Rise & Walk (Book 2): Pathogen Read Online Free PDF Page B

away from the binoculars.
    “Over there; Poet’s Corner.”
    Tony followed her direction and saw a concentration of homes clustered among many trees.  The neighborhood was close to the far end of the ammunition plant’s storage yard.  The homes were too distant to differentiate one from another especially since the neighborhood seemed to have suffered a power outage.  A car with only one headlight emerged from the neighborhood at high speed.  It swerved around a corner, recovered and headed north.
    “There goes Jakob Dylan,” Tony said.
    “Who?” Nikki asked impatiently.
    “Bad joke,” he apologized without elaboration, “Looks like people are getting out of there.”  She mumbled an acknowledgement.
    “What would I do if I was surrounded by those things?”  She asked.
    “Seriously?”
    “Yeah, without a gun.”
    Tony took a deep breath before responding.  He considered for a moment what Mason might advise, then reconsidered because Jack’s first instinct was always to fight.  Jack would prioritize his foes, hit the weakest or smallest first and send it into the largest, clearing a way, or depending on how mad he was, just bring maximum violence as fast as he could.  One never could tell what Mason was going to do.  Tony wanted a different strategy for Nikki; something safer.
    “Well, don’t get surrounded to begin with; evade and escape.  Always get the hell away.  Keep your back to a wall where you can limit your opponent’s attack, but also don’t get boxed in without a way out.  Climb over stuff like fences or throw crap behind you to trip them up.  Keep your wits about you and stay light on your feet.  They’re not faster than us, but I’m a little worried that they don’t seem to get tired.”
    “No, if anything they seemed to get more energy when they were coming at the shack.” Nikki said.
    “Yeah, seeing us does seem to pep them up some” Tony agreed.  A silence fell between them as they both considered the new realities of their lives.  Nikki felt the empty pistol in her pocket.  Her entire body felt weak.  She took a breath and resumed looking through the binoculars and spoke again.
    “How hard do you have to hit them, to… you know?”
    “Actually they seem to take a blow to the head harder than a living person does.  Maybe because they’re dead; their brains might be mushy or something.  I don’t know.  I stomped one pretty good yesterday.  I don’t think a living person would have gone down that easy.  Their bodies can take a lot more punishment then the living, but you’ve seen that already.” Tony said.  She made no acknowledgement and continued looking out towards her home.  Tony bumped her slightly with his shoulder.
    “What’s with the questions?”
    “I have to get home.” Nikki said lowering the binoculars and turning her head to look directly at Tony, “I’ll go alone if I have to.”
    “No, we’ll come with you,” Tony said lifting his hand across her back and resting it on her shoulder. “At least I will.  There’s no way I’m gonna let you go alone.” he finished.
    “Sanchez,” Mason’s voice gruffed from a distance
    Tony gently squeezed her shoulder then tuned to join Jack leaving Nikki alone on the ledge, peering into the distance.  Her parents were somewhere out there, somewhere too far for her to see.  They must be insane with worry.  As far as they knew, Nikki was supposed to be back from the lake last night.  This wouldn’t be the first time she’d stayed out without prior notice.  Even at twenty-one, her parents wanted to know her business as if she were still a minor.  Things weren’t always great at home.  Her father, who was kind and loving when she was a child, seemed oppressive in her teen years.  He was quick to anger when she would get in trouble.  He would hold a grudge, sometimes not talking to her for days.  He never said as much but Nikki knew that he was disappointed in her lack of direction.