Influenza: Viral Virulence (30 page)

Chapter 33

About midmorning on
the fifth day, after Michael had refreshed himself by enjoying the camp’s heated shower, Lorie caught him in the tent just as he finished dressing. The medic had said that Michael suffered from a mild concussion and that he would be okay. He warned Michael that he should take it easy and rest for a few weeks, but Michael wanted to get moving south again when he was well enough.

“Oh, I see you’re good and ready,” she said to him upon entering the tent. She was wearing a bright, flowery sundress that Michael had never seen before. Her hair had been recently washed and was glowing like the morning sun. Lorie was a breath of fresh air. The sound of her voice was a favorite melody in his ears.

Pulling his shirt over his head, Michael asked, “Ready? For what?”

“A surprise.” She smiled secretively at him. “That is, if you feel healthy and ready to go.”

“I feel great,” Michael said. He did, in fact, feel better every day. Although his bruises were fading to an ugly yellow and black, he was healing rapidly, and even his cuts and scrapes were slowly disappearing.

“Good,” Lorie said. “We’re going on a little trip.” She turned and left the tent without an explanation.

“What?” Michael asked an empty tent. Curious, he ducked outside, and he immediately spotted Lorie’s back as she walked to his truck. The bottom of her dress was swinging from side to side as she moved. Following her, he watched as she opened the rear cab door and let Sandy jump in. She then got into the passenger’s seat and closed the door behind her. “Just what is she doing?” Michael wondered to himself.

He walked around the front of the truck and saw Lorie grinning expectantly at him from her seat. He opened the driver’s door and climbed behind the wheel.

“You brought your keys, right?” she asked.

“Of course,” he replied, pulling the key ring out of his pocket and dangling them in the air so she could see. Looking back at Lorie with confusion, he asked, “What is going on here?”

Sandy stuck her head into the front seat and panted at him as if to say, “Let’s go!”

Lorie reached down and picked up a wooden basket from the floorboard by her feet. Michael hadn’t seen it, and now that she had the basket on her lap, Sandy seemed to take a keen interest in it. Her nose was working overtime trying to smell the air near the basket.

Patting the basket with her right hand, Lorie said, “I managed to sweet-talk the cook and got a little special something for us to eat. Then, some of the guys told me about a nice, quiet place that would be perfect for a picnic.”

Delightfully surprised, Michael asked, “Are we going on a date?”

“Don’t get too cocky, now. Besides, isn’t the guy supposed to ask the girl to go on a date?” she shot back with a little twinkle in her lush, hazel eyes.

Michael drove the truck out of the camp and into the countryside, following Lorie’s guidance. In her sundress, she looked like a glimpse of heaven. In the backseat, Sandy was torn between sticking her head out the window and smelling the temptations exuding from the picnic basket delicately balanced on Lorie’s lap.

After about thirty minutes, Michael parked the truck along the country road. A grassy meadow on their left rose gently upward from the road. The field was full of bursting yellow flowers above the deep green blades of grass. The meadow was right out of a scene from a calendar picture, but it was real, and they were here.

Lorie climbed out, carrying the basket, and let Sandy out of the backseat. Walking around the truck, she grabbed Michael’s hand and led him through the grass up the hill. While Sandy chased startled grasshoppers, Michael inhaled the rich smell of flowers, and his eyes embraced the vivid colors.

At the top of the hill stood a large, old oak tree. Letting go of his hand, Lorie unfolded a blanket in the shade of the tree. Sandy temporarily paused in her explorations as Lorie made Michael sit down and began taking things out of the picnic basket.

Michael looked around. The meadow continued in every direction as far as the eye could see. About a hundred yards in front of them was a large, calm pond. Giving up on getting any handouts from the basket, Sandy decided it would be more fun to chase the ducks. Running and barking, she scared the ducks into the center of the pond, where they angrily talked back to her.

While Sandy unsuccessfully tried to make friends with the ducks, Lorie opened the basket and brought out a bottle of wine. It was a merlot. Handing him the bottle and a corkscrew, she asked, “Would you do the honors?”

Michael peeled away the protective plastic and uncorked the bottle. Lorie unwrapped the sandwiches and placed them on paper plates. When he finally got the cork out of the bottle, she produced two glasses from her bottomless basket and let Michael fill them. “I know sandwiches don’t go with red wine,” she said apologetically. “But this is all the cook had to spare.”

“Wow!” Michael exclaimed as he bit into the sandwich. “Real cheese and real deli meat?”

“Yep,” Lorie said, smiling at her own accomplishment. They both took time savoring their fresh sandwiches and sipping on the dark, red wine.

As Sandy ran happily along the shore of the pond, Michael turned his attention and let his gaze linger on Lorie. His heart swelled inside his chest as he looked longingly at her.

“You know, Lorie,” he started as she returned his gaze. “I think I finally figured it out.”

“Figured out what?” she asked as he caught her eyes.

“Why I could never have a serious relationship,” he answered. “Remember our little discussion on the school lawn outside the library?”

“I remember,” she said and blinked.

“I could never have a serious relationship with any of the girls I went out with because I was already in love with someone else,” he admitted.

“Really?” she asked, not showing any emotion, one way or the other.

He reached out and gently cupped her cheek in his hand. Her skin felt so soft against his. “Not one girl that I went out with could hold a candle to you. I believe now that I was in love with you from the very first moment I saw you. Now that I look back, the only woman I ever wanted to have by my side was you. You’ve haunted both my thoughts and my dreams. I could never give my heart to anyone else because I had already given it to you.”

Lorie sat unmoving, looking back at him. For a moment, Michael thought he had misjudged her and had just committed a huge mistake. Then, her eyes started to moisten, and she reached forward and gently kissed him. Her lips felt so soft and supple that he thought he would pass out. His heart leapt for joy as he realized she was returning his affection.

“I fell in love with you, too,” she said as she pulled herself away. “I’ve never felt so…comfortable around someone else. You were my best friend, but I knew in my heart that you were also more than just a friend. But you would never cross that line. So, I just had to wait.”

“Really?” Michael asked, astonished.

“Really,” Lorie said.

It was his turn to bend down and kiss her back.

Sandy returned from duck chasing and shook her wet fur. Evidently, she had tried to follow the ducks into the pond. She showered Michael and Lorie with droplets of water. Lorie laughed, and Michael gently wiped the drops of water from her face.

He tossed a little corner of his sandwich to Sandy and then lay down next to Lorie. She moved her head to rest on his arm. They remained there, frozen in time, as the gentle breeze rippled through the meadow. Grasshoppers and crickets sang to them as they hid in the depths of the field of flowers. The waves from the pond lapped rhythmically against the shore. For the first time in a long time, Michael felt completely at peace. He felt whole with Lorie here by his side. She was the part of him that had been missing. Now that he had found her, he would never let anyone take her from him.

Hours flew by as they talked about things in their hearts that they had hidden from one another. Michael discovered that when Lorie was telling him about her dates, she was secretly hoping that Michael would be moved by jealousy to step up to the plate.

As the sun started to set, they gathered up their things and put them back into the basket. They walked hand in hand back to the truck. Michael couldn’t stop smiling. Neither could Lorie. As they drove toward the compound, they continued to hold hands. Lorie slid across the seat and rested her head on his shoulder.

As they pulled around the corner to the compound, the sound of gunfire assaulted their ears. Ahead, they saw numerous vehicles driving around and trying to penetrate the camp’s defensive barriers. Alarmed, Michael slammed on the brakes, and they both picked up their SCARs.

Before dawn, Krank’s men had been busy, quietly dismantling the barricade on a little-known railroad bridge to the east. As his gang tore down the wall of twisted metal cars, Krank crept across the long bridge and took out the sole National Guard sentry keeping watch. Then, led by Krank’s big, black Humvee, a line of about thirty vehicles had crossed the bridge, undetected, to the Kentucky side.

Krank’s gang was now attacking the compound. The Kentucky National Guard was furiously returning fire as the battle raged. Corporal Brett was shouting orders to his men as they remained under cover behind sandbags and military vehicles. One of Krank’s men was driving a jeep with a fifty-caliber machine gun mounted on the back. Another gang member, behind the gun, was causing the most damage. The large ammunition was pounding the sandbags to dust and putting holes in the vehicles. Michael spotted Krank’s personal Humvee hanging in the background. He probably didn’t want to get his nice car scratched. Fortunately, since Michael came in behind Krank’s little army, his entrance onto the scene had gone unnoticed.

Michael quickly aimed and killed the man firing the fifty-caliber machine gun. Then, he turned his gun, looking for Krank’s vehicle.

Krank leaned out his window and yelled inaudible instructions to some of his gang members. Then, he caught sight of Michael in his truck. Screaming in rage, he pumped his arm repeatedly in Michael’s direction. Then, his Humvee pulled around and started racing toward Michael.

Not having a chance to get a shot off at Krank, Michael spun the truck around. He saw the rest of the vehicles fall in behind Krank. Chased by more than thirty cars, Michael wanted to fight but had little option but to flee.

Driving south as fast as the truck would go on the two-lane road, Michael tried to keep ahead of his pursuers. His truck was barely out of range of their guns. Looking in the rearview mirror, he thought he could see Corporal Brett trying to rally his men to go after Krank’s army. He heard sporadic gunfire, but nothing hit his truck. Michael’s mind was racing. How could he get away from all the cars? He could maybe outrun a few, but not a whole army. He would have to get to the open freeway to have the slightest chance. And I-75 was still more than a few miles to the west of them.

“Michael! Watch out!” Lorie shouted.

Up ahead, more vehicles suddenly appeared on the road, coming directly at them. His heart sank as he realized they were trapped. Krank’s lunatics were going to squish them like a bug. There was no escape―no side roads―so Michael had no choice but to continue to drive forward. The approaching vehicles were now upon him. But instead of firing at him or blocking his way, the vehicles parted and let him through.

Astonished, Michael watched as the group zipped past his truck, heading north.

“They’re National Guard!” Lorie cried, excited.

Indeed, the vehicles that went past them had “NG” printed on the side. One of the drivers saluted Michael as they passed. Michael waved back in shock.

“Corporal Brett must have radioed the other squad for help as soon as the attack started,” Lorie said.

They watched as the Guard engaged Krank’s army. Some of Krank’s followers returned fire, while most veered off the road, attempting to escape. Among the vehicles that turned off was Krank’s Humvee. Most of the other cars followed; only a few remained behind to hold off the Guard.

Still traveling south, Michael spotted a road going west toward I-75. He slowed the truck down to make the turn.

“We’re not going back?” Lorie asked.

“Not with Krank somewhere in between us and the camp,” Michael said.

“Oh,” Lorie said. Michael could tell she was disappointed.

He pushed the truck as fast as it would go toward the I-75 interchange. With Krank and his cult still out there somewhere, Michael turned onto the freeway and drove south, trying to put as much distance between them and the lunatic who was chasing them.

Almost an hour later, Krank drove his Humvee onto the same southbound ramp. With most of his followers still behind him, he eagerly looked forward to the time when he would have the green truck again in his sights. He had lost only a few men back there, but Krank would make Michael pay dearly for every man. He reached down and took another hit of meth. With energy and power surging through his veins, Krank forced his Humvee down the freeway at top speed.

Chapter 34

Michael and Lorie
reached the city of Lexington quickly. The journey was fast because the National Guard had taken the time and effort to clear the interstate of all obstacles. Assuming that the presence of the Guard had dissuaded any bad elements, Michael drove through the city and continued southward without incident. They crossed the Kentucky-Tennessee border less than two hours later.

Michael noticed a few people walking on the side of the interstate here and there but paid them little attention. He instinctively knew that the threat looming behind him and Lorie was larger and more dangerous than any of these wanderers could be.

Because the roads south of Kentucky had not been cleared, it took almost another two hours to get near Knoxville. By then, the skies were starting to cloud up. Because of the physical size of Knoxville and the possibility of dark secrets the city might contain, Michael consulted the maps his parents had provided him. Fortunately, an interstate bypass went around the city, much as I-275 circumvented the main downtown area of Cincinnati.

Once they were safely past Knoxville, night began to fall rapidly. The cloudy skies opened up, and rain drizzled down. The once brightly colored tree leaves began to turn gray in the fading light. As Michael drove, he finally started to relax a little. There was no way Krank could have followed them this far. How could he? With numerous places to turn off the freeway, unless Krank had airplanes in the sky, how would he know where they were going? Plus, he had an army to take care of. They would require food, water, and gasoline, and their supply of methamphetamine was not endless.

Michael and Lorie would have to stop somewhere for the night. He didn’t want to drive in the dark because of the dangers posed by the limited visibility and because their headlights would announce their presence to everyone. Besides, his head was starting to throb again as his almost-healed concussion reared its ugly head. He needed to rest.

“Michael,” Lorie said, breaking his thoughts. “We have a small problem.”

He glanced over at her. “What is it?”

Lorie pointed at her sundress. “This is all I have. We left all our clothes and other necessities back in the tent.”

Lorie was right. In their haste to flee Krank, he had forgotten that even though he had most of their supplies in the truck, they did leave their suitcases of clothes and toiletries inside the tent. Trying to make light of their new problem, Michael said, “I thought you liked me even if my clothes smelled.”

“Don’t push your luck,” Lorie jokingly replied.

“We’ll find a store on our way. Besides, it’s getting dark, and I don’t want to drive through the night. We’ll rest, get up early in the morning, and then head out. We should be reaching the exit where we need to get off. I’m sure we’ll spot some department store once we get off the freeway. Surely, even looted stores will still have some clothes remaining.”

“Are you telling me that for our first date, you’re going to take me shopping?” Lorie mused. “I think this relationship is going to work out just fine.”

“What do you mean? We’re still on our first date,” Michael replied.

Turning off the interstate on a desolate junction, Michael found a copse of trees that would provide the truck with cover from both the elements and prying eyes from the road. Lorie got into the backseat and coaxed Sandy to lie down on the floorboards while she tried to get comfortable. Michael eased the driver’s seat back and tried to rest.

He watched as the world lost its remaining light. Soon, he could no longer see the branches of the trees overhead. The ambient sounds of the oncoming night seeped through the cracked windows along with the pitter-patter of the light rain bouncing off the truck roof. There was an ongoing symphony of cicadas and crickets, and the leaves occasionally fluttered in the breeze. Making absolutely sure that the safety was on, Michael laid the rifle across his chest. He didn’t intend to sleep at all that night. They were still very exposed in the truck, and he wanted to keep watch.

The early-morning sun rising over the trees pierced his eyelids. Michael opened his eyes as the new day dawned. The rain clouds had passed by sometime during the night, and it looked like it was going to be a nice fall day. In the light, he was able to see their surroundings for the first time.

They were parked in the middle of a small field close to the street. The four large, majestic oak trees he had parked beneath had shed some of their leaves during the rain and plastered them on the top of his truck. A derelict gas station across the street was the only building he could see. A forest bordered the field and blocked Michael’s view of the road.

Turning his head to check on Lorie in the back, he saw that she was still soundly sleeping. Sandy, lying next to her, looked up at him but remained still. With nature calling, Michael quietly opened the door and slid out of the truck. He held on to his rifle with one hand and tucked the 9mm in his waistband.

The grass was still damp from the dew and the previous evening’s rain as he walked to the tree line. He could have taken care of this outside the truck, but he still retained his modesty. Reaching the border where the grassy field turned into woods, Michael stepped another three feet into the trees. It was noticeably cooler in the shade. Facing the forest, he could see the beginnings of a housing development through the cracks of the tree trunks. The two-story houses looked like a middle- to upper-class community. Finished, Michael turned to walk back to the truck.

Movement to his right froze him in his tracks. A figure with a gun was stealthily approaching the truck. From the cover of the trees, Michael spotted at least four other figures with guns following behind the first. They looked like members of Krank’s gang, but how could they have possibly found them?

With his heart pounding in his chest, Michael noticed that the truck looked empty. Lorie was still sleeping in the back, and they were not close enough to see her. He said a silent prayer that Sandy would keep silent for a few more seconds as he slung the rifle from his shoulder and knelt. Turning off the safety, he placed the butt of the gun against his shoulder. Time was running out, as the first man was almost upon the truck. Soon, they would see Lorie, or Sandy would sound the alarm.

Michael fired, and the first gang member’s head exploded. Shouts of confusion erupted from the remaining men as Michael quickly chambered another round. Not having time to aim the rifle, Michael fired at the next man who was closing in. Another of Krank’s men cried out and crumpled to the ground as Michael hit him in the chest. By the time the remaining members returned fire, Michael was already retreating deeper into the trees. He used the cover of a maple trunk as bullets flew around him. Chips of wood flew through the air, and lead projectiles dug into the trunks of nearby trees.

Then, the gunfire died down for a few seconds as they reloaded. Michael ran toward the housing development, making as much noise as he could. He purposely stepped on large sticks, making them snap. From behind, the gang members who were still standing shouted to each other and started to pursue him. He was leading them away from the truck. With no regard for his own personal safety, he thought that at the very least, Lorie should be able to get away.

Crashing through the last of the trees, Michael emerged in the backyard of someone’s house. He ran around a desolate swing set and continued around the left side of the empty home. As he crossed the front yard into the street, he paused and listened. Smiling to himself, Michael heard his pursuers still running through the small forest. They were being cautious, expecting him to ambush them from behind a tree.

Quickly looking to the right and left, Michael chose to go straight. Running through the front yard of the home directly across the street, he flung open the wooden gate to the backyard and ran through. He vaulted over the four-foot fence into another backyard. Ducking down behind the cover of the fence, Michael paused again to listen. It sounded like the gang members had broken free from the woods and were still headed his way. He fired his rifle into the air and then sprinted across to the next street. Hoping that his rifle shot had both slowed his pursuers and kept them on his trail, Michael followed the asphalt road to his right toward a cul-de-sac.

He ran straight for the light blue house at the end of the street. The front door was unlocked, and Michael entered the home. Not bothering to close the door behind him, he quickly located the stairs to the second floor and ran up, taking two steps at a time. At the top, he looked for a window that had a good view of the street. He leapt over the desiccated corpse of a man and peered out the window. From here, he had a good vantage point of the entire street leading to the house.

Cautiously following Michael, Krank’s thugs gave him the few precious minutes that he needed to prepare for their arrival. Mash, as he was called by his friends, led the group of three remaining members. Both Derrick and Keith were lying dead back where they had first encountered Michael’s truck. Derrick had tracked the truck, and they had thought this was going to be easy.

Mash had been instructed by Krank not to kill Michael or Lorie. Krank wanted to deal with them personally. He didn’t know why Krank was so obsessed with finding these kids or why he had continued to chase them across two state lines. They were now far away from home. Although Mash knew that Krank’s head wasn’t screwed on straight, he didn’t dare question him or disobey him. He had witnessed Krank’s wrath too many times to challenge his orders.

Mash just wanted to get these two pain-in-the-butt kids so they could end this ridiculous chase and go home. At this point, he was tired and didn’t care if he got them dead or alive, despite Krank’s instructions. His men would repeat any story he told them to. Even though they feared Krank, they were loyal to Mash.

They crossed the lawn and stepped into the next street. A shot rang out from somewhere, and another of his men fell to the ground. Muttering a vile curse, Mash and the two remaining thugs, Pete and Gonzo, immediately took cover. Using hand signals from the cover of a porch, Pete gestured to Mash where to look. Mash followed Pete’s fingers and looked up at the last house on the street.

It was the only house that had its front door wide open. As Mash scanned the house, he could barely make out a rifle pointing out of the second-floor window. There he was! Finally, they had the punk kid cornered. Mash wouldn’t mind disobeying Krank’s orders and putting a bullet in this kid’s head himself. He deserved it, as he had already taken out three of Mash’s friends. To hell with Krank’s instructions. This kid was his.

“Stay here under cover,” he whispered to Pete and Gonzo. “I’m going to circle around and get to the front door. When you see me by the doorway, open fire at the kid. Keep shooting for about ten seconds, and then stop. Don’t you dare hit me. He won’t even hear me coming until I slit his throat. Then I’ll finish this crazy job, and we’ll head home.”

They nodded in agreement, and Mash crept away, circling around to the backyard. He then ran through the various yards, climbing over fences, until he was close to the light blue house. Crouching, he approached the house from the side, out of sight of the kid’s rifle. He moved silently to the front door. When Pete and Gonzo started firing, he ran inside the house. Mash could hear the bullets flying and ricocheting on the upper level. The gunfire came to an abrupt halt, and the house descended into dead silence.

Mash crept quietly up the stairs, assault rifle ready. Then, he saw the kid kneeling by the window aiming down the street. The punk had not noticed that Mash was in the house, creeping up right behind him. With his prey in front of him, Mash pointed his gun at the kid’s head and drew closer. Within a few inches, Mash stuck the barrel of his gun against the back of the kid’s head.

“Drop it!” he commanded.

The kid didn’t budge.

Aggravated, Mash pushed his assault rifle aggressively into the kid’s head. “Drop…!” he began as the head suddenly broke off and rolled onto the floor. “What?”

It wasn’t the kid. It was a dead body holding a small pipe out the window. They had been tricked! As Mash was concentrating on sneaking up to the house, Michael had snuck behind Mash and his men. By the time Mash returned to the green truck, the kids and the truck were gone. Adding insult to injury, not only had the kids escaped without a scratch; they had also slashed the tires on Mash’s vehicles. Mash was going to have to come up with a creative story to tell Krank.