"Is that everyone?" Nina asked, looking around the street.
"As far as I can tell," Daniel replied.
She sighed in relief. As she turned to face Logan and the leader who had finally come closer, she said, "Thank you for helping us find these people and for letting us in. Everyone inside is clear. I still recommend wearing masks until this wave is over, just to be on the safe side."
"Thank you for helping them," Logan said. The sincerity in his voice matched his scent.
"Thank you for helping," the leader echoed, wearing a sour expression. He was still upset Logan had let strangers in and led them around like he was in charge.
Over half the people in the Stronghold lingered nearby, still whispering amongst themselves as if this had been the most exciting and hopeful thing they'd seen in months. As if I have any room to talk. I don't exactly live an exciting life. Then again, I'd prefer a much quieter one than what I've been getting lately.
Logan accompanied us to the gate. "I assume you're traveling to other Strongholds?"
"Yes," Nina replied. "We want to visit as many as we can before the wave is over."
"Then you're heading back to Ironwind?"
"Yes, although it may take us a week or so before we get back."
He nodded thoughtfully. "May I join you? I've been planning to leave this place for a while, but they haven't been letting travelers in."
Wait, what? Where did this come from? Did Nicky write the words "stray magnet" on the back of my shirt when I wasn't looking? This cannot be happening...
Nina smiled. "Certainly. We'll be happy for the company."
Apparently, it was happening... Yeah, let's find a total stranger and just invite him along on a week-long trip when we only have one truck. What a great plan! I felt like shrieking my annoyance at the sky. As if the lack of sleep wasn't enough to make me grouchy, someone else was joining our group.
Nicky noticed my crabby expression and grinned at Logan. "This could be fun. Just give Trinity plenty of space until your presence grows on her like a bad fungus."
He gave her an odd look as she climbed into the back of the truck. With a slight shrug, he followed suit and – thankfully – picked the corner farthest from the one I usually sat in.
He had seen us arrive, so his decision was almost certainly intentional. Since he already had his backpack with him, he must have been hoping to leave this place before realizing exactly which group was approaching.
I got in and resigned myself to having to tolerate another newcomer. This was reminding me more and more of our original trip to Ironwind Stronghold.
Completely frustrating.
Daniel started the truck and continued down the road. Logan looked too relaxed for someone who knew he was traveling with not just one, but two zombies. Now that we were out of the Stronghold, we took off our masks, and Logan removed his without any hesitation on his part.
Nina turned sideways to look out the back window. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Trinity?"
Logan scratched the back of his neck self-consciously. "We met once."
Nina tilted her head at his vague words and apparent reluctance to answer her question. She sent me a questioning look.
"Remember the bear traps I brought in one morning?" I asked her. "Well, he was the one responsible for setting them up."
That caught Nicky's attention. "Are you the one who made that big-ass fire?"
Logan nodded, but before Nicky could reply, Nina tentatively asked, "Would you mind telling us the entire story?"
After a brief hesitation and a glance at me, Logan gave them a shortened version of our encounter.
By the time he finished, Nicky looked perplexed. "So, she snuck up behind you in the dark, insulted you after you accidentally insulted her, and then told you to clean up the mess you made?"
That actually sounds remarkably closer than his original rendition. Not quite how I would have worded it though.
"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Logan replied, regarding Nicky as if he wasn't quite sure what to make of her or how she fit into our group.
Nicky shrugged as she dismissed it. "Yeah, she tends to do that to me as well." She suddenly focused on Logan. "Trinity also said you made me seem normal. I think we'll have to have a competition to see who gets stuck with that booby prize of a title."
Logan looked lost. "I am normal."
"Sometimes I pretend to be normal," Nicky said cheerfully, "but then it gets boring, and I have to spice things up a little."
How fortunate we are...
"What do you mean?"
I had a feeling Logan was one of those fairly serious and down-to-earth people who didn't seem to find humor in life unless someone whacked him over the head with it. I wondered how long it would take him to realize Nicky's view on life was almost the complete opposite of his. Unless he caught on fairly quickly, Nicky would steamroll right over him.
With another grin, Nicky tried to clarify her earlier comment with her usual explanation skills. "It's only a matter of time before they add syndrome behind my last name."
Logan may have been confused before, but now he was thoroughly baffled. Although such a reaction was to be expected from anyone who hadn't met Nicky. They wouldn't have had a chance to understand the far-too-true words and the meaning behind them.
From inside the cab, Daniel muttered, "Let's be honest, we don't need to add the word 'syndrome' or even use your last name. The mere sound of your first name is a sufficient explanation for those who have been around you a few too many times."
Nicky snickered and rubbed her hands together. "True... True... Depending on how far we travel, more places might learn to recognize that word of warning for what it truly is."
I crossed my arms and grumbled, "Is there any way for me to opt out of this trip and simply walk back?"
Nicky just grinned at me. "Nope."
That was exactly how my luck tended to run.
~
"I wasn't aware this place was so close," Logan said as the next Stronghold came into sight. "The one time I asked about it, they made it sound like it was a full day's travel away. Not just five hours down the road."
"Distance is a weird thing," Nicky replied, "We complain about having to walk downstairs to get something since it's too far away, but if there's a zombie downstairs, that's way too close, even if it's the same distance."
"True."
"Has it really only been a couple of weeks since our last trip?" Nicky mused. "It feels like months ago."
"I was only at Luxter Stronghold for ten days, so it hasn't been very long since I met Trinity. Maybe two weeks?"
"Hmmm... I think the shortest time I stayed in one Stronghold was three days. They had really good coffee. No wonder it didn't last for very long. That reminds me, I should check what kind of coffee Justin gave us."
"You'll never find out," Daniel informed her. "It was still on the roof when we left."
"Not that one." Nicky leaned over and pulled the coffee tin out of the bag and held it up with a big grin. "This one!"
Daniel growled and firmly replied, "No. Put that back."
"But think about how much fun we could have!" Nicky paused, then looked at me. Her grin faltered, and she glanced at the can in her hands, then back at me. "Okay, why aren't you growling? What do you know that I don't?"
I simply smirked and didn't make any move to snatch the can from her hands, which had Daniel watching speculatively in the rearview mirror. If Logan remained baffled for much longer, it could become a permanent expression on his face.
Now somewhat worried, Nicky cautiously pried the lid up just enough to peek in. Once she knew nothing inside was going to launch out at her, she removed the lid and pulled out a couple of clear plastic bags.
"This is not coffee!" Nicky gaped at the leaves.
"Looks like parsley, thyme, and bay leaves," Logan commented.
"Who in their right mind puts herbs in a coffee can? That's false advertising!" With a huff, Nicky shoved the bags back in the can and slapped the lid on. "Well, I don't want this now."
She lobbed the can at Logan, who – after giving her an odd look – put it in the bag it had come from. He'd probably give me an even stranger look if he knew how many crowbars and heavy tools were back here with us. I wonder if that would be enough to convince him to remain at this Stronghold? Probably not.
We arrived at the gate, and two people with masks came out. They slowed down when they noticed Daniel's red eyes, although they came close enough to talk without shouting.
"What brings you this way?" the man asked, cautious, but polite and curious.
"Ironwind Stronghold invented a cure," Daniel said, "and we have some of it with us. If anyone is sneezing, it's free for them. I can also help sniff out those who haven't started sneezing yet."
The man's eyes widened as he glanced at the woman beside him.
She pointed at a different road. "Five just left, and there are more about three miles down the road in a big house."
"We can go find them and give them the cure," Daniel replied, "although it'll take about six hours for it to completely remove the infection."
"That's fine," the woman replied. "I'll get someone to move one of the holiday trailers out of the fence for them to stay in. A pigeon flew in yesterday with a message saying some people from Ironwind might be coming around with a cure, so we were hoping you'd come this way."
I had a sneaking suspicion Justin or Otto were "setting things right" in their own fashion.
The man turned toward the fence and shouted, "Marcus! Theodore! Bring the big van and a truck!" Then he told us, "If you wait a minute, I'll get these two to escort you. They can give the van to the people there and ride back in the truck."
Almost immediately, the vehicles were pulling up to the gate to be let out. The teenager in the van called over, "We'll show you where they are!" The amount of excitement in his voice would have been more fitting if he'd been inviting us to a concert or party instead of guiding us to some very sick people.
As Daniel followed them down the road, Nicky asked, "Is this a trap?"
Logan glanced at her with sharp eyes, suddenly tense. Nina also looked back as if she hadn't considered that angle yet.
I thought for a few moments before shaking my head. "The scents weren't right. If they'd been planning a trap, the suspense would have come through. Besides, the drivers are still in their teens. Not exactly someone you usually want to include in an ambush."
"I'll take your word for it," Nicky said, sounding as if she didn't quite believe me. "If I had to list all the weird shit I did when I was that age, we'd be here for a while."
"Exactly how old are you again?" I asked, trying to remember if she had ever mentioned it, but I didn't think she had.
"I've graced this planet for a glorious twenty-five years," she proclaimed proudly. "Much to the frustration and confusion of the counselors and local police."
She was three years younger than me, although just one year older than Jess. No wonder she reminded me of my sister some days.
"Trinity, can you keep track of their scents?" Nina asked. "If anyone only has a few hours left, I should also give them the sanity serum. The serum works much faster, which is about the best I can do if they're close to turning."
"I guess."
"I'm hoping no one is that close," Nina said, "but just in case..."
She trailed off, but we all knew the truth. It was only a matter of time until we came across those who had recently turned. It was truly a race against the clock.
Before long, we reached several mobile homes inside a fence made from metal panels usually used around construction sites. The truck in front of us sped ahead to lure the zombies away, although people were already coming out of the buildings to see who was approaching.
The gate wasn't big enough for Daniel to drive through, so he stopped in front of it and said, "It looks like the truck will keep the zombies away if you want to use the tailgate again."
"That worked well last time," Nina said, already grabbing her bag of supplies.
As soon as Daniel parked the truck, he got out and lowered the tailgate. The three of us in the back remained where we were as Nina spoke with the twenty or so people inside the fence. The van parked beside us, although the truck continued luring zombies away.
Nina didn't have to do much convincing since everyone here had heard about the pigeon message and had been hoping the cure would arrive in time.
When the sixth person came forward for her turn, my nostrils flared. "She's going to need the serum," I told Daniel quietly.
"She must have started sneezing fairly early," he told Nina. "We should give her the serum as well."
Nina nodded and gave her both injections.
The woman told one of the drivers, "I think I'll wait here tonight. I don't want to go inside the fence or stay in the trailers until I'm sure I won't turn."
"We'll come out tomorrow and check on you," the teen from the van promised. "It'll be clear if the sneezing has stopped by then."
"I'll stay here too," someone else volunteered. "We won't all fit in those trailers by the fence."
The crowd slowly split into two groups, one which would ride back in the van, while the other would remain until the morning. The three who got both injections were kindly encouraged to share one of the mobile homes here, and each take a separate room. None of them argued, now aware they were the closest to turning.