The Undead World (Book 6): The Apocalypse Exile (War of The Undead) Read Online Free PDF Page B

we’ll go through three cans of food per person per day, a three day trip will cost us about five hundred and seventy cans, leaving us with only thirteen hundred to bargain with. Add that to our entire load of ammo and that only comes up to about fifty-five per person. Brad won’t go for that. There’s no way.”
    “Which brings us to our main sticking point: how would we pay for the trip with Brad? Given enough time we might be able to scrounge for the fee, but that could take weeks or even months. What about your general?” Neil asked Grey. “Would he help us? Would he cover what we’re short by?”
    A pained expression crossed Grey’s face. “He’s pretty old school and thinks people ought to take responsibility for their own lives.”
    “We would pay him back, of course” Neil said. “If we have to borrow anything, I would take the debt on, personally.”
    Grey shook his head. “No. It’ll have to be on me. Brad won’t believe that we’re good for it unless I put my honor on the bargain.”
    What about my honor? Neil wanted to ask. He didn’t; he only sighed and took a long weary look outside. Which way to turn? The short and, hopefully, quicker route with a man that none of them trusted or the longer, possibly more dangerous route around the southern border of Kansas and then along the spine of the Rockies where who knew what awaited them?
    Brad watched the deliberation, leaning on his pommel; he spat in the dust of the barn when he saw Neil looking at him. It was a calculated move: a show of nonchalance coupled with intimidation.
    Neil was no longer so easily intimidated. He turned away as though he found the move without interest and found his eyes immediately drawn to Jillybean; there was still the smear of orange from the dead butterfly on her palm. She was staring slack-jawed at a barn post, seemingly in a trance. There was no way of knowing if she was locked in a mental battle with the evil thing within her or just drooling like an idiot. He suspected the mental battle as the most probable. Idiot was not a word suited for Jillybean.
    “We go around,” Neil said, the decision coming to him in a flash of intuition. The danger of going with Brad was clear and obvious. They’d be sticking their heads in the lion’s mouth once more where a slip of the tongue would doom them. By all appearances the Azael were thieving gypsies at best and bloodthirsty pirates at worst. In this case the unknowns were not nearly as bad. After all, the renegades knew how to take care of themselves around zombies and they knew how to scrounge for supplies better than anyone.
    Deanna looked relieved, while Grey only nodded, his feelings, as always, carefully hidden. Brad could not hide his disappointment. “Damn it, Neil. You’re being an idiot. The way around is far more dangerous than you can imagine. The Texans…you don’t want to deal with them and the bandits in New Mexico won’t just rob you blind, they’ll rape the women in front of you. I’ve heard stories.”
    “Regardless, we go around,” Neil replied. “So, if you’d move your little ring of zombies, that would be great.” Brad tried once more to change Neil’s mind, but the smaller man could not be moved. Only after Neil said: “I have spoken,” and then made a show of leisurely re-buttoning his brown checkered sweater vest. Only then did Brad kick his horse off in an angry canter.
    The moment he was gone, Neil turned to Grey. “We need to consolidate everything into the three best trucks. Transfer the fuel and food and anything else you think we might need. Get a crew together to help. Deanna, spread the word that we’re safe, at least for the moment, and that we’re going to be taking a slightly longer route.”
    In twenty minutes, the food and fuel were transferred and the renegades briefed. They were ready to go, but it took much longer for Brad’s people to nudge the zombies off the main road. The zombies milled around like the mindless