Understanding dawned on Karli and her face turned blood red. She made a slight O shape with her mouth as the conversation, and all of the previous conversations, finally made sense. “You thought I was being that kind of prejudiced,” Karli said.
Cedric pressed his lips together and nodded sarcastically.
“Karli,” he said after a moment, “this is insane. You really shouldn’t have come. You are not safe out here.”
Karli began to lower her head. “I know it was stupid,” she said. “But I couldn’t lose you.”
“You never will,” Cedric said. “But, we can’t turn back. You need to stay by my side. I’ll protect you.”
Karli smiled as she followed Cedric back to the group.
“Steph,” he said once they had closed the gap, “do you have any spare armor?”
“No need,” Karli said pulling her bag from the back of the Hummer. “Believe it or not, I actually thought this through. Well, I thought the stowaway part through. Not the reasoning.”
Cedric watched as she pulled his old set of armor from her backpack.
“Is that made out of duct tape?” Pearson said as she laid it out.
“Yeah,” Cedric said laughing. “My first set.”
“Weapons?” Steph asked.
“Covered,” Karli said pulling a gun belt out last.
“Did you seriously rob the armory?” Ross asked incredulously.
“I don’t know if it counts as stealing,” Cedric said.
“It took me ages to count and catalog everything,” Ross said in a defeated voice.
Karli then removed her last item from the back of the Hummer: a jet-black softball bat.
“Looks like you are ready,” Steph said.
Karli smiled at her and said, “Not really. I really do still need to pee.”
Cedric turned and looked at Stewart. “Can you accompany her?” he asked.
Stewart led Karli to a stand of trees in the distance.
“Did your girlfriend really just smile at me?” Steph asked once Karli was out of earshot.
Cedric laughed. “Well, I finally found out why she hated you for the past six months.”
“And?” Steph asked.
“She thought you were trying to steal me away,” Cedric explained.
Steph shook her head and asked, “And what did you tell her?”
“The truth,” Cedric said shrugging.
They both stayed silent for a minute. Since Pearson wasn’t able to follow, he asked, “What truth?”
Steph laughed and said, “If you don’t ask, I won’t tell.”
Garcia drove the battered farm truck through the field toward the farmland. They were now using the old softball field to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes. There was a gate that she had to stop at but nobody was manning it.
Reid quickly jumped out of the bed and ran to the gate, shooting the lock off the chain. He looked around for anyone who might have heard the shot.
Garcia crept the truck through and Reid tied the gate shut again. Once he was in the bed, she shot off veering around the softball field.
“Ben probably pulled everyone back,” Ron said. “He pulled all off duty first. They rang it over the intercom. They must have pulled everyone else back over the CB after we’d left.” Ron looked into the cab of the truck through the back glass at Eric, “Do you think he’ll live?”
“Oh yeah,” Reid said. “If Doc gave him a half vile, he’ll live. One vial is supposed to be good for about six shots. That’s why that girl, Steph, healed up so quick.”
“So,” Ron said, “Eric got three doses?”
“Yup. Garcia, too.”
“Are there any side effects of an overdose of serum?” Ron asked.
“Not really. But, it hasn’t been widely studied. Increased appetite because of the rapid cell regeneration.” Reid sighed. “We really just don’t know.”
The truck finally made it over one last huge bump and then slid onto the highway.
Garcia pulled the rear glass open and shouted, “We’ve got very little fuel left. We can’t make it to the army.”
It took Reid a moment to realize she’d meant the First Rogersville Army. “What about that other group?” he asked after he’d thought for a few minutes.
When Garcia didn’t respond, he shouted louder, “What about that hotel group?”
“I heard you, man,” Garcia shouted back. “I just don’t know. Maybe.”
“Well,” Ron said. “We don’t have much of a choice, do we?”
Garcia finally gave in and took the next left to take backroads to Morristown.
“That’s fine, Gregg’s dead,” Bennet said. “Blame the shots on him.” He walked to Gregg’s dead body and nudged it with his foot.
“The other council members escaped,” Ben argued. “That is not fine. What if they come back?”
“They won’t. Besides, we own the defense crew now. They are with us. They’ll shoot any of the council when they return. The doc is with us, ain’t you Doc?” Bennet said turning to gaze at him.
“Do no harm,” he said reciting a portion of the hypocritic oath.
Bennet froze, “I really don’t know if that’s a yes or a no, Doc.”
“Neither do I,” Dr. Moore said coldly.
Bennet just laughed half-heartedly. “Yeah, you’re with us. What about you, Charlie?”
Charlie had not moved from his seat ever since the first shot was fired. He’d sat there, replaying it in his head. He’d known Ben for years. It wasn’t until Ben finally addressed him that he moved.
“Charlie, son,” he said. “Are you with us?”
“Yeah,” Charlie said. “I’m here.”
“Good,” Ben said helping him to his feet. “We need you to back us. Gregg did this. We’re going to talk to everyone in the morning. We’re going to tell them exactly what they need to hear.”
“Right,” Charlie said. “I completely agree. Keep everyone under lockdown until then,” he added. “Let’s get everything cleaned up.”
Ben smiled, “That’s right, son. Let’s get this all taken care of as a family. Denise done right with you, boy.” He patted Charlie on the back.
Ben turned to go make arrangements with Bennet.
“Hey Ben,” Charlie said. “Who’s taking care of what jobs right now?”
“We’ve got a barebones patrol going. Some of the defense crew are cleaning up. Some are patrolling the main building to make sure everyone stays in their rooms,” Ben said.
“Okay,” Charlie said grabbing a notebook from a desk nearby. “I’ll go work out a schedule. Until we get everything in order, I’ll deal with the defense team.”
Ben nodded and turned to walk away.
Charlie passed Ben up and left the room to go find out where every single person currently was so he could make an appropriate schedule.
Ben and Bennet continued to walk through the main hallway of the vocational building discussing their exact plans.
After an hour of walking the facility inside and out, Charlie sat down to start his plans. By the time he was finished, the sun was setting. He knew that everyone was still on lockdown. He knew that if he missed one small detail, everything could come unraveled in the facility. Charlie was meticulous with his plans.
After he was finished, he went through the entire compound finding the workers he needed and rerouting them all to specific tasks. He relieved some for the evening, while he tasked others with the night shift.
When he was nearly finished, he went to Dr. Moore’s office. He carefully closed the door behind him. “Hey, Doc,” he said. “You awake?”
“I really don’t think I could sleep after a day like today,” he said sitting up in his bed.
“I know you’re not in on this. I know what you did,” he said.
“Have you told dear old dad yet?” Dr. Moore asked.
Charlie ignored the snide remark and said, “I need you to do a very specific job.”
“I can’t,” he said. “Not after a day l
ike today.”
“If you don’t, I’ll be busted and executed. I’m trying to free the prisoners and get them out,” Charlie said.
Dr. Moore stood up abruptly and said, “Are you being serious?”
Charlie nodded.
After a quick explanation of the plan, Charlie walked into the hallway and down the stairs. He went to the armory. It was Frank who was guarding the guns at the current moment.
Charlie walked in and said “Frank, I’m here to relieve you to go grab some grub and use the restroom. You’ll be here the rest of the night and this is the last chance until dawn for you to take five. Just bring your food back here and eat.”
Frank nodded and said, “It’s about time, I’m starving.”
Charlie watched Frank leave and head straight for the restrooms. As soon as he was in there, Charlie turned around and began filling a bag full of guns. He picked carefully from select piles so that it would be hard to notice anything missing.
As soon as he began zipping the bag, he heard the door creak behind him. Charlie swung around, gun raised.
“Woah,” Dr. Moore said. “Just me.”
Charlie lowered his gun and handed the duffle bag to Dr. Moore. “Hurry!” he barked.
Dr. Moore quickly slung the bag over his shoulder and ran down the hall to the council room. He managed to duck inside just as Frank came out of the vocational building kitchen holding a cold cut of leftover venison.
“Man, this stuff is good,” he said as he walked down the hall.
“I want you to close this door and keep it locked,” Charlie said right after Frank walked through the door. “Nobody should be coming until dawn. Once you hear me, you’ll be fine to reopen it.”
“Roger that, boss,” Frank said through a mouth full of meat.
Charlie slammed the door shut behind him as he left.
He didn’t spare a glance behind him or at the council room door, just in case Frank was watching through the window of his door. Instead, he made his way through the covered walkway to the main building.
Inside, he continued to give a few directions to the defense crew he saw. By the time he was done giving convoluted orders, there was nobody patrolling the section he needed to get someone from.
Charlie made his way straight to his parent’s room and ducked inside quietly. He found Eliza sitting on her mattress burdened with fear.
Charlie knew Ben’s room was directly across the hall, so he made a shushing motion with his finger on his lips. Eliza nodded once, not knowing the full extent of the issue.
He then made a small waving motion for his mother to follow him. He didn’t have time to pack anything or bother with anything else. Instead, he merely led her back to the vocational building. For once in his life, Charlie had taken the time to try to think of every possible outcome.
The only problem was that there was no way he could. He walked back into the vocational building and saw Bennet standing at the foot of the steps with his notepad.
Bennet was so engrossed with the plot on the paper in front of him that he hadn’t heard the door open. Charlie ran forward at full speed. Bennet heard the footsteps and reached for his gun.
Before he could even lay a hand on the handle, Charlie grabbed Bennet’s face in one hand and smashed the back of his head into the wall. Bennet stopped, dazed. Charlie gritted his teeth and repeated the process two more times until Bennet collapsed, unconscious.
Charlie could hear Eliza trying to hold in a scream behind him. Her gasps for breath were getting louder by the second.
He turned and put his hand on his mother’s arm as he whispered, “We’ve got to get you out of here. Stay absolutely quiet.”
Charlie stowed his mother in the women’s bathroom while he did the next phase of his plan. He grabbed Bennet by the arms and drug him down the hallway to the infirmary. This wasn’t part of his plan. He knew he might be running behind schedule now.
He quickly rushed back down the hallway and into the shop.
Once inside, he walked briskly to shop four.
“Last stop,” he said cheerfully to Wilson. “I’m your relief for the night.” He checked his watch grinning that he was still fine on time. “It’s just after ten. Be back at eight in the morning. You’ll be here most of the day tomorrow, so get some rest.”
Wilson groaned. “Yeah, I’m heading straight to bed.”
“Feel free to take one of the empties upstairs,” Charlie said. “Ben’s not taking over Sue’s room until the morning. Or, take Cedric’s room. He’s gone for now anyway.”
“Yeah, I think I will,” Wilson said as he turned to walk away.
Charlie quickly pulled a small black box from his pocket and pushed the metal prongs into the back of Wilson’s neck. He spasmed with electricity and fell to the ground with a small groan. Charlie slammed his heel down on the man’s face.
Once he was sure Wilson was out cold, he left the shop door and returned minutes later with a crowbar and a shop rag. He wrapped the padlock in the cloth and used the crowbar to prise the lock open.
After a small crack, the door slowly opened.
“Come one,” Charlie said. No time to lose.”
He quickly ushered the entire group of men and women from the small shop room. “Grab him,” he told Collins as he walked past Wilson. Collins obeyed.
They followed him to the front exit of the vocational building. He sent one of the women to get his mother from the restrooms.
“Wait until you see headlights,” Charlie said. “Not a moment sooner.” Charlie didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, he turned to go to the stairwell that led to the roof access.
This was the one part of Charlie’s plan that didn’t have a peaceful resolution. It was also the one part of Charlie’s plan that he dreaded. Once he was on the roof, he saw the man he’d put on duty there: Gerard.
“Hey man,” Charlie said holding his hands up. “Change in plans.”
Charlie walked up to him at his spot on the wall.
“What’s up,” Gerard asked.
“Ben decided to take watch over the prisoners, so that freed me up. So, I’m going to take your spot so you can get a few hours rest,” Charlie explained.
“I think I’m good,” Gerard said.
Of course, he’s going to be complicated, Charlie thought to himself.
“Ben’s orders,” Charlie said. “Hand over the rifle and go get a few hours of sleep.”
Charlie could tell that Gerard was about to argue but decided better against it. So instead, he asked, “What time do I need to be back?”
“Eight,” Charlie said taking the rifle from him.
“Alright, then,” he said standing up from his bar stool.
Charlie took a sharp breath in and swung the butt of the rifle. It smacked cleanly across Gerard’s forehead. He stumbled back. Charlie slung a kick as hard as he could and caught the man directly in the chest.
Gerard lost his footing and fell backward off the roof.
Quickly, Charlie pulled a flashlight from his pocket and turned it off and on three times. He watched as their new church van started up and roared to life. Headlights shown over the front doors of the vocational building and a small group of people poured out.
Charlie sighed in relief as he watched the van drive away. He was feeling smug that his plan was finished until he remembered the one loose end he’d left.
Chapter Fifteen:
DEEP SHADES OF GREEN
Ground Team Charlie had made it through another pit stop in Rome, Georgia without incident and were now trying to find a place in Guntersville, Alabama to stay the night. Cedric followed the path Steph read aloud for him as they tried to stay on backroads.
“Up here,” she said, “there’s an intersection. It looks like we will need to take a sharp left turn to avoid any bridges.”
“Yeah,” Cedric said slowing down. As he slowed he peered from his window at a small house to his right. “Look,” he said pointing.
Ross and S
teph peered out of their windows. Karli attempted to, but Ross was blocking her view.
“Not bad,” Steph remarked.
“It’s a bit small for all of us,” Ross added.
“That means it will be easier to clear out,” Cedric reminded them. “I think it's just what we need for a single night. Easy in, easy out. And, it’s fenced in.”
“Agreed,” Steph said.
Cedric stopped the Hummer completely and put it in park. He pulled the small walkie talkie from the center console and said into it, “We passed a church a few hundred feet back. Let’s circle back and fuel up. Then, we clear this house for the night.”
“Roger that,” Pearson said back to him.
One thing Cedric had noticed in his trips out and that was reinforced in this mission: when the infection hit, people gathered at church. He got it, at least somewhat. The way he saw it, some people prepared to keep on living, like his family did. Others prepared themselves for what came after.
When the team pulled into the parking lot, they proceeded to the same routine they’d used at the last stop. It was the same routine used at the first stop with two exceptions; Karli was locked in the driver’s seat instead of the cargo hatch and Blitzstark was locked in with her.
Cedric, Steph, Stewart, and Clarke ran their run around the church. This time, unlike the last two, they actually found an infected in the parking lot. His skin was the darkest green Cedric had seen to date.
“He must be one of the original ones,” Steph remarked.
“So, what, seven months old?” Cedric asked. “We’ve not seen any like that before. Stay frosty.”
The infected man was big and muscular, but his skin looked odd. It looked like the skin of someone who’d lost too much weight too fast. Cedric was only marginally worried, however. The infected man was pinned tight between the brick wall of the church and a small car. It was obvious that someone had purposefully driven into him.
“We need to take him out,” Stewart said staring.
“You’ve not seen a greenie in action,” Steph reminded her. “You’ve not seen what they can do.”
“So, pop him,” Clarke said raising his gun.
Cedric put his hand on the top of Clarke’s barrel and pushed it back down. “It’ll draw more in. We’ll get him before we go.”
The Living Saga (Book 2): Enduring Page 16