Saul closed his eyes for a brief moment, and his expression smoothed out. He stepped back, arms hanging loosely by his side. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
It took Dylan a minute longer to gain control of her anger, but finally, she said, “I’m sorry as well. I don’t know what came over me.”
Tara placed both hands on her hips, her voice stern when she spoke. “Listen up, you two. The fighting stops here and now. No more sarcasm, sniping, or rude remarks. Saul, I get that you feel the need to protect us, but we also need to learn how to protect ourselves. Instead of trying to do everything for us, rather teach us. Deal?”
Saul nodded. “Deal.”
“Dylan, I know you don’t believe in this mission, and you don’t want to be here. But tell me something. Isn’t it better to take a shot at something important, than do nothing at all?”
Dylan sighed. “It’s better to take a shot at it.”
“That’s right, and while you’re at it, get rid of that chip on your shoulder. Listen to Saul. he knows more than you do, and you might learn a thing or two.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll try to relax.”
“As for me, get me to Fort Detrick so I can do my damn job. You might think it’s a long shot, but the cure that’s flowing through your veins was my invention. If it wasn’t for me, you might be the one lying over there with a bullet between your eyes.”
Dylan raised both hands in a gesture of defeat. “Fine, you’ve got me there. I’m sorry I was such a bitch. It’s just tough leaving Alex and Amy behind, and even harder to deal with these mood swings. Sometimes, I don’t even feel like myself anymore.”
Tara’s shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry about that. I wish the cure could’ve done more for you, but it’s not foolproof. What I can do is try to save what’s left of humanity. It’s too late for that little boy over there, but I could help dozens more.”
Dylan looked in the direction of the zombie child, and her heart shattered into a thousand pieces. “I’ll help you. I swear it.”
“Thank you,” Tara said with a faint smile. “Can we stop being enemies now and start acting like a team?”
“I can do that,” Dylan said. “As long as you’ve got my back, I’ve got yours.”
“I’m in,” Saul said, picking up the jerry cans once more. “Dylan, can you stand guard while Tara and I fill these?”
“Sure thing,” Dylan said with a grin, twirling her spear with a deft twist of the hands. “I’ll make sure nothing creeps up on you.”
Ten minutes later, they were back on the road, and for the first time, Dylan felt glad to be there.
Chapter 15 - Tara
With their issues out in the open and dealt with, the atmosphere inside the Humvee improved. Tara found herself able to relax for the first time that day, and she even looked forward to the rest of the trip in Saul and Dylan’s company.
That thought didn’t last very long.
Saul navigated the first roadblock into Charleston with ease. He maneuvered the army vehicle around it without any problems. It was built for off-roading, after all, and its superior suspension and big wheels made short work of the obstacles in their way.
The next barrier wasn’t so easy to pass.
Not long after they got back onto the road, they reached a bridge, and their real troubles began. The lanes in and out were filled with cars standing bumper to bumper, and there was no way around it.
“What now?” Tara asked as her anxiety meter shot through the roof.
Saul studied the bridge through narrowed eyes. “We can’t move so many cars, and we can’t bypass it. We need to cross this bridge.”
“So, what do we do?”
“We go through it. Hold on to your seatbelts,” Saul said, jamming his foot onto the gas.
“What?” Tara managed to squeak before they hit the first cars.
The Humvee rammed into the gap between the two vehicles and pushed them aside. Metal scraped on metal, and Tara winced at the high-pitched sound. It sounded like nails dragging across a chalkboard, and she quickly covered her ears.
Saul never let up, barging through the middle like a bull through a china shop. Windows were smashed, doors buckled, bodywork crushed, and lights broken. Tara even looked up in time to see a pink scooter disappear beneath them. At one point, the Humvee’s front tire lifted and rode over the hood of a Mini Cooper, leaving behind a mangled wreck.
Many of the vehicles held trapped infected, and Tara tried to ignore their snarling faces as they drove past. A few more wandered around between the cars and attacked them the moment they had the chance. These fell victim to the wheels, and black blood sprayed onto the windshield.
“Ugh, that’s disgusting,” Tara said as she held on for dear life.
Dylan likewise clung to her seat, muttering, “Fucking zombies,” over and over again. At last, they reached the end of the bridge, and Saul slowed to a stop.
“Is it over?” Tara asked, twisting around in her seat to survey the damage behind them. A path of destruction filled with corpses, broken glass, and crumpled metal filled the bridge.
“Not yet. We still have to go through Charleston,” Saul replied with a grim look.
“Can’t you stick to the outskirts as you did with the other places?” Dylan asked.
“No, not this time. We’re in for it now. I want everyone to stay alert and keep an eye out for zombies and troublemakers.”
“Alright,” Tara replied, not looking forward to what they might find in the city center.
“Got it,” Dylan said, sinking back into her seat.
Saul took the plunge, and they headed deeper into Charleston. It wasn’t long before they hit another barrier, this one the remnants of a police barricade. The Humvee was able to push
