Inquisition

by Marcy G. Dyer

  "Are you sure?" Reginald ran his hand over his face. "Ethan and Gabriele are stable, but moving them might make things worse."

  "I'm sure. We're heading to the coast." Randi walked toward the bedroom. "We can put them both on the back bed in the RV. I'll stay with them and keep an eye on them. If we stay here, we're dead."

  Reginald followed her into the bedroom. Gabriele was awake, but pain lines etched her face. "What's up?"

  "We have to evacuate. Vixen and her group are coming for us."

  "Okay. Disconnect my IV. I'll start on oral antibiotics and pain meds instead of the IV ones. Don't disconnect Ethan's IV, though."

  "You sure?" Reginald frowned. "We can't control your pain effectively with oral meds."

  "I'm tougher than you think."

  "No. We still need to give you a few more rounds of IV antibiotics."

  "Why don't you hep-lock it?" Randi grabbed some supplies. "We can keep the IV access but not have to drag the bags of fluids around if we don't need them. That goes for both of you."

  Gabriele smiled at Randi. "I didn't know we had those supplies. Do you have medical training?"

  "A little, but when I brought supplies back Miguel and I inventoried them. He explained what everything was."

  "Good job. I'll go for that." She sat up in the bed. "Reginald, let's get busy."

  Reginald discontinued Ethan's IV and attached the small tubing for the hep-lock. He flushed it, then glanced at Randi. She placed a piece of tape over the hep-lock on Gabriele's IV and tugged off her gloves. "How are we going to get them into the motor home?"

  "We'll have to figure out how to make a stretcher."

  "I can walk."

  Reginald spun around to see Ethan sitting up in bed. "I'm weak, but with help, I can do it. If we need to get out of here, let's go."

  "You've lost a lot of blood. I think you'll be surprised at how weak you are." Gabriele shook her head. "A few steps, and you'll be down."

  Randi flew to his side and gave him a hug. "It's good to see you awake."

  "Good to see you, too, darlin'"

  "Let's get you to the RV. I know you're a stubborn man, but it's time to allow others to take care of you."

  He agreed, but the frown on his face said he wasn't happy about it.

  "Two stretchers coming up." Reginald tried to sound more positive than he felt, but they may not get these two out of here in one piece.

  "What's going on?" Mark walked through door. "Josh said we need to evacuate."

  "Yeah. We need to figure out a stretcher to get these two out of here."

  "No problem." A grin spread across Mark's face. "I know where to get an ambulance. Utopia."

  "Let's go." Randi grabbed his arm. "We'll find one with gas and hopefully room for two stretchers."

  "If not, load me up on the stretcher and get me into the RV, then come back and get Ethan. I think we need to keep Ethan in the ambulance, because he's more critical."

  Reginald had never seen this side of Gabriele. She must've been a great trauma surgeon. "Okay." But Randi and Mark had already taken off for Utopia. In the meantime, they needed to load everyone else up. "I'll be back. I'm going to check on Josh and see if he's doing okay getting everyone loaded."

  Reginald walked outside where Josh and Cooper stood. "Do we have enough vehicles to evacuate everyone?"

  Josh stretched his back. "Cooper and I were just talking about searching the park for supplies in the cabins and campers."

  "Good idea, but we need to make it quick. Randi's pretty urgent about us getting out of here."

  Cooper rubbed his arms. "Come on, Josh. Let's go see what we can find."

  "Be careful, guys." Reginald walked back into the cabin as Josh and Cooper walked away. The thought of them scavenging in the dark sent chills racing up his arms. The cabin was empty except for Adriana who was searching cabinets.

  "You okay?"

  He shook his head. "Don't think I ever will be again. My wife and son are gone, and it's my fault."

  She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "None of this is your fault."

  "Of course--"

  "No. I know you made the virus, but you didn't spread it. You did not cause this apocalypse. The government was at fault for not vetting your boss. You didn't kill your son or your wife. This guilt is going to destroy you. You have to learn how to let go of it."

  "Easier said."

  "I know, Reg. I know." Adriana stepped back from him. "Have you seen Randi recently?"

  "Yeah."

  "I mean really looked at her? At how her clothes are very loose? How she always disappears when food is mentioned? Have you seen the dark circles under her eyes because she doesn't sleep? She's an example of what guilt does to you. It destroys you from the inside out. I think Ethan is helping her learn to deal with it, but I don't know if she'll ever forgive herself." She gave him a sad smile. "And I have myself to thank for adding to her burdens. We all have enough guilt to go around. It's time to let some of it go."

  Was it guilt or responsibility? Had he refused to develop the virus, his wife and son would still be alive. Not to mention, he wouldn't have met Gabriele and cheated on his wife. No, he needed to own up to his actions and take responsibility for setting off this disaster of Biblical proportions.

  Randi drove toward Utopia praying no one from Vixen's group saw them, or worse attacked the ones they'd left behind.

  "Are you okay?" Mark shifted in his seat. Had he taken a pain pill recently?

  "Yeah." She motioned to his shoulder. "How about you? Are you taking pain meds and antibiotics?"

  "I'm trying to go easy on the pain pills. Those things make me itch like crazy."

  Randi frowned. "Are you allergic to them? Do we need to find something different?"

  "No. Itching's just a side effect some people have to some pain meds. It's nothing to worry about, just not fun."

  "How do you know it's a side effect?"

  "A few years ago, I broke my tibia playing basketball. The hydrocodone they gave me made me itch like crazy. That's when the doc told me it was a side effect and not to worry about it."

  "Good to know. How do you know if you're having an allergic reaction, then?"

  Mark shrugged then groaned. "I guess you develop hives or something."

  "Makes sense." She grew quiet for a moment. "Can I ask you something without you laughing?"

  "Sure. You can ask me anything."

  "Ethan has been telling me to pray. He's helped me get past a lot of my anger at God, but I still struggle, you know?"

  "I can see why any of us might have trouble with being angry with God. Of course, He didn't do this."

  "Yeah. That's what Dad's been telling me."

  "What's your question?"

  Why did she bring this up? Mark would think she was such a loser if she asked it.

  "Randi, we're family, now. Just as much as if we were blood related. I love you and won't make fun of you. Just ask."

  She swallowed over the lump. "Does God really hear our prayers?"

  "Absolutely."

  She blinked trying to stem the flow of tears. Marines don't cry. Suck it up. She sucked in a deep breath. "Then why did everyone die? I begged him to stop Vixen from attacking us. I begged him to save my family, just like I did when Aaron died, but He didn't answer my prayers. Is it because I'm beyond His help? Has He given up on me and washed His hands of me?"

  "No." Mark didn't say anything for a few seconds. "God never gives up on us. I can't tell you why our loved ones died today other than to say Vixen and her crew have free will. God didn't instrument their attack on us."

  "But He didn't stop it."

  "No." He sighed. "I don't know why He didn't stop it. This side of heaven we can't understand His reasons, but let's talk about Miguel. He knew he might die fighting to protect our home, didn't he?"

  "Yes. We all knew it."

  "Okay. He had the free will to stay or go, and he chose to stay. Perhaps he gave his life in ord
er that the children might live. Had we all run, Vixen and her group could've hunted us down and slaughtered everyone, even the children."

  Randi's heart flipped at the thought of losing Toni, or any of the other kiddos for that matter. "I never thought of that."

  "I'm not saying that's why people died, but we don't know God's mind. All I can say, is He had a reason for allowing this to happen."

  "So, I'm a sinner by thinking this sucks, and it's not fair that our family members died."

  Mark shifted in the seat again. "No. It's not a sin to grieve. God knows our hearts are broken, but He will comfort us."

  "I keep praying and praying, but nothing happens. God hasn't answered any of my prayers."

  "Are you sure about that?"

  Randi pulled into the parking lot of the ambulance service in Utopia. "You have a point. I prayed Vixen's group wouldn't stop us on the way to Utopia, and we made it here safe."

  Mark grinned. "See. Sometimes we forget the blessings we have in the midst of tragedies. It doesn't mean we're bad, just that we're human."

  She climbed out of the car and ran to Mark's side pulling him into a big hug. "Thank you. I needed to talk to someone who would listen to me. You've helped me. A lot."

  He kissed her on the forehead. "Good. Now, are you armed?"

  The blood rushed from Randi's head. The ground swayed. How could she be so stupid? Vixen's group had taken her Kimber. Alton and Bryan had taken her AR. "All I have is the weapon in my ankle holster."

  "I wondered." Mark pulled a Springfield .45 out of his makeshift sling. "Here you go. Nothing in the chamber." He handed her a magazine. "And an extra clip."

  "Magazine."

  "Huh?"

  "Sorry. Habit. It's a magazine. A clip is drastically different, and is only used in some rifles." She racked the slide and chambered a round. "Do you have a weapon?"

  "Yep. I've got an XD .45."

  "Okay." Randi grabbed a flashlight out of the car. "Let's do this. Stay behind me, and keep your eyes open. We're going in to a dark building in the middle of the night. No telling what we'll find."

  Mark moved behind her. "I think they usually keep the keys in the ambulances. Want to see if the ambulance bay is open? That way we don't have to go through the building.

  "Good idea." Why didn't she think to bring more than one flashlight? She grabbed the handle on the first garage door, but it didn't budge. Was it locked or were they electric doors that needed to be disengaged? Mark tugged on the second door. It creaked open. Randi joined Mark in shoving it all the way up.

  Groaning and shuffling reached her. She swung her flashlight toward the sound. Five infecteds shuffled toward them. She raised her gun and fired.

  Mark joined her in firing on the infected people. When they'd dropped the last one, he walked toward the back. "We need to check the ambulance and make sure there's not anyone inside."

  Randi joined him at the back as he flung open the ambulance doors. An infected flew out, knocked her to the ground, and trapped her hand with the weapon at her side. The man was heavy and strong. Her breaths came in gasps. She held him by the throat but the man was heavy. How much longer could she keep him from ripping into her?

  Shots rang out and the man went limp. Mark used his good arm and tugged on the infected lying on top of her. Together, they rolled him off to the side.

  "Thanks." She scrambled up. "It's clear. Let's check the keys and gas."

  The keys hung in the ignition. She flipped the switch, and the ambulance roared to life. A full tank. "Can you drive the Charger with your arm?"

  "Sure, check the secondary tank, first."

  Randi flipped checked the secondary tank. "Also full."

  "Good. Let's clear the second ambulance and take both of them. I'd rather leave the car than one of the ambulances."

  "Okay. Stay behind me. We don't know what's behind this door." Randi took a deep breath trying to still her shaking hands, reached for the door, and jerked it open. The breath whooshed out of her. Empty. "Let's check for keys and make sure the gas tanks are full. Do you know what kind of mileage these get?"

  "Probably around twelve to fifteen miles per gallon, but they have to go at least two hundred and fifty miles without refueling. However, if we only get ten miles to the gallon, these should have a twenty-eight gallon and a forty-gallon tank. That will take us over six hundred miles. Not to mention, diesel may be easier to find than gasoline."

  "I didn't think of that." She climbed in the cab and checked the tanks. "Both are full in this one, too."

  "Then let's head home."

  She climbed out of the cab and stared at the large doors. Where would the manual release be? There, on the bottom corner. She tugged on the release and the door slid up with ease. "Lead the way. Since your shoulder is injured, or should I say re-injured, I'd prefer to follow you."

  Mark laughed. "Girl, I love ya, but you and I both know that you want to follow me because you're just a little bit of a control freak." He climbed in the ambulance, started it, allowed it to warm up for a few minutes, then pulled out of the bay.

  Control freak. Not a nice description, but she didn't know how to change Mark's opinion of her. He was right. She did like to be in control. Where had that gotten her in life? She pulled out of the bay and followed Mark down the road.

  Randi followed Mark for several miles when he slowed to a stop. What was he doing? She pulled into the oncoming traffic lane and stopped beside him. Ten people stood shoulder to shoulder blocking the road.

  Chapter 27

  Josh rubbed his arms. The air was getting chillier by the minute. Of course, what he thought was cold, his old buddies laughed at. A few of them were from upstate New York, and one was from North Dakota. Al, the guy from North Dakota often told him Texans had no clue what cold was, and Josh was thankful for that.

  He walked through the door. Xever sat at the kitchen table with his head on his arms. How did he even begin to comfort the man when he'd lost so much? Not to mention, Xever might be angry with him for Randi leaving again. As if he could stop the woman from doing whatever she wanted.

  "Xever, you okay?" Josh put his hand on the older man's back. "Can I get you anything?"

  "No, I'm not okay, but nothing you can get me will make me okay." He raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with red. "Am I going to lose my daughters, too?"

  Josh flopped down in the chair next to the table. "I don't know. It's not a good answer, but life in this world is treacherous. None of us knows if we'll be alive five minutes from now. All I can tell you, is God knows what we're going through."

  "Son, I don't know how much more I can take. Both my boys and my son-in-law are dead. My sweet wife. Why should I keep pressing forward? It might be easier to just give up."

  "Easier for you, yes, but what about the rest of us? We need you. Randi and Adriana need you. They've lost a lot, also. Adriana's lost her husband, her mother, and her brothers. The pain you're feeling now over losing Faustina, is what Adriana was dealing with when she lost Leon. You need to allow her in. Don't hold her at arm's length. She can help you deal with this."

  "Why should she? I chewed her out for her anger. I didn't understand." Pain and anguish shone in his eyes. He crumpled forward and caved in on himself. "I wasn't sympathetic enough to her."

  "Then tell her that. Let her know how you're feeling. You don't have to be stoic. It's okay for your girls to see that you're hurting." Josh put his hand on Xever's arm. "In fact, why don't you join Adriana in the RV? Talk to her."

  "I need to wait until we load Gabriele and Ethan."

  "No, I'll come get you when we start to load them. I've got the children and most of the adults in the RV. It's crowded, but you and Adriana can step outside if you'd like. Just talk to her. Don't ignore her."

  Xever started toward the door. He shuffled his feet like he was a much older man, and he hunched his shoulders.

  Uncle Reginald walked into the room. He took a long swig from a bottle of
water. "Do you need something to drink?"

  Josh shook his head. "I'm good. How are you doing?"

  "Terrible. I'm having trouble understanding why Mary Anne was taken. Or more than that, Faustina. That little lady never did anything to anyone. Mary Anne had a weapon in her hand, but the person who shot Faustina must be a special kind of evil. She didn't even have a gun."

  "There are things we're never going to understand. You can make yourself plum crazy trying to figure out the motivation behind people like Vixen, but you won't be successful. The things that motivate people like her, rational humans will never understand. She's a psychopath, and is determined to repay you for some perceived slight."

  "I never should've come here." He grimaced. "I brought her wrath down on everyone in the camp."

  Josh leaned forward. "Do you really think that? Had you not come, Vixen still would've found a reason to attack. Bryan joining us, Randi having tattoos. Her dog ran off...who knows what might've triggered her, but she's the type who finds slights against her wherever she wants. If she wanted the compound, she would've justified it."

  "Maybe. I can't help but think if I'd run farther with Mary Anne and Belle, that Mary Anne might still be alive."

  "She might. Also, you might all be dead. Being out here on the road...." Josh shuddered. "You know how bad it is."

  "But we're going to be back out on the road again as it is."

  "Yes, but there are more of us. Safety in numbers."

  "Maybe, but we also have two critically injured people with us and no doctor. If Gabriele dies, I don't know what to do for Ethan."

  "They're both improving. Right?"

  He nodded.

  "We'll just do the best we can. Randi and Mark went to find an ambulance. If it has room for two stretchers, we'll take them both in it. If not, we'll take Gabriele in the RV and Ethan in the ambulance."

  "Aren't you worried about them?"