she would say as Clyde seemed to be trying to provoke a response.
“I trust you, Clyde,” said Laura. “We’re going to evacuate soon. Do what you can.”
Laura’s coldness was startling.
“Is Aunt Annie dead?” asked David.
“No,” said Arthur. “Stay here, I’m going to go check on her.” He headed over to where Laura was standing, behind the pew where Annie was laid out.
“What are you talking about?” Clyde asked Laura, his furious tone tamed by her decision to evacuate.
“The fire is in the town now,” said Laura. “It’s only a matter of time before it gets here.”
“We can’t move all these wounded,” said Clyde. “We can’t move Annie like this.”
“We don’t have a choice.” Laura’s hardened demeanor broke for a second, and the pain she masked was revealed as a sob slipped between her words. She clenched her jaw and breathed deep, her eyes rimmed with tears. “We have to save these people.”
“Laura.” Clyde abandoned his combative tone as he continued to work on Annie. “I’m sorry.”
“Save my baby girl, Clyde,” said Laura as she turned to leave. “I’m going to save the rest of us.” She walked past Zack, who looked as if he wanted to hold her, but she ignored him and headed for Billy. “I need you to start consolidating crews.”
“What?” asked Billy, still nursing his bloodied nose. He was understandably shocked by Laura’s sudden change of attitude. It was as if he were speaking to a completely different person.
“We’re going to abandon some of our trucks. I need you to find me three or four trucks to leave behind and then siphon the gas out of them. You can start with Dante’s.” It was a cold decision as their old friend’s body still lay, not quite cold, on the post outside.
“Why?” asked Billy.
“We’ve got to make a trip south.”
“What are you planning?” asked Arthur as he walked with Zack to stand beside Laura and Billy at the entrance.
“We can’t go to any of our regular camps, so we’re going to have to head to The Department and ask for their help.”
“Wait a minute,” said Billy. “We’re not going to go to DIA? You want to just let these fuckers get away with this?” He motioned at the destruction outside.
“No,” said Laura. “And you’re going to fall in line with me.” No threat was necessary as she glared at her old rival. “We stand together, from this point forward. Understood?”
He nodded.
“Good.” Laura reached out to hold Billy’s hand with both of hers. “I need you, more than ever.” Then she looked at Zack and Arthur. “I need all of you. I can’t do this without you.”
“I’ll do whatev er you need, babe,” said Zack.
“We need to get everyone to safety, and The Department’s the only place I can think of to take them,” said Laura.
“If they had tabs on us,” said Billy, “then they probably know about Jules too. The Department might not be as safe as we think.”
“It’s got to be a hell of a lo t safer than here,” said Zack.
“Jules and his men might be willing to help with DIA,” said Laura.
“Are we taking the highway?” asked Zachary. “Last I heard the area was overrun.”
“It is,” said Arthur. “If we try to plow through there with a caravan, we’re going to attract a lot of unwanted attention.”
“I thought everything south of Denver was fairly quiet,” said Laura.
“It is , until you get near the Springs,” said Arthur. He’d made the trip down to The Department several times, although never with more than a couple vehicles. “And there aren’t many alternate routes through there. You could go through the Garden of the Gods, but that’s a pretty well-known raider den, and to the east you’re going to be plowing through no-man’s land. It’s fine if you’ve got a vehicle built for it, but the caravan’s not going to make it that way.”
“So we’ll have to plow through,” said Laura. “We’ve got too many people here
“I trust you, Clyde,” said Laura. “We’re going to evacuate soon. Do what you can.”
Laura’s coldness was startling.
“Is Aunt Annie dead?” asked David.
“No,” said Arthur. “Stay here, I’m going to go check on her.” He headed over to where Laura was standing, behind the pew where Annie was laid out.
“What are you talking about?” Clyde asked Laura, his furious tone tamed by her decision to evacuate.
“The fire is in the town now,” said Laura. “It’s only a matter of time before it gets here.”
“We can’t move all these wounded,” said Clyde. “We can’t move Annie like this.”
“We don’t have a choice.” Laura’s hardened demeanor broke for a second, and the pain she masked was revealed as a sob slipped between her words. She clenched her jaw and breathed deep, her eyes rimmed with tears. “We have to save these people.”
“Laura.” Clyde abandoned his combative tone as he continued to work on Annie. “I’m sorry.”
“Save my baby girl, Clyde,” said Laura as she turned to leave. “I’m going to save the rest of us.” She walked past Zack, who looked as if he wanted to hold her, but she ignored him and headed for Billy. “I need you to start consolidating crews.”
“What?” asked Billy, still nursing his bloodied nose. He was understandably shocked by Laura’s sudden change of attitude. It was as if he were speaking to a completely different person.
“We’re going to abandon some of our trucks. I need you to find me three or four trucks to leave behind and then siphon the gas out of them. You can start with Dante’s.” It was a cold decision as their old friend’s body still lay, not quite cold, on the post outside.
“Why?” asked Billy.
“We’ve got to make a trip south.”
“What are you planning?” asked Arthur as he walked with Zack to stand beside Laura and Billy at the entrance.
“We can’t go to any of our regular camps, so we’re going to have to head to The Department and ask for their help.”
“Wait a minute,” said Billy. “We’re not going to go to DIA? You want to just let these fuckers get away with this?” He motioned at the destruction outside.
“No,” said Laura. “And you’re going to fall in line with me.” No threat was necessary as she glared at her old rival. “We stand together, from this point forward. Understood?”
He nodded.
“Good.” Laura reached out to hold Billy’s hand with both of hers. “I need you, more than ever.” Then she looked at Zack and Arthur. “I need all of you. I can’t do this without you.”
“I’ll do whatev er you need, babe,” said Zack.
“We need to get everyone to safety, and The Department’s the only place I can think of to take them,” said Laura.
“If they had tabs on us,” said Billy, “then they probably know about Jules too. The Department might not be as safe as we think.”
“It’s got to be a hell of a lo t safer than here,” said Zack.
“Jules and his men might be willing to help with DIA,” said Laura.
“Are we taking the highway?” asked Zachary. “Last I heard the area was overrun.”
“It is,” said Arthur. “If we try to plow through there with a caravan, we’re going to attract a lot of unwanted attention.”
“I thought everything south of Denver was fairly quiet,” said Laura.
“It is , until you get near the Springs,” said Arthur. He’d made the trip down to The Department several times, although never with more than a couple vehicles. “And there aren’t many alternate routes through there. You could go through the Garden of the Gods, but that’s a pretty well-known raider den, and to the east you’re going to be plowing through no-man’s land. It’s fine if you’ve got a vehicle built for it, but the caravan’s not going to make it that way.”
“So we’ll have to plow through,” said Laura. “We’ve got too many people here
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