Not a bad plan on Tanya’s part. Insurance that nothing happened to her once she came back with me. And if something happened to her, they’d have to tear the place apart to find them. Perhaps raising suspicions. Maybe she wasn’t an idiot after all.
“Maybe she kept records in her coffee shop,” Kyle suggested.
Pearl brightened slightly. “Maybe. We should check it out.”
“Is it really that good of an idea to be traipsing around this town looking for guns?” I asked. “I mean, once they figure out we’re gone, it’s the first place they are going to send the soldiers. Mrs. Johnson knows about them, so she’ll assume that’s where we’re going. We need to be unpredictable.”
“How does she know where to send them if she doesn’t know where they are?” Pearl wondered.
The three of them stared at me.
“Good question. I don’t know.” Oh, yeah. We did have an advantage. Still, it seemed risky.
“Okay,” Bill said. “What do you suggest?”
I shrugged. “I don’t really know. I just know we need to figure something else out. First and foremost, we need to find a place to hide. Preferably outside of city limits.”
They all nodded.
“There’s some cars in storage over there.” Kyle pointed to his right. “We could hotwire one of them and head out.”
“Good. Let’s do it.”
We stepped out of the storage shed and pulled the door down as quietly as we could. Keeping an eye on our surroundings, we hurried across the storage yard. It took slightly longer than we expected, but we got an old Cadillac running. On our way out of town, we drove past the high school. I glanced at it with disdain. We were going to take them down. Even if we had to burn all of Florida to the ground. Someone stepped out the front door as we drove by. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn it was Tanya. I spun in my seat to get a better view, but she was out of sight. I turned to the others.
“Did you see that?”
Kyle looked out the back window, and Pearl stared at me.
“See what?” Bill looked through the rearview.
“I swear I just saw Tanya.”
They stared at me, confusion covering their faces.
“But it couldn’t be,” Pearl said. “Isn’t she still out West?”
I tried to do the calculations in my head. How long would it have taken her to get here? If they left right after Liet and I did, she could have made it hours after we did. But why would she come down here? She failed at her mission. She didn’t bring me back. Besides, she had nothing to offer The Families. Liet knew where the others hid, he could lead the army there himself. Maybe having me captured was good enough. Maybe she could still come back and live in comfort. I couldn’t worry about it. We had other things to do.
“Hey.” I looked at Pearl. “What happened to Liet?”
I couldn’t allow him to continue to run free. He was a threat to us, no matter what. If we were going to take Florida down, Liet had to go with it. And this time, he wasn’t going to get away with his life.
“He was going to shower and rest. That’s all I know. Mrs. Johnson set him up in a suite at the high school. She also told Mark to have someone keep an eye on him. She was afraid he’d try to hurt you.”
“We need to know where he’s at.”
Kyle stared at me. “You can’t make this a personal mission.”
“I’m not. Liet has to be taken care of. If anything is going to mess up our chances of taking out The Families, it’s him. He knows what we’re capable of, and he knows how to fight against it. Once he finds out we’re missing, he’ll do everything in his power to hunt us down.”
Kyle looked at Bill, who sighed. “What do you want to do?”
“We need to neutralize him.”
“And we can,” Pearl chimed in, “but now is not the time. My uncle had a plan. Once we get out of town, I’ll contact him. He’ll meet us and let us know what’s going on.”
I pursed my lips. “Why didn’t you mention that while we were at the shed?”
“I wasn’t supposed to contact him until I had the weapons. There was less risk of being found out. But since we can’t get the guns, we have to figure something else out.”
I balled my hand into a fist. Why did everything have to be so difficult? Why couldn’t things work out for us like they did in North Platte? In reality, why were we even wasting our time? We could easily take the vehicle back to the West and disappear. No one would find us, and we could live out our lives in relative peace. It would be a lonely existence, especially without Quinn, but we’d be alive.
“Stop the car!” I shouted.
Bill swerved, startled by my outburst. “What?”
“I said stop the car. If Tanya was back there, we can get the weapons. We don’t have to reformulate a plan.”
He pulled over onto the side of the road and stared at me in disbelief. “Do you really think walking back to the high school is such a good idea? They’ll find you, you’ll get recaptured.”
I shook my head. “They won’t get me again. I won’t allow it. I’ll go back and see if it was Tanya, you guys contact Pearl’s uncle. If all goes well, we’ll meet back at the storage yard at six in the morning.”
“And what if it doesn’t go well?” Bill’s tone bordered on furious.
“Then I’ll see you back in jail.”
I didn’t wait for an answer; I opened the door and jumped out of the car. I hurried behind a building and got out of sight. I pressed my back against the wall and waited until I couldn’t hear the car anymore. How was I going to get back to the high school? There were so many lights! If I were in the West, it wouldn’t have been an issue. I glanced down. Crap! I was still wearing my bright orange jumpsuit! Yeah, that wouldn’t be a dead giveaway at all! I needed to find something to cover up with, and quick.
I side-stepped to the end of the building and glanced around the corner. Streetlights illuminated the sidewalk, and a few people milled around. There was a park directly across from me. It was still bright, but there were at least trees to keep me hidden. I waited until the couple closest to me stepped onto the grass before dashing toward a clump of trees. I placed my hand on the trunk and got my bearings. The high school was three blocks in front of me. Lights shone on the building, lighting it up like a Christmas tree. I doubted Tanya was still there. If that was her I saw, she walked out of the building, which meant she probably headed back to her apartment above the coffee shop. Still, it was three blocks I had to go.
Why weren’t people in their homes?
It’s not any different than eluding a zombie, I told myself. In fact, it’s easier. Most people probably wouldn’t give me a second glance. Once they noticed the jail attire, they’d go find help instead of taking me on. A zombie would hunt me relentlessly. I could do it. I had to do it. Still, the least amount of attention I could draw to myself, the better. I headed off through the trees.
It took me a while, but I made it to the back of the coffee shop. I crouched in the alley, next to a dumpster, and stared at the second story window. Soft orange light drifted from the glass, and a shadow moved on the ceiling. Someone was in there. I could only hope it was Tanya. There was a fire escape. Perfect. I snuck over to it and grabbed the bottom step. I glanced around before placing my feet onto the ladder. Using my elbow strapped in the sling, I secured myself to the rungs. Pain rippled through my shoulder, but I tolerated it to get to my goal. With a bit of effort and some grunting, I made it to the top landing. I pressed my back against the wall and peeked into the room.
The window looked onto a small square kitchen table with white laminate covering. Four white wooden chairs with slatted backs were pushed up on each side of the table. A basket of plastic-looking fruit sat in the center.
Beyond the dining room was a couch and TV, which wasn’t on. The living room was dark. There must have been hallways on either side of the living room that led to bedrooms, but I couldn’t see them. Nothing moved. If T
anya was in there, she wasn’t in the dining room or living room. I risked a deeper glance. To the left of the dining room was the kitchen, as dark as the living room.
I moved back against the wall and took a deep breath. Crouching down, I positioned myself under the window.
I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping the window was unlocked. I pushed up against the frame. The window slid open. Thank you! I pushed it open further, keeping an eye on the room beyond. Still, nothing moved.
When I had a space big enough to crawl through, I delicately placed my leg inside. The floor wasn’t far, and I set my foot down gently. Nothing. I ducked my body under and paused, listening. The only sound was my heart beating in my chest. I worked my entire body through the window. I quickly skittered into the kitchen, hiding in the cover of darkness. I kept my breathing calm and under control as I surveyed the area.
I found what I looked for: a knife block. I grabbed a steak knife. Normally, people would grab a butcher knife or some other big knife, but that’s not always the best weapon. It’s big and clunky, which means it can be easily knocked out of your hand. With one of my arms out of commission, I needed something small I could easily keep a grip on. A small knife against the neck would inflict just as much damage as a large one, especially if you get the right spot. With the knife firmly in my hand, the back of the blade comfortable against my forearm, I headed toward the living room.
That’s another thing you see people doing wrong. You don’t want the blade directly out in front of you. It’s reflective, which means it will shine light into your target’s eyes, giving away your position. Plus, if they see the blade first, they can knock it out of your hand. If you hold it against your arm, you have a lot more chances of actually sneaking up on your opponent and keeping hold of your weapon. Plus, if they attacked you, you could inflict damage by blocking. Pam taught me that in North Platte. It was part of my training to prepare me for the zombie-infested West. Of course, zombies wouldn’t recognize a knife or realize the threat, but it was still a good skill to have.
I paused when I reached the edge of the living room and glanced to both sides. As I suspected, hallways led to other rooms. But which one was Tanya’s? Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. What if I just snuck into the wrong house? What if there was more than one apartment above the coffee shop? One scream from an elderly lady and the jig was up.
Stop that! I told myself. You’re in the right spot. Focus.
A soft shuffling sounded to my right. My head jerked in that direction. On my tiptoes, I headed down the hall. I stopped at the door and pressed my ear to the wood. The shuffling sounded again. Closer, it sounded like feet moving under sheets. I tucked the knife into my sling and reached for the handle. With painfully slow movements, I turned the handle and opened the door. Like the other parts of the house, the room was dark. Someone lay on the bed on their left side. I pulled the knife back out of the sling. Biting my lower lip, I stepped into the room. I moved toward the side of the bed where their back was. I held my breath.
I reached the edge of the bed and peered down. The hair was blond, the build looked like Tanya. I flipped the knife around so the blade was out.
“Pssst,” I said softly.
The body moved, rolling onto her back. The gray light from the window above the bed illuminated her face. Her eyes were open, brow furrowed in confusion. It was Tanya. She screamed when she noticed me and tried to scramble away. I sat on the bed, on her legs. I wasn’t worried about anyone hearing. I figured she was alone in the apartment, and the closest neighbors were across the street.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I whispered.
She clicked on the light next to her bed. Her eyes were wide, wild. Recognition sparked, and she visibly relaxed.
“Oh, my God, Krista! You scared the hell out of me!”
Footsteps sounded in the hall. Running footsteps. I slid up her legs so I was on her thighs, placing the knife against her neck. I didn’t have another hand, and I didn’t want to risk Tanya getting away. I hated my back being toward the door, but I didn’t have another choice. I glanced over my shoulder.
At first, the only thing I saw was a gun, the barrel pointed directly at me. I pressed the knife into Tanya’s flesh. She squeaked.
“Krista?” The voice was familiar.
“Pam?”
Pam lowered her gun.
“What are you doing here?” Confusion crept through my body.
Someone moved behind her. I averted my gaze to the new person. The knife dropped from my hand, my breath caught in my throat.
“Quinn?” I barely got the name out of my throat.
He smiled and stepped into the room.
I was afraid to move. I thought if I stood up, I would actually wake up and he would fade into mist. He walked to the side of the bed and placed his hand on my cheek. It was warm. The calluses scratched my skin. I closed my eyes briefly and reopened them. He was still there. I sprung to my feet and wrapped my good arm around his neck. I pulled back and touched his face with my fingertips, tracing his eyebrow, down his cheek, and across his lips. He leaned forward and kissed me. I wrapped my arm around his neck once again, pulling him tight. I didn’t want to let him go.
“I thought you died,” I whispered.
“I would have if it weren’t for you.”
I pulled back and looked into his eyes.
“Liet shot me, there’s no denying that. But when you bumped him, the shot hit my midsection.” He stepped back and lifted his shirt. A white bandage circled his stomach. “Thankfully, it was the meaty part. Missed my vital organs. I think it was a twenty-two. Anything larger would have torn me up. Still hurt like hell, though.”
“We dragged him out of the cave as soon as you and Liet disappeared into the trees,” Pam explained. “We tried to convince Quinn to stay behind, to heal up, but he refused. We warned the people at camp about what happened and took a truck. We figured he’d bring you down here. We had to fix Quinn in the car.”
“It was a nasty patch job,” Tanya interjected, “but we stopped the bleeding.”
“We found some pharmacies along the way and got me some antibiotics. I’ll have a scar, but I’m no worse for the wear.” Quinn smiled at me.
“How did you get past the border guards?” I asked.
“That’s where I came in.” Tanya stood from the bed, placing the knife on the night stand. “I was sent out to capture you, remember? The guards at the gate knew to expect me, and those two hid in the back of the truck. We drove right in.”
I glanced from her to Quinn, eyes wide. He wasn’t supposed to know. He placed a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s okay.” He nodded, as if the action would reassure me. “She confessed to me on the way down. She had to. We wouldn’t have gotten in otherwise.” He stared at her. “I almost left her on the side of the road.” Anger burned in his pupils, but I knew he didn’t have another choice. He focused back on me. “We’re here now. We’re going to make everything all right.” He chuckled, “Of course, we did think we were going to have to rescue you. This kind of changes our plans.”
I hugged him again. I still had trouble believing he was in front of me.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Pam questioned.
“After Pearl helped us escape, we were driving by and I noticed Tanya at the high school.” I focused on Tanya. “What were you doing there anyway?”
“Just telling Mrs. Johnson I was back.”
“Did you tell her about the guns?”
She shook her head. “No. I told her I was tired and would talk to her about them later. She waved me away, said it didn’t matter. She said they had more important concerns to worry about at the moment.”
I turned back to Quinn and Pam. “I came here to make her tell me where the weapons are stashed.”
“Why?” Pam placed her hands on her hips.
“Because the rebellion is still on. Pearl has people, and they want to help.”
The thre
e of them smiled.
“Great!” Quinn exclaimed. “What do we need to do?”
“We’re meeting at the storage yard at six.”
“Perfect. I brought your weapons. And you need a change of clothes.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Orange is not your color.”
CHAPTER 18
Everyone goes through a rough patch, but it doesn’t last forever. The best way to get through it is to keep your head up and hope in your heart. I heard Dad saying those words. It usually preceded the Rome comment. I cringed when those words came out of his mouth, wondering if he really knew what he said. How could he possibly understand the depth and importance of the crisis I was going through when he said those things to me?
That’s when I was young. I thought Dad was crazy, out of touch. In reality, he had an idea. Like most parents, he’d experienced enough to know what he talked about. As I walked hand in hand with Quinn to the storage yard, I thought of those words. We hit a rough patch, one that almost cost our lives. Things were turning around, though. We might make it out. I wouldn’t say things got better because I kept my head up and had hope. Heck no. In fact, I was about ready to give up, call it quits, and succumb to my fate. It was a good thing there were people around me who could lend a helping hand when I needed it most.
I still couldn’t believe Quinn was right next to me. I kept staring at him and tightening my grip on his hand, expecting him to vanish at any moment. I suddenly felt very guilty for the thoughts I had when I was in my cell. Thankfully, I didn’t have to explain my inner musings to anyone but myself, and they were pretty much a moot point since he was alive. I promised myself I would never let him go again. I promised I would fall in love with him.
The sun crept over the horizon, casting orange and pink hues onto the city. The heat rose also. The four of us crept across the street into the storage yard, glancing nervously at our surroundings. I wasn’t as conspicuous without my orange jumpsuit, but there weren’t a lot of escaped traitors running around with their arm in a sling. It wouldn’t have been hard to recognize me.
Life After The Undead Omnibus [Books 1-2] Page 40