed clutching the mattress on either side of her legs, head bowed. Deep breaths, in and out. The beginnings of a headache faded. Okay, maybe this one won’t be so bad. Maybe that meat spoiled.

  Abby padded in, still wearing her dust hopper hide dress despite her windfall of six or seven pieces from the clothing haul. “Mom?”

  Tris looked up smiling. A tear ran down her cheek. “Yeah?”

  “Is it okay if I go to the lake to swim? Zoe and a couple of other kids are going.” She crept over, looking angelic, as if she really wanted to go and expected Tris to say no.

  The last three times kids had asked her to go play before they left, she’d hid in her room. “You want to go?”

  Abby nodded and raked her toes at the carpet. “Yeah. Can I?”

  Sounds of impatient kids outside reached Tris’ weary ears. “Will there be an adult there watching?”

  “Yes.” Abby clasped her hands in front. “Ann is gonna be there… and Cassie too.”