“You.” Clyde pointed at him. “You hunter.”
“I’m the leader, Clyde. I’m the alpha. The boss. I’m the one who tells the soldiers what to do.” Simon sighed and stared back toward the store. “We need more.”
He pointed out towards the rest of the city. “Are there more? More Quee?”
Clyde looked to the others and shook his head. “Maybe.”
The others murmured amongst themselves then decided that there weren’t. Simon leaned on the body of a dead car, rubbing at his temples. “You mean to tell me that out of this entire city, it’s just us? Less than sixty Quee?”
“No food,” one of the newcomers stated, his eyes narrowing as his guts began to twist. “Many die.”
Simon cleared his throat and rubbed at his neck. He glanced for the bottle of brown liquor that he always kept close and was shocked that he had no idea where it was left. He swallowed hard and grimaced at the rawness of his throat.
He nodded slowly and glanced to the east, the first licks of sunlight beginning to lighten the early morning sky. “Okay. Let’s everybody hunker down for the night.” He cleared his throat again and pressed a palm to his temple as the headache threatened to return. “We’ll pick this up after we’ve all had some sleep.”
He motioned them back towards the store.
“And remember, find one area to shit in so we aren’t stepping in it all night,” he muttered as he pulled the glass doors shut. “Fucking people act like they were raised in a barn.”
Chapter 12
Hatcher stood by the gates, his eyes squinting in the early afternoon sun. He heard the engine just a moment before his eyes picked up the dust plume rising into the air. “Has anybody radioed that they’re returning?”
The gate guard shook his head. “Not yet, boss.”
Hatcher stepped to the chainlink and tossed open the gate, his hand hovering over the holster strapped to his hip. He continued to stare towards the dust plume and visibly relaxed when he saw the red truck come into view. “It’s Hank and Wally.”
He stepped out and waited by the side of the road as the pair pulled up and gave him a dissatisfied shake of the head. “Every place we could think of to look was picked clean already.”
“You should have radioed ahead.” Hatcher’s eyes narrowed on the pair.
Wally held the radio up. “The battery went dead shortly after we left.”
Hatcher rolled his eyes. “We need to find a more reliable way to communicate.”
Hank grinned as he slammed the door of the truck. “Smoke signals?”
“You’re not funny.” Hatcher tossed the radio back to Wally. “Next outing I want you boys to raid an electronics store. Or maybe a hunting or sporting goods place. Find us some two-ways that are more…” His voice trailed off as the sound of another engine caught his attention.
The gate guard turned and shook his head. “They didn’t radio in either.”
Hatcher stepped to the rear of the truck and watched as a small crossover SUV slowed its approach. He recognized the two men in the car but couldn’t recall their names. The car pulled to a stop behind the truck and the two men stepped out, broad smiles across their faces. “We did good.”
“Why didn’t you radio in?” Hatcher stepped closer to the car and watched as the two men looked at each other.
“I thought those were just in case of trouble.” He gave Hatcher an apologetic look. “It won’t happen again.”
“But I think we got what you need.” The taller man opened the rear hatch of the car and pulled out a box. “This one is stuffed with all kinds of meds.”
“We got another box with random drugs, too.” He pulled the tote closer and lifted a handful of small packages. “Heart meds, blood pressure…you name it.”
Hatcher breathed a sigh of relief and waved the men on. “Get it to the infirmary. Vicky will be happy to see it.”
“Hatcher?” Roger hung his head out of the main doors. “You need to hear this.”
Hatcher pointed to Hank and Wally. “Make sure the vehicles are secured.” He turned toward the main doors and walked back into the cool interior. “What’s up?”
Roger gave him a look he couldn’t identify. “You have to hear it for yourself.” He waved Hatcher down the hall and to the closet that had been cleared out for the radio. “Mike hollered at me as soon as he stumbled on it.”
Hatcher laid a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Should you be out of bed?”
He nodded gently then handed him the headphones. “Doc’s orders. I need to move around some, so I thought I’d play with the radio.” He grinned at him. “You gotta hear this.”
Hatcher slipped the headphones on while Candy and Roger watched him excitedly.
“…What is left of the United States Government is safely anchored approximately twenty miles offshore on a flotilla of Naval vessels.
“The CDC is still working tirelessly to bring the infection to an end. With the assistance of researchers from across the globe, a working treatment has been created that will combat the Encephalitic Rage Virus. Early tests have proven promising and the treatment for ERV is currently being released into the atmosphere.
“Because the treatment was created to be airborne, both the infected and the uninfected will be exposed. Do not be alarmed if you suffer from fever, sore throat, congestion, or nausea. The treatment will need to run its course, therefore, it is imperative that those exposed do not attempt to combat the symptoms with prescription medications. Over the counter analgesics are authorized to alleviate symptoms, however, the antibodies necessary to combat the virus must be allowed to build up in order to ensure proper inoculation.
“Be advised that the infected will still be a danger until the treatment has run its course. Expect those people to begin showing signs of improvement within days and prepare to assist those who transition back to a more normal state as they may be frightened, confused and in need of basic services.
“For those
