The Bones of Valhalla (Purge of Babylon, Book 9) (14 page)

“Two guards to keep me safe,” Keo chuckled. “I told you Rhett and I are practically BFFs now.”

Henry didn’t say anything.

“So Rhett’s in charge of this place now?” Keo asked.

“Pretty much.”

“Who decided that?”

“The others, I guess.”

“Did you get a vote?”

“I’m not that high up.”

“How do you guys know who’s up and who’s down if no one wears a rank?”

“It’s not that hard to figure out. Everyone knows who was in charge before and who’s in charge now. We’ve had a year to figure it out.”

“I’m not much for official rankings myself, but that sounds dangerously chaotic.” When Henry didn’t respond, Keo said, “So, question.”

“What now?”

“What happened to my food?”

“Your food?”

“You mean no one brought me my food?”

“Not that I saw.”

“Rhett promised he’d send some food over, and not that slop you guys have been feeding me in the brig.”

“Maybe he forgot.”

“What an asshole.” Then, smiling at Henry, “You wouldn’t mind—”

“Not my job,” Henry interrupted.

“How about Pete?”

“Not his job, either.”

“Do a guy a solid, huh? I’m starving.”

Henry didn’t bother with a reply.

Keo sighed. “At least tell me something, just to keep my mind off the food people keep promising but never delivering.”

“What?” Henry said.

“Mary.”

“What about her?”

“She single?”

“She’s married.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

“I didn’t see a ring on her finger.”

“Maybe not technically married. It’s not like there are priests around or anything. But she’s shacking up with some dude. I think his name’s Gary.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“For you, maybe.”

“I thought it was fairly obvious that was what I meant,” Keo said. “Now, let’s figure out how to get me some food, Henry…”

* * *

I
t was
nice to be up and about, even with the cold wind whipping at his face. Rhett had been nice enough to give him a windbreaker, socks, and boots to complete his new wardrobe, so the only thing exposed to the elements as he stood on the beach of Black Tide Island was his face. It might have been the harsh chill, with much of the breeze unhindered by the island’s relatively flat land mass, or maybe lingering effects of the meds, but the throbbing in Keo’s head had lessened dramatically.

Mary stood next to him, hands stuffed inside her coat’s pockets while unsuccessfully trying to stop her body from shivering. Apparently she wasn’t nearly as happy to be outside as he was, though as his nurse she had no choice but to follow him around in case he fell on his face.

“Can we go back inside now?” she asked after a while.

“What’s the hurry?” Keo said.

“It’s freezing out here!”

“It’s nice weather for a walk.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Of course it is. Come on.”

Keo started down the beach, and Mary had to hurry to catch up. “Slow down, Keo!”

He didn’t know why she felt the need to shout. They were close enough that he could smell her perfume. Or was that just regular feminine scent? He couldn’t be sure after spending three days in that jail cell with nothing to occupy his sense of smell but his own BO.

His boots squished in the soft sand, but he stayed far enough from the incoming tide to keep from getting wet. It was nice out, but he didn’t feel like getting wet, too.

They were somewhere at the back of the island, the same general vicinity where he had landed with Erin not all that long ago. The guys watching him like hawks from a distance might have even been the same men who had helped him and Erin come ashore that night. He counted two guards when he first arrived at the beach, then two more had showed up later. It wasn’t like he was going anywhere without a boat in sight, so the men, as with Henry and Pete back in sickbay, were likely here more for his protection.

Which made Keo wonder: How many more true believers were out there, waiting for their chance to finish what Bellamy and Calvin had started? He’d been lucky so far, but luck was luck because it tended to come and go.

Maybe coming out here and walking around in the open wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Keo!” Mary shouted as she caught up to him.

She was already breathing hard, as if this was the most exertion she’d had in a while. And maybe it was. Mercer had brought these people to the island a long time ago, and many of them had never left. He didn’t blame them for not wanting to leave, though. It was human nature not to voluntarily abandon a safe place. Lara and the others had done the same on Song Island, fighting to the very bitter end to hold onto it and only jumping ship when they no longer had any choice.

Like a few thousand ghouls coming out of a hole in the ground. Yeah, that’ll make you change your mind about a place real fast.

“Henry told me you’re married,” Keo said.

“What?” Mary said. She gave him an odd look, as if she couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. He thought she had very lovely brown eyes. “He said I was married?”

“Not married, married, but taken. By some guy named Gary.”

“He said I was taken by Gary?”

“Aren’t you?”

“I’m not.”

“No?”

“Not that it’s any of your business.”

“I was just curious.”

She took her hands out of her pockets and folded them across her chest for warmth.

“Cold?” he asked.

“What do you think?”

“A little body heat would fix that.”

“Yeah, right,” she said, and moved away until there were a couple of extra feet between them.

“Oh, come on; I don’t bite. At least not if you don’t want me to.”

“You think you’re charming, don’t you?” Mary said, narrowing her eyes back at him.

“You mean it’s not working?”

“Not even a little bit.”

“Give me a break. I almost died today. You know what happens when you almost die?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“You start thinking about what’s important in life. Like a pretty nurse in a tan-colored uniform.”

She shook her head, but he caught just a ghost of a smile on her lips. “I’m already seeing someone. Gary, remember?”

“I thought you said you weren’t taken.”

“I’m not. I’m just seeing him. There’s a difference.”

“Is it serious?”

“Not really,” she said quickly. Then, maybe catching her mistake, “Maybe. I don’t know.”

That’s definitely a “not really.”

“Word’s already gotten out about your friends,” Mary said. “The ones on the way here to meet with Rhett. Something about a plan to beat the ghouls and win the war?”

Keo smiled. “Are we changing the subject?”

“Absolutely,” she said, and this time didn’t try to hide her smile. “Is it true?”

“Yeah. It’s true.”

“How?”

“I think you’re going to have to wait for your commanders to tell you that.”

“Tell me now.”

“What do I get in return?”

“You know those pain meds I’ve been giving you for that raging headache you’re currently experiencing? Well, sometimes they can be a little hard to locate.”

“I love a woman who knows how to blackmail.”

She rolled her eyes. “So what is it? What’s the plan? Tell me
something.
”

“There’s a guy out there who knows how they operate. He knows just about everything there is to know about them, including how to beat them. And none of it involves shelling towns with pregnant women and children.”

They had stopped walking and Mary stared at him, though now she didn’t look nearly as cold as before. Or at least her body wasn’t trembling against the wind, even as long dark hair splayed across her pretty face.

“We can take back the planet,” she said.

“That’s the idea,” Keo nodded.

“But
how?
”

“I’ll tell you under one condition…”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. “And that is…?”

“I gotta find a cafeteria, Mary. I’m starving here.”

She laughed. “Okay, Keo. Okay. Follow me.”

She turned and led him back up the beach. He followed, eyes drawn irresistibly to the way her ass moved beneath her slacks.

“Are you staring at my ass?” Mary said, glancing over her shoulder back at him.

“Of course not,” Keo said. “I’m insulted you would think that.”

“Riiiiight,” she said.

“Question, Mary.”

“Oh God, what now?”

“When you said you weren’t taken, how
un
taken are you?” Keo asked.

T
he morning sun
beat down on them as they climbed out of the boat and made their way up the beach, careful not to step on the carcasses of sea life that had washed ashore. There wasn’t very much in the way of living things to greet them, though there was plenty of grass that went all the way up to their knees and, at various points, tickled at their waists. But they had expected the open fields, having seen them last night as they sat in the fifteen-footer and waited for dawn to come.

They had taken the small craft in by trolling motor to hide their approach, then let the waves take over for about half a mile before switching to paddles. Maybe they were being too cautious (if there were such a thing these days), but the fact that everything depended on this—getting Will to where he needed to be—weighed heavily on all their shoulders. If Gaby hadn’t volunteered for the mission with her eyes open, the responsibility might have been too much to bear.

She was the first one to step foot on the mushy sand, then the first one in the grass. She moved quickly and quietly, M4 in front of her and Danny’s gifted cross-knife at her hip. Maybe it was a combination of Zoe’s pills and adrenaline, but she hadn’t felt this good in days, even weeks, and the soreness from her shoulder was barely a blip on her radar. She didn’t stop until she was twenty yards up the beach and crouching in grass, her breath forming mists around her as she breathed in and out, in and out, concentrating almost as much on her surroundings as she did to control her accelerated heartbeat.

“Gaby,” Blaine whispered from behind her.

She glanced back and shook her head.

He nodded, then jumped out of the boat to join Bonnie, and the two of them pulled the vessel out of the ocean. By the time they reached land, their pants, like hers, were soaked in cold water up to the knees. There was just enough green around them that if she didn’t look closely she wouldn’t have spotted the drab olive hull of the fifteen-footer as Bonnie tied its line to a rock, then pulled it tight to ensure it didn’t go anywhere. There was very little chance they would actually need it again, but it was better to have it available in case they did.

Just in case, right, Lara?

It was strange to hope they wouldn’t need the boat again, but that was exactly the best possible outcome. She had every confidence in Will’s plan—even if he did have to alter it at the last minute—not only because it was Will who had engineered it, but because he had gone to such great lengths to bring it to them.

Now all we have to do is get it done…without everyone dying first.

Yeah, no pressure.

When she looked back a second time, Blaine and Bonnie had started removing items from the boat and putting them on the beach. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about making them do all the heavy lifting. Besides her own pack, she just had her gun belt and rifle. Her job was to provide security, a task that she relished. Bonnie had gotten very good with her weapon in recent months, but she was still a notch below Danny and Gaby. Though to hear Lara tell it, none of them could touch Peters, some guy who had come aboard with Riley’s crew.

Note to self: Find out if she’s right when you get back.

She focused on the grass-heavy fields around her. There were no signs of civilization as far as she could see, but that was the point of choosing this spot to beach. She wasn’t exactly looking forward to the long walk ahead of them, but a lot of nothing was better than even a little hint of something, especially if those somethings carried guns.

Loud grunting behind her as Blaine eased the suitcase out of the boat while Bonnie waited to lend a hand.

Gaby willed Blaine to get the piece of luggage over the side of the boat, then for Bonnie to hurry over and grab the other end.

Don’t drop it into the ocean. Whatever you do,
don’t drop it into the ocean!

She breathed a sigh of relief when they both found firm holds and successfully made the transfer, splashing water around their ankles the whole time, before depositing the black case on dry land.

Blaine looked up and nodded at her, and Gaby returned it.

She turned back to the empty world in front of her, slinging the rifle and raising the binoculars hanging around her neck. She scanned the horizon, looking for signs—
anything
—that might indicate they weren’t so alone out here after all, that maybe they had misjudged how empty the place looked while they were waiting in the ocean last night.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing out there.

So far, so good.

She lowered the binoculars and looked back at Blaine and Bonnie as they were slipping on their bulky packs. They already looked tired from the lack of sleep, and she wanted to tell them this was just the beginning, that the road ahead was only going to get tougher the closer they got to their ultimate destination.

But she didn’t, because they already knew everything that she did. They had, after all, also volunteered when they didn’t have to.

We’re all idiots. All three of us.

“Good to go?” Blaine asked.

She nodded. “I don’t see anything out there. We landed in a good spot.”

“Nothing is good. Nothing is very good.”

“You wishing you were back on the boat yet?” Bonnie asked him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is going to be easy. In and out, just like that.”

Bonnie smirked. “Just like that, huh?”

“Yup,” Blaine said. “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Besides, who wants to live forever?”

“I do,” Bonnie said.

I wouldn’t mind seeing the next couple of years myself
, Gaby thought, but kept that to herself.

Bonnie and Blaine didn’t just have their packs and weapons to carry, but they were also burdened with the two duffel bags—one each—and had the black suitcase between them.

“You guys need a hand?” she asked them.

“Nah, it’s just like dragging around a really big piñata,” Blaine said.

“Yeah, what he said,” Bonnie said.

Gaby didn’t quite believe them, but she nodded anyway and stood up, and weapon in front of her, began moving forward, back into Texas.

* * *

T
hey made surprisingly
good time despite having no forms of transportation except their feet. Gaby remained up front, with Blaine about ten yards (sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on the terrain) behind her. After leaving the mushier grounds around the beach, Blaine was now able to drag the suitcase by its handle, which helped them move faster. Bonnie, meanwhile, brought up the rear about twenty yards back to make sure no one was sneaking up on them. Blaine was the only one with both hands occupied, so that left Gaby and Bonnie with their rifles at the ready.

The only times they stopped was to catch their breath and drink some water, and to radio the
Trident
to let them know they had made it on land in one piece. After that, they wouldn’t call again until almost nightfall. Ever since Keo had given Black Tide their designated emergency channel, Lara had switched to a secondary one, which was what they were using now to make contact.

Just in case…

It was almost noon when they finally stumbled across something that hinted at civilization—in this case, a small blacktop two-lane road that cut across the flat landscape. There were no official road signs close enough for them to see, but it was easy to pick a direction and follow it, basically keeping the Gulf of Mexico at their six o’clock.

After a while, the soothing warmth of the sun began to take its toll, and Gaby found her focus wandering slightly. There was something to be said about seemingly being the only three souls on the whole planet, with only the sounds of their footsteps against the hard earth and occasionally labored breathing to keep them company. She only wished Nate were here to enjoy it, too.

Sorry, Nate, but I couldn’t let you risk it. Not after all you’ve been through. Don’t hate me too much.

Footsteps, before Blaine appeared alongside her, the suitcase rolling behind him on its well-oiled wheels. “Anything?”

“Not much.”

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the thought of walking all the way over there.”

“Will said there’s supposed to be a collaborator town nearby.”

“And he would know, right? He’s been running around out here for how long now?”

“Long enough.”

“Yeah.” He paused, then, “So just walk up and ask to borrow one of their trucks?”

“Sure,” she smiled. “If they don’t feel like being neighborly, we’ll just take it by gunpoint.”

“Sounds good to me,” Blaine said, and drifted back until he was behind her again.

Gaby didn’t change her stride. She would have slowed down if she thought the two of them couldn’t keep up, but they hadn’t said anything about her going too fast or too slow, so she maintained her current pace.

Except for the occasional breeze that swept across the countryside, she had difficulty remembering it was winter. Texas weather was an oddity that most Texans had come to accept, but she hadn’t realized just how strange this place was until after she’d been living onboard the
Trident.
Of course, the thermal sweater she had on and the heavy load she was carrying had a little something to do with keeping the cold at bay.

Don’t like Texas weather? Wait five minutes
, she thought with a smile.

* * *

I
t was
big and black and looked new if not for the blown-out front windows. There was a machine gun mounted on top of the cab, the muzzle pointed up at the cloudless sky. It was parked next to a tall elm tree, though not directly underneath the provided shade. She was looking at it from over a hundred yards and from a side angle with binoculars, and there was too much knee-high grass in her path to allow her to see much of anything around the parked vehicle.

Blaine scooted up next to her and went into a crouch a few feet to her right. He had left the suitcase and duffel bag behind to free his hands for his rifle, and he gripped it with one hand now as she handed him the glasses.

“That’s a hell of a nice spot for a picnic,” Blaine said as he peered through the binoculars. “What happened to its windows?”

“Looks like they were shot out,” Gaby said.

Gaby glanced back at Bonnie, crouched in the grass about twenty yards behind them, rifle clutched in her hands. The two of them exchanged a brief acknowledging nod.

Then Gaby turned back to the truck. “See anything I might have missed?”

“Nope,” Blaine said, lowering his hands. “Looks like a Ford. F-150 or F-250.”

“Is there a difference?”

“The
1
or the
2
in front of it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, Danny Junior.”

Blaine chuckled. “Not the worst insult I’ve gotten.”

He turned slightly and looked through the binoculars at a wall of trees about 200 yards to their right. It was the first real group of woods they had seen since arriving on land, and they had gone around it like the plague, sticking instead to walking under the sun where it was safe.

Stay out of the dark places, girl, stay out of the dark places
, she remembered telling herself.

She stared at the truck again. “What do you think?”

“I think it was smart of Danny boy to give us these,” he said, tilting his rifle so that the sun glinted off the smooth steel bore of the long suppressor attached to the end of the barrel.

Her own M4, along with Bonnie’s, had the same custom attachment. The extra length made the rifle somewhat unwieldy, but out here, in the open where a gunshot would travel for miles, she was glad to have the option.

“It looks pretty new,” Blaine said, handing the glasses back to her. “Or someone’s been keeping it clean. Good chance it’s still drivable; maybe there’s even some fuel in the tank depending on how long it’s been out here. The blown-out windows are a problem, though.”

“It’s a big problem.”

“The plan was always to find a ride, and here it is.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Here it is…”