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“No,” Travis answered simply. “We can’t risk it. Weather is kicking up fierce. Lightning is flashing on the horizon. We still got those zombies on the outskirts wandering around. If something went wrong-”

“Something has already gone wrong,” Katarina reminded him. “And those are our people out there!”

“You can go out in the morning with me to look for them,” Nerit said in a tone that was all ice. Her fake smile was nowhere to be seen.

With a slight bob of her head, Katarina stepped back, turned, and headed back to the hotel. She struggled to breathe and regain her composure.

Of course it had been too good to be true. . .

Straightening her shoulders, she walked back into the hotel. She’d head out with the crew in the morning. She wanted to know what had happened. But then again, she suspected she already knew the fate of Bill and the others. Her Mom was right. Happiness was not her lot in life. She had been born for hard work and sacrifice.

Bill would not be coming back to her. Their date would never happen.

Good things never happened to those who did what had to be done.

3. Revelation

First Lieutenant, Kevin Reynolds, gazed solemnly at the Major General, Senator Paige Brightman and Chief of Police, Bruce Kiel.

“They’re just civilians,” he repeated.

r /> The Senator looked unimpressed, her pinched face looking even more pinched. For the hundredth time Kevin wondered how she got her pale blond hair so poofy. “I can’t believe they’re not some lunatic cult or a militia. They’re too well organized for ordinary people. Seriously, are ordinary hicks capable of this?”

“Ordinary people are capable of great things,” Bruce said softly. “And if this is my daughter in this picture, I know she wouldn’t be with a cult or a militia. ”

“Maybe she doesn’t have a choice. Did you think of that, Chief?” The Senator raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs. “We’ve dealt with wellorganized crazies before. Anyone remember Waco or Eldorado? Those cultists had nice little compounds a lot like this one. How do we know that most of the people in this fort aren’t being held hostage waiting for us to rescue them?”

“Bill is very adamant that they are just ordinary people trying to survive,”

Kevin answered.

“What if he is one of the cult leaders?” The Senator tapped her nail on the photo. “They are well-armed. ”

“Well, the dead are trying to eat the living,” Bruce pointed out.

“If you are planning to take control of the fort, I suggest that we do our best to avoid any sort of armed confrontation. We are in Texas. We are dealing with Texans. They aren’t going to take kindly to someone from the outside trying to take over. ” Kevin sat back in his chair, looking grim.

“I’m a Senator of this great state, Kevin. I know my people. And I know that the rural areas are full of crazies. ” The Senator flashed her winning smile. “If we have to go in and disarm them, we’ll do it. ”

The Major General’s craggy face wore his usual disgruntled expression.

He had been retired, working his way into the political arena, before all hell had broken loose. The President had assigned him to coordinate the rescue centers in this part of Texas. The only thing he had managed to coordinate was his escape from Austin with the Senator. “The First Lieutenant is right. The situation needs to be dealt with in a calm and logical manner. I think we should let the two captives into the civilian population. Let them see what we’re about. Let them see we are organized and prepared to take on the added responsibilities of leading the fort. After they have seen our operation here, I’ll question this Bill personally tomorrow. ”

“We should just contact the enclave and speak with them,” Bruce Kiel said in a low voice. “Why all the cloak and dagger bullshit? Why snag their people? Just contact them!”

The Senator looked at him reproachfully. “You seem to forget the kind of people we have already encountered since this incident began. Consider the hoodlum that gave us the information on the fort and his merry band of methheads. He said they shot his people, blew up one of their trucks, and shot two innocent people when he tried to seek refuge with them.

Now, I’m not saying that the fort people didn’t show a bit of class not letting him into their facility, but they showed aggression that we cannot consider lightly. ”

“The Senator is correct,” the Major General agreed. “They are well-armed and ruthless. ”

“According to a criminal,” Kevin pointed out. “A man who we found with two women held captive in his truck. ”

“We need an accurate picture of what is going on before we make our move,” the Major General said finally. “Take care of it, First Lieutenant.

Then report back to me. ”

“May I have the discretion to do as I please?”