Forced Exodus (Pandemic Book Two)

by Christine Kersey

  Ah well. They would reach the farm soon and then Emily’s aunt and uncle could decide if she—or any of them—were welcome. He pushed aside the thought. They had plenty to deal with before they got to that point.

  Once the sun set, people started heading off to bed. Derrick had volunteered to take first watch, so he stood and began patrolling the outer perimeter of their circle. Eventually, the night became pitch black. Tilting his head back, he gazed at the stars. They were absolutely brilliant. He took a moment to admire the Milky Way.

  With his eyes adjusted to the dark night, he peered into the distance as he strode toward I-80. No cars could be seen in either direction. He turned his back to the road and looked toward their camp, gauging how visible it would be in the dark. Probably not visible at all until a car’s headlights swept across it. But by then the car would have passed and whoever was on watch would be aware of the vehicle and able to watch for it to possibly backtrack.

  It seemed highly unlikely that anyone would manage to sneak up on them. Still, Derrick made a slow circuit around the perimeter of the camp again, checking out the approach to the camp from the wild area to the north. It would be nearly impossible to see anyone coming from that direction, but any intruder would have to be on foot as there was nothing in that direction but miles and miles of sagebrush. Nothing to hide behind.

  During his three-hour watch, not one car passed by, and when Chris came out to relieve him, Derrick was more than ready to get some sleep.

  “Wake me up if you see anything,” he said to Chris, who nodded his agreement.

  Staying fully dressed, including wearing his shoes, Derrick laid his sleeping bag in the bed of his truck and stretched out on top. With his hands behind his head, he gazed at the stars, soaking in the beauty of the night sky. It didn’t take long for him to drift off, but he woke abruptly when he heard a shout. It took a second for him to orient himself to where he was, but the moment he did, he sat up, holding his gun in the low ready position, his eyes probing the darkness around him. From the bed of his truck, he could see the interior of the circle as well as a good portion of the area outside of the circle.

  That’s when he saw a pair of men crossing the eastbound lanes of I-80, coming toward their camp.

  “I said to stop!” Matt shouted.

  If Matt was on watch it had to be somewhere between three and six in the morning. Derrick slid out of the bed of his truck and hustled over to Matt, softly calling out to him so he wouldn’t turn and shoot him by mistake. Matt acknowledged Derrick’s approach, then turned his attention back to the men, who had halted in the grassy area between the east and westbound lanes of I-80.

  Derrick looked behind him to see if Chris had woken. Sure enough, Chris gave Derrick a brief wave as he trotted to the other side of the circle, obviously to make sure no one was sneaking up on that side while Derrick and Matt were distracted. Derrick waved back.

  “What do you want?” Matt called to the men, his gun pointed at them. Derrick aimed his Glock at the men as well.

  The two men appeared to be having a brief conversation, which made Derrick uneasy. “Move along,” Derrick called out. “You’re not welcome here.”

  The men stopped talking and faced them. “We just want something to eat. Do you have any to spare?”

  Shaking his head and sighing, Derrick glanced at Matt, who looked just as torn as he felt. They had a good amount, but they couldn’t feed the world. Besides, for all Derrick knew, these men had a dozen others waiting to rush in and take all they had. Why confirm for them that their group had supplies worth taking?

  “Can’t help you,” Derrick called out. “Now, move along.”

  The men stood where they were, speaking to each other in voices Derrick couldn’t hear. They slowly began walking forward, ignoring Derrick’s command to leave. Derrick shifted the aim of his Glock to the right of the men and squeezed the trigger. The blast of the gun shattered the quiet night air. The men threw their hands up, freezing in place.

  Derrick brought his aim back to the man on the right. “I’m not going to tell you again!”

  With their hands in the air, the men spun around, then they dropped their arms to their sides and took off running, disappearing into the darkness.

  Exhaling in relief that they hadn’t had to shoot anyone, Derrick holstered his gun and turned to Matt with a frown.

  Matt tucked his gun into his waistband and glanced at his watch. “Sun will be rising soon.”

  “Good. I don’t think I could go back to sleep now.” Not with the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

  Matt chuckled. “Never a dull moment.”

  Despite himself, Derrick grinned. “Nope.”

  Chris jogged over to meet them. “They must have been alone. There’s nothing happening to the north.”

  Derrick nodded. “Good.” He pursed his lips. “Might as well get breakfast going.”

  Matt smiled. “I’ll get the water boiling.”

  Forty-five minutes later, their group had eaten and loaded up their gear.

  Derrick spread out a map on the open tailgate of his truck while everyone gathered around. “The next town we’ll pass through is Winnemucca.” He pointed to it on the map. “It’s not large, but it’s big enough that we need to be on our guard. And it’s the halfway point to our destination.” Derrick looked at the others. “As time goes on, people are only going to get more desperate. We need to be ready for anything.”

  Looking grim, they nodded.

  Derrick folded up the map and closed the gate on his truck. “All right. Let’s head out.”

  As he led the way back onto I-80, Derrick hoped they’d be able to handle whatever they were going to face that day.

  Chapter 28

  Matt

  As Matt followed Derrick’s truck, he silently said a prayer of thanks that they’d made it as far as they had and that he and his family were part of such a strong and smart group. If he and his family had had to make this trip on their own, there’s no way they would have survived this long unscathed. Not only because he didn’t have the experience, but even more, because he wouldn’t have been able to do it alone. If Derrick hadn’t come out that morning to back him up when those men had appeared out of the desert, it would have ended differently. Why would two men listen to one man? Especially when they were desperate? Of course, Matt could have shot them both—although, let’s be honest, he wasn’t that great a shot. But he wanted to keep the body count to a minimum.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jessica asked as she rested her hand on his arm.

  He smiled at her. “Just how lucky we are to be part of this group.”

  She nodded as a soft smile curved her lips. “I couldn’t agree more.” She chuckled. “And I like the new girl. Paisley?” She paused. “You know, I’d been hesitant to let her spend the night in the RV with us, but she was delightful.”

  “Don’t forget how cute her baby is,” Kayla said from the back seat.

  Jessica laughed. “Yes, Serena is definitely adorable.”

  They drove on, eventually entering Winnemucca. On edge as they drove, Matt was on high alert for trouble. The Interstate was on the outskirts of town, and much to Matt’s relief, they passed through without incident.

  After they’d driven for another two hours, Derrick’s voice came over the walkie. “Let’s stop up ahead for a short break.”

  “Thank goodness,” Jessica said.

  Smiling, Matt picked up the walkie. “Copy that.”

  Their caravan pulled onto the right shoulder, although they were still partially on the road, which didn’t matter as traffic was non-existent. Everyone jumped out of the truck, including Cleo, who immediately began sniffing everything in the immediate vicinity.

  Matt intertwined his fingers with Jessica’s before they walked together to meet up with the rest of their group, who were gathering beside Jeff and Emily’s truck.

  Though Jeff had seemed to be doing well when they’d left that morning,
Matt was still concerned about him. They needed him—they needed every member of their group, but they especially needed Jeff. Not only was he courageous, he was a no-nonsense kind of man. In this insane world, their group would be much safer with him whole and healthy.

  Jeff was just getting out of the truck when Matt and Jessica got there. He looked good to Matt, but what did he know? He was a computer programmer—had been a computer programmer—not a medical specialist.

  Matt walked up to Jeff. “How’re you doing?”

  “I’m ready to drive.” He smirked at Emily. “But Em won’t let me. Insists I need to rest.”

  She smiled warmly at him. “You can drive after Reno.”

  He frowned. “Uh-huh.”

  This time she smirked. “Besides, I need you in the shotgun seat to ward off the bad guys.”

  This made everyone laugh. But only because it was so tragically true. They all needed to keep their guns loaded and within reach at all times. Matt reached behind him to reassure himself that his gun was in his waistband.

  “Fifteen minute break,” Derrick said, bringing them all back to reality, “then back on the road.”

  “How far are we from Reno?” Chris asked.

  Reno’s population before the pandemic had been close to two hundred and fifty thousand. Who knew how many people were left now? Then again, it only took a small group of desperate people to cause a huge problem.

  Derrick pulled his map out of his back pocket and spread it out on the hood of Jeff and Emily’s truck. He pointed to a spot east of Reno. “We’re about here, so about 60 miles from Reno.”

  No one said anything, but Matt was sure they were all thinking the same thing: What problems would they face as they passed through Reno, Nevada?

  The fifteen minutes passed in a flash, and as they drove ever westward, Matt pictured their destination. Or at least what he hoped he would find once they got there. Lush, green fields with rows and rows of fresh vegetables ripe for the eating. White and black cows calling out to be milked. Plump chickens producing baskets-full of fresh eggs daily. Plenty of space for the kids to run around. A spacious house with room for all—including a private bedroom for him and Jessica. And finally, an easily protected perimeter to keep out anyone who would do them harm.

  All of that was worth risking their lives to reach.

  Matt looked to his left and saw the Truckee River. On the right was a sign with the logos of several gas stations—something that in the past he would potentially take advantage of. Now, though, those gas stations were most certainly dry.

  As they approached Sparks, which was just east of Reno, an overpass came into view. Automatically lifting his gaze to the elevated road, Matt felt his heart speed up. Was there a sniper up there just waiting to take him and his family out?

  He couldn’t see anyone, and once they passed underneath without anyone shooting at them, he softly exhaled.

  “So far so good,” Jessica murmured beside him.

  So, she was just as on edge as he was. He didn’t know why that should surprise him. She’d experienced most of the same things he had, although he was grateful he’d managed to spare her some of it.

  “We’re going to make it,” he said, as much to reassure himself as her.

  She smiled at him, her eyes tight with worry.

  They passed under another overpass. No shooting. A shopping center was on their right. The parking lots were deserted like it was a holiday. Only it wasn’t. It felt eerie and unsettling. Like someone could suddenly appear out of nowhere and that someone would not have good intentions.

  They passed a sign with the logos of several fast food joints. The thought of eating at any one of those places made Matt’s mouth water, but restaurants were now a remnant of the past. Would they ever return? He hoped so, but with the number of people severely depleted, it would be a long time before life could return to normal—if it ever did.

  They entered the Reno city limits, staying in the left lane of the Interstate. An occasional car passed them heading east, and they passed a car heading west here and there. No one seemed to pay attention to them, which was exactly how Matt wanted it.

  A sign over the freeway directed them to stay in their lane if they wanted to go toward Sacramento, which was the capitol of California.

  They were getting closer.

  Chapter 29

  Derrick

  They’d made it across Reno, but as they approached the western edge, a large hand-lettered sign caught Derrick’s eye. GAS AVAILABLE

  He picked up the walkie. “Anyone need to top off their tanks?”

  Jeff and Chris said they wanted to.

  Derrick wanted to as well. If they filled up here, they would have enough fuel to finish the trip without stopping again.

  The four vehicles exited I-80 and drove to the gas station, which was clearly visible. No one else was gassing up, but that was fine with Derrick. The fewer people around, the better.

  They pulled in to the station, each of them stopping beside a pump. A man came hustling out, a wide grin on his bearded face.

  “Howdy! Need some gas, do you?”

  Derrick had already gotten out of his truck. Matt, Chris, and Jeff joined him.

  The man’s name was stenciled on the pocket of his shirt. Everett. Was that really his name or had he taken the shirt from someone else? No matter. He was the one who controlled the pumps.

  “How much you charging?” Derrick asked.

  Everett’s smile grew. “Doing it in trade. Cash does me no good.”

  The man wasn’t an idiot. Derrick had to give him that. “What do you need?”

  He chuckled. “Lots of things, but food and weapons carry the most value.”

  No way would they give up any weapons. “We’ll trade a can of food per three gallons of gas.” Between the four of them, they’d need around sixty gallons. That would be twenty cans of food.

  Everett laughed. “Not even close, my friend.”

  “Do you even have that much fuel?” Jeff asked, his deep voice booming.

  Derrick was glad to have him back in action.

  Everett shot his gaze to Jeff, who towered over him. “I have plenty of fuel, sir. The question is, do you have the goods to trade?”

  Jeff glowered. “We have one can of food per three gallons.”

  Everett stared at Jeff, clearly not about to back down. “Where y’all headed?”

  Derrick didn’t like his nosy question. “Why?”

  Everett glanced toward the west, then turned back to face them. “If you’re heading into California, might be worth your while to save your food and instead trade your weapons for fuel.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Derrick sighed heavily. “Now, why would we want to do that?”

  A smirky smile curved Everett’s lips. “They won’t let you bring any guns across the border. They’re confiscating all of ‘em. Even from the people already in California.”

  Sudden alarm pierced Derrick. They needed their weapons. Not having them would leave them wide open to attack.

  “Oh, hell no,” Jeff said.

  “You’re kidding,” Chris said, his body rigid.

  Everett looked at Chris. “‘Fraid not. They’ll search your rig from top to bottom.” He shook his head like he didn’t agree with it either. “This world’s gone barking mad.”

  That was the understatement of the year.

  Derrick needed to know more. “Who’s taking the guns?”

  Everett turned to him. “State government. On the orders of the acting governor.”

  Chris shook his head. “Did the governor give a reason?”

  This brought a smile to Everett’s face. “Yeah. Claims it’s for the protection of all. You know, if fewer people have guns, fewer people will be killed by guns.”

  Shaking his head in disgust, Derrick clenched his jaw. Some politician—guarded by armed men, no doubt—thought it was a good idea to disarm law-abiding citizens. That way only criminals would be armed.
Just perfect.

  “Lets not forget,” Jeff said, “if the people are disarmed, the government can more easily control them.”

  Derrick sighed. “Exactly.” Trying not to let his frustration get to him, he faced Everett. “Will you take one can for three gallons or not?”

  Everett chewed on his lower lip as he stared at Derrick. “Two cans for three gallons. That’s my final offer.”

  Jaw clenched, Derrick shifted his eyes to the others, stopping on Matt. He had the most food. And with his auxiliary tank, he probably didn’t even need any fuel. Still, Matt gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

  Derrick swiveled to Everett. “Deal.”

  A wide smile flashed across Everett’s face. “How many gallons you think you’ll need?”

  “Forty-five of unleaded.” He glanced at Matt.

  Matt nodded. “Fifteen of diesel.”

  Everett’s smile never dimmed. “That’s forty cans. I’ll need a deposit of half before you start pumpin’.”

  Derrick couldn’t blame him, but he was still irritated. And he didn’t fully trust the man. “How do we know you have enough fuel?”

  Now he looked offended. “Like I said before, I have enough.”

  Derrick stared at him a moment. “Tell you what. We’ll get the cans out, but we’ll only hand them over as the fuel goes in our tanks.”

  Everett seemed to think that over. “If we’re gonna do that, then we only fill one vehicle at a time.”

  “Fair enough.” Derrick turned to the others.

  Jeff grinned. “Line up in formation?”

  Derrick had to chuckle. “Yep.”

  In short order, they’d all lined up with Derrick in the lead, then Matt, Jeff, and Chris. They took out a case of green beans and set it on the ground beside the pump. Then Derrick started pumping. Every time they hit three gallons, he handed two cans to Everett. It took a while to fill all four vehicles, but when they were done, each of them had a full tank.