Chapter 27 #2
The mowers were the old-timey whirling-bladed push kind, which made sense. If you were going to mow with zombies roaming around, using anything that made noise was a bad idea.
But Allie was still reeling from the fact that they were mowing, period.
“Malcolm likes to maintain the area,” Cam said from beside her.
“In general, the communities tend to keep the tall grass mown to keep visibility—people feel safer. Scythes, sickles, and old push mowers are hot commodities. Malcolm had people hitting up every farm and antique store within a hundred miles for a while.”
Now that she thought about it, the area surrounding the Armory had been cleanly shorn as well.
She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, probably because no one had been actively maintaining it while they were there.
Given the Plant’s general air of peace and order, whatever they were doing seemed to be working.
Zachary came up on her other side. “That is... incredible.”
Cam gave him a nonplussed look—Allie couldn’t help but notice it—but then he looked at her and his expression softened.
“There’s a whole lot to it, so I only know so much.
Someone here, whoever’s in charge of new arrivals these days, will give you the spiel when we head in.
I can tell you that what we call the Plant used to be separate entities.
The university’s research farm has been here since the ’70s.
They did horticulture, ag studies, and plant biology, plus animal husbandry and vet training. Tons of other stuff.”
“Wow,” she murmured, leaning into his warmth. Focus, Allie. Actual info coming at you.
“But that”—he pointed at the techy-looking buildings, which would seem more at home in Silicon Valley than in the hills of Missouri—“was built in the early 2000s. The university got flak for putting it so near the farm, apparently, because of the smell.”
“You mean scientists don’t like manure?” She grinned up at him, delighting in his amused, intent expression in those slate-blue eyes.
Key came up beside them. “Manny and I are going to go in first, announce ourselves. We’re too big a group now to walk casually toward the entrance, and they’ve likely already spotted us.
The perimeter is big, but there are always eyes on it.
” She held a small cheap-looking white flag then told Manny, “The flags are easy visual codes for any approaching groups—if we have a white one, it means all’s well.
If we have a red one, it means we’re in trouble and coming in hot. ”
“If there’s no flag, they know the people coming in are probably strangers.” Manny nodded. “I like it. But what if you don’t have flags?”
“We’ve definitely lost them or misplaced them at times,” Odette said. “I always have scraps of white and red cloth to hold up, just in case.”
Cam nodded at Key and Manny. “We’ll hang out over here until we hear something,” he said.
When they all went back to where the rest of the group waited, Allie was surprised but happy to see Ripper deep in conversation with Ginger.
When Ripper actually smiled—his lips turned up, which counted as a real smile for him—at something Ginger said, Allie was reminded of how young Ripper actually was.
Cam had told her the rest of them were pretty sure he had lied about his age when they found him—probably a defensive move on his part, or maybe he wanted to make sure they took him seriously as an ally.
Choosing the name “Ripper” was another clue pointing toward the latter.
It made sense. Ripper hadn’t needed to be adopted like Cam had. He’d simply needed to belong to a group.
Gray, Jen, and Zachary were all sitting together and talking, and Dette had joined them. The mood there was serious. “I’m not wild about the idea of a full strip search,” Jen was saying. “For me or the kids.” When Zachary rolled his eyes at her, she mock-snapped, “You know what I mean.”
Allie was right there with her on that regard. Being completely naked, at the mercy of strangers? Every part of her rebelled against it.
Dette nodded, her expression sympathetic. “I get that. But it’s got to be done. I mean, there’s no other way to tell if anyone has a bite. Better to have to show your anus to a stranger than there to be any doubt.”
“See, you using words like ‘anus’ right now doesn’t help,” Jen said, only half joking.
“Most of the folks who conduct the searches are very respectful, especially here,” Gray said, his voice gentle.
“If that helps. I mean, you run into asshole guards and even creeps at some of the smaller communities, but places like the Plant make sure they have kind folks with people skills and zero perv factor in those positions.”
God, imagining what someone with a tendency toward harassment and sexual abuse could do with a position like that... Allie shuddered.
“Gray’s right,” Cam said. “I’ve never had a bad experience with check-in here.
” He turned to Allie. “It’s not fun, of course, but they’ll make it as easy on you as possible.
I’m glad this will be your first experience with a real search.
” For a moment, his expression changed, and she knew he was thinking about the Armory.
If real searches had been done there, their circumstances might have been very different.
Then Cam looked at Jen. “We’ve got your back here. If your experience is a bad one, tell us and we’ll talk to the folks in charge.”
“Also, parents can be present with their children,” Dette put in.
“Key went through a few check-ins with Odie at first, despite his advanced age.” She mouthed “twenty” in a comically exaggerated way, which made Gray and Zachary laugh.
“Before the third one, he informed her that he was old enough to know what was a ‘bad touch’ versus a ‘good touch.’”
Jen flashed her a brief smile before looking back at Ginger worriedly.
“I don’t know how my baby will react. Ginger’s so open emotionally, but they’ve never been comfortable with body stuff, especially any form of public disrobement.
For all kinds of reasons. No swimming, no gymnastics or sports aside from soccer.
Gin would never even try on clothes at the store from preteen on. ”
“Go in with them,” Dette advised. “Hold their hand.”
Jen nodded, looking at least a little mollified.
Allie spoke up. “Cam, why don’t you go have a quick word with Ripper and Ginger about what’s coming up?” She smiled at Jen. “Forewarned is forearmed. Hopefully, Ripper can help explain and answer questions—he’s a pretty private guy himself, and he and Ginger seem to be bonding over there.”
Cam gave her an approving nod.
Jen brightened. “Oh, please, yes. Thank you.”
While Cam went over to talk to the two younger folks, Allie went over to where Rachel was sharpening a bowie knife. Given their earlier sort-of conflict, she thought maybe it would be a good idea to be polite to the woman before they parted ways.
“Are you excited to be coming to the Plant?” Allie asked.
Rachel shrugged. “It’s a solid place to stop. Good food, comfortable beds, better chance of getting laid.”
“Um... yeah.”
“Of course, some of us don’t have to worry about that. You’re banging Cam, right? That was the hot goss at the Armory.” Rachel eyed Allie. “Or is that over? I can’t tell with you two.”
Allie opened her mouth and closed it again. “I... don’t...”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me. It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
Well, this is a bizarre conversation. “I mean, it’s not a secret.” It also isn’t clearly defined. “We’re... I don’t know.”
Rachel put her knife back in the sheath and stood up. “Sounds messy. And now the new guy is kind of sniffing around you too.”
Allie cocked her head. Was this Rachel’s way of trying to be friendly? “I’m sorry?”
“Like, he’s hanging around you a lot.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “I don’t care. He’s not my type.”
What is your type? Allie was tempted to ask. Her more prudent self stepped in. Do you really want more of the Rachel experience right now? Don’t ask. Don’t fall deeper into this conversation.
“Yeah, cool,” Allie said then wanted to smack herself when Rachel raised her eyebrows. “I mean, I hope you have a good... time? Here.” Wow. Way to stick the landing, Al.
Rachel, for her part, didn’t seem to notice. “Samesies.” She sheathed her knife and walked to her bike.
Allie chuckled under her breath. Wow. But she kind of liked Rachel’s bluntness—you knew where you stood with a person like that. It alleviated some of the anxiety in the interaction. But before she had a chance to ponder that exchange more fully, she turned to see Zachary heading over to her.
“Can I help with anything, Allie?”
“Nope, I’m good to go. Thanks.”
“No problem,” he said. “We’re seriously indebted to you and your truly awful taste in jokes.
” He gave her a warm smile. Even while too thin and still recovering from malnutrition, the guy was attractive.
She registered that, even as she stole a glance over at Cam.
Was Zachary, in Rachel’s fun, gross phrasing, sniffing around her?
“I appreciate that,” she said. This time, when she looked over, Cam was looking back, and she flashed him a brief, embarrassed smile before turning her attention back to Zachary. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you—are those glasses the ones you had before the zompocalypse? Do you have extras?”
“Yes, these are the same ones. I’ve been lucky, but I’ve also scavenged ones that feel close to my prescription and keep them with me, just in case.”
Allie nodded.
“Also, zompocalypse?” Zachary laughed. “I like it.”
She grinned. “Yeah, that’s kind of an in-joke. So, are you excited for the Plant?”
Zachary began talking, but Allie was only half listening.
If Zachary was interested in her, how did Cam feel about it?
Allie recalled him reacting to Zachary with some kind of reserve, but not outright irritation or anything like that.
Would it bother him—did he feel strongly enough about her to care?
Allie tried to summon her Morrigan Vision again to look at Cam’s aura, but her sight remained stubbornly normal. So I can use it for important things but not to gauge the frame of mind of the guy I love? Hardly seems fair. She would have laughed at herself if she weren’t still so jittery.
“...so we’re thinking this could be home, if things go well,” Zachary finished, bringing Allie back to earth.
“That’s great.” She smiled. “I hope you’re happy here.”
“I hope we’ll still see plenty of you.” He cocked his head. “I mean—are you thinking of staying here? I know Key and the rest of the group travel around doing the courier thing, but you’re pretty new, like us.”
I am new. The thought came with a little pang of sadness. And what if I want to stay here? Or Morrigan wants me to stay? What about Cam? Well, if Morrigan wanted her to stay, she’d try her best to convince Cam to stay too. If he still wanted to be with her.
Ugh. So many ifs.
Before Allie could figure out what to say in answer to Zachary’s innocuous question, she heard a series of bird calls from the direction of the Plant.
Dette stood up. “That’s the signal for ‘clear to approach,’ kids. Grab your stuff!”
Saved by the birds. “Looks like it’s time,” Allie said.
Cam was beside her in the next instant. “Ready?” he asked.
Nope. “Sure,” she said, trying to keep her voice bright. Let’s get snacking. Let’s grab a bag... “Let’s go get strip-searched.”