by R. A. Neely
The man smiled excitedly. "We're close then! Let's get back on the road. We can probably catch them."
One of the men nodded and five of them left the area. "I have a few questions," the remaining man said.
Byron nodded. He realized he would need to stick closer to the truth with this one. The other man was clearly obsessed over Shirley for whatever reason. Byron didn't think he'd be able to fool this one so easily.
"How big was the group you were talking about?"
"I'm not sure," Byron replied. "We had dinner with their leader and his inner circle or whatever. I'm not sure how big they were overall."
"Why were they here?"
Byron didn't like the way he was being interrogated but he saw little choice. He was a decent shot but he had not doubt that this man was a trained killer. "They were just passing through as far as I could tell. Looking for a place to settle or something like that."
"Just passing through? Did they do anything while they were here?" the man casually rested his hand on his sidearm.
Byron nodded, "their leader said something about a fight a few days back Maybe they were just resting up."
The man nodded, "What else?"
"What else?" Byron asked in confusion.
"You feel threatened from some reason. That's why your woman came to stand next to you with the gun at the small of her back."
Byron did his best to keep his expression in check but the man's smile showed that he must have failed. "I don't blame you," the man continued. "Armed strangers come into your home, it's common sense to protect yourself. But I think it’s something more."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Byron replied.
"Please, don't insult my intelligence. My associate gave you a description. A description you recognized. That tells me that you spent time with that person. Maybe you didn't have a conversation with him as you said, but he was at least nearby."
Byron hesitated, he didn't want to send harm Greg's way but this wasn't going well.
"Let me help you," the man said. "You're a nice person and you feel some sort of obligation here. But that's not gonna serve you here. I'm not a nice person you see. I don't have a problem killing you and everyone here," the man smiled as Byron's eyes widened in shock.
"In case you're feeling brave I want you know that by the time you clear that pistol I will have shot your woman. When my men hear the gunshot they'll go and kill everyone else. Do you understand what's at stake here?"
"How do I know you won't kill us anyway?"
"You don't," the man said, "but I'll be honest, while I don't mind killing I don't do it if it isn't necessary. Give me what I need and I'll be on my way."
Byron nodded, "When they showed up we tried to warn them away. Some bandits had set up camp nearby and were demanding our food. Their leader helped us out in exchange for some food."
"How many bandits were there?" the man asked thoughtfully.
"Around thirty or so."
"So this group was large enough, organized enough to take on a group that size. Thank you, you've been helpful." The man turned to leave but then faced them again as if he had thought of something. "You're a hunter. The man I work for may be interested in your services. If someone shows up, your cooperation will be expected." With that said, the man turned and walked away.
"I don't feel safe here anymore," Kelly said once they were alone.
"I know," Byron replied, "first the bandits, and now this."
"What are we going to do?"
"We'll have to leave," Byron said sadly. This place had been in his family for generations. He hated that it was during his watch.
Kelly turned and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry. I know how much this place means to you."
"I'll be alright, our lives are more important."
"What are we doing?"
"We'll head north and try to find Greg's group. He needs to be warned about these guys and they're probably our best chance for safety."
"Alright, we're leaving. What about the campers?"
Byron frowned, "We'll let them know we're leaving. They can follow or go their own way. Either way, we're leaving."
Kelly nodded, "Why don't you break the news and I’ll start packing."
***
Olson sat thoughtfully as they drove north. It looks like the trip wouldn't be a waste after all. Jeremy thought they were out here to find his errant female. Dray had only permitted the excursion due to the influence the boy's father wielded. No, that was a complete waste of time. Olson figured the woman had probably left him of her own accord. No, the real reason they were out here was to take note any large survivor groups. Small setups like the one they'd just left were fine. They could be easily controlled. Larger groups could turn out to be a problem however. Dray was building something and they didn't need the competition.
They were making great time because the group they were following had to clear the roads. These guys were organized but he doubted they could handle trained professionals. They could grab Jeremy's woman and maybe drop the group's leader while they were at it. Near the end of the day they saw their target on the horizon. They pulled over to wait for nightfall so they could approach unseen.
***
Byron drove as fast as he dared. Fortunately, the roads were clear so there wasn't much to worry about. He just hoped they reached Greg in time for their warning to be of any use. Overall, he was kind of relived. All of the campers had elected to stay behind. They probably didn't see the point of going on the road when there was plenty of food at hand. He was still upset about having to leave his place, and who knew what kind of condition those campers would leave it in? But, he was taking Kelly somewhere safe and that meant everything.
14 Camp, Wisconsin
Late in the day they reached Greg's caravan. The vehicles were pulled over to the side and tents were pitched in the grass. A guard waved them down and Byron quickly pulled over. "I need to talk with Greg," he explained when the guard came to his door.
"I'm sorry you had to leave like that," Greg said as Byron finished relating the morning's events.
Byron nodded, "It's just not safe anymore. How long 'til someone else shows up?"
"I guess that's true," Greg replied. "I'm happy to have you here though. The thought of regular fresh meat sounds pretty good."
"It's no problem," Byron said, "it's the least I can do."
"We're were about to have dinner," Greg said. "Why don't you join us? It won't beat your table but it'll be filling."
"That sounds great," Byron replied, "we haven't eaten since breakfast this morning."
Greg led the way to where a folding table was set up. The rest of the group was already there. "Hey guys," Greg said as they seated themselves. "We've got some news."
"What's going on," James asked.
"Byron had some visitors this morning," Greg explained. "The short version is that someone's looking for Shirley."
Jackson narrowed his eyes, "I have an idea. Pasty looking fellow? Weak chin?"
Byron nodded, "That's him. Shifty fellow but he didn't seem like that much of a threat on his own. The guys with him though, they seemed dangerous."
Jackson sighed, "Should've dealt with him when I had the chance."
Shirley laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It's alright. You couldn't have known."
"What happened?" Carol asked.
Shirley shrugged, "There isn't much to tell. Jeremy and I were engaged. He was the city's favored son and I was an up and coming star. The Collapse showed me the kind of man he really was so I ended it. He didn't take it too well."
Laura smiled sympathetically, "Why is he coming after you?"
Shirley shrugged again, "He's entitled, used to getting what he wants. He had the mistaken belief that I belonged to him. I thought I'd dissuaded him of that. If I see him again we'll revisit that convo with a bullet," she finished fiercely."
"That's if I don't get to him first," Jackson said.
"Alr
ight," Greg said with a glance towards James. "I want a guard on each of them."
"That's not necessary," Jackson protested. "I'll stay close to her. We'll handle Jeremy if he shows up."
"I'm not really worried about Jeremy," Greg replied. "These other guys though, they might be a problem. I don't want to underestimate them."
Jackson nodded grudgingly, clearly not liking the arrangement. "I'm sorry," Shirley said sadly. I thought I was done with him. I didn't think I'd ever see him again. I don't mean to bring this to your doorstep."
"Nonsense," Laura said, "you're family."
"That's right," Carol said with a smile, "we'll deal with this together."
"Let's increase patrols," Greg said, "I don't want to make getting in here easy for them."
James nodded, "I'll take care of it."
***
It had been dark for over an hour now. Olson was waiting for Simmons to return with word of the camp's defenses. He wasn't terribly worried but he figured some token recon wouldn't hurt.
"I'm back," a voice called out.
Olson turned to see Simmons walking towards him. "How'd it go?"
"Someone over there has some idea of what they're doing. Nothing insurmountable, but it'll take some caution. Patrols are pretty tight."
"How hard would it be to get in?"
Simmons shrugged, "Don't think it'll be that big a deal. Probably can't bring along the dead weight though.
Olson nodded, "He'd just be in our way anyway. Did you see the girl?"
"I think so. I'm pretty sure I found their leader too. I also saw that other guy that Jeremy described. There were two blondes there that match Jeremy's description. I figure we just grab them both and sort 'em later."
Olson nodded, that was probably the best way since they wouldn't be bringing Jeremy with him. Speaking of, Jeremy bit back his frustration as he heard clumsy footsteps coming their way. It could only be Jeremy.
"Did you find her?" Jeremy asked as he reached them. "Is she there?"
"Olson found the man she's traveling with. I'm thinking that unless she's parted ways with him she's still around."
"That's great! When do we go in?"
"Soon," Olson replied, but you won't be coming with."
"What? Why not? How can you be so sure you get the right woman?"
"These guys have a bit of training and all of their guards are armed. You'd be a liability. As far as the woman goes, we've narrowed it down to two possibilities. We'll just grab both."
Jeremy sighed in relief, "I suppose that would work. Be careful. I don't want her hurt."
"Of course," Olson replied. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we've some planning to do."
"Right, I’ll leave you to it."
"Where do you think he's going?" Simmons asked.
"Probably off to take another nap. Who cares? After tonight we can send him back to Emerald Falls."
Olson gathered his men and they developed a plan to infiltrate the camp. It was fairly simple. Olson would go for the women while Simmons took out their leader. Meanwhile, Drake and Roberts would cause distractions along the perimeter of the camp. Cimino would be nearby with the vehicles so they could make a quick escape. Olson smiled as they completed their planning. In about an hour's time they'd be done and could send Jeremy on his way.
***
The sound of an explosion woke rocked Greg from his slumber. Moments later he heard a flurry of activity outside his tent. No doubt someone was coming to wake him.
"What's going on?" Carol asked as she sat up in the bed.
"They're here. Stay in the tent," he said as he stepped outside.
"Greg!" James called. "Explosion on the north side of the camp!"
Greg nodded as another explosion lit the night. "That was from the west. They're trying to distract us. Probably hoping we spread ourselves thin."
"What do we do?" James asked.
"Go check on Shirley." Greg looked at the guards who had arrived for instructions. "Split up. Check each side of the camp." This was exactly what they wanted but he didn't have a choice. If they were attacking his people he had to defend them. It just really bugged him that he was playing right into their hand.
Greg was sure what alerted him. A shift in the wind? The sound of a foot depressing the grass? All he knew was that someone was behind him. He threw himself into a forward somersault and came up with his pistol at the ready. A boot connected with his hand and sent the pistol flying away. His attacker followed up with a downward thrust but Greg managed to catch the arm and delivered to quick strikes to the abdomen. Standing, he grabbed the arm with his other hand and flipped his opponent over his hip. His attacker recovered instantly and Greg barely managed to dodge a boot aimed for his knee. Greg drew his machete. He'd have to be careful, this guy could fight.
"Nice reflexes," the man said as he stood. "They're not gonna save you though. Your men are distracted so no one can save you," he said as he drew a long combat knife.
Greg smiled confidently, "I don't need saving. You had your one chance to kill me and you failed. How about you save yourself some pain and tell me what this is all about?"
The man chuckled, "It's not about anything. I have orders to kill you, simple as that."
"Alright," Greg replied, "let's get this done."
Simmons smiled and sprinted forward. Greg roared and responded with a charge of his own. Despite the situation, he was excited. This was going to be fun. There was no guilt holding him back here. No gray area as to whether or not he should respond with force. This man had tried to kill him and Greg would put him down.
***
Carol watched the fight unfold from the tent flap. She had her pistol in hand but didn't dare use it for fear of hitting Greg. She kind of felt helpless but she had to believe that Greg would be alright. They'd been through far worse. The first day of the Collapse had been terrible but Greg had kept her safe. She had to believe he'd be okay now. Carol heard something behind her but didn't see anything when she turned to investigate. This whole ordeal had her jumpy.
Olson slowly approached the woman from behind. He had to be more careful, she'd almost discovered him before he could make his move. He'd cut an opening into the tent but he must not have been as quiet as he thought. He'd have to be careful here. The first woman had a surprising amount of fight in her. Someone had been training her, she'd even managed to land a few blows before he had decided to knock her out. He wasn't supposed to hurt her but he wasn't gonna get killed dragging these women out of here. Olson crept closer. What was the woman looking at? He heard the sound of metal on metal. Looking past her he saw two figures fighting. Was that Simmons? That must be the leader of this camp then. Was this his woman? Olson shook his head, it didn't matter, he'd grab her just in case. He doubted they'd get another chance at this if they failed here tonight.
***
Greg ducked under the man's swing and countered with one of his own. The man leaned back just enough so the blade passed harmlessly in front of him. Greg followed up with another swing but that was parried harmlessly. Simmons swung with his free hand and Greg ducked underneath and countered with a punch to his gut. Simmons stumbled back a few steps but was otherwise unaffected. Greg continued his offensive, throwing swing after swing in attempt to break through Simmon's defense. On his third swing, Greg scored a solid hit that cut Simmons from his eye to his ear. Greg quickly followed up with another thrust as Simmons roared in pain.
Greg ripped his machete free and Simmon's body hit the ground. He knelt and quickly wiped his machete clean before putting it away. He glanced around for his gun but realized that would have to wait until the morning, there was no way he would be able to find it right now. He was about to go check the camp when he heard a scream. A scream that sounded exactly like Carol. He sprinted for his tent and saw a figure throwing Carol's unresponsive body over his shoulder. Was she dead? No, she must be unconscious. There'd be no need to carry her otherwise. The man turned at the sound of Greg's running
footsteps and drew a pistol with his free hand. Greg was forced to dive to the ground as the man sent several shots in his direction. The man took off running and Greg surged to his feet and quickly covered the rest of the distance to his tent. He saw Carol's gun lying on the ground and grabbed it to replace his own. He took after Carol, pushing himself as fast as he could go.
He was grateful for all the training he had gone through. He knew he'd have no chance of saving her if he had been in any less than peak physical condition. He reached the edge of the camp and saw the man running in the distance towards a waiting vehicle. He quickly glanced around and was relieved when he saw his suv nearby.
"Greg!" Jackson called from behind him.
Greg turned to see Jackson running towards him. "They took Shirley! I have to find her!"
"Come with me, they got Carol too!" Greg led the way as they sprinted towards his suv. They jumped inside and a moment later left a cloud of dust in their wake. "You have your walkie?" Greg asked.
"Yeah."
"Tell them to grab some men and follow. Have the rest lock down the camp. The fight might draw in some infected."
Greg focused on pursuing the headlights in front of him as Jackson relayed his instructions. They were off-road, parallel to the highway as it was still littered with abandoned vehicles. Greg did the best he could to find level ground and hoped they wouldn't hit anything that would end their pursuit. They eventually reached a clear stretch of road and the driving was much smoother after that.
The suv in front took and exit and Greg followed. "Denton," Greg said aloud. "Let them know where we are." Jackson nodded and began speaking into the walkie. Greg went over his gear in his head. He had his machete, Carol's gun, and a clip of spare ammunition. The rest of his gear was sitting back in his tent. It was unfortunate, but it would have to do. It's not like there had been time to grab anything. Several gunshots rang out in quick succession and Greg swerved, thinking they were being fired upon.
"There's no sign of anyone," Jackson said. "What are they doing?"
A chorus of howls sounded out n response and Greg realized what they were doing. "They're trying to draw in the infected for backup."