"I'm sorry."
"Me, too. David was a good kid."
"Do you think we'll get along here?" Randi asked.
"I imagine we'll have disagreements from time to time. What family doesn't?"
"Your aunt's arm was in a cast. Do you know what happened?"
"She fell and broke her arm." Josh leaned back. "I sent her to Miguel. He did wonders with Mark's shoulder. He's limited on what he can do, but at least he'll know when to remove the cast."
"We need to talk to your uncle. His team designed this virus. Maybe he can reverse it."
"That's got to be why he built the lab." Josh stood. "Let me go get him."
A few minutes later, Josh and Barker returned.
Randi leaned back in her chair. "What do you need to reverse this plague?"
Barker laughed. "Right to the point, huh? I don't know. My notes and samples were lost on the way here."
"I'll get you fresh samples." Randi pointed out the window. "We have an endless supply. Tell me what you need, and I'll get it."
"Blood and brain tissue from infected people." He fell into a chair. "But you can't get it. It's way too dangerous. You could easily get infected and bring the virus back."
"Do you have protective gear?"
Barker nodded.
"Fine, I'll wear it, gather what you need, and camp in the outer perimeter until it's safe for me to return."
"I'll go with her." Josh crossed his arms.
"Fine." Reginald rubbed his hands over his face. "It may take many samples over a long time before I'm able to make a vaccine or develop a cure. To be honest, I'm not sure where to start without my notes. Besides, it took a team of six top-end scientists many years to develop this. I have serious doubts about my ability to make any changes."
Randi held her hands palm up. "We have nothing but time, so why not try?"
"What do you want in return for risking yourself?"
"Nothing. If I play a small part in saving the world, then my life won't have been in vain." Maybe she could put some good Karma into the world instead of the bad she'd passed around so far in her life.
"Everyone may move into the house." Reginald stared at the floor. "I'm sorry for earlier."
"It was a shock seeing a small town living on your property." Randi looked out the window again. "My family can move inside, but I'll stay out here."
"No need for you to live in a tent."
"I'll take the motor home. Besides, I've lived in much worse than a tent." Randi stood as Miguel walked in since they were splitting Adriana's shift. "Miguel was doing his internship in ortho, I'm sure he'll assist you in whatever way you need. We want the virus stopped."
A floating sensation enveloped Randi as she left the guard tower with a smile on her face. Maybe they could reclaim society before they were wiped out.
*****
Vixen rose as Phil walked into her office.
He laughed a giddy, silly laugh. The imbecile. "I found us a better place."
She lifted an eyebrow. "And where might that be?"
"It's near Uvalde. Out in the country, someone built a big ol' complex. It resembles a prison with towers and fences."
"Good job." Vixen almost felt like she should pet the man's head like she would a dog who'd learned a new trick. Of course, Phil was little more than a mangy mongrel. "Very good, Phil." A shame she couldn't trust him to tell the truth. Not since she found out he fed Reginald information. "Draw a map for me."
"I'll go with you."
She held up a hand. "No. I'm doing this alone." If she had to listen to the man's yammering for the entire drive, she might run her blade through him.
Once he'd finished the crude map, she walked to the car barn. That weasel and his family had taken her Charger forcing her to drive one of the others. Since the louse had stolen all of the keys, all but two vehicles were unusable. The Tundra and the Kia had extra keys. She needed to send a team out to scavenge cars. The truck had less than a quarter of a tank, so she drove to the front of the town where they stored fuel in large drums. She filled the tank and headed out. It shouldn't take long unless she ran into trouble.
Vixen drove toward Uvalde. She took a turn down a dirt road, but it led to the river. Phil's map didn't make any sense. She made a u-turn, drove several miles until she came to another dirt road. This one wound around for miles, but Phil had said it wasn't that far. She drove a little further, then turned around. Five miles from the second dirt road, she found a third road. She turned down it and drove until she saw an outer gate. This had to be the place.
She turned around, parked further down the road and surveyed the prison with binoculars. It looked safe. Phil had done an excellent job. A woman with short, black hair walked out of a square building with Reginald Barker on her heels. The weasel. He'd lied to her about his destination when he'd had a safe place. She would make him pay.
As she drove back to Atlas she decided to relieve the current owners of their property. They would watch the people in the walls and learn their habits. No need to rush, but they would take over the compound.
Dark Days Book Two: Inquisition
Coming March 2018
About Marcy G. Dyer
Marcy G. Dyer is an author and retired Registered Nurse. Like so many other writers, she began writing at a very young age, but never took herself seriously as a "real" writer until about eleven years ago when she began taking courses.
Marcy is an alumnus of the Christian Writer's Guild, member of Sisters in Crime, and long-time member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
She currently has four novels from the Desert Winds Series available: Down & Out, Out for Blood, Blood & Lies, Lies & Alibis.
Dark Days (Book 1): Contagion Page 29