“You don’t own this place, do you?” Dave asked him, deciding on the direct approach.
“Oh, no,” Carl replied with a light chuckle as he wiped his hands together. “The boys and I showed up here early this morning. We’d heard the reports on the radio about all the dogs in the area going berserk. Attacking their owners for no reason and forming up into packs. When our collie, Buster, tried to bite CJ last night and I was forced to put him down, I decided we needed to take some precautions. So, this morning, the three of us jumped in the car—”
“The Jeep you were driving,” Ben said, interrupting Carl’s retelling.
“That’s what I said, young fella,” Carl said without any malice in his tone. He also didn’t appear to notice Dave giving Ben a glare to remind him of his manners, which Ben disregarded, and continued his story. “By then, the power was out everywhere and unlike the day before, there was nothing on the radio but static. And I do mean nothing. When we got here, the place was wide open and the owner, a nice enough fella, Bob Seavers, was nowhere to be found. I thought maybe his evening crew could’ve forgotten to lock the doors on their way out and we’d just gotten there before the starting shift. But I checked the time and it was twenty minutes past the usual opening time, which seemed mighty peculiar.”
“What were you coming here for?” Dave asked.
“Well,” Carl began. “I thought we’d rent one of those backhoes they keep out back. Planned to dig a trench around the house. I figured, if I made it nice and wide, and deep enough, no dog would be able to jump across it, no matter how crazy they were. But, like I said, there was no sign of Seavers or any of his employees and it didn’t feel right to just hook one up to the back of the car and drive off with it. So, we waited around to see who showed up.”
“And waited,” Jacob added.
“And waited some more,” CJ chimed in.
“You’re right, boys. We might have hung around too long. But like I said, it didn’t seem right to just drive off with a piece of heavy equipment like that and leave the place standing wide open,” he confessed. “While we were looking to see if anybody was here, we discovered one of the doors was locked. At first, we thought it was an office until we knocked and all we could hear was the generator running. Room must be vented to the outside somehow. We didn’t think much more about it until the lights started blinking on when the sun went down. That’s when we started looking for the keys.
“Be careful with that water, Jacob! It’s hot enough to leave a blister!” Carl warned, suddenly changing the conversation for the safety of his son’s skin.
“I know, Dad. I’m not a kid,” Jacob replied indignantly, right before he splashed a few drops of it onto the back of his hand. “Ouch!” Jacob barked, quickly lifting the skin between his thumb and forefinger to his mouth. He glanced at Carl to see if his dad had noticed, which he had.
“Told you so,” Carl said, and then returned his attention to his guests.
“What about the zombies?” Pam asked. “Have you seen any of them?”
“Dad?” Jacob and CJ said, instantly stopping what they were doing and turning to Carl. Their young faces were carved with worry and dread, making Pam wish she’d never asked the question.
“Just hold on a second, boys,” Carl replied in a nurturing tone and holding up one hand. “I don’t know anything about any zombies, miss,” he said to Pam.
“They’re all over the place,” Dave told him. He didn’t want to cause them any more worry than they clearly were, but he knew it was better for Carl and his sons to be aware of what was happening. “The three of you better sit down while I fill you in,” he said.
“I’ll finish the coffees, sweeties,” Lynn said to the young men, getting up and reaching for the cups they were still holding. They didn’t release them until Carl gave them a little nod and motioned for them to sit down on either side of him.
Dave and Pam spent the next forty-five minutes making a full introduction for the rest of the family and explaining what they knew and what they’d seen in their haste to get to Mike and Lynn’s home. The reanimated mail lady, Betty. Being chased by zombies and finally about the road pirates they’d encountered. Carl and his sons listened to every word and only interrupted to express the occasional gasp of disbelief. By the end, Carl looked like he’d aged five years during their retelling of events, and Jacob and CJ appeared to be in shock and on the verge of tears.
Chapter Five
“I guess I don’t have to bother digging that moat,” Carl said, sitting back heavily into the plastic-framed chair with a heavy sigh.
While Pam and Dave were bringing Carl and his sons up to speed, Lynn had finished making the coffees and hot chocolates. She and Mike sat with Joe and Ben at one table. Zack and Brigette sat with their sons at another. Jaxon and Braxton were wearing matching, hot chocolate mustaches, as were CJ and Jacob although theirs were a little less pronounced and they looked less relaxed than the younger pair of brothers. Jacob and CJ had changed their minds and opted for cocoa when Lynn had offered the swap. Carl took a sip of the lukewarm contents in his cup, before speaking.
“So, what are you folks planning to do?” he asked.
“Were heading to Washington,” Pam replied.
“I don’t know,” Carl said, shaking his head. “I never liked DC and it doesn’t make much sense.”
“The state, not the city,” Pam clarified.
“You guys are welcome to come with us,” Dave told them, drawing a questioning look from Ben, but he said nothing.
“That’s different,” Carl said. He rubbed his chin for a few moments, considering the offer. His eyes shifted back and forth from his sons to Dave and Pam. “I got one condition,” Carl finally said, holding up a finger to emphasize his point.
“Let’s hear it,” Dave said.
“Anything happens to me between now and then, you both gotta promise to take care of my boys like they were your own,” he said, his eyes boring holes into Dave’s.
“Dad!” CJ and Jacob blurted, but Carl hushed them with a look all fathers learn when raising children.
“Well, young fella?” Carl asked Dave.
Taking a moment to check Pam for any signs of objection, he answered, “You have our word, and call me Dave.”
“Don’t take offense, young… Dave,” Carl said. “But I’d rather hear it from you, and the missus,” he said to Pam.
“I promise,” Pam said.
“Although you may want to talk to our sons about what that’s like before making your final decision,” Dave said with a grin, trying to lighten the sudden heaviness of the moment. “They may have other suggestions.”
“What do you think, Zack?” Carl asked him.
“Don’t do it,” Zack warned, starting to grin.
“He’s an asshole,” blurted Joe with a chuckle.
“Hey!” Dave shouted.
“You are,” Pam smirked.
“What the fuck?” Dave said.
“She’s right,” Ben added.
“But you’re a good dad, sweetie,” Lynn said, sticking up for Dave.
“Thanks, Mom,” Dave said, getting up and giving her an appreciative hug for the solidarity.
“But you are sort of an asshole,” she whispered in his ear, making sure it was loud enough for everyone else to hear. Dave stood abruptly and looked at Mike as he and Lynn began chuckling
“What?” his father-in-law said. “I agree with the rest of them!”
“Fuck you guys!” Dave tells them. “Looks like I could use a new family,” he said to Carl with a smile. “I never really liked those shitheads anyway.”
“Then it’s a deal,” Carl said, shaking hands with Dave. “So, what do we do?”
“The first thing we need to do is get those fucking lights shut down outside. We don’t need everyone within five miles coming to visit.”
“Speaking of visitors,” Carl said, looking at his sons. “Did you boys remembered to lock the backdoor when you came in, li
ke I told you to?”
“Yes sir,” they answered.
“You’re certain?” Carl asked.
The brothers exchanged matching looks of distress before Jacob said to his brother, “Did you remember to lock it?”
“You were supposed to do it,” CJ replied.
“No. You were going to!” Jacob argued.
“You were the last one to come through!” CJ told him. “Like always,” he added, muttering it under his breath.
“It doesn’t matter now,” Carl interrupted, keeping his voice low and neutral but giving CJ a scowl. “Both of you, go back there and check on the door.”
“Why do both of us have to go?” CJ asked. Despite his protests, he was already on his feet with his brother and they were heading for the hallway.
“Because I told both of you to make sure it was locked when you came back in, and in case anyone decided to come through while we’ve had the welcome mat out,” he answered.
Dave’s eyes quickly shifted to Ben, but he didn’t have to say a word. Ben instantly understood the potential threat this presented. If one or more zombies had slipped in or the road pirates had followed them here, they could all be in some serious jeopardy. He doubted this was the case, but as Carl had said several times, they couldn’t be too careful.
“I’m on it,” he said to Dave with a curt nod. Grabbing his rifle, he slung it over his shoulder, pulled his revolver and followed CJ and Jacob down the hall.
“Keep your eyes open,” Dave shouted needlessly to Ben’s back as he disappeared through the doorway. If something was out of place, he doubted Ben would be able to tell. He was confident Ben would be able to spot an open door or extra people and know what to do, but he didn’t hold the same expectations for CJ and Jacob.
“Now that the boys are out of earshot, there’s one more thing I need to ask,” Carl said to Dave in a low, serious tone. “Don’t get me wrong because I’m happy to join up with you and your family. There’s safety in numbers and it’s good to be with someone you can trust to watch your back,” he said, pausing to study Dave’s expression. “But you can see, my boys don’t always think things through. I don’t want you to lose your temper with either of them if they forget something important. They can’t help it. That being said, I’d really appreciate it if you’d tone down the harsh language in front of my sons.”
“I’m not sure what the fuck you’re talking about,” Dave replied. “What harsh language?”
“Right there,” Carl said, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table. “I’ve never cursed in front of my boys or taken the Lord’s name in vain. Not even when Doreen passed away. At least not in front of them, and I’d prefer if you didn’t either.”
“Jesus Christ, Carl!” Dave said, rubbing his face with his hands and then pushing them up through his hair. “I can’t promise you that. I can tell you I’ll try, but that’s as far as I can fucking go.”
“I guess that’ll have to do,” Carl sighed.
“Is it safe for them to be carrying loaded guns?” Dave asked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Carl asked. His hands gripped the edges of the table as he bristled at Dave’s implication.
“I didn’t mean anything negative by it,” Dave assured him. “I’m just taking an inventory of where our strengths and weaknesses are.”
“And you want to know if you can mark my boys in the deficit column?” Carl asked, raising his voice. “How do I know young miss over there can handle that big gun she’s carrying around?” he asked, gesturing to Brigette as his anger swelled. “Can I be certain one of your sons won’t do something careless that ends up costing one of my boys their life?”
“Hold on a second, Carl!” Dave shouted over him.
“No! You hold on for a darn second! How do I know you won’t be the one to make a mistake? How do any of us know? The way I see it, we’re all taking risks by throwing in together. Not just you and yours!”
“I didn’t mean anything by it!” Dave protested, holding his hands up in surrender.
“Like heck you didn’t!” Carl shouted. He wasn’t accepting any excuses or explanations from Dave when it came to matters concerning his sons. “You want to know that when the stuff hits the fan, you can count on them. Well, it seems to me the three of us got the drop on you simple enough. And yeah, Dave. In answer to your original question, it’s safe to let them carry loaded weapons. They’re not gonna look down the barrels if they jam or jerk the trigger accidentally. They’ve been around guns their entire lives. I’m a stickler about gun safety and have drilled it into them since long before they were big enough to hold and shoot one.
“And just to answer your next question, while we’re on the subject,” Carl went on. “You’re probably thinking I might be too old for a run across the country. And no offense to your in-laws, but I’m a sight younger than either of them! I’m also willing to bet, if it comes down to it, I’ll be a bit handier in a gunfight!”
“Hey now!” Mike objects.
“Like I said,” Carl replied.
“No offense? Or you can’t be too careful?” Dave asks before Carl can finish.
“Both,” he said. “Maybe we ought to rethink this little partnership of ours before we go any further.”
“I told you!” they hear one of the brothers say from the hallway. A second later, Ben stepped into the break room with the twins right behind him.
“It was already locked,” Ben said as he entered. Looking around the room, he could feel the thick layer of tension he and the brothers had just unknowingly waded into. His experience also had him assuming Dave was at the root of it. “Is there something I should know?” he asked his mother.
“Just ironing out some organizational issues,” Pam answered, skirting the details.
“Uh-huh,” Ben replied, convinced there was more going on than Pam was letting on. He decided to change the topic in hopes of extinguishing the fuse he’d missed being lit. “There’s a ton of stuff we can use in the warehouse.”
“Like what?” Dave asks, following Ben’s offered distraction.
“To start, I saw a case of CB radios back there. They look like they’re the kind you install under the dash but there might be some handhelds,” Ben said. “If not, the ones I saw should be easy to install. I doubt the government can shut down every radio frequency.”
“You think the government’s behind this?” Carl asked.
“Probably not the outbreak,” Pam answered. “But they’re the only ones that could stop all the cell phone signals and news broadcasts.”
“What else did you see?” Joe asked his brother.
“There’s a bunch of flat steel in the corner next to some welding tanks. We could probably armor plate the vehicles if we wanted to,” Ben answered.
“That’d be cool!” Joe said.
“Super cool!” CJ agreed.
“It’ll also make them super heavy. We’ll pay heck trying to get it jacked up off the ground if one of us gets a flat tire,” Carl said.
“Yeah. But still,” Jacob added.
“In that case, there’s also a pile of heavy gauge mesh. We could secure it over the windshields and side windows. In case the glass gets busted out,” Ben offered, casting a reproachful look at Joe.
“There’s plenty of hardware around here to bolt them into place,” Carl added.
“Now we’re talking!” Dave said enthusiastically. “Is there any way we can do all of this inside?”
“Yup.” Ben nodded. “Two loading docks and another bay door with a ramp. We can drive the cars right inside. And there’s enough room in there to bring in two cars at a time.”
“It’ll be dawn in about ten hours,” Dave said, reading the clock hanging on the wall of the break room. “Whatever we’re going to do, I want to be out of here by then, so it’s going to be a long night.”
Brigette quietly cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. Having accomplished that, she casually pointed to Jaxon and Braxton. Bo
th boys were leaning with their elbows on the table, propping up their heads with their hands. Braxton’s eyes were already closed, asleep where he sat, and Jaxon was struggling to keep his open. Zack was in the process of folding up their coats as makeshift pillows, He placed them between their elbows in hopes of preventing them from banging their faces onto the table if their chins should slip from their hands. From the looks of it, Mike and Lynn didn’t appear to be too far behind the boys.
“Shit,” Dave muttered. “I keep forgetting about them.”
“I think I saw some boxes of air mattresses back there too,” Ben said. “If I’m right, we can inflate one in here for them. Come on, CJ. Come give me a hand.”
CJ lurched from his chair to follow Ben. He only made it a few steps before stopping to look at his brother. Jacob was still sitting next to Carl, wearing an expression like he was the last one picked for the team.
“Are you coming?” CJ asked him, trying to contain his own excitement.
“Can I?” Jacob asked, his mood instantly changing from disappointment to hopeful elation. He squirmed in his chair, struggling to remain seated while he waited for an answer.
“We won’t go without you,” Ben told him from the door.
Bolting from his chair, Jacob practically leaped across the room to stand next to Ben, with CJ on the other side.
“Do you wanna come with?” Ben asked Joe.
“I think you’ve got this,” Joe replied. He waved his hand dismissively, having surveyed the crew and deciding he could safely sit this one out without jeopardizing the mission’s success.
“Are you sure? There’s some pretty cool stuff back there,” Jacob urged. From his expression, Joe figured Jacob was willing to sacrifice going with Ben and CJ on this adventure. If Joe stayed, Jacob would stay there to keep him company, rather than leaving him behind.
The F*cked Series (Book 3): Mean Page 8