Chapter Four
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GG HEARD THE LOW RUMBLE of an engine approaching and turned towards the noise.
Dalt had left the old warehouse before dawn to search for transportation.
She’d just come back from using a bathroom in a nearby empty house.
Her friends were still asleep inside the huge building.
They were huddled together on the stained and stinky mattresses.
“Who knew snobby Faye Privette would ever become my friend?” she said, shaking her head at the twist of fate.
An ancient, decrepit silver minivan lumbered into view. GG hurried over to the gate that was barring its way. Dalton had busted the lock before leaving. She’d seen it lying in the snow when she’d left through a gap in the fence a short while ago.
The van eased to a stop and the cowboy lifted his hand in greeting. His smile still quickened her heart even though they’d been apart for eighteen years. She waved back, then wrestled the rusty gate open.
“Mr. Ashton’s back!” one of the women called out to wake the others up. She’d opened the side door, probably to check on where GG was.
Crowding into the doorway, the former captives of the Soldiers of Chaos stared at their ride in various degrees of skepticism.
“How is that thing still working?” Paris asked with her upper lip lifted. “It’s almost as old as Faye.”
“Watch it!” Mrs. Privette said in a mock snarl as the women snickered. “Guess who’ll be delegated to latrine duties when we reach our farm?”
Paris groaned in dismay as she became the focus of their laughter.
Dalt parked the van and climbed out. “Morning, ladies,” he said in greeting. “I managed to find some supplies while I was scouting for this old girl.” He patted the silver van’s side affectionately.
“Good job, Dalt,” GG said, grateful once again that she wasn’t going to have to face her uncertain future alone anymore.
She had no idea what their relationship would be like.
Maybe they would just remain friends, or perhaps their love would reignite.
For now, they had more pressing concerns than rekindling an old flame.
“I aim to please, darlin’,” Dalton murmured.
“What sort of supplies did you find, Mr. Ashton?” one of the women asked.
“I ran into a patrol of the new so-called police officers wearing white armbands,” he replied with a grim smile. “They were busy fighting some people who were guarding a grocery store, so I crept up to their truck and grabbed whatever I could carry from it.”
“You always did have a huge pair,” GG said in admiration.
“Don’t I know it,” he said with a wink, then opened the sliding side door of the minivan. “I’m not even sure what’s in the boxes,” he admitted.
Paris and Faye hurried over to examine his haul. “There’s all sorts of food and beverages in here,” Paris said excitedly as she checked one of the boxes.
“There’s toilet paper, toiletries and feminine products in this one,” Faye said when she checked the next one. “The last box has more food,” she reported.
GG tried not to feel jealous when Paris hugged her ex tightly. “Thank you so much, Dalton,” the younger woman said with tears of gratitude shining in her eyes.
“I’m glad I could help,” Dalt said kindly. He patted her back, but GG could tell he wasn’t interested in her. His eyes locked onto hers and she looked away, feeling weirdly flustered.
“How soon are we going to leave?” one of the women asked from the doorway. They’d lit more fires in the old metal drums before turning in last night, so it was far warmer inside.
“As soon as we can,” Mrs. Privett said. “I suggest we all use the nearby facilities, then get on the road.” A thought occurred to her and she turned to their savior. “Do you think the roads will be clear enough for us to be able to leave New Jersey?”
Dalton nodded. “I scouted ahead before returning here. I think the way will be traversable. Don’t stop for anyone, no matter how pathetic they look. It’ll most likely be a trap to lure marks in so they can steal your belongings, or worse.”
A hard look came over Faye’s face. “Don’t worry about us, Mr. Ashton. We’re not falling for anyone’s traps.”
“I wish we had better weapons than these,” Paris said with a scowl, taking her tiny knife out of her pocket.
Dalt grinned and threw back the blanket he’d tossed over some other items he’d found while scavenging. “How about these, darlin’?” he asked.
“Where did you find those?” GG asked, eyeing the assault rifles he’d discovered. “In the cops’ truck?” she guessed.
“Bingo,” the cattle rancher said with a smirk. “They’ve stolen plenty of supplies from people like us. I thought it would be fitting to relieve them of a few things the ladies could put to good use.”
“You should get moving,” GG called out to the others. “It looks like it might snow again soon.”
That was enough to galvanize her friends into action. The women hurried to the closest homes to take care of their pressing needs, taking some guns with them.
GG waited inside the van with Dalt. The engine was switched off to preserve the gas. “You did a good thing for these girls,” she said. “We never would have found a car that worked without your help.”
“All in a day’s work, ma’am,” he joked, tipping the cowboy hat he wasn’t wearing in her direction. His dark brown curls were hidden beneath a beanie.
Chuckling, GG hugged herself for warmth. They sat in companionable silence until her friends all returned, then climbed out. Dalt had kept an assault rifle for his companion.
“I call shotgun!” Paris said, beating the others to the front passenger seat. She was carrying one of the rifles.
Dalton handed the keys to Mrs. Privett. “Good luck and safe travels,” he said.
“Thank you,” Faye said, then surprised both GG and the cowboy with hugs. “You, too, Glenda,” she added with a smirk.
“I’m so glad I’m never going to see you again, Faye,” GG said with an eyeroll. “Try not to drive over a cliff on the way to your farm.”
Dalt chuckled and hugged the females when they took turns to say goodbye. Paris had stashed her gun on the passenger seat. She gave GG a fierce hug and whispered into her ear. “He’s a good man, Glory Gold. Try not to screw it up with him again this time.”
“I can’t make any promises,” GG said wryly, releasing the girl.
Paris hugged Dalton last and whispered something in his ear, too. “Yes, ma’am,” he murmured in response.
Faye climbed behind the steering wheel and began adjusting the seat and mirrors. Unaccustomed tears welled in GG’s eyes as her friends chose seats and piled inside. “I’m going to miss them,” she said quietly.
“You saved their lives, GG,” Dalt said. “They’re free now, thanks to you.”
“You’re the one who blasted the frozen guard into chunks,” she reminded him.
“Your redheaded friend was the one who killed him with her magic. I just made sure he wasn’t going to regenerate like a creature out of a horror movie,” he said with a shrug.
“You really think Wynter killed him when she turned him into an ice cube?” she asked.
“That dude was as dead as that squirrel over there,” he said grimly, nodding towards the skeleton of a small animal lying on the parking lot nearby.
GG glanced at it, glad the light dusting of snow mostly hid the remains. Faye started up the van and the girls whooped in joy. They waved madly as their leader set the vehicle into motion. GG and Dalt waved until the van became lost to their sight.
“So, what now?” GG asked. “Are we going to stay here, or find somewhere else to hunker down in?” She was dying to know what Paris had whispered to him, but she had a feeling he wasn’t ready to answer her.
Dalton peered up at the cloudy sky before responding. “I need to retrieve my gear from Pastor Hogan’s place in Morningside Heights,” he told her. “You should wait for me here. We’ll find somewhere else to stay when I get back.”
“No way,” GG refuted, unwilling to be left behind. “I’m going with you,” she said.
“No offense, darlin’, but you kind of stand out in that gold outfit,” her ex pointed out.
GG smirked, then partially unzipped her jacket. “It’s reversible,” she said smugly, showing him the dark blue material. “I had it made for when I go skiing and I want to remain anonymous.”
“You always were a clever girl,” Dalt said in admiration. “I know you’re still as stubborn as ever, so there’s no point in trying to argue with you.”
“That’s right,” she confirmed, turning to head inside so she could quickly change. “I’ll be right back, sugar,” she said, dredging up her old Montana accent she’d left behind eighteen years ago.
“And I’ll be waiting for you, Glenda Golen,” he said mischievously, making her scowl in response.
GG knew Dalton Ashton was still a gentleman, despite whatever he’d done to be left behind when the Rapture had struck.
She removed her ski suit long enough to turn it inside out, then pulled a blue beanie from a pocket.
She tucked her hair beneath it until none of the blonde strands were visible.
Now far less recognizable, she emerged from the warehouse.
“Rahab and his goons can sense humans, but we all feel the same to them,” she said.
“I doubt he’ll be able to track me down very easily as long as I stay out of sight. ”
“Let’s hope so,” Dalt said grimly. Handing her the spare assault rifle, they headed back to the city they’d only just fled from last night.