"They did, and I'll tell you about that later. But first we have other problems. There's a leadership committee meeting scheduled for less than two hours from now, at two p.m."
I briefly brought him up to speed on the Masters and Robard situation. He was as disappointed in their sneaky, ungrateful, behavior as I was. Shane's crew went inside to join the lunchtime crowd. Before we joined them, I told him to leave the dry foods on the trailer instead of hauling them inside Deliverance. I hoped we had enough food stored inside to last past spring when we'd make our move to Missouri. Then the trailer could be hauled south without the food being rehandled several more times.
The leadership committee was seated in the conference room as requested when I entered.
"Okay, we all know what happened while many of us were gone this week. The question is what, if anything, will we do in response."
Shane sat to my left. I nodded to him. "You go first, and then we'll move around the table until everyone has a chance to speak."
"Before I give an opinion, I'd like to hear Doc's take on what's going to happen with Joe and Ronnie and how that might impact the whole group that left."
Doc smirked lightly. "You people are always asking for data that there's no information on. Nothing has changed on that front. I can only tell you that I truly believe Joe and Ronnie are infected, and they will turn at some point. Since we'd never dealt with a long drawn out transformation in the past, I can't predict when they will become a danger to the people around them. It could be next week or another month or more; but at some point they will turn and attack whoever is near them."
Shane had his elbows on the table and his face cupped between his palms. It was obvious he was struggling for a decision. "I say let it go. They stole more food than they deserved, but they took less of other things we would have given them." He sat silent, waiting.
Ed spoke softly. "I don't like to let anyone steal anything from me. They took two machine guns and one of the RPG launchers. Plus an unknown amount of ammunition and rockets are missing. That said, I feel Vera, Mable and Willie, and probably Sam and Zeb, just made a bad choice. If we can get by without the food, I say forget it. I think with some effort I can replace the weapons from armories and military bases."
John said, "I agree with them."
Morgan simply nodded and looked to Andrea.
"I agree, especially since four of the twenty were forced to go and two more are children. They'd likely be killed if we go in bent on revenge."
The discussion had gone around the table and was back to Doc. He nodded. "We can only pray they watch Joe and Ronnie closely and deal with them before they turn and infect the others. If several of the humans become infected and turn quickly, there's no hope for the others in close quarters."
I stood to say, "Thank you. Once again I'm proud to be part of this group. I agree with our decision. We'll take the high road."
I sat again. "Now for our immediate direction. We need crews harvesting the last of the crops from the garden and the orchards and continuing with the canning. After that things will hopefully settle down going into fall and winter. Vivian and Grace have done a great job of shuffling people to fill all the projects we're working. Continue to let them know your manpower needs on a weekly basis. I'll help make the final decisions if there aren't enough bodies to go around. We still need at least one procurement crew to gather miscellaneous items for our move. The last time I checked, we were short seven kits to run the wood stove's exhaust stacks through the walls or ceilings. If you need materials or supplies for your work let, Vivian know, and she'll add it to the list."
Several people stood to leave before I said, "I'm concerned about our planned move to the Ozarks. We need to have the barn raisings and livestock pens completed before we can transport the livestock. That means pouring foundations, gathering building materials, and erecting the barns. That should be started soon and continued during the fall and winter instead of waiting till spring." Several members threw curious glances at me as they digested my statement. "We'll talk about this at length soon."
We settled into individual routines and things ran smoothly and without incident for eight days. The first week in October, we were hit in the gut with a new dilemma that again changed our direction.
That evening after supper and half an hour before darkness would cloak us in its ebony blanket, a pickup sat at the gate honking for it to open. The tower guards announced its approach half a minute earlier, and I and a handful of others were headed that way.
The truck's occupants exited the cab as the gate moved. The first person I recognized was Suzie Robard. From thirty feet, she looked sad but moved with purpose. Next I saw Glen Whycoff slide out from the driver's seat followed by his sons, Adam, and Allan, stepping out the back door. Eleven-year-old Molly Bales was the last one out, and she sniffled as she clung to Suzie.
The people who'd been forced to leave Deliverance were back, and I was pleased with that. But what on earth had happened, and why was Molly with them?
Glen spoke, "Doc Sparrow was right. Ronnie and Joe crossed over and attacked people before lunch this morning. They'd been confined in Tim's back room. I don't know how they got out or what happened. Tim and Nate made the four of us stay in one of the little houses. We don't know how many were infected before we escaped."
Glen stopped for a breath. Allen said, "Uncle Tim took our guns away before we left here and wouldn't give them back. The four of us were in the barn mucking out stalls when we saw Uncle Tim and Aunt Georgia chasing Willie and Mable. They caught them in seconds; it was terrible to watch, and I'll always remember their screams before they turned."
Suzie squatted beside Molly. "We ran to the nearest truck. When we left, I saw Molly hiding in the weeds along the lane, or they would have attacked her too. My mom and both her parents didn't make it either. I saw Mom chase a dog until she caught it." She closed her eyes and cried openly."
"Did you hear any gunshots during the attacks?" Ed asked.
Adam said, "I heard three, I think."
Glen nodded. "Yeah, there were three or four shots from Tim's house. Then I heard one other later on as we got to the truck."
They hadn't eaten since breakfast, so we escorted them inside and arranged for food and drinks. By then, word of the escapee's arrival had spread. Molly's grandparents, Verlie and Morgan, found her and were overjoyed that she'd escaped a vile death. Vivian assigned a room to Glen and his boys and Suzie agreed to bunk with Brittney Holescheck. I called for an immediate meeting of the leadership committee.
As soon as we were all seated and brought up to speed, I broached the reason for the meeting. "There are possibly fifteen zombies running around Tim's place in Nebraska. They all turned about mid-day, and I bet they'll hang around there for several days before they get hungry and wander off. I propose we send a dozen people there and wipe the zombies out. If we don't, they'll feast on other humans and multiply. We have the opportunity to eliminate them now, and I believe we should. When that's done, we can bring back the items that were taken from us. How do you feel about it?"
Several remained silent but nodded their agreement. Eventually, everyone committed. Ed looked around the table before speaking, "It's going to be somewhat dangerous, but it's the right thing to do." He turned to me. "When do we leave?"
"Early tomorrow morning. Let's pull out at seven and be there between ten and eleven. I think we should ask Mitch Robard, the Jones brothers, Jesse Pitchford, Dean Thibodaux, and Glen Whycoff, if they want to go since those people were their kin."
Ed said, "Agreed. I assume you're going and I want to go, that's eight. My recommendations for the others are Martin Sr. and Jr., Vince Gonzales and Verlie."
I looked down the table. "Some time ago we agreed to limit the number of this team's members who went on missions like this. I'd like to have all of you with us, but instead I'll ask you to keep this place running while we're gone. After we gather everything of use at Masters’ place, I expect to be back the following day before supper."
I went back to my room and told Kira what had transpired. I expected her reaction. "I want to go, too."
I shook my head. "Not this time. Six of the people Ed chose are top marksmen, and the others are good enough. The last six are all relatives of the people who were at Tim's place. I'm sure they'll want to know firsthand what happened to their loved ones. Dean Thibodaux surely has feelings for his wife even after she shot him and chose to leave. If he declines, you can take his place."
She nodded and kissed me on the cheek. "I understand. I don't have to like it, but it makes sense."
I left then to talk to the people picked for our little foray into Nebraska. Everything went as anticipated until I spoke to Dean.
"Look, Tom, my relationship with Rhonda was rocky for the last year or more. That's why I became attracted to Brittney. She's calm and cheerful and pleasant to be around while Rhonda had become downright mean and combative. Nothing pleased that girl. I don't hate Rhonda, but there's no attraction left between us. The reason she left here was simply to get away from me. As far as I'm concerned, we're the same as divorced, and I'm done with her."
"So you don't want to go and see what's happened to her?"
"If you'd asked me to help wipe out a random bunch of zombies, I'd volunteer in a second. But if you want to give people who have feelings for a particular person a chance to go, ask someone else." He turned to leave then turned back. "I hope you don't harbor bad feeling toward me because of this."
I shook my head. "No, I'm okay with you telling the truth about how you feel about her. In fact there's someone else eager to take your place."
We gathered by three trucks as the sun rose. Rain had stopped falling an hour earlier, leaving the air fresh and clean. Sunbeams struggled to break through thin, dark cloud cover as they created pink and grayish-blue tones across the horizon.
Before I could get in a truck, Glen Whycoff hollered for me to wait. His oldest son, Allen, stood beside him carrying a rifle. "Do we have room for Allen to come? He was close to his aunt and uncle and he's set on coming along." Allen stood silent but cast a determined look.
I extended my right hand to the young man. "There's room. Get in the Expedition."
We clasped hands, and he grinned. "Thanks, Tom, I'll do my part." I'd coached Allen on the rifle and pistol ranges and knew he wouldn't be a liability to the group.
Within the hour, the sun shone brightly and the highway surface had dried. Speed limit signs still proclaimed “70 MPH,” but we never felt safe running above sixty. Most of the time, we were limited to fifty due to debris on the roadways. Whole trees had fallen across lanes, abandoned or wrecked cars and trucks still blocked some traffic lanes, and in some stretches, rotting zombies littered the roads like the bones from a slaughter house had been jettisoned from an airplane.
My wrist watch showed almost eleven when our convoy closed in on the Masters’ farm. We parked a quarter mile from the lane leading to the compound and formed two groups. Kira was with me as were Glen and Allen. Mitch, Junior, and Vince, rounded out my crew. Our group went past the lane and found a hedge tree row that would take us near the north side of Tim's compound. We had two large dogs with us, and Ed's crew had two. Our male lab was black and the lean female was tan. I looked to the west; dark clouds formed and were moving in fast. Still, fall air had been replaced with a cool light breeze.
The three houses, a barn and sheds loomed in the distance through low hanging hedge branches. Dense weeds three to five feet high formed a barrier outside the hedge canopy that created an alleyway for us to walk under if the tallest stooped slightly.
We were almost beside the three houses when shots rang out. No movement had been seen until then. But afterward, four zombies appeared; I recognized all of them. Vera, Willie, Jake, and Zeb all crouched between the two north houses and stared wild-eyed. All were in clear sight. The seven of us lined up and fired in the space of two seconds. Vera and Jake jerked their heads toward us at the first gunshots. They attempted to flee, but hot lead hit its targets. All four of our undead ex-friends crumpled to the ground. It always felt strange to shoot zombies we'd previously known and interacted with as human friends. It was a new way of life we'd had to adapt to.
More shots rang out in the distance. Ed's group had more targets.
I called Ed on the radio. "We got four. How are you faring?"
"Seven. Yours makes eleven, and that leaves four to find. Out"
We split into two smaller groups. "Be careful, remember the training we did for searching buildings. Keep you wits about you and don't get careless. These are zombies, not your friends or relatives."
Kira, Mitch, and I crept past the houses toward the sheds and the barn. The other four were behind us and soon split away. The hedge row continued past the houses but ended fifty feet away at a road from the barn. We were focused on the red metal barn a hundred yards off. The dogs stiffened and snarled a low warning. The danger was near, but where? The dogs were focused on the brush to our left. In a blazing flurry, Mable Jones popped up from the weed patch no more than twelve feet from us and charged. Her speed and strength plowed through the growth like a tank thru upright paper straws. She lunged straight toward me; I dodged to the side as I twisted my body toward her. The three of us swung our rifles and fired from the hip. At least fourteen bullets hit Mable, starting at her stomach and walking up her torso to her chest, neck and head. Her momentum carried Mable between me and Kira. Fingers on her left hand snagged my jacket and spun me around until they lost their purchase. Mable foundered and collapsed in the weeds. The dogs were on her before her carcass smacked the ground.