Odd Billy Todd (47 page)

These days, that was all he could hope to give him.

Sighing again, this time in hopelessness, George turned and made his way back inside. He had at least four hours, he figured, before they were back.

He had a special project he wanted to work on.

*****

Three times the trucks went back and forth to the farms. Each time the tension increased, as things went well. Each time Billy, as well as everyone else, expected something to go wrong.

By the time they returned for the fourth run, everyone was on edge. It was already dusk. They would be driving in the dark. Billy had enough NVG’s, barely, for the drivers, and one each for Toby and Rhonda as lookouts.

“Take good care of’em,” he warned. “Ain’t got no more, and I couldn’t even guess where to replace’em.”

George didn’t say anything, but he had an idea where to replace them. He’d been working on it most of the day.

“George, I really wish you’d come with us,” Billy said, cutting into his train of thought. “I don’t like you bein’ here all alone, even for one night.”

“Don’t worry about me, Billy,” George smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

“I still don’t like it,” Billy told him.

“I know,” George nodded. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. But this was my trip, remember? You said you had taken my orders because this was my trip. And it still is. This is the way of it. Someone needs to keep a watch. And I slept some during the day.” The lie came easily.

“I don’t believe a word o’ that,” Billy told him bluntly. “But it is your trip,” he sighed reluctantly. “Well, reckon we better go. Already gonna be drivin’ in the dark as it is.”

“Get going, then,” George nodded, shaking hands with Billy. “See you at first light.”

“Your lips to God’s ear,” Billy murmured, shaking hands.

“Don’t worry so much, Billy. Everything will be fine.”

Billy drove away shaking his head. He didn’t know why, but he was sure things wouldn’t be fine.

But they had moved twelve trailers, so far, and the gas tanker. Not a bad haul. He wished they could have moved more, but their manpower was stretched to the breaking point now. The Farms were almost bare of people, with Jerry, Ralph, and Ben making almost constant checks on things. Mary was still at the Clifton house, while Danny and the dogs guarded the Todd farm.

It was all they could do.

Billy just hoped it was enough.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

As soon as the others were gone, George took the truck he had appropriated, and drove to his special project.

The Tennessee National Guard Armory sat on Campbell Boulevard, in the city’s industrial park. The unit was a maintenance outfit, so there wouldn’t be any real military vehicles there, to amount to anything. At least no major combat vehicles.

There were a few Humvee’s of course, and trucks, but George wasn’t especially interested in them, although a Hummer would be nice, if time allowed. What he was really interested in was the armory, and the supply section.

He had approached the armory cautiously, aware that someone might be there. He also worried that the idiots they had taken out at the Wal-Mart would have been there.

He needn’t have worried. They had apparently decided that they had all they needed under one roof. As near as George could see, no one had disturbed the armory at all.

He had thought sure that at least some of the Guardsmen would have reported for duty, but it appeared that no one had. He shook his head sadly. As fast as the virus had moved, it was entirely possible that most of them had succumbed to it before they could get here.

And if they hadn’t, who could blame them for staying with their families? It wasn’t like there was anything they could have done. There was no way for them to fight something they couldn’t see. They couldn’t win against such an enemy. Activating them would have been nothing more than a feel good gesture, made for the public.

George examined his handiwork. He had finally managed to open the armory. The weapons had been undisturbed, as had the ammunition supplies, and various and sundry parts and equipment.

He had managed to find a large U-Haul trailer, and had spent the day loading everything he could find onto it. Rifles, handguns, heavier weapons, though there weren’t many, even some grenades. Every part and piece, cleaning equipment, tools, whatever he found. He had found several cases of MRE’s, which he had also loaded.

BDU uniforms, boots, radio equipment, a small generator meant for field deployment. Finally he'd selected an armored HumVee from the motor pool and attached it to the trailer, then loaded it to the brim as well.

He had left behind some things that might be useful, but weren’t needful. That was the way of things, he knew.

He also knew that they would never need such a great amount of weaponry, but it made sense not to leave it for others to use against them. Satisfied that the truck and trailer were ready, George climbed aboard, and headed out of town.

He would store the truck and it’s trailer behind what was left of Regina Townsend’s home, and probably sleep in the cab.

He could always hitch a ride back with the returning trucks.

*****

Billy surveyed the line of trailers at the Clifton Farm, and felt some relief. They had elected to store them here, since it was out of the way, and far enough past the other houses to be out of sight. Billy figured if someone made it this far, there was no way to save anything, anyway.

He had also started thinking about a back-up plan, among other things.

“What we need is a school bus,” he murmured, unaware he’d spoken out loud.

“What?” Terry Blaine asked, standing nearby.

“What?” Billy looked at him.

“You said school bus?” Terry looked at him.

“I did?” Billy frowned. “Well, I was thinkin’ it, anyway,” he shrugged. “We need a good school bus. We got a lot o’ people, now. Say we all wanted to up and go somewhere. Or had to run for it. Ain’t no way we could make it, with ever body pilin’ in the few trucks we got. We need somethin’ that’ll carry most everyone, and use the trucks to protect it. Ought to have one o’ these rigs packed with enough gear to start over somewhere, too, was we to have to.”

“Huh,” Terry grunted. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He shook his head.

“You don’t think so?” Billy asked.

“No, I think you’re right,” Terry laughed, though without any humor. “I just hadn’t thought about it. And I should have,” he added with a grimace.

“Why?” Billy asked.

“Because this is what I do,” Terry told him. “I’ve always been prepared for anything, Billy. If I could imagine it, I was ready for it. Done it my whole career. My whole life. I shouldn’t be overlooking these things. And you always seem to think of them. Boggles the mind,” he sighed.

“Because I can think of them?” Billy asked, frowning. He didn’t like the way that sounded.

“Because I don’t,” Terry corrected him. “Hell, Billy, I was trained to think about these things.”

“So was I,” Billy shrugged. “All my life.”

“You were?” Terry asked in surprise.

“Yep,” Billy nodded. “My folks was always prepared for any emergency. All the time. Never did have anything catch’em by surprise that I knew of.”

“Well, that’s good,” Terry nodded. “Most folks don’t bother. They just assume the government will take care of it.” Billy snorted at that.

“My momma and daddy didn’t have a real high opinion of the gover’ment’s ability to take care o’ nothin’,” he said.

“Wise thinking,” Terry nodded. Having served his twenty and a little more, he knew all too well how inept the government could be. Anyone left alive after the plague should be able to see it now.

“Anyway, once we’ve rested up, I think I’ll work on it,” Billy told him. “Make a plan for in case we have to head out, unexpected like. We got a plan, we can avoid makin’ a mistake.”

“You’re a big believer in plans, aren’t you?” Terry asked.

“Got to have’em,” Billy said firmly. “You ain’t got a plan, and don’t stick to it, you’re askin’ for trouble. Be runnin’ around like a chicken with it’s head cut off.”

*****

“One last run,” Billy said, as he and Rhonda crawled into the cab.

“Yep,” she replied, tiredly. She had wanted to come, but she realized now that Billy and the others had to be near exhaustion. All she had done was ride, for the most part. And she was give out.

The trip was uneventful, and quiet. The entire group was tired. The radio startled them.

“Anyone awake out there?” George’s voice cut across the air.

“We’re here,” Rhonda replied.

“Need you to stop at our new friend’s place, and pick me up, you don’t mind,” George told her. “Didn’t feel like walking back, last night.”

“We’ll get him,” Toby’s voice came through. Billy wondered why George was out there, but figured he had a good reason. They’d know soon enough.

Peter and Toby caught up quickly after stopping to get George. The three rigs were backed in to the trailers and hooked up shortly. They were all getting good at that, by now.

“What were you doin’ all the way out there?” Billy asked, as George got out of the Ford.

“Took a Hummer and trailer from the Guard. Loaded it up from the Armory,” George smiled.

“Huh,” Billy grunted. “Never even thought o’ that,” he admitted.

“I have to get one on you every now and then,” George winked. Billy just chuckled.

“All right, are we sure this is it?” Jon asked. “Something about this morning is giving me the willies.”

“This is it,” George nodded. “Have to stop on the way out and get the truck I left, but that’s all. Won’t take five minutes.”

“Well, that’s good. We can be home. . . .” Jon trailed off as Billy held up a hand.

“What is it?” Terry asked, hoisting his rifle and looking around.

“You don’t hear that?” Billy asked softly, frowning.

“I don’t hear. . . .” Terry trailed off, looking alarmed.

“The train.”

*****

The drivers hurried to their trucks, and soon the rigs were on the road. The Ford brought up the rear, since that’s where the threat would be.

“Maybe we should leave the U-Haul, George,” Pete suggested.

“No,” George said at once. “Too much on it. And if this group ever comes after us, we’ll need it.”

“Point,” Pete nodded. “We really need a couple more guys,” he added.

“Have to make do. Do what we can with what we got,” George shrugged. Pete pulled up to the Hummer, and George jumped out.

“You guys get going,” he ordered.

“Soon as you do,” Peter nodded.

“I mean now!” George snapped back.

“Whatever,” Peter muttered, backing the truck out onto the road. He jumped out, rifle in hand.

“What do you say, Toby?” he asked, as the boy slid over behind the wheel. “We run, or we wait?” Pete was testing his young friend.

“We wait,” Toby said at once, gathering up his own rifle. “He won’t never be able to drive that rig and shoot back.”

“Good man. Be ready to tear outta here as soon as he’s out of sight.”

Toby nodded, watching George. They couldn’t use the radios, for fear the signal might be picked up. All they could do was stick to the plan.

“Hate to leave the others with no rider,” Toby said quietly.

“Me too,” Pete admitted. “We’ll catch up soon enough,” he nodded as George came tearing out of the Townsend driveway.

“You idiots get moving!” he yelled angrily. Toby smiled, and waved, and sat still.

“Right behind you!” Pete yelled. George looked mad as he pulled onto the road, and floored the big truck.

“He looks madder’n a wet hen,” Toby laughed. Pete nodded.

“We’ll hear about this later, you can bet,” he told the teen. “But I don’t mind getting chewed on for doing the right thing.”

“Me neither,” Toby surprised himself by admitting.

“Hear that?” Pete asked. Toby could hear it. Motorcycles. He looked to see where George was. Out of sight.

“George is up the road,” he reported.

“Just in time, too,” Pete said, raising his rifle. “Here come the neighbors.”

Two motorcycles, much like the two that Billy had destroyed in Cottonwood, came into view. Both slowed at the sight before them, and one raised his hand to his head. Assuming it was a radio, Pete opened fire, spraying both bikes, and both riders, with a hail of jacketed bullets. Both fell to the pavement, and one of the bikes caught fire.

“Time for us to move on, kid,” Pete ordered, sliding into the back seat, and opening the rear window. “Get us moving!”

Toby needed no encouragement. He floored the big Ford, and it took off, heading down the highway, with Pete watching their rear the whole way.

*****

“I’d like to know what the two of you thought you were doing?” George almost yelled, as Pete and Toby stood before him.

“Our job,” Pete shrugged. “We were the escort. Our job to make sure the rest of you made it out of town.”

“And we did, too,” Toby added. George’s glower cut his smile off at the knees.

“I told you two to get down the road!”

“And we did, right after you,” Pete nodded.

“I meant right then!”

“You should have explained yourself better,” Pete shrugged. “Not our fault.”

George looked apoplectic.

“We did what we was ‘sposed to do, Mister Purdy,” Toby said firmly. “I don’t see what the big deal is.” George looked at him, but said nothing. Finally he sighed.

“So you did, Toby,” he said at last. “Good work. Both of you.”

“That’s more like it,” Pete nodded.

“Don’t push it, Injun.”

*****

The news traveled fast that everyone was home, and that they had encountered the train. Ralph and Amy decided to go up and see what had been found, and asked Debbie to come along.

“I don’t think so,” Debbie shook her head. “I don’t feel too well, at the moment,” she admitted. “Would you mind letting Georgie go with you? To see his father?”

“Of course not,” Ralph said at once. Amy looked at Debbie in concern.

“Deb, are you okay?”

“Oh, I think so,” Deb nodded. “Just a little off, that’s all. I’ve been having trouble for a little while. I think it’s the different foods we’re using now. I’ve tried to make more things from scratch than I used to. I think once we’re adjusted to the diet, I’ll be much better.”

“None of us have had any trouble,” Amy pointed out.

“And be glad for that,” Debbie told her, grimacing. “It’s not all that bad, just irritating. And tiring. Seems like I’m always tired, lately,” she admitted.

“Well, why don’t you try and rest while we’re gone,” Amy told her. “The house will be good and quiet.”

“I think I will,” Debbie nodded after a minute of thought. “I really am tired.”

“If you need me for anything, give me a call, okay?” Amy pressed.

“I will,” Debbie smiled tiredly. “Tell George I’m glad he’s back okay,” she added hesitantly.

“I sure will,” Amy smiled. She really did like Debbie, when she wasn’t trying to stir up trouble. Amy still had no idea why she was so prone to be that way. There didn’t seem to be any reason for it.