Hot Flashes
September 22nd
1
“I’m not waiting any longer.”
“You have to. There’s a big storm coming.”
“More snow doesn’t scare me. It’s time.”
“A few more days? Please?”
“No, not even for you.”
Theo rounded the corner of the cavern and the two people broke apart guiltily.
“Is everything okay here?” Theo asked. He was on his way to fix an issue with the electricity, but the conversation had pulled him.
“Its fine,” Tara answered, sighing. “I’m trying to convince Jayson to wait a bit longer on his plans.”
“And what plans are those?” Theo demanded. He didn’t like how many new people were already running loose without a sentry.
“He wants to leave. I want him to wait until after the storm.”
It was a perfectly reasonable answer, but Theo didn’t buy it. “What are you guys up to?”
Before Tara could reply, Jayson shoved by them both. “Leaving.”
Theo started to go after him, but Tara put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. He isn’t adjusting well.”
“Do you know him?” Theo asked, shrugging off her touch. “You didn’t come in together. And where’s Missy?”
Tara frowned slightly. “We’re both new. I made friends. Missy is with the other kids, eating breakfast. What’s your problem?”
Theo was a bit uneasy over her attitude. Until now, Tara had been meek. “Are you signing up for the Eagles?”
Tara shrugged, clearly uneasy at the quick topic switch. “I’m not sure.”
It relieved him to hear that, but Theo only said, “Maybe next time?”
“Maybe. I need to start my shift on stocking things down here. Can I go?”
Theo waved her off. He continued on his way, but the woman stayed on his mind. She was probably having a bad day, but he found her responses to be out of character. When he reached his working area, Theo made a note on it for the next shift. He wanted someone to keep track of her whenever she labored down here.
Theo studied the notes left for him by the previous shift, trying to ignore the creaks and shifts, the low moans of the stone around him.
Plumbing is 89% complete.
Power is 73% operational. Battery banks are cool and calm so far.
Two reports of the moaning in the bottom levels by guards. Checked it out. No evidence found.
Theo scowled when he saw the names of the sentries. Ozzie and Francis weren’t the type to imagine things. There was honestly something down here with them.
Theo made remarks on the paper and then hung it on the clipboard. The sounds of the camp moving to the mess and bathrooms echoed loudly throughout the cave. Down here, that noise was a reminder that he wasn’t alone. Theo was glad their people were inside. The doors to the cave would be installed soon and then those still living topside would be encouraged to come down and join the rest. Today would be a great test of the cave utilities and Theo expected to stay busy fixing minor issues.
More noises echoed from outside the cave, and Theo didn’t envy the patrols. Not only was it still snowing, the number of refugees had doubled from yesterday. The Eagles were busy rotating zones and trying to handle the influx.
As if conjured by his thoughts, the radio crackled with Tonya’s slightly harried voice, “This is Safe Haven refugee camp. We are now closed until the storm is over. Hole-up where you can. I repeat, we are closed until the storm passes. Please stay where you are and keep warm.”
Theo doubted many people would listen. The crowd outside the gates was only going to grow and Angela was going to keep evaluating them. Winter had arrived early, coating the land with deadly snow and cold. People would flood to their gates as long as they could travel.
“But they aren’t coming up the main hill,” Theo muttered. Their first load of rock salt for the day had been picked up, but it wouldn’t arrive until evening. That meant more snow accumulating, melting a bit in the brief glimpses of sun they were getting, and then refreezing into ice. Theo wasn’t certain that even the rock salt crew would make it up here and the call had said they were in a city truck. Nature was merciless and survivors across the country were about to be hit with another blow.
Around Theo, the walls shimmied.
He thought he was imagining it at first, and then he realized an entire section of the wall was shivering like Jell-O. Dust and debris began to fall, and then the noises caught up, revealing the grinding and pounding of a tremor. The cave wall bulged out from the pressure and a wide crack split from the bottom and began running upward.
Theo clutched at his mike as he fell, knowing it was already too late for him. “Cave-in!”
The call sent terror through everyone who heard.
Eagles rushed toward the sound as members fled. The panic and chaos made it difficult for them to navigate the steep stairs down to the area. People fell and rolled, knocking others over, and the tunnels echoed with screams and fear.
“This is a mandatory evacuation!” the radio blared. “Everyone out!”
2
It took hours to dig through the rubble.
The only section of the cave affected seemed to be this bottom part, but they didn’t know for sure how much damaged had been done. The pile of stone and debris was huge and the dust still hadn’t settled. Marc and Kenn supervised the digging as the Miller family did the hands-on work. They were used to this sort of tragedy and expected few survivors.
“Do we have a count yet?” Marc barked. He hated being down here while Angela was outside the gate, handling new arrivals and rotating zones.
“Right here,” Kenn stated, extending him the sheet. “Just Theo’s a.m. team. They were down here to handle minor repairs.”
Marc didn’t need to read it. He knew who was on Theo’s crew. They now had five missing people and Marc was determined to recover every one of them. He wanted it finished as quickly as possible, and he stepped forward to help physically.
Kenn followed his lead.
Behind the workers, a small crowd of friends and loved ones gathered to wait for any news. Candy and the other women drew strength from each other, trying to be hopeful, but as the minutes passed with no sounds, it was hard.
3
Kendle didn’t want to be here anymore. There was a bad feeling coming over these mountains and she was eager to be on her way. The vehicles were packed, the team was ready, and all of them expected to leave in the morning. The problem was that they were all viewing the massive crowd of refugees on the doorstep and worrying. Safe Haven clearly needed them right now. What finally tipped it was a comment from Jennifer as she stopped by the parking area on her way to deliver an update about the cave-in.
“Happy hunting. We’re gonna need that boat.”
Kendle hadn’t realized the boat was important. She’d honestly thought Angela was getting rid of her and a few of the others who wanted to be on the island. Kendle hadn’t considered that it was for Safe Haven.
“But I should have,” she muttered. Angela didn’t do anything that wasn’t going to help her damn sheep. “What am I walking into?”
Kendle finished loading the rear floorboard, then shut and locked all the doors. Only she and Tommy had keys.
“All set?” Tommy asked, joining her at the front end of their Tahoe. He could smell her shampoo from the recent shower.
“Yes,” she answered, not adding more.
Tommy had witnessed her battling the refugees coming through the damaged gate, and been impressed. When Angela had said Kendle was a killer, she hadn’t been exaggerating in the least.
“We’ll get the word to go soon,” he said, sensing Kendle was eager to go.
Greg came over to them with a slight frown. “Boss said to get rolling down the rear path.”
Tommy grinned happily. “See?”
Kendle allowed a tiny smile to crack her lips. “Cool. Let’s go.”
They rolled down the rear road mostly unnoticed a short time later. Kendle didn’t glance at Adrian’s site or at the cave, where Marc was still helping to free their trapped men. She hadn’t said goodbye to either male. She was on her way home. There was nothing here for her now.
4
Angela read the update and gave Jennifer the next sets of notes to be delivered. There was too much going on for any of them to spend time talking, so the short messages were ideal. The radios were clogged with calls from people begging them not to shut their gates until they arrived–despite the transmissions that Tonya was repeating each hour. Desperation to avoid the cold would keep survivors coming their way and there was little Safe Haven could do. The two hundred refugees already here were unruly, angry that they had to be processed, sullen about the rules and requirements for entry. They wanted in and soon, Angela was positive they would try to get through. The Eagles were also certain. They were carrying extra ammunition and wearing double-vest setups. Things were on the edge of ugliness and Angela realized her plans would have to be sped up. This would be one of the last few days that she and Jennifer could come outside the reinforced gate to sort through new arrivals. With that thought in mind, Angela dug into the evaluations harder, trying to get more of the good people cleared before evening fell. Marc would handle the den. She would handle the door.
5
Theo moaned as he came to. Pain crushed into his legs and continued to build until tears slipped from his lids. He didn’t bother to open them. With the dark and dust, he wouldn’t be able to see anything, but it was a small comfort to hear work going on. They were trying to dig through.
The rocks on top of his legs suddenly shifted and Theo screamed.
“That’s it! Lift!”
Theo continued to scream as the rock was moved and the sound echoed throughout the cave. It cut off abruptly as he passed out.
The men laboring to free him were grateful. The creaks and groans of the mountain were too much for their nerves. Screams were more than they could handle right now. This area could collapse. They wouldn’t know until the engineering team could come in and evaluate.
Marc and Kenn, exhausted and filthy, were there to help lift Theo’s body from the rubble. They’d found Tim and Gary a little while ago and both men had been rushed to the medical bay. Theo made three and Marc was determined that number would go higher. He wasn’t leaving anyone down here. The fact that all three men were still alive gave him hope that the other two would be as well.
The shouts from topside echoed down to them and Marc gestured for Kenn to call in the next crew to dig. “I’ll be back.”
Marc walked behind the team carrying Theo, noting the empty cave. The camp had been sent to the main tent area topside until it was declared safe. Marc wondered how many of those would now refuse to live below. As he neared the entrance, the noise of a huge crowd was loud enough to drown out everything else. Marc frowned, moving faster. Surely, Angie had come inside the gates…
“She went to the medical bay!” Greg shouted when he saw Marc.
Relieved, Marc went to the main gate first, needing an update on their situation out here. The feeling vanished as he stared at the mob. Groups milled around the area, talking and arguing over space for tents and vehicles. The four zones were completely full and each of them were surrounded by tents and clans waiting for an evaluation. Behind those, were more people waiting on foot and in long lines of clumsily parked cars that would prevent anyone–including their teams–from getting through.
The Eagles were nervous, each man and woman with a finger ready to pull the trigger as the crowd below shouted, screamed, and fought. Despite Angela’s predictions, Marc hadn’t thought it would get so bad this quickly. His added defenses were good. They might even hold off this crowd for a few days, but eventually, Safe Haven would be out of bullets and get overrun.
“We have magic,” Angela stated, joining him. “We’re never trapped.”
Marc hoped she was right. At some point, one of these desperate refugees would figure out the rear road existed and then they would have a flood of people at both doors.
“We have to keep them off our ass. We’ll need that route out of here.”
“What about the cave paths?” Marc asked quietly, leaning in so she could hear him. “That one tunnel is blocked now, but the others aren’t. I checked it.”
“Good. If we bunker in here, it’ll come in–”
“We have the last two!” Kenn’s happy shout came through the radio. “Everyone is accounted for and all of them will live!”
Marc and Angela both thought it was early for Kenn to give that notice, but it was too late to worry over. Cheers echoed from waiting members and Eagles, drowning out the gate crowd for an instant.
Angela studied those she hadn’t gotten to before Morgan had taken her arm and led her inside. He hadn’t asked or given any warning, and Angela hadn’t argued. The sense of bad things coming had been hanging over the refugees all day. Assuming she knew what it was made Angela worry about her timeline of events. That feeling said it was coming sooner than she’d anticipated.
“How’s Theo?” Marc asked since she’d been there when he was brought in.
“Rough. Same for Tim. Gary will be released tonight. He only has a concussion and we need the cot. The medical area is filling up.”
“Is that something I need to discuss with the doctor?” Marc asked.
“Actually, no. He’d like half of them to be cleared and out too. It’s just hard to get the tests done, treat new people who’ve been admitted, cover people who had regular appointments, supervise the students and act like an ass, all at the same time.”
Marc snickered, but he heard her silent plea. “Maybe you should go help him? The sooner he clears people, the quicker you can get some of the new ones in here, right?”
The idea of her being safely busy in the medical bay below was very appealing to Marc as he kept track of several fights that were ongoing. Most refugees disappeared into their tents or vehicles as soon as they arrived, trying to avoid the weather, but the troublemakers were out roaming and causing problems. The ‘safe’ people were those in Zones A and B. Zone C didn’t have a gate. Angela had ordered it left off during the repairs, but she hadn’t said why. Marc knew. She wanted the ants or Eagles to be able to get in there and clean it out as needed.
“I don’t like this,” Marc stated, hoping she had something else up her sleeve for controlling all these strangers.
“We have three options,” she answered, pulling her coat tighter as the wind blew harder. “We can run and let them have it. We can open fire and kill some innocent people. Or we can wait and let fate handle it.”
Marc didn’t like fate any more than he did the government, but still asked, “What happens there?”
“My men and women don’t have to carry this on their soul,” Angela stated gravely. “Only I do, and I’ll shoulder it willingly.”
Shivering lightly, she scanned the people, picking out murderers, rapists, traffickers. Some of the worst dregs of humanity were mixed into the crowd below and more of them were on the way. If even a few of those got inside these gates, Safe Haven’s light could be lost.
“We’ll wait,” she chose, feeling Marc’s need for an official decision. “Until after the storm.”
“Do you think it will cool them off, make some of them leave?” he questioned, gently helping her down from the rafter that he hadn’t heard her climb when she’d joined him. Her hands and face were like ice as he checked her out.
“No. But they’ll be just as gone.”
Spooked a bit, Marc led her to the topside mess to warm her up. As far as he knew, she and Jennifer hadn’t taken a break, which meant they hadn’t eaten either.
Angela let him guide her, mind sliding far away. Things were spinning fast and it was almost impossible to keep up with each change as it happened, let alone each ripple that was created. Foretelling this way was fascinating. Missy was going to be amazingly gifted. Shawn didn’t know it yet, but he was a lucky man.
6
Missy glowered at the rocking couple from her hidden perch in the bottom of the diaper cabinet. She’d stayed here when Hilda took the other kids to dinner, letting herself be counted before ducking back inside. She’d heard Tara tell Shawn to meet her.
“That’s, um... Could you lift up a little?”
Missy’s anger grew as Shawn resumed grunting. In the dark and with some clothes on, she couldn’t see very much but she knew what they were doing.
Furious, Missy lit the fuse on the firecracker and tossed it onto the couch with them. She had a small pile, gifted to her by Li Sing’s youngest daughter. Missy lit a second one as the first exploded in a loud crack.
“What the…!”
“That hurt!”
Crack!
“Stop it!”
“Who is that?!”
Crack! Crack!
Shawn batted away the next firecracker, knocking it into Tara, who was trying to get dressed.
The lit fuse dropped into Tara’s blouse and she danced herself out of the shirt, shouting, “Help me!”
Crack! Crack!
“Stop it!”
Shawn flinched from the loud noise by his ear and dove toward the cabinet where he’d glimpsed the spark of a lighter. Holding his pants up, he grabbed the only place he thought someone could be. And a small fist slammed into his groin.
Shawn dropped to his knees and Missy kicked, catching him in ribs. She ran for the door, shoving Tara aside as she went.
Tara recovered and tried to grab the girl but missed, instead falling down the steps of the camper in only her skirt and bra.
Missy ran faster, shoving through the crowd of members and guards that rushed over. She ducked, and was swung into strong arms that refused to let go.
“Enough!” Marc commanded, using the alpha power to break through the child’s struggles.
Missy stilled, realizing who had picked her up. She instinctively leaned against his chest and began to cry.
Marc had the sudden sense that he was comforting a grown woman and he patted her shoulder awkwardly. Unhappy that something had upset the child so much, Marc cast a nasty glare toward the couple hurriedly moving around inside the camper door. He noticed Tara’s exposed skin and the burnt smell next, scowling. “I want you both in the brig office in five minutes!”
Hidden against Marc’s chest, Missy smiled happily.
7
“I can’t live in the cave.”
Samantha found Jeremy standing in the drafty hayroom behind her. She’d come here to work off some of her anxiety and guilt. David was back with Adrian. “What?”
“I can’t even go in there,” Jeremy confessed.
“You haven’t been inside the cave?”
Jeremy shook his head.
Samantha frowned at herself, adding more guilt. She’d been so wrapped up in her own issues, she hadn’t checked on her men. Was Neil having trouble too?
Samantha motioned toward the bale next to her. “Come and tell me about it.”
Neil listened from the doorway, glad to hear Samantha being reasonable. Jeremy had confessed to him only a short while ago and Neil had recommended that he do the same with Samantha. Where they would live was a group decision.
Neil yawned, not ready for his upcoming shift on the gate. He’d just helped to unload the first truck of rock salt and spread it around.
“I have some good news for you,” Samantha soothed. “I don’t care where we live. I doubt Neil does either. Try to relax.”
Neil approved, leaving them to work it out. He would prefer to be in the cave for the warmth and safety, but she was right that it didn’t matter enough for him to argue. Not splitting them up or letting petty issues come between them was much more important to the former state trooper.
Jeremy figured he might as well unburden himself all the way and asked, “Are you okay now? We know something happened.”
Samantha smiled wryly. “I should have known you guys would notice. Yes, I’m fine.”
“Conner helped you?” Jeremy wanted to verify.
“How did you come up with that?”
“Doug told us that you and Peggy had gone to Adrian. I added the rest.”
“You guys were snooping on me?”
Jeremy grinned. “Yeah. Problem?”
“Considering the circumstances?” she snorted bitterly. “No. And yes, Conner helped me.”
“Because you wouldn’t let Adrian?”
“Because Adrian couldn’t,” she answered. “But yes, too. I could accept Conner doing it. Not his father.”
“We would have gone with you,” Jeremy complained gently.
“I know.” You two would have fought with Adrian the entire time, she finished silently.
Jeremy seemed to hear the thought. “I’m sorry.”
Samantha shrugged, leaning against his heat. “It’s done now.”
“And it won’t return?”
Samantha tensed, understanding that Jeremy knew it had been cancer. “He couldn’t promise that.”
“Then I guess we should make sure he stays alive,” Jeremy tried to joke, not certain if he was okay with Conner.
“He’ll be here for rookie lessons at some point,” Samantha confided. “He’ll be monitored.”
Jeremy knew that would cause concern. He chose to make sure Samantha’s future health was covered and said, “Maybe he should just be forgiven for a mistake.”
Samantha sighed. “Maybe, but I don’t think that’s what the boss has planned for our powerful peeping-tom yet. I saw him and Adrian’s soldiers preparing to leave earlier. I think he’s headed south.”
8
“I’m not going.”
Adrian didn’t have time to argue with his angry son. His own orders had come a few minutes ago and he needed to leave immediately.
Conner dropped the kit his father had tossed to him, not caring that the soldiers almost had the camp packed up. “I won’t go.”
“Tell Angela,” Adrian instructed. “She’s planning to bring you inside after this, so I’d be polite when you spit in her face.”
Conner realized Angela was giving him a way to keep atoning and earning his way back in, and his attitude changed. A smile spread over his young face as he bent down to retrieve the kit.
Adrian grunted. Kids were a pain in the ass most days and this one was no different. Conner would do about anything to be allowed inside with Candy. The women had been fooled so far, but Adrian knew Conner’s obsession was growing worse. This time away would either make him or break him.
“What will you be doing while I’m gone?” Conner asked suddenly.
“Working,” Adrian replied, slinging his rifle over a shoulder. “Tracking down future problems.”
Conner didn’t want more details and let his father leave without saying anything else. All he could think of was getting inside Safe Haven to Candy. She needed his love and his protection.
Adrian stayed to the tree line, glad the crowd hadn’t noticed his site yet. Conner and most of the soldiers would be gone in a short while, following Kendle’s team. Adrian was grateful to Angela for not leaving them all out here. Anyone around the gates now was in eminent danger.
Adrian spotted his target being ushered from those barely cracked fences and went dim, studying the man. Angela had sent orders for Darian to be removed before he could join another group, but Adrian wasn’t certain why. Jobs like these were maddening in that aspect and Adrian planned to ask the man why he had been marked before he killed him. It was the only link into Angela’s personal activities that he could get.
Adrian stayed still as the man passed the zones and milling crowd, not answering any of the questions about why he was leaving. No one tried to stop him, but Adrian was confident that would change too. The three largest groups that had come in this week were all gathered together in Zone C. They had physically removed the other people already there and those angry folks were camped outside that zone. It was ugly and getting worse.
He would have to pick a new location for his site soon. Overcrowding after an apocalypse wasn’t an issue that most people ever considered, but Adrian was positive his former herd was doing that now. The sound of so many threats on your doorstep had a way of changing a person’s priorities. The ‘take them all’ attitude of Safe Haven was about to shift forever.
Putting everything else from his mind, Adrian subtly followed Darian down the mountain, eager to discover why he’d been sent.
9
“So… Who wants to tell me what happened?” Marc asked, shifting the little girl to a more comfortable position. He was in the tiny, chilly office of the brig, with Tara and Shawn sitting anxiously across the small desk. He’d made them wait for an hour while he handled other things.
“Missy had a stash of firecrackers,” Shawn tried to explain.
“He was on top of my mommy!” Missy shouted in Marc’s ear, making him flinch.
Tara turned scarlet, telling Marc she’d been willing.
“You two were having a moment…in the kids’ camper?”
Shawn nodded, unable to hedge or lie with Missy curled onto Marc’s chest like Angela might have.
“With Missy watching?” Marc asked in disapproval.
“I thought we were alone,” Shawn muttered, staring at the floor.
“She was in the mess, with Li Sing’s children,” Tara stated, also staring at the floor. The cold draft coming in couldn’t cool her cheeks. “Seems like the kids here can wander off at any time.”
Shawn and Marc both frowned.
“Weren’t you supposed to be helping with the kids?” Marc demanded coldly.
Tara flushed darker and refused to speak.
Marc felt Missy grin against the bare skin of his neck. For some reason, she was enjoying this.
“I suggest you do your work and keep a better eye on your child,” Marc told the woman, still bothered by her being here. He hadn’t nailed down a reason to ban Tara, but he knew one existed.
Marc glanced at Shawn. “Suspended. One week.”
Shawn’s face fell, but inside, he was relieved. Being in the kids’ area for something like this was a serious offense. He’d expected to lose rank at the least.
“Is that what you need?” Marc demanded. “Because I’ll give you that and more.”
“No. It won’t ever happen again.”
“Good.” Marc gestured at Tara. “You can go.”
“Should I–”
“I’ll drop her off,” Marc answered, daring the woman to protest after the scene she and Shawn had made. “I’ll make sure she eats and brushes her teeth.”
Tara stormed from the tent, not looking into the one occupied cell.
Shawn lifted a brow. “Was that right? It’s her kid.”
Marc shrugged. “She doesn’t act like it.”
Shawn couldn’t argue. Tara often handled Missy like an afterthought. It bothered him too. Enough that he was certain it was why the sex wasn’t that good. He’d been having trouble getting into it even before Missy’s interruption.
“You are stupid!” Missy declared, pushing herself off Marc’s lap. “I knew it!”
Before either man could respond, Missy grabbed Marc’s coffee mug from the desk and threw it at Shawn.
Shawn caught the metal travel mug easily, snickering. “The lid was locked.”
Marc thought to tell Shawn not to taunt a female of any age when they missed a target, but it was too late. Missy neatly slid around the desk and kicked him in the shin. Then she stomped on his foot, grinding down with her boot.
“Ow!” Shawn twisted around in his chair to witness the child marching toward the door, rubbing his leg. The toe, he wasn’t touching yet. “Why did you do that?!”
Marc dropped his head, trying not to laugh at them. He’d figured it out now and it was hilarious.
“Why are you always so mean to me?” Shawn demanded.
Missy stopped, putting small hands on her hips as she twirled around in her blue dress. “Because you’re stupid and I didn’t ask for a stupid mate!”
And with that, she flounced from the brig, leaving Shawn in a state of shock.
“Mate?”
Marc’s chuckles filled the cold air.
Shawn stared disbelief. He had assumed Tara was his future, though, Angela hadn’t confirmed it. “But…she’s a little kid!”
Listening from outside the door, Missy stomped her foot, crunching through the ice. “Stupid! Take him back and give me a puppy. You can train those.”
Even Chauncey laughed this time.
10
“All team are now grounded,” the radios crackled with Marc’s tired voice. “Return to base if you’re out, via option B. I repeat, all teams are now grounded.”
Seth and Becky exchanged worried looks, but they didn’t stop to discuss it. Angela had told them to complete their mission no matter what.
“Over here,” Seth called, hating the dark shadows of the Amazon warehouse. This fulfillment center held crates, bags, and boxes of supplies that Safe Haven needed. Seth had been astonished to find it undamaged. The next shock had come at the abandonment of the town around it. There were no kicked-in doors or signs of looting here. The people were just gone, leaving clear roads. Creepy.
Becky held the light as Seth got the crate open with the mini-pry bar that was standard Eagle equipment. They hefted the lid to the floor instead of shoving it over and making noise. Angela had also said to be as low key as possible. It implied there were people or problems around, despite them not spotting any.
Seth held the bag open for Becky to dump the packages into, both of them reading the labels in concern.
Potassium Iodide Tablets
14 tablets, 130mg
They didn’t speak their fears, but thoughts roamed with terrible suspicions as they emptied the crates. Angela had three items on her list, but this one was underlined and they’d decided to procure it first. The other two items were nearby.
It only took a few minutes to empty the crates. When the couple finished, they took the big canvas bag of tablets with them to find the next items. In the stillness of the fulfillment center, Seth finally broached the subject he’d been avoiding.
“Are you happy with me?”
Becky paused for moment. He’s going to do this now? “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Seth shrugged, leading them around by the map he had taken from the front office. “I know you’re not. I can feel it. I need to know if it’s me or the past.”
“Can this wait?” Becky requested calmly. “At least until we’re camped for the night?”
Seth hated that answer. It meant there were things to talk about. “Sure.”
Becky wasn’t relieved. She hadn’t known that Seth was still watching her. She’d been doing a great job at hiding her chaotic mind.
Seth reached out to take her hand for a long moment where sparks flew and their hearts calmed. He didn’t say I loved you or I’ll do whatever she need, but she felt it.
Becky squeezed his hand, wising she had more love to give him. Seth was one of the good men, but her heart was often an empty void or a screaming lava bed of regret. There wasn’t much room for anything else.
Outside, light snow flurries whipped against the warehouse. The wind sent drafts of icy wind over the town that chilled even those in winter clothing. The evening sky was dark and dreary, the moon not visible through the clouds, and few creatures were stirring. Seth liked it that way. He had chosen to do their hunting at night and sleep during the day. They had been able to avoid several groups of people, spotting the fires in time to take cover. Seth didn’t want to be seen by anyone if he could help it. Having only the two of them along made for bad odds in a fight.
“Did you hear that?” Becky asked suddenly.
“What?” Seth was comparing the crates in front of them with the id numbers on the sheet in his hand.
“Like a…growl, maybe?”
That got Seth’s attention and he scanned the area with his light. There were a dozen places for someone to hide. Uneasy, Seth gestured toward the crates. “You open ‘em.”
Becky got on it as Seth did another slow sweep with his light. If she thought she heard something, then she probably had. He rotated to study another direction, and found multiple shadows behind them.
“Heads up.”
Becky pulled her gun as she straightened. The feeling of danger swarmed, making her ease over to Seth’s side. Their problems were animals, not man, but the reactions would be the same. Neither of those enemies was forgiving.
Seth motioned her behind him as he grabbed the bag they had filled. Seth quickly walked toward the office where they could make a stand, not sure why the dogs weren’t attacking.
Seth locked the office door and put the bag in a corner, flying over plans to handle their problem. He didn’t want to use guns. It might draw more dogs, or worse, people.
Becky stared through the dirty glass at the small pack of wild dogs that had followed them, wondering what type of life they’d had before the war. Thanks to nature and the apocalypse, animals hated humankind. They attacked and chased, even stalked in some cases, but Becky remembered when they had been best friends with people. Did they? Did the dogs also long for a return of the old world?
She concentrated, trying to push inside the mind of the smallest mangy animal. She found a dark voice and an almost scary shadow in every corner of the dog’s small mind. Shaped like windy warriors, they whispered awful things about the humans in the glass room.
Becky realized the animals weren’t under their own control. It was terrifying, and she turned to tell Seth what she’d discovered.
“Shh…”
Seth was staring down a wiry dog that they hadn’t noticed under the desk. Seth had his knife out, and the dog wore a vicious snarl on its snout.
A low growl rumbled from the dog’s chest.
Becky watched the dog leap at Seth, saw his knife come up…
Seth fell from the weight as Becky rushed forward with her own blade and stabbed the dog in the throat. Her knife sank through and she jerked on it, hoping she hadn’t gone far enough to hurt Seth.
Seth shoved the hot corpse off, slinging blood from his arm. He’d been bitten.
“Damn.”
Becky hurriedly dug out her medical kit as Seth retrieved his blade from the dog’s chest. She handled the bite on Seth’s arm as she’d learned in Angela’s class, but her stomach twisted harshly the entire time. The wound didn’t want to stop bleeding, even after she’d bandaged it as tightly as she could.
Seth tolerated the actions because they couldn’t get a fire going right now without suffocating. Cauterizing the wound was preferable to him over a two-week injury that would require stitches, daily inspections, medication... Seth studied the dogs that were now lying outside the door, then Becky’s kit. “Do you still have that vial?”
Becky went still for an instant, and then understood what he had thought of. “Very bottom.”
Seth didn’t ask why she had it, but the question went to the top of his list as he dug the vial out.
Becky got the small jar of peanut butter they’d almost finished with lunch and held out small gobs for Seth to coat in the white powder. She still didn’t know exactly what it was, but Seth appeared to because he frowned the entire time. Becky didn’t ask. She knew what it was supposed to do, and that was too much information.
Seth took each coated peanut butter ball and rolled the drug up tight, then lined them on the window ledge. He wasn’t certain what reaction the ecstasy would have on the wild dogs, but he knew that when they calmed down, they would sleep. He and Becky would then kill them. After being bitten, Seth wasn’t as worried about drawing people. If strangers came to cause trouble, they would shoot them too, but he didn’t want to lose the items they’d come for. Angela had made it clear Safe Haven needed them. However, if the drugs didn’t work on the dogs, Seth planned to open fire and handle whatever came from it. The pain in his arm was a hot fire, making him angry that he’d been bitten at all. He hadn’t searched under the desk, putting them both in danger. He deserved to be bitten and it pissed him off.
Seth nodded to her. “Easy and only a small bit.”
Becky opened the door and the dogs lunged forward.
Seth’s toss was good. Two of the balls landed on the noses poking through the door. Tongues came out and the two balls vanished.
While those dogs were busy prying their jaws open around the peanut butter, Seth tossed the rest of the balls, being certain all of the animals got at least one.
“What now?” Becky asked, studying the dogs that were no longer snarling in rabid hatred. They were watching the door for more treats.
“We wait,” Seth responded. “How about a nap?”
“Too wound up. You go ahead.”
Seth had the same problem, along with the fire in his arm. He swallowed two Tylenol, but shunned the painkillers that Becky offered from her medic kit. He had to stay alert. The Tylenol would knock it down enough for him to function.
The dogs reacted to the party drug faster than Seth expected, whining, growling, snapping. They fought with each other, chased their tails, puked, and forgot about the humans they had trapped. Drool puddled on the floor, mating took place, and time slowly passed.
When the dogs began to lay down, some cleaning themselves, some shuddering, Seth motioned to Becky. “Take the right.”
They eased the door open.
Two of the animals were still nearby and Seth quickly shot them before they could lunge. The suppressed noise still echoed loudly in the warehouse. The sounds of nails running madly across concrete came swiftly.
Becky and Seth were ready, easily hitting the wild animals as they scrambled down an aisle of boxes. The three canines fell together, sliding into shelves of merchandise that buried them.
Pleased, Seth and Becky retrieved their bag from the office and then returned to the crates, listening for anyone who may have heard the reports. Arm throbbing, Seth held the light this time, staying alert. Five was a small pack for wild dogs now. On the ride here, they’d witnessed small herds of canines with numbers in the dozens.
It took half an hour for them to gather the rest of the items and then load the truck they’d pulled inside one of the bay doors. As they prepared to go home, Seth looked over, admiring her fiery hair in the dome light.
Becky felt it coming, but didn’t try to stop him.
“Should I give you space? Is that what you don’t want to tell me?”
“Not even close,” Becky snorted, fastening her seatbelt. “Why do men always assume the worst?”
“Because the vibes you women put off are always bad,” Seth responded defensively.
“I hate myself,” she confessed, knowing he needed to hear it to understand where she was coming from. “I’m trying to forgive me, like the rest of the camp, but it’s hard.”
“Yes,” Seth agreed. He had his own mistakes haunting him, some from before the war. Not being able to save his daughter was still the cause of his nightmares and that was after getting a pickaxe through the leg by people who wanted to eat him.
“I kept the vial to remind me of my mistakes,” she stated quietly.
“Not to use it sometime, maybe on Neil?” he guessed.
Becky flushed.
Seth frowned, but he’d known all along that he was a substitute for what she really wanted. He’d just thought he could fill those shoes.
“No,” Becky said, laying a hand on his good arm. “I wouldn’t betray you that way, no matter what screwed shit is in my head.”
“You’ll end it with me first, right?” he wanted to know, to verify.
“Yes.”
Her answer broke Seth’s heart and he eased them out of the warehouse without saying anything else. This was what he deserved for falling in love with her. He’d known it when he rescued her from Rick. Becky’s heart belonged to Neil, whether that man wanted it or not.