The Last Mile Trilogy

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Girl shopping?”

  “Yeah.” Robi smiled. “It’ll be fun. A girl’s day. We’ll take one of the guys with us to watch the door, but we’ll keep them at a distance.”

  “Long as it ain’t Jeb,” Eva said.

  “Why? He’s nice to you now.”

  “Exactly.” Eva nodded.

  After laughing, Robi joined Eva at the table to continue sorting through kitchen items.

  <><><><>

  Nick’s feet smacked against the concrete ramp to the lower level in his rush to check out how Mas and Sam were doing with weapons. His footsteps echoed and he called out, “It’s me” before entering the level. His tennis shoes squeaked as he skidded to a stop. “Whoa.”

  Jeb turned. “Whoa is right. Our resident aliens have been working hard.”

  Nick walked slowly toward the center. Mas and Sam had several tables set up. On the floor on the other side of the table were the weapons, both big and small. “Do they work?” Nick asked.

  “Tongue you should bite,” Mas snapped. “Work they do. Test we did not. But will we soon.”

  Nick nodded. “How are we gonna transport all this to wherever we go? I would think the weight alone would wear on the gas efficiency.”

  “Agreed,” Jeb said. “But we’ll figure it out. It won’t be such a headache …speaking of which.”

  Nick cringed.

  “I’m heading to roof watch, so can you check to see if Martha is awake? I need her for my head.”

  Sam looked up. “What is wrong with your head?”

  “It hurts,” Jeb replied. “I have a lump, too. But … at least the alien bug didn’t get me.”

  “Alien bug?” Sam asked.

  “Yeah, like the ones we saw in Kentucky. You remember, Mas,” Jeb said.

  Mas tilted his head. “Gone the bugs would be since arrival of Atranda.”

  “Maybe one remained.”

  Nick stepped forward. “Jeb, I have a confession. There wasn’t a bug.”

  “No bug?” Jeb asked. “Then why did you hit me?”

  “Well, Eva and I were thinking that maybe you’d remember everything if you got hit on the head.”

  Mas laughed.

  Sam did too.

  “You hit me on the head on purpose to jar my memory?” asked Jeb.

  Nick nodded. “I’m sorry. We wanted it to work.”

  “You could have killed me.”

  “Sorry.”

  Jeb exhaled. “You’re thinking was good, but …. you should have told me what you were up to.”

  Nick snickered. “Yeah, right, we were gonna say, ‘Hey, Jeb, we want to try and knock you on the head to knock your memory back.’ Sure.”

  “Yes.” Jeb nodded. “I would have said yes. You don’t think I want to remember how I got here? Our relationship, Nick? How I met everyone? What we battled?”

  “My mother?”

  “More than anything I wish I remembered what we had. She’s a beautiful and intelligent woman.”

  “Who is lost without you,” Nick said. “I know my mom. So, why not just try to pick up where you left off, and maybe the memory will come back.”

  “I suggested that,” Jeb said. “And she said no. Plus, if we got to a certain level, then I want to know how. I don’t want to miss out on everything. I certainly want to know what brought us together.”

  “Elvis,” Nick answered.

  Jeb cocked back. “Elvis? How?”

  “We were at Graceland. You guys hung out one night, got hammered, shot pool, and that’s where the bond began.” Nick noticed Jeb lifting his head and staring. “You remember?”

  “No. But … that just doesn’t sound really romantic.”

  “You guys weren’t bonded by romance,” Nick laughed. “You weren’t mushy or all over each other. You guys just clicked.”

  “Yeah, well, now we clack.”

  “If I may,” Sam said. “What is meant to be will be. If time and circumstance weren’t just factors, then it will happen, and perhaps if it does again, then you will remember.”

  Jeb nodded. “I need my memory back. I don’t feel whole. There’s a black spot between finding the baby and waking up here, and there are more than just feelings for Robi in that black spot. Everything I learned, everything I experienced, all of that plays a part in my fighting whatever we are facing.” He paused. “And how good am I really without it?”

  Chapter Eleven – Back Track

  July 22nd - Los Angeles, CA

  “I see nothing at all,” Tate said, peering through the binoculars from the roof of the former Wilshire Plaza Hotel.

  “Like I reported,” Parker Weston stood next to Tate. “It grew dim when the sky started to lighten.”

  “How you holding up?” Tate asked.

  Parker grunted and waved out his hand. “I need a nightcap.” An older man and a retired town sheriff, he had been on the roof for a double night shift. He was ready for sleep, he told Tate, and was pretty certain nothing would wake him up.

  “Tate,” Jeb called out as he stepped on the roof. “What’s going on?”

  Tate replied, “Last night Parker was on watch and about zero two hundred hours he called to tell me about lights.”

  “Lights?” Jeb asked. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “It was lights. We weren’t going out there at night. I wanna send a party out there in that vicinity to see.” He handed Jeb the binoculars. “I came up when Parker radioed.”

  “Did they just appear?” Jeb asked.

  “Yes and no,” Parker answered. “It started small and then spread out. I radioed Tate.”

  “We kept an eye on it,” Tate said.

  “Describe the light.” Jeb peered out through the binoculars.

  “Honestly?” Tate said. “It was like the stadium lights at a high school football game.”

  Jeb lowered the binoculars. “Okay, we’ll check it out. It might be a band of survivors out there.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Tate said.

  Parker pointed back with his thumb. “If you guys don’t need me right now, I’m heading down to see my daughter, and then get some sleep.”

  Tate gave a nod of his head. “Go on and thanks for doing a double.”

  “No problem.” Parker turned and walked to the roof door.

  “Any noises with these lights?” Jeb asked.

  “Nothing,” Tate answered. “Just lights.”

  “Okay. Can you hang tight up here on watch?”

  “Sure, where are you going? I thought you were taking a shift.”

  “I am. But I want to let Robi know you’re getting a team together,” Jeb said as he stepped back. “And I wanna give her the info from the alien twins. Last thing I want is her up my ass again.”

  “Scared of Robi?”

  Jeb scoffed with a flutter of his lips. “No. Please.” He stopped and twitched his head to the left with a smile. “Maybe just a little.” After a laugh of response from Tate, Jeb left the roof.

  <><><><>

  “That’s the last,” Michael said, setting a box on the table before Robi. “This is all from a xix block circumference. From what I cleaned out, we should be hooked up on medical supplies for a while, and we still haven’t hit the medical centers.”

  “Thank you. And thank you for all that you have done,” Robi told him.

  “Not a problem. Let me know if you need anything else.” Michael turned.

  “Michael.”

  He stopped.

  “I’m sorry about the outburst this morning and you having to witness it. I was a bit out of line.”

  “No, it’s okay. Somehow I think you two always clashed, even before the memory went on Jeb. It’s cool.”

  Robi nodded. “I’m … you’ve been really good. I’ve been insensitive because I have just been focused on getting things ready and wanting to move. I appreciate you having your people help out, and if I step on your toes …”

  Michael laughed. “My people? I’m not a leader, R
obi.”

  “You seem to be.”

  “Because I was the only one calm enough after the attack.”

  “Because you’re a leader.”

  “No, I was stoned.”

  Robi paused. “You didn’t run your camp?”

  “No, I’m a pharmacist. Or I was a pharmacist. And no, I wasn’t stoned when I was a pharmacist. I did start smoking again when the world dropped, but I wasn’t the leader of So-Cal. We had a leader. The Colonel. He rocked. He was amazing. He kept us together, organized. He was tough.”

  “Did he die in the attack?” Robi asked.

  “Yeah. Him and almost every other military man left on base went down except for the ones that we have here. I kinda envision the Colonel going down in a blaze of glory, both guns blasting, calling out the creatures, shooting even when they had him.”

  “Do you think that’s what happened?”

  “I like to believe that’s what happened.” Michael smiled. “The Colonel was that good. It couldn’t have happened any other way.”

  “In this new world we’re building, where do you see yourself. As a soldier? A teacher …”

  “A chemist,” Michael said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I’m good with chemistry. I am great with computers, but …” He leaned forward with a wink. “You got some high tech guys, and I am a minor player when it comes to that. But I’m a good chemist, so I went for pharmacy. I actually contemplated moving to the UK just to be called a chemist.”

  “Well, consider yourself our resident drug man.” She looked seriously at him, then it dawned on Robi what she said and she smiled.

  Eva, bubbly, hurried to the table. “I’m ready.”

  “Did you tell your father? Robi asked.

  “Aw,” Eva stomped. “No. I don’t need to, I’m with you.”

  Michael asked, “Where are you guys going?”

  Robi replied, “This is going to be a girl’s day. We’re gonna hit that little mall across the street for some new clothes.”

  “Want me to go as backup?” Michael asked.

  “You sure?” Robi said. “You’ll need to stand watch, but we’ll only be an hour or so.”

  “Women shopping? An hour? Okay,” Michael joked.

  Robi closed up the last box. “Okay, let’s go tell Parker.”

  “Tell me what?” Parker asked from behind Robi.

  With a spin and grabbing her chest, Robi laughed. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were there. I’m taking Eva across the street to get some new clothes. We’ll be gone about an hour.” She noticed the drink in his hand. “Are you drinking? It’s ten in the morning.”

  “It’s a nightcap. I did a double last night. Did Jeb talk to you?”

  “No, what’s wrong?” Robi asked.

  “There are some lights in the distance. We think it may be a survivor camp.”

  “Oh, that’s awesome. He’ll probably send some people out today,” Robi said.

  Parker nodded. “Did you need me to go?”

  “Michael is going,” Robi pointed out. “And we can grab one more guy. Get some rest.”

  “Nah,” he said, finishing his drink. “I’m good. Let’s head out before I get tired though.”

  “Pa,” Eva whined. “You can’t be yelling about things I pick out, okay? I might get some girl things.”

  “Sure you will.” Parker laid a hand on Robi’s back. As the four of them began to leave, Jeb called out.

  “Go on ahead,” Robi instructed. “Meet you at the ramp.” She turned from the group and walked to Jeb. “What’s up?”

  “Hey, I saw you with Parker. Did he tell you about the lights?”

  “Yes, he did. Survivors?”

  “I don’t know. We’re gonna go check it out. I also want to speak to you about the Atranda and what I made out of the scouting info. When can we do that?”

  “About an hour?” Robi asked. “I’m heading across the street with Eva.”

  “Do you need me to go?”

  Robi shook her head. “No, Michael and Parker are going, so we’re good. And … can you hold off on sending people out to check out that light until I get back?”

  “Will do.”

  “Thanks.” Robi stepped back.

  “Robi, you got your radio and weapon?”

  She opened her jacket to expose her revolver and then pointed to her pocket. “I’m good.”

  “Be careful. One hour.”

  “We’re good. Go roof watch. I’ll check back in an hour and I’ll meet you up there.” She didn’t say any more, why would she, she’d see Jeb soon enough.

  Then Robi headed to meet the others.

  <><><><>

  Bess Ten was a shop in the smaller mall that at one time was another hotel. Robi was certain nothing in that store would work for her because it was all rather young. Not that style mattered much after the apocalypse, but she was also pretty sure it wouldn’t fit it. Not that Robi was a big woman, but she had curves, and the young shop tailored to the straight up and down, teenage girl figure.

  Eva’s figure.

  Gene cocked an eyebrow when he saw Robi turn to the outlet store. “What in the hell are you gonna dress my daughter in?”

  “Gene, just go take watch. We’re shopping,” Robi told him.

  “Yeah, Pa, we’re shopping,” Eva repeated.

  Gene nodded a ‘yeah-yeah’ and walked to the railing.

  Michael emerged from the shop. “All clear. Back room is clear, everything is good. Have fun ladies.” He took his position to the right of the floor.

  “See.” Robi clutched Eva’s arm.” Michael has the right attitude.”

  The store was dim. The emergency lights still worked, so the shop had a little bit of light. The clothing was bright colored, and most it was folded neatly on tables.

  “Not a lot of dust,” Robi said. “That’s good.”

  “Also good the summer clothes are out since we’re headed to the desert.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it.”

  “You ain’t getting nothing?”

  “Maybe a tank top or two. And ...” Robi snickered. “Bras. Underwear.”

  “Ain’t never been bra shopping,” Eva said. “My pa picked this one up at Walmart. Don’t got much.” She cupped her own breasts.

  “More than I did at your age. Let’s get you some bras, too. Heck, let’s wipe out the store.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “Go get some bags from behind the counter.”

  “Ok.” Enthused, Eva ran to the counter.

  “Forty-three minutes!” Gene’s voice echoed in the mall.

  “I know!” Robi yelled. “Gees.” She shook her head.

  “Got a lot.” Eva held up the bags.

  “These are cute.” Robi grabbed a bra. “Come here.”

  “What?”

  Robi walked to her and placed the bra over Eva’s shirt.

  Almost embarrassed, Eva stepped back and snickered.

  “Oh, stop, I’m just trying to see if it fits,” Robi told her. “My father took me for my first bra and did this in the middle of a Sear’s store.”

  “Were you embarrassed?”

  “Yes.” Robi nodded and secured the bra. “And I vowed to do it to my own daughters one day. But …” She lowered the bra and then her head.

  “At least you can do it to me.”

  “I can.”

  “You miss your Pa, huh?”

  “I do. But I am still not convinced he’s not floating out there somewhere.”

  “That’s right. Your Pa won the space lottery. What was he like?”

  “Like your father.” Robi put that bra and another in a bag. “A cop.”

  “Do we need to try any of this stuff on?”

  “Nah, if it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t matter. Besides, just start grabbing cool stuff. Grab some large sizes; I’m sure some of the women will appreciate these tank tops and underwear.”

  “Nick says you used to be real girly.”

  Robi lifted a shirt and hesit
ated. A distant, reminiscent look swept over her face. “Yeah, I was. I used to get my nails done. I always wore sandals in the summer, and painted my toenails. I wore dresses and makeup …. always. I was never without it.”

  “You don’t need it.”

  Robi smiled. “Thank you. But I kind of think our complexion gets used to not wearing it. I don’t think I looked this good when I first stopped wearing makeup.”

  “I doubt that.” With an ‘Oh,’ Eva lifted a bright pink shirt and held it to her. “You think this is too pink?”

  “No. It works.”

  “I like it. I usually don’t wear stuff like this. Pa buys my clothes.”

  “There you have it. Never let your father buy your clothes.” Robi rummaged through the stack of shirts.

  Eva laughed. “You should wear something like this. I think this will look really good on you, and maybe it will jar Jeb’s memory.”

  “I doubt it.” Robi lifted her eyes, then returned to the shirt. “Jeb never saw me in anything like …” Her eyes lifted again when she heard a thump and a knock. “Did you hear that?” She reached for her revolver.

  “Hear what? Probably just my Pa getting impatient.”

  “Probably.” Robi lowered her hand from her gun and reached down to continue looking at the shirts.

  “Oh, this one is nice,” Eva said. “You know what I think? I think ….”

  “You think what?”

  No answer.

  Robi lifted her head.

  Eva stared outward, almost as if through Robi. She didn’t blink, and her lips were parted.

  “Eva?” Robi dropped the clothing and stepped to her “What do you see.”

  Eva’s parted lips moved just slightly, and when they did, blood poured from her mouth.

  Robi shrieked out a horrified, “Eva” and just as she did, Eva fell into her. That was when she saw it, an arrow-like object protruding from the back of her neck. It wasn’t like any arrow Robi had seen in her life. It was tubular, thin, and it was a luminescent blue.

  Gripping the young girl, Robi cried out, “Michael! Parker!”

  They didn’t respond, but something else did.