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  Again he waited for quiet as the people of Catfish chewed this over.

  “And, it means that you will be part of Gabriel’s team. A part of something great that the world has never seen.”

  Okay, now he was starting to totally creep me out. I tapped him on the shoulder, asking, “Are we allowed to consider your offer?”

  The man thought about this, and I wondered how much he was working from a script and how much he was making this up as he went along. “If you choose not to join us tonight, then we will request we have a representative from your town come and talk to Gabriel, so that you can understand the benefits of being part of something great.”

  This guy was definitely just a mouthpiece. How many times were we going to hear the phrase, ‘part of something great’?

  I spoke into the microphone, which had picked up the conversation between us pretty well anyway. “What do you want to do?” I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t on such a power trip that I thought I could speak for the whole town.

  Someone waved at me from the side of the auditorium, and I smiled when I recognized Tucker. I pointed to him, and he said in a loud sure voice, “We could vote.”

  Something like annoyance ran across the leader’s face. I supposed that when you had a dictator as your boss you weren’t real keen on people voting whether they wanted to join him or not. Maybe that flicker of annoyance is what made me sure that voting was a good idea. “I think that sounds democratic,” I said without looking at the leader. “Do we need any more information before we vote?”

  There were some more mutterings, but no one spoke up, so I said, “Okay. All in favor of joining Gabriel’s ‘team’ please say Aye.”

  I was surprised, but there were quite a few Ayes.

  I continued on. “All in favor of not joining Gabriel’s team—”

  The leader of Team Gabriel leaned over to me and inserted, “At this time.”

  I gave him a look but continued, “Please say Nay.”

  The nays were definitely louder. I felt a wave of relief. The leader shook his head like we were stubborn children. “Who then will come and meet with Gabriel?” he asked. He turned to me. “Is it you?”

  I opened my mouth to say something like, ‘Hell no!’ but was stopped by a spattering of applause that grew louder until nearly everyone was clapping. I wanted to kick the podium and stomp out, but knew I couldn’t do that. I spoke into the microphone and the clapping quieted. “If you want me to go, I will,” I said. The clapping resumed, louder this time. I looked over at the leader with a rather sardonic smile on my face. “I guess it is me.”

  Leader Bob of the ‘We love Gabriel’ group wanted to go immediately, but I said absolutely not. I wanted to talk to my friends and get their take on this, and also I wanted to see Tucker and get his opinion, too. I had really missed him. I wasn’t sure what to make of that.

  Bob wasn’t very happy about that, and said I could have an hour. I snorted and left, with the Gabriel trio following along like they were my bodyguards or captors—I’m not sure which. We drove back to the house, very conscious of the trio in the Scout behind us. I had given Tucker a big hug, as had Meri. Even Phil had smiled and patted his arm. Tucker filled us in on more details of his trip, and I was very disheartened to see that the breakdown of civility was happening everywhere. On the other hand, there were also inspiring acts of heroism and kindness. It was almost as though people were polarizing into ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ Was the purpose of society to keep everyone somewhat in the middle? The good people were funneled into acceptable, non-dangerous activities. They were also muted somewhat by the distance of society and just the size of the communities. Now that things were smaller and the needs greater, some people were really stepping up to the challenge.

  As we got out of the car and went into the house, Tucker put his arm around my shoulders and said softly, “I need to talk to you alone.” I looked up at him, perplexed. His face looked a little sad but resigned. “I have debated with myself for days, and I’ve decided that I need to tell you what I know. This is one of those times when both options suck.”

  As people trooped inside, Tucker and I slipped unnoticed into one of the bedrooms. As it turned out it was Tucker’s bedroom, which he now shared with two other guys. He looked around. “Oh, yeah,” I said, shrugging. “We are having everyone double and triple up. We have a lot of people living here.”

  “And why is that?” he asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know, really. I just felt like getting everyone, or at least some people together. We have guards now and everything. We don’t leave the guns around for the kids, but just about everyone else is either armed or learning how to safely use a gun.” I smiled. “I’m a teacher on the gun front.”

  He sighed. “I feel like I’ve been gone a lot longer than I actually was.”

  I was still worried about what he wanted to tell me. “So Tucker? Why are we hiding in here?”

  He took a deep breath, his eyes on mine. “Madde, I asked around a lot when I was up at the cabin, and also I looked around. As I told you, when I arrived there was no one at the cabin, but it had been shut down, not left as if there was a sudden exit. Things were put away, the door shut and locked.” He shrugged. “I had to break in a window.”

  I waited.

  “So I started to wonder about the things that happened to people. The largest percentage, I think, died in one way or another.”

  I flinched and he saw it, taking my hand in his. “I didn’t see anything that would make me think they had either become violent there or violence had found them there in the cabin. Maybe they had been on their way back, though, so I can’t say for sure that something didn’t happen to them. I don’t think, though, that anything happened to them at the cabin.

  “I walked around the cabin, in wider and wider circles. I was thinking that I’d heard all sort of tales from people, and the one that was repeated the most was of people just running off into the woods, unable to stay in houses or towns anymore. There are a significant group of these people, and I think I might have seen traces of some of them as I drove there and back. I wonder if they’re grouping together. They certainly are not just going out to die. I’ve heard from several people that they’ve seen them running through the woods, always keeping away from the people.

  “And as I did the circles, I started to wonder if that is what had happened to one or both of your parents. There were footprints out there, some way from the cabin. Enough time had passed that I couldn’t tell how many footprints there were, or where exactly they went, but I know there were at least two different people out there, maybe more. Some of the prints were of shoes, and the larger ones were barefooted. And they had stayed near the cabin for a time—in one area there was some evidence of a kind of … nest. You know, pine boughs and some pieces of clothing.”

  I just stared at him.

  “You know what people are calling those people who ran off like deer? Runners. I think maybe that one or both of your parents went runner.” He watched me anxiously.

  “Oh, God.” I sighed. Was that better than dead? To think of Mom and Dad just out there like wild animals? Wouldn’t they die of exposure? And to have a sort of nest? That was just horrible.

  Tucker put his arms around me, and I leaned into him. I couldn’t let myself cry, not right now, anyway. Still, I appreciated his offer of comfort. Finally I stepped back away from him, trying to put a smile on my face. “Thank you for telling me, and for looking for them. It really means a lot to me.”

  “Madde, I wasn’t sure if you would be better of not knowing—if it would upset you more to think of them that way.”

  My smile became a shade more genuine. What had we done to deserve this guy? “No, I’m glad to know. I just can’t fall apart right now with the creepy Gabriel triplets waiting for me.”

  “Yeah, that’s another thing. Everywhere I went there was a buzz—Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel. He’s really . . .” He shook his head, looking for the ap
propriate word, “Dominating the area. It makes me a little nervous. How is he doing it? Why is he doing it? I doubt it’s just to help out. And since so many people seem to have or be developing certain talents that they never had before, what sort of gift has helped vault him into the upper echelons of power?”

  I frowned. I was glad he was skeptical of Gabriel. In my humble opinion, far too many people just accepted him and didn’t think past the obvious PR. On the other hand, he’d made me nervous with new ideas I hadn’t considered. Gabriel had some kind of gift? A gift that no one could deny? Did I want to get within a mile of this guy?

  “I don’t know,” Tucker said as if he could read my thoughts. As far as I knew, maybe he could. “I don’t think we really have a choice. But I’m going with you.”

  “No,” I said suddenly. I wasn’t sure why I thought this was a bad idea. “I want you to stay here and keep things together while I’m gone. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’ve become a sort of … leader around here. And while Meri knows everything that is happening, she is way too sweet to lead. She’d give everybody whatever he wanted. It wouldn’t work. But you can do it.” I rubbed my forehead absently. “I’m afraid, Tucker. I’m afraid if I go and see Gabriel I’ll turn pod person like everyone else who is around him. Or maybe he’ll threaten me or something. I don’t know. But I do know I will feel a little better if you’re here. If I come back and I don’t seem like me anymore, then I trust you to kick my ass if necessary.”

  He gave a low laugh but shook his head. “You can’t go alone.”

  “I’m not sure I have a choice.”

  He thought for a moment, finally shaking his head. “You shouldn’t go alone. It would look—weak.”

  I hadn’t thought about that.

  Someone stuck her head in the door. It was Phil. “Oh, here you are.” She eyed us. “Did I interrupt something? Your colors are blended.”

  I shrugged and glanced at Tucker. He shrugged back, mystified.

  I grinned suddenly. “Tucker!” I said with mock severity. “Keep your colors to yourself!”

  As soon as I said it I hoped I hadn’t offended him. I needn’t have worried. He shrugged as if guilty. “I can’t do a thing with them.”

  Our joking flew right past Phil. “Everyone is looking for you. Those Gabriel boys are freaking out,” she said softly.

  I threw a glance at Tucker as I hurried out of the room. I went back into the main room as someone, I wasn’t sure who, called out, “Here she is.”

  The leader of the Gabriel triplets came up to me, his face tight. “We believed you were trying to leave.”

  “You were wrong, and even if you were right, it would be none of your business.”

  He scowled at me. “We—”

  I cut him off. “I’m coming with you as a courtesy, not as a prisoner. Remember that.” I deliberately turned my back on him, my head giving a twinge. I fully expected the man to grab my shoulder, and wasn’t exactly sure what I’d do if he did. But as I threw a glance back at him, he looked calmer, if not more docile. Imagine that. Someone actually seemed to find me a little scary. I wanted to laugh out loud.

  Tucker was talking to a group of people in one corner of the room, Meri at his side.

  I looked about and realized that most of these people had become family of a sort. Fred, Pewter, little Jacob, Granny … oh man, was Granny talking to the Gabriel group? This I had to hear. I drifted closer, eavesdropping.

  “But I don’t understand.” Granny insisted, actually grabbing one Gabriel-man’s arm with her claw-like hand.

  “He is a great man,” the Gabriel-drone said. “People see that.”

  “No, really,” Granny said dryly. “You know, they say even Jesus Christ had some people who didn’t like Him. Is he more likable than Jesus Christ?”

  I started to choke with laughter and had to move away. Phil intercepted me. “Hey. Uh, I think you should be really careful.” She gestured towards the men who had come from Gabriel. “Their colors, their energy, is borrowed, or maybe changed.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.”

  My eyes widened. What the hell was this?

  Phil looked back at me. “I’m okay. It’s just that their energy isn’t all just theirs, or maybe it’s infected.” She looked frustrated, and then shrugged, her calm look returning. “Just be careful.”

  Tucker was waving at me. I went over where he had been talking to people. This cocktail party atmosphere was starting to get on my nerves. Not that I didn’t enjoy a party, but I was nervous and wondering if I could put this whole thing off for a day, or maybe a week?

  Tucker seemed to know how nervous I was. The information he had told me about Mom and Dad was securely tucked away to be examined later. I just couldn’t afford to be distracted right now. Tucker took my hand and squeezed it, then let it go. “I really think it would be a good idea for you to bring several people with you. It would be like a delegation, instead of a hostage situation.” He grinned as he said the last part, hoping to make me smile, I think, but I was spooked by how close his thoughts were to my own.

  “We talked about it.” He motioned to the people, mostly men, around him. Tucker was a good guy, but apparently not into female empowerment. Not sure at this moment that I was either. I noticed all the people would be people Tucker would know, except for Fred. He saw me look at him.

  “I wanted to be part of it, and still do.” He gave Tucker a look. “But he believes it isn’t completely safe, and I have Jacob to think about.”

  I smiled back at Fred. I think he would have been good if it was actually a delegation. But he was like a father now. Too bad. “No, I think he’s right, Fred. Thanks though.”

  Tucker gave Fred a look that I couldn’t identify. Not jealousy, certainly. Maybe he just wasn’t completely sure about him. Tucker looked back at me. “We were thinking that Evan, Luis, Randy and Karen would go with you.”

  I didn’t know any of these people well, although small towns being, well, small, I knew them all, technically. Tucker continued, “Evan is a paralegal, which is the closest thing we have to a lawyer right now. Luis was in the army, so he’d be good protection, if needed. Randy was in public relations over in Caroo, so we thought he might be the closest thing we have to Henry Kissinger.” Tucker grinned at me, and I saw Karen, who had known Tucker’s brother fairly well, and through him, the ‘old’ Tucker, shake her head in amazement. “Karen, well, I’ll let her tell you herself.”

  Karen pulled her attention away from Tucker and looked at me. “Since I got sick, I sometimes get flashes of things that might be what people are thinking. Then again,” she added, blushing, “I could just be nuts. But Tucker thinks it might be really helpful.” Oh, I knew what she was thinking as she looked at Tucker, and I didn’t need to read minds. She was sweet on him. Hmm.

  Tucker didn’t seem to see the admiration shining in her eyes—typical man—and turned back to me. “I really should ask you. What do you think about these choices? Do you think this will work?” He looked at me like I was able to pull out my magic wand and tell the future.

  “I think it sounds great,” I said. In a quieter voice to Tucker, I said, “But I don’t have any ‘feelings’ about it one way or the other.” He nodded, understanding.

  I looked around at the delegation. “Okay, well, I want to give everyone time to get things settled since I don’t know how long we’ll be gone. I will tell the group from Gabriel we can leave in the morning.”

  Luis glanced over at them, where they were trying to look nonchalant, but were watching me carefully. “They aren’t going to like that.” He grinned at me, enjoying the idea of messing with them.

  “Tough,” I said. I took a step towards them, but looked back. “Uh, should you do this, Henry?” I said to Randy, our Henry Kissinger.

  Randy shook his head. “Oh, I doubt they would listen to me. And cut out the Henry crap. I’m nervous enough about this.”

  “Sorry, Randy,�
�� I said easily. I went over to the men, noticing that both Luis and Tucker flanked me. Ahh, he-men were so cute sometimes. And also I was a little less nervous now.

  “Hi guys!” I said cheerfully. “We can leave in the morning. I have a few people who will be coming along. I can find you some beds here at the house, or you can find somewhere else if you wish.”

  The leader frowned. “Gabriel said we were to return immediately. I don’t—”

  “You certainly can return. We, however, will not be leaving until morning,” I said firmly, very glad of Tucker’s and Luis’ presence behind me.

  The leader looked angry, then worried. “I don’t know.”

  I felt a little sorry for him. He really looked like he didn’t know what to do. Was this Gabriel such a monster? Maybe I should be worrying about myself. “Look, I really doubt Gabriel will be mad. I’m sure he meant that you should come as soon as possible, and this is as soon as possible for us.”

  The leader looked relieved as I said this and nodded in agreement. Either this guy didn’t have much of a mind of his own, or Gabriel didn’t like people making their own decisions. Ugh. Did I really have to go and meet this guy?

  Meri appeared as if by magic, and led the guys to a place she had found for them to sleep. I’d lost track of who was sleeping where, so was extremely glad she was so organized. Tucker followed her. Luis turned to me. “I wonder if we’re going to actually get a choice in this process.”

  “I know. Me too. But I haven’t heard anything about Gabriel being cruel or even raising his voice. People love him.”

  Luis thought about that. “Yeah, well, Germany loved Hitler, too.”

  I couldn’t think of anything to say.

  Chapter 10: I Meet the Grand Poo-bah

  We were driving in a little van/SUV-train to see the Great and Powerful Gabriel. Due to the number of people in our little delegation, we had our own van and were driving behind the creepy trio of Gabrielites. The leader (who still had never given his name. Maybe Gabriel had outlawed names. I had taken it upon myself to just name him Bob.) hadn’t liked us to be split up, but we had insisted. I really didn’t know why that was necessary, but Randy had decided a position of power would include us coming on our own, not escorted in like prisoners. He had a good point. He still wouldn’t let me call him Henry, though.