by Lee Ragans
“How far can we get?”
David did the math out loud, “150-gallon tank, 300 miles loaded. Have full 9500-gallon tank on the back. So… let's say we have a full tank now, and 4500 on the back. That means 30 refuels. So 9000 miles. We can drive around the globe. If we can find one more tank of diesel here, we can top off the back and then get 18,000 miles.”
We did just that. By the end of the next day, the tanker was full. We had very sore arms and backs, and we were ready to hit the road. It was obvious to me from the start that it was a two-seater. We strapped our extra gear behind the cab, but I put out a bedroom on the center console. It became my perch. I spent a lot of time with my knees to my chest looking out the front windows. On occasion, I would drive, and Josh or David would sit in the middle. It was not a pretty sight. They were each too tall to be comfortable.
12
The drive up I85 to I95 was not eventful. We spent a lot of time dodging wrecks and moving around cars. We drove over and through a small horde. The smell we brought with us was amazing.
What should have taken us two days, took 2 weeks. We slept in shifts and stayed on the main roads.
When we got near DC, we had to move inland. David said, “Rollup the Windows. I would say MOP4 if we had that gear.”
“What?”
“Nukes. Someone nuked DC.”
“How can you tell?”
“Tree blow down the pattern and common sense.”
We drove west, and I imagined I was getting cancer. We got near Philadelphia and had to turn back. It had been nuked as well. Josh was silent for most of the day then he said, “Well, the fuckers did not suffer. That is too bad.”
I knew he did not have a great relationship with his family. I then realized we may have been driving to Philadelphia to kill them if they were alive.
We took the time and drove into New Jersey, we could see New York was gone. No need to get closer. Someone nuked the East coast. We started to go toward Norfolk, VA and David said, “If they nuked Philly, New York, and DC, there is no way they missed the biggest Naval port in the world.”
We turned inland. We had not seen that many people. Most hid when we went by. Some waved, but no one got in our way. I was assuming we were lucky.
That night we parked in a large truck stop. Found some diesel and topped off using a hand pump on the HEMTT. We each pumped for an hour loading up the cargo tank on the back. It was still at about half, so we did not want to wear ourselves out for no reason.
“Why did they not nuke Atlanta?” I asked.
Josh was dozing off so David Answered, “I would think it was a Russian sub. Probably only had a North East coast firing package.”
“Why would they nuke them?”
“Why not? Russians have been living at the end of the world all their lives. They probably think we caused the zombies. Makes sense in their minds.”
“Do you think we nuked them?”
“Probably not. It was over too quick. There are probably still some boomers out there. When they surface next month, I expect they will nuke Russia and China.”
“Why next month?”
“It could be tomorrow, but another month would be too long. Most of those final retaliation packages are based on 6 months to one year. They will surface. Call for orders, and when they get none, they will call for a sitrep. They won’t get one. So, they will download their own data from the satellites. Then they will hide again and assess the data. It won’t take them 5 minutes to figure out what happened, they will crack their orders open and launch.”
“How would we know if they did?”
“I suspect we will see more dust in the air. I really do not want to be out on the road for the next year as the radioactive dust falls from the sky.”
“So, we need to get underground?”
“Might not be able to. For once I don’t have a plan.”
“That scares me.”
“Scares me too.”
We lay there looking at the stars. Josh spoke after what seemed like an hour, “Good thing is, most of the population of the big cities is gone. They can’t come to eat us.”
I laughed, “Look at you finding the bright side.”
13
We were on a two-lane backroad that had a name, but we chose it because it was going west and had no abandoned cars I took my turn driving the HEMTT. I had a good groove going when Josh called out, “Slow down.”
“I am good.” I protested.
“No, slow down.”
I slowed down, and David sat up in the middle. Josh said, “Patrol up ahead.”
“Count?” David asked.
“Looks like 12 actives and at least 4 civilians.” Josh lowered his binoculars.
I stopped the truck and David said, “I will get out with the M4. Josh on the roof with the Barrett. Karen, you and I go up and say hello.”
We walked up, and two soldiers and one woman in jeans and a t-shirt came forward from their parked vehicles. The woman said, “It is good to see a friendly face, David.”
I looked at him and then back to her. Yep. I was jealous. She was a slightly older, slightly chubby woman with bad hair on a good day and she knew my husband. Well, one of my husbands.
“Good to see you, Kelly. How did you end up with these guys?” David asked. The soldiers were just as confused as me.
“When you are the last living virologist you would be amazed how many soldiers show up to keep you safe.” She smiled.
“So, what are you doing here?”
Kelly replied, “We are low on fuel and trying to decide on Norfolk or New York.”
“Don’t bother. They are craters. Well, DC, New York, Philly confirmed by our eyes. Norfolk assumed.”
“What kind?”
“Looked to be Bulvas. 6 craters.”
“So, you did not see Norfolk?”
“No, assumed. If a sub launch hit NY, they had to toss one at Norfolk.”
“Reasonable.” She said.
I was bored. They were talking about nukes killing people, and they made it boring. It felt like those guys in the office that constantly talked about LARPING. For all, I cared they could have been talking about what type of sword works best when attacking Ogres.
I could not take it any longer, and I broke in, “Okay, I get it. You two know each other. So… what are the odds you two would meet.”
Kelly started laughing. Between laughs, she asked, “So I take it you two are an item?”
I looked at her, and she said, “The rings.”
“Oh, yeah.”
David spoke up, “It is complicated. And yes, she is my wife.”
David waved his hand overhead. Josh clambered down and walked up.
Kelly said, “Josh, good to see you have a ring too now. So where is your wife?”
Josh pointed at me. I raised my left hand. “I went fishing and landed two.”
Kelly fell to the ground laughing.
Between laughs, Kelly said, “I fucking knew it… I fucking knew it…”
The boys just looked confused and ignored her.
I looked at David, “So I take it you who work together?”
“We did. A long time ago.”
We shared fuel, and they shared food. 3 boxes of MREs would last us months. It was a reasonable exchange, though it favored them. There was plenty of food. No one was making fuel anymore.
After we ate Kelly gave me that look that she wanted to talk. If it had been normal times, we would have walked to the bathroom, and she would have asked me what she wanted on the way. There was no excuse now, so we just walked away from the group.
As we got away from the group, she asked, “Are you safe?”
I could not stifle the laugh, “I am safer now than ever. Why would you ask that? You know them?” That hung in the air while I thought about that. She knew them and was worried that I was not safe. How dangerous were these guys?
I said, “I am happy and safe. They are too.”
“I am n
ot worried about them. They are a force of nature. They have a tendency to lose people around them.”
“They have taken care of me and taught me to fight.”
“Are you really saying you are married to them?”
“I am, and we are.”
“Wow. I can’t figure that out.”
“I think you can.”
“No, not that… those two are pretty fucking Alpha male. No idea how they can share you.”
“It is not sharing me. I feel like I am sharing them.” I thought about it and said, “That makes no sense, but it is the only way I can describe it.”
“I think I get it, but you need to be careful.”
“Of what?”
“They will fight over you one day.”
“I appreciate your concern, but that won’t happen. I don’t know what they were like when you knew them. They are dedicated to me, and I am dedicated to them.”
Kelly held my elbow as we walked back, “Just pay attention. If they stop being dedicated, get out fast.”
I said nothing. But I think she meant well. It felt serious and concerned, not manipulative. Up the road, 3 soldiers were using what looked like spears to kills 3 dead. They wandered upon us from the fields. I thought we might do well to have some spears, but the thought passed. I was wondering why Kelly was trying to manipulate me.
As we prepared to part ways, I asked, “So where are you going now that you know New York is out of the question?”
Kelly looked at the soldier next to her, “I am thinking the CDC in Atlanta.”
David spoke up, “There is a safe house there. At the W. Tell them we sent you. Take care of them, and they will take care of you.”
I thought it was odd that he gave up our friends so easily, but there was something else there. We were not going to be back there anytime soon. David was concerned about them. There was also an implied threat there. It felt like I just told you something important, if you abuse it I will hunt you down and kill you.
We were headed west, they were headed east and then South. I knew we would never see them again. And I was very happy.
Once we were underway, Josh asked me, “How did she try to manipulate you?”
“I won’t ask how you knew she did. She asked if I was safe and then implied you two were going to fight over me. Then she implied you would discard me when I was no longer convenient.”
David laughed, “Wow, she really shotgunned it.”
“Who is she, really?”
Josh said, “David’s ex-wife. And she is in the company.”
“Company?”
“CIA. She is a doctor and a field agent.”
“Wait, ex-wife? No wonder she hates me.”
“Trust me, she hates everyone. The only thing she likes is playing games. She probably did not even think about it, she just did it.”
I sat quietly in the middle for a while and then asked, “How do you know her, Josh?”
“Everyone makes mistakes in bars.” He said without further explanation.
I rode in silence, brooding. They did not notice. I pretended I was asleep. Not an easy thing to do while riding on top of a giant truck’s loud transmission.
As we drove west on what looked like a main road we were happy to not have to avoid cars. When we got to the outskirts of small town, I was surprised to see a roadblock and a police officer.
We came to a stop about 100 meters from the roadblock, and the officer motioned us to come up. We drove up slowly and then he signaled for us to stop.
“Are any of you sick?” He asked.
David was driving he called out of his open window, “No. We are all fine.”
“Good, good. Can you step out and come where I can see you?”
“I would prefer not to. We will happily turn around.”
“No, I would not be doing that.” A car pulled out and blocked us in.
David said, “Just like Antigone.” I have no idea what he meant, but Josh did.
Josh said, “Get down. And shoot anyone that is not us trying to get in.”
I took my time looking like I was having trouble getting out. I dropped to the floor when David drew and shot the police officer. I heard two more shots and knew Josh was in the back shooting whoever had blocked us in.
I heard David call out, “Start it up and let’s drive forward.”
I got in the driver’s seat. David and Josh stepped back and grabbed their M4s. Walking alongside the vehicle.
As we got into town people scattered. A man with the look of someone who was in charge came out with his hands up. I did not move from the driver’s seat. I listened to David and the Mayor's conversation.
“I told that idiot that stopping people and trapping them was going to backfire.”
“It did. We left them for you.”
“Umm, thanks, I guess. So, they are dead.”
“Very.”
“I am sorry about them. They thought they were doing the right thing.”
“I sincerely doubt there was any thought in what they were doing, sir.”
“I can’t disagree.”
“So are you going to let us pass through.”
“I want to, but their friends are going to be very mad. I am sure they are gathering right now. Probably happy to have me slow you down.”
“Should I take you, hostage?”
“It won’t help.”
“So how does this end?”
“I suspect we are about to pay for our sins. Since I see you man, there is already climbing up the roof with some kind of sniper rifle.”
“Sins?”
“Yeah, I did not stop them from robbing travelers. I profited from it. Can I ask one thing?”
“What is that?”
“Don’t let my people become those things.”
“Sure, how many of you are there? I don’t want to miss any.”
“Twelve counting the two you have already encountered.”
“Fair enough.”
David shot the mayor once in the chest and then the head. He called to me. “Get up there and spot.”
I took off and followed the path Josh did to get to the roof of the NAPA auto parts store. I felt odd leaving the truck, but it made sense. Huddling on the thing of value was a quick way to die. Mobility was our friend. They said that a lot.
By the time I made it to the roof Josh had the Barrett out and was scanning the distance. I used the spotter's scope, and I said, “Looks like 3 of them on the roadblock. 1.2 miles away.”
“Roger. If I shoot them there, they will just scatter. We need to draw them in.”
David keyed his radio as he moved into a house across the way, “9 to go. How do you want to play it?”
I said, “I have an idea.”
“Gotta be better than sitting here waiting to shoot them,” David replied.
I took a deep breath and starting yelling at the top of my lungs but not so loud as to hurt my throat, “Help me!!! They kidnapped me!!!” I repeated my called for help several more times.
It worked. Two men and woman stepped out of a house with guns in their hands. Josh shot the woman first, center mass. Her chest exploded from the 50 cal impact. She was dead, but her head did not know it yet. The men were not disciplined, they turned to help her. Josh fired 2 more times. Killing each of them.
Keying the radio, I said, “6 to go.”
I screamed again, “They are monsters. Help!!! Please Help Me!!!”
The three from the distant roadblock was running down the street. If they had any sense, they would have run away. They did not. The two police officers and the one biker guy ran right into the town square. David shot twice. Dropping biker guy with one in the chest and one in the head. The policemen fired back but missed horribly with their pistols.
My stomach was starting to feel woozy from the Barrett. Every time it fired it shook my insides. I was not sure how Josh could be so calm about it.
I screamed at the top of my lungs as if I were being s
tabbed. It got their attention. Josh shot one, center mass. His bulletproof vest did not help. David shot the other in the head.