Roger chuckled as he pressed the button to open the gate. “He’s new,” he shrugged. “We have to start them somewhere.”
Hatcher glanced back at the guard. “But at the gate? Shouldn’t you train them first or something?”
Roger stepped out and pulled Hatcher into a bear hug. “Damn it’s good to see you again.” He pushed the man away and gave him a once over. “I was afraid you’d got eaten by a bear or something.”
“Right.” Hatcher didn’t notice Rich get out of the truck and did a double take as the man appeared beside him. “Oh yeah. Roger, this is Rich. I found him with another group of survivors in Utah.”
Rich held his hand out. “Nice to meet ya.”
Roger shook his hand then motioned the men inside. “Your place is still waiting for you. I kept watch over the cameras for you and Will has been working the men overtime getting the houses all converted and shoring up the walls.”
Hatcher tossed David the keys. “Park it in that driveway, will ya?” He didn’t wait for a response as he followed Roger back to the house on the right.
“How many are we now?” Hatcher asked.
Roger threw his hands up in the air. “You’d have to ask Candy that one. She’s been keeping up with the newcomers.” He glanced to the gate guard and shook his head. “It was her idea to start the new people out on guard duty.”
Hatcher groaned as they entered his house. “I like what you’ve done to the place.” He kicked wadded balls of paper across the floor.
“Oh, that.” Roger shrugged slightly. “I was trying to work out a little project and…” He picked up the trash can and arm swept the table. “Let’s just say I’m not as efficient as Will.”
Rich spun a slow circle, grinning at the electric lighting. “This is nice.”
“Oh yeah.” Hatcher motioned Roger closer. “Rich is an electrician. I thought maybe we could put him with Will. He could show him what we’ve been doing here so maybe him and his people could do the same.”
“Heck yeah.” Roger pulled his radio and called Will to the “guard shack.” He glanced to Hatcher and flushed. “Since it’s right next to the gates and all of the security cameras feed to here, the nickname sort of stuck.”
Hatcher pulled out a kitchen chair and sat. “Catch me up.”
Roger opened the fridge and pulled out a trio of beers. “They’re much better cold.” He handed one to Rich then set the other in front of Hatcher. “We’ve had stragglers show up almost daily. Of course, Vicky checks them out and we get them fed and cleaned up. As it sits, I think we’re about to fill the last of the empty houses on the north side.” He grinned broadly. “Will is already talking about allocating the residences along the wall to make room for them.”
Hatcher took a long pull from the cold beer and sighed. “Oh, that’s good.” He glanced to Rich, who was rolling the cold bottle across his forehead and smiling. “Tell me how our people are.”
Roger leaned back and cradled his beer. “We’re good. Everybody is picking up the slack as it appears. Buck has been acting as a type of counselor to the cured folks.” He saw Hatcher’s head pop up, his eyes full of surprise. “I know, right? The kid has a knack for it.”
“Who’d of thought of Buck as a therapist?”
“Who’s Buck?” Rich asked quietly.
Hatcher broke into a broad smile. “He’s actually an amazing kid. He was at ground zero when this all happened and somehow survived for months out there on his own. I’ll introduce you to him tomorrow.”
Roger gave Rich a look that he couldn’t quite read. “Look, Rich…I know Hatcher brought you here and all, but it’s our protocol to have anybody new be checked out by our resident doctor.” He pushed away from the table and came to his feet. “She’s pretty quick, but we should probably get you over there before it gets too late.”
Rich gave Hatcher a confused look. “Do I really have to do this?”
Hatcher nodded slowly. “Sorry buddy.” He looked to Roger. “Is she still set up across the street?”
“Yup.” Roger waved him over. “I’ll walk you. Bring your beer.”
Rich groaned as he came to his feet. “I really don’t like doctors.”
“This one is cool. And if you’re really good then she’ll give you a lollipop afterward.”
Andre jerked awake as the bright light appeared in his eyes. He rolled to the floor and heard Carol shriek at the commotion.
“I’m sorry sir,” Davis whispered in a worried tone. “We’ve captured one of the infected.”
Andre struggled to come to his feet and glanced around in the darkness. “Excuse me?”
“One of the infected. The ones that the cure didn’t work on? My men have captured one of them.”
Andre grabbed his lab coat and slipped it on as Lieutenant Davis led him from the office. “Do you think we can get the lights back on for this?” Andre stumbled slightly as his body struggled to waken. “If we have a power source coming, surely we can spare the fuel for—”
“Already on it, sir.” Davis pushed open the front doors just as the building blinked to life.
Andre saw his breath escaping in tiny clouds of steam as the trio stepped outside. He could hear the infected growling and struggling with the bindings as three men held weapons on the creature. Andre slowed his approach as the outside flood lights illuminated the area.
“Where did you find him?” Andre asked as he slowly approached the struggling figure.
“He came sprinting out of the woods towards the roving patrols.” Davis squatted beside the creature and flashed his torch in its face. Andre noted the pupillary reaction was slow.
“Did they strike him on the head?”
“Negative,” Davis replied. “As he approached the gate guard, a roving sentry tackled him
