Niko told me to go get medical supplies.
He was going to finish caulking the roof of the bus.
When I came back with my four big tubs of antibiotics, pain medicine, bandages, Bactine, Benadryl, hydrogen peroxide, and the like, Astrid was there, helping Niko.
“Hey,” she said, with a nod of her head.
“Hey.”
She had on a pair of jeans, new sneakers, and a pink fleece.
I noticed she was still wearing my hat.
Niko had apparently sent her to get blankets and sleeping bags and now she had a big pile of them.
“Put two sleeping bags and two blankets under each seat, okay?” Niko asked her.
“Sure thing,” she said, and started bringing them on board.
“What’s next?” I asked.
He sent me to Home Improvement, for flashlights, battery-powered lanterns, and some assorted tools he thought we should have.
I came back and Astrid and Niko were sitting, resting against the side of the bus, discussing what else we needed.
“We have gas masks for each person. Food, water, first aid stuff. Do we have Benadryl?”
“All of it in the store,” I said.
He continued his list.
“Rope, matches, tarps, backpacks, oil, knives… We have two guns and some bullets…”
He rubbed his eyes.
“What about some money? Or some jewelry? Stuff to barter, maybe.”
“I’ll get it,” Astrid volunteered.
“Niko!” Josie came stumbling into our clearing.
Niko jumped up. “What? Oh God, what?”
“It’s Mr. Appleton. Not Brayden. Not Brayden. Brayden’s okay,” Josie said, tears streaming down her face.
She stumbled toward Niko and fell into his arms.
“Mr. Appleton’s dead,” she said.
Niko held her to him, encircling her dark shoulders and pulling her into his body.
She looked up at him and he looked at her and then they were kissing.
Astrid and I didn’t look at each other, but we each knew to walk away.
We left them alone, together.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
RECONNAISSANCE
Mr. Appleton’s still body lay on its air mattress halfway down the Automotive aisle. Josie must have tried to drag him away from Brayden, when she realized Mr. Appleton was dead. He looked waxen and fake in death. Like a model of his own self.
Jake was sitting there next to Brayden. Jake’s eyes were glazed over and he stared blankly ahead, rocking back and forth.
Luna was lying next to Jake. She raised her head at me and gave her stump of a tail four weary thumps.
“Hey, Jake, how are you doing?” I asked him.
“Bad,” he answered, waving the question away.
I put my hand on Brayden’s forehead. It was clammy.
His eyelids fluttered and he seemed to recognize me for a moment.
Astrid knelt down next to Brayden and tipped his head up a bit. She poured a little water into his mouth.
He sputtered, choking on it.
“If only we could get him to the hospital,” Astrid said.
“If only we knew if it was even open,” I said. “We just don’t have enough information.”
Suddenly I had an idea.
“Alex’s video walkie-talkies!” I said, standing up.
“What?” Jake said.
“I’ll be right back,” I told them. And I ran for Niko.
“Niko!” I shouted as I hurdled through the store.
I came into the clearing where Niko was with Josie. They jumped apart. As if it mattered that I saw them together!
“Alex’s video walkie-talkies!” I said, breathless. “Listen, Brayden’s got to get to the hospital. We don’t know if it’s open. I can put on the walkie-talkie and go to the hospital. That way you guys can see what’s going on out there. You can see if it’s safe.”
“What?” Niko said.
I explained it to him again as we hurried to the Train.
I wanted to wake Alex up and ask him if it was possible.
“I’ll wear the transmitter and you guys will be able to see what’s out there,” I said as we came to the Living Room. “I can even go to the highway and see if it’s clear.”
“But it’s not safe to go out!” Josie protested.
“What do we know?!” I nearly shouted. “Can we trust anything those guys told us? Robbie didn’t want us going out. He wanted to stay here. He could have said anything to keep us here. Maybe the hospital is open!”
I was raving a little. It was possible that exhaustion had pushed me over some kind of edge, but the idea seemed so smart.
“Reconnaissance!” I said.
Alex was awake now. And Sahalia was stirring.
“I’ll do reconnaissance! That’s what it’s called.”
I turned and addressed Alex.
“Would it work for me to take the walkie-talkies out and go to the hospital and see if it’s safe?”
“No,” came Jake’s voice. “It wouldn’t.”
I turned to stare at Jake.
“But it would work for
Niko shook his head, but Jake kept on talking.
“I know, I’ve been a screw-up. I got… messed up. But I’m fast. I’m in good shape and I’m type B. No blisters, no hallucinations, no rage.”
“I don’t think you can handle it,” Niko said. “I’m sorry. It’s too dangerous.”
“You gotta let me do something for Brayden. He’s my friend. He’s my best friend, and if he dies because I let Robbie get the gun…”
He looked at us.
“Please, let me go.”
Astrid had come over during this speech.
“I don’t understand this plan,” she interrupted. “Jake is going to go out?”
“Yeah, and you’ll be able to see what I’m seeing,” Jake answered.
“What if you’re attacked?” she asked.
“He could take a gun,” Niko said.
She hung her head, backing away. Jake rose and went to her.
