"You're pretty smart," Bunny admitted.
He smiled. "Thank you, ma'am. Best in my class. Which is saying something for a jarhead, I know."
She laughed. "Okay, so we need to turn and head for Midway then?"
Tanner shook his head. "With a car, we stand a chance of getting through to the Park. Well, a better chance anyway. But first, we need to head back east, and to the south, about 20 or so blocks from here."
"Private, I've been busting ass for four days now to get to the Park, and you want me to go backwards?" she asked him.
He pointed at her dashboard. "Unless you think you can get to the Park on a quarter tank of gas, yes ma'am, I do."
She looked down, sighed, and nodded. "Where am I going?"
"There's a gas station back there, pretty deserted. If you don't take a direct route, we should be able to avoid too many of the dead. After that, we can try making a run to the Park," Tanner told her.
Bunny nodded. "Gas it is, then, Private. Welcome to the fun train."
"Happy to be here, ma'am," Tanner said with a bright, and annoyingly optimistic, smile.
Chapter Thirteen
AS TANNER HAD PROMISED, the gas station was deserted, no sign of the dead anywhere around. Following the circuitous route he’d given her, Bunny found they’d lost more time than she cared for, and it was nearing noon when she pulled the car in.
Despite the young soldier's promises, she still gave a long look around, cradling the assault rifle carefully as the others exited the car, stretching and generally poking around. Tanner joined her after a moment, seeming more than a little smug.
"Told you this was a quiet neighborhood," he said.
"Can never be too careful," she replied.
He nodded. "That is most certainly true."
"You sure it's safe?" Lucy asked him, looking more than a little uncertain.
"I spent the night here before I ran into you guys," he answered with a shrug. "Never saw or heard anything."
"I'm using the bathroom then," she told him.
"Be careful," Bunny called after her, getting a wave in return.
"Think I'll do the same," Jerry said, moving to follow Lucy.
"I don't like that guy," Bunny said as he disappeared around the corner.
"Nobody does," Tanner assured her. "He's a dick, that's why."
She shook her head. "No, there's something else. Not sure what. He's just off a bit."
Tanner shrugged. "We'll keep an eye on him. In the meantime, Sarge, would you mind gassing us up?"
York arched an eyebrow. "Do I look like your servant?"
Tanner blew him a kiss. "Bit late for that attitude, don't you think?"
"Yeah, yeah." York chuckled as he set about filling up the Camaro's tank. "Just don't get too comfortable giving me orders, kiddo."
"Wouldn't dream of it, sir," Tanner assured him.
"How long has it been since you hooked up with these guys?" Bunny asked him.
"Couple days," Tanner told her with a shrug. "I dropped in the night the shit hit but didn't roll out into the streets till the next day. My unit got deployed to secure a section of city blocks not far from here, but we were overrun by nightfall. I was the only one to make it out."
"Damn," Bunny said softly as she looked around, wary of movement.
"I spent that first night here and never saw anyone or anything. The whole area is sparse in population terms, though, so not a big surprise. I tried making my way back to base, but the closer I got, the thicker the dead were. By day two, I ran into the Sarge and his wife," Tanner continued.
"When we pulled you out of a mob," York added.
Tanner smiled over his shoulder at him. "When they pulled me out of a mob, yes. We teamed up and moved on, then found Jerry about to be a snack pack and rescued him last night. Now, we found you."
"Lucky for me you did, too," Bunny said.
Tanner shrugged. "Lucky for all of us. We weren't doing so well on foot."
"Plenty of abandoned cars around," Bunny pointed out.
Tanner nodded. "Most of them aren't in very good shape, though. A lot of accidents the night it started, and those you can drive are full of blood or worse. We needed a clean car, one that doesn't have their blood all over it."
"Can you turn by touching it? Their blood, I mean?" Bunny asked.
Tanner shook his head. "Not that I know of, but I wasn't taking any chances with the civvies. My orders were clear. Rescue and return to base all civilians you find. It was the last orders I got, and I mean to fill them."
"So, you've not heard anything new since you got separated?" Bunny had a sudden bright idea.
"No, but I lost my radio. It was on my jacket and I kind of had to leave that behind." Tanner laughed. "Well, I didn't have to, but they had hold of it, so it was better that I did."
She smiled at him. "I might be able to help with that," she said as she walked to the car and pulled the duffel bag out, setting it on the hood.
Opening it, she pulled out the radio she'd acquired, holding it up to Tanner's dumbstruck face. "This be useful?"
"Goddamn, woman, you’re my hero," he said, drawing another chuckle from York. "And spare magazines, too! Holy hell, I was getting worried about how low on bullets I was running. You are the shit now, ma'am."
"Two things," Bunny said as she snagged the magazine he was reaching for. "Don't call me ma'am."
Tanner laughed. "Okay and the second thing?"
She held up the radio, wiggled it at him then dropped it in his hand. "Please show
