said and shuffled back over from the window. Luke thought he was still about to break down, but at least he was paying attention again.
“Yes,” Matt agreed. “Now, what was I saying?”
Luke was beginning to warm up to the idea of moving. Staying in the hotel, or even in the city in general, is probably suicide if this apocalypse shit never blows over , he thought. He stood up from the table and walked around the room. “For a trip like that, we will need a serious stockpile of food and water,” he said. And cigarettes.
“That’s right! Exactly. And I’ve been thinking on that,” Matt said. “There isn’t anything left around here, but I figure we find some road that still has traffic on it --“
“Like when after that chopper flies over and we always see a car or two on the road,” Pete offered.
“Yeah, just like that,” Matt continued. “We figure out a way to divert them, make them come down our road and then setup some kind of ambush.”
“Oh,” Ted said. “Yeah. I like that.” Luke really wanted to know why Ted only spoke up when it was about something violent, but knew better than to ask. “I know where we can get the perfect truck.”
Everyone looked at Ted. “Yeah?” Matt asked. “Where?”
“I used to work bank security, back in the day.”
“Really?” Luke asked with a laugh before he could stop himself. “Who the hell would let you work at a bank?”
Ted frowned for a second but then laughed too. “Yeah,” Ted said. “You believe that shit?”
“Ok,” Matt said. “So what?”
“I know where they keep their armored bank trucks,” Ted said. “Those things are like tanks.”
Matt got up and slapped Ted on the shoulder. “I knew I kept you around for a reason!”
Ted grinned his ugly crooked tooth grin. “Not just my good looks?” he asked. Luke doubted Ted had ever been kept around for his looks, unless you liked hillbillies with a lazy eye and bad teeth. Still, Luke liked where the discussion was going. Getting out of the city really would be the best thing for them. Maybe they could hole up in some town out in the middle of nowhere. A place with well water and working plumbing. Maybe a farm with chickens and other animals. Fresh eggs for breakfast was suddenly starting to sound really good. The idea had promise, but there were a few holes in the plan. “What about keys for the armored truck?” Luke asked.
Ted scratched his head. “Not sure. The guys just always had them.”
Matt shook his head. “That could be a problem,” he said.
“It’s also going to be hell getting them started if they have been sitting all winter,” Luke added.
“See, that is why we need a real home base,” Matt said and slapped the table. “Somewhere with tools and space where we can work on shit just like this.” He snapped his fingers. “I know where we can get a tow truck. I’ll bet it’s still there too.”
“What good would that do?” Pete asked.
“We get our home base setup and then we use the tow truck to move the armored car. We put it in our garage. We work to get it started, fix it up to be battle ready, all of that.”
“Works for me,” Luke said. “When do we move?”
“The sooner the better,” Matt said. “I’m thinking first thing in the morning. Make sure you all have your shit together.”
They all agreed that they would. Luke knew that if he wanted to collect all of his hidden food and munitions, finding the opportunity in one night might be trouble. Maybe it would make sense to just leave it here, he thought. Never know if I will have to come back for it. He liked the idea and lit another cigarette from the butt of his first. Surely they would find more smokes along the way.
TASHA
Tasha woke with a start. What was that sound? she thought as her heart slammed in her chest. She was certain she had heard a noise. Something metallic and something landing hard on the concrete floor out in the warehouse. Could it have been
“Yes,” Matt agreed. “Now, what was I saying?”
Luke was beginning to warm up to the idea of moving. Staying in the hotel, or even in the city in general, is probably suicide if this apocalypse shit never blows over , he thought. He stood up from the table and walked around the room. “For a trip like that, we will need a serious stockpile of food and water,” he said. And cigarettes.
“That’s right! Exactly. And I’ve been thinking on that,” Matt said. “There isn’t anything left around here, but I figure we find some road that still has traffic on it --“
“Like when after that chopper flies over and we always see a car or two on the road,” Pete offered.
“Yeah, just like that,” Matt continued. “We figure out a way to divert them, make them come down our road and then setup some kind of ambush.”
“Oh,” Ted said. “Yeah. I like that.” Luke really wanted to know why Ted only spoke up when it was about something violent, but knew better than to ask. “I know where we can get the perfect truck.”
Everyone looked at Ted. “Yeah?” Matt asked. “Where?”
“I used to work bank security, back in the day.”
“Really?” Luke asked with a laugh before he could stop himself. “Who the hell would let you work at a bank?”
Ted frowned for a second but then laughed too. “Yeah,” Ted said. “You believe that shit?”
“Ok,” Matt said. “So what?”
“I know where they keep their armored bank trucks,” Ted said. “Those things are like tanks.”
Matt got up and slapped Ted on the shoulder. “I knew I kept you around for a reason!”
Ted grinned his ugly crooked tooth grin. “Not just my good looks?” he asked. Luke doubted Ted had ever been kept around for his looks, unless you liked hillbillies with a lazy eye and bad teeth. Still, Luke liked where the discussion was going. Getting out of the city really would be the best thing for them. Maybe they could hole up in some town out in the middle of nowhere. A place with well water and working plumbing. Maybe a farm with chickens and other animals. Fresh eggs for breakfast was suddenly starting to sound really good. The idea had promise, but there were a few holes in the plan. “What about keys for the armored truck?” Luke asked.
Ted scratched his head. “Not sure. The guys just always had them.”
Matt shook his head. “That could be a problem,” he said.
“It’s also going to be hell getting them started if they have been sitting all winter,” Luke added.
“See, that is why we need a real home base,” Matt said and slapped the table. “Somewhere with tools and space where we can work on shit just like this.” He snapped his fingers. “I know where we can get a tow truck. I’ll bet it’s still there too.”
“What good would that do?” Pete asked.
“We get our home base setup and then we use the tow truck to move the armored car. We put it in our garage. We work to get it started, fix it up to be battle ready, all of that.”
“Works for me,” Luke said. “When do we move?”
“The sooner the better,” Matt said. “I’m thinking first thing in the morning. Make sure you all have your shit together.”
They all agreed that they would. Luke knew that if he wanted to collect all of his hidden food and munitions, finding the opportunity in one night might be trouble. Maybe it would make sense to just leave it here, he thought. Never know if I will have to come back for it. He liked the idea and lit another cigarette from the butt of his first. Surely they would find more smokes along the way.
TASHA
Tasha woke with a start. What was that sound? she thought as her heart slammed in her chest. She was certain she had heard a noise. Something metallic and something landing hard on the concrete floor out in the warehouse. Could it have been
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