Twenty-Three #2
“On your toes. Move quietly and quickly.”
She nodded, and together, we approached the door.
It wasn’t even locked, but I guess protecting your corporate overlord’s assets fell to the wayside when the shit hit the fan.
Our search revealed the place was empty. Unlocked and abandoned. The kind of shit that could make me believe in luck if I was the superstitious type.
Once I was confident it was safe and Asia made her pit stop, we settled in.
The quiet was comfortable, easy, and I felt something like relaxed when Asia looked at me.
“Thank you, Jackson,” she whispered, uncharacteristically unwilling to meet my eyes.
“Look at me, Asia,” I said.
Her eyes snapped up to lock with mine.
“I already told you, you don’t need to thank me.”
She huffed. “Fine. I won’t anymore.”
Then she smiled.
That smile was more beautiful than the sunrise .
Made my heart pound harder than any of the countless close calls I had in my life.
That smile made me feel raw, exposed, and I knew Asia saw that.
But I didn’t look away. I stayed still, letting Asia see things that scared me more than the monsters.
I finally forced myself to look away.
If I wasn’t careful, this woman would ruin me.
“You should get some sleep,” she said a moment later.
I shook my head. “We’re not staying. This place is too exposed.”
“I know, but you’ve been up all night, and we don’t know when we’ll get the opportunity to slow down again,” she countered.
“Good point,” I said.
I looked at my watch. It wasn’t even seven yet.
“I’m sleeping for forty-five minutes,” I said as I fiddled with my watch.
Asia stared at me with raised eyebrows. “Are you setting an alarm?”
“Yeah. I am,” I said.
She chuckled. “Shouldn’t one of the pluses of a fucking apocalypse be not having to worry about alarms anymore? I mean, it’s not like you have to clock in.”
“Forty-five minutes,” I repeated.
She gave another small laugh, and then said, “I’ll take this corner, and take the opposite. That’ll give us line of sight in the whole building.”
“Line of sight, Counselor?”
“Go to sleep, Jackson. Your clock is ticking.”
She sobered, apparently realizing the implication of her words.
“It always has been,” I said as I headed to my corner.
I didn’t like the distance, but it was a smart play.
I settled in the corner and quickly dropped off, hoping I didn’t dream.
What felt like seconds later, a gentle vibration started pulsing at my wrist.
I was awake almost instantly, and looked over at Asia
“Any excitement?” I asked as I stood, stretching my muscles, though I hadn’t slept long enough for them to tense .
“Thankfully, no,” she responded.
“What’s that?” I asked, looking at the small pile at her feet.
“Found some water and some food. A couple of knives and a revolver. Small caliber. A .22 I think.”
I tilted my head as I stared at her.
“Don’t look surprised,” she said.
“I’m starting to learn I shouldn’t be,” I said.
“Meaning?” she responded, her lips in a gentle smile.
“Lawyers talk and read. You’re dropping line of sight and weapon caliber like it’s second nature,” I said.
She waved me off. “What can I say? I contain multitudes.”
“Something I discover every day,” I said.
“Come eat some stale taco shells and cold refried beans,” she said.
“Sounds delicious,” I said.
She laughed. “Well it tastes terrible, but the warm, flat soda is divine.”
I chuckled and then quickly scarfed down a couple of taco shells and some beans. “You’re right. This soda isn’t half bad.” I took another sip .
“You’ll learn not to doubt me, Jackson,” she said. She smiled quickly but then went serious. “I was thinking…”
I shook my head. “Asia, this topic is closed. We don’t need to talk about it anymore.”
“But, Jack, your brother needs you. I can get to my uncle’s. You should find supplies and try to get to him,” she said.
She said the same thing before. More than once. Or even twice.
I let out a humorless laugh. “You that anxious to get rid of me?”
“Don’t be a brat, Jackson. I just want you to get to your brother.”
“And I will,” I said. “Once I get you to Tennessee.”
My voice didn’t allow room for doubt. But I was dealing with Asia Newman.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
In that question, I heard what wasn’t said.
And the truth was—I wasn’t sure.
Evan could be gone now. Gone or be lost in the time between.
But I refused to allow that thought.
Evan would be okay.
So would Asia .
It was as simple as that.
Failure wasn’t an option.
If I failed, Evan would be dead.
Asia would be dead.
That was a world I wouldn’t allow to exist.
“I found a map,” she said.
I sensed she wanted to argue more, so I was grateful when she changed the conversation.
“You know how to get to your uncle’s?” I said.
“Yeah, but that’s a straight shot down the highway. As experience has taught me, we won’t get that lucky,” she said.
“So what you got?” I asked, walking toward the map she’d spread on the restaurant counter.
“I traced out three separate routes,” she said.
“I would have done four.”
“Showoff,” she said, her luminous smile again kicking me in the chest. “Anyway, three is the best I could come up with. And one of them is a stretch,” she said.
“Why?”
“Once you get into the mountains, the trip can get tricky,” she said.
I nodded .
“So this is the plan,” I said, studying the map.
It was a great find.
Most people didn’t keep them around anymore. But as I looked at the bright paper, Asia’s plan seemed feasible.
“So that’s the plan, huh?”
She shrugged. “You tell me.”
“I think it’ll work. But we need?—”
Whatever I was going to say was lost in the sound of shattering glass.