The Truth is Contagious (The Contagium Series Book 4) (33 page)

“Everything?” I asked, walking on
eggshells.

“Government set up.”

The air whooshed out of me, unnerved at how
calm my grandpa was. Was this the calm before the storm? “Yeah. We
just found out.”

He looked at me, unblinking. One eye narrowed
and twitched as he thought hard about something. Then he smiled. “I
knew it. Knew it all along. Those sons of bitches were out to get
us all the whole time. Listening to us through the radio. Watching,
always watching. But they can’t know about us now, no. The droids
weren’t made for this, Hayden told me. They can’t make it this
long.”

I nodded. “Yeah, they can’t,” I agreed,
having no idea what he was talking about. I didn’t even know what
he was envisioning when he thought of droids. “When do you want to
go?”

“You have a mission to carry out. Swing by
when you’re done and I’ll follow you”

“I’m not leaving you,” I said, setting my
face. “There’s no way to promise you’ll be here.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said with a
wink. “You have a duty to your people.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. Bringing my
grandpa with us exposed him to unnecessary danger. He was smart,
cunning, and was my teacher, my mentor…but he was also old. He had
health issues before this all started, like high blood pressure.
Leaving him here…no. I couldn’t do it.

“I’ve been here all along,” he said, knowing
what I was thinking. “Go. Do what you gotta do and come back.”

So many things ran through my head. What if
something happened and I didn’t come back? What if we were gone too
long? Or came back to an empty house?

My grandpa put his hand on my arm, reading my
mind. “Orissa,” he said, eyes meeting mine. “You can do this.” His
face crinkled into a smile. “You’ve succeeded in everything I’ve
thrown at you. On your own. Now you have a team, a good team.” He
tapped the engagement ring. “That boy worships the ground you walk
on, as he should.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “He does.”

“He’d do anything to keep you safe.”

“That’s what scares me,” I confessed.

My grandpa took in a deep breath and smiled
again, though this time there was something sad behind it. “Your
grandmother used to say the same thing about me.”

A twinge of sadness went through me. I
twisted the ring around my finger. It felt weird and almost
annoying to have the band between my fingers. I was scared of
getting the diamonds caught on something. I was a little ashamed of
that. The last thing I needed was a distraction. If I remembered, I
should leave it here.

“What do you want to do about the people at
the school?” I asked.

My grandpa shrugged. “Hayden is gonna tell
them about the compound, let them decide if they want to go or
stay.” He took a breath and I notice his face had more wrinkles
than the last time I had seen him.

“If you like it there, you can always stay
until this is over,” I offered. I twisted the ring. “We have to go
back. We’ve set up a lot of stuff…people depend on us.”

“You’ve done well, Rissy.” My grandpa smiled.
“I’m proud to say you’re my granddaughter.”

I waved my hand in the air. “Stop it.” I
smiled. “I only did what I thought you would do.”

He put one foot up on the coffee table, knees
cracking as it bent. “You really love him enough to marry him?
You’re not settling because it’s the end of the world?”

“Not settling.” I laughed and shook my head.
My grandpa had never been one for subtly. “He’s a good person and
treats me well. Better than well.”

Hayden came done the stairs. “Talking about
me?”

I smiled at him. “I am.”

My grandpa shakily stood. “I’ll leave you
lovebirds alone. There are lots of preparations to be made for an
extended trip out.”

Hayden took his spot next to me. “Ok,” I
said, sticking my arm under Hayden’s. “How the hell did you do
that?”

“Do what?”

“Convince my grandpa to come back with us.” I
shook my head. “I didn’t even want to bring it up and you got him
all agreeable. Explain this sorcery.”

“He started asking questions,” Hayden began.
“I didn’t want to go into detail since you said he’d be reluctant
to believe me, but the man is smart. I couldn’t lie and get away
with it.”

“Hah. Try growing up with him.”

“So I told him the truth. About everything.
He said he was curious and I offered to bring him to Arkansas to
show in the compound. He didn’t disagree so I asked if he could
come evaluate for improvements.”

“You’re a genius.”

“Maybe. I, uh, kinda made it sound
temporary.”

My shoulders moved up as I inhaled. “I know,”
I said with a sigh. “Is it naïve to hope that once he gets there
he’ll stay?”

Hayden shook his head. “Not at all. That’s
what I’m hoping too.”

I put my head in my hands. “Why do things
have to be so complicated?”

Hayden wrapped his arms around me. “Family is
always complicated. It won’t always be. Someday, I promise.”

“We’ll be dead by then.”

His warm lips pressed against my forehead.
“No. We’ll still be kicking. If you take after your grandfather’s
side of the family you’ll be fine. He’s aging gracefully.”

“Maybe I’ll be crazy then too.”

Hayden laughed. “You’ll fit in just fine with
the Underwoods then.”

I tipped my head up, my chin rubbing against
the stubble that covered Hayden’s face. “I love you.”

Hayden flashed a cheeky grin. “I know.”

* * *

Hayden and I were on first the watch that
night. I yawned and rested my head against Hayden.

“Don’t fall asleep,” Hayden said and put his
arms around me.

I shifted on the wooden bench. “I won’t. This
isn’t comfortable enough.”

He kissed the top of my head. “Good.” He
pulled a blanket over us. We were sitting on the back part of the
wraparound porch.

“It’s funny how sixty seems cold when we’re
used to the heat.” I said and leaned closer to Hayden.

He nodded. “I’ll check around front.”

I shivered as soon as he let me go. The porch
vibrated under his weight as he walked around the house. My bow was
by my side and a rifle rested on my lap. I had no intention of
using the gun unless absolutely necessary. The night vision scope,
however, was useful.

I pushed the blanket from my lap and stood,
going to the railing and scanning the backyard. The night was dark.
Thick rainclouds covered the moon. The outbuildings were black
shadows. The chickens had been put back into their suspended cage
for the night. When the wind was still, I could hear them shuffling
around.

I was about to go back to the bench when I
saw it, a flash of black behind the barn. I squinted. Yes, there
was definitely something moving closer to the barn. Silently, I
picked up the rifle and looked through the scope.

He was moving too fast to be a zombie; each
movement planned and thought out. Crazy, maybe? I poised my finger
over the trigger. He ducked under the fence, pausing when he
straightened up. He looked nervous.

Crazies didn’t know fear. He slipped through
the grass, heading to the barn. He kept looking behind him, worried
he was being watched or followed.

Definitely not infected.

He was at the barn door now, trying to get
in. I didn’t think twice. I grabbed my bow and took off, jogging
toward him.

“Hey!” I shouted. The guy looked at me and
ran. Nothing says guilty like running away as soon as you’re
caught. I pushed into a sprint and was behind the guy in seconds. I
jumped, sailing through the air, then tackled him.

“Get off me,” he muttered, swatting at me as
we wrestled. I shoved his face into the ground and positioned
myself behind him, pulling his arms behind his back.

“Let him go,” someone said, their voice
cutting through the dark like a knife. I twisted the man’s arm up
until he yelped. “I’m warning you, girl.” Clouds rolled over the
moon, patchy light illuminating the face of a gruff man, dirt
covering his face. He held a knife up, eyes flashing like his
sharpened blade. “You have five seconds or I’ll cut you.”

“That’ll be hard to do with a bullet in your
head,” Hayden said, pulling the hammer back on his pistol. He
pressed the end of his gun into Knife Guy’s head. “Drop the
knife.”

Knife Guy held up his hands.

“I said, drop it!” Hayden didn’t give him
another chance. He grabbed him, bending his arm back and taking the
knife.

“Up against the wall,” he told Knife Guy,
using his gun to point at the side of the barn.

“You too,” I snarled, yanking the guy I had
tackled up by the arm. The back door of the house opened and
slammed shut. Wade ran out, shirtless and wearing jeans with a
rifle in his hands. He immediately raised it, looking through the
scope. The guys moved to the barn, sitting on the ground with their
backs pressed against the side.

“Are there any others?” I asked. Jason and my
grandpa would be out in just seconds.

“Yes,” the first guy said. He had bitten his
lip when we fell. He licked at the wound, spitting blood onto the
ground. “Just one more.”

“Where?”

“Out there.” He looked at the field behind
me.

“Tell him to come here.”

Knife Guy glowered at me. He planted his
hands on the ground. “Don’t even think about it,” Hayden said,
raising his arm again. “Tell your friend to get the fuck over here
before we find him. Or we won’t be nice.”

Knife Guy inhaled. “Aubrey,” he called, then
looked at Hayden. “Please don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t,” Hayden said, expression softening.
“As long as you don’t give me a reason to.”

“Aubrey,” he called again. “Weapons
down.”

A young woman emerged from the field, coming
toward the fence with her hands raised. Her arms trembled. She was
crying.

“Don’t hurt us, please,” she begged.

Wade escorted her to the side of the barn.
She rushed forward, falling into Knife Guy’s arms.

The back door opened and shut again. “What’s
going on?” my grandpa yelled.

I looked over to see Jason helping him down
the steps. He hobbled as fast as he could to us, huffing by the
time he arrived.

“Not sure,” I said, turning back to the three
in front of us.

Hayden stepped forward. “Start talking,” he
said to Knife Guy, who wrapped his arms protectively around
Aubrey.

“We didn’t mean no harm,” he said, his
toughness gone now that he was out numbered. “We-we saw the
chickens and were going to take them. We’re hungry, that’s
all.”

“Seriously?” I asked. I pointed to my
grandpa. “Who do you think takes care of the chickens?” I glared at
all three of them. “You knew
someone
put them in the barn.
They’re not wild birds just roaming around. It’s not free game. You
had all intentions of
sneaking
into someone’s barn and
stealing their chickens, right?”

“Yeah. We’re hungry,” he repeated.

“Did you even think to ask us?”

“No.”

My ears were hot from anger. “And what about
us? You have no issue taking our food source?”

“We didn’t think—”

“Ugh!” I shook my head and held out my hand.
“I have had it up to here with this end of the world, lack of
hospitality bullshit! I’m not exactly a people person, but you
don’t see me going around being a dick. You know why? Because I’m a
fucking decent human being!”

Knife Guy blinked. “I-I’m sorry, ok?”

I pointed his knife at him. “You know the
funny thing? Had you had the decency to come to us, to
ask
for help we would have not only given it to you but we would have
offered a safe place to stay for the night.” I gave him a tight
smile. “Blew it now, buddy.”

“We’re really sorry,” Aubrey cried. “Shawn
wasn’t going to hurt anybody. I promise. Please! Let us go.”

“I never took kindly to trespassers,” my
grandpa said, pumping a shotgun. He limped forward, gun raised. He
wasn’t bluffing.

“Grandpa,” I said, holding a hand up. “Fresh
blood attracts zombies,” I blurted, needing to appeal to his
rational side. I was pissed and thought these three people were
assholes, but I didn’t want them to die.

Hayden lowered his gun, eyes darting from me
to my grandpa. He moved forward, putting himself indirectly in
front of Shawn, Aubrey, and the other guy.

“We can figure this out,” he said. “We
obviously have a problem here.”

“We do,” my grandpa said through gritted
teeth.

“Yeah we do,” Jason agreed, rushing over.
“We’ve got company.”

I whirled around, heart jumping out of my
chest. Weeds snapped, rustling back into place as someone crashed
through. Their dark silhouette grew larger as they approached. And
they were coming fast.

Was it part of this group trying to catch us
off guard? We were all outside…easy targets in the dark. Shit! The
house was empty! Someone could get inside and lock us out.

The smell hit me right before the gargling
death groan filled the cool night air. Zombie. I let out a breath.
How messed up was it that I was relieved it was a zombie? I took a
few steps back and grabbed the bow.

The zombie was a few feet from the fence. I
narrowed my eyes, trying to focus in the dark. I strung an arrow
and aimed, zeroing in on his head. He was limping so much his head
bobbed up and down, a difficult target at night. I released the
arrow. It hit the zombie in the shoulder.

“Dammit,” I muttered and grabbed another
arrow. The zombie crashed into the fence. I let out my breath and
the zombie became still. This time I got him, right in the head.
His body slumped forward, toppling over the fence.

Jason walked over to retrieve the arrows. He
used it as a spear, shoving it into the head of a gummy who had
trailed behind the zombie. Thick blood and slushy brain splattered
out when he yanked the arrow free.