Wolf Hiding (A Wolf in the Land of the Dead Book 2) (7 page)

Nowen interrupted. “ ‘CZs’?”

Suzannah glanced coolly at her from pale green eyes, a crystal stud in her thin, delicate nose flashing in the sunlight. She said, “Chinese Zombies, honey. Everyone knows that Flux was created by the Chinese, to kill us all so they could take over America.” Nowen frowned at this but by now had Suzannah returned her attention to Anton. “Anyway, like I was saying, I knew the shit was going to hit the fan. I talked the soldier into running away with me, and we snuck out one night and headed north. Kansas City was burning, CZs everywhere, so we kept going. St. Joe, Omaha, Lincoln; all the same.”

“
All
the big cities are gone?” Anton asked.

She laughed. “All the ones I saw, baby. And the little ones, too. No army or police anywhere. Once we saw a group of people, walking down the road with all their junk. A group of those fast screaming bastards came out of nowhere, like, seriously nowhere. Popped up out of the grass like gophers. They swarmed all over those people like ants on a picnic. Soldier boy slowed down to help them, but it was way too late. Blood and body parts were everywhere.” Suzannah paused, and for the first time Nowen saw something beyond cheerfulness on her face.

Nowen looked at the girl sharing the back of the car with her. Sage had her eyes closed. The wet track of tears cut through the dirt on her face.

“Hey, watch what you say, ok? There’s a kid back there.” Anton murmured.

The redhead turned around in her seat and looked over the headrest. “Oh,shit. I’m sorry. Is she...yours?” She looked at Nowen as she said this but it was Anton who responded.

“Nah.” he grunted as swung the car around an overturned cattle truck. Stiff, leathery legs stuck at odd angles through the slatted sides. “We found her in Cheyenne, just a couple of hours ago. Her parents are D-E-A-D.”

“Oh. That’s too bad.” Suzannah faced the front again. Nowen watched Sage from the corner of her eye. The young girl had stopped crying, and her dark, dark eyes were open, watching the scenery pass by.

They were driving almost due west now and the sun was streaming full force through the windshield. Suzannah was still talking, something about the soldier dying and her meeting some ‘cool guys in a nice car’. Nowen tuned the words out, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against the headrest. The wolf was there instantly, amber eyes gleaming like wildfires in the night. There was a growing ferocity in those eyes, and Nowen felt an unexpected anger.
You can’t be in charge all the time! I’m more than just you, more than just the wolf. And I’m not going to be fighting with you all the time. Now, back off!
And to her amazement, the wolf did.

There was a gentle tugging on her sleeve. Wearily she opened her eyes and turned to see Sage staring at her. The girl was kneeling on her seat, and when she saw that she had Nowen’s attention she pointed out the back window. Nowen twisted around and looked.

The grey endless highway stretched out behind them, as empty as the prairie that bordered the road. Heat waves danced and shimmered on the pavement. She watched the road unroll for several minutes. Just as she was turning to look at Sage something caught her eye.
What was that?
She waited.
There! But...what is it?

Far in the distance a shining point of light blinked in and out as it followed the curves of the highway. “Something’s following us.” Nowen said and looked at the front of the car.

Anton took a hand off the wheel and grabbed the rearview mirror. “What? What are you talking about?”

Suzannah was checking the side mirror. “I don’t see nothing.”

Anton tilted his mirror from side to side. “Nowen, I don’t see anything.”

Nowen looked out the back window again. The light had disappeared. “There was something back there, like sun off glass.”

The redhead in the passenger seat snorted a laugh. “Whoo, whatever you’re smoking, pass it around!” Anton laughed with her. Nowen glanced at Sage. “You saw it.” she whispered, more a statement than a question. Sage nodded solemnly.

The city of Douglas sprawled before them, the silence and desolation an all too-familiar sight. The four of them stood next to the car at a highway junction and studied the houses and buildings below. Other than the staggering, lurching Revs moving through the streets no movement could be seen.

“Damn. I was hoping there would be a New Heaven outpost.” Anton said. His voice was as desolate as the city.

“Oh, you’re heading there too? That’s where me and Mac and Willie were going. Then those idiots wrecked that sweet Mustang. And themselves too.” Suzannah said. She shielded her eyes with her hand. “We’re going to stay here for the night?”

Anton nodded. “Yeah. I’m pretty tired, the kid’s dead on her feet, and Nowen can’t drive.” His face lit up. “Hey, you could drive, Suzannah! We could get to New Heaven by the morning.”

She shook her head, her pale red hair lifting on the evening breeze. “Oh, honey, I’m really tired too. I’d been on the road for hours before you found me.” She leaned against him. “Let’s find some nice place with soft beds, ok?”

Nowen stepped up on Anton’s other side. “Whatever we pick, we need to look for someplace that doesn’t have a lot of cars.”

Anton dragged his gaze from the woman leaning against him. “Why?”

“Less chance of coming across any Revs. Let’s go; I want to get an early start tomorrow.” Nowen headed back to the car. The sound of light footsteps on pavement told her that the others were following her.

Less than ten minutes down the highway Anton turned into the grass-spiked parking lot of the ‘Navajo Nights Motel’, a two-story building painted in faded oranges, blues, and yellows. There looked to be about twenty rooms total plus an attached office. An old car so thickly layered in dust that its true color was indeterminable was the only other vehicle.

Sage stayed in the car as the rest of them approached the office. Suzannah giggled and pointed a weathered wood statue of an old Native American chief that stood next to the office door. “Look, Nowen! Relative of yours?”

Nowen took in the carved wooden features. There was a passing resemblance to her own face in the strong nose and high cheekbones, but the way the other woman had laughed made her think something rude was implied.
Humans.
The wolf growled in agreement.

Anton searched behind the desk for room keys. Nowen looked over a rack of souvenir t-shirts. Her sweatshirt was too heavy and warm for the higher temperatures of the flatlands. She selected a sky-blue one that showed a cowboy on a bucking horse below the word ‘Wyoming’. After a moment’s thought she chose an identical shirt in a smaller size.

Anton whooped and held up a handful of keys attached to large plastic tags. “Thank God this place is old enough to still use keys. So, top or bottom floor?”

“Bottom floor would be best, in case we need to get away.” Nowen said.

Anton tossed her a key. “Alright, room number one for you. It’s at the far end. I’ll take number two...should Sage get her own room?”

Suzannah stepped up and plucked the key from Anton’s hand. “It might be safer if we double up in the rooms. Nowen and the little girl can share a room, and you and I can share the other.” She turned her pale green eyes on Nowen. “I mean, if that’s ok with you.”

“Of course. It makes sense.” Nowen headed out the door. The other two followed her. Anton drove the car down to their rooms, parking it so it faced outward toward the highway. Again they all climbed out, and Nowen joined Anton at the trunk. There were three green duffel bags stuffed into the small space. She hefted one; the weight pulled her arm down.

“What’s in here?”

The blonde man grinned. “Guns. A lot of them.”

She nudged another bag. “And in here?”

“More guns, and ammo.”

“Did you get anything we really need?”

“Of course!” His voice was outraged. “Look, the guns could come in handy if we need to protect ourselves or trade or something. But I’m not an idiot.” Roughly he unzipped the third bag. It was stuffed with water bottles, bags of beef jerky and snack chips, and three or four flashlights.

Nowen grabbed some of the food and water and stuffed a flashlight in her sweatshirt pocket. Anton did the same, and also pulled from under the bags the shotgun he’d used back in Cheyenne. Awkwardly he slammed the trunk, and then looked at Nowen.

“Uh, do you mind...I mean, does it bother you that Suzannah and I will be sharing a room?” he stammered.

She looked at him blankly, confused by the question. “No. Why would it?”

He blushed and looked away. “Nothing. Never mind. Forget I asked.”

“Ok.” Nowen walked toward her room. Suzannah stood near Sage. She was hunched over, talking in a low voice to the girl. Sage seemed uncomfortable, and when she saw Nowen she ran to join her. “I’m staying with you,” the girl said in her low voice. It didn’t sound like a question.

Nowen nodded and stepped up to the door to her room. She handed the food off to Sage and motioned for her to take a few steps back. Nowen pulled her knife free and tested the door. It was locked.

The tumblers clicked at the touch of the key and the door swung open on a small, dark, musty-smelling room. Nowen sniffed the air, and when she was sure it was safe she stepped aside and let Sage enter the room. Next door Anton and Suzannah were watching her. Anton lifted a hand. “If anything happens, bang on the wall and I’ll come running.”

Nowen nodded and closed the door. She examined the room. There were two beds, both made up in blankets, sheets, and pillows that matched the pale blue and yellow walls. The worn carpet had a vaguely tribal pattern, and soft watercolors of buffalo and Indians on horseback were hung on the walls. The air was heavy and still.

Nowen crossed to a small window on the side wall and threw back the sun-faded curtains. The glass slid up with only a little struggle. She looked out the screen, the chopped-off edges of her hair moving in the strengthening breeze.

Sage joined her, standing on a chair and looking out the window, too. Nowen glanced at her, taking in the dirty face and dirty hair. “It’s very quiet,” the girl said.

“Yes, it is.”

Sage traced her finger through the layer of dust on the windowsill. “We lived near a busy street. It was always noisy.”

“Oh? Where was that?”

“Texas. San Antonio.” Sage looked up. “Mama died. Grandma killed her. With her teeth.”

Nowen didn’t know what to say. Sage turned her gaze back to the windowsill, the gentle lilt in her voice making her litany of horrors into a weird sing-song chant. “Papa and me and Uncle Fernando and Aunt Izzy left the city. There were bad guys on the highway going from car to car and taking stuff. Uncle Fernando and Aunt Izzy died. Papa and me kept going.”

“Where was Papa going?”

The girl shook her head. “Anywhere safe.” She blew on the sill and dust flew up in a great cloud. “Anton lied.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“The car started fine. He drove real slow, watching you. When that big man knocked you down, he got the gun and shot the big man.”

Nowen stared at Sage as her thoughts raced.
What the hell is Anton up to? And Suzannah...I don’t trust her either.
Again the idea of just taking off by herself and heading north came to her, appealing in its simplicity. But Sage was looking at her, and she wasn’t sure she could leave the girl with people she didn’t trust.

“Thank you for telling me that, Sage. Let’s keep it a secret, ok?” The girl nodded. “Let’s have something to eat. And let’s see if there are any washcloths; you and I could use a wipe-down.”

A couple of hours later Nowen lay on one of the beds and listened to the light snoring coming from the other bed. She and Sage had split a bottle of water on a quick wash, and while the girl could stand a full bath, at least her face and hair were cleaner. A dinner of jerky and corn chips was eaten in silence. Sage seemed to have exhausted her desire to speak, although she had smiled when Nowen had given her the clean t-shirt. Once stripped of their dusty covers the beds were fairly clean, and Sage had fallen asleep before Nowen had even turned off the flashlight.

The sounds of night birds and insects came through the window. The breeze had remained steady and refreshing, and if Nowen closed her eyes and concentrated she could believe she was back in her mountains. It was on this thought that she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Nine

Nowen awoke abruptly. Something was wrong.

She lay on the bed in the absolute darkness of the room, and listened. Something had woken her from a dream
memory
of the months she had spent in Colorado
walking down the hospital hallway towards the body in the chair
and now it was with some difficulty that she reoriented herself.

Sage wasn’t snoring anymore but, with concentration, Nowen could hear the girl’s calm, even breathing. She turned her head towards the open window and the bottomless silence of the night.

A noise. Stealthy. Silent.
Almost silent.
It came again, and now she recognized it - a footstep.
Not a Rev. Human. Trying to...sneak up on us?

Nowen rose from her bed and crossed to the window, the wolf’s grace helping her move softer than snowfall. She leaned her head against the screen and listened.

Two sets of footsteps, lightly displacing pebbles and gravel as they came from the highway. The steps halted, and she strained to hear any voices. There were none, but the night wind brought the scent of strangers to her. The faintest touches of gasoline and metal were intermingled with the unknown smells.

Gently Nowen pried the screen loose and eased it down the outside wall. She followed the screen, sinking to her haunches in the high grass. There was no moon out, but she drew on the wolf’s vision and as she crept toward the corner of the building the world opened around her in a wash of diluted colors.

She looked across the parking lot. Two men stood near the office. Each of them cradled a long gun in their arms as they motioned toward the rooms. One of them held a small light that flicked on and off a couple of times.
They’re waiting for something. What, though?
The breeze died off for a handful of seconds, and finally she could make out a few words. One of the strangers, slightly taller than the other, said “...for the signal. Take out the man first. Don’t shoot the women...” and then the breeze stole their voices away from her.
They’re bad guys. Good.
Nowen pulled her t-shirt over her head, letting it fall in a careless heap beneath the window. She relaxed her control, and let the wolf out.