“I meant later, as in tonight or tomorrow.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s a lot stronger than you think. I saw what he can do when he wants to,” Summer said, turning her focus back to the dog. She slapped her hands again. “Come on, boy. Come here. Show Liz how strong you are.”
Barkley looked at her and blinked, his face peppered with matted fur. He took a tentative step with one of his front paws, wobbling as he ventured forward, his other legs reacting in concert with the first.
“That’s it. Keep going.”
Barkley took another step. Again, it was filled with instability. Then he took another and another, each one a tad faster and more confident than the one before.
“See, I told you,” Summer said to Liz. “Just needs to push through it, like we all have to.”
“Okay, but take it slow,” Liz said. “He should drink some water and try to eat a little something, too.”
“I’m sure the chef has something he can nibble on,” Summer said as Barkley arrived. She rubbed his neck, then gave him a hug, ignoring the stink that went along with it. His tail wasn’t wagging yet, but she figured that would happen eventually. He just needed to get his footing and find more strength.
“If you decide to give him a bath, make sure the dressing stays dry. We don’t want an infection settling in.”
“Okay, got it, Doc.”
“And be careful around the kids. They might get a little too rough with him and we don’t know how he will react.”
“That was my plan,” she said, leading him to the door that opened into the hallway.
CHAPTER 17
“Looks like a swarm of ants hit this place,” Krista said as they approached the myriad of tracks in the snow around the abandoned bus.
There was no telling how many Scabs had made the tracks, especially since they looked to all be barefoot and about the same size, though there were a smattering of odd tracks, too—all of them flatter and deeper with an oversize big toe. She’d never seen that particular type of track before. Perhaps a pair of Scabs were purposely walking in each other’s steps, but for what purpose, she had no idea.
Krista kept her rifle in a defensive position, aiming just short of Horton’s feet with her finger resting on the metal surrounding the trigger guard. “Wicks, you’re on point. Clear the bus.”
Before the man could step forward, the bus doors rattled on their hinges and out came the Scab Girl.
“Hold your fire!” Horton said, his arms out high.
Helena scampered up the front bumper, then climbed onto the hood of the bus and scurried to the top of its roof.
Krista was about to give her overwatch team the order to shoot, but instead held up a closed fist when the girl sat down cross-legged and put her hands up over her head.
“She’s surrendering,” Horton said, looking at Krista. “Let me talk her down.”
Krista gave him a nod, then tossed him a length of paracord to use as a restraint. “You get one chance to bring her in and she needs to be secured. That’s non-negotiable.”
Horton didn’t hesitate, nodding and then taking steps in the Scab Girl’s direction. “Everything’s okay, Helena. They’re not going to hurt you, if you just hold still and let me come up there. Can I do that?”
Helena grunted twice, indicating a yes.
Horton glanced back at Krista for approval.
Krista nodded. “No sudden moves, either of you.” She turned to Wicks. “Keep an eye on that bus. There could be more of them.”
“Roger that, ma’am,” he said, swinging around to the right with his rifle in a firing position.
Krista figured if there were any Scabs hiding in the bus, Horton would act as the bait. Expendable bait, giving them the needed sightlines to take out the threats. Horton included.
Horton was now at the foot of the bus, not far from the double doors hanging open. He brought his head up to speak to Helena. “I know you’re worried, but they’re just doing their job. They’re not going to shoot as long as you do exactly what I say.”
Helena’s gaze bounced between the rifles pointed at her, huffing as she moved her eyes from Wicks to Krista and back again.
None of that was a surprise to Krista, who considered the cannibal more animal than human. When you’re trapped in a compromising crossfire position, your heart is going to race, regardless of what species you are, or what species you used to be. “Bring her down slow.”
Horton took another step forward, his hand still carrying the paracord. “Okay, Helena, now you need to put your hands down slowly and keep them at your sides.”
When she complied, he continued, walking to the front of the bus and taking position a foot away from the front fender well. “Now scoot toward me, but keep it slow and steady.”
Helena hesitated, then grunted once, confirming what Krista already assumed—Horton couldn’t deliver. “Thirty seconds, Horton. Then we finish this.”
“Just give me a minute,” he snarled back. “She’s frightened. Can’t you see? She’ll come in.”
“Clock’s ticking. Twenty-five seconds.”
“Please, Helena. Come down. You can trust me. It’s important. Please.”
Helena’s face softened a moment later, her look of fright dissolving into something else.
Krista wasn’t sure what to call the new wide-eyed expression or how to describe it, but it appeared as though the Scab Girl had just fallen in love with Horton. It didn’t make any sense, but that didn’t change the fact about what happened next.
Helena pushed with her hands at the steel behind her, providing the momentum to slide down the windshield, then the side of the angled hood. She landed in the snow feet first, with her torso wrapped in Horton’s arms.
“Secure her!” Krista said, not believing what she just witnessed.
Helena spun toward the bus on her own and put her hands behind her back, allowing Horton to lash them together with the rope, using an over-under multi-knot technique.
When Horton turned her to face Krista, he said, “I hope you believe me now. She was never going to attack. She surrendered, just like I said she would.”
“You’re lucky she did.”
“It’s not about luck. It’s about who she is and her predicament. You just need to get to know her a little first. She’s not like the others.”
“Trust me. I know exactly who and what she is.”
“No, you don’t. She’s just a frightened girl who’s out here all alone. She doesn’t know what’s going on or who to trust.”
“That goes both ways, Horton. Maybe next time, she needs to not take off and make us hunt her down. She put everyone at risk. Her included.”
“I’ll give you that, but look at it from her perspective.”
“Compassion is not my job. Security is,” Krista said, giving Wicks a head nod, telling him to move forward and clear the bus.
Wicks stepped forward, working his way up the steps of the bus and through the open doors. His rifle led the way, sweeping from side to side as he worked his way down the center aisle of the vehicle, checking each seat and crawl space underneath.
When he made it to the rear of the bus, he punched out the nearest window and reported in a loud, clear voice, “Clear, boss. Nothing but junk everywhere. Looks like someone’s been living in here.”
“Probably her. She must have been looking for something,” Horton said. “That’s why she came back. It’s the only place she feels safe.”
“Doesn’t matter why. The Scabs obviously know about this place,” Krista said, opening her canteen and taking a long drink of water. She closed the lid, then held her hand up and gave the rally command wave to her men on the ridge. “Let’s move out before they decide to double back.”