After an uneventful and boring morning of dicing up vegetables in the kitchen, I went to find Nicky. I glanced into the dining hall but didn't see her, although lunch hadn't really started yet.
Since I wasn't hungry, I went outside to look for the crazy redhead. This was the second morning in a row she hadn't disrupted world peace, so I figured I better check on her to make sure she was still alive.
I walked halfway across the Stronghold before the familiar short woman appeared on the road in front of me, waving her arms in agitation.
"You won't believe it!" she shouted as she came closer.
Actually, Nicky had said and done a great many things that I still had a hard time believing.
Once she was closer, I said, "And what exactly won't I believe?"
She paused, put her finger to her lips in thought, then turned and started walking away. "You know what? Give me fifteen minutes to come up with a better story."
I growled before saying, "Nicky..."
The growl caught the attention of some people who were washing bedding in large outdoor tubs. Most of them glanced over before refocusing on their work, although their hands moved slower and there wasn't as much splashing, allowing them to eavesdrop more easily.
Nicky turned around and scuffed the dirt with her shoes. "Uh, would you believe me if I said the mechanics are fixing the side-by-side's engine and had to send someone out to find the part they need?"
"And just why do they need to fix the engine? It was working perfectly fine yesterday."
"Well, you see, I, uh, might have had some fun driving it around last night."
This was – unfortunately – far too believable for me. Couldn't she behave for twenty-four hours? She knew we were planning on leaving soon. I began to wonder if bringing her with me was really such a good idea.
"I somehow doubt you were driving the way Hank told you to."
"Pretty much the opposite," she admitted sheepishly.
I exhaled slowly as I tried to invoke the mysterious entity called patience. My attempts didn't seem to be working. "How bad is the damage?"
"Just a cracked axle – they should have it fixed in a day or so."
"How did you do that? You didn't go and burn donuts in the fields, did you?"
"Shit. I should have thought of that. It would have made it so much easier to weed." She started muttering about how such a method would have finally gotten even with the dandelions and stinkweed.
I shook my head. "I'm amazed it's still in one piece."
Nicky spread her arms wide as she exclaimed, "You might be concerned about that, but this means I don't get to take a big chunk of the afternoon off as a driver! I actually have to work! To make it worse, I can't do most of the chores I want to do. The horses won't let me near them, no one here will let me play with the wiring on the solar panels or vehicles, and they won't even let me go hunting despite how much better my aim has gotten!"
Once more, Nicky's crazy perception of the world caused a tiny thread of amusement to appear amidst my irritation. It didn't do much, but the fact that it was there at all was surprising.
I snorted. "Nicky, if you're hunting rabbits, you at least have to hit the rabbit. Not the tree behind it."
She huffed indignantly. "I'm getting better! I'm going to go find someone who'll properly appreciate my skills."
Our new drama queen turned and stomped off, although her scent revealed that she wasn't actually upset with me. Nicky headed straight for our eavesdroppers, apparently choosing to grace them with her presence. Those who had been eavesdropping winced when they saw her heading in their direction. It looks like Nicky has a very subtle and strange sense of humor, although it's one I can appreciate.
I started walking toward the gate while hiding a smirk, wondering how long it would take before the man who declined her transfer began to regret his decision.
The guards didn't comment as they opened the gate to let me out. As I walked to the forest, I grumbled about this newest delay. I had been counting on discussing our plans in the privacy of the forest, and now that was out. Nicky's absence also meant she couldn't help me doctor the wound on my back.
Once I reached the trees, I started jogging as I stewed in my thoughts. I wasn't upset enough to damage any trees this time, but the local wildlife had better not cross my path until I got to those rabbit traps.
Had Nicky been here, I knew I wouldn't be able to predict what would fly out of her mouth. I finally realized this was how Nicky had been diffusing my temper. Her unpredictable comments completely derailed my line of thought, even though she kept to the same subject and never attempted to placate me in an obvious way.
It shouldn't have worked. But, somehow, it did. I continued to mull it over while trying to think of ways to catch her alone later tonight for a discussion. I reached the traps before I could think of a way to drag her off for a quiet talk without people noticing.
There were only two traps left since the bear had destroyed the third. Luckily, one of them had a rabbit in it, so I didn't even have to go hunting. I drained it and put some of the blood on my leg, silently hoping Nicky had removed the jar I usually hid under my seat in the side-by-side.
The last thing I needed was for the mechanics to find it. I rinsed it after each use, but it wouldn't be wise for them to open it in case any residue remained, although without realizing its true purpose, they'd probably just toss it in the garbage or leave it under the seat.
I hung the rabbit carcass on a tree branch to take back later and went to explore again. Whenever I approached the edge of the forest, I almost always saw people keeping an eye on the livestock or working in the fields. I remained hidden in the trees to avoid being seen. I was positive that if anyone saw me venture out, it would certainly become the next hot topic among the gossipers.
Other than Daniel's trail from yesterday, and a few older ones from the times he came to check on us, he didn't seem to come here. His faint scent lingered on the wind, likely from several wider patrols during the day.
I wandered into the cave but left within minutes. It didn't hold my interest, and as much as my instincts liked the darkness, I was too restless to remain. With my mind mostly focused on my plans to leave, my desire to resume my search for my sister refused to let me rest.
Putting my impatience and energy to good use, I scoured the forest for certain plants, noting the location of each one. They weren't really needed, but I knew which ones could be mixed in such a fashion that they would cover any scent that Nicky or I might leave.
Since Nina was endlessly curious, she would probably ask Daniel which way I went. I smirked as I imagined how much my disappearing act would baffle him. I would consider it my parting present – a puzzle he likely wouldn't be able to solve, even with his heightened sense of smell.
To make things even better, when he had checked on me yesterday, my scent was mostly around the rabbit traps since I hadn't wandered far – and now I had left hundreds of trails throughout this entire forest.
If I wanted to be a responsible adult after leaving the Stronghold, it would be polite to send a letter or something to let them know I was still alive. I could even include a small parcel containing a guard dog collar with Daniel's name on it. If that didn't get him riled up, it wasn't for my lack of trying. I'll have to make sure I'm far away when that arrives.
After locating enough plants to satisfy me and leaving more than enough scent trails to thoroughly baffle Daniel, it was my usual time to return for dinner.
As was our routine now, I waited for Nicky on the roof of the secondary building. When she walked out of the dining hall, she had company, although this time it was Nina and Daniel instead of Liz. Her taste in companions was going downhill, much like her driving skills.
Despite being here a week, I still hadn't figured out what Nina did. I rarely saw her outside during the day, and even then, she was just going between the main building and the secondary one. From what I had seen and heard, she often helped the doctor if someone was injured, but something just seemed off...
She certainly wasn't a nurse. Not only had she said it herself, but nurses didn't really care if they had to dig into a wound if it helped in the final outcome, and Nina had been very reluctant – almost squeamish – when I asked her to dig that leather scrap out of my back. Nor was helping a doctor enough of a "job" to occupy all of her time in a small place like this.
With a shake of my head, I dismissed the riddle. I'd likely be gone in a couple of days, and at this point, Nina would be more shocked if I stayed than if I left. Nor had she ever asked me to stay or when I planned on leaving. She just assumed that one morning I would simply be gone.
Nicky came out of the door first and handed me a plate with some fruit, steamed vegetables, and a bit of fried chicken. She dug a napkin out of her pocket, which had been rolled around a fork and butter knife, and passed it to me. I quietly thanked her, and she nodded before going to sit down in her usual chair.
Nina and Daniel sat on a couple of lawn chairs with their own plates. Nina's plate was like mine, being primarily fruit and vegetables, while half of Daniel's plate held meat.
If Nina hadn't already told Daniel that his plate wasn't exactly a well-balanced meal, then I wasn't about to bring the subject up. The tension caused by our rank difference was pretty low right now, and I preferred it to stay that way. How long it would last would probably depend on how soon one of us spoke.
"How's your back?" Nina asked.
"The throbbing finally stopped."
She winced. "I'm very sorry about that. I honestly didn't know there was skin in the piece sticking out or I wouldn't have trimmed it."
"I know."
My tone was still grouchy, but as much as I preferred holding a bit of a grudge, her scent was free of any lies. The undertone of regret and sorrow also accompanied her apology. She had trimmed it at my request, and it wasn't her fault my bad luck loved to ambush me at every possible opportunity. Still, that didn't mean I had to like it and forgive her instantaneously.
The following minutes were filled with an awkward silence as we ate.
"Feel like going down to the archery lanes after dinner?" Nicky asked, breaking the tension.
"Sure. I'm not getting anywhere learning how to throw knives."
"You were hitting the center of the target each time," Daniel commented.
I raised an eyebrow. "The point of knife throwing is to have the knife pierce the target. Otherwise, you're simply passing your weapon to an opponent."
His eyes shifted to a redder shade, and he shrugged without replying. Apparently, it only took one sarcastic reply from me to break the peace. Needless to say, I wasn't particularly surprised by that outcome.
"The last radio station replied today, and unfortunately, none of them have a Jess Kessler in their Stronghold," Nina told me, somewhat dejected by that news.
I had expected it, but it was still a blow. "Thanks for checking."
"What did you help with this afternoon?" Nina asked Nicky, trying to find a lighter topic.
"I got to clean out the chicken coop!"
Nina gave her a long look. "You seem happy about that. Not many people like that particular chore."
"I love chickens, and most of the ones here are really friendly. There's nothing like a pet that poops breakfast."
Nina made a face, and I smirked at her reaction. That was another perk of being a zombie; not much could gross us out, and that included blood, guts, or hearing someone talk about an animal creating your food in an unorthodox fashion while you were eating.
"I can take your plates for you," Nina offered when we finished eating.
I suspected this was her way of trying to apologize and said, "Thank you."
Daniel shook his head slightly and stood up. "I'll carry them for her," he said, coming over for mine. "It's safer that way."
"That's probably a wise idea." I passed him the plate and cutlery.
He took Nicky's as well.
"Great!" Nicky said, jumping to her feet. "Let's go do some archery!"
She skipped to the door and paused, looking back at me. "Well? Come on!"
With a resigned sigh, I got up and followed her at a much slower pace, hoping she'd burn off some of that energy before we got there. Nina and Daniel took their time and didn't enter the stairwell until I was halfway down.
Nicky and I went straight to the archery area, where two of the archers were already practicing. We took the farthest two lanes since the rest of the group would probably show up soon. Having been invited once, they'd see no reason they couldn't join us and enjoy their favorite hobby.
The rest of the group slowly trickled in and shared the other lanes, once more leaving a lane between Nicky and them open. Liz didn't make an appearance, although this didn't surprise me with the effort Marissa was probably putting in to keep the child away from me.
The presence of the archers also meant it wasn't possible to speak with Nicky alone. Why was it so hard to manage a private conversation without the chance of someone noticing or overhearing?
After an hour or so, I put my bow away and bid Nicky a good night. Instead of going to my room, I walked a few laps inside of the fence. It may have looked like a casual evening stroll, but it was actually a careful evaluation of the security.
There were two smaller access doors in the fence that were far enough from the guard posts that we should be able to get out without being caught, but I'd have to check after sunset to see if the security was different.
My walk also allowed me to determine which side of the main building Nicky's room was on. She had once told me she was on the second floor, and I knew she didn't have a roommate. Since her scent drifted down from one of the open windows above, I noted which ones on that level were open.
With my initial assessment complete, I headed to my room to think. I opened my window halfway and sat on the edge of the bed while gazing outside.
As the evening wore on, I mostly watched the archery group. Nicky moved to the last lane, and the rest of the archery group took turns shooting in every other lane except hers. Interestingly enough, they never asked Nicky to share her lane. Nor did the closest three lanes collect their arrows until she went to retrieve hers. They occasionally went over and talked to her, so they weren't actively avoiding her.
I suspected their friendly overtures had something to do with how much time I spent with her. They probably knew she was the closest thing I had to a friend here. Since Nicky had asked to transfer out, they were likely trying to ensure she felt welcomed and wanted to stay. Especially now that they knew she had never stayed in any Stronghold for more than two months.
I idly wondered if they only wanted the red-headed lunatic around because she was my friend. If that was the case, perhaps I needed to let Nicky get into the coffee a few times so they'd change their minds.
So tempting, but so not worth dealing with her afterward.
Shaking my head, I dismissed the idea. It would be easier to slip out in the middle of the night instead of annoying them so much that they kicked her out.
I watched the Stronghold settle down as the evening wore on and darkness fell.
~
I opened my window as far as it would go and gazed into the darkness. Other than the guards in their posts, everyone seemed to be asleep. I reached out and ran my hand over the rough brick surface. There was enough grip for me to climb down.
Easing out of the window, my hard fingernails took most of my weight. The still-not-quite-healed injuries on my back and leg protested at being forced to work like this, but I didn't feel them rip open. My fingers ached by the time I descended to the ground. As tempting as it was to jump down the last few feet, I didn't since Daniel might hear me, which was the same reason I hadn't used the stairs.
Other than the string of dim LED lights along the top of the fence and a brighter light above each guard post, the entire Stronghold was dark. Sneaking around this place at night was going to be so easy it was almost scary.
Keeping to the darkest shadows, I slowly and methodically checked the entire fence. All the small access doors had huge padlocks on them – including the two I had been eyeing up earlier. I hadn't been aware this place put locks on the smaller gates at night to keep things more secure, although it made sense. Each of the four larger gates were guarded by a pair of sentries who continually scanned the fence.
The setup was surprisingly secure. The LEDs were bright enough to keep a Nightstalker at bay, and if a Runner or Terror showed up, they'd be lured to the guard posts. High in their towers, the guards would have time to sound the alarm, and Daniel would surely put in an appearance, even at night. If he didn't come fast enough, the sentries had rifles and bows, and they were probably skilled enough to manage a headshot that would drop an incoming zombie until daybreak.
A number of regular zombies gathered in front of each of the guard posts, held back by the fence, but able to see or smell the humans above. The sentries mostly ignored the mindless creatures below, knowing a quad would lure them away come morning. They still kept an eye on the growling creatures in case one figured out how to climb, but that wasn't likely, and all it would take is one properly placed arrow against a regular zombie.
I eyed up the padlocks again. After how Nicky had purloined that map so easily, perhaps she'd also be able to find one of the keys to unlock these things. There had to be several around.
With no obvious weak spots in the fence, I headed toward the garage. The side-by-side still had its wheel off, waiting to be fixed. I dug underneath the front seat and found the jar I'd left there. I took it and dropped it in the big garbage bin behind the building. That took care of that.
Next, I went to the main building and eyed up the brick wall. There had been four open windows earlier, but all of them were closed now. I'd have to sniff around to figure out which one Nicky was in.
I rolled my shoulders and began to scale the brick wall. No wonder feral Nightstalkers were a nightmare for most Strongholds. If they broke into a higher room, most defense plans would fail, and windows wouldn't stop a Runner, let alone a Nightstalker.
I took a deep breath, but Nicky's scent was off to the side, so I didn't need to check any of the windows directly above me. I climbed at an angle, slowly homing in on her location. From the way her scent clung to her windowsill, she must have leaned on it more than once, which made it really easy to locate.
Ensuring I had a good grip, I reached over with my other hand and gently tapped the glass. I also lowered my glasses so she would be able to see my glowing red eyes. Nicky groggily looked over and jumped a bit before getting out of bed. She staggered over to the window and opened it so I could climb inside.
"And for what do I owe the privilege of this visit?" she asked with a yawn.
I leaned against the wall by the window as she flopped back in her bed and pulled the warm blankets around her. Since she didn't seem inclined to turn on any lights, I removed my sunglasses so she could tell where I was.
"I couldn't catch you alone today, and after your joyride, there's no guarantee the side-by-side will be fixed by tomorrow afternoon, so I figured now was a decent time to discuss our escape plans." I hoped the reminder would also serve as a reprimand so she'd think about the potential consequences when contemplating such stunts in the future. This was Nicky though, so I wasn't holding my breath.
She groaned. "Don't you zombies ever sleep? I don't see the purpose of this visit when I'm sure you've already come up with a plan. Even the boogeyman doesn't wake me up – he only hides under the bed."
"I've got a few ideas. Did you know this place puts padlocks on the access doors at night?"
"No."
"Do you think you can find a spare key for one of the two doors closest to the barn?"
"Don't bother trying to find a key," she mumbled sleepily. "I can pick the locks."
"Are you sure? These things are pretty big."
"Yeah."
"Good. Feel like leaving tomorrow?"
"Wha- tomorrow?" She sat up and wrapped the blankets tightly around her shoulders, clearly trying to focus while half-asleep. "Are you sure your leg is going to hold up? I know it still gives you trouble."
"I've been faking the slow pace the last few days. It healed faster than I thought it would. I was able to climb up the wall, so I'll be able to match your pace until we find a vehicle."
"If you say so..."
"Unless you have a reason to stay another day or so, I'll be ready tomorrow night. There's no point in remaining now that all the radio stations replied. I think it'll be easier to sneak out right after sunset since the guards will know there aren't any Runners nearby. Do you think you can make it to the chicken coop undetected?"
"I can manage that. Then what?"
"Once you pick the lock, we'll grab the hidden fuel and head down the road until we find an abandoned vehicle that's out of gasoline. I also have something to hide our scent in case Daniel decides to see how hard it is to track us."
"There's a way to hide our scents?"
"It won't last long, but I left plenty of trails around the rabbit traps, so my scent is pretty much entrenched around in that area. He'll have to search the entire bloody forest to make sure we aren't in there somewhere. With such a large area to check, he won't know which direction we went, so we'll have all night to find a vehicle."
"Sounds like you have all the answers. If we're planning on leaving tomorrow night, then I really need my beauty sleep. You can explain the fine details later."
She promptly laid down in her bed and pulled the covers over herself. I frowned at her dismissal but put my sunglasses on and checked outside. Nothing had changed below, so I climbed out the window and down the wall before slipping across the unlit ground to the secondary building.
I gazed up and admired the star-spangled sky for a moment; the night air and moon beckoned to me, but I climbed back up to my window and went inside. Closing my eyes, I tried to sleep since I probably wouldn't get many opportunities in the foreseeable future.