“You want to do this now?” Carol asked, failing at keeping her voice low.
He turned and gave her a stoic look. “No time like the present, n’est pas?”
“At least give us time to prepare the exam room,” Irene pleaded. “We have to set up the IV station, locate bindings…”
Broussard gave her a troubled look. “We’re not keeping the creature out here. We draw the blood and we seal the door. In and out. Simplicity.”
The researchers gave each other a confused stare. Carol stepped forward. “Shouldn’t we consider keeping the subject sedated and secured outside of the cell? We may need to run other tests and—”
“I’m not risking any more lives,” he stated flatly. “We get the blood, we get out.” He turned and nodded to Dr. O’Dell. “Now would be nice.”
“Well if it ain’t ‘Squatch,” Simon mocked as Trent approached the RV.
“Please don’t call me that.” He rested his hands along the top of the awning. “I know I’m big.”
“You oughta be playing defense for a Division One school,” Simon stated as he lowered himself into the folding chair. “To what do we owe the honor?”
Trent squirmed a bit then stepped forward. “The guys were talking…”
“Do I need to pack my shit and leave or get my gun and protect what’s mine?” His voice displayed no humor.
“Neither,” Trent stated as he stepped under the awning and sat atop a reinforced cooler. “They want to move their trailers down here closer to you.”
Simon gave him a confused stare. “What for?”
He shrugged. “They said they like you. Birds of a feather should look out for each other or some such.”
Simon shook his head. “No sense in making the others feel like we’re playing favorites.” He crossed his legs and fought to open the soda in his hand.
Trent reached across and took the bottle, twisting the cap off. “Look, Hammer has a dentist’s wife on one side and a city politician on the other. Jake and Tommy have granola eaters on either side of them and their new age liberal hippy bullshit is driving them nuts.”
Simon raised a brow at him. “What’s wrong with liberal hippies?” He cracked a grin. “I always got my best weed from hippies.”
Trent leaned forward. “They’d rather be around people…like themselves.” He sighed and rubbed at his eyes. “I know it sounds fucked up, but they finally found a kindred spirit and they just want to hang out more.”
“So let them hang out.” Simon took a pull from the bottle and belched loudly. “That doesn’t mean we have to start sleeping with each other.”
Trent nodded slightly and came to his feet. “Never mind.” He stepped out from under the awning. “I told them that you said you’d changed.” He glanced back at Simon and scoffed. “I bet you only rode on weekends and holidays anyway. You were probably an accountant before the world went to hell.”
Simon laughed out loud and nearly dropped his soda. “You really need to work on your attempts at reverse psychology, ‘Squatch.” He leaned back in his chair and eyed the younger man. “If they want to move down here, who am I to stop them?” He pointed the bottle at the younger man. “But seriously, what do they hope to accomplish?”
Trent glanced over his shoulder then back to Simon. “They’re sick of being here. Even Hammer said he’d risk his life to get back on the road.” He sighed and propped himself on the awning support again. “I even found a trike that he might could ride.”
Simon set the bottle on the ground by his feet. “You boys are wanting to grab bikes and hit the fuckin’ road again?” He shook his head and fought the urge to laugh. “Why?”
“Look around you, man. This ain’t their scene.”
“So what’s stopping them?” He came up out of his chair and stepped closer. “Seriously? They sit up here and wait out the end of the world and then I show up and suddenly they want to pop a squat on a bike and hit the open road again?” He shook his head. “Makes no sense, man.”
“It makes perfect sense.”
“Bull.” Simon stepped back and picked up his soda. “They have it made up here. Hot and cold running water, shitters that flush, food, drink, plenty of company…” He nodded toward the other RVs. “And plenty of dentists’ wives to keep happy at night.”
Trent’s face fell. “Dude, she’s in her sixties.”
Simon shrugged. “So she’s experienced.” He sighed and took his seat again. “You’re gonna have to do better if you want me to give up this new rustic suburbia for a bunch of wannabes.”
Trent’s face hardened. “That’s just it, Simon. They aren’t wannabes.” He leaned closer and narrowed his gaze. “You can claim you’ve changed all you want, but those guys remember you.” He lowered his voice and gave him a smile that looked more like a snarl. “They know who you are. They know the shit you’ve done.”
Simon gave him a deadpanned stare. “So?”
“So?” He pushed off the awning and stepped away. “So, they’re ready to get the fuck out of Dodge. And they want to join your club.”
Simon scoffed and eyed the big man. “Take a look around you, sport. I ain’t got no club. They’re all either dead…or changed sides.”
“So you’re just gonna sit there and grow fucking roots?”
Simon nodded. “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
14
Hatcher packed the last of his goods into a duffel and stared at the mess spread out on the bed. “I must be fuckin’ nuts.” He picked through the meager food items and dropped the granola back into the box.
He turned and sat heavily on the bed, his hands working nervously as his mind spun in circles. “What the hell
