“I hear you, but it’s easier said than done,” Nick said. “Especially now.”
“Why now?” Saul asked with a frown.
“As you know, we’ve been in contact with a couple of survivor settlements via our radio system,” Nick said.
Saul nodded. “Yes, that’s right. There has even been talk of setting up possible trade routes.”
“I didn’t know that, but it would go a long way toward helping us all become self-sufficient,” Alex said. “We might even be able to start rebuilding and taking back the country from the undead.”
“My thoughts exactly, which is why we reached out to anyone willing to talk back. Thus far, the results have been encouraging. There are more people out there than I thought possible,” Nick said. “We’ve always been in contact with Mount Weather, but these other settlements are a welcome addition.”
“Mount Weather?” Alex exclaimed. “They’re still up and running?”
“Very much so,” Nick said. “But they’re not what I’m worried about at the moment. Several of the survivor groups to the south have gone dark. They’re not responding to our hails at all.”
“Dark as in off-line, or dark as in they’re gone?” Alex asked.
“We have no idea, and there is no way to tell unless we go there,” Nick said.
“That’s a risky prospect,” Saul said. “If they’ve met with disaster, we could easily run into the same danger.”
“How big are these communities?” Alex asked.
“That’s the thing. We’re not talking about a handful of people here,” Nick said. “Many of these communities are hundreds if not thousands, strong.”
“I doubt it’s simply a communication problem,” Saul mused. “One or two places going off-line I could understand, but all of them? That’s too much of a coincidence.”
“You’re right. Something else is going on,” Nick said.
“What would it take to wipe out so many?” Alex said. “An army of bad guys? A horde of zombies?”
“It could even be a disease,” Saul suggested. “An outbreak of cholera or something similar. We’re exposed to all sorts of pathogens daily, and we don’t have the defenses we used to. That’s what Tara keeps telling me anyway.”
“It could be either one of those options, and none fill me with joy,” Nick said. “We have to find out what’s going on before we fall victim to the same thing.”
“I agree. No matter the risk, we must know what we’re dealing with,” Saul said.
“So, what do we do?” Alex asked.
“I propose we send out two scouting teams. They’d have to be able to travel light and fast. Under no circumstances are they to engage with an enemy or get bogged down. This is strictly for reconnaissance purposes.”
“Basically, get in and get out,” Saul said. “It sounds good to me.”
“I’d like you to lead one of the parties, Saul, while I lead the other,” Nick said.
“I’m more than willing, but are you sure you should risk yourself? You’re our leader,” Saul said.
“I’m going. Besides, Keith Parker can take over in my absence. It’s the reason I promoted him, after all, and he’s a good man,” Nick said.
“A good man, but not very well-liked,” Saul said.
“People don’t have to like him. They just have to listen to him while I’m gone,” Nick said. “My mind is made up. I need to see this for myself. That many people can’t disappear without a trace.”
Saul shrugged. “It’s your funeral, but Dylan’s not gonna like it.”
“She won’t complain if I let her come with me,” Nick said.
Saul grinned. “Clever man. Let’s hope it doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass.”
“What about me?” Alex asked. “What can I do?”
“You can help by getting two trucks ready for the trip. One vehicle per group carrying four people each, three days worth of supplies, and a tank of spare fuel,” Nick said. “Remember, we want fast and light, but sturdy.”
“How much time have I got?” Alex asked.
“We’re leaving tomorrow morning,” Nick said.
“You can’t be serious,” Alex said. “You’re giving me half a day to get everything ready?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got no choice. The sooner we find out what’s going on down south, the better,” Nick said. “I’ll tell Mandy to send over the rations, and Mac can supply the guns and ammo. Other than that, recruit all the help you need. It’s the best deal I can offer you.”
“Fine,” Alex grumbled. “So much for going on a date tonight,”
“Date? Who’s the lucky girl?” Nick asked.
“Was the lucky girl,” Alex corrected before adding, “It’s Amanda from the hospital.”
“I remember her,” Nick said. “She took out one of Grissom’s men.”
“That’s right.”
Nick clapped Alex on the shoulder. “Congratulations. She’s one of the good ones. A real fighter.”
“That she is,” Alex replied. “Whatever happened to Grissom, by the way? And the ex-cons who decided to join us after King’s defeat?”
“Grissom saw the light and swung over to our side,” Nick said. “That doesn’t mean I trust him, however. I’ve placed him with a maintenance group for the time being.”
Alex grunted. “That’s too good for the jackal, in my opinion.”
Nick sighed. “I can’t afford to lose any more resources, Alex. That’s the truth. As for the ex-cons, they’ve been allocated to jobs that best suit them and are under twenty-four-hour surveillance.”
“Well, Grissom had better stay the hell out of my way,” Alex said with a frown. “I won’t forget that he helped King and Perez kidnap Tara and Amy. The cons too.”
“I hear you, but we need all the firepower we can get if we hope to survive the coming months. At least King and Perez got their just dues,” Nick said.
Saul’s mind flashed back to the attack, and he remembered King’s grizzly end with deep satisfaction. Not long after that, he’d found Perez’s corpse as well, a neat bullet hole leaking blood from between the man’s eyes. They deserved it, both of them.
After Tara returned, he’d gone back to King’s base, and this time, he wiped it off the map. There wasn’t enough left to shelter a squirrel, let alone a man. They retrieved the bodies
