Read Online ocalypse (Book 10): Drawl (Duncan's Story) by Shawn Chesser - Free Book Online Page A

a
different city with a different kind of mayhem playing out in each.
    Recognition flared behind those blue eyes and she hollered
“Taxi!” and craned around wildly, arching her back and letting her gaze fall on
each party seated at the nearby tables and then the booths ringing the room’s
open dining area. Seeing no acknowledging looks or gestures, she swung back
around Nate’s way, arched a dark eyebrow and shrugged—universal semaphore for I
tried .
    Shaking his head and with a touch of embarrassment, Nate
covered the company logo embroidered in red on his shirt. Hand over his heart
as if he was about to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, he mouthed, “I’m off
duty.” Hell , he thought to himself as he jabbed a finger at the back of
Charlie’s head, looks like all of us are now .
    Lips pursed into a thin white line, the blonde nodded and,
elbowing Charlie to get his attention, hooked a thumb over her shoulder at the
new arrival.
    Wincing from the razor-sharp bone catching him perfectly
between the fourth and fifth ribs, Charlie turned toward the waitress for a
brief second. Seeing her dainty thumb slicing the air back and forth on a
horizontal plane, he swiveled his head back around and saw the cab driver. He
motioned the big man over, saying, “What are you having, Nate?”
    Nate nodded then zippered his way through the throng
standing two deep in front of the bar and leaned in toward Charlie. “Do you
still require my services?” he asked.
    “Seeing as how my friend has come and gone … yes. But not
until after I buy you a drink.”
    What the hell , Nate thought, the cool air acting as
seductress. Seeing no reason to mention what the dispatcher had just told him
over the radio in the car, he made a show of muting his phone. “I’m officially
off duty, then,” he said with a wan smile. And with only eight hours left on
a lucrative ten-hour shift .
    Charlie smiled big. “What are you having, then?”
    “Single malt, neat.”
    Charlie recoiled visibly at that. He said, “You got it,” and
ordered a Johnny Walker for his new friend, and a shot of Old Crow with a bottle
of Budweiser for himself. As he waited for Chad to pour the drinks, his eyes
wandered back to the action unfolding on Fox News. “Can you believe this shit?”
he said. “They’re grounding all flights in five cities.”
    “What … the Chinese flu they’ve been talking about?” Nate
asked.
    “They’re not saying. It could just as well be they’re
picking up extra terrorist chatter. But they haven’t announced a change in the
threat level. As if anyone can understand that color-coded BS as it is.” He
laughed and corralled the drinks from the bar, handing Nate his first.
    “Running a tab?” asked the bartender.
    Charlie nodded.
    The muscled rock and roller leaned in. He cupped his hands,
put them near his mouth and whispered, “Hell, if that’s the case … I’ll have
another.”
    “Can’t afford your own beer?” Charlie said.
    “I can,” said the stranger. “Thought I’d try to piggyback on
your tab anyway … seeing as how I just spent a wad across the street buying
ammo and supplies. I figure my best bet on getting through this thing unscathed
is riding it out at home.” He smiled unashamedly and slapped a twenty on the bar.
“One more for the road, Chad.”
    For a moment Nate thought about letting the parking attendant
and the other guy in on what the dispatcher had told him moments ago. Tell them
that he was probably staring down a couple of forced days off while the secret travel
quarantine was in place. After briefly contemplating the prospect that sharing the
inside information might change his fare’s mood and curtail the flow of
libations, he decided to keep it to himself.
    “Cheers,” said Charlie, hoisting his shot glass.
    “Cheers,” answered Nate, moving his drink to meet the toast.
    There was a tink of glasses meeting just as the overhead
lights flickered and the bank of lottery machines left of