Siege (As the World Dies #3)(34)

“Ken thinks Blanche did away with him. Maybe she did. I don’t know. This is so f*cked up.” Jenni looked up, her lips trembling. “Is Juan...is he...”



“They’re still working on him,” Travis answered.

Rosie looked pale and her mouth was clenched shut. She and Jenni were holding hands, united in their fear and grief. “My son is strong. He’ll come through.” “I have no doubt that Juan is determined to live,” Travis answered.

Jack was under Jenni’s chair, his sad eyes looking at all the humans. Jason was on guard duty and Jack had come to be with Jenni. It was almost as if he knew she needed him. Travis leaned down and petted the dog’s head.



Charlotte entered the room, covered in blood, looking tired. Letting out a desperate, horrified gasp, Rosie grabbed Jenni in her arms. Both women looked on the verge of collapse. Travis straightened and reached for Katie’s hand. She clutched it tightly. Travis forced the words out. “How is he?”



Charlotte let out a long sigh. “Stabilized. For now. We actually stopped the bleeding and have him on transfusions. I have some ER experience from my nursing days and I managed to get him stable. The bullet is still in him and it definitely collapsed a lung. I used an empty pen as a tube to get it re-inflated, and Belinda is manually pumping air into his lungs. I have Peggy looking for an oxygen tank she swears she has in storage. He has lost a lot of blood, and I don’t know what other damage is in there.” “Is he going to live?” Rosie whispered.

Charlotte licked her lips, then said, “I did my best with what I have. But the bullet is still in there and there is risk of infection. He’s also in shock and we’re treating him for that.”

Jenni pulled away from Rosie. “I need to go to him. He needs me.”

There was a moment when Travis thought Charlotte would deny Jenni, but then she nodded. “He probably does. Just don’t get too hysterical in there. Keep it calm. Keep it soft. Encourage him to fight. He’s not conscious, but he may hear you.”

Rosie and Jenni held each other hands tightly as they went into the next room where Juan lay. Jack followed to the door and whimpered when the door shut, cutting him off. Katie moved to comfort the dog as Travis looked at Charlotte.

“What’s up for real?”

“I need surgical tools and resources we don’t have,” Charlotte answered truthfully. “I need to get that bullet out. I need equipment to monitor him and keep him alive. I need medications to fight infections.”

Travis nodded. “Okay, get me a list. We’ll get it.”

“Travis?” Katie’s voice sounded frightened.

Charlotte blinked. “You realize the hospitals are death traps.”

“There is a small hospital about fifty miles from here. Real small. It’s a possibility. It’ll be volunteer only”

Katie stood up, looking fearful. “Travis, you can’t go.”

“Why not?” His voice sounded harsher than he meant it to be.



“The fort needs you to be our leader,” she answered. She ran her hand over her belly. “And the baby and I need you.” Sitting down hard in a chair, he covered his face. He felt tears on his cheeks, and he whispered, “I can’t just sit here.”



“Katie is right. You’re not the only one who cares about Juan.” Charlotte looked weary as well as anxious. “We can’t afford to lose our leader.”

“Some leader. It’s my fault this happened.” “Travis, no!” Katie moved toward him, reaching out to comfort him, but he pushed her hand away.

“No, it is my fault. I should have realized what was going on with those two. If I had given them that damned Hummer-”

It was then Bill entered the room, interrupting. “Travis, the bitch is awake. Want to be there when I question her?”

Travis stood up slowly. “Yeah. I do.” He kissed Katie and she wiped his tears away. He regretted pushing her hand away and stroked her cheek softly, begging for forgiveness with his eyes. “Let me know if anything changes.”

Katie nodded, her eyes full of love and desperation. “Of course.” She sat back down, Jack at her side.



Travis walked out of the room feeling the fear and anxiety in that room still clinging to him.





2. The Broken World

Maybe it was the way she spit out a tooth onto the table or the way she kept laughing at them, but Travis could not see Blanche as human anymore. The longer they questioned her, the more insanely confident she seemed in her lying tales. She barely looked like herself with her swollen and bruised face. Jenni had done a real number on her and Travis was glad for it.

“Look, she attacked me and killed my husband! She’s a crazy spic,” Blanche shouted at them. “I just want to go home! Give me my Hummer and let me go home!”

“Blanche, we know that isn’t true. You took Jenni hostage. We know the truth.” Bill’s voice was even and very calm. “Do you really? Do you? You know, I think you’re too stupid to know the truth.”

Despite Bill’s quiet persistence, it soon became evident that Blanche was not about to divulge anything but her version of the story.

“Blanche, we know you had this set up. We know you have been doling out your own special justice,” Bill said shortly, finally close to being angry.