She rubbed the back of her neck and eyed Broussard cautiously. “We need to keep an eye on him.”
“Agreed.”
Carol took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, puffing her mask as she exhaled. “I’ll take the first watch.”
“Record everything, no matter how trivial.” Broussard pointed at the door. “Nobody else in or out but we two until we know that he is no longer a risk to others.”
“Understood.” Carol suddenly stood straighter and squared her shoulders. “Watch his door while I gather my stuff.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get him some fluids and anti-inflammatories…and something to record my notes in.”
Broussard watched her walk away and lowered his eyes to the deck. “God forgive us.”
Simon whooped as he continually raised and lowered the blade of the bulldozer, using it to act as a shield from any incoming bullets. He glanced to his side and pumped his fist in the air.
Shooter grinned back at him then raised his own blade, lowered it slightly to ensure that he was headed in the right direction, then quickly raised it back.
Sinner struggled with the controls and found his blade jerking as he tried to raise it higher. “This is bullshit!”
Simon pushed the door to his cab open and held it propped with his foot. “Keep fucking with it, man!” He screamed above the constant clatter of the diesel engines. “You’ll figure it out!” He laughed as he fell back into his seat and let the cab door shut.
“We shoulda hit them from the other side. They’d never see us coming,” Sinner argued as his machine shook and bounced across the rough terrain. He ducked instinctively as the first rounds bounced off of the metal frame of the cab. “Son of a bitch!” He tugged at the lever to raise the blade and the machine jerked to the right, causing him to bump his wounded shoulder.
Simon motioned to Shooter and he branched away from the other two machines, drawing weapons fire as he lumbered across the open field. He twisted the knob, increasing fuel to the engine and released the idler pedal. Black smoke chugged from the machine as it increased speed, its metal tracks clicking across the hardpan.
Simon lowered his blade slightly to get his bearings then raised it again. “Almost there…almost there.” He glanced to his right and saw Shooter straightening his machine to come at the group from the other side. To his left, Sinner stayed on a parallel course.
Simon inched the blade down again then nodded. “Now.” He stomped on the idler pedal and his machine slowed to a stop. He twisted the throttle back then twisted the key off.
He pushed the cab door open and held it with his foot. He lifted the bullhorn to his mouth and leaned out the open doorway. “You fuckers got one chance!” the bullhorn squawked as he yelled into it.
A quick glance to the right indicated that Shooter had stopped and was waiting for Simon’s next move. To his left, Sinner had just halted his machine, too, but was having trouble with his blade. Simon waited until the diesel engine died then he held the bullhorn up again.
“As I was saying. You fuckers got one chance! Surrender and we’ll only kill whoever is in charge.” He chuckled to himself…he intended to kill a hell of a lot more people than that. “You are squatting on MY property. You’ve been eating MY food and you’re holding MY women.” He ground his teeth as the anger got his blood pressure rising. “I want it all back.”
He lowered the bullhorn and listened for a response.
The bullet that ricocheted off of the track of his bulldozer was the answer he expected. He grinned and looked to Shooter. “Let’s do this!” He turned to Sinner and gave him the “go” sign.
“Fine!” He yelled into the bullhorn. “You’re ALL gonna be human pancakes!” He twisted the key again and smiled when the diesel engine belched to life once more.
Trevor welded the tubing to the strip of thin metal as best as he could. He snapped off the acetylene torch and leaned back to admire his work. “Not the prettiest job I’ve ever done, but I think this will actually hold.” He scrubbed at the seams with a wire brush then set the window guard to the side to cool.
“I don’t suppose you know what spray paint looks like, do ya?” He chuckled to himself. “I realize this is the end of the world and all, but we don’t want our primary security system to rust and fall apart.”
He turned and looked around the shop for Patricia. “Baby girl?” He carefully set the torch on the steel welding table and stepped to the side, looking down the length of the RV for her.
Trevor pulled his gloves off and laid them on the edge. “Patricia?” For a moment he prayed that she hadn’t soiled herself or worse, took off chasing a rabbit or some other critter, looking for a quick snack.
He peered out of the open shop door and listened for signs of movement. Maybe she’s taking a nap?
He pushed open the door of the RV and peered inside. “Patty?” No sign of her.
He felt his hands begin to tremble, the fear of losing her more than his mind was ready to deal with. He stepped down from the RV and fought the urge to scream her name.
A tinkling of metal falling to the concrete floor caught his attention and he spun, peering into the shadows along the edge of the shop. “Patricia?”
He stepped out of the natural light and into the shadows. It took a moment for his eyes to focus in the darker areas but he saw her…crouching in the corner under a workbench, her eyes wide and frightened.
Trevor froze in place and stared at her. She seemed frozen as well, her eyes peering toward the open shop door. Trevor turned slowly and thought he caught a glimpse of something moving fast in the shadows
