“Felix, it's over. That's all that matters,” Bill said calmly.
The bus rumbled on. Ed would take an indirect route back to the fort to avoid leading the zombies to their safe haven.
Jenni felt reality slipping back into place around her and the morning of the first day began to recede into her memories. Her children were gone. Maybe their bodies sill roamed the earth, but the spark that had made them human was gone.
Jenni looked up at Nerit, who was still gently rubbing her back trying to calm her. “I'm sorry I'm crazy.”
“Honey, we are all crazy,” Nerit assured her.
“That's the truth,” Felix agreed.
“I ain't been sane in a long time,” Ed said in a grim tone.
“Ya'll speak for yourselves.” Bill grinned. “I'm as sane as they come in a zombie infested world.”
Nerit smacked him upside the head. “Liar.”
Bill laughed. He was obviously trying to break the somber mood.
Jenni lowered her head into her hands. Concentrating on the rocking of the bus, she slowly regained her composure. “I'm so embarrassed,” she said at last.
“It's all right. We're all fine. That is what teamwork is for. We take care of each other.” Nerit touched Jenni's cheek lightly.
“Besides, how many times have you saved our lives? We just returned the favor.”
“And no need to tell anyone about this,” Ed said. His tone implied something the others had not even considered.
“The Vigilante?” Jenni queried.
“Shit,” Felix swore. “He killed Jimmy for freaking out.”
“She didn't get anyone killed or even nearly killed,” Bill pointed out.
“But whoever the Vigilante is has a distorted perception of reality and who deserves to live or die,” Nerit reminded him.
“We keep it quiet,” Ed said firmly as he drove on.
“Agreed,” Bill said.
Felix nodded. “Gotta put up with zombies and crazies.”
Jenni sighed heavily. She hated feeling weak.
“It will be okay,” Nerit assured her.
Jenni wasn't too sure she agreed.
“What did you find out anyway?” Felix asked.
Nerit looked at Bill. He shrugged.
“We learned that the Vigilante is still at work,” she answered.
Felix stared at her for a few seconds, then shook his head. “Great.
Just great.”
Jenni rested her head against the cool window and gazed out at the dead town. The world still didn't feel right to her. It wasn't just the Vigilante. It was Lloyd. She felt him, somewhere, nearby, watching her.
She was afraid.
Chapter 13
1. When Plans Go Awry
It was quickly apparent that something grim had been discovered by the expressions on the team returning to the fort. Travis was with Katie at her sentry post when they returned.
“I better go find out what is going on,” he said.
“You better tell me everything later.” It was obvious that she was annoyed at having to stay at her post while the fate of Shane and Phillip was discussed.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Absolutely not.” Katie grinned.
Travis kissed her and left her to her duty. He made his way across the old construction site to city hall. Juan was also on his way. They met up at the back entry.
“It's not going to be good, is it?” Juan pushed his cowboy hat back on his dark curls.
“Nerit had her poker face, but Jenni's expression said it all.”
“That's my girl. Always destined to lose every game of strip poker we ever play.” Juan smirked and wagged an eyebrow.
Travis just laughed and headed inside. Peggy and Manny were already in their old office with the team and Curtis. Juan and Travis were the last two to join the group. Jenni looked pale and a little spacey. Juan quickly moved to her side and asked her something in Spanish. She shook her head and looked away. Juan looked a little surprised and stood awkwardly at her side.
“So what happened out there?” Travis sat down in an ancient wooden office chair.
“Other than lots of zombies?” Felix asked. “Because there were lots of those.”
Nerit sighed and looked at Bill, obviously deferring to him as the person of authority on the issue.
“To put it simply, the Vigilante.”
“What?” Juan's expression of disbelief was mirrored in Travis'.
“The boxes of ammunition we gave them were full of gravel. Once Shane and Philip spent the ammunition in their guns, they were done.
To make it worse for them, the fuel line of the car was cut and rigged with cheap tape that would give way pretty quickly. They were dead in the water very quickly. I actually don't think the Vigilante meant for them to break down so close to the Fort.” Bill shrugged. “The Vigilante couldn't get them in here, so he or she got them out there.”
“Damn,” Travis said in a stunned voice.
Manny calmly folded his hands on his desk. “We need to find this person and stop them. This is not acceptable behavior.”
“Manny, don't you think Curtis and Bill are doing everything they can?” Peggy arched her brows.
Curtis sighed and sat on the edge of the desk. “The Vigilante is not stupid.”
Bill laid a reassuring hand on the younger man's shoulder. “We'll find him, son.”
“Does anyone really disagree with the ones he has punished? It's not like he's killing innocent people.” Juan's temper was getting the best of him again, Travis gave him a warning look.
“Maybe not, but how he or she is going about this isn't right. No one should hold so much power of the lives of others,” Nerit answered.
Curtis looked very tired and overwhelmed. “He's doing what the rest of us don't want to do.”
“We're all in this together,” Peggy pointed out. “One person can't decide who lives and who dies. Or who stays and who leaves.”
“Was there any sign of Shane?” Travis asked.
“From the foot prints around the car and in the nearby field, we think they broke down, encountered zombies, used up their ammunition, tried to reload, realized what was happening, and that they both ran for it. It looks like Shane ran across the field. Phillip ran in the opposite direction. He eventually made it back to the fort,”
Bill explained.
“We looked around for Shane, but didn't find him,” Ed added.
“He is probably already dead and wandering around,” Jenni decided. “And I can't say I feel sorry about that.”
It was the first thing she had said since the meeting had started.
Travis noted the rawness in her voice. Jenni seemed unsettled. That bothered him. Juan placed a hand on Jenni's shoulder to comfort her, but she didn't seem to notice.
“We need to keep this quiet,” Manny decided.
“We can't keep this quiet,” Travis protested.
“C'mon, Manny. People need to know what is going on,” Peggy caste an exasperate look toward the Mayor.
“People are already figuring it out.” Felix shook his head. “They ain't stupid. Phillip showed up eaten up something fierce.”
“In pieces,” Jenni pointed out.
“We can't have people panicking,” Manny stated firmly. “They are scared enough as it is.”
“People need to know so they will be on the alert and report anything suspicious.” Bill shifted in his chair and studied his notebook.
“The Vigilante isn't going to stop.”
“How do you know that?” Curtis wore an expression of curiosity.
“Because people like the Vigilante don't stop.” Nerit answered.
“They believe they are right and they alone can deal with what is wrong.”
Travis rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “I think we should have full disclosure and let everyone know what the real dangers of this world are. This hotel already has us in a different mindset from when we were roughing it. Rose told me people aren't showing up for duty like they were when we were in the construction site. Yeah, we're safer when it comes to the zombies, but we still have food, water, energy, and sanitation concerns. We don't even have a doctor on hand.
People need to understand we are still at risk.”
“Don't forget the bandits,” Nerit added. Her voice was tinged with pain.
“Or winter approaching.” Peggy sighed.
“We just don't need them riled up. You know how people get when they feel the city officials or the authorities can't do their job.” Manny rubbed his broad forehead to wipe away beads of sweat.
“Don't matter,” Ed said. “They're gonna be unhappy anyway if you don't tell them. Sorry, Mr. Mayor, but the old ways are bullshit now.
This ain't about reelections no more, but 'bout keeping alive.”
“Everyone who voted to eject those two men deserve to know what happened to them.” Travis' tone was firm.
“Why? They shouldn't feel guilty for doing the right thing,” Juan said sharply.