“That’s going to be a problem,” Randy sighed.

  Chapter 29

  “Ideas?” Randy asked, removing his new baseball cap and wiping his forehead.

  Demetri stared, “Whatever we do, we better get a move on.”

  Julie popped her gum, “I’ve got nothing.”

  Janessa’s hands were raised to her mouth in prayer mode.

  Cheyenne leaned against me and said nothing.

  My mind ran with multiple ideas, all gleaned from hundreds of novels. What attracted the Changed? What repulsed them? What did they need to survive? How could we distract them long enough to…?

  “Got it,” I announced.

  “Yeah?” Randy said.

  “You’re the distraction,” I pointed at him, “You’re running interference. If they aren’t totally set on getting to the water, a slow roll by with music and honking may distract them enough to lead them away. Give us time to get past the gate, distribute the weapons, and man a defense until you can turn around, come back, and then we’ll let you in.”

  Randy nodded, satisfied with the simple plan.

  Julie popped a bubble, “Then what?”

  “Huh?”

  “Then what?” she shrugged, pulling gum from her nose ring. “It’s Isengard before the Ents march.” She waved her thumb at the hotel, “Those things out there are the Ents, and they’re gathering their forces. It’s time to move on. Whatever’s been stopping survivors from going into Savannah could come this way.” She shrugged, “That could be giant Bruisers, an army of those fast ones, or something we haven’t even seen yet. We need to get people on the move.” She pointed back the way we came, “That group? That was just one group, most of Patterson has turned into those things. We’re outnumbered, we all know it. The Ents are on the march.”

  We couldn’t disagree and I liked her references.

  I frowned, “Randy? Could you get Sheila to start spreading the word to get ready to move out?”

  He shook his head, “Nope. David is listening in, he’ll try to take control just because I said we should do it.”

  Demetri raised his hand, “Once we’re in, I can pass the word. It’s not like anybody really has anything to take with them. They just have to be ready to get to their cars and get out of there.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Cheyenne shook her head, “David won’t go for that either.”

  Randy tilted his head and frowned, “Yeah he’s our biggest problem.”

  “I say shoot him,” Cheyenne replied.

  We glanced at her, but Janessa shook her head, “Cheyenne, we’re not murderers.”

  Cheyenne made a tired, lopsided grin, “Sweetie, that’s all we are now. We’ve been murdering things for three days. We get rid of the threats. David’s a threat. His jerks are threats.” She pointed at her black eye, “This…is just the beginning of a bigger threat.” She shook her head and leaned her head on my shoulder, “You can listen to me or not. I’m just trying to make you see what’s coming.”

  Randy held up his hands, “He did beat us, just for confronting him about watching the women shower. Even that woman with him helped.”

  Demetri nodded, “He stole everyone’s weapons and left them defenseless.”

  Janessa frowned, “I…it’s not right. He’s human.” She wrung her hands together, “He’s a bad guy, yes, scary, yes, a…” she whispered, “…an asshole, yes.” Her tone rose again, “But he’s still human.”

  Cheyenne kept her head on my shoulder, “Like the Stantons? Would you have wanted them to live and do what they wanted? They were human too.”

  The memory of the Stantons, the father and son from the first day of the Change who intended to rape Janessa and probably kill me when we scavenged our initial weapons at the gun store in Berndale came flooding back. They would have succeeded if Cheyenne and I hadn’t shot them both.

  Janessa unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest, “They were…bad people.”

  Cheyenne pointed at the hotel, “He’s bad people too. So are the people who follow him. They’re trying to get the women, young and old, to trade sex for food and water. Right now, they’re trying. They’re armed, soon with even more weapons when we get there, and afterward they may demand it. We’re not special, sooner or later they’ll demand the same from us even if we get away from the hotel. There’s a lot of cowards back there who’ll just go along just to not make waves.”

  Janessa squeezed her arms tighter, “Okay. I see your point,” she cast her eyes to the ground.

  “I’m not for killing everyone,” Cheyenne softened her tone, “But bad is bad. Same as those monsters. David’s going to be a monster, just a human one if we don’t put a stop to him.”

  Janessa reluctantly nodded.

  A shot rang out from the direction of the hotel, followed by another.

  Randy got on the radio, “Sheila? What’s happening?”

  David responded instead, “Where the hell are you? Those things are starting to climb over the fence! What’s the hold up!” A shot rang out from the radio, “Move your ass! Rapido! Rapido!”

  Randy’s complexion darkened again and he shook his head, “We’re on our way.” He gave Demetri the other radio and changed the channel to fourteen to communicate with Sheila or David, whichever responded.

  “Keep in contact with the hotel, tell them our plans,” he headed toward the plow. “Go with Julie she’ll need someone guarding her.” He put on his shades, and exchanged his helmet for the number three baseball cap. “Good luck people. See you on the inside. Get the people ready to run.” He nodded at me and Cheyenne, “Don’t put up with David’s shit.”

  I smiled, “You got it, boss.”

  “See you soon,” he climbed in and music, well, what was supposed to be music, it sounded like growling death metal that I didn’t recognize, began playing.

  We climbed in our vehicles and hung back as Randy took off, blowing his horn to attract more attention.

  Cheyenne’s hands were shaky holding the Winchester.

  “Janessa? Switch places with Cheyenne.”

  Cheyenne frowned, “What? Why? I’m the better shot.”

  Janessa glanced at both of us in the mirror, she understood why I was asking her to change places.

  “You’re not doing so well,” Janessa rubbed her arm, “You need to take a break.”

  “I’m…” she began.

  Closing my eyes, I shook my head, “No you’re not fine. You need to get in the back and be our loader. You’re done. You’ve been doing your best but you need a break. You can load every gun we have back there so they’ll be ready for when we get to the hotel.”

  She stared at me for a moment, her face reddening. When tears tried to bubble up, which tore me apart, she calmly nodded, stepped out of the Jeep and switched places with Janessa.

  Cheyenne put the Winchester on the floor, handing a new pump shotgun to Janessa.

  “Use this, twelve shots, then give it back. I’ll have you another when you need it.”

  “Janessa, are you going to be able to fire?” I asked.

  Janessa turned to me and nodded, taking the shotgun, “I can do it.”

  Cheyenne wouldn’t look at me in the mirror, just loaded another rifle.

  Julie, still popping bubbles, watched me, I nodded at her and Demetri as we slowly began our approach and Randy turned toward the hotel. Julie took the lead, she had most the weapons, and she needed inside more than we did.

  “Okay, they’re turning toward me,” Randy’s voice echoed from the radio. “I’m sitting here for a moment to get them to notice me…” He blew his horn and leaned on it, “I’ve got fast ones coming toward me…okay…okay…alright, here they come…I’m moving out…they’re crawling over me…give me time before you…ugh…one of those upchuckers just splashed my window…I’m rolling…most of them are after me…a few are hanging back…damn…damn, damn, damn…I’m attracting others from the apartments across the street. I’m taking off. Good luck everyone. I’ll be back.”

  In the distance, the plow pulled back onto the parkway and drove away. I told Julie over the radio to go ahead and we commenced a slow drive toward the hotel, making sure we weren’t doing anything to attract the attention of the small parade Randy guided away.

  The tail end of the marching Changed was more rapid than normal for the stumbling Roamers, and Randy was right, some of the Changed stayed behind, we would have to deal with them.

  “Tell them we’re here and to get the gate open,” I told Demetri.

  No one answered.

  Then Demetri came back over the radio, “They don’t want to open the gates while the monsters are out there! Nobody will do it!”

  “Tell them we have loaded guns and ammo! If they don’t let us in, we’ll have to back up and leave to try again!”

  The few Roamers in front of the gate, attracted by the sound of our engines, turned and noticed us waiting. They began a slow march toward us. Then a Leaper bounded into view.

  “Tell them we can take care of any who come in with us when we get in! They have to open the gate!”

  “Sheila says they’re out of ammo! David is running downstairs! They don’t want to open the gate! They say drive up and toss some guns over the fence!”

  I stared at the radio, “Do what?” I shook my head, “Tell them to open the damn gate!”

  “Sheila says David is ordering people to do it, but no one is willing to!”

  I pounded the steering wheel, “We have weapons! Tell them to open the goddamn gate!”

  A board popped off the chain-linked fence, then a second one. Shots rang out and two Roamers fell.

  “About time!” I screamed.

  Cheyenne started to get out of the Jeep.

  “No! You stay in here! Don’t you dare get out!”

  Cheyenne glared at me, “I know what I’m--”

  “No! No, you don’t! You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re hurt! Stay in the Jeep!” I reached back and picked up the Winchester from the floor, “Both of you stay here!”

  Stepping out, I took aim through the scope at a Roamer and fired. Julie and Demetri stepped out and Julie waved at me, holding up the tactical shotgun, “I’ll get the near ones, you go far!” Demetri fired his rifle advancing toward his side. The Changed hissed, clicked, and twittered as they approached.

  The Leaper turned back to the fence and bounced toward the covering gunfire. Patty’s upper body unexpectedly appeared above the fence line, she must have been standing on the bulldozer. She tossed a rope, tied into a lariat, over the neck of the Leaper and dived back behind the fence. The Leaper toppled forward and slid toward the fence dragged by the rope. Slamming against the fence, it struggled against the noose, just high enough that it couldn’t reach the ground, just kicked against the fence.

  Sweat, due to the heat or tension, obscured my vision but I kept firing. A boom rang out from the other side of the Jeep as Janessa shot a Roamer coming from that side.

  We have a clear path if some idiot would just open the gate!

  An engine started up and smoke puffed over the fence.

  Julie turned and yelled at me, “Get in! Let’s go!”

  The struggling Leaper continued kicking on the gate as it opened and slid back, exposing Patty and two teenaged boys hauling on the line. Tex on a makeshift crutch hopped into view firing his .22 pistol and motioning us in. A young man fired Janessa’s Remington we’d left behind beside him.

  God, I love the Colemans right now.

  We pulled in, everyone getting out of the way. Julie backed up against the hotel entrance and I pulled in beside her.

  Patty and the boys’ struggle ended and they released the hanged Leaper. She grabbed the .22 from her father as he hopped back toward us. We jumped out and searched for Leapers and climbers on the fence. I ran around the front of the Jeep to join Janessa and Cheyenne on their side.

  Cheyenne glanced wearily at me and held out her hand for the Winchester.

  I gave it back and apologized for yelling at her.

  She gave me a tired smile, “It’s okay, you were worried about me. I can be a handful.”

  “You’re not that bad.” I ducked subconsciously as Patty shot a climbing Roamer off the fence.

  Janessa waved the two teenagers over and gave them each a loaded rifle.

  Cheyenne chuckled beside me, “Sometimes I can be,” then she dropped the Winchester.

  I frowned, looking at the fallen Winchester discarded on the ground.

  Pale, even with her dark tan, Cheyenne collapsed into my arms, her skin cool and clammy in the penetrating heat.

  Chapter 30

  “Cheyenne!” I swept her off her feet.

  Janessa saw her collapse and rushed to help.

  Cheyenne’s eyes fluttered, “I’m fine,” she mumbled, “Get my…the…” she pointed at the Winchester.

  “Get her inside,” Janessa ordered, pulling her camouflaged hat lower on her bald head. “Patty, most of the guns are loaded in the back seat, hand them out. I’m going with them.” She grabbed her first aid kit and the Winchester as the teenagers retrieved handfuls of loaded weapons.

  A tall, older Hispanic man held the front door to the hotel open and I shoved past him and came face to face with a crowd of people. Julie and Demetri came in behind me.

  “What the hell is wrong with you people!” I screamed, “We’ve got weapons! Get out there and grab one from the pickup!” No one moved and that pissed me off more, “Move it damn it! Or die! If you don’t give a damn about yourself, why should we!” I hurried past them.

  Lori, the twelve-year-old girl with Down’s syndrome who was watching the younger children, heard what I said, adjusted her glasses, told the children to stay where they were and ran toward the door, asking Julie as she passed where the guns were and headed toward the teenagers.

  That opened the floodgates and people hurried to get their own weapon.

  Tex hobbled back in on his crutch to get back to his wheelchair as people pressed by him.

  “Taylor, all the ammo we have left is down here in our gun stash. David’s people are up top. They may have a shell or two, but they’re staying up there. They’ve got a bunch of sticks and pipes. They said to send guns up when you got here.”

  I set Cheyenne down and yelled over my shoulder to Tex, “The guns from the Jeep are loaded. The two teenagers have some too. Can you help with loading the others from the pickup?”

  “Can do, Marshal! I’ll get ‘em as they come in,” he spun his chair around and waited for the first collection of empty firearms by the entrance.

  “I’m heading up to the second floor,” Julie yelled, “Going to do some sniping! Demetri’s doing what we planned!” She ran toward the stairs as Demetri distributed weapons to older people and wounded survivors, Tex yelling for them to come to him to learn how to load.

  “I feel so useless,” Cheyenne mumbled, as Janessa grabbed a battery-operated blood-pressure monitor.

  “Stop,” I told Cheyenne, “You’ve done a lot. Just lie there.”

  A commotion and angry yelling rose from the main entrance then someone barged in behind me.

  “Where the hell is Randy!” David yelled, “What took you so long-”

  He was on the floor before I realized I’d hit him.

  Two of his goons grabbed my arms and restrained me as he wiped the blood from his nose.

  The son of a bitch was finally dirty.

  David stood and glared at me. The goons weren’t that strong and I mentally counted off three ways to get them to release me if they tried to drag me away. The guy on the right would have a broken or dislocated kneecap and the guy on the left would have a crushed larynx.

  “Let him go.”

  We turned around to see Janessa aiming her Glock at David, her hands shaking.

  David rolled his eyes, “All these macho gestures don’t mean anything unless you’re willing to follow through.”

  Janessa adjusted her stance, “We’ve got monsters at the door. People are panicking. If you’re their leader, order them to let him go, and go help the people load their weapons and get ready to fight.” Her shaking hands calmed, “I’m having a moment of discernment right now and I don’t like what I’m thinking.”

  David measured her for a moment. He waved at the two men to let me go just as gunfire began from outside and the next floor up.

  “When this is over,” David crossed his arms and gave each of us a significant look, “we’re going to discuss these intimidation tactics you use. They’re becoming tiresome.”

  Cheyenne, leaning up on one elbow, smiled at him, “Oh, yes, let’s. I’ll go first.”

  David shook his head, “Nasty skank.”

  I took a step forward, but Patty ran in between us with boxes of shells, pistols and two rifles, plopping them down on a crate.

  “We don’t have time for this!” Patty told everyone. “We can hear more coming.”

  David was already gone by the time I returned my attention to him.

  The BP monitor beeped, Janessa sighed, reading Cheyenne’s pressure, “Your pressure is low. You’re down. You’re out.”

  Cheyenne plopped back down onto her back, “Just give me my Winchester, no, better, give me grandpa’s shotgun,” her voice hoarse.

  “Right here, sweetheart,” Tex rolled in and dropped the shotgun beside her arm, “Now you stay put and let us handle this,” He winked, “You’re the reserves. We should get people ready and repulse the hostiles. Keep your chin up.”

  Pulling Patty and Tex close, I told them to start packing supplies, that we were bugging out as soon as we had a break. I told them Demetri was spreading the word.

  The generators suddenly came on.

  Patty nodded toward the entrance, “While you were gone, David said if things started to get desperate, he would turn the power on so we could use the elevators to move faster.”

  That was actually a good idea.

  Gunfire resumed.

  Sheila ran in, “Randy says he just met a larger group. He says he’s going to be a while. He says everyone should do what you say,” she pointed at me.

 

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