Keep Busy

30.

"I saw Tristen and the other kids going out on their ATVs a little while ago. Maybe one of them... did... something."

"That's some assessment," Jane said with an extra dose of biting sarcasm.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe we're under attack. Maybe Jed and his army of the undead have come back to seek revenge."

"Oh shit," Emily said, still sitting on the floor, pulling on her boots. "The transmitters."

"The what...?"

"The fucking transmitters. My dad and Roy put location beacon thingies on all the cars so if anyone got lost, we could find 'em."

"Don't they need satellites for that?" asked Frank.

"No, it's short range—like ham radio or some shit."

"There was one on the Suburban?" Jane asked.

"There was one on the Suburban," Emily confirmed.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Frank grabbed the shaggy hair over his ears and pulled.

"Well, I fucking forgot, okay! Besides, I really didn't think anyone would be alive to follow us. It didn't cross my mind that someone could be dead and follow us." She looked at the floor shaking her head. "It's fucking Roy, I know it."

"Roy?" Jane looked out the front window with sudden concern.

"Yeah, he's a fucking psycho," Emily said.

"Roy?" Frank asked Jane. "I thought you said he was dead. For sure dead."

"I thought he was. I mean, I think he is." She crossed her arms defensively. "I don't know how this shit works!"

"Yes, you do! You know exactly how it works. Destroy the head! Did you destroy his head?"

"Not exactly."

"What does that mean?"

She looked up, boring her eyes into Frank. "It means I was a little busy trying to rescue you, asshole!"

"Rescue? You hit the trailer by accident. You nearly killed me!"

"Fuckin' cool it," Emily snapped. "Jesus fucking Christ, you guys are worse than my parents." She clapped a few times in their faces. "Come on! It's time to focus up."

"Okay," Frank said closing his eyes tightly. "First thing we need to do is get some guns together."

Jane was scowling at Frank but had the presence of mind to put the bickering on hold for the time being. "Right. Let's get armed just in case it actually is Roy."

They bolted for the door to the dorms, staying low as they crossed the lobby and shut it quietly behind them.

"Where do they keep the guns?" Jane asked, scanning the disheveled room.

But Emily had already scampered to the kid's various bunks, coming back with an armful of hunting rifles and handguns. It wasn't the most powerful arsenal—but it would have to do.

"What'd we do with the AR-15 and the AK thingy, did we bring both in from the car?" Frank asked.

"Only the one Jane used to kill the doctors," Emily said, hefting its bulk from under Tristen's bed. The one with the grenade launcher was still in the back of the Suburban. "I've got three clips."