that fucker got in.”
When Nancy showed him where to turn off the road and onto scrubland, Luke saw immediately what she meant. He whistled a low breath, turned the steering wheel, and cast Jackson a quick look. She nodded, seemingly as impressed as he.
The survivors had inherited a fortress. Literally. The ground all around was cleared bare, leaving not a single place for a waking dead to hide. In the distance, a wall at least eight feet high extended for a good distance before curving in on itself, no doubt completing a circle. The wall boasted sentry towers every couple of hundred yards and they were clearly manned.
“You added the towers?” Jackson asked.
“We had the materials,” Nancy replied. “They were just there and so we got to work. Like I said, the original residents saw what was happening across the rest of the world and knew we had to do something. We were luckier than you guys, though. The heat makes them slow. It has to do with their increased metabolisms and ability to sweat or something. Sebastian understands it better. He’s our resident zombie expert. Basically the same thing that makes them hungry makes them struggle in the higher temperatures.” She shrugged. “Those that turned headed straight for the shade. Bunkered down under houses and stuff, waiting till nighttime when the temperature dropped before attacking. Except we turned the tables and flushed them out.”
“There were so many though,” Jackson said. “So many.”
Luke reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze, ignoring the fact that his own was far from steady. He felt oddly shaky. He’d thought the end was nigh, so no fucking wonder. The fact that they were alive was nothing short of a miracle and he had to take a deep breath to get a hold of himself.
“Like fucking rats,” Jackson continued, her voice hardening. “The bastards.”
He gave one last squeeze. No one, least of all Jackson, liked to remember those early days. Thousands of zombies chasing anything still alive. It was the stuff of nightmares and everyone in their convoy had lived those nightmares. Many times over.
“That there were,” Nancy agreed. “Thousands and thousands. They ate plenty, believe me, despite the heat. We were lucky we had this place. Lucky so many thought to come here.”
Luke leaned forward, slowing the car slightly to get a better view of the approaching building. “How many does it hold?”
“A good few hundred, though we’re hitting capacity. We have to save a fair bit of land for growing food and for the chickens.”
“You’re growing food?”
“Yep. We’re doing okay, though rations are tight. We have other farmland but it’s risky going out to cultivate it. The zombies have those places pinged now they’re getting smarter and they wait around hoping to get their hands on us, despite the heat. It’s better to stay inside the walls when possible.”
Luke eased off the gas as the cars in front slowed, waiting for the huge gate to open. It cranked apart bit by bit and as it did Luke saw groups of people milling around in the front courtyard.
“We’re expected,” he said.
Nancy leaned forward and showed them a walkie-talkie. “Mack would have called ahead.”
“Walkies huh? You have other technology working?”
“Yep. We got all sorts. We scavenged a whole load of solar panels a while back, and Miguel, one of the teens, is a whiz at hooking things up to them.”
“Radio?” Luke asked but Nancy shook her head.
“We’ve not been able to find one of those.”
They drove through the gate and Luke noticed Jackson shifting as all eyes hit them.
“This is unbelievable,” she whispered.
Luke almost laughed at the expression on her face, emotions churning inside him—the main one being absolute satisfaction that they’d made it. That they’d done as they planned, and now Jackson at last, was safe. The Madonna moment image of her holding Sammy again came to him and his almost laugh died. How close it had been.
“You thought this would be here,” he said softly. “It’s what you’ve been looking for. Hell, you had me believing it.”
She turned in her seat and their eyes met. The same feeling that had arced between them in the garage erupted again and Luke swallowed drily.
“No, not like this…”
“Well I’m glad you’re impressed,” Nancy said with a laugh, lightening the moment, and Luke turned from Jackson’s muffled words to look back at Nancy.
“Beyond impressed,” he said. “I never expected this. When Jack spoke about finding other survivors down south I thought a ragtag bunch at best. That we’d hook up with you and scratch out a living of some sort. But this? Nah, I never even dared imagine it.”
“We’re doing okay,” she said, the pride in her voice obvious. “The dead aren’t gonna take us down. Not if Sebastian has anything to do with.”
“Who is this Seb…?” Luke trailed off as he braked to a standstill behind the other cars. They were all lining up against the wall, each ready to move at a moment’s notice, and when he could move again he had to squeeze the Batmobile into a small space by the gate. The spot gave them a view of the entire courtyard and camp area.
The others started jumping out of vehicles, grabbing gear and stuff, but Luke simply remained in his seat wide-eyed. He looked from house to house, all laid out like some sort of little village, and then finally to the group of people hanging around the large carport. He couldn’t really believe what he was seeing, and it was only when he looked closely at the group did he realize exactly what he was having trouble trying to process. He felt Jackson give him a nudge and shook his head.
“I don’t believe it.”
She laid a hand on his arm. “What’s up?”
“How many did you say were here?” he asked Nancy, giving Jackson’s arm a rub back.
“A few hundred,” she replied. “Three hundred and seventeen if you want an exact head count. Nineteen now, I guess.”
Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him? Maybe he was imagining things, but he didn’t think so. “And how many came from up north like us?”
“I dunno, fifty maybe? We’ve had some come in bunches, some in pairs like you guys, and the odd lone survivor. Why?”
“That guy there,” Luke pointed to one of the cammoed guys helping to unload one of the cars. “I know him.”
“In a world of millions—now thousands,” Nancy said, “it’s unlikely that you’d know someone.”
“I’m positive.”
“I don’t know…”
“Come on.” He jumped out of their car, ignoring Nancy’s words, waited for Jackson to join him, and strode forward. The floor was packed mud and dry as a bone, the heat here was palpable, and the noise… The noise was what startled Luke the most. So many people laughing and joking. It almost felt normal. Like a bit of the old world was left. Which he guessed it was. Here in the heat of the south, in this conclave, part of humanity remained. Well, normal apart from the gun digging into his back.
“What’s going on?” Jackson asked.
“You remember the Lily zombie?”
She shivered. “That I do.”
“That guy there.” He pointed. “That’s her husband.”
Jackson gaped. “Are you serious?”
“Yep.”
“Oh my God. The odds…”
“Yeah what are the odds, huh?” They rounded one of the cars and when the guy came into view Luke knew he hadn’t been mistaken. “Pete?”
Pete turned and straightened, a wrench in his hand, shock stamped across his features.
