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Katie felt a little dizzy at the thought of Jenni being hurt, then carted off by some unknown military force. She leaned against Travis for comfort.

His arm snaked around her and he held her tightly, his lips briefly brushing over her forehead.

Ed and Linda walked toward them briskly. Both looked grim and Katie wondered if they were the ones that checked on Blanche.

“What did you find?” Travis looked nervous.

“A Mercedes packed to the gills with supplies on the side of the road. Ray busted the axle trying to off road it. Maybe he was trying to avoid being seen by Curtis and Katarina yesterday,” Ed answered.

“And what looked like maybe the remains of Ray on the doorstep of the mansion. Gunshot wound to what was left of his head. ” Linda shivered.

“There were a few zombies milling around still. Front door was open.

Zombies on the inside. We didn’t go in. ”

“We didn’t stick around. No sign of life and once the zombies get you in their sights, they get all feisty,” Ed added.

“Think she got away?” Katie wasn’t sure if she wanted Blanche still alive out there or not. She wasn’t very happy about the choice that had been made the day before, but at the same time it was hard to find sympathy for Blanche.

Ed shook his head. “Nope. ” His keen eyes looked toward Travis. “Nope.

I think she’s dead. ”

Travis squirmed under his gaze and Nerit shrugged.

Linda shook her head. “I don’t feel bad for the bitch. She shot my cousin.

Killed two men, including her husband. ”

“Justice has got to be fair for everyone or it ain’t justice,” Ed said in terse voice.

“Hey! Hey, Travis! Nerit! There is word the army is coming to rescue us,”

a man said running up to them.

Katie couldn’t remember his name, but knew he had survived with his son in a farmhouse not too far out of town.

“No, they took two of our people,” Travis answered, struggling to keep the edge from his tired voice. He and Ed were still locking gazes.

“Are they coming for the rest of us?” The man looked excited, but anxious.

“They took two of our people and we don’t know what that means,” Nerit answered truthfully.

“Yeah, but they are coming to rescue us, right? They know we’re here now. Our people will tell them where to come to get us. Right?”

A crowd was beginning to form around them as the word spread. Katie clung to Travis, feeling his body leaning heavily against hers. He was so tired and she knew he was not in the mindset to deal with yet another crisis.

“Travis, is it true?” This was Belinda, Juan’s former crush, and she looked hopeful.

“We don’t know. We just know that the military took two of our people. It could mean anything,” Travis responded.

“But if it’s the army, that means we’re saved!” This from an older black woman, clutching her hands together. Her expression was rapturous.

“Where would they take us?” Travis asked the fast growing crowd.

“A place safer than what we got here,” Belinda said, and the people around her nodded.

“This may be bad,” Peggy pointed out. “What if their base isn’t as nice as this. We have a good thing here. ”