“I’m sorry, Mom, that was really stupid. I could have killed Josh.”
“Sweetie, don’t. I shouldn’t have left you alone, and Josh should have made sure you knew it was him coming. It wasn’t your fault. I guess we need to both learn how to handle a gun now, huh?”
Liv lifted the shirt off Stacy’s nose and saw that the cut wasn’t too deep. A butterfly bandage would probably do the trick.
“You’re going to have a couple of black eyes and a cool little scar, but I think you’ll live.”
Josh called out from the water, “You guys okay?”
“Yeah, we’re fine.”
He made the girls promise to close their eyes before he climbed back onto the dock, buck-naked. He got dressed in the only other set of clothes he had. Liv made lunch and Josh told them about his plan. Stacy didn’t care either way, but Liv was thrilled that they weren’t going back out on the boat.
“We’ll still have to put the boat in the water to get to Whidbey, but it will be a very short trip compared to what it would be from here,” Josh assured her.
“Do you have something that will tow this boat?” Liv asked.
“Yeah, I saw several trucks that will work while I was out this morning. We just have to find one with keys. The truck I drove around this morning is too small. We’ll all go find one together after I clean these guns and make sure they function.”
Later in the day, they went out and found a big crew cab dually Silverado with its driver conveniently lying there with the keys. They collected one of the boat trailers Josh had spied earlier that looked big enough to work with their boat. By the time they got all that done, it was too late to leave, so they got back on the boat, motored out away from the dock a little, and anchored there until morning. They heard the shrieks of the ghouls off and on all night, but slept well enough knowing they were out of their reach. Once morning came, they loaded the boat onto the trailer and hit the road for Port Townsend, Washington.
We’d lost over half our supplies when we fled the auto repair shop in Hope, B.C. Luckily, we’d had the foresight to cache all our ammunition in my truck before parking Max’s ride in the other building. Traveling with twelve people in the F250 was cramped but possible, since five of them were kids. Max had taken over the driving and Lisa rode shotgun, with Sadie and Beth in the middle. Lynn, Jean, and the other kids sat in the backseat, and Meg rode in the bed with me. I’d asked Jean to switch with Meg so we could talk.
Meg changed my bandages and said the exit wound was a bit messy but okay, and that the entry wound looked good. We’d been traveling for about an hour when I asked her about her visions.
“I’m sure I brought them to the shop,” she said.
“Okay, I understand you think that. Can you tell me why?” I asked.
Meg continued, “I didn’t realize at first I was projecting pictures to them, but when I did, that’s when I told you we had to get out.”
“Okay, please bear with me here,” I said. “You think the freaks communicate telepathically, and they send pictures to each other rather than speaking?”
“Yes and no. There are some that are smarter than the others. They seem to not have lost all of their brains to whatever it is that’s making them so crazy. Some of them are adept at sending and receiving pictures and others are not even aware that they are, but they do.” She got frustrated and threw her hands up in the air. “I’m not making any sense!”
“It’s okay. It’s pretty hard to make sense of something like this. So, some of the freaks are smarter and they can control the others by telepathically sending them instructions, in the form of pictures, on where to go and what to do? They’re like the pack leaders. And the pack members don’t know how they know; they just know they’re supposed to do it.”
Meg nodded. “Yes, and I can see the pictures and feel when the freaks are close by, but I can tell when one of the leaders is sending pictures because they make more sense. If I see pictures of a place, it doesn’t mean much, but if I see a picture of a place and have the urge to go there, I know it came from a pack leader. Some of the pictures prompt action with a feeling as well as the pictures. That’s when I know a pack leader is sending it. Last night, when I figured out it was a form of communication—that the pictures of the auto repair shop were being sent to me—I realized I’d given up our location to the freaks. When they were all outside, it was like there were thousands of pictures in my head, and I could feel their hunger. It freaked me out a little… okay, a
lot
. Later, when we were at the barn and I started seeing pictures, I realized I could shut it out if I concentrate hard enough.”
I’d been nodding at her the whole time she talked. I wanted her to get it all out. I wanted her to know that it was okay, that we weren’t going to disown her, that she wasn’t a freak.
I reached out and took her now-deformed hand.
“I think it’s because of your injury. You must have gotten a small dose of whatever it is that makes them turn. I don’t think it’s enough of it to turn you, just enough to give you these traits in common,” I said. “Just promise me you’ll let me know when you get the feeling that they’re close. Let’s use it to our advantage.”
“As long as you promise to kill me if I do turn,” she said, staring me in the eye.
“I don’t think you will, but I will watch you. If you start going postal, I will protect the others. That’s a promise.”
We’d been so engrossed in our conversation that we didn’t realize we were in Everson. Max pulled the truck up to Parker’s house and stopped.
I was still stiff and in pain, but I was already more mobile than the day before.
I checked the front door. It was unlocked, and I went into the mudroom. On the door into the living room was a note.
“Went fishing,” it said, with Whidbey in parentheses. I tried the handle and it, too, was unlocked.
“He never was one for being wordy,” Max said from behind me.
“Have everyone wait outside while you and Lisa help me clear the house,” I said.
It was a two-story house. We cleared the first floor together, then Max and Lisa went upstairs and checked it. After a thorough examination of the house, we brought everyone inside. The adults gathered around the table.
“We need to discuss whether we wait here to see if Parker comes back, or if we just keep going on to Whidbey,” I said.
“We don’t know when he left the note; it’s not dated,” Jean said.
Max threw in his two cents. “Well, Rhonda doesn’t go fishing with him, but the fact that she isn’t here, and neither are the dogs, I’d say they planned on being gone for more than just the day.”
“It’s still early. I think we can make it to the island and check things out…” Lynn was saying when Lefty burst into the room through the doggie door, scaring the shit out of all of us.
Max bent down and gave him a scratch on the head after regaining his composure.
“Parker must be back.”
Max headed back out the front door, where I could hear him and Parker exchanging greetings.
Poncha came bounding into the room and started making the rounds, with a big lick and wagging behind, saying hello to all the kids. Parker followed on her heels and said hello to everyone. He shared hugs with all and everybody was excited to see him. His eyes clouded over when he came to the table where I sat, and I could tell something was amiss.
“Rhonda?” I said. He shook his head and didn’t say anything. Meg overheard the exchange, came over, and gave him another hug. He was the most reserved of our siblings and didn’t show his emotions much. Meg knew he wouldn’t want anyone to make a scene and quietly made it known to all the adults that Rhonda hadn’t made it.
We talked about what we had been through. He told us about Whidbey. We told him what had happened at Meg’s and in Canada on the way back.
Parker addressed the group. “I think our best bet is the island, if we can destroy the bridge and cut it off from the mainland. Then we can slowly whittle away at the vectors.”
“The what?” I asked.
“Vectors; it’s what Henry calls them. He said it’s a term used for people infected with rabies,” he answered.
“We call them freaks,” I stated.
“Yeah, I saw that in your note at Sarah’s. I just started calling them vectors, because I was with Henry’s group and that’s what they call them. They seem to die from anything that would kill a normal person. I only came back here to get my falcons. They’re both imprinted on humans and I can’t just turn them loose. I’m not sure how I’m going to keep them, but I have to try.”
“We have plenty of daylight left. If we’re going to Whidbey, then we should go today,” I said.
I looked around the table at the group.
“Everybody who votes to go, raise your hand.” It was unanimous.
We loaded up all of Parker’s gear into his two trucks. He had a Toyota Tacoma and a larger Tundra crew cab. He drove the Tacoma, which was set up for his birds. We pulled away from the house with Parker in the lead. Jean drove my truck, and Max and Lisa brought up the rear in the Tundra, towing Parker’s Zodiac.
Their progress north slowed considerably as they drew closer to Seattle. They had seen massive fires just north of McChord Air Force Base. It appeared that several housing tracts were ablaze along the west side of the interstate.
Did someone start the fires to get rid of the people who turned?
Maddie wondered. The smoke made for poor visibility on the road, although someone had moved vehicles out of the way, clearing a path to drive through. Thomas kept his speed at twenty miles per hour, just to be safe. Carla was at the computer station, monitoring the road ahead with the cameras and keeping Thomas up-to-date on anything she saw.
They began to see graffiti on the overpasses they drove under. Warnings were written in letters three feet tall. “Don’t be out after dark!” one said. “The Shriekers can smell you!” another proclaimed. The last two said “Wood smoke can cover your scent” and “Be Quiet=Stay Alive!” Maddie sat at the front of the bus and read them aloud as they passed.
Maddie said. “It looks like there must be some survivors nearby that have banded together. Good to know for future reference.”
Harry came up next to her. “Some good advice they’re passing on, there. They may be the friendly sort, but I suggest we keep rolling. It could be a ploy to get us to let our guard down.”
“I agree,” Thomas said from the driver’s seat. “Maddie, do you still want to stop at your brother’s house?”
“Damn straight, I do,” she came back instantly.
“Maddie, you know the chance that anyone is there is small, don’t you?” Harry laid his hand on her shoulder.
“You mean the chance that anyone there is still alive is small. And, yes, I realize that,” she snapped, pulling away from Harry’s touch.
“Easy, Maddie, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up, sweetie.” Harry knew her brother, Clay, had Parkinson’s disease and that it hindered his mobility. Clay had made tons of money working the crab fishery in Alaska in his youth. He still held his captains license and remained a standby harbor pilot for the Puget Sound area, but over the last several years, his ailment had been getting worse.
“The exit is only a few more miles ahead. I’m going to gear up,” she said, standing. She brushed past Harry on her way to the back.
“I miss my wife,” Thomas said.
Harry smacked him on the back of the head and followed Maddie to smooth things out. Thomas laughed and yelled at Harry’s back,
“I’m serious, these moments are special.”
Conner had been cleaning the weapons in the back room. When Maddie showed up, looking pissed, he put down the AR15 that he’d just finished.
“Gear up; we’re going to clear a house in about fifteen minutes,” she said, grabbing a tactical vest and swinging it around her.
Conner stood and moved to get his gear. Harry entered and Conner could feel the tension between the two.
“I’m going to go get some… um, water; I’ll be right back,” he said, and bolted from the room.
“Look, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to get you to not go; I’m just afraid for you,” Harry said as he approached her.
Maddie looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
“I know. I’m afraid for me too.” They embraced, and with Maddie, that meant things were good. Harry opened the closet and grabbed his gear as well.
Maddie directed Thomas to the house in Kent. It only took ten minutes once they were off the interstate. They drove down the long driveway and turned toward the house. There was smoke coming from the backyard.
“Something’s burning in the back,” Thomas pointed out.
“Okay, Carla stays here and monitors the area with the cameras. Lauren, can you get up top and stand watch?”
“Sure,” Lauren said, and made her way to the hatch.
“Harry, Conner, you’re with me. Thomas, turn this thing around and be ready to roll if we need to,” Maddie spat, ordering the team like a sergeant.
Maddie, Harry, and Conner got off the coach and made their way to the fence. Maddie pulled the lanyard and unlocked the gate. They went through fast. Harry broke to the left, Conner to the right, and Maddie went straight into the yard.
Clay was sitting in a chair next to his wife, Doreen, who was flipping burgers on the grill. Their daughter, Jennifer, was lying on a nearby chaise lounge. Music was blaring from a boom box sitting on the picnic table.
“Clay!” Maddie shouted. He looked up and a big smile creased his face.
Doreen reached over and turned down the volume on the music, put her hand on her hip, and said, “Did you bring the beer?”
“Are you guys nuts?” Maddie asked rhetorically. “The fucking end of the world and you’re out here barbecuing?”
“Seemed like the thing to do,” Clay responded. “Are you going to come give your brother a hug, or not?” Maddie called the rest of her crew and told them to come on, and then went and gave her brother a hug.
They spent the next couple of hours catching up. Clay’s Parkinson’s required special medications that needed to remain refrigerated. They had a set of generators to back up the power and keep his meds cool. They explained that they had enough propane to keep the reefers running about six months, but that also meant they couldn’t leave the property for any great length of time. Doreen and Jen had boarded up the house and they were doing just fine.
“Have you been attacked by the Shriekers?” Maddie asked.
“Shriekers?” Clay raised his eyebrows.
“Yeah, we don’t really have a name for them, but I saw that on an overpass on the way here, and it’s better than ‘zombies,’” she said.
“Well then, yes, every night,” he answered. “They come by and bang on the walls and scream and holler at us, and we just sit tight until the morning. Been working okay ever since this shit started.”
“None of you got the flu?”
He pointed at Doreen. “She did, thought we were going to lose her there for a bit, but she’s just too rotten to die.” He laughed and Doreen smacked him with the spatula. Doreen did look like she’d lost a bunch of weight and her eyes appeared sunken, but her spirits seemed fine.
Maddie told them of their plan to go to Whidbey and locate the rest of the clan, if any of them had made it.
“Sounds good, but you know the ferries aren’t running, right?” Clay said.
“Yeah, we figured that. We planned on going north and using the bridge.”
“Well, I said the ferries aren’t running. I didn’t say we couldn’t get them running,” Clay said with a twinkle in his eye. “It’s been a while, but I figure I could still drive one of those bad lads. Kind of miss being at sea, ya know.”
Maddie shook her head. “Do we have enough people to make it work?” she asked. “And are you up to it?”
Doreen didn’t look pleased, but Jen jumped in. “Dad told me about the reunion, and when all this happened, he said we could steal a ferry and go rescue them, but there was no way we could do it with just us.”
“There are six of us, plus the three of you—is that enough?” Maddie asked again.
“Well, I could be dead by tomorrow, but I can still get around, albeit slowly, and with the rest of you following my orders, I think we could manage one of the smaller ferries.”
Thomas interrupted, “I’m an engineer, and I know my way around diesels, so I could run the engine room with the help of Conner, and maybe Harry.”
Maddie looked at Harry. “What do you think?”
Harry scratched his chin and looked at all of them.
“Two questions: First, can you keep Clay’s meds viable? And second, would he be opposed to being carted around in a wheelchair? We have to be able to move quickly.”
Maddie scowled. She knew that however bad Clay had become, he refused to use a wheelchair and fought to keep walking.
Clay smiled. “I think under the present circumstances, I could let you guys push me around a bit, and I think my meds will be fine in a cooler with some ice. We will just have to play that by ear.”
Maddie added, “We have a refrigerator on the coach.”
“The next question is, can we fit the coach on a smaller ferry?” Maddie said.
“Coach? What coach?” Clay asked. With the music playing, they hadn’t heard the coach pull into the driveway. Maddie made a mental note to speak to Clay about security later.
“Come on, I’ll show you,” Maddie said.
Clay stood and took a couple of steps, then stopped, feeling the strain of his Parkinson’s. It affects the nervous system, slowing or stopping the movements that we take for granted, like taking a step. It could be a few seconds before he could move, or a few minutes. Doreen knew the signs of his lockups. She’d been with him since the beginning.
“Clay, this is ridiculous, you’re in no shape to go running off to pilot a ferry.”
He smiled again. “You’re right, hon, but if you go get that damn wheelchair, I can at least be the brains of the operation.” Doreen shook her head and went into the house.
A few minutes later, she returned with the wheelchair. Jennifer helped her dad into the chair and pushed him around to the front of the house.
As soon as they cleared the fence and the coach came into view, Clay’s eyes went wide.
“Holy shit! Where did you steal this thing, Maddie?”
Maddie laughed. “We didn’t. We were picking it up for one of Harry’s clients when all this came down.”
Thomas gave Clay the whole tour and explained each of the systems to him. Clay’s body was giving up on him, but his mind was still as sharp as it had ever been. He soaked up the info like a sponge. He asked questions at every turn, and two hours later, he was thoroughly impressed.
“This thing is amazing. Thomas, how in the hell does this paint job work?”
“Well, the paint itself is electrically conductive. The onboard computer uses cameras to observe the surrounding environment and basically changes the color of the coach to mimic it.”
“Hmmm… what would happen if the computer failed?” Clay asked.
“The coach would look like a shiny battleship; the paint is a dark gray in its static state,” Thomas replied. “We stumbled across it when we were doing research on the electrically charged defense system I told you about. Some British guy invented it.”
It was too late in the day to put their plan into action, so they decided to spend the day working on the coach. Thomas went to work on radios with Harry’s assistance. Maddie, Carla, and Clay spent their time watching instruction videos and reading up on the coach’s systems. Doreen and Jen packed and got ready to leave in the morning. Lauren and Conner pulled security, and sat on top of the coach keeping an eye out.
Carla was a quick study and easily picked up on the coach’s systems controls with Thomas’s help. When they’d lost the coach’s radios, they’d also lost the satellite feed, so although they were up to speed on how it functioned, they still had no idea what was happening out there in the world.
Harry stuck his head in the door and asked them to turn on the radios and scan for traffic. There was no radio traffic, but they did happen across an encrypted satellite transmission. Maddie and Harry went down and told Thomas that he’d successfully repaired the system, and told him about the transmission they had intercepted.
“Most likely military,” Thomas said.
“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing… or is it?” Harry scrunched his forehead and scratched his chin, thinking out loud.
“We are going to resend the request to the Skylark satellite to take some pictures of San Diego,” Maddie added.
“You don’t need to,” Thomas responded. “It will already be on scene and following the request I sent out earlier. You just need to contact it and download the pictures.”
“Oh, okay,” she said, and turned to go back and tell Carla.
As Maddie came up the stairs, she found Carla staring at the computer in tears.
“Hey, you okay?”
Carla shook her head and got up from the chair. She motioned for Maddie to sit, and pointed at the screen.
“I was able to connect to the satellite identifier that was listed in the notes Thomas left. As soon as I did, it downloaded that,” she said, pointing. “There is nothing left of San Diego; any of my family that were there are dead.”
“What do you mean?” Maddie asked as she sat down and looked at the screen. “Oh my God,” she said as it became apparent what Carla meant.
The satellite picture of the San Diego area was one of complete destruction. Somehow, the city had been nuked. Whether it was a terrorist, a foreign government, or perhaps their own government, it didn’t matter. It was evident that San Diego was no more.
Maddie got up and hugged Carla, who had stopped crying and was just standing there, staring, in shock.
*****
Carla was asleep on the couch. Maddie had given her a couple of Valium and told her to rest. They had talked and decided not to tell Conner and Lauren about San Diego right away. They were afraid that it might push Lauren over the edge.