“Just let me do the talking,” he said, slowing the bike down, then pulling the gun from the tank bag and putting it in his lap.
Brody stopped about fifteen feet from the two men, one of whom had his rifle pointed at them. The other had lowered his gun and held a hand up in a stopping motion. When Brody killed the engine, he spoke.
“Howdy, folks. You wouldn’t be Brody and Hannah, would you?”
Hannah knew her jaw dropped even as her heart sped up. If they knew their names and expected them, that could only mean…
“Beth!” she cried. “Is she here?”
The one pointing the gun lowered it and smiled, and Hannah noticed how young he was. “She sure is. When we heard she’d run away and that you’d probably come looking for her, we stationed some guys to keep any eye out for you.”
“Why the guns then?” asked Brody, his body still tense.
“It always pays to be safe. We’ve had run-ins with a few dickheads who seem to think that no cops means they can do what the hell they like.”
Brody relaxed. “Fair enough. A shame the virus didn’t target assholes.”
“No kidding. My name’s Joel by the way,” said the older one, holding out hand which Brody shook. “And this here is my son Mike.”
They shook hands all around, and Hannah bit her lip so as to not scream. She didn’t care about their names. She wanted to see Beth.
Impatient she blurted. “Where’s Beth? Can I see her?” And shake her for scaring the crap out of me! Hannah couldn’t believe they’d actually found her. A part of her had thought their search would be fruitless.
“She’s back at the village. Why don’t you follow us?”
Boarding some dirt bikes of their own, they followed Joel and Mike down the road, passing farms with tilled fields and livestock grazing. They eventually entered a bustling town-an extremely outdated one with clapboard and stone buildings.
Brody parked his bike in front of a house that Mike claimed was his, and they all got off their bikes, Hannah rubbing her sore posterior.
“Hannah!” Beth squealed as she came running out the front door. She promptly burst into tears.
Hannah squeezed her little sister tight and closed her eyes as tears leaked in relief. Then she shook her sister. “What did you think you were doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous your road trip was? Or how worried we all were?”
Beth ducked her head. “I know it was stupid. I ran into some nasty guys the next town over. I was lucky Mike was on a supply mission. He and Joel heard me screaming and managed to scare them off.” Beth darted a look over at Mike, who talked with Brody, the hero worship in her eyes evident.
“Oh Bethie,” said Hannah. “I’m so glad you didn’t get hurt. You were damned lucky.”
“I know that now. Mike lectured me pretty good. I’m sorry, Hannah. I shouldn’t have run off like that.”
Hannah couldn’t have been more stunned if she’d been slapped. Beth apologizing? “Yes, well, at least you’re safe.”
“Oh Hannah, this place is so amazing. I only got here last night, but Mike gave me a tour this morning before he went to wait for you guys. Can we stay please? There’s all kinds of things I could do here, and they’ve got extra houses and…”
Hannah held up her hands. “Whoa, Bethie. We just got here. I guess if you really want to stay, then I can’t stop you. But, just so you know, I am going back. We had to leave Uncle Fred alone while we came after you.”
“So that means I can stay?” Without waiting for confirmation, Beth clapped her hands in glee and turned to Mike who had approached. “Did you hear that Mike? I can stay.”
Looking at the smiles they exchanged, Hannah felt like sighing. It would seem Beth had found more than a new community. Hannah was happy for her. Beth deserved to have someone to love her and give her the family and home life she craved.
They spent the rest of that day touring the Amish village. As with the rest of the world, everyone in the Amish village save one family had died. That family had welcomed the newcomers as they straggled in and shown them how to live off the land.
The village seemed very self-sufficient with a windmill and waterwheel for a limited amount of power and for the grinding of wheat into flour. They had a smokehouse for curing meats, a general store for people to gather in and exchange produce, and even a schoolhouse with a half dozen children. The community itself had gathered over forty people and, as Joel confided, they expected that number to swell as some of the young men had gone out on scouting trips and brought back not only goods but survivors.
“We could use a healthy couple like you,” Joel said as they sat around that evening playing cards by the light of an oil lamp.
Brody looked over at her, and Hannah realized he wanted her to answer. “I appreciate the offer, but my uncle Fred is back home and well, I don’t think I’m ready to leave my family home quite yet. But we’ll definitely be back to visit.”
Hannah expected Beth to protest but, wrapped up in Mike’s presence, she barely glanced at Hannah. Brody, however, had a crease between his brows. Does he want to stay?
But that night as he made love to her in the pillowy bed, the mattress fluffy with stuffed feathers, he said not a word to her about her decision. Instead he buried himself between her thighs, his tongue dancing with hers eagerly.
And Hannah lost herself to the pleasure.
“So what time are we leaving?”
Her question took him by surprise. He knew she was worried about Fred, but he’d thought they’d stay at least one more day to make sure Beth was settled, and he kind of wanted to check things out some more. Surely even she could see how much better off they would be moving here.
“You don’t want to stay and make sure Beth’s going to be all right?”
“Beth’s a grown girl, something I need to accept. Besides, it looks like she and Mike have hit it off, and he seems like a decent sort. He’ll make sure she’s okay.”
Biting his tongue but determined to work on her once they got back, along with the help of Fred whom he knew would side with him, he prepped the bike for their return trip.
Amid a tearful good-bye, where the sisters promised to visit soon, Joel pulled him aside. “Watch yourself, son. Some of the boys ran into some dirtbags last night. Last thing you need is them following you back. They tend to run in packs, and I’d hate for you or Hannah to get hurt.”
Brody looked at Hannah, and his gut clenched. If anything were to happen to her…
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll be careful. If I can convince her, we’ll be back soon. I like what you guys got going here.”
The good-byes over with, Brody straddled his steel horse and inwardly smiled when Hannah wrapped her arms around him. The feeling would never get old.
The trip home went quickly, but twilight hit before they made it all the way back. Finding another roadside motel, Brody stopped for the night.
As soon as Hannah got off, she turned quickly to the side and threw up.
“Jesus, kitten, are you okay?” he asked.
“Must have been something I ate,” she mumbled.
The next day she still looked queasy, but they made it all the way home without her getting ill.
Fred came wheeling out of the house, his face sober. “Beth, is she…”
“She’s fine,” said Hannah rushing over to hug her uncle. “She just decided to stay behind at the Amish settlement.”
“You found people then?” said Fred, his face cracking a smile. “Marvelous. So when’s the big move?”
“What do you mean?” asked Hannah, her face creased in confusion.
Brody restrained himself from smiling. It looked like Fred would be on his side in this argument.
“We can’t stay here by ourselves forever, Hannah girl.”
“Why not?”