infected I mean.”
The man didn’t say anything, but started the Humvee. “Like I said, I’d suggest getting on that train. It’ll be here in two hours on the South track.”
Walking back to the tent-city in the park by the river, Daniel found Wendy and Kaylee outside a JP Medium that was serving breakfast. He got in line behind them. “Sorry, I must have passed out somewhere.”
“Been drinkin’?” Wendy joked.
“Why does everyone think I have a drinking problem?” Daniel played the game back as he got some powdered eggs and greasy, soft bacon. “I’m quite good at it.”
“What’s constructive about being drunk?” Wendy asked
“Not being sober?” She accepted that answer.
They found a table and sat down. Kaylee wasn’t really talking, but then there wasn’t much for a terrified child to do or talk about. “I met a man today who said a train is coming through this area. He strongly suggested we get on it. I asked him if they were close, but he wouldn’t answer me. I think it’s high time we left.”
“I can’t. There are elements of my battalion here. I have to stay.” Wendy said.
“Damn. What about Kaylee? I… am not actually related to her.”
“I know.” Wendy smiled, giving Kaylee her orange juice. “And I’ve been thinking, you’ve got a couple choices on that. You can leave her here with DFS and FEMA, or you could take her with you until this gets sorted out. Do you know where her family is?”
“They’re dead.” Kaylee said. “Mommy and Daddy and everyone…” Wendy embraced Kaylee. She was very brave for such a small child. “My grandma and grandpa live in Florida. Can I go to Florida with them?”
“Do you know their names?” Daniel asked Kaylee. It was a stretch, but at least he could say he asked. To their astonishment she gave her grandparent’s names and what town they lived in. A far cry from the confusing information she’d given him at their last hideout, but maybe she’d just been too scared to remember. Of course, he also hadn’t asked. Wendy took it one step farther and went to the TMC after breakfast to run a search on a FEMA computer. It didn’t take long to find Kaylee’s grandparent’s address and phone number, her grandfather listed as a Vietnam Veteran with the Gainesville, Florida Veterans Administration.
“Now we just need a phone.” Daniel left the tent and came back a few minutes later with a government issued cell phone. “You might want to hurry, I’m sure the major will be looking for his phone soon enough. I don’t imagine he’ll be in the pisser for long.”
Wendy smirked at how the phone had been acquired and dialed the number. Most of the nation’s infrastructure was still intact, so phones were working more often than not. It rang several times, and just as she was about to hang up a gruff voice responded. “Hello?”
“Uh… Hello? Is this Jonathan Sitton?” She put the phone on speaker.
“ Yes it is. To whom am I speaking, please?”
“Grandpa!” Kaylee squealed excitedly.
“ Kaylee? Kaylee is that you? ” The other voice became excited as well. “ Joanne! Come quickly, Kaylee’s alive!”
“Mister Sitton, are you still at your home address? We can have Kaylee back to you in a matter of days. We don’t have any information on her parents, she was separated…” Wendy lied quickly, there was no need to upset these people over the phone. Daniel would surely tell them when he arrived.
“ Yes, yes we are, its safe here, the National Guard is holding our lines strong. ” That was all they needed to hear. The major came looking for his phone but Daniel and Wendy were already long gone. Graystone escorted them to the single rail line that ran through a wooded area to the east. The rails had been designed for high speed trains, intended for a project whose government stimulus money had run out long before it was finished. Regular trains used the line now, the dream of a bullet train through the hills of
The man didn’t say anything, but started the Humvee. “Like I said, I’d suggest getting on that train. It’ll be here in two hours on the South track.”
Walking back to the tent-city in the park by the river, Daniel found Wendy and Kaylee outside a JP Medium that was serving breakfast. He got in line behind them. “Sorry, I must have passed out somewhere.”
“Been drinkin’?” Wendy joked.
“Why does everyone think I have a drinking problem?” Daniel played the game back as he got some powdered eggs and greasy, soft bacon. “I’m quite good at it.”
“What’s constructive about being drunk?” Wendy asked
“Not being sober?” She accepted that answer.
They found a table and sat down. Kaylee wasn’t really talking, but then there wasn’t much for a terrified child to do or talk about. “I met a man today who said a train is coming through this area. He strongly suggested we get on it. I asked him if they were close, but he wouldn’t answer me. I think it’s high time we left.”
“I can’t. There are elements of my battalion here. I have to stay.” Wendy said.
“Damn. What about Kaylee? I… am not actually related to her.”
“I know.” Wendy smiled, giving Kaylee her orange juice. “And I’ve been thinking, you’ve got a couple choices on that. You can leave her here with DFS and FEMA, or you could take her with you until this gets sorted out. Do you know where her family is?”
“They’re dead.” Kaylee said. “Mommy and Daddy and everyone…” Wendy embraced Kaylee. She was very brave for such a small child. “My grandma and grandpa live in Florida. Can I go to Florida with them?”
“Do you know their names?” Daniel asked Kaylee. It was a stretch, but at least he could say he asked. To their astonishment she gave her grandparent’s names and what town they lived in. A far cry from the confusing information she’d given him at their last hideout, but maybe she’d just been too scared to remember. Of course, he also hadn’t asked. Wendy took it one step farther and went to the TMC after breakfast to run a search on a FEMA computer. It didn’t take long to find Kaylee’s grandparent’s address and phone number, her grandfather listed as a Vietnam Veteran with the Gainesville, Florida Veterans Administration.
“Now we just need a phone.” Daniel left the tent and came back a few minutes later with a government issued cell phone. “You might want to hurry, I’m sure the major will be looking for his phone soon enough. I don’t imagine he’ll be in the pisser for long.”
Wendy smirked at how the phone had been acquired and dialed the number. Most of the nation’s infrastructure was still intact, so phones were working more often than not. It rang several times, and just as she was about to hang up a gruff voice responded. “Hello?”
“Uh… Hello? Is this Jonathan Sitton?” She put the phone on speaker.
“ Yes it is. To whom am I speaking, please?”
“Grandpa!” Kaylee squealed excitedly.
“ Kaylee? Kaylee is that you? ” The other voice became excited as well. “ Joanne! Come quickly, Kaylee’s alive!”
“Mister Sitton, are you still at your home address? We can have Kaylee back to you in a matter of days. We don’t have any information on her parents, she was separated…” Wendy lied quickly, there was no need to upset these people over the phone. Daniel would surely tell them when he arrived.
“ Yes, yes we are, its safe here, the National Guard is holding our lines strong. ” That was all they needed to hear. The major came looking for his phone but Daniel and Wendy were already long gone. Graystone escorted them to the single rail line that ran through a wooded area to the east. The rails had been designed for high speed trains, intended for a project whose government stimulus money had run out long before it was finished. Regular trains used the line now, the dream of a bullet train through the hills of
Similar Books
