He opened another door to what appeared to be a large employee break room. There was a small window that provided some light. Amanda looked around, taking in the tidiness of the room. There was a stack of candy bars and vending machine finds on the counter next to a coffee machine.
“Are you here alone?” Amanda asked.
The man eyed her carefully and she realized her question hadn’t come out right. “Yes,” he answered.
“Have you been here for long?” she pressed.
“I’m the security guard. I was hired over a year ago. I worked the graveyard shift. When things went dark, I came over to check on things and found everyone had fled. I decided to keep guard, knowing the value of what’s really in this building,” he explained.
“I’m Amanda,” she said, hoping to put the man at ease.
“Hank Dry,” he said, reaching out to shake her hand.
They made the introductions before Amanda broached the topic of getting the meds. “Hank, Dr. Ashworth is waiting for us. Things are really dire. We have to get back as soon as possible.”
“We’ll have to look through boxes to find what you need. I don’t know how they organized this stuff, and the scanner doesn’t work,” he said. “Do you know the names of the medicines?”
“Dr. Ashworth wrote down a few things for us to ask for,” she said.
“I’ll show you where things are stored,” he said, walking out of the breakroom and leading them down a hall.
He used a key to unlock a door that opened to a massive storage room with high ceilings. It looked like a warehouse from the inside, which was a stark contradiction of the outside of the building.
“Everyone, spread out. Anything that ends with a ‘cillin’ or ‘cycline’ is what we’re going for. We don’t want to be greedy, but we need enough to treat all those people,” Amanda instructed.
“And ourselves,” Mike muttered.
“Yes—us, too,” she replied.
Hank helped them search. After they opened each box, he made sure they closed it back up and put it back on the shelf in its proper place. Amanda appreciated his attention to detail and the fact that he still cared about his job. She guessed he needed something to care about, the way things were going.
“Why did you stay?” Ezra asked him as they searched boxes next to each other.
Hank shrugged one of his beefy shoulders. “I didn’t have anywhere to go and I thought it was a temporary power outage. Then, it kept going. But I made a commitment and I intended to keep it. Plus, I was kind of hoping that, when things did settle down and return to normal, my boss would give me a bonus for keeping the merchandise safe,” he said with a grin. “Guess we’re past that point now, but it is what it is.”
“Good thinking at the time,” Ezra said with a small laugh.
“Hank, this city isn’t safe. You’re not going to be able to stay here much longer,” Amanda said gently.
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” he replied.
“I bet Dr. Ashworth and the others would be happy to have you,” she offered.
There was a shout then, and then a hoot of excitement further down the row where Mike and Gretchen were digging through boxes. “Jackpot!” Gretchen squealed. “We found it!”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed over to check out the white plastic bottles the others had found. Amanda confirmed the labels herself and nodded, smiling. “Load up. I think you’re in the right area. Let’s check the other boxes. We might need to try a number of different antibiotics in case the first doesn’t work.”
Everyone worked with renewed energy as they pulled boxes down, loading as much as they could into their pockets and using large triangle-size gauze pads to make carrying bags that could be looped through their belt loops. It wasn’t exactly incognito, but they had to take as much as they could. They shoved a variety of other medical supplies into their backpacks. Amanda wanted to give Dr. Ashworth everything he needed while keeping a few things for themselves.
“I wish we could take all of this,” Mike muttered.
“Me, too,” Amanda agreed. “It won’t be long before this is all taken or destroyed.”
“I’ve spent months guarding this stuff, not even knowing what all of it was. I wish there was a way we could distribute it to those who need it,” Hank said, looking around the room.
“It’s very dangerous out there,” Ezra told him.
“I’ll go with you,” Hank announced.
Amanda stopped what she was doing. “Good. I think you and Robin, the doctor, will do great together. I know he’ll appreciate all the help he can get.”
“You’re not staying?” Hank asked.
“No, we’re passing through. We’re kind of behind our schedule—to meet friends,” she quickly added.
“Oh,” Hank said, sounding a little disappointed.
“I think we might see each other again, though. Who knows, we might be back to take refuge from the storm raging all across the country,” she said.
Tonya looked at her, understanding in her eyes. They had talked about their mission and what it meant if they failed. Assuming they survived at all, they would need somewhere to live. They couldn’t keep traveling. It was no way to live. After this mission, at least they’d have some others to call friends.
“I think we have enough. Let’s get out of here,” Ezra said.
Amanda was in agreement, as were the others. Being in the city was terrifying, danger sitting at every turn. Now that they were carrying life-saving medicine, the stakes were raised.
“It’s going to be dark soon. I want to be out of here before the sun fades,” Jordan said.
They moved out of the building, Hank taking them down some back alleys that would normally have been more dangerous than the busy streets, but not any longer. They were the safer option now. With his guidance, they made it out of the city before dark. Remembering the trouble they’d encountered earlier, they took a wide berth back to the two-lane road that had brought them into the city.
As the sun faded and the heat finally let up, Amanda felt herself relax a little. The smells of the city finally subsided, allowing them to draw in fresh air.
“That was the worst we’ve seen,” Ezra commented.
“I think we’ve got a glimpse of what the future looks like if we don’t change things,” Gretchen said.
“I think you’re right, which only makes me want to try harder,” Amanda said quietly, more determined than ever.
Walking down a dark road with few trees and nothing but flat land stretching out in all directions was a little eerie. Amanda felt exposed, and it made the hairs on her arms stand up. She didn’t like it, and couldn’t wait until they rejoined Austin and the others. He made her feel safe in an unsafe world.
28
Austin and Ennis got up before the sun broke the horizon, Wendell watching them walk out of camp. He was anxious, nearly desperate to have some time away from the brothers. They were close to Boise and the next meet-up with Zander. Wendell knew Zander was planning something for them when they got to Boise. Austin searching for the other computer centers was just the delay Zander needed to get ready to take out Austin, intent as he was on making a big show of killing him and the others. Wendell understood the impulse, after all Austin had put him through—it was a way for Zander to flex his muscles and exact revenge. Personally, Wendell didn’t care how or where it happened. He only wanted to make sure he wasn’t mixed up in the chaos. He felt no guilt that they would all be dead soon—only annoyance and anxiety over the fact that he’d thought his dealings with both Austin and Zander would be done by now.
At the same time, he felt he had to get the details of their information from Sarah or he’d have nothing to trade on. He had no doubt in his mind that Zander would kill him if he didn’t think he was valuable. Wendell had already shown his hand by telling him about Austin and Sarah’s plan, so he had to get more information to ensure his value to the NWO.
With the broth
ers out of sight, Wendell got up, used the bathroom, and waited a little longer before he made just enough noise to wake up Sarah and Harlen. He already had a plan to get rid of Harlen and give himself some time alone with Sarah. She didn’t talk much, but he was determined to make her talk to him.
“Did they leave?” Harlen asked, getting to his feet and stretching his back.
“Yes. And Ennis said you know where the stream is. He asked if you could fill the water bottles before we move out,” Wendell said easily.
Harlen gave him an examining look. “I thought we filled them last night?”
Wendell picked up two of the empty bottles. “They’re empty,” he replied.
Harlen looked suspicious, but Wendell pretended innocence. He’d dumped the water out before they’d woken up, but it was all part of his plan.
“Alright,” Harlen said, picking up the empties and walking away.
Sarah was sitting up now, rubbing her eyes as she turned on the laptop.
“Back at it, huh?” Wendell asked before moving to sit beside her.
She gave him a look. “I need to make sure I have the information correct before we go in there.”
“You’re doing an amazing job. I’m so glad I’m on your side,” he said, smiling wide.
“I’ve done nothing yet.”
“You’ve done everything. All of this is because of you. We’re about to shut down a terror organization and it’s all because of your ability to decrypt those codes,” he said.
That seemed to hit the mark. “I do have superior knowledge of such things. It’s why they wanted me. It’s why I always stayed two steps ahead of them.”
“You knew about their plan before?” he questioned.
She grimaced. “I had an idea. Callum is the one who really knew.”
“I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to have all the information. You know, you can talk me. We can share the burden of carrying the information,” he offered.
“What do you mean?”
Wendell grimaced and made a big show of sighing. “I hate to say it, but any one of us could be captured or killed. It’s not wise for only one of us to know all the information. It makes sense for several of us to have the knowledge needed to shut this thing down.”
That seemed to get her attention. “You’re right. Austin knows some things, and Amanda has the necessary information, but if one of them is killed—” she let her voice trail off.
“You can tell me anything. I don’t talk to anyone. I’m kind of a loner if you haven’t noticed,” he said, shrugging as if he didn’t care either way.
“Austin knows the codes and I know the codes,” she said, her closed-off body language revealing that she’d become a little uncomfortable.
“Sarah, you have to know there’s a very high risk that Austin will be killed on sight if the NWO finds him. And you… of course, they’ll want you. You’re a valuable commodity. Where does that leave the rest of us? How can we save the world if the only two people in the world that can stop this thing have been shut down?” he reasoned.
She stared at the screen in front of her, filled with various files. He could tell he was making headway. She was thinking about it.
“I don’t know… these codes aren’t to be bandied about,” she said, her voice full of hesitancy.
“Sarah, I’m one of you. I’m risking my life to do this. I’ve been putting my life on the line for months to try and keep Austin and his daughter alive. We’re all in this together. I’ve proven myself time and again. I don’t want all of this to be for naught,” he added, doing his best to keep his voice calm, reasonable. “I think we need to have a back-up plan. I’m the perfect option. No one sees me as a threat. No one thinks I’m capable of doing anything at all. I’m the dark horse,” he said, the words ringing true to his own ear as he spoke them.
It was a compelling argument and he knew it. She had to see why it was important to share the information with him.
“Why don’t we talk to Austin about this when he gets back?” she said.
Wendell fought back an urge to growl. “We can’t tell Austin. We can’t tell anyone. Can you imagine what would happen if one of them was captured and tortured? They’d tell them I had the information. Then I would be killed along with you and Austin. Then what? No one would be left to do what needs to get done to save our world,” he said.
Sarah chewed her bottom lip. “No one pays much attention to you,” she agreed.
He ignored the anger that threatened to bubble to the surface with her statement. “No, they don’t. I’m not one of the big tough guys and I’m not the most outspoken. I’m hiding in plain sight.”
She turned to look at him. “You are. That’s exactly what you’re doing. You’ve joined up with these people because you don’t have the skills to survive on your own. You stay quiet, keep your head down, and no one notices you’re there, hanging onto their coattails.”
He clenched his teeth. He didn’t particularly care for her bluntness or her assessment. “I guess you could look at it that way.”
That seemed to sell her. “Fine, I’ll tell you the codes. You’ll need some other information, as well, just in case I’m killed.”
He made a cross over his chest with his fingertip. “I won’t say a word.”
She rambled off a slew of information, all of which he committed to memory, knowing his very life depended on him knowing the codes. It was all he had. She had been right about one thing: he couldn’t survive on his own. He was clinging to Austin’s coattails now, but he planned on jumping to Zander’s coattails at the first chance he got.
“You’re making a wise decision,” he said.
Harlen walked back into camp just then, looking from Wendell to Sarah. Wendell smiled at him and got to his feet. “I’ll get a fire started and get the water purified. Today is going to be a big day.”
He was almost giddy with the idea of sleeping in a real bed and eating real food as soon as tomorrow night, or possibly even that night. He’d earned it. He had put in the time and energy, and deserved all the luxuries coming his way.
29
Austin could feel the excitement humming through the group as they passed a sign announcing they were entering Boise. Their destination wasn’t much further, though he expected it wouldn’t be an easy path. They expected there to be the usual turf wars and people like Lilly Gamblin running the streets. They’d been dealing with it for months and knew the drill.
“What if—” Ennis started, before Austin held up his hand and shook his head.
“Don’t say it. We need a little good luck and positivity right now. I refuse to believe we’re going to strike out again,” Austin said firmly.
He heard a choking sound then and turned to look at Wendell. The guy had been acting strange since he and Ennis had come back from hunting earlier that morning. He didn’t like it. Wendell looked like the proverbial cat who’d eaten the canary.
“The computer center is on the edge of the south side of town. We don’t need to risk it by going into the city,” Sarah said.
“Are you sure? I thought you said it was on the north side?” Austin asked.
“I was wrong. I studied the map some more and I’m confident it’s on the south side,” she replied.
Austin was at her mercy; they all were. The city sprawled out before them looked daunting. He wanted it to be on the south side, though, as it would make his life a lot easier. The remnants of buildings that had been burned to the ground stood like massive tombstones on either side of the street. He could still smell fires and the scent of burning plastic.
This was nothing new, of course. It had been the norm as they’d traveled the country. Cities were always the worst, full of hostiles and death.
Walking through Boise, they passed body after body lying in the midst of more destruction than any of them could have wrapped their minds around just months before. The city was in shambles, and anyone alive was hiding out. Slowly, Austin began to think th
ey might pass through the city and reach the computer center without getting into any skirmishes. He didn’t let his guard down, but it was turning into a quiet day.
“Why do they stay?” Harlen asked, shaking his head when they passed several bodies lying shot down in the middle of the street. “Why stay?” he asked again.
“Because they had nowhere else to go. Where could they go?” Ennis replied. “They die in the place they know or they die in the wilderness. I’m sure there were a lot of resources in the beginning, and honestly, it would have made sense at that point for some of them. Unfortunately, too many people fighting for the same thing is always going to end up with the weak being killed off.”
“I can’t wait for this to be over. I’m so sick of the death. It’s all so pointless. They could have lived together peacefully. They could have banded together and fought back,” Harlen said.
“I think the propaganda being spread drove them to fight one another. Can you imagine what it would have been like for them?” Austin asked, not expecting an answer. “I think we’re all pretty lucky we were where we were when it happened, and lucky to have found each other on top of that.”
Ennis smiled at him. “That’s very upbeat of you.”
Austin shrugged. “I’m feeling upbeat. I know this is it. We’re going to do this. I refuse to fail.”
There was another choking sound from Wendell. Austin shot him a glare.
“We’re close,” Sarah announced, her eyes scanning the area. “It’s in an Italian restaurant.”
“What?” Austin asked.
“It’s an underground bunker. They had to have a front. These bunkers are all over the country posing as simple businesses,” she answered.
“Is that it?” Ennis asked, pointing ahead to a broken, faded sign. ‘Anthony’s Italian’ was barely legible on the sign.
“It is! Let’s hurry!” Sarah said.
Small Town EMP (Book 3): Survive The Conflict Page 21