Charles hung his head and nodded. “I’ll…uh, look again and see if I can target a more effective strand of the viral DNA to replace.” He stood taller and squared his shoulders. “I still think it’s our best bet at a cure.”
She patted his arm. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”
She watched him turn and begin stripping the protective layers from his body, then exit the ward. She almost felt sorry for him as he walked dejectedly into the next room to take his seat at his workstation.
She picked up her mask and a fresh set of gloves. “Back to the grindstone.”
“I can explain!” Henry held his hands up, hoping to stave off the verbal attack he knew was coming.
Candy’s eyes were wide as she stormed toward the truck. “What in the seven layers of Hell were you two thinking?” She stopped short of swinging at the pair. “I thought you were pulling the truck back out to the yards, and then I have to find out from one of the roof guards you came back for a second run?” Her eyes were filled with enough crazy for a dozen Zulus.
“It was my fault,” Henry groaned.
“Yeah, it was. Totally his fault,” Wally added, taking a half-step back. “I told him not to, but no, he wouldn’t hear of it, and when I—” He stopped short when he saw the anger in her face and the betrayal in Henry’s. “Well, I did tell you it wasn’t a good idea.”
“Henry Willis, we have enough from the first run to keep us running for at least a year, and possible two if we stay smart about it.” She shook her head. “What were you thinking?”
Henry inhaled deeply and glared at Wally. “I was thinking, that if there really were marauders out there, and if they happen upon this place…with what we left here, they could set up shop and never leave.”
Candy shrugged. “So?”
“So?” Henry appeared exasperated. “So? Really? You want them camped out right under our noses? I would think that the more of this we could get locked up behind our doors and unavailable to a raiding faction, the better for us.”
She shook her head and pointed to the setting sun. “Do you not see how late it is?”
“Yes, and we would have been on our way back had you not rolled up here like cops trying to catch the doughnut shop before it closed.”
“You’re not funny.” Candy bristled at his cop joke. Everyone knew she used to be a deputy sheriff before Hatcher moved her to New Mexico with a small handful of survivors from the initial attack. She turned and pointed to Wally. “And you!”
“Me?” Wally shook his head as he slowly backed away from her. “What did I do?”
“You should have known better. How could you let him talk you into such a hair-brained idea?”
Wally opened his mouth, then promptly closed it. He shook his head. “Candy, you know what Hank is like when he’s got an idea in his head.”
She ground her teeth and stomped her foot. “You two get this damned truck back to the warehouse before the sun sets, or so help me, you’ll be sleeping in it!”
“Yes, ma’am.” Wally groaned. He shot Henry a withering look. “Load up.”
“Thanks for the support there, buddy.”
“We’re both in trouble because you can’t take no for an answer,” Wally mumbled as he turned and made his way to the cab.
Candy muttered to herself all the way back to the car and nearly pushed her driver back into position. “Get us out of here before the damned sun sets.”
As she began climbing into the vehicle, she could hear the first screams of the Zulus scattered across the town. She ground her teeth again, then slammed her door shut.
The little car pulled in front and made for the main road, the large truck lumbering slowly behind her. The car pulled onto the main road and began its zig-zag across town, the idea being that if the Zulus could sniff them out, they’d have to cover a lot more territory before finding them.
Candy continually watched the sun as it quickly faded from view and slipped behind the horizon. She feared being caught outside their gated community after dark. The Zulus were exponentially more active in the dark, and without night vision, they were nearly impossible to track.
She slapped at the dash board. “Hurry up.” She glanced out her side window and could almost swear that she saw Zulus darting from yard to yard trying to keep up with them.
“The truck is falling behind.”
“That’s their problem. Serves them right for…oh, shit!” She pointed ahead of them where three Zulus appeared in the middle of the street.
The driver slammed on the brakes and Candy nearly shrieked when the trio began running toward the car. “Back up! Back up! Do it now!” She pulled her pistol and leaned out of the passenger window.
The driver was trying to accelerate in reverse as the truck bore down on them. Candy began firing at the trio when the driver suddenly swerved, allowing the big truck to pass them on the left.
“Where the hell are they…,” Candy’s voice trailed off as she watched pieces of the Zulus explode from the front bumper and grill of the five-ton truck. “Follow them!”
The driver threw the transmission into DRIVE and floored the accelerator. The little car quickly caught up with the truck and occasionally bounced as pieces of the attacking Zulu appeared from under the truck.
“Jeezus, they’re everywhere!” the driver exclaimed as he swerved the compact car from one lane to the next trying to avoid body parts.
“Just stay on their bumper!” Candy pulled the radio from her belt. “Gate, this is Candy! Come in!”
“Go for gate guard.” The static filled reply was barely audible over the roar of the little engine and the scraping from beneath the car.
“Have a team ready at the gates! Hank and Wally
