Arrival (Planet of Last Resort #1)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

“ H ey, easy there, doc, it’s me.” Jeff sat on the edge of the bed, eyes full of concern. “Bad dreams?”

“Daymares.” Melly shivered. “My family—” She cut herself off. Her family had been okay in the dream, safe on their balcony. It was she who’d been in danger.

“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” Jeff promised. “I had Cody send a drone out that way but it’s at the limit of his range right now and we didn’t learn much. The area seems deserted though.”

“How did you know where I lived?” she asked. “Not that I’m not grateful but I am curious.”

“Samms and Cody are hackers. They can get into any system, anywhere. Samms looked up anyone with your last name, living in the vicinity of the city and there they were.” He rose to his feet, dashing her slight hopes they might be able to spend more time together in bed. “Sorry, doc, but it’s time to leave.”

She glanced past him to the windows where the sun was getting low in the sky but still bright. “I thought we were going to travel at night?”

“There’s a pretty big fire and it’s spreading in our direction. We need to move before we get cut off. Can you be ready in ten minutes?”

“Sure. I don’t exactly have much to pack.” She threw the covers back and enjoyed his wistful gaze at her body. She was wearing a t shirt and panties, which weren’t very practical in a life-or-death situation but she’d relaxed into the comfort of their current location. Melly gave herself a lecture to be more situationally aware in the future. There might not be time to get dressed and she didn’t want to be running from the infected half-naked.

Once she was on her feet Jeff caught her to him for a hug and a quick kiss that became hot and bothered the longer it went on. “I wish things were different,” he said with regret when he released her. “I wish we had the luxury of time. The things I’d like to do with you in this bed?—”

“We’ll find another one,” she said, kissing his cheek. “Let me get dressed.”

“We’ll be in the living room. Eight minutes now.” He tapped his wrist chrono before adjusting himself in his utilities and left the room.

Melly had explored the huge closets when she got tired of reading earlier and had taken a few items she deemed potentially useful. Most of the garments and shoes were designer labels and meant for afternoon socials and balls and high society but there had been a few pairs of jeans, a couple of sweaters and other items she’d grabbed. She’d found an extra backpack in the boys’ room, with a popular cartoon figure on it in bold colors and filled it with the new clothes as well as a selection of the toiletries in the bathroom. She expected her parents’ house to be fully stocked with everything she might need but she had no idea how many more days it might be until she got there.

When she entered the living room with her two backpacks, Jeff took one from her and added it to the gear on the antigrav sled. He made quick work of helping her put on the battle armor. She was getting better at doing it herself with practice but he seemed impatient and brushed her fingers aside from the controls, finishing the task himself.

“All right, the roof awaits.” He took her hand and escorted her from the apartment, Zach following with the sled. Cody and Trent were waiting in the hall, weapons at the ready. The atmosphere was tense and Melly debated whether she should draw her blaster too. There couldn’t possibly be any infected on the roof and Jeff had assured her this level of the building was sealed off but the back of her neck tingled as she moved through the short corridor and up the stairs to the roof access.

It was windy up there today and the air was full of blowing embers and smoke from the many burning buildings. Coughing, she stared at the closest ones, most of which hadn’t been on fire the day before. “The wind is going to spread this like crazy.”

“Which is why we’re leaving now,” Jeff said. “Ready to make the jump with me?”

“No, but I will.” She gave him her hand and they walked to the edge of the roof, Cody and Zach had already stepped off into the void, the antigrav sled trailing behind. Trent and Samms were waiting for them to go first. Jeff picked her up and she closed her eyes tightly as he stepped off the roof into thin air. His antigrav kicked in and they moved slowly forward and ever downward.

We’re aiming for a point about two blocks away , he said over the subaural com. The air rushing by her ears would have made it impossible to hear anything he said out loud and she was grateful for the high tech device. The drones show no infected in that quadrant, or at least not right now.

When she hit the ground, Melly staggered and Jeff steadied her while she got her balance and drew her blaster. The men moved out in their usual formation, her in the center and she tried not to breathe too deeply of the smoky air. The surroundings were much the same as on the trek the day before but to her surprise the neighborhood became rundown and then really scary, with gang graffiti and ramshackle buildings which had clearly been abandoned before the outbreak ever happened. She glanced over her shoulder at the tower where they’d stayed, which was visible in the distance, tipped golden by the setting sun. I guess if I’d walked the whole distance from there the change wouldn’t seem like such a shock.

Here there were hardly any wrecked or abandoned vehicles and few bodies. The final days must have played out differently here than in the more upscale or industrial areas. As she walked she tried to imagine what it must have been like to be poor and preyed upon by gangs and then hit with the epidemic and subsequent horror. Her heart went out to the late residents. Melly reminded herself to be vigilant and not to be so in her head. Not to be a tourist as Jeff had termed her preoccupation yesterday.

No sooner had she reprimanded herself than three infected lunged at her from the alley she was passing. She choked off her scream and threw up one arm to shield her face, firing wildly with the blaster with her other hand. Jeff grabbed her and whirled her away from the huge, infected man clawing at her arm. Zach caught her as she stumbled. As she watched, Jeff plunged his combat knife into the infected’s eye socket and the predator collapsed in a heap. The other two lay dead on the sidewalk, shot in the head or so she guessed. The world swam in front of her eyes and her knees buckled.

Jeff was in her face. “Did he break the skin?”

“I don’t think so,” she managed to gasp.

He swept her into his arms and set off at a dead run. Doubletime, men , he ordered on the com. The noise will bring more of them for sure.

I didn’t scream, she said. Well, not much. Thanks for saving me.

Save the thanks until we’re clear and we can inspect your arm. Jeff’s tone was grim and he didn’t meet her eyes.

Possible shelter up ahead, sir, on the right , Cody said.

Clear the building for us. We’ll be there in two.

Melly heard the growling and eerie moaning and checked over Jeff’s shoulder. They’re coming. About three blocks behind us.

Can you run if I set you down?

Of course. She wasn’t ready for him to put her on her own feet immediately but when he did she took off running as fast as she could go, heading toward Cody, who was standing half in and half out of a doorway, gesturing urgently. An infected came at her from the street but she brought her blaster up and fired at its glowing eyes and had the satisfaction of seeing the woman fall backward, face caught in a snarl. Now she was sprinting all out, conscious of the increasing noise from the horde behind and of blaster shots buzzing past her as the soldiers picked off the first wave of the infected.

She skidded as she came to the doorway where Cody waited and grabbed at his shoulder to save herself.

I nside and straight ahead to the stairs, he said, not breaking his firing rhythm. Watch your step.

Melly didn’t question him. The place was evidently a bar and broken glasses and bottles littered the floor, with pools of feelgoods everywhere. Several bodies lay bloated and disfigured but she detoured around them without allowing herself to absorb details. The stairs were behind the bar and she took them at a run, emerging onto a roof after climbing two flights. The second floor seemed to be apartments or maybe rent by the hour rooms and she heard thuds and moans behind several of the doors as she continued her ascent. Zach was waiting for her.

“I’m to get you out of here, doc. The rest will follow,” he said catching her by the wrist.

“I’m not leaving without Jeff,” she said, trying to break free. “We have to wait for him.”

“We have to obey orders, ma’am. The captain will be all right—he’s got more lives than a Terran cat. This’ll go better if you co-operate.” Zach dragged her to the edge of the building. “We’re gonna hopscotch about three roofs away, to a building Cody says is clear right now. You with me?”

Her one rule had been to do whatever Jeff and his men said, to not complicate their efforts, so reluctantly she nodded and walked with him to the edge. Zach lifted her as easily as if she’d been a doll and stepped off, directing their course to the next roof. He hit the surface at a run and launched them into the thin air again, repeating the process two more times before ending up on the chosen destination.

“Please, can we wait here and make sure the others get out okay?” she asked once Zach set her down.

“I don’t see any harm in you lingering a bit. We’re supposed to rendezvous here anyway. You wait here and I’m going to check the building for infected.” He tapped her hand. “Blaster at the ready, doc.”

“Oh, right.” She gave him an embarrassed smile. “I’ll be okay—I’ll keep good watch, I promise.”

“You’re doing fine.” With a snappy salute he turned and headed for the roof access door. “Cody is gonna hear from me if this place ain’t the haven he promised.”

Feeling sheepish, as if she was playing at being a soldier, Melly forced herself to do a perimeter check, walking the edge of the roof and peering at the streets below. No infected, which was a relief. Then, having done her duty, she shifted her attention to the building three roofs away and prayed desperately for the Lords of Space to help Jeff and the other three men escape unscathed.

The quartet burst onto the roof and hurled themselves off, the anti grav sled following like an oversize dog, as the building below them exploded into flames, sending debris flying in all directions. Melly bit her fist to avoid screaming and took shelter behind a vent as chunks of wood and plaster and unidentifiable materials thudded around her. She peeked out and watched Jeff and his men complete the same trip she and Zach had taken a few minutes earlier, and ran to him as soon as he landed.

Opening his arms while the other three men grinned, he caught her, hugging her tight.

“I was so worried,” she said, “But Zach assured me you had extra lives.”

“All in a day’s work,” Jeff replied in a satisfied tone. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she indicated the armor on her arms. “This stuff saved me.”

Building is clear to the ground floor, Zach reported. No infected. Seems to have been empty before the outbreak actually.

Stay there, we’ll be joining you momentarily and then we’re on our way again. Cody reports the fire crisped quite a few of the infected and the flames are blocking them from following us for now. Jeff took Melly’s elbow. “No time for a reunion, I’m afraid. We’ve got to be on the move. Conditions here in the city are getting worse by the minute.”

In the center of the group of soldiers, Melly trekked down the stairs to the first floor of the empty building, where Zach waited. She expected to go outside but Jeff held her in place. “I need to check your arm,” he said. “We have to know if you’re okay.”

She was sure she was fine but couldn’t deny the necessity to confirm her status. Jeff indicated an overturned crate and she sat, peeling off the body armor on both arms. “Good thing this stuff is self-cleaning.” There was a surprising amount of dried gore on it from her close proximity to the infected.

Two of the soldiers trained the lights on their gunsights on her arm, centering her in a blazing pool of illumination. She felt like a criminal under interrogation. Jeff knelt and examined her sweater sleeves. “I don’t see any rips but can you take this off? And the shirt underneath. Keep the tee shirt on.”

She wasn’t happy to disrobe in front of the men but pulled her sweater over her head as ordered.

“No one but me will look,” he said, giving the soldiers a glare.

“I appreciate the sensitivity. I know it’s necessary to check the skin.” The shirt was next to go and she was left in the thin tee shirt. Melly couldn’t see beyond the bright lights but she was sure Zach and Cody were giving her privacy as Jeff promised.

The captain went over every inch of her bare skin on both arms and shoulders and then had her pull up the tee shirt so he could check her sides. “OK, you can get dressed again. Thank the Lords of Space the infected’s claws didn’t penetrate the armor.” He pulled her to her feet as the lights snapped off and gave her a huge hug. “I’m sorry if I sounded harsh but I was so scared for you. I can’t lose you, doc. I just found you.”

Melly blinked away tears over his declaration, especially since he made it in front of his men with no hesitation, and her relief at not being infected herself now. She kissed his cheek. “I’d better hurry up so we can get out of here to some place safer.” Jeff planted a rushed but passionate kiss on her lips and stepped away. It took her less time to put the clothing on than it had to take off and she donned her battle armor while he watched. Then Zach handed her the blaster she’d been carrying and they were ready to leave.

Emerging cautiously onto the sidewalk, she was met with more smoke-filled air but no sign of infected. Behind her the buildings a few blocks away were a solid wall of fire and the roaring of the flames was deafening. The conflagration was drawing air to itself and the wind buffeted her as she moved ahead. After two blocks of fast walking, they came to an abandoned barricade of police and military vehicles, doors gaping open.

“Last stand?” she asked, surveying the scene with dismay. If even the combined planetary forces couldn’t effectively fight off the horde, what chance did her small group or anyone else have?

“Probably withdrew to the police headquarters,” Jeff said. “We may find survivors there although I doubt it. It’s another two blocks this way.”

They made the short distance without further incidents and paused in front of the stairs leading up to the entrance of the police HQ. Several dead bodies were sprawled like broken dolls on the risers and numerous stains and blaster burn marks gave evidence how the fight had raged.

Blasters ready, Jeff said. Two teams — Zach and Samms with me and the doc. Cody and Trent, you know what I want from the motor pool. Melly, stay tight on my six.

As the team ascended the stairs, she got as close to him as she could without running right into him. The doors or what was left of them, gaped open to give access to the lobby, which was a complete mess. No bodies here although pools of dried blood told her the carnage had been as bad as it was everywhere else in the city. Cody and Trent split off, continuing straight through the lobby and out a rear door. Jeff led her and his team of two soldiers up the emergency stairs. The power was off in the building.

We’ll start at the top floor and work our way down , Jeff said as he ascended. What I’m most interested in here is probably in the commander’s office.

More weapons? Melly asked. Don’t we have enough?

He gave the ghost of a laugh. More are always better in a last resort situation like this but no, I’m after intel. Any more information we can gather about the outbreak, what the authorities did, and whether there was any organized withdrawal from the city. Where can we find other survivors?

She guessed it made sense, to a military mind anyway. As far as she was concerned if they weren’t here for more weapons and if they could take an armored vehicle right now, that would be enough of a win for her. Melly’s focus was on getting to her family as soon as possible.

The upper floor of the building was more luxurious than she’d expected, with lush carpets and artwork on the walls. The ambiance was in stark contrast to the more utilitarian offices and workspaces on the lower floors. The battle didn’t seem to have raged here, although she could hear the thumping against a closed door and the moans which revealed the presence of at least one infected, sensing their arrival.

Zach, check it out. If the tango is secure where he is, leave it alone.

Zach peeled off from their stack and headed in the direction of the sounds. Jeff scanned the wall directory and then led them to the commissioner’s office. Melly paused on the threshold in astonishment. A holo flickered, filling the room, but what was being depicted she couldn’t tell.

“Samms,” Jeff said.

“On it.” The soldier slung his blast rifle and seated himself at the huge Zulairian mahogany desk, where he proceeded to work the controls of the electronic accessories. “Sir, it’s running off battery power and about drained. This holo is from ten days ago.”

“Can you rewind and show us what was going on?”

“I can get maybe ten minutes worth.”

“There’ll never be a better time to check this out because we’re not coming back,” Jeff said. “Do it.”

The holo resolved itself into recognizable humans, seated around a large conference table. Melly saw the mayor, who’d been in charge of this city even before she left for medical school. His political machine was strong on the colony planet and he had been an effective administrator so he kept getting re-elected. In the holo he was haggard and drawn. The rest of the men and women were strangers to her. The participants all wore similarly exhausted and desperate expressions.

“So in summary, my people can keep the power on in about fifty percent of the zones, if we don’t take any more losses,” said a man to the left. “A cascading power failure is likely.”

“That’s what we’re here to prevent, among other unintended consequences,” said a woman seated next to the mayor. She was in Planetary Forces fatigues and a captain by her insignia. “My troops will protect the key infrastructure features once this group identifies them in priority order.”

She was sure overconfident , Melly thought.

“I’d like to give my report next.” A man in a white lab coat rose. “I need to get back to the hospital—it’s chaos there with all the new patients. Everyone who even thinks they might be sick is flooding into the emergency rooms and urgent care facilities in the city and the suburbs. We can’t provide adequate care for the genuinely ill, not to mention coping with those who have turned into those things.”

“Are we learning anything new, doctor?” the mayor asked in a hoarse voice. He sipped a glass of water and coughed, which earned him a side eye from the people sitting next to him and one woman scooted her chair away.

“I’ve appended my full report to the Minutes,” the doctor said, shoulders slumped. “To sum it up, the situation is totally out of control. No clue how the epidemic started although animal to human transmission is the best guess. It’s not airborne—yet—which is a blessing but any bite or even a scratch from an infected transmits the virus. I suggest mass evacuation of the healthy.”

“People are already clogging the roads, trying to get out.” The speaker was in police uniform and high ranking, Melly guessed. “We’re trying to enforce the quarantine but?—”

Suddenly there was a shriek from off to the side and the holo operator swung the lens around to catch the excitement. A woman in a dark blue business suit was crouched on the conference table, chewing off the face of the man who’d been next to her. Shots rang out from several directions as screams came from everywhere and there was a mad rush to evacuate the room. Melly saw the infected woman attack someone else. Her body shook from the impact of bullets and one police officer tried to stun her but she turned on him and tore his chest open. The scene became a complete blur and then froze in the spot where it had been when they entered the office.

“She must have known she was sick,” Melly said after a moment of horrified silence. “Why did she risk going to the meeting?”

“Denial is a powerful force, doc. So that didn’t end well.”

“They never should have met in person.” Although the episode happened weeks ago the needless waste of lives infuriated her. And with those in authority being taken out, of course the rest of the city spiraled into chaos.

Jeff studied the office where they stood. “Obviously the police commissioner didn’t make it back here. Coms and all the rest of the infrastructure else broke down in the city without anyone in charge.”

“So was the government enforcing a quarantine or were they trying to evacuate people?” Melly asked. “And evacuate to where? Surely the other cities were in the same condition.”

“Typical in a major crisis like this, competing agendas and confusion reign,” Jeff said. “If the authorities had more time they might have gotten a handle on things but I’m guessing the civilians wouldn’t have liked the extreme measures necessary though.”

Samms showed them a data disc. “The Minutes were being kept automatically and I’ve downloaded them. The medical report the guy mentioned is in here, plus a lot of other stuff we want to know, I’m sure.”

“Good work,” Jeff said. “See what else you can get from the coms and data repositories. The console in this office probably had access to everything. You know what I want.” He touched his ear. Trent, how’s it coming in the motor pool?

Fucking mess out here, sir, but we got two APC’s we can maneuver out of the wreckage. Fully charged combat models. A few updates old but serviceable. My guess is military surplus sent to the colony for the planetary protection force.

“APC’s?” Melly asked.

“Armored personnel carriers.” Jeff’s answer was terse. I’ll take them both. See what you can scrounge for recharges and grab any loose weapons or supplies.

A new voice came over the com and Melly recognized Cody’s tones. Sir, there’s a large group of infected coming in from the east. They’re congregating at the park across the roadway. I don’t think we ought to linger too long. My drones show more coming behind them.

The roadway in question was eight lanes, with a center divider and landscaping on both sides so Melly tamped down her panic. It would take the infected a while to get to them, if the horde decided to move in this direction.

All right, we’ll bug out in ten minutes max, Jeff said. We’ll take both APC’s — have them ready to roll as soon as I arrive. He looked at Melly. “Anything you need or want from this building, doc?”

“To leave?” she said in a joking tone. “The infected in the park make me nervous.” Her parents used to take her there to play on the extensive playground equipment when she was little and it was a favorite place for picnics and parties but she guessed today anyone unlucky enough to go there would be signing their own death warrant. The continuing apocalyptic nature of the tragedy which had unfolded here on Randal Four seemed unreal to her, despite the sights she’d seen. As if she’d wandered into a horror trideo and couldn’t get out.

“We’ll go in five minutes,” he promised. “Samms needs every second he can get to download data.”

“Doing coms reports now,” the soldier reported. “A couple of interesting broadcasts the police here were tracking.”

“Give me the details later,” Jeff said. “Once we’re rolling.”

Melly fidgeted, pacing back and forth in the office, averting her eyes hastily from the smiling family group depicted in a small holo on the bookshelf by the window. She didn’t want to think about the fate of those people, especially the children. Surely the commissioner had sent them to safety before things got really bad. She felt as if she should be doing something to be helpful right now but she had no idea what she’d be searching for. Time seemed to drag and she tried not to think about the horde in the park either. When Jeff clapped Samms on the shoulder and said, “Time to go,” she was at the door in a flash.

“Let us go first,” he said, unslinging his weapon and joining her.

Samms crammed one last data disk into his rucksack and joined them taking his position behind Melly. “Ready, sir.”

We’re on our way, Jeff told Cody. Have those engines hot .

The horde is drifting this way, better hurry, sir. Cody sounded as calm as always.

Melly wished the captain would go faster as they descended the stairs. When she emerged into the lobby she could hear the moans of the infected and took one horrified glance out the broken doors, to see the oncoming wave of predators flowing over the center barriers of the roadway like a tide of insects, coming inexorably in their direction.

Jeff grabbed her elbow. “Run.”

They sprinted through the lobby and out the rear door into a short hallway. Melly heard a few infected, faster than the others, pounding against the door into the corridor. Her adrenaline spiked and she was intensely grateful to find the rear door propped open and Trent waiting for them. Jeff dragged her into the large parking lot and she saw the two gigantic APC’s idling near the exit, side doors open. As she approached the one Jeff clearly wanted her to ride in with him, a small group of infected came around the corner from a new direction, entering the parking lot and heading for her and her companions.

As the soldiers opened fire, she belatedly remembered her blaster and stopped in her tracks, targeting a large infected man. Her shot went wild and Jeff grabbed her. Wordlessly he thrust her inside the closest APC and tumbled in after her, closing the portal with a slap at the controls. Infected hit the vehicle, clawing at the entrance even as Cody set the APC in motion. The closing door sliced off a few gnarled, clawed fingers and Melly swallowed bile as Zach crisped them to ash with a low intensity beam from his blaster.

The APC rocked as Cody accelerated and Melly fought her way to a seat.

“Buckle up,” Jeff said with urgency from his position in front next to the driver.

The straps were complicated, her hands were trembling and the way the APC was maneuvering kept throwing her off balance. Melly figured she’d have more bruises when this escape was done. Once she was securely fastened in, she took a look at the vid display and wished she hadn’t. There was a solid wall of infected coming at them. A loud noise came from overhead and a barrage of blaster fire arced out, mowing down the leading ranks of infected. She’d noticed a gun turret on top of the APC as she’d run toward it and guessed Zach must be up there, shooting.

The losses made no impact on the infected, who stumbled and crawled over the fallen and kept coming in a terrifying wave of contorted bodies and horrific faces. She closed her eyes to keep from crying at all the innocent people who were now those monsters outside.

“Sir, drones show this horde is several thousand strong.” Cody switched one vid to a drone’s eye view and Melly gasped at the sight of infected as far as she could see. “Even with the megablaster we’re not going to be able to cut our way through this mob. There’s no deterrence factor here, no instinct for self-preservation.”

“I hate to admit it but you’re right.” Jeff switched to the subaural com. On my signal, stop, cut the engine and go silent mode. We’re going to wait them out. If they don’t realize we’re prey in a can here the mob will move on. I hope.

“We’re simply going to sit here—” Melly’s protest was instantaneous, and she cut herself off at Jeff’s glare. She switched to subaural to continue because there was no way she wasn’t going to question this choice. She wasn’t in his chain of command and could be insubordinate if she damn well chose. We’re going to sit and let them do their best to get at us?

The APC powered down, the light and the vids going dark. Panic clawed at her. In the silence

Jeff unfastened his own safety strap and came to her, releasing her from the harness and pulling her into his lap. She curled into his embrace on the floor, clutching his shoulders.

This vehicle and the one behind us weigh tons. We’re surrounded by the highest tech, blast resistant combisteel. The infected can’t get at us with claws and teeth and even the weight of a mob won’t crush us. They hunt by sound and smell as far as we can tell, and maybe to a lesser degree by sight. There won’t be anything to see, hear or smell right now, just metal. We’ll be fine, I promise. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Sometimes the best military strategy is to do nothing but be ready to fight again later.

The sounds of the infected climbing over the APC and pushing past on either side were terrifying. The vehicle rocked and she grabbed at Jeff in alarm but managed not to make a sound. Melly hid her face against his chest, not ashamed to show her fear. He rubbed her back and held her tight enough to quell her involuntary tremors. Melly wanted this to be over. She wished the vids were on so she could see how much more of the horde had to pass them by.

Drones show the crowd thinning, Cody reported as if reading her mind.

We’ll have to sit for a few after the stragglers go past, so we don’t draw them all here to us again with the engine noise,” Jeff replied.

They sat for five more minutes before he gave the all clear and the command to move out again. Melly reflected on how such a short time period could crawl by like eternity. Jeff released her with a kiss and helped her into her seat as the APC accelerated. There was a shudder and a clanging noise as Cody rammed a group of crashed groundcars, sending the useless hulks spinning in all directions as the APC sped on its way.

All good back here, sir , Trent reported from the second vehicle.

“Orders, sir?” Cody asked as he continued to thread a course for the massive vehicle on the crowded road. The rear vid showed Trent hot on their tail in the other APC.

Jeff glanced at Melly. “Our next scheduled stop is the doctor’s home but we may not get there until tomorrow, given the road conditions and the uncertainty of running into more mobs of infected. We’re doing the best we can here.”

She nodded. “I understand and I appreciate you taking me home.” As if we’d been out on a date or something. Melly stifled a nervous giggle and forced herself to take in a long breath and hold it.

“If I find a likely spot to stop for the night, I’ll take it and we’ll reach your house tomorrow mid-morning.”