The Last Bunker, page 5
part #4 of EMP Survivor Series
But then Danny remembered how Daisy told him she would never leave, which was one of the reasons he had stayed. The other was for Copeland himself. He might have been vain and egotistical, but the man had done a lot to help people, including Danny.
Danny joined Mueller and Copeland, joining them in a semi-circle.
“Good,” Copeland said. “Now that we’ve settled all that nonsense, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“We need to start arming people to watch the shoreline and the water,” Danny said.
Copeland rolled his eyes, groaning the moment Danny opened his mouth. “We’re not a warring tribe, Daniel. I don’t know how often I have to tell you this.”
“And I don’t know how often I have to tell you that people don’t care about what you stand for,” Danny said. “There are people out there who would love nothing more than to sink this place into the bottom of the cove and kill everyone here.”
“Daniel,” Copeland said, “I understand your life before you came here. And I don’t judge you for it. But you’re projecting your fears onto people we haven’t met yet. That’s not how we do things.”
“It’s how the world works,” Danny growled.
“Father,” Mueller said, butting into the conversation, “I think Danny is right.”
Danny glanced at Mueller, wondering what his game was. He also noted how Mueller had called Copeland only “Father” instead of his full title. He wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or a Freudian slip.
“The people who tried to kill me, and killed my friends, were those same evil people Danny speaks of,” Mueller replied. “The only reason I survived was through sheer luck. And if you hadn’t found me, I would have died.”
“If the world only retaliated in anger for every act of aggression, there wouldn’t be a world left,” Copeland said.
“Of course,” Mueller replied. “Forgive me. I merely wanted to provide some insight into my own life. Because I’m scared those people might find us again. I think the people are scared someone bad might find us, too. There have been whispers.”
“What kind of whispers?” Copeland asked, concerned.
“Whispers about whether we’re safe,” Mueller answered innocently. “And I think it would be wise to heed them. Danny would be a fine candidate to lead a small group of people to protect our community. You don’t have to be aggressive to be protective.”
Copeland nodded, stroking his chin. “You’re very wise, brother Jim.” He contemplated the moment a bit longer and then finally nodded. “Very well. Danny, you will assemble and train a small group of our strongest to defend the community.”
“If I do that, then we’re going to need weapons,” Danny said.
“I think I know where to find some,” Mueller replied.
Both Danny and Copeland glanced at Mueller with surprise.
“Where?” Danny asked.
“There was a store where I bought my hunting gear,” Mueller said. “It’s off the beaten path, in the mountains. I doubt anyone’s touched it. That could be a place to start looking.”
Danny wasn’t sure what kind of game Mueller was playing, but it had Copeland’s attention, and he agreed to green-light the project.
“Fine,” Copeland said. “But I want you two working together.”
“I think it’s best if I do this alone,” Danny said.
“You won’t be doing anyone any favors going at this alone, Danny,” Copeland said. “It would do you some good to work together as a team. You do it together, or you don’t do it at all.”
Copeland refused to back down on his ultimatum, so Danny reluctantly agreed. But as he and Mueller walked out of Copeland’s cabin, Danny looked at Mueller, trying to figure out the man’s endgame.
“What do you want?” Danny asked.
“I want what’s best for this community,” Mueller answered. “And you’re right about people wanting to take what we have. We need to protect ourselves.”
Danny was still unsure of Mueller’s motives, but they were aligned with his own for now. If that changed, then Danny would re-evaluate their situation.
9
The chatter of discontent on the island had grown louder after Thompson’s announcement of the quarantine, but to Charlie’s surprise, there weren’t any outbursts. Instead, most of the island accepted the new rules, but it was only because the people were afraid. And they had every reason to be.
Until now, everyone could see at least the threat they were facing, but this illness was an invisible enemy that couldn’t be seen or heard by anyone. It was silent and deadly, and there was no way to know if it was coming after you until it was too late.
The island had always been a quiet place, but now it sounded like it was abandoned entirely. The streets had emptied, and everyone was confined to their homes. It was a far cry from how the island used to be when Charlie first had arrived.
But times had changed, and they were forced to adapt or die. And with a deadly illness threatening to wipe out everyone, Charlie wasn’t sure if they could adapt fast enough to survive.
Charlie, Tanner, Shelly, and Kayla packed their gear and prepared to leave the island. Benji was instructed to stay behind with the children and the dog, Peanut Butter, though he didn’t look as upset about staying behind.
“Who knows, maybe by the time you guys get back, I’ll have fixed all of our problems by turning the power back on,” Benji said.
Charlie took the opportunity to bring his son aside to speak with him. He needed to understand the task he was taking on and what it meant. “If you see anything that’s dangerous, or you’re not sure about what to do next, then don’t take unnecessary risks,” Charlie said.
“I won’t,” Benji replied. “I know how to be careful.”
Charlie knew how difficult it had been for his son since all of this started, but he was hesitant to allow him to get involved with Tanner. Not that Charlie didn’t trust his old friend, but he knew Tanner always had something working on the back burner. Charlie didn’t want his son to get caught up in anything dangerous.
But the look on Benji’s face showed he was desperate to utilize his mind, to flex muscles that hadn’t been used in a long time. It was like trying to cage a cheetah. He just needed to run, and the longer he was cooped up, the more he’d lose himself.
Charlie held his son’s face. “I know how much pressure you put on yourself, but remember that you don’t have to solve everything.”
“I know,” Benji said sheepishly.
Charlie kissed his son on top of his head and then stood. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Benji said.
Shelly echoed similar sentiments to their son. It was hard for them to leave him here all alone. But even with the illness spreading through the island’s residents, it was still the safest place he could be.
Nothing was more important to him than family, and Charlie would do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. So, when Charlie saw Thompson and Cash escort Justin Weber, the man who had tried to kill his family at the start of the EMP, he had to restrain himself from going after him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Charlie asked, looking at his wife.
“I can handle myself,” Shelly answered.
“I know you can, but what if this is all an angle for him?” Charlie asked.
“Everything you’ve thought about, I have, too,” Shelly answered. “I will watch him and make sure we don’t have any problems. If he steps out of line, even for one second, he’s done.”
Charlie confirmed with Shelly that Weber would remain unarmed, which only made Charlie feel modestly better about the situation.
Once everyone was ready and packed up, Dr. Shanahan gave Kayla the rundown of what to look for at the hospital. It was a long list of supplies, but considering the gravity of the threat they were potentially facing, he didn’t want anything to fall through the cracks.
“Everyone knows their roles,” Charlie said before they departed on the boat to the mainland. “As long as we all follow through, we shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If things turn south, you return to our fallback points on the island and stay there until we all regroup along the shoreline.”
“What are the chances that this illness also affects the mainland?” Shelly asked, looking at the doctor.
“I don’t know,” Shanahan replied. “Considering how isolated we are, I doubt it, but I know we’ve had some outside contact with others, so it’s possible we contracted it from somewhere off the island.” Shanahan looked out of his depth in the situation. For the past thirty years, he’d been nothing but a general practitioner. This was beyond his purview.
“Be careful,” Charlie said. “There are still all the normal dangers along with any new ones. Stay sharp. Watch your backs and don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
Once everyone was finished, Charlie pulled Shelly and Kayla aside and kept his voice low. “If things turn south—”
“I know,” Shelly said.
“I’ll be the first one back and meet you at the rendezvous point on the beach,” Kayla said.
Charlie nodded. He had picked Beckett Island as his bugout location for his family for the simple reason that it was self-sustaining and secluded, but that didn’t make it completely bulletproof. There was a third location Charlie had scouted, and while it wasn’t ideal, it would keep them safe and secure long enough for them to figure out the next steps.
But Charlie didn’t want it to come to that. He wanted to stay here on Beckett Island. They had invested so much time and resources that abandoning it would be a waste unless it was completely unsalvageable.
The ride over to the mainland was quick and quiet. No one spoke; everyone focused on their missions. Shelly had some experience with it during her time with the sheriff’s department, but Kayla had been baptized by fire during the EMP.
They had both changed. Everyone had changed, of course, but considering how Charlie used to know his family, it was slightly heartbreaking to see the way they were now.
Gone were the days of being silly and carefree, at least for now. But sitting on that boat, he desperately wished to turn back the clock.
But he didn’t have a time machine. There was no way for him to reverse what his family had gone through. All he could do now was ensure they survived long enough to finish what they had started. He wanted to provide some semblance of a future in a world that refused to show them one.
That was Charlie’s end goal. He only hoped he and his family survived to see that future together. Because without his family, there was no future for him, regardless of what happened to the world.
They all departed from the boat and stepped onto the shoreline. They waited for the ship to return to the halfway point of the island before they set off on their different quests.
“Be careful,” Charlie said.
“You too,” Shelly replied.
Charlie kissed his wife again, hugged his daughter, and then stood there as they walked away. He never wanted this life for either of them. He wanted them to have a better future than the one he had. But there was no going back now. This was the hand fate had dealt them.
“You ready?” Tanner asked.
Charlie couldn’t see them anymore but still imagined Shelly and Kayla in the distance. He held that image of them, alive and breathing, in his mind. He had it there and prayed that was how it would stay. Because they were off the island now, and no place was safe.
“Yeah,” Charlie answered, and he followed Tanner onto the highway and then into the woods nearby so they could travel undercover.
But more than once Charlie glanced behind him, still focused on the image of his wife and daughter as they walked away, even though he couldn’t see them anymore.
10
Shelly wanted to travel with Kayla for as long as possible before Weber told them they had to go their separate ways. It wasn’t that Shelly didn’t believe her daughter was capable of making the journey alone, but she knew how much more dangerous the mainland was now that the gangs were still roaming around.
“Do you think it was a good idea to bring him?” Kayla said quietly as she motioned to Weber, who walked ahead of them.
“I can handle him,” Shelly answered.
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Kayla said.
Shelly couldn’t help but smile. “You know I’m the one who’s supposed to be worried about you, right?”
“I don’t trust him,” Kayla said.
“Neither do I,” Shelly said. “But I don’t need to trust him to get him to do what I want. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Kayla nodded, but it was clear something else was bothering her.
“Everything all right?” Shelly asked.
They had stayed off the main road, choosing to go down lesser-known side streets that were out of the path of any main towns where they could encounter people. Or the gangs that had been causing havoc on the mainland.
“I’m fine,” Kayla answered.
“You don’t look fine,” Shelly replied.
“It’s nothing,” Kayla said. “It’s stupid.”
“If it’s distracting you, then it’s not stupid,” Shelly said. “What’s up?”
Before the EMP, it had been just as hard for Shelly to get her daughter to open up, but since they had moved to Beckett Island, Kayla had been more willing to speak to her, which had been a nice change of pace.
It was like they were on equal footing, and considering all they had done to survive, Shelly wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
“When I was at the hospital before,” Kayla said. “When I went there to help, I was attacked.”
Shelly nodded, remembering Kayla talking about the altercation, but she’d never gone into too much detail. “Right,” Shelly said.
Kayla adjusted the straps of her pack on her shoulders as she shrugged. “I killed someone.”
“I didn’t realize,” Shelly said.
“It was only because I thought they were going to hurt me,” Kayla said. “I almost didn’t even realize I’d done it.”
“You were defending yourself,” Shelly said. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know, but….” Kayla shrugged again, growing fidgety the longer they spoke about the altercation. “It was how they all looked at me after I did it. They looked at me like it was all my fault. They were scared of me.”
“Being feared isn’t a bad thing,” Shelly said. “It can be a good deterrent for people hurting you or your loved ones.”
Kayla glanced at Weber, who was still several paces ahead of them. “He made people afraid of him. And I don’t want to walk that same path.”
“You’re not like him,” Shelly said assuredly. “You couldn’t be like him, no matter how hard you tried.”
“Is that what you’re trying to do on the island?” Kayla asked. “Make people afraid of you?”
Shelly hadn’t considered her position as one of a fearmonger, but if it got the job done, then she wouldn’t argue about semantics. “People need to understand there are consequences for their actions. I want people on the island to understand that we have rules. I’m not looking to start a fight. But when you were attacked, you defended yourself. It doesn’t matter what those people intended to do with you, whether they would hurt you or not; they put you in a situation where you would have been held against your will. If we were still in a world with laws, that’d be kidnapping.”
“But now I’m going back to that hospital and asking for help,” Kayla said. “Do you think they’ll help us after what I did?”
Shelly stopped walking and turned to her daughter. “Listen to me. I understand you’re having a hard time wrapping your head around what happened. But we need the supplies at the hospital. I never wanted to put you in a situation where you were forced to do something you weren’t comfortable with, but times have changed.”
“What are you saying?” Kayla asked. “That if they don’t give me the supplies, I should steal them?”
“Yes,” Shelly answered. “And do not hesitate in making your decision. Because they might not.”
Kayla was quiet for a moment, processing this new directive, but then she nodded. “All right.”
Shelly didn’t want her children to become hardened and heartless monsters, but more than anything, she wanted them to survive. And with how dangerous the world was becoming, she understood how difficult this would be.
The pair continued walking for a bit longer, and Kayla was less distracted, but it was apparent she was still thinking about the altercation. But just when Shelly was about to give her daughter some more advice, she was struck by a dizzy spell and lost her balance, stumbling a few steps.
“Mom?” Kayla asked. “Are you all right?”
Shelly leaned against a nearby tree for the support she was lucky to be standing next to. The moment passed, and then she straightened up again. “I’m fine.”
Weber had stopped walking and turned around. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Shelly said. “Just hold up a minute.”
Weber nodded and did as he was told, while Kayla took a closer look at her mother.
“Maybe you should go back,” Kayla said.
“No, we all have a job to do, and I’m going to finish mine,” Shelly said.
Kayla still wasn’t convinced, so Shelly decided it was best to have them go their separate ways before Kayla worried so much it distracted her from her mission.
“I’ll see you back on the island,” Shelly said, and then she hugged her daughter. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Kayla said, squeezing her mother tightly.
The pair walked back up toward Weber, who had remained where he was told to wait, and Kayla locked eyes with the former gang leader.
“If anything happens to her, it’s you who I will come looking for,” Kayla said.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Weber said.
