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"Okay," Charlie answered, slowly sliding off the sill He stood on still shaky legs and took a deep breath "Is it right? To leave her?" His voice was soft, but the emotion was thick

"I listened in on her last conversation with Central," Ruben said oh so quietly "Everything she’s been saying is bullshit They aren’t telling her to find a safe location for pickup They’re telling her they ain’t gonna get us"

Charlie pressed his lips firlistened with tears He was an East Texas bayou boy All he wanted to do was get home to the swao ho left Central had given Charlie hope and Ruben had just killed it He felt like a shit doing it, but they had h mistakes

"We left those people in the

"We saw the s…"

"I know We fucked up," Ruben said softly

Charlie lowered his eyes, then nodded "Yeah"

"Look, kid, we stay with her, we die You sahat she did to Raleigh

She’ll do it to us We’re her fucking bodyguards She doesn’t give a shit about us," Ruben said firmly

Charlie sighed, then picked up his backpack very quietly "I know I just wanted to go horabbed the boy firmly by the back of the neck and pressed his forehead to the boy’s Behind theet you to a safe place I prohed "No We fucked up like the devil and we’re cast out of paradise We gotta find another place"

The younger ht Like a ten year old He reer brother and it hurt like hell

Without another word, they crept across the floor, careful not to make noise, then stealthily down the stairs The zombie infestation was minimal in this town, but they carefully looked out the s before unbolting the door Stepping out into the cool spring air, they moved toward the truck

A zo a lowhands reached for theether Ruben stepped forward it and firround, still ain and silenced the fiend

Charlie slipped into the driver’s seat of the truck and flung his bag in the back It held a few possessions, butrifle he had picked up a fens back

Ruben also slid into the truck and shut the passenger door

"Where are we going?"

Ruben stared down the silent street A few zoht

"West"

Charlie nodded "Okay"

The truck roared to life and hts flipped on It rill, then it turned a corner and was gone

Meanwhile, the Senator snored on

Chapter 25

1 A Beautiful Day Gone Wrong

Travis glanced out of the helicopter n into the lush hill country and slightly s was fully spread over the land Trees were radiant in their coats of leaves and the wild grass flowed like rich green water over the hills Cows arown orchards A few horses were racing across a field ild glee, free of hurinned over at hieous April day"

Travis nodded and adjusted his headset slightly It was uncomfortable but it was the only way to hear anyone above the roar of the helicopter "I wish Katie could see it That the world is still alive"

"She will Things are getting better for all of us," Kevin answered

It had been weeks since the last zombie had been seen around the fort Of course this didn’t stop the constant reinforce put in place Catapults were up on the walls now, giving the fort a e bins were full of all sorts of heavy trash to lob at any invading zoher now and topped with razor wire The new areas were being reinforced

Everyone, including children, were being given regular training to defend the a five year old spearing a zoain, it so a child into, yet, they had tos are better

But it’s hard not to look back andabout Jenni?"

"She won’t talk about her anynancy and we’re fine Jenni is a topic we can’t address at all" Travis rubbed his chin and sighed "I miss Jenni, too, but they were out there on their own for awhile and that really bonded the her loss very, very hard"

Kevin’s expression was sad and understanding "Yeah After awhile you feel you can’t lose any of Katie and her radiant sine a world without her The feel of her soft hair, the kiss of her lips In every way he completely adored her If he lost her… It killed hiently on his sarden for Jenni Juan was not only in physical pain, but he was eine Yet, what Travis iined was so painful, he couldn’t fathom what the reality must be like