Max thought about the moment Cliff tried to give up on life with the infected on their heels. Slapping him hadn’t even been a thought in her mind until her hand was stinging with the action. When she thought about it, she felt guilt for hitting a man that had witnessed the gruesome deaths of his wife and son.
“Leave it to me to slap someone and have them be happy about it,” Max joked.
“You know he and I talk a lot. We have some things in common,” Alex said, looking away from Max, but not before Max caught the pain tighten her eyes. Losing your spouse in the apocalypse wasn’t something anyone wanted to have in common.
“It’s good that you both have someone to confide in, I think,” Max replied.
“It is. Cliff talks a lot about those days when he found you right after losing his son. I know you don’t like to deal with the heavy, but just know those days are very important to him.”
“Ok,” Max mumbled.
She wasn’t sure what to do with the information. She pushed around a small rock with the toe of her boot. Max didn’t create connections like the one Cliff had with her. Not on purpose. Now that she had the information, she wasn’t sure if she should feel differently toward him. After a moment she decided, no, she wouldn’t change her behavior. Cliff wouldn’t want that either. Their relationship was what it was and it was comfortable.
“So, we’ll tell him yes. He can come with us,” Alex said, saving Max from anymore confusing conversation.
“Sounds good,” Max replied.
The sisters stood outside a while longer in the quiet until the front door cracked open and Billie’s face appeared. Alex turned to tell her daughter good morning and sent her to find Margaret for breakfast. Max’s own stomach growled, and she hoped there was more than a granola bar in her future. She started toward the door.
“Know what I miss? Eggs,” Max said over her shoulder.
“Don’t we all, little sister,” Alex groaned in reply.
Inside the house, things were starting to bustle. The kids were bouncing from room to room, finding each other as they rolled out of bed. Once Jack, Billie, and Henry had found Candace, they were off like a shot with the older girl keeping an eye on them. Max found Margaret in the kitchen where she was digging out a few boxes of instant oatmeal.
“Morning, Max,” Margaret said.
“Hi. Thanks for the water and granola bar last night,” Max replied.
“You’re welcome. I figured a little late-night snack could help the time go by. Or early morning, I guess,” Margaret said with a smile.
“Can I help?” Max asked, motioning toward the boxes Margaret had stacked. She also had a container of powdered milk and packets of raisins on the counter.
“Nope. I have this. Actually, Griffin was looking for you. He headed over to the other house for a checkup with Charlie. You should probably try to catch him there.”
“Ok, thanks,” Max said.
Max jogged out of the first house and went to the open back door of the second. The inside of the house was less cluttered, with most of the supplies in the first house. Max found Griffin on the kitchen table with Charlie checking his makeshift cast. When Max came in, Griffin grinned and motioned her closer.
“Doc here says I’m probably healing the best I can,” Griffin said.
“Probably?” Max asked.
“Without an X-ray of the bones, that’s the best I can do right now, Max,” Charlie replied.
“Makes sense, I guess. When will we know if it’s healed properly?” Max asked.
“I’m thinking at least six weeks until we take the cast off. At that time, we will have to judge by pain level if there’s any damage left. And Griffin, that means you have to be one hundred percent honest with me. If you don’t want permanent damage to your leg, we have to take care of it properly,” Charlie lectured.
“I’ll make sure he tells the truth, won’t I?” Max said, shooting Griffin a look.
“I’m sure you will, which I why I told him to bring you to these appointments. It’s better I know you hear this from me and that I’m not wondering if Griffin has kept things from you,” Charlie said.
“I’m still sitting right here,” Griffin mumbled.
“Let the ladies talk,” Max said, patting him affectionately on the face.
Charlie let out a loud laugh at that and she began to re-wrap the cast on Griffin’s leg. He grimaced slightly and the doctor apologized, but explained the wrap had to be tight. There was no swelling, and Max understood that to be good. He could also move his toes and there was no discoloration. A lot of the explanations went over Max’s head. But she understood one thing, Griffin wasn’t to overdo it and walk on the leg before it was completely healed. She also knew he wasn’t happy about it.
Together, Max and Griffin made their way to the back deck. It was chilly, but the small cooking area had a slight warmth where Margaret had started fires to boil the milk she had made. They sat, watching the kids in the distance throw rocks into the small waves. Max closed her eyes and let her mind wander as she relaxed.
A shrill scream caused Max to jump to her feet and yank her tomahawk from its sheath in one motion. She immediately saw the kids scrambling back from the water and trying to run up the small hill to the deck. Max took off running just as Rafe launched himself from the back door of the house with Storm on his heels.
It was only seconds before Max had Jack in front of her. She was running her hands over her bare skin, checking for bites. Then she grabbed Billie and started to do the same.
“No, no, they’re ok,” Candace said. She had a hand to her chest as if she was having a heart attack.
“What was it?” Max demanded.
Rafe got to them just as Storm started snarling and barking at the water. Max didn’t wait for Candace to answer. She pointed to the deck and the kids scrambled the rest of the way to where Margaret stood to catch them in her arms. Alex had now come to the deck, her face pale with fear. She grabbed onto Billie and Henry, checking them as Max did. Absently Max could hear Candace explaining something to Alex, but Max kept moving toward the water with Rafe and Storm.
The dog’s hackles were raised, and his barking didn’t stop until Rafe snapped and whistled a command. Storm quieted, but he didn’t stop staring at the water. Max could see what had the dog so worked up. A body had washed up just down the rocky shore area from where the children had been playing. As Max approached, she heard a gurgling sound and she realized the body was an infected. And it wasn’t dead.
Max walked toward it and using her foot, she flipped over the body. Now laying on its back, Max had to step back and cover her mouth. The skin was bloated and blue, sagging and falling off around its wounds. It tried to reach toward Max, but it couldn’t seem to move. Rafe came up and coughed when the stench reached his nose. He quickly dispatched it and stepped back.
Together they walked up the hill back to the deck. The kids had been calmed down and were now sitting at the table, bowls in front of them. Alex met Max and Rafe at the edge of the deck, out of hearing of everyone else.
“Candace said it just bobbed up and rolled up onto the beach,” Alex said quietly.
“It had been in the water for a while. The good news is it was really messed up. It couldn’t have moved if it were on fire,” Max replied.
“So, they don’t drown,” Alex said.
“Appears the answer is no,” Rafe replied. He reached down and ruffled Storm’s fur and sent him to find Charlie for a treat.
“Do we think the water is no longer a barrier?” Alex asked.
“There’s no way for them to swim to get where they need to go. We just need to make sure the kids stay on the dock and not on the water line,” Max replied.
“I’m not sure the kids will want to go near the water for a while,” Alex said.
Max looked over Alex’s shoulder to see that all the kids stared into their bowls, but not one of them lifted a bite to their mouths.
Chapter Twenty-Four
/> The day was full of activity. After the morning shock, Alex gave firm instructions during a morning meeting that the kids were to stay away from the water’s edge. The kids didn’t argue, as Alex had guessed. All the adults agreed, none of them wanting to take the risk a less bogged down infected would wash up on the shore. They would all have to be more vigilant while outside.
Alex informed Cliff that his request was granted and he would be accompanying them on the plan. She told him they would talk about it later in depth. For the rest of the small meeting, Alex was light on the details of what they would be doing. She informed everyone they would probably be gone a few days, without knowing for sure if they would catch Callahan like they hoped.
Rafe was still in charge of daily chores and he had a list of things for everyone to work on. Some were ways to fortify the two houses a little more. Some tasks were to help get the truck packed for their extended time away.
Everyone left to handle their items without argument, leaving Alex, Max, Rafe, Griffin, and Cliff at the table. Though Griffin wasn’t coming with them, Max knew he would want all the details. Alex started by letting both Griffin and Cliff know they were not sharing all the details with the group because of Liam.
“You don’t trust him?” Griffin asked.
“We can’t be completely sure yet. And we can’t have him risking us,” Alex replied.
Griffin nodded, agreeing. No one was sure about Liam yet.
“This isn’t going to be comfortable. And we are light on the plan, because we have no idea what we’ll be facing yet. The basic idea is this, we found a curve with a ledge up on the hillside. From that ledge we can see the road coming from the direction of the bunker,” Alex started.
“This is the route Liam swears is always taken to leave. There’s only two roads and this is the most direct route to the cleared freeways they like to use,” Rafe added.
“We will create a small shelter on the ledge, just enough to hide us from eyes, but we need to make it look as natural as possible. Shouldn’t be hard, there’s lots of shrubbery on the hill,” Alex continued.
“From the ledge we will take shifts of watching the road, day and night,” Max said.
“Liam has told us the military typically will not travel at night unless it’s an emergency. They know the dangers it poses, so this should be a normal day time convoy,” Alex said.
“Once you confirm it’s military vehicles coming, then what?” Griffin asked.
“We have the spike strips. We’ll lay out one and wait for the first car to hit it. We’re hoping for no more than two vehicles. We’ll then lay out the second behind the last vehicle, to prevent them from backing up,” Alex explained.
“And then?” Griffin asked.
“That’s where we get vague on the plan,” Max said. She shifted uncomfortably, knowing Griffin wouldn’t be happy with the answer.
“I’m not sure I like vague,” Griffin said, as Max predicted.
“We don’t either. But we know how to handle ourselves. We are all clear on the goal. Kill Callahan,” Alex said.
“And don’t get killed in return,” Rafe added.
“Not funny,” Griffin said.
“Not meaning to be. Our goal is always to survive and protect each other,” Rafe replied.
“We know this isn’t easy on you, Griffin. I’m sorry for that. But this is our chance. We have to take it,” Alex said. Her eyes were kind, as only Alex knew how to be.
Griffin nodded. He knew there was no stopping what was in motion.
“Cliff, are you good with all of this?” Alex asked.
“Sounds good. I know you guys know your stuff,” he replied.
“That’s a lot of confidence. We’ll need your help for sure. I appreciate you offering to come with us. Once we get settled there, we may expand on our plan. Hopefully we don’t have to sleep on that ledge for too long,” Alex said.
With everything in place, the group left the table and began to follow their own instructed tasks. Max was in charge of bedding. She found four thick sleeping bags and sleeping pads. They wouldn’t be setting up a tent because it would be too hard to hide from view. She packed up four small camp pillows that could be added to their packs for a little comfort.
Alex was overseeing the food. She worked with Margaret, making sure they had enough for an extended stay. But they were also taking inventory to ensure the group left behind had enough to last them as well. Water was going to be the hardest thing to pack so they agreed on a couple five gallon containers. They could hide them behind brush nearby. It was better than lots of little bottles.
Rafe was scavenging the garages of the houses, finding any sort of tools he could use to build their camouflage. He already had a tarp that would blend in, but he wanted wire, wire cutters, and a small saw. He had to do with an axe because neither house was equipped with a saw. However, the wire he found was thin and he was pleased that it would be malleable as well as hard to see.
Rafe’s truck was packed by the end of the evening, ready for their early morning departure. Margaret had made a special large dinner for their going away meal. With their noodles, granola, beef jerky, and canned green beans, she added slices of tomatoes from the garden. The dinner was quiet, everyone lost in their own worries for what was coming. Even the children were silent at their table.
When dinner and dishes were completed, everyone quietly walked to their own rooms without much discussion. Max was the last to enter her room. She let the curtain fall and turned to find Griffin and Jack sitting together on the small loveseat that was in the room. Jack looked sad, and Griffin had his arm around her.
“What’s going on?” Max asked.
“I don’t really want you to go,” Jack said quietly.
“I know, kiddo. This just has to be done,” Max replied.
“To protect us. I know. Dad told me.”
“So, you understand?” Max asked.
Jack shrugged her shoulder and leaned into Griffin. “I guess.”
“That’s not a very confident I guess,” Max replied.
“I know what needs to be done. I don’t like that you have to do it. You’re always going into danger. Look what happened last time,” Jack said, sitting up and motioning to Griffin’s leg.
Max grimaced a little, understanding how it must look from a child’s perspective.
“But I came back,” Griffin reminded her.
“It could have been worse, right? I know it can always be worse,” Jack replied.
Griffin looked over to Max. His eyes reflected Max’s thinking. Neither of them knew what to say. Nothing was going to make Jack feel better, and neither of them were keen on lying to their daughter.
“How about I make you a promise,” Max said. She squeezed in next to Jack on the loveseat.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Jack warned.
“I wouldn’t do that, you know that. Listen, I promise that in whatever situation I’m in, I will make the safest choices I can. I won’t lie and say this isn’t dangerous. It is. But I’m not going to be alone. I will always try to make the best choices that will make it less dangerous. Do you believe me?”
Jack turned her face up to look at her mother. Her hazel eyes glittered, but she fought to be tough. She nodded and then hugged Max hard. Max wrapped her arms around Jack and reached over to grab Griffin’s hand. Griffin’s arms came around them both, and they sat like a solid family unit for a few minutes.
They all changed into their sleeping clothes, though none of them were real pajamas. Jack laid in bed and asked Max if she’d sit with her while she fell asleep. Max sat on the floor next to Jack’s cot. She ran her hands over her daughter’s hair and lightly ran her fingertips over her eyebrows, nose, and cheeks. Eventually, Jack’s breath deepened and her hold on Max’s hand loosened.
In bed with Griffin, Max curled up against him, wrapping her arm around him tightly. He pulled her into him and Max wished she had the ability to just crawl into his body and s
tay there. It was there she felt safe and protected. Griffin took a deep breath and Max knew he was going to want to talk, but she just wanted to lay with him.
“Please, no more talk. I know everything you want to say, everything you’re feeling. Can we just lay here and fall asleep?” Max asked.
Griffin hesitated before squeezing her again. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Max replied.
A light touch on her shoulder had Max awake in an instant. She rolled away from Griffin carefully and saw Alex motion to her. Max knew it was time to go. She crept off the air mattress, slowly moving to not bounce Griffin too much. His eyes were open when she looked back, and she realized she should have known he would wake as soon as she moved.
After getting dressed, Max strapped on her weapons silently. She knelt on the side of the mattress where Griffin was watching her. She touched his face and then leaned down to kiss him hard.
“Take care of our kid, ok?” She whispered.
“Take care of her mom, ok?” He whispered back.
Max nodded again and kissed him once more before leaving the room. She turned before dropping the curtain, just able to make out the silhouettes of her daughter and her love. In her mind, she sent up a prayer that it wouldn’t be the last time she saw them.
She met Alex, Rafe, and Cliff at the truck. Without a word, they all opened a door and climbed into the vehicle. Rafe started the engine and drove out of the neighborhood. Max could see her brother’s eyes in the rearview, and she imagined how hard it was for her siblings too.
The drive wasn’t long to the ledge. The sun had barely begun to illuminate the hills above their heads. Together they unloaded all their supplies and packed them up to the ledge. Rafe drove the truck around the corner where it wouldn’t be seen by Callahan or his men. However, it was close enough that they could run for it should there be a need for a quick evacuation.
Rafe immediately got to work on the shrubbery wall he was going to build. He enlisted Cliff, who went to the other side of the road to cut brush from that side. He went to random places along the road so nothing looked completely cleaned out.
Sundown Series | Book 5 | Vengeance Page 30